Thomas Phaer
Thomas Phaer (1510-1560) was a prominent figure in early English literature and law, recognized for his translations and contributions to various fields, including poetry, medicine, and legal studies. Born in Wales, possibly of Flemish descent, Phaer was educated at Oxford and Lincoln's Inn before establishing a successful career as a lawyer and translator. He made significant strides in making legal information accessible to the English-speaking public through his books, such as *A Newe Boke of Presidents* and *Natura Brevium*, which were written in English rather than Latin.
Phaer also ventured into medicine, earning his M.B. and M.D. in 1558 and authoring several medical texts, including *A New Booke Entyteled the Regiment of Lyfe*, which adapted content from a French medical treatise, and *The Boke of Chyldren*, the first pediatrics book in English. His most notable literary achievement is his translation of Virgil's *Aeneid*, with the first seven books published shortly before his death. Phaer's legacy is marked by his efforts to democratize knowledge and his role as a bridge between Latin scholarship and the English language, helping pave the way for future generations of English writers and thinkers.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Thomas Phaer
Writer
- Born: 1510
- Died: 1560
Biography
Thomas Phaer, best known for popularizing knowledge by making English translations of poetry, medicine, and law books available to the English-speaking public, was born in 1510. His parentage, like his exact birth date, is uncertain. Most expert sources believe his father was Thomas Phaer of Norwich, England. If that is true, Phaer would have been born in Pembrokeshire and could possibly be of Flemish ancestry. Phaer, however, declared himself a Welshman and lived most of his life in Wales.
He received his education at Oxford and Lincoln’s Inn and went on to become a successful lawyer as well as a translator and author. He later studied medicine, receiving a M.B. and M.D. in 1558, twenty years after he began practicing medicine. He married a woman named Anne and the couple had three daughters, Eleanor, Elizabeth, and Mary.
Phaer wrote two books about the law and legal methods, A Newe Boke of Presidents in Maner of a Register and Natura Brevium. Before these books were published, most information about the law, and other technical subjects, was written in Latin. Phaer’s books were written in English and published in a handbook format that made information about the law accessible to readers in Great Britain. His contribution to the field of law was recognized with an appointment as solicitor to Queen Mary and King Phillip at the court of Welsh marches. His skills as a lawyer, his Catholic background, and his knowledge of Latin helped him secure this position.
After he began practicing medicine, Phaer wrote medical books that were notable for making medical information similarly accessible to the English-speaking public. The first, A New Booke Entyteled the Regiment of Lyfe Regiment of Life, was drawn from a French treatise on medicine, with additional information provided by Phaer. The second, The Boke of Chyldren, was the first book on pediatrics written in English. Phaer wrote The Boke of Chyldren in 1544 and the book was published in 1955.
Phaer’s greatest contribution to English literature was his English translation of Virgil’s Aeneid. Phaer died in 1560, and two years after the translation of the first seven books of Aeneid were published. Phaer’s translation of the first nine books was published after his death, in 1562. Another author completed the translation of all twelve books, which was published in 1573.