| Description | Present: The President; Mr Gale; Mr Eames; Dr Steuart; Mr Jones; Colonel Carpenter; Mr Rand; Dr Mortimer; Mr Machin
' It appearing upon enquiry That no Answer had hitherto been Received from Mr Tempest to the Letters concerning the discharge of his Arrears. Mr Hauksbee was Ordered to write once more to him on this Subject; To let him know That it has been at My Lord Macclesfields desire That the Council have hitherto forbore to put their Orders, for prosecuting his Bond, in Execution; by waiting in Expectation of receiving a Satisfactory Answer from him. But the want of Such Answer causing a Stop to their proceedings agains other Members as they lye in their Course. The Council cannot without detriment to the Society or Injustice to others, continue their forbearance any longer, and therefore desire to know his final Resolution as Soon as possible. And to prevent any miscarriage of this Notice Mr Hauksbee was further Ordered, to Write two Letters of the Same import, one directed to be left at Georges Coffeehouse the corner of Deveraux Court, and the other to be Sent to his house at Cranbrook.
A Letter from Owen Brigstok Esq in Answer to the Letter about the discharge of his Arrears was read, wherein he alledges in his own Justifiction; That at his first Election there having been an intimation of a Custom given to him That the Contributionsd were Expected only to be made from those who frequented the meetings he presumed they could not be expected from him who had been generally Absent.
Which Answer being considered was rejected as immaterial.
Mr Treasurer made the following Report concerning the State of the Arrears and Payments of Dr Richard Robinson whilst his Name Stood in the Treasurers Books.
That He was Admitted Fellow on November 30th 1682 That his Name continued to be Entered in the accompts with his whole Arrears regularly brought forward from Year to year, without any payment made from the time of his Admission to the year 1692.
That after this year his Arrears were left out of the Treasurers Books. And that no Entry of his Name was made ever after, escept, in the year 1699 there is one Article of a payment Said to be for weekly Contributrions Amounting to £1..19..0.
Ordered That due Notice be taken of this Report, upon the readmission of Dr Richard Robinson in conformity with the agreement of the Council on the 30th March.
A Gratuity of Ten Guineas was proposed to be made to Mr Stephen Gray in consideration of his charge and Trouble in preparing and performing a Sett of his Electrical Experiments before this Society.
Which being agreed to by Ballot, the Said Sum was Ordered to be paid.
Dr Mortimer read over the Names of the Members on the List of the Society, marking the State and condition of Every Member as to the Contributions and Arrears, the further consideration of which matter was refered to another Council. ' |