The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700

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William Badiley, Captain ( - 1666)

Mariner, shipowner, and naval administrator:
A younger brother of Trinity House by 1629, when he was trading with the Levant, he freighted ships for the Mediterranean and East Indies for the East India Company in the 1640s ... . In 1652 he commanded the Dolphin, fighting courageously with Blake in two actions against the Dutch. He was appointed master attendant at Portsmouth in December 1653, in charge of the dockyard, and held the same position at Woolwich and Deptford from 1654 until his death in 1666, serving with great efficiency (ODNB).
Possibly elder brother of Richard Badiley (c. 1616–1657), naval officer, was formerly a mariner, shipowner, and merchant. According to Grew, Badiley was present at the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1631. Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/1025?docPos=11 Relevant locations: Visited Mt. Sinai, Egypt
 Relationships: William Badiley was a member of Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond (1514-)

 Linked print sources: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - A relation of the raining of ashes, in the archipelago, upon the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, some years ago.
 References in Documents:
Grew, Musaeum Regalis (1685)

TWo Two Parcels of EARTH RAINED on the Archipelago, upon the Eruption of M. Vesuvius, Dec. 6th 1631. Given by J. Evelyn Esq;. One, is gritty, and of the colour of Amber. The other a soft Bole, and looks like powder'd Jalap. I dropped some Oil of Vitriol on them, but they stir not. This Earth began to rain about Ten of the Clock at Night, and continu'd till two next Morning: So that it lay two inches thick on the Deck of Captain W. Badily's Ship, who sent this Relation. While it rain'd, no Wind stirring. It fell in several parts a hundred Leagues distant. (b) (b) See Phil. Trans. N. 21.

Selections from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (1665-1669)
A Relation Of the Raining of Ashes, in the Archipelago, upon the Eruption of Mount Vesuvius, some years ago.

This came but lately to hand from that knowing person, Mr. Henry Robinson; and was thought fit to be now inserted here, that it might not be lost, though it hath hapned above 30 years ago. It was contained in a Letter, (subscribed by Capt. Will. Badily) in these words:

THeThe 6th of December 1631, being in the Gulf of Volo, riding at Anchor, about ten of the Clock that Night, it began to rain Sand or Ashes, and continued till two of the Clock the next Morning. It was about two inches thick on the Deck, so that we cast it over board with Shovels, as we did Snow the day before: The quantity of a Bushel we brought home, and presented to several, * Some of these Ashes were produced by Mr. John Evelyn, before the Royal Society. Friends*, especially to the Masters of Trinity House. There was in our Company, Capt. John Wilds Commander of the Dragon, and Capt. Anthony Watts, Commander of the Elisabeth and Dorcas. There was no Wind stirring, when these Ashes fell, it did not fall onely in the places, where we were, but likewise in other parts, as Ships were coming from St. John D'Acre to our Port; they being at that time a hundred Leagues from us. We compared the Ashes together, and found them both one. If you desire to see the Ashes, let me know.