WILLIAM, an eminent mathematician, was born at Eton in 1573, and educated in the school there, whence he was elected to King's college in Cambridge, of which he afterwards became fellow. Being admitted to holy orders, he left the university about the year 1603, and was presented to the rectory of Aldbury, near Guildford in Surrey; and about the year 1618 was appointed by the earl of Arundel to instruct his son in the mathematics. He kept a correspondence by letters with some of the most eminent scholars of his time upon mathematical subjects; and the most celebrated mathematicians of that age owed most of their skill to him, whose house was full of young gentlemen that came from all parts to receive his instruction. It is said that, upon hearing the news of the vote at Westminster for the restoration of King Charles II. he expired in a sudden transport of joy, aged 88. He wrote, 1. Clavis Mathematica; which was afterwards published in England. 2. A description of the double horizontal dial. 3. Opifcula Mathematica; and several other works. He left also behind him a great number of papers upon mathematical subjects, which are now in the museum of William Jones, Esq. F. R. S.

David Lloyd, in his Memoirs, has given the following short character of him: "That he was as factious in Greek and Latin, as fold in arithmetic, geometry, and the sphere of all measures, music, &c. exact in his style as in his judgment; handling his tube and other instruments at 80 as steadily as others did at 30; owning this, as he said, to temperance and archery; principling his people with plain and solid truths, as he did the world with great and useful arts; advancing new inventions in all things but religion, which, in its old order and decency, he maintained secure in his privacy, prudence, meekness, simplicity, resolution, patience, and contentment." He had one son; whom he put an apprentice to a watchmaker, and wrote a book of instructions in that art for his use.