whose chair of the Lady Margaret's' professor of divinity he also succeeded the same year. What other preferment he enjoyed is more than I can say. The times he lived in were by no means favorable to men of his cast: otherwise, he was deserving of the greatest: 5 for he was a very good divine', a learned man, and of an exemplary life. His book on the reasonableness of the Christian religion is a full proof of his being a great divine; as the many other of his publications are of his learning. As Lady Margaret's professor, he was incapacitated from filling the second office of the university, in being 10 vice-chancellor however, in 1719, Dr. Gooch, then in that office, had him for one of his assessors3, at the degradation of Dr. Bentley for demanding, as regius professor of divinity, exorbitant fees on creation of doctors in that faculty, and for contempt of the vicechancellor's authority. 15 He had the misfortune to lose his memory and understanding for some years before his death, which happened at Runcton, near King's Lynn in Norfolk, on the 7 April, 1727, at the age of 71 years; tho' in his epitaph it is said 70; a very immaterial circumstance, and depends only on calling him 71, being then in his current year: being 20 born in 1656. He was buried at Runcton, and has this epitaph for him3, which was given to me in 1747, by my honoured patron, the late Browne Willis, Esq. who had a great regard for his memory. It is on a small mural monument. 1 Elected Apr. 4, 1711, and sworn in Apr. 20 following. v. my Vol. 51, p. 20.' W. C. 2 My Vol. I. p. 1, 3 &c. [See Edw. Rud's Diary, ed. Luard, Cambr. 1860, p. 21]. 4 v. A full and impartial account of all the proceedings, &c. against Dr. Bentley, p. 15. Lond. 8vo. 1719. 5 v. my Vol. 35, p. 40. It is printed in the Gent. Mag. for 1779, p. 287, 350, with some few particulars of his life, viz. he was buried (with his wife Susannah, daur. of Wm. Hatfield esq. alderman and merchant of Lynne, who died 1713, aged 46) in Holme chapel, in Runcton parish, where his brother Henry was rector cum Wallington, and vicar of Tilney in Norfolk. His daughter Sarah survived him. His daughter of the same name and son Henry, who both died young in 1727, were also buried in the same chapel. In Mr. Baker's History of St. John's college2, is the following list 10 of fellows, elected in 1717, in the place of the non-jurors: and being acted in the time of Dr. Jenkin's prefecture, claims a place here. "Electio Sociorum Jan. 21. 1716-17, et Admissio Sociorum Jan. 22, sequ. Leonardus Chappelow, Ebor. pro Dna Rooksby Decessore Mro 15 Tomkinson. Ricus Wilkes, Stafford. pro Dna Fundatrice Deces. Mro Leche. Wooton. Tho. Tatham, Lancastr. pro Mro Ashton, Dec. Mro Rishton, Mr. Bowtell Mr. Foulkes. 20 25 Dr. Edmundson. in all five. Mr. Chester, and Mr. Hall. 30 "N. B. This election of fellows was had in consequence of a removal of several non-juring fellows, in virtue of an act of parliament. "The ordinary election of fellows is always in Lent." Dr. Jenkyn's will may be seen among the MS. collections of Mr. Baker but as I never saw it, I cannot say whether he left any [Blomefield's Norfolk, fol. ed. IV. 243; MS. Cole xxxv. 40]. 2 Mr. Baker's MS. Hist. of St. Jo. Coll., p. 399, in Collegio [above P. 303]. 3 Vol. 32. No. 35. p. 551. 35 5 thing to the college, or was otherwise a benefactor. It is probable that, if he had not done some thing of that sort before he fell ill, the nature of his disorder would deprive him of the capacity of doing it then. He was the author of the following publications. An Historical Examination of the Authority of General Councils: shewing the false dealing that hath been used in the publishing of them; and the difference among the Papists themselves, about their Number. London, 4to. 1688. 2d. edition1. A defence of the Profession, which the Right Rev. Father in God, John, late Lord Bp. of Chichester, made upon his death Bed, concerning Passive Obedience and the New Oaths. Together with an Account of some Passages in his Lordship's Life. 1690. 4to. The Reasonableness and Certainty of the Christian Religion. 15 By Rob. Jenkin, Chaplain to the Earl of Exeter, and late Fellow of St. John's College. London, 1698. 8vo. Dedicated to the Earl of Exeter. A 2d. volume was afterwards published: and a second edition at Lond. in 1700. An Account of the Life of Apollonius Tyanæus: by Mons”. 20 le Nain de Tillemont. Translated out of the French. 1702. 8vo.3 A brief Confutation of the Pretences against Natural and Revealed Religion. 1702. 8vo. 25 30 Defensio St. Augustini adversus Joannis Phereponi in ejus Opera Animadversiones. 1707. 8vo.3 Remarks on some Books lately published. 1709. 8vo. Roberti Jenkin pro Dna Margareta Professoris Oratio Inauguralis. This is not printed, but is preserved among Mr. Baker's MSS. Vol. 38. No. 35. p. 339 [-342]. Mr. Bowyer the printer had been admitted of St. John's college in 1716, while Dr. Jenkin was master, who was very generous to Mr. Bowyer's father upon his loss by fire in 1713, when many of the clergy had exerted themselves in his behalf. This was remembred by the son near 60 years after, when Mr. Bowyer wrote to his nephew, whom by mistake he calls his grandson, (the master dying a bachelor, 35 as I conceive,) with a bank note of £50. in return; which was most gratefully received by the nephew, in 1770. Anecdotes biographical and literary of Mr. Wm. Bowyer, printer. By J. Nichols. London. 8vo. 1778. p. 3, 46. In Biblioth. Coll. Divi Johannis. 1778. Mr. Henry Jenkin was rector of Tilney in Norfolk. Dr. Brett's 40 Life of Mr. Johnson of Cranbrook. p. IV. Mr. Whiston, in his Historical Preface. p. 71, 72, in a manner gave a particular challenge to Dr. Jenkin, 'who would readily,' says he (in his bold and confident manner) 'confute me, if it was in his power,' to dispute with him about his Arianism. Probably Dr. Jenkin was a quieter person, and loved not to make that noise and disturbance 5 that the other was by nature disposed to. His arms, as I took them from a table in the lodge, where I dined Tuesday Oct. 26, 1779, and on an atchievement hanging in the organ loft, are, Argent a lion rampant reguardant sable. ADDITIONS TO COLE'S LIFE OF ROB. JENKIN. This account (MS. Cole XLIX. [5830] pp. 215-219) is printed by 10 Nichols, Lit. Anecd. IV. 240-252. See also the histories of Waterbeach by Masters, pp. 31-34, and W. K. Clay, pp. 66-68. He was junior prizeman at Canterbury school 1673, his brother Henry having been senior prizeman in 1671 (J. S. Sidebotham, Memorials of the King's School, Canterbury. Canterb. 1865, pp. 17, 46, 47, where is an account of both 15 brothers). Nominated to a Hare exhibition by the master 6 Nov. 1676, 5 Nov. 1677, 5 Nov. 1678 (Register II. 655-657). 'Sublector, sive moderator in aula' 9 Jul. 1680 (ibid. 236). Examinator in dialecticis' and 'lector' 8 Jul. 1681 (ibid. 237). Lector mathematicus in perspectiva and 'lector' 20 7 Jul. 1682 (ibid. 238). He did not fill any of the other college offices. B.A. 167, M.A. 1681, D.D. 1709. Thos. Baker was greatly troubled by his ejection from his fellowship, 'not for the profit he received from it, but that some whom he thought his sincerest friends came so readily into the new measures, particularly Dr. 25 Robert Jenkin the master, who wrote a defence of the profession of Dr. Lake bp. of Chichester, concerning the new oaths aud passive obedience, and resigned his precentorship of Chichester and vicarage of Waterbeach. ... Mr. Baker could not persuade himself but he might have shewn the same indulgence to his scruples on that occasion as he had done before 30 while himself was of that way of thinking.' In a letter from Dr. Jenkin, addressed to Mr. Baker, fellow of St. John's, he made the following remark on the superscription: 'I was so then; I little thought it should be by him that I am now no fellow: but God is just, and I am a sinner' (Nichols' Lit. Anecd. v. 108, 109; Masters, Life of Baker, 34, 35). 35 T. F., i.e. [John] T[aylor's] F[riend], Geo. Ashby, in Nichols, ibid. 108: 'Mr. Baker was quite wrong in fancying that the master, &c. could do more for him than he did. He was screened, till notice came from above that it would not be overlooked there any longer.' The same (ibid. IV. 247, 248): The true account of the ejection is this: 40 The statutes of that college require the fellows, as soon as they are of that standing, to take the degree of B.D. But the oath of allegiance is required to be taken with every degree: so that, after the revolution, 24 of the fellows not coming into the oath of allegiance, and the statutes requiring them to commence B.D., they were constrained to part with their fellow- 45 ships. As to those who had taken that degree before the revolution, there was nothing to eject them upon till their refusal of the abjuration-oath, exacted on the accession of king George I. Mr. Baker, who died in 1740, was probably the survivor of all these [ejected fellows]. These principles 5 of the members of this society made it little agreeable at court, where however they had always one good friend (though he by no means agreed with them in their sentiments) commissary Dr. Rowland [? Richard] Hill, paymaster to the army in Flanders under king William (see Wotton's Baronetage, vol. V. p. 215). One day, upon some bad reports there from Cambridge, the 10 then Lord Carteret said, " Well, Mr. commissary, what have you to say for your college now?" Why, to be sure, I must own that circumstances are against us; but though I hardly shall, who am an old man, yet I dare say your lordship will live to see that college as obsequious as any other." This prediction was completely fulfilled; when his lordship nobly promoted Dr. 15 Taylor, who was the last that retained in secret the principles of this party. From Dr. Taylor himself to me, all but the conclusion.' 20 66 Matt. Prior's verses to Jenkin in MS. Cole XXX. 114 are no doubt the same as the epigram, extempore, to the master of St. John's college, 1712' (Chalmers' British Poets, X. 238). The occasion of this epigram is given in the Gent. Mag. 1774, p. 16: 'In the year 1712 my old friend Matthew Prior, who was then Fellow of St. John's, and who not long before had been employed by the Queen as her Plenipotentiary at the court of France, came to Cambridge; and the next morning paid a visit to the Master of his own college. The Master 25 (whether Dr. Gower or Dr. Jenkin I cannot now recollect) loved Mr. Prior's principles, had a great opinion of his abilities, and a respect for his character in the world; but then he had much greater respect for himself. He knew his own dignity too well to suffer a Fellow of his college to sit down in his presence. He kept his seat himself, and let the Queen's am30 bassador stand. Such was the temper, not of a Vice-chancellor, but of a simple Master of a college. I remember, by the way, an extempore epigram of Matt's on the reception he had there met with. We did not reckon in those days, that he had a very happy turn for an epigram: but the occasion was tempting; and he struck it off, as he was walking from St. John's 35 college to the Rose, where we dined together. It was addressed to the Master. 40 45 I stood, Sir, patient at your feet, Before your elbow chair; But make a bishop's throne your seat, I'll kneel before you there. One only thing can keep you down, For your great soul too mean; You'd not, to mount a bishop's throne, Pay homage to the Queen. From "The friendly and honest Advice of an old Tory to the Vicechancellor of Cambridge. Printed for S. Johnson, Charing Cross, 1751," p. 23.' When chaplain to lord Weymouth, Jenkin wrote several letters to Thos. Baker (Long Leet 25 Jul. 1709, 17 Oct. 1709, 17 Nov. 1709, 3 Dec. 1709) |