ROYAL SOCIETY, in Crane court, Fleet street. This society, which took its rise from a private society of learned and ingenious men, was founded for the improvement of natural knowledge. The honourable Robert Boyle, Sir William Petty, Dr. Seth Ward, Dr. Wilkins, Dr. Wallis, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Willis, Dr. Bathurst, and Dr. Wren, together with Mr. Matthew Wren and Mr. Rook, frequently met in the apartments of Dr. Wilkins, in Wadham College, at Oxford, to discourse on philosophical subjects; and there the learned productions of these gentlemen, not only eminently distinguished that society at home, but also rendered it highly revered by the _literati_ abroad. The meetings of these _literati_, which began about the year 1650, continued at Oxford till 1658, when the members being called to different parts of the kingdom, on account of their respective functions; and the majority coming to this city, they constantly attended the astronomical and geometrical lectures at Gresham college, where, being joined by several persons of the greatest learning and distinction, they continued to meet there once or twice a week, till the death of Oliver Cromwell: when anarchy succeeding, they were obliged to quit their place of meeting, on account of its being converted into military quarters for the reception of soldiers. However, the storm being soon after allayed by the restoration of King Charles II. the society began to resume their meetings, and for the more effectually carrying them on, entered into an obligation to pay each one shilling a week, towards the defraying of occasional charges. From these small beginnings, this society soon arose to be one of the most celebrated in all Europe: for their design being favoured by some ingenious men who had followed the King in his exile, his Majesty granted them a charter, dated the 15th of July 1662, and then a second charter, dated the 22d of April 1663, whereby they were denominated, _The Royal Society_, and made a corporation, to consist of a President, Council, and Fellows, for promoting natural knowledge and useful arts, by experiments; in this charter his Majesty declared himself their founder and patron, giving them power to make laws for the government of themselves; to purchase lands and houses; to have a common seal, and a coat of arms.