BUGGS, John

Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database. Originally published by Centre for Metropolitan History, London, 2004.

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Citation:

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'BUGGS, John', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database( London, 2004), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/buggs-john [accessed 21 November 2024].

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'BUGGS, John', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database( London, 2004), British History Online, accessed November 21, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/buggs-john.

Margaret Pelling, Frances White. "BUGGS, John". Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database. (London, 2004), , British History Online. Web. 21 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/buggs-john.

In this section

John BUGGS

Biography

Name John BUGGS (BOUGGS, BRIGG, BUGG, BUGGES)
Gender Male
Primary occupation medical apothecary (Apothecary. King's servant 1631. Physician (MPD) 1633. Tobacco-seller. Ch Ch Hospital 1636?)
Period of medical practice 1616-1640
Place of birth London (St Andrews Holborn (?=address?))
Date of birth 1603
Date of death 1640
Address Warwick Lane 1630. Billingsgate Ward 1640.
Other notes Trouble 1626-39. Player/ranger of the Queen of Bohemia 1631 (Royal protection). Rich on death in 1640.

Known London address

Warwick Lane
Parish Christ Church Newgate Street [incl St Audoen 1547; St Nicholas in the Shambles, 1547; part of St Sepulchre's, 1567]
Ward Faringdon Within
Date 1630
Billingsgate ward
Ward Billingsgate
Date 1640

Censorial hearings

m S Thomas 1626
Entry The President asked us to report quacks: he named Blanke, DuVal, Butler, Aire and Bugg and the charge against them.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
12 Oct 1632
Entry B was questioned about Burton and confessed. Told to seal a Release of Errors to the College.
Action taken Fined £10 now, £20 after 6 months, £20 after 1 year.
Number of crimes 1
22 Dec 1632
Entry B was charged by Dr HAWLYE with bad practice on Mr Cooke of the Old Bailey.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken B to be summoned to meet the charge.
Number of crimes 1
1 Feb 1633
Entry B to be summoned.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
1 March 1633
Entry B appeared, accused of suing one Smith in the Exchequer for the fee for curing him of the pox. B said he'd had Dr Cartmeale's directions. Accused of bad practice re Mr Cooke, B said that Dr LAWRENCE of Gratious Street (474) had called him in, and sent 2 of Lawrence's bills.
Action taken See next.
Number of crimes 2
5 April 1633
Entry Dr LAWRENCE 474 appeared and was questioned about the Cooke affair. He said he was called in by B!
Action taken [Presumably B was fined and gave sureties.] See next.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Fined and gave sureties
Number of crimes 1
3 July 1633
Entry College decided to take out an action against B's sureties for his non-payment of the fine.
Action taken Sureties to be prosecuted.
5 July 1633
Entry B's sureties appeared and refused to pay. College began lawsuit against them.
Action taken Prosecution begun.
23 Dec 1633
Entry Mr. Holland of Fanchurche Street, apothecary, was accused by Dr Winston of supporting Mr. B, 'whoe stands in opposition with the Colledge.' H denied it.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken None to B.
17 Jan 1634
Entry B's bills were presented.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken ?See next.
m Palm Sun 1634
Entry Dr Clarke complained of B's bad practice in the case of Mr Rowe of Fenchurch Street and cited COOKE, apothecary (?184, q.v.) as a witness.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Second initiator of the complaint other medical practitioner
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken See next.
Number of crimes 1
3 July 1630
Entry B, of Warwick Lane, was charged in connection with the son of Mr Murray of Foster Lane, whom he had treated and who had died. B refused to answer the charges of Dr Grent's servant and was found by the College 'very insolent'.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused defiant
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
16 July 1634
Entry 'It is thought fitt to respitt the consideracion of Dr. Buggs his practize till next Michelmas.'
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Investigation deferred until Michaelmas.
12 Sep 1634
Entry Dr. Clement, Registrar, sent a letter from the College to Dr. Collins, Regius Professor at Cambridge, complaining that some graduates in arts of foreign universities were being awarded 'the highest honours in medicine from you'. He cited particularly B, an apothecary who had taken a doctor's degree at Leyden after only 'a month or two' and who had been incorporated at Cambridge on that degree.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Regius Prof at Cantab was asked to examine B's worth.
15 Sep 1634
Entry Dr B to be arrested 'with a quo minus out of the Exchequer forthwith'. Meanwhile, Prof. Collins had written from Cambridge to say that although B obtained a grace to be incorporated MD Cantab, he never appeared to answer Collins's questions, so the grace was invalid and B is NOT MD Cantab. But B may have got the University's licence to practice, although not from Collins.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken College decided to arrest him.
5 Nov 1634
Entry 'Dr. Spicer informed that Mr. Holland in Fanchurche street Apothecarye preferred Dr. Buggs stranglye, the particulars therof hee will deliver.'
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Particulars to follow.
Verdict case not completed
5 June 1635
Entry Richard Chalenor said that the apothecary HAUGHTON 378 (qv) had brought B the urine of Nicholas Chalenor, apprentice to Timothy Younge of Cornhill. B had examined it and then prescribed a medicine for NC, who took it and died.
Initiator of the complaint relative of the patient
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken ?
Number of crimes 1
11 Dec 1635
Entry 'Dr. Winston ... presented the books of the examinacions of the Apothecaryes, and Dr. Buggs, which are to bee compared.'
Attitude of the accused absent
Verdict case not completed
20 May 1636
Entry The College was worried that B might obtain the vacant post in Christ's Hospital, and discussed how prevent this.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Coll to write letter to Lord Mayor against B.
21 May 1636
Entry The President of Christchurch hospital intended to make B the hospital physician. College presented a petition to the Lord Mayor, arguing against the appointment.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Petition sent to Lord Mayor against B.
Verdict case not completed
13 Feb 1637
Entry 'It was allso ordered that Mr. Buggs should be required to appeare before the President and Censors vpon Friday the 17 heerof.'
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned for Friday 17th February. See next.
17 Feb 1637
Entry B appeared and admitted to having practised for 2 years, viz. since he'd come back as MD of Leyden. He had been to no university, but had trained in an apothecary's shop. President read B the Statutes and prohibited him from practice, advising him to go back to being an apothecary for his livelihood, and offering him the favour of the College & half the practice of some of the Fellows. B refused.
Attitude of the accused confessed
Action taken Prohibited from practice. See next.
12 Nov 1630
Entry Nicholas Martin of Fetter Lane accused B of saying that he was a physician, of giving him (M) false hope about his son and of then charging a fee. M and Isabella Wertley also said that B had given a vomit to Pikhurne, which had made him unconscious for 3 hours. Mr HILL 395 (q.v.) followed B, it was alleged.
Initiator of the complaint relative of the patient
Second initiator of the complaint friend/neighbour/acquaintance of the patient
Action taken Deferred until HILL could be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 2
21 April 1637
Entry B to be sued for 2 years' practice.
Action taken College decided to sue B for unlicensed practice.
Verdict guilty
Sentence To be prosecuted at law
19 Jan 1638
Entry Suit against B [in process?].
Action taken Suit against B.
11 Jan 1639
Entry Suit against B [?in progress].
Action taken Suit against B.
11 Feb 1631
Entry B, one of the Queen of Bohemia's players, was included in a list of illegal practitioners who gained immunity as the King's servants. This list was sent with a petition to the Lord Chamberlain. (Others on it were BUTLER 135, TRIGG 746, HILL 395, BLAYDEN 93 and BLANKE 92.)
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Petition sent. Reply said that Coll. could prosecute these people.
Verdict guilty
Sentence To be prosecuted at law (?)
23 Sep 1631
Entry Beadle said that one Walton had died under B's hands. Dr Grent reported that a pewterer of Ivy Lane had said that B's medicine put out his eyes. Also alleged to have given physic to Lincoln's Inn stewards, as was known to Dr Wright.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Second initiator of the complaint college member
Third initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Censors, with Master & Wardens of SA, to search B's shop.
Number of crimes 3
2 Nov 1631
Entry 'Consideration to be had about collecting good proofes against George Butler, John Buggs and William Trigge'.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken College to collect proofs against B.
11 May 1632
Entry Medicines had been seized from B's shop on visitation from the SA. Lawrence Relfe, servant to the late George Burton, haberdasher, complained of B. Burton being ill, R called B, who sent a clyster by a servant, and later sent syrup of violets & flowers of sulphur. Burton deteriorated & B came & blooded him, & later sent 3 pills. Burton died that night. William Wallye, Burton's man, confirmed story.
Initiator of the complaint friend/neighbour/acquaintance of the patient
Second initiator of the complaint friend/neighbour/acquaintance of the patient
Action taken [B must have been imprisoned - see next.]
Verdict guilty
Sentence Imprisoned and fined £50
Number of crimes 1
3 July 1632
Entry Letter received from Lord Heathe, requesting B's release on habeas corpus (dated 30 June).
Attitude of the accused defiant
Action taken College replied refusing (13 July).
1 Oct 1632
Entry Clark of the SA asked if B could pay the fine in two stages.
Attitude of the accused submitted to the College
Action taken College agreed, if there was good surety.
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