BAKER, Thomas, a very ingenious and learned antiquary, descended from a family ancient, well esteemed, and distinguished by its loyalty and affection for the crown, was born at Crook in 1656. He was educated at the free school at Durham, and thence removed to St John's College, Cambridge, in 1674. He proceeded A.B. in 1677. A.M. in 1681, was elected fellow in March 1680, ordained deacon by Bishop Compton of London in December 1685, and priest by Bishop Barlow of Lincoln the following year. Dr Watson, tutor of the college, who had been nominated, but not yet consecrated, bishop of St David's, offered to take him for his chaplain; but this he declined, probably in the prospect of a like offer from Lord Crew, bishop of Durham, which he soon after accepted. His lordship collated him to the rectory of Long-Newton in his diocese, in June 1687; and, as Dr Grey was informed by some of the bishop's family, the prelate further intended to give him that of Sedgefield, worth L.600 or L.700 a year, with a golden prebend, had he not incurred his lordship's displeasure and left his family for refusing to read King James II.'s declaration for liberty of conscience. The bishop, who disgraced him for this refusal, and was excepted out of King William's pardon, took the oaths to that king, and kept his bishopric till his death. Mr Baker resigned Long-Newton on the 1st of August 1690, refusing to take the oaths; and retired to his fellowship at St John's, in which he was protected till the 20th of January 1716-17, when, with one and twenty others, he was dispossessed of it. After the passing of the Registering Act in 1729, he was
desired to register his annuity of £40, which the last act required before it was amended and explained. Though this annuity, left him by his father for his fortune, with £20 per annum out of his collieries by his elder brother, from the day of his death in August 1699, and during the remaining part of the lease, which expired at Whitsuntide 1722, was now his whole subsistence, he could not be prevailed on to secure himself against the act. He retained a lively resentment of his deprivations; and wrote himself in all his books, as well as in those which he gave to the college library, socius ejectus, and in some rector ejectus. He continued to reside in the college as commoner-master till his death, which happened on the 2d of July 1740, in consequence of a paralytic stroke. In the afternoon of the 29th June, being alone in his chamber, he was struck with a slight apoplectic fit; but this abating a little, he recovered his senses, and knew all those about him, who were his nephew Burton, and Drs Bedford and Heberden. He seemed perfectly satisfied and resigned; and when Dr Bedford desired him to take some medicine then ordered, he declined it, saying he would only take his usual sustenance, which his bed-maker knew the times and quantities of giving. He was thankful for the affection and care his friends showed him; but, hoping the time of his dissolution was at hand, he would by no means endeavour to retard it. His disorder increased, and the third day after he was seized with the disorder he died. Having been appointed one of the executors of his elder brother's will, by which a large sum was bequeathed to pious uses, he prevailed on the other two executors, who were his younger brother Francis and the Hon. Charles Montagu, to lay out £1310 of the money upon an estate to be settled upon St John's College for six exhibitioners. He likewise gave to the college £100 for the consideration of £6 a year, then only legal interest, during his life; and to the library several choice books, both printed and in manuscript, with medals and coins; besides what he left to it by his will, which were "all such books, printed and manuscript, as he had, and were wanting there." All that Mr Baker printed was, 1st, Reflections on Learning, showing the insufficiency thereof in its several particulars, in order to evince the usefulness and necessity of Revelation, Lond. 1709-10, which went through many editions; and, 2d, The preface to Bishop Fisher's Funeral Sermon for Margaret countess of Richmond and Derby, 1708; both without his name. The latter piece is a sufficient specimen of the editor's skill in antiquities to make us regret that he did not live to publish his History of St John's College, from the foundation of old St John's House to the present time; with some occasional and incidental accounts of the affairs of the university, and of such private colleges as held communication or intercourse with the old house or college; collected principally from manuscripts, and carried on through a succession of masters to the end of Bishop Gunning's mastership, 1670. His manuscript collections relative to the history and antiquities of the university of Cambridge, amounting to forty-nine volumes in folio and three in quarto, are divided between the British Museum and the public library at Cambridge; the former possesses twenty-three volumes, the latter sixteen in folio and three in quarto. Dr Knight styles him "the greatest master of the antiquities of this our university;" and Hearne says, "Optandum est ut sua quoque collectanea de antiquitatibus Cantabrigiensibus juris faciat publici Cl. Bakerus, quippe qui eruditione summa judicioque acri et subacto polleat." Mr Baker intended something like an Athenæ Cantabrigienses, on the plan of the Athenæ Oxonienses.