Arnold Boate

Arnold Boate, originally called de Boot (1606–1653) was a Dutch physician , writer and Hebraist who spent much of his life abroad, and lived for several years in Dublin . There he married Margaret Dongan, a judge's daughter, whom he portrayed lovingly in his book The Character of a Truly Virtuous and Pious Woman . ^[1] He was the brother of Gerard Boate , author of The Natural History of Ireland , for which Arnold supplied much of the material. Both Gerard and Arnold were members of the Hartlib circle .

Background [ edit ]

Born Arnold de Boot in Gorinchem in the Netherlands , he was a younger son of the Dutch knight Godfried de Boot (c.1570-1625) and his wife Christine van Loon. ^[2] Like his brother, he attended the University of Leiden and qualified as a doctor of medicine . He also developed a deep interest in Hebrew studies and in particular the correct reading of the Old Testament . His first book, co-written with Francis Taylor [1] and entitled Examen Praefationis Morini in Biblia Graeca de Textus Ebraici et Graeci authoritate was published in Leiden in 1630. ^[2]

Career [ edit ]

He and his brother Gerard moved to London about 1630 to practice medicine. It was said that they became involved in a dispute with the Royal College of Physicians , but Arnold was lucky enough to become personal physician to Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester . ^[2] Leicester was later appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland and, though he never actually went to Ireland , he may have recommended Arnold to his Irish friends. Arnold's writings had already brought him to the attention of James Ussher , Archbishop of Armagh , and it was Ussher who invited Arnold to Ireland in 1636. ^[2] He became Ussher's personal physician, and was later appointed Surgeon-General to the Irish Army . ^[3] He also built up a flourishing private practice among the Dutch community in Dublin . ^[3]

In 1641 Gerard and Arnold co-wrote Philosophia Naturalis Reformata , an attack upon Aristotelianism . Arnold's experience as an army doctor also led him to write Diverse remarkable passages .. of our Army in Ireland (1642) and Observationes medicae de affectibus a veteribus omissis (1649). ^[3]

His marriage, which was a love match, to Margaret Dongan, daughter of Thomas Dongan , judge of the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) and his first wife Grace Palmer, ^[1] strengthened his ties with the Irish Protestant ruling class , although his father-in-law, according to Elrington Ball, was not much respected, partly because he was known to be a Roman Catholic who conformed to the Protestant faith only for the purpose of his career. ^[1] Arnold, however, wrote of Dongan in his memoir of Margaret with affection and respect. Dongan was a wealthy man, but suffered heavy losses during the Irish Rebellion of 1641 . ^[1] Arnold's sympathies were with the Cromwellian cause and he is said to have acted as a spy for Oliver Cromwell . ^[4] In 1644 Arnold decided to quit Ireland. He moved briefly to stay with his brother in London but then settled permanently in Paris . He is said to have spied for Cromwell on English Royalists while in Paris. ^[5] Much of his later career was spent in scholarly dispute with Louis Capel, who had questioned his Biblical readings and the result was a lengthy pamphlet war , involving several scholars on both sides, including Ussher. ^[2]

Like his brother, he was a member of the Hartlib Circle , the circle of scholars who corresponded with Samuel Hartlib on scientific, religious and political issues, and he is credited with having established the Irish branch of the circle; even after he left Ireland he acted as a conduit between Hartlib and Ussher. Gerard's most famous work The Natural History of Ireland was written, at Hartlib's suggestion, from material collected by Arnold. ^[2] After Gerard's death in 1650 Hartlib suggested that Arnold continue the work, but Arnold himself died in Paris in 1653.

Family [ edit ]

On Christmas Day 1642 Arnold married Margaret Dongan (1626-1651). ^[1] Of their three children two died young. Mariana, their only surviving daughter, married Marcus Beyerman. Margaret died in April 1651 from complications during pregnancy .

Arnold was devoted to his wife, and shortly after her death he published a remarkable tribute, The Character of a Truly Virtuous and Pious Woman as it has been acted by Mistress Margaret Dongan , which was dedicated to Thomas Sydserf , Bishop of Galloway . ^[2] It paints a picture of a young woman who was nospan for beauty, religious fervour, kindness, peaceful nature, charity and family loyalty

Works [ edit ]

• Examen Praefationis Morini in Biblia Graeca de Textus Ebraici Corruptione et Graeca Authoritate (co-author) (1630)
• Philosophia Naturalis Reformata (co-author) (1641)
• A Remonstrance on Diverse Remarkable Passages by our Army (1642)
• Animadversiones sacrae ad textum Hebraicum veteris testemetnti (1644)
• Observationes medicae de affectibus a veteribus omissis (1649)
• De textus Hebraici veteris tetementi certitudine (1650)
• The Character of a Truly Virtuous and Pious Woman... (1651)
• Arnoldi Booti vindiciae... (1653)

Notes [ edit ]

References [ edit ]

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Gilbert, John Thomas (1886). " Boate, Arnold ". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography . Vol. 5. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

External links [ edit ]

• Works by Arnold Boate at Post-Reformation Digital Library