Among the many interesting associations connected with old Covent Garden
and its neighbourhood, we ought not to overlook Sir Francis Kynaston's
"Museum Minervae."
In the year 1635, King Charles the First granted his letters patent to Sir
Francis Kynaston, "Esquire of the body to his Majesty," whereby a house in
Covent Garden, which Sir Francis had purchased, and furnished with books,
manuscripts, musical and mathematical instruments, paintings, statues,
antiques, &c., was appropriated for ever as a college for the education of
the young, nobility, and others, under the name of the "Museum Minervae."
Sir Francis Kynaston was made the governor with the title of "regent;"
Edward May, Thomas Hunt, Nicholas Phiske, John Spidell, Walter Salter,
Michael Mason, fellows and professors of philosophy and medicine, music,
astronomy, geometry, languages, &c. They had power to elect professors also
of horsemanship, dancing, painting, engraving, &c.; were made a body
corporate, were permitted to use a common seal, and to possess goods and
lands in mortmain. (Pat. 11 Car. pt. 8. No. 14.) In the following year,
1636, was published, dedicated to the "Regent and Professors," _The
Constitutions of the Museum Minervae; giving an Account of an Academy for
teaching chiefly Navigation, Riding, Fortification, Architecture, Painting,
and other useful Accomplishments_.
The "Museum" seems to have been highly patronised, for we find that on the
27th February, 1635 (the year of its foundation), Prince Charles, the Duke
of York, and the Lady Mary their sister, honoured it with their presence to
witness a masque, entitled "Corona Minervae," which was written and prepared
for the occasion by Sir Francis Kynaston. This masque was, I believe,
printed in the year of its production, but I do not find it mentioned in
the last edition of the _Biographia Dramatica_.