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Brief Lives, Vol. 2

Chapter 32: William Lilly (1601-1681).
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.

William Lilly (1601-1681).

[113]W. Lilly—<life> donne by himselfe penes Mr. Elias Ashmole.

[114]Mr. W. Lilly obiit at his house in Hersham, Thursday, June 9, and is to be buried at Walton chancel[115] this day, scil. June 10, 1681. He was borne on May day 1601[116]: had he lived till next May he had been full fourscore. He setled his estate at Hersham, 200 li. per annum, on ... Whitlock, esqre, sonne of the Lord Commissioner Whitlock[117] (who was his great patrone).

[118]Mr. William Lilly, astrologer: he wrote his owne life very largely, which Elias Ashmole, esq., hath. Memorandum he predicted the great comete which appeared in anno Domini[119] 168<0>, in his almanack 1677, which was the last that he wrote himselfe with his owne hands; for afterwards he fell blind. Memorandum, to bind up the almanack aforesayd with other 8vo pamphlets, for 'tis exceeding considerable.

[120]Ne oblivione contereretur urna
Gulielmi Lillii
astrologi peritissimi
qui fatis cessit
Vto Idus Junii anno Christi Juliano
MDCLXXXI
Hoc illi posuit amoris monumentum
Elias Ashmole,
armiger.

On a black marble (good marble; 7 li.[121]) gravestone in the middle towards the north wall of Walton-on-Thames <church>.

Quaere—he wrote his own life which Mr. Ashmole hath and is dedicated to him.