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The Piththy;-
by Thomas Paynell The piththy [sic] and moost notable sayinges of al scripture, gathered by Thomas Paynell: after the manner of common places, very necessary for al those that delite in the consolacions of the scriptures. Paynell, Thomas. [Imprinted at London: At Flietbridge by Thomas Gaultier, at the costes [and] charges of Rychard Kele dwelling in the Poultrye], 1550. The rareness of this book is 1. that it is printed in 1550, 2. That it has the complete New-Testament in English by A Catholic Friar. The Book is the only know copy in Private Hands. So very Rare $25,500 PAYNELL, THOMAS (fl. 1528–1567), translator, was an Austin friar, educated at Merton Abbey, Surrey, where he became a canon. He then proceeded to the college of St. Mary the Virgin, Oxford, which was designed for the education of the canons of certain Augustinian houses, of which Merton was one . He subsequently returned to Merton, and devoted himself to literary and medical studies. His first book, an edition of the ‘Regimen Sanitatis Salerni,’ appeared in 1528, and from that date Paynell's activity as a translator was incessant. In 1530 a Thomas Paynell was admitted member of Gray's Inn (FOSTER, Register, p. 8). On 13 April 1538 Merton Abbey surrendered to the crown, and its inmates received pensions. Paynell accepted 10l. per annum. |
On 16 Oct. in the same year Paynell was licensed to export from England five hundred woollen cloths, and in December he was despatched, with Christopher Mount , on a mission to the protestant princes of Germany; he was present at the diet of Frankfort on 12 Feb. 1539 (State Papers Henry VIII, i. 604–6, 609, 614).
Before 1541 he had become chaplain to Henry VIII, perhaps as a reward for diplomatic services. He seems to have escaped molestation on account of his religious opinions, and remained in favour with Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth, to all of whom he dedicated books. Among others to whom his dedications are addressed were Mary (1496–1533) , queen-dowager of France, John de Vere, fifteenth earl of Oxford ], Anthony Browne, first viscount Montague , the lord chamberlain, and William Blount, fourth lord Mountjoy. He was also an intimate friend of Alexander Barclay [q. v.], the author of the ‘Ship of Fools.’ He is probably the Thomas Paynell who resigned the living of St. Dionys, Lime Street, London, on 13 Feb. 1549–50 and succeeded his friend Richard Benese at All Hallows, Honey Lane, which he resigned before 21 Feb. 1560–1. The latest mention of him appears in the ‘Stationers' Register’ in December or January 1567–8. |
