[430]Sir Henry Blount, Tittinghanger, natus Dec. 15, 1602, 9hP.M.
[431]Sir Henry Blount obiit 9th Oct. last[432]in the morning.
[433]Sir Henry Blount[AS], knight:—he was borne (I presume) at Tittinghanger in the countie of Hertford. It was heretofore the summer seate of the Lord Abbot of St. Alban's.
He was of Trinity College in Oxford[434], where was
a great acquaintance[435]between him and Mr. Francis
Potter. He stayed there about
He was pretty wild when young, especially addicted to common wenches. He was a 2d brother.
He was a gentleman pensioner to King Charles I, on whom he wayted (as it was his turne) to Yorke (when the King deserted the Parliament); was with him at Edge-hill fight; came with him to Oxford; and so returned to London; walkt[436]into Westminster hall with his sword by his side; the Parliamentarians all stared upon him as aCavaleer, knowing that he had been with the King: was called before the House of Commons, where he remonstrated to them he did but his duty, and so they acquitted him.
In these dayes he dined most commonly at the Heycock's[437]ordinary, neer the Pallzgrave-head taverne, in the
Strand, which was much frequented by Parliament-men
and gallants. One time colonel Betridge being there(one[438]of the handsomest men about the towne) and
bragged much how the woemen loved him; Sir H. Blount
did lay a wager of ... with him that let them two goe
together to a bordello; he only (without money) with his
handsome person, and Sir Henry with aXXs.piece on his
bald crowne, that the wenches should choose Sir Henry
before Betridge; and Sir H. won the wager. E
Memorandum:—there was about 164.. a pamphlet (writt by Henry Nevill, esq., ἀνονυμῶς) calledThe Parliament of Ladies, 3 or 4 sheets in 4to, wherin Sir Henry Blount was first to be called to the barre for spreading abroad that abominable and dangerous doctrine that it was far cheaper and safer to lye with common wenches[439]then with ladies of quality[440].
☞ His estate left him by his father was 500li.per annum, which he sold to ... (quaere) for an annuitie of 1000li.per annum in anno Domini 16..; and since his elder brother dyed.
Anno Domini 165<[*½]> he was made one of the comittee for regulating the lawes. He was severe against tythes, and for the abolishing them, and that every minister should have 100li.per annum and no more.
Since he was ... year old he dranke nothing but water or coffee. 1647 or therabout, he maryed to Mris [Hester[d]] Wase, [daughter of Christopher Wase[441]], who dyed 1679; by whom he haz two sonnes, ingeniose young gentlemen. Charles Blount (his second son) hath writtAnima Mundi, 8vo, 167<9> (burnt by order of the bishop of London) and ofSacrifices, 8vo.
I remember twenty yeares since he inveighed much against sending youths to the universities—quaere if his sons there—because they learnt there to be debaucht; and that the learning that they learned there[442]they were tounlearne againe, as a man that is buttond or laced too hard, must unbutton before he can be at his ease. Drunkennesse he much exclaimed against, but he allowed wenching. When coffee first came-in he was a great upholder of it, and hath ever since been a constant frequenter of coffee houses, especially Mr. ... Farre at the Rainbowe by Inner Temple Gate, and lately John's coffee house in Fuller's rents.
☞ The first coffee house in London[XXIII.]was in St. Michael's Alley in Cornehill, opposite to the Church; which was sett up by one ... Bowman (coachman to Mr. Hodges, a Turkey merchant, who putt him upon it) in or about the yeare 1652. 'Twas about 4 yeares before any other was sett up, and that was by Mr. Far. Jonathan Paynter, opposite to St. Michael's Church, was the first apprentice to the trade, viz. to Bowman. Memorandum:—the Bagneo, in Newgate Street, was built and first opened in Decemb. 1679: built by ... (Turkish merchants).
[XXIII.]And the next was Mr. Farr's a barber, which was set up in anno....
[XXIII.]And the next was Mr. Farr's a barber, which was set up in anno....
He is a gentleman of a very clear judgement, great experience, much contemplation, not of very much reading, of great foresight into government. His conversation is admirable. When he was young, he was a great collector of bookes, as his sonne is now.
He was heretofore a greatshammer, i.e. one that tells
falsities not to doe any body any injury, but to impose
on their understanding:—e.g. at Mr. Farre's; that at an
inne (nameing the signe) in St. Alban's, the inkeeper had
made a hogs-trough of a free-stone coffin; but the pigges,
after that, grew leane, dancing and skipping, and would
run up on the topps of the houses like goates. Two
young gentlemen that heard Sir H. tell thisshamso
gravely, rode the next day to St. Alban's to enquire:
comeing there, nobody had heard of any such thing, 'twas
altogether false. The next night as soon as the
He was wont to say that he did not care to have his servants goe to church, for there servants infected one another to goe to the alehouse and learne debauchery; but he did bid them goe to see the executions at Tyburne, which worke more upon them then all the oratory in the sermons.
His motto over his printed picture is that which I have many yeares ago heard him speake of, viz.:—Loquendum est cum vulgo, sentiendum cum sapientibus.
He is now (1680) neer or altogether 80 yeares, his intellectualls good still, and body pretty strong.
This last weeke[443]of Sept. 1682, he was taken very ill at London, and his feet swelled; and removed to Tittinghanger.
Notes.[AS]Aubrey gives in colours the coats:—'or, 2 bars nebulé sable [Blount]';
and 'or, 2 bars nebulé sable [Blount]; impaling, barry of six or and gules
[Wase].' Also the references (a) 'vide Anthony Wood's
[AS]Aubrey gives in colours the coats:—'or, 2 bars nebulé sable [Blount]';
and 'or, 2 bars nebulé sable [Blount]; impaling, barry of six or and gules
[Wase].' Also the references (a) 'vide Anthony Wood's
[AS]Aubrey gives in colours the coats:—'or, 2 bars nebulé sable [Blount]';
and 'or, 2 bars nebulé sable [Blount]; impaling, barry of six or and gules
[Wase].' Also the references (a) 'vide Anthony Wood's
[AT]Aubrey, in MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 199, speaks of him as 'Tom Bonham, of Essex, that haz made many a good song and epitaph—When the shrill scirocco blowes.'
[AT]Aubrey, in MS. Wood F. 39, fol. 199, speaks of him as 'Tom Bonham, of Essex, that haz made many a good song and epitaph—
When the shrill scirocco blowes.'