Thomas Witherley
Encyclopedia
Sir
Thomas Witherley MD
(1618–1694) was Physician in Ordinary to King Charles II
, Second Physician to King James II
, and President of the Royal College of Physicians
from 1684 to 1687.
He was present at the birth of James Francis Edward Stuart
in 1688.
, on 21 August 1618. His mother was the sister of Sir Edmund Reve, Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
.
In 1640, on his uncle's recommendation, Witherley was appointed Master of Sir John Gresham's Grammar School
at Holt
in his native county. In October 1642, it was reported to the Fishmongers' Company
, the school's trustees, that there had been a long outbreak of smallpox
in Holt and that the school had had "noe schollers since Midsomer last yett the schoolmaster hath attended..." However, in May of 1643 the Fishmongers heard that Witherley had been "betaking himselfe to the studie and profession of phisick" when he asked for a six-month leave of absence to enable him to take a medical degree in the Netherlands
. This request appears to have been refused, as Witherley did not depart until after he had resigned his position as Master of the school in September 1644.
Witherley took the degree of Doctor of Medicine
at the University of Cambridge
in 1655 and in December 1664 was elected an Honorary Fellow
of the College of Physicians
. By 1677 he had been appointed Physician in Ordinary to King Charles II
, and on 7 April of that year he became a Fellow of the College. On 21 January 1678/79 he became an Elect, was Censor of the College (by now renamed the Royal College of Physicians
) in 1683 and President from 1684 to 1687.
In 1688, at the time of the birth of James Francis Edward Stuart
, son and heir of King James II
, when the new prince was widely believed to have been smuggled into the Queen's bedchamber in a bed-pan, Witherley was Second Physician to the King and gave evidence that he had been present at the birth. He deposed that he "saw Mrs Labadie bring the child from the midwife, and carry him into the next room... and saw the child before he was cleaned..." A strong royalist
, he was later accused by the Whig historian
Burnett of being complicit in a plot by King James to turn a changeling into Prince of Wales
so that there could be a Roman Catholic heir to the throne.
Witherley died on 23 March 1693/94.
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Thomas Witherley MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(1618–1694) was Physician in Ordinary to King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, Second Physician to King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, and President of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
from 1684 to 1687.
He was present at the birth of James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
in 1688.
Career
Witherley was born at Burlingham St Peter, NorfolkNorfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, on 21 August 1618. His mother was the sister of Sir Edmund Reve, Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
.
In 1640, on his uncle's recommendation, Witherley was appointed Master of Sir John Gresham's Grammar School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
at Holt
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
in his native county. In October 1642, it was reported to the Fishmongers' Company
Worshipful Company of Fishmongers
The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London, being a guild of the sellers of fish and seafood in the City...
, the school's trustees, that there had been a long outbreak of smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in Holt and that the school had had "noe schollers since Midsomer last yett the schoolmaster hath attended..." However, in May of 1643 the Fishmongers heard that Witherley had been "betaking himselfe to the studie and profession of phisick" when he asked for a six-month leave of absence to enable him to take a medical degree in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. This request appears to have been refused, as Witherley did not depart until after he had resigned his position as Master of the school in September 1644.
Witherley took the degree of Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1655 and in December 1664 was elected an Honorary Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
. By 1677 he had been appointed Physician in Ordinary to King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, and on 7 April of that year he became a Fellow of the College. On 21 January 1678/79 he became an Elect, was Censor of the College (by now renamed the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
) in 1683 and President from 1684 to 1687.
In 1688, at the time of the birth of James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
, son and heir of King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, when the new prince was widely believed to have been smuggled into the Queen's bedchamber in a bed-pan, Witherley was Second Physician to the King and gave evidence that he had been present at the birth. He deposed that he "saw Mrs Labadie bring the child from the midwife, and carry him into the next room... and saw the child before he was cleaned..." A strong royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
, he was later accused by the Whig historian
Whig history
Whig history is the approach to historiography which presents the past as an inevitable progression towards ever greater liberty and enlightenment, culminating in modern forms of liberal democracy and constitutional monarchy. In general, Whig historians stress the rise of constitutional government,...
Burnett of being complicit in a plot by King James to turn a changeling into Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
so that there could be a Roman Catholic heir to the throne.
Witherley died on 23 March 1693/94.