Edward Brerewood

, Son of Rob. Br. Wet-Glover, thrice Mayor of the City of Chester, was born, and educated in Grammar learning, there; applyed his Muse to Academical studies in Brasenose coll. in the latter end of 1581. aged 16. or thereabouts, where continuing an indefatigable Student several years, took the degrees in Arts, and then, as ’tis said, translated himself to St. Maries hall. In 1596. he became the first Astronomy Professor in Gresham coll. in London; wherein, as in Oxon, he always led a retired and private course of Life, delighting with profound speculations, and the diligent searching out of hidden verities. It was also observed, that tho he never published any thing, while he injoyed this earthly Tabernacle, yet to avoid the fruitless curiosity of that which some take upon them, to know only that they may know, he was ever most ready in private, either by conference or writing to instruct others, repairing unto them, if they were desirous of his resolution in any doubtful points of learning, within the ample circuit of his deep apprehension. The things that he wrote were many, the first of which that was published, was, as I conceive, this.

De ponderibus, & pretiis veterum nummorum, eorumque cum recentioribus collatione, lib. 1. Lond. 1614. qu. Published by his Nephew Rob. Brerewood of Chester, who was Commoner of Bras. coll 1605. aged 17. Remitted into the eighth vol. of the Criticks, and in the Apparatus before the first vol. of the Polyglot Bible. He also wrote,

Enquiries touching the diversity of Languages, and Religion, through the chief parts of the World. Lond. 1614. 23. 35. &c. qu. and in 1647. &c. in oct. published by the said Rob. Brerewood, who, if I mistake not, hath written a large and learned Preface to it.

Elementa Legicae in gratiam studiosae juventutis in Acad. Oxon. Lond. 1614. and 15. &c. in oct.

Tractatus quidem Logici de Praedicabilibus & Praedicamentis. Oxon. 1628. 37. &c. oct.

Treatise of the Sabbath. Oxon. 1630. qu. Which coming in MS. into the hands of Nich. Byfield a Minister in Chester, and by him answered, was replied upon by our author in,

A second Treatise of the Sabbath, Ox. 1632. qu. The Puritans, it seems, then (before our authors death 1613.) did verily think there was a Plot against the power of godliness, but could never be pulled down, whilst the Sabbath stood upright, and therefore the Patrons of impiety (as they said) did rightly project to take that out of the way, which stood so much in theirs. Rich. Byfield did vindicate his Brother against Brerewood, and Joh. Ley wrote partly against him in his Sunday a Sabbath. An old and zealous Puritan named Theophilus Brabourne, an obscure Schoolmaster, or, as some say, a Minister of Suffolk, was very stiff for a Sabbath in his books published 1628. and 31. and endeavoured to take off all objections that might be said against one; yet by maintaining the indispensable morality of the fourth Commandment, and consequently the necessary observation of the Jewish Sabbath, did incline several of his Readers to Judaism. Tho. Broad, who was esteemed an Anti-Sabbatarian, did write almost to the same effect that Brerewood did, tho Brerewood’s first book did dissent from his opinions in those points, opposed by George Abbot in his Vindiciae Sabbathi, wherein are also surveyed all the rest that then had lately written on that subject concerning the Sabbath, viz. Francis White B. of Ely, Pet. Heylyn D. D. and Christop. Dowe, whose several treatises on the said subject, he calls Anti-Sabbatarian.

Tractatus duo, quorum primus est de meteoris, secundus de oculo. Oxon. 1631. Published by Tho. Sixesmith M. A. and Fellow of Bras. coll.

Commentarii in Ethica Aristotelis. Ox. 1640. qu. Published by the said Sixesmith, and ’tis called by some Brerewood de moribus. The original MS. of which, written with his own hand, in the smallest and neatest character, that mine eyes ever yet beheld, was by him finished 27. Oct. 1586.

The Patriarchal Government of the ancient Church, declared by way of answer unto four questions, &c. Ox. 1641. qu. He ended his days in Gresham coll. of a Feaver, to the great reluctancy of all good men, that knew the learning and the excellencies of the person, 1613 on the fourth of Nov. in sixteen hundred and thirteen, and was buried the eighth day of the same month, near to the Readers Pew, in the Chancel of the Church of Great S. Helen, within the City of London. In his Lectureship of Astronomy in the said coll. succeeded Edm. Gunter, as I shall tell you elsewhere.