Walter Bayley (1529–1593), was an English physician.

Life

Bayley, called in Latin Bailæus and in English books also Baley and Baily, was born at Portesham, Dorset, in which county his father was a squire. He was educated at Winchester School, and became a fellow of New College in 1550. He graduated M.B. 1557, and M.D. 1563. He was already in holy orders, and was a canon of Wells until 1579. In 1561 he had been appointed regius professor of physic at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. In 1566, he married Anne Evans, who lived in Oxford, and they had two sons and four daughters, one of the latter marrying Bayley’s successor as regius professor of medicine.

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...

made him one of her physicians, he entered the service of

Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, (24 June 1532 – 4 September 1588) was an English statesman and the favourite of Elizabeth I from her accession until his death. He was a suitor for the queen's hand for many years. Dudley's youth was ov ...

, and was elected fellow of the

College of Physicians A college of physicians is a national or provincial organisation concerned with the practice of medicine. {{Expand list, date=February 2011 Such institutions include: * American College of Physicians * Ceylon College of Physicians * College of Phy ...

in 1581. Latterly, he lived in London. He enjoyed large practice, and died in 1592–3. He is buried in the Chapel of New College, and his son William put up a tablet to his memory.

Works

''A Brief Treatise of the Preservation of the Eyesight'' is the best known of Bayley's works. It appeared in 1586, and was reprinted in 1616 at Oxford. Mainly it is an exposition in English of the opinions on its topic of Rhases,

Avicenna Ibn Sina ( fa, ابن سینا; 980 – June 1037 CE), commonly known in the West as Avicenna (), was a Persian polymath who is regarded as one of the most significant physicians, astronomers, philosophers, and writers of the Islam ...

Arnaldus de Villa Nova Arnaldus de Villa Nova (also called Arnau de Vilanova in Catalan, his language, Arnaldus Villanovanus, Arnaud de Ville-Neuve or Arnaldo de Villanueva, c. 1240–1311) was a physician and a religious reformer. He was also thought to be an alche ...

, and other medieval authorities.The book contains an observation of his own, recording how one Hoorde preserved his sight till over 84 years of age, by the use of eye-bright, in ale and eggs. It also comments on the new method of brewing that had come in during Queen Elizabeth's reign, with some still preferring ale made with "grout" (a plant used before

hops Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant '' Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to wh ...

, according to the ''

Oxford English Dictionary The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the first and foundational historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP). It traces the historical development of the English language, providing a com ...

''). In 1587 Bayley published ''A Brief Discourse of Certain Bathes of Medicinal Waters in the County of Warwick.'' He also wrote ''A Short Discourse of the Three Kinds of Pepper in Common Use.''Elwin, Jack, ibid

References

External links

Notes and Transcription of Walter Bailey's Briefe Treatise on the Preservation of Eyesight
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bayley, Walter 1529 births 1593 deaths 16th-century English medical doctors People educated at Winchester College Alumni of New College, Oxford English Christian religious leaders 16th-century English educators Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians Regius Professors of Medicine (University of Oxford)