CHALONER, SIR THOMAS, the younger, though inconsiderable as an author, deserves to be recorded as a skilful naturalist, in an age wherein natural history was very little understood in this or any other country; and particularly as the founder of the alum works in Yorkshire, which have since proved so exceedingly advantageous.
Chalybeat taceous to the commerce of this kingdom. He was the only son of Sir Thomas Chaloner mentioned in the last article, and was born in the year 1559. Being very young at the time of his father's death, the lord treasurer Burleigh, taking charge of his education, sent him to St Paul's school, and afterwards to Magdalen college in Oxford, where, like his father, he discovered extraordinary talents for Latin and English poetry. About the year 1580, he made the tour of Europe, and returned to England before 1584; for in that year, we find him a frequent attendant in the court of Queen Elizabeth. About this time he married the daughter of Sir William Fleetwood, recorder of London. In 1601 he was knighted; and, some time after, discovered the alum mines on his estate at Gisborough, near the river Tees in Yorkshire (A).
Towards the latter end of the queen's reign, Sir Thomas visited Scotland; and returning to England in the retinue of King James I. found such favour in the sight of his majesty, that he was immediately appointed governor to Prince Henry, whom he constantly attended, and, when his royal pupil visited Oxford, was honoured with the degree of master of arts. How he was employed after the death of the prince is not known. Some years before that event, he married a second wife, the daughter of Mr William Blount of London, by whom he had some children. He died in the year 1615, and was buried at Chiswick in Middlesex. His eldest son William was created a baronet in the 18th of James, anno 1620. The title was extinct in 1681. He wrote, 1. Dedication to Lord Burleigh of his father's poetical works, dated 1579. 2. The virtue of nitre, wherein is declared the sundry cures by the same effected. Lond. 1584, 410.