Edmund Wingate

son of Roger Windg. of Bornend and Sharpenhoe in Bedfordshire Esq. was born in 1593, became a Commoner of Queens Coll. in 1610, and took one degree in Arts; which being compleated by Determination, he retired to Greys Inn, where he had entred himself before that time a Student for the obtaining knowledge in the municipal Laws. But his genie being more bent to the noble study of Mathematicks, which had before been promoted and encouraged in Queens Coll. did at length arrive to great eminence in that faculty, and was admired by those few in London that then professed it. In 1624 he transported into France the Rule ((*))((*)) This Rule of Proportion in Arithm. and Geometry was rectified by Mr..... Browne and Mr. Jam. Atkinson Teachers of the Mathematicks.—pr. at Lond. 1683. in tw. of Proportion, having a little before been invented by Edm. Gunter of Gresham Coll, and communicated it to most of the chiefest Mathematicians then residing in Paris: who apprehending the great benefit that might accrue thereby, importun’d him to express the use thereof in the French Tongue. Which being performed accordingly, he was advised by Mounsier Alleawne the Kings chief Engineer to dedicate his book to Mounsier the Kings only Brother, since Duke of Orleance. Nevertheless the said work coming forth as an Abortive (the publishing thereof being somewhat hastned, by reason an Advocate of Diion in Burgundy began to print some uses thereof, which Wingate had in a friendly way communicated to him) especially in regard Gunter himself had learnedly explained its use in a far larger Volume. For albeit it were great presumption in Wingate to assume to himself the reputation of having better abilities to describe any of the uses thereof, yet he could averr upon his own knowledge, that he did forbear to explain its use, because he took it for granted, none would meddle with it, but such only who were already well able to understand how to number upon it, having before hand acquainted themselves with the manner of numbring upon Scales, and with the nature of Logarithms. After our Author Wingates return from France, where he taught the Kings daughter Henrietta Maria (afterwards Queen of England) and her Ladies the English Tongue, he importun’d Gunter to make a fuller Explanation how to number upon it, (viz. the Rule of Proportion) to the end that the use thereof might by that means be made more publick; but his Answer was, That it could not be expected that the rule should speak; intimating thereby, that the Practitioner should (in that point) rely much upon discretion, and not altogether depend upon precepts and examples. Some time before the grand Rebellion broke out, he the said Wingate became a Bencher of Greys Inn, (having a seat then at Ampthill in Bedfordshire) afterwards took the Covenant, was made Justice of the Peace, Recorder of Bedford, and had other places of profit confer’d on him. In 1650, or thereabouts, he took the Oath called the Engagement, became known to Oliver, and was one of the six persons that were elected for the Town and County of Bedford to serve in that Parliament called by Oliver, that met at Westminster 3 Sept. 1654, about which time he was appointed one of the Commissioners for his County of Bedford to eject such whom they then called ignorant and scandalous Ministers and Schoolmasters. He hath written,

The use of the rule of Proportion in Arithmetick and Geometry, wherein is inserted the construction and use of the same rule in Questions that concern Astronomy, Dialing, Geometry, Navigation, Gageing, &c.—printed at Paris in the French Language 1624 in oct. and at Lond. in 1645 and 58. in oct.

Of natural and artificial Arithmetick (or Arithmetick made easie) in two books. Lond. 1630. oct. with an Appendix concerning equation of time. The first of which books, which treats of natural Arithmetick, is only a key to open the secrets of the other, performed by Logarithms; and both borrowed from John Neper Baron of Markiston in Scotland and Hen. Brigges. But that way and method which our Author takes, is not by Multiplication and Division, but by Addition and Substraction, by which a man may resolve more questions in one hour than by the other in a whole day. In 1650 the first of the said books was reprinted at London in oct. and enlarged with divers Chapters and necessary Rules, and an Appendix of John Kersey Teacher of the Mathematicks in London, and Surveyour, born at Bodicot near Banbury in Oxfordshire, an. 1616, and died in Chandois street near S. Martins lane in Westminster of a Consumption about 1677, after he had published two volumes of Algebra in fol. &c. The second book was enlarged and reprinted by our Author Wingate at London 1652. oct. &c.

Tables of Logarithmes of the right Sines and Tangents of all the degrees and minutes of the Quadrant: To which is annexed their use for the resolution of all the most necessary Problems in Geometry, Astronomy, Geography, and Navigation, &c. Lond. 1633. oct. It is printed with the Table of Logarithms of all numbers from 1 to 100000. contracted by Nathan. Roe Minister of Benacre in Suffolk.

The construction and use of the Logarithmetical Tables, and resolution of Triangles, &c.—This book was first written and published in French, afterwards in English—Lond. 1635. oct. The said Treatise is nothing else but an orderly Compendium, as well of the Construction, as also of the joint and several uses of Briggs his Logarithmes of the Sines and Tangents of all the degrees and minutes of the Quadrant: And altho this our Authors Tables be not the very same as theirs, yet are they all taken and collected out of them, and do all participate of the self same nature and operation.

An exact abridgment of all Statutes in force and use from the beginning of Magna Charta untill 1641. Lond. 1642 and 1655. oct. continued under all their proper titles, of all Acts in force and use, untill the year 1670, &c. by T. M.—Lond. 1670, in a thick oct. Thence continued to 1681. oct. This abridgment hath been made use of upon divers occasions both in studies and employments, especially at the Assizes and Sessions of Peace.

The body of the Common Law of England, as it stood in force before it was altered by Statutes or Acts of Parliament or State; together with a collection of such statutes as have altered, or do otherwise concern, the same. Lond. 1655. oct. 2d. edit.

Ludus Mathematicus: or, an explanation of the description, construction, and use of the numerical table of proportion. Lond. 1654. oct.

Construction and use of the line of proportion, whereby the hardest questions of Arithmetick and Geometry in broken and whole numbers are resolved by addition and substraction. Lond. in oct.

Tactometria, seu Tetagne-nometria. or, the Geometry of Regulars practically proposed after an exact and new manner, with rules for gageing Vessels. Lond. in oct.

The exact Surveighour of Land, to plot all grounds, to reduce and divide the same, by the plain Table, Theolodite, and circumferentur, &c. Lond. in oct.

Maxims of reason: or, the reason of the common law of England. Lond. 1658. fol.

Justice revived: Being the whole office of a Country Justice of Peace; briefly and yet more methodically than ever yet extant. Lond. oct. said to be written in the title by E. W. of Greys Inn Esq. which I take to be our Author Edm. Wingate.

Statuta Pacis: or, the table of all the Statutes which any way concerned the Office of a Justice of Peace, the several duties of Sherriffs, Head Officers of Corporations, Stewards in Leets, Constables, &c. Lond. in tw.

The exact Constable, with his original, and power in the Offices of Church Wardens, Overseers of the Poor, Surveyours of the High-wayes, Treasurers of the County stock, and other inferior Officers, &c. Lond. in tw. said to be written by E. W. of Greys-Inn Esq. which I take to be our Author. He also published Britton (sometimes Bishop of Hereford, as ’tis said) an antient treatise of the Law. Lond. 1640. oct. 2d. edit. What other Books he hath written or published I know not, nor any thing material of him besides, only that he dying in Greys-inn-lane in Holbourne near London, was buried in S. Andrews Church there, on the 13. day of December in sixteen hundred fifty and six,1656. and that, (as I have been informed) he was Master of Arts of this University, and born at Sharpenho beforemention’d: Both which I take to be false because that his admission to that degree occurs not in the publick register, and that in the book of Matriculation subtit. Coll. Reginae he is matriculated as a Yorkshire man born (his Father or Uncle having then Lands at Flamburg and Great Kelk in that County) as his elder Brother Roger was, an. 1608.