OWEN, Edward | British History Online

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

'OWEN, Edward', 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/owen-edward [accessed 24 April 2024]

Edward OWEN

Biography


Name	Edward OWEN
Gender	Male
Primary occupation	medical surgeon (Surgeon. Quack. Physician to E of Northumberland 1594+. BSC 1601-5)
Period of medical practice	1579-1620
Address	Surrey 1596
Other notes	Accused 1589-1610. Frequently fined/imprisoned. In trouble with BSC too 1601-5.

Censorial hearings


	5 Dec 1589
Entry	O, a surgeon, was summoned.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Summoned.
	7 Nov 1600
Entry	O was warned.
Action taken	Warned.
Verdict	case not completed
	30 Sep 1601
Entry	Robert Sharp, the Queen's servant, charged O, a surgeon of Surrey, and requested letters of testimonial from the College against O. College gave S a letter saying O had often appeared before the College and been found utterly ignorant, he had confessed to practising, been imprisoned and forbidden to practise.
Initiator of the complaint	person unconnected with the patient or the case
Action taken	Letter given to Sharp against O.
	15 Oct 1601
Entry	Letters testimonial against O were read, approved and signed. (The case between Sharp and O was being dealt with by Sir John Popham, Lord Chief Justice in Queen's Bench.)
Action taken	Letters testimonial against O signed.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Referred to lawsuit
	6 Nov 1601
Entry	O appeared and his bond to appear was returned. He confessed receiving £5 from Fox of Pickhatch (paralytic) for ointment and dressings. John Spencer, carpenter and servant to a sergeant, complained that O had sold a potion to Sergeant Bond, Master of Buckhounds, who died 5 days later. Robert Ridson, tailor, charged O with following a fumigation of R's wife with a purge which lamed her. O was also said to have killed Laurence Pope by excessive purging. (Last cases about 4 years earlier.)
Initiator of the complaint	friend/neighbour/acquaintance of the patient
Second initiator of the complaint	spouse of the patient
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	?
Number of crimes	4
	17 Aug 1602
Entry	O was present, having told the President he would appear. Dr Taylior said that O had a gentleman named Tanfield in his care. O's servant was to be arrested and examined.
Initiator of the complaint	college member
Action taken	College to arrest and examine O's servant.
Number of crimes	1
	22 Oct 1602
Entry	O appeared and was charged by Dr Lister with undertaking & treating Mr Griffin's son (aged 8) using fumigation - the boy had died within 3 days. O confessed he took a fee of 10s. Lister also said O had given an electuary as a purge to Peter Coales's wife. O could not deny receiving 2s. Dr Fryer and Dr Mountford charged O with giving a purge to Mr Carpe, and O confessed to this also.
Initiator of the complaint	college member
Second initiator of the complaint	college member
Third initiator of the complaint	college member
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	Fined £20 and imprisoned.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £20 and imprisoned
Number of crimes	3
	6 June 1606
Entry	O was charged with and convicted of illicit and bad practice. He was fined £10, which he paid at once 'and in addition made satisfaction to the Beadle and Lictor'.
Action taken	Fined £10. Paid it at once.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £10. Paid at once, also Beadle's & Lictor's fees.
	22 Dec 1606
Entry	Dr Rawlins and Dr Poe [sic: Pope presum] accused O of illicit and bad practice. To proceed after Christmas.
Initiator of the complaint	college member
Second initiator of the complaint	college member
Action taken	Deferred.
	3 July 1607
Entry	O was summoned but failed to appear. He was accused by Dr Rawlins (617, qv), who was in trouble over the Popham case at the time.
Initiator of the complaint	college member
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Failed to appear.
	4 Dec 1607
Entry	O sent his servant to say that he could not attend as he had more important business.
Action taken	Failed to appear.
	18 May 1590
Entry	O confessed to giving purgative (Dia phoenicon and electuary of Rose syrup) to one Patinson. He was summoned to reappear and name the physician who had advised this.
Action taken	To reappear.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	To reappear and name his physician
Number of crimes	1
	15 Feb 1608
Entry	O was brought from prison by the lictor. He was charged with practice and with refusing to appear, 'but because no one wished to treat him harshly, no more could be exacted from him than the amount he offered of his own accord', i.e. £5 now and £5 at the end of next term, when all his previous sins would be 'overlooked and forgiven'.
Action taken	Fined £5 now and £5 next term.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined £10
	6 Oct 1609
Entry	O was charged in his absence. See E.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Deferred.
	3 Nov 1609
Entry	O excused himself to the President.
Action taken	Failed to appear (excused himself to the President).
	1 Dec 1609
Entry	O failed to appear.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Failed to appear.
	12 Jan 1610
Entry	O failed to appear.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Failed to appear.
Verdict	case not completed
	17 July 1590
Entry	Joan Apseley complained that O had prescribed a diet and given a purgative, but her condition had not improved. O then administered Pulv. Hydrargirus, wch ulcerated her gums. Her neighbour, John Staynes of St John's Street, confirmed this.
Initiator of the complaint	patient
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	O to be summoned.
Number of crimes	1
	25 Sep 1590
Entry	O, quack, who practised at markets, was summoned but did not appear.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Failed to appear.
	6 Nov 1590
Entry	Joan Apsley appeared and testified that she had paid O 40s. O confessed.
Initiator of the complaint	patient
Attitude of the accused	confessed
Action taken	Fined 40s.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined 40s.
Number of crimes	1
	3 Dec 1596
Entry	O, of Surrey, was said to have practised secretly in unknown places. He did not answer the summons.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Failed to appear.
	3 June 1597
Entry	Andrew Mathew testified against O in his absence. M said that a noblewoman named Gray had been given many medicines by O for vomiting and purging. She had married Mr John Tamet.
Attitude of the accused	absent
Action taken	Decided to imprison O when he was found.
Number of crimes	1
	12 Aug 1597
Entry	O, a 'surgeon and a bold practitioner of medicine', was told he could either give a bond of £40 to desist, pay a 40s. fine, or be imprisoned. He was warned of the results of practising. He agreed to 40s.
Action taken	Fined 40s.
Verdict	guilty
Sentence	Fined 40s.
	26 June 1598
Entry	O was charged with having given Margaret Bonner a powder in wine for 2 days, for £4 in advance and £8 upon cure. The medicine purged her and ulcerated her throat.
Action taken	?
Verdict	case not completed
Number of crimes	1