Arthur Hopton

, fifth Son of Sir Arth. Hopton Knight of the Bathe, (by Rachell his Wife, daughter of Edm. Hall of Gretford in Lincolnshire) Son of Sir Owen Hopton, sometimes Leivtenant of the Tower near London, was born in Somersetshire, (at Wytham as it seems) became a Gent. Commoner of Lincoln coll in Michaelmas Term, an. 1604. aged 15. or more; where falling under the tuition of a noted and careful Tutor, became the miracle of his age for learning. In 1607. he was admitted Bach. of Arts, and then left the University to the great sorrow of those who knew the wonderful pregnancy of his parts. Afterwards he setled in London, in one of the Temples as I conceive, where he was much admired and beloved by Selden and all the noted men of that time, who held him in great value not only for his antient and gentile Extraction, but for the marvellous forwardness of his Mathematical genie, which led him to perform those matters at one or two and twenty years of age, which others of forty or fifty could not do, as in these Books following of his composition may appear.

Baculum Geodaticum sive Viaticum. Or, the Geodetical Staff containing eight books. Lond. 1610. in a pretty thick qu.

Speculum Topographicum. Or, the Topographical Glass; containing the use of the Topographical Glass, Theodelitus, plain Table and Circumferentor, &c. Lond. 1611. qu.

A Concordancy of years; containing a new, easie, and a most exact computation of time, according to the English accompt. Lond. 1616. oct. To which were additions made by Joh. Penkethman. Lond. 1635. in qu. in one sh. and half. He hath also divers copies of verses scattered in books, which shew that he was a tolerable Poet of his time. He ended his days in the prime of his years, within the Parish of St. Clements Danes, without Temple-Bar near to London, in the month of Nov. in sixteen hundred and fourteen, 1614 and was buried (if I mistake not) in the Church there. His untimely death, as I have been informed by those that remember him, was much regretted by all those, who were acquainted with him, and knew his extraordinary worth. His Nephew Ralph Hopton, Son of his Brother Robert, was a Gent. Com. also of Linc. coll. and after the Rebellion brake out in 1642. he was a General of an Army under K. Ch. 1. and by him made a Baron.