[CX] Wren was one of the people from whose patronage Aubrey, in his
evil days, hoped for some official post. On a slip pasted to fol. 27ᵛ
of MS. Aubr. 9 is this note:--
'Mr. Secretary Wren's indefinite (?) kindnesse is valuable if our lord
P. <? William lord Brouncker, Pres. Roy. Soc. 1663-1677> know it, and
Mr. <John> Collins, but _cave_. They might between them determine
somewhat certaine. There are peaceable places among souldiers; and now
the navy offices thrive, and a man can nowhere so well hide himselfe in
an office as there, 'cause 'tis out of the way.
'I cannot get Quillettus here, but would you could find _Gallus
Veridicus_, which you must enquire for privately. I never saw it, but
Mr. Oldenburg may possibly have heard of it.
'The want of the Royal Society is the greatest defect of our
parts[1285]: possibly you may have some one that for money will informe
mee as you doe for love. If you find any such, fix him for[1286] J.†'
[CY] Aubrey was anxious to obtain the exact date as an item towards
his pet astrological collection. But he fancied that Wren had played a
trick on him, by taking the place of a brother of the same name, one
year younger, who died in infancy. Aubrey might have reflected that,
while it is possible that parents might give the name of a deceased
child to their next, the other course is unlikely. The following
excerpts from Aubrey's letters to Anthony Wood bear on the point:--
(a) Nov. 17, 1670: MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 128:--'Dr. Christopher Wren
was borne at <East> Knoyle, baptized the 10th day of November 1631.
I have writt to him for the exact time, astrologiae ergo: 'tis a
poore-spirited thing, if he will not resolve me.'
(b) Jan. 16, 1671/2: MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 160ᵛ:--'Dr. Christopher
Wren ... tells me he was borne at ... Knahill 20 October, 1631. He was
a second Christopher: <the one> whome I sent to you was the first.'
(c) Feb. 1, 1671/2: MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 165:--'Dr. Christopher Wren
hath putt a trick on us, as it seemes; for he hath made him selfe a
yeare younger then indeed he is, though he needs not be ashamed of his
age, he hath made such admirable use of his time. I mett t'other day
accidentally with the parson of Knahill, who justifies the register,
and not only so but proves it by his neighbour that was his nurse and
her son that suckled with him--evidence notorious. 'Tis true, as the
Doctor sayes, that there were two Christophers, but it was the latter,
i.e. the Doctor--that parson Hill justifies--quod nota.'
[CZ] Aubrey several times notes this. MS. Aubr. 7, fol. 5:--'Sir
Xpfer Wren knighted, November 14, 1673.' MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 7:--'Sir
Christopher Wren received the honour of knighthood at Whitehall on
Friday 14th November, 5ʰ A.M., 1673--from Mr. Robert Hooke, the next
day.'
[DA] MS. Aubr. 21, fol. 69-74, is 'A survey of Our Lady Church at
Salisbury, taken by Dr. Christopher Wren (since Sir Christopher) anno
Domini 1669, being invited downe to doe it by Seth Ward, lord bishop of
Sarum.'--Another, less perfect, MS. copy of this report is in Wood MS.
B. 14.
=Edward Wright= (15--- 1615).
[1287]Mr. Edward[1288] Wright: he was of Caius College in Cambridge
(from Sir Charles Scarborough, who was of that house).