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LIVES OF ILLUSTRIOUS SHOEMAKERS.
BY
WILLIAM EDWARD WINKS.
NEW YORK:
FUNK & WAGNALLS, PUBLISHERS,
10 AND 12 DEY STREET.
PREFACE.
Time out of mind _The Gentle Craft_ has been invested with an air of
romance. This honorable title, given to no other occupation but that of
shoemakers, is an indication of the high esteem in which the Craft is
held. It is by no means an easy thing to account for a sentiment of this
kind, or to trace such a title to its original source. Whether the
traditionary stories which have clustered round the lives of Saints
Anianus, Crispin and Crispianus, or Hugh and Winifred, gave rise to the
sentiment, or the sentiment itself is to be regarded as accounting for
the traditions, one cannot tell. Probably there is some truth in both
theories, for sentiment and tradition act and react on each other.
Certain it is, that among all our craftsmen none appear to enjoy a
popularity comparable with that of "the old Cobbler" or "Shoemaker."
Most men have a good word to say for him, a joke to crack about him, or
a story to tell of his ability and "learning," his skill in argument, or
his prominence and influence in political or religious affairs. Both in
ancient times and in modern, in the Old World and in the New, a rare
interest has been felt in Shoemakers, as a class, on account of their
remarkable intelligence and the large number of eminent men who have
risen from their ranks.
These facts, and especially the last--which has been the subject of
frequent remark--may be deemed sufficient justification for the
existence of such a work as this.
Another reason might be given for the issue of such a book as this just
now. A change has come over the craft of boot and shoe making. The use
of machinery has effected nothing short of a _revolution_ in the trade.
The old-fashioned Shoemaker, with his leathern apron and hands redolent
of wax, has almost disappeared from the workrooms and streets of such
towns as Northampton and Stafford in Old England, or Lynn in New
England. His place and function are now, for the most part, occupied by
the "cutter" and the "clicker," the "riveter" and the "machine-girl."
The old Cobbler, like the ancient spinster and handloom weaver, is
retiring into the shade of the boot and shoe factory. Whether or no he
will disappear entirely may be questionable; but there can be no doubt
that the Cobbler, sitting at his stall and working with awl and hammer
and last, will never again be the conspicuous figure in social life that
he was wont to be in times gone by. Before we bid him a final farewell,
and forget the traditions of his humble yet honorable craft, it may be
of some service to bring under one review the names and histories of
some of the more illustrious members of his order.
Long as is the list of these worthy "Sons of Crispin," it cannot be said
to be complete. Only a few examples are taken from Germany, France, and
the United States, where, in all probability, as many illustrious
Shoemakers might have been met with as in Great Britain itself. And even
the British muster-roll is not fully made up. With only a few
exceptions, _living men_ are not included in the list. Very gladly would
the writer have added to these exceptions so remarkable a man as Thomas
Edward, the shoemaker of Banff, one of the best self-taught naturalists
of our time, and, for the last sixteen years, an Associate of the
Linnæan Society. But for the Life of this eminent Scotchman the reader
must be referred to the interesting biography written by his friend Dr.
Smiles.
In writing the longer sketches, free and ample use has been made of
biographies already in existence. But this has not been done without the
kind consent of the owners of copyrights. To these the writer tenders
his grateful acknowledgments. To the widow of the Rev. T. W. Blanshard
he is indebted for permission to draw upon the pages of her late
husband's valuable biography of "The Wesleyan Demosthenes," _Samuel
Bradburn_; to Jacob Halls Drew, Esq., Bath, for his courtesy in allowing
a liberal use to be made of the facts given in his biography of his
father, _Samuel Drew_, "The Self-Taught Cornishman;" and to the
venerable _Thomas Cooper_, as well as to his publishers, Messrs. Hodder
& Stoughton, for their kind favor in regard to the lengthy and detailed
sketch of the author of "The Purgatory of Suicides." This sketch, the
longest in the book, is inserted by special permission of Messrs. Hodder
& Stoughton.
The minor sketches have been drawn from a variety of sources. One or two
of these require special mention. In preparing the notice of John
O'Neill, the Poet of Temperance, the writer has received kind help from
_Mr. Richard Gooch_ of Brighton, himself a poet of temperance. Messrs.
_J. & J. H. Rutherford_ of Kelso have also been good enough to place at
the writer's service--but, unfortunately, too late to be of much use--a
copy of their recently published autobiography of John Younger, the
Shoemaker of St. Boswells. In the all-too-brief section devoted to
American worthies, valuable aid has been given to the author by Henry
Phillips, Esq., jun., A.M., Ph.D., Corresponding Member of the
Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia, U.S.A.
In all probability the reader has never been introduced to so large a
company of illustrious Sons of Crispin before. It is sincerely hoped
that he will derive both pleasure and profit from their society.
WILLIAM EDWARD WINKS.
CARDIFF, 1882.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE
CHAPTER I.
Sir Cloudesley Shovel: The Cobbler's Boy who became an Admiral
CHAPTER II.
James Lackington: Shoemaker and Bookseller
CHAPTER III.
Samuel Bradburn: The Shoemaker who became President of the Wesleyan
Conference
CHAPTER IV.
William Gifford: From the Shoemaker's Stool to the Editor's Chair
CHAPTER V.
Robert Bloomfield: The Shoemaker who wrote "The Farmer's Boy"
CHAPTER VI.
Samuel Drew: The Metaphysical Shoemaker
CHAPTER VII.
William Carey: The Shoemaker who Translated the Bible into Bengali
and Hindostani
CHAPTER VIII.
John Pounds: The Philanthropic Shoemaker
CHAPTER IX.
Thomas Cooper: The Self-educated Shoemaker who "Reared his own
Monument"
CHAPTER X.
A Constellation of Celebrated Cobblers
ANCIENT EXAMPLES.
The Cobbler and the Artist Apelles
The Shoemaker Bishops: Annianas, Bishop of Alexandria, and
Alexander, Bishop of Comana
The Pious Cobbler of Alexandria
"Rabbi Jochanan, The Shoemaker"
EUROPEAN EXAMPLES: _France_.
SS. Crispin and Crispianus: The Patron Saints of Shoemakers
"The Learned Baudouin"
Henry Michael Buch: "Good Henry"
_Germany._
Hans Sachs: "The Nightingale of the Reformation"
Jacob Boehmen: The Mystic
_Italy._
Gabriel Cappellini: "il Caligarino"
Francesco Brizzio: The Artist
_Holland._
Ludolph de Jong: The Portrait-Painter
Sons of Shoemakers
GREAT BRITAIN.
"Ye Cocke of Westminster"
Timothy Bennett: The Hero of Hampton-Wick
_Military and Naval Heroes._
The Souters of Selkirk
Watt Tinlinn
Colonel Hewson: The "Cerdon" of Hudibras
Sir Christopher Myngs, Admiral
_Astrologers and others._
Dr. Partridge
Dr. Ebenezer Sibly, F.R.C.P. 222
Manoah Sibly, Short-hand Writer, Preacher, etc
Mackey, "the Learned Shoemaker" of Norwich, and two other Learned
Shoemakers
Anthony Purver, Bible Revisionist
_The Poets of the Cobbler's Stall._
James Woodhouse, the Friend of Shenstone
John Bennet, Parish Clerk and Poet
Richard Savage, the Friend of Pope
Thomas Olivers, Hymn-Writer
Thomas Holcroft, Dramatist, Novelist
Joseph Blacket, "The Son of Sorrow"
David Service and other Songsters of the Shoemaker's Stall
John Struthers, Poet and Editor
John O'Neill, the Poet of Temperance
John Younger, Fly-Fisher and Corn-Law Rhymer
Charles Crocker, "The Poor Cobbler of Chichester"
_Preachers and Theologians._
George Fox, Founder of the Society of Friends
Thomas Shillitoe, the Shoemaker who stood before Kings
John Thorp, Founder of the Independent Church at Masboro'
William Huntingdon, S.S.
Robert Morrison, D.D., Chinese Scholar and Missionary
Rev. John Burnet, Preacher and Philanthropist
John Kitto, D.D., Biblical Scholar
_Science._
William Sturgeon, the Electrician
_Politicians._
Thomas Hardy, of "The State Trials"
George Odger, Political Orator
AMERICAN EXAMPLES.
Noah Worcester, D.D., "The Apostle of Peace"
Roger Sherman, the Patriot
Henry Wilson, the Natick Cobbler
John Greenleaf Whittier, "The Quaker Poet"
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
SIR CLOUDSLEY SHOVEL,
JAMES LACKINGTON,
REV. S. BRADBURN,
ROBERT BLOOMFIELD,
SAMUEL DREW, M.A.,
WILLIAM CAREY,
THOMAS COOPER,
JOSEPH BLACKET,
J. G. WHITTIER
CHAPTER I.
[Illustration: SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL]
Sir Cloudesley Shovel,
THE COBBLER'S BOY WHO BECAME AN ADMIRAL.
"Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part, there all the honor lies.
Fortune in men has some small difference made,
One flaunts in rags, one nutters in brocade;
The cobbler aproned and the parson gowned,
The friar hooded, and the monarch crowned.
"What differ more' (you cry) 'than crown and cowl?'
I'll tell you, friend,--a wise man and a fool.
You'll find, if once the monarch acts the monk,
Or, cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk;
Worth makes the man, and want of it the fellow;
The rest is all but leather or prunella."
--POPE, _Essay on Man_.
SIR CLOUDESLEY SHOVEL.
On the south side of the choir of Westminster Abbey may be seen a very
handsome and costly monument, on which reclines a life-sized figure in
marble, representing a naval commander. The grotesque uniform and
elaborate wig are of the style of Queen Anne's time. The commander
himself has all the look of a well-bred gentleman and a brave officer.
He is a capital type of the old school of naval heroes, stout in person,
jolly in temper, but terrible in action, by whom our shores were
defended, our colonies secured to us, and the power and stability of the
British Empire were established for centuries to come. These men had, in
many instances, risen from the lowest social status, and had been
compelled to begin their nautical career in the humblest fashion,
accepting the most menial position the naval service could offer them.
When they came to hold positions of command, they had, perhaps, no
culture nor general education; the little knowledge they possessed was
confined to the arts of navigation and warfare, and this they had picked
up in actual service. Such knowledge served them well, and made them
equal to any emergency. It made them capable of deeds of valor and
enterprise, that brought renown to their own name and honor to their
country. They could sail round the world; they could, by their
discoveries, add new territories to the British crown, and open up
splendid fields for commercial enterprise; they could keep their vessels
afloat in a gale of wind, get to windward of the enemy if they wanted,
pour a broadside into him, board and capture his vessels or blow up his
forts; and, very often fighting against fearful odds, beat him by dint
of superior skill in seamanship and greater courage in action. Such a
commander was "old Benbow," whose name appears so often in the nautical
songs of the last century; and such a commander was his contemporary,
Sir Cloudesley Shovel, to whose memory the handsome monument just
referred to is erected. Let us pause for a moment to read the
inscription. It runs thus:
"Sir Cloudesley Shovel, Knt., Rear-Admiral of Great Britain,
Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet: The just reward
of long and faithful services. He was deservedly beloved of
his country, and esteemed though dreaded by the enemy, who had
often experienced his conduct and courage. Being shipwrecked on
the rocks of Scilly, in his voyage from Toulon, the 22d of
October 1707, at night, in the fifty-seventh year of his age,
his fate was lamented by all, but especially by the seafaring
part of the nation, to whom he was a worthy example. His body
was flung on the shore, and buried with others in the sands;
but being soon after taken up, was placed under this monument,
which his royal mistress has caused to be erected to
commemorate his steady loyalty and extraordinary virtues."
If a stranger to Sir Cloudesley Shovel's history were to stand looking
at this fine monument, admiring the fine figure which adorns it and
reading the glowing epitaph, he would no doubt be greatly amazed if the
intelligent verger by his side were to whisper in his ear, "That man was
once a cobbler's boy; the first weapons he ever used in fighting the
battle of life were the awl and hammer and last."
Yet such was really the case. It is true he did not remain long at his
humble craft. He left it, indeed, sooner than any of the notable men
whose life-story we have to tell in this book; yet he wore the leathern
apron long enough to entitle him to a place in the category of
_Illustrious Shoemakers_.
Cloudesley Shovel was born in the county of Norfolk in the year 1650, at
a village called Clay, lying on the coast between Wells and Cromer. His
parents are said to have been in but "middling circumstances;" but it is
to be feared that even this modest term describes a better position than
they actually held. They were evidently of the humblest class, and had
no means of giving their boy either a good education or a good start in
the way of business. Cloudesley came by his rather singular name as no
doubt thousands had done before his time, and have done since. It was
given him in honor of a relative who was in good circumstances, and in
the hope that it might probably be a "means of recommending him to this
relative's notice." But fortunately, as it proved for him, and proves
also for many others, no fortune was left him. His parents were glad to
send him to the village shoemaker to learn the art and mystery of making
and mending boots and shoes.
Finding the drudgery of a sedentary occupation and the flatness and
quietude of village life irksome to his active temperament and aspiring
spirit, after a few years' work at shoemaking, he made off to sea. His
taste lying in the direction of the royal naval service, he went and
joined himself to a man-of-war. Here he had the good fortune to come
under the care and command of Sir John Narborough. This distinguished
officer had once been in Cloudesley's position as a man-of-war's
cabin-boy, and having shown himself a smart sailor and an industrious
student of navigation, had been rapidly promoted by his generous
captain, Sir Christopher Myngs. Sir John Narborough was therefore well
disposed, by his kindly disposition and his own early experience, to
favor any youth of promise placed in similar circumstances to those
through which he himself had passed. In young Cloudesley the gallant
captain seems to have seen his own character portrayed and his own
career enacted over again. The lad was smart at seamanship, and
uncommonly diligent when off watch in the study of any nautical books he
could lay hands on. He seems to have found out very early in his course
that the secret of success in life lies in being _ready_, when the time
comes, to seize and use the great opportunities of fortune which sooner
or later come in every one's way; that fortune waits on diligence and
courage; and that the future is pretty secure to the man who, whatever
be his position, works hard and does his plain duty every day.
The first incident in his naval career is an illustration of this. He
was on board the flag-ship commanded by Admiral Sir John Narborough in
one of the most hotly contested battles fought between the English and
the Dutch. The masts of the flag-ship were shot away early in the
engagement. The admiral saw that his case was hopeless, however bravely
his men might fight, unless the English reserve, which lay some distance
off to the right, could be brought round to his aid. The thing wanted
was to get a message conveyed to the captain of the reserve. Signalling
was out of the question, of course; the message must be _carried_ to the
ships somehow. Yet he saw plainly that in such a hurricane of shot and
shell, and with so many of the enemy's vessels close at hand, no boat
could hope to reach the English ships. But a man might _swim_ to them!
Acting on this thought, Sir John wrote an order and called aloud for
volunteers to swim with it, under the fire of the enemy, to the
neighboring ships. Among the able-bodied sailors who presented
themselves for the terrible duty young Cloudesley stood forth. Looking
at him with admiration mingled with something like pity, the admiral
exclaimed, "Why, what can you do, my fearless lad?" "I can swim, sir,"
said young Cloudesley, and added in the spirit of a patriot and a hero,
"If I be shot, I can be easier spared than any one else." After a
moment's hesitation on the part of the tender-hearted admiral, the paper
was handed to the boy, who placed it between his teeth and plunged into
the water. Cheered by his comrades, he swam on through a perfect hail of
shot, bearing, as it seemed, a charmed life, until at length the smoke
of battle concealed him from their view. The gallant Sir John and his
brave crew held on in the most determined manner until it seemed that no
hope was left that the brave lad had reached the friendly vessels in
safety and delivered the message. They were beginning to think of him
and of themselves as lost, when a sudden and terrific roar of cannon on
their right announced that the English vessels were bearing down on the
Dutch. In a few hours the enemy was flying in all directions. The
cabin-boy was not forgotten when the honors and rewards of victory came
to crown the events of that terrible day, for all agreed that he had
done a deed that deserved well of his country. When the sun was setting
on the sad scene of wreck and ruin, the courageous yet modest youth came
and stood once more on the deck of the flag-ship. As soon as the old
admiral saw him he spoke to him a few words of generous appreciation and
sincere thanks, finishing with the significant remark, "I shall live to
see you have a flag-ship of your own." The prediction came true, as we
shall presently see.
Not very long afterward Cloudesley Shovel was made lieutenant of His
Majesty's navy. The first opportunity he had of distinguishing himself
in this capacity was on an expedition sent out by the British to punish
the corsairs of Tripoli. These lawless and daring rogues had long
infested the Mediterranean, doing immense mischief to commerce and
committing sad depredations all along the coast, wherever they found it
possible to land with safety. No vessel or port, from the Levant to the
Straits of Gibraltar, was safe from their attack. Sir John Narborough
was therefore commissioned to bring them to terms or effectually punish
them. Arriving before Tripoli, their headquarters, in the spring of
1674, he found the enemy in great strength under the shelter of their
formidable forts, and decided, first of all, according to his
instructions, to try the effect of negotiations. Lieutenant Shovel, then
only twenty-four years of age, a tall thin young man, with little on his
face to indicate that he had come to manhood, was sent with a message
for the Dey of Tripoli, asking for satisfaction for the past and
security for the future. This message was delivered in a spirit becoming
a British sailor acting on behalf of the interests of his country; but
the Dey, a haughty and imperious man, refused to treat with such a
youth, and one, too, who held so subordinate a position, and after
treating him with insolence, sent him back to his admiral with an
indefinite answer. The wily ex-cobbler, however, had kept his eyes open
while on land, and on returning to Sir John, gave him so good an account
of the character of the fortifications and the disposition of the pirate
fleet, that he was sent back to the Dey with a second message, and
instructed to make further observations. He was treated on his second
visit with even greater insolence, but took all quietly, not caring how
much he was detained by the Dey's abuse, so long as he could look round
him and obtain a good view of the enemy's strength and position. Coming
back once more to his vessel, he explained the whole situation, and
described a plan of attack which he felt confident would be successful
in destroying the vessels lying at anchor in the bay. The admiral was so
much pleased with his lieutenant's smartness, and so satisfied that his
plan was practicable if conducted with skill and courage, that he
decided to intrust the execution of it to "his boy Shovel." On the night
of the 4th of March the young lieutenant took command of all the boats
of the fleet, which had been filled with combustible material, rowed
quietly into the harbor under cover of the darkness, made straight for
the guard-ship, which he set on fire and thoroughly disabled, thus
preventing it from giving orders to the other ships, and, before the
enemy could prepare for action, fired and blew up his vessels one after
another, and then leaving them in a state of the utmost confusion and
distress, brought all his boats back to the British fleet without the
loss of a single man. It was a brave exploit, cleverly conceived and
brilliantly executed. As a wholesome castigation of these impudent
pirates it was of the utmost value; and more than this, it crippled
their power for mischief for a long time to come.
The generous Sir John Narborough fully appreciated the courage and skill
of his youthful subordinate, and gave him the most honorable mention in
the official letters sent to the authorities at home. He was at once
promoted to the rank of captain. This office he held for eleven years,
until the death of Charles II. in 1685. During the three years of James
II.'s reign, Captain Shovel is said to have been in every naval
engagement that occurred. He had therefore ample opportunity of
distinguishing himself and obtaining still further promotion. Soon after
the accession of William III., Captain Shovel was conspicuous by his
daring and clever manoeuvring at the battle of Bantry Bay. He was then
in command of the ship "Edgar," and the favorable notices he had
received from Admiral Hobart brought his gallantry before the attention
of his monarch, who conferred upon the brave captain the honor of
knighthood. Captain, now Sir Cloudesley Shovel, was held in high esteem
by King William III., who intrusted him with the difficult and
responsible duty of conveying the troops to Ireland in 1690, on the
occasion of the Irish rebellion which terminated in the bloody battle of
the Boyne. This duty was discharged with so much ability that the King
decided to promote Sir Cloudesley to the rank of "_rear-admiral of the
blue_." In conferring this reward upon the gallant commander, the
grateful monarch marked his sense of the value of the service rendered
by delivering the commission with his own hands. Before the year came to
a close Sir Cloudesley added one more item to the long list of his
services by giving timely assistance to General Kirke at the siege of
Waterford. This town was held by the adherents of James II., and had
long defied all attempts of General Kirke to take it. The chief strength
of the town lay in Duncannon Castle, on which an attack was made by Sir
Cloudesley's ships and men. A surrender was speedily negotiated, and the
influential town of Waterford fell into the hands of the English. Two
years after this the King declared him "_rear-admiral of the red_,"
giving him at the same time the command of the squadron which was to
convey the King to Holland.
Soon after his return from Holland he was ordered to join the fleet then
under the command of Admiral Russell, and bore a very important part in
the brilliant naval victory known as the battle of La Hogue. His last
services during the reign of William III. were rendered in connection
with the bombardment of Dunkirk, which he undertook at the King's
express command. The author of the "Lives of British Admirals,"[1]
referring to the esteem in which Sir Cloudesley Shovel was held by his
king and country at the close of this reign, says, "He was always
consulted by His Majesty whenever maritime affairs were under
consideration."
[1] See Campbell's "Lives," etc., vol. iv. p. 247.
His first service in the reign of Queen Anne was performed as "_admiral
of the white_." The town of Vigo in Spain had been captured by Sir
George Rooke, and Sir Cloudesley was ordered to go out and bring home
the spoils of the united Spanish and French fleets, which lay disabled
in the harbor. This difficult task was accomplished with a rapidity and
dash which made so favorable an impression on the court, that on his
return "it was immediately resolved to employ him in affairs of the
greatest consequence for the future." In 1703 he was put in command of
the grand fleet, and protected the interests of England from the hostile
attempts of the French and allied powers in the Mediterranean. At the
battle of Malaga in 1704, Sir Cloudesley's division of nine ships led
the van, and had to bear the brunt of the enemy's attack to such an
extent, that at the beginning of the engagement he was almost entirely
surrounded by the French, and more than 400 of his men were either
killed or wounded. On his return home he was presented to the Queen by
Prince George, and shortly afterward received the appointment of
commander-in-chief and rear-admiral of the English fleet. As Admiral
Shovel he won great credit for the part he took in the capture of the
important city of Barcelona in 1705.
In the month of October, 1707, after bearing an honorable part in the
expedition under Prince Eugene against Toulon, he set sail with ten
ships of the line, five frigates, and other war vessels for the shores
of England. But he was destined never to see again the country he had
served so nobly and loved so well. By some strange mischance, which has
never been fully accounted for, his own vessel and several others, on
the night of the 22d of October, struck on the rocks of the Scilly
islands and perished. The brave admiral and his three sons-in-law, who
were on board his vessel, besides a large number of officers and seamen,
were drowned. The body of Sir Cloudesley Shovel was washed on shore, and
having been found by a number of smugglers, was stripped of an emerald
ring and other valuables, and buried in the sand. On attempting to sell
their booty, the miscreants found that the ring they prized so much
betrayed their guilty secret. They were compelled to point out the spot
where the body had been concealed. England, of course, could not allow
one of her noblest sons to lie in so ignominious a grave. The body was
at once removed to London by express order of Her Majesty Queen Anne,
and laid in the most honorable grave the nation had to give--
"In the great minster transept,
Where the lights like glories fall,
And the organ rings and the sweet choir sings
Along the emblazoned wall."[2]
[2] Sir Cloudesley Shovel sat for several years as
member of Parliament for the city of Rochester. In the
Guildhall of that city there is an interesting portrait,
representing the gallant sailor as Rear-Admiral. A tablet
states that the hall was painted and decorated by his desire
and at his expense, 1695-6. The portrait from which our
engraving is taken is by Michael Dahl, and was originally at
Hampton Court. It was presented by George IV. in 1824 to
Greenwich Hospital. Sir C. Shovel at the time of his death was
one of the governors of Greenwich Hospital.