SAVILLE, SIR HENRY, a learned Englishman, was the second son of Henry Saville, Esq. and was born at Bradley, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, November the 30th, 1549. He was entered of Merton College, Oxford, in 1561, where he took the degrees in arts, and was chosen fellow. When he proceeded master of arts in 1570, he read for that degree on the Almagest of Ptolemy, which procured him the reputation of a man eminently skilled in mathematics and the Greek language; in the former of which he voluntarily read a public lecture in the university for some time.
In 1578 he travelled into France and other countries; where, diligently improving himself in all useful learning, in languages, and the knowledge of the world, he became a most accomplished gentleman. At his return, he was made tutor in the Greek tongue to Queen Elizabeth, who had a great esteem for him.
In 1585 he was made warden of Merton College, which he governed 36 years with great honour, and improved it by all the means in his power.—In 1596 he was chosen provost of Eton College; which he filled with many learned men.—James I. upon his accession to the crown of England, expressed a great regard for him, and would have preferred him either in church or state; but Saville declined it, and only accepted the ceremony of knighthood from the king at Windsor in 1604. His only son Henry dying about that time, he thenceforth devoted his fortune to the promoting of learning. Among other things, in 1619, he founded, in the university of Oxford, two lectures, or professorships, one in geometry, the other in astronomy; which he endowed with a salary of 160l. a year each, besides a legacy of 600l. to purchase more lands for the same use. He also furnished a library with mathematical books, near the mathematical school, for the use of his professors; and gave 100l. to the mathematical chest of his own appointing: adding afterwards a legacy of 40l. a year to the same chest, to the university, and to his professors jointly. He likewise gave 120l. towards the new building of the schools, beside several rare manuscripts and printed books to the Bodleian library; and a good quantity of Greek types to the printing press at Oxford.
VOL. XVIII. Part II.
After a life thus spent in the encouragement and promotion of science and literature in general, he died at Eton College the 19th of February 1622, in the 73d year of his age, and was buried in the chapel there. On this occasion, the university of Oxford paid him the greatest honours, by having a public speech and verses made in his praise, which were published soon after in 4to, under the title of Ultima Linea Savillii.
The highest encomiums were bestowed on Saville by all the learned of his time: by Casaubon, Mercurius, Meibomius, Joseph Scaliger, and especially the learned Bishop Montague; who, in his Dissertatio upon Selden's History of Tythes, styles him, "that magazine of learning, whose memory shall be honourable amongst not only the learned, but the righteous for ever." His works are,