Blount, Thomas
, a miscellaneous writer of the seventeenth century, was born 1618, at Bardsley in Worcestershire, the son of Myles Blount, of Orleton in Herefordshire, who was the fifth son of Roger Blount of Monkland in the same county. He appears to have supplied
the want of an university education by diligent application,
and after studying the classics, entered himself of the
Inner Temple, and was in due course admitted to the bar.
Being, however, a Roman catholic, he never pleaded, but
after some time resided mostly at Orleton. A sedentary
life having much impaired his health, and the popish plot
breaking out in 1678, he was so hurried from place to
place, that the fatigue brought on a palsy, of which he died
at Orleton, Dec. 26, 1679. Whether by this mention of
the popish plot, his biographer means that he was concerned in it, does not appear. Wood seems to insinuate
that he was only alarmed, as he was known to be a zealous
Roman catholic. He was, however, a man of general
knowledge, and an industrious and useful writer. His
works are, 1. “The Academy of Eloquence, or complete
English rhetoric,” 1654, 12mo, often reprinted. 2.
“Glossographia, or a Dictionary of hard words,” Lond.
1656, 8vo. Of this there have been at least five editions.
3. “The Lamps of the Law, and the Lights of the Gospel,” ibid. 1658, 8vo. 4. “Boscobel; or the history of
his majesty’s escape after the battle of Worcester,” ibid.
1660. 5. Boscobel, the second part, with the addition
of the “Claustrum regale reseratum,” or the king’s concealment at Trent in Somersetshire, published by Mrs.
Anne Windham of Trent,” ibid. 1681. Both these now
are among the scarce and high-priced curiosities of the
seventeenth century. Extracts are given from them in
the Addenda to lord Clarendon’s History. 6. “The Catholic Almanac for 1661-2-3, &c.” 7. “Booker rebuked;
or animadversions on Booker’s Almanac.” 8. “A Law
| Dictionary,” ibid. 1671, fol. reprinted with additions. 9.
“Animadversions on sir Richard Baker’s Chronicle,” Oxf.
1672, 8vo. 10. “A World of Errors, discovered in Mr.
Edmund Philips’s World of Words,” London, 1673, fol.
11. “Fragmenta Antiquitatis. Ancient tenures of land,
and jocular customs of some manors,” ibid. 1679, 8vo of
which Josiah Beckwith of York published a new edition in
1784. 12. “Animadversions on Blome’s Britannia,” not
published. 13. “The art of making Devises, treating of Hieroglyphics, Symbols, &c.” a translation from the
French, 1646, 4to. 14. “A catalogue of the Catholics,
who lost their lives in the king’s cause, during the civil
war,” printed at the end of lord Castlemain’s “Catholic
Apology.” 15. “A Chronicle of England,” left imperfect, and a history of Herefordshire, a ms. left with his
heirs, but which was probably lost, or has escaped the researches of Mr. Gough. 16. “A pedigree of the Blounts,”
printed in Peacham’s “Complete Gentleman,” edit. 1661. 1
This text has been generated using commercial OCR software,
and there are still many problems; it is slowly getting better
over time.
The text was scanned and OCRd several times, and
a majority version of each line of text was chosen.
Please don't reuse the content
(e.g. do not post to wikipedia)
without asking liam
at fromoldbooks dot org first (mention the colour of your socks in the subject line of the mail),
because I am still working on fixing errors.
Thanks!
Works found by this author (or others with similar names) in the Early English Books Online Collection:
The art of making devises treating of hieroglyphicks, symboles, emblemes, ænigma's, sentences, parables, reverses of medalls, armes, blazons, cimiers, cyphres and rebus / first written in French by Henry Estienne ... ; translated into English by Tho. Blount ...Art de faire des devises. English (1646) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
The academie of eloquence containing a compleat English rhetorique, exemplified with common-places and formes digested into an easie and methodical way to speak and write fluently according to the mode of the present times : together with letters both amorous and moral upon emergent occasions / by Tho. Blount, Gent. (1654) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
Boscobel, or, The history of His Sacred Majesties most miraculous preservation after the battle of Worcester, 3 Sept. 1651 (1660) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
Glossographia, or, A dictionary interpreting all such hard words of whatsoever language now used in our refined English tongue with etymologies, definitions and historical observations on the same : also the terms of divinity, law, physick, mathematicks and other arts and sciences explicated / by T.B. (1661) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
The resolutions of the judges upon the several statutes of bankrupts as also, the like resolutions upon 13 Eliz. and 27 Eliz. touching fraudulent conveyances / by T.B., Esq. (1670) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
Nomo-lexikon, a law-dictionary interpreting such difficult and obscure words and terms as are found either in our common or statute, ancient or modern lawes : with references to the several statutes, records, registers, law-books, charters, ancient deeds, and manuscripts, wherein the words are used : and etymologies, where they properly occur / by Thomas Blount of the Inner Temple, Esq. (1670) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
Animadversions upon Sr. Richard Baker's Chronicle, and its continuation wherein many errors are discover'd, and some truths advanced / by T.B., Esq. (1672) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
A world of errors discovered in The new world of words, or, General English dictionary, and in Nomothetes, or, The interpreter of law-words and terms by Tho. Blount ... Esq. (1673) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
Fragmenta antiquitatis, antient tenures of land, and jocular customs of some mannors made publick for the diversion of some, and instruction of others / by T.B. of the Inner-Temple, Esquire. (1679) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.
Boscobel, or, The compleat history of His Sacred Majesties most miraculous preservation after the Battle of Worcester, 3 Sept., 1651 introduced by an exact relation of that battle and illustrated with a map of the city. (1680) by Blount, Thomas, 1618-1679.