Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 15.djvu/450

 Drake York County Hospital on the establishment of that institution in 1741, and held it until 1756, he henceforth devoted himself almost entirely to historical and antiquarian research. A paper from his pen, 'Introduction to the Aspilogia of John Anstis,' having been read before the Society of Antiquaries on 12 Feb. 1735-6, he was elected F.S.A. on the 27th of the same month. Copies of this treatise are preserved in Addit. MS. 6183, ff. 22-6, and in Addit. MS. 11249, ff. 46-51. In the same year (10 June 1736) he became a fellow of the Royal Society, and besides a medical paper in the 'Philosophical Transactions' for 1747-8 (xlv. 121-3), he has a description of the remarkable sculptured stone, now in the museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society, representing a celebration of Mithraic rites by the Romans at Eburacum, which was found in Micklegate in April 1752 (ib. vol. xlviii. pt. i. pp. 33-41). He had previously sent an account to the Society of Antiquaries, from which the above paper, with 'a brief explication of the inscription,' was drawn up by the author's friend, Professor John Ward. He resigned his fellowship in 1769, having withdrawn from the Society of Antiquaries in November 1755.

In the spring of 1745 Drake, with his friend John Burton, made an excursion to the Yorkshire Wolds, and explored the country about Goodmanham and Londesborough, with the object of 'contributing to settle the long-disputed question as to the site of the Roman station called Delgovitia.' Burton, two years later, sent a paper giving the result of their investigations to the Royal Society, to which Drake added an appendix (Philosophical Transactions, 1747, vol. xliv. pt. ii. pp. 553-6). Some years afterwards (October 1754) the two antiquaries visited Skipwith Common, ten or twelve miles from York, where they opened a number of small barrows called Danes' hills. In the 'Monasticon Eboracense,' which Dr. Burton was then preparing for the press, Drake took a warm interest, and did much to insure its success (, Illustr. of Lit. iii. 378, 379).

At the close of his preface to 'Eboracum' Drake had disclaimed all desire or expectation of another edition. Yet in a letter to Professor John Ward, dated 'York, Ap. 5, 1755' (Addit. MS. 6181, f. 27), he refers to 'an interleav'd book I keep of my Antiquities of York.' This copy, which contained large manuscript additions by the author, was in the possession of his son, the Rev. William Drake [q. v.], who, says Nichols, would have republished his father's book if the plates could have been recovered, and even had thoughts of getting them engraved anew (Lit. Anecd. ii. 87). Drake, writing to Dr. Zachary Grey 1 Feb. 1747-8, mentions 'a great work which I am upon' (Addit. MS. 6396, f. 9). The 'great work' thus alluded to was the 'Parliamentary History,' the first eight volumes of which were published at London in 1751, 8vo, with the title 'The Parliamentary or Constitutional History of England from the earliest Times to the Restoration of King Charles II, collected from the Records, the Rolls of Parliament, the Journals of both Houses, the Public Libraries, original Manuscripts, scarce Speeches and Tracts, all compared with the several contemporary Writers, and connected throughout with the History of the Times. By several Hands.' In 1753 five volumes, and two years later as many more, were published, making together eighteen volumes. The nineteenth and twentieth volumes did not appear until 1757, and in 1760 the work was completed by the issue of two additional volumes, comprising an appendix and a copious index. A second edition was soon called for, and before the close of 1763 was given to the world in twenty-four handsome octavo volumes. There is little doubt that Cole is right in his assertion that Drake and Cæsar Ward, the bookseller and printer of York, at whose house in Coney Street Drake was lodging at the time, were the sole authors of this 'most excellent illustration of our English history' (Cole MS. xxvi. f. 3b). The original matter introduced by Drake illustrating events at York during the civil war has been used with excellent effect by Guizot in his 'History of the English Revolution of 1640,' ed. Hazlitt, 1845, p. 154.

In 1767 Drake left York to pass the remainder of his life at Beverley, in the house of his eldest son, Dr. Francis Drake, who was vicar of the church of St. Mary in that town. There he died on 16 March 1771, having entered the seventy-sixth year of his age. He was buried in St. Mary's, where a tablet was erected to his memory by his son.

Drake married at York Minster, on 19 April 1720, Mary, third daughter of George Woodyear of Crook Hill, near Doncaster, a gentleman of position, who had at one time acted as secretary to Sir William Temple (Yorkshire Archæological and Topographical Journal, ii. 334). She died 18 May 1728, aged 35, having borne five sons, of whom three survived her, and was buried in the church of St. Michael-le-Belfrey, York (Monumental Inscription in Eboracum, p. 243;, Lit. Anecd. iv. 179). Two sons, Francis and William [q. v.], survived their father. The elder,, baptised at St. 