BUCK, Paul | British History Online

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

'BUCK, Paul', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database, (London, 2004) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/buck-paul [accessed 28 April 2024]

Paul BUCK

Biography


Name	Paul BUCK
Gender	Male
Primary occupation	medical physician (Goldsmith. Practitioner of physic.)
Period of medical practice	1583-1627
Place of birth	England (Englishman)
Date of birth	before 1569
Address	Blackfriars till 1592. St Andrew in the Wardrobe 1604.
Other notes	Trouble 1589-1617. Supported by Walsingham, Howard & Essex. Paracelsian. See DE LAUNE - lived at Blackfriars.

Known London address


	Round House, Blackfriars
Parish	St Anne Blackfriars
Ward	Faringdon Within
Date	1589-92
	St Andrew in the Wardrobe
Parish	St Andrew by the Wardrobe (Castle Baynard)
Ward	Castle Baynard
Date	1604

Censorial hearings


	6 June 1589
Entry	B, 'an ignorant fellow and renowned for his boldness', appeared. He confessed that he was uneducated, but said that he could cure all diseases & had practised successfully in the City for 6 years (by purgatives & correct diet). He had read Paracelsus & Erasmus ('medical books'). Asked what inflammation was (said, 'a gradual increase of certain swellings and humours'); asked what the King's disease was, said it was 'an alteration of the blood in melancholy and phlegm'.
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	Fined £10 and imprisoned for bad and illegal practice.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £10 and imprisoned
	22 Dec 1592
Entry	B appeared & confessed to practising for more than 6 years.
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	Forbidden to practise & ordered to reappear.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Forbidden to practise. [To be prosecuted at law.]
	25 June 1593
Entry	Charles, Lord Howard, the Lord High Admiral, had written a letter (dated 29 May 1593) on B's behalf. College drafted a reply (2 July 1593). For contents of both letters, see Goodall pp. 329-330.
Pressure applied by College	yes
Action taken	Reply sent to Howard.
	25 March 1594
Entry	Despite letters, College decided not to grant B a licence.
Attitude of the accused	asked for College membership
Pressure applied by College	yes
Action taken	Refused a licence.
	3 July 1596
Entry	B was summoned, and appeared. He denied practising in anything but trivial cases.
Attitude of the accused	denied
Action taken	Ordered to reappear. See next.
	14 Oct 1596
Entry	Appeared and confessed to practice, but only in minor cases.
Action taken	Fined £5.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £5
	7 March 1600
Entry	Appeared.
Action taken	Fined £3 & warned to pay a portion of it in the near future.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £3 and warned to pay part of it in the near future
	4 May 1603
Entry	B confessed to practising.
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	Fined £5 (reduced on petition to 5 marks) and imprisoned.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £5 and imprisoned
	19 July 1605
Entry	B promised to pay fine of 5 marks for bad practice.
Attitude of the accused	submitted to the College
Action taken	To pay previous fine of 5 marks.
	3 July 1607
Entry	B was summoned but failed to appear.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	See next.
	7 Aug 1607
Entry	B appeared and was accused of treating Mr Vermingham (rumoured to be dead). Alleged to have diagnosed a weakness of the stomach caused by overeating & to have used an 'ointment with mercury'.
Action taken	Fined £5 and imprisoned till he paid it.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £5 and imprisoned till he paid it.
Number of crimes	1
	25 June 1589
Entry	B had been released from prison. President & 2 Censors to find out why from the Mayor. If the answer was unsatisfactory, an action would be brought against Blunt, the keeper of the Wood Street prison.
Action taken	See next.
	6 Oct 1609
Entry	B did not appear.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	?
Verdict	case not completed
	9 Feb 1610
Entry	B did not appear.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	?
Verdict	case not completed
	4 June 1613
Entry	Dr Herring charged B with treating Tayler, a draper of Fleet Street.
Initiator of the complaint	college member
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	College decided to summon B to answer this charge.
Verdict	case not completed
Number of crimes	1
	10 Jan 1617
Entry	Henry Foster, shoemaker, his wife and his neighbour presented a petition against B.
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
Third initiator of the complaint	person unconnected with the patient or the case
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	B to be summoned.
Number of crimes	1
	7 Feb 1617
Entry	Richard Foster complained about B.
Initiator of the complaint	person unconnected with the patient or the case
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	B to be summoned.
Verdict	case not completed
Number of crimes	1
	2 July 1589
Entry	B, a goldsmith of Blackfriars, was summoned and ordered not to practise medicine because he was ignorant and had no knowledge of the craft. He refused to stop, or to give a bond - said he wd continue, on his own authority, & wd always be ready to give thoughtful care & attention to any in need. The College found him insolent.
Initiator of the complaint	college member
Attitude of the accused	defiant
Action taken	Re-imprisoned in Wood Street prison until he shd decide to repent.
	5 Dec 1589
Entry	Summoned.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Summoned. See next.
	18 Dec 1589
Entry	Christopher Hardy, shoemaker & servant of John Langley of Southwark, complained that he had paid B money to restore him to health, but that B had given him no medicine.
Initiator of the complaint	patient
Action taken	?Imprisoned
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Imprisoned
Number of crimes	1
	30 Jan 1590
Entry	B, a goldsmith who had been imprisoned for wrongful practice, was summoned before the President & Censors. He refused to appear. He had apparently undertaken to cure Hardy of pains in his joints and had been paid £1 and promised 40s. more.
Action taken	?See next.
Number of crimes	1
	16 Feb 1590
Entry	Letter was received from Walsingham on B's behalf. College drafted a reply. For contents of both letters, see Goodall pp. 327-8. President & James took reply to Walsingham, who promised to leave the affair to the College. College Beadle summoned B from prison. He wd have been treated mercifully out of respect for W, but he refused to come.
Pressure applied by College	yes
Action taken	College to inform W of B's obstinacy.
	8 May 1590
Entry	B had been freed by the Warden of the Counter, without authority. College to complain to the City Recorder & to Mr Daniel, & to take legal action against the Keeper of the Counter.
Action taken	?
	5 Nov 1591
Entry	B was summoned.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Summoned.
Verdict	case not completed