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 1623, and was presented to the rectory of Aldbury, near Guildford in Surry; and about the year 1628 was appointed by the earl of Arundel to instruct his son in the mathematics. He kept a corre- spondence 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. Opuscula Mathema- tica; 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 follow- ing short character of him: "That he was as facetious in Greek and Latin, as solid 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; ow- ing this, as he said, to temperance and archery; prin- cipling 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 ap- prentice to a watchmaker, and wrote a book of instruc- tions in that art for his use.