Franciscus Linus.
[122]Father Franciscus Linus, i.e. Hall, was borne in London—which captain Robert Pugh, è Societate Jesus, assured me, who was his great acquaintance.
He was of the Societie of Jesus and lived most at Liège, where he dyed....
He writt a learned discourse, de coloribus, which Sir Kenelm Digby quotes with much praise in his philosophie.
He printed a discourse of dialling in 4to, Latin, and made the Jesuits College there the finest dialls in the world, which are described in that booke. The like dialls he made (which resemble something a ... of candlesticks) in the garden at Whitehall, which were one night, anno Dni. 167- (4[123], as I take it), broken all to pieces (for they were of glasse spheres) by the earl of Rochester, lord Buckhurst, Fleetwood Shephard, etc., comeing in from their revells. 'What!' said the earl of Rochester, 'doest thou stand here to ... time?' Dash they fell to worke. Ther was a watchman alwayes stood there to secure it.
He wrote a piece of philosophy in Latin in 8vo, called....
He had great skill in the optiques, and was an excellent philosopher and mathematician, and a person of exceeding suavity, goodnes, and piety, insomuch that I have heard father Manners, è Soc. Jes., say that he deserved canonisation.
Memorandum—he writ a little tract, about halfe a sheet or not much more, of Transubstantiation, proveing it metaphysically and by naturall reason—which I have seen.
[124]Franciscus Linus (Hall), Jesuite, at Leige. He told me he was born in London; see more in my memorandums of him to Mr. Anthony Wood.
Sir Kenelme Digby, in his booke of bodies, in the chapter of colours, speakes with a very great respect of Mr. ... Hall.