We are indebted to Aubrey for the following anecdote, which is probably more true than some of his other statements about Harvey, for it is in exact accordance with what we know of his habits. Aubrey says that one of the Ambassador's gentlemen, Mr. William Hollar--the celebrated painter--told him that in this voyage "Dr. Harvey would still be making observations of strange trees and plants, earths, &c., and sometimes [he was] like to be lost. So that my Lord Ambassador would be really angry with him, for there was not only a danger of thieves, but also of wild beasts." How real the danger was may be gauged by remembering that the party was passing through the country devastated by the Thirty Years' War, which had still to drag out its disastrous length until it was brought to a close by the peace of Westphalia in 1648--a time so productive of lawlessness that it was only two years since Wallenstein, the great Commander-in-chief of the Imperial forces, had been murdered by those who were afterwards publicly rewarded by his Imperial master. Harvey parted company with the Embassy at Ratisbon, for in a letter dated from there he is spoken of as "Honest little Harvey whom the Earl is sending to Italy about some pictures for his Majesty." From Ratisbon he proceeded to Rome, where the pilgrims' book at the English College shows that he dined in the refectory on the 5th of October, 1636. Dr. Ent dined there the same night. The two travellers probably met by arrangement, for Ent was born at Sandwich, closely allied as a Cinque Port to Folkestone, Harvey's native home. He was educated too in Cambridge--at Sidney Sussex College--and after five years at Padua he took his degree of Doctor of Physic on the 28th of April, 1636. Harvey and Ent had therefore much in common, and they remained firm friends until Harvey died. Ent's love for Harvey led him to defend the doctrine of the circulation against the attacks of Parisanus; Harvey's love for Ent caused him to entrust to him the essay on Development; to be printed or preserved unpublished as Ent should think most fit. Nothing is known of Harvey's return to England except that he was in London attending to his duties and seeing his patients at the end of the year 1636. The following certificate appears to be the only record left of his work during the next two years. It is dated the 2nd of December, 1637: "Having had experience of the disposition and weakness of the body of Sir Thomas Thynne, Knight (who hath been and still is our patient), we testify that we are of opinion that it will be dangerous for the health of his body to travel this winter into the country and place of his usual abode until he hath better recovered his health and strength. "WILL. HARVEY." CHAPTER V THE CIVIL WAR