Vanloo, and he executed four engravings of that painter's children in a combined method of etching and mezzotint engraving. From Paris he proceeded to Amsterdam, where he especially studied the works of Rembrandt, and executed two fine etchings from his pictures, 'Potiphar's Wife making Accusation against Joseph' and 'Christ with his Disciples at Sea in a Storm,' the latter plate being dated 1760. He also executed some etchings and mezzotint engravings of heads of boors and peasants after various Dutch masters, and a mezzotint engraving of 'A Girl with a Basket of Cherries, and Two Boys,' after Rubens. He subsequently settled in London, and unsuccessfully attempted to establish a drawing-school, after the example of the Caracci, in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. He died early in 1771, and in April of that year his collection of studies and pictures was sold by auction. In 1781 he exhibited two pictures and drawing at the Society of British Artists, including a view of Salisbury.
[Dodd's manuscript Hist. of English Engravers; Edwards's Anecd. of Painters; Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Chaloner Smith's British Mezzotinto Portraits; Nagler's Kunstler-Lezikon; Graves' Dict. of Artists, 1760–1880.]
EXTON, JOHN (1600?–1665?), admiralty lawyer, born about 1600, was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he proceeded B.A. 1619–20, M.A. 1623, LL.D. 1634. In 1649 he was appointed by the parliament judge of the court of admiralty, and in this office he was confirmed and reappointed by the Duke of York after the Restoration. Exton died about 1665. He was married, and had a family. A son Thomas is noticed below. John Exton, perhaps an older son, entered Merchant Taylors' School on 11 Sept. 1628. Exton wrote 'The Maritime Dicæologie, or Sea Jurisdiction of England, set forth in three several books,' 1664; 2nd ed. 1755. This book, which is of some value, was written chiefly to maintain the jurisdiction of his court.
Notes and Queries, October 1859, p. 310, November 1859. p. 389; Introduction to Black Book of Admiralty in Rolls Series; Cal. State Papers under 'Commonwealth' and 'Charles II;' Register of Merchant Taylors Sschool, i. 124.]
EXTON, Sir THOMAS (1631–1688), son of John Exton [q. v.], was born in 1631, entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1641, admitted a member of Gray's Inn 1648, went to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he proceeded LL.D. 1662. He is noted as one of seven lawyers consulted regarding the granting of a lease by Queens' College to St. Catharine's Hall in 1676 (Willis and Clark, Architectural History of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, 1886). In 1676 he became master of Trinity Hall, and held the office till his death. Previous to 1678 he was knighted and appointed one of the judges of the admiralty. He represented Cambridge University in the two parliaments of 1679, when he was described as advocate-general, in 1681, and 1685. He died in 1688, and was buried on 8 Nov. at St. Peter's, Paul's Wharf. 'The Case of the Merchants concerned in the Loss of the Ship Virgin, … as it was … presented to his Majesty by Sir R. Lloyd and Sir Thomas Exton,' was printed in 1680.
[Register of Merchant Taylors' School (1882), i. 150; Cantabrigienses Graduati (1559–1787). p. 131, ed. Luard (1800–84), p. 644; List of Members of Parliament, vol. i.]
EYRE, CHARLES (1784–1864), miscellaneous writer, born in 1784, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he proceeded B.A. in 1807. He afterwards took orders, but finally attached himself to the unitarians. He took considerable interest in the movement that led to the Reform Bill of 1812, and was for some time proprietor of three liberal newspapers printed at Colchester. Afterwards he managed a large farm, but resolved to part with it at the solicitation of some members of his family. Before he had signed the transfer he committed suicide by hanging at his residence, Upper Park, Dedham, Essex, on 28 Sept. 1804. The coroner's jury found that he was temporarily insane.
Eyre wrote: 'A Letter addressed to the Dukes of Norfolk and Grafton,' on the Reform Bill, Ipswich, 1831. 'An Illustration of the Epistles of St. Paul, including an entirely new translation,' 2 vols. 1832. 'Remarks on perusing the Rev. P. E. Bidler's Letter to the Unitarians of Ipswich,' &c. 2nd ed. 1836. 'The Fall of Adam,' 1852, from Milton's 'Paradise Lost' (an amended edition of Milton's epic, in which 'frequent variations, both in incident and language, will be detected, and in some cases correction or supposed improvement').
[References in Works; Gent. Mag. November and December 1864; Essex Standard and Eastern Counties Advertiser, 5 Oct. 1854; Brit. Mus. Cat.]
EYRE, EDMUND JOHN (1767–1816), dramatist, son of the Rev. Ambrose Eyre, rector of Leverington and Outwell, Cambridgeshire, was born 20 May 1767 (School Reg.) and entered Merchant Taylors' School when ten years old. In 1785 he was appointed exhibitioner—first on Parkin's and
