Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 38.djvu/397

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
Moray
391
Morcar

with the portion of the Holman manuscripts in the Colchester Museum (where the original manuscript of Morant's 'History' is also preserved) makes it apparent that Morant frequently neglected to make the best use of his materials. A third volume, containing additions and corrections, with arms and inscriptions, was promised, but never appeared. The book was reprinted in 1816 by Meggy & Chalk of Chelmsford.

Morant's other works are : 1. 'An Introduction to the Beading of the New Testament,' being a translation of that of MM. de Beausobre and Lenfant, prefixed to their edition of the New Testament, 2 vols. 4to, London, 1725-6. 2. 'The Cruelties and Persecutions of the Romish Church displayed,' 8vo, London, 1728 (translated into Welsh by Thomas Richards, 4to, Caer-Fyrddin, 1746). 3. < Remarks on the 19th Chap- ter of the II d Book of Mr. Selden's "Mare Clausum",' printed at the end of Falle's ' Cæsarea,' 8vo, 1734 and 1797. 4. Translation of the Notes in the second part of the 'Othoman History,' by Demetrius Cantimir, fol., London, 1735. 5. 'The History of England by way of Question and Answer,' revised and corrected for Thomas Astley, 12mo, London, 1737. 6. 'Account of the Spanish Invasion in 1588, by Way of Illustration to the Tapestry Hangings in the House of Lords and in the King's Wardrobe,' engraved and published by John Pine, fol. London, 1739 ; 2nd edit. 1753. 7. 'Geographia Antiqua & Nova,' with Cellarius's maps, 4to, London, 1742 (another edit. 1768), translated with additions from Da Fresiioy's 'Methode pour 6tudier la Geographic.' Under the signature 'C.' he wrote several articles for the first edition of the 'Biographia Britannica,' as well as that on Bishop Stillingfleet, which is unsigned. He revised, with numerous additions, Hearne's 'Ductor Historicus ' (1723), and left in manuscript a 'Life of King Edward the Confessor.'

In the British Museum are Morant's letters to Dr. Thomas Birch [q. v.], 1748-62 (Addit. MS. 4314), and copies of his letters to Browne Willis, 1745-59 (ib. 5841), and of a letter to Dr. William Richardson, 1740 (ib. 5860).

[Nichols's Lit. Anecd. ii. 201 n., 705, and elsewhere; Nichols's Illustr. of Lit.; Transactions of Essex Archseolog. Soc. ii. 148 ; Historians of Essex, III, 'Philip Morant' (a valuable article by Mr. C. F. D. Sperling in the Essex Review, January 1894); Ayscough's Cat. of MSS. in Brit. Mus. p. 719 ; Egerton MS. 2382, f. 179 ; Addit. MS. 23990, f. 62 ; Addit. (Cole) MS. vol. xxxiii. f. 104 ; Watt's Bibl. Brit.]

G. G.

MORAY. [See Murray.]

MORAY or MURRAY, Earls of. [See Randolph, Sir Thomas, first Earl, d. 1332; Randolph, John, third Earl, d. 1346: Stuart, James, 1533 ?-1570.]

MORAY, GILBERT of (d. 1245), bishop of Caithness. [See Gilbert.]

MORCAR or MORKERE (fl. 1066), earl of the Northumbrians, son of Ælfgar [q.v.], earl of the Mercians, was probably, along with his elder brother, Edwin or Eadwine, earl of the Mercians, concerned in stirring up the Northumbrians in 1065 to revolt against their earl, Tostig, the son of Earl Godwin [q. v.], and was chosen earl by the rebels at York in October. He at once satisfied the people of the Bernician district by making over the government of the country beyond the Tyne to Oswulf, the eldest son of Eadwulf. the Bernician earl, who had been slain by Siward in 1041 (Symeon, Historia Regum ap. Opera, ii. 198). Marching southwards with the rebels he was joined by the men of Nottingham, Derby, and Lincoln, members of the old Danish confederacy of towns, and met Edwin, who was at the head of a force of Mercians and Welshmen, at Northampton. There the brothers and their rebel army considered proposals for peace offered to them by Earl Harold [see under Harold, 1022 ?-1066]. Negotiations were continued at Oxford, where, the Northumbrians insisting on the recognition of Morcar, Harold yielded on the 28th, and Morcar's election was legalised. On the death of Edward the Confessor Morcar professedly supported Harold (ORDERIC, p. 492, and cp. Florence of Worcester, an. 1066), but the people of his earldom were dissatisfied, and Harold visited York, the seat of Morcar's government, in the spring of 1066, and overcame their disaffection by peaceful means. In the summer Morcar joined his brother Edwin in repulsing Tostig, who was ravaging the Mercian coast. When, however, Tostig and his ally Harold Hardrada invaded Northumbria in September, Morcar evidently was not ready to meet them ; and it was not until York was threatened that, having then been joined by Edwin, he went out against them with a large army. The two earls were defeated at Fulford Gate, near York, in a fierce battle, in which, according to a Norse authority, Morcar seems to have been prominent (Heimskringla, ap. Laing, iii. 84). York was surrendered, and Harold had to march in haste to save the north by the battle of Stamford Bridge. Ungrateful for this deliverance, Morcar and his brother held back the forces of the north from joining Harold in the defence of the kingdom against the Normans.