Robert Boyle (1626/7-1691).
[470]Mr. Robert Boyle;—vide Oliver Hill's ..., where he is accused of grosse plagiarisme. Dr. <Robert> Wood went to schoole with him at Eaton Colledge.
[471]Mr. R. Boyle, when a boy at Eaton <was> verie sickly and pale—from Dr. <Robert> Wood, who was his schoole-fellow.
[472]The honourable Robert Boyle[AZ] esq., the <fifth> son of Richard Boyle, the first earle of Corke, was borne at Lismor[XXIX.] in the county of Corke, the <25> day of <January> anno <1626/7>.
[XXIX.] It was anciently an University, and a great towne or city. It had twenty churches. 'Twas the seate of king John.—From Elizabeth, countesse of Thanet.
He was nursed by an Irish nurse, after the Irish manner, wher they putt the child into a pendulous satchell (insted of a cradle), with a slitt for the child's head to peepe out.
He learn't his Latin.... Went to the university of Leyden. Travelled France, Italy, Switzerland. I have oftentimes heard him say that after he had seen the antiquities and architecture of Rome, he esteemed none[473] any where els.
He speakes Latin very well, and very readily, as most men I have mett with. I have heard him say that when he was young, he read over Cowper's dictionary: wherin I thinke he did very well, and I beleeve he is much beholding to him for his mastership of that language.
His father in his will, when he comes to the settlement and provision for his son Robert, thus,—
Item, to my son Robert, whom I beseech God to blesse with a particular blessing, I bequeath, &c.
Mr. R. H.[474], who has seen the rentall, sayes it was 3000 li. per annum: the greatst part is in Ireland. His father left him the mannor of Stalbridge in com. Dorset, where is a great freestone house; it was forfeited by the earle of Castlehaven.
He is very tall (about six foot high) and streight, very temperate, and vertuouse, and frugall: a batcheler; keepes a coach; sojournes with his sister, the lady Ranulagh. His greatest delight is chymistrey. He haz at his sister's a noble laboratory, and severall servants (prentices to him) to looke to it. He is charitable to ingeniose men that are in want, and foreigne chymists have had large proofe of his bountie, for he will not spare for cost to gett any rare secret. At his owne costs and chardges he gott translated and printed the New Testament in Arabique[BA], to send into the Mahometan countreys. He has not only a high renowne in England, but abroad; and when foreigners come to hither, 'tis one of their curiosities to make him a visit.
Notes.
[AZ] Aubrey gives in colours the Boyle coat (supra, p. 119), with a mullet gules for difference. Anthony Wood adds the reference:—'see in the first sheet of the second part,' i.e. of MS. Aubr. 7, viz. the excerpts supra from Anthony Walker's sermon.
[BA] The Gospels and Acts in Malay (in Arabic character), Oxford, 1677.