I first sawe him at Oxford, 1642, after Edgehill fight, but was then too young to be acquainted with so great a Doctor. I remember he came severall times to Trin.[1125] Coll. to George Bathurst, B.D., who had a hen to hatch egges in his chamber, which they dayly opened to discerne[1126] the progres and way of generation. I had not the honour to be acquainted <with> him[1127] till 1651, being my she cosen Montague's physitian and friend. I was at that time bound for Italy (but to my great griefe disswaded by my mother's importunity). He was very communicative, and willing to instruct any that were modest and respectfull to him. And in order to my journey, gave me, i.e. dictated to me, what to see, what company to keepe, what bookes to read[ES], how to manage my studies: in short, he bid me goe to the fountain head, and read Aristotle, Cicero, Avicenna, and did[1128] call the neoteriques shitt-breeches. He wrote a very bad hand[ET], which (with use) I could pretty well read.
I have heard him say, that after his booke of the Circulation of the Blood[1129]came-out, that he fell mightily in his practize, and that 'twas beleeved by the vulgar that he was crack-brained; and all the physitians were against his opinion, and envyed him; many wrote against him, as Dr. Primige, Paracisanus, etc. (vide Sir George Ent's booke). With much adoe at last, in about 20 or 30 yeares time, it was recieved in all the Universities in the world; and, as Mr. Hobbes sayes in his book 'De Corpore,' he is the only man, perhaps, that ever lived to see his owne doctrine established in his life time.
He understood Greek and Latin pretty well, but was no critique, and he wrote very bad Latin. The Circuitus Sanguinis was, as I take it, donne into Latin by Sir George Ent (quaere), as also his booke de Generatione Animalium, but a little book in 12mo against Riolani (I thinke), wherein he makes-out his doctrine clearer, was writt by himselfe, and that, as I take it, at Oxford.
His majestie king Charles I gave him the Wardenship of Merton Colledge in Oxford, as a reward for his service, but the times suffered him not to recieve or injoy any benefitt by it.
He was physitian, and a great favorite of the Lord High Marshall of England, Thomas[1130] Howard, earle of Arundel and Surrey, with whom he travelled as his physitian in his ambassade to the Emperor ... at Vienna, Anno Domini 163-. Mr. W. Hollar (who was then one of his excellencie's gentlemen) told me that, in his voyage, he would still be making of excursions into the woods, makeing observations of strange trees, and plants, earths, etc., naturalls, and sometimes like to be lost, so that my Lord Ambassador would be really angry with him, for there was not only danger of thieves, but also of wild beasts.
He was much and often troubled with the gowte, and his way of cure was thus; he would then sitt with his legges bare, if it were frost, on the leads of Cockaine house, putt them into a payle of water, till he was almost dead with cold, and betake himselfe to his stove, and so 'twas gonne.
He was hott-headed, and his thoughts working would many times keepe him from sleepinge; he told me that then his way was to rise out of his bed and walke about his chamber in his shirt till he was pretty coole, i.e. till he began to have a horror, and then returne to bed, and sleepe very comfortably.
I remember he was wont to drinke coffee; which he and his brother Eliab did, before Coffee-houses were in fashion in London.
[1131]All his profession would allowe him to be an excellent anatomist, but I never heard of any that admired his therapeutique way. I knew severall practisers in London[1132] that would not have given 3d. for one of his bills; and that a man could hardly tell by one of his bills[1133] what he did aime at.
He did not care for chymistrey, and was wont to speake against them with an undervalue.