Anthony Aylworth

Anthony Aylworth (c. 1547-1619) was a Medical Doctor and Fellow of NewCollege, Oxford.   He was appointed Regis Professor Physic at Oxford and was also Physician in Ordinary to Queen Elizabeth I. He married Anne Baily, the daughter of Dr. Walter Baily who was prior to Anthony's appointment also Regis Professor of Physic at Oxford. His eldest son, Martin, a graduate of All Souls College, Oxford was also a medical Doctor. Martin is entombed in the chapel at All Souls.

The tomb of Dr. Anthony Aylworth is in the Ante-Chapel at New College, Oxford, in England. It is described as follows:  A large flat stone about 3 ft. wide and 7 ft. long, upon which is mounted several brass elements. A brass border about 2 " wide surrounds the edge.  Below is a rubbing of a portion of that border. 
 
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The complete Latin inscription on the border is translated as follows:

Here lies Anthony Aylworth descended from an eminent and ancient family in the County of
Gloucester, born in London, liberally educated in the school of Winton, sometime a fellow of
this college, a doctor of medicine and Regis Professor under Queen Elizabeth for about fifteen
years, a man of piety, virtue and learning, equally dear while living to those in health and those
in sickness:  When at length the period of seventy-two years had been completed on the eighteenth day of April in the year our Lord 1619, he peacefully fell asleep in the Lord, leaving to mourn two sons Martin and Anthony.

Centered near the top is a brass plate with an armorial shield.  The upper left quartering is
Aylworth. The upper quartering right is for Ashton (his mother's family), the lower left - Somers,
the lower right - Hareman.

Just below the arms is a brass effigy depicting Anthony in his formal robes. Below that is another brass plate about 1 ft. x 2 ft. bearing a testimonial by his eldest son, Martin.
 
 

The Latin is translated as follows:

Stranger, thy hurrying step pray stay, and then ponder this tomb: For here doth Hippocrates lie 
and here Avicenna lies too, the bones of Dioscorides and alike here are Galen's as well. And likewise 
Aylworth himself, for this stone cov'reth them all.  Marvellest thou that so many in one single grave 
may be found:  Yet wilt thou marvel the more, for they are all united in one who, through his life 
was his own, yet well indeed may'st thou say that though not excelling them, yet in his art he was 
one with them all.

Many thanks to Mrs. Caroline Dalton, Archivist, New College, Oxford, England for all the wonderful 
help to make this page possible.