Brief Lives, Vol. 2

John Pell (1610/1-1685).

[516]John Pell[AN], S.T.Dr., was the son of John, who was the son of John.

John Pell, D.D., was the son of John Pell, ...[517] of Southwyck in Sussex, in which parish he was borne, at ..., on St. David's day (1st of March) 1610[518], horâ ... (his youngest uncle guessed about noon).

His father was [a divine] but a kind of Non-conformist; of the Pells of Lincolnshire, an ancient familie; his mother [of the Hollands of Kent]. His father dyed when his son John was but 5 yeares old and six weekes, and left him an excellent library.

<He> went to schoole at the free-schoole at Stenning, a burrough towne in Sussex, at the first founding of the schoole; an excellent schoolmaster, John Jeffreys. At 13 yeares and a quarter old he went as good a scholar to Cambridge, to Trinity Colledge, as most Masters of Arts in the University (he understood Latin, Greek, and Hebrew), so that he played not much (one[519] must imagine) with his schoolfellowes, for, when they had play-dayes, or after schoole-time, he spent his time in the library aforesaid.

He [never[520] stood at any election of] fellow[s] or scholar[s of the House at] Trinity College.

Of person he was very handsome, and of a very strong and excellent habit of body, melancholic, sanguine, darke browne haire with an excellent moist curle.

[Before[521] he went first out of England,] he understood[522] these languages (besides his mother-tongue), viz. Latin, Greek, Hebrue, Arabique, Italian, French, Spanish, High-Dutch, and Low-Dutch.

Anno Domini 1632 he maried [Ithamara Reginalds, second daughter to Mr. Henry Reginalds of London. He had by her 4 sonnes and 4 daughters borne in this order[523] S., D., D., S., D., S., D., S.].

Dr. Pell haz sayd to me that he did believe that he solved some questions non sine divino auxilio.

Anno Domini 1643 he went to Amsterdam, in December; was there Professor of Mathematiques, next after Martinus Hortensius, about 2 yeares.

1646, the prince of Orange called for him to be publique professor of Philosophy and Mathematiques at the Schola Illustris at Breda, that was founded that yeare by his Highnesse; vide the Doctor's inaugurall oration[524] there, printed—the first thing printed that his name was to.

He returned into England, 1652.

In 1654 Oliver, Lord Protector, sent him envoyé to the Protestant cantons of Switzerland; resided chiefly at Zurich. He was sent out with the title of ablegatus, but afterwards he had order to continue there with the title of Resident.

In 1658 he returned into England and so little before the death of Oliver Cromwell that he never sawe him since he was Protector.

Memorandum—when he tooke his leave from Zurich, June 23, 1658, he made a Latin speech, which I have seen.

Memorandum that in his negociation he did no disservice to King Charles II^d, nor to the church, as may appeare by his letters which are in the Secretarie's Office.

[525]Richard Cromwell, Protector, did not fully pay him for his business in Piedmont, wherby he was in some want; and so when King Charles II was restored[526], Dr. Sanderson, bishop of Lincoln, perswaded him to take Holy Orders. He was not adroit for preaching.

[527]When King Charles II had been at home ten months, Mr. John Pell first tooke Orders. He was made deacon upon the last of March, 1661, by bishop Sanderson of Lincoln, by whom he was made priest in June following.

Gilbert Sheldon, bishop of Lundon, [procured[528] for] him the parsonage of Fobbing[AO] in Essex, 1661, and two yeares after (1663) [gave him] the parsonage of Laindon cum annexa capella de Bartelsdon in eodem comitatu, which benefices are in the infamous and unhealthy (aguesh[529]) hundreds of Essex.

Mr. Edward Waller on the death of the countesse of Warwick:—

[At Fobbing, seven curates dyed within the first ten yeares]; in sixteen yeares, six of those that had been his curates at Laindon are dead; besides those that went away from both places; and the death of his wife [servants, and grandchildren].

Gilbert Sheldon being made archbishop of Canterbury, 16—[530], John Pell[XLVI.] was made one of his Cambridge[XLVII.] chapleines; and complaining one day to his Grace at Lambith of the unhealthinesse of his benefice as abovesayd, sayd my Lord, 'I doe not intend that you shall live there.' 'No,' sayd [Doctor] Pell, ('but[531] your grace does intend that) I shall die there.'

Now by this time (1680), you doubt not but this great, learned man, famous both at home and abroad, haz obtained some considerable dignity in[533] the church. You ought not in modestie to ghesse at lesse then a deanery.—Why, truly, he is stak't to this poor preferment still! For though the parishes are large, yet (curates, etc., discharged) he cleares not above 3-score pound per annum (hardly fourscore), and lives in an obscure[XLVIII.] lodging, three stories high, in Jermyn Street, next to the signe of the Ship, wanting not only bookes but his proper MSS. which are many, as by and by will appeare. Many of them are at Brereton at my lord Brereton's in Cheshire.

Memorandum:—... lord Brereton[534] was sent to Breda to recieve the instruction of this worthy person, by his grandfather (George Goring, the earle of Norwich) anno 1647, where he stayed ...[535], where he became a good proficient, especially in algebra to which his genius most inclined him and which he used to his dyeing day, which was 17 March, 1679/80: lies[536] buried in ...[537] St. Martin's church in-the-fields. I cannot but mention this noble lord but with a great deale of passion, for a more vertuous person (besides his great learning) I never knew. I have had the honour of his acquaintance since his comeing from Breda into England. Never was there greater love between master and scholar then between Dr. Pell and this scholar of his[538], whose death March 17, 1679/80[539] hath deprived this worthy doctor of an ingeniose companion and a usefull friend.

Scripsit[540].

His[541] table of squares, printed at London, 1672; 8 sheetes fol.

Rhonius's Algebra, in High-Dutch, was (indeed) Dr. Pell's; is translated into English, halfe.—Rhonius was Dr. Pell's scholar at Zurich and came to him every Friday night after he (J. Pell) had writt his post-lettres.

Controversia de vera circuli mensura inter Longomontanum et Pellium, Amstel. (?) Blaeu, 1651/2.

J. Pellii Idea of[542] Mathematicks printed in English and in Latin at the same time, 16mo.

Inaugural oration, p. 33[543].

{ Ψαμμίτης, a quarter of a sheet of paper one
Both MSS. { side; and also
{ Euclid's[544] X^th Element(orum liber) (vide
infra) which is in Cheshire at my lord Brereton's.

He hath written on the tenth booke of Euclid, which is in Cheshire at the lord Brereton's, and he hath also done[545] the greatest part of Diophantus[546], which is there[547]—both unprinted[548].

Also he hath donne[549] the second booke of Euclid in one side of a large sheet of paper most clearly and ingeniously.

He hath donne most succinctly and clearly Archimedis Ψαμμίτης in one side of an 8vo paper.

Also he hath demonstrated the proportion of the diameter to the circumference, and shewes what was the reason why Archimedes did use these two numbers—he did it at the instance of Sir Charles Scarborough—one sheet.

☞ In the booke called Branker's Algebra that which is purely Dr. Pell's beginnes at p. 79 and so continues to FINIS—this I had from his owne mouth.—Desire Mr. A. Wood to take some paines to enquire for Mr. Turner, M.A. at Oxon (I thinke of Exon. Coll.), who tooke some paines about Branker's Algebra.

Dr. Pell haz often sayd to me that when he solves a question he straines every nerve[550] about him, and that now in his old age it brings him to a loosenesse.

[551]Dr. J. Pell was the first inventor of that excellent way or method of the marginall working in algebra.

I have heard him say several times that the Regula falsi was falsly demonstrated by Mr. William Oughtred (quod N.B.) and that Petiscus hath donne it right.

See Dr. Pell's letter, printed by Joachim Jungius in his Doxo ... in 4to at Hamborough—Mr. Cluverus haz it.

He could not cringe and sneake for preferment though otherwise no man more humble nor more communicative. He was cast into King's Bench prison[552] for debt Sept.[553] 7, 1680.

[554]In March 1682 he was very kindly invited by Daniel Whistler, M.D., to live with him at the Physitians College in London, where he was very kindly entertained. About the middle of June he fell extreme sick of a cold and removed to a grandchild of his maried to one Mr. Hastings in St. Margaret's Churchyard, Westminster, neer the tower, who now (1684) lives in Brownlow Street in Drury Lane, where he was like to have been burnt in his bed by a candle. Nov. 26, fell into convulsion fitts which had almost killed him.

[555]Gilbert Sheldon, Lord Bishop of London, gave Dr. Pell the parsonage of Lanedon[C] cum Basseldon in the Hundreds of Essex (they call it kill-priest[556], sarcastically); and king Charles the Second gave him the parsonage of Fobing[XLIX.], 4 miles distant. Both are of the value of two hundred pounds per annum (or so accounted); but the Doctor was a most shiftless man as to worldly affaires, and his tenants and relations cousin'd him of the profits and kept him so indigent that he wanted necessarys, even paper and inke, and he had not 6d. in his purse when he dyed, and was buried by the charity of Dr. Richard Busby and Dr. <John> Sharp, Rector of St. Giles-in-the-fields and Dean of Norwich, who ordered[557] his body to lye in a vault[558] belonging to the Rector (the price[559] is x li.).

I could not persuade him to make a will; so his books and MSS. fell by administratorship to Capt. ... Raven, his son-in-law.

His son (John) is a Justice of Peace in New Yorke[560], and lives well. He thought to have gonne over to him.

This learned person dyed in St. Giles' parish aforesaid at the house of Mr. Cothorne the reader in Dyot Street on Saterday December the twelfth 1685, between 4 and 5 P.M. Dr. Busby, schoolmaster of Westminster, bought all his bookes and papers of Captain Raven, among which is the last thing he wrote (which he did at my earnest request) viz. THE TABLES, which are according to his promise in the last line of his printed tables of squares and cubes (if desired) and which Sir Cyrillus Wych (then president of the Royall Society) did license for the press. There only wants a leafe or two for the explanation of the use of them, which his death hath prevented. Sir Cyril Wych, only, knowes the use of them. I doe (imperfectly) remember something of his discourse of them, viz. whereas some questions are capable of severall answers, by the help of these tables it might be discovered exactly how many, and no more, solutions, or answers, might be given.

I desired Mr. Theodore Haake, his old acquaintance, to make some additions to this[561] short collection of memoires of him, but he haz donne nothing[562].

He dyed of a broaken heart.

[563]Dr. Whistler[564] invited Dr. Pell to his house in anno ..., which the Dr. likt and accepted of, loving good cheer and good liquour, which the other did also; where eating and drinking too much, was the cause of shortning his daies.

Dr. Pell had a brother a chirurgian and practitioner in physick, who purchased an estate of the natives of New-York and when he died he left it to his nephew John Pell, only son of the Doctor. It is a great estate 8 miles broad and ... miles long (quaere Capt. ... Raven).

He had 3 or 4 daughters.

[565]This <is> writt by Mr. Theodore Haake.

In the year 1638 I came first to be acquainted with Mr. Pell by Mr. S. Hartlib's meanes, who having heard of his extraordinarie parts in all kinde of learning, especially the mathematics, perswaded that the same might be farre more usefully employed and improoved for the publick advancement of learning, he never left soliciting and engaging frends heer to perswade Mr. Pell instead of keeping scool, as he then did at ... in Sussex, to come up to London, where he soon got into great esteem among the most learned, both natives and forreigners, with whom he conversed. But he so minded and followed still the cultivating of his more abstracting studies, and naturally averse from suing or stooping much for what he was worthy of, it was a good while before he obtained any suteable place or settlement.

I recommended him once to my Lord Bishop of Lincoln[566] (quondam Lord Keeper of England), who became very desirous to see the man, inviting us of purpose to dine once with his lordship for the freer discourse of all sorts of literature and experiments, to get a touch and taste that satisfaction Mr. Pell could give him. Which proved so pertinent and abundant that my lord put the question to him whether he would accept of a benefice which he was ready, glad, and willing to bestow on him for his encouragement. Mr. Pell thankd his lordship, saying he was not capacitate for that, as being no divine and having made the mathematics his main studie, for the great publick need and usefullnesse therof, which he had in a manner devoted himself to improve and advance to the uttmost of his reach and abilities. Which answer pleased my lord so well that he replyed, 'Alasse! what a sad case it is that in this great and opulent kingdome there is no publick encouragement for the excelling in any profession but that of the law and divinity.[567]Were I in place as once I was, I would never give over praying and pressing his majesty till a noble stock and fund might be raised for so fundamentall, universally usefull, and eminent science as mathematicks.' And therupon his lordship requested Mr. Pell to befriend him with his visits as often as he could spare time, promising him always a very hearty welcome. Yet Mr. Pell who was no courtier came there no more.

In the mean time he communicated to his friends his excellent Idea Matheseos in half a sheet of paper, which got him a great deal of repute, both at home and abroad, but no other special advantage, till Mr. John Morian, a very learned and expert gentleman, gave me notice that Hortensius, mathematical professor at Amsterdam, was deceased, wishing that our friend Mr. Pell might succeed. Sir William Boswell, his majestie's ambassador in Holland, being here then, I conferred with him about it, who promised all his assistance; and between them, and by these two, a call was procured from Amsterdam for Mr. Pell, in 1643: and in May 1644 I met him settled there on my return out of Denmarke. Where he was, among others, dearly welcome to Gerardus Joannes Vossius. And soon after his fame was much augmented by his refuting a large book of Longomontanus Quadratura, which caused the Prince of Orange (Henry Frederick) being about to erect an Academic at Breda, borrowed[568] Mr. Pell from the magistrate of Amsterdam, to grace his new Academy with a man of that fame for a few years. And there being comfortably stayed, the most learned of the then parliament heer, jealous that others should enjoy a countryman of their own, they never left offers and promises till they got him hither to be—they gave out—Professor Honorarius heer. But the sucesse prov'd soon deficient, and reduced him to much inconvenience, as having now a charge of a pretty large family, viz. his wife with 4 or 5 children. And this continued till T. H.[569] was offerd by Th.[570] to be employed in Swisse and about the E.[571] collection for Pyemont; who excused himself it and recommended Mr. Pell.

This[572] account of Dr. John Pell I had from my worthy friend Mr. Theodore Haak, whose handwriting it is.

[573]John Pell, D.D., was borne at Southwick in Sussex on St. David's day, anno Domini 1611; his youngest uncle ghesses about noon.

Anno 1632 he maried.

1643, went to Amsterdam and was there professor of Mathematiques.

1646, the Prince of Orange called for him to be publique professor at Breda.

1654, Oliver, Protector, sent him envoyé to the cantons of Switzerland.

1661, Gilbert Sheldon, bishop of London, gave him a scurvy parsonage in Essex ('kill-priest').

1680, August last, he was arrested and layd in prison.