Charles Butler

was born at one of the Wycombs (Great Wycombe I suppose) in Bucks, entred a Student into Magd. Hall in the year 1579, took a degree in Arts, and being made one of the Bible Clerks of Magd. Coll. was translated thereunto. Soon after, proceeding in that faculty, he became Master of the Free-school at Basingstoke in Hampshire, where continuing 7 years, with the enjoyment of a Cure of a little Church called Skewres, was promoted to the Vicaridge of Lawrence-Wotton three miles distant thence, (a poor preferment God wot for such a worthy scholar,) where, being setled, he wrot and published these books following, which shew him to have been an ingenious man, and well skill’d in various sorts of learning.

The feminine Monarchy: or, a Treatise of Bees, Ox. 1609. oct. Lond. 1623. Ox. 1634. qu. translated into Latine by Rich. Richardson, sometimes of Emanuel Coll. in Cambridge, now, or lately, an Inhabitant in the most pleasant Village of Brixworth in Northamptonshire—Lond. 1673. oct. In this version he hath left out some of the ornamental and emblematical part of the English copy, and hath, with the Authors, scatter’d and intermix’d his own Observations on Bees, and what of note he had either heard from men skilful this way, or had read in other books. But this last translation being slow in the sale, there hath been a new title put to it, and said therein to be printed at Oxon. 1682. oct.

Rhetoricae libri duo. Oxon. 1618. and 29. qu. Lond. 1635. oct.

De propinquitate matrimonium impediente regula generalis. Oxon. 1625. qu.

Oratoriae libri duo. Ox. 1633. qu. Lond. 1635. oct.

English Grammar. Ox. 1634. qu.

The principles of Musick. Lond. 1636. qu. He took his last farewel of this world on the 29 of March in sixteen hundred forty and seven, and in that of his age 88, or thereabouts (after he had been Vicar of Wotton St. Laurence before mention’d 48 years) and was buried in the Chancel of the Church there.1647.