Thomas Phayer

was born in Wales, particularly, as it seems, in Pembrokeshire, had his Academical education among the Oxonians, whom, after some years, he left, and retired to the Inns of Court, (Lincolns Inn as I conceive) where at length he attained to a considerable knowledge in the municipal Laws. Afterwards, being a Person of a mutable mind, he eagerly addicted his Muse to the study of Medicine, took the Degrees in that faculty in this University, that of Doctor being compleated in an Act celebrated 21. Mar. 1558-9. at which time he was much famed among the Academians for his sufficiencies in the Art of Poetry, which afterwards were made publick. He hath committed to posterity these Books following of his writing and translation.

Of the nature of Writts.—Whether the same with that written by the great Lawyer Anth. Fitzherbert, who lived before Phayers time, I know not.

Exemplars of common places for the writing of several sorts of Instruments—It is the same which we now call A Book of precedents. I have a MS. lying by me written on parchment in the time of H. 6. or Ed. 4. containing Copies of all matters to be used by Lawyers, but who the compiler of it was, I cannot tell. In the beginning of it, is written in a pretty ancient character, George Hardley.

A goodly bryefe treatise of the pestylence, with the causes, signs and cures of the same. Lond. 1544. and 46. oct.

Declaration of the veynes of mans body, and to what dyseases and infirmities the opening of every one of them doe serve.—This is printed with the former Book, an. 1544. &c.

A Book of children—And this also, which treats of the grief and diseases of Children.

Remedies, or prescriptions of Physick for the Body—Published by Hen. Holland, 1603. whom I shall mention at the end of Hen. Holland, under the Year 1625. He also translated from French into English, The regiment of Life. Lond. 1544. and 46. oct. and from Lat. into English, Nine Books of Virgils Aencidos. The three first of which were by him finished in the Forest of Kilgarran in Pembrokshire, in the Year 1555. The fourth at the same place, an. 1556. The fifth in 1557, being ended 3. May, just after the translator had undergone a great danger at Ca [•] rmerden. The sixth and seventh were also finished by him in the same Year and in the same place. The eighth, there also in Kilgarran forest, an. 1558. The ninth was ended 3. Apr. 1560. The tenth was begun by him in the said Year, but died, as it seems, before he could go through it. Afterwards a young Physician named Tho. Twyne meeting with the aforesaid translations in MS. he finished the said tenth Aeneid, 23. May, an. 1573. Which being done he translated the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth Aeneidos, and published them altogether, an. 1584. as I shall tell you elsewhere. As for Dr. Phaer he ended his days at Kilgarran before-mentioned, after the 12. of Aug. (on which day his last will (q)(q) In Offic. praereg. Cant. in reg. Lostes. Qu. 23. and testament was dated) in Fifteen hundred and sixty, 1560 and was buried in the Parish Church of that place. Over his grave was a Marblestone soon after laid, with an Epitaph engraven thereon, made and devised by his good friend Mr. George Ferrers of Lincolns.-Inn, but what the contents of it are, I know not, nor of any other Epitaph made for him, only (r)(r) In lib. suo cui tu est De illustrium quorundam encomiis & Epitaphits nonmillis, &c. Lond. 1579 qu. p. 356. 357. that by Sir Thom. Chaloner a most noted Latine Poet of his time, who having been well acquainted with the Doctor, doth in a pathetical manner highly commend him for his learning and great skill in Physick. He the said Doctor left behind him a Widow named Anne, and two Daughters, Eleanor the Wife of Gruffith ap Eynon, and Mary.