Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fale, Thomas
FALE, THOMAS (fl. 1604), mathematician, matriculated as a sizar of Caius College, Cambridge, in November 1578, removed to Corpus Christi College in 1582, went out B.A. in 1582–3, commenced M.A. in 1586, proceeded B.D. in 1597, and in 1604 had a license from the university to practise physic. His only known publication is entitled ‘Horologiographia. The Art of Dialling: teaching an easie and perfect way to make all kinds of Dials vpon any plaine Plat howsouer placed: VVith the drawing of the Twelue Signes, and Houres vnequall in them all. Whereunto is annexed the making and vse of other Dials and Instruments, whereby the houre of the day and night is knowe. Of speciall vse and delight not onely for Students of the Arts Mathematicall, but also for diuers Artificers, Architects, Surueyours of buildings, free-Masons, Saylors, and others,’ 4to, London, 1593 (other editions appeared in 1626 and 1652). It is dedicated in Latin to all lovers of mathematics in the university of Cambridge. There is also a prefatory letter to ‘my louing kinsman,’ Thomas Osborne, who had invented the instrument mentioned in the beginning of the book ‘for the triall of plats,’ dated from London, 3 Jan. 1593. The table of sines which it contains is probably the earliest specimen of a trigonometrical table printed in England.
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 396; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. iv. 282.]