Aubrey's Brief Lives

by John Aubrey

  GATAKER, CHARLES (1614–80), Rector of Hoggeston, Buckinghamshire, whose published works include an Examination of the Case of the Quakers concerning Oaths.

  GAYTON, EDMUND (1608–66), author of Festivious Notes on Don Quixote, was adopted as a son by Ben Jonson. A Fellow of St. John’s College, Oxford, he was expelled from the post of Superior Beadle in Arts by the Parliamentary Visitors in 1648 and lived in great pecuniary distress in London.

  GELLIBRAND, HENRY (1597–1636), mathematician and Gresham Professor of Astronomy, was prosecuted by Laud for bringing out an almanack in which Protestant martyrs were substituted for Romish saints. He also published mathematical works and an Epitome of Navigation.

  GELLIUS, AULUS (117–180), Roman author of twenty books of Noctes Atticae, which contain extracts from many lost authors on literature, history, philosophy, philology and natural science.

  GIBSON, EDMUND (1669–1748), divine, antiquary and friend of Aubrey, published an edition of the Saxon Chronicle in 1692 and a translation of Camden’s Britannia in 1695. He became Bishop of London in 1720 and declined the Primacy the year before his death.

  GILL, ALEXANDER (1565–1635), the elder, was High Master of St. Paul’s School from 1608 to 1635, Milton being one of his pupils.

  GILL, ALEXANDER (1597–1642), the younger, succeeded his father as High Master of St. Paul’s, but was dismissed for severity in 1639. He was sentenced to imprisonment, fine and loss of his ears for speaking disrespectfully of Charles I and drinking a health to Buckingham’s assassin in 1628, but was pardoned two years later. Milton praised his Latin verses.

  GLISSON, FRANCIS (1597–1677), Regius Professor of Physic at Cambridge from 1636 to 1677 and an original Fellow of the Royal Society, published in 1650 Tractatus de Rachitide (Rickets), almost the first English medical monograph.

  GLOUCESTER, HENRY, DUKE OF (1639–60), fourth son of Charles I and brother of Charles II and James II, was disowned by his mother for refusing to become a Catholic. He died of smallpox in London a few weeks after the Restoration.

  GLOVER, ROBERT (1544–88), Somerset Herald, conducted Visitations of Durham, Cheshire and Yorkshire, and assisted Camden with his Britannia.

  GOCLENIUS, RODOLPH (1572–1621), German professor of physic and mathematics, who proved to be a credulous but fertile writer.

  GODFRY, MR. (fl. 1680), a tea merchant, was a friend of Hooke and Aubrey.

  GODOLPHIN, SIDNEY (1610–43), Royalist soldier and poet, was killed in battle at the beginning of the Civil War. He was a friend of Hobbes.

  GONDOMAR, DIEGO SARMIENTO DE ACUNA, COUNT OF (1567–1626), Spanish diplomatist, was Ambassador to James I from 1617 to 1623.

  GOODMAN, GABRIEL (1526–1601), chaplain to Lord Burghley and founder of Christ’s Hospital, was Dean of Westminster from 1561 to 1601.

  GOODWIN, THOMAS (1600–80), a member of the Westminster Assembly, joined the Dissenting Brethren in 1644 and became their leader. Intruded President of Magdalen College, Oxford, he was Chaplain to the Council of State and attended Cromwell on his death-bed. After the Restoration he founded an independent congregation in London, and his works were published posthumously.

  GOODWIN, WILLIAM (d. 1620), Dean of Christ Church from 1611 to 1620 and Chaplain to James I.

  GORE, THOMAS (1632–84), writer on heraldry and High Sheriff of Wiltshire. A friend of Aubrey, who habitually referred to him in his correspondence with Wood as the Cuckold of Alderton.

  GOULDMAN, FRANCIS (d. 1688), Rector of Ockenden in Essex, compiled a Latin Dictionary with Proper Names in 1644.

  GREATOREX, RALPH (d. 1712), mathematical instrument maker, inventor, and Fellow of the Royal Society, was the friend of Aubrey, Pepys and Evelyn.

  GREAVES, JOHN (1602–52), mathematician and traveller, visited Paris, Leyden, Italy, Constantinople and Egypt, measuring the Pyramids and collecting coins, gems and Oriental manuscripts. Gresham Professor of Astronomy 1630: Savilian Professor of Astronomy, 1643, from which he was ejected by Parliament in 1648. He published scientific works.

  GREAVES, THOMAS (fl. 1604), composer and lutenist to Sir Henry Pierrepont, published Songes of Sundrie Kinds.

  GREY, LADY JANE (1537–54), niece of Henry VIII, was married in 1553 to the son of the Duke of Northumberland, in pursuance of his plot for altering the succession from the Tudor to the Dudley family. Proclaimed Queen on the death of Edward VI, who had nominated her as his heir, she reigned for only nine days, and was beheaded for treason to Mary Tudor.

  GRIFFITH, RICHARD (1635–91), physician and Fellow of University College, Oxford, published A-la-Mode Phlebotomy no good fashion.

  GRIMSTON, SIR HARBOTTLE (1603–85), was excluded from the Long Parliament in Pride’s Purge, but became Speaker of the Convention Parliament in 1660 and a member of the Commission for trying the Regicides. He was Master of the Rolls from 1660 to 1685.

  GROSSETESTE, ROBERT (d. 1253), Bishop of Lincoln, resisted the encroachments both of Henry III and the Pope on his authority. He translated Greek books and wrote works on theology, philosophy and husbandry, as well as French poems.

  GROTIUS, HUGO (1583–1645), Dutch historian, poet, theologian, jurist and political writer.

  GUSTAVUS, ADOLPHUS (1594–1632), King of Sweden, who supported the Protestants throughout Europe. A famous soldier, he was killed in battle.

  HAAK, THEODORE (1605–90), a Dutchman, came to England in 1625 and studied at Oxford. He was employed by the Parliament to translate Dutch Annotations upon the whole Bible into English, and he later translated half of Paradise Lost into High Dutch blank verse. An original member of the Royal Society, he was a close friend of Aubrey.

  HABINGTON, WILLIAM (1605–54), poet, published a tragi-comedy, The Queene of Arragon, and two historical works. Aubrey says he was a very learned Gentleman.

  HACKET, JOHN (1592–1670), Chaplain to James I, attempted to moderate Laud’s zeal. He became Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry after the Restoration.

  HAKLUYT, RICHARD (1552–1616), devoted his life to collecting and publishing the accounts of English explorations, and thus brought to light the hitherto obscure achievements of English navigators and gave a great impetus to discovery and colonisation.

  HALE, SIR MATHEW (1609–76), Lord Chief Justice, was a voluminous writer on many subjects. His principal legal work was A History of the Common Law in England, but much of his best work was left in manuscript and published long after his death.

  HALL, JOSEPH (1574–1656), Chaplain to Henry, Prince of Wales, and later Bishop of Exeter and Norwich, published satires, meditations, devotional works and autobiographical tracts. In 1647 he was expelled from his palace by the Parliamentarians.

  HAMILTON, JAMES HAMILTON, 1ST DUKE AND 3RD MARQUESS OF (1606–49), Charles I’s adviser on Scottish affairs, twice attempted to mediate between the King and the Scots. He led a Scottish army into England in 1648, but was defeated at Preston and executed.

  HAMMOND, HENRY (1605–60), divine and author, was Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, and Chaplain to Charles I.

  HAMPDEN, JOHN (1594–1643), a prominent opponent of Charles I in Parliament, was killed in battle early in the Civil War.

  HARLEY, SIR ROBERT (1580–1656), Master of the Mint, lent plate and money to Parliament, but was imprisoned in 1648 for voting to treat with the King. Aubrey said that he translated all the Psalmes very well.

  HARLEY, SIR ROBERT (1626–73), an original Fellow of the Royal Society and a friend of Aubrey’s, was an uncle of the Earl of Oxford.

  HARRINGTON, SIR JOHN (1561–1612), wit and author. Godson of Queen Elizabeth, he translated Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso at her command, but his Rabelaisian Metamorphosis of Ajax and other satires led to his banishment from Court. He invented the water-closet.

  HARRIS, ROBERT (1581–1658), Member of the Assembly of Divines and Parliamentary Visitor to the University of Oxford, was intruded President of Trinity College.

  HARTLIB, SAMUEL (1599–1670), writer on education and husbandry, and a friend of John Aubrey, was pra
ised by Milton and pensioned by Parliament.

  HARVEY, GABRIEL (1545–1630), poet, tried to introduce the classical metres into English and claimed to be the father of the English hexameter. He exercised some literary influence over his friend Spenser, and published satyrical verses in 1579, which gave offence at Court.

  HAWES, WILLIAM (1624–59), President of Trinity College, Oxford, is mentioned in Aubrey’s will of 1654: Item to Mr. Will Hawes of Trinity College a ring of the value of 50s., with a stone in it. He died two days after resigning the Presidency to Seth Ward on account of ill-health.

  HEARNE, THOMAS (1678–1735), historical antiquary, author of Reliquiae Bodleianae and editor of a valuable collection of early English chronicles, Camden’s Annales, Leland’s Itinerary, and other works, did considerable work on Aubrey’s manuscripts and is the “Wormius” of Pope’s Dunciad.

  HELE, LADY (fl. 1608), was the widow of Sir John Hele, Serjeant-at-law.

  HENLEY, ANTHONY (d. 1711), wit and politician, inherited a fortune of £3000 a year, which he supplemented with £30,000 when he married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Peregrine Bertie. He was a patron of Aubrey.

  HENRI IV (1533–1610), chief of the Huguenots, succeeded to the throne of France in 1584 and conformed to Romanism in 1593. He was assassinated by a Jesuit, Ravaillac.

  HENRIETTA MARIA (1609–69), youngest daughter of Henri IV of France and Marie de Medicis, and Queen consort of Charles I, was described as “a numble and quiet, black-eyed, brown-haired, and, in a word, a brave lady, though, perhaps, a little touched by the green-sickness.” Her Catholicism aggravated the troubles leading up to the Civil War. Escaping to France during the Civil War, she returned to England for a few years after the Restoration, but died in France.

  HENRY VI (1421–71), succeeded his father, Henry V, as King of England, but was deposed in the Wars of the Roses and murdered.

  HENRY VII (1457–1509), King of England. The first of the Tudor line, he seized the crown from Richard III at the Battle of Bos worth Field in 1485.

  HENRY VIII (1491–1547), second son of Henry VII, succeeded to the throne in 1509, and during his reign broke with the Church of Rome over the question of his divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

  HENRY FREDERICK, PRINCE OF WALES (1594–1612), eldest son of James I, promised to become perhaps the greatest of English kings, but died of typhoid at the age of eighteen. Young as he was, Henry championed Sir Walter Raleigh in the Tower, saying: No King but his father would keep such a bird in such a cage.

  HENSHAWE, THOMAS (1618–1700), French Under-Secretary to Charles II, James II and William III, and Envoy-extraordinary to Denmark from 1672 to 1675. An original F.R.S., he published a translation of Samedo’s History of China.

  HERRICK, ROBERT (1591–1674), poet, possessed a great lyrical facility and was an apt and charming exponent of the Horatian way of life.

  HESIOD (859–824) was one of the earliest Greek poets.

  HEVELIUS, JOHANN (1611–87), German astronomer and mathematician, was a Senator of Danzig and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

  HILL, ABRAHAM (1635–1721), an original member of the Royal Society and its Treasurer from 1663 to 1665 and again from 1679 to 1700, was a close friend of Aubrey.

  HILL, NICHOLAS (1570–1610), philosopher and Fellow of St. John’s College, Oxford, became secretary to Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, and published philosophical works.

  HILL, OLIVER (fl. 1650–80), proposed various fantastic experiments and untrue theories to the Royal Society, of which he was elected Fellow in 1676.

  HILLIARD, NICHOLAS (1537–1619), the first English miniature-painter, did portraits of all his chief contemporaries, and in 1617 was granted sole right to execute portraits of James I.

  HIND, MRIS. (fl. 1650), wife of Richard Hind, Vicar of Kington St. Michael, who, according to Aubrey, did sing his Sermons rather than reade them. You may find in Erasmus that the Monkes used this fashion, who mocks them, that sometimes they would be very lowe, and by and by they would be mighty high.

  HODGES, ANTHONY (fl. 1673), Rector of Wytham in Berkshire, and friend of Wood and Aubrey, who referred to him as the Bishop of Botley.

  HOLBEIN, HANS (1497–1543), a great German painter, came to England in 1526 and was received in the house of Sir Thomas More, becoming court-painter to Henry VIII in 1534.

  HOLLAND, PHILEMON (1552–1637), was translator of Livy, Pliny, Plutarch and Xenophon.

  HOLYWOOD, JOHN (d. 1256), mathematician and author of Tractatus de Sphaera, died at Paris.

  HOMER, the great epic poet of Greece, whose Iliad and Odyssey formed the basis of Greek literature.

  HOPTON, RALPH HOPTON, 1ST BARON (1598–1652), Member of Parliament, was expelled from the House in 1642 and became a Royalist commander. He left England with the Prince of Wales and died in exile.

  HORTENSIUS, MARTINUS (1605–1639), Dutch astronomer, wrote on the transit of Mercury over the Sun in 1633.

  HOSKINS, JOHN (d. 1664), according to Walpole, “a very eminent Limner in the reign of King Charles I, whom he drew with his queen and most of his court, was bred a face-painter in oil, but afterwards taking to miniature, he far exceeded what he did before.”

  HOSKYNS, SIR BENNET (1609–80), M.P. and Assessor of Herefordshire during the Commonwealth, was a close friend of Aubrey.

  HOSKINS, JOHN (b. 1619), was scholar and Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford, contemporary with Aubrey.

  HOSKYNS, SIR JOHN (1634–1705), 2nd Bart, and one of Aubrey’s chiefest freinds, was Master in Chancery and Secretary and President of the Royal Society.

  HOWARD, CHARLES (d. 1713), Fellow of the Royal Society and patron of Aubrey, was the fourth son of the Earl of Arundel and brother of the Duke of Norfolk.

  HOWE, JOSIAS (1611–1701), divine, was a Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford, from 1637 until 1648, when he was ejected by Parliament, but was restored in 1660.

  HUES, ROBERT (1553–1632), geographer, sailed round the world with Thomas Cavendish.

  HYDE, SIR ROBERT (1595–1665), a member of the Long Parliament, was imprisoned in 1645. For sheltering Charles II after the battle of Worcester, he was knighted and made Judge of Common Pleas on the Restoration. He was Chief Justice of the King’s Bench from 1663 to 1665, and died on the bench.

  ISHAM, SIR JUSTINIAN (1610–74), Royalist, was imprisoned as a delinquent in 1649, and was forced to compound on succeeding to his baronetcy in 1651. After the Restoration he became a Member of Parliament.

  JAMES I (1566–1625), the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, was crowned as James VI of Scotland on his mother’s abdication in 1567, and succeeded to the throne of England on Queen Elizabeth’s death in 1603. Anthony Wood destroyed Aubrey’s biography of this King, but a record of one of his progresses is preserved in another life. In tempore Jacobi, says Aubrey, one Mr. George Ferraby was parson of Bishops Cannings in Wilts: an excellent Musitian, and no Ill Poet. When Queen Anne came to Bathe, her way lay to traverse the famous Wensdyke, which runnes through his parish. He made severall of his neighbours good musitians, to play with him in consort, and to sing. Against her Majestie’s comeing, he made a pleasant Pastorall, and gave Her an entertaynment with his fellow songsters in shepherds weeds and bagpipes, he himself like an old Bard. After that wind musique was over, they sang their pastorall eglogues. He gave another Entertaynment in Cote-Field to King James, with Carters singing, with Whipps in their hand, Bucoliques of his own making, and Composing. Whilest his Majesty was thus diverted, the eight Bells did ring, and the Organ was playd-on for state; and afterwards, a Foot-ball-play. (This parish would have challenged all England for Musique, Ringing, and Foot-ball-play.) For this Entertainment, his Majesty made him one of his Chaplains in ordinary.

  JAMES II (1633–1701), third son of Charles I. Created Lord High Admiral at the Restoration, he reformed the corruption in naval affairs, and the Instructions he issued in 1662 remained in force until the nineteenth century. Unfortunately he did not show the same ability when he
succeeded Charles II as King in 1685, and three years later he was deposed by his daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange.

  JOES COFFEE-HOUSE in Mitre Court, Fleet Street, was subsequently named the Mitre Tavern.

  JOHNS COFFEE-HOUSE was in Fulwood’s Rents, a narrow paved court nearly opposite the end of Chancery Lane.

  JOHNSON, GEORGE (1626–83), a Judge on the North Wales Circuit, Solicitor to the Treasury and one of Aubrey’s friends, was granted the reversion of the Mastership of the Rolls in 1667, but the incumbent, Sir Harbottle Grimston, outlived him.

  JOHNSON, RICHARD (1603–75), was Master of the Temple from 1647 to 1658 and subsequently Rector of Broadwell in Gloucestershire.

  JONES, INIGO (1573–1652), architect, designed many buildings in London, including the Banquetting House in Whitehall and the piazza at Covent Garden. He also designed shifting scenes, machines and costumes for many masques by Ben Jonson, by whom he was later satirised.

  JUSTINIAN (527–65), Emperor of Constantinople, was famous for his successful wars and for the Code of Roman Law that he caused to be drawn up.

  JUXON, WILLIAM (1582–1663), President of St. John’s College, Oxford, and Bishop of London, attended Charles I during his trial and on the scaffold, and was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury at the Restoration.

  KEMPIS, THOMAS À (1380–1471), an Augustinian monk, wrote Christian mystical works, the most famous being The Imitation of Christ, which obtained wide popularity by its simplicity and sincerity and the universal quality of its religious teaching.

  KENT, HENRY GREY, 8TH EARL OF (1583–1639), married in 1601 Elizabeth, second daughter and co-heir of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, by Mary, daughter of Sir William Cavendish, of Chatsworth. His widow afterwards married John Selden and died in 1651.

  KEPLER., JOHANN (1571–1630), a celebrated German astronomer, whose three laws of planetary motion provided the basis for much of Newton’s work.

  KING, SIR ANDREW (d. c. 1663), lived for several years at Gresham College, where he died.