THOMAS

See also:

• PERCY (FAMILY)
• PERCY, SIR HENRY
• THOMAS PERCY (1729-1811)
• PERCY, THOMAS (c. 156o-16os)

PERCY (1729-1811)  , bishop of Dromore, editor of the Percy Reliques, was born at Bridgnorth on the 13th of April 1729 . His father, Arthur Lowe Percy, a grocer, was of sufficient means to send his son to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1746 . He graduated in 1750 and proceeded M.A. in 1753 . In the latter year he was appointed to the vicarage of Easton Maudit, Northamptonshire, and three years later was instituted to the rectory of Wilby in the same county, benefices which he retained until 1782 . In 1759 he married Anne, daughter of Barton Gutter-ridge . At Easton Maudit most of the literary work for which he is now remembered—including the Reliques—was completed_ When his name became famous he was made domestic chaplain to the duke and duchess of Northumberland, and was tempted into the belief that he belonged to the illustrious house of Percy . Through his patron's influence he became dean of Carlisle in 1778 and bishop of Dromore in Ireland in 1782 . His wife died before him in 18o6; the good bishon. blind but otherwise in Wales . Hotspur was killed, the earls of Douglas and Worcester, Sir Richard Venables of Kinderton, and Sir Richard Vernon were captured, and the rebel army dispersed . Worcester, Venables and Vernon were executed the next day . Percy's body was buried at Whitchurch, but was disinterred two days later to be exhibited in Shrewsbury . The head was cut off, and fixed on one of the gates of York .

sound health, lived until the 3oth of September 1811 . Both to the thesis of Balzac's work, Les Petites miseres de la vie con-were buried in the transept which Percy added to Dromore jugale . More and more pessimistic as to the political future Cathedral. of his country, Pereda took occasion in Don Gonzalo Gonzalez Dr Percy's first work was a translation from a Portuguese de la Gonzalera (1879) to ridicule the Revolution as he had seen manuscript of a Chinese story, published in 1761 . Two years it at work, and to pour scorn upon the nouveaux riches who later he published Five Pieces of Runic Poetry, translated from exploited Liberalism for their personal ends . Two novels by the Islandic . In 1763 he edited the earl of Surrey's poems with his friend Perez Galdes, Dona Perfecta and Gloria, drew from an essay on early blank verse, translated the Song of Solomon, Pereda a reply, De Tal palo tal astilla (188o), in which he endeaand published a key to the New Testament . His Northern yours to show that tolerance in religious matters is disastrous Antiquities (1770) is a translation from the French of Paul Henri i alike to nations and to individuals . The Esbozos y rasgunos Mallet . His reprint of The Household Book of the Earl of Northum- (1881) is of lighter material, and is less attractive than El Sabor berland in 1512 is of the greatest value for the illustrations of de la Tierruca (1882), a striking piece of landscape which won domestic life in England at that period . But these works are immediate appreciation .. New ground was broken in Pedro of little estimation when compared with the Reliques of Ancient Sanchez (1883), where Pereda leaves his native province to English Poetry (1765) . This was based on an old manuscript portray the disillusion of a sincere enthusiast who has plunged collection of poetry, rescued by Percy in Humphrey Pitt's house into the political life of the capital .

Pereda's masterpiece is at

Shifnal, Shropshire, from the hands of the housemaid who Sotileza (1884), a vigorous rendering of marine life by an artist was about to light the fire with it . The manuscript was edited who perceives and admires the daily heroisms of his fisher-folk. in its complete form by J . W . Hales and F . J . Furnivall It has often been alleged against the author that he confines in 1867—1868. himself to provincial life, to lowly personages and to unrefined See A . C . C . Gaussen, Percy: Prelate and Poet (1908) . The subjects, and no doubt an anxiety to clear himself from this Reliques has been edited by various hands, notably by H . B . Wheat- absurd reproach led him to attempt a description of society at ley (1876) .

The

fourth edition was by Percy's nephew, Thomas the capital in La Montalvez (1888), which is certainly the least Percy (1768-18o8), himself a writer of verse. interesting of his performances .