“ SAVILE, SIR HENRY (1549–1622) , warden of Merton College, Oxford, and provost of Eton, was the son of Henry Savile of Bradley, near Halifax, in Yorkshire, 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, proceeded B.A. in 1566, and M.A. in 1570. He established a reputation as a Greek scholar and mathematician by voluntary lectures on the Almagest, and in 1575 became junior proctor. ”

“ 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. In 1619 he founded and endowed his professorships of geometry and astronomy at Oxford. He died at Eton on the 19th of February 1622. 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. ”

“ 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. ”