Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Drake, Samuel (1686?-1753)
DRAKE, SAMUEL, D.D. (1686?–1753), antiquary, was the son of Francis Drake, vicar of Pontefract, and brother of Francis Drake (1696–1771) [q. v.], author of 'Eboracum.' His grandfather was Samuel Drake (d. 1673) [q. v.] He graduated at St. John's College, Cambridge; B.A. 1707, M.A. 1711, B.D. 1718, and D.D. 1724.
In 1713 he edited 'Balthazar Castilionis Comitis libri iv. de Curiali sive Aulico ex Italico sermone in Latinum conversi, interprete Bartholomæo Clerke,' 8vo. In 1719 appeared 'Concio ad Clerum, Vino Eucharistico aqua non necessario admiscenda.' Drake defended himself against a reply by Thomas Wagstaffe, the nonjuror, in 'Ad Thomam Wagstaffe . . . Epistola; in quâ defenditur Concio,' 1721, 8vo. Wagstaffe published 'Responsionis ad Concionem Vindiciæ,' &c., in 1725. In 1720 Drake (then a fellow of his college) issued proposals for printing Archbishop Parker's great work on ecclesiastical antiquities. The elder Bowyer undertook the work, and brought it out in a handsome folio in 1729, under the title of 'Matthæi Parker … de Antiquitate Britannicæ Ecclesiæ.' In 1724 Drake published another Concio, entitled 'Ara ignoto Deo Sacra,' Cambridge, 4to. In 1728 he became rector of Treeton, Yorkshire; and in 1733, by dispensation, he also held the vicarage of Holme-on-Spalding Moor. He died 5 March 1753, aged about sixty-seven years, and was buried in the church of Treeton.
Drake has been confounded with his grandfather of the same name, who is noticed above.
[Author's Works; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. i. 171, 193, 204, 243, 414, 420–1, 550; Boothroyd's Pontefract, p. 369; Hunter's Hallamshire (Gatty), 1869, p. 495]