[963]Mr. Gadbury the astrologer's father, a taylor, takes the measure of a young lady for a gowne and clappes up a match.
Note.Anthony Wood in theAth. Oxon.gives a more correct version of this story. William Gadbury, a farmer, of Wheatley, co. Oxon, made a stolen marriage with a daughter of Sir John Curson of Waterperry. Their son, John Gadbury, was apprentice to an Oxford tailor, before he set up as an astrologer.The correspondence between Aubrey and Wood in MS. Wood F. 51, shows that the publication of this story in Wood'sAthenaewas, very naturally, resented by Gadbury. Aubrey to Wood, Aug. 20, 1692, Gadbury is 'extremely incens't against you: ... he sayes that you have printed lyes concerning him.' Aubrey to Wood, Oct. 21, 1693, 'I shewed your letter to Mr. Gadbury, wherin you tell him that what he desires should be amended as to himselfe shall be donne in the Appendix,' i.e. the third volume of theAthenae, on which Wood was then at work, 'to be printed: but he huft and pish't, saying that your copies are flown abroad and the scandalls are irrevocable and that he will have a fling at you in print to vindicate himselfe.' Wood was blind to the indiscretion he had committed: Wood to Aubrey, Nov. 1692, MS. Ballard 14, fol. 153:—'I wonder at nothing more then that Mr. Gadbury should take it amiss of those things that I say of him: for whereas the generality of scholars did formerly take him to have been bred an academian, because he was borne at Oxon, and so, consequently, not to be much admird, now their eyes being opend and knowing that his education hath been mechanical they esteem him a prodigie of parts and therfore are much desirous that his picture may hang in the public gallery at the schooles.'
Anthony Wood in theAth. Oxon.gives a more correct version of this story. William Gadbury, a farmer, of Wheatley, co. Oxon, made a stolen marriage with a daughter of Sir John Curson of Waterperry. Their son, John Gadbury, was apprentice to an Oxford tailor, before he set up as an astrologer.
The correspondence between Aubrey and Wood in MS. Wood F. 51, shows that the publication of this story in Wood'sAthenaewas, very naturally, resented by Gadbury. Aubrey to Wood, Aug. 20, 1692, Gadbury is 'extremely incens't against you: ... he sayes that you have printed lyes concerning him.' Aubrey to Wood, Oct. 21, 1693, 'I shewed your letter to Mr. Gadbury, wherin you tell him that what he desires should be amended as to himselfe shall be donne in the Appendix,' i.e. the third volume of theAthenae, on which Wood was then at work, 'to be printed: but he huft and pish't, saying that your copies are flown abroad and the scandalls are irrevocable and that he will have a fling at you in print to vindicate himselfe.' Wood was blind to the indiscretion he had committed: Wood to Aubrey, Nov. 1692, MS. Ballard 14, fol. 153:—'I wonder at nothing more then that Mr. Gadbury should take it amiss of those things that I say of him: for whereas the generality of scholars did formerly take him to have been bred an academian, because he was borne at Oxon, and so, consequently, not to be much admird, now their eyes being opend and knowing that his education hath been mechanical they esteem him a prodigie of parts and therfore are much desirous that his picture may hang in the public gallery at the schooles.'