published in New York (Text Book of Ecclesiastical History, 5 vols.) brings the work down to the peace of Westphalia, while that published in “Clark’s Theological Library” (Compendium of Ecclesiastical History, Edinburgh, 5 vols.) closes with the beginning of the Reformation. Gieseler was not only a devoted student but also an energetic man of business. He frequently held the office of pro-rector of the university, and did much useful work as a member of several of its committees.
GIESSEN, a town of Germany, capital of the province of Upper Hesse, in the grand-duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt, is situated in a beautiful and fruitful valley at the confluence of the Wieseck with the Lahn, 41 m. N.N.W. of Frankfort-on-Main on the railway to Cassel; and at the junction of important lines to Cologne and Coblenz. Pop. (1885) 18,836; (1905) 29,149. In the old part of the town the streets are narrow and irregular. Besides the university, the principal buildings are the Stadtkirche, the provincial government offices, comprising a portion of the old castle dating from the 12th century, the arsenal (now barracks) and the town-hall (containing an historical collection). The university, founded in 1607 by Louis V, landgrave of Hesse, has a large and valuable library, a botanic garden, an observatory, medical schools, a museum of natural history, a chemical laboratory which was directed by Justus von Liebig, professor here from 1824 to 1852, and an agricultural college. The industries include the manufacture of woollen and cotton cloth of various kinds, machines, leather, candles, tobacco and beer.
Giessen, the name of which is probably derived from the streams which pour (giessen) their waters here into the Lahn, was formed in the 12th century out of the villages Selters, Aster and Kroppach, for whose protection Count William of Gleiberg built the castle of Giessen. Through marriage the town came, in 1203, into the possession of the count palatine, Rudolph of Tübingen, who sold it in 1265 to the landgrave Henry of Hesse. It was surrounded with fortifications in 1530, which were demolished in 1547, but rebuilt in 1560. In 1805 they were finally pulled down, and their site converted into promenades.
See O. Buchner, Führer für Giessen und das Lahntal (1891); and Aus Glessens Vergangenheit (1885).
GIFFARD, GODFREY (c. 1235–1302); chancellor of England and bishop of Worcester, was a son of Hugh Giffard of Boyton, Wiltshire. Having entered the church he speedily obtained valuable preferments owing to the influence of his brother Walter, who became chancellor of England in 1265. In 1266 Godfrey became chancellor of the exchequer, succeeding Walter as chancellor of England when, in the same year, the latter was made archbishop of York. In 1268 he was chosen bishop of Worcester, resigning the chancellorship shortly afterwards; and both before and after 1279, when he inherited the valuable property of his brother the archbishop, he was employed on public business by Edward I. His main energies, however, were devoted to the affairs of his see. He had one long dispute with the monks of Worcester, another with the abbot of Westminster, and was vigilant in guarding his material interests. The bishop died on the 26th of January 1302, and was buried in his cathedral. Giffard, although inclined to nepotism, was a benefactor to his cathedral, and completed and fortified the episcopal castle at Hartlebury.
See W. Thomas, Survey of Worcester Cathedral; Episcopal Registers; Register of Bishop Godfrey Giffard, edited by J. W. Willis-Bund (Oxford, 1898–1899); and the Annals of Worcester in the Annales monastici, vol. iv., edited by H. R. Luard (London, 1869).
GIFFARD, WALTER (d. 1279), chancellor of England and archbishop of York, was a son of Hugh Giffard of Boyton, Wiltshire, and after serving as canon and archdeacon of Wells, was chosen bishop of Bath and Wells in May 1264. In August 1265 Henry III. appointed him chancellor of England, and he was one of the arbitrators who drew up the dictum de Kenilworth in 1266. Later in this year Pope Clement IV. named him archbishop of York, and having resigned the chancellorship he was an able and diligent ruler of his see, although in spite of his great wealth he was frequently in pecuniary difficulties. When Henry III. died in November 1272 the archbishopric of Canterbury was vacant, and consequently the great seal was delivered to the archbishop of York, who was the chief of the three regents who successfully governed the kingdom until the return of Edward I. in August 1274. Having again acted in this capacity during the king’s absence in 1275, Giffard died in April 1279, and was buried in his cathedral.
See Fasti Eboracenses, edited by J. Raine (London, 1863). Giffard’s Register from 1266 to 1279 has been edited for the Surtees Society by W. Brown.
GIFFARD, WILLIAM (d. 1129), bishop of Winchester, was chancellor of William II. and received his see, in succession to Bishop Walkelin, from Henry I. (1100). He was one of the bishops elect whom Anselm refused to consecrate (1101) as having been nominated and invested by the lay power. During the investitures dispute Giffard was on friendly terms with Anselm, and drew upon himself a sentence of banishment through declining to accept consecration from the archbishop of York (1103). He was, however, one of the bishops who pressed Anselm, in 1106, to give way to the king. He was consecrated after the settlement of 1107. He became a close friend of Anselm, aided the first Cistercians to settle in England, and restored Winchester cathedral with great magnificence.
See Eadmer, Historia novorum, edited by M. Rule (London, 1884); and S. H. Cass, Bishops of Winchester (London, 1827).
GIFFEN, SIR ROBERT (1837–1910), British statistician and
economist, was born at Strathaven, Lanarkshire. He entered
a solicitor’s office in Glasgow, and while in that city attended
courses at the university. He drifted into journalism, and after
working for the Stirling Journal he went to London in 1862 and
joined the staff of the Globe. He also assisted Mr John (afterwards
Lord) Morley, when the latter edited the Fortnightly Review.
In 1868 he became Walter Bagehot’s assistant-editor on the
Economist; and his services were also secured in 1873 as city-editor
of the Daily News, and later of The Times. His high
reputation as a financial journalist and statistician, gained in
these years, led to his appointment in 1876 as head of the
statistical department in the Board of Trade, and subsequently
he became assistant secretary (1882) and finally controller-general
(1892), retiring in 1897. In connexion with his position
as chief statistical adviser to the government, he was constantly
employed in drawing up reports, giving evidence before commissions
of inquiry, and acting as a government auditor, besides
publishing a number of important essays on financial subjects.
His principal publications were Essays on Finance (1879 and
1884), The Progress of the Working Classes (1884), The Growth
of Capital (1890), The Case against Bimetallism (1892), and
Economic Inquiries and Studies (1904). He was president of the
Statistical Society (1882–1884); and after being made a C.B.
in 1891 was created K.C.B. in 1895. In 1892 he was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society. Sir Robert Giffen continued in
later years to take a leading part in all public controversies
connected with finance and taxation, and his high authority
and practical experience were universally recognized. He died
somewhat suddenly in Scotland on the 12th of April 1910.
GIFFORD, ROBERT SWAIN (1840–1905), American marine and landscape painter, was born on Naushon Island, Massachusetts, on the 23rd of December 1840. He studied art with the Dutch marine painter Albert van Beest, who had a studio in New Bedford, and in 1864 he opened a studio for himself in Boston, subsequently settling in New York, where he was elected an associate of the National Academy of Design in 1867 and an academician in 1878. He was also a charter member of the American Water Color Society and the Society of American Artists. From 1878 until 1896 he was teacher of painting and chief master of the Woman’s Art School of Cooper Union, New York, and from 1896 until his death he was director. Gifford painted longshore views, sand dunes and landscapes generally, with charm and poetry. He was an etcher of considerable reputation, a member of the Society of American Etchers, and an honorary member of the Society of Painter-Etchers of London. He died in New York on the 13th of January 1905.
