In the summer of 1844, I visited Dean Prior in company with my brother,
in order to ascertain if we could add any new fact to the scanty
accounts of the _Life of Herrick_ recorded by his biographers. The
events of his life have been related by Dr. Drake, (_Literary Hours_,
vol. iii., 1st edit. 1798.--3rd edit. 1804), by Mr. Campbell, by Dr.
Nott (_Select Poems from the Hesperides_, &c. Bristol, 1810,) by a
writer in the _Quarterly Review_, vol. iv. 1810, by Mr. Wilmott in his
elegantly written _Lives of Sacred Poets_, vol. i., 1834, and in the
memoirs prefixed to the recent editions of _Herrick's Poems_ published
by Clarke (1844), and Pickering (1846). On examining any of these
biographies, it will be found that the year and place of Herrick's death
have not been ascertained. This was the point which I therefore
particularly wished to inquire into.
Dean Prior is a village about six or seven miles from Totnes: the
church, with the exception of the tower, had been recently rebuilt. The
monuments and inscribed stones were carefully removed when the old
fabric was taken down, and restored as nearly as could be to
corresponding situations in the new building. I sought in vain, amongst
these, for the name of Herrick. On making inquiry of the old sexton who
accompanied us, he said at first in a very decided tone, "Oh, he died in
Lunnun," but afterwards corrected himself, and said that Herrick died at
Dean Prior, and that an old tombstone in {292} the churchyard, at the
right hand side of the walk leading to the south side of the church,
which was removed several years ago, was supposed to have covered the
remains of the former vicar of Dean Prior.
Being baffled in our search after "tombstone information," we called at
the vicarage, which stands close by the church, and the vicar most
courteously accorded us permission to search the registers of the
marriages, births, and burials, which were in his custody. The portion
of the dilapidated volume devoted to the burials is headed thus:--
"Dean Prior
"The names of all those y't have been buried in y'e same parish
from y'e year of our Lord God 1561, and so forwards."
After some careful search we were gratified by discovering the following
entry:--
"Robert Herrick Vicker was buried y'e 15th day October, 1674."
I fancy I met with a selection from _Herrick's Poems_ edited by _Mr.
Singer_, several years ago, comprised in a small neat volume. Can any of
your readers inform me whether there is such a book? I possess Mr.
Singer's valuable editions of _Cavendish_, _More_, and _Hall's Satires_,
and would wish to place this volume on the same shelf.