Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 02.djvu/56

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Anstis
44
Anstis

mentions among Anstis's books a quarto published in 1724, 'Brook's Errors of Camden, with Camden's Answer and Brook's Reply.' In 1702 a few sheets were published of a work entitled 'Curia Militaris, or a Treatise of the Court of Chivalry, in three books.' Noble states that the whole work was printed privately in 1702, but no copy is known to exist. In Gutch's 'Collectanea Curiosa,' ii. 186, is a history of visitation books, under the title, 'Nomenclator Fecialium qui Angliæ et Walliæ comitatus visitarunt, quo anno et ubi autographa seu apographa reperiuntur, per Johannem Anstis, Garter. Principal. Regem Armorum Anglicanorum,' from a manuscript in the library of All Souls College. Leland's 'Collectanea,' v. 325, 337, contains 'An Account of the Ceremonial of the Marriage between Frederick, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and the Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of King James I, in the year 1613,' and 'Ceremonial of the Marriage between William, only son of Frederick-Henry, Prince of Orange, and Mary, eldest daughter of King Charles I, the 2nd of May 1641 ,' drawn up by Anstis in 1733 from original manuscripts in the possession of Joseph Edmondson, Mowbray Herald. In the 'Gentleman's Magazine,' lxix. 194, there appeared some extracts from a letter of Anstis, dated 13 Nov. 1731, 'in which he answers queries that had been proposed to him as to the pretensions a dean of Westminster might have to bear the insignia of the Bath; and, supposing them to be well founded, in what manner the shield was to be exhibited upon a sepulchral monument.' Anstis left in manuscript the following works : 1. ' Aspilogia, a Discourse upon Seals in England,' of which an abstract was read before the Society of Antiquaries in 1735-6. 2. Two folio volumes of drawings of sepulchral monuments, stone circles, crosses, and castles in the three kingdoms, extracts from which are printed in the 'Archseologia,' xiii. 208. 3. A collection of epitaphs and other inscriptions in England and Wales (facsimiles). 4. 'Collectanea, in sixteen folio volumes, respecting almost every subject of English History, Jurisprudence, Chronology, Ecclesiastical and Military Affairs.' 5. ' Sigilla in officio Ducatus Lancastriæ,' a catalogue of ancient seals, deeds, and charters. 6. 'Pedigree of the Anstis Family.' 7. A treatise on the name, origin, and duties of the Earl Marshall. 8. An article on the estate and degree of a serjeant-at-law. 9. A petition relative to the visitatorial power of All Souls College. These manuscripts came into the possession of Thomas Astle at the sale of Anstis's library in 1768, and are now in the Stowe collection (British Museum). Besides these were (10) five large folio volumes, on the 'Office, &c., of Garter King-at-Arms, of Heralds and Pursuivants, in this and other Kingdoms, both Royal, Princely, and such as belonged to our Nobility,' that were acquired by George Nayler, York Herald, who allowed the use of them to Noble for his 'History of the College of Arms.' 11. 'Memoirs of the Families of Talbot, Carew, Granville, and Courtney.' 12. 'The Antiquities of Cornwall.' 13. 'Collections relating to the Parish of Colliton, in Devonshire,' dealing with the question of tithes, which had been the subject of a dispute between the parishioners and his son, the Rev. George Anstis, the vicar. 14. 'Collections relating to All Souls College,' purchased for the college. 15. 'Heraldic, Genealogical, and Historical Collections,' British Museum Add. MSS. 12227, 14291, 19818; collections for a treatise 'De Baroniis,' 24964. Some letters of Anstis's are printed in Nichols's 'Literary Anecdotes,' v. 271.


Pope alludes to Anstis in the 'Imitations of Horace:' —

A man of wealth is dubbed a man of worth,
Venus shall give him form, and Anstis birth;

and Prior mentions him in an epigram: —

But coronets we owe to crowns,
And favour to a courts affection.
By nature we are Adam's sons,
And sons of Anstis by election.

There is a portrait of Anstis at Oxford and in the hall of the College of Arms.

[Noble's History of the College of Arms, 376-79; Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, ii. 706-7, v. 269-72; O'Conor's Bibliotheca MS. Stowensis; Full and authentic Narrative of the intended horrid Conspiracy, 1715; Archæologia, i. xxviii; Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica; Buitows's Worthies of All Souls, 406-8]

A. H. B.

ANSTIS, JOHN, the younger (1708–1754), son of John Anstis the elder, was born about 1708, became a gentleman-commoner of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and in 1725, at the revival of the order of the Bath, was made genealogist and registrar. By virtue of the grant passed in 1727 he was joined with his father in the office of Garter. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries on 21 July 1736, and was presented with the degree of LL.D. on 22 April 1749, on the occasion of the opening of the Radcliffe library. When invested with the order of the Garter, the Margrave of Anspach presented Anstis with three hundred ducats, a gold-hilted sword, and one hundred ducats, 'in lieu of his upper robe, which Garter