296 



Notes on the History of Merc. 



He hath written and published An interpretation of the number 666, wherein 

 not only the manner how this number ought to be interpreted, is clearly proved 

 and demonstrated ; but it is also shewed, that this number is an exquisite and 

 perfect character, truly, exactly and essentially describing that state of govern- 

 ment, to which all other notes of Antichrist do agree. Oxon 1642. qu. Which 

 book as one (Joseph Mede of Cambs) saith ' is the happiest that ever yet came 

 into the world ; and such as cannot be read (save of those persons that will not 

 believe it) without much admiration &c.' A book called also The Key of 

 the Scripture written by a London Divine, wherein, being large upon the 

 Revelations he prefers the said Interpretation before all others. It was after- 

 wards translated into French, Dutch and Latin ; the last of which was done by 

 several hands and severally printed. One copy was all or mostly performed by 

 Tho. Gilbert of S. Edm. Hall printed at Amsterd. 1677, oct. And that, or the 

 other, was partly remitted into Matth. Poole's Synopsis Critic, in the second 

 part of the fourth volume, on the Revelations. What answers were made to 

 the said Interpretation, that were printed, I think there were none ; sure I am 

 that one Lambert Morehouse, Minister of Pertwood, 1 about 6 miles from 

 Kilmanton accounted by some a learned man and a good Mathematician did 

 write against it, and seemed to be angry with the Author that 25 is not the true, ; 

 but the propinque root ; To which the Author replied with some sharpness. The 

 M.S. of this controversie Morehouse gave to Dr. Seth Ward, B. of Salisbury, 

 an. 1668, before which time he was prefer'd by Dr. Henchman then B. of that 

 place to the spiritual cure of Little Langford in Wilts, where he died about 

 1672. He was a Westmorland man by birth, was educated, I think in Clare 

 Hall in Cambridge and wrot other things, but are not printed. As for our. 

 author Potter, he lived to a good old age, died perfectly blind at Kilmanton 

 between Easter and Whitsuntide (in the month of Apr. I think) in sixteen j 

 hundred seventy and eight, and was buried in the chancel of the church there. j 

 His memory is preserved in Trin. Coll. by a Dial that he made and set up on ther 

 north side of the Old Quadrangle, where it doth yet remain. His father's name 

 was Rich. Potter, an Oxfordshire man born, some time Fellow of the said! 

 Coll. of the holy Trinity and afterwards Vicar of a little mercate Town in 

 Wilts, and rector of Kilmington or Kilmanton in Somersetshire before men- 

 tion 'd." 



Aubrej r , in his ,,b Topographical Collections, under Mere, says : — - 



"It ought not to be forgotten that the reverend and learned Divine, Mr. 

 Francis Potter, D.D., Rector of Kilmington, in Co. Somerset, 1675, quondam a 

 Commoner of Trinity College in Oxford, author of the * Interpretation of th'e.f 

 number 666,' which is translated into French, High Dutch, Low Dutch, and 



1 This is an error. It should be Launcelot Moorhouse. He had the character 

 of a learned man and good mathematician. He objected to Potter's theory that 

 25 is not the true, but the approximate or " propinque " root of the number 666 

 which drew forth a sharp answer from that singular character. Launcelol 

 Moorhouse is buried at Little Langford, under a common gravestone near the 

 altar. 



