by John Aubrey
The Descendant of Sir Thomas, is Mr. More, of Chilston, in Herefordshire, where, among a great many things of value plundered by the Soldiers, was his Chap, which they kept for a Relique. Methinks ’tis strange that all this time he is not Canonised, for he merited highly of the Church.
SIR THOMAS MORGAN
* * *
[Soldier. He served in the Low Countries and, under the command of Fairfax, in the Thirty Years War. Parliamentary Governor of Gloucester 1645. Captured Chepstow Castle and Monmouth 1645. Assisted General Monk in Scotland and rose to the rank of Major-General 1651–57. Appointed second in command in Flanders 1657. Knighted on his return to England 1658. Morgan then rejoined Monk in Scotland and played a conspicuous part in the Restoration in Edinburgh. Governor of Jersey 1665. Died 1679. His alleged autobiography was published in 1699.]
LITTLE SIR THOMAS Morgan, the great soldier, was of meane Parentage in Monmouthshire. He went over to the Lowe-Countrie warres about 16, being recommended by some friend of his to some Commander there, who, when he read the letter, sayd, What! has my cosen recommended a Rattoon to me? at which he tooke pett, and seek’t his fortune (as a soldier) in Saxon Weymar.
He spake Welch, English, French, High Dutch, and Low Dutch, but never a one well. He seated himself at Cheuston, in Herefordshire.
Sir John Lenthall told me that at the taking of Dunkyrke, Marshall Turenne, and, I thinke, Cardinall Mezarine too, had a great mind to see this famous Warrior. They gave him a visitt, and wheras they thought to have found an Achillean or gigantique person, they saw a little man, not many degrees above a dwarfe, sitting in a hutt of Turves, with his fellowe soldiers, smoaking a Pipe about 3 inches (or neer so) long, and did cry-out to the Soldiers, when angry with them, Sirrah, I’le cleave your skull! as if the wordes had been prolated by an Eunuch.
ROBERT MURRAY
* * *
[Born 1635. Writer on trade. Took up his freedom in the Cloth-workers’ Company 1660. Invented ruled copy-books. Originated the idea of the Penny Post in London 1681. Appointed Paymaster of the 1714 Lottery. He published various proposals for the advancement and improvement of trade and the raising of revenue. Died 1725.]
MR. ROBERT MURRAY is a Citizen of London, a Milliner, of the Company of Cloathworkers. His father, a Scotchman; mother, English. Borne in the Strand.
Mr. Murray was formerly clarke to the generall Company for the Revenue of Ireland, and afterwards clark to the Committee of the grand Excise of England; and was the first that invented and introduced into this city the Club of Commerce consisting of one of each Trade, whereof there were after very many erected and are still continued in this city. And also continued and sett-up the office or Banke of Credit at Devonshire house in Bishopsgate Street without, where men depositing their goods and merchandize were furnished with bills of current credit on 2⁄3 or 3⁄4 of the value of the said Goods answering to the intrinsique value of money, whereby the deficiency of coin might be fully subplyed: and for rendring the same current, a certain or competent number of traders (viz. 10 or 20 of each trade, wherof there be 500 severall trades within the citty) were to be associated or formed into such a society or Company of traders as might amongst them compleat the whole body of Commerce, whereby any possest of the said current credit might be furnisht amongst themselves with any kind of goods or merchandise as effectually as for money could do elsewhere.
The Penny-Post was sett up anno Domini 1680, Our Lady day, being Fryday, a most ingeniose and usefull Project. Invented by Mr. Murray first, and then Mr. Dockery joined with him.
RICHARD NAPIER
* * *
[Born 1559. Astrologer. Matriculated from Exeter College, Oxford, 1577. Rector of Great Linford 1590. Studied astrology under Simon Forman, an astrologer and quack doctor, who claimed miraculous powers and obtained a large and disreputable practice, chiefly among Court ladies, for which he was frequently imprisoned at the instance of medical and other authorities. Forman was used to say he would be a Dunce, but Napier ultimately developed so much skill that Forman on his death in 1611 bequeathed him all his manuscripts. Licensed to practise medicine 1604. Died 1634.]
MR. ASHMOLE TOLD me, that a Woman made use of a Spell to cure an Ague, by the Advice of Dr. Nepier. A Minister came to her and severely repremanded her, for making use of a Diabolical help, and told her, she was in danger of Damnation for it, and commanded her to burn it. She did so, and her Distemper returned severely; insomuch that she was importunate with the Doctor to use the same again: She used it, and had ease. But the Parson hearing of it, came to her again, and thundred Hell and Damnation, and frighted her so, that she burnt it again. Whereupon she fell extremely Ill, and would have had it a Third time, but the Doctor refused, saying, That she had contemned and slighted the power and goodness of the Blessed Spirits (or Angels) and so she died. The cause of the Lady Honywoods Desparation, was that she had used a Spell to Cure her.
In Dr. Bolton’s Sermons is an Account of the Lady Honywood, who despaired of her Salvation. Dr. Bolton endeavour’d to comfort her: Said she (holding a Venice-glass in her Hand) I shall as certainly be Damned, as this Glass will be broken: And at that word, threw it hard on the Ground; and the Glass remained sound; which did give her great comfort. The Glass is yet preserved among the Cimelia of the Family. This Lady lived to see descended from her (I think) Ninety, which is mentioned by Dr. Bolton.
Dr. Napier was uncle and Godfather to Sir Richard Napier: he was no Doctor, but a Divine and practised Physick; but gave most to the Poor that he got by it. When a Patient, or Querant came to him, he presently went to his Closet to Pray: It appears by his Papers, that he did converse with the Angel Raphael, who gave him the Responses, and told to admiration the Recovery or Death of the Patient. His knees were horny with frequent Praying. ’Tis certain, he foretold his own Death to a Day and Hour; he dyed Praying upon his Knees; being of a very great Age, 1634 April the First.
Sir Richard Napier is buryed at Lindford, but died at Besels-leigh; but before he came thither he laye at an Inne, where, when the Chamberlain brought him up to his Chamber, and the Dr. look’t on the bed and sawe a dead man lye in or on the bed—What! sayd he, do you lodge me where a dead man lies? Said the Chamberlain, Sir, here is no dead man. The Dr. look’t at it again, and sawe it was himselfe. And from thence he went (ill) to Besil’s-leigh, and died.
JOHN OGILBY
* * *
[Born 1600. Dancing master, author and publisher. He was entrusted with the poetical part of Charles II’s coronation in 1661. He later became a publisher, printing many splendid books, mostly in folio, adorned with sculpture by Hollar and other eminent engravers: and the King issued a proclamation in 1665 forbidding anyone to represent or counterfeit the sculpture in them for fifteen years. To facilitate the sale of these luxurious volumes, Ogilby established a lottery under Royal patronage, in which all the prizes were books of his own editing and publishing, and Pepys was successful in one of the draws; but Ogilby complained that the losing subscribers would not pay. John Ogilby was ridiculed by Dryden and Pope and his name has become almost proverbial for a bad poet. He died in 1676.]
MR. JOHN OGILBY would not tell where in Scotland he was borne. He sayd drollingly that he would have as great contests hereafter for the place of his Birth, as was of Homer’s.
He was of a Gentleman’s family, and bred to his Grammar. His father had spent his Estate, and fell to decay, and was a Prisoner of the King’s Bench, whom, together with his Mother, his son relieved by his own Industry (Spangles, needles), being then but about the age of 12 or 13 yeares. By the advantage of his Sonne’s industry, he raysed a small summe of Money, which he adventured in the Lottery for the advancement of the Plantation in Virginia; and he gott out of prison by this meanes. His motto (of his lott) was,
I am a poor prisoner, God wott,
God send me a good Lott,
I’le come out of prison, and pay all my debt.
It so happened that he had a very good Lott, that did pay his Debts.
John (the Son) bound himself Apprentice to one Mr. Draper, who kept a dancing-schoole in Grayes-Inne-lane, and in short time arrived to so great excellence in that art, that he found meanes to purchase his time of his Master and sett up for himselfe. Mr. John Lacy, the Player, from whom I take this Information, was his apprentice.
When the Duke of Buckingham’s great Masque was represented at Court, he was chosen (among the rest) to performe some extraordinary part in it; and high-danceing, i.e. vaulting and cutting capers being then in Fashion, he, endeavouring to doe something extraordinary, by misfortune of a false step when he came to the ground, did spraine a veine on the inside of his Leg, of which he was lame for ever after, which gave an occasion to say that he was an excellent Dancing master, but never a good Leg.
He taught 2 of the Lord Hopton’s (then Sir Ralph) sisters to dance; and Sir Ralph taught him to handle the pike and Musket, scil. all the Postures.
He went over into Ireland to Thomas, Earle of Strafford, Lord Liuetenant there. Mr. J. O. was in the Lord Lieutenant’s Troope of Guards, and taught his Lady and Children to dance; that was his Place. And here it was that first he gave proofe of his inclination to Poetry, by Paraphrasing upon some of Aesop’s fables.
Upon this Mr. Chantrel putt him upon learning the Latin tongue (in the 40 aetat, plus) and taught him himself and tooke a great deale of paines with him. This was the first time he began his Latin. He printed Virgill, translated by himselfe into English verse, 8vo, dedicated to the Right Honourable William, Lord Marquesse of Hertford, who loved him very well. Aesop, in 4to, next. He writt a fine hand.
He had a warrant from the Lord Livetenant to be Master of the Ceremonies for that Kingdome; and built a little theatre in St. Warburgh street, in Dublin. It was a short time before the Rebellion brake out, by which he was undon, and ran thorough many hazards, and particularly being like to have been blow’n-up at the Caste of Refarnum neer Dublin.
He stayed in Ireland a good while after the Warres broke-out: came into England about the yeare 1648. He was wreckt at Sea, and came to London very poor, and went on foot to Cambridge.
After he had translated Virgil, he learnt Greeke in 1653 of Mr. Whitfield, a Scotch Bishop’s son, and grew so great a proficient in it that he fell-to to translate Homer’s Iliads, 1660.
Next, as if by a prophetique spirit, foreseeing the restauration of King Charles II, and also the want there might be of Church Bibles, he printed the fairest Impression, and the most correct of English Bibles, in Royall and Imperiall paper, that ever was yet donne.
1662, he went into Ireland again, being then by Patent (before, but by Warrant) Master of the Revells (having disputed his Right with Sir William Davenant, who had gott a Graunt) and built a noble theatre at Dublin, which cost 2000 pounds, the former being ruind and spoyled in the Troubles, and a cowhouse made of the stage.
His Odysses came out in 1665. People did then suspect, or would not beleeve that ’twas he was the Author of the paraphrase upon Æsop, and to convince them he published a 2d volume, which he calles his Æsopiques, which he did during the Sicknesse, in his retirement at Kingston upon Thames.
His History of China, in folio, before the Fire; then his History of Japan. The generall and dreadfull Conflagration burn’t all that he had, that he was faine to begin the world again, being then at best worth 5 pounds.
Being thus utterly undon again by the Fire, he made his Proposalls for the printing of a faire English Atlas, of which he lived to finish the Historys of Africa, America, and part of Asia. And then, being encouraged by the King and the Nobility to make an actuall Survey of England and Wales, he proceeded in it so far as to an actuall Survey of the Roads both in England and Wales, which composed his Volume of his Britannia.
He had such an excellent and prudentiall Witt, and master of so good addresse, that when he was undon he could not only shift handsomely (which is a great mastery) but he would make such rationall proposalls that would be embraced by rich and great men, that in a short time he could gaine a good Estate again, and never failed in any thing he evr undertooke but allwayes went through with profits and glorie.
WILLIAM OUGHTRED
* * *
[Born 1574. Mathematician. Educated at Eton and King’s College, Cambridge. Ordained 1603. Vicar of Albury in Surrey 1610. Published Clavis Mathematicae 1631. Wrote Circles of Proportion and other works. He invented trigonometrical abbreviations and introduced the multiplication and proportion signs. Died 1660.]
HIS FATHER TAUGHT to write at Eaton, and was a Scrivener; and understood common Arithmetique, and ’twas no small helpe and furtherance to his son to be instructed in it when a schoole-boy. His Grandfather came from the North for Killing a man. The last Knight of the Family was one Sir Jeffrey Oughtred. I thinke a Northumberland family.
Anno Domini 1610 he was instituted and inducted into the Rectory or Parsonage of Albury, in com. Surrey, worth a hundred pounds per annum: he was Pastor of this place fifty yeares.
William Oughtred, that was an Honour to the English Nation, maried Mrs. Caryl (an ancient Family in those parts) by whom he had nine sonnes (most lived to be men) and four daughters. None of his sonnes he could make scholars.
He was a little man, had black haire, and blacke eies (with a great deal of spirit). His head was always working. He would drawe lines and diagrams on the Dust.
His oldest son Benjamin, who lives with my cosen Boothby (who carresses him, and gives him his Dyet, and a little House near to lie in) and now an old man, he bound Apprentice to a Watchmaker; who did worke pretty well, but his sight now failes for that fine worke. He told me that his father did use to lye a bed till 11 or twelve a clock, with his Doublet on, ever since he can remember. Studyed late at night; went not to bed till eleaven a clock; had his tinder box by him; and on the top of his Bed-staffe, he had his Inke horne fix’t. He slept but little. Sometimes he went not to bed in two or three nights, and would not come downe to meales till he had found out the quaesitum.
He was more famous abroad for his learning, and more esteemed, then at home. Severall great Mathematicians came over into England on purpose to converse with him. His countrey neighbours (though they understood not his worth) knew that there must be extraordinary worth in him, that he was so visited by Foreigners.
When Mr. Seth Ward, M.A., and Mr. Charles Scarborough, D.M., came as in Pilgrimage, to see him and admire him, Mr. Oughtred had against their comeing prepared a good dinner, and also he had dressed himselfe, thus; an old red russet cloath-cassock that had been black in dayes of yore, girt with a old leather girdle, an old fashion russet hatt, that had been a Bever, tempore Reginae Elizabethae. When learned Foraigners came and sawe how privately he lived, they did admire and blesse themselves, that a person of so much worth and learning should not be better provided for.
Seth Ward, M.A., a Fellow of Sydney Colledge in Cambridge (now Bishop of Sarum) came to him, and lived with him halfe a yeare (and he would not take a farthing for his diet) and learned all his Mathematiques of him. Sir Jonas More was with him a good while, and learn’t; he was but an ordinary Logist before. Sir Charles Scarborough was his Scholar; so Dr. John Wallis was his Scholar; so was Christopher Wren his scholar; so was Mr. Smethwyck, R.S.S. But he did not so much like any as those that tugged and tooke paines to worke out Questions. He taught all free.
One Mr. Austin (a most ingeniose man) was his scholar, and studyed so much that he became mad, fell a laughing, and so dyed, to the great griefe of the old Gentleman. Mr. Stokes, another scholar, fell mad, and dream’t that the good old Gentleman came to him, and gave him good advice, and so he recovered, and is still well.
He could not endure to see a Scholar write an ill hand; he taught them all presently to mend their hands. Amongst others Mr. Thomas Henshawe, who when he came to him wrote a lamentable hand, he taught to write very well. He wrote a very elegant hand, and drew his Schemes most neatly, as they had been cut in copper. His father (no doubt) was an ingeniose artist at the Pen and taught him to
write so well.
He was an Astrologer, and very lucky in giving his Judgements on Nativities; he confessed that he was not satisfied how it came about that one might foretell by the Starres, but so it was that it fell out true as he did often by his experience find; he did beleeve that some genius or spirit did help.
The Countrey people did beleeve that he could conjure, and ’tis like enough that he might be well enough contented to have them thinke so.
He has told Bishop Ward, and Mr. Elias Ashmole (who was his neighbour) that on this spott of ground (or leaning against this Oake, or that ashe) the Solution of such or such a Probleme came into my head, as if infused by a Divine Genius, after I had thought on it without Successe for a yeare, two, or three.
Ben Oughtred told me that he had heard his father say to Mr. Allen (the famous Mathematicall Instrument-maker) in his shop, that he had found out the Longitude: sed vix credo [but I scarcely believe it].
I have heard Mr. Hobbes say, and very truely, that with all his great skill in Algebra, he did never add one Proposition to Geometrie: he could bind up a Bundle well.
He was a great lover of Chymistry, which he studyed before his son Ben can remember, and continued it; and told John Evelyn, of Detford, Esq., R.S.S., not above a yeare before he dyed, that if he were but five yeares (or three yeares) younger, he doubted not to find out the Philosopher’s stone. It was made of the harshest cleare water that he could gett, which he lett stand to putrify, and evaporated by cimmering.
His wife was a penurious woman, and would not allow him to burne candle after Supper, by which meanes many a good notion is lost, and many a Probleme unsolved; so that Mr. Henshawe, when he was there, bought candle, which was a great comfort to the old man.