John Leland (September 13, 1502–April 18, 1552) was an English antiquary. He has been described as 'the father of English local history'; his Itinerary introduced the shire as the basic unit for studying the history of England—an idea that has been influential ever since. September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... Events January 1 - Portuguese explorers sailed into Guanabra Bay, Brazil and mistook it for the mouth of a river which they named Rio de Janeiro May 9 - Christopher Columbus leaves Spain for his fourth and final trip to the New World. May 21 - Portuguese discover island of St Helena. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ... An antiquarian is one concerned with antiquities or things of the past. ... Local history is the study of the history of a relatively small geographic area; typically a specific settlement, parish or county. ...

Early life

John Leland was born in London on September 13 in 1502 [Mirror of Literature] or c. 1506 [Encyclopaedia Britannica]. He was a pupil to William Lily—the first head master of St. Paul's School—and through the generosity of Thomas Myles, he was sent to Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating in 1521. From this university he transferred to All Souls' College, Oxford, where he paid particular attention to the Greek language. He afterwards went to Paris, where he studied under Francois Dubois (Sylvius) and cultivated the acquaintance of the principal scholars of the age. (The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction suggests that these probably included Erasmus, the Robert Estienne, Abraham Faber, and Adrian Turnebus). While there he completed his studies of Latin and Greek; he later learned several modern languages. The Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster which contains Big Ben Tower Bridge at night A red double-decker bus crosses Piccadilly Circus. ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... Events January 1 - Portuguese explorers sailed into Guanabra Bay, Brazil and mistook it for the mouth of a river which they named Rio de Janeiro May 9 - Christopher Columbus leaves Spain for his fourth and final trip to the New World. May 21 - Portuguese discover island of St Helena. ... Events Leonardo da Vinci completes the Mona Lisa. ... William Lily (c. ... St. ... Full name Christs College Motto Souvent me Souvient Remember Me Often Named after Christ Previous names Gods-house (1437), Christs College (1505) Established 1505 Sister College Wadham College Master Prof. ... Events January 3 - Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther. ... All Souls College (in full: The College of All Souls of the Faithful Departed, of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (also Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam) (October 27, probably 1466 – July 12, 1536) was a Dutch humanist and theologian. ... Robert Estienne (1503 - September 7, 1559) , also known as Robert Stephens or Stephanus, was a 16th century printer in Paris. ...

Royal appointment

On his return to England he was a tutor of Thomas Howard, son of the 3rd Duke of Norfolk, and to Francis Hastings, afterwards Earl of Huntingdon. He took Holy Orders and was appointed one of the chaplains to King Henry VIII, who gave him the rectory of Peuplingues, in the marshes of Calais. Henry also appointed him his library keeper, and conferred on him the title of Royal Antiquary; Leland is the only person ever to hold this title. In 1533 Henry commissioned him to search after England's antiquities, and explore the libraries of all cathedrals, abbeys, priories, colleges, and all the places wherein records, writings, and whatever else was lodged that related to antiquity. "Before Leland's time," says Hearne, in his preface to the Itinerary, "all the literary monuments of antiquity were totally disregarded; and the students of Germany apprised of this culpable indifference, were suffered to enter our libraries unmolested, and to cut out of the books deposited there whatever passages they thought proper, which they afterwards published as relics of the ancient literature of their own country." Thomas Howard was the name of several prominent English noblemen who lived between the 15th century and the 17th century. ... Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk (1473–25 August 1554), was a prominent Tudor politician. ... Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. ... This article is about the sacrament. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind Location within France Calais is a city in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Events January 25 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne Boleyn, his second Queen consort. ... Thomas Hearne (July, 1678 - June 10, 1735), English antiquarian, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire. ...

In this research Leland spent over six years (from 1540 to 1546 travelling through England, visiting the remains of ancient buildings and monuments of every kind. On its completion, he presented the results to Henry, under the title of a New Year's Gift (published by John Bale in 1549) in which he says, "I have so traviled yn your dominions booth by the se costes and the midle partes, sparing nother labor nor costes, by the space of these vi. yeres paste, that there is almoste nother cape, nor bay, haven, creke or peers, river or confluence of rivers, breches, watchies, lakes, meres, fenny waters, montagnes, valleis, mores, hethes, forestes, chases wooddes, cities, burges, castelles, principale manor placis, monasteries, and colleges, but I have seene them; and notid yn so doing a hole worlde of thinges very memorable." This descriptive Itinerary runs to five printed volumes in the 1906 edition. Events January 6 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne of Cleves, his fourth Queen consort. ... Events Spanish conquest of Yucatan Peace between England and France Foundation of Trinity College, Cambridge by Henry VIII of England Katharina von Bora flees to Magdeburg Science Architecture Michelangelo Buonarroti is made chief architect of St. ... John Bale (21 November 1495 - November, 1563) was an English churchman, historian and controversialist, Bishop of Ossory. ... Events July - Ketts Rebellion Francis Xavier arrives in Japan. ... 1906 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

At the dissolution of the monasteries, Leland made application to Secretary Thomas Cromwell, requesting his assistance in getting the manuscripts that they contained sent to the king's library. In 1542 Henry presented him with the valuable rectory of Haseley, Oxfordshire; the year following he preferred him to a canonry of King's College, now Christ Church, Oxford, and about the same time collated him to a prebend in the church of Sarum. He was an absentee pluralist, with the income and leisure to pursue his interests; he retired with his collections to his house in the parish of St Michael le Querne, Cheapside, London, where he intended to follow the Itinerary with a history divided into "so many books as there be shires in England and shires and great dominions in Wales". It never materialized because, as a contemporary reported, in 1547 ‘he fell besides his wits’. He was certified insane in March 1550 and died, still mentally deranged, on April 18, 1552. Thomas Cromwell: detail from a portrait by Hans Holbein, 1532-3 Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex ( 1485 - July 28, 1540) was an English statesman, one of the most important political figures of the reign of Henry VIII of England. ... Events War resumes between Francis I of France and Emperor Charles V. This time Henry VIII of England is allied to the Emperor, while James V of Scotland and Sultan Suleiman I are allied to the French. ... Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from Latin Oxonia) is a county in South East England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire. ... Christ Church, called in Latin Ædes Christi (i. ... Salisbury Cathedral by Constable. ... Events January 16 - Grand Duke Ivan IV of Muscovy becomes the first Tsar of Russia. ... Events February 7 - Julius III becomes Pope. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... Events April - War between Henry II of France and Emperor Charles V. Henry invades Lorraine and captures Toul, Metz, and Verdun. ...

Works

Leland's notes have survived, and held in the Bodleian Library. They are an invaluable primary source not only for the local history and the geography of England, but also for archaeology, social history, and economic history. Entrance to the Library, with the coats-of-arms of several Oxford colleges Oxford University Libraries Service (OULS) comprises over 30 of the University of Oxfords central and faculty libraries: from the world famous Bodleian Library, established 400 years ago, to the modern digital library ventures. ... A primary source is any piece of information that is used for constructing history as an artifact of its times. ... Importance and applicability Most of human history is not described by any written records. ... Social history is an area of historical study considered by some to be a social science that attempts to view historical evidence from the point of view of developing social trends. ... Economic history is the application of economic theories to historical study. ...

The writings of Leland are numerous; in his lifetime he published several Latin and Greek poems, and some tracts on antiquarian subjects. His voluminous manuscripts, after passing through many hands, came into the Bodleian library, furnishing valuable materials to John Stow, William Lambard, William Camden, Thomas Burton, William Dugdale, and many other antiquaries and historians. Polydore Virgil, who had plagiarised them freely, had the insolence to abuse Leland's memory—calling him "a vain glorious man." From these collections Hall published, in 1709, Commentarii de Scriptoribus Brittanicis. The Itinerary of John Leland, Antiquary, was published by Thomas Hearne, at Oxford, in nine volumes in 1710, with a second edition printed in 1745, with considerable improvements and additions. The same editor published Joannis Lelandi Antiquarii de Rebus Brittanicis Collectanea in six volumes at Oxford in 1716. John Stow (c. ... William Camden William Camden (May 2, 1551 - November 9, 1623) was an English antiquarian and historian. ... Thomas Burton was a Loughborough wool merchant. ... Sir William Dugdale (September 12, 1605 - February 10, 1686) was an English antiquary. ... Polydore Vergil or Virgil (c. ... Hall is a term often used to refer to several different types of room in a house or a building. ... Events January 12 - Two-month freezing period begins in France - The coast of the Atlantic and Seine River freeze, crops fail and at least 24. ... Thomas Hearne (July, 1678 - June 10, 1735), English antiquarian, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Events April 10 - The worlds first copyright legislation became effective, Britains Statute of Anne Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713) Births January 4 - Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Italian composer (d. ... Events Natchez, one of the oldest towns on the Mississippi, founded. ...

References

• The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 10, Issue 286, December 8, 1827
• Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911) 16, p. 406
• Toulmin-Smith, L. (ed.) Itinerary of John Leland (Southern Illinois University Press, 1906, repr. 1964. ed. J. Chandler: illustrated, single-volume abridgement (Alan Sutton, 1964)