Curst be alreadie those Essexian plaines
Where ... Death and Horrour reignes.--
etc.
[At Fobbing, seven curates dyed within the first ten yeares]; in
sixteen yeares, _six_ of those that had been his curates at Laindon are
dead; besides those that went away from both places; and the death of
his wife [servants, and grandchildren].
Gilbert Sheldon being made archbishop of Canterbury, 16--[530], John
Pell[XLVI.] was made one of his Cambridge[XLVII.] chapleines; and
complaining one day to his Grace at Lambith of the unhealthinesse of
his benefice as abovesayd, sayd my Lord, 'I doe not intend that you
shall live there.' 'No,' sayd [Doctor] Pell, ('but[531] your grace does
intend that) I shall die there.'
[XLVI.] Quaere, when Doctor[532].
[XLVII.] He haz 2 Oxford chaplaines and 2 Cambridge.
Now by this time (1680), you doubt not but this great, learned man,
famous both at home and abroad, haz obtained some considerable dignity
in[533] the church. You ought not in modestie to ghesse at lesse then
a deanery.--Why, truly, he is stak't to this poor preferment still!
For though the parishes are large, yet (curates, etc., discharged) he
cleares not above 3-score pound per annum (hardly fourscore), and lives
in an obscure[XLVIII.] lodging, three stories high, in Jermyn Street,
next to the signe of the Ship, wanting not only bookes but his proper
MSS. which are many, as by and by will appeare. Many of them are at
Brereton at my lord Brereton's in Cheshire.
[XLVIII.] Ut saepe magna ingenia in occulto latent.--PLAUTUS, _Captivi_.
Memorandum:--... lord Brereton[534] was sent to Breda to recieve the
instruction of this worthy person, by his grandfather (George Goring,
the earle of Norwich) anno 1647, where he stayed ...[535], where he
became a good proficient, especially in algebra to which his genius
most inclined him and which he used to his dyeing day, which was
17 March, 1679/80: lies[536] buried in ...[537] St. Martin's church
in-the-fields. I cannot but mention this noble lord but with a great
deale of passion, for a more vertuous person (besides his great
learning) I never knew. I have had the honour of his acquaintance since
his comeing from Breda into England. Never was there greater love
between master and scholar then between Dr. Pell and this scholar of
his[538], whose death March 17, 1679/80[539] hath deprived this worthy
doctor of an ingeniose companion and a usefull friend.
Scripsit[540].
His[541] table of squares, printed at London, 1672; 8 sheetes fol.
Rhonius's Algebra, in High-Dutch, was (indeed) Dr. Pell's; is
translated into English, halfe.--Rhonius was Dr. Pell's scholar at
Zurich and came to him every Friday night after he (J. Pell) had writt
his post-lettres.
Controversia de vera circuli mensura inter Longomontanum et Pellium,
Amstel. (?) Blaeu, 1651/2.
J. Pellii Idea of[542] Mathematicks printed in English and in Latin at
the same time, 16mo.
Inaugural oration, p. 33[543].
{ Ψαμμίτης, a quarter of a sheet of paper one
Both MSS. { side; and also
{ Euclid's[544] Xᵗʰ Element(orum liber) (vide
infra) which is in Cheshire at my lord Brereton's.
He hath written on the tenth booke of Euclid, which is in Cheshire at
the lord Brereton's, and he hath also done[545] the greatest part of
Diophantus[546], which is there[547]--both unprinted[548].
Also he hath donne[549] the second booke of Euclid in one side of a
large sheet of paper most clearly and ingeniously.
He hath donne most succinctly and clearly Archimedis Ψαμμίτης in one
side of an 8vo paper.
Also he hath demonstrated the proportion of the diameter to the
circumference, and shewes what was the reason why Archimedes did
use these two numbers--he did it at the instance of Sir Charles
Scarborough--one sheet.
☞ In the booke called Branker's Algebra that which is purely Dr. Pell's
beginnes at p. 79 and so continues to FINIS--this I had from his owne
mouth.--Desire Mr. A. Wood to take some paines to enquire for Mr.
Turner, M.A. at Oxon (I thinke of Exon. Coll.), who tooke some paines
about Branker's Algebra.
Dr. Pell haz often sayd to me that when he solves a question he
straines every nerve[550] about him, and that now in his old age it
brings him to a loosenesse.
[551]Dr. J. Pell was the first inventor of that excellent way or method
of the marginall working in algebra.
I have heard him say several times that the _Regula falsi_ was falsly
demonstrated by Mr. William Oughtred (quod N.B.) and that Petiscus hath
donne it right.
See Dr. Pell's letter, printed by Joachim Jungius in his Doxo ... in
4to at Hamborough--Mr. Cluverus haz it.
He could not cringe and sneake for preferment though otherwise no man
more humble nor more communicative. He was cast into King's Bench
prison[552] for debt Sept.[553] 7, 1680.
[554]In March 1682 he was very kindly invited by Daniel Whistler, M.D.,
to live with him at the Physitians College in London, where he was very
kindly entertained. About the middle of June he fell extreme sick of a
cold and removed to a grandchild of his maried to one Mr. Hastings in
St. Margaret's Churchyard, Westminster, neer the tower, who now (1684)
lives in Brownlow Street in Drury Lane, where he was like to have been
burnt in his bed by a candle. Nov. 26, fell into convulsion fitts which
had almost killed him.
[555]Gilbert Sheldon, Lord Bishop of London, gave Dr. Pell the
parsonage of Lanedon[C] cum Basseldon in the Hundreds of Essex (they
call it _kill-priest_[556], sarcastically); and king Charles the Second
gave him the parsonage of Fobing[XLIX.], 4 miles distant. Both are of
the value of two hundred pounds per annum (or so accounted); but the
Doctor was a most shiftless man as to worldly affaires, and his tenants
and relations cousin'd him of the profits and kept him so indigent that
he wanted necessarys, even paper and inke, and he had not 6_d._ in his
purse when he dyed, and was buried by the charity of Dr. Richard Busby
and Dr. <John> Sharp, Rector of St. Giles-in-the-fields and Dean of
Norwich, who ordered[557] his body to lye in a vault[558] belonging to
the Rector (the price[559] is x _li._).
[XLIX.] Vide the booke called _Valor Beneficiorum_.
I could not persuade him to make a will; so his books and MSS. fell by
administratorship to Capt. ... Raven, his son-in-law.
His son (John) is a Justice of Peace in New Yorke[560], and lives well.
He thought to have gonne over to him.
This learned person dyed in St. Giles' parish aforesaid at the
house of Mr. Cothorne the reader in Dyot Street on Saterday December
the twelfth 1685, between 4 and 5 P.M. Dr. Busby, schoolmaster of
Westminster, bought all his bookes and papers of Captain Raven, among
which is the last thing he wrote (which he did at my earnest request)
viz. THE TABLES, which are according to his promise in the last line
of his printed tables of squares and cubes (if desired) and which Sir
Cyrillus Wych (then president of the Royall Society) did license for
the press. There only wants a leafe or two for the explanation of the
use of them, which his death hath prevented. Sir Cyril Wych, only,
knowes the use of them. I doe (imperfectly) remember something of his
discourse of them, viz. whereas some questions are capable of severall
answers, by the help of these tables it might be discovered exactly how
many, and no more, solutions, or answers, might be given.
I desired Mr. Theodore Haake, his old acquaintance, to make some
additions to this[561] short collection of memoires of him, but he haz
donne nothing[562].
He dyed of a broaken heart.
[563]Dr. Whistler[564] invited Dr. Pell to his house in anno ..., which
the Dr. likt and accepted of, loving good cheer and good liquour, which
the other did also; where eating and drinking too much, was the cause
of shortning his daies.
Dr. Pell had a brother a chirurgian and practitioner in physick, who
purchased an estate of the natives of New-York and when he died he
left it to his nephew John Pell, only son of the Doctor. It is a great
estate 8 miles broad and ... miles long (quaere Capt. ... Raven).
He had 3 or 4 daughters.
[565]_This <is> writt by Mr. Theodore Haake._
In the year 1638 I came first to be acquainted with Mr. Pell by Mr. S.
Hartlib's meanes, who having heard of his extraordinarie parts in all
kinde of learning, especially the mathematics, perswaded that the same
might be farre more usefully employed and improoved for the publick
advancement of learning, he never left soliciting and engaging frends
heer to perswade Mr. Pell instead of keeping scool, as he then did
at ... in Sussex, to come up to London, where he soon got into great
esteem among the most learned, both natives and forreigners, with whom
he conversed. But he so minded and followed still the cultivating
of his more abstracting studies, and naturally averse from suing or
stooping much for what he was worthy of, it was a good while before he
obtained any suteable place or settlement.
I recommended him once to my Lord Bishop of Lincoln[566] (quondam
Lord Keeper of England), who became very desirous to see the man,
inviting us of purpose to dine once with his lordship for the freer
discourse of all sorts of literature and experiments, to get a touch
and taste that satisfaction Mr. Pell could give him. Which proved so
pertinent and abundant that my lord put the question to him whether
he would accept of a benefice which he was ready, glad, and willing
to bestow on him for his encouragement. Mr. Pell thankd his lordship,
saying he was not capacitate for that, as being no divine and having
made the mathematics his main studie, for the great publick need and
usefullnesse therof, which he had in a manner devoted himself to
improve and advance to the uttmost of his reach and abilities. Which
answer pleased my lord so well that he replyed, 'Alasse! what a sad
case it is that in this great and opulent kingdome there is no publick
encouragement for the excelling in any profession but that of the law
and divinity.[567]Were I in place as once I was, I would never give
over praying and pressing his majesty till a noble stock and fund might
be raised for so fundamentall, universally usefull, and eminent science
as mathematicks.' And therupon his lordship requested Mr. Pell to
befriend him with his visits as often as he could spare time, promising
him always a very hearty welcome. Yet Mr. Pell who was no courtier came
there no more.
In the mean time he communicated to his friends his excellent _Idea
Matheseos_ in half a sheet of paper, which got him a great deal of
repute, both at home and abroad, but no other special advantage, till
Mr. John Morian, a very learned and expert gentleman, gave me notice
that Hortensius, mathematical professor at Amsterdam, was deceased,
wishing that our friend Mr. Pell might succeed. Sir William Boswell,
his majestie's ambassador in Holland, being here then, I conferred with
him about it, who promised all his assistance; and between them, and by
these two, a call was procured from Amsterdam for Mr. Pell, in 1643:
and in May 1644 I met him settled there on my return out of Denmarke.
Where he was, among others, dearly welcome to Gerardus Joannes Vossius.
And soon after his fame was much augmented by his refuting a large book
of Longomontanus _Quadratura_, which caused the Prince of Orange (Henry
Frederick) being about to erect an Academic at Breda, borrowed[568]
Mr. Pell from the magistrate of Amsterdam, to grace his new Academy
with a man of that fame for a few years. And there being comfortably
stayed, the most learned of the then parliament heer, jealous that
others should enjoy a countryman of their own, they never left offers
and promises till they got him hither to be--they gave out--Professor
Honorarius heer. But the sucesse prov'd soon deficient, and reduced him
to much inconvenience, as having now a charge of a pretty large family,
viz. his wife with 4 or 5 children. And this continued till T. H.[569]
was offerd by Th.[570] to be employed in Swisse and about the E.[571]
collection for Pyemont; who excused himself it and recommended Mr. Pell.
This[572] account of Dr. John Pell I had from my worthy friend Mr.
Theodore Haak, whose handwriting it is.
[573]John Pell, D.D., was borne at Southwick in Sussex on St. David's
day, anno Domini 1611; his youngest uncle ghesses about noon.
Anno 1632 he maried.
1643, went to Amsterdam and was there professor of Mathematiques.
1646, the Prince of Orange called for him to be publique professor at
Breda.
1654, Oliver, Protector, sent him envoyé to the cantons of Switzerland.
1661, Gilbert Sheldon, bishop of London, gave him a scurvy parsonage in
Essex ('kill-priest').
1680, August last, he was arrested and layd in prison.
_Notes._