Thomas Elyot

was born (as ’tis said) of a Knightly Family in Suffolk, and educated (x)(x) Milo Windsere, in collectaneis suis ad rem Historic. pertinent. MS. penes me. in Academical learning in the Hall of St. Mary the Virgin, where he obtained a considerable proficiency in Logick and Philosophy. The Year when he first began to salute the Muses, it cannot, through the deficiency of record, be well known, unless it should be about the Year 1514, for four Years after, an. 1518, I find (y)(y) In reg. Congregat. H. sub an. 1518. one Tho. Elyot to be admitted ad lecturam alicujus libri facultatis artium Logices Aristotelis, which is the admission to the Degree of Bach. of Arts, and in the time of Lent the same Year, he did compleat that Degree by Determination in School-street. It doth also (z)(z) Ibid sub an. 1524. appear that the said Tho. Elyot was in the beginning of Aug. an. 1524. admitted ad lecturam alicujus libri Institutionem, that is to the Degree of Bach. of the Civil Law. Now if we could find, that Sir Tho. Elyot was about 50 Years of Age when he died, then we may certainly conclude that Elyot the Bac. of Arts and of the Civil Law, might be the same with him, otherwise we cannot well do it. After he had left the University, he travelled beyond the Seas, and upon his return was introduced into the Court: Whereupon being made known to the King, (a lover of Scholars) who found him to be a Person of good parts, conferr’d on him the honor of Knighthood, and employed him in certain Embassies bejond the Seas, particularly to the Emperor Charles the 5th. at what time his great Friend and Crony Sir Tho. More was beheaded. He was a very good Grammarian, Gracian, Poet, Philosopher, Physician, and what not to compleat a Gentleman. He was admired by, and beloved of, Scholars, and his memory was celebrated by them in their respective works, particularly by (*)(*) In Excomiis erudit. v [••] corum, ut supra. p. 83. Leland his contemporary. The truth is, his Learning in all kind of knowledge, brought much honor to all the Gentry and Nobility of England. He hath transmitted to posterity,

The Castle of health. Lond. 1541. 1572. 80. 95, &c. in oct.

The Governor, in 3 Books. Lond. 1544 47. 80. &c. in oct.

Of the Education of Children. Lond. in qu.

Banquet of sapience. Lond. in oct.

Preservative against the fear of death.

De rebus memorabilibus Angliae. For the compleating of which, he had read and perused many old Monuments of England. See in Rog. Ascham’s Treatise of Archery, in two Books. p. 28.

A Defence, or Apologie for good Women.

Bibliotheca Eliotae. Elyots Library, or Dictionary. Lond. 1541. &c. fol. Which work, Thom. Cooper augmented, and enriched with 33000 words and phrases, besides a fuller account of the true signification of words. Sir Tho. Elyot also translated from Greek into English, The Image of Governance, compiled of the Arts and Sciences by Emperor Alexander Severus. Lond. 1556, 1594, &c. oct. and from Lat. into Engl. (1) St. Cypreans Sermon of the mortality of Man. Lond. 1534 in oct. (2) The rule of a Christian life, written by Picus Earl of Mirandula. Printed there the same Year in oct. See more among the translations of Tho. Lupset. numb. 38. This worthy Knight (who was a servant to the King) was buried in the Church of Carleton in Cambridgshire (of which County he had been Sheriff) 25. March in Fifteen hundred forty and six, 1546 and had soon after a Monument put over his Grave. Besides several Mannors that he had in Cambridgshire, he had one or more in Hampshire.