John Aubrey: My Own Life (71 page)

promises to publish life of Hobbes, 166–7

meets Anthony Wood in Oxford, 167–8

and Wood’s researches, 168, 173, 186

arrested and released, 169

spends evening with Wood in Oxford, 169

trial brought about by Joan Sumner, 169

attends William Davenant’s funeral, 170

continuing interest in mineral water, 170–1

decides to make map of remains of Roman camps, 171

observes a cloudy star, 171

hopes to visit monuments in Caernarvonshire, 173

arrested again, 173

goes to see Coway Stakes, 173–4

Joan Sumner demands retrial of, 174

on death and will of Abraham Cowley, 174

hopes that Hollar will make more etchings of Osney Abbey drawings, 175

retrial, 175

on the burial of John Denham, 175

conversation with Hugh Crescy, 176

sends Euclid’s
Data
to Edward Davenant, 176–7

and Wood’s personal problems, 177

given information about Silchester, 177

visits paper mill, 177–8

and death of William Browne, 178

donations to Royal Society, 178, 185–6

on Harrington, 179

hears news from his former servant, 179–80

cannot afford to keep house at Easton Pierse, 180

makes sketches of house at Easton Pierse, 180, 181–2

meets Wood in London, 183

Lodwick sends his essay to, 184

hopes to complete his perambulation of Wiltshire, 184

survey of camps, 184

observations about Yatton Keynell, 184–5

on architecture, 185

on inscriptions in London churches, 186

on increasing use of glass, 186

introduces Wood to Sheldon, 186–7

completes sale of house at Easton Pierse, 187

thoughts about entering a monastery, 187–8

1671–1673
:

feels impelled to finish his description of Wiltshire, 191–2

grateful for friends in time of need, 191

and research for Wood’s book, 191, 192, 194–5, 198, 200, 201, 202, 205, 206

continuing interest in astrology, 192, 193

stomach problems, 193

delighted by Wood’s promise to mention him in his book, 194

rumours about, 194

letter from Gore, 194

invited by Hoskyns to join him on a journey through Wales, 194

writes a play, 195

thoughts about going to Maryland, 196

in fear of creditors, 196

on Sir James Long, 196–7

and phantoms, 197, 201

and mosaics at Bathford, 197–8

plans to write about architecture, 198

on the burial of Bradshaw, 200

ideas about lanterns, 200

visits Somerset, 201

and national events, 201, 211

receives letter of thanks from Paschall, 201

thinks about education, 202

visits Wood in Oxford, 202

and death of Samuel Cooper, 203

almost killed by a drunkard, 203

letters from Hoskyns, 203, 205, 207

and Wren’s suggestion that he might help Ogilby, 203–4

stays at Hothfield with Earl of Thanet, 205, 206

wants to see his brother Tom, 206–7

in search of information about Dee, 207

letter from Coley, 208

visits Hooke, 208

given small employment by Royal Society, 208

dines with friends, 209

Locke interested in work of, 209

puts Hobbes in correspondence with Vice-President of Magdalen Hall, 209

at meeting of Royal Society, 210

Ashmole shows letter to, 210

wants to visit Rosamund’s Bower again, 210

does not trust his brother William with key to his trunk, 210

dines with Goresuch, 211

1673

and national events, 215, 227

makes survey of Surrey, 215–16, 217–27, 229

on Fell’s interference with Wood’s book, 216

in danger of being killed by sword, 216

and death of Moray, 217

concerns about Ogilby, 227

and Wase’s enquiry into free schools, 228

1673–1676
:

Hooke lends money to, 233, 235, 241, 242, 245

dines with Ashmole and Dugdale, 233

continuing concerns about Ogilby, 233

sends Hobbes’s lives to Wood, 233

visits Radford, 234

death of Radford, 234

sends Wood information about Easton Pierse, 234

letter from Hoskyns, 234

drafts list of questions for use in gathering information about different counties, 234

sells books to Hooke, 234–5

presents book to Hooke to be place in Royal Society library, 235

hopes for Wren’s help in finding some form of income, 235

at coffee houses and taverns with friends, 235, 238, 243, 246, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 260

moves into rooms near Gresham College, 236

presents Royal Society with observations about winds, 236

and national events, 236

friends suggest he should turn to ecclesiastical career, 236, 239, 262–3

and Hobbes, 237, 238–9, 240, 241, 242, 244, 248, 251

helps Hooke with his papers, 238

arrested for debt, then released, 238

engaged in writing Catalogue of the Repository of Royal Society, 238

urged by Vaughan to go with him to Jamaica, 239

asked by Earl of Thanet to accompany him to the Bermudas, 239

gives more books to Royal Society library, 241

gives Ent a letter of introduction to Wood, 242

sends drawings to Wood, 242–3

and Ent’s desire to see a copy of Hobbes’s life, 243, 244

hesitates about sending a manuscript to Trinity College, 243

pained by wanton destruction of dials, 243

concerned about omission of Hooke from Wood’s book, 244, 245

wants to help Dr Plot with information, 244, 254, 257, 260

displeased by Gore’s failure to mention his name in his work, 244–5

visits Potter, 245

concerned about Earl of Thanet’s health, 245–6

asked to make catalogues by Royal Society, 246

likes Jane Smyth, 246

tries to obtain preferment at court, 247, 250

wants information about Rollright Stones, 247, 248

encouraged by Hoskyns to research and write the Natural History of England, 247

hurt by Wood’s refusal to mention his name in preface to book, 248

continues research on Wood’s behalf, 248, 250, 251

gives books to Bodleian Library, 249–50

Ent makes additions to his donation, 249–50

and meetings of Royal Society, 249, 255, 256, 258, 260

offered accommodation by Earl of Thanet, 250

troubled by Ent’s behaviour, 250–1

and his mother’s illness, 251, 252

intends to visit James Long, 251

opinion of Wallis, 251–2

suggestion to Hooke about employing George Snell, 252

conducts investigation at the Gogges, 252

intends to visit Jane Smyth, 253

thoughts about Gloucester Hall, 253

deposits notes with Ashmole, 254

and setting up of new club, 255

transcription of his work done by Oldenburg, 256, 257

visits Wren, 258

sees bust of Venetia Stanley for sale, 259

friendship with Evelyn, 259–60

and Jane Smyth’s illness, 260

and
The Virtuoso
, 261

chosen again for committee to audit Royal Society’s accounts, 261

Snell’s letter to, 261–2

would like to visit Oxford and Weston, 262

is shown information concerning his great-grandfather, 262

plans to see Wylde, 263

1676–1680
:

asks Wood to burn a letter, 267

and death of Ogilby, 267

and Paschall, 267, 268, 271, 274, 276

Lodwick sends his reflections to, 267

at Wren’s birthday celebration, 268

dines with friends, 268, 271, 274

at coffee houses and taverns with friends, 268, 269, 273, 280, 281, 285

and Dr Morison, 269, 276

Boevey sends list of his manuscripts to, 269

and death of Hollar, 270

on the marriage of Mary to William of Orange, 270

fails to see comet, 270

Snell writes to, 271

and death of Oldenburg, 271

and death of Harrington, 271–2

Hooke has picture of, 272

and choosing of President for Royal Society, 272

and election of Royal Society council and officers, 273

letter from Hobbes, 273–4

letter from Ent, 274

and John Ray, 274–5

visits Oxford, 275

and death of Silas Taylor, 275

and death of Potter, 275–6

at meetings of Royal Society, 276, 280

continues to do research for Wood, 277, 287

visits Milton’s widow, 277

on Popish Plot, 277, 278, 283–4

borrows money from Wood, 278

watches eclipse of moon, 278

chosen to inspect proceedings of Secretaries of Royal Society, 279

communicates with William Howe, 279

and loss of some of Ashmole’s collections in fire, 279

sends book to Hobbes, 280

response to pamphlet against Pepys and Hewet, 281

and death of Pugh, 281

invited to call on Earl of Thanet, 281

letter from Pigott, 282

and burial of Michael Dary, 282

on the laying of foundation stone for Ashmolean Museum, 282

on Exclusion Bill, 282–3

on Hestor Tradescant’s death, 283

letter from Wilde Clerke, 283

meets Sheldon in London, 284

wants to recover Hobbes’s autobiography from Wood, 284

on Hobbes’s ideas about civil war, 284–5

invited to visit Robert Henley, 285

and death of Ent, 285

suggests that Halley should study astrology, 285

and death of Earl of Thanet, John Birkenhead and Hobbes, 286

wants to get life of Hobbes printed, 287

Vaughan promises to find information for, 287–8

on turnips, 288

on spectacles, 288

1680
:

works on his Book of Lives, 291–2, 294–5, 296–7, 298–310

at coffee houses, 291, 295

continuing interest in astrology, 292

on Penny Post, 292

persuades Petty to have his picture painted, 293

and death of Edward Davenant, 293

comments on Blackbourne’s style in compiling life of Hobbes, 293

at meeting of Royal Society, 296

and death of Earl of Rochester, 297

sends Book of Lives to Pell, 298

requests information from Wood, 298

1680–1683
:

ideas about a time when globe was covered with water, 313

and Samuel Butler’s funeral, 314

makes enquiry about Ferraran library, 314

Paschall requests him to recommend writers, 315

receives account of Ben Jonson’s life, 315

encouraged in his work by Wood, 315

and burial of Israel Tonge, 315

book returned by Pell, 316

and publication of ‘Vitae Hobbianae auctarium’, 316

and national events, 316, 317

on Dugdale’s account of the civil war, 316

offered encouragement by Earl of Berkshire, 317

concerned about sending his Lives to Wood, 317

anxious about Ent’s addition to his donation to Bodleian Library, 317–18, 319

receives Paschall’s idea of a desirable Utopia, 318

sends his book to Wood, 318

continues to collect material for his Lives, 319, 320, 324–5

letter from Petty in Ireland, 319

and meetings of Royal Society, 319, 328

concerned about content of his Book of Lives, 319, 320, 329

musings about a possible burial place, 320

writes up more Lives, 320–2

letter from his mother about her illness, 322

death of his brother Tom, 323

visits Oxford, 323

and the post of Principal of Hart Hall, 323, 324

works with Ashmole in making collection of material from ancient astrologers, 323–4

and death of Beeston, 324

interested in the idea of cutting a canal to join rivers Thames and Avon, 325, 326

sends third volume of his Lives to Wood, 326

on Penn’s departure to America, 327

letter from Wylde Clerke in answer to his enquiry, 327

on illness of Henry Blount, 327–8

and death of Thomas Merry, 328

on the sale of Mercator’s clock, 328

and death of George Johnson, 329

hopes concerning the spring he discovered at Seend, 329

on the opening of Ashmolean Museum, 329

letter from Penn, 330

and illness of Jane Smyth, 330

robbed, 330

visits stonecutter and learns about Charing Cross, 330–1

and sale of Jonas Moore’s books, 331

1684–1688
:

grief over deaths of George Johnson and John Collins, 335

works on manuscripts, 335–6, 344, 350–1, 354, 357

and burial of Brouncker, 336

intends to include Petty’s questions about mineral water in his own book, 337–8

concerned about safety of his manuscripts, 338, 356

witnesses experiment by Wylde, 338

receives comments about his work, 338–9, 352

hears about damage to stone at Avebury, 339

correspondence with Paschall, 339, 348, 349, 350, 352

encouraged to finish and publish his work on Wiltshire by Plot, 339

and meetings of Royal Society, 340, 348, 350, 352

is informed about sale of library at Wilton House, 340

and national events, 340–1, 345, 355

needs to move his mother to Broad Chalke, 344

on streams in Wiltshire, 344

on Bristol, 344

problems in relationship with his brother William, 345–6, 349, 356, 357

and death of Pell, 346

granted land in Tobago, 346

makes list of ideas for rescuing his fortunes, 347

on Ashmolean Museum, 347–8

and drawings by Loggan, 348

and his mother’s death, 349

concerned about the future of his manuscripts, 349–50, 354

begins to collect folklore, 350–1

embattled in lawsuit with his brother, 351

hears from Sir James Long, 351–2