, which then and since I follow, which, I hope, in time may be
more perfected by a more penetrating person than myself.

In 1643, I became familiarly known to Sir Bulstrode Whitlocke, a member
of the House of Commons; he being sick, his urine was brought unto me by
Mrs. Lisle,[11] wife to John Lisle, afterwards one of the keepers of the
Great Seal; having set my figure, I returned answer, the sick for that
time would recover, but by means of a surfeit would dangerously relapse
within one month; which he did, by eating of trouts at Mr. Sand's house,
near Leatherhead in Surrey. Then I went daily to visit him, Dr. Prideau
despairing of his life; but I said there was no danger thereof, and that
he would be sufficiently well in five or six weeks; and so he was.

[Footnote 11: She was afterwards beheaded at Winchester, for
harbouring one Nelthrop, a rebel in the Duke of Monmouth's army
1685. She had made herself remarkable, by saying at the
martyrdom of King Charles I, 1648, 'that her blood leaped within
her to see the tyrant fall;' for this, when she fell into the
state trap, she neither did nor could expect favour from any of
that martyr's family.]

In 1644, I published _Merlinus Anglicus Junior_ about April. I had given
one day the copy thereof unto the then Mr. Whitlocke, who by accident
was reading thereof in the House of Commons: ere the Speaker took the
chair, one looked upon it, and so did many, and got copies thereof;
which when I heard, I applied myself to John Booker to license it, for
then he was licenser of all mathematical books; I had, to my knowledge,
never seen him before; he wondered at the book, made many impertinent
obliterations, framed many objections, swore it was not possible to
distinguish betwixt King and Parliament; at last licensed it according
to his own fancy; I delivered it unto the printer, who being an arch
Presbyterian, had five of the ministry to inspect it, who could make
nothing of it, but said it might be printed, for in that I meddled not
with their Dagon. The first impression was sold in less than one week;
when I presented some to the members of Parliament, I complained of John
Booker the licenser, who had defaced my book; they gave me order
forthwith to reprint it as I would, and let them know if any durst
resist me in the reprinting, or adding what I thought fit; so the second
time it came forth as I would have it.

I must confess, I now found my schola