LUMKEN, John | British History Online

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

Citation:

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'LUMKEN, 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/lumken-john [accessed 31 October 2024].

John LUMKEN

Biography


Name	John LUMKEN (LUMPKIN)
Gender	Male
Primary occupation	medical surgeon (Surgeon)
Period of medical practice	1579-1616
Other notes	Summoned 1589 & 1591. Accused, fined & imprisoned 1605. Out 1606.

Known London address


	Cheapside
Date	1605

Censorial hearings


	5 Dec 1589
Entry	L was summoned.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Summoned.
	18 Dec 1589
Entry	L, surgeon, confessed that he had practised medicine for a long time. He had treated dropsy, gout and rheumatism, and even more serious diseases. He had administered a purgative diet - confectis Hamech & Diaphoenicon - as often as 3, 4 or 5 times a day.
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	Deferred.
	5 Feb 1591
Entry	Lumken [among others] was to be asked to appear in the next Comitia.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	To be summoned to the next Comitia.
	29 March 1591
Entry	Arthur Gorge had sent a severe letter against L. It was read and L was asked to bring forward a letter which Gorge had written in his favour.
Pressure applied by College	yes
Action taken	?
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	?
	5 Nov 1591
Entry	L was summoned.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Summoned.
Verdict	case not completed
	12 July 1605
Entry	John Shepard, apothecary, appeared and charged L with giving purgative pills to Mrs Hill, who was staying at the White Hind, Cheapside, and of putting 'an oily extract of sulphur into her eyes thereby causing inflammation of the eyes and the danger of blindness'. Dr Wilkinson accused S of prescribing stupefactive pills (labdanum Paracelsi) for Stocday of Cheapside, who was suffering from sciatica. The pills caused a total suppression of urine, and Stocday died on the 11th day.
Initiator of the complaint	other medical practitioner
Second initiator of the complaint	college member
Action taken	See next.
Number of crimes	2
	19 July 1605
Entry	Questioned about Mrs Hill, L said it was an inflammatory discharge from the eyes 'and that it was salt'. He refused to reply in Latin, of which he confessed ignorance. He was found guilty of bad practice, unbecoming behaviour and abusive language.
Action taken	Found guilty, fined £20 and imprisoned.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £20 and imprisoned
Number of crimes	1
	20 July 1605
Entry	A letter on L's behalf from the Earl of Northumberland arrived (dated 19 July 1605). L, he said, was 'one whom I make good accompt of, having procured him to com over for some speciall purpose. I meane to use him for my owne health'. L had previously treated the Earl's brother. The Earl requested L's release. College wrote back agreeing (20 July 1605).
Pressure applied by College	yes
Action taken	College agreed to release L on petition of Earl of Northumberland.
	17 July 1606
Entry	L was imprisoned (17 July). The Archbishop of Canterbury requested his freedom, but on hearing the President and Censors left the matter to the College (22 July). L was eventually freed on the request of men 'deserving well of the College', on condition that he bound himself for £40 not to practise in future.
Action taken	Imprisoned but freed on request of well-wishers on bond of £40.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Imprisoned. Freed on providing bond of £40 to abstain