William Lower

Sir William Lower (1570 – 12 April 1615)[1] was an English astronomer from the early telescopic period, and a Member of Parliament.

For the dramatist, see William Lower (dramatist).
For the British Olympic cyclist, see William Lower (cyclist).

He was born in Cornwall, and after studying at Exeter College, Oxford, he married and settled in South-west Wales. In 1607 he observed Halley's comet and took a number of careful measurements which he communicated to Thomas Harriot, by which it was determined that the comet was following a curved course. Lower suggested that the comet's orbit obeyed Kepler's laws (instead of being an atmospheric phenomenon or following a rectilinear path, as was generally thought at the time)

Using a telescope that had been provided by Harriot, Lower made a number of observations of the moon, and noted that its surface appeared irregular and "like a tart that my cooke made me last weeke". Similar observations were published by Galileo a few weeks later.

Lower represented Bodmin in the 1601 parliament, and Lostwithiel from 1604 to 1611. He was knighted in 1603.[2]

Lower married Penelope Perrot, the daughter of Sir Thomas Perrot and Dorothy Devereux, by whom he had three sons and a daughter.[3][4][5] After Lower's death Penelope (née Perrot) married secondly Sir Robert Naunton, by whom she had a daughter Penelope, who married Philip Herbert, 5th Earl of Pembroke.

Notes
  1. Jones, Bryn. "Sir William Lower". Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  2. Alumni Oxoniensis 1500-1714 "Lower, (Sir) William, of Cornwall, gen. fil. EXETER COLL., matric. 10 June 1586, aged 16; of Treventy, co. Carmarthen, astronomer; student of Middle Temple 1589 (as son and heir of Thomas, of Winnow, Cornwall, esq.); knighted at Theobalds 11 May 1603; M.P. Bodmin 1601, Lostwithiel 1604-11; died 12 April 1615; brother of Alexander and Nicholas; father of Thomas 1643."
  3. Lower, Sir William (c.1570-1615), of St. Winnow, Cornwall and Trefenti (Tra'Venti), Llanfihangel Abercowin, Carmarthenshire, History of Parliament Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  4. Trefenty, Dyfed Archaeological Trust Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  5. Roche 2004.
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References
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