Joseph Sparke or Sparkes (1683–1740) was an English antiquary, editor of some significant chronicles.

Life

He was son of John Sparke or Sparkes of

Peterborough Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...

. Having been educated in his native city under a Mr. Warren, he was admitted a pensioner at St. John's College, Cambridge, on 11 July 1699, and graduated B.A. in 1704. Returning to Peterborough, he became registrar of

Peterborough Cathedral Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew, and formerly known as Peterborough Abbey or St Peter's Abbey, is a cathedral in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, in the United Kingdom. The seat of the Church ...

. He devoted much time to antiquarian studies. In 1719, in a letter of

Maurice Johnson Maurice Johnson may refer to: *Maurice Johnson (English politician) (1480–1551), English politician, Member of the Parliament of England for Stamford 1523–c.1539 *Maurice Johnson (antiquary) (1688–1755), British antiquary *Maurice Johnson (Can ...

William Stukeley William Stukeley (7 November 1687 – 3 March 1765) was an English antiquarian, physician and Anglican clergyman. A significant influence on the later development of archaeology, he pioneered the scholarly investigation of the prehistoric ...

, he is mentioned as having lately arranged on a new method Lord Cardigan's library at Dean in Northamptonshire. He was also entrusted with the care of

White Kennett White Kennett (10 August 166019 December 1728) was an English bishop and antiquarian. He was educated at Westminster School and at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, where, while an undergraduate, he published several translations of Latin works, including ...

's collection of early historical and theological documents that passed to the cathedral library, which he was to supply daily and augment. Kennett's biographer William Newton describes Sparke as ‘of very good literature and very able to assist in that good design’. Together with his friend

Timothy Neve Timothy Neve (1724–1798) was an English churchman and academic. Life He was born at Spalding, Lincolnshire, on 12 October 1724, the only surviving son, by his first wife, of Timothy Neve the antiquary. He was admitted at Corpus Christi Colle ...

, Sparke was the founder of the Gentleman's Society of Peterborough, and prevailed on Bishop

Robert Clavering Robert Clavering (1676 – 21 July 1747) was an English bishop and Hebraist. Life He graduated B.A. from the University of Edinburgh, and then went to Lincoln College, Oxford. He was Fellow and tutor of University College, in 1701. In 1714 he ...

to allow it to meet in a room over the Saxon gate-house. In October 1722 he had become a member of the

Spalding Gentlemen's Society The Spalding Gentlemen's Society is a learned society based in Spalding, Lincolnshire, Spalding, Lincolnshire, England, concerned with cultural, scientific and antiquarian subjects. It is Britain's oldest such provincial body, founded in 1710 by ...

, on which it was modelled. Sparke died on 20 July 1740, and was buried in Peterborough Cathedral, where there is a monument to him in the retro-choir. His wife Rebecca died on 27 March 1747, aged 56.

Works

In 1723 he edited two folio volumes entitled ''Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores varii, e codicibus manuscriptis'', of which both large and small paper editions were published. They contained the '' Chronicon Angliae Petriburgense'', which later was attributed erroneously to John, abbot of Peterborough (1250–1262), by Simon Patrick and Henry Wharton. This was printed by Sparke from a transcript furnished to him by John Bridges of Lincoln's Inn, and, not having been collated with the original (among the Cotton. MSS. in the British Museum), contains errors. It was re-edited in 1845 for the

Caxton Society The Caxton Society was founded in the United Kingdom in 1845 to promote the publication of inexpensive and convenient editions of Middle Ages, medieval literature, including chronicles, that had not yet appeared in print. It was named after William ...

John Allen Giles John Allen Giles (1808–1884) was an English historian. He was primarily known as a scholar of Anglo-Saxon language and history. He revised Stevens' translation of the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' and Bede's '' Ecclesiastical History of the Englis ...

. The ''Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores'' included also

William Fitzstephen William Fitzstephen (also William fitz Stephen), (died c. 1191) was a cleric and administrator in the service of Thomas Becket. In the 1170s, he wrote a long biography of Thomas Becket – the ''Vita Sancti Thomae'' (Life of St. Thomas). Fitzste ...

's ''Life of St. Thomas Becket'', the ''History of Peterborough Abbey'' by

Hugh Candidus Hugh Candidus (c. 1095 – c. 1160) was a monk of the Benedictine monastery at Peterborough, who wrote a Medieval Latin account of its history, from its foundation as Medeshamstede in the mid 7th century up to the mid 12th century. . ...

, Walter of Guisborough's ''Vita Eduardi'', and the chronicles of

Ralph of Coggeshall Ralph of Coggeshall (died after 1227), English chronicler, was at first a monk and afterwards sixth abbot (1207–1218) of Coggeshall Abbey, an Essex foundation of the Cistercian order. He is also known for his chronicles on the Third Crusade ...

Benedict of Peterborough Benedict, sometimes known as Benedictus Abbas (Latin for "Benedict the Abbot"; died 29 September 1193), was abbot of Peterborough. His name was formerly erroneously associated with the ''Gesta Henrici Regis Secundi'' and ''Gesta Regis Ricardi'', En ...

, and others. Another volume contemplated by Sparke was to contain Whittleseye's ''Hereward of Peterborough''.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sparke, Joseph 1683 births 1740 deaths English antiquarians Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge