298 JOHN DALE AND MERRETT 



It seems probable that Goodyer, if not already in possession of 

 Dale's botanical papers, would have annexed them as part of his 

 duty as overseer of the will, and on his death (1664) they may have 

 been among those which Yalden lent to Merrett. 



Dr. John Dale, unlike Robert, does not appear to have been 

 licenced by the College of Physicians, of which institution Dr. Mer- 

 rett was the resident Librarian. The College of Physicians was 

 then situated in Amen Corner — very near the house of Pulleyn, 

 the friendly publisher who persuaded Merrett to co-operate in the 

 proposed work. ' I could not strive against his honourable wishes ', 

 as Merrett afterwards put it. How far Dr. Dale did co-operate, we 

 are not told. He died before the day of publication. 



Merrett certainly engaged in the work with great energy. He 

 purchased 8co figures of plants, which Johnson had caused to be 

 engraved, with the intention of using them to embellish his book. 

 He engaged Thomas Willisel to search for plants in those distant- 

 parts of the kingdom which, owing to his London duties, were 

 beyond his range. His son, Christopher, also made excursions for 

 the same purpose, and he procured the loan of Goodyer's MSS. 

 from Edmund Yalden. 



By the inclusion of exotics and many varieties, which he had not 

 the critical acquaintance with the subject to omit, he brought up 

 the list of the British Flora to some 1,400 species, a number which, 

 only three years afterwards, was reduced to 1,050 by the ' accurate 

 Mr. Ray '. 



xiv. William Browne, i 629-1678. 



Several of the plant-records of William Browne are quoted in 

 the interleaved copy of How's PJiytologia Britannica bequeathed to 

 Magdalen College by John Goodyer. They are all in the handwriting 

 of William How. 



William Browne was known to Wood as his examiner, and also 

 to Peshall as a native of Oxford, his father being described alterna- 

 tively as William Brown, a Mercer of Oxford,^ or as John Browne, 

 a Bailiff of the City." He had a distinguished career at Magdalen 

 College, becoming B.A. in 1647, M.A. in 1650, and B.D. in 1665. 

 He succeeded to a Fellowship in 1657, was Praelector of Moral 

 Philosophy in 1658, Dean of Divinity in 1659. and Vice-President 

 in 1669-1670. He died suddenly about the age of fifty, and was 



' Peshall, Cily of Oxford, add. 29. 

 ^ Wood, Hist., p. 344, ed. Ciutch. 



