Philip Ayres 1638-1712

From Book Owners Online

Philip AYRES 1638-1712

Biographical Note

Born at Cottingham, Northamptonshire. Travelling to Spain and Portugal with Sir Richard Fanshawe's embassy as a steward, Ayres began to learn Spanish and published a translation of A. G. de Salas Barbadillo’s El necio bien afortunado titled The Fortunate Fool (1670). In the 1670s he worked as tutor to the Drake family, of Agmondesham, Buckinghamshire. Ayres is known primarily for the two literary works, the Emblemata amatoria (1683) and Lyrick Poems (1687).

Books

Ayres' library was sold by retail sale in London, 10.11.1713.

Characteristic Markings

A copy listed by Maggs Bros of an Anacreon translation (1683), which later belonged to John Holmes, has the inscription of Philip Ayres on the titlepage.

Sources

  • Christie’s 23.6.1977 (Evelyn sale)/262.
  • Alston, R. C. Inventory of sale catalogues 1676-1800. St Philip, 2010.
  • Bibliotheca Ayresiana, [London, 1713], ESTC t14357.
  • Davidson, Peter, and Ian William McLellan. "Ayres, Philip (1638–1712), poet and translator." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
  • Maggs Bros. Catalogue 1447/7: ‘Wing Books Printed in England 1641-1700 from the Library of James Stevens Cox (1910-1997)’. London, 2011.