TENANT, Thomas

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, 'TENANT, Thomas', 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/tenant-thomas [accessed 31 October 2024].

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'TENANT, Thomas', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database( London, 2004), British History Online, accessed October 31, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/tenant-thomas.

Margaret Pelling, Frances White. "TENANT, Thomas". Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database. (London, 2004), , British History Online. Web. 31 October 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/tenant-thomas.

In this section

Thomas TENANT

Biography

Name Thomas TENANT
Gender Male
Primary occupation medical physician (MD) (Quack. Physician)
Period of medical practice 1596-1623
Address St Mary Somerset 1621 (? or John Tenant, uroscopist, once 727)
Other notes In a lot of trouble 1606-23, including legal action 1610. Sir William Cornwallis on his side. MD Paris acquired in the middle of the fuss.

Known London address

Snowhill
Parish St Sepulchre without Newgate
Ward Faringdon Without
Date 1607
St Pauls
Parish St Gregory by St Paul's
Ward Castle Baynard
Date 1608
St Antholins
Parish St Antholin
Ward Cordwainer Street
Date 1611
Custom House
Parish All Hallows Barking
Ward Tower (Street)
Date 1613

Censorial hearings

4 Dec 1606
Entry The Beadle was ordered to summon T, a 'quack', to the next Comitia.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
12 Jan 1610
Entry T failed to appear.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Failed to appear.
m S John B 1610
Entry Dr Lister and Dr Fludd charged T, and T denied all practice. College resolved to collect evidence 'regarding illicit and ill practice' against him.
Attitude of the accused denied
Action taken Evidence to be collected.
1 Oct 1610
Entry The President asked the Fellows again to collect evidence ('concerning the people, month or day') against T. For the College's action, see the BOOK OF EXAMINATIONS.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken College to collect evidence. Details in the BOOK OF EXAMINATIONS.
Verdict guilty
Sentence To be prosecuted at law. Later fined £20 + public confession
22 Nov 1610
Entry T was released from legal action when Sir William Cornwallis senior appeared, with other letters on his behalf. In court, the College had asked him how long he'd practised. He now appeared and claimed that he was MD of Paris 'under Riolan of Paris'. He agreed to a public confession of 4 months' practice and to pay the College a fine of £10 and £10 on account of the lawsuit, if it could be dropped.
Pressure applied by College yes
Action taken Fined £10 (with £10 costs) & to make public confession of practice.
1 March 1611
Entry T asked about the costs of the law suit. He applied for a 3 months' licence, but it was refused. He left, and then the President charged him with practice. Dr Crooke charged him with treating Mrs White near St Antholins church for £27, and failing to cure her of quartan fever.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Second initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused asked for College membership
Action taken ?
Number of crimes 1
10 Aug 1611
Entry Eliz. Googe charged T with treating her and leaving her worse in 1606, having charged her 41s. for purge and ointment.
Initiator of the complaint patient
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
5 Feb 1613
Entry T was charged by ANTONIO (22, qv) with giving him pulvis sanctus in white wine. T appeared - see the BOOK OF EXAMINATIONS.
Initiator of the complaint other medical practitioner
Action taken ? (Details in the BOOK OF EXAMINATIONS.)
Number of crimes 1
5 March 1613
Entry T replied to the charges of Dr Goulston and others. See the BOOK OF EXAMINATIONS.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Action taken Deferred until the next Comitia.
m Palm Sun 1613
Entry Speed, of the Custom House, confirmed Dr Goulston's charges against T: T had agreed to cure S of the stone for £20, but had failed to cure him, and S had broken off the agreement, fearing death.
Initiator of the complaint patient
Action taken ?
Number of crimes 1
7 May 1613
Entry T was condemned for ill practice and fined £20, and warned. See the BOOK OF EXAMINATIONS.
Action taken Fined £20 and warned.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Fined £20 and warned
22 Dec 1606
Entry The Beadle was ordered to summon T to the next Comitia.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
29 Nov 1613
Entry The President (MOUNDEFORD) proposed that the law suit pending with others and Dr Tenant on the following Wednesday ought to be discussed ... so that each one separately might say what he thought.
Action taken ?To be prosecuted at law
Verdict guilty
Sentence To be prosecuted at law
4 Feb 1614
Entry The President (MOUNDEFORD) reported that according to the information of Dr Poe, Dr Tenant had illicitly treated a certain royal servant suffering from purple fever (peticulari febre), and that most recently. He wanted this to be noted here in the Annals.
Action taken ?T's illict practice noted in the Annals
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
4 Oct 1622
Entry "It was decided that these quacks should be summoned for ill practice: Dr. Tenant ...".
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned for ill practice.
Verdict case not completed
m Palm Sun 1623
Entry Dr SAUNDERS said: 'Dr Tennant tooke one Mr. Thrayle out of my hands and by pact receiued vj li. in hand to cure him of a Lyenteria. The same Dr Tennant on Tewsday may vjth vpon sight of Mr. Harris his water one of his Maiesties Guard, determined vpon that night next following he shoold haue a greiuous fitt, and the same day sennight at night he shoold dye - the man yet lives and is like to recouer.'
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 2
6 March 1607
Entry 'Tenant summoned for this day replied that he was under an obligation to follow the King'.
Pressure applied by College yes
Action taken Failed to appear.
Verdict case not completed
9 Oct 1607
Entry Alice, wife of John Randol of the Knotty Stick, Snowhill, said that T had undertaken to treat her manservant for £6 (£2 in advance) and had given catharthic pills and powders for 8 days, over-purging the patient so that he would not eat, became exhausted and died of marasmus in September. T was also accused by Morton, apothecary of Snowhill, of giving pills for 12s. and syrups for 20s. & 12s. to the servant of Mr Manditt, a leather seller, who died of a haemorrhage.
Initiator of the complaint friend/neighbour/acquaintance of the patient
Second initiator of the complaint other medical practitioner
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 2
8 Jan 1608
Entry Segar, Garter King of Arms, and his wife said that T, 'that notorious quack', had undertaken the cure of Mrs Brown of St Pauls, who had dropsy, and had accepted £32, 'increased beyond all conscience', leaving her with no cure. For instance, he had charged £6 for one pill, or £6 for a pint of an Apozem.
Initiator of the complaint person unconnected with the patient or the case
Second initiator of the complaint person unconnected with the patient or the case
Action taken ?
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
1 July 1608
Entry The Beadle was ordered to summon T to the next meeting.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
5 July 1608
Entry Maria, wife of Thomas Whitney, said that T had given her husband a pea-sized pill for a mild heat, which had caused excessive vomiting and purging for 3 days and death soon after. T had charged 6s. for the pill. John Fulces corroborated this.
Initiator of the complaint spouse of the patient
Second initiator of the complaint person unconnected with the patient or the case
Action taken ?
Number of crimes 1
28 July 1609
Entry T was arrested and brought to the Pro-President (Dr Moundeford)'s house. Moundeford, Palmer, Argent and Gwinne committed him to prison and fined him £20. The previous proceedings against him were read from the Book of Annals.
Action taken Fined £20 and imprisoned.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Fined £20 and imprisoned. Released on bail in 3 days
1 Aug 1609
Entry T had been released the previous day on bail. He did not appear, but sent his servant to say that he was at a feast at which his guarantor, Mr Ferlock (tailor) was also present, and he would meet the Censors at his house. This meeting did not occur: 'for seeing that he had escaped from the private prison on the pretext of bail, he soon made use of a similar stratagem to flee away from Judge Crooke.'
Action taken Failed to appear.
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