[660]Quaere nomen of the knight his antagonist, Sir ... ...? Resp.—'Twas Sir Hierome Sanchy that was his antagonist: against whom he wrote the 8vo booke, about 1662. He was one of Oliver's knights, a commander and preacher and no conjuror. He challenged Sir William to fight with him. Sir William being the challengee named the place, a darke cellar, the weapon, carpenter's great axe; so by this expedient Sir William (who is short-sighted) would be at an equall tourney with this douty knight.
[661]Sir W. Petty was a Rota man, and troubled Mr. James Harrington with his arithmeticall proportions, reducing politie to numbers.
[662]Sir W. P. 18 March <1675/6> correpted by the Lord Chancellor when the patent was to be sealed, which he would not seale. Monday, 20th, he was affronted by Mr. Vernon; Tuesday, he hectored him.
[663]Sir William Petty scripsit A Politicall Anatomie of Ireland. He assured me by letter from Dublyn, July 12, 1681:—'I am not forward to print this Politicall Arithmetique but doe wish that what goeth abroad were compared with the copie in Sir Robert Southwell's hand, which I corrected in March 1679.' He told me some yeares since, before the copie was dedicated to the Royal Societie, that 'the doeing of it would cost 50,000 li., but Ireland will be donne.'
<In MS. Aubr. 22 is a printed tract, 26 pages (besides prefatory matter), 'The advice of W. P. to Mr. Samuel Hartlib for the advancement of some particular parts of learning,' Lond. 1648: the preface signed 'W. P., London, 8 Jan. 1647/8,' i.e. W. Petty.>
<In MS. Aubr. 26, at p. 24, are 'Directions from Sir William Petty to me heretofore, scil. 1671,' for collecting national statistics.>
<In MS. Aubr. 8, fol. 62, are 4 folio printed pages containing the evidence of Sir William Petty, as sole surviving trustee for 900 soldiers commonly called the three Regiments, given on 25 July, 1681, before Henry Hen, Lord Chief Baron of Ireland, about lands in the baronies of Iveragh, Dunkeron, and Glanoroght in county Kerry.>
[664]Sir William Pety—his eldest sonne is baron of Shelbrooke in Ireland; and his lady (widow) is baroness by patent from king James the 2d, anno 1688.
[665]In the Paris Gazette about January, 1687/8, 'Monsieur Coussin travaille pour faire éloge de Sir W. Petty which will be inserted in the Journal de Scavans'—which see.
[666]Sir William Petty had a boy that whistled incomparably well. He after wayted on a lady, a widowe, of good fortune. Every night this boy was to whistle his lady asleepe. At last shee ... marries him.... This is certeyn true;—from himselfe and Mrs. Grant[667].