(Thomas), a famous mathematician of the sixteenth century, born at Uxeter in Staffordshire, the 21st of December 1542. He was admitted scholar of Trinity-college, Oxford, the 4th of June 1561; and in 1567, took his degree of master of arts. In 1570, he quitted his college and fellowship, and retired to Gloucester-hall; where he studied very closely, and became famous for his knowledge in antiquity, philosophy, and mathematics. Having received an Invitation from Henry earl of Northumberland, a great friend and patron of the mathematicians, he spent some time at the earl's house, where he became acquainted with those celebrated mathematicians Thomas Harriot, John Dee, Walter Warner, and Nathaniel Torporley. Robert earl of Leicester had a particular esteem for Mr Allen, and would have conferred a bishopric upon him, but his love of solitude and retirement made him decline the offer. His great skill in the mathematics, made the ignorant and vulgar look upon him as a magician or conjurer: the author of a book intitled Leicesters Commonwealth, has accordingly accused him with using the art of figuring, to procure the earl of Leicester's unlawful designs, and endeavouring by the black art to bring about a match betwixt him and Queen Elizabeth. But without pretending to point out the absurdity of the charge, it is certain that the earl placed such confidence in Allen, that nothing material in the state was transacted without his knowledge; and the earl had constant information, by letter, from Mr Allen, of what passed in the university. Mr Allen was very curious and indefatigable in collecting scattered manuscripts relating to history, antiquity, astronomy, philosophy, and mathematics: these collections have been quoted by several learned authors, &c., and mentioned to have been in the Bibliotheca Alleniana. He published in Latin the second and third books of Claudius ALL

Allendorf dius Ptolemy of Pelusium, Concerning the Judgment of the Stars; or, as it is commonly called, of the Quadruple Construction, with an exposition. He wrote also notes on many of Lilly's books, and some on John Bale's work De Scriptoribus Maj. Britanniae. Having lived to a great age, he died at Gloucester-hall, on the 30th of September 1632.