RECORDE (Robert)

, a learned physician and mathematician, was born of a good family in Wales, and flourished in the reigns of Henry the 8th, Edward the 6th, and Mary. There is no account of the exact time of his birth, though it must have been early in the 16th century, as he was entered of the university of Oxford about the year 1525, where he was elected fellow of Allsouls college in 1531. Making physic his profession, he went to Cambridge, where he was honoured with the degree of doctor in that faculty, in 1545, and highly esteemed by all that knew him for his great knowledge in several arts and sciences. He afterwards returned to Oxford, where, as he had done before he went to Cambridge, he publicly taught arithmetic, and other branches of the mathematics, with great applause. It seems he afterwards repaired to London, and it has been said he was physician to Edward the 6th and Mary, to which princes he dedicates some of his books; and yet he ended his days in the King's-bench prison, Southwark, where he was confined for debt, in the year 1558, at a very immature age.

Recorde published several mathematical books, which are mostly in dialogue, between the master and scholar. They are as follow:

1. The Pathway to Knowledge, containing the first Principles of Geometrie, as they may moste aptly be applied unto practise, bothe for use of Instrumentes Geometricall and Astronomicall, and also for Projection of Plattes much necessary for all sortes of men. Lond. 4to, 1551.

2. The Ground of Arts, teaching the perfect worke and practice of Arithmeticke, both in whole numbers | and fractions, after a more easie and exact forme then in former time hath beene set forth, 8vo, 1552.—This work went through many editions, and was corrected and augmented by several other persons; as first by the famous Dr. John Dee; then by John Mellis, a schoolmaster, 1590; next by Robert Norton; then by Robert Hartwell, practitioner in mathematics, in London; and lastly by R. C. and printed in 8vo, 1623.

3. The Castle of Knowledge, containing the Explication of the Sphere bothe Celestiall and Materiall, and divers other things incident thereto. With sundry pleasaunt proofes and certaine newe demonstrations not written before in any vulgare woorkes. Lond. folio, 1556.

4. The Whetstone of Witte, which is the seconde part of Arithmetike: containing the Extraction of Rootes: the Cossike Practise, with the rules of Equation: and the woorkes of Surde Nombers. Lond. 4to, 1557.— For an analysis of this work on Algebra, with an account of what is new in it, see pa. 79 of vol. 1, under the article Algebra.

Wood says he wrote also several pieces on physic, anatomy, politics, and divinity; but I know not whether they were ever published. And Sherburne says that he published Cosmographiæ Isagogen; also that he wrote a book, De Arte faciendi Horologium; and another, De Usu Globorum, & de Statu Temporum; which I have never seen.