Thomas Coxeter (1689–1747) was an English literary antiquary.

Life

Born at Lechlade in Gloucestershire on 20 September 1689, he was educated at Coxwell, Berkshire, and at Magdalen School in

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. On 7 July 1705 he was entered a commoner of

Trinity College, Oxford (That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody) , named_for = The Holy Trinity , established = , sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge , president = Dame Hilary Boulding , location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH , coordinates ...

. Having completed his course, he came to London to practise the civil law; but in 1710, on the death of his patron, Sir John Cook,

dean of arches The Dean of the Arches is the judge who presides in the provincial ecclesiastical court of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This court is called the Arches Court of Canterbury. It hears appeals from consistory courts and bishop's disciplinary trib ...

, he abandoned the legal profession and devoted himself to literary and antiquarian pursuits. In 1747 he was appointed secretary to a society for the encouragement of an essay towards a complete English history. He died of a fever on 19 April 1747, and was buried in the chapel yard of the Royal Hospital of Bridewell. His daughter was supported by Samuel Johnson; she died in 1807.

Works

An elegy in a book entitled ''Astræa Lacrimans'', published anonymously in 1710, was probably written by Coxeter. In 1720 he contributed one or more of the indexes to

John Hudson John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

's edition of

Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for '' The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly ...

; and in 1739 he published a new edition of the ''Life of Bishop Fisher'' often attributed to Richard Hall, its translator into Latin. Coxeter was a collector of old English plays, and allowed the Shakespearean editor,

Theobald Theobald is a Germanic dithematic name, composed from the elements '' theod-'' "people" and ''bald'' "bold". The name arrived in England with the Normans. The name occurs in many spelling variations, including Theudebald, Diepold, Theobalt, Tyb ...

, to make use of them. He also assisted Joseph Ames in the preparation of ''Typographical Antiquities''. In 1744 he circulated proposals for an annotated edition of the dramatic works of

Thomas May Thomas May (1594/95 – 13 November 1650) was an English poet, dramatist and historian of the Renaissance era. Early life and career until 1630 May was born in Mayfield, Sussex, the son of Sir Thomas May, a minor courtier. He matriculated a ...

, but the scheme was never carried out. In the prospectus he said that, having determined to "revive the best of our old plays, faithfully collated with all the editions that could be found in a search of above thirty years", he "happened to communicate his scheme to one who now invades it" — the reference being to

Robert Dodsley Robert Dodsley (13 February 1703 – 23 September 1764) was an English bookseller, publisher, poet, playwright, and miscellaneous writer. Life Dodsley was born near Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, where his father was master of the free school. H ...

, whose ''Select Collection of Old Plays'' appeared in 1744. In the same prospectus he promised an edition (which was never published) of the works of Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst. Coxeter's manuscript collections were largely used in

Theophilus Cibber Theophilus Cibber (25 or 26 November 1703 – October 1758) was an English actor, playwright, author, and son of the actor-manager Colley Cibber. He began acting at an early age, and followed his father into theatrical management. In 1727, Alex ...

's ''Lives of the Poets'' and in

Thomas Warton Thomas Warton (9 January 172821 May 1790) was an English literary historian, critic, and poet. He was appointed Poet Laureate in 1785, following the death of William Whitehead. He is sometimes called ''Thomas Warton the younger'' to disti ...

's '' History of English Poetry''. His statements are to be received with caution, for he invented titles of imaginary books. In 1759, a four-volume edition of

Philip Massinger Philip Massinger (1583 – 17 March 1640) was an English dramatist. His finely plotted plays, including '' A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', ''The City Madam'', and ''The Roman Actor'', are noted for their satire and realism, and their polit ...

's works appeared, "collated by Mr. Coxeter"; it was criticised by

William Gifford William Gifford (April 1756 – 31 December 1826) was an English critic, editor and poet, famous as a satirist and controversialist. Life Gifford was born in Ashburton, Devon, to Edward Gifford and Elizabeth Cain. His father, a glazier and ...

. Others – the '' Edinburgh Review'' in 1808, and contemporary scholars – have been more complimentary.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Coxeter, Thomas 1689 births 1747 deaths People educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford English antiquarians Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford