Aubrey's Brief Lives

by John Aubrey

  What indeed? For when Aubrey asked Randall Isaacson a simple question about his father, he was answered with this fantastic rigmarole: “My father died in St. Cathrin Coleman’s parrish London, About the 7° of December, 1654, which is neare 34 yeares after my grandfather’s death. I Calculate from the tyme of his Birth to my Grandfather’s Death to bee 39 yeares: ad the 34 yeares after my Grandfather’s death to the 39 before: 39+34 makes 73 years his age—which all the familie agree that hee was seaventy three yeares of age when hee died, soe that he was borne in anno 1581. Borne in anno 1581, dyed aged 73, makes 1654 the yeare when he dyed.”

  Sometimes, too, he asked so many questions that his friends took pleasure in teasing him: Dr. John Newton—he told me he was borne in Bedfordshire, but would not tell me where: while at other times his repeated queries seem to have exasperated them: The Earle of Carnarvon does not remember Mr. Brown, ana I ask’t his Lordship lately if any of his servants doe; he assures me NO. That this was no isolated instance is proved by Aubrey’s own sharpness with Anthony Wood: On Sunday last I dined with Mr. Ashmole, who bids me answer you POSITIVELY that Sir Richard Nepier never did write anything and sayes that he haz acquainted you thus much before by letter.

  But though he could extend his reach back to the Elizabethan age by this method: Old Sergeant Hoskins the Poet (grandfather to this Sir John Hoskins, Baronet, my honoured friend) was well acquainted with Mr. Nicholas Hill, by which meanes I have this tradicion which otherwise had been lost; as also his very name: it had its disappointments too. Mr. Baron Brampton hath invited me to his chamber to give me a farther account of Generali Monk. I let slip the Opportunity, and my honoured friend is dead, Aubrey said sadly on one occasion, and on another: I thought to have taken Memoires of him; but deferring it Death took away Sir Jonas. And ever after a loss like this, Aubrey nursed a secret regret, as he showed in his life of Edmund Waller: Mr. Thomas Big of Wickham haz been dead these 20 yeares, who could have told me the cause of his madness, he said then. I beleeve that I am right. You see how things become antiquated.

  Anything that could be checked was checked, however, with scrupulous care. Thomas Hobbes, Malmesburiensis, Philosophus, was borne at his father’s house in Westport, Aubrey recorded, being that extreme howse that pointes into, or faces, the Horse-fayre; the farthest howse on the left hand as you goe to Tedbury, leaving the Church on your right. To prevent mistakes, and that hereafter may rise no doubt what house was famous for this Famous man’s Birth; I doe here testifie that in April, 1659, his brother Edmond went with me into this house, and into the Chamber where he was borne. Now things begin to be antiquated, and I have heard some guesse it might be at the howse where his brother Edmund lived and dyed. But this is so, as I here deliver it. This house was given by Thomas, the Vicar, to his daughter, whose daughter or granddaughter possessed it, when I was there. It is a firme house, stone-built and tiled, of one roome (besides a buttery, or the like, within) below, and two chambers above. ’Twas in the innermost where He first drew breath.

  Despite all this research for Anthony Wood, Aubrey still found time to carry on several projects of his own, for the distractions of the past had vanished when, at the age of forty-six his financial ruin was complete. From 1670 onwards he enjoyed a sweet otium, because when he had his horoscope calculated, in 1671, he discovered a scapegoat for all his misfortunes. “The nativity,” said Henry Coley, the astrologer, “is a most Remarkeable opposition, and ’tis much pitty the starres were not more favourable to the Native.” For, it seems, they “threaten ruin to land and estate; give Superlative Vexations in Matters Relating to Marriag, besides wondrous Contests in Lawsuits: all of which vexations, I suppose the native hath had a Greater portion than ever was desired.” And even though another horoscope, cast this time by John Gadbury, an astrologer who was, unlike Coley, as yet unacquainted with Aubrey himself “looks no more like Esq: Aubrey than an apple is like an Oyster,” Aubrey seems to have found it a real relief to be able to blame his own incompetence upon the stars.

  He was, in fact, so enthralled with the predictions that, not only did he make selections from the forty volumes of Nativities which William Lilly had assembled: Mr. Ashmole turnes and reads, he said, and I doe write: but he also set about collecting, on his own account, the precise hours of the birth of most of his friends, which he entered in a little book entitled A Collection of Genitures Well Attested. Walter Charleton M.D. borne at Shepton-Malet in com. Somerset, Feb. 2d, 1619, about 6 h. P.M. his mother being then at supper, he notes, but not all confinements were as uneventful as this. Sir William Dugdale was born September 12, 1605. That afternoon a Swarme of Bees pitch’t under his Mother’s chamber window, as it were an omen of his laborious Collections, and worst of all perhaps was the case of Mris. Jane Smyth, for when she was born it thundered and lightened and the house was on fire. Anthony Ettrick, the friend with whom he had been in danger of drowning on his return from Ireland, was more fortunate: he came quietly into the world on a Sunday. His mother would say he was a Sundaye’s Bird. But once again, Aubrey found himself baulked for lack of information: Christopher Wren had told him that the bell rang VIII as his mother fell in Labour with him, but Aubrey complained to Wood that he hath putt a trick on us, as it seems; for he hath made him selfe a yeare younger then indeed he is, though he needs not be ashamed of his age, he hath made such admirable use of his time: ’tis a poore spirited thing, if he will not resolve me. Anthony Wood’s reply to this must have been interesting reading, for he had just tried to reduce his forty years to twenty-five, by writing to Aubrey: “My Nativity I cannot yet retrive; but by talking with an ancient servant of my father’s, I find I was born on the 17 of Decem, but the year when I am not certain: ’twas possibly about 1647:” and this from a man who had written an eye-witness account of King Charles I’s entry into Christ Church in 1636.

  But it was not birth alone that counted in astrology; every date was significant. If you fell ill, the time you took to your bed was of the utmost importance: Sir Robert Henley, of Bramswell, Hants, Baronet, decubuit, Thursday, about 3 P.M., Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day. He was taken ill a hunting about noon, I think the Tuesday before: and Aubrey was always careful to transfer the leases of his fast vanishing estates at the most propitious moment. Eston-Pierse possession, one horoscope is marked, and underneath is written: 25 March 1671. 1 P.M. possession given by Jonathan Rogers to Mr. Sherwin. The exact time at which an honour was granted was also most important and Aubrey several times repeated that Sir Christopher Wren was Knighted at Whitehall on Friday, 14th November 1673, at 5 h A.M. (From Mr. Robert Hooke, the next day). Even a man’s figure depended on the heavens, for Aubrey noted of Sir William Petty: Jupiter in Cancer makes him fatt at heart. John Gadbury also sayes that Vomits would be excellent good for him: and the stars had an even worse effect on poor William Marshall, the sculptor: Conjunction of Mercury and Leo made him stutter. It was no wonder, therefore, that Edward Davenant said he thankt God his father did not know the houre of his birth; for that it would have tempted him to have studyed Astrologie, for which he had no esteeme at all.

  Throughout the nineteenth century, the pious clergymen who bowdlerised Aubrey’s work fell particularly hard on him for this superstition. But in this they merely revealed their lack of historical knowledge, for though astrology had become gross superstition by their days, it was not always so. Until the publication of Newton’s theory showed the fallacy of the beliefs on which the celestial scheme or horoscopes was founded, astrology had been one of the most serious attempts to explain the world scientifically. And it was in this scientific spirit that Aubrey approached the problem. We have not that Science yet perfect, he said, ’tis one of the Desiderata. The way to make it perfect is to gett a Supellex of true Genitures; in order wherunto I have with much care collected these ensuing, which the Astrologers may rely on, for I have sett doune none on randome, or doubtfull, information, but from their own Mouthes: quod N.B. And when in 1673, Sir Leoline Jenkins was sent with Sir Jo
seph Williamson, Plenipotentiaries to Nemeghen, Aubrey gave striking proof of his empirical attitude. I remember that very time they went away was opposition of Saturn and Mars. I sayd then to the Earl of Thanet that if that Ambassade came to any good I would never trust to Astrologie again. It cannot be held against Aubrey that he at last decided, on the evidence before him, that astrology was the key to truth, for as Jeremy Bentham has said, “He who thinks, and thinks for himself, will always have a claim to thanks; it is no matter whether it be right or wrong, so as it be explicit. If it is right, it will serve as a guide to direct: if wrong, as a beacon to warn.”

  In those days a warning beacon was badly needed, for one of the first results of the Reformation had been a tremendous outburst of superstition, and the Puritans, encouraged by their literal acceptance of the truth of the Bible, soon spread their delusions throughout Europe. Aubrey realised this as well as anyone. Though it was then the fashion to fall upon the church of Rome, he said, yet these men were as superstitious, but did not know it. In Germany, Luther himself accused the Devil of having created flies purposely to distract him while writing good books, and in Calvin’s Geneva several people went to the stake for the detestable crime of spreading the plague. It was not until the middle of Elizabeth’s reign that the symptoms of this wild credulity began to appear in England, where as the Puritan influence became dominant, it brought with it a renewed belief in Witchcraft. Little action was taken by the State against those unfortunates during the Queen’s reign, however, for Elizabeth disapproved most strongly of this particular superstition, very probably because her mother had not only been universally accounted to be a witch, but had also been sentenced “to be beheaded or burned at the Kings pleasure.” No such family scruples held back the Stuarts, though, and on the accession of James I, the prosecutions started, which were to result in the execution of seventy thousand witches in England alone before 1680. Indeed King James himself, in his book on “Daemonologie,” gave a terrific fillip to the witch-trials, although he soon came up against so many frauds that he recanted his views. Aubrey tells two stories that must have contributed to the King’s change of heart. First he says, One Mris. Katharine Waldron (a Gentlewoman of good Family) pretended to be bewitched by a certain woman. She had acquired such a strange habit, that She would endure exquisite torments, as to have pinnes thrust into her flesh, nay under her Nailes. His Majesty being in these parts went to see her in one of her Fitts: she lay on a bed: and the King saw her endure the torments aforesayd. The Roome (as it is easily to be believed) was full of Company. His Majesty gave a sodain pluck to her Coates, and topt them over her head, and discovered ALL to the standers by: which surprise (it seemes she had some innate modesty in her) not imagining of such a thing made her immediately start, and detected the Cheate. And then there was the case of Richard Heydock, M.D. quondam Fellow of New College in Oxford, an Ingenious, and a learned Person: but much against the Hierachie of the Church of England. He had this Device to gaine Proselytes by preaching in his Dream: which was much noised abroad, and talk’t of as a Miracle. But King James 1st. being at Salisbury went to heare him: He observed that this Harangue was very methodicall &c. that he did but counterfeit a Sleep. He surprized the Doctor by drawing his sword, and swearing Gods waunes I will cutt-off his head: at which the Dr. startled, and pretended to awake. So the Cheat was detected.

  But not all his subjects proved so astute as their sovereign, and although King James threw the whole weight of his influence and that of his Council, the Star Chamber and the Episcopate, into the struggle against the growing mania, it was too late. Wherever the Puritans, and later the Parliament, held sway, the persecution broke out afresh, and books, pamphlets and sermons poured from the press. It was, surprisingly, the educated class which was most obsessed by the belief in witchcraft, and it must be admitted that all the evidence available supported its existence; though perhaps Chief Justice Hale went somewhat too far in laying it down as a law that there must be such things as witches, since there were laws against witches, and it was not conceivable that laws had been made against something which did not exist. The witches themselves were never convicted without their voluntary confessions, usually under torture it is true, but even without this persuasion, many of the unfortunate creatures, like those present-day women who complain of non-existent sexual attacks, vociferously protested that they were in truth in league with the Devil. And the catalogue, which Aubrey has left, of the evils for which witches were held to be accountable, explains the astounding number of persons who suffered death for this crime. Twisting of trees, tearing and turning up Oakes by the roots, he listed. Raysing tempests; wracking ships; throwing down steeples; blasting plantes; dwindle away young children. To overlooke and binde the spirits and phantasy; bewhattling and making men impotent, woemen miscarry (Countesse of Carlisle). Whirlewinds; haracanes; Spirits in ’em. He went on to explain the organisation of the witch’s sabbath, which seems to have moved with the times, for they now held the session, à la mode de Royal Society, with Balloting-box. Memorandum, he concludes, Sir Henry Billingsley said wise men alwaies saw that as some malicious woemen increased in years, increased also in malice: set howses on fire, mischiefe to children, etc. Thought it better to have them underground then above ground and raise storms: the familiars could not handsomely knock ’em in the head. It was no wonder, therefore, that when there was a Cabal of Witches detected at Malmesbury, they were examined by Sir James Long of Dracot-Cerne, and committed by him to Salisbury Gaole. I think there were 7 or 8 old women hanged. There were odd things sworne against them, as the strange manner of the dyeing of H. Dennys Horse: of flying in the Air on a staffe, etc. These examinations, &c. Sr. James hath fairly written in a Book, which He promised to give to the Royall Society. Despite this seeming support for the persecution amongst even the most scientific men, scepticism was slowly growing: Mr. Anth. Etttrick of the Middle Temple (a very judicious Gentleman) was a curious Observer of the whole Triall, and was not satisfied, says Aubrey on another occasion. The crowd of spectators made such a noise that the Judge could not heare the Prisoner, nor the Prisoner the Judge; but the words were handed from one to the other by Mr. R. Chandler, and sometimes not truly reported.

  In the infancy of science, every theory, no matter how absurd it might seem superficially, had to be checked before it could be safely discarded; and nowadays Aubrey would not be maligned as a credulous fool, but would be praised as an anthropologist and a collector of folk-lore. Old Customs and old wives fables are grosse things, he admits, but yet ought not to be buried in Oblivion; there may be some trueth and usefulnesse be picked out of them, besides ’tis a pleasure to consider the Errours that enveloped former ages: as also the present. And the errors of the present were not confined to Aubrey, even though he noted them down with such a will. William Lawd (Arch-bishop of Canterbury) in a Sermon Preached before the Parliament, about the beginning of the Reign of King Charles I affirms the power of Prayer to be so great, that though there be a Conjunction or Opposition of Saturn or Mars (as there was one of them then) it will overcome the malignity of it. As the Church believed, so did the State: A little before the Death of Oliver Protector, a Whale came into the River Thames and was taken at Greenwich. ’Tis said, Oliver was troubled at it. Nor was Science itself free from the taint, for the astronomer Kepler was convinced that the planets, by their revolutions, produced “a music of the spheres,” which was audible only to the sun, which he believed to be the body of a divine spirit; while the great Newton himself accounted for the tangential velocities of the planets, which prevent them from falling into the sun, by supposing that, initially, they had been hurled by the hand of God.

  Although he shared in some of the delusions of his time, Aubrey made many reservations in his beliefs. He says of Phantomes: Though I myselfe never saw any such things, yet I will not conclude that there is no Truth at all in these reports. I believe that (extraordinarily) there have been such Apparitions; but where one is true, a hundred
are Figments. There is a Lecherie in lyeing: and imposeing on the Credulous: And the Imagination of fearfull People is to admiration.

  Even though he sifted the mass of evidence which he had collected in this critical spirit, he was so much more of an antiquary than a scientist that he could never bring himself to discard any of the stories which he had so laboriously discovered. It may seem nauseous to some, he apologised, that I have rakt up so many Western vulgar Proverbs; which I confess I disdeigne not to quote; Pliny himself being not afraid to call them Oracles. For Proverbes are drawn from the Experience and Observations of many Ages: and are the ancient Natural Philosophy of the Vulgar, preserved in old English and worse Rythmes, handed down to us for our curious moderne Philosophers to examine. And many years later, in 1688, Aubrey gathered all these anecdotes and traditions into one volume, The Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme, in which he laboriously drew a parallel between the superstitions of his own country and those of Greece and Rome, and preserved for ever those meaningless customs that are so dear to the hearts of anthropologists. In several parts of Oxfordshire, he reports solemnly, particularly at Lanton, it is the custom for the Maid Servant to ask the Man for Ivy to dress the Hous, and if the Man denies or neglects to fetch in Ivy, the Maid steals away a pair of his Breeches and nails them up to the gate in the yard, or highway.

  In these collections, he tried sincerely not to rely purely upon hearsay. Mr. Hierome Banks as he lay on his Death Bed in Bell-yard, said Three Days before he died, that Mr. Jennings of the Inner-Temple (his great Acquaintance, Dead a Year or two before) gave Three Knocks, looked in, and said, Come away. He was as far from believing things as any man, Aubrey said, and he reinforced the story by a similar experience of his own: Three or four Dayes before my Father died, he writes, as I was in my Bed about Nine a Clock in the Morning perfectly awake, I did hear three distinct Knocks on the Beds-head, as if it had been with a Ruler or Ferula. But even though Aubrey had experienced this case of haunting himself, he was not blind to the possibilities of charlatanry in other cases. In the time of King Charles II., he reports, the Drumming at the House of Mr. Monpesson of Tydworth made a great Talke over England. They did have some times Knockings: and if they sayd: Devill, knock so many knocks: so many knocks would be answered: But Mr. Ettrick sometimes whispered the words: and it was then no returne. But, says Aubrey with admirable commonsense, he should have spoken in Latin, or French, for the detection of this. Another time, he adds, Sir Christopher Wren went thither and lay there: He could see no strange things; but sometimes he should heare a drumming, as one may drumm with ones hand upon wainscot: But he observed that this drumming was not, but onely, when a certain Maid-servant was in the next Room: But all these remarqued, that the Devill kept no very unseasonable houres, sc. it seldom knock’t after twelve at night: or before 6 in the morning. This does not look like the writing of a grossly credulous man, especially when one considers the completely different state of mind of our ancestors.