Meredith Lloyd tells me that, three or 400 yeares ago, chymistry was in a greater perfection, much, then now; their proces was then more seraphique and universall: now they looke only after medicines.
Severall churches are dedicated to him: two at London: quaere if one at Glastonbury.
Sir Edward Dyer (15..-1607).
[900]Sir Edward Dyer, of Somersetshire (Sharpham Parke, etc.), was a great witt, poet, and acquaintance of Mary, countesse of Pembroke, and Sir Philip Sydney. He is mentioned in the preface of the 'Arcadia.' He had four thousand pounds per annum, and was left fourscore thousand pounds in money; he wasted it almost all. This I had from captaine Dyer, his great grandsonne, or brother's great grandson. I thought he had been the sonne of the Lord Chiefe Justice Dyer, as I have inserted in one of these papers, but that was a mistake. The judge was of the same family, the captain tells me.
St. Edmund (1170?-1240).
[901]Seth, lord bishop of Sarum, tells me that he finds Saint Edmund was borne at Abington. He was archbishop of Canterbury. He built the college at Sarum, by St. Edmund's Church: it is now Judge Wyndham's sonne's howse. He resigned his archbishoprick, and came and retired hither. In St. Edmund's church here[902], were windowes of great value. Gundamore[903] offered a good summe for them; I have forgott <what>. In one of them was the picture of God the Father, like an old man (as the fashion was), which much offended Mr. Shervill, the recorder, who in zeale (but without knowledge) clambered up on the pewes[904] to breake the windowe, and fell downe and brake his legg (about 1629); but that did not excuse him for being question'd in the Starre-chamber for it. Mr. Attorney Noy was his great friend, and shewed his friendship there. But what Mr. Shervill left undonne, the soldiers since have gonne through with, that there is not a piece of glass-painting left.
'Edmundus, Cant.[905] A.B., primus legit Elementa Euclidis, Oxoniæ, 1290[906]; Mr. Hugo perlegit librum Aristotelis Analytic. Oxon.; Rogerus Bacon vixit A.D. 1292.'—This out of an old booke in the library of University College, Oxon.