'Twas the fashion in those dayes for gentlemen to have their suites of
clothes garnished with buttons. My Lord Bacon was then in disgrace,
and his man Bushell having more buttons then usuall on his cloake,
etc., they sayd that his lord's breech made buttons and Bushell wore
them--from whence he was called _buttond Bushell_.
He was only an English scholar, but had a good witt and a working and
contemplative head. His lord much loved him.
His genius lay most towards naturall philosophy, and particularly
towards the discovery, drayning, and improvement of the silver mines in
Cardiganshire[503], etc.
He had the strangest bewitching way to drawe-in people (yea, discreet
and wary men) into his projects that ever I heard of. His tongue was
a chaine and drewe in so many to be bound for him and to be ingaged
in his designes that he ruined a number. Mr. Goodyere of ... in
Oxfordshire was undon by him among others; see[504] part iii. pag. 6 b.
He was master of the art of running in debt, and lived so long that his
depts were forgott, so that they were the great-grandchildren of the
creditors.
He wrote a stich't treatise of mines and improving of the adits to
them and bellowes to drive-in wind, which Sir John Danvers, his
acquaintance, had, and nayled it[BM] to his parlor-wall at Chelsey,
with some scheme, and I beleeve is there yet: I sawe it there about 10
yeares since.
During the time of the civill warres, he lived in Lundy island.
Anno 1647 or 8, he came over into England; and when he landed at
Chester, and had but one Spanish threepence (this I had then from ...
of Great Tew, to whom he told it), and, sayd he, 'I[505] could have
been contented to have begged a penny, like a poor man.' At that time
he sayd he owed, I forgett whether it was 50 or sixty thousand pounds:
but he was like Sir Kenelm Digby, if he had not 4_d._, wherever he came
he would find respect and credit.
☞ Memorandum, after his master the lord chancellor dyed, he maried
..., and lived at Enston, Oxon; where having some land lyeing on the
hanging of a hill faceing the south, at the foot wherof runnes a fine
cleare stream which petrifies, and where is a pleasant solitude, he
spake to his servant Jack[XXX.] Sydenham to gett a labourer to cleare
some boscage which grew on the side of the hill, and also to dig[506]
a cavity in the hill to sitt, and read or contemplate. The workman had
not workt an hower before he discovers not only a rock, but a rock
of an unusuall figure with pendants like icecles as at Wokey hole
(Somerset), which was the occasion of making that delicate grotto and
those fine walkes.
[XXX.] <Jack Sydenham> lived before with Sir Charles Snell at Kington
St. Michaell. He was wont to carry me in his armes: a gracefull
servant. He gave me this account.
Here in fine weather he would walke all night. Jack Sydenham sang
rarely: so did his other servant, Mr. Batty. They went very gent. in
cloathes, and he loved them as his children.
He did not encumber him selfe with his wife, but here enjoyed himselfe
thus in this paradise till the war brake out, and then retired to Lundy
isle.
He had donne something (I have forgott what) that made him obnoxious to
the Parliament or Oliver Cromwell, about 1650; would have been hangd
if taken; printed severall letters to the Parliament, etc., dated from
beyond sea, and all that time lay privately in his howse in Lambeth
marsh where the[507] pointed pyramis is. In the garret there, is a
long gallery, which he hung all with[508] black, and had some death's
heads and bones painted. At the end where his couch was, was in an old
Gothique nich (like an old monument) painted a skeleton incumbent[509]
on a matt. At the other end where was his pallet-bed was an emaciated
dead man stretched out. Here he had severall mortifying and divine
motto's (he imitated his lord[510] as much as he could), and out of his
windowes a very pleasant prospect. At night he walkt in the garden and
orchard. Only Mr. Sydenham, and an old trusty woman, was privy to his
being in England.
He dyed about 1676 or 1677--quaere where--he was 80 yeares of age.
[He[511] dyed in Scotland yard neer Whitehall about 1675 or 1677; Mr.
Beach the quaker can tell me exactly.]
His entertainment to Queen Henrietta Marie at Enston was in anno 163<6,
23 August>. Insert, i.e. sowe[512] my book (which J. S.[513] gave my
grandfather Isaac Lyte) in this place ... Goodall[BN], of Ch. Ch. Oxon,
composed[514] the musique; I remember the student of Ch. Ch. which sang
the songs (<I> now forgett his name).
[515]Mr. Bushell had a daughter maried to a merchant ... in Bristowe.
He was a handsome proper gentleman when I sawe him at his house
aforesayd at Lambith. He was about 70 but I should have not guessed him
hardly 60. He had a perfect healthy constitution; fresh, ruddy face;
hawke-nosed, and was temperate.
As he had the art of running in dept, so sometimes he was attacqued and
throwen into prison; but he would extricate him selfe again straingely.
He[516] died about 3 yeares since (<from> Sir William Dugdale), i.e.
about 1677; and was buried at....
Memorandum:--in the time of the civill warres his[517] hermitage over
the rocks at Enston were hung with black-bayes; his bed had black
curtaines, etc., but it had no bed-postes but hung by 4 cordes (covered
with black-bayes) instead of bed postes. When the queen-mother came to
Oxon to the king, she either brought (as I thinke) or somebody gave her
an entire mummie from Egypt, a great raritie, which her majestie gave
to Mr. Bushell, but I beleeve long ere this time the dampnesse of the
place haz spoyled it with mouldinesse.
Memorandum:--the grotto[518] belowe lookes just south; so that when it
artificially raineth, upon the turning of a cock, you are enterteined
with a rainebowe. In a very little pond (no bigger then a basin)
opposite to the rock, and hard by, stood (1643, Aug. 8) a Neptune,
neatly cutt in wood, holding his trident in his hand, and ayming with
it at a duck which perpetually turned round with him, and a spanniel
swimming after her--which was very pretty, but long since spoyled. I
heare that ... earl of Rochester, in whose possession it now is, doeth
keepe it very well in order.
[519]Mr. Bushell was the greatest arts-master to runne in dept
(perhaps) in the world. He died one hundred and twenty thousand pounds
in dept. He had so delicate a way of making his projects alluring and
feazible, profitable, that he drewe to his baites not only rich men of
no designe, but also the craftiest knaves in the countrey, such who had
cosened and undon others: e.g. Mr. Goodyeere, who undid Mr. Nicholas
Mees's father, etc.
Vide _Plea for Irish cattle_.
Vide[520] φ p. 148, Bushell's rocks.
Quaere his servant John Sydenham for the collection of remarques of
severall partes of England, by the said Mr. Bushell.
[521]Memorandum:--his ingeniose invention of _aditus_ with bellowes
to bring fresh aire into the mines: quaere Mr. Beech (quaker) if he
hath his printed booke or where it may be had. He gave one to Sir John
Danvers, which was nayled in the parlour to the wainscot: 'twas but
about 8 sheetes.
Quaere Dr. Plott (<author of> Antiquities of Oxonshire) of the booke
I gave him some yeares since of the songs and entertainment of Mr.
Bushell to queen Henrietta Marie at his rocks. If he had it not,
perhaps Anthony Wood had it. Mr. E<dmund> W<yld> sayes that he tap't
the mountaine of Snowdon in ... in Wales, which was like to have
drowned all the countrey; and they were like to knock him and his men
in the head.
Mr. Thomas Bushell lay some time (perhaps yeares) at Capt. Norton's,
in the gate at Scotland-yard, where he dyed seven yeares since (now,
1684), about 80 aetat. Buried in the little cloysters at Westminster
Abbey: vide the Register. Somebody putt[522] B. B. upon the
stone[XXXI.].--From Mr. Beech the quaker.
[XXXI.] Now, 1687, gon: all new paved.
_Notes._
[BM] 'Nailed,' I suppose, after the fashion of nailing counterfeit
coins to the counter, or vermin to the stable door. Sir John Danvers
had probably lost money in the 'scheme.'
[BN] Stephen Goodall, chaplain of Ch. Ch., died in Oxford, in Sept.
1637.--Griffiths' _Index to Wills ... at Oxford_, p. 24.
Anthony Wood says the music was composed by Samuel Ives. Aubrey's copy
of these poems is now among Anthony Wood's books in the Bodleian.
=Samuel Butler= (1612/3-1680).
[523]Mr. Samuel Butler was[524] borne[XXXII.] at Pershore in
Worcestershire, as we suppose: his brother lives there.
[XXXII.] He was born in Worcestershire, hard by Barbon-bridge, 1/2 a
mile from Worcester, in the parish of St. John, Mr. Hill thinkes, who
went to schoole with him.
He went to schoole at Worcester--from Mr. Hill.
His father <was> a man but of slender fortune, and to breed him at
schoole was as much education as he was able to reach to. When[525] but
a boy he would make observations and reflections on every thing one
sayd or did, and censure it to be either well or ill. He never was at
the university, for the reason alledged.
He came when a young man to be a servant to the countesse of Kent, whom
he served severall yeares. Here, besides his study, he employed his
time much in painting and drawing, and also in musique. He was thinking
once to have made painting his profession--from Dr. Duke. His love to
and skill in painting made a great friendship between him and Mr.
Samuel Cowper (the prince of limners of this age).
He then studyed the Common Lawes of England, but did not practise. He
maried a good jointuresse, the relict of ... Morgan, by which meanes he
lives comfortably.
After the restauration of his majestie when the court at Ludlowe was
againe sett-up, he was then the king's steward at the castle there.
He printed a witty Poeme called _Hudibras_, the first part anno 166..
which tooke extremely[526]; so that the king and Lord Chancellor
Hyde[XXXIII.] would have him sent for, and accordingly he was sent for.
They both promised him great matters, but to this day he haz got _no_
employment, only the king gave him ... _li._
[XXXIII.] The Lord Chancellor Hyde haz his picture in his library over
the chimney.
He is of a middle stature, strong sett, high coloured, a head of
sorrell haire, a severe and sound judgement: a good fellowe. He haz
often sayd that way (e.g. Mr. Edmund Waller's) of quibling with sence
will hereafter growe as much out of fashion and be as ridicule as
quibling with words--quod N.B. He haz been much troubled with the gowt,
and particularly 1679, he stirred not out of his chamber from October
till Easter.
Obiit Anno {Domini 1680 }.
{circiter 70.}
He dyed of a consumption September 25; and buried 27, according to his
appointment[527], in the churchyard of Convent Garden; scil. in the
north part next the church at the east end. His feet touch the wall.
His grave, 2 yards distant from the pillaster of the dore, (by his
desire) 6 foot deepe.
About 25 of his old acquaintance at his funerall. I myself being one
[of[528] the eldest, helped to carry[529] the pall with Tom Shadwell,
at the foot, Sir Robert Thomas and Mr. Saunders, esq., at the head;
Dr. Cole and Dr. Davenant, middle]. His coffin covered with black bayes;
S. B. 1680[530].
[531]Insert in vita Sam. Butler his verses of the Jesuites, not
printed, which I gave to you[532] about 12 or 14.
[533]_Hudibras unprinted._
No Jesuite ever took in hand,
To plant a church in barren land;
Or ever thought it worth his while
A Swede or Russe to reconcile;
For where there is not store of wealth,
Souls are not worth the charge of health[534].
Spaine and[d] America had two designes
To sell their[535] Ghospell for their mines;
For had the Mexicans been poore,
No Spaniard twice had landed on their shore.
'Twas gold the Catholick Religion planted,
Which, had they wanted gold, they still had wanted.
He had made very sharp reflexions upon the court in his last
part[536]:--
Did not the learned Glynne and Maynard
To prove true subjects traytors straine hard?
[537]Mr. Saunders (the countesse of Kent's kinsman) sayd that Mr. John
Selden much esteemed him for his partes, and would sometimes employ him
to write letters for him beyond sea, and to translate for him. He was
secretarie to the duke of Bucks, when he was Chancellor of Cambridge.
He might have had preferments at first; but he would not accept any but
very good ones, so at last he had none at all, and dyed in want.
He painted well and made it (sometime) his profession.
He wayted some yeares on the countess of Kent: she gave her gentlemen
20_li._ per annum a-piece. Mr. John Selden tooke notice of his partes
and would many times make him write or translate for him.
Obiit sine prole.
[538]Samuel Butler writt my lord [John[539]] Rosse's Answer to
[Robert[540]] the marquesse of Dorchester.
Memorandum:--satyricall witts disoblige whom they converse with, etc.;
and consequently make to themselves many enemies and few friends; and
this was his manner and case. He was of a leonine-coloured haire,
sanguino-cholerique, middle sized, strong.
=William Butler= (1535-1617/8).
[541]...[542] Butler, physitian; he was of Clare-hall in Cambridge,
never tooke the degree of Doctor, though he was the greatest physitian
of his time.
The occasion of his being first taken notice of was
thus[XXXIV.]:--About the comeing-in of[543] king James, there was
a minister of ... (a few miles from Cambridge), that was to preach
before his majestie at New-market. The parson heard that the king was a
great scholar, and studyed so excessively that he could not sleep, so
somebody gave him some opium, which had made him sleep his last, had
not Dr. Butler[544] used this following remedy. He was sent for by the
parson's wife. When he came and sawe the parson, and asked what they
had donne, he told her that she was in danger to be hanged for killing
her husband, and so in great choler left her. It was at that time when
the cowes came into the backside to be milk't. He turnes back, and
asked whose cowes those were. She sayd <her> husband's[545]. Sayd he,
'will you give one of these cowes to fetch your husband to life again?'
That she would, with all her heart. He then causes one presently to be
killed and opened, and the parson[XXXV.] to be taken out of his bed and
putt into the cowes warme belly, which after some time brought him to
life, or els he had infallibly dyed.
[XXXIV.] From Edmund Waller, esqre.
[XXXV.] Quaere[546] E. W. or Gale, who?
Memorandum:--there is a parallell storie to this in Machiavell's
Florentiac History, where 'tis sayd that one of the Cosmo's being
poysoned was putt into a mule's belly, sowed up, with a place only for
his head to come out.
He was a humorist[547]. One time king James sent for him to New-market,
and when he was gon halfe way <he> left the messenger and turned back;
so then the messenger made him ride before him.
I thinke he was never maried. He lived in an apothecary's shop,
in Cambridge, <John> Crane, to whom he left his estate; and he in
gratitude erected the monument[548] for him, at his owne chardge, in
the fashion[549] he used. He was not greedy of money, except choice
pieces of gold or rarities.
He would many times (I have heard say) sitt among the boyes at
St. Maries church in Cambridge ( ☞ and just so would the famous
attorney-generall Noy, in Lincoln's Inne, who had many such froliques
and humours).
I remember Mr. Wodenoth, of King's College, told me, that being sent
for to ... ... he told him that his disease was not to be found in
Galen or Hippocrates, but in Tullie's Epistles, _Cum non sis ubi
fueris, non est cur velis vivere_.
I thinke he left his estate to the apothecarie. He gave to the chapell
of Clare-hall, a bowle[550], for the communion, of gold (cost, I
thinke, 2 or 300 _li._), on which is engraved a pelican feeding her
young with the bloud from her breast (an embleme of the passion of
Christ), no motto, for the embleme explained it selfe.
He lies buried in the south side of St. Marie's chancell, in Cambridge,
wher is a decent monument, with his body halfe way, and an inscription,
which gett.
He was much addicted to his humours, and would suffer persons of
quality to wayte sometimes some houres at his dore, with coaches,
before he would recieve them. Once, on the rode from Cambridge to
London, he tooke a fancy to a chamberlayn or tapster in his inne, and
tooke him with him, and made him his favourite, by whom only accession
was to be had to him, and thus enriched him. Dr. Gale[BO], of Paul's
schoole, assures me that a French man came one time from London to
Cambridge, purposely to see him, whom he made stay two howres for him
in his gallery, and then he came out to him in an old blew gowne; the
French gentleman makes him 2 or 3 very lowe bowes downe to the ground;
Dr. Butler whippes his legge over his head, and away goes into his
chamber, and did not speake with him.
He kept an old mayd whose name was Nell. Dr. Butler would many times
goe to the taverne, but drinke by himselfe. About 9 or 10 at night old
Nell comes for him with a candle and lanthorne, and sayes 'Come you
home, you drunken beast.' By and by Nell would stumble; then her master
calls her 'drunken beast'; and so they did _drunken beast_ one another
all the way till they came home.
[551]A serving man brought his master's water to doctor Butler, being
then in his studie (with turn'd barres) but would not bee spoken
with. After much fruitlesse importunity, the man told the doctor he
was resolved he should see his master's water; he would not be turned
away--threw it on the Dr's. head. This humour pleased the Dr. and he
went to the gent. and cured him--<from> Mr. R. Hooke.
A gent. lying a-dyeing, sent his servant with a horse for the doctor.
The horse being exceeding dry, ducks downe his head strongly into the
water, and plucks downe the Dr. over his head, who was plunged in the
water over head and eares. The Dr. was madded, and would returne home.
The man swore he should not; drew his sword, and gave him ever and
anon (when he would returne) a little prick, and so drove him before
him--<from> Mr. ... Godfrey.
[552]Some instances of Dr. Butler's cures:--from Mr. James Bovey.--The
Dr. lyeing at the Savoy in London, next the water side, where was
a balcony look't into the Thames, a patient came to him that was
grievously tormented with an ague. The Dr. orders a boate to be in
readinesse under his windowe, and discoursed with the patient (a
gentleman) in the balcony, when on a signall given, 2 or 3 lusty
fellowes came behind the gentleman and threw him a matter of 20 feete
into the Thames. This surprize absolutely cured him.
A gentleman with a red, ugly, pumpled face came to him for a cure. Said
the Dr., '_I must hang you_.' So presently he had a device made ready
to hang him from a beame in the roome; and when he was e'en almost
dead, he cutts the veines that fed these pumples, and lett-out the
black ugly bloud, and cured him.
Another time one came to him for the cure of a cancer (or ulcer) in the
bowells. Said the Dr., 'can ye----?' 'Yes,' said the patient. So the
Dr. ordered a bason for him to----, and when he had so donne the Dr.
commanded him to eate it up. This did the cure.
[553]_Inscription on his monument[554]._
This inscription was sent to me by my learned and honoured friend, Dr.
Henry More, of Cambridge.
[Illustration: Nunc positis novus exuviis]
Gulielmus Butlerus, Clarensis Aulae
quondam Socius, Medicorum omnium
quos praesens aetas vidit facile princeps,
hoc sub marmore secundum Christi adventum
expectat, et monumentum hoc
privata pietas statuit, quod debuit
publica. Abi, viator, et ad tuos reversus,
narra te vidisse locum in quo salus
jacet.
[Sidenote: LABOR]
[Sidenote: QUIES]
Nil proh! marmor agis, Butlerum dum tegis, ullum
Si splendore tuo nomen habere putas.
Ille tibi monumentum est, tu diceris ab illo:
Butleri vivis munere, marmor iners.
Sic homines vivus, mira sic mortuus arte,
Phoebo chare senex, vivere saxa facis.
Butlero Herôum hoc posuere dolorque fidesque.
Hei! quid agam, exclamas et palles, Lector? At unum
Quod miseris superesse potest, locus hic monet: ora.
Obiit CIƆIƆCXVII. Janua. XXIX.
Aeta. suae LXXXIII.
[555]A scholar made this drolling epitaph:--
Here lies Mr. Butler who never was Doctor,
Who dyed in the yeare that the Devill was Proctor[BP].
Memorandum:--There is now in use[556] in London a sort of ale called
_Dr. Butler's ale_.
[557]Dr. Butler:--This inscription I recieved from Dr. Henry Moore
of ... Cambridge. Quaere if his coat of arms is not there, and what?
Quaere his coat of arms[558].
From Dr. H. More:--More's father was a very strong bodyed man. 'Twas
forty stooles he gave his father; he had almost killed him. Told him
he would be the better for't as long as he lived.
That he was chymical I know by this token that his mayd came running-in
to him one time, like a slutt and a furie, with her haire about
her eares, and cries[559], 'Butler! come and looke to your Devills
yourselfe, and you will: the stills are all blowne up!' She tended
them, and it seemes gave too great a heate. Old Dr. Ridgely[BQ] knew
him, and I thinke was at that time[560] with him.--From this Dr.
Ridgely his sonne.
[561]Dr. Butler of Cambridge:--<_Arms_:--> 'azure, three lozenges in
fess between 3 covered cups or.--This is the coate of armes on his
monument. By reason of time and the ill colours I cannot _positively_
say whether the field is azure or vert, but I beleeve 'tis the
former.'--This information I had from Mr. Vere Philips, fellow of
King's College, Cambridge.
_Notes._
[BO] Thomas Gale, Head Master of St. Paul's School 1672-1697, D.D.
Trin. Coll. Cambr. 1675.
[BP] Aubrey does not explain this 'drollery.' I can see nothing Satanic
in the names of the Cambridge proctors for 1617-18, John Smithson and
Alexander Read.
[BQ] Thomas Ridgley (Rugeley), M.D., St. John's, Cambr. 1608; his son
Luke Ridgely, M.D., Christ's, Cambr.
=Cecil Calvert=, 2nd baron Baltimore (1606-1675).
[562]Cecil Calvert, lord Baltemore, absolute lord and proprietary of
Maryland and Avalon in America, son to <George> Calvert (secretary of
estate to king James), was gentleman-commoner of Trinity College, Oxon,
contemporary with Mr. Francis Potter, B.D.
[563]Now if I would be rich, I could be a prince. I could goe into
Maryland, which is one of the finest countrys of the world; same
climate with France; between Virginia and New England. I can have all
the favour of my lord Baltemore I could wish.--His brother is his
lieutenant there; and a very good natured gentleman.--Plenty of all
things: ground there is 2000 miles westwards.
I could be able I believe to carry a colony of rogues; another, of
ingeniose artificers; and I doubt not one might make a shift to have 5
or 6 ingeniose companions, which is enough.
=William Camden= (1551-1623).
[564]Mr. William Camden, Clarencieux--vide Fuller's _Holy State_ where
is something of his life and birth, etc.: vide _England's Worthies_:
quaere at the Heralds' Office when he was made Clarencieux.
Mr. Edward Bagshawe (who had been second schoole-master of Westminster
schoole) haz told me that Mr. Camden had first his place and his
lodgeings (which is the gate-house by the Queen's Scholars' chamber
in Deanes-yard), and was after made the head schoole-master of that
schoole, where he writt and taught _Institutio Græcae Grammatices
Compendiaria: in usum Regiae Scholae Westmonasteriensis_, which is now
the common Greeke grammar of England, but his name is not sett to it.
Before, they learned the prolix Greeke Grammar of Cleonard.
He writt his _Britannia_ first in a large 8º.
_Annales reg. Elizabethae._
There is a little booke in 16mo. of his printed, viz.: A Collection of
all the Inscriptions then on the Tombes in Westminster Abbey.
'Tis reported, that he had bad eies[565] (I guesse lippitude) which was
a great inconvenience to an antiquary.
Mr. Nicholas Mercator has Stadius's _Ephemerides_, which had been one
of Mr. Camden's; his name is there (I knowe his hand) and there are
some notes by which I find he was astrologically given.
In his _Britannia_ he haz a remarkable astrologicall observation, that
when Saturn is in Capricornus a great plague is certainly in London. He
had observed it all his time, and setts downe the like made by others
before his time. Saturn was so posited in the great plague 1625, and
also in the last great plague 1665. He likewise delivers that when an
eclipse happens in ... that 'tis fatall to the towne of Shrewsbury,
for....