Harvey, William, 1578-1657; Physicians -- England -- Biography
It seems to be evident from these Minutes that Dr. Smith was Harvey's
nominee. He was his life-long friend, and he only survived a fortnight
the opening of the Harveian Museum, of which he was the most active
promoter. Dr. Andrewes, on the other hand, had powerful City influence
to back him. He was a distinguished graduate of St. John's College,
Oxford. He had been educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, and stood
high in the favour of the Merchant Taylors' Company. He died the 25th
of July, 1634.
Charles' tour in Scotland was fraught with the most momentous
consequences both to himself and his kingdom. He was crowned with great
pomp in the Abbey Church at Holyrood, and the rochet worn by the Bishop
of Moray when he preached before the assembled Court on this occasion
was an innovation which gave the greatest offence to the people. Their
discontent was still further increased by an order from the King
enjoining the ministers to wear surplices and the Bishops vestments
instead of the Geneva gown to which they had been accustomed since the
Reformation. The dissatisfaction thus aroused culminated in the Liturgy
tumults of 1637, when Jenny Deans launched her stool at the head of the
Bishop of St. Giles whilst he was preaching in Edinburgh. The tumults
in turn led to the formation of "the Tables" and to the taking of "the
Covenant," which are so familiar to every student of the history of the
Civil War.
Harvey must have been in close attendance upon the King during the
whole of his stay in Scotland, but he probably interested himself
very little in the proceedings of the Court or in the hot discussions
between the rival sects around him. We know, indeed, that, he was
thinking about the method by which a chick is formed within the egg,
and that to solve the point he paid a visit to the Bass Rock, of
which he gives the following description in the eleventh essay of his
treatise on Development:--
"In the barren island of the East Coast of Scotland, such flights of
almost every kind of seabirds congregate, that were I to state what I
have heard from those who were worthy of credit, I fear I should be
held guilty of telling greater stories than they who have committed
themselves about the Scottish geese produced as they say from the
fruits of certain trees (which they had never seen) that had fallen
into the sea.[4] What I have seen myself, however, I will relate
truthfully.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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