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Brief Lives, Vol. 2

Chapter 146: Notes.
By John Aubrey
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BiographiesBritish LiteratureHistory - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)

About This Book

A collection of concise biographical sketches of contemporaries and earlier figures recorded by an antiquarian observer, combining factual entries—births, offices, publications, and inscriptions—with personal anecdotes, hearsay, heraldic and parish-register notes, bibliographic references, and occasional critical judgments. Entries range from terse records to extended reminiscences, often citing documentary sources or witness statements, and reflect an informal, detail-driven approach aimed at preserving lives, reputations, and local traditions for reference and remembrance.

Sir William Platers.

[694]Sir William Plater[695], knight, was a Cambridgeshire gentleman at.... He had a good estate (about 3000 li. per annum). He was a very well bred gentleman, as most was of those times; had travelled France, Italie, etc., and understood well those languages. He was one of the Long Parliament in the time of the late warres.

He was a great admirer and lover of handsome woemen, and kept severall. Henry Martyn and he were great cronies, but one time (about 1644) there was some difference between them—Sir William had gott away one of Henry's girles, and Sir John Berkinhead inserted in his Mercurius Aulicus how the saintes fell out. He was temperate and thriftie as to all other things.

He had onely one sonne, who was handsome and ingeniose, and whome he cultivated with all imaginable care and education[696].... He allowed his son liberally but enjoyned him still temperance, and to sett downe his expences[697]....

The father was a good linguist and a good antiquary. This beloved sonne of his dyeing ..., shortned his father's dayes. He built the triumphall-like arch wheron the king's armes is in the partition between church and chancell at St. Margaret's Westminster, under which he lies buried. The following inscription is on the arch[AS], viz....

[698]Sir William Platers[AT], knight and baronet; about 5000 li. per annum. His sonne very ingeniose, and made a very good returne of his education. He was a colonel in the king's army and was killed in his service, which his father tooke so to heart that he enjoyed not himselfe afterwards.

Henry Martyn, his crony, invited him to a treat, where Sir William fell in love with one of his misses and slockst her away—which Sir J<ohn> B<irkenhead> putt in the Mercurius Aulicus.

In St. Margaret's Westminster he erected a monument against the south wall for Mr. James Palmer[AU], B.D., sequestred minister of St. Bride's London. He (Mr Palmer) was a very pious good man, and a benefactor to his native parish here, where he built an almes-howse; obiit 1659; and this monument was erected at the sole chardge of Sir William Platers, knight and baronet—sett downe so there.

Notes.

[AS] Aubrey notes the inscription in MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 29:—'St. Margaret's Westminster.

C.R.

Erected at the charge of Sir William
Platers, Knight and Baronet, anno 1662.'

To which he adds the note:—

'Hee departed this life the 19th of Aprill anno 1668—idem[699], east side.'

Here Anthony Wood makes the query:—

'Who doe you meane by this person that died 1668?' And Aubrey answers:—

'Sir William Platers. I doe not enter him here as a worthie, but he does implere locum. He was a merry man in the raigne of the Saints. Mercurius Aulicus made a good sport with him and Henry Martin.'

[AT] Aubrey gives in trick the coat: 'bendy wavy of six argent and azure'; but leaves blank the coat it impales.

[AU] James Palmer, B.A., of Magd. Coll., Cambr., 1601/2; B.D. 1613; vicar of St. Bride's, Fleet Street, 1616-45.