[A]Sir Robert Aiton[79], knight;—he lies buried in the south aisle of the choire of Westminster abbey, where there is erected to his memory an elegant marble and copper monument and inscription—viz.
This long inscription is in copper:—
M. S.Clarissimi, omnigenaque virtute et eruditione (presertim poesi) ornatissimi equitis, Domini Roberti Aitoni, ex antiqua et illustri gente Aitona ad Castrum Kinnadinum apud Scotos oriundi: qui a serenissimo rege Jacobo in cubicula interiora admissus; in Germaniam ad imperatorem imperiique principes, cum libello regio regiae authoritatis vindice, legatus; ac primum Annae, demum Mariae, serenissimis Britanniarum reginis, ab epistolis, consiliis, et libellis supplicibus; necnon Xenodochio S'aeCatharinae praefectus; anima Creatori reddita, hic, depositis mortalibus exuviis, secundum redemptoris adventum expectat.Carolumlinquens, repetitParentem;Et valedicensMariae, revisitAnnam; etAulaeidecus altoOlympiMutat honore.Obiit coelebs in Regiâ Albaulâ, non sine maximo bonorum omnium luctu et moerore:Aetat. suae LXVIII, Salut. humanae MDCXXXVIII.Hoc devoti gratique animi testimonium optimo patruo, Jo. Aitonus, M.L.P.
M. S.
Clarissimi, omnigenaque virtute et eruditione (presertim poesi) ornatissimi equitis, Domini Roberti Aitoni, ex antiqua et illustri gente Aitona ad Castrum Kinnadinum apud Scotos oriundi: qui a serenissimo rege Jacobo in cubicula interiora admissus; in Germaniam ad imperatorem imperiique principes, cum libello regio regiae authoritatis vindice, legatus; ac primum Annae, demum Mariae, serenissimis Britanniarum reginis, ab epistolis, consiliis, et libellis supplicibus; necnon Xenodochio S'aeCatharinae praefectus; anima Creatori reddita, hic, depositis mortalibus exuviis, secundum redemptoris adventum expectat.
Carolumlinquens, repetitParentem;Et valedicensMariae, revisitAnnam; etAulaeidecus altoOlympiMutat honore.
Carolumlinquens, repetitParentem;Et valedicensMariae, revisitAnnam; etAulaeidecus altoOlympiMutat honore.
Obiit coelebs in Regiâ Albaulâ, non sine maximo bonorum omnium luctu et moerore:
Aetat. suae LXVIII, Salut. humanae MDCXXXVIII.
Hoc devoti gratique animi testimonium optimo patruo, Jo. Aitonus, M.L.P.
In white marble at the bottome of the monument:—
Musarum decus hîc, patriaeque, aulaeque, domiqueEt foris exemplar, sed non imitabile, honesti.
Musarum decus hîc, patriaeque, aulaeque, domiqueEt foris exemplar, sed non imitabile, honesti.
His bust is of copper, curiously cast, with a laurell held over it by two figures of white marble.
That Sir Robert was one of the best poets of his time—Mr. John Dreyden sayes he has seen verses of his, some of the best of that age, printed with some other verses—quaere.
He was acquainted with all the witts of his time in England. He was a great acquaintance of Mr. Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, whom Mr. Hobbes told me he made use of (together with Ben Johnson) for an Aristarchus, when he made his Epistle Dedicatory to his translation of Thucydides. I have been told (I think by Sir John himself) that he was eldest brother to Sir John Ayton, Master of the Black Rod, who was also an excellent scholar.
Note.[A]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'..., on a cross engrailed between 4 crescents a rose,' with the motto'Et decerpta dabunt odorem.'He encircles the coat of arms with a laurel wreath, as is his custom when it is a poet whose life he is writing.
[A]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'..., on a cross engrailed between 4 crescents a rose,' with the motto'Et decerpta dabunt odorem.'He encircles the coat of arms with a laurel wreath, as is his custom when it is a poet whose life he is writing.
[A]Aubrey gives in trick the coat:—'..., on a cross engrailed between 4 crescents a rose,' with the motto
'Et decerpta dabunt odorem.'
He encircles the coat of arms with a laurel wreath, as is his custom when it is a poet whose life he is writing.