Camden

Camden, WILLIAM, scholar, antiquary, and historian, was born in London, where his father was a painter, 2d May 1551. His education, commenced at Christ's Hospital, was completed at St Paul's School and at Oxford. In 1575 he was appointed second master of Westminster School; and it was while discharging the duties of this office that he undertook the work which has made his name famous, his Britannia, a survey of the British Isles. Written in elegant Latin, it was first published in 1586, and at once brought him into communication with the learned men of his time. In 1607 the work reached a sixth edition, being greatly enlarged and improved by the indefatigable industry of the author. The book, at first but a comparatively small single volume, has received much additional matter from other writers. It was first translated by Philemon Holland, and the latest and best translation is that by Gough and Nichols (2d ed. 4 vols. 1806). Of this great work of Camden, Bishop Nicolson said it was 'the common sun whereat our modern writers have all lighted their little torches.' In 1593 Camden was appointed head-master of Westminster School; and four years later he was made Clarenceux King-at-arms, an appointment which gave him more time for the pursuit of his favourite studies. His other most important works, all in Latin, are a list of the epitaphs in Westminster Abbey (1600), a collection of old English historians (1603), a narrative of the trial of the Gunpowder plotters (1607), and Annals of the Reign of Elizabeth to 1588 (1615). He died in his house at Chislehurst (it was afterwards Napoleon III.'s) on 9th November 1623, at the age of seventy-two, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. He endowed a professorship of history at Oxford. The 'Camden Society,' founded in his honour in 1838, for the publication of early historical remains, had issued 141 volumes by 1888.