FORRESTER, William

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

This free content was born digital. All rights reserved.

Citation:

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'FORRESTER, William', 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/forrester-william [accessed 22 November 2024].

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'FORRESTER, William', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database( London, 2004), British History Online, accessed November 22, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/forrester-william.

Margaret Pelling, Frances White. "FORRESTER, William". Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database. (London, 2004), , British History Online. Web. 22 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/forrester-william.

In this section

William FORRESTER

Biography

Name William FORRESTER (FORESTER)
Gender Male
Primary occupation medical physician (MD) (Physician. ?Apothecary's servant before 1611. [?NOT Clergyman 1608 1614.])
Period of medical practice 1591-1621
Place of birth England (of Cambridgeshire)
Date of death Nov 1621
Address St Katherines by the Tower 1621
Other notes Trouble 1601-14. Ca 1607. Lic med & surg from Cantab 1608. Confused with 283 James Forster - MA & clergyman.

Known London address

St Katherine by the Tower
Parish St Katherine's Hospital (St Katherine at the Tower)
Ward Portsoken
Date 1621

Censorial hearings

18 July 1594
Entry John Green of Rutland complained that F had cheated him of a large sum of money for the treatment of a fractured tibia caused by a kick from a horse, which he had not carried out successfully. F had often purged G with pills & vomit. Mr Burton, a gentleman of Gray's Inn, complained on similar grounds - had paid £3 10s. (another £3 10s. to follow on completion of cure) and had been purged and vomited, but not cured. F had not answered the summons.
Initiator of the complaint patient
Second initiator of the complaint patient
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken F to be fined £10 and imprisoned.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Fined £10 and imprisoned (when found)
Number of crimes 2
30 March 1607
Entry Mr Huxley of Cheapside complained about F because last Christmas when he had undertaken the treatment of his wife he had taken £20 in advance: not only had he not kept his promise but also due to extreme negligence he had allowed the woman he should have cured to die. A certain man Skidmor had paid £5 for a cure, and F did nothing. Summoned, F refused to come without a public pledge of his return.
Initiator of the complaint spouse of the patient
Second initiator of the complaint patient
Action taken F refused to appear.
Number of crimes 1
7 Aug 1607
Entry F, having been summoned, did not come: he sent however a letter in which he stated that he had been given a licence by the university to practise freely, in whatever place, without the interference of anyone.
Action taken ?
22 Dec 1607
Entry Dr Jordan & Dr Clement accused F and desired him to be summoned.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Second initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 2
1 July 1608
Entry The Beadle was ordered to summon F (and others) to the next Comitia.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken F to be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
10 April 1609
Entry The President (Dr Atkins) mentioned a few complaints against F.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
11 Aug 1609
Entry Mr Whetnoll made a serious charge against F. See E.
Initiator of the complaint person unconnected with the patient or the case
Action taken See E.
Sentence ?
Number of crimes 1
m S John B 1610
Entry F (and others) had been recently indicted, and had promised to be at hand to prove the case. The Fellows were asked to collect evidence of illicit and ill practice against F (and others).
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Evidence to be collected against F.
1 Oct 1610
Entry The President giving warning about the quacks urged that action should be taken against them and asked the Fellows with regard to Tenant, Forman and F to collect all the evidence they could concerning the people, month or day.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Evidence to be collected against F.
Verdict guilty
Sentence To be prosecuted at law
19 Jan 1611
Entry F appeared. The Attorney General (presum after finding him guilty) had requested mercy for him. F agreed to pay £10 for a licence, but refused an examination because he already had a licence from Cambridge. He denied purging Lady May of Holywell (a consumptive) to death in 1609, and claimed to have been taught medicine as an apothecary's servant by Dr Rawlins. Said he had travelled abroad.
Pressure applied by College yes
Action taken Dismissed, but his `extreme impudence' was complained of to Att Gen
Number of crimes 1
13 July 1596
Entry A certain F appeared who denied absolutely that he had practised medicine, but when he was strongly pressed he confessed that he had adminstered a clyster in which he had put Diaphaenicon and Benedicta Laxativa (which he called the Benedicta medicine) to a certain man at the Sign of the Mill; the patient had died. As a purge he had prescribed Diaprunum Solutinum and Electuarium e Sucra Rosarum ana 1 oz.
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
1 Oct 1596
Entry F was in list of persons to be summoned.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
4 Nov 1597
Entry F was accused by Maurice Abbot of having given his pregnant wife, who had been spitting blood, an emetic, then a purgative on the same day. This caused a miscarriage in 3 days, then death in 6 days.
Initiator of the complaint spouse of the patient
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
2 Nov 1599
Entry Citatory letters against F (and others) were to be written.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
5 June 1601
Entry It was decided that WF, practitioner, should be arrested as soon as possible.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken F to be arrested.
Verdict case not completed
5 May 1602
Entry Margaret Peacock complained that a vomit given by F three weeks previously had killed her husband, who had taken the medicine at 5 p.m. on a Friday and had had about 100 stools and vomits until he died after a haemorrhage at 9 p.m. on the Saturday.
Initiator of the complaint spouse of the patient
Action taken Imprisoned in Wood Street Counter.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Imprisoned in Wood Street Counter
Number of crimes 1
25 June 1602
Entry F had been released from the Wood Street prison without the College's permission. College to sue the Keeper, Mr Nicholas.
Action taken Keeper of the prison to be sued.
4 Dec 1606
Entry Dr Fryer complained about F and promised to produce a letter which revealed his fraud and trickery.
Action taken Evidence to be produced against F.
PreviousTable of contentsNext