24 RECORD OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY 



ing entry in his Diary : ' the first anniversary of our Society for 

 the choice of new officers, according to the tenor of our patent 

 and institution. It being St. Andrew's Day, who was our 

 patron, each Fellow wore a St. Andrew's Cross of ribbon on the 

 crown of his hat. After the election, we dined together, his 

 Majesty sending us venison.' l ' This early custom of the Fellows 

 wearing a St. Andrew's Cross of ribbon at the Anniversary 

 Meeting, as well as the practice of the President of keeping on 

 his hat in the Chair, except when addressing the Fellows, and his 

 wearing the large cornelian ring, bearing the Arms of the Society, 

 bequeathed by Martin Folkes for the perpetual use of the 

 President, have been long things of the past.' 2 



The antiquary John Aubrey, who was one of the original 

 Fellows of the Society, has preserved the following note of a 

 conversation with Sir William Petty, who was also one of the 

 original Fellows : * I remember one St. Andrewe's Day (which is 

 the day of the generall meeting of the Royall Society for annual 

 elections), I sayd, " Methought 'twas not so well that we should 

 pitch upon the Patron Saint of Scotland's Day ; we should rather 

 have taken St. George or St. Isidore (a philosopher canonized)." 

 " No," sayd Sir William, " I had rather have had it been on 

 St. Thomas's Day, for he would not beleeve till he had seen and 

 putt his fingers into the holes ; according to the motto Nullius in 

 verbal ' 3 



Although Charles II took much interest in the starting of his 

 Royal Society, he found difficulty in assisting its progress with 

 the financial support of which it necessarily stood in need. The 

 experiments which formed so large and important a part of 

 the Society's work must have involved considerable expense, all 

 which had to be defrayed by the Fellows themselves. The need 

 of additional funds was so urgent that in the same year in 



1 Pepys, who became F.R.S. in 1664, entered in his Diary for November 30, 1668 : ' 1 did 

 see them choosing their Council, it being St. Andrew's Day, and I had his cross set on my 

 hat, as the rest had, and cost me 2*.' 



2 ' The Royal Society, or, Science in the State and in the Schools,' by the late Sir William 

 Huggins, p. 12. In the Journal-book under date May 27, 1663, a resolution is recorded 

 that from the meetings of the Society ' no Fellow shall depart without giving notice to 

 the President ', and that ' the President, when in the Chair is to be covered, notwithstand- 

 ing the Fellows of the Society be uncovered '. 



8 Aubrey's ' Brief Lives ', vol. ii, part ii, p. 480. 



