This inscription was sent to me by my learned and honoured friend, Dr. Henry More, of Cambridge.
[Illustration: Nunc positis novus exuviis]
Gulielmus Butlerus, Clarensis Aulae quondam Socius, Medicorum omnium quos praesens aetas vidit facile princeps, hoc sub marmore secundum Christi adventum expectat, et monumentum hoc privata pietas statuit, quod debuit publica. Abi, viator, et ad tuos reversus, narra te vidisse locum in quo salus jacet.
Nil proh! marmor agis, Butlerum dum tegis, ullum Si splendore tuo nomen habere putas. Ille tibi monumentum est, tu diceris ab illo: Butleri vivis munere, marmor iners. Sic homines vivus, mira sic mortuus arte, Phoebo chare senex, vivere saxa facis.
Butlero Herôum hoc posuere dolorque fidesque. Hei! quid agam, exclamas et palles, Lector? At unum Quod miseris superesse potest, locus hic monet: ora. Obiit CIƆIƆCXVII. Janua. XXIX. Aeta. suae LXXXIII.
[555]A scholar made this drolling epitaph:--
Here lies Mr. Butler who never was Doctor, Who dyed in the yeare that the Devill was Proctor[BP].
Memorandum:--There is now in use[556] in London a sort of ale called _Dr. Butler's ale_.
[557]Dr. Butler:--This inscription I recieved from Dr. Henry Moore of ... Cambridge. Quaere if his coat of arms is not there, and what? Quaere his coat of arms[558].
From Dr. H. More:--More's father was a very strong bodyed man. 'Twas forty stooles he gave his father; he had almost killed him. Told him he would be the better for't as long as he lived.
That he was chymical I know by this token that his mayd came running-in to him one time, like a slutt and a furie, with her haire about her eares, and cries[559], 'Butler! come and looke to your Devills yourselfe, and you will: the stills are all blowne up!' She tended them, and it seemes gave too great a heate. Old Dr. Ridgely[BQ] knew him, and I thinke was at that time[560] with him.--From this Dr. Ridgely his sonne.
[561]Dr. Butler of Cambridge:--<_Arms_:--> 'azure, three lozenges in fess between 3 covered cups or.--This is the coate of armes on his monument. By reason of time and the ill colours I cannot _positively_ say whether the field is azure or vert, but I beleeve 'tis the former.'--This information I had from Mr. Vere Philips, fellow of King's College, Cambridge.