Family and Education

b. 1553, 2nd s. of Thomas Moffett, haberdasher of London, by his w. Alice Ashley of Kent. educ. Merchant Taylors’; Trinity Coll. Camb. 1569, Caius 1572, BA 1573, MA 1576; Basle MD 1578; travelled Italy and Spain 1579, Germany 1580-2; MD Camb. 1582. m. (1) 23 Dec. 1580, Jane (d.1600), da. of Richard Wheeler of St. Ethelburga’s, London; (2) Catherine (d.1626), da. of Robert Sadler of Salthorpe, Wilts., wid. of Richard Brown, 1da.

Offices Held

Candidate, coll. of physicians 1585, fellow and censor 1588; physician to the forces in Normandy 1591-2; physician to the 2nd Earl of Pembroke.

Biography

Moffett was a fashionable physician who was taken up by Mary Herbert, wife of the 2nd Earl of Pembroke. She induced her husband to give him a pension and quarters first at Wilton House then at Bulbridge close by. Pembroke returned him for his borough of Wilton to the 1597 Parliament, from which Moffett obtained leave of absence 5 Dec. He died 5 June 1604.

DNB; Harl. 75, f. 132; D’Ewes, 568; Townshend, Hist. Colls, 112.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: R.C.G.

Notes