Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lorkin, Thomas
LORKIN, THOMAS (1528?–1591), regius professor of physic at Cambridge, son of Thomas Lorkin, by Joan Huxley, was born at Frindsbury in Kent about 1528. He matriculated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, 12 Nov. 1549, graduated B.A. 1551–1552, and proceeded M.A. 1555, and was created M.D. 1560. He was at first a fellow of Queens' College, but from 15 Nov. 1554 till 1562 was fellow of Peterhouse. On 21 April 1564 he was created regius professor of physic; he was respondent in the physic act kept before the queen in the same year, and in 1590 he obtained a grant of arms for the five regius professors. From 1572 till 1585 he was rector of Little Waltham in Essex. He had subscribed when young to the Roman catholic articles, and in later years opposed puritan preaching in the university. Lorkin died 1 May 1591, and was buried in Great St. Mary's Church, Cambridge, where there is an epitaph upon him. He married Catherine, daughter of John Hatcher, and left five daughters, one of whom married Edward Lively [q. v.], regius professor of Hebrew. He died in 1591, and left by his will certain estates in remainder to Pembroke Hall, Queens' College, and Peterhouse, and his books on physic to the university library. About 140 volumes reached the library in December 1594. Lorkin wrote ‘Recta Regula et Victus ratio pro studiosis et literatis,’ London, 1562, 8vo. His ‘Carmen Latinum decastichon’ is prefixed to the manuscript ‘Historia Anglicana’ by John Herd [q. v.], which forms Cotton. MS. Julius, C. ii. 136.
Another Thomas Lorkyn (d. 1625) graduated B.A. from Emmanuel College, Cambridge, 1600–1, proceeded M.A. 1604, and was incorporated at Oxford 30 Aug. 1605. He accompanied Thomas, afterwards Sir Thomas, Puckering on his travels 1611–13, and in 1619–20 he journeyed with the second son of Robert Cary, earl of Monmouth. In 1623 he was secretary to the embassy at Paris which negotiated the marriage of Prince Charles and Henrietta Maria. After their separation he continued to correspond with Puckering, and many of his letters appear in ‘Court and Times of James I.’ Two addressed to the Earl of Carlisle are in the British Museum (Eg. MS. 2596, ff. 57, 112). He was drowned in a Channel storm about November 1625.
[Cooper's Athenæ Cantabr. ii. 102, 545; Newcourt's Repertorium, ii. 21; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1500–1714; Strype's Annals of the Reformation, vol. iii. pt. i. p. 645.]