by John Aubrey
AS TO TOM May, Mr. Edmund Wyld told me that he was acquainted with him when he was young, and then he was as other young men of this Towne are, scil. he was debaucht ad omnia: but doe not by any meanes take notice of it; for we have all been young. But Mr. Marvel in his Poems upon Tom May’s death falls very severe upon him.
A great acquaintance of Tom Chaloner. Would, when inter pocula, speake slightingly of the Trinity.
He stood Candidate for the Laurell after B. Jonson; but Sir William Davenant caried it.
Amicus: Sir Richard Fanshawe. Mr. Emanuel Decretz (Serjeant Painter to King Charles 1st) was present at the debate at their parting before Sir Richard went to the King, where both Camps were most rigorously banded.
His translation of Lucan’s excellent Poeme made him in love with the Republique, which Tang stuck by him.
Came of his death after drinking with his chin tyed with his cap (being fatt); suffocated.
SIR HUGH MIDDLETON
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[Born 1560. Merchant. He traded as a goldsmith, banker and cloth-maker. Alderman of Denbigh 1597. M.P. for Denbigh 1603, 1614, 1620, 1623, 1625 and 1628. He built the New River from Chadwell to London: this canal, which was about thirty-eight miles long, ten feet wide and four feet deep, was completed in 1613. King James paid half the cost in return for half the profits. Middleton also obtained large profits from the lead and silver mines in Cardiganshire 1617. Began reclaiming Brading Harbour 1620. Created baronet 1622. Died 1631.]
MR. INGELBERT WAS the first Inventer or Projector of bringing the water from Ware to London called Middleton’s water. He was a poore-man, but Sir Hugh Middleton, Alderman of London, moneyed the businesse; undertooke it; and gott the profit and also the Credit of that most usefull Invention, for which there ought to have been erected a Statue for the memory of this poore-man from the City of London.
A Country Fellow seeing them digging the Channel for the new River said, that he would save them 2000 pounds, that is, he would turn up the Earth with a Plough; and had strong Ploughs and Harness made purposely, which was drawn by 17 Horses, and sav’d a vast deal of Expence.
This Sir Hugh Middleton had his Picture in Goldsmyth’s hall with a Waterpott by him, as if he had been the Sole Inventor. Mr. Fabian Philips sawe Ingolbert afterwards, in a poore Rug-gowne like an Almes-man, sitting by an apple-woman at the Parliament-stayres.
Memorandum: that now (1682) London is growne so populous and big that the New River of Middleton can serve the pipes to private houses but twice a weeke.
JOHN MILTON
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[Born 1608. Poet and statesman. He first struck a distinctive note in the stately ode On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity. Having given up the idea of entering the Church, for which his father had intended him, he lived at Horton in Bucks with his father, until 1637, reading the classics and preparing himself for his vocation as a poet. Here he wrote L’Allegro and Il Penseroso in 1632, Comus in 1634 and Lycidas in 1637. From 1637 to 1639, he travelled abroad and visited Grotius and Galileo. In June 1642 he married Mary Powell and next year published his pamphlet on The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce, which made him notorious. In 1645 he published his Tractate of Education and the Areopagitica on the liberty of the press: but within five years Milton himself was working as Censor of Publications for the Commonwealth. After the execution of Charles I, he was appointed Latin Secretary to the newly formed Council of State and retained this post until the Restoration, when he was arrested and fined, losing the greater part of his fortune. He was soon released from custody., however, and returned to his poetry, completing Paradise Lost in 1664. In 1663, being now totally blind and somewhat helpless, he asked his friend Dr. Paget to recommend a wife to him: the lady chosen was Elizabeth Minshull, aged twenty-five, who survived him for fifty-three years. In 1671 Samson Agonistes and Paradise Regained were published. In Milton the influences of the Renaissance and of Puritanism met. To the former he owed his wide culture and his profound love of everything noble and beautiful, to the latter his lofty and austere character, and both these elements meet in his writings. Leaving Shakespeare out of account, he holds an indisputable place at the head of English poets. He died in 1674.]
MR. JOHN MILTON was of an Oxfordshire familie. His Grandfather was a Roman Catholic of Holton, in Oxfordshire, near Shotover.
His father was brought-up in the University of Oxon, at Christ Church, and his grandfather disinherited him because he kept not to the Catholique Religion (he found a Bible in English, in his Chamber). So therupon he came to London, and became a Scrivener (brought up by a friend of his; was not an Apprentice) and gott a plentifull estate by it, and left it off many yeares before he dyed. He was an ingeniose man; delighted in musique; composed many Songs now in print, especially that of Oriana. I have been told that the Father composed a Song of fourscore parts for the Lantgrave of Hess, for which his Highnesse sent a meddall of gold, or a noble present. He dyed about 1647; buried in Cripple-gate-church, from his house in the Barbican.
His son John was borne the 9th of December, 1608, die Veneris, half an hour after 6 in the morning, in Bread Street, in London, at the Spread Eagle, which was his house (he had also in that street another howse, the Rose; and other houses in other places). Anno Domini 1619, he was ten yeares old; and was then a Poet. His school-master then was a Puritan, in Essex, who cutt his haire short.
He went to Schoole to old Mr. Gill, at Paule’s Schoole. Went at his owne Chardge only, to Christ’s College in Cambridge at fifteen, where he stayed eight yeares at least. Then he travelled into France and Italie (had Sir H. Wotton’s commendatory letters). At Geneva he contracted a great friendship with the learned Dr. Deodati of Geneva. He was acquainted with Sir Henry Wotton, Ambassador at Venice, who delighted in his company. He was severall yeares beyond Sea, and returned to England just upon the breaking-out of the Civill Warres.
From his brother, Christopher Milton:—when he went to Schoole, when he was very young, he studied very hard, and sate-up very late, commonly till twelve or one a clock at night, and his father ordered the mayde to sitt-up for him, and in those yeares (10) composed many Copies of Verses which might well become a riper age. And was a very hard student in the University, and performed all his exercises there with very good Applause. His first Tutor there was Mr. Chapell; from whom receiving some unkindnesse (whipt him) he was afterwards (though it seemed contrary to the Rules of the College) transferred to the Tuition of one Mr. Tovell, who dyed Parson of Lutterworth. He went to travell about the year 1638 and was abroad about a year’s space, chiefly in Italy.
Immediately after his return he took a lodging at Mr. Russell’s, a Taylour, in St. Bride’s Churchyard, and took into his tuition his sister’s two sons, Edward and John Philips, the first 10, the other 9 years of age; and in a yeare’s time made them capable of interpreting a Latin authour at sight. And within three years they went through the best of Latin and Greek Poetts—Lucretius and Manilius, of the Latins (and with him the use of the Globes, and some rudiments of Arithmetic and Geometry.) Hesiod, Aratus, Dionysius Afer, Oppian, Apollonii Argonautica, and Quintus Calaber. Cato, Varro and Columella De re rustica were the very first Authors they learn’t. As he was severe on the one hand, so he was most familiar and free in his conversation to those to whome most sowre in his way of education. N.B. he mad his Nephews Songsters, and sing, from the time they were with him.
His first wife (Mrs. Powell, a Royalist) was brought up and lived where there was a great deale of company and merriment, dancing, etc. And when she came to live with her husband, at Mr. Russell’s, in St. Bride’s Churchyard, she found it very solitary; no company came to her; oftimes heard his Nephews beaten and cry. This life was irkesome to her, and so she went to her Parents at Fost-hill. He sent for her, after some time; and I thinke his servant was evilly entreated: but as for matter of wronging his bed, I never heard the least suspicions; nor had he, of that, any Jealousie.
Two opinions doe not well on the same Boulster; she w
as a Royalist, and went to her mother to the King’s quarters, neer Oxford. I have perhaps so much charity to her that she might not wrong his bed: but what man, especially contemplative, would like to have a young wife environ’d and storm’d by the Sons of Mars, and those of the enemi partie? He parted from her, and wrote the Triplechord about divorce.
He had a middle wife, whose name was Katharin Woodcock. No child living by her.
He maried his third wife, Elizabeth Minshull, the year before the Sicknesse: a gent. person, a peacefull and agreable humour.
Hath two daughters living: Deborah was his amanuensis (he taught her Latin, and to reade Greeke to him when he had lost his eie-sight.)
His sight began to faile him at first upon his writing against Salmasius, and before ’twas full compleated one eie absolutely faild. Upon the writing of other bookes, after that, his other eie decayed. His eie-sight was decaying about 20 yeares before his death. His father read without spectacles at 84. His mother had very weake eies, and used spectacles presently after she was thirty yeares old.
His harmonicall and ingeniose Soul did lodge in a beautifull and well proportioned body. He was a spare man. He was scarce so tall as I am (quaere, quot feet I am high: resp., of middle stature).
He had abroun hayre. His complexion exceeding faire—he was so faire that they called him the Lady of Christ’s College. Ovall face. His eie a darke gray.
He was very healthy and free from all diseases: seldome tooke any physique (only sometimes he tooke manna): only towards his latter end he was visited with the Gowte, Spring and Fall.
He had a delicate tuneable Voice, and had good skill. His father instructed him. He had an Organ in his howse; he played on that most. Of a very cheerfull humour. He would be chearfull even in his Gowte-fitts, and sing.
He had a very good Memorie; but I believe that his excellent Method of thinking and disposing did much to helpe his Memorie.
His widowe haz his picture, drawne very well and like, when a Cambridge-schollar, which ought to be engraven; for the Pictures before his bookes are not at all like him.
His exercise was chiefly walking. He was an early riser (scil. at 4 a clock manè) yea, after he lost his sight. He had a man to read to him. The first thing he read was the Hebrew bible, and that was at 4 h. manè, ½ h. plus. Then he contemplated.
At 7 his man came to him again, and then read to him again, and wrote till dinner; the writing was as much as the reading. His daughter, Deborah, could read to him in Latin, Italian and French, and Greeke. Maried in Dublin to one Mr. Clarke (sells silke, etc.) very like her father. The other sister is Mary, more like her mother.
After dinner he used to walke 3 or four houres at a time (he always had a Garden where he lived) went to bed about 9.
Temperate man, rarely dranke between meales. Extreme pleasant in his conversation, and at dinner, supper, etc.; but Satyricall. (He pronounced the letter R (littera canina) very hard—a certaine signe of a Satyricall Witt—from John Dreyden.)
All the time of writing his Paradise Lost, his veine began at the Autumnall Aequinoctiall, and ceased at the Vernall or thereabouts (I believe about May) and this was 4 or 5 yeares of his doeing it. He began about 2 yeares before the King came-in, and finished about three yeares after the King’s restauracion.
In the 4th booke of Paradise Lost there are about six verses of Satan’s Exclamation to the Sun, which Mr. E. Philips remembers about 15 or 16 yeares before ever his Poem was thought of, which verses were intended for the Beginning of a Tragoedie which he had designed, but was diverted from it by other businesse.
He was visited much by the learned; more then he did desire. He was mightily importuned to goe into France and Italie. Foraigners came much to see him, and much admired him, and offer’d to him great preferments to come over to them; and the only inducement of severall foreigners that came over into England, was chiefly to see Oliver Protector, and Mr. John Milton; and would see the hous and chamber wher he was borne. He was much more admired abrode then at home.
His familiar learned Acquaintance were Mr. Andrew Marvell, Mr. Skinner, Dr. Pagett, M.D.
John Dreyden, Esq., Poet Laureate, who very much admires him, went to him to have leave to putt his Paradise Lost into a Drame in rythme. Mr. Milton recieved him civilly, and told him he would give him leave to tagge his Verses.
His widowe assures me that Mr. T. Hobbs was not one of his acquaintance, that her husband did not like him at all, but he would acknowledge him to be a man of great parts, and a learned man. Their Interests and Tenets did run counter to each other.
Whatever he wrote against Monarchie was out of no animosity to the King’s person, or owt of any faction or interest, but out of a pure Zeale to the Liberty of Mankind, which he thought would be greater under a fre state than under a Monarchiall government. His being so conversant in Livy and the Roman authors, and the greatness he saw donne by the Roman commonwealth, and the vertue of their great Commanders induc’t him to.
Mr. John Milton made two admirable Panegyricks, as to Sublimitie of Witt, one on Oliver Cromwel, and the other on Thomas, Lord Fairfax, both which his nephew Mr. Philip hath. But he hath hung back these two yeares, as to imparting copies to me for the Collection of mine. Were they made in commendation of the Devill, ’twere all one to me: ’tis the that I looke after. I have been told that ’tis beyond Waller’s or anything in that kind.
GEORGE MONK: DUKE OF ALBEMARLE
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[Born 1608. Soldier. He served against the Irish Rebels, in command of a foot regiment, and returned with his Irish troops to help Charles I on the outbreak of the Civil War, but he was taken prisoner by Fairfax in 1644 and was imprisoned in the Tower. He was offered command in Ireland by Parliament on condition of taking the negative oath, after which he became Adjutant-General and Governor of Ulster. In 1650 he accompanied Cromwell to Scotland, becoming Commander-in-Chief the next year and completing the conquest of that country in 1652. He was then appointed Admiral and fought in the three great battles which practically ended the Dutch War, before resuming command of the Army in Scotland in 1654. In 1655 he greatly extended the powers of civil government which had been granted to him and his Council. He was implicitly trusted by Oliver Cromwell, on whose death he sent Richard Cromwell a letter of valuable advice. In 1659 he received Royalist overtures and marched slowly towards London, demanding the issue of writs for a new Parliament and ordering the guards to admit the secluded members. He was elected head of a new Council, General-in-Chief of the Land Forces and Joint Commander of the Navy in February 1660, but he refused the offer of supreme power for himself. He then received from the King a commission as Captain-General, authorising him to appoint a Secretary of State, and letters for the City, the Council and the Parliament, which voted the restoration of the monarchy in May. On the King’s arrival, Monk was knighted and in July he was made a Knight of the Garter and created Baron Monck, Earl of Torrington and Duke of Albemarle. Monk had great influence with the new government in military matters (his own regiments being retained by the King as his Household Guard) but less influence in political matters and none in ecclesiastical questions. He remained in London throughout the Plague of 1665, maintaining order and superintending preventive measures. In 1666 he was beaten by the Dutch in a naval battle off the North Foreland, but was immediately recalled to restore order in the City after the great Fire of London. He became First Lord of the Treasury in 1667, but retired in 1668 and died in 1670.]
GEORGE MONK WAS borne in Devon, a second son of an ancient familie, and which had about Henry 8’s time 10,000 pounds per annum (as he himselfe sayd).
He was a strong, lusty, well-sett young fellow; and in his youth happened to slay a man, which was the occasion of his flying into the Low-countries, where he learned to be a Soldier.
At the beginning of the late Civill-warres, he came over to the King’s side, where he had command.
He was a prisoner in the Tower, where his semstress, Nan Clarges, a Blacksmith’s d
aughter was kind to him; in a double capacity. It must be remembered that he then was in want, and she assisted him. (The trueth was, he was forgotten and neglected at Court, that they did not thinke of Exchanging him.) Here she was gott with child. She was not at all handsome, nor cleanly. Her mother was one of the five Woemen-Barbers.
There was a maried woman in Drury Lane that had clapt (i.e. given the pox to) a woman’s husband, a neighbour of hers. She complained of this to her neighbour gossips: so they concluded on this Revenge, viz. to gett her and whippe her and to shave all the haire off her pudenda; which severities were executed and put into a Ballad. ’Twas the first Ballad I ever cared for the reading of; the Burden of it was thus:—
Did yee ever heare the like
Or ever heard the same
Of five Woemen-Barbers
That lived in Drewry-lane?
Her brother, Thomas Clarges, came a ship-board to G. M. and told him his sister was brought to bed. Of what? sayd he. Of a Son. Why then, sayd he, she is my Wife. He had only this Child.
I have forgott by what meanes he gott his Libertie, and an Employment under Oliver (I thinke) at Sea, against the Dutch, where he did good service; he had courage enough. But I remember the Seamen would laugh, that instead of crying Tack about, he would say Wheele to the right, or left.
He had command in Scotland, where he was well-beloved by his Soldiers, and, I thinke, that countrie (for an Enemie.) Oliver, Protector, had a great mind to have him home, and sent him a fine complementall letter, to come into England to advise with him. He sent his Highnesse word, that if he pleased he would come and wayte on him at the head of 10,000 men. So that designe was spoyled.