anything in either of our hands of Mr. Hobbes's writing, the very
little of that kind that he left behind him being disposed of according
to his own order before he removed from Chatsworth.
According to Mr. Aubrey's direction I have here inclosed my letter to
him, which I pray you present to him with my humble service as soon as
you shall see him.
I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
JAMES WHELDON.
[1639]To my much respected frend
Mr. William Crooke
at the Green Dragon without Templebarr
In London[1640].
* * * * *
[1641]Hardwick, January the 16ᵗʰ, 1679[1642].
Worthy Sir,
Having been abroad about businesse for some days, I receaved, at my
coming home, your letter of the third of this month, which evidences
the great esteeme you have for Mr. Hobbes, for which I returne you my
humble thanks, and particularly for the paines you have been pleased to
take in the large account of what you your selfe, Mr. Anthony a Wood,
and Sir George Ent designe for Mr. Hobbes his honour.
I am glad Mr. Crooke has receaved his Life in Prose, which was the
onely thing Mr. Halleley got possession of, and sent it to him[1643]
by my hand. Mr. Halleley tells me now, that Mr. Hobbes (in the time of
his sicknesse) told him he had promised it to Mr. Crooke, but said he
was unwilling it should ever be published as written by himselfe; and
I beleeve it was some such motive, which made him burne those Latine
verses Mr. Crooke sent him about that time.
For those Latine verses you mention about Ecclesiasticall Power, I
remember them, for I writ them out, but know not what became of them,
unlesse he presented them to judge Vaughan, or burned them, as you seem
to intimate.
He fell sick about the middle[1644] October last. His disease was the
strangury, and the physitians judged it incurable by reason of his
great age and naturall decay. About the 20ᵗʰ of November, my Lord
being to remove from Chatsworth to Hardwick, Mr. Hobbes would not be
left behind; and therefore with a fether bed laid into the coach,
upon which he lay warme clad, he was conveyed safely, and was in
appearance as well after that little journey as before it. But seven
or eight days after, his whole right side was taken with the dead
palsy, and at the same time he was made speechlesse. He lived after
this seven days, taking very little nourishment, slept well, and by
intervalls endeavoured to speake, but could not. In the whole time
of his sicknesse he was free from fever. He seemed therefore to dye
rather for want of the fuell of life (which was spent in him) and
meer weaknesse and decay, then by the power of his disease, which was
thought to be onely an effect of his age and weaknesse. He was born the
5th of Aprill, in the year 1588, and died the 4th of December, 1679.
He was put into a woollen shroud and coffin, which was covered with a
white sheet, and upon that a black herse cloth, and so carryed upon
men's shoulders, a little mile to[1645] church. The company, consisting
of the family and neighbours that came to his funerall, and attended
him to his grave, were very handsomely entertained with wine, burned
and raw, cake, biscuit, etc. He was buried in the parish church of
Hault Hucknall, close adjoining to the raile of the monument of the
grandmother of the present earle of Devonshire, with the service of
the Church of England by the minister of the parish. It is intended to
cover his grave with a stone of black marble as soon as it can be got
ready, with a plain inscription of his name, the place of his birth,
and the time of that and of his death.
As to his will, it is sent up to London to be proved there, and by the
copy of it, which I here send you, I beleeve you will judge it fitt to
make no mention of it in[1646]what you designe to get written by way of
Commentary on his life.
As for the palsey in his hands, it began in ffrance, before the year
1650, and has grown upon him by degrees ever since; but Mr. Halleley
remembers not how long it has disabled him to write legibly.
Mr. Halleley never heard of a pension from the ffrench king and
beleeves there was no such thing ever intended. He desires you to
accept of his thanks for your favourable remembrance of him, and of the
returne of his respects to you by me. And if hereafter you should want
any thing which we know, that might contribute[1647] to the honour of
Mr. Hobbes's memory, upon the least notice, shall readily be imparted
to you.
In the mean time, with much respect, I rest,
Sir, your much obliged and humble servant,
JAMES WHELDON.
[1648]To my highly honoured frend, John Aubrey, esq., this humbly
present.
* * * * *
[1649]_A true copy of Mr. Hobbes's will._
The 25th day of September in the 29th year of the raigne of our
Soveraigne Lord, King Charles the Second, and in the yeare of our Lord
God, 1677.
I, Thomas Hobbes, of Malmesbury, in the county of Wilts, gent. make
this my last Will and Testament.
First, I bequeath to Mary Tirell, daughter of my deceased brother,
Edmund Hobbes, forty pounds. Item, I bequeath to Elenor Harding,
daughter also of my deceased brother, Edmund Hobbes, forty pounds.
Item, I bequeath to Elizabeth Alaby, the daughter of Thomas Alaby, two
hundred pounds, and because she is an orphan, and committed by me to
the tuition of my executor, my will is, that she should be maintained
decently by my executor, till she be 16 yeares of age, and that then
the said two hundred pounds be delivered into her hands, being intended
for her furtherance in marriage, but let her dispose of it as she
please; and if it happen that the said Elizabeth Alaby die before she
come to the age of 16 yeares, then my will is, that the said 200 _li._
be divided equally between the said Mary Tirell and Elenor Harding.
Item, whereas it hath pleased my good lord, the earle of Devonshire,
to bid me oftentimes heretofore, and now at the making of this my
last will, to dispose therein of one hundred pounds, to be paid by
his lordship, for which I give him most humble thanks; I doe give and
dispose of the same in this manner: There be five grand-children of my
brother, Edmund Hobbes, to the eldest whereof, whose name is Thomas
Hobbes, I have heretofore given a peece of land, which may and doth, I
think, content him, and therefore to the other four that are younger, I
dispose of the same 100 _li._ the gift of my lord of Devonshire, to be
divided equally amongst them, as a furtherance to bind them apprentices.
And I make and ordaine James Wheldon, servant to the earle of
Devonshire, my executor, to whom I give the residue of my money and
goods whatsoever; and because I would have him in some sort contented
for the great service he hath done me, I would pray his majestie to
what I left him to add the arreare of my pension, or as much of it as
it pleases his majestie.
(His name and seale.)
Sealed, signed and published
in the presence of
JOHN ASHTON,
WILLᴹ. BARKER.
Item I give unto Mary Dell the sum of ten pounds.
* * * * *
I pray[1650] you keep his will private to your selfe and Mr. Hobbes's
frends onely.
vi. _James Wheldon to John Aubrey._
[1651]Chatsworth, Sept. the 7th, 1680.
Honoured Sir,
Although for these three weekes, since I receaved your letter, I have
made all the enquiry I can, yet all that I hear of the death and
buriall of Sir Charles Cavendish is that he was interred at Bolsover in
the vault belonging to the family of the duke of Newcastle about the
year 1652 or 1653. I will continue to make further inquiry, and if I
can learne the day and the month of his death or buriall will give you
notice of it.
I have sent you underwritten Mr. Hobbes's epitaph written by himselfe,
which is but lately come to my hand from a person that copyed it from
the originall.
With much respect, I rest, Sir,
Your most humble and obliged servant,
JAMES WHELDON.
My lord of Devonshire has paid the hundred pounds to Mr. Hobbes's
kinred, which he bid Mr. Hobbes dispose of in his will.
Condita hic sunt ossa
Thomae Hobbes
Qui per multos annos servivit
duobus comitibus Devoniae
(patri et filio).
Vir probus, et fama eruditionis.
Domi forisque bene cognitus
Obiit Anno Domini 1679, mensis Decⁱˢ die 4º,
Aetatis suae 91.
[1652]To my much honoured frend John Aubrey, esq.
To[1653] be left at Mr. William Crooke's at the Green Dragon without
Temple barr, London.
vii. _William Aubrey to John Aubrey._
[1654]Kington, June 5th, 1680.
Deare brother,
I sopose I shall be here more then a week longer as ... I know not
whether Mr. John Stokes or Sir John Knight have the key of the study.
Jo. Tay ... buried 16 of July 1580.
Nicholas Fauckener, vicar, buried 20 July 1612.
Richard Hine[1655]....
I shall e<n>devour to set the family of the Powers to rights. It was
honest parson P<ower's> grandmoth<er I> think and Jonath. Deekes
grandmother was Thomas Lyte's sisters. Alderman Lyte's grandm. was
a P<ower> of Stanton ..., which James Power, Mr. J. G. nephew might
purchase againe with a wife, with 1500 _li._, but which formerly was
worth 360 _li._ per annum, but he's goeing to creep into one of Jon.
Deeks' woolpacks, viz. his daughter.
I was at Malmesbury but did see <neither> the church nor register
but desired Mr. Binnion the parson to doe against I come againe; but
Francis Hobbes' widow's good memory did give me much satisfaction. The
register at Westport is not 80 yeares old (not more): the paving[1656]
is all new[1657].
The old vicar Hobs was a good fellow and had been at cards all
Saturday night, and at church in his sleep he cries out 'Trafells is
troumps[1658]' (viz. clubs). Then quoth the clark, 'Then, master, he
tha<t> have ace doe rub.'
He <was> a collirice[1659] man, and a parson (which I thinke succeeded
him at Westport) provoked him (a purpose) at the church doore, soe Hobs
stroke him and was forcd to fly for it and ... in obscurity beyound
London; died there, was about 80 yeares since.
Mr. William Hobs, a great clothier (old Graye's predisessor in the
same house). He had at Cleverton 60 _li._ or 80 _li._ per annum, and
was first or 2 cousin to the philosipher. But his line is extinct.
He was parson Stump's godfather, and brake in his trade. He had 1000
_li._ left and was 1000 _li._ in debt; and at London challenged one
to throw with him one throw on the dye for 1000 _li._, and wonn, payd
his debt, and afterwards flourished in his trade, and if there be any
inscriptions of H<obbes>, it must be for him, in the abbye.
[1660]Mr. William Gale of Chipnam was buried yesterday. I was at
Dracot, Wensday last; Sir J. and his lady was writing to you. They are
in mourning for the earl of Marleborow. He died to-morrow will be three
week[1661]. Sir J<ames> L<ong> is quartring his coat of arms.
To be left at Mr. Hooks lodgings
in Gresham Colledge
in Bishopsgate Street, London[1662].
<The lower part of this letter gave the following pedigree, but
a piece has been torn off and is now MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 2.>
<_Pedigree of Hobbes._>
... HOBBES
|
+----------------------+----------------------+
| |
1. Francis Hobbes _m._ Katherine, daughter 2. Thomas _m._ ... Midleton.
(This Francis lived of ... Phillips, a Hobbes, |
in Burnevall at phisition at vicar. |
Malmsbury, and Malmsbury. She |
died about 40 yeares afterwards maried Mr. |
since, sine prole). Potluck of Cirencester. |
+---------------------------------+--------------+-+
| | |
1. Edmund _m._ Frances Ludlow, 2. Thomas, Anne Hobs _m._ Thomas
Hobbes | of Shipton, com. 'of Malmsbury.' (see _infra_). Laurence.
| Glocester.
+------+-------------+---------------------------+
| | |
1. Mary _m._ Roger Elinor _m._ John Harding, Francis Hobs _m._ Sarah
Hobbes | Tirell, Hobbes | of Sadlewood (see _infra_). Alexander.
| of Westport. | in Glouster.
| +--------------------------------+
+---+------+----------+------------+---------+ |
| | | | | |
1. Roger. 2. Isaac 1. Alce[1663]. 2. Sarah. 3. Mary. |
(25 years +---------+-+--------+
old). | | |
1. Roger, 2. James, Mary.
aged 28, 23.
Aprill last.
Anne Hobs (_supra_: the _m._ Thomas Laurence.
philosopher's sister) |
+------------+--------+-------+--+-------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | | | |
1. Thomas, 2. William. Henry, John. 1. Frances, 2. Mary 3. Anne
sine prole. | sine | _m._ Richard _maried_ Laurence
| prole. | Dicks, a William _maried_
+------+------+ | souldier of Povey, of Richard Gay
| | | | the garison, Malmsbury. of Kington.
1. William. | | | and now not | |
2. Thomas. | | heard off. | |
3. Francis. Thomas. (One daughter.) |
+----------+----------+-------+--+
| | | |
1. Thomas. 2. Robert, 3. Richard. 4. John.
(R. Wiseman's
godson).
Francis Hobs (_supra_: the _m._ Sarah Alexander, of
philosopher's nephew). Obiit | Malmsbury.
May 6, 12 yeares agoe: his |
estate 80 _li._ per annum, |
and more. |
+--------------------------+----+-------+-----------+-----------+
| | | | |
1. Thomas _m._ Anne 2. Edmund, 3. William. 1. Sarah, 2. Francis
Hobbes, a | Player, aetat. 19, _m._ James <i.e.
tanner at | of Nov. last. Tyley, Nan Frances>.
Malmsbury, | Malmsbury. Exon<'s> son
aetat. 27, | of the Priory
December last. | of Kington.
His estate, 30 |
_li._ per |
annum. |
+----------+----------+
| |
\--------------------------------------------------/
These are the only heires males of the Hobbes.
It is uncertaine whether Anne Gay have any brother or sister living,
but it is pitty the poor woman should have somthing if it be but 5
shillings. If you know the executor speak for her.
I was saying to Francis Hobbes's widow (who remembers her service
to you) that her son should get one of Mr. Thomas Hobbes's printed
pictures.
In hast,
Your very affectionat brother,
WILLIAM AUBREY.
Keep a copie of Rogers' pedegree[1664].[1665]
These to my honoured freind,
Mr. John Awbrey
present.
viii. _Hon. Charles Hatton to William Crooke._
<MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 26. The letter is written by a secretary,
the signature C. Hatton being in a different hand. Crooke has
endorsed it (fol. 27ᵛ) 'Mr. Hatton's letter about Mr. Hobs':
to which Aubrey has added 'scil. the lord Hatton's son.' On
fol. 27 is a note, probably by Crooke, of the 'tracts' referred
to, viz. 'Life[1666], Rheto<ric>[1667], Considerations[1668],
Natural Philosophy[1669].'>
[1670]Mr. Crooke,
I thanke you for the perusall of Mr. Hobbs his tracts which wase a
civility I did not expect or desire, for I wou'd not have you at any
time deliver any booke to any person who comes in my name unless he
then payes you for it. I did desire only to know exactly the particular
price of each tract bound apart in marble'd leather, guilt on the backe
and ribbed, which pray send me by the bearer by whom I returne you your
booke.
I have cursorily looked over Mr. Hobbs his life in Latine which I
beleeve will be a very vendible booke both here and beyond sea, for
ther is noe lover of learning but will have the curiosity to be
particularly informed of the life of soe eminent a person. And truly
the reading of it wase very satisfactory to me, for in my apprehension
it is very well writ, but I cou'd have wish'd the author had more
dilated upon some particulars; and because you intimate a designe to
publish it in English I shall hint to you that the author of the life
in Latine hath either not taken notice of at all, or too slightingly,
some things very remarkeable relating to the temper of Mr. Hobbs his
mind or to the infirmity of his body, as his extraordinary timorousnes
which he himself in his Latine poem doth very ingeniously confess and
attributes it to the influence of his mother's dread of the Spanish
invasion in 88, she being then with child of him. And I have been
informed, I think by your self, that Mr. Hobbs wase for severall
yeares before he died soe paralyticall that he wase scarce able to
write his name, and that in the absence of his amanuensis not being
able to write anything he made scrawls on a piece of paper to remind
him of the conceptions of his mind he design'd to have committed to
writing. But the author[1671] of his life in Latine only sa<i>th that
about 60 yeares of age he wase taken with a trembling in his hands,
the forerunner of the palsy; which in my apprehension deserves to be
enlarg'd upon, for it is very prodigious that neither the timorousness
of his nature from his infancy, nor the decay of his vital heat in the
extremity of old age, accompagnied with the palsy to that violence,
shou'd not have chill'd the briske fervour and vigour of his mind,
which did wonderfully continue to him to his last; which is a subject
fit to be discours'd on by a genious equally philosophicall with Mr.
Hobbs, wase that now to be hoped for. It is soe considerable to me that
I cou'd not refrayne acquainting you that in my apprehension it wase
convenient you tooke notice therof in his life you are setting forth in
English.
I am, your assured freind,
C. HATTON.
[1672]Mr. Crooke, at the Green Dragon,
nere Temple-bar.
_Notes._
[FF] (P. 323.) On fol. 29ᵛ of MS. Aubr. 9, Anthony Wood notes:--'Send
to Malmsburie to take out of the register the Christian name of Mr.
Hobs' father, when Mr. Hobbs was borne, or when his said father
was buried.' [On this Aubrey notes:--'As I remember he dyed at
Thistleworth; vide the register booke at Thistleworth, where Mr. Hobbes
his father lived in obscurity a reader, and there dyed about 1630.']
Wood goes on:--'I remember when I was there' <in 1676, Clark's Wood's
_Life and Times_, ii. 410, 411> 'there were two inscriptions of the
Hobs on brass plates; one dyed 1606, quaere. Take out the names of all
the Hobs in the register.' Obedient to this advice, Aubrey sent his
brother William to Malmesbury: _supra_, p. 387.
[FG] (P. 323.) In MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 26, Aubrey puts the substance of
this paragraph in a neater form:--
'Mr. Hobbes' father was minister of Westport, to which Brokenborough
and Charlton doe belong as chapells of ease, but all not worth
above.... He was one of the clergie of Queen Elizabeth's time--a little
learning went a great way with him and many other Sir Johns in those
days--he read homilies.'
[FH] (P. 323.) On fol. 30 of MS. Aubr. 9 is another draft of this
paragraph:--'He had an elder brother, Francis Hobbes, a wealthy man,
and had been alderman of the borough' (dupl. with 'towne'); 'by
profession a glover, which is a great trade here and was heretofore
greater. He was _orbus_. He contributed much, or altogether maintained
his nephew Thomas at Magdalen Hall in Oxon; and when he dyed gave him
an _agellum_ (vocat. "the Gasten"), which lyes neer the horse faire:
valet per annum 16 _li._ vel 18 _li._'
[FI] (P. 324.) Anthony Wood notes:--'Quaere in the register of
Brakenborough when they were maried and their you'l find her Christian
name.'--MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 30ᵛ.
[FJ] (P. 326.) In MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 31ᵛ, Anthony Wood suggests the
following paragraph for the transition from the account of Malmsbury to
the life of Hobbes:--
'As Malmsbury was famous in this respect that it gave death and buriall
to that famous philosopher of his time Johannes Scotus _alias_ Erigina
who was stabd to death with penknives by his scholars, where there was
a statue set up in memory of him (ut in _Hist. et Antiq. Oxon._ lib. 1,
pag. 16 _b_), so much more famous in later times for the birth of that
great philosopher T. H.'
In MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 28, Aubrey begins his sketch of Hobbes' life
thus:--'Westport juxta Malmesbury:--This place is for nothing so famous
as for the birth of my honoured and learned friend and countryman, Mr.
Thomas Hobbes, author of _de Corpore_, _de Homine_, _de Cive_, etc.
He was borne the 5th day of Aprill 1588 at his father's howse, which is
the farthest on the left hand as you goe in the way or street called
..., leaving the church on the right hand.'
[FK] (P. 326.) The verses alluded to are in Hobbes's metrical life of
himself (MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 28--'he writt his life last yeare, viz.
1673, in Latin verse'). Aubrey cites these lines, MS. Aubr. 9, fol.
31ᵛ:--
'T.H. _Vita_ in verse
Oppidulum parvum est; habuit sed multa relatu
Digna, sed imprimis Coenobium celebre,
Et castrum (melius nisi sint dua castra vocanda)
Colle sita, et bino flumine cincta fere.
Vide mapp' <perhaps Speed's map of Wiltshire: but on a slip at fol.
31ᵛ, Aubrey gives a 'map' of Malmesbury: see _supra_, pp. 325, 326>.
On this Anthony Wood comments: 'See 1 vol. of _Monast. Anglican._
concerning the monastery.'
[FL] (P. 326.) The matter of this paragraph is put a little more
clearly in MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 28: 'Westport juxta Malmesbury:--The
church was dedicated to St. Mary. Here were three aisles[1673] which
tooke up the whole area. And <the church was> reported to be more
ancient then the abbey. In the windowes (which were very good) were
inscriptions which declared so much. Quaere, if Madulph the Scottsman
taught here--unde origo monasterii? Vide Camdenum de hoc.
Before the late warres here was a prettie church, where were very good
windowes and a faire steeple, higher than the other, which much adorned
the towne of Malmesbury. In it were five tuneable bells, which Sir
William Waller or his army melted into ordinance, or rather sold. The
church was pulled downe that the enimie might not shelter themselves
against the garrison of Malmesbury.'
[FM] (P. 328.) Aubrey's _Collection of Genitures_ is now MS. Aubr. 23.
The place Aubrey here refers to is fol. 52ᵛ in that MS., viz.:--
'Mr. Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury borne at Westport juxta Malmesbury
1588, April 5, being Good Fryday, 5ʰ 2´ mane, horâ solis' <i.e. at
sunrise>. 'I had the yeare, and day, and houre from his owne mouth.'
Aubrey in several places recurs to this point, e.g. in MS. Aubr. 3,
fol. 28:--
'Mr. Thomas Hobbes told me that he was borne Apr. 5ᵗʰ 1588 on Good
Fryday, in the morning between 4 and six.'
[FN] (P. 328.) Aubrey took great interest in this as an example in
astrology, in which 'art' he thoroughly believed. He alludes to
Hobbes's horoscope in several places, e.g. note on fol. 32ᵛ in MS.
Aubr. 9:--
'Dr. <Francis> Bernard, physitian, will write a discourse on his
nativity. Mr. John Gadbury hath calculated this nativity from my time
given, and will print it. Why should not I insert' <dupl. with 'print'>
'the scheme and give a summary of his judgement? It would be gratefull
to those that love that art.' Whereon Anthony Wood notes--'You should
never ask these questions but do them out of hand forthwith--you have
time enough, and if it be done by Easter terme 'tis well.'
MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 28:--'<Send> to Mr. J. Gadbury and Dr. Bernard <T.
H.'s> accidents.'
MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 8:--'T. Hobbes--Quaere Dr. Bernard pro his nativity:
vide my Collection of Genitures ubi from his owne mouth more correct
then formerly, viz. 5ʰ 2´ mane.'
This horoscope is given in MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 82, and is reproduced in
facsimile at the end of this edition.
Pasted on to fol. 1ᵛ of MS. Aubr. 9 is the scheme with this
note:--'This scheme was erected according to the aestimate time by
Mr. Henry Coley, astrologer.--Thomas Hobbes, Malmesburiensis, borne
at Westport juxta Malmesbury, 1588, April 5, being Good Fryday, 5ʰ 2´
mane, hora solis[1674]. I had the yeare and day and houre from his owne
mouth.'
[FO] (P. 328.) In MS. Aubr. 3, fol. 26, thus:--'At fower yeer old Mr.
Thomas Hobbes went to schoole in Westport church till 8--then[1675] the
church was painted. At 8 he could read well and number a matter of four
or five figures.
After, he went to Malmesbury to parson Evans.
After him, he had for his schoolemaster, Mr. Robert Latimer[CXXIX.],
a good Graecian; by whom he so well profited that at 14 yeares old he
went a good scholler to Magdalen Hall in Oxford.'
[CXXIX.] Who being a bachelor (not above 19) taught him and two or
three more ingeniose laddes after supper till 9.
[FP] (P. 330.) As seen in the next paragraph, there was some doubt as
to which 'Principal of Magdalen Hall' recommended Hobbes to the earl of
Devonshire's service. In MS. Aubr. 9, fol. 29, is the note:--
'Take notice of Dr. Blackburne's altering some times and dates,' <in
Hobbes' prose Latin life of himself, prefixed to the _Auctarium vitae
Hobbianae_> 'differing from this originall, e.g. of Mr. Hobbes being
admitted at Magdalen Hall when Sir James Hussey was principall, which
he would doe against my consent because he sayd it "would make a better
picture," wheras by the matriculation-booke it appeares that Dr.
Wilkinson was then the principall.'
[FQ] (P. 331.) On fol. 34ᵛ of MS. Aubr. 9, Aubrey has the following
account of Gorhambury:--