1471. Battle of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, gained by Edward IV. over
the Lancasterians.
1677. Dr. Isaac Barrow died, aged 47. He was an eminent mathematician, a
learned divine, and a high cavalier. Educated at the Charter-house, he
was disinclined to study; his recreation was in sports that led to
fighting among the boys, yet he afterwards subdued his inclination to
quarrels, and distinguished himself as a scholar. He became professor of
mathematics at Cambridge, master of Trinity-college, served the office
of vice-chancellor, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Charles II.
used to say of him, that he exhausted every subject whereon he treated;
yet he did nothing for him. After the Restoration, Barrow wrote a Latin
distich, thus translated:--
O, how my breast did ever burn,
To see my lawful king return!
Yet, whilst his happy fate I bless,
No one has felt his influence less.
Barrow was a great smoker to help his thinking. He was a great wit: he
met Rochester at court, who said to him, “doctor, I am yours to my
shoe-tie;” Barrow bowed obsequiously with, “my lord, I am yours to the
ground;” Rochester returned this by, “doctor, I am yours to the centre;”
Barrow rejoined, “my lord, I am yours to the antipodes;” Rochester, not
to be foiled by “a musty old piece of divinity,” as he was accustomed to
call him, exclaimed, “doctor, I am yours to the lowest pit of hell;”
whereupon Barrow turned from him with, “there, my lord, I leave you.”
1736. Eustace Budgell drowned himself, at the age of 52, from vexation,
that a bequest to him of 2,000_l._ in the will of Dr. Tindal, was set
aside. He wrote in the “Spectator,” “Tatler,” and “Guardian;” was a
member of the Irish parliament, and lost his property in the South-sea
bubble.
1758. George Bickham, the eminent writing-engraver, died, aged 74; and
was buried at St. Luke’s, Old-street.
1795. John James Barthelemy, the celebrated author of “The Travels of
Anacharsis the younger in Greece,” died, aged 79. He was a man of deep
learning and simplicity of character; unhappily he became involved in
the troubles of the French revolution, and endured great hardships from
the turbulence of men opposed to his views of social happiness.