Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/23

LIFE

OF

SIR WILLIAM PETTY

CHAPTER I

EARLY LIFE

1623-1652

 

Early days—Friendship with Hobbes—Correspondence with Dr. Pell—Pamphlet on education—John Petty—Life at Oxford—Case of Ann Green—University Professor of Anatomy.

William Petty was born at his father's house at Rumsey, a little town in Hampshire on the banks of the Test, famous as a seat of the woollen industry, on the 26th of May, 1623, 'eleven hours, 42' 56" afternoon, Trinity Sunday,' according to Aubrey, who puts down the event with his usual love of minute detail. He was the third child of Antony Petty and Francesca, his wife. Aubrey says that Antony Petty, the father of William, 'was born on the Ash Wednesday before Mr. Hobbes, 1587; and that by profession he was a clothier, and also did dye his own cloths.'^[1]

The home of the Pettys seems to have been near the ancient conventual church of the Benedictine nuns, which the parishioners at the Reformation are said to have bought

1. Bodleian Letters, ii. 481. The name of Petty is still common in the neighbourhood of Rumsey. Some details as to the Petty family will be found in ch. x., p. 315.