In the mean time he communicated to his friends his excellent Idea Matheseos in half a sheet of paper, which got him a great deal of repute, both at home and abroad, but no other special advantage, till Mr. John Morian, a very learned and expert gentleman, gave me notice that Hortensius, mathematical professor at Amsterdam, was deceased, wishing that our friend Mr. Pell might succeed. Sir William Boswell, his majestie's ambassador in Holland, being here then, I conferred with him about it, who promised all his assistance; and between them, and by these two, a call was procured from Amsterdam for Mr. Pell, in 1643: and in May 1644 I met him settled there on my return out of Denmarke. Where he was, among others, dearly welcome to Gerardus Joannes Vossius. And soon after his fame was much augmented by his refuting a large book of Longomontanus Quadratura, which caused the Prince of Orange (Henry Frederick) being about to erect an Academic at Breda, borrowed[568] Mr. Pell from the magistrate of Amsterdam, to grace his new Academy with a man of that fame for a few years. And there being comfortably stayed, the most learned of the then parliament heer, jealous that others should enjoy a countryman of their own, they never left offers and promises till they got him hither to be—they gave out—Professor Honorarius heer. But the sucesse prov'd soon deficient, and reduced him to much inconvenience, as having now a charge of a pretty large family, viz. his wife with 4 or 5 children. And this continued till T. H.[569] was offerd by Th.[570] to be employed in Swisse and about the E.[571] collection for Pyemont; who excused himself it and recommended Mr. Pell.
This[572] account of Dr. John Pell I had from my worthy friend Mr. Theodore Haak, whose handwriting it is.
[573]John Pell, D.D., was borne at Southwick in Sussex on St. David's day, anno Domini 1611; his youngest uncle ghesses about noon.
Anno 1632 he maried.
1643, went to Amsterdam and was there professor of Mathematiques.
1646, the Prince of Orange called for him to be publique professor at Breda.
1654, Oliver, Protector, sent him envoyé to the cantons of Switzerland.
1661, Gilbert Sheldon, bishop of London, gave him a scurvy parsonage in Essex ('kill-priest').
1680, August last, he was arrested and layd in prison.