1608, die Veneris, half an hour after 6 in the morning.

From Mr. E. Philips: All the time of writing his Paradise Lost, his veine began at the Autumnall, Equinoctiall, and ceased at the Vernall, or thereabouts (I believe about May), and this was 4 or 5 yeares of his doeing it. He began about 2 yeares before the K. came in, and finished about 3 yeares after the K' restauration.

Q. Mr. J. Playford pro Wilby's Sett of Orianas.

In the 4th booke of Paradise Lost there are about 6 verses of Satan's exclamation to the Sun, weh Mr. E. Phi. remembers about 15 or 16 yeares before ever his Poem was thought of; wch verses were intended for the beginning of a tragœdie, wch he had designed, but was diverted from it by other businesse.

Whatever he wrote against monarchie was out of no animosity to the King's person, or out of any faction or interest, but out of a pure zeale to the Liberty of Mankind, wch he thought would be greater under a free state then under a monarchiall government. His being so conversant in Livy and the Roman authors, and the greatness he saw donne by the Roman commonwealth, and the vertue of their great commanders induc't

him to.

His first wife (Mrs. Powell, a Royalist) was brought up and lived where there was a great

deale of company and merriment, dancing, &c. And when she came to live with her husband at Mr. Russell's, in St. Bride's ch. yard, she found it very solitary; no company came to her, oftentimes heard his nephews beaten and cry. This life was irksome to her, and so she went to her parents at Foste-hill. He sent for her (after some time), and I thinke his servant was evilly entreated, but as for wronging his bed, I never heard the least suspicions, nor had he of that jealousie.

any

From Mr. Abr. Hill:-Memorand. His sharp writing against Alexander More, of Holland, upon a mistake, notwithstanding he had given him by the ambassador* all satisfaction to the contrary viz. that the booke called "Clamor" was writt by Peter du Moulin. Well, that was all one; he having writt it, it should goe into the world; one of them was as bad as the other.

Q. Mr. Allam, of Edm. hall, Oxon, of Mr. J. Milton's Life, writt by himselfe.

His sight began to faile him at first upon his writing against Salmasius, and before 'twas fully compleated one eie absolutely failed. Upon the writing of other bookes, after that, his other eie decayed.

Write his name in red letters on his picture with his widowe to preserve.

* Q. the ambassador's name of Mr. Hill? Resp. Newport, ye Dutch ambassador.

He had a very good memorie; but I believe that his excellent method of thinking and disposing did much helpe his memorie.

I heard that after he was blind, that he was writing a Latin Dictionary. Vidua affirmat, she gave all his papers (among wch this Dict. imperfect) to his nephew, that he brought up, a sister's son, Philips, who lives neer the Maypole, in the Strand. She has a great many letters by her from learned men, his acquaintance, both of England and beyond sea.

His eie-sight was decaying about 20 yeares before his death. Qu. when quite stark blind? His father read without spectacles at 84. His mother had very weak eies, and used spectacles presently after she was thirty years old.

Of a very cheerfull humour. He was very healthy, and free from all diseases, only towards his latter end he was visited with the gowte, spring and fall. Seldome tooke any physique, only sometimes he took manna. He would be very cheerfull even in his gowte-fitts, and sing. He died of the gowte struck in, the 9th or 10th of November, 1674, as appears by his apothecaryes booke.

He lived in several places,-e. g. Holborne, neer K' gds. He died in Bunhill, opposite to the Artillery-garden-wall.

He lies buried in St. Giles's, Cripplegate, upper end of the Chancell, at the right hand.

Mem. his stone is now removed; about 2 yeares since (now 1681) the two steppes to the communion table were raysed. I ghesse Jo. Speed and he lie together.

Qu. his nephew, Mr. Edw. Philips, for a perfect catalogue of his writings. Mem. He wrote a little tract of Education.

He had a middle wife, whose name was Katharine Woodcock. No child living by her.

Mem. Mr. Theodore Haak, R. S. S. hath translated halfe his Paradise Lost into High Dutch, in such blank verse, wch is very well liked of by Germanus Fabricius, Professor at Heidelberg, who sent to Mr. Haak a letter upon this translation.-Incredibile est quantum nos omnes affecerit gravitas styli, et copia lectissimorum verborum, &c. Vide the Letter.

MR. NICOLAS MERCATOR.

Philip Melancthon was his gr. grandmother's brother.

He is of little stature, perfect black haire, of a delicate moyst curle; darke grey eie, but of great vivacity of spirit. He is of a soft temper,

of great temperance, and of a prodigious invention. He will be acquainted familiarly with nobody. His true German name is Nicolas Kauff

man.

Mr. Nich. Mercator made and presented to King Charles the 2a a clock ('twas of a foote diameter), which shewed the inequality of the sunn's motion from the apparent motion, wch the King did understand by his informations, and did commend it, but he never had a penny of him for it.

This curious clock was neglected, and somebody of ye court happened to become master of it, who understood it not; he sold it to Mr. Knib, a watch-maker, who did not understand it neither, who sold it to Mr. Fromantle (that made it) for 5lib. who askes now (1683) for it 200lib.

Nicholas Mercator, Holsatus, mathematicus, obijt Parisiis, 4to Januarij, 1686-7. He went to Paris (being invited thither by Monseigneur Colbert) the 30th of November, 1682. From his son, David Mercator.

. . . . . an ancient familie, and wch had about Hen. 8. time 100001. per annum (as he himselfe sayd). He was a strong, lusty, well-sett young fellow, and in his youth happened to slay a man,*

*From Mris Linden, his kinswoman, a Devon woman, whose name was Monk.