THOMAS, Esq., the author of the *Fædera*, was born in the north of England, and educated at the grammar-school of Northallerton. He was admitted a scholar at Cambridge, then became a member of Gray's Inn, and at length was appointed historiographer to King William in place of Mr Shadwell. He wrote A View of the Tragedies of the last Age, and afterwards published a tragedy named Edgar. For a critic he was certainly not well qualified, for he wanted candour; nor is his judgment much to be relied on, who could condemn Shakespeare with such rigid severity. His tragedy will show, that his talents for poetry were by no means equal to those whose poems he has publicly censured. But though he has no title to the appellation of poet or critic, as an antiquarian and historian his memory will long be preserved. His *Fædera*, which is a collection of all the public transactions, treaties, &c. of the kings of England with foreign princes, is esteemed one of our most authentic and valuable records, and is oftener referred to by the best English historians than perhaps any other book in the language. It was published at London in the beginning of the 18th century in 17 volumes folio. Three volumes more were added by Sanderson after Rymer's death. The whole were reprinted at the Hague in 10 vols in 1739. They were abridged by Rapin in French, and inserted in Le Clerc's *Bibliothèque*, a translation of which was made by Stephen Whatley, and printed in 4 vols 8vo, 1731.

Rymer died 14th December 1713, and was buried in the parish church of St Clement's Danes. Some specimens of his poetry are prefaced in the first volume of Mr Nichol's Select Collection of Miscellaneous Poems, 1780.