HEARNE, THOMAS, an eminent English antiquary and editor of books and manuscripts, was born at White Waltham, in Berkshire, iu 1678, where his father was the pariah clerk. In 1692, under the patronage of Francis Cherry, Esq., of that place, with whom he had lived as a servant, he was placed at the Free-school of Bray; and subsequently, iu 1695, at that gentleman's expense, was entered of Edmund Hall, Oxford, where Dr. White Kennet, afterwards bishop of Peterborough, was his tutor. Dr. John Mill, who was principal of the hall, and Dr. Grebe, gave Hearue much employ in his younger days iu the collation of manuscripts. He became B.A. in 1699. In 1701 ho received his first employment in the Bodleian Library, of which Dr. Hudson had just been chosen keeper. Ile was afterwards made janitor of tho library, and in 1712 succeeded to the place of second librarian. In January 1715 ho was elected architypographus and esquire beadle of civil law in the university, which post he held with his under-librarianship till the month of November following, when, finding the two places untenable together, he resigned tho beadle's place, and soon afterwards his post in the Bodleian Library, on account of the oaths to the government, with which he could not conscientiously comply. Ile eoutinued a non-juror to the last, much at the expense of his worldly interest. In the latter part of his life ho resided principally at Edmund Hall, preparing and publishing his various works; but his constant recurrence to Jacobite sentiments, even in the prefaces to publications which could have no connection with them, kept him as constantly at variance with his neighbours in the university ; and he underwent more than one prosecution. Hearne's temper was naturally irritable, and he was far from being either an amiable or a happy man. His life however was one of unwearied literary industry, and English antiquaries and historians will be for ever indebted to him. He died on the 10th of June 1735, in consequence of a cold, succeeded by a fever which was improperly treated.
Hearne's publications, almost exclusively printed by subscription at Oxford, were very numerous. Amung the most valuable were, an' edition of Liu, 6 vols. 8vo, 1703; the Life of Alfred the Great,' from Sir John Spelman's manuscript in the Bodleian Library, 8vo, 1710; Leland's 'Itinerary,' 9 vols. 8vo, 1710 ; Leland'a Collectanea,' 6 vols. 8vo, 1715; the ' Acts of the Apostles,' in Oreek uncials, from a very ancient manuscript in Archbishop Laud's collection, 8vo, 1715; Livins Foro-Juliensis's 'Life of Henry V.,' 8vo, 1716; Alured of Beverley's Annals,' Svo, 1716 ; Roper's Life of Sir Thomas More,' 8vo, 1716; Camden's ' Annals,' in Latin, 3 vole. Svo, 1717; ' William of Nenbridge,' Svo, 1719 ; the It Textus offensis,' Svo, 1720; Fordun's Scotichronicon; Svo, 1722; 'History and Antiquities of Glastonbury,' 8vo, 1722; lleming's Thartulary; 8vo, 1723; 'Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle ' 2 vole. 8vo, 1724; 'Peter Langtoft's Chronicle,' 2 vols. 8vo, 1725; Adam of Domerham; 2 vole. Svo, 1827; the `Liber Niger Seaccarii; 2 vols. 8vo, 172d; Iletniegford's History,' 2 vole. Svo, 1731; Otterbourne and Whethamatede'e 'Chronicles,' 2 vole. 8vo,1733; the ' Annals of Thanstaple ' 8vo, 1733 ; and Benedict, Abbot of Peterborough,' 2 vols. 8vo, 1735.
Hearue left his manuscript collections by will to Dr. William Bedford, of whom they were purchased by Dr. Richard Rawlinson for 100 guineas, and by him bequeathed, together with his own manu scripts, to the Bodleian Library. Hearne's manuscript Diary, in 150 small paper books, is amongst them.
Several of Hearne's pieces were reprinted at different times, and in 1810 the project was entertained of reprinting the whole series in a uniform manner; but after the publication of four volumes, containing Robert of Gloucester' and 'Peter Laugtoft's Chronicle,' the scheme was abandoned.
(Lire, of Leland, Hearne, and Wood, 8vo, Oxford, 1772 ; Nichols, Literary Anecdotes of the Eighiceral4 Century ; Chalmers, Biog. Dirt., &c.)