Clarendon, Edward Hyde, Earl of

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin

(1608-1674)

Lawyer, statesman, and historian, s. of a country gentleman of good estate in Wiltshire, was b. at Dinton in that county, and ed. at Oxf. Destined originally for the Church, circumstances led to his being sent to London to study law, which he did under his uncle, Sir Nicholas H., Chief Justice of the King's Bench. In early life he was the friend of all the leading men of the day. Entering Parliament in 1640 he at first supported popular measures, but, on the outbreak of the Civil War, attached himself to the King, and was the author of many of his state papers. From 1648 until the Restoration C. was engaged in various embassies and as a counsellor of Charles II., who made him in 1658 his Lord Chancellor, an office in which he was confirmed at the Restoration, when he also became Chancellor of the Univ. of Oxf., and was likewise raised to the peerage. His power and influence came to an end, however, in 1667, when he was dismissed from all his offices, was impeached, and had to fly to France. The causes of his fall were partly the miscarriage of the war with Holland, and the sale of Dunkirk, and partly the jealousy of rivals and the intrigues of place hunters, whose claims he had withstood. In his enforced retirement he engaged himself in completing his great historic work, The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, which he had begun in 1641, and which was not pub. until 1702-4. C.'s style is easy, flowing, diffuse, and remarkably modern, with an occasional want of clearness owing to his long and involved sentences. His great strength is in character-painting, in which he is almost unrivalled. The History was followed by a supplementary History of the Civil War in Ireland (1721). C. also wrote an autobiography, The Life of Edward Earl of Clarendon (1759), a reply to the Leviathan of Hobbes, and An Essay on the Active and Contemplative Life, in which the superiority of the former is maintained. C. d. at Rouen. He was a man of high personal character, and great intellect and sagacity, but lacking in the firmness and energy necessary for the troublous times in which he lived. His dau. Anne married the Duke of York, afterwards James II., a connection which involved him in much trouble and humiliation.

Agar Ellis's Historical Enquiry respecting the Character of Clarendon (1827), Life by T.H. Lister (1838), History (Macray, 6 vols., 1888).

Related Words

Clarendon
·noun A style of type having a narrow and heave face. It is made in all sizes. ...

Webster's Dictionary of the English Language
Hyde
HYDE a town of uncertain site, on the frontier between Cappadocia and Galatia. (Plin. Nat. 5.25; Hie...

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography
Hyde, Douglas
LL.D Irish scholar. Beside the Fire, Love Songs of Connacht (1894), Three Sorrows of Story-telling ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Bradley, Edward
(1827-1889) Novelist, was a clergyman. He wrote under the name of "Cuthbert Bede" a few novels and ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Caird, Edward
(1835-1908) Philosopher, younger brother of John C. (q.v.), was b. at Greenock, and ed. at Glasgow ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Cave, Edward
(1691-1754) Publisher, b. near Rugby, started in 1731 The Gentleman's Magazine, for which Dr. Johns...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Eggleston, Edward
(1837-1902) Novelist, b. at Vevay, Indiana, was a Methodist minister. He wrote a number of tales, s...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Fairfax, Edward
(1580?-1635) Translator, natural s. of Sir Thomas F., lived at Fuystone, near Knaresborough, in pea...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Fitzgerald, Edward
(1809-1883) Translator and letter-writer, was b. near Woodbridge, Suffolk, s. of John Purcell, who ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Gibbon, Edward
(1737-1794) Historian, was b. at Putney of an ancient Kentish family. His f. was Edward G., and his...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Hall, or Halle, Edward
(1499?-1547) Chronicler, b. in London, studied successively at Camb. and Oxf. He was a lawyer, and ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Howard, Edward
(d. 1841) Novelist, a sea-comrade of Captain Marryat, and as sub ed. assisted him in conducting the...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Irving, Edward
(1792-1834) Theologian and orator, b. at Annan, Dumfriesshire, and ed. at Edin. Univ., for some yea...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Lear, Edward
(1812-1888) Artist and miscellaneous author, b. in London, and settled in Rome as a landscape paint...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Moore, Edward
(1712-1757) Fabulist and dramatist, s. of a dissenting minister, was b. at Abingdon. After being in...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Saxby, Edward
(d. 1658) B. in Suffolk, and was in Cromwell's Horse. His extreme republican views, however, led hi...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Stillingfleet, Edward
(1635-1699) Theologian, b. at Cranbourne, Dorsetshire, ed. at Camb., entered the Church, and held m...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Young, Edward
(1683-1765) Poet, s. of the Rector of Upham, Hampshire, where he was b. After being at Winchester S...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Arber, Edward
D.Litt Literary antiquary. Has issued many reprints of rare books. English Reprints, English Schola...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Berdoe, Edward
(b. 1836) Writer on Browning, etc. Browning's Message to his Time (1890), Browning Cyclopædia (1891...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Clodd, Edward
(b. 1840) Scientific writer, etc. The Childhood of the World (1872), The Childhood of Religions (18...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Dowden, Edward
LL.D., D.C.L. (b. 1843) Literary critic, etc. Shakespeare, his Mind and Art (1875), Shakespeare Pr...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Garnett, Edward
(b. 1868) Dramatic critic, etc. An Imaged World (1894), The Breaking Point (a censored play, 1907)....

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Hutton, Edward
(b. 1875) Writer on Italian Art, etc. Italy and the Italians (1902), The Cities of Umbria (1905), T...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Thomas, Edward
Reviewer and miscellaneous writer. Book of the Open Air, Horæ Solitaræ, Oxford, Beautiful Wales, The...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Brown, Thomas Edward
(1830-1897) Poet, b. at Douglas, Isle of Man, s. of a clergyman, and ed. there and at Oxf., entered...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Dyer, Sir Edward
(1545?-1607) Poet, b. at Sharpham Park, Somerset, and ed. at Oxf., was introduced to the Court by t...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Freeman, Edward Augustus
(1823-1892) Historian, s. of John F., was b. at Harborne, Staffordshire. He lost both his parents i...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Hook, Theodore Edward
(1788-1841) Dramatist and novelist, s. of James H., music-hall composer, was b. in London, and ed. ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Lane, Edward William
(1801-1876) Arabic scholar, s. of a prebendary of Hereford, where he was b., began life as an engra...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Lytton, Edward George Earle Lytton-Bulwer, 1st Lord
(1803-1873) Novelist and statesman, third son of General Earle Bulwer of Heydon and Dalling, Norfol...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Manning, Henry Edward
(1808-1892) Cardinal and theologian. B. at Totteridge, Herts, and ed. at Harrow and Oxf., where he ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Pinkney, Edward Coate
(1802-1828) B. in London, where his f. was U.S. ambassador. He wrote a number of light, graceful sh...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Pusey, Edward Bouverie
(1800-1882) Scholar and theologian, b. at Pusey, Berks, ed. at Eton and Oxf., belonged to the famil...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Ramsay, Edward Bannerman
(1793-1872) A clergyman of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and Dean of Edinburgh in that communion f...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Trelawny, Edward John
(1792-1881) Biographer, entered the navy, from which, however, he deserted, after which he wandered...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Beesly, Edward Spencer
(b. 1831) Writer on history and philosophy. Catiline, Clodius, and Tiberius (1878), Queen Elizabeth...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Benson, Edward Frederic
(b. 1867) Novelist. Dodo (1893), Rubicon (1894), Judgment Books (1895), The Babe B.A. (1897), Vinta...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Housman, Alfred Edward
(b. 1859) Scholar, etc. A Shropshire Lad (1896), ed. Juvenal and other classics. ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Lucas, Edward Verall
(b. 1868) Novelist. Ed. of Lamb, etc. The Open Road (1899), Old-fashioned Tales (1905), The Friendl...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Norris, William Edward
(b. 1846) Novelist. Heaps of Money (1877), Mademoiselle de Mersac, My Friend Jim, The Dancer in Yel...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Tylor, Edward Burnett
LL.D., F.R.S. (b. 1832) Anthropologist. Anahuac, Mexico, and the Mexicans (1859), Researches into ...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
King Edward Street
1) South out of Tudor Street to William Street in the precincts of Bridewell (O. and M. 1677-O.S. 18...

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.
Creasy, Sir Edward Shepherd
(1812-1878) Historian, ed. at Eton and Camb., and called to the Bar in 1837, he became in 1840 Prof...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Lecky, William Edward Hartpole
(1838-1903) Historian, the s. of a landed gentleman of Carlow, was b. near Dublin, and ed. at Chelt...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Lytton, Edward Robert Bulwer, 1st Earl of Lytton
(1831-1891) Poet and statesman, s. of the above, was ed. at Harrow and Bonn, and thereafter was pri...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Oxford, Edward de Vere, Earl of
(1550-1604) Was a courtier of Queen Elizabeth, who lost his friends by his insolence and pride, and...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Bloundelle-Burton, John Edward
(b. 1850) Novelist. Silent Shore (1886), Desert Ship (1890), Denounced (1896), A Bitter Heritage (1...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin
Saintsbury, George Edward Bateman
LL.D., D.Litt., etc. (b. 1845) Critic and biographer. Short History of French Literature, etc. (18...

Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature by John W. Cousin