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SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE'S  WORKS, 


VOLUME  THE  FIRST, 


CONTAINING 


LIFE  AND  CORRESPONDENCE. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/worksofsirthomas01brown 


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THE  WOKKS 

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SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE. 


INCLUDING 


HIS  UNPUBLISHED  CORRESPONDENCE, 
AND  A  MEMOIR. 


EDITED   BY   SIMON   WILKIN,    E.L.S, 


VOL.  I. 


LONDON: 
HENRY  G.  BOHN,  YORK  STREET,  COVENT  GARDEN. 

1846. 


CONTENTS  TO  VOLUME  ONE. 


PAGE 

MEMOIRS  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne      ....  xvii  to  ex 

Pedigrees xvii 

Life  by  Dr.  Johnson xvii  to  liv 

Supplementary  memoir Iv  to  cix 

Mrs.  Lyttleton's  communication  to  Bp.  Kennet  ex 

DOMESTIC  CORRESPONDENCE,  JOUR- 
NALS, &c 1  to  350 

Dr.  Browne's  letters  to  his  son  Thomas,  1660-2        1  to  16 
Mr.  Thomas  Browne's  narrative  of  his  journey 

from  Bordeaux  to  Paris,  1662  .  .  .  .  17  to  22 
Journal  of  Edward  and  Thomas  Browne's  tour 

into  Derbyshire  in  1662 22  to  42 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  sons  Edward  and  Thomas 

[July  1663]      ........         42 

Journal  of  Mr.  E.  Browne,  Jan.  1  to  Apl.  11, 

1664 44  to  59 

Letters   of    Mr.    E.    Browne  to   his   family, 

Apl.  5  to  June  9,  1664  .  .  .  .  .  60  to  65 
His  journal  resumed,  June  6  to  Aug.  12,  1664  65  to  67 
His  letters  to  his  father,  his  brother  Thomas, 

and  Mr.  Craven,  from  Aug.  10,  1664,  to 

Sep.  30,  1665 67  to  114 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edw.  Sep.  22,  1665    110 
Sketch  of  the  naval  career  of  the  Dr's.  younger 

son,  Thomas 114  to  116 

His  correspondence  with  his  father,  from  Nov. 

25,  [1664,]  to  Jan.  1,  [1665]        .      .      .   116  to  119 
S  Journal  of  his  voyage  with  Sir  Jeremy  Smith, 

J  from  Dec.  21,  [1665,]  to  Mar.  11,  [1666]    120  to  128 

}  Letters  to  his  father,  July  and  Sep.  1666      .    128  to  134 


VI 

PAGE 

Voyage  from  the  Thames  to  Falmouth,  Nov. 

29,  [1666,]  to  Feb.  21,  [1667]       .      .       134  to  140 
Admiral  Kempthorne's  general  orders        .      .141 
Correspondence  resumed  [Feb.  to  June,  1667]    142  to  152 
Dr.   Browne's   correspondence  with    Mr.   E. 

Browne  during  his  travels,  from  Aug.  12, 

1668,  to  Dec.  15,  1669 153  to  201 

Further  correspondence,  from  June  8,  [1670,] 

to  Oct.  3,  1682 202  to  350 

MISCELLANEOUS  CORRESPONDENCE  351  to  end. 
Mr.  Samuel  Duncon  to  Dr.  Browne        .      .  352 
Mr.  Henry  Bates  to  Dr.  Browne,   Aug.  28, 

1647 353 

Dr.  Browne  to  [Dr.  Power?]  [1647?]  .  356 
Dr.  Henry  Power  to  Dr.  Browne,   Feb.  10, 

1648 358 

Mr.  Thomas  Smith  to  Dr.  Browne  .  .  359 
Dr.  Henry  Power  to  Dr.  Browne,   Sep.  15, 

1648;   Aug.  28,  1649;   Nov.  9,  1668     .  361  to  365 
Mr.  Merry  weather  to  Dr.    Browne,    Oct.  1, 

1649 366 

Sir  Hamon  L'Estrange  to  Dr.  Browne,   Jan. 

16,  1653 369 

Dr.  Browne  to  [J.  Hobart,  Esq.  ?]  Aug.  1654  371 
Dr.  Browne  to  J.  Hobart,  Esq.  Aug.  31,  1666  372 
Dr.    Browne's    correspondence    with    Evelyn 

in  1658 373  to  380 

with  Dugdale, 

from  Oct.  4,  1658,  to  Apl.  5,  1662  .      .  380  to  393 
: with  Dr.  Mer- 

rett  from  July  13,  1668,  to  [June?]  1669  393  to  408 
Sir  Robert  Paston  to  Dr.  Browne,    Sep.  19, 

[1662,]  Apl.  5,  1669 409  to  410 

The  Earl  of  Yarmouth  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne, 

Sep.  10,  1674 411 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to   Elias  Ashmole,  Oct. 

8,  1674 413 

Sir  Thomas   Browne  to   Mr.  John   Browne 

[1667-8] 414 


vn 

PAGE 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Mr.  Talbot  .  .  415 
Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  [Dean  Astley?]  .  .  416 
Dr.  How  to  Dr.  Browne,  Sep.  20,  1655  .  417  to  419 
[Dr.  Browne?]  to  Mr.  Daniel  King,  [1656]  419  to  420 
Dr.  Robinson  to  Dr.  Browne,  Dec.  12,  1659  421  to  424 
M.  Escaliot  to  Dr.  Browne,  Jan.  26,  166|  424  to  440 
Another  letter  from  the  same,  no  date  .  .  440  to  442 
Dr.  Merrett  to  Dr.  Browne,  Aug.  29,  1668, 

and  May  8,  1669 442  to  445 

Dr.  Browne  to  [ ?]  concerning  Cortex 

Peruvianus     , 445  to  446 

Additional    correspondence    of   Dr.    Edward 

Browne  with  his  father,  Aug.  8,  1669,  to 

Feb.  7,  1681 446  to  460 

Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  William  Lilly,  Feb.  8, 

no  year 462 

Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  Elias  Ashmole,  Jan.  25, 

1658,  and  March  1674 463  to  467 

Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  John  Aubrey,  March  14 

and  Aug.  24,  1673 467  to  471 


SYNOPSIS  OF  THE  CONTENTS  OF  VOLS.  II,  III,  IV. 


VOLUME  SECOND. 

PAGE 

Religio  Medici,  with  Editor's  Preface  and  Postscript,  Digby's 

Observations,  &c i  to  xxxii  1  to  158 

Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  books  1  to  4        159  to  end. 

Editor's  Preface      160  to  176 

Book  I.   The  general  part;  the  various  causes  of  common  errors  182  to  266 
Book  II.  The  particular  part;    Of  vulgar  errors  concerning 

mineral  and  vegetable  bodies 267  to  384 

Book  III.   The  same  continued;  respecting  animals    ..     ..  385  to  540 

VOLUME  THIRD. 

Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  books  4  to  7 1  to  374 

Book  IV.  The  particular  part  continued;  of  popular  errors 

concerning  man     . .      ..     1  to    86 

Book  V.   The  same  continued ;   of  questionable  or  erroneous 

representations  in  pictures ;  of  many  popular  customs,  Sfc.  87  to  184 
Book  VI.  The  same  continued  ;  of  popular  tenets,  cosmogra- 

phical,  geographical,  and  historical       185  to  293 

Book  VII.  The  same  concluded;  of  popular  tenets,  chiefly 

historical,  and  some  deduced  from  Scripture 295  to  374 

The  Garden  of  Cyrus 375  to  448 

Hydriotaphia        ■     449  to  496 

Brampton  Urns        497  to  505 

Editor's  Preface  to  these  three  tracts       377  to  380 

VOLUME  FOURTH. 

Editor's  Preface  to  the  volume         i,  ii 

Repertorium,  &c.          1  to    32 

Letter  to  a  Friend,  &c.  with  Editor's  Preface 37  to    52 

Christian  Morals,  &c.  with  Editor's  Preface         53  to  114 

Miscellany  Tracts,  &c.  with  Editor's  Preface 115  to  256 

Latin  Letters  from  Theodore  Jonas 256  to  270 

Unpublished  Papers        271  to  456 

Dr.  Thomas  Browne's  Journey  with  Dr.  Plot 458  to  462 

An  Account  of  the  Manuscript  Collections  of  Sir  Thomas 

and  Dr.  Edward  Browne 463  to  476 

Index  to  the  four  volumes 477  to  end. 


PREFACE. 


Nearly  twelve  years  have  elapsed  since  the  pre- 
sent edition  was  undertaken  ;  and  it  affords  me  no 
small  gratification  to  have  at  length  accomplished, 
however  imperfectly,  a  task  which  has  been  at- 
tended by  a  degree  of  labour  proportioned  to  the 
difficulty  of  the  work,  and  the  competency  of  the 
workman.  The  delay,  though  not  my  own,  and 
incurred  in  the  hope  of  securing  a  corresponding 
advantage  to  my  readers,  cannot,  I  fear,  be  justi- 
fied : — and,  when  I  consider  how  often  plans  have 
been  defeated,  assurances  forfeited,  and  character 
thus  sacrificed,  by  a  spirit  of  procrastination,  I 
cannot  but  rejoice  that  my  own  intentions  have 
survived  that  which  threatened  their  frustration, 
and  that  I  have  been  permitted,  though  late, 
to  redeem  my  pledge  by  the  publication  of  these 
volumes. 

Respecting  the  Works  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne, 
I  need  say  the  less  here,  because  explanatory  pre- 
faces accompany  the  principal  of  them.  Religio 
Medici,  Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  and  the  volume 
containing  Hydriotaphia  and  the  Garden  of  Cyrus, 


10  PREFACE. 

were  published  by  himself;  after  his  decease,  and 
in  consonance  no  doubt  with  his  understood  inten- 
tions, appeared  the  Miscellany  Tracts,  Letter  to  a 
Friend,  Posthumous  Works,  and  Christian  Morals. 
The  last  of  these,  we  are  informed  by  his  daugh- 
ter,1 was  "a  continuation  of  his  Religio  Medici, 
drawn  up  in  his  elder  years,"  and  seems  to  have 
been  left  in  readiness  for  the  press.  Of  his  lesser 
pieces  he  had  probably  intended  to  make  a  com- 
plete collection,  and  either  publish,  or  leave  them 
for  publication  in  a  revised  form;  for  he  has  in- 
formed us  himself  that  he  had  "  some  miscellane- 
ous tracts  which  might  be  published."2  The  collec- 
tion which  was  brought  out  by  Abp.  Tenison  does 
not  appear  to  me  to  have  been  so  complete  or  so 
revised  and  arranged,  as  the  author  would  have  left 
it.  Generally  speaking,  I  have  arranged  the  works 
according  to  the  date  of  their  publication  ;  devi- 
ating only  occasionally  in  order  to  place  similar 
subjects  together.  On  this  principle  I  have  placed 
the  Miscellany  Tracts  last,  because  the  hitherto 
unpublished  works  which  follow  are  also  miscel- 
laneous. 

It  will  be  expected  that  I  should  say  a  few  words 
respecting  the  Life  and  Correspondence,  which 
occupy  the  first  volume.  The  only  original  and 
authentic   biographical  materials   which   exist  re- 

1  See  last  page  of  Supplementary  Memoir,  and  Archdeacon  Jeffery's  Preface 
lo  the  Christian  Morals. 

-  Vol.  i,  p.  468. 


PREFACE.  11 

specting  Browne  are,  first,  his  own  brief  notice 
sent  to  Aubrey  for  the  use  of  Anthony  Wood  ;3 
secondly,  the  "  Minutes,"  drawn  up  at  the  request 
of  his  widow,  by  the  Rev.  John  Whitefoot,  M.A.;4 
thirdly,  some  additional  information  given  by  Mrs. 
Lyttleton  to  Bp.  Kennet.5  The  first  life  which 
appeared  accompanied  the  Posthumous  Works,  in 
1712,  and  included  the  Minutes.  In  1736  a  second 
was  prefixed  to  the  13th  edition  of  Religio  Me- 
dici: and  in  1756  Dr.  Johnson  wrote  his  biography 
for  the  2nd  edition  of  the  Christian  Morals.  I  am 
not  aware  of  any  other  distinct  life  of  Browne;  but 
he  is  noticed  more  or  less  copiously  in  the  principal 
biographical  collections,  foreign  as  well  as  Eng- 
lish: especially  the  Biographical  Dictionary,  Aikin, 
Chalmers,  Biographie  Universelle,  Bayle,  Jocher, 
Niceron,6  &c.     I    have    reprinted    Dr.    Johnson's 

3  Vol.  i,  p.  467,  470. 

4  He  was  but  five  years  younger  than  Sir  Thomas,  and  for  30  years  his  inti- 
mate friend.  Bp.  Hall,  in  1652,  instituted  him  to  the  Rectory  of  Heigham, 
Norwich,  which  he  resigned  in  1682  to  his  son,  the  minister  of  St.  Peter's  Man- 
croft,  whose  portrait  is  in  the  vestry  of  that  church.  The  Biourapliia  Britan- 
nica  mentions  a  letter  from  Mr.  Whitefoot  to  Lady  Browne,  respecting  his  pro- 
posed life; — but  I  have  not  been  able  to  trace  it.  He  died  in  1699,  aged  89, 
and  was  buried  in  St.  Gregory's,  Norwich.  The  greater  part  of  this  Minutes 
was  included  by  Dr.  Johnson,  in  his  life  ;  and  the  remaining  paragraphs  will  be 
found  in  this  edition,  at  the  foot  of  pp.  xli,  xliv,  xlvii.  He  probably  intended 
to  write  a  much  fuller  life,  and  it  was  to  this  design  that  Abp.  Tenison  alluded 
in  his  preface  to  the  Miscellany  Tracts. 

5  Vol.  i,  ex. 

6  The  article  in  the  Biographia  by  Kippis  is  far  more  copious  than  any  other. 
It  contains  references  to,  and  translations  of,  many  criticisms  on  Browne,  and 
an  original  letter  by  him,  (see  p.  356.) 

Dr.  Aikin,  in  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  R.  Barbauld,  in  1775,  (inserted  in  Miss 
Aikin's  memoir  of  the  Dr. )  says,  "  I  have  lately  been  writing  the  life  of  a  very 
extraordinary  man,  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  &c."  Miss  Aikin,  in  reply  to  an  in- 
quiry what  had  become  of  this  Life,  says,  "  it  was  not  printed  in  the  Biogra- 
phical Memoirs  of  Medicine,  the  only  work  of  my  father's  on  medical  biography, 


12  PREFACE. 

Life,  adding  here  and  there  a  note,  corrective  or 
explanatory ; — but  reserving  such  additional  in- 
formation, or  more  ample  notices,  as  I  have  been 
able  to  collect  from  preceding  biographies  and 
other  sources,  for  a  separate  and  Supplementary 
Memoir.  Here  I  have  collected  all  the  inform- 
ation in  my  power  respecting  the  family  of  Sir 
Thomas,  his  literary  and  scientific  pursuits  and 
habits,  his  correspondents,  his  works,  and  the 
various  criticisms  they  met  with  both  abroad  and 
at  home.     Respecting  the  MSS.  which  he  left,  I 

because  that  work  comes  no  lower  than  Harvey  ;  but  he  inserted  it,  I  appre- 
hend, in  an  abridged  form,  in  the  General  Biography." 

I  forgot  to  notice,  in  my  Preface  to  the  Pseudodoxia,  that  M.  du  Petit  Thou- 
ars  (who  wrote  the  article  in  Biographic  Universale,)  ascribes  the  French  trans- 
lation of  that  work  to  the  Abbe  Souchay. 

I  must  not  omit  to  remark  that  some  of  his  biographers  have  attributed  to 
Browne  works  which  he  did  not  write.  "  In  the  Life  prefixed  to  Religio  Me- 
dici, 1736,  it  is  asserted  that  he  wrote  a  treatise  entitled,  De  Lucis  causa  et 
Origine,  in  a  letter  to  Isaac  Vossius,  with  whom  he  had  a  dispute  upon  that 
subject,  (printed  at  Amsterdam  in  1663,  and  criticising  Vossius's  work,  Dc  na- 
tura  et  Proprietate  lucis, J  wherein  he  strongly  maintains  Des  Cartes's  hypothesis. 
He  also  wrote  an  Apology  for  the  Cartesian  Philosophy,  in  opposition  to  a 
divine,  named  Vogelsang."  It  may  be  conjectured  that  the  writer  had  inadver- 
tently applied  to  Sir  T.  B.  the  following  account  given  by  M.  Bayle,  of  a  very 
different  person.  "  Jean  de  Bruyn,  Professeur  a  Utrecht  en  Physique  et  en 
Mathematique,  ne  a  Gorcum,  1620,  mort  a  Leyde,  1675;  ecrivit  a  Isaac  Vos- 
sius, une  lettre  de  68  pages  in  4to.  De  Lucis  causis  et  Origine ;  qui  fut  im- 
primee  a  Amsterdam,  1668.  II  a  fait  aussi  une  "  Apologie  de  la  Philosophie 
Cartesienne,"  coutre  un  Theologien  nomme  Vogelsang." 

Jb'cher,  in  his  Allgemeines  Gelehrten  Lexicon,  erroneously  attributes  to  him  two 
other  works,  viz.  "  The  History  of  the  Life  and  Reign  of  the  famous  Princesse 
Elizabeth," — which  is  "  Camden's  tomus  alter  et  idem;  or  the  History  of  the  Life 
and  Reign  of  the  famous  Princesse  Elizabeth,  by  Thos.  Brown,  D.D.  Lond.  1629, 
4to.  and  Jani  Philadelphi  consultatio  desultoria  de  optima  Christianorum  secta,  et 
Vitiis  Pontificiorum.  Prodromus  Religionis  Medici,  small  8vo.  Patav.  1688. 
Jiicher  asserts  that  Janus  Philadelphus  was  an  assumed  name  ; — it  might  be  so  ; 
and,  though  Sir  Thomas  died  1682,  the  book  might  have  appeared  posthumously, 
like  several  other  of  his  works, — but  in  the  course  of  it,  the  author  refers  to  "Avis 
aux  RR.  PP.  Jesuites,  du  Ime,  Mai,  Van  1685  :  —  this  is  conclusive  against  our 
author's  claims,  who  died  3  years  before. 


PREFACE.  13 

have  drawn  up  (by  the  help  of  a  catalogue  in  the 
Bodleian  Library)  rather  a  full  notice,  partly  in 
order  to  prove  that  I  have  left  nothing  unpub- 
lished, and  partly  to  point  out,  that  the  far  greater 
part  of  the  collection  is  still  preserved,  in  about 
100  volumes,  extending  from  No.  1824  to  1924  in 
the  Sloanian  MSS.  of  the  British  Museum.7  By 
the  kindness  of  Charles  George  Young,  Esq.  York 
Herald,  I  am  enabled  to  give  two  pedigrees  ; — one 
by  Sir  Thomas  in  1664,  the  other  at  a  much  later 
date,  from  the  MSS.  of  Peter  Le  Neve,  Esq.  Nor- 
roy.  In  addition  to  these  I  have  drawn  up  a  full 
pedigree  of  the  family,  continuing  it  to  the  present 
in  day  the  only  surviving  branch, — the  Earl  of 
Buchan  and  Lord  Erskine ;  both  descended  from 
Francis  Fairfax,  granddaughter  of  Sir  Thomas 
Browne,  and  sole  heiress  of  Henry,  grandson  of 
Thomas  Lord  Viscount  Fairfax,  in  Ireland.  In 
the  construction  and  revision  of  this  document  I 
have  to  acknowledge  the  kind  assistance  of  Sir 
N.  Harris  Nicholas.  My  account  of  the  family  of 
SirThomas  is  considerably  fuller  than  those  hitherto 
given : — and  if  in  this  memoir  I  have  been  reluct- 
antly compelled  to  leave  many  points  of  interest  in 
obscurity,  I  must  console  myself  with  Dr.  John- 
son's  reflection,  "  that  in  all  sublunary  things,  there 
is  something  to  be  wished,  which  we  must  wish  in 
vain." 

But  no  part  of  the  work  has  cost  me  more  per- 
plexity and  labour  than  the  selection  and  arrange- 

7  See  end  of  vol,  iv,  p.  463. 


14  PREFACE. 

ment  of  the  Correspondence.  A  great  propor- 
tion, being  family  letters  and  therefore  illustrative 
of  family  history,  I  have  kept  distinct ;  dividing  the 
whole  into  Domestic  and  Miscellaneous  Correspond- 
ence. I  have  placed  the  letters  of  each  corres- 
pondent together ;  but,  with  the  occasional  excep- 
tions arising  from  such  grouping,8  the  collection  is 
arranged  chronologically, — as  far  as  it  was  possi- 
ble.— But  here  arose  the  difficulty  : — the  family 
letters,  extending  through  a  period  of  twenty  years, 
were  almost  all  without  date  of  the  year,  though 
supplied  with  that  of  month  and  day:  and  they 
were  bound  up  without  any  kind  of  order.  To  sup- 
ply the  omission  was  no  easy  affair.  Some  of  the 
letters  indeed  contained  incidents  which  determin- 
ed the  year,  and  in  a  few  the  day  of  the  week  was 
mentioned,  but  in  the  great  majority  I  was  com- 
pelled to  judge  by  the  connection  of  their  subjects 
with  those  which  I  had  already  dated.  It  was  in 
short  a  process  of  approximation,  which,  after  all, 
has  left  many  very  doubtfully,  and  several,  I  fear, 
wrongly  arranged.  Some  of  little  interest  I  reject- 
ed, from  utter  inability  to  place  them; — and,  could 
I  have  foreseen  the  bulk  of  the  volume,  the  rejec- 
tions would  have  been  more  unsparing. 
A  copious  Index  closes  the  whole. 

The  portrait  at  the  head  of  this  work,  has  been 
engraved  by  Mr.  Edwards9  from  White's,  in  the 

8  Excepting  also  the  supplementary  series  of  letters  at  pages  417  and  461. 
9  No.  1.   Gloucester  Place,  Camden  Town. 


DR.  JOHNSON'S  LIFE 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE. 


Though  the  writer  of  the  following  Essays *  seems  to 
have  had  the  fortune  common  among  men  of  letters, 
of  raising  little  curiosity  after  his  private  life,  and  has, 
therefore,  few  memorials  preserved  of  his  felicities  or 
misfortunes  ;  yet,  because  an  edition  of  a  posthumous 
work  appears  imperfect  and  neglected,  without  some 
account  of  the  author,  it  was  thought  necessary  to 
attempt  the  gratification  of  that  curiosity  which  na- 
turally inquires,  by  what  peculiarities  of  nature  or 
fortune  eminent  men  have  been  distinguished,  how 
uncommon  attainments  have  been  gained,  and  what 
influence  learning  has  had  on  its  possessors,  or  virtue 
on  its  teachers. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  was  born  at  London,  in  the 
parish  of  St.  Michael  in  Cheapside,2  on  the  19th  of 

1  The  following  Essays.']  It  will  be  chad  ad  Bladum,  or  "  at  the  Corn  :  "  the 
recollected  that  this  life  was  written  in  church  having  been  originally  erected 
1756,  not  for  an  entire  edition  of  Browne's  about  the  reign  of  Edward  III,  on  the 
works,  but  for  a  second  impression  of  site  of  a  corn  market.  The  church  was 
his  Christian  Morals,  originally  publish-  taken  down  and  rebuilt  in  1430,  in  the 
ed  by  Archdeacon  Jeffery  in  1716,  and  eighth  of  Henry  VI.  In  the  great  fire  of 
reprinted  by  Payne  in  1756.  London  it  was  destroyed,  and  not  sub- 

2  St..  Michael  in  Cheapside.]     St.  Mi-  sequently  rebuilt,  the  parish  being  united 
chael's  Cheap,  as  it  was  formerly  called,  to   that  of  St.   Vedast,   in    Foster-lane. 
or    St.    Michael -le- Quern,    probably    a  The  registers  have  all  perished, 
corruption  of  the  translation  of  St.  Mi- 

VOL.   I.  b 


XV111  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

October,  1605.*  His  father3  was  a  merchant4  of  an 
ancient  family  at  Upton  in  Cheshire.  Of  the  name 
or  family  of  his  mother,  I  find  no  account.5 

Of  his  childhood  or  youth,  there  is  little  known  ; 
except  that  he  lost  his  father  very  early ;  that  he  was, 
according  to  the  common  fate  of  orphans,  t  defrauded 
by  one  of  his  guardians  ;  and  that  he  was  placed  for 
his  education  at  the  school  of  Winchester.6 

His  mother,  having  taken  three  thousand  pounds,^ 
as  the  third  part  of  her  husband's  property,  left  her 
son,  by  consequence,  six  thousand;7  a  large  fortune 
for  a  man  destined  to  learning,  at  that  time  when 
commerce  had  not  yet  filled  the  nation  with  nominal 
riches.  But  it  happened  to  him  as  to  many  others, 
to  be  made  poorer  by  opulence ;  for  his  mother  soon 
married  Sir  Thomas  Dutton,  probably  by  the  induce- 
ment of  her  fortune  ;  and  he  was  left  to  the  rapacity 
of  his  guardian,  deprived  now  of  both  his  parents,  and 
therefore  helpless  and  unprotected. 

He  was  removed  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1623 
from  Winchester  to  Oxford  ;  §  and  entered  a  gentle- 
man-commoner of  Broadgate  Hall,  which  was  soon 
afterwards  endowed,  and  took  the  name  of  Pembroke 
College,  from  the  Earl  of  Pembroke,  then  Chancellor 
of  the  University.  He  was  admitted  to  the  degree 
of  bachelor  of  arts,  January8  31,   1626-7,  being,  as 

*  Life  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  prefixed  to  the  Antiquities  of  Norwich. 

f    White foof  s  Character  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  in  a  marginal  note. 

X  Life,  Sj-c.  §    Wood's  Athena  Oxonienses. 

3  His  father. ~\  Whom  Blomfield  er-  in  Sussex.  He  mentions  his  grandfather 
roneously  names  John. — Vol.  ii.  291.  in  a  letter,  p.  323. 

4  a  merchant.']  Mrs.  Lyttelton  (as  we  °  the  school,  8fe,"\  Wykeham's  school, 
are    informed  by  Bishop  Kennet)   says  near  Winchester. — Posth.  Life. 

that   her  father    was    "  a  tradesman,  a  '  left  her  son,  8fc.~\     This  would   be 

mercer;   but  a  gentleman  of  good  family  correct,  had  he  been  an  only  child;  but 

in  Cheshire." — Europ.  Mag.  xl,  p.  89.  he  had  a  brother  and  two  sisters. 

5  no  accoimt.]  From  a  pedigree  in  s  January.]  June  31,  1626:  half  a 
the  College  of  Arms,  (which  I  have  print-  year  earlier,  says  Wood. — Fasti  i,  426, 
ed,)  it  appears  that  his  mother  was  Ann,  ed.  Bliss. 

the  daughter  of  Paul  Garraway,  of  Lewes, 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XIX 

Wood  remarks,  the  first  man  of  eminence  graduated 
from  the  new  college,  to  which  the  zeal  or  gratitude  of 
those  that  love  it  most,  can  wish  little  better,  than 
that  it  may  long  proceed  as  it  began. 

Having  afterwards  taken  his  degree  of  master  of 
arts,9  he  turned  his  studies  to  physick,  and  practised 
it  for  some  time  in  Oxfordshire  ;*  but  soon  afterwards, 
either  induced  by  curiosity,  or  invited  by  promises, 
he  quitted  his  settlement,  and  accompanied  his  father- 
in-law,!  who  had  some  employment  in  Ireland,  in  a 
visitation  of  the  forts  and  castles,  which  the  state  of 
Ireland  then  made  necessary. 

He  that  has  once  prevailed  on  himself  to  break  his 
connexions  of  acquaintance,  and  begin  a  wrandering 
life,  very  easily  continues  it.  Ireland  had,  at  that 
time,  very  little  to  offer  to  the  observation  of  a  man 
of  letters :  he,  therefore,  passed  into  France  and 
Italy  ;t  made  some  stay  at  Montpellier  and  Padua, 
which  were  then  the  celebrated  schools  of  physick  j 
and  returning  home  through  Holland,  procured  him- 
self to  be  created  doctor  of  physick  at  Leyden.1 

When  he  began  his  travels,  or  when  he  concluded 
them,  there  is  no  certain  account;2  nor  do  there  re- 
main any  observations  made  by  him  in  his  passage 
through  those  countries  which  he  visited.  To  con- 
sider, therefore,  what  pleasure  or  instruction  might 
have  been  received  from  the  remarks  of  a  man  so  cu- 
rious and  diligent,  would  be  voluntarily  to  indulge  a 
painful  reflection,  and  load  the  imagination  with  a 
wish,  which,  while  it  is  formed,  is  known  to  be  vain. 
It   is,  however,  to   be   lamented,  that  those  who  are 

*    Wood's  Athena  Oxonienses,  vol.  i,  col.  713.  f  Life,  Sfc.  J  Ibid. 

9  master  of  arts. ~\      June  11,  1629. —         2   When  he  began,   8{C.~\     It  was   be- 
Wnod's  Fasti.  tween  1630  and  1633. 

1  at  Leyden.']    About  1633,  probably. 


XX  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LITE    OF 

most  capable  of  improving  mankind,  very  frequently 
neglect  to  communicate  their  knowledge;  either  be- 
cause it  is  more  pleasing  to  gather  ideas  than  to  im- 
part them,  or  because  to  minds  naturally  great,  few 
things  appear  of  so  much  importance  as  to  deserve 
the  notice  of  the  publick. 

About  the  year  1634,*  he  is  supposed  to  have  re- 
turned to  London  ;  and  the  next  year  to  have  written 
his  celebrated  treatise,  called  Religio  Medici,'6  "the 
religion  of  a  physician,"  t  which  he  declares  himself 
never  to  have  intended  for  the  press,  having  composed 
it  only  for  his  own  exercise  and  entertainment.  It, 
indeed,  contains  many  passages,  which,  relating  merely 
to  his  own  person,  can  be  of  no  great  importance  to 
the  publick :  but  when  it  was  written,  it  happened  to 
him  as  to  others,  he  was  too  much  pleased  with  his 
performance,  not  to  think  that  it  might  please  others 
as  much  ;  he,  therefore,  communicated  it  to  his  friends, 
and  receiving,  I  suppose,  that  exuberant  applause  with 
which  every  man  repays  the  grant  of  perusing  a  ma- 
nuscript, he  was  not  very  diligent  to  obstruct  his  own 
praise  by  recalling  his  papers,  but  suffered  them  to 
wander  from  hand  to  hand,  till  at  last,  without  his 
own  consent,  they  were  in  1642  given  to  a  printer. 

This  has,  perhaps,  sometimes  befallen  others ;  and 
this,  I  am  willing  to  believe,  did  really  happen  to  Dr. 

*  Biographia  Britannica.  +  Letter  to  Sir  Xenelm  Digby,  vol.  ii,  p.  xxvii. 

J  Religio  Medici.]     Dr.  Kippis  deems  would  be  163(5 ;  which  is  contradicted  by 

himself  to  have  proved,   in  his  note  B,  another  passage  in  Religio  Medici,  (p.  60,) 

p.  628,  that  Religio  Medici  was  written  in  which  Browne  says  he  was  not  thirty 

in  1635.      His  argument  is  drawn  from  years  old,  whereas  in  1636  he  was  older, 

a  comparison  of  the   date   of  Browne's  I  think  it,  however,  very  possible  that 

Letter  to  Digby,  (March  3,  1642,)  with  the  true  reading  of  the  passage  at  p.  xxxi, 

a  passage  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Reader,  vol.  ii,  is    "  above  seven  years,"  which 

(p.  xxxi,  vol.    ii,)    stating  that  it    was  would  justify   Dr.  Johnson's  date.      See 

written   "about  seven  years  ago."     But  the  point  spoken  of  in  the  Preface  to  Re- 

this    is    inconclusive;    because  the    true  ligio  Medici,  and  in  the  Supplementary 

date  of  the  letter  being  1642-3,  the  result  Mevioir. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE. 


Browne  :  but  there  is,  sorely,  some  reason  to  doubt 
the  truth  of  the  complaint  so  frequently  made  of  sur- 
reptitious editions.  A  song,  or  an  epigram,  may  be 
easily  printed  without  the  author's  knowledge  ;  be- 
cause it  may  be  learned  when  it  is  repeated,  or  may 
be  written  out  with  very  little  trouble :  but  a  long- 
treatise,  however  elegant,  is  not  often  copied  by  mere 
zeal  or  curiosity,  but  may  be  worn  out  in  passing  from 
hand  to  hand,  before  it  is  multiplied  by  a  transcript.4 
It  is  easy  to  convey  an  imperfect  book,  by  a  distant 
hand,  to  the  press,  and  plead  the  circulation  of  a  false 
copy  as  an  excuse  for  publishing  the  true,  or  to  cor- 
rect what  is  found  faulty  or  offensive,  and  charge  the 
errors  on  the  transcriber's  depravations. 

This  is  a  stratagem,  by  which  an  author  panting 
for  fame,  and  yet  afraid  of  seeming  to  challenge  it, 
may  at  once  gratify  his  vanity,  and  preserve  the  ap- 
pearance of  modesty;  may  enter  the  lists,  and  secure 
a  retreat :  and  this,  candour  might  suffer  to  pass  un- 
detected as  an  innocent  fraud,  but  that  indeed  no 
fraud  is  innocent ;  for  the  confidence  which  makes 
the  happiness  of  society,  is  in  some  degree  diminished 
by  every  man,  whose  practice  is  at  variance  with  his 
words. 

The  Religio  Medici  was  no  sooner  published  than 
it  excited  the  attention  of  the  publick,  by  the  novelty 
of  paradoxes,  the  dignity  of  sentiment,  the  quick 
succession  of  images,  the  multitude  of  abstruse  allu- 
sions, the  subtlety  of  disquisition,  and  the  strength  of 
language. 

What  is  much  read,  will  be  much  criticised.  The 
Earl  of  Dorset  recommended  this  book  to  the  perusal 
of  Sir   Kenelm   Digby,   who  returned  his  judgment 

''  a  transcript.]     See  remarks  on  this  point  in  the  Preface  to  Religio  Medici. 


XX11  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

upon  it;  not  in  a  letter,  but  a  book  ;  in  which,  though 
mingled  with  some  positions  fabulous  and  uncertain, 
there  are  acute  remarks,  just  censures,  and  profound 
speculations,  yet  its  principal  claim  to  admiration  is, 
that  it  was  written  in  twenty-four  hours,*  of  which 
part  was  spent  in  procuring  Browne's  book,  and  part 
in  reading  it. 

Of  these  animadversions,  when  they  were  yet  not 
all  printed,  either  officiousness  or  malice  informed 
Dr.  Browne ;  who  wrote  to  Sir  Kenelm  with  much 
softness  and  ceremony,  declaring  the  unworthiness  of 
his  work  to  engage  such  notice,  the  intended  privacy 
of  the  composition,  and  the  corruptions  of  the  im- 
pression ;  and  received  an  answer  equally  gentle  and 
respectful,  containing  high  commendations  of  the 
piece,  pompous  professions  of  reverence,  meek  ac- 
knowledgments of  inability,  and  anxious  apologies 
for  the  hastiness  of  his  remarks. 

The  reciprocal  civility  of  authors  is  one  of  the  most 
risible  scenes  in  the  farce  of  life.  Who  would  not 
have  thought,  that  these  two  luminaries  of  their  age 
had  ceased  to  endeavour  to  grow  bright  by  the  ob- 
scuration of  each  other :  yet  the  animadversions  thus 
weak,  thus  precipitate,  upon  a  book  thus  injured  in 
the  transcription,  quickly  passed  the  press  ;  and  Reli- 
gio  Medici  was  more  accurately  published,  with  an 
admonition  prefixed  "  to  those  who  have  or  shall  pe- 
ruse the  observations  upon  a  former  corrupt  copy ;" 
in  which  there  is  a  severe  censure,  not  upon  Digby, 
who  was  to  be  used  with  ceremony,  but  upon  the 
Observator  who  had  usurped  his  name  :  nor  was  this 
invective  written  by  Dr.  Browne,5  who  was  supposed 

*  Digby's  Letter  to  Browne,  vol.  ii,  p.  xxix. 
5  nor  was    this    invective,    <^c]     Yet     as  that  of  the  advertisement  relating  to 
the  style  of  this  admonition  would  justify     Nature's  Cabinet    Unlocked,   which    Dr. 
our  ascribing  it  to  Browne,  quite  as  much     Johnson  considers  to  have  been  his. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XXill 

to  be  satisfied  with  his  opponent's  apology ;  but  by 
some  officious  friend  zealous  for  his  honour,  without 
his  consent. 

Browne  has,  indeed,  in  his  own  preface,  endea- 
voured to  secure  himself  from  rigorous  examination, 
by  alleging,  that  "  many  things  are  delivered  rheto- 
rically, many  expressions  merely  tropical,  and  there- 
fore many  things  to  be  taken  in  a  soft  and  flexible 
sense,  and  not  to  be  called  unto  the  rigid  test  of 
reason."  The  first  glance  upon  his  book  will  indeed 
discover  examples  of  this  liberty  of  thought  and  ex- 
pression :  "  I  could  be  content  (says  he6)  to  be  nothing 
almost  to  eternity,  if  I  might  enjoy  my  Saviour  at  the 
last."  He  has  little  acquaintance  with  the  acuteness 
of  Browne,  who  suspects  him  of  a  serious  opinion, 
that  any  thing  can  be  "  almost  eternal,"  or  that  any 
time  beginning  and  ending  is  not  infinitely  less  than 
infinite  duration. 

In  this  book,  he  speaks  much,  and,  in  the  opinion 
of  Digby,  too  much  of  himself;  but  with  such  gene- 
rality and  conciseness  as  affords  very  little  light  to  his 
biographer :  he  declares,  that,  besides  the  dialects  of 
different  provinces,  he  understood  six  languages  ;  that 
he  was  no  stranger  to  astronomy ;  and  that  he  had 
seen  several  countries  :  but  what  most  awakens  curi- 
osity, is  his  solemn  assertion,  that  "his  life  has  been 
a  miracle  of  thirty  years ;  which  to  relate,  were  not 
history  but  a  piece  of  poetry,  and  would  sound  like  a 
fable." 

There  is,  undoubtedly,  a  sense,  in  which  all  life  is 
miraculous ;  as  it  is  an  union  of  powers  of  which  we 
can  image  no  connexion,  a  succession  of  motions  of 
which  the  first  cause  must  be  supernatural :  but  life, 

6  (says  he.)]     Religio  Medici,  i,  p.  11. 


XXIV  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

thus  explained;  whatever  it  may  have  of  miracle,  will 
have  nothing  of  fable  ;  and,  therefore,  the  author  un- 
doubtedly had  regard  to  something,  by  which  he  ima- 
gined himself  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  mankind. 

Of  these  wonders,  however,  the  view  that  can  be 
now  taken  of  his  life  offers  no  appearance.  The 
course  of  his  education  was  like  that  of  others,  such 
as  put  him  little  in  the  way  of  extraordinary  casual- 
ties. A  scholastick  and  academical  life  is  very  uni- 
form ;  and  has,  indeed,  more  safety  than  pleasure. 
A  traveller  has  greater  opportunities  of  adventure; 
but  Browne  traversed  no  unknown  seas,  or  Arabian 
deserts  :  and,  surely,  a  man  may  visit  France  and  Italy, 
reside  at  Montpellier  and  Padua,  and  at  last  take  his 
degree  at  Leyden,  without  any  thing  miraculous. 
What  it  was,  that  would,  if  it  was  related,  sound  so 
poetical  and  fabulous,  we  are  left  to  guess  ;  I  believe, 
without  hope  of  guessing  rightly.  The  wonders  pro- 
bably were  transacted  in  his  own  mind  :  self-love,  co- 
operating with  an  imagination  vigorous  and  fertile  as 
that  of  Browne,  will  find  or  make  objects  of  astonish- 
ment in  every  man's  life :  and,  perhaps,  there  is  no 
human  being,  however  hid  in  the  crowd  from  the  ob- 
servation of  his  fellow-mortals,  who,  if  he  has  leisure 
and  disposition  to  recollect  his  own  thoughts  and  ac- 
tions, will  not  conclude  his  life  in  some  sort  a  miracle, 
and  imagine  himself  distinguished  from  all  the  rest  of 
his  species  by  many  discriminations  of  nature  or  of 
fortune. 

The  success  of  this  performance  was  such,  as  might 
naturally  encourage  the  author  to  new  undertakings. 
A  gentleman  of  Cambridge,*  whose  name  was  Merry- 
weather,  turned   it  not  inelegantly  into   Latin ;  and 

*   We,  Sfc. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XXV 

from  his  version  it  was  again  translated  into  Italian/ 
German,  Dnteh,  and  French ;  and  at  Strasburg  the 
Latin  translation  was  published  with  large  notes,  by 
Lenuus  Nicolaus  Moltfarius.8  Of  the  English  anno- 
tations, which  in  all  the  editions  from  1644  accom- 
pany the  book,  the  author  is  unknown.9 

Of  Merryweather,  to  whose  zeal  Browne  was  so 
much  indebted  for  the  sudden  extension  of  his  re 
nown,  I  know  nothing,  but  that  he  published  a  small 
treatise  for  the  instruction  of  young  persons  in  the 
attainment  of  a  Latin  stile.1  He  printed  his  transla- 
tion in  Holland  with  some  difficulty.*  The  first 
printer  to  whom  he  offered  it,  carried  it  to  Salmasius, 
"  who  laid  it  by  (says  he)  in  state  for  three  months," 
and  then  discouraged  its  publication :  it  was  afterwards 
rejected  by  two  other  printers,  and  at  last  was  received 
by  Hackius. 

The  peculiarities  of  this  book  raised  the  author,  as 
is  usual,  many  admirers  and  many  enemies  ;  but  we 
know  not  of  more  than  one  professed  answer,2  written 
under  the  title  of  Medlcus  MedicatusA  by  Alexan- 
der Ross,  which  wras  universally  neglected  by  the 
world. 

At  the  time  when  this  book  was  published,  Dr. 
Browne  resided  at  Norwich,  where  he  had  settled  in 
1636,  by  the  persuasion  of  Dr.  Lushington^  his  tutor, 

*  Merryweather' 's  Letter — Correspondence,  vol.  ii,  367. 
f  Life,  Sfc.  %    Wood. 

7  Italian.]  This  translation  I  have  encore  Conclave  Alexaridri  VII,  et  alia 
never  met  with,  nor  have  I  ever  seen  it  Historica  conjunctim  edita  Slesvici,  1656, 
more  distinctly  mentioned  than  in  this  8vo." — Niceron,  Mem.  p.  servir  a  I'Hist. 
notice.  den  Homm.es  Celebres,  xxiii,  356. 

8  Lenuus  Nicolaus  Moltfarius  ]  The  9  the  author,  ^c]  Was  Mr.  Thomas 
true  name  is  Levinus  Nicolaus  Moltke-  Keck,  of  the  Temple. — Pr.  to  liel.  Med. 
nius.  He  signs  his  preface,  (vol.  ii,  '  Latin  stile.]  See  Supplementarij 
p.  156,)  in  initials,  thus,  L.N.  M.  E.  M.  Memoir. 

which  are  thus  explained  by  a  French  2  answer.]     In  1645 See  Preface  to 

critic: — ■"  Ces  lettres  initiates  designent  Religio Medici,  p.  viii,  and  Supplementary 
Levinus    Nicolaus   Moltkius,    dont  on   a     Memoir. 


XXVI  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 


who  was  then  rector  of  Burnham  Westgate3  in  the 
neighbourhood.  It  is  recorded  by  Wood,  that  his 
practice  was  very  extensive,  and  that  many  patients 
resorted  to  him.  In  1637*  he  was  incorporated  doc- 
tor of  physick  in  Oxford. 

He  married  in  1641 1  Mrs.  Mileham,  of  a  good  fa- 
mily in  Norfolk;4  "a  lady  (says  Whitefoot)  of  such 
symmetrical  proportion  to  her  worthy  husband,  both 
in  the  graces  of  her  body  and  mind,  that  they  seemed 
to  come  together  by  a  kind  of  natural  magnetism." 

This  marriage  could  not  but  draw  the  raillery  of 
contemporary  wits  I  upon  a  man,  who  had  just  been 
wishing  in  his  new  book,  "that  we  might  procreate, 
like  trees,  without  conjunction  ;"  and  had  lately  de- 
clared, §  that  "  the  whole  world  was  made  for  man,  but 
only  the  twelfth  part  of  man  for  woman ;"  and,  that 
"man  is  the  whole  world,  but  woman  only  the  rib  or 
crooked  part  of  man." 

Whether  the  lady  had  been  yet  informed  of  these 
contemptuous  positions,  or  whether  she  was  pleased 
with  the  conquest  of  so  formidable  a  rebel,  and  con- 
sidered it  as  a  double  triumph,  to  attract  so  much 
merit,  and  overcome  so  powerful  prejudices  ;  or  whe- 
ther, like  most  others,  she  married  upon  mingled 
motives,  between  convenience  and  inclination ;  she 
had,  however,  no  reason  to  repent :  for  she  lived  hap- 
pily Avith  him  one  and  forty  years  ;  and  bore  him  ten5 
children,  of  whom  one  son  and  three  daughters  out- 
lived their  parents :  she  survived  him  two  years,  and 
passed  her  widowhood  in  plenty,  if  not  in  opulence. 

*    Wood.  f    Whitefoot. 

X  Howell's  Letters,  book  i,  GO,  and  Religio  Bibliopolee.  §  Religio  Medici. 

3  Burnliam    Westgate.']     See   Supple-     Edward  Mileham,  Esq.  of  Burlingham, 
mentary  Memoir.  in  Norfolk. — See  Pedigree,  fyc. 

4  Mrs.  Mileham,  #c]     Daughter   of        s  ten.]     Eleven.— See  Pedigree. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE. 


Browne  having  now  entered  the  world  as  an  author, 
and  experienced  the  delights  of  praise  and  molesta- 
tions of  censure,  probably  found  his  dread  of  the  pub- 
lick  eye  diminished ;  and,  therefore,  was  not  long 
before  he  trusted  his  name  to  the  criticks  a  second 
time :  for  in  1646*  he  printed  Enquiries  into  Vulgar 
and  Common  Errors ;  a  work,  which  as  it  arose  not 
from  fancy  and  invention,  but  from  observation  and 
books,  and  contained  not  a  single  discourse  of  one 
continued  tenor,  of  which  the  latter  part  rose  from 
the  former,  but  an  enumeration  of  many  unconnected 
particulars,  must  have  been  the  collection  of  years, 
and  the  effect  of  a  design  early  formed  and  long  pur- 
sued, to  which  his  remarks  had  been  continually  re- 
ferred, and  which  arose  gradually  to  its  present  bulk 
by  the  daily  aggregation  of  new  particles  of  knowledge. 
It  is,  indeed,  to  be  wished,  that  he  had  longer  delayed 
the  publication,  and  added  what  the  remaining  part 
of  his  life  might  have  furnished:  the  thirty-six  years 
which  he  spent  afterwards  in  study  and  experience, 
would  doubtless  have  made  large  additions  to  an 
"  Enquiry  into  Vulgar  Errors."  He  published  in 
1672  the  sixth  edition,  with  some  improvements  ;  but 
I  think  rather  with  explications  of  what  he  had  already 
written,  than  any  new  heads  of  disquisition.  But 
with  the  work,  such  as  the  author,  whether  hindered 
from  continuing  it  by  eagerness  of  praise,  or  weariness 
of  labour,  thought  fit  to  give,  we  must  be  content ; 
and  remember,  that  in  all  sublunary  things,  there  is 
something  to  be  wished,  which  we  must  wish  in  vain. 

This  book,  like  his  former,  was  received  with  great 
applause,  was  answered  by  Alexander  Ross,  and  trans- 
lated into  Dutch  and  German,  and  not  many  years 

*  Life,  Sfc. 


XXV111  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

ago  into  French.  It  might  now  be  proper,  had  not 
the  favour  with  which  it  was  at  first  received  filled  the 
kingdom  with  copies,  to  reprint  it  with  notes  partly 
supplemental  and  partly  emendatory,  to  subjoin  those 
discoveries  which  the  industrv  of  the  last  a£:e  has 
made,  and  correct  those  mistakes  which  the  author 
has  committed,  not  by  idleness  or  negligence,  but  for 
want  of  Boyle's  and  Newton's  philosophy.6 

He  appears,  indeed,  to  have  been  willing  to  pay 
labour  for  truth.7  Having  heard  a  flying  rumour  of 
sympathetick  needles,  by  which,  suspended  over  a  cir- 
cular alphabet,  distant  friends  or  lovers  might  corre- 
spond, he  procured  two  such  alphabets  to  be  made, 
touched  his  needles  with  the  same  magnet,  and  placed 
them  upon  proper  spindles  :  the  result  was,  that  when 
he  moved  one  of  his  needles,  the  other,  instead  of 
taking  by  sympathy  the  same  direction,  "  stood  like 
the  pillars  of  Hercules."  That  it  continued  motion- 
less, will  be  easily  believed ;  and  most  men  would 
have  been  content  to  believe  it,  without  the  labour  of 
so  hopeless  an  experiment.  Browne  might  himself 
have  obtained  the  same  conviction  by  a  method  less 
operose,  if  he  had  thrust  his  needles  through  corks, 
and  then  set  them  afloat  in  two  basons  of  water. 

Notwithstanding  his  zeal  to  detect  old  errors,  he 
seems  not  very  easy  to  admit  new  positions ;  for  he 
never   mentions  the  motion   of  the   earth   but   with 

6   This   booh,   ^c]       See    Preface   to  ments   depended.     By   this   disappoinl- 

1'seudodo.ria  Epidemlca ,  for  a  detailed  ac-  merit,    (which  I  submitted  to  repeated 

count  of  the  replies  to  it,  as  well  as  of  delays,  in  the  vain  hope  of  avoiding,)   1 

the  various  editions  and  translations  of  have  been  deprived  of  some  important 

the  work  itself.      If  the  present  edition  scientific   illustrations,    precisely  of  the 

be  deemed  but  imperfectly  to  answer  the  character  described  in  the  paragraph  be- 

doctor's  description  of  what  it  ought  to  fore  us 

be,  I  can  only  offer  the  plea,  that  ar-  '   truth.]   His  willingness  to  take  pains 

rangements  (on  whose  efficiency  I  was  to  disprove  even  the  most  absurd  fables,  is 

justified  in  relying)  have  been,  in  a  great  well  evinced  in  his  chapter  On  the  Three 

measure,  frustrated,  by  the  nonfulfilment  Kings  of  Cullcin,  vol.  iii,  p.  317. 
of  engagements,  on  which  those  arrange- 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XXIX 

contempt  and  ridicule,  though  the  opinion,  which 
admits  it,  was  then  growing  popular,  and  was,  surely, 
plausible,  even  before  it  was  confirmed  by  later  ob- 
servations. 

The  reputation  of  Browne  encouraged  some  low 
writer  to  publish,  under  his  name,  a  book  called 
"Nature's  Cabinet  Unlocked," *  translated,  according 
to  Wood,  from  the  physicks  of  Magirus  ;  of  which 
Browne  took  care  to  clear  himself,  by  modestly  adver- 
tising, that  "  if  any  man  had  been  benefited  by  it,  he 
was  not  so  ambitious  as  to  challenge  the  honour 
thereof,  as  having  no  hand  in  that  work."t 

In  1658  the  discovery  of  some  ancient  urns  in  Nor- 
folk gave  him  occasion  to  write  Hydriotaphia,  Urn- 
Burial,  or  a  Discourse  of  Sepulchral  Urns,  in  which 
he  treats  with  his  usual  learning  on  the  funeral  rites 
of  the  ancient  nations ;  exhibits  their  various  treat- 
ment of  the  dead  ;  and  examines  the  substances  found 
in  his  Norfolcian  urns.  There  is,  perhaps,  none  of 
his  works  which  better  exemplifies  his  reading  or 
memory.  It  is  scarcely  to  be  imagined,  how  many 
particulars  he  has  amassed  together,  in  a  treatise 
which  seems  to  have  been  occasionally  written ;  and 
for  which,  therefore,  no  materials  could  have  been 
previously  collected.  It  is,  indeed,  like  other  treatises 
of  antiquity,  rather  for  curiosity  than  use ;  for  it  is  of 
small  importance  to  know  which  nation  buried  their 
dead  in  the  ground,  wrhich  threw  them  into  the  sea, 
or  which  gave  them  to  birds  and  beasts ;  when  the 
practice  of  cremation  began,  or  when  it  was  disused ; 
whether  the  bones  of  different  persons  were  mingled 
in  the  same  urn  ;  what  oblations  were  throwoi  into 
the  pyre ;  or  how  the  ashes  of  the  body  were  distin- 

*   Wood,  and  Life  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne.  f   At  the  end  of  the  Garden  of  Cyrus. 


XXX  BR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

guished  from  those  of  other  substances.  Of  the  use- 
lessness  of  all  these  enquiries,  Browne  seems  not  to 
have  been  ignorant ;  and,  therefore,  concludes  them 
with  an  observation  which  can  never  be  too  frequently 
recollected. 

"  All  or  most  apprehensions  rested  in  opinions  of 
some  future  being,  which  ignorant! y  or  coldly  be- 
lieved, begat  those  perverted  conceptions,  ceremonies, 
sayings,  which  Christians  pity  or  laugh  at.  Happy 
are  they,  which  live  not  in  that  disadvantage  of  time, 
when  men  could  say  little  for  futurity,  but  from  rea- 
son ;  whereby  the  noblest  minds  fell  often  upon  doubt- 
ful deaths,  and  melancholy  dissolutions :  with  these 
hopes  Socrates  warmed  his  doubtful  spirits,  against 
the  cold  potion  ;  and  Cato,  before  he  durst  give  the 
fatal  stroke,  spent  part  of  the  night  in  reading  the 
immortality  of  Plato,  thereby  confirming  his  wavering 
hand  unto  the  animosity  of  that  attempt. 

"  It  is  the  heaviest  stone  that  melancholy  can  throw 
at  man,  to  tell  him  he  is  at  the  end  of  his  nature  ;  or 
that  there  is  no  further  state  to  come,  unto  which  this 
seems  progressional,  and  otherwise  made  in  vain  : 
without  this  accomplishment,  the  natural  expectation 
and  desire  of  such  a  state,  were  but  a  fallacy  in  na- 
ture ;  unsatisfied  considerators  would  quarrel  the  jus- 
tice of  their  constitution,  and  rest  content  that  Adam 
had  fallen  lower,  whereby,  by  knowing  no  other  ori- 
ginal, and  deeper  ignorance  of  themselves,  they  might 
have  enjoyed  the  happiness  of  inferior  creatures,  who 
in  tranquillity  possess  their  constitutions,  as  having 
not  the  apprehension  to  deplore  their  own  natures ; 
and  being  framed  below  the  circumference  of  these 
hopes  or  cognition  of  better  things,  the  wisdom  of 
God  hath  necessitated  their  contentment.     But  the 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE. 


superior  ingredient  and  obscured  part  of  ourselves, 
whereto  all  present  felicities  afford  no  resting  content- 
ment, will  be  able  at  last  to  tell  us  we  are  more  than 
our  present  selves  ;  and  evacuate  such  hopes  in  the 
fruition  of  their  own  accomplishments." 

To  his  treatise  on  Urnburial  was  added  the  Garden 
of  Cyrus,  or  the  Quincunxial  Lozenge,  or  Network 
Plantation  of  the  Ancients,  Artificially,  Naturally, 
Mystically  Considered.8  This  discourse  he  begins 
with  the  Sacred  Garden,  in  which  the  first  man  was 
placed  ;  and  deduces  the  practice  of  horticulture  from 
the  earliest  accounts  of  antiquity  to  the  time  of 
the  Persian  Cyrus,  the  first  man  whom  we  actually 
know  to  have  planted  a  Quincunx  ;  which,  however, 
our  author  is  inclined  to  believe  of  longer  date,  and 
not  only  discovers  it  in  the  description  of  the  hanging 
gardens  of  Babylon,  but  seems  willing  to  believe,  and 
to  persuade  his  reader,  that  it  was  practised  by  the 
feeders  on  vegetables  before  the  flood. 

Some  of  the  most  pleasing  performances  have  been 
produced  by  learning  and  genius  exercised  upon  sub- 
jects of  little  importance.  It  seems  to  have  been,  in 
all  ages,  the  pride  of  wit,  to  shew  how  it  could  exalt 
the  low,  and  amplify  the  little.  To  speak  not  inade- 
quately of  things  really  and  naturally  great,  is  a  task 
not  only  difficult  but  disagreeable  ;  because  the  writer 
is  degraded  in  his  own  eyes  by  standing  in  comparison 
with  his  subject,  to  which  he  can  hope  to  add  nothing 
from  his  imagination :  but  it  is  a  perpetual  triumph 
of  fancy  to  expand  a  scanty  theme,  to  raise  glittering 
ideas  from  obscure  properties,  and  to  produce  to  the 

8   Mystically  Considered.]     He  with-  with  apprehension  and  distrust,  the  Cu- 

stood    the    Copernican    hypothesis — on  vierian  System  of  Geology — as  opposing 

precisely  the  same  ground  on  which  some  the  statements  of  Scripture. — See  vol.  ii, 

modern  naturalists  are  disposed  to  regard,  p.  164,  and  the  Supplementary  Memoir. 


XXX11  DR.    JOHNSONS    LIFE    OF 

world  an  object  of  wonder  to  which  nature  had  con- 
tributed little.  To  this  ambition,  perhaps,  we  owe 
the  Frogs  of  Homer,  the  Gnat  and  the  Bees  of  Virgil, 
the  Butterfly  of  Spenser,  the  Shadow  of  Wowerus,  and 
the  Quincunx  of  Browne. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  sport  of  fancy,  he  consi- 
ders every  production  of  art  and  nature,  in  which  he 
could  find  any  decussation  or  approaches  to  the  form 
of  a  Quincunx  ;  and  as  a  man  once  resolved  upon 
ideal  discoveries,  seldom  searches  long  in  vain,  he  finds 
his  favourite  figure  in  almost  every  thing,  whether 
natural  or  invented,  ancient  or  modern,  rude  or  arti- 
ficial, sacred  and  civil ;  so  that  a  reader,  not  watchful 
against  the  power  of  his  infusions,  would  imagine  that 
decussation  was  the  great  business  of  the  world,  and 
that  nature  and  art  had  no  other  purpose  than  to  ex- 
emplify and  imitate  a  Quincunx. 

To  shew  the  excellence  of  this  figure,  he  enume- 
rates all  its  properties ;  and  finds  in  it  almost  every 
thing  of  use  or  pleasure  :  and  to  shew  how  readily  he 
supplies  what  he  cannot  find,  one  instance  may  be 
sufficient ;  "  though  therein  (says  he)  we  meet  not 
with  right  angles,  yet  every  rhombus  containing  four 
angles  equal  unto  two  right,  it  virtually  contains  two 
right  in  every  one." 

The  fanciful  sports  of  great  minds  are  never  with- 
out some  advantage  to  knowledge.  Browne  has  in- 
terspersed many  curious  observations  on  the  form  of 
plants,  and  the  laws  of  vegetation ;  and  appears  to 
have  been  a  very  accurate  observer  of  the  modes  of 
germination,  and  to  have  watched  with  great  nicety 
the  evolution  of  the  parts  of  plants  from  their  seminal 
principles. 

He  is  then  naturallv  led  to  treat   of  the  number 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XXX111 

five ;  and  finds,  that  by  this  number  many  things  are 
circumscribed ;  that  there  are  five  kinds  of  vegetable 
productions,  five  sections  of  a  cone,  five  orders  of  ar- 
chitecture, and  five  acts  of  a  play.  And  observing  that 
five  was  the  ancient  conjugal  or  wedding  number,  he 
proceeds  to  a  speculation  which  I  shall  give  in  his 
own  words ;  "  the  ancient  numerists  made  out  the 
conjugal  number  by  two  and  three,  the  first  parity 
and  imparity,  the  active  and  passive  digits,  the  mate- 
rial and  formal  principles  in  generative  societies." 

These  are  all  the  tracts  which  he  published :  but 
many  papers  were  found  in  his  closet,  "  some  of  them, 
(says  Whitefoot)  designed  for  the  press,  were  often 
transcribed  and  corrected  by  his  own  hand,  after  the 
fashion  of  great  and  curious  writers." 

Of  these,  two  collections  have  been  published  ;  one 
by  Dr.  Tenison,  the  other  in  1722  by  a  nameless 
editor.9  Whether  the  one  or  the  other  selected  those 
pieces  which  the  author  would  have  preferred,  cannot 
now  be  known  :  but  they  have  both  the  merit  of  giv- 
ing to  mankind  what  was  too  valuable  to  be  sup- 
pressed ;  and  what  might,  without  their  interposition, 
have,  perhaps,  perished  among  other  innumerable 
labours  of  learned  men,  or  have  been  burnt  in  a  scar- 
city of  fuel  like  the  papers  of  Pereskius. 

The  first  of  these  posthumous  treatises  contains 
"  observations  upon  several  plants  mentioned  in  Scrip- 
ture." These  remarks,  though  they  do  not  immedi- 
ately either  rectify  the  faith,  or  refine  the  morals  of  the 
reader,  yet  are  by  no  means  to  be  censured  as  super- 
fluous niceties  or  useless  speculations  ;  for  they  often 
shew  some  propriety  of  description,  or  elegance  of 
allusion,  utterly  undiscoverable  to  readers  not  skilled 

9  editor."]  John  Hase,  Richmond  Herald. — See  Preface  to  Repertorium,  vol.  iv,  p.  S. 
VOL.  I.  c 


XXXIV  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

in  oriental  botany ;  and  are  often  of  more  important 
use,  as  they  remove  some  difficulty  from  narratives, 
or  some  obscurity  from  precepts. 

The  next  is  "  of  garlands,  or  coronary  and  garland 
plants ;"  a  subject  merely  of  learned  curiosity,  with- 
out any  other  end  than  the  pleasure  of  reflecting  on 
ancient  customs,  or  on  the  industry  with  which  studi- 
ous men  have  endeavoured  to  recover  them.1 

The  next  is  a  letter,  "  on  the  fishes  eaten  by  our 
Saviour  with  his  disciples,  after  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead ;"  which  contains  no  determinate  resolution 
of  the  question,  what  they  were,  for  indeed  it  cannot 
be  determined.  All  the  information  that  diligence 
or  learning  could  supply,  consists  in  an  enumeration 
of  the  fishes  produced  in  the  waters  of  Judea. 

Then  follow  "  answers  to  certain  queries  about 
fishes,  birds,  and  insects  ;"  and  "  a  letter  of  hawks  and 
falconry,  ancient  and  modern :"  in  the  first  of  which 
he  gives  the  proper  interpretation  of  some  ancient 
names  of  animals,  commonly  mistaken ;  and  in  the 
other  has  some  curious  observations  on  the  art  of 
hawking,  which  he  considers  as  a  practice  unknown 
to  the  ancients.  I  believe  all  our  sports  of  the  field 
are  of  Gothick  original ;  the  ancients  neither  hunted 
by  the  scent,  nor  seem  much  to  have  practised  horse- 
manship as  an  exercise ;  and  though,  in  their  works, 
there  is  mention  of  " aucupium"  and  " piscatio"  they 
seem  no  more  to  have  been  considered  as  diversions, 
than  agriculture  or  any  other  manual  labour. 

In  two  more  letters  he  speaks  of  "the  cymbals  of 
the  Hebrews,"  but  without  any  satisfactory  determi- 
nation;  and  of  "ropalick  or  gradual  verses,"  that  is, 

1  recover  them.']  To  which  Browne's  in  his  projected  work  on  horticulture,  and 
attention  was  turned  by  the  enquiries  of  to  whom  this  essay  was  enclosed,  in  a 
Evelyn,  who  applied  to  him  for  assistance     letter. — See  Correspondence,  p.  379. 


Silt    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XXXV 

of  verses  beginning  with  a  word  of  one  syllable,  and 
proceeding  by  words  of  which  each  has  a  syllable  more 
than  the  former;  as, 

"  0  Dens,  (EterncB  stationis  conciliator.'" — Ausonius. 

and,  after  his  manner,  pursuing  the  hint,  he  mentions 
many  other  restrained  methods  of  versifying,  to  which 
industrious  ignorance  has  sometimes  voluntarily  sub- 
jected itself. 

His  next  attempt  is  "on  languages,  and  particularly 
the  Saxon  tongue-"  He  discourses  with  great  learn- 
ing, and  generally  with  great  justness,  of  the  deriva- 
tion and  changes  of  languages ;  but,  like  other  men 
of  multifarious  learning,  he  receives  some  notions 
without  examination.  Thus  he  observes,  according 
to  the  popular  opinion,  that  the  Spaniards  have  re- 
tained so  much  Latin,  as  to  be  able  to  compose  sen- 
tences that  shall  be  at  once  grammatically  Latin  and 
Castilian  :  this  will  appear  very  unlikely  to  a  man  that 
considers  the  Spanish  terminations ;  and  Howell, 
who  was  eminently  skilful  in  the  three  provincial  lan- 
guages, declares,  that  after  many  essays  he  never 
could  effect  it. 

The  principal  design  of  this  letter,  is  to  shew  the 
affinity  between  the  modern  English  and  the  ancient 
Saxon ;  and  he  observes,  very  rightly,  that  "  though 
we  have  borrowed  many  substantives,  adjectives,  and 
some  verbs,  from  the  French ;  yet  the  great  body  of 
numerals,  auxiliary  verbs,  articles,  pronouns,  adverbs, 
conjunctions,  and  prepositions,  which  are  the  distin- 
guishing and  lasting  parts  of  a  language,  remain  with 
us  from  the  Saxon." 

To  prove  this  position  more  evidently,  he  has  drawn 
up  a  short  discourse  of  six  paragraphs,  in  Saxon  and 


XXXVI  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

English  ;  of  which  every  word  is  the  same  in  both 
languages,  excepting  the  terminations  and  orthogra- 
phy. The  words  are,  indeed,  Saxon,  but  the  phrase- 
ology is  English  ;  and,  I  think,  would  not  have  been 
understood  by  Bede  or  iElfric,  notwithstanding  the 
confidence  of  our  author.  He  has,  however,  suffici- 
ently proved  his  position,  that  the  English  resembles 
its  parental  language,  more  than  any  modern  European 
dialect. 

There  remain  five  tracts  of  this  collection  yet  un- 
mentioned ;  one  "  of  artificial  hills,  mounts,  or  bur- 
rows, in  England  ;"  in  reply  to  an  interrogatory  letter 
of  E.  D.  whom  the  writers  of  Biographia  Britannica 
suppose  to  be,  if  rightly  printed,  W.  D.  or  Sir  William 
Dugdale,  one  of  Browne's  correspondents.  These 
are  declared  by  Browne,  in  concurrence,  I  think,  with 
all  other  antiquarians,  to  be  for  the  most  part  funeral 
monuments.  He  proves,  that  both  the  Danes  and 
Saxons  buried  their  men  of  eminence  under  piles  of 
earth,  "which  admitting  (says  he)  neither  ornament, 
epitaph,  nor  inscription,  may,  if  earthquakes  spare 
them,  outlast  other  monuments :  obelisks  have  their 
term,  and  pyramids  will  tumble  ;  but  these  mountain- 
ous monuments  may  stand,  and  are  like  to  have  the 
same  period  with  the  earth." 

In  the  next,  he  answers  two  geographical  questions ; 
one  concerning  Troas,  mentioned  in  the  Acts  and 
Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  which  he  determines  to  be  the 
city  built  near  the  ancient  Ilium ;  and  the  other  con- 
cerning the  Dead  Sea,  of  which  he  gives  the  same  ac- 
count with  other  writers. 

Another  letter  treats  "  of  the  answers  of  the  oracle 
of  Apollo  at  Delphos,  to  Croesus  king  of  Lydia."  In 
this  tract  nothing  deserves  notice,  more  than  that 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE. 


Browne  considers  the  oracles  as  evidently  and  indubi- 
tably supernatural,  and  founds  all  his  disquisition  upon 
that  postulate.2  He  wonders  why  the  physiologists  of 
old,  having  such  means  of  instruction,,  did  not  enquire 
into  the  secrets  of  nature  :  but  judiciously  concludes, 
that  such  questions  would  probably  have  been  vain ; 
"for,  in  matters  cognoscible,  and  formed  for  our  dis- 
quision,  our  industry  must  be  our  oracle,  and  reason 
our  Apollo." 

The  pieces  that  remain  are,  "  A  prophecy  concern- 
ing the  future  state  of  several  nations ; "  in  which 
Browne  plainly  discovers  his  expectation  to  be  the 
same  with  that  entertained  lately  with  more  confidence 
by  Dr.  Berkeley,  that  America  will  be  the  seat  of  the 
fifth  empire:"  and  "Museum  clausum,  sive  Bibliotheca 
abscondita ; "  in  which  the  author  amuses  himself 
with  imagining  the  existence  of  books  and  curiosities, 
either  never  in  being,  or  irrecoverably  lost. 

These  pieces  I  have  recounted  as  they  are  ranged 
in  Tenison's  collection,  because  the  editor  has  given 
no  account  of  the  time  at  which  any  of  them  were 
written.  Some  of  them  are  of  little  value,  more  than 
as  they  gratify  the  mind  with  the  picture  of  a  great 
scholar,  turning  his  learning  into  amusement;  or  shew 
upon  how  great  a  variety  of  enquiries  the  same  mind 
has  been  successfully  employed. 

The  other  collection  of  his  posthumous  pieces,  pub- 
lished in  octavo,  Lond.  1 722,3  contains  "  Repertorium ; 
or  some  account  of  the  tombs  and  monuments  in  the 
cathedral  of  Norwich ;  "  where,  as  Tenison  observes, 


2  postulate.']     His    perfect   conviction  confession  of  the  devil  himself,  in  his  ora- 

of  the  Satanic  influence  exerted  in  oracles  cle  to  Augustus. 

is  strongly  expressed  in  a  passage  of  his  3  1722.]     This  date  was  taken  from  a 

Religio  Medici,  vol.  ii,  p.  42,  respecting  copy   which    had    a  reprint   title.     The 

the  ground  of  his  belief  of  their  cessation  book  was  published  in  1712. — See  Pre- 

at  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ; — viz.  the  face  to  vol.  iv. 


XXXV111  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

there  is  not  matter  proportionate  to  the  skill  of  the 
antiquary. 

The  other  pieces  are,  "Answers  to  Sir  William 
Dugdale's  enquiries  about  the  fens  ;  a  letter  concern- 
ing Iceland  ;  another  relating  to  urns  newly  discover- 
ed ;  Some  short  strictures  on  different  subjects;"  and 
"A  letter  to  a  friend  on  the  death  of  his  intimate 
friend,"  published  singly  by  the  author's  son  in  1690. 

There  is  inserted,  in  the  Biographia  Britannica, 
"A  letter  containing  instructions  for  the  study  of  phy- 
sick;"  which,  with  the  Essays  here  offered  to  the  pub- 
lic, completes  the  works  of  Dr.  Browne. 

To  the  life  of  this  learned  man,  there  remains  little 
to  be  added,  but  that  in  1665  he  was  chosen  honorary 
fellow  of  the  college  of  physicians,4  as  a  man,  "  Vir- 
tute  et  Uteris  omatissimus, — eminently  embellished 
with  literature  and  virtue  :  "  and,  in  1671,  received,  at 
Norwich,  the  honour  of  knighthood  from  Charles  II, 
a  prince,  who  with  many  frailties  and  vices,  had  yet 
skill  to  discover  excellence,  and  virtue  to  reward  it, 
with  such  honorary  distinctions  at  least  as  cost  him 
nothing,  yet,  conferred  by  a  king  so  judicious  and  so 
much  beloved,  had  the  power  of  giving  merit  new 
lustre  and  greater  popularity. 

Thus  he  lived  in  high  reputation ;  till  in  his  seven- 
ty-sixth year  he  was  seized  with  a  colick,  which,  after 
having  tortured  him  about  a  week,  put,  an  end  to  his 
life  at  Norwich,  on  his  birthday,  October  19,  1682.* 
Some  of  his  last  words  were  expressions  of  submission 
to  the  will  of  God,  and  fearlessness  of  death. 

He  lies  buried  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter  Mancroft,5 

*  Life,  Sfc.—  irJiitefoot. 

4  in  1665,  $c]     Rather  in  1664. —     railes  at  the  east  end  of  the  chancel."  — 
See  Supplementary  Memoir.  Wood,   4to.     Le   Neve  says  the    cathe- 

5  He  lies  buried,  SfC."]     "  Within  the     dral,  vol.  iv,  38. — See  next  page. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  XXXIX 

in  Norwich,  with  this  inscription  on  a  mural  monu- 
ment, placed  on  the  south  pillar  of  the  altar : 

M.  S. 

HIC  SITUS  EST 

THOMAS  BROWNE,  M.D. 

ET  MILES. 

Ao  1605.  LONDINI  NATUS 

GENEROSA  FAMILIA  APUD  UPTON  IN  AGRO  CESTRIENSI  ORIUNDUS. 

SCHOLA  PRIMUM  WINTONIENSI,  POSTEA 

IN  COLL.  PEMBR. 

APUD  OXONIENSES  BONIS  UTERIS 

HAUD  LEVITER  IMBUTUS. 

IN  URBE  HAC  NORDOVICENSI  MEDICINAM 

ARTE  EGREGIA,  ET  FCELICI  SUCCESSU  PROFESSUS, 

SCRIPTIS,  QUIBUS  TITULI,  RELIGIO  MEDICI 

ET  PSEUDODOXIA  EPIDEMICA  ALIISQUE 

PER  ORBEM  NOTISSIMUS 

VIR  PIENTISSIMUS,  INTEGERRIMUS,  DOCTISSIMUS; 

OBIIT  OCTOBR.   19.   1682. 

PIE  POSUIT  MCESTISSIMA  CONJUX 

Da.  DOROTH.  BR. 

NEAR  THE  FOOT  OF  THIS  PILLAR  LIES 

SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE,  KNIGHT, 

AND  DOCTOR  IN  PHYSICK, 
AUTHOR  OF  RELIGIO   MEDICI,  AND  OTHER  LEARNED  BOOKS, 

WHO  PRACTIC'D  PHYSICK  IN  THIS  CITY  46  YEARS, 

AND  DIED  OCTOBER  19,  1682,  IN  THE  77  YEAR  OF  HIS  AGE. 

IN  MEMORY  OF   WHOM 

DAME  DOROTHY  BROWNE, 

WHO  HAD  BEEN  HIS  AFFECTIONATE  WIFE  41  YEARS, 
CAUSED  THIS  MONUMENT  TO  BE  ERECTED. 


xl  dr.  Johnson's  life  of 

Besides  his  lady,  who  died  in  1685,6  he  left  a  son 
and  three  daughters.  Of  the  daughters  nothing  very 
remarkable  is  known  ;  but  his  son,  Edward  Browne, 
requires  a  particular  mention. 

He  was  born  about  the  year  1642;  and  after  having 
passed  through  the  classes  of  the  school  at  Norwich, 
became  bachelor  of  physick  at  Cambridge;  and  after- 
wards removing  to  Merton  College  in  Oxford,  was 
admitted  there  to  the  same  degree,  and  afterwards 
made  a  doctor.  In  1668  he  visited  part  of  Germany, 
and  in  the  year  following  made  a  wider  excursion  into 
Austria,  Hungary,  and  Thessaly;  where  the  Turkish 
Sultan  then  kept  his  court  at  Larissa.  He  afterwards 
passed  through  Italy.  His  skill  in  natural  history 
made  him  particularly  attentive  to  mines  and  metal- 
lurgy. Upon  his  return  he  published  an  account  of 
the  countries  through  which  he  had  passed ;  which  I 
have  heard  commended  by  a  learned  traveller,  who 
has  visited  many  places  after  him,  as  written  with 
scrupulous  and  exact  veracity,  such  as  is  scarcely  to 
be  found  in  any  other  book  of  the  same  kind.  But 
whatever  it  may  contribute  to  the  instruction  of  a 
naturalist,  I  cannot  recommend  it  as  likely  to  give 
much  pleasure  to  common  readers :  for  whether  it  be, 
that  the  world  is  very  uniform,  and  therefore  he  who 
is  resolved  to  adhere  to  truth,  will  have  few  novelties 
to  relate ;  or  that  Dr.  Browne  was,  by  the  train  of 
his  studies,  led  to  enquire  most  after  those  things,  by 
which  the  greatest  part  of  mankind  is  little  affected; 
a  great  part  of  his  book  seems  to  contain  very  unim- 
portant accounts  of  his  passage  from  one  place  where 
he  saw  little,  to  another  where  he  saw  no  more. 

Upon  his  return,  he  practised  physick  in  London  ; 

0  Besides  his  lady,  ^r.]  Her  monument  is  given  in  the  Supplementary  Memoir. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  xli 

was  made  physician  first  to  Charles  II,  and  afterwards 
in  1682  to  St.  Bartholomew's  hospital.  About  the 
same  time  he  joined  his  name  to  those  of  many  other 
eminent  men,  in  "  A  translation  of  Plutarch's  lives." 
He  was  first  censor,  then  elect,  and  treasurer  of  the  col- 
lege of  physicians;  of  which  in  1705  he  was  chosen 
president,  and  held  his  office,  till  in  1708  he  died  in  a 
degree  of  estimation  suitable  to  a  man  so  variously 
accomplished,  that  King  Charles  had  honoured  him 
with  this  panegyrick,  that  "  He  was  as  learned  as  any 
of  the  college,  and  as  well  bred  as  any  of  the  court." 

Of  every  great  and  eminent  character,  part  breaks 
forth  into  public  view,  and  part  lies  hid  in  domestic  pri- 
vacy. Those  qualities  which  have  been  exerted  in  any 
known  and  lasting  performances,  may,  at  any  distance 
of  time,  be  traced  and  estimated ;  but  silent  excel- 
lencies are  soon  forgotten  ;  and  those  minute  peculi- 
arities which  discriminate  every  man  from  all  others, 
if  they  are  not  recorded  by  those  whom  personal 
knowledge  enabled  to  observe  them,  are  irrecoverably 
lost.  This  mutilation  of  character  must  have  hap- 
pened, among  many  others,  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne, 
had  it  not  been  delineated  by  his  friend,  Mr.  White- 
foot,  who  "esteemed  it  an  especial  favour  of  Provi- 
dence, to  have  had  a  particular  acquaintance  with  him 
for  two  thirds  of  his  life."  Part  of  his  observations 
I  shall,  therefore,  copy.7 

7  copy.~]     Mr.  Whitefoot's   being  the  "  Some  Minutes  for   the  Life  of  Sir 

earliest  existing  biographical  sketch    of  Thomas  Browne,  by  John  Whitefoot,  M.A. 

our  author,  and  the  work  of  a  contempo-  late  Hector  of  Heigham,  in  Norfolk. 

rary,  and  an  intimate  friend,   I  had  felt  "  Had  my  province  been  only  to  preach 

strongly  disposed  to  print  it  entire,  rather  a  funeral  sermon  for  this  excellent  per- 

than  give   Dr.  Johnson's  extracts.      But  son,  I  might,  perhaps,  have  been  allowed, 

as  he  has  omitted  only  the  commence-  upon  such  a  singular  occasion,  to  have 

ment,  and  two  or  three  paragraphs  in  the  chosen   my  text  out   of  a  book,    which 

midst,  I  have  thought  it  better  to  present  though  it  be  not  approved  to  be  canoni- 

Dr.  Johnson's  Biography  just  as  it  stood,  cal,  yet  is  not  permitted  only,  but  ordered 

supplying  his  omissions  in  notes.      Here  to  be  read  publickly  in  our  church,  and 

follow  the  introductory  paragraphs,  thus  for  the  eminent  wisdom  of  the  contents, 

headed  : —  well  deserving  that  honour,  I  mean  that 


Xlll  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

"  For  a  character  of  his  person,  his  complexion  and 
hair  was  answerable  to  his  name,  his  stature  was 
moderate,  and  habit  of  body  neither  fat  nor  lean,  but 
sutrdgzog. 

"  In  his  habit  of  clothing,  he  had  an  aversion  to  all 
finery,  and  affected  plainness,  both  in  the  fashion  and 
ornaments.  He  ever  wore  a  cloke,  or  boots,  when  few 
others  did.  He  kept  himself  always  very  warm,  and 
thought  it  most  safe  so  to  do,  though  he  never  loaded 
himself  with  such  a  multitude  of  garments,  as  Sue- 


of  Syracides,  or  Jesus,  the  son  of  Syrach, 
commonly  called  Ecclesiasticus,  which, 
in  the  thirty-eighth  chapter,  and  the  first 
verse,  hath  these  words  :  '  Honour  a  phy- 
sician with  the  honour  due  unto  him  ;  for 
the  uses  which  you  may  have  of  him,  for 
the  Lord  hath  created  him ;  for  of  the 
most  High  cometh  healing,  and  he  shall 
receive  honour  of  the  King?'  (as  ours 
did  that  of  knighthood  from  the  present 
king,  when  he  was  in  this  city.)  '  The 
skill  of  the  physician  shall  lift  up  his 
head,  and  in  the  sight  of  great  men  shall 
be  in  admiration.'  So  was  this  worthy 
person  by  the  greatest  men  of  this  nation 
that  ever  came  into  this  country,  by 
whom  also  he  was  frequently  and  person- 
ally visited. 

"  But  a  further  account  of  his  extraor- 
dinary merits,  whereby  he  obtained  so 
great  a  degree  of  honour  from  all  that 
knew  him,  remains  to  be  given  in  the 
history  of  his  life.  And  had  that  been 
written  by  himself,  as  hath  been  done  by 
many  eminent  persons,  both  antient  and 
modern,  Hebrews,  Greeks,  Latins,  and 
others,*  it  would  not  only  have  gratified, 
but  obliged,  the  world  beyond  what  is 
possible  to  be  done  by  any  other  hand, 
much  more  by  that,  into  which  (upon 
divers  particular  obligations)  that  task  is 
fallen  :  '  For  what  man  knows  the  things 
of  a  man,  save  the  Spirit  of  a  Man,  which 
is  in  him.'f  And  though  that  must 
needs  know  more  of  any  man,  than  can 
be  known  by  others,  y?t  may  it  be,  and 
generally  is,  (being  blinded  with  that 
original  sin  of  self-love,)  very  defective  in 
the  habit  and  practice   of  that  original 


precept,  that  is  said  to  have  come  down 
from  heaven,  yvui6i  Gsavrov,  '  Know  thy- 
self.' Two  things  there  are  in  nature, 
which  are  the  greatest  impediments  of 
sight;  viz.  nearness  and  distance  of  the 
object,  but  of  the  tw^,  distance  is  the 
greater;  in  ordinary  cases  every  man  is 
too  near  himself,  others  are  too  far  dis- 
tant from  him,  to  observe  his  imperfec- 
tions ;  some  are  greater  strangers  to 
themselves  than  they  are  to  their  neigh- 
bours; this  worthy  person  had  as  com- 
plete an  intelligence  of  himself  as  any 
other  man,  and  much  more  perfect  than 
most  others  have,  being  a  singular  ob- 
server of  every  thing  that  belonged  to 
himself,  from  the  time  that  he  became 
capable  of  such  observation,  whereof  he 
hath  given  several  remarkable  instances 
in  his  Religio  Medici,  of  which  I  shall 
have  occasion  to  speak  more  hereafter. 

"  I  ever  esteemed  it  a  special  favour  of 
Divine  Providence  to  have  had  a  more 
particular  acquaintance  with  this  excel- 
lent person,  for  two  thirds  of  his  life, 
than  any  other  man  that  is  now  left 
alive;  but  that  which  renders  me  a  wil- 
ling debtor  to  his  name  and  family,  is  the 
special  obligations  of  favour  that  I  had 
from  him  above  most  men. 

"  Two  and  thirty  years,  or  there- 
abouts, of  his  life  was  spent  before  I  had 
any  knowledge  of  him,  whereof  I  can 
give  no  other  account  than  I  received  from 
his  relations ;  by  whom  I  am  informed, 
that  he  was  born  in  the  year  1605,  in  the 
city  of  London." 

(Then  follows  the  text,  to  foot  of 
p.  xliv.) 


Moses,  Josephus.  Antoninus.  Cardan,  Junius,  Bishop  Hall,  &c. 


+  1  Cor.  ii,  11. 


SIB   THOMAS    BROWNE.  xllU 

tonius  reports  of  Augustus,  enough  to  clothe  a  good 
family. 

"  The  horizon  of  his  understanding  was  much  larger 
than  the  hemisphere  of  the  world  :  all  that  was  visible 
in  the  heavens  he  comprehended  so  well,  that  few  that 
are  under  them  knew  so  much.  He  could  tell  the 
number  of  the  visible  stars  in  his  horizon,  and  call 
them  all  by  their  names  that  had  any ;  and  of  the 
earth  he  had  such  a  minute  and  exact  geographical 
knowledge,  as  if  he  had  been  by  Divine  Providence 
ordained  surveyor-general  of  the  whole  terrestrial  orb, 
and  its  products,  minerals,  plants,  and  animals.  He 
was  so  curious  a  botanist,  that  besides  the  specifical 
distinctions,  he  made  nice  and  elaborate  observations, 
equally  useful  as  entertaining. 

"  His  memory,  though  not  so  eminent  as  that  of 
Seneca  or  Scaliger,  was  capacious  and  tenacious,  inso- 
much as  he  remembered  all  that  was  remarkable  in 
any  book  that  he  had  read ;  and  not  only  knew  all 
persons  again  that  he  had  ever  seen  at  any  distance  of 
time,  but  remembered  the  circumstances  of  their 
bodies,  and  their  particular  discourses  and  speeches. 

"  In  the  Latin  poets  he  remembered  everything  that 
was  acute  and  pungent ;  he  had  read  most  of  the  his- 
torians, antient  and  modern,  wherein  his  observations 
were  singular,  not  taken  notice  of  by  common  readers; 
he  was  excellent  company  when  he  was  at  leisure,  and 
expressed  more  light  than  heat  in  the  temper  of  his 
brain. 

"  He  had  no  despotical  power  over  his  affections 
and  passions,  (that  was  a  privilege  of  original  perfec- 
tion, forfeited  by  the  neglect  of  the  use  of  it,)  but  as 
large  a  political  power  over  them  as  any  stoick  or 
man  of  his  time,  whereof  he  gave  so  great  experiment, 


XllV  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

that  he  hath  very  rarely  been  known  to  have  been 
overcome  with  any  of  them.  The  strongest  that  were 
found  in  him,  both  of  the  irascible  and  concupiscible, 
were  under  the  controul  of  his  reason.  Of  admira- 
tion, which  is  one  of  them,  being  the  only  product, 
either  of  ignorance,  or  uncommon  knowledge,  he  had 
more,  and  less,  than  other  men,  upon  the  same  account 
of  his  knowing  more  than  others ;  so  that  though  he 
met  with  many  rarities,  he  admired  them  not  so  much 
as  others  do. 

"  He  was  never  seen  to  be  transported  with  mirth, 
or  dejected  with  sadness ;  always  cheerful,  but  rarely 
merry,  at  any  sensible  rate,  seldom  heard  to  break  a 
jest ;  and  when  he  did,  he  would  be  apt  to  blush  at 
the  levity  of  it :  his  gravity  was  natural  without 
affectation. 

"  His  modesty  was  visible  in  a  natural  habitual 
blush,  which  was  increased  upon  the  least  occasion, 
and  oft  discovered  without  any  observable  cause. 

"They  that  knew  no  more  of  him  than  by  the 
briskness  of  his  writings,  found  themselves  deceived 
in  their  expectation  when  they  came  in  his  company, 
noting  the  gravity  and  sobriety  of  his  aspect  and  con- 
versation ;  so  free  from  loquacity,  or  much  talkative- 
ness, that  he  was  something  difficult  to  be  engaged  in 
any  discourse ;  though  when  he  was  so,  it  was  always 
singular,  and  never  trite  or  vulgar.  Parsimonious  in 
nothing  but  his  time,  whereof  he  made  as  much  im- 
provement, with  as  little  loss  as  any  man  in  it,  when 
he  had  any  to  spare  from  his  drudging  practice,  he 
was  scarce  patient  of  any  diversion  from  his  study ;  so 
impatient  of  sloth  and  idleness,  that  he  would  say, 
he  could  not  do  nothing.8 

8  do  nothing.']     Here  Dr.  Johnson  has         "  In  his  papers  left  behind  him,  which 
omitted  the  following  passages: —  were  many,  nothing  was  found  that  was 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  xlv 

"Sir  Thomas  understood  most  of  the  European 
languages,  viz.  all  that  are  in  Hntter's  bible,  which  he 
made  use  of.  The  Latin  and  Greek  he  understood 
critically ;  the  oriental  languages,  which  never  were 
A^ernacular  in  this  part  of  the  world,  he  thought  the 
use  of  them  would  not  answer  the  time  and  pains  of 
learning  them ;  yet  had  so  great  a  veneration  for  the 
matrix  of  them,  viz.  the  Hebrew,  consecrated  to  the 
Oracles  of  God,  that  he  was  not  content  to  be  totally 
ignorant  of  it ;  though  very  little  of  his  science  is  to 
be  found  in  any  books  of  that  primitive  language. 
And  though  much  is  said  to  be  written  in  the  deriva- 
tive idioms  of  that  tongue,  especially  the  Arabick,  yet 
he  was  satisfied  with  the  translations,  wherein  he  found 
nothing  admirable. 

"  In  his  religion  he  continued  in  the  same  mind 
which  he  had  declared  in  his  first  book,  written  when 
he  was  but  thirty  years  old,  his  Religio  Medici,  wherein 
he  fully  assented  to  that  of  the  church  of  England, 
preferring  it  before  any  in  the  world,  as  did  the  learned 
Grotius.  He  attended  the  publick  service  very  con- 
stantly, when  he  was  not  withheld  by  his  practice. 
Never  missed  the  sacrament  in  his  parish,  if  he  were  in 
town.     Read  the  best  English  sermons  he  could  hear 

vulgar,  but  all  savouring  of  much  inge-  tues;  who  were  left  bebind  to  propagate 

nuity  and  curiosity  ;  some  of  them  de-  that  ivpvta,  that  excelled  in  his  person, 

signed  for  the  press,    were  often  tran-  Though  health,  grace,  and  happiness,  are 

scribed  and  corrected  by  his  own  hand,  no  hereditary  portions,  yet  good  nature 

after  the  fashion  of  great  and    curious  generally  is. 
wits-  "  His  surviving  son  f   was  his  eldest 

"  He  had  ten  children  by  his  surviving  child,  a  person  of  eminent  reputation  in 

only  wife,*  a  lady  of  such  a  symmetrical  the  city  of  London;  and  hath  seen  the 

proportion  to  her  worthy  husband,  both  bestpartof  Europe— France,  Italy,  Lower 

in  the  graces  of  her  body  and  mind,  that  and  High  Germany,  Croatia,  and  Greece, 

they  seemed  to  come  together  by  a  kind  as  far  as  Larissa— has  been  in  four  of  the 

of  natural  magnetism.  greatest  princes'  courts  that  border  upon 

"  Four  of  his  children  survived,  a  son  the  Mediterranean,  viz.  that  of  the  Em- 

and  three  daughters,  all  of  them  remark-  peror,  that  of  France,  the  Pope,  and  the 

ably  partakers  of  his  ingenuity  and  vir-  Grand  Signior." 

*  Wh?l<?  maiden  name  was  Mileham,  a  gentlewoman  of  a  very  considerable  familv  in  thp 
county  of  Norfolk.  J 

t  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  late  President  of  the  College  of  Physicians. 


xlvi  dr.  Johnson's  life  of 

of,  with  liberal  applause ;  and  delighted  not  in  con- 
troversies. In  his  last  sickness,  wherein  he  continued 
about  a  week's  time,  enduring  great  pain  of  the  cholick, 
besides  a  continual  fever,  with  as  much  patience  as 
hath  been  seen  in  any  man,  without  any  pretence  of 
stoical  apathy,  animosity,  or  vanity,  of  not  being  con- 
cerned thereat,  or  suffering  no  impeachment  of  hap- 
piness.    Nihil  agis  dolor. 

"  His  patience  was  founded  upon  the  Christian 
philosophy,  and  a  sound  faith  of  God's  providence, 
and  a  meek  and  humble  submission  thereunto,  which 
he  expressed  in  few  words.  I  visited  him  near  his 
end,  when  he  had  not  strength  to  hear  or  speak  much ; 
the  last  words  which  I  heard  from  him  were,  besides 
some  expressions  of  dearness,  that  he  did  freely  sub 
mit  to  the  will  of  God,  being  without  fear.  He  had 
oft  triumphed  over  the  king  of  terrors  in  others,  and 
given  many  repulses  in  the  defence  of  patients ;  but 
when  his  own  turn  came,  he  submitted  with  a  meek, 
rational,  and  religious  courage. 

"  He  might  have  made  good  the  old  saying  of  dat 
Galenus  opes,  had  he  lived  in  a  place  that  could  have 
afforded  it.  But  his  indulgence  and  liberality  to  his 
children,  especially  in  their  travels,  two  of  his  sons  in 
divers  countries,  and  two  of  his  daughters  in  France, 
spent  him  more  than  a  little.  He  was  liberal  in  his 
house  entertainments,  and  in  his  charity;  he  left  a 
comfortable,  but  no  great  estate,  both  to  his  lady  and 
children,  gained  by  his  own  industry,  having  spent  the 
greatest  part  of  his  patrimony*  in  his  travels. 

"  Such  was  his  sagacity  and  knowledge  of  all  history, 
antient  and  modern,  and  his  observations  thereupon 
so  singular,  that  it  hath  been  said  by  them  that  knew 

*  He  was  likewise  very  much  defrauded  by  one  of  his  guardians. 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  xlvii 

him  best,  that  if  his  profession,  and  place  of  abode, 
would  have  suited  his  ability,  he  would  have  made  an 
extraordinary  man  for  the  privy  council,  not  much  in- 
ferior to  the  famous  Padre  Paulo,  the  late  oracle  of 
the  Venetian  state. 

"  Though  he  were  no  prophet,  nor  son  of  a  prophet, 
yet,  in  that  faculty  which  comes  nearest  it,  he  excelled, 
i.  e.  the  stochastick,9  wherein  he  was  seldom  mistaken, 
as  to  future  events,  as  well  publick  as  private;  but  not 
apt  to  discover  any  presages  or  superstition."1 

It  is  observable,  that  he  who  in  his  earlier  years  had 
read  all  the  books  against  religion,  was  in  the  latter 
part  of  his  life  averse  from  controversies.  To  play 
with  important  truths,  to  disturb  the  repose  of  estab- 
lished tenets,  to  subtilize  objections  and  elude  proof, 
is  too  often  the  sport  of  youthful  vanity,  of  which 
maturer  experience  commonly  repents.  There  is  a 
time,  when  every  wise  man  is  weary  of  raising  diffi- 
culties only  to  task  himself  with  the  solution,  and 
desires  to  enjoy  truth  without  the  labour  or  hazard 
of  contest.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  better  method  of 
encountering  these  troublesome  irruptions  of  scepti- 

9  stochastick.]  On  the  predictive  power  was  the  best  guesser  of  the  future  from 
expressed  by  this  term,  I  meet  with  the  the  past.* '  Should  this  faculty  of  mo- 
following  passage  in  D' Israeli's  Curiosities  ral  and  political  prediction  be  ever  consi- 
of  Literature,  2nd  series,  vol.  ii,  425: —  dered  as  a  science,  we  can  even  furnish 
"This  faculty  seems  to  be  described  by  it  with  a  denomination ;  for  the  writer  of 
a  remarkable  expression  employed  by  the  life  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  prefixed 
Thucydides  in  his  character  of  Themis-  to  his  works,  in  claiming  the  honour  of 
tocles,  of  which  the  following  is  given  as  it  for  that  philosopher,  calls  it  '  the  Sto- 
a  close  translation.  '  By  a  species  of  sa-  chastic,'  a  Jerm  derived  from  the  Greek 
gacity  peculiarly  his  own,  for  which  he  and  from  archery,  meaning,  '  to  shoot  at 
was  in  no  degree  indebted  either  to  early  a  mark.'  This  eminent  genius  it  seems, 
education  or  after  study,  he  was  super-  often  'hit  the  white.'  Our  biographer 
eminently  happy  in  forming  a  prompt  declares,  that  'though  he  were  no  pro- 
judgment  in  matters  that  admitted  but  phet,  yet  in  that  faculty,  &c.'" 
little  time  for  deliberation  ;  at  the  same  l  superstition.]  End  of  Whitefooi's 
time  that  he  far  surpassed  all  in  his  de-  Mimiies. 
ductions  of  the  future  from  the  past  ;  or 

*  Olxi'ta  ydg  ^wess7,  %al  ours  <zgo(ia@&v  \g  worry  ovdh,  ovr  lirif^a&uv,  ruv 
n  <ira£ayjr\(j,a  hi  iXa^jcrr,g  /SouXSjg  zguriarog  yvw(j,wv,  xui  ruv  f&eXkoVTM 
imnrKiiiSrov  to    ysvrioo'Asvov  6t,Pi6ro£  zixu6rr]g, — Thucydides,  lib.  I. 


XlVlll  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 


cism,  with  which  inquisitive  minds  are  frequently  har- 
rassed,  than  that  which  Browne  declares  himself  to 
have  taken :  "If  there  arise  any  doubts  in  my  way,  I 
do  forget  them;  or  at  least  defer  them,  till  my  better 
settled  judgment  and  more  manly  reason  be  able  to 
resolve  them:  for  I  perceive,  every  man's  reason  is  his 
best  Oedipus,  and  will,  upon  a  reasonable  truce,  find 
a  way  to  loose  those  bonds,  wherewith  the  subtilties 
of  error  have  enchained  our  more  flexible  and  tender 
judgments." 

The  foregoing  character  may  be  confirmed  and  en- 
larged, by  many  passages  in  the  Religio  Medici ;  in 
which  it  appears,  from  Whitefoot's  testimony,  that 
the  author,  though  no  very  sparing  panegyrist  of 
himself,  has  not  exceeded  the  truth;  with  respect  to 
his  attainments  or  visible  qualities. 

There  are,  indeed,  some  interior  and  secret  virtues, 
which  a  man  may  sometimes  have  without  the  know- 
ledge of  others;  and  may  sometimes  assume  to  him- 
self, without  sufficient  reasons  for  his  opinion.  It  is 
charged  upon  Browne  by  Dr.  Watts,  as  an  instance 
of  arrogant  temerity,  that,  after  a  long  detail  of  his 
attainments,  he  declares  himself  to  have  escaped  "the 
first  and  father-sin  of  pride."  A  perusal  of  the  Re- 
ligio Medici  will  not  much  contribute  to  produce  a 
belief  of  the  author's  exemption  from  this  father-sin: 
pride  is  a  vice,  which  pride  itself  inclines  every  man 
to  find  in  others,  and  to  overlook  in  himself. 

As  easily  may  we  be  mistaken  in  estimating  our  own 
courage,  as  our  own  humility;  and,  therefore,  when 
Browne  shews  himself  persuaded,  that  "he  could  lose 
an  arm  without  a  tear,  or  with  a  few  groans  be  quar- 
tered to  pieces,"  I  am  not  sure  that  he  felt  in  himself 
any  uncommon  powers  of  endurance;  or,  indeed,  any 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  xlix 

thing  more  than  a  sudden  effervescence  of  imagina- 
tion, which,  uncertain  and  involuntary  as  it  is,  he 
mistook  for  settled  resolution. 

"  That  there  were  not  many  extant,  that  in  a  noble 
way  feared  the  face  of  death  less  than  himself,"  he 
might  likewise  believe  at  a  very  easy  expence,  while 
death  was  yet  at  a  distance  ;  but  the  time  will  come 
to  every  human  being,  when  it  must  be  known  how 
well  he  can  bear  to  die;  and  it  has  appeared,  that  our 
author's  fortitude  did  not  desert  him  in  the  great  hour 
of  trial. 

It  was  observed  by  some  of  the  remarkers  on  the 
Religio  Medici,  that  "the  author  was  yet  alive,  and 
might  grow  worse  as  well  as  better:  "  it  is,  therefore, 
happy,  that  this  suspicion  can  be  obviated  by  a  testi- 
mony given  to  the  continuance  of  his  virtue,  at  a 
time  when  death  had  set  him  free  from  danger  of 
change,  and  his  panegyrist  from  temptation  to  flattery. 

But  it  is  not  on  the  praises  of  others,  but  on  his 
own  writings,  that  he  is  to  depend  for  the  esteem  of 
posterity ;  of  which  he  will  not  easily  be  deprived, 
while  learning  shall  have  any  reverence  among  men : 
for  there  is  no  science,  in  which  he  does  not  discover 
some  skill;  and  scarce  any  kind  of  knowledge,  profane 
or  sacred,  abstruse  or  elegant,  which  he  does  not 
appear  to  have  cultivated  with  success. 

His  exuberance  of  knowledge,  and  plenitude  of 
ideas,  sometimes  obstruct  the  tendency  of  his  reason- 
ing, and  the  clearness  of  his  decisions  :  on  whatever 
subject  he  employed  his  mind,  there  started  up  imme- 
diately so  many  images  before  him,  that  he  lost  one 
by  grasping  another.  His  memory  supplied  him  with 
so  many  illustrations,  parallel  or  dependent  notions, 
that  he  was  always  starting  into  collateral  considera- 

VOL.  I.  d 


1  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE    OF 

tions:  but  the  spirit  and  vigour  of  his  pursuit  always 
gives  delight ;  and  the  reader  follows  him,  without 
reluctance,  thro'  his  mazes,  in  themselves  flowery  and 
pleasing,  and  ending  at  the  point  originally  in  view. 

To  have  great  excellencies,  and  great  faults,  temag- 
nce  virtutes  nee  minora  vitia,  is  the  poesy,"  says  our 
author,  "  of  the  best  natures."  This  poesy  may  be 
properly  applied  to  the  style  of  Browne  :  It  is  vigor- 
ous, but  rugged ;  it  is  learned,  but  pedantick ;  it  is 
deep,  but  obscure;  it  strikes,  but  does  not  please;  it 
commands  but  does  not  allure:  his  tropes  are  harsh, 
and  his  combinations  uncouth.  He  fell  into  an  age,  in 
which  our  language  began  to  lose  the  stability  which  it 
obtained  in  the  time  of  Elizabeth;  and  was  considered 
by  every  writer  as  a  subject  on  which  he  might  try  his 
plastic  skill,  by  moulding  it  according  to  his  own  fancy. 
Milton,  in  consequence  of  this  encroaching  licence,  be- 
gan to  introduce  the  Latin  idiom  :  and  Browne,  though 
he  gave  less  disturbance  to  our  structures  and  phrase- 
ology, yet  poured  in  a  multitude  of  exotick  words; 
many  indeed,  useful  and  significant,  which,  if  rejected, 
must  be  supplied  by  circumlocution,  such  as  ccommen- 
sality'  for  the  state  of  many  living  at  the  same  table ;  but 
many  superfluous,  as  c  a  paralogical'  for  an  unreasonable 
doubt;  and  some  so  obscure,  that  they  conceal  his  mean- 
ing rather  than  explain  it,  as  'arthritical  analogies'  for 
parts  that  serve  some  animals  in  the  place  of  joints. 

His  style  is,  indeed,  a  tissue  of  many  languages ;  a 
mixture  of  heterogeneous  words,  brought  together 
from  distant  regions,  with  terms  originally  appropri- 
ated to  one  art,  and  drawn  by  violence  into  the  service 
of  another.  He  must,  however,  be  confessed  to  have 
augmented  our  philosophical  diction ;  and  in  defence 
of  his  uncommon  words  and  expressions,  we  must 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  11 

consider,  that  he  had  uncommon  sentiments,  and  was 
not  content  to  express  in  many  words  that  idea  for 
which  any  language  could  supply  a  single  term. 

But  his  innovations  are  sometimes  pleasing,  and 
his  temerities  happy:  he  has  many  "verba  ardentia" 
forcible  expressions,  which  he  would  never  have  found, 
but  by  venturing  to  the  utmost  verge  of  propriety  ; 
and  flights  which  would  never  have  been  reached,  but 
by  one  who  had  very  little  fear  of  the  shame  of 
falling. 

There  remains  yet  an  objection  against  the  writings 
of  Browne,  more  formidable  than  the  animadversions 
of  criticism.  There  are  passages,  from  which  some 
have  taken  occasion  to  rank  him  among  deists,  and 
others  among  atheists.  It  would  be  difficult  to  guess 
how  any  such  conclusion  should  be  formed,  had  not 
experience  shewn  that  there  are  two  sorts  of  men 
willing;  to  enlarge  the  catalogue  of  infidels. 

It  has  been  long  observed,  that  an  atheist  has  no 
just  reason  for  endeavouring  conversions;  and  yet 
none  harrass  those  minds  which  they  can  influence, 
with  more  importunity  of  solicitation  to  adopt  their 
opinions.  In  proportion  as  they  doubt  the  truth  ol 
their  own  doctrines,  they  are  desirous  to  gain  the  at- 
testation of  another  understanding;  and  industriously 
labour  to  win  a  proselyte,  and  eagerly  catch  at  the 
slightest  pretence  to  dignify  their  sect  with  a  cele- 
brated name.* 

The  others  become  friends  to  infidelity  only  by 
unskilful  hostility:  men  of  rigid  orthodoxy,  cautious 
conversation,  and  religious  asperity.     Among  these, 

*  Therefore  no  hereticks  desire  to  spread 
Their  wild  opinions  like  these  epicures. 
For  so  their  stagg'ring  thoughts  are  computed, 
And  other  men's  assent  their  doubts  assure. 

Davies. 

d2 


lii  dr.  Johnson's  life  of 

it  is  too  frequently  the  practice,  to  make  in  their  heat 
concessions  to  Atheism,  or  Deism,  which  their  most 
confident  advocates  had  never  dared  to  claim  or  to 
hope.  A  sally  of  levity,  an  idle  paradox,  an  indecent 
jest,  an  unseasonable  objection,  are  sufficient,  in  the 
opinion  of  these  men,  to  efface  a  name  from  the  lists 
of  Christianity,  to  exclude  a  soul  from  everlasting 
life.  Such  men  are  so  watchful  to  censure,  that  they 
have  seldom  much  care  to  look  for  favourable  inter- 
pretations of  ambiguities,  to  set  the  general  tenor  of 
life  against  single  failures,  or  to  know  how  soon  any 
slip  of  inadvertency  has  been  expiated  by  sorrow  and 
retractation;  but  let  fly  their  fulminations,  without 
mercy  or  prudence,  against  slight  offences  or  casual 
temerities,  against  crimes  never  committed,  or  imme- 
diately repented. 

The  infidel  knows  well,  what  he  is  doing.  He  is  en- 
deavouring to  supply,  by  authority,  the  deficiency  of  his 
arguments;  and  to  make  his  cause  less  invidious,  by 
shewing  numbers  on  his  side :  he  will,  therefore,  not 
change  his  conduct,  till  he  reforms  his  principles.  But 
the  zealot  should  recollect,  that  he  is  labouring,  by  this 
frequency  of  excommunication,  against  his  own  cause; 
and  voluntarily  adding  strength  to  the  enemies  of  truth. 
It  must  always  be  the  condition  of  a  great  part  of 
mankind,  to  reject  and  embrace  tenets  upon  the  au- 
thority of  those  whom  they  think  wiser  than  them- 
selves; and,  therefore,  the  addition  of  every  name  to 
infidelity,  in  some  degree  invalidates  that  argument 
upon  which  the  religion  of  multitudes  is  necessarily 
founded. 

Men  may  differ  from  each  other  in  many  religious 
opinions,  and  yet  all  may  retain  the  essentials  of 
Christianity;    men  mav    sometimes    eagerly  dispute, 


SIR    THOMAS    BROWNE.  IIll 

and  yet  not  differ  much  from  one  another:  the  rigo- 
rous persecutors  of  error,  should,  therefore,  enlighten 
their  zeal  with  knowledge,  and  temper  their  ortho- 
doxy with  charity;  that  charity,  without  which 
orthodoxy  is  vain;  charity  that  " thinketh  no  evil ," 
but  "hopeth  all  things,"  and  "endureth  all  things." 

Whether  Browne  has  been  numbered  among  the 
contemners  of  religion,  by  the  fury  of  its  friends,  or 
the  artifice  of  its  enemies,  it  is  no  difficult  task  to 
replace  him  among  the  most  zealous  professors  of 
Christianity.  He  may,  perhaps,  in  the  ardour  of  his 
imagination,  have  hazarded  an  expression,  which  a 
mind  intent  upon  faults  may  interpret  into  heresy,  if 
considered  apart  from  the  rest  of  his  discourse;  but 
a  phrase  is  not  to  be  opposed  to  volumes:  there  is 
scarcely  a  writer  to  be  found,  whose  profession  was 
not  divinity,  that  has  so  frequently  testified  his  belief 
of  the  sacred  writings,  has  appealed  to  them  with 
such  unlimited  submission,  or  mentioned  them  with 
such  unvaried  reverence. 

It  is,  indeed.,  somewhat  wonderful,  that  he  should  be 
placed  without  the  pale  of  Christianity,  who  declares, 
that  "  he  assumes  the  honourable  style  of  a  Christian," 
not  because  it  is  "  the  religion  of  his  country,"  but 
because  "  having  in  his  riper  years  and  confirmed  judg- 
ment seen  and  examined  all,  he  finds  himself  obliged, 
by  the  principles  of  grace,  and  the  law  of  his  own  rea- 
son, to  embrace  no  other  name  but  this :"  who,  to 
specify  his  persuasion  yet  more,  tells  us,  that  "  he  is 
of  the  reformed  religion;  of  the  same  belief  our  Sav- 
iour taught,  the  apostles  disseminated,  the  fathers 
authorised,  and  "the  martyrs  confirmed:"  who, 
though  "  paradoxical  in  philosophy,  loves  in  divinity 
to  keep  the  beaten  road ;"  and  pleases  himself,  that 


I1V  DR.    JOHNSON  S    LIFE. 

"  he  has  no  taint  of  heresy,  schism,  or  error :"  to 
whom  "  where  the  Scripture  is  silent,  the  church  is  a 
text ;  where  that  speaks,  't  is  but  a  comment ;"  and 
who  uses  not  "  the  dictates  of  his  own  reason,  but 
where  there  is  a  joint  silence  of  both  :"  who  "blesses 
himself,  that  he  lived  not  in  the  days  of  miracles,  when 
faith  had  been  thrust  upon  him  ;  but  enjoys  that 
greater  blessing,  pronounced  to  all  that  believe  and 
saw  not."  He  cannot  surely  be  charged  with  a  defect 
of  faith,  who  "  believes  that  our  Saviour  was  dead, 
and  buried,  and  rose  again,  and  desires  to  see  him  in 
his  glory  :"  and  who  affirms,  that  "  this  is  not  much 
to  believe;"  that  "as  we  have  reason,  we  owe  this 
faith  unto  history  ;"  and  that  "  they  only  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  bold  and  noble  faith,  who  lived  before 
his  coming ;  and,  upon  obscure  prophecies  and  mysti- 
cal types,  could  raise  a  belief."  Nor  can  contempt 
of  the  positive  and  ritual  parts  of  religion  be  imputed 
to  him,  who  doubts,  whether  a  good  man  would  re- 
fuse a  poisoned  eucharist ;  and  "  who  would  violate 
his  own  arm,  rather  than  a  church."2 

The  opinions  of  every  man  must  be  learned  from 
himself:  concerning  his  practice,  it  is  safest  to  trust 
the  evidence  of  others.  Where  these  testimonies 
concur,  no  higher  degree  of  historical  certainty  can 
be  obtained ;  and  they  apparently  concur  to  prove^ 
that  Browne  was  a  zealous  adherent  to  the  faith  of 
Christ,  that  he  lived  in  obedience  to  his  laws,  and  died 
in  confidence  of  his  mercy. 

2  rather  than,  8fC~\  To  the  foregoing  added  his  own  resolutions  for  the  guid- 
arguments  in  vindication  of  Browne's  at-  ance  of  his  conduct,  and  the  regulation  of 
tachment  to   Christianity,  may  well  be     his  heart See  vol.  iv,  420. 

I  should  be  glad  to  know  the  authority  of  the  following  assertion  attributed  to 
Dr.  Johnson  : — "  I  remember  the  remark  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne  ; — '  Do  the  Devils 
lie?'     No;  for  then  hell  could  not  subsist." — Croker's  Johnson,  vol.  iv,  p.  152. 


jftemotrsi 


SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE 


AD    CLARISSIMUM    VIRUM, 

THOMAM    BROUNUM,    EQUITEM    ET    DOCTOREM   MEDICUM, 

DE    SUA    RELIGIONE    MEDICI    ET    PSEUDODOXIA    EPIDEMICA.1 

Relligio  Medici  si  cui  suspecta  videtur, 

Te  legat,  et  discat  teque,  librumque  tuum. 
Inter  communes,  Errata  Epidemica,  morbos, 

Non  est  deterius  suspicione  malum. 
Error  hie  est  inter  malesani  dogmata  vulgi, 

Hippocratis  socios  non  nimis  esse  pios. 
Hoc  crimen,  Medici  tu  Relligione  refellis  : 

Et  medicum  certe  quid  vetat  esse  pium  ? 
Juramentum  utinam,  Christi  qui  castra  sequuntur, 

Sic  sancte  colerent,  Cous*  ut  ille  senex  ! 
Disce  mori,  sanctse  est  non  ultima  regula  vitas : 

Quique  timet  mortem,  perdidit  ille  fidem.  f 
At  morbi  ante  oculos  cui  sic  versantur  et  umbra?, 

Ilium  quis  credat  non  didicisse  mori  ? 
Tam  bene  conveniunt,  et  in  uno  corde  morantur, 

Corporis  alterius  cura,  animseque  suae. 

*  Vid.  Hippocr.  Juramentum.  +  Augustin. 

1  This  address  is  from  Dnporti  (Jac.)  Muss  Subsesiva,  sen  Poetica  Stromata,  8vo.  Canto//. 
1076,  p,  210.  I  believe  this  Mr.  Duport  was  master  of  the  college  to  which  Edward  Browne  was 
admitted. — See  p.  lxxv,  note.  And  probably  it  might  be  the  same  who  was  rector  of  Brixton  in 
1645.— See  Btomefield,  i,  633. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 


Scarcely  a  trace  remains  of  the  earlier  events  of  Browne's 
life  ;  nor  are  we  possessed  of  any  memorials  whatever,  from 
his  own  pen,  respecting  those  travels  and  various  adventures 
which  preceded  his  residence  at  Norwich.  An  interesting 
piece  of  autobiography  must,  therefore,  have  perished ;  for 
it  is  impossible  to  suppose,  that  he  travelled  without  observing, 
or  that  he  observed  without  recording.  And,  although  (as 
Johnson  has  remarked)  "he  traversed  no  unknown  seas  or 
Arabian  deserts,"  Browne  was  not  the  man  to  have  visited 
even  "France  and  Italy,  or  resided  at  Montpellier  and  Padua,'' 
without  having  stored  his  note  books  with  much  that  would 
have  amply  repaid  the  perusal.  Besides  which,  his  family 
connexions  were  sufficient  to  have  provided  him  with  intro- 
ductions to  foreigners  of  character  and  eminence,  of  which  he 
would  eagerly  have  availed  himself.  To  all  these  we  should 
have  been  introduced,  and  every  thing  worth  remembering 
in  his  intercourse  with  them,  would  have  been  preserved.  It 
has,  indeed,  been  conjectured,  that  "he  was  an  absent  and 
solitary  man;"1  but  I  can  by  no  means  adopt  this  opinion: 

1  I  refer  to  a  series  of  papers  in  the  Atlievceum,  No.  03,  1820,  entitled  The  Hu- 
mourists, the  first  of  which  is  devoted  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne  ;  from  which  I  subjoin 
the  following  passage  :■ — "  We  have  endeavoured  to  rescue  Sir  Thomas  Browne 
from  the  imputation  of  being  merely  a  '  curious  thinker,'  while  we  have  ever  admit- 
ted that  the  philosopher  and  the  humourist  are  strangely  blended  in  his  character. 
Of  his  domestic  manners  and  relations  little  is  known.  But  we  may  conjecture, 
from  various  passages  in  his  works,  that  the  same  melancholy  enthusiasm  and  eternal 
speculation  which  appear  in  them,  tinged,  also,  with  sad  and  solemn  colours,  his 
daily  habits.     In  all  likelihood,  he  was  an  absent  and  solitary  man,  extracting  the 


lvi 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 


on  the  contrary,  I  am  persuaded,  that  his  social  deportment 
must  have  been  distinguished  by  the  kindliest  courtesy  ;  and, 
though  "free  from  loquacity,"  he  was  too  ardent  in  the  pur- 
suit of  knowledge,  not  to  have  improved  to  the  utmost  every 
opportunity  of  increasing  his  stores,  by  conversation  with 
those  who  were  capable  of  enriching  them.  I  am  satisfied, 
in  short,  that  had  his  earlier  journals  been  preserved,  they 
would  have  exhibited  him  to  us  as  a  traveller,  in  just  as  strik- 
ing a  point  a  view,  as  that  in  which  "his  diligence  and  curi- 
osity," his  originality  of  thought  and  fervour  of  feeling,  and 
the  creative  richness  of  his  fancy,  have  placed  him  under 
other  characters. 

Nor  do  we  find  either  journals,  or  correspondence,  (except 
a  very  few  letters  on  scientific  or  literary  subjects,)  to  guide 
us  through  the  first  twenty  years  of  his  residence  at  Norwich. 
To  account  for  this  almost  total  absence  of  autobiographical 
memoranda,  I  have  sometimes  felt  inclined  to  suspect,  that 
Browne  might  have  occasionally  indulged  himself  in  the  ex- 
pression of  opinions  relating  to  the  political  aspect  of  affairs  in 
his  own  country,  which  his  subsequent  position,  especially 
when  the  civil  war  actually  broke  out,  led  him  to  think  it 
most  prudent  to  suppress.  For  though  a  royalist,  he  was 
utterly  averse  to  all  that  was  arbitrary,  especially  in  matters 
of  religion;  and,  therefore,  might  have  seen  much  to  disap- 
prove in  the  measures  of  the  court,  as  well  as  in  the  subse- 
quent outrages  of  the  popular  party,  which  he  was  very  likely, 
both  in  his  private  memoranda  and  in  his  confidential  corres- 
pondence, to  have  denounced  in  terms  which  would  have 
rendered  him  obnoxious  to  both  parties,  if  "the  liberty  of 
those  times  had  committed  them  to  the  press."     But  let  this 

food  of  serious  contemplation  from  all  objects  indifferently,  and  busied  in  perpetual 
abstractions.  Ceremonious  in  observing  times  and  seasons,  as  reverencing  the  inner 
mysteries  of  custom.  Attached  to  old  manners,  as  apprehending  hidden  wisdom  in 
their  properties,  and  as  connecting  him  with  remembrance  and  speculations  on  the 
past;  curious,  probably,  in  casting  the  fashion  of  uncertain  evil,  and,  therefore,  lit- 
tle inclined  to  innovation.  He  was  at  once  .Sir  Roger  de  Coverley,  directing  the 
psalmody  of  the  village  church,  and  the  melancholy  humourist  of  Milton, — 

'  Whose  lamp  at  midnight  hour 
Is  seen  in  some  high  lonely  tower, 
Where  he  may  oft  outwatch  the  bear 
With  thrice  great  Hermes,  or  unsphere 
The  spirit  of  Plato,  to  unfold 
What  worlds,  or  what  vast  regions  hold 
The  immortal  mind  that  hath  forsook 
Her  mansion  in  this  fleshly  nook,  &c.'  " 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  1V11 

pass  as  an  idle  speculation :  it  is  just  as  useless  to  regret  the 
want  of  these  materials,  as  it  is  to  conjecture  whether  they 
ever  existed,  or  what  has  become  of  them.  We  have  them 
not;  and  must,  therefore,  proceed  to  do  our  best  without 
them. 

It  appears,  that  when  Browne  left  the  university,  he  took 
up  his  first  residence  somewhere  (but  we  are  not  informed 
where)  in  Oxfordshire,  and  practiced  physick  probably  for 
about  two  years,  from  the  end  of  1629  or  beginning  of  1680. 
He  then  commenced  his  travels,  by  visiting  Ireland  with  his 
father-in-law,  Sir  Thomas  Dutton.  Mr.  Le  Neve,  in  his 
pedigree  of  the  Browne  family,  has  (erroneously)  calledjthis 
gentleman  Sir  Ralph  Dutton.  The  epithet  bestowed  on  him 
by  Mrs.  Lyttleton-  does  not  agree  with  the  account  with 
which  Dr.  Birch  has  given 3  of  a  Sir  Thomas  Dutton,  whom 
he  elsewhere  affirms  to  be  the  individual  here  spoken  of; 
"the  same  Sir  Thomas  Dutton  who  killed  Sir  Hatton  Cheke 
in  a  duel."4  In  allusion  to  which,  very  possibly,  it  was,  that 
Browne  composed  the  following  lines,  preserved  in  MS.  Sloa?i. 
1869:- 


2  "  A  worthy  person." — See  her  account  of  her  father,  in  Preface  to  the  Life. 

3  In  his  Life  of  Prince  Henry,  8vo.  Lond.  17C0,  p.  199,  200;  where  he  gives  a 
letter  from  Sir  Edward  Cecil,  commander  of  "the  English  forces  employed  in  the 
war  about  the  succession  to  the  deceased  Duke  of  Cleves,  written  on  the  29th  of 
July,  1610,  from  the  camp  before  Juliers,  to  Prince  Henry,  relating  to  the  progress 
of  the  siege;  in  which  letter  is  the  following  passage : — '  I  am  only  unhappy  in  one 
thing,  that  the  mutinous  and  unworthy  carriage  of  Sir  Thomas  Dutton,  whom  your 
highness  was  pleased  to  favour  beyond  his  merit,  bath  from  time  to  time  disturbed 
the  course  of  the  service  ;  having  even,  at  his  first  arrival  here,  braved  me  at  the 
head  of  the  troops,  daring  to  tell  me,  to  my  face,  that  it  seemed  his  majesty  had 
given  me  a  commission  to  abuse  men,  when  there  was  nothing  in  question  but  the 
doing  of  the  duty  of  a  captain,  which  he  ought  not  to  dispute  amongst  us,  seeing  it 
was  the  first  time  that  even  he  or  his  company  came  into  the  field  amongst  us:  and 
ever  since,  in  all  meetings,  he  hath  disputed  my  commission  and  authority  so  far, 
and  with  so  much  scorn,  that,  though  hitherto,  in  respect  to  your  highness,  I  have 
contained  myself;  yet  seeing  that  now  again,  in  a  public  assembly,  he  hath  con- 
temptibly spoken  of  my  commission,  and,  upon  base  advantage,  hurt  Sir  Hatton 
Cheke,  his  colonel,  who  took  upon  him  the  defence  of  it,  I  most  humbly  beseech 
your  highness  will  be  rather  pleased  to  allow  of  that  which  justice  here  shall  allot 
him  ;  presuming  that  your  highness's  princely  judgment  will  find  it  expedient  that  I 
be  discharged  of  such  a  bad  member,  which,  in  the  heat  of  his  majesty's  service, 
dare  contest  with  me,  and  be  content,  upon  any  terms,  to  murder  his  commander.'" 
Dr.  Birch  adds,  in  a  note,  that  Sir  Hatton  Cheke  was,  soon  after  the  surrender  of 
Juliers,  killed  in  a  duel,  on  Calais  sands,  by  Sir  Thomas  Dutton.  The  Biograpkia 
Brittanica  says,  "that  he  enjoyed  an  honourable  post  in  the  government  of  Ire- 
land: "  what  this  post  was  he  does  not  say,  nor  can  I. 

4  In  a  copy  of  Christian  Morals,  presented  by  Dr.  Johnson  to  i!irch,  is  this  me- 
morandum, in  the  hand-writing  of  the  latter. 


1V111  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

Diseases  are  the  arms  whereby 
We  naturally  do  fall  and  die. 
What  furie  is't  to  take  a  death  part, 
And  rather  than  by  nature,  die  by  art. 
Men,  for  me,  again  shall  chime 
To  Jared's  or  Mathuselah's  time. 
That  thread  of  life  the  Fates  do  twine 
Their  gentle  hands  shall  clip,  not  mine. 
O  let  me  never  know  the  cruel 
And  heedless  villany  of  duel ; 
Or  if  I  must  that  fate  sustain, 
Let  me  be  Abel,  and  not  Cain. 

From  the  same  biographer,  I  learn  that  Sir  Thomas  died 
May  16th,  1634;  so  that  Browne's  mother  was  probably  left 
a  widow  the  second  time. 

His  continental  travels  in  France,  Italy,  and  Holland,  im- 
mediately followed  his  Irish  tour,  and  the  whole  may  be 
supposed  to  have  occupied  about  two  years,  terminating  in  his 
return  to  England,  after  having  obtained  his  degree  of  M.  D. 
in  the  university  of  Leyden,  in  1633.  He  then  settled  as  a 
physician  at  Shipden  Hall,  near  Halifax.  None  of  his  bio- 
graphers, indeed,  have  mentioned  this  fact ;  but  I  cannot  see 
the  slightest  reason  for  refusing  the  testimony  of  Bently,  who 
published  the  following  account  of  him,  during  the  life  of  his 
son,  Dr.  Edward  Browne.  After  enumerating  Dr.  Power 
and  other  physicians  who  resided  at  Halifax,  he  proceeds 
thus  : — "  And  unto  whom  I  cannot  forbear  adding  the  learned 
Dr.  Browne,  (who,  for  his  worth  and  fame,  was  thought 
worthy  of  knighthood  by  his  prince,)  because,  in  his  juvenile 
years,  he  fixed  himself  in  this  populous  and  rich  trading  place, 
wherein  to  shew  his  skill  and  gain  respect  in  the  world  :  and 
that  during  his  residence  amongst  us,  and  in  his  vacant  hours, 
he  writ  his  admired  piece,  called  by  him  Religio  Medici."5 
This  account  is  confirmed  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Wright; 
who  wrote  for  the  express  purpose  of  revising  Bently's  work 
and  correcting  its  errors,  and,  therefore,  had  he  not  believed 
the  account  of  Browne  to  be  correct,  he  would  have  omitted 
it:  whereas  he  has  adopted  and  amplified  it;  informing  us 
that  "  about  the  year  1630  he  lived  at  Shipden  Hall,  nigh 
Halifax ;  at  which  time  he  composed  that  excellent  piece,  &c."6 

5  Halifax  and  its  Gibbet-law  placed  in  a  true  light,  12mo.  Lond.  1708,  p.  88,  89. 

6  Wright's  Antiquities  of  Hie  Town  of  Halifax,  fyc.  12mo.  Leeds,  17SS,  p.  152. 
His  date,  however,  is  certainly  too  early  by  two  or  three  years. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lix 

Dr.  Watson,7  and,  more  recently,  Dr.  Whitaker,8  have  adopt- 
ed the  statement,  which  derives  additional  countenance  from 
the  fact,  that  Dr.  Henry  Power  and  Mr.  J.  Brearcliffe,  both 
resident  at  Halifax,  were  among  Browne's  correspondents. 
In  such  a  spot,  and  especially  at  the  commencement  of 
his  professional  career,  he  must  have  had  considerable  lei- 
sure ;  which  it  is  very  natural  to  suppose  he  would  endeavour 
to  improve,  by  reviewing  and  preparing  some  memento  of  the 
events  of  his  past  life.  We  may  regard.  Religio  Medici  as 
the  result  of  such  retrospect ;  for  though  not  pretending  to 
the  character  of  a  narrative,  it  makes  frequent  allusion  to  in- 
cidents and  conversations  which  had  occurred  in  the  course  of 
his  travels ;  and  exhibits  to  us  the  impressions  made  on  him 
by  the  imposing  ceremonies  of  the  Romish  church,  which  he 
had  witnessed  abroad.  It  was  not,  however,  Browne's  object 
to  draw  up  a  narrative  ;  but  to  compose  "a  treatise  upon  the 
spirit  and  form  of  his  religious  belief,  and  it  may  claim  (as  one 
of  his  reviewers  has  well  said9)  a  high  rank  among  the  fairest 
monuments  of  English  mind."  It  has  always  appeared  to  me, 
that  it  was  Browne's  great  aim,  in  the  conduct  of  his  under- 
standing, and  in  the  regulation  of  his  feelings,  to  assign  just 
limits  to  the  respective  jurisdictions  of  faith  and  reason  ;  as- 
serting, on  the  one  hand,  his  right  to  the  free  exercise  of  his 
understanding  on  those  subjects  of  which  it  is  the  legitimate 
province  of  reason  to  judge  ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  submit- 
ting both  intellect  and  feeling  wherever  the  decisions  of  reve- 
lation have  commanded  the  exercise  of  faith.  This  was  his 
rule ;  and  if  he  fell  into  false  philosophy,  it  was  less  through 
the  fallacy  of  his  reason  than  the  erroneous  or  overstrained 
application  of  his  rule.  For  example,  he  too  hastily  deemed 
the  language  of  scripture  opposed  to  the  tenets  of  Coperni- 
cus ;  and,  therefore,  rejected  instead  of  examining  them.  He 
found  witches  and  inchantments  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  as 
well  as  various  forms  of  spiritual  existence  and  agency ;  all 
these  he  therefore  placed  at  once  among  the  articles  of  his 
faith,  scarcely  allowing  his  reason  either  to  investigate  the 
meaning  of  terms,  or  even  to  inquire  whether  that  which  was 

~'   Antiquities  of  Halifax,  4to.  p.  459. 
?  Loidis  and  Elmete,  fol.  p.  370.  9  Aiheneeum,  IS*1 9,  No.  93. 


lx  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

permitted  in  those  days  might  not,  like  miracles,  long  ago 
have  ceased  to  exist.  To  advocate  the  principle  just  stated, 
and  thus  (as  Browne  quaintly  says)  endeavour  to  "compose 
those  feuds  and  angry  dissentions  between  affection,  faith, 
passion,"  was  his  object  in  his  first  and  most  celebrated  work . 
in  which  we  admire  no  less  "  the  universal  charity  of  his 
spirit,  the  catholic  humanity  of  his  feelings,  and  his  strong 
assurance  of  hopeful  faith,"  than  that  force  of  genius  and 
fervour  of  imagination,  those  glowing  sentences,  and  noble 
flights  of  fancy,  with  which  it  abounds. 

It  is  not  improbable,  however,  that  the  leisure,  so  favorable 
to  the  accomplishment  of  this  work,  was  more  ample  than 
suited  his  professional  aspirations ;  and  inclined  him  to  seek 
for  a  wider  sphere  of  action.  This  was  soon  supplied  by  his 
migration,  after  a  residence  of  about  three  years,  to  Norwich  ; 
whither,  as  Anthony  a  Wood  informeth  his  readers,  he  "  was 
induced  in  1637  to  remove,  by  the  persuasions  of  Dr.  Thomas 
Lushington,1  formerly  his  tutor,  then  rector  of  Burnham 
Westgate,  in  Norfolk.  Whitefoot  does  not  mention  Dr. 
Lushington,  but  attributes  his  removal  to  the  joint  solicitations 
of  Sir  Nicholas  Bacon,  of  Gillingham,2  Sir  [or  rather  Dr.] 3 
Justinian  Lewyn,  and  Sir  Charles  Le  Gros,  of  Crostwick.4 
Both  these  accounts,  I  have  no  doubt  are  correct;  and  the 

1  Dr.  Lushington,  "a  famous  scholar  of  his  time,"  bom  in  15S9,  at  Sandwich,  in 
Kent;  matriculated  at  Oxford,  as  a  member  of  Broadgate's  Hall  in  1 606-7.  Bp. 
Corbet  (then  of  Oxon.)  first  made  him  his  chaplain,  obtained  for  him  a  preben- 
dal  stall  at  Salisbury,  and  on  his  own  translation  to  Norwich,  bestowed  upon  him 
the  rectory  of  Burnham-Westgate,  in  Norfolk,  and  got  him  appointed  one  of 
Charles  the  first's  chaplains.  During  the  Commonwealth,  he  lost  his  spiritualities, 
and  lived  obscurely,  publishing  several  books  for  his  maintenance.  At  the  Res- 
toration, he  had  the  offer  of  great  dignities  in  the  church,  "  but  being  then  aged  and 
infirm,  he  chose  rather  to  keep  what  he  had  with  quietness,  than  be  a  dean  with 
riches."  He  accordingly  ended  his  days  in  retirement,  among  his  relations  at 
Sittingbourne,  in  Kent,  on  22nd  Dec.  1661 — aged  72 — and  was  buried  in  the 
parish  church  there,  and  a  comely  monument  was  erected  to  his  memory,  exhibiting 
his  bust  to  the  middle,  in  his  doctor's  gown. — Wood's  Athena,  by  Bliss,  iii,  526. 
Browne,  in  a  letter  to  Aubrey,  says  that  Lushington  was  born  at  Canterbury;  and 
was  chaplain  to  Prince  Charles  in  his  minority.  He  also  enumerates  other  works 
besides  the  Treatise  on  Logic.' — Seep.  467  of  this  vol. 

2  He  was  then  Mr.  Bacon: — see  note  to  the  dedication  of  the  Garden  of  Cyrus, 
vol.  iii,  381. 

3  I  find  Justinian  Lewyn,  LL.D.  mentioned  as  commissary  in  the  archdeaconries 
of  Norfolk  and  Norwich  in  1633  and  1660  ;  but  no  Sir  J.  L. — See  Blomfield,  ii,  474. 

4  This  was  the  father  of  Thomas  Le  Gros,  Esq.  to  whom  Hydriotapkia  was 
dedicated.  The  grandfather,  Sir  Thomas,  was  knighted  by  James,  in  1603. 
See  vol.  iii,  451.  The  Biog.  Brit,  says,  on  what  authority  I  know  not,  that  the 
grandson  was  afterwards  knighted.      The  writer,  probably,  confounded  the  two. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxi 

question  immediately  arises,  why  did  these  men  take  so  lively 
an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  Browne  ?  His  acquaintance  with 
Dr.  Lushington  is  explained  by  Wood  ;  it  was  a  college  con- 
nection : — and  I  believe  that  of  the  others  to  have  been  the 
same.  They  were  all  probably  at  college  together,  and  I  sus- 
pect Dr.  Lushington  to  have  been  tutor  to  more  than  one  of 
the  party :  Mr.  Bacon  held  him  in  such  high  regard  and  ad- 
miration, that  he  published  a  work  of  his  on  Logick  in  1650, 
when  he  was  living  in  obscurity  and  subsisting  on  his  pen, 
having  been  deprived  of  his  spiritualities.  From  the  anxiety 
thus  evinced  by  both  tutor  and  friends  to  place  Browne  within 
their  reach,  we  are  entitled  to  infer  that  his  university  career 
was  distinguished  by  that  attractive  amenity  of  disposition, 
which  conduced  not  less  than  his  rare  intellectual  qualifica- 
tions to  secure  him  the  attachment  and  admiration  of  all  who 
knew  him. 

It  was  possibly  in  compliance  with  the  suggestions  of  these 
friends  that  Browne,  in  a  few  months  after  he  settled  at  Nor- 
wich, was  incorporated  Doctor  of  Physick  at  Oxford,  July 
10,  1637.5  When  settled  at  Norwich,"  says  Whitefoot,  "he 
was  much  resorted  to  for  his  admirable  skill  in  physick :"  and 
we  may  presume,  that  the  zealous  recommendations  of  his 
powerful  friends  were  not  wanting  to  bring  him  into  notice. 
In  short,  the  advantages  of  connexion  with  which  he  started 
in  this  county  were  very  considerable;  and  he  was  well  calcu- 
lated to  improve  them  to  the  utmost.  He  very  soon  contracted 
an  alliance  with  a  family  of  some  antiquity  and  well  connected 
in  the  county,  by  marrying,  in  1641,  Dorothy,  the  fourth 
daughter  of  Edward  Mileham,  Esq.  of  Burlingham  St.  Peter,6 

5  In  the  annals  of  the  College  of  Physicians,  the  date  of  this  incorporation  is 
July  13,  1635.  But  I  find  it  thus  entered  by  Wood,  among  those  which  occurred 
in  1637.  "July  10.  Thomas  Browne,  lately  M.  of  A.  of  Pemb.  Coll.  now 
Doct.  of  Phys.  of  the  University  of  Leyden,  in  Holland,  was  then  incorporated 
Doct.  of  that  faculty."  Attached  to  this  entry  is  a  note,  by  Bp.  Kennet  ;  quoting 
a  passage  from  the  preface  to  Master  Blundevile  his  Theoriques  of  the  Seven 
Planets,  4to.  1602; — in  which  he  expresses  his  obligations  to  his  good  friend, 
M.  Doctor  Browne,  (one  of  the  ordinarie  physicians  to  her  Majestie)  in  Norwich." 
Who  this  Dr.  Browne  was,  I  cannot  say  with  certainty ;  it  might  be  Dr.  Launcelot 
Browne,  physician  to  the  Queen,  who  wrote  a  commendatory  letter  to  Gerarde's 
Herbal  of  1597.  In  this  letter  he  calls  himself  Launcelotus  Brunivs,  Medicus 
Reginens.  It  is  dated,  not  from  Norwich,  but  ex  Aula  Reginea  Westmonast.  ipsis 
Kal.  Dec.  1597. 

6  In  the  church  of  Burlingham  St.  Peter,  I  find  the  monuments  of  Robert, 
the  grandfather  of  this  gentleman,    who  had  six   children,   and    of  Gregory    his 


iXil  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

and  grand-daughter  (as  I  suppose)  of  John  Hobart,  Esq.  By 
this  marriage  Dr.  Browne's  connexions  were  greatly  extended, 
his  fathers  family  being  numerous.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
trace  his  collateral  alliances,  but  he  asserts  a  relationship  to 
several  families  of  note  in  the  county : — for  example,  those  of 
Hobart,  Townsend,  Astley,7  &c.  and  it  is  highly  probable 
that  his  marriage  was  the  connecting  link. 

The  unexpected  publication  of  Religio  Medici  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  his  avowal  of  it,  and  his  consequent  correspond- 
ence with  Digby,  contributed  no  little  to  his  fame  and  suc- 
cess. From  that  time  he  took  that  distinguished  rank  among 
the  literary  men  of  his  day,  which  he  ever  after  maintained. 
Respecting  the  occasion  and  circumstances  of  this  his  first 
appearance  before  the  public,  I  shall  say  nothing  here,  hav- 
ing already  spoken  of  it  in  my  preface  to  the  Religio  Medici. 
No  sooner  was  the  book  printed,  than  the  public  commenced 
operations  upon  it.  Merry  weather  8  placed  it  more  fully  be- 
fore the  continental  critics,  by  his  excellent  version  into  Latin, 
printed  at  Leyden  in  1644,  and  immediately  repi'inted  at 
Paris.  In  the  following  year  came  forth  Ross's  Medicus 
Medicatus,  of  which  Johnson  drily  remarks,  thatitwras  "uni- 
versally neglected  by  the  world.9     Editions  with  copious  an- 

father,  who  had  but  two,  a  son  and  daughter.  In  the  registers  of  the  parish, 
which  I  had  the  opportunity  of  consulting,  through  the  kindness  of  the  present 
minister,  the  Rev.  Jer.  Burroughes,  I  find  no  entry  of  the  marriage  of  Dr.  Browne  : 
but  one  marriage  occurring  in  1641,  and  none  from  that  time  till  1648.  Mr. 
Mileham,  I  find  from  these  registers,  married  twice,  and  had  eight  children 
bv  the  first  wife,  and  five  by  the  second. 

"'   Dean  Astley  married  into  the  Hobart  family. — Blomfield,  ii,  451. 

s  This  gentleman  was  of  Magdalen  College,  Cambridge,  and  became  B.  D. 
before  1652,  in  which  year  is  dated  "  Some  short  Directions  for  a  Student  in  the 
University  ;"  a  MS.  in  the  Bodleian,  by  him.  Johnson  attributes  to  him  the  au- 
thorship of  "  a  small  tieatise  for  the  instruction  of  young  persons  in  the  attainment 
of  a  Latin  stile."  Mr.  Crossley  pointed  out  to  me  some  years  ago  the  following 
article  in  the  catalogue  of  Mr.  Ford,  a  Manchester  bookseller,  for  1811  : — "  No. 
11701:  Directions  for  the  Latin  Tongue,  by  the  Author  of  Religio  Medici  (Sir 
Thomas  Browne),  very  scarce,  and  not  in  his  collected  Works ;  As.  6d.  London, 
1681."  In  all  probability  this  was  the  work  spoken  of,  written  not  by  the  author, 
but  by  the  translator  of  Rel.  Med. 

9  This  remark  stands  in  very  pleasant  contrast  with  the  mention  which  Sir 
Thomas  Urquhart  of  Cromarty,  in  his  Jewel,  hath  made  of  this  remarkable  person- 
age. "  I  must  salute  that  most  learned  and  worthy  gentleman,  and  most  en- 
deared minion  of  the  muses,  Mr.  Alexander  Ross,  who  bath  written  manyer  excel- 
lent books  in  Latine  and  English,  what  in  prose,  what  in  verse,  than  he  hath  lived 
yeers."  After  a  formidable  list  of  these  books,  he  says,  "  Besides  all  these  vol- 
umes, books,  and  tractates,  he  composed  above  300  exquisite  sermons,  which  were 
by  the  merciless  fury  of  Vulcan  destroyed  all  in  one  night,  to  the  great  grief  of 
many  preachers,    to  whom  they  would  have  been  every    whit  as  useful  as  Sir 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  Ixiii 

notations  soon  appeared, — by  Moltke  in  Latin  in  1652,  and 
Keck  in  English,  two  years  later ;  and  these  were  followed  at 
short  intervals  by  translations  into  several  of  the  modern  lan- 
guages of  Europe.  No  less  various  were  the  opinions  ex- 
pressed. By  one  of  the  translators  Browne  was  announced 
in  the  preface  as  a  Catholic  ;  by  another,  as  a  Protestant : 
while  the  Holy  See  settled  the  question  by  consigning  him  to 
the  Index  Expurgatorius.  From  Samuel  Duncon,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Society  of  Friends,  resident  at  Norwich,  he  re- 
ceived a  most  obliging  communication,  in  which  the  writer 
seems  to  have  been  led,  by  some  passages  in  Rel.  Med.,  to 
entertain  hopes  of  winning  Browne  over  to  his  own  opinions. 
It  would,  indeed,  seem  singular,  that  in  the  narrow  compass  of 
this  little  volume,  Browne  should  have  so  expressed  himself 
as  to  be  claimed  for  a  brother  by  such  antipodes  to  each  other 
as  Roman  Catholics  and  Quakers : — did  we  not  consider,  that 
in  some  of  their  vital  charactericks,  these  extremes  in  practice 
may  be  said  to  have  almost  met  in  point  of  principle.  It  is 
not  difficult  to  find  passages  in  which  the  author  has  indulged 
himself  in  expressions  so  imaginative,  if  not  hyperbolical,  as  to 
lead  easily  to  conclusions  the  very  reverse  of  his  real  senti- 
ments. Dr.  Jortin l  has  happily  selected  an  instance  in  this 
remarkable  passage  : — "  Methinks  there  be  not  impossibilities 
enough  in  religion  for  an  active  faith.  I  can  answer  all  the 
objections  of  Satan  and  my  rebellious  reason,  with  that  odd 
resolution  I  learned  of  Tertullian,  Certum  est,  quia  impossi- 
ble est.  I  am  thankful  that  I  lived  not  in  the  clays  of  mira- 
cles, &c."2  To  this  Abp.  Tillotson  had  alluded  when  he 
said,3  "I  know  not  what  some  men  may  find  in  themselves; 
but  I  must  freely  acknowledge,  that  I  could  never  yet  attain 
to  that  bold  and  hardy  degree  of  faith,  as  to  believe  any  thing 

Edward  Coke's  reports  are  to  the  lawyers."  Sir  Thomas  proceeds  to  deplore  the 
loss  of  other  precious  MSS.  the  work  of  him  "  who  for  his  piety,  theological  endow- 
ments, philosophy,  eloquence,  and  poesie,  is  so  eminently  qualified,  that  (according 
to  the  metempsychosis  of  Pythagoras)  one  would  think  that  the  souls  of  Socrates, 
Chrysostorne,  Aristotle,  Ciceron,  and  Virgil,  have  been  transformed  into  the  sub- 
stantial faculties  of  that  entelechy,  wherewith,  by  such  a  conflated  transanimation, 
he  is  informed  and  sublimely  inspired."  Tracts,  by  Sir  T.  U.  12mo.  1782,  p.  108- 
110.  Alas  for  the  person  of  poor  Master  Ross,  which  must,  on  this  theory,  have 
been  rather  thickly  peopled  with  souls  ! 

1  In  his  Remarks  on  Tillotson. — Tracts,  v.  i,  p.  373. 

2  Rel.  Med.  p.  13.  s  Sermon  140th,  vol.  iii. 


Ixiv  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

for  this  reason — because  it  was  impossible.  So  that  I  am  very 
far  from  being  of  his  mind,  that  wanted  not  only  more  difficul- 
ties, but  even  impossibilities,  in  the  Christian  religion,  to 
exercise  his  faith  upon."  "  But  by  impossibilities,'''  replies 
Jortin,  "  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  as  well  as  Tertullian,  meant 
seeming,  not  real,  impossibilities :  and  what  he  says  should  be 
looked  upon  as  a  verbum  ardens,  a  rhetorical  flourish,  and  a 
trial  of  skill  with  Tertullian  ;  in  which,  however,  he  had  little 
chance  to  come  off  superior.  Both  of  them  were  lively  and 
ingenious ;  but  the  African  had  a  warmer  complexion  than 
the  Briton.  Tillotson,  however,  judging  that  the  Papists 
would  make  an  ill  use  of  this,  and  such  passages  as  this,  in 
Protestant  writers,  was  willing  to  pass  a  gentle  animadversion 
upon  it.  Sir  Kenelm  Digby,  a  Roman  Catholic,  who  criti- 
cises several  things  in  the  lleligio  Medici,  yet  gives  his  loud 
approbation  to  these  pious  sallies.  '  I  am  extremely  pleased 
with  him,  when  he  saith,  there  are  not  impossibilities  enough 
in  religion  for  an  active  faith,  &c.'  Extremely  pleased,  with- 
out question;  and  full  of  hopes,  that  this  young  author  might 
at  last  unreason  himself  into  implicit  belief,  and  go  over  to  the 
church  which  would  feed  his  hungry  faith  with  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  impossibilities! — Tendimus  in  Latium!"  In  the 
Biographia  Brit,  there  is  a  short  critique  on  the  work  from  a 
MS.  entitled  A  Century  of  Short  Characters  of  Books  and 
Authors ;  but  it  does  not  seem  to  me  to  deserve  insertion. 

In  the  mean  time,  so  industriously  was  Browne  employed 
in  completing  and  arranging  his  materials,  (the  accumulation, 
no  doubt,  of  many  years,)  that  in  1646  he  published  the  first 
edition  of  his  great  work,  Pseudodoxia  Epidemica ;  which 
speedily  attracted  the  notice  of  those  who  had  attacked  his 
former  book.  Ross  again  took  the  field  in  his  Arcana  Mi- 
crocosmi,  <yc.4  and  with  him  a  new  adversary,  Robinson,  who 
published  a  pedantic  book  with  a  suitable  title: — Endoxa, 
or  a  Calm  Ventilation,  eye.4  Against  these  the  following  re- 
mark seems  to  have  been  levelled  by  Richard  Whitlock,^  who 
enumerates,  "  among  writers,  first  some  that  write  to  eat ; — 
inke  must  earn  ale,  and  three-penny  ordinarys ;    write  they 

4  See  vol.  ii,  1G9,  Preface  to  Ps.  Ep. 
5   In  his  Zoolomia,  or  Observations  on  the  Present  Manners  of  the  English,  12mo. 
Lond.  1651.  p.  232. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  Ixv 

must,  against  things  or  men,  sparing  neither  Bacons,  Har- 
veys,  Digbys,  Brownes,  or  any  the  like — of  Improvement 
College,  &c."  It  is  to  be  supposed,  too,  that  a  number  of 
private  communications  were  made  to  our  author  on  his  two 
books,  the  far  greater  part  of  which  were  complimentary ; 
and  few  have  reached  us.  Some  I  have  omitted,  especially 
five  Latin  letters  from  Isaac  Gruter,  (who  translated  some 
of  Lord  Bacon's  works,6)  respecting  a  projected  (but  never 
accomplished)  Latin  translation  of  Pseudodoxia. 

But  it  was  on  the  continent  that  our  author  received  the 
greatest  share  of  attention :  and  truly  it  must  be  confessed, 
that  he  presented  a  front  of  some  breadth  to  their  attacks ; 
standing  before  them  as  he  did,  not  only  in  the  character  of 
a  theologian,  but  as  a  philosopher  of  almost  every  class.  So 
early  as  1645  did  the  foreign  critics  notice  Religio  Medici.  I 
have  (in  vol.  ii,  p.  15,)  printed  Guy  Patin's  epistolary  animad- 
versions on  it,7  which,  however,  Niceron8  thus  condemns  as  too 
harsh.  "  Patin  en  a  juge  trop  malignement  a  son  ordinaire. 
Les  Joumalistes  de  Leipsic  9  en  parlent  d'une  maniere  plus 
juste,  lorsquils  disent  que  cest  un  lime  rempli  d'excellens 
preceptes,  parmi  lesquels  sont  melts  plusieurs  paradoxes." 
Bayle  also  cites  this  slashing  criticism  of  Guy  Patin's,  in  re- 
viewing his  Lettres  Choisies,  with  a  similar  observation,  that 
he  was  accustomed  to  speak  very  unceremoniously,  both  of 
books  and  men,  and  that  he  seemed  not  aware  that  the  author 
of  the  book  was  an  English  physician.10  Kippis,  after  advert- 
ing to  the  same  censure,  goes  on  thus : l — "  Yet  this  stroke  of 
French  censure  is  but  gentle,  in  comparison  to  the  correction 
given  our  author  and  his  writings,  by  German  pens.  One 
Tobias  Wagner  is  pleased  to  say,  that  the  seeds  of  atheistical 
impiety  are  so  scattered  through  this  book,  that  it  can  hardly 
be  read  without  danger  of  infection.2     The  same  writer,  in 

c  See  his  letters  on  the  subject  to  Dr.  Rawley,  in  Dr.  Tenison's  Baconiana, 
8vo.  1679. 

7  Dated  Paris,  April  7,  1645.  See  Patin,  Lettres  Choisies,  12mo.  Frankfort, 
1681,  p.  12. 

3  Niceron,  Nouvelles  de  la  Republique  de  Lettres,  Avril,  1684. 

9  Acta  Eruditorum,  Sup.  vol.  i,  Leips.  1692. 

10  Bayle,  (Euvres  Diverses,  3  vols.  fol.  vol.  i,  p.  25. 
1    Biogr.  Brit.  p.  629,  note  G. 

-   Wagner,  Examen  Ehnchticus  Atheismi  Speculative,  Ato,  Tubing.  1677,  c.  v.  p.  11. 

VOL,   I.  e 


Ixvi  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

reference  to  a  passage  in  Rel.  Med.  commencing  "  I  confess 
there  are  in  scripture,  &c."3  asks,  "  Quis  hujus  Medici,  ita  de 
>$.  S.  judicantis,  religionem  cum  religione  Galeni,  qui  nullum 
religion-em  curavit,  eandem  esse, — non  suspicareiur  ?  "  4  He 
had  not  the  candour  to  couple,  with  that  passage,  the  ortho- 
dox and  most  satisfactory  reflection,  uttered  in  the  very  same 
breath  : — "Yet  is  all  this  of  an  easy  possibility,  if  we  conceive 
a  divine  concourse  (concurrence),  or  an  influence  but  from  the 
little  finger  of  the  Almighty."  Kippis  proceeds  thus : — "  Two 
other  learned  men  of  the  same  nation,  Muller 5  and  Reiser,6 
agree  with  Wagner  in  passing  sentence  on  our  author  as  an 
Atheist.  The  very  learned  John  Francis  Buddeus7  is  a  little 
more  moderate  ;  for  though  he  puts  Sir  Thomas  Browne's 
name  in  the  list  of  English  Atheists,  in  conjunction  with  Lord 
Herbert  of  Cherbury,  Thomas  Hobbes,  and  John  Toland, 
yet  he  is  pleased  to  add,  that  as  for  Thomas  Browne,  though 
he  is  not  free  from  the  suspicion  of  absolute  indifference  in 
religion,  yet  from  the  charge  of  Atheism  he  ought  certainly 
to  be  acquitted.  Yet  the  no  less  learned  John  Frederick 
Reimmannus,  who  also  wrote  very  largely  on  Atheism,  and 
of  such  as  have  been  justly  or  unjustly  suspected  thereof, 
has  taken  great  pains  to  wipe  off,  not  only  the  latter,  but  the 
former  aspersion  from  our  author,  and  has  very  fairly  shewn 
the  true  state  of  the  case  ;  that  the  Religio  Medici  has  been 
condemned  by  some  without  reading  it  carefully,  and  by 
others  for  want  of  understanding  what  they  did  read."8  He 
thus  mentions  Browne: — "  Thomas  Browne,  Med.  Doct.  et 
Poliater  Norvicensis,  vir  exquisites  doctrines,  a  quibusdam  in 
suspicionem  atheismi  adductus  est  ob  libellum  mole  exiguum, 
acumine  vastum,  qui  Religio  Medici  inscriptus,  <yc."  The 
same  writer  in  another  work  9  says,  "  Hie  auctor  non  omnis- 
prorsus  expers  est  macidce  et  anomalies ;  sed  eidem  non  ita 

3  Vol.  ii,  p.  29,  30.  4   Wagner,  Exam.  $c.  p.  15. 

5  Muller,  Examen  Atlteismi,  c.  vi,  §  34. 

c  Reiser,  Dissertalio  de  Atheismo,  p.  35.  To  Muller  I  have  not  been  able  to  re- 
fer. Kippis's  reference  to  Reiser  is  erroneous.  The  passage  he  quotes  is  at  p.  SSG. 
But  from  a  passage  at  p.  349,  I  presume  a  still  more  extended  notice  of  our  author 
will  be  found  in  Reiser's  Vindicice  Anti-Thomisticce — which  I  have  not  seen. 

7  Buddeus,  Theses  Theologicce  de  Atheismo  et  Superstitionc,  p.  136. 

8  Reimman.  Hist.  Univers.  Atlteismi,  p.  448. 

9  Reimman.  Bibliotheca  Theologicce  Catalogus,  2  torn.  12mo,  Hildesice,  1731, 
p.  1052. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  Jxvii 

immersus  tamen,  ut  Patronus  Syncretismi  universalis  did 
mereatur,  (quo  nomine  in  indice  knjus  editionis  appellatus 
est)  vel  in  Atheorum  familiam  conjici,  quod  fecit  J.  Micrce- 
lius,  in  H.  E.  L.  iii,  s.  ii,  p.  864,  vel  ceternis  tenebris,  una  cum 
ipso  libello,  obduci,  qua  Adami  Reichenbergii x  mens  est. 
Mult  a  spargit  in  hoc  libello  paradoxa,  non  diffitemur ;  sed 
multa  etiam  habet  sana,  sobria,  prceclara,  et  non  cotiidiani 
commatis,  quae  lectori  pensare  poterunt,  quam  eidem  perlus- 
trando  impendit  operam"  Morhof  remarks  thus : 2 — " Sunt 
et,  qui  AtJieismi  crimine  infamare  volunt  autorem  Religionis 

Medici,  cm  nomen  Thomas  Browne." "  Quod  ejus 

sententiam  et  dogmata  attinet,  quanquam  liberius  forte  judi- 
cet  de  nonnullis  religionis  articulis,  pro  atheo  tamen  habere 
nolim,  quod  mihi  videor  ex  ejus  multis  sententiis,  quae  serio 
prolatce  sunt,  deprehendere."  Another  eminent  foreigner,  the 
celebrated  Herman  Conringius,3  professed  himself  always  a 
great  admirer  of  our  author,  and  was  wont  to  say  he  had  read 
his  Religio  Medici  with  fresh  delight ;  and  in  respect  to  that 
imputation  of  Atheism,  or  indifferency  in  point  of  religion, 
which  had  been  circulated  with  such  industry  by  certain  su- 
percilious critics,  he  delivered  his  sentiments  of  it  in  these 
words  : — •"  Utinam  nemo  Medicorum,  imo  Theologorum,  illo 
homine  sit  minus  religiosus."  The  learned  and  judicious 
Frederick  Heister,  son  of  the  celebrated  Laurentius  Heister, 
whose  System  of  Surgery  has  made  him  known  to  all  the 
learned  world,  thought  himself  obliged,  on  Buddeus's  pub- 
lishing a  large  work  against  Atheism  and  Superstition,  to  vin- 
dicate the  physicians  in  general,  and  our  author  in  particular, 
from  the  injurious  aspersions  cast  upon  him  in  that  book.  His 
defence  of  Dr.  Browne  takes  up  the  whole  19th  section,  in 
which,  from  a  great  variety  of  passages  in  our  author's  works, 
he  demonstrates  the  cruelty  of  this  calumny,  as  well  as  its 
notorious  falsehood.4    An  excellent  defence  of  the  professors 

1  In  Euremati  Hobbesiano,  c.  iii,  §  7,  p.  209.  This  Adam  Reichenberg  publish- 
ed a  small  4to.  tract  of  32  pages,  entitled  De  Gemmis  Errores  Vulgaris,  helps.  1687. 

2  Morhof,  Polyhistor,  cura  ./.  A.  Fabricii,  3  torn.  4to.  Lubeca,  1747,  torn,  iii, 
lib.  v,  §  10.  3  Conringlana,  p.  10. 

4  Elice  Frederici  Heist eri,  Laurentu  filii,  Apologia  pro  Medicis  ;  qua  eorum  depel- 
litur  cavillatio,  qui  Medicinam  in  Aiheismum  aliosque  in  Theologia  errores  abducere 
perhibent,  et  qua  simul  prcecipui  Medici  et  nominatim  Hippocrates,  Galenas,  Carda- 
nus,  Taurellus,  Vannius,  et  Brownius,  qui  Atheismi  crimine  commacidati  sunt,  defend- 
untur.  Amstel.  1736,  8vo. 


lxviii  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

of  medicine  against  the  charge  of  impiety  was  written,  towards 
the  close  of  the  17th  century,  by  Charles  Drelincourt,  Pro- 
fessor of  Anatomy  in  the  University  of  Leyden,  under  the 
title  of  Oratio  Doctoralis,  qua  Medicos  Dei,  operum  conside- 
ration? atque  contemplatione  permotos,  cceteris  hominibus  re- 
ligione  astrictiores  esse,  demonstratur  :  atque  adeo  impietatis 
crimen  in  ipsos  jactatum  diluitur."5  With  equal  reprobation 
Dr.  Aikin  speaks  of  these  critics : — "  The  German  divines 
treated  [the  Religio  Medici]  with  severe  censure ;  and  more 
theologico  represented  the  author  as  an  infidel,  and  even  an 
Atheist,  though  almost  every  page  displays  the  fervour  of  his 
piety,  and  the  docility  of  his  belief." 

Respecting  Pseudodoxia,  "kthe  judicious  Morhof  speaks 
with  all  possible  marks  of  approbation  and  esteem : — '  No 
modern  author,  says  he,  has  treated  this  subject  more  accu- 
rately or  copiously.  In  his  first  book  he  learnedly  inquires 
into  the  general  causes  of  error ;  and  in  his  succeeding  books 
he  not  only  discourses  of  the  mistakes  which  are  crept  into 
natural  philosophy,  but  such  also  as  have  corrupted  history, 
theology,  mechanic  arts  and  physick.'  Reimman  says,6  'As 
he  excelled  in  theoretical  and  practical  divinity,  so  he  shone 
no  less  in  philosophy,  wherein  he  emulated  Hercules ;  and 
undertaking  by  his  Pseud.  Ep.  to  clear  the  sciences  from 
error,  he  fell  nothing  short  of  the  other's  labour,  in  cleansing 
the  Augean  stable.' "  Niceron  remarks,  that  "  it  is  an  excel- 
lent work  and  contains  abundance  of  curious  things."  The 
inuendo  of  Lilienthal,  mentioned  by  Kippis,  is  almost  beneath 
notice.  "In  his  Dissertation  on  Literary  Machiavelism" 7 
under  the  head  Novitatis  pruritus,  declaiming  against  those 
who  were  disposed  to  underrate  antiquity,  "  tantoque  quemque 
sententiam  magis  suspectam  esse,  quanta  sit  antiquior  et  pcr- 
vulgatior,  crepantes"  he  adds  in  a  note,  "  Ita  quondam  ex- 
istimavit  Th.  Browne  in  Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  lib.  i,  c.  6, 
p.  28 :  "  in  the  index  he  has  thus  nicknamed  him : — "Browne 

5  Note  in  Drake's  Evenings  in  Autumn,  vol.  ii,  p.  73.  My  kind  friend,  E.  H. 
Barker,  Esq.  has  just  sent  me  the  following  notice,  in  Songs  and  other  Poems,  brj 
Alexander  Brome,  Gent.,  8vo.  London  16C8,  p.  1S2: — 

"  Thou  next  •n-ouldst  hare  me  turn  Divine, 

And  Doctor  too  ; — indeed  'tis  fine! 

Physick  and  preaching  ill  agree  ; — 

There  is  but  one  Religio  HJedici." 

6  Hist.  Univ.  Atheismi,  p.  448.  7  §  v.  p.  39. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxix 

Thorn,  novattiriens."  I  have  preserved  this  reference,  be- 
cause a  former  biographer  has  taken  the  pains  to  supply  it ; 
but  may  safely  leave  it  to  its  own  refutation. 

Amidst  the  attacks  of  his  enemies,  and  commendations  of 
his  admirers,  the  reputation  of  Browne  became  so  established 
and  extended,  that  he  was  applied  to  on  all  hands  for  profes- 
sional, literary,  and  scientific  advice  and  assistance,  and  as  he 
thoroughly  enjoyed  to  oblige  and  assist  others,  his  leisure,  it 
may  be  readily  imagined,  became  very  soon  too  fully  occupied 
to  leave  him  much  opportunity  for  further  authorship. 

Among  the  earliest  of  these  correspondents  was  Dr.  Henry 
Power,  who  afterwards  attained  considerable  eminence  as  a 
physician  at  Halifax.  I  apprehend  that  the  long  letter  of 
professional  recommendation,8  inserted  from  Biogr.  Britan. 
and  which  is  there  said  to  have  been  first  published  by  Dr. 
Massey,  was  addressed  to  Dr.  Power.  He  seems  for  many 
years  to  have  kept  up  his  intercourse  with  Browne,  who  pro- 
bably communicated  much  curious  information;  though,  un- 
fortunately, we  are  not  enabled  to  refer  to  his  letters  for  proof. 
Some  MSS.  of  Power's  remain  in  the  British  Museum,  and 
he  is  known  by  several  works,  especially  by  one  on  experi- 
mental philosophy. 

It  was  probably  in  1650,  or  soon  after,  that  Browne  was 
enabled  to  open  a  communication  with  Iceland,  through  the 
medium  of  a  party  to  whom  he  had  rendered  valuable  profes- 
sional assistance.  He  addressed  some  inquiries  to  Theodore 
Jonas,  minister  of  Hitterdale,  in  Iceland,  respecting  the  natu- 
ral history  and  geography.  &c.  of  that  island,  and  the  dis- 
eases to  which  its  inhabitants  were  liable.  Several  very 
agreeable  letters  were  sent  in  reply  by  his  reverend  friend, 
who  has  therein  placed  himself  in  a  most  amiable  point  of 
view.  From  these  materials  Browne  drew  up,  for  the  Royal 
Society,  a  few  years  after,  a  sketch  of  that  singular  and  then 
almost  unknown  spot ;  which  paper  was  printed  in  the  Post- 
humous Works,  and  is  reprinted  at  page  254,  vol.  iv. 9 

8  See  page  356. 
9  In  running  my  eye  over  it,  I  find  a  choice  specimen  of  the  havock  which  a  sin- 
gle letter  too  much  will  sometimes  make  in  the  common  sense  of  a  passage.  Browne, 
in  describing  a  horse  "of  mean  stature," — an  Iceland  poney  we  may  call  him — 
brought  over  to  Yarmouth,  informs  us  that  it  "could  not  for  many  months  be 
brought  to  feed  upon  oaths  !  " — Gentle  reader,  be  pleased  to  read  oats  ! 


1XX  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

Another  of  Browne's  correspondents,  and  one  of  his  per- 
sonal friends  in  the  county,  was  Sir  Hamon  L'Estrange,  of 
Hunstanton,  a  man  of  real  love  for  natural  history,  and  most 
zealous  in  its  pursuit.  From  him  Browne  received,  in  Jan. 
1653,  a  letter,  enclosing  a  most  substantial  proof  of  the  estima- 
tion in  which  his  works  were  held — a  MS.  of  eighty-five  pages 
of  Observations  on  the  Pseudodoxia :  some  of  them  highly  in- 
teresting. This  MS.  is  preserved  in  No.  1830  of  the  3IS. 
Sloan.  I  have  given  some  extracts.1  About  the  same  time 
he  appears  to  have  rendered  some  assistance  to  a  botanist  of 
considerable  note,  (or  as  Wood  calls  him,)  a  noted  herbalist  of 
his  day — Mr.  William  How,  commonly  called  Dr.  How  ;  who, 
after  having  served  as  a  captain  in  King  Charles  the  First's 
cavalry,  took  up  his  residence  in  London,  first  in  Lawrence 
Lane,  then  in  Milk  Street,  as  a  physician,  though  he  does 
not  seem  to  have  qualified  by  taking  a  degree.  How  was 
distinguished  among  the  earlier  English  botanists  for  his  love 
of  the  science,  and  for  his  published  contributions  to  it. 
Some  local  catalogues,  enumerating  the  plants  of  certain  dis- 
tricts in  England,  had  already  been  published  by  Dr.  John- 
son, the  learned  editor  of  Gerard's  Herbal;  but  How  was  the 
first  who  brought  out  a  general  list  of  the  plants  of  Great 
Britain,  as  distinguished  from  those  of  foreign  countries  : 
under  the  title  of  Phytologia  Britannica,  natales  exhibens 
indigenarum  stirpium  sponte  emergentlum,  12mo.  London, 
1650.  In  1655  he  edited  a  portion,  which  had  fallen  into  his 
hands,  of  Lobel's  MSS.  for  his  projected  large  work,  entitled, 
" Illustratlones  Plantarum:"  of  which  Parkinson  had  used 
another  portion  in  his  Theatrum  Botanicum.  From  a  letter, 
which  he  addressed  to  Dr.  Browne  in  that  year,2  it  would 
appear,  that  he  contemplated,  and  had  made  considerable 
preparation  for,  another  botanical  work ;  but  his  death,  which 
took  place  a  year  afterwards,  prevented  its  completion.  The 
said  letter  must  be  admitted  abundantly  to  justify  the  charac- 
ter given  of  this  writer  by  Dr.  Richard  Pulteney : 3  it  is,  in- 
deed, written  "  in  a  flowery  and  bombast  stile,"  and  in  terms 

1  See  Preface  to  Pseud.  Ep.  2  See  Correspondence,  p.  394. 

3  In  his  Sketches  of  the  Progress  of  Botany  in  England,  2  vols.  8vo.  London, 
1790,  vol.  i,  p.  173. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  Ixxi 

so  affectedly  figurative,  that  it  seems  not  at  all  clear,  whether 
he  is  speaking  of  a  botanical  work  which  he  was  writing,  or 
of  a  botanical  garden  which  he  was  engaged  in  superintending. 
Perhaps  it  was  a  catalogue  raisonnS  either  of  his  own  garden 
or  of  some  other  in  which  he  was  concerned. 

Browne's  learning  and  science,  however,  soon  added  to  his 
acquaintance  two  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  his  day — 
Evelyn  and  Sir  Wm.  Dugdale.  In  16575  through  the  inter- 
vention of  Mr.  (afterwards,  Sir)  Robert  Paston,  created  Earl 
of  Yarmouth  in  1678,  a  correspondence  commenced  between 
Browne  and  Evelyn.  The  latter  being  much  interested  with 
his  favourite  pursuit  of  gardening,  and  just  then  busily  occu- 
pied in  preparing  for  the  press  a  work  to  be  entitled  Elysium 
Brittanicum,  sought  the  assistance  of  our  author,  as  a  man 
well  known  for  his  extensive  acquaintance  with  natural  his- 
tory ;  and  we  have  sufficient  evidence  that  Browne's  contri- 
butions were  considerable: — Tract  2,  Of  Garlands,  <8fc.4  and 
probably  the  Observations  on  Grafting  5  were  written  for  the 
use  of  Evelyn.  It  is,  however,  very  much  to  be  regretted, 
that  so  little  of  their  correspondence  has  descended  to  us;  for 
we  must  suppose  that  it  was  kept  up  for  many  years-  Eve- 
lyn's Silva  contains  an  extract  from  a  communication  received 
in  1664,  which  I  shall  insert  here,  though  somewhat  out  of 
the  order  of  date. 

"But  whilst  I  am  on  this  perod,  see  what  a  Tilia  that  most 
learned  and  obliging  person  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  of  Norwich, 
describes  to  me  in  a  letter  just  now  received. 

"An  extraordinary  large  and  stately  Tilia,  Linden,  or 
Lime-tree,  there  groweth  at  Depeham,  in  Norfolk,  ten  miles 
from  Norwich,  whose  measure  is  this  : — The  compass,  in  the 
least  part  of  the  trunk  or  body,  about  two  yards  from  the 
ground,  is  at  least  eight  yards  and  a  half;  about  the  root, 
near  the  earth,  sixteen  yards;  about  half  a  yard  above  that, 
near  twelve  yards  in  circuit;  the  height,  to  the  uppermost 
boughs,  about  thirty  yards.  This  surmounts  the  famous 
Tilia  of  Zurich,  in  Switzerland ;  and  uncertain  it  is,  whether 
in  any  Tilicetum,  or  Lime-walk,  abroad,  it  be  considerably 
exceeded :  yet  was  the  first  motive  I  had  to  view  it,  not  so 

4  Vol.  iv,  p.  174.  s  Vol.  iv,  p.  365. 


Ixxii  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

much  the  largeness  of  the  tree,  as  the  general  opinion  that  no 
man  could  ever  name  it ;  but  I  found  it  to  be  a  Tilia  fcemina  ; 
and  (if  the  distinction  of  Bauhinus  be  admitted,  from  the 
greater  and  lesser  leaf)  a  Tilia  platyphyllos  or  latifolia; 
some  leaves  being  three  inches  broad  ;  but,  to  distinguish  it 
from  others  in  the  country,  I  called  it  Tilia  colosscea  Depe- 
hamensis"  6 

I  think  it  very  probable,  that  Browne  derived  from  his  distin- 
guished correspondent  some  hints  which  availed  him  in  his 
Garden  of  Cyrus,  which  he  published  in  the  year  1658,  with 
Hydriotaphia.  In  this  latter  work  he  announced  his  disco- 
very of  the  singular  substance,  called  by  the  French  chemists 
adipocire,  and  which  M.  Du  Petit  Thouars,  the  writer  of  the 
article  Browne,  in  the  Biographie  Universelle,  thus  mentions : 
— "  On  y  trouve,  entre  autres,  la  premiere  observation  sur  la 
substance  singuliere  provenant  de  la  decomposition  des  cada- 
vres,  retrouvee  depuis,  par  Fourcroy,  dans  le  cimetiere  des 
Innocents,  a  Paris,  et  connue  maintenant  sous  le  nom  d'adipo- 
cire." — See  vol.  vi,  62. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  same  year,  1658,  Sir  William 
Dugdale  applied  to  Dr.  Browne  for  critical  as  well  as  histori- 
cal and  scientific  contributions  to  his  work,  On  Embanking 
and  Draining,  then  in  progress.  And  several  of  their  letters 
are  preserved.  Sir  William  has  acknowledged  his  obliga- 
tions to  his  learned  and  zealous  friend,  in  the  following  pas- 
sage, at  p.  175  of  his  work  : — "  Touching  which  kind  of  urne 
buriall  see  further  in  that  excellent  discourse  of  the  learned 
Dr.  Thomas  Browne,  of  Norwich,  (printed  at  London  in  An. 
1658,)  from  whom  I  acknowledge  to  have  received  much 
direction  for  my  better  guidance  in  this  present  work."  And 
to  show  that  this  was  not  a  mere  compliment,  it  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  compare  Browne's  critical  remarks,7  in  reply  to  Sir 

c  Hunter's  Evelyn,  vol.  ii,  p.  196.  This  celebrated  Linden-tree  stood  upon  the 
property  of  Mr.  Amias  ;  it  was  cut  down  nearly  a  century  ago. — Excursions  through 
Norfolk,  vol.  ii,  p.  111.  But  the  village  of  Deepham  is  still  distinguished  for  a  sin- 
gle tree.  There  is  a  very  lofty  elm,  said  to  be  of  great  age,  growing  alone  on  the 
top  of  a  hill,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  church.  Having  been  always  shorn  of  its 
boughs,  except  at  the  head,  it  looks  like  a  reversed  broom-stick  of  colossal  dimen- 
sions, forming  a  most  conspicuous  object  for  many  miles  around  ;  and  is  sometimes 
called  Deepham  High  Tree.  The  Hiil  has  obtained  the  name  of  Deepham  One- 
tree  Hill. 

'   Correspondence,  p.  383-4. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  Ixxiii 

William  Dugclale's  inquiries  respecting  the  meaning  of  the 
term  paludibus  emuniendis,  used  by  Tacitus  in  speaking  of  the 
labour  to  which  the  Britons  were  compelled  by  their  Roman 
conquerors,  with  Dugdale's  remarks  thereon,  at  p.  17  of  his 
work.  Again,8  Browne,  at  his  friend's  request,  sends  him  a 
direction  where  to  find  a  quotation  from  Lelandus,  which  had 
been  given  by  himself  in  the  Tract  he  had  sent  Dugdale  on 
Tumuli;  and  this  quotation,  together  with  that  of  Wormius 
from  Adolphus  Cyprus,  we  find  in  Dugdale,  p.  174.  For  want 
of  several  important  letters  from  Browne  to  Dugdale,  (which  it 
seems  very  singular  should  never  yet  have  made  their  appear- 
ance, if  they  still  exist,)  we  cannot  so  distinctly  trace  his  hand 
further  in  this  valuable  work ;  but  it  appears  9  that  the  chap- 
ter on  Holstein,  p.  15,  was  Browne's;  and  the  same  letter  of 
thanks  would  afford  ground  for  suspecting  that  the  History  of 
Foreign  Imbanking  and  Drayning  (pp.  7  to  14)  is  largely  in- 
debted to  him.  Very  probably,  indeed,  Browne  complied 
with  Sir  William's  desire,  (p.  392,)  that  he  would  see  the  en- 
tire MS.  before  it  went  to  press.  I  referred  to  MS.  Harl. 
5011 — the  original  manuscript  of  the  work — in  the  hope  of 
gaining  further  information;  but  I  only  met  with  a  fragment, 
in  Browne's  hand  writing,  which  is  at  foot. 1 

But  it  is  time  to  take  up  the  thread  of  his  domestic  history. 
As  years  passed  on,  there  arose  other  claims,  which  not  even 
his  professional  avocations,  added  to  the  pursuits  of  literature, 
the  wide  and  increasing  range  of  his  acquaintance,  and  the 
conduct  of  a  correspondence  whose  limits  were  daily  extend- 
ing, could  enable  him  to  evade  or  resist.  His  family  was 
large,  and  rapidly  coming  into  life ;  and  they  must  have  more 
and  more  engrossed  his  thoughts  and  his  care.  We  have,  it 
must  be  lamented,  but  scanty  means  of  judging  what  was  his 
system  of  management  and  education ;  though  it  is  probable, 
that  if  he  erred,  it  was  not  in  the  exercise  of  too  great  aus- 

8  Correspondence,  p.  387.  9  Correspondence,  p.  3S9. 

1  "  The  reason  given  by  the  inhabitants  of  Malabar  and  their  neighbours  how 
Malabar  became  a  gayned  land : — '  Uno  ore  affirmatur,  Malabarrorum  regionem., 
etiamnum  humilem  et  palustrem,  crebrisque  interruplam  insulis,  olim  totam  marifuisse 
contectam.  Defluente  vero  continuo  materia  e  montibus  Delhi,  totam  se  extulisse 
supra  undas ;  et  denudasse  tractum  trecentorum  fere  pass,  millium,  excusso  huge 
atque  abactu  oceano., — Isaacus  Vossius  in  Pomponium  Melam  de  situ  orbis,  p.  277. 
Malabar  you  shall  find  a  remarkable  country  in  the  East  Indies." 


IXXIV  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

terity.  His  ambition  was,  their  accomplishment ;  and  there  is 
sufficient  evidence  that  he  spared  neither  expense,  nor  trou- 
ble, neither  admonition,  example,  nor  encouragement,  to  attain 
it.  One  remarkable  feature  in  his  plan  is,  however,  very  evi- 
dent, that  he  did  not  keep  them  at  home ;  but  endeavoured 
to  form  them  to  habits  of  independence,  and  to  give  them,  in 
a  wide  sense,  a  knowledge  of  the  world,  by  sending  them 
abroad.  Some  of  his  daughters  visited  France,  though,  in  all 
probability,  they  were  accompanied  by  himself.  We  have  a 
single  and  imperfect  allusion  to  a  visit  which  he  paid  to  Hol- 
land, on  which  occasion,  I  suspect  that  one  or  more  of  his 
daughters  accompanied  him,  going  probably  or  returning 
through  France.  2  But  he  certainly  must  be  considered  to 
have  put  his  system  in  practice  at  rather  an  early  age,  and  in 
a  most  perilous  manner,  when  he  sent  his  second  son.  Thomas, 
to  France  in  1660,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  sent  him  thither 
alone.  We  are  not  told  that  he  had  any  particular  plan  of 
education  in  view  for  the  boy  in  so  doing,  nor  have  we  the 
intimation  of  any  special  motive  which  led  to  it.  He  exhort- 
ed him,  in  his  letters,  to  learn  all  he  could,  to  take  notice  of 
every  thing  remarkable,  "  to  cast  off  pudor  rusticus,"  to  put 
on  a  "  commendable  boldness,"  and  to  "  have  a  good  hand- 
some garb  of  his  body."  It  is,  moreover,  to  ba  especially 
observed,  how  earnestly  he  enjoins  him  to  "hold  firm  to  the 
Protestant  religion,  and  be  diligent  in  going  to  church : " 
"  be  constant,"  he  adds,  "  not  negligent  in  your  daily  private 
prayers,  and  habituate  your  heart  in  your  tender  days  unto 
the  fear  and  reverence  of  God."  Excellent  as  is  the  advice, 
it  must  be  apprehended  that  he  did  not  place  his  boy  in  cir- 
cumstances the  most  favourable  to  its  adoption,  when  he  sent 
him,  so  young,  and  unattended,  amidst  such  scenes  as  he 
would  be  sure  to  meet  with.  Probably  he  contemplated,  if 
he  had  not  resolved  on,  the  profession  into  which  his  son 
afterwards  entered,  and  deemed  it  essential  to  his  excelling 
therein,  that  he  should  early  learn  to  "  shift  for  himself."  If 
so,  the  event  justified  the  plan,  for  it  seems  that  his  boy  did 
not  fail  to  acquire  that  laudable  boldness  and  freedom  of  car- 
riage which  his  father  was  anxious  to  see  in  him,  and  which 

■  Vol.  ii,  p.  sii. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  IxXV 

he  told  him,  "  he  that  learneth  not  in  France  travelleth  in 
vain."  He  was  a  spirited  and  talented  young  man,  and  would, 
in  all  probability,  have  risen  to  eminence  in  the  navy,  had  he 
lived.  He  was  remarkable,  withal,  for  kindness  and  frank- 
ness of  disposition.  His  "  Tour  in  Derbyshire"  z  (for  there  is 
internal  evidence  that  he  wrote  that  journal,)  sufficiently  shews 
that  he  had  acquired  some  taste  for  adventure,  and  was  ready 
enough  to  play  his  part.  The  greater  part  of  the  following 
year  he  passed  at  college,  and  at  the  close  of  1664,  entered 
the  navy.  A  brief  sketch  of  his  subsequent  career,  till  about 
the  middle  of  1667,  will  be  found  at  pp.  114  to  152,  to  which 
I  have  not  been  able  to  make  any  addition.4 

With  his  eldest  son,  whom  he  destined  for  his  own  profes- 
sion, Browne  somewhat  modified  his  plan,  though  it  was  sub- 
stantially similar.  He  sent  him  abroad,  but  not  at  so  early  an 
age ;  choosing,  probably,  to  keep  his  education  in  his  own 
hands,  or,  at  least,  within  reach  of  his  own  controul.  With 
this  view,  after  passing  through  the  Free  School  at  Norwich, 
Edward  was  sent  to  Cambridge,  where  he  entered  at  Trinity 
College,  Oct.  27,  1657,  and  took  the  degree  of  bachelor  in 
physic  in  the  middle  of  1663.5     In  the  autumn  of  1663  he 

3  With  his  brother  Edward,  towards  the  close  of  the  year  1662. — See  p.  22. 

4  Unless,  indeed,  I  may  offer  a  conjecture  as  to  the  date  of  his  death.  It  can 
only  be  conjecture,  resting  on  a  pedigree  of  the  family  by  Le  Neve  ;  who  asserts  his 
burial  to  have  taken  place  at  St.  James's,  Clerkenwell,  "  on  Wednesday,  Sept.  1 ;" 
but  leaving  the  year  blank.  Now  September  1st  fell  on  a  Wednesday  in  1624  and 
1669 — but  not  in  any  intermediate  year.  The  register  of  the  parish  in  question 
affords  no  help.  If  he  died  in  1669,  it  is  most  unaccountable  that  we  have  no  men- 
tion of  him  after  the  summer  of  1667.  I  am  strongly  tempted  to  suggest,  as  a 
various  reading  of  Le  Neve's  MS.  either  the  4th  or  I  lth  September,  both  which 
days  fell  on  a  Wednesday  in  1667,  the  year  in  which  I  have  always  supposed 
Lieut.  Browne  to  have  died. 

5  The  convenience  of  its  greater  nearness  to  Norwich  is  supposed  by  the  writer 
of  the  article  in  Biogr.  Brit,  to  have  been  Browne's  motive  for  sending  his  son  to 
Cambridge.  But  that  writer  has  placed  his  degree  M.  B.  two  years  later  than  the 
fact;  and  in  several  other  points  has  committed  errors  in  his  life.  To  the  admis- 
sion and  degree  of  M.  B.  I  am  enabled  to  assign  correct  dates,  by  the  kindness  of 
Professor  Sedgwick,  who  has  given  the  following  copy  of  Browne's  admission : — 
1657,  Oct.  27.  Edwardus  Brown  admiss.  Pension,  sub  Mro.  Daport.  The  Master  of 
Trinity  College,  in  his  note  to  the  Professor,  has  added  the  following  interesting  in- 
formation : — "I  consulted  the  register,  to  see  if  he  had  ever  been  elected  scholar; 
but,  unfortunately,  during  the  troubles,  that  book  was  kept  very  irregularly,"  (or 
rather  very  regularly  unlcept  ? )  "and  there  are  no  admissions  of  scholars  recorded 
from  1643  to  1661."  "  We  have,  in  my  dining  room,  (in  the  lodge,)  a  drawing  in 
crayons  of  the  Poet  Cowley,  which  was  given  in  the  year  1824,  by  Mr.  Richard 
Clark,  Chamberlain  of  the  city  of  London.  When  he  put  it  in  my  hands  he  told 
me  it  had  belonged  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  and  Mr.  C.  brought  it  from  Norwich." 
During  the  unlcept  period,  however,  may  we  not  conjecture  that  he  took  his  degree 
of  A.  B.  ?     See  his  mother's  letter,  p.  6. 


lxxvi  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

returned  to  Norwich,  and  probably  commenced  his  profes- 
sional studies  with  his  father,  who  seems  to  have  infused  into 
him  some  portion  of  his  own  spirit,  if  we  may  judge  from  the 
diligence  with  which  Edward  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of 
his  profession,  and  to  the  collateral  pursuits  of  comparative 
anatomy  and  natural  history.  He  spent  the  winter  of  1663-4 
in  Norwich ;  and  his  journal,  describing  the  amusements  of 
the  city  at  that  period,  is  interesting.6  Mr.  Henry  Howard, 
afterwards  sixth  Duke  of  Norfolk,  (grandson  of  the  celebrated 
Thomas,  Earl  of  Arundel,  who  made  those  splendid  collec- 
tions which  have  immortalized  him,)  then  resided  there;  and 
his  munificence  and  m'banity  are  evinced  by  the  frequency  of 
the  parties  given  at  the  Duke's  Palace,  as  well  as  by  the  free- 
dom of  access  which  young  Browne  obtained  to  them.  But 
the  public  spirit  of  Mr.  Howard  vied  with  the  splendour 
of  his  entertainments.  He  purchased,  and  devoted  to  the 
amusement  of  the  public,  the  gardens  in  King  Street,  which 
were  long  afterwards  (and,  as  I  am  assured  by  Dr.  Sutton, 
of  Norwich,  even  within  his  recollection,)  designated  "  My 
Lord's  Gardens." 

In  the  spring  of  1664,  Mr.  Edward  Browne  commenced 
his  foreign  travels,  first  spending  a  short  time  among  his  re- 
lations and  friends  in  London.  And  here  he  seems  to  have 
formed  his  first  acquaintance  with  the  family  of  Dr.  Terne, 
whose  daughter  he  afterwards  married.  He  took  up  his  resi- 
dence, while  in  London,  at  the  house  of  his  relation,  Mr.  Bar- 
ker, in  Clerkenwell,  where  his  sister  Ann  was  then  living. 
Here  he  met  "Madam  Fairfax,"  probably  the  mother  of  Mr. 
Henry  Fairfax,7  whom  his  sister  Ann  afterwards  married,  and 
who  was  the  grandson  of  Thomas,  Lord  Viscount  Fairfax. 
He  also  mentions  his  "  dear  sister  Cottrell "  as  being  of  the 
party;  and  says  that  he  afterwards  "waited  upon  Madam 
Cottrell  home  to  her  house  in  St.  James  his  Park,  &c." 

6  See  p.  43,  &c. 
"  Henry  Fairfax,  Esq.  of  Burlington,  in  the  county  of  York,  second  son  of  Tho- 
mas, Lord  Viscount  Fairfax,  of  Eraely,  in  Ireland,  married  Frances,  the  only 
daughter  of  Henry  Barker,  of  Hurst,  Esq.  ;  and  died  in  1656,  leaving  his  widow, 
(this  Madam  Fairfax,  as  I  suppose,)  who  was  buried  at  Hurst,  March  25,  1668-9. 
They  had  three  children,  Henry,  (who  married  Ann  Browne,)  John,  (mentioned 
by  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  vol.  i,  p.  194?)  and  Frances.  Thus  is  the  relationship 
of  the  Fairfax  and  Barker  families  made  out ;  but  how  Mr.  Barker  became  the  cou- 
sin of  Edward  Browne,  before  his  sister's  marriage  to  Mr.  Fairfax,  does  not  appear. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  Ixxvii 

Hence  I  concluded,  perhaps  too  hastily,  that  Sir  Charles  Cot- 
trell  married  a  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne.  More  proba- 
bly it  was  a  son  of  Sir  Charles's ;  but  I  cannot  give  the  slightest 
authority  for  the  conjecture  beyond  the  present  passage. 
From  London  he  proceeded  to  Paris,  and  thence  to  Italy, 
visiting  Genoa,  Rome,  Naples,  Bologna,  Venice,  and  Padoa, 
returning  to  Paris  through  Aries,  Montpellier,  Thoulouse, 
and  Rochelle.  He  travelled  in  company  with  Sir  William 
Trumbull,  (afterwards  Secretary  of  State,)  Sir  Samuel  Tuke, 
Sir  Christopher  Wren,  and  other  distinguished  characters. 
At  Paris  he  incidentally  became  acquainted  with  Guy  Patin, 
one  of  his  father's  earliest  criticks,  who  received  him  with 
great  urbanity,  and  spoke  in  the  most  courteous  terms  of  his 
father.  A  portion  of  this  tour  has  been  printed  at  the  end  of 
the  folio  edition  of  his  Travels. 9  The  whole  is  preserved  in 
his  journal,  MS.  Sloan.  1906,  and  extends,  in  the  present 
volume,  from  p.  57  to  114,  partly  printed  from  the  just-men- 
tioned journal,  and  partly  from  his  letters  in  MS.  Sloan. 
1868.  The  last  letter  of  the  series  is  dated  Paris,  Sep.  30, 
1665 ;  soon  after  which  I  suppose  him  to  have  returned  to 
Norwich.  I  find  him  incorporated  of  Merton  College,  Ox- 
ford, June  16,  1666;  and  in  the  following  year,  July  4,  1667, 
he  took  his  doctor's  degree. 

In  the  same  year  he  was  admitted  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society; — whether  from  the  influence  of  his  father's  name,  or 
from  his  own  recently  formed  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Wren, 
Mr.  Ray  and  other  distinguished  fellows,  we  are  not  told. 
It  is,  however,  highly  probable,  that  his  admission  into  that 
learned  body  had  some  connexion  with  his  determination  to 

S  At  present,  I  have  been  disappointed  in  my  search  for  earlier  registers  of  Sir 
Thomas  Browne's  family,  than  1650.  The  daughter  in  question  must  have  been 
born  some  years  earlier.  But  Whitefoot  informs  us,  that  Edward,  (born  in  1644, 
according  to  his  monumental  inscription  at  Northfleet,  and  his  father's  pedigree, 
preserved  in  the  College  of  Arms,)  was  the  "eldest  child."  Besides  him,  I  trace 
four  children  born  before  1650;  viz.  Thomas,  Elizabeth,  (afterwards  Mrs.  Lyttle- 
ton,)  Anne,  (afterwards  Mrs.  Fairfax,)  and  Dorothy,  (buried  at  Norwich  in  1652.) 
Tn  order,  then,  to  account  for  the  passage  quoted  above,  we  must  suppose  Sir  Tho- 
mas to  have  had  another  daughter,  between  1644  and  1650,  besides  the  four  child- 
ren just  named.  I  have  taken  various  means  (hitherto  in  vain)  to  find  the  registers, 
or  even  to  ascertain  where  he  resided,  during  that  period.  Should  I  meet  with 
better  success,  it  will  appear  in  my  pedigree  of  his  family. 

9  It  is  singular,  that  in  Biog.  Brit,  though  this  journey  is  mentioned,  it  is  ex- 
pressly asserted  that  Dr,  Edward  Browne  was  never  abroad  till  16GS. 


Ixxviii  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

renew  his  travels,  and  even  induced  him  ultimately  to  extend 
them  (in  opposition  to  his  father's  decidedly  expressed  wish,1) 
to  countries  peculiarly  rich  in  those  natural  productions  to 
which  the  society's  attention  was  then  directed.  In  the  ab- 
sence of  journals,  or  other  positive  information  respecting  the 
three  years  which  inteiwened  between  the  termination  of  his 
first  and  beginning  of  his  subsequent  travels,  we  may  conjec- 
ture, that  if  a  part  was  spent  at  the  University,  and  a  part  in 
the  improvement  of  the  advantages  which  he  enjoyed  under 
his  father's  roof  at  Norwich,  no  inconsiderable  portion  of  the 
remainder  was  devoted  to  that  circle  of  scientific  and  literary 
friends  to  which  he  had  obtained  access  in  London.  Among 
these  were  several  distinguished  travellers,  whose  society 
must  have  had  its  influence  in  reviving  and  strengthening  his 
own  taste  for  foreign  adventure.  And  it  was  in  all  probability 
as  much  on  their  recommendation,  as  from  his  own  inclination, 
that  in  August,  1668,  he  commenced  those  travels  which  have 
contributed  so  much,  and  on  the  whole  so  justly,  to  his  repu- 
tation. For  though  he  did  not  inherit  his  father's  high  intellec- 
tuality, he  was,  like  him,  ardent  in  pursuit  of  knowledge,  and 
strongly  attached  to  the  studies  to  which  he  made  his  travels 
principally  subservient :  and  his  literary  attainments,  as  might 
be  supposed,  were  considerable.  But  above  all,  he  was  an 
accurate  observer  and  a  veracious  narrator  of  what  he  met 
with.  He  was,  in  short,  a  conscientious  traveller,  not  supply- 
ing from  imagination  what  was  wanting  in  the  reality.  His 
pen  was  under  the  guidance  of  his  senses ;  not  carried  away 
by  his  fancy.  Hence,  notwithstanding  the  somewhat  con- 
temptuous terms  in  which  his  travels  are  mentioned  by  Dr. 
Johnson,  who  neither  understood  nor  cared  for  the  subjects 
on  which  Browne  wrote,  he  acquired  by  his  work,  and  has 
retained  to  the  present  day,  a  character  for  which  travellers 
are  not  proverbial  : — viz.  that  whatever  he  has  related,  may 
be  received  with  implicit  confidence. 

Having  embarked  at  Yarmouth  on  the  14th  August,  he 
landed  at  Rotterdam ;  and  thence  proceeded  through  Delft, 
the  Hague,  Leyden,  and  Haarlem,  to  Amsterdam;  through 
Utrecht,  Boisleduc,  Breda,  and  Dort,  to  Flushing,  and  up  the 

1  Seep.  163,  166. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxXlX 

Scheldt  by  Antwerp,  Brussels,  and  Maestricht  to  Aix-la-Cha- 
pelle,  which  he  reached  on  the  7th  Oct.  From  "  Aken,"  he 
went  direct  through  Juliers  to  the  Rhine  ;  along  which  river 
he  travelled  from  Cologne  to  Bingen,  Mayence,  and  Frank- 
fort; and  thence,  passing  through  Darmstadt,  Heidelberg, 
Nurnberg,  Ratisbon,  and  Lintz,  he  reached  Vienna  on  the 
20th  November.  There  he  passed  the  winter  of  1668-9; 
visiting  and  examining  every  object  within  and  around  it, 
worthy  his  notice ;  and  making  excursions  in  several  directions. 
The  Imperial  Museum  and  Library  were  his  great  attrac- 
tions ;  and  his  acquaintance  with  Peter  Lambecius,  the  libra- 
rian, gave  him  special  facilities.  Through  his  influence  he 
was  allowed  the  privilege  of  withdrawing  books  to  his  lodg- 
ings, and  he  has  preserved  a  list  of  some  which  he  read, 
which  I  subjoin.2  He  speaks  of  the  Emperor  Leopold,  as  a 
man  of  considerable  literary  attainments,  and  a  patron  of 
learning  and  learned  men.  Lambecius  was  in  the  habit  of 
suggesting  books  for  his  Imperial  master's  reading,  and  it 
happened  on  one  occasion,  that  he  put  Religio  Medici  into 
the  Emperor's  hands,  wherewith,  says  Browne,3  "  the  Emperor 
was  exceedingly  pleased,  and  spake  very  much  of  it  unto 
Lambecius,  insomuch  that  Lambecius  asked  me  whether  I 
knew  the  author,  he  being  of  my  own  name,  and  whether  he 

2    [from  MS.  SLOAN.   1922,  FOL.  50.] 
Bonks  which  I  borrowed  out  of  the  Emperor's  library  : — 
Vernherius  de  Admirandis  Hungarias  aquis. 

Georgius  Agricola  de  re  metallica  lib.  xii.  De  Animalibus  subterraneis. 
De  Ortu  et  causis  subterraneorum,  lib.  v. 
De  natura  eorum  que  effluunt  ex  terra,  lib.  iiij. 
De  natura  fossilium,  lib.  x. 
De  veteribus  et  novis  metallis,  lib.  ij. 
Bermannus  sive  de  re  metallica  dialogus. 
De  mensuris  et  ponderibus  Romanorum  et  Grsecorum. 
De  externis  mensuris  et  ponderibus. 
Ad  ea  quae  Andreas  Alciatus  denuo  disputavit  de  mensuris  et  ponderibus,  brevis 

defensio. 
De  mensuris  quibus  intervalla  metimur. 
De  restituendis  ponderibus  atque  mensuris. 
De  pretio  metallorm  et  monetis. 
Lucas  Poeti  jurisconsul.  de  mensuris  et  ponderibus  Romanis  et  Grsecis  cum  his  quae 

hodie  Romae  sunt  collatis,  lib.  v. 
Ejusdem  variarum  lectionum  liber  unus. 
Mundus  alter  et  idem ;  sive  terra  Australis  antehac  semper  incognita  longis  itineri- 

bus  peregrini  Academici  nuper  lustrata.      Authore  Mercutio  Britannico.   Accessit, 

propter  affinitatem  materiae,  Thomas  Campanellas  Civitas  Solis,  et  Nova  Atlantis 

Franc.  Baconi  Bar.  de  Verulamio. 

3  Travels,  folio,  p.  141. 


1XXX  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

were  living.  And  when  he  understood  my  near  relation  to 
him,  he  became  more  kind  and  courteous  than  ever,  and  de- 
sired me  to  send  him  that  book  in  the  original  English,  which, 
he  would  put  into  the  Emperor's  library,  and  presented  me 
with  a  neat  little  Latin  book,  called  Pr biceps  in  Compendio, 
written  by  the  Emperor's  father,  Ferdinandus  the  Third."  Dr. 
Browne  also  received  from  Lambecius  a  curious  catalogue  of 
some  hundreds  of  alchymical  manuscripts,  for  the  Royal  So- 
ciety, with  the  remarkably  liberal  permission  to  have  any  of 
them  copied  in  Vienna,  or  even  brought  into  England  for 
transcription.  He  was  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  also  introduc- 
tions to  individuals  of  high  rank,  from  several  of  whom  he  re- 
ceived great  kindness.  He  especially  mentions  Counts  Lesly 
and  Souches,  the  latter  of  whom  afforded  him  essential  as- 
sistance during  his  travels,  in  the  capacity  of  governor  of  the 
fortress  of  Leopoldstadt. 

While  at  Vienna,  he  received  a  communication  from  Dr. 
Oldenburg,  the  secretary  of  the  Royal  Society,  requesting 
such  information  as  he  might  be  able  to  obtain  for  them  in 
the  course  of  his  proposed  Hungarian  excursion.  For  his 
guidance  a  paper  was  enclosed,  which  we  find  printed  at  large 
in  the  Philosophical  Transactions,*  under  the  following 
title  : — "  Directions  and  inquiries  as  they  were  sometime  since 
recommended  by  the  publisher  to  the  care  of  the  ingenious 
and  learned  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  (son  to  that  deservedly 
famous  physician  Dr.  Thomas  Browne,  and  Fellow  of  the 
Royal  Society,)  travelling  in  Germany,  Hungary,  Turkey, 
&c."  To  these  queries,  Dr.  Browne  gave  very  copious  an- 
swers, which  were  also  printed  at  large  in  the  Transactions.* 

Very  early  in  the  spring  of  1669  Browne  made  an  excur- 
sion through  Baden  and  Mannersdorf,  across  the  Newsidler 
Sea  to  Raab  and  Komora,  and  thence,  after  visiting  the  mar- 
ble quarry  at  Dotis,  he  went  by  Leopoldstadt  to  the  gold, 
silver,  and  copper  mines  of  Cremnitz,  Schemnitz,  Newsol,  &c. 
and  returned  to  Vienna  in  the  middle  of  April.  His  next 
excursion  was  through  Styria,  Carinthia,  See.  to  see  the 
Zirchnitzer  lake  and  quicksilver  mines  at  Idria,  whence,  after 

4  Phil.  Trans.  No.  lviii,  p.  1159.     See  also  vol.  i,  p.  171. 
5  See  a  list  of  these  papers  in  a  note  at  p.  203. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxxxi 

again  visiting  Vienna  and  Padua,  he  returned  to  the  Imperial 
Capital  at  the  close  of  July.  His  last  excursion  was  to  visit 
the  Ottoman  Court,  which  was  then  held  at  Larissa  in  Thes- 
saly.  This  occupied  from  the  1st  of  September  to  the  end  of 
October,  when  he  regained  Vienna,  to  take  a  final  leave  of  it. 
Early  in  November  he  started  on  his  journey  homeward, 
through  Prague  and  Dresden,  at  which  latter  city  he  took 
particular  notice  of  the  Elector  of  Saxony's  collections,  both 
in  natural  history,  mechanics,  and  works  of  art.  He  then 
visited  the  silver  and  sulphur  mines  of  Freiburg,  and  after 
passing  through  Leipsig  and  Magdeburg,  he  embarked  at 
Hamburg,  and  reached  England  at  the  close  of  the  year  1669. 

Nor  was  this  safe  return  of  his  son  from  long  and  distant 
travels  the  only  circumstance  which  enlivened  Dr.  Browne's 
fireside  this  Christmas.  His  family  circle  had  at  the  same  time 
to  welcome  a  further  addition  to  its  numbers,  in  the  marriage 
of  his  daughter  Anne,  to  Henry  Fairfax,  Esq.6  and  their  arrival 
at  Norwich.  The  visit  seems  either  to  have  been  protracted, 
or  repeated ; — for  I  find  in  St.  Peter's,  Norwich,  the  registers 
of  the  birth  and  burial  of  their  first  child,  Barker  Fairfax,  on 
the  30th  of  August  and  5th  of  September,  1670.  Their  sub- 
sequent residences  were  at  Shiplake,  near  Henley,  in  Oxford- 
shire, and  lastly  at  Hurst,7  a  seat  on  the  borders  of  Wiltshire 
and  Berkshire,  inherited  from  the  Barkers.8 

Dr.  Edward  Browne  soon  proceeded  to  London,  where, 
after  some  hesitations,  he  determined  to  fix  his  permanent 
residence.  On  the  30th  of  April,  1672,  he  married  Henri- 
etta Susan,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  Christopher  Terne,  a  phy- 
sician of  eminence,  and  lecturer  at  Chirurgeon's  Hall  in 
1662-3, 9  who  lived  in  Lime  Street.     There  Dr.  E.  Browne 

6  Before  mentioned  as  the  grandson  of  Thomas  Lord  Viscount  Fairfax. — See 
page  lxxvi. 

7  Hurst — a  parish  comprising  the  liberties  of  Whistley-Hurst,  (Hund.  Charlton,) 
Newland  and  Winnersk,  (Hund.  Sonning,)  Co.  Berks;  and  that  of  Broad  Hinton, 
(Hund.  Amesbury,)  Co.  Wilts.  An  hospital  was  founded  here  by  William  Barker, 
Esq.  (who  died  in  16S5,)  for  eight  poor,  to  whom  he  gave  3s.  6d.  weekly. 

8  They  had  eight  children,  who  all  died  in  infancy,  except  two  daughters,  Fran- 
ces and  Alethea.  The  younger,  Alethea,  married  her  cousin,  Thomas,  only  sur- 
viving son  of  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  but  they  died  without  issue  in  1704  and  1710. 
From  the  elder  daughter  Frances,  who  married  David  Erskine,  Earl  of  Buchan, 
descended  Lord  Chancellor  Erskine,  and  his  nephew,  David  Henry,  the  present 
Earl,  the  only  representative,  I  believe,  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne's  family. 

9  See  Pepys's  Memoirs,  p.  204. 
VOL.   I.  f 


Lxxxii  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

resided  till  the  decease  of  his  father-in-law,  Dec.  31st,  1673 : 
soon  after  which  time,  he  removed  to  Salisbury  Court,  Fleet 
Street,  where  he  remained  during  the  rest  of  his  father's  life. 
Having  thus  pursued  the  history  of  Dr.  Browne's  family, 
uninterruptedly,  to  the  death  of  his  younger  son  and  mar- 
riage of  his  elder  son  and  daughter,  comprising  nearly  four- 
teen years,  from  1660  to  1673,  I  must  now  return  to  collect 
and  arrange  the  scattered  passages  of  his  own  life  during  the 
same  period.  In  introducing  the  earliest  and  most  remarkable 
of  these,  I  cannot  help  observing,  that  the  striking  influence 
which  has  sometimes  been  exerted  on  the  institutions,  the 
history,  or  the  character  of  an  entire  age,  by  the  genius  of 
one  man,  or  the  importance  of  a  single  event,  may  occasion- 
ally be  paralleled  by  the  effect  which  a  solitary  action  or  inci- 
dent has  produced  upon  the  character  or  estimation  of  an  in- 
dividual. Such  an  incident  occurred  in  the  history  of  Sir 
Thomas  Browne  in  the  year  1664  ;  and  it  is  not  a  little  singu- 
lar that  his  principal  biographers,  Whitefoot,  Johnson,  and 
Kippis,  have  all  passed  over,  in  silence,  a  circumstance  which 
has  unquestionably  given  rise  to  more  reflections  on  his  cha- 
racter, both  for  discernment  and  feeling,  than  any  other  cir- 
cumstance in  his  life.  I  refer  to  the  part  which  he  took  in  the 
trial  of  Amy  Duny  and  Rose  Cullender,  at  Bury  St.  Ed- 
mund's, on  the  10th  March,  before  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  then 
Lord  Chief  Baron  of  the  Exchequer.  I  shall  introduce  it  in 
the  words  of  Dr.  Aikin: — "Fancy  and  feeling,"  says  he  in 
his  biography  of  Browne,  "  were,  in  his  mind,  predominant 
over  judgment,  and  his  tendency  to  superstition  and  enthu- 
siasm is  plainly  evinced  by  other  instances.  He  was  fully 
possessed  with  the  belief  of  the  existence  of  invisible  beings, 
holding  an  intermediate  rank  between  the  human  and  angelic 
natures ;  favored  the  notion  of  guardian  angels ;  was  per- 
suaded of  the  reality  of  apparitions,  and  of  diabolical  illu- 
sions ;  and  affirms,  from  his  own  knowledge,  the  certainty  of 
witchcraft.  This  last  article  of  his  belief  was  not  so  harmless 
as  his  other  fanciful  opinions  ;  for  Dr.  Hutchinson,  in  his  sen- 
sible Essay  on  Witchcraft,  animadverting  upon  a  trial  of  two 
supposed  criminals  before  Lord  Chief  Justice  Hale,  at  St. 
Edmund's  Bury,  in  1664,  mentions  that  'Sir  Thomas  Browne 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR,  lxxxitf 

of  Norwich,  the  famous  physician  of  his  time,  was  in  court, 
and  was  desired  by  my  Lord  Chief  Baron,  to  give  his  judg- 
ment in  the  case :  and  he  declared,  that  he  was  clearly  of 
opinion  that  the  fits  were  natural,  but  heightened  by  the 
Devil's  co-operating  with  the  malice  of  the  witches,  at  whose 
instance  he  did  the  villanies?  And  he  added,  that  '  in  Den- 
mark there  had  lately  been  a  great  discovery  of  witches,  who 
used  the  very  same  way  of  afflicting  persons,  by  conveying 
pins  into  them.5  This  declaration,  from  a  man  of  such  au- 
thority, was  thought  to  have  had  no  small  influence  in  occa- 
sioning the  condemnation  of  the  wretched  victims,  whose  ex- 
ecution was  one  of  the  latest  instances  of  the  kind,  by  which 
the  English  annals  are  disgraced."  Aikitis  Biographical 
Dictionary, ,1 

The  reflection  conveyed  in  the  remarks  of  Dr.  Aikin  has 
been  echoed  and  re-echoed ;  and  this  solitary  incident  has 
gone  far  in  the  estimation  of  many,  who  in  other  respects  have 
held  Browne  in  the  highest  admiration,  to  detract  from  his 
character  as  an  acute  and  philosophical  investigator  of  deep- 
rooted  and  long-established  errors,  and  to  place  him  rather 
among  those  who,  while  they  can  detect  and  will  condemn 
the  false  philosophy  and  extravagant  notions  of  others,  are 
yet  led,  by  mere  caprice  or  prejudice,  obstinately  to  defend 
opinions  just  as  absurd,  and  perhaps  far  more  pernicious. 

But  let  us  be  cautious  and  slow  to  pronounce  judgment  on 
such  a  man.  In  the  first  place,  it  must  surely  be  admitted  that 
he  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  justice  or  injustice 

1  I  also  here  subjoin  another  account  from  a  small  volume  of  pieces  relating  to 
Sir  Matthew  Hale,  entitled,  A  Short  Treatise  touching  Sheriff's  Accounts,  to  which 
is  added,  A  Tryal  of  Witches,  Sf&.  Svo.  London,  1716,  p.  96  : — "  There  was  also 
Dr.  Browne,  of  Norwich,  a  person  of  great  knowledge  ;  who,  after  this  evidence 
given,  and  upon  view  of  the  three  persons  in  court,  was  desired  to  give  his  opinion, 
what  he  did  conceive  of  them:  and  he  was  clearly  of  opinion  that  the  persons  were 
bewitched  ;  and  said,  that  in  Denmark  there  had  been  lately  a  great  discovery  of 
witches,  who  used  the  very  same  way  of  afflicting  persons,  by  conveying  pins  into 
them,  and  crooked,  as  these  pins  were,  with  needles  and  nails.  And  his  opinion 
was,  that  the  devil  in  such  cases  did  work  upon  the  bodies  of  men  and  women, 
upon  a  natural  foundation,  (that  is,)  to  stir  up  and  excite  such  humours  super- 
abounding  in  their  bodies  to  a  great  excess,  whereby  he  did  in  an  extraordinary 
manner  afflict  them  with  such  distempers  as  their  bodies  were  most  subject  to,— 
as  particularly  appeared  in  these  children;  for  he  conceived,  that  these  swooning 
fits  were  natural,  and  nothing  else  but  that  they  call  the  mother,  but  only  height- 
ened to  a  great  excess  by  the  subtilty  of  the  devil,  co-operating  with  the  malice  of 
those  which  we  term  witches,  at  whose  instance  he  doth  these  villanies." 

f  2 


lxxxiv  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

of  the  law  which  made  witchcraft  a  capital  offence.  Hutchin- 
son, therefore,  has  committed  a  flagrant  injustice  in  attempt- 
ing to  make  him  accountable  for  the  blood  of  these  women. 
— Can  I  with  a  safe  conscience  acquit  a  man  whom  I  believe 
to  be  proved  guilty,  solely  because  I  deem  the  law  unjust 
which  makes  his  offence  capital? — Can  my  conscientious  ver- 
dict make  me  a  party  to  the  injustice  of  that  law  ? — Most 
certainly  not.  So  must  not  Browne  be  condemned  for  giving 
his  opinion,  on  the  sole  ground  "  that  it  was  a  case  of  blood." 
It  must  be  shown,  either  that  he  was  wrong  in  believing  that 
witchcraft  had  ever  existed;  or,  if  this  cannot,  in  the  very 
teeth  of  scripture,  be  shown,  then,  secondly,  it  must  be 
proved  that  he  was  wrong  in  his  opinion  that  cases  of  witch- 
craft still  existed ;  or,  thirdly,  that  he  erroneously  deemed  the 
present  to  be  a  genuine  instance  of  it.  On  the  first  of  these 
questions,  be  it  remembered,  his  biographer  (Dr.  Aikin)  stood 
on  very  different  ground  from  that  occupied  either  by  Browne 
or  by  the  great  man  before  whom  he  was  examined.  These 
believed,  firmly  and  literally,  the  witchcraft  and  sorcery,  and 
incantations,  as  well  as  the  demoniacal  possessions  related  in  the 
Bible.  And,  from  their  regarding  alleged  cases  of  witchcraft 
in  their  days  as  being  liable  to  investigation,  and  open  to  evi- 
dence, it  is  clear  that  they  knew  of  no  proof  satisfactory  to 
their  minds,  that  what  existed  in  the  days  of  the  Bible,  had 
at  any  subsequent  period  totally  and  universally  ceased.  We 
know  that  Browne  had  previously  considered  this  question. 
More  than  20  years  before,  he  had  published  his  conviction 
thereon  in  these  terms  ; — "  for  my  part,  I  have  always  believ- 
ed, and  do  now  know,  that  there  are  witches,"  2  and  in  one  of 
his  common-place  books  there  occurs  a  passage  on  possession 
and  witchcraft,  beginning  with  a  similar  assertion, —  "  we  are 
no  way  doubtful  that  there  are  witches,  &c."  3  He  believed, 
in  short,  on  the  highest  of  all  testimony,  that  witchcraft  had 
existed  :  and — in  the  absence  of  either  argument  or  evidence 
satisfactory  to  him  that  it  had  at  some  defined  period  altoge- 
ther ceased— he  also  believed  that  it  still  existed.  These 
sentiments  he  declared  openly,  and  has  been  the  victim  of  his 

-  Rel.  Med.  p.  43.  3  Vol.  iv,  389. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxXXV 

opinions,  as  every  man  must  expect  to  be,  who  does  not  flinch 
from  their  avowal.  But  they  were  opinions,  as  I  have  else- 
where remarked,  which  he  held  in  great  and  good  company ; 
— in  common  with  Bacon,  Bishop  Hall,  Baxter,  Hale,4  La- 
vater,  &c  &c.  I  shall  take  the  liberty  of  extracting  some 
highly  interesting  passages  on  this  subject  from  Ellis  s  Poly- 
nesian Researches ; 5  which  agree  also  remarkably  with  an 
opinion  still  more  decidedly  and  very  recently  expressed  to 
myself,  by  a  missionary  who  has  had  the  advantage  of  many 
years'  residence  in  India  ;  and  who  declared  to  me  his  perfect 
conviction,  that  there  still  exist,  and  that  he  has  seen  on  that 
continent,  instances  of  possession,  strikingly  similar  in  all  their 
phenomena  to  those  mentioned  in  Scripture,  and  which  he 
has  no  doubt  are  as  truly  demoniacal. 

4  "  The  judge  in  giving  his  direction  to  the  jury,  told  them,  that  he  would  not 
repeat  the  evidence  unto  them,  least  by  so  doing,  he  should  wrong  the  evidence  on 
one  side  or  on  the  other.  Only  this  he  acquainted  them,  that  they  had  two  things 
to  enquire  after.  First,  whether  or  no  these  children  were  bewitched  ?  Secondly, 
whether  the  prisoners  at  the  bar  were  guilty  of  it  ? — 

"  That  there  were  such  creatures  as  witches  he  made  no  doubt  at  all ;  first,  the 
Scriptures  had  affirmed  so  much.  Secondly,  the  wisdom  of  all  nations  had  provided 
laws  against  such  persons,  which  is  an  argument  of  their  confidence  of  such  a  crime. 
And  such  hath  been  the  judgment  of  this  kingdom,  as  appears  by  that  act  of  parlia- 
ment which  hath  provided  punishments  proportionable  to  the  quality  of  the  offence. 
And  desired  them,  strictly  to  observe  their  evidence  ;  and  desired  the  great  God  of 
heaven  to  direct  their  hearts  in  this  weighty  thing  they  had  in  hand  ;  for  to  con- 
demn the  innocent,  and  to  let  the  guilty  go  free,  were  both  an  abomination  to  the 
Lord."      Tryal  of  Witches,  p.  102. 

5  Mr.  Ellis  says,  "No  people  in  the  world,  in  ancient  or  modern  times,  appear  to 
have  been  more  superstitious  than  the  South  Sea  Islanders,  or  to  have  been  more 
entirely  under  the  influence  of  dread,  from  imaginary  demons,  or  supernatural 
beings.  They  had  not  only  their  major  but  their  minor  demons,  or  spirits,  and  all 
the  minute  ramifications  of  idolatry.  Sorcery  and  witchcraft  were  extensively  prac- 
tised. By  this  art,  the  sorcerers  pretended  to  be  able  to  inflict  the  most  painful 
maladies,  and  to  deprive  of  life  the  victims  of  their  mysterious  rites. 

"  It  is  unnecessary  now  to  enquire  whether  Satanic  agency  affects  the  bodies  of 
men.  We  know  this  was  the  fact  at  the  time  our  Saviour  appeared  on  earth. 
Many  of  the  natives  of  these  islands  are  firmly  persuaded,  that  while  they  were 
idolaters,  their  bodies  were  subject  to  most  excruciating  sufferings,  from  the  direct 
operation  of  Satanic  power.  In  this  opinion  they  might  be  mistaken,  and  that  which 
they  regarded  as  the  effect  of  superhuman  agency,  might  be  only  the  influence  of 
imagination,  or  the  result  of  poison.  But,  considering  the  undisputed  exercise  of 
such  an  influence,  recognized  in  the  declarations  and  miracles  of  our  Lord  and  of  his 
apostles,  existing  not  only  in  heathen,  but  Jewish  society,  and  considering,  in  con- 
nection with  this,  the  undisputed  dominion,  moral  and  intellectual,  which  the  powers 
of  darkness  held  over  those  that  were  entirely  devoted  to  the  god  of  this  world,  it 
does  not  appear  impossible,  or  inconsistent  with  the  supreme  government  of  God, 
that  these  subordinate  powers  should  be  permitted  to  exert  an  influence  over  their  per- 
sons, and  that  communities,  so  wholly  given  to  idolatry  of  the  most  murderous  and 
diabolical  kinds,  should  be  considered  corporeally,  as  well  as  spiritually,  to  be  lying 
'  in  the  wicked  one.'  In  addition  to  the  firm  belief  which  many  who  were  sorcerers, 
or  agents  of  the  infernal  powers,  and  others  who  were  the  victims  of  incantation,  still 


lxxxvi  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

In  the  summer  of  this  year  (1664)  a  little  work  made  its 
appearance,  which  might  seem  to  have  some  claim  to  a  place 
in  the  Correspondence,  were  its  value  equal  to  its  extent.  The 
title  is  as  follows: — Mercurius  Centralis;  or  a  Discourse  of 
Subterraneal  Cockle,  Muscle,  and  Oyster-Shels,  found  in  the 
digging  of  a  Well  at  Sir  William  Dot/lie's6  in  Norfolk,  many 
foot  underground,  and  at  considerable  distance  from  the  Sea. 

maintain,  some  of  the  early  missionaries  are  disposed  to  think  this  was  the  fact. 
Since  the  natives  have  embraced  Christianity,  they  believe  they  are  now  exempt 
from  an  influence  to  which  they  were  subject  during  the  reign  of  the  evil  spirit. 

"  Individuals,  among  the  most  intelligent  of  the  people,  sometimes  express  their 
deliberate  conviction,  that  it  is  because  they  live  under  the  dispensation  or  govern- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ,  that  they  are  now  exempt  from  those  bodily  sufferings  to 
which  they  were  exposed  while  they  were  willing  and  zealous  devotees  of  the  devil. 
It  is,  I  believe,  also  an  indisputable  fact,  that  those  kinds  of  violent,  terrific,  and  fatal 
corporeal  agony,  which  they  attributed  to  this  agency,  have  altogether  ceased,  since 
the  subversion  of  that  system,  of  which  it  was  so  dreadful  a  part.  I  am  not  prepared 
to  pronounce  the  opinions  many  of  the  natives  still  hold,  as  altogether  imaginative: 
at  the  same  time,  the  facts  that  have  come  to  my  knowledge,  during  my  residence 
among  them,  have  led  me  to  desire  the  most  satisfactory  evidence  for  rejecting  their 
sentiments. 

"Witchcraft  and  sorcery  they  considered  the  peculiar  province  of  an  inferior 
order  of  supernatural  beings.  These  were  the  kinds  of  beings  invoked  by  the  wiz- 
ards or  sorcerers.  Different  names  were  applied  to  their  arts,  according  to  the  rites 
employed,  or  the  effects  produced. 

"  Incantations  sometimes  commenced  with  an  imprecation  or  curse,  either  by  the 
priest  or  the  offended  party,  and  it  was  usually  denounced  in  the  name  of  the  gods 
of  the  party,  or  of  the  king,  or  some  oramatua.  This  was  generally  employed  in 
revenge  for  an  injury  or  insult,  which  the  party  using  the  imprecation  imagined 
they  had  received  ;  and  the  poor  people  entertained  the  greatest  horror  of  this  mode 
of  vengeance,  as  it  was  generally  considered  fatal,  unless  by  engaging  a  more  power- 
ful demon,  its  effects  could  be  counteracted. 

"  On  one  occasion,  Mr.  Nott  sent  two  native  boys,  who  were  his  servants,  from 
Eimeo  to  Tahiti,  for  taro,  or  arum-roots.  The  man,  under  whose  care  it  was  grow- 
ing, was  a  sorcerer:  he  was  from  home,  I  believe;  but  the  boys,  according  to  the 
directions  they  had  received,  went  to  the  field,  and  procured  the  roots  for  which 
they  had  been  sent.  Before  they  had  departed,  the  person  who  had  charge  of  the 
field  returned,  and  was  so  enraged,  that  he  pronounced  the  most  dreadful  impreca- 
tions upon  one,  if  not  both  of  them,  threatening  them  with  the  pifao.  The  boys 
returned  to  Eimeo,  but  apparently  took  no  notice  of  the  threatening.  One  of  them 
was  shortly  afterwards  taken  ill ;  and  the  imprecation  of  the  sorcerer  being  made 
known  to  his  friends,  it  was  immediately  concluded  that  he  was  possessed  by  the 
evil  spirit.  Alarming  symptoms  rapidly  increased,  and  some  of  the  missionaries 
went  to  see  him  in  this  state.  On  entering  the  place  where  he  lay,  a  most  appalling 
spectacle  was  presented.  The  youth  was  lying  on  the  ground,  writhing  in  anguish, 
foaming  at  the  mouth,  his  eyes  apparently  ready  to  start  from  his  head,  his  counte- 
nance exhibiting  every  form  of  terrific  distortion  and  pain,  his  limbs  agitated  with 
the  most  violent  and  involuntary  convulsions.  The  friends  of  the  boy  were  stand- 
ing round,  filled  with  horror  at  what  they  considered  the  effects  of  the  malignant 
demon  ;  and  the  sufferer  shortly  afterwards  expired  in  dreadful  agonies.  In  gene- 
ral, the  effects  of  incantation  were  more  gradual  in  their  progress,  and  less  sudden, 
though  equally  fatal  in  their  termination." — Polynesian  Researches,  vol.  ii,  pp. 
225—230. 

6  Sir  William  D'Oyley  resided  at  Shottisham,  near  Norwich.  He  was  knighted 
in  1642,  returned  M.  P.  for  Great  Yarmouth  at  the  Restoration,  and  created  a 
Baronet  in  1663. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxXXvii 

Sent  in  a  letter  to  Thomas  Browne,  M.D.  by  Tho.  Lawrence, 
A.M. — London :  Printed  by  J.  G.  for  J.  Collins,  and  are 
to  be  sold  at  the  Angel  in  Ivie-Lane,  1664,  12mo.  94  pages. 
Opposite  to  the  title-page  is  the  "  Imprimatur"  of  Roger 
L 'Estrange,  dated  June  \o,  1664.7  The  author's  alleged  ob- 
ject is  to  assign  "the  truest  cause  of  that  vein  of  cockle  and 
muscle-shells  that  was  digged  up  in  Norfolke,  so  many  foot 
deep  under  the  surface  of  the  earth."  After  a  long,  rambling, 
discussion  of  94  pages,  he  sums  up  in  the  following  delectable 
series  of  propositions.  "And  thus  (Doctor)  you  have  my 
opinion  of  the  way  by  which  those  cockle,  muscle,  and  oys- 
ter-shells you  mentioned,  were  brought  and  lodged  in  that 
place.  If  they  were  truly  shells,  they  were  conveyed  either 
above  or  underground ;  but  not  so  usually  above,  therefore 
under.  If  under-ground,  then  by  natural  or  voluntary  agents. 
If  by  natural  and  necessary,  then  either  by  vapours,  exhala- 
tions, or  waters;  but  this  is  done  usually  and  commonly,  by  none 
of  the  former,  therefore  by  the  last ;  which  is  the  more  likely 
to  effect  it.  1.  Because  there  are  numerous  generations  in  the 
earth.  2.  Where  many  generations  are,  much  water  is  neces- 
sary. S.  No  fountain  can  supply  the  earth  to  these  purposes 
but  the  sea,  which  is  the  original  of  all  waters.  4.  Though 
the  sea  communicate  his  waters  to  places  near  it  by  percola- 
tion; it  must  and  doth  supply  that  afar  off  by  whole  flouds, 
gulp/is,  and  indraughts.  5.  Where  mighty  flouds  come  with 
violence,  they  will  carry  very  weighty  bodies  with  them.  6.  He- 
terogeneous bodies  are  not  easily  brought  back  again  when  they 
are  forced  into  a  narrow  place.  7.  But  in  a  little  time  gather 
slime,  and  earth  about  them,  and  so  are  lodged  in  firm  ground. 
Psal.  cxxxix,  14.  Marvellous  are  thy  works,  (O  Lord)  and 
that  my  soul  knows  right  well.     FINIS." 

Dr.  Browne  was  admitted  Socius  Honorarius  of  the  Col- 
lege of  Physicians,  cum  multis  aliis,  in  the  December  of  this 
year ; — but  for  some  reason,  which  appeareth  not,  he  did  not 
receive  his  Diploma  till  July  6,  1665.     It  occurs  in  the  Pos- 


7  In  1668  the  following  title-page  was  substituted  for  the  former  and  the  impri- 
matur omitted: — A  Discourse  of  Subterraneal  Treasure,  occasioned  by  some  late 
Discoveries  thereof  in  the  County  of  Norfolk,  and  sent  in  a  letter  to  Thomas  Browne, 
M.D.  London,  Printed  for  J,  Collins,  at  the  King's  Head  in  Westminster  Hall,  1668. 


IxXXviU  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

thumous  Works,  and  I  find  in  Dr.  Rawlinson's  copy  in  the 
Bodleian,  a  MS.  note,  saying  that  the  original  was  in  his 
possession,  having  been  presented  to  him  by  Owen  Brig- 
stocke,  Esq.8 

In  the  year  1666  Browne  presented  to  the  Royal  Society 
some  fossil  bones  found  at  Winterton,  on  the  coast  of  Nor- 
folk ; — then  a  much  greater  rarity  than  they  have  since  been, 
and  perhaps  the  more  valued,  as  they  were  less  understood. 
Hooke  mentions  the  fact  in  his  Posthumous  Works,  and  I 
record  it,  though  unimportant,  in  order  to  show  Browne's 
early  connexion  with  the  Royal  Society,  as  a  correspondent, 
though  (probably  from  local  considerations)  he  never  became 
a  fellow.  He  was  certainly  acquainted  with  several  leading 
fellows,  and  was  known  to,  if  not  acquainted  with,  the  Hon. 
Rob.  Boyle.  It  is  evident,  from  a  passage  in  Mr.  Boyle's 
Second  Essaij  upon  Unsucceeding  Experiments,  that  he  held 
Dr.  Browne  in  very  high  estimation,  as  an  accurate  experi- 
mentalist. "  In  that  essay,  two  things  are  proposed.  First, 
to  render  people  cautious  of  establishing  any  doctrine  of  con- 
sequence upon  single  experiments,  all  the  circumstances  of 
which  they  have  not  particularly  observed.  The  other  is, 
that  practical  writers  should  not  be  too  hastily  censured  on 
the  score  of  experiments  by  them  related,  failing  upon  repe- 
tition. After  mentioning  various  instances  in  support  of  these 
positions,  he  proceeds  thus  with  regard  to  our  author.9 
'  And  as  having  been  informed  that  the  learned  Dr.  Browne 
somewhere  delivers,  that   aquafortis  will  quickly  coagulate 


s  The  Diploma  given  to  Sir  Thomas  Broume,  by  the  College  of  Physicians,  Lon- 
don, when  he  was  chosen  an  Honorary-  Fellow  thereof: — Cum  jam  per  Lustra  admo- 
dum  quadraginta,  Regum,  Reginarum,  et  Parliamentorum  gratia,  data  sit  Collegio 
Medicorum  Londinensiuni  poteslas,  de  Medicis  domi  forisque  Doctoratus  gradum  adep- 
tis  cognoscendi,  et  cum  ijsdem  pro  merit o  communicandi  prcerogativas,  quibus  ipsi 
fruerentur  nos  Edvardus  Alston,  Eques  Auratus  Medicince  Doctor,  et  Collegij 
Prases,  faventibus  Electorum  et  Sociorum  suffragiis,  ante  aliquot  menses  adscivimus 
in  ordinem  Sociorum  Honorariorum  virtute  et  Uteris  ornatissimum  virum  Thomam 
Browne,  jampridem  in  celeberrima  Oxoniensi  Academia  Doctorali  purpura  insignitum 
Eundemque  dignum  juclicavimus,  qui  per  totam  Anglican  Arlem  Medicam  exerceat, 
atque  hie  etiam  Londini,  prceter  praxeos  libertatem,  omnium  nobiscum  immunitalum 
atque  privilegiorum  beneficio  gaudeat.  lnque  plenam  hujus  rei  fidem,  hoc  Instrumen- 
tum  Collegii  nostro  Sigillo  munivimus,  sexto  Calendas  Julij  Anno  Christi  supra  mil- 
lesimum  sexcentesimum  sexagesimo  quinto,  Regisque  nostri  Caroli  Secundi  decimo 
septimo.  Geo.  Ent,  Eq.  Aur.  M.D.  Coll.  Med.  Loud.  Socius,  Elector,  et  Registarius. 
0  Boyle's  Works,  voli,  p.  224,  or  p.  345,  Ed.  1772. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  lxXXlX 

common  oil,  we  poured  some  of  those  liquors  together,  and 
let  them  stand  for  a  considerable  space  of  time  in  an  open 
vessel,  without  finding  in  the  oil  the  change  by  him  pro- 
mised, (though  we  have,  more  than  once,  with  another  liquor, 
presently  thickened  common  oil.)  Whereupon,  being  unwil- 
ling that  so  faithful  and  candid  a  naturalist  should  appear  fit 
to  be  distrusted,  we  did  again  make  the  trial,  with  fresh  oil 
and  aquafortis,  in  a  long-necked  phial  left  open  at  the  top, 
which  we  kept  both  in  a  cool  place,  and  after  in  a  digesting 
furnace ;  but  after  some  weeks,  we  found  no  other  alteration 
in  the  oil,  than  that  it  had  acquired  a  high  and  lovely  tinc- 
ture ;  notwithstanding  which,  being  still  concerned  for  the 
reputation  of  a  person  that  so  well  deserves  a  good  one,  the 
like  contingencies  we  have  formerly  met  with  in  other  expe- 
riments made  us  willing  to  try  whether  or  no  the  unsuccess- 
fulness  we  have  related,  might  not  proceed  from  some  pecu- 
liar, though  latent  quality,  either  in  the  aquafortis,  or  the  oil, 
by  us  formerly  employed.  Whereupon,  changing  those  liquors, 
and  repeating  the  experiment,  we  found,  after  some  hours, 
the  oil  coagulated  almost  into  the  form  of  a  whitish  butter.'" 
This  quotation  is  made  in  Biogr.  Britan.  by  the  writer  of 
the  article  "Dr.  Edward  Browne,"  who  supposes  him  to  be 
alluded  to,  and  on  this  supposition  proceeds  in  the  following 
terms.  "  It  appears  clearly  from  hence,  how  great  an  opinion 
so  good  a  judge,  as  Mr.  Boyle  was,  had  of  our  author's  abili- 
ties, and  moi'e  especially  how  just  a  sense  he  had  of  his  inte- 
tegrity  in  reporting,  as  well  as  capacity  in  making  experiments. 
But  at  this  distance  of  time,  it  has  not  been  possible  for  us  to 
recover  the  original  experiment,  as  made  and  delivered  by 
Dr.  Browne ;  and,  therefore,  this  as  well  as  other  circum- 
stances, seems  to  justify  what  we  have  hinted  in  the  text,  that 
there  may  be  several  communications  of  our  author's  pre- 
served in  the  archives  of  the  Royal  Society,  exclusive  of  those 
that  are  to  be  met  with  in  the  printed  Transactions,  which  I 
have  very  carefully  examined,  and  find  no  papers  bearing  his 
name  later  than  1673."  All  this,  however,  is  corrected  by  the 
date  of  Mr.  Boyle's  Essay, —  1G61 ;  at  which  time  Dr.  Browne 
was  but  a  young  man  at  Cambridge.  It  was  his  father,  whose 
experiment  Mr.  Boyle  took  so  much  pains  to  verify. 


XC  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

The  next  correspondence  of  interest  in  which  Browne  en- 
gaged was  in  1668,  with  Dr.  Christopher  Merrett,  librarian 
to  the  College  of  Physicians ;  who  had  brought  out,  in  1666 
and  1667,  two  editions  (or  rather  re-impressions ])  of  his 
Pinax  Rerum  Naturalium  Britannicarum :  and  was  contem- 
plating a  third.  In  an  auspicious  moment  he  sought  the 
assistance  of  Browne,  who  had  been  most  industriously  em- 
ployed in  collecting  materials  for  an  account  of  the  Natural 
History  of  Norfolk,  at  the  request  of  some  friend.  But  that 
friend  having  died,  the  work  remained  unfinished;  and  the 
collectanea  were  placed  at  the  disposal  of  Dr.  Merrett. 
The  greater  part  of  the  correspondence  has  been  preserved, 
and,  on  comparison,  will  be  found  to  comprise  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  papers  on  Norfolk  Birds  and  Fishes,  8fc,  in 
our  fourth  volume.  But,  unhappily,  Browne's  liberal  readi- 
ness to  render  his  knowledge  serviceable  to  others,  again 
failed  of  its  object.  Either  superseded  by  the  more  learned 
labours  of  Ray  and  Willoughby,  or  laid  aside  on  account  of 
the  perplexities  in  which  its  author  became  involved  with  the 
College  of  Physicians,  the  Pinax  never  attained  an  enlarged 
edition.  Had  Browne  completed  and  published  his  own  Na- 
tural History  of  Norfolk,  he  might  have  contended  for  pre- 
cedency among  the  writers  of  County  Natural  Histories,  with 
Dr.  Robert  Plot,  who  published  the  earliest  of  such  works — 
those  of  Oxfordshire  and  Staffordshire,  in  1677  and  1679. 
He  seems,  however,  to  have  preferred  to  contribute  to  the 
labours  of  those  whom  he  considered  better  naturalists  than 
himself;  and  in  his  third  attempt  thus  to  render  his  observa- 
tions useful  he  had  somewhat  better  success.  He  placed  his 
materials,  including  a  number  of  coloured  drawings,  at  the 
disposal  of  Ray,  the  father  of  systematic  natural  history  in 
Great  Britain,  who  has  acknowledged  the  assistance  he  deriv- 
ed from  him  in  his  editions  of  Willoughby 's  Ornithology  and 
Ichthyology,"  especially  the  former.  But  Browne,  it  seems, 
found  it  more  easy  to  lend  than  to  recover  such  materials  ; 


1  They  are  mere  reprints — one  is  in  the  British  Museum ;  of  the  other  I  have 
a  copy. 

2  In  the  first  (Latin)  edition  of  the  Ornilhologia ,  (fol.  167G,)  I  find  the  following 
acknowledgment  in  the  preface;   it  occurs  also  in  English  in  the  translation  which 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  XC1 

for  he  complains,  several  years  afterwards,  that  these  draw- 
ings, of  whose  safe  return  he  was  assured,  both  by  Ray  and 
by  their  mutual  friend,  Sir  Philip  Skippon,  had  not  been  sent 
back  to  him. 

On  the  28th  of  September,  1671,  Charles  II,  who  had  been 
carousing  with  his  profligate  court,  at  Newmarket,  made  an 
excursion  to  Norwich,  attended  by  the  Queen,  the  Dukes  of 
York,  Monmouth,  and  Buckingham,  and  others  of  his  nobi- 
lity. It  was  the  last  royal  visit,3  with  which  the  city  has  been 
honoured! — Would  that  the  royal  visitor  had  possessed  those 
exalted  qualities,  which  alone  can  stamp  on  such  a  visit  the 
value  which  truly  belongs  to  it !  Johnson  remarks  that  with 
all  his  frailties  and  vices  he  yet  had  skill  to  discover  excel- 
lence, and  virtue  to  reward  it,  at  least  with  ivhat  cost  him 
nothing/^  Whether  he  discovered  the  excellencies  of  Browne 
by  his  own  skill,  and  rewarded  them  from  the  impulse  of  his 
own  virtue,  those  may  question,  who  doubt,  ft  would  ap- 
pear from  Blomfield's  account,  that  the  king  was  not  content 
to  leave  the  city  without  knighting  some  one,  and  therefore, 
on  Mr.  Mayor's  declining  the  honour,  it  was  thrust  upon 
Browne.  After  relating  other  particulars  of  the  king's  pro- 
gress,— his  visit  to  Mr.  Howard,  his  attendance  on  divine  ser- 
vice at  the  cathedral,  his  review  of  the  trained  bands,  his 
feasting  in  the  New  Hall,  at  an  expense  of  £  900  to  the  city, 
and  his  visits  to  Blickling,  Oxnead,  and  Rainham,  the  histo- 
rian proceeds  to  inform  us  that  "  when  his  majesty  was  at  the 
New  Hall,  he  was  earnest  to  have  knighted  the  mayor,  who 
as  earnestly  begged  to  be  excused  ;  but  at  the  same  time, 
conferred  the  honour  on  that  deserving  physician,  Dr.  Tho- 
mas Browne,  &c."5     The  fact  however  probably  was,  that 


Ray  published  of  the  work  in  1678.  "Tandem  celeberrimus  Vir  D.  Thomas 
Brown,  eques  auratus  et  medicina  professor  Norvicensis,  avium  aliquot  rariorum  pic- 
turas  sane  elegantes,  additis  etiam  notis  et  descriptionibus  nonnullis,  pro  suo  Histories 
Naturalis  yromovendce  studio  libera/iter  nobis  communicavit."  In  the  Historia  Pis- 
cium,  which  appeared  in  1686,  we  find  so  little  trace  of  Browne,  as  to  leave  some 
doubt  whether  his  ichthyological  notes  had  been  used.  Sir  Philip  Skippon's  name 
occurs  in  both  works,  and  it  is  very  evident  that  he  was  a  most  zealous  naturalist. 
Dr.  Edward  Browne  (as  well  as  the  other  fellows  of  the  Royal  Society)  communi- 
cated one  of  the  plates  to  the  work,  which  was  printed  at  the  cost  of  the  society. 

3  James  II,  when  Duke  of  York,  lodged  a  night  at  the  Bishop's  Palace  in  Nor- 
wich, when  he  landed  at  Yarmouth,  on  his  return  from  Scotland. 

*  See  p.  xxxviii.  5  History  of  Norfolk,  vol.  ii,  291. 


XC11  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

though  the  literary  celebrity  of  Browne  must  have  been  well 
known,  his  loyalty  was  the  crowning  excellence  in  the  eyes  of 
Charles.  In  perilous  times,  Dr.  Browne  had  steadily  adhered 
to  the  royal  cause.  He  was  one  of  the  432  principal  citizens 
who,  in  1643,  refused  to  subscribe  towards  a  fund  for  regain- 
ing the  town  of  Newcastle.  Charles  was  not  likely  to  have 
been  ignorant  of  this,  and  he  had  the  good  feeling  to  express 
his  sense  of  it,  by  a  distinction,  which  was  no  doubt  valuable 
as  well  as  gratifying  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne.6  It  is  remark- 
able that  he  has  never  recorded  it,  and  only  once  made  a 
slight  allusion  to  it,  in  his  Repertorium ;  where  among  royal 
visits  to  Norwich,  he  mentions  that  of  Charles  II,  adding,  "  of 
which  I  had  particular  reason  to  take  notice."  But  though 
he  never  boasted  of  his  distinction,  I  strongly  suspect  that  he 
has  left  a  costly  memorial  of  it.  In  the  drawing  room  of  the 
house  in  which  he  lived,  there  is,  over  the  mantel-piece,  and 
occupying  the  entire  space  to  the  ceiling,  a  most  elaborate  and 
richly  ornamented  carving  of  the  royal  arms  of  Charles  the 
Second : — who  will  undertake  to  disprove  my  assertion,  that 
this  was  placed  there  by  Sir  Thomas,  to  express  his  loyalty, 
and  to  commemorate  his  knighthood? 7 

In  Matthew  Stevenson  s  Poems,  I2mo.  1673,  there  is  a  long 
poem  on  this  progress  of  Charles  II  into  Norfolk,  in  which 
the  honour  conferred  on  Browne  is  noticed,  as  well  the  royal 


6  The  prefix  has  not  been  without  its  use,  to  distinguish  our  Browne  from  others  ; 
though  it  has  not  always  sufficed  to  prevent  confusion.  A  learned  book-auctioneer, 
in  selling  a  copy  of  the  folio  edition  of  Sir  Thomas  (1686,)  called  him  "  the  face- 
tious Tom  Browne"  and  assured  his  bidders  that  they  would  find  ''lots  of  fun  in 
him,  that  would  make  their  sides  shake  again  !  "  So  much  for  the  efficiency  of 
titular  distinction ! 

'  In  support  of  this  position,  I  ought  perhaps  to  point  out  the  house  in  which  I 
suppose  Browne  to  have  resided.  Blomfield  asserts  that  he  lived  where  Dr.  How- 
man  then  lived,  (vol.  ii,  391  ;)  and  that  he  succeeded  Aid.  Anguish  in  that  house, 
(vol.  ii,  647.)  I  have  ascertained,  by  reference  to  title-deeds,  that  the  last  house 
at  the  southern  extremity  of  the  Gentleman's  Walk,  Haymarket,  in  the  parish  of 
St.  Peter  Mancroft,  Norwich,  (which  has  for  very  many  years  been  occupied  as  a 
china  and  glass  warehouse,  and  which  tradition  has  always  asserted  to  have  been 
Sir  Thomas  Browne's  residence,)  belonged  in  Blomfield's  time,  to  Dr.  Howman. 
Still  further  I  find  that  "  Sep.  22,  1650,  Katherine,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Alex.  Anguish, 
was  buried  in  St.  Peter's;  and  that,  July  26,  1654,  Mr.  Alex.  Anguish  was  there 
buried,  from  St.  Julian's  Parish.  The  earliest  register  of  a  birth  in  Browne's 
family  in  St.  Peter's,  occurs  in  Nov.  1650.  I  conclude  therefore,  that  the  Alder- 
man left  the  parish  on  the  decease  of  his  wife,  and  that  Browne  took  immediate 
possession  of  his  house.. — Of  Browne's  previous  residence,  I  regret  to  say  I  find  not 
the  smallest  trace. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  XC111 

visits  to  Blickling,  Rainham,  and  Oxnead,  in  the  following 
lines : — 

"  Paston  and  Hobart  did  bring  in  the  meat, 

Who  the  next  day  at  their  own  houses  treat. 

Paston  to  Oxney  did  his  sovereign  bring, 

And,  like  Araunah,  offered  to  the  king. 

Blickling  two  monarchs  and  two  Queens  has  seen, 

One  King  fetch'd  there,  another  brought  a  Queen. 

Great  Townshend  of  the  treats  brought  up  the  rear, 

And  doubly  was  my  Lord  Lieutenant  there. 

And  now  with  Norwich,  for  whose  sake  I  writ, 

Let  me  conclude.     Norwich  did  what  was  fit  j 

Or  what  with  them  was  possible  at  least; 

That  city  does  enuff,  that  does  its  best. 

There  the  King  knighted  the  so  famous  Browne, 

Whose  worth  and  learning  to  the  world  are  known."  &c. 

Early  in  October,  Evelyn  went  down  to  the  Earl  of  Arling- 
ton's (then  Lord  Chamberlain)  at  Euston,  in  company  with 
Sir  Thos.  Clifford,  to  join  the  royal  party.  Lord  Henry 
Howard  arrived  soon  after  and  prevailed  on  Mr.  Evelyn  to 
accompany  him  to  Norwich,  promising  to  convey  him  back 
after  a  day  or  two. — "This,"  says  he,  "as  I  could  not  refuse 
I  was  not  hard  to  be  persuaded  to,  having  a  desire  to  see 
that  famous  scholar  and  physitian,  Dr.  T.  Browne,  author  of 
the  '  Religio  Medici '  and  '  Vulgar  Errors,'  &c,  now  lately 
knighted.  Thither  then  went  my  lord  and  I  alone,  in  his 
flying  chariot  with  six  horses  ;  and  by  the  way,  discoursing 
with  me  of  severall  of  his  concernes,  he  acquainted  me  of  his 
going  to  marry  his  eldest  sonn  to  one  of  the  king's  natural 
daughters  by  the  Dutchesse  of  Cleaveland,  by  which  he 
reckon'd  he  should  come  into  mighty  favour. 

"  Being  come  to  the  ducal  palace,  my  lord  made  very  much 
of  me ;  but  I  had  little  rest,  so  exceedingly  desirous  he  was 
to  shew  me  the  contrivance  he  had  made  for  the  entertainment 
of  their  majesties  and  the  whole  court  not  long  before,  and 
which,  tho'  much  of  it  was  but  temporary,  apparently  fram'd 
of  boards  only,  were  yet  standing.  As  to  the  palace,  it  is  an 
old  wretched  building,  and  that  part  of  it  newly  built  of  brick 
is  very  ill  understood ;  so  as  I  was  of  opinion  it  had  been 
much  better  to  have  demolish'd  all,  and  set  it  up  in  a  better- 
place,  than  to  proceede  any  farther ;  for  it  stands  in  the  very 
market  place,  and  tho'  neere  a  river,  yet  a  very  narrow  muddy 
one,  and  without  any  extent. 


XC1V  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

"  Next  morning  I  went  to  see  Sir  Tho.  Browne  (with  whom 
I  had  some  time  corresponded  by  letter,  tho'  I  had  never  seen 
him  before).  His  whole  house  and  garden  being  a  paradise 
and  cabinet  of  rarities,  and  that  of  the  best  collections,  espe- 
cially medails,  books,  plants,  and  natural  things.  Amongst 
other  curiosities,  Sir  Thomas  had  a  collection  of  the  eggs  of 
all  the  foule  and  birds  he  could  procure,  that  country  (espe- 
cialy  the  promontary  of  Norfolck)  being  frequented,  as  he 
said,  by  severall  kinds,  which  seldome  or  never  go  farther 
into  the  land,  as  cranes,  storkes,  eagles,  and  variety  of  water- 
foule.  He  led  me  to  see  all  the  remarkable  places  of  this 
ancient  citty,  being  one  of  the  largest,  and  certainly,  after 
London,  one  of  the  noblest  of  England,  for  its  venerable 
cathedrall,  number  of  stately  churches,  cleanesse  of  the 
streetes,  and  buildings  of  flints,  so  exquisitely  headed  and 
squared,  as  I  was  much  astonished  at ;  but  he  told  me  they 
had  lost  the  art  of  squaring  the  flints,  in  which  they  once  so 
much  excell'd,  and  of  which  the  churches,  best  houses,  and 
walls,  are  built.  The  castle  is  an  antique  extent  of  ground, 
which  now  they  call  Marsfield,  and  would  have  been  a  fitting 
area  to  have  placed  the  ducal  palace  on.  The  suburbs  are 
large,  the  prospects  sweete,  with  other  amenities,  not  omitting 
the  flower  gardens,  in  which  all  the  inhabitants  excel.  The 
fabric  of  stuffs  brings  a  vast  trade  to  this  populous  towne. 

"Being  returned  to  my  Lord's,  who  had  ben  with  me  all  this 
morning,  he  advis'd  with  me  concerning  a  plot  to  rebuild  his 
house,  having  already,  as  he  said,  erected  a  front  next  the 
streete,  and  a  left  wing,  and  now  resolving  to  set  up  another 
wing  and  pavilion  next  the  garden,  and  to  convert  the  bowl- 
ing-greene  into  stables.  My  advice  was,  to  desist  from  all, 
and  to  meditate  wholly  on  rebuilding  an  handsome  palace  at 
Arundell  House  in  the  Strand,  before  he  proceeded  farther 
here,  and  then  to  place  this  in  the  castle,  that  ground  belong- 
ing to  his  lordship. 

"  I  observed  that  most  of  the  church-yards  (tho'  some  of 
them  large  enough)  were  filled  up  with  earth,  or  rather  the 
congestion  of  dead  bodys  one  upon  another,  for  want  of  earth, 
even  to  the  very  top  of  the  walls,  and  some  above  the  walls, 
so  as  the  churches  seemed  to  be  built  in  pitts. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  XCV 

"18  Oct.  I  returned  to  Euston  in  my  lord's  coach,  leaving 
him  at  Norwich."8 

In  the  succeeding  year,  1672,  the  name  of  Sir  Thomas 
occurs  as  having  given  his  testimony,  in  the  following  terms, 
to  the  extraordinary  precocity  of  Wotton,  afterwards  the 
friend  of  Bentley : — 

"I  do  hereby  declare  and  certify,  that  I  heard  Wm.  Wot- 
ton, son  to  Mr.  Henry  Wotton,  of  Wrentham,  of  the  age  of 
six  years,  read  a  stanza  in  Spencer  very  distinctly,  and  pro- 
nounce it  properly.  As  also  some  verses  in  the  1st  Eclogue 
of  Virgil,  which  I  purposely  chose  out,  and  also  construe  the 
same  truly.  Also  some  verses  in  Homer,  and  the  Carmina 
Aurea  of  Pythagoras,  which  he  read  well  and  construed.  As 
he  did  also  the  1st  verse  of  the  4th  ch.  of  Genesis  in  Hebrew, 
which  I  purposely  chose  out. 

"July  20,  1672.  THO.  BROWNE."  9 

In  the  same  year,  in  compliance  with  the  request  of  Anthony 
Wood,  the  Oxford  historian,  Sir  Thomas  communicated, 
through  his  friend  John  Aubrey,  some  information  respecting 
Dr.  Lushington,  his  former  tutor,  and  several  other  persons, 
together  with  those  few  biographical  particulars  respecting 
himself,  which  have  formed  the  basis  of  all  subsequent  notices 
of  him.  These  letters  were  detected  in  the  Ashmolean  Mu- 
seum, by  Mr.  Black,  who  has  had  the  kindness  to  transmit 
them  just  in  time  for  insertion,  with  some  others :  one  from 
Sir  Thomas  to  Lilly,  the  astrologer,  and  two  to  Ashmole,  in 
reference  principally  to  Dr.  John  Dee  and  his  son,  Dr.  Arthur 
Dee,  who  resided  for  many  years  on  terms  of  the  kindest 
friendship  with  Browne  at  Norwich,  and  there  died.  Sir 
Thomas,  in  these  letters,  bears  testimony  most  unequivocally 
to  the  sincerity  of  Dr.  Arthur  Dee's  belief  in  the  power  of 
alchymy  to  transmute  the  baser  metals  into  gold  and  silver ; 
which  he  assured  Sir  Thomas  he  had  "  ocularly,  undeceiv- 
ably,  and  frequently  "  beheld.     He  was  even  on  the  point  of 


8  Memoirs  of  Evelyn,  vol.  i,  p.  444-6. 
9  See  An  Essay  on  the  Education  of  Children  in  the  first  Rudiments  of  Learning, 
together  with  a  Narrative  of  what  Knowledge  Wm.  Wotton,  a  child  under  six  years 
of  age,  had  attained  unto,  upon  the  Improvement  of  those  Rudiments  in  the  Latin, 
Greek,  and  Hebrew  Tongues.  By  Henry  Wotton,  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  Cam- 
bridge, and  Minister  of  Wrentham,  in  Siiffolk.     London,  1753,  8vo.  p.  59. 


XCV1  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

going  to  the  continent  in  pursuit  of  such  riches,  had  not  the 
death  of  the  artist,  with  whom  he  was  about  to  hazard  his  pro- 
perty, most  opportunely  prevented  him. 

Sir  Thomas  had  also  another  zealous  alchymist  among  his 
correspondents,  in  the  person  of  one  of  his  earliest  friends, 
Sir  Robert  Paston,  with  whom  he  corresponded  from  1663  to 
1672,  principally  on  experiments  which  Sir  Robert  was  mak- 
ing in  alchymy.  Blomfield  speaks  of  this  gentleman  as  "a 
person  of  good  learning,  who,  travelling  into  foreign  countrys, 
collected  many  considerable  rarities  and  curiosities,  and  being 
an  accomplished  fine  gentleman,  entertained  King  Charles  II, 
his  queen,  and  the  Duke  of  York  at  Oxnead,  with  the  nobility 
that  attended  them."  J 

But  though  Sir  Thomas  was  willing  enough  to  afford  all 
the  assistance  in  his  power  to  those  who  sought  it,  in  pursuit 
of  astrology  and  alchymy,  (as  on  every  other  subject  within 
his  range,)  it  does  not  follow,  nor  dq  his  writings  justify  our 
supposing,  that  he  placed  any  reliance  on  the  one,  or  enter- 
tained any  hopes  from  the  other,  of  those  pseudo-sciences ; 
which,  indeed,  ought  rather  to  be  regarded  as  the  cradles  of 
astronomy  and  chemistry.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  is  said  to  have 
been  at  one  time  on  the  hunt  after  the  philosopher's  stone : 
and  he  himself  owned  that  it  was  his  pursuit  of  the  idle  and 
vain  study  of  astrology  which  led  him  into  the  love  of  astro- 
nomy. Lord  Bacon  speculated  on  the  making  of  gold  ;  but 
this,  it  is  contended,  arose  from  his  lofty  conceptions  of  the 
yet  untried  resources  of  experimental  science. 

Our  history  now  fast  approaches  its  conclusion.  The  re- 
maining ten  years  of  Sir  Thomas's  life  afford  us  few  incidents 
of  importance  or  interest.  His  leisure  seems  to  have  been 
very  considerably  occupied  with  rendering  professional  and 
literary  assistance  to  his  son  Edward ;  with  whom  he  kept  up 
a  constant  correspondence  to  the  very  close  of  his  life. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  1672,  had  settled 
him  in  London ;  and  he  naturally  availed  himself  of  every 
means,  whether  derived  from  his  own  exertions,  or  from  the 
celebrity  of  his  father's  name,  to  extend  his  connexions,  which 
were  already  considerable.     In  the  summer  of  1673  he  went 

1  Blowfieid's  Norfolk,  vol.  iii,  p.  G99. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  XCV11 

over  to  Germany  with  Sir  Joseph  Williamson  and  Sir  Leoline 
Jenkins,  the  English  plenipotentiaries  who  were  sent  over  to 
Cologne  to  negociate  a  treaty  of  peace  between  England, 
France,  and  Holland.  This,  although  but  an  excursion  of 
pleasure,  probably  enabled  him  to  make  some  valuable  addi- 
tions to  his  circle  of  influential  and  ttiled  friends. 

Having  thus  terminated  his  travels,  (which  he  never  subse- 
quently resumed,)  he  soon  brought  out  his  first  account  of 
them  in  4to.  under  his  father's  advice,  and,  four  years  after- 
wards, published  a  second  collection.  They  were  very  well 
received ;  as  will  appear  from  a  brief  sketch  of  his  works 
which  I  have  subjoined  below.2     In  1675  he  was  chosen,  on 

2  During  his  absence  from  England,  Dr.  Edw.  Browne  had  transmitted  to  the 
Royal  Society,  in  reply  to  their  inquiries,  some  curious  information,  together  with  a 
collection  of  minerals,  &c.' — See  Correspondence,  p.  447.  These  communications 
were  published  at  different  times  in  the  Philosophical  Transactions :  of  which  see  a 
list  at  page  202,  note.  On  his  return  to  England,  his  first  work  was  a  translation 
of  "A  Discourse  of  the  Original,  Countrey,  Manners,  Government,  and  Religion  of 
the  Cossacks,  with  another  of  the  Precopian  Tartars.  And  the  History  of  the  Wars 
of  the  Cossacks  against  Poland,  London,  8$c.  1672,"  12mo. ;  with  a  preface,  signed 
"  Edward  Brown,"  in  which  he  informs  his  readers  that  "  The  author  of  this  work 
was  a  commander,  and  employed  his  sword  in  foreign  countreys,  as  well  as  his  pen, 
and  his  living  long  in  Poland  gave  him  sufficient  opportunity  to  make  these  obser- 
vations, &c.  &c."  The  volume  is,  as  its  title-page  announces,  divided  into  three 
parts  ;  the  first  (31  pp.)  a  sketch  of  the  history,  &c.  of  the  Cossacks  of  the  Ukraine  ; 
the  second  (pp.  32 — 54)  on  the  Prsecopian  (or  Crim)  Tartars,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Lesser  Tartary  ;  the  third,  (pp.  55 — 195),  a  history  of  the  first  and  second  wars  of 
the  Cossacks  against  Poland,  from  1648  to  the  Peace  of  Bialacierkiew,  Sep.  28, 
1650.  In  1673  he  published,  in  4to.,  A  Brief  Account  of  some  Travels  in  Hunga- 
ria,  Servia,  Bulgaria,  Macedonia,  Thessaly,  Austria,  Styria,  Carinthia,  Carniola, 
and  Friuli.  As  also  some  Observations  on  the  Gold,  Silver,  Copper,  Quicksilver 
Mines,  Baths,  and  Mineral  Waters,  in  those  parts:  with  the  figures  of  some  habits 
and  remarkable  places.  This  work  he  divided  into  distinct  subjects,  which  are 
arranged  in  the  following  order: — 1.  The  General  Description  of  Hungary.  2.  A 
Journey  from  Vienna  in  Austria  to  Larissa  in  Thessaly.  3.  The  Description  of 
Larissa  and  Thessaly.  4.  Some  Occurrences  and  Observations  in  this  Journey. 
5.  A  Journey  from  Komara  or  Gomora  to  the  Mine  Towns  in  Hungary,  and  from 
thence  to  Vienna.  6.  A  Journey  from  Vienna  into  Styria,  Carinthia,  Carniola, 
Friuli,  unto  the  strange  Lake  of  Zirchnitx,  to  the  Quicksilver  Mines  at  Idria,  and  to 
other  remarkable  places  in  the  Alpes.  This  arrangement  cannot  be  commended  ;  for 
the  last  of  the  three  journies  in  point  of  time  (having  occupied  him  from  Sep.  1,  to 
Oct.  27,  1669)  is  placed  before  the  visit  to  Komara,  (which  took  place  in  March 
and  April,)  and  the  tour  through  Styria,  &c.  (which  extended  from  May  31,  to  July 
31,  in  the  same  year.)  To  this  collection  he  was  induced,  in  1677,  to  add,  An  Ac- 
count of  several  Travels  through  a  great  part  of  Germany ;  in  four  journies.  1.  From 
Noriuich  to  Colen.  2.  From  Colen  to  Vienna,  with  a  particular  description  of  that 
imperial  city.  3.  From  Vienna  to  Hamburg.  4.  From  Colen  to  London,  &;c.  4to. 
The  first  thfee  chapters,  together  with  his  former  volume,  complete  the  history  of 
his  travels  from  Dec.  1668  to  Dec.  1669;  The  1st  and  2nd  recording  their  com- 
mencement, the  3rd  their  termination.  The  4th  narrates  his  short  tour  in  the  Ne- 
therlands in  the  summer  of  1673.  In  1685  he  reprinted  these  volumes  in  a  thin 
folio,  with  this  title: — A  brief  Account  of  some  Travels  in  divers  parts  of  Europe, 
viz.  Hungaria,   Q-c.     Through  a  great  part  of  Germany  and  the  Low  Countriet, 

VOL.   I.  e 


XCV111  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

the  14th  June,  Lecturer  in  Chirurgeon's  Hall,  Sir  Nathaniel 
Heme  being  then  Master ; 3  and,  on  the  29th  July,  Fellow  of 
the  College  of  Physicians.  From  this  time  we  are  constantly 
meeting  with  evidence,  in  the  Correspondence,  of  the  large 
assistance  he  received  from  his  father,  in  the  preparation  of 
his  lectures ;  which  it  seems  gave  very  general  satisfaction, 
and  did  him  great  credit.4 

In  the  following  year  Sir  Thomas  sustained  a  domestic 
affliction  in  the  death  of  his  daughter  Mary,  about  twenty- 
four  years  of  age.  It  may  be  supposed  that  she  did  not  die 
under  her  father's  roof,  from  the  fact  of  her  burial  not  occur- 
ring in  the  register  of  the  parish  in  which  he  resided.  My 
information  is  derived  from  Blomfield,  who  enumerates,  among 
"the  stones  below  the  rails,  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter's, 
Norwich,  one  to  the  memory  of  Mary,  daughter  of  Sir  Tho- 
mas Browne,  Knt.,  1676."5 

In  1678,  I  find  an  instance  of  Browne's  compliance  with 
a  custom  very  prevalent  with  authors  in  his  day, — that  of 

Through  Marca  Trevisana,  and  Lombardy,  on  both  sides  the  Po,  SfC.  fyc.  London, 
&c.  1685.  (The  British  Museum  copy  has  a' reprint  title,  dated  1687.)  But  in- 
stead of  arranging  his  various  excursions,  in  this  edition,  according  to  the  order  of 
their  dates,  he  most  absurdly  printed  them  just  as  they  had  stood  in  the  former  edi- 
tion, adding,  at  the  close  of  the  volume,  (to  complete  the  confusion,)  a  tour  which 
he  had  taken  in  1664,  four  years  before  the  earliest  of  the  preceding  journies. 

As  soon  as  these  travels  made  their  appearance,  they  were  noticed  with  high  com- 
mendation by  the  Royal  Society  in  their  Transactions,  No.  xciv,  p.  6049,  and  No. 
cxxx,  p.  707  (or  767?).  They  are  also  highly  spoken  of  in  the  Introductory  Dis- 
course to  ChurchilVs  Voyages,  written  by,  or  under  the  direction  of,  Locke.  They 
were  translated  into  French  ;  and  are  recommended  by  Du  Fresnoy,  Melhode  pour 
etudier  I'Histoire,  torn,  iv,  p.  328.  The  last  edition  was  translated  into  Dutch,  by 
Jacob  Leeuwe  Dirkx,  and  published  in  4to.  at  Amsterdam  in  1696.  The  arrange- 
ment was  somewhat  improved,  by  the  translation  of  the  commencement  of  the  tra- 
vels of  1668-9  to  the  beginning  of  the  volume;  but  the  visit  to  Larissa  still  pre- 
cedes, instead  of  following,  those  to  the  Mine  Towns  of  Hungary  and  to  Slyria,  &c. 
and  the  volume  closes  where  it  ought  to  have  begun,  with  the  Italian  tour  of  1664. 
The  Dutch  translator  has  incorporated  a  number  of  additions  to  the  text  of  1685-7  ; — 
to  mention  but  one  ;  he  has  asserted  that  Dr.  B.  saw  a  splendid  procession  which 
was  annually  held  at  Antwerp;  of  which  he  has  taken  occasion  to  give  a  very  spi- 
rited and  elaborate  plate,  by  Jan  Luyken — the  Callot  of  Holland.  The  plates 
which  accompany  this  work  are  far  superior  to  those  of  the  English  edition ;  some 
are  the  same  subjects,  others  original  illustrations. 

To  complete  this  account  of  Dr.  Edward  Browne's  works,  must  be  added  his 
translations  of  the  life  of  Themistocles  in  1683,  and  that  of  Sertorius  in  1684,  for 
that  edition  of  Plutarch's  Lives  which  was  published  in  5  vols.  Svo.  1683,  &c. 
There  is  a  work  which  has  been  confounded  with  Dr.  Edward  Browne's  travels, 
under  the  following  title : — The  Travels  and  Adventures  of  Edward  Brown,  Esq. 
formerly  a  Merchant  in  London,  SjC.  8vo.  London,  1739.  It  was  reprinted  in  2  vols. 
12mo.  in  1753  ;  but  without  even  the  announcement,  Second  Edition. 
3  See  MS.  Sloan.  1833,  fol.  46. 
4  See  Correspondence,  p.  212,  218,  &c.  5  Vol.  ii,  p.  625. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  XC1X 

prefixing  to  their  works  recommendatory  letters  from  persons 
of  literary  eminence.  Kiiig's  Vale  Royal  of  Chester  contains 
such  a  letter,  signed  Thomas  Brown,  and  supposed  to  be  Sir 
Thomas's.  In  the  present  year  he  addressed  a  brief  note  of 
cautious  recommendation  to  Mr.  John  Browne,  a  surgeon 
residing  at  Norwich,  who  had  published  a  work  on  Preterna- 
tural Tumours.  This  gentleman  afterwards  became  surgeon 
to  the  King,  to  whom  he  paid  his  court,  by  publishing,  in 
1684,  a  book  entitled,  Adeno  choir  adelogia,  or  a  Treatise  of 
Glandules,  and  the  Royal  Gift  of  Healing  them.  In  this 
work  he  relates  a  number  of  marvellous  cases  of  cure;  in  one 
of  which  Sir  Thomas  makes  rather  a  prominent  figure.6  He 
was  not  living  to  contradict  the  story,  or  even  to  disclaim  his 
participation  in  the  Vulgar  Error  of  believing  in  such  royal 
miracles.  We  find  from  his  letters7  that  he  was  in  the  habit 
of  giving  medical  certificates,  to  such  as  wished  to  be  touched, 
that  their  cases  were  genuine.  But  this  would  involve  no 
opinion  as  to  the  efficacy  of  the  touch  ; — and  probably,  in  the 
present  instance  he  only  believed  in  that  of  the  journey. 

6  The  following  is  the  story  adverted  to. — "  Being  in  the  society  of  many  per- 
sons of  quality  I  had  this  remarkable  following  observation  from  an  eminent  person 
of  this  strange  cure.  A  nonconformist's  child  in  Norfolk,  being  troubled  with 
scrophulous  swellings,  the  late  deceased  Sir  Thomas  Browne  of  Norwich  being  con- 
sulted about  the  same,  his  majesty  being  then  at  Breda  or  .Bruges,  he  advised  the 
parents  of  the  child  to  have  it  carryed  over  to  the  King,  (fiis  own  method  being 
used  ineffectually  :)  the  father  seemed  very  strange  at  his  advice,  and  utterly  de- 
nied it,  saying  the  touch  of  the  King  was  of  no  greater  efficacy  than  any  other  man's. 
The  mother  of  the  child  adhering  to  the  doctor's  advice,  studied  all  imaginable 
means  to  have  it  over,  and  at  last  prevailed  with  her  husband  to  let  it  change  the 
air  for  three  wdeks  or  a  month  ;  this  being  granted,  the  friends  of  the  child  that 
went  with  it,  unknown  to  the  father,  carried  it  to  Breda,  where  the  King  touched 
it,  and  she  returned  home  perfectly  healed.  The  child  being  come  to  its  father's 
house,  and  he  finding  so  great  an  alteration,  enquires  how  his  daughter  arrived  at 
this  health,  the  friends  thereof  assured  him,  that  if  he  would  not  be  angry  with 
them,  they  would  relate  the  whole  truth  ;  they  having  his  promise  for  the  same, 
assured  him  they  had  the  child  to  the  King,  to  be  touched,  at  Breda,  whereby  they 
apparently  let  him  see  the  great  benefit  his  child  received  thereby.  Hereupon  the 
father  became  so  amazed,  that  he  threw  off  his  nonconformity,  and  exprest  his 
thanks  in  this  method ;  '  Farewell  to  all  dissenters,  and  to  all  nonconformists :  if 
God  can  put  so  much  virtue  into  the  King's  hand  as  to  heal  my  child,  I'll  serve 
that  God  and  that  King  so  long  as  I  live  with  all  thankfulness.'"  Browne's  Ade- 
nochoiradelogia, 3rd  part,  p.  187-9. 

Nearly  a  century  later,  the  avowal  (or  seeming  avowal)  of  a  belief  in  this  kingly 
gift  cost  poor  Carte  the  historian  his  annual  subsidy  from  the  chamber  of  London. 
See  Nichols's  Literary  Anecdotes,  vol.  ii,  p.  495,  where  is  collected  much  curious 
information  on  the  point.  So  general  was  the  belief  in  Charles  II 's  reign,  that  no 
fewer  than  92,107  persons  are  asserted  by  Browne,  to  have  been  "  touched"  from 
1660  to  16S3.     See  Tables  at  the  end  of  his  work. 

7  "Corresp.  p.  159,  162." 

g  2 


C  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

In  the  same  year  he  subscribed  towards  building  a  new 
library  in  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  at  the  instance  of  the 
masters  and  seniors  of  that  College,  who,  in  their  letter8  urged 
the  following  argument ;  "  We  doubt  not  but  that  God  will 
bless  the  rest  of  your  substance  the  better  for  what  you  shall 
conferr  towards  this ;   and  we  shall  pray  that  he  may,  &c.  &c." 

In  the  same  MS.  I  also  find  the  acknowledgement  of  £  12 
subscribed  "towards  the  building  of  a  new  school  in  the  Col- 
ledge  near  Winton," — where  his  education  commenced.  Ken- 
net9  has  preserved  another  instance  of  his  public  spirit;  he 
contributed  £130  to  the  repairs  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford. 

It  was  probably  about  1680  that  Sir  Thomas  completed  his 
Repertorium,  or  Account  of  the  Tombs  and  Monuments  in 
the  Cathedral  Church  of  Norwich,  by  continuing  it  up  to  the 
time.  The  basis  of  the  work  was  a  sketch  hastily  drawn  up, 
20  years  previously,  on  the  information  of  "an  understand- 
ing singing  man,  91  years  old  j"1  not  under  the  impulse  of  an 
antiquarian  taste,  (which  he  has  himself  informed  us  he  did 
not  possess,2)  but  in  order  to  preserve  some  remembrance  of 
the  many  monumental  antiquities,  which  blind  and  barbarous 
zeal  had  mutilated  or  destroyed.  The  reckless  character  of 
these  ravages  has  been  exhibited  in  a  description  made  on 
the  spot,  and  at  the  moment,  by  one  who  suffered,  in  his  per- 
son, property,  and  health,  from  a  lawless  rabble, — perpetrat- 
ing, in  the  sacred  name  of  liberty,  the  most  outrageous  deeds 
of  despotism.  Bp.  Hall,  in  his  Hard  Measure,  has  given  a 
most  touching  account  of  the  brutal  treatment  which  he  ex- 
perienced from  the  republicans  of  his  day, — treatment  which 
acquired  a  deeper  degradation  and  a  fouler  stain  from  the 
very  elevation  and  purity  of  his  own  character :  Browne  at- 
tended him  for  many  years,  and  even  to  his  dying  hour;  a 
fact  which  the  editor  of  the  volume  containing  the  account  to 
which  I  advert,3  has  noticed  in  these  quaint  and  simple  terms. 
"  After  his  prevailing  infirmities  had  wasted  all  the  strengths 

8  i<  preServed  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  MS.  Rawlinson.  391." 
9  Rennet's  Register,  p.  345.  x  Corresp.  p.  467.  2  Vol.  iii,  p.  452. 

3  The  Shaking  of  the  Olive  Tree.  The  Remaining  Works  of  that  incomparable 
prelate,  Joseph  Hall,  D.D.  late  Lord  Bishop  of  Norwich.  With  some  Specialties  of 
Divine  Providence  in  his  Life,  noted  by  his  own  hand.  Together  with  his  Hard 
Measure,  written  also  by  himself,  4to.  Lond.  1660.  Curll,  in  publishing  the  Reper- 
torium, has  most  appropriately  though  inaccurately  prefixed  the  following  quotation 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  CI 

of  nature,  and  the  arts  of  his  learned  and  excellent  physician, 
D.  Browne  of  Norwich,  (to  whom,  under  God,  we  and  the 
whole  church  are  ingaged  for  many  years  preserving  his  life 
as  a  blessing  to  us,) — after  his  fatherly  reception  of  many 
persons  of  honour,  learning,  and  piety,  who  came  to  crave 
his  dying  prayers  and  benedictions, — he  roused  up  his  dying 
spirits,  to  a  heavenly  confession  of  his  faith,  which  ere  he 
could  finish,  his  speech  was  taken  from  him,  so  that  we  can- 
not here  insert  it."  4 

At  the  close  of  the  same  year  Sir  Thomas's  daughter 
Elizabeth  married  Capt.  George  Lyttleton,  the  12th  and 
youngest  son  of  Sir  Thomas  Lyttleton,  Bart,  afterwards  major 
in  Prince  George  of  Denmark's  regiment  of  dragoons ;  who 


from  this  work,  which  (having  omitted  it  in  that  place)  I  shall  insert  here,  verbatim 
from  Bp.  Hall. 

"  It  is  no  other  then  tragical  to  relate  the  carriage  of  that  furious  sacriledge, 
whereof  our  eyes  and  ears  were  the  sad  witnesses  under  the  authority  and  presence 
of  Linsey,  Tofts  the  sheriffe,  and  Greenwood;  Lord,  what  work  was  here,  what 
clattering  of  glasses,  what  beating  down  of  walls,  what  tearing  up  of  monuments, 
what  pulling  down  of  seates,  what  wresting  out  of  irons  and  brass  from  the  windows 
and  graves,  what  defacing  of  armes,  what  demolishing  of  curious  stone-work,  that 
had  not  any  representation  in  the  world,  but  only  of  the  cost  of  the  founder,  and 
skill  of  the  mason,  what  toting  and  piping  upon  the  destroyed  organ  pipes,  and 
what  a  hideous  triumph  on  the  market  day  before  all  the  countrey,  when  in  a  kind 
of  sacrilegious  and  profane  procession,  all  the  organ  pipes,  vestments,  both  copes 
and  surplices,  together  with  the  leaden  crosse,  which  had  been  newly  sawne  downe 
from  over  the  greenyard  pulpit,  and  the  service  books  and  singing  books  that  could 
be  had,  were  carried  to  the  fire  in  the  publick  market  place  ;  a  leud  wretch  walk- 
ing before  the  train,  in  his  cope  trailing  in  the  dirt,  with  a  service  book  in  his  hand 
imitating  in  an  impious  scorne  the  tune,  and  usurping  the  words  of  the  letany  used 
formerly  in  the  church  :  neer  the  publick  crosse,  all  these  monuments  of  idolatry 
must  be  sacrificed  to  the  fire,  not  without  much  ostentation  of  a  zealous  joy  in  dis- 
charging ordinance  to  the  cost  of  some  who  professed  how  much  they  had  longed 
to  see  that  day.  Neither  was  it  any  newes  upon  this  guild-day  to  have  the  cathe- 
drall  now  open  on  all  sides  to  be  filled  with  muskatiers,  way  ting  for  the  majors 
returne,  drinking  and  tobacconing  as  freely  as  if  it  had  turne'd  alehouse."  The 
Shaking  of  the  Olive  Tree,  Sfc.  p.  63. 

4  From  the  following  certificate,  (which  I  find  in  MS.  Sloan.  1848,  fol.  166,) 
it  would  appear  that  he  also  attended  a  successor  of  Bishop  Hall's,  Anthony  Spar- 
row, D.D.  translated  to  the  See  of  Norwich,  in  1676:  on  what  occasion  the  certi- 
ficate was  required,  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  ;  and  I  insert  it,  on  the  bare 
possibility  that  it  may  be  of  some  interest  to  some  one  engaged  in  hunting  for  inci- 
dents, however  minute,  in  the  life  of  that  Bishop.  It  was  probably  drawn  up  but 
a  short  time  before  Sir  Thomas's  death: — "  By  these  wee  humbly  certifie,  that  the 
Right  Reverend  father  in  God,  Anthonie  L.  Bishop  of  Norwich,  hath  been  for  divers 
yeares  afflicted  with  the  dysurie,  acrimony  of  urine,  and  paynfull  diseases  of  the 
bladder  and  urinary  parts,  so  that  hee  hath  not  been  able  to  make  use  of  horse  or 
coach  without  great  payne  and  torture  presently  ensuing ;  and  therefore  wee  do 
not  apprehend  how  his  lordship  can  performe  a  long  journey,  or  as  farre  as  Lon- 
don ;  and  if  hee  should  undertake  it,  it  would  in  all  probability  bring  such  affliction 
and  paynes,  and  ill  symptomes  upon  him,  that  it  might  endanger  his  life,  or  at 
least  shorten  his  dayes." 


CU  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

died  in  1717,  at  Windsor,  in  the  77th  year  of  his  age.  This 
was  probably  thought  a  desirable  alliance ;  but  it  deprived  Sir 
Thomas  of  a  daughter  who  had  resided  with  him  far  longer 
than  any  other  of  his  children,  and  of  whom  he  has  expressed 
himself  in  terms  of  very  high  commendation.  She  went  to 
reside  in  the  island  of  Guernsey,  where  the  captain  then  had 
some  military  employment. 

Sir  Thomas  had  now  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  son 
Edward  daily  adding  to  his  honours,  his  connexions,  and  his 
practice.  In  1678  he  had  been  chosen  Censor  of  the  College 
of  Physicians ;  an  office  which  he  again  filled  in  1685  and 
1686.  In  1680  he  attended  the  dying  illness  of  the  cele- 
brated Earl  of  Rochester,  at  Woodstock  Park :  as  well  as 
that  of  the  Marquis  of  Dorchester,  a  patron  and  amateur  of 
the  medical  profession,  and  a  Fellow  of  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians ;  who  had  long  been  his  great  friend  ;  to  whom  he 
had  dedicated  his  first  travels  in  1672;  and  with  whom  he 
had  sufficient  influence  to  prevail  on  his  lordship  to  bequeath 
his  library  to  the  college.  We  also  find  among  Dr.  Browne's 
patients,  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  the  Earl  of  Aylesbury,  Sir 
Joseph  Williamson,  &c.  In  February,  1682,  he  was  engaged 
to  translate  the  life  of  Themistocles,  for  an  edition  of  Plu- 
tarch's Lives,  of  which  the  first  volume  was  published  in 
1683;  and  for  the  second  of  which,  in  the  following  year,  he 
translated  that  of  Sertorius.  In  this  occupation,  also,  he  en- 
joyed the  advantage  of  his  father's  assistance ;  the  sheets 
being  successively  transmitted  to  Norwich  for  revision.  On 
the  7th  of  September,  1682,  he  was  appointed,  by  the  ex- 
press recommendation  of  his  royal  master,  Physician  to  St. 
Bartholomew's  Hospital,  on  the  death  of  Sir  John  Mickle- 
thwayte.  He  entered  upon  the  duties  of  this  office  with 
characteristick  diligence,  and,  as  it  appears,  in  his  accustomed 
reliance  upon  the  aid  of  his  father ;  to  whom,  on  the  3rd  of 
Oct.,  he  addressed  the  last  letter  which  has  come  down  to  us ; 
communicating  some  particulars  relative  to  the  appointment, 
and  requesting  his  advice  as  to  the  hospital  practice.  Ever 
prompt  as  Sir  Thomas  was  to  comply  with  such  applications, 
especially  from  his  son,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  he  was 
permitted  to  do  so  in  the  present  instance  : — for  on  the  19th 


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SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  C1H 

of  the  same  month,  the  day  on  which  he  completed  his  77th 
year,  a  severe  attack  of  colick  terminated  the  life  of  this  great 
man,  after  a  few  days'  illness.  He  left  considerable  property, 
real5  as  well  as  personal ;  which  he  had  devised  three  years 
before  his  decease  in  the  following  will:  6 — 

Decemb.  2,  1679. 

In  the  name  of  God.  Amen.  I,  Thomas  Browne,  Knight  and 
Dr.  of  Physick,  of  the  citty  of  Norwich,  do  make  this  my  last 
will  and  testament.  Imprimis,  I giue  and  bequeath  vnto  my  deare 
wife,  Dame  Dorothie  Browne,  all  my  Lands,  Leases,  and  Tene- 
ments, all  my  bonds,  bills,  moueables,  money,  plate,  Jewells,  and 
all  my  goods  whatsoeuer,  thereby  to  hane  a  provision  for  herself, 
and  make  liberall  maintenance  and  portions  for  my  deare  daugh- 
ters Elizabeth  Browne  and  Frances  Browne.  Excepting  such 
lands  and  tenements  as  were  assigned  and  made  ouer  vnto  my 
sonne  Edward  Browne  upon  marriage,  and  to  bee  entered  upon  a 
yeare  after  my  decease.  Item.  I  appoynt  and  make  my  wife, 
Dame  Dorothie  Browne,  my  sole  executrix,  and  give  her  power  to 
sell  all  leases,  all  my  goods,  moueables,  mony,  plate,  Jewells, 
bonds,  and  all  goods  valuable  whatsoeuer,  for  the  the*?  prouision 
of  herself  and  of  my  daughters  Elizabeth  and  Francis  Browne,  and 
for  the  payment  of  my  debts,  legacies,  and  charitable  gifts,  where- 
with she  is  fully  acquainted,  and  will,  I  doubt  not,  performe  my 
will  therein.  And  if  it  shall  please  God  that  my  wife  Dame 
Dorothie  should  dye  before  mee,  then  I  make  my  daughters,  Eli- 
zabeth and  Frances  Browne  my  executrixes,  and  giue  them  the 
same  enjoyment  and  power  in  my  estate  as  I  haue  before  giuen 
vnto  my  wife,  Dame  Dorothie.  This  is  my  last  will  and  testa- 
ment, which  I  haue  writt  with  my  owne  hand,  and  confirmed  it 
with  my  hand  and  seale. 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Witnesses,  Nicho:  Bickerdike 
Anthony  Ming  ay 
Aug:  Briggs,  Junior. 

5  I  have  great  pleasure  in  acknowledging  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  John  Bruce,  who  has 
had  the  kindness  to  transmit  to  me,  through  my  friend  Mr.  Amyot,  the  following 
proof  that  Sir  Thomas  was  a  landed  proprietor.  What  would  be  said  by  the  pre- 
sent possessor  of  "  The  Great  Lady  Howe"  and  "  The  Little  Lady  Howe,"  were 
such  a  sum  as  £  130  tendered  in  purchase  of  their  ladyships  in  this  our  day? 

Indre.  dated  "  the  thirtieth  day  of  March,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God  one  thou- 
sand six  hundred  and  sixty.  Between  Edward  Mileham,  of  North  Burtingham,  in 
the  Countye  of  Norff.  Esq.  of  the  one  part,  and  Thomas  Browne,  of  the  Cittye  of 
Norwich,  Doctor  of  Phisiche,  Robert  Bendish,  of  the  Cittye  of  Norwich,  Merchant,  and 
John  Robbins,  of  the  said  Cittye,  Gent,  (they  the  said  Robert  Bendish  being  psons 
named  in  trust  on  the  behalfe  of  the  said  Thomas  Browne,)  being  a  conveyance  of  cer- 
tain Marshes  at  Aldebye,  in  the  Comity  of  Norfolk,  called  "  Great  Lady  Howe  and 
Little  Lady  Howe,"  in  consideration  of  £130.     Signed  "  Edw.  Mileham." 

6  Through  the  kindness  of  my  friend,  John  Kitson,  Esq.  of  Norwich,  I  am  en- 
abled to  present  an  engraved  fac  simile  of  this  will,  from  a  copy  by  Mr.  S.  Woodward. 

7  Sic.  in  MS. 


CIV  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

Of  the  two  daughters  named  in  this  will,  only  one  (Frances) 
remained  single  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Whether  she  mar- 
ried afterwards  or  not  I  cannot  say  with  certainty.  In  the 
pedigree  drawn  up  by  Le  Neve — among  the  daughters  of 
Mr.  Fairfax  are  enumerated  two  of  the  name  Frances,  both 
married,  the  latter  to  Mr.  Bosville,  a  Yorkshire  gentleman. 
This  I  suppose  to  have  been  the  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas, 
and  to  have  been  confounded  by  Le  Neve  with  his  grand- 
daughter. But  I  cannot  bring  any  evidence  whatever  to  sup- 
port my  suggestion,  which  must,  therefore,  remain  mere  hy- 
pothesis. His  widow,  Lady  Dorothy,  survived  him  little  more 
than  two  years.  Her  monument,  in  St.  Peter's  church,  bears 
the  following  inscription  : — 

SACRED 
TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

THE  LADY  DOROTHY  BROWNE, 

OF  NORWICH, 

IN  THE  COUNTY  OF  NORFF. 

SHE  DIED  FEBR.  24,  MDCLXXXV. 

IN  THE  SIXTY-THIRD  YEAR  OF  HER  AGE. 

Reader  thou  maist  believe  this  pious  stone, 

It  is  not  common  dust  thou  treadst  upon, 

'Tis  hallowed  earth,  all  that  is  left  below 

Of  what  the  world  admired  and  honoured  too ; 

The  prison  of  a  bright  celestial  mind, 

Too  spacious  to  be  longer  here  confined  ; 

Which  after  all  that  virtue  could  inspire, 

Or  unaffected  piety  require, 

In  all  the  noblest  offices  of  life, 

Of  tendrest  benefactress,  mother,  wife, 

To  those  serene  abodes  above  is  flown, 

To  be  adorned  with  an  immortal  CROWN. 

It  is  very  remarkable,  that  although  Sir  Thomas  Browne 
had  forty  children  and  grand-children,  (including  those  who 
were  so  by  marriage,)  yet,  in  the  second  generation,  within 
thirty  years  after  his  decease,  the  male  line  became  extinct ; 
and  of  the  third  generation,  none  survived  their  infancy, 
excepting  in  the  family  of  his  eldest  daughter,  Anne ; 8  of 
whose  eight  children,  none  left  any  descendants  but  the  third 
daughter,  Frances  Fairfax,  married  to  the  Earl  of  Buchan ; 
whose  daughter,  Lady  Frances  Erskine,  married  the  cele- 

8  Always  excepting,  also,  the  possible  result  of  the  supposed  marriage  of  his 
daughter  Frances  to  Mr.  Bosville,  of  Yorkshire  ;  and  that  of  another  (supposed) 
daughter  to  Mr.  Cottiell. 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  CV 

brated  Colonel  Gardiner,  killed  at  Preston-pans  in  1745 ; — 
whose  grandson  was  the  late  Lord  Erskine,  one  of  the  most 
splendid  ornaments  of  the  English  bar,  created  Lord  Chan- 
cellor in  1806; — and  from  whom  are  thus  lineally  descended 
Henry  David,  the  present  and  12th  Earl  of  Buchan,  and 
David  Montague,  the  present  and  2nd  Lord  Erskine  of 
Restormel  Castle.  I  shall  insert  here  some  monumental  in- 
scriptions relating  to  the  family,  from  the  church  of  Hurst,  in 
Berkshire.  I  understand  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cameron,  min- 
ister of  that  parish,  (who  has  favoured  me  with  the  tran- 
scripts, together  with  a  folio  sheet  of  most  valuable  information 
respecting  the  Barker  and  Fairfax  families,)  that  tradition 
ascribes  the  poetical  inscription  to  the  pen  of  Waller,  who 
lived  there. 

On  a  flat  stone  immediately  on  the  N.  side  of  the  altar : 

HERE  LYETH  FRAN.  .  .  . 

YE  GRANDCHILD  OF  HENRY  FAIRFAX, 

OF  BURLINGTON,  IN  YE  COUN.  OF  YORKE,  ESQ. 

BY  HIS 

ELDEST  SON  HENRY  AND  ANN  HIS  WIFE 

DAUGH.   TO  SIR  THOM.   BROWNE,  OF  NORWICH,   KT. 

WHO  DIED  SEPT.  YE   15th,  1678, 

ANNO  jETATIS  SVM  5. 

Directly  above  this,  on  a  tablet  on  the  wall : 

SACRED 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF 

WILLIAM  FAIRFAX,  SON  TO  HENRY  FAIRFAX,  ESQ. 

BY  ANN  HIS  WIFE, 

DAUGHTER  TO  SIR  THOMAS  BROWNE,  KT. 

WHO  DIED  JULY  THE  27th,   1684. 

This  little  silent,  gloomy  monument 

Contains  all  that  was  sweet  and  innocent : 

The  softest  prattler  that  ere  found  a  tongue  ; 

His  voyce  was  music,  and  his  words  a  song, 

Which  now  each  listening  Angell  smiling  heares, — 

Such  harmony  composed  the  spheres  ; — 

Fair  as  young  Cherubins,  as  soft  and  kind, 

And  tho'  translated,  could  not  be  refined. 

The  seventh  deare  pledge  ye  nuptiall  joys  had  given, 

Toyld  here  with  play,  retired  to  rest  in  heaven, 

Where  they  the  shining  host  of  Angells  file, 

Spread  their  gay  wings  before  the  throne  and  smile. 

IN  THE  SAME  GRAVE  RESTETH  ALSO  ANN  ALFTHEA, 
THEIR  DAUGHTER. 


CV1  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

On  a  flat  stone  in  front  of  the  altar : 

HERE  LYETH 

THE  BODY  OF  HENRY  FAIRFAX,  ESQ. 

SECOND  SONNE  OF  THOMAS  VISCOUNT  FAIRFAX,  OF  EMELY, 

IN  IRELAND, 

WHO  MARRIED  FRANCES,  THE  ONLY  DAUGHTER  OF 

HENRY  BARKER,  OF  HURST,  ESQ. 

BY  WHOM  HE  HAD  TWO  SONNES  AND  ONE  DAUGHTER, 

HENRY,  JOHN,  AND  FRANCES. 

HE  DYED  THE  4th   DAY  OF  JULY,  ANNO  DNI.   1656, 

BEING  THE  50th  YEAR  OF  HIS  AGE. 

None  of  Dr.  E.  Browne's  numerous  family  left  any  children. 
Eight  died  unmarried,  the  greater  part  in  their  infancy.  Of 
the  remaining  three,  Susannah,  the  eldest  daughter,  died  soon 
after  her  marriage  to  Arthur  Moore,  Esq.,  M.  P.  for  Gran- 
tham, and  was  buried  with  her  two  infant  daughters  at  North- 
fleet.  Thomas,  the  eldest  son,  and  Anne,  the  sixth  daughter, 
survived  their  father.  Thomas  resided  for  many  years  at  Nor- 
wich with  his  grandfather ;  whose  correspondence  is  not  a  lit- 
tle enlivened  by  the  very  orthographic  postscripts  of  Dame 
Dorothy,  touching  this  her  most  especial  favourite  and  grand- 
son, "  litle  Tomey  ; "  setting  forth  his  excellencies  and  defects, 
his  demeanors  and  misdemeanors,  his  maladies,  and  his  lite- 
rary progress.  Of  the  doings  and  writings  of  "litle  Tomey" 
I  can  find  very  little  to  record.  He  took  his  doctor's  degree 
in  medicine,  and  probably  practised  with  his  father.  He  was 
a  Fellow  of  the  College  of  Physicians,  and  in  1699  was  ad- 
mitted F.  R.  S.  He  was  intimately  acquainted  with  Dr.  Robert 
Plot,  and  was  his  companion  in  one  of  those  "journies," 
which  he  undertook  "  for  the  discovery  of  antiquities  and 
curiosities  in  England."  I  believe  that  the  only  original  pro- 
duction of  Dr.  T.  B.  Jun.  is  an  account  of  this  tour,  in  his 
own  hand-writing,  preserved  in  MS.  Sloan.  1900 ;  which  I 
have  printed,  vol.  iv,  p.  457. 9 

In  1698  he  married  his  cousin  Alethea,  fourth  and  youngest 
daughter  of  his  uncle,  Henry  Fairfax,  Esq. ;  but  she  died  in 
1704,  and  was  buried  at  Hurst,  leaving  no  children.  His  own 
death  occurred  in  1710,  in  a  manner  much  to  be  deplored,  if 

9  See  D'Isiaeli's  notice  of  Dr.  Plot,  in  Second  Series  nf  Curiosities,  SfC,  vol.  iii, 
page  28. 


1  -:  omas  Brown  £MB.«Miles 

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in  Co Ji.pEMBR, 
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MtlCdy.tGfo  m  ■  .-  ;;  ", .  <tr  'afhis  Me  faMcmety  ■■/ 
iim7  Do  01  (■inn-o1>,y?.yi,wr  »  ni*«  iiJtrriA, ;  ulfi  i  f.  ■  t  alt 
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HI  MAI 

:      ( 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  CVll 

we  may  credit  the  account  given  in  Le  Neve's  pedigree  of 
the  family.  But  that  document  exhibits  so  many  inaccura- 
cies, that  we  may,  in  charity,  hope  the  story  is  not  true. 
However  this  may  be,  he  was  in  every  respect  a  man  so 
greatly  inferior  both  to  his  father  and  grandfather,  that  the 
first  line  of  the  Horatian  apostrophe,  "JEtas  parentum,  pejor 
avis,  tulii  nos  neqmores"  may  not  unfitly  be  applied  to  him, 
though  we  must  omit  the  "  mox  daturos,  8fc. ; "  as  his  race 
ended  with  himself. 

Anne,  the  sixth  daughter  of  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  married 
Owen  Brigstocke,  Esq.  of  Llechdenny,  Co.  Carmarthen. 
But  his  great  grandson,  Augustus  Brigstocke,  Esq.  of  Blaen- 
pant,  Co.  Cardigan,  has  done  me  the  favour,  in  reply  to  my 
inquiries,  to  inform  me,  that  she  had  no  children  ;  and  that 
his  ancestor's  family  was  the  result  of  his  second  marriage  to 
Mary,  only  daughter  and  sole  heiress  of  Francis  Gwynne, 
Esq.  of  Glyn  Abbey,  M.  P. 

The  writer  of  the  memoir  of  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  the 
Biographia  Britannica,  has  collected  some  further  and  inter- 
esting particulars  respecting  him,  and  has  subjoined  a  charac- 
ter of  him,  drawn  up  by  a  contemporary.  These  I  shall  give 
in  a  note ;  but  without  vouching  for  their  accuracy,  especially 
as  I  find  that  several  of  the  statements  in  that  life  are  errone- 
ous. I  have,  indeed,  in  this  extract,  corrected  his  age  and 
the  date  of  his  death,  i  In  the  parish  church  of  Northfleet 
are  the  following  inscriptions  to  his  memory  and  that  of  his 

1  "  He  attended  his  royal  master,  King  Charles  II,  in  his  last  illness  and  to  the 
time  of  his  decease.  Upon  the  coming  of  the  Duke  of  York  to  the  crown,  he  was 
left  out  of  the  number  of  his  physicians ;  but  his  practice  still  continued  as  great  as 
ever,  or  rather  increased.  After  the  revolution,  he  remained,  likewise,  at  a  distance 
from  the  court,  but  his  great  success  in  his  profession  made  him  known  and  consi- 
dered both  at  home  and  abroad,  and  that  too  by  men  of  all  parties  and  persuasions; 
as  appears  by  a  letter  of  his  to  the  celebrated  M.  le  Clerc,  in  favour  of  one  Mr. 
Beverland,  a  man  of  great  learning,  and  particularly  remarkable  for  writing  a  most 
excellent  latin  style  ;  in  which,  however,  he  had  exercised  his  pen,  on  subjects  that 
occasioned  his  being  banished  his  country;  on  the  repeal  of  which  sentence  this 
letter  of  recommendation  was  written,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  John  Locke  and  the 
Earl  of  Carberry.  It  is,  without  doubt,  as  elegant  a  piece  of  latin  as  can  well  be 
seen,  and  may  be  therefore  considered  as  a  proof  of  our  author's  excellence  in  that 
respect.  In  1701,  about  the  month  of  May,  when  King  William  was  preparing  for 
his  last  voyage  to  Holland,  Dr.  Browne,  in  conjunction  with  Sir  Thomas  Millington, 
Sir  Richard  Blackmore,  and  Dr.  Lawrence,  was  called  to  a  consultation  on  the  state 
of  his  health  ;  but  it  does  not  appear  that  he  attended  him  in  his  last  illness.  In 
the  spring  of  the  year  1705,  upon  the  death  of  Sir  Thomas  Millington,  Dr.  Browne, 
who  had  risen  gradually  through  all  the  honours  of  the  faculty,  and   was  at  that 


CV111  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

son;  followed  by  an  (incorrect)  extract  from  his  will,  bequeath- 
ing his  Northfleet  estate  equally  between  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians and  Hospital  of  St.  Bartholomew,  in  the  event  (which 
soon  happened)  of  failure  of  heirs  to  his  son  and  daughter. 
There  are  also  inscriptions  to  his  three  daughters,  Susanna, 
Henrietta,  and  Mary. 

H.  s.  E. 
EDVARDUS  BROWNE  NORDOVICENSIS,  M.  D. 

THOM/E  BROWNE  MILITIS,  ET  MEDICI  CELEBERRIMI 

FILIUS  PATRE  NON  INDICNUS. 

QUIPPE  QUI  IN  ARTE   SUA  USQUE  ADEO  EXCELLUIT 

UT  REGI  CAROLO  IIdo. 

E  MEDICIS  PRIMARIIS  FUERIT  UNUS. 

ET  COLLEGIO  MEDICORUM  QUOD  EST  LONDINI 

SUMMA  CUM  LAUDE  PR^FUERIT. 

QUI  ETIAM  SCRIPTIS  SUIS 

(IN  QUIBUS  ITINERA  SUA  PER  PR^CIPUAS  EUROPE  REGIONES 

ET  RES  UBIQUE  NOTATU  DIGNIORES 

PULCHRE  PARITER  AC  FIDELITER  DESCRIBIT,) 

MAGNAM  AB  OMNIBUS  LITERATIS  INIVIT  GRATIAM. 

DE  CETERIS  ANIMI  DOTIBUS  SI  QU^ERAS 

CUM  SUMMA  ERUDITIONE  PAREM  SEMPER  MODESTIAM  CONJUNXIT. 

LAUDI  AC  DIGNITATE  HAUD  NIMIUM, 

PECUNLE  AC  DIVITIIS  PARUM,  AUT  NIHIL  STUDUIT. 

ALUS  VERO  QUAM  MAXIME  POTUIT  BENEFACERE 

•  HMC  RES  EI  SUMMiE  FUIT  VOLUPTATI. 

QUAM  NON  TANTUM  SUORUM  PRIVATO  COMMODO, 

VERUM  ETIAM  PUBLICO  UTILITATI  CONSULUIT— 

VERBA  EX  TESTAMENTO  INFRA  DESCRIPTA 

PR^ECLARO  ERUNT  DOCUMENTO. 

OBIIT  VICESIMO  OCTAVO  DIE  MENSIS  AUGUSTI 

ANNO  DOMINI  MDCCVIII, 

.ETATIS  LXII1I. 

HIC  ETIAM  SITUS  EST  THOMAS  BROWNE,  M.  D. 

EJUSDEM  EDVARDI  BROWNE 

FILIUS  UNICUS.   EX  HAC  VITA  MIGRAVIT 

ANNO   vETATIS    36to    ANNOQUE    DOMINI    1710. 

[Then  follows  the  passage  from  Dr.    Edward  Broivne's  will.] 

lime  one  of  the  elects,  and  treasurer,  succeeded  him  as  president  of  the  Royal  Col- 
lege of  Physicians,  which  office  he  filled  with  great  abilities,  and  discharged  it  with 
universal  approbation,  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  happened  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  August,  1708,  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  after  a  very  short  ill- 
ness, at  his  seat  at  North  Fleet,  near  Greenhithe,  in  the  county  of  Kent.  He  was 
extremely  regretted  by  such  as  were  best  acquainted  with  his  merits,  as  appears  by 


SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR.  C1X 

The  library  and  manuscripts  of  Sir  Thomas  passed  into 
the  hands  of  his  son  and  grandson ;  on  whose  decease  his 
library  was  sold  by  auction.2  But  the  far  greater  portion  of 
his  MSS.  together  with  those  added  by  his  son,  were  sold,  I 
suppose,  to  Sir  Hans  Sloane.  A  catalogue  of  them  is  pre- 
served in  the  Bodleian  Library  ;  by  means  of  which,  with  the 
help  of  Sir  Hans  Slpane's  MS.  catalogue  of  his  own  immense 
collections,  I  have  succeeded  in  identifying  nearly  all  the  arti- 
cles, in  our  National  Library  at  the  British  Museum.  But 
this  memoir  has  already  extended  so  far  beyond  my  intention, 
that  I  must  refer  my  readers  to  the  close  of  the  fourth  volume 
for  my  Account  of  the  MS.  Collections  of  Sir  Thomas  and 
Dr.  Edward  Browne. 


a  very  large  character,  which  (says  the  writer  of  the  article  in  the  Biographia 
Britannic  a  J  I  have  been  favoured  with,  and  which  was  drawn  up  for  the  use  of 
Dr.  Harris,  in  case  he  had  lived  to  publish  the  second  part  of  his  history  of  Kent. 
It  was  written  by  an  old  clergyman  in  Kent,  out  of  pure  zeal  for  the  honour  of 
that  county ;  after  whose  death,  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Knipe,  from 
whom  I  had  it  several  years  ago.  '  Though  this  gentleman  was  no  native  of  Kent, 
yet  having  settled,  and  lived  therein  many  years,  and  seeming  to  have  fixed  his 
family  there,  in  case  God  had  been  pleased  to  continue  it  in  the  male  line,  he  may 
well  deserve  a  place  amongst  the  Kentish  worthies.  He  received  from  his  father 
an  earnest  desire  after  useful  and  extensive  science,  which  was  the  best  inheritance 
he  left  to  his  son.  It  is  wonderful,  that  knowing  so  many  things  as  he  did,  he 
should  know  them  all  so  thoroughly  well.  He  was  well  acquainted  with  Hebrew ; 
he  was  a  critic  in  Greek  ;  and  no  man  of  his  age  wrote  better  Latin  ;  High-Dutch, 
Italian,  French,  &c.  he  spoke  and  wrote  with  as  much  ease  as  his  mother-tongue. 
Physic  was  his  business,  and  to  the  promotion  thereof,  all  his  other  acquisitions 
were  referred.  Botany,  Pharmacy  and  Chemistry  he  knew  and  practised.  As  to 
the  latter,  he  inherited  from  his  father  the  MSS.  of  Dr.  A.  Dee,  among  which  too 
were  some  of  John's;  but  his  own  lights  went  farther,  and  taught  him,  as  some 
have  thought,  the  whole  Arcana  of  that  mysterious  science.  In  the  company  of 
the  learned,  his  discourses  were  so  academical,  that  he  might  be  thought  to  have 
passed  his  days  in  a  college.  Amongst  politer  company,  his  behaviour  was  so  easy 
and  disengaged,  you  would  have  judged  that  he  lived  all  his  life  in  a  court.  With 
all  this  fund  of  knowledge,  he  was  inquisitive,  patient,  and  modest,  heard  with 
great  attention,  and  spoke  with  much  circumspection.  In  religion,  zealous  without 
bigotry,  in  politics,  inflexible  but  without  asperity  or  rudeness  ;  in  private  life, 
affable,  beneficent,  and  cheerful.  In  a  word,  he  justified  what  King  Charles  said 
of  him  on  a  particular  occasion,  he  ivas  as  learned  as  any  of  the  College,  and  as  well 
bred  as  amj  at  Court.  The  nobility  were  fond  of  his  company,  his  house  was  the 
resort  of  strangers ;  and,  as  he  acquired  the  prudence  of  age  without  gray  hairs,  so 
when  they  came  he  kept  up  all  the  cheerfulness  of  youth.'  " 

2  The  following  advertisement  of  the  sale  is  from  the  Gentleman's  Magazine  for 
1830,  pt.  i,  p.  515  : — "  Sir  Thos.  Browne,  Dec.  26,  1710.  A  catalogue  of  the  libra- 
ries of  the  learned  Sir  Thomas  Brown,  and  his  son  Dr.  Brown,  deceased,  consist- 
ing of  many  very  valuable  and  uncommon  books  in  most  faculties  and  languages, 
with  choice  manuscripts,  which  will  begin  to  be  sold  by  auction  at  the  Black  Boy 
Coffee-house,  in  Ave-Mary-Lane,  near  Ludgate,  on  Monday,  the  8th  of  January 
next,  beginning  every  Monday  at  4  o'clock  till  the  sale  is  ended.  Catalogues  are 
delivered  at  most  booksellers  in  London,  at  the  two  Universities,  and  at  the  place 
of  sale,  price  6d."     A  copy  of  this  catalogue  exists  in  the  British  Museum. 


CX  SUPPLEMENTARY    MEMOIR. 

I  shall  subjoin,  in  conclusion,  a  paper,  which  was  pointed  out 
to  me  by  John  Chambers,  Esq.  of  Norwich,  and  which  seems  to 
possess  some  claim  to  be  regarded  as  a  document  of  authority. 

TO  THE  EDITOR  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  MAGAZINE. 
Sir, 

In  a  copy  of  the  works  of  Sir  Thomas  Brown,  printed  in  1686,  which  for- 
merly belonged  to  Dr.  White  Kennet,  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  I  find  the  following 
memorandum,  in  the  hand-writing  of  that  prelate.  It  contains  circumstances  not 
generally  known,  and  may  afford  some  information  to  the  readers  of  the  European 
Magazine.  I  am,  SfC.     C.   D. 

"  Memdom,  In  the  time  of  my  waiting  at  Windsor,  in  the  latter  part  of  Nov. 
1712,  Mrs.  Littleton,  a  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Brown,  of  Norwich,  lent  me  a 
short  account  and  character  of  her  father,  written  by  John  Whitefoot,  a  minister 
well  acquainted  with  him,  the  same  person  who  preacht  and  publisht  a  funeral  ser- 
mon for  Bishop  Hall.*  It  was  contained  in  one  sheet,  4to.  beginning  thus.  '  Had 
my  province  been  only  to  preach  a  funeral  sermon  for  this  excellent  person,  &c.' 

"  All  the  matter  of  fact  contained  in  the  said  account  were  in  these  words  : — 

[/  omit  the  bishop's  epitome,  having  already  printed  at  large,  i?i  Johnson's  Life,  the 
whole  account  of  Whitefoot,  from  which  it  was  abridged.] 

"  Thus  ended  the  account,  and  after  it  was  written  by  Mrs.  Littleton.  '  This  was 
part  of  the  life  of  Sir  Thomas  Brown,  by  that  learned  and  good  man,  Mr.  John 
Whitefoot.'  And  then  follows,  in  the  same  hand  of  Mrs.  Littleton.  '  His  father 
dying  left  him  young ;  his  mother  took  her  thirds,  which  was  three  thousand 
pounds,  and  married  Sir  Thomas  Dutton,  a  worthy  person,  who  had  great  places. 
The  executors  took  care  of  his  education  at  Winchester  school  and  Oxford.  He 
lived  some  time  in  Montpellier  and  Padua.  His  father-in-law  shewed  him  all  Ire- 
land in  some  visitation  of  the  forts  and  castles.  He  was  born  Oct.  19,  1605.  He 
died  Oct.  19,  1682,  77  years  of  age.  His  father  used  to  open  his  breast  when  he 
was  asleep,  and  kiss  it  in  prayers  over  him,  as  'tis  said  of  Origen's  father,  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  would  take  possession  there.  His  picture  is  at  the  Duke  of  Devonshire's 
house  in  Piccadilly,  in  his  mother's  lap.  f  His  father,  mother,  brother,  and  sisters, 
in  it.  A  family  picture,  his  father  being  nearly  related  to  that  countess  of  Devon- 
shire whose  picture  is  in  the  first  room  with  her  three  sons  by  her,  and  very  like  to 
Sir  Thomas  Brown's  father,  as  the  servants  shew  to  persons  who  go  to  see  the  pic- 
ture, which  is  so  good  painting,  that  my  lord  duke  values  it  at  four  hundred  pounds.' 

"Memdm,  The  said  Mrs.  Littleton  reports  that  the  MSS.  papers  of  her  father 
were  in  the  hands  of  her  late  brother  Dr.  Edward  Brown,  who  lent  them  in  a  box  to 
Dr.  Thomas  Tenison,  vicar  of  St.  Martin's,  in  the  reign  of  King  James  II,  and  that 
she  herself,  at  her  brother's  request,  went  to  fetch  home  the  box,  and  accordingly 
brought  it  back,  and  delivered  it  to  her  brother,  who  soon  after  complained  that  he 
misst  the  choicest  papers,  which  were  a  continuation  of  his  Religio  Medici,  drawn 
up  in  his  elder  years,  and  which  his  son  Dr.  Brown  had  now  intended  to  publish. 
She  went  back  to  Dr.  Tenison,  and  desired  him  to  look  for  those  papers,  which  he 
could  not  find,  but  she  hopes  they  may  be  still  recovered,  either  as  mislaid  by  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  or  by  her  brother,  whose  only  daughter  is  married  to 
Mr.  Brigstock,  a  member  of  the  House  of  Commons." — Eur.  Mag.  vol.  xl,  p.  89. 

*  His  funeral  sermon  on  Browne  was  never  printed.  In  the  Br.  Mus.  I  find  a  MS.  discourse  of 
his  on  the  question,  "  Whether  the  damned,  after  the  last  judgment,  shall  live  in  everlasting  tor- 
ments, or  be  utterly  destroyed?"— in  which,  with  great  earnestness,  lie  advocates  the  latter,  as  the 
more  merciful  alternative.  It  is  among  the  Additional  MSS.  6269,  No.  31,  with  this  title  :— "  Ar- 
canum T/ieologicum.  A  Sceptical  Discourse  concerning  the  Everlasting  Torments  of  Hell,  by 
JX.  N.  (Mr.  Whitefoot,  of  Norwich.)" 

+  "This  picture  was  probably  destroyed  when  Devonshire  House  was  burnt  some  years  after- 
wards." Grove,  in  his  Lives  of  the  Devonshire  family,  expressly  says  that  "  the  library  and 
the  admirable  collection  of  pictures,  &c."  were  saved  from  this  fire.  1  have  seen  that  which  is 
still  considered  to  be  the  picture,  though,  through  the  mistake  of  Lord  'Walpole,  it  is  called  the 
portrait  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne  and  Family,  by  Dobson.  It  could  not  have  been  by  that  artist ;  who 
died  before  Sir  Thomas  had  such  a  family, — and  was  but  ten  years  old  at  the  date  of  the  picture, 
supposing  it  that  of  Sir  Thomas's  father,— of  which  the  present  paper  is  a  very  strong  evidence. 
It  might  have  been  by  Vansomer,  who  painted  for  the  Devonshire  family  at  about  that  period. 

END  OF  THE  SUPPLEMENTARY  MEMOIR. 


Correspondence* 


domestic  Correspondence* 


I  HE  earliest  specimens  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne's 
family  correspondence,  which  have  been  discovered, 
are  his  letters  to  his  younger  son  Thomas,  while  in 
France  ;  of  which  the  following  thirteen,  preserved  in 
No.  391  of  the  Rawlinson  Collection  of  MSS.,  at  the 
Bodleian  Library,  Oxford,  seem  to  have  been  tran- 
scripts by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Lyttelton,  his  daughter. 
They  are  in  the  same  hand-writing  as  those  addressed 
to  herself,  which  are  inserted  at  the  close  of  the 
Domestic  Correspondence.  The  series  is  entitled, 
Letters  of  my  Fathers,  which  he  ivrit  to  my  Brother 
Thomas  when  he  went  into  France,  at  14  years  of 
age ;  1660.  I  have  not  thought  proper  to  alter  the 
spelling  of  these  letters  ;  but  would  observe  that  its 
faultiness  must  not  be  charged  on  Sir  Thomas.  He 
wrote  so  illegibly  (as  those  are  well  aware  who  have 
been  fated  to  decypher  his  hieroglyphics)  that  his  or- 
thography was  left  at  the  mercy  of  the  copyist,  who, 
in  the  present  case,  seems  not  to  have  been  remark- 
ably skilled  in  that  accomplishment. 

VOL.  I.  B 


DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE,  [1660. 


Mrs.  Browne  to  her  son  Thomas.1 

DEARE  TOM, 

We  have  thought  very  long  to  hear  from  [you].  We 
had  a  letter  from  the  Isle  of  White,  but  not  since.  Pray  let 
us  heal*  as  often  as  you  can  and  give  your  father  an  account 
how  you  spend  your  time,  you  had  need  make  the  best  use  of 
it,  for  you  find  by  this  time  I  am  confident  some  inconveni- 
ence, in  the  first  place  a  troublesome  journey,  which  I  hope 
God  have  delivered  you  out  of,  and  many  things  will  seem 
strange  to  you  at  first,  but  be  sure  to  put  your  trust  in  God 
and  be  civill  to  all  that  you  have  to  doe  withal],  and  find  out 
all  that  you  can  in  that  place,  for  in  the  sommer  I  beleeve  your 
father  will  have  you  goe  to  some  other  place.  I  hope  you  fol- 
low writeing  and  all  elce  can  be  learnd  there.  We  are  all  in 
good  health  thanks  to  God.  That  God  of  his  mercy  would 
be  pleased  to  send  yours  and  continue  his  blessing  to  you  is 
the  dayly  prayer  of  your  affectionate  Mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Ms  son  Thomas. 

Deer.  22,  Norwich,  [1660.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  hope  by  Gods  assistance  you  have  been  some  weeks 
in  Bourdeaux.  I  was  yesterday  at  Yarmouth  where  I  spoke 
with  your  uncle  Charles  Mileham  who  told  me  Mr.  Dade2 
would  accommodate  you  with  what  moneys  were  fitting  for 
defray  of  your  charges  in  any  kind  and  therefore  would  not 
have  mee  at  present  send  you  any  bill  to  receive  any  particu- 
lar summ,  but  hqwever  when  I  hear  from  you  I  will  take  care 
for  such  a  bill  to  be  sent  to  Mr.  Dade  to  whom  in  the  mean 

l  M  ithout  date  :  probably  written  early  in  1660, — before  he  had  left  the  kingdom. 
2  Of  Bourdeaux. 


1661.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  3 

time  present  my  true  respects  and  service  and  be  sure  to  be 
observant  of  what  he  shall  advise  you;  be  as  good  a  husband 
as  possible  and  enter  not  upon  any  cours  of  superfluous  ex- 
pences ;  be  not  dejected  and  malencholy  because  you  can  yet 
have  litle  comfort  in  conversation,  and  all  things  will  seem 
strange  unto  you.  Remember  the  camells  back  and  be  not 
troubled  for  any  thing  that  other  ways  would  trouble  your 
patience  here,  be  courteous  and  civil  to  all,  put  on  a  decent 
boldness  and  avoid  pudor  rusticus,  not  much  known  in  France. 
Hold  firm  to  the  Protestant  Religion  and  be  diligent  in  going 
to  church  when  you  have  any  litle  knowledge  of  the  language. 
God  will  accept  of  your  desires  to  serve  him  in  his  publick 
worship  tho  you  cannot  make  it  out  to  your  desires  ;  be  con- 
stant not  negligent  in  your  dayly  private  prayers,  and  habitu- 
ate your  heart  in  your  tender  days  unto  the  fear  and  reverence 
of  God.  It  were  good  you  had  a  map  of  France  that  you  might 
not  be  unacquainted  with  the  several  parts,  and  to  resort  unto 
upon  occasion  for  your  information;  view  and  understand  all 
notable  buildings  and  places  in  Bourdeaux  or  near  it,  and  take 
a  draught  thereof,  as  also  the  ruind  Amphitheatre,  but  these 
at  your  leisure.  There  is  I  think  a  book  in  french  calld  Les  Mo- 
numents or  les  Antiquites  de  Bourdeaux,  enquire  of  the  same ; 
read  some  books  of  french  and  latin,  for  I  would  by  no  means 
you  should  loose  your  latin  but  rather  gain  more. 

Ned  comes  not  home  this  Xtmas.3  I  shall  God  willing  re- 
member your  new  years  gift.  Give  me  an  account  of  your  voy- 
age by  sea  as  perticuler  as  you  can,  for  I  doubt  you  had  a 
rough  passage ;  be  temperate  in  dyet  and  wary  to  over  heat 
yourself;  remember  to  compremere  et  non  extendere  labra.  To 
God's  Providence  I  commit  you.  I  have  sent  a  little  box  by 
this  ship. 

Vostre  tres  chere  Pere, 

THO:  BROWNE. 

3  From  Cambridge,  where  he  then  was,  at  Trinity  College. 


B  2 


4  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1661. 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Jan:  31,  Norwich,  [1660-1.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  was  glad  to  receive  your  letter,  where  you  gave  a 
good  account  of  your  voyage ;  take  notice  of  all  things  remark- 
able, which  will  be  pleasant  unto  you  hereafter ;  if  you  goe  to 
Saintes  you  may  better  learn  the  languadge  and  I  think  there 
is  a  protestant  church ;  be  as  good  an  husband  as  you  can ;  to 
write  and  cast  account  will  be  necesarie ;  for  either  singing 
painting  or  dancing  if  you  learn  let  it  be  but  for  a  while ;  paint- 
ing will  be  most  usefull  if  you  learn  to  draw  landskips  or  build- 
ings, the  other  takes  up  much  time  and  your  own  private 
practise  will  sufficiently  advantage  you.  I  would  be  glad  you 
had  a  good  handsome  garb  of  your  body,  which  you  will  ob- 
serve in  most  there,  and  may  quickly  learn  if  you  cast  of 
pudor  rusticus,  and  take  up  a  commendable  boldness  without 
which  you  will  never  be  fit  for  any  thing  nor  able  to  show  the 
good  parts  which  God  has  given  you.  I  would  think  it  very 
happy  if  you  had  more  Latin,  and  therefore  advantage  yourself 
that  way  if  possible ;  one  way  beside  learning  from  others  will  be 
to  read  the  scripture  or  chapters  thereof  dayly  in  french  and 
Latin  and  to  look  often  upon  the  grammars  in  both  languages. 
Since  you  went  there  was  a  little  box  with  4  knives  and  a  pair 
of  gloves  &c.  in  it  which  I  hope  you  received.  Commend  my 
humble  service  and  respects  to  Mr.  Dade  and  when  you  send 
unto  him  acknowledge  your  obligations  to  him,  and  how  in- 
dustrious you  will  be  in  all  returns  of  gratitude  which  shall 
ever  fall  within  your  power.  Sir  Joseph  Pain4  writes  often  to 
Mr.  Dade.  Some  riseings  there  have  been  in  London  of  the 
Anabaptists,  fift  Monarchie  men  and  others,  but  soon  suppresd 
and  13  executed.  Upon  the  King's  letter  5  of  our  Aldermen 
were  put  out  which  had  got  in  in  the  usurpers  time  in  other 
mens  places,  Andrews,  Allen,  Davie,  Ashwell  &c.  Yesterday 
was  an  humiliation  and  fast  kept  to  divert  the  judgments  of 
God  upon  us  and  our  posteritie  for  the  abominable  murther 

4  Of  Norwich. 


1G6L]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  5 

of  King  Charles  the  first  and  is  by  act  of  Parliment  to  be  kept 
yearly  on  that  day  for  ever.   Ned  is  at  Cambridge.   Nancy  still 
in  London.  God's  mercifull  Providence  guide  and  protect  you. 
Your  ever  loveing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

When  you  goe  to  Saintes  you  are  about  a  days  journey  from 
Rochell,  which  I  would  have  you  see. 


Mrs.  Browne  to  her  son  Thomas. 

DEAR  TOM, 

I  thought  very  long  to  hear  from  you  and  am  now 
much  joyd  to  hear  you  got  so  well  to  Bourdeaux,  it  was  the 
26  of  february  when  we  received  your  letter.  I  beseech  God 
of  his  mercy  continue  your  health,  and  be  carefull  to  spend 
your  time  to  the  best  advantage.  I  understand  it  is  a  charga- 
ble  place  which  you  are  to  live  in ;  learn  what  you  can  tho  it 
be  something  extraordinary  now  you  are  where  you  may  im- 
prove yourself,  if  you  like  to  sing  or  dance  learn,  or  any  thing 
elce  you  like.  Your  Unckle5  will  convey  moneys  to  you.  I  thank 
God  we  are  all  well  and  want  nothing  but  the  hearing  from 
you  oftner ;  pray  let  us  know  if  you  want  any  thing  and  how 
you  imploy  your  time ;  your  father  was  well  pleased  with  your 
account  of  your  voiage  and  it  will  please  very  much  if  you 
continue  informing  of  him  still  what  you  observe  there.  I  sup- 
pose you  can  frequently  send  them  to  Mr.  Dade  and  he  to 
your  Unckle  Mileham.  Be  sure  you  omit  not  serving  God  and 
then  you  will  [have]  his  Blessing  upon  all  your  endeavors,  to 
whose  protection  I  leave  you  with  my  Prayers  for  you. 

Your  loveing  Mother, 

D.  BROWNE. 

All  the  servants  present  their  loves  to  you  and  are  mighty 
joyd  to  hear  of  you  and  will  observe  your  commands. 

5  Charles  Mileham,  of  Yarmouth. 


6  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1661. 

Your  brother  Ned  is  at  Cambridge  and  is  to  commence  Ba- 
chalar  of  arts  this  Christmas,6  if  you  want  any  thing  let  me 
know  and  you  shall  be  suplied.  I  hope  you  doe  not  forget  your 
Painting.  Pray  be  careful  to  serve  God  in  the  first  place,  and 
industrious  to  spend  your  time  to  your  advantage  that  you 
may  be  the  better  for  this  Journey. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

March  the  10,  stylo  vet.  [1660-1.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  presume  you  are  by  this  time  at  Xaintes.  If  you  live 
with  an  apothecairie  you  may  get  some  good  by  observing  the 
drugs  and  practise  which  will  be  noe  burden  and  may  some- 
what help  you  in  latin  ;  I  would  be  at  some  reasonable  charge 
if  any  young  man  would  assist  you  and  teach  you  french  and 
latin  dayly  as  they  are  to  be  found  commonly ;  you  are  not  only 
to  learn  to  understand  and  speak  french  but  to  write  it  which 
must  be  dun  by  practise  and  observation  because  they  write 
and  speak  differently,  and  in  what  you  write  in  English,  ob- 
serve the  points  and  date  your  letters.  Write  whether  you  like 
the  place  and  how  language  goes  down  with  you,  be  not  fear- 
full  but  adventure  to  speak  what  you  can  for  you  are  known 
a  stranger  and  they  will  bear  with  you,  put  on  a  desent  bold- 
ness and  learn  a  good  garb  of  body,  be  carefull  you  loose  not 
such  books  or  papers  wherein  you  take  notes  or  draughts.  Let 
nothing  discontent  or  disturb  you,  trust  in  God  to  return  you 
safe  to  us ;  by  this  time  you  may  attempt  to  hear  the  Protestant 
preachers  ;  live  soberly  and  temperately,  the  heat  of  that  place 
will  otherwise  mischief  you  and  keep  within  in  the  heat  of  the 
day.  Mr.  Bendish  is  or  was  Mr.  Johnson's  prentice  of  Yar- 
mouth, lives  at  Rochell.  I  will  get  Mr  Johnson  to  write  unto 
him  about  you ;  my  respects  and  service  to  Mr  Dade.  I  recei- 
ved a  letter  about  3  weeks  agoe  from  you.  The  Amphitheatre 

6  It  appears  that  he  became  Bach,  of  Fhys.  of  Trinity  Coll.  Cambridge,  in  1CC3. 
Wood's  Fasti,  ii,  293,  note. 


1661.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  7 

of  Bourdeaux  was  built  by  the  emperor  Gallienus  whose  coyns 
you  have  seen,  there  is  one  also  at  Perigeaux  in  Perigort  a 
neighbour  Province ;  you  live  upon  the  river  Charante  within 
the  compass  of  the  old  English  possessions  which  was  from 
the  Pyrenean  hills  unto  the  river  La  Charante,  to  the  mouth 
whereof  Cognac  wines  are  brought  down,  which  we  drink  in 
summer.  Frequent  civill  company. 

God  bless  thee.  Vostre  tres  chere  pere, 

T.  BROWNE. 

Your  Mother  and  all  commend  them  to  you. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Aprill  the  22,  Norwich,  [1661.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  hope  by  this  time  thou  art  got  somewhat  beyond 
plaist  il,  and  ouy  Monsieur,  and  durst  ask  a  question  and  give 
an  answer  in  french,  and  therefore  now  I  hope  you  goe  to  the 
Protestant  Church,  to  which  you  must  not  be  backward,  for 
tho  there  church  order  and  discipline  be  different  from  ours, 
yet  they  agree  with  us  in  doctrine  and  the  main  of  Religion. 
Endeavour  to  write  french ;  that  will  teach  you  to  understand 
it  well,  you  should  have  signified  the  Apoticary's  name  with 
whom  you  dwell,  in  such  a  place  you  may  see  the  drugs  and 
remember  them  all  your  life.  I  received  your  letter  and  like 
your  description  of  the  place,  both  the  Romans  and  English 
have  lived  there ;  the  name  of  Santonna  now  Xaintes  is  in  the 
geographie  of  Ptolemie  who  lived  under  Antoninus,  as  also 
Porto  Santonicus  where  Rochell  stands,  and  Promontorium 
Santonicum  where  now  Bloys.  My  coyns  are  encreased  since 
you  went  I  had  60  coynes  of  King  Stephen  found  in  a  grave 
before  Christmas,  60  Roman  silver  coyns  I  bought  a  month 
agoe,  and  Sir  Robert  Paston  will  send  me  his  box  of  Saxon 
and  Roman  coyns  next  week,  which  are  about  thirtie,  so  that 
I  would  not  buy  any  there  except  some  few  choice  ones  which 
I  have  not  already ;  but  you  doe  very  well  to  see  all  such  things, 


8  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1661. 

some  likely  have  collections  which  they  will  in  courtesie  show, 
as  also  urns  and  lachrimatories ;  any  friend  will  help  you  to  a 
sight  thereof,  for  they  are  not  nice  in  such  things.  I  should  he 
content  you  should  see  Rochell  and  the  Isle  of  Rhee,  salt 
works  are  not  far  from  you,  for  the  sommer  will  be  too  hot  to 
travail  and  I  would  have  you  wary  to  expose  yourself  then 
to  heats,  but  to  keep  quiet  and  in  shades.  Write  some  times  to 
Mr.  Dade  civil  letters  with  my  service.  I  send  at  this  time  by 
Rochell  whither  the  ships  will  be  passing  from  Yarmouth  for 
salt.  Point  your  letters  hereafter,  I  mean  the  ends  of  sentences. 
Christ  church7  is  in  a  good  condition  much  frequented,  and 
they  have  a  sweet  organ ;  on  Tuesday  next  is  the  Coronation 
day  when  Mr.  Bradford  preacheth :  it  will  be  observed  with 
great  solemnity  especially  at  London :  a  new  Parliment  on  the 
8th  of  May  and  there  is  a  very  good  choice  almost  in  all  places. 
Cory  the  Recorder,  and  Mr.  Jay,  2  Royallists  gained  it  here 
against  all  opposition  that  could  possibly  bee  made  ;  the  voyces 
in  this  number,  Jaye  1070,  Corie  1001,  Barnham  562,  Church 
436.  My  Lord  Richardson  and  Sir  Ralph  Hare  caryed  it  in 
the  county  without  opposition.  Lent  was  observed  this  year 
which  made  Yarmouth  and  fishermen  rejoyce.  The  Militia  is 
settled  in  good  hands  through  all  England,  besides  volunteer 
troops  of  hors,  in  this  Citty  Collonell  Sir  Joseph  Pain,  Lieu- 
tenant Coll.  Jay,  Major  Bendish,  Captain  Wiss,  Brigs,  Scot- 
tow,  2  volunteer  troops  in  the  country  under  Mr  Knivet  and 
Sir  Horace  Townsend,  who  is  made  a  Lord.  Good  boy  doe 
not  trouble  thy  self  to  send  us  any  thing,  either  wine  or  bacon. 
I  would  have  sent  money  by  Exchange,  but  Charles  Mileham 
would  not  have  me  send  any  certain  sum,  but  what  you  spend 
shall  be  made  good  by  him.  I  wish  some  person  would  direct 
you  a  while  for  the  true  pronunciation  and  writeing  of  french, 
by  noe  means  forget  to  encrease  your  Latin,  be  patient  civil 
and  debonair  unto  all,  be  temperate  and  stir  litle  in  the  hot 
season :  by  the  books  sent  you  may  understand  most  that  has 
pasd  since  your  departure,  and  you  may  now  read  the  french 
Gazets  which  come  out  weekly.  Yesterday  the  Dean  preached 
and  red  the  Liturgie  or  Common  prayer,  and  had  a  Comunion 
at  Yarmouth  as  haveing  a  right  to  doe  so  some  times,  both  at 

1  Norwich  Cathedral. 


1661.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  9 

St  Marys  the  great  church  at  Lynn  and  St  Nicholas  church 
at  Yarmouth  as  he  is  Dean.  It  is  thought  by  degrees  most  will 
come  to  conformitie.  There  are  great  preparitions  against  to- 
morrow the  Coronation  day,  the  County  hors  came  hither  to 
joyn  the  Regiment  of  foot  of  this  Citty,  a  feast  at  the  new  hall, 
generall  contributions  for  a  feast  for  the  poor,  which  they  say 
will  be  in  the  market  place,  long  and  solemn  service  at  Christ 
Church  beginning  at  8  a  Clock  and  with  a  sermon  ending  at 
twelve.  Masts  of  ships  and  long  stageing  poles  already  set  up 
for  becon  bonfires,  speeches  and  a  little  play  by  the  strollers 
in  the  market  place  an  other  by  young  Cityzens  at  Timber 
Hill  on  a  stage,  Cromwell  hangd  and  burnt  every  where, 
whose  head  is  now  upon  Westminster  hall,  together  with  Ireton 
and  Bradshows.  Have  the  love  and  fear  of  God  ever  before 
thine  eyes ;  God  confirm  your  faith  in  Christ  and  that  you  may 
live  accordingly,  Je  vous  recommende  a  Dieu.  If  you  meet 
with  any  pretty  insects  of  an[y]  kind  keep  them  in  a  box,  if 
you  can  send  les  Antiquites  de  Bourdeaux  by  any  ship,  it 
may  come  safe. 

(No  Signature.) 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Norwich  June  the  24,  [1661.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  received  yours  dated  in  May,  God  continue  thy 
health,  no  ships  yet  goeing  for  Rochell  or  Boardeaux,  I  cannot 
send  an  other  box,  I  hope  you  have  received  the  last,  be 
as  good  an  husband  as  possible ;  when  the  next  ship  goeith 
you  shall  have  such  things  from  your  mother  as  are  desired. 
Practise  to  write  french  and  turn  latin  into  french,  be  bold  and 
adventrous  now  to  speak ;  and  direct  yourself  by  grammar  es- 
pecially for  the  moods  and  tenses,  now  you  have  leisure  observe 
the  manner  of  the  french  courts,  their  pleading  if  there  be  any 
court  in  Xaintes.  We  wanted  you  at  the  Guild  (where  neither 
was  Ned) ;  Mr  Osborn  Mayor :  and  we  were  engaged  in  hang- 
ing our  house,  which  was  dun  to  purpose.    Ned  is  at  Cam- 


10  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1661. 

bridge,  Nancy  we  expect  in  July  about  the  assises.  By  this 
time  the  ships  are  gon  to  convey  hither8  Donna  Cathara  in- 
fanta of  Portugall  the  kings  sister  who  is  to  be  our  Queen ; 
the  English  are  unwilling  to  part  with  Dunkirk  and  Jamaica 
and  have  about  6000  Souldiers  in  Dunkirk,  so  that  we  doubt 
how  the  Spaniards  will  take  it ;  you  may  find  such  news  in  the 
french  Gazzets  if  they  come  to  your  town.  A  parlirnent  is  now 
setting  and  a  convocation  of  the  Clergie  made  up  of  all  the 
Bishops,  Deans,  Archdeacons,  and  a  minister  chosen  out  of 
every  County  by  the  Clergie  thereof;  the  Bishops  are  voted  to 
set  again  in  the  house  of  Peers  or  Lords,  the  house  of  Com- 
ons  received  the  Sacrament  by  the  book  of  Common  Prayers 
or  liturgie  in  Westminster  church.  In  Norwich  the  Court  of 
Aldermen  and  Common  Councell  have  made  a  law  to  resort  to 
the  Cathedrall  every  Sunday,  and  to  be  not  only  at  sermon 
but  at  prayers,  which  they  observe ;  these  small  things  I  write 
that  you  might  not  be  totally  ignorant  how  affairs  goe  at  home. 
Thy  writeing  is  much  mended,  but  you  still  forget  to  make 
points.  I  have  paid  the  bill  drawn  by  Mr  Dade  upon  Charles. 
Pray  present  my  true  respects  to  him.  Remember  what  is  never 
to  be  forgot,  to  serve  and  honour  God.  I  should  be  very  glad 
you  would  get  a  handsome  garb  and  gate.  Your  mother  and 
all  send  their  good  wishes.    I  rest  your  ever  loveing  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

My  respects  to  Mi*  Bendish. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Ms  son  Thomas. 

July  the  26,  [1661.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

Yours  dated  in  March  I  received  yesterday  by  Mr 
Gooch,  and  your  other  of  July  the  18th.  this  day,  sent  in  Mr 
Johnsons  letter  of  Yarmouth.    Now  bear  up  thy  spirits  and  be 

8  The  King  had  recently,  in  his  opening  Speech  to  the  Parliament,  May  8,  1661, 
adverted  (o  his  treaty  of  Marriage  with  the  Infanta  of  Portugal,  and  intimated  his 
intention  of  sending  his  Fleet  to  bring  her  over.  He  also  spoke  of  the  cession  of 
Dunkirk  and  Jamaica — as  objects  likely  to  be  contended  for  by  Spain,  in  the  event 
of  the  marriage  taking  place. 


1661.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  11 

not  malencholy  sad  or  dejected,  for  the  hot  whether  will  be 
soon  at  an  end,  and  haveing  made  good  entrance  into  the  lan- 
guadge  I  would  have  you  remove  out  of  those  parts  and  to 
aproach  neerer  England :  to  goe  to  Coniack  will  afford  thee 
noe  great  content  except  it  be  for  a  time,  and  therefore  I 
would  have  you  to  goe  to  some  more  emenent  place,  from 
whence  you  might  come  by  help  of  the  messenger,  who  may 
take  care  of  and  for  you  in  the  journey,  untill  you  come  to 
Paris,  where  you  may  remain  a  fortnight  or  month  or  more, 
and  so  come  to  Rouen  and  to  Diep  and  so  for  England,  and 
by  this  means  you  may  see  a  notable  part  of  France  :  now  the 
more  handsomly  to  contrive  this,  you  may  I  think  best  goe  a 
while  to  Rochell,  for  there  you  may  contrive  your  journey  by 
Poitiers,  Orleans  and  other  places  to  Paris,  and  both  the  mes- 
senger or  post  of  Bourdeaux  and  Rochell  meet  at  Poitiers, 
for  if  you  goe  by  Rochell  you  may  be  advised  and  directed  by 
friends:  in  such  kind  of  travailing  they  use  to  agree  with  the 
Messenger  for  the  whole  journey,  and  if  they  desire  may  stay 
at  some  town  in  the  way  till  the  post  in  his  second  journey  calls 
them  to  goe  on  again  ;  in  your  travail  thus  by  land  you  must 
carry  nothing  but  a  portmanteau  or  valise  which  may  contain 
your  linnen  and  some  other  things  and  may  upon  occasion 
be  carried  in  coach  or  hors,  and  to  leave  your  trunk  at  Rochell 
or  Bourdeaux,  and  take  order  for  the  safe  conveyance  of  it 
unto  Yarmouth  to  Charles  or  to  London  to  some  known  friend, 
and  before  you  set  out  for  Paris,  to  dispose  of  your  trunk  in 
safe  hands  ;  probably  Mr  Bendish  will  afford  you  that  cour- 
tesie,  and  oblige  me  so  far  in  it.  There  were  nothing  more  to 
be  wished  then  good  civill  company,  and  you  may  begin  your 
journey  when  you  find  the  opertunety  of  such,  and  an  honest 
Messenger,  and  if  you  can,  to  have  some  Protestant  in  your 
company,  altho  you  may  boldly  acknowledge  yourself  a  Pro- 
testant in  any  part  of  France.  You  must  not  carry  much  lugadge 
about  for  that  is  chargeable  and  apt  to  be  stollen.  Nancy  and 
my  cosen  Barker  are  at  present  with  me,  your  Mother  and  all 
relations  send  their  good  wishes ;  you  may  carry  small  books 
or  papers  to  set  down  remarkables  or  take  draughts. 
Your  affectionate  father, 

T.  BROWNE. 


12  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1661. 

Be  carefull  you  eat  very  few  grapes  and  fruits,  for  they  cause 
diseases  in  strangers,  be  carefull  to  fashion  yourself  well  in 
your  gate  and  behaviour.    Serve  God. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Aug.  3,  [1661.] 

HONEST   TOM, 

I  was  very  glad  to  receive  your  letters  dated  July 
the  13th.  but  I  hope  by  this  time  thou  art  not  so  mallencholy 
as  you  seem  to  be,  hold  out  a  litle,  diffuse  thy  spirits,  and  trust 
in  God's  protection,  and  aply  thy  heart  unto  him.  I  have  writ 
one  letter  already  which  Charles  sent  last  week  to  Mr.  Dade. 
I  repeat  the  main  thereof  in  this  least  it  should  miscarry.  I 
would  now  have  thee  take  leave  of  Xaintes,  Cogniac,  or  any 
other  lesser  towns  and  come  to  Rochell,  or  some  good  place 
where  you  may  take  advantage  of  the  messenger,  and  if  pos- 
sible good  company,  wherein  some  Protestant  goeith  along, 
and  so  to  agree  for  a  sum  with  the  messenger  to  bring  you  to 
Paris,  and  to  have  the  directions  of  some  friends  to  live  about 
a  month  in  Paris  and  so  to  come  to  Rouen  and  Diep  for  Eng- 
land ;  for  5  or  6  pound  the  Messenger  will  bring  you  from  Pa- 
ris to  London  ;  you  may  go  from  Orleance  to  Paris  by  coach, 
and  from  Paris  to  Rouen  by  coach ;  you  must  intrust  your 
trunk  with  Mr  Bendish  at  Rochell  or  with  Mr  Dade  at  Bour- 
deaux  to  be  sent  by  the  Vintage  Ships  to  Yarmouth,  and  must 
travail  only  with  a  portmanteau  or  valise  and  one  sute  of 
cloths,  for  it  will  be  hard  to  carry  more,  be  directed  herein  by 
some  English  friend,  have  a  care  of  your  draughts  and  obser- 
vations, remember  to  make  comas,  as(,)  and  full  points  at  the 
end  of  a  sentence  thusQ  My  respects  to  Mr  Bendish  and  Mr 
Dade  unto  whom  we  are  much  obliged.  Begin  your  Journey  as 
soon  as  you  will :  eat  few  or  noe  grapes  or  fruit  but  bread  with 
all  things.  Affairs  goe  quietly  on  with  us  both  in  Religious  and 
Civill  concernments.  Be  firm  to  thy  Religion.  God  of  his  mer- 
cy preserve  thee.     Your  Loveing  father, 

T.  BROWNE. 


1661.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  13 

Advantage  yourself  as  much  as  possible  in  the  languadge 
and  mind  the  grammar  for  that  will  help  you. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Sept.  the  21,  Norwich,  [1661.] 

HONEST    TOM, 

I  understood  lately  that  you  are  come  to  Rochell 
and  intend  to  continue  there  for  some  months :  doe  therein  as 
you  shall  find  it  advantageous  unto  your  intentions.  We  are  all 
exceeding  obliged  to  Mr  Bendish,  to  whom  I  pray  commend  my 
respects,  I  shall  be  studious  to  find  out  some  way  of  studious 
return  unto  him.  Study  the  french  languadge  and  help  your- 
self by  the  grammar,  forget  not  limning  and  perspective  and 
dayly  practise  arithmetick.  Endeavor  an  handsome  garb  and 
laudable  boldness,  be  courteus  unto  all,  and  betime  practise  pati- 
ence. You  may  see  the  Isle  of  Rhe  before  winter  and  the  Salt 
works,  observe  the  manner  of  the  makeing  of  wine,  both  white 
and  Claret,  and  also  of  makeing  oyle,  enquire  whether  it  be  useal 
to  go  up  the  Loir  against  the  stream,  for  so  you  may  goe  from 
Nantes  or  there  abouts  to  Orleans  and  so  by  coach  to  Paris, 
or  over  land  with  the  Messenger,  when  you  shall  be  advised 
by  friends  to  remove.  I  hope  this  box  will  come  safe  unto  you. 
Serve  God  with  all  fidelitie  and  God  protect  you.  I. rest  your 
ever  loveing  father,  T.  B. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Norwich,  November  the  1,  [1661.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  hope  by  this  time  you  have  received  the  box  and 
books  sent  by  the  french  ship  which  came  to  Yarmouth  and 
returned  to  Rochell.  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  of  your  health 
for  I  know  the  country  where  you  are  is  very  sickly,  as  ours 
is  heer.     God  of  his  mercy  preserve  you  and  return  you 


14  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1661. 

safe.     Except  you  desire  to  return  by  sea,  I  would  be  at  the 
charge  of  your  return  by  Paris  in  the  spring,  observe  the 
manner  of  trade,  how  they  make  wine  and  vineger,  by  that 
we  call  the  rape,  which  is  the  husks  and  stalks  of  the  grape, 
and  how  they  prepare  it  for  that  use.   Commend  me  kindly  to 
Mr  Dade  and  Mr  Bendish.   Read  books  which  are  in  french 
and  Latin,  for  so  you  may  retain  and  increase  your  knowledge 
in  Latin :  some  times  draw  and  limn  and  practice  perspective. 
We  hear  the  Protestants  in  France  are  but  hardly  used,  noe 
doubt  the  King  will  be  carefull  to  keep  them  low  haveing  had 
experience  of  their  strength.    However  serve  God  faythfully 
and  be  constant  to  your  Religion.     The  Parliment  adjourned 
last  August  sets  again  on  the  20th  of  November  when  they  will 
publish  a  strict  act  for  uniformitie  in  the  Church.    Our  Bishop 
Dr.  Reynolds  my  loveing  friend  hath  been  in  Norwich  these 
3  months ;  he  preacheth  often  and  comes  constantly  to  Christ 
church  on  Sunday  mornings  at  the  beginning  of  prayers,  about 
which  time  the  Aldermen  also  come,  he  sitteth  in  his  seat 
against  the  pulpit,  handsomely  built  up  and  in  his  Episcopall 
vestments,  and  pronounceth  the  Blessing  or  the  Peace  of  God 
&c.  at  the  end :  where  there  is  commonly  a  very  numerous  con- 
gregation and  an  excellent  sermon  by  some  preacher  of  the 
Combination,  appointed  out  of  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  the  one 
for  winter  the  other  for  sommer.  The  Bishops  set  again  in  the 
house  of  Lords  and  our  Bishop  is  goeing  thither.    My  Lord 
Townsend  is  made  Ld  lieutenant  of  Norfolk  and  hath  the 
power  of  all  the  Militia,  which  hath  trained  by  Regiments  in 
severall  parts  of  the  Country.    Sir  Joseph  Pain  our  Collonell 
trayned  our  Regiment  of  the  Citty  last  week.  Be  temperate 
and  sober  in  the  whole  course  of  your  life,  keep  noe  bad  or 
uncivill  company  be  courteous  and  humble  in  your  Conversa- 
tion still   shunning  pudor  rusticus,  which  undoes  good  na- 
tures, and  practise  an  handsome  garb  and  civil  boldness  which 
he  that  learneth  not  in  France  travaileth  in  vain.     Gods  Bless- 
ing be  upon  you.     I  rest  your  ever  Loveing  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

Corn  is  very  dear  the  best  wheat  4  or  5  and  forty  shillings 
the  comb  which  is  4  bushells.  The  king  of  Portugal  resigns  up 


1661.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  15 

Tangere  a  town  on  Africk  side  in  Barbarie  in  the  midle  of 
the  streights  mouth,  whether  my  Ld  of  Peterbourogh  is  goeing 
with  a  Regiment  of  foot  and  2  troops  of  hors  to  take  posses- 
sion. All  Parliment  money  must  be  brought  in  to  the  mint  and 
coyned  with  the  Kings  stamp  and  is  not  to  pas  corrant  beyond 
December  the  first.  You  may  stay  your  stomack  with  litle  pas- 
tys  some  times  in  cold  mornings,  for  I  doubt  Sea  Larks  will 
be  too  dear  a  collation  and  drawe  too  much  wine  down ;  be 
warie  for  Rochell  was  a  place  of  too  much  good  fellowship 
and  a  very  drinking  town,  as  I  observed  when  I  was  there, 
more  then  other  parts  of  France. 


Dr.  Bronze  to  his  son  Thomas. 

HONEST   TOM, 

I  sent  November  the  first  a  box  with  letters  and 
other  things,  by  a  ship  bound  for  Rochell,  but  perhaps  that 
may  be  a  month  before  it  comes  unto  you,  and  therefore  by 
this  of  the  post  I  signifie  that  you  may  goe  to  Nantes  if  you 
desire  and  have  convenience,  and  from  thence  may  goe  to 
Paris  as  you  find  the  season  favour.  I  received  the  pritty 
stones  and  insects,  it  is  good  to  take  notice  of  quarrys  and 
mines.  I  know  not  whether  I  shall  have  the  convenience  to 
write  to  you  to  Nantes  as  I  have  here  except  you  signifie  by 
some  way,  by  some  English  marchants  there.    God  Bless  you. 

Your  loveing  father,  T.  B. 
Nov.  ye  2.  stilo  veterie,  [1661.] 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

Jan.  4,  1661  [-2.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

I  have  not  written  unto  you  since  November  because 
I  thought  you  had  been  removed  from  Rochell,  but  now  un- 


16  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1G62. 

derstanding  you  are  still  there,  I  send  this  by  land  with  my 
good  wishes  and  prayers  unto  God  to  bless  you,  and  direct 
you  in  all  your  ways.  So  order  affairs  that  when  you  remove, 
you  may  be  accomodated  with  money  when  you  come  to  Paris. 
There  is  a  book  cald  les  Antlquites  tie  Paris  which  will  direct 
you  in  many  things,  what  to  look  after,  that  litle  time  you  stay 
there,  beside  you  may  see  many  good  new  buildings,  since  you 
have  been  at  Rochell  you  might  have  seen  the  Isle  of  Rhe,  and 
salt  works  if  you  had  any  opertunety.  Serve  God  and  honour 
him  with  a  true  sincere  heart,  your  old  friend  Mr  Bradford 
preacheth  tomorrow  at  Xt  church,  as  being  his  turn  in  the 
Combination,  on  the  30  of  this  month  an  humiliation  is  to  be 
kept  annually  for  ever  by  act  of  Parliment,  in  order  to  the 
expiation  of  Gods  judgments  upon  the  nation  for  the  horrid 
murther  of  King  Charles  the  first,  acted  upon  that  day.  I  sent 
a  box  unto  you  by  a  ship  that  went  to  Rochell  in  the  begin- 
ning of  November.  Your  mother  and  all  send  their  good  wishes. 
I  rest  your  Loveing  father, 

T.B. 

God  bless  thee.  You  may  learn  handsom  songs  and  aires  not 
by  book  but  by  the  ear  as  you  shall  hear  them  sung. 

Just  as  were  closing  up  the  box  I  now  send  you  I  received 
your  letter  and  box,  where  by  I  see  you  are  mindful!  of  us  and 
are  not  idle.  You  may  surely  stay  safely  in  Rochell  being  stran- 
gers, but  if  you  find  good  convenience  I  am  as  willing  you 
should  be  any  where  elce,  for  where  ere  you  are  it  will  be  best 
to  move  to  Paris  in  the  beginning  of  March,  and  there  is  noe 
citty  considerable  near  Rochell  but  Nantes,  where  you  will  be 
upon  the  Loir,  on  winch  many  good  cittys  stand.  Be  guided 
herein  by  advice  of  friends.  God  bless  you.  By  this  time  I  hope 
you  have  received  the  former  box  I  sent  about  a  month  agoe.  I 
wish  you  had  acquaintance  with  some  Protestant  in  Nantes  if 
you  goe  thither  or  might  be  recommended,  for  there  are  Eng- 
lish also. 

Your  ever  loveing  father, 

T.B. 


1662.]  NARRATIVE    OF    A    JOURNEY.  17 


The  following  narrative,  preserved  in  the  British 
Museum,  affords  the  only  additional  particulars  which 
have  been  met  with  of  young  Browne's  residence  in 
France.  Though  headed  "  My  Journey  from  Bor- 
deaux to  Paris,"  it  comprises  the  periods  of  his  resid- 
ence at  Sainctes,  Rochelle,  and  Nantes,  which  were 
considerable. 

[MS.  SLOAN.  1745.  fol.  22.] 

My  Journey  from  Bordeaux  to  Paris. 

Bordeaux  is  the  capital  city  of  Guienne,  a  very  ancient 
strong  place,  situated  very  commodiously  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river  Garonne,  which  by  its  bending  course  makes  it  in 
the  shape  of  an  half-moon.  It  is  also  an  archbishoprick,  a 
parliament  city,  and  university.  The  parliament  was  first  set 
up  by  Charles  VII,  after  that  he  had  put  the  English  out  of 
Guienne.  There  are  divers  remarkable  things  in  this  place, 
made  not  only  by  the  Romans  but  since  their  time,  as  the  Am- 
phitheatre of  Galienus,  a  little  out  of  the  city,  of  an  oval  form, 
very  large  and  spatious,  but  now  very  much  ruined.  There 
is  also  a  very  ancient  and  noble  building,  standing  within  the 
city,  called,  Piliers  de  Tutele,  consisting  of  very  large  and 
high  pillars,  whereof  there  are  at  this  day  standing  eighteen. 

There  are  also  two  castles  of  later  date.  The  one  called 
Chateau  du  Huy,  which  was  built  by  Charles  VII ;  the  other 
named  Chateau  Trompette,  built  also  by  him,  but  is  now  much 
enlarged  by  Louis  XIV,  and  thought  impregnable.  The 
cathedral  church  of  St.  Andrew  stands  near  the  walls  of  the 
city,  where  is  also  the  archbishop's  house,  a  very  noble  build- 
ing. There  is  also  a  very  remarkable  church,  out  of  the 
town,  called  St.  Severin,  which  gives  the  name  unto  the 
suburbs  wherein  it  standeth. 

On  the  26th  of  January  [1661-2]  I  left  Bordeaux,  and  took 
boat  for  Blaye ;  where  I  arrived  about  nine  o'clock  that  night. 
It  is  an  ancient  town,  seated  by  the  river ;  and  hath  a  very 
vol.  i.  c 


18  NARRATIVE  OF  A  JOURNEY  [1662. 

strong  castle  belonging  unto  it,  said  to  be  built  by  Charles  the 
Great ;  where  in  late  times  the  English  ships  passing  to  Bor- 
deaux were  obliged9  to  leave  their  ordnance,  and  take  them 
again  as  they  returned.  From  here  I  went  to  Pons,  which 
stands  upon  a  hill,  upon  the  top  whereof  there  is  a  castle  be- 
longing to  the  family  d'Albret.  In  the  castle  there  is  a  very 
high  four-square  tower,  from  whence  one  may  see  the  city  of 
Sainctes,  four  leagues  off.  To  this  place  are  sent  such  male- 
factors as  are  taken  in  the  seigneurie  of  Pons ;  and  in  a  fair 
hall  of  this  castle  are  pourtraited,  as  big  as  the  life,  all  the 
chiefest  of  the  family  d'Albret,  masters  of  this  place,  some 
whereof  have  been  kings  of  Navarre.  This  hath  been  a  walled 
town ;  but  now  the  walls  are  rased. 

From  thence,  through  a  fine  champian  country,  I  came  to 
Sainctes,  the  chief  city  of  Xaintoing  (St.  Onge,)  standing  on 
the  river  Charente ;  a  very  pleasant  place,  and  a  bishoprick. 
The  cathedral  church  of  St.  Peter  hath  a  very  large  steeple, 
but  no  spire.  The  church  was  broken  down  by  the  protest- 
ants,  but  is  now  rebuilded.  Here  hath  been  a  very  strong  and 
ancient  castle,  which  is  now  somewhat  demolished.  It  wras 
rased  towards  the  town  by  Louis  XIII,  a  little  before  the  siege 
of  La  Rochelle,  where  were  found  some  urns  and  many  Roman 
coins.  Besides  the  city  here  are  three  suburbs ;  the  one  on 
the  north  side,  called  the  suburb  of  Notre  Dame,  where  there 
is  an  ancient  abbey  of  nuns,  built  by  Geoffroy  Count  of  Xainc- 
tes ;  the  other,  on  the  east  side,  called  the  Fauxbourg  des 
Britoniens,  where  is  the  ancient  church  of  St.  Eutropius,  who, 
being  sent  to  convert  France,  was  martyred  and  buried  here ; 
and  his  head  is  shown  with  the  wound  he  received  at  his  death. 
Under  the  choir  of  St.  Eutropius's  church,  (like  that  of  St. 
Faith's,  under  St.  Paul's,)  lieth  the  body  of  St.  Eutropius :  but 
on  one  day  only,  the  last  of  April,  when  there  is  a  great  fair 
kept  here,  his  head  is  to  be  seen  or  shown. 

There  are  also  still  to  be  seen  some  remains  of  Roman  mag- 
nificence ;  as,  an  amphitheatre,  in  a  valley  a  little  out  of  the 
town,  nigh  unto  St.  Eutrope ;  but  is  much  ruined.  I  took  the 
draught  thereof,  and  have  set  it  down  in  my  papers.  There 
is  also  an  ancient  canal  and  aqueduct;  but,  above  all,  two  stately 

9  Bv  an  edict  of  Louis  XT,  in  1475. 


1GG2.]  FROM  BOURDEAUX  TO  PARIS.  19 

and  magnificent  arches  on  the  bridge,  which  containeth  four- 
teen arches  in  all.  On  the  two  aforesaid  arches  are  these  words, 
graven  in  large  letters, 

CiESARI-  N-  P-  D-  PONTIFICI-  AVGVRI 
And  on  the  other  side  these  words,  much  defaced,  and  hard  to 

read.1 

*  *  *  *  * 

There  are  belonging  to  this  town  of  Xainctes  three  prin- 
cipal gates.  The  first,  Porte  St.  Louis,  which  stands  to  the 
suburbs  called  Britoniens  ; — the  second,  Porte  d'Equiere, 
standing  to  the  suburbs  of  St.  Vivier ; — the  third,  Porte  du 
Pont,  which  openeth  to  the  bridges. 

Three  leagues  from  Sainctes,  through  a  fine  woody  coun- 
try, is  the  town  of  Brisambourg,  where  is  a  little  castle,  fa- 
mous for  the  bringing  up  of  that  valiant  soldier,  the  marshal 
de  Biron,  who  was  beheaded  in  the  reign  of  Henry  the 
Fourth,  1602.  Five  leagues  from  Sainctes,  up  the  river 
Charente,  stands  the  town  of  Coniac,  or  Cognac,  a  very 
pleasant  place,  less  than  Sainctes,  nor  having  much  remark- 
able in  it ;  but  is  a  mayor  town ;  and  hath  many  privileges 
belonging  unto  it.  From  thence  cometh  the  Cognac  wine,2 
whereof  we  drink  in  England  in  the  summer. 

The  3rd  of  September  I  parted  from  Sainctes,  for  Ro- 
chelle.  Two  leagues  down  the  river  stands  the  town  of 
Taillebourg,  where  is  a  very  long  bridge.  Here  was  also  a 
very  strong  castle,  belonging  to  the  prince  of  Taranta ;  but 
was  demolished  by  the  king,  Henry  IV.  in  the  late  troubles. 
Three  leagues  from  hence  is  the  town  of  Touneboutonne, 
which  hath  also  been  walled.  Here  is  a  little  old  castle, 
something  resembling  Norwich  castle  ;  but  much  less.  The 
fifth  of  September  I  came  to  Rochelle,  which  hath  formerly 
been  a  famous,  strong,  and  populous  place ;  but  the  walls 
were  demolished  by  Louis  XIII ;  those  of  the  religion  ex- 
pelled ;  the  round  church  given  unto  the  Jesuits ;  and  some 
convents  built  in  and  about  it ;  and  hath  little  or  nothing  left 

1  They  are  wanting  in  MS. 
2  It  appears  that  at  this  time  vessels  were  regularly  freighted  with  the  light  wines 
of  the  South  of  France  to  Yarmouth  ;  some  of  the  best  of  those  wines  are  produced 
along  the  banks  of  the  Garonne,  especially  the  left  bank.      But  Cognac  has  been 
celebrated  for  its  eaux  de  vie  rather  than  its  wines. 

C  2 


20  NARRATIVE  OF  A  JOURNEY  [1662. 

of  its  strength  and  beauty,  but  some  towers,  which,  by  the 
last  war,  are  much  defaced,  or  going  to  ruin ;  as  the  lantern- 
tower  (light-house)  and  the  two  towers  which  enclose  the  har- 
bour, between  which  there  is  a  great  chain,  which  openeth 
unto  vessels  which  come  in,  and  lie  within  the  town.  There 
are  here  divers  merchants — English,  Scotch,  and  Dutch. 

I  went  to  see  the  isle  of  Rhe,  passing  by  water ;  a  pleasant 
island,  where  much  salt  is  made.  Therein  is  the  town  of  St. 
Martin's,  and  a  fair  fort  of  St.  Martin's  by  it.  There  is  also 
another,  but  smaller  fort  upon  the  same  island,  named  Fort 
Depre.  There  are  also  some  small  wines  made.  From 
Rochelle  I  also  went  into  the  isle  of  Oleron.  There  are  few 
things  of  remark  in  this  island,  besides  a  strong  castle  and 
St.  Peter's  church,  or  chapel,  in  the  town  of  St.  Peter's, 
which  stands  in  the  middle  of  the  isle.  From  hence  we 
crossed  to  Brouage,  a  very  strong  place,  and  accounted  im- 
pregnable. It  is  indeed  a  notable  fortification,  and  hath 
scarce  any  but  soldiers  in  it.  It  was  built  to  defend  the  coast, 
and  bridle  these  parts  of  France.  From  thence,  along  the 
sea-coast,  we  came  to  Moyre,  where  there  is  a  good  steeple, 
like  that  of  Eutropius  at  Sainctes,  but  much  less.  From 
hence  we  passed  to  Chastel-a-Lyon,  which  is  an  old  castle, 
said  to  be  built  by  the  English  ;  but  now  much  eaten  by  the 
sea ;  and  that  night  we  returned  again  to  Rochelle. 

Feb.  25,  1661-2.  I  parted  from  Rochelle  for  Nantes.  Four 
leagues  from  Nantes  stands  the  town  of  Maran  or  Marran,  a 
remarkable  place  for  the  great  quantity  of  corn  which  useth 
to  be  laden  from  hence  for  other  parts.  From  hence  to 
Nantes,  there  was  little  remarkable.  Nantes  is  a  very  fair 
city,  seated  on  the  river  Loire,  before  it  runneth  into  the 
sea.  It  is  also  ancient ;  and  is  called  the  maiden-city,  be- 
cause it  hath  never  been  taken  by  force.  It  is  walled  about 
with  a  strong  wall.  There  is  also  a  castle,  built  very  fairly 
on  the  water  side.  The  bridge  is  very  long  over  the  river, 
reaching  from  island  to  island,  till  it  cometh  to  the  other  side. 
There  are  also  very  great  suburbs,  which  are  accounted  big- 
ger than  the  city.  The  cathedral  church  of  St.  Peter's  is 
fair :  it  hath  a  very  fair  frontispiece,  but  no  spire.  The 
quire  is  very  neat  and  noble ;  the  doors  of  the  church  are  of 


1662.]  FROM  BOURDEAUX  TO  PARIS.  21 

brass  ;  and  upon  them  the  images  of  St.  Peter  and  St,  Paul. 
In  the  church  of  St.  Clere,  in  the  middle  of  the  quire,  there 
is  a  very  stately  tomb  of  white  and  black  marble,  erected  for 
the  duke  and  duchess  of  Britany ;  but  of  what  duke  and 
duchess  I  could  not  learn.  There  are  also  many  other 
churches,  convents  and  monasteries ;  and  here  is  also  great 
resort  of  merchants,  English,  Flemish,  and  other  nations  ; 
and  here  are  also  embarked  the  Orleans,  Blois  and  Anion 
wines  and  commodities,  to  be  transported  into  other  parts. 

From  Nantes  I  parted  for  Paris  ;  and  that  night  came  to  a 
small  city  about  seven  leagues  off,  called  Ancenis ;  the  walls 
whereof  are  now  rased.  Here  hath  also  been  a  very  strong 
castle;  but  it  is  now  demolished.  From  thence  I  came  to 
Angers,  the  capital  city  of  the  dukes  of  Anjou;  large  and  po- 
pulous, and  well  accommodated  with  all  provision.  It  is  also 
a  bishopric.  The  cathedral  church  of  St.  Maurice  is  noble, 
and  hath  a  high  steeple ;  according  to  the  common  saying 
among  them:  Haat  docker;  pauvre  escolier ;  riche putain. 

There  is  also  a  very  strong  castle,  which  they  say  was  built 
by  the  English.  There  are  also  divers  good  churches  and 
convents ;  and  many  of  the  nobility  and  gentry  resort  hi- 
ther. We  parted  from  hence  ;  and  lodged  that  night  at  La 
Fleche,  a  town  which  was  given  by  the  king3  unto  the 
Jesuits  for  an  university,  which  is  now  the  most  famous  one 
of  France.  The  Jesuits  church  is  a  very  brave  structure,  and 
richly  adorned.  From  hence  we  travelled  to  Conard,  a  vil- 
lage ten  leagues  from  La  Fleche ;  and  passed  by  the  city  Le 
Mans  to  Nogent,  a  great  bourg,  where  is  a  castle  standing 
upon  a  very  high  hill,  but  burnt  in  the  civil  wars  ;  and  after- 
wards we  came  unto  Chartres.  This  is  a  handsome  and  very 
ancient  place,  and  large,  seated  upon  the  river  Eure,  which 
runneth  into  the  river  Seine.  Though  there  be  many  remark- 
able churches,  yet  the  church  of  Our  Lady  is  very  noble, 
and  for  antiquities  exceedeth  all  in  these  parts.  For  this  is 
said  to  have  been  a  temple  long  before  the  birth  of  Christ ; 
built  by  certain  druids,  who  inhabited  these  parts ;  which  St. 
Savinian  and  St.  Poteneian,  coming  into  Gaul  to  convert  the 
people,  caused  to  be  enlarged  and  consecrated  to  the  Virgin 

3  Henry  IV. 


22  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1602. 

Mary.  Upon  the  front  of  this  church  are  two  spires :  the 
one  very  curiously  wrought ;  the  other  plain ;  and  in  the  mid- 
dle a  brave  and  stately  window.  On  the  two  sides  are  two 
magnificent  entrances  of  ancient  work,  containing  at  least  forty- 
eight  statues  on  a  side,  and  innumerable  small  ones,  very  well 
carved.  The  church  within  is  very  large  :  and  about  the 
church  innumerable  stories  carved  both  in  ancient  and  modern 
work ;  but  what  is  most  incomparable  is  the  whole  passion  of 
our  Saviour  carved  in  modern  work,  in  the  year  1610.  After 
the  sight  of  many  curiosities,  we  went  into  the  treasury ;  a  very 
rich  place,  upon  one  side  of  the  quire ;  where,  in  a  box  adorned 
with  diamonds  and  precious  stones,  crosses,  and  such  like,  is 
said  to  be  the  shift  or  smock  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  remarkable 
for  many  miracles  ;  namely  for  miraculously  causing  Rollo, 
duke  of  Normandy,  not  only  to  raise  his  siege,  but  also  to 
change  his  religion.  There  is  also  a  phial,  in  which  they  hold 
that  there  is  the  milk  of  Our  Lady ;  and  that  they  also  have 
the  flesh,  bones,  teeth,  and  hair,  and  innumerable  reliques  of 
Romish  saints.  We  had  the  favor  to  touch  the  Chemise  de 
Chartres  in  a  small  silver  box  made  in  the  fashion  of  Our 
Lady's  shift.  So  leaving  this  place  and  magnificent  piece  of 
antiquity  in  the  morning,  we  lodged  that  night  at  a  village 
called  Bonell.  The  next  day,  being  the  27th  of  April,  1662, 
we  came  unto  the  great  city,  and,  as  the  French  will  have  it, 
the  little  world  of  Paris. 


It  appears,  from  the  following  tl  Journal  of  a  Tour" 
taken  in  September  with  his  brother,  that  young 
Browne  returned  from  France,  in  the  summer  of 
1662. 

[MS.  SLOAN.  1900.] 

September  the  8,  1662,  wee  set  out  for  our  journy  from 

Norwich,  baited  that  day  at  Licham  and  layed  at  the  King's 

Head  in  Linne.     The  next  day  morning  after  the  towne  mu- 

L\sick4  had  saluted  us,  wee  saw  the  churches  of  St.  Margarets 

4  Possibly  the  minstrels  who  were  attached  to  most  of  the  numerous  gilds  of  the 
town. 


1662.]  TOUR   IN    DERBYSHIRE.  23 

and  St.  Nicholas,  both  very  large  and  well  built  parish 
churches,  having  each  of  them  a  very  handsome  leaden  spire ; 
the  oyle  mill,  the  kettle  mills  which  convey  fresh  water  to  the 
towne ;  the  furnace  in  the  glasshouse  was  out,  and  so  wee 
mist  seeing  them  make  glass.  Wee-  likewise  tooke  a  walke 
that  morning  to  the  lady's  mount,  and  by  that  time  wee  came 
home  wee  were  met  with  by  some  friends,  who  invited  us  to 
some  excellent  Burnham  oisters  and  smelts,  and  afterwards 
went  along  with  us  to  Mr.  Kirby's  the  mayor  of  the  towne» 
where  wee  received  the  courtesy  of  drinking  out  of  king 
John's  cup,  an  ancient  piece  of  plate  which  that  king  gave  to 
this  towne,  together  with  a  sword,  as  a  favour  for  their  loyalty 
to  him  in  the  civill  wars.  These  sights  and  the  civility  of  our 
friends,  with  the  mayor  and  the  new  elect  Mr.  Bird,  had  de- 
tained us  so  long  that  wee  began  allmost  to  despaire  of  getting 
to  Boston  that  night:  but  our  desire  to  make  all  the  hast  wee 
could,  and  to  see  as  much  as  was  possible,  in  that  short  time 
wee  had  allotted  ourselfe  for  this  journy,  made  us  to  goe  out 
from  Lin  about  two  in  the  afternoon,  though  much  sollicited 
to  stay.  Wee  were  fferried  crosse  the  water  to  old  Lin,  and 
from  thence  we  went  to  the  Cross  Keys,  a  place  where  they 
ordinarily  goe  on  to  the  Wash:  where,  taking  a  guide,  it  being 
somewhat  late,  wee  desired  to  bee  conducted  in  the  nighest 
way  to  Boston.  Hee  told  us  there  were  two  waies  to  passe, 
either  over  two  short  cuts,  or  else  quite  over  the  long  Wash, 
which  latter  wee  chose,  partly  because  it  was  the  nighest,  but 
chiefly  for  the  novelty  to  us  of  this  manner  of  travailing,  at 
the  bottome  of  the  sea;  for  this  passage  is  not  lesse  convenient 
at  a  flood,  for  navigation,  than  at  an  ebbe,  for  riding  on  horse- 
back out  of  Norfolk  into  Lincolnshiere.  The  way  quite  over 
is  very  good,  and  not  at  all  troubled  with  flies  with  which  all 
those  fenne  countrey's  are  extreamly  pestered :  but  it  is 
somewhat  dangerous  without  a  guide,  by  reason  of  some 
quicksands.  The  way  is  not  all  alike,  for  some  is  a  hard 
sand,  other  a  softer,  and  some  like  a  fine  green  meddow, 
whose  grasse  is  nothing  but  glasswort ;  through  all  which, 
together  with  divers  rivers,  which  are  easily  fordable  at  low 
tide,  our  convoy  made  such  haste,  with  his  fliing  horse,  that 
hee  landed  us  on  the  banks  in  Lincolnshire  in  lesse  then  two 


24  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1662. 

hours,  quite  crosse  this  equitable  sea  or  navigable  land,  four- 
ten  miles  in  length :  where  being  arrived  in  very  good  time, 
wee  found  our  selves  but  three  miles  from  Boston,  and  so 
wee  might  the  better  ride  easily  both  to  refresh  our  horses, 
and  entertaine  one  another  with  some  discourse  of  our  that 
day's  journy,  till  wee  came  to  our  inn,  the  White  Hart,  where 
having  rested  us  very  well  for  that  night,  wee  went  in  the 
morning  to  view  more  accurately  that  famous  steeple  which 
wee  had  seen  the  day  before,  and  had  been  indeed  our  land- 
marks over  most  part  of  the  washes.  Wee  found  it  to  bee  a 
4  square  steeple  allmost  up  to  the  top,  but  there  for  a  little 
way  it  is  an  octagon.  We  counted  336  staires  up  to  the  top 
of  the  lanthorne,  upon  which,  in  a  cleare  day,  may  bee  seen  a 
vast  compasse  of  sea  and  land.  Lincolne  minster,  six  and 
twenty  mile  distant,  is  visible.  To  say  wee  saw  into  Holland 
from  hence,  though  true,  would  bee  but  small  commendation 
for  this  lofty  companion  of  the  clouds. 

There  is  unto  this  steeple  a  very  noble  church  adioyned, 
besides  a  large  neat  chancell ;  the  font  was  newly  built  of 
black  and  white  marble,  with  a  cover  in  the  fashion  of  a 
crowne,  which  might  bee  lift  up  higher  or  lower  as  you  please 
by  a  cord,  which  was  fastned  to  it  and  the  top  of  the  church ; 
and  so  have  fully  seen  both  the  inside  and  out  side  of  this 
church.  Wee  left  its  celsitude,  and  the  sea-town  of  Boston, 
to  travell  upon  a  plaine  even  fenne,  further  in  to  the  land ; 
and,  having  baited  at  Sleeford,  wee  soone  got  into  Lincolne 
heath,  where  wee  had  the  sight  of  the  minster  at  eleven  miles 
distance,  which  gave  such  encouragement  that  wee  travailed 
more  pleasantly  that  afternoon,  and  got  into  the  city  in  good 
time.  Having  entred  the  gate,  wee  went  through  a  street 
halfe  a  mile  long,  in  which  the  houses  though  low  did  shew 
themselves  to  be  built  upon  very  antient  peeces  of  walls  and 
foundations :  afterward,  climing  up  a  steep  hill,  wee  came  un- 
der two  arches  built  after  such  a  manner,  with  such  vast 
stones,  that  wee  guess'd  them  to  bee  no  lesse  then  Roman. 
Upon  this  hill  stands  the  kathedrall,  much  to  bee  admired, 
but  especially  for  its  front  or  west  end  which  is  very  broad  : 
the  church  there  abouts  containing  four  iles,  besides  the  mid- 
dle alley,  and  beautified  with  two  fair  steeples,  in  one  of  which 


1662.]  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  25 

is  a  good  ring  of  5  very  well  tuned  bells,  in  the  other  hanges 
the  great  bell,  very  remarkable  by  the  name  of  Tom  of  Lin- 
coln. There  is  also  besides  these  another  bigger  steeple  over 
the  crosse  isle,  a  very  large  square  steeple  with  six  bells. 
Over  the  west  door  stande  the  statues  of  the  kings  of  England 
from  Will :  Conq :  to  Edward  the  third ;  over  these,  allmost 
at  the  top  were  four  or  five  fine  pictures,  but  broken  downe 
in  the  late  troubles,  but  with  small  dextery,  and  by  as  bad  a 
handicraft,  for  besides  the  quite  ruining  of  the  picture  hee 
lost  his  right  fist  in  the  action.  The  tombs  in  this  church,  as 
in  most  other,  are  very  much  defac'd,  yet  thei'e  was  one  which 
pleasd  us  very  well,  upon  which  laied  the  statue  of  a  starved 
body,  very  fine  carv'd ;  upon  the  wall  in  the  north  isle  are 
painted  the  pictures  of  divers  ancient  bishops  of  this  see. 
The  cloisters  are  large,  the  windows  neat,  long  and  slender, 
not  very  big,  except  two  great  round  ones,  at  both  ends  of 
the  crosse  isle ;  the  quire  very  long  with  a  very  large  space 
behind  it;  the  pillers  not  exceeding  bigge,  unlesse  it  bee 
those  that  support  the  steeples,  but  very  handsome ;  the 
whole  fabrick  highly  remarkable  for  its  vast  neatnesse,  or  its 
curious  vastness,  and  gave  such  satisfaction  to  us  as  wee  ac- 
counted our  journy  more  then  fully  recompenc'd  with  the 
sight  of  so  noble  a  structure.  Of  the  charter  house  wee  had 
onely  a  view  of  the  out  side,  and  made  haste  to  our  inne, 
where,  having  either  din'd  very  soone  or  breakfasted  very 
late,  wee  tooke  our  leave  of  this  city ;  but  the  minster  would 
not  bid  us  farewell  so  soone,  but  after  many  miles  riding, 
when  soever  wee  turned  our  backs  would  again  salute  us  with 
its  goodly  prospect.  That  afternoon  wee  cross'd  the  Trent 
and  went  into  Nottinghamshiere,  but  before  we  were  ferried 
over,  upon  the  side  of  the  hill,  as  wee  walked  downe  our 
horses,  wee  found  a  fine  veine  of  talkum  out  of  which  plaister 
of  Paris  is  made ;  wee  were  no  sooner  entred  this  countrey 
but  wee  tooke  some  notice  of  the  civility  of  the  people  towards 
us ;  amongst  whom  very  few  let  us  passe  without  a  "  good 
e'en,"  and  were  very  ready  to  instruct  us  in  our  way.  One 
told  us  our  wy  Ugd  by  youn  nooke  of  oakes  and  another  that 
wee  mun  goe  strit  forth,  which  maner  of  speeches  not  only 
directed  us,  but  much  pleas'd  us  with  the  novelty  of  its  dia- 


26  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [16G2. 

lect ;  here  wee  came  to  see  horned  sheep  again,  for  in  Lin- 
colneshire  they  have  none.  They  burne  a  great  kind  of  cole 
called  pit  or  Scotch  coale,  which  flames  more  and  burnetii 
sooner  then  the  Newcastle.  Wee  lodged  at  night  at  Tuckes- 
ford,  a  markettowne,  whither  wee  came,  not  the  day  after, 
but  before,  the  faire,  and  so  wee  were  called  up  betimes  by 
some  of  the  faire  folkes,  that  used  very  foule  play  to  one  ano- 
ther, beginning  to  quarrell,  fight,  and  pull  down,  before  they 
had  scarse  built  up  their  stalls.  This  day  broke  very  rudely 
upon  us,  and  our  entertainte  till  night  was  answerable  to  this 
our  morning's  salutation ;  for  I  never  traveld  before  in  such  a 
lamentable  day  both  for  weather  and  way,  but  wee  made  shift 
to  ride  sixteen  mile  that  morning,  to  Chesterfield,  in  Darbi- 
shiere,  passing  by  Bolsower  castle  belonging  to  the  earl  of 
Newcastle,  very  finely  seated  upon  a  high  hill ;  and  missing 
our  way  once  or  twice,  wee  rode  up  mountain,  downe  dale, 
till  wee  came  to  our  inn,  where  wee  were  glad  to  goe  to  bed 
at  noon.  One  of  our  companions  came  no  better  armd  against 
the  weather  then  with  an  open'd  sleev'd  doublet,  whose  mis- 
fortune, though  wee  could  doe  no  otherwise  then  much  pity, 
as  being  the  greatest  of  us  all,  yet  it  made  us  some  sport  to 
see  what  pretty  waterworkes  the  rain  had  made  about  him ; 
the  spouting  of  his  doublet  sleeves  did  so  resemble  him  to  a 
whale,  that  wee  that  could  think  our  selfe  no  other  then  fishes 
at  that  time,  swimming  through  the  ocean  of  water  that  fell, 
dare  never  come  nigh  him.  This  gentleman  indeed  was  in  a 
lamentable  pickle,  but  wee  had  no  great  reason  to  laugh  at 
him,  for  wee  were  pretty  well  sous'd  our  selves ;  and  the  way, 
being  so  good  as  'twas  impossible  to  ride  above  two  mile  an 
hour  in  this  stormy  weather,  did  administer  an  excellent  re- 
medy for  our  madnesse,  to  see  our  selves  thus  drench t, — 
patience  per  force ;  and  made  us  in  spite  of  our  teeth  march 
an  alderman's  pace  some  seven  houres  together  in  this  fine 
morning :  but  coming  to  our  inne,  by  the  ostler's  helpe  having 
lifted  our  cramp'd  legs  off  our  horses,  wee  crawl'd  up  staires 
to  a  fire,  where  in  two  houres  time  wee  had  so  well  dried  our 
selves  without  and  liquor'd  our  selves  within,  that  wee  began 
to  bee  so  valiant  as  to  thinke  upon  a  second  march ;  but,  in- 
quiring after  the  businesse,  wee  received  great  discourage- 


1662.]  TOUR  IN  DERBYSHIRE.  27 

ment  with  some  storys  of  a  moor,  which  they  told  us  wee  must 
goe  over.  Wee  had  by  chance  lighted  on  a  house  that  was 
noted  for  good  drinke  and  a  shovel  borde  table,5  which  had 
invited  some  Darbishier  blades  that  liv'd  at  Bakewell,  but 
were  then  at  Chesterfield,  about  some  businesse,  to  take  a 
strengthning  cup  before  they  would  incounter  with  their 
journey  home  that  night.  Wee,  hearing  of  them,  were  desir- 
ous to  ride  in  company  with  them  so  as  wee  might  bee  con- 
ducted in  this  strange  mountainous,  misty,  moorish,  rocky, 
wild,  country ;  but  they,  having  dranke  freely  of  their  ale, 
which  inclined  them  something  to  their  coimtrie's  naturel 
rudeness,  and  the  distaste  they  tooke  at  our  swords  and  pis- 
tols with  which  wee  rid,  made  them  loth  to  bee  troubled  with 
our  companies ;  till  I,  being  more  loth  to  loose  this  opportu- 
nity then  the  other,  (one  of  which  had  voted  to  ly  in  bed  the 
rest  of  the  day,)  went  into  the  roome  and  perswaded  them  so 
well  as  they  were  willing,  not  onely  to  afford  us  their  compa- 
ny, but  staid  for  us  till  wee  accoutred  ourselves.  And  so, 
wee  most  couragiously  set  forward  again,  the  weather  being 
not  one  whit  better,  and  the  way  far  worse  ;  for  the  great 
quantity  of  rain  that  fell,  came  down  in  floods  from  the  tops 
of  the  hills,  washing  downe  mud  and  so  making  a  bog  in 
every  valley,  the  craggy  ascents,  the  rocky  unevenness  of  the 
roade,  the  high  peaks  and  the  almost  perpendicular  descents, 
that  we  were  to  ride  down ;  but,  what  was  worse  then  all  this, 
the  furious  speed  that  our  conductors,  mounted  upon  good 
horses,  used  to  those  hills,  led  us  on  with,  put  us  into  such 
an  amazement,  as  we  knew  not  what  to  doe,  for  our  pace  wee 
rode  would  neither  give  u&  opportunity  either  to  speak  to 
them,  or  to  consult  with  one  another,  till  at  length  a  friendly 
bough  that  had  sprouted  out  beyond  his  fellows  over  the  rode, 
gave  our  file  leader  such  a  brush  of  the  jacket  as  it  swept  him 
off  his  horse,  and  the  poor  jade,  not  caring  for  his  master's  com- 
pany, ran  away  without  him;  by  this  means  while  some  went  to 
get  his  courser  for  him,  others  had  time  to  come  up  to  a  ge- 
nerall  rendevouz;  and  concluded  to  ride  more  soberly:  but  I 
think  that  was  very  hard  for  some  of  these  to  doe.     Whilst 

5  A  game  in  very  general  repute,  in  former  times,  even  among  the  nobility ;  su- 
perseded more  recently  by  billiards.     See  Strutt's  Sports  and  Pastimes,  p.  263. 


28  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1662. 

we  were  helping  this  dismounted  knight  to  recover  his  saddle 
again,  for  indeed  he  had  need  of  some  attendance,  I  perceiv- 
ed in  one  of  my  fellow  squires  visages,  for  all  his  disgise,  some 
likeness  to  a  face  I  had  formerly  been  acquainted  with  all,  and 
tooke  the  boldnesse  presently  to  tell  him  both  his  and  my 
name :  but  yet  nether  that  nor  some  other  circumstances  at 
presente  could  worke  a  right  understanding  betwixt  us.  But 
wee,  being  all  up  again,  our  light  hors'd  companions  thundred 
away  and  our  poore  jades  I  think  being  afraid,  as  well  as  their 
masters,  to  bee  left  alone  in  this  desolate  vast  wide  country, 
made  so  much  hast  as  they  could  after  them ;  and  this  pace 
wee  rid,  till  wee  lost  sight  of  one  another,  the  best  horses 
getting  formost,  very  loath  wee  were  to  loose  our  guides,  but 
more  unwilling  to  part  with  one  another  ;  in  this  case  every 
one  shifted  as  well  as  wee  could  for  our  selfe,  yet  at  last  our 
leaders  were  so  civill  when  it  was  almost  too  late,  to  make 
another  halt  at  the  top  of  one  of  the  highest  hills  thereabout : 
just  before  wee  were  to  goe  on  to  the  moare ;  and  I  was  the 
last  that  got  up  to  them,  where  missing  one  of  my  companions 
who  was  not  able  to  keep  up  with  us,  I  was  in  the  greatest 
perplexity  imaginable,  and  desiring  them  to  stay  awhile,  I  rid 
back  again,  hooping  and  hallowing  out  to  my  lost  friend,  but 
no  creature  could  I  see  or  hear  of,  till  at  last  being  afraid  I 
had  run  myselfe  into  the  same  inconvenience,  I  turned  back 
again  towards  the  mountaineers,  whom  when  I  had  recovered, 
they  told  me  twas  no  staying  there,  and  twere  better  to  kill 
our  horses  than  to  bee  left  in  those  thick  mists,  the  day  now 
drawing  to  an  end  ;  and  so  setting  spurs  to  their  horses  they 
ran  down  a  precipice,  and  in  a  short  time  wee  had  the  favour 
to  be  rain'd  on  again,  for  at  the  top  of  this  hill  wee  were 
drencht  in  the  clouds  themselves,  which  came  not  upon  us 
drop  by  drop,  but  cloud  after  cloud  come  puffing  over  the 
hill  as  if  they  themselves  had  been  out  of  breath  with  climing 
it.  Here  all  our  tackling  faild,  and  hee  that  fared  best  was 
wet  to  the  skin,  these  rains  soking  through  the  thickest  lin'd 
cloake ;  and  now  wee  were  encountering  with  the  wild  more, 
which  by  the  story's  wee  had  been  told  of  it,  we  might  have 
imagined  a  wild  bore.  I  am  sure  it  made  us  all  grunt  before 
we  could  get  over  it,  it  was  such  an  uneven  rocky  track  of  road, 


1662.]  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  29 

full  of  great  holes,  and  at  that  time  swells  with  such  rapid  cur- 
rents, as  we  had  made  most  pitifull  shift,  if  we  had  not  been 
accommodated  with  a  most  excellent  conductour ;  who  yet  for 
all  his  hast  fell  over  his  horses  head  as  he  was  plungeing  into 
some  dirty  hole,  but  by  good  luck  smit  his  face  into  a  soft 
place  of  mud,  where  I  suppose  he  had  a  mouth  full  both  of 
dirt  and  rotten  stick  for  he  seemd  to  us  to  spit  crow's  nest  a 
good  while  after.  If  his  jaws  had  met  with  a  piece  of  the 
rock,  I  doubt  hee  would  have  spit  his  teeth  as  fast ;  but  by 
this  they  were  all  strong  enough  to  get  up  again  without  helpe 
when  they  chanc'd  to  fall,  and  so  were  no  stay  to  our  journey, 
and  now  being  forc't  to  abate  something  of  their  speed,  I  re- 
newed my  acquaintance  with  two  of  our  new  companions, 
and  made  them  understand  how  wee  had  left  a  third  man 
behind  us,  not  being  able  to  ride  so  fast,  and  how  our  inten- 
tions were  to  stay  at  their  own  town,  with  them  this  night, 
who  now,  overjoyed  to  see  an  old  acquaintance,  were  so  kind 
and  loving  that  what  [with]  shaking  hands,  riding  a  brest,  in  this 
bad  way,  and  other  expressions  of  their  civilities,  they  put  me 
in  as  much  trouble  with  their  favour  as  before  they  had  put 
mee  to  the  inconvenience  by  their  rudeness :  yet  by  this  mean 
I  procured  them  to  ride  so  easily  as  I  led  my  horse  down  the 
next  steep  hill,  on  the  side  of  which  laid  a  vast  number  of 
huge  stones,  one  instire  stone  of  them  being  as  big  as  an  or- 
dinary house :  some  of  the  smaller  they  cut  into  mill  stones. 
Here  we  gat  a  prospect  of  that  famous  building,  the  earl  of 
Devonshiere's  house  at  Chatsworth,  seated  most  commodiously 
by  the  banke  of  the  river  Dorrahn,6  and  the  foot  of  an  high 
mountain ;  and  upon  a  peake  at  the  top  of  the  hill  is  built  a 
neat  rotundo,  or  summer  house,  which  seems  as  if  it  hung  over 
the  other,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  high  in  the  air.  Passing  the 
river  which  then  ran  with  the  strongest  [current]  that  ever  I 
behelde  any,  wee  climed  over  another  hill,  a  mile  up  and  a 
mile  downe,  and  crossing  the  Wy  we  got  to  Bakwell  a  little 
after  it  was  darke,  when  our  entertainment  at  our  inn,  as  it 
could  not  be  expected  sumptuous,  neither  was  it  half  so  bad 
as  wee  might  fear ;  for  our  host  was  very  civill  and  carefull  to 
give  us  the  best  accommodations  this  barren  country  could 

6  Derwent. 


30  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1G62. 

afford,  and  therefore  after  we  had  drunk  a  gun  of  their  good 
ale,  I  cannot  say  down  went  the  spit,  but  to  spite  it,  up  went 
a  string  with  a  piece  of  mutton  and  a  chicken  at  the  end  of  it. 
We  tooke  no  further  care  for  our  selves,  but  our  poor  horses 
could  not  fare  so  well,  for  their  was  neither  litter  nor  oates  to 
bee  gotten  for  them,  and  therefore  they  were  forc'd  to  pack 
out  and.  lay  abroad  this  wet  night,  poor  jades,  in  a  cold  rotten 
medow  which  made  their  hides  so  tender  as  you  might  rub 
the  hair  of  them  as  easily  as  the  bristles  from  a  scalded  pig ; 
but  alas  horses  and  all  here  were  forc'd  to  shift  themselves. 
As  soon  as  wee  came  in  and  had  squash'd  our  selves  down 
upon  our  seats  amongst  some  other  townes  men,  I  concluded 
my  Darbishiere  friend  who  had  now  vouchsafed  us  his  com- 
pany at  our  inne,  to  be  clearly  the  oracle  of  that  country,  and 
well  hee  might  for  hee  had  been  at  an  university,  which  I  per- 
ceived was  a  worke  of  superarrogation  amongst  their  divines, 
and  that  their  greatest  clarkes  might  have  passed  in  other 
places  for  sextons,  for  they  never  went  to  any  other  schoole 
but  to  the  parish  church.  To  him  therefore  the  more  judi- 
cious people  did  refer  themselves,  and  I  was  going  to  say 
pin'd  their  faith  upon  his  sleeve.  The  day  before  hee  had 
most  manfully  led  up  a  train  of  above  twenty  parsons,  and 
though  they  thought  themselves  to  bee  great  presbiterians, 
yet  they  followed  him  in  the  subscription  at  Chesterfield,  and 
kept  themselves  in  their  livings  despite  of  their  own  teeth. 
For  his  sake  I  think  wee  had  very  good  usage  here,  and  were 
somewhat  merry  this  night,  although  the  thought  of  our  lost 
companion  did  much  perplex  us.  But  having  taken  order 
that  one  should  goe  back  to  looke  for  him  next  day  and  give 
directions  to  him  where  to  find  us,  wee  thought  our  duty  ful- 
ly discharged  though  wee  were  sorry  for  our  unhappy  separa- 
tion. And  now  having  time  and  a  good  fire,  wee  began  to 
flea  of  cloathes,  and  tried  to  dry  our  selves  or  them  if  it  were 
possible,  but  the  natives  they  neer  put  themselves  to  that 
trouble.  I  think  dry  and  wet  is  all  one  to  them,  they  fear  no 
weather,  and  their  common  saying  is,  when  all  is  wet  to  the 
skin  hold  out  yet.  To  draw  one  of  them  through  a  river,  I 
think,  would  bee  but  laterem  lavare,  they  are  such  tile  skin'd 
strong  people.     If  I  had  been  of  Darbishiere  I  should  never 


1662.]  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  81 

have  doubted  of  the  truth  of  Ovid's  story,  that  wee  were  all 
produc'd  of  stones.  This  was  our  comfort  wee  had  got  the 
best  bed  in  the  house,  which  was  somewhat  softer  than  a  rock, 
but  if  it  had  not,  wee  should  have  made  shift  to  have  slept ; 
this  days  travell  had  so  wearied  our  bones,  and  indeed  I  snort- 
ed out  the  night  pretty  well,  till  at  last,  awak'd  with  dreaming 
that  I  saw  my  lost  friend,  I  jump'd  out  of  my  bed,  running  to 
the  window  to  looke  whether  it  were  true,  but  perceiving  it 
was  onely  a  dream  I  was  forc'd  to  bee  content ;  yet  tooke  it 
for  a  good  omen  of  my  finding  of  him  that  day.  This  morn- 
ing wee  walk'd  up  and  down  to  see  the  church,  and  a  hot 
bath  and  well,  which  are  here,  but  for  want  of  looking  to  they 
have  let  the  cold  spring  break  in  and  mingle  with  the  hot ;  so 
as  they  are  at  present  of  little  use.  In  this  church  were  di- 
vers ancient  monuments  and  very  handsome  tombs.  Upon 
the  forehead  of  one  that  was  held  to  be  very  ancient  we  might 
read  (the  nazeren)  and  upon  a  tomb  stone  digged  up  in  the 
churchyard  wee  could  perceive  this  written  on  the  long  side, 
nulli  parens  mors  pietati,  on  the  other,  quantula  sunt  homi- 
num  corpuscula. 

Their  houses  are  most  of  them  built  without  any  morter, 
stones  heap'd  upon  stones  make  a  substantiall  wall,  and  by 
their  owne  weight  keep  one  another  fast  and  strong.  They 
cover  their  houses  with  a  slat,  of  which  they  have  great  plen- 
ty in  most  of  their  hills ;  their  buildings  are  but  low,  and 
seem  rather  to  bee  naturall  than  artificiall ;  when  wee  had 
viewed  this  famous  towne  of  Bake  well,  wee  returned  to  our 
inne  to  strengthen  ourselves  against  what  encounters  wee 
should  meet  with  next ;  where  at  our  entrance  wee  were  ac- 
costed with  the  best  musick  the  place  could  afford,  an  excel- 
lent bagpipe ;  and  breakfast  being  ready,  I  think  our  meat 
danced  down  our  throats,  the  merrylier.  But,  to  consumate 
all  our  jollities,  in  comes  our  opensleev'd  companion,  which 
wee  had  outrid  the  day  before,  as  if  he  had  dropt  out  of  the 
clouds ;  and  made  up  the  triumvirat  again :  and  so  being 
well  met,  wee  purpos'd  presently  to  ride  to  the  devill's  arse 
of  peak  together,  but  our  friend  loth  to  be  so  often  metaphor- 
mis'd,  as  hee  was  the  day  before  by  the  weather,  very  pru- 
dently buyes  honest  Jarvis  our  host  his  cinnemon  coat  for 


32  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [16G2. 

eight  shillings,  and  turn'd  him  selfe  in  to  his  shape  once  for 
all ;  so  that  now  wee  fearing  neither  wind  nor  weather,  hill 
nor  dale,  being  all  of  us  Tunicati  et  ocreati,  wee  most 
curragiously  mounted  upon  our  hackneys,  promising  them  if 
they  did  performe  well  to  day,  that  they  should  rest  the  next, 
being  Sunday.  Within  a  mile's  riding  wee  came  to  a  towne, 
Ashford,  where  it  was  left  to  our  choice  whether  wee  would 
swim  our  horses  through  an  overflown  ditch  or  ride  over  an 
extream  narrow  bridge.  I  had  heard  that  elephants  had 
danc'd  upon  roapes  and  so  ventur'd  my  horse  on  the  latter : 
two  mile  more  brought  us  to  Wardlo,  a  little  beyond  which, 
I  saw  a  veine  of  stone  which  I  gues'd  to  bee  marble ;  three 
mile  further  Bradwall,  where  we  tooke  some  notice  of  the 
lead  mines,  of  which  there  are  a  vast  number  all  about  these 
hills ;  that  which  we  went  to  was  about  twenty  fathom  deep  ; 
some  are  more,  some  lesse,  the  diameter  of  the  hole,  through 
which  they  descend,  was  not  above  a  yard.  When  they  find 
ore  they  may  follow  it  eleven  or  twelve  yards  and  no  more, 
from  the  bottom  of  the  hole  they  have  first  sunk ;  least  they 
should  fall  into  one  another's  workes ;  wee  tooke  some  pieces 
of  the  lead  as  it  came  out,  and  some  spars  which  are  in  all 
other  mines,  some  clear  like  christall  but  very  rare :  wee  hap- 
pen'd  of  one  very  bright.  And  so  wee  led  our  horses  downe 
a  steep  mountain  to  Castleton,  so  called  from  the  castle  situa- 
ted upon  the  left  buttock  of  the  peak  hill.  As  soon  as  wee  were 
got  to  the  town,  wee  prepar'd  our  selves  to  see  this  place  so 
much  talk'd  of,  called  (save  your  presence)  the  devill's  arse, 
which  in  my  judgement  is  no  unfit  appellation  considering  its 
figure,  whose  picture  I  could  wish  were  here  inserted,  but  for 
want  of  it  you  must  bee  content  with  this  barren  description. 
At  the  bottome  of  the  backside  of  a  high  rocky  mountain, 
bipartite  at  the  top  and  perpendicularly  steep  from  thence  to 
the  leavell  of  the  ground,  wee  beheld  a  vast  hole  or  den  which 
was  presently  understood  by  us  to  bee  the  anus,  into  which 
by  the  helpe  of  light  and  guides  wee  did  not  onely  enter,  but 
travailed  some  space  up  the  intestmum  rectum,  and  had  made 
further  discovery  of  the  intralls  had  the  way  been  good,  and 
the  passage  void  of  excrement;  but  the  monster  having 
drunke  hard  the  dav  before,  did  vent  as  fast  now,  and  wee, 


1662.]  TOUR  IN  DERBYSHIRE.  S3 

thinking  it  not  good  sayling  up  Styx  against  the  tide ;  after 
some  inspection,  with  no  small  admiration  of  these  infernall 
territories,  wee  returned  again  to  the  upper  world,  at  our  en- 
trance wee  found  the  countrey  inhabited,  but  scarce  gesse  by 
their  habit  what  kind  of  creatures  they  were,  whither  they 
were  onely  Ascarides,  which  did  wrigle  up  and  downe  and 
live  in  the  devil's  postern,  answerably  to  wormes  in  men,  or 
whither  they  were  shades  dwelling  in  these  Tartarean  cav- 
ernes,  to  us  at  first  was  doubtfull.  They  looked  indeed  like 
furies,  but  for  manners  sake  wee  ask'd  whether  they  were  Gip- 
sies. By  the  answer  wee  gathered  indeed  those  wandering- 
tribes  did  sometimes  visit  them,  but  these  famous  IlgwroTwX/rcu 
did  make  good  their  mansions  in  this  cave  and  reserved  to 
themselves  a  more  fixed  habitation,  skorning  to  change  theirs 
for  any  mortal  mansion  having  greater  accommodations  in 
this  their  commonwealth,  then  in  other  that  are  beholden  to 
the  sun  or  annoyed  by  the  weather,  both  which  they  seem  to 
contemne,  and  having  got  so  strong  a  shell  upon  their  backs, 
they  fear'd  no  externall  weapons,  and  if  their  Nile  overflows 
not  its  bankes  too  high  they  can  suffer  no  inconvenience  at 
all ;  for  you  must  understand,  this  retromingent  divell,  whose 
podex  they  inhabit,  is  alwaies  dribling  more  or  lesse  where- 
by these  doe  sometimes  suffer  inundations.  Next  to  these 
mountains  is  another  of  no  lesse  height,  called  by  the  people 
as  well  as  wee  could  understand  them,  Memtor,7  which  is  as  if 
halfe  of  it  had  been  rent  away,  it  being  perpendicularly  steep 
from  allmost  the  top  to  the  bottom.  About  three  or  four 
miles  distance  from  hence  is  a  well  which  ebbs  and  flows, 
not  constantly  with  the  sea,  but  irregularly,  and  oftener  by 
far.  The  next  place  wee  saw,  two  miles  distance  from  hence, 
was  Elden  hole,  a  pit  such  vast  depth,  that  the  greatest  in- 
gines  and  the  boldest  fellows  that  could  bee  found  to  goe  down 
could  never  find  any  bottome.  Divers  have  descended  eight 
score  fathom,  and  have  neither  found  water  nor  can  perceive 
any  bottom,  it  struck  some  terror  in  us  to  hear  the  noise  of  the 
stones  which  wee  threw  downe,  so  long  after  they  were  out  01 
our  hand.  This  hole  is  a  fitter  place  for  cleanly  conveyance 
then  I  know,  and  any  thing  once  thrown  in  is  as  safe  as  if  it 

1  Mam  Tor,  or  the  Shivering  Mountain. 
VOL.  I.  D 


34  TOUR   IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1662. 

were  in  the  moon.  One  wretched  villain  confessed  upon  a 
time  at  the  gallows  that  hee  rob'd  a  gentleman  and  threw  him 
[in]  together  with  his  horse.  Empedocles  might  have  made 
himselfe  immortall  here  without  fear  of  the  discovery  of  his  slip- 
pers, this  yawning  of  the  mountain  is  not  past  six  yards  broad, 
but  four  times  as  long.  From  hence  wee  made  as  much  haste  as 
wee  could  to  Buxton,  and  gaind  by  that  time  it  was  darke  by 
the  helpe  of  a  guide.  The  hilly  rocky  way  continued  still,  and 
had  made  us  almost  despaire  but  that  these  strange  sights 
satisfied  us  something,  and  wee  conceiv'd  some  comfort  in 
hope  of  resting  ourselves  the  next  day ;  but  neither  could  wee 
get  any  oats  here  for  our  horses,  although  besides  a  little  bar- 
ly  it  bee  the  onely  corne  that  grows  in  the  countrey  ;  harvest 
being  not  begun  here,  for  all  the  sun  had  sunke  below  the 
equinox  and  left  these  hills  to  bee  covered  with  frosts  each 
morning.  At  this  town  the  better  sort  of  people  wore  shoes 
on  Sondays,  and  some  of  them  bands.  Wee  had  the  luck  to 
meet  with  a  sermon  which  wee  could  not  have  done  in  halfe  a 
year  before  by  relation  (I  think  there  is  a  true  chappell  of 
ease  indeed  here,  for  they  hardly  ever  goe  to  church).  Our 
entertainment  was  oat  cakes  and  mutton,  which  wee  fancied 
to  taste  like  dog ;  our  lodging  in  a  low  rafty  roome,  and  they 
told  us  wee  had  higher  hills  to  goe  over  than  any  wee  had 
passed  yet,  which  rellished  worst  of  all,  but  for  all  this, 

Buxtona  quae  calidae  crebravere  nomine  lymphse, 

wee  are  more  beholden  to  thee  than  to  speak  ill  of  thy  fame, 
thy  noble  bath  and  springs  afforded  us  more  delight  and  plea- 
sure than  that  wee  should  silently  and  ungratefully  passe 
them  over.  These  waters  are  very  hot  and  judged  not  infe- 
rior to  those  of  Somersetshiere, 

Buxtoniis  thennis  vix  praefero  bathonianas. 

They  are  frequented  in  the  summer  by  the  gentry  of  the  ad- 
iacent  countrys  ;  they  drink  of  the  waters  as  well  as  bath  in 
them,  I  judge  them  to  bee  the  same  although  the  well  from 
whence  they  come  is  at  some  distance.  It  was  pretty  to  ob- 
serve the  hissing  of  the  cold  and  hot  springs,  so  nigh  one 
another  that  by  putting  my  hand  into  the  water,  I  conceived 


1682.]  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  35 

one  finger  to  freze  till  the  other  could  not  indure  the  heat  of 
the  boyling  spring  just  by  it.     There  is  a  handsome  house 
built  by  them,  and  a  convenient  bathing  place,  though  not 
very  large ;  but  neither  the  time  of  the  year  nor  day  of  the 
week  being  seasonable  to  bathe  in  wee  contented  ourselves 
with  the  sight,  without  any  more  than  a  manuall  immersion 
into  these  delicious  springs.     By  this  town  of  Buxton  there 
is  another  subterraneous  cavity  as  remarkable,  though  not  as 
famous,  as  that  of  the  peak  hill,  and  goes  by  the  name  of 
Poole's  hole,  from  an  outlaw,  as  they  told  us,  who  if  hee  did 
not  discover  did  yet  at  least  make  use  of  this  cave  for  a  refuge 
and  secure  hole  against  those  that  were  hunting  after  him. 
The  entrance  into  this  is  but  low  and  troublesome  to  passe, 
not  above  a  yard  high,  but  after  a  little  creeping  wee  came 
into  a  more  spacious  valt,  and  which  encresed  bigger  and  big- 
ger till  it  came  to  bee  as  large  as  any  church.     In  this  hole 
there  is  water  which  dropps  from  the  top  continually  and 
turnes  into  stone,  with  the  which  the  side,  bottom  and  top  of 
this  cave  is  crusted,  shaping  itselfe  sometimes  into  pretty  fi- 
gures.    We  observed  in  one  place  the  shape  of  an  old  man, 
in  another  of  a  lion,  in  a  third  of  a  foot,  this  water  dropping 
from  the  topping  causes  these  stones  to  hang  like  iseickle  all 
about  the  roofe;  one  larger  and  more  remarkable  than  the 
rest,  about  a  yard  and  a  halfe  long,  they  called  from  the  re- 
semblance to  it,   the  flitch  of  bacon.     Wee  hobbled  under 
ground  here  nigh  a  furlong,  till  wee  came  to  a  piller  of  this 
hydrolith,   water   turn'd  into  stone,  which  they  called   the 
queen  of  Scots'  piller,  who,  when  she  fled  out  Scotland  in  the 
reign  of  queen  Elizabeth,  coming  to  Buxton,  mov'd  with  the 
same  curiosity  as  our  selves,  enterr'd  this  cave,  and  went  thus 
farr,  giving  it  by  so  doing  the  honour  of  her  name  ever  since. 
Wee  brake  of  a  piece  of  this  pillar  and  brought  it  away  with 
us.     In  our  coming  back  again,  wee  went  into  another  cleft 
of  this  hollow  rock,  which  they  called  Poole's  chamber,  where 
wee  saw  his  stone  table  and  bed,  and  so  creeping  through 
that  narrow  place,  by  which  wee  had  before  entred,  wee  had 
the  happinesse  at  length  to  see  daylight  again,  and,  according 
to  the  custome  of  the  place,  wee  were  no  sooner  enterd  the 
open  air  but  wee  were  accosted  with  a  company  of  damsells 

d  2 


36  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1662. 

very  cleanly  dreast,  having  each  of  them  a  little  dish  of  water 
full  of  sweet  hearbs,  which  they  held  out  to  us  to  wash  our 
hands,  which  wee  had  dirty  and  bedaubed  with  the  slime 
within  this  hole,  which  done  and  wee  being  somewhat  taken 
with  this  pretty  custome,   did  the  more  freely  immerge  our 
recompences  for  this  their  odde  kinde  of  civility.     On  Mun- 
day  morning  wee  again  set  out  towards  Chester,  and  taking  a 
guide  to  direct  us  in  the  nigher  and  best  way,  which  was  not 
by  the  common  rode,  wee  ascended  the  hills,  white  with  frost 
and  extream  high ;  but,  because  there  were  some  trees  far 
pleasanter  then  ther  stone  hedges  and  the  way  not  altogether 
so  stony  as  before,  together  with  our  hope  to  bee  now  quickly 
past. them,  wee  travailed  with  lesse  teediousnesse  then  wee 
had  done  before.     Our  foot  guide  that  went  with  us  for  the 
credit  of  the  businese  went  a  little  way  with  shoes  on,   but 
after  a  short  space,  I  perceiv'd  him  cast  them  of,  behind  a 
hedge,  and  march  upon  his  bare  hoofes,  and  asking  him  why 
hee  did  so,  hee  answer'd  the  hardness  of  the  way  forced  him 
to  it,  for  being  used  to  it  hee  could  goe  any  where  barefoot 
more  conveniently  than  with  shoes.     After  four  or  five  miles 
riding,  wee  came  to  have  a  prospect  as  delicious  as  almost 
England  can  afford.     I  never  saw  any  to  compare  to  it,  except 
it  were  upon  king  Henry's  mount  in  Petersham  parke  in  Sur- 
rey, where  you  may  see  part  of  ten  counties  together,  neither 
doth  that  goe  in  my  opinion  beyound  this  onely  in  this  respect, 
that  you  have  a  prospect  every  way  there,  from  hence  onely 
on  one  side,  the  Darby  mountains  quickly  terminating  your 
sight  eastward.     From  this  place  wee  could  see  the  mountains 
in  Wales,  and  have  a  fair  view  of  most  parts  of  the  county 
Palatine  of  Chester,   together  with  the  southerne  parts   of 
Lancashire.     Here  the  Valle  Royall  of  England  which  seem- 
ed like  paradise  to  us  adorn'd  with  pleasant  rivers,   cristall 
springs,  delighted  buildings,  high  woods,  which  seem'd  bend- 
ing by  sweet  gales  to  becken  us  to  come  to  them,  afforded  us 
so  much  delight  as  wee  travailed  without  any  discontentment 
over  the  back  of  these  swelling  mountains,  till  wee  came  to 
Maxfield  where  they  end.     As  wee  came  down  the  last  hill, 
though  very  glad  that  twas  the  last,  yet  it  did  not  altogether 
repent  us  that  wee  had  visited  them,  and  conceiv'd  this  with 


1662.]  TOUR  IN  DERBYSHIRE.  37 

our  selves  when  wee  had,  tandem  aliquando,  overcame  these 
dangerous  passages  with  Eneas  in  Virgill,  or  rather  with 
Heroical  Tom  Coriat  as  hee  travailed  over  the  Savoyan  moun- 
tains tandem  et  hcec  olim  meminisse  juvabit. 

Wee  baited  here  at  Maxfield,  which  is  eight  miles  distance 
from  Buxton,  and  counted  a  very  good  mornings  worke,  con- 
sidering the  steepnesse  and  unevennesse  of  the  roade,  and 
got  seventeen  miles  further  that  night  to  Northwich  in  Che- 
shire, having  now  very  pleasant  way  and  a  faire  day.  Here 
wee  saw  the  salt  spring,  and  the  manner  of  their  making  salt, 
which  they  performe  onely  by  boyling,  and  are  not  put  to  that 
trouble  of  exhaleing  the  brine  in  the  sun,  as  those  which  make 
it  out  of  the  sea  water ;  their  springs  being  far  Salter,  and  so 
sooner  boyled  up  than  any  water  in  the  ocean.  The  next 
morning  wee  set  out  for  Chester,  which  was  but  fourten  miles, 
the  furthest  place  of  this  our  intended  pilgrimage,  and  where 
we  must  set  up  our  nil  ultra  of  this  voyage.  Wee  observed 
as  wee  rode  through  Cheshire,  that  most  of  the  water  look'd 
red  and  wee  at  first  would  not  let  our  horses  drink  of  it,  but 
afterwards  wee  perceiv'd  that  it  was  caused  by  the  rednesse 
of  the  earth,  the  soyle  of  this  county  being  most  part  of  it 
of  that  coulour,  and  not  onely  the  earth  but  the  stones  too, 
as  wee  tooke  notice  of  afterwards  in  most  of  the  buildings 
in  Chester. 

Chester  is  an  ancient  fair  city,  having  about  nine  or  ten 
churches ;  remarkable  for  the  convenient  contrivance  of  the 
houses  towards  the  street,  under  which  you  may  walke  dry 
in  the  most  rayny  weather,  and  is  very  advantageous  for 
trading,  there  being  in  many  places  as  it  were  four  ranks  of 
shops  in  one  street,  two  towards  the  street,  and  two  further 
inward  beyond  the  roof 'd  walks.  The  city  is  exactly  in  the 
fashion  of  the  Roman  Castrum  and  populous.  You  may 
walke  round  the  town  upon  the  walls.  There  is  a  large 
bridge  over  the  river,  a  little  above  which  there  is  a  small 
cataract  or  fall  of  the  river.  Wee  viewed  the  water  as  it  ebbs 
and  flows  here,  but  wee  saw  very  few  boats.  There  is  a 
handsome  cathedrall  here,  by  the  name  of  St.  Worbert, 
though  not  very  large,  yet  there  is  a  fair  parish  church  in  the 
south  isle :  the  cloisters  are  very  small.     The  bishop's  palace 


38  TOUR   IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1662. 

was  then  repairing ;  the  whole  building  of  red  but  large 
stone.  Wee  did  not  so  much  admire  it,  having  before  seen  that 
famous  church  at  Lincolne,  which  so  far  exceeds  it.  In  this 
city  wee  thoroughly  refreshed  ourselfe  after  our  mountainous 
voyages,  and  lookt  after  our  horses  backs  which  were  galld 
with  travailing  up  and  down  hill ;  and  finding  very  good  ac- 
commodation and  good  eight-penny  ordinary,  not  without  ex- 
cellent appetat,  that  the  fashion  here,  wee  tooke  courage  for  our 
returne,  setting  out  on  Wednesday,  and  having  a  clear  day, 
wee  rode  on  pleasantly  to  Whitechurch,  and  because  one  of 
my  acquaintance  was  seated  in  this  towne,  that  wee  might  en- 
joy one  other  more  fully,  wee  determined  to  passe  no  further 
that  night,  and  therefore  as  soon  as  wee  entered  the  towne 
wee  inquired  out  the  free  school,  which  having  seen,  and 
given  the  boys  a  play,  Mr.  Wakeman,  my  very  good  friend  the 
schoolmaster,  accompanied  us  to  our  inn,  and  afterwards 
shew  us  the  church  which  is  very  large  one,  and  adornd  with 
divers  monuments  and  ancient  tombs.  Here  lies  the  famous 
Lord  Talbot  slain  at  Burdeaux;  about  another  tomb  wee 
read  this,  Hie  jacet  Georgius  Vernon  Baccalaureus  rector 
qui  quondam  ecclesice  parochiales  de  albo  monasterio  obiit 
Anno  MDXXXIV.,  and  many  other.  Our  friend's  good  com- 
pany did  this  night  wellcome  us  into  Shropshire. 

From  hence  wee  steered  our  course  towards  Staffordshiere; 
and,  taking  only  a  cup  at  Draiton,  without  any  more  baiting 
wee  got  to  Stafford,  long  before  night.  By  reason  wee  had 
tired  our  selves  with  riding  so  far  without  resting,  wee  had 
no  desire  to  walke  that  night,  having  a  full  view  of  the  town 
house  which  is  the  thing  most  remarkable  in  this  place,  it 
being  a  handsome  building,  supported  with  stone  pillars,  lead- 
ed on  the  top,  and  railed  also  with  stone.  This  town  is 
not  very  bigge  for  a  shire  towne,  yet  hath  been  wall'd. 

The  people  hereabout  doe  exercise  running  much.  This 
day  there  was  a  foot  race  run  betwixt  a  Shropshire  man  and 
a  Stafford,  from  Draiton  to  some  place  the  name  of  which  I 
have  forgot,  twelve  miles  distance.  The  next  morning  wee  rose 
early  and  rode  to  Lichfield,  where  wee  had  a  sight  of  an  in- 
comparably neat  church,  which  although  it  has  been  horribly 
defae'd  and  a  great  deal  beaten  down  in  these  wars,  yet  the 


1662.]  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  39 

very  mines  are  so  curious,  that  they  caused  in  us  no  smal  admi- 
ration. As  there  is  three  steeples  in  Lincoln,  so  there  were  here 
three  pinacles  or  spires  very  neat,  large  and  finely  carved,  in 
most  places ;  but  the  largest  which  stood  over  the  crosse  was 
beaten  downe  with  a  granado  in  the  late  wars,  when  as  they  for- 
tified the  church  and  held  out  a  hot  seige  for  their  soveraighne. 
It  was  very  confidently  reported  to  us  that  not  long  [since] 
they  had  found  a  burning  lamp  in  an  ancient  sepulchre  in 
this  church.  There  is  such  a  vast  deal  of  carvel  work  in  all 
places,  both  on  the  inside  and  outsiele  of  this  church,  though 
most  now  is  either  defaced  or  quite  ruin'd,  and  such  a  num- 
ber of  statua  some  wereof  have  been  gilt,  that  wee  could  not 
well  conceive  the  splendour  of  these  things  when  they  were 
at  their  glory,  but  did  exceedingly  admire  even  et  Curios  jam 
dimidios,  nasuma.  minorem  Corvini  et  Galbam  auriculis  na- 
soq.  carentem. 

Wee  were  glad  to  see  them  teach  a  reparation,  and  wish 
them  many  a  Cyrus  for  their  benefactor.  Taking  leave  of 
this  town,  wee  had  a  pleasant  journy  to  Coltshill  this  after- 
noon, being  a  small  town  and  nothing  remarkable  but  an  in- 
different high  pinacle.  Here  wee  lodged  anel  it  was  elebateel 
among  us  whither  we  should  crosse  immediately  over  to  Leis- 
ter and  so  home,  or  fetch  a  compass  and  see  Warwick  and 
Coventry,  the  latter  of  which  at  last  wee  concludeel  of,  and  in 
our  journey  next  day  wee  saw  the  ruins  of  Chillingworth  cas- 
tle, after,  within  a  mile  and  a  halfe  of  Warwick,  wee  entreel 
Guy  of  Warwick  cave  in  a  rock,  and  in  an  old  building  harel 
by  view'd  his  statua,  which  hath  been  abus'd  by  some  valient 
knight  of  the  post,  in  these  late  troubles,  who,  I  suppose, 
counted  it  valour  sufficient  to  encounter  but  the  statua  of 
Sir  Guy.  Such  Don  Quixot  hectoring  wee  have  had  lately 
that  I  wonder  how  their  prowesse  sufferd  a  windmill  standing 
in  the  land. 

Warwick  is  a  neat  well  built  town,  with  a  fair  church  and 
many  fine  monuments  in  it,  but  its  chiefly  famous  for  that 
noble  tomb  of  Richard  Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick,  treble 
gilt,  and  judged  by  the  skillfullest  workmen  to  bee  second  to 
none  in  Englanel.  I  cannot  say  but  in  old  time  Mausolus  his 
tombe  might  goe  beyound  it,  but  I  am  such  an  admirer  of 


40  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  [1662. 

this,  dear  reader,  I  would  wish  my  selfe  a  painter  for  your 
sake  to  show  you  the  picture  of  it. 

About  another  very  handsome  tombe  wee  read,  "  Here 

lies  servant  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  counsellour  to  King 

James,  and  friend  to  Sir  Philip  Sidney." 

Wee  walked  to  the  castle  and  were  very  courteously  inter- 
taind,  though  mere  strangers,  by  Mr.  Allen  my  Lord  Brook's 
chaplain,  who  shew  about  most  roomes  of  this  house  not  ex- 
cepting the  cellar,  they  are  most  of  them  very  noble.  Wee 
walked  up  to  the  top  of  Guy's  tower,  and  saw  Sir  Guy's  pot 
and  such  like  other  reliques  of  his.  After  this  into  the  gar- 
den in  which  is  a  very  high  mount,  which  is  so  orderd  in  the 
going  up  to  the  top  you  shall  scarce  perceive  your  selfe  to 
ascend,  till  you  are  mounted  above  all  the  countrey  and  have 
a  goodly  prospect  of  most  part  of  Warwickshiere ;  but  our 
eyes  did  not  care  to  wander  farre,  having  so  fair  an  object 
nigh  at  hand,  as  this  almost  invincible  yet  incomparable  de- 
light castle,  pleasently  seated  upon  the  river  Aven. 

This  night  being wee  reach'd  Coventry,  whose  goodly 

walls  had  been  lately  pulled  down  lest  they  might  again  bee 
made  use  of  to  secure  a  rout  of  factious  rebells.  The  next 
day  being  Sunday,  wee  rested  our  selves  and  horses  and  took 
some  notice  of  the  city,  in  which  there  are  two  very  large 
churches  and  three  very  high  spire  steeples :  one  of  the  stee- 
ples having  lost  its  church :  which  are  carv'd  about  and  very 
handsomely  wrought.  Wee  likewise  saw  that  famous  struc- 
ture, Coventry  crosse,  and  had  the  luck  to  meet  with  another 
old  acquaintance  here  too,  Mr.  Richard  Hopkins. 

For  the  buildings  in  generall  they  are  but  mean,  an  oister 
barrell  serves  instead  of  a  chimney  in  divers  places,  and  most 
of  the  city  is  built  the  old  wooden  way,  yet  there  may  be 
some  good  houses  within  side,  but  not  many  gentlemen  living 
in  them. 

Warwick,  though  the  lesser  place,  yet  for  a  seat  is  more 
affected  by  the  gentry. 

Hence  on  Munday  wee  went,  in  a  very  blind  rode  very 
hard  to  find,  to  Leister,  where  by  the  church  they  shewed  us 
an  ancient  ruine,  consisting  of  four  arches,  under  which,  they 
reported,   in  old  time,  that  children  were  sacrificed.     Wee 


1662.]  TOUR    IN    DERBYSHIRE.  41 

baited  hard  by  the  house  where  King  Richard  III.  lodged 
the  night  before  hee  fought  with  Henry  the  Seventh.  There 
is  a  neat  crosse  here  but  few  good  houses.  Wee  made  hast 
out  of  towne,  hoping  to  get  forward  our  journey,  that  wee 
might  the  better  reach  Peterborough  next  day ;  but  the  way 
being  very  bad,  the  rain,  and  the  soyle  about  Leister  being 
most  of  it  full  of  clay,  forced  us  to  lodge  in  a  pitifull  village 
called  Bilzel,8  six  miles  from  Leister,  where  wee  had  the 
worst  accomodation  in  all  our  travaile.  For  supper  wee  could 
get  nothing  but  a  piece  of  a  dolphin,  or  cheese,  which  you 
please,  for  such  is  the  ingenity  of  these  Bilzel  dayry  maids, 
that  they  forme  the  cheese  in  to  the  figure  of  fishes,  but  I 
had  rather  have  had  flesh  at  present.  Our  beds  you  must 
not  suppose  them  too  soft,  nor  our  chambers  like  the  best  in 
the  Escuriall,  but  yet  wee  fared  better  then  many  a  knight 
arrant,  and  march  away  next  day  to  Stamford,  which  is  [a] 
very  handsome  wall'd  town,  with  five  good  churches.  Here 
wee  only  drank  a  glass  of  sack,  having  before  din'd  at  Up- 
pingham, and  so  took  our  leave  of  Rutland.  Wee  saw  Bur- 
leigh House,  a  most  noble  fabrick  indeed,  seated  in  the  middle 
of  a  walled  parke,  and  in  a  short  space  gained  Peterborough, 
where  wee  lodged  this  night ;  and  went  to  see  the  minster  betimes 
next  morning,  which  is  supported  with  large  pillars,  beautified 
with  a  handsome  front  quire,  which  is  no  small  grace  to  the 
church.  Wee  went  up  to  the  top  of  the  lanthorne,  and  from 
thence  saw  Ely  minster,  eight  and  twenty  miles  distance,  hav- 
ing from  hence  a  large  prospect  over  all  the  fens ;  but  intend- 
ed to  have  viewed  Ely  nearer  hand,  but,  being  almost  tir'd 
and  discouraged  by  reason  of  the  bad  way,  wee  tooke  over  to 
Wisbich,  riding  ten  mile  upon  a  streight  banke  of  earth,  and 
four  mile  more  by  the  side  of  a  made  river,  which  goes  through 
Wisbich,  having  all  this  morning  a  pleasent  sight  of  the  fenes 
under,  and  by  this  avoyding  the  bad  way  by  Whittlesea. 

Wisbich  is  a  handsome  well  built  town,  and  did  goe  beyond 
our  expectation.  From  hence  wee  travel'd  along  through 
marshland,  and  ended  our  circuit  this  night  at  Lin,  from 
whence  next  day  wee  returned  home,  when  towards  night, 
recollecting  and  discoursing  of  all  the  citys  and  places  wee 

8  Qu.  Billesdon? 


42  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

had  mettewith  in  this  our  little  more  then  fortnight's  journey, 
to  consummate  all,  that  famous  city  of  Norwich  presents  it- 
selfe  to  our  view;  Christ  Church  high  spire,  the  old  famous 
castle,  eight  and  thirty  goodly  churches,  the  fields  about  it 
and  the  stately  gardens  in  it,  did  so  lessen  our  opinion  of  any 
wee  had  seen,  that  it  seem'd  to  us  to  deride  our  rambling 
folly,  and  forcd  a  new  admiration  from  us  of  those  things 
which,  with  their  often  view  had  dull'd  our  conceptions,  and 
due  estimation  of  theyr  worth ;  but  so  much  for  that.  Our 
intent  here  was  onely  to  recollect  something  of  our  journey, 
which  being  here  flnish'd,  a  further  digression  will  not  be  ad- 
mitted, if  the  relation  bee  more  tedious  then  the  journey,  and 
our  caracter  of  our  own  county  may  seem  to  savour  of  affec- 
tation, and  wee  want  to  bee  rather  our  country  friend  then 
truth's,  yet  give  mee  leave  to  say  this  much :  let  any  stranger 
find  mee  out  so  pleasant  a  county,  such  good  way,  large 
heath,  three  such  places  as  Norwich,  Yar.  and  Lin.  in  any 
county  of  England,  and  I'll  bee  once  again  a  vagabond  to 
visit  them. 


It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  if,  after  the  adventure 
which  has  just  been  related,  the  Dr.  should  consider 
a  little  study  a  salutary  discipline  for  his  two  bovs, 
who  were  accordingly  dispatched  to  Cambridge.  That 
they  were  busily  employed  there  in  the  following  year 
we  have  a  solitary  testimony  in  the  following  paternal 
epistle,  hastily  addressed  to  them  both. 

Dr.  Browne  to  Ms  sons  Edward  and  Thomas.9 
[ms.  sloan.  1S48.  fol.  123.] 

[July,  1663.] 

NED  AND  TOM,  GOD  BLESSE  YOU. 

I  am  glad  thou  hast  performed  thy  exercises  with 
credit,   though  they  have    proved   very  chargeable.      Tom 

0  Who  were  then  at  Cambridge.     The  first  part  of  this  letter  evidently  addresses 
the  elder  son,  who  had  recently  taken  his  degree,  M.I3.  at  Trinity  College. 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  43 

Bensley1  is  much  satisfied  with  his  journey.  I  am  going  out 
of  towne,  and,  I  doubt,  return  not  till  Monday,  and  so  I  must 
bee  brief  and  have  only  time  to  present  my  service  to  all 
friends,  Mr.  Bridge,  Mr.  Nurse,  Mr.  Craven.  Our  assises 
begin  not  till  August.  Take  notice  of  the  extraordinarie  over- 
throwe  given  to  the  Spaniards  by  the  Portuguese.2 

Honest  Tom,  be  of  good  heart,  and  follow  thy  businesse. 
I  doubt  not  butt  thou  wilt  doe  well.  God  hath  given  thee 
parts  to  enable  thee.  If  you  practise  to  write,  you  will  have 
a  good  pen  and  style.  It  were  not  amiss  to  take  the  draught 
of  the  College,  or  part  thereof  if  you  have  time,  butt  however, 
omitt  no  opportunitie  in  your  studie,  you  shall  not  want  while 
I  have  it. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 


No  apology,  it  is  hoped,  need  be  offered  for  print- 
ing the  following  journal.  It  affords  us  a  pleasant 
glimpse  of  the  amusements  of  Norwich,  at  a  time 
when  it  was  the  residence  of  a  nobleman  of  the  high- 
est rank,  who  appears  to  have  associated  without  re- 
serve with  its  leading  families,  and  to  have  made  it 
his  study  to  promote  the  gaieties  of  the  place.  Mr. 
Edward  Browne's  own  participation  in  those  gaie- 
ties is  placed  in  most  amusing  contrast  with  his  more 
professional  occupations.  His  morning  dissections  and 
prescriptions,  relieved  by  his  evening  parties., — the 
interest  he  evinces  in  the  marvellous  powders  of  Dr. 
deVeau, — his  faith  in  a  magical  cure  for  the  jaundice, 
— and  not  least,  the  gravity  with  which  he  tells  of  "  a 
serpent  vomited  by  a  woman,"  which  "  she  had  unfor- 

1  Most  probably  a  confidential  servant  of  Dr.  B's. 
2  By  the  Portuguese,  under  the  command  of  Counts  Villaflor  and  Schomberg,  at 
the  battle  of  Ebora,  in  the  summer  of  1663  :  of  which  victory  the  first  intelligence 
arrived  in  London,  June  25th,  1663. 


44  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

tunately  burnt"  before  he  arrived  to  see  it; — all  these 
afford  abundant  evidence,  that,  "though  on  pleasure 
bent,"  he  was  keen  in  his  pursuit  of  knowledge,  though 
too  ready  to  believe  all  he  heard,  and  much  more  than 
he  saw. 

[MS.   SLOAN.  NO.   1906.] 

January  1  [1663-4].  I  was  at  Mr.  Howard's3,  brother  to 
the  duke  of  Norfolk,  who  kept  his  Christmas  this  year  at  the 
duke's  palace  in  Norwich,  so  magnificently  as  the  like  hath 
scarce  been  seen.  They  had  dancing  every  night,  and  gave 
entertainments  to  all  that  would  come ;  hee  built  up  a  roome 
on  purpose  to  dance  in,  very  large,  and  hung  with  the  bravest 
hangings  I  ever  saw ;  his  candlesticks,  snuffers,  tongues,  fire- 
shovels,  and  andirons,  were  silver ;  a  banquet  was  given  every 
night  after  dancing;  and  three  coaches  were  employed  to 
fetch  ladies  every  afternoon,  the  greatest  of  which  would  holde 
fourteen  persons,  and  coste  five  hundred  pound,  without  the 
harnasse,  which  cost  six  score  more.  I  have  seen  of  his  pic- 
tures which  are  admirable ;  hee  hath  prints  and  draughts 
done  by  most  of  the  great  masters'  own  hands.  Stones  and 
Jewells,  as  onyxs,  sardonyxes,  jacinths,  jaspers,  amethists,  &c. 
more  and  better  than  any  prince  in  Europe.  Ringes  and 
seals,  all  manner  of  stones  and  limmings  beyond  compare. 
These  things  were  most  of  them  collected  by  the  old  earl  of 
Arundel,4  who  employed  his  agents  in  most  places  to  buy  him 
up  rarities,  but  especially  in  Greece  and  Italy,  where  hee 
might  probably  meet  with  things  of  the  greatest  antiquity 
and  curiosity. 

This  Mr.  Howard  hath  lately  bought  a  piece  of  ground 

of  Mr.  Mingay,  in  Norwich,  by  the  water  side  in  Cunsford, 

-     which  hee  intends  for  a  place  of  walking  and  recreation, 

3  Henry,  afterwards  created  Lord  Howard  of  Castle  Rising,  subsequently  Earl 
of  Norwich  and  Earl  Marshal  of  England,  became,  on  the  death  of  his  brother 
Thomas,  sixth  Duke  of  Norfolk.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Henry-Frederic,  and 
grandson  of  Thomas,  the  celebrated  Earl  of  Arundel,  whose  magnificent  collection 
of  marbles  he  afterwards,  at  the  suggestion  of  Evelyn,  presented  to  the  University 
of  Oxford.  At  the  same  time  he  presented  his  grandfather's  library,  valued  at 
10,000/.  to  the  Royal  Society. 

*  Mr.  Howard's  grandfather. 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  45 

having  made  already  walkes  round  and  crosse  it,  forty  foot 
in  bredth;  if  the  quadrangle  left  be  spatious  enough  hee 
intends  the  first  of  them  for  a  bowling  green,  the  third  for  a 
wildernesse,  and  the  forth  for  a  garden.5  These  and  the  like 
noble  things  he  performeth,  and  yet  hath  paid  100,000  pounds 
of  his  ancestors  debts. 

January  2.  I  cut  up  a  bull's  heart  and  took  out  the  bone, 
&c. 

January  3.  I  heard  Mr.  Johnson  preach  at  Christchurch, 
and  Mr.  Tenison  at  St.  Luke's  chappell,  and  took  notice  that 
the  sun  rose  in  an  eliptical  or  oval  figure,  not  round,  the 
diameter  was  parallel  to  the  horizon. 

January  4.  I  went  to  dinner  to  Mr.  Briggs,  where  there 
was  some  discourse  of  Drabitius' 6  prophesy.  I  went  to  Mr, 
Howard's  dancing  at  night ;  our  greatest  beautys  were  Mdm. 
Elizabeth  Cradock,  Eliz.  Houghton,  Ms.  Philpot,  Ms.  Yal- 
lop;  afterwards  to  the  banquet,  and  so  home. — Sic  transit 
gloria  mundi ! 

January  5.  Tuesday,  I  dined  with  Mr.  Howard,  where  wee 
dranke  out  of  pure  golde,  and  had  the  music  all  the  while, 
with  the  like,  answerable  to  the  grandeur  of  [so]  noble  a 
person:  this  night  I  danc'd  with  him  too. 

January  6.  I  din'd  at  my  aunt  Bendish's,  and  made  an  end 
at  Chrismas,  at  the  duke's  place,  with  dancing  at  night  and  a 
great  banquet.  His  gates  were  opend,  and  such  a  number 
of  people  flock'd  in,  that  all  the  beere  they  could  set  out  in 
the  streets  could  not  divert  the  stream  of  the  multitudes,  till 
very  late  at  night. 

January  7.  I  opened  a  dog. 

January  8.  I  received  a  letter  from  Sr.  Horden,  wherein 
hee  wrote  word  of  Mr.  Craven's  play,  which  was  to  bee  acted 
immediately  after  the  Epiphany. 

January  9.  Mr.  Osborne  sent  my  father  a  calf,  whereof  I 
observed  the  knee  joynt,  and  the  neat  articulation  of  the  put      V 
bone  which  was  here  very  perfect.     I  dissected  another  bull's 
heart ;  I  took  of  the  os  scutiforme  annulare  and  aritfenoide 

5  Which  was  long  afterwards  called  "  My  Lord's  Gardens." 
6  A  Moravian  Protestant  minister,  who  declared  himself  inspired,  in  1638,  and 
uttered  various  prophecies,  which  were  printed  in  1654.     He  was  at  length  arrest- 
ed, tried,  condemned,  and  beheaded  at  Presburg,  in  1671. 


46  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

of  a  bullock.  This  day  Monsieur  Buttet,  which  playes  most 
admirably  on  the  flagellet,  bagpipe,  and  sea  trumpet,  a  long 
three  square  instrument  having  but  one  string,  came  to  see 
mee. 

January  10.    Mr.  Bradford  preached  at  Christchurch. 

January  11.  This  day  being  Mr.  Henry  Howard's  birth- 
day, wee  danc'd  at  Mr.  Howard's  till  2  of  the  clock  in  the 
morning. 

January  12.  Cutting  up  a  turkey's  heart. 

A  munkey  hath  36  teeth ;  24  molares,  4  canini,  and  8 
incisores. 

January  13.  This  day  I  met  Mr.  Howard  at  my  uncle 
Bendish's,  where  he  taught  me  to  play  at  l'hombre,  a  Spanish 
game  at  cards. 

January  14.  A  munkey  hath  fourteen  ribs  on  each  side, 
and  hath  clavicles. 

Radzivil  in  his  third  epistle  7  relates  strange  storys  of  diving 
in  the  river  Nile. 

There  are  one  million  of  soelgers  to  guard  the  great  wall 
of  China,  which  extends  from  east  to  west  three  hundred 
leagues :  author,  Belli  Tartarici  Martin  Martinius. 

January  1 5.     Wee  gat  a  bore's  bladder. 

I  took  out  the  bones  of  the  carpinn  in  a  munkey 's  forefoot, 
which  were  in  number  ten. 

January  16.  Wee  had  to  dinner  a  weed  fish,  very  like  to 
an  haddock.  I  went  to  Mr.  Dye's,  where  I  saw  my  lady 
Ogle  and  her  daughter  Ms  Anne,  an  handsome  young  wo- 
man :  afterwards,  with  Mr.  Alston,  I  went  to  see  Mr.  Howard's 
garden  in  Cunsford.  At  night  I  read  two  letters  which  my 
father  had  formerly  received  from  Island,  from  Theodorus 
Jonas,  minister  of  Hitterdale,  which  were  to  bee  sent  to 
Gresham  Colledge. 

January  17.  I  waited  upon  my  lady  Ogle,  Ms  Windham, 
and  Ms  An.  Ogle,  to  Christchurch ;  Mr.  Scambler  of  Heigh- 
am  preached :  in  the  afternoon  I  heard  Mr.  Tofts  at  St. 
Michael's   of  Must  Paul.8     The  weather  is   extraordinarily 

7  Nicol.  Christ.  Radzivili  Hierosolymitana  Peregrinatio,  iv  Epistolis  comprehen- 
sa;   fol.  Brunsbergse,  1601.     Id.  fol.  Antwerp.  1614. 

s  St.  Michael  ad  Placi/a,  or  at  Plea ;  see  Blomficld. 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  47 

warme  for  this  season  of  the  year,  our  January  is  just  like 
April. 

January  18.  I  saw  Cornwall's  collection  of  cuts,  where  I  met 
with  some  masters  which  I  had  not  seen  before,  as  Quellinus, 
Hans  Sebalde  Beohme,  Petrus  Isaacs,  Breinburge,9  Block- 
landt,  A.  Diepenbieck. 

January  20.  Tonombaus  would  sweeten  a  whole  pond 
with  sugar  and  cause  it  to  bee  drunk  drye. 

January  21.1  shew'd  Dr.  de  Veau  about  the  town;  I  sup'd 
with  him  at  the  duke's  palace,  where  hee  shewed  a  powder 
against  agues,  which  was  to  bee  given  in  white  wine,  to  the 
quantity  of  3  grains.  He  related  to  mee  many  things  con- 
cerning the  duke  of  Norfolke  that  lives  at  Padua,  non  compos 
mentis,1  and  of  his  travailes  in  France  and  Italy. 

January  22.  This  morning  I  went  to  Lowe's,  the  butcher, 
here  I  saw  a  sheep  cut  up.  Wee  eat  excellent  hung  beefe 
for  our  breakefast,  and  Mr.  Davie  gave  to  mee  and  Mr. 
Gardner  a  bottle  of  sack  and  Renish  wine  after  it.  I  heard 
Dr.  de  Veau  play  excellently  on  the  gitterre,  and  Mr.  Shad- 
wel  on  the  lute.  Mr.  Gibbs  gave  mee  a  Muscovian  rat's  skin, 
the  tayle  smells  very  like  muske ;  the  servants  to  the  late 
Russian  embassadors,  which  were  here  last  winter,  1662, 
brought  over  a  great  number  of  them,  and  sold  them  for 
shillings  a  piece  to  people  about  the  streets  in  London.  This 
day  two  fishermen  brought  a  mola  to  shore ;  wee  have  one 
of  them,  catch'd  a  great  while  agoe,  in  our  house. 

January  23.  Don  Francisco  de  Melo  came  from  London 
with  Mr.  Philip  Howard,2  the  queen's  confessour,  to  visit  his 
honour  Mr.  Henry  Howard ;  I  met  them  at  Ms  Deyes,  the 
next  day  in  Madam  Windham's  chamber. 

I  boyled  the  right  forefoot  of  a  munkey,  and  took  out  all 
the  bones,  which  I  keep  by  mee. 

9  Qu.  Breemberg,  and  Gregory  Pentz,  or  Peins? 

1  Thomas,  fifth  Duke  of  Norfolk  ;  eldest  son  of  Henry-Frederic,  Earl  of  Arundel. 
He  was  attacked  with  a  distemper  of  the  brain,  while  at  Padua  with  his  grandfather, 
the  celebrated  Earl  of  Arundel :  and  died  on  the  continent,  in  1C77.  He  had  been, 
in  1664,  restored  to  all  the  titles  of  his  ancestor  who  was  beheaded  in  1572. 

2  Third  grandson  of  the  great  Earl  of  Arundel.  While  on  the  continent  with 
his  brothers  and  his  grandfather,  he  was  induced  by  a  Dominican  to  turn  Catholic 
and  to  join  that  order:  he  became  Lord  Almoner  to  Charles  the  Second's  Queen, 
and  subsequently  received  a  cardinal's  cap  from  Clement  X. 


48  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

In  a  putbone  the  unfortunate  casts  are  outward,  the  fortu- 
nate inward. 

January  24.  Mr.  Wharton  preached  in  the  morning,  at 
Christchurch,  and  in  the  afternoon  at  St.  Peters.  This  day 
it  snowed  and  was  somewhat  colde,  but  for  a  longe  while  be- 
fore wee  have  scarce  had  any  winter  weather. 

January  26.  I  went  to  Norris  his  garden,  where  I  saw  Aco- 
nitum  hyemale  in  flower,  which  is  yellow.  I  saw  a  little 
childe  in  an  ague  upon  which  Dr.  de  Veau  was  to  try  his 
febrifuge  powder,  but  the  ague  being  but  moderate  and  in 
the  declension,  it  was  thought  too  mean  a  disease  to  try  the 
strength  and  efficacy  of  his  so  extolled  powder. 

January  27.   My  cousin  Barker  came  from  London. 

January  28.  I  went  to  the  butchers  to  see  oxen  killd ;  one 
oxe  had  his  omentum  growing  to  his  side  or  peritonceum  all 
along  by  the  spleen,  I  saw  the  ductus  virtsungianus  out  of 
the  pancreas  into  the  duodenum.  I  saw  the  water  distilled. 
At  night  wee  had  a  dancing  at  Mr.  Houghton's,  with  Mr. 
Henry  Howard,  his  brother  Mr.  Edward,  and  Don  Francisco 
de  Melo,  wee  had  sixe  very  handsome  women,  Ms.  El.  Hough- 
ton, Ms.  El.  Cradock,  Ms.  Philpot,  Ms.  Bullock,  Ms.  Shadwell 
and  Ms.  Tom  Brooke ;  wee  staid  at  it  till  almost  four  in  the 
morning. 

January  29.  I  cut  up  an  hare  wherein  I  could  find  no  omen- 
tum. At  night  I  saw  a  great  pike  opened.  A  munkey  hath 
six  vertebrce  lumborum. 

January  30.  Mr.  Gill  preached  at  Christ  church  in  the 
morning.  A  magical  cure  for  the  jaundise  ; — Burne  wood 
under  a  leaden  vessel  fill'd  with  water,  take  the  ashes  of  that 
wood,  and  boyle  it  with  the  patient's  urine,  then  lay  nine  long 
heaps  of  the  boyld  ashes  upon  a  board  in  a  ranke,  and  upon 
every  heap  lay  nine  spears  of  crocus,  it  hath  greater  effects 
then  is  credible  to  any  one  that  shall  barely  read  this  receipt 
without  experiencing. 

January  31.  Mr.  Kinge  preached  at  Christ  church  in  the 
morninge  and  Mr.  Seaman  at  St.  George's  in  the  afternoon. 

February  1.  I  tooke  notice  that  the  Nantuates  were  not 
rightly  placed  in  Homeus  map  for  Caesar's  Commentaries.  I 
boyled  the  head  and  foot  of  an  hare  to  save  the  bones. 


1G64.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  49 

February  2.  I  saw  a  cockfighting  at  the  Whitehorse  in  St. 
Stephens. 

February  3.  I  saw  Helleboraster  in  flower.  I  cut  up  a  hare 
which  had  one  young  one  in  the  left  corner  of  the  uterus.  I 
cut  up  a  hedgehog,  with  a  pretty  large  omentum. 

February  5.  I  went  to  see  a  serpente  that  a  woman  living 
in  St.  Gregories  church  yard  in  Norwich  vomited  up,  but  shee 
had  burnt  it  before  I  came.  I  saw  Helleboraster  in  flower. 
February  6.  Mr.  Clarke  exhaled  for  us  water  taken  out  of 
a  salt  springe  in  a  medow  betwixt  this  and  Yarmouth ;  there 
remained  gray  salt,  but  in  a  small  quantity  in  proportion  to 
the  water. 

February  7.     Mr.  Neech  preached  at  Christchurch. 
February  8.     I  saw  a  polypus  which  was  taken  out  of  Mr. 
Townsend's  nose  ;  it  was  of  a  soft  fleshy  substance,  with  di- 
vers glandules  in  it,  it  was  about  three  inches  longe.     Mr. 
Croppe  extracted  it. 

February  9.  The  Bishop's  son  of  Skalhault  in  Islande  was 
here  this  afternoon,  of  whom  I  enquired  many  things  concern- 
inge  his  country. 

February  10.     I  dissected  a  badger. 

February  13.  Wee  drew  valentines  and  danced  this  night 
at  Mr.  Howards.  Hee  was  gat  by  Ms.  Liddy  Houghton 
and  my  sister  Betty  by  him. 

February  14.  Mr.  Harmer  preach'd  at  Christ  church.  A 
plaister  for  Ms.  Bedingfield's  back. 

February  16.  I  went  to  visit  Mr.  Edward  Ward,  an  old 
man  in  a  feaver,  where  Ms.  Anne  Ward  gave  me  my  first 
fee,  10  shillings. 

February  17.  I  went  to  see  Maior  Walgrave  sick  in  a  con- 
sumption. 

February  18.  I  went  to  Crostwick  to  visit  Mr.  Le  Grosse. 
February  19.  I  rode  to  the  sea  side,  where  I  gathered  a 
great  many  sea  plants ;  in  the  afternoon  I  had  a  great  deal 
of  discourse  with  Mr.  Le  Grosse,  about  his  travails  into 
France,  the  Low  Countreys,  and  Italy,  and  about  his  pilgri- 
mage to  Loretto,  and  of  the  treasure  which  is  in  that  place. 
February  20.  I  returned  to  Norwich,  and  visited  Ms.  Jane 
Boatman,  at  Smalborough. 

VOL.  I.  E 


50  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

February  2\ .  Mr.  Seppings  preached  at  Christ  church  this 
day.     Mr.  Peel,  Sr.  John  Barker's  chaplain,  dined  with  us. 

February  22.  I  set  forward  for  my  journey  to  London, 
baited  at  Thetford,  and  reached  Cambridge  this  night,  46 
miles  of;  where  I  was  entertained  by  my  good  friends,  Mr. 
Nurse,  Mr.  Craven,  Mr.  Bridge,  &c. 

February  23.  I  proceeded  in  my  journey  to  London,  as 
farre  as  Hodsdun,  21  miles  more  ;  where  I  lodged  this  night 
with  some  of  my  countrey  men. 

February  24.  This  morning  I  rode  the  last  seventen  mile 
to  London,  where,  setting  my  horse  at  the  George,  I  visited 
Mr.  Nat.  Scottow,  Dr.  Windate,  Ms.  Howell,  and  laide  this 
night  at  my  cosin  Barker's  in  Clarkenwell. 

February  25.  I  went  to  heare  an  anatomy  lecture  at  Chirur- 
geons  hall,  and  ordered  my  businesse  so  as  to  see  the  dissec- 
tion on  preparing  of  body  by  the  chirurgeons,  as  well  as  to 
hear  the  discourse  of  the  parts  by  Dr.  Tearne,3  who  reads 
this  time  ;  this  is  the  third  humane  body  I  ever  saw  dissected 
at  Chirurgeon's  hall. 

February  25.  This  morning  Dr.  Tearne  made  a  speech  in  la- 
tine  and  afterwards  read  de  Cuticula.  I  din'd  at  Dr.  Windates, 
and  in  the  afternoon  heard  the  second  lecture,  wherein  these 
parts  following  were  insisted  upon ;  Ventriculus  cum  orificiis 
suis,  intestina,  me  s  enter  turn,  which  I  having  before  the  lec- 
ture well  observed  in  the  anatomizing  roome,  did  receive  the 
greater  satisfaction  from  the  lecture.  This  night  I  walk'd  in- 
to St.  James  his  Parke,  where  I  saw  many  strange  creatures, 
as  divers  sorts  of  outlandish  deer,  Guiny  sheep,  a  white  raven, 
a  great  parot,  a  storke,  which,  having  broke  its  owne  leg,  had 
a  wooden  leg  set  on,  which  it  doth  use  very  dexterously. 
Here  are  very  stately  walkes  set  with  lime  trees  on  both  sides, 
and  a  fine  Pallmall. 

February  26.  I  heard  the  third  lecture,  in  which  these  parts 
following  were  taken  notice  of;  glandulce  renales,  renes, 
vesica,  arteria  et  vena  prcepar -antes,  testiculi,  penis. 

This  day  I  dined  with  my  sister  An,  at  Mr.  Howell's,  from 
whence  in  the  afternoon  I  went  to  the  forth  lecture,  these  parts 

3  Dr.  Christopher  Tearne,  of  Leyden,  M.  D.  originally  of  Cambridge,  Fellow  of 
the  College  of  Physicians.     He  died  in  1673. 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  51 

following  were  discoursed  of,  which  I  had  seen  dissected  in 
the  morning ;  pleura,  mediastinum,  pulmones,  fyc. 

I  returned  to  Mr.  Howell's,  from  whence  taking  my  sister 
Nancy  with  mee 4 

In  the  afternoon  the  6th  and  last  was  wholly  about  the  eye, 
in  which  are  principally  remarkable,  humores  tres,  processus 
ciliares,  pupilla,  tunicce.  Hee  ended  all  with  a  speech  in 
latine  as  the  custome  is,  having  read  very  ingeniously  and 
philosophically. 

I  went  to  the  signe  of  the  Queen's  armes  in  St.  Martins, 
where,  in  the  celler,  being  arched  and  close,  the  roofe  is  all 
covered  with  a  slimy  substance  formed  into  the  figures  of 
grapes  or  bunches  of  grapes,  which,  although  sometimes 
wiped  of,  will  encrease  againe  by  the  steame  or  vapour  of  the 
wine  from  the  vessels ;  a  pretty  rarity  and  worth  the  observa- 
tion. I  brought  some  of  these  grapes  away  with  mee.  In 
this  cellar,  not  longe  since,  one  pulling  downe  a  partition  of 
boardes  founde  the  body  of  a  dead  man  with  his  leg  in  a 
payre  of  stocks,  the  body  afterwards  stirred  fell  into  ashes. 
I  met  with  Mr.  Hollingworth  and  Mr.  Udal,  who  promised, 
if  it  pleaseth  God  to  continue  our  healths,  to  meet  mee 
at  Paris  the  first  of  November  next  or  else  to  forfeit  forty 
shillings. 

February  28.  It  being  Sundays  I  went  to  the  Queen  Mo- 
ther's chappel,  which  is  a  stately  one,  well  painted  and  adorn- 
ed with  a  large  golde  crucifixe,  a  most  admirable  paynted 
crucifix,  tapers,  lamps,  and  the  like.  I  noted  some  at  confes- 
sion, in  little  wooden  apartments,  and  having  satisfied  my  cu- 
riositie  in  observing  the  manner  of  their  worship,  I  left  this 
chappell  of  Sommerset  house,  and  passing  through  a  crowde 
of  Irish  beggars,  I  went  to  the  Savoy  church,  where  the 
liturgye  of  England  is  read  in  French.  In  the  afternoon  I 
read  a  sermon  to  Madam  Fairfax,  my  dear  sister  Cottrell,  and 
Nansy;  and  afterwards  waited  upon  Madam  Cottrell  home  to 
her  house  in  St.  James  his  parke,  which  is  hansomely  built  up- 
on a  piece  of  grounde,  which  the  kinge  gave  to  Sr.  Charles. 5 

4  A  part  of  a  leaf  here  torn  out  in  the  MS. 
5  Sir  Charles  Cottrell,  master  of  the  ceremonies  to  king  Charles  II.,  married  Sir 
Thomas  Browne's  daughter.     He  translated  Cassandra,  and  was  one  of  the  trans- 
lators of  Davila's  History  of  the  Civil  Wars  of  France. 

E  2 


52  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [16G4. 

February  29.  I  was  at  the  cbymists  to  inquire  for  spiritus 
urines,  spiritus  cornu,  sal  cornu  cervi  et  cinnaberis  anti- 
monii. 

I  carried  some  Islande  stones  to  one  Royal],  a  stone  cutter 
living  over  against  the  spur,  at  the  upper  end  of  Woodstreet. 
I  eat  for  my  dinner  a  Woodstreet  cake,  which  cakes  are  fa- 
mous for  being  well  made. 

March  1.  I  went  to  see  Dr.  Dey  living  in  Crouchet  Friers, 
but  hee  was  not  within.  I  was  at  Mr.  King's,  living  in  little 
Britain,  an  ingenious  chirurgeon,  which  shew  mee  parts  of 
many  things  that  hee  had  dissected,  as  a  liver  of  a  man  excar- 
nated,  a  spleen  excarnated,  a  man's  vena  porta,  the  chorion 
and  amnion  of  a  woman,  the  uterus  and  all  parts  belonging  to 
it,  the  coats  in  the  third  stomack  of  an  ox  neatly  separated. 
I  being  desirous  to  see  the  inside  of  a  man's  stomacke  hee  cut 
up  one  for  mee  which  hee  had  by  him,  the  gutts  opened  and 
dried,  the  caecum  part  of  the  colon  and  ilium  dried,  so  as 
there  was  plainly  to  see  the  manner  of  the  iliums  insertion 
into  the  colon  of  a  man,  and  the  valve ;  and  many  other  parts, 
which  hee  kept  dryed  in  a  large  paper  booke.  This  after- 
noon I  went  to  see  a  collection  of  rarities  of  one  Forges,  or 
Hobarte,  by  St.  Paules,  among  which  were  many  things  which 
I  never  saw  before,  as  a  sea-elephantes  head,  a  Lazy  of  Bra- 
zil, an  Indian  Serpente,  &c.  I  went  to  Arundell  house  where 
I  saw  a  great  number  of  old  Roman  and  Grascian  statuas, 
many  as  big  again  as  the  life,  and  divers  Greek  inscriptions 
upon  stones  in  the  garden.  I  viewed  these  statuas  till  the 
approching  night  began  to  obscure  them,  beinge  extreamly 
taken  with  the  noblenesse  of  that  ancient  worke,  and  grieving 
at  the  bad  usage  some  of  them  had  met  with  in  our  last  dis- 
tractions. From  hence  by  water  to  Sr.  Charles  Cotrels,  where 
taking  my  leave  of  my  dear  sister,  I  returned  to  my  cousin 
Barkers  in  Clarkenwell. 

March  2.  I  went  to  Mr.  Foxe's  chamber  in  Arundell  house, 
where  I  saw  a  great  many  pretty  pictures  and  things  cast  in 
brasse,  some  limmings,  divers  pretious  stones,  and  one  dia- 
monde  valued  at  eleven  hundred  pound ;  and,  having  received 
letters  from  him  to  carry  to  his  honour  Mr.  Henry  Howarde 
at  Norwich,  I  tooke  horse  at  the  George  in  Lumbard  street, 


16G4.]  JOURNAL    OF   MR.    E.    BROWNE.  53 

and  gat  to  Chelmsford  this  night,  travelling  25  miles  through 
that  pleasant  county  of  Essex. 

March  the  3d.  I  rose  very  early,  and  set  forward  on  my 
journy  by  four  of  the  clock,  so  as  betwixt  eight  and  nine  I 
got  to  Colchester ;  a  very  large,  but  a  stragling  towne,  the 
heart  of  the  towne  standing  upon  an  hill,  but  it  shoots  out 
long  streets  into  the  valleys,  on  all  hands.  From  hence  to 
Ipswich,  where  I  dined.  A  very  great  and  clean  neat  towne, 
standing  advantagiously  upon  a  river  so  as  ships  come  up  to 
the  towne.  There  are  about  12  churches  in  it,  and  it  gives 
place  in  bignesse  to  nere  a  towne  in  England.  From  hence 
this  afternoon  I  rode  to  Thwait,  through  the  Pye  roade,  a 
very  deep  uneven  roade ;  so,  having  roade  about  45  miles 
this  day,  I  thought  it  best  to  ride  no  further,  although  it  were 
not  yet  night,  and  I  might  easily  have  reached  Scole.  The 
man  of  the  house  seemed  to  bee  a  very  honest  fellow,  and 
gave  us  kinde  entertainment  as  his  house  was  capable  of. 
Hee  had  a  daughter  which  was  not  fifteen,  and  yet  as  tal  as 
most  women.  I  observed  that  to  one  in  the  jaundice  hee 
gave  the  green  ends  of  goose  dunge  steep'd  in  beere,  and 
then  strayned  and  sweetned,  a  country  remedy. 

March  the  4.  Having  roade  about  two  mile,  I  came  to 
the  white  horse ;  a  horse  carv'd  in  wood,  upon  a  wooden 
structure,  like  a  sighne  post,  an  old  woman  and  a  gardener 
one  standing  behind  and  another  before  the  horse;  under- 
neath hanges  a  globe,  out  of  which  comes  four  hands,  which 
directs  passengers  in  the  crosse  roads  (which  meet  iust  in 
these  places)  one  standes  towards  Norwich,  the  contrary  to- 
wards Ipswich,  one  to  Bury  and  the  other  to  Framlingham. 
About  three  mile  further  I  came  to  Scoale,  where  is  very 
handsome  inne,  and  the  noblest  sighne  post  in  England,  about 
and  upon  which  are  carved  a  great  many  stories,  as  of  Cha- 
ron and  Cerberus,  of  Actason  and  Diana,  and  many  other, 
the  sighne  it  self  is  the  white  harte,  which  hangs  downe  carved 
in  a  stately  wreath.  Fifteen  mile  more  to  Norwich,  whether 
I  gat  about  eleven  of  the  clocke ;  and  in  the  afternoon  waited 
upon  Mr.  Howard,  and  delivered  him  his  letters,  and  to  lit- 
tle Mr.  Fox  (heir  to  Mr.  Fox  of  London),  who  dances  a  jig 
incomparably. 


54  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

March  5.     I  dissected  a  shoveler. 

March  6.  Dr.  Porter  preached  at  Christchurch  upon  this 
text,  "Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  son  of  man,  and  drinke 
his  bloode,  ye  have  no  life  in  you,"  John  6.  53 ;  in  which  hee 
expounded  the  flesh  the  body,  and  the  blood  the  spirit,  or 
soul. 

March  9.  I  went  to  N  orris  his  garden  where  I  saw  black 
Hellebore  in  flower,  which  is  white ;  the  white  Hellebore  is 
not  yet  come  up. 

I  drank  some  birch  tree  liquor,  which  now  runneth. 

March  10.  I  saw  Mr.  Howards  closet,  in  which  are  a 
great  number  of  delicate  limmings,  but  one  pretty  large 
one,  of  our  blessed  lady  with  our  Saviour  in  her  armes, 
more  than  extraordinary.  There  are  two  heads  in  agath 
pretty  large,  a  great  many  things  cut  and  turnd  in  ivory,  deli- 
cate china  dishes,  divers  things  cut  in  fine  stones,  a  pearle  in 
the  fashion  [of]  a  lion  very  large,  and  child's  head  and  thigh 
bone  very  neat ;  divers  things  in  gold  and  delicate  workman- 
ship, worthy  so  noble  a  person's  closet. 

March  11.  I  walked  out  in  the  morning  as  far  Harford 
bridges  and  found  some  very  large  Arum. 

I  had  great  deal  of  discourse  with  one  Mr.  Flatman  a  chi- 
rurgion  that  had  lived  in  the  gold  country  in  Guiny,  about 
that  country,  the  inhabitants,  their  manners,  our  plantation  at 
Cormontine,  and  the  trafficke  with  the  natives :  as  also  about 
Lisbone,  Barbadoes,  and  Jamaica,  where  hee  had  likewise 
been. 

March  12.  I  roade  out  in  the  morning,  and  brought  home 
some  radix  cava  minima  flore  viridi,  which  groweth  under  a 
hedge  on  the  left  hand,  a  little  beyond  New  found,  as  you  goe 
to  Intwood. 

I  dissected  a  frog,  whose  skin  doth  not  stick  close  to  the 
membrana  carnosa,  but  is  easily  flead. 

March  13.  Mr.  Hedges  preached  at  Christ  church. 
Walking  out  with  Mr.  Flatman,  hee  told  mee  the  Portuguez 
used  this  way  to  the  Jews  or  those  that  are  in  the  inquisition, 
to  make  them  dye  in  the  Christian  religion  of  the  Church  of 
Rome ; — they  put  a  cord  about  their  neck  the  end  of  which  is 
put  through  the  hole  of  a  great  post  so  as  they  on  other  side 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF   MR.    E.    BROWNE.  55 

may  streitn  or  slack  the  rope,  choke  or  save  them  again  as  they 
please  which  they  doe  till  with  the  extremity  of  the  paine  they 
professe  what  they  will  have  them,  and  then  immediately 
strangle  them. 

March  14.     I  cut  up  a  young  rat. 

March  15.  [I  prescribed]  for  his  honour  Mr.  Howard. 
Lying  all  along  upon  St.  James'  mount,  in  such  a  posture  as 
one  eye  was  perpendicularly  over  the  other,  the  prospect  of 
Norwich  (which  of  it  selfe  is  most  delicate)  was  so  much  bet- 
tered as  I  never  saw  any  picture,  or  any  thing  else,  so  pleasing 
to  the  eye. 

March  17.  I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Rand,  wherein  hee 
sent  mee  the  inscription  of  the  columne  to  bee  set  up  at  Rome 
upon  the  Corsican's  expulsion. 

March  18.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  worthy  friend  Mr. 
Isaac  Craven,  who,  being  sent  by  the  society  of  Trinity  Col- 
ledge  in  Cambridge,  of  which  hee  is  fellow,  to  complement 
the  Marquisse  of  Newcastle  and  the  Marchionesse  for  their 
workes  presented  to  our  library,  was  pleas'd  to  write  me  a 
short  relation  of  his  journy  through  Stamford,  Grantham, 
Newark,  Southwell,  (where  is  a  pretty  minster,)  and  Mans- 
field, to  Wellbeck  the  Marquisse  his  house;  where  hee  saw 
many  pictures  of  Vandike,  and  a  fine  cabinet,  but  above  all 
his  fine  stable  and  brave  horses  for  the  great  saddle,  of  which 
the  Marquisse  (as  his  noble  booke  horsmanshippe  will  testify) 
hath  no  small  number  nor  ill  managed,  and  is  without  compare 
the  best  horsman  living,  taking  delight  dayly,  although  hee  bee 
now  threscore  and  eleven  years  old,  to  see  his  horses  practice. 

March  19.  [I  prescribed]  for  Mr.  Colman's  sore,  bruised 
by  the  fall  of  a  windowe. 

March  21.     I  dissected  a  polcat. 

March  22.  I  gave  5  shillings  in  earnest  for  my  coach-hire 
to  London,  20s.  in  all  hee  is  to  have. 

March  23.  I  went  to  Norris  his  garden,  where  amongst 
other  plants  I  saw  dens  caninus  in  flower. 

March  24.    [I  prescribed]  for  Mr.  Bird  of  Lin  in  scorbuto. 

March  26.  I  took  spiritus  salts  nitri,  and  dissolved  as  much 
2  in  it  as  the  liquor  would  corrode,  afterwards  I  praecipitated 
it  with  sal  tartari. 


56  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

March  27.  Dr.  Porter  preached  at  Christ  church.  I 
tooke  leave  of  my  friends ;  my  cousin  Dorothy  Witherly  gave 
me  ten  shillings,  my  aunt  Bendish  gave  me  a  ringe. 

March  28.  I  set  out  towards  London ;  Mr.  Arrowsmith 
and  my  brother  accompanied  mee  as  far  as  Attleborough ; 
this  night  wee  layd  at  Barton  mills ;  I  had  the  kings  chamber 
for  my  lodging,  where  Charles  the  first  once  layd :  upon  the 
wall,  between  the  door  and  the  chimney,  there  is  written  with 
the  kings  owne  hande  Caualleiro  Honrado. 

March  29.  We  bayted  at  Chesterford,  and  lodged  at  Bishop 
Stafford  at  the  George,  this  day  I  had  much  discourse  with 
Mr.  Bedingfield,  about  his  travailes  in  Flanders,  Artois,  Bra- 
bant, &c.  wee  had  to  our  suppers  pike  and  crafish. 

March  30.  By  two  of  the  clock  in  the  afternoon  wee  gat 
to  London,  where  Mr.  Uvedal  and  Mr.  Rand  met  mee  at  the 
Green  Dragon,  I  waited  upon  Mr.  Howells  family,  delivered  a 
letter  to  my  cousin  Betty  Cradock,  and  laid  in  Clerkenwell. 

March  31.  I  measured  the  pell  mell  in  St.  James  Parke, 
which  is  above  twelve  hundred  paces  longe.  I  went  to  Mor- 
gan's Garden  at  Westminster ;  St.  Pauls  church  is  43  of  my 
paces  broad,  Westminster  Abbey  is  33,  Christchurch  at  Nor- 
wich 28,  Christchurch  at  Canterbury  is  30. 

April  the  1.  I  tooke  money  for  my  journey,  at  a  gold- 
smith's in  Lumbardstreet,  ten  pound  ;  most  of  it  in  gold  and 
French  coyne. 

April  2.  I  took  leave  of  my  friends  at  London.  My 
cousin  Garway,  my  cousin  Cradock,  Mr.  Uvedale,  and  Mr. 
Hollingworth,  accompanied  mee  this  night  to  Gravesend; 
wee  had  a  pleasant  passage  downe  the  river  of  Thames, 
sometimes  sayling,  sometimes  rowing,  close  by  many  hundred 
brave  ships  which  trade  to  most  parts  of  the  knowne  world. 
About  1  in  the  morning  my  friends  left  mee,  and  I  went  to 
bed  at  the  blew  Anchor,  to  refresh  mee  against  the  morrow. 

April  3.  I  rode  from  Gravesend  through  Rochester  to 
Sittenborne.  Rochester  hath  a  pretty  cathedral  church,  in 
which  is  a  neat  quire ;  and  a  bridge  over  the  Medway  inferior 
to  few ;  it  is  extreamly  high  and  longe,  the  water  runs  under 
it  with  such  a  force  at  lowe  water,  that  all  the  river  is  covered 
with  a  white  foame.     From  Sittenburne  I  took  a  fresh  horse, 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  57 

and  rode  fiften  miles  further  to  Canterbury,  through  a  plea- 
sant countrey,  having  the  sight  of  the  river  most  part  of  the 
way  on  my  left  hand ;  the  cherry  grounds  on  both,  in  great 
numbers,  in  which  the  trees  are  planted  equi-distantly  and 
orderly.  I  went  to  Christchurch,  the  cathedral  church  at 
Canterbury,  which  is  an  extreame  neat  church,  very  long, 
30  paces  broad.  I  saw  in  it  the  Black  Prince's  tombe  ;  the 
painted  glasse,  most  of  which  is  of  a  fine  blew  colour,  is  ex- 
cellent ;  the  front  is  neat,  having  two  steeples  on  each  side, 
the  tower  of  the  crosse  isles  is  handsome.  There  is  an  ex- 
treame bigge  steeple  at  the  east  end  begun,  but  finished  no 
higher  then  the  church.  Under  the  quire  is  another  church, 
which  is  made  use  of  by  the  Walloons.  There  is  a  double 
crosse  in  this  church.  In  Canterbury  are  fiften  parishes. 
Hence  I  roade  to  Dover,  and  had  a  sight  of  the  land  in 
France  three  miles  before  I  came  to  my  journey's  end.  This 
night  I  lay'd  at  Mr.  Carlisle's,  the  clarke  of  the  passage,  at 
the  Kingshead. 

April  4.  I  walked  to  the  seaside,  where  I  found  very  large 
sea  girdles,  some  seastarres,  many  lympits,  and  divers  hearbs. 
In  the  afternoon  I  saw  Dover  castle,  a  very  large  one,  and 
situated  upon  an  high  rock,  with  many  fine  roomes  in  it.  They 
shew  mee  the  horn  which  was  blown  at  the  building  of  the 
castle,  which  is  made  of  brasse.  I  saw  likewise  a  very  longe 
gun  called  Basiliscus,  23  foot  8  inches  long,  which  was  very 
neatly  carved.     Captain  John  Stroade  is  Mr.  of  the  castle. 

April  5.  I  went  to  sea  to  see  them  catch  lobsters,  sea 
spiders,  wilkes,  Spanish  crabs,  crabwilkes,  or  Bernardi  ere- 
mites, &c.     Wee  gat  our  passe  portes,  and 

April  6.  Betimes  in  the  morning,  wee  set  sayle  for  Calais 
in  the  packet  boat ;  wee  gave  five  shillings  a  piece  for  our 
passage,  and  having  a  fair  winde,  wee  gat  in  four  houres 
time  into  Calais  roade,  from  whence  a  shallop  fetch'd  us  to 
shoare. 

At  our  entryng  of  the  port  wee  payd  threepence  a  piece 
for  our  heads  ;  they  searched  my  portmantle  at  the  gate  and 
the  custom  house,  for  which  I  was  to  pay  5  sols.  After  that 
agreed  with  the  messenger  for  40  livres  to  Paris.  I  dined  at 
Monsieur  la  Force  his  house,  at  the  sighne  of  the  Dragon, 


58  JOURNAL   OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1664. 

and  so  walked  out  to  see  the  towne.  I  was  not  sick  at  all  in 
coming  over  from  Dover  to  Calais,  upon  the  sea,  but  yet 
could  hardly  forbear  spuing  at  the  first  sight  of  the  French 
women :  they  are  most  of  them  of  such  a  tawny,  sapy,  base 
complection,  and  have  such  vgly  faces,  which  they  here  set 
out  with  a  dresse  would  fright  the  divell.  They  have  a  short 
blew  coat,  which  hath  a  vast  thick  round  rugge,  in  the  place 
of  the  cape,  which  they  either  weare  about  their  necks  or 
pull  over  their  heads,  after  such  a  manner  as  tis  hard  to 
guesse  which  is  most  deformed,  their  visages  or  their  habits. 
This  afternoon  I  went  to  the  church  which  is  a  fair  one,  de- 
dicated to  our  Blessed  Lady  ;  the  large  marble  altar  is  noble, 
many  chappells  as  to  St.  Peter,  and  others,  are  well  adorned ; 
in  an  oval  chappell,  behinde  the  altar,  I  saw  the  priests  in- 
struct the  common  people,  and  the  young  folkes  of  the 
towne,  in  matters  of  religion,  and  learne  them  to  say  their 
prayers.  I  went  to  a  convent  of  Cordeliers,  where  Pere 
Barnatie,  whose  right  name  is  Dungan,  an  Irishman,  was 
very  civill  to  us,  and  shew  us  all  about  the  convent,  and  had 
much  discours  with  us  about  England,  and  other  countries. 
Wee  saw  a  monastery  of  nuns ;  their  altar  in  their  chappell 
was  covered  with  very  rich  lace.  The  Port  Royall  is  a  very 
stately  building.  I  agreed  with  the  messenger  for  forty 
livres  to  Paris,  and 

April  7.  Wee  set  forward  about  2  of  the  clock  in  the 
afternoon,  and  got  to  Boulogne  7  leagues,  where  I  saw  the 
Port.  The  buildings  here,  as  at  Calais,  are  of  stone,  and  the 
streets  evenly  paved,  but  there  are  very  few  shops. 

April  8.  Wee  dined  at  Monstreuil.  There  they  search 
my  portmantle  again,  and  I,  not  knowing  I  was  to  take  a 
passe  at  Calais,  was  put  to  some  inconvenience,  and  had  like 
to  lose  my  stockins,  which  were  in  my  portmantle ;  but  that 
one  that  travayled  along  with  mee  could  speake  both  Eng- 
lish and  French,  who  perswaded  [them]  I  was  no  merchant, 
and  with  fair  words  I  got  of.     This  night  I  layd  at  Bernay. 

April  19.  Wee  dined  at  Abbeville,  a  great  towne,  built 
much  after  the  English  fashion,  with  wooden  houses.  I  saw 
St.  Voluhran's  church,  which  hath  a  most  stately  front  with 
two  steeples  in  it,  and  a  great  deal  of  neat  carving  both  in 


1664.]  JOURNAL   OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  59 

the  stone  and  in  the  wood  [of]  the  gates.     I  layd  this  night 
at  Pois,  a  small  towne. 

April  20.  I  got  to  Beauvais,  time  enough  (if  I  had  listed) 
to  heare  masse ;  however,  I  went  to  see  St.  Pierre's  church, 
which  is  an  extream  high  one,  and  very  stately.  The  North 
and  South  ends  are  most  noble,  the  church  paved  with  mar- 
ble, checquered  with  stone :  there  is  no  building  westward, 
beyond  the  crosse  isle,  which  makes  the  church  but  short ; 
but  if  there  were  a  body  answerable  to  the  rest,  I  think  it 
might  compare  with  most  churches  in  Christendome.  This 
night  I  layd  at  Tilierre.  This  day  was  the  first  day  in  which 
I  saw  vineyards,  pilgrims,  or  was  sprinkled  with  holy  water. 

Wee  roade  this  day  divers  times  beteewn  rowes  of  apple 
trees  a  great  waye  ;  they  are  likewise  set  here  orderly  as  the 
cherrytrees  in  Kent.  Most  of  the  country  betwixt  Calais 
and  Paris  is  open,  and  sewen  with  corn,  so  as  wee  had  fine 
prospects  upon  the  top  of  every  hill. 

April  11,  St.  v.  21,  stylo  novo.  Weebayted  at  Beaumont, 
where  after  dinner  each  of  us  gave  a  messenger  trente  sofa, 
for  his  care  of  us  in  our  journey. 

This  after  noon  wee  rode  through  St.  Dinnis,  where  there 
is  a  noted  church,  in  which  are  a  great  manye  stately  tombes 
of  the  Kings  of  France  and  other  nobles.  About  four  of  the 
clock  wee  entered  Paris,  just  by  Maison  des  Enfans  Trouvts, 
so  through  Fauxbourg  St.  Denis,  and  other  places  to  the 
sighne  of  Ville  de  Soissons,  dans  rue  de  la  Vererie,  where 
the  messenger  lodges.  This  night  I  walked  about  to  see 
Pont  Neuf,  upon  which  standes  a  noble  copper  statua  of 
Henry  the  fourth,  the  statuas  of  our  Saviour,  and  the  Sama- 
ritan woman,  by  a  delicat  fountain,  made  in  the  shape  of  a 
huge  cockle-shell,  which  allwayes  runs  over.  I  went  to 
Monsieur  Michel  de  Clere,  who  lives  in  Riie  de  Chevalier 
de  Guet,  and  tooke  an  hundred  liures  of  him,  I  went  and 
hired  a  chamber  in  Riie  St.  Zacharie  for  7  liures  par  mois, 
and  so,  je  vous  souhaitte  le  bon  soir. 


60  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE,  [1664. 

The  Journal  of  this  tour  occupies  the  whole  of  MS. 
Sloan.  1906;  but  I  have  thought  it  preferable  here  to 
discontinue  the  Journal,  where  its  narrative  is  taken 
up  by  the  following  series  of  letters  from  MS.  Sloan. 
1868.  A  small  portion  of  the  tour  they  describe 
forms  the  subject  of  the  last  chapter  in  Dr.  E.  Browne's 
Travels,  fol.  1685,  under  the  title  of  "A  Journey  from 
Venice  to  Genoa."  One  of  these  letters  has  been  col- 
lated with  a  duplicate  copy — somewhat  fuller,  in  the 
Bodleian,  No.  lviii,  MS.  Rawlinson. 

Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  brother  Thomas. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

DEARE  BROTHER, 

I  give  you  many  thancks  for  your  company  to  At- 
tleborough.  I  am  now  (god  be  thancked)  at  Douer,  where 
I  have  seen  the  Castle.  In  the  same  is  a  very  great  peece, 
called  the  Basilisk,  23  foot  and  8  inches  long.  I  saw  the 
home  which  they  say  was  blowne  at  the  building  of  the  cas- 
tle. This  day  I  was  at  sea,  and  saw  them  catch  shell  fish,  as 
lobsters,  Spanish  crabbs,  wilks,  sea  spiders,  heauers,  crab- 
wilks,  which  is  the  same  with  our  Bernardus  Eremita.  Here 
are  also  limpits,  or  lympots,  as  they  call  them,  in  great  num- 
bers, which  they  eat.  To  morrow,  god  willing,  we  are  for 
Calis.  Your  louing  brother, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
[Dover,]  April  5  [1664.] 


Air.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

I  have  been  divers  times  at  Hospital  de  la  Charite  and 
Hostel  de  Dieu ;  which  latter  stands  nigh  to  Nostre  Dame, 


1GG4.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  61 

and  has  far  more  diseased  in  it  then  the  other.     I  have  been 
often  at  St.  Innocents  church  yard,  and  have  seen  them  dig 
up  bones  which  have  been  very  rotten  after  3  weeks  or  a 
months  intendment.     The  flesh  must  needs  then  bee  cor- 
rupted in  a  far  shorter  space  ;  but  I  will  send  word  in  my  next 
more  punctually  about  it.     In  the  middle  of  summer  I  think 
to  goe  for  a  month  or  two  out  of  towne  when  the  terme  is 
done.     There  are  coaches  which  goe  from  Paris  to  any  place 
in  France,  and  I  suppose  it  is  no  where  so  deer  living  as  here. 
I  shall  bee  glad  to  see  Monsieur  Morillon  ;6  hee  may  doe  me 
some  courtesies  in  directing  of  mee  and  showing  mee  things  I 
have  not  seen.     Luxemberg  is  the  stateliest  hostel  I  have 
seen ; — the  Tuilleries  and  Jardin  Royall  (assauoir,  the  physick 
garden),  the  most  noble  of  the  gardens,  though  there  be  in- 
numerable here,  and  those  far  more  pleasant  then  I  could  ex- 
pect.    The  broad  leav'd  Tilia,  and  the  thick  groues  of  tall 
cypres,  afford  us  a  coole  shade  in  the  hottest  dayes  ;  here  are 
a  great  many  locust  trees.7     Oranges  and  lemons  come  to  no 
great  perfection,  though  these  trees  bee  far  greater  then  in 
England.    I  take  up  some  sometimes  of  the  little  wither'd  black 
ones,  wich  fail  of  the  trees,  and  carry  in  my  pocket ;  they  have 
the  most  delicious  smell  in  the  world.     I  have  been  to  agree 
with  one  to  see  a  course  of  chymistry,  but  hee  askes  three 
pistoles,  and  speakes  French  when  hee  shows  it.     In  the 
physick  garden  there  will,  in  a  short  time,  be  showne  all  the 
operations  in  chymistry  publickly,  thrice  in  a  week.     I  heare 
four  physick  lectures,  Dr.   Maureau  reads  de  hernia;  Dr. 
Dyneau  de  febribus ;    Dr.   Pattin  answers  all  doubts   and 
questions  proposed  ;  Dr.  Le  Bell  reads  of  chirurgicall  opera- 
tions.    Aloe  growes  here  to  a  vast  bignesse ;  the  plants  will 
not  yet  bee  showne  this  fortnight.    I  have  been  once  at  Charen- 
ton  already,  and  intend  to  goe  to  Charenton  again  to  morrow. 
The  number  of  boats  that  goe  upon  the  riuer  together,  the 
multitude  of  people  walking  on  the  bankes,  the  litle  islands  in 
the  Seine,  and  the  Protestants  continually  singing  the  French 
psalmes,  makes  the  passage  uery  delightfull.     The  church  is 

6  Tutor  for  some  time  to  Lord  Howard's  sons  at  Norwich.     He  afterwards  set- 
tled at  Padua  as  a  language-master. 

7  Robinia  Pseud- Acacia  :  named  by  Linnaeus  after  M.  Robin,  a  French  botanist, 
who  introduced  it  into  France  in  the  reign  of  Henry  IV. 


62  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

a  long  square,  uery  capacious,  double  galleried  on  all  sides ; 
my  lord  ambassadour  was  there  the  last  Sundaye.  I  went 
this  week  to  Vincenne,  the  house  has  a  large  broad  perpen- 
dicular ditch,  the  sides  of  which  are  free  stone ;  the  new 
building  is  handsome ;  one  of  the  canons  shew  mee  the 
church,  and,  in  a  litle  chappell  by  it,  Cardinall  Mazarines 
hearse.  I  have  been  in  a  great  many  churches  in  Paris ; 
Nostre  Dame  is  ten  of  my  paces  broader  then  St.  Paules,  be- 
sides the  chappells  on  both  sides ;  St.  Eustace  church  is  a 
delicate  one  ;  St.  Geneuieue's  front  is  neat ;  St.  Geruais  front 
with  its  braue  pillars  shows  stately,  but  is  farr  surpassed  by 
the  Jesuists  church,  in  Rue  St.  Anthoine,  which  hath  a  great 
cupulo  carved  and  painted  within,  with  the  figures  of  famous 
and  religious  persons  ;  the  alters  are  set  about  with  copper 
statuas  almost  as  big  as  the  life.  Place  Royalle,  in  proportion 
to  Lincolne's  Inne  Fields  in  London,  is  not  so  much  as  4  to  9. 
In  the  gazette  I  reade  that  wee  are  about  to  make  warre  with 
the  Dutch,  and  that  there  is  an  act  of  parliament  passed  to 
furnish  his  maiesty  with  prouisions  for  it.  I  am  much  inqui- 
sitiue  after  news,  but  especally  that  of  my  owne  countrye. 
Sr,  I  would  that  I  might,  in  your  next,  here  the  certainty. 
Your  obediant  Sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
Paris,  May  17,  Stylo  nouo  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Ms  Sister. 

DEARE  SISTER, 

I  long  to  have  a  letter  from  you,  and  therefore  I 
write  to  tell  you  where  I  live.  I  have  been  at  St.  Denys, 
about  three  mile  from  Paris,  where  I  saw  a  great  many  rari- 
ties and  fine  relickes,  as  some  of  the  wood  of  our  Sauior's 
crosse,  one  nayle  of  the  same,  one  of  the  water  pots  in  which 
our  Sauiour  turn'd  the  water  into  wine,  Malchus  his  lantern, 
which  hee  had  in  his  hand  when  hee  came  with  Judas  to  take 
our  Sauiour,  many  pieces  of  saints,  as  the  head  of  St.  Denys, 


1664]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  G3 

the  chin  of  St.  Lewis,  &c.  If  you  will  have  any  beads  or 
little  pieces  of  silver  that  have  touched  these  things,  write 
mee  word,  and  the  next  opportunity  I  meet  with,  I  will  send 
you  some ;  but  it  may  be  you  are  not  curious  for  such  things. 
I  saw  likewise  an  unicorne's  home,  Jeanne  of  Arc  the  maid 
of  Orleans'  sword,  with  which  shee  fought  so  ualyantly  against 
the  English  with  all,  and  many  such  kinde  of  rarities.  Let 
mee  know  when  you  goe  to  Norwich.  When  I  walk  in  the 
neate  gardens  of  the  monasteries,  or  in  the  Tuilleries,  a  place 
like  Gray's  Inn  walks,  but  farre  surpassing  it,  or  in  any  shady 
groue,  which  is  a  great  conuenence  in  this  hot  weather,  or 
when  I  begine  to  take  the  least  delight  in  any  thing,  I  pre- 
sently wish  your  companys ;  which,  when  I  consider  it  is  a 
thing  impossible,  I  underualew  all  the  delights  of  France,  and 
prefer  our  little  garden  at  Norwich  before  that  of  Luxem- 
bourg at  Paris.  To  morow  I  am  to  goe  to  see  two  English 
gentlewomen  made  nuns.  Deare  sister,  I  have  nothing  else 
to  say  to  you  at  present,  but  that  I  am 

Your  loving  brother, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Paris,  May  24,  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

SIR, 

I  receued  your  third  letter.  The  garden  is  not  yet 
open,  but  will  bee  now  in  a  day  or  two.  The  chymick  lec- 
ture I  am  informed  will  be  publick.  I  read  at  present  Dar- 
let's  Chymistry  in  french,  (hee  who  I  myght  have  seen  a 
course  of,)  to  furnish  mee  with  the  words  [and]  termes  in 
french  proper  for  that  art.  It  is  the  old  Guido  Patin  that 
reads  here,  to  whom  Prseuolius  dedicates  his  booke.  Hee  is 
very  old,  yet  very  pleasant  in  his  discourse,  and  hearty  ;  hee 
is  much  followed,  is  a  Gallenist,  and  doth  often  laugh  at  the 
chymists.  I  have  not  heard  of  any  ancient  aqueduct,  but  I 
shall  inquire  after  it ;  and  I  have  seen  a  great  many  new  ones, 
fountaines,  at   Rueill,   the   Duke  of  Anguelesme's   house, 


G4  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [16G4 

within  4  leagues  of  Paris,  whose  garden  is  excellent,  the 
groves  strangely  thick,  the  walkes  very  longe,  and  extreame- 
]y  coole  in  the  hottest  weather.  There  is  a  piece  of  perspec- 
tive of  a  portall,  rarely  done,  and  water  works  without  num- 
ber: the  house  is  little,  but  neat,  there  is  a  pretty  garden 
with  a  fountaine  in  it,  out  of  one  of  the  great  windows  which 
stands  upon  pillars.  I  have  seen  the  Duke  of  Orleans  house 
at  St.  Cloud,  finely  situated  upon  the  riuer,  and  looking 
toward  Paris  ;  the  grots,  water  works,  statues,  garden  house, 
and  groves,  would  take  up  too  much  roome  to  discribe.  I 
have  seen  the  King's  house  at  St.  Germains,  about  5  lieus 
from  Paris :  the  prospect,  the  two  galleries,  the  three  clois- 
ters, one  aboue  an  other,  upon  the  side  of  the  hill,  supported 
with  uast  pillars,  are  most  remarkable  there.  The  president 
of  Paris  his  house  at  Maison,  the  finest  country  house  I 
haue  seen  yet,  about  5  leagues  from  Paris  ;  there  is  a  multi- 
pliing  glasse  chamber  in  it,  round,  in  the  middle  of  which  you 
see  your  self  a  great  many  times.  Here  is  a  vast  rich  bed, 
stair  case,  the  gates  all  of  carued  steell,  a  long  court,  orange 
trees  with  out  number.  The  last  Sunday  being  Whitsunday 
here,  I  went  to  Nostre  Dame,  where  I  saw  the  Archbishop 
of  Paris  and  all  the  seruis ;  hee  had  red  gloues  on,  and  upon 
the  fore  finger  of  his  right  hand  a  ring  with  the  greatest  Ag- 
marine  I  ever  saw.  The  Sorbonne  is  noble  ;  but  the  Jesuists 
church  in  Rue  St.  Anthoine  doth  not  give  place  to  this ;  and 
that  of  Vail  de  Grace,  not  yet  finished,  built  by  the  queen 
mother,  will  goe  beyond  them  both.  The  church  of  Nostre 
Dame  is  10  paces  broader  than  St.  Paule's  at  London,  and 
yet  I  dooe  not  reckon  the  chappells  on  each  side.  I  have 
seen  the  ceremony  of  making  of  a  nun.  Two  English  gen- 
tlewomen took  their  habit  a  fortnight  since,  in  the  monastery 
of  St.  Augustin  de  Sion,  a  convent  lately  built  by  the  now 
Abbesse  of  it.  The  church  for  the  nuns  Carmelites, 
Nostre  Dame  de  Champs,  in  Faubourg  St.  Jacques,  is 
the  best  adorned  with  painting,  guilding  and  pictures  of 
any  in  Paris.  Sr,  I  have  already  seen  some  pretty  rarities 
in  apotheacary's  closets,  and  will  not  loose  the  opportunity  of 
seeing  more.  I  continue  to  set  downe  in  my  book  what  I 
meet  with  remarkable  every  day,     I  long  for  Morillon's  com- 


1664.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  65 

ing,  to  bee  informed  in  many  things.  I  hope  hee  will  bee 
here  with  in  this  week.  On  Whit  Tuesday  I  went  to  Mount 
Caluarie,  a  hill  about  2  leagues  from  Paris,  upon  the  top  of 
which  live  two  hermits.  They  will  not  be  seen  or  spoken  to, 
but  I  went  into  their  little  chappells.  This  hill  is  made  to 
resemble  the  true  Mount  Caluary,  and  here  are  three  huge 
crosses  where  on  our  Sauiour  and  the  theeues  are  crucified ; 
there  are  litle  chappells  also  about  it,  in  every  of  which  some 
part  of  our  Sauiours  passion  is  described.  Here  was  one  Sr 
William  Meredith  who,  haueing  a  great  desire  to  be  cured 
of  his  deafnesse,  a  physitian  ordered  him  to  be  anointed,  I 
suppose  in  order  to  saliuation,  the  effect  of  which  was,  that 
after  his  head  was  light,  and  [he]  talk'd  wildly  for  some  space, 
he  died.  The  English  here  often  fight ;  I  see  their  wounds 
dress'd  sometimes.  I  cannot  goe  for  Orleans  till  the  garden 
be  past.  I  hope  the  pope's  legate  will  not  make  his  entrance 
till  then  neither;  so  as  I  may  see  Fountainbleau  at  that  time 
that  hee  comes  thither. 

Your  obediant  Sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
Paris,  [about  9th  of  June,  1664.] 


From  Mr.  Browne's  Journal  it  appears,  that  about 
this  time  he  received  from  his  father  some  directions 
as  to  his  future  proceedings  which  were  in  the  highest 
degree  unpalatable  to  him,  and  may  even  be  imagined 
to  have  caused  or  aggravated  a  severe  attack  of  illness, 
which  lasted  him  till  about  the  date  of  the  next  letter. 
Some  extracts  follow,  which  may  serve  to  fill  up  the 
interval,  not  without  interest. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1906.] 

June  6,  Vendredy.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  father,  in 
which  hee  gave  mee  notice  of  returning,  and  told  hee  could 
not  spare  mee  any  longer  then  Michaelmas,  which  put  mee 

VOL    I.  F 


GG  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    E.    BROWNE.  [1G64. 

into  dolefull  dumps  and  spoild  all  the  fine  chymaeras  and  geo- 
graphical! ideas  that  I  had  formed  in  my  braine  of  seeing 
Spaine,  Italy,  Germany,  and  I  cannot  tell  how  many  countreys 
and  people ;  this  letter  quite  spoil'd  all  the  high  conceits  of  my 
travailes,  yet  I  could  hardly  beat  out  of  my  braines  the  desire 
of  seeing  Italy.  I  walk'd,  to  divert  my  thoughts,  with  a  Poic- 
tovin  lad  into  the  little  garden  of  St.  Jean  de  Lateran,  and 
afterwards  into  Fauxbourg  St.  Germain.  I  heard  of  Dr. 
Napper  that  Sir  William  Meredith  was  dead;  hee  was  under 
cure  for  his  deafnesse,  the  physitian  thought  fit  to  salivate 
him  by  anointing,  which  proved,  it  seems,  his  extreame  unc- 
tion. 

June  13.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  father,  in  which  my 
brother  Tom  drew  the  picture  of  a  monstrous  Tartar  which 
was  reported  to  bee  taken  by  Count  Serini. 

June  18,  Mecredy.  I  still  found  my  selfe  ill,  yet  the  desire 
I  had  of  seeing  the  garden  made  mee  get  up  betimes ;  the 
weather  was  so  bad  as  the  professor  was  forc'd  to  set  under  a 
great  acacia  tree  and  name  all  the  plants  hee  did  intend  to 
teach,  and  to  showe  them  afterward.  I  found  my  selfe  very 
ill,  not  able  to  stirre  downe.  About  six  of  the  clock  I  sent 
for  a  chirurgeon  and  was  let  blood,  I  went  to  bed  and  conti- 
nued ill. 

Juin  27,  Vendredy.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  father 
which  ordered  mee  to  goe  as  soon  as  I  could  to  Montpelier. 
I  received  one  the  post  before  about  the  same.  This  being 
Friday  I  had  an  aumuliet  for  my  dinner,  which  though  not  so 
good,  perhaps,  for  one  in  my  condition,  yet  with  good  eldre 
vinagre  I  got  it  downe ;  being  somewhat  weary  of  ptisane  I 
sent  for  limons  and  made  my  selfe  some  limonade.  Dr. 
Downes  and  Mr.  Abdy  came  to  see  mee. 

Juillet  11,  Vendredy.  I  was  much  in  the  same  condition 
as  the  day  before.  I  received  another  letter  from  my  father, 
wherein  he  bids  mee  make  ready  and  take  my  journy  as  soon 
as  possible  I  could  for  Montpellier ;  hee  gave  mee  leave  also 
to  goe  into  Provence  to  Marseilles,  but  alas  I  am  so  weake  at 
present  as  I  cannot  travail  downe  stayres. 

Juillet  30,  Mecredy.  As  I  was  standing  in  Bouillet's  shop, 
in  comes  Dr.  Patin :  Bouillet  told  him  whose  son  I  was  ;  hee 


1664.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  67 

saluted  mee  very  kindly,  asked  mee  many  things  concerning 
my  father,  whom  hee  knew  onely  as  author  of  Religio  Medici, 
discoursed  with  mee  very  lovingly,  and  told  mee  hee  would 
write  to  my  father.  Mr.  Tristan  came  to  see  mee,  but  I  was 
at  Roherval's  lecture ;  afterwards  Mr.  Dicas,  hee  and  I  supp'd 
at  the  Chapeau  Rouge,  the  first  supper  I  have  eat  since  I 
was  ill. 

Aoust  6,  Mecredy.  Pere  Macbree,  a  Jesuist,  came  to  in- 
vite us  to  a  tragedy  at  the  Jesuist's  college.  I  had  a  thesis 
given  mee  dedicated  to  the  king  of  England,  which  was  sus- 
tained by  Fitz  Patrick,  the  Sunday  following,  the  embassadeur 
of  England  being  there  present  at  the  disporte.  I  now  am 
well  enough  I  thank  [God]  to  dine  and  sup  with  the  rest  of 
our  pension.  Wee  pay  thirty  solz  a  day,  besides  our  lodgings, 
which  are  in  prizes  according  as  they  are  in  goodnesse. 

Mardy,  Aoust  12.  I  received  a  letter  from  my  father, 
with  directions  how  to  order  my  selfe  as  to  my  health,  to 
purge  if  need  required. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Ms  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

Yesterday  the  legate  *  entred  Paris  with  a  great  deal 
of  splendour,  first  all  the  religious  of  Paris  passed  by,  two 
by  two,  in  such  order  as  the  archbishop  of  Paris,  Hardouin 
Perefix,  had  appointed  them.  After  them,  some  part  of  the 
gard,  then  diuers  coches,  more  of  the  gard,  hors  and  foot,  the 
companys  with  their  banners  before  them,  their  gownes 
veluet — 'hats  and  gold  hat  bands  ;  the  president  of  Paris,  as 
at  the  lord  mayors  show  in  London ;  more  of  the  gard  in 
red  coats,  after  them  were  led  the  legats  mules  for  carriage, 
forty  in  number,  very  large  ones  with  their  rich  couerings  and 
feathers;  diuers  noblemen's  pages  on  horseback;  twenty  of 
the  legats  pages  on  horseback ;  diuers  noblemen  and  gentle- 
men with  very  rich  habits  and  foot  cloath  like  our  noblemen, 

*  Cardinal  Chigi,  Cardinal  Patron,  the  Pope's  nephew. — Note  by  Sir  T.  B. 

F  2 


68  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

when  the  king  came  from  the  tower ;  then  the  kettle  drums 
after ;  under  a  canopy  rode  the  legate,  upon  a  white  mule, 
betwixt  the  Prince  of  Condy  and  Duke  of  Anquien,  in  a  red 
habit  and  legats  hats ;  then  followed  about  thirty  bishops  and 
archbishops,  then  more  of  the  gard.  Such  a  number  of 
coaches,  and  a  thronge  of  people,  as  I  found  it  no  easy  matter 
to  get  home.  E.  B. 

Paris,  Aug.  10,  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  have  seen  the  aqueduct  at  Arcueil  which  you  writ 
me  of  in  one  of  your  letters;  it  is  a  noble  one,  but  not 
ancient,  being  built  but  by  our  queen  mother's  mother.  Here 
lodgeth  at  our  pension,8  at  present,  one  Mr.  Sitden.  I  think 
I  have  heard  you  speake  of  him.  Hee  hath  been  at  Morocco, 
in  Turkey,  and  in  the  East  Indies.  I  saw  lately  Mazarine's 
house,  which  for  statuas  and  pictures  goes  beyond  any  thing 
I  could  have  expected  to  have  seen  in  France.  The  library 
is  a  uery  long  one,  far  the  best  in  Paris,  but  esteemed  by  the 
French  for  the  brauest  in  the  world.  If  I  goe  to  morrow  I 
shall  have  no  English  company,  which  considering  the  bene- 
fit of  being  forced  to  speak  French,  I  count  no  inconuenience. 
I  dare  not  uenture  a  ten  dayes  journey,  though  in  a  carosse, 
to  Lyons,  but  choose  rather  to  creep  up  this  riuer  of  Seine, 
and  so  strik  ouer  land  to  some  towne  upon  the  Sosne,  from 
whence  I  may  passe  as  far  as  I  please  downe  that  and  the 
Rosne.     I  shall  desire  your  blessing,  and  with  my  duty  rest 

Your  obediant  Sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Paris,  [the  end  of  Aug.  1664.] 

8  Boarding  house. 


J664.J  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  69 

Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 9 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  finding  my  self  euery  day  in  better  health  then 
other,  and  not  willing  to  loose  any  more  time,  I  haue  uentured 
to  leaue  Paris.  In  the  water  coach  I  came  as  farre  as  Joigny, 
4  dayes  journeys  from  Paris  ;  passing  through  Melun,  Mon- 
lereau,  Sens,  and  Villeneuf.  The  first,  though  wee  breakfast 
at  it,  yet  wee  left  it  before  daylight,  being  call'd  up  at  mid- 
night ;  the  2nd  is  only  remarkable  by  the  meeting  of  the 
riuers  Sonne  and  Seine,  haueing  a  castle  seated  betwixt  them, 
and  a  bridge  to  each  opposite  banke,  like  Pont  Neuf  at  Paris. 
Sens  is  a  neat  place,  haueing  water  running  through  the 
streets  and  gardens,  situated  in  a  braue  champion.  It  putt 
me  in  mind  of  Salisbury.  The  front  of  its  cathedrall  hath 
two  steeples,  one  of  which  is  somewhat  broken,  else  it  would 
bee  little  inferior  to  that  of  Nostre  Dame.  At  Villeneuf,  in 
the  church,  there  is  a  St  Cristopher  no  lesse  though  worse 
shaped  then  that  at  Paris.  I  passed  in  a  carriole  from  Joigny 
to  Auxerre,  a  handsome  large  towne,  in  which  are  two  well 
built  churches;  the  one  St  Meurice  of  twelve  hundred  years 
standing;  there  is  also  here  a  sanctuary,  from  whence  I  am 
now,  I  thanke  God,  arriued  at  Chaalons  Sur  Saone,  quite 
through  Bourgoigne,  a  braue  country  though  hilly,  which 
furnisheth  Paris  with  its  best  wines.  These  places  I  baited 
at,  Vermanton,  Rouery,  Saulien,  Nele  Duke *  Yury,2  Chalons. 
Amongst  the  hills  I  was  taken  with  the  situation  of  a  neat 
little  house  upon  a  high  tri-angular  rock,  the  walls  of  the 
house  being  built  upon  the  edge  of  the  rock,  Roche  Fauquieu. 
This  day  I  saw  millet  growing  in  great  quantities.  Here  is 
little  worth  seeing  at  Chalons  ;  the  citadell,  hospitall,  the 
Carmes  church,  and  the  cathedrall  St  Vinceau,  the  darkest 
church  I  ever  saw.  I  haue  met  with  uery  ciuill,  courteous, 
company  hether ;  with  a  priest,  and  one  of  my  owne  name, 

9  MS.  Sloan.  No.  18SG,  contains  a  Journal  of  that  part  of  this  excursion  which 
is  related  in  the  six  following  letters;  but  proceeds  no  further. 
Arnay-le-Duc?  2  Givry  ? 


70  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDE^"CE.  [1664. 

who  live  at  Brugnoli  in  Prouence.  I  think  to  goe  towards 
Lyons  to  morrow,  where  I  thinke  to  stay  a  week  to  rest  my 
self.     The  Soane  is  a  noble  riuer. 

Your  obediant  Sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Chaalons,  September  10,  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  wrote  to  you  from  Lyons.  I  was  scarce  well  wrhen 
I  came  out  of  Paris,  but  I  thanke  God  I  am  uery  hearty  here 
at  Montpellier.  This  place  is  the  most  delightfull  of  all 
France,  being  seated  upon  an  hill  in  sight  of  the  sea ;  inhabit- 
ed by  a  people  I  suppose,  without  injury  to  my  owne  country, 
the  most  handsome  in  the  world  ;  the  meanest  of  them  going 
neatly  dressed  euery  day,  and  there  carriage  so  free,  that  the 
meerest  stranger  hath  acquaintance  with  those  of  the  best 
ranck  of  the  towne  immediately.  We  haue  sermons  here 
euery  day,  and  Sunday  4,  the  greatest  part  of  the  towne  being 
still  of  the  religion.  I  live  at  an  apothecary's  house,  where 
I  have  the  conuenience  of  the  shop,  and  am  already  acquaint- 
ed with  a  dr  of  physick,  who  professeth  himself  ready  to  do 
mee  any  fauour  in  his  way.  I  went  with  him  to  the  baths  of 
Balarue.  Afterwards  wee  crossed  the  lake  together,  and 
went  to  Mont  Septo,  a  hill  famous  for  plants.  I  wrot  to  my 
father  since  I  came  hither ;  I  hope  hee  hath  receiued  my 
letter;  and  the  other  which  I  wrote  to  him  from  Chaalons. 
I  trauild  from  Paris  hither  alone,  about  500  miles,  which 
would  haue  made  mee  uery  melancholy,  but  haueing  some- 
what of  the  language,  I  could  entertain  my  self  with  the 
French,  who  are  good  companions  in  a  journey.  I  did  not 
see  Sr  Sam.  Tuke,3  nor  Morillon,  before  I  came  out  of  Paris, 

3  Sir  Samuel  Tuke,  Bavt,  of  Cressing  Temple,  in  Essex;  sent  to  Paris  by 
Charles  II,  to  condole  with  Lewis  XIV  on  the  death  of  Cardinal  Mazarine.  He  was 
cousin  to  Evelyn  ;  had  been  a  colonel  in  the  king's  service  during  the  civil  war,  and 
afterwards,  being  one  of  those  that  attempted  to  form  a  body  in  Essex  for  King 
Charles,  he  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life.     He  died  in  1673. 


1664.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  71 

but  at  my  returne  I  will  waite  upon  them.  In  the  physick 
garden  here,  I  meet  with  many  things  which  are  neither  in 
England  nor  Paris.  The  whispering  place  is  remarkable  in 
it,  so  continued  that  one  whispers  at  one  side  the  other  heres 
him  uery  distinctly  on  the  other  side,  and  those  in  the  middle 
heare  nothing  at  all.  My  duty  to  my  mother  and  your  selfe. 
I  am  your  obediant  Sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Montpellier,  Octobre  7,  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

The  plague  being  in  Prouence,  I  could  not  passe  by  sea  in 
to  Italy,  at  least  without  doing  quarantaine ;  which  forc'd  mee 
to  goe  by  the  way  of  Grenoble,  a  towne  extremely  populous, 
though  but  small  for  a  parliament.  I  saw  there  the  Duke  of 
Leddiguere's  hous,  a  bridge  of  boats  ouer  the  Liser,  a  riuer 
more  swift  then  the  Rosne.  Three  leages  of  is  a  burning 
hill.  From  Grenoble  wee  went  to  visit  the  solitary  desert  of 
St  Bruno,  the  most  desolate  retired  place  of  all  the  Alpes ; 
the  entry  is  betwixt  two  rocks  almost  touching  one  another 
at  the  top,  a  portall  fit  for  so  strange  an  habitation;  it  is  so 
cold  that  no  fruit  ever  growes  in  it ;  the  number  of  firre  trees 
somwhat  abates  the  horrour  of  those  high  pracipices.  The 
cloisters  are  the  longest  that  euer  I  saw,  but  three  paces 
broad ;  ther  chappells  well  adorn'd ;  the  pere  generall's 
chambers  are  inrich'd  with  pictures  of  a  uery  great  ualeu.  I 
lodged  one  night  in  the  Couent,  and  was  extremely  ciuilly  en- 
tertained, though  I  declared  my  self  to  bee  a  protestant. 
From  hence  I  went  to  Montmelian,  one  of  the  strongest  fort- 
resses in  Christendome;  to  Aiguebelle,  where  the  rockes  in- 
compas  a  plaine  in  the  forme  of  an  amphitheatre;  to  St. 
John  de  Moriene,  where  is  a  square  obelisk,  a  gilded  ball  and 
crosse  upon  it :  the  bishops  house  fairly  built ;  many  relicks 
in  the  church.     Wee  laid  at  St  Michel,  dined  next  day  at  Ma- 


72  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

dane,  and  laid  at  Lasnebourg,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Senis. 
We  passed  this  hill  with  great  difficulty,  the  weather  being 
extremly  bad.  In  the  winter  they  descend  by  the  r amass, 
sliding  downe  the  hill  a  league  high  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 
Wee  went  downe  the  other  side  in  a  chair :  the  Marans  who 
carry  us  step  from  stone  to  stone  in  the  most  dangerous  places 
with  such  confidence  and  speed,  that  without  slipping  of  ther 
feet,  though  in  rainy  weather,  they  carried  us  downe  two 
leagues  in  lesse  then  two  hours.  Wee  lodg'd  at  Suse,  where 
the  tower  of  the  church  is  the  neatest  thing  I  observed. 
Wee  passed  by  Riuoli,  an  house  of  the  Duke  of  Sauoy's :  and 
are  now,  thankes  be  to  God,  in  good  health  at  Turino.  The 
Duke  of  Sauoy  is  a  man  of  a  midle  or  rather  low  stature,  light 
browne  haire,  pleasant  in  conuersation,  and  one  that  spends 
most  of  his  time  in  hunting ;  hee  hath  his  buck  hounds  from 
England,  and  pays  forty  pistolls  a  couple  for  them;  his 
palace  the  most  rich  for  gilding  I  have  yet  seen ;  a  closet 
furnished  with  limmings  strangely  neat ;  into  which  they  enter 
by  a  gallery.  The  new  buildings  are  stately  and  more  uni- 
form than  any  in  France.  One  sees  through  his  highness's 
pallace,  and  the  whole  neat  built  towne,  at  one  view.  There 
are  two  places  uery  noble  and  cloysterd,  the  church  of  St. 
Carlo ;  the  Jesuits  are  rich  beyond  expression  ;  the  cupulo  of 
St  Jean  noble.  The  marble  buildings  here  must  needs  goe 
beyond  the  freestone  of  France.  I  had  almost  forgot  the 
duke's  gallery,  so  famous  for  its  old  Roman  statuas  ;  the  por- 
traytures  of  the  family  of  this  prince,  and  its  painted  roof, 
besides  the  library,  and  the  length  of  it;  a  banquetting  house 
also,  upon  the  walls  of  the  towne,  furnished  with  draughts, 
mappes,  and  limminges.  I  was  this  day  at  Millefleur,  an 
handsome  house  of  the  Duke's,  at  Mont  Callier,  well  furnish- 
ed with  pictures,  and  at  Valentin  not  inferior  to  his  palace 
at  Turin.  On  Saturday  wee  goe  towards  Genoa.  I  saw 
here  yesterday  one  whom  they  report  to  be  brother  to  the 
great  Turk,  his  picture  I  have  inclosed  herein. 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Turin,  Nouember  5,  1664. 


1664.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  73 

Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  brother  Thomas. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

DEARE    BROTHER, 

I  sent  you  the  picture  of  a  dominican  frier  from  Tu- 
rin, the  brother  (as  they  say)  to  the  grand  Turck.  I  would 
not  loose  any  opportunity  of  writing  to  you.  I  am  so  farre 
of,  and  am  unsatisfied  in  nothing  so  much  as  in  not  haueing 
your  company,  in  a  place  where  your  judgment  in  picturs 
and  statuas  would  be  so  satisfied,  and  your  fancy  pleasd. 
The  oddest  rarity  that  I  have  met  with,  is  the  tombe  of  a 
dog  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  with  Jupiter's  statua  ouer  it,  as  big 
as  St.  Christophe  a  Paris,  with  this  epitaphe  in  Italien ;  my 
father  will  interpret  it  to  you. 

Qui  giace  il  gran  Roldano  cane  del  Principe  Geo.  Andria 
D'Oria,  il  quale  per  la  sua  molta  fede  et  beneuolenza  fu  me- 
riteuole  di  questa  memoria,  et  per  che  servo  in  uita  si  grande- 
mente  fu  anco  giudicato  in  morte  douersi  Collocare  il  suo 
cenere  appresso  del  sommo  Gioue,  come  ueramente  degno 
della  real  custodia. 

Here  lies  the  great  Roldano,  the  dog  of  Prince  Andria 
Doria,  which  for  his  great  fidelity  and  beneuolence  was  di- 
seruing  of  this  memory :  and  because  hee  serued  so  greately 
in  his  life,  was  also  judged  in  his  death  to  deserue  to  haue 
his  ashes  placed  neere  great  Jupiter,  as  truly  worthy  of  so 
royall  a  custodie. 

It  was  no  ordinary  cur  that  receiued  thie  interrement,  but 
a  dog  of  500  crownes  per  annum.  I  haue  just  now  past  the 
Alpes  and  Apenines,  which  journys  put  mee  much  in  mind  of 
our  Darbishire  aduenture.4  I  long  to  bee  with  you,  which 
will  make  me  haste  for  England  after  Christmas.  If  you 
write  to  Cambridge,  present  my  sarvis  to  Mr.  Nurse,  Mr. 
Crauen,  Mr.  Arrowsmith,  and  the  rest  of  our  friends. 
Your  loueing  brother, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

Genoua,  Nou.  14,  1664. 

4  Tn  September,  1662;  the  particulars  of  which  journey  are  preserved  in  No. 
1900,  MS.  Sloan.     See  before,  page  22. 


74  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  wrote  to  you  the  last  weeke  from  Turino.  I  am 
now  come  to  Genoa.  Trauayling  in  this  country  is  more  ex- 
pensiue  then  I  could  imagine,  butt  the  hopes  of  seeing  the 
most  remarkable  places  in  Europe,  and  attaining  that  sweet 
languauge  heere  spoken,  doth  still  encourage  mee.  I  have 
been  heere  alreadie  4  dayes,  and  intend  to  morrow  or  next 
day  to  go  by  sea  to  Lerici,  a  port  of  this  state,  about  70  miles 
of.  Genoa  is  one  of  the  best  ports  in  these  seas ;  hath  a  noble 
tower  or  pharo,  the  most  stately  one  I  euer  beheld ;  the  in- 
habitants exceeding  rich ;  many  palaces  exceeding  those  of 
kings  and  princes  in  other  parts.  At  Signor  Imperiale  his 
palace,  I  saw  fish  ponds  built  of  marble,  and  set  about  with 
statuas  ;  fish  come  upon  whistling,  and  follow  one  as  hee 
walks  upon  the  side  of  the  ponds.  The  orange  and  lemon 
trees  are  delightfull,  and  come  to  better  perfection  then  in 
France.  The  water  workes  are  not  to  be  expressed ;  they 
hauing  a  great  conuenience  of  the  hill  to  make  their  water 
rise.  This  Imperiale  hath  5  daughters,  to  euery  one  whereof 
hee  giues  in  mariadge  about  thirtie  thousand  pound  sterling. 
Out  of  his  windowe  hee  can  see  so  much  of  his  owne  as  is  of 
value  vnto  him  fiftie  pound  sterling  a  day.  The  palace  of 
Prince  Doria  is  the  most  famous  in  the  citty ;  where  is  an 
auiary  or  bird  cage  of  fourscore  paces  long  and  18  broad  ; 
very  high,  so  that  many  trees  growe  vnder  it.  There  are 
also  fountaines  and  many  strange  birds ;  where  I  saw  an 
hen  of  Grand  Cayro,  &c.  In  the  garden  of  this  house  is 
a  fountaine  with  Neptune  riding  upon  3  sea  horses,  one 
of  the  noblest  in  Italic  Strada  Noua,  or  the  new  street, 
hath  eleuen  palaces,  and  is  reputed  the  fayrest  in  Europe. 
I  saw  Francesco  Maria  Balbi  his  palace,  furnished  with 
pictures  of  old  masters,  also  del  Negro  and  the  Duke  of 
Genoa  his  palace ;  the  senate  house  and  the  manner  of 
choosing  their  officers.     Their  gallies  much  delighted  mee, 


1G64.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  75 

butt  the  poor  slaues,  and  their  miserable  life,  is  a  very  piti- 
full  spectacle. 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Genoua,  Nou.  14,  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    18fi8.] 

SIR, 

I  am  now,  thanckes  bee  to  God,  safely  arriued  at 
Rome ;  haueing  inioyed  my  health  better  then  I  could  expect. 
My  last  I  wrote  to  you  was  from  Genoa,  since  which  time  I 
haue  not  found  a  good  opportunity  of  writeing.  My  greatest 
affliction  is,  that  I  cannot  hear  from  home  or  receue  your 
commands  here.  Wee  set  sayle  in  a  small  boat  from  Genoa, 
but  the  wind  being  contrary,  wee  were  four  days  before  wee 
got  half  the  way  to  Leghorn.  Wee  put  in  at  Porto  Fin  al 
Leuanto,  and  landed  at  Lerici  in  Porto  Venere.  The  coast 
is  rocky.  Near  Lerici  is  a  fort  fitted  to  a  rock  in  the  sea,  in 
which  is  a  spring  of  fresh  water.  From  hence  to  Massa,  well 
situated  on  the  side  of  an  hill  in  sight  of  the  sea,  the  princes 
garden  is  the  most  remarkable,  where  the  orange  trees  and 
myrtles  grow  to  a  uast  bignese.  Three  miles  from  hence  is 
Carrara,  from  whence  comes  the  best  marble  in  Italy.  From 
thence  to  Luca,  a  towne  that  lyes  upon  flat  ground,  incom- 
pas'd  round  with  hills,  at  three  or  four  miles  distance.  Tis  a 
place  extremely  well  fortified,  hath  eleuen  bastions  and  a 
wall  of  earth  that  four  coaches  may  goe  a  brest  on ;  the  side 
shoring,5  and  set  with  fiue  rowes  of  poplars  round  the  towne. 
There  is  a  good  armory  in  the  Gonfaloniere's  palace.  To 
Pisa,  where  the  church  is  admirable  for  its  pictures,  mosaique 
work  in  stone  and  wood.  The  gates  of  bronze  rarely  car- 
ued  ;  they  report  them  to  be  those  that  belonged  formerly  to 
the  temple  of  Hierusalem.  At  one  end  of  this  church  is  a 
very  high  steeple,  with  eight  rowes  of  marble  pillars,  one 

5  Sloping,  aslant ;  from  the  oblique  or  slanting  position  of  a  shore,  or  buttress.     A 
Norfolk  word.     See  Forby's  Vocabulary  of  East  Avglia. 


76  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

above  another,  built  purposely  awry.  At  the  other  is  a 
round  church  dedicated  to  St  John,  with  a  noble  pulpit  and 
baptistair  in  it.  On  the  north  side  stand es  the  Campo  Santo, 
the  noblest  buriing  place  surely  in  Christendome.  Among 
the  rest  lyes  Mathilda.  Wee  saw  Bartolus  his  hous,  and  the 
physick  garden,  ouer  which  is  written,  hie  Argus  esto,  nan 
Briar eus ;  tis  a  long  square,  not  well  furnished  with  plants, 
nor  yet  very  big.  In  the  closet  of  rarities  were  many  things 
remarkable :  a  beast  which  they  called  a  syren ;  Egyptian 
idolls,  much  larger  than  those  I  had  seen  before  ;  all  sorts 
and  productions  of  mineralls,  very  orderly  placed  ;  with  gum- 
mi,  resinae,  &c.  At  Legorne,  the  Duke  of  Florence  his  sta- 
tua,  with  4  slaues  tied  to  the  pedistalls,  is  uery  noble.  The 
streets  there  are  uniforme,  and  the  houses  well  painted.  Wee 
happened  to  be  there  on  St  Cicilis  day,  the  festiuall  of  the 
musitians;  so  as  wee  heard  the  eunuchs  singe.  One  Coseni 
hath  the  noblest  voice  of  any  in  Tuscany.  At  Florence,  for 
statuas  of  Baccio  Bandinelli,  of  Michael  Angelo ;  and  for 
pictures  of  all  the  rare  masters  of  Italy  and  elsewhere ;  for 
an  inestimable  treasure,  for  raritis  of  all  sorts,  the  Dukes  gal- 
lery and  closets  goe  beyond  all  that  is  possible  to  be  seen. 
Amongst  other  masters,  Corregios  paintings  pleased  mee 
best.  The  cathedral  is  of  black  and  white  marble ;  the  cu- 
pola as  high  again  as  Boston  steeple.  At  the  west  end  an 
old  temple  of  Mars  made  into  a  church.  St.  Laurence  chap- 
pell  is  couered  in  the  inside  with  pretious  stones ;  the  alter  is 
of  an  inestimable  valew,  set  with  large  topaces  and  other 
stones,  long  pillars  of  chrystalls,  and  the  like.  Wee  saw 
Michel  Angelo's  tombe,  with  Painting,  Caruing,  and  Archi- 
tecture lamenting  him :  Baccio  Bandinelli  his,  carued  by  his 
own  hand  :  a  very  neat  library  of  manyscripts,  the  desighn  of 
the  front  of  it  by  Michal  Angelo ;  and  many  other  very  re- 
markable things,  wich  would  take  up  too  much  roome  to 
describe.  Of  Rome  I  can  say  but  little,  haueing  beene  here 
but  a  day  and  a  hafe.  Two  mile  before  wee  came  to  the 
towne,  we  saw  Neros  sepulchre,  passed  ouer  the  Via  Flaminia, 
a  uery  noble  entrance  to  the  city,  and  came  in  at  Porta  dell 
Popolo,  where  stands  an  /Egiptian  obelisk,  dedicate  al  sole 
da  Augusto  nel  circo  massimo,  and  makes  a  braue  [show], 


1664.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  77 

down  three  long  streets  which  look  against  it.  The  amphi- 
theatre not  so  intire  as  that  at  Nismes.  Tis  still,  besides 
what  is  underground,  as  high  again  as  the  castell  at  Norwich. 
The  reliques  of  the  old  capitoll,  new  capitoll,  Vespatian  and 
Constantines  triumphall  arches,  St  Peters  and  the  buildings 
by  it  by  this  present  pope,6  very  magnificent.  An  obelisk 
stands  before  it  but  without  hieroglyphicks.  Mr.  Wray  is 
here  at  Rome  :  hee  hath  been  in  Sicilia  and  Malta.  I  haue 
bought  itinerario  D  Italia  di  Franc.  Scoto,  which  giues  mee 
notice  of  most  thinges  remarkable  in  Italy,  in  which  also  there 
are  mapps  of  all  the  great  cities.     Sir, 

Your  most  obedient  sonne 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Rome,  December  6,  1664. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Mr.  Craven. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1S68.] 

Let  it  suffice,  deare  friend,  for  this  time,  that  I  tell  you  I 
am  at  Naples,  a  place  that  goes  farre  beyound  those  great 
expectations  I  had  of  it,  and  where  I  meet  with  so  many  re- 
markables  that  I'll  not  venter  to  set  them  downe,  till  I  see 
there  be  roome  left  in  my  letter  for  them.  You  shall  know 
then,  at  present,  those  rarities  I  have  seen  this  day.  Wee 
went  from  hence  in  the  morning  by  Castello  del  Ouo,  a  rock 
in  the  form  of  an  egge,  upon  which  stands  a  strong  castell, 
which  hath  communication  under  the  ground  and  sea  with 
Castell  Novo ;  haveing  Castell  di  St  Elmo  on  the  right  hand. 
These  three  forts  held  out  against  Massinello,  and  were  the 
onely  refuges  of  the  Spaniards  in  the  eight  dayes  fury  of  that 
noble  rascall.  Hard  by  stands  the  mountaine  Pausillippo,  so 
fruitfull  that  it  beares  grapes  thrice  in  a  year,  and  green  pease 
and  hartichokes  at  present,  with  many  other  fruites,  which 
require  the  heat  of  our  summer  in  England.  Under  this 
mountain  wee  rode  very  nigh  a  mile  in  a  stately  vault,  haueing 

0  Alexander  the  Seventh. 


78  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

no  other  light  then  what  comes  in  at  both  ends ;  hallowing 
out  al  the  way,  "  al  marino,"  to  give  notice  to  others,  that 
might  chance  to  trauell  here  at  the  same  time,  which  side  to 
take.  Tis  paued  with  broad  stones,  just  as  the  Via  Appia  was, 
from  hence  to  Rome.  After  this  wee  took  dogs  and  went  to 
Grotto  del  Cane,  where  wee  saw  one  killd  out  right,  the  second, 
dead  in  appearance,  we  reuiud  by  throughing  him  into  the 
Lake  of  Agnano.  Much  taken  with  this  curiosity,  I  went  into 
the  grot  myselfe,  and  findeing  no  inconuenience  from  those 
poysonous  exhalations,  either  by  standing  or  putting  my  hand 
to  the  place  where  the  dog  died,  I  was  about  to  put  my  head 
to  it  allso ;  when,  to  the  hindrance  of  my  satisfaction  in  this 
point,  my  companions  and  the  guide  furiously  tore  mee  out  of 
the  grot,  and  I  think,  without  some  persuasions,  would  haue 
throwne  mee  into  the  lake  also.7  Hard  by  here  wee  went 
into  the  stoues  of  St.  German,  a  place  naturally  hot,  where 
many  come  to  swet.  The  house  is  diuided  into  diuers  roomes, 
some  much  hotter  then  others.  There  is  a  strong  salt  shoots 
out  of  the  walls.  From  hence  wee  went  to  a  place  now  cal'd 
Sulfaterra,  by  some  Forum  Uulcani.  If  I  had  not  seen  the 
mountain  Vesuuius  and  his  smoking  entrailes,  I  shuld  with 
more  feare  haue  approachid  these  sulfurious  breathings ;  and 
indeed  at  present  this  smoeks  the  more  furiously  of  the  two. 
"Wee  roade  about  half  a  mile  here,  where  the  earth  being 
hollow  our  horses  feet  sounded  a  march  upon  it,  till  wee  came 
to  the  thickest  of  the  smoak,  which  riseth  with  so  great  a 
force  that  casting  many  things  into  it,  it  caried  them  up  a 
great  heighth  into  the  air.  Holding  our  swords  in  it,  the 
water  dropped  from  them.  I  was  afraid  at  first  they  had 
been  melted.  Wee  were  not  able  to  put  our  hands  nighe  the 
ground  by  reason  of  the  heat.  The  smoak  of  this  place  I 
saw  fifteen  mile  of,  and  I  suppose  it  is  uisible  much  further 
by  sea.  It  is  within  a  mile  of  ancient  Puteoli,  where  wee  saw 
many  antiquities ;  an  old  amphitheatre,  ruines  of  the  sepull- 
chre  of  Virgill,  of  Cicero's  hous,  and  the  like.  Here  I  bought 
diuers  Roman  coins,  Roman  seals,  some  odd  fishes,  shells, 

7  Evelyn  tried  the  same  experiment  in  1645,  and  with  the  same  result:  but  he 
remarks  that  dogs  are  recovered  by  being  plunged  into  the  lake,  men  cannot  be  so 
recovered. 


1664.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  79 

and  such  like  curiosities.  Wee  took  boat  here  and  cros'd  this 
hauen,  three  miles,  to  Bayae,  passing  by  the  mens  of  Caligu- 
la's bridge,  which  hee  made  crose  this  arme  of  the  sea.  As 
soon  as  wee  landed  wee  went  in  to  the  sepulchre  of  Agrippine, 
under  ground  ;  the  roof  wrought  with  diuers  figures  very 
neatly.  Nigh  to  this  is  a  noble  castle,  built  by  Charles  the 
fift;  Caesar's  hous,  some  ruines  of  which  are  yet  standing; 
Marius  his  hous ;  and  part  of  the  temple  of  Hercules,  though 
fallen  into  the  sea,  are  uisible  from  hence.  Wee  saw  so  many 
ruins  that  I  haue  almost  forgot  them ;  the  most  considerable 
are  ISTero's  piscina  admirabilis,  the  plaister  more  durable  then 
stone,  made,  as  they  say,  with  the  whites  of  egges ;  Nero's 
judgement  hall  and  his  hundred  chambers,  or  prison,  under 
ground  ;  an  old  burring  place  where  they  set  up  there  urnes. 
From  hence  wee  went  into  the  Elisean  fieldes,  neare  to  which 
wee  saw  the  Dead  Sea  and  the  place  where  Caron  ferried  ouer. 
After  this  wee  saw  the  temple  of  Venus,  another  place  which 
they  called  the  termes8  of  Trulli.  After  this  Cicero's  baths, 
uery  medicinall,  as  they  report;  by  which  are  the  stones  of 
Tritola,  so  hot  that  to  one  standing  upright  they  are  insuffer- 
able. I  crept  into  them  a  uery  great  way,  being  almost  melt- 
ed. Within  halfe  a  yard  of  the  bottom  the  earth  is  cold,  but 
higher  intolerably  hot.  Here  they  haue  a  naturall  cure  for 
the  morbus  Neapolitanus.  At  the  bottom  of  the  sea  the  sand 
is  so  hot  that  I  could  not  indure  it  in  my  hand  though  the 
water  bee  cold.  From  hence  wee  went  to  the  lake  Avernus, 
the  vapour  of  which  was  formerly  so  poisonous  as  to  kill  the 
birds  fiiing  ouer  it.  Upon  the  banks  of  it  stands  the  temple 
of  Apollo.  Wee  went  into  Sibilla  Cumaea's  grot,  which  is 
five  miles  long,  reaching  from  the  lake  Avernus  to  Cuma. 
On  the  right  hand  wee  descended  by  a  narrow  passage  into 
her  chamber  wrought  in  the  sides  with  mosaique  work ;  wee 
saw  her  bath  too,  and  returned  the  same  way  out  again. 
Wee  passed  by  the  lake  of  Lucrino,  so  famous  in  former 
time,9  now  almost  stopt  up  by  the  new  mountain,  which  rose 
here  in  the  memory  of  some  of  the  fathers  of  those  that  are 
now  liuing  at  Puzzuolo.  Tis  a  vast  mountain  for  so  young  an 
one,  and  wee  had  not  time  to  goe  up  it,  to  see  the  riuer  which 

8  Thermce,  baths.  9  Famous  for  its  delicious  oysters. 


80  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

they  say  runs  at  the  top.  Nigh  it  is  the  mountain  Gauro, 
which  produceth  the  brave  Falerne  wine,  which  will  keep  an 
hundred  yeares.  Wee  came  home  by  the  iland  Nisida,  some 
two  miles  in  compasse,  belonging  to  one  gentleman,  who  in  it 
keeps  all  creatures  tame  by  force,  haueing  no  way  to  get  from 
him.  In  sight  of  Caprea,  once  the  delight  of  Tiberius,  and 
so  under  the  mountain  Pausilippo  again,  with  torches  in  our 
hands,  it  being  night  before  wee  could  reach  it,  which  wee 
passed  safely ;  the  better  by  reason  that  the  holy  virgin  is 
gouuernesse  of  this  cauerne,  and  hath  a  chappell  dedicated 
to  her  in  the  middle  of  it.  By  this  time  you  must  coniecture 
wee  had  a  good  stomach  to  our  supper,  which  wee  made  of 
pigeons,  the  best  heare  without  controuersy  in  the  world,  as 
big  as  pullets.  Their  sauce  onely  lemons,  which  are  some- 
what remarkable  by  reason  they  are  a  sort  which  have  no 
kernells  in  them.  I  could  wish  there  were  more  roome  to 
show  how  much  I  haue  an  ambition  to  sarue  you. 

Yours  for  ever, 
Naples,  December,  16,  1664.  ED.  BROWNE. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Mr.  Craven. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

Wee  went  from  Rome  to  Veletri,  twenty  miles;  from  thence 
to  Sermoneta ;  to  Piperno ;  to  Terracina,  where  are  ancient 
walls,  and  an  inscription  on  a  stone  concerning  the  draining 
of  the  fennes  by  Theodoric,  king  of  the  Goths,  a  pillar  of 
Traian,  two  lyons  at  the  gates ;  to  Fundi,  the  first  citty  of  the 
kingdome  of  Naples,  where  wee  sawe  hunting  of  buffalos,  and 
a  buffalo  drawing  of  a  bull  that  would  not  otherwise  go  for- 
ward ;  by  Aquino  to  Mola  and  Gaieta,  seated  three  sides  in 
the  sea ;  to  Garigliano,  where  is  an  amphitheatre  and  aque- 
duct ;  to  Sessa  or  St.  Agat,  where  I  had  the  first  sight  of  the 
comet,  being  up  early  in  the  morning;  to  Capua,  where  a 
noble  church  made  out  of  a  large  pretorium,  a  small  cittadelle, 
and  an  handsome  bridge. 


1664-5.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  81 

To  Naples,  where  wee  obserued  three  castles,  Castello 
Nouo,  del  Ouo,  and  St  Elmo,  where  is  the  Chartreuse,  the 
noblest  conuent  I  ever  sawe.  Nouo  and  del  Ouo  haue  a  way 
vnder  ground  vnto  each  other.  St.  Blesa  street  goes  quite 
through  the  citty.  Rue  de  Toledo  obseruable.  Wee  saw  the 
viceroy,  Cardinal  d'Arragon,  giue  audience  vnto  all  petitions 
and  complaints,  which  hee  doth  once  a  weeke.  The  front  of 
the  palace,  and  the  guards  relieved.  A  cascade,  where  the 
water  runnes  through  beasts  mouths  into  a  fountaine,  where 
Neptune  is  made  by  Bernigno.  Stables,  souldiers,  horses, 
casting  of  ordinance,  the  arsenall,  a  chappell  well  guilt,  an 
hall  where  the  pictures  of  all  the  viceroyes,  good  tapistrie  in 
two  roomes,  hall  for  comedies,  the  mole,  a  fine  fountain,  and 
a  canal. 

Sta.  Maria  de  Noua  painted  by  Josapin,  in  the  sacristie 
whereof  lye  buryed  two  famous  captaines  and  the  body  intire 
of  St.  Jacomo  de  Camerera.  The  Jesuite's  church  well 
paynted  by  Joardin ;  in  the  sacristie  a  picture  by  Guido  Re- 
nus.  Statuas  made  by  Caualliero  Bernino.  Santa  Clara, 
wherein  four  pillars,  brought  by  Constantine,  of  the  temple  of 
Jerusalem.     Tis  the  oldest  church  in  Naples. 

St.  Dominico  maior,  where  the  crucifix  spake  to  Thomas 
Aquinas,  "  bene  scripsisti  de  me  Thoma."  In  the  sacristie 
are  many  sepultures  of  kings  and  queens  in  lead,  placed  in 
truncks.  By  it  is  a  conuent  of  Jacobins,  of  which  order  there 
are  eighteen  in  this  citty. 

St.  Seuerino,  paynted  by  Belisarius,  who  fell  down  from 
the  roofe,  brake  his  neck,  and  there  lyeth  buryed.  Where 
are  also  the  sepulchres  of  three  brethren,  killd  by  their  vncle, 
the  prince  of  Salerno. 

The  church  of  St.  Gaetan,  paynted  by  Lanfranc,  hung  full 
of  tables  of  vowes  made  in  time  of  the  plague.  In  the  front 
are  eight  Corinthian  pillars  which  belonged  to  the  temple  of 
Castor  and  Pollux,  whose  statuas  lye  one  by  side  of  the  other, 
and  were  throwne  downe  when  St.  Peter  first  came  thither. 

The  noble  church  of  the  Annunciada,  paynted  by  Bassan. 
Ouer  the  altar  a  canopie  couered  with  beaten  gold,  a  taber- 
nacle of  massie  syluer  about  ten  foote  high,  and  on  each  side 
two  angels  about  the  same  hight,  of  massie  syluer,  worth 

VOL.  I.  G 


82  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664-5. 

11000  crownes.  St.  Luke's  picture  of  our  lady  round  faced. 
The  noblest  argenterie  imaginable,  among  which  a  couer  for 
the  altar  in  syluer  with  statuas.  In  the  church  queen  Joanes 
tomb,  her  crowne  and  rose  of  diamonds,  besides  cupboards 
full  of  syluer  plate  of  vast  bignesse,  hangings  for  the  whole 
church  in  satin  and  gold,  upon  cloath  of  syluer.  Wee  saw 
the  body  of  queen  Joane's  daughter,  in  a  chest,  her  hands 
and  slippers,  who  dyed  two  hundred  and  twenty  yeares  agoe. 
A  chappell  wherein  were  the  bodyes  of  twelve  saints.  Wee 
saw  two  of  the  Innocents'  bodies.  St.  John's  finger,  ecce  ag~ 
nus  dei.     St.  Barbara's  head,  which  smells  sweet. 

Wee  sawe  the  palace  of  prince  Caraciolo,  the  gallerie  filld 
with  pictures  of  the  best  masters,  of  Michael  Angelo's  Day 
of  Judgment ;  syluer  tables ;  syluer  great  shell ;  the  cabanets 
which  play  of  themselues  many  tunes,  imitating  diuers  sorts  of 
instruments  in  one ;  there  are  flue  which  dance ;  many  look- 
ing glasses,  in  some  of  which  wee  saw  only  our  backs. 

Rome,  January  2,  1664-5.  E.  B. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1S68.] 

In  my  last  journey  to  Naples  I  met  with  many  antiquities 
very  remarkable  ;  at  Terracina,  a  pillar  sit  up  by  Traian,  the 
old  walls  of  the  towne,  and  an  inscription  of  Theodoric,  when 
hee  drained  those  fenns ;  at  Garriglano,  an  amphitheatre  and 
an  aqueduct ;  at  Capua,  a  noble  praetorium,  now  made  into  a 
church ;  at  Puzzoli  and  Baias,  so  many  as  I  shall  not  haue 
roome  to  number  them.  Mr.  Crauen's  letter  here  inclosed 
containes  most  of  them.  I  went  up  monte  Vesuvio,  and  a 
litle  way  into  it,  till  the  steepnes  hindred  me.  The  whole 
ground  for  4  mile  about  is  couered  with  sinders,  and  burnt 
stone ;  at  the  top  the  ground  is  burnt  to  a  red  colour,  and 
within  it  in  many  places  it  lookes  white.  It  smokes  in  abun- 
dance of  places,  both  on  the  sides  and  at  the  bottom.  The 
circuit  of  the  mouth  I  judged  to  bee  about  three  mile,  the 


1664-5.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  83 

guid  told  us  5;  uery  deep.  In  this  is  another  hole  of  aboue  a 
mile  in  compasse,  they  say  two ;  and  in  the  middle  of  that  I 
perceued  another,  which  had  a  litle  hill  rais'd  in  the  middle 
of  it.  At  the  foot  of  the  Peak,  after  wee  had  mounted  4 
mile,  by  many  cracks  and  clefts  of  the  mountaine,  wee  left 
our  horses,  and  with  uery  much  labour  got  up  a-foot,  our  feet 
sinking  each  step  into  the  ashes ;  but  our  descent  was  ex- 
tremly  pleasant,  we  slipping  safely  10  yardes  at  a  time,  with- 
out any  inconuenience  but  that  of  haueing  ashes  in  our  shoes. 
About  this  hill  grows  the  pleasantest  and  the  least  offensive 
wine,  to  the  head,  of  any  I  haue  tasted  in  Italy.  Tis  much 
like  that  of  Condrieu,  by  Lyons.  The  plants  that  I  saw  but 
few ;  diuers  sorts  of  thornes  and  some  strawberry  trees.  At 
Naples  the  churches  goe  beyond  all  I  have  yet  seen,  setting 
aside  St.  Peter's  ;  and  the  Carthusians  here  beyond  all  other 
couents,  the  cloisters  being  supported  by  threescore  large 
marble  pillars,  and  paued  with  inlayed  marble,  in  delicat 
works  and  flowars ;  in  the  quire  are  five  noble  pieces  of  5  se- 
uerall  masters,  Paulo  Verronese,  Guido  Boloniensis,  Spanio- 
letto,  Carazzio,  Josapin.  I  saw  the  viceroy  Cardinal  Arragon, 
according  to  the  custome,  giue  audience  to  all  people  that  had 
any  business  or  petitions  to  put  to  him.  Caualliero  Dernigno 
hath  made  many  statuas  here ;  one  that  is  now  aliue  at  Rome, 
not  inferior  to  Michel  Angelo,  as  his  works  in  Piazza,  Na- 
uona,  sufficiently  testify.  On  Christmas  euen  I  saw  the  Car- 
dinalls  at  supper  at  the  Pope's  at  monte  Cauallo.  I  heard 
the  midnight  musick  at  the  Apollinari,  and  was  at  St  Maria 
Maggiore  in  the  morning,  where  the  Pope  was  expected  to 
say  masse,  but  by  reason  of  a  cold  hee  had  gotten,  it  was  per- 
formed by  Cardenall  Barberin,  the  head  of  the  colledge.  I 
haue  since  seene  some  antiquities,  as  Mausoleum  Augustij, 
Thermse  Dioclesianae,  Pantheon,  now  St.  Maria  di  rotonda, 
Cestius  his  pyramid  ;  some  palaces,  as  that  of  Pamphilio,  Jus- 
tiniano,  Mont-alto,  Barberini,  Farnese,  where  the  bull  that 
was  brought  from  Rhodes  is ;  [some]  of  the  most  ancient  and 
noble  statuas  of  Rome.  On  St  Thomas  day  wee  were  very 
kindly  entertained  by  the  Jesuites,  with  a  feast  and  good  mu- 
sick. There  are  at  present  a  great  number  of  English  men 
here  at  Rome,  seldome  so  many  knowne  here  together ;  and 

g  2 


84  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664-5, 

diuers  personnes  of  great  quality,  as  my  Lord  Sunderland, 
my  Lord  Anslo,  my  Lord  Finchinbrook.  My  Lord  Castel- 
main  is  just  now  gone.1  Mr.  Noel,  Viscount  Camden's  son, 
one  that  goes  by  the  name  of  Duke  of  Northumberland,2 
Sir  Edward  Stradling  and  Sir  Edward  Witherington,  that 
comes  hither  on  pilgrimage  out  of  Cumberland.  The  comet 
I  see  most  nights  when  it  is  clear  :  the  first  time  I  obserued 
it  was  at  Sossa,  within  30  miles  of  Naples.  The  head  was 
then  by  Crater,  and  his  tayle  almost  reached  Corhydra,  De- 
cember 16th.  The  last  time  I  saw  it  was  December  31,  when 
the  last  star  of  Orion's  sword,  Orion's  heel,  and  that,  stood 
in  a  right  line,  the  comet  to  Orion's  heel,  was  somewhat  fur- 
ther then  that  to  the  other  star.  At  Puzzolo  are  a  great 
many  Caualli  marini,z  and  old  coynes  and  seals,  but  strangers 
coming  thither  so  often,  they  hold  them  at  strange  prises, 
though  most  of  them  bee  worth  nothing.  I  bought  fowr  or 
fiue  seals,  which  cost  mee  a  pistoll,  and  some  Roman  coynes. 
Sir,  pray  be  pleased  to  allot  mee  how  long  to  stay  at  Padua ; 
which  way  I  shall  return,  ether  by  Milan,  Geneua,  and  so  to 
Paris,  or  downe  the  Rhine  to  Colen  (from  whence,  as  also  from 
Liege,  goe  coaches  euery  week  to  Paris),  or  to  Montpellier 
again,  where  I  may  bee  time  enough  to  hear  the  lecture  of 
the  plants  and  druggs,  what  you  think  most  fit  for  your 

Obedient  sonne 
Rome,  Jan.  2,  1664-5.  ED.  BROWNE. 


Mr,  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1S68.] 


SIR, 


I  intend  to  be  at  Venice  about  three  weeks  hence  ; 
though  I  shall  take  my  leave  of  Rome  with  a  great  deale  of 

1  Lord  Castlemain  had  quitted  England  in  the  preceding  year,  on  account  of  the 
conduct  of  his  Lady,  one  of  Charles  the  Second's  mistresses. 

2  Son  of  the  Duchess  of  Portsmouth. 

3  Cavallo  marino  is  the  Italian  name  given  to  the  Hippopotamus,  and  sometimes 
to  the  Tapiir ;  but  in  the  present  instance  it  refers  to  a  much  smaller  animal,  the 
Hippocampus,  Syngnathus  Hippocampus,   Lin. 


1665.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  85 

regret,  and  leaue  behind  mee  some  noble  things  unseen, 
though  when  the  weather  is  fair,  I  am  commonly  imploy'd  in 
viewing  antiquities,  pallaces,  statuas,  and  other  curiosities, 
which  Rome,  aboue  all  other  places,  is  famous  for.  Of  any 
Naumachia  there  is  not  any  thing  standing,  nor  of  any  circus 
within  the  walls.  I  saw  that  of  Caracalla  out  of  Porta  St 
Sebastiano,  the  walls  of  wich  are  yet  standing ;  round  the  top 
of  it  were  inclosed  urnes,  pretty  large,  at  about  a  foot  dis- 
tance one  from  another ;  they  haue  broken  them  all,  great 
pieces  stick  still  in  the  walls.  For  sepulchres  about  Rome, 
there  are  abondance ;  the  most  remarkable  that  I  haue  seen 
are,  of  Adrian,  or  Castel  Sto  Angelo,  Mausoleum  Augusti, 
Metellus  his  monement,  just  by  the  Praetorian  camp,  and 
Plautius  by  Tiuoli.  Vespasian's  amphitheatre,  though  much 
ruined,  and  out  of  the  stones  of  it  Farnesi's  pallace,  one  of 
the  most  splendid  in  Rome,  was  built,  and  diuers  others  bor- 
row dayly  from  it,  yet  is  still  a  miracle ;  and  is  one  story  or 
two  of  arches  higher  then  that  of  Nismes.  For  theatres, 
that  of  Pompey  is,  as  it  were,  totally  ruined,  and  without  ex- 
act serening  one  finds  nothing  of  it.  The  building  of  Savel- 
lis  pallace,  upon  Marcellus  his  theatre,  hath  preserued  what 
is  left.  There  are  some  ruines  left  of  Pons  Triumphalis,  and 
Pons  Sublicius,  upon  wich  Hor.  Codes  defended  Rome. 
Janus  square  temple,  like  4  triumphall  arches,  I  haue  seen, 
and  many  round  ones,  as  the  Pantheon,  St  Bernardo,  and  St 
Stefano  di  rotunda.  For  bathes  then,  in  which  the  Romans 
were  in  nothing  more  magnificent,  there  are  uast  ruines  re- 
maining of  Antoninus'  and  Dioclesian's ;  out  of  the  latter  di- 
uers noble  churches  are  built,  and  they  take  up  as  much 
ground,  as  would  serue  to  build  a  large  towne  upon,  For 
triumphall  arches,  there  are  diuers,  as  of  Seuerus,  Constan- 
tine,  Titus,  &c.  Arcus  Portugalliae  was  pull'd  doune  2 
yeares  since,  becaus  it  hindred  the  prospect  of  Don  Mario's, 
the  Popes  brother's,  house.  I  haue  often  admired  the  pillars 
of  Traian  and  Antoninus,  the  5  greater  obelisks,  Piazza  Na- 
uona,  that  at  Porta  del  populo,  that  before  St.  Peters,  before 
St.  John  de  Lateran,  and  that  before  St  Maria  Maggiore : 
yet  there  is  a  single  Corinthian  pillar  taken  out  of  the  temple 
of  Peace,  that  stands  behinde  this  last  church,  which  makes 


86  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

as  great  a  show  as  most  of  these ;  the  blessed  virgin  stands 
on  it;  St.  Paul  on  Antoninus',  and  St.  Peter  on  Traian's 
pillar.  Another  lesser  obeliske  there  is,  standing  by  St.  Bar- 
tholomeo,  another  I  saw  in  Medici's  garden,  another  great 
one,  but  not  rais'd,  in  Barberino  his  pallace.  That  in  the 
garden  of  Mattei  I  haue  not  yet  seen.  I  haue  seen  Cestius 
his  pyramid,  nere  wich  is  Mons  Testaceus,  betwixt  the  Pa- 
latin  and  Auentin  hill,  hard  by  where  the  Circus  Maximus 
was,  stande  noble  ruenes  of  Augustus  his  pallace.  The 
French  pyramid  is  a  thing  ridiculous,  the  inscription  is  no- 
thing as  they  giue  out,  and  placed  so  as  one  may  liue  a  long 
while  here  without  seeing  it.  I  took  notice  of  it  as  I  went  to 
the  Ghetto  or  place  where  the  Jewes  liue,  where  I  saw  a  cir- 
cumcision. I  have  been  at  the  Greeks,  and  saw  all  there 
ceremonys  of  blessing  the  water,  &c.  To-morrow  is  the 
great  ceremony  here  of  blessing  the  horses.  I  have  been 
weary  long  agoe  of  seeing  of  relickes,  there  are  such  an  in- 
finite number  of  them.  Mr.  Wray  hath  made  a  collection  of 
plants,  fisshes,  foules,  stones,  and  other  rarities,  which  hee 
hath  with  him ;  and  Mr.  Skippon,  besides  a  great  number 
which  hee  hath  sent  home,  though  they  had  the  illfortune  to 
loos  one  venture  with  a  seruant  of  thers,  who  is  now  slaue  in 
Tunes.  I  went  with  them  to  Tiuoli.  Cardinall  d'Estes 
garden,  there,  goes  beyond  all  in  Italy  and  France.  The 
whole  riuer  hard  by  it  falls  a  uery  great  heighth  and  runs 
under  ground.  Wee  saw  Sibella  Tiburtina's  temple  and 
grott.  Wee  saw  a  large  .^Egyptian  statue,  and  by  chance 
the  manner  of  making  oyle.  Wee  past  a  riuer  which  is  of  a 
perfect  blew  colour,  and  stinkes  intollerably ;  tasting  of  it  it 
made  mee  sick,  all  about  it  the  ground  is  petrified.  There 
are  stones  just  in  the  shape  of  sugar  plums,  I  haue  been  also 
at  Frescati,  which  is  one  of  the  most  noted  places  in  Italy  for 
water  works.  I  was  the  other  night  at  the  Queene  of  Swe- 
den's, shee  is  low  and  fat,  a  litle  crooked ;  goes  commonly  in 
a  ueluet  coat,  crauat,  and  a  man's  perruke ;  she  is  continually 
merry,  hath  a  free  carriage  with  her,  talks  and  laughs  with 
all  strangers,  whom  shee  entertains,  once  in  a  weeke,  with 
musick,  and  now  this  carniuall  euery  other  night  with  come- 
dies.    I  haue  seen  KLircher,  who  was  extremely  courteous 


1665.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  87 

and  ciuill  to  us,  and  his  closet  of  raritys ;  the  most  consider- 
able, and  which  I  neuer  saw  in  any  other,  are  his  engines  for 
attempting  perpetuall  motions,  and  other  pretty  inuentions, 
which  I  understande  much  the  better  for  haveing  read  Doc- 
tor Wilkins  Mechanicall  Powers.  His  head  that  speaks, 
and  which  hee  calls  his  Oraculum  Delphicum,  is  no  great 
matter.  Hee  hath  the  modell  of  all  the  obelisks,  and  hath 
inuented  one  himself  for  the  Queen.  Ventiducts,  aqueducts, 
and  making  instruments,  are  seene  neatly  performd  in  so  litle 
a  space.  A  Clepsydra  hee  hath,  pictures  of  many  famous 
men,  and  most  of  those  raritys  which  are  seen  in  other  Mu- 
sasums.  I  dare  buy  litle  here,  by  reason  I  shall  bee  search- 
ed so  often  before  I  come  at  Venice,  which  I  haue  often 
found  extremely  troublesome  and  chargeable ;  but  at  Venice, 
if  you  pleas  to  write  mee  word  what  you  pleas  to  haue,  there 
is  a  conuenience  of  shiping  any  thing  for  England,  with  out 
any  farther  trouble. 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
Rome,  January  16,  1665. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

Not  being  willing  to  loose  all  this  winter  without 
seeing  anatomies,  makes  mee  come  out  of  Rome  so  soone, 
though  I  shall  allwayes  regret  the  occasion  left  of  seeing  many 
rarities  in  that  city,  though  for  the  antiquities,  I  think  none 
escaped  mee,  and  for  the  palaces,  the  chief  I  haue  seen. 
Borghese's  is  one  of  the  noblest ;  but  his  uilla  is  beyond  com- 
pare, where  besides  the  park,  gardens,  and  waterworkes,  his 
hous  on  the  outside  is  set  all  with  statuas  and  old  sepulchres. 
Three  new  statuas  by  P.  Bernino  are  incomparable :  Dauid 
throwing  a  stone,  biting  his  lip,  Anchises  carried  by  iEneas, 
and  Apollo  laying  his  hand  on  Daphne's  side ;  for  old  ones, 
are  Seneca  in  the  bath  of  black  marble,  the  Gladiater,  Venus 
clipping  Cupid's  wings.,  Diana  and  an  old  woman  with  a  dog. 


88  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

In  Beluedere,  the  garden  to  the  Vatican,  are  statuas  of  the 
greatest  note.     Twelve  idols,  brought  from  the  Pantheon, 
Laocoon,  Apollo,  Cleopatra,  lying  along  (it  is  pity  the  foun- 
tain ouer  it  doth  it  so  much  iniury),  two  Venus's,  one  come- 
ing  from  the  bath,  Commodus   like  Hercules,   four  riuers, 
Saturnus,  and  that  delicat  statua  of  Antinous.     Here  I  saw 
also  the  peacockes  and  pine  apple  in  bronze,  that  held  the 
ashes  of  Adrian,  upon  the  top  of  Castell  St.  Angelo.    Most  of 
the  rarities  out  of  towne  I  have  seene.     I  have  seene  a  great 
way  in   Roma   Sotorranea,   in   two  seuerall  places.     I   saw 
Bachus  his  tombe,  Frescati,  Tiuoli,  and  Aqua  Aretosa,  about 
two  miles  out  of  Rome,  handsomely  adorn'd  by  this  Pope.     I 
was  diuers  times  at  the  hospitelles  ;  that  of  St.  Spirito  is  a 
uery  large  one,  and  that  of  St.  Giacomo  for  the  curables  ;  at 
this  latter  I  gat  an  acquaintance  with  an  honest  chirurgeon, 
who  died,  while  I  was  there,  very  sudainly,  Sr  Nicolo.  Rome 
is  notable  for  sore  legges,  and  the  hospitelles  allwayes  full  of 
them ;  and  for  the  lues  venerea  they  are  neuer  without  a  great 
number.     I  have  not  seen  the  comet  now  a  great  while.     I 
beleeue  it  disappeard  about  the  tropick  of  Cancer,  appearing 
first  about  the  head  of  Capricorne ;  I  obserued  it  as  much  as 
I  could  with  so  little  help  or  acquaintance  giuen  to  those 
studies ;  the  center  of  its  motion  I  thinke  was  about  the  neck 
of  Taurus,  waning  nigh  twenty  times  as  fast  sometimes  as  at 
another.     For  prints,  coins,  intaglias,  and  such  rarities,  if  I 
had  had  mony  there,  I  could  haue  bought  many,  but  the  fear 
of  not  conueniently  drawing  my  bills  from  Venice,  and  the 
professed  knaue  that  our  English  marchand  at  Rome  is,  made 
mee  be  sparing,  and  yet  I  am  here  at  my  last,  so  uastly  more  ex- 
pensiue  is  lining  here  then  I  expected ;  but  my  companions,  I 
suppose,  will  lend  mee  till  I  come  at  Venice.     Wee  came  out 
of  Rome  twenty  in  company,  and  by  reason  of  the  bad  way 
haue  bin  thirten  days  coming  to  Bologna.     Wee  passed  the 
Apenin  to  Loreto,  with  a  great  deal  of  difficulty,  though  at 
another  time  the  way  bee  good,  and  mount  Soma,  in  Vmbria, 
the  highest  hill  wee  passed.     Spoleto  is  a  great  towne.     Fu- 
ligni  the  best  auenus  I  euer  saw  ;  wee  happined  to  be  there 
on  St.  Falicians,  their  saint's  day,  so  by  Casa  Noua,  Volcima- 
ra,  Macerata,  Recanati,  by  an  ancient  aqueduct  to  Loreto, 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  89 

where  wee  saw  the  tresory,  the  holy  hous,  and  bought  those 
toys  which  they  sell,  as  beads,  night  caps,  &c.  Our  queen 
mother's  present  is  an  heart  in  gold,  with  her  name  in  good 
diamonds,  and  her  picture  in  limming  with  in  it.  At  Ancona, 
the  marchand's  hous,  the  mole,  and  the  triumphall  arch,  as 
new  as  if  it  were  made  yesterday,  are  the  most  remarkable. 
By  Senigaglia,  Fano,  where  is  a  neat  place  in  imitation  of  a 
Naumachia  made  by  Paulus  5;  Pesaro,  where  are  diuers 
Roman  inscriptions ;  to  Rimini,  where  the  arch  is  the  best 
antiquity,  by  Siccigniano ;  Immola  and  other  places  of  smaller 
note  to  Bologna.  It  being  carnauall  time,  wee  haue  seene 
there  madness  all  along,  masquings,  dancings,  and  the  like. 
My  Lord  Sunderland,  Mr.  Noell,  Sir  Ed.  Stradling,  Mr.  Sa- 
uill,  Mr.  Soames,  Mr.  Skipwith,  all  persons  of  good  quality, 
are  upon  the  road  with  mee ;  and  Dr.  Palman,  a  physitian,  a 
uery  ciuill  person,.  The  cuts  of  the  Poe  being  frozen,  wee 
are  forced  to  stay  two  or  three  days  here,  and  then  by  water 
wee  goe  to  Venice.  This  towne,  for  couents  and  good  houses, 
may  compare  with  most  in  Italy ;  the  schools  are  fair.  St. 
Michell  in  Bosco,  painted  by  Carazzio,  wee  saw  to  day.  I 
want  only  the  sight  of  Aldrouandus  his  museum,  which  I  am 
now  going  to.  My  duty  to  yourself  and  my  mother. 
I  am  your  most  obediant  son, 

ED.  BROWNE. 

This  hath  been  the  coldest  winter  that  hath  been  known 
this  forty  year.  It  froze  twenty  days  together,  before  I  came 
out  from  Rome ;  the  cuts  of  the  Poe  are  still  so  frozen  that 
wee  cannot  pase ;  so  as  to  morrow  wee  goe  for  Ferrara  by 
land,  in  uery  bad  way.  I  saw  Aldrouandi  musaeum,  where  are 
the  gretest  collections  of  naturall  things  I  euer  saw ;  and  be- 
sides bookes  painted  of  all  sorts  of  annimalls,  there  are  twelue 
large  folios  of  plants,  most  exquisitely  painted.  Cortona  is 
the  best  painter  in  Rome. 

Bologna,  February  7,  1665. 

***  The  following  twelve  letters  relate  to  that  small  portion  of  the  present  tour 
which  forms  the  subject  of  the  concluding  chapter  of  Dr.  E.  Browne's 
Travels,  fol.  1685. 


90  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  wrote  to  you  last  weeke  from  Bologna.  From 
thence  we  came  to  Ferrara  by  land,  the  way  being  extremely 
bad,  and  many  of  the  banks  broken  downe,  and  one  large 
streame,  about  twice  as  broad  as  Norwich  riuer,  broake  out  of 
its  wonted  channell,  and  ouerflowed  all  the  country  within  six 
or  seven  miles  of  Ferrara ;  at  wch  place  the  piazza,  domo, 
this  pope's  statua,  the  square  palace,  with  all  the  dukes 
paynted  on  the  walls  of  it,  are  the  most  remarkable.  I  saw 
also  Ariosto's  tomb,  in  the  Benedictine's  church,  and  a  good 
comedie  at  night.  Three  miles  from  hence  wee  imbarked 
upon  the  Po,  and  that  night  were  fayn  to  lay  in  a  hay  cham- 
ber belonging  to  an  inne  upon  the  banck  side.  Next  day, 
impatient  to  see  Venice,  wee  tooke  post  boates,  and  made 
threescore  miles  before  night,  through  diuers  sluces  and  cutt 
riuers,  and  passed  by  Malamocco,  where  lay  many  Dutch 
shipps.  Chiozza  and  Pollestrina  were  the  biggest  townes  wee 
passed  by.  I  am  now  at  the  consul's  house,  with  thirtie 
English  more,  wch  made  this  tedious  iourney  lesse  vnpleasant ; 
trauayling  thirteen  dayes  together  from  Rome  to  Bologna,  in 
very  bad  way  and  wether,  except  upon  the  coast  of  the  Adri- 
atick,  betwixt  Ancona  and  Rimini ;  upon  which  coast  wee  found 
prettie  shells  and  stones  resembling  beanes,  for  twentie  miles 
together  sometimes.  I  haue  seen  litle  of  Venice  as  yet,  butt 
haue  alreadie  had  a  good  prospect  thereof  from  the  top  of 
St  Marke's  steeple;  haue  been  at  the  Rialto,  and  at  the 
palace,  and  at  an  opera  the  last  night,  wherein  were  the  best 
lines  that  euer  were,  though  the  scenes  haue  been  formerly 
better.  The  singing  is  good  beyond  imagination ;  Ciccolini, 
the  most  famous  eunuch  in  Italie,  sings  in  it,  and  yet  is  much 
out  done  by  a  woeman,  named  Catharina  Porri.  Sights,  rope 
dancing,  flying  downe  ropes,  and  diuers  showes,  in  the 
piazza  of  St  Mark,  diuertise  the  people  continually  in  publick 
all  the  time  of  the  carniual.  They  also  hunt  bulls,  and 
yesterday  stroake  of  the  heads  of  three  with  swords,  and  one 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  91 

so  luckily  as  to  passe  the  bone  at  one  stroake.  I  saw  this  day 
a  woeman  whose  head  hung  downe  to  her  wast,  her  forhead 
downeward ;  born  so.  The  anatomies  at  Padua  beginne  the 
second  day  in  Lent,  where,  God  willing,  I  shall  bee.  I  am 
glad  my  journey  of  Italie  is  so  farre  ouer,  hauing  seen  most 
things  remarbable  in  so  many  places  of  it,  except  Lombardie, 
wch  I  may  take  in  my  way  homeward. 

Venice,  Febr.  13,  1665.  E.  BROWNE. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Jus  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 


SIR, 


I  received  two  letters  from  you  yesterday,  and 
haue  met  with  a  great  many  more  at  Venice  and  Padoua.  I 
intend  not  to  come  by  Lions  or  Geneua  ;  the  way  being  too 
bad  to  crosse  the  Alpes  ouer  Mount  Godard,  Mount  Sam- 
pion,  or  Mount  Senis.  I  think  it  will  not  bee  worth  my 
staying  much  longer  when  I  haue  seen  the  practise  in  the  hos- 
pitalls.  The  anatomy  is  done  ;  it  hath  giuen  mee  gi'eat  satis- 
faction, not  in  any  thing  that  hath  been  said  upon  the  parts, 
but  in  seeing  the  praparations,  which  was  done  so  neatly,  that 
I  think  I  shall  neuer  see  any  thing  like  it  againe.  'Twas 
young  Marchetti  that  dissected ;  hee  first  learned  this  dexte- 
rity of  Sr  John  Finch,4  a  worthy  gentleman,  and  of  great 
esteem  all  ouer  Italy,  and  one  that  in  anatomy  hath  taken  as 
much  pains  as  most  now  liuing.  Hee  hath  tables  of  the 
veines,  nerues,  and  arteries,  fiue  times  more  exact  then  are 
described  in  any  author.  I  am  particularly  obliged  to  him, 
hee  doing  mee  the  fauour  of  showing  mee  the  receptaculum 

4  Younger  brother  to  Sir  Heneage  Finch  (afterwards  Earl  of  Nottingham).  He 
studied  physic  early,  travelled  into  Italy,  and  became  doctor  of  his  faculty  at 
Padua :  of  which  university  he  was  afterwards  chosen  syndic.  He  was  made 
English  consul  at  Padua,  and  his  statue  in  marble  was  set  up  there,  "  in  contempla- 
tion and  memory  of  his  excellent  government."  The  great  duke  made  him  the 
public  professor  at  Pisa.  On  the  restoration  of  Charles  II.  he  revisited  his  native 
country,  and  was  presented  by  Lord  Clarendon  to  the  king,  who  knighted  him, 
June  10,  1661.  In  1665  he  was  sent  resident  for  Charles  II.  with  the  great  duke 
of  Tuscany.  He  subsequently  became  ambassador  at  Constantinople  for  some 
years.     He  died  18th  Nov.  1682. —  Wood's  Athena:. 


92  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

chyliductus  thoracicus,  ductus  Whartoni,  and  ductus  Stenonis, 
in  a  dog,  which  wee  got  for  the  purpose.  Hee  is  a  great 
honourer  of  you,  sir,  which  made  him  willing  to  doe  me  a 
kindnesse,  though  hee  be  nice  in  showing  any  thing  in  ana- 
tomy. My  design  as  to  my  journey  is  to  goe  directly  into 
Prouence,  if  the  plague  be  ceaced  there,  and  from  thence,  as 
I  find  opportunity,  to  Paris,  by  some  way  which  I  have  not  - 
yet  gone.  I  haue  laide  aside  my  thoughts  of  seeing  Ger- 
many, chusing  rather  to  be  perfect  in  Italian  and  French  then 
to  understand  Dutch  also,  and  haue  but  a  smattering  of  all 
three.  I  think  I  shall  haue  Mr.  Trumbulls5  companye  againe, 
at  least  some  part  of  the  way.  There  is  heere  an  academy  ; 
those  of  it  call  themselves  /  recouerati;  one  made  a  speech 
about  the  last  commet,  which  I  read  in  print.  Hee  afirms 
that  there  was  at  first  obserued  a  large  parallax  by  obserua- 
tion  from  diuers  places,  but  by  some  instances  in  his  discourse 
I  perceive  he  understands  not  the  business,  and  names  places 
where  it  was  seen  different  five  degrees,  but  in  such  a  part  of 
the  heauen  where  tis  impossible  for  it  to  bee  seen,  by  obser- 
uations  made  from  such  parts  of  the  earth.  But  I  hope 
some  astronomer  will  write  of  it ;  the  relation  of  it  would  bee 
mighty  pleasing  to  mee,  haueing  made  some  obseruation  of 
its  motion  my  self  at  Rome.  The  best  picture  that  euer  I 
saw,  and  which  I  think  goes  beyond  Michell  Angelo's  day  of 
judgment,  is  in  the  refectory  of  the  conuent  of  St  Georges  at 
Venice.  Tis  a  marriage  by  Paul  Veronese,  upon  a  piece  of 
cloth  four  times  as  big  as  your  Icarus. 

Your  obediant  Sonne, 
Padoua,  March  20,  1665.  ED.  BROWNE. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Ms  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  am  now  resolued  not  to  come  through  Germany, 
haueing  seen  so  little  of  Lombardy,  and  nothing  of  Prouence. 

5  Afterward?  Sir  William  Trumbull. 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  93 

The  ways  are  still  very  bad,  though  the  weather  begins  to 
be  hot.  The  plants  are  now  come  out  in  the  garden  which  I 
uisit  sometimes.  I  haue  agreed  with  the  gardiner  to  make 
mee  a  book  of  600  plants ;  and  Mr.  Short  will  dooe  mee  the 
fauour  to  order  the  sending  of  them  into  England.  The 
hospitalls  at  Padua  are  not  so  full  as  they  used.  Those  sick 
of  venereall  diseases  being  sent  to  the  house  at  Venice,  where 
they  sweat.  I  am  sorry  that  I  haue  not  time  enough  before 
my  journey  to  learn  some  considerable  matter  in  architecture, 
being  I  shall  suddenly  haue  occasion  to  see  some  noble  build- 
ings. Rome  will  euer  make  mee  loue  that  study,  and  that  so 
deservedly  admired  fabrick  of  St  Peters  will  teach  mee  how 
to  value  all  other  buildings ;  and  certainly  the  Romans  neuer 
did  any  thing  beyond  it.  The  coliseum  or  amphitheatre  of 
Domitian  must,  I  thinke,  give  way  to  it.  The  panthean  in  ef- 
fect stands  upon  the  church,  the  cupola  being  of  the  same 
bignesse  ;  and  then  the  hole  at  the  top  of  it  is  so  much 
stronger  contriued,  that  the  weight  of  another  cupola  stands 
upon  it.  For  the  Santo  at  Padua,  the  quire  is  neat ;  behind 
St  Antonios  altarr  the  best  basso  relieuo  that  I  have  seen, 
done  by  Sansouinus,  Tullius  Lombardus,  and  Compagno 
Veronensis.  For  the  body,  tis  but  ill  ordered,  and  the  midle 
naue  or  isle  is  three  yards  too  broad  proportionally  to  the 
other.  St  Justina  is  beautifull,  but  I  doe  not  understand  the 
architecture  of  it  perfectly  ;  it  being  not  of  an  ordinary  de- 
sighne.  In  the  Duke  of  Norfolks  house  is  a  facciata  of  good 
architecture  after  the  Dorick  way.  I  am  now  come  to 
Venice  to  see  the  ceremonies  at  this  time.  This  day  being 
Good  Friday,  the  next  Monday  I  am  for  Padua  again,  and 
about  the  latter  end  of  the  week  I  hope  to  set  out  towards 
Montpellier.  Here  there  will  be  little  more  for  me  to  see, 
especially  of  what  I  cannot  see  in  another  place.  The  reme- 
dies used  here  are  not  extraordinary,  few  understanding  chy- 
mistry ;  yet  of  very  ordinary  things  I  see  uery  good  successe  ; 
and,  onely  purging,  and  drinking  decoctions  of  guiacum,  and 
salsaparilla,  people  are  remedied  beyound  all  expectations. 
Here  is  a  disease  which  they  say  is  particular  to  this  country; 
it  affect  the  bones  principally,  and  is  call'd  by  Marchetti  spina 
uentosa.     I  am  at  present  inclined  to  be  hot  and  feuerish;  I 


94  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

will  be  let  blood.  I  am  somewhat  afraid  to  purge,  unless  it 
bee  with  rubarb,  or  something  that  may  be  astringent  after- 
ward. I  haue  drunk  pure  wine  euer  since  I  came  into  Italy, 
But  I  begin  now  to  drink  all  water,  or  uery  little  wine  with  it. 
Temperance  and  an  umbrella  must  be  my  defence  against  the 
heats.  Mr.  Wray  and  Mr.  Skippon  went  lately  from  hence 
through  Switzerland  towards  Geneua.  The  diabolino  danc- 
ing in  the  water,  which  I  saw  at  Kirchers  study,  is  now  shown 
upon  St  Mark's  place  ;  I  bought  some  of  them,  and  saw  them 
made.  If  I  can  see  the  treasury  on  Monday,  I  shall  haue 
left  little  unseen  which  is  remarkable  in  Venice  ;  having  seen 
the  arsenall,  the  galeasses,  the  bucentora,  in  which  vessel  the 
Duke  of  Venice  marieth  the  sea,  the  working  of  all  things 
belonging  to  galleys  and  the  armories.  The  first  ceremony 
which  I  saw  here  last  night  was  the  processions,  and  those 
which  whip  them  selfs ;  a  sight  more  cruell  then  I  could  well 
imagine,  and  which  forced  from  mee  a  detestation  of  so  bar- 
barous a  solemnity.  I  lately  saw  two  circumcisions  at  Padoua. 
The  Greeke  church  here  is  small,  but  well  built.  The  Ar- 
menean  service  I  haue  not  yet  seen,  by  reason  they  doe  not 
goe  to  church  in  Lent.         Your  obediant  Sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Venice,  April,  %  1665. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[ms.  sloan.  1868,  and  bibl.  eodleian.  ms.  rawlinson.  Iviii.] 
SIR, 

Since  my  coming  to  Padua,  I  have  received  a  great 
many  letters  from  you,  some  sent  a  great  while  since  to  Mont- 
pellier ;  your  last  was  of  Feb.  27.  That 6  letter  wich  I  wrote 
to  you  from  Bologna  I  heare  miscarried.7  The  townes  which 
wee  passed  by  were  not  much  remarkable  in  that  journey, 

6  Thus  far,  the  copy  preserved  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  MS.  Rawlinson.  Iviii, 
has  been  adopted.  The  remainder  of  the  letter,  with  few  exceptions,  is  from  MS. 
Sloan.  1868. 

7  It  did  not  miscarry  :  see  before,  p.  87. 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  95 

being  not  of  the  greater  ranck.  The  first  night  that  wee  left 
Rome,  wee  lay  at  Castell  Nuouo,  dined  next  day  at  Ciuita 
Castellana,  thence  to  Otrioli.  The  next  day  I  passed  by  a 
riuer  that  look'd  blue,  like  that  by  Tiuoli,  but  being  almost 
night  had  no  time  to  take  any  further  notice  of  it.  Wee 
passed  by  Narni,  Terni,  ouer  Mount  Soma,  and  lodg'd  at 
Spolletto,  the  chief  towne  in  Umbria.  Wee  drunck  uin  cotto 
in  all  this  country.  Sometimes  it  would  haue  a  pretty  tast 
of  orenge  or  apricock.  Some  mention  an  amphitheatre  in 
this  towne,  but  the  people  here  knowe  of  no  such  thing. 
Wee  din'd  at  Foligni ;  there  is  the  finest  auenue  to  this  towne 
of  any  in  Italy ;  you  may  see  the  town  betwixt  two  rows  of 
trees,  almost  four  miles  all  flat  and  plaine  way  before  you 
come  at  it.  The  womens  dresse  of  their  head  is  particular. 
Wee  happened  to  be  there  on  their  great  Sts  day  St.  Fali- 
cian.  Wee  layd  at  Casanoua,  dined  next  day  at  Muccia, 
and  lodged  at  Nolumara ;  the  next  day  by  Macerata  and  Re- 
canati  to  Loretto.  There  is  an  aquiduct  on  the  right  hand 
as  wee  came  to  it.  The  towne  without  the  walls  is  hand- 
somely built  of  brick;  within  tis  but  small.  Most  of  the 
tradesmen  sell  chaplets  and  medells  of  the  uirgin ;  the  most 
ador'd  things  are  the  uirgin's  cup,  in  which  shee  gave  our 
Sauiour  drink,  the  walls  of  the  house,  and  the  chimney  by 
which  hee  was  brought  up.  The  seller  belonging  to  the  con- 
uent  is  a  noble  one,  and  the  apothecary's  shoppe  handsome, 
the  pots  of  it  being  painted  by  Raphael  Urbin.  The  trea- 
sure goes  much  beyond  that  of  St.  Denis,  or  that  of  St. 
Mark's  :  it  chiefly  consists  in  rich  habits  for  priests,  in  gold 
uesells,  in  crosses,  crownes,  roses,  and  other  things  set  with 
precious  stones  and  pearles.  I  saw  this  Queen  of  Sweden's 
crowne  and  scepter ;  a  pearl  about  the  bredth  of  a  shilling, 
with  the  picture  of  the  uirgin  and  our  Sauiour  in  it,  naturall. 
Our  queen  mother's  present,  which  looks  the  most  gentilely 
in  my  mind  of  any  other,  is  an  heart  in  gold,  within  a  fine 
limming  of  her  self,  and  of  the  uirgin  Mary  and  our  Sauiour ; 
her  name  with  out  side  is  set  with  good  diamonds.  There 
are  the  modells  of  diuers  townes  in  silluer,  and  a  little  box 
carued  by  a  Capucin  extremly  neat.  From  hence  we  went 
to  Ancona,  the  snow  melting  fast  by  reason  of  the  rains,  wee 


96  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

had  so  uery  bad  a  journey  of  it,  that  wee  did  not  escape  with 
out  some  danger,  and  one  of  our  horses  drowning.  The  first 
three  days  that  wee  set  out,  it  froze  so  that  our  horses,  which 
are  always  in  Italy  ill  shod,  would  fall  one  of  them  against 
another  as  wee  came  downe  hills.  Here  the  hauen  and  mole 
is  handsome,  and  Traian's  triumphall  arch  upon  it  as  white 
and  fresh  as  if  it  were  built  yesterday.  The  place  where  the 
marchants  meet  is  well  built,  and  there  [are]  some  good  statues 
about  it ;  the  best  church  is  St-  Criaccia.  Senigaglia  is  but 
a  small  towne,  a  riuer  runs  through  it ;  it  hath  5  bastions. 
Wee  saw  here  their  dancings  in  this  carnauall  time ;  their 
master  of  the  reuells  had  a  great  club,  which  when  hee  lifted 
up  and  cried  allegri,  they  all  fell  a  dancing.  Amongst  the 
women  she  bears  the  bell  that  hoppes  highest  upon  one  leg, 
shaking  out  her  other  foot ;  when  hee  knocks  his  club  against 
the  ground,  they  all  leaue.  Fano  is  a  pritty  towne,  and  one 
side  of  it  is  a  small  harbour  built  in  imitation  of  a  Naumachia, 
by  Paulus  5.  Wee  dined  at  Pesaro,  where  are  diuers  old 
Romane  inscriptions  upon  stones,  an  handsome  fountaine  in 
the  piazza.  The  Jews  are  rich  here.  The  masquers  enter- 
tained us  with  musick  whilst  wee  were  at  dinner.  There  are 
two  churches,  pretty  good,  and  a  long  street,  in  some  places 
well  built.  Wee  lay  at  Cattolica.  By  the  sea  side  I  found 
stones  just  like  beans,  diuers  sorts  of  capae  or  cocklii  canali, 
and  I  think  a  sort  of  sea  hedghog,  with  a  tender  shell  and 
smaller  place  for  the  mouth,  and  diuers  other  fine  coloured 
shells.  Mr.  Wray  did  not  come  with  us,  he  is  by  this  time 
at  Geneva.  At  Rimini  I  observed  the  triumphall  arch,  the 
popes  pallace,  Paullus  5  statua,  St.  Antonio's  chappell,  where 
is  the  place  in  which  Cesar  made  a  speech  to  his  soldiers. 
Wee  lay  at  Sauignano,  so  by  Forti  Faenza  and  Imola,  to  Bo- 
logna, passing  the  Rubicon,  where  the  old  inscription  remains 
on  the  bottome,  and  a  new  one  set  aboue  it  on  the  higher 
part  of  the  pillar  which  is  there  erected.  This  is  most  of 
that  which  I  wrote  from  Bologna;  onely  the  description  of 
some  uillas  and  the  statuas  in  Beluedere  at  the  Vatican,  which 
would  bee  too  long  to  write  here,  and  I  beleeue  you  haue  the 
cuts  of  most  of  them.  I  will  only  admire  the  noble  pine  ap- 
ple of  bronze,  and  the  two  neat  peacocks  which  were  placed 


1665.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  97 

at  the  top  of  Castell  St.  Angelo ;  the  former  designed  to  con- 
tain the  ashes  of  the  Emperour  and  his  fauorite  Antinous,  as 
wee  were  told.  At  Bologna  the  running  at  the  ring  and  the 
giostra,  or  justing,  was  new  to  mee.  The  curso  for  the  coach- 
es handsome ;  St.  Katherin,  whose  nayles  are  still  par'd,  and 
the  print  upon  her  lips  where  our  Sauiour  kise'd  her,  as  odd 
a  relick  as  can  bee ;  and  St.  Michel  in  bosco,8  painted  by  Co- 
razzio,  may  compare  with  most  couents  ;  though  many  in  this 
towne  bee  fair  ones,  as  St.  Dominick's,  where  hee  is  buried ; 

the 9  where  also  are  stately  statuas ;   in  St.  Paulo  of 

the  Barnardites  an  alter  by  Michel  Angelo ;  in  the  Domini- 
can's hall  Cauedone  1  has  made  an  admirable  piece,  but  this 
I  think  was  in  my  letter  at  Venice.2  I  received  thirty  pound 
of  Mr.  Dubisson  by  your  order,  but  being  behind  hand  when 
I  came  to  Venice  I  have  but  little  left  of  it,  the  forty  pistolls 
which  Mr.  Hales  lent  me,  your  letters  nor  Mr.  Johnson's 
being  not  yet  come,  I  am  forc'd  to  pay  it  him  again  here.  I 
cannot  get  any  thing  of  Romagna,  the  letter  of  credit  upon 
him  being  either  lost  or  in  his  hands;  if  I  should  stay  here  a 
fortnight  longer,  I  suppose  I  might  receive  some  order  from 
you  for  a  further  supply,  but  the  summer  coming  on  I  dread 
any  longer  stay  in  these  hot  countreys;  I  thinketo  come  away 
with  Mr.  Trumbull,  if  the  plague  which  is  reported  to  be  at 
Milan  hinder  us  not,  hee  will  lend  me  mony  to  beare  my 
charges  to  Montpellier,  and  if  an  old  letter  of  credit  of  his  bee 
good  at  Marseilles  I  shall  have  that  too,  but  for  fear  of  the 
worst  I  would  desire  you  to  give  mee  credit  at  Rochel,  where 
if  our  design  hold,  I  hope  to  be  within  this  six  weeks,  and  if 
our  monyes  do  not  fall  short,  at  Paris  in  the  beginning  of 
June,  where  the  chymick  lecture  and  plants  will  just  then  be- 
gin ;  I  have  a  book  of  plants  beginning  here,  Mr.  Short  will, 
when  it  is  done,  take  order  for  the  sending  of  it  into  Eng- 
land. At  Venice  I  have  a  box  of  coines  and  some  other  ra- 
rities, which  I  think  to  leave  there  with  the  consull  till  it  be 
convenient  to  send  for  them.  I  saw  Aldroandus  his  musaeum 
at  Bologna,  which  is  the  greatest  collection  of  naturall  things 
that  I  have  seen.     The  Franciscans  is  a  good  convent.     My 

8  "Basso;"— Bib.  Bodl.         9  A  blank  in  MS.         1   "Cardone;  "— Bib.  Bodl. 
2  The  rest  of  this  letter  is  from  the  Bodleian  copy. 

VOL.    I.  H 


98  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

duty  to  my  clear  mother,  my  service  to  Madam  Grossi,  my 
love  to  my  brother,  to  dear  Nansy,  Betty,  Mol,  Franck. 

Your  obedient  sonne 

E.  BROWNE. 
Padua,  Aprill  9. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father, 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 


SIR, 


I  staid  at  Padoua  till  your  order  came  to  Mr. 
Bowyer,  to  pay  mee  or  Mr.  Hayles  the  mony  which  I  had 
taken  up  of  him,  forty  pistolls  ;  so  that  all  is  clear  at  Venice, 
and  the  15th  of  Aprill  I  begun  my  journey  ;  after  that  I  had 
seen  the  baths  of  Abano,  the  drinking  waters  at  Monte 
Ortore,  the  hot  springs  at  St  Pietro  di  Montagna,  at  Monte 
Caldo,  and  at  other  places  called  La  Cogola ;  where  from  a 
grot,  in  the  heat  of  summer,  is  conueyed  into  an  adioyning 
pallace  an  aire  so  cold  that  they  doe  there  goder  il  fresco 
more  then  can  bee  expected  ;  and  sometimes  so  much,  that  it 
is  scarce  to  be  indured  in  the  hottest  weather.  I  went  into 
another  grot  hard  by,  where,  after  passing  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  under  ground,  through  a  place  I  coniecture  formerly  a 
quarry  where  they  digged  stone,  wee  came  to  a  small  lake,  out 
of  which  wee  took  shrimps ;  the  top  of  the  caue  dropping 
petrifying  water.  Wee  came  to  Vicenza,  a  place  worth  the 
seeing,  by  reason  Palladius  hath  here  principally  showne  his 
great  skill  in  architecture  in  his  rotonda  in  imitation  of  the 
pantheon  at  Rome,  in  his  theatre,  exactly  proportioned  to 
the  strict  rules  of  building,  and  other  fine  houses  in  the 
towne.  There  are  also  two  arches  worth  taking  notice  of, 
one  before  the  gate,  behind  which  is  a  noble  ascent,  and  one 
other  in  Campo  Marzo.  Two  days  before  I  left  Padoua  I 
saw  the  Marquis  of  Obizzi  his  hous,  painted  within  and  with- 
out by  Paulo  Veronesse,  well  contriued  and  accomodated 
with  a  good  armory,  theatre,  stable,  tenis  court.  Aprill  16 
wee  dined  at  Villa  Noua,  and  so  to  Verona ;  where  the  inside 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  99 

of  the  amphitheatre  is  most  intire  of  any  now  extant ;  forty- 
five  steps  high,  with  four  rows  of  vomitoria,  eighteen  in  one 
row  ;  it  was  neuer  finished,  though  intended,  as  may  be  seen 
by  the  beginning  of  the  outward  row  of  arches,  and  the  con- 
tinuing the  other  stones  fit  to  receiue  the  weight  of  an  other 
arch.  It  was  left  of,  I  suppose,  not  knowing  any  other  reason, 
because,  if  finish'd,  the  area  would  not  haue  been  proportion- 
able to  the  height  or  thicknesse  of  the  amphitheatre,  for  the 
height  would  haue  been  nigh  equall  to  that  of  the  Colisaeum 
at  Rome,  and  the  diameter  of  the  area  wants  about  three- 
score paces  of  it.  In  the  garden  of  Don  Augustino  Justo  I 
saw  the  aloe  tree  that  flowrd  and  seeded  ;  begun  with  a  noise 
like  that  of  a  musket,  grew  a  yard  in  an  hour,  and  in  fifteen 
days  died;  tis  now  about  seven  or  eight  yards  high.  Aprill  17 
wee  went  to  Mantoua,  remarkable  for  its  situation ;  wee  saw 
the  dukes  two  pallaces,  the  duchess  and  her  maids  of  honour. 
Carlo  Secundo,  the  present  duke,  was  not  well  disposed,  else 
we  had  waited  upon  him,  by  Counte  Fachini's  means,  to  whom 
I  had  a  letter.  The  unfortunate  rumor  of  the  plague  being 
at  Milan  (rais'd  only  to  keep  the  Spanish  soldiers  from  run- 
ning away,  being  to  bee  imbarg'd  at  Finall)  hath  hindred  us 
from  seeing  the  best  country  in  Italy.  If  I  had  come  to 
Geneua,  I  must  have  passed  through  Val  Camonica,  the  Val- 
toline,  and  the  Grisons  country,  ouer  the  mountaine  of  St. 
Marke,  which  would  not  haue  been  without  eminent  danger, 
the  snow  melting  at  this  time  of  the  year.  Apr:  18  wee 
passed  by  Guastala,  a  dukedome,  by  Gualtea  and  Bersaglia,3 
belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Modena,  to  Parma,  one  of  the 
neatest  townes  in  Lombardy.  The  dukes  pallace  is  large; 
his  coaches,  next  to  Cardinall  Patron's,  the  best  I  have  seene. 
St.  Giouanni,  one  of  the  largest  conuents  in  Europe.  The 
duke's  brother  is  a  lusty  man,  and  was  very  courteous.  Wee 
could  not  passe  by  Piacenza,  by  reason  of  a  noock  of  the 
Milanese  state  shoots  out  just  by  it,  so  as  wee  passed  a  uery 
bad  and  dangerous  way  to  Cestria,  all  along  the  riuer  Taro. 
Four-neuue  and  Bourg-de-Ual 4  are  the  best  townes  wee  saw. 
Wee  cross'd  the  riuer  forty  times,  in  some  places  uery  incon- 
ueniently.     Mr.  Trumbull's  mule  fell  into  an  hole  one  time, 

'  Brescello.  4   Fornovo  and  Borgo  di  Valle. 

H  2 


100  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [.1665. 

and  hee  was  put  to  it  by  swimming  to  recouer  the  shore,  a 
great  way  below  the  place,  by  reason  of  the  swiftnesse  of  the 
riuer.  From  Cestria,  a  pretty  towne,  by  sea  to  Genoa,  and 
from  Genoa  to  Nisa,  in  sight  of  all  the  braue  townes  in  the 
Genuese  state,  the  most  barren  and  yet  most  populous  place 
I  have  seen.  Wee  had  a  sight  of  Sauona,  La  Petra,  Finall, 
Lea,  belonging  to  Prince  Doria,  of  St.  Jacques,  taken  in 
forty-eight  by  the  Turkes,  by  Arbenga,  a  great  place.  The 
wind  being  contrary,  wee  put  into  the  island  of  Arbenga, 
where  I  eat  limpits,  and  sea  hedg  hogs,  bigger  than  euer  I  saw. 
By  Arace,  aboue  a  mile  long,  wee  lay  one  night  at  Porto 
Moritio,  formerly  a  great  towne  by  St.  Remo,  where  the 
country  is  somewhat  more  fruitfull.  About  this  place  the 
wind  rose  so  high  that,  in  apprehension  of  the  danger  we 
were  in,  and  being  a  great  way  distant  from  the  shore,  wee 
undress'd  our  selfs,  fearing  lest  the  boat  should  be  turned 
ouer ;  but  it  pleas'd  God  that  wee  got  well  to  Nisa,  in  sight 
of  Monaco,  and  Villa  Franca,  making  aboue  fifty  miles  in  a 
little  more  than  six  hours ;  where  I  saw  the  ruines  of  a  small 
amphitheatre  and  of  an  old  temple.  The  citadelle  is  uery 
strong.  Mr.  Trumbull  and  I  are  got  as  far  as  Aries,  but  I 
haue  not  roome  to  relate  my  journey :  only  wee  had  a  uery 
great  difficulty  to  pass  the  riuer  Var  to  come  into  Prouence. 
Tolon  being  not  yet  free,  wee  lay  half  a  day  with  those  that 
did  quarantaen,  and  saw  all  their  smoakings  and  cleansing 
things  with  venigar  and  the  like ;  and  at  last,  with  courting 
the  French,  they  admitted  us,  passing  with  two  or  three  men 
to  hould  us  and  our  horses  from  falling  downe  that  swift  cur- 
rent. In  passing  from  Burdeual  to  Sestria,  betwixt  the  duke- 
dome  of  Parma  and  the  state  of  Genoua,  wee  went  ouer  the 
mountaine  of  the  Holy  Cross,  with  a  guard  of  musquitiers  ; 
the  banditi  appearing  there  the  day  before,  and  some  pas- 
sengers narrowly  escaping.  This  journey  hath  been  stranglye 
expensiue  to  mee ;  it  hath  cost  mee  a  pistoll  a  day,  for  these 
seuenteen  dayes  together,  which  I  haue  trauaild  ;  but  now, 
being  in  the  great  roade,  it  will  not  cost  mee  aboue  half  as 
much. 

The  weather  is  here  extremly  hot  allready  ;  our  drinke  is 
commonly  julips  frozen,  which,  with  the  heat  of  our  hands, 


1665.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  101 

wee  dissolue  and  drinke.  Most  people  trauile  in  the  night, 
but,  by  reason  of  the  plague  here,  tis  hard  to  passe  by  tovvnes, 
so  as  wee  make  use  of  the  morning ;  sleep  in  the  middle  of 
the  day,  and  to  hors  again  in  the  euening.  As  wee  set  at 
dinner,  there  is  a  fan  in  the  middle  of  the  roome  ouer  our 
heads,  about  two  yards  broad,  wich,  with  a  string,  is  pulld 
backward  and  forward  to  coole  us.5  The  better  sorts  of 
people  haue  there  beds  couerd  ouer  with  a  net,  to  keep  out 
the  flyes  ;  and  before  they  sleep  haue  there  warming  pan  fild 
with  snow  to  cool  their  sheets  ;  but  wee,  in  the  in,  are  forc'd 
to  indure  biting,  and  our  only  way  of  cooling  is  to  ly  without 
the  bed  upon  a  sheet,  with  all  the  shutters  open,  there  being 
no  glasse  windows  in  most  houses ;  but  I  am  hasting  to  a  more 
temperate  air. 

Sir,  I  am  your  obediant  Sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
Aries,  May  2,  1665. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 


SIR, 


I  wrote  to  you  from  Aries,  which  I  hope  you  haue 
receued ;  at  Montpillier  I  receued  one  from  you,  in  which  my 
deare  sister  Anne  wrote  a  letter.  From  Nissa  wee  came  in 
four  days  journey  to  Marseilles,  much  troubled  with  the  heat; 
but  wee  carried  syrrup  of  lemmons  with  us  which  refresh'd  us 
by  the  way.  Before  wee  came  out  from  Genoa  one  of  there 
best  ships  were  burnt  in  the  porte.  At  Ville  Franche  the 
Hollanders  had  taken  a  small  vessall  of  ours.  The  Hollanders 
at  Genoa,  and  other  ports,  haue  manned  a  marchand  ship  to 
rob  about  and  bring  in  prises.  After  wee  had  passed  the 
riuer  Var,  wee  went  by  Antibo,6  a  strong  towne,  and  lodged 
at  Cannas,6  by  the  sea  side.  The  next  day,  nigh  to  Freieux,6 
I  saw  an  old  aqueduct  in  the  fields  supported  by  fiue  arches, 

5  An  expedient  adopted  in  the  East  Indies.     Bishop  Heber,  in  his  Journal,  has 
described  it.  6  Antibes,  Cannes,  and  Frejus. 


102  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

in  the  manner  of  Pont  du  Garde.  Wee  lodged  this  day  at 
Uidauban.  The  country  is  full  of  corke  trees,  pines,  firres, 
larch  trees,  arria,7  diuers  sorts  of  oakes,  broome,  and  thornes 
euer  green,  besides  all  manner  of  sweet  hearbs,  which  grow 
wild,  and  afford  great  refreshment  to  those  that  passe.  Ap. 
27  wee  dined  at  Brigeolles ;  the  prunella  trees  growe  about 
the  fields.  Wee  got  as  far  as  St.  Zacharias,  a  small  village, 
remarkable  onely  for  some  reliques,  amongst  which  is  our 
lady's  slipper.  Tis  hard  by  the  noble  desart  of  Sta.  Baume, 
and  not  far  from  St.  Magdalen,  where  her  gigantick  arme  and 
head  is  shown.  At  Marseilles  the  long  port  and  key,  with 
the  drugguist  shops  upon  it,  the  old  walls  and  towers,  and 
the  number  of  country  houses  about  it,  make  the  best  show. 
Wee  entred  that  place  of  the  wall  which  the  king  of  France 
beat  downe  at  his  being  here.  The  new  citadelle  is  extremly 
neat,  and  hath  a  perfect  command  of  the  towne,  except  a  litle 
of  it,  which  lyes  by  the  windmills.  Mr.  Trumbull  haueing 
letters  hither,  the  marchands  entertain'd  him  uery  handsome- 
ly in  a  bastido,  or  summer  house.  From  hence,  by  coach,  to 
Aix,  the  neatest  towne  I  have  seene  in  France,  uery  well 
built ;  the  houses  like  those  of  Montpellier,  but  the  streets 
straiter  and  handsommer.  In  the  great  street  are  many  good 
houses,  set  with  four  rowes  of  elmes  for  their  course.  The 
baths  are  closed  and  dark,  the  water  of  a  temperate  heat ; 
there  is  a  stove  by  them  also.  The  towne  house  is  not  yet 
finished.  The  parliament  house  is  a  very  good  one.  Ap. 
30th  wee  came  to  Sallon ;  in  the  Cordellier's  church  wee  saw 
the  tombe  of  Nostrodamus,  esteemed  a  great  prophet  in  this 
country.  The  castell  is  seen  a  great  way,  upon  the  stony  field, 
which  wee  passed  the  next  day,  seven  leagues  by  St.  Martin, 
in  sight  of  Berre,  on  the  left  hand,  belonging  to  the  Prince  of 
Monaco,  and  came  to  Aries ;  whose  amphitheatre  shows  one 
the  beginning  and  manner  of  building  more  then  the  other ; 
as  also  the  caue.  In  the  towne  house  wee  saw  the  statue  of 
their  Diana,  in  a  garden,  an  obeliske,  now  fallen  downe  and 
half  couered  with  earth.  The  port  towards  Auignon  is  not 
contemptible ;  but  what  is  most  taken  notice  of  is  the  great 
number  of  old  tombes  about  the  towne,  chiefly  by  the  couent 

1  Acacia,  probably. 


1665.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  103 

of  the  Minimes,  euery  stayre  of  which  house  is  a  graue  stone; 
the  alters  set  with  them,  and  in  a  vault  under  ground  they 
shew  as  the  tombe  of  St.  Honoris,  allways  they  think  miraco- 
lously  half  full  of  water,  which  I  found  in  some  of  the  others 
too.  They  send  it  about  to  cure  feauers.  They  told  us  some 
of  these  tombes  were  Christians  and  Pagans,  and  how  to  dis- 
tinguish them ;  as  also  to  know  when  the  famely  was  extinct. 
Under  an  alter  here  lies  intered  St.  Trophimus,  ouer  which 
stands  a  uery  handsome  statua  of  Nostredame.  I  saw  here 
Mr.  Agat's  cabinet,  who  tells  mee  hee  is  about  to  put  out  a 
book  of  stones,  gemmes,  and  other  naturall  things.  Hee  hath 
a  pritty  good  collection  of  intaglies,  medalls,  lampes,  urnes, 
and  lacrymatories,  of  old  statuas,  besides  great  uariety  of 
stones,  coralls,  and  the  like.  Our  frends  at  Montpillier  re- 
ceiud  us  with  all  expression  of  joy  and  kindnesse.  My  lady 
Roberts,  wife  to  my  lord  Roberts,8  hath  liud  here  this  twelue- 
months,  and  is  but  just  now  gone,  shee  liud  here  so  nobly  and 
oblieged  the  people  so  much  that  they  dooe  nothing  but  talk 
of  her.  She  was  wayted  upon  out  of  towne  by  a  great  num- 
ber of  coaches,  diuers  of  which  accompanied  her  to  Auignon; 
at  Orenge  shee  had  a  speech  made  her  at  her  entring,  the 
best  of  the  towne  came  and  gaue  her  a  uolly  at  her  inne ;  and 
at  her  departure  the  gouuerneur  saluted  her  from  the  castel 
with  aboue  thirty  guns.  At  Montpellier  I  saw  the  plants 
shown  by  Monsier  Chicaneau,  the  Arbor  Judas  is  in  flower. 
Docter  Joly  was  extremely  courteous  unto  us.  As  I  came 
through  Prouence  I  saw  the  turpentine  tree.  Speaking  about 
the  aloe  here,  of  which  I  can  get  noe  account  here,  to  Mr. 
Lyster,  a  ciuill  and  learned  person,  hee  told  mee  hee  had  seen 
one  in  Gernsey  castle,  which  was  reported  to  haue  flowred 
after  the  same  manner  as  you  write,  and  after  the  same  man- 
ner, as  they  reported  it,  that  did  which  I  saw  in  Don  Augus- 
tino  Justo's  garden  at  Verona.  On  the  7th  of  May  wee  got 
to  Pezenas,  a  pretty  towne,  with  an  house  of  the  Prince  of  Con- 
ti's  by  it.  The  8th  wee  dined  at  Beziers,  a  great  towne,  and 
ly  at  Narbonne.  Wee  could  not  find  the  ruin  of  the  amphi- 
theatre, but  wee  saw  some  of  the  old  walls  carued ;  the  pal- 

8  John  Lord  Roberts,  afterwards  Earl  of  Radnor;   Lord  Privy  Seal  from  1C61  to 
1669. 


104  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

lace  of  the  bishop,  who  is  Fouquet's  brother ;  it  was  formerly 
the  house  of  the  king  of  the  Visigoths.  In  the  cathedrall  of 
St.  Juste  is  a  picture  of  Lazarus  rising  from  the  sepulchre, 
uery  finely  done.  Carcassone  towne  and  city  together  would 
make  a  large  place.  The  tenth  wee  lye  at  Castelnaudarry ; 
the  11th,  by  reason  of  bad  weather  and  way,  wee  went  but 
flue  leagues,  and  lay  at  Baleage,  within  three  leagues  of  Tho- 
louse.     My  duty  to  my  mother. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Tholouse,  May  12,  1665. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1868.] 

SIR, 

Since  my  returning  into  France  I  wrote  to  you  from 
Aries  and  Tholouse.  I  receued  yours  at  Montpellier,  dated 
March  21.  Wee  chose  to  goe  rather  in  the  coach  to  Tho- 
louse, then  with  the  messenger  to  Lyons  ;  the  company  wee 
also  met  with  did  induce  us  the  rather,  they  being  all  Hugo- 
notts,  and  men  of  good  years.  The  French,  commonly,  the 
older  they  grow,  are  the  more  obliging  and  ciuill,  and  not  at 
all  formall,  or  expecting  more  respect  then  what  themselves 
show  to  others ;  and  indeed  for  ten  days  together  wee  neuer 
trauail'd  better  then  with  them,  and  at  lesse  expence.  Wee 
passed  by  Beziers,  Pezenas,  Narbonne,  Carcassonne,  and 
Castelnaudarry,  for  two  or  three  dayes  being  in  sight  of  the 
Pyrenaeans,  couered  with  snow,  through  a  uery  fine  country, 
not  unlike  England.  Tholouse,  a  uery  great  towne,  yet  I 
cannot  compare  it  to  Lyons,  being  built  but  of  brick,  and  the 
houses  much  lower.  The  churches  also,  much  accounted  of 
in  France,  I  could  not  admire,  coming  so  lately  out  of  Italy. 
At  St.  Sernin  or  Saturnine  are  the  bodys  of  seuen  of  the 
Apostles,  of  our  king  St.  Edmund,  and  of  St.  George  and 
forty  saints  more,  a  thorne  of  our  Sauiour's  crowne,  and  one 
of  the  stones  that  kill'd  St.  Stephen.   From  the  steeple  of  the 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  105 

cathedrall,  St.  Estienne,  wee  had  a  good  sight  of  the  towne. 
I  cannot  judge  it  by  my  eye  so  big  as  Norwich.  The  chap- 
pell  of  the  Penitents  Noirs  is  the  neatest  in  France,  after 
Nostredame  des  Champs  a  Paris.  At  the  Dominicans,  the 
tombe  of  St.  Thomas  Aquinas  and  the  alter,  at  the  Cordelli- 
ers  the  charnell  house,  is  remarkable ;  for  the  skins  of  people 
buried  doe  not  corrupt,  so  as  you  see  many  bodys  which  re- 
taine  the  same  shape,  and  are  to  bee  knowne  many  years  after 
death.  In  the  towne  house  I  saw  the  stone  on  which  Mont- 
morency was  beheaded,  and  some  od  pictures,  one  of  Louis, 
the  Dauphin,  son  to  Charles  7,  entring  into  Tholouse  on  hors 
back,  with  the  queen  his  mother  behind  him.  The  mills  and 
sluce  are  worth  seeing ;  the  new  bridge  is  uery  noble  in  the 
fashion  of  Pont  Neuf  a  Paris ;  the  course  by  it,  and  a  walk  of 
free  stone  by  the  riuer  side,  are  handsome.  From  hence  wee 
went  to  Bourdeaux  by  water,  downe  the  most  pleasent  riuer 
I  euer  yet  saw ;  passing  by  diuers  small  townes,  Verduse, 
Viole,  &c. ;  wee  stayd  halfe  a  day  at  Aagen,  a  great  place. 
Scaliger's  house,  and  the  hermitage  in  a  rock,  is  all  that  is  to 
be  seen  there ;  by  Langon,  where  wee  tasted  of  the  white 
wine,  and  by  Cadillac,  a  house  of  the  Duke  of  Espernons, 
giuing  way  to  few  palaces  in  France.  At  Bourdeaux  wee  saw 
St.  Andrew's  church,  and  from  the  steeple  had  a  prospect  of 
the  towne,  riuer,  and  country  about  it,  and  could  not  but 
judge  its  situation  the  most  conuenient  of  any  towne  wee  had 
seen.  St.  Michel's  church  and  steeple  are  high ;  an  earth- 
quake not  long  since  broke  downe  the  top  of  it.  The  amphi- 
theatre, or  Palais  Galien,  was  about  the  bignesse  of  that  of 
Verona ;  the  Carthusian's  couent  is  neat  and  large ;  the  great 
street  Chapeau  Rouge  well  built ;  they  are  building,  at  pre- 
sent, a  new  citadelle,  about  Chasteaux  de  Trompette,  that 
noble  antiquity  which  they  call  Piliers  or  Palase  de  Tutele. 
I  cannot  gesse  what  it  was,  it  resembles  the  most  an  old  Pra- 
torium,  and  hath  six  columnes  in  the  front,  but  then  it  hath 
but  eight  on  the  sides,  so  that  it  wants  three,  and  the  manner 
of  building  arches  on  the  top  of  the  piliers  [seems]  peculier  to 
this  piece  of  antiquity.  Wee  went  to  Blay  by  water ;  from 
thence  wee  tooke  horses  to  Xaintes,  lying  at  Petiniords,  and 
dining  the  next  day  at  Fonts,  where  is  only  the  ruines  of  an 


106  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

old  castell,  and  graue  stones  after  the  manner  of  those  at 
Aries.  At  Xaintes  the  amphitheatre  is  more  ruined  then  that 
at  Bourdeaux,  though  not  inferiour  to  it,  I  suppose,  when  in- 
tire.  The  inscription  upon  the  arch  on  the  bridge  is  scarce 
legible ;  St.  Eutropius's  steeple  is  uery  high,  and  St.  Peter's 
uery  thick.  The  old  walls  were  built  of  great  stones  like 
those  at  Vienne  ;  the  bastions  were  uery  large ;  wee  are  but 
just  arriued  here,  so  as  I  can  say  nothing  of  Rochell.  I  doe 
not  now  despair  of  being  at  Paris  in  good  time  to  vsee  the 
course  of  chymistry ;  I  hope  to  get  acquaintance  in  the  hospi- 
talls  as  soon  as  I  come  there,  but  if  you  can  further  mee  in  it, 
I  would  desire  you,  Sir,  to  doe  it  as  soon  as  may  bee,  for  I  am 
uery  desirous  to  employ  that  short  time  I  haue  to  stay  here  to 
my  greatest  aduantage.  Mr.  Preston  is  extremely  obliging 
here.  Mr.  Trumbull  presents  his  seruis  to  you.  I  think  to 
goe  to  the  lie  of  Re  to  morrow,  and  the  next  day  onward 
again.  Your  obediant  sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Rochell,  May  20,  1665. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  am  at  last  arriued  at  Paris.  I  receued  one  from 
you  at  Nantes  which  was  sent  to  mee  from  Mr.  Dade,  at 
Bourdeaux.  My  short  stay  there,  and  my  not  knowing  hee 
was  there  at  that  time  when  I  passed  by,  may,  I  hope,  excuse 
my  not  uisiting  him.  In  all  the  townes  upon  the  riuer  Loyr, 
I  found  no  more  then  I  expected.  Sonmur  is  much  the  best 
built,  being  of  freestone  and  ardois  :  the  fosse  at  Nantes  bet- 
ter then  the  fiowne.  Angiers  large,  but  not  so  big  as  Orleans, 
which  from  the  steeple  of  St.  Croix  I  guesse  to  be  little  lesse 
then  Tholouse.  The  gilded  ball  upon  the  spire  I  suppose  by 
relation  to  be  as  big  as  either  of  the  two  at  Morocco.  Blois 
is  pleasent  by  reason  of  its  situation  upon  the  side  of  an  hill. 
The  Duke  of  Orleans'  garden  there  is  quite  ruined,  but  a 


1665.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  107 

noble  gallery  is  left,  and  one  side  of  a  pallace  begun.  At 
Towers  we  stay'd  three  dayes  by  reason  Mr.  Trumbull  fell  ill 
of  a  uery  sharpe  paine  of  his  teeth,  accompanied  with  a  fea- 
uerish  distemper;  but  after  being  let  blood,  glisters,  and 
plasters  to  his  ears  and  temples,  tobacco  took  it  away.  In 
and  about  this  towne  are  obseruable  the  church  of  St.  Martin, 
St.  Gesian,  Marmousier,  the  long  Maille,  and  Caue  Goutiere. 
I  got  some  terra  Blassentis  in  passing  by.  Here  is  no  house 
in  France  so  noble,  so  much  finish'd,  and  so  well  accommo- 
dated, as  Richelieu's.  The  uniformity  of  the  building  of  the 
towne  also  was  not  a  litle  diuertissing,  being  very  different 
from  any  thing  else  in  this  country. 
Juin  15,  Paris. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  Ms  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

I  receaued  your  last  letter  which  you  sent  to  Padoa, 
though  I  was  gone  from  thence  before  the  post  came  in. 
Cardinal  Barlerigo  is  Bishop  of  Padoa,  and  Contarini  is  the 
present  Doge  of  Venice,  an  old  man,  not  much  vnlike  Tom 
Bensly.  The  court  is  now  at  St.  Germain,  Mr.  T.'s  indispo- 
sition hath  hindred  him  from  going  thither  a  long  time.  Tis 
hard  for  men  not  to  fall  into  extremes,  his  discours  to  me,  if 
it  bee  not  of  his  owne  life,  is  commonly  the  great  charity  of 
papists,  the  religious  liues  of  the  tradesmen  of  Paris,  and  of 
one  Vincent,  a  cobler,  whom  hee  takes  to  bee  the  greatest 
saint ;  as  also  about  the  wickednesse  of  the  English  protest- 
ants,  and  the  great  power,  hee  finds  by  experience,  that 
going  in  procession  hath,  to  obtaine  any  thing  desired.  The 
Louure  will  not  bee  finished  in  many  yeares  if  warres  should 
happen.  Bernini  mislikes  the  deseigne  of  most  which  was 
done  at  the  vpper  end  the  last  summer,  which  must  bee  quite 
pulled  downe,  or  much  altered.  The  side  by  the  Tuilleries 
is  much  built  since  I  last  left  Paris.  The  colledg  for  the  four 
nations  ouer  against  it,  ordered  to  bee  built  by  Card.  Maza- 


108  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

rine's  will,  may  bee  perfected  in  three  yeares  more.  The 
queen  mother's  sicknesse  hinders  the  building  of  her  monas- 
terie  and  church  of  Val  de  Grace  ;  which  is  the  fayrest  in 
Paris,  though  the  cupola  bee  much  too  bigge  for  the  church. 
The  antiquities  you  mention  of  Paris  is  a  booke  of  a  large 
quarto,  and  is  very  particular ;  butt  the  new  buildings  are 
better  worth  seeing  then  any  thing  that  pretends  to  be  anci- 
ent in  Paris.  The  lecture  of  plants  heere  is  only  the  naming 
of  them,  their  degrees  in  heat  and  cold,  and  sometimes  their 
vse  in  physick,  scarce  a  word  more  then  may  be  seen  in  euery 
herball.  When  I  was  in  Italie  I  did  reade  a  booke  De  Vipera, 
printed  at  Florence,  made  by  Francesco  Redi.  Some  are 
upon  translating  it  into  French;  butt  Sir  John  Finch,  in  Italie, 
hath  promised  to  write  more  perticularly  and  experimentally 
on  that  subiect.  Redi  mentions  another  of  his  bookes,  calld, 
Discorso  della  Natura  di  Sale  e  delle  loro  Figure.  I  shall 
not  write  into  Italie  for  it,  because  probably  I  may  find  it  in 
England.  The  next  weeke  will  putt  an  end  to  the  course  of 
chymistrie  and  the  plants  ;  but  it  will  begin  a  priuate  course. 

ED.  BROWNE. 
Paris,  July  11,  1665. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

Fearing  I  should  not  haue  the  conueniance  of  com- 
pany when  I  desired,  I  took  the  first  opportunity  of  going  to 
Fontainebleau,  though  the  weather  is  extreamly  hot.  The 
house  is  uery  large,  and  hath  diuers  courts,  but  is  but  two 
story s  high.  There  are  diuers  gallery s,  two  made  by  Francis 
the  First,  the  painting  being  old  is  almost  worne  out,  another 
by  Henry  the  Fourth  with  his  owne  battels.  The  gallery 
under  this  is  full  of  great  stag's  horns,  some  of  them  of  uery 
odd  shaps.  The  roomes  indifferent ;  the  chappell  is  one  of 
the  neatest  in  France.  The  gardens  large ;  there  is  a  cut 
riuer  like  to  that  of  St.  James's,  and  at  one  end  a  handsome 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  109 

cascade.  The  statuas  are  cast  after  diuers  good  originalls, 
which  I  saw  at  Rome.  In  the  fish  ponds  I  saw  some  of  the 
greatest  carpes  that  euer  I  beheld,  and  which  followed  us 
when  wee  whistld,  like  to  the  fish  at  Imperiall's  palace  in 
Genoa,  or  to  those  at  Farrara,  which  they  call  together  by 
the  sounding  of  a  bell.  In  the  hall  for  the  comedies  is  a  good 
piece  of  basso  relievo  of  Henry  the  Fourth  fighting.  From 
Fountainbleau  wee  went  to  Vaux,  an  house  of  Fouquet's;9 
the  king  haueing  seised  upon  all  his  goods,  it  is,  at  present, 
unfurnished,  tis  but  small,  but  extreamly  well  built ;  hath  good 
gardens,  through  which  there  is  a  cut  riuer  which  hath  water 
works  on  each  side,  esteem'd  as  good  as  any  in  France.  For 
one  fountaine,  I  haue  not  seen  the  like  any  where,  but  at  Ti- 
uoli  and  Frescati ;  it  throughs  up  the  water  a  great  height  in 
a  stream  bigger  then  a  man's  body,  which  is  contriued  so  as 
to  fall  into  diuers  shapes,  sometimes  like  hayle  and  snow. 
Wee  return'd  to  Melun  and  came  downe  by  water  to  Paris, 
where  I  met  your  letter  of  July  xth,  vet.  Barlet's  course  of 
chymistry  is  not  yet  begun,  so  as  I  shall  not  see  that,  but  goe 
the  oftner  to  Glaser's,  and  to  his  partner  which  is  now  parted 
from  him,  and  workes  in  another  place  of  the  towne.  I  doe 
desighne  to  spende  a  great  deall  of  my  time  this  winter,  if  it 
please  God  to  bring  mee  safe  home,  in  distilling  and  dissecting. 
Paris,  July  13th  [1665]. 


From  a  passage  in  the  next  letter,  it  appears,  that 
between  July  and  September,  Mr.  Edward  Browne 
was  ill  of  small-pox  ;  which  sufficiently  accounts  for 
the  interruption  in  the  correspondence.  The  follow- 
ing unfortunately  is  the  only  letter,  which  has  been 
met  with,  from  Sir  Thomas  to  his  son  during  his  Tour 
in  France  and  Italy.  The  letter  to  which  it  is  a  reply 
is  wanting. 

9  Nicolas  Fouquet,  son  of  Francis,  Viscount  de  Vaux,  and  Minister  of  Finance  to 
Louis  XIV,  from  1652  to  1661  ;  when  through  the  intrigues  of  the  celebrated  Col- 
bert, he  was  arrested,  accused  of  high  treason,  his  property  seized,  and  himself  con- 
demned to  perpetual  imprisonment  in  the  citadel  of  Pignerd,  where  he  died,  in  1680. 


110  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  Son  Edward. 

[ms.   SLOAN.   1847.] 
DEARE  SONNE  EDWARD, 

I  recaived  yours  of  Sep.  23.  I  am  glad  you  have 
seene  more  cutt  for  the  stone,  and  of  different  sex  and  ages ; 
if  opportunitie  seemeth,  you  shall  doe  well  to  see  some  more, 
which  will  make  you  well  experienced  in  that  great  operation, 
and  almost  able  to  performe  it  yourself  upon  necessitie,  and 
where  none  could  do  it.  Take  good  notice  of  their  instru- 
ments, and  at  least  make  such  a  draught  thereof,  and  es- 
pecially of  the  dilator  and  director,  that  you  may  hereafter 
well  remember  it,  and  have  one  made  by  it.  Other  operations 
you  may  perhaps  see,  now  the  sumer  is  over ;  as  also  chymis- 
trie  and  anatomic  The  sicknesse1  being  great  still,  fewe  I 
presume  will  hasten  over.  Present  my  services  and  thancks 
unto  Dr.  Patin.  I  hope  Dr.  Wren  is  still  in  Paris.'-  I  should 
be  glad  the  waters  of  Bourbon  might  benefitt  Sir  Samuel:3 
and  those  of  Vic  Mr.  Trumbull.  God  bee  praysed  that  you 
recovered  from  the  small  pox,  which  may  now  so  embolden 
you,  as  to  take  of,  at  least  abate,  the  sollicitude  and  fears 
which  others  have.  Mr.  Briot4  may  at  his  pleasure  attempt 
at  translation,  for  though  divers  short  passages  bee  altered 
or  added,  and  one  [or]  two  chapters  also  added,  yet  there  is 
litle  to  be  expunged  or  totally  left  out ;  and  therefore  may 
beginne  without  finding  inconvenience :  in  my  next  I  will 
send  you  some  litle  directions  for  a  chapter  or  two  to  be  left 
out,  and  a  coppy  of  the  third  and  fourth  editions,5  which  are 

1  The  plague,  which  was  so  fatal  in  England. 

2  Afterwards  Sir  Christopher  Wren. 

3  Sir  Samuel  Tuke  ;  see  before,  p.  68,  note. 

4  Briot.  Peter  Briot  translated  a  number  of  English  works  into  French — a  His- 
tory of  Ireland;  an  Account  of  the  natural  productions  of  England,  Scotland,  and 
Wales;  Lord's  History  of  the  Banians;  Ricault's  History  of  the  Ottoman  Empire. 
He  appears,  from  the  present  letter,  to  have  had  some  intention  of  translating 
Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  but  probably  abandoned  it;  for  the  only  French  translation 
I  have  seen  bears  the  date  of  1738,  and  is  from  the  seventh  edition,  viz.  that  of 
1672. 

5  The  third,  fol.  1658,  but  published  with  Religio  Medici,  Hydriotaphia,  and 
Garden  of  Cyrus,  in  1659:  the  fourth,  4to,  1658,  with  the  two  latter  pieces  only. 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  Ill 

all  one,  as  soone  as  pleaseth  God  to  open  an  opportunitie. 
Whatever  your  gazette  sayth,  that  the  Indian  fleet6  is  come  in 
without  seeing  any  of  our  ships,  wee  are  sure  wee  have  two 
of  their  best  in  England,  beside  other  shipps,  making  up  in 
all  the  number  of  thirtie  ;  and  what  shipps  ether  of  warre  or 
merchands  came  home  unto  them  were  such  as  wee  could  not 
meet  or  not  watch,  having  got  the  start  of  us :  it  holds  still 
that  the  prisoners  amount  to  about  three  thousand.  Wee 
here  also  that  a  caper7  of  twentie  gunnes  was  taken  not  far 
from  Cromer,  last  Saturday,  by  a  frigat,  after  two  howers 
fight.     God  blesse  you ;  I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 
September  22,  styl.  v.  [1665.] 

The  sicknesse  which  God  so  long  withheld  from  us,  is  now 
in  Norwich.  I  intend  to  send  your  sisters  to  Claxton,  and  if 
it  encreaseth,  to  remove  three  or  four  miles  of;  where  I  may 
bee  serviceable  upon  occasion  to  my  friends  in  other  diseases. 
Paris  is  a  place  which  hath  been  least  infested  with  that  dis- 
ease of  such  populous  places  in  Europe.  Write  mee  word 
what  seale  is  that  you  use. 


Mr.  Edward  Bromie  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1868.] 

SIR, 

Three  days  the  last  week  I  was  abroad  in  the  coun- 
try with  Dr.  Wren  and  Mr.  Compton.  I  did  not  thinke  to 
see  any  thinge  more  about  Paris,  but  was  tempted  out  by  so 
good  company.  Dr.  Wren's  discourse  is  very  pleasing  and 
satisfactory  to  mee  about  all  manner  of  things.  I  asked  him 
which  hee  took  to  bee  the  greatest  work  about  Paris,  he  said 

6  The  Dutch  East  India  fleet,  of  which  the  greater  part  reached  their  own  ports 
in  safety,  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  an  attack  on  them  in  August,  16(55,  by  an 
English  squadron,  under  Sir  Thomas  Tyddiman,  at  Bergen,  in  Norway,  where  they 
had  taken  refuge.  Lord  Sandwich  soon  afterwards  captured  some  of  the  larger 
Indiamen,  and  a  number  of  others.  Sir  Thomas  Browne's  younger  son,  Thomas, 
distinguished  himself  on  board  the  Foresight,  at  Bergen. 
1  A  privateer,  or  private  ship. 


112  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

the  quay,  or  key  upon  the  riuer  side,  which  he  demonstrated 
to  me,  to  bee  built  with  so  uast  expence  and  such  great  quan- 
tity of  materialls,  that  it  exceeded  all  manner  of  ways  the 
buildings  of  the  two  greatest  pyramids  in  ^Egypt.  I  told  him 
that  upon  the  banks  of  the  riuer  Loyre  for  some  miles,  there 
was  a  wall  built  of  square  stone  ;  but  because  there  could  not 
be  allowed  any  thicknesse  proportionall  to  the  key  at  Paris, 
hee  did  not  know  how  to  esteem  of  that,  as  not  haueing  euer 
seen  it.  Wee  went  the  first  day  to  Chantilly,  where  Hues  the 
Prince  of  Condy,  but  hee  was  gone  out,  and  so  wee  mist  Ab- 
bot Bourdelot8  too  ;  wee  saw  the  princesse  carried  in  a  chair 
about  the  gardens,  being  with  child.  The  hous  is  old  built, 
and  belonged  formerly  to  the  Duke  of  Montmorancy,  whose 
statua  on  horseback  in  bronze  stands  before  the  house  ;  the 
gardens  and  water  works  are  neat.  The  next  day  wee  went 
to  Liancourt,  belonging  to  the  president  of  Liancourt ;  the 
house  is  built  but  on  two  sides,  the  gate  makeing  the  third, 
and  the  fourth  layeing  open  to  haue  a  better  prospect  of  the 
gardens.  The  waterworks  here  are  in  greater  number  then 
in  any  place  in  France,  and  the  water  throwne  up  in  pretty 
shaps,  as  of  a  bell  turned  up  or  of  a  bell  turned  downe,  out  of 
frogs  mouths  in  a  broad  thin  streame,  &c.  The  mill  that 
serues  to  rayse  the  water  is  the  largest  I  haue  seen.  The 
presidents  chaise  in  which  they  draw  him  about  the  garden, 
is  so  well  poised  upon  the  wheels,  made  just  like  the  chaises 
roulantes,  that  are  here  so  much  in  fashion  at  present,  that 
one  may  draw  it  with  two  fingers.  His  only  son  was  killed 
the  last  yeare  in  Hungaria,  so  that  hee  and  his  wife  will  re- 
turne  no  more  to  court,  but  end  there  days  here.  The 
groves  are  stately,  and  cut  through  in  many  places  into  long 
shady  walks.  Wee  went  from  hence  to  Vernueil,  seated  upon 
an  high  hill,  a  uery  neat  castel,  but  furnished  with  old  fourni- 
ture.  The  duke  I  suppose  is  still  embassador  in  England ; 
hee  keeps  a  pack  of  English  dogs  here,  and  hues  in  a  good 
hunting  country.  The  house  is  uery  finely  carued  without 
side.  Dr.  Wren  guest  that  the  same  man  built  this  which 
built  the  Louure,  there  being  the  same  faults  in  one  as  in  the 
other.     Wee  lye  at  Jenlis   this  night,  a  great  towne,  and  a 

S  Physician  to  the  Prince  of  Conde. 


1665.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  113 

bishops  seat,  with  three  or  four  good  churches  in  it,  and  an 
od  kind  of  hospitall  without  the  towne,  where  the  chambers 
are  built  like  those  of  the  Carthusians,  at  some  distance  one 
from  another.     The  next  day  wee  saw  Rinsy,  an  house  be- 
longing to  the  Dutchesse  of  Longueville,  sister  to  the  Prince 
of  Conde.     The  gardens  and  waterworks  are  not  yet  finished  ; 
the  house  is  small  but  extremely  neat,  and  the  modell  pleased 
Dr.   Wren   very  much ;   the  chambers  are  excellently  well 
painted,  and  one  roome  with  an  handsome  cupola  in  it  is  one 
of  the  best  I  haue  seen.     Returning  to  Paris,  the  King  ouer- 
took  us  in  chaise  roulante  with  his  Mistress  La  Valiere  with 
him,  habited  uery  prettily  in  a  hat  and  feathers,  and  a  just 
aucorps.     Hee  had  dined  that  day  with  his  brother,  at  a 
house  of  his  in  the  country ;  and  had  left  his  company  and 
came  away  full  speed  to  Paris.     Upon  the  news  of  the  King 
of  Spaines  death,  they  prepare  apace  ;  Marischal  Turenne  is 
ordered  for  Flanders.     The  King  of  France  doubts  whether 
hee  should  imploye  the  Prince  of  Conde  or  no.     Yesterday 
being  Michaelmas  day,  Hostel  Dieu  was  crammed  up  with 
people  that  came  to  pay  their  deuotion.     I  heareing  there  was 
an  arm  to  be  cut  of  in  a  roome  apart,  desired  the  fauour  of 
the  Chirurgien  to  see  it,  and  after  a  little  grumbling  hee  let 
mee  in.     The  operation  is  the  same  with  a  leg,  but  sooner 
done,  by  reason  there  is  but  one  bone,  and  the  periosteum 
quicklyer  separated.     Pray  present  my  duty  to  my  mother, 
my  seruice  to  all  my  friends.    I  haue  not  the  least  thoughts  of 
staying  here  this  winter.     The  anatomies  beginning  already, 
there  will  be  nothing  that  can  keep  mee  here  much  longer, 
unlesse  it  bee  the  chymick  lecture  ;  if  it  begins  within  these 
ten  days  I  will  hear  it,  so  as  I  may  set  out  the  first  of  your 
Nouember ,  if  not,  I  believe  I  shall  come  sooner.     I  was  the 
last  week  with  Mr.  Peti,  a  mathematician,  that  hath  been  once 
or  twice  to  see  me  when  I  was  not  within.     Hee  hath  got 
your  Vulgar  Errours  translated,  but  tis  halfe  into  English  and 
halfe  into  Latin,  so  that  it  cannot  bee  printed  so ;  hee  doth 
not  understand  English,  but  hath  got  this  done  for  his  owne 
satisfaction.     I  beleeve  he  will  present  you  with  one  of  his 
books  de  Cometis,  which  he  hath  lately  written,  upon  an  hy- 
pothesis of  his  owne,  different  from  Des  Cartes.     Hee  hath 
VOL.  i.  i 


114-  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE. 

diuers  fine  instruments,  glasses,  and  other  inuentions  in  his 
chamber.  Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
Paris,  Septembre  last,  1665. 


Here  we  take  our  leave  of  the  elder  son  till  towards 
the  autumn  of  1668,  when  we  shall  again  find  him  in- 
dulging his  roaming  propensities  in  fresh  adventures. 
The  following  series  of  journals  and  letters,  present, 
uninterruptedly,  all  the  records  which  have  been  found, 
of  the  short  but  brilliant  career  of  the  younger  son, 
Thomas,  in  the  service  of  his  country.  He  entered 
the  English  navy  in  the  close  of  1664,  just  when  the 
nation  was  rushing,  with  the  utmost  enthusiasm,  into 
the  Dutch  war,  and  when  Charles  II,  to  gratify  the 
public  eagerness,  as  well  as  to  further  his  own  views, 
was  making  every  possible  exertion  to  equip  and  man 
a  fleet  capable  of  meeting  the  powerful  navy  of  Hol- 
land, assisted,  as  it  was  expected  to  be,  by  that  of 
France.  The  moment  was  auspicious  for  our  young 
adventurer;  who  appears  to  have  obtained  his  com- 
mission without  delay,  and  made  his  first  voyage  up 
the  Mediterranean  on  board  the  Foresight,  command- 
ed by  Captain  Brookes,  the  brother  of  Sir  Robert 
Brookes,9  an  intimate  friend  of  his  father's.  He  re- 
turned in  time  to  join  the  grand  English  fleet  under 
the  command  of  James,  Duke  of  York,  assisted  by 
Prince  Rupert  and  the  Earl  of  Sandwich  ;  and  was 
present,  on  the  third  of  June,  1665,  at  the  first  great 
action,  off  Lowestoft,  with  the  Dutch,  under  Opdam, 
which  terminated  in  the  total  defeat  of  the  enemy, 

9  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Wanstead,  and  M.  P.  for  Aldboro',  Suffolk. 


DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  115 

who  lost  four  admirals,  seven  thousand  men,  and 
eighteen  ships.  Browne  had  the  good  fortune  soon 
afterwards  to  distinguish  himself  in  the  unsuccessful 
attempt  made,  by  Lord  Sandwich  and  Sir  Thomas 
Tyddiman,  to  seize  the  two  rich  Dutch  East  India 
fleets  which  had  taken  shelter  in  the  neutral  Danish 
harbour  of  Bergen,  on  the  coast  of  Norway  -,1  and  was 
engaged  in  the  subsequent  capture  of  a  portion  of 
those  fleets,  in  September.  In  the  winter  of  the  same 
year  he  made  his  second  voyage  up  the  Mediterra- 
nean, with  Sir  Jeremy  Smith,  during  which  period 
Louis  XIV  declared  war  against  the  English,  and  fit- 
ted out  a  fleet  to  assist  the  States  General.  Browne, 
on  his  return  from  the  Streights,  took  a  share  in  all 
the  actions  of  1666.  In  the  unexpected  and  unequal 
conflict  between  the  entire  Dutch  fleet,  under  De 
Ruyter  and  Van  Tromp,  and  one  division  of  the  En- 
glish fleet,  under  the  Duke  of  Albemarle,  during  the 
unfortunate  absence  of  Prince  Rupert  with  the  other 
division  in  quest  of  the  French  fleet  under  the  Duke 
of  Beaufort,  his  ship  was  in  the  duke's  division.  In 
that  furious  engagement,  and  during  the  subsequent 
four  days'  fight  in  July,  after  the  junction  of  Prince 
Rupert,  he  acquired,  as  will  be  seen,  a  character  for 
the  most  able  conduct,  and  the  most  undaunted  bra- 
very. He  was  present,  in  the  following  month,  at 
the  destruction  of  the  town  of  Brandaris,  with  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  Dutch  merchantmen  and  some  line  of 
battle  ships  ;  and,  in  the  close  of  the  year,  was  again 
sent  as  convoy  to  the  Mediterranean,  on  board  the 
Marie  Rose,  in  the  fleet  under  Admiral  Kempthorne. 
From  thence  he  returned  to  Portsmouth  in  about 
May,   1667.     And  here,  unfortunately,  all  traces  of 

1  See  "  Sir  Gilbert  Talbot's  Narrative  of  the  Earl  of  Sandwich's  Attempt  upon 
Bergen  in  1G65  ;"  from  MS.  Harl.  6859.     Archceologia,  xxii,  33. 


116  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1664. 

him  are  lost. — The  most  diligent  inquiries  have  not 
hitherto  enabled  me  to  discover  the  sequel  of  his  his- 
tory :  a  solitary  allusion,  in  a  letter  written  many 
years  after,  adverts  to  him  in  terms  which  prove  that 
he  had  been  long  dead.  But  how  and  when  he  died, 
I  have,  to  my  great  mortification,  not  as  yet  been  able 
to  ascertain.0  His  career  was  brief  and  splendid  ;  but 
of  its  close  we  know  nothing.  Enough  appears,  how- 
ever, to  prove,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  he  possessed  a 
character  and  talents  of  no  ordinary  calibre;  which,  had 
he  not  been  early  cut  off,  would  have  secured  to  him, 
in  the  profession  he  had  chosen,  a  distinction  not  in- 
ferior to  that  which  his  amiable  father  attained  through 
the  more  quiet  paths  of  philosophy  and  science. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

TOM, 

I  presume  you  are  in  London,  where  you  may  satis- 
fie  yourself  in  the  buisinesse  ;  do  nothing  rashly,  but  as  you 
find  just  grounds  for  your  advantage,  wch  will  hardly  bee 
at  the  best  deservings,  without  good  and  faythfull  friends ; 
no  sudden  advantage  for  rawe  though  dangerous  services. 
There  is  another  and  more  safe  way,  whereby  Capt.  Brookes 
and  others  come  in  credit,  by  going  about  2  yeares  before 
they  were  capable  of  places  ;  [with]  which  I  am  not  well  ac- 
quainted. God  and  good  friends  advise  you.  Bee  sober  and 
complacent.  If  you  cood  quit  periwigs  it  would  bee  better, 
and  more  for  your  credit.  If  Mr.  Rand  live  in  London  in- 
forme  him  of  Ned.  Hee  would  teach  you  Latin  quickly,  by 
rule  and  speech.     God  blesse  you. 

Your  loving  father, 

TH.  BROWNE. 

2  Should  any  further  information  be  obtained  on  the  subject,  it  shall  be  given  in 
the  Life  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne. 


1G65.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  117 

If  you  are  not  in  hast  for  the  present,  it  would  bee  of  ad- 
vantage to  learne  of  Mr.  Goulding  or  others,  the  practicall 
mathematicks  and  use  of  instruments. 

Ned  sent  you  a  print  of  Domenic  Ottoman,  one  of  Hibraim 
the  Grand  Signor's  sonnes,  the  brother  of  Mahomet,  now 
raigning.  Hee  was  taken  at  sea  by  a  shippe  of  Malta,  1652, 
at  IS  yeares  of  age ;  now  a  Christian  and  a  dominican  friar ; 
your  brother  saw  him  at  Turin.3  It  is  a  very  good  and  serious 
face ;  on  the  back  side  hee  sent  more  French  verses  concern- 
ing the  pope  and  king  of  France,  and  that  one  Chairo 4  of 
Milan  is  now  the  famous  paynter.  You  may  see  hee  went 
through  many  of  those  townes  I  mentioned,  and  the  passinge 
of  Mont  Cenis. 

DEAR  TOM, 

I  am  glad  to  heare  you  will  [judge  ?]  prudantly  of 
things,  and  if  you  dooe  not  find  them  acording  to  expectation, 
com  home  to  us  againe.  I  will  send  your  weg  by  the  choch, 
and  the  buf  cotte  if  I  can  gett  it.  If  you  want  more  monyes 
then  you  thinke  fit  to  take  of  my  cosen,  Mr.  Scoltowe  will 
latt  you  have  it,  butt  bee  suer  to  spand  as  little  as  you  can. 
Latt  mee  here  from  you.  Bee  carfull  and  sivell  to  my  cosens, 
Mrs.  Cottrall,  and  the  Howalls,  and  carey  all  our  services  to 
them.     I  besich  God  bles  and  dereckt  you. 

Your  loving  Mother 
Novem.  25.  [1664.]  DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

Thes  for  Mr.  Thomas  Browne,  att  William  Barkers,  Esq. 
in  Clarken  Wall  upon  New  Prison  Wallke,  London. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

HONEST  TOM, 

God  blesse  thee,  and  protect  thee,  and  mercifully 
lead  you  through  the  wayes  of  his  providence.     I  am  much 

3  See  p.  71. 
4  The  name  is  not  to  be  decyphered  in  the  original  hieroglyphics,  and  is  not  ex- 
plained by  our  copy  of  the  letter  referred  to,  p.  7 1 . 


118  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1665. 

greived  you  have  such  a  cold,  sharpe,  and  hard,  introduction, 
wch  addes  newe  feares  unto  mee  for  your  health,  whereof 
pray  bee  carefull,  and  as  good  an  husband  as  possible ;  wch 
will  gayne  you  credit,  and  make  you  better  trusted  in  all  af- 
fayres.  I  am  sorry  you  went  unprovided  with  bookes,  with- 
out which  you  cannot  well  spend  time  in  those  great  shipps. 
If  you  have  a  globe  you  may  easily  learne  the  starres  as  also 
by  bookes.  Waggoner5  you  will  not  be  without,  wch  will 
teach  the  particular  coasts,  depths  of  roades,  and  how  the 
land  riseth  upon  several  poynts  of  the  compasse.  Blunde- 
vill 6  or  Moxon 7  will  teach  you  severall  things.  I  see  the 
litle  comet 8  or  blazing  starre  every  cleare  evening,  the  last 
time  I  observed  it  about  42  degrees  of  hight,  about  7  o'clock, 
in  the  constellation  of  Cetus,  or  the  whale,  in  the  head  there- 
of; it  moveth  west  and  northerly,  so  that  it  moveth  toward 
Pisces  or  Linum  Septentrionale  pisces.  Ten  degrees  is  the 
utmost  extent  of  the  tayle.  Anno  1580,  there  was  a  comet 
seen  in  the  same  place,  and  a  dimme  one  like  this  discribed 
by  Msestlinus.9  That  wch  I  saw  in  1618  began  in  Libra,  and 
moved  northward,  ending  about  the  tayle  of  Ursa  Major ;  it 
was  farre  brighter  than  this,  and  the  tayle  extended  40  de- 
grees, lasted  litle  above  a  moneth.  This  now  seen  hath  last- 
ed above  a  moneth  already,  so  that  I  beleeve  from  the  motion 
that  it  began  in  Eridanus  or  Fluvius.  If  they  have  quad- 
rants, crosse-stafFes,  and  other  instruments,  learn  the  practi- 
call  use  thereof;  the  names  of  all  parts  and  roupes  about  the 
shippe,  what  proportion  the  masts  must  hold  to  the  length 
and  depth  of  a  shippe,  and  also  the  sayles.  I  hope  you  re- 
ceaved  my  letters  from  Nancy,  after  you  were  gone,  wherein 
was  a  plaine  electuary  agaynst  the  scurvie. 

Mr.  Curteen  stayed  butt  one  night,  pray  salute  him  some- 
times, my  humble  service  to  Captaine  Brooke,  whom  I  take 
the  boldnesse  to  salute,  upon  the  title  of  my  long  acquaintance 

5  Wagenar,  L.  Jans.  E.  Speculum  Xauticum  ;  translated  into  English  by  Ant. 
Ashley,  loSS. 

6  Thomas  Blundeville,  of  Newton  Flotman,  in  Norfolk.  Referring  probably  to 
his  "  Theorique  of  the  Planets,"  or  "  Exercises  in  Arithmetic,  Cosmography,  As- 
tronomy," &c. 

1  Joseph  Moxon,  F.R.S.  Concerning  the  Use  of  Globes,  fol.  1G59. 
S  Mentioned  by  Mr.  Edward  Browne,  in  his  letter,  Rome,  Jan.  2,  1664-5,  p.  7S. 
9  Michael  Msestlinus,  a  celebrated  German  astronomer,  published  several   trea- 
tises on  Comets. 


1666.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  119 

with  his  worthy  brother  Sr.  Robert  and   his   lady.      God 
blese  you.  Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 
Norwich,  January  1,  [1664-5.] 

Forget  not  French  and  Latin.     No  such  defence  agaynst 
extreme  cold,  as  a  woollen  or  flannell  wascoat  next  the  skinne. 

DEARE  TOM, 

I  am  in  much  care  and  fair  for  you.  I  besich  God 
of  his  marcy  bles  you ;  trust  in  him,  for  it  his  marcys  only  can 
suport  you.  Bee  as  good  a  husband  as  you  can  posable,  for 
you  know  what  great  charges  wee  are  now  att.  Your  sisters 
present  their  trew  loves  to  you,  and  Franke  prayes  for  her 
prity  brothar  dayly,  so  dooes  your  affectionate  Mothar 

D.  B. 

Mis  Corbet  and  the  Hothams,  and  the  rest  of  your  frinds 
present  their  loves  to  you. 

For  Mr.  Thomas  Browne.l 


Mr.  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1910.] 

SIR, 

I  send  you  the  journall  which  I  made  of  our  voyage 
with  Sir  Jeremie  Smith,  the  last  winter ;  which  proued  not  so 
successefull  as  we  hoped,  hauing  not  taken  many  prizes,  met 
with  much  foul  and  tempestuous  wether,  and  at  last  not 
without  much  sicknesse,  there  dying  thirtie  in  our  shippe,  and 
no  less  than  fiftie  in  the  admirall. 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 
[No  date,  but  in  1666.] 

'  It  does  not  appear  how  this  letter  could  have  been  forwarded  to  him ;  for  if 
the  date  is  correctly  decyphered  he  must  already  have  been  on  his  voyage. 


120  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [166G. 

Thursday,  December  the  21st,  I  arriued  at  Portsmouth,  in 
order  to  embarck  myselfe  in  Sr.  Jeremy  Smith's  fleet,  consist- 
ing of  16  sail  of  frigats,  2  fire  shipps,  and  4  ketches ;  the 
Mary,  admirall.  Saturday  23rd  I  spake  with  Sr.  Christo- 
pher Minns,  who  then  rid  admirall  in  Portsmouth  harbour, 
in  the  Fairfax.  Sunday  24th,  not  hauing  opportunity  to  fit 
my  self  for  the  voyage  in  so  short  a  time,  I  was  forst  to  ex- 
pect a  convenience  in  the  reere  of  the  fleet.  Sr.  Jeremy 
saild  this  day  with  12  frigats,  1  fire  ship,  and  the  ketches. 
Thursday  28th  I  went  on  board  the  Mountague,  a  third  rate 
ship,  and  was  receiued  by  the  commander  of  her,  Captain 
Fenn.  This  day  arriued  the  Jarsy,  who  brought  us  news  of 
our  admirall,  that  he  had  only  touchd  at  Plimouth  one  night, 
and  had  proceeded  on  his  voyage.  The  remainder  of  this 
week  and  the  next  being  partly  spent  in  expecting  provisions 
for  the  shipp,  but  mostly  of  a  fair  wind,  on  Saturday  the  6th 
of  January,  wee  set  sail  from  the  Spithed,  having  that  morn- 
ing taken  aboard  Sr.  Robert  Southwell2  and  his  retinew, 
agent  to  the  King  of  Portugall :  being  in  company,  the  Moun- 
tague 3d,  Newcastle,  Portland,  and  Reeserve,  fourth  rate 
ships,  with  the  Brier,  a  fier  ship.  We  turned  out  at  St.  El- 
lens Point,  the  Newcastle  struck  on  the  Horse,  but  receiued 
no  damage;  about  2  o'clock  wee  wethered  the  island,  and 
leauing  the  bay  and  castle  of  Sandford,  the  7th,  we  were  off 
Portland  and  Torbay ;  the  8th,  Plimouth  and  the  Lizard ;  the 
9th,  Huissant,3  and  entred  the  Bay  of  Biscay.  The  10th  wee 
spied  a  sail,  and  made  chase  after  her;  hauing  made  our 
shipps,  she  lay  by  for  us,  not  knowing  of  the  warr.4  The 
Portland  took  her  ;  shee  was  a  Frenchman  of  about  a  hundred 
and  fifty  tonne,  loden  with  sugar  and  tobacco,  from  St.  Chris- 
tophers to  Haure  de  Grace,  upon  the  companies  account. 
Tenn  gunns  she  had,  where  of  two  they  had  cast  over  board 
in  foul  weather,  which  they  had  much  of.  All  this  way  from 
the  channell  wee  had  a  great  foame  of  a  sea  from  the  west- 

2  Of  Wood  Rising,  in  Norfolk  ;  Principal  Secretary  of  State  for  Ireland,  and 
President  of  the  Royal  Society.  He  was  employed  by  Charles  II.  on  several  nego- 
ciations. 

3  L'lle  d'Ouessant,  off  the  north-west  coast  of  France. 

i  Louis  XIV.  joined  the  Dutch,  and  declared  war  against  England  in  the  early 
part  of  January,  1665-  fj. 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  121 

ward,  the  signs  of  a  precedent  storm  that  sore  shatterd  Sr. 
Jeremyes  fleet,  as  wee  afterwards  understood. 

January  10th,  the  French  captain  came  the  same  day  on 
board  us,  the  best  humor'd  and  least  giuen  to  the  French 
fantastickness,  that  I  have  obserued.  His  name  was  .... 
La  Chapelle,  of  St.  Maloes.  The  11th,  12th,  and  13th,  wee 
stood  on  our  cours.  The  14th  wee  chast  a  small  Englishman  that 
came  from  Bideford,  laden  with  fish,  and  was  bound  for  Lis- 
bone.  Hee  told  us  he  had  met  with  verry  bad  wether,  and 
been  forst  unto  the  coast  of  Ireland,  there  chast  by  12  sail  of 
Hollanders.  The  15th  wee  made  the  Burlings,  somthing  to- 
wards euening,  they  appeared  like  two  sails  under  the  shore. 
The  16th  wee  hald  close  into  the  shore,  about  a  league  to  the 
northward  of  the  rock  of  Lisbone.  All  the  shore  full  of 
castels  and  small  redowts  to  the  seawards,  and  up  the  riuer 
to  Lisbone.  About  tenn  o'clock  wee  were  in  Cascales  Rode  ; 
hence  wee  had  a  prospect  up  to  the  citty  of  Lisbone,  the 
castle  in  the  midst  of  the  riuer,  and  famous  monastery  of 
Boelyn,  St.  Gillens  Castle,  reported  to  have  300  pieces  of 
ordinance  in  it,  the  woodden  castle,  and  verry  many  others 
of  meaner  force  and  beuty,  on  each  side  of  the  riuer.  Here 
wee  put  Sr.  Robert  abord  the  small  Englishman,  as  the  best 
conuenience  to  convay  his  retinue  and  baggage  to  the  citty. 
After  the  salutes  past  from  each  ship  to  him  at  his  departure, 
about  two  o'clock  wee  stood  on  our  course ;  that  night  had 
sight  of  Cape  Spitchel  and  Mount  Chigo.  The  17th  Cape 
St.  Vincent,  and  Cape  St.  Maryes,  Granada  hill,  and  Mount 
Chigo.  The  18th  wee  spied  six  saile  and  chased  ;  they  stood 
with  us  and  made  us,  then  went  from  us,  wee  not  being  able 
to  fetch  them.  They  were  Turks  men  of  war,  and  had  spoke 
with  Sr.  Jeremy  Smith.  Four  of  them,  2  dayes  after,  set 
upon  a  great  ship,  in  sight  of  Cales,5  and  after  a  long  dispute 
took  her ;  shee  was  then  supposed  to  bee  a  French  ship  of  36 
gunns,  coming  from  Newhauen,  worth  100,000  pounds,  bound 
for  Cales  ;  they  reckoning  by  her  departure  and  not  hearing 
of  her  long  after.  A  Barca  Longa  told  us  this  morning  of 
the  Dutch  fleets  departure  from  Cales,  and  the  English  fleet 
passing  by  soon  after.     Wee  saild  along  the  coast  with  a 

5  Cadiz. 


12-3  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1666. 

small  brize  of  wind.  Medina  wee  had  a  prospect  of,  liing  on 
the  brow  of  a  hill  within  the  land,  St.  Peters  Island,  and  Co- 
nib,  a  pritty  large  town,  close  to  the  shore,  Cape  Trafalagar 
known  by  the  great  quantity  of  white  sand  which  lies  bare  on 
the  side  of  the  hill. 

Saturday,  the  20th,  wee  were  of  Cape  Sprat,  about  six  in 
the  morning,  from  whence  to  the  Jews  riuer  the  land  is  all 
couered  with  woods  and  green  shrubs.  From  the  Jews 
riuer,  (which  is  for  the  most  part  drie,  unless  after  rains, 
which,  falling  from  the  mountaines,  giues  it  a  streme),  is  little 
above  two  miles  to  Tanger.  Wee  came  to  an  anchor  in  the 
bay  about  ten  of  the  clock ;  here  wee  had  inteligence  of  Sir 
Jeremies  being  at  Malaga,  haueing  staied  here  a  day  or  two 
in  his  way.  Tanger,  situated  to  the  westward  of  the  bay  on 
the  bending  of  a  hill,  from  whence  to  the  sea  side  is  a  verry 
deep  descent.  I  take  it  to  bee  a  verry  ancient  citty,  as  the 
old  castle  and  staires  to  the  sea  ward,  thoug  now  ruind,  do  no 
les  testifie.  Yet  not  that  Tengis  written  of  in  ancient  his- 
toryes,  as  namely  of  Plutarch  in  the  life  of  Sertorius,  who  af- 
firmes  hee  past  ouer  from  Spain  into  Barbary,  tooke  Tengis, 
and  finding  a  tomb  reported  to  bee  that  of  Antoeus,  broake 
it  open,  and  found  bones  of  an  exceding  length  :  this,  if  true, 
must  bee  understood  of  that  old  Tanger  now  call'd,  to  the 
eastward  of  the  bay  ;  a  ruinous  building,  with  a  broken  bridge 
ouer  the  riuer,  whose  ruines  do  show  it  to  haue  been  a  place 
far  more  antique  then  this.  Tanger,  now  inhabited,  is  allmost 
fower  square,  the  best  street  in  it  is  that  which  runneth  from 
Port  Catherine  downe  to  the  Key  gate,  and  is  called  the 
market ;  the  rest  inconsiderable,  narrow,  and  crooked  streets. 
A  towne  of  little  force  and  lesse  proffit,  till  put  into  the 
English  hands,  now  verry  much  mended  as  to  the  former,  and 
in  great  hopes  of  raising  the  latter,  if  the  mould  goes  forward 
for  a  security  of  marchant  shippes  lying  there,  the  bay  beeinge 
somthing  too  open  a  roade.  On  the  east  point  of  the  bay 
stands  two  towers,  one  aboue  the  other.  Hauing  left  our 
French  prise  here,  about  flue  o'clock  wee  wayed  and  stood 
ouer  for  Malaga ;  in  the  night,  spiing  a  strange  ship,  wee 
fired  at  her :  coming  under  our  lee,  shee  struck  against  our 
counter,  beat  in  her  side,  and  did  her  self  some  other  damage, 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  .123 

carried  away  ourensigne  staf,  and  one  of  our  lanterns.  Shee 
was  a  Turks  man  of  war.  The  captaines  came  aboard  of 
us ;  in  the  hurly  burly  two  slaues  got  aboard  of  us,  but, 
after  long  search,  one  of  them  was  found  again  and  carried 
aboard. 

The  21st,  in  the  morning,  wee  arriued  in  Malaga  roade, 
where  wee  found  Sir  Jeremy,  in  great  expectation  of  us,  with 
but  eight  of  his  twelve  sail,  and  one  of  his  ketches  ;  the  rest 
hauing  lost  their  masts,  were  put  back  again  with  the  foul 
weather.  He  had  not  only  been  denied  product  here,  but 
with  none  of  the  ciuilist  expressions  from  the  governour ;  a 
spight  they  bore  him,  I  thinck,  since  his  namesake,  Cap: 
Eustace  Smith,  with  a  squadron  of  frigats,  beat  the  towne  and 
castle  about  theyr  ears,  fired  theyr  ships  in  the  mould,  and 
threw  their  guns  into  the  sea,  in  the  last  Spanish  wars. 

The  rest  of  this  day,  and  the  22d,  wee  stayd  in  Malaga 
road.  Wee  rid  farr  from  the  towne,  therefore  could  take  but 
little  notice  of  the  strength  or  bewty  of  the  towne.  There  is 
a  castle  standing  on  a  hill,  with  two  walls  running  downe  to 
another  that  stands  in  the  bottom  by  the  sea  side.  It  appears 
to  be  a  large  towne,  and  well  built ;  the  land  very  high  about 
it.  Cape  de  Mole  to  the  westward  of  it,  the  Granada  hills, 
fan*  up  in  the  land,  seen  here,  couered  with  snow.  The  23d, 
by  one  in  the  morning,  wee  wayed,  and  stood  ouer  for  the 
Barbary  coast.  The  24th  wee  had  sight  of  Ceuta  point,  and 
stood  in  for  Tetuan  bay.  It  was  verry  hazy  and  calme,  wee 
stood  of  to  sea  again.  That  night,  25th,  wee  hal'd  in  for  the 
shore  again,  and  in  the  afternoon,  about  one  o'clock,  made  it 
about  four  leagues  to  the  westward  of  Busema,  verry  high 
rocky  land.  Wee  stood  along  the  shore  till  we  open'd  the 
bay,  being  about  abluf  point  verry  remarkable,  and  an  island 
with  in  it.  Wee  sent  the  ketch  in,  who,  finding  it  an  open 
road,  beginning  to  blow  fresh,  stood  of  to  us  again.  This 
night  wee  had  a  verry  great  storm  at  northwest,  which  lasted 
till  five  in  the  morning.  Wee  past  betwen  the  maine  and  a 
small  uninhabited  island,  calld  Alboran  ;  some  of  our  seamen 
had  been  formerly  upon  it ;  being  a  mere  sandy  island,  rushes 
and  drye  shrubs  growing  on  it,  some  few  rabits  breed  there ; 
about  halfe  a  mile  long,  not  halfe  so  broad. 


124  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1666. 

The  26th  wee  were  under  Cape  One ;  there  is  good  rid- 
ing in  the  bay,  and  a  small  rocky  island  of  the  cape,  which  may 
bee  sailed  about  on  either  side.  The  27th  wee  were  of 
Cape  Falcon,  and  that  day  ly  in  sight  of  Busema  castle.  Be- 
hind the  westwardmost  point  of  the  bay  there  is  a  high  round 
hill,  with  a  watch  tower  on  it,  that  stands  over  the  "castle. 
The  towne  is  a  league  up  the  bay ;  the  whole  country  about 
forty  miles  round  are  subject  to  this  towne,  so  that  it  is  verry 
plentifully  stor'd  with  all  manner  of  provisions,  and  a  great 
quantity  of  corn  shipt  from  hence  yearly.  We  stood  in  nearer, 
and  sent  our  ketch  in.  The  28th  the  ketch  came  of  again, 
with  a  letter  from  the  gouernour,  and  a  small  present ;  there 
came  two  small  gallies  out  with  her,  bound  for  Spain ;  they 
saluted  the  admirall,  and  stood  on  their  course.  Wee  under- 
stood no  Hollanders  to  bee  in  the  bay ;  some  small  French 
settees,  one  Englishman,  the  rest  Spaniards.  The  29th 
wee  stood  ouer  for  the  coast  of  Spain.  The  30th,  about 
euening,  wee  were  of  Cartagena ;  that  night  wee  lay  by.  The 
31st  we  were  of  Cape  Palos. 

February  1st,  wee  came  in  sight  of  Alicant  in  the  morning, 
hauing  notice  by  a  small  Englishman  that  came  from  thence 
of  five  saile  of  Hollenders  riding  in  the  roade,  loden  with 
corn.  Wee  went  in  with  an  easy  sayl,  purposing  to  set  on 
them,  but  they  had  hald  verry  neare  the  town,  and  in  verry 
shoald  water.  Wee  came  to  an  anchor  within  less  then  a  mile 
of  the  towne,  which  is  pretty  large,  and  hath  a  verry  strong 
castle  built  on  the  top  of  the  high  steep  hill.  The  gouernour 
was  so  ciuill  as  to  let  us  haue  diuers  things  brought  us  to  the 
mould  lied,  though  he  could  giue  us  no  product  in  the  towne. 
The  Spanish  army,  that  had  been  rowted  by  the  Portugese, 6 
was  about  eight  leagues  of.  An  English  souldier,  coming 
from  thence,  came  aboard  of  us.  The  2d  and  3d  wee  rid 
here,  hauing  put  the  Dutch  ships  in  sufficient  fear,  least  wee 
should  veare  aboard  them.  The  fourth,  about  two  in  the 
morning,  wee  wayhed,  and  stood  of  to  sea.  That  day  had  a 
storm  so  violent  that  a  Prouincal  prise  wee  had  taken  was  like 
to   haue  founderd.      The  fift  wee  stood  in  again  to  Cape 

5  Perhaps  alluding  to  their  defeat  by  the  Portuguese,  under  the  command  of  the 
Marquis  of  Marialva,  at  the  battle  of  Montes  Claros,  on  the  7th  of  June,  1665. 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  125 

Palos.  The  6th  wee  were  of  Cartagena.  The  7th  wee  stood 
along  the  coast  with  an  easy  saile.  The  8th  wee  said  in 
close  with  Table  Round  Bay  ;  there  is  a  tower  on  the  easter- 
most  point,  and  a  castle  in  the  bay,  which  is  all  sandy,  and  a 
good  watering  place.  About  three  in  the  afternoon  wee  were 
close  under  the  Round  Table,  a  hill  to  the  westward  of  the 
bay,  that  showes  it  selfe  like  a  table.  This  night  wee  got 
about  Cape  de  Gallo,  and  the  9th,  in  the  morning,  wee  opened 
Aimeria  Bay,  a  large  sandy  bay,  the  pleasantest  I  euer  saw- 
In  the  bottom  of  the  bay  layes  the  towne  and  castle  of  Aime- 
ria, and  to  the  westward  of  it  Roguetta.  Wee  stood  in  to  the 
bay  till  noon,  and  then  came  out  again.  All  this  day  wee 
sayled  by  a  low  sandy  shore,  but  the  land  mountainous  inward ; 
that  night  wee  past  Modrill,  Malaga,  and  Veles,  hauing  sent 
our  ketch  into  Malaga.  The  10th,  in  the  morning,  wee  had 
sight  of  Gibralter  hill,  and  stood  ouer  for  the  Barbary  coast. 
About  noon  wee  were  of  Ceuta  Point,  and  sailed  fair  in  with 
the  shore  ;  saw  Ceuta  in  the  bottom  of  the  bay ;  it  stands  very 
low  :  there  is  a  large  place  walld  about  on  the  hill,  to  the  east- 
ward of  the  bay,  and  another,  but  much  les,  to  the  westward, 
diuers  watch  towers  to  the  land  ward.  Wee  sayld  by  Apes 
Hill,  a  vast  high  rock,  hauing  nothing  growing  on  it,  but  full  of 
great  clefts ;  there  are  two  towers  at  the  bottom  of  it.  Some- 
thing to  the  eastward  wee  saw  Alcaser,  and  an  old  castle,  on  a 
hill ;  in  the  bay  is  another  castle  by  the  sea  side.  About  five 
o'clock  wee  came  by  Tangier.  All  this  afternoon  wee  had  the 
greatest  fret  of  wind  I  ever  was  in,  at  east :  I  judge  the  wind 
beeing  forst  between  these  two  high  lands  to  bee  the  cause  of 
it.  That  night  wee  lay  by,  between  Cape  Sprat  and  Trafal- 
gar. The  11th  wee  anchored  of  Rota,  hauing  driuen  a 
French  man  of  war  from  his  anchor  there,  into  more  security 
nearer  the  towne  of  Cales.  The  12th  wee  had  order,  with 
fower  sail  more,  to  cruse  between  Cales  and  the  straits  :  wee 
waighed  about  four  in  the  morning,  and  lay  of  St.  Peters 
Island.  About  ten  wee  spied  six  small  sails  comeing  about 
Cape  Trafalgar.  It  proued  our  ketch,  in  return  from  Malaga, 
chasing  five  sail  of  settees;  four  of  them  hee  brought  by  the 
lee,  the  fift  was  too  swift  of  sail,  and  getting  close  under  the 
shore  had  scapt  him ;  wee  man'd  out  two  pinnaces,  and  forst 


126  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1660. 

him  a  shore  near  St.  Peters  Island,  and,  at  the  flood,  brought 
him  of  verry  leaky.  She  was  a  French  settee,  called  Nostre- 
dame  de  Carme,  belonging  to  Martegues,  in  Prouence,  now 
come  from  Oran,  loden  with  corn  for  Cales ;  the  master  of  her, 
Jaques  Antoine,  was  brought  aboard  wounded,  and  died  a  day 
or  two  after.  Wee  had  one  man  wounded  in  the  dispute. 
Wee  sent  in  the  other  fower  settees,  whereof  one  allso  prou'd 
prise.  The  13th,  in  the  morning,  wee  sent  in  our  settee,  not 
being  able  to  keep  her  longer  aboue  water.  The  14th,  wee 
chasd  a  bark  with  our  boats  ;  shee  was  loaden  with  corn  for 
Cales  ;  the  Spaniards  had  left  her,  fearing  us  to  bee  Turks, 
but  it  was  sent  in  and  deliuerd  them  again.  The  15th,  went 
into  Cales  to  Sir  Jeremy  ;  where  wee  had  certain  news  of  the 
Lion,  Antelope,  and  Crown's  arriuall  in  England,  sore  shatter- 
ed, but  no  news  of  the  Mitford.  The  16th  wee  came  out 
of  Cales  road  betimes  in  the  morning ;  that  night  were 
thwart  of  the  straits  mouth,  it  blowing  extreamly  hard  out  of 
the  gut ;  an  Englishman  and  our  Prouincall  prise  lost  company. 
The  17th,  in  the  morning,  being  shot  under  the  Barbary 
shore,  wee  had  little  wind,  some  shippes  not  halfe  a  mile 
a  stern  of  us  hauing  as  much  as  they  could  carry  their  top- 
sails with.  Wee  chasd  a  ship  in  the  after  noon,  shee  was  an 
Englishman  come  from  Cales ;  this  night  wee  had  a  great 
storme.  About  7  in  the  morning  Cape  Sprat  bore  east  and 
by  south  of  us,  about  7  or  8  leagues  of;  wee  had  lost  com- 
pany of  our  admirall,  and  could  see  but  8  sail  of  our  whole 
fleet.  Two  verry  large  sharks  and  a  grampus  came  verry 
near  our  ship,  and  some  time  after  a  large  drift  tree  with  the 
bows  and  leaues  on  it.  About  9  or  10  we  spied  our  admirall 
a  lied,  and  that  afternoon  were  all  together  again.  The  19th 
being  calme  wee  lay  by  most  part  of  the  day  of  the  white 
cliffs  betwen  Arsilla  and  Larache.  The  20th  wee  chasd  an 
English  shipp ;  shee  was  bound  for  Genoa,  and  told  us  of 
severall  frigats  ready  to  sail  that  were  comeing  to  us  from 
England.  The  21st  wee  stood  in  within  three  leagues  of 
Larache,  which  is  a  town  of  the  Spaniards,  standing  with  a 
great  castle  on  the  side  of  the  south  point  of  the  bay,  which 
hath  allso  a  riuer  running  into  it,  though  but  shole ;  opposite 
to  it  on  the  north  point  of  the  bay  are  some  buildings,  or 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  127 

rather  ruins ;  on  the  top  of  the  point  there  lyes  a  sand  before 
the  riuer's  mouth,  and  is  a  place  of  little  trading.  They  fired 
many  gunns  from  the  towne  and  castle  whilst  wee  were  before 
it ;  wee  heard  afterwards  they  were  then  hard  beseeg'd  by 
the  Mores.  This  night  wee  tackt  and  stood  to  the  norward. 
The  22d  wee  were  of  Cape  Sprat,  that  night  lay  by.  The 
23d  wee  ly  of  the  Barbary  coast ;  being  change  day,  riding 
under  Cape  Sprat  N  E,  wee  found  the  tide  that  came  from 
the  westward,  8  of  the  clock,  and  the  estern  tide  to  run  until 
2  o'clock,  being  calme ;  thus  wee  found  the  tide  to  shape  its 
cours.  Observed,  that  under  Cape  Sprat,  riding  in  20  fathom 
water,  wee  found  that  at  3  o'clock  the  currant  came  so  strong 
toward  the  east  that  wee  thwarted  wholly  up  to  the  east ; 
wee  had  good  ground  but  coarse,  the  Cape  N  E  and  by  N, 
about  4  leagues  of.  The  24th  wee  anchord  in  the  bay  to  the 
southward  of  the  Cape,  a  fine  sandy  bay,  in  the  bottome  of  it 
a  pleasant  vally,  all  sowne  with  corn,  the  hills  covered  with 
woods,  the  bay  full  of  diuers  sorts  of  fishes,  especially  of 
porgues,7  of  which  wee  took  diuers,  and  some  small  nurses,8 
the  25th,  26th,  and  27th,  being  most  spent  in  this  exercise. 
The  28th  wee  waighed  and  came  into  Tangier  Bay,  where 
hauing  got  some  water  from  the  shore,  the  wind  comeing 
easterly  again,  the  1st  of  March  we  waighd  and  stood  to  the 
westv/ard.  The  2nd  the  ketch  went  again  to  Tangier.  The 
3rd  wee  were  betwen  the  Cape  and  Cape  Trafalagar,  som- 
thing  of  to  sea.  The  4th  wee  came  again  into  Tangier  Bay  ; 
that  night  I  went  a  shore  and  lay  in  the  castle.  The  5th, 
hauing  walk't  about  the  lines,  seen  the  new  towne  at  the 
coue,  tooke  some  obseruation  of  the  mind  stairs,  and  the 
mould,  wee  came  abourd  and  that  night  waighed.  The  6th 
wee  were  again  under  Cape  Sprat,  it  blew  hard  at  east.  The 
7th  wee  were  of  Arzyla,  and  stood  in  within  fower  leagues  of 
it,  not  so  near  as  to  make  any  great  obseruacions  of  it ;  it  is 
under  the  command  of  Guyland,  and  one  of  his  cheef  seats, 
from  whence,  in  the  yeare 9  the  Earle  of  Sandwich 

1  The  Porgee,  or  Porgy  ;  Spams  Chrysops,  Lin. 

8  Some  species  of  shark,  or  dog-fish  ;  very  probably  Sq.  CanicuJa,  or  Catulus. 

9  "August  20th,  16C2.  To  my  Lord  Sandwich,  whom  I  found  in  bed.  Among 
other  talk,  he  do  tell  me  that  he  hath  put  me  into  commission  with  a  great  many 
persons  in  the  business  of  Tangier,  which  is  a  very  great  honour  to  me,  &c.     I  per- 


128  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1GG6. 

treated  with  him ;  tis  said  to  bee  pretty  strong,  though  not 
verry  large ;  all  I  could  obserue  of  it  is,  that  tis  a  square 
towne,  standing  on  a  small  rising  close  by  the  sea  side,  with 
many  turrets  in  it.  The  8th  wee  past,  with  little  worth  ob- 
seruance,  under  the  Barbary  shore.  The  9th  wee  stood  ouer 
to  the  Spanish  coast,  and,  hauing  little  wind,  wee  lay  most  of 
the  day  of  Trafalagar  and  Conill,  examining  a  small  fleet 
which  came  from  Cales,  who  were  most  of  them  Genoese. 
About  eleven  at  night  wee  were  alarmd  with  a  fleet  of  eight 
sail  of  ships  a  hed ;  the  admirall  made  his  false  fire,  and  wee 
were  in  a  fighting  posture  presently,  the  wind  comeing  about 
wee  were  not  able  to  reach  them,  and  in  great  doubt  what 
they  were ;  they  had  made  us  sooner,  and  sent  theyr  boats 
aboard  of  us  about  six  in  the  morning ;  they  proued  the  Lion 
and  Swallow,  with  six  marchantmen  and  victuallers  bound  for 
Tangier.  They  stood  on  their  course,  and  wee  in  with  the 
shore,  hauing  with  us  a  prise  which  the  Lion  tooke,  coming 
from  Lisbone,  laden  with  sugar  and  tobacco.  That  afternoon 
came  to  an  anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Bulls,  of  Rota.  The  11th 
wee  waighed  again,  and  came  to  an  anchor  in  Cales  roade. 


Mr.  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Father. 


[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 

From  aboard  the  Marie  Rose,  at  the  Buoy  of 
the  Middle  Grounds,  July  16,  1666. 

DEAR    FATHER, 

If  it  were  possible  to  get  an  opportunitie  to  send  so 
often  as  I  am  desirous  to  write,  you  should  heare  more  often 
from  me,  especially  being  now  so  neare  the  grand  action,  from 
which  I  would  by  no  meanes  bee  absent ;  because  it  is  gene- 

ceive  there  is  yet  good  hopes  of  peace  with  Guyland,  which  is  of  great  concernment 
to  Tangier." — Pepys's  Diary,  &;c.  vol.  i,  p.  160. 

"  August  21st,  1663.  Lord  Teviott  has  received  another  attack  from  Guyland 
at  Tangier,  with  ten  thousand  men  ;  and  at  last,  it  is  said,  is  come,  after  a  personal 
treaty  with  him,  to  a  good  understanding  and  peace  with  him." — Pepys,  vol.  i, 
p.  247. 


1666.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  129 

rally  thought  it  will  bee  the  conclusion  of  the  warre,  and  an 
utter  confusion  of  one  partie.  I  extremely  long  for  that  thun- 
dering day;  wherein  I  hope  you  shall  heare  wee  have  behaved 
ourselves  like  men,  and  to  the  honour  of  our  country.  Wee 
have  been  for  divers  dayes  from  the  body  of  the  main  fleet, 
since  we  heard  of  the  Duch  being  out ;  and  are  now  with 
some  other  frigates  riding  at  the  buoy  of  the  middle  grounds, 
as  a  forlorne  hope,  in  sight  of  the  Duch  fleet ;  where  wee 
wayt  and  observe  their  motions,  and  make  signes  accordingly 
to  the  fleet.  Five  dayes  wee  judge  will  bee  the  longest  time 
before  wee  engage.  If  the  Duch  will  stand  to  it,  wee  hope 
to  make  an  end  of  the  warre,  otherwise  wee  may  have  cause 
to  repent  that  wee  ever  beganne  it;  wee  having  now  the 
strength  of  England  with  us.  Our  men  are  resolute ;  and  I 
know  the  temper  of  our  squadron ;  that  by  God's  assistance 
you  may  expect  notable  service  from  them.  Wee  now  lye  in 
a  sollicitous  and  wachful  guard,  in  the  face  of  the  enemie ; 
but  expect  dailie  to  joyne  with  our  fleet,  in  order  to  sudden 
action.  I  thank  you  for  your  directions  for  my  eares  agaynst 
the  noyse  of  the  gunnes,  butt  I  have  found  that  I  could  endure 
it ;  nor  is  it  so  intolerable  as  most  conceave ;  especially  when 
men  are  earnest,  and  intent  upon  their  business,  and  unto 
whom  muskets  sound  but  like  pop  gunnes :  it  is  impossible  to 
expresse  unto  another  how  a  smart  sea  fight  elevates  the  spi- 
rits of  a  man,  and  makes  him  despise  all  dangers.  Hee  that 
so  often  stands  in  the  face  of  a  cannon  will  thinck  nothing 
terrible.  In  and  after  all  sea  fights  I  have  been  very  thirstie, 
which  makes  mee  alwayes  provide  some  bottles  of  quick  and 
fresh  middle  beere  to  carry  with  mee,  whereby  I  having  found 
so  great  relief  in  the  hot  fight  the  last  moneth,1  I  have  got  six 
bottles  from  a  gentleman  on  the  Essex  shoare,  which  I  reserve 
for  that  use.  For  want  hereof  I  found  a  great  inconvenience 
when  I  was  in  the  Foresight,  at  Bergen  fight;2  where  wee 
had  little  and  bad  beere.  I  humbly  crave  your  blessing  and 
good  prayers ;  and  if  it  shall  please  God  that  I  survive  this 
battayle,  I  hope  to  see  you  before  winter.     I  am  very  sorry 

1  On  the  third  of  June,  between  the  English  fleet,  commanded  by  Lord  Albe- 
marle, and  the  Dutch,  under  De  Ruyter  and  Van  Tromp. 
2  Third  of  August,  16G5. 

VOL    I.  K 


130  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1666. 

to  heare  the  plague  increaseth  so  much  in  Norwich ;  butt  am 
glad  you  are  removed  out  of  it.     I  receaved  yOur  two  last 
letters,  and  give  you  many  thanks  for  the  discourse  you  sent 
me  out  of  Vossius  De  Motu  Murium  et  Ventorum.  It  seemed 
very  hard  to  mee  at  first;  butt  I  have  now  beaten  it  out,  and 
wish  I  had  the  booke.     Butt  I  am  not  able  to  beat  it  into  our 
seamen's  heads ;  and  the  truth  is,  I  meet  not  with  any  so  re- 
fined as  to  enquire  after  such  ingenious  tracts ;  and  so  I  leave 
them  to  their  "Wagoner  and  Seaman's  Kalender,  as  their  nil 
vltra.     Reading  in  the  Fiery  Columne  I  found  this  passage : 
"  Among  the  rocky  islands  in  the  coast  of  East  Finland,  neare 
Cape  Sound,  and  the  Liet  of  Abboo,  among  the  rocks  lyeth 
a  great  rock  vnder  water,  which  is  a  magnes  or  loadstone ;  and 
the  ground  seemeth  there  to  have  the  virtue  of  the  loadstone ; 
for  there  the  compasse  doth  not  stand,  but  runne  and  turne 
without  any  certain  station,  till  you  bee  at  least  at  a  league 
past  it."     Nor  must  I  omitt  a  story  which  an  honest  knowing 
seaman  lately  told  mee,  while  hee  sayled   formerly  in  the 
Crowne  frigat  with  stormy  weather  in  the  Gulf  of  Lyons : 
there  appeared  two  Corpos  Santos,  or  St.  German's  fires ; 
the  one  in  the  foreyard  arme,  about  the  sheet-block,  the  other, 
being  lesse,  on  the  crosse  sack :  hee  having  seene  some  before, 
and  now  desirous  to  knowe  what  substance  they  were  of, 
went  up,  and  sliding  along  the  foreyard,  perceaved  it  to  make 
from  him,  till  it  came  to  the  end ;  and  being  at  the  extreme 
part,  began  to  drop  down  in  light  droppes ;  hee  laid  his  hand 
on  it,  and  found  it  extreme  cold  and  slimie,  sticking  to  his 
fingers,  where  it  would  seeme  to  burne  while  the  matter  was 
dryed  on,  and  having  drawne  it  to  him  a  good  while,  till  most 
of  it  was  consumed,  he  left  it.     They  are  many  times  seen 
sticking  to  the  skuppers  of  ships  in  very  fowle  weather,  and 
the  like  I  remember  I  saw  in  bad  weather  upon  the  coast  of 
Oran,  in  Barbarie,  in  our  voyage  with  Sir  Jeremie  Smith.     If 
Radziuill  had  observed  or  knowne  what  a  poore  peece  of  cor- 
ruption this  admired  light  was,  hee  might  have  spared  his 
superstitious  feares  concerning  it,  which  may  bee  seene  at 
length  in  his  Trauayls :  but  hereof  I  hope  to  receave  some- 
thing hereafter  from  you.    I  was  diuers  times  on  shoare  when 
we  lay  farther  up.     At  Quinborough  I  saw  the  foundation  of 


1666.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  131 

a  very  old  round  castle,  nothing  now  standing  above  ground, 
a  poore  and  meane  place.  At  East  Church,  at  the  other  end 
of  the  Isle  of  Sheppey,  there  hath  been  a  very  noble  howse, 
belonging  to  the  Earle  of  Penbrooke,  now  almost  runne  to 
mine,  and  only  vsed  for  a  farme  howse.  Many  of  the  people 
on  both  shoares  are  runne  up  into  the  country  as  fearing  the 
presse,  and  some  of  our  seamen  have  been  so  rude  as  to  bring 
away  not  only  common  labourers,  butt  farmers  and  constables, 
not  sparing  a  justice  of  peace  from  the  Essex  side.  They  are 
at  a  very  great  height  of  licentiousnesse,  which  wee  are  fayne 
to  overlooke  in  many  things,  because  of  the  present  action ; 
yet  there  were  two  hanged  last  weeke  for  a  mutinie,  at  the 
buoy  of  the  Nore.  I  should  have  been  very  glad  to  have 
seen  my  brother  Edward,  hee  having  been  almost  in  all  the 
places  of  France  where  I  have  been.  I  hope  wee  may  exer- 
cise that  languadge  together.  When  hee  writeth  or  goeth  to 
Cambridge,  I  desire  him  to  present  my  service  to  Mr.  Craven, 
Mr.  Nurse,  Mr.  Arrowsmith,  and  all  our  friends  in  Trinitie 
College.  I  humbly  beg  your  prayers  and  blessing,  resting, 
Sir,  your  most  obedient  and  dutifull  sonne, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Sir  Thomas  Allen  and  Captain  Darcy  present  their  service. 


Mr,  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 

September,  1666. 

HONORD    FATHER, 

After  our  returne  from  the  coast  of  .Holland,  the 
firing  and  destroying  of  at  least  an  hundred  and  fiftie  good 
marchand  shippes  and  some  men  of  warre,  and  the  burning  of 
the  handsome  towne  of  Brandaris,  on  Skellink  island,  we  re- 
turned to  England,  to  fitt  up  our  shipps,  especially  such  as 
had  been  damaged  in  the  last  July  fight ;  and  to  make  hast 
out  agayne  to  meet  with  the  Duch  fleet,  who,  by  this  time,  had 
recruited,  and  had,  as  wee  conceaue,  an  intention  to  joyne 

K  2 


132  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1666. 

with  the  French  fleet.  Wee  went  out  agayne  well  prouided 
and  resolved,  the  Duch  making  to  the  French  coast,  and,  in- 
deed, sauing  themselues  there  ;  for  had  not  the  winds  been 
uery  high,  in  all  probabillity,  wee  had  ruined  their  fleet.  In 
the  late  July  fight,  though  it  lasted  not  many  howers  before 
the  Duch  made  away,  yett  our  shippe  spent  many  shot, 
and  not  in  vayne ;  butt  a  Duch  flagge  shippe  lay  hard  upon 
us,  and  so  batterd  our  sayles  and  mayne-mast,  that  Sir  Thomas 
Allen  thought  it  best  that  wee  should  make  for  England,  and 
repayre,  and  so  make  hast  to  them  agayne,  then  going  for  the 
coast  of  Holland.  Butt  wee  were  not  willing  to  heare  of 
that,  but  fished  our  mast,  and  so  well  repayred  our  shippe  at 
sea,  that  wee  were  in  good  case  to  go  along  with  our  squad- 
ron, and  returned  not  till  all  was  over  at  Skellink,  in  company 
with  the  fleet.  Then  I  brought  the  shippe  to  Woollage,  and 
layd  her  fast  in  the  dock ;  the  captaine  being  gone  to  Lon- 
don. She  is  now  repayred,  and  wee  are  designed  to  conuay 
the  Cales  and  Malaga  fleet,  with  others  bound  for  the 
Straights.  Wee  are  to  take  up  the  marchands  at  the  Downs, 
and  conuey  them  through  the  Channell  to  Plimouth,  and 
there  to  expect  admirall  Kempthorne,  with  6  or  7  shipps 
more,  and  so  to  passe  forward.  Wee  are  now  riding  in  the 
Long  Reach,  and  hindred  by  this  hard  wether,  which  is  so 
extreme  that  the  whole  riuer  of  Thames  is  couered  ouer  with 
huge  flakes  of  ice,  which,  with  the  foame  of  the  tide,  doth  so 
gall  us,  that  wee  are  forced  to  lay  chaynes  ouer  our  cables, 
and  fasten  great  elme  plancks  to  the  sides  and  bowes  of  our 
shippe  to  saue  her ;  and  if  this  extreme  wether  continueth, 
wee  shall  bee  fayne  to  hale  her  ashoare,  the  wind  not  pre- 
senting to  carry  us  lower  downe.  I  confesse  I  could  not  butt 
call  to  mind  what  I  had  read  in  captain  James  his  trauayles, 
though  with  no  comparison  unto  his  dangers.  I  receaued 
some  time  ago  all  the  things  you  sent ;  violin,  nocturnall,  and 
Wagoner,  which  is  a  very  good  one,  though  not  of  the  last 
edition,  which  was  printed  1600.  No  newes  at  present 
butt  what  cometh  from  your  coast,  of  the  taking  and  spoyling 
5  sayle  of  Duch  men  of  warre.  The  discontent  of  the  sea- 
men, for  want  of  pay,  is  no  newes  unto  you.  Yesterday 
diuers  of  them,  now  bound  outward,  presented  a  petition  to 


16G6.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  133 

the  Duke  of  York,  for  some  of  their  pay,  to  prouide  for  them- 
selues  and  families,  wch  they  are  to  leaue  at  home.  What 
the  euent  will  bee  it  is  easie  to  judge,  by  what  hath  alreadie 
passed.  Certaine  it  is  that  they  are  in  a  sad  and  pitifull  con- 
dition* ;  and  no  small  trouble  it  is  unto  us,  who  are  to  command 
a  company  of  mutinous  unpayd  men.  For  my  part,  while  I 
haue  a  penny,  I  cannot  but  releiue  them,  of  whose  fidelity 
and  valour  I  can  giue  so  good  testimonie  ;  nor  do  I  find  them 
so  untractible,  who  all  this  while,  though  the  captaine  were 
ashoare,  haue  kept  them  aboard  and  unto  their  duties  better 
then  I  might  haue  feared  I  should  haue  done.  I  cannot  butt 
wonder  at  this  unreasonable  and  unpolitick  course,  to  dis- 
oblige the  seamen,  who  haue  behaued  themselues  so  stoutly, 
and  discontent  the  whole  land,  who  haue  so  largely  disbursed 
for  their  paye.  The  consequence  must  be  bad,  and  at  least 
no  honourable  peace.  I  neuer  looke  to  see  another  fleet  so 
well  manned  and  readie.  for  the  seruice,  except  a  speedie  re- 
couery  be  made  of  their  affections  unto  it.  I  hope  by  this, 
my  third  winter  voyage  to  the  Strayghts,  much  to  improue 
my  knowledge  of  what  I  haue  seen  and  learned  alreadie,  and 
wee  hope  to  bee  in  England  by  April,  before  any  action. 
Prince  Rupert  being  pleased  to  take  notice  of  my  endeauors, 
gaue  mee  counsell  by  all  means  to  take  paynes  to  be  a  good 
channell  man,  and  to  understand  the  narrow  seas  as  exactly 
as  I  could ;  and  therefore,  though  I  haue  alreadie  taken  the 
best  notice  I  could  thereof,  yet  in  this  voyage  I  shall  bee  a 
more  strict  obseruer ;  and  if  it  please  God  I  returne,  shall 
send  you  my  obseruations  thereof,  with  what  discriptions  and 
draughts  time  will  give  mee  leaue  to  sett  downe.  I  am  much 
satisfied  that  I  haue  got  my  boy  Will  Blanchot's  pension  set- 
tled for  his  life  ;  haueing  had  his  thigh  broake  by  a  splinter 
in  the  last  fight  butt  one,  to  the  greif,  not  only  of  myself,  butt 
of  all  the  shippe  :  it  will  be  hard  to  meet  with  a  boy  so  boald 
and  useful  in  a  fight,  though  I  haue  another  that  doeth  well. 
I  shall  take  all  the  care  to  bind  him  out ;  and  I  hope  it  is  al- 
readie done  by  those  I  have  employed  about  it.  His  father 
was  chief  gunner  of  our  shippe,  at  Bergen,  where  hee  was 
slayne,  and  his  sonne  left  to  the  wide  world  till  I  tooke  him 
into  my  care.     The  honest  Moore  hath  leave  to  go  to  London 


134  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1666. 

for  some  days,  but  I  hope  I  shall  haue  his  company  with  mee 
this  voyage  also.  Hee  is  a  right  honest  and  stout  man,  and 
hath  now  the  oversight  of  6  gunnes  to  better  his  pay.  There 
is  not  such  a  man  in  all  the  fleet,  hee  understands  and  speakes 
Latin,  French,  Italian,  Spanish,  high  Duch,  Polish,  and  the 
vulgar  Greeke  !  I  exercise  my  Latin  and  French  with  him, 
and  intend  this  voyage  to  practise  Italian  with  him ;  hauing 
an  Italian  grammar  with  mee,  and  hauing  Latin  and  French, 
find  it  will  be  easily  obtained.  Hee  is  much  affected  to  my 
brother  Edward  since  he  was  with  us  at  Southwould  bay ; 
whether  if  wee  come  agayn  I  intend  that  hee  should  wayt 
upon  you  at  Norwich.  I  intend  to  draw  his  picture  in  litle, r> 
as  I  have  done  the  masters  and  some  others. 


[MS.    SLOAN.    NO.     1745.    FOL.    31.] 

From  the  Thames  to  Falmouth. 

The  29th  day  of  Nouember  [1666], 4  being  Saterday,  I 
parted  from  London  to  goe  aboard  the  Mary  Rose  friggatt, 
then  fitted  out  at  Woolidge,  and  intended  for  Cales  and  Tan- 
gier. The  1st  of  December  she  fell  downe  into  the  Long 
Reach,  where  she  stayed  to  take  in  her  prouisions  and  stores, 
till  the  2nd  of  January  ffollowing.  Our  long  stay  there  was 
cheefly  caus'd  by  an  extraordinary  ffrost  for  about  a  fortnight 
together,  which  couered  the  whole  Thames  with  great  fflakes 
of  ice,  hindring  all  passage  up  or  downe  by  water,  some  of 
which  were  halfe  a  musket  shot  ouer,  and  of  a  great  thicknes, 
which  by  the  violence  of  the  tide  were  forc'd  upon  us  with 
such  impetuousnes,  that  wee  were  forc'd  to  new  seruice  our 
cables,  continually  fastning  our  top  chains  to  them ;  allso  the 
best  3  inch  plancke  wee  had  dayly  fastned  to  her  bows,  were 
forc'd  away  like  durt,  the  ice  grinding  there  continually,  and 

3  In  miniature. 
4  On  reference  to  tables  in  Nicolas's  Notitia  Historica,  it  appears  that  the  29th 
of  November  fell  on  a  Saturday  in  1662  and  1673.  Notwithstanding  this,  I  have 
no  hesitation  in  affirming  1666  as  the  date  of  the  present  journal.  See  Pepys's 
Diary,  vol.  ii,  p.  10. — "Feb.  3,  1666-7;  away  home,  and  received  some  letters 
from  Sir  W.  Coventry,  touching  the  want  of  victuals  to  Kempthorne's  fleet,  going  to 
the  Streights,  and  now  in  the  Downs." 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  135 

making  a  hideous  noise,  shaking  the  whole  shipp.  At  length, 
wearied  out  with  this  kind  of  labour,  and  ffearing  iff  the  frost 
should  continue,  it  might  sincke  our  shipp,  the  sheathing 
being  quite  torn  from  her  bowes,  and  part  of  her  bends  be- 
ginning to  be  shatterd,  wee  wayed,  and  fell  with  the  tide 
before  Grauesend,  where  then  rid  a  considerable  fleet  of 
merchant  shipps  bound  out,  with  seural  newly  arriued  from 
Gottenborg.  From  hence  to  London  tis  somwhat  aboue 
twenty  mile  by  water,  the  riuer  turning  and  winding  seuerall 
wayes,  which  our  seamen  call  reaches.  The  townes  that 
stand  on  it  are,  Debtford,  one  of  the  king's  yards  for  build- 
ing and  repairing  of  shipps ;  Greenwich,  an  ancient  seat  of 
pleasure  of  the  kings ;  the  howse  during  the  rebellion  was 
pulld  down,  but  now  very  magnificently  building  again  with 
free  stone,  the  queen's  howse  a  little  aboue  it,  a  handsome 
building,  to  which  joins  a  verry  spacious  parke.  Blackwall 
hath  the  largest  wet  dock  in  England,  and  belongs  cheefly  to 
the  East  India  Company.  Woolidge  hath  another  dock  yard 
of  the  king's,  with  magasins  and  stores  for  the  conuenience  of 
his  nauy.  Eref 5  and  Purfleet,  a  mannor  of  the  king's,  at  the 
upper  end  of  Long  Reach ;  the  lower  is  Gren-hiue,6  a  market 
towne,  and  Grayes,7  opposite,  on  the  Essex  side.  Northfleet, 
a  village  about  a  mile  from  Gravesend.  Gravesend  is  a 
maior  towne,  pretty  large,  but  yields  no  other  trade  than 
what  the  marchant  shippes  continually  lying  there  afourd  it. 
There  is  a  castle  and  block-house  on  eyther  side  the  riuer, 
where  all  merchant  men  are  stopt  and  searcht,  paying  some 
duties  to  the  castle.  Wee  lay  our  shipp  ashore  near  the 
block-howse,  to  mend  such  damages  as  the  ice  had  done  us, 
and  the  9th  wayhed  and  came  into  the  Hope,  a  noted  anchor- 
ing place,  there  being  a  conueniency  for  many  shipps  to  ride 
in  safety  together ;  near  this,  Tilbury,  a  small  village,  famous 
for  Quen  Elizabeth's  camp  there.  The  next  day  wee 
waighed  again,  and,  haueing  stopt  one  tide  near  Old  Hauen, 
wee  came  to  an  anchor  again  at  the  buy  of  the  Nore,  where 
rear-admirall  Kempthorn  8  then  rid  commander-in-cheef,  with 


5  Erith.  6  Greenhithe.  '  Grays  Thurrock. 

8  Afterwards  knighted,  and  made  Commissioner  at  Portsmouth,  which  place  he 
represented  in  parliament.     He  died  1679. 


136  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1666. 

6  or  7  sail  of  frigats.  A  little  aboue  the  buy  of  the  Nore,  is 
Lee  Towne  and  Roade,  where  the  London,  a  second  rate  ship, 
was  blown  up  in  the  year  1665;  but  13,  out  of  300  and  od 
men,  saued  in  her.  The  Nore  is  a  sand  that  shooleth  of 
from  the  south  point  of  the  riuer ;  upon  the  outwardmost  end 
of  it  lies  a  buy  continually.  Opposite  to  this  is  Shear  nes, 
on  the  island  of  Sheppy,  where  the  king  hath  lately  built  a 
yard,  and  furnisht  it  with  all  manner  of  stores  for  the  fitting 
his  fleet,  which  before  were  brought  from  Chattam  and 
Woollidffe.  Between  the  Nore  and  Shearness  runs  in  the 
Swale  to  Quinborow,  which  is  an  old  mayor  towne,  and  had 
formerly  an  ancient  castle,  lately  demolisht.  Up  the  riuer 
Medway  is  Chattam  and  Rochester  citty,  where  in  time  of 
peace  the  nauy  shipps  are  laid  up.  At  the  buy  of  the  Nore 
wee  rid  till  the  19th,  when  the  wind  comeing  fair  wee  sailed. 
There  are  two  wayes  to  sail  out  of  the  riuer,  from  the  north- 
ward, along  by  the  Nase,  and  through  the  Kings  Channel ; 
or  from  the  southward,  by  the  North  Forland,  which  is  not 
to  bee  done  neither  but  at  spring  tides  by  the  great  shipps, 
and  is  called  the  Flats.  From  the  east  point  of  Sheppy  to 
Whitstaple  lies  in  a  bay,  which  is  not  to  bee  sayled  in  by 
ships  of  burthen.  The  Recculuers  is  a  small  towne ;  the 
church  hath  two  spires  in  front,  a,  great  land  marke  for  sailing 
ouer  the  flats.  Marget  is  a  towne  on  the  foreland,  with  a 
peere,  where  small  vessels  may  come  in  at  half  tide  and  ly 
dry,  it  is  remarkable  for  the  North  Down  ale  brued  there. 
Ramsgate  and  Broadstairs,  two  small  towns  on  the  pitch  of  the 
forland  with  peers  allso ;  the  forland  is  a  rocky  promontory 
running  out  into  the  sea,  on  the  extreamity  of  which  are  two 
light  howses  ;  when  you  come  about  the  north  foreland,  the 
Downs  open  it  selfe,  being  a  bay  that  lies  between  the  N  and 
S  forlands,  and  is  secured  from  the  violence  of  the  sea  by  the 
Goodwin  sands,  dry  at  low  water ;  the  north  part  is  called 
the  Small  Downes.  In  the  bottome  lies  Deal,  a  pretty  large 
towne,  alltogether  sustained  by  the  concours  of  shipps  dayly 
arriuing  there.  There  are  three  castles  for  the  security  of 
the  Downes ;  Sandowne,  about  half  a  mile  to  the  northwards 
of  Deal ;  Deal  castle,  standing  near  the  town,  and  Wamouth, 
a  mile  more  southward,  by  the  south  foreland,  is  much  like 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  137 

the  north,  being  a  high  white  cliffe,  with  2  lighthowses  also 
on  it,  to  direct  the  going  in  and  out  of  the  south  channell. 
Wee  arriued  in  the  Downes  the  20th  ;  and  the  22nd  the  rear- 
admirall  came  to  us,  hee  being  a  third  rate,  and  forc't  to  goe 
about  the  king's  channell.  Wee  rid  here  till  the  29th,  when 
the  wind  presenting,  wee  sailed  with  a  conuoy  of  about  38 
sail  of  marchant  men  bound  for  Lisbone,  Cales,  Tangier,  &c. 
About  a  league  from  the  foreland  is  Douer;  the  castle  is  verry 
large,  fortified  after  the  antique  manner,  and  stands  on  the 
top  of  a  verry  high  cliffe  ;  the  towne  stands  in  the  bottom  be- 
neath, it  hath  a  peer  for  shipps,  which  is  kept  at  a  great  deal 
of  charge.  From  hence  wee  sail  along  by  Dungeon  ness,  a 
low  nook  of  land  with  a  light  house  on  it ;  to  the  westward  of 
it  lies  Ry,  in  a  should  bay,  that  hath  only  a  channell  for  small 
vessels,  and  the  old  ruind  towne  of  Winchelsy ;  the  other 
hedland  of  this  bay  is  Fayr  Lee,9  from  whence  wee  haue 
Becke,1  one  of  the  most  renown  lands  in  this  part  of  Eng- 
land, it  being  a  great  white  cliffe.  Before  wee  come  to  the 
Isle  of  Wight,  lies  the  should s  of  the  Owers,  aboue  a  league 
from  the  land,  from  which  wee  see  Culuer  cliff,  a  great  square 
white  cliff,  and  Dunnose,  the  southermost  land  of  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  soon  after  St.  Ellens  Point,  couered  with  trees 
and  shrubbs.  Further  in  upon  the  main  is  Portsmouth,  a 
uerry  strong  towne,  and  one  of  the  cheefest  magasines  in 
England,  both  for  sea  and  land;  not  far  from  it  is  Porchester, 
an  old  castle,  built  by  Julius  Caesar,  as  they  will  haue ;  there 
haue  been  diuers  old  medals  found  near  it.  Southsea  castle, 
about  a  mile  from  Portsmouth ;  there  is  allso  Calshot  and 
Hurst  on  the  main.  There  was  formerly  one  at  the  Spit-hed, 
but  long  since  demolisht.  On  the  island,  which  is  verry 
fruitfull,  is  Newport,  a  large  market  towne,  besides  severall 
other  inferior ;  the  castles  are  Yarmouth,  Cowes,  and  one  in 
the  bay  between  Culver  clif  and  Dun  nose.  The  Needles  at 
the  west  end  of  the  island,  verry  remarkable  rocks,  being  3  of 
them,  which  stand  loose  from  the  cliff,  a  pretty  way  in  the 
sea;  in  going  in" wee  sail  verry  near  them,  to  auoid  a  sand 
that  lies  on  the  other  side.  West  from  the  Needles  is 
Sandwich  bay,  where  Sir  Thomas  Allen  commands  a  cas- 

9  Fairlight.  1  Bexhill, 


138  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1666- 

tie.2  Toward  night  we  made  the  land  of  St.  Albans,  and 
that  night  past  by  Portland,  which  is  a  peninsula,  the 
land  of  it  is  high,  from  whence  comes  our  Purbeck  stones. 
The  race  which  sets  off  of  it,  is  very  remarkable,  being 
a  meeting  of  the  tides,  which  is  sometimes  with  that  vio- 
lence that  ships  have  been  very  much  endangered  going 
through  it.  It  blew  very  hard  all  this  night,  at  east. 
Eight  o'clock  wee  lay  by,  to  auoid  over  shooting  our  port, 
being  bound  to  touch  at  Plimouth.  In  the  morning  wee 
made  sail  in  with  the  land,  thick  rainy  wether,  the  first  we 
saw  was  the  rock  which  lies  to  the  southward  of  Torbay,  and 
soon  after  the  ferry  which  is  the  land  beyond  it;  about  9 
o'clock,  we  saw  Dartmouth  range,  which  are  a  company  of 
rocks  lying  of  that  port ;  after  wee  had  opened  the  harbour, 
we  sailed  fair  by  the  Start,  a  ragged  point  reching  into  the 
sea ;  wee  sailed  along  by  Praul  and  the  Boult,  two  other 
headlands,  and  at  4  in  the  afternoon,  came  to  an  anchor,  in 
Plimouth  Sound,  abrest  of  St.  Francis  Island,  where  wee 
found  the  rear-admiral  Vtburd,  who  commanded  the  western 
squadron,  with  fiue  or  six  sail  of  3  and  4  rate  fFrigats,  hauing 
taken  seuerall  prises  to  the  westward.  The  bay  of  Plimouth, 
is  one  of  the  most  comodius  in  England,  being  about  two 
leagues  deepe  and  lying  in.  The  two  head  lands  are  the 
Mewstone  with  the  point  that  lies  of  from  Weemberry  ;  the 
westermost  is  the  Ramhed  or  rather  Pen  Lee,  which  is 
another  point  within  it,  about  which  is  Caisson  bay,  a  small 
fisher  towne,  lying  in  the  bottom  of  it.  Of  the  eastermost 
point  lies  a  long  ridg  of  ragged  rocks,  the  outwardmost  of 
which  is  calld  the  Shagg  Rocke  from  the  number  of  those 
fowl  which  are  continually  upon  it,  the  whole  sound  is  gene- 
rally rocky,  unles  it  be  west  [of]  the  bay  under  Mount  Stam- 
ford, where  there  is  very  good  ground  for  a  good  compas,  but 
it  lies  rocky  of  a  great  way  from  the  island.  To  the  north- 
wards of  the  island  again  is  good  ground,  and  in  Cawsome 
bay  there  are  two  very  good  harbours  in  the  sound,  Catwater, 

2  Pepys  (vol.  ii,  p.  41,)  says,  "Sir  G.  Carteret  did  tell  me  on  one  occasion 
how  Sir  Thomas  Allen  was  tried  for  his  life,  in  P.  Rupert's  fleet,  in  the  late  time, 
for  cowardice,  and  condemned  to  be  hanged,  and  fled  to  Jerzy,  &c."  The  storm, 
however,  blew  over;  for  he  was  sent  out  in  1668-9,  in  command  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean fleet. 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  139 

where  all  shipps  that  are  bound  to  the  westward  ly,  and  Ham 
ose  for  those  bound  to  the  eastward,  beside  the  Barbican 
which  is  the  harbour  in  the  towne,  and  lies  dry  at  low  water. 
Mount  Buttin  is  the  outwardmost  point  of  Catwater,  being  a 
round  hill,  almost  an  island,  with  a  round  tower  on  it;  in 
the  siege  of  Plimouth,  it  served  notably  to  straighten  the  be- 
seiged,  the  channel  being  not  above  musquet  shot  ouer,  the 
kings  party  then  hauing  a  fort  on  Mount  Stamford,  and  con- 
tinually plying  this  place  with  store  of  small  shot.     The  tower 
upon  it  hath  been  since  built  to  hinder  the  like  inconueni- 
ences.      Opposite  to  it  is  the  fort  of  Plimouth,  built  upon 
the  extremity  of  a  rock,  the  lower  part  of  which  is  called 
Fishers  Nose ;  it  hath  always  been  accounted  very  strong, 
but  is  now  much  strengthened  by  the  new  fortificasions  which 
run  along  the  hill.     To  the  westward  behind  this  hill,  lies  the 
town  of  Plimouth ;  you  can  see  nothing  of  it  but  the  top  of 
the  steeple,  as  you  rid  in  the  sound  ;  it  is  a  very  large  towne 
and  of  great  trade,  and  keeps  a  number  of  shipping  ;  it  hath 
been  formerly  walled,  but  is  now  quite  dismantled.     There  is 
an  ould  square  castle  in  the  towne,  which  hath  been  long 
made  a  prison  and  is  now  pulling  downe  for  the  new  workes. 
To  sail  into  Ham  ose,  you  pass  by  the  island  St.  Frances, 
leaving  it  on  your  larbord  side ;  it  is  a  rocke  that  lies  in  the 
sound,  hauing  no  possible  access  to  it  but  one,  which  is  allso 
verry  difficult  and  well  fortified.     The  top  of  it  is  green,  and 
hath  a  large  fortified  howse  on  it.     A  little  within  this  stands 
Mount  Wise,  a  great  house,  on  Plimouth  side,  and  on  the 
other,  Mount  Edgcome,  a  very  handsome  howse  and  pleasant 
seat,  belonging  to  Sir  Richard  Edgcomb ;  it  is  verry  well 
wooded  down  to  the  sea  side,  and  hath  a  very  handsom  parke ; 
between  these  goeth  in  Ham  ose  and  Milbrooke ;  between 
Mount  Wise  and  Plimouth,  is  Stonhowse  and  Milbay,  where 
small  vessels  do  anchor,  there  is  a  good  watering  place.     The 
7th  of  February,  rear-admirall  Kempthorn  ariued  with  the 
rest  of  our  frigats.     We  continued  here  waiting  a  wind,  till 
the  19th,  when,  it  comeing  eastwardly,  wee  sailed  all  together, 
the  rear-admiral  of  the  white  being  bound  to  cruce  of  the 
Lands  end,  and  wee    to   the  southward  with  our  conuoy. 
About  12  at  night,  the  wind  scanted  upon  us,  and  our  mar- 


140  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  [1666. 

chant  men  not  being  able  to  make  any  thing  of  it,  wee  put 
back  again  for  Plimouth,  severall  of  them  went  into  Falmouth. 
The  rear-ad mirall  of  the  white  only,  with  his  squadron,  kept 
the  sea.  The  21st,  the  wind  came  about  eastwardly  again, 
and  the  Mary  Rose  was  ordered  to  way  and  call  the  marchant 
men  out  of  Falmouth,  and  stay  there  for  the  coming  of  the 
fleet.  About  10  at  night,  we  wayed,  hauing  a  fine  small  gale, 
that  night  wee  ly  by  about  3  howers,  and  by  6  in  the  morn- 
ing, were  of  the  Deadman,  a  point  of  land  shooting  out  from 
the  rest;  to  the  westward  is  still  another  point,  of  which 
about  halfe  a  mile  lies  the  Gull  rocke. 

Falmouth  is  a  deep  bay,  that  takes  its  name  from  a  rock 
which  lies  almost  in  the  mid  channell,  at  the  entrance,  on 
either  side  of  which  stands  a  castle ;  Pendennis  castle  on  a 
high  hill  in  a  peninsula,  being  one  of  the  strongest  in  Eng- 
land, is  on  the  west  side,  and  St.  Maurs  on  the  side  of  a  hill, 
on  the  east.  There  are  seuerall  towns  in  the  bay,  as  St. 
Maurs,  Perin,  and  Falmouth,  which  is  named  and  made  a 
corporacion  by  the  king,  it  being  formerly  a  place  that  had  no 
other  name  but  Penylome  Quick,  being  only  a  few  ale  howses 
for  the  reception  of  seamen ;  the  rock  only  was  calld  Falmouth. 
Truro  lyes  in  the  bottom  of  the  bay ;  it  is  very  much  used  by 
merchant  shipps,  being  not  so  commodious  for  the  great 
shipps  of  warr  there  as  at  Plimouth  ;  the  shipps  eastwardly 
bound  run  up  to  Perin,  the  westwardly  toward  Truro,  the 
eastward  point  of  the  bay  lies  of  rocky,  as  at  Plimouth,  and 
hath  a  shagg  rock  continually  covered  with  that  sort  of  fowl. 
Something  to  the  westward  of  Pendennis  castle,  is  Hilfort,  a 
small  towne  that  hath  a  harbour  for  small  vessels  ;  about  two 
leagues  from  that  is  the  Manackles,  a  ledge  of  rocks  that  ly 
aboue  a  league  of  the  Blackhead,  which  is  part  of  the  land  of 
the  Lisart.  The  Lisart  hath  three  points,  the  eastwardmost 
of  which  is  the  Blackhead,  of  which  lies  the  Manackles,  the 
southermost,  which  is  commonly  called  the  Lisart,  hath  a 
ledge  of  rocks  running  out  from  it  aboue  water,  called  the 
Staggs,  the  westermost  is  Predamour  point ;  they  are  all 
much  like  one  another,  being  flat  land,  not  very  high,  and  all 
three  bluf  steep  points. 


1666.]  JOURNAL    OF    MR.    THOMAS    BROWNE.  141 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 

Admiral  Kempthornes  General  Orders. 

Instructions  in  particular  for  the  present  outbound  expedi- 
tion : 

1.  That  the  Defyance  and  Dreadnought  keepe  in  the  van 
of  the  fleet.  The  Cambridge  on  the  starboard  wing,  as  neere 
the  middle  as  may  bee.  The  Fairfax  on  the  larboard  in  the 
same  manner ;  the  Dunkirk  and  Marie-Rose  in  the  reare,  ac- 
cording to  the  description  hereunder. 


o 
a 


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Fayrfax  Cambridge 


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s 

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Q 

2.  That  none  give  chase  out  of  the  sight  of  the  fleet  upon 
any  pretention  whatever. 

3.  In  case  of  separation  by  foule  weather,  or  any  other  ac- 
cident which  may  happen,  that  then  the  rendezvous  of  meeting 
be  at  Tangier. 


142  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1667. 

4.  In  case  we  should  meet  a  considerable  enemie  that  may 
stand  to  engage  us,  that  wee  fall  into  the  posture  as  heere 
deciphered. 


<v>         3         o         iac 

.&      s     .5  "E 

c        «•>">        S         £         e 


a 


Rj 


Pn     Q     Q     Q     S     O 

5.  When  the  admirall  desireth  to  speake  with  any  of  the 
commanders  hee  will  abroad  a  pendant 


f  Main  yard  arme 
Fore  yard  arme 
In  the    \  Mayne  topsayle  yard  arme  \  for  the 
I  Fore  topsayle  yard  arme 
I  Mizen  topsail  yard  arme 


r  Cambridge 
Fayrfax 
Dreadnought 
Dunkirk 
Marie  Rose 


JOHN  KEMPTHORNE. 


Mr.  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 


[February,  1667.] 


SIR, 


Wee  are  now  riding  in  Plimmouth  Sound,  whether 
wee  brought  safe  our  convoy  of  38  marchand  shipps.  Heere 
I  found  Captain  Utberd,  with  five  good  men  of  warre  ;  many 
considerable  prizes  have  been  lately  taken,  and  dailie  some 
are  brought  in,  both  Duch  and  French.  Wee  now  attend  the 
coming  of  Rere-admirall  Kempthorne,  butt  I  hope  I  may  bee 
so  happy  as  to  receave  one  from  you  before  wee  sayle.  I 
lately  read  a  good  part  of  Lucan,  whose  sentences,  orations, 
and  noble  straynes,  I  like  very  well ;  and  to  say  truth,  some 
other  poets  of  great  name,  seeme  to  mee  butt  flat  in  compari- 
son of  him.  The  speech  of  Vulteius  is  very  remarkable,  and 
handsomely  expressed ;  and  I  was  much  affected  with  it.     I 


1667.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  143 

beleeve  the  translation  by  May  will  come  short  of  it.  Hee 
was  one  of  Caesar's  commanders,  who,  finding  his  shippe  en- 
tangled by  ropes  layd  purposely  in  the  sea,  and  surrounded 
with  a  great  body  of  Pompey's  forces,  fought  it  out  an  whole 
day  with  them;  and  seing  no  way  to  auoid  taking,  rather  than 
to  bee  slaves  and  prisoners,  exhorted  his  souldiers  in  the 
shippe  to  kill  one  another,  which  was  effected  the  next  morn- 
ing, himself  being  first  slayne,  and  afterward  all  the  rest.  It 
is  in  the  fourth  booke  ;  [beginning] 

Libera  non  ultra  parua  quam  nocte  Juventus 

and  so  on,  unto 

Sed  virtus  te  sola  daret. 

His  character  of  Cassar  I  like  very  well ; — 

Acer  et  indomitus,  &c. 

Nil  actum  credens,  si  quid  superesset  agendum. 

This  temper  would  haue  serued  well,  and  had  probably 
concluded  the  warre  in  our  first  fight  with  the  Duch. 

I  am  like  to  see  Tangier  the  third  time.  Our  voyage  must 
not  bee  long.  I  expect  to  receave  your  farther  commands  by 
the  next.  Your  obedient  sonne, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Thomas. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 

I  receaved  yours,  and  would  not  deferre  to  send  vnto  you 
before  you  sayled,  which  I  hope  will  come  vnto  you ;  for  in 
this  wind,  neither  can  Reare-admirall  Kempthorne  come  to 
you,  nor  you  beginne  your  voyage.  I  am  glad  you  like  Lucan 
so  well.  I  wish  more  military  men  could  read  him ;  in  this 
passage  you  mention,  there  are  noble  straynes ;  and  such  as 
may  well  affect  generous  minds.     Butt  I  hope  you  are  more 


144  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1667. 

taken  with  the  verses  then  the  subject,  and  rather  embrace 
the  expression  then  the  example.  And  this  I  the  rather  hint 
unto  you,  because  the  like,  though  in  another  waye,  is  some- 
times practised  in  the  king's  shipps,  when,  in  desperate  cases, 
they  blowe  up  the  same.3  For  though  I  know  you  are  sober 
and  consideratiue,  yet  knowing  you  also  to  be  of  great  resolu- 
tion ;  and  having  also  heard  from  ocular  testimonies  with  what 
vndaunted  and  persevering  courage  you  have  demeaned  your- 
self in  great  difficulties ;  and  knowing  your  captaine  to  bee  a 
stout  and  resolute  man;  and  with  all  the  cordiall  friendshippe 
that  is  between  you ;  I  cannot  omitt  my  earnest  prayers  vnto 
God  to  deliver  you  from  such  a  temptation.  Hee  that  goes 
to  warre  must  patiently  submitt  vnto  the  various  accidents 
thereof.  To  bee  made  prisoner  by  an  vnequall  and  overrul- 
ing power,  after  a  due  resistance,  is  no  disparagement ;  butt 
upon  a  carelesse  surprizall  or  faynt  opposition ;  and  you  have 
so  good  a  memorie  that  you  cannot  forgett  many  examples 
thereof,  even  of  the  worthiest  commanders  in  your  beloved 
Plutark.  God  hath  given  you  a  stout,  butt  a  generous  and 
mercifull  heart  withall ;  and  in  all  your  life  you  could  never 
behold  any  person  in  miserie  butt  with  compassion  and  relief; 
which  hath  been  notable  in  you  from  a  child :  so  have  you 
layd  up  a  good  foundation  for  God's  mercy ;  and,  if  such  a 
disaster  should  happen,  Hee  will,  without  doubt,  mercifully 
remember  you.  Howeuer,  let  God  that  brought  you  in  the 
world  in  his  owne  good  time,  lead  you  through  it ;  and  in  his 
owne  season  bring  you  out  of  it ;  and  without  such  wayes  as 
are  displeasing  vnto  him.  When  you  are  at  Cales,  see  if  you 
can  get  a  box  of  the  Jesuits'  powder  at  easier  rate,  and  bring 
it  in  the  bark,  not  in  powder.  I  am  glad  you  haue  receaued 
the  bill  of  exchange  for  Cales ;  if  you  should  find  occasion  to 
make  vse  thereof.  Enquire  farther  at  Tangier  of  the  mine- 
rail  water  you  told  mee,  which  was  neere  the  towne,  and 
whereof  many  made  use.  Take  notice  of  such  plants  as  you 
meet  with,  either  upon  the  Spanish  or  African  coast ;  and  if 
you  knowe  them  not,  putt  some  leaves  into  a  booke,  though 

3  In  the  action  of  the  3rd  of  June,  1666,  Albemarle,  the  commander-in-chief, 
confessed  his  intention  rather  to  blow  up  his  ship,  and  perish  gloriously,  than  yield 
to  the  enemy. 


1667.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  145 

carelessely,  and  not  with  that  neatenesse  as  in  your  booke  at 
Norwich.  Enquire  after  any  one  who  hath  been  at  Fez ;  and 
learne  what  you  can  of  the  present  state  of  that  place,  which 
hath  been  so  famous  in  the  description  of  Leo  and  others. 
The  mercifull  prouidence  of  God  go  with  you.  Impellant 
animce  lintea  Thracice. 

Your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

For  Mr.  Thomas  Browne,  Lieutenant  of  his  Majesties 
shippe,  the  Marie  Rose,  riding  in  Plimouth  Sound. 


Mr.  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 

From  aboard  his  Majestie's  shippe,  the  Marie  Rose, 
in  Portland  Roade.     [Early  in  May,  1667?] 

SIR, 

I  receaved  not  your  letter  at  Cales  before  wee  were 
readie  to  returne ;  and  therefore  sent  no  answere,  in  hope  I 
should  bee  in  England  before  that  could  come  vnto  your 
hand :  and,  God  be  thanked,  I  am  now  riding  in  Portland 
Road,  and,  if  the  wind  favour,  hope  to  bee  to-morrowe  at 
Portsmouth,  from  whence  this  is  to  come  vnto  you.  The  last 
I  writ  vnto  you  was  from  Plimmouth,  from  whence  wee  sayled 
the  21st  of  Februarie,  with  Rere-admirall  Kempthorne,  and 
about  fiftie  marchand  shippes.  The  order,  and  manner  of 
the  sayling  of  our  men  of  warre  in  this  expedition,  I  have  set 
downe  in  a  sheet  of  paper,  as  ordered  by  our  admirall.  The 
28th  wee  had  the  length  of  the  North  Cape;  and  were  order- 
ed to  convoy  in  all  the  marchand  shippes  in  our  fleet  which 
were  bound  for  Lisbone.  So  the  first  of  March  wee  stood 
into  Cascales  Road,  and  saw  our  convoy  safe  up  the  river ; 4 
and  being  to  make  hast  after  our  fleet,  that  night  wee  got  al- 
most Cape  Spichel  or  Picher;  the  next  day  Cape  St.  Vincent ; 
and  the  sixth  day  wee  arriued  at  Tangier ;  two  dayes  before 
the  admirall.     There  wee  stayed  four  dayes,  then  wayghed, 

l  Tagus. 
VOL.  I.  L 


146  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1667. 

and  went  for  Cales ;  where  wee  stayed  about  a  fortnight,  to 
bring  away  such  shippes  as  were  readie  for  our  convoy.  I 
found  Mr.  Knights  ashoare  at  Porto  Sta.  Maria ;  of  whom  I 
tooke  up  an  hundred  and  fiftie  six  peeces  of  eight ;  which  I 
haue  now  aboard  in  sherry  sack ;  and  which  I  hope  will  turn 
to  good  account.  I  have  also  six  jarres  of  tent,  each  contain- 
ing about  three  gallons ;  which  I  intend  to  present  vnto  my 
friends ;  and  a  roll  of  excellent  tobacco,  as  they  tell  mee  who 
have  taken  of  it ;  very  noble  sweet  waters,  and  orange  flower 
butter,  which  may  prove  welcome  presents  to  some  friends. 
I  stayed  three  dayes  at  Porto  Sta.  Maria,  which  is  a  large 
towne  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Medina,  wherein  are  two 
very  fine  churches ;  the  one  of  St.  Victor,  the  other  of  St. 
Anna  ;  severall  also  of  the  king's  galleys  are  layd  up  in  this 
river,  which  cometh  from  the  citty  of  Xeres,  commonly  called 
Sherrez.  From  hence  I  passed  over  to  Cales,  where  I  stayd 
some  dayes :  a  very  strong  and  well  peopled  place,  with  seve- 
rall fayre  churches,  of  one  whereof  I  tooke  a  draught ;  butt 
the  streets  are  narrow  and  ill  paved,  hauing  little  or  no  fresh 
water  butt  what  is  brought  from  other  places  ;  from  whence 
also  they  have  their  hearbes,  fruits,  meal,  and  other  necessa- 
ries ;  standing  itself  on  a  meere  sand,  it  little  differs  from  the 
figure  of  it  in  Brawne's5  Book  of  Citties.  From  hence  wee 
sayled  with  our  convoy  of  marchands,  which  came  in  timely 
enough  for  us,  and  hauing  made  the  South  Cape  were  agayne 
ordered  to  go  into  Lisbon  with  the  Revenge,  who  had  sprung 
a  leake.  Wee  stayd  one  day,  and  left  the  Revenge,  to  bring 
away  the  marchantmen  in  the  river.  I  was  not  sorry  I  stayd 
no  longer ;  hauing  been  twice  there  before,  and  hauing  taken 
a  full  view  and  observation  of  that  place  and  all  considerable 
places,  forts,  castles,  and  the  famous  conuent  of  Belim,  in  my 
first  voyage  in  the  Foresight  with  Captain  Brooke,  when,  for 
a  fortnight,  wee  dailie  visited  the  court,  attending  the  com- 
mands and  dispatches  of  the  Conde  Melhor,  the  favorite,  and 
minister  of  state,  who  sent  divers  letters  and  juells  to  our 
queen.  Wee  have  had  much  fowl  weather,  and  contrarie 
winds  since  wee  parted  from  Lisbone,  till  within  these  six 
dayes.     Wee  had  putt  into  Plimmouth  this  morning,  butt  it 

5  Braun. 


1667.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  147 

blowing  hard  last  night,  wee  overshot  the  port,  being  up  with 
the  Steart  Poynt  by  break  of  day ;  and  this  evening  wee  are 
come  to  an  anchor. 


Mr.  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1745.] 

[May,  1667?] 

HONORD    SIR, 

I  am  newlie  come  into  Portsmouth,  and  have  alreadie 
disposed  of  my  adventure  from  Cales.  Wee  came  in  with 
full  expectation  that  wee  should  have  found  our  fleet  readie 
for  this  summer's  action ;  butt,  to  the  great  grief  of  ourselves, 
and  all  honest  publick  spirited  souldiers  and  seamen,  wee  find 
all  contrarie  to  our  desires ;  and  that  our  great  and  most  con- 
siderable shipps  shall  not  be  employed  this  summer.  And  in 
the  meane  time  wee  vnderstand,  for  certaine,  the  Duch  are 
coming  out  with  a  good  fleet.  I  confess  as  yet  I  vnderstand 
not  this  counsell  at  land ;  butt  I  dare  confidently  say,  wee 
shall  sadly  repent  of  it.  The  Duch  would  never  have  given 
us  this  advantage ;  and  I  beleeve  they  will  not  neglect  to 
make  vse  of  it  now  wee  haue  giuen  it  them.  Sir  Thomas 
Allen  hath  a  squadron  of  shippes  at  Plimmouth  of  the  third 
and  fourth  rate,  butt  not  able  to  oppose  a  fleet.  Some  shipps 
are  heere,  together  with  the  Souernign,  which  is  vnprouided. 
Wee  heare  of  none  in  the  riuer  of  Thames ;  nor  how  the  fort 
at  Sheerenesse  is  fortified  or  manned.  I  am  sure  it  was  butt 
in  meane  case  when  I  was  at  it  in  January.  To  treat  for 
peace  thus  vnprovided,  without  a  cessation  of  armes,  or  acts 
of  hostilitie,  is  not  pleasing  vnto  us ;  butt  wee  are  readie  to 
embrace  a  peace  which  should  bee  made  with  our  swords  in 
our  hands.  Wee  stayed  butt  four  dayes  at  Tangier,  this 
voyage  :  of  the  towne  I  tooke  a  draught  before,  which  I  have 
sett  downe  in  my  Journall  of  my  voyadge  with  Sir  Jeremie 
Smith,  which  I  sent  vnto  you;  and  I  can  say  litle  more  of  it  than 
what  I  said  there,  only,  the  mole  goeth  well  forward,  they 
bauing  the  assistance  of  some  Italians  acquainted  with  that 

L  2 


148  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1667. 

kind  of  work  :  tis  a  very  great  attempt,  the  sea  being  deepe, 
and  as  they  aduance  will  bee  deeper,  and  then  they  will  come 
from  a  rocky  to  a  sandy  bottome,  where  the  stones  will  sinck 
deeper,  and  the  work  take  time  to  settle.  When  it  is  com- 
pleat  it  will  be  a  notable  peece,  and  scarce  to  be  matched. 
I  should  thinck  that  in  some  places  it  were  as  easie  to  build 
an  amphitheatre.  I  was  curious  to  obserue  the  whole  manner 
and  way  of  making  of  it ;  and  spent  some  time  in  obseruing, 
discoursing,  and  questioning  about  it;  and  haue  set  downe 
the  way  of  it.  I  walked  agayne  about  the  line  on  the  land 
side,  and  viewed  the  forts,  redoubts,  and  workes,  which  make 
it  very  strong.  When  I  first  saw  it  with  Captain  Brookes,  I 
thought  it  a  poore  and  contemptible  place ;  butt  since,  I  per- 
ceave,  there  are  diuers  new  buildings,  and  the  towne  is  fuller, 
and  hath  diuers  nations  in  it,  and  they  haue  notably  thriued 
by  this  warre,  and  like  to  driue  a  trade.  Of  that  great  masse 
of  building,  like  stony  stares,  by  the  sea  side,  at  the  bottome 
of  the  towne,  which  is  sett  downe  grossely  in  the  mappe  of 
Tangier,  in  Braun's  Book  of  Citties,  I  could  learn  no  more 
then  that  the  Moores,  in  old  time,  kept  their  market  upon 
them,  butt  who  built  them  is  vncertain,  though  they  seeme  of 
good  antiquitie.  Of  the  city  of  Fez  men  heere  knowe  as  litle 
of  it  as  though  it  were  much  farther  of.  I  beleeve  it  is  much 
altered  since  Leo  Africanus  described  it,  by  reason  of  the 
continuall  warres :  and  I  doubt  is  not  so  noble  a  place  now  as 
Vincent  Leblanck,  a  much  later  trauayler,  made  it.  I  spoke 
with  a  Jew,  who  informed  me  much  of  severall  parts  of  Bar- 
barie ;  and  told  mee  that  some  of  their  nation  had  been  at 
Fez,  and  were  then  butt  at  Arzilla.  I  obliged  him  much  by 
two  English  knifes ;  and  he  promised  mee  that  hee  would 
gett  an  account  sett  downe  by  them,  which  hee  would  putt 
into  French,  and  I  should  haue  it  whenever  I  came  again,  or 
sent  for  it ;  hee  intending  to  abide  in  Tangier.  Three  Spa- 
niards which  were  imprisoned  by  the  Moores  about  Azamore, 
by  contriuing  a  woodden  key  to  open  the  prison  doore,  made 
their  escape,  and  came  to  Tangier. 

Tangier  is  situated  to  the  westward  of  the  bay,  upon  the 
bending  of  a  hill,  from  whence  to  the  sea-side  is  a  very  great 
descent ;  it  is  almost  four-square,  the  best  street  in  it  is  that 


1667.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  149 

which  runneth  from  Port  Catherine  downe  to  the  Key  Gate, 
and  is  called  the  Market ;  the  other  streets  somewhat  narrow 
and  crooked ;  the  mole  will  bee  of  great  vse  for  the  securitie 
of  shippes,  the  road  being  too  open.  I  take  this  to  bee  an 
ancient  citty,  as  the  old  castle  and  stayres  to  the  seaward, 
though  now  much  ruined,  do  testifie;  yet  not  that  Tingis  from 
whence  Mauritania  Tingitana  had  its  name ;  and  which  is  so 
often  mentioned  in  ancient  histories ;  as,  namely,  by  Plutarch, 
in  the  Life  of  Sertorius,  where  it  is  set  downe  that  hee  passed 
over  from  Spayne  and  tooke  Tingis,  and  finding  a  tomb,  re- 
ported to  bee  that  of  Antaeus,  hee  broake  it  open,  and  found 
therein  bones  of  an  exceeding  length :  which  must  surely  bee 
understood  of  that  which  is  now  called  Old  Tangier,  situated 
a  little  more  eastward  in  the  bay ;  where  I  have  seen  a  great 
ruinous  building  and  a  broken  bridg  ouer  the  river,  with  ruins 
which  shewe  it  to  haue  been  a  more  ancient  habitation  then 
this  of  our  Tangier. 


[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

Letter  from  Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  Son,  a  Lieutenant  of 
his  Majesty's  ship  the  Marie  Rose,  at  Portsmouth. 

[May  or  June,  1667.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  am  very  glad  you  are  returned  from  the  strayghts 
mouth  once  more  in  health  and  safetie.  God  continue 
his  mercifull  providence  over  you.  I  hope  you  maintaine 
a  thankful  heart  and  daylie  bless  him  for  your  great  de- 
liverances in  so  many  fights  and  dangers  of  the  sea,  whereto 
you  have  been  exposed  upon  several  seas,  and  in  all  seasons 
of  the  yeare.  When  you  first  under  tooke  this  service,  you 
cannot  butt  remember  that  I  caused  you  to  read  the  descrip- 
tion of  all  the  sea  fights  of  note,  in  Plutark,  the  Turkish  his- 
tory, and  others;  and  withall  gave  you  the  description  of 
fortitude  left  by  Aristotle,  "  Fortitudinis  est  inconcussum 
fivmrkTixTov  a  mortis  metu  et  constantem  in  malis  et  intrepidum 


150  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1667. 

ad  pericula  esse,  et  malle  honeste  mori  quam  turpiter  servari 
et  victoriae  causam  praestare.  Praeterea  autem  fortitudinis  est 
laborare  et  tolerare.  Accedit  autem  fortitudini  audacia  et 
animi  praestantia  et  fiducia,  et  confidentia,  ad  hasc  industria 
et  tolerantia."  That  which  I  then  proposed  for  your  example, 
I  now  send  you  for  your  commendation.  For,  to  give  you 
your  due,  in  the  whole  cours  of  this  warre,  both  in  fights  and 
other  sea  affairs,  hazards  and  perills,  you  have  very  well  full- 
filled  this  character  in  yourself.  And  allthough  you  bee  not 
forward  in  commending  yourself,  yett  others  have  not  been 
backward  to  do  it  for  you,  and  have  so  earnestly  expressed 
your  courage,  valour,  and  resolution ;  your  sober,  studious, 
and  observing  cours  of  life ;  your  generous  and  obliging  dis- 
position, and  the  notable  knowledge  you  have  obtayned  in  mi- 
litary and  all  kind  of  sea  affayres,  that  it  affoordeth  no  small 
comfort  unto  mee.  And  I  would  by  no  meanes  omitt  to  de- 
clare the  same  unto  yourself,  that  you  may  not  want  that  en- 
couragement which  you  so  well  deserve.  They  that  do  well 
need  not  commend  themselves ;  others  will  be  readie  enough 
to  do  it  for  them.  And  because  you  may  understand  how 
well  I  have  heard  of  you,  I  would  not  omitt  to  communicate 
this  unto  you.  Mr.  Scudamore.  your  sober  and  learned  chap- 
laine,  in  your  voyage  with  Sir  Jeremie  Smith,  gives  you  no 
small  commendations  for  a  sober,  studious,  courageous,  and 
diligent  person ;  that  he  had  not  met  with  any  of  the  fleet 
like  you,  so  civill,  observing,  and  diligent  to  your  charge,  with 
the  reputation  and  love  of  all  the  shippe ;  and  that  without 
doubt  you  would  make  a  famous  man,  and  a  reputation  to 
your  country.  Captain  Fenne,  a  meere  rough  seaman,  sayd 
that  if  hee  were  to  choose,  hee  would  have  your  company  be- 
fore any  he  knewe.  Mr.  W.  B.  of  Lynn,  a  stout  volunteer 
in  the  Dreadnought,  sayd,  in  my  hearing,  that  you  were  a 
deserving  person,  and  of  as  good  a  reputation  as  any  young 
man  in  the  fleet.  Another,  who  was  with  you  at  Schellinck's, 
highly  commended  your  sobrietie,  carefullnesse,  undaunted 
and  lasting  courage  through  all  the  cours  of  the  warre ;  that 
you  had  acquired  no  small  knowledge  in  navigation,  as  well  as 
the  military  part.  That  you  understood  every  thing  that  be- 
longed unto  a  shippe ;  and  had  been  so  strict  and  criticall  an 


1667.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  151 

observer  of  the  shipps  in  the  fleet,  that  you  could  name  any 
shippe  sayling  at  some  distance ;  and  by  some  private  mark 
and  observation  which  you  had  made,  would  hardly  mistake 
one,  if  seventie  shippes  should  sayle  at  a  reasonable  distance 
by  you.  You  are  much  obliged  to  Sir  Thomas  Allen,  who 
upon  all  occasions  speakes  highly  of  you ; 6  and  is  to  be  held 
to  the  fleet  by  encouragement  and  preferment :  for  I  would 
not  have  him  leave  the  sea,  which  otherwise  probably  he  might, 
having  parts  to  make  himself  considerable  by  divers  other 
wayes.  Mr.  I.  told  mee  you  were  compleately  constituted  to 
do  your  country  service,  honour,  and  reputation,  as  being  ex- 
ceeding faythfull,  valiant,  diligent,  generous,  vigilant,  observ- 
ing, very  knowing,  and  a  scholar.  How  you  behaved  yourself 
in  the  Foresight,  at  the  hard  service  at  Bergen,  in  Norway, 
captain  Brookes,  the  commander,  expressed  unto  many  before 
his  death,  not  long  after,  in  Suffolk ;  and  particularly  unto  my 
lord  of  Sandwich,  then  admiral,  which  thoughe  you  would 
not  tell  me  yourself,  yet  was  I  informed  from  a  person  of  no 
ordinary  qualitie,  C.  Harland,  who  when  you  came  aboard 
the  admiral  after  the  taking  of  the  East  India  shippes,  heard 
my  lord  of  Sandwich,  to  speak  thus  unto  you.  "  Sir,  you  are 
a  person  whom  I  am  glad  to  see,  and  must  be  better  ac- 
quainted with  you,  upon  the  account  which  captain  Brooke 
gave  mee  of  you.  I  must  encourage  such  persons  and  give 
them  their  due,  which  will  stand  so  firmely  and  courageously 
unto  it  upon  extremities,  wherein  true  valour  is  best  dis- 
covered. Hee  told  mee  you  were  the  only  man  that  stuck 
closely  and  boldly  to  him  unto  the  last,  and  that  after  so  many 
of  his  men  and  his  lieutenant  was  slayne,  hee  could  not  have 
well  knowne  what  to  have  done  without  you."  Butt  beside 
these  I  must  not  fayle  to  tell  you  how  well  I  like  it,  that  you 
are  not  only  Marti  but  Mercurio,  and  very  much  pleased  to 
find  how  good  a  student  you  have  been  at  sea,  and  particu- 
larly with  what  success  you  have  read  divers  bookes  there,  es- 
pecially Homer  and  Juvenal  with  Lubines  notes.  Being 
much  surprised  to  find  you  so  perfect  therein  that  you  had 

<5  There  is  evidently  some  omission  here,  either  in  the  original  or  the  copy  ;  the 
following  sentence  appears  to  be  Sir  Thomas  Allen's  remark,  the  beginning  of  which 
is  apparently  wanting. 


152  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE. 

them  in  a  manner  without  booke,  and  could  proceed  in  any 
verse  I  named  unto  you.  I  am  glad  you  can  overcome  Lucan. 
The  other  bookes  which  I  sent,  are,  I  perceive,  not  hard  unto 
you,  and  having  such  industrie  adjoined  unto  your  apprehen- 
sion and  memorie,  you  are  like  to  proceed  [not  only]  a  noble 
navigator,  butt  a  great  schollar,  which  will  be  much  to  your 
honour  and  my  satisfaction  and  content.  I  am  much  pleased 
to  find  that  you  take  the  draughts  of  remarkable  things 
where  ere  you  go;  for  that  may  bee  very  usefull,  and  will 
fasten  themselves  the  better  in  your  memorie.  You  are 
mightily  improved  in  your  violin,  butt  I  would  by  no  meanes 
have  you  practise  upon  the  trumpet,  for  many  reasons.  Your 
fencing  in  the  shippe  may  bee  against  the  scurvie,  butt  that 
knowledge  is  of  little  advantage  in  actions  of  the  sea. 


The  absence  of  any  correspondence  between  Sir 
Thomas  and  his  son  Edward  from  1665  to  1668, 
favours  the  supposition  that  the  latter  resided  at 
Norwich  during  the  greater  portion  of  that  period. 
He  was  incorporated  of  Merton  College,  Oxford,  in 
June,  1666,  and  took  his  degree,  Doctor  of  Physick, 
July  4th,  1667.  In  August,  1668,  he  went  over  to 
Holland,  but  probably  intending  only  a  short  excur- 
sion. He  remained  abroad,  however,  for  nearly  a 
year  and  half,  extending  his  travels  from  place  to 
place,  far  beyond  his  original  plan,  and  in  direct  op- 
position to  his  fathers  urgent  and  reiterated  requests. 
It  is,  indeed,  most  edifying  to  contrast  this  persever- 
ing disobedience  with  repeated  and  verbose  profes- 
sions of  profound  respect  and  implicit  obedience  to 
his  "  most  honoured  father,"  followed  by  a  profusion 
of  the  humblest  apologies  and  most  sorrowful  re- 
grets for  having  disobeyed  "  such  indulgent  parents." 


1668.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  153 

His  letters  to  his  father  are  so  voluminous,  that  it 
was  absolutely  necessary  to  curtail  or  omit  the  far 
greater  portion  of  them  ;  especially  as  the  substance 
has  been  published  in  his  Travels,  fol.  1685. 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

Though  the  wind  served,  yet  I  was  confident  the 
shippe  would  not  sayle,  the  wind  being  so  high ;  pray  God, 
when  it  groweth  lower,  the  wind  do  not  turn  against  you. 
My  humblest  service  and  thanks  unto  Mr.  Johnson.  Betty 
and  I  searched  for  the  Transactions,  butt  could  only  find  the 
lesser  part,  wherin  that  discours  is  not ;  butt  I  have  sent  you 
all  myne,  wch  are  loose.  When  it  shall  please  God  you  are 
in  the  Netherlands,  it  were  good  to  take  notice  of  such  plants 
as  you  see,  obseruing  what  growes  common,  what  not  so,  on 
the  wayes  and  fields  ;  and  putt  up  some  in  a  booke.  If  your 
bill  of  credit  bee  at  Amsterdam,  I  know  not  whether  you  have 
mony  enough  with  you,  to  carry  you  thither,  being  to  land  at 
Roterdam.  God  blesse  and  preserve  you.  I  rest  your  loving 
father,  THO.  BROWNE. 

Aug.  xiii,  [1668.] 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWU    CVIII.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Though  I  haue  nothing  to  adde,  yet  I  could  not 
omitt  to  send  these  few  lines  as  a  testimony  of  my  true  and 
deare  affection  towards  you,  whereof  you  shall  neuer  want 
the  reall  expressions.  Confirme  still  the  good  reports  I  haue 
euer  heard  of  you.  As  I  am  alwayes  sollicitous  for  you, 
so  shall  I  euer  endeauor  and  pray  for  you.     The  mercifull 


154  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

prouidence  of  God  go  with  you,  and  return  you  safe  agayne 
unto  us.  Your  euer  louing  father, 

Aug.  14,  [1668.]  THO.  BROWNE. 

You  may  haue  often  occasions  to  speake  Latin  in  those 
parts,  wch  I  would  haue  you  do  boldly.  My  humble  seruice 
to  Mr.  Johnson. 

Bettis  loue  to  you.  I  wish  you  a  happy  voyage.7 
Its  since  writing,  an  arithmetick  table  was  sent  by  Mr.  Den- 
ton, and  another  will  bee  sent  on  Thursday.  If  Mr.  Wind- 
ham and  Mr.  Meade  will  haue  them  they  shall,  except  you 
would  haue  another  kept,  or  one  at  least.  To  preserue  it 
'twere  good  to  keep  yours  in  a  bagge. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  be  left  at  Mr. 
James  Johnson's  hous  in  Yarmouth,  with  2  port- 
mantles  and  an  hamper. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.8] 

Rotterdam,  Aug.  26,  Styl.  nouo.  1668. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

Wee  sett  sayle  from  Yarmouth,  on  Friday,  at  6 
in  the  afternoon,  and  leauing  the  St.  Nicholas  sands,  and 
afterwards  the  Nowl  (which  is  a  new  sand)  on  the  starboard 
side,  and  the  next  day  by  ten  in  the  morning  discoured 
Grauesandt  steeple,  and  entred  the  Maes  at  thirteen  foot 
water,  wee  arriued  at  Rotterdam  a  litle  after  6  o'clock  on 
Saturday,  and  saw  part  of  the  Kermes.  On  Sunday  Mr. 
Hill  preached  at  the  English  church,  who  was  proctour 
in  Cambridge  in  my  time.  The  cleanenesse  and  neatnesse 
of  this  towne  is  so  new  unto  mee,  that  it  affoordeth  great 
satisfaction,  most  persons  going  about  the  streets  in  white 
slippers.  ED.  BROWNE. 

Aug.  17,  Styl.  vet.  1668. 

1  This  line  is  in  the  hand-writing  of  his  sister, 
8  These  two  numbers  form  one  volume. 


1668.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  155 

Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.] 

SIR, 

I  stayed  4  dayes  at  Rotterdam,  where  Mr.  Panser 
was  very  obliging.     Great  shipps  come  up  to  their  howses 
through  most  of  the  graefts  or  cutts  out  of  the  Maes,  which 
I  obserue  as  yet  no  where  els.     From  Rotterdam  I  passed  by 
Ouerschee  to  Delft.     In  an  howse  of  this  towne,  I  saw  the 
marks  in  a  wall  which  a  bullet  made  at  prince  William,  who 
was  thereby  murthered,     From  Delft  I  went  to  the  Hague. 
I  saw  the  princes  court,  the  piazza  by  it  full  of  green  trees, 
the  prince  his  grandmothers  howse,  the  cours  where   the 
coaches  meet,  and  many  fine  howses  in  the  towne,  the  pell 
mall,  the  wood,  the  park,   and  went  downe   to   Scheuelin, 
where  our  king  tooke  shipping   at  his  return  to  England. 
From  thence  I  went  to  Leyden,  and  one  day  I  made  an  ex- 
cursion to  Alphen,  with  Mr.  Thompson  of  Lynne ;  heere  wee 
dyned  at  a  country  mans  howse.     In  this  place  they  make 
much  oyle  for  soape,  make  great  store  of  tyles,  and  build 
boates.     On  Monday  I  came  back  to  Leyden  by  Goukerk, 
where  is  the  oldest  hows  in  Holland.     In  Leyden  I  tooke 
notice  of  that  antiquitie   called   Hengist   his   castle,  or  the 
Berg.     In  the  anatomy  schooles,  are  a  very  great  number  of 
sceletons,  the  2  leggs  of  an  elephant,  the  sceleton  of  a  whale 
taken  out  of  another  whale,  of  an  horse,  deare,  cow,  cat,  fox, 
and  what  not;  diuers  sceletons  of  men  and  woemen,  some 
with  muscle,  one  with  the  whole  flesh  and  skinne  ;  butt  I 
haue  since  seen  farr  neater  curiosities  of  this  kind  at  Amster- 
dam,  performed  by  Dr.  Reus.     From   Leyden  I  came  to 
Harlem,  where,  being  alone,  I  fell  in  company  with  the  go- 
uernour  of  Maynhems  sonne,  who  is  a  captaine  heere,  and 
now  going  agaynst  the  duke  of  Lorraine,  in  seruice  of  the 
Electour  Palatine.     From  hence  in  3  hours  I  passed  to  Am- 
sterdam, where  I  haue  seen  so  many  curiosities,  and  am  so 
highly  satisfied,  that  I  thinck  I  cannot  see  better ;  butt  many 
tell  mee  Antwerp  surpasseth  it,  which  I  hope  to  see  sud- 


158  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

denly.  In  the  howse  where  I  lodge,  there  lyes  also  one  Mr. 
Vernon,  an  Englishman,  who  hath  trauelled  these  6  yeares, 
speakes  excellent  Latin,  Spanish,  Italian,  high  Duch,  and 
French;  hath  been  almost  in  all  parts  of  Christendom,  be- 
side Barbarie,  with  him  I  haue  seen  many  things.  I  heare 
your  booke  of  Vulgar  Errors  is  translated  into  low  Duch, 
and  now  in  the  presse.  EDWARD  BROWNE. 

Amsterdam,  Sept.  14,  1668. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.] 

SIR, 

My  last  I  wrote  to  you  from  Middleburg,  since 
which  time  I  have  been  at  Brussells,  and  am  returned  unto 
Antwerp.  In  Brussells,  there  are  3  hundred  howses  infected, 
so  I  made  litle  stay  there.  I  wayted  upon  Mrs.  Waldegraue, 
a  nunne,  in  the  English  colledge,  who  presents  her  duty  to 
my  lady,  my  sisters,  and  spake  very  worthily  of  yourself,  in 
remembrance  of  the  great  good  you  had  done  her  father 
Sir  Henry 

From  Terueer  I  went  to  Middleburg,  where  Mr.  Hill,  the 
minister,  was  exceeding  obliging.  I  dined  at  his  house  ;  hee 
gave  mee  a  booke,  and  when  I  went  to  Vlussing,  accompanied 
mee  to  the  boat,  and  sent  his  kinsman  with  mee ;  hee  told  mee 
that  the  same  man  who  translated  your  Religio  Medici  hath 
translated  your  Vulgar  Errors  into  low  Duch.  At  Brussells 
they  cannot  dissemble  their  joy  that  Castle  Rodrigo9  hath 
left  them,  and  stuck  not  to  say  upon  his  departing  on  Michael- 
mas day,  that  their  patron,  St.  Michael,  had  now  overcome 
and  cast  out  the  diuell.  I  pray  direct  a  letter  to  mee,  at 
Frankfort,  my  letter  of  credit  being  for  that  place,  upon 
Monsr.  Pierre  de  Neufille. 

Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

Antwerp,  Octob.  1,  Styl.  nouo,  1668. 

9  The  Marquess  of  Caste!  Rodrigo,  the  Spanish  governor  of  the  Low  Countries. 


1668.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  157 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  have  receaued  seuerall  letters  from  you,  the  last 
dated  Sept.  14,  from  Amsterdam,  by  Mr.  Pecket,  and  am 
sorry  I  cannot  write  so  often  to  you,  not  knowing  wheither  to 
direct,  but  I  would  not  omitt  to  aduenture  this  unto  you  in 
Mr.  Johnsons  couert  to  Mr.  Houenaer.  The  mony  you  tooke 
up  is  payd,  and  though  you  have  a  letter  of  credit  for  a  great 
summe,  yet  I  conceaue  and  hope  you  will  take  up  butt  a 
part,  for  the  yeare  is  spent  and  I  would  not  have  you  make 
wide  excursions.  I  receaued  some  prints  by  Mr.  Dearesly 
which  I  like.  Capt.  Cox  is  not  yet  returned.  I  like  it  well 
that  you  take  notice  of  so  many  particularities.  Enquire  also 
after  the  policie  and  gouernnient  of  places.  Wearie  not  nor 
tire  thyself,  butt  endeauor  to  preserue  thy  health  by  sparing 
thyself  from  labour  and  obseruing  a  good  dyet.  I  am  glad 
you  haue  met  with  a  person  who  speakes  so  many  languadges ; 
you  may  practise  your  Latin  and  Italian  with  him,  little 
troubling  your  head  with  the  languadge  of  the  Netherlands. 
I  am  glad  you  haue  seen  the  best  of  Holland.  What  way 
you  tooke  from  Utreckt  I  am  uncertaine ;  but  probably,  toward 
Antwerp,  which  were  very  well  worth  the  seeing,  if  the  con- 
tagion and  disorder  of  souldiers  in  those  parts  will  permitt. 
But  before  this  can  probably  come  to  your  hand,  you  may 
have  seen  that  place.  Buy  no  bookes :  what  are  small  and 
portable,  if  any :  for  by  London  we  can  send  for  such  bookes 
as  those  parts  afford.  Nancy  writ  mee  word  that  shee  re- 
ceaued a  letter  from  you.  Your  mother,  Betty,  and  sisters, 
pray  for  you,  wishing  your  returne,  which  God  prosper.  Many 
friends  enquire  after  you ;  but  no  letters  have  come  for  you, 
since  the  last  I  sent  to  Yarmouth,  they  understanding  you 
are  abroad.  When  you  were  at  Amsterdam,  I  wished  you 
had  enquired  after  Dr.  Heluetius,  who  writ  Vitulus  aureus, 
and  saw  proiection  made,  and  had  pieces  of  gold  to  shew  of 
it.      Hold  up   thy  spirits   and   bee   not  deiected  that  you 


158  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

receaued  no  more  letters,  for  if  we  were  assured  of  their 
deliuery  we  would  write  weekely.  God  blesse  and  protect 
you.     I  am,  your  euer  loueing  father, 

Sept.  22,  Norwich,  1668.  THO.  BROWNE. 

I  wish  you  would  bring  ouer  some  of  the  red  marking  stone 
for  drawinge,  if  any  very  good.  One  told  mee  hee  read  in 
the  French  gazette,  that  the  Duch  had  discovered  the  north- 
east passage  to  China  round  about  Tartaric  I  do  not  care 
whether  you  go  into  Zeland,  but  if  you  should,  Flushing  and 
Middleburgh  are  only  worth  the  seeing. 

If  you  have  opportunitie,  you  may  obserue  how  the  Duch 
make  defences  agaynst  sea  inundations.  Obserue  the  seuerall 
fish  and  fowle  in  markets  and  their  names.  Wee  haue  not 
heard  a  long  time  of  Lewis  de  Bills,  his  practise  of  preserving 
bodyes,  &c.  What  esteeme  haue  they  of  Van  Helmont,  in 
Brabant,  his  own  country  ?  Since  I  wrote  this,  I  receiued 
yours  this  morning,  from  Dort,  and  am  exceedingly  glad 
to  see  how  God  hath  blessed  you,  and  that  you  haue  had  ad- 
uantages  beyond  expectation.  Your  accounts  are  very  good 
of  all  things.  God  blesse  you.  Madam  Burwell  is  at  present 
with  mee.  Hee  and  shee  send  their  seruice.  Wee  are  on  the 
declination  of  the  assises  which  last  2  dayes.  The  contagion 
may  hinder  you  from  going  into  Flanders,  butt  Brabant,  I 
thinck,  is  not  much  vnder  it.  Mr.  Johnson  is  with  mee  at 
this  hower,  and  I  hast  to  send  this  by  his  letter  to  Mr.  Houe- 
naer.  The  mercifull  protection  of  God  bee  with  you.  Mr. 
Johnson,  Hawkins,  Whitefoote,  Robins,  &c.  salute  you. 

A  Monsr.  Monsieur  Edouard  Browne,  Francfort. 


Mr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.] 

Wien  in  Austrich,  Novemb.  29,  Styl.  nouo. 

SIR, 

I  wrote  to  you  from  Passaw.     Since  when  it  hath 
pleased  God  to  continue  his  blessings  in  my  health  and  a 


1668.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  159 

prosperous  passage  to  Vienna.  The  farther  I  go  the  more 
my  desires  are  enlarged,  and  I  desire  now  to  see  Presbourg, 
Leopoldin,  the  strong  fortification  which  the  emperour  hath 
built  in  lieu  of  Newheusel,  as  also  Rab,  Comorra,  Buda,  and 
Chremnitz,  where  the  gold  mines  are,  and  other  places :  butt 
I  haue  trespassed  too  farre  alreadie  upon  your  goodnesse,  and 
intend  to  looke  no  farther.  Here  is  at  present  a  Tartarian 
embassadouer,  desiring  a  league  offensiue  and  defensiue 
with  the  emperour,  his  name  Cha  Gagi  Aga,  Cha  signifieth 
master,  Gagi  somewhat  like  proselyte,  and  Aga  signifieth 
king.  They  haue  brought  diuers  horses  with  them  of  high 
esteem  here,  but  not  the  least  beautifull.  Some  of  the  Tar- 
tars haue  syluer  rings,  with  the  same  signature  as  the  Turk- 
ish seales.  They  take  much  tobacco  in  very  long  pipes; 
their  tobacco  is  not  in  rowles  butt  in  leaues  and  drye.  Heere 
is  a  fayre  in  the  citty,  where  yesterday  I  mett  the  Tartars, 
who  were  strangely  delighted  with  it,  and  very  much  with  the 
babies  and  figures  in  gingerbread.  The  emperour  presented 
the  Cham  of  Tartarie  with  a  syluer  bason  and  ewer,  and  a 
fine  wach  of  curious  work ;  sent  also  presents  to  the  4  bro- 
thers of  the  great  Cham,  to  the  chamerine  his  wife,  and  to 
his  sisters ;  yet  after  all  this  kindnesse  they  are  jealous  heere, 
as  hauing  newes  out  of  Hungarie,  that  Siebenbergen  is  to  bee 
putt  into  the  hands  of  the  Tartars.  The  varietie  of  habits  in 
this  place  is  very  remarkable,  as  of  Hungarians,  Transyl- 
uanians,  Grecians,  Croatians,  Austrians,  &c.  In  the  riuer 
there  is  kept  a  tame  pellican,  which  heere  they  call  a  lettel- 
gantz  or  spoongoose.  I  saw  a  comedie  in  the  Jesuit's  col- 
ledge,  the  emperour  and  empresse  present.  In  the  emperours 
chappell  is  very  good  musick,  vocall  and  instrumental!,  per- 
formed by  Italians,  whereof  some  are  eunuchs.  I  saw  the 
emperour  at  chappell  on  Wednesday,  hee  hath  a  very  re- 
markable aspect,  and  the  Austrian  lipp  extraordinarily. 
Count  Cachowitz  is  Maistre  del  Hostell.  Montecuculi,  the 
generall,  is  a  leane  tall  man.  On  St.  Nicholas  day  I  sawe  the 
emperours  mother  and  his  2  sisters,  as  they  lighted  out  of 
their  coach  to  enter  into  the  monasterie  of  St.  Nicholas,  his 
sisters  are  very  beautifull  sweet  ladyes.  The  empresse  hath 
a  very  good  looke  butt  somewhat  sad  at  present,  perhaps  too 


160  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

sollicitous  about  her  deliuerie.  I  would  willingly  leaue  this 
place  in  order  to  my  returne  the  first  weeke  in  February,  or 
sooner  if  I  haue  the  happinesse  to  heare  from  you. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edivard. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

Dec.  2,  Norwich,  1668. 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Vpon  the  receit  of  your  letter  from  Passau  upon  the 
Danube,  dated  Nou.  1,  styl.  vet.  I  got  our  louing  friend  Mr. 
Couldham  to  send  this  vnto  Venice,  to  Mr.  Hayles,  in  whose 
hands  it  may  lye  till  you  ether  call  or  send  for  it.  I  am  sorry 
you  are  to  make  that  long  round  agayne,  and  once  more  be 
inclosed  within  the  Alpes  :  butt  if  it  hath  pleasd  God  to  bring 
you  safe  to  Venice  out  of  Germanie,  and  through  so  bad  a 
winter  passage,  with  your  thankfull  acknowledgments  vnto 
God,  make  the  best  vse  you  can  of  such  places  for  your  im- 
prouement  and  knowledg  the  time  you  linger  there ;  and 
whereuer  you  go,  in  your  returne,  bee  neuer  without  some 
institution  or  the  like  of  physick,  whereof  you  may  daylie  or 
often  read,  and  so  continue  1  the  method  and  doctrine 

of  physick,  which  intention  ~  upon  varietie  of  obiects  of  other 
subiects  may  make  you  forget.  Wearie  not  nor  wast  your 
spirits  too  much  in  pursuing  after  varietie  of  obiects,  which 
I  knowe  you  cannot  butt  do  with  earnestnesse,  for  thereby 
you  shall,  by  God's  blessing,  conserue  your  health,  whereof 
I  am  very  sollicitous.  Make  what  conuenient  hast  you  can 
homewards  and  neerer  England,  according  as  the  passages 
and  season  will  permitt.  To  returne  by  sea  is  thought  by  all 
no  fitt  or  good  way  for  you :  'tis  very  hazardous  in  many 
respects,  nothinge  considerable  to  bee  learned,  and  of  litle 
credit.  In  places  take  notice  of  the  gouerment  of  them,  and 
the  eminent  persons.  Burden  not  yourself  with  superfluous 
luggage,  and  if  you  buy  any  thing  lett  [it]  bee  of  easie  portage. 
Keepe  yourself  still  temperate,  which  virtue  may  conserue 

1   Hiatus  in  MS.  -  Intentness. 


1668.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  161 

your  parts.  You  are  in  your  trauayl  able  to  direct  your  self; 
God  also  direct  and  preserue  you.  I  do  not  know  that  you 
shall  want  accommodation  for  mony,  butt  Mr.  Couldham 
hath  been  so  courteous  as  to  write  to  Mr.  Hayles,  in  case  of 
necessitie,  to  accommodate" you ;  whereof  I  hope  you  will 
make  vse  butt  vpon  good  occasion,  and  moderately.  Informe 
your  self  concerning  the  state  of  Candia,  and  enquire  whether 
there  bee  any  relation  made  thereof,  so  far  as  it  hath  yet  pro- 
ceeded. Padua,  I  presume,  you  will  take  notice  of  agayne : 
butt  seriously  I  would  not  haue  you  make  excursions  remote 
and  chargeable.  Consider  how  neerely  it  concerneth  you  to 
bee  in  your  country  improuing  your  time  to  what  you  intend, 
and  what  most  concerneth  you.  Of  all  your  letters  sent  out 
of  Germanie,  that  only  wch  you  sent  from  Bing3  miscarried. 
I  wish  you  had  met  with  Heylin,  or  some  short  description 
and  diuision  of  those  countryes  as  you  trauayled,  and  if  you 
haue  not,  do  it  yet ;  for  that  may  produce  a  rationall  know- 
ledge of  them,  confirmed  by  sence,  and  giue  you  a  distinct 
apprehension  of  Germanie,  wch  to  most  proues  the  most  in- 
tricate of  any  in  Europe.  Your  mother  prayes  for  you  and 
sends  her  blessing,  and  would  bee  happy  to  see  you.  Shee 
is  in  health,  as  your  sister  B.  and  Mai.  Crane  4  liuely  and 
cheerily,  butt  leane,  and  another  sharpe  feuer  [may]  yet 
soone  take  her  away.  Beside  limning,  Bet  practiseth  wash- 
ing in  black  and  colours,  and  doth  very  well.  All  is  quiet 
enough,  butt  the  countryman  complaines,  and  rents  are  still 
badly  payd,  corne  and  inward  commodities  being  at  lowe 
coste.  It  hath  yet  been  an  open  winter,  no  snowe,  fewe  and 
small  frosts,  much  rayne  and  wind,  wch  hath  made  catarrhs, 

coughs,   and   rheumatismes affectinge    the  most 

common  diseases  among  us.  The  parliament  is  adiourned  to 
the  1  of  March.  Mr.  England  of  Yarmouth  was  prickt  for 
knight  of  the  shiere,  but  got  of,  and  Sr  George  Viner,  a  Lon- 
doner, prickt  in  his  place.  The  Bishop  and  Mr.  Hawkins 
haue  been  some  moneths  in  Norwich  :  he  enquireth  of  you. 
I  receiued  your  things  in  Capt.  Coxe's  ship,  the  Concord. 
The  description  of  Amsterd.  Mr.  Primerose  brought  mee. 

3  Bingen. 
4  Probably  Moll.     I  suspect  that  Crane  should,  be  Franc,  for  Frank. 

VOL.    I.  M 


162  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

My  lady  Maydston  was  well  satisfied  with  your  letter.  Mr. 
Skippon  is  to  marry  Mr.  Brewster's  daughter,  of  Wrentham 
by  South  wold,  as  I  heard  credibly.  It  were  well  you  could 
obserue  any  thinge  in  order  to  the  Royall  Societie.  These 
things  I  putt  together,  though  the  whole  letter  may  bee  vn- 
sertaine  to  come  to  you.  Your  letter  from  Passau  not  assur- 
ing your  determination :  but  before  you  can  receaue  this,  I 
hope  to  receaue  one  from  Vienna,  which  may  tell  more  of 
your  resolution,  and  whether  you  intended  to  returne  by 
Prague  or  Venice.  The  mercifull  protection  of  God  go  with 
you,  guide  and  direct  and  blesse  you,  and  giue  you  euer  a 
gratefull  heart  vnto  him. 

Your  louing  father 
Dec.  2,  Norwich,  1668.  THOMAS  BROWNE. 

I  sent  a  letter  to  Franckfort  long  ago,  butt  could  neuer 
tell  how  to  send  since,  your  place  being  vncertaine.  You 
did  well  to  send  often  to  mee.  I  was  ioyfull  to  heare  you  had 
so  good  rencountres.  God  continue  the  like.  My  humble 
seruice  to  Mr.  Hayles,  a  person  whom  wee  must  euer  respect. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Decemb.  15,  styl.  vet.  1668,  Norwich. 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  receaved  yours  from  Vienna,  dated  Decemb.  6, 
when  I  came  home  this  evening ;  and  would  not  deferre  to 
write  to  Mr.  Johnson  this  night,  to  Yarmouth.  16  dayes  ago 
I  writ  to  Venice,  according  to  the  desire  of  your  former  let- 
ter, wch  Mr.  Couldham,  your  friend,  enclosed  to  Mr.  Hayles ; 
and  writ  unto  him,  that,  if  you  were  necessitated  for  mony, 
you  might  be  conveniently  accommodated,  wch  I  did  out  of 
abundant  caution ;  becaus  you  expressed  no  desire  thereof, 
and  I  thought  you  had  still  gone  on  upon  the  credit  from  Mr. 
Hovenaer,  wch  might  have  been  continued  from  place   to 


1668.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  163 

place.  None  of  your  letters  have  miscarried,  butt  onely  one 
from  Bing ;  pray  bee  moderate  as  possible  in  what  summes 
you  take  up,  and  especially  not  to  take  up  much  at  a  time, 
butt  after  the  rate  which  you  have  yet  done.  If  you  had  de- 
clared your  intention  for  Vienna,  wee  had  not  fayled  to  have 
sent,  some  way  or  other,  that  you  might  have  receaved  ours 
at  your  first  coming  thither.  You  have  travayled  far  this 
winter,  wch  hath  yet  proved  very  favorable.  I  would  have 
you  spare  your  self  as  much  as  you  could  conveniently,  and 
afford  some  rest  unto  your  spirits,  for  I  see  you  have  observed 
much  and  been  earnest  therein.  My  prayers  you  have  day- 
lie  for  you,  and  want  not  assistance  to  my  utmost  abillitie. 
Wch  way  you  intend  to  take  in  your  returne,  I  knowe  not. 
I  should  bee  glad  if  you  could  escape  a  journey  to  Venice, 
butt  rather  thither  then  any  further  eastward,  ether  to  Poland, 
Hungarie,  or  Turkie ;  which  both  myself  and  all  your  friends 
do  heartily  wish  you  would  not  so  much  as  thinck  of.  Your 
letter  is  very  obscure  at  the  end,  that  I  would  not  forbid  you 
any  thing  that  might  happen  in  the  meane  time  for  your  ad- 
vantage, wherein  I  pray  consider  yourself  seriously,  and  lett 
your  thoughts  and  determinations  bee  very  well  grounded. 
From  Constantinople,  or  Turkey,  I  am  most  averse,  for  many 
reasons,  wee  all  wish  you  in  England,  or  neerer  it.  I  doubt 
not  butt  that  you  will  ever  have  a  gratefull  heart  unto  God, 
who  hath  thus  farre  protected  you.  If  you  had  gone  to  Ve- 
nice, wee  were  very  solicitous  how  you  would  have  returned, 
and  all  were  against  going ,5  as  not  only  incon- 
venient, butt  dangerous  and  uselesse  unto  you,  and  of  no 
great  credit.  Have  alwayes  some  physick  treatise  to  reade 
often,  least  this  varietie  of  obiects  unsettle  the  notions  of  it. 
Vienna  is  an  universitie,  and  some  things  probably  may  be 
learned  in  knowledge  and  chymistrie ;  it  were  fitt  to  take  a 
good  account  of  the  emperor's  court,  &c.  being  upon  the 
place.  My  L.  Maydstone  was  glad  of  your  letter.  Sr  Daniel 
Harvey  6  is  by  this  time  in  Turkey,  and  my  lord,  probably, 
upon  coming  away,  as  they  heare.      Pray  bee  mindfull  to 

5  Probably  "by  sea." 
G  He  married  the  sister  of  Ralph,  Duke  of  Montagu,  was  knighted,  made  Ran- 
ger of  Richmond  Park,  and  afterwards  Ambassador  to  Constantinople. 

M  2 


164  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

order  your  speech  distinctly  and  leasurably,  and  not  after 
that  precipitous  way  of  France.  Your  mother  sends  her 
blessing,  sisters  their  love,  and  wishes  for  you ;  the  mercifull 
and  gratious  protection  of  the  almightie  bee  with  you.  This 
letter  will  bee  somewhat  long  a  coming  to  you ;  when  you  go 
from  Vienna,  leave  order  with  Mr.  Beck,  how  to  send  to  you ; 
for  probably  I  may  send  one  not  many  dayes  after  this. 

Your  ever  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 
Decemb.  15,  Norwich. 

DEAR    BROTHER, 

Wee  wish  for  you  dayly,  but  especialy  at  Shrovtide ; 
for  then  my  sister  will  please  you  and  us  better  than  ever  she 
did,  I  should  be  glad  if  this  would  tempt  you.  My  lady 
Maidston  was  much  delighted  with  your  letter ;  that  you  may 
have  all  happynesse  and  a  safe  return,  are  the  continuell  de- 
sires of  your  ever  afectionat  sister  E.  B. 

S.  Moll,  and  Franks  love  to  you. 

A  Monsr.  Monsieur  Edouard  Browne,   Anglois,  chez 
Monsr.  Johan.  Beck,  a  Vienne,  en  Austriche. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[us.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Decemb.  21,  1668. 

DEARE  SONNE, 

The  same  day  whereon  I  receaved  yours,  Decemb. 
6,  I  sent  unto  Mr.  Johnson,  Decemb  xv,  to  write  to  Mr. 
Hovenaer,  to  accommodate  you  with  a  letter  of  credit  or  ex- 
change at  Vienna,  and  enclosed  a  letter  of  myne  to  bee  sent 
by  Mr.  Hovenaer.  Mr.  Johnson  hath  writ  me  word,  that  hee 
wrote  the  next  day,  and  that,  if  the  letter  doth  not  unfortu- 
nately miscarrie,  you  shall,  God  willing,  heare  of  it.  Hee 
sayth  hee  also  writ  to  Mr.  Dreenstein,  at  Venice,  and  also 


1668.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  165 

one  to  Monsr  Morelli,  I  thinck,  at  Venice,  in  your  behalf,  and 
to  accommodate  you,  if  need  required ;  and  this  I  suppose  hee 
did,  because  you  writ  before  that  you  intended  for  Venice. 
Mr.  Couldham  also  sent  a  letter  of  myne  to  you,  in  one  of 
his,  to  Mr.  Hayles,  to  keep  it  while  you  called  or  sent  for  it, 
and  whereby  he  desired  Mr.  Hayles  to  accommodate  you,  if 
need  required ;  wch  letter  is,  by  this  time  of  my  writing,  at 
Venice.  Now  all  this  is  done  out  of  my  abundant  care  and 
caution  for  you,  butt  I  hope  you  will  heare  from  Mr.  Hove- 
naer  at  Vienna;  for  I  should  bee  glad  you  might  decline 
Venice,  and  so,  after  a  bad  journey,  bee  shutt  up  agayne 
within  the  Alpes.  Vienna  is  at  a  great  distance,  and  there  is 
litle  communication  between  it  and  London,  so  that  it  is  not 
so  easie  to  send  unto  you  as  to  receave  from  you,  and  I  be- 
leeve  postage  is  to  bee  twice  payd,  after  it  goes  from  London, 
before  it  will  come  to  Vienna,  butt  where  I  yet  knowe  not, 
butt  have  taken  the  best  care  I  can  at  London.  Direct  no 
letters  immediately  to  Norwich,  for  you  mention  one  lately 
sent  so  directed  wch  I  received  not ;  one  I  receaved  from  Mr. 
Panser,  who  sent  it  from  Rotterdam.  Before  you  leave  the 
place  you  may  write  something  of  it,  and  of  the  emperours 
court.  Which  way  you  will  returne  I  cannot  advise,  only  am 
very  unwilling  you  should  go  farther.  If  you  come  southerly, 
by  Ausberg,  Ulme,  &c.  to  Straesburg,  you  gett  at  last  unto 
the  Rhyne,  butt  after  an  hilly  and  long  passage,  and  not  a 
great  roade ;  if  you  go  by  Prague,  and  so,  through  part  of 
Saxonie  and  Turingia,  by  Erfurt,  it  is  a  long  way  also,  butt 
perhaps  more  travayled  from  Vienna;  and  if  you  were  in 
Turingia,  [you]  might  find  convenience  for  Collein,  eschewing 
the  countries,  townes,  and  provinces,  on  or  toward  the  Bal- 
tick,  lesse  worth  the  seeing  of  any,  and  the  coldest.  God 
direct,  guide,  and  protect  you,  and  returne  you  safe  unto  all 
the  longing  desires  of  your  friends,  who  heartily  wish  you 
were  at  a  more  tolerable  distance.  All  yours,  except  one  from 
Bing  and  another  directed  lately  to  Norwich,  have  come  to 
my  hand.  Take  notice  of  the  various  animals,  of  places, 
beasts,  fowles,  and  fishes  ;  what  the  Danow  affordeth,  what 
depth,  if  conveniency  offers ;  of  mines,  minerall  workes,  &c. 
They  say  spelter  or  zink  is  made  in  Germanie  ;  from  thence 


166  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

also  pompholyx,  tutia,  mysi,  sori,  zaffera,  &c.  You  are  to 
bee  commended  for  observing  so  well  alreadie ;  I  wish  you 
could  take  notice  of  something  for  the  information  of  the  Soc. 
Reg.  to  learn  speciall  medicines  and  preparations :  butt,  as  I 
still  saye,  try  not  thy  spirits  too  farre,  but  give  due  rest  unto 
them ;  I  doubt  not  butt  you  will  be  warie  of  the  vice  of  the 
country.     Beat  not  thy  head  too  much  about  the  languadge ; 

you  will  learne  enough  to  proceed if  you  shall  thinck 

fitt.  Wee  lately  read  the  seidg  of  Vien  by  Solyman,  when 
it  was  much  weaker  than  at  present ;  now  the  bullwark  of 
Xtendom.  I  should  bee  sorry  you  should  want  money  at 
this  distance  ;  I  hoped  you  had  once  taken  up  more,  by  your 
credit  at  Franckfort,  upon  Mr.  Neufville.  Tis  generally 
sayd  that  Mr.  Howax*d  goes  embassadour  to  Morrocco  unto 
Taffelsur;  who  hath  driven  Guiland  into  Argier,  whether  hee 
is  fled  ;  taken  Benboker,  and  killed  the  king  of  Morrocco,  and 
is  crowned  king  of  Morrocco  and  Fez.  Mr.  Mayow,  your 
friend,  hath  putt  out  a  booke,  De  Respiratione  et  Rachitide  ; 
some  endemical  and  proper  diseases  there  may  bee  in  those 
parts  where  you  are  also.  Your  mother,  sisters,  and  many 
friends  recommend,  praying  and  wishing  for  you.  The  mer- 
cifull  protection  and  blessing  of  God  bee  with  you. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 
Norwich,  Decemb.  21,  1668,  styl.  vet. 

I  shall  bee  very  happy  to  heare  you  have  receaved  this  ; 
and  of  your  resolutions  toward  your  country :  beleeve  it,  no 
excursion  into  Pol.  Hung,  or  Turkey  addes  advantage  or 
reputation  unto  a  schollar. 

Eduardo  Browne,  Anglo,  apud  Dn.  Johannem  Beck, 
in  sedibus  vocatis  Keller-hoff,  Viennse. 

An  dem  Hern  Edwart  Browne,  Englander,  bey  dem 
Hem  Johanne  Beck,  gelosert  in  Keller-hoff,  Wien. 


1668.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  167 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

Norwich,  December  23,  1668. 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  wrote  unto  you  eight  dayes  ago,  which  Mr.  John- 
son, of  Yarmouth,  sent  inclosed  to  Mr.  Hovenaer,  of  Amster- 
dam, to  bee  sent  unto  you,  with  a  bill  of  credit  from  him  to 
Vienna ;  which  I  hope  you  have  receaved.  I  sent  one  to 
Venice,  three  weekes  ago,  inclosed  in  Mr.  Couldham's  letter 
to  Mr.  Hayles,  whereby  you  might  bee  accommodated  if  you 
fayled  elswhere.  Hee  sayth  one  Mr.  Hobson  keepes  the 
howse,  though  Mr.  Hayles  bee  consul;  butt  I  beleeve  the 
letter  is  in  Mr.  Hayles'  hand,  if  hee  left  it  not  with  Mr.  Hob- 
son  ;  butt  you  need  not  retard  your  journey  for  the  letter 
only,  which  will  take  some  time  to  recover,  and  there  is  no- 
thing peculiar  in  it  or  private.  Yesterday  I  receaved  another 
from  you,  which  I  thought  had  miscarried,  of  an  elder  date, 
November  24;  wherein  I  understood  what  accommodation 
there  was  for  travayl  to  Prag,  Magdeburg,  and  other  good 
townes,  to  Hamburch ;  which,  though  a  great  place,  is  a  good 
way  from  Amsterdam ;  and  to  come  from  Hamburch  by  sea, 
in  winter,  is  very  discouraging,  from  rough  seas  and  benumb- 
ing weather.  Spare  thyself  what  you  can,  and  preserve  your 
health,  which  is  precious  unto  us  all.  I  am  very  glad  you  are 
in  an  howse  where  you  are  so  kindlye  vsed;  if  Mr.  Beck  hath 
any  friend  in  England,  wee  will  endeavour  to  expresse  no  or- 
dinarie  kindnesse  unto  him.  That  I  wrote  two  dayes  ago,  I 
sent  to  London,  to  your  sister,  to  get  Mr.  Skoltowe  to  send 
it,  in  some  marchand's  letter,  or  deliver  to  the  post,  paying 
the  postages  part  of  the  way ;  butt  this  I  send  to  London,  to 
bee  delivered  to  the  forraine  post,  paying  what  they  require ; 
which  I  putt  to  the  adventure,  though  perhaps  you  may  have 
left  that  place  before  this  may  come  unto  you.  You  mention 
travayling  from  some  places,  in  three  dayes  and  three  nights; 
butt  I  think  travayling  by  night,  in  those  parts  and  in  winter, 


168  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

very  uncomfortable  and  hazardous  unto  health.  God  send 
you  still  happy  rencountres  and  good  company.  It  were  good 
to  have  an  Itinerarium  Germanicum.  Heylin  accounts  twen- 
ty-one universities  in  Germany,  whereof  Vienna  one,  (butt  I 
doubt  chiefly  for  divinitie,)  Coin,  Mentz,  Heydelberg,  Franck- 
ford,  Leipsick,  Jena,  Wittenberg  in  Saxonie,  Prag,  which  is 
thought  the  greatest  citty  in  Germanie,  made  out  of  four 
citties,  like  Passaw  out  of  three.  Studie  the  mappe  of  Ger- 
manie, and  have  the  chorographie  thereof  distinctly  in  your 
head,  with  the  politicall  divisions  and  governments,  which  are 
therein  more  numerous  then  in  Italie  ;  the  lesser  owing  some 
acknowledgment  to  the  greater,  beside  free  cities.  Just  now 
I  heare  that  Mr.  Johnson  will  write  agayne,  this  night,  to  Mr. 
Hovenaer.  Dresden  is  accounted  one  of  the  remarkablest 
places  of  Germanie ;  where  the  duke's  court.  Magdeburg  is 
I  beleeve  rebuilt,  since  burnt  by  Tilly,  in  the  Suedish  warres. 
Brunswick  sayd  to  bee  bigger  then  Nuremberg.  Take  the 
best  account  you  can  of  Vienna  as  to  all  concernes ;  for  tis 
hard  to  find  any  peculiar  account  of  it.  Bohemia  is  a  round 
large  country,  about  two  hundred  miles  diameter,  containing 
many  mines,  mineralls,  and  stones.  Bohemia  granates,  and 
other  stones,  you  may  take  notice  of,  if  you  passe  that  way ; 
in  the  country,  and  at  Prag,  and  at  Vienna,  such  stones  may 
bee  seen  probably.  I  have  heard  that  among  the  emperour's 
rarities  severall  conversions  there  are  of  basser  metall  into 
gold.  Take  notice  of  the  great  and  many  cellars  in  Vienna. 
Learne  the  most  authentic  account  how  the  half  moone  was 
set  upon  St.  Stephen's ;  which,  in  Brawne's  Booke  of  Citties, 
seemes  a  very  noble  one.  If  you  can  fix  any  probable  place 
where  a  letter  may  meet  you,  I  will  endeavour  to  find  out  a 
way  to  send  a  letter.  Wee  have  had  no  winter  till  this  day, 
and  not  now  like  to  hold,  so  that  wee  feare  a  back  winter.  A 
Yarmouth  man  just  now  tells  mee  that  about  ninety  vessells, 
great  and  small,  went  out  this  yeare  to  other  parts,  with  red 
herrings.  The  king  is  sending  the  order  of  the  garter  to  the 
young  King  of  Sarden,  by  my  lord  of  Carleisle.  Dr.  Merrett's 
comment  upon  Neri  de  Arte  Vitriaria  is  new  come  out  in 
Latin.  His  Pinax  Rerum  Brita?iicarum  not  yet  published ; 
I  send  to  him  agayne  next  weeke.     Mr.  Mayoe,  of  All  Souls, 


1668-9,]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  169 

his  booke  De  Respiratione  et  Rachitide,  newly  come  out; 
also  Mr.  Boyle's  continuation  of  new  experiments  concerning 
the  spring  and  weight  of  the  ayre,  English,  4to.  I  keepe  the 
sheets  of  the  Transactions  as  they  come  out,  monethly.  Our 
forrein  letters  do  not  despayre  of  Candy.  Sir  Thomas  Allen 
hath  renewed  and  confirmed  the  peace  with  Argiers.  Sure 
you  have  gazettes  at  Vienna.  Tangier  in  a  good  condition. 
The  parliament  adjourned  to  the  first  of  March.  Mr.  Haw- 
kins, White.  Rob.  Bend.  &c.  recommend,  wishing  a  good  re- 
turne.     God's  blessing  bee  with  you. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Your  mother,  sisters,  are  daylie  mindfull  of  you.  Just  now 
Mr.  Couldham  came  to  mee,  and  tells  mee  that  he  writes  this 
night  to  Venice,  to  Mr.  Hayles,  to  send  the  letter  writt  above 
three  weekes  ago  unto  you,  and  to  accommodate  you  if  you 
should  bee  disappoynted ;  his  letter  will  bee  in  nineteen  dayes 
at  Venice,  before  this  can  come  to  you,  which  I  thinck  must 
go  by  Hamburch,  Prag,  &c. 

Eduardo  Browne,  Anglo,  apud  Dn.  Johannem  Beck, 
in  sedibus  vocatis  Keller-hofF,  Viennae. 

An  dem  Hern  Edwart  Browne,   Englander,  bey  dem 
Hern  Johanne  Beck,  gelosert  in  Keller-hoff,  Wien. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.] 

Vienna,  January,  1668-9. 

SIR, 

I  hope  my  letters  are  so  fortunate  as  to  trauayl  safe 
vnto  you  through  vnsafe  countries,  for  wee  heare  of  robberies 
often  about  Flanders,  and  the  Holland  embassador's  sonne 
and  the  secretarie,  whom  I  met  at  Nuremberg,  were  robbed 
before  they  could  get  home,  returning  from  Constantinople  by 
land.  I  am  sorry  for  it,  because  they  were  discreet  and  oblig- 
ing persons ;  I  doubt  their  trauelling  in  Turkish  habits  was 
some  temptation  to  the  robbers.     And  from  Hungarie  wee 


170  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668-9. 

heare  that  Ostracapo,  a  Grannisk  Waradinsk  cavallier,  set 
upon  the  Turkish  courier  in  his  returne  and  tooke  four  thou- 
sand florins  from  him.     Yesterday  came  vnto  mee  a  Greek 
priest  who  hath  been  in  Holland  and  England  to  find  a  youth 
sayd  to  bee  taken  by  some  of  our  frigates.     Hee  was  kindly 
entertained  at  Trinitie  Colledge,  and  other  places  in  England, 
whereof  hee  hath  a  very  high  resentment,7  and  will  allow  no 
nation  to  bee  so  learned  as  the  English,  having  met  with  many 
that  spoake  Greek  with  him,  and  satisfied  him  highly  in  any 
poynt  of  knowledge,  withall  obliging  him  by  their  ciuillities. 
Hee  hath  sent  this  enclosed,  which  I  pray  send  by  the  Cam- 
bridg  caryar,  being  a  short  Greek  letter.     Hee  is  striuing  to 
get  a  passe  for  Constantinople,  which  hee  will  not  readily  do, 
though  hee  was  borne  in  that  citty.     If  not,  hee  intends  to 
go  for  Venice  or  Liuorno.     My  Lord  Castlemain  hath  been 
heere,  endeauoring  to  get  into  Turkey  this  way,  butt  obtained 
not  his  desire.     The  Grecian  tells  mee  that  there  are  great 
mountaines  in  Sagora  that  beare  northward  up  the  Danube, 
or  Thonaw,  as  the  Germans  call  it ;  butt  that  Moldauia,  on 
the  other  side,  is  a  flat,  fruitfull,  country,  and  supplies  Con- 
stantinople with  butter  and  cheese ;  that  giuing  a  Janizarie 
half  a  crowne  a  day,  a  man  may  trauell  into  any  part  of  the 
Turkish  empire.     Hee  sayth  that  the  English  in  Turkey,  of 
all  other  nations,  hath  the  greatest  priuiledges,  and  that  when 
the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  was  deposed  and  threatened 
by  the  Vizier,  hee  made  the  English  embassadour's  howse  his 
refuge.     One  Rudolpho,  the  emperour's  courrier  vnto  the 
Ottoman  court,  tells  mee  that  the  Grand  Signor  is  still  in 
Morea  in  order  to  the  siedg  of  Candia,  whereon  hee  is  so  in- 
tent that  hee  will  not  return  into  Adrianople  this  winter,  nor 
remoue  any  farther  then  Salonica,  where  the  Sultana  is  to 
meet  him ;  a  woeman,  as  hee  sayth,  somewhat  marked  with 
the  small  pox,  of  low  stature,  and  a  Candian  by  nation,  so 
much  beloued  by  him  that  hee  litle  regards  his  other  woemen. 
The  Grecians  heere  play  upon  a  musicall  instrument  which 
they  call  a  r£//3wg/;  it  is  about  four  spanns  long,  hath  three 
strings  of  wire,  the  neck  is  three-fourths  in  length  vnto  the 
whole ;  the  back  is  either  made  of  a  gourd  or  back  of  a  tor- 

'   From  the  French,  ressentiment. 


1669.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  171 

tois ;  two  of  the  pegs  are  fastened  upon  the  same  place  where 
they  stop,  and  one  on  the  side  as  in  a  violin ;  they  play  upon 
it  with  a  quill,  and  sing  withall  as  with  a  guitarre.8  Last 
Saturday  the  court  had  newes  of  a  great  earthquake,  which 
happened  the  last  October,  in  Angrony,  in  Persia,  lasting 
fiftie  dayes  together,  whereby,  beside  other  great  mischief, 
there  perished  six  thousand  men  at  Giansianistan,  and  eigh- 
teen hundred  at  Focqueto  and  Bobic.  On  Tuesday  the  Ve- 
netian embassadour  made  his  entrance,  with  a  great  number 
of  coaches  and  six  horses.  Here  is  also  a  Turkish  enuoye, 
butt  will  soone  depart. 

The  letter  of  the  Greek  Priest  to  Dr.  Pearson,  Mr.  Barrowe, 
and  Dr.  Gunning. 

roig  tfotpwrdroig  xai  svyevsGraTQig, 

irgosffruffif  tov  tpgovTitsrrigiov 

rr]g  <itawax%aroQxr\g  rgid- 

dog  rrig  sv  Axadri/Mia,  xvgiw 

UzetStovi  xai  xvgiw  Bagwvi 

Wirparreiv 

2Dv  woXKoj  itovoj  xai  did  paxgag  rr\g  (iira^xi  yz^aviag  odou  eeuOriv  s'/g  iroktv 

xaiaapog  Bisvvav,  turuy^uv  ds  rw  thyzvidrarw  xvgiw,  ~Erj3d^du  Bgovvca  xomoj 

<pi\o),  ovx  sniXsXrjGpai  vrgoaayog$v6a/  vftdg  fisfivrifihog  ruv  mKkuv  xal  xakuv 

bf/jwv  hipyzeiwv.  s^uidSi. 

Itgi^iag  6  affb  xuvSTavrivovTroXiog 

fir]  ds  6  zvpiog  yovviv  unoXziirdra  rr\g  irgoffriyogiag. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

1.  To  procure  for  me,  upon  the  account  of  the  Royall 
Society,  what  ingenious  correspondents  you  can  in  matters 

8  This  instrument  is  common  to  the  whole  Archipelago,  and  to  the  southern  pro- 
vinces of  Italy,  particularly  Naples  and  Sicily,  and  is  called  by  the  Italians,  a  Man- 
dolino.  The  description  of  the  author  of  this  letter  agrees  perfectly  with  the  word, 
if  we  change  the  zeta  for  ro,  and  Bft>£/  for  Boa  : — thus,  T£iZou.  Tf/;  three;  Boa, 
to  bellow,  sound,  or  ring. — /.  W. 


172  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

philosophicall,  mathematicall,  mechanicall,  chymicall,  but 
chiefly  for  natural  philosophy,  and  what  observations  and  ex- 
periments may  occurre  concerning  the  same,  in  Hungaria, 
Austria,  &c. 

2.  Particularly  to  inquire  in  those  parts,  what  is  observable 
there,  as  to  mineralls,  springs,  warm  baths,  earths,  quarries, 
metalls,  especially  the  kinds,  qualities,  vertues  of  minerall 
waters,  and  how  they  are  examined  ?  What  are  the  particu- 
lar conditions  of  the  quarries  and  stones,  and  how  the  beds 
of  stone  lye  in  reference  to  north  and  south  ?  Item.  Whither 
there  be  any  marles,  earths  for  potters  wares,  bolus  and  other 
medicated  earths ;  whither  those  parts  yield  any  coles,  salt 
mines,  or  salt  springs,  allum,  vitriol,  sulpher,  and  yet  more 
particularly, 

3.  To  inquire  into  and  procure  some  of  all  the  severall 
sorts  of  antimony  and  antimony  ore  ;  but  especially  of  the  best 
Hungarian  vitriole,  and  the  cinnaberis  native  to  be  found  in 
Hungary;  and  to  put  them  up  in  severall  boxes,  according 
to  their  severall  kindes,  and  to  superscribe  the  severall  places 
whence  they  come. 

4.  To  enquire  after  the  true  gold  and  silver  earth  or  ore, 
said  to  be  found  at  Cranach,  in  Hungary,  whence  the  gold  is 
called  Cranach  gold ;  first  lighted  upon  by  the  care  of  the 
Emperor  Rudolphus,  and  worked  chymically  by  his  particu- 
lar order  and  inspection. 

5.  To  enquire  into,  and,  if  it  may  be,  to  bring  over  some  of 
that  kinde  of  vitriole  which  is  affirmed  to  be  found  crystal- 
lised in  Hungary. 

6.  To  get  a  good  account  of  the  salt  pits  in  Transylvania, 
said  to  yield  two  sorts  of  perfect  salt,  the  one  being  a  sal 
gemmae,  the  other  a  common  table  salt,  and  to  bring  over  a  spe- 
cimen of  both.  Further,  to  observe  how  deepe  those  salt 
mines  lye  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  how  deepe  they  have 
been  digged  hitherto,  and  what  damps  are  met  with  in  them. 

7.  To  inquire  after  the  veins  of  gold  and  quicksilver  at 
Cremnitz,  in  Hungary,  and  after  those  of  silver  at  Schemnitz, 
and  to  endeavour  to  get  some  of  their  ores  to  bring  over, 

8.  Whether  the  waters  of  the  Therma  that  passe  by  Schem- 
nitz depose  a  certain  sediment,  which,  in  time,  turnes  into  a 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  173 

yellow  stone  ?  and,  if  so,  to  procure  and  bring  over  some  of 
the  same. 

9.  Whether,  in  all  the  mines  of  gold,  silver,  copper,  iron, 
lead,  of  Hungary,  and  particularly  about  Newheusel,  there  be 
found  every  where  quicksilver  and  sulphur  ? 

10.  Whither  it  be  true  that  in  the  copper  mines  of  the 
place  called  Hernn-ground  there  be  found,  no  quicksilver 
at  all? 

11.  Whither  it  be  so  that  in  some  parts  of  the  Upper 
Hungary  the  ores  of  copper,  iron,  and  lead,  be  sometimes  so 
commixed,  that  there  is  often  found  in  the  upper  part  iron, 
in  the  midst  copper,  and  in  the  lowermost  lead  ?  As  also  that 
in  other  places  coppery  fluos  are  mixt  with  leaden  ores  ? 

12.  Whither  it  be  true,  what  Kircher  writes  from  relation, 
that  the  ductus  of  metalls  doe  sometimes  run  north  and  south, 
sometimes  crossewayes  ? 

13.  To  learn  if  it  may  be  the  way  of  extracting  the  perfect 
metalls  out  of  their  mineras  without  lead,  which  is  said  to  be 
performed  by  casting  a  powder  upon  the  minera,  that  make  a 
quick  and  advantagious  separation,  of  which  sulphur  is  sup- 
posed to  be  one  of  the  ingredients. 

MOST  HONOURED    FATHER, 

I  received  these  inquiries  from  the  Secretary  of  the 
Royall  Society  this  last  weeke,  and,  according  as  I  have  oppor- 
tunity of  informing  my  selfe  concerning  any  of  these  particulars, 
I  will,  if  you  please,  sir,  set  them  downe  in  my  letters  to  you, 
that,  if  I  lose  my  papers  abroad,  or  any  other  accident  hinders 
me  to  serve  the  society  as  I  desire,  as  much  as  I  am  informed 
of  may  be  in  your  hands,  sir ;  and  those  things  which  I  pro- 
cure for  them  I  would  willingly  sende  to  your  selfe  first,  sir, 
if  I  had  any  friend  at  London  to  whom  I  could  addresse  let- 
ters or  sende  packets.  To  the  third  demande  I  am  informed 
that  there  are  two  sorts  of  antimony  ore,  and  two  sorts  of 
cinnaberis  native,  which  I  hope  to  procure.  To  the  5th,  that 
[there]  is  cristallised  vitriol  in  Hungary,  natural,  as  cleare  as 
any  dissolved,  filtrated,  and  coagulated.  To  the  sixth,  Cap- 
tain Broden,  an  Irish  captain,  tells  me  that  there  are  salt 
mines  in  Transilvania  very  deepe ;  that  the  salt  is  softest  at 


174  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

the  bottom,  but  hardened  at  the  top,  and  when  it  is  brought 
into  the  open  aire  ;  that  the  soldiers  choose  to  use  it,  because 
it  is  most  convenient  for  cariage,  and  they  scrape  of  it  at  any 
time  they  need,  and  that  the  countrymen  give  of  it  to  their  sheep 
and  oxen  often,  as  once  in  three  or  four  dayes.  In  Hungary 
there  is  rock  salt,  and  great  pillers  and  stones  of  salt ;  but  it 
is  forbidden  to  be  brought  to  Vienna  by  the  command  of  the 
emperor,  who  hath  the  salt  there,  as  the  king  of  France  hath 
in  France  ;  and  we  use  here  a  white  salt  brought  from  Saltz- 
burg,  made  from  a  salt  spring,  as  at  Nahtwich,  Northwich, 
and  other  places  in  Cheshire,  and  elsewhere  in  England. 

Mr.  Du  Bois,  an  apothecary,  tells  me,  that  nigh  to  Transyl- 
vania, there  is  a  spring  which  changeth  iron  into  copper. 

I  hope,  sir,  with  your  assistance,  to  give  some  satisfaction 
to  these  proposalls,  and  upon  some  of  them  a  good  discourse 
may  be  raised,  backed  with  what  my  experience  here,  in  some 
time  may  afford  me.  On  Thursday,  sir,  I  hope  to  write  to 
you  again,  so,  as  in  the  mean  time,  with  my  duty  to  my  dear 
mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters,  I  remaine 

Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

Februar.  3,  st.  nov. 

If  you  direct  your  letters  in  French,  sir,  it  is  sufficient,  for 
so  I  received  one  from  Mr.  Oldenburg.  A  Monsieur  Edward 
Browne,  Anglois,  chez  Monsieur  Beck,  in  de  Keller-hoff, 
Vienna,  en  Austriche. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  at  Nor- 
wich, to  be  left  with  Ms  Anne  Browne,  at  Esqre. 
Barker  his  house,  in  Clarkenwell,  neare  New  Prison, 
London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.] 


SIR, 


I  receiued  yours,  and  shall,  God  willing,  pursue 
your  directions.     I  haue  bought  some  Hungarian  vitriol.     I 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  175 

can  haue  great  quantitie  of  cinnaberis  natiua  in  powder,  butt 
not  in  lumpes  or  pieces.  Nigh  unto  this  place  is  the  tomb  of 
Modestus,  an  Irishman,  who,  with  Virgilius,  planted  the  gos- 
pell  in  these  parts.  It  began  to  freez  heere  the  same  day  that 
it  did  with  you  in  England.  The  ice  now  beginnes  to  break, 
and,  while  I  am  writing,  I  heare  that  it  begins  to  come  downe 
with  such  force,  that  it  hath  alreadie  caryed  away  part  of  the 
great  long  bridge  ouer  the  Danube.  The  colica  austriaca  is  a 
disease  endemicall  to  this  country,  and  uery  obstinate,  ene- 
mata  helping  litle,  nor  many  other  medicines.  An  Italian  com- 
ming  this  day  to  see  mee  preuented  my  sending  by  the  last 
post:  hee  is  of  Fiume,  in  Istria:  hee  hath  been  upon  the 
Euxin  sea,  and  tells  mee  that  Pompey  his  pillar  is  still  stand- 
ing there,  and  that  at  Belgrade  there  are  very  fine  baths  from 
hot  springs.  I  haue  herin  enclosed  the  figure  of  a  magicall 
glasse,  whereby  the  emperor  Rudolphus  saw  many  strange 
sights,  and  the  manner  of  conversing  with  spirits ;  perhaps 
the  same  or  like  that  of  Dee  and  Kelly. 
Vienna,  Feb.  14. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

March  1,  styl.  vet.  1668-9. 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  receaved  your  last  letter,  Febr.  14,  with  others 
which  should  have  come  before,  but  they  all  came  together. 
I  sent  to  you  about  xii  dayes  ago.  Yours  came  together  of 
late,  when  some  have  layn  by  the  way  a  weeke  or  more,  and 
so  they  come  unto  your  sister  safe  at  last,  and  therefore,  I 
thinck  you  may  so  direct  them  from  any  place.  I  cannot  con- 
ceaue  your  stay  will  bee  longer  at  Vienna,  perhaps  not  while 
this  may  come  unto  you ;  but  out  of  my  love  and  care  of  you, 
I  would  not  omitt  to  send  adventure  this.  For  satisfaction  of 
the  queries  of  the  R.  S.  putt  yourself  to  no  hazard  or  ad- 
venture, butt  learne  and  make  the  best  enquiries  you  can  of 


176  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

things  in  Hungarie,  and  at  distance,  by  others,  and  what  is 
neere  Vienna  or  in  it,  you  may  observe  yourself.  Your  chief 
buisinesse  must  bee  to  settle  a  correspondent,  who  may  write 
unto  you  at  any  time  and  answer  your  letters,  in  order  to  the 
R.  S.  or  to  their  secritarie,  if  need  requireth,  which  must  bee 
some  person  resident  in  Vienna,  of  an  ingenious  and  inquisi- 
tiue  temper,  who  make  it  his  businesse  to  enquire  particularly 
of  himself  or  according  to  your  queries,  or  what  may  bee 
further  hinted  hereafter.  There  is  an  author  named  Wern- 
herius,  or  Vernherius,  de  rebus  Pannoniae,  which  is  Hun- 
garie and  part  of  Austria,  who  hath  writ  of  all  the  mineralls 
and  all  minerall  waters  in  and  about  those  parts  ;  out  of  whom 
Baccius,  de  Thermis,  hath  taken  what  hee  writes  of  such 
things  in  Austria,  Hungarie,  and  neere  Poland.  I  doubt 
whether  you  can  have  the  opportunitie  in  any  librarie  there  to 
looke  upon  it.  You  may  receave  some  knowledge  about  the 
mines  in  your  queries  by  proposing  them  all,  or  some,  to 
some  of  the  emperours  officers  implyed  about  the  mines, 
which  you  may  find  in  Vienna,  or  some  practicall  workmen 

that  hath  observed  them.     Quarries  of are 

probably  not  farre  from  the  city.  The  baths  of  Baden,  by 
Vienna,  are  mentioned  in  Baccius,  de  Thermis.  You  may 
enquire  of  what  they  consist,  and  what  tryall  hath  been  made 
of  what  mineralls  they  consist.  You  may  enquire  about 
an  hot  bath  by  Buda,  very  hot,  which  Baccius  calls  purga- 
torie,  from  the  popular  name.  Vitriolum  Hungaricum,  the 
best  is  only  worth  the  obtaining ;  Cinnaberis  nativa,  best  in 
lumps ;  and  Vitriolum  Crystallinum,  and  other  things  you 
mention ;  but  how  you  should  send  them,  I  see  not,  sure  not 
by  the  post,  in  respect  of  dearenesse  and  hazard  to  bee  lost. 
You  must  fall  in  with  some  merchands  that  send  any  goods  to 
Amsterdam,  and  so  putt  them  up  distinctly  in  boxes  ;  the 
saline  bodyes  being  apt  to  relent  by  moyst  ayre ;  and  some 
smaller  quantities  of  what  is  singular  you  may  putt  in  your 
portmantell.  I  confesse  I  should  bee  willing  to  receave  or  see 
such  things.  Take  as  good  account,  and  as  particular  as  you 
can.  Whether  you  should  give  any  account  now,  or  rather 
hereafter,  to  the  R.  S.,  I  make  some  doubt ;  for  in  your  re- 
turne  you  may  observe  many  things,  perhaps  considerable,  in 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  177 

those  poynts;  butt,  however,  you  may  signifie  them,  and 
write  of  them,  in  your  letters  to  mee.  You  may  enquire  of 
Mr.  de  Bois  concerninge  thus  and  myrrha,  non  arborea, 
sed  fossilis,  found  at  Gradisco  in  Moravia,  whereof  you  may 
read  in  Ortelius  his  Geographie  in  the  cap.  of  Moravia; 
read  also  his  chap.  De  Mansfieldiae  comitatu,  where  scheyffer- 
steyn  are  found,  and  a  lake  wherin  the  shape  of  fishes  and 
froggs  are  found  in  stones.  I  am  glad  you  gave  account  of 
so  many  things  in  your  letters.  It  was  high  enough  to  go  up 
338  stepps  in  St.  Steph.  steeple  ;  and  very  much  that  the 
half  moone  should  stand  so  longe.  The  ice  showes  exceed 
others  in  any  place.  Clusius,  the  learned  botanist,  that  writ 
De  stirpibus  Pannonicis,  was  over  the  emperours  garden. 
Endeavor  by  all  means  to  see  his  treasure  of  rarities,  and 
what  is  remarkable  in  any  private  custodie.  I  am  glad  you 
have  anatomies  there.  'Tis  not  hard  to  converse  with  learned 
men  in  those  parts.  I  am  sorry  the  great  bridge  is  broke 
down,  which  must  much  incommodate  the  citty.  How  came 
you  to  see  Rudolphus  his  glasse,  and  what  credit  doth  it 
beare  ?  Dee  I  thinck  was  at  Prag  in  his  time.9  The  fountaine 
at  Saltzberg  is  noble.  I  could  make  a  shift  to  understand  the 
Duch  writing  in  it.  I  like  the  Turkish  foot  ensigne  well,  &c. 
The  Turkish  Asper  was  not  in  the  letter.  'Tis  good  to  see 
the  manner  of  the  executions  in  all  places.  I  beleeve  Nurn- 
berg  is  the  largest  towne  you  have  yet  met  with.  You  do 
well  to  observe  fishes  and  birds,  and  to  learne  the  Duch 
names,  which  commonly  are  significant,  and  are  set  downe 
with  the  Latin  in  Aldrovardus.  By  that  time  you  are  on 
your  returne,  the  hearbs  will  showe  a  litle  in  the  fields  and 
trees  also,  which  you  may  take  notice  of.  Enquire  what  tree 
that  is  of  which  they  make  musicall  instruments ;  a  white 
waved  wood  which  is  called  ayre,  and  sayd  to  come  from 
Germanic  I  bless  God  for  your  health,  good  rencountres 
and  protection  of  you,  and  that  he  would  continue  the  same, 
is  the  prayer  of  your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


9  Dee  and  Kelly  were  at  the  emperor's  court  at  Prague  in  1585,  but  were  soon 
afterwards  banished  from  his  dominions  as  magicians,  at  the  instigation  of  the 
pope's  nuncio. 

VOL.    I.  N 


178  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

What  minerall  waters  you  see  you  may  tast,  butt  take 
downe  none,  nor  any  way  hazard  the  discomposure  of  your 
body.  We  are  all  glad  you  have  layd  by  the  thoughts  of  Tur- 
key or  Turkesh  dominions.  Observe  the  great  jaspis  agayne, 
whether  of  a  good  green  colour  where  it  is  worne.  What 
kind  of  stone  is  that  which  stoned  St.  Stephen,  pebble,  flint, 
or  freestone  ?  See  the  emperour's  librarie  or  any  other.  De 
Terris  Bohemicis  you  may  read  in  Musaeum  Wormianum, 
terra  Bohemica,  Silesiaca,  &c.  whereof  divers.  I  have  con- 
ferred with  some  who  knowe  the  country  about  Saltzberg  well, 
for  that  is  plentifull  in  mines,  mineralls,  sallts,  sulphur,  anti- 
mony, &c.  Mr.  Scoltow  is  much  out  of  London,  at  his 
mothers ;  cosen  John  Cradock  is  constant  at  Mr.  Thomas  his 
howse,  at  the  Sheaf,  in  Covent  Garden.  Hee  was  heere  [at] 
Christmas,  and  Nancy  never  out  of  London.  The  Bishop, 
Mr.  Hawkins,  Mr.  Dentry,  now  with  the  Bishop,  Whitefoot, 
Robins,  Bendish,  and  all  friends,  present  respects.  Your 
mother,  Betty,  Moll,  and  Franck,  also.  I  have  payd  the 
bills  of  fortie  pounds.  I  hope  you  will  not  bee  to  seeke  for 
credit,  as  at  your  coming  to  Vienna ;  but  that  you  may  go  on 
upon  the  former  credit,  as  need  requireth,  in  your  returne. 
Sir  Tho.  Woodhowse,  now  with  me,  presents  his  respects. 
We  all  hope  your  returne  before  the  hott  wether. 

DEAR    BROTHER, 

Wee  are  mightily  delighted  with  your  little  pictures. 
Now  I  hope  you  will  be  heare  as  soon  as  you  can.  My  sister 
is  still  at  Clerkenwell,  and  I  believe  ever  will  be  out.  Every 
body  you  left,  they  all  desire  to  see  you,  cheefly 

Your  affectionate  sister, 

E.  BROWNE. 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  am  sorry  to  heer  your  coming  home  is  defured ; 
for  there  is  nothing  we  all  desire  more  then  to  see  you.  I 
besich  God  of  his  mercy  bless  you,  and  send  you  well  to  us, 
and  as  soone  as  may  be.  [D-  B.] 

A   Monsr.    Monsr.   Edouard   Browne,    Anglois,   chez 
Mr.  Beck,  in  Keller-hoff,  Vienne  en  Austriche. 


1669.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  179 

Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

MOST    HONOURED   FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  my  last  from  Vienna,  in  which  I  en- 
closed a  figure  of  three  suns,  which  appeared  at  Cassovia, 
in  Upper  Hungary,  the  last  30  of  January,  and  another  of  5, 
which  was  seen  the  last  Easter  day.  I  should  be  glad  to 
hear  they  come  safe  to  your  handes.  Before  that  I  came 
from  Vienna,  I  waited  upon  Baron  La  Haye  and  the  Conte 
Leslye,  who  was  very  courteous  to  me.  I  went  to  the  great 
quarry  for  stones,  out  of  which  much  of  Vienna  is  built. 
The  stones  are  large  ;  they  cut  and  carve  them  at  the  quarry. 
The  water  that  drains  from  the  top  of  the  hill,  betwixt  the 
stones,  incrustates  them  with  a  substance  like  to  that  of 
Ockey  Hole  in  Somersetshiere,  or  of  Pooles  Hole  in  Derby- 
shiere.  The  colour  of  the  stone  is  of  a  light  graye.  This 
day  I  came  by  Hungarish  Altemburg,  over  a  plaine  like  New- 
market heath,  to  Rab.  As  I  proceed,  I  shall  write  to  you, 
sir,  of  it.  Mr.  Beck,  my  landlord,  accompanies  me.  I 
shall  go  no  farther  in  Lower  Hungary  then  Gomorrha,  and 
then  go  over  the  river  where  it  is  most  safe,  towards  the 
gold  mines  if  it  please  God. 

My  service,  sir,  to  my  friends.  I  should  be  glad  to  heare 
from  my  dear  mother.  My  love  to  my  sisters.  The  Hunga- 
rian women  weare  a  great  linnen  cloth  about  their  head, 
which  makes  it  show  very  big.  The  maids  goe  in  their  haire 
with  a  garland  upon  their  heads,  their  haire  hanging  downe, 
at  its  length,  behind  them.  The  mens  habits  are  blew,  or 
red,  or  white,  with  a  black  cap ;  but  I  will  observe  more  as  I 
go  into  the  countrey  and  return  to  Vienna,  I  hope  within 
fourten  dayes,  where,  if  I  meet  with  a  letter  from  you,  sir,  it 
will  be  a  great  comfort  to  me. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

March  9,  1668-9.     Rab  in  Ungarn. 

N  2 


180  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 


DEAR    SISTER    BETTY, 

I  want  you  with  me,  to  draw  me  abundance  of  fine 
pictures  of  strange  things  ;  but  seeing  that  I  am  too  far  from 
you  to  hope  that  you  will  come  to  me,  I  thinke  of  returning 
to  you,  and,  though  I  have  spent  the  winter  without  you,  I 
must  not  thinke  of  being  from  Norwich  this  summer,  whither 
I  hope  to  returne  to  a  great  deale  of  joye,  if  my  friends  be  in 
health.  Pray  tell  me  that  you  are  so,  as  often  as  you  can. 
A  whole  sheet  full  of  news  will  not  cost  me  sixpence.  Dear- 
est sister,  I  am  your  loving  brother, 

ED.  BROWNE. 

These  for  my   honoured  father  Dr.  Browne,  at.   his 

house  in  Norwich. 
Leave  this  with   Ms   Anne   Browne,   at  Esqr.  Barker 

his    house,    in    Clerkenwell,    upon    New    Prison 

Walke,   London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Vienna,  Aprill  28,  1669. 

MOST   HONOURED    FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  the  last  post.  Most  of  my  letter 
was  concerning  dampes  in  mines ;  which  account  may  be,  by 
it  selfe,  if  you  thinke  fit,  sir,  communicated  to  Mr.  Oldenburg ; 
if  not,  at  my  returne,  which  I  hope  in  God  will  be  in  a  few 
months,  with  the  rest  of  my  observations.  I  have  now  taken 
up  three  hundred  florins  in  preparation  to  goe  into  Turkey 
this  next  weeke ;  but,  if  it  please  God,  I  hope  to  be  at  Vienna 
again  by  that  time  that  I  can  have  an  answer  to  this.  I  hope, 
sir,  you  will  forgive  me  this  excursion,  and  helpe  me  to 
returne  to  you  by  giving  me  credit  again  upon  the  same  mar- 
chants  as  formerly,  the  same  way,  by  Mr.  Johnson,  for  the 
heirs  olf  Mr.  Fuchs ;  Mr.  Triangle  particularly,  at  Vienna ;  for 
he  tells  me  that  my  credit  is  limited  so  as  I  have  had  all,  which 
I  knew  not ;  but  since  my  returne  out  of  Hungary,  I  have 
had,  since  my  coming  abroad,  700  reichs-tallers  :  but  I  hope, 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  181 

with  Gods  blessing,  a  small  summe  more  will  helpe  me  to 
come  safe  home.  I  shall  continue  to  write  still ;  and  shall 
have  many  occasions ;  and  it  will  make  me  happy  at  my  re- 
turne  to  hear  from  you,  sir,  and  from  any  of  my  friends.  My 
duty  to  my  most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  dear  sisters. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,    Dr.   Browne,   at  his 

house  in  Norwich. 
Leave  this  with  Ms  Anne  Browne,    at   Esqre  Barker 

his  house  in  Clerkenwell,  upon  New  Prison  Walke, 

London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Wien,  Aprill  4-14,  1669. 

MOST   HONOURED    FATHER, 

It  hath  pleased  God,  after  a  very  prosperous  jour- 
ney, to  bringe  me  safe  to  Vienne.  As  my  journey  was  some- 
what harsh  and  laborious  in  Hungary,  so  also  it  was  very 
fortunate  to  me,  and  I  have  informed  myselfe  in  many  things 
which  the  Royall  Society  inquired  after,  and  found  friends 
unexpectedly  in  all  places,  both  among  the  officers  and  com- 
manders of  the  soldiers,  when  need  was,  to  convoy  me,  and 
amongst  the  officers  in  the  mines,  who  have  presented  me  with 
many  curiosities.  The  earle  of  the  chamber,  Sigr.  Gianuelli, 
did  me  a  great  deale  of  honour  and  favour,  both  in  his  coun- 
tenance at  Schemnitz,  and  his  order  to  the  governours  of  the 
mines,  by  Chremnitz  and  Newsol,  that  I  should  have  all  things 
shown  me;  which  was  performed  with  so  much  kindnesse, 
generosity,  and  true  heartednesse,  that  I  shall  never  have 
occasion  to  acknowledge  it  enough  ;  and  this  journey  is  already 
so  much  the  more  comfortable  to  me,  that  I  am  in  a  probability 
to  serve  the  society  without  hazarding  the  repute  of  their  name, 
and  what  upon  my  owne  account  I  have  procured,  I  may  be  the 
more  free  to  present  it  them,  as  you  shall  thinke  fit,  sir.  I 
should  have  been  too  happy  at  my  returne  if  I  had  met  with 


182  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

a  letter  here  from  you,  sir ;  but  I  hope  the  best.  I  hope  that 
God  will  still  blesse  me  in  the  preservation  of  yours  and  my 
dear  mothers  healths.  My  service  to  Mr.  Hawkins,  and  Mr. 
Whitefoot,  Mr.  Robins,  with  the  rest  of  my  friends.  I  heard 
from  Mr.  Panser,  of  ^Rotterdam,  lately,  and  from  one  Mr. 
Verrin,  of  Amsterdam,  a  learned  young  man,  who  is  going  into 
England,  and  at  whose  fathers  neat  house  at  Amsterdam  I 
was  kindly  treated ;  I  should  be  glad  my  friends  would  show 
him  kindnesse.  Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  at  Nor- 
wich, to  be  left  with  Ms  Anne  Browne,  at  Esqre 
Barkers  house  in  Clarkenwell,  London. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Aprill  28,  st.  vet.  1669. 

DEARE    SONNE. 

I  am  heartily  sorry  my  letters  come  not  to  you,  as 
yours  do  to  mee.  I  have  writ  eight  or  nine  letters  beside 
those  by  Mr.  Hovenaer  and  Mr.  Hayles.  All  yours  haue 
come  to  my  hands,  except  one,  wch  your  letter  lately  men- 
tions, that  you  wrote  from  Schemnitz.  I  received  all  the  rest 
from  Rab,  Komara,  Treistad,  Cremnitz,  and  yours  yesterday 
from  Vienna,  dated  Aprill  14,  styl.  novo.  I  am  heartily  glad,  and 
blesse  God,  that  you  are  returned  to  Vienna.  I  had  many  sol- 
licitous  thoughts  for  you.  His  gratious  protection  still  goo  with 
you,  and  returne  you  safe  unto  your  country,  to  serve  him  all 
your  dayes.  You  have  taken  good  observations  of  very  many 
things,  and  used  great  industrie  every  where,  wch,  though  I 
like  well,  yet  I  cannot  but  renew  my  old  admonition,  to  afford 
convenient  rest  and  quiet  unto  thy  selfe,  nor  to  fatigate  thy 
spirits  and  body  to  the  discomposure  of  your  health  or  hazard 
thereof.  Georgius  Wernerus  hath  writ  De  aquis  Hungarian. 
You  may  probably  get  a  view  thereof  in  some  parts  or  libra- 
ries in  Germanie,  as  of  Kirchir  in  his  sixt  and  tenth  booke  of 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  183 

his  Mundus  Subterraneus  and  Baccius  de  Thermis.  Lazarus 
Erker  hath  writ  of  mineralls  in  high  Duch,  and  was  a  practi- 
call  man  therein,  as  Agricola  de  Mineralibus  et  Metallis,  in 
Latin;  wch  last  I  have.  The  mines  you  saw  are  notable 
ones,  and  you  are  not  like  to  meet  with  any  like  them ;  and 
having  well  viewed  them,  I  would  not  have  you  hazard  your 
health  in  going  farre,  or  staying  long  in  any,  if  you  meet  with 
any  more.  All  your  letters  are  writ  out  into  a  booke.  Many 
things  I  proposed  in  letters,  wch  came  not  to  your  hand  ;  as, 
to  informe  yourselfe  at  Vienna  of  the  myrrha  fossilis,  found 
in  the  ground  about  Gradisco,  in  Moravia  ;  of  ginger,  which 
thrives  well  at  the  bottome  of  Haimburg  hill,  not  farre  from 
Presburg ;  to  enquire  after  the  stones  in  a  lake  in  Comitatu 
Mansfeldiano,  wch  represent  severall  animals.  Though  you 
go  not  thither  you  may  reade  of  them  in  Ortelius,  in  the  cap. 
'  De  Comitatu  Mansfeldiano.'  Bellies  or  backs  of  fiddles  are 
made  out  [of]  a  wood  called  ayre,  wch  they  say  is  a  kind  of  ma- 
ple brought  out  of  Germanie.  In  what  proportion  Lutherans, 
Calvinists,  Catholicks,  Jewes,  are  in  Germanie.  Where  the 
best  high  Duch  is  spoake.  To  take  notice  where  copper  is 
made  or  wrought,  and  whether  the  pompholyx  and  tutia  may 
be  discerned  from  them;  and  whether  they  take  notice  of 
mysi,  sory,  chalcitis,  &c. 1  Mines,  baths,  and  minerall  waters, 
have  been  more  taken  notice  of,  and  writt  of,  in  other  parts 
of  Germanie  then  in  Austria  and  Hungarie  ;  and  you  have 
done  well  to  take  so  exact  account  of  them.  You  must  be 
warie  in  the  conveyance  of  what  you  have,  and  may  divide 
them,  and  send  them  in  two  parcells,  and  send  them  at  twice; 
that,  if  one  be  lost,  the  other  may  escape ;  and  bring  also 
some  part  of  them.  Do  as  you  conceave  best.  Enquire  after 
smalt,  a  stone  v/hereof  they  make  blewing,  for  paynting  and 
starch.     It  comes  out  of  a  stone  or  earth  in  Germanie,  and 

much get  to  Amsterdam.    If  I  had  knowne  which  waye 

you  would  have  come,  I  would  have  contrived  a  letter  to  have 
met  you;  and  now,  doubting  the  post  caryadge,  I  have  sent  this 
to  Mr.  Panser,  by  Mr.  Robins  his  helpe,  to  send  it  unto  you. 
Mr.  Denton  writ  to  you  ;  but  I  beleeve  it  never  came  to  you. 

These  are  all  kinds  or  sulphate  of  iron,  green  vitriol  of  copperas,  as  it  is  com- 
monly called. — Gray. 


184  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

Your  mother  also,  and  Betty,  writ  to  you  in  my  letters,  and 
Nancy  hath  writ  to  you.  I  am  very  sorry  none  came  unto  you 
since  the  two  first.  I  writ  a  note  also  out  of  Dr.  Jorden,  of 
minerall  waters  and  baths.  Beside  naturall  things,  you  may 
also  enquire  into  politicall,  and  the  government,  and  state, 
and  subsistence  of  citties,  townes,  and  countries,  wch,  though 
you  have  done,  yet  you  may  be  still  mind  full  thereof;  for  his- 
tories are  short  therein.  Sir  John  Denham  is  dead,  and  they 
say  Dr.  Wren  shall  have  his  place.2  The  theatre  is  finished 
at  Oxford,  and  used  this  act;  my  Lord  Howard  hath  given 
twenty  and  more  of  his  statues  unto  it.  The  Prince  of  Tus- 
canie  is  now  at  Newmarket  with  the  king,  to  see  horse  races 
and  hunting.  Bee  carefull  of  your  health  now  the  summer 
season  approacheth  especially.  The  blessing  and  mercies  of 
God  go  ever  with  you.     I  rest  your  ever  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

I  sent  the  figure  of  the  soles  parelii  to  the  society,  wch  was 
very  well  taken.3  Dr.  Merret  presented  it  for  you ;  your  in- 
formations hereafter  will  bee  very  welcome.  Mr.  Verrin  is 
well  at  Cambridge.  I  will  provide  some  furre  for  him  at  Ox- 
ford, whether  he  goes  at  the  act.  I  intend  to  send  next  weeke 
by  Mr.  Johnson,  to  have  a  letter  left  at  Mr.  Hovenaers,  when- 
ever you  send  for  it.  I  payd  the  100  florins  taken  up  March 
18,  and  shall  assist  you  to  my  abilitie  alwayes. 

A  Monsr.  Edouard  Browne,  Anglois,  chez  Mr.  Beck, 
in  Keller-hoff,  Vienna,  en  Austriche. 


Dr.  Edivard  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

May  9,  1669. 

MOST    HONOURED    FATHER, 

I  thought  to  have  sent  to  you  this  day  by  a  worthy 
honest  gentleman,  captain  Mackdughall ;  but  the  last  night 

2  Denham  died  in  1668,  and  was  succeeded  by  Wren  as  P.  R-  S. 
3  An  account  of  two  parhelias,  or  mock  suns,  lately  seen  in  Hungary,   Jan.  30, 
1668,  by  Edw.  Browne Phil.  Trans,  vol.  4,  p.  953,  No.  47.  10  May,  1669. 


1669.J  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  185 

he  fell  sick  again  of  the  collick,  which  hath  hindred  his  jour- 
ney. Mine  is  also  put  by,  in  regard  that  Sigr.  Gabriel,  who 
was  to  have  been  sent  this  weeke  to  Larissa,  in  Thessaly,  by 
the  emperour,  stayeth  here  still,  to  entertaine  and  assist  the 
Turkish  envoye.  We  have  news  that  Buda  is  burned  downe 
to  the  grownde,  and  that  the  Grand  Seigneur  is  sick.  I 
wrote  you,  sir,  a  letter  by  the  last  post,  with  a  catalogue  of 
what  I  observed  more  particularly  in  the  emperours  library. 
The  woode  which  they  make  violins  of  groweth  by  Saltzburg. 
I  hope  to  procure  some  of  the  leaves.  The  woode  here  is 
not  deere  ;  they  make  trenchers  of  it.  It  is  called  Augenes 
Holtz.  The  stone  with  which  St.  Stephen  was  stoned  is  a 
kinde  of  pebble.  I  will  sende  you,  sir,  a  piece  just  like  it; 
but  it  looketh  like  marble,  and  is  polished,  and  worne  a  little 
hollow  in  the  middle  by  the  continual  touching  of  it  by  every 
one  that  goeth  in  or  out  of  that  door  of  the  church  wherein 
it  is  fixed.  I  thinke  to  returne  right  by  Mansfield,  so  as  I 
may  inquire  after  those  fishes  you  mention,  sir,  and  frogs 
found  in  stones.  I  read  of  the  frogs,  in  Agricola,  found  at 
Schneberg,  on  the  borders  of  Bohemia.  I  hope  to  see  some 
things  remarkable  in  my  returne,  which  I  wish  may  be 
sodainly  ;  but  all  things  are  uncertaine.  Howsoever,  if  I  bee 
again  disappointed  of  my  Turkish  journey,  though  it  would 
be  very  advantageous  and  considerable  to  me,  I  thinke  not  to 
waite  longer,  but  come  away  for  Prague.  Pray  sir  be  pleased, 
howsoever,  to  write  to  me.  This  little  fish  is  ill  coloured ; 
but  I  had  rather  have  this  then  no  figure  of  it.  My  duty  to 
my  most  dear  mother,  and  service  to  my  friends.  We  heare 
that  the  French  are  fallen  into  Flanders  again.  I  have  in- 
quired after  the  myrrha  fossilis  in  many  places,  but  cannot 
procure  it.  I  reade  in  a  description  of  Moravia  concerning 
it,  (Gradsco,  the  village  where  it  is,  lies  within  three  miles  of 
Allmitz  the  chief  towne,)  that  there  was  a  man  founde  and 
digged  out  all  of  mirrhe  in  the  mine  at  Chremnitz,  in  the  gold 
mine.  The  woode  which  supports  the  stollen,  or  cuniculos, 
was  once  set  on  fire  by  the  carelesnesse  of  a  boy,  and  fifty 
miners  smothered  therein.  They  were  all  taken  out  but  one, 
who  was  afterwards  founde  to  be  dissolved  by  the  vitriole  or 
vitriolate  water ;    nothing  of  him  escaping,    either  bones  or 


186  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

flesch,  but  his  clothes  alone.  In  my  next,  I  will  write  better 
and  more  orderly ;  but  I  was  unwilling  to  loose  the  opportu- 
nity of  this  poste.     I  remain,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honoured  father  Dr.  Browne,  at  his 
residence  in  Norwich ;  to  be  left  with  Ms  Anne 
Browne,  at  Esqre  Barker  his  house,  in  darken- 
well,  near  New  Prison,   London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  Jtis  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1660-1.] 

Venice,  June  14,  styl.  nov.  1669. 

SIR, 

I  rested  some  time  at  St.  Veit,  and  after,  as  occa- 
sion presented,  proceeded  forward  not  in  a  direct  road,  butt 
from  one  curiositie  to  another,  till  I  arrived  at  this  place.  And 
first  I  went  to  Saal  Sala,  colonia  Soluensis,  where  I  saw 
many  Roman  antiquities.  From  Saal  I  went  to  Clagenfort, 
of  old  called  Claudia.  At  this  place  I  receaued  great  kind- 
nesse  from  my  lord  Peasly,  whose  company  quartered  in  this 
town,  and  very  much  favour  from  my  lord  Lesly  and  baron 
La  Haye,  unto  whom  I  had  the  honour  to  bee  knowne 
last  winter,  at  Vienna.  My  lord  Lesly  invited  mee  to 
his  table  during  my  staye,  and  carried  mee  in  his  barge 
through  a  fine  artificiall  cutt  into  the  lake  of  Clagenfort 
or  Werde  sea,  so  called  from  the  towne  of  Werde  seated  on 
the  south  side  thereof,  and  so  to  a  howse  of  pleasure  called 
Loretto,  finely  seated,  and  which  hath  also  a  chappell  in  it  of 
the  same  figure  with  that  at  Loretto  in  Italie ;  he  also  gaue 
mee  letters  to  Vienna,  which  is  a  great  peece  of  German 
kindnesse.  Baron  La  Haye  entertained  mee  with  his  trauells 
in  Turkey,  and  if  I  would  trauell  that  way  they  both  pro- 
mised to  take  such  care  in  my  behalf  that  I  should  not  bee 
iniured,  and  to  procure  meanes  of  my  safe  journey  by  the 
order  of  Montecuculi,  president  of  the  counsell  andgouernour 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  187 

of  Rab,  which  courtisie  I  receaued  with  many  thanks,  butt 
made  no  acceptance  thereof  at  that  time.  [E.  B.] 


Dr  Browne  to  his  son  Edward, 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

June  25,  styl.  vet.  [1669.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  should  bee  glad  this  might  come  unto  you,  many  of 
myne  having  miscarred.  I  have  receaued  all  your  letters  from 
Vienna  and  Hungarie,  and  one  yesterday  from  Venice,  and 
the  same  day  another  from  St.  Veit  in  Carinthia.  Mr.  Cold- 
ham  was  with  mee  this  day,  and  sayth  hee  hath  goods  to 
come  from  Venice  to  be  laden  in  a  short  time  in  a  shippe  of 
London,  by  Mr.  Hayles,  and  will  be  glad  to  do  you  any  ser- 
vice. Mr.  Hayles  sent  a  bill  of  credit  to  you  at  Vienna,  butt 
you  were  come  away  before  you  could  receeue  it.  I  presume 
you  will  find  also  that  Mr.  Hovenaer  hath  renewed  the  credit 
expired,  for  I  tooke  care  for  it  6  weekes  ago.  I  am  glad  you 
did  not  go  into  Turkey,  though  probably  you  have  bad  butt 
a  hard  and  toylesome  iourny  of  this.  I  hope  to  heare  from 
you  within  a  few  dayes,  and  your  passage  through  Carniola, 
Goritia,  and  part  of  Friuli.  Most  of  the  places  I  find  in  my 
mappes,  and  Saal  I  thinck  is  Colonia  Solunensis  in  Ortelius 
his  mappe  of  Carinthia.  I  sent  your  observations  [concerning 
damps]  in  the  mines  of  Hung,  to  the  R.  S.  adding  some  par- 
ticulars out  of  the  other  letters,  and  the  firing  of  Chremnitz 
mine  by  a  boy.  Oldenburg  sent  mee  a  letter  and  another  of 
thancks  to  you  unto  Vienna.  In  my  former  letters  I  sent  a 
good  note  out  of  Dr.  Jordans  booke  of  bath  and  minerall 
waters.  God  preserue  thee  in  health  and  euer  go  with  you. 
Though  your  body  bee  in  motion,  maintaine  a  tranquillitas 
and  smootheness  of  mind,  which  will  better  conserue  to  health. 
Your  mother  and  sisters  recommend,  &c. 

I  rest  your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


188  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

iEnaeas  Syluius,  who  was  after  named  Pope  Pius  Secundus, 
hath  in  his  works  in  his  epistles  one  chap,  de  descriptione 
Viennae,  you  may  if  you  have  time  see  how  it  agreeth  to  the 
present  state  of  that  place.  In  all  Bohemia,  Saxonie,  &c. 
you  may  understand  much  of  metalls.  Goldecranach  is  the 
name  of  a  place  where  gold  is  or  hath  been  found,  not  farre 
from  those  parts,  as  in  Agricola  de  mineralibus  nouis  et 
veteribus  I  find  it,  but  you  need  not  go  to  the  same. 

A  Monsr.  Edouard  Browne,  Anglois,  chez  Monsr.  Beck, 
in  Colnerhoff,  Vienna,  in  Austriche. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Venetia,  July  5,  st.  nov.  1669. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  two  letters  from  Padoa,  which  I  hope 
are  come  to  your  hands,  and  am  in  great  expectation  of  re- 
ceiving divers  letters  at  Vienna,  if  it  please  God  to  bringe 
me  safe  thither.  At  present  I  cannot  desire  you,  sir,  to 
write  to  me,  because  I  hope  to  be  at  Vienna  before  that  you 
receive  this,  and  doe  not  thinke  to  stay  there  above  a  fort- 
night ;  so  that  any  answer  to  this  would  come  too  late.  How- 
soever, I  shall  continue  to  write  as  often  as  I  finde  good 
opportunity  of  sending.  At  Padoa  I  caused  a  booke  to  be 
made  of  six  hundred  plantes,  which  I  have  with  me,  and 
thinke  to  send  it  from  hence  to  Yarmouth.  There  are  few 
English  at  present  at  Padoa ;  and  I  was  unfortunate  in  the 
losse  of  Sign.  Carlo  Theobaldi,  who  died  two  days  after  my 
coming  thither.  Dr.  Cadinet,  a  Scotchman,  is  there  still, 
whom  I  knew  formerly ;  and  by  his  telescopes  I  had  a  good 
sight  of  this  new  moone.  He  hath  one  of  those  made  at 
London,  and  sent  him  by  my  lord  Howard.  Mr.  Morillon, 
who  taught  my  lord  Howards  sonnes  at  Norwich,  after  that 
Sir  Samuell  Tuke  had  dismissed  him,  came  into  Italy,  hath 
lived  at  Rome,  and  is  now  a  language  master  at  Padoa.     He 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  189 

presents  his  humble  service  to  you,  sir.  I  revieued  at 
Padoa  many  things  which  I  had  seen  before  ;  as  the  garden, 
the  churches  of  Sant  Antonio  and  Santa  Justina,  the  Cardi- 
nalls  Pallace,  his  hall  wherein  are  the  pictures  of  all  the 
bishops  of  the  place,  from  St.  Peter  to  the  present  Cardinall 
Barberigo.  The  statua  of  Gatamelato  on  horseback,  by  the 
Santo,  esteemed  above  that  of  Bartholomeo  di  Bergamo,  by 
St.  Giovanni  e  Paulo,  at  Venice.  The  duke  of  Norfolk  is 
much  as  he  useth  to  be.  There  is  one  Mr.  Leeth,  a  Scotch- 
man, in  good  reputation,  who  liveth  with  the  Cardinall ;  and 
one  Mr.  Edmunds,  an  Englishman.  I  hope  sodainly  to 
write  again  so  as  I  will  at  present  present  my  duty  to  my 
dear  mother,  and  rest  your  obedient  sonne 

E.  BROWNE. 

MOST  DEAR  MOTHER, 

I  have  travelled  into  many  places  since  that  I  left 
Norwich,  which  I  did  not  thinke  of  or  desighne  at  my  coming 
abroad ;  so  that  I  have  been  a  great  expense  to  you  this 
yeare ;  but  I  am  now  returning,  though  the  way  be  long,  and 
doe  not  thinke  to  make  any  stay  more  then  is  necessary  in 
any  place  till  I  arrive  in  Holland ;  so  as  in  October  I  doe  pro- 
mise myselfe  great  satisfaction.  It  hath  been  a  melancholy 
time  for  me,  that  I  have  heard  so  little  from  my  friends  since 
I  came  abroad ;  but  I  hope  before  this  that  divers  have  wrote, 
and  that  I  shall  receive  their  letters  with  great  joy e  at  Vienna. 
My  coming  into  Italy  was  merely  accidentall ;  and  my  stay  in 
it  will  be  but  few  dayes  more.  If  there  comes  a  boy  to  Nor- 
wich, who  was  with  me  in  Hungary,  and  waited  upon  captain 
Mackdugall  from  Vienna  to  London,  I  humbly  desire  that 
you  would  be  pleased  to  entertayne  him  in  your  service.  I 
hope  all  are  well,  with  my  uncle  Bendish  and  the  rest  of  my 
friends  at  Norwich.  My  service  to  Mr.  Deye,  to  Madam 
Burwell  and  her  family,  to  Mr.  Whitefoot,  Mr.  Robins,  Mr. 
Hawkins,  Mr.  Corbet,  to  my  aunt  Gawdy,  my  aunt  Tenison, 
my  unkle  Mileham,  and  all  my  relations  and  friends.  So, 
with  many  thankes  for  your  long  continued  indulgence,  I 
remain,  Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 


190  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 


DEAR  SISTER    BETTY, 

Though  I  make  many  journeys,  yet  I  am  confident 
that  your  pen  and  pencill  are  greater  travellers.  How  many 
fine  plaines  do  they  passe  over,  and  how  many  hills,  woods, 
seas  doe  they  designe  ?  You  have  a  fine  way  of  not  onley 
seeing  but  making  a  world  ;  and  whilst  you  set  still,  how 
many  miles  doth  your  hand  travell !  I  am  onely  unfortunate 
in  this,  that  I  can  never  meete  you  in  any  of  your  voyages. 
If  you  had  drawne  your  lines  more  towards  Austria,  I  should 
have  been  a  greater  emperour,  in  my  owne  conceit ;  but  I 
hope  you  denied  me  that  favour  upon  no  other  account  then 
that  I  should  make  the  more  haste  to  you,  who  know  not 
how  to  live  without  something  of  you.  If  so,  your  intention 
is  good,  but,  like  yourselfe,  too  severe  to 

Your  loving  brother, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 


DEARE   SISTER   MOLL, 

How  unlucky  was  it  that  you  did  not  goe  with  me 
into  Holland ;  for  (so  being  obliged  to  returne  with  you  into 
England)  I  had  in  all  probability  been  with  you  at  present. 
I  have  no  remedy  now  but  patience,  and  yet  am  very  im- 
patient till  I  see  you.     I  am,  dear  sister, 

Your  loving  brother, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 


DEAR   SISTER   FRANCK, 

It  seemeth  to  mee  seven  yeares  since  I  saw  you ;  so 
as,  if  it  were  not  for  my  great  love  to  you,  I  might  lawfully 
take  another  wife.  To  assure  me  that  you  are  alive,  pray 
write  two  or  three  wordes  to  me ;  for  any  thinge  of  you,  that 
are  all  life,  will  easily  convince  me  of  it.  I  would  give  you  a 
fine  peach  if  you  were  with  me ;  but  I  suppose  that  you  will 
not  want  for  fruit,  for  a  husband,  and  brother, 

I  am  yours, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  191 

Since  I  began  to  write  this,  I  received  a  kinde  letter  from 
Monsieur  Morillon,  at  Padoa,  and  the  inclosed  to  you. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  at  his 
house  in  Norwich,  vid  London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

July  21,  Vienna  in  Austria,  1669. 

MOST    HONOURED    FATHER, 

Yesterday,  at  my  return  from  Venice,  I  received 
one  from  you  by  the  means  of  Mr.  Panser,  who  wrote  to  me, 
and  inclosed  yours.  I  am  very  unfortunate  that  your  letters 
come  not  to  me.  The  fault  must  be  at  London,  where  per- 
haps the  letters  were  put  in  without  paiing  for  them,  and  so 
they  stopt  at  Brussells.  Mr.  Dentons  came  to  me ;  and  I 
have  had  letters  and  answers  again  from  Mr.  Oldenburg  very 
speedily.  In  his  last  he  lets  me  know  that  my  observations 
were  well  accepted  by  the  R.  S.,  and  that  they  had  command- 
ed him  to  write  me  word  so,  and  that  they  did  not  doubt  but 
I  would  further  communicate  what  I  meet  withall  to  them. 
I  know  not  what  you  sent  them  besides  the  figure  of  the 
soles  parelii.  I  would  not  give  them  an  account  of  Hun- 
gary, till  I  have  drawne  it  into  some  method,  or  be  able 
therewith  to  answer  their  first  proposalls  to  me ;  but  if  you 
please  (I  inclosed  an  account  of  the  lake  of  Zircknitz,  which 
I  visited  in  my  last  journey  into  Carniola  and  Carinthia)  if 
you  have  received  it,  it  may  be  sent  to  them.  I  am,  I  thanke 
God,  once  again  arrived  in  good  health  at  Vienna,  notwith- 
standing the  great  heat  of  the  weather  and  the  tediousnesse 
of  my  journy  from  Venice,  all  alone.  I  am  sorry  that  my 
letter  from  Schemnitz  is  lost.  That,  and  the  other  from 
Bing,  I  was  forced  to  trust  others  with,  in  the  putting  them 
into  the  posthouse ;  but  by  the  next  post  I  will  recollect  some- 
thing, and  write  to  you  what  was  in  my  Schemnitz  letter. 
In  the  mean  time  I  will  speake  something  of  my  journey 


192  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

through  Friuli,  Carinthia,  Styria,  Austria,  hoping  that  you 
have  received  all  my  letters  from  Venice ;  the  last  of  which 
hath  one  enclosed  in  it  from  Mr.  Morillon,  whom  I  met  at 
Padoa.  I  suppose  that  my  lord  Howard  is  by  this  time  out 
of  England.  I  am  so  desirous  to  hear  again  from  home,  that 
I  would  beg  a  letter  by  the  same  way  again  of  my  loving 
friend  Mr.  Panser,  if  I  were  not  resolved  to  leave  Vienna 
shortly.  Howsoever,  the  heat  of  the  weather  will  keepe  me 
here  some  dayes ;  and  it  will  not  be  lost,  althoughe  it  misse 
of  me  in  this  place ;  and  pray,  sir,  write  word  whether  captain 
Mackdugall  be  arrived  in  England.  The  next  poste  I  will 
write  again,  not  despairing  jet  of  hearing  from  you  again, 
sir,  sodainly,  in  answer  to  my  request  at  Venice.  I  am  most 
happy  by  Mr.  Oldenburg's  meanes,  who  assures  me  that  you 
were  well  in  health  in  June  ;  the  continuance  of  which  will  be 
the  greatest  blessing  on  earth,  if  it  please  God,  to 

Your  most  obedient  sonne,  , 

E.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Browne,  at  his  house  in  Norwich,  in 
Norfolke,  these  present  with  care. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Wien,  25  August,  1669. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

This  day  twelvemonthes  I  arrived  at  Rotterdam ; 
since  which,  although  I  have  informed  myself  in  some  things, 
yet  I  can  not  but  have  a  great  deale  of  regret  for  spendinge 
so  much  time  from  you,  sir.  If  it  please  God  to  returne  me 
safe  to  you,  I  hope  to  improve  my  selfe,  and  enjoy  a  more 
quiet  settled  life.  The  heat  beginning  to  decrease,  I  shall 
have  a  good  season  to  travell  in.  The  last  autumne  was  very 
faire.  If  I  goe  somewhat  out  of  the  way,  I  hope,  sir,  you  will 
pardon  it,  and  continue  your  goodnesse  and  blessing  to  me, 
which  maketh  me  happy,  and  able  to  goe  through  many  diffi- 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  193 

culties.  Lambecius,  a  most  learned,  worthy  person,  doth 
again  present  his  service  to  you,  sir,  and  is  kinder  to  me  then 
ever;  offering  me,  showing  me,  and  instructing  me,  in  any 
thinge  that  I  mention ;  and  because  that  the  emperour  ex- 
pressed his  esteeme  of  your  workes,  sir,  and  this  noble  person 
doth  courte  your  acquaintance,  if  you  would  be  pleased  to 
write  something  to  him,  or  of  him,  in  a  letter  to  me,  directed 
as  formerly,  though  I  be  gone  from  hence,  I  will  order  it  so 
that  he  shall  thereby  see,  sir,  that  I  have  not  neglected  his 
civility.  I  hope  that  all  my  friends  are  well  at  Norwich. 
My  service  to  Mr.  Whitefoot,  Mr.  Hawkins,  my  unkle  Bendish, 
who,  perhaps,  is  mayor  by  this  time,  and  to  all  his  family.  I 
learned  of  a  soldier  to  make  looking  glasses  with  a  mixture  or 
amalgama  of  quicksilver,  bismut,  tin,  and  lead.  I  wrote  to 
my  sister  Betty  this  last  poste.  I  hope  that  my  sister  Ann  is 
longe  since  returned,  well  satisfied,  from  London.  My  duty 
to  my  most  deare  mother.  When  I  once  again  heare  from 
home,  it  will  be  a  greate  contentment  and  joye  to  me. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

I  have  inclosed  here  this  antiquity  at  Petronell ;  it  being 
the  other  side  of  the  arch  of  which  I  already  sent  you  a  cut. 

For  my  ever  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  at  Norwich. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Vienna,  October  17,  1669. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  am  just  now  arrived  again  at  Vienna  after  a  hard 
journey.  God's  holy  name  be  praised  for  ever  !  His  mercy 
hath  been  infinite  to  me,  in  preserving  me ;  and  I  hope,  sir, 
that  you  will  forgive  this  excursion.  I  will  make  haste  home- 
ward, soe  that  I  beg  of  you  to  write  to  me  into  Hollande 
soone  after  the  receipt  of  this.  I  saw  the  Grand  Seignor  at 
vol.  i.  o 


194  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE  [1669- 

Larissa,  in  Thessaly.  He  is  now  gone  into  Negroponte,  and 
the  Sultana  is  come  to  Monaster,  or  Toli,  by  which  place  I 
passed  in  my  returne.  The  English  embassadour  is  expected 
at  the  Ottoman  court ;  but  that  and  greater  considerations 
could  not  stay  me  from  returning  poste  to  Vienna.  I  hope 
in  God  that  he  still  blesseth  me  with  your  health,  sir.  My 
duty  to  my  most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  dear  sisters. 

Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

I  received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Oldenburg  this  day,  and  from 
Mr.  John  Fairfax,  from  Constantinople,  and  from  Mr.  Do- 
nellan. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  of  Nor- 
wiche,  to  be  left  with  Ms  Anne  Browne,  at  Esq. 
Barker  his  house,  in  Clarkenwell,  near  New  Prison, 
London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Vienna,  October  24,  1669. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  twice  since  I  arrived  here ;  and  if  I 
had  been  successefull  this  morning  in  my  petition  for  a  passe 
from  the  emperour,  to  avoyde  searching  or  other  hindrances 
in  my  journey,  I  had  immediately  taken  a  place  in  the  coach 
which  goeth  to  Prague.  Howsoever,  with  God's  blessing,  I 
hope  to  continue  my  journey  homeward  sodainly.  I  would 
willingly  set  downe  something  more  of  my  Turkish  journey ; 
but  the  consideration  of  my  rashnesse  and  obstinate  folly  in 
undertaking  it,  renders  my  thoughts  of  it  unpleasing.  How- 
soever, God's  infinite  goodnesse  and  mercy  protecting  me  and 
preserving  me,  in  rendring  both  the  rage  and  subtil  malice  of 
man  unable  to  hurte  me,  and  keeping  me  from  all  dangers, 
day  and  night,  I  hope  I  shall  rejoyce  in  his  mercifull  provi- 
dence all  my  life,  and  more  cheerfully  imbrace  all  conditions 


1669.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  195 

and  fortunes  through  which  God  shall  please  to  leade  me. 
Hoping  in  God  that  you  are  in  health,  sir,  with  my  most  deare 
mother  and  sisters,  I  rejoyce  that  I  have  this  opportunity  to 
say,  sir,  that  I  reste 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

My  service  to  Mr.  Whitefoot,  Mr.  Robins,  Mr.  Hawkins, 
my  unkle  Bendish,  and  all  my  friends.  I  pray  sir,  write  to 
me  to  Mr.  Hovenaer,  or  to  Mr.  Panser.  I  just  now  saw  Mr. 
Cottrell,  Sir  Charles  Cottrell's  sonne.  He  goeth  soone  to 
Venetia. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,  Dr.   Browne,  at  his 
house  in  Norwich. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Prague,  November  9th,  1669. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  the  last  of  October,  just  before  my 
leaving  Vienna.  I  am  since  (thanks  be  to  God)  safely  arrived 
here.  My  greatest  joye  would  be  to  receive  a  letter  from  you, 
sir ;  but  I  know  not  how  to  propose  any  probable  way  of  ac- 
complishing it,  unlesse,  sir,  that  you  would  be  pleased  to  write 
to  Hamburg.  Sir  Nevel  Catlin,  I  beleeve,  hath  a  brother 
there,  a  merchant,  Mr.  James  Catlin,  formerly  my  school-fel- 
low ;  a  letter  sent  to  him  for  me  would  come  to  my  handes,  if 
that  it  pleaseth  God  to  give  me  safe  journey  thither.  Got- 
tenberg,  or  Cottenberg,  is  eight  Bohemian  miles  from  Prague. 
They  have  worked  here  seven  hundred  years ;  there  are 
about  thirty  mines.  I  went  downe  into  that  which  was  first 
digged,  but  was  afterwards  left  for  a  long  time ;  but  now  they 
dig  there  again.  It  is  called  the  Cotna,  auffder  Cotten,  upon 
the  Cotten  or  Coate  hill.  A  monke  walking  over  this  hill 
founde  a  silver  tree  sticking  to  his  coate,  which  was  the  occa- 

o  2 


196  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

sion  that  they  afterwards  built  these  mines,  and  the  place 
retaines  this  name  of  Cottenberg.  I  have  read  that  the  prin- 
cesse  and  great  sorceresse  of  Bohemia,  Libussa,  did  foretell 
many  thinges  concerning  these  mines ;  but  in  such  matters  I 
beleeve  little ;  knowing  how  confident  men  are  in  such  super- 
stitious accounts.  In  the  mines  at  Brunswick  is  reported  to 
be  a  spirit;  and  another  at  the  tin  mine  at  Slackenwald,  in 
this  kingdome,  in  the  shape  of  a  monke,  which  strikes  the 
miners,  singeth,  playeth  on  the  bagpipe,  and  many  such  tricks. 
But  I  doubt,  if  I  should  go  thither,  I  should  flnde  them  as  vain 
as  Montparions  drumme ;  but  the  winter,  and  my  great  desire 
to  return  home  speedily,  will  not  permit  me  to  goe  so  farre 
out  of  the  way.  From  Gottenberg  by  Colline  and  Bohemian 
Broda,  to  Prague ;  where,  I  thanke  God,  I  am  very  well, 
after  such  tiresome  voyages  as  I  have  made ;  and  when  I 
looke  back  upon  all  the  dangers  from  which  it  hath  pleased 
God  to  deliver  me,  I  can  not  but  with  some  assurance  also 
hope  that  his  infinite  goodness  will  also  bring  me  backe  into 
my  owne  country  and  blesse  me  there  with  the  continuance  of 
my  dear  father's  life,  health,  and  prosperity.  I  have  divers 
thinges  to  write  to  you,  sir,  concerning  Turkhia ;  but  I  will 
not  trouble  you,  sir,  too  much  at  once.  I  know,  sir,  that  you 
cannot  but  reasonably  be  offended  with  my  long  stay  abroad ; 
especially  in  countryes  of  small  literature ;  but  I  hope  that 
your  displeasure  will  not  continue,  and  that  you  will  adde  this 
to  the  rest  of  your  great  goodnesse  and  indulgence  to  me,  to 
pardon  my  rashnesse,  and  the  expense  I  have  put  you  to. 
My  duty  to  my  most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters  and 
friends.  I  an  uncertaine  which  way  I  shall  take.  Travelling 
is  not  certain  here,  as  in  France.  If  it  were  not  for  my  port- 
mantle,  I  would  buy  a  horse,  and  come  streight  into  the  Low 
Countreys.  Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,   Dr.  Browne,  at  his 
house  in  Norwich. 


1669.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  197 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

[Dresden,  Nov.  circa  20th,  1669.] 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  last  from  Prague,  and  shall  continue 
to  sende  letters  upon  all  occasions,  the  onely  means  which  I 
have  of  expressing  my  obedience  at  this  distance.  The  last 
which  I  received  from  you,  sir,  was  of  June  21,  st.  veter.  I 
have  since  been  deprived  of  the  like  blessing  by  my  allmost 
continuall  travelling ;  but  I  have  great  hopes,  sir,  to  have  a 
letter  from  you  at  Hamburg.  I  will  inquire  at  the  posthouse 
when  I  come  thither.  Be  pleased,  sir,  to  direct,  a  Monsieur 
Edward  Browne,  or  thus,  a  Mr.  Catlin,  pour  faire  tenir  a  Mr. 
Browne,  Anglois,  presentement  a  Hamburg.  Sir  Nevel  Cat- 
lin his  brother,  I  thinke  liveth  there ;  and  if  you  would  be 
pleased  to  write,  I  beleeve  that  your  letter  would  arrive  at  the 
same  time  with  me ;  for  though  I  make  all  convenient  speede, 
yet  I  doubt  it  will  be  the  fourth  or  fifth  of  December,  old 
style,  before  my  arrivall  there;  the  boates  not  going  any  longer 
downe  the  Elbe,  by  reason  of  the  season ;  so  that  I  thinke  to 
goe  from  hence  to  Leipsick,  when  I  finde  opportunity,  and  so 
continue  my  journey  that  way.  My  duty  to  my  most  dear 
mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters. 

I  remain  your  obedient  sonne, 

ED.  BROWNE. 

Sir,  at  Prague  I  founde  out  Captain  Makdugall,  who  hath 
had  many  misfortunes  since  my  parting  with  him.  He  was 
invited  to  a  gentleman's  house,  who  first  borrowed  money  of 
him,  and  afterwards  his  servant  robbed  him.  Then  the  Hun- 
garian boy  ran  away  from  him  (but  had  only  two  ducats  of 
him).  Since  that  he  hath  been  divers  months  sick,  and,  of 
nigh  a  thousand  dollars  which  he  brought  out  of  Milan  with 
him,  he  hath  so  few  left,  that  he  hath  [been]  forced  to  pawne  his 
ringes,  watches,  and  other  thinges.     I  am  sorry  for  his  mis- 


198  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

fortune,  being  a  gentleman  who  is  generally  obliging,  and  hath 
been  particularly  kinde  to  me.  I  have  all  my  thinges  of  him 
again. 

I  am  now  come  to  Hamburg,4  and  have  seen  Mr.  Catlin, 
who  hath  the  small  poxe,  but  is  recovering. 

DEAR   MOTHER, 

I  have  been  above  once  since  my  coming  abroad  so 
happy  as  to  hear  from  you.  I  am  in  hopes  that  now  I  am 
coming  nigher  unto  you,  you  will  be  pleased  to  write  to  me  to 
Hamburg.  I  have  not  done,  I  think,  advisedly  to  stay  so  long 
from  my  most  dear  parents  ;  but  I  hope  you  will  forgive  it, 
and  that  your  goodness  will  meet  your  prodigal  son  now  that 
he  returneth.  I  should  be  sorry  to  have  travelled  beyond 
your  kindness.  If  it  be  so,  I  should  be  much  out  of  my  way. 
I  hope  the  best ;  having  had  all  my  life-time  experience  of 
your  goodness.  And  for  what  is  to  come,  when  it  shall  please 
God  to  bring  me  home,  I  shall  strive  to  let  you  see,  by  my 
obedience  to  you,  that  I  have  no  greater  desire  or  design  than 
that  of  being  always  with  all  thankfulness  and  submission, 
most  dear  mother,  Your  obedient  son, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

For  my  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  at  his  house  in 
Norwich.  Leave  this  with  Ms  Anne  Browne,  at 
Esqre  Barker  his  house,  neare  to  New  Prison,  in 
Clarkenwell,  London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

Hamburg,  December  16,  1669. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  hoped  at  my  first  coming  to  Hamburg  to  arrive  at 
Norwich  before  that  time  in  which  you  will  receive  this,  hav- 

4  This  last  paragraph,  written  at  Hamburgh,  must  have  been  added  in  making 
up  a  pacquet  of  letters,  sent  thence,  for  it  appears  that  the  present  and  following 
letters  were  not  sent  till  he  reached  Hamburgh. 


1069.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  199 

ing  met  with  a  ship  bounde  for  London,  and  the  winde  was 
then  goode,  since  which  time  it  'hath  turned  and  continued 
most  at  west.  It  now  beginneth  to  freeze,  so  as  that  I  hope 
it  will  soone  be  easterly  again,  for  I  am  loath  to  travell  any 
farther  by  lande.  In  my  last  I  wrote  you  something  of  Magde- 
burg from  whence  I  came  hither  in  four  dayes  time  through 
a  countrey  most  of  it  barren ;  little  accommodation,  nor  any 
thing  worth  the  seeing  ;  first  through  the  Electour  of  Bran- 
denburg's countrey,  and  then  through  the  Prince  of  Lune- 
berg's.  There  are  sometimes  rowes  of  stones  as  in  the  Danish 
antiquities,  and  in  one  place  I  tooke  more  particular  notice  of 
them  where  three  great  stones  were  in  the  middle  incompass- 
ed  in  a  longe  square  by  other  large  stones  set  up  an  end. 
Here,  at  Hamburg,  I  have  met  with  divers  courteous  under- 
standing persons,  as  Mr.  Griffin,  the  minister,  a  good  scholler 
and  preacher,  and  hath  been  particularly  obliging  to  me  ;  as 
also  Mr.  Free,  the  treasurer,  he  tells  me  that  he  was  this  last 
summer  at  Norwich;  Mr.  Bankes,  who  hath  travelled  in  divers 
parts  of  Turchja,  as  through  Natolia  and  the  Holy  Lande ; 
and  Mr.  Catlin  and  his  partner,  Mr.  Tounly,  who  are  so  civill 
as  to  offer  to  furnish  me  with  money,  but  I  hope  my  stay  will 
not  be  so  longe  as  to  want  any.  The  English  have  great  pri- 
viledges  here,  and  a  riche  trade  ;  there  are  ships  come  laden 
hither  with  cloath  to  the  valew  of  an  hundred  thousand 
pounds  sterling  in  a  ship.  Here  is  one  Mr.  Jenkinson,  a 
merchant,  who  hath  given  me  a  letter  to  you,  sir,  but  I  am  to 
deliver  it  to  your  owne  hands.  Hamburg  is  one  of  the  great- 
est townes  in  Germany;  fortified  a  la  moderna.  The  churches 
are  many  of  them  faire,  with  high  steeples  covered  with  cop- 
per; the  front  of  St.  Katharine  is  beautifull.  They  have 
sermons  every  day  as  in  all  Lutheran  countries.  I  lodge  at 
the  signe  of  the  City  of  Lubeck.  I  am  in  some  hopes  of 
hearing  from  you  here,  sir,  especially  if  you  received  a  letter 
from  me,  sir,  from  Prague,  in  which  was  something  concerning 
the  mine  of  Gottenburg,  in  Bohemia.  I  heare  here  that  the 
Lord  Bishop  of  Norwich  is  deade,  and  that  Mr.  Skottow  hath 
left  the  towne.  I  should  be  glad  to  finde  the  rest  of  my  friends 
in  health  and  prosperity,  to  whom  my  service.  My  duty  to 
my  most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters.     I  have  read 


200  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

here  a  little  booke  in  High  Dutch,  translated  out  of  English, 
of  the  three  great  impostures  of  this  age.  Padre  Ottomanno, 
whom  I  have  seen,  he  himselfe  cannot  be  much  guilty  of  the 
cheats.  John  Michael  de  Cigala,  the  description  of  whose 
life,  in  French,  I  read  at  Larissa,  in  Thessaly,  but  it  was 
laughed  at  there,  and  one  Sigr.  Georgio,  an  interpreter,  told 
me  that  he  was  a  Greeke,  he  is  set  downe  a  Wallachian.  And 
of  the  third  I  have  heard  Turkish  songes ;  but  I  have  no 
more  roome  at  present  onely  to  present  my  duty. 

Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

P'or  my  honoured  father,  Dr.  Browne,  at  his  house  in 
Norwich.  Leave  this  with  Ms  Anne  Browne,  at 
Esqre  Barker  his  house,  neare  to  New  Prison,  in 
Clarkenwell,  London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[us.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Retzbiitell,  or  Cookes-haven,  Dec.  15,  st.  vet.  1669. 

MOST   HONOURED    FATHER, 

I  hoped  to  have  been  at  Norwich  before  this ;  but 
contrary  windes  have  hindered  our  voyage.  I  left  Hamburg 
the  tenth  of  this  month  ;  which  day  I  wrote  to  you  my  last 
letter  from  thence,  the  dayes  being  at  the  shortest,  and  the 
night  darke  in  the  new  of  the  moone.  The  tide  falling  also 
in  the  day  time,  we  were  able  the  first  daye  to  sayle  no 
farther  than  to  Stadt,  belonging  to  the  king  of  Sweden,  five 
miles  from  Hamburg,  where  the  ships  which  come  up  the 
river  pay  custome.  Decemb.  11,  we  sayled  by  Gluckstat, 
the  king  of  Denmarks.  The  castle,  the  kings  palace,  and 
the  church,  show  handsomely  upon  the  river.  We  anchored 
this  night  before  the  mouth  of  the  Ost,  a  river  which 
falleth  into  the  Elbe  out  of  Bremertland,  a  mile  below 
Brunsbutell,  on  the  other  side  of  the  water.  December  12, 
we  lost  sight  of  the  northern  shoare,  passed  Cookes  haven, 
in  full  hopes  to  be  able  to  put  to  sea  that  night,  but  were 


DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  201 

becalmed  about  three  in  the  afternoon,  a  league  and  an  halfe 
below  it,  where  we  were  forced  to  anchor  again,  lest  that  the 
stronge  ebbe  should  set  us  ongrounde.  So  we  lay  that  night 
between  the  Dick,  or  thick  sande,  on  the  north,  and  new- 
werch,  on  the  south,  right  over  against  a  light  house. 
Decemb.  13,  the  winde  turning  westerly,  and  blowing  harde, 
we  returned  to  Cooke  haven,  where  our  ship  now  is  at 
anchor.  Yesterday  I  came  on  shoare,  and  went  up  the 
lande  to  the  fort  here,  belonging  to  the  towne  of  Hamburg. 
It  is  a  high  square  worke,  with  a  double  ditch.  Some  vessells 
come  up  to  the  fort ;  but  the  ditch  which  comes  thither  from 
out  of  the  Elbe  is  drye  at  low  water.  The  towne  is  called 
Retzbiitell :  here  are  some  other  vessells  driven  in  with  us 
also.  God  send  us  well  out,  that  I  may  once  again  come  to 
you,  sir.  In  the  mean  time  I  have  sent  this  to  Mr.  Catlyn, 
to  sende  to  you.  My  duty  to  my  most  dear  mother,  and  love 
to  my  sisters.  Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honourd  father,    Dr.    Browne,   at  his 
house  in  Norwich. 


Dr.  E.  Browne,  after  his  travels,  settled  in  London. 
From  the  directions  of  his  father's  letters,  we  gather 
that  he  changed  his  residence  several  times  before 
1673.  In  that  year  he  was  tempted  to  another  short 
visit  to  the  Continent,  which  is  described  in  his  tra- 
vels, fol.  1686,  at  p.  180.  July  29,  1675,  he  was 
elected  a  Fellow  of  the  College  of  Physicians,  and 
lectured  in  that  and  several  succeeding  years.  He 
was  first  chosen  censor  in  1678.  From  1675, 
throughout  the  whole  of  his  father's  life,  he  resided 
in  Salisbury-court,  Fleet-street.  During  the  long 
period  of  his  practice  in  London  he  was  in  constant 
correspondence  with  his  father ;  from  whom  it  is 
quite  evident  he  derived  much  of  the  materials  of  his 


202  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1670. 

lectures,  and  great  assistance  in  all  his  engagements, 
both  literary  and  professional.  He  appeared  to  have 
had  considerable  practice  among  the  higher  ranks, 
both  in  London  and  in  the  country.  He  attended 
the  celebrated  Earl  of  Rochester  in  his  dying  illness, 
at  Woodstock  Park.  Some  of  Sir  Thomas's  letters 
have  been  omitted,  and  several  are  considerably  abridg- 
ed, especially  those  which  are  strictly  professional,  and 
such  as  contain  passages  for  his  son's  lectures. 

Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Mr.  Burwell  hath  held  out  tolerably  this  journey. 
Hee  being  some  dayes  at  leasure,  I  gave  him  pills  and  an 
electuary.  I  writ  in  my  last  about  an  addition  of  the  baths 
of  Villach,  butt  I  beleeve  too  late,  so  you  may  do  what  you 
please;  the  Transactions  of  May  beeing  probably  printed 
alreadie.5  Now,  at  leasurable  times,  you  must  thinck  of  histo- 
ricall  and  narrative  observations  concerning  your  last  tra- 
vayles,  you  may  sett  downe  maney  wch  may  be  acceptable, 
and  your  letters  will  afford  many  beside,  such  as  you  have 
not  sett  downe,  and  particular  passages  will  be  pleasing  and 
somewhat  instructive,  and  the  draught  of  things  wch  Betty 
drewe  will  help  much ;  I  may  give  you  hints  of  some.  God 
blesse  you.  Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 
June  viij,  [1670.] 

5  The  following  communications  from  Dr.  Edward  Browne  appeared  in  the 
Philosophical  Transactions : — 

Of  two  parhelias,  or  mock  suns,  seen  in  Hungary,  Jan  30,  1668  :  vol.  iv,  p.  953, 
published  May  10,  1669. 

On  the  damps  in  the  mines  of  Hungary  :  iv,  965,  June  21,  1669. 

Relation  of  the  quicksilver  mines  of  Friuli. — Account  of  the  Zirchnitzer  sea  in 
Carniola:  iv,  1080,  Dec.  13,  1669. 

Account  of  the  copper  mine  of  Hern  Grund,  in  Hungary,  as  also  of  the  stone 
quarries  and  Talc  rocks  in  Hungary:  v,  1042,  May  23,  1670. 

On  the  mines,  minerals,  baths,  &c,  in  Hungary:  v,  1 189,  April  25,  1670. 

Queries  and  answers  concerning  the  Zirchnitz  sea:  ix,  194,  Dec.  14,  1674. 


1670.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  203 

I  only  mention  these  things  now  because  your  friends 
thinck  you  should,  though  not  suddenly,  sett  them  downe,  and 
not  lett  all  passe  in  silence  concerning  countries  travaylled  by 
so  fewe. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  at  his  lodging  in  the  back 
street  over  against  the  Royall  Oake,  in  Hatton  Gar- 
den, London. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  writ  unto  you  last  Monday,  and  I  have  litle  now  to 
say ;  only  I  have  half  an  howers  time,  wch  opportunity  I 
would  not  lett  passe,  this  being  the  post  day.  Mr.  Deane, 
after  a  languishing  sicknesse  of  about  two  yeares,  left  this 
world  early  on  Thursday  morning.6  He  voyded  for  a  long 
time  many  small  stones,  much  gravell,  and  often,  of  late,  much 
blood,  and  together  with  the  very  parenchyma  of  his  left 
kidney.  Hee  held  out  much  longer  then  could  be  expected, 
and  so  was  emaciated  to  a  sceleton,  which  expyring  condition 
gave  opportunitie  to  very  many  to  make  for  his  place,  and 
more  than  ever  I  remember  for  that  dignity.  I  wish  our 
honest  friend,  Dr.  Hawkins,  might  bee  the  man.  Dr.  Burton 
wee  say  heere  could  not  be  admitted,  as  yet  to  yong.  The 
deane  died  a  good  Christian,  and  like  a  clergieman  oi  old, 
leaving  not  much  more  then  what  may  pay  all  the  world  and 
serve  for  his  burial,  which  is  this  evening.  Hee  gave  mee  his 
chariott  and  harnesse.  Hee  found  much  good  in  drincking 
the  clarified  juices  of  urtica  and  plantago  in  milk,  for  his 
bleeding,  sweeten  with  syrup  or  cons,  of  red  roses  and  the 
like.  You  showed  mee  a  litle  draught  of  the  crowne  of 
Hungarie,  different  from  other  crownes,  and  wee  could  not 
tell  how  to  drawe  it  distinctly  as  you  discribed  it.  I  read  last 
weeke  about  it,  and  what  a  venerable  and  sacred  opinion  the 
Hungarians  have  of  it,  as  sent  from  heaven  by  an  angel ;  and 

6  Dean  Crofts  died  July  27,    1670,   and  was  succeeded  by   Herbert    Ashley, 
Sep.  2,  1C70. 


204  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1670. 

in  Pinedas  Monarchia  Ecclesiastica,  in  Spanish,  I  think  I 
found  out  the  ground  and  originall  of  that  opinion.  King,  or 
St.  Stephen,  being  christined  by  Adelbardus,  bishop  of 
Prague,  to  further  that  religion,  made  two  archbishops,  the 
one  of  Colocta,  and  the  other  of  Strigonium,  wch  was^the 
place  of  his  nativitie,  and  the  metropolitan  see.  And  sent  to 
Rome,  unto  the  pope  Benedect,  to  confirme  him  in  his 
dominion,  and  to  send  him  the  regaglios 7  of  it.  At  the  same 
time  the  king  of  Poland,  newlie  Christian,  sent  about  the 
same  errand.  The  pope  provided  a  crown  of  gold  and 
sceptre  for  the  king  of  Poland  ;  butt  in  the  mean  time,  by  an 
apparition  of  an  angel,  hee  was  warned  to  send  the  crowne 
unto  Stephen,  wch  hee  did  ;  and  from  hence  may  probably  be 
derived  the  opinion  that  it  was  sent  by  an  angel,  &c.  I  am 
uncertaine  whether  you  bee  at  London,  or  return  to  Tun- 
bridg  to  Mr.  Burwell,  if  hee  come  not  from  thence.  My 
humble  service  unto  him  and  his  lady,  the  chal.  medecins 
may,  I  hope,  supply  the  use  of  the  waters,  wch  some  day  did 
not  agree  with  him.         I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 
July  29,  [1670.] 

I  sent  the  manuscript  of  the  Seraglio  by  Mrs.  Holyburton; 
it  is  quickly  read  over. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  at  his  lodging  in  Hatton 
Garden,  in  the  back  street  over  agaynst  the  Royall 
Oake,  these,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  now  send  you  the  rest,  if  you  will  take  the  paynes 
to  write  your  journey  into  Upper  Hungarie  to  the  mines,  you 
may  beginne  at  Comorn  or  Raab,  and  so  to  Gutta,  Schella, 
Schinta,  Freistad,  for  you  have  alreadie  writt  particularly  of 

7  Regalia? 


1671.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  205 

Raab,  Comorn,  &c.  in  your  journey  to  Larissa,  and  so  must 
passe  them  lightly  over  as  having  writ  of  them  elsewhere ; 
you  have  also  discribed  Leopolstad.  I  know  not  how  to  do 
any  thing  in  this,  you  having  the  booke  of  your  letters ;  and 
the  transactions  will  afford  you  matter  about  the  mines  and 
baths,  you  may  sett  downe  the  baths  much  as  they  are  in  the 
transactions,  adding  anything  unto  them,  as  the  story  of  the 
man  that  putt  a  snake's  head  into  his  mouth  in  the  bath ;  and 
of  the  huzzar  whch  bathed  in  a  frost  at  midnight ;  and,  for 
the  mines,  you  need  not  be  so  particular  as  to  give  the  full 
account  of  separating  the  metalls,  in  this  narration,  butt  how 
you  went  in,  how  deep,  and  what  you  observed,  &c. :  do  as 
you  thinck  fitt.  Remember  to  putt  in  the  green  jasper 
color'd  tomb  at  Larissa  in  the  barber's  shop,  (see  the  red 
book ;)  and  Croatian  provender  into  that  part  wch  contains 
observations  and  occurrences  in  the  journey  to  Larissa :  as 
thus,  "  they  dock  not  their  horses,  butt  lett  their  tayles  growe 
at  length,  or  handsomely  make  them  up ;  and  in  their 
journeys  sometimes  light  from  them,  and  strongly  pull  out 
their  foretop,  or  forehead  lock,  and  thinck  that  doth  much 
refresh  them ;  which  the  strangers  that  travell  here  call 
Croatian  provender."  When  you  print  it,  it  may  bee  best  to 
deale  with  some  substantiall  setled  stationer.  I  shall,  God 
willing,  write  agayne  by  the  next  post.  Visit  Mr.  Jenkenson, 
and  you  must  be  doing  something  alwayes  to  satisfy  him :  if 
my  writing  may  do  any  good,  I  will  write  unto  him. 

Your  loving  father, 
Decemb.  1,  [1671  or  2.]  THO.  BROWNE, 

You  may  adde  to  the  quecksylver  mines  this : — "  They 
keep  a  register  of  the  names  of  all  strangers,  who  come  from 
any  remote  parts,  to  see  these  mines.  Looking  over  the 
names  I  could  [find]  butt  one  Englishman  who  had  been  there 
before  myself;  "  and  so  you  may  name  him  or  not,  as  you 
please,  or  are  acquainted  with  him.  I  did  not  observe,  in  this 
great  abundance  of  quecksylver,  that  they  tooke  the  advan- 
tage of  making  cinnaber,  mercurie  sublimate. 

For   Dr.   Edward  Browne,   at  Dr.   Ternes  howse  in 
Lymestreet,  London. 


206  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1673. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Coin,  June  20,  1673. 

MOST    HONOURED    FATHER, 

I  wrote  to  you  the  last  post,  and  had  done  it  sooner, 
but  that  we  have  always  been  at  uncertainties,  and  made  no 
stay  any  where.  While  I  am  writing  this  I  can  hear  the 
gunnes  from  Maestricht,  although  it  raineth  hard ;  and  yes- 
terday morning  the  shooting  was  so  fierce,  and  the  winde 
westerly,  that  it  shaked  the  earth  upon  the  workes  of  Cullen ; 
at  which  time,  we  understand  since,  that  the  French  tooke 
two  half-moones.  Mareschal  Turenne  is  with  his  army  be- 
yonde  the  Rhine,  almost  as  high  as  Franckfordt;  and  it  is 
thought  he  will  afterwards  come  downe  with  a  great  force 
into  Friesland.  I  heare  that  the  English  have  also  a  designe 
upon  Zealand;  in  the  middle  of  which,  the  Hollanders  have 
a  fine  time  to  brag  of  their  victories  over  the  French  and 
English,  in  all  their  letters  and  gazettes.  Being  at  Mr. 
Elburg's  the  apothecaries  to  write  a  bill,  I  met  with  Hel- 
vetius,  he  who  wrote  De  vitulo  aureo.  He  is  come  hither 
physitian  to  the  Dutch  embassadours,  and  I  intend  to  have 
some  further  discourse  with  him.  We  went  then  together, 
to  see  the  body  of  one  of  the  innocent  children  killed  by 
Herod,  and  the  tombe  of  Duns  Scotus,  in  the  Minims  church. 
Mr.  Elburg  is  a  civil  person,  where  Sir  Alexander  Fraser 
lodged,  and  was  apothecary  to  his  Majesty,  when  he  lived 
here.  He  offreth  me  to  lodge  in  his  house,  which  I  will 
accept  of,  if  I  stay.  Here  are  good  Roman  coynes  digged 
up,  of  which  he  shew  me  divers,  and  I  am  to  see  a  good 
collection  to-day.  When  I  was  at  sea,  I  was  taken  with 
captain  Welsh,  a  blunt  right  down  man,  but  a  most  notable 
seaman,  and  one  of  the  greatest  pyrates  that  ever  was.  We 
have  with  us  here  one  Mr.  Christmas,  the  best  trompet  in 
England,  and  a  Swede ;  and  a  little  boy  who  exceede  all 
upon  the  violin ;  and  Mr.  Hadly  upon  the  flagelet,  which  in- 
strument he  hath  so  improved  as  to  invent  large  ones,  and 
outgoe  in  sweetnesse  all  the  basses  whatsoever  upon  any  other 


1675.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  207 

instrument.  At  Antwerp,  Mr.  Duart  came  and  carried  me 
to  his  house,  and  shewe  me  the  best  collection  of  pictures 
that  any  man  hath  in  those  parts ;  the  flowers  by  Van  Ems 
outgoe  Seghers,  or  any  else ;  a  piece  of  King  Henry  the 
Eight,  when  he  was  a  childe,  is  well  done ;  and  the  picture 
of  a  Capuchin  in  his  cell ;  besides  many  of  Van  Dike,  Quin- 
tin,  Hans  Holbin,  Correggio,  &c.  These  citadells  I  have 
seen,  since  my  coming  out,  which  are  very  remarkable ;  the 
citadelle   over  against   Gravesend,    near   Tilbury;    that    of 

Shernesse ;  Dunkirch,  which  is  most  beautiful, 

of  Ghent,  said  to  be  the  first shape,  having 

four  bastions ;    and of  Antwerp.     Pray   sir, 

direct  to  me  A  Monsier  Brown,  docteur  en  med 

chez  les  ambassadeurs  d'Angleterre,  a  Cologne.  I  hope  in  a 
short  time  to  be  in  England  again,  and  that  you  will  pardon 
this  excursion,  intending  soon  to  returne  to  my  house.  My 
duty  to  my  most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

For  pictures,  I  saw  a  very  fine  one,  at  Mr.  Elburg's,  of 
Alexander,  drinking  his  potion,  and  at  the  same  delivering 
the  letter  to  his  physitian,  in  which  he  had  notice  he  would 
poyson  him ;  and  I  cannot  contrive  a  better  than  the  duke  of 
Chaune  or  Chosne,  the  French  embassadour  here,  at  supper, 
in  a  large  roome  with  all  the  windowes  open,  with  the  ladyes 
at  table,  a  rowe  of  servants  about  them  behind  them,  a  rowe 
of  musick  rounde  the  table,  and  behind  them  still  mulettiers. 

For  my  honoured  father  Sir  Thomas  Browne.  For 
Ms  Browne,  at  Dr.  Tern  his  house,  in  Lime 
Street.  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  21,  [1675.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Some  occasion  of  this  letter  is,  to  rectifie  a  mistake 
in  the  paper  of  yours,  which  I  sent  yesterday,  by  Mr.  Miller, 


208  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1676. 

Mr.  Tho.  Peck's  brother-in-lawe,  who  dwells  not  farre  from 
you  and  by  whom  I  returned  the  first  of  your  lectures ;  in 
that  I  putt  in  a  paper,  with  the  draught  of  the  kidney,  and 
heart  of  a  vitulus  marinus  or  seale,  which  Betty  drewe  out 
fresh,  from  one  I  had  in  blewe  paper  before.  The  mistake 
was  this ;  that  I  sett  it  downe  the  kidney  of  a  dolphin,  for  it 
is  the  kidney  of  a  vitulus  marinus,  and  is  not  much  unlike 
that  of  a  dolphin,  in  the  numerous  divisions  ;  butt  it  may 
serve  to  showe  in  discowrsing  of  the  kidney.  The  passage 
you  mentioned  out  of  Bartholomeus  Georgevitz,  is  not  to 
bee  omitted  for  it  comes  in  very  well ;  it  is  a  prettie  little 
booke,  and  you  having  seen  something  of  Turkie,  I  wish  you 
would  read  it  over,  for  it  may  bee  often  useful  unto  you. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

A  litle  shippe,  with  6  small  gunnes,  came  up  from  Yar- 
mouth to  Carrowe  Abbey,  this  night,  and  hath  taken  a  great 
deale  of  mony  by  selling  wine  and  the  like ;  a  strange  number 
of  people  resorting  unto  it,  taking  twelve  pence  for  every 
shott8  at  healths. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  25,  [1676?] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

My  neibour,  Mr.  Bickerdik,9  going  towards  London 
to-morrowe,  I  would  not  deny  him  a  letter;  and  I  have  sent  by 
him  Lucretius  his  six  bookes  De  Rerum  Natura,  because  you 

8  The  King,  in  Hamlet,  may  illustrate  this  passage : — he  says, 
"  This  gentle  and  unforc'd  accord  of  Hamlet 
Sits  smiling  to  my  heart ;  in  grace  whereof 
No  jocund  health  that  Denmark  drinks  to-day, 
But  the  great  cannon  to  the  clouds  shall  tell." 

Hamlet,  Act  I,  Sec.  2. 
»  Nicholas  Bickerdike,  an  alderman  of  Norwich. 


1674.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  209 

lately  sent  mee  a  quotation  out  of  that  author,  that  you  might 
have  one  by  you  to  find  out  quotations,  which  shall  consider- 
ably offer  themselves  at  any  time.  Otherwise  I  do  not  much 
recommend  the  reading  or  studying  of  it,  there  being  divers 
impieties  in  it,  and  'tis  no  credit  to  be  punctually  versed  in  it; 
it  containeth  the  Epicurean  naturall  philosophic  Mr.  Teni- 
son,  I  told  you,  had  written  a  good  poem,  "contra  hums 
sceculi  Lucretianos"  illustrating  God's  wisdome  and  provi- 
dence from  anatome,  and  the  rubrick,  and  use  of  parts,  in  a 
manuscript  dedicated  to  mee  and  Dr.  Lawson,1  in  Latin, 
after  Lucretius  his  style.2  With  it  goes  along  a  very  litle 
Tullies  offices,  which  was  either  yours  or  your  brothers ;  'tis 
as  remarkable  for  the  litle  sise  as  the  good  matter  contained 
in  it,  and  the  authentick  and  classicall  Latin.  I  hope  you  do 
not  forgett  to  carry  a  Greeke  testament  allwayes  to  church, 
you  have  also  the  Greek  or  septuagent  translation  of  the  other 
parts  of  scripture;  in  reading  those  bookes,  a  man  learnes 
two  good  things  together,  and  profiteth  doubly,  in  the  lan- 
guage and  the  subject.  You  may  at  the  beginning  of  Lucre- 
tius, read  his  life,  prefixed  by  Petrus  Crinitus,  a  learned  phi- 
lologer  or  humanist,  and  that  he  proved  mad  and  dyed  by  a 
philtrum  or  pocula,  given  him  by  his  wife  Lucillea.  Mr. 
Tho.  Peck  and  his  good  wife  are  dead ;  shee  died  in  child- 
bed some  8  or  9  moneths  past ;  he  left  this  life  about  a 
moneth  ago.  Hee  found  obstacles  that  he  could  not  come  to 
Skickford,3  without  compounding  with  the  widdowe  in  posses- 
sion for  a  thousand  pound,  though  his  father,  Mr.  James 
Peck,  parted  with  his  owne  share  upon  tolerable  termes  unto 
Mr.  Thomas.  Hee  lived  in  Norwich,  was  growne  very  fatt, 
and  dranck  much.  They  saye  hee  dranck  dayly  a  quart 
bottle  of  clarett  before  dinner,  one  at  dinner,  and  one  at 
night.  If  any  company  came  to  him,  which  was  seldome, 
hee  might  exceed  that  quantitie ;  however,  he  made  an  end  of 
that  proportion  by  himself;  he  died  suddenly,  none  being  with 
him.  His  daughter  finding  him  indisposed,  asked  whether 
shee  should  send  unto  mee,  hee  putt  it  of,  and  soon  after  was 

1  Dr.  Lawson  was  brother-in-law  to  Archbishop  Tenison,  each  having  married 
a  daughter  of  Doctor  R.  Love,  Master  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  Cambridge. 
2  This  MS.  was  never  published.  3  Qu.  Spixworth  ? 

VOL.  I.  P 


210  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1676. 

found  dead.  Hee  had  litle  or  no  money  in  his  howse ;  his 
father  James  sent  ten  pounds  for  his  buryall,  which  served  the 
turne.  Surely  if  hee  had  lived  a  little  longer,  hee  would 
have  utterly  spoyled  his  brayne,  and  been  lost  unto  all  con- 
versation. Happy  is  the  temperate  man.  God  send  all  my 
friends  that  virtue.  God  blesse  my  daughter  Fairfax,  my 
daughter  Browne,  and  the  litle  ones. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  14,  [1676.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  am  sorry  to  heare  Mr.  Bishop  is  so  much  his  owne 
foe ;  surely  his  brayne  is  not  right.  Probably  you  may  heare 
agayne  of  him,  before  hee  returnes  into  his  country ;  hee 
seemed  to  be  fayre  conditiond  when  hee  was  in  these  parts, 
though  very  hypochondriacall  sometimes.  Mr.  Hombarston, 
whenever  his  brayne  is  distempered,  resolves  upon  a  journey 
to  London,  and  there  showes  himself,  acts  his  part,  and 
returnes  home  better  composed,  as  hee  did  the  last  time; 
hee  would  not  bee  persuaded  to  bleed  agayne  before  hee 
went.  If  the  dolphin  were  to  bee  shewed  for  money  in  Nor- 
wich, litle  would,  bee  gott;  if  they  showed  it  in  London, 
they  are  like  to  take  out  the  viscera,  and  salt  the  fish,  and 
then  the  dissection  will  be  inconsiderable.  You  may  remem- 
ber the  dolphin  opened  when  the  king  was  heere,  and  Dr. 
Clark  was  at  my  howse,  when  you  tooke  a  draught  of  severall 
parts  very  well ;  wch  Dr.  Clark  had  sent  unto  him.  Bartho- 
linus  hath  the  anatomie  of  one,  in  his  centuries.  You  may 
observe  therein  the  odde  muscle  whereby  it  spouts  out  water, 
the  odde  larynx,  like  a  goose  head,  the  flattish  heart,  the 
lungs,  the  renes  racemosi,  the  multiple  stomach,  &c.  When 
wee  wasshed  that  fish  a  kind  of  cuticule  came  of  in  severall 


1676.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  211 

places  on  the  sides  and  back.  Your  mother  hath  mast4  to 
dresse  and  cooke  the  flesh,  so  as  to  make  an  excellent  savory 
dish  of  it ;  and  the  king  being  at  Newmarket,  I  sent  collars 
thereof  to  his  table,  which  were  well  liked  of. 

Though  you  must  take  the  paynes  to  compose  a  new  set 
of  lectures,  yet  I  do  not  see  why  you  should  not  retaine  the 
greatest  and  necessarie  part,  for  information  of  the  auditors ; 
allthough  [you]  may  alter  or  adde  some  things,  as  observation 
or  reading  shall  informe  you,  or  as  you  find  they  are  not  cleare 
enough,  or  fully  enough  expressed. 

I  shall  returne  the  lect.  upon  the  first  good  opportunity, 
that  you  may  have  them  by  you  to  make  use  of;  and  send 
hints  as  they  occurre.  Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  16,  [1676.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

This  daye  I  sawe  the  transactions  of  May ;  in  which 
Dr.  F.  Beale  gives  an  account  of  shining  flesh  of  veal.5 
I  remember  the  societie  hath  had  account  of  the  like  in 
London,  and  Mr.  Boyle  hath  mentiond  something  like ;  and 
Bartholinus  mentions  the  like,  in  his  medicall  epistles ;  cen- 
turia  lma,  epist.  9.  "  Caro  lucens  ac  si  accensa  esset  con- 
dita,"  which  hee  observed  at  Montpelier  long  agoe.  Butt  it 
may  bee  fitt  for  anatomists,  to  take  notice  of  what  Dr.  Wil- 
liam Cole  delivers,  in  the  same  transactions,  concerning  the 
spirall,  instead  of  the  hitherto  supposed  annular,  structure 
of  the  fibres  of  the  intestines ;  and  you  may  take  notice  of  a 
booke  writt  by  Monsr.  de  Blegny,  chirurgeon  to  the  Queen 
of  France,  of  newe  and  curious  observations  concerning  the 
French  disease,  translated  by  Dr.  Walter  Harris,  in  8vo.6  In 

4  Sic  MS.  5  jn  Phil.  Trans.  May  22,  1676.  0  London,  1676. 

P  2 


212  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1676. 

my  last  I  mentioned  an  observation  of  goose  skinnd  persons, 
that  such  had  not  had  the  lues  venerea  ;  you  may  adde,  "  or 
had  not  undergone  the  cure  thereof."  Dr.  Witherly  send 
mee  his  respects  by  an  old  acquaintance  of  his  and  myne, 
and  withall  bid  him  tell  mee,  that  you  performed  your  pub- 
lick  lectures  so  much  like  a  gentleman,  and  with  so  much 
learning,  as  had  not  been  done  for  these  seven  and  seven 
yeares.  This  is  the  hottest  season  I  have  felt,  in  June,  for 
these  many  yeares.  Capt.  Woods7  hath  a  fine  time  of  it,  at 
or  neere  the  pole,  while  unto  us  the  temperate  zone  is  so 
intolerable.  God  blesse  your  sisters,  in  their  hot  and  dustie 
journey;  to  morrowe  they  will  come  seasonably  home,  my 
howse  being  butt  this  daye  made  an  end  of  tiling.  I  beleeve 
it  was  such  a  kind  of  season,  when  you  travelled  from  Venice 
to  Vienna,  &c.  Temperance  is  the  chief  defensative  and 
preservative  in  such  intemperate  a  season.  In  your  next 
lectures  you  are  obliged,  for  information  sake,  to  showe  the 
substance,  fabrick,  connexion,  and  use,  &c,  so  that  a  very 
great  part  will  serve,  except  you  can  adde  any  thing  more 
exact  touching  those  circumstances,  as  you  shall  think  of  or 
find  out  from  yourself  or  authors.  He  that  reades  the  oste- 
ologie  lecture  cannot  showe  the  os  hyoides,  for  it  is  not  in 
[the]  sceleton ;  so  you  may  gett  one  of  a  man,  of  some  quad- 
ruped, and  some  birds.  You  do  well  to  make  use  of  your 
Aristotle ;  Lacunus,  epitome  of  Galen  8  you  had  of  myne,  and 
tis  usefull  to  read   it ;    his  bookes   De  Administrationibus 

Anatomicis  et  de  usu  partium,  &c.  to  bee upon 

all  occasion.  In  these  three  authors  are  the  chief  of  the 
Greeke.  Waygh  the  head  of  a  man,  braynes,  scull,  and 
other  parts,  and  the  scull  and  brayn  distinctly ;  that  you  may 
know  what  proportion  it  hath  to  the  body,  at  least  with  some 
latitude,  allthough  you  do  not  waygh  the  trunk.  God  blesse 
you,  your  sister  Fayrfax,  wife,  and  litle  ones. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

7  Capt.  John  Woods,  having  presented  a  memorial  to  Charles  II,  on  the  possibi- 
lity of  a  north  or  north-east  passage  to  the  Indian  seas  and  China,  was  sent  out  by 
the  Admiralty,  in  command  of  the  Speedwell,  accompanied  by  tbe  Prosperous,  Capt. 
Hawes.     They  set  sail  on  the  28th  of  May,  1676. 

s  Epitome  omnium  Operum  Galeni,  per  And.  Lacunam. — Lugd.  1553 — 12mo. 


1676.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  213 

I  have  enclosed  the  ureters  and  vesica,  or  bladder,  such  as 
it  is,  of  carp  which  wee  had  this  day ;  but  I  had  a  fayre  one 
long  ago,  and  lost  it. 

For  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  court,   next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

July  x,  [1676.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  writt  unto  you  lately,  to  take  notice  of  the  cuticula 
and  cutis  of  negros,  and  to  examin  it  well ;  and  to  make  a 
vesication  upon  one,  and  observe  how  the  cutis  lookes,  when 
the  cuticula  is  of;  and  observe  the  scarres  if  they  have  any, 
how  the  scarre  becometh  whiter  or  lesse  black  than  other 
parts ;  the  colour  of  the  nayles,  &c,  for  you  may  [find]  some 
use  thereof,  the  next  time  de  cuticula  et  cute.  And  you  may 
introduce  it  much  after  this  manner : — "  A  greater  division  of 
mankind  is  made  by  the  skinne  then  by  any  other  part  of  the 
body ;  that  is  into  white  skinned  men,  and  negros,  which  are 
[a]  very  considerable  part  of  mankind,  and  differ  also  from 
others,  not  only  in  the  colour,  butt  the  coolenesse,  softnesse, 
and  smoothnesse,  of  the  skinne,  as  though  it  had  been  oyled. 
Yet  this  tincture  seemes  not  to  bee  deepe,  for  if  their  skinnes 
bee  cutt,  the  scarre  becomes  paler,"  and  so  you  may  adde 
what  you  can  find,  and  as  I  hinted  formerly.  I  cannot  yet 
find  a  convenient  or  trustie  bearer,  by  whom  to  send  your 
remaining  lect.  butt  wish  they  were  safe  in  your  hand  agayne. 
One  Mr.  Newton,  who  maryed  my  Lady  Marie  Hevering- 
ham's  daughter,  was  at  Norwich  last  weeke;  and  asked 
courteously  for  you.  Hee  went  to  Cologne  with  you,  and 
seemes  a  good  sober  and  studious  gentleman,  and  they  thinck 
themselves  happy  in  so  well  bestowing  their  daughter.  Hee 
will  passe  this  summer  at  Mr.  Heveringham's,  at  Kette ring- 
ham,  four  miles  of.     I  doubt  Sr.  Leolyn  Jenkins  9  is  like  to 

9  One  of  the  English  Ministers  at  the  Congress  of  Nimeguen. 


214  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1676. 

have  a  tedious  time  at  Nimegen,  what  he  sheweth  of  the 
Prince  of  Orange  will  bee  at  Maestrecht  is  uncertaine.  The 
Osnabrugge  forces  beseidg  Vic  the  suburb  of  Maestrecht, 
and  the  prince  is  on  this  side.  Philipsburg  by  Spire  is  also 
a  dangerous  attempt,  and  the  French  have  greater  forces 
then  the  beseedged.  Stade  is  in  danger,  and,  I  beleeve, 
Hamburgh  had  rather  have  it  in  the  Suedes  hands  still,  then 
either  the  Danes,  or  their  neibour  the  Duke  of  Lunenburg. 
Our  assises  beginne  on  Tuesday  next,  and  butt  one  judge. 
God  blesse  you  all.  Your  loving  father. 

THO.  BROWNE. 

July  xii.     In  a  litle  time  I  shall,  God  willing,  send  the 
prefatory. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie   Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.   SLOAN.    1847.]  i 

July  14,  [1676.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

You  have  done  very  well  to  obtayne  the  manuscript 
or  booke  wch  you  mention  you  had  from  my  Lord  of  Ayles- 
burie's  howse.  How  you  came  to  knowe  of  it,  or  obtayne 
the  use  of  it,  I  knowe  not ;  butt  I  beleeve  you  might,  if  you 
would  putt  forward,  obtayne  such  a  favor  of  my  lord  himself, 
who  when  he  was  at  Norwich  asked  for  you.  Hee  was  at 
Montpellier  about  the  time  when  you  were  there.  Now  you 
have  the  booke  by  you,  it  will  bee  fitt  to  make  the  best  use 
you  canne  of  it;  for  perhaps  it  must  bee  returned  to  the 
French  embassador;  or,  if  hee  gave  it  unto  my  lord,  tis 
like  hee  will  expect  it  agayne  from  you  in  a  short  time ;  and 
therefore  bestowe  most  of  your  vacant  time  about  it.  Tran- 
scribe all  you  can  out  of  it,  and  drawe  out  the  most  material 

1  This  letter  was  published  (very  incorrectly)  in    the    Retrospective    Review, 
vol.  i,  p.  163. 


1676.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  215 

cutts  yourself,  by  a  penne  or  otherwise,  which  you  can  do 
well  enough,  for  I  would  not  have  it  out  of  your  hands,  and 
I  do  not  desire  that  Moreland  should  have  any  thing  to  do 
with  it,  for  hee  will  drawe  out  of  it  for  himself  and  his  owne  use, 
and  so  all  the  towne  will  take  notice  of  it.  Nor  would  I  have 
you  showe  it  to  any  or  very  fewe,  and  such  as  are  not  like 
to  make  use  thereof.  Blasius  (as  I  sent  you  word)  hath 
lately  published  anatomical  observations  from  many  animals,2 
and  probably  of  many  in  this  booke.  Transcribe  what  you 
can  out  of  it,  and  sett  downe  the  names  of  the  animals,  and 
the  singular  and  peculiar  observations  upon  any.  The  cutts 
being  so  fayre,  tis  probable  they  are  not  many.  I  hope 
you  receaved  the  paper  I  sent  concerning  the  fistula  of  a 
dolphin.  The  proper  place  thereof,  it  may  bee  brought  in 
when  you  speake  de  pulm.  or  de  respiratione,  and  I  would 
not  have  you  omit  it ;  and  if  you  did  not  keepe  the  skull  of 
the  dolphin  you  cutt  up,  I  will,  God  willing,  send  you  one. 
Tis  likely  the  cutts  are  not  of  common  animals,  at  least  not 
altogether,  but  of  such  strange  animals  as  have  been  brought 
to  Paris,  or  some  of  the  king's  howses.  When  you  see  the 
elephant,  observe  whether  hee  bendeth  his  knees  before  and 
behind  foreward  differently  from  other  quadrupeds,  as  Aris- 
totle observeth ;  and  whether  his  belly  be  the  softest  and 
smoothest  part ;  the  testes  are  not  exterior  and  outward,  butt 
inwardly  in  the  body,  as  Aristotle.  Perhaps  the  booke  hath 
the  dissection  of  a  camell,  it  were  good  to  observe  of  what 
that  bunch  in  the  back  consisteth,  whether  the  backbone  or 
spine  ariseth  up  into  it,  or  it  bee  a  lump  of  flesh  upon  it,  and 
the  spine  notwithstanding  bee  as  in  others.  I  thought  good 
to  give  these  hints,  because  probably  they  would  not  come 
into  your  mind.  My  hedgehogge,  being  putt  into  my  garden, 
gott  away  with  two  yong  ones,  and  I  never  looke  to  find  them 
agayne  ;  observe  the  teeth,  because  you  speake  of  them,  de 
dentibus.     God  bless  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 

2  Blasii  Observationes  Anatomico-practicas,  12nio.  Lugd.  Bat.  1674. 


216  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1676. 

Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

October  17,  1676. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  am  very  much  rejoyced  to  hear  of  your  recovery. 
Tommy  is  so  well  as  to  goe  to  schoole  to-day,  and  my  sister 
Fairfax's  daughter  is  well  again.  The  anatomy  lecture  is  like 
to  begin  on  Saterday  next,  the  21,  and  it  may  come  to  my  turne 
about  a  quarter  of  a  year  hence,  the  masters  of  anatomy  re- 
solving to  have  a  preparing  body  for  me  at  the  ende  of  this 
terme,  so  that  it  would  be  a  great  furtherance  to  me  to  helpe 

me  in  a  short  concluding in  the  last  afternoon.     I 

shall  this  time  show  the  new  section  of  the  braine,  the  eare, 
and  the  nose,  the  morning  before  ;  the  outward  parts  of  the 
braine  and  the  eye,  the  other  four  lectures  much  as  they  were, 
but  altered,  and  observations  added  to  them.  I  give  you 
many  thankes  for  the  bill ;  my  sicknesse  was  a  great  hindrance 
to  my  practise  in  that  sick  time  of  the  year,  but  I  hope  in 
God  it  will  now  encrease.  My  duty  to  my  dear  mother  and 
love  to  my  sisters.  The  last  cut  of  my  booke  is  now  finished, 
so  that  the  next  weeke  I  suppose  it  will  be  publick,  there  are 
divers  false  prints,  but  most  of  them  made  by  the  corrector  of 
the  presse,  in  ignorantly  altering  of  the  copy ;  as  printing 
burg  in  many  places  for  berg,  the  first  signifiing  a  towne,  the 
latter  a  hill ;  Province  for  Provence ;  Berch  for  Betch ;  the 
name  of  Vienna,  and  the  like.  I  saw  Dr.  Burton  the  last 
weeke,  who  presents  his  service  to  you,  sir.  With  mine  and 
my  wives  duty,  I  remain, 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honoured  father,   Sir  Thomas  Browne, 
at  his  house  in  Norwich. 


1676-7.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  217 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

March  7,  [1676-7.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

Ever  since  Friday  night  last,  untill  Tuesday,  wee 
have  had  such  boysterous  cutting  and  freezing  winds,  that  the 
weather  hath  been  allmost  intollerable,  and  much  hurt  done, 
both  at  sea  and  land ;  chimneys  blowne  downe,  and  tiles,  and 
one  man  killed  by  a  wall  blowne  downe  in  Norwich ;  the  wind 
east  and  somewhat  northerly.  Such  a  cutting  season  there 
was,  in  March,  many  yeares  ago,  at  the  time  of  assises  in 
March ;  when  so  many  gentlemen  dyed  after,  and  among  them 
your  old  friend  Mr.  Earle.  So  that  if  they  had  the  like  wea- 
ther in  Flanders,  the  French  must  have  a  very  hard  time  at 
the  seiges  of  Valenciennes  and  St.  Omar,3  which  most  men 
write  St.  Omer,  forgetting  that  St.  Omar  hath  its  name  from 
St.  Andomarus.  So,  many  townes'  names  derived  from  saints 
are  observed ;  St.  Mallowes  is  St.  Mallovius ;  St.  Didier,  St. 
Desiderius.  I  have  heard  that  St.  Omar  was  a  place  famous 
for  good  onyons,  and  furnished  many  parts  therewith ;  some 
were  usually  brought  into  England,  and  some  transplanted, 
which  were  cryed  about  London,  and  by  a  mistake  called  St. 
Thomas  onyons.  I  mett  with  my  old  friend  Dr.  Peregrine 
Short,  and  his  sonne,  Dr.  Thomas  Short.  Dr.  Thomas  told 
mee  of  severall  dissections,  given  them  notice  of  by  Dr.  Short 
of  London,  and  specially  of  a  boare,  whereof  you  writt  unto 
mee.  And  I  told  him  you  would  shewe  a  newe  way  of  dis- 
secting the  brayne  at  these  lectures;  hee  sayd  none  could 
performe  that  dissection  butt  Mr.  Hobbes,  and  that  it  was 
thought  the  best  way  for  the  dissection  of  the  brayne  of 
man,  butt  for  sheep,  &c.  Dr.  Willis  his  way  was  best.  In 
JSartholini,  centuria  4;ta,  historia  trigesima,  titulo  Anatome 
Gulonis*  I  find  something  peculiar  in  the  gutts  of  a  gulo. 

3  Taken  by  the  French  in  the  spring  of  1677. 
4  The  Wolverene,  or  Glutton ;    Mustela  Gulo,  Lin.     The  story  here  mentioned 
was  first  related  by  Olaus  Magnus,  and  has  been  repeated  by  Gesner,  Topsell,  &c. 
Gmelin  and  Buffon,  and  later  naturalists,  regard  it  as  a  mere  fable. 


218  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1677. 

This  is  a  devouring  ravenous  quadruped,  frequent  about  the 
bignesse  of  a  dogge,  which  filleth  itself  with  any  caryon,  and 
then,  when  it  can  eat  no  more,  compresseth  itself  between 
two  trees  standing  neere  together,  and  so  squeezeth  out, 
through  the  gutts,  what  it  hath  devoured,  and  then  filleth 
itselfe  agayne.  This  was  thought  very  strange,  considering 
the  division  of  the  gutts,  their  complications,  foulds,  and 
caecum;  till  Petrus  Pavius  or  Pau,  a  famous  professor  of 
Leyden,  dissected  a  gulo;  for  thereby  hee  found  that  this 
voracious  animal  had  no  such  divisions  in  the  gutts  as  are  to 
be  found  in  other  quadrupeds ;  butt  one  gutt,  undique  sibi 
simile,  nor  any  way  changing  figure,  which  is  the  cause  that 
this  animal,  by  compression  of  the  abdomen,  can  squeese  out 
what  is  receaved,  as  having  no  caecum,  and  all  the  gutts  being 

as  it  were  one  intestinum  rectum God  blesse 

you  all,  and  endowe  you  with  prudence,  sobrietie,  and  frugal- 
ity and  providence.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

dear  sonne,  [April,  1677,] 

I  intend  to  send  this  letter  by  Mr.  Dale,  the  chirur- 
geon,  who,  intending  for  London,  came  to  mee  to  offer  his 
seruice.  Surely  a  physitian  practising  in  London  may  make 
very  good  vse  of  the  minerall  waters  about  it ;  and  you  may 
haue  good  experience  thereof  hauing  made  frequent  and  suc- 
cessefull  vse  of  them,  especially  those  which  are  purging. 
What  inconueniences  sometimes  happen  with  them  you  must 
also  take  notice,  and  endeauor  to  preuent  the  same.  It  seemes 
the  company  were  well  pleased,  there  was  such  crowding  or 
fullnesse  vnto  the  last  daye,  and  the  rather  because  [they] 
could  heare  you  so  well.  How  did  they  like  the  new  way  of 
dissecting  the  brayne  ? 5  Did  you  showe  the  iuory  eye  of  the 

5  Mentioned  in  the  preceding  letter. 


1677.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  219 

gladius  piscis,  or  the  dolphin's  head,  or  circumcision,  or  infi- 
bulation,  &c.  or  reserued  any  for  the  next.  Tis  good  to  take 
notice  what  course  or  medicines  haue  proued  successefull  in 
practice,  and  so  to  haue  a  foundation  for  observations,  and 
also  a  help  vnto  yourself  in  the  like  or  analogous  cases.  I  send 
by  Mr.  Dale  a  tophus  coccinus,  or  ball  taken  out  of  the  sto- 
mach of  an  ox,  of  which  it  may  be  worth  your  paynes  to  read 
cap.  21,  centuria  secunda,  of  Bartholinus  his  centuries  of 
rarer  obseruations,  whereof  he  hath  left  six  centuries.  Mine 
are  in  three  volumes  in  12mo,  or  a  small  octavo.  I  cannot  bee 
without  his  centuries,  nor  can  you  be  well  without  them.  In 
the  ball  I  send  there  is  one  place  opened  where  the  hayre 
may  bee  perceiued.  I  shall,  God  willing,  write  a  few  lines 
more  enlargen  of  it.  God  blesse  you  all.  Loue  to  my  good 
daughter.  I  neuer  heard  my  sister  Terne  was  maryed  till 
your  sister  came  to  Norwich:  I  wish  her  much  joye,  and  Mr. 
Whiting.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Mr.  Whiting  was  a  surgeon  of  good  note,  I  thinck,  long 
agoe.  Litle  Tom  is  liuely,  God  be  thancked.  He  lyeth  with 
Betty :  shee  takes  great  care  of  him,  and  getts  him  to  bed  in 
due  time,  for  hee  riseth  early.  Shee  or  Frank  is  fayne  some- 
times to  play  him  asleep  with  a  fiddle.  When  wee  send  away 
our  letters  hee  scribbles  a  paper  and  will  have  it  sent  to  his 
sister,  and  sayth  shee  doth  not  knowe  how  many  fine  things 
there  are  in  Norwich. 

April  8.  I  was  surprized  yesterday  with  a  payne  in  my 
loynes,  which  makes  mee  vnable  to  go  or  stand.  I  haue  often 
had  it  for  two  or  three  dayes. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.   4039.] 

Nov.  23,  [1677.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  received  your's  yesterday;  and  therein  how  the 
societie  had  received  a  letter  from  that  great  astronomer,  He- 


220  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1677. 

velius,  of  Dantzick ;  with  an  account  of  an  eclipse,  and  a  new 
starre  in  Cygnus ; 6  but  what  new  starre,  or  when  appearing, 
I  knowe  not ;  for  there  was  a  new  starre  in  that  constellation 
long  agoe,  and  writ  of  by  many.  If  it  bee  now  to  bee  seen  it 
is  worth  the  looking  after.  I  have  not  had  the  Transactions 
for  divers  moneths ;  but  some  that  have  had  them  tell  mee 
there  is  account  of  some  kind  of  spectacles  without  glasses, 
and  made  by  a  kind  of  little  trunk  or  case  to  admitt  the  spe- 
cies with  advantage.  I  have  read  of  the  same  in  the  Trans- 
actions about  a  yeare  ago;7  but  now  I  hear  such  instruments 
are  made  and  sold  in  London ;  and  some  tell  mee  they  have 
had  them  heere.  Enquire  after  them,  and  where  they  are 
made,  and  send  a  payre,  as  I  remember  there  is  no  great  art 
in  the  making  thereof.  I  am  glad  to  heare  that  Isaac  Vossius 
is  living,  and  in  England.  You  send  some  of  his  notes  and 
observations  upon  the  geographie  of  Mela;  in  that  particular 
of  Mount  Haemus  and  possibility  of  seeing  the  Euxine  and 
Adriatick  sea  from  the  top  thereof.  In  that  piece  he  promis- 
eth  a  mappe  of  Old  Greece.  I  wish  I  knew  whether  he  had 
yett  founde  any  such  mappe  or  tract  publick.  I  presume  hee 
came  over  with  the  Prince  of  Aurange  ;8  and  it  were  no  hard 
matter  to  bee  in  his  company  at  his  owne  or  the  prince's 
lodgings.  You  may  tell  him  you  have  been  in  some  parts  of 
Greece,  as  Macedonia  and  Thessalie ;  and  ask  his  opinion  of 
the  mappe  of  Laurenbergius,  of  Greece,  which  placeth  the 
Pharsalian  Fields  on  the  north  of  the  river  Peneus;  whereas 
at  Larissa  all  accounted  it  to  the  south,  and  about  three  dayes 
journey  from  thence  ;  and  may  signifie  how  unsatisfactory  you 
find  the  mappe  either  of  [Ortelius]  or  others,  in  placing  the 
towns  through  which  you  passed  in  Macedonia,  as  also  in 
[Servia],  omitting  divers,  and  transplacing  others.  He  will 
bee  glad  to  discours  of  such,  and  of  Olympus,  which  is  not  so 
well  sett  downe.  I  doubt  not  but  that  hee  speaketh  French 
and  Italian,  if  not  English,  besides  Latin.  Tis  a  credit  to 
knowe  such  persons ;  and  therefore  devise  some  way  to  salute 

6  Hevelius's  letter  on  Lunar  Eclipses  was  published  in  the  Trans,  for  Jan.  1676  ; 
vol  xi,  590  :  and  his  letter  on  the  New  Stars,  Jan.  2,  1677  ;  vol.  xii,  853. 
7  Phil.  Trans,  vol.  xi,  691. 

8  This  was  not  the  case.     The  Prince  of  Orange  came  over  Oct.  10,  1677.    Vos- 
sius resided  in  England  from  1670  til!  1682,  when  he  died. 


1677-8.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  221 

him.  I  perceave  you  are  not  so  well  satisfied  with  London 
as  you  thought  to  have  been;  and  am  therefore  sorry  that 
you  have  obliged  yourself  to  that  place  by  taking  a  chamber 
for  so  long,  or  else  to  bee  at  a  fruitless  charge  of  the  lodgings; 
but  I  would  not  have  you  discontented.  If  either  your  health 
or  second  thoughts  incline  you  to  live  heere,  wee  shall  bee 
willing ;  where  you  may  see  and  observe  practice,  and  practise 
also,  as  opportunity  will  by  degrees  permitt ;  and  a  great 
deale  of  money  may  bee  saved  which  might  serve  you  here- 
after, and  your  sisters.  However,  in  the  meane  time,  make 
the  best  use  you  can  of  London. 

I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

[dear  son,] 

I  sent  this  day  and  payed  the  four  pounds  to  Mr. 
Minges,  I  ansered  for  you ;  but  I  had  not  your  receit.  I  be- 
sich  God  of  his  marcy  bless  and  direckt  you,  and  sende  you 
helth.  Your  louing  mothar, 

D.  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  5,  [1677-8.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

There  is  one  Vansleb,  who  hath  writt  a  description 
of  ^Egypt ;  hee  writt  it  1672  or  3,  and  it  is  newly  translated 
into  English  in  8vo.  Hee  seemes  to  have  been  employed  to 
collect  antiquities,  butt  especially  manuscripts,  for  the  King 
of  France ;  for  hee  sayth  hee  sent  divers  to  his  library,  to 
which  purpose  hee  learnt  the  Arabick  tongue,  and  writes 
much  of  his  historie  out  of  the  Arabick  writers,  who  writt 
long  since  the  Greeks;  and  gives  many  particulars  not  men- 
tioned by  them,  though  many  are  fabulous  and  superstitious. 
Hee  travelled  not  only  into  Lower  .ZEgypt,  butt  into  the 
Upper,  above  or  southward  of  Grand  Cayro,  and  setts  downe 


222  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678. 

many  monasteries,  and  the  noble  ruins  of  many,  hardly  to  be 
mett  with  in  other  writers.  Hee  went  into  divers  caves  of 
the  mummies,  and  in  one  hee  sayth  hee  found  many  sorts  of 
birds,  embalmed,  and  included  in  potts,  one  whereof  hee  sent 
into  France.  Hee  also  sayth,  that  he  found  empty  eggs, 
whole  and  unbroaken,  butt  light  and  without  any  thing  in 
them.  Hee  speakes  of  the  hieroglyphicall  cave  in  Upper 
./Egypt,  the  walls  whereof  full  of  hieroglyphicall  and  other 
old  writing,  butt  much  defaced,  with  divers  others,  and  also 
a  noble  columne  of  Antoninus,  &c.  Of  the  great  pyramids 
hee  sayth,  that  the  north  side  is  larger  then  that  of  east  or 
west.  I  hope  you  heard  of  Dorothy  Irney,  at  Mrs.  Carleils, 
at  the  Black  Boy,  in  St.  James'  markett  place.  Tom,  God 
be  thanked,  is  well,  so  I  hope  you  are  all.  God  blesse  you 
all.  Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  so?i  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1833.] 

May  viii,  [1678.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  receeved  the  print  of  Stonehenge,  of  the  singing 
at  the  Hospital!,  and  chorus,  by  Mr.  Richardson,  an  honest 
taylor  in  the  Close.  That  of  Stonehenge  is  good,  according 
to  the  south  and  west  prospect ;  [the]  chorus  I  have  not  yet 
perused.  'T  is  rare  to  find  a  heart  without  a  pericardium. 
Columbus  observed  it  in  one  body,  and  Bartholinus  also  in 
an  hydropicall  person ;  vide.  lib.  9,  Centuriar.  Historia  xx. 
In  the  same  chapter  he  writes,  de  septo  cordis  pernio  in  the 
same  person,  communicated  to  him  by  Dr.  Brodleck,  pro- 
fessor of  Tubinge,  in  the  Duke  of  Wertemberg's  dominions. 

I  perceave  my  Lady  F.  bled,  and  hath  had  newe  prescrip- 
tions ;  I  hope  they  may  be  beneficial  unto  her. 

Considering  the  bitter  quality  of  the  cerumen,  or  earewax 
lining  the  eare,  a  man  might  thinck  that  horse-leaches  would 


1678.}  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  223 

have  litle  delight  to  insinuate  themselves  into  the  eare ;  butt 
thereof  there  have  been  some  examples,  and  Severinus  found 
out  a  good  remedie  for  it,  in  a  person  of  Naples,  who  had 
one  gott  into  his  eare ;  for  to  that  purpose  hee  moystend 
the  outward  part  of  the  eare ;  whereupon  the  leach  came  out 
to  suck  the  blood.  You  may  mention  it  in  the  discourse 
about  the  eare.     See  Bartholini,  centuria  4<ta. 

Men  are  much  in  doubt  yet  concerning  the  warre ;  and 
the  proceedings  of  the  Duch  seem  butt  odde,  God  direct 
our  English  counsells  for  the  best. 

Tom  is  much  delighted  to  thinck  of  the  Guild ;  the  maior, 
Mr.  Davey,9  of  Alderhollands,1  intending  to  live  in  Surrey 
howse,  in  St.  Stephen's,  at  that  time  ;  and  there  to  make  his 
entertaines  ;  so  that  hee  contrives  what  pictures  to  lend,  and 
what  other  things  to  pleasure  some  of  that  parish,  and  his 
schoolmaster,  who  lives  in  that  parish.  God  blesse  my 
daughter  Browne,  and  you  all.         Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

Mr.  Deane  Astley,  who  is  your  very  good  freind,  and  a 
very  civill  person,  goes  for  London  this  next  Friday. 

For  Dr.   Edward   Browne,  in   Salisbury  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  these,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  13,  [1678.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  thought  Mr.  Tovy  and  Mr.  Peterson  had  been 
masters  of  anat.  the  last  yeare,  and  that  you  should  have 
newe  ones  the  next  time ;  butt  if  otherwise,  they  may  bee 
considred  in  the  conclusion,  for  there  will  bee  scarce  roome 
now  in  the  preface ;  and  I  beleeve  you  do  not  yet  knowe  who 
will  be  master  of  the  company.     In  the  old  and  new  globes 

9  Jehosaphat  Davey,  mayor  in  1678. 

1  Alldery-holland,  Alldery  -hallows,  All-hallows,  or  All-saints. 


224  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678. 

there  is  some  varietie,  butt  it  will  be  best  to  followe  the 
newe ;  so  that  it  may  be  sayd,  avem  scilicet  paradisceam, 
apem  Indicam  et  pavonem.     It  was  very  ingeniously  done  of 

Mr.  Hally  to  take  such  a  voyage "  for  the  obser of 

the  starres  about  the  south  pole3 take  a  particular 

viewe  of  them and  descriptions  butt  for  the  sized 

star that  the  Hollanders  have  taken  a 

thereof.     When  I  was    in    Oxford,    I   enquired 

sometimes  of  my  old  friend   Mr.  Halley de  usu 

globi  or  de  globis,  who Candish's  voyage,  about 

the   state  of Polarie  starres ;  and  hee  sayd  they 

were and  dimmer  comparatively  to  the  north  .  .  . 

was  of  Christchurch,  and  after  his  travels  and 

.  .  .  with  my  Lord  of  Northumberland  in  the  hous 

lived  and  dyed  in  Oxford,  living  in  a  friend's  howse  neere 
Christ  church,  and  attaining  unto  great  yeares.  He  writt  his 
booke  "  De  Globis  "  for  the  sake  and  information  of  one  of 
my  Lord  of  Northumberland's  sonnes,  whom  hee  had  in- 
structed in  that  waye.  Hee  came  to  church  constantly,  the 
parish  church,  which  was  St.  Aldates,  commonly  St.  Fowls, 
and  whether  the  scollars  of  Pembroke  colledge  also  went, 
and  had  one  isle  for  themselves.  Hee  was  a  very  good  and 
playne  dealing  man,  and  had  read  Euclide  and  Ptolemie  very 
accurately,  and  also  Aristotle,  whereof  wee  should  often  dis- 
course, and  I  cannot  butt  remember  him  with  some  content. 

Mr.  Hally  will  find  no  newe  constellation, 

.  .  .  es  not  yet  obserued,  butt  may  something them. 

I  wish  him  all  successe.     I  remember  the  repayring  of  St. 

Paul's  in  K.  C.  the  first's there  was  a  great  summe 

gathered,  butt  it  happened  that  a  part  thereof  was  employed 

warre  against  the  king ;  that  is  what 

found  in    the    hands  of  treasurers,  and there  is 

some  cause  to  feare  there so  much  gathered  this 

brief,  as  by  the  last o  sectarie  is  like  to  give  any 

thing, or  inconsiderably,  for  fashion  sake  ;  so  .  .  . 

2  He  embarked  November,  1676,  and  returned  to  England  in  November,  1678. 

"  At  his  returne  (from  St.  Helena),   he  presented  his   Planisphere,  with  a  short 

description,  to  his  Majesty,  who  was  very  well  pleased  with  it;  but  received  nothing 

but  prayse."  Aubrey's  Life  of  Edmund  Halley — Letters  from  the  Bodleian,  iii,  366. 

3  A  part  of  this  letter  is  torn  away. 


1678.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  225 

whole  benevolence  is  like  to  arise  from  the 

conformist,  and  divers  of  them  will  be  cold  towards  building 
of  churches,4  till  they  thinck  their  owne  bee  well  secured. 
Wee  heare  nothing  of  late  concerning  my  Lady  Felton,  per- 
haps shee  hath  given  over  taking  any  thing  this  hot  season. 
Mr.  Reppes  his  wife,  who  was  this  countrywoeman,  is  a  very 
good  woeman ;  when  you  see  her  present  my  service  unto 
her,  as  also  unto  Mr.  Chancellour,  Dr.  Pepper.  Things 
seeme  to  go  forward  and  backward,  and  the  parliament  is 
like  to  sett  some  time  yet.5  God  direct  and  assist  us  in  all 
difficulties.  Bee  carefull  of  your  owne  health,  as  well  as  of 
others,  especially  this  hot  season.  If  you  can  live  frugally, 
and  keepe  from  being  engaged  for  others,  you  may  passe  this 
vncertaine  world  with  some  comfort.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

DEARE  DAUGHTER, 

I  bles is  much  batter  of  his  coffe  .... 

....  I  writ  last :  but  has  bin  so  loth as  it  was 

much   the  wars  in  the sleps  very  well,  and  his 

sta I  hope  the  worst  is  past  h all  loue 

from 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Aug.  29,  [1678.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  enquired  after  Mr.  Browne,  butt  could  not  heare 
of  him ;  butt  should  have  been  glad  to  have  seen  him,  and  to 
have  been  civill  unto  him.  One  Mrs.  Towe,  Madame  Repps 
daughter,  of  Maltshall,  who  liveth  in  London,  will  come  unto 

4  Instead  of  those  destroyed  by  the  fire  of  London.     A  bill  was  brought  in,  June 
1,  1678,  to  rebuild  St.  Martin's  in  the  Fields. 

5  The  long  parliament  was  not  dissolved  till  January  24,  1678-9. 

VOL    I.  Q 


226  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678. 

you.  Shee  is  a  very  good  woeman,  and  complains  of  her 
eyes,  and  some  breaking  out  of  her  face.  Lett  her  knowe 
that  I  writ  unto  you  when  shee  commeth.  I  think  shee 
liveth  in  Guildhall  street.  If  one  Mr.  Jones,  of  the  Middle 
Temple,  a  yong  man  splenicall  and  hypochondr.  cometh  unto 
you,  lett  him  knowe  that  I  mentioned  him  unto  you.  Mr. 
Newton's  lady,  my  lady  Marie  Heveringham's  daughter, 
cometh  out  of  Lyncolnesheere  to  lyve  in  London.  My  lady 
Bruce,  I  beleeve,  is  come  before  this  time.  God  send  her  a 
good  time.  My  cosens  Cradock  are  well ;  pray  my  service 
to  my  cosen  Hobbs.  Tom  hath  been  recreated  with  the 
assizes.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  had  this  last  weeke  som  venison,6  and  I  putt  a  platt 
in  to  a  pott  for  you,  for  fare  I  should  not  gett  any  more ;  but 
if  I  had  thought  of  my  daughter's  time,  I  would  have  seasoned 
it  more.  I  intend  to  send  it  the  next  Friday,  in  a  basket 
direct  sealed  to  you.  I  pray  latt  mee  know  as  neer  the  time 
as  you  can  for  your  cacke,7  and  if  I  have  any  more  venison  I 
will  make  you  an  othar  pott.  I  bless  God  your  Tomy  is  very 
well ;  goose  to  scolle,  and  is  a  very  good  boy,  and  delights  his 
grandfather  when  hee  comes  home. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[us.    SLOAN.   3418.] 

Sept.  8,  1678. 
Concerning  the  mineral  waters,  it  was  the  Tunbridge 
which  I  imitated  in  this  manner :  I  tooke  of  Lamb's  Conduit 

6  The  receipt  acknowledged  in  the  following  letter,  which  has  an  original  date  of 
the  year. 

7  Lege,  cake ;  the  accustomed  donation  on  such  occasions,  and  called  of  yore  the 
groa?ii}ig  cake ;  the  custom  has,  however,  long  become  obsolete,  from  the  progress, 
be  it  supposed,  of  civilization  and  the  march  of  intellect. 


1678-9.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  227 

or  of  any  very  clear  spring  water,  to  every  quart  of  which  I 
put  onely  one  grain,  or  somewhat  lesse,  of  vitriolum  martis, 
whereby  there  is  no  way  to  distinguish  it  from  Tunbridge 
water,  either  upon  tryalls  before,  or  upon  its  operations  in  the 
body.  As  for  Epson,  Dulledge,  Northall,  Suitor's  hill,  and 
Barnet  waters,  the  salt  which  is  in  them  is  cubicall,  and  most 
like  alume,  which  I  have  taken  notice  of,  as  they  have  shot 
naturally  near  their  springs  upon  the  earth,  and  alumen 
counterfits  them  well ;  but  it  must  be  in  a  very  small  quantity, 
as  the  former.  None  of  our  purging  waters  strike  with  galls, 
or  containe  any  thing  which  is  metalline  in  them,  as  of  cop- 
per, iron,  &c. 

The  tartarum  chalybeatum  may  also  serve  to  imitate  iron 
waters ;  but  tarter  coming  from  a  vegetable,  it  cannot  be  so 
natural!.  Dr.  Willis  made  his  chalybeat  waters  thus  : — He 
mixed  salt  of  tartar  and  prepared  Steele,  about  equall  quanti- 
ties, and  set  them  in  a  seller ;  and,  when  the  salt  of  tartar  dis- 
solved, he  mixed  up  the  whole  into  balls,  and  dryed  them,  and 
then  powdered  them  again ;  which  powder  he  put  into  water  ; 
but  many  times  it  would  not  all  dissolve,  and  was  no  neat 
way  of  performing  it ;  but  the  powder  is  a  good  powder,  and 
the  salt  of  tartar  hath  taken  into  itself  of  the  body  of  the  steel. 

We  received  the  pot  of  venison  yesterday  by  the  waggons, 
as  also  the  matts  for  my  sister  Fairfax,  with  letters,  and  one 
pound  seventeen  shillings,  and  rubands,  and  other  things. 
I  have  not  yet  heard  of  the  gentleman  or  gentlewoman  you 
wrote  me  word  of.  Mine  and  my  wives  duty  to  yourself  and 
my  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  xiii,  [1678-9.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

There  have  been  and  are  still  many  quartane  agues. 
It  is   sayd,   and   not  untruely,   that  quartane  agues   come 

Q  2 


228  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678-9. 

seldome  twice  in  a  mans  life,  if  hee  hath  had  one  for  a 
considerable  time,  and  that  it  hath  left  him  for  some  yeares ; 
or  if  then  a  man  should  have  one  agayne,  it  would  not  last 
long,  nor  very  many  fitts ;  and  1  have  observed  the  same 
verified  in  many.  And  I  remember  old  Sir  Edmund  Bacon 
fell  into  a  quartane,  in  the  76  yeare  of  his  age  ;  and  I,  under- 
standing that  hee  had  a  long  quartane  thirtie  yeares  before, 
did  encourage  him  that  it  would  not  be  lasting ;  and  so  it  fell 
out,  for  hee  had  butt  nine  or  ten  fitts.  Butt  this  last  weeke, 
Mr.  Francis  Thursby,  an  acquaintance  of  myne,  of  about  45 
yeares  of  age,  came  to  see  mee,  and  that  he  was  [in]  a 
quartane  ague,  and  so  had  been  ever  since  before  Michael- 
mas, which  hee  fell  into  after  a  spurious  tertian  fever.  Hee 
sayd  hee  had  thought  himself  secure  from  a  quartan,  hee 
having  had  one  about  seventeen  yeares  before ;  in  so  much 
that  I  thought  of  a  distinction,  that  quartans  were  some 
legitimate  or  genuine, — wch  are  quartans  from  the  first  fitt, 
and  without  a  preceding  disease, — some  nothous  or  spurious, 
into  wch  some  former  distemper  hath  degenerated.  So  that 
the  observation  is  best  verified  in  legetimate  quartans ;  that  is, 
a  man  very  rarely  hath  two  legetimate  ones  in  his  life,  or 
if  hee  had  the  first  long,  seldome  hath  the  second  for  any 
considerable  time.  Butt,  allthough^  a  man  hath  had  a  long 
legetimate  one,  hee  may,  notwithstanding,  fall  into  a  spurious 
quartan,  and  wch  may  be  lasting ;  which  was  his  case.  Mr. 
John  Earles  wife,  Sir  Ralph  Hare's  sister,  fell  into  a  genuine 
quartan,  when  she  was  yong  with  child,  which  held  her  long, 
and  when  shee  came  to  her  time  shee  was  delivered  of  a 
daughter  in  the  fitt,  and  the  child  was  so  ill  that  none  thought 
shee  would  live;  butt  it  grewe  better;  butt,  on  the  third  day, 
about  the  hower  of  its  birth,  fell  into  a  fitt  of  an  ague,  and 
so  agayne  the  third  day  after,  and  that  quartane  settled  and 
lasted  for  divers  moneths,  till  she  was  emaciated  to  skinne 
and  bone,  and  was  so  lowe  that  shee  was  fayne  to  use  bathing 
for  a  good  while;  butt  she  is  now  of  the  age  of  18  yeares, 
and  a  very  full  yong  woeman,  I  calld  to  mind  this  account, 
because  shee  dined  with  mee  lately ;  her  father  was  your 
loving  friend.  The  elector  of  Brandenburg's  countries  seeme 
to  bee  in  great  danger,  especially  if  the  emperour  makes  a 


1678-9.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  229 

peece  without  him.8  For  the  French  haue  raysed  souldiers 
for  the  Swede  about  Hamburg  and  Dantzick,  the  Swedes 
have  also  an  armie  about  Koningsberg ;  the  French  forces 
have  Aguisgrane9  and  counties  about,  and  tis  sayd  they 
intend  to  send  good  forces  by  sea  for  their  relief.  God 
blesse  and  prosper  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Wee  expect  a  regiment  of  souldiers  out  of  Flanders,  to 
bee  quartered  and  disbanded  in  Norwich,  butt  the  wind  hath 
been  crosse. 

I  bless  God  Tomay  is  very  well,  and  sends  dutty  to  you  and 
his  mother,  to  Succy,  and  you  and  yours.  [D.  B.] 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  26,  [1678-9.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Since  I  last  writt  unto  you  I  thanek  God  I  have  had 
good  ease  as  to  the  payne,  butt  my  feet  are  very  weake,  and 
somewhat  swelld.  I  could  make  a  shift  to  stand  with  croches, 
and  I  am  fayne  to  write  in  my  bed,  so  that  perhaps  I  had  not 
writt  to  you  this  cold  day,  butt  that  I  could  not  well  avoyd  it. 
One  Mr.  Flatman,  a  cosen  of  Mr.  Thomas  Flatman,  recom- 
mended one  William  Bland,  his  neibours  or  acquaintance 
sonne,  unto  him  in  a  letter  last  weeke.  This  day  wee  under- 
stood   that    the  parliament1   was    dissolved,   web.   was   very 

S  Which  happened  very  soon  after.      The  Emperor  Leopold,  submitting  to  neces- 
sity, abandoned  Brandenburgh  and  Denmark,  and  on  the  5th  of  February  signed  a 
peace  with  France  and  Sweden.      But  the  Elector  displayed  so  much  spirit  and 
policy,  as  to  obtain,  subsequently,  comparatively  advantageous  terms  for  himself. 
9  Aix  la  Chapelle. 
1  The  Long  Parliament,  dissolved  Jan  24,  1678-9. 


230  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678-9. 

supprising,  and  affords  men  various  thoughts  upon  it.     God 
blesse  my  daughter  Browne,  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Broivne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Febr.  14,  [1678-9.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

You  make  often  mention  of  a  censors "  daye,  which 
I  suppose  is  some  day  sett  out  for  the  censor  to  convene  upon 
the  colledge  affayres ;  and  when,  perhaps,  you  may  have  a 
dinner.  If  there  bee  a  lecture  at  the  colledge  after  this 
sessions  it  will  bee  expected  that  the  physitians  of  the  colledge 
should  be  there,  especially  at  the  opening  of  the  theatre. 
And,  therefore,  when  you  intend  at  the  same  time  to  have  a 
private  preparing  body  at  Chirurgeon's  Hall,  you  may  have  a 
diversion,  and  not  bee  able  to  bee  at  the  colledge,  except  you 
can  contrive  the  buisenesse  better  then  I  apprehend  as  yet. 
Being  arrived  so  high  as  censor,  it  will  concerne  you  to  putt 
on  some  gravity,  and  render  yourself  as  considerable  as  you 
can,  in  conversation  in  all  respects.  Tis  probable  there  will 
bee  a  great  number  at  the  lecture  the  first  time,  the  place 
being  capacious  ;  butt,  being  read  in  Latin,  very  many  will  not 
bee  earnest  to  come  hereafter,  and  the  place  being  so  large, 
there  are  like  to  bee  more  spectators  than  auditors.  Your 
lecture  at  Chirurgeon's  Hall  will,  I  perceive,  bee  somewhat 
late  this  yeare  ;  so  that  you  may  bee  forced  to  dissecte  the 
brayne  the  first  day  in  the  afternoon,  or  the  next  morning.  I 
writt  unto  you  by  my  last  to  read  Mr.  Duncans  way  of  dis- 
secting the  brayne,  mentioned  in  the  Transactions  of  the 
R.  S.  last  August.3     Wee  heare  Sir  Jos.  Williamson  is  out 

2  Dr.  E.  Browne  was  elected  Censor  of  the  College  of  Physicians  Sept.  30,  1678. 

3  See  Phil.  Trans,  xii,  1013. — Explication  novelle  et  Mechanique  des  Actions 
Animales,  ou  il  est  traite  des  fonctions  de  l'ame,  &c. — Par  M.  Duncan,  D.  en  Med. 
in  12mo,  a  Paris,  1678. 


1678-9.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  231 

of  his  secretaire's  place,  and  my  Lord  Sunderland  putt  in, 
whose  acquaintance  you  might  well  have  continued.  Sir 
Joseph  is  like  to  be  chosen  burgesse  for  Thetford,  as  hee  was 
before,  and  Sir  William  Coventrie,  the  other  secretaire  of 
the  counsell,  will  be  for  Yarmouth.  Sir  Joseph,  I  beleeve, 
found  his  secretaire's  place  to  bee  of  some  danger,  for  hee 
could  not  well  refuse  to  signe  what  the  higher  powers  would 
command ;  and  if  it  were  agaynst  any  lawe,  the  parliament 
would  question  him  as  they  did  the  last  session.  I  am  sorry 
to  find  that  my  Lord  Sterling  and  L.  Dunblayne  would  have 
been  chosen  at  Abingdon  if  the  designe  had  succeeded ;  for 
thereby  tis  knowne  that  my  lord  treasorer  strikes  in.  On 
Monday  next  is  the  election  for  burgesses  of  Norwich ;  on 
the  same  day  for  knights  of  the  shyre  for  Suffolk.  My  Lord 
Huntingdon,  a  worthy  honest  yong  gentleman,  Sir  Lyonell 
Talmach  his  sonne,  of  Suffolk,  standeth.  Duke  Lauderdale 
maryed  his  mother.  Hee  lost  it  the  last  time,  because, 
though  the  gentry  were  much  for  him,  yet  the  people  feared 
hee  would  prove  a  meere  courtier.  Sir  Samuel  Bernardiston 
also  stands,  who  was  knight  of  the  shyre  last  time  and  some 
others.  The  election  is  commonly  at  Ipswich,  where  the 
seamen  and  watermen  are  very  rude  and  boysterous,  and  take 
in  with  the  country  party,  as  they  call  it.  Tom  would  have  his 
grandmother,  his  avnt  Betty,  and  Franck,  valentines ;  butt  hee 
conditioned  with  them  that  they  should  give  him  nothing  of 
any  kind  that  hee  had  ever  had  or  seen  before.  God  send 
my  daughter  Fayrfax  a  good  time.  God  blesse  you  all.  Your 
loving  father,  THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1833.] 

Feb.  24,  [1678-9.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Since  you  take  in  the  ungues  in  this  lecture,  I  pre- 
sume you  have  read  and  considered  what  Dr.  Glesson  saycl 


232  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678-9. 

thereof,  in  his  last  work ;  and  also  anatomically  describe  them. 
Riolanus  hath  a  small  peculiar  tract,  "  De  Unguibus"  in 
in  his  Encheiridion.  Hippocrates  was  therefore  so  curious 
as  to  prescribe  the  rule  in  cutting  the  nayles,  that  is  not  longer 
or  shorter  then  the  topps  of  the  fingers.  Vide  Hippocrates 
De  qfficina  med.  That  barbers  of  old  used  to  cutt  men's 
nayles  is  to  be  gathered  from  Martial,  lib.  3,  epigram.  74, 
You  may  do  well  to  cast  an  eye  on  Martial  sometimes  cum  notis 
variorum.  There  is  much  writt,  and  good  expressions  therein, 
and  the  notes  containe  much  good  learning ;  the  conceit  and 
expression  will  make  them  the  better  remembered.  De 
unguium  resectione,  read  Bartholin,  centuria  tertia,  cap.  78. 
Since  the  differences  are  so  composed  among  the  chirurgions, 
that  the  former  masters  of  Anat.  will  do  their  office,  you 
have  no  considerable  cause,  that  I  knowe,  but  that  you  may 
speake  of  them  as  intended  in  conclus.  if  you  find  no  cause 
to  alter.  I  perceave  you  have  omitted  cerumen  in  what  you 
have  sett  downe  of  the  eare,  which  [you]  must  mention  and 
discourse  of.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEAR    DAUGHTER, 

I  bless  God  your  deare  Tomey  is  very  well.  I  must 
trouble  you  againe  for  your  sister  Betty,  to  bey  a  paire  of 
sheus,  eythar  pinke  or  blew.  Your  owne  shous  fitt  her  very 
well,  and  I  would  desire  you  to  by  mee  a  painted  fan,  it  is  for 
a  present ;  a  bought  twenty  shilens,  give  rayther  under.  Wee 
ar  not  in  hast,  so  you  may  tacke  your  own  time,  and  send 
them  when  you  have  an  opertunity,  and  I  shall  send  you  the 
mony,  with  that  you  have  alredy  lagh  out  for  us.  I  shall 
thinke  long  to  here  of  your  sister  Fairfax  delivery,  and  hope 
you  will  gooe  downe  to  her.     I  besich  God  bless  you  all. 

Your  affectinat  mother, 

D.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward    Browne,  in    Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


1678-9.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  233 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

[About  the  end  of  Feb.  1678-9.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

This  gentleman,  captaine  le  Gros,  come  lately  out 
of  Bruges  and  landed  in  Flanders  with  his  company, 
which  is  now  quartered  in  Norwich.  Hee  had  a  long 
and  bad  passage ;  hee  seemes  to  bee  an  honest  civill  good 
person,  and  sayth  hee  hath  seen  you  and  knowes  your  sister 
Fayrfax,  and  Madame  Burwell.  Hee  dined  with  us  to-day, 
and  goeth  for  London  to-morrowe,  hee  is  a  Cornish  man,  and 
gives  the  same  amies  with  my  old  friends  the  Le  Gros  his  in 
Norfolk.  Hee  was  merry  with  little  Tomay,  and  gave  him  a 
pretty  Flanders  toye,  of  which  hee  furnished  himself  with 
some,  to  present,  I  believe,  unto  children  or  yong  people. 
Sir  Robert  Howard  and  Mr.  Oast  are  chosen  for  Rising. 

There  is  a  Duch  merchand's  sonne bought  Mr.  Cobb's 

estate  of  Sanderi 4  by  Lynne ;  and  is  well  beloved.     I 

heare  very  credibly  this  day,  that  Sir  Thomas  Allen's  sonne 
and  Sir  Philip  Skippon  bee  chosen  for  Dunwich,  in  Suffolk. 
James  Johnson  will  not  stand  for  Yarmouth,  but  Sir  William 

Coventry  will  bee  chosen the  competition  will  bee 

between  

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  have  not  much  to  say  this  night,  yet  could  not 
omett  latting  you  know  wee  ar  all  well,  I  bless  God ;  and 
Tomey  is  very  fine,  and  warm,  in  his  gown,  and  this  day  has 
behaved  himselfe  so  well  to  on  captain  Le  Gros,  which  is 
now  com  out  of  Flanders,  as  hee  has  presented  him  with  a 
prity  picktur  in  a  silver  box.  Hee  knew  your  sister  Fairfax 
in  Franc,  and  has  seane  you  att  London,  and  will  dooe  very 
sudingly  ;  he  goos  for  London  to-morrow.  Wee  thincke  him 
a  very  si  veil  parson.  Hee  was  here  abought  17  years  since 
with  Madame  Burwell.     I  thought  still  to  latt  you  know  of 

4  Santlringhatn. 


234  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1678-9. 

him  becaus  you  might  thanke  him  for  Tomey.     I  besich  God 
bless  you  and  yours.  Your  affectinat  mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in   Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

March  1,  [1678-9.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Though  the  cerumen  bee  not  sett  downe  in  your 
catalogue  de  partialis  intends,  yet  I  conceive  you  mention  it 
in  your  discourse,  because  it  is  in  meatu  auditorio,  and  the 
place  from  its  melleous  consistence  and  colour  called  alveare. 
I  sett  down  this  following,  because  it  may  bee  brought  in 
after  the  description  of  the  eare,  or  when  you  speake  of 
deafenesse.  "Riolanus  observeth,  that  a  man  deaf  from  a 
bad  conformation  of  the  organs  of  the  eare,  picking  his  eare 
too  deepe,  unawares  peirced  the  tympane  membrane,  and 
moved  or  broake  the  litle  bones,  and  afterward  came  to 
heare ;  and,  thereupon,  proposeth  the  question,  whether 
such  a  practise  might  not  bee  attempted,  which  I  confesse  I 
should  bee  very  warie  to  encourage  ;  and  I  doubt  fewe  have 
attempted  that  course,  which  hee  also  proposeth,  agaynst  the 
tinnitus  and  noyse  in  the  eares ;  that  is  to  perforate  the 
mastoides,  and  so  to  afford  a  vent  and  passage  unto  the 
tremultuating  spirits  and  winds.  Rolfinckius  sayth,  that  from 
violent  causes  the  litle  bones  in  the  eare  may  bee  dislocated, 
and  so  deafenesse  followe.  Bone-setters  would  be  much  to 
seeke  on  this  cure ;  but  the  only  waye  is,  by  a  strong  reten- 
tion and  holding  of  the  breath,  which  may  probably  reduce 
them  into  their  proper  place ;  which  if  it  fayleth,  incurable 
surditie  ensueth.  And,  therefore,  although  wee  seeme  to 
knowe  and  bee  well  acquinted  with  the  naturall  structure  and 
parts  of  the  eare,  in  sound  bodyes,  and  such  as  have  had  no 
impediment  in  hearing,  yett,  because  wee  do  not  enquire,  at 


1678-9.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  235 

least  butt  rarely,  into  that  organ  in  dead  men  who  have  been 
notoriously  deaf,  wee  may  bee  sometimes  to  seeke,  in  the  par- 
ticular causes  of  deafnesse ;  and  therefore  very  reasonable  it 
is,  that  Avee  should  more  often  embrace  or  seeke  out  such 
opportunities.  For  hereby  wee  might  behold  the  tympane 
too  thick  or  double  in  some,  the  chord  or  bones  not  rightly 
ordered,  the  fenestri  or  windowes,  cochlea  or  labyrinthus 
ill-conformed  in  others  ;  with  other  particular  causes,  which 
might  induce  a  deafnesse  from  nativity."  You  may  adde 
some  other,  as  defects  in  the  auditory  nerves. 

I  presume  my  cosen  Barker  is  come  to  London,  my  humble 
service  unto  him.  I  find  Mr.  Gay  in  the  catalogue  of  the 
elected.  Though  the  common  letters,  which  come  from 
London,  come  not  to  Norwich  till  Tuesday  morning,  yet  the 
newes  letters  of  coffie  bowses  come  to  us  on  Monday,  by 
noone,  as  being  brought  on  purpose  from  Beckles,  where  the 
Yarmouth  post  leaveth  them.  Wee  heare  by  them,  that  the 
king  approveth  not  the  speaker;5  and  have  the  king  and 
chancellor's  speeches.  I  presume  there  was  a  good  appear- 
ance at  the  new  theatre,  especially  of  such  who  understand 
Latin.  God  send  my  daughter  Fairfax  a  good  delivery. 
God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne,  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward   Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[ms.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

March  5,  [1678-9.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Though  you  do  not  putt  cerumen  into  the  catalogue, 
yett  it  may  bee  well  to  speake  something  of  it,  in  the  dis- 
course of  the  eare,  in  its  proper  place.     Four  regiments  are 

5  Seymour,  the  Speaker  to  the  last  Parliament;  re-elected  by  the  Commons,  in- 
stead of  Sir  Thomas  Meres,  whom  the  King  desired  they  would  elect. 


236  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

come  out  of  Flanders,  to  be  quartered  about  these  parts. 
Sir  Christopher  Calthorp,  Sir  Neville  Catelyn,  and  Mr. 
Briggs,  are  gone  yesterday  for  London,  to  the  parliament. 
Sir  John  Hobart  went  to  London,  about  ten  dayes  past.  I 
am  sorry  my  lord  Bruce  missed  the  election,  yet  in  a  cata- 
logue which  I  saw,  his  name  was  inn.  I  should  bee  very 
sorry  so  worthy  a  person  as  my  lord  of  Aylesbury  should  bee 
disobliged.  Mr.  Briggs  his  man  hath  a  letter  to  my  daughter 
Browne,  with  some  muney  in  it. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.  SLOAN.   1847.] 

April  2,  [1679.] 

DEARE  SONNE, 

You  did  well  to  observe  Ginseng.  All  exotick 
rarities,  and  especially  of  the  east,  the  East  India  trade 
having  encreased,  are  brought  in  England,  and  the  best 
profitt  made  thereof.  Of  this  plant  Kircherus  writeth  in  his 
China  illustrata,  pag.  178,  cap.  "  De  Exoticis  Chinee  plantis." 
I  perceive  you  are  litle  acquainted  with  our  Norfolk  affayres ; 
and  knowe  not  the  late  differences.  Sir  John  Hobart  com- 
playne  of  some  illegall  proceedings  in  the  election,  and 
petiond  the  howse  about  it ;  and  delivered  my  Lord  Yar- 
mouth my  Lord  Lieutenant's  letter,  which  hee  is  sayd  to 
have  writt  in  the  behalf  of  Sir  Christopher  Calthorp  and  Sir 
Neville  Catelyn,  which  was  construed  as  a  thrating  letter, 
and  sett  the  howse  in  such  a  heat,  that  they  had  like  to  have 
been  presently  dismissed  the  howse.  But  the  farther  exami- 
nation is  appoynted  about  a  fortnight  hence,  and  many  thinck 
there  will  bee  a  newe  election.  What  will  bee  the  issue  wee 
knowe  not,  yett  wee  heare  Sir  Christ.  Calthorp  fell  sick  last 
weeke,  of  the  small  pox.  I  think  hee  lodgeth  in  Westminster. 
If  the  election  bee  made  agayne,  'tis  sayd  parties  will  stand 
agayne.  Mr.  Verdon,  keeping  no  rule  and  travelling  about, 
hath  his  ague  agayne,   and  notwithstanding  intends  to  go  to 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  237 

Thetforcl  assises,  on  Thursday.  I  dought  these  election 
businesses,  and  the  charge  that  may  go  along  with  it,  doth 
something  discompose  his  mind,  I  perceive  you  are  yet  at 
some  uncertaintie  of  a  publick  lecture,  butt  bee  provided,  for 
tis  very  likely  they  will  have  one.  An  old  acquaintance,  Mr. 
Shadwell,  was  with  mee  at  Norwich ;  hee  speaketh  well  of 
you,  butt  wisheth  you  were  not  over  modest  in  this  world, 
where  that  virtue  is  litle  esteemed.  I  am  afraid  that  un- 
seasonable qualitie  makes  you  decline  the  friendshippe  of  my 
Lord  B.  of  London,  which  others  would  thinck  themselves 
happy  in.  Some  say  that  Mrs.  Harmin  is  much  better,  butt 
a  weeke  ago  they  sayd  shee  was  in  a  consumption,  and  sum 
decline  in  it.  It  was  expected  every  post  that  the  parliament 
would  bee  dissolved  or  prorogued,  which  cannot  now  bee  so 
expected,  because  a  proclamation  is  published  for  a  fast.6  My 
service  to  my  cosen  Barker,  cosen  Hobbes,  and  cosens  Cra- 
dock.  I  read  a  sermon  of  Dr.  Tillotson,  preched  at  the 
Yorkshire  [Feast],  December  3,  which  hee  dedicates  to  the 
twelve  stewards  of  the  company.  Wee  have  not  seen  Dol- 
finey  yett.  Tom  remembers  his  duty  and  love  to  his  sister. 
God  blesse  you. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,   in  Salisbury   Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  these,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

April  25,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  have  litle  to  write,  butt,  because  I  have  not  writt 
this  week  before,  I  would  not  omitt  a  fewe  lines.  I  have  had 
a  great  cough,  which  tooke  mee  about  a  moneth  since,  and 
in  a  weeke  the  rheume  grewe  upe  ;  butt  of  a  sudden  grewe 
thinne  agayne,  and  proved  of  exceeding  molestation,  day  and 
night,  and  the  wether  all  the  while  was  very  sharpe,  and 
wind  at  north-east,  butt,  God  bee  thancked,  it  is  now  well 
abated,  and  butt  seldome  troublesome.  My  daughter  Betty,  — 

6  Parliament  was  prorogued  May  27,  and  afterwards  dissolved. 


238  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

who  is  very  seldome  out  of  health,  though  she  sits  often  in 
cold  wether  five  or  six  hours  together  in  her  closett,  reading 
and  praying,  and  in  all  wethers  and  seasons,  never  omitts  to 
go  to  church,  Sundayes  and  weeke  dayes,  to  sermons  and 
prayers  in  our  parish ;  —  fell  into  a  very  extreme  cough, 
whereof,  God  be  thancked,  shee  is  now  nerely  recovered. 
I  presume  your  time  of  reading  will  be  about  a  fortnight 
hence ;  bee  therefore  provided,  and  have  your  speeches  me- 
moriter,  and  pronounce  them  not  fast  butt  distinctly,  and  like 
an  orator,  with  their  due  phrases,  and  words  with  their  proper 
emphases.  Most  of  our  gentlemen  and  wittnesses  concerning 
the  election,  are  ether  returned  or  return  to  morrow.  The 
day  of  election,  for  a  new  choyce  of  the  knights  for  Norfolk 
will  be  on  Monday  come  sevenight.  Sir  John  Hobart,  Sir 
Christopher  Calthorpe,  and  Sir  Neville  Catelyn  stand  agayne, 
and  they  [say]  also  Mr.  Windham  of  Felbrigge.7  There  is 
like  to  bee  very  great  endeavouring  for  the  places,  which 
will  still  keep  open  divisions  which  were  too  wide  before,  and 
make  it  a  countrey  of  Guelphs  and  Ghibellines.  I  am  sorry 
to  find  my  Lord  of  Aylesbury  left  out  of  the  list  of  the  privie 
counsell,  hee  beeing  so  worthy  and  able  a  person,  and  so  well 
qualified  for  the  publick  good.  Tom  presents  his  duty  ;  my 
love  and  blessing  unto  you  all.         Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,   in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

April  28,  [1679.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

A  Norwich  man  in  London,  sent  a  letter  hither  to 
a  friend  to  this  effect,  that  being  at  a  coffie  howse,  hee  sawe 

7  The  house  had,  after  long  delays,  decided,  on  the  21st  of  April,  that  none  of 
the  candidates  were  duly  elected,  and  fresh  writs  were  accordingly  issued  on  the 
22d.  But  before  the  new  members  had  time  to  take  their  seats,  parliament  was 
dissolved ;  so  that,  in  point  of  fact,  the  county  of  Norfolk  was  not  represented  in 
that  Parliament. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  239 

Mr.  Rob.  Bendish,  in  a  high  distraction,  breaking  windowes, 
and  doing  outrageous  things,  so  that  they  were  fayne  to  laye 
hold  of  him ;  what  became  of  him  afterwards  hee  sayth 
nothing.  This  came  to  his  father's  eare,  who  is  much  trou- 
bled at  it,  butt  can  do  very  litle  for  him,  having  been  at  great 
charges  for  him  before.  Now  if  you  heare  of  any  such  dis- 
traction, or  what  is  become  of  him,  you  may  give  a  touch 
therof  in  any  of  your  letters,  butt  I  would  not  urge  you  to 
bee  buisine  therein ;  but  I  heare  my  brother  Bendish  hath 
allreadie  writt  to  a  friend  to  informe  him  of  the  truth  thereof, 
which  is  like  to  bee  done  before  you  can  say  any  thing  in  a 
letter  from  London.  These  are  the  sad  ends  of  many  disso- 
lute and  governeless  persons,  who,  if  they  bee  of  a  sheepish 
temper,  runne  into  melancholy  or  futaity,  and  if  [they]  prove 
haughtie  and  obstinate  into  a  maniacal  madnesse.  I  am  glad 
you  left  Madame  Cropley  better,  you  had  the  opportunity  to 
see  the  shipps  and  forts  upon  the  river.  I  am  glad  there  is 
so  strong  a  shippe  built  at  Wolleige,  and  a  large  shippe  a 
second  rate,  I  wish  we  had  half  a  dozen  of  them.  The  bill 
against  popery  is  intended  to  be  very  severe,8  butt  the  howse 
of  lords  will  moderate  it :  and  whether  the  king  will  allowe 
of  it,  it  is  yet  uncertaine,  or  what  execution  there  will  bee  of 
it,  may  yet  bee  as  doubtfull.  The  deferring  of  the  trial  of 
our  election  may  much  incommode  the  gentlemen  who  went 
up  for  wittnesses,  and  also  encrease  the  charge,  and  how 
matters  will  bee  determined  wee  are  butt  uncertaine.  Mon- 
day is  the  day  appoynted,  but  whether  it  will  not  be  putt  off 
to  a  farther  day  wee  are  in  doubt.9  Litle  Tom  comes  loaded 
from  the  fayre  this  day,  and  wishes  his  sister  had  some  of 
them.     God  blesse  you  all. 

I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

Take  notice  of  the  sea  horse  skinne. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 

8  A  bill  for  the  more  speedy  conviction  of  Popish  recusants  was  brought  in  and 
read  a  first  time  March  27. 

9  On  the  21st  April,  the   house  had  summoned   Mr.  Verdun,  under-sheriff  of 
Norfolk,  "to  answer  his  miscarriages  and  ill  practices  in  electing  of  knights  of  the 


240  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1GT9. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edivard. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

May  7,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

It  is  not  well  contriuecl  by  the  chirurgeons  that  you 
are  at  such  vncertainties  about  your  lectures,  and  it  will  bee 
very  inconuenient  to  beginne  the  lectures  on  Saturday,  by 
reason  of  Sunday  interuening,  and  the  hard  keeping  of  the 
body  in  this  warme  and  moyst  wether.  Butt  I  remember  you 
read  so  once  before,  butt  with  some  inconueniency.  Our 
election  was  the  last  Monday.  The  competitors  were  the 
former  elected  Sir  Christopher  Calthorp  and  Sir  Neuille  Cate- 
lyn,  and  Sir  John  Hobart  and  Mr.  Windham.  I  neuer  ob- 
serued  so  great  a  number  of  people  who  came  to  giue  their 
voyces ;  but  all  was  ciuilly  caryed  at  the  hill,  and  I  do  not 
heare  of  any  rude  or  vnhandsome  caryadge,  the  competitors 
hauing  the  weeke  before  sett  downe  rules  and  agreed  upon 
articles  for  their  regular  and  quiet  proceeding.  They  came 
not  downe  from  the  hill  vntill  eleven  o'clocke  at  night.  Sir 
John  Hobart  and  Sir  Neuille  Catelyn  caryed  it,  and  were 
caryed  on  chayres  about  the  market  place  after  eleuen  o'clock, 
with  trumpets  and  torches,  candles  being  lighted  at  windowes, 
and  the  markett  place  full  of  people.  Dr.  Brady  was  with 
mee  that  day,  who  presents  his  seruice  and  speakes  well  of 
you,  and  sayth  hee  was  your  constant  auditor,  and  sayth  yours 
are  very  good  lectures,  and  proper  to  the  intention,  as  being 
very  good  and  profitable,  which  they  haue  rarely  been  for- 
merly. Hee  came  with  Sir  Thomas  Hare,  of  Stowe,  Sir 
Ralph  Hare's  sonne,  and  not  long  of  age.  Sir  Thomas  was 
of  Cams  Colledge,  and  brought,  they  say,  four  hundred  for 
Sir  Neuille  and  Sir  Christopher,1  and  Dr.  Brady  brought 

shire  for  Norfolk.''  The  said  examination  was  repeatedly  postponed,  'till  the  new 
election  had  taken  place,  and  John  Jay,  the  high  sheriff,  having  refused  to  make  a 
return,  was  ordered,  on  the  12th  of  May,  to  be  taken  into  custody.  On  the  24th, 
Sir  T.  Hare's  petition  against  Sir  J.  Hobart's  return  was  presented,  and  on  the  27th, 
parliament  was  adjourned,  so  that  neither  of  the  elections  was  ever  settled. 

1  Sir  Thomas  Hare  and  others  petitioned  the  House,  but  unsuccessfully,  against 
the  return  of  Sir  John  Hobart. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  241 

eighteen  or  nineteen  from  Cambridge,  schollars,  who  were 
freeholders  in  Norfolk.  These  were  the  number  of  the  voyces, 
Sir  John  Hobart  -  -  -  3417 
Sir  Neuille  Catelyn  -  -  3310 
Sir  Christopher  Calthorp  3174 
Mr.  Windham  -  -  -  2898 
I  do  not  remember  such  a  great  poll.  I  could  not  butt  ob- 
serue  the  great  number  of  horses  which  were  in  the  towne, 
and  conceiue  there  might  haue  been  five  or  six  thousand  which 
in  time  of  need  might  serue  for  dragoone  horses ;  beside  a 
great  number  of  coach  horses,  and  very  good  sadle  horses  of 
the  better  sort.  Wine  wee  had  none  butt  sack  and  Rhenish, 
except  some  made  prouision  thereof  before  hand,  butt  there 
was  a  strange  consumption  of  beere  and  bread  and  cakes, 
abundance  of  people  slept  in  the  markett  place,  and  laye  like 
flocks  of  sheep  in  and  about  the  crosse.  My  wife  sent  the 
receit  for  orenge  cakes,  and  they  are  comfortable  to  the  sto- 
mack,  especially  in  winter,  but  they  must  be  eaten  moderately, 
for  otherwise  they  may  heartburne,  as  I  haue  sometimes  found, 
especially  riding  upon  them.  Tom  presents  his  duty.  God 
blesse  you  all.  Your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

May  10th,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

If  you  were  upon  your  lectures  on  Thursday,  or  to 
beginne  on  Saturday  you  will  haue  a  more  temperate  time 
then  might  bee  hoped,  for  the  wind  is  this  day  at  north 
east  and  the  wether  coole.  If  you  read,  write  mee  word  who 
were  there  present,  as  well  as  you  can  obserue  or  remember, 
with  any  other  things  considerable.  I  perceaue  Mr.  F.  B. 
is  still  writing  to  render  himself  considerable,  knowne  and 
taken  notice  of,  and  so  aduance  into  practise.  Butt  I  pre- 
vol.  r.  R 


242  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

sume  the  censors  found  him  imperfect  in  what  hee  pretends 
vnto  ;  self  conceit  and  confidence  deludes  a  great  number  of 
men,  who  notwithstanding  by  boldnesse  and  forwardnesse 
and  great  words  among  those  who  vnderstand  nothing,  make 
a  shift  to  bustle  through  and  gett  money,  and  thinck  highly 
of  themselves,  though  the  knowing  world  find  them  empty, 
and  haue  butt  a  mean  opinion  of  them.  I  perceaue  my 
daughter  and  sonne  Fairfax  are  like  to  bee  at  London  the 
next  weeke,  God  preserue  them  in  health.  Hazard  not  your 
owne  health  by  any  intemperance  with  H.  F.  for  men  who 
must  haue  drinck  and  company  are  content  with  any,  and  are 
litle  obliged  by  compliance  or  ioynt  intemperance,  at  least  tis 
soone  forgott,  and  tis  the  greatest  friendship  that  can  bee 
testified  to  dehort  them  from  excesse,  which  destroyes  them- 
selues  at  last,  and  their  children  before.  They  say  this  is 
the  richest  parliament  that  hath  been  a  long  time,  and  are 
the  more  concerned  in  the  welfare  of  their  countrey.  They 
seeme  prettie  stiffe  and  resolute.  God  endowe  them  with 
prudence  and  moderation  where  it  is  required.  Tom  pre- 
sents his  duty :  a  gentleman  at  our  election  asked  Tom  who 
hee  was  for?  and  hee  answered  for  all  four.  The  gentle- 
man replyed,  that  hee  answered  like  a  physitian's  sonne.  I 
am  glad  Mr.  Stoakes  is  like  to  recouer :  perhaps  hee  was 
wounded  in  a  duel],  tis  hard  to  knowe  the  way  and  what 
parts  the  sword  passed  and  what  parts  were  wounded.  Loue 
and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 

Your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

If  the  Norfolk  feast  bee  kept  this  yeare,  it  will  be  allmost 
time  to  looke  after  venison.  Sir  John  Hobart  will  bee  in 
London,  and  is  acquainted  about  London,  and  my  wife  shall 
write  to  my  lady  to  gett  warrant  thereabout,  where  by  the 
way  I  hope  my  daughter  and  yourself  returned  the  visit  to 
my  lady. 

There  are  diuers  parks  about  Shiplake,  perhaps  my  cosen 
Buck,  or  my  sonne  Fairfax,  or  daughter,  may  do  something. 
Twere  good  to  have  a  timely  resolution  of  the  company, 
whether  there  will  bee  any  feast  kept  or  no.     There  will  bee 


1679.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  243 

the  more  charge  because  there  is  no  French  wine,  and  so  the 
feast  may  bee  the  better  omitted. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Wednesday,  May  22nd,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

God  send  my  L.  Bruce  "  happy  successe  in  his 
journey.  I  am  glad  you  have  the  opportunity  to  revive  your 
forrayne  acquaintance ;  for  which  an  ingenuous  man  would 
embrace  every  opportunity,  and  take  it  as  a  great  content- 
ment to  communicate  with  persons  of  merit.  Aken,  I  think, 
is  not  in  the  French  hands  this  warre ;  butt  I  beleeve  my  L. 
must  ask  the  French  leave  to  come  unto  it.  Tis  doubtfull, 
I  perceave,  whether  there  will  bee  a  Norfolk  feast  this  yeare; 
however,  if  there  should  bee  any,  I  am  glad  you  are  in  so 
good  a  way  for  venison.  The  chirurgeons,  in  equity  should, 
meethincks,  in  some  measure  gratifle  you,  though  you  did 
not  read;3  having  made  you  prepare  for  the  same,  and  you 
having  been  taken  up  with  preparing  bodyes  in  order  thereto. 
I  am  glad  you  are  so  well  acquainted  with  Dr.  Millington ; 
hee  seemes  to  bee  a  person  of  worth  and  good  parts ;  and 
Dr.  Lower  dedicated  his  booke  "  De  Corde "  unto  him. 
Tis  good  to  take  notice,  wherein  men  excell,  and  to  rayse  ex- 
amples of  imitation  from  the  same,  as  farre  as  every  man's  ge- 
nius and  proper  Minerva  will  enable.  Hee  that  buildeth 
himself  up,  by  the  modell  of  the  best  parts  of  men,  is  like  to 
become  no  ordinary  man.  Wee  have  litle  or  no  clarett  or 
white  wine  commonly  vendible,  butt  wee  have  syder  and 
Rhenish  wine  and  Spanish  wines,  so  that  we  can  make  a  shift 
to  subsist  without  French  wine.  I  most  feare  the  want  of 
vineger,  which  wee  cannot  bee  without ;  whether  wee  may 
supply  the  want  thereof  by  sack  vineger,  I  knowe  not,  butt  I 

2  Thomas,  Lord  Bruce,  afterwards  Earl  of  Aylesbury.     He  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Henry,  Lord  Beauchamp. 

3  The  college  had  determined  not  to  have  a  lecture  this  Spring,  as  appears  from 
a  letter,  which  has  been  omitted,  as  containing  nothing  besides  but  a  medical  case. 

R  2 


244  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

have  tasted  some  thereof  very  bresk ;  and  I  once  steeped 
elder  flowers  in  sack,  and  in  time  it  became  strong  vineger. 
I  should  think  that  Rhenish  wine  should  make  good  vineger, 
and  probably  you  eat  thereof  in  Germany,  especially  where 
the  wines  are  common ;  and  perhaps  in  Hungary,  they  have 
the  vineger  of  their  owne  wines  ;  and  though  the  Turks 
drinck  not  wine,  yet  they  make  use  of  vineger,  for  pickles  and 
sawces.  Verjuice  well  made  may  supply  the  defect  of  vineger, 
and  one  yeare  I  tooke  the  grapes  of  a  vine  which  afforded 
butt  a  sower  grape,  and  such  as  ripend  not,  and  putt  the 
juice  thereof  into  a  runlett,  and  it  fermented,  and  became  a 
brisk  strong  verjuice,  farre  exceeding  that  which  is  made  of 
crabbs.     I  hope  you  are  all  in  health.     God  preserve  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Hydrosaccharum  and    hydromel,  which  may  be  made  to 
what  temper  wee  please,  may  bee  usefull. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in   Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

May  28th,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Your  account  was  good  of  Toothanage,  Tincall, 
and  the  fine  Japan  copper ;  of  Sebets  you  will  scarce  gett  any 
account,  for  Mr.  Pierce  told  mee  it  was  seldome  sent  into 
England,  and  I  thinck  hee  sayd  that  it  came  from  Arabia,  or 
about  Balsara,  and  it  was  sent  back  agayne.  I  have  sent  you 
by  Mrs.  Alice  Peirce,  a  skinne  of  the  palme  of  a  woemans 
hand,  cast  of  at  the  end  of  a  fever,  or  in  the  declination  there- 
of; I  called  it  exuvium  palmce  muliebris,  the  Latin  word  being 
exuvia  in  the  plurall,  butt  I  named  it  exuvium,  or  exuvia  in 
the  singular  number.  It  is  neat  and  worthy  to  bee  showne 
when  you  speake  of  the  skinne.  Snakes  and  lizards  and  di- 
vers insects  cast  their  skinnes,  and  they  are  very  neat  ones  ; 


1679.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  245 

men  also  in  some  diseases,  by  peeces,  butt  I  have  not  mett 
with  any  so  neat  as  this ;  a  palmister  might  read  a  lecture  of 
it;  the  whole  soules  of  the  feet  came  of,  and  I  have  one.  I 
mett  with  Mrs.  Arrowesmith,  who  tells  mee  her  sonne  went 
with  my  lord  Bruce.  Shee  desired  me  to  write  unto  you, 
that  whenever  you  heard  of  or  from  him,  you  would  send  me 
word,  that  I  might  informe  her  of  his  health,  and  when  you 
thought  hee  would  returne,  and  any  occurrences  you  receave. 
It  had  been  well  if  my  lord  had  carryed  your  last  booke  with 
him,  for  it  might  have  been  very  beneficiall  in  their  travells ; 
your  booke  speaking  so  particularly  of  many  remarkables  of 
those  parts.  Mr.  Arrowesmith's  mother  lives  ten  miles  of; 
butt  his  sister  liveth  in  Norwich,  at  a  howse  in  the  hospitall 
yard.  Remember  mee  to  Dr.  Short.  I  hope  hee  will  find 
some  way  to  staye  in  London  this  second  time.  Wee  expect 
Mr.  Deane  this  night  at  Norwich.  I  perceave  my  daughter 
Fairfax  will  staye  butt  a  small  time  in  London.  God  blesse 
them  all,  my  service  to  Madame  Barker,  my  cosens  Cradock 
and  cosens  Hobbes.  Madame  Crofts,  your  constant  patient, 
who  now  liveth  in  Hereford,  sent  unto  mee  yesturday  by 
Mrs.  Pierce,  about  couching  a  cataract  in  her  eye.  I  thinck 
shee  is  76  or  7  yeares  of  age,  and,  though  shee  hath  no  other 
way  to  afford  her  a  litle  help,  yett  I  doubt  shee  will  have  butt 
a  very  dimme  sight  after  it,  if  the  operation  should  succeed, 
which  she  hopes  for,  by  a  person  of  that  countrie  practicall  in 
that  way.  I  sawe  a  woeman  of  80  yeares,  while  the  cataract 
was  couched  in  both  eyes,  and  shee  had  a  dimme  sight  for  a 
yeare  after,  till  shee  dyed  ;  it  was  done  by  Vanderlas.  The 
ignorance  of  chirurgeons,  as  to  chirurgecall  operations,  creates 
so  many  mountebanck  and  stage  quacksalvers.  Heere  hath 
been  a  mountebanck  these  2  moneths,  who  cutts  for  wrye 
necks,  coucheth  cataracts,  cures  hare  lipps,  &c.  wherin  no 
chirurgeon  of  this  place  being  versed,  hee  hath  had  a  great 
deal  of  employment,  to  the  shame  of  our  chirurgeons.  Tom 
presents  his  duty.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


246  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

May  29,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Mr.  Alderman  Wisse  went  this  day  to  London,  with 
his  wife,  whose  brother,  Mr.  Utting,  keeps  the  Green  Dragon, 
at  Bishopsgate.  By  him  I  sent  a  letter,  and  a  small  box,  and 
therein  an  East  India  drugge  called  sebets  or  zebets  or 
cussum  sebets.5  It  was  brought  from  the  East  Indies  by  order 
from  Mr.  Tho.  Peirce,  who  hveth  near  Norwich,  1663,  who 
gave  mee  some  divers  yeares  agoe.  Hee  sayth  that  there  was 
considerable  quantitie  brought  into  England  ;  butt  not  being 
a  good  commodity,  it  was  sent  back  agayne;  butt  he  reserved 
a  box  full,  whereof  these  I  send  were  a  part,  hee  sayth  they 
in  those  countries  thicken  broath  with  it,  and  it  serveth  to 
make  gellies.  I  never  tried  it  nor  knowe  whether  it  bee 
wholsome,  for  they  looke  a  little  like  Ahouai  Theveti,  or 
Indian  Morris  Bells,  in  Gerard  or  Johnson's  herball,  which 
are  sayd  to  bee  poysonous.  I  send  them  unto  you  because 
you  being  acquainted  with  many  of  the  East  India  company, 
you  may  enquire  about  it  and  satisfie  yourself  as  well  as  you 
can,  for  perhaps  few  knowe  it,  and  'tis  good  to  knowe  all  kinds 
of  druggs  and  simples.  In  the  list  of  commodities  brought 
over  from  the  East  Indies,  1678,  I  find  among  the  druggs 
Tincal  and  Toothanage,6  set  downe  thus  ;  105920  Tooth- 
anage,  49610  Tincal.  Enquire  also  what  these  are,  and  may 
gett  a  sample  of  them.  Tom's  cuppe  was  all  this  while  at 
Mr.  Beecroft  the  caryar's  warehouse,  who  sent  it  to  us  on 
Saturday  last,  and  'tis  indeed  a  very  prettie  one,  and  Tom 
sends  his  duty  and  thancks. 

Mr.  John  Jaye,  our  high  sherifFe,  was  sent  for  by  the 
Howse  of  Commons,  for  not  sending  the  writts  or  writings, 
certifying  those  who  were  elected  in  good  time  ;  butt  hee  fell 
sick,  before  the  pursuivant  came  in  Norwich,  of  a  fever,  and 

5  Probably  satep,  the  roots   of  orchis,  which  renders  water  very  thick  and  gela- 
tinous, and  is  imported  threaded  on  strings,  not  unlike  one  of  the  figures  here  re- 
ferred to.      It  has  never  been  much  used  in  England. — Note  by  Mr.  Gray. 
6  Tutenague,  called  in  this  country  zinc. — Gray. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  247 

so  the  pursivant  was  fayne  to  returne  this  daye  or  yesterday, 
with  a  certificate  of  his  inability  to  take  such  a  journey,  and 
a  promise  that  when  hee  shall  bee  able,  hee  will  bee  ready  to 
come  up,  if  they  thinck  fitt,  butt  Sir  John  Hobart  and  Sir 
Neville  Catelyn  are  now  admitted  into  the  howse,  and  proba- 
bly hee  will  hear  no  more  of  it.  I  do  not  yet  heare  that  Mr. 
Verdon  and  Dr.  Hylliard  are  discharged.7  Mrs.  Verdon 
went  to  London,  to  have  her  sonne  touched ;  if  you  see  her, 
remember  my  service.  She  was  very  earnest  to  have  her 
litle  sonne  touched,  being  very  hard  to  admit  of  medicines. 
I  hope  my  cosen  Barker,  my  daughters,  and  you  all  are  well. 
God  blesse  you  all.  Wee  are  under  a  great  drought  heere 
and  want  rayne  very  much ;  God  help  us. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  service  to  Mr.  Deane  and  his  lady,  and  to  Mr.  Dob- 
bins, when  you  see  him ;  my  cosens  Cradock,  cosens  Hobbs, 
and  all  our  friends.  Write  your  letters  at  the  best  advantage, 
and  not  when  the  post  is  ready  to  go.  Wee  heare  a  noyse  of 
the  poysoners  in  France,8  butt  do  not  well  apprehend  it,  wee, 
who  imitate  the  French  in  their  worse  qualities,  may  not  un- 
likely follow  them  in  that. 

DEAR    SISTER    FAIRFAX, 

I  must  desire  you  to  put  a  frame  and  glas  to  the 
pictur,  for  Mr.  Flatman — a  very  good  one  ;  I  forgot  it  in  my 
last :  I  think  both  are  of  a  size.  If  you  could  help  me  to  a 
good  bunch  of  gittarre  strings,  I  should  be  glad.  I  hear  the 
Italian  coock  is  dead.  I  am  not  so  good  as  my  word;  I 
thought  I  had  nothing  to  bey,  but  I  hope  you  pardon  it. 

These   for   Dr.    Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,    London, 

7  They  were  summoned  to  the  house  on  the  subject  of  the  Norfolk  election. 

8  This  seems  to  refer  to  the  marchioness  of  Brinoilliers  who  was  beheaded,  and 
her  body  burned  to  ashes,  17  July,  1*576,  for  poisoning  her  father,  two  brothers, 
and  divers  other  persons,  in  conjunction  with  one  Sainte-Croix.  This  affair  making 
a  great  noise,  and  the  public  mind  being  apprehensive  of  the  practice  of  poisoning 
being  common,  a  court  was  established  at  Paris,  in  1679,  under  the  name  of  La 
Chambre  ardente,  for  the  trial  of  these  offenders ;  but  it  is  said  that  this  was  only 
a  political  manoeuvre  to  throw  an  odium  on  the  enemies  of  the  court. — Gray. 


248  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[ms.  sloan.  1847.] 

June  9,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  beleeve  about  this  time  my  cosens  Barker  and 
Nancy  are  returning  into  the  country ;  I  pray  God  go  with 
them  and  preserve  them.  There  is  a  pill  used  in  London, 
and  I  have  seene  it  used  heere,  commonly  called  Mathewes 
pill,  and  by  some  Mathias  his  pill;  the  dosis  is  ordinarily, 
gr.  8 ;  about  15  years  agoe  one  brought  mee  a  recipe  thereof, 
R.  Opii  3hi.  Sal.  Tartari  3fi.  Sal.  Absynthii  Mithridatii 
5iii.  Hellebori  Nigri  5h\  Hellebori  Albi  |v.  Spica  Ind.  Sm\ 
Sp.  de  Germanis  5h\  Sp.  Terebinth.  3ii.  some  use  Sp.  Junip. 
This  is  very  like,  but  not  altogether  the  same  which  is  now 
used  ;  therefore  I  desire  you  to  take  care  to  send  the  true 
and  used  receipt,  though  probably  I  shall  make  litle  or  no 
use  thereof:  'tis  an  odde  composition.  I  have  heard  that 
Dr.  Willis  tooke  it  in  his  last  sicknesse,  hee  speakes  of  it  in 
Pharmaceut.  Rationalis,  page  321.  I  have  heard  that  some 
leave  out  the  Hellebores,  you  may  gett  the  most  practised 
recept.  The  masse  hath  a  prettie  good  smell,  which  may 
proceed  from  the  Ol.  Terebinth.  Spica  Indie,  et  Sp.  de 
Germanis,  some  say  that  if  the  Hellebores  bee  left  out  it 
doth  not  do  so  well.  There  was  a  preparation  call'd  Sulphur 
Martis,  and  formerly  I  have  often  used  it,  butt  for  some 
yeares  have  not  had  it,  nor  knowe  who  prepares  it ;  it  was  in 
one  of  the  chymicall  bookes  you  brought  from  Paris,  in  oc- 
tavo, I  meane  not  Glacier  butt  another,  who  lived  then  in 
Paris.     God  blesse  you  all.     Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEAR    DAUGHTER, 

I  sent  a  latter  to  your  sister  Farefax,  the  last  weeke, 
abought  my  cossen  Tenoson's  things,  with  a  bill  for  20  pounds, 
15  for  her  and  5  for  us.  I  hope  it  came  safe  to  your  hands, 
I  should  have  sent  you  this  day  a  bill  for  6  pounds  for  Mrs. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  249 

Mary  Mires,  but  I  could  not  gett  in,  but  by  the  next  post  I 
shall ;  the  meane  time  I  must  tell  you  what  it  is  wee  desire  you 
to  bey  for  her.  A  manto  gown  and  5  yards  of  sage-coulard 
satten,  not  the  best,  you  may  know  bey  the  price,  but  if  this 
be  not  innufe,  what  you  ade  more  she  will  be  willing  to  alow. 
Sum  othar  thing,  I  thinke,  will  dooe  batter  then  that  which 
Frankes  is  of;  I  wish  that  had  some  colors  in  it,  for  the 
goold  att  a  litle  distance,  goos  but  for  buf-colard  silke.  I 
pray  latt  us  have  this  as  soone  as  you  can  conveanantly.  If 
it  be  to  be  had  at  my  cossen  Cradock's,  bey  it  thar ;  if  not, 
whar  you  please.  I  hope  you  thinke  of  Tomey  briches, 
against  the  assise  ;  for  wee  shall  bee  out  of  all  manar  of 
lyning  by  that  time,  that  is  to  be  worne  with  cotts.  He 
growes  a  beawx  tall  boy,  and  will  be  much  a  man.    Wee  have 

hat my  lord  Maidston  have  had  in  very from 

London 

These  for  Dr.    Edward   Browne,  in   Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

June  xi,  [1679.] 
You  say  your  booke  is  like  to  bee  re-printed,  probably 
the  first  part,  not  the  second,  which  was  printed  since 
some  additions  would  bee  made.  I  writt  one  to  you  concern- 
ing Hippocrates,  that  hee  practised  in  Thessalie,  and  menti- 
ons diuers  particulars  of  Larissa ;  and  therefore  tooke  out 
that  paper,  and  if  you  haue  lost  it,  giue  mee  notice,  for  that 
is  a  materiall  obseruation  especially  unto  physitians  and 
schollars. 

Tis  an  odde  passage  concerning  the  French  kings  getting 
Sauoy  and  Piedmont  into  his  hand  for  money,  and  will  con- 
cerne  many  states  and  make  them  looke  about  them.  Though 
hee  had  a  good  army,  yet  tis  thought  hee  hath  preuayled 
much  by  his  money  in  all  the  wane  and  current  of  his 
affayres. 


250  -  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679- 

This  rising  in  Scotland  falls  out  unhappily  att  this  time. 
Many  may  wish  that  the  parliament  were  setting,  butt  some 
jealous  people  will  thinck  that  this  may  rather  hinder  their 
sitting. 

I  am  glad  the  buisinesse  succeeded  so  well  at  Halstead,  in 
Kent.  Miles  about  London  are  short,  and  4  horses  go  farre 
in  a  summers  daye.  Sir  Joseph  Ash  whose  daughter  my  lord 
Townshend  maryed,  is  a  parliament  man,  butt  of  the  west 
country  and  about  Bristowe.  I  knewe  well  one  Mr.  Abraham 
i\.she,  who  was  a  Russia  marchant,  who  dyed  neere  xxx 
yeares  since.  Perhaps  hee  might  bee  related  unto  this  fami- 
lie.  It  was  a  good  rencounter  to  meet  with  Mr.  Ash,  who  had 
trauelled  in  those  parts  which  you  haue  discribed,  and  if  hee 
had  read  them  might  haue  been  some  light  and  information  unto 
them.  Mr.  Soames  may  bee  re-called  from  Turine,  since  the 
prince  is  dealing  with  the  French  about  it.  Haue  a  care  of 
your  health  this  hott  season.  Tom  presents  his  duty.  Loue 
and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  28,  [1679?] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  heard  that  some  shipps  passed  by  Yarmouth, 
with  souldiers  in  them  for  Scotland,  six  or  seven  dayes  past, 
and  the  coffie  and  common  news  letters  tell  us  something  of 
the  rebellion  in  Scotland,  butt  I  think  very  imperfectly.  A 
litle  more  time  will  better  informe  vis  of  that  buisinesse ;  and 
they  are  like  to  bee  more  effectually  dealt  with  and  brought 
to  reason,  by  the  English  forces,  when  there  shall  bee  a  suf- 
ficient number  of  them  in  Scotland ;  for  the  rebells  hope,  and 
others  doubt,  whether  those  of  their  nation  will  fight  heartily 
agaynst  them ;  for  tis  sayd  there  are  more  discontented  in 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  251 

Scotland  than  those  in  amies.  So  that  this  may  bee  a  coal 
not  so  soon  quenched ;  though  it  was  begun  by  the  lowest 
sects,  yet  the  Scots  are  very  tenacious  of  the  Protestant 
religion,  and  have  entertained  feares  and  jealousies  of  des- 
signes  to  introduce  the  Roman,  from  their  observation  of  the 
afFayres  in  England ;  and  are  not  like  to  bee  quieted  long, 
without  a  parliament.  And  if  that  should  bee  broake  of 
to  their  discontent,  they  would  bee  contriving  agayne,  and 
the  English  parliments  would  bee  butt  cold  in  suppressing 
them.  When  the  duke  of  Monmouth  giveth  a  further 
account,  wee  may  see  farther  into  the  buisinesse.  When 
the  wether  proves  cold  and  fitt  for  dissections  if  you  have 
opportunity,  take  notice  of  a  beare  ;  tis  commonly  sayd  that 
a  beare  hath  no  breast  bone,  and  that  hee  cannot  well  runne 
downe  a  hill,  his  heart  will  so  come  up  toward  his  throat. 
Examine  therefore  the  pectorall  parts,  and  endeavour  to  find 
out  the  ground  of  such  an  opinion  at  opportunity.  I  once 
dissected  a  beare  which  dyed  in  Norwich,  and  I  have  the 
lower  jaw  and  teeth  ;  tis  a  strong  animal,  hath  notable  sinewes 
and  teeth. 

This  day  one  came  to  showe  mee  a  booke  and  to  sell  it ;  it 
was  a  hortus  hy emails,  in  a  booke,  made  at  Padua,  butt  I 
had  seen  it  above  thirtie  years  ago,  and  it  containes  not 
many  plants.  You  had  a  very  good  one  or  two  if  you  have 
not  parted  with  them.  Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter 
Browne  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

DEARE  DAUGHTER, 

I  have  received  all  the  things,  to  the  great  content 
of  the  owners,  who  returne  you  many  thankes.  Thay  ar 
indeed  very  well  chose  things  of  all  sorts :  and  I  give  you 
many  thanks  for  the  troble  you  have  had  with  them :  I  sent 
you  Tomey's  scurt  and  long  slevs  of  his  ould  cott ;  I  hope  you 
have  them.  On  Mr.  Felden  it  semes  took  it  last  Wadins- 
day,  and  sayd  hee  would  deliver  it  him  selfe.  Wee  dayly 
wish  for  the  new  cloths  ;  all  our  linen  being  worne  out  but 
shefts,  and  Tomey  would  give  all  his  stock  to  see  his  briches. 


252  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

I  bless  God  wee  ar  all  well  as  I  hope  you  ar.     Tomey  pre- 
sents his  dutty,  your  sisters  all  love  and  services. 
Your  affectinate  mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  Salisbury  Court,   next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

July  4,  [1679.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Tis  somewhat  unreasonable  to  have  an  anatomie 
lecture  at  this  time  of  the  yeare,  and  I  scarce  beleeve  the 
assistants  will  persist  in  their  resolution ;  however  it  is  good 
to  be  readie  and  prepared,  if  they  must  needs  have  one :  it 
were  better  in  Michaelmas  terme.  I  have  not  heard  a  long 
time  any  thing  concerning,  or  from  the  R.  S.  That  which 
you  mention  of  Monsier  Papin9  would  bee  farther  enquired 
into  and  the  way  of  it,  may-bee,  how  it  is  performed,  for  it 
may  bee  usefull.  There  was  one  Papin,  a  Frenchman,  who 
wrote  De  pulvere  sympathetica  about  20  years  ago.1  You 
say  the  bones  are  softened  without  any  liquor,  that  is,  as  I 
understand,  without  beeing  infused  or  boyled  in  any  liquor, 
and  therefore  I  suspect  it  must  bee  effected  by  humid  exha- 
lation or  vapour,  by  being  suspended  or  placed  in  the  vapour, 
so  that  it  may  act  upon  the  body  to  bee  mollified.  According 
to  such  a  kind  of  way  as  in  that  which  is  called,  the  philoso- 
phical! calcination  of  hartshorne,  made  by  the  steeme  of  water, 
which  makes  the  hartshorne  white  and  soft,  and  easily  pul- 
verisable ;  and  it  is  to  bee  had  at  some  apothecaries  and 
chymists;  and  whether  a  fish  boyled  in  the  steeme  of  water 

9  Papin  exhibited  to  the  Royal  Society,  on  the  22d  May,  1679,  bones  softened 
by  a  new  method.  He  afterwards  published  a  work  on  the  subject.  "  The  New 
Digester;  or  the  Engine  for  the  softening  of  bones,  by  Denys  Papin,  F.R.S."  4to. 
Loud.  1681.  Evelyn  (in  his  Diary,  by  Bray,  vol  i,  542)  has  given  an  amusing 
account  of  a  most  philosophical  supper  of  flesh  and  fish,  cooked  in  M.  Papin's 
digestors. 

1  Nicholas  Papin,  father  of  the  preceding,  who  wrote  "  La  Poudre  de  Sympathie 
defendue  contre  les  objections  de  M.  Cattier."  8vo.  Paris,  1651. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  253 

will  not  have  the  bones  soft,  I  have  not  tried.  Whether  hee 
useth  playne  water  or  any  other,  mixed  or  compounded,  any 
spirituous  steeme,  wee  are  yet  to  learne.  The  steeme  of 
common  water  is  very  piercing  and  active,  the  steemes  in 
baths  likewise,  and  also  the  fume  of  sulphur.  You  have 
seen  a  sweating  tubbe  of  myne  whereof  the  figure  is  in 
Loselius  "  De  Podagra,"  a  booke  in  duodecimo ;  wherein 
the  steeme  of  the  water  doth  all,  as  in  some  the  steeme  of 
aqua  vitce.  Write  agayne  of  Papin's  farther  experiments. 
My  service  to  Dr.  Grewe.  The  large  egge  with  another 
lesser  within  it  was  a  swann's  egge  which  I  sent  divers  yeares 
past  unto  the  Royal  Societie.  I  had  before  met  with  an 
egge  within  an  egge,  as  in  hennes  egges  and  turkey's  egges. 
I  kept  any  I  found  in  that  kind,  in  a  box  inscribed  ovula  in 
ovis.  At  last  I  met  with  a  swan's  egge  of  that  kind,  which 
I  presented  unto  the  R.  Societie,  having  never  before  nor 
since  mett  with  another  from  a  swanne.  Tom  presents  his 
duty.  Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne.  Wee 
can  hardly  avoyd  troubling  her,  from  the  importunity  of 
friends,  to  buy  things  in  London.  Little  Susan,  I  beleeve 
is  returned  out  of  the  country.  Wee  cannot  have  a  bill  from 
Mr.  Briggs  before  Monday,  when,  God  willing,  it  will  be  sent. 
Yesterday  was  a  fayre  butt  windy  day,  a  fire  beginning  at 
a  dyer's  howse  in  Dearham,  a  markett  towne,  the  greatest 
part  of  the  towne  was  burnt  downe. 

GOOD  DAUGHTER, 

I  must  troble  you  once  more  abought  my  cossen 
Tenoson.  She  would  macke  a  manto  gown  of  the  grene  and 
whight  silke  you  sent  down  for  a  peticot,  but  she  wants  two 
yards,  and  as  much  slit  grene  sarsinat  as  will  line  it  in  sight. 
I  pray  send  nurs  to  gett  it  and  lett  mee  know  what  it  com 
to,  and  I  will  send  you  the  mony.  I  sayes  my  cossen  Cra- 
dock  might  send  it  to  me  by  the  choch  for  she  would  have  it 
as  sonne  as  possible.  I  bless  God  wee  ar  all  in  helth,  and 
Tomey  much  longing  for  his  briches. 

Your  afFectinat  mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  Salisbury  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


254<  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

July  5,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  received  yours,  for  which  I  thanck  you.  Mr. 
Payne  tells  mee  that  Madame  Doughtie  his  daughter  is  gone 
or  going  unto  Tunbridge,  and  sayth  shee  is  much  obliged 
to  you  for  your  kind  and  faithfull  respects  unto  them.  Shee 
is  a  good  woeman  butt  fearfull  and  dubious,  and  hee  a  good 
ingenous  gentleman  and  hath  a  good  estate.  I  had  yester- 
day the  dissection  of  a  porpesse  discribed  by  Dr.  Tyson  '■> 
you  knowe  you  were  at  the  dissection  of  a  dolphin  when  Dr. 
Clark  was  here,  your  brother  drewe  a  dolphin  and  a  porpesse 
that  wee  might  see  the  difference  between  them,  which  is 
not  great.  Scaliger  putt  a  difference  in  the  rostrum.  Aris- 
totle sayth  that  a  phocena  or  porpesse  est  rostro  latiore 
colore  ccerideo.  Old  Mr.  Whitefoot  intends  to  bee  in  Lon- 
don the  later  end  of  next  weeke,  and  if  the  Norfolk  feast 
had  held,  would  have  offered  you  a  sermon ;  butt  I  beleeve 
these  times  will  scarce  give  encouragement.  It  raynes  here 
every  day,  and  all  the  meadowes  have  been  under  water 
these  twelve  dayes,  so  that  haye  will  be  a  deere  commodity, 
most  of  the  medowe  haye  fayling.  Madame  Burwell  gave 
mee  a  handsome  medall  of  Sir  Edmund  Bury  Godfrey's 
murder.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

Tomey  have  receved  his  clones,  and  is  much  delighted, 
and  sends  you  and  his  mother  and  grandmother  dutty  and 
thanckes,  and  meanes  to  war  them  carfully. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  Salisbury  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  255 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

[July  7,  1679.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

Perhaps  by  this  time  you  have  inquired  farther  into 
the  art  of  softening  of  bones.  Consider  that  hydrargyr.  soft- 
eneth  nodes  and  takes  of  exostoses :  and  as  I  remember  Rio- 
Ian  saw  the  bones  of  a  dead  body  cereous  or  somewhat  soft 
like  wax,  which  hee  thinkes  was  a  body  infected  with  the 
lues,  butt  I  know  not  whether  mercureall  meanes  had  been 
used.  Quicksylver  brings  gold  into  a  soft  and  pappy  sub- 
stance, by  an  homalgama.  Bones  were  soft  at  first,  and  solids 
have  been  fluid ;  butt  probably  the  artist  only  showeth  the 
experiment  or  quod  sit,  affording  litle  light  how  to  effect  the 
same.  Tis  not  improbable  that  the  king  will  knowe  it,  and 
so  that  it  may  in  time  become  a  common  culinary  practise.  I 
am  not  so  well  contented  that  you  should  bee  putt  to  read 
lectures  at  this  time  of  the  yeare,  butt  if  they  will  insist  upon 
it,  it  cannot  well  bee  hindred.     The  bill  is  enclosed. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

This  bill  taketh  too  long  time  ;  I  will  endeavor  to  take  no 
more  payable  so  long  after. 

I  heare  that  there  are  2  elephants  in  London,  when  you 
have  opportunity  and  leasure  to  see  one,  observe  this  well  and 
safely  what  Julius  Scaliger  sayeth,  Comment  in  Hist.  Animal. 
lib.  2, 

Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 
If  Mr.  Goodall  cometh  our  circuit,  and  next  terme,  wee  shall 
not,  God  willing,  forgett  to  bee  kind  unto  them,  and  wee  shall 
all  bee  glad  to  see  Mr.  Henry.  Mr.  Whitefoot,  I  beleeve,  is 
in  London,  my  cosen  Townshend  comes  out  of  London  this 
day.     You  did  well  to  have  him  at  your  howse. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Ralls,  London. 


256  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

July  xviii,  [1679.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  am  very  glad  and  blesse  God  to  heare  that  you  are 
prettie  well  agayne.  Many  heere  have  had  the  like  trouble, 
especially  such  as  to  satisfie  their  thirst  drincke  inordinately 
in  hot  wether,  or  exceed  in  eating  of  fruits,  or  odde  or  mixed 
dishes,  butt  such  as  ouercome  it  haue  vsually  a  more  confirm- 
ed measure  of  health  after  it.  I  am  sorry  Dr.  M.  was  so 
suspensory,  irresolute,  and  dilatory,  which  is  hardly  auoidable 
in  his  temper,  for  which  I  cannot  butt  pity  him ;  and  being 
otherwise  a  good  matured  person,  men  must  haue  patience 
and  beare  with  him  therein,  and  afford  the  best  content  and 
satisfaction  to  his  doubts  that  may  bee.  Probably  an  apothe- 
cary, with  your  directions  might  haue  suffised,  butt  tis  like 
some  recommended  Mr.  Zwoule  vnto  him,  whose  employ- 
ments will  not  giue  him  self  to  attend  sufficiently,  or  satisfie 
his  feares  and  doubts.  You  must  do  your  best ;  take  the 
more  paynes  to  relieue  a  doubtful  mind,  and  hee  must  also 
haue  the  patience  to  attend  the  longer  in  so  considerable  a 
concerne,  especially  since  hee  hath  lost  time  as  to  the  begin- 
ninge,  and  the  fuller  prosecution  may  proue  his  great  advan- 
tage and  safety ;  and  so,  with  my  seruice,  you  may  tell  him 
from  mee.  I  thinck  I  haue  heard  of  Mr.  Browne,  whom  you 
mention  in  your  letter,  and  in  a  former  letter  from  your  selfe. 
It  seemes  hee  is  one  that  hath  ingenuity  to  his  riches,  and 
such  men  are  to  bee  valued  and  obserued.  Omitt  not  [to]  en- 
quire further  after  Mr.  Papin's  experiment.  I  told  it  to  some 
who  wondred  much  at  it,  and  wishd  mee  to  enquire  further 
of  it,  beside  I  take  litle  pleasure  to  drinck  of  the  waters  of 
knowledge,  instar  canis  ad  Nilum,  as  the  prouerb,  "  a  lick  and 
away,"  if  I  can  help  it.  Some  doubt  whether  the  bones  or 
homes  softened  will  not  returne  unto  their  hardnesse  agayne. 
The  dissolution  of  parliament2 vnexpected  heere. 

2  Prorogued  May  27th;  dissolved  July  12th,  1679. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  257 

Some  thinck  the of  York  is  coming  ouer.     Colonel 

will  be  one  of  our  burgesses,  the  sec 

not  yet  fully  resolued  on.     Mr.  Briggs neth  it  as 

yet.     In  the  county  tis there  will  bee  greater  con- 
tention       For  Thetford,  Sir  Joseph  Williamson, 

Mr.  Harbord  are  like  to  bee  chosen and 

the  same  men  agayne  for  Lynne Turner  and  Mr. 

Taylor.     I  cannot  say  wh they  will  elect  the  same 

agayne a  litle  time  will  afford  coniecture,  po 

they  will  not  much  alter  in  London.     I you  did  not 

reade   lectures   this  hot  season.     .....   blessing   vnto   my 

daughter  Bro and  you  all. 

Your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Tom  is  to  hot,  and  looks  as  though  something  would  breake 
out.  Hee  useth  many  times  to  haue  litle  specks  breake  out 
in  his  face,  which  remayne  for  a  few  dayes. 

Sir  Christ.  Calthorpe  and  Sir  N.  Catelyn,  Sir  John  Hobart 
and  Mr.  Windham  stand  agayne. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Aug.  22,  [1679.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

The  epitaphe  of  Carolus  Clusius,  the  famous  phy- 
sitian  and  hearbalist,  would  not  bee  left  out.  Joseph 
Scaliger,  the  sonne  of  Julius,  was  also  a  very  learned  and 
famous  man,  butt  his  epitaphe  may  probably  bee  too  large, 
and  also  it  may  be  omitted.     God  blesse  you  all ;  from 

Your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Thetford,  Lynne,  Rysing,  haue  chosen  the  same  persons 
agayne ;    wee  are   like   to   do  the  same  in  Norwich.     Yar- 
mouth chose  yesterday  England  and  Huntington.     William 
vol.  i.  s 


258  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Coventry,  who  was  one  before,  not  being  willing  to  bee 
chosen.  Our  day  is  next  Monday.  They  say  Sir  Philip 
Skippon  will  bee  chosen  for  Dunwich,  butt  the  temper  and 
inclination  of  the  nation  will  bee  best  judged  by  the  generall 
choyce  of  knights  of  the  shyres  and  counties. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Sept.  22,  [1679.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

Mr.  B.  the  scrivener  being  so  civill  vnto  you,  it  will 
be  good  prudence  to  preserve  his  friendshippe,  and  to  en- 
crease  it  into  a  closer  unitie,  whereby  you  may  have  a  true 
friend  to  make  bold  with  upon  occasion,  hee  having  such  re- 
lations or  friends,  which  may  do  you  a  pleasure.  And  if  hee 
bee  an  honest  and  courteous  man,  hee  may  bee  worth  your 
conversation.  When  Sir  Leoline  Jenckins  comes  over, 3  I 
doubt  not  butt  you  will  wayt  upon  him,  and  not  let  your  ac- 
quaintance decay  or  slippe  away  for  want  of  maintaining  it. 
I  hope  you  have  by  this  time  received  the  partridges,  for  Mr. 
Saygett  tells  us  that  they  were  left  behind,  and  that  hee  sent 
them  by  his  coache  which  would  bee  at  London  on  first  Sa- 
turday, so  that  you  may  enquire  after  them.  However  wee 
have  provided  another  pott,  which  wee  intend  to  send  by  the 
next  carte,  on  Friday.  God  blesse  you,  my  daughter,  and 
you  all.     Tom,  God  be  thancked,  is  well. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

I  hope  you  have  receaved  the  hare  bones,  which  I  returned 
by  Mr.  Marshall,  of  the  Lamb. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward   Browne,   in  Sali.sburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 

3  He  returned  from  the  Congress  of  Nimeguen  in  August,  1679. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  259 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Octob.  2,  [1679.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

My  daughter  Fairfax  still  complaineth  that  our  let- 
ters to  her  miscarry,  and  that  shee  hath  not  receaved  our 
letters  for  some  weekes.  I  wish  wee  could  tell  where  they 
miscarry ;  the  post  used  to  bee  a  sure  way,  and  wee  direct 
them  to  bee  left  at  one  West,  a  buchers  house,  in  Reading ; 
if  shee  knoweth  any  more  certaine  way,  I  wish  wee  were  ac- 
quainted with  it.  There  goes  also  a  caryar  from  London  to 
Reading,  butt  how  sure  a  way  that  is  wee  knowe  not ;  her 
letters  come  safe  to  Norwich.  I  heard  this  daye  that  there 
was  a  warrant  from  the  counsell,  directed  to  the  baylives  of 
Yarmouth,  to  stoppe  and  apprehend  a  man  for  some  treason- 
ous designes,  butt  what  I  knowe  not;  probably  tis  better 
knowne  in  London.  In  the  newes  letters  last  weeke  there 
was  a  report  of  a  printer,  that  was  in  prison  for  printing  some 
seditious  booke.  Mr.  Man,  a  friend  of  Mrs.  Browne,  of  Col- 
ney,  was  lately  in  Norwich,  and  did  mee  the  favor  to  dyne 
with  mee.  I  presented  my  service  to  madame  Hunt.  His 
majestie  commeth  this  day  to  Newmarkett ;  and  I  shall  have 
occasion  to  write  unto  sirjeant  Knight,  and  send  certificates 
for  the  evill  for  divers.  I  am  sorry  to  heare  that  my  old 
friend  Sir  Alex.  Fraisier  droopes  so  much.  I  heare  that  Dr. 
Briggs  is  going  or  gone  to  live  in  London ;  perhaps  it  might 
bee  better  for  your  affayres  if  hee  went  not  these  two  or  three 
yeares  yet.  I  think  Dr.  Croone  hath  printed  some  booke  of 
the  muscles  ;  whether  a  serious  or  particular  tract  thereof,  or 
bare  enumeration,  as  I  find  in  some  litle  bookes,  I  knowe  not. 
Riolanus  is  esteemed  to  have  done  very  well  on  that  sub- 
ject  

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbuiie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London, 


S  •> 


260  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Octob.  6,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Wee  heare  that  his  majestie  was  to  leave  Newmar- 
ket on  last  Saturday,4  being  desired  to  come  to  London  by 
the  privie  counsell.  Upon  what  occasion  wee  knowe  not, 
butt  most  men  are  well  contented  that  hee  should  not  staye 
at  Newmarket,  so  long  as  it  was  given  out  that  he  intended ; 
for  the  country  is  still  sickly,  the  wether  uncertaine,  and  it 
rayneth  allmost  daylie  ;  so  that  the  cheif  diversions  are  with- 
in doores,  by  cockfiting  and  playes.  The  players  being  so 
numerous  that  they  have  sent  out  acolonie  to  Bury,  of  whom 
a  lady,  who  was  there  at  a  play,  gave  mee  a  very  tragicall  and 
lamentable  description.  That  honest  heartie  gentleman,  Mr. 
Cotterell,  was  on  Saturday  at  my  howse,  who  told  mee  you 
were  with  his  children,  who  were  very  ill ;  when  you  see  his 
lady  present  my  service  unto  her,  hee  came  with  my  lady 
Adams.  There  was  also  Mr.  Colt  who  belongeth  to  prince 
Rupert,  who  sayd  hee  sawe  you  lately,  I  thinck  with  Dr. 
Needham,  also  madame  Prujeane,  who  maryed  Sir  Francis 
Prujeane's  grandson,  and  liveth  at  Hornechurch,  in  Essex, 
ten  miles  from  London  ;  and  others.  Wee  newly  heare  that 
Sir  Robert  Clayton5  is  chosen  L.  maior.  I  heare  that  hee 
and  Mr.  Morrice  have  been  noted  scriveners,  and  gott  great 
estates ;  and  so  Mr.  Browne  may  have  the  neerer  acquaint- 
ance with  them.  Some  scriveners  in  London  gett  great  es- 
tates, butt  when  they  dye  many  have  lost  great  summes  by 
them,  they  having  purchased  estates  with  other  mens  money, 
and  so  ordering  the  matter  that  others  cannot  recover  their 
money.  This  was  observable  in  the  rich  scrivener,  Mr. 
Child,  butt  it  may  bee  good  to  have  friends  who  have  ac- 

*  Evelyn  (Memoirs,  vol.  i,  512)  mentions  the  king  as  then  newly  returned  from 
Newmarket,  Oct.  23rd,  1679. 

5  This  prince  of  citizens,  as  Evelyn  calls  him,  had  served  the  office  of  sheriff  in 
1672,  was  chosen  mayor,  Oct.  1679,  and  represented  the  city  in  the  parliaments  of 
1678,  79,  89,  95,  1700,  1701,  and  1705,  in  which  year  he  died. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  26*1 

quaintance  with  my  L.  maior.  This  day  beginneth  St. 
Fayths  fayre,  the  greatest  in  these  parts  ;  and  Tom  should 
have  had  a  sight  thereof,  butt  that  it  hath  proved  so  very 
raynie  wether.  In  your  travells  you  say  St.  Veit  or  St. 
Fayth,  perhaps  Veit  may  signifie  fayth  in  High  Duch,  butt  St. 
Fayths  day  in  the  almanach,  when  our  fayre  is  kept,  was 
sancta  fides,  a  holy  virgin  of  Agen,  in  France,  unto  whom 
many  churches  were  dedicated ;  as  St.  Fayth  under  St.  Pauls, 
and  others.  I  do  not  at  present  remember  any  churches  well 
beare  the  name  of  Sanctus  Vitus  or  St.  Veit  in  these  parts. 
I  wish  wee  were  now  at  peace  with  the  Algerines  ;  they  are 
now  too  well  provided  to  be  forced  by  us,  and  there  will  bee 
great  number  of  captives  to  be  redeemed,  and  what  care  can 
bee  taken  for  it  is  doubtfull,  considering  all  things.  God 
give  you  health  and  grace  to  serve  him  all  your  dayes.  Loue 
and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne,  and  litle  Susan,  and 
you  all.  I  beleeve  your  troublesome  office  of  censor  is  grow- 
ing now  towards  an  end. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  lord  of  Arundell,  eldest  sonne  to  my  L.  duke  of  Nor- 
folk, when  he  was  at  Norwich,  did,  a  fortnight  past,  give  mee 
a  visit.     Hee  went  to  church  at  Christchurch,  and  was  at 

prayers,  and  sermon,  and  dined  with  Mr.  Bish was 

way  ted  upon  at  his  lodging  by my  L.  duke  hath 

taken  away  all  things  at  the  dukes  palace,  so  hee  was  fayne 
to  take  a  seperate  lodging ;  no  good  correspondence  between 

them  upon  the  account  of  giving  all  the to 

the 6 

These  for  Dr.  Edward   Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 

6  Probably  the  library  and  marbles,  which  the  duke  had  presented  to  the  Royal 
Society  and  the  University  of  Oxford  ;  a  donation  not  unlikely  to  give  umbrage  to 
the  duke's  family. 


262  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679" 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Wednesday,  Octob.  29,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  am  glad  to  understand  that  you  returned  from 
Cobham7  on  Friday,  and  I  hope  my  lady  O'Brian,  and  Sir 
Jos.  Williamson8  are  in  a  way  of  recovery,  though  I  cannott 
butt  conjecture  that  one  or  both  were  very  ill ;  and  perhaps 
of  the  common  distemper,  which  in  many  hath  a  very  long 
declination  and  subject  to  relapses.  This  letter  commeth  by 
my  good  neibours  Mr.  Briggs  9  and  Mrs.  Briggs  his  wife  ; 
shee  hath  an  intention  to  bee  touched  by  his  majestie,  pray 
vewe  the  tumor  on  the  outside  of  her  throat,  which  shee  sayth 
still  groweth  bigger,  and  though  it  bee  not  the  common  evell, 
yet  the  king  toucheth  many  in  the  like  case,  and  therefore 
direct  her  to  some  of  the  king's  chirurgeons.  I  doubt  Dr. 
Knights  is  not  well,  for  I  writt  to  him  when  the  king  was  at 
Newmarkett,  butt  never  heard  any  thing  from  him,  and  I  am 
afrayd  my  honest  friend  Mr.  Pearce  may  go  with  the  duke  to 
Scotland ;  and  if  so,  pray  find  out  some  others,  for  probably 
you  may  bee  acquainted  with  some  who  may  bee  assistant  in 
this  particular.  Remember  my  service  to  my  cosens  Hobbs, 
cosens  Cradock,  and  all  our  friends.  Your  sisters  and  Tom 
had  ill  luck  to  come  when  you  were  so  long  out  of  the  towne, 
and  I  heare  your  sister  Fairfax  will  soone  come  also.  I  doubt 
not  butt  you  will  bee  kind  unto  them  all.  Playne  dyet  and  a 
kinde  wellcome  will  serve  their  turnes.     Love  and  blessing 

7  The  Duke  of  Richmond's  seat. 
S  Sir  Joseph  Williamson  was  keeper  of  the  Paper  Office  at  Whitehall;  in  1665 
he  became  under  secretary  of  state,  and  was  knighted  in  June,  1677.  In  1674  he 
became  secretary  of  state,  which  office  he  held  four  years.  He  represented  Thet- 
ford  and  Rochester  in  several  parliaments.  He  was  first  chosen  president  of  the 
Royal  Society,  Nov.  30,  1677,  and  was  re-elected  in  the  two  following  years.  In 
Dec.  1678,  he  married  Catherine  Obrien,  baroness  Clifton,  widow  of  Henry,  Lord 
Obrien,  sister  and  sole  heiress  to  Charles,  Duke  of  Richmond.  Sir  J.  W.  died 
in  1701. 

9  The  brother  of  Dr.  Briggs.     See  following  letter. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  263 

to  my  daughter  Browne.     With  my  thancks  for  her   care 
and  kindnesse,  I  rest 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Novemb.  3,  [1679.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  would  not  longer  deferre  to  write  unto  you,  as 
hoping  by  this  time  your  buisinesse  at  Cobham  and  long  visits 
are  over ;  and  that  you  may  have  some  time  to  bee  in  Lon- 
don, while  your  sisters  staye  in  London,  which  now  is  not 
like  to  bee  long,  if  it  shall  please  God  to  send  them  health. 
My  cosen  Rotherham,  and  Mr.  Stubbs  of  Trinitie  colledge, 
were  in  Norwich,  and  dined  with  mee  on  Saturday.  They 
spoake  with  a  great  deale  of  kindnesse  and  respect  of  you, 
and  desired  to  have  their  services  presented  with  their  true 
and  heartie  loves.  I  sent  you  a  pretty  opteck  booke,  by  Mr. 
Briggs  ; *  it  may  bee  usefull  and  is  butt  compendious  butt  with 
figures  for  illustration.  I  am  well  content  that  the  yeare  of 
your  censorshippe  is  over,  and  I  hope  you  will  not  have  any 
trowblesome  place  in  the  R.  S.  this  yeare.  I  doubt  not  butt 
you  will  bee  kinde  and  loving  unto  your  guests,  as  my  daugh- 
ter Brown  hath  been ;  a  kinde  and  heartie  reception  will  bee 
more  acceptable  unto  them  then  the  best  table  entertaine. 
Tom  eats  butt  of  playne  and  fewe  sorts  of  meats,  and  is  [in] 
some  action  perpetually,  or  doing  of  something.  I  have  been 
fayne  to  hire  him  to  sitt  still  half  an  hower.  I  am  glad  to 
heare  litle  Susan  is  a  good  girle.  God  blesse  them  both,  and 
you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

'  Ophthalmograph^,  by  W.  Briggs,  M.D.  Svo.  Camb.  1676. 


264  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

My  wife  made  lately  a  pretty  sage  wine,  with  water  and 
sugar  boyled  together,  well  skimmed,  then  infused  bruised 
sage  two  dayes  in  it,  and  wrought  it  up  with  yest,  beat  up 
with  juice  of  lemon,  and  so  keep  it  in  a  vessel  three  weekes, 
then  drawe  it  out  into  bottles,  putting  into  every  bottle  [a] 
peece  of  loaf  sugar ;  and  it  will  keep  about  a  yeare,  butt  may 
beginne  to  drinck  it  in  a  fortnight.  It  may  bee  good  liquor 
for  the  head,  and  you  may  have  the  recipe ;  it  may  bee  also 
made  of  drye  sage. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

Novemb.  vii,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  am  glad  at  last  to  understand  that  you  returned 
about  twelve  dayes  agoe  from  Cobham  hall,  and  that  my 
L.  O.  Bryan  is  come  to  London ;  her  brother  the  duke  of 
Richmond  was  a  good  natured  brisk  man,  and  was  at  my 
howse  twice,  when  hee  came  to  Norwich.  It  is  sayd  also 
that  shee  is  a  fine  courteous  lady.  Sir  Joseph  hath  also  the 
repute  of  [a]  worthy  and  highly  civill  gentleman,  and  is  not 
probably  without  a  good  study  of  bookes  ;  being  now  presi- 
dent of  the  R.  S.  and  having  been  a  student  of  Queens 
Colledg,  in  Oxford,  and  as  a  benefactor,  hath  rebuilt  a  part 
of  that  old  colledge.  I  find  by  your  description,  that  Cob- 
ham  hall  is  a  very  notable  place,  and  few  to  compare  with  it; 
so  that,  in  your  long  staye,  you  might  have  somewhat  within 
or  without  to  divert  you.  The  many  excellent  pictures  must 
needs  bee  recreative ;  the  howse  also  in  St.  James's  square  is 
a  noble  one  and  not  many  exceed  it.  Butt  I  am  exceedingly 
sorry  for  the  death  of  that  worthy  honest  gentleman,  Dr. 
Jaspar  Needhame,2  and  the  colledge  will  have  a  great  losse  of 
him.     Have  a  speciall  care  of  your  owne  health ;  under  the 

2  He  died  Oct.  3,  1679,  aged  57. — Evelyn's  Memoirs,  I,  512. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  265 

providence  and  blessing  of  God,  there  is  nothing  more  like  to 
conserve  you,  and  enable  you  to  go  about,  and  wach,  and  to 
mind  your  patients,  then  temperance  and  a  sober  life.  And 
'tis  not  unlikely  that  some  of  the  Drs.  patients  may  fall  to 
your  share.  Bee  kind  to  Mr.  Austin  Briggs  and  his  wife, 
daughter  to  old  Mr.  Cock  the  miller,  a  good  woeman,  and  a 
lover  of  Tom,  and  our  kind  neibours  both  of  them,  although 
Mr.  Briggs  owne  brother  in  London,  Dr.  Briggs,  may  do 
much  for  them.  All  the  noyse  heere  is  of  the  new  plot,  sett 
up  to  make  nothing  or  litle  of  the  former,  which  I  perceave 
no  contrivance  can  effect.  I  am  sorry  Mr.  Gadbury  is  in 
trouble,3  upon  erecting  of  schemes  and  calculating  nativities, 
and,  as  I  remember,  it  is  high  treason  to  calculate  the  nativi- 
tie  of  the  king,  especially  when  procured  by  ill  designers. 
Service  to  Madame  Burwell,  my  lady  Pettus,  Sir  Will. 
Adams,  and  his  worthy  lady,  who  went  towards  London  yes- 
terday, and  shee  intends  to  call  at  your  bowse  very  soone. 
Remember  mee  to  my  cosens  Cradock,  cosens  Hobbes,  Mr. 
Nathan  Skoltowe,  when  you  see  him,  and  all  our  friends. 
To  my  sonne  Fairfax,  my  daughter  Fairfax,  Betty,  Frank, 
Tom,  and  Sukey.  My  daughter  Fairfax  and  litle  one,"  I  be- 
lieve, is  not  in  London.  God  blesse  you  all,  and  be  loving 
and  kind  together.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne.     Service  to  my 
sister  Whiting,  Mr.  Whiting,  Mr.  Boone,  &c. 

DEARE    DAUGHTER, 

I  thanck  God  for  your  latter,  and  shall  be  so  glad 
to  see  my  Tomey  returne  in  helth  though  ever  so  durty  ;  bee 
knows  fullars  earth  will  cleane  all.  I  besich  God  of  his 
mercy  blesse  you  all.         Your  afFectinat  mothar, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

Thes  for  Docter  Browne,  att  his   hous,  in  Salisbery 
Court,  at  the  Black  Balls,  in  the  Square,   London. 

3  The  celebrated  astrologer,  who  was  apprehended  on  a  charge  of  treasonable 
practices. 


266  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Nov.  17,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  hope  my  good  daughter  Brownes  trouble  is  over, 
and  you  enjoye  your  privacy  agayne.  Betty  having  sent  us 
word  that  they  intended  to  come  away  on  Monday,  and  to 
bee  in  Norwich,  on  Wednesday.  God  send  they  may  bee 
able  to  undertake  the  journey,  being  under  such  coughs. 
And  I  beseech  God  to  send  you  your  owne  health,  and  that 
you  take  a  reasonable  care  for  it,  as  also  my  daughter  Browne, 
who  may  bee  not  a  litle  discomposed  by  the  trouble  and  care 
shee  hath  been  under,  and  may  now  have  leasure  to  looke 
after  litle  Susan.  I  hope  my  lady  O.  Bryan  is  by  this  time  in 
a  good  way  of  recovery  ;  if  shee  falls  not  into  a  quartan  ague, 
as  very  many  do  at  last,  who  have  had  the  common  dis- 
temper ;  but  it  now  growes  late  in  the  yeare,  and  very  fewe 
quartans  take  so  late,  and  rarely  after  the  solstice.  I  have 
knowne  winter  quartans  and  after  the  solstice,  but  they  have 
ended  at  the  spring  and  early ;  vernal  quartans  I  have  knowne, 
butt  they  have  been  short,  and  some  scarce  three  weekes, 
and  therefore,  Hippocrates  truly  sayth,  qtiartance  autumnales 
long.  Many  quartans  this  yeare  beginne  double,  and  some 
surely  treble,  for  I  observe  that  divers  complayne  of  a  quoti- 
dian, or  every  day  ague,  which  at  last  proves  a  quartan  or  third 
ague,  as  they  call  it  heere,  and  so  ether  was  a  treble  quartan 
at  first,  or  degenerated  into  one  after.  When  Hippocrates 
sayth  that  a  quartan  is  the  securest  of  agues,  hee  meanes  a 
legitimate  and  genuine  quartan,  for  of  nothous  and  spurious 
quartans  which  degenerate  out  of  others,  divers  dye,  and 
some  before  Christmas.  Divers  have  allready  fallen  into  ex- 
cessive haemorrhagies,  which  hath  notoriously  abated  the 
fitts,  and  in  a  manner  taken  them  away,  and  have  not  yet 
fallen  into  dropsies,  which  if  it  happens  to  old  men,  they 
seldome  escape  a  pernicious  dropsie.  I  remember  a  yong 
man  in  this  towne  tooke,  by  a  friends  advice,  mercurius  dulcis 
in  a  quartan  of  6  weekes  standing,  without  intention  of  sali- 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  267 

vation,  but  hee  fell  into  it,  for  about  3  weekes,  and  during 
that  time  hee  had  no  fitts,  but  when  that  ceased,  the  ague 
returned  agayne.  I  remember  also  a  woeraan  who,  being 
thirstie  in  a  quartan  ague,  called  for  a  bottle  of  beere  in  the 
windowe  ;  butt  the  servant  in  hast  brought  her  a  bottle  of 
physick  which  stood  in  the  windowe ;  and  shee  dranck  a  good 
draught,  and  vomited  much,  and  black,  and  the  ague  left  her; 
this  was  about  the  spring.  Shee  was  my  brother  Bendish's 
mother,  who  discovered  not  the  error  at  first,  but  vomiting 
such  black  matter,  all  dispayred  of  her.  I  suppose  sir 
Jos.  Williamson  will  bee  chosen  president  agayne.  God 
blesse  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  wifes   cold  is   better,    and   shee   remembers   to   you 
both,  &c. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury   Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Nov.  24,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

The  feverish  and  aguish  distempers,  which  beganne 
to  be  common  in  August,  are  now  very  much  abated,  and  few 
fall  sick  thereof;  only  there  are  very  great  numbers  of  quart- 
ans ;  tis  also  a  coughing  time.  Extraordinarie  sickly  seasons 
woorrie  physitians,  and  robb  them  of  their  health  as  well  as 
their  quiet ;  have  therefore  a  great  care  of  your  health,  and 
order  your  affayres  to  the  best  preservation  thereof  which 
may  bee  by  temperance,  and  sobrietie,  and  a  good  compe- 
tence of  sleepe.  Take  heed  that  tobacco  gayne  not  to  much 
upon  you,  for  the  great  incomodities  that  may  ensue,  and  the 
bewiching  qualitie  of  it,  which  drawes  a  man  to  take  more 
and  more  the  longer  hee  hath  taken  it ;  as  also  the  ructus 
nidorosus,  or  like  burnt  hard  eggs,  and  the  hart  burning 
after  much  taking  at  a  time,  and  also  the  impayring  of  the 


268  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

memorie,  &c.  I  am  glad  you  like  a  playne  dyet ;  affect  butt 
ordinarie  sawces.  I  thanck  you  both  for  the  psoe?  which  I 
desire  to  see,  butt  I  beleeve  it  may  render  the  blood  more  apt 
to  ferment,  and  bee  distemperd,  and  unquiet,  and  our  owne 
sawces  are  best  agreeable  unto  our  bodyes.  There  is  a  book 
in  a  middle  folio,  lately  published  by  Paul  Ricaut,  esqr.  of 
the  lives  of  Morat  or  Amurat  the  fourth,  of  Ibrahim,  and  of 
Mahomet  the  fourth,  present  emperour.  In  this  are  delivered 
the  taking  of  Newhewsell,  the  battail  at  St.  Goddard,  the 
fights  between  count  Souches  and  the  visier  of  Buda,  actions 
of  Nicholas  Serini,  his  burning  the  bridge  of  Esseck,  the 
Grand  Signors  being  at  Larissa,  the  seidge  of  Candia,  &c. 
and  things  acted  in  late  times,  which  might  not  bee  unplea- 
sant unto  yourself  when  you  have  time  to  cast  your  eye  upon 
that  booke.  I  am  glad  you  did  not  read  at  Chirurgeon's  hall, 
last  yeare,  because  thereby  you  are  provided  for  this.  I  am 
sorry  for  the  death  of  your  neibour,  honest  Dr.  Needham. 
I  doubt  hee  thought  himself  still  a  yong  man,  and  so  took 
the  paynes  of  a  yong  man,  and  so  acted  beyond  the  shere  of 
abillity  of  body :  sed  quosdam  "  nimia  congesta  pecania  ciira 
strangidat  .•"  Juvenal.  God  blesse  you,  my  daughter  Browne 
and  you  all.  Present  our  service  and  thancks  to  Mr.  Boone 
and  Mrs.  Boone,  my  cosens  Hobbes,  my  cosen  Cradock, 
Madame  Burwell,  Mrs,  Dey,  and  all  friends. 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  give  you  and  my  good  daughter  many  thankes  for 
your  great  kindnes  to  your  sisters.  They  are  very  sensable 
of  it,  and  Tomey  very  much  ashamed  that  he  behaved  him- 
selfe  no  better,  but  hops  hee  shall  the  next  time,  Hee  is 
now  as  sivell  as  I  can  wish  him,  and  spends  much  of  his  time 
with  grandfather.  I  know  but  on  fault  hee  has,  which  is  for 
his  bouk,  and  that  I  quston  not  but  wee  shull  give  you  sonne 
a  better  account  of.  I  besich  God  of  his  mercy  bless  you  all. 
Your  affectinat  mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward   Browne,  in  Salisbury   Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,    London. 

4  Probably  "soy." — Gray. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  269 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Nov.  28,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  receaved  yours.  I  am  glad  to  heare  wee  have  so 
many  shipps  launched  and  hope  there  may  bee  more  before 
the  spring.  God  send  faythfull,  valiant,  and  sober  command- 
ers, well  experienced  and  carefull ;  above  all,  if  places  bee 
sould  or  given  by  favor  only,  such  virtues  will  concerne  butt 
contingently.  The  French  are  a  sober,  diligent,  and  active 
nation,  and  the  Duch,  though  a  drincking  nation,  yet  managed 
their  warre  [more]  carefully  and  advantageously  then  the 
English,  who  thought  it  sufficient  to  fight  upon  any  termes, 
and  carry  too  many  gentlemen  and  great  persons  to  be  killed 
upon  the  deck,  and  so  encreaseth  the  number  of  the  slayne  and 
blott  their  uictories.  Pray  represent  my  service  to  sir  John 
Hinton  when  you  see  him,  tis  a  long  time  agoe  since  I  had 
the  honour  to  knowe  him  beyond  sea.  Mr.  Norborne  maryed 
sir  Edm.  Bacons  daughter,  who  was  [a]  very  good  lady,  and 
dyed  last  summer,  and  I  thinck  hee  was  a  member  of  the  last 
parliament.  Performe  your  businesse  with  the  best  ease  you 
can,  yet  giving  every  one  sufficient  content.  I  beleeve  my  lady 
O.  Bryan  is  by  this  time  in  better  health  and  safetie ;  though 
hypochond  and  splenitick  persons  are  not  long  from  complayn- 
ing,  yet  they  may  bee  good  patients  and  may  bee  borne  with- 
all,  especially  if  they  bee  good  natured.  A  bill  is  inclosed  ; 
espargnez  nous  aidant  que  vous  pourres,  car  je  suis  age,  et 
aye  beaucop  d'anxiete  et  peene  de  sustenir  ma  famille.  God 
send  my  L.  Bruce  well  in  France  and  well  to  returne,  surely 
travelling  with  so  many  attendants  it  must  bee  a  great  charge 
unto  him.  Dr.  Briggs  wrote  a  letter  to  mee  concerning  the 
bronchocele  of  his  sister  who  was  touched.  Your  mother 
and  sisters  remember  to  you,  and  Tom  presents  his  duty. 
God  blesse  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


270  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Dec.  9,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Wee  are  all  glad  to  understand  that  the  bill  of  mor- 
tallety  decreased  so  much  the  last  weeke ;  for  people  were 
fearefull  that  there  might  bee  somewhat  pestilential  in  the 
disease.  The  sentences  of  Cateline's  conspiracy  were,  I  be- 
leeve,  much  taken  notice  of,  and  were  very  apposite  to  our 
present  affaires.  Wee  understand  the  king  hath  issued  out 
a  proclamation  for  all  papists  or  so  reputed  to  depart  from 
London  ten  miles ;  which  makes  men  conceive  that  the  parli- 
ament will  sitt  at  the  prefixed  time.  I  sawe  the  last  transac- 
tions, or  philosophicall  collections  of  the  R.  S.5  Here  are 
some  things  remarkable,  as  Lewenhoecks  finding  such  a  vast 
number  of  litle  animals  in  the  melt  of  a  cod,  or  the  liquor 

which  runnes  from  it ;  as  also  in  a  pike  or ;  and 

computeth  that  they  much  exceed  the  number  of  men  upon 
the  whole  earth  at  one  time;  though  hee  computes  that  there 
may  bee  thirteen  thousand  millions  of  men  upon  the  whole 
earth,  which  is  very  many.  It  may  bee  worth  your  reading, 
as  also  that  of  the  vast  inundation  which  was  last  yeare  in 
Gascoigne,  by  the  irruption  of  the  waters  out  of  the  Pyrenean 
mountaines ;  as  also  of  a  flying  man,  and  a  shippe  to  sayle  in 
the  ayre,  wherin  here  are  some  ingeneous  discourses;  likewise 
the  damps  in  coale  mines,  and  Lorenzini,  a  Florentine,  con- 
cerning the  torpedo  ;  beside  some  other  astronomicall  obser- 
vations. God  blesse  you  all.  Your  mother  and  sisters  send 
their  respects,  and  Tom  his  duty. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Calls,  London. 

5  See  "  Hooke's  Philosophical  Collections,"  published  in  IfiTi*.  &:c.  in  which  will 
be  found  all  the  subjects  of  which  notice  is  here  taken. 


1679.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  271 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

Dec.  15,  [1679.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Some  thinck  that  great  age  superannuates  persons 
from  the  vse  of  physicall  meanes,  or  that  at  a  hundred  yeares 
of  age  'tis  either  a  folly  or  a  shame  to  vse  meanes  to  Hue 
longer,  and  yet  I  haue  knowne  many  send  to  mee  for  their 
seuerall  troubles  at  a  hundred  yeares  of  age,  and  this  day  a 
poore  woeman  being  a  hundred  and  three  yeares  and  a  weeke 
old  sent  to  mee  to  giue  her  some  ease  of  the  colick.  The 
macrobii  and  long  liuers  which  I  haue  knowne  heere  haue 
been  of  the  meaner  and  poorer  sort  of  people.  Tho.  Parrot 
was  butt  a  meane  or  rather  poore  man.  Your  brother  Tho- 
mas gaue  two  pence  a  weeke  to  John  More,  a  scauenger,  who 
dyed  in  the  hundred  and  second  yeare  of  his  life :  and  'twas 
taken  the  more  notice  of  that  the  father  of  Sir  John  Shawe, 
who  marry ed  my  Lady  Killmorey,  and  liueth  in  London,  I 
say  that  his  father,  who  had  been  a  vintner,  liued  a  hundred 
and  two  yeares,  or  neere  it,  and  dyed  about  a  yeare  agoe. 
God  send  us  to  number  our  dayes  and  fitt  ourselues  for  a 
better  world.  Times  Iooke  troublesomely ;  butt  you  haue  an 
honest  and  peaceable  profession  which  may  employ  you,  and 
discretion  to  guide  your  words  and  actions.  Madame  Peirce 
went  to  London  last  weeke  and  I  beleeve  is  now  there.  God 
send  Mr.  Peirce  still  better  in  health,  and  to  bee  wary  in 
preseruation  of  himselfe,  the  cold  weather  may  be  disadvan- 
tageous vnto  him.  My  seruice  at  your  opportunity  to  them 
both.  I  am  very  glad  that  you  are  prouided  for  chirurgeon's 
hall,  if  there  should  be  any  lecture  this  yeare  which  you  say 
is  yet  vncertaine,  so  that  your  buisinesse  should  continue  or 
encrease,  you  need  not  yet  giue  any  suspicion  of  your  leauing 
that  place.     God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne  and  yourself. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court,  next  the 
Golden  Balls,  these,  London. 


272  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679. 

Sir  Thomas  Broivne  to  Ms  so?i  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Dec.  22,  [1679.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

You  sett  downe  a  plentifull  list  of  good  medicines. 
Lambs-wooll6  in  water  is  also  very  good  where  men's  stomacks 
will  beare  it.  I  remember  Captain  Bacon,  Sir  Edm.  Bacon's 
father,  of  Redgrave,  a  tall  bigge  man,  had  once  such  an  ex- 
cruceating  dysuria,  acrimonia  et  ardor  urines  that  hee  was 
beyond  all  patience;  it  being  at  that  time  of  yeare  when 
peaches  were  in  season,  I  wished  him  to  eat  six  or  seven  peaches, 
butt  before  the  morning  hee  eat  twenty-five,  and  found  extra- 
ordinary relief,  and  his  payne  ceased.  Have  a  care  of  your 
self  this  cold  weather,  wee  are  all  in  snowe,  and  tis  now  a 
proper  time  to  freez  eggs  or  the  galls  of  animals  with  salt  and 
snowe;  as  also-how  blood  of  animals  freez,  and  how  marrow 
in  a  small  bone,  and  whether  it  will  freez  through  the  bone, 
the  bone  being  covered  with  snowe  and  salt,  with  the  like.  I 
am  fayne  to  keep  my  self  warme  by  a  fire  side  this  cold  wea- 
ther. Tom  presents  his  duty,  and  all  their  love  unto  my 
daughter,  yourself,  and  all  friends. 

I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Your  sister  Betty  hath  read  unto  mee  Mr.  Ricaut's  historie 
of  the  three  last  Turkish  emperours,  Morat  or  Amurah  the 
Fourth,  Ibrahim,  and  Mahomet  the  Fourth,  and  is  a  very 
good  historie,  and  a  good  addition  unto  Knolls  his  Turkish 
historie,  which  will  then  make  one  of  the  best  histories  that 
wee  have  in  English. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 

G  Ale  mixed  with  sugar,  nutmeg,  and  the  pulp  of  roasted  apples. 


1679-80.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  273 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS,    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  5,  [1679-80.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Present  my  service  to  Sir  John  Churchman  and  his 
lady.  Sir  John  is  a  discreet  and  sober  person  and  courteous, 
and  his  lady,  though  shee  bee  somewhat  hypochond.  fearefull, 
and  complayning,  is  a  kind  gentlewoman ;  they  have  been  used 
to  apply  unto  some  one  physitian  in  London,  and  not  more,  I 
thinck,  except  upon  very  great  occasion.  Sir  John  hath  an 
estate  within  four  miles  of  Thetford  ;  unto  which  bee  cometh 
every  yeare  about  July,  and  returnes  in  October.  Autumne 
was  twelvemoneth  his  lady  fell  sick  of  the  autumnall  spurious 
ague,  and  I  being  then  within  three  miles,  shee  sent  to  mee,  I 
found  her  weake  and  dispirited,  despondent,  and  even  de- 
spayring  ever  to  go  to  London  agayne ;  butt  I  comforted  her 
to  some  good  satisfaction,  though  I  conceave  shee  did  butt 
half  beleeve  my  predictions  of  her  recovery  in  time.  I  knowe 
not  where  in  London  shee  liveth  ;  remember  mee  also  to  her 
daughter,  who  is  a  sober  and  modest  young  gentlewoeman  ; 
they  had  also  a  sonne  or  two,  butt  young;  the  answering  their 
doubts  doth  give  them  good  content.  Dr.  Jasper  Needham 
hath  showne  himself  a  kind  and  right  honest  gentleman,  and 
you  may  wish  well  unto  his  relations.7  There  was  a  woeman 
or  mayd  in  Suffolk  who  had  a  julking  and  fluctuation  in  her 
chest  and  somewhat  upwardly  :  so  that  when  shee  stood  and 
stroked  her  chest  it  might  be  heard  by  the  standers  by,  and 
I  once  heard  it ;  shee  dyed,  as  I  remember,  about  a  yeare  and 
half  after,  and  in  her  chest  was  found  a  cystis  containing  above 
a  quart,  as  I  take  it,  of  a  matter  like  thick  whaye,  of  this,  Dr. 
Fairfax,  now  of  Woodbridg  gave  an  account  to  the  R.  S. 
about  seven  yeare  past,  and  it  is  printed.8     There  is  a  man  in 

7  He  died  in  the  preceding  November. 

8  Dr.  Nathaniel  Fairfax  sent  a  paper  to  the  Royal  Society,  which  was  published 

in  the  Phil.  Trans.  Nov.  11th,  1667,  under  the  title,  "  Anatomical  Observations  on 

a  Humane  Body,  dead  of  odd  diseases,  as  they  were  communicated  by  Dr.  N.  F." 

The  case  alluded  to  is  that  of  a  young  woman  of  Rumborough,  in  Suffolk,  who  died 

VOL.    I.  T 


274-  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679-80. 

Suffolk  at  this  time  who  hath  the  like  julking  or  fluctuating 
on  the  right  side  as  hee  findeth,  hee  is  about  thirtie  yeares  or 
more,  and  also  troubled  with  a  cough.     About  four  or  five 
weekes  past  Dr.  Carver,  an  honest  physitian  at  Halsworth, 
sent  to  mee;  I  writt  unto  him  that  hee  was  in  extreme  danger, 
and  how  to  releeve  him  I  did  not  see  any  way  so  probable  as 
the  paracentesis  and  letting  out  the  matter,  butt  that  was  also 
anceps  remedium,  especially  if  it  were  included  in  a  thick 
cystis  as  the  woeman's  was,  butt  if  hee  were  in  a  case  to  ad- 
mitt  thereof  it  must  bee  done  by  an  experienced  artist,  and 
able  to  regulate  the  same.     Now  on  Friday  last  I  receaved  a 
letter  from  the  Dr.  agayne  that  the  patient  was  resolved  to 
adventure  upon  that  operation,  and  desired  mee  to  recommend 
a  chirurgion  unto  him,  and  whether  hee  should  not  send  to 
Mr.  Crop,  or  if  hee  were  not  versed  therein  to  send  to  Lon- 
don, and  would  lett  him  heare  from  mee  the  next  Saturday, 
and  that,  in  the  interim,  I  would  write  unto  you  to  informe 
mee  what  chirurgion  you  thinck  were  to  bee  consulted  therein, 
or  who  were  like  to  performe  it,  if  hee  bee  in  case  to  admitt 
thereof,  with  any  hopes  of  successe,  and  therefore  pray  speake 
unto  my  cosen  Hobbes  about  it,  and  any  other  who  you  knowe 
hath  performed  the  like.     I  mentioned  my  cosen  Hobbes  and 
Mr.  Malleins,  now  only  returne  mee  a  few  lines  thereof  for  to 
absolve  my  promise,  though  I  doubt  whether  hee  bee  able  to 
go  to  London,  or  whether  hee  will  bee  found  in  such  a  state 
as  to  admitt  thereof,  butt  if  hee  bee  I  shall  direct  him  unto 
you,  and  that  my  cosen  may  see  him  and  enquire  further.     I 
have  heard  that  my  Lord  of  Shaftsbury9  had  his  side  opend 
upon  an  empyema  or  the  like.    You  may  send  mee  word  only 
at  present  what  chirurgion  I  may  mention  unto  them,  to  give 
some  answer  to  Dr.  Carver's  letter  which  I  may  receave  next 
from  him.     I  have  not  seen  him  for  these  ten  months  at 
Norwich.     Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne  and 
you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

of  the  complaint  described.  She  had  been  attended  by  Dr.  Browne,  "  whose  opi- 
nion was  to  salivate  her."  Dr.  Fairfax  mentions  that  he  had  met  with  the  like  in 
an  Italian  author. 

9  When  he  was  Lord  Ashley. 


1679-80.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  275 

Just  now  I  receaved  a  letter  from  Dr.  Carver  which  makes 
mee  beleeve  hee  will  bee  in  no  case  for  the  operation,  butt 
however  write  something  though  not  much. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[us.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  xiiii,  [1679-80.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

What  Mr.  Ricaut  hath  writt  of  the  Turkish  em- 
peror is  not  a  full  Turkish  history  such  as  Knolls  hath  writt ; 
Knolls  writt  butt  unto  the  life  of  Achmet,  whose  life  makes 
the  conclusion  of  his  work,  butt  in  the  last  edition  there  is  an 
addition  of  the  life  of  Osman,  who  was  killed;  and  of 
Mustapha,  and  of  Morat  or  Amurah  the  fourth,  whose  life 
Mr.  Ricaut  sayth  is  imperfectly  writt,  and,  therefore,  hee 
hath  writt  the  same,  and  as  also  the  life  of  Ibrahim,  and  of 
Mahomet  the  fourth,  and,  I  thinck,  asfarreas  1677.  I  intend 
to  send  the  booke  by  the  next  carts  on  Friday,  and  to  give  it 
you ;  it  is  writt  by  annals  from  yeare  to  yeare.  Mr.  Ricaut 
hath  also  writt  a  booke  of  the  Armenian  and  Greek  Churches.1 
I  perceave  you  are  yet  uncertain  whether  you  shall  read  or 
not,  butt,  however,  bee  provided  ;  because  the  master  is  an 
honest  man,  and  your  friend ;  hee  deserveth  to  have  some 
litle  elogium  or  a  few  lines  to  bee  sayd  of  him,  and  you  may 
find  where  it  may  best  come  in.  I  acquainted  Dr.  Carver,  of 
Halsworth,  with  what  you  sayd  of  the  aperture  of  the  thorax 
last  Saturdaie,  butt  could  not  heare  any  thing  since  ;  however, 
I  presume  it  may  give  satisfaction  that  divers  have  practised 
the  like.  God  blesse  the  affayres  of  the  nation :  men  speake 
generally  heere  that  there  will  be  a  parliament  in  March.2 
Tertian  agues  beginne  to  bee  common,  butt  not  lasting.  I 
remember  you  sayd  that  at  Aldthorpe,  by  Worringbury,  elder 

1  The  Present  State  of  the  Greek  and  Armenian  Churches,  anno  Christi,  1678. 
Lond.  1679,  Svo. 

2  Parliament  had  been  prorogued  from  its  first  meeting,  in  Oct.  1679,  and  was 
suspended  by  successive  prorogations  till  Oct.  1680. 

T  2 


276  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1679-80. 

with  white  berries  was  accounted  a  raritie,  so  it  was  heere  till 
of  late,  now  it  is  planted  in  many  gardens,  and  the  juice 
thereof  makes  an  elder  wine,  and  makes  white  wine  richer  and 
stronger,  and,  I  beleeve,  being  a  noveltie,  it  may  be  much 
used :  one  told  mee  this  day  that  about  six  miles  of,  by  Bur- 
lingham,  there  were  many  common  elders,  among  wch  there 
was  one  with  white  berries,  and  some  sinnce  sett  in  gardens 
and  thrive.  Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne  and 
you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 
Tom  presents  his  duty. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  19,  [1679-80.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Since  I  last  writt  unto  you  I  have  found  out  a  way 
how  you  shall  receave  Ricaut's  historie  without  sending  it  by 
the  carts.  I  have  desired  Mr.  George  Rose,  a  bookseller  in 
this  towne,  to  write  last  Friday  unto  his  correspondent,  Mr. 
Clavell,  stationer  in  London,  at  the  Peacock,  in  St.  Paul's 
churchyard,  that  you  may  have  one  of  those  bookes  of  him 
upon  demand  upon  Mr.  Rose's  account,  for  T  pay  him  heere 
in  Norwich,  at  the  rate  which  hee  selleth  the  booke  heere, 
and  as  soone  as  hee  understands  from  Mr.  Clavell  that  you 
have  receaved  it  I  paye  him  heere.  I  would  not  have  you 
borrowe  it,  because  you  may  have  it  allwayes  by  you  ;  the  life 
of  Mahomet  the  fourth  is  larger  than  all  the  rest,  and  you 
having  seen  the  Grand  Signor  now  raygning,  you  may  do  well 
to  knowe  as  much  of  his  historie  as  you  can.  I  wonder 
whether  Galeazzi  Gualdi  doth  write  still  or  not,  if  hee  bee 
living;3  there  hath  of  late  yeares  been  a  copious  subject  for 
him.     Mr.  Ricaut  hath  also  writt  of  the  present  state  of  the 

3  Count  Galeasso  Gualdo,  an  Italian  historian,  who  died  1678.  His  historical 
works,  which  related  principally  to  the  period  in  which  he  lived,  were  numerous 
and  extensive,  and  several  of  them  were  translated  into  English. 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  277 

Greek  and  Armenian  Churches,  by  his  majesties  command. 
I  have  read  Sir  George  Ent's  booke5  lately  printed,  in  answer 
to  Dr.  Thruston ; 4  'tis  pleasant  to  read,  and  very  rationall 
done  by  two  very  good  pens,  which  may  give  a  great  deale 
of  creditt  unto  the  English,  there  being  very  few  bookes,  or 
none,  so  elegantly  writt ;  Dr.  Thruston  is  very  full  of  para- 
doxes in  physick,  and  a  witty  man  also.  Heere  was  so  much 
sider  made  this  last  autumne,  that  there  will  not  bee  half  so 
much  French  wine  spent  heere  as  in  other  yeares,  nor 
probably  hereafter,  for  there  is  so  much  planting  of  apple 
trees  and  fruits,  that  they  will  become  so  cheap  that  there  will 
bee  litle  profit  thereby;  the  last  was  a  strange  plentiful  yeare 
of  fruit,  and  my  wife  tells  me  shee  bought  above  twentie 
quinces  for  a  penny ;  the  long  southerly  wind  makes  trees 
budde  to  soone,  and  the  corne  to  growe  to  forward,  and  wee 
are  afrayd  of  back  winters,  wch  causeth  diseases.  Love  and 
blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  service  to  my  cosens  Cradock,  Hobbes,  Madame  Bur- 
well,  and  all  friends. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

July  7,  [1680.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Wee  vnderstood  this  weeke,  by  some  of  our  com- 
mon news  letters,6  that  Sir  Arthur  Ingram  was  cutt  of  the 

4  Antidiatribe ;  seu  Animadversiones  in  Malachise  Thrustoni,  M.  D.  Diatribam 
de  Respirationis  usu  primario.  Auctore  Georgia  Entio,  Eq.  Aur.  M.D.  et  Col. 
Lond.  Soc.  1679. 

5  Malachi  Thruston,  M.  D.,  De  Respirationis  usu,  12mo.  Lug.  Bat.  1671. 

6  In  the  Monthly  Review  of  "  The  Ellis  Correspondence,  2  vols.  8vo."  occurs  the 
following  passage: — "The  greater  part  of  this  Correspondence  is  supposed  to  be 
formed  of  the  letters  which  were  written  by  a  description  of  persons  not  now  in 
existence,  and  who  are  termed  in  one  of  the  extracts,  the  gentlemen  who  write  the 


278  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

stone,  and  that  the  operation  was  performed  in  three  minutes.7 
Pray  God  hee  may  do  well  after  it.  Hee  and  his  lady,  about 
four  yeares  agoe,  were  at  Norwich,  and  at  my  howse,  and 
they  were  at  Mr.  Longs  howse  about  a  fortnight.  I  conceiue 
that  in  some  part  of  the  next  weeke  you  must  bee  thinking 
agayne  of  your  visit  at  Woodstock.8  And  because  you  must 
bee  then  in  a  park,  I  will  sett  downe  some  particulars  "  De 
Cervis"  out  of  Aristotle  and  Scaliger,  whereof  you  may 
enquire  and  informe  yourself.9  That  their  gutts  are  so 
tender,  that  they  will  breake  upon  a  blowe,  though  their  side 
be  not  broaken.  There  is  a  dayntie  bitt  accounted  by  many, 
called  the  inspinne,  which  may  be  the  intestinum  rectum, 
wch  is  very  fatt,  and,  being  broyled  or  fryed,  is  much  desired 
by  some.  I  haue  seen  it  at  some  gentlemens  tables,  butt  my 
stomack  went  against  it ;  you  may  enquire  of  it  if  you  know  it 
not :  I  think  the  gutt  is  turned  side  outward  to  make  it.  It 
is  a  particular  bitt,  and  I  know  no  other  animal  wherein  the 
rectum  is  cooked  up.  Wee  heare  that  the  Grand  Signor, 
Mahomet  the  fourth,  is  dead,  wch  may  alter  the  affayrs  of 
those  parts,  and  restore  the  seat  of  the  empyre  to  Constanti- 
nople from  Adrianople.  Wee  heare  of  the  great  penitence 
and  retractation  of  my  Lord  Rochester,1  and  hereupon  hee 
hath  many  good  wishes  and  prayers  from  good  men,  both  for  his 
recouery  here  and  happy  state  hereafter :  you  may  write  a  few 
lines  and  certifie  the  truth  thereof;  for  my  cosen  Witherley,  who 
liveth  with  J.  Witherley,  writt  something  of  it  to  her  mother  in 
Norwich.  Captain  Scoltown  acknowledgeth  your  great  kind- 
ness to  his  wife.  Sure  they  must  haue  some  physitian  at 
Tunbridge  to  aduise  them  upon  all  occasions.  I  was  acquaint- 
ed with  Dr.  Amerst  while  hee  liued.  God  blesse  you  all. 
Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


news  letters.  The  necessity  of  public  journals,  which  were  not  then  invented,  being 
thus  provided  for  by  persons  appointed  to  give  information  to  those  who  required  it 
on  public  matters." — Monthly  Revieiv,  March  1829,  p.  359. 

1  The  operator,  Francis  Collot,  drew  up  an  account  of  the  operation,  which  is 
preserved  in  the  British  Museum,  MS.  Sloan.  1SG5. 

S  Woodstock  Park,  the  seat  of  Lord  Rochester,  whom  Dr.  Edward  Browne  was 
now  attending  in  his  last  illness. 

9  The  quotation  is  omitted. 

1  Lord  Rochester's  letter  to  Bishop  Burnet,  June  25,  16S0. 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  279 

Wee  haue  litle  or  none  of  viscus  quercinus,  or  miselto  of 
the  oake,  in  this  country;  butt  I  beleeve  they  may  have  in 
the  woods  and  parks  of  Oxfordshyre.  And  about  this  time 
the  crevises2  haue  the  stones  or  litle  concretions  on  their  head 
vnder  the  shell  or  crusta,  and  there  are  plenty  of  crevises  in 
those  riuers.  God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne,  litle  Sukey, 
and  Ned,  and  be  mercifull  vnto  us  all,  and  keepe  our  hearts 
firme  vnto  him.  Tom  holds  well,  God  be  thancked.  Mr. 
Whitefoot  is  at  the  commencement.  I  wish  my  Lord  Bruce 
may  haue  got  good  by  his  journey.  Mr.  Deane  Astley,  who 
is  now  with  mee,  presents  his  seruice. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

Aug.  18,  [1680.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

Mrs.  Skoltown  professeth  great  obligations  vnto 
you,  notwithstanding  shee  vndertooke  a  hazardous  journey, 
and  contrarie  to  your  aduice,  yett  shee  gott  indifferently  to 
Yarmouth,  and  intends  for  Norwich  to  morrow.  She  is  still 
sometimes  griped,  butt  makes  vse  of  the  cordiall  you  prescrib- 
ed, which  I  presume  hath  some  /.  liquid,  in  it.  In  your 
next  letter  pray  send  the  receipe  of  it,  that  shee  may  haue  it 
heere.  Madame  Cock,  Colonel  Cock's  lady,  tells  [me]  shee 
sawe  your  self  and  wife;  shee  left  her  daughter  at  schooll,  I 
think  at  Hackney.  Mrs.  Skoltown  had  been  long  indisposed, 
and  applyed  not  herself  to  meanes  of  relief,  so  that  shee  may, 
without  wonder,  remaine  still  weake ;  but  it  seemes  shee  found 
great  benefitt  by  the  waters.  Mr.  Collot,  I  beleeve,  is,  about 
this  time,  returning.  You  haue  gayned  great  repute  about 
the  businesse  of  Sir  A.  Ingram.  I  receaued  the  booke  of 
Dr.  Loue  by  Mrs.  Feltham,  though  I  haue  not  yet  seen  her. 
If  hee  sent  it  to  mee,  my  service  and  thancks  vnto  him.  That 
subiect  hath  been  often  writt  on.     Though  people  will  call  it 

2  Crevise,  or  Cray-fish,  or  Craw-fish  :  from  the  French  ecrevisse. 


280  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1080. 

the  new  disease,  yet  I  remember  the  like  in  all  the  time  of 
my  practise;  butt  as  the  course  of  dyet  and  life  of  men  is 
much  altered,  so  the  distemper  may  haue  more  irregular  or 
worse  symptomes.  After  a  droughty  hot  summer  it  generally 
showeth  itself.  Dr.  Loue  may  bee  an  ingenious  ciuill  person, 
and  industrious,  and  so  he  deserues  the  countenance  and  good 
wishes  of  men.  I  do  not  remember  that  I  haue  heard  of  his 
name,  Louemorly.3  Dr.  Loue,  of  Cambridge,  whose  daughter 
Dr.  Tennison  maryed,  had  a  sonne,  butt  whether  a  physitian 
or  not  I  know  not.  Old  Mr.  Whitefoote  is  with  mee,  and 
presents  his  seruices.  Wee  heare  that  there  is  like  to  bee  a 
peace  with  the  Moores,  which  I  think  will  be  the  best  way. 
Tom  presents  his  duty.  Loue  and  blessing  vnto  my  daughter 
Browne,  and  also  the  litle  ones.  I  haue  not  lately  heard  of 
my  daughter  Fairfax.     God  blesse  her. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


My  service  to  my  cosen  Cradock,  cosen  Hobbes,  Mr.  Dob- 
bins, &c. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Broivne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1S47.] 

Aug.  22,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  was  very  glad  to  receaue  your  last  letter.  God 
hath  heard  our  prayers,  and  I  hope  will  blesse  you  still.  If 
the  profitts  of  the  next  yeare  come  not  up  to  this,  I  would 
not  haue  you  discouraged  ;  for  the  profitts  of  no  practise  are 
equall  or  regular :  and  you  haue  had  some  extraordinary 
patients  this  yeare,  which,  perhaps,  some  yeares  will  not 
afford.  Now  is  your  time  to  be  frugall  and  lay  up.  I  thought 
myself  rich  enough  till  my  children  grew  up.  Be  carefull  of 
your  self,  and  temperate,  that  you  may  bee  able  to  go  through 
your  practise ;  for  to  attayne  to  the  getting  of  a  thousand 

3  Dr.  Christopher  Love-Morley  was  a  Fellow  of  the  College  of  Physicians,  1GS3. 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  281 

pounds  a  yeare  requires  no  small  labour  of  body  and  mind, 
and  is  a  life  not  much  lesse  paynfull  and  laborious  then  that 
wch  the  meaner  sort  of  people  go  through.  When  you  putt 
out  your  money,  bee  well  assured  of  the  assurance  ;  and  bee 
wise  therein  from  what  your  father  hath  suffered.  It  is 
laudable  to  dwell  handsomely ;  butt  be  not  too  forward  to 
build,  or  sett  forth  another  mans  howse,  or  so  to  fill  it  that  it 
may  increase  the  fuell,  if  God  should  please  to  send  fire. 
The  mercifull  God  direct  you  in  all.  Excesse  in  apparell 
and  chargeable  dresses  are  got  into  the  country,  especially 
among  woemen ;  men  go  decently  and  playn  enough.  The 
last  assizes  there  was  a  concourse  of  woemen  at  that  they 
call  my  lords  garden  in  Cunsford,  and  so  richly  dressed 
that  some  strangers  sayd  there  was  scarce  the  like  to 
bee  seen  at  Hide  Park,  which  makes  charity  cold.  Wee 
now  heare  that  this  parliament  shall  sitt  the  21  of  Octo- 
ber, which  will  make  London  very  full  in  Michaelmas  terme. 
Wee  heare  of  two  oestriges  wch  are  brought  from  Tangier. 
I  sawe  one  in  the  latter  end  of  king  James  his  dayes,  at 
Greenwich;  when  I  was  a  schoolboy.  King  Charles  the  first 
had  a  cassaware,  or  emeu,  whose  fine  green  channelled  egge 
I  haue,  and  you  haue  seen  it.  I  doubt  these  will  not  bee 
showne  at  Bartholomew  fayre,  where  every  one  may  see  them 
for  his  money.  I  haue  read  all  or  most  of  Dr.  Loves  booke,4 
which  is  a  pretty  booke,  and  giues  a  good  account  of  the 
lowe  countrey  practise  in  that  disease,  and  hath  some  other 
obseruables.  I  knewe  one  Mr.  Christopher  Loue,  sonne  vnto 
the  Dr.  Loue,  warden  of  Winchester  colledge,  who  was  an 
actiue  man  agaynst  the  king  in  the  late  warres,  and  got  a  great 
estate ;  butt  I  think  hee  was  fayne  to  fly  upon  the  kings 
restauration.  The  chirurgions  haue  made  choyce  of  new 
officers ;  tis  probable  they  may  agree,  and  so  you  may  read 
the  next  lent.  The  king  comes  to  Newmarkett  the  next 
moneth.  A  Yarmouth  man  told  mee  that  hee  sawe  Dr. 
Knights  at  the  Bath ;  perhaps  hee  will  not  bee  at  New- 
markett. I  beleeve  you  neuer  sawe  Madame  Baxter.  Since 
Mr.  Cottrell  and  his  lady  and  child  are  with  Sir  W.  Adams 

4  Morley,  Charles  Love,    M.  D.    De  Morbo  Epidemico,   annorum  1678-9,  Svo. 
London.    1080. 


282  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

they  speake  often  of  you,  and  all  go  to  London  at  Michaelmas. 
Mrs.    Dey   is   at   my   howse,    butt   returnes   with    Madame 
Burwell.    Mr.  Parsons  his  sermon  5  is  like  to  sell  well.     God 
blesse  my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 
Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

I  haue  not  had  Mrs.  Feltham  at  any  entertainment  at  my 
howse,  because  shee  soone  expects  her  husband.  I  heare  but  of 
a  fewe  East  India  shipps  arriual  this  yeare,  nor  whether  they 
brought  as  many  diamonds,  &c.  as  formerly. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Sept.  6,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

My  cosen  Cradock  is  now  in  Norwich,  and  lyeth  at 
my  cosen  Townshends,  butt  I  have  as  yett  seen  him  butt  once. 
I  am  sorry  to  heare  of  so  high  a  bill  of  mortallity  in  London 
this  last  weeke,  especially  at  this  time,  when  there  are  so 
many  thousands  out  of  it,  as  the  court  and  inhabitants  retired 
into  the  countrey,  and  in  the  long  and  emptie  vacation.  There 
are  they  say  butt  140  dyed  of  fevers,  so  that  there  must  bee 
several  other  diseases  to  fill  up  the  account.  If  there  dyed 
816,  'tis  probable  there  might  bee  no  lesse  then  fiftie  thousand 
sick.  They  are  still  sick  at  Sprowston,  butt  many  recovering. 
Madame  Burwell  hath  been  extremely  ill,  and  reduced  to  great 
weaknesse ;  butt  is  in  a  more  comfortable  condition,  and  takes 
some  sustenance  and  rest.  I  pray  God  to  continue  [her] ;  shee 
being  in  yeares  gives  us  yet  cause  of  feares,  how  shee  may 
persist  to  the  duration  of  that  distemper  wch  hangeth  long 
upon  many.  Her  distemper,  a  continuall  double  tertian,  or  at 
least  an  irregular  continuall  tertian.  I  have  given  of  the 
cortex  divers  times,  wherein  shee  hath  found  good  relief,  and 
yesterday  was  the  best  day  shee  hath  had  since  shee  was  sick. 

5  Probably  on  the  death  of  Lord  Rochester. 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  283 

Mrs.  Corbet,  whom  you  visited,  maryed  one  Mr.  Corbet,  who 
is  Mrs.  Sarah  Corbets  brother.  I  beleeve  there  may  bee  no 
good  agreement  betwixt  Mrs.  Corbet  and  her  husband,  who 
is  an  odde  headed  man.  Shee  had  a  good  joynter  when  shee 
maryed  him.  I  beleeve  she  sojourned  formerly  at  Mr. 
Metholds.  Mr.  Brewster  is  an  honest  gentleman,  and  is 
brother  to  Mrs.  Mildmay,  formerly  a  Brewster,  a  singular 
good  woeman,  and  maryed  esquire  Mildmay,  who  had  a 
quartan  ague  the  last  winter  in  Norwich,  and  laye  at  Capt. 
Skoltowes  howse ;  a  melancholy  and  semidelirious  person,  yet 
fayre  conditioned.  They  did  live  together  at  Ilford,  or  there- 
about, seven  miles  from  London  ;  if  you  see  them  agayne 
present  my  service  to  Mr.  Brewster,  and  Madame  Mildmay, 
and  esquier  Mildmay.  Last  Thursday  wee  had  a  great  deale 
of  thunder  for  three  or  four  hours  in  the  afternoon,  and  an 
extraordinary  deale  of  rayne ;  butt,  God  bee  thancked,  the 
harvest  about  Norwich  was  ended  before.  I  hope  in  God  litle 
Ned  is  by  this  time  in  a  recovery.  Tom  presents  his  duty 
and  thancks  for  his  token.  Love  and  blessing  to  my 
daughter  Browne.     Service  to  Mr.  Boone  and  all  friends. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

The  wind  is  come  this  day  into  the  north,  and  it  is  suddenly 
coole,  so  that  many,  in  their  summer  habits,  may  fall  into  agues, 
and  others,  newly  recovering,  may  relapse  if  they  be  not  warrie. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[ms.  SLOAN.  1847.] 

Sep.  6,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

Mr.  Feltham  hath  been  so  taken  up  with  his  kin- 
dred, and  a  journey  to  Yarmouth,  and  I  have  been  often  at 
Sprowston,  that  wee  have  not  had  the  opportunity  to  bee  so 
civ  ill  unto  him  and  his  friends,  as  wee  desired  and  intended. 


284  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

I  was  glad  to  see  him,  and  wish  him  all  prosperitie,  both  for 
his  owne  sake,  and  of  his  parents,  my  loving  friends  and  ac- 
quaintance. His  father  was  a  cordiall  and  very  loving  friend 
of  myne,  and  his  mother  a  very  good  woeman,  unto  whom 
wee  recommend  as  many  as  wee  can,  and  his  two  sisters  in 
Norwich  are  very  good  woemen.  I  thought  to  have  sent  a 
spider  by  him,  which  was  brought  mee  out  of  the  fields,  large 
and  round,  and  finely  marked  green,  and  even  almost  as  bigge 
as  the  figures  inclosed,  drawne  by  your  mother,  for  your  sis- 
ters dared  not  doe  it.  It  may  bee  seen  in  Moufetus,  and  I 
have  had  of  them  before,  and  one  drawne  out  in  oyle  colours, 
upon  an  oyled  paper.  I  do  not  find  it  in  Dr.  Lister's  table 
of  spiders,  though  hee  hath  writt  well  De  Araneis.  I  am 
glad  Sir  William  went  to  London,  for  hee  would  [find]  an 
uncomfortable  howse  at  Sprowston,  where  there  are  and  have 
been  so  many  sick,  as  I  doubt  not  butt  my  L.  Adams  hath 
informed  Sir  William.  I  hope  Mr.  Adams  is  much  better. 
My  service  to  Sir  William.  Madame  Burwell  hath  been  bet- 
ter to  daye,  butt  these  diseases  are  most  dangrous  unto  per- 
sons in  yeares.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEARE  DAUGHTER, 

I  should  have  writ  to  you  by  my  cossen  Buckbarg 
Bendish,  the  last  Munday,  but  that  I  was  prevented  by  being 
cald  to  visett  madam  Burwell,  who  is  very  ill  of  a  feavar,  and 
wee  fare  in  som  danger.  I  sent  the  twenty-four  shilens  by 
her,  and  a  paire  of  shoes,  which  I  must  intreat  you  to  send  to 
Dicksons,  as  thay  are  directed  ;  and  to  call  to  him  for  a  paire 
in  the  stead  of  them,  and  to  bey  two  yards  of  such  loop  parle, 
as  is  at  the  bottome  of  poynte ;  and  to  by  a  ownce  of  siprus 
powder,  for  the  heare  ;  it  is  to  be  sould  att  the  New  Ex- 
change, the  uper  inward  row,  a  perfumers,  in  the  midle  next 
the  window,  it  is  twelve-pence  the  ownce.  If  my  cossen  Ben- 
dish  dooe  not  com,  I  desire  you  would  send  to  Mr.  Ballows, 
a  marchant  in  Exchang  Ally,  in  Lombard-street.  I  am  sory 
wee  could  shew  no  sivilitys  to  my  cosen  Felton ;  that  litle  time 
hee  has  bin  in  towne,  hee  has  bin  so  tacken  up  with  his 
relatives,  that  I   could   not.  have   them,  my  husband    being 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  285 

out  of  town  som  time.  All  so  I  have  sent  you  a  pattorn 
of  the  [govvne  ?  ]  I  bless  God  wee  all  continow  wel,  and 
Tomey  present  his  dutty  to  you  and  his  fathar,  and  give  you 
many  thanks  for  your  toulcen.  Hee  did  thinke  to  wright 
him  selfe.  Hee  is  now  a  very  good  boy  for  his  boak,  I  can 
assuer  you,  and  delights  to  read  to  his  grandfather  and  I, 
when  he  coins  from  schole.     God  of  his  mercy  bless  you  all. 

Your  affectinat  mothar, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.   Edward  Browne,   in  Salisburie  court,   next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     IS  47.] 

Sept.  11,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

Mr.  Tho.  Ward  brought  the  things,  and  Mr.  Car- 
penter who  lives  in  the  same  howse  came  with  him,  by  whome 
I  send  this  letter.  Wee  are  all  sad  for  the  losse  of  litle  Tom, 
at  Islington,  and  the  effect  it  is  like  to  have  upon  my  daugh- 
ter Fairfax,  who  though  shee  hath  had  many  occasions  to 
learne  patience,  hath  I  feare  not  sufficiently  learned  that 
christian  virtue,  nor  sufficiently  wayghed  and  prepared  her 
thoughts  agaynst  the  uncertaintie  of  things,  and  yet  I  like 
that  temper  better  then  to  bee  sad  for  nothing,  as  long  they 
are  well  themselves,  as  is  the  manner  of  voluptuous  and  sen- 
sual persons.  And  I  am  sorry  shee  shall  have  an  encrease 
of  sorrowe  by  the  sicknesse  of  my  cosen  Barker,  my  daughter 
Browne  writt  word  that  Nancy  sayd  shee  had  not  spoake  for 
many  bowers  ;  but  whether  shee  was  sick  before  for  divers 
dayes  in  the  common  fever,  or  were  apoplecticall,  or  under 
any  of  the  affect  us  sopor  osi  wee  knowe  not,  butt  have  reason 
to  suspect;  if  shee  were  so  ill  I  make  some  doubt  wrhether 
shee  dyed  not  before  you  could  come  to  Shiplack.  I  receav- 
ed  also  that  odde  shaped  coyne  by  R.  Moulton,  with  the 
other  things  ;  your  conjecture  was  right  that  this  was  a  larin, 
and  some  thereof  might  bee  coyned  by  Sha  Ismael,  in  Persia ; 


286  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1G80. 

butt  it  is  properly  an  Arabian  kind  of  money,  and  so  sett 
downe  by  Tavernier,  in  the  figures  of  the  coynes  of  Asia, 
where  hee  discribeth  and  setts  downe  the  figures  of  the  la- 
rin  and  half  larin.  The  larin  justly  answereth  that  you  sent, 
hee  sayeth  five  larins  want  eight  souls  of  our  crowne.  This 
is  that  which  the  emirs  and  princes  of  Arabia  take  for  the 
coynage  of  their  money,  and  the  profitt  which  they  make  by 
the  marchands  which  travell  through  the  desert  into  Persia 
or  the  Indies,  for  then  the  emirs  come  to  the  caravan  to  take 
their  tolls  and  to  change  their  realls,  crownes,  and  ducates  of 
gold  into  larins.  The  larins  are  one  of  the  ancient  coynes  of 
Asia,  and  though  at  this  day  they  are  only  currant  in  Arabia 
and  at  Balsara,  neverthelesse  from  Braydal  to  the  island  of 
Ceylon,  they  traffick  altogether  with  larins,  and  all  along  the 
Persian  gulf.  Taverniers  Travells,  second  part,  page  one 
and  two.  Tis  the  oddest  shaped  coyne  that  Tavernier  hath 
in  all  his  figures,  and  better  to  bee  taken  in  a  good  summe  by 
wayght  then  tale,  his  figure  hath  one  foot  a  litle  shorter  then 
the  other  as  yours  hath.  I  presume  you  will,  God  willing, 
returne  this  Monday.  The  fayrings  were  wellcome  to  Tom, 
hee  finds  about  the  howse  divers  things  that  were  your  bro- 
thers, and  Betty  sometimes  tells  him  stories  about  him,  so 
that  hee  was  importunate  with  her  to  write  his  life  in  a  quar- 
ter of  a  sheet  of  paper  and  read  it  unto  him,  and  will  have 
still  some  more  added.  Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter 
and  litle  Sukie,  I  am  glad  shee  is  so  well. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Sept.  16,  [1680.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

My  cosen  Cradock  went  suddenly  awaye,  so  that  I 
could  not  enioy  him  at  my  howse,  as  I  intended.     Present  my 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  287 

seruice  vnto  him,  and  my  cosen  his  wife.  I  am  glad  to  heare 
that  Sir  Arthur  Ingram  is  so  well,  as  to  go  abroad  into  the 
country,  and  also  so  kind  as  to  remember  you  with  a  present 
of  wine,  which  may  do  you  more  seruice  in  the  winter,  then  in 
this  hott  and  sickly  wether;  for  tis  likely  to  bee  of  the  most 
spirituous  and  heady  sort.  I  beleeve  Collot  is  now  gone. 
Mr.  Feltham  told  mee  hee  had  butt  ill  successe  in  one  ope- 
ration, when  your  self  and  Mr,  Feltham  were  present.  I  am 
glad  you  haue  so  good  hopes  of  Mrs.  Tye.  Madame  Burwell 
hath  yet  some  distemper'd  nights.  I  am  glad  you  can  please 
my  L.  M.  of  Dorchester  6  when  you  go  to  him,  with  some 
dissection,  or  what  hee  desires;  you  haue  surely  much  obliged 
him  by  his  last  recouery.  God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne 
and  you  all.  Tom  was  ill  last  weeke,  butt  upon  taking  a  litle 
powder  of  rhubarb,  grewe  better,  and  now  goeth  abroad. 
Wee  all  send  our  love  and  good  wishes,  I  rest 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Sept.  22,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  send  Swammerdams  Miraculum  Naturae,  dedi- 
cated to  the  Royall  Societie,  7  or  8  years  past,  wherein  are 
divers  things  observable,  butt  in  that  litle  booke  he  promised 
to  write  more  particularly  of  many  things  hinted  in  this  worke. 
Hee  finds  fault  with  De  Graef  in  severall  passages,  and  for 
assuming  some  discoveries  which  were  first  knowne  to  Van 
Home.  The  king  is  at  Newmarket,  and  hath  good  wether 
for  his  races  and  falconrie;  divers  go  from  hence  to  bee 

C  Lord  Marquis  of  Dorchester,  a  great  friend  and  benefactor  to  the  physicians 
and  the  college  ;  seems  to  have  been  an  amateur  of  medicine, — a  physician  out  of 
his  proper  situation  in  life. — Gray. 


288  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

touched,  butt  what  chirurgeons  are  there,  I  yett  understand 
not,  nor  what  physitians  attend  his  majestic  Tis  much  to  be 
feared,  that  many,  who  resort  to  that  towne,  will  fall  sick, 
the  country  being  still  very  sickly,  and  divers  quartan  agues 
allreadie  appeare,  and.  many  of  the  old  ones  not  quite  worne 
out.  Many  of  these  continuall  remitting  tertian,  after  a 
while,  prove  of  small  and  uncertaine  remissions,  though  they 
take  the  cortex.  Have  a  care  of  your  health,  and  God  pre- 
serve, direct,  guid,  and  blesse  you.  Love  and  blessing  to 
my  daughter  Browne.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


Sir  Thomas  Broivne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Oct.  15,  80 J 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  am  glad  to  heare  you  are  all  in  health  this  sickly 
time,  wherein,  as  you  find,  there  are  so  many  febres  tertiance 

simplices,  duplices,  continues, and  I  found 

one  lately,  under  ajebris  quartana  continua.  I  am  also  glad 
that  Mr.  John  Myngays  daughter  is  recovered,  who  is  a  good 
young  gentlewoman  and  very  deare  unto  her  parents.  When 
you  see  them  remember  mee  unto  them.  I  thinck  you  are  in 
the  right,  when  you  say  that  physitians  coaches  in  London  are 
more  for  state  then  for  businesse ;  there  being  so  many  wayes 
whereby  they  may  bee  assisted,  and  at  lesser  charge  and  care 
in  London.  The  Thames  and  hackney  coaches,  being  no 
small  help,  beside  the  great  number  of  coaches  kept  by  pri- 
vate gentlemen,  in  and  about  London.  When  I  read  Gages 
travells  in  America,  many  yeares  ago,  I  was  much  surprised 
to  find  that  there  were  twentie  thousand  coaches  in  Mexico, 
perhaps  there  may  be  now,  in   London,  half  that  number. 

7  The  date,  thus  abridged,  is  original.     The  present  letter  was  published,  but 
not  correctly,  in  Retrospective  Review,   vol.  i,    102. 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  289 

When  Queen  Elizabeth  came  to  Norwich,  1578,  she  came  on 
horseback  from  Ipswich,  by  the  high  road  to  Norwich,  in 
the  summer  time ;  but  shee  had  a  coach  or  two,  in  her  trayne. 
She  rid  through  Norwich,  unto  the  bishop's  palace,  where 
she  stayed  a  weeke,  and  went  sometimes  a  hunting  on  horse- 
back, and  up  to  Mushold  hill  often,  to  see  wrestling  and 
shooting,  &c.  When  I  was  a  youth,  many  great  persons 
travelled  with  3  horses,  but  now  there  is  a  new  face  of  things. 
I  doubt  there  will  bee  scarce  cortex  enough  to  bee  to  suffise 
the  nation.     God  bless  you  all.     Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,   in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[us.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

Octo.22,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  writt  unto  you  by  the  last  post  concerning  sir 
Robert  Raldock,  butt  I  understand  since  that  hee  intends 
not  to  go  for  London  till  the  next  Monday,  and  so  will  not  be 
there  till  Wednesday  night,  men  generally  now  making  3 
dayes  in  that  journey.  And  so  you  may  deliver  my  letter  ac- 
cordingly to  him  according  as  you  can.  On  Thursday  last, 
that  is  yesterday,  Madame  Burwell,  Madame  Cottrell,  Mr. 
Cottrell,  his  child,  and  2  of  my  lady  daughters  and  servants, 
and  I  hope  they  will  be  in  London  upon  Saturday.  You 
shall  do  well  to  see  Madame  Burwell,  for  shee  went  away  butt 
weake  and  tender,  pray  God  shee  fell  not  ill  before  she  got 
to  London.  Wee  were  somewhat  surprized  at  the  chan- 
cellours  and  lord  presidents  speeches.  They  delivered  them- 
selves very  playnly,  and  when  such  sense  is  so  boldly  de- 
livered, men  are  apt  to  thinck  that  it  was  high  time  to  speake. 
God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward   Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,    London. 

vol  r.  u 


290  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1G80. 


Sir  Thomas  Browjie  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

Nouemb.j,  [1680.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Wee  were  somewhat  vncertaine  whether  you  were 
returned  from  Ampthill,  till  Madame  Burwell  writt  a  letter  to 
my  cosen  Townshend  that  you  had  giuen  her  a  visit,  which 
was  very  well  done.  I  heare  that  sir  Robert  Baldock  doth 
not  sett  out  for  London  before  to-morrowe,  being  Tuesday. 
Mr.  alderman  Briggs,  my  neibour,  who  is  our  burges,  went 
to  London  last  Thursday,  and  in  another  coach  Mr.  Alder- 
man Man  and  others ;  between  Barton  Mills  and  Thetford, 
both  the  coaches  were  robbed  by  3  highwaymen:  but  not 
much  money  was  lost,  passengers  vsually  trauelling  with  litle 
money  about  them,  but  the  coachman  lost  fifteen  pounds 
which  he  caryed  to  buye  a  horse.  Captaine  Briggs,  my  nei- 
bour, would  haue  made  some  resistance,  but  they  presently 
tooke  awaye  his  sword  which  hee  used  to  weare  in  the  parlia- 
ment :  his  man  also  was  gone  out  of  sight,  and  none  of  the 
trauellers  would  joyne  with  him  to  make  resistance.  Mr. 
Dade,  the  chirurgeon,  was  with  mee,  hee  tells  me  his  bro- 
ther's wife  is  dangerously  ill  and  that  you  desired  to  joyne 
with  another  physitian,  wherein  you  did  well,  and  may  oblige 
Mr.  Dade  and  giue  the  better  satisfaction.  It  cannot  butt 
bee  a  very  dangerous  haemoptysis,  shee  hauing  been  often 
troubled  with  a  cough  or  catarrh. 

Just  now  while  I  am  writing,  a  poore  woeman  of  a  hundred 
and  flue  yeares  old  next  Christmasse,  sent  her  water  unto 
mee,  and  seemes  to  be  vnder  the  common  distemper.  Shee 
dwells  in  one  of  the  towers  of  the  wall,  and  we  vse  to  be 
charitable  vnto  her,  and  your  sisters  giue  her  often  some  relief. 
Joh.  More,  who  was  one  hundred  and  2  yeares  old,  to  whome 
your  brother  Thomas  gaue  something  weekely  all  the  while 
hee  was  abroad,  dyed  of  these  autumnall  distempers,  as 
did  also  the  old  man  beyond  Scoale  Line,  who  wayted  on 
the    Earle  of  Leicester,  when  Queen   Eliz.  came  to   Nor- 


1680.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  291 

wich,  and  who  told  mee  many  things  thereof.     God  blesse 
you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1333.] 

Nov.  xi,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  have  perused  Dr.  C's.  oration,8  which  is  good, 
butt  long ;  where  it  was  delivered  either  in  the  hall  of  the 
colledge,  or  anatomie  theatre,  I  knowe  not;  butt  herein9 
Cutler,  being  one  of  the  benefactors  and  founder  of  the 
theatre,  something  may  bee  sayd,  not  only  in  his  commenda- 
tion, butt  of  the  theatre  itself;  not  only  of  the  largenesse, 
statelynesse,  and  noble  contrivance,  butt  also  comparatively 
to  other  outlandish  theatres,  which  you  have  seen,  as  of  Vi- 
enna, Altorff,  Leyden,  Padua,  Montpellier,  and  Paris :  for  I 
knowe  not  whether  you  tooke  notice  of  Pisa,  Rome,  and  any 
other,  whereof  you  may  advertise  mee ;  if  you  observed  any 
thing  about  them  which  may  enlarge  this,  which  I  now  butt 
imperfectly  sett  downe1  ....  This  being  so  particularly  deli- 
vered, may  be  acceptable,  and  more  then  any  other  is  like  to  say. 
I  writt  to  you  lately,  of  the  poore  woeman,  of  a  hundred 
and  five  yeares  old,  laking  one  moneth;  shee  hath  had  this 
continuall  autumnal  tertian  fever,  and  there  is  good  hopes  of 
her  recovery,  for  she  can  now  rise  and  sett  up  out  of  her 
bed,  and  desires  a  litle  wine,  which  shee  could  [not]  endure  in 
her  distemper.  Your  sisters  sawe  her  yesterday,  who  use 
to  give  her  money  ;  shee  sees  so  well,  that  shee  knewe  them 
at  a  distance,  and  her  hearing  is  good.  Formerly  they  gave 
not  the  cortex  to  quartanarians,  before  they  had  been  ill 
a  considerable  time,  butt  I  think  it  should  be  good  to  give  it 
at  the  beginning,  before  their  bloods  are  corrupted  by  the 

8  Dr.  Charlton's  oration. 

9  Herein,  i.  e.  in  the  approaching  lecture,  which  he  was  assisting  his  son  to 
prepare. 

1  The  proposed  opening  of  the  speech,  in  Latin,  is  omitted.  The  entire  speech, 
including  this  passage,  is  preserved  in  MS.  Sloan,  1839,  in  the  hand  writing  of 
Sir  Thomas,  who  must  be  considered  the  author  of  it. 

U-2 


292  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

length  of  the  disease.     Write  whether  they  do  not  give  it 
early  in  London.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


DEAR    SONNE, 

I  pray  tell  ray  daughter  that  we  haue  receved  the 
box,  and  dooe  very  well  liake  all  that  was  in  it ;  and  I  will  re- 
turne  her  my  thanks  with  what  she  have  layd  out  for  us,  but 
this  night  I  cannot.  I  writ  something  to  you  in  my  last, 
I  was  then  in  som  doughts,  which  I  am  now  free  from  ;  for  I 
dooe  hope  all  things  will  dooe  very  well,  and  I  sopos  all 
things  will  be  agread  very  sudinly.  Mr.  Dobines  shall  have 
the  settelling  the  bisnes,  and  I  shall  giue  you  a  more  pertacler 
acount  when  I  have  more  time. 

Your  affectinat  mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

I  take  him  to  be  a  very  good  and man,  and  very 

suttable.  I  bless  God  Tomey  is  very  well,  hee  had  a  lossness 
for  a  weake,  which  did  pull  him,  but  not  to  kepe  from  scoole 
but  2  days. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbuiie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Nov.  29,  [1680.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  am  sorry  to  understand  that  your  good  friend  my 
L.  marquis  is  fallen  so  ill  agayne,  and  is  in  a  coma,  or  some 
soporous  disease,  and  threating  apoplexis  and  palsie :  and 
should  bee  glad  to  heare  that  hee  were  in  some  way  of  re- 
covery ;  perhaps  his  last  mistaken  draught  of  the  opiat,  left 
some  ill  impression  upon  his  brayne.  Tis  well  that  hee 
hath  declared  that  hee  will  give  his  librarie  to  the  colledge, 
whether  hee  live  or  dye.  However,  such  a  noble  gift  must 
bee  commemorated  in  the  anniversarie  orations,  and  his  per- 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  293 

son  duly  commended,  who,  being  a  person  of  honor  and 
learning,  will  afford,  some  subject  and  roome  in  such  an  en- 
comium as  I  shall,  God  willing,  hereafter  shewe  you.  I  pre- 
sume the  president  and  some  others  were  with  you ;  otherwise 
the  president  may  bee  apt  to  take  exceptions,  inasmuch  as 
hee  was  consulted  the  last  time ;  if  hee  getts  cleare  of  this  fitt, 
meethinks  hee  should  make  use  of  some  preventitive  course. 
Intermitting  palsies  are  not  esteemed  so  dangerous  in  old 
men,  as  in  those  in  the  vigour  and  strength  of  their  dayes ; 
many  in  the  common  distemper  have  been  comatose,  and  it  is 
a  bad  signe,  especially  in  senibus.  I  hope  you  will  bee  well 
considered  for  your  paynes  and  sitting  up.  I  have  seen  the 
new  English  Atlas,  printed  at  the  Theatre,  and  published  by 
Moses  Pit.2  I  receaved  the  first  part  which  describeth  the 
northern  countries  in  Europe,  tis  a  fayre  impression,  and 
there  are  good  discourses  concerning  the  severall  countries, 
butt  the  book  is  so  long  and  broad,  that  it  becomes  untract- 
able  and  uneasie  to  make  use  of.  Two  volumes  more,  that  is, 
2  and  3d  volumes,  are  promised  to  come  out  the  next  moneth. 
There  are  to  bee  eleven  in  all.  Sir  Jacob  Astley  had  the 
first  volume,  and  the  binding  came  unto  twentie  2  shillings. 
The  players  are  at  the  Red  Lyon,  hard  by ;  and  Tom  goes 
sometimes  to  see  a  playe.  Ut  Jilia  tua  educetur  in  religione 
Anglicana  etiam  atq.  etiam  cara.  Wee  heare  the  successe 
at  Tangier  is  confirmed,  butt  the  losse  of  the  governour  is 
very  considerable,  and  the  Moores  are  like  not  to  give  over ; 
and  therefore  the  king  doth  wisely  to  send  presents,  as  intro- 
ductive  to  a  peace  upon  good  termes.  I  heare  that  Mr. 
Welsh,  who  lived  in  Clarkenwell,  and  was  an  acquaintance  of 
Mr.  Barker's,  is  admitted  in  the  parliament  hovvse,  as  burges 
of  Hye,  by  Skole  Inne.  And  that  Sir  Robert  Reve  will  not 
pursue  his  title  unto  it.3  God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne, 
litle  Susan,  and  my  daughter  Fayrfax.     Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,   in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 

2  In  five  volumes  fol.     Oxon.  16S0-2. 
3  George  Welch  and  Charles  Fox,  Esqrs.  were  declared  by  the  house  duly  elect- 
ed burgesses  for  the  borough  of  Eye,  in  the  place  of  Sir  Charles  Gaudy  and  Sir 
Robert  Reeve. — Journals  of  the  House  of  Commons,  ix,  672  ;  Dec.  8,  16S0. 


294  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

Dec.  3,  [1680.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  am  glad  you  receaved  the  pot  of  teale.  I  hope 
they  will  prove  good,  for  they  were  the  fattest,  this  late  open 
season,  that  I  have  seen  for  some  yeares.  I  must  also  tell  you 
that  this  Friday,  Mrs.  Skoltowe  sends  you  a  pot  of  teale,  by 
the  waggons  ;  shee  desired  my  wife  to  give  you  notice  there- 
of, shee  being  somwhat  ashamed  to  write  concerning  such  a 
meane  present,  being  so  highly  obliged  unto  you.  Comming 
so  late  unto  you,  you  may  well  keepe  them  till  Christmasse, 
or  the  middle  thereof.  I  am  glad  to  find  that  there  is  so  good 
a  stock  of  the  cortex  in  London,  so  that  though  deare  yet  it 
will  not  bee  out,  and  it  may  prove  cheape  agayne  in  another 
yeare.  A  ma'rchand  of  Yarmouth  told  mee  about  midsummer 
last,  that  there  was  a  shippe  which  had  store  of  the  cortex, 
which,  by  some  accident,  came  not  home  with  the  fleet,  butt 
remained  at  Honduras,  in  America;  which  probably  came 
home  with  this  yeares  fleet,  so  that  which  came  in  that  shippe 
may  be  older  then  what  came  in  the  rest,  and  surely  there  is 
some  difference  in  goodnesse  of  the  cortex.  I  hope  my  L. 
marquis  is  recovered,  you  saying  nothing  of  him  in  your  last. 
I  presume  it  is  a  noble  librarie,  and  consisteth  of  usefull 
bookes,  which  may  bee  of  good  advantage  unto  those  who 
have  leasure  to  passe  their  time  in  a  publick  librarie,  and 
because  there  are  most  good  authors,  it  may  bee  usefull  to 
others,  as  not  being  in  every  private  mans  librarie.  It  may 
serve  for  others  to  looke  after  any  thing  in  them  upon  occa- 
sion. Though  the  bookes  will  much  aclde  unto  the  honor  of 
the  colledge,  yet  they  occasion  some  charge,  if  the  colledge 
must  build  [a  theca]  case,  or  repositorie  for  them.  It  was 
kindly  done  of  old  Dr.  Denton  to  call  you  in.  Hee  must  bee 
a  man  of  great  yeares,  for  hee  is  much  my  senior,  and  I  re- 
member him  in  Oxford  ;  my  service  unto  him.  Dr.  Tuber- 
vile  hath  been  a  noted  oculist  a  long  time,  and  I  have  recom- 


1680.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  295 

mended  some  persons  unto  him.  The  Queen  of  Hungries 
water,  which  is  distilled  from  the  flowers  of  rosemary,  is  a 
very  good  water,  and  some  will  snuffe  up  a  litle,  and  others 
snufFe  up  the  strong  waters  of  III.  convalllum.  I  knewe  one 
Browne,  an  empericall  practiser  in  London,  who  made  a 
powder  benzoin,  musk,  and  amber,  and  gave  it  to  be  snuffed 
up  into  the  nostrills  in  the  toothach.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for   Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
nest  the  Golden  Sails,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

Dec.  13,  [1680.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  am  sorry  to  understand  that  my  L.  marquesse  of 
Dorchester  is  dead.  You  haue  lost  a  good  creditable  patient, 
and  what  issue  hee  hath  left  I  knowe  not ;  some  daughters  I 
thinck  hee  hath,  but  what  sonnes  or  sonne,  or  vnto  whom  the 
honour  descendeth  I  cannot  tell.  I  hope  his  librarie  is  as- 
sured vnto  the  colledge,  which  I  heare  is  a  good  and  fayre 
and  profitable  one.  Vnto  the  physitian  who  liueth  in  the 
colledge  it  may  bee  of  good  vse,  because  hee  is  neere  it,  and 
may  make  vse  of  it  daye  and  night ;  vnto  others  it  may  bee  ser- 
uiceable  to  read  any  booke,  orlookeinto  it  upon  occasions,  the 
bookes  being  of  the  best  or  most  scarce  editions.  With  his 
bookes  perhaps  there  may  go  along  his  mathematical!  instru- 
ments, fayre  globes,  rarities,  and  the  like.  I  find  in  Dr. 
Charlton's  orat.  that  Dr.  Hametus  gaue  some  bookes,  butt 
probably  to  the  old  colledge  ;  so  did  Dr.  Harvey,  butt  I 
thinck  they  were  burnt.  It  were  well  if  you  could  so  order 
the  matter  among  you,  that  you  might  not  make  the  librarie 
too  chargeable  vnto  the  societie,  by  a  standing  office  of  a 
librarie  keeper,  &c.  When  you  see  my  L.  Adams,  pray 
present  my  humble  seruice  and  my  wifes  vnto  her,  as  also  to 


296  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680. 

Madame  Burwell,  Mr.  and  Madam  Cottrell,  &c.  With  us 
heere  is  a  great  deale  of  snowe  upon  the  ground,  which,  if 
suddenly  melted,  will  cause  a  great  flood.  Tom,  God  be 
thancked,  is  well :  blessing,  loue,  and  good  wishes  vnto  you 
all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Dec.  17,  [1680.] 4 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  receaved  yours,  and  cannot  butt  commend  you  for 
takeing  notice  of  the  comet,  and  for  giving  so  playne  a  de- 
scription how  you  found  it,  and  setting  downe  a  figure  thereof; 
it  was  the  first  account  of  it  that  came  to  Norwich,  though 
some  report  there  was,  that  it  had  been  seen.  And  therefore 
your  description,  in  what  manner  you  sawe  it,  was  the  more 
wellcome,  and  Mr.  [Oliver,]  the  bookseller,  would  needs  write 
it  out,  that  he  might  gratifie  his  friends  and  customers  with 
your  account  thereof.  The  newes  letters  mentioned  it,  butt 
to  litle  or  no  purpose,  or  any  information.  Wee  have  had 
somewhat  cloudy  or  foggy  evenings,  so  that  we  heare  no  more 
of  it,  and  this  day  was  cleare  and  frostie,  and  the  sunne  sett 
very  bright  and  red,  butt  wee  could  not  see  a  starre,  it  was 
so  mistie  this  night,  while  I  am  writing,  which  is  between 
seven  and  eight  o'clock.  I  never  sawe  a  large  and  very  long 
tayle  of  a  comet,  since  1618,  when  I  was  at  schoole.  I  be- 
leeve  it  will  bee  much  observed  and  discoursed,  and  accounts 
given  of  it  by  the  R.  S.  and  observers  beyond  sea.  You  did 
well  to  sett  downe,  in  your  booke,  a  kind  of  diarie  of  your 
practise ;  tis  good  providence  so  to  doe,  it  may  bee  usefull 
hereafter  unto  you  upon  the  first  good  opportunity.  I  dayly 
pray  God  to  prosper  you  and  continue  his  goodnesse  and 
mercyes  unto  you.  Your  sister  is  yet  as  she  was.  God 
blesse  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

*  See  Retrospective  Review,  1,  164. 


1680.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  297 


DEAR    SONNE, 

Wee  did  receve  all  the  things  very  safe,  and  all 

extreame  well,  no  far but  too  good.     The  writings 

all  so  came  safe,  and  wee  have  finished  all  thing  but  what  is 
to  be  donne  at  church,  which  wee  thinke  shall  be  on  Sunday 
morning,5  before  church,  that  being  a  seacrament  day,  and 
wee  ar  all  to  receve.  I  hope  God  will  give  a  blissing.  Hee 
is  of  a  very  good  humor,  and  temprat  as  can  be,  and  sartainly 
as  agreeable  as  ever  cuple  war.  Your  sister  would  faine 
know  whethar  wee  should  pay  Mr.  Dobins,  or  hee,  and  what 
you  thinck  should  be  geven.  I  sopos  three  pounds,  or  there 
a  bought ;  but  she  thinck  more. 

I  will  writ  to  my  daughter  on  Munday ;  now  I  had  not 

time I  thanke  God  Tom  is  very  harty  and 

livly,  and  larne  his  bowk  very  well. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Dec.  27,  [1680?] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Wee  are  all  very  sorry  for  the  losse  of  the  litle  one;6 
God  give  us  still  grace  to  resigne  our  wills  unto  his,  and  pa- 
tience in  all  what  hee  hath  layd  out  for  us.  God  send  you 
wisedome  and  providence,  to  make  a  prudent  use  of  the 
moneys  you  have  from  mee,  beside  what  you  gett  and  other- 
wise. Least  repentence  come  to  late  upon  you,  consider  that 
accidental  charges  may  bee  alwayes  coming  upon  you,  and 
the  folly  of  depending  or  hoping  to  much  upon  time  turnes  yet 
to  come;  since  yeares  will  creepe  on,  and  impotent  age 
accuse  you  for  not  thincking  early  upon  it.  The  christening 
and  buryalls  of  my  children  have  cost  mee  above  2  hundred 

5  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  was  married  to  Mr.  Lyttleton,  on 
Sunday,  19th  Dec.  1680. 

6  Probably  "  little  Ned  ;"  see  page  283, 


298  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680-1. 

pounds,  and  their  education  more  ;  beside  your  owne,  which 
hath  been  more  chargeable,  then  all  the  rest  putt  together; 
and  therefore  consider  well  that  you  are  not  likely  to  playe  in 
this  world,  or  in  old  age,  and  bee  wise  while  you  are  able  to 
gett,  and  save  somewhat  agaynst  a  bad  winter,  and  uncer- 
taintie  of  times.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Bulls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1347.] 

Jan.  5,  [1 680-1. ] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

My  daughter  Browne  writt  mee  word,  that  you 
went  last  Thursday,  to  Ampthill,  to  my  L.  Bruce  his  sonne, 
which  hath  made  us  very  sollicitous  concerning  you,  because 
you  tooke  such  a  journey,  when  you  had  wached  with  the 
Duke  of  Richmond  the  night  before,  as  also  because  it  was 
exceeding  bad  travelling,  and  worse  then  it  hath  been  all 
this  winter,  and  exceeding  cold.  I  hope  you  are  returned 
and  in  health,  and  that  the  yong  lord  is  better.  I  beleeve  it 
may  bee  expected  that,  upon  your  returne,  you  should  visit 
the  duke,  you  being  so  suddenly  called  from  him.  Mr. 
Thomas  Wood,  of  Braken,  enquered  of  you,  and  gives  you 
thancks  for  your  kindnesse  to  his  daughter  Mrs.  Betty,  who 
was  with  you  the  last  summer,  and  gott  much  good  by  Tun- 
bridg  waters.  His  old  father  died  the  last  weeke,  and  left 
him  a  fayre  estate  in  lands,  beside  good  summes  of  money, 
which  may  paye  the  debts  which  the  oversparing  hand  of  his 
father  made  him  contract,  by  borroweng  and  takeng  up  of 
money.  I  beleeve  hee  is  fiftie-four  yeares  old,  at  least.  Sir 
William  Cooke,  of  Broome,  is  85  or  6  yeares  old,  and  likely 
to  live ;  so  that  that  honest  and  worthy  gentleman,  his  sonne, 
captain  Cooke,  is  like  to  stay  yet  awhile  before  hee  cometh 
to  the  estate.     Mr.  Thomas  Holland,  who  liveth  at  Bury, 


1680-1.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  299 

cannot  bee  so  litle  as  fiftie,  and  sir  John  Holland,  who  is  his 
father,  like  to  live  some  yeares.  These  are  the  old  heyres 
which  the  country  lookes  upon,  and  wonder  at  their  fathers, 
who  are  not  like  at  last  to  encrease  their  goods  by  sparing, 
since  a  considerable  part  must  bee  dispersed  into  the  hands 
of  creditors.  Heere  is  a  printed  speech,  supposed  to  be  my 
L.  Shaftsburies,  it  is  cacht  up  and  read  by  many ;  there  are 
many  passages  in  it  litle  to  the  honour  and  reputation  of  the 
king.7  Though  the  commons  howse  bee  free,  and  the  howse 
of  lords  also,  for  what  they  say  within  their  walls,  yet  [it]  is 
much  that  their  speeches  should  be  printed  and  sent  about. 
Tom,  God  be  thanked,  is  well.  God  blesse  my  daughter 
Browne  and  little  Susan.         Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward    Browne,  in    Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  vii,  [1680-1.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Though  T  have  litle  to  write  at  present,  yet  I  take 
content  to  bee  saying  something  unto  you.  The  streame  or 
tayle  of  the  comet  was  very  long,  when  I  sawe  it,  in  a  cleare 
night,  and  I  beleeve  it  was  the  same  night  when  you  sawe  it, 
at  St.  Albans ;  butt  the  wether  was  so  pierceing  cold,  that  I 
could  not  endure  to  stand  in  it,  otherwise  I  might  have  taken 
the  altitude  of  the  starre  or  head  of  the  comet,  and  then 
reckoned  the  length  of  the  tayle  to  our  verticall  poynt,  and 
then,  allowing  for  the  altitude,  I  might  have  seen  how  much 
of  ninetie  degrees  the  tayle  tooke  up ;  as,  if  the  altitude  were 
30  degrees,  the  tayle,  coming  to  the  vertex,  must  be  sixtie 
degrees  extended.     If  the  starre  hath  been  observed  at  the 

1  A  speech  lately  made  by  a  noble  peer  of  the  realm.  London,  printed  for  F.  S. 
at  the  Elephant  and  Castle,  in  the  Royal  Exchange,  in  Cornhill,  1681. — 2  pp. 
sm.  folio  in  Bib.  Mus.  Brit. 


300  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680-1. 

same  time  in  places  far  re  distant,  by  2  or  3  observers,  and  it 
seems  to  both  to  have  been  in  the  same  place,  in  reference 
unto  the  fixed  starres,  then  cannot  the  earth's  semidiameter 
have  any  proportion  unto  the  distance  of  the  comet ;  butt  if 
the  comet  do  appeare  diversely  to  them  among  the  fixed 
starres,  then  hath  the  comet  parallaxis,  more  or  lesse  accord- 
ing to  his  distance  from  the  earth.  By  this  parallaxis  astro- 
nomers find  out  the  comet's  distance  from  the  earth  ;  and,  in 
that  of  1618,  they  found  it  to  be  as  farre  above  the  moone  as 
the  moone  is  above  the  earth,  and  so  find  out  its  place,  or 
sphere  it  is  in,  which  I  beleeve  will  bee  performed,  or  is 
alreadie,  by  some  astronomers.  I  am  sorry  to  heare  that  my 
old  neibour,  Mr.  Alderman  Briggs,  is  fallen  ill  at  London, 
t  and  sent  unto  you  when  you  were  in  the  country.  I  should 
bee  content  that  he  might  knowe  I  knowe  of  his  sicknesse, 
and  that  I  am  sorry  fqr  it,  though  I  have  heard  no  more  of 
it  then  that  it  is  a  cold.  Though  I  presume  hee  hath  made 
use  of  others,  yet  it  might  bee  well  taken,  and  continue  frind- 
shippe,  if  you  go  and  present  my  service,  which  you  may  do 
either  alone,  or  with  his  sonne,  Dr.  Briggs,  to  whom  also  my 
service.  Wee  heare,  by  the  coaches  last  weeke,  that  a  man 
was  found  dead  upon  Newmarket  heath,  with  a  periwigge  by 
him  and  wounded  on  the  side,  which  the  travellers  in  the 
coach  sawe  ;  and  likewise  another  dead  about  Chesterford, 
his  body  much  cutt  and  hacked  which  was  thought  to  bee 
some  caryar.  The  first  person  was  found  to  have  20  shillings 
in  his  purse.  Just  as  I  am  writing,  Tom  comes  and  tells  mee 
the  blazing  starre  is  in  the  yard,  and  calls  mee  to  see  it.  It 
was  butt  dimme,  and  the  skye  not  cleare  ;  it  seemed  to  bee  in 
Pegasus,  and  is  come  nearer  to  Aries.  God  of  his  mercy 
blesse  you  all.     I  am  very  sensible  of  this  sharpe  wether. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  wife  thought  to  have  writt  to  my  daughter  Browne, 
butt  was  prevented. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


1680-1.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  301 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  so?i  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  xii,  [1G80-1.] 

DEAR,    SONNE, 

I  beleeve  by  this  time  you  may  have  receaved  your 
paper  booke  from  Mrs.  Mary  Briggs,  which  you  lately  sent 
mee.  I  wish  you  may  live  to  make  many  such,  and  the 
blessing  of  God  bee  ever  with  you,  and  prosper  your 
endeavours.  In  my  last  letter  I  used  the  words  parallaxis,  or 
differentia  loci  veri  et  visi  stellce  alicujus,  their  true  place 
being  computed  by  a  line  from  the  center  of  the  earth,  and 
their  appearing  or  place  of  vision,  where  wee  see  them  in  the 
heavens,  by  a  line  from  the  surface  of  the  earth  whence  wee 
see  them,  so  that  there  is  the  semidiameter  of  the  earth 
between  and  the  center;  which,  if  it  hath  any  proportion  to  the 
distance  of  place  where  the  starre  or  comet  appeareth,  then 
the  comet  or  planet  will  have  a  differentia  loci  veri  et  visi, 
and  bee  seen  with  some  difference  in  the  heavens  from  what 
it  would  bee  seen  in  a  line  drawne  from  the  center  of  the 
earth  ;  and  that  is  the  parallaxis.  You  might  do  well  to  have 
a  figure  of  parallaxis,  and  to  understand  it,  for  it  may  bee 
very  useful,  and  is  in  many  bookes.  Now,  if  this  comet  bee 
very  high,  and  at  a  great  distance  above  the  moone,  or  in  the 
sphere  of  Mercurie  or  Venus,  it  will  have  butt  litle  parallaxis, 
and  so  wee  may  conclude  that  it  is  above  the  moone ;  for  the 
moone  hath  a  considerable  pai'allaxis,  I  think  of  66  minutes. 
It  were  good  to  read  some  of  the  Latin  poets  sometimes, 
because  they  are  knowne  to  so  many,  and  have  handsome 
expressions  and  sense,  and  so  you  may  cast  your  eye  upon 
Martial,  cum  notis  variorum,  in  8vo. ;  and  upon  Horace,  who 
is  also  published  cum  notis  variorum,  in  8vo. ;  and  Juvenal 
and  Persius,  in  8vo.  Your  brother  Thomas,  when  hee  was 
at  sea,  learned  much  of  Horace,  and  all  Juvenal  in  a  manner 
without  booke.  Sir  John  Knyvett  and  Sir  Philip  Gawdie,  of 
Herling,  were  so  well  versed  in  them,  that  they  never  came 
butt  they  would  have  two  or  three  bowers  discourse  with  mee 


302  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680-1. 

about  them,  and  especially  Sir  John  Knyvett,  who  translated 
divers  satyrs  of  Juvenal,  which  is  now  done  by  Sir  Philip 
Stapleton ;  butt  there  is  a  great  difference  between  the 
Latin  and  the  English.  If  you  also  read  sometimes  Seneca  it 
may  bee  very  delightfull ;  there  are  divers  parts  of  Seneca 
translated,  and  they  may  help  toward  the  closer  understanding 
of  the  Latin,  butt  the  Latin  exceedeth  the  translation.  It  is 
also  translated  into  French.  D.  C.,8  in  his  oration,  hath  butt 
eight  pages,  wch  are  close  to  the  buisinesse,  and  those  are  at 
the  end ;  the  large  part  being  in  generalls,  so  that  I  conceave 
two  sheets  or  litle  more  may  suffice.  I  am  sorry  to  heare  my 
daughter  Browne  is  so  troubled  wth  the  headach ;  I  knowe 
not  whether  shee  hath  an  issue,  or  keepeth  her  hayre  very 
short.  Love  unto  her  and  to  litle  Susan ;  all  heere  present 
their  love  and  services.  Tom,  God  bee  praysed,  is  well. 
God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward   Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thojnas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

Jan.  24,  [1680-1.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

My  daughter  Betty  had  a  letter  from  Nancy, 
wherein  shee  writt  concerning  her  daughter,  litle  more  than 
two  moneths  old,  which  shee  sayth  is  a  fayr  full  faced  child, 
great  headed,  and  butt  short  winded,  which  showeth  that 
shee  is  like  to  bee  rachiticall,  and,  as  they  speake  heere,  is 
sett  for  the  ricketts.  And  these  are  early  signes  of  what  may 
bee  expected  or  feared.  Being  a  full  child,  you  did  well  to 
appoynt  her  syrupe  of  rhubarb  sometimes,  and  an  issue,  and 
that  being  butt  lately  made,  shee  cannot  expect  much  from  it, 
though  shee  bee  yet  over  forward.     To  make  it  rnnne  much 

S  Probably  Dr.  Charlton. 


1680-1.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  303 

shee  useth  a  litle  orange  for  a  pea,  and  probably  that,  or 
orrice,  or  elder,  may  quicken,  when  the  running  slacketh,  butt 
if  it  might  suffise  it  were  well  if  it  would  ramie  with  a  pea; 
for  that  lyeth  quietly,  nor  so  much  hazard  inflamations.  The 
midwife  or  nurse  persuaded  her  to  give  her  vingar  scytts  a 
spoonfull,  and  that  made  her  sick,  butt  is  a  good  medicine. 
Shee  is  somewhat  to  yong  and  unable  yet  to  take  drincks  or 
decoctions  of  china,  sarsa,  eryngo,  rad.  osmundag,  agrimonies, 
horestong,  betonica,  and  antirachiticall  jngredeents;  except 
a  syrupe  or  distilled  water,  or  both,  bee  made,  of  which  shee 
may  bee  able  to  take  some  spoonfulls,  and  the  mild  chalybeats 
do  excellently  well.  The  bleeding  at  the  eare  no  hurt, 
sometimes  good :  care  would  bee  taken  that  the  nurse  keepe 
a  good  dyet ;  many  do  well  who  are  bred  up  by  the  spoone. 
As  soone  as  you  have  time,  write  a  kind  word  unto  her,  for 
she  perplexeth  herself  night  and  day  about  the  child.  Mr. 
Alderman  Briggs  is  not  yet  returned  to  Norwich,  and  whether 
he  will  bee  chosen  agayne  burgesse  is  yet  uncertaine ;  or 
whether  hee  will  totally  decline  it.  My  Lord  Paston  will  bee 
one,  and,  if  Mr.  Briggs  bee  layd  aside,  then  Mr.  Norris,  the 
lawyer,  our  recorder.  Sir  Jacob  Astley  and  Sir  Tho.  Hare 
are  nominated  and  agreed  on  by  one  partie,  Sir  John 
Hobart  and  Sir  Peter  Gleane  agayne  by  the  other ;  so  that 
it  is  like  to  bee  a  hard  canvase  :  the  people,  for  ought  I  yett 
perceave,  being  still  of  the  same  mind  as  before  the  dissolution 
of  the  parliameut.  The  calling  of  the  parliament  at  Oxford 
will  make  citizens  and  tradesmen  the  lesse  earnest  to  bee 
burgesses  in  corporations.  Our  day  of  election,  if  the  writts 
come,  will  be  on  Monday  come  sevenight.  Dr.  Burnett's 
booke,  in  8vo.,  is  come  to  Norwich,  of  the  life  and  death  of 
my  Lord  of  Rochester.  Love  and  blessing  to  my  daughter 
Browne  and  litle  Susan.  Tom,  God  bee  thancked,  is  well, 
though  I  wonder  hee  falls  into  no  cough,  wearing  his  hat  and 
gloves  so  seldome. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward   Browne,   in  Salisbury   Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


301'  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680-1. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  1,  [1680-1.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Wee  have  been  exceeding  sollicitous  for  Mrs.  Jane 
Allington,  and  the  great  sorrowe  my  good  Lady  Adams  was 
like  to  haue  if  shee  should  dye.  And  therefore  you  did  very 
well  to  giue  us  that  wellcome  notice  that  shee  was  well  agayne. 
I  took  notice  this  weeke  of  the  notable  voyce  of  a  hound 
aboue  all  other  doggs ;  and  therefore  at  your  opportunity  you 
may  examine  the  vocall  organs  of  a  hound;  there  may  be 
something  considerable,  perhaps,  beside  the  rest,  from  the 
frame  of  his  mouth  and  slabbing  lipps.  I  haue  not  seen  Sir 
W.  Adams  since  hee  came  into  Norfolk.  I  beleeve  hee  hath 
been  buisie  about  the  election  for  knights  of  the  shyre.  Butt 
iust  as  I  am  writing  Sir  William  Adams  comes  to  me,  and 
deliuered  your  letter  and  token  to  Tom,  who  was  very  glad, 
and  presents  his  duty  and  thanks  to  his  father  and  mother, 
and  loue  to  his  sister.  Four  stood,  Sir  J.  Hobart,  Sir  Peter 
Gleane,  Sir  Jacob  Astley,  and  Sir  Thomas  Hare.  It  was  a 
hard  canuas ;  Sir  John  caryed  it  by  a  hundred  voyces, 
wanting  two  or  three.  Sir  Peter  by  sixteen  or  seventeen, 
which  hee  had  more  then  Sir  Jacob.  Sir  Thomas  Hare  had 
the  fewest,  yet  not  many  lesse  then  Sir  Jacob.  Sir  Peter  had 
like  to  haue  lost  it,  by  the  great  and  tempestuous  wind  wch 
was  on  last  Sunday  night,  and  held  the  greatest  part  of 
Monday,  which  was  the  election  day.  The  Yarmouth  men 
came  to  Norwich,  either  by  boat  or  horse,  the  day  before,  to 
the  number  of  three  hundred,  for  Sir  John  and  Sir  Peter; 
butt  there  were  three  boates  which  were  to  come  on  Sunday 
night,  with  fishermen,  for  Sir  John  and  Sir  Peter,  butt  the 
wind  was  so  high  and  contrarie  that  they  were  fayne  to 
returne.  Only  sixteen  or  seventeen  of  them  were  so  resolute 
that  they  went  on  shoare  and  came  on  foot,  which  made  Sir 
Peter  to  haue  the  second  voyce.  Sir  Henry  Hobart  was 
chosen  one  of  the  burgesses  for  Lynne,  and  Alderman  Taylor 


1G80-1.]  DOkESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  305 

the  other,  who  was  burgesse  the  last  parliament.  Sir  Joseph 
Williamson  and  Mr.  William  Harbord  were  chosen  agayne. 
Mr.  Hoast  and  Sir  Robert  Steward  for  [Rysing]  as  before. 
Ours  are  like  to  be  chosen  agayne,  as  also  the  knights  of  the 
shyre  for  Suffolk.  God  blesse  you  all.  I  shall,  God  willing, 
soone  write  agayne.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  serue  to  my  lady  Adams. 

DEARE  DAUGHTER, 

I  receued  your  letter,  and  giue  you  many  thanks  for 
your  care  for  [us].  I  will  send  you  the  mony  when  I  haue  an 
opertunity.  I  am  glad  to  heer  my  sonne  is  so  much  batter ; 
I  hope  in  a  short  time  hee  will  purfetly  recouer.  I  blesse 
God  Tomey  is  so  well  as  I  beleue  hee  could  induer  a  jerrney 
to  see  his  grandmother ;  and  hee  sends  his  humble  dutty  to 
her,  and  to  your  selfe  and  his  ffathar,  and  says  in  sumor  hee 
shall  see  you  and  his  sister,  which  hee  doos  much  long.  I 
besich  God  of  his  marcy  bless  you  all. 

Your  affectinat  mother, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

Franke  M.  sent  her  loue  and  serves. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  14,  [1680-1.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Sir  William  Adams,  with  his  sonne  Mr.  W.  Adams, 
intends  for  London,  butt  they  go  somewhat  out  of  the  road. 
I  am  glad  to  see  Mr.  Adams  much  better,  and  I  hope  he  will 
still  improve.  Hee  sayeth  hee  finds  good  of  the  waters,  and 
may  find  more  in  a  better  season.  I  writt  to  you  about  our 
election  for  the  countie  ;  this  day  was  the  choyce  of  the  bur- 
gesses for  Norwich.  Wee  were  in  a  full  security  that  my 
vol.  i.  x 


306  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680-1. 

Lord  Paston,  eldest  sonne  to  the  Earle  of  Yarmouth,  and 
Mr.  Alderman  Briggs,  would  have  stood  only,  and  so  all  have 
passed  quietly,  without  opposition,  to  our  content :  butt  this 
morning  there  appeared  a  considerable  body  of  men,  crying 
out  for  Hobart  and  Payne ;  that  is,  for  old  Mr.  Hobart, 
whose  daughter  Deane  Astley  maryed,  and  now  liueth  at  the 
deanery.  Mr.  Payne  is  of  St.  Gyles,  whose  daughter  Mr. 
Doughtie  maryed.  Hee  is  butt  on  a  bad  state  of  body,  and 
so  hath  been  all  this  winter,  and  I  heard  him  lately  say,  that 
hee  had  rather  give  a  hundred  pound  than  stand,  yett  by  ve- 
hement importunities  they  gott  him  out.  Mr.  Hobart,  a  man 
now  in  his  77th  yeare,  withdrew  himself  out  of  the  towne  ; 
yett  they  sett  up  one  to  ride  for  him.  My  Lord  Paston  had 
voyces  1509,  Mr.  Briggs  1451,  Mr.  Hobart  829,  Mr.  Payne 
919.  Tis  probable  there  will  be  allwayes  some  opposition, 
though  without  successe  ;  the  people  delight  in  it,  and  saye  it 
will  bee  the  better  for  the  towne,  as  causing  more  concourse 
of  persons,  and  more  mony  to  bee  spent  in  the  towne.  My 
Lord  Paston  was  not  heere  in  person,  nor  need  hee  bee  pre- 
sent hereafter  upon  the  like  occasion,  hee  being  sure  to  bee 
one.  Tom  hath  been  much  delighted  this  day.  God  blesse 
my  daughter  Browne  and  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  28,  [1680-1.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  trust  in  God  that  you  are  in  health,  which  I  dayly 
pray  for.  A  great  part  of  our  newes  hath  been,  of  late,  made 
out  [of]  severall  elections,  and  the  circumstances  of  them. 
Sir  James  Johnson  and  Mr.  England  are  burgesses  for  Yar- 
mouth. Sir  James  is  a  sober  and  understanding  person, 
very  civill,  and  your  kind  acquaintance.     Sir  Robert  Kemp 


1680-1.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  307 

and  Sir  Philip  Skippon  are  chosen  for  Dunwich  as  before, 
the  towne  having  sent  unto  them  desiring  them  to  accept  of 
the  place.  So  wee  have  butt  two  newe  parliament  men  for 
Norfolk.  Sir  James  Johnson  for  Yarmouth,  and  Sir  Henry 
Hobart  for  Lynne.  And  for  ought  I  perceave  there  is  no 
considerable  number  of  new  men  chosen  in  other  parts.  I 
find  in  the  newes  letters  that  Mr.  Whittle,  the  kings  chirur- 
geon,  is  dead,  and  that  your  neibour  Mr.  Moullins,  is  sworne 
in  his  place  ;  butt  which  of  the  Moullins  I  knowe  not,  per- 
haps Mr.  Peirce  may  bee  in  Scotland  with  the  duke.  I  am 
sorry  to  find  that  the  King  of  England  is  fayne  to  reduce  his 
howsehold  expences  to  twelve  thousand  pounds  p.  annum, 
especially  hee  having  a  farre  greater  revenue  then  any  of  his 
predecessors.  God  keepe  all  honest  men  from  penury  and 
want ;  men  can  bee  honest  no  longer  then  they  can  give  every 
one  his  due :  in  fundo  parsimonia  seldome  recovers  or  re- 
stores a  man.  This  rule  is  to  bee  earned  by  all,  vtere  divitiis 
tanquam  moriturus,  et  idem  tanquam  victurus  parcito  divi- 
tiis. So  may  bee  avoyded  sordid  avarice  and  improvident 
prodigallity  ;  so  shall  not  a  man  deprive  himself  of  God's 
blessings,  nor  throwe  away  God's  mercies ;  so  may  hee  bee 
able  to  do  good  and  not  suffer  the  worst  of  evils.  Two 
earthern  bottles  floatting  upon  the  sea,  with  this  motto,  "  si 
collidimur  frangimnr,"  is  applycable  unto  any  two  concernes 
whose  interest  is  united,  and  is  to  conserve  one  another; 
which  makes  mee  sorry  for  this  dissention  between  the  king 
and  the  people,  that  is,  the  major  part  of  them,  as  the  elec- 
tions declare.  God  send  a  happy  conclusion,  and  bee  recon- 
ciled unto  us,  and  give  us  grace  to  forsake  our  sinnes,  the 
boutefeux  and  incendiaries  of  all.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Dr.  Donnes  sermon  is  a  very  good  one,  and  so  is  Dr.  Bur- 
nets  and  the  Bishop  of  Oxford's. 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  thanke  both  you  and  my  daughter  for  your  care 
in  my  daughters  concernes,  and  when  I  haue  an  oportunity  I 

X  2 


308  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1680-1. 

shall  send  the  thirteen  shilins.  I  must  desire  my  daughter 
att  her  best  ....  to  gett  my  cussen  Cradocks  bills  of  all  that 
wee  owe  him,  for  I  would,  if  I  could,  pay  him  before  your 
sister  cuming,  which  will  be  as  they  now  thinke  the  weeke 
after  Easter  :  and  they  intend  to  log  in  the  Pall  Mall,  becaus 
of  his  bisnes  that  they  to  be  often  with  you,  whiles  they  stay, 
thay  think  will  be  five  or  six  weeks.  Thay  present  all  love 
and  services,  so  dooes  your  sister  Franke.  Tom  his  dutty, 
he  is  beging  books  and  reading  of  them. 
Your 

These   for    Dr.    Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London, 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edivard. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

March  4,  [1680-1.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  thinck  the  colledge  is  much  obliged  to  you  for 
what  you  haue  done  toward  the  procuring  of  my  lords  li- 
brarie.  And  I  hope  such  care  will  bee  taken  as  that  you 
may  soone  haue  the  possession  of  it.  It  may  proue  both  or- 
namentall  and  beneficiall.  It  were  well  if  you  could  so  con- 
tinue the  buisinesse  as  to  bee  at  litle  charge  for  a  library 
keeper,  for  there  is  not  like  to  bee  any  constant  studying  at 
it,  men  being  diuerted  by  the  auocations  of  their  profession. 
This  librarie  and  bookes  may  bee  a  great  honour  vnto  my 
lord  in  an  anniuersarie  encomium.  I  find  that  Mr.  Papin 
hath  published  a  litle  booke  of  his  new  digester  as  vsefull  in 
cookery,  chymistrie,  &c.  butt  how  hee  dissolueth  bones  you 
may  say  something  when  you  write  again  to  mee,  if  you  bee 
acquainted  with  the  manner.  The  newes  letters  tell  us  that 
the  comet  hath  been  seen  agayne  some  few  nights  past.  My 
Lady  Pettus  hath  not  been  dangerously  ill  lately  :  shee  hath 
hath  had  a  great  roughnesse  with  idling  in  her  armes.  I 
find  in  the  new  catalogue  of  bookes  sett  out  by  Clauell,  The- 


1680-1. ]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  o09 

ophyli  Benoti's  Sepulchrilum  or  Anatomia  Practica,  and  I 
haue  heard  something  of  it  before,  it  may  probably  bee  a  con- 
siderable work,  and  concerne  you  to  looke  into  it.  What 
opinion  haue  men  of  it,  or  what  is  the  price  ?  I  am  glad  my 
lady  Gearie  hath  consulted  you ;  and  I  doubt  not  butt  you 
will  bee  very  obseriiant  of  her.  Shee  must  surely  bee  left 
very  well.  All  present  respects  to  your  self  and  my  daugh- 
ter Browne.  Tom,  God  be  thanked,  is  well.  God  blesse 
you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1833.] 

March  x,  [1680-1.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  perceave  it  is  not  improbable  that  you  may  read 
the  next  weeke,  though  there  may  be  uncertaintie  in  it,  whe- 
ther the  high  sheriffe  of  Surrey  will  grant  a  body,  or  whether 
there  will  bee  any  to  grant,  and  there  will  bee  also  some  diffi- 
cultie  to  convaye  a  body  from  Kingston  in  a  reasonable  time; 
whatever  you  read  God,  make  it  successefull  unto  you;  I  could 
bee  very  content  it  were  over,  because  I  cannot  butt  thinck 
that  it  doth  take  up  allmost  all  your  thoughts.  I  beleeve  Mr. 
Deane  was  not  with  you,  for  wee  heare  that  a  daye  or  two 
after  hee  came  to  London  hee  fell  ill  of  a  vomitinge  and  loose- 
nesse,  whereof  when  his  lady  heard  shee  went  presently  to 
London,  butt  wee  heard  this  weeke  that  hee  was  prettie  well. 
I  read  an  odde  passage  in  the  Academia  naturce  curiosa,  of  Ger- 
manie,  I  thinck  at  Leipsick,  in  there  first  sheets  published,  of 
a  person  borne  deaf,  who  could  heare  if  they  shaved  his  head 
upon  the  coronall  suture,  and  washed  it  cleene,  and  then  one 
put  his  mouth  to  it  and  spoke,  which  they  say  hee  could  heare; 
this  is  somewhat  odde,  and  I  doubt  it  will  not  hold,  yett  if  the 
scull  bee  not  closed  a  voyce  may  make  some  sound  about  the 
brayne.  I  think  it  is  taken  notice  of  [by]  fewe,  you  may  consider 
thereof  with  yourself  and  upon  opportunity  examine  it.    The 


310  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681. 

account  of  that  body  of  philosophers  is  sometimes  in  the  trans- 
actions, and  this,  among  others,  in  a  part  of  their  transactions. 
Serve  God  and  have  a  care  of  yourself;  wee  shall,  God  wil- 
ling, provide  for  you  the  next  weeke,  your  desires  seem  the 
quicker  because  we  are  in  some 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

dear  sonne,  April  26,  [1681.] 

I  sent  vnto  you  the  scull  of  a  poulcat's  head,  by  yong 
Mr.  Whitefoot,  which  I  would  haue  you  see  and  take  notice 
of,  and  probably  you  haue  none  by  you.  I  gave  a  badger's 
skull  vnto  Dr.  Clarke,  and  if  you  meet  with  an  opportunity 
keep  one.  The  lower  jawe  of  that  which  I  had,  needed  no 
tying  to  the  vpper,  butt  would  moue  and  hold  to  the  upper 
jawe  without  any  tye.  I  had  not  obserued  the  like  in  any 
skull.  For  the  disposing  of  your  money  into  the  East  India 
Company,  it  were  fitt  to  take  friendly  and  good  aduice  before 
you  resolue  thereon.  Two  complaints  I  haue  heard  of  the 
East  India  Company,  ever  since  I  was  a  youth,  that  it  was  a 
very  hard  matter  to  gett  their  money  out  who  putt  any  in  ; 
and  that  the  considerable  profitt  went  vnto  the  officers.  I 
remember  my  vnkle  Browne  had  eight  hundred  pounds  in 
that  stock,  and  hee  always  complayned  that  proued  the  least 
profitable  summe  hee  implyed  in  his  estate,  and  could  not  gett 
it  out,  butt  was  fayne  at  last  to  sell  it  to  his  great  disaduan- 
tage.  The  East  India  trade  hath  been  great  of  late,  butt  how 
long  it  will  bee  so  is  uncertaine,  for  the  commoditie.of  China 
silks  and  gownes,  and  the  like,  is  not  like  to  hold  allwayes, 
with  a  mutable  and  changing  people  ;  and  how  the  trade  will 
bee  interrupted  I  knowe  not,  when  the  French  growe  power- 
full  and  buisie  in  the  Indies.  And  therefore  consider,  aduise 
well,  before  you  part  with  your  money,  or  whether  you  may 
not  as  well  or  better  otherwise  dispose  of  it.  Mr.  Buxton 
doth  well  like  of  Mr.  Mole,  of  whom  Sir  John  Hobart  writt. 
Hee  intends  to  bee  in  London  next  Saturday.     Hee  Mill  bee 


1681.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  311 

glad  of  a  carefull  good  natured  man :  for  though  his  mind  bee 
earnestly  bent  to  the  journey,  yet  hee  is  butt  yet  faynt,  and 
had,  as  I  heare,  an  angry  push  broake  on  his  shoulder.  God 
send  my  daughter  a  good  deliuery,  and  blesse  you  all.  Your 
loving  father,  THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

April  30,  [1681.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

My  worthy  friend  Mr.  Deane  Astley  going  to  Lon- 
don, hee  ciuilly  asking  mee  whether  I  would  send  vnto  you 
and  hee  would  be  ready  in  his  seruice,  I  would  not  omitt  to 
send  this  letter.  I  had  nothing  of  litle  bulk  fitt  to  trouble 
him  to  carry  ;  butt  I  knowe  you  will  bee  ciuill  unto  him  and 
also  to  his  lady.  Hee  hath  had  a  lingering  ague  and  aguish 
distemper  which  hath  made  him  weake,  yet  hee  knewe  not 
howe  to  auoyd  going  to  the  conuocation,  and  hee  preached 
last  Sunday  at  the  cathedrall :  hee  tooke  the  cortex,  butt  his 
ague  returned,  and  [he]  careth  not  to  make  further  vse  thereof, 
and  hopes  by  degrees  to  repayre  as  hee  hath  formerly  done 
in  lingering  distempers,  and  so  I  hope.  There  was  some  ac- 
ceptions  last  time  by  his  lady,  that  when  shee  had  visited 
your  self  and  wife  the  visit  was  not  returned.  God  blesse 
you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Yesterday  I  had  a  cock  bustard  sent  mee  from  beyond 
Thetford.  I  neuer  did  see  such  a  vast  thick  neck :  the  crop 
was  pulled  out,  butt  as  [a]  turkey  hath  an  odde  large  sub- 
stance without,  so  had  this  within  the  inside  of  the  skinne, 
and  the  strongest  and  largest  neck  bone  of  any  bird  in  Eng- 
land. This  I  tell  you,  that  if  you  meet  with  one  you  may 
further  obserue  it. 


312  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1081 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

May  14,  [1681.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Mr.  Deane  and  his  lady  and  sonne  came  safe  to 
Norwich,  and  this  morning  hee  deliuered  vnto  mee  the  medall 
of  Cosmus,  Duke  of  Florence :  it  is  a  good  one,  butt  the  in- 
scription on  the  reuerse  being  altered  in  the  word  vitem  for 
vitis  makes  it  somewhat  obscure.  I  will  consider  further  of 
it.  I  haue  not  yet  spoake  with  his  lady  concerning  the  mere, 
didcis.  I  perceaue  they  feare  it  may  saliuate  if  giuen  without 
purges ;  butt  it  is  dayly  vsed  for  wormes,  and  sould  by  apo- 
thecaries, and  giuen  to  lesser  children  without  saliuating.  I 
wish  your  case  may  succeed  with  the  gentleman,  as  it  may 
well  do  if  hee  hath  not  been  saliuated  before,  and  you  are 
well  acquainted  in  that  way.  You  will  deserue  well,  and  I 
hope  you  will  be  considered  accordingly.  You  knowe  how 
beneficiall  it  proues  vnto  chirurgeons,  and  I  would  not  haue 
you  vndervalue  your  paynes.  I  haue  not  yet  seen  Sir  William 
Adams,  butt  his  lady  was  here  on  Tuesday,  and  complains 
very  litle  or  nothinge,  butt  I  perceaue  shee  hath  some  cough, 
though  not  much  to  what  shee  hath  had.  Madame  Burwell 
hath  more  flesh  then  euer,  butt  is  the  same  woeman,  and  her 
good  parts  the  same,  and  her  loue  and  respects  vnto  us  and 
ours.  Sir  J.  Pettus  sayth  hee  is  well,  I  haue  not  yet  seen  his 
lady.  Sir  John  is  fallen  away  in  his  flesh,  as  it  is  no  wonder. 
I  am  glad  my  daughter  Browne  recouereth  so  well,  God  hath 
heard  our  prayers  for  her  safetie.  They  tell  mee  that  the 
child  is  bigge  and  fatt,  the  more  care  there  need  to  bee  of  it, 
that  hee  bee  not  ouer  nourished,  which  giues  mee  a  hint  to 
sett  downe  what  Aristotle,  Histor.  Animalium,  lib.  iii.  sayth 
of  milk.  In  the  same  place,  or  neere  it,  hee  speakes  of  the 
vast  cowes  of  Epirus.  These,  perhaps,  were  buffalos,  which 
are  now  knowne  to  bee  so  large  in  Epirus.  Tom  remembers 
his  loue  to  litle  Sukey.  I  am  glad  shee  holds  well.  My 
daughter  Fayrfax,  I  heare,  will  bee  in  London  next  weeke. 


1681.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  313 

God  blesse  her.  Respects  and  seruice  to  all  our  friends :  to 
Mr.  Whiting,  sister  Whiting,  Mr.  Boone,  cosen  Hobbs,  Cra- 
dock,  Mr.  Dobbs,  &c.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Mr.  Payne,  lately  an  alderman  of  Norwich,  who  liues  in  St. 
Gyles,  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Doughtie,  will  go  to  London  the 
next  weeke  and  consult  you  about  the  waters  and  some  other 
infirmities.  Shee  is  a  good  woeman  and  hath  a  sober  honest 
gentleman  of  this  countrie  to  her  husband,  of  whom  I  will 
write  further  in  my  next,  God  willing. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWI,.    CVIII.] 

June  6,  [1681.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

Mr.  Deane  Astley  went  to  London  on  this  day  was 
se'nnight,  and  sayd  he  would  call  upon  you:  hee  went  butt 
much  indisposed,  and  so  had  been  in  the  country  before,  and 
with  thoughts  and  desires  to  drinck  the  waters,  especially  of 
Tunbridge.  My  cosen  Astley  his  lady  went  about  a  fortnight 
past,  and  caryed  her  sonne  agayne  to  Windsor  to  bee  touched 
agayne,  and  so  hee  was.  They  lodge  at  one  Mr.  Blagraues, 
in  Westminster,  by  Henry  the  Seventh  Chappell.  This  day, 
God  bee  thancked,  wee  had  a  fine  showre  of  raine;  the  spouts 
of  our  howse  haue  not  runne  for  eight  or  nine  weekes  before. 
I  had  a  cough  for  six  weekes,  very  fierce  in  the  night,  and  it 
held  mee  till  within  these  twelve  or  fourteen  dayes,  most  per- 
sons in  my  howse  had  it  or  have  it,  except  my  wife.  Frank 
hath  it,  and  it  hath  been  with  hooping  and  vomiting :  butt  is 
persuadable  to  take  litle,  and  will  not  abstaine  from  going  to 
morning  and  euening  prayers  which  wee  day  lie  haue  at  our 
owne  parish  church.  Tommy  hath  had  it  with  some  hooping 
and  vomiting,  butt  now  vomits  butt  seldome,  butt  sleepes 
prettie  well  in  the  night,  and  at  any  time  when  hee  lyeth 
downe  in  the  day :  hee  hath  been  very  hot,  and  so  that  hee 


314  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681. 

begged  to  bleed  a  litle,  and  to  goe  into  a  balneum  dalie,  which 
[he]  had  vsed  in  a  sicknesse  before.  These  three  dayes  hee 
hath  been  in  a  better  temper  and  prettie  chearly,  God  bee 
praysed.  A  gentlewoeman's  footboy  with  whom  hee  vsed  to 
play,  whose  mistress  is  now  at  my  howse  staying  for  the  guild, 
is  in  the  same  case,  butt  his  cough  more  violent.  Tom  hath 
been  nice  and  backward  in  taking  things,  butt  my  wife  is  and 
hath  been  most  preualent  with  him,  and  hee  tooke  some  purg- 
ing and  clysters  readily.  I  shall  not  persuade  you  to  buy  Dr. 
Morrison's  herball  of  five  pound  price.  It  was  ill  contriued 
to  print  it  first  in  small  volumes  and  then  afterwards  other 
peeces  in  large  volumes,  and  fewer  then  euer  are  like  to  bee 
so  criticall  as  formerly  in  botanicks,  especially  in  the  nomen- 
clature and  distinction  of  vegetables.  The  Atlas  may  proue 
a  vsefull  peece  and  a  noble  sett  of  volumes,  so  that  I  am  glad 
you  haue  subscribed  for  them.  My  daughter  Lytelton  hath 
been  at  Tichfield,  at  my  Lord  Noel's  howse,  in  Hampshyre, 
with  whom  you  trauelled,  where  they  are  wellcome,  and  stay 
till  the  yackt  appoynted  comes  to  waft  them  to  Guernsey. 
Tommy  presents  his  duty.  Loue  and  blessing  to  my  daugh- 
ter Browne.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Captain  Williams  was  mistaken  when  hee  told  Captain  Li- 
tleton's  place,  with  his  company,  was  worth  a  thousand  pounds 
per  annum. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  daughter  Mrs.  Lyttleton.9 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    BAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

[June  6,  1681.] 

DEAREST   BETTY, 

Thy  letters  are  still  our  best  divertion,  to  hear  you 
and  all  that  belong  to  you  gat  so  well  to   Portsmouth  was 

9  The  present  is  the  first  of  four  letters  preserved  in  No.  391,  of  the  Rawlinson 
MSS.  at  the  Bodleian,  thus  headed,  "Here  follows  some  of  them,  my  dear  father 


1681.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  815 

very  wellcom  to  us,  your  thoughts  for  us  are  equald  with  ours 
for  you.  I  am  sure  there  passes  not  a  day  that  we  are  not  se- 
verall  times  talking  of  you.  Poor  Tomeys  cough  have 
brought  him  in  to  a  great  heat,  but  I  hope  it  will  not  be  so 
bad  as  that  feavor  was  which  you  were  so  helpfull  to  him ;  his 
stomack  very  bad,  we  are  this  after  noon  gouing  to  bath  by 
his  own  desire. 

Our  Tommy  has  had  a  grieveous  cof  and  feavor,  your  sis- 
ter Fi'ank  has  dun  more  for  him  then  I  could  have  thought ; 
he  was  bled  and  bathd,  and  I  bless  God  he  has  got  down 
amongst  us  again,  and  is  much  delighted  with  your  letters. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  soti  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

[June,  1681.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  perceave  you  are  often  mentioned  in  Dr.  Grewes 
booke,  you  have  much  contributed  to  the  metallicall  descrip- 
tion, which  would  have  proved  to  thinne  without  what  you 
have  conferred.  There  was  a  prettie  booke,  writt  1612,  by 
Michael  Drayton,  a  learned  poet,  in  smooth  verse,  called 
Polyolbion ;  and  Mr.  Selden  writt  a  learned  comment  upon  it, 
though  without  his  name.  It  describeth  many  rivers  and 
hills,  of  England  and  Wales,  with  figures  of  nymphs  or 
shephards  at  them 

I  must  give  you  a  troble  I  did  not  desire  you,  but  it  is  upon 
an  eurgent  ocation,  our  naybour  Mr.  Whightfout  is  to  mary 
Mis  Sucky  Payne ;  the  writings  ar  drawn  and  all  concluded, 
but  stay  for  some  things  which  she  could  not  please  herselfe 
here  with.  I  writ  to  my  daughter  Fairfax,  to  send  sum 
pattern,  becaus  her  mothar  would  willingly  know  the  prises 

and  mother  writ  to  me  when  I  was  at  Guernsey."  It  was  intended  to  place  them 
together  at  the  end  of  the  Domestic  Correspondence  ;  but  they  are,  perhaps,  better 
in  chronological  order. 


316  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681. 

before  she  bought.  I  writt  twice,  the  last  I  directed  to  you 
in  her  absance,  but  hearing  nothing  I  fare  thay  both  miscared. 
It  is  a  gown,  and  petticot,  and  mantu,  which  she  desires  ;  if 
ther  be  no  pattarns  sent  I  pray  send  som  as  soone  as  you  can, 
for  ould  Mr.  Whightfott  is  as  much  in  hast  as  his  sonne, 
becaus  hee  desires  a  jerney  to  London,  as  soone  as  they  are 
mared. 

Your  sister  Frank  love  and  services  to  you  both,  and  love 
to  Sucky.  Her  coffe  has  bin  as  bad  as  Tomeys,  yet  shee  has 
bin  a  very  good  nurs  for  him. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  9,  [1681.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  am  sorry  to  heare  my  louing  worthy  friend,  Mr. 
Deane  Astley,  is  in  such  a  lowe  and  weake  state,  that  I  heare 
that  Sir  John  Hobart  sent  a  letter  to  Norwich,  that  hee 
would  hardly  bee  aliue  till  his  letter  was  receaued.  Hee  hath 
seemed  to  languish  these  divers  moneths,  to  have  no  appetite, 
and  no  good  disgestion,  for  hee  could  take  but  little  nourish- 
ment, and  had  for  the  most  part  a  loosenesse.  Of  late  time 
hee  hath  been  more  at  his  parsonage,  at  Foullsham,  12  miles 
off,  so  I  have  seen  him  butt  seldome.  Hee  was  a  man  of  a 
good  comfortable  spirit,  and  very  vnactive  in  taking  of  medi- 
call  remedies ;  hath  sometimes  taken  anti-scorbutiks,  topicall 
applications  to  the  stomack,  rhubarb  also  in  substance  in- 
fused. But  though  hee  went  about,  and  was  much  abroad 
in  the  countrey,  yet  most  men  looked  upon  him  in  a  declining 
condition,  and  that  hee  could  not  last  any  considerable  time ; 
and  aboue  2  moneths  since,  the  common  voyce  was  heere 
that  great  meanes  was  made  for  the  deanerie ;  such  a  confi- 
dence there  was  abroad  that  hee  could  not  hold  out.  And  I 
have  now,  from  the  letters  of  this  day,  little  hope  that  by 
this  letter  you  may  be  able  to  present  my  good  wishes  to  so 
true  and  worthy  a  friend.     I  am  glad  Dr.  Lower  was  with 


1681.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  317 

you,  and  I  beleeve  very  good  remedies  haue  been  vsed,  and 
such  of  the  best  kind  hee  could  admitt.  My  service,  I  pray, 
to  my  loving  cosen  Madame  Astley.  Wee  are  all  much 
afflicted  for  so  good  a  person.  Few  men  were  so  sensible  of 
his  worth  and  goodnesse  as  myself. 

I  cannot  excuse  Paulus  Jovius,  in  all  what  Thuanus  ob- 
iects  vnto  him,  for  I  beleeue  hee  is  partial!  in  his  elogia. 
Hee  hath  chapters  upon  many,  litle  better  then  school- 
masters ;  butt  he  deliures  himself  handsomely,  and  hath 
verses  annexed  vnto  euery  elogie  or  chapter,  composed  not  by 
himself,  but  seuerall  poets  of  his  time  ;  and,  chiefly  at  least, 
hee  writes  upon  those  whose  pictures  hee  could  obtaine,  to 
hang  in  his  galleries,  at  Como,  in  Italic  All  his  workes, 
which  I  have  not  myself,  are  printed  in  2  vol.  at  Basil,  1570; 
my  Elogia  doctorum  virorum,  is  butt  a  midling  octauo,  printed 
at  Basil.  Hee  hath  also  writt  elogies  of  famous  warriors  and 
divers  of  the  Turkish  emperors,  butt  I  haue  only  doctorum 
virorum,  as  lesse  writt  on  by  others.  Elogia  Thuanen  is  also 
good  in  its  kind.  There  are  many  verses  in  Jovius  his 
elogia,  though  but  here  and  there  considerable.  I  am  glad 
you  haue  the  Laudatorie,  for  now  you  are  armed  and  may 
avoyd  much  sollicitude  wheneuer  it  shall  come  or  feare  the 
coming.     Forgett  not  Phrases  Scholce  Wintoniensis. 

Thes  for  Doctor  Browne,  att  his  hows,  in   Sallisbery 
Court,  att  the  Black  Balls,  in  the  Square,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  daughter  Mrs.  Lyttleton. 

[BIBL.    BODL.,  MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

[June,  1681.] 

DEAR    BETTY, 

You  discribed  your  voyage  very  prettily.  The 
Casquets  are  very  noted  rocks  and  infamous  for  many  mis- 
fortunes ;  your  brother  Thomas  who  had  very  experimentall 
knowledge  of  the  channell  between  England  and  France, 
would  speak  often  of  them  and  of  Sark  and  other  islands. 


318  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681. 

Almighty  God  is  omnipotent  every  where  in  his  mercys. 
Have  not  a  doubtful  opinion  of  us  that  we  shall  euer  forget 
you,  but  write  as  often  as  possible,  and  be  industrious  in 
finding  out  ways  of  comunication.     God  bless  you  both. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

You  may  draw  any  thing  that  is  in  the  island  of  any  kind. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  EdiOard. 

[ms.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  20,  [1681.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

The  letter  which  I  received  from  my  daughter 
Lyttleton,  at  Garnsey,  was,  I  beleeve,  inclosed  in  your  letter 
and  vnsealed,  butt  was  sent  sealed  by  your  seal,  so  that  you 
might  read  it,  and  see  what  was  in  it.  Shee  discribeth  the 
voyage  well,  and  places  neere  which  shee  passed.  Shee 
makes  nothing  of  the  Needles,  which  are  rocks  at  the  west 
end  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  butt  sayth  the  Casquetts  are  terri- 
ble rocks,  not  farre  from  the  Isle  of  Alderney,  and  within  7 
leagues  of  Garnsey,  and  your  brother  Thomas,  I  remember, 
was  vsed  to  speake  of  them.  They  passed  by  the  lesser 
islands,  Sark,  Arme,  and  Chetto,  which  belong  to  the  go- 
uernment  of  Gernsey.  My  sonne  Littleton  told  us  that  G. 
abounded  with  varietis  of  sea  fish,  mullets,  gurnets,  rochets, 
and  many  more;  many  shell  fishes  also,  and  my  daughter 
sayth  shee  allready  had  eat  the  best  lobsters  and  artichoaks 
she  euer  eat,  and  had  a  present  of  24  carpes,  the  biggest 
that  euer  shee  sawe,  and  the  biggest  eeles,  so  that  they 
intend  my  lord  Noel  a  present  of  pickled  eeles,  as  he  desired 
of  them,  there  being  the  most  eeles  of  any  place ;  being  so 
large,  they  may  bee  congers.1  Butt  they  haue  large  and 
fresh  water  ponds,  and  other  such  waters  in  the  island.  My 
lord  Hatton,  the  cheef  gouernour,  liuing  there  diuers  yeares 

1  Congers  are  abundant  in  Guernsey.  —  Grni/. 


1681.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  319 

did  much  good  in  the  island.  Phesants  there  are  in  very 
great  numbers.  I  am  well  content  that  shee  complained  not 
of  any  great  drought  in  the  last  weeks,  in  the  island.  My 
daughter  Lit.  directs  mee  to  send  my  letters  to  Dr.  Speed 
of  Southampton,  to  bee  sent  to  him.  Whether  bee  bee  a 
divine  or  physitian  ?  If  a  physitian,  I  beleeve  I  knewe  well 
his  grandfather,  or  father,  Dr.  Speed.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEARE    SONNE, 

I  blesse  God  our  deare  Tome  dooes  still  mend,  but 
is  so  leane  as  there  will  be  need  of  a  good  stomach,  to  re- 
cruitt  him ;  which  hee  now  has,  if  it  may  hould.  Wee  have 
found  every  change  of  wethar  have  puld  him  back,  yet  I  will 
assure  you  I  have  bin  as  carfull  as  I  could.  He  is  now 
strangly  delighted  in  helping  to  made  the  gardins,  and  hopes 
to  looke  out  att  the  winding  to  morow.  Hee  presents  his 
dutty  to  you  and  his  mothar.  I  pray  except  all  our  loves. 
God  of  his  mercy  bless.  I  pray  lett  mee  know  if  my 
daughter  Fan  haue  sent  any  thing  for  Mr.  Deane. 

Your  affectinat  mothar, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

These  for   Dr.   Edward  Browne,   in   Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  daughter  Mrs.  Lyttleton. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

Sept.  15,  [1681.] 

DEARE    BETTY, 

Tho  it  were  noe  wonder  this  very  tempestious  and 
stormy  winter,  yet  I  am  sorry  you  had  such  an  uncomfortable 
sight  as  to  behold  a  ship  cast  away  so  neer  you ;  this  is  noe 
strange  tho  unwelcom  sight  at  Yarmouth,  Cromer,  Winterton, 
and  sea  towns :  tho  you  could  not  saue  them,  I  hope  they 
were  the  better  for  your  prayers,  both  those  that  perishd 


320  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681. 

and  those  that  scapd.  Some  wear  away  in  calmes,  some  are 
caried  away  in  storms  :  we  come  into  the  world  one  way,  there 
are  many  gates  to  goe  out  of  it.  God  giue  us  grace  to  fit 
and  prepare  our  selues  for  that  necessity,  and  to  be  ready  to 
leaue  all  when  and  how  so  ever  he  shall  call.  The  prayers 
of  health  are  most  like  to  be  acceptable  ;  sickness  may  choak 
our  devotions,  and  we  are  accepted  rather  by  our  life  then 
our  death :  we  have  a  rule  how  to  lead  the  one,  the  other  is 
uncertain,  and  may  come  in  a  moment.  God,  I  hope,  will 
spare  you  to  serve  him  long,  who  didst  begin  early  to  serve 
him.  There  died  thirty-six  last  week  in  Norwich.  The 
small  pox  very  common ;  and  we  must  refer  it  to  Gods  mercy 
when  he  pleaseth  to  abate  or  cease  it ;  for  the  last  run  of  the 
small  pox  lasted  much  longer  then  this  has  yet  dun.  Your 
brother  Thomas  went  once  from  Yarmouth  in  the  evening, 
and  arrived  at  the  Isle  of  White  the  next  day  at  one  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  but  it  was  with  such  a  wind,  that  he  was  never 
so  sick  at  sea  as  at  that  time.  I  came  once  from  Dublin  to 
Chester  at  Michaelmas,  and  was  so  tossed  that  nothing  but 
milk  and  possets  would  go  down  with  me  two  or  three  days 
after.  Your  self  is  not  impatient,  you  will  haue  noe  cause  to 
be  sad  :  giue  no  way  unto  melancholy,  which  is  purely  sadnes 
without  a  reasonable  cause.  You  shall  never  want  our  dayly 
prayers,  and  also  our  frequent  letters.     God  bless  you  both. 

I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  daughter  Mrs.  Lyttleton. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

[Autumn  of  1681.] 

DEAR    BETTY, 

Thou  didst  use  to  pass  away  much  of  thy  time  alone 
and  by  thyself  in  sober  ways  and  good  actions,  so  that  noe 
place,  how  solitary  so  euer,  can  be  strange  to  thee,  nor, 
indeed,  solitary,  since  God,  whom  thou  servest,  is  euery  where 
with  thee,  and  thy  thoughts  on  him,  and  noe  place  should  be 


1681.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  321 

teadious  wherein  we  may  serue  God,  and  lay  up  a  stock  and 
treasure  for  our  happiness  in  an  other  world.  I  am  glad  you 
carried  good  books  and  divers  sermons.  Probably  there  may 
be  some  good  preachers  there,  especially  of  the  French 
church :  they  preach  in  good  French,  though  the  speech  of 
the  common  people  be  corrupt,  you  may  hear  some  of  their 
sermons.  I  hope  you  find  some  company  with  whom  you 
may  delight  to  convers.  The  French  woemen  are  commonly 
frugall  and  good  company,  and  the  people  may  be  wTell  con- 
ditioned. I  am  glad  you  are  in  a  commodious  house.  God 
send  you  your  health ;  all  things  considered  it  may  be  feared 
you  haue  too  much  company  rather  then  too  litle.  When  I 
travailed  beyond  sea  I  resolved  to  my  best  power  to  doe 
nothing  that  should  trouble  my  mind  when  T  returnd  into  my 
own  country.  I  know  you  will  indeavor  to  do  the  like. 
You  giue  us  satisfaction  by  your  letters,  continue  the  same. 
I  beleeve  you  will  fall  to  drawing,  and,  besides  faces,  it  may 
be  pleasent  to  the  inhabitents  as  well  as  your  self  if  you  draw 
anything  elce  in  the  island.  Tom  wishes  himself  with  you 
for  some  days.  God,  I  trust,  will  support  and  bless  you ; 
make  your  life  as  comfortable  as  you  can  under  a  sober  and 
prudent  management,  allways  conjoynd  with  the  love,  honour, 
and  service  of  God,  where  in  lyeth  the  truest  content  and 
happiness. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Dec.  26,  [1681.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  am  heartily  glad,  and  blesse  Almightie  God,  to 
understand  you  are  in  a  good  way  of  recouerie.  The  Author 
of  life  restore  health  vnto  you,  and  giue  you  wisedom  to  take 
care  for  the  conseruation  thereof,  by  sobrietie  and  temperance 
to  auoyd  fulnesse.  Looke  upon  the  118th  Psalme  from  the 
14th  verse  to  the  20th.  The  Epitome  of  Anatomie,  in  En- 
glish, is  come  to  Nonvich,  at  seven  shillings  and  sixpence 

VOL.    I.  Y 


322  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

price,  which  is  deare  for  an  epitomie,  and  will  sell  the  slower.c 
Boretus  of  the  muscles  may  be  pleasant,  butt  it  is  very  much 
that  hee  should  bee  mistaken  in  a  muscle.  It  was  obserued 
long  ago  that  Aristotle,  who  writ  De  motu  ant  incessu  Ani- 
malium,  did  not  vnderstand  a  muscle.  Some  imperfections 
will  bee  found  in  the  best  authors,  and  most  excusable  in  them 
who  lesse  accuse  or  find  fault  with  others.  I  hardly  remem- 
ber the  small  pox  so  much  in  Norwich  as  it  hath  been  of  late, 
and  still  continueth.  Thirteen  weekes  ago  there  dyed,  of  all 
diseases,  fifty-two.  God  be  praysed  it  hath  not  been  in  my 
howse  ;  and  Tom  hath  held  well.  Tom  is  iust  now  gone  to 
see  two  beares  which  are  to  be  showne,  butt  the  maior  will 
not  suffer  them  to  be  bayted,  by  reason  of  the  contagion,  by 
drawing  yong  people  together.  Some  find  good  in  your  case 
by  chewing  of  rhubarb.  God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne 
and  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  Salisbury  Court,   next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1S47-] 

Jan.  9,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  presume  you  are  carefull  of  your  health,  and  not 
only  to  regayne  butt  to  conserve  it.  Long  health  is  apt  to 
begett  security,  and  God  mercifully  interposeth  some  admo- 
nitions and  rubbs  to  make  us  consider  ourselves,  and  to  carry 
a  warie  hand  in  our  affayres  of  all  kinds.  The  merciful  pro- 
vidence of  God  go  ever  with  you,  and  continue  to  blesse  you. 
Mr.  Carpenter,  who  brought  the  letters,  is  secretary  of  Jersey, 
and  when  or  whether  hee  goes  back  to  Guernzey,  I  beleeve 
is  uncertaine ;  for,  to  obtaine  conveniency  of  passage,  the 
Jersey  men  come  commonly  to  Guernzey.     I  thinck  you  did 

2  Thomas  Gibson,  M.  D.   Anatomy  of  Human  Bodies  Epitomized.     8vo.  Lond. 
1682. 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  323 

well  not  to  hazard  your  self  at  that  time  by  such  a  journey  as 
to  Lewys,  whereof  part  is  very  bad  waye.  I  remember,  when 
I  was  very  yong,  and  I  thinck  butt  in  coates,  my  mother 
carryed  mee  to  my  grandfather  Garawayes  howse  in  Lewys. 
I  retaine  only  in  my  mind  the  idea  of  some  roomes  of  the 
howse,  and  of  the  church.  Our  maior  was  sent  for  by  a 
letter  to  appeare  before  the  king  and  counsel!  the  weeke 
before  Xmas  ;  some  chief  brewers  of  Norwich  and  excisemen 
had  accused  him  for  putting  downe  some  alehouses,  and  deny- 
ing to  licence  others,  and  hindring  the  kings  profitt.  Butt 
when  hee  had  shewen  that  he  did  butt  what  the  law  required 
of  him,  that  there  were  still  an  unreasonable  number  of  ale- 
houses, and  that  they  were  a  great  occasion  of  debaucherie 
and  povertie  in  the  towne,  so  that  the  rates  to  the  poore  have 
been  encreased  eight  hundred  pounds  more  then  formerly, 
hee  was  dismissed  with  commendations.  His  maiestie  soone 
perceaved  the  excisemen  and  brewers  made  a  cloake  of  his 
interest  for  their  owne,  and  would  not  have  his  subjects  de- 
bauched and  impoverished  upon  his  account.  Wee  have  had 
much  cyder  given  us  this  winter,  and  now  at  Christmas  it  is 
apt  to  gripe  many,  and  so  hard  that  they  drinck  it  with  a  little 
sugar.  That  which  was  sent  you  from  Guernsey  may  proba- 
bly bee  good,  but  having  been  upon  the  sea  tis  likely  it  may 
be  hard.  My  wife  and  others,  except  myself,  drinck  a  little 
at  meales ;  and  Tom  calls  for  the  bottomes  of  the  glasses, 
where  tis  sweetest,  and  cares  litle  for  the  rest.  It  helps  to 
make  good  syllibubs  in  the  summer.  A  great  part  of  our 
newes  is  of  the  king  of  Fez  and  Morocco's  embassadour,  with 
his  presents  of  lyons  and  oestridges.3  I  remember  an  embas- 
sadour who,  in  King  Charles  the  First's  time,  came  from  the 
king  of  Morocco  to  help  him  to  besiedge  Sally,  then  revolted 
from  him  ;  hee  besiedged  it  by  land,  and  the  English  with 
eight  shipps  by  sea,  and  so  the  town  was  taken.  Hee  brought 
with  him  many  gallant  horses,  for  a  present,  with  strong  tayles 
and  very  long  maines,  and  pictures  thereof  were  taken  ;  and 
there  is  one  still  in  this  towne;  and,  at  a  gentleman's  howse  in 
the  country,  the  picture  of  the  Moorish  embassadour  on 
horseback,  as  hee  rid  through  London  at  his  entry,  as  bigge 

5  Evelyn  i,  537,  S. 

Y  2 


324  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

as  the  life,  which  cost  fiftie  pounds,  and  is  a  noble  peece, 
about  as  bigge  as  Titian's4  Charles  the  First  on  horseback,  in 
the  hall  of  the  Duke's  place.  I  am  glad  my  cosen  Cradock  is 
come  of  so  well.  Tis  like  my  L.  S.  will  sett  still,  and  content 
to  have  escaped  such  a  danger.  Love  and  blessing  to  you, 
my  daughter  Browne,  and  you  all,  as  also  from  my  wife ;  love 
from  Franck,  duty  from  Tom. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

I  doubt  all  my  letters  sent  [to]  Guernsey  within  these  two 
moneths  lye  still  at  Southampton;  the  wind  having  continued 
southerly  and  westerly  at  this  time  of  yeare  beyond  observa- 
tion, to  the  great  detriment  of  many  marchands. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  Salisbury  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London, 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Jan.  x,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  thanck  you  for  the  account  of  the  embassadour  of 
the  King  of  Fez  and  Morrocco,  you  did  well  to  give  a  visit 
unto  a  person  so  unusual,  and  so  much  talked  of.  Hee  will, 
at  his  returne,  tell  stories  of  wonder  unto  his  countrymen,  and 
such  as  they  will  hardly  understand,  butt  I  thinck  the  king 
doth  wisely  to  caresse  him,  and  shewe  him  the  respect  he  giv- 
eth  him  ;  for  such  a  tyrannicall  ambitious  prince  as  hee  seem- 
eth,  may  probably  bee  sooner  taken  with  such  honours  then 
with  ordinarie  respects.  Now  what  kind  of  prince  Muley  Is- 
mael  is,  a  letter  you  sent  mee,  concerning  the  embassage  unto 
him,  did  give  mee  notice  about  2  moneths  since  ;  and  I  have 
showed  that  letter  to  divers,  who  were  glad  to  see  it.  There 
being  so  many  oestridges  brought  over,  tis  likely  some  of  them 

*  This  is  an  error  ;   Titian  died  in  1576.     It  was  Vandyke  ;  to  whom  Charles  I. 
repeatedly  sat. 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  325 

will  [be]  brought  about  to  showe,  hither,  as  soone  as  other 
parts  out  of  London.  If  any  of  them  dye,  I  beleeve  it  will 
bee  dissected ;  they  have  odde  feet  and  strong  thighes  and 
legges.  Tis  much  the  use  of  the  eggeshells  is  not  more  com- 
mon in  physick,  like  other  eggeshells  and.  crabbs  eyes  or 
clawes  ;  and  there  would  be  enough  to  bee  had,  if  they  were 
looked  after,  and  sought  for,  by  the  droggesters.  Perhaps 
the  king  will  putt  3  or  4  of  these  oestridges  into  St.  James' 
park,  and  give  away  the  rest  to  some  noblemen.  The  time 
of  your  lecture  is  yet  a  prettie  way  of,  and  perhaps  the  chi- 
rurgeons  are  not  so  well  agreed  as  to  have  one ;  you  were 
prepared  a  yeare  or  2  agoe.  The  new  English  anatomie 
speakes  of  things  briefly,  butt  according  as  they  are  receaved  in 
the  new  doctrine,  and  so  may  bee  usefull  in  its  kind,  pray  bee 
carefull  in  your  dyet,  and  the  6  non-naturalls,  that  you  may 
the  better  establish  your  health,  and  assist  nature  to  renewe 
your  blood  now  the  sunne  is  approaching.  Mr.  Wilson,  who 
was  my  sonne  Lytelton's  lieutenant,  was  heere  some  yeares 
past.  Wee  heard  that  my  lord  Noel,  who  sayd  hee  knewe 
you  in  your  travells,  was  to  bee  governour  of  Portsmouth,  and 
wee  knowe  hee  is  a  mightie  kind  friend  to  my  sonne  L.  butt 
how  farre  it  is  in  his  power  to  do  him  good,  wee  knowe  not. 
Col.  Legge,  the  former  governour,  was  also  his  good  friend. 
God  blesse  you,  my  daughter  Browne,  and  you  all.  Tom 
presents  his  duty,  Frank  her  love,  my  wife  the  like. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

My  L.  Townshend  sent  a  letter  to  my  cos.  Townshend, 
that  hee  would  have  no  voyces  made  upon  his  interest,  for 
Sir  J.  Hobart  and  Sir  Peter  Gleane,  I  perceave  hee  thincks 
new  men  would  do  best,  when  there  shall  be  an  election ;  but 
is  not  fallen  out  with  Sir  John  or  Sir  Peter. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court,  next  the 
Golden  Balls,  these,  London. 


326  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [3681-2. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[.MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  3,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  beleeve  you  must  bee  carefull  of  your  ostridge, 
this  returne  [of]  cold  wether,  least  it  perish  by  it  being  bredd 
in  so  hot  a  countrey,  and  perhaps  not  seen  snowe  before  or 
very  seldome,  so  that  I  beleeve  it  must  be  kept  under  covert, 
and  have  strawe  to  sitt  upon,  and  water  sett  by  it  to  take  of, 
both  day  and  night.     Must  have  it  observed  how  it  sleepeth, 
and  whether  not  with  the  head  under  the  wing,  especially  in 
cold  wether,  whether  it  bee  a  wachfull  and  quick  hearing  bird, 
like  a  goose,  for  it  seems  to  bee  like  a  goose  in  many  circum- 
stances.    It  seems  to  eat  any  thing  that  a  goose  will  feed  on, 
and  like  a  goose  to  love  the  same  green  hearbs,  and  to  delight 
in  lettuce,  endive,  sorrell,  &c.     You  will  bee  much  at  a  losse 
for  hearbes  this  winter,  butt  you  may  have  cheape  and  easie 
supply  by  cabbadges,  which  I  forgott  to  mention  in  my  last, 
and  draines,  all  kind  of  graines  and  brinne,  or  furfure,  alone 
or  mixed  with  water  or  other  liquor.     To  geese  they  give 
oates,  &c.  moystned  with  beere,  butt  sometimes  they  are  ine- 
briated with  it.     If  you  give  any  iron  it  may  bee  wrapped  up 
in  doue  or  past ;  perhaps  it  will  not  take  it  up  alone.     You 
may  trie  whether  it  will  eat  a  worme,  or  a  very  small  eele ; 
whether  it  will  drinck  milk,  and  observe  in  what  manner  it 
drincks  water.     Aldrov.  and  Johnstonus  write,  that  a  goose 
will  not  eat  bay  leaves,  and  that  they  are  bad  for  it.     You 
may  laye  a  bay  leafe  by  the  oestridge,  and  observe  whether 
it  will  take  it  up,  you  may  in  your  next  lr.  drawe  the  figure 
of  the  head  with  a  pen,  for  the  Icons  in  Bellonius,  Johnstonus, 
and  Aldrov.  do  not  seeme  to  bee  strictly  like  yours.     John- 
stonus sayth,  "  Rostrum  habct  exiguum  sed  acutum."     When 
it  is  anatomized,  I  suppose  the  sceleton  will  bee  made,  and 
you  may  stufle  the  skinne  with  the  feathers  on.     You  must 
observe    that   peculiarity  or  difference  from   other  animals, 
"  Palpebras  habet  vtrinque  solus  allium  ut  homo,  pilos  in  su- 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  327 

periore  palpebra."  When  the  dissection  of  it  is  intended,  it 
were  fitt  to  take  the  wayght  of  it.  If  it  delights  not  in  salt 
things,  you  may  trie  it  with  an  olive.  The  next  weeke,  God 
willing,  on  Monday  or  Wednesday,  I  intend  to  send  to  you 
agayne,  and  a  paper  which  I  mentioned,  wherin  will  bee  some 
hints,  which  I  set  downe  after  the  perusall  of  Aldrovandus, 
Johnstonus,  Bellonius,  &c.  and  some  others  which  came  into 
my  mind  ;  you  may  adde  or  diminish,  or  passe  by,  as  you  find 
cause.  The  king  or  gentlemen  will  bee  litle  taken  with  the 
anatomie  of  it,  though  that  must  also  bee,  butt  are  like  to 
take  more  notice  of  some  other  things  which  may  bee  sayd 
upon  the  animal,  and  which  they  vnderstand.  Have  a  care 
of  yourself  this  sharpe  wether.     God  blesse  you  all.     I  rest 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  5,  [1681-2.] 

DEARE    SONNE, 

Mr.  Alexander  Briggs,  the  drs.  brother,  being  to  go 
to  London  to  morrowe,  came  to  aske  of  mee  whether  I  would 
send  any  thing  to  you,  and  I  would  therefore  send  these  few 
lines.  It  is  hee  who  was  so  leane  and  emaciated  in  London, 
divers  yeares  past,  and  an  honest  good  yong  man,  who  liveth 
with  his  father.  I  have  enclosed  these  two  heads  of  an  os- 
tridge,  which  Franck  suddenly  drewe  out ;  figure  1  is  the 
head,  as  I  find  it  in  Bellonius  "  De  la  nature  des  oyseaux" 
in  French,  which  book  perhaps  you  cannot  easily  meet  with ; 
mine  was  printed  at  Paris,  1555.  I  doubt  it  will  not  well 
answer  the  head  of  yours.  That  of  figure  2  is  the  head  of 
one  in  Mr.  V/illoughbye's  Ornithologia,  Mr.  Raye's,  which 
many  have.  The  heads  are  different ;  whether  the  head  of 
the  male  and  female  bee  so  different,  I  knovve  not;  nor,  when 


328  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

authors  sett  downe  the  figures,  do  they  tell  us  whether  they 
bee  of  male  or  female,  butt  such  likely  as  they  had  the  op- 
portunity to  see.  The  head  in  Willoughbye's  Ornithologia 
is  different  from  that  in  Aldrovandus  or  Johnstonus,  by  that 
circular  rising  on  the  head ;  mark  the  foote  well  of  yours, 
whether  it  hath  any  kind  of  teeth,  and  the  one  division  more 
hornie  then  the  other ;  the  tayle  in  all  is  round  not  sprede. 
You  may  read  Raye's  chapter  upon  the  oestridge ;  myne  is  in 
Latin.  Nierembergius  speakes  of  some  oestridges  to  bee 
found  in  America,  butt  not  so  well  fetherd  as  in  Africa.  I 
intend,  God  willing,  to  write  to  you  by  the  post,  on  Wednes- 
day, with  some  hints  on  this  subject.  I  beleeve  you  have 
enough  to  do  to  keepe  it,  this  cold  wether;  if  it  should  swal- 
low 3  or  4  nuttgalls,  I  beleeve  they  would  be  voyded  whole, 
and  perhaps  bind  the  body.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

Looke  upon  Mr.  Raye's  cutt,  in  the  Ornithologia.  When 
the  elephant  was  heere  in  a  cold  season,  they  covered  a  good 
part  of  him  with  strawe. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Feb.  9,  1681-2. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

I  received  a  letter  from  you  this  day,  wherein  were 
two  heads  of  oestridges.  The  first  is  nothing  like  ours,  but 
the  second  is,  that  which  is  taken  out  of  Mr.  Willoughbye's 
booke ;  and  the  head  stands  upright  upon  the  neck  as  it 
really  does,  and  the  head  makes  a  right  angle  with  the  neck 
when  it  walkes,  and  so  it  turnes  its  head  prettily,  and  there 
is  a  litle  round  vertebra  next  to  the  head,  on  purpose  for  the 
head  to  turne  about  more  elegantly,  but  the  bill  of  ours  seemes 
to  be  more  flat  than  of  either  of  those  sent  in  the  letter,  and 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  329 

the  round  eare  is  not  exprest  in  the  figures.  Ours  died  of  a 
soden,  and  so  hindred  the  drawing  or  delineating  of  the  head 
and  other  parts,  or  making  further  experiments.  We  gave 
it  a  peece  of  iron  which  weighed  two  ounces  and  a  half, 
which  we  found  in  the  first  stomack  again  not  at  all  al- 
tered. In  the  skeleton  we  finde  nine  ribbes  ;  six  true 
ribbes  which  goe  quite  round,  and  three  false  ribs  which 
make  but  part  of  the  circle,  and  come  not  to  the  sternon. 
One  of  the  false  ribbes  is  before  and  two  behinde  the  true 
ribbes.  There  are  seven  vertebrae  of  the  back,  to  which 
the  six  true  ribbes  are  joyned,  and  the  one  false  ribbe 
before;  the  two  false  ribbes  behinde  are  joined  to  the  ver- 
tebrae of  the  loynes,  which  are  solid  and  united  to  the  os 
ilium,  and  not  movable.  There  are  ten  bones  in  the  tayle, 
the  last  is  the  largest,  flat,  and  long.  By  the  skeleton  and 
the  cartilages,  I  perceive  that  our  oestridge  was  a  young  one, 
and  might  have  growne  much  bigger,  and  there  is  a  skeleton 
of  an  oestridge,  in  the  repository  of  the  Royall  Society,  whose 
bones  are  firmer,  bigger,  and  stronger.  There  is  a  designe 
of  translating  Plutarch's  lives  into  English  again,  the  English 
of  the  former  being  not  so  pure  as  what  is  now  spoken  ; 
divers  are  to  be  employed  in  it,  and  I  am  desired  to  translate 
the  life  of  Themistocles  for  my  share.  I  shall  have  the 
Greeke  and  the  French  sent  me ;  if  I  doe  it,  it  must  be  in  the 
evenings,  and  I  may  take  my  owne  time.  My  duty  to  my 
most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sister  and  Tommy. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

For  my  honour'd  father  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  at  his 
house  in  Norwich. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward, 

[MS.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  x,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  am  glad  you  have  done  so  much,  if  not  in  a  man- 
ner all,  in  your  oestridge  buisiness.     The  2  papers  you  sent 


330  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

are  very  well  done,  and  with  good  exactnesse.  I  have  read 
them  often  over.  Some  particular  anatomicall  dissections  and 
discussions  have  been  printed,  by  some  of  the  R.  S.,  and  I  do 
not  see  why  this  may  not  bee,  it  having  not  been  done  before, 
and  about  3  sheets  of  paper  may  containe  it,  and  it  will  not 
be  necessarie  to  have  figures.  I  find  in  the  weekely  memori- 
all  of  this  weeke,  Gerardi  Blasii  Anatome  Anhnalium, 
wherein  are  anatomies  of  various  quadrupeds,  fishes,  birds, 
&c.  printed  at  Amsterdam,  4to.  81,  in  the  number  whereof  I 
do  not  find  an  oestridge.  1  hope  you  will  receave  my  letter 
this  day,  which  I  sent  on  Wednesday  last,  wherein  that  para- 
graph which  is  on  it  concerning  its  voyce  or  note  may  go  thus ; 
"  Quce  sit  Mi  vox  aliis  perscrutatur,  ego  vocem  ejus  nunquam 
audivi"  sayth  Aldrovandus,  butt  while  it  was  in  my  howse  his 
voyce  was  taken  notice  of,  and  they  who  heard  it  likened  it 
to  the  crying  or  schriking  of  a  hoarse  child,  butt  I  thought  it 
more  mournfull  and  dismall. 

You  may  perhaps  yet  take  notice  whether  it  hath  litle  teeth 
like  a  goose,  but  they  are  most,  if  not  only,  found  in  fowls 
that  can  live  in  the  water.  If  you  boyle  the  head  of  a  goose 
the  sutures  are  playne.  You  need  not  bee  to  hastie  in  what 
you  do,  butt  nether  to  slowe,  least  other  oestridges  should 
dye,  and  others  dissect  them.  Have  a  care  of  your  health 
and  bee  thanckfull  unto  God.  God  blesse  you,  my  daughter 
Browne,  and  the  litle  ones.  You  did  well  to  write  to  your  sis- 
ter Fayrfax,  and  prescribe  for  her.  Gilla5  may  bee  probably 
good  agaynst  the  childs  fitts. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Tom,  God  bee  praysed,  is  well  and  presents  his  duty. 

In  your  2  papers  sent  there  is  enough  to  afford  a  large  dis- 
course, butt  things  must  bee  first  writt  briefly,  whatever  ad- 
ditions may  be  made  hereafter;  this  being,  I  thinck,  the 
first  oestridge  dissected  in  England,  at  least  to  any  purpose. 

It  is  some  wonder  how  such  numerous  birds,  which  go  in 
such  great  numbers  often  together,  can  be  sustained  in  the 
desert  and   barren  parts  of  Africa.     If  you  gett   any   con- 

•5  Gilla,  now  called  zinci  sulphas,  or  in  common  language,  white  vitriol. — Gray. 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  331 

ference  with  any  of  the  retinue  of  the  embassade,  you  may 
enquire  further  whether  lyons  and  tigers  do  not  prey  upon 
them. 

For  Dr.  Edward  Browne,   in  Salisbury   Court,   next 
the  Golden  Balls,  these,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  soji  Edward. 

[131SI,.    BODL.    MS     RAWL.    CVIII.] 

Feb.xiii,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  receiued  yours,  and  I  conceaue  you  may  adde  vnto 
your  description  of  the  outward  parts  first  sent;  the  bill  of 
this  ostridge  seems  to  bee  more  flat  then  in  the  figure  of  any  I 
haue  seene.  The  eare  is  round  and  large  so  as  to  admit  the  top 
of  ones  finger,  and  is  playnly  sett  downe  in  the  figure  of  John- 
stonus.  It  beareth  the  head  remarkably  vpright  upon  the 
neck,  and  the  head  makes  a  right  angle  with  the  neck  when 
it  walketh,  and  so  turnes  its  head  more  prettily,  and  there  is 
a  litle  round  vertebra  next  to  the  head  whereby  the  head 
turnes  about  more  elegantly.  In  the  paper  I  sent  beginning 
quce  sit  Mi  vox,  fyc.  and  concluding  movrnfully  dysmall,  this 
may  bee  added  which  confirmeth  the  account  giuen  by  Mr. 
Sandys  in  his  trauells.  There  are  great  flocks  of  ostridges  in 
the  deserts,  they  keepe  in  flocks  and  often  fright  stranger 
passengers  with  their  fearfull  screeches.  You  are  not  con- 
fined, you  may  bring  this  and  other  in  where  you  find  it  will 
best  come  in. 

You  say  in  your  last  there  are  7  ribbes,  as  also  there  are 
seuen  vertebras  of  the  back,  to  which  the  six  true  ribbes  are 
joyned,  and  the  one  false  or  bastard  ribbe  before.  This 
must  bee  made  more  playne  for  it  will  not  bee  readily  con- 
ceaued  how  the  one  bastard  ribbe  is  joyned  before. 

There  are  x  bones  in  the  taj/le.  I  knowe  not  whether  you 
should  call  it  the  tayle.  Aldrouandus  sayth,6  "  Coccyx  nouem 
vertebris  humanis  similibus  coagmeniatur" 

G  Ornithol.  fol.  1599,  p.  598. 


332  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

You  write  of  a  designe  of  translating  Plutarch's  liues 
agayne,  probably  by  some  stationers,  which  if  it  proceeds, 
will  take  some  time.  It  was  first  translated  by  Amyot, 
bishop  of  Auxerre,  but  whether  immediately  out  of  the 
Greeke  and  by  some  help  of  the  Latin,  or  not,  also  and 
especially  out  of  the  Italian,  I  knowe  not ;  for  the  French 
formerly  translated  old  writers  out  of  the  Italian,  and  we 
afterwards  out  of  the  French.  Sir  Thomas  North  translated 
his  out  of  the  French,  which  is  that  which  commonly  passeth, 
and  dedicated  it  to  Queen  Elizabeth,  which  was  that  you  and 
your  brother  Thomas  vsed  to  read  at  my  howse,  reprinted 
1612,  of  a  fayre  and  legible  print.  1656,  it  was  printed 
agayne,  as  also  Plutarch's  moralls  by  one  Lee,  I  thinck,  a 
stationer,  in  Fleet-street,  but  in  a  lesse  letter  and  little  or  no 
alteration,  whereas,  if  the  disused  words  and  some  other 
faults  had  been  altered,  North's  translation  might  haue  suf- 
fised  and  still  passed,  especially  with  gentlemen,  who,  if  the 
expression  bee  playne  looke  not  into  criticismes.  The 
French  language  is  altered  since  Amyot's  translation,  butt 
perhaps  there  is  another  since  Amyot's,  or  Amyot's  rectified. 
If  you  undertake  it,  bee  sure  to  take  time  enough,  for  you 
will  only  haue  time  in  the  euenings,  which  in  the  summer  are 
long  and  warme.  If  you  haue  the  Greek  Plutarke  haue  also 
the  Latin  adioyned  vnto  it,  so  you  may  consult  either  upon 
occasion,  though  you  apply  yourself  to  translate  out  of 
French,  and  the  English  translation  may  be  some  times  help- 
full.     God  blesse  you,  my  daughter  Browne,  and  little  ones. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEARE    DAUGHTER, 

I  am  glad  to  heare  you  ar  all  well,  I  bless  God  wee 
ar  so  att  present,  and  I  hope  your  sister  Fairfax  little  on  may 
haue  no  more  fitts,  she  is  very  thankfvl  to  my  sonne  for  his 
care  of  her,  and  wee  hope  all  so  thanke  him.  I  find  by  her 
writing  she  is  so  much  consarned,  as  I  ferre  it  may  dooe  that 
which  she  is  withall  much  hurt ;  I  haue  writ  to  her  what  I 
can  to  perswad  her  to  patiance.  Your  Tomey  grows  a  stout 
fellow,  I  hope  you  will  com  and  see  him  this  svmmor,  hee  is 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  333 

in  great  expextion  of  a  tumbler  you  must  send  him  for  his 
popet  show,  a  punch  he  has  and  his  wife,  and  a  straw  king 
and  quen,  and  ladies  of  honor,  and  all  things  but  a  tumbler, 
which  this  town  cannot  aford :  it  is  a  wodin  fellow  that  turns 
his  heles  ouer  his  head. 

Your  sister  Frank  present  her  serues  to  my  daughter,  and 
begs  that  she  would  send  sombody  to  Mr.  Browns,  att  the 
Blew  Bell  and  Key,  in  Little  Queens  Street,  and  by  her  a 
set  of  craions  which  will  cost  a  crown  she  is  told :  perhaps 
cheaper. 

For  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in   Salisbury   Court,    next 
the  Golden    Balls,  these,   London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Febr.  21,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

After  I  had  sent  my  letter  to  Mr.  Packle,  I  found 
my  error,  for  I  enclosed  the  letter  I  receaued  from  you  this 
day,  instead  of  this  which  I  enclosed  in  this  letter ;  which 
concernes  something  of  the  oestridge,  which  may  remind  you 
of  something  of  it.  The  other  was  of  the  eclips  which  is 
very  rational,  and  I  was  glad  to  see  it,  and  also  concerned 
Themistocles,  of  which  I  writt  something  in  my  other  letter, 
If  this  new  translation  bee  knowne  to  bee  made  out  of  the 
old  French  translation,  men  knowing  there  is  a  truer,  it  may 
much  disparadge  the  opinion  and  sale  of  it. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in   Salisbury   Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


334  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

Sir  Thomas  Broivne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

Feb.  15,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  receaved  yours  by  the  last  post,  which  you  writt 
after  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and  made  a  shift  to  send  it  the 
same  night.  You  did  well  to  observe  the  eclipse,  for  it  was 
a  totall  one,  and  remarkable.  By  this  time  probably  you  have 
conferred  with  knowing  persons  about  it,  your  doubts  were 
rationall,  and  also  your  thoughts  of  the  Apogeeum,  and  how 
the  shadowe  of  which  should  bee  so  faynt  as  not  to  obscure 
the  moone  more,  whereas  some  times  it  hath  been  observed, 
" Lunam  eclipsatam  inter  dum  penitus  in  ccelo  evanuisse? 
Butt  I  doubt  not  butt  something  will  be  sayd  hereof  at  the 
R.  S.  or  elswhere,  from  whence  they  will  receave  accounts, 
and  also  from  Mr.  Flamsted.  The  wind  hath  been  these 
3  dayes  at  south  west  agayne,  so  that  wee  may  expect  letters 
from  Guernsey.  Wee  heare  the  Duches  of  Portsmouth 
goeth  for  France,  some  time  in  March.  I  doubt  the  English 
will  not  like  the  setting  up  a  colledge  of  physitians  in  Scot- 
land,7 nor  their  endeavouring  to  sett  up  an  East  India  and 
straight  company.8  They  hope  to  do  anything,  by  the  favor 
and  encouragement  of  the  duke.  If  they  sett  up  a  colledge 
and  breed  many  physitians,  wee  shall  bee  sure  to  have  a  great 
part  of  them  in  England. 

Mr.  Clarke  tells  mee  hee  sawe  2  ostridges  in  London,  in 
Cromwell's  time.  Though  you  sawe  an  ostridge  in  the  Duke 
of  Florance  his  garden,  yett  I  do  not  perceave  you  sawe  any 
one  among  the  curiosities  and  rarities  of  any  of  the 
princes  of  Germany.  Perhaps  the  king  will  send  some  of  his 
to  the  King  of  France,   the   Prince  of  Orange,   &c.     The 

'  29th  Nov.  1681,  the  king,  by  his  letters  patent,  incorporated  certain  physicians 
in  Edinburgh  and  their  successors,  into  a  body  politick,  by  the  title  of  the  Presi- 
dent and  Royal  College  of  Physicians,  at  Edinburgh. 

s  29th  Oct.  1681,  Charles  II,  granted  a  charter  to  "  the  Company  of  Merchants 
of  the  city  of  Edinburgh."  It  was  confirmed  June  15,  1 60.1,  till  which  time 
the  trade  of  Edinburgh  seems  to  have  been  confined  to  Norway,  the  Baltick,  and 
England. 


1681-2.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  335 

losse  of  the  Netherlands  hath  been  very  great,  butt  I  hope 
not  so  great  as  is  related.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEARE  DAUGHTER, 

I  writ  to  you  in  hast  in  my  sonnes  last,  to  gett  som 
crayons  for  your  sister  Franke,  and  to  mind  you  of  Tomey. 
Our  neighbour  Mr.  Sander  Brigs  is  now  in  London,  and 
does  not  com  horn  till  the  next  weeke ;  if  you  have  the  things 
ridy,  hee  may  bring  them.  I  sopos  hee  will  call  upon  you 
before  hee  com  down.  I  besich  God  bless  you  and  all  yours. 
I  pray  keep  a  count  what  you  lay  out  for  us,  and  I  will  send  it. 
Your  afFectinat  mother,  D.  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1347.] 

[March?  1681-2.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  sent  this  day  the  two  sheetes  of  Themistocles,  by 
the  two  dayes  coaches,  by  yong  Mr.  Barnham,  who  is  brother 
to  Mr.  Thomas  Ward's  wife,  of  Friday  Street.  My  daughter 
Lyttleton  sent  mee  word* that  shee  had  sent  the  draught  of 
Cornet  Castle,  and  also  the  draught  of  the  towne,  taken  on 
the  land  side,  from  a  rock.  Pray  bee  carefull  that  they  may 
bee  carefully  sent,  and  by  sure  hands,  for  I  would  by  no 
means  have  them  miscarry.  My  cosen  Cradock  sent  mee 
kindly  an  excuse,  that  hee  could  not  possibly  give  mee  a  visit 
in  that  hurry ;  God  send  him  his  health,  and  to  bee  able  to 
endure  the  hurries  and  ill  dyet  which  hee  is  exposed  unto. 
A  guinne  for  a  night's  lodging,  every  night,  I  beleeve  will 
make  divers  wearie  of  Newmarket.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


336  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681-2. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1847.] 

March  15,  [1681-2.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  perceave  my  Lady  Portsmouth  was  not  forgetfull 
of  you,  though  I  thinck  it  had  been  best  not  to  have  hazarded 
it,  butt  if  possible  to  have  taken  your  leave,  especially  when 
there  might  bee  some  doubt  of  her  returnne.  The  verses 
upon  the  monument  of  Themistocles  are  good,  butt  the  sense 
much  enlarged;  so  that  I  doubt  they  will  not  bee  admitted  as 
a  translation,  the  originall  being  so  much  shorter,  though 
these  might  be  most  for  his  honour.  I  am  glad  my  cosen 
Townshend  dined  with  you ;  I  heare  hee  comes  to  Norwich 
to-morrowe  night  with  my  Lady  Adams,  by  a  letter  which  my 
wife  receaved  from  Madame  Burwell  this  morning,  brought 
by  Alderman  Freeman's  daughter.  Beside  my  daughter 
Lyttleton's  letter  I  receaved  one  from  Mr.  Isaac  Carey,  one 
of  the  jurites  or  justices  of  Guernsey,  a  civill  person  and  great 
acquaintance  of  my  sonne  and  daughter.  Hee  sent  mee  one 
before,  which  I  answered,  and  now  another  kind  complimental 
one  in  French  also.  Hee  hath  read  many  English  bookes, 
and  I  beleeve  accommodates  my  sonne  and  daughter  with 
some.  They  have  had  heart  porridge,  and  tanseyes,  some 
weekes  allreadie,  and  varietie  of  lobsters  and  crabbs,  for  the 
pearly  auris  marina  which  they  call  ermus,  the  pectines  or 
skollops,  turbines  or  whilks,  and  divers  others,  though  com- 
monly eaten,  shee  cannot  reconcile  her  palate  to  them,  butt 
likes  their  oysters.  It  was  my  misfortune  to  bee  layd  up  at 
that  time,  otherwise  I  had  not  fayled  to  wayt  upon  his  High- 
ness; butt  I  heare  that  a  Scoch  lord  enquired  for  mee,  which 
I  beleeve  was  the  Earle  of  Perth,  a  notable  and  learned  per- 
son. Norwich  grewe  soone  emptie,  butt  Newmarkett  filleth, 
butt  how  they  will  shift  for  lodgings  wee  knowe  not.  Love 
and  blessing  to  my  daughter  Browne,  and  litle  ones.  Tom's 
galling  is  in  a  manner  well. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward   Browne,   in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


1682.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  337 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.   SLOAN.    1847.] 

March  28,  [1682.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  send  this  letter  by  Captain  Lulman,  and  with  him 
twenty-five  shillings ;  for  I  find  I  am  indebted  for  some  bookes 
vnto  Mr.  Martyn,  bookseller,  at  the  Bell,  in  St.  Paul's  Church 
Yard,  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  shillings.  When  Mr.  Ray 
was  to  print  his  Ornithologie,  or  description  of  birds,  I  lent 
him  many  draughts  of  birds  in  colours,9  which  I  had  caused 
at  times  to  bee  drawne,  and  both  hee  and  Sir  Philip  Skippon 
promised  mee  that  they  should  bee  safely  returned ;  butt  I 
haue  not  since  receaved  them.  Butt  they  were  left  in  Mr. 
Martyn's  hand ;  therefore  present  my  service  unto  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn,  and  desire  him  from  mee  to  deliver  the  same  unto  you, 
and  I  shall  rest  satisfied.  Pay  him  the  twenty-five  shillings 
which  are  now  sent,  with  my  respects  and  service  ;  for  I  have 
alwayes  found  him  a  very  civill  and  honest  person. 
I  rest  your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE, 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward, 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

March  31,  [1682.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  sent  by  Mrs.  Green  the  sugar  baker,  my  neibour, 
a  roll  upon  a  stick,  with  the  figure  of  a  naked  man,  wherein 
may  bee  seen  all  the  veynes  of  the  body,  which  were  vsed  to 
bee  opened  by  the  ancients,  and  also  by  the  modernes ;  with 
directions,  in  Latin,  how,  and  in  what  cases.     I  have  had  [it] 

9  Which  are  mentioned  in  the  preface  to  Willoughby's  Ornithology,  by  Ray,  p.  16. 
VOL.  I.  Z 


338  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682. 

fortie  yeares ;  and  probably  it  is  not  now  easily  to  bee  gott, 
and  there  might  bee  additions  and  exceptions  made,  to  better 
the  designe ;  as  also  if  the  figure  were  made  two  or  three 
times  larger,  and  in  a  flesh  colour  or  yellowish,  for  so  the 
veynes  might  bee  more  visible,  if  it  were  hung  up,  and  a  good 
picture  might  perhaps  bee  made  thereof.  I  would  not  have 
you  part  therewith.  This  I  send  will  keepe  best  rolled  up, 
for  if  you  hang  it  agaynst  a  wall,  it  will  growe  fowl  and  dark 
in  no  long  time,  as  I  had  experience  by  keeping  it  open  but  a 
litle  while ;  you  may  consider  hereof,  and  do  as  you  think  good. 
Since  it  hath  pleased  God  to  restore  your  health,  [may]  hee 
also  establish  it  unto  you.  Hazard  not  the  amission1  of  it;  you 
have  a  fayre  opportunity  and  also  excuse  to  be  temperate,  and 
to  avoyd  the  common  excesse  of  the  times,  in  what  may  any  way 
injure  your  body.  Now  is  also  your  best  time  of  frugallitie  and 
saving,  that  you  may  not  repent  the  lost  opportunities  when 
you  will  be  unable  to  repay  re  them.  I  beleeve  Mr.  Peirce  is 
not  at  Newmarket,  butt  I  understand  Mr.  John  Browne  "  is. 
I  heare  that  the  third  part  of  the  Atlas  is  out,  and  the  fourth 
in  the  presse,  so  that  you  may  soon  have  a  third  part  of  the 
whole  work.  One  Mr.  Adams,  a  strange  active,  industrious 
person,  is  about  the  description  of  England,  with  mapps,  in 
three  volumes,  which  hee  sayth  will  bee  found  of  a  larger  size 
then  the  Atlas,  and  that  it  will  come  out  in  three  yeares. 
Perhaps  that  part  of  the  Atlas  which  concernes  England  will 
not  come  out,  or  bee  deferred  till  Adams'  be  published.  Mr. 
Adams  his  sett  will  bee  at  ten  pounds,  hee  hath  many  sub- 
scriptions, butt,  I  beleeve,  when  they  are  published,  they  will 
be  as  cheap  to  the  buyer  as  to  the  subscriber,  only  the  money 
is  not  all  payd  at  once.  The  small  pox  is  much  in  Norwich 
still,  and  I  perceave  the  bills  of  mortallity  encreased  consider- 
ably last  weeke  in  London.  The  weeke  before,  there  dyed 
in  all  in  Norwich  but  twenty,  and  this  weeke  thirty-one.  The 
cold  weather  spoyles  the  field  sports  at  Newmarket,  where 
men  are  content  to  drinck  very  bad  claret,  at  eighteen  pence 
a  bottle,  and  Havre  dearer.     The  coming  of  the  Emperor  of 

1  Loss. 
2  One  of  the  surgeons  in  ordinary  to  Charles  II.  ;   the  author  of  a  work  on  the 
king's  evil,  and  the  royal  gift  of  healing  the  same. 


1682.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  339 

Morocco  will  still  drawe  in  more  company  out  of  the  country. 
East  India  ships  should  come  in  soone.  Is  lapis  goes  much 
used?  Mr.  Love's  eyes  are  well.  God  blesse  my  daughter 
Browne,  and  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

[April,  1682.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  presume  by  this  time  you  receaved  my  letter,  by 
Captain  Lulman.  I  receaved  yours  last  weeke,  with  Dr. 
Grewe's  paper  of  proposalls,3  and  I  am  willing  to  subscribe 
for  one  booke  myself,  and  will  shewe  the  paper  unto  others, 
and  probably  some  may  subscribe,  butt  others  may  bee  back- 
ward, there  having  been  so  many  subscriptions  to  other 
bookes,  and  some  now  on  foot.  I  should  bee  willing  to  do 
him  any  service.  You  had  a  kind  of  fungus  not  usual,  fungus 
ligneus  lanterniformis,  like  the  lanterne  of  a  building ;  and 
you  had  also  I  thinck  the  draught  thereof.  I  have  also  a 
draught  by  mee  ;  if  you  remember  not  what  you  did  with  it, 
I  can  send  you  the  draught.  It  was  found  within  a  rotten 
willowe.  Of  the  Lapis  obsidianus  Islandicus  you  had  a  peece, 
which  I  receaved  from  Island ;  and  I  have  another  peece  of 
three  times  the  bignesse.  There  is  a  rock  of  it  in  Island, 
butt  at  a  good  distance  from  the  sea,  and  I  beleeve  it  is  not 
usual  to  meet  with  such  a  stone.  Among  the  draughts  of 
birds  which  Mr.  Martyn  had,  I  thinck  there  is  the  icon  of  an 
unusuall  kind  of  locust,  which  was  given  mee  long  ago,  and 
brought  from  the  West  Indies,  butt  I  never  sawe  another ; 
which  I  was  fayne  to  call  locusta  sonora,  as  supposing  that 
odde  horny  excursion  or  prominence,  running  beyond  the 

3  Probably,  "  Proposals  for  printing  his  Anatomy  of  Plants,"  which  were  read  to 
the  Royal  Society,  March  15,  16S1-2,  and  printed  in  that  year.  fol.  Lond.  1682. 

Z  2 


340  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682, 

head,  made  the  sound  the  lowder.  I  have  the  animal,  and 
will  have  it  drawne  out,  if  need  bee. 

Wee  all  long  to  heare  of  my  daughter  Browne's  safe  deli- 
very. Pray  present  my  service  to  my  sister  Whiting  and  Mr. 
Whiting.     God  blesse  you  all. 

Your  louing  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

You  may  well  insert  that  verse  you  mention,  as  thus : 
"  The  water  of  the  Danube  seemes  white,  troubled,  and  more 

confused,  according  to  the  expression  of  Virgil 4     That 

of  the  Savus,  &c."  I  remember  you  sent  me  some  good  ob- 
servations of  an  asse's  colt  or  fole,  to  give  a  reason  of  an  asse's 
bearing  so  great  a  burden,  of  the  baying,  &c.  which  you 
might  have  well  mentioned  at  your  dissection,  if  you  did  not 
forgett  it. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

May  8,  [1682.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  hope  you  have  receaved  the  seven  sheets  of  the 
translation  you  sent  mee  ;  the  three  last  I  cannot  yet  find  an 
opportunity  to  returne.  Last  weeke  a  bookeseller  of  this 
towne  sent  mee  some  newe  bookes  to  vewe,  among  which  was 
a  Historie  of  Athiopia,  set  out  by  one  Ludolphus,  and  trans- 
lated into  English,  and  now  published  in  a  thinne  folio,  with 
some  cutts  in  it,  especially  of  some  animals,  as  apes,  elephants, 
&c.  The  author  seemes  to  bee  a  learned,  sober,  person. 
There  is  also  a  booke  in  Svo.  of  Dr.  Sydenham's,5  treating 
most  of  the  small  pox,  chiefly  de  variolis  conjluentibus,  and 
hystericall  and  hypochrondriacall  symptomes ;  upon  the  solli- 

4  This  line  was  introduced  in  the  folio  edition  of  the  Travels,  p.  26  : — 

"  Turbidus  et  volvens  flaventeis  Ister  arenas." 

5  Sydenham  Thomas,  M.D.   Bissertatio  de  Febre  Pu/ritla,    Variolis  confltientibus, 
SfC.  Svo.  Lond.  1682. 


1682.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  341 

citation  of  Dr.  Cole,  of  Worcester.  It  is  well  writt,  wherein 
are  many  good  things,  and  some  very  paradoxicall.  Tis  much 
that  the  coaches  travell  to  and  from  London,  the  last  night 
was  so  windie;  it  rayned  so  much  that  they  were  fayne  to  rise 
to  prevent  the  overflowe  of  the  cockeys.  The  people  are 
afrayd  of  a  Colchester  yeare,  God  of  his  mercy  send  more 
favourable  seasons.  Wee  heare  the  Bantam  embassadour6 
hath  brought  a  present  of  rough  diamonds  to  the  king,  butt 
no  strange  animals.  I  hope  litle  Sukey  is  well  recovered  by 
this  time.  Mr.  Clark  is  in  a  very  lowe  condition.  God  blesse 
you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Wee  heare  from  Guernsey  on  Saturday,  by  a  letter  dated 
April  27,  when  the  Monmouth  yact  is  mended,  and  fitted, 
and  returnes  to  Guernsey  by  Captain  Cotton,  shee  intends  to 
take  the  advantage  of  the  first  wind,  and  they  expect  the 
yackt  dayly.  If  the  Duke  of  York  were  at  sea,  hee  had  a 
tempestuous  night,  and  the  like  hee  had  before  hee  gott  to 
Yarmouth.  I  beleeve  the  Monmouth  yackt  is  fitted  at  Lon- 
don or  Portsmouth.  My  service  to  my  cosens  Cradock, 
cosens  Hobbs,  my  Lady  Adams,  Madame  Burwell,  Mr.  and 
Madame  Suckling. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Ms  son  Edward, 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Monday,  May  29th,  [1682.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

My  daughter  Lytelton  came  to  my  howse  this  daye, 
about  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  ;  shee  came  from  Guernsey 
on  Thursday  last  in  the  afternoone ;  and  arrived  at  Yarmouth 
on  Sunday,  about  five  or  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoone.  Shee 
had  a  most  pleasant  passage,  and  was  not  sick  all  the  while, 
though  shee  could  have  been  contented  to  have  been  sea-sick, 

6  See  Evelyn,  i,  544. 


342  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682. 

as  shee  was  when  shee  went  from  Portsmouth  to  Guernsey. 
When  shee  came  by  Deale,  by  a  shippe  that  was  going  to 
Deale,  shee  writt  a  letter  unto  you,  and  the  master  of  the 
shippe  promised  that  hee  would  putt  it  into  the  post  office  of 
Deale ;  that  as  soone  as  you  receaved  it,  you  might  write  to 
my  sonne  Lytelton,  and  give  him  notice  that  shee  was  come 
safe  as  farre  as  the  Downes,  on  Saturday  last.  If  they  had 
come  a  day  sooner,  they  had  mett  with  his  Royal  Highnesse : 
who  I  thought  would  have  a  tedious  passage,  in  such  disad- 
vantage of  winds  as  I  told  you.  Captain  Cotton,  commander 
of  the  Monmouth  yackt,  which  attendeth  on  Garnsey,  did  not 
come  to  an  anchore  in  Yarmouth  road,  butt  sayled  into  the 
haven's  mouth,  and  came  up  the  streame  as  farre  as  Gorlston, 
and  there  anchored  ;  then  putt  out  his  boat,  and  the  mariners 
rowed  your  sister  up  into  the  towne ;  and  shee  landed  on  the 
key  and  went  to  the  Three  Fethers,  where  shee  had  a  light 
supper  provided,  and  came  away  by  boat  that  night,  and  to 
Norwich  by  six  o'clock,  praysed  bee  God.  Shee  came  not  on 
shoare  all  the  waye,  which  is  a  hundred  leagues,  nor  cast  an- 
ker, butt  only  two  howers  off  of  Lestoffe.  When  Captain 
Cotton  had  come  so  neere  as  Gorlston,  hee  discharged  all  his 
gunnes,  and  also  a  lowd  kind  of  gunne,  though  butt  small, 
called  paturaines,  which  had  been  taken  from  the  Turks ; 
whereupon,  it  being  Sunday,  a  great  many  runne  out  of  the 
towne  to  see  what  shippe  was  come  in,  the  greater  part  having 
never  seen  one  of  the  king's  yackts  so  neere  hand,  and  that 
newlie  trimmed  and  paynted,  tooke  much  delight  to  looke 
upon  it.  Captain  Cotton,  having  never  seen  Norwich,  intends 
to  bee  heere  to-morrowe,  to  see  the  place,  and  then  returne 
with  as  much  speed  as  the  winds  will  give  leave.  That  honest, 
industrious,  gentleman,  Dr.  Grew,  writt  unto  mee,  and  sent 
mee  his  proposalls,  which  you  knowe,  on  last  Saturday.  I 
have  sent  him  this  day  my  owne  subscription,  Dr.  Howman's, 
Dr.  Harvy's  and  Mr.  Henry  Bokenham's.  Myself  and  Dr. 
Howman  paye  downe  ten  shillings  a  peece,  for  the  half  paye, 
and  desire  for  each  of  us  a  coppy  of  Duch-demy ;  the  other 
two  paye  downe  butt  seven  shillings  and  sixpence  for  the  first 
pay,  as  being  the  half  of  fifteen  shillings  a  peece  ;  so  that  the 
whole  comes  to  one  pound  fifteen  shillings,  which  money  is  in 


1682.]  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  343 

my  hand.  Pray,  therefore,  pay  unto  Dr.  Grew  one  pound 
fifteen  shillings,  and  desire  him  to  give  a  receipt  particular  to 
every  one,  and  I  will,  God  willing,  find  an  opportunity  to  re- 
pay you  and  send  you  that  money. 

I  returned  the  papers  by  Mr.  Andrewe  Brierton,  attorney, 
lodging  at  Fumevalls  Inne,  at  Mr.  Thymblethorp's  chamber. 
There  are  three  translations  of  the  meeter  of  the  rapturd 
paedagogue ;  that  on  the  left  side  of  the  sheet  [is]  the  playn- 
est,  that  which  rymes  every  second  word  not  so  allowable. 
,  God  blesse  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

DEARE    DAUGHTER, 

Your  fathar  have  given  you  an  acount  of  your  sister 
Lyttelton's  arivall  safe  amongst  us  ;  wee  bless  God  for  it. 
And  now  I  hope  to  see  you  and  yong  Suecy  here,  and  when 
you  cum,  my  cosen  Bendish  desires  you  to  bring  her  fan 
along  with  you,  or  to  send  it  if  you  have  an  opertunity.  You 
must  also  bring  Tomey  anothar  hat,  hee  gives  you  many 
thanks  for  his  clothes ;  hee  has  apered  very  fine  this  king's 
day  with  them.  Yong  Mistres  Whightfoutt  is  now  brought 
to  bad,  with  a  fine  boy.  As  you  helped  att  the  weding,  so 
you  must  dooe  now.  A  lased  taile,  of  fifty  shilins,  or  if  it  be 
somthing  more,  as  you  shall  see  caus,  and  two  thin  houds ; 
she  would  gladly  have  them  next  Satterday  night,  by  the 
choch,  and  you  shall  have  the  money.  I  pray  God  bless  you 
and  yours.  Your  afFectinat  mothar, 

DOROTHY  BROWNE. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  Salisbury  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    EODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

[June,  1682.] 

DEAR   SONNE, 

I  haue  read  ouer  the  four  sheets,  and  shall,  God 
willing,  returne  them  by  the  first  good  opportunity.  I  knowe 
not  whether  you  intend  to  putt  any  marginall  notes,  which 


344  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682. 

denotes  some  particulars  how  the  storie  proceeds  in  the  sub- 
iect  thereof,  according  as  it  is  in  our  English  translation; 
which  is  somewhat  more  gratefull  to  the  reader  then  a  bare 
margin,  and  affords  some  direction  when  a  man  would  find 
out  any  particular.  I  told  you  I  doubted  much  that  it  would 
not  bee  allowable  in  a  translator  to  putt  in  the  last  verses, 
which  are  so  many,  and  some  not  at  all  contained  or  implyed 
in  the  originall. 

The  first  may  bee  retained,  butt  you  may  consider  whether 
they  may  not  passe  thus : 

Thy  (2og  thy,  not  your,)  tomb  is  fittly  placed  on  the  strand 
Where  marchands  from  all  parts  may  passe  or  land, 
And  shippes  from  euery  quarter  come  in  sight, 
And  here  engage  in  many  a  bloody  fight, 
So  that  thy  ashes,  placed  on  the  shore, 
Both  earth  and  sea  may  honour  and  adore. 

Wee  do  not  yet  heare  whether  Captain  Cotton  bee  returned 
to  Guernsey.  Hee  sayd  hee  would  call  at  your  house.  Butt 
my  daughter  hath  receaued  two  letters  from  her  husband 
since  shee  came  to  Norwich :  hee  writes  that  on  the  last  of 
May,  at  three  in  the  morning,  upon  a  vehement  storme  of 
thunder,  rayne,  and  hayle,  the  sea,  in  the  hauen  where  the 
shipps  laye,  flowed  and  ebbed  twice  in  lesse  than  half  an 
hower;  so  that  it  ranne  allmost  quite  out  of  the  hauen  at  high 
water,  and  in  agayne.  My  daughter,  knowing  the  place, 
giues  some  account  how  it  might  possibly  come  to  passe.  Dr. 
Parham  brought  mee  a  philosophicall  collection  of  last  Marche. 
sent  mee  from  Dr.  Briggs ;  it  containes  an  account  of  a  mon- 
strous animal  vomited  up  and  obserued  by  Dr.  Martin  Lister, 
of  York ;  a  new  theorie  of  vision  communicated  to  the  Royal 
Society  by  Dr.  Briggs;  and  a  voyage  made  to  the  South  terra 
incognita,  extracted  from  the  Journall  of  a  Captaine  Abel 
Jansen  Tasman.  I  am  obliged  to  giue  Dr.  Briggs  my  thancks 
by  a  few  lines.  I  haue  not  seen  a  philosophicall  collection  a 
long  time.  Perhaps  your  account  of  the  oestridge  was  not 
printed,  butt  what  you  sent  mee  I  had  got  transcribed.  When 
I  send  the  papers  of  translation,  I  shall,  God  willing,  send 
also  a  paper  with  some  notes  which  you  are  to  consider : 

Nee  verbum  verbo  curabis  reddere  fidus 
Interpres 


1682.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  345 

was  Horace  his  advice,  de  arte  poetica,  and  hee  may  bee 
Jidus  interpres  who  renders  not  only  the  words  butt  also  en- 
largeth  a  little,  maintaining  the  same,  and  so  you  have  done 
allowably  in  both.  My  daughter  tells  mee  they  haue  very 
good  powdred  beef  and  neates  tongues  brought  to  them  fre- 
quently from  Ireland,  which  probably  were  of  the  same  sort 
with  those  which  Captain  Briteridge  sent  you,  and  shee 
brought  some  in  the  yackt.  Bee  as  officious  as  you  can  to 
the  captaine.  I  am  sorry  you  were  not  acquainted  with  Dr. 
Sharp,  our  good  deane,  who  is  to  come  in  a  fortnight  hence 
to  Norwich :  if,  when  you  go  that  way,  you  may  do  well  to 
present  my  seruice  to  him,  and  tell  him  how  glad  I  shall  bee 
to  enioy  his  good  company  at  Norwich  ;  hee  had  come  last 
weeke  but  for  a  sister  of  his  come  out  of  Yorkshire  to  see 
what  may  bee  done  about  a  cancer  in  her  breast.  God  blesse 
you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.   Edward  Browne,  in  Salisburie  Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Broicne  to  Ids  son  Edward? 

[us.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

June  16,  [1682.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  have  sent  the  4  sheets  you  sent  mee,  by  captaine 
Lulmans  eldest  sonne,  who  went  this  morning  towards  Lon- 
don, in  the  2  dayes  coach,  and  a  paper  within  them.  I  am 
glad  you  have  putt  an  end  to  that  labour,  though  I  am  not 
sorry  that  you  under tooke  it.  Wee  are  glad  to  understand, 
by  my  daughter  Browne's  letter,  that  my  daughter  Fairfax  is 
delivered  of  a  sonne.  The  blessing  of  God  bee  with  them 
both,  and  send  them  health.  The  vessel  of  sider  sent  you 
from  Guernzey  was  rackt,  it  came  not  out  of  Normandie  butt 
from  Guernzey,  though  it  was  not  of  my  sonne  and  daughters- 
making.     They  might  have  made  much,  there  being  plenty  of 

1  Retrospective  Review,  vol.  i,  p.  162. 


346  DOMESTIC   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682. 

apples,  butt  they  made  butt  2  or  3  hoggesheads  themselves 
for  their  own  use.  Your  sister  tells  mee  that  they  have  plen- 
tie  of  large  oysters,  like  Burnham  oysters,  about  Gurnzey, 
and  all  those  rocky  seas  to  St.  Mallowes  and  have  a  peculiar 
way  of  disposing  and  selling  of  them,  that  they  are  not  de- 
cayed or  flatt  before  they  bee  eaten.  They  bring  them  into 
the  haven  in  vessells  that  may  containe  vast  quantities,  and 
when  they  come  at  a  competent  distance  from  the  peere  head, 
they  anker  and  cast  all  the  oysters  overboard  into  the  sea ; 
and  when  the  tide  goeth  away,  and  the  ground  bare,  the 
people  come  to  buy  them,  and  the  owners  stand  on  drye 
ground  and  sell  them.  When  the  tide  comes  in,  the  buyers 
retire,  and  come  agayne  at  the  next  ebbe,  and  buye  them 
agayne,  and  so  every  ebbe  till  they  bee  all  sould.  So  the 
oysters  are  kept  lively,  and  well  tasted,  being  so  often  under 
the  salt  sea  water,  and  if  they  had  a  vessell  of  a  hundred 
tunne  full  they  might  sell  them  while  they  were  good,  being 
thus  ordered  allthough  it  should  take  sometime  to  sell  them 
all.  This  seemes  a  good  contrivance,  and  such  as  I  have  not 
heard  of  in  England.  Wee  hope  captain  Cotton  is  got  by 
this  time  to  Guernzey,  though  the  winds  have  been  often 
crosse  to  gett  from  the  Downes  thither,  it  hath  been  in  the 
north  these  3  dayes,  and  it  was  yesterday  so  cold  that  wee 
could  have  endured  a  fire.  Captain  Cotton  intended  to  call 
at  Southampton,  if  possible,  for  divers  letters  and  dispaches, 
which  had  been  retarded  by  the  lasting  south-west  wind, 
which  I  doubt  hee  could  not  performe.  My  daughter  hath 
heard  twice  from  Guernsey,  since  shee  came  to  Norwich, 
and  once  from  Lychfield,  from  Mrs.  Katherine  Litelton,  her 
husbands  sister,  a  singular  good  woeman.  I  heare  Mrs.  Suck- 
ling is  well  at  her  brothers,  in  Suffolk,  butt  shee  dares  not  yet 
adventure  to  Norwich,  with  her  children,  for  feare  of  the  small 
pox.  The  warlike  provisions  of  the  emperour  and  empyre, 
&c.  hath  the  countenance  of  a  warre,  butt  the  summer  is  farre 
advanced.  Wee  heare  the  Duchesse  of  Portsmouth  hath 
found  much  benefitt  by  the  waters,  and  is  returning  into 
England.  The  peace  with  Argier  gives  some  life  unto  the 
Yarmouth  men,  and  no  small  content  unto  all.  My  daughter 
receaved  the  things  by  Mrs.  Dove,  which  were  provided  by 


1682.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  347 

the  singular  good  care  of  my  daughter  Browne.  Tom,  God 
bee  thancked,  is  well,  and  beginnes  to  thinck  on  the  guild 
which  is  to  bee  the  next  Tuesday;  butt  the  maior  dwells 
beyond  the  water,  and  so  wee  are  like  to  have  the  more  quiet 
time.  My  service  to  my  cosen  Cradock,  cosens  Hobbes,  Mr. 
Dobbins,  and  all  friends. 

These  for  Dr.  Edward  Browne,  in  Salisbury  Court, 
next  the  Golden  Balls,  London. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  his  son  Edward. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CVIII.] 

June?  [1682.] 

DEAR    SONNE, 

I  met  this  weeke  with  the  oratio  anniuersaria  in 
commemoration  of  the  benefactors  made  by  Dr.  Rogers, 
made  the  18th  of  October,  upon  St.  Luke's  day,  1681,  which 
I  had  not  seen  nor  heard  of  before,  printed  by  Ben  Tooke, 
1682.  Hee  hath  taken  good  paynes  and  vseth  many  learned 
expressions  and  conceptions  therein,  concluding  with  a  com- 
plaint that  they  did  not  then  obserue  the  founders  will  in  a 
conuiuium  ordained  by  him ;  which  charge  probably  they 
spared  toward  their  new  librarie.  Hee  speakes  so  much  of 
it  that  perhaps  the  next  time  they  will  not  omitt  it.  Hee  hath 
also  ioyned  vnto  this  oration  another  which  hee  made  at 
Padua,  when  hee  tooke  his  degree  of  Dr.  1646,  Benedicto 
Syluatico  Prceside,  Fortunio  Liceto  promotore.  In  the  col- 
ledge  oration  hee  mentioneth  the  lady  Genet,  my  lord  mar- 
quis his  daughter  as  you  may  perceaue,  which  must  bee 
thought  on,  especially  you  hauing  been  an  instrument  in  pro- 
curing the  bookes,  and  have  also  been  obliged  by  that  good 
lady.  If  captain  Briteredge  bee  still  in  London,  present  my 
humble  seruice  vnto  him.  Enquire  also  after  my  L.  Arch- 
bishop of  Cashell,  and  Sir  Standish  Harstong,  with  my 
humblest  seruice  vnto  them.  There  is  a  booke  come  very 
lately  out  called  a  Prospect  of  the  state  of  Ireland,  from  the 
yeare  of  the  world,  1756,  to  the  yeare  of  Christ,  1652,  butt 


348  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682. 

this  alreadie  published  is  butt  the  first  part  and  endeth  before 
the  English  conquest  of  Ireland.  The  second  part  the 
author  promiseth  hereafter  which  may  proue  a  part  of  better 
creditt.  It  was  writt  by  Mr.  or  Sir  Peter  Walsh,  a  Roman- 
ist, gathered  out  of  the  manuscripts  of  Keating,  and  Lynch 
alias  Gratianus  Laicus,  2  priests.  I  thinck  there  was  one 
Peter  Walsh  of  the  Royal  Societie :  it  is  3  shillings  price. 
Printed  by  Broome  at  the  Gunne,  in  St.  Paul's  church  yard, 
perhaps  captain  Briteridge  hath  not  heard  of  it.  Keting  and 
Barry  writt  in  Irish.  If  captain  Briteridg  desire  to  carry  our 
booke  into  Ireland  you  may  present  one  to  him,  few  will  take 
any  pleasure  to  read  it  who  haue  not  been  in  Ireland,  and  is 
acquainted  with  the  old  historie  of  that  country.  If  hee  hath 
not,  or  not  seen  your  trauells  you  may  present  them,  and  best 
if  the  false  printing  were  corrected.  Mr.  Reppes  will  consult 
you  this  weeke  about  the  waters,  hee  goeth  for  London  this 
daye.  I  shall,  God  willing,  send  you  the  fortie-two  shillings 
and  sixpence  which  you  payd  vnto  Dr.  Grew  for  the  subscrip- 
tions. I  wish  I  had  his  receipt  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  par- 
ticular subscribers,  which  hee  promiseth  to  giue  as  hee  re- 
ceiueth  the  first  payments.  God  blesse  my  daughter  Browne 
and  you  all.  Your  loving  father, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

For  Dr.   Edward  Browne,   in   Salisbury    Court,  next 
the  Golden  Balls,   London. 


Dr.  Edward  Brotvne  to  his  Father. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Oct.  3,  1682. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

The  salary  of  the  hospitall  is  so  ordered  that  it 
comes  to  twenty  shillings  a  weeke  :  for  the  patients  within  the 
house,  the  physitian  receives  quarterly  nine  pounds  and  a 
noble,  and  for  the  out  patients  at  Easter,  fiften  pounds, 
which  comes  to  fifty-two  poundes  and  a  noble  in  a  year ;  for 
which  hee  cannot  write  less  then  six  thousand  praescriptions. 
We  want  a  good  chalybeat  electuary,  that  doth  not  purge, 


1682.]  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  349 

for  ours  doth  sometimes.     I  know  not  who  invented  it,  and  it 
is  not  well  compounded,  yet  it  doth  much  good ;  it  is  this, 
R.  Rad.  Raphani  rustic.  3IIJ . 

Cort.  Ligni  Sassafras  5iij. 

Rad.  jalappae, 

Rad.  Mechoacan.  a  5ft. 

Trium  Santal.  a  9ij. 

Rassurae  Eboris  3fi. 

Crem.  Tartari  3J. 

Limaturae  Chalybis  §ij. 

Conserv.  Cochleariae  hortensis  §j. 

Theriacae  Diatessar.  5vj. 

Conserv.  Marrubij 

Conserv.  Absynt.  vulgaris  a  3ft. 
Oxymel.  scyllit  q.  s.  m.  f.  Electuar. 
I  thinke  to  have  this  made  ready,  but  if  you  please  to  adde 
or  alter  it,  it  shall  not  be  made  up  till  I  hear  from  you,  sir. 
R.  Conserv.  Absynt.  vulgaris  |ij. 

Conserv.  Rosar.  Rubrar.  3X1J. 

Zinzib.  condit,  5 iiij  - 

Cort.  Winter.  §j. 

Limaturae  Chalyb.  siij. 
Syr.  de  Quinq.  Rad.  q.  s.  m.  f.  Electuar. 
And  so  it  may  be  a  standing  medicine,  as  well  as  the  other. 
They  make  use  of  pills  in  old  coughs  and  diseases  on  the 
lungs,  which  they  call  pilulce  tiigrce,  which  are  these, 
R.  Rad.  Enulae 

Rad.  Irid.  florent. 

Sem.  Anisi 

Sacchari  Cadi  a  lib.  j. 
Picis  liquidae  q.  s.  m.  f.  Massa 
but  I  praescribe  more  of  a  strong  diacodkim  they  make.  Pray, 
sir,  write  me  word  how  you  make  your  syrupus  de  scordio, 
for  it  is  not  knowne  in  London,  Pray,  sir,  thinke  of  some 
good  effectual  cheape  medicines  for  the  hospitall ;  it  will  be  a 
piece  of  charity,  which  will  be  beneficiall  to  the  poore,  hun- 
dred of  years  after  we  are  all  dead  and  gone.  The  purging 
electuary,  which  is  divided  into  boluses  of  half  an  ounce,  or 
six  dragmes,  as  it  is  ordered,  is  thus, 


350  DOMESTIC    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1682. 

R.  Electuarii  lenitivi  sxij. 
Cremor.  Tartar.  3HJ  5vj. 
Jalap.  Pulv.  sijfs. 
Syr.  Rosar.  solutivi  q.  s.  m.  f.  Electuarium. 
We  make  much  use  of  caryocostinum  and  jalep  powdered, 
which  are  also  often  taken  in  four  ounces  of  the  purging  de- 
coction, which  is  made  of  senna,  rhubarb,  polypody,  sweet 
fennell  seeds,  and  ginger.    Their  scurvy  grass  drinke  is  good  ; 
they  allow  three  barrells  every  weeke  of  it,  to  every  barrell 
they  put  a  pound  of  horse  raddish,  four  handfulls  of  common 
wormwood,  fifteen  handfulls  of  scurvy  grasse,  garden  scurvy 
grasse,  fiften  handfulls  of  brokelime,  and  fiften  handfulls  of 
water  cresses,  to  a  barrell  of  good  ale ;  which  the  poor  peo- 
ple like  very  well. 

St.  Thomas  Hospitall  is  larger  than  ours,  and  holds  forty 
or  fifty  persons  more ;  we  have  divers  of  the  kings  soldiers  in 
the  hospitall.  My  wife  sent  downe  the  last  weeke,  a  past- 
borde  box,  by  the  waggons,  with  candlesticks  for  Mrs.  Pooly, 
and  chocolate  for  my  lady  Pettus.  My  duty  to  my  most 
dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sister,  and  Tomy. 
Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

When  I  am  out  of  towne,  there  are  divers  other  physitians 
who  will  willingly  praescribe  for  me  at  the  hospitall. 

These   for    Sir   Thomas    Browne,    at   his   house,    in 
Norwich. 


jBtscellaneous  Correspondence* 


WHITEFOOT  in  his  "Life  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne" 
says,  that  "  he  was  not  only  consulted  by  the  most 
eminent  men  at  home,  but  likewise  by  the  most  learn- 
ed foreigners  ;  viz.  Gruter,  PPmdet,  Theodorus  Jonas 
of  Iceland,  &c."  Letters  from  all  these,  and  a  num- 
ber of  other  persons  have  been  found  among  his 
papers :  but,  unfortunately,  Sir  Thomas's  replies  to 
the  greater  number  of  those  letters  have  not  reached 
us  ;  for  which  reason  a  selection  only  has  been  made 
of  them.  There  are  four  Latin  letters  from  Isaac 
Gruter,  the  first  in  1650,  the  last  in  1675,  on  the  sub- 
ject of  a  Latin  translation  of  the  Pseudodoxia,  which 
he  contemplated,  and  seems  to  have  had  in  hand  du- 
ring those  twenty-five  years,  but  which  never  made  its 
appearance.  The  letters  of  Windet,  a  medical  practi- 
tioner, residing  at  Yarmouth,  and  apparently  not  a 
foreigner,  are  most  tedious  and  pedantick  ; — written 
in  Latin,  profusely  ornamented  with  Greek  and  even 
Arabick,  but  utterly  destitute  of  interest.  All  these, 
and  several  other  Latin  letters  of  a  similar  stamp,  from 
persons  still  less  known,  have  been  omitted.  Three 
Latin  communications  from  Theodore  Jonas,  not 
strictly  epistolary,  are  reserved  for  another  part  of  the 


352  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE. 

work.  They  probably  supplied  the  information  con- 
tained in  Sir  Thomas'  communication  to  the  Royal 
Society  respecting  Iceland,1  and  may  afford  some  illus- 
tration to  that  paper. 


Mr.  Duncon2  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne. 

[eIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

ESTEEMED  FRIEND, 

Haveinge  perused  a  booke  of  thyne  called  Religio 
Medici  (and  findeinge  these  sound  assertions  followinge — 
"  To  aske  whare  heauen  is,  is  to  demand  whare  the  presence 
of  God  is  " — "  Moyses  committed  a  gross  absurditye  when 
with  these  eyes  of  fflesh  he  desired  to  see  God." 3  Wee  are 
much  contested  agst  by  some,  because  we  can't  comply  to 
their  tenett  in  that  particular,  viz.  that  with  their  ffleshly  eyes 
they  shall  see  God.  "There  is  surely  a  piece  of  divinitye  in 
us,  some  thinge  that  was  before  the  elements"4 — "That  God 
loves  us  for  that  part  which  is,  as  it  were  himselfe,  and  the 
traduction  of  his  holy  spirit.")5  Judgeinge  thee  juditious, 
I  therewith  send  thee  a  booke  to  peruse ;  and  if  thou  desire 
any  personall  conferrance  with  me,  or  any  of  my  friends  con- 
cernynge  the  principalis  of  our  religion,  (which  we  believe  is 
the  immortal  religion,  though  generally  accounted  herisie)  I 
shall  indeauer  it,  in  the  same  loue  I  present  this  booke  to  thy 
vieue,  who  am  a  lover  of  mankinde  in  generall,  and  thyselfe 
in  particuler. 

SAMUEL  DUNCON. 

1  Printed  in  the  Posthumous  Works,  8vo.  1712. 

2  In  reply  to  my  enquiries  respecting  this  Samuel  Duncon,  I  have  been  favoured 
with  the  following  particulars,  by  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  resident  in 
Norwich.  "We  trace  Samuel  Duncomb  in  many  of  our  books,  both  printed  and 
manuscript.  He  was  in  jail  in  Norwich,  in  1660,  for  refusing  to  take  an  oath,  and 
again  in  1664.  In  1670  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  magistrates  from  prison.  His 
signature  is  always  put  Duncomb  in  the  printed  books,  whilst  in  the  registers  of 
the  time,  I  see  he  appears  to  have  lost  his  wife  and  two  sons,  both  spelt  Duncon. 
I  also  find  the  following  entry,  1679,  Samuel  Duncon  of  Norwich,  departed  this 
life  the  12th  day  of  the  8th  month,  1679,  and  is  the  72nd  person  buryed  in  Friends 
burying  place  there." 

3  Rel.  Med.  i,  §  49.     Works,  ii,  p.  72.  4  Ibid, ii,  §  11.  Ibid,  p.  111. 

5  Ibid,  ii,  §  14.     Ibid,  p.  116. 


164-7.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  353 

Mr.  Henry  Bates  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[bIBL.    BODL.    MS.    R.AWL.    CCCXCI.] 

From  the  Court  at  Greenwich,  Aug.  28,  1647. 

HONOURED  SIR, 

If  my  boldnes  bee  a  sinne,  I  hope  your  goodnes  will 
make  it  veniall,  and  give  me  leave  to  kiss  your  hands.  Sir, 
amongst  those  great  and  due  acknowledgments  this  horizon 
owes  you,  for  imparting  your  sublime  solid  phansie  to  them, 
in  that  incomparable  piece  of  invention  and  judgment,  R.  M. 
give  mee  leave,  sir,  here  at  last  to  tender  my  share,  which  I 
wish  I  could  make  proportionable  to  the  value  I  deservedly 
sett  upon  it,  ffor  truly,  sir,  ever  since  I  had  the  happines  to 
know  your  religion,  I  have  religiously  honourd  you ;  hug'd 
your  Minerva  in  my  bosome,  and  voted  it  my  vade  mecum. 
This  makes  mee  think,  that  though  my  library  was  plundered 
from  mee  long  since,  I  have  it  still  in  my  pocket,  onely  chy- 
mically  quintessentiated  into  the  spirit  of  science,  or,  secundum 
vulgus  et  cevum,  '  reformed,'  but  into  a  more  noble  and  sacred 
religion  then  those  two  are  like  to  produce.  Oh  how  oft  in  that 
litle  house,  soe  well  filld,  have  I  recreated  my  soule,  and  that 
with  more  varieties  and  delights  then  all  the  folioes  and 
booke-follies  of  the  time  could  aftbord  mee.  Three  lines  at 
any  time  will  fill  me  to  the  brimme  of  admiration,  yet  can  I 
never  bee  satisfied,  still  sitio,  and  every  reading  produces  new 
graces.  Had  Alexander  light  on't  in  his  time,  sure  Homer 
had  gone  to  the  paystry.  Or  were  Ptolemy  alive  now,  the 
next  straightsman  of  Yarmouth  would  land  another  Septua- 
gint  there,  with  supplication  that  you  would  honour  theire 
Alexandria  with  a  present  of  the  rich  meditates  in  R.  M. 
And  let  the  Cimons  and  Triuialists  of  the  time  bite  or  snufFe, 
or  say  what  they  can  ad  oppositum,  it  shall  never  move  mee 
from  the  truth  of  my  first  conceptions.  I  received  it  at  first 
as  one  of  the  blessings  almighty  God  had,  by  your  faire  hands, 
sent  to  this  age,  and  was  accordingly  thankfull ;  nay,  and  I 
am  of  that  opinion  still,  that  next  the  Legenda  Dei,  it  is  the 
vol.  i.  2  A 


354  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1G47- 

master-piece  of  Christendome  ;  and  though  I  have  met  some- 
times with  some  omnes  sic  ego  vero  non  sic  men,  prejudicating 
pates,  who  bogled  at  shadowes  in't,  and  carpt  at  atoms,  and 
have  soe  strappadoed  mee  into  impatience  with  their  sense- 
lesse  censures,  yet  this  still  satisfied  my  zeale  toward  it,  when 
I  found  nonintelligunt  was  the  nurse  of  theire  vituperant,  and 
they  onely  stumbled  for  want  of  a  lanthorne.  That  Scara- 
bceus  Aquilam  and  Jockey  R.6  should  rush  in  with  his  ob. 
and  publish  sae  muckle  impudense  and  ignorance  at  once,  I 
doe  not  wonder ;  its  the  nature  of  the  beast  and  the  countrie 
that  bred  him.  Alas,  how  hee  hath  toyld  himselfe  for  a  vic- 
tory, yet  foyles  himselfe  by  so  foolish  engagements  ;  indeed 
all  he  hath  done  is  but  a  foyle  to  sett  of  and  illustrate  your 
gallant  thoughts.  But  it  troubles  mee  like  the  fall  of  Phae- 
ton, that  Monsieur  le  Chevalier,7  who  passes  both  for  a  wit 
and  a  judgment,  should  attempt  to  reyne  the  horses  of  the 
sunne,  and  Schioppir  on8  Religio  Medici ;  I  wish  hee  had 
thought  on  the  motto  of  that  noble  family,9  whence  hee  tooke 
that  employment,  aut  nunquam  tentes  aid  perjice,  or  that  hee 
had  animadverted  better,  or  had  beene  alind  agendo,  then  soe 
nihil  agendo  on  that  piece,  sure  then  he  would  have  crost 
himselfe,  blest  him  for  that  undertaking,  and  gone  to  bed  ra- 
ther then  to  have  sitt  up  soe  late  to  soe  little  purpose,  and 
lose  his  sleepe,  unles  hee  intended  to  make  an  opiate  for  his 
readers.  I  must  confesse,  sir,  I  was  once  taking  that  piece 
in  hand  myselfe,  but  soe,  as  with  your  good  grace  to  reach  it 
into  other  nations,  to  stop  theire  leualtoes  and  brauadoes  over 
our  northerne  clime,  and  let  them  know,  that  et  hie  habitant 
muses ;  but  before  I  got  to  the  middle,  I  found  another  at  the 
latter  end  ;  for  coming  to  Leyden,  I  saw  opus  operatum,  and 
the  busines  by  a  friend  of  mine  done  to  my  hand. 

At  my  returne  into  England,  each  poast  presented  mee 
with  the  frontispiece  of  your  enquiries,  and  I  was  readie  to 
present  an  hecatomb  in  thankfulnes,  and  did  acknowledge  it 
the  greatest  entertainement  the  kingdome  could  affoord  mee ; 
nothing  could  bee  more  satisfactorious  to  mee  who  had  been 
long  in  quest  after  most  of  those  particulars,  and  lamented 

6  Alexander  Ross.  7  Sir  Kenelm  Digby. 

s  To  fire  upon.  9  The  Duke  of  Dorset. 


1647.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  355 

the  confident  mistakes  and  worm-eaten  errours  of  the  age. 
To  correct  which  I  have  beene  long  collecting  from  my 
studies,  trauells,  and  discourse  with  forraigners,  whatsoever 
would  tend  toward  resolution  in  those  queries,  and  I  have 
been  proud  in  that  I  attained  to  soe  much  satisfaction  by  my- 
selfe ;  but  when  you,  sir,  lent  mee  your  hand  I  was  ravishd 
with  ioy,  and  could  have  wisht  I  had  been  happy  in  the  pa- 
rents acquaintance  before  the  child  was  borne.  For  my  owne 
observations  and  collections  in  those  particulars,  as  I  thought 
it  pitty  to  let  them  returne  to  their  confusion  and  dust,  soe  I 
knew  not  well  how  to  preserve  them  ;  but  now,  sir,  I  thank 
you,  you  have  showd  mee  a  way,  by  laying  them  up  in  your 
urne,  which  doubtlesse  will  see  the  last  fire.  And  might  I, 
sir,  avoid  the  name  of  an  intruder,  I  would  tell  you  how ;  I 
made  bold  to  interleafe  your  enquiries,  and  soe  insert  my 
blank  and  empty  phansies,  under  the  protection  of  your 
blanch  and  clearer  judgment ;  soe  hope  to  preserve  my  litle 
bird  in  the  lap  of  Jupiter,  which  else  would  undoubtedly  have 
perisht  with  the  sheets  she  was  first  lapt  in.  And  now,  sir, 
having  so  faire  an  occasion  to  salute  you,  were  this  book  ad 
manum,  I  would  beg  leave  to  present  it  too,  that  you  might 
see  how  much  your  child  is  growne  in  a  yeare,  and  perhaps 
what  a  thankless  office  I  have  undertaken ;  yet,  sir,  had  you 
intent  of  another  edition,  of  which  some  probabilitie  I  see,  the 
turning  over  of  those  thoughts  of  mine,  and  adiutant  collec- 
tions, probably  aut  prodesse  volunt  aut  delectare,  and  if 
either,  they  shall  be  at  your  command.  I  know  how  many 
answers,  and  the  worst,  a  solitary  or  crosse  polumathist  might 
returne  mee ;  but,  sir,  for  yourselfe,  your  second  part  told 
mee  seaven  years  agoe,  you  was  endowd  with  soe  much  cha- 
ritie  and  polished  civilitie,  that  I  might  goe  on  and  say  any 
thing,  since  I  had  to  deale  with  Dr.  Browne.  And  I  was  a 
litle  confident  on  my  owne  part  too,  as  being  conscious  of  the 

candour  and  ingenuitie  of  my  thoughts  in  all which 

aimes  at  nothing  but  the  advancement  of  le and  all 

gallant  respects  to  a  gentleman,  and  a  sen and  I  see 

you  are  both,  soe  much,  and  soe  refin'd in  spight  of 

distance  and  disacquaintance must  bee  all  yours  ; 

all  in  all,  morrall  and observance,  and  would  blesse 

2  a  2 


356  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1647. 

God  for  an  opportunitie  to  tell  you  soe  in  your  armes.  Till 
I  bee  so  happy,  sir,  give  me  leave  to  embrace  and  entertaine 
you  in  the  highest  mansion  of  my  thoughts,  and  to  serve  you 
in  any  thing  within  my  circumference  and  reach;  cast  mee 
into  what  mould  you  please,  I  will  endeauour  to  fitt  it,  and 
every  way  to  approve  myselfe,  sir, 

Your  faithfull  friend,  servant,  honourer, 

HENRY  BATES. 


Dr.  Browne  to * 

[FROM    KIPriS's    EIOGRAPHIA    BRITANN'ICA.] 

[1647?] 
Ex  B/EX/Vj  x.\jZiPyr,ra  [i.  e.  statesman  from  the  book]  is 
grown  into  a  proverb ;  and  no  less  ridiculous  are  they 
who  think  out  of  book  to  become  physicians.  I  shall 
therefore  mention  such  as  tend  less  to  ostentation  than  use, 
for  the  directing  a  novice  to  observation  and  experience, 
without  which  you  cannot  expect  to  be  other  than  tx  8ij3}Jou 
xuZi^ir,7'ni.  Galen  and  Hippocrates  must  be  had  as  fathers 
and  fountains  of  the  faculty.  And,  indeed,  Hippocrates's 
Aphorisms  should  be  conned  for  the  frequent  use  which  may 
be  made  of  them.  Lay  your  foundation  in  anatomy,  wherein 
ccvro-^iu  must  be  your  jidus  Achates.  The  help  that  books 
can  afford  you  may  expect,  besides  what  is  delivered  sparsim 
from  Galen  and  Hippocrates,  Vesalius,  Spigelius,  and  Bar- 
tholinus.  And  be  sure  you  make  yourself  master  of  Dr. 
Harvey's  piece  De  Circul.  Sang. ;  which  discovery  I  prefer  to 
that  of  Columbus.  The  knowledge  of  plants,  animals,  and 
minerals,  (whence  are  fetched  the  Materia  Medicamentoruin) 
may  be  your  tagi^/ov ;  and,  so  far  as  concerns  physic,  is  attain- 
able in  gardens,   fields,  apothecaries'  and  druggists'  shops. 

*  From  a  reference  in  Mr.  Smith's  letter,  p.  360,  there  seems  little  doubt  that  the 
present,  (which  appears  to  have  been  communicated  to  the  world  by  Dr.  Richard 
Middleton  Massey,  F.  R.  S.,)  was  addressed  to  Dr.  Henry  Power,  of  New-Hall, 
near  Ealand,  Yorkshire  ;  author  of  Experimental  Philosophy,  in  Three  Books,  con- 
taining neiv  Experiments,  Microscopical,  Mercurial,  and  Magnetical,  4to.  16C4. 


1647.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  357 

Read  Theophrastus,  Dioscorides,  Matthiolus,  Dodonaeus, 
and  our  English  herbalists :  Spigelius's  Isagoge  in  rem 
herbarium  will  be  of  use.  Wecker's  Antidotarium  speciale, 
Renodaeus  for  composition  and  preparation  of  medicaments. 
See  what  apothecaries  do.  Read  Morelli  Formulas  medicas, 
Bauderoni  Pharmacopcsa,  Pharmacopcea  August  ana.  See 
chymical  operations  in  hospitals,  private  houses.  Read 
Fallopius,  Aquapendente,  Parseus,  Vigo,  &c.  Be  not  a 
stranger  to  the  useful  part  of  chymistry.  See  what  chymis- 
tators  do  in  their  officines.  Begin  with  Tirocinium  Chymicum, 
Crollius,  Hartmannus,  and  so  by  degrees  march  on.  Materia 
Medicamentorum,  surgery,  and  chymistry,  may  be  your 
diversions  and  recreations  ;  physic  is  your  business.  Having, 
therefore,  gained  perfection  in  anatomy,  betake  yourself  to 
Sennertus's  Institutions,  which  read  with  care  and  diligence 
two  or  three  times  over,  and  assure  yourself  that  when  you  are 
a  perfect  master  of  these  institutes  you  will  seldom  meet  with 
any  point  in  physic  to  which  you  will  not  be  able  to  speak  like 
a  man.  This  done,  see  how  institutes  are  applicable  to 
practice,  by  reading  upon  diseases  in  Sennertus,  Fernelius, 
Mercatus,  Hollerius,  Riverius,  in  particular  treatises,  in  coun- 
sels, and  consultations,  all  which  are  of  singular  benefit.  But 
in  reading  upon  diseases  satisfy  yourself  not  so  much  with  the 
remedies  set  down  (although  I  would  not  have  these  alto- 
gether neglected)  as  with  the  true  understanding  the  nature 
of  the  disease,  its  causes,,  and  proper  indications  for  cure. 
For  by  this  knowledge,  and  that  of  the  instruments  you  are  to 
work  by,  the  Materia  Medicamentorum,  you  will  often  conquer 
with  ease  those  difficulties,  through  which  books  will  not  be 
able  to  bring  you  ;  secret  um  medicorum  est  judicium.  Thus 
have  I  briefly  pointed  out  the  way  which,  closely  pursued, 
will  lead  to  the  highest  pitch  of  the  art  you  aim  at.  Although 
I  mention  but  few  books  (which,  well  digested,  will  be 
instar  omnium)  yet  it  is  not  my  intent  to  confine  you.  If  at 
one  view  you  would  see  who  hath  written,  and  upon  what 
diseases,  by  way  of  counsel  and  observation,  look  upon 
Moronus's  Directorium  Medico-practicum.  You  may  look 
upon  all,  but  dwell  upon  few.  I  need  not  tell  you  the  great 
use  of  the  Greek  tongue  in  physic :  without  it  nothing  can  be 


358         MISCELLANEOUS  CORRESPONDENCE.      [1647-8. 

done  to  perfection.  The  words  of  art  you  may  learn  from 
Gorreus's  Definitiones  Medicce.  This,  and  many  good 
wishes,  From  your  loving  friend, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Dr.  Henry  Power  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Ch.  Coll.  Cambridge,  Feb.  10,  1647-8. 

RIGHT    WORSHIPFULL, 

The  subject  of  my  last  letter  being  so  high  and 
noble  a  peece  of  chymistry,  viz.,  the  reindividualling  of  an 
incinerated  plant,  invites  mee  once  more  to  request  an  experi- 
mental! eviction  of  it  from  yourselfe,1  and  I  hope  you  will  not 
chide  my  importunity  in  this  petition,  or  be  angry  at  my  so 
frequent  knockings  at  your  doore  to  obtaine  a  grant  of  so 
great  and  admirable  a  mystery  ?  Tis  only  an  ocular  demon- 
stration of  our  resurrection,  but  a  notable  illustration  of  that 
phychopannchy  well  antiquity  so  generally  received,  how 
these  formes  of  ours  may  be  lulled,  and  ly  asleepe  after  the 
separation  (closed  up  in  their  ubis  by  a  surer  then  Hermes 
his  seale)  untill  that  great  and  generall  day  when,  by  the 
helpe  of  that  gentle  heat  wch  in  six  dayes  hatched  the  world, 
by  a  higher  chymistry  it  shall  be  resuscitated  into  its  former 
selfe ;  suamque  arborem  inversam,  in  contmuo  esse,  et  operari, 
iter  at  a  prceservabit. 

The  secret  is  so  noble  and  admirable,  that  it  has  invited 
my  enquiries  into  divers  authors  and  chymicall  tractates, 
amongst  wch  Quercitan  and  Angelus  Sala  give  some  little 
hint  thereof,  but  so  obscurely  and  imperfectly,  that  I  have  no 
more  hopes  to  be  ocularly  convinced  through  their  prescrip- 
tions, then  to  be  experimentally  confirm'd  that  the  species  of 
an  incinerated  animal  may  be  encask'd  in  a  piece  of  winter 
chrystall,  as  some  other  mineralists  confidently  affirme. 
Alsted,  I  confesse,  in  his  Pyrotechnia,  more  cleerely  describes 

1  See  Religio  Medici,  vol.  ii.  p.  70,  note. 


1647-8.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  359 

the  matter,  but  the  manner  of  experimenting  it  hee  utterly 
leaves  unmentionecl.  Therefore,  my  only  acldresse  is  to  you, 
hoping  to  find  as  much  willingnesse  to  communicate  as  ability 
to  evince  the  certainty  of  this  secret  to 

The  most  engaged  of  your  friends, 

HENRY  POWER. 

Sir,  this  enclosed  is  from  a  worthy  friend  of  myne,  who 
hath  made  bold,  upon  my  incitement,  to  enwrappe  a  few  lines 
to  you ;  if  you  please  to  repay  us  both  but  with  one  single 
answer,  it  will  not  only  evince  us  of  your  faire  acceptance 
of  them,  but  shall  also  challenge  a  double  gratulatory  as  a  due 
debt,  in  counterpoize  and  recompence  thereof. 

To  the    Right   Worshipful   Dr.    Browne,  resident  in 
Norwich,  these. 

Mr.  Thomas  Smith  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

Chr.  Coll.  St.  Thomas. 

WORTHY   DOCTOR, 

Though  this  be  the  first  time  I  venture  upon  so 
much  boldness  as  to  send  you  a  letter,  it  is  not  the  first  that  I 
have  written.  I  once  penned  a  large  sheete  of  observations 
upon  that  exact  manual  of  yours  which  our  Greeke  professor 
copied  out,  and  I  and  other  scholars  were  once  about  to 
learne  memoriter.  But  considering  with  how  many  scriblings 
of  that  kind  your  serious  studies  might  be  interrupted,  I  con- 
secrated not  that  paper  to  your  hands,  as  I  intended,  but  to 
the  flames.  Yet  must  confesse  I  never  met  with  the  articles 
of  any  religion  which  I  could  better  subscribe  to  than  to 
yours.  I  can  as  little  digest  Fr.  Cheynel  as  Card.  Bellar- 
mine,  and  can,  without  indignation,  peruse  the  Alcoran  or  the 
Talmud.  I  was  never  yet  so  hsereticall  as  to  be  frighted  with 
bookes,  those  horrible  liogttokvxua,  I  can  live  with  pleasure 
among  the  dead,  though  they  stinke,  and  dye  among  the 
living,  yea,  be  buried  among  them,  and  not  feare  biting. 
AVhich  hath  made  me  so  inquisitive  after  Ochinus  De  tribus 


360  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1647-8. 

mundi  impostoribus  (which  you  first  acquainted  me  with1),  that 
I  have  searched  many  libraries,  inquired  of  most  of  the  book- 
sellers in  London,  yet  could  never  see  it.  If  you  would  be 
pleased  to  helpe  me  or  my  loving  friend  Sr.2  Power  with  the 
sight  of  it,  or  tell  us  where  we  might  see  it,  you  would  doe  us 
such  a  courtesy  as  we  might  ever  study  but  never  be  able  to 
requite.  But  I  intend  not  to  rest  here,  seeing  I  have  begun 
to  beg  favours,  pardon  my  boldness,  good  sir,  if  I  proceed. 

It  hath  been  my  fortune,  among  other  studies  which  my  in- 
genium  desultorium  hath  tasted  of,  to  looke  a  little  into  your 
honourable  profession,  having  been  told  by  Drexelius  that^m- 
tus  Medicus  cegroto  Angelus,  into  Dens  est.  And  tis  no  small 
comfort  to  me,  having  perused  some  bookes,  to  see  your 
directions  to  Sr.  Power 3  (which  I  had  the  happiness  to  see 
even  now)  run  parallell  to  my  small  readings.  I  first  read 
Bartholinus,  then  Spigelius,  Sennertus  his  Institutions  and 
De  febribus,  and  some  few  other  small  tracts,  as  Dr.  Harvey 
De  circul.  Asellius  De  venis  lacteis,  Fienus.  As  for  Lacuna,  I 
have  read  here  and  there  two  or  three  leaves  in  him,  but  I  saw 
nothing  in  him  which  was  not  in  Sennertus ;  perhaps  I  was 
too  perfunctory,  and  did  not  see  through  him.  I  have  some 
thoughts  of  reading  over  Sennertus  his  Praxis,  and  to  that 
purpose  bought  his  works  printed  at  Venice,  but  I  shall  first 
crave  your  advice,  Ingignerus  his  Physiognomia  naturalis 
pleaseth  me  better  than  any  booke  I  have  seene  in  Italian. 
I  have  looked  a  little  into  the  Arabicke,  and  gone  so  far  as  to 
read  apeece  of  the  Bible,  but  whether  there  be  any  thing  in 
physick  deserving  and  requiring  my  further  progresse  in  it  is  a 
question  desiring  your  resolution.  Would  you  be  pleased, 
when  your  leisure  may  permit,  to  condescend  so  low  as  to  lend 
me  a  catalogue  of  such  bookes,  great  and  small,  as  you  shall 
conceive  to  be  the  most  rational  and  solid  pieces  in  this,  or 
that,  or  any  language,  I  shall  thinke  my  selfe  eternally 
obliged,  and  ever  subsci'ibe  myselfe,  Sir,  your  thankfull 
servitour,  THO.  SMITH. 

1   Rel.  Med.  i.  §  20. 
2  This  title  was,  in  tlie  early  ages,  general  to  all  who  had  taken  a  degree  or 
entered  into  holy  orders ;   and  thus,  in  our  old  writers,  we  continually  meet  with 
Sir  prefixed  to  the  name,  which  has  occasionally  given  rise  to  a  mistaken  supposi- 
tion that  these  persons  were  knighted. — Letters,  S;c.froni  the  Bodleian,  I.  p.  117. 
3  See  letter  at  p.  357. 


1648.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  361 

Dr.  Henry  Power  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Ch.  Coll.  Camb.  15th  Sept.  1648. 

RIGHT  WORSHIPFULL, 

I  cannot  but  returne  you  infinite  thankes  for  your 
excessive  paynes  in  doubling  of  your  last  letter  to  mee,  both 
pages  whereof  were  so  exceeding  satisfactory  to  my  requests, 
as  that  I  know  not  wheather  of  them  may  more  justly  chal- 
lenge a  larger  returne  of  thankes  from  mee.  For  the  fore- 
page  I  have  traced  your  commands,  and  simpled  in  the  woods, 
meadows,  and  fields,  instead  of  gardens,  which  being  obvious 
and  in  every  countrey,  I  may  easyly  hereafter  bee  made  a 
garden  herbalist  by  any  shee  empirick.  I  have  both  Gerard 
with  Johnson's  addition,  and  Parkinson ;  the  former  has  the 
cleerer  cutt,  and  outvies  the  other  in  an  accurate  description 
of  a  plant;  the  latter  is  the  better  methodist,  and  has  bedded 
his  plants  in  a  better  ranke  and  order.  I  compared,  also, 
DodonaBus  with  them,  who  does  very  well  for  a  short  and  curt 
herbalist :  yet  I  shall  embrace  Gerard  above  all,  because  you 
pleased  to  honour  him  with  your  approbation.  For  the  back 
side  of  your  letter,  I  am  extreamely  satisfied  in  your  resolves 
of  my  quaere,  I  confesse  I  run  into  too  deepe  a  beliefe  and  too 
strong  a  conceipt  of  chymistry,  (yet  not  beyond  what  some  of 
those  artists  affirme)of  the  reproduction  of  the  same  plant  by 
ordinary  way  of  vegetation,  for  (say  they)  if  the  salt  be  taken 
and  transferred  to  another  countrey  and  there  sowed,  the 
plant  thereof  shall  sprout  out  even  from  common  earth.  But 
it  will  be  satisfaction  enough,  to  the  greatest  of  my  desires,  to 
behold  the  leafes  thereof  shaddowed  in  glaciation,  of  which 
experiment  I  hope  I  shall  have  the  happynesse  to  be  ocularly 
evinced  at  some  opportunity  by  you. 

Sir,  I  have  a  great  desire  to  shift  my  residence  awhile,  and 
to  live  a  moneth  or  two  in  Norwich  by  you :  where  I  may 
have  the  happynesse  of  your  neighbourhood.  Here  are  such 
fewe  helpes  here,  that  T  feare  I  shall  make  but  a  lingering 


362  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1648. 

progresse  unlesse  I  have  your  personall  discourse  to  further 
and  prick  forwards  my  slow  endeavours.  But  I  shall  deter- 
mine of  nothing  till  I  see  you  here,  in  which  journey  I  could 
wish  (were  it  not  to  the  disadvantage  of  your  affaires)  you 
would  prevent  our  expectations.  Sir,  I  have  now  by  the  fre- 
quency of  living  and  dead  dissections  of  doggs,  run  through 
the  whole  body  of  anatomy,  insisting  upon  Spigelius,  Bartho- 
linus,  Fernelius,  Columbus,  Veslingius,  but  especially  Harvey's 
circulation,  and  the  two  incomparable  authors  Des-Cartes 
and  Regius,  which,  indeed,  were  the  only  two  that  answered 
my  doubts  and  quaeres  in  that  art.  I  have  likewise  made 
some  little  proficiency  in  herbary,  and  by  going  out  three  or 
four  miles  once  a  weeke  have  brought  home  with  mee  two  or 
three  hundred  hearbs.  I  have  likewise  run  through  Heurnius 
which  I  very  well  allow  of  for  a  peripateticall  author ;  hee  is 
something  curt  De  urina,  which  I  conceive  to  bee  a  very 
necessary  piece  in  physick  now  the  circulation  is  discovered  ; 
for  since  the  urine  is  channelled  all  along  with  the  blood, 
through  almost  all  the  parenchymata  of  the  body,  before  it 
come  to  the  kidneys  to  bee  strained  and  separated,  it  must 
needes  carry  a  tincture  of  any  disaffected  or  diseased  part 
through  which  it  passes.  For  Sennertus  I  cannot  yet  procure 
him,  but  'tis  sayd  hee  is  comming  out  in  a  new  letter,  and  then 
I  question  not  but  I  shall  have  him.  Mr.  Smith  presents  his 
humble  respects  to  you,  and  shall  bee  extreame  glad  to  give 
you  a  deserved  welcome  to  Cambridge,  who  may  doe  it,  per- 
chance, more  nobly  yet  not  more  heartyly  then  will 
Your  most  obliged  friend  and  servant, 

HENRY  POWER. 

Sir,  my  father  Foxcroft  and  mother  in  their  last  to  Cam- 
bridge forgott  not  to  tender  their  best  respects  to  you,  which 
I  have  requited  in  the  like  returne  of  yours  to  them  (accord- 
ing to  your  request)  this  last  journey. 

To  his  ever  honoured  friend  Thomas  Browne,   Dr.  of 
Physick,  at  his  house  in  Norwich,  these. 


1649.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  363 

Dr.  Henry  Poiver  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

Hallyfax,  August  28th,  1649. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

I  cannot  by  silence  let  fall  that  same  interest  you 
have  beene  pleased  to  grant  mee  in  you ;  though  this  large 
distance  twixt  Hallyfax  and  Norwich  might  almost  put  mee 
to  the  dispaire  of  an  answer  from  you.  I  sent  a  letter  about 
three  or  four  moneths  since  by  Cambridge  to  you,  wherein  I 
made  bold  to  raise  some  little  discourse  upon  those  tenets 
you  pleased  to  deliver  to  mee  in  point  of  concoction;  with 
which  I  shall  not  here  trouble  you  againe,  as  accounting  them 
unworthy  of  a  repetition.  But  wheather  those  lines  came  to 
your  hands  or  no,  or  miscarryed  in  the  conveihance,  I  know 
not.  I  therefore  send  this  letter,  as  a  second  arrow,  to  find 
out  the  first.  Sir,  the  great  satisfaction  I  have  alwayes  re- 
ceived from  you  in  the  resolve  of  such  quaeres  as  still  puzled 
my  progresse  in  study,  emboldens  mee  still  to  some  further 
proposealls :  amongst  which,  the  chiefe  quaere  I  desire  to  be 
resolved  in,  is  wheather  toads,  froggs,  snailes,  swallows,  and 
such  like  animals  as  wee  usually  say  sleepe  all  winter,  doe  in 
that  interim  only  lose  the  rise  and  motion  of  their  lungs,  (the 
heart  still  working  and  circulating  the  blood,)  or  cease  from 
all  motion  both  of  heart  and  lungs,  and  for  that  season  abso- 
lutely ly  dead  or  no  ?  Van  Helmont  peremtoryly  asserts  the 
former,  page  189,  fig.  33. 

Du  Roy  (or  Regius)  will  have  both  the  motion  of  their 
heart  and  lungs  also  to  cease,  and  they  to  ly  that  halfe  yeare 
as  perfectly  dead.     Fundament.  Phys.  page  154. 

Harvey  asserts  neither  the  one  nor  the  other,  but,  having 
demonstrated  that  insects  ly  void  of  all  motion  in  the  winter 
season,  and  the  part  analogous  to  the  heart  in  them,  utterly 
to  cease  from  all  palpitation,  hee  thus  waryly  concludes : 
"  Sed  an  idem  etiam  quibusdam  sanguineis  animalibus  accidat, 
ut  ranis,  serpentibus,  etc.  dubitare  licet." 


364  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1649. 

I  shall  in  this  point  so  farre  agree  with  Helmont,  that  the 
motion  of  the  lungs  and  heart  are  not  inseparable,  but  that 
the  latter  may  bee  where  the  former  is  not  requisite  ;  as  wee 
clearly  see  in  infants,  which  ly  almost  twelve  moneths  in  the 
wombe  without  any  respiration  at  all,  but  not  without  pulsa- 
tion of  the  heart.  But  in  this  case  of  other  animals  methinkes 
Du  Roy  has  hitt  on  the  better  probability ;  for  wee  see  flyes, 
butterflyes,  &c.  yea,  and  snailes,  in  winter  time  cease  from  all 
motion,  and  the  heart  (or  that  vesicle  in  them  which  is  analo- 
gous to  it,  for  such  a  pulsing  particle  they  all  have)  lyes  still 
and  rests  without  the  least  palpitation  whatsoever  all  winter 
long ;  till  the  vernall  equinox  begin  to  actuate  and  re-enliven 
them  againe.  The  like  may  be  probably  conjectured  of  those 
other  sanguineous  animals :  but  I'll  leave  the  decision  of  the 
question  to  your  more  experienced  selfe,  and  give  my  assent 
to  neither  part  any  further,  but  that  your  rationall  determina- 
tion may  easily  recall  it  to  the  truth. 

There  is  one  other  quaere  which  I  shall  make  bold  to  su- 
peradde,  and  it  is  this :  to  what  use  and  purpose  is  that  long 
tenuous  and  thin  bladder  found  alwayes  full  of  aire  in  fishes, 
lying  above  the  entrayles  just  cleaving  to  the  spinall  bone  and 
vertebrae  of  the  back,  stretched  even  from  the  very  mouth  to 
the  anus  of  the  fish ;  as  is  clearely  to  bee  seene  in  salmons, 
trouts,  chubbs,  grailings,  perches,  eeles,  herrings,  gougeons, 
&c.  De  Back,  a  Roterdame  physician,  (which  I  met  with 
accidentally,)  has  a  little  touch  concerning  this  point  in  his 
dissertations  De  corde,  cap.  5.  Hee  there  asserts  with  the 
ancients,  that  the  lungs  in  animals  doe  not  only  serve  ad  re- 
frigerium  scmguinis,  but  that  the  aire  in  the  lungs  is  mingled 
and  incorporated  with  the  blood  to  rarefy  and  attenuate  it, 
that  it  might  passe  through  the  capillary  veines  and  arteryes 
and  still  through  the  pores  of  the  flesh,  to  give  nuti'ition  to 
every  atome  of  it :  for  without  this  intermixion  (saith  hee)  the 
blood  would  be  so  grosse  that  it  could  not  penetrate  the  sub- 
tle pores  of  the  flesh,  either  to  maintaine  the  circulation  or 
nutrition ;  and  therefore,  (saith  hee,)  since  nature  could  not 
supply  that  double  office  by  the  gills  in  fishes,  (the  part  ana- 
logous to  the  lungs  in  other  animals,)  shee  superadded  this 
vesicle  of  aire,  which  might  serve  for  the  subtiliation   and 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  365 

rarefaction  of  the  blood,  ut  melius  penetraret  in  partes  nutri- 
endas,  and  the  gills  solely  for  its  refrigeration. 

To  this  conceite  of  his  I  could  first  oppose  that  the  serous 
humour,  togeather  with  the  naturall  heat  intermixed  with  the 
blood,  serves  no  other  purpose,  but  by  subtiliation  and  atte- 
nuation of  it,  to  conduct  it  through  all  the  parts  of  the  body 
and  the  minute  and  capillary  chanells,  and  therefore  there 
needs  not  the  intermixion  of  aire  with  it  for  that  purpose. 

Secondly,  upon  strict  inspection  into  the  bodyes  of  fishes  I 
could  never  find  this  vesicle  had  any  chanel  or  passage  but 
one  which  came  straight  to  the  mouth,  by  which  the  fish  re- 
ceived the  aire,  and  there  eructates  it  (for  any  thing  I  know) 
againe.     But  this  also  I  wholly  leave  to  your  determination. 

Sir,  there  were  many  things  which  I  tooke  notice  of  in  the 
viper's  head  you  pleased  to  shew  mee  when  I  was  last  at 
Norwich,  especially  concerning  the  two  poysonous  teeth  which 
moved  in  the  upper  jaw  upon  .jemmers,  which  shee  could  lay 
flatt  along  in  a  little  cavity  of  either  side  of  her  jaw,  or  erect 
them  as  shee  pleased.  Yet  there  was  one  thing  therein  which 
slipped  my  observance,  which  was  weather  these  two  teeth 
were  perforated  or  no,  as  the  two  venomous  teeth  of  the  aspe 
is  sayd  to  bee,  through  which  shee  ejects  her  poyson.  Sir, 
if  you  please  to  honour  mee  in  the  grant  of  these  requests  you 
will  strike  a  deeper  engagement  upon 

Your  most  obliged  friend  and  servant, 

HENRY  POWER, 


Dr.  Henry  Power  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[MS.  SLOAN.  3515.] 

9thof9ber,  1668. 
Yours  I  receaved,  togeather  with  the  little  tractate  of 
urnes,  for  both  which  I  returne  you  a  thousand  thankes. 
To  tell  you  that  I  honour  the  piece  for  the  author's  sake, 
were  obliquely  to  disparage  it ;  give  mee  leave  to  peruse  it, 
and  I  doubt  not  but  by  its  own  merit  it  may  well  challenge 
the  applause  of  the  world ;  one  thing  as  I  glanced  over  the 


366  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1649. 

latter  part  of  it  I  could  not  passe,  and  that  is  the  peculiar  sig- 
nature of  Acaia,  Viviu,  Lilil. 4  In  what  plant  these  tearmes 
are  inscribed,  I  would  gladly  know,  though  I  have  narrowly 
searched  very  many,  yet  either  my  fancy  was  not  so  active, 
or  else  my  enquh'ies  not  so  satisfactory,  as  to  light  of  any 
plant  where  I  could  ever  rudely  imagine  any  such  characters. 
I  should  have  blamd  the  barrenesse  of  our  soile  in  not  pro- 
ducing it,  had  not  you  tould  mee  'twas  a  common  one.  I 
shall  desire  you  to  be  my  Oedipus.  3  old  Spanish  bookes  I 
have  found  of  my  fathers,  I  knowe  not  wheather  they  be 
worth  the  carriage  to  Norwich  or  noe,  much  less  worthy  of 
your  acceptance,  yet  I  have  presumed  to  send  them  to  you, 
hoping  they  will  be  entertained,  if  not  for  their  own,  yet  for 
his  sake  that  formerly  ought  them,  who  I  am  sure  was  one  that 
did  much  honour  you,  and  left  one  that  can  doe  noe  lesse 
whilst  hee  is  H.  P. 


Mr.  Merryweather  to  Dr.  Browne.5 

Cambridge,  Magd.  College,  Octob.  1,  1649. 

HONOURED  SIR, 

To  know  and  be  acquainted  with  you,  though  no 
otherwise  than  by  your  ingenious  and  learned  writings,  which 
now  a  good  part  of  Christendom  is,  were  no  contemptible  de- 
gree of  happiness  :  the  fool-hardy  enterprize  of  translating 
your  book  might  seem  to  give  me  some  small  title  to  a  further 
pretence  ;  but  it  is  my  great  unhappiness,  that  as  small  as  this 
is,  I  have  forfeited  it  already  upon  several  scores.  I  under- 
took a  design,  which  I  knew  I  could  not  manage  without  cer- 
tain disadvantage  and  injury  to  the  author ;  and  after,  though 
I  saw  the  issue  no  happier  than  I  expected,  yet  I  could  not 
be  content  to  conceal  or  burn  it,  but  must  needs  obtrude  to 


4  See  Garden  of  Cyrus,  towards  ihe  end  of  ch.  3. 
•r'  Mr.  Merryweather  returning  from  his  travels  in  France  and  Holland,  Anno 
1649,  went  to  Norwich,  to  acquaint  the  Doctor  with  the  different  sentiments  enter- 
tained abroad  of  the  Religio  Medici ;  but  he  being  at  that  time  from  home,  Mr. 
Merryweather  left  a  book  with  a  friend,  to  be  presented  bim  the  first  opportunity, 
and  shortly  after  writ  the  following  letter  from  Cambridge Whitefoot's  Life,  p.  v. 


1649.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  367 

the  large  world,  in  beggarly  and  disfigured  habit,  that  which 
you  sent  out  in  so  quaint  and  polisht  a  dress.  Besides,  I 
might  have  acquainted  you  with  it  sooner,  presented  you  with 
a  copy,  begged  pardon  sooner  for  these  miscarriages,  which 
now  I  may  justly  fear  is  too  late.  The  truth  of  it  is,  sir,  I  have 
some  real  pleas  and  justifications  for  most  of  these  crimes; 
and  have,  with  impatience,  waited  for  some  opportunity  to 
have  represented  them  by  word  of  mouth,  rather  than  writ- 
ing ;  which  I  hoped  to  have  had  the  happiness  to  have  done 
when  I  was  lately  at  Norwich,  as  my  honoured  friend,  Mr. 
Preston,  of  Beeston,  will  assure  you,  whom  I  desired,  after 
we  found  not  you  in  the  town,  being  unwilling  to  continue 
this  incivility  any  longer,  to  present  you  with  a  copy  at  his 
first  opportunity,  which  I  question  not  but  by  this  time  you 
have  received.  Thus  much,  sir,  at  the  least  I  had  done  soon- 
er, if  I  had  not  been  hundred  by  a  constant  unwelcome  ru- 
mour, all  the  time  I  was  abroad  in  the  Low  Countries  and 
France,  (which  was  the  space  of  some  years  after  the  impres- 
sion,) that  you  had  left  this  life :  upon  what  ground  the  report 
was  raised  I  know  not,  but  that  it  was  so,  many  then  with  me, 
and  some  of  them  not  unknown  to  your  self,  can  witness. 
When  I  came  at  Paris,  the  next  year  after,  I  found  it  printed 
again,  in  which  edition  both  the  epistles  were  left  out,  and  a 
preface,  by  some  papist,  put  in  their  place,  in  which  making 
use  of,  and  wresting  some  passages  in  your  book,  he  endea- 
vour'd  to  shew,  that  nothing  but  custom  and  education  kept 
you  from  their  church.  Since  my  return  home,  I  see  Hack- 
ius,  the  Leyden  printer,  hath  made  a  new  impression,  which 
furnished  me  afresh  with  some  copies,  and  whereof  that  which 
I  left  with  Mr.  Preston  is  one,  as  is  easily  observable  by  the 
difference  of  the  pages,  and  the  omission  of  the  errata,  which 
were  noted  in  the  first,  though  the  title  page  be  the  same  in 
both.  These  frequent  impressions  shew  the  worth  of  the 
book,  which  still  finds  reception  and  esteem  abroad,  notwith- 
standing all  that  diminution  and  loss  which  it  suffers  by  the 
translation ;  which  I  am  the  willinger  to  observe,  because  it 
found  some  demurr  in  the  first  impression  at  Leyden ;  and 
upon  this  occasion,  one  Haye,  a  book-merchant  there,  to 
whom  I  first  offered  it,  carried  it  to  Salmasius  for  his  appro- 


3(58  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1652. 

bation,  who  in  state,  first  laid  it  by  for  very  nigh  a  quarter  of 
a  year,  and  then  at  last  told  him,  that  there  were  indeed  in  it 
many  things  well  said,  but  that  it  contained  also  many  exor- 
bitant conceptions  in  religion,  and  would  probably  find  but 
frowning  entertainment,  especially  amongst  the  ministers, 
which  deterred  him  from  undertaking  the  printing.  After  I 
showed  it  to  two  more,  de  Vogel  and  Christian,  both  printers ; 
but  they,  upon  advice,  returned  it  also ;  from  these  I  went  to 
Hackius,  who,  upon  two  days  deliberation,  undertook  it. 
Worthy  sir,  you  see  how  obstinately  bent  I  was  to  divulge 
my  own  shame  and  impudence  at  your  expence  ;  yet  seeing 
this  confidence  was  built  upon  nothing  else  but  the  innate  and 
essential  worth  of  the  book,  which  I  perswaded  myself  would 
bear  it  up  from  all  adventitious  disadvantages,  and  seeing  I 
have  gained  rather  than  failed  in  the  issue  and  success  of  my 
hopes,  as  it  something  qualifies  the  scruples,  which  the  con- 
science of  my  own  rashness  had  in  cold  blood  afterward  raised, 
so  I  hope  it  will  conduce  to  the  easier  obtaining  pardon  and 
indulgence  from  you  for  the  miscarriages  in  it.  This,  I  am 
sure,  I  may  with  a  clear  mind  protest,  and  profess,  that  no- 
thing so  much  moved  me  to  the  enterprize  as  a  high  and  due 
esteem  of  the  book,  and  my  zeal  to  the  author's  merit,  of 
whom  I  shall  be  ever  ambitious  to  show  my  self  an  admirer, 
and  in  all  things  to  give  some  testimony  that  I  am, 

Honoured  sir, 
Your  most  affectionate,  and  most  devoted  servant, 

JOHN  MERRYWEATHER. 


Dr.  Browne  to 


[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

[April  or  May,  1652.] 
Pray  request  Mr.  Johnson  to  obtayne  this  favor  of  Mr.  Ba- 
con, who  is  unknown  unto  me,  to  afford  mee  his  resolution  to 
these  fewe  queries  concerning  the  whale,  whereof  I  under- 
stand hee  had  the  cutting  up  and  disposure.  Whether  there 
were  any  spermaceti  found  or  made  out  of  other  parts  beside 


1653.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  369 

the  head,  if  soe,  of  what  parts,  and  out  of  what  most,  and 
whether  any  out  of  the  meere  fleshie  parts?  Whether  that 
which  runne  from  it  ahout  the  shoare  came  out  of  the  mouth? 


Mr.  Bacon  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1S47.] 

Yarmouth,  10th  May,  1652. 

SIR, 

In  answer  to  your  questions  concerning  the  whale, 
I  founde  noe  sperme  but  in  his  heade,  and  that  after  I  had 
taken  off  his  scalpe,  one  tonn  weight  or  more  of  a  nexuous 
substance  we  found,  in  the  circumference  as  large  as  a  small 
coach  wheele,  in  the  middle  part  certaine  round  pieces  of 
sperm,  as  bigg  as  a  man's  fist,  some  as  large  as  eggs,  and  on 
the  out  side  of  the  said  rounds  flakes  as  large  as  a  man's  head, 
in  forme  like  hony  combs,  beinge  very  white  and  full  of  oyle. 
And  that  sperm  which  was  cast  upon  the  shore,  I  doe  con- 
ceive came  out  of  his  nostrells.  Thus  much  from  him  who 
doth  remayne, 

Sir,  your  humble  servant, 

ARTHUR  BACON. 


Sir  Hamon  IS  Estrange6  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

Jan.  16,  1653. 

SIR, 

I  acknowledge  the  great  favour  of  your  late  large 
and  full  expressions  to  mee  in  opinion,  advice,  and  direction 
for  myne  infirmitye.  I  wish  my  servant  had  so  well  collected 
himselfe  (upon  Mr.  Sares  absence)  as  to  have  broken  open 

6  Of  Hunstanton,  in  Norfolk  :  a  learned  man  and  an  active  magistrate.  Arm- 
strong, in  his  History  of  Norfolk,  has  printed  the  translation  of  a  Latin  letter,  from 
a  MS.  at  Hunstanton,  describing  Sir  Hamon's  exertions  in  saving  the  valuable 
goods  of  a  wreck  of  the  ship  Bon  Adventura  (dated  June  11,  1649),  and  appropri- 

VOL.  I.  2  B 


370  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1653. 

and  shewed  you  my  letter  to  Mr.  Sares,  which  might  better 
have  informed  your  judgment  for  direction.  I  am  aged  neare 
70  yeares,  of  sanguine  humour,  and  a  thinn  cholerique  frame 
of  body,  and  was  taken  with  the  palsey  3  yeares  since,  though 
(I  prayse  God)  I  endure  no  great  affliction  or  disability  here- 
by.    I  doe  not  find  but  my  chief  vitalls  are  well  conditioned, 

onely  some  spleenatique  obstructions I  presume  to 

send  you  a  list  of  such  things  as  I  have  used.  I  pray  you 
bee  pleased  to  fixe  your  sence  and  opinion  generally  to  them, 
and  after  to  returne  the  paper.  Now  I  come  to  give  you  an 
account  of  your  desire  and  question  concerning  the  whale 
and  sperme.  About  3  yeares  since,  I  hapned  to  read  your 
book  of  Enquiries  into  Common  Errours,  and  in  that  masse 
of  various  matter,  I  met  with  many  things  in  the  middle  and 
lower  formes  of  the  schoole  of  knowledge,  formerly  obviated 
to  my  curiosity  and  observation,  which  set  my  fancy  and  pen 
on  worke,  as  you  may  reed  in  this  my  rude  and  imperfect 
manuscript,  which  I  send  you  to  peruse,  and  pag.  27  thereof, 
I  write  of  the  whale  cast  upon  my  shoare.  I  acknowledge 
the  excellency  of  your  learning ; — 

qui  monte  potitus 

Ridet  anhelantem 

may  laugh  att  my  creeping  and  crawling  at  the  foote  of  the 
hill,  but  amare  licet,  si  potiri  non  licet.  In  the  ambition  of 
knowledge  to  God's  honour  and  service  is  no  errour,  and  so 
armed,  I  feare  not  the  ferula  of  your  candour,  and  write 
myselfe,  sir, 

Your  most  serious  friend  and  servant, 

HAMON  L'ESTRANGE. 

ating  what  in  fact  was  his,  as  lord  of  the  manor,  to  the  original  owner.  Sir  Hamon 
had  three  sons,  Nicholas,  Hamon,  and  Roger,  the  latter,  afterwards  the  celebrated 
Sir  Roger  L'Estrange,  an  eminent  royalist,  who  was  compelled  to  leave  the  king- 
dom, from  the  part  he  took  in  the  attempt  to  rescue  King  Charles  when  in  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  but  returned  in  1653.  Soon  after  the  restoration  he  established  the  first 
Newspaper,  The  Public  Intelligencer  and  News,  and  was  afterwards  appointed 
licenser  of  the  press.  He  translated  Seneca's  Morals,  and  jEsop's  Fables. — See 
Stacy's  Norfolk  Tour,  ii,  926. 


1654.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  371 


Dr.  Browne  to  [J.  Hobart,  Esq.]  7 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    TANNER.    XLI,   90.] 

August,  1654. 

HONORD    SIR, 

I  was  at  your  howse  this  afternoone  to  haue  kissed 
your  hand,  and  testified  my  good  wishes  vnto  you,  wch  being 
in  no  waye  able  to  act  in  proportion  to  my  desires,  I  am  in 
noe  small  measure  left  vnto  the  mercy  of  your  construction. 

I  haue  enclosed  this  bill  for  pills  and  an  aperitiue  syrupes, 
wch  you  may  haue  made  at  any  apothecaries. 

Of  the  pills  you  may  please  to  take  one  last  to  bed  and 
three  in  the  morning,  sleepinge  after  them,  and  about  two 
howers  after  to  take  a  messe  of  broath  or  gruell,  and  obserue 
noe  other  rule  in  order  to  them.  You  may  take  them  upon 
occasion  when  your  body  is  costiue,  when  you  find  yourself 
hartburned,  hott,  or  find  any  predominance  of  choler  or  salte 
flegme  in  your  stomack.  You  may  make  triall  first  of  one 
ouer  night  and  two  in  the  morninge,  and  if  they  be  not 
operatiue  enough  three  in  the  morning. 

Of  the  syrupes,  two  spoonfuls  may  bee  taken  in  a  morning 
in  a  draught  of  beere  or  whaye,  wch  may  open  obstructions 
and  keepe  your  flegme  from  being  drie  and  tough.  Creme  of 
tartar  may  be  vsed  also  sometimes  in  broath  or  gruell. 

The  last  to  bed  to  moysten  your  throat  and  moderate  the 
drinesse  of  salt  humours  eat  a  piece  of  a  codling  roast  apple 
or  bargamot  peare,  and  at  noe  time  fast  to  long. 

Sir,  I  exceedingly  wish  your  health  and  welcome  returne 
agayne  vnto  your  true  and  respectfull  friends,  resting  your 
faythfull  seruant  and  unworthy  kinsman, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Scuruie  grasse,  beere,  and  wormwood,  not  to  strong,  equall 
parts  in  the  winter. 

1  This  and  the  following  letter  were  probably  both  addressed  to  Mr.  Hobart, 
whose  daughter  married  Dean  Astley,  to  whom  Sir  Thomas  was  related;  and 
through  whom,  possibly,  the  letters  found  their  way  into  the  MS.  collection  of 
Bishop  Tanner. 

'2B2 


372  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [16G6. 

R.  Syr.  de  5  Rad.  siij. 

Syr.  de  Cochlear.    )  %.. 
deSuc.  Auranc)^J' 
Caryophyll.  p. 
M. 

Sp.  Sulph.  gutt.  4. 
R.  pil.  Mastick") 

Aloes  Ros.  5 

Ol.  Muscat,  gutt.  7. 
M.  fiat  pil.  n.  12. 

The  whole  endorsed   "  Dr.   Browne's  directions,  Au- 
gust 1654.'' 


Dr.  Browne  to  J.  Hobart,  Esq. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    TANNER.    NO.    CCLXXXV.  p.  90.] 

Great  Melton,  Aug.  31,  [1666.] 

WORTHY    AND   HONORD    SIR, 

I  am  extremely  troubled  to  heare  that  some  haue 
had  the  sicknesse  in  your  howse.  As  you  shall  all  haue  my 
day  lie  prayers,  so  I  cannot  giue  myself  any  satisfaction  unlesse 
I  conferre  my  mite  vnto  the  preseruation  of  a  person,  whose 
friendshipp  I  highly  ualue,  and  whose  true  worth  I  haue  soe 
long  and  truly  honord.  And,  therefore,  in  order  to  preuen- 
tion  you  may  please  to  use  two  fumes,  one  of  vinegar,  wherein 
rue,  angelica,  wormwood,  scordium,  juniper,  bay  leaves,  and 
savin  are  steeped,  wch  may  bee  vsed  often  in  the  day,  and  in 
the  chambers.  Another  of  an  higher  and  stronger  nature 
twice  or  thrice  a  day  in  the  hall,  parlor,  and  other  roomes ; 
and  if  any  one  hath  had  it,  before  hee  cometh  to  communicate 
with  others  his  chamber  may  bee  fumed,  the  doors  being 
shutt  close.  Of  this  you  may  haue,  if  you  please  to  send  to 
Mr.  Dey,  the  apothecarie,  where  you  may  also  haue  a  pre- 
uentiue,  and  also  an  antidotall  electuary  of  no  meane  nature, 
whereof  giue  a  dragme  and  half  in  posset  drinck  vnto  any 
that  is  falling  sick,  and  to  bee  in  bed,  and  agayne  the  next 
night,  and  so  agayne  the  third  night,  and  to  drink  possets  of 


1657-8.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  373 

scordium,  wood  sorrell,  and  angelica.  If  you  haue  no  issue 
to  make  one  may  bee  of  singular  effect,  though  it  bee  stopped 
up  two  moneths  hence,  or  to  keepe  a  blister  alwayes  on  some 
part,  sometimes  on  the  arme,  sometimes  on  the  legge ;  from 
the  report  made  of  some  who  haue  been  sick  in  your  howse 
and  escaped,  I  am  very  hopefull  that  the  malignitie  was  not 
so  great  as  in  other  places  ;  and  I  haue  one  obseruation  set 
downe  by  a  learned  man,  and  confirmed  to  mee  by  Dr. 
Wetherley,  in  the  late  sicknesse  of  London,  wch  affordeth 
mee  much  comfort,  and  I  hope  will  be  verified  in  your  familie ; 
that  in  howses  where  the  first  that  falleth  sick  escape,  the 
rest  either  fall  not  sick,  or,  if  sick,  escape ;  of  this  I  would 
not  omitt  to  informe  you,  because  I  comfort  myself  much 
thereon,  and  I  am  sure  it  holds  ad  pliir'unam  if  not  alwayes. 
Good  sir  excuse  mee. 

I  rest  your  most  faithfull  friend  and  unworthy  kinsman, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

To  my  honord   friend  John  Hobart,  esquier,    at  his 
howse  in  St.  Giles  parish,  these. 


Dr.  Browne  to  John  Evelyn,  Esq. 

[FROM  THE  MS.  COLLECTION    OF    DAWSON  TURNER,    ESQ. 8] 

Norwich,  Jan.  21,  1657-8, 

WORTHY    SIR, 

In  obedience  unto  the  commands  of  my  noble  friend, 
Mr.  Paston,  and  the  respects  I  owe  unto  soe  worthy  a  person 
as  yourself,  I  have  presumed  to  present  these  enclosed  lines 
unto  you,  which  I  beseech  you  to  accept  as  hints  and  propo- 
sals, not  any  directions  unto  your  judicious  thoughts.  I  have 
not  taken  the  chapters  in  the  order  printed,  butt  set  downe 
hints  upon  a  few,  as  memorie  prompted  and  my  present  diver- 
sions would  permit ;  readie  to  bee  your  servant  further,  if  your 
noble  worke  bee  not  alreadie  compleated  beyond  admission  of 

S  Mr.  Turner,  who  has  favoured  me  with  a  copy  of  this  letter,  informs  me  that  it 
"  is  addressed  to  John  Evelyn,  is  endorsed  by  him." 


374  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1657-8. 

additionalls  :  esteeming  it  no  small  honour  to  hold  any  com- 
munication with  a  person  of  your  merit,  unto  whom  I  shall 
industriously  endeavour  to  expresse  myself, 

Sir,  your  much  honouring  friend  and  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


John  Evelyn,  Esq.  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[FROM    THE    LONDON    MAGAZINE    (1824)  VOL.  X.  P.  589.] 

Co.  Garden,  Lond.  28  Jan.  [1657-8.] 

HONOURED    SIR, 

By  the  mediation  of  that  noble  person,  Mr.  Paston, 
and  an  extraordinary  humanity  of  your  owne,  I  find  I  haue 
made  acquisition  of  such  a  subsidiary,  as  nothing  but  his 
greate  favour  to  me,  and  your  communicable  nature  could 
haue  procur'd  me.  It  is  now,  therefore,  that  I  dare  promise 
myselfe  successe  in  my  attempt ;  and  it  is  certaine  that  I  will 
very  justly  owne  your  favours  with  all  due  acknowledgements, 
as  the  most  obliging  of  all  my  correspondents.  I  perceive  you 
haue  seene  the  proplasma  and  delineation  of  my  designe,9 
which,  to  avoyde  the  infinite  copying  for  some  of  my  curious 
friends,  I  was  constrain'd  to  print ;  but  it  cannot  be  imagined 
that  I  should  haue  travell'd  over  so  large  a  province  (though 
but  a  garden)  as  yet,  who  set  out  not  many  moneths  since, 
and  can  make  it  but  my  diversions  at  best,  who  haue  so  many 
other  impediments  besieging  me,  publique  and  personal!, 
whereofFthe  long  sicknesse  of  my  mucus,  my  only  sonn,  now 
five  moneths  afflicted  with  a  double  quartan,  and  but  five 
yeares  old,  is  not  one  of  the  least ;  so  that  there  is  not  danger 
your  additionalls  and  favours  to  your  servant  should  be  pre- 

9  A  projected  work  bearing  the  title,  Elysium  Brittannicum,  the  plan  of  which  is 
given  in  Upcott's  Miscellaneous  Writings  of  J.  Evelyn,  Esq.  This  work  was 
intended  to  comprise  forty  distinct  subjects,  or  chapters,  disposed  in  three  books. 
One  of  the  chapters  was  "  Of  the  coronary  garden,  Sfc."  to  which  Sir  Thomas 
Browne's  tract,  "  Of  garlands,  and  coronary  or  garland  plants,"  was  intended  as  a 
contribution.  The  work,  however,  was  never  completed  ;  though  parts  of  it  remain 
among  the  MSS.  at  Wotton.  One  chapter  only,  "  Of  Sallets, "  was  published  in 
1699,  under  the  title,  "  Acetaria  ;  a  Discourse  of  Sallets." 


1657-8.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  375 

vented  by  the  perfection  of  my  worke,  or  if  it  were,  that  I 
should  be  so  injurious  to  my  owne  fame  or  your  civility,  as 
not  to  beginn  all  anew,  that  I  might  take  in  such  auxiliaries 
as  you  send  me,  and  which  I  must  esteeme  as  my  best  and 
most  effectuall  forces.  Sir,  I  returne  you  a  thousand  acknow- 
ledgements for  the  papers  which  you  transmitted  me,  and  I 
will  render  you  this  account  of  my  present  vndertaking.  The 
truth  is,  that  which  imported  me  to  discourse  on  this  subject 
after  this  sorte,  was  the  many  defects  which  I  encounter'd  in 
bookes  and  in  gardens,  wherein  neither  words  nor  cost  had 
bin  wanting,  but  judgement  very  much;  and  though  I  cannot 
boast  of  my  science  in  this  kind,  as  both  vnbecoming  my 
yeares  and  my  small  experience,  yet  I  esteem'd  it  pardonable  at 
least,  if  in  doing  my  endeauour  to  rectifie  some  mistakes,  and 
advancing  so  vsefull  and  innocent  a  divertisement,  I  made  some 
essay,  and  cast  in  my  symbole  with  the  rest.  To  this  designe, 
if  forraine  observation  may  conduce,  I  might  likewise  hope  to 
refine  upon  some  particulars,  especially  concerning  the  orna- 
ments of  gardens,  which  I  shall  endeavor  so  to  handle,  as  that 
they  may  become  usefull  and  practicable,  as  well  as  magnifi- 
cent, and  that  persons  of  all  conditions  and  faculties,  which 
delight  in  gardens,  may  therein  encounter  something  for 
their  owne  advantage.  The  modell,  which  I  perceive  you 
haue  seene,  will  aboundantly  testifie  my  abhorrency  of  those 
painted  and  formal  projections  of  our  cockney  gardens  and 
plotts,  which  appeare  like  gardens  of  past-board  and  march- 
pane, and  smell  more  of  paynt  then  of  flowers  and  verdure :  our 
drift  is  a  noble,  princely,  and  universal  Elysium,  capable  of  all 
the  amcenities  that  can  naturally  be  introduced  into  gardens  of 
pleasure,  and  such  as  may  stand  in  competition  with  all  the 
august  designes  and  stories  of  this  nature,  either  of  antient 
or  moderne  tymes ;  yet  so  as  to  become  vsefull  and  significant 
to  the  least  pretences  and  faculties.  We  will  endeauour  to 
shew  how  the  aire  and  genious  of  gardens  operat  vpon 
humane  spirits  towards  virtue  and  sanctitie,  I  meane  in  a 
remote,  preparatory  and  instrumentall  working.  How  caues, 
grotts,  mounts,  and  irregular  ornaments  of  gardens  do  con- 
tribute to  contemplatiue  and  philosophical!  enthusiasme ; 
how  ehjsium,  antrum,  vermis,  paradysus,  /tortus,  Incus,  &c, 


376  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1657-8. 

signifie  all  of  them  rem  sacrum  et  divinam ;  for  these  expedi- 
ents do  influence  the  soule  and  spirits  of  man,  and  prepare 
them  for  converse  with  good  angells ;  besides  which,  they 
contribute  to  the  lesse  abstracted  pleasures,  phylosophy  natu- 
rall  and  longevitie  :  and  I  would  have  not  onely  the  elogies 
and  effigie  of  the  antient  and  famous  garden  heroes,  but  a 
society  of  the  paradisi  cultores,  persons  of  antient  simplicity, 
Paradisean  and  Hortulan  saints,  to  be  a  society  of  learned 
and  ingenuous  men,  such  as  Dr.  Browne,  by  whome  we  might 
hope  to  redeeme  the  tyme  that  has  bin  lost,  in  pursuing 
Vulgar  Errours,  and  still  propagating  them,  as  so  many  bold 
men  do  yet  presume  to  do.  Were  it  to  be  hoped,  inter  Jws 
armorum  strepitus,  and  in  so  generall  a  catalysis  of  integrity, 
interruption  of  peace  and  propriety,  the  hortulane  pleasure, 
these  innocent,  pure,  and  vsefull  diversions  might  enjoy  the 
least  encouragement,  whilst  brutish  and  ambitious  persons 
seeke  themselues  in  the  ruines  of  our  miserable  yet  dearest 
country,  quis  taliafando  —? — But,  sir,  I  will  not  importune  you 
with  these  matters,  nor  shall  they  be  able  to  make  me  to  desist 
from  my  designe,  so  long  as  you  reanimate  my  languishings, 
and  pardon  my  imperfections.  I  greately  thanke  you  for  your 
discourses,  and  the  acoustic  diagramme,  &c.  I  shall  be  a 
faithfull  reporter  of  your  favours  to  me.  In  my  philosophico- 
medicall  garden  you  can  impart  to  me  extraordinary  assistances, 
as  likewise  in  my  coronary  chapter,  and  that  of  transmuta- 
tions, c.  i.  lib.  3.  Norwich  is  a  place,  I  understand,  which  is 
very  much  addicted  to  the  flowry  part ;  and  what  indeede 
may  I  not  promise  myselfe  from  your  ingenuity,  science,  and 
candor  ?  And  now  to  shew  you  how  farr  I  am  aduanced  in 
my  worke,  though  I  haue  drawne  it  in  loose  sheetes,  almost 
euery  chapter  rudely,  yet  I  cannot  say  to  haue  finished  any 
thing  tollerably  farther  than  chapter  xi.  lib.  2,  and  those 
which  are  so  completed  are  yet  so  written  that  I  can  at  plea- 
sure inserte  whatsoeuer  shall  come  to  hand  to  obelize,  cor- 
rect, improve,  and  adorne  it.  That  chapt.  of  the  history  of 
gardens  being  the  7th  of  the  last  booke,  is  in  a  manner 
finished  by  itselfe,  and,  if  it  be  not  ouer  tedious,  I  thinke  it 
will  extreamely  gratifie  the  reader:  for  I  do  comprehend 
them  as  vniversally  as  the  chapter  will  beare  it,  and  yet  am 


1657-8.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  377 

as  particular  in  the  descriptions  as  is  possible,  because  I  not 
onely  pretend  them  for  pompous  and  ostentatiue  examples, 
but  would  render  them  usefull  to  our  trauellers  which  shall 
goe  abroad,  and  where  I  haue  obserued  so  many  particulari- 
ties as,  happly,  others  descend  not  to.  If  you  permitt  me  to 
transcribe  you  an  imperfect  summ  of  the  heads,  it  is  to  let  you 
see  how  farr  we  correspond  (as  by  your  excellent  papers  I 
collect)  and  to  engage  your  assistance  in  suppliing  my  omis- 
sions; you  will  pardon  the  defects  in  the  synchronismes, 
because  they  are  not  yet  exactly  marshalled,  and  of  my  desul- 
tory scribbling. 

CHAP.   VII,   lib.   3. 

Paradise,  Elysian  fields,  Hesperides,  Horti  Adonidis,  Alcinoi, 
Semyramis,  Salomon's.  The  pensile  gardens  in  Babylon,  of  Nabu  - 
codonosor,  of  Cyrus,  the  gardens  of  Panchaia,  the  Sabean  in 
Arabia  Felix.  The  Egyptian  gardens  out  of  Athenseus,  the  Villa 
Laura  neere  Alexandria,  the  gardens  of  Adominus,  the  garden  at 
Samos,  Democritus's  garden,  Epicurus's  at  Athens,  hortorum  Me 
magister,  as  Pliny  calls  him.  That  of  Nysa  described  by  Diodorus 
Siculus ;  Masinissa's,  Lysander's,  the  garden  of  Laertes,  father  of 
Ulysses,  ex  Homero.  Theophrastus's,  Mithridates'  gardens;  Alexan- 
dra's garden  at  Sydon,  Hieron's  Nautilus  gardens  out  of  Athe- 
nseus ;  the  Indian  king's  garden  out  of  iElian ;  and  many  others,  which 
are  in  my  scattered  adversaria,  not  yet  inserted  into  this  chapter. 

Amongst  the  antient  Romans. — Numa's  garden,  Tarquin's, 
Scipio  Africanus's,  Antoninus  Pius's,  Dioclesian's,  Maecenas's, 
Martial's  gardens;  the  Tarentine  garden,  Cicero's  garden  at  Tuscu- 
lum,  Formia,  Cuma  ;  the  Laurentine  garden  of  Pliny  junior,  Cato, 
at  Sabinus,  iElius  Spartianus's  garden,  the  elder  Gordian's,  Horti 
Cassipedis,  Drusi,  Dolabella's  garden,  Galienus's,  Seneca's,  Nero's, 
the  Horti  Lamiani,  Agrippina's,  the  Esquiline,  Pompey's,  Luculla's 
most  cosriy  gardens,  &c. 

More  moderne  and  at  present. — Clement  the  8th's  garden  ;  the 
Medicean,  Mathseo's  garden,  Cardinal  Pio's;  Farnesian,  Lodovisian, 
Burghesean,  Aldobrandino's,  Barberini's,  the  Belvedere,  Montalta's, 
Bossius's,  Justiniane's,  the  Quirinal  gardens,  Cornelius's,  Ma- 
zarini's,  &c. 

In  other  parts  of  Italy. — Ulmarini's  at  Vacenza,  Count  Giusti's 
at  Verona,  Mondragone,  Frescati,  D'Este's  at  Tivoli.  The  gardens 
of  the  Palazzo  de  Pitti  in  Florence  ;  Poggio,  Imperiale,  Pratoline, 


378  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1657-8. 

Hieronymo  del  Negro's  pensile  garden  in  Genoa,  principe  d'Oria's 
garden,  the  Marquesi  Devico's  at  Naples,  the  old  gardens  at  Baiae, 
Fred.  Duke  of  Urbine's  garden,  the  gardens  at  Pisa,  at  Padoa,  at 
Capraroula,  at  St.  Michael  in  Bosco,  in  Bolognia;  the  gardens 
about  Lago  di  Como,  Signior  Sfondrati's,  &c. 

hi  Spaine. — The  incomparable  garden  of  Aranxues,  Garicius's 
garden  at  Toledo,  &c. 

In  France. — Duke  of  Orleans  at  Paris,  Luxemburg,  Thuilleries, 
Palais  Cardinal,  Bellevue,  Morines,  Jard.  Royal,  &c. 

In  other  parts  of  France. — The  garden  of  Froment,  of  Fontaine 
Beleau,  of  the  Chasteau  de  Fresnes,  Ruel,  Richelieu,  Couranet, 
Cauigny,  Hubert,  Depont  in  Champagne,  the  most  sumptuous 
Rincy,  Nanteuile,  Maisons,  Medon,  Dampien,  St  Germain  en  Lay, 
Rosny,  St.  Cloe,  Liancourt  in  Picardy,  Isslings  at  Essonne,  Pidaux 
in  Poictiers.  At  Anet,  Valeri,  Folembourg,  Viliiers,  Gaillon, 
Montpellier,  Beugensor,  of  Mons.  Piereskius.  In  Loraine,  at 
Nancy,  the  Jesuites  at  Liege,  and  many  others. 

In  Flanders. — The  gardens  of  the  Hofft  in  Bruxelles,  Oroen- 
endael's  neere  it,  Risewick  in  Holland.  The  court  at  the  Hague, 
the  garden  at  Leyden,  Pretor  Hundius's  garden  at  Amsterdam. 

In  Germany. — The  Emperor's  garden  at  Vienna,  at  Salisburgh  ; 
the  medicinall  at  Heidelburg,  Caterus's  at  Basil,  Camerarius's  gar- 
den of  Horimburg,  Scholtzius's  at  Vratislauia,  at  Bonne  neere 
Collen,  the  elector's  there  :  Christina's  garden  in  Sweden  made 
lately  by  Mollet;  the  garden  at  Cracovia,  Warsovia,  Grogning. 
The  elector's  garden  at  Heidelburg,  Tico  Brache's  rare  gardens  at 
Vraneburge,  the  garden  at  Copenhagen.  Tho.  Duke  of  Holstein's 
garden,  &c. 

In  Turkey,  the  East,  and  other  parts. — The  grand  Signor's 
in  the  Serraglio,  the  garden  at  Tunis,  and  old  Carthage ;  the  gar- 
den at  Cairo,  at  Fez,  the  pensal  garden  at  Pequin  in  China,  also 
at  Timplan  and  Porassen  ;  St.  Thomas's  garden  in  the  island  neere 
M.  Hecla,  perpetually  verdant.  In  Persia  the  garden  at  Ispahan  ; 
the  garden  of  Tzurbugh ;  the  Chan's  garden  in  Schamachie  neere 
the  Caspian  sea,  of  Ardebil,  and  the  citty  of  Cassuin  or  Arsacia; 
the  garden  lately  made  at  Suratt  in  the  East  Indias  by  the  great 
Mogoll's  daughter,  &c. 

In  America. — Montezuma's  floating  garden,  and  others  in  Mex- 
ico. The  King  of  Azcapuzulco's,  the  garden  of  Cusco ;  the 
garden  in  Nova  Hispania.  Count  Maurice's  rare  garden  at  Boa- 
vesta  in  Brasile. 


1657-8.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  379 

In  England Wilton,  Dodington,  Spensherst,    Sion,  Hatfield, 

Lord  Brook's,  Oxford,  Kirby,  Howard's,  Durden's,  my  elder 
brother  George  Evelyn's  in  Surry,  far  surpassing  any  else  in  England, 
it  may  be  my  owne  poore  garden  may  for  its  kind,  perpetually 
greene,  not  be  vnworthy  mentioning. 

The  gardens  mentioned  in  Scripture,  &c. 

Miraculous  and  extraordinary  gardens  found  upon  huge  fishes' 
backs,  men  over  growne  with  flowers,  &c. 

Romantique  and  poeticall  gardens  out  of  Sidney,  Spencer, 
Achilles  Statius,  Homer,  Poliphele,  &c.  All  these  I  have  already 
described,  some  briefly,  some  at  large  according  to  their  dignity 
and  merite. 

But  this  paper,  and  my  reverence  to  your  greate  patience, 
minds  me  of  a  conclusion. 

Worthy,  sir, 
I  am  your  most  humble  and  most  obliged  servant, 

J.  EUELYN. 

Sir,  I  beg  the  fauour  of  you  when  you  see  Mr.  Paston  to 
make  my  seruice  acceptable,  and  to  let  him  knowe  how 
greately  I  thinke  my  selfe  obliged  to  him  for  this  civillity. 

I  make  bold  to  send  you  another  paper  of  the  chapters, 
because  I  have  there  added  another  chapter  concerning 
Hortulan  entertainments  ;  and  I  intend  another  for  wonderfull 
plants,  &c. 

If  you  thinke  me  worthy  of  the  continuance  of  these  fauours 
to  your  servant,  your  letters  will  infallibly  find  me  by  this 
addresser— "For  Mr.  lohn  Euelyn,  at  theHaukand  Feasant 
on  Ludgate  Hill,  London." 


Dr.  Browne  to  John  Evelyn,  Esq.1 

[FROM    THE    MS.    COLLECTION    OF    MR.    WILLIAM    UPCOTT.] 

WORTHY    SIR, 

Some  weekes  past  I  made  bold  to  send  you  a  letter 
with  an  enclosed  paper  concerning  garlands  and  coronarie 

1  Indorsed  hy  Evelyn  "  Dr.  Browne  from  Norwich." 


380  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1658. 

plants,2  which  I  hope  you  have  received,  having  directed  it 
unto  the  Hawke  and  Pheasant,  on  Ludgate  Hill.  If  you  think 
fit  to  make  use  of  such  a  catalogue  as  I  sent  therewith,  I  could 
add  unto  it.  However  for  Moly  flore  luteo,  you  may  please 
to  put  in  Moly  Hondianum  novum.  I  now  present  unto  you 
a  small  paper  which  should  have  been  attended  with  a  cata- 
logue of  plants,3  wherein  experiments  might  bee  attempted  by 
insition  and  wayes  of  propagation ;  but  probably  you  may  bee 
provided  in  that  kind.  Yet  I  have  not  met  with  any  of  that 
nature  and  particulars,  this  extending  beyond  garden  plants 
unto  all  wild  trees  among  us.  This,  if  you  please,  you  may 
command  within  very  few  dayes,  or  any  thing  in  the  power  of, 
Sir,  your  honoring  friend  and  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

I  pray  my  humble  service  unto  Sir  Robert  Paston  when 
you  see  him,  which  you  may  now  at  pleasure,  he  being  of  the 
House,  and  an  highly  deserving  and  loyall  member  of  it. 

The  gardens  upon  great  fishes  I  would  not  tearme  miracu- 
lous gardens,  but  rather  extraordinarie  and  anomalous  gar- 
dens, animal  gardens,  or  the  like. 


Mr.  Dugdale  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[posthumous  WORKS,   AND  MS.    SLOAN.    341 S.] 

Blyth-hall,  neer  Colhill,  in  Warwickshire, 
honoured  sir,  4th  Oct.  1658. 

By  your  letter,  dated  27th  September,  (which  came 
to  my  hands4  about  two  days  since)  I  see  how  much  I  am 
obliged  to  you  for  your  readinesse  to  take  into  consideration 
those  things  which  I  desired  by  the  note  sent  to  Mr.  Watts ; 
so  that  T  could  not  omitt,  but  by  this  first  opportunity,  to  re- 
turne  you  my  hearty  thanks  for  the  favour.  I  resolve,  God 
willing,  to  be  in  London  about  the  beginning  of  the  next 
terme,  and  by  Mr.  Watts  (my  kind  friend)  will  send  you  some 
of  the  bones  of  that  fishe  which  my  note  mentioneth. 

2  No.  2  of  the  "Miscellany  Tracts." 

3  Now  first  published  from  MS.  Sloan.  1848,   1SS2,  5233.— See  vol.  IV. 

i  Unfortunately  it  has  not  come  to  our  hands. 


1658.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  881 

Certainly,  sir,  the  gaining  Marshland,  in  Norfolk,  and  Hol- 
land, in  Lincolnshire,  was  a  worke  very  antient,  as  by  many 
circumstances  may  be  gathered ;  and  therefore  considering 
the  industry  and  skill  of  the  Romans,  I  conceive  it  most  like 
to  have  been  performed  by  them.  Mr.  Cambden,  in  his  Bri- 
tannia, speaking  of  the  Romans  in  Britaine,  hath  an  observa- 
tion out  of  Tacitus  in  the  life  of  Agricola ;  which  Dr.  Holland 
(who  translated  Cambden)  delivers  thus :  viz.  that  the  Romans 
wore  out  and  consumed  the  bodies  and  hands  of  the  Britans, 
in  clearing  of  woods,  and  paving  of  fens.  But  the  words  of 
Tacitus  are,  paludibus  emuniendis,  of  which  I  desire  your 
opinion;  I  meane,  whether  the  word  emuniendis  do  not  meane 
walling  or  banking. 

Sir,  I  account  my  selfe  much  happy  to  be  thus  far  known 
to  you  as  I  am,  and  that  you  are  pleased  to  thinke  me  worthy 
to  converse  with  you  in  this  manner,  which  I  shall  make  bold 
still  to  do  upon  any  good  occasion,  till  I  be  more  happy  by  a 
personall  knowledge  of  you,  as  I  hope  in  good  time  I  may, 
resting  Your  very  humble  servant  and  honourer, 

WILLIAM  DUGDALE. 

For  my  much  honoured  friend,  Dr.   Browne,  at  his 
house  in  Norwich. 


Mr.  Dugdale  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[posthumous  WORKS,    AND   MS.    SLOAN.    3418.] 

From  my  chamber,  at  the  Herauld's  Office 
in  London,  9th  Nov.  1658. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

Yours  of  October  27th,  with  that  learned  discourse 
inclosed,5  came  safe  to  my  hands  the  last  weeke,  for  which  I 
return  you  my  most  hearty  thanks,  being  highly  satisfyed 
therewith.  Since  the  receipt  thereof,  I  have  spoke  with  Mr. 
Jonas  Moore  (the  chiefe  surveyor  of  this  great  worke  of  drayn- 
ing  in  Cambridgeshire  and  the  counties  adjacent)  who  tells 

5  The  letter  (probably  a  mere  envelope)  has  not  reached  us;  the  discourse  (which 
it  contained)  there  is  very  little  doubt  is  published  among  the  Miscellany  Tracts, 
No.  9,  Of  Artificial  Hills,  &-c.  preceded  by  Dugdale's  Note  of  Enquiry. 


382  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1658. 

me  that  the  causey  I  formerly  mentioned  is  sixty  foote  broad 
in  all  places  where  they  have  cutt  through  it,  and  about  eigh- 
teen inches  thicknesse  of  gravell,  lying  upon  the  moore.  and 
now  in  many  places  three  foote  deepe  under  a  new  accession 
of  moore. 

It  seemes  I  mistook  when  I  signifyed  to  you  that  Mr.  Ash- 
mole  had  some  Romane  coynes,  which  were  found  in  the  fens ; 
for  he  now  tells  me  that  he  hath  nothing  as  yet,  but  that  urne 
which  Jonas  Moore  gave  him ;  but  my  Lord  St.  John  had 
divers,  as  he  tells  me,  which  are  lost,  or  mislayed. 

Jonas  Moore  now  tells  me,  that  very  lately,  in  digging  a 
piece  of  ground  which  lyes  within  the  precincts  of  Soham, 
(about  three  or  four  miles  from  Ely,)  the  diggers  found  seven 
or  eight  urnes,  which  by  carelessnesse  were  broken  in  pieces, 
but  no  coyne  in  or  near  them.  The  ground  is  about  six  acres, 
and  in  the  nature  of  an  island  in  the  fenne,  but  no  raysed  heap 
of  earth  to  cover  them,  as  he  tells  me.  I  resolve  to  intreat 
Mr.  Chichley,  (my  very  good  friend,)  who  is  owner  thereof, 
to  cause  some  further  digging  there ;  for  they  are  of  opinion 
that  there  are  many  more  of  that  kind ;  and  then  I  shall  be 
able  to  satisfy  you  better,  and  what  is  found  in  them.  Sir 
Thomas  Cotton  is  not  as  yet  come  up  to  London,  otherwise 
I  would  have  sent  you  some  of  those  bones  of  the  fishe,  which 
I  will  be  sure  to  do  so  soone  as  he  comes. 

Mr.  Ashmole  presents  his  service  to  you,  with  great  thanks 
for  your  kinde  offer,  desiring  a  note  of  what  manuscripts  you 
have  that  may  be  for  his  purpose,  whereupon  he  will  let  you 
know  whether  he  wants  them  or  not ;  for  he  hath  others  than 
what  he  hath  formerly  made  use  of.  I  hope  I  shall  obtain  so 
much  favour  of  the  adventurers,  as  to  procure  one  of  those 
large  heaps  of  earth  to  be  cut  through,  to  the  end  that  we 
may  see  whether  any  urnes  or  other  things  of  note  are  cover- 
ed therewith. 

Sir,  this  favour  which  you  are  pleased  to  afford  me,  thus  to 
trouble  you  with  these  things,  I  highly  value,  and  shall  rest 
At  your  commands  wherein  I  may  serve  you, 

WILLIAM  DUGDALE. 

For  my  much  honoured  friend,  Dr.  Browne,  at  his 
house  in  St.  Peter's,  in  Norwich. 


1658.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  383 

Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  Dugdale. 

[posthumous  WORKS,    AND   MS.    SLOAN.   3418.] 

Norwich,  Nov.  10th,  1658. 

SIR, 

Your  observation  is  singular,  and  querie  very  inge- 
nious, concerning  the  expression  of  Tacitus  in  the  life  of  Agri- 
cola,  upon  the  complaint  of  the  Britans,  that  the  Romans 
consumed  and  wore  out  their  bodyes  and  hands,  sylvis  et 
paludibus  emuniendis,  that  is,  whether  thereby  walling  or 
bancking  the  fennes  is  not  to  bee  understood  according  to  the 
signification  of  the  word  emunire. 

This,  indeed,  is  the  common  and  received  signification,  as 
probably  derived  from  the  old  word  mcenire,  that  is,  mcenibus 
cingere,  to  wall,  fence,  or  fortifie  by  enclosure,  according  to 
the  same  acception  in  warlike  munitions  and  entrenchments. 

But  in  this  expression  strictly  to  make  out  the  language  of 
the  author,  a  sense  is  to  be  found  agreeable  unto  woods  as 
well  as  fennes  and  marshes ;  the  word  emuniendis  relating 
unto  both,  which  will  butt  harshly  be  expressed  by  any  one 
word  in  our  language,  and  might  cause  such  different  and 
subexpositive  translations. 

And  this  may  be  made  out  from  the  large  signification  of 
the  word  munire,  which  is  sometimes  taken  not  only  to  wall, 
fence,  or  enclose,  butt  also  to  laye  open,  and  render  fltt  for 
passage.  Soe  is  that  of  Livie  expounded  by  learned  men, 
when,  in  the  passage  of  Hannibal  over  the  Alpes,  he  sayth, 
rupem  muniendam  curavit,  that  is,  he  opened  a  passage 
through  the  rock;  and  least  the  word  should  bee  thought 
rather  to  be  read  minuendam,  a  fewe  lines  after,  the  word  is 
used  agayne;  et  quies  muniendo  fessis  hominibus  triduo  data. 

And  upon  the  same  subject  the  like  expressions  are  to  bee 
founde  in  the  Latin  translation  of  Polybius,  sett  forth  by  Ca- 
saubon,  lab  ore  improbo  in  ipso  principitio  viam  munivit. 
And  for  the  gettinge  downe  of  his  caryages  and  elephants 
from  the  hills  covered  with  ice  and  snowe,  it  is  afterwards 


384  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1G58. 

sayd,  Numidits  adviam  muniendam  per  vices  admovet  vixque 
tertio  demum  die  elephantos  trajecit,  which  cannot  well  be 
understood  by  raysing  any  banks  and  walls,  butt  by  removing 
the  snowe,  planing  the  wayes,  and  making  it  passable  for 
them. 

Which  exposition  is  received  by  Godelevasus  upon  Livie, 
and  also  the  learned  Turnebus,  Adversariorum,  lib.  xiii.  "In- 
terpreter autem  munire,  per  rupem  viam  aperire  eamque  in 
ea  munire  et  tanquam  struere,  earn  caedere  et  opere  laboreque 
militari  complanare,  et  aequare  iter  aut  deorsum  deprimere  et 
declive  reddere  quodam  anfractu  molli.  Itaque  qui  aggerem  ja- 
ciunt,  fossas  aperiunt,  vias  muniunt,  militia?  munitores  vocantur." 

And  therefore  when  Dr.  Holland  translated  this  passage 
in  Cambden  out  of  Tacitus,  by  cleering  of  woods  and  paving 
the  fennes,  hee  may  be  made  out  by  this  acception  of  munire, 
extending  unto  fennes  and  woods,  and  comprehending  all 
pyoners  work  about  them.  As  likewise  Sir  Henry  Savile, 
when  hee  rendreth  it  by  paving  of  bogges  and  woods;  and  as 
viam  munire  is  also  taken  in  Livie,  that  is,  lapidibus  sternere. 

And  your  owne  acception  may  also  bee  admitted,  of  walling 
and  banking  the  fennes,  which  the  word  will  also  well  beare 
in  relation  to  paludibus,  beside  the  other  signification  of 
causies,  wayes,  and  passages,  common  unto  woods  and  fennes  ; 
nor  only  the  clearing  of  woods  and  making  of  passages,  butt 
all  kind  of  pyoning  and  slavish  labour  might  bee  understood 
in  this  speech  of  Galgacus  which  with  stripes  and  indignities 
was  imposed  upon  the  Britans  in  workes  about  woods,  bogges, 
and  fennes  ;  and  soe  comprehend  the  laborious  aggers,  banks, 
and  workes  of  securement  against  floods  and  inundations, 
wherein  they  were  imployed  by  the  Romans,  a  careful  and 
provident  people,  omitting  noe  waye  to  secure  or  improve 
their  dominions  and  lands,  lost  by  carelesse  ignorance  in  the 
disadvantages  of  sea  and  waters,  and  which  they  were  first  to 
effect,  before  they  could  well  establish  their  causies  over  the 
marshes. 

And  so  the  translation  in  two  words  may  be  tolerably  made 
by  one.  By  clearing  the  woods  and  fennes,  that  is,  the  woods 
by  making  them  passible,  by  rendring  them  open  and  lesse  fit 
for  retreat  or  concealment  of  the  Britans ;  and  by  clearing 


1658.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  385 

the  fennes  either  for  passage  or  improvement,  and  soe  com- 
prehending cawsing,  paving,  drayning,  trenching,  fencing,  and 
embanking  agaynst  thieves  or  sea-floods. 

I  remain,  sir,  yours,  &c. 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Mr.  Dugdale  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[posthumous   WORKS,    AND    MS.   SLOAN.    3418.] 

London,  17th  Nov.  1658. 

HONOURED  SIR, 

Yours  of  the  10th  instant  came  safe  to  my  hands, 
with  that  learned  discourse  inclosed,  concerning  the  word 
emunire,  wherein  I  perceive  your  sense  is  the  same  with  my 
good  friends  Mr.  Bishe  and  Mr.  Junius,  (with  both  whome  I 
have  also  consulted  about  it.)  I  have  herewithall  sent  you 
one  of  the  bones  of  that  fish,  which  was  taken  up  by  Sir 
Robert  Cotton,  in  digging  a  pond  at  the  skirt  of  Conington 
Downe,  desiring  your  opinion  thereof  and  of  what  magnitude 
you  think  it  was. 

Mr.  Ashmole  presents  his  best  service  and  thanks  to  you, 
for  your  kinde  intention  to  send  him  a  list  of  those  books  you 
have,  which  may  be  for  his  use. 

That  which  you  were  told  of  my  writing  any  thing  of  Nor- 
folke  was  a  meere  story ;  for  I  never  had  any  such  thing  in 
my  thoughts,  nor  can  I  expect  a  life  to  accomplish  it,  if  I 
should ;  or  any  encouragement  considerable  to  the  chardge 
and  paynes  of  such  an  undertaking.  This  I  mean  as  to  the 
county,  and  not  my  Fenne  History,  which  will  extend  there- 
into. And  as  for  Mr.  Bishe,  who  is  a  greate  admirer  and 
honourer  of  you,  and  desires  me  to  present  his  hearty  service 
and  thanks  to  you  for  that  mention  you  have  made  of  him  in 
your  learned  discourse  of  Urnes.5     He  says  he  hath  no  such 

5  It  is  not  in  the  Hydriotaphia,  but  the  Garden  of  Cyrus,  that  Browne  mentions 
"Upton  de  Studio  Militari,  et  Johannes  de  Bado  Aureo,  cum  Comm.  CI.  et  Doct. 
Bisacei. " — Hamper. 

VOL    I.  2  C 


386  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1658. 

purpose  at  all,  nor  ever  had ;  but  that  his  brother-in-law- 
Mr.  Godard  (the  recorder  of  Lynne)  intends  something  of 
that  towne,  but  whether  or  when  to  make  it  publique  he 
knows  not. 

And  now,  sir,  that  you  have  been  pleas'd  to  give  me  leave 
to  be  thus  bold  with  you  in  interrupting  your  better  studies, 
I  shall  crave  leave  to  make  a  request  or  two  more  to  you. 
First,  that  you  will  let  me  know  where  in  Leland  you  finde  that 
expression  concerning  such  buriall  of  the  Saxons,  as  you 
mention  in  your  former  discourse6  concerning  those  raysed 
heaps  of  earth,  which  you  lately  sent  me  ;  for  all  that  I  have 
seene  extant  of  his  in  manuscript,  is  those  volumes  of  his 
Collectanea  and  Itineraries,  now  in  the  Bodleyan  Library 
at  Oxford,  of  which  I  have  exact  copies  in  the  country. 

The  next  is,  to  entreat  you  to  speake  with  one  Mr. 
Haward7  (heir  and  executor  to  Mr.  Haward  lately  deceased, 
who  was  an  executor  to  Mr.  Selden)  who  now  lives  in  Nor- 
wich, as  I  am  told,  and  was  a  sheriffe  of  that  city  the  last 
yeare :  and  to  desire  a  letter  from  him  to  Sir  John  Trevor, 
speedily  to  joyne  with  Justice  Hales  and  the  rest  of  Mr.  Sei- 
dell's executors,  in  opening  the  library  in  White  Friars',  for 
the  sight  of  a  manuscript  of  Landaffe,  which  may  be  usefull 
to  me  in  those  additions  I  intend  to  the  second  volume  of  the 
Monasticon,  now  in  the  presse ;  for  Sir  John  Trevor  tells  me, 
that  he  cannot  without  expresse  order  from  him,  do  it :  the 
rest  of  the  executors  of  Mr.  Selden  being  very  desirous  to 
pleasure  me  therein.  If  you  can  get  such  a  letter  from  him 
for  Sir  John  Trevor,  I  pray  you  enclose  it  to  me,  and  I  will 
deliver  it,  for  their  are  3  keys  besides. 

And  lastly,  if  at  your  leisure,  through  your  vast  reading, 
you  can  point  me  out  what  authors  do  speake  of  those  im- 
provements which  have  been  made  by  banking  and  drayning 
in  Italy,  France,  or  any  part  of  the  Netherlands,  you  will  do 
me  a  very  high  favour. 

From  Strabo  and  Herodotus  I  have  what  they  say  of 
.^Egypt,  and  so  likewise  what  is  sayd  by  Natalis  Comes  of 

C  Which  discourse  is  No.  9,  of  the  Miscellany  Tracts  published  by  Dr.  Tenison, 
Ann.  1684,  but  mistakenly  superscribed  to  E.  D.  instead  of  W.  D.  for  William 
Dugdale,  page  151. — Note  in  the  Posthumous  JVorks. 

7  William  Hcvward,  or  Howard.  —Blomfield. 


1658.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  387 

Acarnania :  but  take  your  owne  time  for  it,  if  at  all  you  can 
attend  it,  whereby  you  will  more  oblige 

Your  most  humble  servant  and  honourer, 

WILLIAM  DUGDALE. 

For  my  much   honoured   friend,  Dr.    Browne,   &c. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  Dugdale? 

[from  the  original  in  the  editor's  possession.] 

Norwich,  Dec.  6,  1658. 

WORTHY    SIR, 

I  make  noe  doubt  you  have  receaued  Mr.  Howard's 
letter  unto  Sir  John  Trevor.  Hee  will  be  readie  to  doe  you 
any  seruice  in  that  kind.  I  am  glad  your  second  booke  of  the 
Monasticon  is  at  last  in  the  presse.  Here  is  in  this  citty  a 
conuent  of  Black  Friers,  which  is  more  entire  than  any  in 
these  parts  of  England.  Mr.  King  tooke  the  draught9  of  it 
when  he  was  in  Norwich,  and  Sir  Thomas  Pettus,  Baronet, 
desired  to  have  his  name  sett  vnto  it.  I  conceive  it  were  not 
fitt  in  so  generall  a  tract  to  omit  it,  though  little  can  be  sayd 
of  it,  only  coniectur'd  that  it  was  founded  by  Sir  John  of  Or- 
pingham,  or  Erpingham,  whose  coat  is  all  about  the  church 
and  six-corner  d  steeple.  I  receaued  the  bone  of  the  fish, 
and  shall  giue  you  some  account  of  it  when  I  have  compared 
it  with  another  bone  which  is  not  by  mee.  As  for  Lelandus, 
his  works  are  soe  rare,  that  few  private  hands  are  masters  of 
them,  though  hee  left  not  a  fewe ;  and  therefore,  that  quo- 
tation of  myne  was  at  second  hand.  You  may  find  it  in  Mr. 
Inego  Jones'  description  of  Stonehenge,  pag.  27;  having  litle 
doubt  of  the  truth  of  his  quotation,  because  in  that  place  hee 
hath  the  Latine  and  English,  with  a  particular  commendation 
of  the  author  and  the  tract  quoted  in  the  margin,  and  in  the 
same  author,  quoted  p.  16,  the  page  is  also  mentioned;  butt 
the   title  is  short  and  obscure,    and  therefore  I  omitted  it. 

3  Not  in  Hamper's  Correspondence  of  Dugdale.  This  letter  bears  the  indorse  in 
Dugdale's  hand-writing — "  Dee.  6,  165S,  Dr.  Browne's  letter  (not  yet  answered.)" 

9  (ire  :  to  ask  the  Docter  whether  ever  he  saw  this  draught. — MS.  marginal 
Note  by  Dugdale  in  the  Original. 

2  C  2 


388  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1658. 

Leylande  Assert.  Art.  which  being  compared  with  the  subiect 
of  page  25,  may  perhaps  bee  De  Assertione  Arthuri,  which 
is  not  mentioned  in  the  catalogue  of  his  many  workes,3  except 
it  bee  some  head  or  chapter  in  his  Antiq.  Britannicis  or  de 
Yiris  illustribus.  I  am  much  satisfied  in  the  truth  thereof, 
because  Camden  hath  expressions  of  the  like  sense  in  diuers 
places ;  and,  as  I  think  in  Northamptonshire,  and  probably 
from  Lelandus :  for  Lambert  in  his  perambulation  of  Kent, 
speakes  but  some  times  of  Lelandus,  and  then  quoteth  not 
his  words,  though  it  is  probable  hee  was  much  beholden  unto 
him  having  left  a  worke  of  his  subject  Itinerarlum  Cantii. 

Sir,  having  some  leasure  last  weeke,  which  is  uncertaine 
with  mee,  I  intended  this  day  to  send  you  some  answer  to 
your  last  querie  of  banking  and  draining  by  some  instances 
and  examples  in  the  four  parts  of  the  earth,  and  some  short 
account  of  the  cawsie,  butt  diuersions  into  the  country  will 
make  me  defer  it  untill  Friday  next,  soe  that  you  may  receive 
it  on  Mondaye.     Sir,  I  rest 

Your  very  well-wishing  friend  and  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE, 

To  my  worthy  friend  Mr.    Dugdale,  at  his  chamber, 
in  the  Herald's  Office,   London,  these. 


Mr.  Dugdale  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[posthumous    WORKS,   AND   MS.   SLOAN.    3418.] 

London,  24  Feb.  1658. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

Being  now  (through  God's  goodnesse)  so  well  re- 
covered from  my  late  sicknesse,  as  that  I  do  looke  upon  my 
bookes  and  papers  againe,  though  I  have  not  as  yet  adven- 
tured abroad,  in  respect  of  the  cold,  I  do  againe  salute  you, 
giving  you  great  thanks  for  your  continued  mindfulnesse  of 
me,  as  appears  by  that  excellent  note  which  I  yesterday  re- 

l  Assertio  Inclytiss.  Arturi,  &c.  4to.  1540,   1544.     Translated  by  R.  Robinson, 
4to.  1582.     Published  by  Hearne,  Svo.  Oxford,  1715. 


1658.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  389 

ceived  from  you,  touching  the  drayning  made  of  late  years 
by  the  Duke  of  Holstein,  it  being  so  pertinent  to  my  business. 
My  thanks  for  what  you  sent  me  from  your  learned  observa- 
tions touching  the  banking  and  drayning  in  other  forreign 
parts,2  I  desired  my  good  friend  Mr.  Ashmole  to  present  to 
you,  when  I  was  not  able  to  write  my  self;  which  I  presume 
he  did  do. 

And  being  thus  emboldened  by  these  your  favours,  I  shall 
here  acquaint  you  with  my  conceipt  touching  this  spacious 
tract  in  forme  of  a  sinus  or  bay,  which  we  call  the  great 
levell  of  the  fenns,  extending  from  Linne,  beyond  Waynflete 
in  Lincolnshire,  in  length ;  and  in  breadth,  into  some  parts 
of  the  counties  of  Norfolk,  Suffolk,  Cambridge,  Northamp- 
ton, Huntington,  and  Lincoln,  intreating  your  opinion 
therein.  That  it  was  at  first  firme  land,  the  sea  having  no 
recourse  into  it,  I  am  induced  to  believe,  when  I  consider  the 
multitude  of  trees,  viz.  firre,  oake,  and  of  other  kindes,  that 
are  found  in  those  draynes  and  diggings  which  have  of  late 
years  been  made  there ;  nay,  some  with  their  rootes  standing 
in  the  ground  below  the  moore,  having  been  cut  off  about 
two  foote  above  the  ground,  as  I  guesse ;  which  I  my  selfe 
saw  at  Thorney,  they  having  been  dig'd  up  in  that  fen.  And 
Mr.  Godard  (the  recorder  of  Linne)  assures  me,  that  lately 
in  Marshland,  about  a  mile  off  Magdalene  bridge,  at  17  foot 
deepe,  (upon  occasion  of  letting  down  of  a  sluce)  were  found 
below  the  silt  (for  of  that  nature  is  all  Marshland  and  Holland) 
in  the  very  firme  earth,  furr-bushes  as  they  grew,  not  rotted ; 
and  nut-trees  with  nuts  not  perisht ;  neither  of  which  kind  of 
bushes  or  trees  are  now  growing  upon  that  silthy  soil  of 
Marshland,  though  it  be  fruitfull  and  rich  for  other  vegeta- 
bles. The  like  firr-trees  and  other  timber  is  found  in  great 
abundance  in  Hatfield  level,  in  the  Isle  of  Axholme,  where  I 
am  assured  from  ocular  testimony,  that  they  find  the  rootes 
of  many  firr-trees  as  they  stand  in  the  soyle,  where  they 
grew,  below  the  moore,  with  the  bodyes  of  the  trees  lying  by 
them,  not  cut  off  with  an  axe  or  such  like  thing,  but  burnt  ? 
the  coall  appearing  upon  the  ends  where  they  were  so  burnt 
asunder :  therefore  when,  or  on  what  occasion  it  was  that 

2  This  communication  has  not  been  preserved. 


390  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1658. 

the  sea  flowed  over  all  this,  as  appears  by  that  silt  at  the 
skirt  of  Conington  Downe,  wherein  the  bones  of  that  fish 
were  found  whereof  you  have  one,  is  a  thing  that  I  know  not 
what  to  say  to,  desiring  your  opinion  thereof. 

I  shall  now  tell  you  how  I  do  conclude  that  it  became  a  fen, 
by  the  stagnation  of  the  fresh  waters ;  which  is  thus,  viz. 
that  the  sea  having  its  passage  upon  the  ebbs  and  flows 
thereof,  along  by  the  coast  of  Norfolke  to  the  coast  of  Lin- 
colnshire, did  in  time,  by  reason  of  its  muddinesse,  leave  a 
shelfe  or  silt,  betwixt  those  two  points  of  land,  viz.  Rising  in 
Norfolke,  and  the  country  about  Spilsby  in  Lincolnshire, 
which  shelfe  increasing  in  height  and  length  so  much,  as  that 
the  ordinary  tides  did  not  overflow  it,  was  by  that  check  of 
those  fluxes,  in  time,  so  much  augmented  in  breadth,  that 
the  Romans  finding  it  considerable  for  the  fertility  of  the 
soyle  (being  a  people  of  great  ingenuity  and  industry)  made 
the  first  sea-banks  for  its  preservation  from  the  spring  tides, 
which  might  otherwise  overflow  it.  And  now,  sir,  by  this  set- 
ling  of  the  silt  the  soyle  of  Marshland  and  Holland  had  their 
first  beginning ;  by  the  like  excesse  of  silt  brought  into  the 
mouths  of  these  rivers  which  had  their  out-falls  at  Linne, 
Wisbiche,  and  Boston,  where  the  fresh  waters  so  stop'd,  as 
that  the  ordinary  land-floods  being  not  of  force  enough  to 
grinde  it  out  (as  the  term  is)  all  the  levell  behind  became 
overflowed ;  and  as  an  ordinary  pond  gathered  mud,  so  did 
this  do  moore,  which  in  time  hath  increased  to  such  a  thick- 
nesse  that  since  the  Podike  was  made  to  keep  up  the  fresh 
water  from  drowning  of  Marshland  on  the  other  side,  and  the 
bank  called  South  Ea  Bank,  for  the  preservation  of  Holland 
from  the  like  inundation,  the  levell  of  the  fen  is  become  4  foot 
higher  than  the  levell  of  Marshland,  as  Mr.  Vermuden  as- 
sures me,  upon  view  and  observation  thereof.  And  this, 
under  correction  of  your  better  judgment,  whereunto  I  shall 
much  submit,  do  I  take  to  be  the  originall  occasion  of  Marsh- 
land and  Holland,  and  likewise  of  the  fens. 

But  that  which  puzles  me  most  is  the  sea  coming  up  to 
Conington  Downe ;  as  I  have  sayd  therefore,  perhaps  by 
your  great  reading  and  philosophicall  learning  you  may  shew 
me  some  probable  occasion  thereof.     That  the  sea  hath  upon 


1659.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  331 

those  coasts  of  England,  towards  the  North-west,  much 
altered  its  course  as  to  the  height  of  its  fluxes  and.  refluxes,  is 
most  apparent  from  those  vast  banks  nere  Wisbiche,  which 
you  shall  observe  to  be  about  10  foot  in  height  from  the  now 
levell  earth,  which  levell  is  now  no  lesse  in  full  height  than  10 
foot,  as  I  am  assured,  from  the  ordinary  levell  of  the  sea,  as 
it  rises  at  the  present. 

I  shall  be  able  to  shew  about  what  time  it  was  that  the 
passage  at  Wisbiche  was  so  silted  up,  as  that  the  outfall  of 
the  great  river  Ouse,  which  was  there,  became  altered,  and 
was  diverted  to  Linne,  where  before  that  time  the  river  was 
not  so  large ;  it  being  in  King  Henry  III.  time,  as  my  testi- 
monyes  from  records  do  manifest.  And  I  finde  in  King  Ed- 
ward III.  time,  that  upon  the  river  Humber  the  tides  flowed 
4  foot  higher  than  before  they  did,  as  the  commission  for 
raysing  the  banks  upon  the  sides  of  that  streame,  as  also  of 
the  great  causey  betwixt  Anlaby  and  Hull,  doth  testify. 

Having  now  sufficiently  wearied  you,  I  am  sure,  for  which 
I  heartily  desire  your  pardon,  I  shall  leave  you  to  your  own 
time  for  considering  of  these  things,  and  vouchsafing  your 
opinion  therein,  resting 

Your  most  humble  servant  and  honourer, 

WILLIAM  DUGDALE. 

For  my  much  honoured  friend,   Dr.  Browne,   &c. 


Mr.  Dugdale  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[posthumous   WORKS,    AND   MS,    SLOAN.    34 IS.] 

London,  23  Nov.  1659. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

Yours  of  the  17th  instant  came  to  my  hands  about 
4  days  since,  with  those  inclosed  judicious  and  learned  ob- 
servations,3 for  which  I  returne  you  my  hearty  thanks. 

Since  I  wrote  to  you  for  your  opinion  touching  the  various 
course  of  the  sea,  I  met  with  some  notable  instances  of  that 

3  These  <(  observations*'  have  not  jet  come  to  light. 


392  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1662. 

kinde  in  a  late  author,  viz.  Olivarius  Uredius,  in  his  history 
of  Flanders;  which  he  manifesteth  to  be  occasioned  from 
earthquakes. 

I  have  a  great  desire  that  you  should  see  my  copy,  before 
I  put  it  to  the  presse.  It  is  now  in  the  hands  of  the  late 
chief  justice  St.  John,  who  desired  the  perusall  of  it.  In 
Easter  term  I  resolve  (God  willing)  to  be  again  in  London ; 
for  I  am  now  going  into  Warwickshire  ;  and  then  if  you  be 
not  here,  I  will  endeavour  to  contrive  some  safe  way  for  con- 
veying my  papers  to  you  :  resting 

Your  most  obliged  servant  and  honourer, 

WILLIAM  DUGDALE. 

For  my  much  honoured  friend.  Dr.  Browne,  &c. 


Mr.  Dugdale  to  Dr.  Browne* 

[FROM    THE    EUROPEAN    MAGAZINE.] 

From  the  Herald's  Office,  in  London, 
5th  April,  1662. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

Having  at  length  accomplisht  that  worke,5  where- 
untoyou  have  been  pleased  to  favour  me  with  so  considerable 
assistance,  and  whereof,  in  page  175,  I  have  made  some 
brief  mention,  1  here  present  you  with  a  copye  thereof. 
Some  other  things  I  have  in  hand  of  my  owne,  which  (God 
sparing  me  life  and  health)  will  ere  long  be  ready  for  the  presse. 
But  at  present,  at  the  desire  of  my  lord  chancelour,  and 
some  other  eminent  persons,  I  am  taken  up  much  with  the 
ordering  of  Sir  Henry  Spelman's  works  for  the  presse,  viz. 
that  part  of  his  Glossary  long  since  printed,  with  corrections 
and  additions,  as  he  left  it  under  his  own  hand  ;  and  the 
other  part  of  it  to  the  end  of  the  alphabet :  and  of  his  second 
volum  of  the  Councells,  which  will  reach  from  the  Norman 

4  This  letter  is  not  in  Hamper's  Correspondence  of  Dugdale. 
5  "  The  History  of  Embanking  and  Draining  of  divers  fenns  and  marshes,  both 
in  foreign  parts  and  in  this  kingdom,  and  of  the  improvements  therebv."     London, 
1662,  folio. 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  393 

Conquest  to  the  abolishing  of  the  Pope's  supremacy  here. 
There  are  many  things,  which  I  shall  from  my  own  collections 
add  to  these  workes,  from  records  of  great  credit;  for  with- 
out such  authorities  I  will  not  presume  to  meddle.  If  in  any 
old  manuscripts,  which  have  or  may  come  to  your  view,  you 
can  contribute  to  these  works,  I  know  it  will  be  very  accept- 
able. Sir,  if  your  occasions  should  bring  you  to  London,  I 
should  thinke  myself  happy  to  wayt  on  you.  Resting  ever 
Your  most  obliged  servant  and  honourer, 

WILLIAM  DUGDALE. 

For  Doctor  Thos.  Browne,  att  Norwich. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Dr.  Merritt. 

[us.   SLOAN.    1833.] 

July  13,  1668. 

MOST  HONORED  SIR, 

I  take  the  boldness  to  salute  you  as  a  person  of  sin- 
gular worth  and  learning,  and  whom  I  very  much  respect  and 
honour.  I  presented  my  service  to  you  by  my  son  some 
months  past ;  and  had  thought  before  this  time  to  have  done 
it  by  him  again.  But  the  time  of  his  return  to  London  being 
yet  uncertain,  I  would  not  defer  those  at  present  unto  you. 
I  should  be  very  glad  to  serve  you  by  any  observations  of 
mine  against  the  second  edition  of  your  Pinax,  which  I  cannot 
sufficiently  commend.  I  have  observed  and  taken  notice  of 
many  animals  in  these  parts,  whereof  three  years  ago  a  learn- 
ed gentleman  of  this  country  desired  me  to  give  him  some 
account,  which,  while  I  was  doing,  the  gentleman,  my  good 
friend,  died.  I  shall  only  at  this  time  present  and  name  some 
few  unto  you,  which  I  found  not  in  your  catalogue.  A 
Trachuriis,  which  yearly  cometh  before  or  in  the  head  of  the 
herrings,  called  therefore  a  horse.  Stella  marina  testacea, 
which  I  have  often  found  upon  the  sea-shore.  An  Astacus  ma- 
rinus pediculi  marini  facie,  which  is  sometimes  taken  with  the 
lobsters  at  Cromer,  in  Norfolk.  A  Pungitius  marinas,  where- 
of I  have  known  many  taken  among  weeds  by  fishers,  who 


394  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [16G8. 

drag  by  the  sea-shore  on  this  coast.  A  Scarabceus  Capri- 
cornus  odoratus  which  I  take  to  be  mentioned  by  Moufetus, 
fol.  150.  "I  have  taken  some  abroad;  one  in  my  cellar, 
which  I  now  send  ;  "  he  saith,  "  Nucem  moschatam  et  einna- 
momum  vere  spirat"  To  me  it  smelt  like  roses,  santalum,  and 
ambergris.  I  have  thrice  met  with  Mergus  maximus  Faren- 
sis  Clusii;  and  have  a  draught  thereof.  They  were  taken 
about  the  time  of  herring-fishing  at  Yarmouth.  One  was 
taken  upon  the  shore,  not  able  to  fly  away,  about  ten  years 
ago.  I  sent  one  to  Dr.  Scarborough.  Twice  I  met  with  a 
Skua  Hoyeri,  the  draught  whereof  I  also  have.  One  was 
shot  in  a  marsh,  which  I  gave  unto  a  gentleman,  which  I  can 
send  you.  Another  was  killed  feeding  upon  a  dead  horse 
near  a  marsh  ground.  Perusing  your  catalogue  of  plants, 
upon  Acorns  verus,  I  find  these  words : — "  found  by  Dr. 
Brown  neer  Lynn:"  —  wherein  probably  there  may  be  some 
mistake  ;  for  I  cannot  affirm,  nor  I  doubt  any  other,  that  it  is 
found  thereabout.  About  25  years  ago,  I  gave  an  account 
of  this  plant  unto  Mr.  Goodyeere,  and  more  lately  to  Dr. 
How,  unto  whom  I  sent  some  notes,  and  a  box  full  of  the 
fresh  juli.  This  elegant  plant  groweth  very  plentifully,  and 
leaveth  its  julus  yearly  by  the  banks  of  Norwich  river, 
chiefly  about  Claxton  and  Surlingham;  and  also  between 
Norwich  and  Hellsden-bridge ;  so  that  I  have  known  Heigham 
church,  in  the  suburbs  of  Norwich,  strewed  all  over  with  it. 
It  has  been  transplanted,  and  set  on  the  sides  of  marsh  ponds 
in  several  places  of  the  country,  where  it  thrives  and  beareth 
the  julus  yearly. 

Sesamoides  salamanticum  magnum; — why  you  omit  Sesa- 
moides  salamantium  parvum?  This  groweth  not  far  from 
Thetford  and  Brandon,  and  plentiful  in  neighbour  places, 
where  I  found  it,  and  have  it  in  my  /tortus  hy emails t  answer- 
ing the  description  in  Gerard. 

Urtica  romana,  which  groweth  with  button  seed  bags,  is 
not  in  the  catalogue.  I  have  found  it  to  grow  wild  at  Gol- 
ston  by  Yarmouth,  and  transplanted  it  to  other  places. 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  395 

Dr.  Browne  to  Dr.  Merritt. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1830.] 

Aug.  18,  1668. 

HONORED  SIR, 

I  received  your  courteous  letter,  and  am  sorry  some 
diversions  have  so  long  delayed  this  my  second  unto  you. 
You  are  very  exact  in  the  account  of  the  fungi.  I  have  met 
with  two,  which  I  have  not  found  in  any  author  ;  of  which  I 
have  sent  you  a  rude  draught  inclosed.  The  first,  an  elegant 
fungus  ligneus,  found  in  a  hollow  sallow.  I  have  one  of  them 
by  me,  but,  without  a  very  good  opportunity,  dare  not  send 
it,  fearing  it  should  be  broken.  Unto  some  it  seemed  to  re- 
semble some  noble  or  princely  ornament  of  the  head,  and  so 
might  be  called  fungus  regius ;  unto  others,  a  turret,  top  of 
a  cupola,  or  lantern  of  a  building ;  and  so  might  be  named 
fungus  pterygoides,  pinnacularis,  or  lanterniformis.  You 
may  name  it  as  you  please.  The  second,  fungus  ligneus  teres 
antliarum,  ox  fungus  ligularis  longissimus,  consisting  or  made 
of  many  woody  strings,  about  the  bigness  of  round  points  or 
laces  ;  some  above  half  a  yard  long,  shooting  in  a  bushy  form 
from  the  trees,  which  serve  under  ground  for  pumps.  I  have 
observed  divers,  especially  in  Norwich,  where  wells  are  sunk 
deep  for  pumps. 

The  fungus  phalloides  I  found  not  far  from  Norwich,  large 
and  very  fetid,  answering  the  description  of  Hadrianus  Ju- 
nius.    I  have  a  part  of  one  dried  still  by  me. 

Fungus  rotundus  major  I  have  found  about  ten  inches  in 
diameter,  and  [have]  half  a  one  dried  by  me. 

Another  small  paper  contains  the  side  draughts  ofjibulce 
marines  pellucidce,  or  sea  buttons,  a  kind  of  squalder  ;  and  re- 
ferring to  urtica  marina,  which  I  have  observed  in  great 
numbers  by  Yarmouth,  after  a  flood  and  easterly  winds. 
They  resemble  the  pure  crystal  buttons,  chamfered  or  wel- 
ted on  the  sides,  with  two  small  holes  at  the  ends.  They 
cannot  be  sent ;  for  the  included  water,  or  thin  jelly,  soon  run- 
neth from  them. 


396  iMISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

Urtica  marina  minor  Johnstoni,  I  have  often  found  on  this 
coast. 

Physsalus  I  have  found  also.  I  have  one  dried,  but  it  hath 
lost  its  shape  and  colour. 

Galei  and  caniculce  are  often  found.  I  have  a  fish  hang- 
ing up  in  my  yard,  of  two  yards  long,  taken  among  the 
herrings  at  Yarmouth,  which  is  the  canis  carcharius  alius 
Johnstoni,  table  vi,  fig.  6. 

Lupus  marinus,  you  mention,  upon  a  handsome  experiment, 
but  I  find  it  not  in  the  catalogue.  This  lupus  marinus  or 
lycostomus,  is  often  taken  by  our  seamen  which  fish  for  cod. 
I  have  had  divers  brought  me.  They  hang  up  in  many 
houses  in  Yarmouth. 

Trutta  marina  is  taken  with  us.  A  better  dish  than  the 
river  trout,  but  of  the  same  bigness. 

Loligo  sepia,  a  cuttle ;  page  191  of  your  Pinax.  I  conceive, 
worthy  sir,  it  were  best  to  put  them  in  two  distinct  lines,  as 
distinct  species  of  the  molles. 

The  loligo,  calamare,  or  sieve,  I  have  also  found  cast  upon 
the  sea-shore  ;  and  some  have  been  brought  me  by  fishermen, 
of  about  twenty  pounds  weight. 

Among  the  fishes  of  our  Norwich  river,  we  scarce  reckon 
salmon,6  yet  some  are  yearly  taken  ;  but  all  taken  in  the  river 
or  on  the  coast  have  the  end  of  the  lower  jaw  very  much 
hooked,  which  enters  a  great  way  into  the  upper  jaw,  like  a 
socket.  You  may  find  the  same,  though  not  in  figure,  if  you 
please  to  read  Johnston's  folio,  101.  I  am  not  satisfied  with 
the  conceit  of  some  authors,  that  there  is  a  difference  of  male 
and  female  ;  for  all  ours  are  thus  formed .  The  fish  is  thicker 
than  ordinary  salmon,  and  very  much  and  more  largely  spot- 
ted. Whether  not  rather  Boccard  gallorus,  or  Anchorago 
Scaligeri.  I  have  both  draughts,  and  the  head  of  one  dried ; 
either  of  which  you  may  command. 

Scyllarus,  or  cancellus  in  turbine,  it  is  probable  you  have. 
Have  you  cancellus  in  nerite,  a  small  testaceous  found  upon 
this  coast  ?  Have  you  mullus  ruber  asper  ? — Piscis  octan- 
gularis  Bivormii? — Vermes  marini,  larger  than  earth-worms, 
digged  out  of  the  sea-sand,  about  two  feet  deep,  and  at  an 

c  In  June,  1827, 1  knew  of  two  salmon-trout  in  our  Ovei  strand  mackarel  nets. — G. 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  397 

ebb  water,  for  bait  V  They  are  discovered  by  a  little  hole  or 
sinking  of  the  sand  at  the  top  about  them. 

Have  you  that  handsome  coloured  jay,  answering  the  de- 
scription of  garrulus  argentoratensis,  and  may  be  called  the 
parrot-jay?  I  have  one  that  was  killed  upon  a  tree  about  five 
years  ago.8 

Have  you  a  May  chit,  a  small  dark  grey  bird,  about  the 
bigness  of  a  stint,  which  cometh  about  May,  and  stayeth  but 
a  month ;  a  bird  of  exceeding  fatness,  and  accounted  a  dainty 
dish  ?  They  are  plentifully  taken  in  Marshland,  and  about 
Wisbeech. 

Have  you  a  caprimulgus,  or  dorhawk  ; 9  a  bird  as  a  pigeon, 
with  a  wide  throat  bill,  as  little  as  a  titmouse,  white  feathers 
in  the  tail,  and  paned  like  a  hawk  ? 

Succinum  raro  occurrit,  p.  219  of  yours.  Not  so  rarely  on 
the  coast  of  Norfolk.1  It  is  usually  found  in  small  pieces ; 
sometimes  in  pieces  of  a  pound  weight.  I  have  one  by  me, 
fat  and  tare,  of  ten  ounces  weight ;  yet  more  often  I  have 
found  it  in  handsome  pieces  of  twelve  ounces  in  weight. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Dr.  Merritt. 

[MS.    SLOAN.     1830.] 

sir,  Sept.  13,  [1668.] 

I  received  your  courteous  letter ;  and  with  all  re- 
spects I  now  again  salute  you. 

The  mola  piscis  is  almost  yearly  taken  on  our  coast.  This 
last  year  one  was  taken  of  about  two  hundred  pounds  weight. 
Divers  of  them  I  have  opened ;  and  have  found  many  lice 
sticking  close  unto  their  gills,  whereof  I  send  you  some. 

In  your  Pinax  I  find  onocrotalus,  or  pelican ;  whether  you 
mean  those  at  St.  James's,  or  others  brought  over,  or  such  as 
have  been  taken  or  killed  here,  I  know  not.  I  have  one  hung 
up  in  my  house,  which  was  shot  in  a  fen  ten  miles  off,  about 

1  Bait  for  codling.— G.  S  The  Garrulous  Roller. 

9  Not  uncommon  ;  I  had  a  young  one  brought  me  a  few  years  ago. — G. 
1    It  is  becoming  scarce  at  Cromer.     The  fat  amber  most  commonly  occurs. — G, 


398  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

four  years  ago ;  and  because  it  was  so  rare,  some  conjectured 
it  might  be  one  of  those  which  belonged  unto  the  king,  and 
flew  away. 

Ciconia,2  raro  hue  advolat.  I  have  seen  two  in  a  watery 
marsh,  eight  miles  off;  another  shot,  whose  case  is  yet  to  be 
seen. 

Vitulus  marinus.  In  tractibus  borealibus  et  Scotia.  No 
rarity  upon  the  coast  of  Norfolk.3  At  low  water  I  have 
known  them  taken  asleep  under  the  cliffs.  Divers  have  been 
brought  to  me.  Our  seal  is  different  from  the  Mediterranean 
seal ;  as  having  a  rounder  head,  a  shorter  and  stronger  body. 

Mafia  piscatrix.4  I  have  often  known  taken  on  our  coast ; 
and  some  very  large. 

Xiphias,  or  gladius  piscis,  or  sword-fish,  we  have  in  our 
seas.  I  have  the  head  of  one  which  was  taken  not  long  ago, 
entangled  in  the  herring-nets.  The  sword  about  two  feet  in 
length. 

Among  the  whales  you  may  very  well  put  in  the  spermace- 
tus,  or  that  remarkably  peculiar  whale  which  so  aboundeth 
in  spermaceti.  About  twelve  years  ago  we  had  one  cast  up 
on  our  shore,  near  Wells,  which  I  described  in  a  peculiar 
chapter  in  the  last  edition  of  my  "  Pseudodoxia  Epidemica;  " 
and  another  was,  divers  years  before,  cast  up  at  Hunstanton  ; 
both  whose  heads  are  yet  to  be  seen. 

Ophidion,  or,  at  least,  ophidion  nostras,  commonly  called  a 
sting-fish,  having  a  small  prickly  fin  running  all  along  the  back, 
and  another  a  good  way  on  the  belly,  with  little  black  spots  at 
the  bottom  of  the  back  fin.  If  the  fishermen's  hands  be  touch- 
ed or  scratched  with  this  venomous  fish,  they  grow  painful  and 
swell.  The  figure  hereof  I  send  you  in  colours.  They  are  com- 
mon about  Cromer.     See  Schoneveldeus,  "  De  Ophidia." 

Piscis  octogonius,  or  octangularis,  answering  the  descrip- 
tion of  Cataphractus  Schonevelde  ;  only  his  is  described  with 
the  fins  spread ;  and  when  it  was  fresh  taken,  and  a  large 
one.  However,  this  may  be  nostras,  I  send  you  one ;  but  I 
have  seen  much  lai'ger,  which  fishermen  have  brought  me. 


2  The  Stork. 
3  Very  rarely  seen  at  Cromer.     I  think  they  are  met  with  on  sandbanks  near 
Hunstanton. — G.  '   Fro,cr-nV,i. 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  399 

Physsalus.  I  send  one  which  hath  been  long  opened  and 
shrunk  and  lost  the  colour.  When  I  took  it  upon  the  sea- 
shore, it  was  full  and  plump,  answering  the  figure  and  de- 
scription of  Rondeletius.  There  is  also  a  like  figure  at  the 
end  of  Muffetus.  I  have  kept  them  alive  ;  but  observed  no 
motion,  except  of  contraction  and  dilatation.  When  it  is  fresh, 
the  prickles  or  bristles  are  of  a  brisk  green  and  amethist  co- 
lour.    Some  call  it  a  sea-mouse.5 

Our  mullet  is  white  and  imberbis ;  but  we  have  also  a  mid- 
lus  barbatus  ruber  miniaccus,  or  cinnaberinus ;  somewhat 
rough,  and  but  dry  meat.  There  is  of  them  major  and  minor, 
resembling  the  figures  in  Johnstonus,  tab.  xvii,  Rotbart. 

Of  the  acusmarinus,  or  needle  fishes,  I  have  observed  three 
sorts.  The  acus  Aristotelis,  called  here  an  addercock ;  acus 
major,  or  garfish,  with  a  green  verdigrease  back-bone ;  the 
other,  saurus  acui  similis.  Acus  sauroides,  or  sauriformis, 
as  it  may  be  called ;  much  answering  the  description  of  sau- 
rus Rondeletii.  In  the  hinder  part  much  resembling  a  mack- 
erell.  Opening  one,  I  found  not  the  back-bone  green.  John- 
stonus writes  nearest  to  it,  in  his  Acus  Minor.  I  send  you 
the  head  of  one  dried ;  but  the  bill  is  broken.  I  have  the 
whole  draught  in  picture.  This  kind  is  much  more  near 
than  the  other,  which  are  common,  and  is  a  rounder  fish. 

Vermes  marini  are  large  worms  found  two  feet  deep  in  the 
sea-sands,  and  are  digged  out  at  the  ebb  for  bait. 

The  avicula  Maialis,  or  May  chit ;  is  a  little  dark  grey  bird, 
somewhat  bigger  than  a  stint,  which  cometh  in  May,  or  the 
latter  end  of  April,  and  stayeth  about  a  month.  A  marsh 
bird,  the  legs  and  feet  black,  without  heel;  the  bill  black, 
about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  long.  They  grow  very  fat, 
and  are  accounted  a  dainty  dish. 

A  dorhawk,  a  bird  not  full  so  big  as  a  pigeon,  somewhat  of 
a  woodcock  colour,  and  paned  somewhat  like  a  hawk,  with  a 
bill  not  much  bigger  than  that  of  a  titmouse,  and  a  very  wide 
throat ;  known  by  the  name  of  a  dorhawk,  or  preyer  upon 
beetles,  as  though  it  were  some  kind  of  accipiter  muscarius. 
In  brief,  this  accipiter  cantharophagus,  or   dorhawk,  is  avis 

5  I  have  seen  a  sea-mouse  taken  out  of  a  cod-fish,  but  they  are  not  common  at 
Cromer. — (7. 


400  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

rostratula  gutturosa,  quasi  coaxans,  scarabceis  vescens,  sub 
vesperam  volans,  ovum  speciosissimum  excludens.  I  have  had 
many  of  them ;  and  am  sorry  I  have  not  one  to  send  you.  I 
spoke  to  a  friend  to  shoot  one  ;  but  I  doubt  they  are  gone  over. 

Of  the  upupas,  divers  have  been  brought  me ;  and  some  I 
have  observed  in  these  parts,  as  I  travelled  about. 

The  aquila  Gesfieri6  I  sent  alive  to  Dr.  Scarburg,  who  told 
me  it  was  kept  in  the  colledge.  It  was  brought  me  out  of 
Ireland.  I  kept  it  two  years  in  my  house.  I  am  sorry  I  have 
only  one  feather  of  it  to  send  you. 

A  shoeing-horn  or  barker,  from  the  figure  of  the  bill  and 
barking  note;  a  long  made  bird,  of  white  and  blackish  colour; 
fin-footed ;  a  marsh-bird  ;  and  not  rare  some  times  of  the  year 
in  Marshland.  It  may  upon  view  be  called,  recur  virostra 
nostras,  or  avoseta ;  much  resembling  the  avosetce  species  in 
Johnstonus,  tab.  5.     I  send  you  the  head  in  picture. 

Four  curlews  I  have  kept  in  large  cages.  They  have  a 
pretty  shrill  note  ;  not  hard  to  be  got  in  some  parts  of  Norfolk. 

Have  you  the  scorpius  marinus  ScJioneveldei  ? 

Have  you  put  in  the  musca  tuliparum  muscata  ? 

That  bird  which  I  said  much  answered  the  description  of 
garrulus  argentoratensis,7  I  send  you.  It  was  shot  on  a  tree 
ten  miles  off,  four  years  ago.  It  may  well  be  called  the  par- 
rot jay,  or  garrulus  psiltacoides  speciosus.  The  colours  are 
much  faded.  If  you  have  it  before,  I  should  be  content  to 
have  it  again ;  otherwise  you  may  please  to  keep  it. 

Garrulus  Bohemicus8  probably  you  have.  A  pretty  hand- 
some bird,  with  the  fine  cinnabrian  tips  of  the  wings.  Some 
which  I  have  seen  have  the  tail  tipt  with  yellow,  which  is  not 
in  their  description. 

I  have  also  sent  you  urt'ica  mas,  which  I  lately  gathered  at 
Golston,  by  Yarmouth,  where  I  found  it  to  grow  also  twenty- 
five  years  ago.  Of  the  stella  marina  testacea,  which  I  sent 
you,  I  do  not  find  the  figure  in  any  book. 

I  send  you  a  few  flies,  which,  some  unhealthful  years,  come 
about  the  first  part  of  September.  I  have  observed  them  so 
numerous  upon  plashes  in  the  marshes  and  marish9  ditches, 

6  The  Golden  Eagle.  1  The  Garrulous  Roller. 

S  The  Waxen  Chatterer.  9  Marshv. 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  401 

that,  in  a  small  compass,  it  were  no  hard  matter  to  gather  a 
peck  of  them.  I  brought  some  ;  what  my  box  would  hold ; 
but  the  greatest  part  are  scattered,  lost,  or  given  away.  For 
memory's  sake,  I  wrote  on  my  box  muscce  palustres  autum- 
nales. 

Worthy  sir,  I  shall  be  ever  ready  to  serve  you,  who  am,  sir, 
Your  humble  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Dr.  Broivne  to  Dr.  Merritt. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1S30.] 

December  xxix,  [1668.] " 

SIR, 

I  am  very  joyful  that  you  have  recovered  your 
health,  whereof  I  heartily  wish  the  continuation  for  your  own 
and  the  public  good.  And  I  humbly  thank  you  for  the  cour- 
teous present  of  your  book.  With  much  delight  and  satis- 
faction I  had  read  the  same  not  once  in  English.  I  must 
needs  acknowledge  your  comment  more  acceptable  to  me  than 
the  text,  which  I  am  sure  is  a  hard  obscure  piece  without  it, 
though  I  have  not  been  a  stranger  unto  the  vitriary  art,  both 
in  England  and  abroad.  I  perceive  you  have  proceeded  far 
in  your  Pinax.  These  few  at  present  I  am  bold  to  propose, 
and  hint  unto  you ;  intending,  God  willing,  to  salute  you 
again.  A  paragraph  might  probably  be  annexed  unto  Quer- 
cus.  Though  we  have  not  all  the  exotic  oaks,  nor  their 
excretions,  yet  these  and  probably  more  supercrescencies, 
productions,  or  excretions  may  be  observed  in  England. 

Viscum — polypodium  — juli — pilules — gemmce  foraminatce 
foUorum — excrementum  fungosuni  verticibus  scatens — excre- 
mentum  lanatum — capitula  squamosa  jaccecs  cemula — nodi — 
melleus  liquor — tuber  a  radicum  vermibus  scatentia — muscus 
— lichen— fungus — varce  quercince. 

Capillaris  marina  sparsa,  fucus  capillaris  marinus  spar- 
sus ;  sive,  capillitius  marinus;    or  sea  perriwig.     Strings  of 

VOL.  I.  2D 


402  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

this  are  often  found  on  the  sea-shore.     But  this  is  the  full 
figure,  I  have  seen  three  times  as  large. 

I  send  you  also  a  little  elegant  sea-plant,  which  I  pulled 
from  a  greater  bush  thereof,  which  I  have,  resembling  the 
backbone  of  a  fish.  Fticus  marinus  vertebratus  piscicnli 
spinum  ref evens,  ichthyovachius ;  or  what  you  think  fit. 

And  though  perhaps  it  be  not  worth  the  taking  notice  of 
fovmicce  arenavice  marines,  or  at  least  muscus  fovmicavius 
mavinus:  yet  I  observe  great  numbers  by  the  sea-shore,  and 
at  Yarmouth,  an  open  sandy  coast,  in  a  sunny  day,  many 
large  and  winged  ones,  may  be  observed  upon,  and  rising  out 
of  the  wet  sands,  when  the  tide  falls  away. 

Notonecton,  an  insect  that  swimmeth  on  its  back,  and  men- 
tioned by  Muffetus,  may  be  observed  with  us. 

I  send  you  a  white  reed-chock  by  name.  Some  kind  offunco, 
or  little  sort  thereof.  I  have  had  another  very  white  when 
fresh. 

Also  the  draught  of  a  sea-fowl,  called  a  sheerwater,  billed 
like  a  cormorant,  fiery,  and  snapping  like  it  upon  any  touch. 
I  kept  twenty  of  them  alive  five  weeks,  cramming  them  with 
fish,  refusing  of  themselves  to  feed  on  any  thing  ;  and  wearied 
with  cramming  them,  they  lived  seventeen  days  without  food. 
They  often  fly  about  fishing  ships  when  they  clean  their  fish, 
and  throw  away  the  offal.  So  that  it  may  be  referred  to  the 
lavi,  as  lavus  nigev  gutture  albido  rostro  adunco. 

Gossander. —  Videtuv  esse  pupkini  species.  Worthy  sir, 
that  which  we  call  a  gossander,  and  is  no  rare  fowl  among  us, 
is  a  large  well-coloured  and  marked  diving  fowl,  most  an- 
swering the  merganser.  It  may  be  like  the  puffin  in  fatness 
and  rankness ;  but  no  fowl  is,  I  think,  like  the  puffin,  differ- 
enced from  all  others  by  a  peculiar  kind  of  bill. 

Burganders,  not  so  rare  as  Turn  1  makes  them,  common 
in  Norfolk,  so  abounding  in  vast  and  spacious  warrens. 

If  you  have  not  yet  put  in  lavus  minov,  or  stern,2  it  would 
not  be  omitted,  so  common  about  broad  waters  and  plashes 
not  far  from  the  sea. 


1   This  name  is  very  illegible  in  the  original. 
2  Probably  sterna  hirundo  and  minuta.     See  Sir  Thomas's  paper  "On  the  Birds, 
&e.  of  Norfolk." 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  403 

Have  you  a  yarwhelp,  barker,  or  latrator,  a  marshbird 
about  the  bigness  of  a  godwitt  ? 

Have  you  dentalia,  which  are  small  univalve  testacea, 
whereof  sometimes  we  find  some  on  the  sea-shore? 

Have  you  put  in  nerites,  another  little  testaceum,  which  we 
have? 

Have  you  an  apiaster,  a  small  bird  called  a  bee-bird  ? 

Have  you  morinellus  marinus,  or  the  sea  dotterell,  better 
coloured  than  the  other,  and  somewhat  less  ? 

I  send  you  a  draught  of  two  small  birds ;  the  bigger  call- 
ed a  chipper,  or  betides  carptor ;  cropping  the  first  sproutings 
of  the  birch  trees,  and  comes  early  in  the  spring.  The  other, 
a  very  small  bird,  less  than  the  cert  hi/a,  or  eye-creeper,  called 
a  whin-bird. 

I  send  you  the  draught  of  a  fish  taken  some  times  in  our 
seas.  Pray  compare  it  with  draco  minor  Johnstoni.  This 
draught  was  taken  from  the  fish  dried,  and  so  the  prickly  fins 
less  discernible. 

There  is  a  very  small  kindof  smelt ;  but  in  shape  and  smell 
like  the  other,  taken  in  good  plenty  about  Lynn,  and  called 
prims. 

Though  scombri  or  mackerell  be  a  common  fish,  yet  our 
seas  afford  sometimes  strange  large  ones,  as  I  have  heard 
from  fishermen  and  others  ;  and  this  year,  1668,  one  was 
taken  at  Leostoffe,  an  ell  long  by  measure,  and  presented  to 
a  gentleman,  a  friend  of  mine. 

Musca  tuliparum  moschata  is  a  small  bee-like  fly,  of  an 
excellent  fragrant  odour,  which  I  have  often  found  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  flowers  of  tulips. 

In  the  little  box  I  send  a  piece  of  vesicaria  or  seminaria 
marina  cut  off  from  a  good  full  one,  found  on  the  sea-shore. 

We  have  also  an  ejectment  of  the  sea,  very  common,  which 
is  funago,  whereof  some  very  large. 

I  thank  you  for  communicating  the  account  of  thunder  and 
lightning;  some  strange  effects  thereof  I  have  found  here; 
but  this  last  year  we  had  little  or  no  thunder  or  lightning. 


d  -i 


404  MISCELLANEOUS  CORRESPONDENCE.      [1GG8-9. 


Dr.  Browne  to  Dr.  Merritt. 

[posthumous  works.-"] 

Norwich,  Febr.  6,  [1668-9.] 

HONOURED  SIR, 

I  am  sorry  I  have  had  diversions  of  such  necessitie, 
as  to  hinder  my  more  sudden  salute  since  I  received  your  last. 
I  thank  you  for  the  sight  of  the  spermaceti,  and  such  kind  of 
effects  from  lightning  and  thunder  I  have  known,  and  about 
four  yeares  ago  about  this  towne,  when  I  with  many  others 
saw  fire-balls  fly,  and  go  of  when  they  met  with  resistance, 
and  one  carried  away  the  tiles  and  boards  of  a  leucomb  win- 
dow of  my  own  howse,  being  higher  than  the  neighbour 
howses,  and  breaking  agaynst  it  with  a  report  like  a  good 
canon.  I  set  down  that  occurrence  in  this  citty  and  country, 
and  have  it  somewhere  amongst  my  papers,  and  fragments  of 
a  woeman's  hat  that  was  shiver'd  into  pieces  of  the  bignesse  of 
a  groat.  I  have  still  by  me  too,  a  litle  of  the  spermaceti  of 
our  whale,  as  also  the  oyle  and  balsome  which  I  made  with 
the  oyle  and  spermaceti.  Our  whale  was  worth  5001ib.  my 
apothecarie  got  about  fiftie  pounds  in  one  sale  of  a  quantitie 
of  sperm. 

I  made  enumeration  of  the  excretions  of  the  oake,  which 
might  bee  observed  in  England,  because  I  conceived  they 
would  be  most  observable  if  you  set  them  downe  together, 
not  minding  whether  there  were  any  addition :  by  excrementum 
fungosum  vermiculis  scatens  I  only  meant  an  usual  excretion, 
soft  and  fungous  at  first,  and  pale,  and  sometimes  cover'd  in 
part  with  a  fresh  red,  growing  close  unto  the  sprouts ;  it  is 
full  of  maggots  in  litle  woodden  cells,  which  afterwards  turne 
into  litle  reddish  brown  or  bay  flies.  Of  the  tubera  indica 
vermiculis  scatentia  I  send  you  a  peece,  they  are  as  bigg  as 
good  tennis-balls  and  ligneous. 

The  litle  elegant  fucus  may  come  in  as  a  difference  of  the 
abies,  being  somewhat  like  it,  as  also  unto  the  4  corallium  in 
Gerhard,  of  the  sprouts,  whereof  I  could  never  find  any 

3  Where  it  is  published  (erroneously)  as  a  letter  to  Mr.  Dugdale. 


1668-9.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  405 

sprouts,  wings,  or  leaves  as  in  the  abies,  whether  fallen  off  I 
know  not,  though  I  call'd  it  ichthyorndius  or  pisciculi  splnam 
referens,  yet  pray  do  you  call  it  how  you  please.  I  send  you 
now  the  figure  of  a  quercus  mar.  or  alga,  which  I  found  by 
the  sea-shore,  differing  from  the  common  as  being  denticulat- 
ed, and  in  one  place  there  seems  to  be  the  beginning  of  some 
flower-pod  or  seed-vessell. 

A  draught  of  the  morinellus  marinus,  or  sea-dotterel,*  I 
now  send  you;  the  bill  should  not  have  been  so  black,  and 
the  leggs  more  red,  and  a  greater  eye  of  dark  red  in  the 
feathers  or  wing  and  back  :  it  is  less  and  differently  colour'd 
from  the  common  dotterell,  which  cometh  to  us  about  March 
and  September:  these  sea-dotterels  are  often  shot  near  the  sea. 

A  yare-whelp  or  barker,5  a  marsh-bird,  the  bill  two  inches 
long,  the  legges  about  that  length,  the  bird  of  a  brown  or  rus- 
set colour. 

That  which  is  knowne  by  the  name  of  a  bee-bird,6  is  a  litle 
dark  gray  bird  ;  I  hope  to  get  one  for  you. 

That  which  I  call'd  bet  idee  carptor,  and  should  rather  have 
call'd  it  alni  carptor,  whereof  I  sent  a  rude  draught ;  it  feeds 
upon  alderbuds,  nucaments  or  seeds,  which  grow  plentifully 
here  ;  they  fly  in  little  flocks. 

That  call'd  by  some  a  whin-bird,7  is  a  kind  of  ox-eye,  but 
the  shining  yellow  spot  on  the  back  of  the  head,  is  scarce  to 
bee  well  imitated  by  a  pen  sill. 

I  confesse  for  such  litle  birds  I  am  much  unsatisfy'd  on  the 
names  given  to  many  by  countrymen,  and  uncertaine  what  to 
give  them  myself,  or  to  what  classis  of  authors  cleerly  to  re- 
duce them.  Surely  there  are  many  found  among  us  which 
are  not  described  ;  and  therefore  such  which  you  cannot  well 
reduce,  may  (if  at  all)  be  set  down  after  the  exacter  nomina- 
tion of  small  birds  as  yet  of  uncertain  class  or  knowledge. 

I  present  you  with  a  draught  of  a  water-fowl,  not  common, 
and  none  of  our  fowlers  can  name  it,  the  bill  could  not  bee  ex- 
actly expressed  by  a  coale  or  black  chalk,  whereby  the  little 

4  The  ring  plover,  or  sea  lark,  plentiful  near  Blakeney ;  charadrins  hiati- 
cula. — G. 

0  Names  of  two  distinct  species,  the  godwit,  or  yarwhelp,  seolopax  eegocephala,  and 
the  spotted  redshank  or  barker,  S.  Totanus.     The  description  agrees  with  neither. 

6  Probably  the  beam-bird,  or  flycatcher;  Muscicapa  Grisola. — G. 

'  Possibly  the  goldennested  wren,  Motacilla  Rpgulus, 


406  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668-9. 

incurvitie  at  the  upper  end  of  the  upper  bill,  and  small  recurvitie 
of  the  lower  is  not  discerned  ;  the  wings  are  very  short,  and  it 
is  finne-footed ;  the  bill  is  strong  and  sharp,  if  you  name  it  not 
I  am  uncertain  what  to  call  it,  pray  consider  this  anatula  or 
mergulus  melanoleucus  rostro  acuto. 

I  send  you  also  the  heads  of  mustela*  or  mergns  mustelaris 
mas.  et  fcemina,  called  a  wesel,  from  some  resemblance  in 
the  head,  especially  of  the  female,  which  is  brown  or  russet, 
not  black  and  white,  like  the  male,  and  from  their  preying 
quality  upon  small  fish.  I  have  found  small  eeles,  small 
perches,  and  small  muscles  in  their  stomachs.  Have  you  a 
sea-phaysant,  so  commonly  called  from  the  resemblance  of  an 
hen-phaisant  in  the  head  and  eyes,  and  spotted  marks  on  the 
wings  and  back,  and  with  a  small  bluish  flat  bill,  tayle  longer 
than  other  ducks,  longe  winges,  crossing  over  the  tayle  like 
those  of  a  long  winged  hawke.9 

Have  you  taken  notice  of  a  breed  of  porci  solidi  pedes  ? 
I  first  observed  them  above  twenty  yeares  ago,  and  they  are 
still  among  us. 

Our  nerites  or  neritee  are  litle  ones. 

I  queried  whether  you  had  dentalia,  becaus  probably  you 
might  have  met  with  them  in  England ;  I  never  found  any  on 
our  shoare,  butt  one  brought  me  a  few  small  ones,  with  smooth 
small  shells,  from  the  shoare.  I  shall  enquire  farther  after  them. 

Urtica  marina  minor,  Johnst.  tab,  xviii.  I  have  found  more 
then  once  by  the  sea-side. 

The  hobby  and  the  merlin  would  not  bee  omitted  among 
hawks ;  the  first  comming  to  us  in  the  spring,  the  other  about 
autumn.  Beside  the  ospray1  we  have  a  larger  kind  of  eagle, 
call'd  an  eruli."     I  have  had  many  of  them. 

Worthy  deare  sir,  if  I  can  do  any  thing  farther  which  may 
be  serviceable  unto  you,  you  shall  ever  readily  command  my 
endeavors  ;  who  am,  sir, 

Your  humble  and  very  respectfull  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

8  This  must  be  the  smew,  mergus  albellus  :  which  comes  on  the  coast  of  Norfolk 
in  hard  winters. — G. 

9  The  pin-tailed  duck. — G. 

1  Several  ospreys  have  been  taken  near  Cromer. — G. 

2  Erne? — The  white-tailed  or  cinereous  eagle  ;  falco  albicilla. 


1668-9.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  407 

Dr.  Browne  to  Dr.  Merritt. 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 

Feb.  xii,  1668-9. 

WORTHY'    SIR, 

Though  I  writ  unto  you  last  Monday,  yet  having 
omitted  some  few  things  which  I  thought  to  have  mentioned, 
I  am  bold  to  give  you  this  trouble  so  soone  agayne.  Have 
you  putt  in  a  sea  fish  called  a  bleak,  a  fish  like  a  herring, 
often  taken  with  us  and  eat,  but  a  more  lanck  and  thinne  and 
drye  fish  ? 

The  wild  swan  or  elk  would  not  bee  omitted,  being  common 
in  hard  winters  and  differenced  from  our  river  swans,  by  the 
aspera  arteria.  Fulica  and  cotta  Anglorum  are  different  birds 
though  good  resemblance  between  them,  so  some  doubt  may 
bee  made  whether  it  bee  to  bee  named  a  coot,  except  you  set 
it  downe  Fulica  nostras  and  cotta  Anglorum.  I  pray  consi- 
der whether  that  water-bird  whose  draught  I  sent  in  the  last 
box,  and  thought  it  might  bee  named  anatula  or  mergulus 
melanoleucos,  fyc.  may  not  bee  some  gallimda,  it  hath  some 
resemblance  with  gallina  hypoleucos  of  Johnst.  tab.  32,  butt 
myne  hath  shorter  wings  by  much,  and  the  bill  not  so  long 
and  slender,  and  shorter  legs  and  lesser,  and  so  may  either 
be  called  gallina  aquatica  hypoleucos  nostras,  or  hypoleu- 
cos anatula,  or  mergulus  nostras. 

Tis  much  there  should  bee  no  icon  of  rallus  or  ralla 
aquatica;  I  have  a  draught  of  some  and  they  are  found 
among  us. 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

The  vescaria  I  sent  is  like  that  you  mention,  if  not  the 
same,  the  common  funago  resembleth  the  husk  of  peas,  this 
of  barley  when  the  flower  is  mouldred  away. 


408  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

Dr.  Browne  to  [Dr.  Merritt  ?] 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1847.] 


1669. 


SIR, 


I  crave  your  pardon  that  I  have  no  sooner  sent  unto 
you.  I  shall  bee  very  reddie  to  do  you  service  in  order  to 
your  desires,  and  shall  endeavour  to  procure  you  such  animals 
as  I  have  formerly  met  with,  and  any  other  not  ordinary 
which  are  to  bee  acquired,  though  many  of  my  old  assistants 
are  dead  and  sometimes  they  fell  upon  animalls  scarce  to  bee 
met  with  agayne.  I  wish  I  had  been  acquainted  with  your 
desires  3  years  ago,  for  I  had  about  fortie  hanging  up  in  my 
howse,  which,  the  plague  being  at  the  next  doores,  the  person 
intrusted  in  my  howse,  burnt  or  threwe  away.  The  figure  of 
the  weazell  cray  was  in  a  long  paper  pasted  together  at  the 
ends,  and  I  make  no  question  you  will  find  it ;  otherwise  I 
would  send  another,  that  fowl  which  some  call  willick,  we  meet 
with  sometimes;  the  last  I  met  with  was  taken  on  the  sea 
shore,  the  head  and  body  black,  the  brest  enclining  to  black, 
headed  and  litle  like  a  crowe,  wings  short,  leggs  set  very 
backward,  that  it  move  overland  very  badly.  It  may  bee  a 
kind  of  comix  marinum. 

That  litle  plant  upon  oyster  shells  I  remember  I  have  seen, 
and  surely  is  some  kind  of  veseania  or  calicidaria. 

Of  what  that  other  electricall  body  was  Mr.  Boyle  showed; 
by  this  time  more  tryall  hath  probably  been  made,  something 
of  jet  it  might  consist  of. 

I  thanck  you  that  you  were  pleased  to  enquire  of  those 
German  gentlemen  concerning  my  sonne.  I  receaved  a  letter 
lately  from  him,  hee  hath  not  been  unmindfull  of  the  Royal 
Societie's  concerns,  and  hath  been  in  Hungaria,  in  the  mines 
of  gold,  sylver,  and  copper,  at  Schemts,  Cremitz,  and 
Neusol,  and  desired  mee  to  signifie  so  much  unto  Mr. 
Oldenbersf. 


1662.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  409 

Sir  Robert  Paston  to  Dr.  Broivne, 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWL.    CCCXCI.] 

Parson's  Greene,  the  19th  of  September,  [1662.] 

WORTHY"    SIR, 

You  may  justly  wonder  my  pen  has  beene  soe  long  a 
stranger  to  you,  though,  through  manie  removes,  I  could 
never  till  now  com  att  my  meddalls.  All  I  have  of  the 
Brittish  and  Saxon  I  have  this  day  sent  you  in  a  box,  by  the 
Norwich  coachman,  which  I  hope  will  be  with  you  this  night, 
with  a  large  one  of  Heraclius,  and  some  copper  ones,  which 
I  hope  are  good.  The  manuscript  of  Dunstan  and  Beniamin 
Lock,  I  find  verbatim  in  print,  but  nott  the  coronatio 
natures,  though  I  have  the  same  figures  in  another  manu- 
script, without  explication  uppon  them. 

This  ring  with  the  head  of  Vespasian,  which  I  esteeme 
verie  good,  I  desire  your  finger  may  honor,  I  having  worne 
itt  on  my  owne,  as  the  best  I  could  find  of  that  kind. 

Sir,  I  desire  the  favor  of  you,  by  the  returne  of  the  coach- 
man, to  send  me  your  two  manuscripts  of  Mayerne,  there 
beeing  somthing  in  one  of  them  which  I  immediatelie  intend 
to  putt  in  execution. 

My  wife  has  the  ill  fortune  to  be  attacqued  with  a  quartan 
ague,  which  is  soe  much  the  worse,  she  beeing  within  two 
months  of  her  time. 

My  humble  service  to  your  ladie  and  my  cousin  Le  Gross, 
and,  sir,  if  you  have  anie  notion  that  you  please  to  commu- 
nicate, in  order  to  the  old  affaire  I  discoursed  to  you  att 
Norwich,  I  shall  hope  to  give  you  an'accompt  of  itt  in  som 
short  time;  for  I  have  delayed  my  self  in  vainelie  endeavour- 
ing to  fix  a  volatile  spiritt  on  itts  fixed  salt ;  when  I  am 
master  of  the  way,  bringing  the  fixed  part  over  in  a  volatile 
water,  which,  after  circulation,  I  hope  will  performe  the  pro- 
mises of  Raymund  Lullie.  Your  good  hints  may  be  a  meanes 
to  aduance  my  design  which  will  oblidge, 

Sir,  your  verie  humble  servant, 

ROBERT  PASTON. 


410  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

Sir,  be  pleased  to  direct  your  letter,  as  also  the  bookes,  to 
Mr.  George  Clayton's,  att  the  Crowne,  in  Lombard-street, 
London, 


Sir  Robert  Paston  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAIV'L.    CCCXCI.] 

Oxnead,  April  the  5th,  1669. 

HONORED    SIR, 

On  Saturday  night  last,  going  into  my  laboratorie, 
I  found  som  of  the  adrop  (that  had  beene  run  foure  or  five 
times  in  the  open  ayre,  and  euerie  time  itts  aetheriall  attracted 
spiritts  drawne  of  from  itt)  congealed  to  an  hard  candied  sub- 
stance, the  which  I  ordered  my  man  to  grind  in  a  marble  to 
attenuate  itts  parts,  and  make  itt  more  fitt  for  attraction, 
and  comming  in  in  the  operation,  I  chid  my  servant  for  grind- 
ing itt  where  white  lead  had  before  beene  ground,  for  I  found  it 
from  itts  fuscye  red  color,  looke  licke  white  lead  ground  with 
oyle,  butt  more  lustrous,  and  he  to  convince  that  the  stone  was 
cleane,  ground  som  of  the  same  before  my  face  on  a  tile,  with 
another  muller,  which  came  to  the  same  color  and  viscositye. 
I  must  confess  that  gave  me  a  transport  to  find  the  ayre  had 
worked  such  an  effect.  Uppon  about  half  a  pound  of  this 
I  cohobated3  som  of  itts  aetheriall  spiritt,  which  itt  notwith- 
standing tinged  red,  and  I  am  now  drawing  itt  of  againe,  for 
I  think  I  had  better  have  exposed  itt  in  itts  consistence  to  the 
open  ayre  againe,  though  I  find  itt  hard  to  run  into  anye  thin 
substance ;  yett  perhapps  the  viscous  matter  may  be  more 
pretious,  and  by  often  grinding,  exposing,  and  distilling,  itt 
may  att  last  goe  a  white  and  spiss  water,  such  an  one  as  phi- 
losophers looke  after,  or  att  least  be  fitt  to  receiue,  and  be 

acuated4  with,  the and  saline  parts  of  the  aetheriall  spiritt, 

when  that  operation  comes  in  hand  if  itt  affords  us  anye  that 
way.     I  haue  given  Mr.  Hcnshaw  an  accompt  of  this  which  I 

3  Distilled  again.  (  Acidified. 


1674.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  411 

beleeve  will  please  him,  and  I  desire  your  advice  in  the  point 
how  to  proceed  upon't,  for  certainlye  if  these  matters  have 
anye  truth  in  them,  wee  are  upon  the  brink  of  a  menstruum 
to  dissolve  mettalls  in  generall.  The  keys  are  not  yett  fitted 
to  your  table,  butt  I  hope  will  be  by  Thursday,  my  service  to 
your  ladye,  and  excuse  this  relation  with  that  generous  con- 
descention  that  allowes  you  to  consider  even  the  lowest 
thinges.  Sir,  I  am, 

Your  humble  servant, 

ROBERT  P  ASTON.6 


The  Earl  of  Yarmouth  to  Sir  Thomas  Browne. 

[BIBL.    BODL.    MS.    RAWI..    CCCXCI.] 

Septembr.  the  10th,  1674. 

HONORED    SIR, 

The  great  ciuility  of  your  letter  is  an  obligation  I 
haue  som  time  layne  under,  adiourning  my  returne  on  pur- 
pose that  I  might  haue  som  thinge  to  discourse.  My 
friend,  Mr.  Henshaw,  (who  is  lately  returned  from  his  em- 
ploymt.  of  envoye.  extraordinary  in  Denmark,)  and  has 
brought  over  with  him  many  curiositys ;  the  principle  of 
which  lyes  in  the  Unicornes  home,  in  which  he  has  as  much 
as  he  prises  att  foure  or  five  hundred  pounds,  beeing  three 
very  long  homes  of  the  fish  called  puach  and  seuerall  peeces  ; 
many  rarityes  of  amber;  great  store  of  succinum6  beeing 
found  about  those  shores,  and  a  very  large  peece  he  gave 
mee,  which  was  found  in  the  earth  many  miles  from  the  sea, 
he  has  one  piece  in  which  a  drop  either  of  water  or  quick- 
silver is  included,  which  turnes  round  as  the  amber  is  moved, 
and  severall  with  insects  in  them.  He  confesseth  he  had 
licke  to  have  beene  cheated  by  a  merchant  Avith  a  piece  that 
had  somwhat  included  in  itt,  which  he  found  to  bee  rosin, 
and  wee  have  a  way  to  counterfeitt  itt  very  handsomely,  which 
he  has  taught  mee,  and,  if  wee  had  a  workman  to  help  us, 

5  Created  Earl  of  Yarmouth,  Jan.  10*73.  6  Amber, 


412  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1674. 

might  doe  many  pretty  thinges  of  that  nature.  He  has 
seuerall  peeces  of  the  mineralls  of  Dronthem  ;  he  has  brought 
over  a  vegetable  called  the  alga  saccharified,  which,  when  he 
putt  itt  in  the  box,  had  nothing  on  the  leaves,  and  in  bring- 
ing has  attracted  a  matter  in  tast  and  feeling  licke  sugar.  He 
tells  mee  the  former  King  of  Denmark  was  curious  in  all 
manner  of  rarities,  and  has  one  of  the  best  collections  of  that 
kind  in  the  world,  as  allsoe  a  most  famous  library  of  choyse 
collected  bookes,  butt  this  king's  delights  are  in  horses,  and 
the  discipline  of  an  army,  of  which  he  has  thirty  thousand 
brauely  equipped,  which  Mr.  Henshaw  saw  encamped  att  the 
rendevous  att  Colding,  in  Juteland ;  allsoe  a  potent  navy  ready 
to  assist  those  that  will  pay  the  most  for  them.  The  king, 
att  his  comming  away,  gave  him  considerable  presents  to  the 
value  of  betweene  five  and  six  hundred  pounds,  and  has 
written  such  a  character  of  him  that  I  feare  may  invite  him 
thither  agayne,  if  our  king  has  any  occasion  to  send  one.  He 
was  there  acquainted  with  the  principle  physitian,  one  Bou- 
chius,  a  great  louer  of  chymistry,  butt  I  thinke  nott  much 
experienced  in  itt,  who  assumed  that  leafe  gold  by  continuall 
grinding  for  som  fourteen  dayes,  and  then  putt  into  a  retort 
in  nudo  igne  yields  som  dropps  of  a  bloud  red  licquor,  and 
the  same  gold  exposed  to  the  ayre,  and  ground  againe,  doth 
totles  quoties  yield  the  same ;  this  is  now  under  the  experi- 
ment of  a  physitian  in  this  towne,  to  whome  I  gave  the  pro- 
cess to  undertake  the  tryall,  and  shall  bee  able  shortly  to  give 
you  an  accompt  of  itt.  I  have  little  leysure  and  less  conve- 
nience to  try  any  thing  heere,  yett  my  owne  salt  will  sett  mee 
on  work,  having  now  arrived  to  this  that  I  can  with  foure 
drachmes  of  itt  dissolve  a  drachme  of  leafe  gold  into  an  high 
tincture,  which  by  all  the  art  I  have  is  nott  seperable  from 
the  menstruum  which  stands  fluid,  and  is  both  before  and 
after  the  solution  of  the  gold  as  sweet  almost  as  sugar,  soe 
fan*  is  itt  from  any  corrosive  nature.  I  am  gooing  to  seale  up 
two  glasses,  one  of  the  menstruum  with  gold  dissolved  in 
itt,  and  another  of  the  menstruum  per  se,  and  to  putt  them 
in  an  athanor,7  to  see  if  they  will  putrify,  or  what  alteration 
will  happen.    I  have  att  Oxned  scene  this  salt  change  as  blackc 

7  Furnace. 


1674.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  413 

as  inke,  I  must,  att  the  lowest,  have  an  excelent  auruni'potabile, 
and  if  the  signes  wee  are  to  judge  by  in  Sendivogius  description 
bee  true,  I  have  the  key  which  answers  to  what  he  says,  that 
if  a  man  have  that  which  will  dissolve  gold  as  warme  water 
doth  ice,  you  have  that  out  of  which  gold  was  first  made  in 
the  earth.  My  solution  is  perfectly  agreeable  to  itt;  dissolves 
itt  without  hissing,  bubble  or  noyse,  and  doth  itt  in  frigido  : 
that  which  encourages  mee  is  that  I  shall  make  my  lump  with 
spiritt  of  wine,  which  I  could  never  by  under  twelve  shillings 
a  quart,  and  now  heere  is  one,  which  Prince  Rupert  recom- 
mended mee  to,  that  sells  it  for  eighteene  pence  the  quart, 
and  will  fire  gunpowder  after  itts  burnt  away  in  a  spoone, 
and  answers  all  the  tryalls  of  the  highest  rectified  spiritt  of 
wine.  I  shewed  some  of  itt  to  Di\  Rugeby,  who  thinkes  itt 
must  com  from  molosses,  butt  whatever  itt  comes  from  there 
itt  is  in  all  qualities  bearing  the  highest  tryalls  of  spiritt  of 
wine.  Sir,  I  pray  take  my  thankes  for  your  kind  remem- 
brance of  mee,  and  if  you  can  recommend  mee  to  any  author 
that  can  further  enlighten  my  understanding  pray  doe.  My 
wife  ioynes  with  mee  in  the  presentments  of  our  services  to 
your  lady  and  yourself.  I  begg  your  pardon  for  tiring  you 
with  soe  many  words  to  soe  little  purpose,  and  am, 
Sir,  your  most  humble  servant, 

YARMOUTH. 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Elias  Ashmole. 

[FROM  THE  ASHMOLEAN  MS.    1131,   F.    280;    BEING   VOL    35    OF    ELIAS    ASIIMOLE'S 
COLLECTIONS    FOR    THE    ORDER    OF    THE    GARTER.] 

Norwich,  Oct.  viij,  1674. 

HONORD    SIR, 

I  give  you  late  butt  heartie  thancks  for  the  noble 
present  of  your  most  excellent  booke ;  which,  by  the  care  of 
my  sonne,  I  receaved  from  you.  I  deferred  this  my  due 
acknowledgment  in  hope  to  have  found  out  something  more 
of  Dr.  John  Dee,  butt  I  can  yett  only  present  this  paper  unto 


414  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1677-8. 

you  written  by  the  hand  of  his  sonne,  Dr.  Arthur  Dee,  my 
old  acquaintance,  containing  the  scheme  of  his  nativity, 
erected  by  his  father,  Dr.  John  Dee,  as  the  title  sheweth  ; 
butt  the  iudgment  upon  it  was  writt  by  one  Franciscus  Mur- 
rerus,  before  Dr.  Arthur  returned  from  Russia  into  England, 
which  Murrerus  was  an  astrologer  of  some  account  at  Mosko. 
Sir,  I  take  it  for  a  great  honour  to  have  this  libertie  of  com- 
munication with  a  person  of  your  eminent  merit,  and  shall 
industriously  serve  you  upon  all  opportunities,  who  am, 
Worthy  good  sir, 
Your  servant  most  respectfully  and  humbly, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

("Reed.  24  Oct.    1674.")      In  the  hand- writing  of       , 
Ashmole. 


Sir  Thomas  Broivne  to  Mr.  John  Brown? 

[prefixed  to  "brown  on  tumours."] 


[1677-8.] 


SIR, 


Since  you  were  pleased  to  honour  me  with  a  sight 
of  your  chirurgical  endeavours  in  this  work,  I  must,  in  justice, 
return  you  my  thanks  and  commendations  due  unto  it :  for 
though  the  same  subject  hath  been  handled  by  others,  yet 
have  you  made  so  good  a  collection  out  of  approved  authors, 
and  so  well  disposed  and  set  down  the  nature  and  cure  of 
tumours,  together  with  apposite  historical  observations,  that 
the  same  may  become  of  very  good  use,  especially  unto 
younger  chirurgions,  unto  whom  you  chiefly  designed  it ; 
and,  therefore,  I  wish  you  happy  success  therein,  and  also  in 
all  future  endeavours,  unto  which  art  and  industry  shall  enable 
you.  Your  loving  friend  and  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

8  Mr.  John  Brown  was  the  nephew  and  pupil  of  Mr.  William  Crop,  a  distin- 
guished surgeon  in  Norwich.  He  was  appointed  surgeon  to  King  Charles  II,  and 
published  in  1678  ;i  A  Compleat  Treatise  of  Preternatural  Tumours,  §r.  8vo."  To 
which  is  prefixed,  among  other  recommendatory  letters,  the  present,  from  Sir 
Thomas  Rrowno. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  415 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Mr.  Talbot.9 

[MS.    SLOAN.    1833,   FOL.    16.] 


SIR, 


The  coyne  which  you  shew  me  hath  on  the  obverse 
the  head  of  Marcus  Plaetorius  Cestianus,  with  a  dagger 
behinde  his  head ;  on  the  reverse  it  hath  a  Caduceus  or  Mer- 
curies wande,  with  this  inscription :  m.  plaetorj  cest.  ex. 
s.  c,  the  j  in  Plaetorius  and  s.  c.  on  the  reverse  are  scarce 
visible,  or  the  dagger  on  the  obverse.  It  is  thus  to  be  read ; 
Marcus  Plcetorius  Cestianus  ex  Senatus  Consulto. 

This  Marcus  Plaetorius,  or,  as  some  will  have  it,  Laetorius, 
was  a  remarkable  man  of  the  ancient  Plaetorian  family,  who 
derive  themselves  from  the  Sabines,  which  family  was  of  the 
faction  of  the  commons  of  Rome,  as  may  be  gathered  from 
their  being  chosen  aediles  and  tribunes  of  the  people.  He 
was  contemporary  with  Crassus,  Pompey,  Brutus,  and  was 
designed  praetor  together  with  Cicero,  in  the  686  yeare  after 
the  foundation  of  Rome,  three  yeares  before  Catilines  con- 
spiracy, and  eighty-five  yeares  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour. 
He  had  been  an  aedile  before  that,  as  I  know  by  a  coyne 
which  I  have  with  an  aediles  chair  on  the  reverse,  and  this 
inscription :  M.  Plaetorius  mi>.  cvr.  ex.  s.  c,  on  the  obverse 
his  head,  with  this  inscription  :  Cestianus.  He  is  mentioned 
by  Varro  in  his  fifth  booke  De  Lingua  Latina,  and  by  Livy, 
lib.  30.  He  preferred  a  law  de  jure  dicendo,  taken  notice  of 
by  Censorinus  De  die  natali,  cap.  19.  He  is  spoken  of  by 
Cicero  in  his  oration  pro  Marco  Fonteio,  whom  this  M.  Plae- 
torius accused,  and  in  another,  pro  A.  Cluentio ;  but  this 
coyne  was  stamped  upon  his  being  chosen  to  dedicate  the 
temple  of  Mercury,  no  small  honour,  and  for  which  both  the 
consuls  at  that  time  sued,  Claudius  and  Servilius,  but  carried 
it  from  them  both  by  the  election  of  the  people,  although  he 
were  at  that  time  onely  a  centurion,  as  is  to  be  seen  in 
Valerius  Maximus,  lib.  9.  cap.  3. 

This  letter  is  but  a  fragment,     It  is  accompanied  by  a  pen  drawing  of  the  coin. 


416  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE. 

Sir  Thomas  Browne  to 1(' 

[BIBL.  BODL.    MS.  TANNER.    CCLXXXV.  P.   73.] 

December  2. 

HONOURED    SIR, 

I  am  very  sorry  it  was  my  ill  fortune  to  bee  diuerted 
by  a  journey  into  the  country,  from  wayting  upon  you,  ac- 
cording to  your  courteous  inuitation.  I  had  sufficient  cause, 
and  I  sought  a  good  opportunity  to  tender  my  thanks  and 
acknowledgements  for  your  kindnesse  vnto  mee  the  last  au- 
dit, when  you  were  pleased,  with  my  other  good  friends  the 
prebends,  to  grant  mee  the  medowe  for  life.  This  fauour  I 
confesse  might  reasonably  restrayne  mee  from  desiring  any 
higher ;  but  since  some  of  the  chapter  are  willing  and  desir- 
ous that  I  might  take  a  lease  thereof,  and  to  that  intent  haue 
desired  mee  to  addresse  myself  unto  you ;  I  humbly  craue 
your  pardon  that  I  presume  at  this  time  to  begge  this  fauor 
of  you :  what  fine  you  please  to  set  shall  bee  accepted  by 
mee,  who  am 

Worthy  Sir, 
Your  euer  respectful  friend  and  humble  seruant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Sir,  I  desire  not  to  putt  you  to  the  trouble  of  an  answer. 


10  This  letter  seems  to  have  been  addressed  to  the  Dean  of  Norwich.  On  en- 
quiry, however,  of  my  friend  John  Kitson,  Esq.  I  am  informed  that  there  does  not 
appear  to  have  been  any  lease  granted  to  Sir  Thomas;  so  that  this  was  probably  an 
unsuccessful  application. 


1655.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  41' 


The  remaining  letters  in  this  volume,  having  re- 
sulted from  a  second  examination,  very  recently  made, 
of  the  materials  whence  the  former  were  drawn,  are 
of  necessity  placed  out  of  their  due  order  of  date. 


From  Dr.  How l  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[MS.    SLOAN.  3418.  FOL.  96.] 

SIR,  MY  CHOISEST,  ETC. 

I  received  your  rare  present,  and  shall  answere  your 
summons  for  yourselfe,  or  friends,  with  any  faire  florall  re- 
turnes,  pacquett  of  seeds,  or  if  this  place  may  any  wayes  in- 
strumentaly  present  mee  yours  I  shall  putt  on  such  affected 
employments.  For  the  dresse  of  our  garden,  that  you  may 
know  the  modell,  this  rough  title  may  acquaint  you ;  Botano- 
trophium  Westmonasteriense,  tentaminibus  noviter  exploratis 
hortensibus,  medicinalibus,  tingentibus,  imprcegnatum.  The 
style  to  this  discourse  will  appeare  Roman ;  nor  shall  I  pre- 
sent you  with  a  catalogue  of  nude  names :  a  mode  taken  upp 
to  prevent  further  scrutinyes,  in  which  designes  the  most  ex- 
perienced botanists  find  too  much  anxiety ;  the  younger  stu- 
dent meetes  with  nothing  but  confusion.  Therefore  to  each 
recited  plant  you  shall  have  the  original!  author  annexed,  and 
paged,  that  with  small  labor  they  may  peruse  the  plant ;  but 
to  nondescribed  species  who  refuse  limitts,  wee  shall  present 
them  delineated  in  theire  names.  The  method  wee  intend 
in  paging  authors  may  bee  discerned  in  this  instance :  Pim- 
pinella  moschata,  sire  Agrimonies  folio,  quomndam  Agrimo- 
noides.  Fab.  Columnar  minus  cog  nit.  stirp.  pag.  145 ;  after 
wee  have  thus  circumscribed  the  plant  wee  shall  adde  our 

1  William  How,  of  St.  John's  Coll.  Oxon.  a  captain  of  Horse  in  K.  Charles  I's 
army,  afterwards  a  physician  in  London ;  first  in  Lawrence  Lane,  then  in  Milk 
Street,  a  noted  herbalist  of  his  time.  He  published  "  Phytologia  Britannica,  fyc. 
Lond.  1650:  and  died  in  1656. 

VOL.   I.  2  E 


418  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1655. 

experiments;  to  this,  hortensiall (wherein  acquirements  de  novo 
are  onely  to  bee  inserted ;)  to  that,  medicinall,  if  never  for- 
merly approved  in  physicke,  or  applyed  to  such  particular 
disturbances;  to  those,  tinctoriall,  if  by  theire  iuyces,  or 
decoctions  any  such  qualityes  may  be  perceived.  For  the 
knowledge  of  our  garden  series  whereby  you  say  something 
might  bee  annexed,  wee  almost  equaly  boast  what  our  clyme 
may  produce,  so  that  however  you  may  appropriate  your  di- 
gestions, wee  easily  may  render  them  classicall ;  though  I 
must  be  compelled  to  confesse  you  haue  enrich't  mee  with 
the  Pimpinella.  The  Carduus  Hisp.  sine  Carduus  acule- 
atus,  Math,  edent.  Bauh.  pag.  498,  I  further  want :  yett  our 
little  instructed  far  me  numbers  aboue  2200  species,  submit- 
ting to  no  European  culture ;  which  fabricke  might  be  com- 
pleated  with  any  of  your  mature  explorate  additions !  since 
our  designes  shall  acknowledge  those  inuentions  with  affixed 
titles !  Wee  are  emboldened  from  your  "  Common  Errors," 
pag.  103; — "Swarmes  of  others  there  are,  some  whereof  our 
future  endeauors  may  discouer :"  and  being  rauished  with 
those  learned  enquiryes,  pardon  this  pressing  discourse,  ther- 
fore  vented,  possit  ut  ad  monitum  facere  tuum.  Pag.  102 ; — 
"  That  Ros  soils  which  rotteth  sheepe  hath  any  such  cordiall 
vertue  upon  us,  wee  have  reason  to  doubt."  If  the  salubrious 
operation  in  decoctions  upon  tabid  bodyes  might  purchase 
credentials,  troopes  of  physitians  might  appeare  combatants: 
nor  the  rotting  of  sheepe  in  our  apprehensions  any  wayes  op- 
pugnes  his  alexipharmacy  in  man :  Pinguiculam  oviaricum 
gregem  omnes  villatici  uno  ore  necare  asserunt.  Matronal 
graves  Cambro-Britannicce  ex  pinguicula  parant  syrupum, 
uti  rosaceum  ad  evacaandos  pueros :  ruricolce  mulieres  ho- 
reales  ex  pulte  avenacea,  aut  alio  jnscido  addita  pinguicula 
pueros  purgant,  evacuare  phlegma  verisimile.  "  That  cats 
haue  such  delight  in  the  her  be  nepeta,  called  therefore  cat- 
taria,  our  experience  cannot  discouer."  I  haue  numbred  about 
2  rootes  of  nep.  in  my  garden  16  cats,  who  never  destroied 
those  plants,  but  have  totally  despoyled  the  neighbouring 
births  in  that  bedd  to  a  yard's  distance,  rendring  the  place 
hard,  and  smooth  like  a  walke  with  theire  frequent  treddings  : 
but  of  this  una  litura  potest.  I  find  many  of  my  lord  Bacon's 


1656.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  419 

experiments  concerning  phytologie  in  his  6  and  7  centuries, 
very  crude.  If  you  may  commend  any  of  these  heads  to 
Dr.  Short  for  his  enlargments,  it  must  proue  a  fauor  which 
cannot  more  obleidge, 

Yours  most  obseruant, 
Milk  Streete,  Sept.  20,  55.  WILL.  HOW. 

For  the  most  worthy,  and  his  very  much  honoured 

friend  Thomas   Browne,  Dr.  in  Physicke,  at   his 

house,  these  present,  Norwich. 
Post  Paid. 


[Dr.  Browne ?]  to  Mr.  Daniel  King. 

[FROM  KING'S  VALE  ROYAL  OF  CHESTER.] 

[1656.] 

DEAR    FRIEND, 

Though  it  will  be  acknowledged  that  you  have  fallen 
upon  a  most  worthy  subject,  yet  it  may  be  started  for  a  ques- 
tion, whether  owe  a  greater  duty,  you  unto  your  country, 
(whereof  I  also  am  a  more  unworthy  member,)  or  your  country 
unto  you.  For  it  may  be  truly  said  that  therein  you  drew 
your  first  breath,  that  it  hath  been  a  fosterer  of  you  and  your 
father's  father,  nay  more,  that  you  had  education  there  and 
that  therefore  cum  ammo  revertendi  you  owe  all  your  pains 
and  labour  to  illustrate,  beautifie,  and  adorn  the  place.  But 
though  it  be  my  way  sometimes  to  put  cases,  yet  should  I  be 
injurious  to  have  made  this  qugery  without  a  resolve ;  for  I 
shall  answer  for  you,  that  though  you  had  your  beginning  in 
this  countrey,  yet  like  a  plant  removed  you  have  elswhere 
grown  up  to  more  com  pleat  man,  and  to  that  perfection  which 
speaks  itself  in  this  work.  Had  you  still  kept  at  home,  its 
more  than  probable  you  had  not  prospered  so  well  in  your  own 
soyl  nor  born  such  pleasant  fruit  as  herein  your  countrey-men 
may  taste  and  refresh  themselves  withall,  and  therefore  in  that 
you  hold  out  your  hand  to  your  own  countrey-men  and  bend 
your  studies,  nay,  I  may  say  stoop  and  incline  to  do  them 
grace,  I  may  well  conclude  that  your  countrey  owes  more  to 
you  than  you  to  it.  By  this  work  you  have  not  onely  done  an 
honour  to  your  countrey,  but  also  raised  a  glorious  monument 

2   E  2 


420  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [165G. 

of  your  own  worth,  upon  which  although  I  am  not  able  to 
build  turrets  of  silver  to  make  it  more  famous  and  perspicuous, 
yet  will  I  strew  about  it  a  few  flowers  pickt  out  of  your  own 
garden,  this  Royall  Vale,  which,  like  him  qui  suam  iotam 
proffert,  speaks  my  good  will  to  draw  on  the  reader  to  a  due 
commendation  of  your  imparted  improvements.  The  first 
flower  that  offers  itself  to  my  hand  is  a  violet  (a  lively  emblem 
of  yourself,)  which,  though  it  be  odoriferous  and  as  well 
useful!  as  pleasant,  yet  being  small  is  usually  covered  with  a 
great  leaf;  and  so  obscured  that  passers  by  cannot  easily  dis- 
cern it,  till  the  sense  of  smelling  summon  them  to  contemplate 
the  virtue  of  it.  There  needs  no  clavis  to  illustrate  the 
parallell  your  worth  hath  vaild,  till  time,  the  next  flower  in 
this  garden,  makes  a  most  pleasant  discovery  of  it.  I  have  a 
rose  that  is  grown  up  above  the  pricks,  shewing  how  your 
self  hath  been  fenced  and  preserved  amongst  the  briars,  till 
your  riper  years  should  bloom  this  fragrancie,  that  it  had  been 
hard,  nay  pity  too,  any  one  should  have  nipt  the  bud  without 
a  bloody  finger.  The  next  are  gillyflowers  of  various  and 
most  choice  complexions ;  should  I  name  them  all  I  must  be 
beholding  France  for  some  affected  and  fictitious  terms  to 
expresse  their  beauties.  These,  stuck  in  camomile,  strewd 
round  the  foot  pace  of  this  monument  will  adde  to  the  fra- 
grancie, for  the  more  spectators  tread  and  trample,  the  greater 
perfume  do  they  make. 

Of  these  and  other  choice  blossoms  from  your  own  garden, 
conglutinated  with  gratitude,  will  I  also  compose  a  coronet 
most  worthily  to  adorn  your  temples,  in  token  of  praise  for 
this  Herculean  labour  in  collecting  and  composing  this  book 
so  eminently  beneficiall  to  your  country-men,  which  I  hope 
will  be  acknowledged  by  all,  as  well  as  by 

Your  old  acquaintance  and  true  friend, 

THO.  BROWN. 

To  his  endeared  friend,  Mr.  Daniel  King,  the  inge- 
nious author  of  that  worthily  to  be  commended 
work  and  accurate  piece  of  the  Geographicall  and 
Historicall  description  of  the  Vale-Royall  of  Eng- 
land, or  County  Palatine  of  Chester,  most  artifici- 
ally adorned  with  typographic  and  sculpture. 

Note. — I  feel  somewhat  doubtful  as  to  the  identity  of  the  writer  of  this  letter 
with  Sir  Thomas  Browne. — The  style  is  certainly  not  like  his: — nor  did  he  spell 
his  name  without  the  final  e.     But  as  it  is  so  spelt  in  some  editions  of  his  works 


1659.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  421 

From  Dr.  Robinson  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[ms.  sloan.  3418.  fol.  80.] 

Honoured  Sir, 

I  cannot  but  returne  you  infinite  thankes  for  the 
enjoyment  of  your  excellent  society  at  Norwich.  And  since 
my  fortune  is  not  rich  enough  to  present  any  thing  in  requit- 
all  of  so  large  a  favour,  I  shall  presume  to  offer  nothing  but 
a  serious  confession  how  infinitely  I  cherish  the  remembrance 
of  it;  and  how,  to  speak  truth,  I  have  since  but  lived  upon 
the  received  emanations  of  your  goodnesse,  repositing  the 
notions  which  then  entertained  my  eare  in  a  memory  whose 
greatest  honour  it  was  to  bee  before  furnished  with  some  of 
your  printed  discourses.  Which  acquired  ideas  I  despaire 
not  to  fix  in  mee  to  eternity,  knowing  that  if  any  sullen  le- 
thargy could  possibly  prevaile  to  theire  obliteration,  my  greatest 
happiness  must  needes  vanish  with  them.  And  if  I  might 
be  allowed  the  presumption  (as  who  knowes  how  diffusive 
your  goodnesse  is)  to  hope  for  a  continuation  of  this  corre- 
spondence, I  should  esteeme  my  selfe  beyond  expression 
happy,  that  I  might  have  such  an  oracle  to  appeale  to  in  a 
day  of  difficulty. 

Sir,  in  discourse  with  that  worthy  and  learned  gentleman 
Mr.  Bacon  of  Gillingham,  (who  very  nobly  treated  us  in  our 
returne)  something  did  occurre  concerning  the  nostoch  Para- 
celsi,  that  gelatinous  substance,  which  in  the  high-shoe  phy- 
siology passes  for  the  slough  and  reliques  of  a  decayed  starr. 
In  which  I  did  then  deliver  my  private  opinion  (as  I  had  done 
long  since  to  Dr.  Power,  who  seemes  not  to  disapprove  it) 
which  I  shall  now  briefly  present  to  you,  craving  the  boldnesse 

published  during  his  life-time,  this  may  not  be  regarded  as  conclusive.  On  the 
other  hand  we  know  that  he  was  acquainted  with  Mr.  King,  who  had  visited  Nor- 
wich. And  though  not  a  native  of  Cheshire,  he  was  descended  from  a  Cheshire 
family,  and  might  therefore  call  himself  "  a  member"  of  that  country.  This  letter 
was  obligingly  pointed  out  to  me  by  Mr.  Hunter,  the  accurate  historian  of  Hal- 
lamshire, — but  without  any  opinion  of  its  authorship ; — and  I  publish  it,  leaving 
the  reader  to  decide  for  himself.  Mr.  Ormerod  and  Mr.  Upcot  mention  it  as  "a 
letter  signed,  Tho.  Brown." 


422  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1659. 

to  request  your  judicious  and  more  mature  decision  of  the 
point.  I  know  not  what  to  conjecture  it  with  more  probabi- 
lity to  bee  then  the  imperfect  conception  of  sheep,  produced 
perhaps  of  some  spermatick  matter  supervenient  to  the  true 
conception,  and  so  by  them  after  some  little  time  excluded. 
My  reasons  are,  it  is  never  to  bee  found  (at  least  by  the  best 
scrutiny  that  I  could  make)  but  in  latter  end  of  September, 
and  the  beginning  of  October,  which  is  time  enough  after 
sheep's  rutting  (being  much  about  the  same  time  with  that  of 
deere)  to  eject  any  thing  which  might  bee  vitious  or  super- 
fluous. Nor  could  I  ever  find  it  (although  I  have  seene  many 
of  them)  but  in  places  where  sheep  were  pastured.  Besides, 
that  it  is  an  animal  concretion  is  evincible  from  the  variety  of 
parts ;  some  of  them  consisting  manifestly  of  flesh,  veines, 
membranes,  and  abundance  of  tough  fibers.  I  once  found  it 
all  over  bloudy :  it  was  indeed  in  a  churchyard,  but  where 
the  butchers  (as  afterwardes  they  affirmed  to  mee)  had  put 
in  sheep  the  night  before.  There  are  I  confesse  other  con- 
jectures of  this  strange  matter.  Amongst  which  those  that 
would  have  it  relate  to  the  philosophers  mercury,  may  excuse 
our  belief.  And  that  certainly  of  Dr.  Charleton  (that  it  is 
the  nocturnall  pollution  of  some  plethorick  or  wanton  starr: 
or  rather  excrement  blowne  from  the  nosthrills  of  a  rheuma- 
tick  planett)  savours  more  of  the  oratoi$then  the  philosopher, 
a  figurative  locution,  not  a  legitimate  definition :  and  was  I 
suppose  rather  intended  to  putt  a  metaphor  upon  the  rack, 
then  meant  for  a  solid  description  of  it.  Helmonts  conceipt 
is  yet  more  passable,  as  carrying  with  it  a  greater  verisimility ; 
that  it  is  nothing  but  a  frog  resolved  by  the  frost  into  a 
slime.  For  (sayes  hee)  hang  up  a  frog  in  a  frosty  night  jlante 
Borea,  and  it  will  bee  turned  into  a  gelly,  which  were  worth 
our  experiment  if  wee  could  find  a  frog  this  frosty  time,  or 
that  they  were  not  all  retired  to  theire  hybernall  latitancy. 
But  there  are  many  difficulties  attend  this  opinion  not  easily 
extricable  at  the  first  hearing.  For  1.  Neither  is  the  time 
of  the  yeare  when  these  substances  are  found  cold  enough 
nor  frosty.  2.  Neither  is  cold  a  proper  instrument  of  resolu- 
tion since  wee  experimentally  find  that  nothing  does  more 
conduce  to  the  conservation  either  of  fish  or  flesh  :  witnesse 


1569.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  423 

your  Iceland  fish,  which  is  preserved  without  any  salt,  only 
the  humidity  (which  disposes  every  thing  to  putrefaction) 
frozen  up ;  witnesse  the  stories  of  your  Greenland  venison 
killers,  who  affirm e  that  unless  they  presently  embowell  theire 
deere,  and  fill  the  belly  with  snow,  they  will  in  two  houres 
stink  beyond  all  recovery.  It  seemes  the  flesh  and  fat  being 
suddainly  raised  have  not  firmness  or  solidity  enough  to  resist 
the  putrefying  heat  of  the  bowells.  3.  I  have  found  this 
nostoch  in  several  pieces  interspersed  here  and  there :  which 
must  be  affirmed  to  bee  many  frogs  surprised  together  in 
theire  nocturnall  march,  at  the  same  time,  and  by  the  breath 
of  the  same  Boreas,  which  is  not  probable.  4.  I  have  had 
entire  pieces  of  it  as  big  as  two  frogs,  and  upon  some  pieces 
more  bloud  then  can  bee  conceived  in  three  or  foure.  5.  This 
matter  is  not  easily  resoluble :  for  wee  have  exposed  it  foure 
dayes  and  yet  found  some  part  of  it  remaining,  notwithstand- 
ing great  raines  that  fell  during  that  time. 

I  have  oftentimes  mett  with  two  other  entities  which  seeme 
to  bee  of  a  congenerous  substance  with  the  aforenamed 
gellies,  both  of  them  to  bee  found  in  the  salt  water.  One 
is  flat  and  round,  as  broad  as  a  mans  palme,  or  broader, 
and  as  thick  as  the  hand,  cleare  and  transparent,  convex 
on  one  side  and  somewhat  like  the  gibbous  part  of  the 
human  liver,  on  the  other  side  concave  with  a  contrivance 
like  a  knott  in  the  very  middle  thereof,  but  plainly  with  cir- 
cular fibers  about  the  verge  or  edge  of  it  (where  it  is  growne 
thin)  which  suffer  manifest  constriction  and  dilatation,  which 
doe  promote  it's  natation,  which  is  also  perceptible,  and  by 
which  you  may  discerne  it  to  advance  towards  the  shore,  or 
recede  from  it.  About  us  they  are  generally  called  squalders, 
but  are  indeed  evidently  fishes  although  not  described  in  any 
Ichthyology  I  have  yet  mett  with.  •  The  distinction  of  theire 
parts  is  very  obscure ;  yet  the  succus  nutritius  or  alimentall 
liquor,  discoverable  on  the  convex  part  to  run  in  peculiar 
channells,  not  pellusid  but  subflavous,  not  much  vnlike  the 
serum  in  the  lymphceducts;  wee  have  distilled  these  fishes, 
and  find  that  they  come  over  the  helme  in  a  cleare  insipid 
water,  and  no  residence  or  caput  mortuum  but  a  little  sea-salt 
granulated  in  the  bottome  of  the  cucurbites. 


424  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [166$. 

The  other  is  of  a  sphceroidall  figure,  of  the  magnitude  of 
a  sparrow's  egg,  with  both  ends  asqually  obtuse,  handsomely 
chamfered  with  small  ridges  from  pole  to  pole,  like  some  kind 
of  buttons,  (from  whence  they  receive  the  denomination  of 
silver  buttons)  purely  diaphanous,  the  christalline  humour  of 
the  eye  not  exceeding  them  in  translucency.  At  each  pole  is 
a  little  puncture,  which  seemes  to  passe  quite  through.  I 
could  never  attaine  to  the  knowledge  of  these  beings,  or  con- 
jecture to  what  classis  they  are  to  bee  referred,  except  wee 
may  imagine  then  the  ovall  exclusions  of  some  fish. 

Sir,  if  your  leisure  will  at  any  time  give  leave,  and  your  can- 
dor condiscend  to  returne  two  or  three  lines  in  answere  to  this 
imperfect  scriblett,  be  pleased  to  direct  them  to  Mr.  John 
Crooke,  bookseller,  at  the  ship  in  Paules  churchyard,  for  mee 
(by  whom  I  intend  to  send  this  letter  to  the  post).  And  I 
[shall]  either  retaine  these  conjecturall  conceptions,  if  your 
more  accurate  judgment  give  them  a  placet,  or  relinquish  them 
if  they  agree  not  with  your  more  solid  disquisitions.  However 
you  will  thereby  lay  a  high  obligation  upon  one  that  truly  hon- 
ours your  worth,  and  will  encourage  the  poore  enquiries  of 
Sir,  your  most  obliged, 

And  most  affectionate  Servant, 

REUBEN  ROBINSON. 

Maldon,  Decemb.  12th,  1659. 

These  are  lor  my  much  honoured  friend 
Thomas  Browne,  Dr.  of  Physick. 


From  M.  Escaliot  to  Dr.  Broione. 

[ms.  sloan.   1S60,  roL.  5.] 

My  last  I  wrote  to  youe  was  from  abord  the  shipp  Loyall, 
merchant,  then  at  anckor  in  the  Downes,  wich  I  hope 
was  safely  brought  in  to  you,  and  there  in  I  gaue  you  an 
account  of  my  passage  from  Grauesend:  wich  I  shall  re- 
peate  least  that  letter  should  have  miscarried.  The  winde 
had  been  at  east  or  very  neere  for  eighteen  dayes  togather 


1662.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  425 

after  our  shipp  was  ready  to  sayle,  all  wich  tyme  I  was  to  bee 
at  a  dayes  warning  to  goe  abord,  or  elss  to  go  over  land  to 
Deale,  wich  would  have  prooued  a  chargeable  journey.  And 
therefore  continued  in  a  readyness  from  day  to  day  expecting 
a  wind,  vntill  Satturday  Aprill  4th,  on  wich  day  about  noone 
the  winde  began  to  vere  to  the  south,  and  that  night  being 
come  faire  the  ship  fell  downe  from  Eriff  to  Gravesend  and 
came  to  an  anckor.  On  Sunday  I  had  notice  of  her  depar- 
ture to  Grauesend,  and  on  Munday,  the  6th  Aprill,  1663,  I 
tooke  leave  of  my  Lord  Richardson  at  his  lodgings,  and 
about  six  that  night,  after  a  great  storme  of  winde  and  raine, 
wich  I  mett  with  upon  the  Thams,  and  that  soe  violent  as 
forced  vs  in  at  Blackwall,  I  came  on  borde  the  ship,  and 
from  thence  went  a  shoare  to  the  Torre,  where  I  supped, 
and  lay  that  night.  The  next  morninge  about  eight  wee  came 
abord  againe  and  hoysed  sayle  and  came  to  an  anckor  that 
afternoone  about  two.  On  Wedensday  about  nine  in  the 
morning  wee  sett  sayle  againe ;  at  four  afternoone  came  to  an 
anckor.  Thursday  9th  we  weighed  about  four  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  anckord  againe  at  ten;  and  weighed  againe  about 
five  afternoone,  and  at  nine  that  night  cast  anckor,  the  north 
foreland  bearing  from  vs  S.  W.  by  west.  Friday  the  10th, 
about  four  morning,  we  sayled  againe  with  little  winde,  wich 
about  seven  proved  calme  till  three  that  afternoone,  about 
wich  tyme  a  gale  arrising,  wee  sett  sayle,  and  at  five  that 
evening  came  to  anckor  in  the  Downes;  that  night  tooke 
abord  our  fresh  provissions  from  Deale  and  tow  passengers, 
one  of  them  a  Portugall  gentleman,  called  Don  Vasco  de 
Gama,  who  for  killing  a  man  in  a  duel  is  banished  from  his 
country  and  is  now  at  Goa,  where  his  kinsman  is  vice  roye, 
the  other  was  a  Kentish  gentleman,  Mr.  Hardnett,  now  with 
vs  at  Surat.  Saturday  the  11th,  about  seven  in  the  morning, 
wee  being  ready  to  weigh,  there  came  one  with  a  warrant 
from  his  Majestie  to  search  our  ship  for  gold.  He  came 
attended  upon  by  the  lieuetenant  of  Douer  castell,  and  some 
soldiers;  thay  kept  vs  from  weighing  anckor  till  four  after- 
noone, to  the  loss  of  so  many  bowers  as  with  that  gale  wee 
then  inioyed,  would,  by  judgement,  have  set  vs  20  leagues, 
wich  tyme  thay  wholy  spent  in  searching  the  captaines  round- 


426  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [166i'. 

house,  and  opening  all  the  chests  of  treasure  belonging  to  the 
company,  and  carried  away  some  ingotts  of  gold  to  the  value 
of  about  £2000,  wich  notwithstanding  it  was  shipped  of  by 
cocket:  about  five  that  afternoone  we  set  sayle  and  had  good 
weather  all  the  night  and  a  fresh  gale  on  the  13th:  wee  were 
in  the  height  of  the  Lizard  Point  and  that  day  was  my  fare- 
well to  England  for  this  voiage,  I  then  seeing  the  land  about 
six:  or  seven  leagues  of,  with  various  winds  wee  made  the  best 
of  our  voiage  possible  (beeing  much  belated)  and  passed 
without  any  considerable  accident  vntil  wee  were  come  into 
the  Bay  of  Biscay  and  had  elevation  about  44  degrees. 

Thuss  farr  deare  Browne,  I  had  wrote  on  Tuesday  the 
fifth  of  January  about  ten  in  the  morning,  when  on  a  sudden 
a  strong  alarme  was  brought  to  our  house  from  the  towne 
with  news  that  Seua-Gee  Raya,  or  principall  governor,  (for 
such  assume  not  the  name  of  kings  to  them  selues,  but  yet 
endeuor  to  bee  as  absolute  each  in  his  prouince  as  his 
sword  can  make  him,)  was  coming  downe  with  an  army  of  an 
vncertaine  number  upon  Surat,  to  pillage  thecitty,  which  newes 
strook  no  small  consternation  into  the  mindes  of  a  weake  and 
effeminate  people,  in  soe  much  that  on  all  hands  there  was 
nothing  to  be  seene  but  people  flying  for  their  lives  and 
lamenting  the  loss  of  their  estates,  the  richer  sort  whose 
stocke  of  money  was  large  enough  to  purchase  that  favor  at 
the  hands  of  the  gouernor  of  the  castle,  made  that  their  sanc- 
tuary and  abandoned  their  dwellings  to  a  merciless  foe,  wich 
they  might  well  enough  haue  defended  with  the  rest  of  the 
towne  had  thay  had  the  heartes  of  men.  The  same  day  a 
post  corns  in  and  tells  them  that  the  army  was  come  within 
tenne  course  or  English  miles,  and  made  all  hast  forward,  wich 
put  the  cowardly  and  vnfaithful  govenor  of  the  towne  to  send 
a  seruant  to  Sevagee  to  treat  of  some  conditions  of  ransome. 
But  Sevagee  retaines  the  messenger  and  marches  forwards 
with  all  speed,  and  that  night  lodged  his  camp  about  5  miles 
English  from  the  city,  and  the  governor  perceueing  well  that 
this  messenger  returned  not  againe,  and  that  Sevagee  did  not 
intend  to  treat  at  that  distance,  he  craues  admission  into  the 
castle  and  obtaineth  it,  and  soe  deserted  his  towne. 

The  city  of  Surat  is  the  only  port  on  this  side  India,  wich 


166|.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  427 

belongs  to  the  Mogol,  and  stands  upon  a  river  commodious 
enough  to  admitt  vessells  of  1000  tun,  seven  milles  up,  at  wich 
distance  from  the  sea,  there  stands  a  reasonable  strong  castle 
well  manned,  and  haueing  great  store  of  good  guns  mounted 
for  the  securing  of  the  riuer  at  a  conuenient  distance,  on  the 
north  east  and  south  sides  of  this  castle  is  the  citty  of  Surrat 
built  of  a  large  extent  and  very  popelus.  Rich  in  marchan- 
dise,  as  being  the  mart  for  the  great  empire  of  the  Mogol, 
but  ill  contriued  into  narrow  lanes  and  without  any  forme. 
And  for  buildings  consists  partly  of  brick,  soe  the  houses  of 
the  richer  sort  partly  of  wood,  the  maine  posts  of  wich  sort 
only  are  timber,  the  rest  is  built  of  bambooes  (as  they  call 
them)  or  caines,  such  as  those  youe  make  your  angles  at  Nor- 
wich, but  very  large,  and  these  being  tyed  togather  with  the 
cords  made  of  coconutt  rinde,  and  being  dawbed  ouer  with  dirt, 
are  the  walls  of  the  whole  house  and  floors  of  the  upper  story 
of  their  houses.  Now  the  number  of  the  poore  exceedingly 
surmounting  the  number  of  those  of  some  quality,  these  bam- 
boo houses  are  increased  vnmeasurably,  soe  that  in  the  great- 
ter  part  of  the  towne  scarce  tow  or  three  brick  houses  are  to 
bee  seen  in  a  street,  and  in  some  part  of  the  towne  not  one 
for  many  streets  togather ;  those  houses  wich  are  built  of 
bricke  are  vsually  built  strong,  their  walls  of  tow  or  tow  and 
a  half  feet  thicke,  and  the  roofes  of  them  flat  and  couered 
with  a  plaster  like  plaster  of  Paris,  wich  makes  most  comodous 
places  to  take  the  euening  aire  in  the  hotter  seasons;  the 
whole  town  is  unfortified  ether  by  art  or  nature,  its  situation 
is  upon  a  larg  plaine  of  many  miles  extent  and  their  care 
hath  been  so  little  to  secure  it  by  art,  that  they  have  only 
made  against  the  cheefe  auenues  of  the  towne,  some  weake 
and  ill  built  gatts  and  for  the  rest  in  some  parts  a  dry  ditch, 
easely  passable  by  a  footman,  wanting  a  wall  or  other  defence 
on  the  innerside,  the  rest  is  left  soe  open  that  scarce  any  signe 
of  a  dich  is  perceiuable ;  the  people  of  the  towne  are  either 
the  marchants,  and  those  of  all  nations  almost,  as  English, 
Dutch,  Portugalls,  Turkes,  Arabs,  Armenians,  Persians,  Jews, 
Indians,  of  seueral  sorts,  but  principally  Banians,  or  els  Moores 
the  conquerors  of  the  country  Hindues,  or  the  ancient  inha- 
bitants or  Persees,  whoe  are  people  fled  out  of  Persia  ages 


428  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [166f. 

agoe,  and  here  and  some  miles  up  the  country  settled  in  great 
numbers.  The  Banian  is  one  who  thinks  it  the  greatest  wick- 
edness to  kill  any  creature  whatsoever  that  hath  life,  least 
possibly  they  might  bee  the  death  of  their  father  or  relation, 
and  the  Persee  doth  supperstitiously  adore  the  fire  as  his  God, 
and  thinks  it  an  vnpordonable  sin  to  throw  watter  upon  it, 
soe  that  if  a  house  bee  fired  or  their  clothes  upon  their  backs 
burning  thay  will  if  thay  can  hinder  any  man  from  quenching 
it.  The  Moores  ar  troubled  with  none  of  these  superstitions 
but  yet  through  the  unworthy  couetuousness  of  the  gouernour 
of  the  towne  thay  had  noe  body  to  head  them,  nor  none  vnto 
whome  to  joyne  themselves,  and  soe  fled  away  for  company, 
whereas  if  there  had  beene  500  men  trayned,  and  in  a  rea- 
dyness,  as  by  order  from  the  king  there  ever  should,  whose 
pay  the  gouernour  puts  into  his  own  pocket,  the  number  to 
defend  the  citty  would  haue  amounted  to  some  thousands. 
This  was  the  condittion  of  the  citty  at  the  tyme  of  its  inuasion. 
The  inuader  Seva  Gee  is  as  I  haue  said  by  extraction  a 
Rayar  or  a  gouernour  of  a  small  country  on  the  coast  south- 
ward of  Basiue,  and  was  formerly  a  tributary  to  the  King  of 
Vijapore,  but  being  of  an  aspiring  and  ambitious  minde,  sub- 
tile and  withall  a  soldier,  hee  rebells  against  the  king,  and 
partly  by  fraude,  partly  by  force,  partly  by  corruption  of  the 
kings  gouernours  of  the  kings  castles,  seaseth  many  of  them 
into  his  hands.  And  withall  parte  of  a  country  for  wich  the 
King  of  Vijapore  paid  tribute  to  the  Mogul.  His  insolencys 
were  soe  many,  and  his  success  soe  great,  that  the  King  of 
Vijapore  thought  it  high  tyme  to  endeavor  his  suppression, 
or  els  all  would  be  lost.  Hee  raises  his  armies,  but  is  worsted 
soe  euery  where  by  the  rebbell,  that  he  is  forced  to  condi- 
tions to  release  homage  to  Sevagee  of  those  lands  wich  hee 
held  of  him,  and  for  the  rest  Sevagee  was  to  make  good  his 
possession  against  the  Mogol  as  well  as  hee  could,  after  some 
tyme  of  forbearance.  The  Mogol  demands  his  tribute  from 
him  of  Vijapore,  whoe  returns  answer  that  hee  had  not  pos- 
session of  the  tributary  lands,  but  that  they  were  detayned 
from  him  by  his  rebbell  who  was  grown  too  strong  for  him. 
Upon  this  the  Mogol  makes  warr  both  vpon  the  King  of 
Vijapore  and  Seuagee,  but  as  yet  without  any  considerable 


166^.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  429 

success :  many  attempts  have  been  made,  but  still  frusterated 
either  by  the  cuning,  or  vallor,  or  money  of  Seuagee :  but 
now  of  late  Kuttup  Chawn,  an  Umbraw,  who  passed  by 
Surrat  since  I  arriued  with  5000  men,  and  14  elephants,  and 
had  9000  men  more  marched  another  way  towards  their  ran- 
devouz,  as  wee  hear  hath  taken  from  him  a  strong  castle,  and 
some  impression  into  his  country,  to  deuest  wich,  ware  it  is 
probable  he  took  this  resoluetion  for  inuation  of  this  country 
of  Guzurat.  His  person  is  described  by  them  whoe  haue  seen 
him  to  bee  of  meane  stature,  lower  somewhat  then  I  am  erect, 
and  of  an  excellent  proportion.  Actual  in  exercise,  and  when 
euer  hee  speaks  seemes  to  smile  a  quicke  and  peercing  eye, 
and  whiter  then  any  of  his  people.  Hee  is  distrustfull, 
seacret,  subtile,  cruell,  perfidious,  insulting  over  whomsoever 
he  getts  into  his  power.  Absolute  in  his  commands,  and  in 
his  punishments  more  then  severe,  death  or  dismembering 
being  the  punishment  of  every  offence,  if  necessity  require, 
venterous  and  desperate  in  execution  of  his  resolues  as  may 
appeare  by  this  following  instance.  The  King  Vijapore  sends 
downe  his  vnckell  a  most  accomplished  soldier,  with  14000 
men  into  Sevagee's  country :  the  knowne  vallor  and  experience 
of  the  man  made  Seuagee  conclude  that  his  best  way  was  to 
assasinate  him  in  his  owne  armye  by  a  sudden  surprise.  This 
conduct  of  this  attempt,  how  dangerous  soever,  would  haue 
been  vndertaken  by  many  of  his  men  of  whose  conduct  hee 
might  haue  assured  himselfe,  but  it  seemes  he  would  haue 
the  action  wholly  his  own,  hee  therefore  with  400  as  desperate 
as  himselfe  enters  the  army  vndiscovered,  comes  to  the  gene- 
rails  tent,  falls  in  upon  them,  kills  the  guard,  the  generalls 
sonne,  wounds  the  father,  whoe  hardly  escaped,  seiseth  on  his 
daughter  and  carries  her  away  prisoner,  and  forceth  his  way 
backe  through  the  whole  army,  and  returnes  safe  without  any 
considerable  loss,  and  afterward  in  dispight  of  all  the  King 
of  Vijapore  could  do,  hee  tooke  Rajapore,  a  great  port,  plun- 
dered it,  and  seised  our  English  marchants,  Mr.  Rivington, 
Mr.  Taylor,  and  digged  vp  the  English  house  for  treasure, 
and  kept  the  marchants  in  prison  about  8  months. 

Wednesday  the  6th  Janu:  about  eleven  in  the  morning, 
Sevagee   arriued  neere  a  great  garden,  without  the  towne 


430  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [I66f. 

about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  whilst  hee  was  busied  in  pitch- 
ing his  tents,  sent  his  horsmen  into  the  outward  streets  of  the 
towne  to  fire  the  houses,  soe  that  in  less  then  halfe  an  houer 
wee  might  behold  from  the  tops  of  our  house  two  great  pil- 
liers  of  smoke,  the  certaine  signes  of  a  great  dissolation,  and 
soe  they  continued  burning  that  day  and  night,  Thursday, 
Friday  and  Saturday ;  still  new  fires  raised,  and  every  day 
neerer  and  neerer  approaching  our  quarter  of  the  towne,  that 
the  terror  was  great,  I  know  youe  will  eassly  belieue,  and 
upon  his  first  begining  of  his  firing,  the  remainder  of  the  peo- 
ple fled  as  thicke  as  possible,  so  that  on  Thursday  the  streets 
were  almost  empty,  wich  at  other  tymes  are  exceeding  thicke 
with  people,  and  we  the  English  in  our  house,  the  Duch  in 
theirs  and  some  few  marchants  of  Turkey  and  Armenia, 
neighbours  to  our  English  house,  possessed  of  a  Seraw  or 
place  of  reception  for  strangers,  were  left  by  the  gouernor 
and  his  people  to  make  what  shift  we  could  to  secure  ourselves 
from  the  enemys :  this  might  the  English  and  Duch  have 
done,  leaving  the  towne  and  gooing  over  the  riuer  to  Swalley 
to  our  shipps,  which  were  then  riding  in  Swalley  hole,  but  it 
was  thought  more  like  Englishmen  to  make  ourselves  ready 
to  defend  our  liues  and  goods  to  the  uttermost  than  by  a 
flight  to  leaue  mony,  goods,  house,  to  merciless  people,  and 
were  confirmd  in  a  resolution  that  the  Duch  alsoe  determined 
the  same,  though  there  was  no  possibility  of  relieuing  one 
another,  the  Duch  house  beeing  on  the  other  side  of  towne 
almost  an  English  mile  asunder. 

In  order  therfore  to  our  better  defence,  the  president  St. 
George  Oxinden,  a  most  worthy  discreet  courageous  person, 
sent  advice  to  our  ships  at  Swalley  of  our  condition,  with  his 
desires  to  the  Captains  to  spare  him  out  of  their  ships  what 
men  they  could,  and  wee  in  the  meane  tyme  endeavoured  to 
fitt  our  house  soe  well  as  wee  could,  sending  out  for  what 
quantity  of  prouision  of  victualls,  watter  and  pouder  we  could 
gett,  of  wich  wee  gott  a  competent  store.  Tow  brass  guns 
we  procured  that  day  from  a  marchant  in  towne,  of  about 
three  hundred  weight  a  piece,  and  with  old  ship  carriages 
mounted  them,  and  made  ports  in  our  great  gate  for  them  to 
play  out  of  to   scoure  a  shorte  passage  to  our  house;  that 


I66|.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  431 

afternoone  we  sent  aboard  a  ship  in  the  riuer  for  guns  and 
had  tow  of  about  six  hundred  a  piece  sent  up  in  next  morn- 
ing with  shott  conuenient ;  some  are  sett  to  melt  lead  and 
make  bullets,  others  with  chezels  to  cutt  lead  into  slugs,  no 
hand  idle  but  all  imployed  to  strengthen  every  place  as  tyme 
would  give  leaue  to  the  best  advantage.  On  Weddensday  men 
arriued  to  the  number  of  forty  odd,  and  bring  with  them  tow 
brass  guns  more,  our  four  smaller  guns  are  then  carried  vp 
to  the  tope  of  the  house  and  three  of  them  planted  to  scoure 
two  greet  streets,  the  four  was  bent  vpon  a  rich  churles  house 
(Stogee  Said  Beeg  of  whom  more  by  and  by)  because  it  was 
equally  of  hight  and  being  posesed  by  the  enemy  might  haue 
beene  dangerous  to  our  house ;  Captaines  are  appointed  and 
every  man  quartered  and  order  taken  for  relieuing  one  an- 
other vpon  necessity  ;  a  fresh  recrute  of  men  coming  of  about 
twenty  more,  wee  than  began  to  consider  what  houses  neere 
vs  might  bee  most  prejudiciall ;  and  on  one  side  wee  tooke  pos- 
session of  pagod,  or  Banian  idol  temple,  which  was  just  vnder 
our  house,  wich  hauing  taken  wee  were  much  more  secured 
on  that  quarter ;  on  the  other  a  Morish  Mesecte  where  seuerall 
people  were  harboured,  and  had  windowes  into  our  outward 
yard,  was  thought  good  to  bee  cleared  and  shutt  vpp,  wich 
accordingly  done  by  a  party,  all  the  people  sent  to  seeke  some 
other  place  to  harbour  in.  Things  being  thus  reasonably  well 
prepared,  newes  is  brought  vs  that  Mr.  Anthony  Smith,  a  ser- 
vant of  the  companyes,  one  whoe  hath  been  cheife  in  severall 
factoryes,  was  taken  prisoner  by  Seuagee  soulderiers  as  he 
came  ashore  neere  the  Duch  house,  and  was  comeing  to  the 
English, — an  vnfortunate  accedent  wich  made  vs  all  much  con- 
cerned, knowing  Seuagee  cruelty,  and  indeed  gaue  him  ouer 
as  quite  lost:  bee  obtaines  leaue  some  few  houers  after  to  send 
a  note  to  the  president,  wherin  hee  aquants  him  with  his  con- 
dition, that  hee  being  brought  before  Sevagee  hee  was  asked 
what  hee  was  and  suchlike  questions,  and  att  last  by  Sevagee 
told  that  he  was  not  come  to  doe  any  personall  hurte  to  the 
English  or  other  marchants,  but  only  to  revenge  him  selfe  of 
Groin  Zeb,  (the  great  Mogol)  because  hee  had  invaded  his 
counttry,  had  killd  some  of  his  relations,  and  that  hee  would 
only  have  the  English  and  Duch  give  him  some  treasure  and 


432  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1GG^. 

hee  would  not  medle  with  their  houses,  else  hee  would  doe 
them  all  mischeefe  possible.  Mr.  Smith  desired  him  to  send  a 
guard  with  him  to  the  English  house  least  hee  should  finde 
any  mollestation  from  his  men,  but  hee  answers  as  yet  hee 
must  not  goe  away,  but  comands  him  to  bee  carried  to  the 
rest  of  the  marchants,  where,  when  hee  came,  hee  found  the 
embassador  from  the  great  king  of  Ethiopia  vnto  Oram  Zeb 
prisoner,  and  pinioned  with  a  great  number  Banians,  and 
others  in  the  same  condition :  hauing  set  there  some  tyme, 
about  halfe  an  bower,  hee  is  seised  vpon  by  a  cupple  of  black 
rogges,  and  pinioned  in  that  extremety  that  hee  hath  brought 
away  the  marke  in  his  armes  with  him ;  this  what  hee  writt 
and  part  of  what  he  related  when  wee  gott  him  againe.  The 
president  by  the  messenger  one  of  Sevagee  men,  as  we  ima- 
gined, returned  answer  that  hee  wounderd  at  him,  that  pro- 
fessing peace  hee  should  detaine  an  English  man  prissoner, 
and  that  if  he  would  send  him  home,  and  not  to  suffer  his 
people  to  come  so  neere  his  house  as  to  give  cause  of  suspi- 
tion,  hee  would  hurt  none  of  his  men,  other  wayes  hee  was 
vpon  his  owne  defence  upon  these  tearmes ;  wee  were  all 
Wedensday  and  vntil  Thursday  about  tow  at  afternoon,  when 
perceiueing  tops  of  lances  on  the  other  side  of  a  neighbour 
house,  and  haueing  called  to  the  men  to  depart  and  not  come 
so  neere  vs,  but  thay  not  stirring  and  intending  as  wee  con- 
cluded to  sett  fier  to  the  house,  on  the  quarter  whereby  our 
house  would  have  been  in  most  eminent  danger  of  being 
fiered  alsoe,  the  president  comanded  twenty  men  vnder  the 
comand  of  Mr.  Garrard  Aungier,  brother  to  my  lord  Aungier, 
to  sally  forth  vpon  them,  and  another  party  of  about  soe  many 
more  to  make  good  their  retreate,  they  did  soe,  and  when 
thay  facd  them,  judgd  them  to  bee  about  twenty-five  horsmen 
well  mounted,  they  discharged  at  them  and  wounded  one  man 
and  one  horse,  the  rest  fac'd  about  and  fled  but  made  a  shift 
to  carry  off  their  wounded  man,  but  the  horse  fell,  haueing 
gone  a  little  way;  what  became  of  the  wounded  man  we  can- 
not tell,  but  Mr.  Smith  saw  him  brought  into  the  armey  upon 
mens  shoulders  and  shewed  there  to  Sevagee  ;  tow  of  our  men 
were  hurt,  one  shott  slightly  into  the  legg  with  an  arrow,  the 
other  rashly  parting  from  the  rest  and  runing  on  before  was 


16G|.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  433 

cutt  deep  ouer  the  shoulder,  but  thanks  to  God  in  a  faire 
way  of  recovery. 

On  Wedensday  afternoone  a  party  of  the  enemy  came 
downe  to  Hogee  Said  Begs  house,  hee  then  in  the  castle,  one 
of  a  prodigous  estate,  and  brake  open  the  vndefended  doores, 
and  ther  continued  all  that  night  long  and  till  next  day,  that 
we  sallyed  out  vpon  their  men  on  the  other  quarter  of  our 
house,  they  appeared  by  tow  or  three  at  a  tyme  vpon  the  tope 
of  his  house,  to  spye  what  preparations  wee  made,  but  as  yet 
had  no  order  to  fier  vpon  them,  we  heard  them  all  night  long 
beating  and  breaking  open  chests  and  doores,  with  great 
maules,  but  were  not  much  concerned  for  him,  for  had  the 
wretch  had  soe  much  heart  as  to  have  stood  vpon  his  guard, 
the  20  part  of  what  they  tooke  from  him,  would  have  hiered 
soe  many  men  as  would  haue  secured  all  the  rest ;  when  they 
heard  that  wee  wear  abroad  in  the  streets  thay  imediatly  in 
hast  deserted  the  house,  and  that  as  it  afterwards  appeared, 
in  such  hast  as  to  leave  tow  baggs  of  mony  dropt  downe 
behind  them,  yet  with  intention  as  they  told  the  people  they 
mett  (such  poore  wretches  as  had  nothing  to  loose  and  knew 
not  whether  to  flye)  to  returne  next  day  [to]  fier  the  house,  but 
that  was  prevented.  On  Friday  morning,  the  president  sent 
vnto  the  castle  to  Hogee  Said  Beg  to  know  whether  he  would 
permitt  him  to  take  possession  of  and  secure  a  great  com- 
pany of  warehouses  of  his  adjoyneing  to  our  house,  and  wich 
would  bee  of  great  consequence  to  preserve  both  his  goods 
and  our  house,  hee  testified  his  willingness,  and  immediately 
from  the  tope  of  our  house  by  help  of  a  ladder  we  entred  it, 
and  haueing  found  the  enemie,  haueing  beene  all  Wedens- 
day afternoon  and  night  till  past  Thursday  noone  plundering 
the  great  house,  had  likewise  entered  and  begun  to  plunder 
his  first  warehouse,  but  were  scard  and  that  little  hurt  was 
done,  they  had  time  to  carry  nothing  that  is  yet  knowne  of, 
and  only  broken  open  certaine  vessells  of  quickesilver,  which 
there  lay  spilt  about  the  warehouse  in  great  quantetye ;  wee 
locked  it  vp  and  put  a  guard  in  the  roome  next  the  street, 
wich  through  help  of  a  belcoone  secured  by  thicke  planks 
tyed  to  the  belcoone  pillers,  soe  close  on  to  another  as  no 
more  space  was  left  but  for  a  muskett  to  play  out,  was 
VOL.  i.  2  F 


434  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1GG^. 

so  secured  as  no  approach  could  bee  made  againe  to  the 
doore  of  his  great  house  or  any  passage  to  the  warehouse, 
but  what  must  come  vnder  dainger  of  our  shott.  In  the 
afternoone  on  Friday,  Sevagee  sends  Mr.  Smith  as  his  mes- 
senger to  our  house  with  propositions  and  threats,  haueing 
first  made  him  oblige  himselfe  to  returne,  and  with  all  oblig- 
ing himselfe  when  he  did  returne,  that  hee  would  doe  him 
noe  hurt,  what  soeuer  mesage  hee  should  bring,  his  message 
was  to  send  him  3  lacks  of  rupees  ;  (every  lack  is  100,000, 
and  every  rupee  is  worth  2s.  3d.)  or  elss  let  his  men  freely 
to  doe  their  pleasure  to  Hogee  Said  Begs  house,  if  not  threat- 
ening to  come  and  force  vs,  and  vowed  to  kill  euery  person 
in  the  house,  and  to  dig  vp  the  houses  foundation.  To  this 
it  was  answered  by  the  messenger  that  came  with  Mr.  Smith, 
that  as  for  his  tow  propositions  he  desired  tyme  to  mak  answer 
to  them  till  the  morrow,  they  being  of  soe  great  moment,  and 
as  for  Mr.  Smith  that  hee  would  and  did  keep  him  by  force, 
and  hee  should  not  returne  till  than,  when  if  hee  could  con- 
sent to  either  proposition  hee  would  send  him.  Mr.  Smith 
being  thus  returned  to  vs,  youe  may  bee  sure  each  man  was 
inquisitive  to  know  news  ;  whoe  told  vs  for  their  number,  they 
did  giue  themselues  out  to  bee  10,000,  and  they  were  now  at 
least  a  very  considerable  armey,  since  the  coming  of  tow 
rayers  with  their  men  whose  names  hee  knew  not :  that  their 
horse  were  very  good,  and  soe  indeed,  those  wich  we  saw 
were :  that  when  hee  came  away,  hee  could  not  guess  by  the 
mony  heaped  vp  in  tow  great  heapes  before  Sevagee  his  tent, 
than  that  he  had  plundered  20  or  25  lack  of  rup.  that  the 
day  when  hee  came  away  in  the  morning,  there  was  brought 
in  neere  vpon  300  porters  laden  each  with  tow  baggs  of  rupees, 
and  some  hee  guessed  to  bee  gold,  that  thay  brought  in  28 
sere  of  large  pearle,  with  many  other  jewels,  great  diamonds, 
rubies,  and  emeralds,  (40  sere  make  37  pound  weight)  and 
these  with  an  increedable  quantety  of  mony,  they  found  at 
the  house  of  the  reputed  richest  marchant  in  the  world,  his 
name  is  Verge  Vora,  his  estate  haueing  beene  esteemed  to 
bee  80  lack  of  rup. 

That  they  were  still  every  hower,  while  hee  was  there, 
bringing  in  loods  of  mony  from  his  house ;  his  desire  of  mony 


16G_5.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  435 

is  soe  great,  that  he  spares  noe  barbours  cruelty  to  extort 
confessions  from  his  prisoners,  whip  them  most  cruely,  threat- 
ens death,  and  often  executeth  it,  [if]  thay  doe  not  produce 
soe  much  as  hee  thinks  they  may,  or  desires  they  should,  at 
least  cutts  of  one  hand,  some  tymes  both;  a  very  great  many 
there  were,  who  hearing  of  his  coming  went  forth  to  him, 
thinking  to  fare  the  better,  but  found  there  fault  to  there  cost; 
as  one  whoe  come  to  our  house  for  cure,  hee  went  forth  to 
meete  him  and  told  him  he  was  come  from  about  Agra  with 
cloth,  and  had  brought  40  oxen  loaded  with  it,  and  that  hee 
came  to  present  him  with  it  all,  or  elss  what  part  hee  should 
please  to  command.  Sevagee  asked  him  if  he  had  no  mony, 
hee  answered  that  he  had  not  as  yet  sold  any  cloth  since  hee 
came  to  towne,  and  that  he  had  no  mony :  the  villaine  made 
his  right  hand  to  bee  cutt  of  imecliately,  and  than  bid  him 
begone,  he  had  noe  need  of  his  cloth;  the  poore  old  man 
returns,  findes  his  cloth  burnt,  and  himselfe  destetute  of  other 
harbor,  comes  to  the  English  house  where  hee  is  dresed  and 
fed. 

But  to  proceed,  Mr.  Smith  farther  tells  vs,  that  on  Thurs- 
day their  came  a  young  fellow  with  some  condition  from  the 
govenor,  wich  pleased  Sevagee  not  at  all,  soe  that  hee  asked 
the  fellow  whether  his  marster,  being  now  by  him  cooped  up 
in  his  chamber,  thought  him  a  woman  to  accept  such  condi- 
tions. The  fellow  imediately  returns,  "and  we  are  not  women ; 
I  have  somewhat  more  to  say  to  youe  ;"  drawes  his  dagger,  and 
runs  full  at  Sevagee  breast ;  a  fellow  that  stood  by  with  a 
sword  redy  drawne,  strikes  between  him  and  Sevagee,  and 
strikes  his  hand  almost  of,  soe  that  [it]  hung  but  by  a  pece 
of  flesh;  the  fellow  haueing  made  his  thrust  at  Sevagee  with 
all  his  might,  did  not  stop,  but  ran  his  bloody  stumpp  against 
Sevagee  breast,  and  with  force  both  Sevagee  and  hee  fell 
together,  the  blood  being  seen  upon  Sevagee  the  noise  run 
through  the  camp  that  hee  was  killed,  and  the  crye  went,  kill 
the  prisoners,  where  upon  some  were  miserably  hacked ;  but 
Sevagee  haueing  quitted  himselfe,  and  hee  that  stood  by  haue- 
ing clouen  the  fellows  scull,  comand  was  given  to  stay  the 
execution,  and  to  bring  the  prisoners  before  him,  wich  was 
imediately  done,    and    Sevagee  according  as  it  came  in  his 

2  F  2 


436  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [166|. 

minde  caused  them  to  cutt  of  this  mans  head,  that  mans  right 
hand,  both  the  hands  of  a  third.  It  comes  to  Mr.  Smith 
turne,  and  his  right  hand  being  comanded  to  bee  cutt  of,  hee 
cryed  out  in  Indostan  to  Sevagee,  rather  to  cutt  of  his  head, 
vnto  wich  end  his  hatt  was  taken  of,  but  Sevagee  stopt  execu- 
tion and  soe  praised  be  God  hee  escaped. 

There  were  than  about  four  heads  and  24  hands  cutt  of 
after  that  Mr.  Smith  was  come  away,  and  retayned  by  the 
president,  and  they  heard  the  answer  hee  sends  the  embas- 
sador of  Ethiopea,  whome  hee  had  sett  free  upon  delivery  of 
12  horses  and  some  other  things,  sent  by  his  king  to  Oron 
Zeb,  to  tell  the  English  that  hee  did  intend  to  visitt  vs, 
and  to  raise  the  house  and  kill  every  man  of  vs. 

The  president  resolutly  answers  that  we  were  redy  for  him 
and  resolued  not  to  stire,  but  let  him  come  when  hee  pleased, 
and  since  hee  had  as  hee  saicle  resolued  to  come,  hee  bid  him 
come  one  pore,  that  is  about  the  tyme  of  a  watch,  sooner  than 
hee  intended.  With  this  answer  the  ambassador  went  his  way, 
and  wee  heard  no  farther  from  him  any  more  but  in  the  ter- 
rible noise  of  the  fier  and  the  hideous  smoke  wich  wee  saw, 
but  by  Gods  mercy  came  not  soe  neere  vs  as  to  take  hold  of 
vs,  ever  blessed  be  his  name.  Thursday  and  Friday  nights 
were  the  most  terrible  nights  for  fier :  on  Friday  after  hee  had 
ransaked  and  dug  vp  Vege  Voras  house,  hee  fiered  it  and  a 
great  vast  number  more  towards  the  Dutch  house,  a  fier  soe 
great  as  turnd  the  night  into  day ;  as  before  the  smoke  in  the 
day  tyme  had  almost  turnd  day  into  night ;  rising  soe  thicke 
as  it  darkened  the  sun  like  a  great  cloud.  On  Sunday  morn- 
ing about  10  a  clocke  as  thay  tell  vs  hee  went  his  way.  And 
that  night  lay  six  courss  of,  and  next  day  at  noone  was  passed 
over  Brooch  river,  there  is  a  credable  information  that  he 
hath  shipt  his  treasure  to  carry  into  his  own  country,  and  Sr 
George  Oxenden  hath  sent  a  fregate  to  see  if  hee  can  light 
of  them,  wich  God  grant.  Wee  kept  our  watch  still  till 
Tuesday. 

I  had  forgote  to  writte  you  the  manner  of  their  cutting  of 
mens  hands,  which  was  thuss  ;  the  person  to  suffer  is  pinioned 
as  streight  as  possibly  they  can,  and  then  when  the  nod  is 
giuen,  a  soldier  come  with  a  whitle  or  blunt  knife  and  throws 


166|.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  437 

the  poore  patient  downe  vpon  his  face,  than  draws  his  hand 
backwards  and  setts  his  knee  upon  the  prisoners  backe,  and 
begins  to  hacke  and  cutt  on  one  side  and  other  about  the 
wrest,  in  the  meane  tyme  the  poore  man  roareth  exceedingly, 
kicking  and  bitting  the  ground  for  very  anguish,  when  the 
villiane  perceiues  the  bone  to  bee  laid  bare  on  all  sides,  hee 
setteth  the  wrest  to  his  knee  and  giuesit  a  snap  and  proceeds 
till  he  hath  hacked  the  hand  quite  of,  which  done  thay  force 
him  to  rise,  and  make  him  run  soe  long  till  through  paine  and 
loss  of  blood  he  falls  downe,  they  then  vnpinion  him  and  the 
blood  stops. 

I  now  proceede  in  my  relation  of  our  voyage.  I  told  youe 
last  that  wee  met  with  noe  considerable  accedent  from  the 
tyme  of  our  departure  from  the  lands  end  till  wee  were  come 
to  lat.  44  degrees  N.  where  vpon  the  9th  of  April,  easterday, 
early  in  the  morninge  wee  sprang  our  maine  topmast,  (to 
speake  in  the  sea  phrase)  that  is,  by  force  of  wind  our  top- 
mast split  a  little  above  the  capp  wich  sustaines  him,  we  made 
a  shift  by  lowering  him  about  a  yarde  into  the  capp,  and 
woulding  or  binding  him  with  a  strong  rope  to  the  head  of 
the  maine  mast,  to  make  the  mast  screw  till  wee  gott  into  a 
calmer  sea  then  the  troublesome  and  daingerous  bay  of  Bis- 
cay ;  at  eight  that  night  wee  had  a  very  great  storme  with 
suddan  gusts  lightening  and  raine,  soe  that  all  that  night  wee 
were  faine  to  saile  only  with  our  low  sayles.  Munday  the  27th 
wee  had  faire  wether  and_,  got  up  a  new  topmast  and  about 
four  afternoone  wee  came  up  and  spake  with  Captaine  Parker, 
a  ship  belonging  to  the  royall  company  and  bound  for  Sera- 
lone  in  Guinea,  whoe  next  day  came  abord  vs  with  his  mar- 
chant  and  staied  late.  That  day  wee  discouered  the  He  Sancto 
about  eight  or  nine  leagues  from  vs,  and  about  seven  that 
night  discouered  the  Madera  Island.  Satturday  May  the  2nd 
wee  made  the  Island  of  Palme,  some  eleven  or  twelve  leauges 
of,  and  that  night  wee  saw  the  Island  Terro  bearing  S.  about 
13  or  14  leauges  distant,  with  wich  wee  bore  vp  till  midnight, 
but  fearing  we  should  not  bee  able  to  weather  the  Island  at 
midnight,  wee  tacked  and  lay  N.  W.  and  next  day  Sunday, 
at  noone  we  were  vnder  the  Island,  and  passed  between  that 
Gomera;  Captaine  Parker  sent  his  boat  on  shore  to  Terro  for 


438  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1G6|. 

wine  and  provision,  and  there  wee  lost  his  company,  hee  not 
being  able  againe  to  fetch  vs  vp  :  for  these  two  days  togather 
wee  haue  seene  the  Peake  of  Tenerif,  and  on  Munday  morning 
I  saw  the  top  of  it  farr  aboue  the  clouds,  and  by  estimation 
was  from  it  34  leauges  or  102  miles.  Wedensday  6th,  about 
four  in  the  morning,  wee  passed  vnder  the  tropick  of  Cancer, 
and  tow  dayes  after  had  the  [sun]  in  our  zenith.  Thursday 
the  14th  being  in  lat.  N.  eight  degrees  23,  and  being  in  expect- 
ation of  the  turnados  and  raines,  in  the  afternoone  wee  had 
our  first  shower  of  stinking  raine  very  violent,  after  wich  wee 
lay  almost  beecalmd,  and  about  seven  that  night,  our  calme 
in  an  instant  almost  was  turnd  into  a  strong  gust  of  wind 
and  a  violent  raine,  which  came  soe  suddanly  vpon  vs  that  wee 
were  not  able,  before  it  ouertooke  vs,  to  gett  in  our  sayles, 
and  was  soe  violent  that  our  men  were  faine  to  labor  hard  in 
the  midst  of  the  storme  to  gitt  them  in,  had  they  been  let 
standing  till  the  violence  of  the  storme,  they  would  vndoubt- 
edly  haue  beene  blowne  away,  but  God  be  thanked,  wee 
saued  them  and  soe  went  on  without  any  saile  abord  but  the 
main  saile. 

These  turnados  are  a  strange  meeting  together  of  winds, 
and  soe  vncertaine  that  you  shall  in  the  space  of  one  hower, 
have  the  wind  blow  in  all  quarters  of  the  heaven,  but  wee  had 
(praised  bee  God)  a  quick  passage  through  them,  and  in  the 
beginning  of  June  we  crossed  the  line  ;  the  14th  of  June  wee 
met  at  sea  with  the  Shipp  Coast  fregat,  commanded  by  Cap- 
taine  Risby,  bound  for  Bantam,  wee  had  then  south  lat.  16 
degrees.  The  next  day  wee  had  their  Capt.  and  some  of 
their  marchants  abord  vs ;  wee  indured  a  troublesome  sea  for 
many  dayes  together,  and  when  we  came  within  some  hun- 
dreds of  leagues  of  the  Cape,  I  then  saw  the  workes  of  the 
Lord  and  his  wounders  in  the  deepe,  our  fellow  ship  not  aboue 
halfe  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  vs  vpon  rise  of  euery  waue, 
was  hid  from  our  sight,  not  only  her  hull  but  her  topmasts, 
and  with  such  weather  wee  passed  many  dayes,  cold  raine  and 
stormes  that  scarce  could  wee  stirr  for  cold  in  the  morning, 
or  stand  because  [of]  the  rowling  of  the  ship  all  the  day  long, 
but  at  last,  after  much  beating  about,  and  being  driven  from 
39  degrees  S.  lattitude  into  314,  wee  passed  about  mid.  July 


^^5"]        MISCELLANEOUS  CORRESPONDENCE.  439 

the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  but  neither  made  the  land  nor  struck 
ground  with  120  faithome  line;  we  passed  by  St.  Lawerence, 
and  standing  of  somewhat  too  much  (for  fear  of  St.  John's 
Illand,)  towards  the  African  coast  wee  were  there  becalmd 
six  or  seven  dayes,  scarce  makeing  aboue  five  miles,  some- 
times nothing  at  all  in  a  day  of  our  way ;  aboue  30  men  sicke 
of  the  scurvey,  and  other  distempers,  and  our  fresh  prouision 
growing  short,  wee  began  to  long  for  land  to  refresh  in,  wich 
by  Gods  mercy,  on  the  17th  of  August  five  in  the  morning 
was  discouered  ;  wee  then  found  ourselves  about  four  leauges 
distant  from  the  Illand  Mohelia,  and  all  that  day  stood  vp  for 
Johanna  where  is  good  refreshment  to  bee  gotten,  and  better 
ancorage  for  our  ship ;  that  night  about  sun  goe  downe,  wee 
passed  the  southerly  pointe  of  the  island,  and  the  next  morn- 
ing at  11  we  were  at  anckor  in  17  fathom  watter,  about  three 
leauges  distant  from  the  pointe  of  the  illand  in  a  very  good 
road.  Till  our  sails  were  all  firlld  noe  boat  would  stirr  from 
the  shore,  but  as  soon  as  they  perceiued  our  anckors  downe, 
the  natiues  came  abord  vs  in  there  canoos,  and  brought  vs 
coco  nuts,  lemons,  oranges  of  severall  sorts,  the  best  that  euer 
I  eat,  and  a  sort  of  wich  I  believe  none  in  Europe  soe  plea- 
sant, as  I  tasted  nothing  almost  with  equall  satisfaction;  these 
with  plantaines  and  other  sorts  of  fruits  wee  bought  of  them 
for  small  pieces  of  cloth.  And  an  old  shirt  scarce  worth 
sixpence  would  haue  purchased  as  much  as  would  haue  loaded 
a  man,  wee  afterwards  bought  of  them  beefs  at  tow  dollars 
a  head,  goats  as  good  as  any  fallow  deere  at  f ,  others  at 
one  dollar  a  head,  wee  tooke  in  wood,  watter  and  refreshed 
ourselves  in  six  dayes  tyme  and  departed,  but  above  all  I  did 
admire  at  one  thing,  that  our  sick  men  whoe  were  before  most 
of  them  soe  feeble,  that  they  could  not  stand  alone,  some 
bowed  togather  in  a  most  hideous  manner,  and  expected  death 
houerly,  were  in  four  dayes  tyme  soe  recouered  with  the  aire 
and  by  the  fresh  prouisions,  that  noe  one  of  them  but  was 
able  to  goe  aboute  the  afares  of  the  ship,  tho'  not  fully  re- 
couered, yet  able  to  doe  some  what  towards  the  ships  imploy- 
ments;  for  16  dayes  after  our  setting  sayle'we  scarce  handed 
a  saile,  but  went  on  with  a  prosperous  gale  120,  130,  and 
sometymes  140  mile  in  24  houers,  and  vpon  the  23rd  of  Sept. 


440  MISCELLANEOUS  CORRESPONDENCE. 

wee  made  St.  Johns  point  vpon  the  coast  of  India  :  vpon  the 
25th  of  Sept.  we  were  at  Barr  foote,  and  at  night  about  six 
a  clocke  wee  were  at  anckor  in  Swalley  hole,  for  wich  our 
safe  passage  Gods  holy  name  bee  praised.  The  28th,  St. 
George  Oxenden,  the  president  of  India,  and  his  councell  Mr. 
Goodier,  Mr.  Gary,  and  Mr.  Aungier,  came  downe  to  the 
watter  side  and  receiued  our  captaine  and  my  selfe  with  great 
kindness,  and  testefied  their  gladness  to  receiue  mee,  one  re- 
comended  to  them,  by  their  friends  in  England  soe  afection- 
ately,  and  promised  their  vttmost  fauoers  vpon  all  occasions ; 
and  this  Bro.  I  haue  found  fully  veryfied,  the  countenance, 
fauor  and  respecte  from  these  persons,  and  from  the  whole 
factory  now  after  these  monthes  experience  of  them  I  can- 
not easly  express,  soe  that  for  my  present  condition  of  life 
you  may  asure  your  selfe  tis  in  all  plenty  as  to  necessaries, 
with  a  happy  contentment ;  the  aire  I  find  to  agree  well  with 
mee,  and  I  haue  my  health  very  well  and  haue  had  it  euer  since 
I  left  England  [better]  then  I  had  it  there  ;  I  was  not  so  much 
as  sea  sicke  all  the  voyage,  and  at  land  but  for  one  day  was 
a  little  feuerish.  I  hope  God  will  continue  his  mercyes  to 
me  and  prolong  my  life  to  see  you  againe,  I  shall  not  enlarge 
my  selfe  vpon  the  condition  of  the  country,  the  discription  of 
the  maners,  customs,  &c.  of  the  people,  it  would  swell  a  letter 
into  a  booke,  and  by  the  next  better  information  then  yet  I 
haue  had,  and  more  leisure  then  now  I  haue,  will  give  mee 
incouragement  to  send  you  a  full  account  of  many  particulars 
I  now  wholy  omitt. 

Surat,  Jan.  26:   166|. 

"  Part  of  another  Letter  from  Mr.  Escaliot,  my  wor- 
thy louing  friend."     (Sir  T.  B.  wrote  this  note.) 


Fragment  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Escaillot  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[ms.  rawl.  lviii.  10.] 

The  swelling  of  the  waters  at  sett  seasons  is  not  proper 
vnto  iEgypt,  butt  incedent  vnto  all  the  great  riuers  as  far  as 
I  can  learne,  wich  rise  and  runne  a  long  cours  between  or 


MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  44-1 

neere  vnto  the  tropicks.  Indus  as  I  have  been  informed  by  a 
person  who  liued  many  years  at  Tutta,  vpon  its  bancks,  con- 
stantly swells  and  overfloweth  the  country,  and  its  swelling 
beginns  before  they  haue  any  considerable  raynes  neere  the 
moath  of  the  riuer,  where  by  the  way  you  may  take  notice  of 
an  error  in  seuerall  of  the  ordinarie  mappes ;  placing  the  riuer 
Indus  upon  the  northern  part  of  Cambaiah,  and  bounding  it, 
whereas  it  lyeth  more  to  [...?]  by  many  leagues,  and  enters  the 
sea,  lat.  24  degrees  or  thereabouts.  The  riuer  of  Cambaiah, 
entring  into  the  bay  so  called  in  22  degrees.  The  riuer  Gan- 
ges wich  passeth  by  the  citty  of  Siam,  more  truly  called  Odia, 
the  great  riuers  that  disembogue  into  the  bay  of  Bengala, 
the  riuers  of  Cochin  China  are  also  sayd  to  ouerflowe  their 
countries  before  they  are  swelled  by  any  raynes,  in  the  coun- 
tries falling  neere  their  mouths.  The  reason  of  raines  heere 
along  the  coast  of  India  is  when  the  sunne  hath  passed  the 
zenith  towards  the  northerne  tropick,  I  meane  then  they 
begin  to  fall,  so  I  found  it  at  Johanna,  first  an  island  in  12 
degrees  of  south  latitude,  when  I  required  of  them  there 
how  long  their  raynes  had  been  past,  they  answered  three 
moones,  this  was  the  later  end  of  August,  discounting  those 
three  moones  and  about  three  more  for  the  continuance  of 
their  raynes,  and  it  will  give  the  later  end  of  Februarie,  about 
wich  time  the  sunne  was  somewhat  passed  their  zenith  north- 
ward, and  this  rule  holds  in  all  the  Indian  islands,  called  the 
Malclues,  and  along  up  the  coast  from  Cape  Comarin  vnto 
Surat  and  kingdom  of  Cambaiah. 

March,  April  and  May,  are  exceeding  hot ;  no  sooner  almost 
is  the  sunne  passed  our  zenith,  butt  the  face  of  the  skie  is 
altered  with  us,  the  heavens  wich  for  three  moneths  before 
have  not  been  hid  by  a  cloud,  now  beginne  to  bee  ouercast, 
and  our  ayre  is  cooled  by  those  showers  which  the  thirstie 
earth  gapeth  for.  The  first  showers  come  vsually  from  some 
poynt  between  east  and  south-east,  and  with  violence  of 
wind  and  thunder,  and  after  some  dayes  the  wind  stands 
continually  south  or  toward  south,  to  some  poynts  until  the 
beginning  of  September ;  by  these  raynes  all  things  grow 
fruitful.  'The  tantks  or  spacious  receptacles  of  water  are  fil- 
led, which  afterwards  seme  both  men  and  beasts  in  many 


442  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1668. 

places  the  ensuing  year ;  by  reason  of  the  abundant  fall  of 
raynes  alone  in  the  country,  wee  have  sudden  great  fresh 
floods  come  downe  upon  us,  and  I  haue  seen  the  waters  in 
one  night's  time  raysed  aboue  12  foote  perpendicular,  and  in 
tow  daye's  time  all  the  waters  gone  from  us  into  their  origi- 
nall,  the  ocean.  Had  wee  no  raynes  at  all,  or  very  rarely  as 
in  /Egypte,  that  the  country  aboue  us  were  inaccessible  vnto 
us,  and  wee  ignorant  of  the  constant  fall  of  raynes  aboue  at 
a  sett  season,  these  ouerflowings  would  bee  no  lesse  wonder- 
full  vnto  us  then  those  of  Nilus  were  anciently  vnto  the  world. 
Kingdome  of  Cambaiah.  The  breaking  up  of  this  sou- 
therly monson  so  called,  heere  brings  freequently  much  sick- 
nesse  for  about  a  moneth  or  six  weekes  ;  a  yeare  since  25  of 
our  English  heere  not  aboue  tow  escaped  a  sicknesse,  yet  it 
proued  mortall  to  none;  butt  the  Banyans'  burning  place 
was  scarce  day  or  night  without  2  or  o  bodies  frying  upon 
their  seuerall  piles.  And  the  Persees  made  a  continuall  feast 
for  the  vultures  ;  the  rest  of  the  yeare  from  Nouember  to 
March,  is  a  wholesome  season  notwithstanding  the  sudden 
changes  of  the  ayre  from  cold  to  heat.  Heere  I  haue  felt 
winter  and  summer  in  one  day,  in  the  morning,  during  the 
time  of  those  moneths,  I  am  cloathed  warmer  then  I  vsed  to 
bee  in  the  winters  of  England,  and  before  noone  I  am  slipped 
into  a  thinne  calico  wastcoat,  and  find  it  hard  to  endure  it. 

"  This  is  the  account  of  Mr.  L'Escaillot,  minister  in  Norwich,  my  louing  friend, 
who  dyed  in  the  Indies,  and  so  I  lost  the  antiquities  and  varities  which  hee  had 
obtained  for  mee." 

[The  whole  of  the  above  note  in  Sir  Thomas  Browne's  hand.] 


From  Dr.  Merrett  to  Dr.  Browne. 

[SLOAN.    MS.    1830.    FOL.    3.] 

WORTHY  SIR, 

Yours  of  the  14th  instant3  I  received,  as  full  of 
learning  in  discovering  so  many  very  great  curiosities  as  kind- 
ness  in   communicating   them    to  mee  and   promising   your 

3  See  letter  at  p.  395 ;   the  date  of  which,  Aug.  IS,  I  see  on  reference  to  the  MS. 
was  wrong  copied; — it  should  have  been  Aug-.  14,  1669. 


1668.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  448 

farther  assistance.     For  which  I  shall  always  proclaim  by  my 
tongue  as  well  as  my  pen  my  due  resentment  and  thanks. 

The  two  fungi  you  sent  the  figures  of  are  the  finest  and 
rarest  as  to  their  figure  I  have  ever  seen  or  read  of;  and  so  is 
your  fibula  marina,  far  surpassing  one  I  received  from  Corn- 
wall much  of  the  same  bigness,  neither  of  which  I  find  any 
where  mentioned.  The  urtica  marina  minor  Jonst.  and  phy- 
salus  I  never  met  with,  nor  have  been  informed  of  the  canis 
charcarius  alius  Jonst.  Many  of  the  lupus  piscis  I  have 
seen,  and  have  bin  informed  by  the  king's  fishmonger  they 
are  taken  on  our  coast,  but  was  not  satisfied  for  some  reasons 
of  his  relation  soe  as  to  enter  it  into  my  Pinax ;  though  't  is 
said  to  bee  peculiar  to  the  river  Albis,  yet  I  thought  they 
might  come  sometimes  thence  to  your  coasts.  Trutta  marina 
I  have;  and  the  loligo,  sepia,  and  polypus,  the  three  sorts  of 
the  molles  have  bin  found  on  our  western  coasts,  which  shall 
bee  exactly  distinguished — as  for  the  salmons  taken  above 
London  towards  Richmond  and  nearer,  and  that  in  great 
quantity,  some  years  they  have  all  of  them  their  lower  jaw  as 
you  observe,  and  our  fishermen  say  they  usually  wear  off 
some  part  of  it  on  the  banks,  or  else  the  lower  would  grow 
into  the  upper  and  soe  starve  them,  as  they  have  sometimes 
seen.  You  ask  whether  I  have  the  mullus  ruber  asper,  or  the 
piscis  octangularis  Wormii,  or  the  sea  worms  longer  than 
the  earth  worms,  or  the  garrulus  Argentor.  or  the  duck4cald 
a  May  chit,  or  the  Dorhawke.  The  four  first  I  have  no 
account  of,  the  two  later  I  know  not  especially  by  those 
names,  wee  have  noe  hawke  by  that  name — your  account  of 
Succinum  as  all  the  rest  will  be  registred.  As  for  the  Aqnila 
Gesneri  I  never  saw  nor  heard  of  any  such  in  the  colledge 
for  this  25  years  last  past.  Sir  you  are  pleasd  to  say  you 
shall  write  more  if  you  know  how  not  to  be  superfluous — 
certainly  what  you  have  hitherto  done  hath  bin  all  curiosities^ 
and  I  doubt  not  but  you  have  many  more  by  you.  I  can  direct 
you  noe  further  then  your  own  reason  dictates  to  you — Be- 
sides those  mentioned  in  the  Pinax  I  have  100  to  add,  and 
cannot  give  you  a  particular  of  them.  Whatever  you  write 
is  either  confirmative  or  additional.     I  doe  entreat  this  favour 

4  This  bird  was  not  mentioned  by  Browne  as  at  all  resembling  a  duck, 


444  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1669. 

of  you  to  inform  mee  fuller  of  those  unknown  things  men- 
tioned herein,  and  to  add  the  name,  page,  &c.  of  the  author 
if  mentioned  by  any,  or  else  to  give  them  such  a  latin  name  as 
you  have  done  for  the  fungi,  which  may  bee  descriptive  and 
differencing  of  them — Sir  I  hope  the  public  interest  and 
your  own  good  genius  will  plead  the  pardon  desired  by 

Your  humble  Servant 

CHR.  MERRETT. 
London,  Aug.  29.  68. 

For  Dr.  Browne  in  Norwich. 


Dr.  Merrett  to  Dr.  Browne." 

[SLOAN.    MS.    1830.    FOL.     1.] 

WORTHY  SIR, 

My  due  thanks  premised,  I  at  present  acquaint  you 
that  you  have  very  well  named  the  rutilus  and  expressed  fully 
the  cours  to  bee  taken  in  the  imposition  of  names,  viz. 
the  most  obvious  and  most  peculiar  difference  to  the  ey 
or  any  other  sens.  I  am  farther  to  say  that  the  icon  of  the 
weazeling  came  not  to  my  hands,  pray  be  pleased  to  look 
amongst  your  papers  perhaps  it  might  bee  laid  by  through 
some  accident  or  other.  I  have  the  figures  of  your  anas  ma- 
crolophos,  and  of  the  merg'i  cristati,  and  of  the  pristis;  that 
which  came  from  Cornwall  was  of  the  gladius,  the  name  of 
sword-fish  beeing  applyed  to  both  of  them  by  our  nation.  It 
seemeth  by  yours  that  the  Norwich  aspredo  is  not  the  cernua 
fiuviatilis  contrary  to  what  Camden  affirms,  for  the  rutilus 
mentioned  in  mine  to  you  differs  toto  ccelo  from  the  cernua. 
The  difference  of  the  elk's  bill  by  you  signified  is  remarkable 
to  distinguish  it  from  others  of  its  own  kind.  The  crack- 
ling teal  seems  to  be  the  same  which  Dr.  Charlton  mentions 
in  his  Onomasticon  under  the  name  of  the  cracker,  and  shew- 
ing him  their  description  hee  acknowledged  to  bee  the  same; 
the  clangula  I  know  noe  more  of  then  reading  hath  informed 
mee ;  a  willock  I  have  seen  brought  from  Greenland  where 
they  are  said  exceedingly  to  abound,  but  never  thought  either 

-  The  reply  to  this  letter  is  at  page  408. 


1669.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  445 

of  them  was  found  in  England,  and  having  not  taken  sufficient 
notice  of  the  later  crave  your  description  of  both. 

And  now  Sir,  since  my  last  only  two  things  remarkable 
have  come  to  my  knowledge.  The  one  was  a  cake  of  black 
amber  one  sixth  of  an  inch  thick  and  neer  a  palm  each  way. 
Mr.  Boyle  brought  it  to  the  R.  Society  to  whom  it  was  sent 
from  the  Sussex  shore,  hee  had  onely  tryed  it  to  its  electricity 
and  found  it  answer  his  expectation,  farther  tryals  will  bee 
made  of  it.  The  second  is  a  small  plant  found  on  oystershells, 
which  when  fresh  did  perfectly  represent  the  flours  of  hya- 
cinthus  botryoides,  but  that  't  was  somewhat  longer  and  not 
so  much  sweld  out  towards  its  pedunculus,  some  of  them  are 
here  inclosed.  'T  is  doubtless  a  sort  of  vesicaria,  though 
much  different  from  what  you  sent  mee.  Most  of  them  are 
now  shrunk  and  the  sides  constituting  the  cavity  come  together 
and  appear  onely  a  transparent  husk.  One  thing  more  I  had 
to  add  (but  scarcely  dare  speak  it  out)  that  is  if  it  would 
please  you  to  let  it  be  done  without  your  charge  and  secondly 
if  it  might  be  done  without  your  trouble,  then  I  would  beg 
of  you  to  set  some  a  work  to  procure  mee  some  of  those  rare 
animals,  &c.  you  have  mentioned  in  your  several  letters,  my 
intention  therein  is  double,  first  to  take  their  descriptions  and 
to  furnish  our  colledge  with  them  as  curiosities,  all  beeing 
lost  by  the  fire.  This  is  onely  wished  but  must  not  bee 
proposed  without  the  former  limitations  by 

Your  too  much  allready  obliged  friend  and  servant, 

CHR.  MERRETT. 
8th  May,  69. 

I  met  this  week  with  some  persons  of  quality  high  Germans 
who  lately  saw  your  son  and  report  all  good  things  of  him. 

For  Dr.  Browne  of  Norwich. 


[sloan.  MS.   1895,  fol.  93.] 

Concerning  the  Cortex  Peruvianiis,  China-chine,  or 
Quinana  Peruve. 

I  am  not  fearfull  of  any  bad  effect  from  it  nor  have  I  obser- 
ved any  that  I  could  clearly  derive  from  that  as  a  true  cause: 
it  doth  not  so  much  good  as  I  could  wish  or  others  expect, 


446  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE. 

but  I  can  lay  no  harm  unto  its  charge,  and  I  have  knowne  it 
taken  twenty  times  in  the  course  of  a  quartan.  In  such 
agues,  especially  illegitimate  ones,  many  have  died  though 
they  have  taken  it,  but  far  more  who  have  not  made  use  of 
it ;  and  therefore,  whatever  bad  conclusions  such  agues  have, 
I  cannot  satisfy  myselfe  that  they  owe  their  evill  unto  such 
medicines  but  rather  unto  inward  tumours — inflammations  or 
atonie  of  partes  contracted  from  the  distemper.  I  pray  my 
humble  service  unto  all  our  honoured  friends.  I  rest 
Your  faithful  Friend  and  Servant 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  Jus  Father. 

[fol.  24.] 

August  8,  st.  novo,  Vienna. 

MOST    HONOURED    FATHER, 

I  have  received  yours  of  July  i,  ii.  Mr.  Shottow 
continues  my  good  friend  in  delivering  your  letters  with  care 
to  the  post  at  London.  When  I  was  at  Zircknitz  I  asked 
what  fish  were  in  the  lake,  and  desired  the  Richter  or  chief 
of  the  towne,  to  whose  house  I  went,  to  prepare  me  a  dinner 
of  fish  taken  in  the  lake,  it  being  Saturday.  He  tolde  me 
divers  Slavonian  names  of  fishes,  I  could  understande  onely 
Sleune  and  Aal,  Dutch  wordes  for  tenche  and  ele ;  and  that 
the  Prince  of  Eckenberg  had  not  yet  given  him  leave  to  fish 
in  the  lake ;  so  as  I  coulde  not  taste  of  any.  I  borrowed 
lately,  out  of  the  emperours  library,  Relnerus  Solenander  de 
caloris  fontium  medicatoru  causa  eorumque  temperatione, 
which  I  read  out ;  also  Gabriel  Fallopius  de  medicatis  aquis ; 
out  of  both  which  authors  Kircher  hath  taken  many  things, 
whose  Mundus  subterraneous  I  had  also  by  me,  which  will 
be  a  delightfull  booke  to  me  when  it  shall  please  God  to 
bringe  me  safe  to  Norwich.  They  have  in  the  Danube  era- 
fish,  which  they  call  crebs;  but  they  are  not  crabs.  The 
arsenall  I  have  not  yet  seen ;  this  morning  I  received  a  letter 
from  Captain  Mackdugall  from  Prague,  where  he  is  still, 
somewhat  better,  he  saith,  at  present,  but  I  fear  the  worst, 


MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  447 

for  he  hath  harrassed  his  body  this  many  years  together,  and 
been  in  all  actions,  and  hard  service,  and  at  present  is  hydro- 
picall ;  I  am  sorry  to  heare  from  him  that  the  boy  Hans  hath 
left  him,  and  is  gone  no  man  knoweth  whither;  what  he  hath 
carried  away  of  mine  I  cannot  yet  learne;  I  am  sorry  for  the 
boy,  he  being  a  fine,  understanding,  lively,  boy,  and  would 
have  done  me  service,  especially  in  Bohemia.  I  brought  him 
out  of  Hungaria :  if  my  things  miscarry,  I  cannot  helpe  it, 
having  taken  a  probable  way  and  care  to  sende  them.  I 
will,  howsoever,  set  downe  what  I  have  already  sent  from 
hence,  and  which  way  ;  and  first, 

By  the  boy  Hans  Kummel 
Bolus,  found  nigh  to  Schemnitz.  Hungarian  vitriole.  An- 
timonium  solis  naturale.  Nitrum,  out  of  the  bathes  of  Boden. 
Lythargyrum  Terra  Sigillata,  such  as  I  could  get  at  Komara. 
Silver  ore.  Antimony  ore.  Stones  from  a  quarry  nigh 
Wien.  Antimony,  and  these  little  tracts  that  I  procured 
here.  A  description  of  the  Seraglio,  by  Nicholas  Brenner, 
now  prisoner  in  the  Seven  Towers.  A  discourse  of  silence, 
in  Dutch.  The  picture  of  the  Great  Agate,  in  the  empe- 
rours  Treasure.  The  pictures  of  Hitzing.  The  emperours 
Comedy  at  his  marriage,  in  which  I  put  those  flowers,  and  the 
like,  which  I  drew  here ;  but  they  are  worth  nothing.  A 
French  manuscript,  being  a  Panegyrique  of  women,  very 
odde.  Chronica  Hungarica,  and  the  voyage  of  Signr.  Ludo- 
vice  of  Fiame,  which  he  himselfe  gave  me  leave  to  write  out 
of  his  papers,  he  was  sent  with  another,  by  the  emperour,  to 
learne  the  Turkish  language,  his  companion  being  killed,  he 
returned  from  Constantinople  with  Conte  Lesley. 

These  following  by  Captain  Makdugell  to  the 
Roy  all  Society. 

From  Baden.  Sulphur,  taken  out  of  the  pipes  through 
which  those  thermae  are  brought  from  their  spring  to  the 
Dukes  bath  ;  the  sulphur  being  taken  of  from  the  upper  part, 
above,  not  below,  the  water. 

2.  Saltpeter,  taken  from  the  roofe  of  the  cave  through 
which  the  water  first  runs  from  the  spring.  3.  What  I  tooke 
of  from  the  stones  over  the  doore  to  the  said  cave. 

From  MannersdorfK     4,  The  lapis  Atheneus,  or  the  sub- 


448  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE. 

stance  which  sticketh  to  the  coppers  in  the  boyling  of  the 
hot-bath  water  at  MannersdorfF,  five  Dutch  meile  from  Vi- 
enna. 

From  Wien. 

5.  Stone  salt  from  out  of  Poland,  or  sal  gemmae.  6.  Stone 
salt,  with  lesser  shootes  or  parts,  being  pointed,  not  tabular 
as  the  other  out  of  Transylvania.  7.  Purified  Hungarian 
vitriole. 

From  Chremnitss. 

8.  Earth,  out  of  which  they  make  vitriole  at  Chremnitz. 
9.  Gold  ore.     And  10,  antimony  of  gold,  fine  substance. 
From  Schemnitz,  and  nigh  to  it. 

II.  Amethysts  and  crystalls,  as  they  are  founde  in  the  sil- 
ver mine.  12.  Silver  ore,  the  largest  piece  from  the  Trinity 
mine.  13.  Vitriolum  nativum  cristallised.  14.  Cinnaber. 
15.  Bolus.  16.  What  I  tooke  out  of  the  sweating  bath  at 
Glasshitten.  17.  Alumen  plumosum  from  Hodrytz.  18. 
Glass  schlachen,  a  vitrified  substance,  to  make  lute  of,  to 
cover  the  glasse  bodies  in  the  separating  furnaces.  19.  That 
which  groweth  upon  the  wood  in  the  bathes  at  Glasshitten. 
20.  The  stone  made  of  the  bath  water  at  Eisenbach.  21,  22, 
23,  24.  Four  sorts  of  vitriole  from  Herrngrundt.  25.  Iron 
turned  into  copper  in  the  old  siment  or  vitriolate  water,  170 
fathoms  deepe  in  the  coppermines  at  Herrngrundt.  26. 
Berggriine  out  of  the  Coppermine  in  Herrngrundt; — this  is 
mentioned  in  Kircher.  27.  A  stone  founde  in  the  copper- 
mines  at  Herrngrundt,  thought  to  bee  the  mother  of  the 
Turquois.  Copper  ore  from  the  same  place;  and  antimony 
ore  out  of  Transylvania. 

These  following  in  a  little  box,  Sir,  to  yourself e, 
by  the  Captain. 

1 .  20  Roman  coynes  from  Sine.  2.  A  thunderstone.  3. 
Iron  turned  into  copper.  4.  A  stone  made  by  the  bath  at 
Eisenbach.  5.  stones  from  a  quarrey  by  Freistat.  6.  A 
stone  from  the  sweating  bath  at  Glasshitten.  7.  An  Indian 
bow-ring  of  Agat.  8.  Mony  coloured  by  the  baths  of  Glass- 
hitten. 9.  A  green  bone  from  Herrngrundt.  10.  Mony 
coloured  at  Baden.  11.  Amethysts  as  they  growe.  12.  A 
peece  of  ore  with  a  sparke  of  silver.     13.  Little  amethysts 


1670.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  449 

and  cristalls.  14.  A  fine  piece  of  cristall  and  silver  ore.  15 
A  Schroeck  stone,  or  a  blue  amulet  against  frights.  16.  Mony 
eoyned  at  Chremnitz.  17.  Mony  coloured  at  the  bathes  of 
Banca.  18.  Three  ringes  made  of  elkes  clawes.  19.  The  haire 
of  a  boy  like  woole.    20.  Copper  ore  from  Herrngrundt. 

These  fottoiving  I  have  sent  directed  to  Mr.  Coldham  to 
Venice,  to  Mr.  Hobson  or  the  Consult. 

Two  bags  of  golde  ore,  A  bag  with  the  materialls  in  the 
meltinge  of  copper;  as  fluss  stein,  slach,  rost,  also  a  piece  of 
khis ;  a  bag  of  severall  sorts  of  silver  ore;  a  box  of  vitriole  :  a 
box  with  the  materialls  of  the  sweating  bath  at  Glasshitten, 
which  are  much  commended  against  the  stone  and  gravell ;  A 
paper  of  copper  ore ;  a  box  of  the  sediment  of  the  baths  at 
Mannersdorff ;  a  box  of  antimony  of  gold  from  Chremnitz ;  A 
box  of  not  ordinary  silver  ore,  with  other  mixtures  of  metalls, 
from  Schemnitz  ;  glasse-schlachen :  a  faire  peece  of  the  ame- 
thyst rocke  ;  a  box  full  of  the  materialls  of  the  bath  at  Baden ; 
a  peece  of  rich  black  copper  ore  ;  a  little  bundell  from  Freistat; 
the  petrified  stone  in  the  baths  of  Eisenbach ;  antimony  ore 
bought  at  Vienna ;  iron  changed  into  aurichalcum  or  copper, 
with  some  gold.  To  these  Mr.  Donellan  tells  me  he  added 
some  things  from  Bleyberg,  and  lapis  Calaminaris. 

The  great  heat  hindered  me  going  out  of  the  way  to  see 
Aquilegia,  and,  in  my  returne,  to  visit  the  saltworkes  at  Hal- 
stat.  I  am  much  comforted  to  receive  four  letters  from  you, 
Sir,  since  my  returne  hither ;  and  I  am  in  some  hopes  of  ano- 
ther to  morrow,  I  thinke  not  to  stay  here  above  a  fortnight. 
My  duty  to  my  most  dear  mother,  and  love  to  my  sisters, 
Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

For  my  honoured  father  Dr.  Browne  at  his  house  in 
Norwich,  Norfolke. 


Dr.  Browne  to  his  Son  Edward. 

[MS.   SLOAN.  4039,  FOL.  206.] 

dear  sonne,  Dec.  1,  [1670.] 

Though  my  foot  bee  very  paynfull,  and  disablcth 
mee  from  going,  yet  my  head  is  free,  and,  I  thank  God,  I  am 

VOL.  I.  2  G 


450  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1671. 

not  sick ;  and  therefore  I  take  it  as  a  merciful  memento  from 
God,  and  am  not  without  hope  to  find  ease  in  no  long  time : 
though,  as  years  grow  upon  mee,  I  cannot  butt  expect  more 
frequent  returns  of  these  or  worse  infirmities.  God  send  you 
all  your  healths.     I  rest  your  loving  father, 

T.  BROWNE. 

December  1,  [1670.] 

DEAR  SONNE, 

I  wish  you  att  home  this  very  could  wethar,  espeshally 
this  daye.  Your  fathar  haveinglayd  out  the  last  night,  have 
gott  som  could,  and  it  is  fallne  into  his  foutt,  and  is  very  paine- 
full  to  him.  Hee  has  complained  of  his  head  a  good  while, 
and  I  sopos  it  is  now  fallne  into  his  foutt.  I  besich  God  send 
him  ease.  It  is  yett  but  sickly  here,  and  hee  has  not  much 
rest.  I  wish  you  here  to  helpe  him.  I  am  just  helping  him 
to  bad,  and  can  say  no  more,  but  thatt  I  am, 

Your  affectinat  morthar, 

D.  B. 
I  hope  I  shall  heare  from  you  sudinly,  and  whethar  you 
did  receve  the  box,  and  whether  there  be  any  thing  don  in 
your  sister  Fairfax's  bisnes,  and  how  they  dooe,  for  I  have 
not  had  a  lattar  a  good  while  from  her.  I  hop  you  see 
Franke. 

This  for  Dr.  Browne,  aft  his  Lodging  at  the  Harp  and 
Fathars  in  Flett  Street,  against  the  Sonne  Tauarn, 
London. 


Dr.  E.  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[rawl.  lviii,  38-40.] 

September  7,  1671. 

MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

Sir,  I  have  formerly  sent  you  word  of  Captain  Nar- 
borough's  voyage  in  the  Sweepstakes  to  Baldavia  in  the  South 
Sea;  and  having  since  been  in  his  company,  and  seen  Mr. 
Thomas  Wood's  mappes  of  the  Southern  parts  of  America, 
and  of  Tierra  del  fuego,  and  enquired  after  many  things  in 
their  voyage,  I  will  set  downe  as  much  as  I  can  in  this  sheet 


1671.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  451 

of  paper,  least  that  you  should  not  meete  with  any  other  ac- 
count ;  seing  divers  of  those  who  understande  most  of  the 
voyage  are  seeking  out  further  employe,  and  Mr.  Woode  who 
giveth  me  the  greatest  satisfaction  in  every  thing,  thinks  still 
upon  greater  actions,  and  hath  already  offered  his  service  to 
the  East  India  Company  to  goe  for  Japan.  The  Sweepstakes 
was  long  upon  the  Atlantick  ocean,  before  they  made  the 
coast  of  America,  almost  five  moneths;  the  Pinke,  which 
went  with  them,  being  but  a  slow  sayler.  The  day  before 
they  saw  lande,  they  left  the  Pinke,  with  order  for  her  to 
stay  at  such  and  such  places,  and  afterwards  to  come  in  to 
the  streights  of  Magellan,  and  there  remain  till  they  met ; 
but  the  Pinke,  being  once  out  of  sight,  shifted  her  course, 
and  with  eighteen  men  in  her,  bore  away  for  Barbados,  and 
so  into  England,  reporting  the  Sweepstakes  to  be  lost.  The 
rest  continued  their  voyage,  and  the  next  day,  discovering 
America  belowe  the  river  of  Plate,  they  hasted  away  to  Port 
Desire,  and  there  put  in.  At  the  mouth  of  this  port  is  one 
of  the  best  sea  markes  in  the  world — avast  rock  in  the  shape 
of  a  tower.  They  went  up  here  to  Le  Maire's  Islande,  and 
found  a  leaden  boxe,  with  an  account  of  his  voyage  so  farre 
in  it.  They  went  also  to  Drake's  Islande,  where  Sr  Francis 
Drake  executed  one  of  his  officers,  and  went  up  and  downe 
the  country,  but  saw  no  inhabitants,  although  they  were  sen- 
sible that  the  country  was  not  without  people  ;  for  they  had 
divers  things  stolen  from  them,  and  at  their  return  thither, 
they  founde  a  modell  of  their  owne  shippe,  of  the  bignesse 
of  an  ordinary  boate,  built  by  the  Indians  out  of  peeces  of 
boards  and  broken  oares  which  the  English  had  left  there. 
Mr.  Woode  founde  two  mussell  shells  here  tyeii  aether  with 
peeces  of  guts  and  divers  peeces  and  kernels  of  gold  in  them, 
some  of  which  I  have  seen,  they  lost  or  left  upon  the  sande 
I  suppose  by  some  American.  At  their  coming  hither  they 
saw  divers  graves,  and  some  of  them  very  long,  which  they 
tooke  at  first  to  be  the  sepulchres  of  the  Patagonian  gyants, 
written  of  by  Magellan  and  others,  and  pictured  in  mappes 
with  arrowes  thrust  downe  their  throates ;  but,  opening  their 
tombes,  which  are  heapes  of  stones  throwne  over  them,  they 
founde  none  to  exceed  our  stature,  and  the  people  which 

2  G  2 


452  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1671. 

tbey  saw  all  along;  that  coast  are  rather  lowe  ;  and  Captain 
Narborough  affirmes,  that  he  never  sawe  an  American  in  the 
Southern  parts  so  high  as  himself.  They  opened  many 
tombes,  as  they  say,  out  of  curiosity  ;  I  know  not  whether 
they  might  not  also  have  hopes  of  finding  treasure  buried 
with  them,  for  certainly  there  is  much  gold  in  some  of  those 
countryes,  and  the  Indians  in  other  places  seing  a'  gold  ring 
on  the  captain's  finger,  would  pointe  to  the  hills  and  to  the 
ring,  intimating  from  whence  that  metal  came  ;  but  as  to  the 
tombes  they  at  last  discovered  the  reason  of  their  great  length, 
and  founde  that  it  was  their  way  to  bury  one  at  the  foot  of 
another,  the  head  of  one  touching  the  feet  of  the  other,  per- 
haps man  and  wife,  for  they  have  brought  home  a  man  and  a 
woman's  skull  taken  out  of  one  grave  laiing  in  that  posture, 
so  that  they  1iave  hereby  discovered  that  the  race  of  the 
gyants  are  much  diminished  in  their  stature.  From  Port 
Desire  they  sayled  to  Port  Julian,  another  faire  port ;  they 
stayed  also  here  sometime ;  but  this  of  all  things  which  they 
relate,  seemeth  most  strange,  that,  going  up  the  country,  they 
discovered  a  lake  of  salt,  or  rather  a  field  of  granulated  salt 
of  some  miles  over  ;  some  of  which  they  separated  from  the 
rest  near  the  border.  At  their  return  thither  three  days  after, 
their  was  no  salt  at  all  left,  except  what  they  had  separated 
at  some  distance  from  the  other,  neither  had  it  rained  from 
the  time  they  first  sawe  it  to  the  time  they  cam  thither  again 
and  found  none  ;  the  salt  had  been  above  the  earth  about  a 
foot  deepe,  and  Mr.  Woode  pacing  and  examining  the 
grounde  whereon  it  had  layne,  founde  a  deep  hole  or  well  in 
the  middle.  I  can  imagine  no  other  way  to  solve  this,  then 
by  comparing  it  to  the  Lake  of  Zirknitz,  where  the  water 
springs  out  from  under  the  grounde  and  retires  againe,  or 
rather  like  to  a  tide's  well,  which  often  ebbes  and  flowes,  and 
so  might  springe  out  of  the  grounde,  dissolve  the  salt,  and 
carry  it  with  itselfe  into  the  earth  again  by  large  passages. 
The  quantity  of  salt  was  great  which  afterwards  disappeared; 
for  to  use  their  own  expression,  there  was  more  salt  than 
would  serve  all  the  shippes  in  the  world.  From  hence  they 
sayled  to  the  streights  of  Magellan,  where  they  spent  five  or 
six  weekes  giving  names  to  the  islandes,  capes,  inlets,  bayes, 


1671.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  453 

harbours,  and  remarkable  places,  most  of  their  acquaintance 
sharing  in  their  discovery,  and  the  Duke  of  Yorke's  servants 
names  are  given  to  many  places ;  amongst  whome  Mr.  Henry 
Savill,  whom  I  formerly  travelled  with  in  Italy,  gives  his  name 
to  the  southermost  part  which  they  saw  off  Tierra  del  Fuego. 
At  the  coming  into  the  streights,  they  pass  a  double  nar- 
row, and  afterwards  it  is  larger  and  full  of  islands.  The 
country  is  mountainous  on  each  side  and  the  hills  covered 
with  snowe  all  the  year  long ;  so  that  they  sayle  as  in  a  deepe 
vally.  The  sea  in  the  middle  is  so  deepe  as  they  could  finde 
no  bottome — six  hundred  fathomes  would  doe  nothing ;  but 
near  the  shoars  they  found  anchorage,  which  they  exactly 
marked.  There  are  many  rivers  and  inlets  into  these  streights, 
but  they  wanted  their  Pinke  much  to  discover  more,  and  they 
thinke  Tierra  del  Fuego  to  be  many  islandes.  They  saw  many 
fires  there ;  from  hence  it  had  its  name.  They  are  not  the 
flames  of  burning  mountaines,  but  the  inhabitants  make  fires, 
and  also  burne  the  grass  and  weeds,  as  in  Hungary,  where  I 
have  seen  the  country  on  fire  for  a  great  way  together.  Most 
of  these  islandes  are  full  of  seales  of  a  larger  size  then  oures, 
many  of  which  they  killed,  no  otherwise  than  by  knocking 
them  on  the  head,  and  salted  them  up.  They  tooke  also  a 
great  number  of  penguins,  which  served  the  seamen  in  the 
voyage.  About  the  middle  of  the  streights  they  touched  at 
a  place  on  the  north  shoare,  called  Port  Famine,  where  there 
was  formerly  a  plantation  of  Spaniards,  but  they  were  starved 
to  death.  Near  to  this  place,  further  on,  they  discovered  a 
country  full  of  provision,  and  have  therefore  named  it  Cape 
Plenty.  The  inhabitants  of  the  streights  goe  all  naked,  men, 
women,  and  children:  some  few  onely  wearing  a  circle  of  net 
about  their  heades,  like  our  shoemakers,  although  the  country 
be  cold  in  53  and  54  degrees  of  southern  latitude.  Their 
colour  is  much  the  same  with  the  other  Americans,  and  dif- 
fers little  from  them  that  live  under  the  line ;  they  goe  all 
with  bowes  and  arrowes,  and  many  of  them  conversed  freely 
with  the  English,  came  on  boarde,  and  went  a  shoare,  eat  and 
dranke  with  them,  without  taking  any  great  notice  of  any 
thinge.  They  would  eat  the  meat  and  anoint  themselves  all 
over  with  the  fat  and  grease  ;  they  painte  themselves  rudely, 


454  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1677. 

and  when  they  came  to  the  English,  sometimes  in  sight  of 
them,  rather  then  want  that  ornament  they  woulde  daube  up 
one  eye  or  one  side  of  their  face  with  clay  or  dirt.  The  whole 
country  on  this  side  from  the  river  of  Plate  to  Cape  Plenty 
in  the  streights,  or  thereabouts,  is  one  great  plaine,  the  same 
with  Pampas,  where  no  trees  growe,  and  the  captain  com- 
pared it  to  New  Market  heath.  The  other  side  it  is  all  hilly, 
and  the  rivers  runne  downe  so  impetuously  into  the  South  sea, 
that  they  may  see  them  runne  a  long  way  into  the  ocean,  and 
have  fresh  water  out  of  great  rivers  at  the  sea  side.  Beyond 
the  streights  they  sailed  up  to  Castro,  an  island  where  the 
Spaniards  live,  there  being  none  of  them  now  upon  all  the 
coast  of  Ame 'ica,  between  that  place  and  the  river  of  Plate; 
from  Castro  they  went  to  Baldavia,  but  I  have  not  room  to 
write  what  passed  there. 

Your  m.  o.  son, 

E.  B. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[rawl.  cccxci.] 
SIR, 

These  are  the  delineations  of  three  lachrymatoryes 
which  were  given  me  lately.1  They  were  digged  up  some 
yeares  since  in  Gun  field,  near  Ratcliff,  they  are  very  fair 
ones,  and  of  the  same  bignesse  as  they  are  drawne,  the  teares 
stick  still  to  the  inside  of  them.  If  you  please  to  have  them, 
I  will  sende  you  them  downe,  or  if  you  thinke  I  may  first 
showre  them  to  Dr.  Plot  and  let  him  have  a  copy  of  them  to 
print  in  his  description  of  Middlesex,  or  else  I  may  reserve 
them  for  my  self,  to  be  mentioned  or  set  downe  when  I  speake 
of  the  upper  and  lower  glandule  of  the  eye  from  whence  the 
teares  come. 

Your  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 
January  1,  1677. 

1  With  the  figure  of  a  pot,  of  which  a  drawing  accompanied  the  letter,  with  this 
memorandum  written  below:  "  The  figure  of  a  pot  digged  out  of  the  ground  in  Gun 
field,  amongst  many  other  Roman  antiquities." 


1677.] 


MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE. 


455 


Figures  of  three  lachrymatories  and  a  pot,  from  pen- 
drawings,  which  accompanied  the  opposite  letter. 


456  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [168 J. 

Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 
[ms.  rawl.  lviii.  45.] 

Feb.  4,  168i. 

SIR, 

The  oestridge  died  in  the  night ;  these  colde  nights 
I  thinke  killed  him,  so  that  I  will  set  downe  what  we  observed 
upon  the  dissection. 

The  neck  a  yard  long,  not  measuring  the  head  with  it. 
The  whole  foot  a  calcareo  ad  extremum  digitum,  is  three 
quarters  of  a  yard,  upon  which  he  sits  when  he  sleeps  ;  but 
the  foot  or  longest  clawe  is  onely  a  quarter  of  a  yard,  the  les- 
ser clawe  is  half  a  quarter  and  half  a  nayle. 

The  nayle  upon  the  larger  clawe,  is  a  nayle  long,  or  the 
sixteenth  part  of  a  yard :  above  which  stand  one  above  ano- 
ther sixty-three  large  scales,  reaching  up  all  along  his  foot 
before ;  or  before  those  bones  which  answer  to  the  metatarsus. 
The  lesser  clawe  hath  no  nayle,  and  onely  eight  or  nine  scales 
one  above  another,  which  reach  not  higher  then  the  clawe  itself. 

The  graine  of  the  foot  is  like  the  graine  of  the  skin  of  an 
elephant,  but  not  so  very  hard,  and  is  movable,  and  gives  way 
upon  pressure  like  to  the  foot  of  a  camel,  there  being  fat 
under  it,  whereby  he  treads  soft  and  without  noyse,  and 
would  come  gently  into  the  kitchen  not  heard  when  the  ser- 
vants were  at  dinner  and  stand  behind  them  ;  but  higher  then 
the  two  clawes  the  skin  looks  scaly,  every  small  scale  consti- 
tuting an  irregular  pentangle,  quadrangle,  and  sometimes 
hexangle. 

From  the  heele  to  the  knee,  or  that  part  of  the  leg  which 
answers  to  the  tibia  in  man,  is  half  a  yard  and  half  a  quarter. 

The  thigh  bone  above  a  quarter  of  a  yard,  and  very  thick. 

Upon  the  breast  there  is  a  hard  callous  darke  substance 
of  an  ovall  figure,  a  nayle  and  a  half  in  length,  like  to  that  of 
a  camel ;  upon  which  he  rests  himself  when  he  sits  with  his 
head  upright,  and  in  that  posture  I  think  he  sleeps,  for  we 
could  never  see  him  in  any  other ;  and  his  wing  is  too  little 
to  cover  all  his  neck. 

The  length  of  his  body  from  the  lower  part  of  his  neck  to 
the  end  of  his  rumpe,  one  yard. 


168|..]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  457 

The  longest  bone  in  his  wing,  a  quarter  and  half  a  quarter. 

The  top  of  the  head  very  flat,  in  length  half  a  quarter  and 
a  nayle,  measuring  from  behind  the  head  to  the  end  of  the 
bille.  The  head  seemes  to  be  hairy  rather  then  covered  with 
feathers,  contrary  to  what  some  affirme  ;  and  I  thought  I 
scarce  sawe  a  stranger  sight  then  one  morning  when  I  saw 
an  oestridge  of  the  largest  sort  carried  in  a  cart  through 
Fleet  street,  the  body  being  inclosed  in  deale  bordes  and  the 
neck  stretched  out  so  as  the  head  was  equall  with  the  win- 
dowes  above  the  balconyes.  The  neck  white  with  feathers, 
yet  the  skin  appeared  very  red  between  them,  and  as  if  it 
were  transparent.  And  the  aire  throwne  forcibly  in  three 
streames  throwe  the  mouthe  and  nostrills,  looked  as  if  it 
were  smoke  blowne  out  in  great  quantity,  which  came  throwe 
its  fiery  neck. 

On  the  top  of  his  head  there  is  an  ovall  place  flat,  a  nayle 
in  length,  which  is  all  callous,  and  without  any  hayre  or  fea- 
tcers,  like  the  callous  part  upon  his  brest,  but  not  so  thick. 
This  I  thinke  is  to  defende  his  braine  from  the  injury  of  any 
thing  that  might  sodenly  fall  upon  his  head,  as  also  to  pre- 
serve the  braine  from  the  sunne  and  injury es  of  the  aire, 
especially  in  the  night,  and  the  more  considerably  if  he  sleeps 
with  his  head  upright,  and  not  under  his  wing. 

The  gula  is  very  large  as  well  as  long,  but  largest  at  the 
top  near  the  head,  where  it  is  a  nayle  and  a  half  broad, 

The  os  hyoides  stretcheth  itself  downe  on  each  side  the 
neck  the  length  of  half  a  quarter  of  a  yard  and  half  a  nayle. 

There  is  a  callous  part  upon  the  os  pubis  longer  than  the 
former  mentioned,  but  narrow ;  upon  which,  together  with 
the  callous  part  upon  his  breast,  he  rests  himself. 

Besides  the  many  muscles  in  the  neck  for  the  motion  of 
the  numerous  vertebrce  and  the  head,  there  are  two  most  ele- 
gant muscles  which  come  from  within  the  thorax,  arising 
within  the  chest  about  the  second  rib,  and  insert  themselves 
on  each  side  of  the  aspera  arteria ;  these  I  may  name  direc- 
tores  asperce  arterice. 

At  the  first  dividing  of  the  aspera  arteria,  or  its  divarication 
to  each  side  of  the  lungs,  there  is  a  ring  bigger  and  stronger 
then  any  other  ring  of  the  windepipe. 


458  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  1681.] 

There  are  divers  glandules  in  the  neck  near  the  gula ;  these 
are  of  a  pale  colour  like  ashes.  But  there  are  two  most  beau- 
tiful glandules  sticking  to  the  caro tidal  artery es,  as  they  come 
out  of  the  breast,  one  on  each  side,  these  are  blewish.  The 
peritonaeum  doubles  and  encompasses  the  stomach  loosely. 

He  hath  seven  ribbs;  and  the  intercostall  muscles  are  broad, 
plaine,  and  beautifull. 

The  oestridge  hath  no  prominent  brestbone  like  other 
fowles ;  nor  a  narrow  chest  like  most  quadrupedes :  but  a 
broad  brest,  firme  sternon,  broader  and  flatter  then  that  of  a 
man ;  and  indeed  when  he  puts  downe  his  head,  and  bends 
his  neck  to  come  in  at  a  doore,  his  breast  is  so  broad,  and  his 
tread  so  different,  that  it  is  not  like  the  entrance  of  a  fowle ; 
but  wonderfully  like  that  of  a  camel,  but  with  this  advantage, 
that  the  oestridge  bearing  his  waight  upon  two  legges  only, 
his  entrance  is  more  bolde  and  gracefull. 

The  ear  of  the  oestridge  is  rounde,  and  the  orifice  will  re- 
ceive one's  finger. 

This  was  a  male  oestridge,  and  the  penis  about  an  inche 
long,  with  a  little  cartilaginous  substance  in  it.  The  feathers 
of  the  inside  of  the  wings  upon  the  breast  and  the  belly  and 
neck  were  white,  and  the  feathers  on  the  tayle  also  white ; 
but  the  rest  are  grayish  and  of  a  dun  colour.  A  most  beau- 
tiful creature  surely  in  Barbary,  where  the  heat  of  the  country 
cryspes  and  curies  all  its  feathers. 

Your  obedient  sonne, 

E.  BROWNE. 

These  for  my  honoured  father  Sir  Thomas  Browne, 
at  his  house  in  Norwich. 


Dr.  Edward  Browne  to  his  Father. 

[ms.  rawl.  lviii.  47,  48.] 
MOST  HONOURED  FATHER, 

In  this  I  will  give  a  further  account  of  the  oestridge, 
and  of  its  more  inward  partes. 

The  rimula  of  the  larynx  is  long  and  the  cartilages  about 
it  strong ;  but  no  epiglottis  or  likenesse  to  a  human  larynx, 


1681.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  459 

although  they  that  heard  its  voice  compare  it  to  the  crying 
or  shreeking  of  a  hoarse  childe,  but  more  mournfull  and 
dismal. 

The  lungs  are  of  a  fine  florid  colour,  but  little  in  propor- 
tion to  the  vast  aspera  arteria :  they  stick  close  to  the  back, 
and  are  perforated  surely  like  other  birds  ;  and  upon  blowing 
into  the  windepipe  with  a  pair  of  bellows,  we  could  not  make 
them  rise  or  fill. 

The  heart  hath  two  ventricles,  about  the  bignesse  of  a 
man's  heart,  but  the  right  ventricle  is  much  thinner,  and  the 
valves  are  more  fleshy. 

There  are  two  stomachs,  as  in  granivorous  fowles,  a  crop 
and  a  gizzard ;  but  the  crop  or  first  stomach  differs  much 
from  that  of  all  other  fowles,  in  that  it  is  not  placed  without 
the  breast  as  with  them,  but  within  the  sternon,  in  that  it  is 
not  round,  but  larger  like  a  mony  bag,  and  of  a  vast  bignesse, 
liing  lengthwise  in  the  body  ;  but  what  was  most  satisfactory 
to  us  all  in  the  dissection,  was  the  glandules  we  found  in  the 
coates  of  the  stomach,  a  rowe  of  them  on  the  back  part  of  it 
reaching  almost  from  one  end  to  another  about  a  thousand  of 
them,  about  ten  in  breadth  and  a  hundred  in  length  ;  these 
lye  between  the  coates  of  the  stomach,  and  every  particular 
glandule  discharges  itself  by  a  peculiar  orifice  through  the  in- 
ward coate  of  the  stomach,  into  the  cavity  thereof;  we  found 
some  of  these  glandules  round  and  globular,  some  oval,  and 
some  more  flat,  and  of  an  irregular  figure.  Those  which  lye 
highest  are  roundest  and  thickest ;  those  which  lye  more 
towards  the  bottome  of  the  stomach,  or  where  it  unites  with 
the  gizzard,  are  more  broad  and  flat.  These  surely  bring  in 
a  juice  which  helps  to  digest  that  various  nourishment  which 
this  fowle  makes  use  of: — an  oestridge  feeding  almost  upon 
any  thing,  ours  refused  nothing  but  the  draines  from  the 
brewhouse,  and  perhaps  if  hungry  it  would  have  eat  them. 
The  gizzard  was  very  large  ;  the  inward  coate  did  not  adhere 
so  firmly  as  in  other  fowles,  but  was  very  thick  and  like  flan- 
nel, and  upon  a  first  looking  into  the  gizzard  from  the  first 
stomach,  it  appeared  as  a  piece  of  flannel  or  napkin,  which 
the  oestridge  had  swallowed  and  so  stuck  there.  The  pas- 
sage out  of  the  gizzard  into  the  small  guts  is  very  streight. 


460  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1681 

The  guts  are  about  twenty  yards  in  length.  The  smaller 
guts  beginning  from  the  stomach,  are  ten  yards  long,  and  the 
larger  guts  down  from  thence  to  the  anus  are  near  as  much. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  great  guts  there  are  two  intestina 
caeca,  each  of  them  a  yard  long,  and  they  have  a  skrue  or 
spiral  valve  within  them,  after  the  manner  of  the  ccecum  of  a 
rabbit;  this  skrue  in  the  ccecum  windes  about  twenty  turnes, 
(so  we  may  observe  the  guts  of  a  dog  fish,  with  a  spirall  valve 
or  skrue  in  them,)  but  the  extremity  of  the  ccecum  is  little, 
not  much  different  from  the  ccecum  of  a  man. 

The  excrement  which  it  throwes  out  by  the  guts  is  of  two 
kindes — a  white  thin  sticking  excrement  which  it  mutes  like 
a  hawke,  and  after  that  another  sort  of  excrement  comes, 
which  is  very  like  to  that  of  a  sheepe  but  bigger. 

The  mesentery  although  it  holds  together  such  a  number  of 
guts  great  and  small,  yet  it  is  not  thick,  but  onely  a  trans- 
parent membrane  as  generally  in  pennatis,  but  it  is  very  large 
and  in  some  places  above  a  quarter  and  a  half  a  quarter  of  a 
yard  deepe,  or  broade,  measuring  from  the  centre  to  the  guts. 

The  liver  hath  four  lobes  and  is  of  a  colour  not  much  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  a  man's  ;  we  could  finde  no  bladder  of 
gall. 

A  glandule  under  the  stomach,  which  might  seeme  to  be  a 
spleen,  but  pennata  and  insecta  are  said  to  have  no  spleens. 

The  kidnyes  are  large  and  of  the  length  of  my  hand ;  as 
they  lye  both  together  they  are  of  the  shape  of  a  guitar,  a 
musical  instrument. 

The  ureters  are  firme,  strong,  white,  and  long.  Behinde 
the  kidnyes  lye  two  glandules,  somewhat  oval,  of  about  an 
inch  and  half  in  length,  close  to  the  back  bone. 

What  concernes  the  skeleton  more  particularly,  I  may 
afterwards  set  downe  when  the  bones  are  cleane. 

Your  most  obedient  sonne, 

EDWARD  BROWNE. 

Feb.  7,  1681. 

These  for  my  honoured  father  Sir  Thomas  Browne, 
at  his  house  in  Norwich. 


MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  4G1 


Since  the  notice  at  the  top  of  page  417  was  printed, 
I  received  a  most  friendly  intimation  from  Mr.  W.  H. 
Black,  that  in  the  course  of  his  recent  and  most  accu- 
rate examination  of  the  Ashmolean  manuscripts  at 
Oxford,  some  original  letters  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne's 
had  caught  his  eye,  of  which  he  obligingly  offered  me 
transcripts,  if  I  could  wait  for  them. 

I  had  remarked,  from  the  letter  to  Ashmole,  at 
p.  413,  that  some  previous  correspondence  must  have 
passed  between  them  respecting  Dr.  John  Dee  ;  and  it 
immediately  occurred  to  me,  that  among  the  treasure 
trove  of  my  friend  Black  would  very  probably  be  found 
that  correspondence,  containing,  no  doubt,  novel  and 
curious  information  about  Dee  and  Kelly,  et  id  genus 
omne ;  besides  which,  Browne's  own  opinions  respect- 
ing the  sublime  mysteries,  which  enwrapped  those 
men  in  musings  long  and  deep,  might  possibly  peep 
out  in  the  course  of  his  narrative.  I  therefore  deter- 
mined to  await  the  arrival  of  this  second  supplement 
to  a  correspondence  which  I  had  intended  to  terminate 
at  p.  416.  Nor  have  I  been  disappointed.  The  clos- 
ing series  of  letters  will,  I  hope,  be  deemed  fully  as 
valuable  and  interesting  as  any  portion  of  equal  extent 
throughout  the  volume.  It  not  only  comprises  ad- 
ditional particulars  respecting  Dee  and  Kelly,  and 
replies  to  enquiries  which  Anthony  Wood  had  put  re- 
specting various  men  with  whom  he  supposed  Browne 
to  have  been  acquainted ;  but  it  presents  us  with  his 
own  biographical  sketch  of  himself,  the  basis  of 
Wood's  and,  indeed,  of  all  subsequent  accounts  of  his 
birth  and  earliest  years. 


462  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1650. 

Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  William  Lilly. 

[from  ashmole's  mss.  vol.  423,  fol.  166.] 
WORTHY    SIR, 

Upon  encouradgment  from  your  self  and  sollicitation 
of  Mr.  Playford,  I  am  bold  to  present  these  unto  you. 
Whereto  I  confesse  I  was  not  readily  induced,  as  being  very 
desirous  my  first  salutes  should  have  come  cleere  unto  you ; 
not  clogged  with  buisinesse,  which  might  render  the  expres- 
sion of  my  desire  to  serve  you,  accidentall.  For  truly,  sir,  the 
mayne  of  this  letter  is  a  friendly  salutation  of  yourself,  an 
acknowlegment  of  my  obligations,  testimonie  of  my  respects, 
with  much  readinesse  to  future  communication,  and  wishes  of 
happinesse  unto  you,  unto  all  which  I  hope  you  will  conceave 
the  occasionall  buisinesse  butt  appendant. 

Mr.  Playford,  though  a  native  of  this  place,  hath  been  litle 
resident  in  it.  Soe  that  I  am  not  able  to  assure  or  highly 
commend  his  abillities  upon  ocular  judgment  of  his  practise, 
butt  can  affirme,  that  hee  hath  practised  chirurgerie  in  the 
armie,  as  also  in  and  about  Yorke  for  diverse  yeeres,  and 
with  good  testimonie  thereof;  and  had  (as  I  understand)  a 
good  initiation  of  his  practise  under  an  able  artist.  How  his 
abillities  will  accord  with  London  to  the  betterment  of  his  pre- 
sent condition,  you  may  please  to  consider,  whoe  well  knowe 
the  state  of  that  place,  and  may  bee  informed  by  men  of  that 
profession :  where  practise  is  much  confined  and  restrayned 
unto  companies.  However  I  conceave  courtisies  unto  him 
may  bee  charitable  offices,  for  his  intents  are  good  toward  his 
kindred  by  severall  misfortunes  now  under  want,  and  hee  is 
not  unlikely  to  prove  a  gratefull  servant  unto  yourself.  But 
the  proceeding  herin  I  referre  unto  your  owne  goodnesse  and 
judgment,  not  willing  to  engage  you  in  any  way,  which  shall 
not  be  judged  advantageous  unto  your  honour  and  repute, 
whereof  I  desire  to  bee  an  earnest  promotor,  who  am  yours 
affectionately  and  very  respectfully, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 

Norwich,  Feb.  8.  [not  before  1650?] 


1658.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  463 

P.  S. — Sr.  finding  you  so  hard  a  student  in  Astrol.  I  had 
thoughts  some  yeeres  past  to  present  some  few  Astrologie 
bookes  unto  you ;  but  finding  your  librarie  in  your  introduc- 
tion2 soe  compleat  that  litle  could  be  added,  I  was  fayne  to 
deferre  such  expressions  unto  better  opportunitie. 

To  my  worthy  and  much  honord  freind,  Mr.  William 
Lillie,  these  present,    London.       (With  a  seal  of 
arms.) 


From  Dr.  Browne  to  Mr.  EUas  Ashmole. 

[from  ashmole's  mss.  1788,  art.  18,  fol.  153.] 

MOST   WORTHY    SR. 

I  returne  you  humble  thancks  for  your  courteous 
letter  and  the  good  newes  of  the  hopefull  recoverie  of  Mr. 
Dugdale,  unto  whom  I  shall  be  readie  in  any  further  service, 
and  shall,  God  willing,  send  unto  him  concerning  the  fish 
bone,  which  I  have  not  forgott.  It  can  very  hardly  fall  into 
my  apprehension  how  I  can  afford  any  addition  unto  your 
worthy  endeavours.  Notwithstanding,  I  have  enclosed  a  list 
of  such  tracts  of  that  subject  which  I  have  by  mee.  Most 
whereof  I  receaved  from  Dr.  Arthur  Dee,  my  familiar  freind, 
sonne  unto  old  Dr.  Dee  the  mathematician.  He  lived  many 
yeares  and  dyed  in  Norwich,  from  whom  I  have  heard  many 
accounts  agreable  unto  those  which  you  have  sett  downe  in 
your  annotations  concerning  his  father  and  Kelly.  Hee  was 
a  persevering  student  in  hermeticall  philosophy,  and  had  noe 
small  encouragement.  Having  seen  projection  made,  and 
with  the  highest  asseverations  he  confirmed  unto  his  death, 
that  hee  had  ocularly  undeceavably  and  frequently  beheld  it 
in  Bohemia,  and  to  my  knowledge,  had  not  an  accident  pre- 
vented, hee  had  not  many  yeares  before  his  death  retired  be- 
yond sea,  and  fallen  upon  the  solemn  processe  of  the  great 
worke. 

Sr.  if  you  shall  desire  a  viewe  of  any  of  these  bookes,  or  all, 
I  shall  find  some  way  to  send  them,  and  you  may  peruse  or 

2  That  is,  Lilly's  Christian  Astrology  modestly  treated  of,  in  three  books :  or,  an 
Introduction  to  Astrologie,  London,  1647,  4to.  of  which  his  own  copy  is  in  the  Ash- 
molean  Museum. — W.  II.  B. 


464  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1658. 

transcribe  them;  butt  I  shall  entreat  the  favour  to  have  them 
returned.  Mr.  Stanley  gave  mee  the  honour  of  a  visit  some 
fewe  yeares  past,  and  if  hee  signified  my  mind  unto  you,  you 
might  have  receaved  them  long  agoe.  Sir,  I  thinck  myself 
much  honored  in  your  worthy  acquaintance,  and  shall  ever  rest 
Your  very  respectful  freind  and  servant, 

THOMAS  BROWNE. 
Norwich,  Jan.  xxv,  1658. 

A  manuscript  containing  these  tracts : —  3 

1.  Take  earth  of  earth  earths  mother  with  some  explication. 

2.  A  short  worke  and  true — of  halfe  a  sheet. 

3.  Cantilena  Ripley,  de  L.  Phil,  seu  de  phoenice. 

4.  Verbum  abbreviatum  Rogeri  Bacon  a  Rajmundo  Gal- 

frido  explicatum — above  a  sheet. 

5.  The  great  worke  or  great  Elixir  of  Ripley  ad  Solem  et 

Lunam,  with  an  accurtation  or  shortning  of  the  great 
work — containing  2  sheets. 

6.  A   Letter  of  Ripley,  sent  to  a  friend,  subscribed  by 

George  Ripley,  ch.  of  Bridlington,  farmer  and  curate 
of  F...balbergh.4 

7.  The  easiest  way  in  practising  the  Philosopher's  stone — ■ 

a  sheet  and  half. 

8.  Philossium   and    medulla,   translated  out  of  Latin  by 

George  Higins. 

9.  A  Concordance  of  the  Sayings  of  Guido  and  Raymund. 
X.  The  worke  of  Dickinson — about  a  hundred  verses. 

An  ancient  manuscript  of  Nortons  ordinall.5 

Dunstanus  Epus  Cantuariensis  de  Lapide  philos — a  small 
manuscript.6 

Theriaca  divina  Benedicti  MS.  Lat.  Anonym.7 

A  Manuscript  entitled  Investigation  of  causes,  writt  by  a  per- 
son of  these  parts  about  50  yeares  agoe.     A  theoreticall 


3  This  is  MS.  Sloan.  1842.— Catalogue  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne's  MSS.  No.  6,  4to. 
vol.  iv,  463,  &c. 

4  Very  illegible  in  MS.     On  reference  to  the  MS.  Sloan.  1S42,  I  find  it  is  thus: 
"Fox  Bulburg  Churche.  1460  vel  1476. 

5  MS.  Sloan.  1873.— Catalogue  of  Browne's  MSS.  No.  39,  4tO.  vol.  iv,  p.  463,  &c. 
fi  This  may  be  MS.  Sloan.  No.  3757,  fol.  40;  or  No.  1255,  art.  2,  fol.  12G:_ 

probably  the  latter. 

7  MS.  Sloan.  1857. — Catalogue  of  Browne's  MSS.  No.  18,  4to.  vol.  iv,  p.  463,  &c. 


1674.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  465 

piece,  but  relating  to  the  Herm.  philosophic  and  worke. 

An  original!,  and  I  thinck  there  is  noe  coppy  of  it — 

about  4  sheets.8 
Ripleys  emblematicall  or  hieroglyphicall  scrowle  in  parchment, 

about  7  yards  long,  with  many  verses,  somewhat  differing 

from  those  in  your  first  part  next  Ripleys  vision. 
Two  small  pieces  of  Garlandus  Anglus,  Latin  and  printed. 
Dastini  Speculum  philosoph.  MS.  Lat.9 
Benjamin  Locks  picklock  unto  Ripleys  castle,  prose  and  verse 

— about  4  or  5  sheets,  MS. 

To  my  worthy  and  honord  freind,  Elias  Ashmole, 
Esqr.  in  the  Middle  Temple,  these,  London. 

(The  above  direction  is  on  the  back  of  the  letter, 
(ff.  153,  156,)  within  which  is  enclosed  a  half  sheet 
folded  in  quarto,  (ff.  154-5,  containing  the  list  of 
MSS.  Close  to  the  direction  is  preserved  a  small 
seal  of  arms,  impressed  in  red  wax.) 


Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Mr.  Elias  Ashmole. 

[from  ashmole's  MSS.  1788,  ART.  17,  FOL.  151.] 

I  was  very  well  acquainted  with  Dr.  Arthur  Dee,  and  at  one 
time  or  other  hee  hath  given  me  some  account  of  the  whole 
course  of  his  life :  hee  gave  mee  a  catalogue  of  what  his 
father  Dr.  John  Dee  had  writt,  and  what  hee  intended  to 
write,  butt  I  think  I  have  seen  the  same  in  some  of  his  printed 
bookes,  and  that  catalogue  hee  gave  me  in  writing  I  cannot 
yet  find.  I  never  heard  him  saye  one  word  of  the  booke  of 
spirits,  sett  out  by  Dr.  Casaubone,  which  if  hee  had  knowne 
I  make  no  doubt  butt  hee  would  have  spoake  of  it  unto  mee, 
for  he  was  very  inquisitive  after  any  manuscripts  of  his  fa- 
ther's, and  desirous  to  print  as  many  as  hee  could  possibly 
obtaine  ;  and,  therefore,  understanding  that  Sir  William  Bos- 
well,  the  English  resident  in  Holland,  had  found  out  many 
of  them,  which  he  kept  in  a  trunck  in  his  howse  in  Holland, 
to  my  knowledge  hee  sent  divers  letters  unto  Sir  William, 
humbly  desiring  him  that  hee  would  not  lock  them  up  from 

8  MS.  Sloan.  1893.— Catalogue  of  Browne's  MSS.  No.  9,  Svo.  vol.  iv,  p.  4G3,  &c. 

9  MS.  Sloan.  1854.— Catalogue  of  MSS.  Zfc.  No.  13,  4to. 

VOL.   I.  2  H 


466  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1674. 

the  world,  butt  suffer  him  to  print  at  least  some  thereof.  Sir 
William  answered  some  of  his  letters,  acknowledging  that 
hee  had  some  of  his  father's  works  not  yet  published,  and 
that  they  were  safe  from  being  lost,  and  that  hee  was  readie 
to  showe  them  unto  him,  butt  that  hee  had  an  intention  to 
print  some  of  them  himself.  Dr.  Arthur  Dee  continued  his 
sollicitation,  butt  Sr.  William  dying  I  could  never  heare  more 
of  those  manuscripts  in  his  hand.  I  have  heard  the  Dr.  saye 
that  hee  lived  in  Bohemia  with  his  father,  both  at  Prague  and 
other  parts  of  Bohemia.  That  Prince  or  Count  Rosenberg 
was  their  great  patron,  who  delighted  much  in  alchymie;  I 
have  often  heard  him  affirme,  and  sometimes  with  oaths,  that 
hee  had  seen  projection  made  and  transmutation  of  pewter 
dishes  and  flaggons  into  sylver,  which  the  goldsmiths  at 
Prague  bought  of  them.  And  that  Count  Rosenberg  playd 
at  quaits  with  sylver  quaits  made  by  projection  as  before ;  that 
this  transmutation  was  made  by  a  powder  they  had,  which 
was  found  in  some  old  place,  and  a  booke  lying  by  it  con- 
taining nothing  butt  hieroglyphicks,  which  booke  his  father 
bestowed  much  time  upon  ;  but  I  could  not  heare  that  he 
could  make  it  out.  Hee  sayd  also  that  Kelly  delt  not  justly 
by  his  father,  and  that  he  went  away  with  the  greatest  part 
of  the  powder  and  was  afterwards  imprisoned  by  the  Em- 
peror in  a  castle,  from  whence  attempting  an  escape  downe 
the  wall,  hee  fell  and  broake  his  legge  and  was  imprisoned 
agayne.  That  his  father,  Dr.  John  Dee,  presented  Queen 
Elizabeth  with  a  little  of  the  powder,  who  having  made  triall 
thereof  attempted  to  get  Kelly  out  of  prison,  and  sent  some 
to  that  purpose,  who  giving  opium  in  drinck  unto  the  keepers, 
layd  them  so  faste  asleepe  that  Kelly  found  opportunity  to 
attempt  an  escape,  and  there  were  horses  readie  to  carry  him 
away ;  butt  the  buisinesse  unhappily  succeeded  as  is  before 
declared.  Hee  sayd  that  his  father  was  in  good  credit  with 
the  Emperour  Rodolphus,  I  thinck,  and  that  hee  gave  him 
some  addition  unto  his  coat  of  amies,  by  a  mathematicall 
figure  added,  which  I  thincke  may  bee  seen  at  Mr.  Rowland 
Dee's  howse,  who  had  the  picture J  and  coat  of  amies  of  Dr. 
John  Dee,  which  Dr.  Arthur  Dee  left  at  Mr.  Toley's  when  hee 

1  His  portrait  is  preserved  in  the  Ashmolean  Museum. —  W.  H.  B. 


167|.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  467 

dyed.  Dr.  Arthur  Dee  was  a  yong  man  when  he  saw  this 
projection  made  in  Bohemia,  butt  hee  was  so  inflamed  there- 
with, that  hee  fell  early  upon  that  studie  and  read  not  much 
all  his  life  but  bookes  of  that  subject,  and  two  years  before 
his  death  contracted  with  one  Hunniades,  or  Hans  Hanyar, 
in  London,  to  be  his  operator.  This  Hans  Hanyar  having 
lived  long  in  London  and  growing  in  years,  resolved  to  re- 
turne  into  Hungarie ;  he  went  first  to  Amsterdam  where  hee 
was  to  remain  ten  weeks,  till  Dr.  Arthur  came  unto  him. 
The  Dr.  to  my  knowledge  was  serious  in  this  buisinesse,  and 
had  provided  all  in  readinesse  to  goe ;  but  suddenly  hee 
heard  that  Hans  Hanyar  was  dead. 

If  hereafter  any  thing  farther  occurreth  to  my  memorie  I 
shall  advertize. 

(No  Signature.) 

(Note  subscribed  by  Ashmole.)  Reed.  29  March, 
1674,  4h.  p.  m.  from  Dr.  Browne,  of  Norwich, 
directed  to  Mr.  Ashmole. 


From  Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Mr.  John  Aubrey. 

[from  aubrey's  letters  in  the  ashmolean  museum,  vol.  i.  art.  28.] 

WORTHY    GOOD    SR. 

I  receaved  your  courteous  letter  and  therein  Mr. 
Woods  his  request.  Dr.  Thomas  Lushington  was  borne  at 
Canterbury,  was  chaplaine  unto  Dr.  Corbet,  bishop  of  Nor- 
wich, and  afterward  unto  Prince  Charles,  now  our  king,  in  his 
minority ;  was  rector  of  Burnham,  in  Norfolk,  and  dyed  and 
was  buryed  at  Sittingbourne,  in  Kent. 

Hee  writt  a  Logick,  after  a  new  method,  in  Latin.  A 
comment  upon  the  Hebrews  English,  both  printed  at  London. 

Hee  writt  also  a  Latin  Treatise  of  the  Passions,  according 
to  Aristotle  and  Thomas  Aquinas.  And  also  upon  the  The- 
ologie  of  Proclus,2  butt  they  never  were  published  as  I  could 
heare,  and  I  knowe  not  whether  any  one  hath  the  coppies. 

I  was  borne  at  St.  Michaels  Cheap  in  London,  went  to 
schoole  at  Winchester  Colledge,  then  went  to  Oxford,  spent 

2  Probably  MS.  Sloan.  1838.— Catalogue  of  Browne's  MSS.  No.  1,  4to. 

2  H  2 


468  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [167f . 

some  yeares  in  forreign  parts,  was  admitted  to  bee  a  Socius 
Honorarius  of  the  College  of  Physitians  in  London,  knighted 
September,  1671,  when  the  King,  Queen,  and  Court  came  to 
Norwich ;  writt  Religio  Medici  in  English,  which  was  since 
translated  into  Latin,  French,  Italian,  High  and  Low  Dutch. 

Psendodoxia  Epidemica ;  or  Enquiries  into  Common  and 
Vulgar  Errors,  translated  into  Dutch,  four  or  five  yeares  ago. 

Hydriotaphia,  or  Urne  BurialL 

Hortus  Cyri,  or  de  Quincunce. 

Have  some  Miscellaneous  Tracts  which  may  be  published. 

I  can  give  you  little  or  no  account  of  any  writers  of  Pem- 
broke Colledge,  and  I  believe  Mr.  Woods  may  better  informe 
himself  upon  the  place.  Dr.  Stamp,  who  was  I  think  chap- 
laine  to  the  Queen  of  Bohemia,  and  preached  sometimes  at 
Stepney,  published  somewhat,  but  I  remember  not  the  title. 
There  was  one  Dr.  Dowdswell,  a  learned  man,  lately  prebend 
of  Worcester,  butt  whether  hee  published  any  thing  I  knowe 
[not];  as  also  Dr.  Bludworth,  a  divine,  and  Dr.  William  Child, 
now  one  of  the  Masters  of  Chancerie. 

Some  accept  against  an  expression  they  sometimes  use  at 
Oxford  in  bookes  printed  at  the  theatre, — Ex  Typographia 
S/ieldoniana,  and  think  better  of  Ex  Typographio,  or  Typo- 
grapheio,  or  Typis  Sheldonianis. 

Sr.  your  friends  who  persuade  you  to  print  your  Templa 
Druidum,  8fc.  do  butt  what  is  fitt  and  reasonable.  I  shall 
observe  your  desires  as  to  observation  of  such  things  as  you 
require.  My  wife  and  daughters  present  their  respects  and 
service.     I  rest, 

Sr.  your  affectionate  freind  and  servant, 

THO.  BROWNE. 

Norwich,  March  14,  167§. 

(Direction  on  the  back:  the  seal  is  destroyed.)  To 
my  worthy  friend  Mr.  Aubrey,  at  Mr.  Henry  Coley 
his  howse  in  Rose  and  Crowne  Court  in  Grayes 
Inne  Lane,  these,  London. 

(Added  by  Coley's  own  hand:  he  was  son-in-law  to 
Lilly,  the  astrologer.)  Leave  this  letter  at  the 
Earl  of  Thanet's  house  in  Hothfeild,  to  be  directed 
as  above. 


1673.]  MISCELLANEOUS   CORRESPONDENCE.  469 

From  Sir  Thomas  Browne  to  Mr.  John  Aubrey. 

[from  aubeey's  letters  in  the  ashmolean  museum,  vol.  i,  art.  29.] 
WORTHY    SR. 

I  was  not  unmindful  of  Mr.  Wood?  desires ;  butt  the 
Deane,  in  whose  hands  the  records  are,  being  of  late  much 
out  of  the  towne,  occasiond  this  delay :  I  now  send  you  in- 
closed what  is  to  be  found.  You  will  find  Mr.  Robert  Talbot 
named  in  the  first  of  Edward  the  sixth  ;  butt  when  hee  dyed 
as  to  the  yeare  is  uncertaine,  for  after  this  I  send,  the  church 
hath  no  register  untill  the  7th  yeare  of  Queene  Elizabeth, 
after  which  there  is  a  good  account  of  the  prebends ;  but  Mr. 
Talbots  name  not  to  bee  found  among  them,  so  that  hee  dyed 
before  that  time. 

Bishop  Corbet  never  had  any  epitaph  I  could  here  of, 
though  there  are  many  that  can  remember  his  death,  and 
some  the  place  where  hee  was  buried ;  and  though  there  have 
been  many  bishops  buryed  in  this  church,  yett  there  are  butt 
3  that  have  epitaphs,  viz.  Bishop  Parkhurst,  B.  Overall,  and. 
B.  Montague ;  the  rest  have  fayre  tombs,  but  no  inscriptions. 
A  dark  of  the  church  told  mee,  that  in  the  late  times  above 
an  hundred  brasse  inscriptions  were  stolne  out  of  the  church, 
and,  therefore,  to  prevent  all  oblivion  of  the  rest,  I  toolce  the 
best  account  I  could  of  them  at  the  Kings  returne,  from  an 
understanding  singingman  of  91  years  old,  and  sett  them 
downe  in  a  booke,  which  otherwise  would  chance  in  a  short 
time  been  forgotten ;  the  churchmen  little  minding  such  things. 
Bishop  Herbert,  the  founder  of  that  church  in  William  Rufus 
his  time,  was  borne  in  Oxford,  and  so  probably  had  his  edu- 
cation there.  I  do  not  find  that  hee  writt  any  thing ;  butt  hee 
was  a  famous  man,  and  great  builder  of  churches;  as  this 
cathedral],  St.  Margarets  at  Lynne  a  fayre  church,  St.  Ni- 
colas at  Yarmouth,  an  handsome  church  at  Elmeham  in  Nor- 
folk, and  St.  Leonards  chappell  upon  the  hill  by  Norwich. 
In  the  3rd  or  4th  of  our  Bishops  there  was  also  one  John  of 
Oxenford.  For  Broadgate  Hall,  I  was  of  it  butt  about  a 
yeare  before  it  was  made  Pembroke  Colledge.    Bishop  Bonner 


470  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  [1673. 

was  of  that  house,  and  Camden,  as  old  Dr.  Clayton  told  mee, 
and  Noticia  Oxonlce  mentions.  Dr.  Budden,  also  a  civillian, 
was  principall  not  very  long  before  my  time,  and  Dr.  Clayton 
remembered  him.  Hee  hath  left  some  things  in  writing,  but 
perhaps  hee  was  first  of  Magdalen  colledge,  having  writt  the 
life  of  William  of  Waynfleet. 

I  am  glad  you  have  been  so  observant  as  to  take  notice  of 
the  Roman  castrum  in  those  parts  you  mention. 

There  hath  been  a  Roman  castrum  by  Castor  neere  Yar- 
mouth, butt  plowed  up,  and  now  nothing  or  litle  discernable 
thereof;  butt  I  have  had  many  Roman  coynes  found  there- 
about :  that  castle  you  mention  there  is  an  old  remainder  of 
Sr.  John  Fallstafs  house.  There  is  also  a  Roman  castrum  3 
miles  from  Norwich,  at  Castor,  anciently  Venta  Icenorum,  con- 
taining about  30  akers  of  ground,  where  there  are  still  playne 
marks  of  the  4  porta?,  and  I  have  had  many  coynes  from  thence, 
and  some  other  antiquities.  There  is  also  a  castrum  at  Bran- 
caster  by  Burnham  in  Norfolk,  containing  8  akers  of  ground ; 
butt  the  rampier  of  that  is  almost  digged  downe.  I  hope  you 
proceed  in  your  observations  concerning  the  Druids  stones. 
I  pray  my  humble  service  and  good  wishes  unto  that  worthy 
gentleman  Mr.  Wood.  I  rest,  Sr.  your  very  respectfull 
freind  and  humble  servant,  f  HO.  BROWNE. 

P.  S. — My  wife  and  daughters  present  their  humble  ser- 
vice. If  you  speake  with  my  sonne  who  is  at  Dr.  Ternes  in 
Lymestreet,  hee  will  give  you  some  account  of  stones  like 
Rollrich  stones,  the  which  hee  observed  as  hee  went  from 
Magdeburg  to  Hamburgh.  If  I  can  do  you  any  service  I 
pray  command  it.  I  should  bee  glad  to  see  you  in  these  parts 
when  I  might  have  more  time  to  enjoy  you  then  your  last  haste 
afforded  mee. 

I  was  borne  Novemb.  19,  1605. 
Aug.  24,  Norwich,  1673. 

I  can  heare  nothing  of  the  tree  in  Castor  churchyard, 
though  I  have  enquired  of  some  of  the  parish  who  say  there 
is  none  now,  nor  do  they  remember  any. 

(Directed  on  the  lack.)  To  my  worthy  friend  Mr. 
John  Awbrey,  at  Mr.  Henry  Coleys  howse  at  the 
Rose  and  Crowne  in  Graves  Inne  Lane,  London. 


1673.]  MISCELLANEOUS    CORRESPONDENCE.  471 

(Inclosure.J 

Dr.  Corbet  died  the  28  July,  1635,  was  buried  in  ye  quire 
as  is  supposed,  but  we  find  no  remaines. 

7°.  die  Nov.  anno  primo,  Ed.  6. 

In  charta  Edivardi  Sexti  pro  fundatione  Ecclie.  Cath. 
Sntd>  et  individual  Trinitatis  apud  Norvic. 

Et  ut  Ecclesia  Cathedralis  prcedicta  de  personis  congruis 
in  singulis  locis  et  gradibus  suis  perimpleatur  et  decoretur 
dilectum  nobis  Johannem  Salisbury  sacrce  Theologies  prqfes- 
sorem  Episcopum  Thetford  primum  originalem  et  modernum 
decanum  predictce  Ecclia.  Cathedralis,  ac  Thomam  Tidman 
Sacrce  Theologies  professorem  primum  presbiterum  prebenda- 
rium,  Henricum  Manuell  clericum  secundum  presbiterum  pre- 
bendarium,  Robertum  Talbot  artium  magistrum  tertium  pres- 
biterum prebendarium,  Edmundum  Drake  clericum  quartum 
presbiterum  prebendarium,  Elizesum  Ferrys  Sacrce  Theolo- 
gies prof  essorem  quinium  presbiterum  prebendarium.  et  Johan- 
nem Hatty bread  Sacrce  Theologies  professorem  Sextum  pres- 
biterum prebendarium  predictce  Eccli*.  fyc. 

(The  above  inclosure  is  written  by  a  different  hand, 
on  a  small  piece  of  paper,  which  is  fastened  to  the 
foregoing  letter,  (art.  28,)  in  mistake  for  this  second 
letter  to  Aubrey.) 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


0      sssfsr; 

4*VCEM    A»" 


PRINTED     BY    JOSIAH    FLETCHER. 


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