ROBERT, physician and mathematician, was descended of a respectable family in Wales, and lived in the time of Henry VIII., Edward VI. and Mary. The time of his birth is not exactly known, but it must have been about the beginning of the 16th century; for he was entered of the university of Oxford about 1525, and was elected fellow of All-Souls college in 1537. As he made physic his profession, he went to Cambridge, where he was honoured with the degree of doctor in that faculty in 1545, and very much esteemed by all who were acquainted with him, for his extensive knowledge of many of the arts and sciences. He afterwards returned to Oxford, where he publicly taught arithmetic and mathematics, as he had done prior to his going to Cambridge, and that with great applause. It appears that he afterwards went to London, and was, it is said, physician to Edward VI. and to Mary, to whom some of his books are dedicated; yet he died in the king's-bench prison, Southwark, where he was confined for debt in the year 1558, at a very immature age.

He published several works on mathematical subjects, chiefly in the form of dialogue between master and scholar, of which the following is a list.

The Pathway to Knowledge, containing the first principles, REC [664] REC

ciples of geometry, as they may most aptly be applied unto practice, both for the use of Instrumentes Geometricall and Astronomicall, and also for projection of Platies, much necessary for all sortes of men. Lond. 4to, 1551.

The Ground of Arts, teaching the perfect worke and practice of Arithmeticke, both in whole numbers and fractions, after a more easy and exact forme then in former time hath been set forth, 8vo, 1552.

The Castle of Knowledge, containing the Explication of the Sphere both Celestiall and Materiall, and divers other things incident thereto. With sundry pleasant proofs and certaine newe demonstrations not written before in any vulgare worckes. Lond. fol. 1556.

The Whetstone of Witte, which is the second part of Arithmetike, containing the extraction of rootes; the Coslike practice, with the rules of equation; and the worckes of surde numbers. Lond. 4to, 1557.

Wood says that he was the author of several pieces on physic, anatomy, politics, and divinity, but it is uncertain whether these were ever published. Sherburne says that he also published Cosmographie Ia-gogen; that he wrote a book, De arte faciendi horologium, and another De usu globorum, et de statu temporum, none of which we have had an opportunity of seeing.