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Wilson, Sir Thomas (1), Ll.d.

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Wilson, Sir Thomas (1), LL.D.

a statesman and divine of the reign of queen Elizabeth, was born at Stroby, in Lincolnshire, about 1524. He was educated at Eton and at King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1546. He took orders in the Church of England; became tutor to the two sons of Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, by Mary, ex-queen of France, but both of his pupils soon died; withdrew to the Continent on the accession of queen Mary, in 1553; was imprisoned by the Inquisition at Rome on account of heresies alleged to be contained in his Logic and Rhetoric,: and was put to the torture; obtained his liberty at the death of pope Paul IV in 1555, in consequence of. a fire which caused the populace to break open the doors and allow the prisoners to escape; returned to England and became private secretary to queen Elizabeth in 1558; was appointed one of the masters of requests, and master of St. Katherine's Hospital, near the Tower; went as envoy to the Netherlands in 1576; became secretary of state and colleague of Sir Thomas Walsingham in 1577; was made dean of Durham in 1579; and died in London, June 16,1581. He published a Latin Biography of his two pupils, Henry and Charles Bandon (1551).: — The Rule of Reason, Containing the Arte of Logique set forth in Englishe (eod.): — The Arte of Rhetorike, for the Use of all Suche as are Studious of Eloquence (1553): — The Three Orations of Demosthenes, etc. (1570): — and A Discourse uppon Usurye by Waye of Dialogue and Oracions, etc. (1572). See Strype, Annals; and Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.