In 1613 Paul Neale was born to Archbishop Richard Neale [aged 50].
In 1631 [his father] Archbishop Richard Neale [aged 68] was elected Archbishop of York.
On 31st October 1640 [his father] Archbishop Richard Neale [aged 78] died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th May 1656. I went to visit Dr. Wilkins [aged 42], at Whitehall [Map], when I first met with Sir P. Neal [aged 43], famous for his optic glasses. Greatorix, the mathematical instrument maker, showed me his excellent invention to quench fire.
On 28th November 1660 Paul Neale [aged 47] was elected Fellow of the Royal Society; one of the twelve founder members.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 2nd March 1661. Early with Mr. Moore about Sir Paul Neales' [aged 48] business with my uncle and other things all the morning. Dined with him at Mr. Crew's [aged 63], and after dinner I went to the Theatre [Map], where I found so few people (which is strange, and the reason I did not know) that I went out again, and so to Salsbury Court, where the house as full as could be; and it seems it was a new play, "The Queen's Maske", wherein there are some good humours: among others, a good jeer to the old story of the Siege of Troy, making it to be a common country tale. But above all it was strange to see so little a boy as that was to act Cupid, which is one of the greatest parts in it. Then home and to bed.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 10th January 1662. To White Hall, and there spoke with Sir Paul Neale [aged 49] about a mathematical request of my Lord's to him, which I did deliver to him, and he promised to employ somebody to answer it, something about observation of the moon and stars, but what I did not mind. Here I met with Mr. Moore, who tells me that an injuncon is granted in Chancery against T. Trice, at which I was very glad, being before in some trouble for it.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th February 1665. Thence with Creed to Gresham College, where I had been by Mr. Povy [aged 51] the last week proposed to be admitted a member1 and was this day admitted, by signing a book and being taken by the hand by the President, my Lord Brunkard [aged 45], and some words of admittance said to me. But it is a most acceptable thing to hear their discourse, and see their experiments; which were this day upon the nature of fire, and how it goes out in a place where the ayre is not free, and sooner out where the ayre is exhausted, which they showed by an engine on purpose. After this being done, they to the Crowne Taverne, behind the 'Change [Map], and there my Lord and most of the company to a club supper; Sir P. Neale [aged 52], Sir R. Murrey, Dr. Clerke, Dr. Whistler, Dr. Goddard, and others of most eminent worth. Above all, Mr. Boyle [aged 38] to-day was at the meeting, and above him Mr. Hooke [aged 29], who is the most, and promises the least, of any man in the world that ever I saw. Here excellent discourse till ten at night, and then home, and to Sir W. Batten's [aged 64], where I hear that Sir Thos. Harvy intends to put Mr. Turner out of his house and come in himself, which will be very hard to them, and though I love him not, yet for his family's sake I pity him. So home and to bed.
Note 1. According to the minutes of the Royal Society for February 15th, 1664-65, "Mr. Pepys was unanimously elected and admitted". Notes of the experiments shown by Hooke and Boyle are given in Birch's "History of the Royal Society", vol. ii., p. 15.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 16th December 1666. So we parted, and I with Lord Bruncker [aged 46] to Sir P. Neale's [aged 53] chamber, and there sat and talked awhile, Sir Edward Walker being there, and telling us how he hath lost many fine rowles of antiquity in heraldry by the late fire, but hath saved the most of his papers. Here was also Dr. Wallis [aged 50], the famous scholar and mathematician; but he promises little.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th April 1668. After playing a little upon my new little flageolet, that is so soft that pleases me mightily, betimes to my office, where most of the morning. Then by coach, 1s., and meeting Lord Brouncker [aged 48], 'light at the Exchange [Map], and thence by water to White Hall, 1s., and there to the Chapel, expecting wind musick and to the Harp-and-Ball, and drank all alone, 2d. Back, and to the fiddling concert, and heard a practice mighty good of Grebus, and thence to Westminster Hall [Map], where all cry out that the House will be severe with Pen; but do hope well concerning the buyers, that we shall have no difficulty, which God grant! Here met Creed, and, about noon, he and I, and Sir P. Neale [aged 55] to the Quaker's, and there dined with a silly Executor of Bishop Juxon's, and cozen Roger Pepys [aged 50]. Business of money goes on slowly in the House.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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In February 1686 Paul Neale [aged 73] died.