BREREWOOD (Edward), a very learned English
mathematician and antiquary, was the son of Robert
Brerewood a tradesman, who was thrice mayor of Che-
ster; and born in that city in the year 1565. He was
educated in grammar learning at the free school in Che-
ster; and afterwards admitted, in 1581, of Brazen-nose-
college in Oxford. In the year 1596, he became the
first professor of astronomy in Gresham-college in Lon-
don; where he led the same private and retired course
of life that he had before done in Oxford. He died
there of a fever, upon the 4th of November 1613, much
lamented. He was a great searcher into antiquity and
curious knowledge; but is remarkable for having ne-
ver published any thing during his lifetime. After his
death came out the following works. 1. De ponderibus
et pretiis veterum nummorum. 2. Inquiries touching
the diversities of languages and religion through the
chief parts of the world. 3. Elementa logicae in gra-
tiam studiosae juventutis in Acad. Oxon. 4. Trajectus
quidam logici. 5. 6. Two treatises on the Sabbath.
7. Trajectus duo, quorum primus est de meteoris, secun-
dus de oculo. 8. Commentarii in ethica Aristotelis. Mr.
Wood tells us, that the original manuscript of this,
written with his own hand, is in the smallest and neatest
characters that his eyes ever beheld; and that it was fi-
nished by him on the 27th of October 1586. 9. Patri-
archal government of the ancient church.