BAINBRIDGE

bainbridge, john (1582-1643), english astronomer, was born at ashby-de-la-zouch, in leicestershire. he started as a physician and practised for some years, kept a school and studied astronomy. having removed to london, he was admitted (november 6, 1618) a licentiate of the college of physicians, and attracted notice by a publication concerning the comet of 1618. sir henry savile (1549-1622) thereupon appointed him in 1619 to the savilian chair of astronomy just founded by him at oxford; bainbridge was incorporated of merton college and became, in 1631 and 1635 respectively, junior and senior reader of linacre's lectures. he died at oxford on the 3rd of november 1643. he wrote _an astronomical description of the late comet_ (1619); _canicularia_ (1648); and translated proclus' _de sphaera_, and ptolemy's _de planetarum hypothesibus_ (1620). several [v.03 p.0223] manuscript works by him exist in the library of trinity college, dublin. see munk's _college of physicians_, i. 175; wood's _athenae_ (bliss), iii. 67; _biographia britannica_, i. 419.