ke was fifty-five years of age, he must have lived at Studley from his marriage till that event took place. The Chapel was built long after, by Sir George Croke, and the stables have the date of 1666, and the initials of Alexander CrokeP. ™ See the etching of them. I use the terms Saxon and Norman according to their usual acceptation, but the question of the origin of Gothic architecture has been very satisfactorily cleared up by late surveys of Normandy. It is certain, 1. that what we improperly style Saxon architecture, was a clumsy imitation of the Roman Orders, common all through Europe, and by the Normans introduced here: 2. that the intersection of the arches, and the erection of groined ceilings, gradually suggested the pointed arch : .5. that the pointed arch naturally lead to all the other peculiarities of the Gothic style. " The present appearance agrees in this with the information received by Hearne in his AValk to Studley. See Appendix, No. XXXIII. ° 1 have preserved it. p Studley, or as it was formerly written, Estodeley, was probably derived from €rr. East, Pobe a wood, and Ley, uncultivated land, or I ege, a place. It would therefore signify, a woody place to the east, which is a proper description, being in the midst of woods, and to the east of the parish church, and the ca=tle of Saint Valori. 43S RICHARD CROKE, D.D. RICHARD CROKE, DOCTOR IN DIVINITY. THERE was a person who lived about this time, whom we may with considerable probability include within the pale of our family ; although there are not sufficient data fully to establish the relationship. This was Doctor Richard Croke, or Crocus, as he called himself in Latin, one of the first restorers, and most successful cultivators, of the Greek language in Europe. The name of his father and mother are not known, but he is stated by Mosellanus, in a letter to Erasmus, to have been of an ancient and honour- able family 3 . He was born in London 1 ', perhaps about the year 1492°. In his will, he mentions a brother, Robert Croke, of Water Horton in Warwickshire. This is all the knowledge we have of his connexions, but it is not improbable that he was the brother of John Croke, the Master in Chancery. They were contemporaries, and died within four years of each other 11 . He bore the name of Richard, which was that of Master Croke's father, and they both enjoyed the friendship of Sir Thomas More. The name of Croke is of rare occurrence out of this family. From whatever family he was descended, he was under no great obli- gations to it. In his oration to the Cantabrigians, he complains that in his younger years, he was deprived of his paternal inheritance, by the ini- quity of his relations. It is a proof of early merit, that he found in Arch- bishop Warham, a kind benefactor, who was at the expence of his mainte- nance and education 6 . a Juvenis cum imaginibus. Erasm. Op. Le Clerc, Epist. page J 596. D. b Wood's Ath. Oxon. i. col. 85. He was admitted Scholar at Cambridge in 150G, and as students then entered young, we may suppose that he was about fourteen years old. '' John Croke in 1554, Richard in 1558. e Oratio de Grwc. Disc, laudibus. chap. ii. RICHARD CROKE, D.D. 439 Under such eminent patronage, he was elected Scholar of King's College at Cambridge, on the 4th of April 1506 f . Soon after, lead by the celebrity of the Oxford professors, he removed to that University, and studied the Greek language under the famous William Groyn, and other learned men^. Having made great proficiency in Grecian literature, he went for farther improvement to Paris, where he was living in 1513. Whilst he resided there he seems not to have been well supplied with the means of pursuing his studies. Erasmus wrote to his friend Colet to send a few nobles to him, as a young man of good hopes, and who had been left destitute by some who had promised him their assistance* 1 . His reputation for learning being now established, he went into Germany, and was the first public professor of the Greek language at Cologne, Louvain, Leipsic, and Dresden'. The exact time of his residence in these Universities is not ascertained ; that he was at Leipsic in 1514, appears by a letter from Erasmus to Linacer k . He continued there for three years, and, amongst other eminent pupils, he taught the celebrated Camerarius 1 . With what honours he was received, and the success he met with there, the great number of his pupils, and the animated spirit and love for learning which he inspired, have been described ' Wood, ibid. Regium Collegium cui mese eloquentiae rudimenta debeo. Croc. Oratio de Graec. Disc. laud. g Wood, ibid. Richardo Croco quondam ministro ac discipulo Grocini. Erasmus Epist. Coleto, page 131. C. Grocini doctissimi discipulus. Caii Hist. Cantab, p. 127- h Si quas pecunias habes in manibus, in hoc commissas.ut dentur in subsidium, rogo mittas aliquot nobiles Richardo Croco, quondam ministro ac discipulo Grocini, qui nunc Parisiis dat operam bonis Uteris. Juvenis est bonce spei, et in quern recte beneficium col- locaveris, nisi me plane fallit animus. Erasm. Epist. Coleto, 1513. page 131. C. In another, dated 29 Oct. 1513, destituitur ille a nonnullis qui promiserant subsidium, page 131. F. 1 Epistola Croci dedic. Martino Lenbelio Civi Lypsensi, praemissa operibus Ausonii, impressa 1515. Vale et Crocum tuum, primum literarum Grascarum, Colonise, Lovanii, Lypsieeque tuae, publicum professorem. Ama, Vale. k Erasm. Linacro, 5 June, 1514. Crocus regnat in Academia Lipsiensi, publicitus Graecas docens literas. Page 136. C. dated St. Omer's. 1 Joac. Camerarii Vita P. Melancth. Usus ego sum Croco praeceptore Lypsia? puer pent triennio. Tn Grammatica sane doctrina Crocus excellebat, profitendo plurimorum studia excitaverat, reversus in patriam hoc opus doctrinae reliquerat inchoatum. Page 2o. 440 RICHARD CROKE, D.D. book iv. in glowing language by Camerarius ; who made such progress under his instructions, that, when the Professor was occasionally absent, the scholar supplied his place, though only sixteen years of age m . He was succeeded by Peter Mosellanus", upon his removal to Dresden ; the last place of his residence upon the continent ; and where he gave lectures for two years . From hence he was invited to return to his native country, in 1517, and having been recommended for his great learning and eloquence, he became preceptor to the King in the Greek language, and was in great favour with him, and the English noblemen who were the patrons of literaturec. In 1519, he was still attendant upon the court, and wrote to his friend Mosellanus to come to England ; who however declined the invitation. Mosellanus, in a letter written at that time, says, that he wished to send some books of Croke to Hesse, but that they were not to be procured q . Upon the entreaties of Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, he returned to Cambridge, where he was appointed Greek Professor to succeed Erasmus r . This appears to have been in the year 1518, for there is a letter of the 23d of April from Erasmus, to congratulate him upon his ap- "' Joach. Camerarii Epist. Nuncupat, ad librum de Eruditione C'ornparanda. Lugd. Bat. 1699. page 17. Giving an account of his early studies, he says, Advenit turn ad nos Richardus Crocus e Britannia, cum uberiore copia quasi mercis musicae. Ccepit profiteri interpretationem Graecae linguae. Quis ad ilium concursus factus? Quis honor externo habitus, vel qui potius non habitus? Quis turn vel labori, vel operae, vel impensis pepercit? Fervebat opus, florebat ipse, nos incensi eramus discendi cupiditate. " Melch. Adam. Vita: Philosoph. Germ. fol. 1705. p. 119, 120. Dominus Richardus Crocus Anglus, qui hie biennio Grascae literatura; rudimenta cum summa laude, et morum honestate, seminavit, et nunc patriam repetiturus, has tibi literas porrecturum se recepit. H. Emsor Erasmo. Ex Dresda, Misiikc, 15 March, 1517. page 1592. D. r Crocus qui ct Lypsi^e Graecas literas primus docuit, et ipsi Regi Henrico elementa Graeca tradidit. Stapleton de tribus Thomis, cap. 5. Croke was King Henry's Greek master after his return from Leipsic. More's Life of Sir Thomas More, p. 95. i Mosellani Epist. ad Jul. Pflugium. Hessum nostrum rectissime valere cupio, cui libellos Croci, quos cupit, jamdiu misissem, si haberi possent. Nusquam, quod sciam, pro- stant. Is noster Crocus in Aula Regis sui agit, et me jam Uteris in Angliam vocat. Sed an fidendum sit nescio. Misnae, 1519. Jortin. Erasm. vol. iii. page 60. ' Wood. Knight's Life of Erasmus in Jortin, vol. i. page 22. Erasmo in professione linguae Gnecae successit R. Crocus, vir disertus atque eloquens. Caii Hist. Univ. Cantab, page 127. chap. ii. RICHARD CROKE, D.D. 441 pointment to the professorship ; which he styles, a splendid and honour- able situation'. In his oration in commendation of Greek learning, which is dated on the calends of July the year following, he praises Erasmus highly, and speaks modestly of himself, as unworthy to succeed so great a man. In performing the duties of this office, so great were his labours, and so persevering his assiduity, that he had reason to complain, " that " his health was injured, and his countenance was become pale and " sickly 1 ." Afterwards, in 1522, he was appointed the first Public Orator at Cambridge ; an officer who was before called Magister Glomeriae : and he received a salary of forty shillings ; which office he held till he was suc- ceeded by Doctor Day in 1528". By the University of Oxford he was offered a great stipend to reside there, and he was solicited to accept it by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Thomas More, Linacer, and Grocyn. On the other hand he was pressed by the Bishop of Rochester to continue at Cambridge; with whose request he complied 1 . In 1523, he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor in Divinity 7 , and was elected Fellow of Saint John's College in Cambridge 2 . The next year, 1524, he was made Doctor in Divinity*. Then, or about that time, Wood says he was tutor to the King's natural son, the Duke of Richmond : but as that nobleman was then only five years of age, it was certainly later. The Duke went to Paris in 1532, and died in 1536, being only seventeen years * Erasmus R. Croco suo S. D. Gratulor tibi, mi Croce, professionem istam tarn splen- didam, nee minus hororificam tibi quam frugiferam Academiae Cantabrigensi ; cujus com- modis equidem pro veteris hospitii consuetudine peculiari quodam studio faveo. Mihi nihil tuorum libellorum redditum esse scito. Tantum Franciscus ostendit epistolas quasdam Grsecas abs te recognitas, quas probavi; verum aiebat eas alteri missas. D. Thomae Grajo reddidi tuum Theocritum. Bene vale, mi Croce charissime. Lovanio, 23 Aprilis, anno 1518. Col. 1678. F. Dr. Francis, Physician to Cardinal Wolsey. ' Croci Oratio ad Cantabrigienses. " Wood, ibid. Glomeria is a barbarous word formed from glomerare, to collect together. I suppose from collecting together the members of the University. Dorainus Crocus qui primo advexit Graecas literas, erat primus Orator, et habuit, sicut Magister Glomerias sti- pendium xl s . Ex libro D. Matthei Cant. Dr. Day succeeded about 1528. Ex libro Oratoris Publici. Baker, in Coles's MSS. vol. 49 p. 333. 1 Croci Oratio ad Cantabrigienses. y Regist. Acad. Cant. Baker. * Ibid. » Ibid. 3 L 442 RICHARD CROKE, D.D. book iv. of age. It was probably about the year 1529, or 1530, that Doctor Croke was his instructor; before he went to Italy, and when the Duke was at King's College b . Dr. Croke was intimately acquainted with all the learned men of his time, particularly those of his own country. His friendship with Erasmus appears strongly in a letter written by Mosellanus, of which Croke was to be the bearer, in 1517 c . There is a letter from Sir Thomas More to him, preserved by his grand- son, and which, allowing for the times and the man, must be allowed to be an elegant compliment. " Whatsoever he was, my Crocus, that hath signified unto you that my love is lessened, because you have omitted to write unto me this great while, either he is deceaved, or else he seeketh cunningly to deceave you ; and although I take great comfort in reading your letters, yet am I not so proude, that I should challenge so much interest in you, as though you ought of dutie to salute me everie day in that manner, nor so wayward, nor full of complaints, to be offended with you, for neglecting a little this your custom of writing. For I were unjust if I should exact from other men letters, whereas I know myself to be a great sluggard in that kinde. Wherefore be secure as concerning this ; for never hath my love waxed so cold towards you, that it need still to be kindled and heated, with the continual blowing of missive epistles. Yet shall you do me a great plea, sure if you write unto me as often as you have leasure, but I will never " Wood. ibid. c Petrus Mosellanus Domino Erasmo. Lipsias, 24 Mar. 1517. Deinde velut sponte currenti calcaria subdidit (ut literas scilicet Erasmo scriberet) Richardus Crocus, Britannus, juvenis cum imaginibus, turn utriusque linguae litteraturae cognitione non solum in Britan- nia, verum etiam Germanifi nostra maxirne clarus, qui in litterariis nostris confabulationibus, quoties tui nominis mentio esset facta (fiebat autem saepe) non destitit suadere, hortari, ut me tibi insinuarem ; neque enim hoc vel tibi tore ingratum, vel mihi pcenitendum ; nempe quod te sit humauior nemo, neque quisquam x*i rat ^oxxm magis omnibus sit expositus. Aicbat praeteiea noster Crocus, se ita Erasmo conjunctum, ut epistolm nostrae, vel hoc nomine, locus esset futurus istic honoratior, quod a se apportaretur: jam turn enim hinc in patriam solvere parabat. His quasi stimulis excitatus calamum arripui, hsc ntcunque scripsi, Croco perferenda dedi ; qua re si quid est peccatum, tuo Croco in nostra culpa ignosces,- is enim hujus aud,icid3 mihi auctor fu it (quod Graeci dicunt) *cgup«io{. Erasm. Epist. p. 1 596. D. chap. ir. RICHARD CROKE, D.D. 443 persuade you to spend that time in saluting your friends which you have allotted for your owne studie, or the profitting of your scholars. As touching the other part of your excuse, I utterly refuse it, as there is no cause why you should fear my nose as the trunk of an elephant, seeing that your letters may without fear approche in the sight of any man ; neither am I so long snowted that I would have any man fear my censuring. As for the place which you require that I should procure you, both Mr. Pace and I, who love you dearly, have put the King in mind thereof." When King Henry's divorce was in agitation, and, in consequence o* Cranmer's suggestion, it was thought expedient to take the opinions of the foreign Universities; in the year 1530, Doctor Croke was sent into Italy upon that business : and he performed his commission with zeal, and fidelity. At the commencement of his progress, he was not invested with any public character, and had only a letter of recommendation to John Cassali, the English Ambassador. He went first to Venice, where he conferred with the divines a