Man and a good Governour but in his latter time peevish and froward and had never any great stock of Learning When Oxford was a Garrison for King Charles the Martyr he would stand at the College Gate and observe what Persons came to walk in Trinity Grove for that was then the Oxford Hide-Park the Rendesyous of the Nobility and Gentry I say he took notice of all and usually had a Saying to every one of them which instead of vexing them made them laugh then would tell the next of the Fellows he chanc'd to see I met some Iack Lords going into my Grove but I think I have nettled them I gave them such entertainment they little look'd for At my first coming to the University of Oxford there were innumerable Bulls and Blunders father'd upon him as afterwards upon Dr. Boldero of Cambridge Upon Dr. Kettles death the Fellows proceeded to an Election of a President and it lay betwixt Mr. Chillingworth a Person justly of great Fame for his Learning and Dr. Potter Mr. Chillingworth had the majority of Votes but being then at a considerable distance from Oxford and not able to come suddenly and take Possession Dr. Potter laid hold upon this advantage and was admitted in a short time after when the University was Visited Dr. Potter was Ejected and Dr. Harris Rector of Hanwell in Oxfordshire put into his place This Dr. Harris was a very eminent Preacher his Hair rather white than gray his Speech Grave Natural and Pathetical I never heard any Sermons which became the Persons who pronounc'd them so well as his did him After Dr. Harris's decease the Fellows chose Mr. Hawes a Loyal Learned and Modest Person but of an infirm constitution of Health he enjoy'd this Headship but a little time and some days before his death resign'd it whereupon Dr. Ward to the great contentment and joy of the Moral Sober Party was elected President which he accepted and accordingly took possession of it He us'd great diligence and care to put all things in order and settle the troubled Affairs of it governing with great Prudence and Reputation but he continued in that Station a very little while only till 1660 that memorable Year for the happy Return of King Charles the Second when he resign'd it to Dr. Potter 't is true he left Trinity College and Oxford 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an unwilling willingness for he was contented with his Condition and so pleas'd with a Collegial Life and the Charms of that sweet place that he would willingly have remain'd there the rest of his days and in order to that proffer'd Dr. Potter an Equivalent which was refus'd but yet had he resolv'd to have kept it he had not wanted sufficient ground to dispute the Title at Law for tho' it must be confess'd Dr. Potter was illegally turn'd out yet he never had a Statutable right to that place as is before made manifest But Dr. Ward not being willing to contend lest it and also resign'd his Savilian Professors Place and retir'd to London what he did there shall be the Subject of the next Chapter CHAP. VIII Of Dr. Wards being in London WE have observ'd before that all Disappointments which happened to Dr. Ward even since his first ejection out of Cambridge have prov'd to his advantage but this last of not retaining the Presidentship of Trinity College turn'd more notoriously not only to his private Emolument but to the public good also For had he kept that Headship I mean been buried alive in Trinity College hiding his glorious Light under that Bushel Exeter and Salisbury could not have boasted of so good a Bishop and Benefactor the Church of England had wanted such a Pillar and Asserter of its Rights and the Poor the Houses and Benefactions he has provided for them he might have publish'd more Treatises in Divinity and Mathematics but he could not possibly have done so much good On May the 29 th since made a perpetual Holiday by Act of Parliament King Charles return'd in Glory to his Kingdoms from which he had been unjustly Exil'd for many Years He was no sooner fix'd in his Throne but he resolv'd to settle the Church as by the Ancient Laws Establish'd to restore and to confirm it all its Lands Rights and Privileges of which it had been Sacrilegiously robb'd and despoil'd To this end several new Bishops were Consecrated who together with those who out liv'd the Storm of the Persecution were commission'd by the King to do it effectually Those Ministers who were ejected out of their Livings for adhering to the King's Cause were restor'd and notice was given to all who had any pretension to any Ecclesiastical Places or Dignities at or before such a day nominated to appear and enter their Claims for after that day the Commissioners intended to fill all the Vacancies in the Churches You may remember what I said in the Fourth Chapter that Bishop Brounrig had conferr'd the Precentorship of the Church of Exeter upon Dr. Ward many Years before And now that Title which had lain so long dormant and as to outward appearance dead awak'd reviv'd and took place and was accepted by the Commissioners by whose order he was admitted Precentor not long after he was chosen Dean and in the same Year consecrated Bishop of Exeter During these Transactions Dr. Ward had frequent occasion to ride betwixt London and Oxford which Journey he always perform'd in one day upon a high-mettled dancing I might say a run-away Mare for almost any body besides him would have found her so but he was indeed a good Horseman and valu'd himself upon it I have heard him say when he was a young Scholar in Cambridge and us'd to ride in company of others to London or elsewhere he frequently chang'd Horses with those who could not make theirs go and with those tir'd Jades lead the way but this is to be reckon'd amongst the least of his Accomplishments By so often taking this Journey in the heat of the Year he threw himself into a dangerous Fever and lay long sick of it in Gresham-College which not being well Cur'd by reason that Dr. Goddard his Fysician was then very full of Employment and could not give him due attendance I say it was not well Cur'd he having not Purg'd after it as it was necessary it left in him an ill constitution of Health during the rest of his Life and tho' he wrestled with it and bore up against it for many Years yet he could never subdue it Morbum tolerare potuit superare vero non potuit Upon the promotion of Dr. Reynolds to the Bishopric of Norwich the Church of St. Laurence Iewry became Vacant and it being in the Kings Gift was conferr'd upon Dr. Ward who kept it till he was nominated Bishop of Exeter and upon his resignation procur'd it for his Friend Dr. Wilkins who was at that time wholly destitute of all Employment and Preferment for upon the Kings
Restoration and the new Modelling of the University of Cambridge he lost the Mastership of Trinity-College having no other Title to it than the Presentation of Richard Cromwell the short-liv'd Protector however he wrong'd no body for the Incumbent was dead and none pretended any Right or Claim to it And as if Fortune took delight in persecuting of him and to heap Afflictions upon Afflictions not long after I mean in that dreadful and almost Universal Conflagration of London he lost not only his Books an irreparable loss as I my self have also since experienc'd but the unsatiable and devouring Flames consum'd and reduc'd to Ashes all his Houshold-stuff his House and his Parsonage also Add to this he I mean Dr. Wilkins was out of favour both at White-Hall and Lambeth for his Marriage mentioned before in the Sixth Chapter upon that account Archbishop Shelden who had the Keys of the Church for a great time in his power and could admit into it and keep out of it whom he pleas'd I mean dispos'd of all Ecclesiastical Preferments entertain'd a strong prejudice against him so that he was now not only without any Place but also without probability of obtaining one so that his Fortune was as low as it could be but he did not stay there long I remember Bishop Ward told me at that time I am much concern'd for your Brother and write to him oftner than I otherwise should to keep up his Spirits and assure him of my utmost assistance for the bettering of his Condition lest he should imagine that I in my Prosperity should be unmindful of him in Adversity And these good words were soon followed with answerable Actions he procur'd for him the Precentors place at Exeter which was the first step he ascended towards a better Fortune then did also the Honourable Society of Grays-Inn make choice of him for their Lecturer and not long after upon the death of Bishop Hall he was made Bishop of Chester not only without but against the Consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury After which Bishop Ward introduc'd him into the Archbishops presence and favour who entertain'd him very obligingly declaring that the prejudice he had against him was unjust and if he had known him sooner he would have been sooner preferr'd Before Dr. Wilkins was settled in his Bishopric a certain Person address'd himself to the Archbishop and desir'd his Graces Recommendation to him for a Place in his Gift No reply'd the Archbishop that I can by no means do it would be a very unreasonable thing in me to desire a Favour from one whose Promotion I oppos'd and they ever afterwards kept a fair Correspondence The two other Bishops continued their old Friendship till death tho' it is not to be deny'd that they afterwards differ'd in their Opinions concerning the Bill of Comprehension the Bishop of Salisbury opposing it and the Bishop of Chester with great zeal espousing it Upon the translation of Bishop Gauden to Worcester Dr. Ward without knowing any thing of it by the Interest of the Duke of Albemarle and Sir Hugh Pollard then Controller and some other of his Western Friends whom he had oblig'd during his residence at Exeter was nominated the Bishop thereof An. Dom. 1662. After he was compleated Bishop he put all things in order to go to his Diocess and reside there accordingly he went to Exeter whither we will accompany him and relate what he did there in the next Chapter CHAP. IX Of his being Bishop of Exeter UPON his arrival at Exeter he found all things in Disorder the Bishops Palace was in the possession of a Sugar-Baker and put to that sweet use the Church was parted by a Traverse the Presbyterians and Independants dividing it betwixt them which Inconveniences the former Bishop took no care to remove expecting to be translated to a better Bishopric as afterwards he was But before we speak of Dr. Ward as a Bishop give me leave to take a short view of what he did when he was Dean of Exeter He first cast out of the Temple the Buyers and Sellers who had usurp'd it and therein kept distinct Shops to vent their Ware At his Majestys Restoration the Nonconformists there being buoy'd up by some powerful Friends who for their private Interest drove on and hop'd to obtain a general Toleration of all Religions excepting Popery took the boldness to petition the King that the Partition in the Cathedral might not be taken down that they might enjoy Altare contra Altare But to give them their due they were so generous as to allow one half of the Church to the use of the Episcopal Party to whom all did of right belong that therein Divine Service might be celebrated according to the Act of Parliament for Uniformity of Worship reserving the other part to their selves to Meet and Hold-forth in but their design was prevented by the early application of the Dean to the King and Council from whom he procur'd an Order to restore the Church to its ancient Form and Shape and remove the Innovations he accordingly caus'd the Partition to be pull'd down and repair'd and beautified the Cathedral the Expences whereof amounted to twenty five thousand Pounds he also bought a new pair of Organs esteem'd the best in England which cost two thousand Pound But it may be demanded how came he by such vast Sums of Money I answer it was not done out of his private Purse but out of the Church Revenues for all the Leases belonging to that Ancient and Rich Church being expir'd the renewing of them caus'd that plenty But now let 's consider him as Bishop He first retriev'd the Palace out of the hands of the Sugar-Baker whom his Predecessor found and left in quiet possession he repair'd it and made it habitable for it was very ruinous having been deserted before the Civil War by the Bishops who liv'd in other Houses he took care of executing his Majestys Letters commanding the Augmentation of poor Vicarages in that Diocese and did it effectually he also encreased the Prebends Stipends from Four to Twenty Pounds a Year He kept his constant Trienial Visitations in the first whereof he Confirm'd many thousands of all Ages and different Sexes he also settled the Ecclesiastical Courts and without any Noise or Clamour reduc'd that Active Subtile and then Factious People to great Conformity not without the approbation even of the Adversaries themselves At this time Falmouth from an inconsiderable Village usually call'd Pennycome-quick being grown a great and beautiful Town equal if not superiour to Truro procur'd a Charter from King Charles wherein the new name of Falmouth was establish'd and a Penalty put upon those who should call it by its old scandalous Nick-name The People of this New Town had also built a stately Church and sent to the Bishop entreating him to Consecrate it which he did dedicating it to the blessed Memory of King Charles the Martyr having first taken care that about
If these Lands had been mine own either by Purchase or Inheritance I could not have been so solicitous to preserve them from damage He had good Woods about six or seven mile from Salisbury of which he cut down annually only so much as he made use of in repairing or building the Palace and sold only so much as defrayd the price of the Coals which he burnt in his Kitchin neither would he suffer one Stick to be cut down for any other purpose tho' often solicited thereunto I remember he told me I am resolvd who ever succeeds me shall have no occasion to be sorry that I was his Predecessor in this Bishopric for I will leave it better than I found it and he did not fail to be as good as his word as we shall make manifest in the next Chapter He us'd once every Year and sometimes oftner ride to the Woods above-mentiond and visit all the Coppices and ask the Woodward several Questions and give him strict charge concerning the Mounds Fences c. But for all this said he to me for I always accompanied him when ever he rid out these Fellows may easily Cheat me but I suppose my frequently coming hither unawares to them and seeming so inquisitive will make them more cautious To shew his care yet farther even when the Kings Commissioners came to Salisbury to buy Timber for the Royal Navy he would not consent to the felling of one Tree till he had received the Kings express Orders for so doing CHAP. XII Concernings his Acts of Charity WE have declard in the Ninth Chapter what he did for the Church of Exeter I mean his procuring the Deanery of St. Burien to be annext to the Bishops of that Place It our is work now to shew what good he did to the Bishopric and City of Salisbury and whether he left them better than he found them He was very kind to the City granting them what ever they desird of him and in particular his Picture at full length in his Garter Robes the work of Mr. Iohn Greenhill who was a Scholar of Sir Peter Lelies an excellent Painter this Piece is set up in the Town House and esteem'd as an inestimable Relic He also renewd to the City a Lease of the Mansion-House and some Lands which were formerly my Lord Awdleys Earl of Castle-Haven in Ireland which for that Lords committing Crimes not fit to be nam'd and being Convicted and Executed became forfeited to the Crown and so fell to the Bishop to whom all Forfeitures are granted by the Kings Letters Patents For doing this he would accept of no other gratuity than a pair of Gloves as an acknowledgment He also contributed largely towards making their River Navigable not only with his Money but Advice and dug the first Spadeful himself when they began that Work He also made several Journeys in their behalf to the King and Council and answerd the Objections which several Hampshire Gentlemen made against it as I have briefly mention'd in the Salisbury Canto Part 1. Stanza 23. To the Bishopric of Salisbury he was also a great Benefactor by prevailing with the King to annex and unite to it for ever that Honourable and not unprofitable Place the Chancelorship of the most Noble Order of the Garter the Ensigns whereof are a Medal of Gold hanging upon a Chain of the same Metal and he was the first Protestant Bishop who had the honour to wear it And here I think it will not be impertinent to give a short History of this Office The first Chancellor of the Garter was Bishop Beauchamp Anno Dom. 1450 and that Honour was enjoy'd by his Successors the Bishops of Salisbury till the time of Cardinal Campeggio who having incurrd the displeasure of King Henry the Eighth for differing from him in the matter of the Divorce retird to Rome and died there A. D. 1539. and lies buried in the Church of Santa Maria Tras Tevere Then had the Bishops of Salisbury enjoyd that Honour Eighty nine Years since which time it has always been in the hands of Laymen till it pleasd King Charles the Second upon the humble petition and claim of Dr. Ward to restore it to him and his Successors the Bishops of Salisbury for ever after the death of Sir Henry de Vic the last Lay-Chancellor and after it had been out of the See one hundred thirty and two Years The Letters Patent bear date Novemb. 25. Anno Domini 1671. He was also very forward and liberal in promoting any good design in the way of Learning as Dr. Castle in his Epistle Dedicatory before his Learned Lexicon testifies in these words Enimvero universae hae literae plus minus septingentas libras tantum mihi porrexerunt ad promovendum opus in quo millenas plures infaustus exhausi praeter plurima atque ingentia valde quae contraxi debita Quid quod praenominatae Collectae summae pars maxima quadringenta scilicit librae procuratione atque opera solertissima prudentissimaque Reverendi admodum in Deô Patris Sethi Domini Episcopi Sarisburiensis intra quatuordecem dies fuerant conquisitae That is But all these speaking of the Kings the Archbishops and other Bishops Commendatory Letters produced me but seven hundred pound a little more or less and that to promote a Work wherein I had spent some thousands besides contracting some very great Debts The major part of which Collection viz. Four hundred pound was procurd for me in fourteen days by the care and diligence of the Right Reverend Father in God Seth Lord Bishop of Salisbury I have heard the Bishop speak with pleasure concerning this Collection saying the four hundred pound was contributed by the Clergy of the Dioceses of Exeter and Salisbury only but his Modesty would not permit him to tell me what proportion thereof he gave But the greatest and most seasonable Act of Charity and public Benefaction was building and endowing that Noble Pile I mean the College of Matrons for the entertainment and maintenance of Ten Widows of Orthodox Clergymen I have often heard him express his dislike if any one call'd it an Hospital for said he many of these are well descended and have liv'd in good reputation I would not have it said of them that they were reduc'd to an Hospital but retird to a College which has a more honourable sound He accounted himself fortunate in purchasing Free Land whereupon to erect this Fabric and yet more fortunate that it was in the Close for had it lain any where else he must have been at the charges of a greater Structure and endowing a Chapter which was now needless the Cathedral being so near whereunto they might with ease and were all of them engaged to repair both Morning and Evening and stay out the whole time of Prayers under a pecuniary penalty During his Life he put in the Widows himself and at his Death he left a Catalogue of of the Names of others whom he
sunt novem That is Were there not Ten cleansed but what 's become of Nine of them not any returning Thanks besides this one There are yet two other good Friends of the Bishops and mine also who must not be passd over in silence Persons of that Eminency for Learning Piety and Vertue that I never thought my self worthy to unloose their Shâ—o-latchets tho' they did not make that figure in the World as those great ones mentiond in the last Chapter These were Mr. Laurence Rooke Professor of Geometry in Gresham-College and Dr. Isaac Barrow of whom we shall treat in order in the ensuing Chapters only begging leave for a small digression between concerning Dr. Turbervile CHAP. XVI Of Doctor Turbervile HAving casually mentiond Dr. Turbervile in the precedent Chapter I should esteem my self unpardonable as guilty of the greatest Ingratitude to dismiss him in so few words him to whom under God I owe my Sight a blessing in my opinion equal if not preferable to Life it self without it It was he who twice rescued me from Blindness which without his aid had been unavoidable when both my Eyes were so bad that with the best I could not perceive a Letter in a Book nor my Hand with the other and grew worse and worse every day Therefore tho I might treat of him as a Friend to the Bishop I chose rather to introduce him as mine because I was more intimately acquainted with him and as it appears by what has been said before infinitely obliged to him Dr. Turbervile was born at Wayford in Somerset-shire Anno. Dom 1612 of an ancient Equestrian Family there being in the Church of Beer only the Tombs of no less than fifteen Knights of that Name as I am credibly informd for I confess I have not seen them By his Mothers side he was Nobly extracted from the Family of the Daâ—bignies which has afforded this Kingdom many Peers this Name did his Mothers Father who was also his Godfather give him when he was Baptized Upon his going to the University his Mother advisd him to make the Diseases of the Eyes his principal study assuring him he would find it turn to a good account He was admitted in Oriel College in Oxford and there took the Degree of Dr. of Fysic When the Civil Wars broke out he left the University and bore Arms in defence of the King Church and the Establisht Laws he was in Exeter when it was besiegd and till it was surrendred to the Parliament Forces Whilst he was shut up therein he and his Comrade run in Debt a hundred pounds each in Chalk behind the Door he told me that his Landlord came into their Chamber leading his Daughter by the hand and courteously profferd to Cancel the Debts of either of them who should Marry her The Dr. valiantly resisted this Temptation and chose rather to pay his Debts in ready Money which he did shortly after the other accepted the Terms and had his Wifes Portion presently paid him viz. His Scores wiped out with a wet Dishclout By the Articles the Garison might return to their Dwellings and live there unmolested he accordingly went to Wayford and Married his only Wife by whom he had no Children and who died a few Months before him At his own House and at Crâ—okhorn the next aâ—jacent Market-Town he practisd some time but finding those Places not capable to entertain the multitude that resorted to him he removd to London with an intent to reside there but the Air of that City not agreeing with his Constitution he left it and fixd his abode in Salisbury whence he made several Journeys to London either upon his own occasion or calld thither by some Persons of Quality wanting his Advice Once he was sent for by the Dutchess of York to Cure the Princess of Denmark then a Child labouring under a dangerous Inflammation in her Eyes and a breaking out in her Face the Cure of which had been attempted in vain by the Court Fysicians These despisd Dr. Turbervile looking on him as a Country Quack and demanded what Method he would use and to see approve or reject his Medicaments before he applyd them which he refusd telling her Royal Highness that if she pleasd to commit her Daughter to his sole management he would use his utmost endeavour to Cure her but he would have nothing to do with the Fysicians He told me he expected to learn something of those Court Doctors but to his amazement he found them only Spies upon his Practice and wholly ignorant as to the Ladys Case nay farther that he knew several Midwives and Old Women whose Advice he would rather follow than theirs The Dutchess yielded the Surgeons and Fysicians were dismissd and he alone intrusted with the Lady whom to his great reputation and some profit in few months fewer than could be expected he perfectly cured of both those Distempers I said some profit for tho the Duke orderd him six hundred pound he could never receive more than half of it which considering the Quality of the Patient the Expence of the Doctors Journey to and from London and for Lodging and Diet there his long attendance at Court and neglecting other Patients cannot be esteemd a competent Gratuity Many Years after he was calld up again by one of the greatest and ancientest Peers of this Kingdom to whom after having attentively inspected his Eye he spoke after this manner My Lord I might bear you in hand a Western Frase signifying to delay or keep in expectation and feed you with promises or at least hopes that I should Cure you in some competent time and so cause your Lordship to be at great expence to no purpose I cannot Cure you and I believe no Man in England can The Earl answerd Such and such will undertake it for a hundred pound To which the Dr. replied I have so great an Honour for your Lordship and so much wish your Welfare that I will joyfully give a hundred Guineas out of my own Purse to the Person who shall restore your Sight in that Eye I confess I am not able to Cure it but I can reduce it to a better figure Thus they parted this Nobleman is living and in a very Eminent Station at my writing this but has not recoverd that Eye nor is in any hopes of it being long since convincd it is incurable Dr. Turbervile was no boaster nor would he promise to Cure any Distemper but when Patients came he would first look into their Eyes then tell them their Diseases and his opinion concerning thâ—m to some he would say you 're Incurable and would not meddle with them to others that he had often Cured such a Malady and sometimes faild of it but if they would make use of him he would do his best He generally prescribd to all shaving their Heads and taking Tobacco which he had often known to do much good and never any harm to the Eyes He did not rely upon
Exon. Longas suavesque Amicitias Hoc Saxo prosecutus est Obiit Iunii 27. Anno Dom. MDCLXII AEtatis suae XL. In English thus To the Pious Memory Of that Excellent Person Laurence Rooke Who either sleeps or meditates under this Stone Who was born in Kent and successively Enjoyd the Professors Place of Astronomy and Geometry In Gresham-College Of both those Sciences being Ornament and greatest Hope In his Life-time he had measurd and comprehended What ever is in Life or Death He was highly esteemd by all good and Learned Men For the admirable Temper of his Mind Universal Erudition sweet and transparent Manners Exact and consummate Vertue easie and profitable Conversation Being full of Knowledge but not puft up By his Piety Virtue and exalted Reason He had subdued and trod under his Feet All Worldly Desires and Fears But lest he whom a most unjust Modesty Obscurd so much in his Life Should be unknown to all after his Death Seth Ward Bishop of Exeter In return for their long and most sweet Friendship Has endeavourd to perpetuate his Memory by this Monument He died Iune the 27. in the Year of our Lord 1662. in the Fourtieth Year of his Age. Doctor Barrow did not only succeed Mr. Rooke in his Place at Gresham-College but also in his intimate Friendship with Bishop Ward and as such I shall treat of him in the ensuing Chapter CHAP. XIX Of Doctor Barrow IT is not my design to write Dr. Barrows Life and if it were I am not furnished with sufficient Materials for that undertaking It is already done tho with too much brevity by a better hand dedicated to the Reverend Dr. Tillotson then Dean and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury by my worthy learned and ingenious Friend Abraham Hill Esq out of whose Account I shall take what I before was ignorant of concerning his Birth and Education before he arrivd to be so Eminent at Cambridge adding thereunto several particular Accidents which happened during my intimate acquaintance with him and sometimes going out of the way for a season to make the Narration more delightful I may possibly insert some particulars which will seem trivial tho in my opinion the less considerable Words and Actions and Circumstances of great Men amongst whom he has a just title to be inrolld are worthy to be transmitted to Posterity Mr. Hill fixes Dr. Barrows Birth in the Month of October A. D. 1630. But I hope he will not be offended if I dissent from him both as to the Year and Month and produce Reason for so doing t is this I have often heard Dr. Barrow say that he was born upon the Twenty-ninth of February and if he said true it could not be either in October or in 1630 that not being a Leap-Year I would not have asserted this merely upon the credit of my Memory had it been any other Day of any other Month it being told me so long since had I not this remarkable Circumstance to confirm it He used to say it is in one respect the best Day in the Year to be born upon for it afforded me this advantage over my Fellow Collegiates who used to keep Feasts upon their Birth-day I was treated by them once every Year and I entertaind them once in four Years when February had nine and twenty Days Dr. Barrow was born in London and well descended his Great Grandfather was Fillip Barrow who published a Method of Fysic whose Brother Isaac was a Doctor of Fysic and a Benefactor to Trinity College in Cambridge as also a Tutor therein to Robert Cecill Earl of Salisbury and Lord-Treasurer of England His Grandfather was Isaac Barrow Esquire of Spiney-Abbey in Cambridge-shire a Person of a good Estate and a Justice of Peace during the space of fourty Years His Fathers Name was Thomas a reputable Citizen of London and Linnen-Draper to King Charles the First to whose Interests he adherd following him first to Oxford and after his Execrable Murder he went to his Son Charles the Second then in Exile there with great patience expecting the Kings Restoration which at last happened when t was almost despaird of I remember Mr. Abraham Cowley who also was beyond Sea with the King told me at our first coming into France we expected every Post would bring us News of our being recalld but having been frustrated for so many Years we could not believe it when the happy News arrivd This Thomas had a Brother whose Name was Isaac afterwards Bishop of St. Asaf whose Consecration Sermon his Nevew and Name-sake our Dr. Barrow preachd at Westminster-Abbey His Mother was Ann Daughter of William Buggins Esq of North-Cray in Kent This Genealogy tho short has quite tird my patience it so little concerns him for it is certainly the least of his Praises if it be any at all To be Nobly or Royally extracted is the gift of blind Fortune A Principibus nasci fortuitum est This may happen to an ill and ignorant Person but to be eminently Learned and Pious cannot be obtaind without indefatigable Industry and a sincere love and constant practise of Vertue He was first put to the Charterhouse School where he made little or no progress there appearing in him an inclination rather to be a Soldier than a Scholar his chief delight being in Fighting himself and encouraging his Play-fellows to it and he was indeed of an undaunted Courage as we shall make evident in its place His Father finding no good was to be hopd for there removd him to Felstead in Essex where contrary to his expectation and even beyond his hopes his Son on a sudden became so great a proficient in Learning and all other praise-worthy Qualifications that his Master appointed him Tutor to the Lord Viscount Fairfax of Emely in Ireland who was then his Scholar During his stay at Felstead he was admitted into Peter-House of which College his Uncle the Bishop had formerly been a Member When he was fit for the University he went to Cambridge and was admitted in Trinity in Febr. A. D. 1645. He was there kindly treated by Dr. Hill whom the Parliament had put in to that Mastership in the place of Dr. Comber ejected for adhering to the King This Dr. Hill I say one day laying his Hand upon young Isaacs Head Thou art a good Lad said he t is pity thou art a Cavalier and afterwards when he had made an Oration upon the Gun-powder Treason wherein he had so celebrated the former Times as to reflect much on the present Some of the Fellows movd for his Expulsion but the Master silencd them with these word Barrow is a better Man than any of us This is very remarkable and an evident Testimony of our young Scholars irresistible Merits which could as the Poets feign of Orfeus Lenire Tigres rapidesque Leones that is Tame Savage Tigers and fierce Lions make a Presbyterian kind to a Cavalier and Malignant which Names the adherers to the King Church and
Laws went under in those days Anno Domini 1649. He was chosen Fellow of the College carrying it merely by the dint of his Merits having no Friend to commend him as being of a contrary Perswasion to those who then carried all things in that University This brings to my Memory a Certificate or Testimonial which my worthy Friend Dr. Gilbert Ironside then Warden of Wadham-College in Oxford and now Bishop of Hereford gave to a Member of that College who was Candidate for a Fellowship in another College it was to this purpose If this Person whom I recommend to you be not a better Scholar than any of those who are his Competitors choose him not and he did upon Examination and Trial so far surpass the rest that they could not refuse him without being and appearing Partial and unjust I mention this as a Parallel to Dr. Barrows Case When Doctor Duport resignd his Greek Lecture he recommended his Pupil Mr. Barrow for his Successor who justified his opinion of his fitness for that Employment by an excellent performance of the Probation Exercise but the governing Party thinking him inclind to Arminianism put him by it This disappointment the melancholy aspect of Public Affairs together with a desire to see some of those places mentioned in Greek and Latin Writers made him resolve to Travel which that he might be better inabled to do he converted his Books into ready Money He began his Travels Anno Dom. 1654 and went first to Paris to crave his Fathers Benediction who was then in the English Court praying for but scarce hoping much less expecting the Kings Restoration to whom his pious Son out of his small Stock made a seasonable Present After some Months stay there he went to Italy and remained some time at that most beautiful City of Florence where he had the favour and neglected it not to peruse many Books in the Grand Dukes Library and ten thousand curious Medals and to discourse concerning them with Mr. Fitton who found his ability so great in that sort of Learning that upon his recommendation the Grand Duke invited Dr. Barrow to take upon him the Charge and Custody of that great Treasure of Antiquity From Florence he went to Leghorne Anno Dom. where he was much Caressd by the English Merchants residing there Thence he saild to Smyrna where he met with the like kindness and entertainment from Consul Breton and the rest of that Factory As he did also afterwards at Constantinople from Sir Thomas Bendish the English Ambassador at the Ottoman Court Sir Ionathan Dawes and the rest of the English Merchants from whom he received many Favours and with whom he ever after continued an intimate Friendship At Constantinople the See of St. Chrysostom he read all the Works of that Father whom he much preferrd before the rest He remained in Turkey more than a Year and then returnd to Venice where he was no sooner Landed but the Ship which brought him took Fire and was with all its Cargo consumd to Ashes the Men only savd From Venice in his way to England he passd by through Germany and Holland and has left a Description of some parts of those Countries in his Poems Anno Dom. 1660 He was chosen without a Competitor Professor of the Greek Tongue in Cambridge two Years after he was elected Professor of Geometry at Gresham-College in the place of Mr. Laurence Rooke concerning whom we have discoursd at large in the two preceding Chapters Anno Dom. 1669 Mr. Lucas Founded and richly endowd a Mathematical Lecture in Cambridge which his Executors Mr. Raworth and Mr. Buck conferrd upon Dr. Barrow enjoyning him to leave every Year Ten Lectures in Writing to the University the better to secure the End of so Noble and Useful a Foundation The Lectures which are printed and others of his ready for the Press will give the best Account how he behavd himself in that Employment Almost all I have hitherto said is I acknowledge taken out of Mr. Hills Account of Dr. Barrows Life but now I am got within mine own knowledge and can proceed securely without his Clue or the help of any other Guide I promise I will advance nothing but what I have good Authority for but what I have either known my self to be true or heard from Dr. Barrows mouth I am not unmindful of my promise to make it appear in its due place that Dr. Barrow was endued with an undaunted Courage to prove which I think these two instances following will be sufficient In his passage from Leghorn to Constantinople the Ship he saild in was attackd by an Algerine Pyrate during the Fight he betook himself to his Arms staid upon the Deck chearfully and vigorously fighting till the Pyrate perceiving the stout defence the Ship made steerd off and left her I askd him why he did not go down into the Hold and leave the defence of the Ship to those to whom it did belong He replied It concernd no Man more than my self I would rather have lost my Life than have faln into the hands of these merciless Infidels This Engagement and his own slout and intrepid behaviour in it to defend his Liberty which he valued more than his Life as he asserts in that Verse Almaque libertas vitali charior Aura he describes at large in a Copy of Verses in the Fourth Volume of his Works Printed by Brabazon Aylmer To this I will add another Accident which befel him in England it being of the like nature He was at a Gentlemans House in the Country if I mistake not in Cambridge-shire where the Necessary House was at the end of a long Garden and consequently at a great distance from the Room where he lodgd as he was going to it very early even before Day for as I shall shew hereafter he was sparing of sleep and an early riser a fierce Mastiff who used to be chaind up all Day and let loose late at Night for the security of the House perceiving a strange Person in the Garden at that unseasonable time set upon him with great fury The Dr catchd him by the Throat threw him and lay upon him and whilst he kept him down considered what he should do in that Exigent once he had a mind to kill him but he quite alterd this resolution judging it would be an unjust Action for the Dog did his duty and he himself was in fault for rambling out of his Lodgings before t was light At length he calld out so loud that he was heard by some of the House who came presently out and freed both the Doctor and the Dog from the eminent danger they were both in Anno Dom. 1672 Upon the death of Bishop Wilkins Dr. Pearson Master of Trinity College in Cambridge was promoted to the Bishopric of Chester and the vacant Mastership was by the King conferrd upon Dr. Barrow I will leave him possest of that Post and look a little backward and declare