Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/131

 with Sir Robert Southwell, Clerk to the Privy Council. Southwell, like Sir William, was largely interested in Ireland, and was an 'ancient Protestant,' his family having migrated thither in the earlier part of the century. He was amongst the most confidential servants of the King, though belonging to the Anglo-Irish connection which the English aristocracy always viewed with ill-concealed jealousy. He had been employed on more than one important diplomatic mission during the reign, and in 1665 was sent as envoy extraordinary to Lisbon, on the occasion of the negotiation of the royal marriage, when he was knighted.

A grant of land was made to the Royal Society in Ireland, and Sir William was requested by his colleagues to prepare an estimate of the value of the grant. But Sir William found that in the general confusion of the times, and amid the apprehensions of further changes, it was next to impossible to realise the gift. Protestant might contend with Catholic; the English 'usurper' might fight with the native 'Tory;' but all were ready with absolute unanimity to join in resisting a suggestion so odious as that of the endowment of research.

The new society decided to fix the annual meeting on St. Andrew's Day. Aubrey relates that he remembers saying at one of these recurring festivals: 'Methinks it was not so well that we should pitch upon the Patron of Scotland's day. We should rather have taken St. George or St. Isidore' (a philosopher canonised), 'and that Sir William replied: "I would rather have had it on St. Thomas's Day; for he would not believe till he had seen and put his fingers into the holes, according to the motto ' Nullius in verba.'"'

The best means of combating the plague was naturally a subject of special interest to Sir William and the members of the Society. He has left a memorandum on the subject, written apparently in connection with some idea of his own employment as Physician-General. He was also much occupied with an attempt which had originated with Sir William