[AX] Aubrey, in MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 199, writing on April 7, 1673,
says: 'Mr. Francis Potter's "666" was translated into Latin by an
Almaigne or a Swisse, whose name I have forgott, and printed, as I
remember, at Basil. Dr. John Pell told me it is in French, and one of
the Dutch languages (but which I have forgott).'
=Hannibal Potter= (1592-1664).
[735]At Oxford (and I doe believe the like at Cambridge) the rod
was frequently used by the tutors and deanes on his pupills, till
bachelaurs of Arts; even gentlemen-commoners. One Dr. I knew (Dr.
Hannibal Potter, Trin. Coll. Oxon) right well that whipt his scholar
with his sword by his side when he came to take his leave of him to goe
to the Innes of Court.
=Vavasor Powell= (1618-1670).
[736]_Life and death of Vavasour Powell_, 1671, p. 106:--Mr. Vavasour
Powell 'was borne of honest and honourable parentage. His father,
Mr. Richard Powell, of a very ancient family in Wales, living in the
burough of Knocklas in Radnorshire, where his ancestors had lived
some 100 yeares before; his mother of the Vavasors, a family of great
antiquity, that came out of Yorkshire into Wales: and so by both
allyed to most of the best families in North Wales. He was brought up
a scholar, and taken by his uncle Mr. Erasmus Powell to be curate at
Clun, where he also kept a schoole.'
Concerning his severall imprisonments, vide pag. 126, etc.
Mrs. Bagshawe haz heard him say that he was at Jesus College, Oxon;
and Mr. Oliver, a minister, did remember it. Vavasor Powell told Mris
Bagshaw of a sermon that he preached when he was of Jesus College.
Vide his _Life_[737] concerning his imprisonments etc.--'Sir J. A.'
there is Sir John Aubrey; and 'Dr. B.' is Dr. Basset, LL.D.; 'C.' is
Caerdif in Glamorganshire.
[738]Vavasour Powell--Mr. Edward Bagshawe, his friend and
fellow-prisoner, edidit[739] scil.:--
'Israel's Salvation, or a collection of the prophecies which concern
the calling of the Jewes and the glory that shall be in the later
dayes,' by E. B.: London, printed for Francis Smith of the Elephant and
Castle without Temple barre, 1671.
He wrote a very good concordance, printed <1671>.
=Sir Robert Poyntz= (1589-1665).
[740]Sir Robert Pointz of Iron-acton in com. Gloc., knight of the Bath,
is the same family with Clifford (as may be seen by the pedegree),
Clifford being called _de Pons_ till he was lord of Clifford Castle in
com. Hereff. adjoyning to Breconshire.
In Henry III they maried with a daughter and heire of Acton, by whom
they had the mannor aforesayd and perhaps other lands.
<Sir Robert was of> Linc. Coll.[741] Vide the rest in tom.[742] iii.
[743]When I was sick of the smallpox at Trinity College[744], Mr. Saul,
who was an old servant of his, told me I thinke that he was of Lincoln
(or, perhaps, that he lay there in the warres).
[745]Sir Robert Poynts, knight of the Bath; his seate was Iron Acton,
in com. Gloc., which came to that family by match of daughter and
heire, tempore Hen. III. Mr. Player, Mr. Anthony Ettrick's son-in-lawe,
who bought this estate, June, 1684, haz all the old evidences, and can
farther enforme me.
But this family and Clifford are the very same, as may be seen by the
pedegre of Clifford, who was _de Pons_ till he gott Clifford-castle, in
com. Hereff. juxta com. Brecon.
This family have had a great estate, and were men of note at Court.
Sir Robert, son of Sir John, Poyntz of whom I now write, and with whom
I had some small acquaintance, was a loyall, sober, and a learned
person. His study, law; chiefly towards the Civill Lawe. Since[746]
the king's restauration he published in print, a pamphlet, about the
bignesse of a good play-booke, entitled, _The Right of Kings_ (or to
that purpose[747]; but to my best remembrance, that is the very title).
As I remember he told me when I was of Trin. Coll. Oxon, 1643, that he
was of Lincoln college. He maried first, Gresill, one of the daughters
and co-heires of ... Gibbons, of ... Kent, by whom he had only two
daughters.
After her decease he had a naturall sonne by Cicely Smyth, who had been
his lady's chamber-mayd, whose name was John, as I remember, who
maried ... daughter of ... Cesar, in com. Hertf. He dyed without issue
about 4 or 5 years since (1684), or lesse. So there is an end of this
ancient family.
Memorandum:--Newark (now the seate of Sir Gabriel Lowe) was built by
Sir Robert's grandfather to keep his whores in. Sir Robert dyed at ...
anno Domini 16-- and buryed....
=William Prynne= (1600-1669).
[748]Memorandum Sir John B<irkenhead> and Mr. Prinne were allwayes
antagonists in the Parliament howse.
William Prinne[AY], esq., was borne (as his nephew George Clarke
assures me[749]: quaere plus de hoc) at Aust in Glocestershire, where
his father had an estate. I find by the Heralds' bookes that he is
descended of an ancient family (vide Bibliothecam Sheldonianam[AZ],
no. 115). His father, and also he, lived at ... wyck[750], a pleasant
seate in Somerset, about 3 miles from Bathe, where his
grand-father, ... Sherston, his mother's father, lived, and had
been mayer, and a very wise magistrate; here[751] he learn't his
grammar-learning. He was of Oriall College in Oxon[BA], where, I
thinke, he tooke the degree of M.A. From hence, anno ... was admitted
of Lincoln's-Inne. He was alwayes temperate and a very hard student,
and he had a prodigious memorie.
Anno <1637> he was stigmatiz'd[LXIII.] in the pillorie, and then
banished to Cornet-castle in <Guern>sey[752], where he was very civilly
treated by the governour ... Carteret, a very ancient familie in that
island. Anno 164<0> he was, with Burton and Bastwyck, called home by
the Parliament, and hundreds mett him and them, out of London, some
miles.
[LXIII.] His eares were not quite cutt off, only the upper part, his
tippes were visible. Bishop William Lawd, A. B. Cant., was much blamed
for being a spectator, when he was his judge: vide Osburne.
He was a learned man, of immense reading, but is much blamed for his
unfaithfull quotations.
His manner of studie was thus: he wore a long quilt cap, which came, 2
or 3, at least, inches, over his eies, which served him as an umbrella
to defend his eies from the light. About every 3 houres his man was to
bring him a roll and a pott of ale[LXIV.] to refocillate his wasted
spirits. So he studied and dranke, and munched some bread: and this
maintained him till night; and then he made a good supper. Now he
did well not to dine, which breakes of one's fancy, which will not
presently be regained: and 'tis with invention as a flux--when once it
is flowing, it runnes amaine; if it is checked, flowes but _guttim_:
and the like for perspiration--check it, and 'tis spoyled.
[LXIV.] Goclenius[753], professor at ... in Germany did better; he
kept bottles of good Rhenish wine in his studie, and, when his spirits
wasted, dranke a good rummer of it.
Thou that with ale, or viler liquors,
Didst inspire Wythers, Prinne, and Vicars[LXV.],
And teach, though it were in despight
Of nature and the starres, to write,
&c.
_Hudibras_: part 1st.
[LXV.] Was one of the assembly and tryers.
He was burghesse of the citie of Bath, before and since the king's
restauration. He was also Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London.
He endured severall imprisonments for the king's cause, and was
(really) very instrumentall in his restauracion.
..., upon the opening of the Parliament, viz. letting in the secluded
members, he girt on his old long rustie sword (longer then ordinary).
Sir William Waller marching behind him (as he went to the Howse), W.
Prynne's long sword ranne between Sir William's short legges, and threw
him downe, which caused laughter.
He was of a strange Saturnine complexion. Sir C. W.[754] sayd once,
that he had the countenance of a witch.
He dyed at his chamber in Lincolne's-Inn, anno ... and is interred
at ... Quaere Ant. Wood <pro> catalogo librorum.
[Illustration]
[755]William Prynne, esq., was buryed under Lincolne's Inne chapell, ut
apparet ex inscriptione et inscripta tabula in capella suspensa, viz.
'Gulielmus Prynne, armiger, de Banco hujus hospitii, obiit 24º die
Octobris, anno Domini 1669, aetatis 69.'
_Notes._