BRADY, Robert, a physician and historian of the seventeenth century, was born in the county of Norfolk, and admitted into Caius College, Cambridge, in 1643. He took his degree of bachelor of physic in 1653, was created doctor in that faculty in 1660, and the same year elected master of his college in pursuance of the king’s mandate to that effect. In 1685 he received the appointment of keeper of the records in the Tower of London, and soon after was chosen regius professor of physic in the University of Cambridge. In 1679 he wrote a letter to Dr Sydenham on the influence of air, which was published among the works of that learned person. But his largest and most considerable performance was An Introduction to the old English History, and A Complete History of England from the first entrance of the Homans unto the end of the reign of King Hichard II., in three volumes folio, usually bound in two. In his Introduction Dr Brady maintains, first, that the representatives of the Commons in parliament, knights, citizens, and burgesses, were not introduced until the forty-ninth of Henry III.; secondly, that William Duke of Normandy made an absolute conquest of the nation; and, thirdly, that the succession to the crown of England is hereditary, descending to the nearest blood, and not elective ;—principles which -were afterwards adopted by Hume as the basis of his History. In the year 1681 Brady was chosen one of the representatives[7:5:174] for the university of Cambridge, in the parliament which met at Oxford; and again, 1685, in the parliament of James II., to whom he afterwards became physician in ordinary. But the Revolution put a stop to his public career, and he died in August 1700, immediately after the publication of his History. Dr Brady’s other productions were, 1. An Answer to Mr Petyt’s Book on Parliaments, London, 1681, 8vo; and, 2. An Historical Treatise of Cities and Burghs or Boroughs, z‰'<∕. 1690, folio, reprinted in 1704.

Brady, Nicholas, an English divine, the son of Nicholas Brady, an officer of the king’s army in the civil war, was born at Bandon in the county of Cork in October 1659. He continued in Ireland till he was twelve years of age; at which period he was sent over to England, entered at Westminster School, and thence in due time removed to Christ Church, Oxford, where he remained about four years. He then returned to Dublin, where his father resided, and immediately commenced bachelor of arts at Trinity College, which afterwards, on his attaining due standing, presented him with a diploma conferring the degree of doctor in divinity. His first ecclesiastical preferment was to a prebend in the Cathedral of St Barry at Cork, to which he was collated by Bishop Wettenhall. He was a zealous promoter of the Revolution, and suffered in consequence. When the troubles broke out in Ireland in 1690, Brady, by his influence, thrice prevented the burning of the town of Bandon, after as many orders had been issued for its destruction; and the same year, being deputed by the people of Bandon, he went over to England to solicit parliament for the redress of some grievances they had suffered while King James was in Ireland. What success attended this mission we know not; but Brady soon afterwards, quitting his preferments in Ireland, settled in London, where he was chosen minister of St Catherine Cree Church, and lecturer of St Michael’s Wood-street. He subsequently became minister of Richmond in Surrey, and Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, and at length rector of Clapham in Surrey, which, together with his living of Richmond, he held till his death. He was also chaplain to the Duke of Ormond’s troop of horse-guards, and to their majesties King William and Queen Mary. He died in May 1726, aged sixty-six. Dr Brady was accounted a man of an agreeable temper, and had the reputation of being a polite gentleman, an excellent preacher, and an indifferent poet. His name is familiar as the translator, in conjunction with Mr Tate, of a new version of the Psalms, which was licensed in 1696. He also translated Virgil’s Aeneid, published by subscription in 1726, in four vols. 8vo; and a tragedy entitled The Pape, or the Innocent Imposture, both very indifferent performances. His prose works consist of Sermons, three volumes of which were published by himself, and other three by his eldest son, who was a clergyman at Tooting in Surrey.