[1035]Mr. John Hales, ...[1036], was borne at Wells, I thinke I have heard Mr. John Sloper say (vicar of Chalke; his mother was Mr. Hales's sister, and he bred him at Eaton).
His father was a steward to the family of the Horners:—
Hopton, Horner, Smyth, and Thynne,When abbots went out, they came in[1037].
Hopton, Horner, Smyth, and Thynne,When abbots went out, they came in[1037].
Went to school, at Bath (as I take it). Fellow of Merton Colledge. Assisted Sir Henry Savill in his edition of Chrysostome (cum aliis). Afterwards fellow of Eaton College.
Went chaplain to Sir Dudley Carlton (ambassador to ...). I thinke was at the Synod of Dort.
When the Court was at Windsor, the learned courtiers
much delighted
I have heard his nephew, Mr. Sloper, say, that he much loved to read ... Stephanus, who was afamilist, I thinke that first wrote of that sect of the Familie of Love: he was mightily taken with it, and was wont to say that sometime or other those fine notions would take in the world. He was one of the first Socinians in England, I thinke the first.
He was a generall scolar, and I beleeve a good poet: for Sir John Suckling brings him into the Session of the Poets:
'Little Hales all the time did nothing but smile,To see them, about nothing, keepe such a coile.'
'Little Hales all the time did nothing but smile,To see them, about nothing, keepe such a coile.'
He had a noble librarie of bookes, and those judicially chosen, which cost him ...li.(quaere Mr. Sloper); and which he sold to Cornelius Bee, bookeseller, in Little Britaine, (as I take it, for 1000li.) which was his maintenance after he was ejected out of his fellowship at Eaton College. He had then only reserved some few for his private use, to wind-up his last dayes withall.
The ladie Salter (neer Eaton) was very kind to him after
the sequestration; he was very welcome to her ladyship,
and spent much of his time there. At Eaton he lodged
(after his sequestration) at the next house
He had a bountifull mind. I remember in 1647, a little after the Visitation[1038], when Thomas Mariett, esq., Mr. William Radford, and Mr. Edward Wood (all of Trinity College) had a frolique from Oxon to London, on foot, having never been there before, they happened to take Windsore in their way, made their addresse to this good gentleman, being then fellow. Mr. Edward Wood was the spookes-man, remonstrated that they were Oxon scholars: he treated them well, and putt into Mr. Wood's hands ten shillings.
He lies buried in the church yard at Eaton, under an altar monument of black marble, erected at the sole chardge of Mr. ... Curwyn, with a too long epitaph. He was no kiff or kin to him.
[1039]Mr. John Hales dyed at Mris Powney's house, a widow-woman, in Eaton, opposite to the churchyard, adjoyning to the Christopher Inne southwards. 'Tis the howse where I sawe him.
She is a very good woman and of a gratefull spirit. She told me that when she was maried, Mr. Hales was very bountifull to them in helping them[1040]to live in the world. She was very gratefull to him and respectfull to him.
She told me that Mr. Hales was the common godfather there, and 'twas pretty to see, as he walked to Windsor, how his godchildren asked him blessing[1041]. When he was bursar, he still gave away all his groates for the acquittances to his godchildren; and by that time he came to Windsor bridge, he would have never a groate left.
This Mris Powney assures me that the poor were morerelieveable, that is to say, that he recieved more kindnesse
from them than from the rich. That that I putt downe
of my lady Salter (sister to Brian Duppa, bishop of
Sarum), from his nephew
Cornelius Bee bought his library for 700li., which cost him not lesse then 2,500li.Mris Powney told me that she was much against the sale of 'em, because she knew it was his life and joy.
He might have been restored to his fellowship again, but he would not accept the offer. He was not at all covetous, and desired only to leave xli.to bury him.
He bred-up our vicar, [Sloper[1043]], who, she told me, never sent him a token; and he is angry with her, thinks he left her too much.
She is a woman primitively good, and deserves to be remembred. I wish I had her Christian name. Her husband has an inscription on a gravestone in Eaton College chapel towards the south wall.
She has a handsome darke old-fashioned howse. The hall, after the old fashion, above the wainscot, painted cloath, with godly sentences out of the Psalmes, etc., according to the pious custome of old times; a convenient garden and orchard. She has been handsome: a good understanding, and cleanlie.