22 Apr 1663. On the 22nd of April, 1663, the Royal Society was incorporated by a charter granted by King Charles the Second. Viscount Brouncker was the first President of the society, and on the Council were, Sir Kenelm Digby, Sir William Petty, and John Evelyn. By virtue of a power reposed in them by the charter, the President and Council, on the 20th of May following, nominated such persons as they thought desirable as Fellows, and Aubrey was one of those so named: his friends Dryden, Wren, Hooke, — in fact all the literati of the age, — were also nominated Fellows at the same time. After the first two months new members were elected by vote. The history of the formation of this society is well known. There is no doubt that Aubrey had belonged to it before its incorporation, and perhaps even as early as the year 1651, when the scientific meetings from which it originated were held in the chambers of Dr. Petty, and at other places in Oxford, King Charles II. manifested considerable interest in the proceedings of the Royal Society, and soon after it was incorporated he attended the meetings, and held frequent interviews with the President and many of the most eminent members. An interesting event in Aubrey's life had its rise in a conversation of this kind:

"A. D. 1663. King Charles II. discoursing one morning with my Lord Brounker and Dr. Charlton, concerning Stoneheng, they told his Majestie what they had heard me say concerning Aubury, for that it did as much excell Stoneheng as a cathedral does a parish church. His Majestie admired that none of our chorographers had taken notice of it, and commanded Dr. Charlton to bring me to him the next morning. I brought with me a draught of it, done by memorie only, but well enough resembling it, with which His Majestie was pleased, gave me his hand to kisse, and commanded me to wait on him at Marleborough, when he went to Bath with his Queen (which was about a fortnight after)¹, which I did; and the next day, when the court were on their journey, His Majestie left the Queen and diverted to Aubury, with the view whereof he and His Royal Highnesse the Duke of Yorke were very well pleased; His Majesty then commanded me to write a description of it, and present it to him; and the Duke of Yorke commanded me to give an account of the old camps and barrows in the plaines. As His Majestie departed from Aubury to overtake the Queen, he cast his eie on Silbury Hill [Map], about a mile off, which he had the curiosity to see, and walkt up to the top of it², with the Duke of York, Dr. Charlton and I attending them. They went to Lacock to dinner, and that evening to Bathe, all the gentry and commonaltie of those parts waiting on them, with great acclamations of joy, &c. In September following I surveyed that old monument of Aubury with a plane table, and afterwards tooke a review of Stoneheng, and then I composed this following discourse, in obedience to His Majestie's command, and presented it to him, which he commanded me to put in print."³

Note 1. The King commenced this progress on the 26th of August, and returned to London on the 2nd of October. He was sumptuously entertained at Marlborough by Lord Seymour, and at Longleat by Sir James Thynne.

Note 2. The following passage in Dr. Stukeley's volume on Abury (folio, 1743,) may possibly refer to another visit of the monarch to that interesting temple: — "Some old people remember Charles II., the Duke of York, and Duke of Monmouth riding up Silbury Hill." (p. 43)

Note 3. Monumenta Britannica, ut supra.