Sir Henry Savile
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Savile was an English scholar, Warden of Merton College, Oxford
, and Provost of Eton.
in Yorkshire
, England
, a member of an old county family, the Saviles of Methley
, and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Ramsden.
He was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford
, where he matriculated in 1561. He became a fellow of Merton in 1565. He established a reputation as a Greek scholar and mathematician by voluntary lectures on the Almagest
, and in 1575 became Junior Proctor. In 1578 he travelled on the continent of Europe, where he collected manuscripts and is said to have been employed by Queen Elizabeth
as her resident in the Low Countries
.
On his return he was named Greek Tutor to the Queen, and in 1585 was established as Warden of Merton by a vigorous exercise of the interest of Lord Burghley
and Secretary Walsingham
. He proved a successful and autocratic head under whom the college flourished. A translation of four Books of the Histories of Tacitus
, with a learned Commentary on Roman Warfare in 1591, enhanced his reputation.
On 26 May 1596 he obtained the provostship of Eton, the reward of persistent begging. He was not qualified for the post by the statutes of the College, for he was not in orders, and the queen was reluctant to name him. Savile insisted with considerable ingenuity that the queen had a right to dispense with statutes, and at last he got his way. In February 1601 he was put under arrest on suspicion of having been concerned in the rebellion of the Earl of Essex
.
He was soon released and his friendship with the faction of Essex went far to gain him the favour of James I
. So no doubt did the views he had maintained in regard to the statutes of Eton. It may have been to his advantage that his elder brother, Sir John Savile (1545–1607), was a high prerogative lawyer and one of the barons of the exchequer who in 1606 affirmed the right of the king to impose import and export duties on his own authority.
On 30 September 1604 Savile was knighted, and in that year he was named one of the body of scholars appointed to prepare the authorized version
of the Bible. He was entrusted with parts of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles
and the Book of Revelation
.
In 1619 he founded and endowed his professorships of geometry and astronomy
at Oxford. He died at Eton on the 19 February 1622. He is buried in Merton College Chapel where a fine mural monument offers views of contemporary Merton and Eton and references to his literary achievements (notably Chrysostom)
Sir Henry Savile has been sometimes confounded with another Henry Savile, called Long Harry (1570-1617), who gave currency to the forged addition to the Chronicle of Asser
which contains the story that King Alfred founded the university of Oxford.
, and had some reputation as a scholar. In 1604 died the only son born of his marriage in 1592 with Margaret Dacre, and Sir Henry Savile is thought to have been induced by this loss to devote the bulk of his fortune to the promotion of learning. His surviving child Elizabeth married Sir John Sedley and was mother of Sir Charles Sedley
.
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, and Provost of Eton.
Life
He was the son of Henry Savile of Bradley, near HalifaxHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, a member of an old county family, the Saviles of Methley
Methley
Methley is a dispersed village in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, south east of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is located near Rothwell, Oulton, Woodlesford, Mickletown and Allerton Bywater. It nestles in the triangle formed by Leeds, Castleford and Wakefield, and is between the...
, and of his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Ramsden.
He was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
, where he matriculated in 1561. He became a fellow of Merton in 1565. He established a reputation as a Greek scholar and mathematician by voluntary lectures on the Almagest
Almagest
The Almagest is a 2nd-century mathematical and astronomical treatise on the apparent motions of the stars and planetary paths. Written in Greek by Claudius Ptolemy, a Roman era scholar of Egypt,...
, and in 1575 became Junior Proctor. In 1578 he travelled on the continent of Europe, where he collected manuscripts and is said to have been employed by Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
as her resident in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
.
On his return he was named Greek Tutor to the Queen, and in 1585 was established as Warden of Merton by a vigorous exercise of the interest of Lord Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
and Secretary Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
. He proved a successful and autocratic head under whom the college flourished. A translation of four Books of the Histories of Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
, with a learned Commentary on Roman Warfare in 1591, enhanced his reputation.
On 26 May 1596 he obtained the provostship of Eton, the reward of persistent begging. He was not qualified for the post by the statutes of the College, for he was not in orders, and the queen was reluctant to name him. Savile insisted with considerable ingenuity that the queen had a right to dispense with statutes, and at last he got his way. In February 1601 he was put under arrest on suspicion of having been concerned in the rebellion of the Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
.
He was soon released and his friendship with the faction of Essex went far to gain him the favour of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. So no doubt did the views he had maintained in regard to the statutes of Eton. It may have been to his advantage that his elder brother, Sir John Savile (1545–1607), was a high prerogative lawyer and one of the barons of the exchequer who in 1606 affirmed the right of the king to impose import and export duties on his own authority.
On 30 September 1604 Savile was knighted, and in that year he was named one of the body of scholars appointed to prepare the authorized version
King James Version of the Bible
The Authorized Version, commonly known as the King James Version, King James Bible or KJV, is an English translation of the Christian Bible by the Church of England begun in 1604 and completed in 1611...
of the Bible. He was entrusted with parts of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
and the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
.
In 1619 he founded and endowed his professorships of geometry and astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at Oxford. He died at Eton on the 19 February 1622. He is buried in Merton College Chapel where a fine mural monument offers views of contemporary Merton and Eton and references to his literary achievements (notably Chrysostom)
Sir Henry Savile has been sometimes confounded with another Henry Savile, called Long Harry (1570-1617), who gave currency to the forged addition to the Chronicle of Asser
Asser
Asser was a Welsh monk from St David's, Dyfed, who became Bishop of Sherborne in the 890s. About 885 he was asked by Alfred the Great to leave St David's and join the circle of learned men whom Alfred was recruiting for his court...
which contains the story that King Alfred founded the university of Oxford.
Works
His edition of St. John Chrysostom in eight folio volumes was published in 1610–1613. It was printed by the king's printer in a private press erected at the expense of Sir Henry, who imported the type. The Chrysostom, which cost him £8000 and did not sell well, was the most considerable work of pure learning undertaken in England in his time. At the same press he published an edition of the Cyropaedia in 1618.Family
A brother, Thomas Savile (d. 1593), was also a member of Merton College, OxfordMerton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, and had some reputation as a scholar. In 1604 died the only son born of his marriage in 1592 with Margaret Dacre, and Sir Henry Savile is thought to have been induced by this loss to devote the bulk of his fortune to the promotion of learning. His surviving child Elizabeth married Sir John Sedley and was mother of Sir Charles Sedley
Charles Sedley
Sir Charles Sedley, 5th Baronet was an English wit, dramatist and politician, ending his career as Speaker of the House of Commons.-Life:...
.