| Description | Present at the Council: The President, William, Viscount Brouncker; Mr Aerskine; Sir Anthony Morgan; Dr John Wilkins; Dr Christopher Merret; Dr Clark; Mr Daniel Colwall; Mr Hoskins; Dr Ball; Mr Henry Oldenburg
Sir Anthony Morgan gave an acount of the state of teh Patent concerning the Grant of Chesey College; namely that the busines was stuck at the Comissioners of the Treasury. It was ordered that the Soclicitor of this business should be addressed by Sir Anthony Morgan to Sir Paul Neile, and he asked to employ his interest with Lord Ashley for a dispatch.
The condition of the house at Chelsey College being taken into considertion, it was agreed that Mr Charles Howard should be desired by the Secretary to agree about a yearly allowance with the man formerly recommended by Mr Hook as a suitable inhabitant of the house; and also to give order for such reparations as should be by him thought necessary to lodge the said housekeeper conveniently.
Voluntary subscriptions for contributing towards the carrying on of the purposes of the Society was considerd, and after debate it was unanimously agreed;
That is was now a seasonable time for such subscriptions and that they were to be made first by such of the Council and the Society as were both willing and able; and afterwards by such other well disposed persons without the Society as should come in by the solicitation of a Committee, to be nominated by the Council, out of their own number and out of the Fellows of the Society: which contributions should be used in promoting the ends of the Society, and particularly to the building of a College, as the most probable way of teh Society's establishment.
To do this, a form of subscription was drawn up as follws;
' We, whose names are underwritten, being satisfied of the great Usefulmesse of the Institution of the R. Society, and how requisite it is for attaining the Ends designed thereby, to build a College for their Meetings, and to establish some Revenue for discharging the Expences necessary for Tryal of Experiments, Do heartily recommend it to the Bounty of all Generous and Well-disposed Persons, for their assitance to a work of such publick Usefullnesse: And we do each of usl, for our selves,. hereby promisse to contribute to these good Ends, the reseftie Summs, subscribed by such of us at four definit quarterly payments, to be made to such persons, as shall be authjorized under the Seal fo the Rl Society for the receipt thereof. The First payment to begin at-------------------------------------------'
This form was committed to Sir Anthony Morgan and Mr Hoskyns to make it obligatory in law.
They were also ordered to draw up a Deed of Gift of the Library presented to the Society by Henry Howard of Norfolk.
Mr Colwall moved that an effectual way might be taken by the Council to oblige the Fellows of the Socity to pay their arrears; thereupon it was ordered, that Mr Colwall, as Treasurer, should write to the several members that are in arrears and request positive answers concerning their payments to the Council within one month fromthe time of receipt of the letters sent to them for that purose, or from the time of their being left at their respective hoses or dodgings. And in the case of failure, the Council would think themselves obliged, after so long delays, to proceed with them according to Statute, and so to leave them out of the lists of the Sociedty.
Mr Oldenburg mentioned that Sir PAul Neile had said Mr Adrian May had asked that Society for a good thermometer for the use of the Queen. Ordered that the Operator should make for that purpose as good and as fair an one as he could.
Cataloguing the Society's Library was discussed, Dr Ball acquainting the Council that the Catalogue would be perfected in a short time.
Dr Wilkins was asked to speak Dr Lower who had been proposed as another Curator in Anatomical Experimenets.
It was moved that a boy might be allowed to be employed by Mr Hook on such occasions as concern the service of the Society. Council agreed that Mr Hook should find out such a boy, and that fifteen pounds a year should be allowed him towards the keeping of him.
Moved by Dr Wilkins that Mr Collins might be declared exempt from paying the Admission money, and the weekly payments, he having but a small revenue, and being capable and willing to do the Society very good service. Council declared him exempt accordingly.
Mr Oldenburg read the Latin letter he had drawn up to be sent to Prince Leopold of Florence. Council approved it, and ordered it to be sent in the name of the Society, and adressed to Sir John finch and accompanied with an exemplar of the 'History fo the Society' as a present.
Mr Oldenburg also had leave to send a copy of the 'History' to M. Hevelius, another to Mr Winthrop, and a third to M. Auzout and M. Petit.
Ordered the Treasurer to pay six pounds four shillings and eight pence to Dr King for his bill from 25 July 1666 to the present.
The President, both the Secretaries, Mr Hoskyns and Dr Ball were appointed a Committee of the Council according to Statute to examine the accounts of the Treasurer . The Treasurer was asked to provide the accounts as soon as he could. |