lying at an inne, and there contracting an acquaintance, on the roade; or, as some others* have donne, he never had any such like opportunity, but hewed out his fortune himselfe. Quod N.B.

He is a proper handsome man, measured six foot high, good head of browne haire, moderately turning up: vide his picture as Dr. of Physick. His eies are a kind of goose-grey, but very short sighted, and as to aspect beautifull, and promise sweetness of nature, and they doe not deceive, for he is a marvellous good-natured person, and εὔσπλαγχνος. Eie-browes thick, darke, and straight (horizontall). His head is very lardge, pangonéparos. He was in his youth slender, but since these twenty yeares and more past he grew very plump, so that now (1680) he is abdomine tardus. This last March, 1679-80, I perswaded him to sitt for his picture to Mr. Logan, the graver, whom I forthwith went for myselfe, and he drewe it just before his going into Ireland, and 'tis very like him. like him. But about 1659, he had a picture in miniature drawne by his friend and mine, Mr. Samuel Cowper (prince of limners of his age), one of the likest that ever he drew.

* E. g. my cos. Rowl. Plattes, whom the Lord Cottington never having seen before, liked so well, that he made him his gentleman of the horse when he went his embassy into Spaine. This was on ship-board.

Scripsit:

1. W. P.'s Advice concerning the Education of Youth, sticht, 4to.

2. Controversie between him and S. . . . . in 8vo.

3. Historie or Discourse of Taxes, 4to. 4. Duplicate Proportion, 8vo. printed. 5. Politique Arithmetique, MS.

6. Politique Anatomie of Ireland, MS.

7. A Treatise of Building Shippes, which he presented to the Royall Societie about 1661, which the Lord Brounker was pleased to keepe to himselfe, and never returned it; a MS.

Observations on the Bills of Mortality were really his.

Translation of . . . . . Psalme in Latin Hexameter, stitcht, folio, printed, London, 1677.*

I have heard Sir William say more than once, that he knew not that he was purblind till his mastert (a master of a shippe) bade him climbe

* Since his death I have seen, in his closet, a great many tractatiunculi in MS.-e. g. Religio Christiana Puerilis. Via Brevis ad Medicinam. An Essay to know or judge the Value of Landes. His owne Life in Latin verse. De Connubijs. Severall Epigrammes and Verses by him. Of Mills. An Engine very usefull for raysing of Waters, cum multis aliis that have slipt out of my memorie. Mem. His 2 last printed tracts were comparisons or paralleling of London and Paris, stitcht, 8vo.

He was first bound apprentice to a sea-captaine.

up

the rope ladder, and give notice when he espied such a steeple (somewhere upon the coast of England or France, I have forgot where), which was a land-marke for the avoyding of a shelfe; at last the master sawe it on the deck, and they fathom'd and found they were but... foot water, whereupon (as I remember) his master drubbed him with a cord. Before he went into Ireland, he sollicited, and no doubt he was an admirable good sollicitor. I have heard him say that in solliciting (with the same paines) he could dispatch severall businesses, nay, better than one alone, for by conversing with severall he should gaine the more knowledge, and the greater interest,

r

In the time of the warre with the Dutche, they concluded at the Councill board at London, to have so many men out of Ireland (I thinke 1500.) Away to Ireland came one with a commission, and acquaints Sir William with it; sayes Sir William, "You will never raise this number here." "Oh," sayd the other, "I warrant you, I will not abate you a man." Now Sir William knew 'twas impossible, for he knew how many tunne of shipping belonged to Ireland, and the rule is, to . . . . . tunnes so many men. Of these shippes halfe were abroad, and of those at home so many men imperfect. In fine, the commissioner with all his diligence could not possibly rayse above 200 seamen there. So we may see

how statesmen may mistake for want of this Politique Arithmetique.

Another time the councill of Dublin were all in a great racket for the prohibition of coale from England and Wales, considering that all about Dublin is such a vast quantity of turfe, so they would improve their rents, sett poor men on worke, and the city should be served with fuell cheaper. Sir William prima facie knew that this project could not succeed. Sayd he, "If you will make an order to hinder the bringing in of coales by foreigne vessells, and bring it in vessells of your owne, I approve of it very well but for your supposition of the cheapnesse of the turfe, 'tis true 'tis cheape on the place, but consider carriage, consider the yards that must contayn such a quantity for respective houses, these yards must be rented; what will be the chardge?" He supputated, and found that every thing considered 'twas much dearer then to fetch coale from Wales, or &c.

Mem. About 1665 he presented to the Royall Societie a Discourse of his in Manuscript (of about a quire of paper), of Building of Shippes, which the Lord Brounker (then president) tooke away, and still keepes, saying, "Twas too great an arcanum of state to be commonly perused;" but Sir William told me that Dr. Robert Wood, M.D. aforesayd, has a copie of it, which he himselfe bath not, Quare Dr. Wood for it,

Sir W. Petty died at his house in Piccadillystreet (almost opposite to St. James's church) on Fryday, 16th day of December, 1687, of a gangrene in his foot, occasioned by the swelling of ye gowt, and is buried with his father and mother, in the church, at Rumsey, in Hampshire.

My Lady Petty was created Baronesse of Shelburn, in Ireland, and her eldest sonne Baron of the same, a little before the comeing in of the Prince of Orange.

FABIAN PHILIPS,

(From himselfe, 1682,)

Borne hard by Prestbury, in Gloucestershire, A: D 1601, in September, on Michaelmas-Eve. His mother's name was Bagehott (an heire to a younger brother) his father was Andrew Philips, of an ancient familie in Herefordshire, seaven descents, who sold 6001. per ann. in Herefordshire, in Leominster; some of it his sonne Fabian (of whom I write) bought again. He was of the Middle Temple, London. A filazer of London, Middlesex, Cambridgeshire, and Huntingdonshire. Of great assiduity, and reading, and a great lover of antiquities. He has a great memorie, wch holds still well now in his 80th yeare. He told