Athenæ Oxonienses. The History of Oxford Writers. Vol. 2, p. 534
Henry Blount
third son of Sir Tho. Pope Blount of Tittenhanger in Hertfordshire Knight, son of Will. Blount of Blounts hall in Staffordshire, was born at Tittenhanger before mention’d, which is in the parish of Ridge, on the 15. of Decemb. 1602, educated in the Free-School at S. Alban, where, by the help of his pregnant parts, he made such large steps in learning that before he was 14 years of age he was transplanted to Trinity Coll, of which he became a Gent. Commoner, and there, not so much upon his relation to Sir Tho. Pope the Founder thereof, as upon account of his own intrinseck worth, and the facetiousness of wit so peculiar to him, he had in a particular manner the deference and respect of the said Coll. After he had taken one degree in Arts, he retired to Greys Inn, studied the municipal Law, and at length, upon his retreat thence, sold his Chamber to Tho. Bonham of Essex the Poet. In 1634. May 7, he embarked at Venice for Constantinople in order to his voyage into the Levant, returned about two years after, became one of the Gentlemen Pensioners to K. Ch. 1, and by him Knighted 21. Mar. 1639. Afterwards he attended him at York, Edghill Battle and at Oxford for a time, and then leaving him, he retired to London, where being esteemed a Cavalier was called before the House of Commons and question’d by them for his adherence to his Majesty: But he remonstrating to them that he did no more than what his place required, that is his duty to wait, he was acquitted. So that closing with that party, he was appointed one of the Committee of 21 persons in Jan. 1651 to consult about the reformation of the Law, to consider of the inconveniences in it, and mischiefs which frequently arised from the delays, and other irregularities in the administration thereof, and about that time he shewed himself active against the payment of Tythes, and endeavoured that every Minister should not have above an 100 l. per an. for his pains in administring the Gospel: In 1654. Jul. 5. he, with Dr. Rich. Zouch, Dr. W. Clerk, Dr. Will. Turner Civilians, Mr. Lucy, &c. sate in the Upper Bench in Westm. Hall for the trial of Pontalion Sa brother to the Portugues Embassador, three more Portugueses and an English boy, for a murther and a riot committed by them in the New Exchange, and on the 1. of Nov. 1655 he was appointed one of the Committee to take into consideration the Trade and Navigation of the Common wealth, &c. He was esteemed by those that knew him a Gentleman of a very clear judgment, great experience, much contemplation (tho not of much reading) and of great foresight into Government. He was also a person of admirable conversation, and in his yonger years was a great Banterer, which in his elder he disused. He hath written and published
A relation of a voyage into the Levant. Lond. 1636. 37, qu, &c. In other editions in tw. it hath this title, A voyage into the Levant, being a brief relation of a journey performed from England, by way of Venice, through the Turkish Empire and Egypt, unto Grand Cairo, &c. It was so well esteemed abroad, that (as I have been enformed) it hath been translated into French and Dutch: In the first of which Languages I have seen a book entit. Voyage de Levant Par. 1632 qu. written by D. C. He also wrot (as I have been enformed by some of his relations, tho his sons know nothing of it) a pamphlet entit. The Exchange Walke; printed much about the time that Hen. Nevill published his pamph. called The Parliament of Ladies, &c. 1647. This Sir Hen. Blount, whom I have mentioned in Joh. Lylie in the first vol. p. 257. and in Walt. Ramsey in this, p. 166. died on the ninth day of Octob. in sixteen hundred eighty and two,1682. and was buried privatly on the eleventh day in a vault joyning to the Church of Ridge, leaving then behind him two ingenious sons, one named Tho. Pope Blount a Baronet, author of, Censura, celeberiorum authorum, sive tractatus in quo varia virorum doctorum de clarissimis cujusque seculi Scriptoribus judicia traduntur, &c. Lond. 1690. fol, as also of Essayes on several subjects: and another called Charles, who published,—Anima Mundi: or an historical narration of the opinions of the Antients, concerning mans soul after this life. Lond. 1679. oct. The Manuscript copie of this book (in which the father was suppos’d to have a considerable hand) went about the City of London with many gross passages in it. Afterwards being printed, it was taken for granted that the said book was published according to that copy. But those errors were all decryed and exploded in the impression; and with those corrections Rog. L’estrange the Licenser was prevail’d upon at the instance of a particular friend, to license it. Afterwards L’estrange hearing the clamours that were raised about this book, and the fate to which it was doom’d, he waited upon Dr. Compton Bishop of London, laid the matter before him; and his Lordship (thinking the book however inconvenient to be published) was pleased to rest satisfied, with the bare suppression of it: But advantage ()() See in the Observator, num. 290. was taken, in the Bishops absence, of burning it, contrary to his Lordships promise, and as ’twas believ’d, to his order. The said Mr. Ch. Blount also published, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, or the original of Idolatry, together with the politick institution of the Gentiles Sacrifices. Lond. 1680, oct. Also, Janua Scientiarum: or, a compendious introduction to Geography, Chronology, Government, History, Phylosophy and all gentile sorts of literature. Lond. 1684 oct; and a little pamphlet for the Liberty of the Press, besides his publication in English, with philological notes on each chapter, of The two first books of Philostratus, concerning the life of Apollonius Tyaneus, written Originally in Greek.—Lond. 1680 in a thin fol. Soon after suppressed and only a few copies dispersed.