The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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Bryan Fairfax ( - fl. 1713)

A visitor to Thoresby's museum and one of his correspondents. Thoresby went to visit him in Westminster while he was staying in London on 31 May 1712. According to Thoresby, Fairfax's mother was descended from Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire, through is daughter Mary, sister of Queen Elizabeth. Correspondent
Relevant locations: Residence at London, England
Relationships: Bryan Fairfax was a correspondent of Ralph Thoresby (1658-1725)

Linked manuscript items: as Mentioned or referenced by - "[Guest Book to Thoresby's Museum]," Yorkshire Archaeological Society MS27, Leeds
as Sender of a letter - "[Bryan Fairfax to Ralph Thoresby]," Yorkshire Archaeological Society MS2, Leeds
References in Documents:
Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713)

Gratitude to my Benefactors obligeth me to acknowledge to whose Kindess I am obliged for some of the most valuable of the said Originals, viz. to the most Rev. his Grace the late Lord Archbishop of Yorke, the Right Reverend Bishops of Sarum, Carlisle, and Man; the Rev. Mr. Atkinson, Banks, Boyse, Calamy, Chorley, Clarke, Coningham, Cooke, Cressey; Daubuz, Deering, Drake, Dwyer; Fall; Gale (Dean of Yorke, to whom, and to Dr. Hudson the greatest Number of the Learned Foreigners are directed) Gibson; Hardy, Hickes, Hill, Hough, Hudson, Humfrey; Milner; Nalson, Noble; Pearson, Plaxton, Priestley; Smith, Stretton, Strype (for some very valuable temp. Reg. Eliz.) Talbot, Tallents; Wasse, and Wilkinson. And of the Laity, Mr. Bayns, Blythman, Brenand, Sir Walter Calverley, John Chamberlayn Esq; Mr. Churchill; Rob. Dale, Jo. Dyneley, and John Evelyn Esquires, the Executors of the Lord Evers; Tho. Lord Fairfax, Barwick, Tho. Robert, and Bryan Fairfax Esqrs; Roger Gale, and Will. Gilpin Esqrs; Sir Andr. Fountaine; Jo. Hare, and Rob. Hitch Esqrs; Mr. Holmes, and Houghton; Tho. Kirk Esq; Dr. Lister, Mr. Lhwyd, Sir Will. Lowther, Sir John Middleton, Robert Molesworth Esq; Robert Nelson Esq; Peter le Neve Esq; Norroy; Hen. Newman Esq; the Right Honourable Sir Tho. Parker, Lord Chief-Justice; Will. Petyt Esq; Mr. Petiver, Dr. Richardson, Tho. Rymer Esq; Dr. Sampson, Theo. Shelton Esq; Sir Phil. Sydenham, Robert Stephens Esq; the Hon. Mr. Wentworth; Sir Geo. Wheeler, and Dr. Woodward.

Thoresby, Musaeum Thoresbyanum (1713)

Such of their Bricks as have Inscriptions upon them, are very rarely met with: I have made a most diligent Inquest after those that Camden mentions at Grimscar near Eland, but can find no more Remains of them, than of the noted Inscription, Paulinus hic prædicavit & celebravit, at Dewsbury, which was not to be met with upon the strictest Scrutiny, I could possibly make, when I went purposely to the Place. This shews the Necessity of Repositories for such venerable Remains. But though those of the fourth Cohort are lost, yet good Hap hath brought to my Notice and Possession one of the ninth Legion's, which the learned Sir Hen. Savile in his Notes upon Tacitus, shews to have been in Britain in Galba's Time, and that it was also Hispaniensis; but that it, as well as the VIth and XXth, was also called Victrix, or that it resided at Yorke, was not known before; and yet both are evident from the Inscription upon this Brick found there, in Mickle-gate, not far from Trinity-yard, where was digg'd up the Funeral Monument of the Standard-Bearer of the said VIIII Legion (which Way of Writing 9 is frequent upon the Roman Monies); of which see the Phil. Trans. N° 305, and the curious Oxford Livy (Vol. 6. p. 181.) The said Sepulchral Monument was happily rescued by Dr. Bryan Fairfax, from the brutish Workmen who had broke it in the Middle, and were going to make use of it for two Throughs, as they call them, to bind the Wall; but by that worthy Gentleman's Direction it was walled upright, with the Inscription and Effigies to the Front, and is since removed to the Gardens of Sir Hen. Goodrick at Ribston. This Brick had been several Times made use of, with broken Stones and Brick-bats, by Mr. Smith in making Moulds for casting Bells. Upon my Enquiry after Inscriptions in that ancient City, he recollected himself that he had seen some old Letters, but thought the Brick was lost, though upon Search we found the Piece which is inscribed, LEG. I X. VIC. This is also an Argument of the Peace these Parts enjoyed at that Time, which I take to be the later End of Severus's Reign, making Bricks, casting up High-ways, &c. being the usual Employment of Soldiers at such Vacancies. Sir Hen. Savile was of Opinion, that this Nona Hispaniensis in Britannia, was one of those established by Tiberius, Caius, or Claudius, or peradventure in the later End of Augustus; but however, that it was certainly here in Nero's Reign, and that Pet. Cerealis was then Lieutenant thereof, is indisputably evident from Tacitus, (Lib. 14. cap. 10.) where he gives a lamentable Account of the Slaughter of Seventy thousand Citizens, and Confederates, by the enraged Boadicea, in which Number was the Foot of this 9th Legion, Cerealis with the Horse hardly escaping. I shall add a Passage in a Letter I received from the ingenious Mr. Hearne, of the Bodleian Library, because it relates to an Au thor rare to be met with in these remote Parts: "I am mightily pleased with the Inscriptions you sent me relating to the 9th Legion, there being now no Room to doubt about the place of Residence; a Thing which was unknown before; and for that Reason, those who have written about the Roman Legions, have said nothing about this, but leave us quite in the dark; only Ursatus [in his Book de Notis Rom.] does remark that it must be somewhere in Britain, because Tacitus tells us, that when the Colony at Camalodunum was destroyed by Boadicea; Pætilius Cerealis Legate of the IX Legion, came to their Assistance; but yet he makes no mention of its being stiled Victrix."

Ralph Thoresby's guestbook of visitors to his museum (Yorkshire Archaeological Society MS27)
Sit mens sana in corpore sano.[*] Juvenal, Satires 10.356-64: "A healthy mind in a healthy body." Br:Bryan Fairfax (EsEsqueEsquire of London