William Lilly's History of His Life and Times by William Lilly

W >> William Lilly >> William Lilly\'s History of His Life and Times

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

There lived then in Houndsditch one Alexander Hart, who had been a
soldier formerly, a comely old man, of good aspect; he professed
questionary astrology, and a little of physick; his greatest skill was
to elect young gentlemen fit times to play at dice, that they might win
or get money. I went unto him for resolutions for three questions at
several times, and he erred in every one. To speak soberly of him, he
was but a cheat, as appeared suddenly after; for a rustical fellow of
the city, desirous of knowledge, contracted with Hart to assist for a
conference with a spirit, and paid him twenty pounds of thirty pounds
the contract. At last, after many delays, and no spirit appearing, or
money returned, the young man indicts him for a cheat at the Old Bailey
in London; the Jury found the bill, and at the hearing of the cause this
jest happened: some of the bench enquired what Hart did? 'He sat like an
Alderman in his gown,' quoth the fellow; at which the court fell into a
great laughter, most of the court being Aldermen. He was to have been
set upon the pillory for this cheat; but John Taylour, the Water Poet,
being his great friend, got the Lord Chief Justice Richardson to bail
him, ere he stood upon the pillory, and so Hart fled presently into
Holland, where he ended his days. It was my fortune, upon the sale of
his books in 1634, to buy _Argoll's Primum Mobile_ for fourteen
shillings, which I only wanted.

In Lambeth Marsh at the same time lived one Captain Bubb, who resolved
horary questions astrologically; a proper handsome man, well spoken, but
withal covetous, and of no honesty, as will appear by this story, for
which he stood upon the pillory. A certain butcher was robbed, going to
a fair, of forty pounds; he goes to Bubb, who for ten pounds in hand
paid, would help him to the thief; appoints the butcher such a night
precisely, to watch at such a place, and the thief should come thither;
commanded him by any means to stop him; the butcher attends according to
direction. About twelve in the night there comes one riding very
fiercely upon a full gallop, whom the butcher knocks down, and seized
both upon man and horse: the butcher brings the man and horse to the
next town, but then the person whom the butcher attacked was John the
servant of Dr. Bubb; for which the Captain was indicted and suffered
upon the pillory, and afterwards ended his days in great disgrace.

There was also one Jeffry Neve, at this time a student in physic and
astrology; he had formerly been a merchant in Yarmouth, and Mayor of the
town, but failing in estate, went into the Low-Countries, and at
Franecker took the degree, of doctor in Physick; he had some little
smattering in astrology; could resolve a question of theft, or
love-question, something of sickness; a very grave person, laborious and
honest, of tall stature and comely feature; he died of late years,
almost in the very street near Tower-Hill: he had a design of printing
two hundred verified questions, and desired my approbation ere they went
to press; that I first would see them, and then give testimony. When I
had perused the first forty, I corrected thirty of them, would read over
no more: I showed him how erroneous they were, desired his emendation of
the rest, which he performed not. These were afterwards, in R.
Saunders's custody, bought by him either of his son or of a
stationer.[2]

[Footnote 2: But first offered to be sold to me for twenty
shillings. When Mr. Saunders died I bought them of his son for
less. E. A----.]

There was then William Poole, a nibbler at astrology, sometimes a
gardener, an apparitor, a drawer of linen; as quoifs, handkerchiefs; a
plaisterer and a bricklayer; he would brag many times he had been of
seventeen professions; was very good company for drolling, as you
yourself very well remember (most honoured Sir);[3] he pretended to
poetry; and that posterity may have a taste of it, you shall have here
inserted two verses of his own making; the occasion of making them was
thus. One Sir Thomas Jay, a Justice of the Peace in Rosemary-Lane,
issued out his warrant for the apprehension of Poole, upon a pretended
suggestion, that he was in company with some lewd people in a tavern,
where a silver cup was lost, _Anglice_ stolen. Poole, hearing of the
warrant, packs up his little trunk of books, being all his library, and
runs to Westminster; but hearing some months after that the Justice was
dead and buried, he came and enquired where the grave was; and after the
discharge of his belly upon the grave, left these two verses upon it,
which he swore he made himself.

Here lieth buried Sir Thomas Jay, Knight,
Who being dead, I upon his grave did shite.

[Footnote 3: December 17, this William Poole was married to
Alice How, at St. George's Church in Southwark. Mr. Lilly gave
her to him.]

He died about 1651, or 1652, at St. Mary Overy's in Southwark; and this
was part of his last will.

'Item; I give to Dr. Ardee all my books, and one manuscript of my own,
worth one hundred of Lilly's Introduction.'

'Item; If Dr. Ardee give my wife any thing that is mine, I wish the
devil may fetch him body and soul.' The Doctor, terrified with this
curse, gave me all the books and his goods which I presently gave to his
widow.---_Interdum seria jocis_.

Now also lived this Dr. Ardee, but his true name was Richard Delahay,
formerly an Attorney; he studied astrology and physick, being in
necessity, and forced from Derbyshire, where he had lived, by the old
Countess of Shrewsbury; he was of moderate judgment, both in astrology
and physick. He had formerly been well acquainted with Charles Sledd,[4]
an apothecary, who used the crystal, and had a very perfect sight. This
Dr. Ardee hath many times affirmed unto me, (_esto fides_) that an
angel, one time, appeared unto him, and offered him a lease of his life
for one thousand years; he died about the age of fourscore years; left
his widow, who married into Kent,[5] worth two or three thousand pounds,
and William Poole's estate came to four or five pounds.

[Footnote 4: Of this Charles Sledd, there is mention made in Dr.
Dee's book of his discourse with spirits, set forth by Dr.
Casaubon.]

[Footnote 5: To one Moreland.]

In the years 1632 and 1633, John Booker became famous for a prediction
of his upon a solar eclipse in the 19th degree of Aries 1663, taken out
of _Leovitius de magnis conjunctionibus_, viz. _Oh Reges et Principes
&c._ Both the King of Bohemia, and Gustavus King of Sweden, dying during
the effects of that eclipse.

John Booker was born in Manchester, of good parentage, in the year 1601;
was in his youth well instructed in the Latin tongue, which he
understood very well. He seemed from his infancy to be designed for
astrology; for from the time he had any understanding, he would be
always poring on, and studying almanacks. He came to London at fitting
years, and served an apprenticeship to an haberdasher in Laurence-Lane,
London; but either wanting stock to setup, or disliking the calling, he
left his trade, and taught to write at Hadley in Middlesex several
scholars in that school: he wrote singularly well both Secretary and
Roman. In process of time he served Sir Christopher Clethero, Knight,
Alderman of London, as his clerk, being a city Justice of Peace: he also
was clerk to Sir Hugh Hammersley, Alderman of London, both which he
served with great credit and estimation; and by that means became not
only well known, but as well respected of the most eminent citizens of
London, even to his dying day.

He was an excellent proficient in astrology, whose excellent verses upon
the twelve months, framed according to the configurations of each month,
being blessed with success according to his predictions, procured him
much reputation all over England: he was a very honest man, abhorred any
deceit in the art he studied; had a curious fancy in judging of thefts,
and as successful in resolving love-questions: he was no mean proficient
in astronomy; he understood much of physick; was a great admirer of the
antimonial cup; not unlearned in chymistry, which he loved well, but did
not practise. He was inclined to a diabetes; and in the last three years
of his life was afflicted with a dysentery, which at last consumed him
to nothing: he died of good fame in 1667. Since his decease I have seen
one nativity of his performance exactly directed, and judged with as
much learning as from astrology can be expected.

His library of books came short of the world's approbation, and were by
his widow sold to Elias Ashmole, Esq. who most generously gave her[6]
far more money than they were worth; but out of his respects unto the
deceased and his memory, he most willingly paid her the money. He left
behind him two sons and two daughters. He left in writing very little
but his annual prognostications. He began first to write about the year
1630; he wrote _Bellum Hibernicale_, in the time of the long parliament,
a very sober and judicious book: the epistle thereunto I gave him. He
wrote lately a small treatise of Easter-Day, a very learned thing,
wherein he shewed much learning and reading. To say no more of him, he
lived an honest man, his fame not questioned at his death.

[Footnote 6: They cost me one hundred and forty pounds.]

In this year 1633, I became acquainted with Nicholas Fiske, licentiate
in physick, who was born in Suffolk, near Framingham[7] Castle, of very
good parentage, who educated him at country schools, until he was fit
for the university; but he went not to the academy, studying at home
both astrology and physick, which he afterwards practised in Colchester;
and there was well acquainted with Dr. Gilbert, who wrote _De Magnete_.
He came afterwards unto London, and exercised his faculty in several
places thereof. (For in his youth he would never stay long in one
house.) In 1633 he was sent for out of Suffolk by Dr. Winston of Gresham
College, to instruct the Lord Treasurer Weston's son in arithmetick,
astronomy upon the globes, and their uses. He was a person very
studious, laborious, of good apprehension, and had by his own industry
obtained both in astrology, physick, arithmetick, astronomy, geometry
and algebra, singular judgment: he would in astrology resolve horary
questions very soundly; but was ever diffident of his own abilities: he
was exquisitely skilful in the art of directions upon nativities, and
had a good genius in performing judgment thereupon, but very unhappy he
was, that he had no genius in teaching his scholars, for he never
perfected any: his own son Matthew hath often told me, that where his
father did teach any scholars in his time, they would principally learn
of him; he had Scorpio ascending, and was secretly envious to those he
thought had more parts than himself; however, I must be ingenuous, and
do affirm, that by frequent conversation with him, I came to know which
were the best authors, and much to enlarge my judgment, especially in
the art of directions: he visited me most days once after I became
acquainted with him, and would communicate his most doubtful questions
unto me, and accept of my judgment therein rather than his own: he
singularly well judged and directed Sir Robert Holborn's nativity, but
desired me to adjudge the first house, seventh and tenth thereof, which
I did, and which nativity (since Sir Robert gave it me) came to your
hands, and remains in your library; [oh learned Esquire!] he died about
the seventy-eighth year of his age, poor.

[Footnote 7: There is no such place in Suffolk, it being
mistaken for Framlingham in that county.]

In this year also William Bredon, parson or vicar of Thornton in
Buckinghamshire, was living, a profound divine, but absolutely the most
polite person for nativities in that age, strictly adhering to Ptolemy,
which he well understood; he had a hand in composing Sir Christopher
Heydon's _Defence of Judicial Astrology_, being that time his chaplain;
he was so given over to tobacco and drink, that when he had no tobacco,
he would cut the bell-ropes and smoke them.

I come now to continue the story of my own life, but thought it not
inconvenient to commit unto memory something concerning those persons
who practised when first I became a student in astrology; I have wrote
nothing concerning any of them, which I myself do not either know, or
believe to be true.

In October 1633 my first wife died, and left me whatever was hers: it
was considerable, very near to the value of one thousand pounds.

One whole year and more I continued a widower, and followed my studies
very hard; during which time a scholar pawned unto me, for forty
shillings, _Ars Notoria_,[8] a large volume wrote in parchment, with the
names of those angels, and their pictures, which are thought and
believed by wise men, to teach and instruct in all the several liberal
sciences, and is attained by observing elected times, and those prayers
appropriated unto the several angels.

[Footnote 8: Among Dr. Napier's MSS. I had an _Ars Notoria_,
written by S. Forman in large vellum.]

I do ingenuously acknowledge, I used those prayers according to the form
and direction prescribed for some weeks, using the word _astrologia_ for
_astronomia_; but of this no more: that _Ars Notoria_, inserted in the
latter end of Cornelius Agrippa signifieth nothing; many of the prayers
being not the same, nor is the direction to these prayers any thing
considerable.

In the year 1634, I taught Sir George Peckham, Knight, astrology, that
part which concerns sickness, wherein he so profited, that in two or
three months he would give a very true discovery of any disease, only by
his figures. He practised in Nottingham, but unfortunately died in 1635,
at St. Winifred's Well in Wales; in which well he continued so long
mumbling his _Pater Nosters_ and _Sancta Winifrida ora pro me_, that the
cold struck into his body; and, after his coming forth of that well,
never spoke more.

In this year 1634, I purchased the moiety of thirteen houses in the
Strand for five hundred and thirty pounds.

In November, the 18th day, I was again the second time married, and had
five hundred pounds portion with that wife; she was of the nature of
Mars.

Two accidents happened to me in that year something memorable.

Davy Ramsey, his Majesty's clock-maker, had been informed, that there
was a great quantity of treasure buried in the cloyster of
Westminster-Abbey; he acquaints Dean Williams therewith, who was also
then Bishop of Lincoln; the Dean gave him liberty to search after it,
with this proviso, that if any was discovered, his church should have a
share of it. Davy Ramsey finds out one John Scott,[9] who pretended the
use of the Mosaical rods, to assist him herein: I was desired to join
with him, unto which I consented. One winter's night, Davy Ramsey, with
several gentlemen, myself, and Scott, entered the cloysters; we played
the hazel-rod round about the cloyster; upon the west-side of the
cloysters the rods turned one over another, an argument that the
treasure was there. The labourers digged at least six foot deep, and
then we met with a coffin; but in regard it was not heavy, we did not
open, which we afterwards much repented. From the cloysters we went into
the Abbey church, where, upon a sudden, (there being no wind when we
began) so fierce, so high, so blustering and loud a wind did rise, that
we verily believed the west-end of the church would have fallen upon us;
our rods would not move at all; the candles and torches, all but one,
were extinguished, or burned very dimly.[10] John Scott, my partner, was
amazed, looked pale, knew not what to think or do, until I gave
directions and command to dismiss the daemons; which when done, all was
quiet again, and each man returned unto his lodging late, about twelve
o'clock at night; I could never since be induced to join with any in
such-like actions.

[Footnote 9: This Scott lived in Pudding-Lane, and had some time
been a page (or such like) to the Lord Norris.]

[Footnote 10: Davy Ramsey brought an half quartern sack to put
the treasure in.]

The true miscarriage of the business, was by reason of so many people
being present at the operation; for there was about thirty, some
laughing, others deriding us; so that if we had not dismissed the
daemons, I believe most part of the Abbey church had been blown down;
secrecy and intelligent operators, with a strong confidence and
knowledge of what they are doing, are best for this work.

In 1634, or 1635, a Lady living in Greenwich, who had tried all the
known artists in London, but to no purpose, came weeping and lamenting
her condition, which was this: she had permitted a young Lord to have
the use of her body, till she was with child by him; after which time he
could not or would not endure her sight, but commanded his lacquies and
servants to keep his doors fast shut, lest she should get into his
chamber; or if they chanced to see her near his lodging, to drive her
away, which they several times had done. Her desire unto me was to
assist her to see him, and then she should be content; whereupon I
ordered, such a day, such an hour of that day, to try her fortune once
more. She obeyed; and when she came to the King's Bench, where the Lord
there was imprisoned, the outward door stood wide open: none speaking a
word unto her, she went up stairs, no body molesting her; she found the
Lord's chamber door wide open: he in bed, not a servant to be heard or
seen, so she was pleased. Three days after she came to acquaint me with
her success, and then drew out of her pocket a paper full of ratsbane,
which, had she not had admission unto him that day I appointed, she
would in a pint of white wine have drank at the stair's foot where the
Lord lodged. The like misfortune befell her after that; when the Lord
was out of prison: then I ordered her such a day to go and see a play at
Salisbury-Court; which she did, and within one quarter of an hour the
Lord came into the same box wherein she was. But I grew weary of such
employments, and since have burned my books which instructed these
curiosities: for after that I became melancholy, very much afflicted
with the hypochondriack, growing lean and spare, and every day worse; so
that in the year 1635 my infirmity continuing, and my acquaintance
increasing, I resolved to live in the country, and in March and April
1636 removed my goods unto Hersham, where I now live; and in May my
person, where I continued until 1641, no notice being taken who, or what
I was.

In the years 1637 and 1638, I had great lawsuits both in the Exchequer
and Chancery, about a lease I had of the annual value of eighty pounds:
I got the victory.

In the year 1640 I instructed John Humphreys, master of that art, in the
study of astrology: upon this occasion, being at London, by accident in
Fleet-Street, I met Dr. Percival Willoughby of Derby; we were of old
acquaintance, and he but by great chance lately come to town, we went to
the Mitre-Tavern in Fleet-Street, where I sent for old Will Poole the
astrologer, living then in Ram-Alley: being come to us, the Doctor
produced a bill, set forth by a master of arts in Cambridge, intimating
his abilities for resolving of all manner of questions astrologically.
The bill was shewed, and I wondering at it Poole made answer, he knew
the man, and that he was a silly fool; 'I,' quoth he, 'can do more than
he; he sees me every day, he will be here by and by;' and indeed he came
into our room presently: Poole had, just as we came to him, set a
figure, and then shewed it me, desiring my judgement; which I refused,
but desired the master of arts to judge first; he denied, so I gave
mine, to the very great liking of Humphreys, who presently enquired, if
I would teach him, and for what? I told him I was willing to teach, but
would have one hundred pounds. I heard Poole, whilst I was judging the
figure, whisper in-Humphrey's ear, and swear I was the best in England.
Staying three or four days in town, at last we contracted for forty
pounds, for I could never be quiet from his solicitations; he invited me
to supper, and before I had shewed him any thing, paid me thirty-five
pounds. As we were at supper a client came to speak with him, and so up
into his closet he went with his client; I called him in before he set
his figure, or resolved the question, and instantly acquainted him how
he should discover the moles or marks of his client: he set his figure,
and presently discovers four moles the querent had; and was so overjoyed
therewith, that he came tumbling down the stairs, crying, 'Four by
G----, four by G----, I will not take one hundred pounds for this one
rule.' In six weeks time, and tarrying with him three days in a week, he
became a most judicious person.

This Humphreys was a laborious person, vain-glorious, loquacious,
fool-hardy, desirous of all secrets which he knew not, insomuch that he
would have given me two hundred pounds to have instructed him in some
curiosities he was persuaded I had knowledge of, but, _Artis est celare
artem_, especially to those who live not in the fear of God, or can be
masters of their own counsels: he was in person and condition such
another as that monster of ingratitude my _quondam_ taylor, John
Gadbury. After my refusal of teaching him, what he was not capable of,
we grew strange, though I afforded him many civilities whenever he
required it; for after the siege of Colchester he wrote a book against
me, called _Anti Merlinus-Anglicus_, married a second wife, his first
living in Cambridgeshire, then practised physick by a contrary name,
having intentions to practise in Ireland; he went to Bristol, but there
understanding the parliament's forces had reduced that kingdom, he came
back to London, but durst not abide therein; but turning from his second
wife, who also had another husband, he went to sea, with intention for
Barbadoes, but died by the way in his voyage. I had never seen John
Booker at that time; and telling him one day I had a desire to see him,
but first, ere I would speak with him, I would fit myself with my old
rules, and rub up my astrology; for at that time (and this was 1640) I
thought John Booker the greatest and most complete astrologer in the
world. My scholar Humphreys presently made answer, 'Tutor, you need not
pump for any of your former knowledge, John Booker is no such pumper; we
met,' saith he, 'the other day, and I was too hard for him myself, upon
judgment of three or four questions.' If all the transactions happening
unto that my scholar were in one volume, they would transcend either
_Guzman_, _Don Quixote_, _Lazarillo de Tormes_, or any other of the like
nature I ever did see.

Having now in part recovered my health, being weary of the country, and
perceiving there was money to be got in London, and thinking myself to
be as sufficiently enabled in astrology as any I could meet with, I made
it my business to repair thither; and so in September 1641 I did; where,
in the years 1642 and 1643, I had great leisure to better my former
knowledge: I then read over all my books of astrology, over and over;
had very little or no practice at all: and whereas formerly I could
never endure to read _Valentine Naibod's Commentary upon Alcabitius_,
now having seriously studied him, I found him to be the profoundest
author I ever met with; him I traversed over day and night, from whom I
must acknowledge to have advanced my judgment and knowledge unto that
height I soon after arrived at, or unto: a most rational author, and the
sharpest expositor of _Ptolemy_ that hath yet appeared. To exercise my
genius, I began to collect notes, and thought of writing some little
thing upon the [symbol: aspect "conjunction"] of [symbol: Saturn] and
[symbol: Jupiter] then approaching: I had not wrote above one sheet, and
that very meanly, but James Lord Galloway came to see me; and, by
chance, casting his eyes upon that rude collection, he read it over, and
so approved of it, yea, so encouraged me to proceed farther, that then,
and after that time, I spent most of my time in composing thereof, and
bringing it, in the end, into that method wherein it was printed 1644. I
do seriously now profess, I had not the assistance of any person living,
in the writing or composing thereof. Mr. Fiske sent me a small
manuscript, which had been Sir Christopher Heydon's, who had wrote
something of the conjunction of [symbol: Saturn] and [symbol: Jupiter],
1603; out of which, to bring my method in order, I transcribed, in the
beginning, five or six lines, and not any more, though that graceless
fellow Gadbury wrote the contrary: but, _Semel et semper nebulo et
mendax_. I did formerly write one treatise, in the year 1639, upon the
eclipse of the sun, in the eleventh degree of Gemini, May 22, 1639; it
consisted of six sheets of paper. But that manuscript I gave unto my
most munificent patron and ever bountiful friend, William Pennington, of
Muncaster in Cumberland, Esq., a wise and excellently learned person;
who, from the year 1634, even till he died, continued unto me the most
grateful person I ever was acquainted with. I became acquainted with him
by means of Davy Ramsey.

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9