an eminent English divine and astronomer, was born at Sherburne, Gloucestershire, in 1692. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and took holy orders in 1719. He received some preferments, but resigned them to become Savillian professor of astronomy at Oxford in 1721. In 1741 he was appointed astronomer royal. He made important discoveries in astronomy. He died July 13, 1762. His publications and unpublished manuscripts all relate to astronomical subjects. See Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.; Biographia Britannica, s.v.