by John Aubrey
BISHOP BONNER WAS of Broadgate hall; he came thither a poor boy, and was at first a skullion boy in the kitchin, afterwards became a Servitor, and so by his industry raysed to what he was.
When he came to his greatnes, in acknowledgement from whence he had his Rise, he gave to the Kitchin there a great brasse-pott, called Bonners-pott, which was taken away in the Parliament time. Mr. Steevens has shewed the Pott to me, I remember. It was the biggest, perhaps, in Oxford.
CAISHO BOROUGH
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MR. CAISHO BURROUGHS was one of the most beautiful Men in England, and very Valiant, but very proud and blood-thirsty: There was then in London a very Beautiful Italian Lady, who fell so extreamly in Love with him, that she did let him enjoy her, which she had never let any Man do before: Wherefore, said she, I shall request this favour of you, never to tell anyone of it. The Gentlewoman died: and afterwards in a Tavern in London he spake of it: and there going to make water, the Ghost of the Gentlewoman did appear to him. He was afterwards troubled with the Apparition of her, even sometimes in company when he was drinking; but he only perceived it: Before she did appear he did find a kind of Chilness upon his Spirits.
Sir John Burroughes being sent Envoy to the Emperor by King Charles I, did take his Eldest Son Caisho Boroughes along with him, and taking his Journey through Italy, left his son at Florence to learn the Language; where he having an Intrigue with a beautiful Courtisan (Mistress of the Grand Duke) their Familiarity became so public, that it came to the Duke’s Ear, who took a Resolution to have him Murdered, but Caisho having had timely notice of the Duke’s design by some of the English there, immediately left the City without acquainting his Mistress with it, and came to England; whereupon the Duke being disappointed of his Revenge fell upon his Mistress in most reproachful Language, she on the other side resenting the sudden Departure of her Gallant of whom she was most passionately enamour’d, killed her self. At the same moment that she expired, she did appear to Caisho at his Lodgings in London. Collonel Remes was then in Bed with him, who saw her as well as he; giving him an account of her Resentments of his Ingratitude to her, in leaving her so suddenly, and exposing her to the Fury of the Duke, not omitting her own Tragical EXIT, adding withall, that he should be slain in a Duell, which accordingly happened; and thus she appeared to him frequently, even when his younger Brother (who afterwards was Sir John) was a Bed with him. As often as she did appear, he would cry out with great shrieking, and trembling of his Body, as anguish of Mind, saying, O God! here she comes, she comes, and at this rate she appeared ’till he was killed; she appeared to him the morning before he was killed.
This Story was so common, that King Charles I sent for Caisho Burroughes’s Father whom he examined as to the Truth of the Matter; who did (together with Collonel Remes) averr, the Matter of Fact to be true, so that the King thought it worth his while to send to Florence, to enquire at what time this unhappy Lady killed herself. It was found to be the same Minute that she first appeared to Caisho being a Bed with Colonel Remes. This Relation I had from my worthy Friend Mr. Monson, who had it from Sir John’s own Mouth, Brother of Caisho; he had also the same Account from his own Father, who was intimately acquainted with old Sir John Burroughes and both his Sons, and says, as often as Caisho related this, he wept bitterly.
JAMES BOVEY
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JAMES BOVEY, ESQ. was the youngest son of Andrew Bovey, Merchant, Cash-keeper to Sir Peter Vanore, in London. He was borne in the middle of Mincing-lane, in the parish of St. Dunstan’s in the East, London, anno 1622, May 7th, at six a clock in the morning. Went to schoole at Mercers Chapell, under Mr. Augur. At 9 sent into the Lowe Countreys; then returned, and perfected himselfe in the Latin and Greeke. At 14, travelled into France and Italie, Switzerland, Germany, and the Lowe Countreys. Returned into England at 19; then lived with one Hoste, a Banquier, 8 yeares: was his cashier 8 or 9 yeares. Then traded for himselfe (27) till he was 31; then maried the only daughter of William de Vischer, a Merchant; lived 18 yeares with her, then continued single. Left off trade at 32, and retired to a Countrey life, by reason of his indisposition, the ayre of the Citie not agreing with him. Then in these Retirements he wrote Active Philosophy (a thing not donne before) wherin are enumerated all the Arts and Tricks practised in Negotiation, and how they were to be ballanced by counter-prudentiall Rules.
Whilest he lived with Mr. Hoste, he kept the Cash of the Ambassadors of Spaine that were here; and of the Farmers, called by them Assentistes, that did furnish the Spanish and Imperiall armies of the Low-Countreys and Germany; and also many other great Cashes, as of Sir Theodore Mayern, etc. (his dealing being altogether in money-matters) by which meanes he became acquainted with the Ministers of State both here and abroad.
When he was abroad, his chiefe employment was to observe the affaires of State and their Judicatures, and to take the Politique Surveys in the Countreys he travelled thorough, more especially in relation to Trade. He speakes the Low-Dutch, High-Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish, and Lingua Franco, and Latin, besides his owne.
When he retired from Businesse he studied the Lawe-Merchant, and admitted himselfe of the Inner Temple, London, about 1660. His Judgment haz been taken in most of the great Causes of his time in points concerning the Lawe Merchant.
For his health he never had it very well, but indifferently, alwaies a weake stomach, which proceeded from the agitation of the Braine. His Dyet was alwayes fine diet: much Chicken.
From 14 he began to take notice of all Prudentiall Rules as came in his way, and wrote them downe, and so continued till this day, Sept. 28, 1680, being now in his 59th yeare. He made it his businesse to advance the Trade of England, and many men have printed his Conceptions. He wrote a Table of all the Exchanges in Europe.
He hath writt (which is in his custodie, and which I have seen, and many of them read) these treatises, viz.
1. The Characters, or Index Rerum: in 4 tomes.
2. The Introduction to Active Philosophy.
3. The Art of Building a Man: or Education.
4. The Art of Conversation.
5. The Art of Compliance.
6. The Art of Governing the Tongue.
7. The Art of Governing the Venn.
8. The Government of Action.
9. The Government of Resolution.
10. The Government of Reputation.
11. The Government of Power: in 2 tomes.
12. The Government of Servients.
13. The Government of Subserviency.
14. The Government of Friendshipp.
15. The Government of Enmities.
16. The Government of Law-suites.
17. The Art of Gaining Wealth.
18. The Art of Preserving Wealth.
19. The Art of Buying and Selling.
20. The Art of Expending Wealth.
21. The Government of Secresy.
22. The Government of Amor Conjugalis: in 2 tomes.
23. Of Amor Concupiscentiae.
24. The Government of Felicity.
25. The Lives of Atticus, Sejanus, Augustus.
26. The Causes of the Diseases of the Mind.
27. The Cures of the Mind, viz. Passions, Diseases, Vices, Errours, Defects.
28. The Art of Discerning Men.
29. The Art of Discerning a Man’s selfe.
30. Religion from Reason: in 3 tomes.
31. The Life of Cum-fu-zu, soe farr wrote by J.B.
32. The Life of Mahomett, wrot by Sir Walter Raleigh’s papers, with some small addition for methodizing the same.
I have desired him to give these MSS. to the library of the Royal Society.
As to his person, he is about 5 foot high, spare slender body, strait, haire exceeding black and curling at the end, a dark hazell eie, of a midling size, but the most sprightly that I have beheld, browes and beard of the colour as his haire. A person of great Temperance, and deepe Thoughts, and a working head, never Idle. From 14 he had a Candle burning by him all night,
with pen, inke, and paper, to write downe thoughts as they came into his head; that he might not loose a Thought. Was ever a great Lover of Naturall Philosophie. His whole life has been perplex’t in Lawe-suites (which haz made him expert in Humane affaires) in which he alwaies overcame. He had many Lawe-suites with powerfull Adversaries; one lasted 18 yeares. Red-haired men never had any kindnesse for him.
In all his Travills he was never robbed.
RICHARD BOYLE: EARL OF CORK
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[Born 1566. Statesman. Went to Ireland 1588. Escheator to James Crofton, the Escheator General 1590. Imprisoned on a charge of embezzling the records 1592. Later he was again accused of fraud, but this time was acquitted. Conveyed to Queen Elizabeth the news of the victory near Kinsale 1601. Purchased for £1000 Sir Walter Raleigh’s Irish estates, out of which he rapidly acquired a huge fortune. Knighted 1603. Privy Councillor for Munster 1606, and for Ireland 1612. Created Lord Boyle, Baron of Youghal 1616, and Viscount Dungarvan and Earl of Cork 1620. Lord Justice of Ireland 1629. Lord High Treasurer 1631. Died 1643.]
RICHARD, THE FIRST Earle of Cork, being born a private Gentleman, and younger Brother of a younger Brother, to no other Heritage than is expressed in the Device and Motto, which his humble Gratitude inscribed on all the Palaces he built,
God’s Providence, mine Inheritance;
by that Providence, and his diligent and wise Industry, raised such an Honour and Estate, and left such a Familie, as never any Subject of these three Kingdomes did, and that with so unspotted a Reputation of Integrity that the most invidious scrutiny could find no blott, though it winnowed all the methods of his Rising most severely.
Thomas, Earl of Strafford made him disgorge 1500 pounds per annum, which he restored to the Church.
Earl of Corke bought of Captaine Horsey fourtie Ploughlands in Ireland for fourtie pounds. (A. Ettrick assures me, I say againe fourtie ploughlands.)
Master Boyl, after Earle of Cork (who was then a Widdower) came one morning to waite on Sir Jeofry Fenton, at that time a great Officer of State in that Kingdome of Ireland, who being ingaged in business, and not knowing who it was who desired to speake with him, a while delayed him access; which time he spent pleasantly with his young Daughter in her Nurse’s Arms. But when Sir Jeoffry came, and saw whom he had made stay somewhat too long, he civilly excused it. But Master Boyl replied, he had been very well entertayned; and spent his time much to his satisfaction, in courting his Daughter, if he might obtaine the Honour to be accepted for his Son-in-lawe. At which Sir Jeoffry, smiling (to hear one who had been formerly married, move for a Wife carried in Arms, and under two years old) asked him if would stay for her? To which he frankly answered him he would, and Sir Jeoffry as generously promised him he should then have his consent. And they both kept their words honourably. And by this virtuous Lady he had thirteen Children, ten of which he lived to see honourably married, and died a grandfather by the youngest of them.
My Lady Petty sayes he had a wife or two before, and that he maried Mris. Fenton without her father’s consent.
This Noble Lord, by his prudent and pious Consort, no lesse an Ornament and Honour to their Descendants than himself, was blessed with five sonnes (of which he lived to see four Lords and Peeres of the Kingdome of Ireland, and a fifth, more than these Titles speak, a Soveraigne and Peerlesse in a larger Province, that of universall nature, subdued and made obsequious to his inquisitive mind) and eight Daughters.
THE HONOURABLE ROBERT BOYLE
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[Born 1627. Natural philosopher and chemist. He was the fourteenth child of the great Earl of Cork. His voluminous writings exhibit vividly the fruitfulness of the experimental method, and his observations added greatly to existing knowledge, especially in regard to pneumatics: his experimental proof of the proportional relation between the elasticity and pressure of gases is still known as Boyle’s Law. It was Robert Boyle, in his Skepticall Chymist (1661), who destroyed the Elements of the Ancients and gave to the word its modern meaning. One of the founders of the Royal Society, he declined the presidency from a scruple about oaths. His interest in religion was so intense that he taught himself as much Greek and Hebrew as sufficed to read the Old and New Testaments, so as not to have to rely on translations. A Chaldee grammar I likewise took the pains of learning, he continued, to be able to understand that part of Daniel, and those few other portions of Scripture that were written in that tongue; and I have added a Syriac grammar purely to be able one day to read the divine discourses of our Saviour in His own language. He was Governor of the Corporation for the Spread of the Gospel in New England from 1661 to 1689, and a Director of the East India Company. He died in 1691.]
THE HONOURABLE ROBERT Boyle, Esq., that profound Philosopher, accomplished Humanist, and excellent Divine, I had almost sayd Lay-Bishop, as one hath stiled Sir Henry Savil, was borne at Lismor in the County of Corke. He was nursed by an Irish Nurse, after the Irish manner, wher they putt the child into a pendulous Satchell (insted of a Cradle) with a slitt for the Child’s head to peepe out.
When a boy at Eaton was verie sickly and pale. Went to the University of Leyden. Travelled France, Italy, Switzerland. I have oftentimes heard him say that after he had seen the Antiquities and architecture of Rome, he esteemed none any where els.
He speakes Latin very well, and very readily, as most men I have mett with. I have heard him say that when he was young, he read over Cowper’s Dictionary: wherin I thinke he did very well, and I beleeve he is much beholding to him for his Mastership of that Language.
His father in his Will, when he comes to the Settlement and Provision for his son Robert, thus:—Item, to my son Robert, whom I beseech God to blesse with a particular Blessing, I bequeath, &c. Mr. Robert Hooke, who has seen the Rentall, sayes it was 3000 pounds per annum: the greatest part is in Ireland.
He is very tall (about six foot high) and streight, very temperate, and vertuouse, and frugall: a Batcheler; keepes a Coach; sojournes with his sister, the Lady Ranulagh. His greatest delight is Chymistrey. He haz at his sister’s a noble Laboratory, and severall servants (Prentices to him) to looke to it. He is charitable to ingeniose men that are in want, and foreigne Chymists have had large proofe of his bountie, for he will not spare for cost to gett any rare Secret: vide Oliver Hill’s book, where he is accused of grosse Plagiarisme.
At his owne costs and chardges he gott translated and printed the New Testament in Arabique, to send into the Mahometan countreys. He has not only a high renowne in England, but abroad; and when foreigners come to hither, ’tis one of their curiosities to make him a Visit.
His Works alone may make a Librarie.
HENRY BRIGGS
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[Born 1561. Mathematician. M.A. St. John’s College, Cambridge 1585; fellow 1588; first Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, London 1596–1620. He succeeded Sir Henry Savile in the Professorship of Astronomy, which he had founded at Oxford. He visited Lord Napier in Scotland and the idea of tables of logarithms having 10 for their base, as well as the actual calculation of the first table of this kind, was due to Briggs. When the two great mathematicians met, says William Lilly, the astrologer, almost one quarter of an hour was spent, each beholding the other almost with admiration, before one word was spoke. Lilly goes on to say that Napier was a great lover of astrology, but Briggs the most satirical man against it that hath been known. He called it a system of groundless conceits. He published and left in manuscript many works on mathematics and navigation, including A Table to find the Height of the Pole and A tract on the North-west Passage to the South Sea through the Continent of Virginia. He was a member of the company trading to Virginia. He died at Merton College, Oxford, on the 26th January, 1630, and a Greek epitaph that was written on him by Henry Jacob, one of the Fellows of Merton, ends by saying that his soul still astronomises and his body geometrises.]
LOOKING ONE TIME on the mappe of England he observed that the two Rivers, the Thames and that Avon (which runnes to Bath
e and so to Bristowe) were not far distant, scilicet, about 3 miles. He sees ’twas but about 25 miles from Oxford; getts a horse and viewes it and found it to be a levell ground and easie to be digged. Then he considered the chardge of cutting between them and the convenience of making a mariage between those Rivers which would be of great consequence for cheape and safe carrying of Goods between London and Bristow, and though the boates goe slowly and with meanders, yet considering they goe day and night they would be at their journey’s end almost as soon as the Waggons, which often are overthrowne and liquours spilt and other goods broken. Not long after this he dyed and the Civill Warres brake-out.
It happened by good Luck that one Mr. Matthewes of Dorset had some acquaintance with this Mr. Briggs and had heard him discourse of it. He was an honest simple man, and had runne out of his Estate and this project did much run in his head. He would revive it (or els it had been lost and forgott) and went into the Country to make an ill survey of it (which he printed) but with no great encouragement of the Countrey or others.