< Description of Malmsbury. >

<As may be seen from his intended preface (supra, p. ) Aubrey thought of beginning the life of Hobbes with an account of Malmsbury.

For this purpose in MS. Aubr. 9 he has drawn three plans:—

(a) plan of environs of Malmsbury (a slip at fol. 31v).

(b) plan of Malmsbury (fol. 31v).

(c) a drawing of the house in which Hobbes was born (fol. 31v). These are reproduced in facsimile at the end of this edition.

He gives there (fol. 31v) these dimensions of the town:—'From St. John's Bridge <south limit of the town> to the abbey <north> is about a quarter of a mile; and from the same bridge to Westport church <west limit> is neer about a mile. Height of the borough from the levill belowe is about 100 foot high.'

The references on the plan of Malmsbury (see the facsimile) are:—

• 'α = the house of his birth.
• ω = Westport church.
• W = the West port (olim).
• β = the smyth's shop.
• δ = the private house where Mr. Latimer taught him.
• ξ = Three Tunnes (as I take it), opposite to the smyth's shop.
• = the religious <house> dedicated to Our Lady: the chapell is yet standing.
• H = <Hobbes's> house at the upper <end> faces the Horse fayre.
• = quaere if not a chapell here?'

On fol. 31v of MS. Aubr. 9, Aubrey has these remarks about these plans, etc.:—

'If these notes are not now inserted, probably they will be lost: or should it not be a marginall commentary?'

'I have drawne this rude sketch meerly for your clearer understanding, not that I think it worth while to grave it for 'tis at randome. I intended if it had pleased God that I had prospered in the world to have had taken an exact map of Malmesbury.'

'Whitechurch, about a mile ferè off:—quaere ubi stat?' 'Vide Speed's mappe in Wiltshire.'

'Burnevall, quasi Bournevall.'>