[A] In MS. Aubr. 6, fol. 1ᵛ, Aubrey has this note:--'In Pond's
Almanack, 1647, thus--"Since the river from Ware to London began by
Edward Pond, Jan. 2, 35 yeares. 'Twas finished, Sept. 20, 34 yeares"--.'
=John Innocent= (14-- -1545).
[4]At Doctors Commons is 'argent on gules a mayd stark naked with a
chaplet in her hand dexter.' The name I could never learn, till by
chance, in Hampshire, by a courtier. It is the coate of Dr. Innocent,
deane of Paule's and master of St. Crosses, tempore Henrici VII. Borne
at Barkehamsted, Hertfordshire; where he built a free-schole, where
this coat is in severall places. 'Tis endowed with 500_li._ per annum
for 120 scholars from any part of England. The Visitor is the Warden of
All Soules, Oxon.
=Henry Isaacson= (1581-1654).
[5]Mr. Henry Isaacson was secretary to Lancelot Andrews, lord bishop
of Winton. Was borne in this parish (of St. Katharine Coleman) anno
Domini 1581; christned--ex registro[I.]--Septemb. 17ᵗʰ; and buried in
this church. He died about the 7th of December, 1654. He had severall
children: four sonnes still living, one is a minister at Stoke neer
Ipswych in Suffolk.
[I.] St. Catherine Coleman, 1581--'Sept. 17, Henry Isackson
baptised.'--MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 89ᵛ.
In the chancell here[6] I find this inscription, on a marble
grave-stone, viz.:
'Here lyeth the body of Richard Isaacson, esq., Eastland
merchant, and free of the Paynters Stayners of this citie of
London, who having lived in this parish 58 yeares, slept in
the Lord 19 January, Anno Domini 1620. [II.]Henricus filius et
haeres hoc memorabile posuit pietatis ergo.'
[II.] Scil. Henricus praedictus.
[7]Memorandum:--<Thomas> Bourman, Dr. of Divinity, of Kingston upon
Thames, did know Mr. Isaacson, and told me that he was a learned man,
which I easily believed when I heard he was secretary to that learned
prelate, who made use of none but for merit. The Dr. told me that when
he presented his _Chronologie_ to his majestie King Charles the first,
'twas in the matted gallery at White-hall[III.]. The <king> presently
discerned the purpose of the treatise, and turned to his owne birth;
sayd the King, '_Here's one lye to begin with_.' It seemes that Mr.
Isaacson had taken it out of ... (a foreigner), who used the other
account. Poor Mr. Isaacson was so ashamed at this unlucky rencounter,
that he immediately sneak't away and stayd not for prayse or reward,
both which perhaps he might have had, for his majestie was well pleased
with it. He wrote severall little bookes, besides his _Chronologie_:
quaere of the minister's wife (his niece) their titles. He was of
Pembroke-hall, in Cambridge. He was there about Master of Arts standing.
[III.] 'Twas presented in an ill hower. An astrologer would give
something to know _that day and hower_. He wanted a good election.
[8]_Concerning Henry Isaacson[9]._
Sir,
I find that my grandfather dyed in St. Cathrin Coleman's parish London,
the 19ᵉ January, 1620, and to my best rememberance upon his gravestone
in the chancell it was ingraven that hee had lived in the said parrish
58 yeares. He <was> fined for not serving the office of shereif of
London, being chosen in the yeare 1618.
My father died in St. Cathrin Coleman's parrish above-said about the
7ᵉ of December, 1654, which is neare 34 years after my grandfather's
death. I calculate from the tyme of his birth to my grandfather's death
to bee 39 yeares: ad[10] the 34 yeares after my grandfather's death to
the 39 before: 39 + 34 makes 73 yeares his age--which all the familie
agree that hee was seaventy three yeares of age when hee died, soe that
hee was borne in anno 1581. Borne in anno 1581, dyed aged 73, makes
1654 the yeare when he dyed. And in all probabillity hee was borne in
St. Kathrin Coleman's parrish, my grandfather having lived soe long
tyme there: the church booke, if extant, will soone resolve yow--I
never heard any thing to the contrary.
My brother William Isaacson could more exactly give you an account of
the degrees he tooke, if any, but the University was Cambriege and
the College Pembrooke-Hall. I thinke I have heard hee was Mr. of Arts
standing, but am somthing uncertayne of this.