, the most eminent schoolmaster in his time, was the second son of
, the most eminent schoolmaster in
his time, was the second son of Richard Busby, of the
city of Westminster, gent, but born at Lutton in Lincolnshire, September 22, 1606. He received his education in
Westminster-school, as a king’s scholar; and in 1624 was
elected student of Christ Church. He took the degree of
bachelor of arts Oct. 21, 1628; and that of master June
18, 1631; at which time he was esteemed a great master
of the Greek and Latin tongues, and a complete orator.
Towards the expence of taking his degrees, a sum was honourably voted him by the vestry of St. Margaret, Westminster (in all 11l. 13s. 4d.) which he afterwards as honourably repaid, adding to it an annual sum towards the
maintenance of the parish school. On the 1st of July
1639, he was admitted to the prebend and rectory of Cudworth, with the chapel of Knowle annexed, in the church
of Wells; of which he lost the profits during the civil
wars; but found means to keep his student’s place, and
other preferment. He was appointed master of Westminster-school, December 13, 1640; in which laborious station he continued above fifty-five years, and bred up the
greatest number of learned scholars that ever adorned any
age or nation . But he met with great uneasiness from
the second master, Edward Bagshaw, who endeavoured to
supplant him; but was himself removed out of his place
for his insolence, in May 1658 (See Edward Bagshaw).
After the restoration, Mr. Busby’s merit being noticed>
his majesty conferred on him a prebend of Westminster,
into which he was installed July 5, 1660; and the llth of
August following, he was made treasurer and canon-residentiary of Wells. On October 19, 1660, he took the
degree of D. D. At the coronation of king Charles II.
April 1661, he carried the Ampulla. In the convocation,
which met June 24, the same year, he was proctor for the
chapter of Bath and Wells; and one of those who approved and subscribed the Common Prayer-Book. He
gave two hundred and fifty pounds towards repairing and
beautifying Christ Church college and cathedral; and intended, but never completed the foundation of two lectures in the same college, one for the Oriental languages,
and another for the mathematics; but he left a stipend
for a catechetical lecture, 10 be read in one of the parish
churches in Oxford, by a member of Christ Church . He
contributed also to the repair of Lichfield church. As for
his many other benefactions, they are not upon record,
because they were done in a private manner. This great
man, after a loBg, healthy, and laborious life, died April
6, 1695, aged eighty-nine, and was buried in Westminsterabbey, where there is a curious monument erected to him.
He composed several books for the use of his school, as,
1. “A short institution of Grammar,
” Cambr. Juvenalis et Persii Satira?,
” Lond. An English Introduction to the
Latin Tongue,
” Lond. Pvlartiaiis Epigrammata selecta,
” Lond. Grsecae Grammaticae Rudimenta,
” Lond. Nomenclatura Brevis Reformata, adjecto cum Syllabo Verborum et
Adjectivorum,
” At the end is printed “Duplex Centenarius Proverbiorum Anglo-Latino-Graecorum,
” Lond.
Ανθολογία δευτέρα: sive Græcorum Epigrammatum Florilegium novum,
” Lond. 1673, &c. 8vo.
8. “Rudimentum Anglo-Latinum, Grammatica literalis et
numeralis,
” Lond. Rudimentum Grammaticæ Græco-Latinæ Metricum,
” Lond.