Walter Rumsey

an Esquires Son, was born in Monmouthshire, at Llannover as I have been informed, became a Gent. Com. of Glocester Hall in 1600, aged 16 years, but leaving that house without a Scholastical degree, retired to Greys-inn, studied the municipal Law, was made Barrester, Bencher, Lent-Reader 9. Car. 1, and at length a Judge in South Wales, being then so noted for his profession that he was usually called The picklock of the Law. In 1640 he was elected one of the Knights for Monmouthshire to serve in that Parliament which began at Westminster 13. Apr. and might have been chosen again to serve in the Long Parliament, but refused it. He was an ingenious man, had a Philosophical head, was a good Musician, and most curious for graftng, inoculating and planting, and also for ordering of Ponds. But that which he is to be most noted for, is, that he having been always much troubled with flegme, was the first that invented the Provangg, or Whalebone instrument to cleanse the throat and stomack; which hath not only been since used by noted Physicians and Vertuosi at home, but by those beyond the Seas. At length he wrot a book of it, and its use, entit.

Organon Salutis. An instrument to cleanse the stomach. Lond. 1657. 59 oct. To which he added,

Divers new experiments of the vertue of Tobacco and Coffey—Before both which are two Epistles written to the Author, one by Sir Hen. Blount in praise of Tobacco and Coffey, and the other by Jam. Howell in praise of those two and the Provangg. What other books our Author Rumsey hath written, I know not as yet, nor any thing else of him, only that he dying in his house at Llannover, about sixteen hundred and sixty was buried in the Parish Church there near to the bodies of his Relations.1660. He had a Son named Edward, who was entred a Gentleman Communer of Broadgates Hall an. 1623, 21. Jacobi 1.