The 'Lives' (part 2)

Here he layd an ingeniose designe to carry a considerable number of artificers (chiefly weavers) from hence to Virginia; and by Mary the queen-mother's meanes, he got favour from the king of France to goe into the prisons and pick and choose. So when the poor dammed wretches understood what the designe was, the<y> cryed uno ore—'Tout tisseran!' i.e. We are all weavers! Will. <took> 36, as I remember, if notmore, and shipped them; and as he was in his voyage towards Virginia, he and his tisseran were all taken by the shippes then belonging to the Parliament of England. The slaves I suppose they sold, but Sir William was brought prisoner to England. Whither he was first a prisoner at Caresbroke-castle in the Isle of Wight, or at the Tower of London, I have forgott: he was a prisoner at both. His Gondibert, 4to, was finished at Caresbroke-castle. He expected no mercy from the Parliament, and had no hopes of escaping <with> his life. It pleased God that the two aldermen of Yorke aforesayd hearing that he was taken and brought to London to be tryed for his life, which they understood was in extreme danger, they were touch<ed> with so much generosity and goodnes, as, upon their owne accounts and meer motion, to try what they could to save Sir William's life who had been so civill to them and a meanes to save theirs, to come to London: and acquainting the Parliament with it, upon their petition, etc., Sir William's life was saved.

Being freed from imprisonment, (because playes, scil. Tragedies and Comoedies, were in those Presbyterian times scandalous) he contrives to set-up an Opera stylo recitativo, wherein serjeant Maynard and severall citizens were engagers. It began at Rutland-house, in Charter-house-yard; next, (scil. anno ...) at the Cock-pitt in Drury-lane, where were acted very well stylo recitativo, Sir Francis Drake's ..., and the Siege of Rhodes (1st and 2d part). It did affect the eie and eare extremely. This first brought scenes in fashion in England; before, at playes, was only a hanging.

Anno Domini 1660 was the happy restauration of his majestie Charles II. Then was Sir Wm. made ...; and the Tennis court in Little Lincolnes-Inne fielde was turn'd into a play-house for the duke of Yorke's players, where Sir William had lodgeings, and where he dyed, April the <7th> 166<8>.

I was at his funerall. He had a coffin of walnutt-tree; Sir John Denham sayd 'twas the finest coffin that ever he sawe.His body was carried in a herse from the play-house to Westminster-Abbey, where, at the great west dore, he was recieved by the sing<ing> men and choristers, who sang the service of the church ('I am the Resurrection, &c.') to his grave, which is in the south crosse aisle, on which, on a paving stone of marble, is writt, in imitation of that on Ben Johnson, 'O rare Sir Will. Davenant.'

His first lady was Dr. ...'s daughter, physitian, ... by whom he had a very beautifull and ingeniose son that dyed above 20 yeares since. His 2d lady was the daughter of ... by whom he had severall children: I sawe some very young ones at the funerall. His eldest is Charles Davenant, LL.Dr., who inherits his father's beauty and phancy. He practises at Doctors Commons. He writt a play called Circe, which haz taken very well.

Sir William hath writt about 25 (quaere) playes; the romance called Gondibert; and a little poeme called Madagascar.

His private opinion was that Religion at last,—e.g. a hundred yeares hence,—would come to settlement, and that in a kind of ingeniose Quakerisme.

That sweet swan of Isis, Sir William Davenant, dyed the seaventh day of April last, and lyes buried amongst the poets in Westminster abbey, by his antagonist, Mr. Thomas May, whose inscription of whose marble was taken away by order since the king came in.

Sir William was Poet Laureat; and Mr. John Dryden hath his place. But me thought it had been proper that a laurell should have been sett on his coffin—which was not donne.

He hath writt above 20 playes; besides his Gondibert and Madagascar.

John Davenport (1597-1669/70).

Sir John Dugdale told me that he would enquire about Mr. John Davenport, and send to you.—This was halfe a yeare since, at least.

Sir John Dugdale saith that John Davenport was a nonconformist; and he hath enquired of his relations, who know nothing of him, if dead or alive, but they believe he is dead. He went over sea—he thinkes to the Barbadoes, or some of these plantations, or to Holland.

John Davys (1550-1605).

Memorandum:—Mr. Browne, the mathematicall instrument maker of the Minories, told me that the sea-quadrant was invented by Captaine Davy ... yeares since,—he that found out the streights called Davys's Streights.

Arthur Dee (1579-1651).

'Arthur Dee,' (sonne of John Dee), a physitian at Norwych, 'was born 13 Julii 1579, manè, horâ 4. 30´ fere (vel potius, 25 min.) in ipso ortu solis, ut existimo'—Thus I find it in his father's Ephemerides.

Obiit Norwychi about 1650.

<Arthur Dee told Dr. Bathurst and Dr. Wharton> 'that (being but a boy) he used to play at quoits with the plates of gold made by projection in the garret of Dr. Dee's lodgings in Prague.... When he was 9 yeares of age and at Trebona in Germany with his father, he was design'd to succede Kelly as his father's speculator.'

<Arthur Dee> 'has often told Mr. Whitefoot, of Norwich, who buried him, that he had more than once seen the philosopher's stone, and he thinks that he has written some peice on that subject. He was a man of a very pleasant conversation and had good practice in Norwich: a great acquaintance of Dr. <Thomas> Browne's.'

John Dee (1527-1608).

John Dee:—Mr. Ashmole hath his nativitie. Resp.—'tis in his Theatrum Chemicum. Hee had a very faire cleare rosie complexion: so had the earl of Rochester, exceeding.

'Johannes Dee, natus Londini, 1527, Julii 13, 4h 2´ P.M.'—this nativity I copied out of the learned John Dee's papers in the hands of Elias Ashmole, esq.

From Elias Ashmole—the father of this John Dee was a vintner in ... London.

John Dee—from Meredith Lloyd:—Talbot, marying an inheritresse of the prince of South Wales (who was descended from Howel Da, i.e. Howelus bonus: the same family from whom John Dee was descended).—Dr. Troutbec hath Raymund Lully's ... (a chymical tract) with John Dee's marginall notes.

I left about 1674, with Mr. Elias Ashmole, 3 pages in folio concerning him.

Memorandum:—Mr. Meredith Lloyd tells me that his father was Roland Dee, a Radnorshire gentleman, and that he hath his pedegree, which he hath promised to lend to me. He was descended from Rees, prince of South Wales.

My great-grandfather, William Aubrey (LL.Dr.), and he were cosins, and intimate acquaintance. Mr. Ashmole hath letters between them, under their owne hands, viz. one of Dr. W. A. to him (ingeniosely and learnedly written) touching the Sovraignty of the Sea, of which J. D. writt a booke which he dedicated to queen Elizabeth and desired my great grandfather's advice upon it. Dr. A.'s countrey-house was at Kew, and J. Dee lived at Mortlack, not a mile distant. I have heard my grandmother say they were often together.

Arthur Dee, M.D., his son, lived and practised at Norwich, an intimate friend of Sir Thomas Browne, M.D., who told me that Sir William Boswell, the Dutch ambassador, had all John Dee's MSS.: quaere his executors for his papers. He lived then somewhere in Kent.

Memorandum:—Sir William Boswell's widowe lives at Bradburne, neer Swynoke, in Kent. Memorandum:—Mr. Hake, of the Physitians' Colledge, hath a MS. of Mr. John Dee's, which see or gett.

Quaere A. Wood for the MSS. in the Bodlean library of Doctor Gwyn, wherein are severall letters between him and John Dee, and Doctor Davies, of chymistrey and of magicall secrets, which my worthy friend Mr. Meredith Lloyd hath seen and read: and he tells me that he haz been told that Dr. Barlowe gave it to the Prince of Tuscany.

Meredith Lloyd sayes that John Dee's printed booke of Spirits, is not above the third part of what was writt, which were in Sir Robert Cotton's library; many whereof were much perished by being buryed, and Sir Robert Cotton bought the field to digge after it.

Memorandum:—he told me of John Dee, etc., conjuring at a poole in Brecknockshire, and that they found a wedge of gold; and that they were troubled and indicted as conjurers at the assizes; that a mighty storme and tempest was raysed in harvest time, the countrey people had not knowen the like.

His picture in a wooden cutt is at the end of Billingsley's Euclid, but Mr. Elias Ashmole hath a very good painted copie of him from his sonne Arthur. He had a very fair, clear complexione (as Sir Henry Savile); a long beard as white as milke. A very handsome man.

Investigatio cinerum △

Old goodwife Faldo (a natif of Mortlak in Surrey), 80+ aetatis (1672), did know Dr. Dee, and told me he dyed at his howse in Mortlack, next to the howse where the tapistry hangings are made, viz. west of that howse; and that he dyed about 60+, 8 or 9 yeares since (January, 1672), and lies buried in the chancell, and had a stone (marble) upon him. Her mother tended him in his sicknesse. She told me that he did entertain the Polonian ambassador at his howse in Mortlak, and dyed not long after; and that he shewed the eclipse with a darke roome to the said ambassador. She beleeves that he was eightie years old when he dyed. She sayd, he kept a great many stilles goeing. That he layd the storme Sir Everard Digby. That the children dreaded him because he was accounted a conjurer. He recovered the basket of cloathes stollen, when she and his daughter (both girles) were negligent: she knew this.

He is buried (upon the matter) in the middest of the chancell, a little towards the south side. She sayd, he lies buried in the chancell between Mr. Holt and Mr. Miles, both servants to queen Elizabeth, and both have brasse inscriptions on their marble, and that there was on him a marble, but without any inscription, which marble is removed; on which old marble is signe of two or three brasse pinnes. A daughter of his (I thinke, Sarah) maried to a flax-dresser, in Southwarke: quaere nomen.

He dyed within a yeare, if not shortly, after the king of Denmark was here: vide Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle and Capt. Wharton's Almanac.

He built the gallery in the church at Mortlak. Goody Faldo's father was the carpenter that work't it.

A stone was on his grave, which is since removed. At the upper end of the chancell then were steppes, which in Oliver's dayes were layd plaine by the minister, and then 'twas removed. The children when they played in the church would runne to Dr. Dee's grave-stone. She told me that he forewarned Q. Elizabeth of Dr. Lopez attempt against her (the Dr. bewrayed, —— himselfe).

He used to distill egge-shells, and 'twas from hence that Ben Johnson had his hint of the alkimist, whom he meant.

He was a great peace-maker; if any of the neighbours fell out, he would never lett them alone till he had made them friends.

He was tall and slender. He wore a gowne like an artist's gowne, with hanging sleeves, and a slitt.

A mighty good man he was.

He was sent ambassador for Queen Elizabeth (shee thinkes) into Poland.

Memorandum:—his regayning of the plate for ...'s butler, who comeing from London by water with a basket of plate, mistooke another basket that was like his. Mr. J. Dee bid them goe by water such a day, and looke about, and he should see the man that had his basket, and he did so; but he would not gett the lost horses, though he was offered severall angells. He told a woman (his neighbour) that she laboured under the evill tongue of an ill neighbour (another woman), which came to her howse, who he sayd was a witch.

In J. David Rhesus' British Grammar, p. 60:—'Juxta Crucis amnem (Nant y groes), in agro Maessyuetiano, apud Cambro-brytannos, erat olim illustris quaedam Nigrorum familia, unde Joan Du, id est, Johannes ille cognomento Niger, Londinensis, sui generis ortum traxit: vir certe ornatissimus et doctissimus, et omnium hac nostra aetate tum Philosophorum tum Mathematicorum facile princeps: monadis illius Hieroglyphicae et Propaedeumatum aphoristicorum de praestantioribus quibusdam Naturae virtutibus, aliorumque non paucorum operum insignium autor eximius. Vir praeterea ob tam multam experientiam frequenti sua in tot transmarinas regiones peregrinatione comparatam, rerum quamplurimarum et abditarum peritissimus.'

Thomas Deere (1639/40-16..).

Thomas Deere, natus March 15º, 1639, 15h 7´ P.M., at New Sarum—John Gadbury's advice, 1 April, 1676.

Thomas Deare's letter:—

'From Stackton in parochia de Fordingbridge, die Jovis, 9 Martii, 1675/6, 2h 30´ P.M.

The Accydents of the native, etc.

In November 1655, aged 15 yeare 8 moneths, went to London, to a master, a clerke in the Kinge's Bench.

In November followinge, aged 16 yeare 8 moneths, had the small pox.

In February and March 1658, an ague and feavor.

At the same tyme an uncle (the mother's brother) dyed, which gave the native a good legacy.

In 1661, purchased an estate.

In August 1662, hee marryed, which was one of the worst acts that etc.

In July 1663, hee had a sonn born, etc.

In June 1667, another sone.

In the same yeare in September, his father dyed etc., aged 70 etc.

In 1666, a very great feavor; in <16>67, another; in '68, a surfeite which caused another <fever>, etc.

In May '71, another sunn which lived but a fortnight, etc.

Many other accidents there are and remarkeable, but I suppose 3 or 4 or but 2 of these may doe well enough etc. Yet as to preferrment, etc.—In Aug. 1667, I was courted by the old earle of Pembrook to be his chiefe steward; but, hee always vexed with false informations against me, I left his ymployment.'

Memorandum:—Mr. Th. Deer is now (Jan. 1677/8) in prison at Fisherton-Anger.

Gideon de Laune (1565?-1659).

... De Laune:—he was apothecary to Mary the queen mother: came into England....

He was a very wise man, and as a signe of it left an estate of 80,000 li.

Sir William Davenant was his great acquaintance and told me of him, and that after his returne into England he went to visit him, being then octogenary, and very decrepit with the gowt, but had his sight and understanding. He had a place made for him in the kitchen chimney; and, non obstante he was master of such an estate, Sir William sawe him slighted not only by his daughter-in-lawe, but by the cooke-mayd, which much affected him—misery of old age.

He wrote a booke of prudentiall advice, in quadrans, 8vo, in English verse, which I have seen, and there are good things in it.

Sir John Denham (1615-1668/9).

Sir John Denham was unpolished with the small-pox: otherwise a fine complexion.

From Anthony Wood:—in the Matriculation booke he finds it thus written—'Johannes Denham, Essex, filius Johannis Denham de Horseley parva in com. praed., militis, aetat. 16, 1631.'

Sir John Denham, Knight of the Bath, was borne at Dublin in Ireland, anno Domini....

Quaere Dr. Buzby if he was a Westminster schollar—I have forgot. Anno ... he was admitted of Trinity Colledge in Oxford, where he stayed.... His tutor there was.... I have heard Mr. Josias Howe say that he was the dreamingst young fellow; he never expected such things from him as he haz left the world. When he was there he would game extremely; when he had played away all his money he would play away his father's wrought rich gold cappes.

His father was Sir John Denham, one of the Barons of the Exchequer. He had been one of the Lords Justices in Ireland: he maried Ellenor, one of the daughters of Sir Garret Moore, knight, lord baron of Mellifont, in the kingdome of Ireland, whom he maried during his service in Ireland in the place of Chief Justice there.

From Trinity Colledge he went to Lincolnes-Inne, where (as judge Wadham Windham, who was his contemporary, told me) he was as good a student as any in the house. Was not suspected to be a witt.

At last, viz. 1640, his play of The Sophy came out, which did take extremely: Mr. Edmund Waller sayd then of him, that he broke-out like the Irish Rebellion—threescore thousand strong, before any body was aware.

He was much rooked by gamesters, and fell acquainted with that unsanctified crew, to his ruine. His father had some suspition of it, and chid him severely, wherupon his son John (only child) wrot a little essay in 8vo, printed ..., Against gameing and to shew the vanities and inconveniences of it, which he presented to his father to let him know his detestation of it. But shortly after his father's death (who left 2,000 or 1,500 li. in ready money, 2 houses well furnished, and much plate) the money was played away first, and next the plate was sold. I remember about 1646 he lost 200 li. one night at New-cutt. Anno ... (I ghesse 1642) he was high-sheriff of the countie of Surrey.

At the beginning of the civill warre he was made governor of Farnham-castle for the king, but he was but a young soldier, and did not keepe it. In 1642/3, after Edghill fight, his poeme called Cowper's Hill was printed at Oxford, in a sort of browne paper, for then they could gett no better.

1646/7 (quaere) he conveyed, or stole away, the two dukes of Yorke and Glocester from St. James's (from the tuition of the earle of Northumberland), and conveyed them into France to the Prince of Wales and Queen-mother. King Charles II sent him and the lord Culpepper envoyes to the king of Poland,....

Anno 1652, he returned into England, and being in some straights was kindly entertayned by the earle of Pembroke at Wilton, where I had the honour to contract an acquaintance with him. Here he translated the ... booke of Vergil's Æneis, and also burlesqu't it: quaere Mr. Christopher Wase who was then there, tutor to William, lord Herbert. He was, as I remember, a yeare with my lord of Pembroke at Wilton and London; he had then sold all the lands his father had left him.

His first wife was the daughter and heire of ... Cotton, of ... in Glocestershire, by whom he had 500 li. per annum, one son and two daughters.His son did not patrem sapere. He was of Wadham College in Dr. Wilkins's time: he dyed sine prole, I thinke, there.—One of his daughters is maried to ... Morley, of Sussex, esq.; the other....

He was much beloved by King Charles the First, who much valued him for his ingenuity. He graunted him the reversion of the surveyor of his majestie's buildings, after the decease of Mr. Inigo Jones; which place, after the restauration of King Charles II he enjoyed to his death, and gott seaven thousand pounds, as Sir Christopher Wren told me of, to his owne knowledge. Sir Christopher Wren was his deputie.

Anno Domini 166.. he maried his 2d wife, <Margaret> Brookes, a very beautifull young lady; Sir John was ancient and limping. The duke of Yorke fell deepely in love with her, though (I have been morally assured) he never had carnall knowledge of her. This occasioned Sir John's distemper of madnesse in 166.., which first appeared when he went from London to see the famous free-stone quarries at Portland in Dorset, and when he came within a mile of it, turned back to London again, and did not see it. He went to Hownslowe, and demanded rents of lands he had sold many yeares before; went to the king, and told him he was the Holy Ghost. But it pleased God that he was cured of this distemper, and writt excellent verses (particularly on the death of Mr. Abraham Cowley) afterwards. His 2d lady had no child; was poysoned by the hands of Co. of Roc. with chocolatte.

At the coronation of King Charles II he was made Knight of the Bath.

He dyed (vide A. Wood's Antiq. Oxon.) at the house of his office (which he built, as also the brick-buildings next the street in Scotland-yard), and was buried, anno Domini 1668/9, March the 23, in the south crosse aisle of Westminster Abbey, neer Sir Jeffrey Chaucer's monument, but hitherto (1680) without any memoriall for him.

Memorandum:—the parsonage-house at Egham (vulgarly called The Place) was built by baron Denham; a house very convenient, not great, but pretty, and pleasantly scituated, and in which his son, Sir John, (though he had better seates), did take most delight in. He sold it to John Thynne, esq. In this parish is a place called Cammomill-hill, from the cammomill that growes there naturally; as also west of it is Prune-well-hill (formerly part of Sir John's possessions), where was a fine tuft of trees, a clear spring, and a pleasant prospect to the east, over the levell of Middlesex and Surrey. Sir John tooke great delight in this place, and was wont to say (before the troubles) that he would build there a retiring-place to entertaine his muses; but the warres forced him to sell that as well as the rest. He sold it to Mr. ... Anstey. In this parish W. and by N. (above Runney Meade) is Cowper's Hill, from whence is a noble prospect, which is incomparably well described by that sweet swan, Sir John Denham; printed first at Oxon shortly after Edghill fight, 1642/3.

Memorandum:—he delighted much in bowles, and did bowle very well.

He was of the tallest, but a little incurvetting at his shoulders, not very robust. His haire was but thin and flaxen, with a moist curle. His gate was slow, and was rather a stalking (he had long legges), which was wont to putt me in mind of Horace, De Arte Poetica:—

'Hic, dum sublimes versus ructatur, et errat
Si veluti merulis intentus decidit auceps
In puteum foveamve:'——

His eie was a kind of light goose-gray, not big; but it had a strange piercingness, not as to shining and glory, but (like a Momus) when he conversed with you he look't into your very thoughts.

He was generally temperate as to drinking; but one time when he was a student of Lincolne's-Inne, having been merry at the taverne with his camerades, late at night, a frolick came into his head, to gett a playsterer's brush and a pott of inke, and blott out all the signes between Temple-barre and Charing-crosse, which made a strange confusion the next day, and 'twas in Terme time. But it happened that they were discovered, and it cost him and them some moneys. This I had from R. Estcott, esq., that carried the inke-pott.

In the time of the civill warres, George Withers, the poet, begged Sir John Denham's estate at Egham of the Parliament, in whose cause he was a captaine of horse. It <happened> that G. W. was taken prisoner, and was in danger of his life, having written severely against the king, &c. Sir John Denham went to the king, and desired his majestie not to hang him, for that whilest G. W. lived he should not be the worst poet in England.

Scripsit the Sophy: Cowper's Hill: Essay against Gameing: Poems, 8vo, printed anno Domini ...; Cato Major sive De Senectute, translated into English verse, London, printed by H. Heringman, in the New Exchange, 1669.

Memorandum:—in the verses against Gondibert, most of them are Sir John's. He was satyricall when he had a mind to it.

René Descartes (1596-1650/1).

Monsieur Renatus Des Cartes,

'nobilis Gallus, Perroni dominus, summus mathematicus et philosophus; natus Hagae Turonum pridie Calendas Apriles, 1596; denatus Holmiae Calendis Februarii, 1650'—this inscription I find under his picture graved by C. V. Dalen.

How he spent his time in his youth, and by what method he became so knowing, he tells the world in his treatise entituled Of Method. The Societie of Jesus glorie in that theyr order had the educating of him. He lived severall yeares at Egmont (neer the Hague), from whence he dated severall of his bookes. He was too wise a man to encomber himselfe with a wife; but as he was a man, he had the desires and appetites of a man; he therefore kept a good conditioned hansome woman that he liked, and by whom he had some children (I thinke 2 or 3). 'Tis pity but comeing from the braine of such a father, they should be well cultivated. He was so eminently learned that all learned men made visits to him, and many of them would desire him to shew them his ... of instruments (in those dayes mathematicall learning lay much in the knowledge of instruments, and, as Sir H. S. sayd, in doeing of tricks), he would drawe out a little drawer under his table, and shew them a paire of compasses with one of the legges broken; and then, for his ruler, he used a sheet of paper folded double. This from Alexander Cowper (brother of Samuel), limner to Christina, queen of Sweden, who was familiarly acquainted there with Des Cartes.

Mr. Hobbes was wont to say that had Des Cartes kept himselfe wholy to geometrie that he had been the best geometer in the world. He did very much admire him, but sayd that he could not pardon him for writing in the defence of transubstantiation which he knew to bee absolutely against his judgment—quod N. B.

Robert Devereux, earl of Essex (1567-1600/1).

Ex registro capellae Turris London, scil. 1600, 'Robert, earle of Essex, beheaded, Febr. 6th.'

From my lady Elizabeth, viscountesse Purbec, repeated by her:—

1. There is none, oh none but you,
Who from me estrange your sight,
Whom mine eyes affect to view
And chained eares heare with delight.

2. Others' beauties others move,
In you I all graces find:
Such are the effects of love
To make them happy that are kind.

3. Woemen in fraile beauty trust,
Only seeme you kind to me,
Still be truly kind and just
For that can't dissembled bee.

4. Deare, afford me then your sight,
That surveighing all your lookes
Endlesse volumnes I may write
And fill the world with envyed bookes.

5. Which when after ages view
All shall wonder and despayre,
Women, to find a man so true,
And men, a woeman halfe so faire—

made by Robert, earl of Essex, that was beheaded.

The tradition is that the bell of Lincoln's-Inne was brought from Cales (Cadiz), tempore reginae Elizabethae, plundered in the expedition under <Robert Devereux>, earl of Essex.

Sir Everard Digby (1578-1605/6).

Sir Everard Digby (father of Sir Kenelme) scripsit libellum Latinè cui titulus:—

Everardi Dygbei de duplici methodo—

in 8vo, in dialogues.

I have heard Mr. John Digby say (his grandsonne) that he was the handsomest man (accounted) in England.

Sir Everard Digby was a most gallant gentleman and one of the handsomest men of his time. He writt something in Latin de methodo, which I did light upon 23 yeares ago at a country man's howse in Herefordshire; and Mr. Francis Potter told me he writt de arte natandi.

'Twas his ill fate to suffer in the powder-plott. When his heart was pluct out by the executioner (who, secundum formam, cryed 'Here is the heart of a traytor!'), it is credibly reported, he replied, 'Thou liest!' This my lord Bacon speakes of, but not mentioning his name, in his Historia vitae et mortis.

Sir Kenelm Digby (1603-1665).

Sir Kenelm Digby, knight: he was borne at <Gotehurst, Bucks> on the eleventh of June: see Ben: Johnson, 2d volumne:—

'Witnesse thy actions done at Scanderoon
Upon thy birthday, the eleaventh of June.'

[Memorandum:—in the first impression in 8vo it is thus; but in the folio 'tis my, instead of thy.]

Mr. Elias Ashmole assures me, from two or three nativities by Dr. <Richard> Nepier, that Ben: Johnson was mistaken and did it for the ryme-sake.—In Dr. Napier's papers of nativities, with Mr. Ashmole, I find:—'Sir Kenelme Digby natus July 11, 5h 40´ A.M. 1603, 14 Leo ascending,' and another scheme gives it at '4h A.M., 26 Cancer ascending'; and there are two others of Cancer and Leo.

He was the eldest son of Sir Everard Digby, who was accounted the handsomest gentleman in England. Sir Everard sufferd as a traytor in the gunpowder-treason; but king James restored his estate to his son and heire. Mr. Francis Potter told me that Sir Everard wrote a booke De Arte Natandi. I have a Latin booke of his writing in 8vo:—Everardi Dygbei De duplici methodo libri duo, in dialogues 'inter Aristotelicum et Ramistam,' in 8vo: the title page is torne out.—His second son was Sir John Digby, as valiant a gentleman and as good a swordman as was in England, who dyed (or was killed) in the king's cause at Bridgewater, about 1644.

It happened in 1647 that a grave was opened next to Sir John Digby's (who was buried in summer time, it seemes), and the flowers on his coffin were found fresh, as I heard Mr. Harcourt (that was executed) attest that very yeare. Sir John died a batchelour.

Sir Kenelme Digby was held to be the most accomplished cavalier of his time. He went to Glocester hall in Oxon, anno <1618> (vide A. Wood's Antiq. Oxon.). The learned Mr. Thomas Allen (then of that house) was wont to say that he was the Mirandula of his age. He did not weare a gowne there, as I have heard my cosen Whitney say.

There was a great friendship between him and Mr. Thomas Allen; whether he was his scholar I know not. Mr. Allen was one of the learnedest men of this nation in his time, and a great collector of good bookes, which collection Sir Kenelme bought (Mr. Allen enjoyeing the use of them for his life) to give to the Bodlean Library, after Mr. Allen's decease, where they now are.

He was a great traveller, and understood 10 or 12 languages. He was not only master of a good and gracefull judicious stile, but he also wrote a delicate hand, both fast-hand and Roman. I have seen lettres of his writing to the father of this earle of Pembroke, who much respected him.

He was such a goodly handsome person, gigantique and great voice, and had so gracefull elocution and noble addresse, etc., that had he been drop't out of the clowdes in any part of the world, he would have made himselfe respected. But the Jesuites spake spitefully, and sayd 'twas true, but then he must not stay there above six weekes. He was envoyé from Henrietta Maria (then Queen-mother) to Pope <Innocent X> where at first he was mightily admired; but after some time he grew high, and hectored with his holinesse, and gave him the lye. The pope sayd he was mad.

He was well versed in all kinds of learning. And he had also this vertue, that no man knew better how to abound, and to be abased, and either was indifferent to him. No man became grandeur better; sometimes again he would live only with a lackey, and horse with a foote-cloath.

He was very generous, and liberall to deserving persons. When Abraham Cowley was but 13 yeares old, he dedicated to him a comedy, called Love's Riddle, and concludes in his epistle—'The Birch that whip't him then would prove a Bay.' Sir K. was very kind to him.

When he was at Rome one time, (I thinke he was envoyé from Mary the Queen-mother to Pope <Innocent X>) he contrasted with his holinesse.

Anno ... (quaere the countesse of Thanet) much against his mother's, etc., consent, he maried that celebrated beautie and courtezane, Mrs. Venetia Stanley, whom Richard earle of Dorset kept as his concubine, had children by her, and setled on her an annuity of 500 li. per annum; which after Sir K. D. maried was unpayd by the earle; and for which annuity Sir Kenelme sued the earle, after mariage, and recovered it. He would say that a handsome lusty man that was discreet might make a vertuose wife out of a brothell-house. This lady carried herselfe blamelessly, yet (they say) he was jealous of her. She dyed suddenly, and hard-hearted woemen would censure him severely.

After her death, to avoyd envy and scandall, he retired in to Gresham Colledge at London, where he diverted himselfe with his chymistry, and the professors' good conversation. He wore there a long mourning cloake, a high crowned hatt, his beard unshorne, look't like a hermite, as signes of sorrowe for his beloved wife, to whose memory he erected a sumptuouse monument, now quite destroyed by the great conflagration. He stayed at the colledge two or 3 yeares.

The faire howses in Holbourne, between King's street and Southampton street, (which brake-off the continuance of them) were, about 1633, built by Sir Kenelme; where he lived before the civill warres. Since the restauration of Charles II he lived in the last faire house westward in the north portico of Convent garden, where my lord Denzill Hollis lived since. He had a laboratory there. I thinke he dyed in this house—sed quaere.

He was, 164.., prisoner for the king (Charles I) at Winchester-house, where he practised chymistry, and wrote his booke of Bodies and Soule, which he dedicated to his eldest son, Kenelme, who was slaine (as I take it) in the earle of Holland's riseing.

Anno 163 ... tempore Caroli Imi he received the sacrament in the chapell at Whitehall, and professed the Protestant religion, which gave great scandal to the Roman Catholiques; but afterwards he looked back.

He was a person of very extraordinary strength. I remember one atShirburne (relating to the earl of Bristoll) protested to us, that as he, being a midling man, being sett in <a> chaire, Sir Kenelme tooke up him, chaire and all, with one arme.

He was of an undaunted courage, yet not apt in the least to give offence. His conversation was both ingeniose and innocent.

Mr. Thomas White, who wrote de Mundo, 1641, and Mr. ... Hall of Leige, e societate Jesu, were two of his great friends.

As for that great action of his at Scanderoon, see the Turkish Historie. Sir <Edward> Stradling, of Glamorganshire, was then his vice-admirall, at whose house is an excellent picture of his, as he was at that time: by him is drawen an armillary sphaere broken, and undernethe is writt IMPAVIDUM FERIENT (Horace). See excellent verses of Ben: Johnson (to whome he was a great patrone) in his 2d volumne.

There is in print in French, and also in English (translated by Mr. James Howell), a speech that he made at a philosophicall assembly at Montpelier, 165.. Of the sympathetique powder—see it. He made a speech at the beginning of the meeting of the Royall Society Of the vegetation of plants.

He was borne to three thousand pounds per annum. His ancient seat (I thinke) is Gote-herst in Buckinghamshire. He had a fair estate also in Rutlandshire. What by reason of the civil warres, and his generous mind, he contracted great debts, and I know not how (there being a great falling out between him and his then only son, John) he settled his estate upon ... Cornwalleys, a subtile sollicitor, and also a member of the House of Commons, who did putt Mr. John Digby to much charge in lawe: quaere what became of it?

Mr. J. D. had a good estate of his owne, and lived handsomely then at what time I went to him two or 3 times in order to your Oxon. Antiqu.; and he then brought me a great book, as big as the biggest Church Bible that ever I sawe, and the richliest bound, bossed with silver, engraven with scutchions and crest (an ostrich); it was a curious velame. It was the history of the family of the Digbyes, which Sir Kenelme either did, or ordered to be donne. There was inserted all that was to be found any where relating to them, out of records of the Tower, rolles, &c. All ancient church monuments were most exquisitely limmed by some rare artist. He told me that the compileing of it did cost his father a thousand pound. Sir Jo. Fortescue sayd he did beleeve 'twas more. When Mr. John Digby did me the favour to shew me this rare MS., 'This booke,' sayd he, 'is all that I have left me of all the estate that was my father's!' He was almost as tall and as big as his father: he had something of the sweetnesse of his mother's face. He was bred by the Jesuites, and was a good scholar. He dyed at....

Vide in ... Lives when Sir Kenelme dyed.

Sir John Hoskyns enformes me that Sir Kenelme Digby did translate Petronius Arbiter into English.

Venetia Digby (1600-1633).

Venetia Stanley was daughter of Sir ... Stanley.

She was a most beautifull desireable creature; and being matura viro was left by her father to live with a tenant and servants at Enston-abbey (his land, or the earl of Derby's) in Oxfordshire; but as private as that place was, it seemes her beautie could not lye hid. The young eagles had espied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much suavity (which to abuse was greate pittie).

In those dayes Richard, earle of Dorset (eldest son and heire to the Lord Treasurer, vide pedegree) lived in the greatest splendor of any nobleman of England. Among other pleasures that he enjoyed, Venus was not the least. This pretty creature's fame quickly came to his Lordship's eares, who made no delay to catch at such an opportunity.

I have now forgott who first brought her to towne, but I have heard my uncle Danvers say (who was her contemporary) that she was so commonly courted, and that by grandees, that 'twas written over her lodging one night in literis uncialibus,

PRAY COME NOT NEER,
FOR DAME VENETIA STANLEY LODGETH HERE.

The earle of Dorset, aforesayd, was her greatest gallant, who was extremely enamoured of her, and had one if not more children by her. He setled on her an annuity of 500 li. per annum.

Among other young sparkes of that time, Sir Kenelme Digby grew acquainted with her, and fell so much in love with her that he married her, much against the good will of his mother; but he would say that 'a wise man, and lusty, could make an honest woman out of a brothell-house.' Sir Edmund Wyld had her picture (and you may imagine was very familiar with her), which picture is now (vide) at Droitwytch, in Worcestershire, at an inne, where now the towne keepe their meetings. Also at Mr. Rose's, a jeweller in Henrietta-street in Convent garden, is an excellent piece of hers, drawne after she was newly dead.

She had a most lovely and sweet-turn'd face, delicate darke-browne haire. She had a perfect healthy constitution; strong; good skin; well proportioned; much enclining to a Bona Roba (near altogether). Her face, a short ovall; darke-browne eie-browe, about which much sweetness, as also in the opening of her eie-lidds. The colour of her cheekes was just that of the damaske rose, which is neither too hott nor too pale. She was of a just stature, not very tall.

Sir Kenelme had severall pictures of her by Vandyke, &c. He had her hands cast in playster, and her feet, and her face. See Ben: Johnson's 2d volumne, where he hath made her live in poetrey, in his drawing of her both body and mind:—

'Sitting, and ready to be drawne,
What makes these tiffany, silkes, and lawne,
Embroideries, feathers, fringes, lace,
When every limbe takes like a face!'—&c.

When these verses were made she had three children by Sir Kenelme, who are there mentioned, viz. Kenelme, George, and John.

She dyed in her bed suddenly. Some suspected that she was poysoned. When her head was opened there was found but little braine, which her husband imputed to her drinking of viper-wine; but spitefull woemen would say 'twas a viper-husband who was jealous of her that she would steale a leape. I have heard some say,—e.g. my cosen Elizabeth Falkner,—that after her mariage she redeemed her honour by her strick't living. Once a yeare the earle of Dorset invited her and Sir Kenelme to dinner, where the earle would behold her with much passion, and only kisse her hand.

Sir Kenelme erected to her memorie a sumptuouse and stately monument at ... Fryars (neer Newgate-street) in the east end of the south aisle, where her bodie lyes in a vault of brick-worke, over which are three steps of black marble, on which was a stately altar of black marble with 4 inscriptions in copper gilt affixed to it: upon this altar her bust of copper gilt, all which (unlesse the vault, which was onely opened a little by the fall) is utterly destroyed by the great conflagration. Among the monuments in the booke mentioned in Sir Kenelm Digby's life, is to be seen a curious draught of this monument, with copies of the severall inscriptions.

About 1676 or 5, as I was walking through Newgate-street, I sawe Dame Venetia's bust standing at a stall at the Golden Crosse, a brasier's shop. I perfectly remembred it, but the fire had gott-off the guilding: but taking notice of it to one that was with me, I could never see it afterwards exposed to the street. They melted it downe. How these curiosities would be quite forgott, did not such idle fellowes as I am putt them downe!

Memorandum:—at Goathurst, in Bucks, is a rare originall picture of Sir Kenelme Digby and his lady Venetia, in one piece, by the hand of Sir Anthony van Dyke. In Ben. Johnson's 2d volumne is a poeme called 'Eupheme, left to posteritie, of the noble lady, the ladie Venetia Digby, late wife of Sir Kenelme Digby, knight, a gentleman absolute in all numbers: consisting of these ten pieces, viz. Dedication of her Cradle; Song of her Descent; Picture of her Bodie; Picture of her Mind; Her being chose a Muse; Her faire Offices; Her happy Match; Her hopefull Issue; Her ἈΠΟΘΕΩΣΙΣ, or Relation to the Saints; Her Inscription, or Crowne.'

Her picture drawn by Sir Anthony Vandyke hangs in the queene's draweing-roome, at Windsor-castle, over the chimney.

Venetia Stanley was (first) a miss to Sir Edmund Wyld; who had her picture, which after his death, serjeant Wyld (his executor) had; and since the serjeant's death hangs now in an entertayning-roome at Droitwich in Worcestershire. The serjeant lived at Droitwich.

Leonard Digges (15..-1571?).

Jacobus Digges, m. Philippa, filia Johannis Engeham
de Berham, armig. | de Chart, uxor 2da.
|
Leonard Diggs, m. Sara, filia <Thomae> Wilford, de
de Wotton. | Hartridge in parochia de Cranbroke.
|
+-------------+---------------+---------------+-------------+
| | | |
Maria, Thomas Digges, m. Anna, filia Anna, uxor Sara, uxor
uxor ... filius et haeres | Warhami Willelmi ... Martyn.
Barber. Leonardi. | St. Leger, Digges de
| militis. Newington.
+---------------+-------+---------+
| | |
Jacobus Leonardus Dudlius Digges, de m. Maria, minima
Digges, de Digges, Chilham, miles: modo | filia et cohaeres
Bech, Armiger. filius (1619) superstes, | Thomae Kemp de
secundus. legatus ad | Olney, militis.
Imperatorem Russiae. |
+-----------------------+-------------+------+---------+----------+
| | | | |
Thomas Diggs, primus Johannes, Dudlius, filius Anna. Elizabetha.
filius, armiger. filius 2dus. 3tius.

Memorandum this visitation was in anno 1619 by John Philpot.

They were, for severall generations, of Barham in Kent. John, the sonne of Roger Digges of Mildenhall (which Roger is the first in this genealogie), vixit tempore Henrici III; and writt then Dig.—Memorandum here are 14 generations or descents to the last line: quod N. B.

Mr. Leonard Digges translated Claudian de raptu Proserpinae into English, 4to, 1617 and 1628.

Leonard Digges, esquire, of Wotton in Kent—he wrote a thin folio called Pantometria, printed 15.. At the end he discourses of regular solids, and I have heard the learned Dr. John Pell say it is donne admirably well. In the preface he speakes of cutting glasses in such a particular manner that he could discerne pieces of money a mile off; and this he saies he setts downe the rather because severall are yet living that have seen him doe it.

... Prognostication everlasting, 4to, <Lond.> 15<64>.

(A 4to) 'Tectonicon, briefly shewing the exact measuring and speedy reckoning all manner of land, squares, timber, stone, steeples, pillars, globes, etc., for declaring the perfect making and large use of the carpenter's ruler, containing a quadrant geometricall, comprehending also the rare use of the square, and in the end a little treatise opening the composition and appliancie of an instrument called The Profitable Staffe, with other things pleasant and necessarie, most condusible for surveyors, landmeaters, joyners, carpenters, and masons: published by Leonard Digges, gentleman, 1556.'

'L. D. to the Reader—Although many have put forth sufficient and certain rules to measure all manner of superficies, etc., yet in that the art of numbring hath been required, yea, chiefly those rules hid and as it were locked up in strange tongues, they doe profit or have furthered very little, for the most part, yea, nothing at all, the landmeater, carpenter, mason, wanting the aforesayd. For their sakes I am here provoked not to hide but to open the talent I have recieved, yea, to publish in this our tongue very shortly if God give life a volumne containing the flowers of the sciences mathematicall largely applied to our outward practise profitably pleasant to all manner men. Here mine advice shall be to those artificers, that will profit in this or any of my bookes ☞ now published, or that hereafter shall be, first confusedly to read them through, then with more judgement, read at the third reading wittily to practise. So, few things shall be unknowne. Note, oft diligent reading joyned with ingenious practise causeth profitable labour. Thus most hartely farewell, loving reader, to whom I wish myselfe present to further thy desire and practise in these.'

The method that carpenters etc. used before this booke was published was very erronious, as he declares.

☞ See in the beginning of <Thomas> Digges' Stratio<ti>cos, and also towards the later end, concerning him and his father. I remember the sonne sayes there that he was muster-master to the States of Holland: and see more concerning his father (who was an esquire of Chilham Castle in Kent) in the preface to his Pantometria.—It is an ancient family in Kent. Vide his Ala seu scala Mathematices etc.

A prognostication everlasting, once again published by Leonard Digges, gentleman, in the yeare of our Lord 1564;—

in 4to, dedicated to Sir Edward Fines, knight of the garter, lord Clinton and Saye, etc. His first impression was in 1553—'not onely your lordship's tasck move<d> of a prognostication seemed then to make that argument fittest, but also the manifest imperfections and manifold errors yearly committed did crave the ayd of some that were both willing and able to performe the truthe in like matters.'

Thomas Digges (15..-1595).

Mr. Thomas Digges:—he wrote a booke in 4to, entituled—

'Stratioticos, compendiously teaching the science of nombres as well in fractions as integers, and so much of the rules and aequations algebraicall and art of nombers cossicall as are requisite for the profession of a soldier; together with the modern militarie discipline, offices, lawes and orders in every well-governed camp and armie inviolably to be observed.'

First published by him, 1579, and dedicated 'unto the right honourable Robert, earle of Leicester.' The second edition, 1590.

He was muster-master generall of all her majestie's forces in the Low Countries, as appeares in page .

At the end of this booke (the last paragraph) speaking of 'engins and inventions not usual to be thought on and had in readinesse.'—

'Of these and many mo important mattars militare, I shall have occasion at large to dilate in my treatise of great artillerie and pyrotechnie, ☞ whose publication I have for divers due respects hitherto differred.'

He was the onely sonne of the learned Leonard Digges, esqr, of whom he speakes in the preface to his Stratioticos.

Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. vii. cap. 51;—'Una familia Curionum in qua tres continua serie Oratores extiterunt.' In this family have been four learned men in an uninterrupted descent—scilicet, two eminent mathematicians (Leonard and Thomas), Sir Dudley Digges, Master of the Rolles, and his sonne Dudley, fellow of Allsoules College, Oxon.

Alae seu scalae mathematicae, quibus visibilium remotissima coelorum theatra conscendi et planetarum omnium itinera novis et inauditis methodis explorari, tum hujus portentosi syderis (in Cassiopea) in mundi boreali plaga insolito fulgore coruscantis distantia et magnitudo immensa situsque protinus tremendus indagari Deique stupendum ostentum terricolis expositum cognosci liquidissime possit.

Thoma Diggesio, Cantiensi, stemmatis generosi, autore, Lond. 1573.

Dedicated

'Ad Guliel. Cecilium, praeclariss. ordinis equitem auratum, baronem Burghleium, summumque Angliae Thesaurarium,' etc.

—luce clarius deprehendi longè supra lunam ipsam esse. Tum demum antiquorum et recentiorum omnium astronomorum modos cometarum et corporum coelestium distantias et magnitudines metiendi quos unquam legeram in animum sevocare coeperam, nec quenquam reperire poteram qui viam huic subtilissimae parallaxi examinandae convenientem demonstravit. Solus igitur, omnium astronomorum antiquorum et recentiorum ope orbatus, (in fluctuanti dubitationum plurimarum pelago jactatus) ad meipsum redii: brevissimoque spatio (foelicibus mathematicis spirantibus auris) portum optatum assequendi varios cursus expeditissimos hactenus a nemine exploratos atque ab omni erroris scopulo tutissimos inveni. Quos in exigui libelli formam redactos honori tuo exhibere decrevi, mei officii testimonium (nisi me fallit Philautia) haud vulgari genio conscriptum, neque brevi temporum curriculo periturum—

Praefatio Authoris.

Sed plura de hujus stellae historia scribere non decrevi quia eximius vir Johannes Dee (quum in reliqua philosophia admirandus, tum harum scientiarum peritissimus, quem tanquam mihi parentem alterum mathematicum veneror, quippe qui in tenerrimâ meâ aetate plurima harum suavissimarum scientiarum semina menti meae inseruerit, alia a patre meo prius sata amicissime fidelissimeque nutriverit atque auxerit) hanc sibi tractandam assumpserit materiam quam.... Conatus igitur sum et assequutus variis problematibus demonstrative et practice exactissime parallaxin hujus phaenomeni et cujusvis etiam alterius concludere, licet Saturni Jovis et Martis parallaxeis adeo sint exiguae ut sensuum imbecillitate vix discerni possint. Si tamen ulla arte vere animadverti queant (hoc ausim dicere) aut his nostris sequentibus problematibus aut nullis penitus praeceptis geometricis inveniri posse—Si aequi bonique consuleris, majora (annuenti potentissimo) in posterum promitto, quibus (non probabilibus solummodo argumentis sed firmissimis apodixibus) demonstrabitur verissimam esse Copernici hactenus explosum de terrae motu paradoxum—1573.

To these Alae seu Scalae Mr. Digges hath annexed

Parallaticae commentationis praxeos nucleus quidam, Jo. Day—

writ by John Dee, a small treatise, Lond. 1573; and hath writ thus

Lectori Benevolo.

—Me autem isti meo opusculo annectere et in lucem simul emittere variae impulere causae—Ima ne charissimus mihi illius author debita suae inventionis privaretur laude: cum nonnulli fortassis si postea ederetur suspicari possint a meis methodis derivatum fuisse. Fateor equidem adeo late mea sese extendere fundamina ut tum istiusmodi tum plurimi etiam alii nuclei inde excerpi possint, etc.

Pantometria, containing longimetria, planimetria, stereometria—was writ by Leonard Digges, esq., but published by his sonne Thomas Digges esqr. and dedicated to Sir Nicholas Bacon, knight, Lord Keeper, lately reviewed and augmented by the author, printed at London, 1591.

In the preface, thus:—

'But to leave things doone of antiquity long ago, my father, by his continuall painfull practises, assisted with demonstrations mathematicall, was able, and sundry times hath, by proportionall glasses duely situate in convenient angles, not onely discovered things farre off, read letters, numbred peeces of money with the very coyne and superscription thereof cast by some of his freends on purpose upon downes in open fields but also seven miles off declared what hath been doone at that instant in private places; he hath also at sundry times by the sunne fired powder and discharged ordinance halfe a mile and more distant—which things I am the bolder to report for that there are yet living diverse of these his doeings oculati testes, and many other matters far more strange and rare which I omit as impertinent to this place. But for invention of these conclusions I have heard him say nothing ever helped him so much as the exquisite knowledge he had, by continuall practise, attained in geometricall mensurations.'

Michael Drayton (1563-1631).

Michael Drayton, esq., natus in Warwickshire at Atherston upon Stower (quaere Thomas Mariett).

He was a butcher's sonne. Was a squire; viz. one of the esquires to Sir Walter Aston, Knight of the Bath, to whom he dedicated his Poeme. Sir J. Brawne of ... was a great patron of his.

He lived at the bay-windowe house next the east end of St. Dunstan's Church in Fleet-street. Sepult. in north + of Westminster Abbey. The countesse of Dorset (Clifford) gave his monument: this Mr. Marshall (the stone-cutter), who made it, told me so.

Sir Edward Bissh, Clarencieux, told me he asked Mr. Selden once (jestingly) whether he wrote the commentary to his 'Polyolbion' and 'Epistles,' or Mr. Drayton made those verses to his notes.

Vide his inscription given by the countess of Dorset.

In Westminster Abbey, neer Spencer.

Michael Drayton, Esquier,

A memorable Poet of this age, exchanged his Laurel for
a Crowne of Glorie, Anno 1631.
Doe, pious marble, let thy readers knowe
What they, and what their children owe
To Drayton's name, whose sacred dust
We recommend unto thy trust.
Protecte his mem'ry, and preserve his storie,
Remaine a lasting monument of his glorye.
And when thy ruines shall disclame
To be the treas'rer of his name,
His name, that cannot fade, shall bee
An everlasting monument to thee.

Here is his bust in alablaster. The inscription is on black marble.

Mr. Marshall, the stone-cutter, of Fetter-lane, also told me, that these verses were made by Mr. Francis Quarles, who was his great friend, and whose head he wrought curiously in playster, and valued for his sake. 'Tis pitty it should be lost. Mr. Quarles was a very good man.

Sir Erasmus Dryden (1553-1632).

Sir Erasmus Dryden, of <Canons Ashby> in Northamptonshire:—John Dreyden, esq., Poet Laureat, tells me that there was a great friendship between his great grandfather's father and Erasmus Roterodamus, and Erasmus was god-father to one of his sonnes, and the Christian name of Erasmus hath been kept in the family ever since. The poet's second sonne is Erasmus.

And at ..., the seate of the family, is a chamber called 'Erasmus's chamber.'

I ghesse that this coate—'azure, a lion rampant and in chief a sphere between 2 estoiles or'—was graunted in Henry 8th's time by the odnesse of the charge.

John Dryden (1631-1700).

John Dreyden, esq., Poet Laureate. He will write it for me himselfe.

John Dryden, poeta, <born> 19 Aug. 1631, 5h 33´ 16˝ P.M.

'Natus insignis poeta
1631
Aug. 9°, 5h 53´ P.M.
Latit. 52° North.'

This is the nativity of Mr. John Dreyden, poet laureat, by Mr. John Gadbury, from whom I had it.

Sir William Dugdale (1605-1685/6).

Sir William Dugdale, Garter, <born> 12 Sept. 1605, 3h 15´ P.M.

'Sir William Dugdale avow'd to mee <that> at the time of his birth (10 September, as I thinke, which was the birth day of Francis the first) a swarme of bees came and settled under the window where hee was borne, September 18. Johan. Gybbon.'

Memorandum that Sir William Dugdale did not tell his son or Mr. Gibbons de Edward the Confessor and he laught at it—quod N. B.

'Sir William Dugdale was borne September 12, 1605'—from Mr. Gibbons, Blewmantle. That afternoon a swarme of bees pitch't under his mother's chamber window, as it were an omen of his laborious collections.

Sir John Dunstable.

Sir John Dunstable:—the cellar he calls his library.—Parliament men prepare themselves for the businesse of the nation with ale in the morning. Some justices doe sleepe on the bench every assizes.

At Chippenham the Deputye Lieutenants mett to see the order of the militia, but quales D: Lieutenants tales officiarii. After a taedious setting (at dinner, and drinking after dinner) the drummes beate and the soldiers to march before the windowe to be seen by the Deputy Lieutenants. Justice Wagstaffe (colonell) had not marcht before 'em many yardes but downe a falls all along in the dirt. His myrmidons, multâ vi, heav'd him up, and then a cryd out 'Some drinke, ho!' and so there was an end of that businesse.

Saint Dunstan (925-988).

I find in Mr. Selden's verses before Hopton's 'Concordance of Yeares,' that he was a Somersetshire gentleman. He was a great chymist.

The storie of his pulling the devill by the nose with his tongues as he was in his laboratorie, was famous in church-windowes. Vide ... Gazaei Pia Hilaria, <where it is> delicately described.

He was a Benedictine monke at Glastonbury, where he was afterwards abbot, and after that was made archbishop of Canterbury. He preached the coronation sermon at Kingston, and crowned king <Edwy>. In his sermon he prophesyed, which the Chronicle mentions.

Mr. Meredith Lloyd tells me that there is a booke in print of his de lapide philosophorum; quaere nomen.

Edwardus Generosus gives a good account of him in a manuscript which Mr. Ashmole haz.

Meredith Lloyd had, about the beginning of the civill warres, a MS. of this Saint's concerning chymistrey, and sayes that there are severall MSS. of his up and downe in England: quaere Mr. Ashmole.

Edwardus Generosus mentions that he could make a fire out of gold, with which he could sett any combustible matter on fire at a great distance. Memorandum:—in Westminster library is an old printed booke, in folio, of the lives of the old English Saints: vide.

Meredith Lloyd tells me that, three or 400 yeares ago, chymistry was in a greater perfection, much, then now; their proces was then more seraphique and universall: now they looke only after medicines.

Severall churches are dedicated to him: two at London: quaere if one at Glastonbury.

Sir Edward Dyer (15..-1607).

Sir Edward Dyer, of Somersetshire (Sharpham Parke, etc.), was a great witt, poet, and acquaintance of Mary, countesse of Pembroke, and Sir Philip Sydney. He is mentioned in the preface of the 'Arcadia.' He had four thousand pounds per annum, and was left fourscore thousand pounds in money; he wasted it almost all. This I had from captaine Dyer, his great grandsonne, or brother's great grandson. I thought he had been the sonne of the Lord Chiefe Justice Dyer, as I have inserted in one of these papers, but that was a mistake. The judge was of the same family, the captain tells me.

St. Edmund (1170?-1240).

Seth, lord bishop of Sarum, tells me that he finds Saint Edmund was borne at Abington. He was archbishop of Canterbury. He built the college at Sarum, by St. Edmund's Church: it is now Judge Wyndham's sonne's howse. He resigned his archbishoprick, and came and retired hither. In St. Edmund's church here, were windowes of great value. Gundamore offered a good summe for them; I have forgott <what>. In one of them was the picture of God the Father, like an old man (as the fashion was), which much offended Mr. Shervill, the recorder, who in zeale (but without knowledge) clambered up on the pewes to breake the windowe, and fell downe and brake his legg (about 1629); but that did not excuse him for being question'd in the Starre-chamber for it. Mr. Attorney Noy was his great friend, and shewed his friendship there. But what Mr. Shervill left undonne, the soldiers since have gonne through with, that there is not a piece of glass-painting left.

'Edmundus, Cant. A.B., primus legit Elementa Euclidis, Oxoniæ, 1290; Mr. Hugo perlegit librum Aristotelis Analytic. Oxon.; Rogerus Bacon vixit A.D. 1292.'—This out of an old booke in the library of University College, Oxon.

Thomas Egerton, lord Ellesmere (1540-1616/7).

Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor, was the naturall sonne of Sir Richard Egerton of <Ridley> in Cheshire.—This information I had 30 yeares since from Sir John Egerton of Egerton in Cheshire, baronet, the chiefe of that family.

He was of Lincoln's-Inne, and I have heard Sir John Danvers say that he was so hard a student, that in three or 4 yeares time he was not out of the howse. He had good parts, and early came into good practise.

My old father, Colonel Sharington Talbot, told me that (Gilbert, I thinke), earle of Shrewesbury, desired him to buy that noble mannour of Ellesmer for him, and delivered him the money. Egerton liked the bargain and the seate so well, that truly he e'en kept it for himselfe, and afterwards made it his baronry, but the money he restored to the earl of Shrewsbury again.

Dyed ..., and was buried....

He was a great patron to Ben Johnson, as appeares by severall epistles to him.

His son and heire, since earle of Bridgewater, was an indefatigable ringer—vide the ballad.

Chancellor Egerton haz a monument in the south wall of St. Martin's-in-the-fields chancell; but the upper part (greatest) is covered with a pue or gallerie.

Tuta frequensque via est, per amici fallere nomen;
Tuta frequensque licet sit via, crimen habet.

Ovid <Ars Amat. i. 585>.

Translated by Theophilus Wodinoth:—

A safe and common way it is by friendship to decieve,
But safe and common though it be, 'tis knavery, by your leave.

George Ent (16..-1679).

G. Ent obiit Septemb. 2, 1679. Buried in the north of the rotundo at the Temple Church. Motto of his ring:—

Quam totus homuncio nil est.

Desiderius Erasmus (1467-1536).

'Nascitur Erasmus Roterodamus anno 1467, Octob. die 27, horâ 16, 30´: poli elevatio 54° 0´'—<from> David Origanus, p. 603.

'Mercurius, Venus, Luna et Leo conjuncti, praesertim in ascendente, faciunt oratores doctissimos. Talis ex parte fuit constitutio Erasmi Roterodami, cujus judicium gravissimum, ingenium acutissimum, et oratio copiosissima, ex scriptis editis eruditissimis, omnibus nota est. Habuit enim Mercurium cum Venere in horoscopo, in signo aereo Libram, et Jovem trigono radio Mercurium et Venerem intuentem'—<from ibid.> pag. 601.

Obiit anno Domini MDXXXVI, mense Julii—vide praefationem de obitu Erasmi ante Epistolas, impressas Antverpiae MDXLV.

Erasmus Roterodamus was like to have been a bishop—vide Epistolas.

Desiderius Erasmus, Roterodamus:—

His name was 'Gerard Gerard,' which he translated into 'Desiderius Erasmus.'

He was begot (as they say) behind dores—vide an Italian booke in 8vo. de famosi Bastardi: vide Anton. Possevini Apparatus. His father (as he says in his life, writt by himselfe) was the tenth and youngest son of his grandfather: who was therfore designed to be dedicated to God.—'Pater Gerardus cum Margareta (medici cujusdam Petri filia), spe conjugii (et sunt qui intercessisse verba dicunt), vixit.'

His father tooke great care to send him to an excellent schoole, which was at Dusseldorf, in Cleveland. He was a tender chitt, and his mother would not entruste him at board, but tooke a house there, and made him cordialls, etc.—from John Pell, D.D.

He loved not fish, though borne in a fish towne—from Sir George Ent, M.D.

<From> Dr. John Pell:—he was of the order of ..., whose habit was the same that the pest-house master at ... (I thinke, Pisa: quaere Dr. John Pell) in Italie wore; and walking in that towne, people beckoned him to goe out of the way, taking him to be the master of the pest-house; and he not understanding the meaning, and keeping on his way, was there by one well basted. He made his complaint when he came to Rome, and had a dispensation for his habit.

He studied sometime in Queens Colledge in Cambridge: his chamber was over the water. Quaere Mr. Paschal more particularly; and if a fellowe: he had his study when a young scholar here.

'The staires which rise up to his studie at Queens Colledge in Cambridge doe bring first into two of the fairest chambers in the ancient building; in one of them, which lookes into the hall and chiefe court, the Vice-President kept in my time; in that adjoyning, it was my fortune to be, when fellow. The chambers over are good lodgeing roomes; and to one of them is a square turret adjoyning, in the upper part of which is that study of Erasmus; and over it leades. To that belongs the best prospect about the colledge, viz. upon the river, into the corne-fields, and countrey adjoyning, etc.; ☞ so that it might very well consist with the civility of the House to that great man (who was no fellow, and I think stayed not long there) to let him have that study. His keeping roome might be either the Vice-President's, or, to be neer to him, the next; the room for his servitor that above, over it, and through it he might goe to that studie, which for the height, and neatnesse, and prospect, might easily take his phancy.' This from Mr. Andrew Paschal, Rector of Chedzoy in Somerset, June 15, 1680.

He mentions his being there in one of his Epistles, and blames the beere there. One, long since, wrote, in the margent of the booke in <the> College library in which that is sayd, 'Sicut erat in principio, etc.'; and all Mr. Paschall's time they found fault with the brewer.

He had the parsonage (quaere value) of Aldington in Kent, which is about 3 degrees perhaps a healthier place then Dr. Pell's parsonage in Essex. I wonder they could not find for him better preferment; but I see that the Sun and Aries being in the second house, he was not borne to be a rich man.

He built a schoole at Roterdam, and endowed it, and ordered the institution. Sir George Ent was educated there. A statue in brasse is erected to his memory on the bridge in Roterdam.

'The last five bookes of Livy nowe extant, found by Symon Grinaeus in the library of a monastery over against the citie of Wormbs, are dedicated by Erasmus Roterodamus unto Charles the son of William lord Montjoy in the reigne of Henry the eight of famous memory, king of England, etc.'—Philemon Holland's translation.

Sir Charles Blount, of Maple-Durham, in com. Oxon. (neer Reding), was his scholar (in his Epistles there are some to him), and desired Erasmus to doe him the favour to sitt for his picture, and he did so, and it is an excellent piece: which picture my cosen John Danvers, of Baynton (Wilts), haz: his wive's grandmother was Sir Charles Blount's daughter or grand-daughter. 'Twas pitty such a rarity should have been aliend from the family, but the issue male is lately extinct. I will sometime or other endeavour to gett it for Oxford Library.

They were wont to say that Erasmus was interpendent between Heaven and Hell, till, about the year 1655 (quaere Dr. Pell), the Conclave at Rome damned him for a heretique, after he had been dead ... yeares.

Vita Erasmi, Erasmo autore, is before his Colloquia, printed at Amstelodam. MDCXLIV. But there is a good account of his life, and also of his death, scil. at Basil, and where buried, before his Colloquies printed at London.

His deepest divinity is where a man would least expect it: viz. in his Colloquies in a Dialogue between a Butcher and a Fishmonger, Ἰχθυοφαγία.

Scripsit.

Colloquia: dedicated 'optimae spei puero Johanni Erasmio Frobenio.'

Liber utilissimus de conscribendis epistolis: dedicated 'ad Nicolaum Beraldum.'

Liber Adagiorum.

Verborum Copia.

Epistolae.

Exhortatio ad pacem ecclesiasticam.

Paraphrasis in quatuor Evangelistas.

Matth.—dedicated Carolo, Imperatori.

Joan.—dedicated Ferdinando, Catholico.

Lucas—to Henr. 8, Rex Angl.

Marcus—to Francisc. I, Gall. Rex.

Novum Testamentum transtulit: memorandum—Henry Standish, bishop of St. Asaph, wrote a booke against his Translation on the New Testament; vide Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle (Henry VIII).

If my memorie failes me not, I have read in the first edition of Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle (quaere) that the Syntaxis in our English Grammar was writt by Erasmus.

Memorandum:—Julius Scaliger contested with Erasmus, but gott nothing by it, for, as Fuller sayth, he was like a badger, that never bitt but he made his teeth meet. He was the Πρόδρομος of our knowledge, and the man that made the rough and untrodden wayes smooth and passable.

Anthony Ettrick (1622-1703).

Anthony Ettrick, esq., borne at Berford in the parish of Wimburne-Minster com. Dorset, November the 15th (viz. the same day that Queen Katherine), A.D. 1622—quaere horam—on a Sunday. His mother would say he was a Sundaye's bird.

His eldest son, Mr. William Ettrick, was borne also on the 15 of November, A.D. 1651.

Maried Aug. 1651.

Reader at the Middle Temple 167-.

John Evelyn (1620-1706).

John Evelyn, esq., Regiae Societatis Socius, drew his first breath at Wotton in the county of Surrey, A.D. 1620, 31 October, 1ma hora mane.

Thomas Fairfax, 3rd baron (1611-1671).

Thomas, lord Fairfax of Cameron, Lord Generall of the Parliament armie:—Memorandum, when Oxford was surrendred (24º Junii 1646), the first thing generall Fairfax did was to sett a good guard of soldiers to preserve the Bodleian Library. 'Tis said there was more hurt donne by the cavaliers (during their garrison) by way of embezilling and cutting-off chaines of bookes, then there was since. He was a lover of learning, and had he not taken this speciall care, that noble library had been utterly destroyed—quod N. B.; for there were ignorant senators enough who would have been contented to have had it so. This I doe assure you from an ocular witnesse, E. W. esq.

He haz a copie of verses before ... in folio.

George Feriby (1573-16..).

In tempore Jacobi one Mr. George Ferraby was parson of Bishops Cannings in Wilts: an excellent musitian, and no ill poet. When queen Anne came to Bathe, her way lay to traverse the famous Wensdyke, which runnes through his parish. He made severall of his neighbours good musitians, to play with him in consort, and to sing. Against her majestie's comeing, he made a pleasant pastorall, and gave her an entertaynment with his fellow songsters in shepherds' weeds and bagpipes, he himself like an old bard. After that wind musique was over, they sang their pastorall eglogues (which I have, to insert in to liber B.).

He was one of the king's chaplaines. 'Twas he caused the 8 bells to be cast there, being a very good ringer.

He hath only one sermon in print that I know of, at the funerall of Mr. <John> Drew of the Devises, called Life's Farwell.

He was demy, if not fellow, of Magdalen College, Oxon.

Thomas Ferraby, formerly a demy or fellow of Magdalen College, Oxon, minister of Bishops Cannings, Wilts, was an ingeniose man and a good musitian and composer.

He treated queen Anne at Wednsdytch in his parish with a pastorall of his owne writing and composing and sung by his neighbours clad in shepherds' weeds, whom he brought-up to musique.

He gave another entertayment in Cote-field to king James, with carters singing, with whipps in their hands; and afterwards, a footeball play.

This parish would have challenged all England for musique, ringing, and footeball play.

He was one of his Majestie's chaplaines. One sermon is among my grandfather Lyte's old bookes in the country, at the funerall of <John> Drew, esquire, called Life's farewell, printed....

Nicholas Fiske (15..-166..).

Dr. ... Fisk, a physitian, practised physick and astrologie, and had good practise in both, in Convent Garden, London. Mr. Gadbury acknowledges in print to have had his greatest helpes in astrologicall knowledge from him, and sayes that he was an able artist.

He wrote and printed a treatise of the conjunction of Saturne and Jupiter.

Obiit about 20 yeares since and buryed in Convent Garden.

Thomas Flatman (16..-1688).

Mr. Thomas Flatman, quondam Novi Collegii socius, then a barrister of the Inner Temple, an excellent painter and poet. The next terme his poems will be in print.

Mr. Thomas Flatman died at his house in Fleet street on Thursday December <6th>, buried the 9th of that moneth, at St. Bride's, neer the railes of the communion table, in the grave with his sonne, on whom he layd a fair marble gravestone with an inscription and verses. His father is living yet, at least 80, a clarke of the Chancery.

Thomas Flatman, filius, natus 1673, Oct. 4, hora 18 P.M. This native dyed of the small pox about Christmas (December) 1682.

Sir William Fleetwood (1535-1594).

Sir Miles Fleetwood, Recorder of London, was of the Middle Temple; was Recorder of London, when King James came into England; made his harangue to the City of London (ἀντανάκλασις), 'When I consider your wealth I doe admire your wisdome, and when I consider your wisdome I doe admire your wealth.' It was a two-handed rhetorication, but the citizens tooke <it> in the best sense.

He was a very severe hanger of highwaymen, so that the fraternity were resolved to make an example of him: which they executed in this manner: They lay in wayte for him not far from Tyburne, as he was to come from his house at ... in Bucks; had a halter in readinesse; brought him under the gallowes, fastned the rope about his neck and on the tree, his hands tied behind him (and servants bound), and then left him to the mercy of his horse, which he called Ball. So he cryed 'Ho, Ball! Ho, Ball!' and it pleased God that his horse stood still, till somebody came along, which was halfe a quarter of an hour or +. He ordered that this horse should be kept as long as he would live, and it was so—he lived till 1646:—from Mr. Thomas Bigge, of Wicham.

One day goeing on foote to Yield-hall, with his clarke behind him, he was surprised in Cheapside with a sudden and violent looseness neer the Standard. He ... bade his man hide his face943....

His seate was at Missenden in the county of Bucks, where his descendents still remaine.

He is buried at ... in com. Bucks.

John Fletcher (1579-1625).

John Fletcher, invited to goe with a knight into Norfolke or Suffolke in the plague-time 1625, stayd but to make himselfe a suite of cloathes; fell sick of the plague, and dyed.

Mr. John Fletcher, poet: in the great plague, 1625, a knight of Norfolk (or Suffolke) invited him into the countrey. He stayed but to make himselfe a suite of cloathes, and while it was makeing, fell sick of the plague and dyed. This I had (1668) from his tayler, who is now a very old man, and clarke of St. Mary Overy's.

John Florio (1545?-1625).

John Florio was borne in London in the beginning of king Edward VI, his father and mother flying from the Valtolin ('tis about Piedmont or Savoy) to London for religion: Waldenses.——The family is originally of Siena, where the name is to this day.

King Edward dying, upon the persecution of queen Mary, they fled back again into their owne countrey, where he was educated.

Afterwards he came into England, and was by king James made 'informator' to prince Henry for the Italian and French tongues, and clarke to the closet to queen Anne.

Scripsit:—

First and second fruits, being two books of the instruction to learne the Italian tongue:

Dictionary;

and translated Montagne's Essayes.

He dyed of the great plague at Fulham anno 1625.

Sir Edward Ford (1605-1670).

Edward Ford, esquire, printed 5 or 6 sheetes in 4to—Mr. Edmund Wyld haz it—

'A designe for bringing a river from Rickmansworth in Hartfordshire to St. Gyles in the fields, the benefits of it declared and the objections against it answered, by Edward Ford of Harting in Sussex, esq., London, printed for John Clarke, 1641.' Memorandum that now (1681/2) London is growne so populous and big that the new river of Middleton can serve the pipes to private houses but twice a weeke, quod N. B.

I beleeve this was afterwards Sir Edward Ford, quondam a gentleman commoner of Trinity College, Oxon: de quo vide in prima parte A. W.

Vide in my trunke of papers a printed sheet of his of....

['Twas he built the high water-house over against Somerset howse, pulled downe since the restauration because a nusance.]

'Experimental proposalls how the king may have money to pay and maintaine his fleetes with ease to the people, London may be re-built and all proprietors satisfied, money be lent at 6 li. per cent on pawnes, and the fishing trade sett-up; and all without strayning or thwarting any of our lawes or customes,' by Sir Edward Forde, London, printed by W. Godbid, 1666—a 4to pamphlet.

Sir Edward Ford's body was brought over into England, and buried at Harting Church in Sussex with his ancestors—obiit Sept. 3.

His brother tells me that this August he is 65 years old and that Sir Edward was borne in Aprill and one yeare and a half older then he.

Sir Edward Ford first proposed his invention, the way of farthings for this nation, and was opposed. He could not gett a patent here: prince Rupert would have it, if he could. So then he went into Ireland and dyed fortnight before he had effected the getting of his patent.

Sir Edward Ford writt no books, but two or three pamphletts of a sheet or so, which I have some where, and have informed you of. One was an ingeniose proposall of a publique banke, as I remember, for the easy raysing of money and to avoyd the griping usurers and to promote trade.

Samuel Foster (15..-1652).

From Mr. Bayes, the watchmaker, his nephew:—Mr. Samuel Foster was borne at Coventry (as I take it); he was sometime usher of the schoole there. Was professor of ... at Gresham Colledge, London, ... yeares; where, in his lodgeing, on the wall in his chamber, is, of his owne hand draweing, the best diall I doe verily beleeve in the whole world. Inter etc. it shewes you what a clock 'tis at Jerusalem, Gran Cairo, etc. It is drawen very artificially. He dyed ... July 1652, buryed at St. Peter's the Poor, in Broad-street, London. A neighbour of Mr. Paschall's, neer Bridgewater, in Somerset, hath all his MSS.: which I have seen, I thinke ½ foot thick in 4to.

John Foxe (1517-1587).

Adjoyning is this inscription of John Fox.

Christo S. S.

Johanni Foxo, ecclesiae Anglicanae martyrologo fidelissimo, antiquitatis historicae indagatori sagacissimo, Evangelicae veritatis propugnatori acerrimo, thaumaturgo admirabili qui martyres Marianos tanquam Phoenices ex cineribus redivivos praestitit, patri suo omni pietatis officio in primis colendo, Samuel Foxus, illius primogenitus, hoc monumentum posuit, non sine lachrymis.

Obiit die xviii mensis April.
Anno Salutis 1587, jam
Septuagenarius.
Vita vitae mortalis est spes
vitae immortalis.

Nicholas Fuller (1557-1623/4).

The 13th of February, 1623, Mr. Nicholas Fuller, rector of Allington, was buried—ex registro.

Thomas Fuller (1608-1661).

Thomas Fuller, D.D., borne at Orwincle in Northamptonshire. His father was minister there, and maried ..., one of the sisters of John Davenant, bishop of Sarum.—From Dr. Edward Davenant.

He was a boy of a pregnant witt, and when the bishop and his father were discoursing, he would be by and hearken, and now and then putt in, and sometimes beyond expectation, or his yeares.

He was of a middle stature; strong sett; curled haire; a very working head, in so much that, walking and meditating before dinner, he would eate-up a penny loafe, not knowing that he did it. His naturall memorie was very great, to which he had added the art of memorie: he would repeate to you forwards and backwards all the signes from Ludgate to Charing-crosse.

He was fellow of Sydney College in Cambridge, where he wrote his Divine Poemes. He was first minister of Broad Windsor in Dorset, and prebendary of the church of Sarum. He was sequestred, being a royalist, and was afterwards minister of Waltham Abbey, and preacher of the Savoy, where he died, and is buryed.

He was a pleasant facetious person, and a bonus socius.

Scripsit 'Holy Warre'; 'Holy State'; 'Pisgah Sight'; 'England's Worthies'; severall Sermons, among others, a funerall sermon on Henry Danvers, esq., the eldest son of Sir John Danvers, (and only <son> by his second wife Dantesey), brother to Henry earl of Danby, preached at Lavington in Wilts 1654: obiit 19º Novembr.

He was minister of Waltham Crosse in Essex, and also of the Savoy in the Strand, where he dyed (and lies buryed) not long after the restauracion of his majestie.

Simon Furbisher (1585-16..).

Symon Furbisher, the famous jugler, natus 30 May, 1585, 9h 30´ A.M.

John Gadbury (1627-1704).

Mr. Gadbury the astrologer's father, a taylor, takes the measure of a young lady for a gowne and clappes up a match.

Thomas Gale (1636-1702).

<MS. Aubr. 6, foll. 3, 4. This catalogue is not in Aubrey's hand: perhaps it is Gale's autograph, sent to Aubrey in answer to a request for a list of his books.>

Libri editi curâ et operâ Tho. Gale.

Psalterium juxta exemplar Alexandrinum bibliothecae regiae: Graecè, 8vo.

Scriptores mythologici; Palaephatus, Cornutus, etc.: Graecè, 8vo.

Historiae poeticae scriptores; Apollodorus, Eratosthenes, etc.; Graecè, 8vo.

Rhetores antiqui; Demetrius, Phalereus, Tiberius, etc.: Graecè, 8vo.

Iamblichus Chalcidensis de mysteriis Aegyptiorum, etc.: Graecè, folio.

Johannes Eriugenan, cum notis: Lat., fol.

S. Maximi expositiones in S. Gregorium Nazianzenum: Graecè, fol.

Historiae Britannicae, Anglo-Saxonicae, Anglo-Danicae, etc., scriptores XX nunquam prius editi, 2bus voluminibus, ffol.

Libri Graeci et Latini praelo parati.

Pentateuchus juxta exemplar Alexandrinum bibliothecae regiae, cum notis, etc.: Graecè, fol.

Liber prophetae Isaiae juxta exemplar Alexandrinum: Graecè, cum commentario, folio.

Basilii, Chrysostomi, Andreae Cretensis, aliorumque Graecorum patrum Homiliae, nondum editae magno numero, Graecè, fol.

Iamblichus de vita Pythagorae et ejusdem ad philosophiam protreptici, ex codicibus MSS. emendatus et nova versione donatus: 8vo.

Iamblichus de mathematica secundum Pythagoricos nunc primum ex MSS. Codd. editus, cum versione Latina: 8vo.

Leonis imperatoris et Basilii cubicularii de re navali Graecorum opuscula, nunc primum ex codd. Graecis eruta cum versione Latina: accedit his Appendix eorum omnium locorum quae apud Graecos et Latinos scriptores extant de re navali: 8vo.

Tertium et ultimum volumen Historicorum gentis Angliae ab Henrico IIIº usque ad Henricum VIIum nunquam hactenus editorum: fol.

Antonini Itinerarium per Britanniam, cum commentario in quo multa ad chorographiam Britanniae explicandam adducuntur: 8vo.

Venerabilis Bedae Historia ecclesiastica, ad antiquissimos codices emaculata et multis locis restituta: fol.

Matthaei Paris Historia, ad codices antiquos emendata et multis repurgata erroribus, una cum copiosis notis et monumentis coaevis: fol.

Codex legum antiquarum gentis Anglicanae ab Ethelberto rege Cantii ad Edvardum primum: in hac collectione continentur quam plurimae leges Saxonicae et aliae nondum editae praeter eas quas Lambertus edidit: fol.

The History of Edward the 2d and of the troubles which happen'd in his reigne, extracted out of the rolls of the Tower, together with those rolls and other authentick evidences at large: ffol.

The Baronage of England in III parts: 1st, of its original; 2d, of its continuance and alteration; 3d, of its rights and privilidges.

William Gascoigne (1612?-1644).

There was a most gallant gentleman and excellent mathematician that dyed in the late warres, one Mr. Gascoigne, of good estate in Yorkshire; to whom Sir Jonas Moore acknowledged to have received most of his knowledge. He was bred up by the Jesuites. I thought to have taken memoires of him; but deferring it, death took away Sir Jonas. But I will sett downe what I remember.

... Gascoigne, esq., of Middleton, neer Leeds, Yorkshire, was killed at the battaile of Marston-moore, about the age of 24 or 25 at most.

Mr. <Richard> Towneley, of Towneley, in Lancashire, esq., haz his papers.—From Mr. Edmund Flamsted, who sayes he found out the way of improveing telescopes before Des Cartes.

Mr. Edmund Flamsted tells me, Sept. 1682, that 'twas at Yorke fight he was slaine.

Henry Gellibrand (1597-1637).

Henry Gellibrand was borne in London. He was of Trinity Colledge in Oxon (vide Anthony Wood's Antiq. Oxon.). Dr. Potter and Dr. <William> Hobbes knew him. Dr. Hannibal Potter was his tutor, and preached his funeral sermon in London. They told me that he was good for little a great while, till at last it happened accidentally, that he heard a Geometrie lecture. He was so taken with it, that immediately he fell to studying it, and quickly made great progresse in it. The fine diall over the Colledge Library is of his owne doeing. Construxit Logarithmos Henrici Briggs, jussu Autoris τοῦ μακαρίτου, 1631. He was Astronomy Professor in Collegio Greshamensi, Lond. Scripsit Trigonometriam. He being one time in the country, shewed the tricks of drawing what card you touched, which was by combination with his confederate, who had a string that was tyed to his leg, and the leg of the other, by which his confederate gave him notice by the touch; but by this trick, he was reported to be a conjuror.

Vide Canterbury's Doome about Protestant martyrs, <inserted in> the Almanac; <and> that he kept conventicles in Gresham College.

... Gerard.

One Mr. Gerard, of Castle Carey in Somerset, collected the antiquities of that county, Dorset, and that of Devon: which I cannot for my life retrive. His executor had them, whose estate was seized for debt; and <they> utterly lost.

Adrian Gilbert (—— - ——).

... Ralegh m. Katherine Champernon m. ... Gilbert
| |
Sir Walter Ralegh Adrian Gilbert,
chymist; sine prole.

This Adrian Gilbert was an excellent chymist, and a great favourite of Mary, countesse of Pembroke, with whom he lived and was her operator. He was a man of great parts, but the greatest buffoon in England; cared not what he said to man or woman of what quality soever. Some curious ladies of our country have rare receipts of his. 'Twas he that made the curious wall about Rollington parke at Wilton.

Mr. Elias Ashmole sayes that amongst his papers of John Dee or Dr. <Richard> Napier he finds that one of them held great correspondence with Adrian Gilbert. Quaere of him de hoc.

Alexander Gill (1567-1635). Alexander Gill (1597-1642).

Dr. Gill, the father, was a very ingeniose person, as may appeare by his writings. Notwithstanding he had moodes and humours, as particularly his whipping-fitts:—

As Paedants out of the schoole-boies breeches
doe clawe and curry their owne itches

Hudibras, part ... canto ...

This Dr. Gill whipped ... Duncomb, who was not long after a colonel of dragoons at Edgehill-fight, taken pissing against the wall. He had his sword by his side, but the boyes surprized him: somebody had throwen a stone in at the windowe; and they seised on the first man they lighted on.I thinke his name was Sir John D. (Sir John Denham told me the storie), and he would have cutt the doctor, but he never went abroad but to church, and then his army went with him. He complained to the councill, but it became ridicule, and so his revenge sank.

Dr. Triplet came to give his master a visit, and he whip't him. The Dr. gott ... Pitcher, of Oxford, who had a strong and a sweet base, to sing this song under the schoole windowes, and gott a good guard to secure him with swords, etc., and he was preserved from the examen of the little myrmidons which issued-out to attach him; but he was so frighted that he bes ... him selfe most fearfully.

In Paul's church-yard in London
There dwells a noble firker;
Take heed you that pass
Lest you tast of his lash
* * * * * * *
Still doth he cry
Take him up, take him up, Sir,
Untrusse with expedition.
Oh the birchen tool
That he winds i' th' school
Frights worse than an inquisition.

If that you chance to passe there,
As doth the man of blacking;
He insults like a puttock
O're the prey of the buttock
With a whip't a ... sends him packing.
Still doth he cry, etc.

For when this well truss't trounser
Into the school doth enter
With his napkin at his nose
And his orange stuft with cloves
On any ... he'l venter.
Still doth, etc.

A French-man voyd of English
Enquiring for Paul's steeple
His Pardonnez-moy
He counted a toy,
For he whip't him before all people.
Still doth he cry, etc.

A Welsh-man once was whip't there
Untill he did bes... him
His Cuds-pluttera-nail
Could not prevail
For he whip't the Cambro-Britan.
Still doth he cry, etc.

A captain of the train'd-band;
Yclept Cornelius Wallis;
He whip't him so sore
Both behind and before
He notch't his .... like tallyes.
Still doth he cry, etc.

For a piece of beef and turnip,
Neglected, with a cabbage,
He took up the pillion
Of his bouncing mayd Jillian;
And sowc't her like a baggage.
Still doth he cry, etc.

A porter came in rudely
And disturb'd the humming concord,
He took-up his frock
And he payd his nock
And sawc't him with his owne cord.
Still doth he cry, etc.

Gill upon Gill, or Gill's ... uncas'd, unstript, unbound.

'Sir,
Did you me this epistle send,
Which is so vile and lewdly pen'd,
In which no line I can espie
Of sense or true orthographie?
So slovenly it goes,
In verse and prose,
For which I must pull down your hose.'
'O good sir!' then cry'd he,
'In private let it be,
And doe not sawce me openly.'
'Yes, sir, I'le sawce you openly
Before Sound and the company;
And that none of thee may take heart
Though thou art a batchelour of Art,
Though thou hast payd thy fees
For thy degrees:
Yet I will make thy ... to sneeze.
And now I doe begin
To thresh it on thy skin
For now my hand is in, is in.
First, for the themes which thou me sent
Wherin much nonsense thou didst vent,
And for that barbarous piece of Greek
For which in Gartheus thou didst seeke.
And for thy faults not few,
In tongue Hebrew,
For which a grove of birch is due.
Therfore me not beseech
To pardon now thy breech
For I will be thy ...-leech, ...-leech.
Next for the offense that thou didst give
When as in Trinity thou didst live,
And hadst thy ... in Wadham College mult
For bidding sing Quicunque vult
And for thy blanketting
And many such a thing
For which thy name in towne doth ring
And none deserves so ill
To heare as bad as Gill—
Thy name it is a proverb still,
Thou vented hast such rascall geer.
Next thou a preacher were.
For which the French-men all cry Fie!
To heare such pulpitt-ribauldrie.
And sorry were to see
So worthy a degree
So ill bestowed on thee.
But glad am I to say
The Masters made the<e> stay
Till thou in quarto didst them pray.
But now remaines the vilest thing,
The alehouse barking 'gainst the king
And all his brave and noble peeres;
For which thou ventredst for thy eares.
And if thou hadst thy right,
Cutt off they had been quite
And thou hadst been a rogue in sight.
But though thou mercy find
Yet I'le not be so kind
But I'le jerke thee behind, behind.'

Joseph Glanville (1636-1680).

Joseph Glanville, D.D.:—vide his funerall sermon in St. Paul's church-yard at the signe of....

Dr. Joseph Glanville, minister of Bathe, was taken ill at Bridgewater, and returned home and dyed, Tuesday, November 9, 1680, and lies interred in ... at Bath abbey.

He was author of The zealous and impartiall Protestant, 4to, stitch't, printed by Henry Brome, London, 16<81>: his name is not to it. Had he lived the Parliament would have questioned him for it.

Owen Glendower (1359(?)-1415).

Quaere if you can find of what howse the famous Owen Glendower was. He was of Lincolns Inne, and dyed obscurely (I know where) in this county <Herefordshire>, keeping of sheepe.

... Skydmore of Kenchurch married his sister, and ... Vaughan of Hergest was his kinsman; and these two mayntayned him secretly in the ebbe of his fortune.

Robert Glover (1544-1588).

The learned herald, Mr. ... Glover, was borne at ... in Somersetshire; vide Fuller's 'Worthies' de hoc.

I have heard Sir Wm. Dugdale say, that though Mr. Camden had the name, yet Mr. Glover was the best herald that did ever belong to the office. He tooke a great deale of paines in searching the antiquities of severall counties. He wrote a most delicate hand, and pourtrayed finely.

There is (or late was) at a coffee-house at the upper end of Bell-yard (or Shier-lane), under his owne hand, a Visitation of Cheshire, a most curious piece, which Sir Wm. Dugdale wish't me to see; and he told me that at York, at some ordinary house (I thinke a house of entertainment) he sawe such an elaborate piece of Yorkshire. But severall counties he surveyd, and that with great exactnes, but after his death they were all scattered abroad, and fell into ignorant hands.

He lies interred neer Mr. Foxe's monument (who wrote the Martyrologie) in St. Giles' Cripplegate Chancell, but I could not find any inscription concerning him. ☞ Quaere the register when he was buried. 'Twas Mr. John Gibbons, Blewmantle, told me he was buried here. I thinke Mr. Glover was Blewmantle.

Jonathan Goddard (1617-1674/5).

Jonathan Godard, M.D., borne at Greenwich (or Rochester, where his father commonly lived; but, to my best remembrance, he told me at the former). His father was a ship-carpenter.

He was of Magdalen hall, Oxon. He was one of the College of Physitians, in London; Warden of Merton College, Oxon, durante perduellione; physitian to Oliver Cromwell, Protector; went with him into Ireland. Quaere if not also sent to him into Scotland, when he was so dangerously ill there of a kind of calenture or high fever, which made him mad that he pistolled one or two of his commanders that came to visit him in his delirious rage.

Collegii Greshamensis Praelector medicinae; where he lived, and had his laboratory for Chymistrie. He was an admirable Chymist.

He had three or fower medicines wherwith he did all his cures: a great ingredient was Radix Serpentaria.—From Mr. Mich. Weekes, who looked to his stills.

He intended to have left his library and papers to the Royall Societie, had he made his will, and had not dyed so suddainly. So that his bookes (a good collection) are fallen into the hands of a sister's son, a scholar in Caius Coll. Camb. But his papers are in the hands of Sir John Bankes, Reg. Soc. Socius. There were his lectures at Chirurgions' hall; and two manuscripts in 4to, thicke volumnes, readie for the presse, one was a kind of Pharmacopœaia (his nephew has this). 'Tis possible his rare universall medicines aforesayd might be retrived amongst his papers. My Lord Brounker has the recipe but will not impart it.

He was fellowe of the Royall Societie, and a zealous member for the improvement of naturall knowledge amongst them. They made him their drudge, for when any curious experiment was to be donne they would lay the taske on him.

He loved wine and was most curious in his wines, was hospitable, but dranke not to excesse, but it happened that comeing from his club at the Crowne taverne in Bloomesbery, a foote, 11 at night, he fell downe dead of an apoplexie in Cheapside, at Wood-street end, March 24, Anno Domini 1674/5, aetat. 56. Sepult. in the church of Great St. Helen, Londini.

Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey (1621-1678).

Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey was of Christ's Church in Oxon, and chamber-fellowe to my cosen W<illiam> Morgan of Wells, in Peckwater, in north-east angle.

He was afterwards of Grayes Inne, and chamber-fellow to my counsell, Thomas Corbet, esq. I thinke Mr. Corbet told me he was called to the barre. But by match, or &c. he concieved he should gaine more by turning woodmonger.

The rest of his life and death is lippis et tonsoribus notum.

[Knighted for his great service done in London fire, 1666.]

Thomas Goodwyn.

... Goodwyn: he was borne in Norfolke: of the University of, I beleeve, Cambridge.

He was ... of the court of Ludlowe (in which place Jack Butts was his successor).

He maried first Barbara ... daughter of Sir W. Long, of Draycot-Cerne, in Wilts: 2d, ... Brabazon, of ... Hereffordshire; obiit sine prole.

He was a generall scolar, and had a delicate witt; was a great historian, and an excellent poet. He wrote, among other things, ..., a Pastorall, acted at Ludlowe about 1637, an exquisite piece. The Journey into France, crept in bishop Corbet's poems, was made by him, by the same token it made him misse of the preferment of ... at court, Mary the queen-mother remembring how he had abused her brother, the king of France; which made him to accept of the place at Ludlowe, out of the view of the world.

When he sat in court there, he was wont to have Thuanus, or Tacitus, or etc. before him. He was as fine a gentleman as any in England, though now forgott. Obiit, at or about Ludlowe, circiter ... (quaere Sir J. H. and Sir James Long).

The Journey into France was made by Mr. Thomas Goodwyn, of Ludlowe, ...; certaine.

Thomas Gore (1631/2-1684).

Genesis Thomae Gore armigeri by Charles Snell, esq.:—

'Tuesday, 20mo Martii 1631/2, 11h 00´ P.M. tempus aestimatum geneseos Thomae Gore, de Alderton <Wilts>, armigeri.'

Sir Arthur Gorges (15..-1625).

'Sir Arthur Gorges was buried August the 22th 1661'—ex registro Chelsey.

In obitum illustrissimi viri Di. Arthuri Gorges, equitis aurati, epicedium.

Te deflent nati, natae, celeberrima conjux;
Te dolet argutae magna caterva scholae.
At Lucanus ait se vivo non moriturum
Arthurum Gorges: transtulit ipse decus.
Aethereas cupiens Arthurus adire per auras
Et nonus ex ejus nomine natus adest.

In the aisle of the Gorges, viz. south side of the church of Chelsey on an altar monument made for his father or grandfather—'Ds. Arthur Gorge, eq. aur., filius ejus natu maximus.'

John Gower (1327?-1408).

John Gower, esq., poet, has a very worshipfull monument in the north side of the church of St. Saviour's Southwarke; an incumbent figure: about his head is a chaplet of gold—

meriti, etc.—

and a silver collar of SSS about his neck.

Vide iterum, and also his booke.

John Graunt (1620-1674).

Captaine John Graunt (afterwards, major) was borne (ex MSto patris sui) 24º die Aprilis, ½ an houre before eight a clock on a Munday morning, the signe being in the 9 degree of Gemini that day at 12 a clock, Anno Domini 1620.

He was the sonne of Henry Graunt, who was borne 18 January 1592, being Tuesday, at night; et obiit 21 March, 1661/2, being Fryday, between one and two in the morning; buryed in the vault in the new vestrie in St. Michaels church in Cornhill. He was borne in ..., Hantshire.

His son John was borne at the 7 Starres in Burchin Lane, London, in the parish of St. Michael's Cornhill.

He wrote Observations on the bills of mortality very ingeniosely (but I beleeve, and partly know, that he had his hint from his intimate and familiar friend Sir William Petty), to which he made some Additions, since printed. And he intended, had he lived, to have writt more on the subject.

He writt also some Observations on the advance of excise, not printed: quaere his widowe for them.

To give him his due prayse, he was a very ingeniose and studious person, and generally beloved, and rose early in the morning to his study before shop-time. He understood Latin and French. He was a pleasant facetious companion, and very hospitable.

He was bred-up (as the fashion then was) in the Puritan way; wrote short-hand dextrously; and after many yeares constant hearing and writing sermon-notes, he fell to buying and reading of the best Socinian bookes, and for severall yeares continued of that opinion. At last, about ..., he turned a Roman Catholique, of which religion he dyed a great zealot.

He was free of the drapers' company, and by profession was a haberdasher of small-wares. He had gone through all the offices of the city so far as common-councell-man. Captain of the trayned-bands severall yeares; major, 2 or 3 yeares.—He was a common councell man 2 yeares, and then putt out (as also of his military employment in the trayned band) for his religion.

He was admitted a fellowe of the Royall Societie, anno 16.. (about 1663).

He broke.... He dyed on Easter eve 1674; buryed on the Wednesday in Easter-weeke in St. Dunstan's church in Fleet Strete under the gallery about the middle (or more west) north side, anno aetatis suae 54.

He had one son, a man, who dyed in Persia; one daughter, a nunne at ... (I thinke, Gaunt). His widowe yet alive.

Major John Graunt dyed on Easter-eve 1674, and was buryed the Wednesday followeing in St. Dunstan's church in Fleet street in the body of the said church under the piewes towards the gallery on the north side, i.e., under the piewes (alias hoggsties) of the north side of the middle aisle (what pitty 'tis so great an ornament of the citty should be buryed so obscurely!), aetatis anno 54º.

Was borne in Burchin lane, at the 7 Starres, in St. Michael's Cornhill parish, at which place he continued his trade till about 2 yeares since.

{1. Political}
His 'Observations on the bills of mortality {2. . . . . . }'
{3. . . . . . }

hath been printed more then once; and now very scarce.

He wrott some 'Observations on the advance of the excise,' not printed; and intended to have writt more of the bills of mortality; and also intended to have written something of religion.

He was by trade a haberdasher of small wares, but was free of the drapers' company. A man generally beloved; a faythfull friend. Often chosen for his prudence and justnes to be an arbitrator; and he was a great peace-maker. He had an excellent working head, and was very facetious and fluent in his conversation.

He had gonne thorough all the offices of the city so far as common councill man. He was common councill man two yeares. Captaine of the trayned band, severall yeares: major of it, two or three yeares, and then layd downe trade and all other publique employment for his religion, being a Roman Catholique.

Ex MSS. patris ejus:—'My son, John Graunt, was borne 24th day of April halfe an howre before 8 a clock on a Monday morning anno Domini 1620.'

He was my honoured and worthy friend—cujus animae propitietur Deus, Amen.

His death is lamented by all good men that had the happinesse to knowe him; and a great number of ingeniose persons attended him to his grave. Among others, with teares, was that ingeniose great virtuoso, Sir William Petty, his old and intimate acquaintance, who was sometime a student at Brase-nose College.

Edward Greaves (1608-1680).

Sir Edward Greaves, M.D., obiit Thursday November 11, 1680 in Convent Garden; buried in the church there.

Scripsit Morbus epidemicus, or the new desease, 4to, stitch't, printed at Oxford about 1643.

Port<avit> 'gules, an eagle displayed or, crowned argent.'

... Gregory.

... Gregorie, famous peruq-maker, buryed at St. Clement Danes church dore west. Quaere inscription in rythme from baron Gregory, baron of the exchequer.

Vide Cotgrave's french dictionary ubi peruqes are called Gregorians.

Peruques not commonly worne till 1660. Memorandum there was one Gregorie in the Strand that was the first famous periwig-maker; and they were then called Gregorians (mentioned in Cotgrave's Dictionarie in verbo perruque). He lies buried by the west church-dore of St. Clements Danes, where he had an inscription which mentioned it. 'Twas in verse and Sir William Gregorie (one of the Barons of the Exchequer) read and told it me. Quaere of him + de hoc.

Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-1579).

Memorandum:—Mr. Shirman, the attorney, at Inneholders-hall, hath a copie of Sir Thomas Gresham's will, which procure.

Fulke Greville, lord Brooke (1554-1628). Robert Greville, lord Brooke (1607-1642/3).

Sir Fulke Greville, lord Brokes, adopted a parke-keeper's sonne his heire, who (I thinke) had but one eie: vide de hoc in Dr. Heylen's Historie of the church of England ... Vide Sir William Davenant's life in part 1st <i.e. in MS. Aubr. 6>.

Poems, in folio, London, printed....

'The life of the renowned Sir Philip Sidney, with the true Interest of England, as it then stood in relation to all Forrain Princes: And particularly for suppressing the power of Spain, stated by him. Written by Sir Fulke Grevil, knight, lord Brook, a servant to Queen Elisabeth, and his companion and friend. London, printed for H. Seile, over against St. Dunstan's church, in Fleet-street, M.DC.LII.'

Vide in Sir William Dugdale's Warwickshire his noble castle, and monument with this inscription: 'Here lies the body of Sir Fulke Grevile knight servant to Q. Eliz., counsellor to King James, and friend to Sir Philip Sidney.'

<Robert Greville, second> lord Brookes, was maried to <Catherine Russell> daughter of the earle of Bedford. He was killed at the siege of Lichfield, March the 2d (St. Chad's day, to whom the Church is dedicated) <1642/3> by a minister's sonne, borne deafe and dumbe, out of the church. He was armed cap à pied; only his bever was open. I was then at Trinity College in Oxon. and doe perfectly remember the story.

The lord Brookes, that was killed at Lichfield, printed a booke about Religion, a little before the civill warres, by the same token that in <a> song on the Lords then, his <character> was:—'Brook is a foole in print.'

Peter Gunning (1614-1684).

... Gunning, episcopus Eliensis;—his father was a minister in the Wild of Kent; and 'tis thought he was borne there, scil. at Brenchley.

Edmund Gunter (1581-1626).

Mr. Edmund Gunter:—for his birth, etc., see in Antiq. Oxon. <by> A. Wood.

Captain Ralph Gretorex, mathematical instrument maker in London, sayd that he was the first that brought mathematicall instruments to perfection. His booke of the quadrant, sector, and crosse-staffe did open men's understandings and made young men in love with that studie. Before, the mathematical sciences were lock't up in the Greeke and Latin tongues and so lay untoucht, kept safe in some libraries. After Mr. Gunter published his booke, these sciences sprang up amain, more and more to that height it is at now (1690).

When he was a student at Christ Church, it fell to his lott to preach the Passion sermon, which some old divines that I knew did heare, but they sayd that 'twas sayd of him then in the University that our Saviour never suffered so much since his passion as in that sermon, it was such a lamentable one—

Non omnia possumus omnes.

The world is much beholding to him for what he hath donne well.

Gunter is originally a Brecknockshire family, of Tregunter. They came thither under the conduct of Sir Bernard Newmarch when he made the conquest of that county (Camden).—'Aubrey, Gunter, Waldbeof, Havard, Pichard' (which is falsely express'd in all Mr. Camden's bookes, scil. Prichard, which is non-sense).

John Guy (15..-1628).

Memorandum:—... Guy, alderman of Bristoll, was the wisest man of his time in that city. He was as their oracle and they chose him for one of their representatives to sitt in Parliament.

'Twas he that brought in the <bill> for lowering of interest from ten in the hundred to eight per centum.

... Gwyn.

Surlinesse and inurbanitie too common in England: chastise these very severely.

A better instance of a squeamish and disobligeing, slighting, insolent, proud, fellow, perhaps cant be found then in ... Gwin, the earl of Oxford's secretary. No reason satisfies him, but he overweenes, and cutts some sower faces that would turne the milke in a faire ladie's breast.

William Habington (1605-1645).

William Habington, of Hindlip in Worcestershire, esq., maried Luce, daughter of William <Herbert>, lord Powes, 1634, as by the Worcestershire Visitation it appeares.

He was a very learned gentleman, author of a poem called Castara. He wrote a live of one of the kings of England.

Sir Matthew Hale (1609-1676).

Judge Hale's accidents.

1609, natus, November 1st, in the evening, his father then being at his prayers.

1612, death of his mother, April 23.

1614, his father dyed, moneth not known.

1625, went to Oxon to Magdalen Hall; vide A. Wood's History of Oxon when matriculated.

1628, admitted of the society of Lincolne's Inne, November 8.

1636, this yeare called to the barre, quaere in what terme.

1640, maried the first time. He was a great cuckold.

1656, his second mariage to his servant mayd, Mary.

1660, made Lord Chief Baron.

1671, Lord Chiefe Justice of England, 18 May.

1676, Christmas day, he dyed.

Sir Matthew Hales, Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, was borne at Alderley in com. Glouc., November 1st, 1609; christned the 5th. Quaere Mr. Edward Stephens horam, for he has it exactly. When his mother fell in labour, his father was offering up his evening sacrifice.

That incomparable man for goodnes and universality of learning, Sir Matthew Hales, Lord Chief Justice of England, hath writt the description of Gloucestershire, an elaborate piece, and ready for the presse. The transcripts of the Tower for it cost him 40 li.

John Hales (1584-1656).

Mr. John Hales, ..., was borne at Wells, I thinke I have heard Mr. John Sloper say (vicar of Chalke; his mother was Mr. Hales's sister, and he bred him at Eaton).

His father was a steward to the family of the Horners:—

Hopton, Horner, Smyth, and Thynne,
When abbots went out, they came in.

Went to school, at Bath (as I take it). Fellow of Merton Colledge. Assisted Sir Henry Savill in his edition of Chrysostome (cum aliis). Afterwards fellow of Eaton College.

Went chaplain to Sir Dudley Carlton (ambassador to ...). I thinke was at the Synod of Dort.

When the Court was at Windsor, the learned courtiers much delighted <in> his company, and were wont to grace him with their company.

I have heard his nephew, Mr. Sloper, say, that he much loved to read ... Stephanus, who was a familist, I thinke that first wrote of that sect of the Familie of Love: he was mightily taken with it, and was wont to say that sometime or other those fine notions would take in the world. He was one of the first Socinians in England, I thinke the first.

He was a generall scolar, and I beleeve a good poet: for Sir John Suckling brings him into the Session of the Poets:

'Little Hales all the time did nothing but smile,
To see them, about nothing, keepe such a coile.'

He had a noble librarie of bookes, and those judicially chosen, which cost him ... li. (quaere Mr. Sloper); and which he sold to Cornelius Bee, bookeseller, in Little Britaine, (as I take it, for 1000 li.) which was his maintenance after he was ejected out of his fellowship at Eaton College. He had then only reserved some few for his private use, to wind-up his last dayes withall.

The ladie Salter (neer Eaton) was very kind to him after the sequestration; he was very welcome to her ladyship, and spent much of his time there. At Eaton he lodged (after his sequestration) at the next house <to> the Christopher (inne), where I sawe him, a prettie little man, sanguine, of a cheerfull countenance, very gentile, and courteous; I was recieved by him with much humanity: he was in a kind of violet-colourd cloath gowne, with buttons and loopes (he wore not a black gowne), and was reading Thomas à Kempis; it was within a yeare before he deceased. He loved Canarie; but moderately, to refresh his spirits.

He had a bountifull mind. I remember in 1647, a little after the Visitation, when Thomas Mariett, esq., Mr. William Radford, and Mr. Edward Wood (all of Trinity College) had a frolique from Oxon to London, on foot, having never been there before, they happened to take Windsore in their way, made their addresse to this good gentleman, being then fellow. Mr. Edward Wood was the spookes-man, remonstrated that they were Oxon scholars: he treated them well, and putt into Mr. Wood's hands ten shillings.

He lies buried in the church yard at Eaton, under an altar monument of black marble, erected at the sole chardge of Mr. ... Curwyn, with a too long epitaph. He was no kiff or kin to him.

Mr. John Hales dyed at Mris Powney's house, a widow-woman, in Eaton, opposite to the churchyard, adjoyning to the Christopher Inne southwards. 'Tis the howse where I sawe him.

She is a very good woman and of a gratefull spirit. She told me that when she was maried, Mr. Hales was very bountifull to them in helping them to live in the world. She was very gratefull to him and respectfull to him.

She told me that Mr. Hales was the common godfather there, and 'twas pretty to see, as he walked to Windsor, how his godchildren asked him blessing. When he was bursar, he still gave away all his groates for the acquittances to his godchildren; and by that time he came to Windsor bridge, he would have never a groate left.

This Mris Powney assures me that the poor were more relieveable, that is to say, that he recieved more kindnesse from them than from the rich. That that I putt downe of my lady Salter (sister to Brian Duppa, bishop of Sarum), from his nephew <John> Sloper, vicar of Chalke, is false. She had him to her house indeed, but 'twas to teach her sonne, who was such a blockhead he could not read well.

Cornelius Bee bought his library for 700 li., which cost him not lesse then 2,500 li. Mris Powney told me that she was much against the sale of 'em, because she knew it was his life and joy.

He might have been restored to his fellowship again, but he would not accept the offer. He was not at all covetous, and desired only to leave x li. to bury him.

He bred-up our vicar, [Sloper], who, she told me, never sent him a token; and he is angry with her, thinks he left her too much.

She is a woman primitively good, and deserves to be remembred. I wish I had her Christian name. Her husband has an inscription on a gravestone in Eaton College chapel towards the south wall.

She has a handsome darke old-fashioned howse. The hall, after the old fashion, above the wainscot, painted cloath, with godly sentences out of the Psalmes, etc., according to the pious custome of old times; a convenient garden and orchard. She has been handsome: a good understanding, and cleanlie.

Joseph Hall (1574-1656).

Joseph Hall, bishop of Exon, etc.: he was a keeper's son in Norfolke (I thinke, neer Norwich).—From old Mr. Theophilus Woodenoth.

He wrote most of his fine discourses at Worcester, when he was deane there.—From Mr. Francis Potter, who went to schole there.

Monsieur Balzac exceedingly admired him and often quotes him: vide Balzac's Apologie.

Edmund Halley (1656-1741/2).

Mr. Edmund Hally, astronomer, born October 29, 1656, London—this nativity I had from Mr. Hally himself.

Mr. Edmund Halley, Artium Magister, the eldest son of <Edmund> Halley, a soape-boyler, a wealthy citizen of the city of London; of the Halleys, of Derbyshire, a good family.

He was born in Shoreditch parish, at a place called Haggerston, the backside of Hogsdon.

At 9 yeares old, his father's apprentice taught him to write, and arithmetique. He went to Paule's schoole to Dr. Gale: while he was there he was very perfect in the Caelestiall Globes insomuch that I heard Mr. Moxon (the globe-maker) say that if a star were misplaced in the globe, he would presently find it.

At ... he studyed Geometry, and at 16 could make a dyall, and then, he said, thought himselfe a brave fellow.

At <16> went to Queen's Colledge in Oxon, well versed in Latin, Greeke, and Hebrew: where, at the age of nineteen, he solved this useful probleme in astronomie, never donne before, ☞ viz. 'from 3 distances given from the sun, and angles between, to find the orbe' (mentioned in the Philosophicall Transactions, Aug. or Sept. 1676, No. 115), for which his name will be ever famous.

Anno Domini ... tooke his degree of Bacc. Art.; Anno Domini ... tooke his degree of Master of Arts.

Anno ... left Oxon, and lived at London with his father till <1676>; at which time he gott leave, and a viaticum of his father, to goe to the Island of Sancta Hellena, purely upon the account of advancement in Astronomy, to make the globe of the Southerne Hemisphere right, which before was very erroneous, as being donne only after the observations of ignorant seamen. There he stayed ... moneths. There went over with him (amongst others) a woman ... yeares old, and her husband ... old, who had no child in ... yeares; before he came from the island, she was brought to bed of a child. At his returne, he presented his Planisphere, with a short description, to his majesty who was very well pleased with it; but received nothing but prayse.

I have often heard him say that if his majestie would be but only at the chardge of sending out a ship, he would take the longitude and latitude, right ascensions and declinations of ... southern fixed starres.

Anno 1678, he added a spectacle-glasse to the shadowe-vane of the lesser arch of the sea-quadrant (or back-staffe); which is of great use, for that that spott of light will be manifest when you cannot see any shadowe.

He went to Dantzick to visit Hevelius, Anno 167-.

December 1st, 1680, went to Paris.

Edmund Haley:—cardinall d'Estrée caressed him and sent him to his brother the admirall with a lettre of recommendation.—He hath contracted an acquaintance and friendship with all the eminentst mathematicians of France and Italie, and holds a correspondence with them.

He returned into England, Januarii 24º, 1681/2.

Quaere Mr. Partridge of his Directio mortis, scilicet about 35 aetatis.

<Quaere> Edmund Halley who cutts his schemes in wood? they are well.

<David> Loggan informes me that one ... Edwards, the manciple of ... College Oxon, doth cut in wood very well.

Baldwin Hamey (1600-1676).

In the midd aisle (or nave) of Chelsey church, a faire flat marble grave-stone:—

The return of Baldwin Hamey, Dr. of Physick, on the 14 of May being Whitsunday in the yeare of our Lord 1676 and in the 76th yeare of his age.

Psalm 146, vers. 4.

His breath goeth, etc.

William Harcourt (1610-1679).

Father Harcourt—he told me that he was of the familie of Stanton Harcourt, A.D. 1650. He was confessor, and afterwards co-executor, to the lady Inglefield.

Petrification of a kidney. When father Harcourt suffered at Tyburne, and his bowells, etc. throwne into the fire, a butcher's boy standing by was resolved to have a piece of his kidney which was broyling in the fire. He burn't his fingers much, but he got it; and one ... Roydon, a brewer in Southwark, bought it, a kind of Presbyterian. The wonder is, 'tis now absolutely petrified: I have seen it. He much values it.

Mr. Roydon, brewer in Southwarke (opposite the Temple), haz the piece of Father Harcourt's kidney which was snatcht out of the fire, and now petrified and very hard. But 'twas not so hard when he first had it. It being alwayes carried in the pocket hardened by degrees better then by the fire—like an agate polished.

Thomas Hariot (1560-1621).

Mr. Thomas Hariot—from Dr. John Pell, March 31, 1680. Dr. Pell knowes not what countreyman he was (but an Englishman he was)—[There is a place in Kent called Harriot's-ham, now my lord Wotton's; and in Wostershire in the parish of Droytwich is a fine seat called Harriots, late the seate of Chiefe Baron Wyld.]

He thinkes he dyed about the time he (Dr. Pell) went to Cambridge. He sayes my lord John Vaughan can enforme me, and haz a copie of his will: which vide.

Mr. Thomas Hariot—Mr. Elias Ashmole thinkes he was a Lancashire man: Mr. <John> Flamsted promised me to enquire of Mr. Townley.

☞ I very much desire to find his buriall: he was not buryed in the Tower chapelle.

Mr. Thomas Harriot:—Memorandum:—Sir Robert Moray (from Francis Stuart), declared at the Royal Society—'twas when the comet appeared before the Dutch warre—that Sir Francis had heard Mr. Harriot say that he had seen nine cometes, and had predicted seaven of them, but did not tell them how. 'Tis very strange: excogitent astronomi.

Mr. Hariot went with Sir Walter Ralegh into Virginia, and haz writt the Description of Virginia, which is printed.

Dr. Pell tells me that he finds amongst his papers (which are now, 1684, in Dr. Busby's hands), an alphabet that he had contrived for the American language, like Devills.

He wrote a Description of Virginia, which is since printed in Mr. Purchas's Pilgrims.

Vide Mr. Glanvill's Moderne Improvement of Usefull Knowledge, where he makes mention of Mr. Thomas Harriot, pag. 33.

When <Henry Percy, ninth> earle of Northumberland, and Sir Walter Ralegh were both prisoners in the Tower, they grew acquainted, and Sir Walter Raleigh recommended Mr. Hariot to him, and the earle setled an annuity of two hundred pounds a yeare on him for his life, which he enjoyed. But to Hues (who wrote De Usu Globorum) and to Mr. Warner he gave an annuity but of sixty pounds per annum. These 3 were usually called the earle of Northumberland's three Magi. They had a table at the earle's chardge, and the earle himselfe had them to converse with, singly or together.

He was a great acquaintance of Master ... Ailesbury, to whom Dr. Corbet sent a letter in verse, Dec. 9, 1618, when the great blazing starre appeared,—

'Now for the peace of God<s> and men advise,
(Thou that hast wherwithall to make us wise),
Thine owne rich studies and deepe Harriot's mine,
In which there is no drosse but all refine.'

<Vide> Dr. Corbet's poems.

The bishop of Sarum (Seth Ward) told me that one Mr. Haggar (a countryman of his), a gentleman and good mathematician, was well acquainted with Mr. Thomas Hariot, and was wont to say, that he did not like (or valued not) the old storie of the Creation of the World. He could not beleeve the old position; he would say ex nihilo nihil fit. But sayd Mr. Haggar, a nihilum killed him at last: for in the top of his nose came a little red speck (exceeding small), which grew bigger and bigger, and at last killed him. I suppose it was that which the chirurgians call a noli me tangere.

Mr. Hariot dyed of an ulcer in his lippe or tongue—vide Dr. Read's Chirurgery, where he mentions him as his patient, in the treatise of ulcers (or cancers).

The Workes of Dr. Alexander Reade, printed, London, 1650; in the treatise of Ulcers, p. 248. 'Cancrous ulcers (ozana) also seise on this part. This griefe hastened the end of that famous mathematician Mr. Hariot with whom I was acquainted but short time before his death; whom at one time, together with Mr. Hughes (who wrote of the globes), Mr. Warner, and Mr. Torporley, the noble earle of Northumberland, the favourer of all good learning and Maecenas of learned men, maintained while he was in the Tower, for their worth and various literature.'

He made a philosophicall theologie, wherin he castoff the Old Testament, and then the New one would (consequently) have no foundation. He was a Deist. His doctrine he taught to Sir Walter Raleigh, Henry, earle of Northumberland, and some others. The divines of those times look't on his manner of death as a judgement upon him for nullifying the Scripture.

Ex Catalogo librorum impressorum bibl. Bodleianae in Academia Oxoniensi, Oxon., MDCLXXIV:—

Thomas Hariot:—Historia Virginiae, cum iconibus, Lat. per C. C. A. edita per Th. de Bry, Franc. 1590 (A. 8. 7. Art).

—Same in English, Lond. 1588 (E. 1. 25. Art. Seld.).

Thomas Hariotus:—Artis analyticae praxis ad aequationes Algebraicas resolvendas, Lond. 1631 (F. 2. 12. Art. Seld.).

Sir Edward Harley (1624-1700).

Sir Edward Harley, knight of the Bath, was borne at his castle of Brampton Bryan in Herefordshire. He was of Magdalen Hall, Oxon; was governor of Dunkirke for his majestie king Charles 2d, where he then sounded that sea from Graveling to Newport—which notes he haz by him—of great use to seamen because of the shelves.

Sir Robert Harley (1580-1656).

Old Sir Robert Harley translated all the Psalmes very well. He was of Oriell College.

Sir Robert Harley (1626-1673).

Sir Robert Harley, second sonne of Sir Robert Harley of Brampton-Bryan, told me that he was borne the morning that my Lord Chancellour Bacon dyed (9º Aprilis); sed quaere, et vide his picture if 'twas not the 6th.

He maried....

He dyed at Brampton-Brian 16 Nov. Sunday, 6h A.M., anno Domini 1673.

James Harrington (1611/2-1677).

James Harrington, esq.—he was borne the first Fryday in January Anno Domini 1611, near Northampton. Quaere Mr. Marvell's epitaph on him.

James Harrington, esq., borne the first Fryday in January 1611, neer Northampton; the son of [Sir Sapcote] Harrington of ... in the countie of ..., by
..., daughter of Sir ... Samuel, was borne at [Upton]
(Sir ... Samuel's house in Northamptonshire) anno....

He was a <gentleman> commoner of Trinity Colledge in Oxford. He travelled France, Italie, and the Netherlands. His genius lay chiefly towards the politiques and democraticall goverment.

He was much respected by the queen of Bohemia, who was bred up by the lord Harrington's lady, and she owned the kindnes of the family.

Anno 1647, if not 6, he was by order of Parliament made one of his Majestie's Bedchamber, at Holmeby, &c. The king loved his company; only he would not endure to heare of a Commonwealth: and Mr. Harington passionately loved his majestie. Mr. Harrington and the king often disputed about goverment. He was on the scaffold with the king when he was beheaded; and I have at these meetings oftentimes heard him speake of king Charles I with the greatest zeale and passion imaginable, and that his death gave him so great griefe that he contracted a disease by it; that never any thing did goe so neer to him. Memorandum:—Mr. <Thomas> Herbert, the traveller, was th' other of his Bedchamber by order of Parliament, and was also on the scaffold. He gave them both there some watches: vide Speech.

He made severall essayes in Poetry, viz. love-verses, &c., and translated ... booke of Virgill's Æn.; but his muse was rough, and Mr. Henry Nevill, an ingeniose and well-bred gentleman, a member of the House of Commons, and an excellent (but concealed) poet, was his great familiar and confident friend, and disswaded him from tampering in poetrie which he did invitâ Minervâ, and to improve his proper talent, viz. Politicall Reflections.

Whereupon he writ his Oceana, printed London <1656>. Mr. T. Hobbes was wont to say that Henry Nevill had a finger in that pye; and 'tis like enough. That ingeniose tractat, together with his and H. Nevill's smart discourses and inculcations, dayly at coffee-houses, made many proselytes.

In so much that, anno 1659, the beginning of Michaelmas-terme, he had every night a meeting at the (then) Turke's head, in the New Pallace-yard, where they take water, the next house to the staires, at one Miles's, where was made purposely a large ovall-table, with a passage in the middle for Miles to deliver his Coffee. About it sate his disciples, and the virtuosi. The discourses in this kind were the most ingeniose, and smart, that ever I heard, or expect to heare, and ban<i>ed with great eagernesse: the arguments in the Parliament howse were but flatt to it.

He now printed a little pamphlet (4to) called Divers modells of Popular Government, printed by Daniel Jakeman; and then his partie desired him to print another little pamphlet called The Rota, 4to.

Here we had (very formally) a ballotting-box, and balloted how things should be caried, by way of tentamens. The room was every evening full as it could be cramm'd. I cannot now recount the whole number:—

Mr. Cyriack Skinner, an ingeniose young gentleman, scholar to John Milton, was chaire-man. There was Mr. Henry Nevill; major John Wildman; Mr. <Charles> Woo<l>seley, of ..., Staffordshire; Mr. <Roger> Coke, grandson of Sir Edward; Sir William Poultney (chaireman); [Sir1082 John Hoskins; J<ames> Arderne;] Mr. Maximilian Petty, a very able man in these matters, and who had more then once turn'd the councill-board of Oliver Cromwell, his kinsman; Mr. Michael Malett; Mr. <Philip> Carteret, of Garnesey; <Francis> Cradoc, a merchant; Mr. Henry Ford; major ... Venner; Mr. Edward Bagshaw; [Thomas Mariet, esq.;] <William> Croon, M.D.; cum multis aliis now slipt out of my memorie.

<Besides> which were, as auditors, severall, e.g. the earle Tirconnel; Sir John Penruddock; etc.; Mr. John Birkenhead; as myselfe.

... Stafford, esq., as antagonists.

Several officers.

We many times adjourned to the Rhenish-wine howse. One time Mr. Stafford and his gang came in, in drink, from the taverne, and affronted the Junto (Mr. Stafford tore their orders and minutes). The soldiers offerd to kick them downe stayres, but Mr. Harrington's moderation and persuasion hindred it.

The doctrine was very taking, and the more because, as to human foresight, there was no possibility of the king's returne. But the greatest part of the Parliament-men perfectly hated this designe of rotation by ballotting; for they were cursed tyrants, and in love with their power, and 'twas death to them, except 8 or 10, to admitt of this way, for H. Nevill proposed it in the Howse, and made it out to them, that except they embraced that modell of goverment they would be ruind—sed quos perdere vult Jupiter etc., hos, &c.

Pride of senators for life is insufferable; and they were able to grind any one they owed ill will to to powder; they were hated by the armie and their countrey they represented, and their name and memorie stinkes—'twas worse then tyranny. Now this modell upon rotation was:—that the third part of the Senate should rote out by ballot every yeare, so that every ninth yeare the Howse would be wholly alterd; no magistrate to continue above 3 yeares, and all to be chosen by ballot, then which manner of choice, nothing can be invented more faire and impartiall.

Well: this meeting continued Novemb., Dec., Jan., till Febr. 20 or 21; and then, upon the unexpected turne upon generall Monke's comeing-in, all these aierie modells vanished. Then 'twas not fitt, nay treason, to have donne such; but I well remember, he severall times (at the breaking-up) sayd, 'Well, the king will come in. Let him come-in, and call a Parliament of the greatest Cavaliers in England, so they be men of estates, and let them sett but 7 yeares, and they will all turn Common-wealthe's men.'

He was wont to find fault with the constitution of our goverment, that 'twas by jumps, and told a story of a cavaliero he sawe at the Carnival in Italie, who rode on an excellent managed horse that with a touch of his toe would jumpe quite round. One side of his habit was Spanish, the other French; which sudden alteration of the same person pleasantly surprized the spectators. 'Just so,' said he, ''tis with us. When no Parliament, then absolute monarchie; when a Parliament, then it runnes to Commonwealth.'

Anno Domini 1660, he was committed prisoner to the Tower, where he was kept ...; then to Portsey castle. His durance in these prisons (he being a gentleman of a high spirit and hot head) was the procatractique cause of his deliration or madnesse; which was not outragious, for he would discourse rationally enough and be very facetious company, but he grew to have a phancy that his perspiration turned to flies, and sometimes to bees—ad cætera sobrius; and he had a timber versatile built in Mr. Hart's garden (opposite to St. James's parke) to try the experiment. He would turne it to the sun, and sitt towards it; then he had his fox-tayles there to chase away and massacre all the flies and bees that were to be found there, and then shutt his chassees. Now this experiment was only to be tryed in warme weather, and some flies would lye so close in the cranies and the cloath (with which it was hung) that they would not presently shew themselves. A quarter of an hower after perhaps, a fly or two, or more, might be drawen-out of the lurking holes by the warmeth; and then he would crye out, 'Doe not you see it apparently that these come from me?' 'Twas the strangest sort of madnes that ever I found in any one: talke of any thing els, his discourse would be very ingeniose and pleasant.

Anno ... he married to his old sweet-heart Mris ... Dayrell, of ..., a comely and discreete ladie. The motto to his seale, which was party per pale baron et femme Harrington and Dayrell was.... It happening so, from some private reasons, that he could not enjoy his deare in the flower and heate of his youth, he would never lye with her, but loved and admired her dearly: for she was vergentibus annis when he maried her, and had lost her sweetenesse.

He was of a middling stature, well-trussed man, strong and thick, well-sett, sanguine, quick-hott-fiery hazell eie, thick moyst curled haire, as you may see by his picture. In his conversation very friendly, and facetious, and hospitable.

For above twenty yeares before he died (except his imprisonment) he lived in the Little-Ambry (a faire house on the left hand), which lookes into the Deane's-yard in Westminster. In the upper story he had a pretty gallery, which looked into the yard (over ... court) where he commonly dined, and meditated, and tooke his tobacco.

His amici were:—Henry Nevill, esq., who never forsooke him to his dyeing day. Though a whole yeare before he died, his memorie and discourse were taken away by a disease ('twas asad sight to see such a sample of mortality, in one whom I lately knew, a brisque, lively cavaliero), this gentleman, whom I must never forget for his constant friendship, payd his visits as duly and respectfully as when his friend (J. H.) was in the prime of his understanding—a true friend.

----Mr. Andrew Marvell, who made an epitaph for him, which quaere.

—His uncle, ... Samuel, esq.;

—his son, Mr. ... Samuel, an excellent architect, that has built severall delicate howses (Sir Robert Henley's, Sir Thomas Grosvenor's in Cheshire);

—Sir Thomas Dolman;

—Mr. Roger L'Estrange;

—Dr. John Pell;

—J. A.

He was wont to say that 'Right reason in contemplation is vertue in action, et vice versa. Vivere secundum naturam is to live vertuously, the Divines will not have it so'; and that 'when the Divines would have us be an inch above vertue, we fall an ell belowe it.'

These verses he made, about anno ..., ....

[Upon the state of nature.

The state of nature never was so raw,
But oakes bore acornes and ther was a law
By which the spider and the silkeworme span;
Each creature had her birthright, and must man
Be illegitimate! have no child's parte!
If reason had no wit, how came in arte?
ingenium i.e. quoddam ingenitum.]

By Mr. James Harrington, esq., autor Oceanae, whose handwriting this is.

Hic jacet | Jacobus Harrington, armiger | filius maximus natu | Sapcotis Harrington de Rand | in comitatu Lincolniae, equitis aurati | et Janae (matris ejus) filiae | Gulielmi Samuel de Upton in | comitatu Northampton, militis | qui | obiit septimo die Septembris | aetatis suae sexagesimo sexto | anno Domini 1677. | Nec virtutis nec animi dotes | arrha licet aeterni in animam amoris Dei | corruptione eximere queant corpus | Gen. iii. 19 | Pulveris enim es et reverteris | in pulverem |:—

author of the Oceana—he lyes buried in the chancell of St. Margarite's Church at Westminster, the next grave to the illustrious Sir Walter Raleigh, under the south side of the altar where the priest stands.

☞ Pray remember to looke upon Mr. James Harrington's life: upon my alterations there. It was a philosophicall or politicall club, where gentlemen came at night to divert themselves with political discourse, and to see the way of balloting. It began at Miles's coffee-house about the middle of Michaelmas-terme, and was given over upon general Monke's comeing-in.

Sir John Hoskyns, etc., deane Arderne, etc., would not like to have their names seen.

Samuel Hartlib (16..-1670).

In MS. Aubr. 22 (Aubrey's collection of Grammars) is a tract:—

'The true and ready way to learne the Latine tongue,' by Samuel Hartlib, esq., Lond. 1654, with the inscription 'Jo. Aubrey, dedit S. Hartlib, 1654.'

William Harvey (1578-1657).

William Harvey, M.D., natus at Folkestone in Kent: borne at the house which is now the post-house, a faire stone-built house, which he gave to Caius College in Cambridge, with some lands there: vide his will. His brother Eliab would have given any money or exchange for it, because 'twas his father's, and they all borne there; but the Doctor (truly) thought his memory would better be preserved this way, for his brother has left noble seates, and about 3000 li. per annum, at least.

Hemsted in Essex towards Audeley End: ibi sepultus Dr. Harvey.

Quaere Mr. <William> Marshall, the stone-cutter, for the inscription in the church there.

Quaere Mr. Marshall in Fetterlane for the copie of the inscription on his monument in Essex.

Dr. W. Harvey: <ask his> epitaph <from> Mr. Marshall.—Quaere Anthony Wood if there is a MS. in bibl. Bodleiana that speakes of the circulation of the bloud: Dr. <Luke> Ridgeley and Dr. Trowtbec can enforme me from Meredith Lloyd.—Memorandum, Mr. Parker tells me that Mr. <John> Oliver, the City surveyor, had his father Marshall's inscriptions and papers; ergo vide there for the Doctor's inscription and also for the inscription of Inigo Jones.

Dr. William Harvey—ex libro meo B.

Over Dr. Harvey's picture in the great parlour under the library at the Physitians' College at Amen-corner (burnt):—

Gul. Harveus, an. aetat. 10, in Schola Cantuar. primis doctrinae rudimentis imbutus; 14, Col. Gonvil. et Caii alumnus; 19, peragravit Galliam et Italiam; 23, Patavii praeceptores habuit Eust. Rudium, Tho. Minad., H. Fab. ab Aquapend., Consul Anglor. 16 fit; 24, Doctor Med. et Chirurg. Reversus Lond. praxin exercuit, et uxorem duxit; 25, Coll. Med. Socius; 37, Anatom. et Chirurg. Professor; 54, Medicus Regius factus. Scripsit de Motu Sanguinis, et de Gen. Animal. Obiit 30 Jun. MDCLVII. Aetat. 80.

—(But I well remember that Dr. Alsop, at his funerall, sayd that he was 80, wanting one; and that he was the eldest of 9 brethren.)

He lies buried in a vault at Hempsted in Essex, which his brother Eliab Harvey built; he is lapt in lead, and on his brest in great letters

Dr. William Harvey.

I was at his funerall, and helpt to carry him into the vault.

In the library at the Physitians' Colledge was the following inscription above his statue (which was in his doctorall robes):—

Gul. Harveus, natus A.D. 1578, Apr. 2. Folkston, in Com. Cantii, primogenitus Thomae Harvei et Joannae Halk: fratres germani, Tho. Jo. Dan. Eliab. Mich. Mat.: sorores, Sarah, Amey.

Under his white marble statue, on the pedestall, thus,

Gulielmo Harveo,
Viro
Monumentis suis immortali,
Hoc insuper
Coll. Med. Lond.
Posuit.

Qui enim Sanguin. Motum
(ut et Animal. Ortum) dedit
meruit esse
Stator Perpetuus.

Dr. Harvey added (or was very bountifull in contributing to) a noble building of Roman architecture (of rustique worke, with Corinthian pillasters) at the Physitians' College aforesaid, viz. a great parlour for the Fellowes to meet in, belowe; and a library, above. On the outside on the freeze, in letters 3 inches long, is this inscription:—

Suasu et Cura Fran. Prujeani, Præsidis, et Edmundi Smith, Elect., inchoata et perfecta est hæc fabrica. An. MIƆDCLIII.

All these remembrances and building was destroyed by the generall fire.

He was alwayes very contemplative, and the first that I heare of that was curious in anatomie in England. He had made dissections of frogges, toades, and a number of other animals, and had curious observations on them, which papers, together with his goods, in his lodgings at Whitehall, were plundered at the beginning of the Rebellion, he being for the king, and with him at Oxon; but he often sayd, that of all the losses he sustained, no greife was so crucifying to him as the losse of these papers, which for love or money he could never retrive or obtaine. When Charles I by reason of the tumults left London, he attended him, and was at the fight of Edge-hill with him; and during the fight, the Prince and duke of Yorke were committed to his care: he told me that he withdrew with them under a hedge, and tooke out of his pockett a booke and read; but he had not read very long before a bullet of a great gun grazed on the ground neare him, which made him remove his station. He told me that Sir Adrian Scrope was dangerously wounded there, and left for dead amongst the dead men, stript; which happened to be the saving of his life. It was cold, cleer weather, and a frost that night; which staunched his bleeding, and about midnight, or some houres after his hurt, he awaked, and was faine to drawe a dead body upon him for warmeth-sake.

After Oxford was surrendred, which was 24 July 1646, he came to London, and lived with his brother Eliab a rich merchant in London, on ... hill, opposite to St. Lawrence (Poultry) church, where was then a high leaden steeple (there were but two, viz. this and St. Dunstan's in the East) and at his brother's country house at Roe-hampton.

His brother Eliab bought, about 1654, Cockaine-house, now(1680) the Excise-Office, a noble house, where the Doctor was wont to contemplate on the leads of the house, and had his severall stations, in regard of the sun, or wind.

He did delight to be in the darke, and told me he could then best contemplate. He had a house heretofore at Combe, in Surrey, a good aire and prospect, where he had caves made in the earth, in which in summer time he delighted to meditate.—He was pretty well versed in the Mathematiques, and had made himselfe master of Mr. Oughtred's Clavis Math. in his old age; and I have seen him perusing it, and working problems, not long before he dyed, and that booke was alwayes in his meditating apartment.

His chamber was that roome that is now the office of Elias Ashmole, esq.; where he dyed, being taken with the dead palsye, which tooke away his speech. As soone as he sawe he was attaqued, he presently sent for his brother, and nephews, and gave one a watch, another another thing, etc., as remembrances of him. He dyed worth 20,000 li. which he left to his brother Eliab. In his will he left his old friend Mr. Thomas Hobbes 10 li. as a token of his love.

His sayings.—He was wont to say that man was but a great mischievous baboon.

He would say, that we Europaeans knew not how to order or governe our woemen, and that the Turkes were the only people used them wisely.

He was far from bigotry.

He had been physitian to the Lord Chancellor Bacon, whom he esteemed much for his witt and style, but would not allow him to be a great philosopher. 'He writes philosophy like a Lord Chancelor,' said he to me, speaking in derision; 'I have cured him.'

About 1649 he travelled again into Italy, Dr. George (now Sir George) Ent, then accompanying him.

At Oxford, he grew acquainted with Dr. Charles Scarborough, then a young physitian (since by king Charles II knighted), in whose conversation he much delighted; and wheras before, hemarched up and downe with the army, he tooke him to him and made him ly in his chamber, and said to him, 'Prithee leave off thy gunning, and stay here; I will bring thee into practice.'

I remember he kept a pretty young wench to wayte on him, which I guesse he made use of for warmeth-sake as king David did, and tooke care of her in his will, as also of his man servant.

For 20 yeares before he dyed he tooke no manner of care about his worldly concernes, but his brother Eliab, who was a very wise and prudent menager, ordered all not only faithfully, but better then he could have donne himselfe.

He was, as all the rest of the brothers, very cholerique; and in his young days wore a dagger (as the fashion then was, nay I remember my old schoolemaster, old Mr. Latimer, at 70, wore a dudgeon, with a knife, and bodkin, as also my old grandfather Lyte, and alderman Whitson of Bristowe, which I suppose was the common fashion in their young dayes), but this Dr. would be to<o> apt to draw-out his dagger upon every slight occasion.

He was not tall; but of the lowest stature, round faced, olivaster complexion; little eie, round, very black, full of spirit; his haire was black as a raven, but quite white 20 yeares before he dyed.

I first sawe him at Oxford, 1642, after Edgehill fight, but was then too young to be acquainted with so great a Doctor. I remember he came severall times to Trin. Coll. to George Bathurst, B.D., who had a hen to hatch egges in his chamber, which they dayly opened to discerne the progres and way of generation. I had not the honour to be acquainted <with> him till 1651, being my she cosen Montague's physitian and friend. I was at that time bound for Italy (but to my great griefe disswaded by my mother's importunity). He was very communicative, and willing to instruct any that were modest and respectfull to him. And in order to my journey, gave me, i.e. dictated to me, what to see, what company to keepe, what bookes to read, how to manage my studies: in short, he bid me goe to the fountain head, and read Aristotle, Cicero, Avicenna, and did call the neoteriques shitt-breeches. He wrote a very bad hand, which (with use) I could pretty well read.

I have heard him say, that after his booke of the Circulation of the Bloodcame-out, that he fell mightily in his practize, and that 'twas beleeved by the vulgar that he was crack-brained; and all the physitians were against his opinion, and envyed him; many wrote against him, as Dr. Primige, Paracisanus, etc. (vide Sir George Ent's booke). With much adoe at last, in about 20 or 30 yeares time, it was recieved in all the Universities in the world; and, as Mr. Hobbes sayes in his book 'De Corpore,' he is the only man, perhaps, that ever lived to see his owne doctrine established in his life time.

He understood Greek and Latin pretty well, but was no critique, and he wrote very bad Latin. The Circuitus Sanguinis was, as I take it, donne into Latin by Sir George Ent (quaere), as also his booke de Generatione Animalium, but a little book in 12mo against Riolani (I thinke), wherein he makes-out his doctrine clearer, was writt by himselfe, and that, as I take it, at Oxford.

His majestie king Charles I gave him the Wardenship of Merton Colledge in Oxford, as a reward for his service, but the times suffered him not to recieve or injoy any benefitt by it.

He was physitian, and a great favorite of the Lord High Marshall of England, Thomas Howard, earle of Arundel and Surrey, with whom he travelled as his physitian in his ambassade to the Emperor ... at Vienna, Anno Domini 163-. Mr. W. Hollar (who was then one of his excellencie's gentlemen) told me that, in his voyage, he would still be making of excursions into the woods, makeing observations of strange trees, and plants, earths, etc., naturalls, and sometimes like to be lost, so that my Lord Ambassador would be really angry with him, for there was not only danger of thieves, but also of wild beasts.

He was much and often troubled with the gowte, and his way of cure was thus; he would then sitt with his legges bare, if it were frost, on the leads of Cockaine house, putt them into a payle of water, till he was almost dead with cold, and betake himselfe to his stove, and so 'twas gonne.

He was hott-headed, and his thoughts working would many times keepe him from sleepinge; he told me that then his way was to rise out of his bed and walke about his chamber in his shirt till he was pretty coole, i.e. till he began to have a horror, and then returne to bed, and sleepe very comfortably.

I remember he was wont to drinke coffee; which he and his brother Eliab did, before Coffee-houses were in fashion in London.

All his profession would allowe him to be an excellent anatomist, but I never heard of any that admired his therapeutique way. I knew severall practisers in London that would not have given 3d. for one of his bills; and that a man could hardly tell by one of his bills what he did aime at.

He did not care for chymistrey, and was wont to speake against them with an undervalue.

It is now fitt, and but just, that I should endeavour to undecieve the world in a scandall that I find strongly runnes of him, which I have mett amongst some learned young men: viz. that he made himselfe a way to putt himselfe out of his paine, by opium; not but that, had he laboured under great paines, he had been readie enough to have donne it; I doe not deny that it was not according to his principles upon certain occasions to ...: but the manner of his dyeing was really, and bonâ fide, thus, viz. the morning of his death about 10 a clock, he went to speake, and found he had the dead palsey in his tongue; then he sawe what was to become of him, he knew there was then no hopes of his recovery, so presently sends for his young nephewes to come-up to him, to whom he gives one his watch ('twas a minute watch with which he made his experiments); to another, another remembrance, etc.; made signe to ... Sambroke, his apothecary (in Black-Fryars), to lett him blood in the tongue, which did little or no good; and so he ended his dayes. His practise was not very great towards his later end; he declined it, unlesse to a speciall friend,—e.g. my lady Howland, who had a cancer in her breast, which he did cutt-off and seared, but at last she dyed of it.

He rode on horseback with a foot-cloath to visitt his patients, his man following on foote, as the fashion then was, which was very decent, now quite discontinued. The judges rode also with their foote-cloathes to Westminster-hall, which ended at the death of Sir Robert Hyde, Lord Chief Justice. Anthony earl of Shafton, would have revived, but severall of the judges being old and ill horsemen would not agree to it.

Lettres on naturalls: <quaere> Mr. Samb<roke>.

The scandall aforesaid is from Sir Charles Scarborough's saying that he had, towards his latter end, a preparation of opium and I know not what, which he kept in his study to take, if occasion should serve, to putt him out of his paine, and which Sir Charles promised to give him; this I beleeve to be true; but doe not at all beleeve that he really did give it him. The palsey did give him an easie passe-port.

I remember I have heard him say he wrote a booke De insectis, which he had been many yeares about, and had made curious researches and anatomicall observations on them. This booke was lost when his lodgings at Whitehall were plundered in the time of the rebellion. He could never for love nor money retrive them or heare what became of them and sayd 'twas the greatest crucifying to him that ever he had in all his life.

Dr. Harvy told me, and any one if he examines himself will find it to be true, that a man could not fancy—truthfully—that he is imperfect in any part that he has, verbi gratiâ, teeth, eie, tongue, spina dorsi, etc. Natura tends to perfection, and in matters of generation we ought to consult more with our sense and instinct, then our reason, and prudence, fashion of the country, and interest. We see what contemptible products are of the prudent politiques, weake, fooles, and ricketty children, scandalls to nature and their country. The heralds are fooles—tota errant via. A blessing goes with a marriage for love upon a strong impulse.

Sowgelder. To see, Sir John, how much you are mistaken; he that marries a widdowe makes himself cuckold. Exempli gratia, to speake experimentally and in my trade, if a good bitch is first warded with a curre, let her ever after be warded with a dog of a good straine and yet she will bring curres as at first, her wombe being first infected with a curre. So, the children will be like the first husband (like raysing up children to your brother). So, the adulterer, though a crime in law, the children are like the husband.

Sir John. Thou dost talke, me thinks, more understandingly of these matters then any one I have mett with.

Sowgelder. Ah! my old friend Dr. Harvey—I knew him right well—he made me sitt by him 2 or 3 hours together discoursing. Why! had he been stiffe, starcht, and retired, as other formall doctors are, he had known no more then they. From the meanest person, in some way, or other, the learnedst man may learn something. Pride has been one of the greatest stoppers of the advancement of learning.

John Hawles (1645-1716).

'Remarks upon the Tryalls of Edward Fitzharris, Stephen Colledge, count Coningsmark, the lord Russell, col. Sydney, Henry Cornish, and Charles Bateman; as also of Shaftsbury's Grand Jury, Wilmore's Homine replegiando, and the award of execution against Sir Thomas Armstrong': by John Hawles, barrister, of Lincoln's Inne: London, 1689.

He was the sonne of Thomas Hawles, esq., and borne at his father's house in the close in Salisbury. He went to school at Winton College, and was a gentleman commoner of Queen's College, Oxon. He is an exceeding ingeniose young gentleman.

Richard Head (1637?-1686?).

From Mr. Bovey:—... Meriton—his true name was Head (Mr. Bovey knew him). Borne ...; was a bookeseller in Little Britaine.

He had been amongst the gipsies. He looked like a knave with his gogling eies. He could transforme himselfe into <any> shape. Brake 2 or 3 times. Was at last a bookeseller, or towards his later end. He maintained himselfe by scribling. He <got> 20s. per sheet. He wrote severall pieces, viz. The English Rogue, The Art of Wheadling, etc.

He was drowned goeing to Plymouth by long sea about 1676, being about 50 yeares of age.

James Heath (1629-1664).

Quaere of Sir ... Heath in Pumpe Court; quaere capt. Sherburne and J. Davys de hoc.

Ex registro St. Bartholomew the lesse, London, Anno Dom. 1664. 'James Heath, gent., dyed the 16th, and was buryed the 19th of August, consumption and dropsey, in the church neere the skreene dore.'

The clarke here told me that once he had a pretty good estate, but in his later time maintained him selfe much by writing bookes. He was hardly 40 yeares old when he dyed. He left 4 or 5 children on the parish, now all or most maried. Two were bound apprentices to weavers.

Elize Hele (15..-1635).

Lady Hele in Devon, 800 li. per annum—Sir John Maynard.

The lady Hele of Devon gave by her will 800 li. per annum to be layd out for charitable uses and by the advice and prudence of serjeant Maynard. He did order it according to the best of his understanding, and yet he sayd that he haz lived to see every one of these benefactions abused—quod N. B.

Sir Robert Henley (16..-1680?).

Sir Robert Henley, of Bramswell, Hants, baronet, decubuit, Thursday, about 3h P.M., Feb. 14, Valentine's day. He was taken ill a hunting about noon, I think the Tuesday before. The yeare when, quaere? 1673.

Edward Herbert, baron Herbert of Chirbury (1583-1648).

Edward, lord Herbert of Cherbery—vide memorandum, 1672. Vide 8vo booke by ..., ubi his life, and description of a noble monument designed by him. Vide lib. B, Montgomery, p. 126.—Severall whispering places in Wales, one here at Montgomery:—<so I am told by> Meredith Lloyd.—Prophetick, America—vide lib. B, Montgomery.

<James> Usher, Lord Primate of Ireland, was sent for by him, when in his death-bed, and he would have received the sacrament. He sayd indifferently of it that 'if there was good in any-thing 'twas in that,' or 'if it did no good 'twould doe no hurt.' The primate refused it, for which many blamed him. He dyed at his house in Queen street, very serenely; asked what was a clock, answer so ...: 'then,' sayd he, 'an houre hence I shall depart.' He then turned his head to the other side and expired. In his will he gave speciall order to have his white stone-horse (which he loved) to be well fed and carefully looked after as long as he lived. He had two libraries, one at London, the other at Montgomery; one wherof he gave to Jesus College, Oxon.

Vide his mother's, the ..., funerall sermon, preached at Chelsey by Dr. Donne, wherunto are annexed Latin and Greeke verses by her sonne, George Herbert.

Verses. Poemes.

Vide more of this lord in Lloyd's State-Worthies, 8vo. 1679.

Amici:—John Donne, D.D.; Sir John Danvers, etc.

(August, 1648)—St. Giles-in-the-fields: 'August 5th, buried Edward, lord Herbert, baron of Cherbery.'

Mr. <Thomas> Fludd tells me he had constantly prayers twice a day in his howse, and Sundayes would have his chaplayne read one of Smyth's sermons. Vide Mr. Davys, attorney.

Sir Edward Herbert, afterward lord Cherbery, etc., dyed at his house, in Queen street, in the parish of St. Giles in the fields, London, and lies interred in the chancell, under the lord Stanhope's inscription.

On a black marble grave-stone thus:

Heic inhumatur corpus
Edvardi Herbert, Equitis
Balnei, Baronis de Cherbury
et Castle-Island. Auctoris Libri
cui titulus est De Veritate.
Reddor ut herbae,
Vicessimo die Augusti,
Anno Domini 1648.

I have seem him severall times with Sir John Danvers: he was a black man.

Memorandum:—the castle of Montgomery was a most romancy seate. It stood upon a high promontory, the north side 30+ feete high. From hence is a most delightsome prospect, 4 severall wayes. Southwards, without the castle, is Prim-rose hill: vide Donne's Poems, p. 53.

Upon this Prim-rose hill,
Where, if Heaven would distill
A showre of raine, each severall drop might goe
To his owne prim-rose, and grow manna so;
And where their forme and their infinitie
Make a terrestriall galaxie,
As the small starres doe in the skie;
I walke to find a true-love, and I see
That 'tis not a meer woman that is shee,
But most, or more, or lesse than woman be, etc.

In this pleasant solitude did this noble lord enjoy his muse. Here he wrote his De Veritate. Dr. Coote (a Cambridge scholar and a learned) was one of his chaplains. Mr. Thomas Masters, of New College, Oxon, lived with him till 1642.

This stately castle was demolished since the late warres at the chardge of the countrey.

George Herbert (1593-1633).

Mr. George Herbert was kinsman (remote) and chapelaine to Philip, earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, and Lord Chamberlayn. His lordship gave him a benefice at Bemmarton (between Wilton and Salisbury), a pittifull little chappell of ease to Foughelston. The old house was very ruinous. Here he built a very handsome howse for the minister, of brick, and made a good garden and walkes. He lyes in the chancell, under no large, nor yet very good, marble grave-stone, without any inscription.

Scripsit:—Sacred Poems, called The Church, printed, Cambridge, 1633; a booke entituled The Country Parson, not printed till about 1650, 8vo. He also writt a folio in Latin, which because the parson of Hineham could not read, his widowe (then wife to Sir Robert Cooke) condemned to the uses of good houswifry.

He was buryed (according to his owne desire) with the singing service for the buriall of dead, by the singing men of Sarum. Fr<ancis> Sambroke (attorney) then assisted as a chorister boy; my uncle, Thomas Danvers, was at the funerall. Vide in the Register booke at the office when he dyed, for the parish register is lost.

Memorandum:—in the chancell are many apt sentences of the Scripture. At his wive's seate, My life is hid with Christ in God, Coloss. iii. 3 (he hath verses on this text in his poëms). Above, in a little windowe blinded, within a veile (ill painted), Thou art my hideing place, Psalm xxxii. 7.

He maried Jane, the third daughter of Charles Danvers, of Bayntun, in com. Wilts, esq. but had no issue by her. He was a very fine complexion and consumptive. His mariage, I suppose, hastened his death. My kinswoman was a handsome bona roba and ingeniose.

When he was first maried he lived a yeare or better at Dantesey house. H. Allen, of Dantesey, was well acquainted with him, who has told me that he had a very good hand on the lute, and that he sett his own lyricks or sacred poems. 'Tis an honour to the place, to have had the heavenly and ingeniose contemplation of this good man, who was pious even to prophesie;—e.g.

'Religion now on tip-toe stands,
Ready to goe to the American strands.'

George Herbert:—<ask> cozen Nan Garnet pro <his> picture; if not, her aunt ... Cooke.

Mary Herbert, countess of Pembroke (1555-1621).

Mary, countesse of Pembroke, was sister to Sir Philip Sydney; maried to Henry, the eldest son of William, earle of Pembroke aforesayd; but this subtile old earle did foresee that his faire and witty daughter-in-lawe would horne his sonne and told him so and advised him to keepe her in the countrey and not to let her frequent the court.

She was a beautifull ladie and had an excellent witt, and had the best breeding that that age could afford. Shee had a pritty sharpe-ovall face. Her haire was of a reddish yellowe.

She was very salacious, and she had a contrivance that in the spring of the yeare ... the stallions ... were to be brought before such a part of the house, where she had a vidette to look on them.... One of her great gallants was crooke-back't Cecill, earl of Salisbury.

In her time Wilton house was like a College, there were so many learned and ingeniose persons. She was the greatest patronesse of witt and learning of any lady in her time. She was a great chymist and spent yearly a great deale in that study. She kept for her laborator in the house Adrian Gilbert (vulgarly called Dr. Gilbert), halfe brother to Sir Walter Ralegh, who was a great chymist in those dayes. 'Twas he that made the curious wall about Rowlington-parke, which is the parke that adjoyns to the house at Wilton. Mr. Henry Sanford was the earle's secretary, a good scholar and poet, and who did penne part of the Arcadia dedicated to her (as appeares by the preface). He haz a preface before it with the two letters of his name. 'Tis he that haz verses before Bond's Horace. She also gave an honourable yearly pension to Dr. <Thomas> Mouffett,who hath writt a booke De insectis. Also one ... Boston, a good chymist, a Salisbury man borne, who did undoe himselfe by studying the philosopher's stone, and she would have kept him but he would have all the gold to him selfe and so dyed I thinke in a goale.

At Wilton is a good library which Mr. Christopher Wase can give you the best account of of any one; which was collected in this learned ladie's time. There is a manuscript very elegantly written, viz. all the Psalmes of David translated by Sir Philip Sydney, curiously bound in crimson velvet. There is a MS. writt by Dame Marian of hunting and hawking, in English verse, written in King Henry the 8th's time (quaere Mr. Christopher Wase farther). There is the legier book of Wilton, one page Saxon and the other Latin, which Mr. Dugdale perused.

This curious seate of Wilton and the adjacent countrey is an Arcadian place and a paradise. Sir Philip Sydney was much here, and there was ... great love between him and his faire sister ... I have heard old gentlemen (old Sir Walter Long of Dracot and old Mr. Tyndale) say ... The first Philip, earle of Pembroke, ... inherited not the witt of either the brother or sister.

This countesse, after her lord's death, maried to Sir Matthew Lister, knight, one of the Colledge of Physitians, London. He was (they say) a learned and a handsome gentleman. She built then a curious house in Bedfordshire called Houghton Lodge neer Ampthill. The architects were sent for from Italie. It is built according to the description of Basilius's house in the first booke of the Arcadia (which is dedicated to her). It is most pleasantly situated and hath fower visto's, each prospect 25 or 30 miles. This was sold to the earle of Elgin for ... li. The house did cost 10,000 li. the building.

I thinke she was buryed in the vault in the choire at Salisbury, by Henry, earl of Pembroke, her first husband: but there is no memoriall of her, nor of any of the rest, except some penons and scutcheons.

An epitaph on the lady Mary, countesse of Pembroke (in print somewhere), by William Browne, who wrote the Pastoralls, whom William, earle of Pembroke, preferr'd to be tutor to the first earle of Carnarvon (<Robert> Dormer), which was worth to him 5 or 6000 li., i.e. he bought 300 li. per annum land—from old Jack Markham—

Underneath this sable hearse
Lies the subject of all verse:
Sydney's sister, Pembroke's mother.
Death! er'st thou shalt kill such another
Fair and good and learn'd as shee,
Time will throw a dart at thee.

Richard Herbert (15..-1596).

(Ex libro B, p. 126):—In a buriall-place in the church at Montgomery (belonging to the castle) is a great out-started monument of Richard Herbert, esq. (father to the learned lord Herbert of Cherbery, and Mr. George Herbert, who wrote the sacred poëms), where are the effigies of him and Magdalene his wife, who afterwards was maried to Sir John Danvers of Wilts, and lies interred at Chelsey church but without any monument. Dr. Donne, dean of St. Paul's, preached her funerall sermon, to which are annexed severall verses, Latin and Greeke, by Mr. George Herbert, in memorie of her. She was buryed, as appeares by the sermon, July 1, 1627.

In Sepulchrum Richardi Herberti, armigeri, et Magdalenae uxoris
ejus, hendecasyllaba.
Quid virtus, pietas, amorve recti,
Tunc cum vita fugit, juvare possunt?
In coelo relevent perenne nomen,
Hoc saxum doceat, duos recludens
Quos uno thalamo fideque junctos
Heic unus tumulus lapisve signat.
Jam longum sape, Lector, et valeto,
Aeternum venerans ubique nomen.

In Brecknockshire, about 3 miles from Brecknock, is a village called Penkelly (Anglicè Hasel-wood), where is a little castle. It is an ancient seate of the Herberts. Mr. Herbert, of this place, came, by the mother's side, of Ŵgan. The lord Cherbery's ancestor came by the second venter, who was a miller's daughter. The greatest part of the estate was settled on the issue by the 2d venter, viz. Montgomery castle, and Aberystwith. Upon this match with the miller's daughter are to this day recited, or sung, by the Welsh, these verses: viz.:—

Ô gway vinney (dhyw) râg wilidh
Vôd vinhad yn velinidh
A' vôd vy mam yn velinidhes
A' môd inney yn arglwydhes.

To this sence:—

O God! Woe is me miserable, my father was a miller, and my mother a milleresse, and I am now a ladie.

William Herbert, 1st earl of Pembroke (1507-1570).

William, earle of Pembroke, the first earle of that family, was borne (I thinke I have heard my cosen Whitney say) in ... in Monmouthshire. Herbert, of Colbrooke in Monmouthshire, is of that family.

He was (as I take it) a younger brother, a mad fighting young fellow. 'Tis certaine he was a servant to the house of Worcester, and wore their blew-coate and badge. My cosen Whitney's great aunt gave him a golden angell when he went to London. One time being at Bristowe, he was arrested, and killed one of the sheriffes of the city. He made his escape through Back-street, through the (then great) gate, into the Marsh, and gott into France.

Memorandum:—upon this action of killing the sheriffe, the city ordered the gate to be walled-up, and only a little posterne gate or dore, with a turnestile for a foot-passenger, which continued so till Bristowe was a garrison for the king, and the great gate was then opened, in 1644, or 1645. When I was a boy there, living with my father's mother, who was maried to alderman John Whitson (who was my god-father), the story was as fresh as but of yesterday. He was called black Will Herbert.

In France he betooke himself into the army, where he shewd so much courage, and readinesse of witt in conduct, that in short time he became eminent, and was favoured by <Francis I> the king, who afterwards recommended him to Henry the VIII of England, who much valued him, and heaped favours and honours upon him.

Upon the dissolution of the abbeys, he gave him the abbey of Wilton, and a country of lands and mannours thereabout belonging to it. He gave him also the abbey of Remesbury in Wilts, with much lands belonging to it. He gave him Cardiff-Castle in Glamorganshire, with the ancient crowne-lands belonging to it.

Almost all the country held of this castle. It was built by Sir Robert Fitzhamond the Norman, who lies buried at Tewkesbury abbey with a memorial: and he built the abbey of Glocester. It afterwards came to Jasper, duke of Bedford, etc.; so to the crowne. I have seen severall writings of Sir John Aubrey's at Llantrithid in Glamorganshire, which beginne thus:—'Ego Jaspar, frater regum et patruus, dux Bedfordiae, comes Pembrochiae, et dominus de Glamorgan et Morgannog, omnibus ad quos hoc presens scriptum pervenerit, salutem, etc.'

He maried <Anne> Par, sister of queen Katharine Par, daughter and co-heire of <Thomas> Par (I thinke, marquisse of Northampton), by whom he had 2 sonnes, Henry, earle of Pembroke, and <Edward> the ancestor of the lord Powys.

He was made Privy Councellor and conservator of King Henry the Eight'swill. He could neither write nor read, but had a stamp for his name. He was of good naturall parts; but very cholerique. He was strong sett but bony, reddish-favoured, of a sharp eie, sterne looke.

In queen Mary's time, upon the returne of the Catholique religion, the nunnes came again to Wilton abbey, and this William, earl of Pembroke, came to the gate (which lookes towards the court by the street, but now is walled-up) with his cappe in hand, and fell upon his knee to the lady abbesse and the nunnes, crying peccavi. Upon queen Mary's death, the earle came to Wilton (like a tygre) and turnd them out, crying, 'Out ye whores, to worke, to worke, ye whores, goe spinne.'

He being a stranger in our country, and an upstart, was much envyed. And in those dayes (of sword and buckler), noblemen (and also great knights, as the Longs), when they went to the assizes or sessions at Salisbury, etc., had a great number of retainers following them; and there were (you have heard), in those dayes, feudes (i.e. quarrells and animosities) between great neighbours. Particularly this new earle was much envyed by the then lord Sturton of Sturton, who would, when he went or returned from Sarum (by Wilton was his rode), sound his trumpetts, and give reproachfull challenging words; 'twas a relique of knighthood errantry.

From my great-uncles, the Brownes of Broad Chalke:—in queen Elizabeth's time, some bishop (I have forgot who) that had been his chaplain, was sent to him from the queen and council, to take interrogatories of him. So he takes out his pen and inke, examines and writes. When he had writt a good deale, sayd the earle, 'Now lett me see it.' 'Why,' qd the bishop, 'your lordship cannot read it?' 'That's all one: I'le see it,' qd he, and takes it and teares it to pieces: 'Zounds, you rascall,' qd he, 'd'ee thinke I will have my throate cutt with a penknife?' It seemes they had a mind to have pick't a hole in his coate, and to have gott his estate.

'Tis reported that he caused himself to be lett bloud, and bled so much that it was his death, and that he should say as he was expiring, 'They would have Wilton—they would have Wilton,' and so gave up the ghost.

Memorandum:—this William (the founder of this family) had a little cur-dog which loved him, and the earl loved the dog. When the earle dyed the dog would not goe from his master's dead body, but pined away, and dyed under the hearse; the picture of which dog is under his picture, in the Gallery at Wilton. Which putts me inmind of a parallell storie in Appian (Syrian Warr):—Lysimachus being slaine, a dog that loved him stayed a long time by the body and defended it from birds and beasts till such time as Thorax, king of Pharsalia, finding it out gave it buriall. And I thinke there is such another story in Pliny: vide.

He was buried in ... of St. Paule's, London, where he had a magnificent monument, which is described, with the epitaph, by Sir William Dugdale, which vide.

This present earl of Pembroke (1680) has at Wilton 52 mastives and 30 grey-hounds, some beares, and a lyon, and a matter of 60 fellowes more bestiall than they.

William Herbert, 3rd earl of Pembroke (1580-1630).

William, earl of Pembroke, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, natus anno MDLXXX, viii Apr.; obiit anno MDCXXX, x Calend. Apr.—His death fell out according to prediction. He dyed a bed of an apoplexie.

Wilhelmus, comes Pembrochiae, Cancellarius Univ.

Oxon., natus anno MDLXXX, viii Apr.; obiit anno MDCXXX, x Calend. Apr.—His nativity was calculated by old Mr. Thomas Allen: his death was foretold, which happened true at the time foretold. Being well in health, he made a feast; ate and dranke plentifully; went to bed; and found dead in the morning.

William, earle of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain, and Chancellor of the University of Oxford:—

'Natus Anno MDLXXX, viii Apr.
Obiit Anno MDCXXX, x Calend. Apr.'—

I find this under his engraved picture.

He dyed of an apoplexy, and it fell-out right according to prediction, because of which he made a great supper, and went to his bed well, but dyed in his sleep.

He was a most magnificent and brave peer, and loved learned men. He was a poet. There is a little booke in 12mo or 16mo which containes his wife's and Sir Benjamin Rudyer's who was his friend and contemporary.

John Heydon (1629-166..).

From Elias Ashmole, esqre, scilicet that he had the booke called The way to blisse from his adoptive father Backhowse at Swallowfield in com. Berks., a MSS. writt in queen Elizabeth's time, hand and stile ἀνονυμῶς.

Mr. ... Heyden maried Nicholas Culpepper's widdowe, and lights there on the aforesayd MSS., and prints a booke with a great deale of The way to blisse word for word and verses that are printed in the commendation of other bookes; and instead of such and such old philosophers putts downe John Bowker and William Lilly which they never heard of: and is so impudent in one of his bookes since as to say Mr. Ashmole borrowed of him.

Peter Heylyn (1599-1662).

Dr. Heylin was buried in the choire neer his own [subdean's] stall, May the 10th 1662, but his inscription is on the wall of the north aisle.

<Aubrey gives a copy of the inscription, noting, on the line 'posuit hoc illi moestissima conjux':—> who, about a year after, fell in love with a lifeguardman that I know, whom she had maried (aetat. 23), had not cruel death quench't that amorous flame.

Il port 'sable, 3 horse-heads erased argent.'

Nicholas Hill (1570?-1610).

Mr. Nicholas Hill:—This Nicholas Hill was one of the most learned men of his time: a great mathematician and philosopher and traveller, and a poet. His writings had the usuall fate of those not printed in the author's life-time. He was so eminent for knowledge, that he was the favourite of ... the great earle of Oxford, who had him to accompanie him in his travells (he was his steward), which were so splendid and sumptuous, that he kept at Florence a greater court then the Great Duke. This earle spent in that ... of travelling, the inheritance of ten or twelve thousand pounds per annum.

Old Serjeant Hoskins (the poet, grandfather to this Sir John Hoskins, baronet, my hond friend) knew him (was well acquainted with him), by which meanes I have this tradicion which otherwise had been lost; as also his very name, but only for these verses in Ben Johnson's 2d volumine, viz.:—

I fancy that his picture, i.e. head, is at the end of the Long Gallery of Pictures at Wilton, which is the most philosophicall aspect that I have seen, very much of Mr. T. Hobbes of Malmesbury, but rather more antique. 'Tis pitty that in noblemen's galleries, the names are not writt on, or behind, the pictures.

He writt 'Philosophia Epicureo-Democritiana, simpliciter proposita, non edocta': printed at Colen, in 8vo or 12mo: Sir John Hoskins hath it.

Thomas Henshawe, of Kensington, esq., R. Soc. Soc., hath a treatise of his in manuscript, which he will not print, viz. 'Of the Essence of God, &c. Light.' It is mighty paradoxicall:—That there is a God; What he is, in 10 or 12 articles: Of the Immortality of the Soule, which he does demonstrate παντουσία and ὀντουσία.

[Fabian Philips, the cursiter, remembers him.]

He was, as appeares by A. Wood's Historie, of St. John's Colledge in Oxford, where he mentions him to be a great Lullianist.

In his travells with his lord, (I forget whither Italy or Germany, but I thinke the former) a poor man begged him to give him a penny. 'A penny!' said Mr. Hill, 'what dost say to ten pound?' 'Ah! ten pound!' (said the beggar) 'that would make a man happy.' N. Hill gave him immediately 10 li. and putt it downe upon account,—'Item, to a beggar ten pounds, to make him happy.'

He printed 'Philosophia Epicurea Democritiana,' dedicated 'filiolo Laurentio.'—There was one Laurence Hill that did belong to the queen's court, that was hangd with Green and Berry about Sir Edmund-Berry Godfrey. According to age, it might be this man, but we cannot be certain.

Mr. Thomas Henshaw bought of Nicholas Hill's widow, in Bow lane, some of his bookes; among which is a manuscript de infinitate et aeternitate mundi. He finds by his writings that he was (or leaning) a Roman Catholique. Mr. Henshaw believes he dyed about 1610: he dyed an old man. He flourished in queen Elizabeth's time. I will search the register of Bowe.

I have searched the register of Bow, ubi non inventus Nicolas Hill.

Vide tom. 1 of Ben: Johnson's workes, pag. 48, epigram CXXXIV, title 'The famous voyage'....

Here sev'rall ghosts did flitt,
About the shore, of ..., but late departed;
White, black, blew, greene; and in more formes out-started
Than all those Atomi ridiculous
Wherof old Democrite and Hill Nicholas,
One sayd, the other swore, the world consists.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679).

<This, the most elaborate of these 'Brief Lives,' occupies by itself MS. Aubr. 9. For the letters introductory to it, see supra, pp. -20.

The various papers of which the MS. is composed are bound up confusedly, and the separate notes are in some cases entered on a page, or a page and its opposite, in no order. Considerable re-arrangement has therefore been necessary; but the exact MS. references have been given throughout. Some few notes relating to Hobbes, found in other Aubrey MSS., have here been brought into their natural place.>

The Life of Mr. Thomas Hobbes, of Malmesburie.