Thomas Tymme

Last updated October 03, 2019

Thomas Tymme (or Timme) (died 1620) was an English clergyman, translator and author. He combined Puritan views, including the need for capital punishment for adultery,^[1] with a positive outlook on alchemy and experimental science.

Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept exists in many cultures and is similar in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. A single act of sexual intercourse is generally sufficient to constitute adultery, and a more long-term sexual relationship is sometimes referred to as an affair.

Alchemy was an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition practised throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, originating in Greco-Roman Egypt in the first few centuries.

Life

He seems to have been educated at Cambridge, possibly at Pembroke Hall, under Edmund Grindal. On 22 October 1566 he was presented to the rectory of St. Antholin, Budge Row, London, and in 1575 he became rector of Hasketon, near Woodbridge, Suffolk. He appears to have held the rectory of St. Antholin until 12 October 1592, when Nicholas Felton was appointed his successor.

Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college is the third-oldest college of the university and has over seven hundred students and fellows. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its founding, as well as extensive gardens. Its members are termed "Valencians".

Edmund Grindal was a prelate of the Church of England who, during the reign of Elizabeth I, was successively Bishop of London, Archbishop of York, and Archbishop of Canterbury. Though born far from the centres of political and religious power, he had risen rapidly in the church during the reign of Edward VI, culminating in his nomination as Bishop of London; the death of the King prevented his taking up the post, and, along with other Marian exiles, Grindal sought refuge on the Continent during the reign of Mary I. Upon Elizabeth's accession, Grindal returned and resumed his rise in the church, culminating in his appointment to the highest office.

Hasketon is a small village in Suffolk, England.

He secured patronage in high quarters, among those to whom his books were dedicated being Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, Charles Blount, Earl of Devonshire, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, Archbishop Grindal, Sir Edward Coke and Sir John Puckering. He died at Hasketon in April 1620, being buried there on the 29th.

Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex KG, was Lord Deputy of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick, KG was an English nobleman and general, and an elder brother of Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Their father was John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who led the English government from 1550–1553 under Edward VI and unsuccessfully tried to establish Lady Jane Grey on the English throne after the King's death in July 1553. For his participation in this venture Ambrose Dudley was imprisoned in the Tower of London and condemned to death. Reprieved, his rehabilitation came after he fought for Philip II of Spain in the Battle of St. Quentin.

Tymme married, at Hasketon, on 17 July 1615, Mary Hendy, who died in 1657, leaving one son, Thomas Tymme.^[2] William Tymme, possibly a brother of Thomas, printed many books between 1601 and 1615.

Works

In 1570 he published his first work, a translation from the Latin of John Brentius, entitled Newes from Niniue to Englande (London). It was followed in 1574 by the translation of Pierre de La Place supposed history of the civil wars in France, entitled 'The Three Partes of Commentaries containing the whole and perfect Discourse of the Civill Warres of France under the Raignes of Henry the Second, Frances the Second, and of Charles the Ninth' (London, 4to); prefixed is a long copy of verses in Tymme's praise by Edward Grant.

Duke Pierre de la Place was a French Huguenot martyr, who died a few days after the 1572 St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of the Huguenots. According to Foxe, he was informed of the massacre, and ordered to report to the King, to await the King's pleasure. He fled, but was unable to find shelter with any Catholics, and eventually returned to his house and fortified himself in, leading his wife and servants in prayer while he waited. He was eventually obliged to leave with the King's men, who led him into the clutches of assassins who killed him. His corpse was placed in a stable, where it was desecrated with horse dung, and his house was plundered.

Edward Grant was an English classical scholar, Latin poet, and headmaster of Westminster School. He was also the first biographer of Roger Ascham.

Tymme produced numerous translations, chiefly of theological works. He published:

A Catholike and Ecclesiasticall Exposition of the Holy Gospell after S. John . . . gathered by A. Marlorat, and translated by T. Tymme, London, 1575. From Augustin Marlorat.
A Commentarie upon S. Paules Epistles to the Corinthians, written by John Caluin, and translated out of the Latin, London, 1577.
A Commentarie of John Caluin upon Genesis . . . translated out of the Latin, London, 1578.
A Catholike and Ecclesiasticall Exposition of the Holy Gospel after S. Mark and Luke, gathered ... by Augustine Marlorat, and translated out of Latin, London, 1583.
The Figure of Antichriste ... disciphered by a Catholike ... Exposition of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, London, 1586.
A Discoverie of Ten English Lepers [i.e. the Schismatic, Murderer, &c.] ... setting before our Eies the Iniquitie of these Latter Daies, London, 1592.
A Briefe Description of Hierusalem ... translated out of the Latin [of S. Adrichomius], London, 1595; other editions, 1654, and 1666.
The Poore Mans Paternoster ... newly imprinted, London, 1598.
The Practice of Chymicall and Hermeticall Physicke ... written in Latin by Josephus Quersitanus, and translated ..., London, 1605. A translation of two Latin alchemical works by Josephus Quercetanus or Joseph Duchesne. According to Allen Debus, Tymme involved alchemical thinking in his theology, in particular of the Creation and Last Judgement.^[3]
A Dialogue Philosophicall . . . together with the Wittie Invention of an Artificiall Perpetual Motion, London, 1612. Discusses the perpetual motion machine of Cornelius Drebbel.^[4]
A Siluer Watchbell, 10th impression, 1614; a work of devotion, it reached a nineteenth edition in 1659.
The Chariot of Devotion ..., London, 1618.

Augustin Marlorat du Pasquier was a French Protestant reformer, executed on a treason charge.

Joseph Duchesne or du Chesne (c.1544-1609) was a French physician. A follower of Paracelsus, he is now remembered for important if transitional alchemical theories. He called sugar toxic, saying: “Under its whiteness, sugar hides a great blackness.”

Tymme also made a new edition of A Looking-Glasse for the Court (1575), translated by Sir Francis Bryan in 1548 from an original by Antonio de Guevara.

Notes

↑ Richard L. Greaves, Society and Religion in Elizabethan England (1981), p. 234.
↑ "Timme, Thomas (TM635T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
↑ Allen Debus, The English Paracelsians (1965), p. 89.
↑ "drebbel". www.santa-coloma.net.

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References

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : "Tymme, Thomas". Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.