FORMAN, Simon

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, 'FORMAN, Simon', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database( London, 2004), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/forman-simon [accessed 9 December 2024].

Margaret Pelling, Frances White, 'FORMAN, Simon', in Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database( London, 2004), British History Online, accessed December 9, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/forman-simon.

Margaret Pelling, Frances White. "FORMAN, Simon". Physicians and Irregular Medical Practitioners in London 1550-1640 Database. (London, 2004), , British History Online. Web. 9 December 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/london-physicians/1550-1640/forman-simon.

In this section

Simon FORMAN

Biography

Name Simon FORMAN
Gender Male
Primary occupation medical physician (MD) (Physician. Magician. Astrologer. Author. Schoolmaster 1574-8)
Period of medical practice 1578-1611
Place of birth England (Guidhampton, Wilts (son of William Foreman))
Date of birth 30 Dec 1552
Date of death Sep 1611
Address Stone House, St Botolph Bishopsgate 1594. ?Barbican. Lambeth 1601-11.
Other notes Ox 1573. Trouble 1594-1610. Ca 1604 - lic to pract med. See Rowse, "Tha Casebooks of Simon Forman". Reln of Thomas TWYNE 758.

Known London address

Stone House, St Botolph Billingsgate
Parish St Botolph Billingsgate
Ward Billingsgate
Date 1594
Barbican
Parish St Giles without Cripplegate
Ward Cripplegate (Within & Without)
Date n.d.
Lambeth
Date 1601-11

Censorial hearings

8 March 1594
Entry F, of Wiltshire but living at the Stone House, St Botolph's Billingsgate, confessed to 16 years' practice, 2 of them in London. Claimed cures for fever on Anize, Nicholas & Allen of Thames Street, and 20 others, by giving electuary of syrup of roses and wormwood water. He had read books by Corkes & Wainefleet, and diagnosed by astronomy. He was examined on astrology & medicine - answers absurd & mirth-provoking.
Attitude of the accused confessed
Action taken Fined £5. Accepted to pay in 16 days.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Fined £5 and promised to pay in 16 days
7 July 1609
Entry The impostor Forman was to be summoned on the charge of Doctor Rawlins.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken F to be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 1
m S John B 1610
Entry College resolved to collect evidence against F.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Evidence to be collected.
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 Forester to collect all the evidence they could concerning the people, month or day.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken College to collect evidence against F.
Verdict case not completed
7 Nov 1595
Entry F was examined and found 'completely ignorant'. He confessed that he had read no medical writers save Cockis, 'an English writer, a very obscure man, absolutely unknown and certainly of no merit.' Was forced to confess that he practised medicine only by astrology. Was ignorant of the fundamentals.
Attitude of the accused confessed
Action taken Imprisoned and fined £10 - the money to be used by the College.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Imprisoned and fined £10
22 Dec 1595
Entry F was released from prison on the authority of the Keeper of the Great Seal. The College decided to complain to the Keeper, and ask for him to be imprisoned again.
Action taken College to seek his re-imprisonment.
30 Sep 1596
Entry F appeared and admitted giving compound water to Mr Sotherton, for burning fever, from which he died. F again claimed that he could understand the nature of diseases and could prescribe using astrology alone. He was questioned by the Queen's physician, Dr Smith, on astrology, and shown to be ignorant.
Attitude of the accused confessed
Action taken F was imprisoned.
Verdict guilty
Sentence Imprisoned
Number of crimes 1
7 Nov 1600
Entry F was to be summoned to the next Comitia.
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken To be summoned.
Verdict case not completed
25 June 1601
Entry College officials had tried unsuccessfully to arrest F, of Lambeth. 'Just as if he were in a harbour, he sailed with great joy, pleasure and complete safety.' College to send a petition to the Archbishop of Canterbury (28/06/1601), giving previous findings about F. (AC replied saying that he'd intended calling F before the Ecclesiastical Commission, and pledging the support of his own officers against F.)
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken Petition sent to Archbishop of Canterbury (reply favourable).
Verdict case not completed
4 Dec 1606
Entry Dr. Moundeford and Dr. Pope complained about the quack FORMAN.
Initiator of the complaint college member
Second initiator of the complaint college member
Attitude of the accused absent
Action taken ?F was summoned to January meeting (see next).
9 Jan 1607
Entry F was summoned and sent Mr Whitfield in his stead. W said that F cd not come on this day owing to more important business, and would not come on any other day unless College gave a public pledge to allow him to return.
Action taken ?
30 March 1607
Entry Mr Pelham, a professor of medicine, said that F made effigies of his patients and foretold their diseases, then prescribed. F had diagnosed Humphrey Weld as dropsical (true cause was arthritis). Jacob Saterthayte of Little Wood Street said that F had made an effigy of him and had charged fees of 10d., 5s. and 4s. for medicines, including purges.
Initiator of the complaint other medical practitioner
Second initiator of the complaint patient
Action taken F was summoned, but refused to come.
Verdict case not completed
Number of crimes 3