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

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Abraham Cowley (1618 - 1667)

Poet and natural philosopher. Composed an ode "To the Royal Society," at John Evelyn's prompting.

Abraham Cowley became Lord Jermyn’s secretary in 1643 and continued with him in France, returning back to England in 1654. John Bargrave met Jermyn and Cowley in Paris in May 1645, although Bargrave could have met Cowley before, at Cambridge. Cowley as admitted to Trinity College on 21 April 1636, proceeded MA in 1642, and was ejected in 1643 for his royalist sympathies. Bargrave matriculated at Peterhouse in 1629, served as college librarian between 1634 and 1636, and was admitted as a fellow in 1637 before being ejected from his fellowship in 1644, also for his royalist sympathies. Bargrave directed some of his correspondence to Paris, presumably prior to his journey, to Crowley at the Louvre.
Dictionary of National Biography entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6499?docPos=1 Other biography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Cowley Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source)
Relevant locations: Death place at Westminster Abbey, Westminster
Educated at Trinity College (Cambridge), Cambridge University
Residence at Paris, Île-de-France
Residence at Louvre Palace, Paris
Relationships: Abraham Cowley was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Bacchus / Dionysus (-)
Abraham Cowley was a associate or acquaintance (general) of Isaac Bargrave (c. 12 Jun 1586-1643)
Abraham Cowley was a associate or acquaintance (general) of John Bargrave (1610-1680)

Richard Crashaw (1612/13-1648) was a friend of Abraham Cowley
Henry Jermyn (bap. 1605 -1684) was a employer of Abraham Cowley
Linked manuscript items: as Author (in assoc. with a ms or print source) - "[Annotated page from Cowley's Davideidos]," Yorkshire Archaeological Society MS19, Leeds
References in Documents:
Bargrave's Travel Diary (Canterbury Cathedral CCA U11/8)
Direction of my letters to Dr Cos.Cosin by Mr Cooly A Monsieur Monsieur Cooly Secrettaire ordinaire de Monseigneur le Comte de Ge mie Anglois estant de present a couuare A Paris. Port 4 sols.
Bargrave's Travel Diary (Canterbury Cathedral CCA U11/8)

31. On Saturday the last of May I had an opportunety to talke aboue an howre wthith the Marquess of Newcastle, and after that wthith the Earle of Yarmouth and the Lord German whoe for the memorie of my vncle the Deane of Canterburie vsed me exceeding courteously. Mrr. Cooly of Trin Coll Camb. was the secretarie to the Lord,:

British Curiosities in Nature and Art (1713)

Westminster Abby] Monuments at the Abby hath many things in it curious and observable. As 1. The fine Glass-Painting. 2. The curious new Marble Altar-Piece. 3. The neatness of the Choir. 4. The curious Monuments fixed to the Walls and Pillars, round the Isles; as of Sir Cloudsly Shovell, (the Famous Admiral,) Mr. Stepny, a Foreign Embassador, &c. in the S. Isle. Of Divines, Antiquaries, Poets, &c. As Dr. Barrow, Dr. Oughtram, Dr. Busby, Dr. Horneck; Mr. Camden, Chaucer, Spencer, Drayton, Cowley, Shadwell, about the S. Stem of the Cross Isle. And not far from the W. end of the Church, and near the N. side is the Inscription, O Rare Ben Johnson, in Memory of that Poet.