Edward Wotton

, Son of Rich. Wotton. superior Beadle of Divinity of this University of Oxon, by Margaret his Wife, was born within the City of Oxon. particularly, as I conceive, in the Parish of St. Mary the Virgin, wherein his Father lived and had Houses in Cat-street. After he had been educated in the Grammar School joining to Magd. Coll. he was first made Semicommoner or Demie of that House, and after he had taken the Degree of Bach. of Arts (which was 1513.) he was, as I conceive, made Fellow. At length upon the desire of John Claymond, and Rob. Morwent, who knew the singular virtues and learning of the Person, he left that Coll. and by the favour of that most worthy Person Bishop Fox, Founder of that of Corp. Christi, was made socius compar thereof, with leave to travel into Italy for three Years, an. 1520. So that after he had read the Greek Lecture there for some time, he journied into Italy, studied Physick, and took the Degree of Doctor in that faculty at Padöua. After his return he was settled Greek Reader of his Coll. was incorporated in the same Degree in the latter end of 1525, was made Physician to K. Hen. 8. and not only became famous for his happy practice in that faculty in these parts, and afterwards in London (for he was one of the College of Physicians there) but also for his great knowledge in Philosophy and things natural. He hath transmitted to posterity,

De differentiis Animalium, lib. 10. Par. 1552. fol. By the publishing of which he obtained a famous name among learned Men, especially with Mich. Neander, who (†)(†) In Succinct. explicat. orbis terrae,—Lips. 1597. p. 410. saith that no Author hath written of Animals more learned and elegant than Wottonus. See more in Thom Mouffet under the Year 1590. What other things the said Wotton hath published, I know not, nor anything else of him, or his, only (1) That he dying 5. Octob. 1555 in Fifteen hundred fifty and five, in the climacterical Year of his Age, (63) was buried in St. Albans Church in Woodstreet, in the City of London (2) That Catherine his Widow dying 4 Dec. 1558. was buried by him, and both had a stone, with an inscription thereon, laid over their Graves. But that part of it which remained an 100 Years after, was totally consumed in the grand conflagration of London, an. 1666. (3) That he is much celebrated by the Antiquarian Poet John Leland (a)(a) In Encomiis, Trophaeis, &c. edit. Lond. 1589. p. 65. under the name of Eadverdus Ododunus. (4) That among the Children he left behind him, (for he had a numerous issue) Brian Wotton LL. Bach. and Fellow of New Coll. was one, who bequeathed his Body to be buried in the yard belonging to St. Albans Church before-mention’d. Another was called Hen. Wotton, first a Student of Ch. Ch. and afterwards Proctor of the University, Greek Reader and Fellow of Corp. Chr. Coll. who proceeding in the faculty of Physick an. 1567. became afterwards famous for the practice thereof.