SAVILLE (Sir Henry)
, a very learned English- | man, the second son of Henry Saville, Esq. was born at Bradley, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, November the 30th, 1549. He was entered of Merton-college, Oxford, in 1561, where he took the degrees in arts, and was chosen fellow. When he proceeded master of arts in 1570, he read for that degree on the Almagest of Ptolomy, which procured him the reputation of a man eminently skilled in mathematics and the Greek language; in the former of which he voluntarily read a public lecture in the university for some time.
In 1578 he travelled into France and other countries; where, diligently improving himself in all useful learning, in languages, and the knowledge of the world, he became a most accomplished gentleman. At his return, he was made tutor in the Greek tongue to queen Elizabeth, who had a great esteem and liking for him.
In 1585 he was made warden of Merton-college, which he governed six-and-thirty years with great honour, and improved it by all the means in his power.— In 1596 he was chosen provost of Eton-college; which he filled with many learned men.—James the First, upon his accession to the crown of England, expressed a great regard for him, and would have preferred him either in church or state; but Saville declined it, and only accepted the ceremony of knighthood from the king at Windsor in 1604. His only son Henry dying about that time, he thenceforth devoted his fortune to the promoting of learning. Among other things, in 1619, he founded, in the university of Oxford, two lectures, or professorships, one in geometry, the other in astronomy; which he endowed with a salary of 1601. a year each, besides a legacy of 600l. to purchase more lands for the same use. He also furnished a library with mathematical books near the mathematical school, for the use of his professors; and gave 100l. to the mathematical chest of his own appointing: adding after wards a legacy of 40l. a year to the same chest, to the university, and to his professors jointly. He likewise gave 120l. towards the new-building of the schools, beside several rare manuscripts and printed books to the Bodleian library; and a good quantity of Greek types to the printing-press at Oxford.
After a life thus spent in the encouragement and promotion of science and literature in general, he died at Eton-college the 19th of February 1622, in the 73d year of his age, and was buried in the chapel there. On this occasion, the university of Oxford paid him the greatest honours, by having a public speech and verses made in his praise, which were published soon after in 4to, under the title of Ultima Linea Savilii.
As to the character of Saville, the highest encomiums are bestowed on him by all the learned of his time: by Casaubon, Mercerus, Meibomius, Joseph Scaliger, and especially the learned bishop Montague; who, in his Diatribæ upon Selden's History of Tythes, styles him, “that magazine of learning, whose memory shall be honourable amongst not only the learned, but the righteous for ever.”
Several noble instances of his munificence to the republic of letters have already been mentioned: in the account of his publications many more, and even greater, will appear. These are,
1. Four Books of the Histories of Cornelius Tacitus, and the Life of Agricola; with Notes upon them, in folio, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, 1581.
2. A View of certain Military Matters, or Commentaries concerning Roman Warfare, 1598.
3. Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores post Bedam, &c. 1596. This is a collection of the best writers of our English history; to which he added chronological tables at the end, from Julius Cæsar to William the Conqueror.
4. The Works of St. Chrysostom, in Greek, in 8 vols. folio, 1613. This is a very fine edition, and composed with great cost and labour. In the preface he says, “that having himself visited, about 12 years before, all the public and private libraries in Britain, and copied out thence whatever he thought useful to this design, he then sent some learned men into France, Germany, Italy, and the East, to transcribe such parts as he had not already, and to collate the others with the best manuscripts.” At the same time, he makes his acknowledgments to several eminent men for their assistance; as Thuanus, Velserus, Schottus, Casaubon, Ducæus, Gruter, Hoeschelius, &c. In the 8th volume are inserted Sir Henry Saville's own notes, with those of other learned men. The whole charge of this edition, including the several sums paid to learned men, at home and abroad, employed in finding out, transcribing, and collating the best manuscripts, is said to have amounted to no less than 80001. Several editions of this work were afterwards published at Paris.
5. In 1618 he published a Latin work, written by Thomas Bradwardin, abp. of Canterbury, against Pelagius, intitled, De Causa Dei contra Pelagium, et de virtute causarum; to which he prefixed the life of Bradwardin.
6. In 1621 he published a collection of his own Mathematical Lectures on Euclid's Elements; in 4to.
7. Oratio coram Elizabetha Regina Oxoniæ habita, anno 1592. Printed at Oxford in 1658, in 4to.
8. He translated into Latin king James's Apology for the Oath of Allegiance. He also left several manuscripts behind him, written by order of king James; all which are in the Bodleian library. He wrote notes likewise upon the margin of many books in his library, particularly Eusebius's Ecelesiastical History; which were afterwards used by Valesius, in his edition of that work in 1659.—Four of his letters to Camden are published by Smith, among Camden's Letters, 1691, 4to.
Sir Henry Saville had a younger brother, Thomas Saville, who was admitted probationer fellow of Merton-college, Oxford, in 1580. He afterwards travelled abroad into several countries. Upon his return he was chosen fellow of Eton-college; but he died at London in 1593. Thomas Saville was also a man of great learning, and an intimate friend of Camden; among whose letters, just mentioned, there are 15 of Mr. Saville's to him.
