Arthur Agarde facts for kids

Arthur Agarde (1540 – August 1615) was an English historian and record-keeper. He worked for the government in a special office called the Exchequer in Westminster. He loved studying old things and documents, which is why he was known as an "antiquary" and "archivist."

Arthur Agarde's Work

Arthur Agarde was born in 1540 in a place called Foston, Derbyshire. He first trained to be a lawyer. But instead, he started working as a clerk in the Exchequer. This was a very important government department that handled money and records.

Working with Old Records

Around 1570, Arthur Agarde became a deputy-chamberlain. He held this job for about 45 years! His main task was to organize and list all the important royal and abbey records. These records were kept in four special treasuries at Westminster.

This job was perfect for his interest in old things. He was one of the first members of the Society of Antiquaries. This was a group of people who studied history and old objects.

The Domesday Book

One of the most famous documents he looked after was the Domesday Book. This very old book contains a survey of England from 1086. It was kept safely in his office. Agarde also mentioned other "ancient registers and books" he found. He used these many different documents in his discussions with the Society of Antiquaries. Other members of the Society often asked him for advice on what old documents might be available.

Learning Old Languages

Arthur Agarde had many old documents, including some from Westminster Abbey. He also had his own collection of old papers. At that time, not many people understood Old English. In 1591, Agarde didn't seem to understand it either. But over the next ten years, he worked hard to learn it. He even made his own dictionary of Old English words. He explained this when he talked about the word "steward" in 1603. He said he found explanations for many Saxon words in an old book from Canterbury.

His Writings

Agarde also wrote a big book about the Domesday Book. It was called Tractatus de usu et obscurioribus verbis libri de Doomsday. This means "A treatise on the use and meaning of obscure words in Domesday Book." He also wrote a guide for future record-keepers. This guide listed the records of the Treasury and explained treaties with other countries.

His Later Life

Arthur Agarde passed away in August 1615, when he was almost 80 years old. He was buried in the cloister of Westminster Abbey. On his tomb, it says he was a "diligent searcher of the royal records deposited nearby."

He left all his papers about the Exchequer to that court. He gave his other manuscripts, which were about twenty volumes, to his friend Sir Robert Cotton. Most of these are now in the British Library. You can often spot his manuscripts by a special symbol: a buglehorn with a string, and the motto "DIEU ME AGARDE" (God guards me) on their covers.

Personal Life

Arthur Agarde married Margaret Butler sometime after February 1570. She was the daughter of George Butler from Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire. Margaret died in 1611. Arthur Agarde put up a monument for her in the cloister of Westminster Abbey. They did not have any children. His nephew, William Agard, became the person who handled his will and received most of his belongings. However, Arthur Agarde gave many of his important manuscripts to others.