Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Moulton, Thomas
MOULTON, THOMAS (fl. 1540?), Dominican, calls himself 'Doctor of Divinity of the order of Friar Preachers.' He was author of a curious work partly dealing with medicine, partly with astrology, entitled 'This is the Myrour or Glasse of Helthe necessary and nedefull for every persone to loke in that wyll kepe body frome the Syckness of the Pestilence. And it sheweth howe the Planetts reygne in every houre of the daye and nyght with the natures and exposicions of the xii signes devyded by the xii monthes of the yere, and sheweth the remedyes for many divers infirmities and dyseases that hurteth the body of man.' After the prologue and table of contents the author gives four reasons for the production of his book, first, the prayers of his own brethren; secondly, the prayers of 'many worthy gentiles;' thirdly, his compassion 'for the pore people that was and is destroyed every daye thereby for default of helpe;' fourthly, the working of pure conscience (cf. Brydges, Censura Literaria, iv. 156-7). One of the copies in the British Museum Library has the title-page of Andrew Boorde's 'Regyment of Helth' prefixed to it (cf. Furnivall, Boorde's Introduction and Dyetary, p. 12).
The first edition of Moulton's work was printed and published by Robert Wyer in 1539 (?), and seems to have been in considerable request. At least nine editions were published in London between 1539 and 1565. Moulton's name carried weight even as late as 1656, when it appeared on the title-page of a book called the 'Compleat Bone-Setter,' which was alleged to have been originally written by him, but contained little of his work.
[Tanner's Bibl. Brit.-Hib.; Ames's Typogr. Antiq.; Brit. Mus. Cat.]