treacherous hand, and so fell Cavendish. II Sam. iii. 27, "and
when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab tooke him aside in the
gate to speake with him quietly, and smote him there under
the fifth rib, that he died, for the bloud of Asahel[599] his
brother." Thus fell Abner; and thus Cavendish,--the colonell's
horse being mired in a bog at the fight before Gainsborough,
1643, the rebels surround him, and take him prisoner; and
after he was so, a base raskall comes behind him, and runs him
through. Thus fell two great men by treacherous handes.
'Thirdly and lastly, the place of his fall, that was in
Israel.... Here Abner fell in his, and Cavendish fell in
our Israel--the Church of England.... In this Church brave
Cavendish fell, and what is more then that, in this Churches
quarrel....
'Thus I have compared colonel Cavendish with Abner, a fighting
and a famous man in Israel; you see how he does equal, how he
does exceed him.'
=John Cecil=, 4th earl of Exeter (1628-1678).
[600]... Cecil, earl of Exeter (quaere my lord chief baron Montagu[601]
de nomine Christiano[602]), earle of Exeter, translated monsieur
Balsac's letters, as appeares by his epistle to my lord in the first
volumne, lib. V, lettre V, and Vol. 2ᵈ, lib. V, lettre VI--'et je suis
sans doute beaucoup plus honneste homme en Angleterre qu'en France,
puisque j'y parle par vostre bouche.'
=William Cecil=, lord Burghley (1520-1598).
[603]Cecil, lord Burleigh:--Memorandum, the true name is _Sitsilt_,
and is an ancient Monmouthshire family, but now come to be about the
size[604] of yeomanry. In the church at Monmouth, I remember in a south
windowe an ancient scutcheon of the family, the same that this family
beares. 'Tis strange that they should be so vaine to leave off an old
British name for a Romancy one, which I beleeve Mr. Verstegan did putt
into their heads, telling his lordship, in his booke, that they were
derived from the ancient Roman _Cecilii_.
The first lord Burley (who was Secretary of Estate) was at first but
<a> country-schoole-master, and (I thinke Dr. Thomas Fuller sayes, vide
_Holy State_) borne in Wales.
I remember (when I was a schooleboy at Blandford) Mr. Basket, a
reverend divine, who was wont to beg us play-dayes, would alwayes
be[605] uncovered, and sayd that ''twas the lord Burleigh's custome,
_for_ (said he) _here is my Lord Chanceller, my Lord Treasurer, my Lord
Chief Justice, &c., predestinated_.'
'He made Cicero's Epistles his glasse, his rule, his oracle, and
ordinarie pocket-booke' (Dr. J. Web in preface of his translation of
Cicero's _Familiar Epistles_).
=Thomas Chaloner= (1595-1661).
[606]Thomas Chaloner[BW], esq., [bred[607] up in Oxon], was the <third>
son of Dr <Thomas> Chaloner, who was tutor (i.e. _informator_[608]) to
prince Henry (or prince Charles--vide bishop Hall's Letters de hoc).
He was a well-bred gentleman, and of very good naturall parts, and of
an agreable humour. He had the accomplishments of studies at home, and
travells in France, Italie, and Germanie.
About anno ... (quaere John Collins) riding a hunting in Yorkeshire
(where the allum workes now are), on a common, he[BX] tooke notice of
the soyle and herbage, and tasted the water, and found it to be like
that where he had seen the allum workes in Germanie. Wherupon he gott a
patent of the king (Charles I) for an allum worke (which was the first
that ever was in England), which was worth to him two thousand pounds
per annum, or better: but tempore Caroli Iᵐⁱ some courtiers did thinke
the profitt too much for him, and prevailed so with the king, that,
notwithstanding the patent aforesayd, he graunted a moeitie, or more,
to another (a courtier), which was the reason that made Mr. Chaloner so
interest himselfe for the Parliament-cause, and, in revenge, to be one
of the king's judges.
He was as far from a puritan as the East from the West. He was of the
naturall religion, and of Henry Martyn's gang, and one who loved to
enjoy the pleasures of this life. He was (they say) a good scholar,
but he wrote nothing that I heare of, onely an anonymous pamphlett,
8vo, scil. _An account of the Discovery of Moyses's Tombe_; which was
written very wittily. It was about 1652. It did sett the witts of all
the Rabbis of the Assembly then to worke, and 'twas a pretty while
before the shamme was detected, which was by ----.
He had a trick sometimes to goe into Westminster hall in a morning in
Terme time, and tell some strange story[609] (sham), and would come
thither again about 11 or 12 to have the pleasure to heare how it
spred; and sometimes it would be altered, with additions, he could
scarce knowe it to be his owne. He was neither proud nor covetous, nor
a hypocrite: not apt to doe injustice, but apt to revenge.
After the restauration of King Charles the Second, he[BY] kept the
castle at the Isle of Man[XLIII.], where he had a prettie wench that
was his concubine;[610] where when newes was brought him that there
were some come to the castle to demaund it for his majestie, he spake
to his girle to make him a posset, into which he putt, out of a paper
he had, some poyson, which did, in a very short time, make him fall a
vomiting exceedingly; and after some time vomited nothing but bloud.
His retchings were so violent that the standers by were much grieved to
behold it. Within three howres he dyed. The demandants of the castle
came and sawe him dead; he was swoln so extremely that they could not
see any eie he had, and no more of his nose then the tip of it, which
shewed like a wart, and his coddes were swoln as big as one's head.
This account I had from George Estcourt, D.D., whose brother-in-lawe,
... Hotham, was one of those that sawe him.
[XLIII.] This is a mistake. E<dmund> W<yld> esq. assures me that 'twas
JAMES CHALONER that dyed in the Isle of Man: and that THOMAS CHALONER
dyed or went beyond the sea; but which of them was the eldest brother
he knowes not, but he ghesses JAMES to be the elder, because he had
1500 _li._ per annum (circiter), which THOMAS had not.
_Notes._
[BW] Aubrey gives in trick the coat 'azure, 3 cherubs' heads or.' In
MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 6ᵛ, is a note:--'Is Chaloner's shield cum vel sine
chevron. Resp.--cum chevron, prout per seale.'
[BX] Anthony Wood assigns the discovery, and first working, of the
alum-mine to Thomas Chaloner the father, towards the end of Elizabeth's
reign.
[BY] Anthony Wood says that James Chaloner, brother of Thomas, poisoned
himself in 1660 at Peel Castle. Thomas died in 1661 at Middleburg in
Zeeland.
=George Chapman= (1557-1634).
[611]On the south side of St. Giles church in the churchyard by the
wall, one entire Portland stone[BZ], a yard and 1/2 high _fere_,
thickness half a yard.
D. O. M.
Georgius Chapmannus
Poeta Homericus Philosophus
. . . . . . o (etsi Christianus
. . . . . . otus) per quam celeriter
. . . V: LXXVII fatis concessit
. . . die Maii anno Salutis
Humanae M D C XXXIV
H. S. E.
Ignatius Jones architectus
regius ob honorem bonarum
literarum familiari suo
hoc monumentum
D. S. P. F. C.
_Note._
[BZ] In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 61ᵛ, Aubrey gives a rough drawing of the
monument. The lower part is an oblong block, 'thicknes 1/2 yard: one
entire Portland stone' with the inscription on the front. Above is
a laurel wreath carved in stone. Behind is what seems to be a mural
tablet.
In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 6ᵛ, Aubrey asks, 'quaere if ... Chapman is in
the first part?' i.e. in MS. Aubr. 6 (Lives, Part i.): but no life of
Chapman is found in that volume.
=Walter Charleton= (1619/20-1707).
[612]Walter Charleton, M.D., borne at Shepton-Malet[613] in com.
Somerset, Feb. 2ᵈ, 1619, about 6 h. P.M., his mother being then at
supper.
[614]'Dom. G. Charleton, D. M.: nascitur die Mercurii[615] 2/12
Febr., aerae Christi 1619/20, hor. 12, mom. 18 P.M.'--this[616] is my
lord William Brounckar's doeing and is his owne handwriting.
=Thomas Charnock= (1526-1581).
[617]Mr. <Andrew> Paschal, rector of Chedzoy, hath the originall scroll
of Mr. Charnock, scilicet, of the philosopher's stone.
[618]Mr. Charnock, the chymist, mentioned in <Ashmole's> _Theatrum
Chymicum_, was buryed in Otterhampton neer Bridgewater, anno 1581[619],
April 21, aged 55 yeares--<from> Mr. Paschal: vide Mr. Paschal's
lettre, here inserted[620] before <the life of> Nicholas Mercator, p.
32.
[621]_Concerning Mr. Charnocke._
Sir,
Mr. Wells of Bridgewater performed his promise. He writes that the
house was lately pulled down, and is new built from the ground, all
except the wall at the east end. He could make nothing of what was only
left over the chimney; but he found the little dore that led out of the
lodging-chamber into the little _Athanor_ roome. Of that you have an
account in the enclosed draught.
The two roses I take to be the white and red, termes common with
Charnocke for the two magisteries. The two animals over them I suppose
are wolves, denoting the[622] ♁; abounding with a volatile[623] ☉ and
used for preparing and purifying one of the principal ingredients into
the worke. Out of it growes (if those authors may be credited) most
precious fruits.
I obliged a painter to goe over soon after I had been there and take
all he could find exactly. He was there, but I could never get anything
from him: an ingeniose man, but egregiously carelesse.
Looking back I find this noted by me--June 22, 1681; the place in the
_Athanor_ roome in which he kept his lampe was stone-work about 15
inches deep and so much square in the clear from side to side. Over it
a wooden collar with a rabit[624] as to lett-in a cover close. No place
to come into the square but by the collar, contrived probably after the
accident of burning his tabernacle mentioned in his printed pieces.
I find this added:--'Twas painted about the chimney thus:--on the left
side of the chimney proceeded from a red stalk streaked with white,
first, a paire of red branches, then a paire of white, then of red,
then one of white to the top; something like a rabbit's head painted
looking from the chimney to the foot of the sayd stalk.--The next
picture separated as by a pillar on the chimney:--from one stalke,
two white branches, of either side one; then two red, above; then two
white; then at the top this [Illustration:], the balls of a dusky
yellow.--The next picture is also distinguished by a pillar on the
chimney to the right side: this <is> quite obscured by smoake.
In the left corner of the roome another picture described, with double
branches, white, then red, then white, then one on the top red.
This is all I can say of that place, of which I wish I were capable of
sending a better account.
The other side of Mr. Wells's paper gives you one of the schemes in the
middle of the roll, which is now by me.
The transcription of the thing, said to be Ripley's, should cost Mr.
Ashmole nothing, were I not under an obligation not to impart it to
any. It may be greatly to his losse who did communicate it to me, if
the owner should know I have it. If I can contrive a way to send it
with leave I shall be ambitious to gratify that worthy person.
your etc.
And. Paschall.
[625]To his much honoured friend John Aubrey, esqre., these present, at
Mr. Hooke's lodgeings in Gresham College, London.
[626]Sir,
I received and returne thankes for yours.
Since my last I got leave to transcribe what Mr. Charnocke wrote on
the backside of the rolle, which I heer send you. I kept as neare as
I could to the very errours of his pen, by which it may in part be
seen that he was, as he professes, an _unlettered_ scholar. The inside
of the rolle (which is all in Latine, and perhaps the same with the
scrowle mentioned in _Theatrum Chemicum_, p. 375) was composed by a
great master in the Hermetic philosophy and written by a master of his
pen. Some notes written in void spaces of it by Mr. Charnocke's hand
shew he did not (at least throughly) understand it. But it seemes to me
that this rolle was a kind of _Vade mecum_ or manuall that the students
in that wisdome carryed about with them. I presume 'twas drawn out of
Raymund Lully, of which I shall be able to gaine fuller satisfaction
when I have his workes come down.
I was also, since my last, at Mr. Charnocke's house in Comag, where
the rolle was found; and saw the place where 'twas hid. I saw the
litle roome and contrivance he had for keeping his worke, and found
it ingeniosely ordered so as to prevent a like accident to that which
befell him New Yeare's day, 1555; and this pretty place joining as a
closet to his chamber was to make a servant needlesse and the worke
of giving attendance more easy to himselfe. I have also a litle iron
instrument found there which he made use of about his fire. I sawe on
the doore of his little _Athanor_-room, if I may so call it, drawn
by his own hand, with course colours and work, but ingeniously, an
embleme of his worke, at which I gave some guesses, and so about the
walls of his chamber. I thinke there was in all 5 panes of this worke,
all somewhat differing from each other, some very obscure and almost
worne out. They told me that people had been unwilling to dwell in that
house, because reputed troublesome,--I presume from some traditionall
storyes of this person, who was looked on by his neighbours as no
better than a conjurer.
As I was taking horse to come home from this pleasant entertainment, I
see a pretty ancient man come forth of the next doore. I asked him how
long he had lived there. Finding that it was the place of his birth, I
inquired if he had ever heard anything of that Mr. Charnocke. He told
me he had heard his mother (who dyed about 12 or 14 yeares since and
was 80 yeares of age at her decease) often speake of him; that he kept
a fire in, divers yeares; that his daughter lived with him; that once
he was gone forth, and by her neglect (whome he trusted it with in his
absence) the fire went out and so all his worke was lost; the brazen
head was very neare comeing to speake, but so was he disappointed.
I suppose the pleasant-humoured man--for that he was so appeares by
his breviary--alludeing to Frier Bacon's story, did so put off the
inquisitivenes of his simple neighbours, and thence it is come down
there by tradition till now.
Indeed it appeares by the inclosed lines that when he wrote the rolle
he had attained but to the white stone, which is perhaps not half the
way to the red,
('Put me to my sister Mercury, I congeale into silver'); and, if the
old woman's tale were true, he might afterwards be going on and be come
neare to the red and then that vexing accident might befall him; and
this might be, notwithstanding what is sayd in the fragment, referred
to the yeare 1574, for (being so neare the red as the traditionall
story sayes he was) he might see in that 50th yeare of his age that the
white was ferment to the red.
You may observe my calculation differs in one thing from Mr. Ashmole's
in his notes upon _Theatrum Chemicum_, p. 478: for he makes 'the
presse' to have been (out of Stowe) 1558, but I (out of Dr. Burnet's
History) 1557; and consequently he supposes the presse to have been
after the finishing of the Breviary, but I presume he set on the
Breviary after he was pressed. So indeed he himselfe plainly averres
in the 4 last lines of chapter 4 of his Breviary (_Theatrum Chemicum_,
p. 296). I mention this to give a reason for my dissenting from your
worthy friend, to whome I must intreat you to communicate these
informations that I have had opportunity to gather, and also present my
humble service.
Sir,
I thought when I set pen to paper to have given you an account of
some conversation I have had with a person who is a zealous friend
and admirer of this sort of knowledge, but I see I have already gone
beyound bounds. I shal onely say he hath almost convinced me that it
is not so hidden and obscure, so difficult and unaccountable, as men
commonly seeme to beleeve. I am in hopes to receive, by Mr. Hooke's
and Mr. Lodwick's favour, the lamp for which he was pleased to give
directions some time since.
I have not yet seen my miller and his invention, though he promised to
bring it to me; I presume 'tis not yet ready. I expect him dayly.
Pray give my humble service to our worthy friend, and to Mr. Pigott.
I am sure I now need the[627]....
[628]I shall be glad to heare of a new edition of the _Theatrum_[629]
and that you will speed the printing of your MS. of Raymund Lullye's.
If it doe not goe soon to the presse, how joyfull should I be to have
the perusall of it! 'Tis the onely grievous thing I suffer in this
solitude that I may not see good bookes and good men, but I must be
content.
[630]The first thing written on the back side[631] is as followes:--
At Stockeland, Bristowe, iiii myles from Brigewater, 1566.
The principall rules of naturall philosophy figuratively set
fourth to the obtayning of the philosopher's stone, collectyd
out of xl auctors by the unletteryd scholer Thomas Charnocke,
studient in the sciencis off astronomie, physick, and naturall
philosophie, the same year that he dedicatyd a booke off the
science to queene Elizabeth of Englande which was Anno Domini
1566, and the viii yere off her raigne.
* * * * *
<MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 56ᵛ, gives the rest of the writing on the
back of the roll; but the outer edge of the leaf is torn off,
and the writing consequently imperfect>
[632]. . . . . . . . his pose
. . . . . on the white and red rose
. . . . black appere sartayne
. . . xx or it wax bright
. . . lx after to black againe
. . . xx or it be perfet[633] white
. . . it or all quick things be dedd
. . . . . or this rose be redd
Thomas Charnocke [in[634] red letters]
1572.
This is the philosopher's dragon which eateth upp his one tayle
Beinge famisshed in a doungen of glas and all for my prevayle
<Ma>ny yeres I keapt this dragon in pryson strounge.
<Bef>ore I coulde mortiffy him I thought it lounge
<But> at the lenght by God's grace yff ye beleve my worde
<I> vanquished him wythe a fyrie sword.
[Then[635] followes the picture of a dragon with a black stone under
his foot, with a white stone neare his breast, with a red stone over
his head: his tayle is turned to his gapeing mouth.]
The dragon speketh:--
. . . . souldiers in armoure bright
. . . <n>ot have kylled me in fyelde in fighte
. . . <Cha>rnock nother for all his philosophie
. . . <pr>yson and famyne he had not famysshed me
<Guy of W>arwicke nor Bevys of Southehampton
. . . . such a venomous dragon
. . . . fowght with Hidra the serpent
. . . . . e cowlde not have his intent
. . . . n the wyse inclose too in a toonne off brasse
. . . . d shutt up in a doungeon of glasse
. . . . lyffe was so quick and my poyson so strounge
. . . . e cowlde kyll me it was full lounge
. . . . he hyld me in prison day and nyght
. . <k>eapt me from sustenance to mynishe me myght
. . . When I saw none other remedye
. . . very hunger I eate myne one bodye
. . . . . by corruption I became black and dedd
<Th>at precious stone which is in my hedd
. . . be worth a Mˡⁱ to him that hath skyll
<F>or that stone's sake he wysely dyd me kyll
<In d>eath I dyd hym forgyve even at the very hower
<Se>inge that he wylbe beneficiall unto the poore
When I was alyve I was but stronge poyson
Profitable for few things in conclusion
<Now th>at I ame now dying in myne owne blood
<N>ow I do excell all other wordeley good
<A> new name is given me of those that be wysse
<No>w I ame named the elixer off great price
<If y>ou wyll make prouff, put to me my sister mercury
<I will co>ngoyle hir into sylver in the twinkling off an eye
. . . . . . qualites I have many mo
. . . <foo>lyshe and ingenorant shall never kno
Few prelates and Masters of art within this reame
Do knowe aryght what I do meane
My great grawnt-father was killyd by Ravnde Lulli, knight of Spayne
And my g<r>awnt-father by Syr Gorge Rippley, a chanon of Yenglande sartayne
And my father by a chanon of Lechefelde was kylled truly
Who gave hym to his man Thomas Davton when he dyd dye
And my mother by Mr. Thomas Norton off Bristow slayn was
And each of these were able to make[636]☉ or ☽ in a glasse
And now I ame made the great and riche elixer allso
That my master shall never lack whether he ryde or go
But he and all other must have great feare and aye
As secrettely as they can to exchaunge my increase awaye.
* * * * *
Here Charnock changeth to a better cheere
For the sorrow that he hath sufferyd many a yere
Or that he could accomplish the regiment of his fyre
. . . . . . . . .[637] or he saw his desier
Wherefore in thy hartt now prease God allway
And do good deeds with it whatsoever thou may
Therefore thy god gave this science unto thee
To be his stuarde and refresh the poore and needie.
Anno D. 1526--Thomas Charnocke borne at Feversham in Kent.
He travailed all England over to gain his knowledge.
1554/5--He attained the secret from his master of Salisbury
close, who dying left his worke with him.
He lost it by fireing his tabernacle on a New Yeare's
day.
About this time being 28 yeares of age, he learned the
secret againe of the prior of Bathe.
He began anew with a servant, and againe by himselfe
alone without a servant.
He continued it nine monthes; was within a month of his
reckoning; the crowe's head began to appear black.
1557--He, pressed on a warre proclaimed against the French
(Burnet's History, part 2, p. 355), broke and cast
all away. January 1, he began; July 20, he ended, his
Breviary.
1562--He marryed Agnes Norden at Stockland, Bristoll.
1563--He buryed Absolon his son.
1566--He dedicated a booke to Queen Elizabeth 9 yeares after
the Breviary was penned.
He dated the rolle at Stockland.
1572--He wrote the posy on the rolle.
He wrote his aenigma ad Alchimiam[638] and de
Alchimia[639].
1573--the fragment[640] of 'knocke the child on the head.'
1574--that he never saw the white ferment to the red till that
50th yeare of his age.
1576--the difficulty of the philosophick number in the roll.
1581--Buryed at Otterhampton neare Stockland out of his house at
Comage where he kept his worke.
1587--Bridget Charnock (probably his daughter that kept his house
when his fire was sayd to go out), marryed to one ...
Thatcher in Stockland.
Collected out of the Roll, the register, and _Theatrum Chemicum_.
=Geoffrey Chaucer= (1328-1400).
[641]Sir Geffrey Chaucer: memorandum--Sir Hamond L'Estrange, of ..., in
... had his Workes in MS., a most curious piece, most rarely writt and
illumined, which he valued at 100 _li._ His grandson and heire still
haz it.--From Mr. Roger L'Estrange.
He taught his sonne the use of <the> astrolabe at 10; prout per his
treatise of the Astrolabe.
Dunnington Castle, neer Newbury, was his; a noble seate and strong
castle, which was held by the King (Charles Iˢᵗ) (who governour?) but
since dismanteled.
Memorandum:--neer this castle was an oake, under which Sir Jeofrey was
wont to sitt, called _Chaucer's-oake_, which was cutt downe by ...
... tempore Caroli Iᵐⁱ; and so it was, that ... ... was called into
the starre chamber, and was fined for it.... Judge Richardson[642]
harangued against him long, and like an orator, had topiques from the
Druides, etc. This information I had from ... an able attorney that was
at the hearing.
His picture is at his old howse at Woodstock (neer the parke-gate), a
foot high, halfe way: has passed from proprietor to proprietor.
[643]One Mr. Goresuch of Woodstock dined with us at Rumney marsh, who
told me that at the old Gothique-built howse neer the parke-gate at
Woodstock, which was the howse of Sir Jeffrey Chaucer, that there is
his picture, which goes with the howse from one to another--which see.
=William Chillingworth= (1602-1643/4).
[644]William Chillingworth[CA], D. D.,--vide Anthony Wood's _Antiq.
Oxon._ in Trinity College--was borne in Oxford. His father was a brewer.
About anno ... he was acquainted with one ... who drew him and some
other scholars over to Doway, where he was not so well entertained as
he thought he merited for his great disputative witt. They made him the
porter (which was to trye his temper, and exercise his obedience): so
he stole over and came to Trinity College againe, where he was fellowe.