Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 25.djvu/392

 Hemingford other members of the family of Hemingburgh were connected with Gisburn priory at the end of the thirteenth century. Bale in 1549 is the first writer to call him Hemingford; in most manuscripts of his chronicle he is described as Walter de Gisburn. He may be the 'Walter de Hemingburgh, chaplain,' alluded to in the 'Yorkshire Hundred Roll' for 1275-6; he was certainly at Gisburn in 1297 (Chron. ii. 130, 131), and was subprior in 1302, when he was sent with two other monks by his prior to confer with the Archbishop of York as to some disorders that existed at Gisburn (, Register). Sir T. Duffus Hardy (Cat. Brit. Hist. iii. 254) thinks this the latest date at which he is referred to as being alive, but the volume of sermons already mentioned seems to have been presented in 1307, and he certainly survived Archbishop Winchelsea (d. 1313) (Chron. ii. 148). It is, however, hardly possible that he is the 'Walter de Giseburne,' priest, who was, at the recommendation of the prior and convent of Gisburn, instituted to the vicarage of Stranton, within the bishopric of Durham, in 1338 (Magistrum Palatinum Dunelmense, Rolls Series, iii. 228). The historical chronicle of English affairs which bears his name commences with the Norman conquest and ends in 1346; how much of this is actually his composition seems uncertain. The earliest manuscripts of tbechronicle close with 1297, but the chronicler in his preface distinctly states his intention of carrying his work down to 1300. In one manuscript (Lansdowne No. 239, in British Museum) it is brought down to 1307, and in another (MS. C. C. C. Cant. 250) it is continued down to 1346, but with a gap from 1315 to 1327. That Hemingburgh wrote as far as the end of the reign of Edward I is almost certain; the remainder, or at least the reign of Edward III, is more probably the work of a continuator. The whole work forms one of the most valuable of our mediæval chronicles, as well for its vigorous and pleasing style as for the accuracy of its information; it displays good judgment, clearness of perception, and moderation of opinion. The early part of the chronicle down to 1195 is derived from Eadmer, Hoveden, Henry of Huntingdon, and William of Newburgh. In the later portion no particular narrative is closely followed, and from the beginning of the reign of Edward I it assumes the character of a contemporary record. Many original documents are preserved in the narrative, including the Latin version of the 'Statutum de Tallagio non concedendo.' The chronicle down to 1272 is included in Gale's ' Scriptores Quinque,' ii. 453-594, and the remainder was printed by Hearne in 1731. The whole was edited for the English Historical Society by Mr. H. C. Hamilton in 1848.

[Leland's Comment, de Script, p. 305, and Collect, ii. 314; preface to Hamilton's edition ; Hardy's Descriptive Cut. of MSS. relating to the Karly Hist, of Great Britain.].  HEMMING (fl. 1096), chronicler, was sub-prior of Worcester during the episcopate of Bishop Wulstan (d. 1096), at whose request he compiled the chartulary of the church of Worcester, still extant in Hemming's autograph in MS. Cotton. Tiberius A. xiii., under the title ‘De ecclesiæ Vigorniensis dotatione privilegiis et possessionibus.’ Hemming inserted some pieces of his own composition in the volume, including a life of Wulstan, which was printed by Wharton in his ‘Anglia Sacra’ (i. 541), and is reprinted in Migne's ‘Patrologia’ (cl. 1489–94). This life, though written as prose, seems to be really in verse. Some other extracts are given in Dugdale's ‘Monasticon,’ vol. i. The whole chartulary, which is a valuable collection of documents, was edited by Hearne, ‘Hemingi Chartularium Ecclesiæ Wigorniensis,’ Oxford, 1723.

 HEMPEL, CHARLES or CARL FREDERICK (1811–1867), musical composer, eldest son of Charles William Hempel [q. v.], was born at Truro, Cornwall, in September 1811. Having under his father's care received a sound musical education, he became a teacher of music at Truro. In 1847 he began writing and publishing songs, the first being dedicated to the Countess of Falmouth and entitled ‘Heave one sigh for me at parting.’ He also composed and printed pianoforte and dance music. About 1844 he succeeded his father as organist of St. Mary's Church, Truro. He was one of the first to introduce into Cornwall choral performances on a large scale. On 11 Feb. 1855 he matriculated from Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and on the 15th of the same month took the degree of bachelor in music. On 19 March 1862 ‘The Seventh Seal,’ his oratorio for the degree of doctor of music, was performed in the Sheldonian Theatre, and he received his degree next day. Four pieces from this oratorio were printed 1864–6, and the author was busy preparing the complete work for the press at the time of his death. He was an unwearied student of music, but devoted himself more to the theory than to the practice of his art. In 1857 he became organist and choir-master to St. John's Epi-