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 was buried in Carlisle cemetery on 23 Dec. A. memorial, the proceeds of a public subscription, consisting of a recumbent figure in white marble, by Armstead, was erected in the cathedral in October 1885. He married, first, in 1820, Anne Diana, the third daughter of the Rev. John Arden of Longcroft Hall, Stafford; and secondly, on 2 Dec. 1880, Mary Antrim, widow of David Hodgson of Scotland.

Close was a most popular preacher of the evangelical type, but his theological views were narrow. His style of oratory was too ambitious in straining after great effects, but his voice was full and harmonious. He was a powerful opponent of horse-racing and theatrical amusements, and in his later years maintained a strong opposition to the use of alcohol and tobacco.

He was the author of upwards of seventy publications, but few of these are of any permanent value. The following are the titles of some of his chief works: 1. 'A course of nine Sermons on the Liturgy,' 1825; 7th edition, 1844. 2. 'The Book of Genesis, a series of historical discourses,' 1826; 3rd edition, 1853. 3. 'The Evil Consequences of attending the Racecourse,' 1827; 3rd edition, 1827. 4. 'Miscellaneous Sermons preached in the parish church of Cheltenham,' 1829–34, 2 vols. 5. 'Sermons for the Times,' 1837. 6. 'Nine Sermons illustrative of some of the Typical Persons of the Old Testament,' 1838. 7. 'The Female Chartist's Visit to the Parish Church,' 1839. 8. 'Pauperism traced to its True Sources by the aid of Holy Scripture and Experience,' 1839. 9. 'Divine and Human Knowledge,' 1841. 10. 'Twelve Discourses on some of the Parables,' 1841. 11. 'Occasional Sermons,' 1844. 12. 'Church Architecture scripturally considered,' 1844; 2nd edition, 1853. 13. 'The Restoration of Churches is the Restoration of Popery,' 1844; another edition, 1881. 14. 'The Catholic Doctrine of the Second Advent,' 1846. 15. 'Passion-week Lectures,' 1847. 16. 'Popery Destructive of Civil and Religious Liberty,' 1853. 17. 'Table-turning not Diabolical,' 1853; 4th edition, 1853. 18. 'High Church Education Delusive and Dangerous, being an Exposition of the System adopted by the Rev. W. Sewell,' 1855. 19. 'A few more Words on Education Bills,' 1856. 20. 'An Indian Retrospect, or what has Christian England done for Heathen India?' 1858. 21. 'Tobacco; its Influence, Physical, Moral, and Religious,' 1859. 22. 'Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity,' 1860. 23. 'Teetotalism the Christian's Duty,' 1860. 24. 'Why have I taken the Pledge?' 1860; 15th thousand, 1861. 25. 'Eighty Sketches of Sermons,' 1861. 26. 'The Footsteps of Error traced through a Period of Twenty-five Years,' 1863. 27. 'Cathedral Reform,' 1864. 28. 'The Cattle Plague viewed in the Light of Holy Scripture,' 1865. 29. 'Thoughts on the Daily Choral Service in Carlisle Cathedral,' 1865. 30. 'Domestic Ritualism, how it creeps into Houses,' 1866. 31. 'The English Church Union a Ritualistic Society,' 1868. 32. 'Recent Legislation on Contagious Diseases,' 1870. 33. 'Our Family Likeness. Illustration of our Origin and Descent,' 1871. 34. 'Auricular Confession and Priestly Absolution,' 1873. 35. 'Essay on the Composition of a Sermon,' 1873. 36. 'The Stage, Ancient and Modern; its tendencies on Morals and Religion,' 1877.

 CLOSE, NICHOLAS, D.D. (d. 1452), bishop, a native of Westmoreland, was one of the six original fellows of King's College, Cambridge, appointed by the founder, Henry VI, in 1443. Of his previous life nothing has as yet been discovered. The accounts of King's College show that he was frequently employed on important business, and in 1447 he became overseer of the building works ('magister operum'). In 1448 he was made warden of King's Hall in the same university. In 1449 (10 July) he appears as one of the English commissioners for proclaiming a truce with Scotland, and is described in the letters patent as chancellor of the university of Cambridge. In the following year (14 March 1449–50) he was made bishop of Carlisle, at which time he was also archdeacon of Colchester. In 1451 he was a commissioner for investigating whether the conservators of the truce with Scotland had been negligent in their duty or not; and in 1452 (30 Aug.) he was translated to the bishopric of Coventry and Lichfield. He died before the end of October in the same year. Close received a grant of arms from Henry VI 'for the laudable services rendered by him in many diverse ways, both, in the works of the building of our College Royal and in other matters.' There is reason for believing that this grant should be dated 30 Jan. 1450. The arms are: Argent, on a chevron sable three passion-nails of the first; on a chief sable three roses argent. A nail, clou, was probably chosen as canting on the name Close. After he became a bishop he