Henry Jacob

Son of Hen. Jacob (whom I have before mention’d, under the year 1621) by his Wife Sarah, Sister to John Dumaresque of the Isle of Jersey Gent. was born in the Dioc. of London, and in his youthful years was sent by his Relations beyond the Seas to be educated in the Principles of his Father. At length being his good fortune to be put under the tuition of the famous Thomas Erpenius, did in a short time by the help of a natural Genie, become the prodigie of his age for Philological and Oriental learning. This is that Erpenius, who went beyond all the Curiosi of his time for severe and crabbed literature; nay beyond Drusius the Belgick Critick, who would scarce give place to either of the Scaligers. For one ((a))((a)) Nich. Fuller in Append. ad 5. & 6. lib. Miscellan. p. 183. who knew them well saith, that Erpenius was integerrimus doctissimusꝫ vir, Linguae Arabicae non peritior tantum quam Drusio, sed etiam multo peritissimus, &c. At two and twenty years of age or more, he came into England, and by the endeavours of Will. Bedwell (with whom the profession of Arabick then only remain’d) he was presented as a great rarity to that most noble and generous Count William Earl of Pembroke, Chancellour of this University, who forthwith for his encouragement, sent his ((b))((b)) In reg. Convoc. R. fol. 4. a. Letters to the University in his behalf, that he might be created Bach. of Arts, dated 24. Nov. 1628. in which he saith, that Hen. Jacob a young Scholar had bestowed divers years in the Low Countries in the study of good literature, and had his education principally under one Erpenius a famous Scholar, especially in the Oriental language; in which learning he profited under him beyond the vulgar sort of Students, and beyond the ordinary measures of his age, &c. In compliance to which Letters, he was in January following, adorned with that degree. At the same time being commended to the patronage of Joh. Selden, Hen. Briggs, and Pet. Turner, (men much famous in their generation) our Author was by their endeavours elected Probationer-Fellow of Mert. Coll. in the year following. But then, he having not so much Logick and Philosophy to carry him through the severe exercises of that Society, the Warden and Fellows tacitly assign’d him Philological Lecturer. This being done, he was called away to follow Lawsuites concerning his Patrimony, which being concluded, he fell into a dangerous sickness, and by the sudden loss of his Patron (Pembroke) his life was in jeopardy. Soon after that great encourager of learning Bishop Laud succeeding him in the Chancellourship of this University, a way was found out from Mert. Coll. statutes to make him Socius Grammaticalis, that is Reader of Philology to the Juniors, a place that had been disused for about an 100 years. So that being setled and made compleat Fellow, he spent some time with the famous Selden, an. 1636. in composing a book which he was then publishing—ubi ad interiorem Templum (saith ((*))((*)) In Vindic. Maris clausi. Lond. 1653. p. 53. he) Amanuensis mihi in codice Regi tunc porrigendo operam praestitit mihi vir doctissimus Henricus Jacobus, &c. At which time, as ’tis said, he taught, or at least improved, Selden in the Hebrew Language, and added several things, which Selden finding to be very excellent, let them stand. In the same year he was created Master of Arts, but upon the turn of the times, Brent then Warden of Mert. Coll. no friend to Laud, silenced him. In the year 1641, he was upon the death of John Thimble elected superior Bedle of Divinity about the 14 of June, and in the beginning of Novemb. in the year following, he was created Bach. of Physick. But his head being always over-busie about critical notions, (which made him sometimes a little better than craz’d) he neglected his duty so much, that he was suspended once, if not twice, from his place, and had his Bedles staff taken from him. At length when the Parliamentarian Visitors sate, he lost it for altogether, and the right he pretended to his Fellowship in Mert. Coll. So that being destitute of maintenance, he retired to London, where the learned Selden exhibited to him, gave him his cloaths, and an old scarlet cloak, of which last his friends would mock him, and call him Young Selden, when they saw it on his back. But he being a shiftless Person, as most meer Scholars are, and the benefactions of friends not sufficing him, he sold that little Land he had at Godmersham in Kent to supply his necessities, and died before that was spent. He wrot many things, (but he himself published nothing in his life time) a Cat. of which is this.

Oratio inauguralis, sub aditu praelectionis Philologicae publicè habita apud Collegium Oxonio-Merton, 4. Aug. 1636.

Graeca & Latina Poemata.

Description of Oakey hole near Wells, an. 1632—Written in English verse.

Annotationes in eam partem Orationis inaug. in qua (viz. p. 6.) dicitur, Oratione soluta scripsit Aristeus Proconnesius. Contained in about 5. sheets in qu. These four things beforemention’d were published at Oxon, while the Author lived, an. 1652. in qu. by his intimate friend Hen. Birkhead Fellow of Alls. Coll. To which he putting a Preface, he tells you therein, that this our Author had written and laying by him these things following.

Etymotechnia Catholica, containing four Diatribes concerning the original of Letters. The first De ordine Alphabeti, the second De transitu Alphabeti, the third De numero, figura, potestate & divisione Literarum, and the fourth called Geographistor Etymotechnicus.

Grammatica Ebraea. No English man before his time did ever endeavour to make one, after that way and manner which he did this.

ΣΒΩ′, vel Osiris inventus; de coptiacis originibus commentatio.

Geographumena. In which are many Assiriac and Egyptic antiquities discovered.

Pancarpia, opus ex artibus & linguis miscellan. Imperfect.

Excogitata Philosophica; nempe de novâ ratione circa Monoptosyllogismum dialecticum, pridem semicirculariter figuratam, natalia ventorum conceptacula, &c.

Magnetologia, in lib. 3. agentibus de triplici motu Magnetico Lapidali, Caelesti & Animali, &c. Before I go any farther the reader is to understand that this our Author Jacob being ejected in 1648 from Merton Coll. and so consequently from his Chamber, wherein he had left a trunk full of Books, as well written as printed, left Oxon, as I have before told you: And taking no care, or appointing any friend, for its security, his Chamber door before an year was expired was broke open for a new commer, who finding the trunk there, did let it remain in its place for a time. At length when no man inquired after it, as the then possessor thereof pretended, he secur’d it for his own use, broke it open and therein discover’d a choice treasure of Books. One of them being a Ms. and fit for the press, he disguised and alter’d it with another stile; and at length after he had learned Hebrew and the Oriental Languages to blind the World, and had conversed openly with those most excellent in them as Pocock and Bogan of C. C. Coll. or any Grecian or Jew that came accidentally to the University, he published it under this title.

Delphi Phoenicizantes; sive tractatus, in quo Graecos, quicquid Delphos celebre erat, &c. è Joshuae Historiae, scriptisque sacris effluxisse, rationibus haud inconcinnis ostenditur, &c. Oxon. 1655. oct. To which is added, Diatriba de Noe in Italiam adventu; ejusꝫ nominibus Ethnicis, and a little tract De origine Druidum. Which three things are much commended by forreign Authors, particularly by Spizelius in his book De doctrina Senensium. The Reader is also to know farther, that Dr. Pet. Turner of Mert. Coll. being a great friend to Hen. Jacob, did borrow and peruse several of his elucubrations; in which taking great delight, because his learning did partly lye that way, did either keep the originals by him, or at least took copies of them. At length the Doctor being involv’d in the same fate with his friend, retired with his Books for succour to his Sister, the Widow of one. Wats sometimes a Brewer in Southwark; where dying obscurely about an year before Jacob, his Papers came into the hands of his Nephew Will. Wats afterwards a Residentiary of Hereford, who having a Son of Bras. Coll. into whose possession they came, he communicated several of them to Moses Pengry Fellow of that House, (a curious Person in Philological learning) of which one was entit.

De Mari rubro, and another De historia Beli & Draconis. Copies of which Pengry communicated to Mr. Rich. Reeves then Master of the School joyning to Magd. Coll. which he hath in his possession to this day. Our Author Jacob also, did put notes to most of the printed books in his study, (which tho little, yet curious) and particularly on Solinus his Hist. of the World, with Salmasius’s notes to it: Which book coming, I know not how, into the hands of H. B. he transcribed the said notes or observations, and entring them, as it seems, into another Copy of his own, deleeted those of Jacob with Aquafortis, and sold the copy it self to an Oxford Bookseller, such was his sordid avarice. There is also another Ms. of his going about, entit.

Libri Ebraeo Rabbinici in Bib. Bodleiana recensiti, an. 1629. A copy of which I have, written by the hand of the learned Dr. Langbaine. It was the first work that Jacob performed after he was setled in Oxon, at the desire and command of his Patron Will. Earl of Pembroke, being the same books, which, the said Count a little before had obtained out of Italy from the Baroccian Library. A copy of which Cat. or else another, I have seen written under the hand of Pet. Turner for Seldens use. To conclude, it must be now known that this miracle of learning (a harmless, innocent, careless and shiftless Person) who, by his studies, had brought his body into great indisposition, did some weeks before his end, retire with the advice of friends, to the City of Canterbury in the month of Sept. an. 1652, where being kindly entertained by Dr. Will. Jacob a noted Physician of that place, but of no kin to, did from, him receive a cure of a gangreen in his foot. But soon after a tumour breaking out from one of his Legs, his radical moisture did, as from a flood-gate, violently run forth,1652. and so ended his life on the 5 of Nov. following, about the year of his age 44. The next day the said Doctor buried him answerable to his quality, in the midst of the Parish Church of Allsaints in that City. Soon after, in a bright Moon-shining night, the resemblance of Hon. Jacob came into the bed-chamber of the Doctor, who being asleep, the resemblance laid his cold hand upon his face. Whereupon the Doctor awaking, looked up and saw H. Jacob staring upon him, with his beard turned up, as he used to wear it living; whereat being strangely surprised, stirred himself, thinking that it might be a dream, but still the resemblance stood still; so that the Doctor having not courage to speak to it, turned on the other side and laid in a cold sweat. After some time, he looked again, and saw him sitting on a little table near to his bed, but before morning he vanished. Another night the Maid going out of the house, saw the said resemblance standing on a Wood-pile, and was thereupon much affrighted. These stories the Doctor did confidently aver to be true, not only to Dr. Pet. Moulin Preb. of Canterbury but to others of note; among whom, if I am not mistaken Dr. Meric Casaubon was one. They were sent to me by a second hand from Dr. Jacob, and whether true or not, you may judge, I shall not.