AUBREY'S 'BRIEF LIVES' (continued 6)
Reading edition
He was charitable in his life in breeding-up of poor scholars: particularly I remember William Haywood, D.D., whome he preferred to St. John's Colledge in Oxon, where are[1236] certaine Bristowe fellowships. His father was a cowper in Ballance Street; his mother, whom I well remember, was a midwife in the city.
He had a fair[1237] house in St. Nicholas Street, where is the stateliest dining roome in the city. He had been thrice mayor of this city, as is to be seen in the table of mayors in St. Nicholas Street in golden letters.
His beloved and only daughter dyeing, and so being orbus, Richard Wheeler his nephew, who was bred a merchant under him with others, was his heir; but he proving a sott and a capricious coxcombe, he setled all his estate upon the city of Bristow for pious uses, and was, I doe believe, the greatest benefactor that ever the city had. He gave the mannour of Durdery and the mannour of Burnet and divers houses in Bristowe.
He dyed about the seaventy-sixth yeare of his age by a fall from his horse, his head pitching on a nail that stood on its head by a smyth's shop. He was buried very honourably[1238]; besides all his relations in mourning, he had as many poor old men (or men and woemen) as he was yeares old in mourning gownes and hoodes, the mayor and aldermen in mourning; all the trained band (he was their colonel) attended the funerall and their pikes had black ribons and drummes were covered with black cloath.
He lies interred in the west end of the 'Crowd' (the name of the vault under all St. Nicholas Church, as St. Faith's was under St. Paule's), where he lies in effigie on an altar-monument of alabaster and marble. ☞ See his inscription.
Thomas Whyte (1582-1676).
[1239]Memorandum:—Mr. John Davys of Kydwelly tells me that Mr. Thomas Whyte (Blacklowe), author of De mundo, etc., dyed in Drury lane about 7 yeares since and is buried in St. Giles's Church in the fields. Quaere ubi: as also where his brother Richard is buried?
John Wilkins (1614-1672).
[1240]Bishop J. Wilkins:—the little picture in 8vo <is> most like him.
[1241]John Wilkins, Lord Bishop of Chester; his father was a goldsmith in Oxford. Mr. Francis Potter knew him very well, and was wont to say that he was a very ingeniose man, and had a very mechanicall head. He was much for trying of experiments, and his head ran much upon the perpetuall motion. He maryed a daughter of Mr. John Dod (who wrote on the Commandments), at whose house, at <Fawlsley, near Daventry>, Northamptonshire, she laye-in with her son John, of whome we are now to speake.
He had a brother (Timothy), squier-beadle of <Divinity> in Oxford, and a uterine brother, Walter Pope, M.D.
He had his grammar learning in Oxford, (I thinke from Mr. Sylvester). He was admitted of Magdalen-hall in Oxford, <1627> (vide A. Wood's Antiq. Oxon.) His tutor there was the learned Mr. John Tombs (Coryphaeus of the Anabaptists). Anno Domini <1631> A.B.; Anno Domini <1634> M.A. He read to pupils here, (among others, Walter Charlton, M.D., was his pupill): he continued here ... yeares.
He has sayd oftentimes that the first rise, or hint of his rising, was from goeing accidentally a courseing of a hare: where an ingeniose gentleman of good quality falling into discourse with him, and finding him to have a very good witt[1242], told him that he would never gett any considerable preferment by continuing in the university; and that his best way was to betake himselfe to some lord's or great person's house[1243] that had good benefices to conferre. Sayd Mr. J. Wilkins, 'I am not knowne in the world; I know not to whom to addresse myselfe upon such a designe.' The gentleman replied, 'I will recommend you myselfe,' and did so, to (as I thinke) lord viscount Say and Seale (quaere), where he stayed with very good likeing till the late civill warres, and then he was chaplain to his highnesse <Charles Louis> Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine, with whom he went (after the peace[CI.] concluded in Germany[1244]), and was well preferred there by his highnesse. He stayed there ... (not above a yeare).
After the Visitation at Oxon by the Parliament, he gott to be Warden of Wadham Colledge. Anno <1656> maried to <Robina> the relict of Dr. <Peter> French, canon of Christchurch, Oxon, and sister to Oliver, (then) Lord Protector, who[1245] made him anno 165<8/9> Master of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, (in which place he revived learning by strickt examinations at elections: he was much honoured there, and heartily loved by all;) where he continued till 1660, (the restauration of his majestie). Then he was minister of Saint Laurence <Jewry> church in London; and anno ... was deane of Rippon in Yorkeshire. His friend, Seth Ward, D.D., being made bishop of Excester, he was made there deane, and anno 166<8> by the favour of George, duke of Buckingham, was made bishop[1246] of Chester; and was extremely well beloved in his diocese. Anno Domini <1672> he dyed of <the stone>. He left a legacy of four hundred pounds (quaere) to the Royall Society, and had he been able would have given more. He was no great read man; but one of much and deepe thinking, and of a working head; and a prudent man as well as ingeniose. He was one of Seth, lord bishop of Sarum's most intimate friends. He was a lustie, strong growne, well sett, broad shoulderd person, cheerfull, and hospitable.
He was the principall reviver of experimentall philosophy (secundum mentem domini Baconi) at Oxford, where he had weekely an experimentall philosophicall clubbe, which began 1649, and was the incunabula of the Royall Society. When he came to London, they mett at the Bull-head taverne in Cheapside, (e.g. 1658, 1659, and after), till it grew to big for a clubb, and so they came to Gresham colledge parlour.
Scripsit (vide A. Wood's Antiq. Oxon.):—
The World in the Moone, ... (long since).
Swift and Secret Messenger.
Art of Praying and Preaching.
Mathematicall Magique: dedicated to the Prince Elector: printed....
Reall Character: London, printed....
This last was his darling, and nothing troubled him so much when he dyed, as that he had not compleated it; which will now in a yeare more be donne by the care and studies of Mr. Robert Hooke, of Gresham College; Mr. Andrew Paschall, B.D. of Chedzoy, in com. Somerset; Mr. Francis Lodwyck, of London, merchant; Mr. John Ray, R.S.S., of Essex; and Mr. Thomas Pigott, M.A. (Wadham College). He lyes buried in the north-east end of the chancell of St. Laurence ... church, neer the wall, where will be an inscription sett up to his memorie.
John Willis.
[1247]John Willis, B.D.—author of the Art of Memorie, in Latin, 1618, 12mo.—Dr. Davenant told me that when he was of Cambridge, that one preaching at St. Marie's—'and now,' said he (before he was aware) 'I am come to the lyon's taile'; this was (it seemes) his locus[1248]: the people stared on him.
Inventor of Short-hand,—'tis the best. Bishop Wilkins sayd, 'tis only used in England, or by the English; and[1249] 'twas a good while before the logarithmes gott beyond sea. Mr. Wingate first brought it into France, and shewed it to them; scil. when he went into France to teach the Queen-Mother English; he dedicated it to Monsieur the duke of Orleans.
Thomas Willis (1621/2-1675).
[1250]Thomas Willis, M.D.—from himselfe—borne at Great Bedwyn in com. Wilts, January the 27th, anno Domini 1621. His father was steward to Sir Walter Smyth there, and had been sometime a scholar at St. John's College in Oxford.
[1251]Thomas Willis, M.D.; vide Westminster Abbey pro inscriptione.
[1252]Thomas Willis, M.D., natus ...; (vide A. Wood's Antiq. Oxon.).
1647 and 1648 (quaere, if not +), kept Abingdon-market[1253], and Dr. <Richard> Lydall and he had a horse between them: this was before a Doctor[1254]. He grew more and more into good practise.
He studied chymistry in Peckwater Inne chamber[1255]. He was in those dayes very mathematicall, and I have heard him say his genius lay more to mathematics then chymistry.
His father was steward to Sir John (I thinke) Smyth[1256]; and had a little estate at Ivy Hinksey, where my lady Smyth (vidua) dyed.
He went to schoole to Mr. <Edward> Sylvester in Oxon, over the meadowes, where he ayred his muse, and made good exercise:—from William Hawes, his schoolefellow. Anno about 1657 (quaere there), riding towards Brackley to a patient, his way led him thorough Astrop, where he observed the stones in the little rill were discoloured of a kind of Crocus Martis colour; thought he, this may be an indication of iron; he getts gaules, and putts some of the powder into the water, and immediately it turned blackish; then sayd he, 'I'le not send my patients now so far as Tunbridge,' and so he in a short time[1257] brought these waters into vogue, and hath inriched a poore obscure village. He was middle stature: darke red[1258] haire (like a red pig): stammered much.
He was first servitor to Dr. <Thomas> Iles, one of the canons of Xt. Ch. whose wife was a knowing woman in physique and surgery, and did many cures. Tom Willis then wore a blew livery-cloak, and studied at the lower end of the hall, by the hall-dore; was pretty handy, and his mistresse would oftentimes have him to assist her in making of medicines. This did him no hurt, and allured him on.
John Wilmot, earl of Rochester (1648-1680).
[1259]John, earl of Rochester[CS]:—he went to schoole at <Burford>; was of Wadham College, Oxford; I suppose, had been in France.
About 18, he stole his lady, <Elizabeth> Malet, a daughter and heir, a great fortune; for which I remember I sawe him a prisoner in the Tower about 1662.
His youthly spirit and oppulent fortune did sometimes make him doe extravagant actions, but in the country he was generally civill enough. He was wont to say that when he came to Brentford the devill entred into him and never left him till he came into the country again to Alderbury or Woodstock.
He was raunger of Woodstock-parke and lived often at the lodge at the west end, a very delightfull place and noble prospect westwards. Here his lordship had severall lascivious pictures drawen.
His lordship read all manner of bookes. Mr. Andrew Marvell, who was a good judge of witt, was wont to say that he was the best English satyrist and had the right veine. 'Twas pitty death tooke him off so soon.
In his last sicknesse he was exceedingly paenitent and wrote a lettre of his repentance to Dr. Burnet, which is printed.
He sent for all his servants, even the piggard-boy, to come and heare his palinode[1260]. He dyed at Woodstock-parke, 26 July, 1680; and buried at Spilsbury in the same countie, Aug. 9 following.
His immature death putts me in mind of these verses of Propertius:—
Vere novo primoque in aetatis flore juventae, Ceu rosa virgineo pollice carpta, jaces.
[1261]On the death of my lord Rochester: pastorall.
1
As on his death-bed, gasping, Strephon lay, Strephon, the wonder of the plaines, The noblest of th' Arcadian swaines, Strephon, the bold, the witty, and the gay, With many a sigh, and many a teare, he said, 'Remember me, ye shepheards, when I'me dead.
2
'Ye triflying glories of this world, adieu! And vain applauses of the age! For when we quit this earthly stage, Beleeve me, shepheards, for I tell you true, Those pleasures which from vertuous deeds we have Procure the sweetest slumbers in the grave.
3
'Then since your fatall houre must surely come, Surely your head ly low as mine, Your bright meridian soon decline, Beseech the mighty PAN to guard you home. If to Elysium you would happy fly, Live not like Strephon, but like Strephon die.'
T. Flatman.
Note.
Edmund Wingate (1593-1656).
[1262]Edmund Wingate, esq., was a Bedfordshire man, I thinke; recorder of Bedford—there you may learne, or at my lord Bruce's (now Alesbury).
Scripsit—Arithmetica;
Logarithmotechnia, with solution of triangles;
another little booke of working on a line of numbers;
Abridgment of the Statutes,....
He was of Graye's Inne, and dyed.... His yonger sonne was Mr. <Fabian> Stedman's fellow prentice; since turned a musquetere. He can tell me everything. He did wayte at the Tower.
[1263]Edmund Wingate dyed at Mr. Bayles howse in Gray's Inne lane, and was buried at St. Andrewe's, Holborne, the 13 Decemb. anno Domini 1656.
George Withers (1588-1667).
[1264]Mr. George Withers (vide A. Wood's Antiq. Oxon.) was borne at Bentworth, near Alton, in Hantshire, on the eleaventh of June, 1588.
He maried Elizabeth, eldest daughter of H. Emerson, of South Lambeth, in com. Surrey, esqre, whose ancestors lye entombed in the choeur of St. Savior's, Southwark, neer the monument of bishop Andrewes, with a statue of white marble. She was a great witt, and would write in verse too.
He was of <Magdalen College> in Oxford. He would make verses as fast as he could write them. And though he was an easie rymer, and no good poet, he was a good vates. He had a strange sagacity and foresight into mundane affaires.
He was an early observator of Quicquid agunt homines; his witt was satyricall. I thinke the first thing he wrote was 'Abuses whipt and stript,' for which he was committed prisoner to ...[1265] (I beleeve, Newgate). I believe 'twas tempore Jacobi regis. He was a captain in the Parliament army, and the Parliament gave him for his service Mr. John Denham's estate at Egham, in Surrey. The motto of his colours was, Pro Rege, Lege, Grege.
After the restauration of his majestie he was imprisoned in the Tower about three quarters of a yeare. He died the 2d of May, 1667, and lieth interred within the east dore of the Savoy church, where he dyed. He was pupill to bishop <John> Warner, of Rochester.
Theophilus Wodenote (senior).
[1268]Theophilus Woodenoth[CT], B.D.—his father[CU] was a Cheshire gentleman of that ancient family; was minister[1269] of Lankenhorn in Cornwall, in which place his sonne succeeded him—
'In Cornwall at a parish Lankenhorn Neer Launceston six miles southwards was I born.'
When I was a school-boy he[1270] lived two yeares with his brother ... Peyton, vicar of Chalke, being obnoxious to danger of arests.
He did me much good in opening of my understanding; advised me to read lord Bacon's Essayes and an olde booke of proverbs (English); answered me my questions of antiq<uities>, etc.
He was an Eaton scholar and fellow of King's College, Cambridge, contemporary with Dr. <Samuel> Colins.
He wrote in his solitude at Chalke a little manuall called 'Good thoughts in bad times,' as I take it. I remember 'tis dedicated to his cosen ... Wodenoth of Cheshire, esq.
Notes.
Theophilus Wodenote (junior) (1625-16—).
[1271]Theophilus Wodenoth, pater, natus Lankenkorn neer Lanceston in com. Cornub., Oct. 6, 1625, 6h A.M., he thinkes on a Thursday. Now rector of Blandford St Mary's in com. Dorset.
Charles, filius Theophili, Wodenoth natus Blandfordiae, Dorset, Feb. 17, 1660, die Solis[1272] circa 6h A.M.
Note.
This Theophilus Wodenote is son of Theophilus (senior). He matric. at Exeter College, June 2, 1652.
Thomas Wolsey (147—1530).
[1273]Cardinal Woolsey:—Memorandum the Cardinal's hat on the scutcheon at Christ Church: and quaere quot pedes from the College to the Blew-boare; colour with soote the water-table, and insert in the scutcheon the Cardinal's hat.
[1274]Thomas Wolsey[CV], Cardinal, was a butcher's son, of Ipswych, in Suffolke; vide his Life, writt by....
He was a fellowe of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, where he was tutor to a young gentleman of Limmington, near Ilchester, in com. Somerset, in whose guift the presentation of that church is, worth the better part of 200 li. per annum, which he gave to his tutor, Wolsey. He had committed hereabout some debauchery (I thinke, drunke: no doubt he was of a high rough spirit), and spake derogatorily of Sir Amias Paulet (a Justice of Peace in the neighbourhood), who putt him into the stockes[CII.], which, when he came to be Cardinall, he did not forget; he layed a fine upon Sir Amias to build the gate of the Middle Temple; the armes of Pawlet, with the quartrings, are in glasse there to this day (1680). The Cardinall's armes were, as the storie sayes, on the outside in stone, but time haz long since defaced that, only you may still discerne the place; it was carved in a very mouldring stone.
Remaines of him shew that he was a great master of the Latin tongue; Dr. John Pell tells me, that [he[1275] finds in a preface to a Grammar of ... Haynes, schoolmaster, of Christ-church, London,] that 'twas he that made the Accedence before W. Lilly's Grammar in ... dayes.
His rise (vide the History) was his quick and prudent dispatch of a message to Paris for Henry 8.
He had a most magnificent spirit. Concerning his grandure, vide Stowe's Chronicle, &c.
He was a great builder, as appeares by White-hall, Hampton Court.—Eshur[CIII.], in Surrey, a noble house, built of the best burn't brick (perhaps) that ever I sawe; stately gate-house and hall. This stately house (a fitt pallace for a prince[1276]) was bought about 1666, by ... a vintner, of London, who is since broke, and the house is sold, and pulled downe to the ground, about 1678. I have the draught of the house among my Surrey papers.—Quaere:—he had a very stately cellar for his wines, about Fish-street, called Cardinall Wolsey's cellar.—He built the stately tower at Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, and that stately palace at Winchester (where he was bishop), called Wolsey-house; I remember it pretty well, standing 1647. Now, I thinke, it is most pulled downe.—His noble foundation of his Colledge of Christ-Church, in Oxford, where the stately hall was only perfected by him. There were designed (as yet may appeare by the building)[1277] most magnificent cloysters (the brave designe wherof Dr. John Fell hath deteriorated with his new device) to an extraordinary spacious quadrangle, to the entrance whereof was carrying up a tower (a gate-house) of extraordinary rich and noble Gothique building. Vide J. Oweni Epigrammata:
Sit domus imperfecta licet, similisque ruinae, At patet in laudes area lata tuas.
Owen, Epigr.
When the present great-duke of Tuscany was at Oxford, he was more taken with that, then all the rest of the buildings he sawe there, and tooke a second viewe of it.
It should not be forgotten what a noble foundation there was for the chapell, which did runne from the Colledge, along the street as far as the Blew-boare Inne; which was about 7 foot or more high, and adorned with a very rich Gothique water-table[CW] as in the margin[1278].
It was pulled downe by Dr. John Fell (the Deane) about 1670, to use the stones about the Colledge.
Memorandum:—about the buildings of this Colledge are frequent the pillars, and axes, and Cardinall's cappes.
Concerning this great Cardinall's fall, see the histories of that time.
Returning to London from Yorke, he died at Leicester, where he lies buried (to the shame of Christ-church men) yet without any monument.
'And though, from his owne store, Wolsey might have A palace or a colledge for his grave, Yet here he lies interr'd, as if that all Of him to be remembred were his fall. Nothing but earth to earth, nor pompous weight Upon him but a pebble or a quayte. If thou art thus neglected, what shall wee Hope after death that are but shreds of thee?'
Vide Dr. Corbet's Poems: his Iter Boreale.
See his life writt by ... and also by Thomas Fuller, B.D., in his Holy State, where is a picture of his which resembles those in glasse in Christ-church. He was a lusty man, thick neck, not much unlike Martyn Luther. I beleeve he had Taurus ascending with the Pleiades, which makes the native to be of a rough disposition.
He was Baccalaur of Arts so young, that he was called the boy-bacchalaur. From Dr. John Pell (out of the aforesayd preface).
[1279]One of Osney bells is at Winslowe in Bucks, which is the great bell there, but was the 3d at Osney; but they have not long since cutt it something lesse, one Derby decieving them LX li. of their metall. Cardinall Wolsey, being abbot of St. Alban's (to which Winslowe did belong), at the pulling downe of Osney abbey, gave this bell to Winslowe—Mr. Steevens[1280] was borne at Winslowe.
Notes.
Anthony Wood (1632-1695).
[1281]Mr. Anthony à Wood, M.A., antiquarius, in his lettre to me, Palm Sunday March 23, 1672, writes thus, viz. 'My nativity I cannot yet retrive; but by talking with an ancient servant of my father's I find I was borne on the 17 of Decemb., but the year when I am not certain: 'twas possibly about 1647.—John Selden was borne the 16 of December and Sir Symonds Dews the 17. But of these matters I shall tell you more when my trouble is over.'
Sir Christopher Wren (1631-1723).
[1282]Sir Christopher Wren[CX], surveyor of his majestie's buildings, borne at ... Knahill[1283] in the parsonage-howse in the county of Wiltes neer Shaftesbury, Thursday, October 20, 1631[CY], 8h P.M.—the bell rang VIII as his mother fell in labour with him (from himselfe).
He was knighted[CZ] at Whitehall on Friday, 14th November 1673, at 5h A.M. (from Mr. Robert Hooke, the next day).
[1284]Anno 1669, Dr. Christopher Wren was invited by the bishop of Sarum (Seth Ward), where he made a particular survey of the cathedrall church[DA]. He was at least a weeke about it, and a curious discourse it was: it was not above two sheetes. Upon my writing The Natural History of Wilts, I had occasion to insert it there, and they told me that it was lent to somebody—they could not tell to whom. But in Febr. last Mr. Cole thinks it not unlikely that Mr. Nash (the surveyor of the fabrick) of Sarum may have that paper. I desired him to enquire but have not yet received any answer.
<Pedigree: in MS. Aubr. 7, fol. 28v.>
... Wren, of Ipswych m. ... in Suffolke. | | ... Wren, a wealthy m. ... citizen in Cheapside | (quaere if not a | millener). | +---------------------------------+-+ | | Matthew Wren, m. ... Christopher Wren, m. ... Cox, of Funthill Lord Bishop | second son, deane | in com. Wilts. of Ely. | of Windsor | +--------------+---------+ | | | | Matthew Wren, secretary | to the Lord Chancellor | Hyde, then to the duke | of Yorke. | +-----------------------+----------+ | | Faith, daughter m. Sir Christopher m. <Jane> Fitzwilliams, | of Sir Thomas Wren. daughter of the lord | Coghill of Blech- Fitzwilliams in North- | ington in com. amptonshire, second | Oxon., first wife, wife, A.D.... | A.D.... | | +------------------------------------+ | ... m. William | Holder, D.D., | sub-deane of | the king's | chapel. | sine prole.
Notes.
Edward Wright (15—- 1615).
[1287]Mr. Edward[1288] Wright: he was of Caius College in Cambridge (from Sir Charles Scarborough, who was of that house).
He published his book, 4to, intituled[1289]:—
Certain errors in navigation detected and corrected by Edward Wright, with many additions that were not in the former edition as appeareth in the next pages, London, 1610.
It is dedicated to the high and mighty Henry, prince of Wales, etc. In the Epistle dedicatory he makes mention of a goodlye and royall ship that his highnesse lately built, and that since his highnesse comeing into England that the 'art of navigation hath been much advanced here as well in searching the North-east and North-west passages as also in discovering the sea-coastes and inland of Virginea, Newfoundland, Groenland, and of the North New-land as far as Hackluyt's headland, within 9 degrees of the pole, also of Guiana and divers parts and ilands of the East Indies, yea, and some parts also of the south continent discovered by Sir Richard Hawkins.'
He read mathematicks to Prince Henry; and Sir Jonas Moore had the wooden sphaere in the Tower, which was contrived by Mr. Wright for the more easy information of the prince.
Amongst Mr. Laurence Rooke's papers (left with Seth <Ward>, lord bishop of Sarum) I found:—
Hypothesis stellarum fixarum a Edm.[1290] Wright,
three sheetes, of his owne hand-writing, in folio. I deposited it in the Royal Society, but Mr. R. Hooke saieth that it is printed in a booke by it selfe, which see.
In his preface to the reader he sayes that 'the errors I have in the following treatise laboured to reforme to the utmost (yea, rather beyond the utmost) of my poor abilitie, neglecting in the meane time other studies and courses that might have been more beneficial to me: which may argue my good will to have proceeded further to the amendment of such other faults and imperfections as yet remain besides those alreadie specified.'
It appeares by his preface that his worth was attended by a great deal of envie.
Ibid.—He was in the voyage of the right honourable the earle of Cumberland in the yeare 1589. He 'devised the seaman's rings for the present finding out both of the variation of the needle and time of the day at one instant without any farther trouble of using any other instrument, and hath farther shewed how by the sun's point of the compasse (or magnetical azimuth) and altitude given by observation the variation may be found either mechanically with ruler and compasse or mathematically by the doctrine of triangles and arithmeticall calculation.'
John Collins <says that> he happened upon the logarithmes and did not know it, as maybe seen in his Errors: and Mr. Robert Norwood sayes to the reader in his Trigonometrie 'neither is Mr. Edward Wright to be forgotten though his endeavours were soonest prevented,' speaking of the logarithmes.
He published a booke of dialling in 4to, anno....
[1291]Mr. Edward Wright, ex Catalogo Bibl. Bodleianae.
Description of the sphere in three parts, London 1613——W. 1. 7.
Treatise of dialling, London 1614, 4to——H. 30. Art.
Correction of errors in navigation, 4to——W. 16. Art., et London 1599, 4to——W. 2. Art. BS.
The earle of Cumberland's voyage to the Azores, ibid.
Peruse the prefaces.—'The description of the sphaere' hath no preface, and I believe they were his notes for Prince Henry.
[1292]Mr. Edmund[1293] Wright was of Caius Colledge, in Cambridge. He was one of the best mathematicians of his time; and the then new way of sayling, which yet goes by the name of 'sayling by Mr. Mercator's chart,' was purely his invention, as plainely doeth and may appeare in his learned booke called 'Wright's Errors in Navigation,' in 4to. printed A.D.... Mr. Mercator brought this invention in fashion beyond seas.
He did read mathematiques to Prince Henry, and caused to be made, for his Highnesse more easie understanding of astronomie, a sphaere of wood, about three quarters of a yard diameter, which lay neglected and out of order in the Tower, at London, and Sir Jonas Moor begd it of his present majestie, who showed it to me.
He wrote 'Hypothesis Stellarum Fixarum et Planetarum,' a MS. of three sheetes of paper, which I found among bishop Ward's papers, which I gave to the Museum[1294] at Oxford.
He made a table of Logarithmes (scil. in his Tangents) before Logarithmes were invented and printed, but did not know he had donne it.—from John Collins.
Edmund Wyld (1616-16—).
[1295]Edmund Wyld[1296], esq., born at Houghton-Conquest in Bedfordshire, 3h P.M. on a Saterday, Oct. 10th, 1616.
He had the misfortune to kill a man in London, upon a great provocation, about A.D. 1644. He had the plague in the Inner Temple, 1647, and had a grevous quartan ague in Sept. 1656.
Memorandum, Mr. Wyld sayes that the doctors told him that in 1656 there dyed in London of the quartan ague fifteen hundred; N.B. In 1657[1297] Oliver Cromwell, Protector, dyed of a quartan ague.
At Christmas, 1661, Mr. E. W. had a dangerous fever.
... Yarrington.
[1298]Capt. Yarrington dyed at London about March last[1299]. The cause of his death was a beating and throwne into a tub of water.
Anne, duchess of York (16—- 1671).
[1300]Colonel Popham's great tankard, the dutches Y: dranke it (almost) off at a draught.