DESMOND, EARL OF. See PRESTON, RICHARD.
DEVONSHIRE, EARL OF. See BLOUNT, CHARLES.
Admitted 2 July, 1611
Son and heir of Paul D'Ewes, one of the Six Clerks (in Chancery). He was born at Coxden, Dorsetshire, on 18 Dec. 1602. He entered the University of Cambridge, where he immediately began collecting materials for the history of England. He was called to the Bar 23 May, 1623. His learning and industry recommended him to Cotton, Selden, Spelman, and other learned men of the time, and also to the favour of the king, who knighted him, and afterwards (1641) made him a Baronet. Notwithstanding these royal favours, however, he embraced the cause of the Parliament, and took the Solemn League and Covenant. He sat in the House of Commons till 1648, and died 8 April, 1650. He has left the following writings: Speech on the Bill of Four Subsidies for the King's Army (1641); Speech in the Palatine Cause (1641); The Greek Postscripts in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus … and a Speech touching Poll Money (1641); Two Speeches, the first touching the Antiquity of Cambridge; the other concerning the Privilege of Parliament (1641); The Primitive Practice for Preserving) Truth (1645); Speeches on the Proceedings against the Bishops, etc. (1646); The Journals of all the Parliaments during the Reign of Q. Elizabeth; revised and published by Paul Bowes (q.v.) (1682). He also left an Autobiography, some extracts from which were published in 1729 by Thomas Hearne. The whole was edited by Mr. Halliwell, and published in 2 vols., 8vo, in 1845.
Admitted 6 November, 1793.
Only son of Charles Dibdin of the Bank, St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, seller of musical publications (commonly known as Charles Dibdin the Elder, the well-known Song-Writer), and brother of Charles Dibdin the Younger, and god-son of David Garrick. He is commonly called "Thomas" only, and sometimes "Thomas John," but on the Register he appears as "John Thomas." As a child he appeared as Cupid at Drury Lane in 1775. In 1779 he was a choir boy at St. Paul's. He was then apprenticed to an upholsterer, but ran away, and in 1789 joined a company of players. From that time to his death, which occurred 16 Sept. 1841, his name was identified with the English stage, for which he wrote an innumerable number of comedies, operas, farces, and songs, many of which obtained great popularity. In 1827 he issued two volumes of Reminiscences, and at the time of his death he was preparing an edition of his father's Sea Songs.
Admitted 6 December, 1839.
Eldest son of John Dickens of Alphington, Devon. He was born at Landport on 7 Feb. 1812. At the time of his admission he had published four of his principal works, viz.: Sketches by Boz, the Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and Nicholas Nickleby, and was in the plenitude of his fame as a writer.
