“So noble a design”: The Foundation and Early History of Gresham College, London 1565–1710(35 Scientific and Learned Cultures and Their Institutions)

In this erudite book, Ian Adamson provides a comprehensive history of Gresham College in the seventeenth century, particularly its contribution to the intellectual, educational, and administrative life of London and England. He analyses its relationship with the Tudor and Stuart courts, the Corporation of London, the universities, and the Royal Society, and assesses the quality and effectiveness of all the professors elected during this period. Finally, he explains the presence in the College of Ben Jonson and Sir Kenelm Digby, why it is likely that Shakespeare was often in attendance, and the enduring impact of John Ward’s collective biography of the professors.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments List of Figures Introduction 1 Origins: The Influence of Sir Thomas and Lady Gresham, 1565–1596  1 Introduction  2 Fame: Sir Thomas Gresham and the Conception of Gresham College 1565–1579  3 Family: Lady Gresham and the Gestation of Gresham College  4 Conclusion 2 The Birth of Gresham College, Part 1: The Committee, the Property and the Income  1 The Committee  2 The Property  3 The Income  4 Conclusion 3 The Birth of Gresham College, Part 2: The Committee and the Professors 1597–1601  1 Introduction  2 Election: The Appointment of the Foundation Professors, 1597  3 Direction: The Academic and Administrative Regulation of the College, 1597–1601  4 Rejection: The Response of the Professors to the Regulation of the College, 1597–1601 4 A Fragile Truce: The Professors and the Trustees 1600–1640  1 Introduction  2 A Malleable Institution? 5 Patronage and Pluralism 1597–1660  1 Introduction  2 Royal and Aristocratic Patronage  3 University Patronage  4 The Gresham Committee 6 Gresham College 1640–1660: Disaster  1 Introduction  2 The Trustees and National Events  3 Gresham College 1640–1660: Appropriation  4 Gresham College 1640–1660: Elections  5 Gresham College 1640–1662: Criticism and Demands for Change 7 Gresham College 1660–1710: From the Restoration to the Departure of the Royal Society  1 Introduction  2 Part 1. Tragedy: The immediate Impact of the Great Fire on the Gresham Trusts  3 Part 2. Farce: The Trustees and the Professors 1660–1700 3.1 Part 2, 1: The Aftermath of the Great Fire, 1666–1680 3.2 Part 2, 2: Robert Hooke on Gresham College, 1672–1680 3.3 Part 2, 3: John Flamsteed on Gresham College 1680–1684 3.4 Part 2, 4: The Slide into Crisis 1684–1686  4 Part 3. Redemption? Gresham College and the Royal Society 1660–1699  5 Part 4. Failure: The College and Reform, 1699–1710  6 Conclusion 8 The Professors 1597–1710  1 Introduction  2 The Chair of Geometry 2.1 Henry Briggs (bap.1561–d.1631): Professor 1597–1620 2.2 Peter Turner (1586–1652): Professor 1620–1631 2.3 John Greaves (1602–1652): Professor 1631–1643 2.4 Ralph Button (1611/12–1680): Professor 1643–1648 2.5 Daniel Whistler (1618/19–1684): Professor 1648–1657 2.6 Lawrence Rooke (1619/20–1662): Professor 1657–1662 2.7 Isaac Barrow (1630–1677): Professor 1662–1664 2.8 Arthur Dacres (bap. 1624 – d. 1678): Professor 1664–1665 2.9 Robert Hooke (1635–1703): Professor 1665–1703 2.10 Andrew Tooke (bap.1673 – d.1732): Professor 1704–1729  3 The Chair of Astronomy 3.1 Edward Brerewood (1565–1613): Professor 1597–1613 3.2 Thomas Williams (c. 1582 – after 1620): Professor 1613–1620 3.3 Edmund Gunter (1581–1626): Professor 1620–1626 3.4 Henry Gellibrand (1597–1637): Professor 1626–1637 3.5 Samuel Foster (c. 1600–1652): Professor 1637 (March to November) and 1641–1652 3.6 Mungo Murray (1599–1670): Professor 1637–1641 3.7 Lawrence Rooke (1619/20–1662): Professor 1652–1657 3.8 Christopher Wren (1632–1723): Professor 1657–1661 3.9 Walter Pope (1628–1714): Professor 1661–1687 3.10 Daniel Man (c. 1665–1723): Professor 1687–1691 3.11 Alexander Torriano (1667–1716): Professor 1691–1713  4 The Chair of Physic 4.1 Matthew Gwinne. (1558–1627): Professor: 1597–1607 4.2 Peter Mounsell (c.1570–1615): Professor: 1607–1615 4.3 Thomas Winston (1575–1655): Professor: 1615–1642 and 1652–1655 4.4 Paul de Laune (1585–1655?): Professor 1643–1652 4.5 Jonathan Goddard (1617–1675): Professor 1655–1675 4.6 John Mapletoft (1631–1721): Professor 1675–1679 4.7 Henry Paman (1623–1695): Professor 1679–1689 4.8 Edward Stillingfleet (1661–1708): Professor 1689–1693 4.9 John Woodward (1665–1728): Professor 1693–1728  5 The Chair of Divinity 5.1 Anthony Wotton (1561–1626): Professor 1597–8 5.2 Hugh (Hugo) Gray (c.1559–1604): Professor 1598–1604 5.3 William Dakins (1568–1607): Professor 1604–1607 5.4 George Mountayne (1569–1628): Professor 1607–1610 5.5 William Osbolston (c.1578–1645): Professor 1610–1612 5.6 Samuel Brooke (1575–1631): Professor 1612–1629 5.7 Richard Holdsworth (1590–1649): Professor 1629–1641 5.8 Thomas Horton (c.1606–1673): Professor 1641–1661 5.9 George Gifford (c.1623–1686): Professor 1661–1686 5.10 Henry Wells (c.1660-?): Professor 1686–1691 5.11 Edward Lany (c. 1665–1728): Professor 1691–1728  6 The Chair of Law 6.1 Henry Mountlow (c.1554–1634): Professor 1597–1607 6.2 Clement Corbet (1576–1652): Professor 1607–1613 6.3 Thomas Eden (c. 1577–1645): Professor 1613–40 6.4 Benjamin Thorneton (1613–1667): Professor 1640–1644 and 1660–1667 6.5 Joshua Cross (1615–1676): Professor 1644–1649 6.6 Thomas Leonard (c. 1599–1659): Professor 1649–1650 6.7 John Bond (1612–1676): Professor 1650–1660 6.8 Richard Pearson (1630–1670): Professor 1667–1670 6.9 John Clarke (c.1625–1672): Professor 1670–1672 6.10 Roger Meredith (c.1637–1700): Professor 1673–1687 6.11 Robert Briggs (1660–1718): Professor 1687–1718  7 The Chair of Music 7.1 John Bull (1559x1563–1628): Professor 1597–1607 7.2 Thomas Clayton (1575–1647): Professor 1607–1610 7.3 John Taverner (1584–1638): Professor 1610–1638 7.4 Richard Knight (c.1610–c.1651): Professor 1638–1651 7.5 William Petty (1623–1687): Professor 1651–1661 7.6 Thomas Baines (c.1622–1681): Professor 1661–1681 7.7 William Perry (c. 1651–1696): Professor 1681–1696 7.8 John Newey (1664–1735): Professor 1696–1705 7.9 Robert Shippen (1675–1745): Professor 1705–1710  8 Chair of Rhetoric 8.1 Caleb Willis (c.1567–c.1598): Professor 1597–8 8.2 Richard Ball (c. 1550–?): Professor 1598–1614 8.3 Charles Croke (c. 1587–1657): Professor 1614–1619 8.4 Henry Croke (c. 1596–1642): Professor 1619–1627 8.5 Edward Wilkinson (1607–?): Professor 1627–1638 8.6 John Goodridge (c.1581–1654): Professor 1638–1654 8.7 Richard Hunt (c.1628–1690): Professor 1654–9 8.8 William Croone (1633–1684): Professor 1659–1670 8.9 Henry Jenkes (d. 1697): Professor 1670–1676 8.10 John King (??): Professor 1676–1686 8.11 Charles Gresham (c. 1663–1718): Professor 1686–1696 8.12 Edward Martyn (c. 1671–1720): Professor 1696–1720  9 Conclusion 9 Gresham College, Four Persons of Interest: Benjamin Jonson, William Shakespeare, Sir Kenelm Digby and Doctor John Ward  1 Introduction  2 Benjamin Jonson ‘of Gresham College’ 2.1 Introduction  3 William Shakespeare, Matthew Gwinne and Gresham College: Did Shakespeare Cross the Road? 3.1 Introduction  4 Aubrey’s Bearded Recluse: Sir Kenelm Digby and Gresham College, 1633 and After 4.1 Aubrey’s Brief Life of Digby: Provenance and Corroboration 4.2 Corroboration by Contemporary Letters or Other Documentation? 4.3 The Influence of Aubrey’s Story on Biographers and Historians 4.4 What Was Digby Doing between 1633 and 1635? 4.5 Aubrey’s Error: Digby, Hunneades and Gresham College after 1635 4.6 Conclusion  5 Dr John Ward. Gresham College: ‘So Noble a Design’ Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index

About the Author :
Ian Richard Adamson, Ph.D. (1976, University of Cambridge)