Laurence Tomson (1539 – 29 March 1608) was an English politician, author, and translator. He acted as the personal secretary of Sir
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham ( – 6 April 1590) was principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I of England from 20 December 1573 until his death and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster".
Born to a well-connected family of gentry, Wals ...
, the secretary of state to
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
.
Tomson revised both the text and the annotations of the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
of the
Geneva Bible
The Geneva Bible is one of the most historically significant translations of the Bible into English, preceding the King James Version by 51 years. It was the primary Bible of 16th-century English Protestantism and was used by William Shakespear ...
. His revised edition appeared in 1576. Tomson was a
Calvinist
Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...
, and his annotations reflect that system of
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
.
Life
He was born in
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by
two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...
, and was admitted a
demy of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1553. He graduated B.A. in 1559, was elected a fellow of his college, and commenced M.A. in 1564. He accompanied
Sir Thomas Hoby on his embassy to France in 1566; and in 1569 he resigned his fellowship.
Between 1575 and 1587 Tomson represented
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in the House of Commons, and he was member for
Downton in 1588–9. In 1582 he was in attendance at court at
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The original cast ...
. According to his epitaph he travelled in Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, and France; was conversant with twelve languages; and at one period gave public lectures on the Hebrew language at Geneva. He was employed in political affairs by Sir Francis Walsingham, after whose death he retired into private life.
Tomson died on 29 March 1608, and was buried in the chancel of the church at
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in the Borough of Runnymede, Surrey, England, south-west of central London. It grew up round Chertsey Abbey, founded in 666 CE, and gained a market charter from Henry I. A bridge across the River Thames first appeared in the ...
, Surrey, where a black marble was erected to his memory with a curious Latin inscription.
Works
His works are:
* ‘.
* ‘Statement of Advantages to be obtained by the establishment of a Mart Town in England,’ 1572, manuscript in the Public Record Office.
* ‘The New Testament … Several other editions of Tomson's revision of the Genevan version of the New Testament were published in the whole Bible. It was based on the work of
Pierre Loiseleur.
* ‘. Written in French. ... (set forth by P. de Farnace). ... Translated into English,’ London, 1576, 1577, 1585, dedicated to Mrs. Ursula Walsingham.
* ‘Sermons of J. Calvin on the Epistles of S. Paule to Timothie and Titus … Translated,’ London, 1579.
* ‘. The same briefly confuted by L. T. in a private letter’ (Harleian MS. 291, f. 183).
* ‘Treatise on the matters in controversy between the Merchants of the Hanze Towns and the Merchants Adventurers,’ 1590, a Latin manuscript in the Public Record Office.
* ‘Mary, the Mother of Christ: her tears,’ London, 1596.
* ‘Brief Remarks on the State of the Low Countries’ (Cottonian MS., Galba D vii. f. 163).
References
*
Notes
External links
*
The Bible, that is, the Holy Scriptures conteined in the Olde and New Testament, translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languages. With most profitable annotations vpon all the hard places, and other things of great importance (1595)The Bible, that is, the Holy Scriptures conteined in the Olde and Newe Testament : translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languages ; with most profitable annotations upon all the hard places, and other things of great importance .. (1599)
;Attribution
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomson, Laurence
1539 births
1608 deaths
English Calvinist and Reformed Christians
17th-century English writers
17th-century English male writers
Transcription (linguistics)
Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford
English Calvinist and Reformed theologians
Linguists from England
16th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians
English MPs 1572–1583
English MPs 1584–1585
English MPs 1586–1587
English MPs 1589
English expatriates in Switzerland
Academic staff of the University of Geneva