Sir Richard Napier, MD, was educated at Wadham college, Oxford, and as a member of that house proceeded bachelor of arts 4th December, 1626. On the 31st December, 1627, he was actually created master of arts in the house of Convocation, by virtue of the chancellor’s letters, which stated that he was a kinsman of the duchess of Richmond, and a person well deserving in all that is necessary in a gentleman and scholar. He removed from Wadham to All Souls college, and was elected a fellow of that house. He was created doctor of medicine at Oxford, 1 November, 1642, and about the same time had the honour of knighthood conferred upon him.
He was incorporated on his doctor’s degree at Cambridge in 1663, and was admitted an Honorary Fellow of the College of Physicians in December, 1664. Wood(1) says, “He was one of the first members of the Royal Society, a great pretender in virtu and astrology; made a great noise in the world, yet did little or nothing towards the public. He died in the house of Sir John Lenthall, at Bessill’s Lee, near Abingdon, in Berks, 17th January, 1675, and was buried on the 19th in the church of Linford, Bucks, the manor of which did belong to him; but after his death his son Thomas sold it for 19,500l or thereabouts. The said Sir Richard drew up a book containing a collection of nativities, which is now in MSS in the hands of Elias Ashmole, Esq.” In 1652 he gave to the College library the Greek Commentators on Aristotle, in thirteen volumes splendidly bound.
William Munk
[(1) Fasti Oxon, vol. ii, p.712 ]