BREREWOOD (Edward)

, a learned mathematician and antiquary, was the son of Robert Brerewood, a reputable tradesman, who was three times mayor of Chester. Our author was born in that city in 1565, where he was educated in grammar learning at the free school; and was afterward admitted, in 1581, of Brazen-nose College, Oxford; where he soon acquired the character of a hard student; as he has shewn by the commentaries he wrote upon Aristotle's Ethics, which were written by him about the age of 21.

In the year 1596 he was chosen the first Professor of Astronomy in Gresham College, being one of the two who, at the desire of the electors, were recommended to them by the university of Oxford. He loved retirement, and wholly devoted himself to the pursuit of knowledge. And though he never published any thing himself, yet he was very communicative, and ready to impart what he knew, to others, either in conversation or in writing. His retired situation at Gresham College being agreeable, it did not appear that he had any other views, but continued there the remainder of his life, which was terminated by a fever the 4th of November 1613, at 48 years of age, in the midst of his pursuits, and before he had taken proper care to collect and digest his learned labours; which however were not lost; being reduced to order, and published after his death. These were little or nothing mathematical, being of a miscellaneous nature, upon the several subjects of Weights, Money, Languages, Religion, Logic, the Sabbath, Meteors, the Eye, Ethics, &c.