READ, Simon

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, 'READ, Simon', 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/read-simon [accessed 2 May 2025].

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'READ, Simon', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database(London, 2004), British History Online, accessed May 2, 2025, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/read-simon.

Margaret Pelling, Frances White. "READ, Simon". Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database. (London, 2004), British History Online. Web. 2 May 2025. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/read-simon.

In this section

Simon READ

Biography

Name Simon READ
Gender Male
Period of medical practice 1589-1612
Other notes Warned 1599. Convicted & imprisoned 1601. Freed by Bishop of London 1602.

Censorial hearings

2 Nov 1599
Entry R appeared, accused of giving medicine to Mrs Shelley.
Action taken Warned.
Verdict not proven
Number of crimes 1
2 July 1601
Entry Questioned, R refused to reply in Latin; allowed to reply in English, he refused that too. Thirdly he was allowed to write down the nature of whatever disease he liked to choose. He chose diarrhoea and said that it was a flux of the belly, due to swollen fluids in the stomach. Every one agreed that he was completely unlearned and ignorant of the medical art. Richard Cuckston of Westminster said that R had purged and bled his wife when she was suffering from a melancholy, and had made fun of her by hanging a paper around her neck.
Attitude of the accused asked for College membership
Action taken Imprisoned and fined £5, 40s. of which was to go to Cuckston.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Imprisoned and fined £5 (40s. of it to patient)
Number of crimes 1
7 Aug 1601
Entry A letter was received from Lady Howard on behalf of R, who was in prison. College decided to free R on three conditions: (1) He shd release a poor man he'd wrongfully had imprisoned for a debt of £100; (2) He shd release another poor man he'd had imprisoned and repay 40s. R had had for treating his wife; (3) He shd give College a bond for 'a sufficient sum' and sureties not to practise.
Pressure applied by College yes
Action taken R to be released on bond not to practise in future.
5 Feb 1602
Entry R (and others) to be imprisoned.
Action taken To be imprisoned.
19 Feb 1602
Entry R was questioned on his practice and confessed to undertaking the cure of many, including 2 chaplains, one with a melancholy sickness of the lungs, the other with burning fever. He said he had practised in London for 6 years and could produce much evidence of his reliability. He had no other livelihood.
Action taken Imprisoned and fined £20.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Imprisoned and fined £20
8 April 1602
Entry R (and JENKINS 436, qv) was released from prison by Chief Justice Sir John Popham, given a hearing at Popham's house, found guilty and sent back to prison.
Action taken Re-imprisoned after hearing.
5 May 1602
Entry R appeared, having been released from prison by the Bishop of London's intervention on his behalf to the College.
Action taken Released.
13 Jan 1609
Entry R was examined and bound over until February.
Action taken Deferred until February.
Verdict case not completed
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