Chapter 3 of 6 · 13408 words · ~67 min read

part ii

) goeing into his chamber, the notion of 25, the roote of 666, for the roote of the number of the Beast in the Revelation, came into his head; so he opposed 25 to 12, the roote of 144.

When he tooke his degree of Batchelaur in Divinity, his question was, An Papa sit Anti-Christus? Aff.--In his younger yeares he was very apt to fall into a swoune, and so he did when he was disputing in the Divinity-schoole upon that question.--I remember he told me that one time reading Aristotle de Natura Animalium, where he describes how that the lionesses, when great with young, and neer their time of parturition, doe goe between two trees that growe neer together, and squeeze out their young ones out of their bellies; he had such a strong idea of this, and of the paine that the lionesse was in, that he fell into a swoune.

He was of a very tender constitution, and sickly most of his younger yeares. His manner was, when he was beginning to be sick, to _breath strongly_ a good while together, which he sayed did emitt the noxious vapours.

He was alwayes much contemplative, and had an excellent philosophicall head. He was no great read man; he had a competent knowledge in the Latin, Greeke, and Hebrue tongues, but not a critique. Greeke he learn'd by ... Montanus's Interlineary Testament[721], after he was a man, without a grammar, and then he read Homer. He understood only common Arithmetique, and never went farther in Geometrie then the first six bookes of Euclid; but he had such an inventive head, that with this foundation he was able to doe great matters in the mechaniques, and to solve phaenomena in naturall philosophy. He had but few bookes, which when he dyed were sold for fifty-six shillings, and surely no great bargaine. He published[722] nothing but his _Interpretation of the number 666_, in 4to, printed at Oxford, 1642, which haz been twice translated into Latin, into French, and other languages[AX]. He made the fine diall with its furniture, on the north wall of the quadrangle at Trinity Colledge, which he did by Samminitiatus's booke of Dialling (it haz been gonne about 1670, and another is there putt). He lived and dyed[723] a batchelour. He was hospitable, vertuous, and temperate; and, as I sayd before, very contemplative. He lookt the most like a monk, or one of the pastours of the old time, that I ever sawe one. He was pretty long visagd and pale cleare skin, gray eie. His discourse was admirable, and all new and unvulgar. His house was as undeckt[724] as a monke's cell; yet he had there so many ingeniose inventions that it was very delightfull. He had a pretty contrived garden there, where are the finest box hedges of his planting that ever I sawe. The garden is a good large square; in the middle is a good high mount, all fortified (as you may say) and adorned with these hedges, which at the interstices of ... foot have a high pillar (square cutt) of box, that shewes very stately and lovely both summer and winter.

[Illustration]

On the buttery-dore in his parlour he drew his father's picture at length, with his booke (fore-shortned), and on the spectacles in his hand is the reflection of the Gothique south windowe. I mention this picture the rather, because in processe of time it may be mistaken by tradition for his son Francis's picture, author of the booke aforesayd.

I never have enjoyed so much pleasure, nor ever so much pleased with such philosophicall and heartie entertainment as from him. His booke was in the presse at Oxford, and he there, when I was admitted of the College, but I had not the honour and happinesse to be acquainted with him till 1649 (Epiphanie), since which time I had a conjunct friendship with him to his death, and corresponded frequently with him. I have all his letters by me, which are very good, and I beleeve neer 200, and most of them philosophicall.

I have many excellent good notes from him as to mechaniques, etc., and I never was with him but I learn't, and alwayes tooke notes; but now indeed the Royall Societie haz out-donne most of his things, as having a better apparatus, and more spare money. I have a curious designe of his to drawe a landskip or perspective (1656), but Sir Christopher Wren hath fallen on the same principle, and the engine is better work't. He was smyth and joyner enough to serve his turne, but he did not pretend to curiosity in each. He gave me a quadrant in copper, and made me another in silver, of his owne projection, which serves for all latitudes. He shewed me, 1649, the best way of making an arch was a parabola with a chaine; so he tooke of his girdle from his cassock, and applyed it to the wall, thus:

[Illustration]

He invented and made with his owne handes a paire of beame[725] compasses, which will divide an inch into a hundred or a thousand parts. At one end of the beame[725] is a roundle, which is divided into 100 equall parts, with a sagitta to turne about it with a handle: this handle turnes a skrew of a very fine thread, and on the back of the saile or beame is a graduation. With these compasses he made the quadrants aforesayd. He gave me a paire of these compasses, which I shewed to the[726] Royall Societie at their first institution, which they well liked, and I presented them as a rarity to my honoured friend, Edmund Wyld, esqre. There are but[727] two of them in the world.

☞ Memorandum that at the Epiphanie, 1649, when I was at his house, he then told me his notion of curing diseases, etc. by transfusion of bloud[LXI.] out of one man into another, and that the hint came into his head reflecting on Ovid's story of Medea and Jason, and that this was a matter of ten yeares before that time. About a yeare after, he and I went to trye the experiment, but 'twas on a hen, and the creature to little and our tooles not good: I then sent him a surgeon's lancet. Anno ... I recieved a letter from him concerning this subject, which many yeares since I shewed, and was read and entred in the bookes of the Royall Societie, for Dr. Lower would have arrogated the invention to himselfe, and now one [R.[728] Griffith,] Dr. of Physique, of Richmond, is publishing a booke of the transfusion of bloud, and desires to insert Mr. Potter's letter: which I here annex in perpetuam rei memoriam.

[LXI.] Memorandum:--Mr. Meredith Lloyd tells me that Libavius speakes of the transfusion of bloud, which I dare sweare Mr. F. Potter never sawe in his life.

[729]'Worthy Sir,

'I am sorrie that I can as yet give you no better account of that experiment of which you desire to heare. I am as yet frustrated _in ipso limine_ (but it is by my owne unexpertnes, who never attempted any such thing upon any creature before); for I cannot, although I have tried divers times, strike the veine so as to make him bleed in any considerable quantity.

'I have prepared a little cleare transparent vessel (like unto a bladder), made of the[730] craw of a pullet; and I have fastened an ivory pipe to one of the neckes of it, and I have put it into a veine which is most conspicuous about the lowest joint of the hinder legges; and yet I cannot procure above 2 or 3 drops of blood to come into the pipe or the bladder.

[Illustration]

'I would have sent this bladder and pipe in my letter unto you but that I feare it might be an occasion that my letter might not come into your hands.--This is the rude figure of it which I do here set down because I thinke it the most convenient for this purpose:--

'_a_ = the necke of the craw which goeth to the mouth.

'_b_ = the other necke which goeth from the craw to the gissar. Another pipe may be tied to this end and put into the veine of another living creature at the same time.

'_d_ = a little crooked ivory pipe, fastened (as a clister pipe is) to a bladder.

'_e_ = the capacity of the craw or bladder.'

'Sir,

'I received that oyle in a little glasse which you had from Mr. Decreet and a receipt in another letter, and I desire you not to impute it to my unthankefulnes that I did not thanke you for it in my last letter. I have most times such sorrow and discontents in my breast which make me forget my selfe and my best friends and such things as I most delight in.

'If I should have occasion to write anything unto you in characters you may be pleased to remember this key, that the three first letters and every other three letters doe _quiescere_ and that a comma is placed at the end of every word. As for example this writing:--

'Sed cæssat ar, otracci elusus, subest:-- 'that is, 'cæsar occisus est,

'You need but cancell or make a line under every other three letters, and then you may easily and speedily read it, as this example:--

'_Sed_ cæs_sat_ ar, o_tra_cci _elu_sus, _sub_est.

'~Sed~ cæs~sat~ ar, o~tra~cci ~elu~sus, ~sub~est.

'Sir,

'I humbly present my service and best wishes unto you and shall still be

'Yours, in all true affection, to be commanded

FFRANCIS POTTER.

'Kilmanton, Decemb. 7º, 1652.'

<The address (on fol. 62ᵛ) is:--

'To the right worshipfull, his 'much honoured friend, Mr. John 'Aubrey, at the signe of the 'Rainebowe, a stationer's shop 'In Fleetstreet by Temple 'gate, give these 'Post-payd.'

The letter has been sealed with numerous seals: e.g. (1) a rose; (2) 'on a cross, 5 pheons; impaling, 2 lions rampant combattant'; (3) Aesculapius, with his staff, a vase in front of him; (4) a male head, in profile, with long hair and moustaches; (5) an antique head, with basket-work cap having a circle of spikes round it.>

[731]Anno Domini 166--he was chosen fellowe of the Royall Societie, and was there admitted and recieved with much respect.

As he was never a strong man, so in his later times he had his health best, only about four or five yeares before his death his eie-sight was bad, and before he dyed quite lost. He dyed ... and is buryed in ... of the chancell at Kilmanton.

Memorandum: he played at chesse as well as most men. Col. Bishop, his contemporary at Trinity Coll., is accounted the best of England. I have heard Mr. Potter say that they two have played at Trin. Coll. (I thinke 2 daies together) and neither gott the maistery. Memorandum: he would say that he look't upon the play at chesse <as> very fitt to be learn't and practised by young men, because it would make them to have a foresight and be of use to them (by consequence) in their ordering of humane affaires. Quod N.B.

He haz told me that he had oftentimes dream't that he was at Rome, and being in fright that he should be seised on and brought before the pope, did wake with the feare.[LXII.]

[LXII.] Pope ... (against whom Robert Grotest, bishop of Lincolne, wrote) dreamt that the bishop of Lincolne came to him, and gave him a great blowe over the face with his staffe: vide Platinam.

'Twas pitty that such a delicate inventive witt should be staked to a private preferment in an obscure corner (where he wanted ingeniose conversation), from whence men rarely emerge to higher preferment, but contract a mosse on them like an old pale in an orchard for want of ingeniose conversation, which is a great want even to the deepest thinking men (as Mr. Hobbes haz often sayd to me).

The last time I sawe this honoured friend of mine, Octob. 1674. I had not seen him in 3 yeares before, and his lippitude then was come even to blindnesse, which did much grieve me to behold. He had let his beard be uncutt, which was wont to be but little. I asked him why he did not get some kinswoman[732] or kinsman of his to live with him, and looke to him now in his great age? He answer'd me that he had tryed that way, and found it not so well; for they did begrudge what he spent that 'twas too much and went from them, whereas his servants (strangers) were kind to him and tooke care of him.

In the troublesome times 'twas his happinesse never to bee sequestred. He was once maliciously informed against to the Committee at Wells (a thing very common in those times). When he came before them, one of them (I have forgot his name) gave him a pint of wine, and gave him great prayse, and bade him goe home, and feare nothing.

[733]Kilmington, November 8ᵗʰ, 1671.

Sir,

I recieved your letter but yesterday. I was borne upon Trinitie Sunday eave; baptized May the 22, 1594, but what day of the moneth Trinity Sunday was that year[734] I know not.

1671 1594 ---- 0077

I heare that bis<hop> Ironsid is lately dead, but where hee was borne or when he was buried I know not.

I will see those bookes you mention if I can get them.

I have writte no booke called _The Key of Knowledg_, but there is a booke called _The Key of the Scripture_ written by a London divine, who is something large upon the Revelation, and preferreth my interpretation of 666 before all others.

I shalbe very glad to see you here at Kilmington; and rest,

Your humble servant

FRANCIS POTTER.

_Note._

FOOTNOTES:

[AX] Aubrey, in MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 199, writing on April 7, 1673, says: 'Mr. Francis Potter's "666" was translated into Latin by an Almaigne or a Swisse, whose name I have forgott, and printed, as I remember, at Basil. Dr. John Pell told me it is in French, and one of the Dutch languages (but which I have forgott).'

=Hannibal Potter= (1592-1664).

[735]At Oxford (and I doe believe the like at Cambridge) the rod was frequently used by the tutors and deanes on his pupills, till bachelaurs of Arts; even gentlemen-commoners. One Dr. I knew (Dr. Hannibal Potter, Trin. Coll. Oxon) right well that whipt his scholar with his sword by his side when he came to take his leave of him to goe to the Innes of Court.

=Vavasor Powell= (1618-1670).

[736]_Life and death of Vavasour Powell_, 1671, p. 106:--Mr. Vavasour Powell 'was borne of honest and honourable parentage. His father, Mr. Richard Powell, of a very ancient family in Wales, living in the burough of Knocklas in Radnorshire, where his ancestors had lived some 100 yeares before; his mother of the Vavasors, a family of great antiquity, that came out of Yorkshire into Wales: and so by both allyed to most of the best families in North Wales. He was brought up a scholar, and taken by his uncle Mr. Erasmus Powell to be curate at Clun, where he also kept a schoole.'

Concerning his severall imprisonments, vide pag. 126, etc.

Mrs. Bagshawe haz heard him say that he was at Jesus College, Oxon; and Mr. Oliver, a minister, did remember it. Vavasor Powell told Mris Bagshaw of a sermon that he preached when he was of Jesus College.

Vide his _Life_[737] concerning his imprisonments etc.--'Sir J. A.' there is Sir John Aubrey; and 'Dr. B.' is Dr. Basset, LL.D.; 'C.' is Caerdif in Glamorganshire.

[738]Vavasour Powell--Mr. Edward Bagshawe, his friend and fellow-prisoner, edidit[739] scil.:--

'Israel's Salvation, or a collection of the prophecies which concern the calling of the Jewes and the glory that shall be in the later dayes,' by E. B.: London, printed for Francis Smith of the Elephant and Castle without Temple barre, 1671.

He wrote a very good concordance, printed <1671>.

=Sir Robert Poyntz= (1589-1665).

[740]Sir Robert Pointz of Iron-acton in com. Gloc., knight of the Bath, is the same family with Clifford (as may be seen by the pedegree), Clifford being called _de Pons_ till he was lord of Clifford Castle in com. Hereff. adjoyning to Breconshire.

In Henry III they maried with a daughter and heire of Acton, by whom they had the mannor aforesayd and perhaps other lands.

<Sir Robert was of> Linc. Coll.[741] Vide the rest in tom.[742] iii.

[743]When I was sick of the smallpox at Trinity College[744], Mr. Saul, who was an old servant of his, told me I thinke that he was of Lincoln (or, perhaps, that he lay there in the warres).

[745]Sir Robert Poynts, knight of the Bath; his seate was Iron Acton, in com. Gloc., which came to that family by match of daughter and heire, tempore Hen. III. Mr. Player, Mr. Anthony Ettrick's son-in-lawe, who bought this estate, June, 1684, haz all the old evidences, and can farther enforme me.

But this family and Clifford are the very same, as may be seen by the pedegre of Clifford, who was _de Pons_ till he gott Clifford-castle, in com. Hereff. juxta com. Brecon.

This family have had a great estate, and were men of note at Court.

Sir Robert, son of Sir John, Poyntz of whom I now write, and with whom I had some small acquaintance, was a loyall, sober, and a learned person. His study, law; chiefly towards the Civill Lawe. Since[746] the king's restauration he published in print, a pamphlet, about the bignesse of a good play-booke, entitled, _The Right of Kings_ (or to that purpose[747]; but to my best remembrance, that is the very title).

As I remember he told me when I was of Trin. Coll. Oxon, 1643, that he was of Lincoln college. He maried first, Gresill, one of the daughters and co-heires of ... Gibbons, of ... Kent, by whom he had only two daughters.

After her decease he had a naturall sonne by Cicely Smyth, who had been his lady's chamber-mayd, whose name was John, as I remember, who maried ... daughter of ... Cesar, in com. Hertf. He dyed without issue about 4 or 5 years since (1684), or lesse. So there is an end of this ancient family.

Memorandum:--Newark (now the seate of Sir Gabriel Lowe) was built by Sir Robert's grandfather to keep his whores in. Sir Robert dyed at ... anno Domini 16-- and buryed....

=William Prynne= (1600-1669).

[748]Memorandum Sir John B<irkenhead> and Mr. Prinne were allwayes antagonists in the Parliament howse.

William Prinne[AY], esq., was borne (as his nephew George Clarke assures me[749]: quaere plus de hoc) at Aust in Glocestershire, where his father had an estate. I find by the Heralds' bookes that he is descended of an ancient family (vide Bibliothecam Sheldonianam[AZ], no. 115). His father, and also he, lived at ... wyck[750], a pleasant seate in Somerset, about 3 miles from Bathe, where his grand-father, ... Sherston, his mother's father, lived, and had been mayer, and a very wise magistrate; here[751] he learn't his grammar-learning. He was of Oriall College in Oxon[BA], where, I thinke, he tooke the degree of M.A. From hence, anno ... was admitted of Lincoln's-Inne. He was alwayes temperate and a very hard student, and he had a prodigious memorie.

Anno <1637> he was stigmatiz'd[LXIII.] in the pillorie, and then banished to Cornet-castle in <Guern>sey[752], where he was very civilly treated by the governour ... Carteret, a very ancient familie in that island. Anno 164<0> he was, with Burton and Bastwyck, called home by the Parliament, and hundreds mett him and them, out of London, some miles.

[LXIII.] His eares were not quite cutt off, only the upper part, his tippes were visible. Bishop William Lawd, A. B. Cant., was much blamed for being a spectator, when he was his judge: vide Osburne.

He was a learned man, of immense reading, but is much blamed for his unfaithfull quotations.

His manner of studie was thus: he wore a long quilt cap, which came, 2 or 3, at least, inches, over his eies, which served him as an umbrella to defend his eies from the light. About every 3 houres his man was to bring him a roll and a pott of ale[LXIV.] to refocillate his wasted spirits. So he studied and dranke, and munched some bread: and this maintained him till night; and then he made a good supper. Now he did well not to dine, which breakes of one's fancy, which will not presently be regained: and 'tis with invention as a flux--when once it is flowing, it runnes amaine; if it is checked, flowes but _guttim_: and the like for perspiration--check it, and 'tis spoyled.

[LXIV.] Goclenius[753], professor at ... in Germany did better; he kept bottles of good Rhenish wine in his studie, and, when his spirits wasted, dranke a good rummer of it.

Thou that with ale, or viler liquors, Didst inspire Wythers, Prinne, and Vicars[LXV.], And teach, though it were in despight Of nature and the starres, to write, &c.

_Hudibras_: part 1st.

[LXV.] Was one of the assembly and tryers.

He was burghesse of the citie of Bath, before and since the king's restauration. He was also Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London.

He endured severall imprisonments for the king's cause, and was (really) very instrumentall in his restauracion.

..., upon the opening of the Parliament, viz. letting in the secluded members, he girt on his old long rustie sword (longer then ordinary). Sir William Waller marching behind him (as he went to the Howse), W. Prynne's long sword ranne between Sir William's short legges, and threw him downe, which caused laughter.

He was of a strange Saturnine complexion. Sir C. W.[754] sayd once, that he had the countenance of a witch.

He dyed at his chamber in Lincolne's-Inn, anno ... and is interred at ... Quaere Ant. Wood <pro> catalogo librorum.

[Illustration]

[755]William Prynne, esq., was buryed under Lincolne's Inne chapell, ut apparet ex inscriptione et inscripta tabula in capella suspensa, viz.

'Gulielmus Prynne, armiger, de Banco hujus hospitii, obiit 24º die Octobris, anno Domini 1669, aetatis 69.'

_Notes._

FOOTNOTES:

[AY] Aubrey gives in trick the coat: 'or, a fess engrailed azure, between 3 escallop shells gules.'

[AZ] i.e. no. 115 of the MSS. in the library of Ralph Sheldon of Beoly: afterwards bequeathed by Sheldon to the Heralds' College: Clark's Wood's _Life and Times_, iii. 98, 115.

[BA] Matric. April 24, 1618; B.A. Jan. 22, 1620/1.

=Robert Pugh= (1609-1679).

[756]Captain Pugh, my acquaintance, a writer and a poet. Bred up in Societate Jesu; but turn'd out because he was a captaine, viz. in the late warres.

He hath a Latin poem, printed, which will be augmented; and printed a booke against Dr. <George> Bates' _Elenchus motuum nuperorum_.

He was borne of a good family in ... North Wales (I thinke, Caernarvonshire).

[757]The native place of captain R. Pugh is spelt thus--Penrhyn.--When you saw him at Bathe, he wrot this discourse in 8vo, viz.

Bathonensium et Aquisgranensium thermarum comparatio, variis adjunctis illustrata: R. P.: epistola ad illustrissimum virum, Rogerum, Castlemaini comitem: Londini: Jo. Martyn, at the Bell in St. Paul's church-yard, 1676.

He was educated at St. Omar's.

When his studie was searcht, his orders were there found, and also a lettre from the Queen-mother, whose confessor he had sometimes been, to the king, that, if he should fall into any danger of the lawe, upon sight of that lettre he should obtaine his majestie's pardon.

[758]My honoured friend, captain Robert Pugh, dyed in Newgate, on January 22 <1678/9>, Wednesday night, 12 a clock; and lyes buryed in Christ Church churchyard on the north side, a yard or two from the wall, neer about the middle of the length. He writt a booke, which is almost finished, 'Of the severall states and goverments that have been here since the troubles,' in the earl of Castlemaine's hands.

All his bookes were seised on; amongst others his almanac, wherin he entred omnia Caroli II deliramenta[759], which was carryed to the councell boord: but, as I have sayd, the earl of Castlemain hath gott the former-mentioned treatise.

=Francis Quarles= (1592-1644).

[760]Francis Quarles, lived at Bath at the Katherine-wheele inne (opposite to the market-house), and wrote there, a yeare or two.

=William Radford= (1623-1673).

[761]William Radford, my good friend and old acquaintance and fellow coll<egiate>, ended his dayes at Richmond, where he taught schoole, 14 dayes since. I was with him when he first tooke his bed.

And when I was sick of the small-pox at Trinity College Oxon, he was so kind as to come to me every day and spend severall houres, or I thinke melancholy would have spoyled a scurvey antiquary. He was recounting not many dayes before he dyed your brother Ned's voyage[762] and Mr. <Thomas> Mariett's to London on foote.

[763]Mris Anne Radford, the widowe of Mr. William Radford, schoolmaster of Richmond, is now (1673) 33 yeares old. Was borne the 4th of June at 4ʰ P.M. She haz a solar face (yet the sun <in her horoscope> could not be _in ascendente_), and thrives well, and has a good sound judgment.

_Note._

FOOTNOTES:

William Radford (of North Weston, Oxon, aged 17) was elected Scholar of Trinity June 4, 1640, and afterwards Fellow; took M.A. July 4, 1646; and was ejected from his fellowship by the Parliamentary Visitors in June, 1648.

=Sir Walter Raleigh= (1552-1618).

[764]Sir Walter Ralegh, knight:--vide Howe's continuation of Stowe's Chronicle.--Vide Gerard Winstanley's _Worthies of England_, where he hath 5 or 6 leaves concerning Sir Walter Ralegh.

<_Coat[765] of arms._>

[766]Gules, four fusils conjoined in bend argent.

<_Pedigree._>

<_His marriages and issue._>

[768]He had two wives. His first was <Elizabeth> Throckmorton; second, ... ..., mother of Carew Ralegh, second[769] son.

[770]Sir John Elwowys maried the daughter and heir of Sir Walter Ralegh, who was the sonn of Carew Ralegh of ... in Surrey, who was the second son of Sir Walter Ralegh, the hero. Quaere Sir John Ellowys pro his skull[771] pro Oxon or Royal Societie.

[772](I[773] cannot yet heare where Sir Edward Shirburne is.) About the beginning of April I shall satisfy you about Carew Ralegh's daughter--I doe verily believe 'twas his only child.

<_His brother's family._>

[774]Sir Carew Ralegh, of Downton in com. Wilts, was his eldest[LXVI.] brother, who was gentleman of the horse to Sir John Thynne of Longleate, and after his death maryed his lady; by whom he had children as in the pedigre.

[LXVI.] They (Walter and Tom, his grand-children) say that Sir Carew was the _elder knight_.

I have heard my grandfather say that Sir Carew had a delicate cleare voice, and played singularly well on the olpharion[LXVII.] (which was the instrument in fashion in those dayes), to which he did sing.

[LXVII.] 'Tis as big as a lute, but flatt-bellyed with wire strings.

His grand-children, Walter and Tom (with whom[775] I went to schoole at Blandford in Dorset 4 yeares) had also excellent tuneable voices, and playd their parts well on the violl; ingeniose, but all proud and quarrelsome.

<_At Oxford._>

Sir Walter Ralegh was of ... in Oxford: vide de hoc Anthony Wood's _Antiquities_.

<_A 'poor' scholar._>

[776]In his youth for severall yeares--quaere Anthony Wood how long[777]--he was under streights for want of money. I remember that Mr. Thomas Child of Worcestershire told me that Sir Walter borrowed a gowne of him when he was at Oxford (they were both of the same College), which he never restored, nor money for it.

[778]Sir Walter Ralegh was of Oriel College. Mr. Child's father of Worcestershire was his chamber-fellow, and lent him a gowne, which he could never gett, nor satisfaction for it.--from Mr. Child.

<_Raleigh in Elizabeth's reign._>

[779]He went into Ireland, where he served in the warres, and shewed much courage and conduct, but [LXVIII.]he would be perpetually differing with ... (I thinke, Gray) then Lord Deputy; so that at last the hearing was to be at <the> councell table before the queen, which was that he desired; where he told his tale so well and with so good a grace and presence that the queen tooke especiall notice of him and presently preferred him. (So that it must be before this that he served in the French warres.)

[LXVIII.] Quaere + Mr. Justice Ball.

[780]Queen Elizabeth loved to have all the servants of her Court proper men, and (as beforesaid Sir W. R.'s gracefull presence was no meane recommendation to him). I thinke his first preferment at Court was Captaine of her Majestie's guard. There came a countrey gentleman (or sufficient yeoman) up to towne, who had severall sonns, but one an extraordinary proper handsome fellowe, whom he did hope to have preferred to be a yeoman of the guard. The father (a goodly man himselfe) comes to Sir Walter Raleigh a stranger to him, and told him that he had brought up a boy that he would desire (having many children) should be one of her majestie's[781]guard. Quod Sir Walter Raleigh 'Had you spake for your selfe I should readily have graunted your desire, for your person deserves it, but I putt in no boyes.' Said the father, 'Boy, come in.' The son[782] enters, about 18 or 19, but such a goodly proper young fellow, as Sir Walter Raleigh had not seen the like--he was the tallest of all the guard. Sir Walter Raleigh sweares him immediately; and ordered him to carry-up the first dish at dinner, where the Queen beheld him with admiration[LXIX.], as if a beautifull young giant had stalked in with the service[783].

[LXIX.] Like Saul, taller by the head and shoulders then other men.

[784]Vide lord Bacon's apothegms and letters. As the queen (Elizabeth) was playing on the virginalls, ... made this observation, that 'when _Jack's_ went up, _keys_ went downe,' reflecting on Ralegh.

<_Tobacco._>

[785]He was the first that brought tobacco into England, and into fashion.--In our part of North Wilts, e.g. Malmesbury hundred, it came first into fashion by Sir Walter Long.

I have heard my grandfather Lyte say that one pipe was handed from man to man round about the table. They had first silver pipes; the ordinary sort made use of a walnutshell and a straw.

It was sold then for it's wayte in silver. I have heard some[LXX.] of our old yeomen neighbours say that when they went to Malmesbury or Chippenham market, they culled out their biggest shillings to lay in the scales against the tobacco.

[LXX.] Josias Tayler.

Sir W. R., standing in a stand at Sir Robert Poyntz' parke at Acton, tooke a pipe of tobacco, which made the ladies quitt it till he had donne.

Within these 35 years 'twas scandalous for a divine to take tobacco.

Now, the customes of it are the greatest his majestie hath--

Rider's Almanac (1682, scilicet)--'Since tobacco brought into England by Sir Walter Raleigh, 99 yeares, the custome whereof is now the greatest of all others and amounts to yearly ...'

[786]Mr. Michael Weekes of the Royall Societie assures me, out of the custome-house bookes, that the custome of tobacco over all England is 400,000 _li._ per annum.

[787]Mr. Weekes, register[788] of the Royal Society and an officer of the custome-house, does assure me that the customes of tobacco over all England is four hundred thousand pounds per annum.

<_Personal characteristics._>

[789]He was a tall, handsome, and bold man: but his naeve was that he was damnable proud. Old Sir Robert Harley of Brampton-Brian Castle, who knew him, would say 'twas a great question who was the proudest, Sir Walter, or Sir Thomas Overbury, but the difference that was, was judged on Sir Thomas' side.

[790]His beard turnd up naturally.--I have heard my grandmother say that when she was young, they were wont to talke of this rebus, viz.,

The enemie to the stomack[791], and the word of disgrace[792], Is the name[793] of the gentleman with a bold face.

[794]Old Sir Thomas Malett, one of the justices of the King's Bench tempore Caroli I et II, knew Sir Walter; and I have heard him say that, notwithstanding his so great mastership in style and his conversation with the learnedst and politest persons, yet he spake broad Devonshire to his dyeing day. His voice was small, as likewise were my schoolfellowes', his grandnephewes[795].

[796]Sir Walter Ralegh was a great chymist; and amongst some MSS. reciepts, I have seen some secrets from him. He studyed most in his sea-voyages, where he carried always a trunke of bookes along with him, and had nothing to divert him.

[797]Memorandum:--he made an excellent cordiall, good in feavers, etc.; Mr. Robert Boyle haz the recipe, and makes it and does great cures by it.

[798]A person so much immerst in action all along and in fabrication of his owne fortunes, (till his confinement in the Tower) could have but little time to study, but what he could spare in the morning. He was no slug; without doubt, had a wonderfull waking spirit, and great judgment to guide it.

<_His residences._>

Durham-house was a noble palace; after he came to his greatnes he lived there, or in some apartment of it. I well remember his study, which was a little turret that looked into and over the Thames, and had the prospect which is pleasant perhaps as any in the world, and which not only refreshes the eie-sight but cheeres the spirits, and (to speake my mind) I beleeve enlarges an ingeniose man's thoughts.

Shirburne castle, parke, mannor, etc., did belong (and still ought to belong) to the church of Sarum. 'Twas aliened in ... time (quaere bishop of Sarum) to ...; then ...; then Sir W. R. begged <it> as a bôn from queen Elizabeth: where he built a delicate lodge in the park, of brick, not big, but very convenient for the bignes, a place to retire from the Court in summer time, and to contemplate, etc. Upon his attainder, 'twas begged by the favorite Carr, earl of Somerset, who forfeited it (I thinke) about the poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury. Then John, earl of Bristowe, had it given him for his good service in the ambassade in Spaine, and added two wings to Sir Walter Ralegh's lodge. In short and indeed 'tis a most sweet and pleasant place and site as any in the West, perhaps none like it.

<_His acquaintance._>

In his youth his companions were boysterous blades, but generally those that had witt; except otherwise uppon designe to gett them engaged for him,--e.g. Sir Charles Snell, of Kington Saint Michael in North Wilts, my good neighbour, an honest young gentleman but kept a perpetuall sott, he engaged him to build a ship (the Angel Gabriel) for the designe for Guiana, which cost him the mannor of Yatton-Keynell, the farme at Easton-Piers, Thornhill, and the church-lease of Bishops Cannings; which ship, upon Sir Walter Raleigh's attainder, was forfeited. No question he had other such young....

From Dr. John Pell:--In his youthfull time, was one Charles Chester, that often kept company with his acquaintance; he was a bold impertenent fellowe, and they could never be at quiet for him; a perpetuall talker, and made a noyse like a drumme in a roome. So one time at a taverne Sir W. R. beates him and seales up his mouth (i.e. his upper and neather beard) with hard wax. From him Ben Johnson takes his Carlo Buffono (i.e. 'jester') in _Every Man out of his Humour_.

[799]He was a second to the earle of Oxford in a duell. Was acquainted and accepted with all the hero's of our nation in his time.

Sir Walter Long, of Dracot (grandfather to this old Sir James Long) maried a daughter of Sir John Thynne, by which meanes, and their consimility of disposition, there was a very conjunct friendship between the two brothers (Sir Carew and Sir Walter) and him; and old John Long, who then wayted on Sir W. Long, being one time in the Privy-Garden with his master, saw the earle of Nottingham wipe the dust from Sir Walter R.'s shoes with his cloake, in compliment.

<_Portraits of him._>

In the great parlour at Downton, at Mr. Ralegh's, is a good piece (an originall) of Sir W. in a white sattin doublet, all embrodered with rich pearles, and a mighty rich chaine of great pearles about his neck, and the old servants have told me that the pearles were neer as big as the painted ones.

He had a most remarkeable aspect, an exceeding[800] high forehead, long-faced, and sour eie-lidded, a kind of pigge-eie.

* * * * *

N.B.--At ... an obscure taverne, in Drury-lane (a bayliff's), is a good picture of this worthy, and also of others of his time; taken upon some execution (I suppose) formerly.

<_Miscellaneous anecdotes._>

[801]I have heard old major Cosh say that Sir W. Raleigh did not care to goe on the Thames in a wherry boate: he would rather goe round about over London bridg.

[802]My old friend James Harrington, esq. [Oceana] was well acquainted with Sir Benjamin Ruddyer, who was an acquaintance of Sir Walter Ralegh's. He told Mr. J. H. that Sir Walter Ralegh being invited to dinner to some great person where his son was to goe with him, he sayd to his son 'Thou art expected to-day at dinner to goe along with me, but thou art such a quarrelsome[803], affronting ...[804], that I am ashamed to have such a beare in my company.' Mr. Walter humbled himselfe to his father, and promised he would behave himselfe mighty mannerly. So away they went (and Sir Benjamin, I think, with them). He sate next to his father and was very demure at least halfe dinner time. Then sayd he, 'I, this morning, not having the feare of God before my eies but by the instigation of the devill, went[805]....' Sir Walter being strangely surprized and putt out of his countenance at so great a table, gives his son a damned blow over the face. His son, as rude as he was, would not strike his father, but strikes over the face the gentleman that sate next to him and sayd 'Box about: 'twill come to my father anon.' 'Tis now a common-used proverb.

[806]He loved[807] ... one of the mayds of honor[LXXI.].... She proved with child and I doubt not but this hero tooke care of them both, as also that the product was more then an ordinary mortall[808].

[LXXI.] Quaere J. Ball, who? 'Twas his first lady.

[809]'Twas Sir Walter Ralegh's epigram on Robert Cecil, earle of Salisbury, who died in a ditch 3 or 4 miles west from Marleborough, returning from Bathe to London, which was printed in an 8vo booke about 1656 (perhaps one of Mr. Osborne's):--

Here lies Robert, our shepherd whilere, Who once in a quarter our fleeces did sheer: For his oblation to Pan his manner was thus, He first gave a trifle, then offred up us. * * * * * In spight of the tarbox he dyed of the shabbo.

--This I had from old Sir Thomas Malett, one of the Judges of the King's Bench, who knew Sir Walter Ralegh, and did remember these passages.

<_Raleigh in James I's reign._>

[810]I have now forgott (vide History) whether Sir Walter was not for the putting of Mary, queen of Scotts, to death; I thinke, yea. But, besides that, at a consultation at Whitehall, after queen Elizabeth's death, how matters[811] were to be ordered and what ought to be donne, Sir Walter Raleigh declared his opinion, 'twas the wisest way for them to keep the government[812] in their owne hands, and sett up a commonwealth, and not be subject to a needy beggerly nation. It seemes there were some of this caball[813] who kept not this so secret but that it came to king James's eare; who at ... (vide _Chronicle_) where the English noblesse mett and recieved him, being told upon their presentment to his majesty their names, when Sir Walter Raleigh's name was told ('Ralegh') said the king 'On my soule, mon, I have heard _rawly_ of thee.'--He was such a person (every way) that (as King Charles I sayes of the lord Strafford) a prince would rather be afrayd of then ashamed of. He had that awfulnes and ascendency in his aspect over other mortalls, that the king....

It was a most stately sight, the glory of that reception of his majesty, where the nobility and gentry were in exceeding rich equippage, having enjoyed a long peace under the most excellent of queens; and the company[814] was so exceeding numerous that their obedience[815] carried a secret dread with it. King James did not inwardly like it, and with an inward envy sayd that, though so and so (as before), he doubted not but he should have been able on his owne strength (should the English have kept him out) been able to have dealt with them, and get his right. [LXXII.]Sayd Sir Walter Raleigh to him, 'Would to God that had been put to the tryall.' 'Why doe you wish that?' sayd the king.--'Because,' said Sir Walter, 'that then you would have knowne your friends from your foes.' But that reason of Sir Walter was never forgotten nor forgiven.

[LXXII.] From Dr. Whistler.

[816]He was _praefectus_ ( ...[817]) of Jarsey (Caesaria).

[818]Old major[LXXIII.] Stansby of ..., Hants, a most intimate friend and neighbour and coetanean of the late earle of Southampton (Lord Treasurer), told me from his friend, the earle, that as to the plott and businesse (vide _Chronicle_) about the lord Cobham, etc., he being then governor of Jersey[819], would not fully, or etc., doe things unles[820] they would goe to his island and there advise and resolve about it; and that really and indeed Sir Walter's purpose was when he had them there, to have betrayed them and the plott, and to have then delivered-up to the king and made his peace.

[LXXIII.] Quaere Sir R. Henley, if not colonel.

As for his noble design in Guiana, vide the printed bookes. Vide a Latin voyage which John, lord Vaughan, showed me, where is mention of captaine North (brother to the lord North) who went with Sir Walter, where is a large account of these matters. Mr. Edmund Wyld knew him[821] and sayes he was a learned and sober gentleman and good mathematician, but if you happened to speake of Guiana he would be strangely passionate and say 'twas 'the blessedst countrey under the sun,' etc., reflecting on the spoyling that brave designe.

[822]Vide de illo in Capt. North, pag.[823] 18 b.

[824]When he was attached by the officer about the businesse which cost him his head, he was carryed in a whery[825], I thinke only with two men. King James was wont to say that he was a coward to be so taken and conveyed, for els he might easily have made his escape from so slight a guard.

<_His imprisonment, death, and burial._>

He was prisoner in the Tower ... (quaere) yeares; quaere where his lodgeings were?

He there (besides his compiling his _History of the World_) studyed chymistry. The earle of Northumberland was prisoner at the same time, who was the patrone to Mr. ... Harriot and Mr. Warner, two of the best mathematicians then in the world, as also Mr. Hues (<who wrote> _de Globis_). Serjeant Hoskins (the poet) was a prisoner there too.

I heard my cosen Whitney say that he saw him in the Tower. He had a velvet cap laced, and a rich gowne, and trunke hose.

[826]He was scandalizd with atheisme; but he was a bold man, and would venture at discourse which was unpleasant to the church-men. I remember <the> first lord[827] Scudamour sayd ''twas basely sayd of Sir W. R., to talke of _the anagramme of Dog_.' In his speech on the scaffold, I heard my cosen Whitney say (and I thinke 'tis printed) that he spake not one word of Christ, but of the great and incomprehensible God, with much zeale and adoration, so that he concluded he was an a-christ, not an atheist.

He tooke[LXXIV.] a pipe of tobacco a little before he went to the scaffold, which some formall persons were scandalized at, but I thinke 'twas well and properly donne, to settle his spirits.

[LXXIV.] <recorded by> J. Stowe, I thinke.

I remember I heard old father ... Symonds (è Societate Jesu) say, that ..., a father, was at his execution[828], and that to his knowledge he dyed with a lye in his mouth: I have now forgott what 'twas. The time of his execution was contrived to be on my Lord Mayer's day (viz. the day after St. Simon and Jude) 1618, that the pageants and fine shewes might drawe away[829] the people from beholding the tragoedie of one of the gallants worthies that ever England bred. Buryed privately under the high alter at St. Margaret's church, in Westminster, on ... (vide Register); in which grave (or neer) lies James Harrington, esq., author of _Oceana_.

Mr. Elias Ashmole told me that his son Carew Ralegh told him he had his father's skull; that some yeares since, upon digging-up the grave, his skull and neck-bone being viewed, they found the bone[830] of his neck lapped over so, that he could not have been hanged. Quaere Sir John Elowys for the skull, who married Mr. Carew Ralegh's daughter and heire.

[831]Sir W. Raleigh--Baker's _Chronicle_, p. 441--'A scaffold was erected in the Old Palace Yard, upon which, after 14 yeares reprivement, his head was cutt off. At which time such abundance of bloud issued from his veines that shewed he had stock of nature enough left to have continued him many yeares in life though now above 3-score yeares old, if it had not been taken away by the hand of violence. And this was the end of the great Sir Walter Raleigh, great sometimes in the favour of queen Elizabeth, and (next to Sir Francis Drake) the great scourge and hate of the Spaniard; who had many things to be commended in his life, but none more than his constancy at his death, which he tooke with so undaunted a resolution that one might percieve he had a certain expectation of a better life after it, so far he was from holding those atheisticall opinions, an aspersion whereof some had cast upon him.'

[832]In the register of St. Margaret's, Westminster, in the moneth of October, Sir Walter Raleigh is entred, and is the last of that moneth, but no dayes of the moneth are sett downe, so that he being beheaded on the Lord Mayer's day, was buryed the.... He was buryed as soon as you are removed from the top of the steps towards the altar, not under the altar.--from Elias Ashmole, esq.

_On Sir Walter Rawleigh._

Here lieth, hidden in this pitt, The wonder of the world for witt. It to small purpose did him serve; His witt could not his life preserve. Hee living was belov'd of none, Yet in his death all did him moane[LXXV.]. Heaven hath his soule, the world his fame, The grave his corps, Stukley his shame.

[LXXV.] Horat. ep. 1, lib. 2:--Extinctus amabitur _idem_.

This I found among the papers of my honoured friend and neighbour Thomas Tyndale, esq., obiit ... 167-, aet. 85. This Stukely was....

<_His writings._>

[833]At the end of the _History of the World_ (vide last folio, _Hist. World_), he laments the death of the most noble and most hopefull prince Henry,[834] whose great favourite he was, and who, had he survived his father, would quickly have enlarged him, with rewards of honour. So upon the prince's death ends his first part of his _History of the World_, with a gallant eulogie of him, and concludes[835], _Versa est in luctum cithara mea; et cantus[836] meus in vocem flentium_.

He had[LXXVI.] an apparatus for the second part, which he, in discontent, burn't, and sayd, 'If I am not worthy of the world, the world is not worthy of my workes.'

[LXXVI.] From his grand-nephews my school-fellowes.

[837]His booke sold very slowly at first, and the bookeseller complayned of it, and told him that he should be a looser by it, which put Sir W. into a passion; and sayd that since the world did not understand it, they should not have his second part, which he tooke and threw into the fire, and burnt before his face.

Mr. Elias Ashmole saies that Degore Whear in his _Praelectiones Hyemales_ gives him an admirable encomium, and preferres him before all other historians.

[838]Verses W. R. before Spencer's F. Queen.

[839]He was somtimes a poet, not often[840].--Before Spencer's Faery Q. is a good copie of verses, which begins thus:--

Methinkes I see the grave wher Laura lay;

at the bottome W. R.: which, 36 yeares since, I was told were his.

[841]_Scripsit._

A dialogue between a Privy Councellor and a Justice of Peace.

The father's advice to his son.

Historie of the World.

Maximes of State.

History of William the Conqueror--Thomas Gale hath it.

Edmund Wyld, esq., hath his[842] (a manuscript) ☞ 'A tryall of oares and indications of metalls and mines.'

[843]E<dmund> W<yld>, esq., hath his MSS. of mines and trialls of mineralls--quod vide.

Vide Mr. Coniers[LXXVII.], apothecary, for Sir Walter Raleigh's examination (the originall).

[LXXVII.] 'Take a catalogue of the MSS. of Mr. Conyers, apothecary, at the White Lyon in Fleet Street.'--Memo. in MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 6ᵛ.

<_His friends._>

[844]His intimate acquaintance and friends were:--

...[845], earle of Oxford. Sir Francis Vere. Sir Horatio Vere. Sir Francis Drake. Nicholas Hill. <Thomas> Cavendish. Mr. Thomas Hariot. Sir Walter Long, of Dracot in Wilts. Cavaliero Surff, etc. Ben: Johnson.

When Serjeant Hoskyns was a prisoner in the Tower, he was Sir Walter's Aristarchus.

<_Copy of a letter by him._>

[846]A copie[LXXVIII.] of Sir W. Ralegh's letter, sent to Mr. Duke, in Devon, writt with his owne hand.

[LXXVIII.] I thinke I sent the originall to Anthony Wood.

MR. DUKE,

I wrote to Mr. Prideaux to move you for the purchase of Hayes[LXXIX.], a farme sometime in my father's possession. I will most willingly give whatsoever in your conscience you shall deeme it worth, and if at any time you shall have occasion to use me, you shall find me a thankefull friend to you and yours. I am resolved, if I cannot entreat you, to build at Colliton; but for the naturall disposition I have to that place, being borne in that house, I had rather seate myselfe there then any where els; I take my leave, readie to countervaile all your courtesies to the utter of my power.

_Court, the xxvi of July, 1584._

Your very willing friend, In all I shall be able, WALTER RALEGH.

[LXXIX.] ☞ Hayes is in the parish of East Budleigh. He was not buryed at Exeter by his father and mother, nor at Shirburne in Dorset; at either of which places he desired his wife (in his letter the night before he dyed) to be interred. His father had 80 yeares in this farme of Hayes, and wrote 'esquier.'

<_Addenda._>

<_His last lines._>

[847]Even such is tyme, which takes in trust Our youth, our joyes, and all we have, And payes us but with age and dust. Within the darke and silent grave, When we have wandered all our wayes, Shutts up the story of our dayes. But from which grave and earth and dust The Lord will rayse me up I trust.

These lines Sir Walter Ralegh wrote in his Bible, the night before he was beheaded, and desir'd his relations with these words, viz. 'Beg my dead body, which living is denyed you; and bury it either in Sherburne or Exeter church.'

<_His burial-place._>

[848]The bishop of Sarum <Seth Ward> saieth that Sir Walter Raleigh lyes interred in St. Marie's church at Exon, not the cathedral: but knowes not if any inscription or monument be for him.

[849]<James Harrington> 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.

Sir Walter Raleigh hath neither stone nor inscription. Mr. Ashmole was the first told me of Sir Walter Raleigh. His son[850] was buryed since the king's restauration in his father's grave.

<_MS. account of his trial._>

[851]I am promised the _very originall_ examination of Sir Walter Ralegh, in the Tower, by Lord Chancellor Bacon, George Abbot (archbishop of Canterbury), and Sir Edward Coke, under their owne hands, to insert in my booke.

<_His 'History of the World.'_>

[852]An attorney's father (that did my businesse in Herefordshire, before I sold it[853]) maryed Dr. <Robert> Burhill's widdowe. She sayd that he <Burhill> was a great favourite of Sir Walter Ralegh's (and, I thinke, had been his chaplayne): but all or the greatest part of the drudgery of his booke, for criticismes, chronology, and reading of Greeke and Hebrew authors, was performed by him for Sir Walter Ralegh, whose picture my friend haz as part of the Doctor's goods.

=Walter Raleigh=, son of Sir Walter (1593-1617).

[854]Sir Walter Ralegh's eldest son, Walter, by his first wife, was killed in America, as you may find in the _Historie of the World_, which see.

My cosen Whitney[855] was coetanean with this Walter Ralegh at Oxon. I have now forgot of what house he was of[856]: but I remember he told me that he was a handsome lusty stout fellow, very bold, and apt to affront. Spake Latin very fluently; and was a notable disputent and courser, and would never be out of countenance nor baffeled; fight[857] lustily; and, one time of coursing, putt a turd in the box, and besmeared[858] it about his antagonist's face.

=Walter Raleigh=, grandson of Sir Walter (16---1663).

[859]Sir Walter Ralegh, _m._ ... | Carew Ralegh, _m._ ... lady Ashley[860]; but he had a of ... in com. | former wife: but by which wife he had Surrey, esq. | the issue Mr. Thomas Mariet knowes not. | Sir Walter Raleigh. | +---------------+--------+----------------------+ | | | 1. ..., _m._ ... Wilks. 2. ..., _m._ Sir John 3. ..., _m._ John Knight of Elowys. Barwick Green in Warwickshire.

He was knighted[861] by king Charles II at the same time when Sir Thomas Overbury was, and some wished that they might both have better fortunes than the other Sir Walter Ralegh and the other Sir Thomas Overbury. So you see Sir John Elowys married a daughter and co-heire of Sir Walter Raleigh.

=... Ralphson= (---- -1683/4).

[862]Mr. ... Ralphson, a nonconformist, was buried in London at ..., March 14th, 1683/4; above a 1000 persons were at his funerall.

_Note._

FOOTNOTES:

This note is referred to by Anthony Wood in Clark's Wood's _Life and Times_, iii. 91. Wood gave Aubrey several commissions to make inquiries about non-conformists, as is seen in the following notes:--MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 6--'Nonconformists: vide Mr. Collins neer Grub Street and <Francis> Smyth the bookeseller.' MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 7--'Vide Mr. Collins a nonconformist in an alley by Grub Street towards Finsbery at a sadler's; quaere de Anthony Wood's note of nonconformists which was sent[863] to Thankfull Owen': here Wood adds 'I desire without any delay to get this paper.'

=Thomas Randolph= (1605-1634/5).

[864]Thomas Randolph, the poet, Cambr.[865]:--I have sent to A. à Wood his nativity[866] etc., which I had from his brother John, an attorney (who lives at ...), viz. Thomas Randolph was the eldest son of William Randolph by his wife Elizabeth Smyth; he was borne at Newnham neer Daintre in Northamptonshire, June the fifteenth, 1605.

At the age of nine yeares, he wrot the history of our Saviour's incarnation in English verse, which his brother John haz to shew under his owne handwriting--never printed, kept as a rarity.

From Mr. Needler:--his haire was of a very light flaxen, almost white (like J. Scroope's). It was flaggy, as by his picture before his booke appeares. He was of a pale ill complexion and pock-pitten--from Mr. Thomas Fludd, his scholefellow at Westminster, who sayes he was of about my stature or scarce so tall[867].

His father was steward to Sir George Goring in Sussex. He had been very wild in his youth; and his father (i.e. grandfather to Thomas Randolph) left him but a groat or 3_d._ in his will, which when he recieved he nailed to the post of the dore--vide + A. W. lres[868]. His father was a surveyor of land, i.e. a land measurer.

Anno Domini <1623> he was elected to Trinity College in Cambridge.

Anno ... he rencountred captain Stafford[869] (an ingeniose gent. and the chiefe of his family, and out of which the great duke of Bucks brancht) on the roade.... He gave him a pension of I thinke C_ˡⁱ_. per annum, and he was tutor to his son and heir.

He was very _praecocis ingenii_, and had he lived but a little longer had been _famae suae superstes_.

He writt (as before mentioned) the history of our Saviour's incarnation (at 9 yeers old).

Aristippus, and the Joviall Pedler, 2 shewes, quarto, printed at London by....

Cornelianum dolium, a comoedie in Latin, 8vo, ἀνονυμῶς[870].

The Jealous Lovers, a comedie: printed.

His Poems, with The Muses Looking-glas, and Amyntas, printed at Oxon by Francis Bowman, 16--, in 4to; after, 16--, by him again in 8vo.

The epitaph on William Laurence in Westminster cloysters[871]--

[Dr. Busby, schoolmaster of Westminster, was Tom Randolph's schoolfellow and coetanean, and sayth that he made these verses--'tis his vaine:--

With diligence and trust[872] most exemplary Did William Laurence serve a prebendary[873], And[874] for his paines, now past before, not lost, Gain'd this remembrance at his master's cost. --O read those lines[875] againe: you seldome[876] find A servant faithfull and a master kind. Short-hand[877] he wrote; his flowre in youth did fade: And hasty death short hand of him hath made. Well couth he numbers and well[878] measur'd land, Thus doth he now that ground wheron you stand Wherein he lies; so geometricall Art maketh some, but thus will nature all.

Obiit Dec. 28, 1621, aetatis suae 29.]

He dyed in the twenty-eighth yeare of his age at Mr. <William> Stafford's, Blatherwyck, aforesayd; was there buryed March 17, 1634, in the aisle of that church among that noble family.

Sir Christopher, lord Hatton, erected to his memorie a monument of white marble--quaere his epitaph; I thinke A<nthony> W<ood> haz it.

I sent to A. Wood his brother's letter to me from whence I had most of this, and also his epitaph which my lord Hatton gott Mr. H.[879] rector of Hadham in Essex[880] to make, but it is puerile.

=Eleanor Ratcliffe=, Countess of Sussex (16---1666).

[881]Countesse of Sussex[882]: a great and sad example of the power of lust and slavery of it. She was as great a bea<u>tie as any in England and had a good witt. After her lord's death (he was jealous) she sends for ... (formerly) her footman, and makes him groom of the chamber. He had the pox and shee knew it; a damnable sot. He waz not very handsom, but his body of an exquisit shape (_hinc sagittae_). His nostrills were stufft and borne out with corkes in which were quills to breath through. About 1666 this countess dyed of the pox.

=Robert Record= (1510?-1558).

[883]Robert Record, M.D.--his life is in lib. 2, p. 174 of[884] _Historia et Antiquitates Universitatis Oxon._, among the writers of All Soules College[885].

He was the first that wrote a good arithmetical treatise in English, which hath been printed a great many times, viz. his 'Arithmetick, containing the ground of arts in which is taught the general parts rules and operations of the same in whole numbers and fractions after a more easie and exact methode then ever heretofore, first written by Robert Record, Dr. in Phisick,' printed....

It was dedicated 'to the most mighty prince Edward the 6th by the grace of God king of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, etc.' In the end of which epistle:--

'how some of these statutes may be applied to use as well in our time as in any other time I have particularly declared in this book and some other I have omitted for just considerations till I may offer them first unto your majestie to weigh them as to your highness shall seem good. For many things in them are not to be published without your highness knowledge and approbation, namely because in them is declared all the rates of all oyles, for all standards from an ounce upwards, with other mysteries of mint-matters, and also most part of the varieties of coines that have been current in this realme by the space of 600 yeares last past, and many of them were currant in the time that the Romans ruled here. All which with the ancient description of England and Ireland, and my simple censure of the same, I have almost compleated to be exhibited to your highnesse.'--

Quaere if ever published?

'To the reader:--It shall induce me to set forth those further instructions concerning geometric and cosmography which I have already promised and am sure hath not hitherto in our English tongue been published.'--

Quaere of these.

The Whetstone of Witt, which is the second part of Arithmetick, containing the extraction of rootes, the cossicke practice, with the rule of equation and the workes of surd nombers. Quarto; dedicated 'to the right worshipfull the governors, consulles, and the rest of the company of venturers into Muscovia.' Here he speakes:--'For your commodities I will shortly set forthe suche a book of navigation'--quaere de hoc libro--'as I dare saie shall partly satisfy and contente not onely your expectation but also the desire of a great nomber beside. Wherein I will not forget specialy to touche bothe the old attempte for the northerly navigations and the late good adventure with the fortunate successe in discovering that voyage which no man before you durst attempt sith the time of king Alfred his reigne, I meane by the space of 700 yere, nother ever any before that time had passed that voiage except onely Ohthere that dwelt in Halgolande who reported that jorney to the noble king Alurede, as it doeth yet remain in auncient recorde of the old Saxon tongue.--In that book also I will show certain meanes how without great difficultie you may saile to the North-east Indies and so to Camul Chinchital and Balor which be countries of great commodities; as for Chatai lieth so far within the land toward the South Indian seas that the journey is not to be attempted untill you be better acquainted with those countries that you must first arrive at.--At London the xii day of November 1557.'

Preface:--'by occasion of trouble upon trouble I was hindered from accomplishing this work as I did intend.'

In the last leafe of this booke he is frighted by the hasty knocking of a messenger at the dore and sayes--'then is there no remedie but that I must neglect all studies and teaching for to withstand these dangers. My fortune is not so good to have quiet time to teache.'

The Castle of Knowledge, printed at London, 1596, quarto[886], and is dedicated 'to the most mightie and most puissant princesse, Marie, by the grace of God, Queen of England, Spaine, both Sicilies, France, Jerusalem, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Archduchesse of Austria, Duchesse of Milaine, Burgundie, and Brabant, Countesse of Haspurge, Flanders, Tyroll, etc.'

He was the first that ever writ of astronomie in the English tongue.

In an admonition for orderly studying of the author's workes before this booke there is an intimation in verse that he wrote these five bookes, scilicet, (1) The Ground of Arts, (2) the Pathway to Knowledge, (3) the Gate of Knowledge, (4) the Castle of Knowledge, (5) the Treasury of Knowledge.

All that I have seen of his are written in dialogues between the master and scholar.

[887]Can you[888] enforme me where Dr. Record lies buried? Me thinks Mr. Stow should mention him.

=John David Rhees= (1534-1609).

[889]Johannes David Rhesus, M.D.:--he wrote a compendium of Aristotle's Metaphysiques in the British language, mentioned in his epistle to Sir <Edward> Stradling before his Welsh Grammar. 'Twas in Jesus College library, Oxon, and my cosen Henry Vaughan (_Olor Iscanus_) had it in his custody. Dr. Rhees averres[890] there that the British language is as copious in expressing congruous termes of art as the Greeke or any language whatsoever. I have sent to Henry Vaughan for it.

[891]I have not yet heard from my cosen Henry Vaughan ('Olor Iscanus') concerning your queres[892] of Dr. David Rhese the physitian, which I wonder at.

=John Rider= (1562-1632).

[893]Memorandum--Rider is a Berks family, portant 'party per chevron argent and sable 3 crescents counter-chang'd.' Quaere if bishop <John> Rider, the author of the Dictionary, was a Berkshire man.

=George Ripley= (14-- -1490?).

[894]George Ripley was a canon of Burlington, the greatest chymist of his time. Mr. Elias Ashmole has the draught of his monument there.

Mr. Meredith Lloyd (an able chymist, and who informed his majestie and Sir Robert Moray herin) hath a MS. in 8vo, 3 inches thick, transcribed by T. P. 1580, viz.:--Medulla Philosophiae, in English; item, Ripley's XII Gates, in English verse (more full then in Mr. Ashmole's _Theatrum Chymicum_)--'Geo. Ripley finivit opus, anno 1471'--with the astronomicall tables comprehending the secret of the booke.

Item, Mr. Meredith Lloyd haz here in this collection another MSS. of Chymistry ἀνονυμῶς.

Item, another MS. of Birford, a monk of Ford.

Item, The Mirror of Light[895], another MS.

Item, another of an ἀνόνυμος[896], on the same subject.

The Ordinall of Alchymy, by Norton, MS.

Item, de Mercurio et lapide philosophorum, MS.

In this volumne is also bound-up Ripley's Ars chymica quod sit licita recte exercentibus.

Item, Mercurii Trismagisti 7 tractat.

Item, ejusdem, Tabulae Smaragdinae.

Studium concilii conjugii de massa Solis et Lunae, impress. Argentorati, 1566.

I have not had leisure to peruse this rare treasure enough[897]; but I remember Ripley trounces the monkes of Westminster for cheating the citizens of London, promising them making of gold.

=... Robartes.=

[898]_Concerning Furzecutters._--Brianston by Blandford in Dorset was, tempore Henr. 8, belonging to (Sir John, I thinke) Rocklington. He had a faire estate, and no child; and there was a poor cottager whose name was Rogers that had a pretty wife whom this knight did visit and had a mind to have a child by her. As he did suppose, he afterwards had; and in consideration of affection, etc., settled his whole estate on this young Rogers. William, lord marquesse Hartford (duke of Somerset), was son of the grand-daughter of this Rogers.

This present lord Roberts of Truro (now earl of Radnor) his grandfather (or great-grandfather) was a furze-cutter at ... in Cornwall--which I have heard old parson Wodenot of Linkenhorne in Cornwall say many times.

=... Robson.=

[899]Mr. <Fabian> Philips also[900] tells me that ... Robson was the first that brought into England the art of making Venice glasses, but Sir Edward Zouche (a courtier and drolling favourite of King James) oppressed this poor man Robson, and forc't it from him, by these 4 verses to King James, which made his majestie laugh so that he was ready to bes-- his briggs. The verses are these:--

Severn, Humber, Trent, and Thames, And thy great Ocean and her streames Must putt downe Robson and his fires Or downe goes Zouche and his desires.

The king granted this ingeniose manufacture to Zouch, being tickled as aforesayd with these rythmes; and so poor Robson was oppressed and utterly undon, and came to that low degree of poverty that Mr. Philips told me that he swept the yard at Whitehall and that he himselfe sawe him doe it.

Sir Robert Mansell had the glasse-worke afterwards, and employed Mr. James Howell (author of _The Vocall Forest_) at Venice as a factor to furnish him with materialls for his worke.

=Henry Rolle= (1589-1656).

[901]I remember, about 1646 (or 1647) that Mr. John Maynard (now Sir John, and serjeant), came into Middle Temple hall, from Westminster-hall, weary with business, and hungry, when we had newly dined. He sate downe by Mr. Bennet Hoskyns (the only son of serjeant Hoskyns the poet), since baronet, and some others; who having made an end of their commons, fell unto various discourse, and what was the meaning of the text (Rom. 5. 7) 'For a just man one would dare to die; but for a good man one would willingly die.' They askt Mr. Maynard what was the difference between a just man and a good man. He was beginning to eate, and cryd:--'Hoh! you have eaten your dinners, and now have leasure to discourse; I have not.' He had eate but a bitt or two when he reply'd:--'I'le tell you the difference presently: serjeant Rolle is _a just man_, and Matthew Hale is _a good man_'; and so fell to make an end of his dinner. And there could not be a better[902] interpretation of this text. For serjeant Rolle was just, but by nature penurious; and his wife made him worse: Matthew Hale was not only just, but wonderfully charitable and open handed, and did not sound a trumpet neither, as the hypocrites doe.

=Laurence Rooke= (1623-1662).

[903]Laurence Rooke, borne at ... in Kent, was of <King's> Colledge in Cambridge, a good mathematician and a very good man, an intimate friend of Dr. Seth Ward (now lord bishop of Sarum).

I heard him reade at Gresham College on the sixth chapter of _Clavis Mathematica_, an excellent lecture: quaere for his papers which the bishop of Sarum haz.

He was a temperate man and of strong constitution, but tooke his sicknesse of which he dyed by setting up often for astronomicall observations. He lyes buried in the church of St. Bennet Finke in London, neer the Old Exchange.

His deare friend the bishop (then of Exon) gave to the Royall Societie a very faire pendulum clock, dedicated to Mr. Rooke's memory, with this inscription[904]:--

Societati Regali ad scientiam naturalem promovendam institutae dono dedit Reverendus in Christo pater, Sethus, episcopus Exon, ejusdem societatis sodalis in memoriam Laurentii Rook viri omni literarum genere instructissimi in Collegio Greshamensi primum Astronomiae deinde Geometriae professoris dictaeque societatis nuper sodalis, qui obiit Jun. 26, 1662.

Seth <Ward>, now lord bishop of Salisbury, hath all Mr. Rooke's papers: quod N.B.

[905]M.S.

Hic subtus sive dormit sive contemplatur Qui jamdudum animo metitus est Quicquid aut vita aut mors habet V.C. Laurentius Rooke e Cantio oriundus In Collegio Greshamensi Astronomiae primo, dein Geometriae professor, Utriusque ornamentum et spes maxima, Quem altissima indoles, artesque omnifariae, Mores pellucidi, et ad amussim probi, Consuetudo facilis et accommoda, Bonis doctisque omnibus fecere commendatissimum: Vir totus teres et sui plenus Cui virtus et pietas et summa ratio Desideria metusque omnes sub pedibus dabant. Ne se penitus saeculo subducere mortuus possit Qui iniquissima modestia vixerat Sethus Ward episcopus Exon Sodalis et symmystae desideratissimi Longas suavesque amicitias Hoc saxo prosecutus est.

Obiit Junii XXVII, A.D. MDCLXII, aetat. XL. M.S.

This inscription was never set up; made, I thinke, by Ralph Bathurst; quaere Mr. Abraham Hill.

_Note._

FOOTNOTES:

In MS. Aubr. 6, fol. 117, attached to the notice of William Camden, are pp. 17-24 of Lewis du Moulin's Latin orations, 1652. On p. 18 of this, Aubrey writes: 'I found this fragment amongst the papers of Mr. Laurence Rooke in bishop Seth Ward's study after his death.' Page 19 begins: 'Oratio in laudem ... Cambdeni,' July 10, 1652, beginning: 'Cum muneris ratio postulet.'

=Walter Rumsey= (1584-1660).

[906]Judge Rumsey: vide A. Wood's _Antiq. Oxon._

Walter Rumsey, of Lanover, in com. Monmouth, esquier (borne there), was of <Gloucester Hall> in Oxon; afterwards of the society of Graye's Inne, where he was a bencher.

He was one of the judges in South Wales, viz. Caermarthen, Pembrokeshire, and Cardigan circuit. He was so excellent a lawyer, that he was called _The Picklock of the Lawe_.

He was an ingeniose man, and had a philosophicall head; he was most curious for graffing, inoculating, and planting, and ponds. If he had any old dead plumbe-tree, or apple-tree, he lett them stand, and planted vines at the bottome, and lett them climbe up, and they would beare very well.

He was one of my councell in my law-suites in Breconshire about the entaile. He had a kindnesse for me and invited me to his house, and told me a great many fine things, both naturall and antiquarian.

He was very facetious, and a good musitian, playd on the organ and lute. He could compose.

He was much troubled with flegme, and being so one winter at the court at Ludlowe (where he was one of the councesellours), sitting by the fire, spitting and spawling, he tooke a fine tender sprig, and tied[907] a ragge at the end, and conceited he might putt it downe his throate, and fetch-up the flegme, and he did so. Afterwards he made this instrument of whale-bone. I have oftentimes seen him use it. I could never make it goe downe my throat, but for those that can 'tis a most incomparable engine. If troubled with the wind it cures you _immediately_. It makes you vomit without any paine, and besides, the vomits of apothecaries have _aliquid veneni_ in them. He wrote a little 8vo booke, of this way of medicine, called _Organon Salutis_: London, printed for Daniel Pakeman, at the Rainebowe, in Fleet-street, 1659, scil. the second edition, dedicated to Henry <Pierrepont>, marquess of Dorchester. I had a young fellow (Marc Collins), that was my servant, that used it incomparably, more easily than the Judge; he made of them. In Wilts, among my things, are some of his making still. The Judge sayd he never sawe any one use it so dextrously in his life. It is no paine, when downe your throate; he would touch the bottome of his stomach with it. There is praefixt a letter from the Judge to Sir Henry Blount, knight; to which is annexed Sir Henry Blount's ingeniose answer.

=John Rushworth= (1607-1690).

[908]I was borne in Northumberland[909], but my parents were both born in the county of York. The title of the books I writ went by the name of _Historicall Collections_; except _The earle of Strafford's triall_, which I toke with my owne pen in characters at the time of his triall, which I have impartially published in folio. And I gave the first president of my method in writing and declaring onely matter of fact in order of time, without observation or reflection: but Dr. Nalson, a learned man, finds fault with me, but I leave it to posterity to judg.

I being neere of kin to Sir Thomas Fairfax, the parlament's generall, he made choice of me to be his secretary in the wars[910], by which means I am beter inabled to give account of military affairs, both in the first wars and in the second which hapened in the year 1648--all which I am now upon perfeting the same, but the times favors not the comeing of it forth.

There is an other thing which inables me the better to proceed with the work I am now upon, my privity to all debates and passages in the house of Commons: for that house made choice of me to be assistant at the table to Mr. Ellsing, clark of that parlament to the house of Commons, by which means I was privey to all circumstances in there procedings.

I might perticularly remonstrate more concernements of my owne, as being with the king Charles the first at the camp at Barwick, at the great councill at York, at Newborne[911] nere Newcastle upon the Scots invading of England, et cetera.

Both the houses of parlament had the confidence in me that they sent by me ther[912] addresses to the king after he left the parlament and went to Yorke. And it so fell out that I rode severall times, with that expedition betwen London and Yorke (being one hundred and fivetey miles) in 24 hours at a time.

Sir[913], pardon my boye's ignorance in writeing:

JO. RUSHWORTH[914].

Southwarke, July 21, 1687.

Mr.[915] Rushworth tells me he is superannuated. He hath forgott to putt downe the name of the place where borne: as also that he was secretary to Sir Orlando Bridgeman, when Lord Keeper of the great seale, which was a considerable place.

[916]Yesterday I saw Mr. Rushworth: which was a great mortification. He hath quite lost his memory with drinking brandy. Remembred nothing of you, etc. His landlady wiped his nose like a child.

[917]John Rushworth, of Lincoln's Inne, esq., historian, died in the Rules Court Alley in Southwarke, at the widow Bayley's house, a good woman and who was very carefull and tendfull of him, on Monday the twelfth day of May 1690[918]; and was buried the Wednesday following behind the pulpit in St. George's church in Southwarke. He was about 83, onwards to 84. He had no son, but 3 or 4 daughters, virtuous woemen: one is maried to Sir Francis Vane of ... in the north. He had forgot his children before he died.

=Richard Sackville=, third earl of Dorset (1589-1624).

[919]Richard, earle of Dorset (eldest son[920] and heire to the Lord Treasurer): he lived in the greatest grandeur of any nobleman of his time in England. He had 30 gentlemen, and gave to each 50 _li._ per annum, besides keeping his horse. George Villiers (after, duke of Bucks) was a pe<ti>tioner to have had a gentleman's place under him, and miss't it, and within a 12 moneth was a greater man himselfe; but the duke ever after bore a grudge to the earl of Dorset.--from the countesse of Thanet[921].

=Richard Sackville=, fifth earl of Dorset (1622-1677).

[922]Richard Sackville[BB], earle of Dorset[923], father of this earle (Richard)--'twas he that translated[BC] _the Cid_, a French comoedie, into English, about 1640.

Obiit anno Domini 167<7>; sepult. with his ancestors at Knoll in Kent. He was a fellow of the Royall Societie. He maried <Frances> Cranfield, daughter of the earle of Middlesex, by whome he had severall sonnes and daughters.

His eldest sonne is Richard, earl of Dorset and Middlesex, a most noble lord and my most kind friend.

Obiit 16<77>.

_Notes._

FOOTNOTES:

[BB] This note is in MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 20ᵛ. Aubrey gives in trick the coat:--'quarterly <or and gules> over all a bend vair [Sackville]; impaling, <or>, on a pale <azure>, 3 fleur de lys <of the field> [Cranfield],' surmounted by a coronet. The note contains some confusions, which may be cleared up. (_a_) MS. Aubr. 8 was written in 1681, 'this earl' is therefore Charles, 6th earl (succeeded 1677, died 1706); but Aubrey twice calls him _Richard_. (_b_) The translation of _the Cid_ appeared, part i in 1637, and