Nathaniel Torporley
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Torporley was an English
clergyman, mathematician
, and astrologer
.
, and was admitted to Shrewsbury
free grammar school as an 'oppidan' in 1571. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford
, 17 November 1581, as a 'plebeian,' and graduated B.A. on 5 February 1584; and proceeded M.A. from Brasenose College on 8 July 1591. Entering holy orders, he was appointed rector of Salwarpe in Worcestershire
on 14 June 1608, a living he held until 1622. He also occurs as rector of Liddington
, Wiltshire
, in 1611, though he seems to have resided chiefly at Sion College
, London.
Torporley associated with Thomas Harriot
and acquired a knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. He was supported by Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
, who for several years gave him an annual pension. On 27 November 1605, just after the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot
, Torporley was examined by the council for having cast the king's nativity. For two or more years he resided in France, and was amanuensis
to François Viète
of Fontenay
, against whom he published a pamphlet under the name of Poulterey. He died in Sion College, London, and was buried in St. Alphege's Church on 17 April 1632.
He left a nuncupative will, dated 14 April 1632, by which he bequeathed to the library of Sion College all his mathematical books, astronomical instruments, notes, maps, and a brass clock. Among these books were some manuscripts: Congestor: Opus Mathematicum, Philosophia, Atomorum Atopia demonstrata, Corrector Analyticus Artis posthunc. Administration of the will was granted on 6 January 1633 to his sister, Susanna Tasker.
He was executor of the papers of Harriot, his teacher. He worked over them, but the work that eventually appeared, the Artis Analyticae Praxis (1631), was edited together by Walter Warner
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
clergyman, mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, and astrologer
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
.
Life
He was born in ShropshireShropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, and was admitted to Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
free grammar school as an 'oppidan' in 1571. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, 17 November 1581, as a 'plebeian,' and graduated B.A. on 5 February 1584; and proceeded M.A. from Brasenose College on 8 July 1591. Entering holy orders, he was appointed rector of Salwarpe in Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
on 14 June 1608, a living he held until 1622. He also occurs as rector of Liddington
Liddington
Liddington is a village near Swindon in Wiltshire, England. The settlement lies south east of Swindon town, close to the M4 motorway, junction 15 of which is about 1.5 kilometres away via the B4192 - known as Purley Road where it passes through Liddington village.The parish as a whole has been an...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, in 1611, though he seems to have resided chiefly at Sion College
Sion College
Sion College, in London, is an institution founded by Royal Charter in 1630 as a college, guild of parochial clergy and almshouse, under the 1623 will of Thomas White, vicar of St Dunstan's in the West....
, London.
Torporley associated with Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot
Thomas Harriot was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer, and translator. Some sources give his surname as Harriott or Hariot or Heriot. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of the potato to Great Britain and Ireland...
and acquired a knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. He was supported by Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland KG was an English aristocrat. He was a grandee and one of the wealthiest peers of the court of Elizabeth I. Under James I, Henry was a long-term prisoner in the Tower of London. He is known for the circles he moved in as well as for his own achievements...
, who for several years gave him an annual pension. On 27 November 1605, just after the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
, Torporley was examined by the council for having cast the king's nativity. For two or more years he resided in France, and was amanuensis
Amanuensis
Amanuensis is a Latin word adopted in various languages, including English, for certain persons performing a function by hand, either writing down the words of another or performing manual labour...
to François Viète
François Viète
François Viète , Seigneur de la Bigotière, was a French mathematician whose work on new algebra was an important step towards modern algebra, due to its innovative use of letters as parameters in equations...
of Fontenay
Fontenay
Fontenay can refer to:a person*Charles L. Fontenay, journalist and science-fiction writer*Jean-Baptiste Belin de Fontenay I, French paintera battle* Battle of Fontenay , during the Carolingian civil war...
, against whom he published a pamphlet under the name of Poulterey. He died in Sion College, London, and was buried in St. Alphege's Church on 17 April 1632.
Works
He published Diclides Coelometricae; seu Valuae Astronomicae universales, omnia artis totius munera Psephophoretica in sat modicis Finibus Duarum Tabularum methodo Nova, generali et facillima continentes, London, 1602. With this was presented a preface, entitled Directionis accuratae consummata Doctrina, Astrologis hactenus plurimum desiderata; and Tabula praemissilis ad Declinationes et coeli meditationes, in five parts.He left a nuncupative will, dated 14 April 1632, by which he bequeathed to the library of Sion College all his mathematical books, astronomical instruments, notes, maps, and a brass clock. Among these books were some manuscripts: Congestor: Opus Mathematicum, Philosophia, Atomorum Atopia demonstrata, Corrector Analyticus Artis posthunc. Administration of the will was granted on 6 January 1633 to his sister, Susanna Tasker.
He was executor of the papers of Harriot, his teacher. He worked over them, but the work that eventually appeared, the Artis Analyticae Praxis (1631), was edited together by Walter Warner
Walter Warner
Walter Warner was an English mathematician and scientist.-Life:He was born in Leicestershire and educated at Merton College, Oxford, graduating B.A. in 1578....
.
Further reading
- R. Cecilia H. Tanner, "Nathaniel Torporley and the Harriot manuscripts". Annals of ScienceAnnals of ScienceAnnals of Science is a peer-reviewed academic journal covering the history of science and technology. It is published by Taylor & Francis and was established in 1936...
, 25 (1969), 339–49. - R. Cecilia H. Tanner, "Nathaniel Torporley's 'congestor analyticus' and Thomas Harriot's 'de triangulis laterum rationalium'". Annals of Science, Volume 34, Number 4, July 1977 , pp. 393–428(36)