Rider's Almanac (1682, scilicet)—'Since tobacco brought into England by Sir Walter Raleigh, 99 yeares, the custome whereof is now the greatest of all others and amounts to yearly ...'
[786]Mr. Michael Weekes of the Royall Societie assures me, out of the custome-house bookes, that the custome of tobacco over all England is 400,000 li. per annum.
[787]Mr. Weekes, register[788] of the Royal Society and an officer of the custome-house, does assure me that the customes of tobacco over all England is four hundred thousand pounds per annum.
<Personal characteristics.>
[789]He was a tall, handsome, and bold man: but his naeve was that he was damnable proud. Old Sir Robert Harley of Brampton-Brian Castle, who knew him, would say 'twas a great question who was the proudest, Sir Walter, or Sir Thomas Overbury, but the difference that was, was judged on Sir Thomas' side.
[790]His beard turnd up naturally.—I have heard my grandmother say that when she was young, they were wont to talke of this rebus, viz.,
The enemie to the stomack[791], and the word of disgrace[792],
Is the name[793] of the gentleman with a bold face.
[794]Old Sir Thomas Malett, one of the justices of the King's Bench tempore Caroli I et II, knew Sir Walter; and I have heard him say that, notwithstanding his so great mastership in style and his conversation with the learnedst and politest persons, yet he spake broad Devonshire to his dyeing day. His voice was small, as likewise were my schoolfellowes', his grandnephewes[795].
[796]Sir Walter Ralegh was a great chymist; and amongst some MSS. reciepts, I have seen some secrets from him. He studyed most in his sea-voyages, where he carried always a trunke of bookes along with him, and had nothing to divert him.
[797]Memorandum:—he made an excellent cordiall, good in feavers, etc.; Mr. Robert Boyle haz the recipe, and makes it and does great cures by it.