182] A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



THOMAS ALLEN. 



THOMAS ALLEN was born at Uttoxeter, on the 21st of Dec. 

 1542, and, according to Camden, was a descendant through six 

 generations of Henry Allen, of Bucknall. In 1561, he was ad- 

 mitted a Scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, became a Fellow in 

 1565, and, in 1567, took his Master's degree. He continued to 

 pursue his studies for three years afterwards in this college, but in 

 consequence of his disinclination to enter into holy orders, as re- 

 quired by the statutes, he resigned his Fellowship, and went te 

 Gloucester Hall (now Worcester College) in the year 1570. He 

 now pursued the study of the mathematics with great attention and 

 success, and in consequence of his attainments, acquired a high 

 reputation for his superior knowledge of his favourite branch of 

 learning. 



Henry Earl of Northumberland, a nobleman much devoted to 

 mathematical science, now patronized Mr. Allen, invited him to his 

 house, and introduced him to those celebrated mathematicians, 

 Thomas Harrison, John Dee, Walter Warner, and Nathaniel Tor- 

 porley. In their society Mr. Allen enjoyed the highest gratifica- 

 tion, by the discussion of topics most congenial to his habits of 

 thinking, and his friends were no less pleased and instructed in their 

 intercourse with a young philosopher, whose demonstrations of 

 science were so complete and conclusive. 



Among other distinguished characters who respected the talents 

 of Mr. Allen, Robert Earl of Leicester was emulous to patronise 

 him, and offered to confer a bishopric upon him, but our philosopher 

 declined this clerical preferment, and continued in that retirement 

 which was so agreeable to his unostentatious character, and his 

 simple and temperate habits of life. Devoted to the studious pur- 

 suits of science, Mr. Allen continued in the University, and avail- 

 ing himself of the advantages of his situation, he collected many 

 valuable manuscripts relating to Antiquities, History, Philosophy, 

 Mathematics, and Astronomy. A catalogue of this collection is 

 preserved in the Ashmoleau Museum. 



Mr. Allen published in Latin the second and third books of 

 Ptolemy, " Concerning the Judgment of the Stars/' with an Expo- 

 sition. He also wrote notes on many of Lilly's books, and some 

 on Bale's work, entitled " De Scriptoribus Maj. Britannia ;" and 



