Suppressed preface to the Historia cœlestis britannica

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I had been acquainted with \Mr. I.N./ ever since y^e year 1674. had given him the diameters of y^e planets observed by me at Derby in y^e years 1671. 72 & 73 at Derby as also y^e greatest elongations of Jupiter's satellites \of both which he made use in his Principia/ & since I came to London, y^e line of the great Comet of y^e year 1680 & 81. affirming that the Comet which was seen in November before was the same w^th y^t I observed {the} following December which he would not then grant, but contended earnestly that they were two different ones, as appears by a couple of very long letters of his to me, dated ffeb. 28, 1680-1, & Aprill 16, 1681 in w\h/ich opinion he persisted till Sept 1685 when in a letter dated y^e 19^th of that moneth, he writes 'I have not yet computed the way \orbit/ of a Comet, but am now geoing {sic} about it & takeing that of 1680 into fresh consideration it seems very probable y^t those of November & December were y^e same comet.' this is what \he/ before contended against \w^th some virulency/ but he had no <75> mind to remember it, & at that time I took no great notice of it, till I found when his Principa {sic} were published in y^r 1687. & therein a draught of the comet's orbit, he was pleased to acknowledge y^t I had contended \disputed/ that the Comets seen in November & December were one & the same & that I had given him y^e line of its Way not much different from his parabolicall one their {sic} described, whereas himself had disputed against their being one, & consequently against that one describing any ꝑbolical line as he now asserted & will appear by his owne forementioned letters to me. ffrom this time till y^e yeare 1695, we corresponded civilly. especially about y^e yeares 1694 & 95 when on his repeated requests I imparted to him about 150 places of the Moon deduced from observations made with y^e Murall Arch & compared with my own tables fitted to Mr Horrocks his Theory but covenanted at the same time that he should not impart them to any body without my leave for I told him & he knew it very well y^t I had made use of an old Catalogue of the fixed stars, made to the begining of the year 1686, from Observations taken with y^e Sextant that I was busy now with a better & more convenient Instrum^t; & that as soon as I had got y^e New Catalogue I intended ꝑfected all those places of y^e moon should be calculated over again \& imparted to him/ but the hopes he had of makeing that Theory his own, & the Glory of restoring y^e Moones Motions, would not suffer him to stay so long for.

It was not a full year after but I was told that he had ꝑfected y^e Lunar Theory. & D^r. Gregory gave out that there was no need of further Observations; for his Numbers would answer all my Observations within two or three minutes, or lesse. I had covenanted with him to have his emendations \first/ imparted to me, because I imparted to him the observations from which they were derived. but his promise was overlookt or forgot, at last it came to my hands I found y^e Solar Numbers were the same I had freely given him. & the Lunar but little altered save {sic} that he had added a parcell of very small æquations which whether y^e heavens would bear or not was onely to be found by compareing of his Numbers with good Observations I therefore made New lunar Tables \exactly/ agreeable to his sentiment but when I compared the Moones places calculated from them, with her places deduced from y^e Observations, I found {illeg} that those Numbers which were s^d to agree with y^e Observations within <76> two 3 minutes would very seldome come so neare, but often differed 8. 9. or 10 minutes which I did not admire it then at all being very sensible that the ꝑsons which who so loudly on all occasions cried up his ꝑformances in amending y^e Lunar Theory & Tables did it to oblige his friendship, who had then a great Interest in a Great Courtier, and \considering also/ that {they} were ꝑsons of very ordinary skill in that ꝑte of Mathematicks which is concerned w^th the heavens & lunar Theorys.

But M^r. Newton was not displeased with their flatterys nor ever y^t I could hear of endeavoured to correct them. We conversed civilly as oft as we met accidentally but and he failed not (as if he were a great Master of my methods), allwayes to aske how the Catalogue went on to which I alwayes gave him sincer {sic} answers telling him how far I had proceeded & that I wanted more hands both to carry on y^e Observations & calculations y^t were necessary but this I could not get him to take notice of. In the mean time some freind of mine (y^t was frequently in company with me & saw how y^e work went on with such assistance as I hired & payd my selfe & was though informed what the charge would be of printing the Observations of 30 yeares & engraveing y^e Maps of the Constellations I had prepared) acquainted Prince George of Denmarke with my ꝑformances M^r Newton lived near y^e Court I, allwayes at a distance. he was then Pr. of y^e R.S. & had a Great Courtier for his friend & one who was frequently at his Office required at Court & attending on the Prince so that he could not but hear of the Princes Inclinations to make me easier in my work nor could M^r. N. fayle to be informed of it so on y^e 11^th of Aprill 1704 he came down to Greenwich, visited me on my request stayd & dined with me, at his first comeing he desired to see what I had ready for y^e presse I shewed him the books of Observations togeather with so much of the Catalogue as was then finished. which was about one halfe & a fayre copy of it. And with it y^e Maps of y^e Constellations drawn both by My Amanuensis {illeg} & Van Somer, which haveing lookt over carefully he desired me to let him have the recommending of them to y^e prince, I was surprised at this proposition I had formerly tried his temper and allways found him insidious, ambitious \& excessively/ covetous of praise & impatient of contradiction. I had taken notice of some faults in y^e 4^th book of his principia which instead of thanking me for, he resented ill yet was <77> presumtuous of his Interest that he sometimes dared to ask why I did not hold my tongue. I considered that if I granted what he desired I should put my selfe wholly into his power & be at his Mercy who might spoyle all that came into his hands or put me to unnecessary trouble & vexation about my owne labors & all the while pretend that he did it to amend faults. where none were but what were unavoydable, or easily to be corrected & therefore excusable. I had further irri\ta/ted him by not concealeing some Truths that are since published \in print/ & notoriously knowne: & therefore civilly refused what hee desired but still he told me he would recommend them to y^e Prince, & parted with me in y^e evening with a short expression of very good advice, ^[1] which it would have been very happy for him if he had followed himself t'has been y^e Rule of my life from my Infancy tho I doe not know y^t it ever has been of his.

But I heard no more of his Recommendations. on the contrary. his flatterers & such small Mathematien {sic} about London as hoped to get themselves esteemed very skillfull men by Crying up his book began to Inquire \ask/ why I did not print as if I were obliged to publish my workes just when they pleased tho they understood no more \of my workes/ \than they did of/ his book which they so much cryed up. whilst they understood very little of it To obviate this Clamor I examined all my books of Observations & took an account what Number of folio pages they might fill \when printed/ & found it Much greater yⁿ I expected; whereupon I drew my Estimate into a short paper wherein I both shewed what the Number of pages were but also in what order y^e press was to worke them off & Cheifly urged y^t y^e Mapps of the Constellation shoud be first of all set upon that being carried on apart they might be finisht by that time the Observations were printed off: Van Somer, an excellent designer who had drawn about a dozen figures for me was then alive & ready to goe on with the rest. my Amanuensis {illeg} had not yet left me & might have been hired againe to continue in my {service} M^r Hodgsons help might also have been purchased Some of my acquaintance falln into a suspition that my labors answered not what might reasonably be expected from me, That I might cure them of their Mis-prehensions which had been impressed upon by the false & malitious suggestions of some few busy arrogant & self <78> designing people, I gave a copy or two of this Estimat to an acquaintance of myne desiring him to shew it to those of my freinds who had been possest with these unjust suspitions. At one of the Meetings of y^e R.S., some of them were present he got my paper handed to one of them who sate at a distance (for then their meetings were throngd with company however thin they are at present) who opening y^e paper & finding y^e contents, delivered it to the Secreatary {sic} who read it, at y^e Board. this convinc't y^e Members present that I had been unjustly aspersed & it was moved that y^e printeing of the Whole should be recommended to Prince George by y^e Society:

Accordingly a Committy was appointed, who with M^r. Newton waited on y^e Prince. But, who they were when they wated on him & how they made their recommendation, I was never Informed nor did they vouchsafe to consult me about it or take me along with them. all that I can tell of is y^t y^e Estimate was wrote in November in Novemb^r 1704 y^e Prince chosen into y^e Society No: 30, a letter from y^e Prince's Secretary, \Mr. George Clarke/ directing M^r. Roberts, S^r C. Wren, D^r. Gregory & Dr. Arbuthnot, with M^r. N. to inspect my papers dated Dec. 11, 1704, which they did & somtime after gave in their report of y^e charge of \prepareing &/ printing y^e observations & Catalogues mentioned in y^e Estimate, about 863^ld. viz.

< insertion from f 78v > < text from p 78 resumes >

But \y^e/ last ꝑticular of y^e charge (180^ld for y^e two calculators) was not mentioned in it but added in a note under it for what reason those know best who drew it up.

Nor the charge of designeing & engraveing y^e about 50 plates of y^e Constellations: tho this was likely to be the heaviest ꝑte of y^e Charge, & the Observations could not be understood without them. I had further proposed y^m to be y^e first taken care of & begun. I had them all drawn; & 12 of them anew designed by a skillfull workeman by me. These were y^e most sumptuous p^t of y^e worke and had it not been for them I had had no \or little/ need to crave the Prince's help to print, why they were neglected, S.I.N. best knows. \betwixt March 22 1704-5 & aprill 21, 1705 M N was knighted by y^e Q at Cambridge./

Hereby I was plainly convinced that S^r I.N. was no freind to {my} worke. & every step hee tooke afterwards proved planely that whatever he pretended his designe was either to gaine the honor of all my paines to himselfe, to make me come under him as D^r Arbuthnot some time after expresst it, or to spoyle or sinke it, which it was my chiefe concern & businesse, if possible to prevent. \I therefore printed my Estimat & gave it to my friends/ < insertion from f 78v > y^t they might see what my workes were & how I thought it best to proceed in printing them.

< text from p 78 resumes >

To skreen himselfe from y^e just imputions & blame that would probably \follow/ such disingenuous & ungratefull practises he made use of these gentlemen to whom he had got the Inspection of my books of Observations ordered by the Prince, & called <79> them the Prince's Referees. Of these, S^r Ch: Wren was then about 70 yeares of Age & tho he was a skillful ꝑson, yet being full of other business he was sure to have him who lived in his neighbourhood, to consent to all his orders, & subscribe y^m. M^r Roberts was an easy, good natured man but knew little of the businesse. M^r Aston had been fellow of y^e same \Trinity/ colledge in Cambridge at y^e same time with him. knew nothing of the businesse, lived in y^e Court, had been my freind & Guest at y^e Observatory, was too much a Courtier to withstand any one y^t had a Noble patrone in y^e Ministry, and therefore was tooke into y^e Number of the Referrees sometimes for speciall purposes, D^r Gregory tho he published a peice of Astronomy knew but very \little/ of y^t part of it that was cultivated here. nor was D^r Arbuthnot skilld in it but being one of the Princes physitians, he was taken in to serve S.I.N. purposes. he saw what was designed & testified to me by some expressions, that he approved not S.I.N. \such/ procedings. promised once to assist me in a ꝑticular affaire. and, tho he met with obstructions, ꝑformed it handsomly:

With these ꝑsons S.I.N. began to act his p^te, & carry on his designes. I dealt honestly & openly w^th him as will appear by y^e Copys of some letters I wrote to him upon severall occasions; haveing no other designe but to have my works handsomely printed & as soone as possible for y^e Prince was very infirm but I soon ꝑceived y^t he designed onely to hinder y^e work by delays or spoyle or sinke it. or force me to comply with his humour & flatter him & Cry him up as D^r. G. & D^r. H. did. I was forced therefore to act w^th more Caution then I had done hitherto that I might give him no cause of pretensions to stop y^e progresse of y^e Work

To forward which I used my best diligence & honest endeavours. I hired {illeg} \one/ & employed him to copy specimens of the worke severall p^tes of y^e Work: 1°. the observations \of y^e fixed stars/ made with y^e sextant with y^e M: 2°. of y^e Moone made with {sic} y^e same Instrument: 3^o. of observations made w^th y^e Murall Arch: 4^o. of y^e New Catalogue which I sent him with a list y^t gave an account of them, dated Jan. 5, 170$\frac{4}{5}$; but could not get them printed of till March 22 following. In y^e mean time, S^r IN appointed a meeting of his referrees, March 5 following. M^r Churchill was not there but S^r Isack with D^r Arbuthnot, D^r Gregory & M^r Aston dined at Churchills <80> & a forthnight after M^r Aston told me of it (for I dined not with them) & that \all/ things he thought were then agreed but paper. Now I understood y^t M^r Churchill was to be the undertaker. he had beene recommended for y^e purpose by one y^t I tooke to be my freind without my knowledge for I did not conceive wee had any need of one, & so did some of y^e Gentlemen of y^e \R/ Society: but S.I.N. was resolved to make friend {sic} at my Cost for, as he ordered y^e matter the Undertaker was here to reap y^e sole Advantage of all my Labors & great expenses & he was so confident of it, that when I intimated it to him he answered boldly The Prince would reward me for them.

However there was no recedeing: for then S^r I.N^s \cryers-up/ would have clamored that I hindered y^e Printing of my owne Works my selfe: to avoyd that Imputation I was silent. tho I complained of {sic} to some freinds in private but never did any thing whereby it might appear I allowed him

At this meeting on y^e 5^th of March y^e Specimens of the Undertakers printing were produced but found to be ill done I got others done very well & p^d y^e Printers myselfe.

June y^e 11 following D^r Gregory & my selfe w^th M^r Churchill, dined at S.I.N^s where they agreed to give M^r. Churchill 1^lb 14s. ꝑ sheet. They signed y^e Agreem^t but I did \would/ not, tho they urged me much. I desired to be excused: for it was now plane to me y^t he designed not the good of the Impression or my Advantage but to make him a freind of a great Name: by obliging a person I never had any Acquaintance with & enriching him at my Cost. The point being over I was in hopes that y^e presse should have been set to work Immediately: but S^r I. thought that either I was not humble enough: there was for I had about 50 Sheets of Observations made with y^e Sextant, redy copied, & y^e rest of that sort would easily be finished before these could be printed off. but I found my selfe deceived: we were as far of from printing as if no such bargain had been made.

At Midsummer folloing {sic} I payd my Amanuensis & Calculators a quarters pay my selfe; & S^r Is. to encourage me to doe it, talked often of drawing y^e Princes money, but, when I waited \on him/ July y^e 4^th following & told him y^t I must goe into Surry to reap my harvest (as I usually did every year about this time), he put me of again, before I could say any thing to him of it, by telling me y^t D^r Arbuthnots |daughter was ill &| y^t the D^r could doe nothing till her recovery, that it was not fit we should begin to print till we had receaved his R.H.'s monys & that it would be soon enough at my return. I had put 12 sheets, ready for y^e presse, into his hands a week before, He thought to work me to his ends by putting me to extraordinary charges in mainteing {sic} & paying an Amanuensis & {illeg} calculators myself \at my own charges/. But, I resolved to bear this expense patiently, & defeat his designes.

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After this I caused my Amanuensis & Calculators to goe on diligently with their worke & carried on y^e Observations for compleating the Catalogue & others according as I had opportunitys but Nⁿ became dayly more perverse & sought by severall vexatious pretences to discourage me & weary me if possible. I paid My Calculators & Amanuensis 3 quarters without any present prospect of being any wayes reimbursed but yet I had hopes, if once the press began to work they would not find any new tricks or pretences to delay repayeing me but herein too I found my self mistaken those that have begun to do ill things never blush to do worse & worse to secure themselves. S^r N had still more to doe, & was ready at coyning new excuses & pretexts to cover his disingenuous & malitious practices I had none but very honest & honorable designes in my mind I met his cunning forecasts with sincere & honest answers & thereby frustrated not a few of his malitious designs.

finding y^t I ꝑsisted unwearied in my purposes he demanded to have my first Night Notes put into his hands that hee might compare them with my Copy. These were wrote in 4^to Volumes & from them were commonly transcribed correctly into large folios next morning from which the Copies were taken. I knew that he would be mistaken & that they would not serve his designe about X^mas 1705 \about y^e winter of feb. 170$\frac{5}{6}$/ they were put into his hands: ffeb 23 1705-6. M^r. Hodgson acquainted me that S^r Is: had showed him 3 or 4 pages of errata y^t were committed in transcribeing as he supposed & a Table made by D^r Gregory for turning y^e Revolves of y^e Screw into degrees, ′ & ″ wherein he wisely had supposed y^e revolve everywhere equall & equable: I smiled at this & promised to send them my own Tables for that purpose & shewed them their mistakes & that there were no materiall errors committed: this was some small mortification to them: but they had learnt not to be ashamed.

Tho I had refused to handle any of the Princes money but what was to repay my proper disbursm^ts, & S^r IN had granted y^t yⁿ it was not necessary I should sign any agreem^ts w^th y^e Referres {sic} yet now he became very positive for Articles he had sayd to some of his Confidants that he would hamper me with Articles: it had come to my ears & therefore on his Urging me I drew up some for the Undertaker to signe. as that he should print onely 400 Copies. that he should have no interest in the Originall, &c. but these were not to his his purpose. I would not Court him; to bring about his <82> low designes he makes Articles himselfe in which some things of mine were \inserted/ & in them he covenants y^e Undertaker should print 5 sheets \a week/ & for reprinting of faulty sheets. & that I should have 125^lb paid me when ten sheets were printed of. these were read to me once. & I was required to signe them immediately else the worke was at a stand. no time would be allowed to consider of them. or mend any thing I thought amisse in them I was then near 140^lb out of pocket all my Copy was ready for y^e presse, or soon would \be/. If I refused the worke would be broke of imediately. & y^e fault would be thrown upon mee. for S^r I.N. lived in y^e Neighbourhood of the Court I at 6 miles distance. \he/ had his close freind y^e Lord H to support him ther with y^e Princes Physitian I had nothing but my sincerity & Gods blessing to depend upon. Trusting on these alone I signed them not doubting but now y^e press would begin.^[2]

But herein I soone found my self deceaved This would not satisfie: I would not yet cry up S^r Is. as others did to bring me to that basenesse now he has gotten my books of night notes he wants a Copy of so much of the Catalogue as I had gone throug {sic} with to be trusted into his hands he therfore demanded it I answered that it was not then ꝑfected that believed {sic} it would conteine a good Number more yⁿ I had yet observed and rectified. y^t y^e stars allready in it were about 1500 but probably I should make y^m 2500. that these were y^e result of all my labors in which haveing spent above 2000^lb of my owne money above my Allowances it would neither be prudent nor safe to trust a Copy of them out of my owne keeping he answered that I might then put them into his hands sealed up. whereby I understood y^t they were to be so kept by him till I had finished y^e whole. & was ready to print it. but I considered also y^t this half of my Catalogue would be of no advantage to him & consented; I therefore deliverd y^e copy of so much of the Catalogue as was finished into M^r. Hodgsons hands, with orders to seal it up in Sir C Wrens presence & deliver it to S.I.N. when 10 sheets were printed, & 125^lb (which would then be payable by y^e Articles) should be paid me; this was April 8^th, 1706: seven days: but this direction I waived afterwards: & it was put into his hands y^e week afterwards without receaving a farthing for y^e board or pay of my Amanuensis, or Calculators. for honest Sr Is: N. would (to use his owne words) have all things in his own power, to spoyle or sink them. \y^t he might force me to second his designes, & applaud him which no honest man would not \nor/ could doe. &, God be thanked. I lay under no necessity of doeing./

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This business being over a week after meeting me in London he told me he {sic} would now draw 800^lb of y^e Princes money: but sayd nothing of payeing me what I had disburst however we must now put y^e Worke into y^e press for after such unreasonable concessions on my part his pretences for further delay were all taken away \&/ he had no excuse for further delayes.

April 4, being in London, I was told that all y^e errors which he by mistake thought he had found in my Copy were quitted & y^t y^e first sheets would goe to the presse this week

April y^e 19. I waited upon him again he told me gravely that y^e Prince having subscribed a great summe to y^e Emperors loan y^e mony could not be receaved, but that that {sic} he had taken up monys for M^r Churchill, this was to provoke me but he failed of his designe. whatever I had hitherto expended I was content to adventure a little more. M^r Churchill was put upon me had never been at any expense, must have monys put into his hands before\hand/ to buy paper & pay y^e printer. Whereby he was sure to have him at his command & tho it was covenanted that hee should print but 400 Copyes might take as many as pleased {sic}: for I never heard nor found that he had given any bond or security for his faire dealeing however it was highly reasonable he should

But this was not all the printer being to be paid by the Undertaker and not by me, was \likely to be/ careless of his worke. which I urged but to no purpose

It was May 16 ere y^e first Sheet was printed of; & June y^e 3^rd ere we got a second; & y^e 3^d on y^e 7 of June so here was a whole moneth since y^e first was wrought of & not two sheets yet printed in y^e roome of 20 that by the Articles ought to have been printed in a moneths time. I complained boldly of y^e dilatorinesse but in vain all y^e Answer I got was from S^r Is:^s own mouth, y^t wee must proceed slowly at first, & make more dispatch after.

This was one of the fruites of o^r haveing an Undertaker & leaveing the printer to be paid by him who neglected y^e Historia Cœlestis if they had but a sorry pamplet {sic} to print

Wee had got two Alphabets y^t is about 46 sheets out of the presse by Christmas 1706. & the whole (5 E) or 97, bef Dec 21. 1707: y^t is 97 sheets. in about 89 weeks in which had they printed 5 sheets per week, according to their Articles, all the observations made with the murall Arch as well as made with y^e sextant from 1689 to 1706 might easily have been printed. <82v> all the observations made with the Murall Arch from 1689 to 1706 might have been \easily/ printed, as well as those made with Sextant

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In y^e mean time S^r Is. N. sometimes stopt the presse without assigneing a reason for it or any occasion given by me but upon my complaint at the first & afterward without any sollicitation of mine at all, let it goe on again \I hapned/ once to visit y^e press when he was there & took y^e opportunity to show him how ill the Compositor had placed y^e types \of y^e figs/ & how much awry to the lines to which they belonged. \Sh Kkk, pag 224/ he put his head a little nearer to the paper, |but near enough to y^e fault (for he is very short sighted)| \but not near enough to see y^e fault for he is very short sighted/ & Makeing a sleighting motion with his hand said Methinks they are well enough; this encouraged the Printer in his carelessnesse, the sheet was printed of & the fault not mended; & caused me to \be/ more watchfull over y^e printer for now it was plane to me y^t y^e Referee as he called himselfe was not displeasd with y^e faults he committed & y^e Undertaker never concerned himselfe about them he was sure of certein gaines by y^e paper & presse work & somethinge More probably than we were aware of

The printeing was \of y^e sextant observations being finished/ I expected y^e presse should have gone on after Christmas with the Volume of Observations made with the Murall Arch which were double y^e Number of the Other. but, S^r I.N. had put a full stop to y^e presse tho hee knew very well that the Copy was ready fayre transcribed on 175 sheets of {sic}: what excuse he made for it I know not; for none of his confidents would acquaint me [but upon complaineing of his behaviour I had an Order subscribed by himselfe & four more of his Referrees sent me whereby he endeavored to throw y^e fa\u/lt of himself on me. twas dated July 13. 1708. on y^e 18^th of the same month I wrote a letter to S^r Ch: Wren concerneing \it/ which after the order I shall here inserted whereby it will appear y^t {illeg} he hin \onely/ hindred y^e worke {illeg} whilest I forwarded it all I could & had got the 2^d Volume ready to follow it \to y^e Press/ … I never receaved any answer to this letter In y^e meane time I had complayned to one of the Referees, who was often at Court & waited frequently on the Prince, of my ill usage that care was taken of y^e Undertaker & printer but that none was taken to reimburse me what it had cost me in y^e enterteinm^t & pay of three calculators & in transcribeing of y^e Copy for y^e presse which came to more than 173^ld. tho I accounted nothing for my own & servants attendant on the press. he was ashamed of it promised it should be redressed & I am apt to thinke procured a meeting to be appointed on the 20^th of March following which was Notified to me. & I was then desired to bring with me what I had more by me ready for y^e presse.

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The presse had now stood three moneth by S^r I.N. onely procurement for to keep all things wholly in his own power he had brought in an Undertaker who was useless to the businesse & served onely to spoyle y^e Worke or worse, & a printer whom I beleive he paid. I am sure he never consulted me about y^e payment of either tho there was sufficient cause all the Articles that related to them haveing been broken, but by this management hee had them wholly at his devotion, On the day appointed March the 20. 1707-8 I tooke up with me to London all the Observations here made betwix^t Septemb^r 1689 & December 1705, fairely copyed in 175 sheets of large paper: Six sheets were of y^e planets' places calculated from y^e Observations made with the Sextant, which \ought/ to have been printed next after y^e said Observations as also a faire copy of the places of the stars in the Eclipticall & as many of y^e Southerne constellations as I had then rectified. The referees viewd them & S^r Is. N. after some time withdrew & calleing D^r Arbuthnot out to him produced the following \paper/ which the other referrees as I remember signed. he would not deliver it to mee but gratiously permitted \me/ to take a copy of it, which I have here inserted.

London, March 20, 1707-8

It is agreed between Sir Isaac Newton & M^r. John Flamsteed,

1^st. That the 2^d Volume of the Astronomical Observations, with the figures of the first Volume, shall be presently delivered into Sir Isaac Newtons hands

2^d. That the Catalogue of the fixed Stars, here present, shall likewise be delivered into Sir Isaac Newton's hands.

3^d. That the catalogue of the fixed stars, now in Sir Isaac Newton's hands, shall be delivered to M^r. Flamsteed in order to have the magnitudes inserted, & to be returned with the Magnitudes after Sixteen days.

4^t. That upon the Redelivery of that Catalogue, Sir I.N. shall pay to M^r. Flamsteed, one Hundred & twenty-five pounds on the Prince's account.

5^t. That upon the delivery of the Catalogue of the Fixed Stars, as far as it can be completed at this time, Mr Flamsteed shall have y^e rest of y^e Money Stipulated betwixt him & the Referrees: he Undertaking to Correct the Press, & appointing Correctors who live in Town, that the Work may not be retarded. Memorandum, That at the Same time y^e 2^d Volume of Observations (with the figures mentioned here) was delivered into S^r Issac Newtons Hands together with a Corrected Copy of y^e Eclipticall Constellations & all the Southern of y^e Catalogue but that I Covenanted y^t y^e s^d 2^d copy should be returned to Me to be again Revised & delivered to y^e Press, as the Printers should work it off; & y^e Copy of the Eclipticall Constellations returned me, as soon as I should return the Copy now in S^r Isa Newton's hands, with the Magnitudes Inserted.

There were present at y^e Meeting at y^e Castle Tavern, in Pater Noster Row March 20 1707/8 M^r Roberts, S^r Isa Newton, D^r Arbuthnot, D^r Gregory, M^r Churchill, M^r James Hodgson myself & Isaac Wolferman.

The Conditions on which I was to deliver this 2^d Volume & y^e Catalogue were very hard & unjust for y^e observations contained {there}in were most of them made with y^e New Murall Arch which I had built at my own cost & lay me in above 120^ld out of my own pocket, my other Instruments were all my own too & my Assistants were paid and maintained at my own charge. I had \layd out/ moreover above 173^ld in carrying on y^e works of which I had given a bill both to S^r. I.N. & severall of y^e referrees. I considered y^t if I should not consent to this order, S. Is. N. y^t {sic} I had hindered y^e printing of my own works my selfe which would serve to justify a report, spread by his his {sic} partisans very industriously that I was averse to y^e publishing of them. whereas I had <86> allways endeavored to carry them all \on/ as advantageously as I could & he had done all he could \to/ hinder me in order to make me comply with them & cry him up at the same rate they did further I saw y^t if I did not lay hold of this opportunity, I could not hope to be reimburst any part of y^e 173^l. I had spent in prepareing y^e copy for the press, & ꝑformed my part of the agreem^t in y^e time agreed. but y^e Mar 125 was not paid me till above 2 moneths after & then I was still above 48^ld out of purse for which I had nothing but 3 copyes one y^t I gave M^r. Sharp & another in which I have corrected y^e faults of the press with my own hand & a 3^d not complete.

I was now in hope y^t y^e Presse would begin againe to work with y^e 2^d Volume: but when after 3 or 4 moneth delay I found that for all my Instances, there was not the least step made towards it I complained of this behaviour of S^r I.N. both payeing me short of what I had disburst & of his keeping y^e 175 sheet of copy for y^e 2^d Volume in his hands. this I beleive was as intended carried to him whereupon to throw all the fault upon me, 8 moneth after he had stopt the presse, hee sent \me/ the following Order dated July 13 1708:

At a meeting of the gentlemen to whom his Royal Highness the Prince hath referred the care of printing M^r Flamsteed's astronomical papers,

It was agreed that the press should go on without further delay: & that if M^r Flamsteed do not take care that the press be well corrected, & go on with the dispatch, another Corrector be employed.

To prevent y^e designed effect of this malitious order or agreement, I wrote a letter to S^r Christoph^r Wren who I believed hated such practises & sent it him in a few dayes after I declined writing to Sr I N. because he might suppress it. & I doubted not but S^r Cristopher would impart it both to him & the other Referees

I tooke a copy of it myselfe, to show my acquaintance friends & some gentlemen y^t had an opinion \of S^r I N/ before & could not thinke he could be guilty of such collusion as this order & my letter proved upon him. the Copy follows:

The Observatory, Monday, July 19, 1708

SIR,

The Copy of the Agreem^t made by the Gentlemen Referrees on Tuesday last, reflecting upon me as if by my dilatoriness I had obstructed the progress of the Press, I find myself obliged, that I may clear myself of so unjust an insinuation, with Your Leave to Acquaint you.

That tho I had got 50 Sheets of the first Volume ready copied for the Press on May y^e 2^d 1705, yett upon severall pretences, the printing was Obstructed; and it was May 1706, before the first Sheet was printed off

That tho by the Agreem^t, the Undertaker was to print off five Sheets a Week, yett it was from May 1706 to October 1707 before we could gett 100 Sheets, comprehending the Observations of the first Volume, wrought of; that is near 75 weeks, So that taking altogether, the Printer dispatched not a Sheet and a halfe per Week.

Tho I did all I could to hasten and expedite the Work, as will appear by the Copies of my letters to Mr Churchill, Mr Mathews & Mr. Hodgson, that I have by me: I offerd to discharge the expense of the Pennypost Letters that brought the Proofs; if the post brought them in the Evening, I returned them next Morning: if in the Morning, they were sent back that evening after, without fayle; except once, on May y^e 1. 1706, when the great Eclipse of the Sun hapning, company hindered me from correcting & returning that proof till the Morning following & no longer.

The greatest dispatch, was made, both this year 1706 & the following 1707, in Autumn; when I was Absent in Surrey, yett that was less than the 5 Sheets per Week and then the Work was allways worst done.

At my Return after y^e last Years Harvest, I found a whole Sheet had been Omitted by the Printer, who had either lost or mislayd it: I copied it immediately from my Manuscripts, & sent it to him, with directions to print it, & reprint y^e next. I caused also S^r Isaac Newton to be acquainted with it: & informed both S^r Isaac and y^e Printer that I had about halfe a dozen Sheets more, comprehending the Planetts places derived from the Observations made with the Sextant, contain'd in this Volume, to be added to it; but this was not taken notice of, The 6 sheets were not call'd for; and the Press has stood still ever since

March 12^th last I received a letter from M^r Roberts, Your Self, and S^r I Newton desiring me to meet them in London on y^e 20^th & bring with me what Papers I had ready for the Press. I Attended them with the 2^d Volume containing y^e Observations made betwixt Sept. 1689 and 1705 compleat in about 175 sheets of Paper, I exhibited also at the same time the aforementioned six Sheets that were to be added to the first Volume; desired that the dropt Sheet might be printed & the next following reprinted, or at least the two first Pages of it, which I thought had been Accorded. The 2^d Volume by Agreem^t was put into the Referrees' Hands. I desired the Press, after the first Volume was compleat, might go on with it. At this meeting also I had 125 lib ordered to be paid me in part of above 170 lib it had Cost me in repayeing & entertaining three Calculators & Copiers whom I had dismisst for want of it at Midsummer 1706. Sir Isaac Newton required that I should insert the Magnitudes of the fixed Stars into a Copy of so much of the Catalogue, as I had gone through with, that I had deposited in his hands; which was done for him, and part of a 3^d more perfect copy left in his hands as a gage for returning it.

At this Meeting the Undertaker Urged to have a Corrector appointed in London; this I lookt upon only as a Contrivance to throw the delays of the press, caused partly by his own and his Printers Neglect, upon me: & therefore having Answered it then, as I have done in this Paper, to the Satisfaction, as I thought, of the Referrees present, I took no further Notice of it.

Since You now know that the Printer has had the dropt Sheet in his hands full Nine Months; that he may have six Sheets more whenever the Referrees please; that they have also 175 Sheets of y^e second Volume in their hands; that I never delayed Correcting and returning the proof Sheets as usually; I hope you are satisfied I have not been guilty of any dilatoriness or Neglect, & that you will not suffer me to be supposed or insinuated to have been guilty of any

But if S^r Isaac Newton insists upon proceeding to print the Catalogue imediately before the 2^d Volume. I cannot at present consent to it: for, since the Press has Stopt, I have set my Self to compleat it; and having gotten two payr of hands to help me, have perfected some Constellations, that were not compleat before: I have begun the most difficult, and am going into the Country, as I use allways to do at this time of the Year, to look after my Occasions; there, I hope to perfect a good part of what remains, and the whole in a few Months after my Return. Now You will say your Self, were it your own Case, 'tis not fitt to sett to printing the Catalogue before it be as compleat as I can render it at present, I must say further, that 'tis altogether improper to print it before the Observations of the 2^d volume: because 'tis almost wholly derived from them. The Observations of the Planetts \in this/ are much more Numerous than in the first and I will add, much Exacter, & if any One be of another Opinion, for want of experience I shall bring such Proofs of it, as no Equall and Candid Person shall ever reject.

As for Correcting the Press, I am altogether unwilling that the last Sheet shall be printed off in the remaining Volume, till I have seen them my Self, but the Catalogue is of that Importance that I shall never consent that any Page of it should be printed off till I have fully corrected and received from the Press a Proof without faults. I am not only willing but desirous that the Press should proceed to finish the first Volume of Observations, I have spoke to Mr Hodgson to take Care of correcting the 2^d Proofs, and with him I shall leave the six sheets to be Added; which when they are wrought off, S^r Isaac Newton has 175 sheets of the 2^d Volume in his hands, that the Press may proceed with whilest I am Compleating the Catalogue, So there need be no stop on my Account as there never was, nor hereafter shall be, God spareing me Life & Health & prospering, as I firmly believe he will, my Sincere Endeavours.

I think to send a copy of this letter to M^r Roberts & doubt not but you will imparte the contents of it to Sr Isaack Newton

I am with all due respect S^r for all your favours

JOHN FLAMSTEED, M.R.

Then this letter was delivered & imparted to S^r I N as I desired it should be. yet I never receaved any answer to it, but the presse was stopt, & no more talke of it this year: In y^e latter end of which the P. of Denmarke died, on Oct 28^th, 16|7|08 in whom y^e Observatory lost one y^t would have been a great & Noble patron, had hee not been prevented by one of his Physitians who was influenced & gouverned by Sir I.N.

Being now not disturbed by him any more at present, I set my selfe to carry on such observations as I wanted & made good advances in it adding many stars to some constellations y^t I had gone threw before.

But when I least expected it I was afresh disturbed by another peice of S^r Is. N. ingenuitys: after y^e Princes death, y^e old Ministry was changed a New one intro <87> duced. his patrone was well with y^e cheif of them the Q^s Physitian and was \in his/ interest, and y^e New Secretary of States. it was not enough that S^r I.N. had gotten my Observations made \with/ y^e Murall Arch into his hands by surprise togeather with above halfe the Catalogue Whatever my expenses had been or paines in makeing it, so long as I would not leave my selfe and paines wholly at his disposall: and therefore he procures by y^e Meanes of y^e Physitian Minister & Secretary S^t. John an Order constituting the Presidn^t (S^r. I.N.) of the R.S. the Vice President & whom else they should think fit of the s^d Society. the Visitors of the Observatory: &|tis| dated Dec 12. 1710 & was sent me by the Office Messenger on y^e 14 with the Queens letter intimating it {illeg} Copys whereof I have here inserted.

To our trusty and well-beloved the President of our Royal Society for the time being.

ANNE R.

Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well. Whereas we have been given to understand that it would contribute very much to the improvement of Astronomy and Navigation, if we should appoint constant Visitors of our Royal Observatory at Greenwich, with sufficient powers for the due execution of that trust, We have therefore thought fit, in consideration of the great learning, experience and other necessary qualifications of our Royal Society, to constitute and appoint, as we do, by these presents, constitute and appoint you, the President, and in your absence the Vice-President of our Royal Society for the time being, together with such others of the Council as our said Royal Society shall think fit to join with you, to be constant Visitors of our said Royal Observatory at Greenwich: authorising and requiring you to demand of our Astronomer and Keeper of our said Observatory, for the time being, to deliver to you within six months after every year shall be elapsed, a true and fair copy of the annual observations he shall have made. And our further Will and Pleasure is that you do likewise, from time to time, order and direct our said Astronomer and Keeper of our said Royal Observatory to make such astronomical observations as you in your judgment shall think proper. And that you do survey and inspect our instruments in our said Observatory; and as often as you shall find any of them defective that you do inform the principal Officers of our Ordnance thereof; that so the said instrument may be either exchanged or repaired. And so we bid you farewell. Given at our Court of St. James's, the 12^th day of December, 1710, in the ninth year of our reign. By Her Majesty's command,

H. ST. JOHN

SIR,                    Whitehall, December 12, 1710

Her majesty commands me to acquaint you that she has thought fit, for the improvement of astronomy and navigation, to appoint the President, and in his absence the Vice-President of the Royal Society for the time being, together with such other as the Council of the said Society shall think fit to join with them, to be constant Visitors of the Royal Observatory. And for the better enabling you to make the necessary observations for these ends, directions are likewise given for repairing, erecting, or changing Her Majesty's instruments in the said Observatory, as well as for purchasing those that belong to you.

The Queen does not doubt but you will readily comply with the instructions the said Visitors shall think to give you. However I am commanded to signify Her Majesty's pleasure to you that you do deliver to them, within six months after every year shall be expired, a fair and true copy of the annual observations you shall have made: and you do also make such astronomical observations as the said Visitors in their judgment shall at any time think to direct you. I am, Sir, your most humble Servant,

H. ST. JOHN

The next morning after I receaved this, I waited on M Secretary S^t John & told him that I was injured and should be hindred by this new constitution of Visitors. that I wanted no new Instruments & that if I did the Visitors were not skillful enough to contrive y^m. that for my repairs of the Observatory y^e Office of y^e Ordinance had hitherto taken care of them & would now as soone as the weather should be fit, that the Instrum^ts & clocks in y^e house were all my owne that I had hitherto repayred them all at my own charge that I had expended above 2000^l more yⁿ my appointm^ts in instrum^ts & assistants & y^t it would be very unjust to goe about to deprive mee both of the honor & benefit of my own labor & expenses & confer them on those who had done nothing but obstruct & hinder me all they Could & wanted to boast of their Merits in preserving my labors because they had Nothing of their own worth the publick view. M^r Secretary seemd Not to regard what I said, but answered me haughtily The Queen would be obeyd The Lord Rochester y^e Queen Unkle, liveing near the Secretary's office I also waited upon him & shewed him what tricks & disingenuous usage were put upon me by S^r. I.N. & tho I found no immediate advantage by it, yet I am apt to beleive it was of use to me afterwards.

S^r. I.N. valued himselfe very much upon y^e suggestion that it had been usuall would contribute very much to the improvem^t of Astronomy & Navigation if there were constant Visitors appointed of y^e Observatory, &c & one of y^e principall of y^e Councell of y^e RS could not forbear to speake of it to me in publick company: whereas the contrary is evident from what hapned to y^e Noble Tycho, who had no Visitors of his Observatory <88> appointed over him during the Reign of his patron King ffrederic y^e 2 & when some persons were appointed in the following reigne of King Christian, they were such as were very unfit for that purpose, much lesse skillful yⁿ himselfe, & made use \of purposely to asperse him/ onely, to make him \uneasy &/ withdraw. that the Courtiers might get his appointments (which were 2000 dollars a year allowd him from y^e Tresury, a ffee in Norway, worth 1000 dollars ꝑ year more, & y^e prebend of Roschild, of 1000 more) into y^e kings hand againe \which they did/ & soon, by him, \were/ conferd on Templars. My appointm^ts, tho very small in comparison of his, were also designed by S^r I N for other persons y^t would be dependent on him; & this expedient of Visitors was to ꝑforme strange things. but the good providence of God so ordered it that I received but \little/ damage by it. & he got little but shame & disgrace for his ingratitude to me in disturbing me in my businesse which he was bound \by his Oath/ to assist me in, as Pr. of y^e R S. & as cheife (as he had made himself) of y^e Princes Referrees, or indeed y^e all of them

But now \y^t/ he got another pretence of authority to make me sensible of it a report was spread that a letter was comeing to me from y^e R.S. this was in y^e beginning of Dec 1710 & was occasiond I beleive, by their knowing of M^r. Sec. S^t John's letter that was brought to my hands on y^e 14. I heard nothing of any letter from y^m if they then designed any, I beleive on better thoughts it was layd by. but in March folloing {sic} I was surprised when it was privately told me y^t my Catalogue (which I was then workeing upon to compleat it as far as I then could) was in y^e presse: but more with a letter of D^r. Arb: dated y^e 14 of March 1711, w\h/erein he very confidently required of me the Copy of the stars places of 6 Constellations, viz. of Draco, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Cepheus, Cassiopea, & Hercules: That had not been delivered into S^r I N hand when he got the rest into his possession by tricks & pretences. This I beleive was one of the boldest thinges y^t ever was attempted none y^t \had/ lesse dexterity & boldness & Art then y^e D^r. would have have had the confidence to have mentiond such a demand. I had made my instrum^ts and mainteined my assistants at my own charge, without complaint of \it/ so long as I could be quiet & undisturbed by y^e small people y^t cried him up. I had put \a Copy of/ that ꝑte of my Catalogue which was in order into his hands, to be preserved in case of my mortality & to prevent it from being lost by accidents, \&/ to let him see y^t I could goe on w^th it as soon as I had determined y^e Right ascensions & distances from y^e Pole of other stars in other constellations. I gave him also copys of them; never designeing or intending y^t he or any but my self should publish them; nor indeed could anyone else. for More observations were still wanteing to compleate <89> it. & I was adding to it {sic} addeing or correcting something in it every day: some letters passed betwixt me & the D^r. Arb: wherein he still urged me to give them the Copys of the constellations \onely,/ wanteing, as he thought, to compleate my Catalogue: which I allways answered civilly with such just excuses as are before suggested. desireing still that I might see him either at y^e Observatory or in London, where at last he met me on March y^e 29, & when I enquired of him whether y^e Catalogue were printed or no, he assured me, not a sheet of it was printed I answered him not not {sic}, for I was sure it was, because he then offered (in the hearing of M Hodgson & another gentleman I had taken with me to be a witnesse of o^r Conversation & discourse) to pay me 10^l for every press fault I should find in it. & within 4 days after a freind sent me y^e constellations of ♈ & ♉ fairely printed & a day or 2 after y^t of ♍. So y^t I was now convinced y^t the presse was at worke & that y^e D^r. had told me what he knew was not true. I learnt at y^e same time (what had been intimated before) y^t M^r.|D^r.| Hally tooke care of y^e presse \&/ pretended that he had found many faults in my Catalogue, shewed some sheets of it publickly in \Child's/ Coffeehouse at St. Paul's. & boasted what paines he had been at in correcting them.

I had told D^r. Arbuthnot in one of my letters^[3] that one of D^r. Hallys best freinds & y^e wisest of them had sayd of him that the onely way to have my businesse spoyled effectually was to trust it to his managem^t Now the truth of this expression was proved for I found not onely y^e names of the starrs in my Catalogue altered, but the numbers also in many places changed and others put in their roomes y^t were sometimes 15 minutes false. \& therefore it was very effectually spoyled/

And by boasting of these corrections, as he cald them he would insinuate to the World y^t they were more obliged to him for his paines in correcting yⁿ they Were to me for above above 30 yeares spent in composeing it. y^e Cost of makeing Instruments & hireing assistants at my owne charge, for by altering y^e names (to make y^m agree with his own faulty hemisphere) he had mad {sic} himself in some sort, but a very bad one, a proprietor in that Catalogue he printed, without my name to it, or ever consulting me about it: which I would never consento {sic}, as they well knew by my letter to S^r Ch: Wren which had been imparted to S^r. I N & Halley was not ignorant of.

On June 23, 1715|1711|, he delivered to My niece, M^rs Hodgson, a fayre copy of all the sheets of the Catalogue but without any preface to it. the when I examined it I found more faults in it & greater than I imagined y^e lazy tho Impudent Editor either either {sic} could, or durst have committed he had taken no care to put those into their proper order which I had left digested to his hands; because I had not yet got situation to complete y^e constellations to which they belonged: ꝑticularly y^e stars of Hevelius his new constellations with Hercules Cassiopea & y^e two beares, in some places hee had altered y^e stars right ascentions <90> & distances from y^e pole & made them false which were true before & in y^e Constellation of Draco there was not above 6 or 8 stars y^t he had not corrupted besides, I had added above 30 stars to this Constellation as many to Hercules & so many on others, y^t y^e total number of them in my Own Catalogue would be near 400 more yⁿ ther were in those papers I had intrusted S^r: I N. with to preserve in case of accidents: & which he had betrayed into Hallys hands when he had been told of of {sic} his qualifications before. Therefore finding no other remedy, I resolved to reprint it at my own charge. I procured a couple of expert calculators \Mr Ab. Ryley & Mr. Crosthwait/ corrected his faults & blunders got the places of the stars lately observed calculated by both of them for greater certainty made a new Copy in which the ancient names were restored Hevelius his Constellations inserted amongst the rest in thei {sic} proper places, & in the order I first designed. \But paper was exceding scarce & dear, because of y^e War with France not yet over which delayed \y^e printing/ my intended edition \corrected & enlarged.//

In y^e meane time S^r I.N. summons me to meet him at y^e house of y^e Royal Society in Crane Court Octob^r 26 \1711/ where I found him with D^r Sloane D^r Mead & one more that I knew not but I believe was his or their Clark at y^e time. he cald these three, with himselfe a Committee & told me they had sent for me to know what repayres I wanted, or Instrum^ts. I told him that y^e Office of y^e Ordnance took care of my repayres that y^e office of y^e that it was now too late in y^e year to set about them but that as soon as y^e Spring came I should have that done which was necessary, & as for my Instrum^ts they were all my own either given me by S^r Jonas Moor, or made by myselfe at my own charge, & always repayred at my own expense & further y^t I would not suffer any one to concernen {sic} themselves about repayring of my owne instruments, in which & necessary assistance I had spent above 2000^lb.

The impetuous gentleman hereupon said, As good have no Observatory as No Instruments & soon, conceiveing that I apprehended his design & obviated it by my Answers, broke out into a passion & used me as I was never used before in my life: I gave no answers; but onely desired him to be calmer, & moderate his passions, thankd him for the many honorable names he gave me & told him God had blest my endeavours hitherto, that his Wisdom was beyond the Wisdom of men & y^t I committed my all to him. D^r Mead seconded him unprovokt in his ill language but D^r Sloane held his peace I thankt him for his civility ꝑmitted him to help me down stairs, & at y^e door met Hally who had not been far of all the time & I believe had heard S^r I.N. shew his best guests, \It would be/ too long to give an account of it all, there is a longer in my old book of Letters, pag 104. 105 A \where those y^t come after me will find it: I pray God forgive him I do./

I doe not remember y^t I ever saw the observations of mine printed at y^e same press w^th my corrupted Catalogue \till/ 3 yeares after when <91> when there were 300 Copies of y^e printed edition of the observations given me (as they were designed) by King George the whole were Intended for me by the Prince G: of Denmark but I was forced to be content with this part of them & took them with thanks; I found them as much corrupted as the Catalogue but if God spares me life I hope to present y^e World with a perfect edition of them the editor haveing transcribed onely the observations of the planets & made a sorry & fallacious excuse for his omitting y^e observations of all the fixed \stars/ y^t were not employed for finding of y^e planets' places.

On y^e 18 of June \1712/ y^e Impudent \editor/ with his wife, son & daughters attending him & a neighbouring Clergiman in his company \came hither/. I sayd little to him he offered to burne his Catalogue (so hee called his corrupted & spoyled copy of mine, of which I had now a correct & enlarged edition in y^e presse & y^e 2^d sheet printing of) if I would print mine. I am apt to think he knew it was so & was endeavoring to prevent it; but to render his design ineffectual \I/ said little to him of it: so he went away not much wiser yⁿ he came.

August 1, \1712/, S^r I.N. came himself, accompanied with his Editor D^r Thorp M^r Machin, M^r Rowley & M^r Hodgson who had given me notice of their comeing beforehand. I had provided M^r Clark & M^r Ryley to attend o^r Conversation & accompany them to View house & my Instrum^ts, being a little lame myself w^th y^e Gout they had a view of what they pleased except my Library. I gave y^m a glass of wine. S^r Isaack promised to return me a Greek Ptolemy \he had borrowed/ of me & 4 Volumes in 4^o of y^e first night notes, which he had kept in his hands now about six yeares to no other purpose but to show his Authority & good Nature & returned not till more yⁿ four yeares after, when I had commenced a suite against him for them.

This businesse being over, & S^r I.N. finding y^t his Visitation had not y^e effect he promised to himselfe, hee tooke care to let mee know, by y^e Secretarys letter as soon as the yeare 1711 was expired y^t y^e R.S. (my Visitors) expected y^e copy of y^e observations of y^t year I returned an answer to him that they should have y^m in y^e time prescribed by y^e Order. & accordingly caused my Amanuensis, Jos. Crosthwaite to transcribe & leave them at their house in Crane court some dayes before midsummer \1712/. I expected that they should have sent me a receipt for them: but Civil & just S^r I.N. esteemed it too great a favour for me. I did y^e same for y^e year following on a second letter, from the Secretary of y^e R.S. & the next year following \1713-1714/ I found them \both/ printed, abridged, & so spoyled by the Editor of my Catalogue that I would no longer owne them, for \mine/ y^e most materiall observations were omitted, & the rest so managed that it seemed to me he had designed to spoyle them; out of Spight, he had inserted \some that were/ imꝑfect, & given y^e Right Ascentions & distances of y^e Panets {sic} from y^e pole, deduced from y^e Observations but not their longitudes & latitudes this was too much labour \drudgery/ for his acuteness \{illeg}\and/ who was used to procure what he published as his owe at easyer rates./

<92>

\Apr 19 1717/ After y^e same manner he got My observations of y^e yeare 1713 into his \hands/ abridged, spoyled, and printed them in his Transactions for the year 1715 Numb 344. But the Queens deceasing before they could lay any claime to the next yeares, & their authority ceaseing I declined answering their further demands for tho their Authority ceased, yet their confidence did not; & the Editor who now was one of their Secretarys sent Me a bold letter to demand y^m, as if he had never done me any injury; which I layd by me & kept theirby {sic} that yeares from being spoyled. how unfaithfull he was in his copy I hope the skillful may see ere long for my Aman. \J. Cr/ is now Copying y^e Volume of Observations y^t S^r IN. got by surprize into his hands, has nearly finished it. & I hope I may live through y^e blessing of God to see it published with y^e Observations of 12 following yeares, but if his good providence shall not continue my life so long I hope \trust/ my executors will doe it according to the directions of my Will.

The last sheet of my corrected & enlarged Catalogue was printed of, Dec 5 1712 after which I designed to have had the presse to proceed with y^e Observations from which it was derived made with y^e Murall Arch but what ever Instances I made to S^r Is. Newton to have the Copy I had trusted into his hands in order to be printed I could not prevayle with him to returne it. So I set my self to continue my Observations at such times as were fit for them, & to calculate the planets places from such observations as I had made with it & to correct y^e tables of y^e planets motions In which I blesse God for it though I had not the success I expected yet I had such as gave me light & will be of use to those that come after me & may serve to ꝑfect our knowledg of the heavens wherein y^e height of Wisdom is shewn of our creator if \after me/ there shall be \any/ found that will prosecute these studies with y^e same sedulity patience & sincere love of Truth y^t I have now for above thes {sic} five & fifty years.

August 1 1714. King George succeeded to y^e Crown of Great Brittain. Soon after a Noble peer died who dureing his life, had supported S^r I.N. the Officers at Court were changed the new Lord Chamberlin knew me well and one y^t was frequently employed by him, wrote to me that through his meanes I might get y^e printed Copy of my Observations y^t had been designed for me by y^e Prince Georg of Denmark, into my hands w^th little trouble the Lord Chamberline haveing by his Office the Care of his Librarys. I thankt God for so good an opportunity my friend w^th y^e D of Bolton did his best but after all we find y^t Lords of y^e Treasury had the power of disposeing of them. M^r Walpole was first commissioner: M^r Methuen unaskt became my freind M^r Newport (now Lord Torrington) I been {sic} acquainted with long since I caused a Memoriall & {sic} petition wherein my case was truely represented to them to be drawn up & delivered. Whereupon 300 Copys were orderd to be delivered to me <93> by y^e Undertaker M^r Churchill who by his Articles was bound to print but 400 I brougt them down to Greenwich and finding both Hallys corrupted edition of my Catalogue, & abridg^mt of my observations no lesse spoyled by him I seperated them from my Observations & some few dayes after I made a Sacrifice of them to heavenly Truth as I should doe of all the rest of my Editors paines of the like Nature if y^e Author of Truth should hereafter put them into My power y^t none of them but what he has given away & sent into forreign Countries may remaine to shew the ingratitude of two of my Countrymen who had been obliged by me more on ꝑticular Occasions yⁿ any other Mathematicall acquaintance, & who had used me Worse then ever the Noble Tycho was used in Denmark. & I should have felt the effects of their Malice & envy more had not the good providence of Almighty God prevented them.

Whilest I was solliciting this affair in y^e Exchequer S^r I.N. was passeing his accounts ther. concerneing y^e disbursem^t of y^e princes monys. he would never own to me what the prince allowed for y^t charge of printing. least he should quit any ꝑt of that power he pretended & he would gladly have me have thought him to have had. I have heard y^t y^e Prince designed 1200 pound for y^e printing D^r. Keile told me 2500 Which I am apt to beleive is true the other 1300 being not less yⁿ y^e Engraveing of the Maps of the Constellations & other figures will Cost but here I learnt that S^r I.N accounts specyfied 150^l given to my Editor D^r. Hally for the paines he had been at in correcting, as he calls it, & publishing my Catalogue & to M^r. Machin |one of his servants| for assisting him in his calculateing y^e places of y^e stars, 30^l. so y^t S^r I.N. had wasted 180 in spoyling of \it/ besides he told me that he had given 20^l more to y^e poore ffrench man that drew {&} engraved y^e \flattering/ figures for y^e frontispieces of Capitalls {up}on his complaint y^t y^e first agreement was too hard a {b}argain. So that here was 200^l of the Princes mony {th}rown away onely to shew his liberality unnecessarily {whi}ch evidently proves his ignorance of the businesse for, {th}e catalogue was very correct, before his Editor {correc}ted it & the designer or engraver of y^e frontispiece & Capi{tals} knew no doubt how to make a bargaine for his paines {Th}e Editor & his drudge calculator were both Indigent {and he} found this way of releiving them without any expense {to} himselfe, & makeing them open their mouths wide in crying him {up for his} liberality as they had done before for his skill in what he is {no master} of: whilest my amanuensis \J: Crosthwait/ was at more paines in {correcting} their faults & calculateing y^e places of 400 stars {more} yⁿ were in my first copy, without any allowance {more} yⁿ the \yearly/ Wages I gave him.

Having thus gotten my owne printed \yearly/ observations \& Catal^e/ into my own hands <37> I caused \some {sic}/ y^e Observations of M^r Gascoigne & M^r Crabtree made in Yorkshire & Lancashire in y^e yeares 1638. 39. 40. 41. 42, togeather with my owne made at Derbyshire betwixt the yeares 1669 & 1675, which I have mentioned in My Estimate, as those y^t were to comprise a part of my first Volume of Observations, to be printed in Latin, togeather with a smal Table for turneing y^e ꝑtes measured, by the Micrometer either in y^e longer or y^e lesser tube into minutes & seconds of a degree. I also sent to S^r I.N. to returne me y^e 175 sheets trusted into his hands {on} March 20. 1708-9, to be printed but finding he delayed to restore or even flatly denied to do it, I set my {illeg} \amanuensis/ to copy them, in order to have them printed that they might be published togeather with the Catalogue in their proper order which I had first proposed in my said Estimate & which I endeavored allways to p^rserve: whilest S^r I.N. as pertinaciously contended to obstruct & break that he might thereby force me to some mean submission to procure his consent. tho y^e Worke was nothing of it his, he had concerned himselfe with y^e Prince G. of Denmark without and my consent in y^e Edition & was so bold as by his Creatures to intimate \to me/ what he wanted: but this Cunning failed him y^e sheets will be copied in a short time. & I hope if God spares me health one year more, I may see them all printed & fit to be published.