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 cal manuscripts, had been issued by Gaisford in 1812. In 1818 Nicoll published ‘Notitia Codicis Samaritano-Arabici Pentateuchi in Bibl. Bodleiana,’ Oxford, royal 8vo. Finally, he added in 1821 a second part to the ‘Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ Codicum Manuscriptorum Orientalium Catalogus,’ of which the first part, by Joannes Uri [q. v.], the Hungarian scholar, had appeared in 1788. The third part, by Edward Bouverie Pusey [q. v.], was printed in 1835. These compilations gained for Nicoll a European reputation, and such was his linguistic fame that it was commonly said of him that he might pass to the Great Wall of China without the services of an interpreter.

 NICOLL or NICOLLS, ANTHONY (1611–1659), parliamentarian, born at St. Tudy, Cornwall, 14 Nov. 1611, was eldest son of Humphry Nicoll of Penvose, in that parish (born in 1577, sat in parliament for the borough of Bodmin, Cornwall, March 1627–8 to March 1628–9, and buried at St. Tudy 31 March 1642), who married at St. Dominick in the same county, in May 1604, Philipp or Philippa, daughter of Sir Anthony Rous, knt. He was also connected with the great Cornish families of Cavell, Lower, Mohun, and Roscarrock, and, through his mother, he was a nephew of John Pym (Bibl. Cornub. ii. 595). He was returned for the Cornish borough of Bossiney in the parliament which lasted from 13 April to 5 May 1640, and in the Long parliament of the same year he sat for Bodmin. This return was disputed by Sir John Bramston, and Nicoll was declared by the committee of election to have been unduly returned; but, through Pym's influence, this decision was never reported to the house itself. In after years the improper retention of the seat was often brought up against him. He acted for the most part with Denzil Holles [q. v.] and the presbyterian members, and was often appointed on conferences and committees.

After the defeat of the parliamentary forces at Stamford Hill, near Stratton, Cornwall, on 16 May 1643, complaint was made by their commander, the Earl of Stamford, that Nicoll's action in withdrawing the cavalry had contributed to the disaster. A joint committee of both houses was appointed to inquire into the matter, but no result was reached. On 1 May 1647 he was nominated a member of the body for regulating the university of Oxford. Later in the same year the army made specific charges against eleven presbyterian members, of whom Nicoll was one; but for a time, owing to the withdrawal of the independent representatives, his friends were victorious. The special charges against him alleged that he had remained in parliament for many years although the seat had been declared void by the committee of privileges, that he had influenced the election of members in the west, and that he had received rewards. These accusations he denied; but he admitted that he had continued in the office of master of the armoury in the Tower, and had lost the lucrative position of ‘Customer of Plymouth and of the Cornish ports.’ When the army entered London (6 Aug. 1647) the cause of the independents triumphed, and Nicoll was ordered into restraint. He had procured a pass from the speaker to go into Cornwall, but could not obtain one from Fairfax. On the way to his own county he was stopped by some troopers, and carried on 16 Aug. to headquarters at Kingston. Next day he was brought before that general, and on 18 Aug. a letter from him was read in the House of Commons. Fairfax was communicated with, and, after debate, it was ordered that Nicoll should remain in custody. When it came out on the same day that Nicoll had escaped, the ports were stopped against him, and the speaker's pass revoked. But the presbyterians soon regained their supremacy, and the disabling orders against him were revoked. On 12 Oct. 1648 he formed one of the committee of sequestrations for Cornwall, and on 4 Nov. the office of master of the armouries in the Tower and at Greenwich was granted to him for life by patent. He was probably expelled through ‘Pride's purge.’

Nicoll sat for Cornwall 1654 to 1655, and was chosen for Bossiney on 11 Jan. 1658–9, and in 1657 he became sheriff of that county. He died of fever on 20 Feb. 1658–9, and was buried at the Savoy on 22 Feb. An elaborate monument, with a Latin inscription and verses in English, which now stands on the south chancel aisle, was erected to his memory in St. Tudy church by his wife Amy in 1681. It contains effigies of himself, his wife, and five sons. He had five sons and two daughters; two of the younger sons were at that time buried in the Savoy, and two of the elder at St. Tudy. His wife Amy, daughter and coheiress of Peter Speccot of Speccot, Devonshire, married in 1670 John Vyvyan of Trewan, Cornwall. Her will was proved on 27 May 1685. In 1640 Nicoll rebuilt the mansion of Penvose, and filled the windows with stained glass, em-