(British Librarian, p. 374) acknowledges his obligations to Ames, whom he styles ‘a worthy preserver of antiquities.’ Ames made a large collection of portraits, especially those of printers, although many were of doubtful authenticity. He also collected coins, ‘natural curiosities,’ inscriptions, and antiquities, which were sold after his death by Langford, 20 and 21 Feb. 1760. The rare English books and manuscripts were disposed of by the same auctioneer between 5 and 12 May at good prices for the time. Many of the books were annotated by their former owner, and the manuscripts included a number of valuable historical transcripts. In the library was an interleaved copy of the ‘Typographical Antiquities’ in two volumes, with a great quantity of manuscript additions by the author. The lot, which included plates, blocks, and copyright, was purchased by Sir Peter Thompson for 9l., and afterwards sold by him to Herbert, who made use of it for his edition. Dibdin states (see his ed. i. 46): ‘This book is now in my collection, although considerably shorn of its former honours. … It is no doubt a very curious and valuable interleaved copy, although ⅞ parts of it have been published.’ Dibdin paid 50l. for the copy, which is now in the British Museum.
After dining with his old friend, Sir Peter Thompson, from whose materials Gough compiled the memoir of the typo-historiographer, the latter was seized with an attack which caused his death the same evening, 7 Oct. 1759, in the seventy-first year of his life. He was buried in the churchyard of St. George-in-the-East.
His works are: 1. ‘A Catalogue of English Printers, from the year 1471 to 1600, most of them at London, 4to (without date or place), 4 pp.; the copy in the Society of Antiquaries Library is inscribed, ‘Presented by Mr. Ames, 20 March 1739–40.’ 2. ‘An Index to the Pembrokian Coins and Medals’ (without date or place, ?1746), 4to, 8 pp., with device. 3. ‘A Catalogue of English Heads, or an account of about two thousand prints describing what is particular on each; as the name, title, or office of the person, the habit, posture, age or time when done, the name of the painter, graver, scraper, &c., and some remarkable particulars relating to their lives,’ London, 1748, 8vo: the Soc. of Antiq. copy dated by Ames ‘15 Oct. 1747.’ 4. ‘Typographical Antiquities, being an historical account of printing in England, with some memoirs of our antient printers, and a register of the books printed by them, from the year 1471 to 1600, with an appendix concerning printing in Scotland and Ireland to the same time,’ London, 1749, 4to. The next edition was ‘considerably augmented, both in the memoirs and number of books, by William Herbert, of Cheshunt, Herts,’ London, 1785–6–90, 3 vols. 4to. Dr. T. F. Dibdin commenced another edition ‘greatly enlarged, with copious notes, and illustrated with appropriate engravings,’ London, 1810–12–16–19, 4 vols., 4to. As the latter was never finished, it does not entirely supersede Herbert's edition. 5. ‘Parentalia, or Memoirs of the Family of the Wrens, viz. of Matthew, bishop of Ely, Christopher, dean of Windsor, &c., but chiefly of Sir Christopher Wren, late surveyor-general of the royal buildings, P.R.S. &c., in which is contained, besides his works, a great number of original papers and records on religion, politics, anatomy, mathematics, architecture, antiquities, and most branches of polite literature, compiled by his son Christopher; now published by his grandson, Stephen Wren, Esq., with the care of Joseph Ames,’ London, 1750, folio.
[Gough's Memoir of Ames in the editions of the Typogr. Antiquities by Herbert and Dibdin; Nichols's Literary Aneolotes and Illustrations; Farmer's Essay on Learning of Shakespeare; Oldys's Memoirs and Diary by W. J. Thoms; Bigmore and Wyman's Bibliography of Printing; Notes and Queries, 1st ser. vol. i., 2nd ser. vol. xi., 4th ser. vol. iv., 5th ser. vol. iv.]
AMES, WILLIAM (d. 1662), joined the Quakers in 1655 at Dublin, having been a baptist minister in Somersetshire, and afterwards an officer in the parliamentary army. He settled at Amsterdam in 1657, where he was tolerated, though once confined for a short time as a lunatic. He travelled in Germany, and was favourably received by the Palatine elector. He returned to England in 1662, was sent to Bridewell for attending a quaker meeting, and died before the end of the year. He wrote a large number of tracts in Dutch, the titles of which are given in Smith's ‘Catalogue of Friends' Books.’
[Tuke's Biographical Notices, ii. 129; Sewel's History of Quakers; Smith's Catalogue.]
AMES, WILLIAM (1576–1633), puritan divine and casuist, was of an ancient family in the county of Norfolk, branches of which still exist in that county and in Somersetshire. He was educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he had for his tutor the celebrated William Perkins, a theologian of moderate puritan tendencies, by whose teaching and example his own career was greatly influenced. After his tutor's death in 1602, his zeal led him into indiscretions which rendered him obnoxious to the master of his college, Valentine Cary: he refused to wear the surplice in the college chapel, and in a
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