[1] He attended the Free Grammar School in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and then became a student at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Having been removed to London, he was admitted (6 November 1618) a licentiate of the college of physicians, and was noticed due to a publication concerning the comet of 1618.

In 1619, Sir Henry Savile (Bible translator) (1549–1622) elected him as the first Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford University.

[3] Bainbridge was incorporated of Merton College and became, in 1631 and 1635 respectively, junior and senior reader of Linacre's lectures.

He was a friend of Christopher Heydon, the writer on astrology; and also of John Greaves, his successor to both the Savilian chair and Linacre's lectures.