Abraham de la Pryme (15 January 1671 – 12 June 1704) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

antiquary An antiquarian or antiquary () is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifacts, archaeological and historic si ...

Life

Abraham de la Pryme was born to

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

Huguenot The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...

parents, Matthias de la Pryme and Sarah Smague (or Smagge) at Hatfield in 1671. Despite his father's desire that he should attend the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

and then become a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

minister, de la Pryme insisted on attending the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

, becoming a

pensioner A pensioner is a person who receives a pension, most commonly because of retirement from the workforce. This is a term typically used in the United Kingdom (along with OAP, initialism of old-age pensioner), Ireland and Australia where someone of p ...

of St John's College in 1690. Here de la Pryme devoted much of his time to natural history,

chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...

, and magic before receiving his BA in 1693–1694. He became

curate A curate () is a person who is invested with the ''care'' or ''cure'' (''cura'') ''of souls'' of a parish. In this sense, "curate" means a parish priest; but in English-speaking countries the term ''curate'' is commonly used to describe clergy ...

of Broughton but resigned in 1696 with intention of writing a history of Hatfield: In 1698 he was appointed curate of Holy Trinity Church,

Hull Hull may refer to: Structures * Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle * Fuselage, of an aircraft * Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds * Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship * Submarine hull Mathematics * Affine hull, in affi ...

, and in 1701 he was appointed by the

Duke of Devonshire Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This (now the senior) branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the wealthiest British aristocratic families since the 16th century and ha ...

to the position of curate at Thorne. Whilst visiting the sick there he became ill and died in 1704. He was buried at Hatfield. De la Pryme began keeping a diary—''Ephemeris Vitae: A Diary of My Own Life''—at the age of twelve and continued it until his death. This diary was published by the

Surtees Society The Surtees Society is a text publication society and registered charity (No. 1003812) based in Durham in northern England. The society was established on 27 May 1834 by James Raine, following the death (on 11 February) of the renowned County ...

in 1870. Whilst writing his history of Hatfield, de la Pryme began to correspond with Sir

Hans Sloane Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet (16 April 1660 – 11 January 1753), was an Irish physician, naturalist, and collector, with a collection of 71,000 items which he bequeathed to the British nation, thus providing the foundation of the British Mu ...

and the antiquary

Thomas Gale Thomas Gale (1635/1636?7 or 8 April 1702) was an English classical scholar, antiquarian and cleric. Life Gale was born at Scruton, Yorkshire. He was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he became a fellow ...

. Whilst at Hull he amassed material for a history of that city. Unfinished at his death, the two volume work was finally published in 1986. In 1701 he was elected Fellow of the

Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...

, having communicated with the Society on topics as varied as

archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsc ...

, natural history, and

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

Works

* "A Letter from the Reverend Mr Abraham de la Pryme, to the Very Reverend Dr G. D. of Y. and F. R. S. concerning Some Roman Antiquities in Lincolnshire", ''

Philosophical Transactions ''Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'' is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society. In its earliest days, it was a private venture of the Royal Society's secretary. It was established in 1665, making it the first journa ...

'' 22 (1700): pp. 561–567 * "A Letter of the Reverend Mr Abr. de la Pryme to the Publisher, concerning Broughton in Lincolnshire, with His Observations on the Shell-Fish Observed in the Quarries about That Place", ''Philosophical Transactions'' 22 (1700): pp. 677–687 * "Part of a Letter from the Reverend Mr Abraham Dela Pryme to the Publisher, concerning Trees Found Under Ground in Hatfield Chace", ''Philosophical Transactions'' 22 (1700): pp. 980–992 * "Extracts of Two Letters from the Reverend Mr Abraham de la Pryme, F. R. S, to the Publisher, concerning Subterraneous Trees, the Bitings of Mad Dogs, etc.", ''Philosophical Transactions'' 23 (1702): pp. 1073–1077 * "Part of a Letter to the Publisher, from the Reverend Mr. Abr. de la Pryme, Giving an Account of Some Observations He Made concerning Vegetation", ''Philosophical Transactions'' 23 (1702): pp. 1214–1216 * "Part of a Letter from the Reverend Mr Abraham de la Pryme, F. R. S. to the Publisher, concerning a Spout Observed by Him in Yorkshire", ''Philosophical Transactions'' 23 (1702): pp. 1243–1248 * "Part of a Letter from the Reverend Mr Abraham de la Pryme F. R. S. to the Publisher, concerning a Spout Lately Observed by Him in Hatfield", ''Philosophical Transactions'' 23 (1702): pp. 1331–1332 * ''The Diary of Abraham de la Pryme, the Yorkshire Antiquary'', edited by Charles Jackson. Publications of the

volume 54, Durham: Andrews and Company, 1870. * ''A History of Kingston upon Hull''. Hull: Kingston upon Hull City Council and Malet Lambert High School, 1986

References

* Fletcher, J.S., 1921, ''Yorkshiremen of the Restoration''. London: George Allen and Unwin. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pryme, Abraham de la 1671 births 1704 deaths 17th-century English writers 17th-century English male writers 18th-century English people Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge English antiquarians English archaeologists Fellows of the Royal Society Huguenots