on a complaint made against him by the Beadles for obstructing the
Bodys being brought from Tyburne to the Hall for dissection and
threatning to prevent the Company’s measures for obtaining the same,
when after he had been reproved, was Dismissed, But the Court then
agreed (in order to prevent his intended proceedings) to attend the
Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen that they may on complaint made be
releived therein.
18th December, 1741. Ordered that the High Constable of Holburne be
allowed Ten shillings and sixpence as his ffee for every Body that
shall be brought from Tyburne and delivered at this Company’s Hall
and for his aiding and assisting the Company’s Beadles therein and
not otherwise.
10th February, 1742. The Court either forgetting or ignoring their
order of 7th May, 1713, now ordered that Mr. William Skelton, a proctor
in Doctors’ Commons, who had for many years past received five guineas
annually as Caveat money (being Registrar of the Bishop of London)
and “pretended to be allowed him by this Company on account of his
Lordship’s Grant for the Prohibiting of Surgeons to practice within
his Diocese be no longer entitled to such fee untill such time as this
Court shall be better informed of the nature of his right of demanding
the same.”
23rd November, 1740. Great consternation prevailed at the Hall in
consequence of a malefactor who had been hung at Tyburn having revived
when brought here for dissection. The account of this remarkable
occurrence is recorded by the Clerk, Mr. Joseph Wheeler, on the last
page of the rough Minute Book 1738-1742, and is very interesting.
From the record of his trial at the Old Bailey (see Sessions Papers)
Duell appears to have been an outrageous young scoundrel. A popular
impression prevails, and frequent currency has been given to it, that
Duell subsequently made a fortune abroad and out of gratitude to the
Barber-Surgeons for saving his life, presented them with the handsome
leather folding screen now in the Court Room, the best answer to
which is, that the screen in question is referred to in the Company’s
Inventory some thirty years previously to Mr. Duell’s visit to Tyburn.
Mr. Wheeler’s account is as follows--
November the 23{d.} 1740.
This day W{m.} Duell (who had been indicted at the Old Bayley for a
Rape and had received sentence of Death for the same) was carryed
to Tyburne in order to be executed where having hung some time was
cutt down and brought to this Company’s Hall in order to be dissected
where he had not been five minutes before Life appeared in him &
being let blood and other means used for his recovery in less than
two hours he sat upright drank some warm wine and lookˀd often round
him and before he was carryed back to Newgate which was about Twelve
o’the Clock at Night he severall times pronounced distinctly the
word DONT when anybody touched him though was thought to be mostly
insensible of anything but paine which in a great measure he endured
by his most violent screamings & was often in strong convulsions in
his bowells which he then exprest by applying his hands to those
parts.
The Sheriffs having ordered him back to Newgate he was carryed out in
a blankett putt into a Coach & was seemingly much composed & quiet
not making any manner of noise wherein 3 or 4 days time he recovered
sufficient to converse & eat & drink very freely but never could give
any reasonable account of what had passed. He afterwards obtained a
reprieve in order to be transported for life which he was accordingly
in the 16th year of his age. (_Vide_ his Tryall in the Sessions paper
of that time.)
The Wardens’ accounts give the following particulars relative to this
case:--
£ _s._ _d._
Paid the Beadles their expences in bringing
the last Body from Tyburne 2 19 0
Paid the Officers of the Two Compters 2 2 0
Paid Joseph Wheeler the Company’s Clerk his
Coach hire and expences in attending the
Sheriffs when the Body came to life 0 10 0
Paid the Chairwoman for her trouble and
expences about the Body 0 5 0
A somewhat similar account of the foregoing circumstance will be found
in Maitland’s London (ed. 1756), Vol. I, p. 613, and also in the
Gentleman’s Magazine, Vol. X, p. 570.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
SURGICAL LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS.
There are many references throughout the books to the Lectures and
Demonstrations of Anatomy at our Hall, as well as indications that
from the period of Incorporation (1462), if not earlier, the Company
took care to provide for the professional education of its members and
apprentices, and to increase their proficiency in Surgical science.
[Footnote: The initial letter ~T~ is reduced from one in the Audit
Book, 1612-13.]
In addition to the Examiners in Surgery (who though not necessarily
members of the Court of Assistants were often consulted by the Masters
or Governors) there were chosen “Masters and Stewards of the Anatomy,”
generally two Masters and two Stewards, on whom devolved the duty of
conducting the Demonstrations, and arranging for the Dinners which
invariably followed. The exact duties of these officials are not at all
times clearly defined, though elsewhere will be found allusions to, and
orders concerning their offices and functions, but it may be generally
taken that the Stewards dissected and prepared the body, the Masters
reading the Lectures thereon to the assembled Surgeons and their
apprentices.
These Demonstrations usually took place four times in the year, and
were termed “Public Anatomies,” from the fact that the subject was
generally a public body, _i.e._, a malefactor, and the attendance of
the free Surgeons was compulsory on these occasions; besides these
Public Anatomies, there were also an indefinite number of “Private
Anatomies” held at the Hall, and at these the attendance was by
invitation. It was illegal for any one to dissect a “humane bodye”
within the limits of the Company’s jurisdiction without the permission
of the Masters or Governors, and whenever a Surgeon was desirous
to anatomatize some specially interesting subject, it was termed a
“Private Anatomy,” and generally performed at the Hall by permission,
the Surgeon inviting his own friends and pupils, and the Court inviting
whom they chose. (See the curious entry as to a Private Anatomy, page
321.)
Besides the Demonstrations of Anatomy, public and private, there were
several other lectures delivered (oftentimes once a week) by members
of the College of Physicians and members of the Company; two of these,
which were trusts, the Arrisian Lecture and Gale’s Anatomy still
survive I believe, at the Royal College of Surgeons; the others were
provided by the Company out of their corporate funds.
Among some loose papers at the Hall, I found a MS. relating to the
lectures, which I lent to Mr. D’Arcy Power, who incorporated it in
his work, as “Appendix M.” I have since compared this document with the
original minutes, and finding it somewhat incorrect and imperfect, have
prepared the following more accurate account.
[Illustration: FAC-SIMILE PAGE OF MINUTE BOOK. 16TH JANUARY, 1567.]
Previous to 1566 Dr. William Cunningham was Reader at the Hall. He was
author of the “Cosmographical Glasse containing the pleasant principles
of Cosmographie Geographie Hydrographie or Navigation,” London, 1599.
fo. Dr. Cunningham resided at Norwich 1556-9, whence he removed to
London. He wrote a letter prefacing John Hall’s book against the
“beastlye abusers” of Surgery, which is dated at Coleman Street, 18th
April, 1565, and he also wrote a recommendatory letter in Thomas Gale’s
“Certeine workes of Chirurgerie,” London, 1586. 4{to.}
14th January, 1567. Here was m{r} doctor Julyo & he made request y{t}
he myghte have the worke of the anathomy these iiij{or} or fyve yeres
so y{t} the coledge of the phicysions sholde not put hym frome us
& also y{t} he myghte have pˀvat anathomyes at his demaund in this
howse.
16th January, 1567. ~How that~ doctor Julius borgarneyns shall
make ow{r} anathomyes.
~Also forder more It ys ordayned.~ That M{r} Julius borgarniens
doctor in physyck w{th}in the Cytie of London unto his request
accordyngly Is graunted That for and by the space of fyve yeres shall
make and worke ow{r} anathomyes and skellytons Condycionally That
at any Tyme and tymes w{th}in in the for saide terme of fyve yeres
y{t} yf yt happen the above named m{r} doctor Julius borgarneins to
be sycke or oute of Towne or by any other manner his Lawfull absence
That then yt shalbe Lawfull to and for the m{r} and govˀno{rs} and
y{r} successors To take any other doctor and make ow{r} anathomyes
and skellytons and not ellꝭ other wyse as by a paire of Indentures
and Covenantꝭ bearynge date frome the xiij{th} daye of August in
an{o} dn{i} 1566 and in the viij{th} yere of ow{r} Sovˀaigne lady
Quene Elyzabeth as by the same Indentures more at large yt doth
testefye the one beyng sealed w{th} the Seale of the mystery and the
m{r} and govˀno{rs} for the tyme then beinge have subscrybed y{r}
names & markes and unto the oth{r} Indenture the saide doctor Julius
burgarniens hath subscrybed his name & have put y{r} unto his seale.
~How that~ the anathomystꝭ shall Leave of theyre Excessyve and
extraordenary charges in y{r} expencꝭ
~Also yt is ordayned.~ That John morland shall abyde and stande
M{r} of the Anathomye accordynge unto an ordenañce in that behalf
pˀvyded and Ordayned, and he also shall beare his portion of the
Charges of the same accordingly as hertofore yt hathe bene usually
acostomed and yt is fully condesended and agreed that the saide
John morelande shall in and for good consideraciõ of his silvered
yeres, set and Requyer any one of this saide Cõpany To make Sexcions
w{th} the doctor as hymsylf and in his behalf upon the saide Corps
or bodye and yf he wyll ~And also~ forder more yt is ordayned by
thaucthorytie aforesaide That hereafter the saide m{r} and stewardꝭ
of the anathomyes shall not brynge in theyre accomptes any moñy
by them or any of them spente or layed forthe at the Tavernes or
ellꝭ where at theire sondry metingꝭ but the mere and only exspencꝭ
defrayed and paide oute for the Gates and other necessarys at the
hall pˀpared for the same tyme and not ellꝭ otherwyse And also the
saide anathomistꝭ shall frome hence forwardꝭ put of and laye aparte
theire Sooppars[223] and all others y{r} wastefull and excessyve
charges and exspenceꝭ by the w{ch} theire accomptꝭ amounteth unto the
greter Som̃es. And also John Staple upon his humble request made is
lycenced not to be stewarde in this yere, and m{r} bovy is chosen and
admytted to be stewarde of the saide anathomy and shall also pˀcede
to m{r} of the nexte[224] unto order accordingly.
[223] Suppers.
[224] _i.e._, proceed to be Master of the Anatomy next year.
17th January, 1575. It was agreed by this whole howse that m{r}
docto{r} Smythe sholde wo{r}k upon Thannatomye for the space of thies
iiij yeres next coming and yf he be sick or oute of the Towne to take
there choyse where they will.
20th December, 1577. M{r} Thomas Hall to desect the Anatomies.
Thomas Hall (see pp. 183, 187) was a Member of the Court of Assistants,
and a brother of the John Hall referred to on p. 314.
1st July, 1596. M{r} Docto{r} Paddy ys chosen to be the desecto{r}
of o{r} Anathomies yf yt shall pleas him to accept of the same And
also xx{s} ys geven yerelie to the Anathomistꝭ more then they were
accustomed to have in regard that suche Doctor{s} of Phisick as shall
associate the said M{r} Docto{r} shalbe invited to dyner at the good
liking of the masters or governo{rs} from tyme to tyme.
23rd November, 1609. Att this Court upon the motion made by S{r}
William Paddy Knighte and at his earnest request and suite made to
this Courte and uppon the surrenderinge up of his place which he held
for the redinge of the Anathomyes lectures for discection thereof It
is by a generall consent of the whole Courte agreed That M{r} Doctor
Gwyn doctor in Phisicke shall from henceforth possesse his place in
the Hall for readinge of the discection of the Anathomy Att such
tymes and when as any such shall happen or be.
28th March, 1610. This day wee had the bodie of one . . . . . . to
descect for an Anotomy & M{r} Docter Gwyn did reede upon the same.
17th September, 1612. This daye itt is ordered (upon a motion by the
M{r} propounded touchinge that one of the Colledge shold read in this
howse the weeklie lectures of Surgery on Tewsdaies) That the M{rs}
shall conferr with M{r} President of the Phisitions Colledge to see
whether they will give Consent that M{r} Docto{r} Davis or some other
sufficient phisition whome the company shall please shall read the
weeklie lectures in o{r} howse And yf the president & Colledge shall
not consent thereto then this howse is to deale & compound with some
other of our owne company to read their lecture in this howse whereof
ye M{rs} are to make certificatt unto the said M{r} President And to
take such order that the howse maye not in anywise be charged towards
y{e} same Lecture.
6th October, 1612. This daie upon the motion made of M{r} Doctor
Gwyne to be lecturer Itt is by this Court ordered that the said M{r}
Docto{r} Gwyne shalbe reader of the weekelie lectures of surgery
w{ch} the said M{r} Docto{r} accepted of In Considerac͠on whereof the
M{rs} have allowed unto the said M{r} Doctor Gwyne an yerelie paym{t}
of x{li} to contynew soe long as he shall be reder of the lecture.
19th September, 1616. M{r} Doctor Gwyne is by this Court ordered &
entreated that he wold proceed in his reading of o{r} lectures out of
Gwydoes Surgery.
13th December, 1627. Alsoe this daye o{r} M{r} propounding to this
Courte that where as M{r} Docto{r} Gwin our lecturer is lately
dead by reason whereof wee are destitute of a lecturer it is very
expedient either to choose a Doctor to Reade our lectures on
tuesdayes or every Surgion in his turne according to his antiquitye
to reade his lecture as formerly the Surgions of this house hath bene
used, whereupon deliberac͠on being had it is by this Court fully
concluded and agreed that our weekely lectures shalbe reade according
to the auncient custome of the Companie by the Surgions of our
Companie approved according to lawe and that it shall begin with the
auncientest Maister M{r} Richard Mapes and soe after every Surgion in
his antiquitye and degree in the Companie.
Alsoe it is further ordered that dureing the tyme of reading of
such lecture none of the audience shall interrupt or question the
reader till the hower be runn out, and the lecture ended, at which
tyme it shalbe lawfull for the M{rs} and Wardeins and the examiners
then present (if any error have bene comitted by such lecturer) to
question such reader and to make manifest wherein he hath erred.
23rd October, 1628. Alsoe this daye M{r} Doctor Andrewes is freely
and loveingly chosen to be our reader at the next publique Anathomye
to be holden in this Hall.
9th April, 1632. Alsoe this Court takeing into their considerations
the greate care and paines of M{r} Doctor Andrewes in his agitac͠ons
and yearely readinge of our lectures in tyme of the discections of
the publique Anathomyes for this fower yeares past doe nowe order
that there shalbe given him xiij{li} vj{s} viij{d} as of the free
guift of this house for his paines therefore.
16th June, 1632. And as concerning the order for reading of lectures
in Surgerye by an approved surgion of this Companie, this Court did
againe deliberate upon the same and every one of the Assistants
declared his opinion therein and the pluralitie of voyces was to have
lectures read by the approved Surgians of this house according to our
ordinances and not by a Doctor of phisick.
20th December, 1632. Alsoe o{r} Soveraigne Lord Kinge Charles his
Letter directed to this Court was here openly reade and thereupon
this Court in all obedient duetye and loyaltie to o{r} soveraigne
Lord the Kings pleasure signified in that letter doe make mc͠on of
M{r} Docto{r} Andrewes to be the weekely lecturer in surgerye for
o{r} Companie upon such Court dayes as wee are accustomed to keepe.
28th December, 1632. This daye was reade in Court the letter directed
to o{r} M{r} from M{r} Richard Andrews Docto{r} in Phisick whereby
he doth desire to be excused from reading o{r} weekely lectures in
Surgerye, & thereupon this Court did goe to a new election, takeing
notice of M{r} Alex: Reade Docto{r} in Phisick approved by the
Colledge of Phisitians London whoe was bredd a Chirurgian in ffraunce
and hath bene a long time free of o{r} Companie did make choice of
the said Docto{r} Reade to be o{r} Lecturer in Surgerye at such dayes
and tymes as by order of Court is formerly ordered by this Court. And
this Court doth further order that evˀy Surgian in the Lecture bill
shall yearely paye towards the reading of such Lecture a certeyne
some pˀticulerly, and that all those moneys gathered being cast up to
a totall some shall out of the stock of this house be yearely made up
xx{li} compleately for the said Docto{rs} Readeing.
Among a collection of old books on Surgery, in my possession, is a
small quarto by Dr. Read (dedicated to Thomas, Lord Windsor, who was
free of the Barber-Surgeons) and entitled:--
The Chirurgicall Lectures of Tumors and Ulcers delivered on Tuesdayes
appointed for these exercises, and keeping of their Courts in the
Chirurgeans Hall these three yeeres last past, viz. 1632, 1633 and
1634. By Alexander Read Doctor of Physick, and one of the Fellowes of
the Physitians College of London. LONDON 1635.
28th December, 1637. Upon the riseing of the Court of Assistants it
was concluded & agreed by the Examiners and Assistants Surgians that
M{r} Docto{r} Meverell an auncient Phisitian of the Colledge shalbe
Reader of o{r} Anatomicall lectures at the next publique discection
to be held in the new erected Theater.
8th November, 1638. It is this daye ordered by the M{rs} or
Governo{rs} Surgians and the Examiners and Assistant Surgians here
present y{s} afternoone that there shalbe pˀnted as the guift of this
Companie to M{r} Doct. Meverell a peece of plate w{th} the Companies
Scutchion ingraven thereon for his paynes in readeing at o{r} last
publiqe Anatomye in the new Theater before the Lords of his Ma{ties}
most hono{ble} privye Councell & others Spectato{rs} in the time of
those 3 dayes readeings.
And in regard the said Docto{r} Meverell doth desire to be spared
from reading any more the said M{rs} or Governo{rs} Surgians & the
Examiners & Assistant Surgians do make choice of M{r} Doct. Prujeon
to be their reader in M{r} Doct. Meverells roome.
19th August, 1641. It is ordered that henceforward the Tuesday
Lectures shalbe delivered by the Surgeons of this Company themselves
and not by a Doctor and that the Examiners shall meete and consider
of the manner.
23rd September, 1641. The Tenn Examiners are desired to meete &
consider concerneing Lectures on Thursday next and in regard of the
present sicknes this Court doth order that noe Tuesday Courts or
Lectures be held till after the fortnight within the next terme.
30th September, 1641. This day M{r} Lawrence Cotton, Warden, M{r}
Serjeant Clowes M{r} Richard Wateson M{r} Woodall M{r} John Heydon
M{r} Heath M{r} George Dunn, Examiners of Surgeons takeing into
theire Considerac͠ons the manner of the reading of Lectures in
Surgery have thought it fitt and ordered That the Surgery Lectures
should be read by approved Surgeans only and the Lecture to begin by
the first Surgeon that is approved next to the Examiners and soe
every one by his turne to read the Tuesdayes Lecture and every one
to have a preceeding moneths time of warneing or notice to prepare
himselfe for such Lecture as he shall read.
Alsoe It is thought fitt the publique Anatomy 6 Lectures shall this
yeare be read by Doctor Prudjeon.
5th May, 1642. It is ordered that Doctor Chamblent shall have a
silver tankard of vj{li} price with Armes of the company ingraven
in it as the Guift of this Court for his paynes the last publique
Anatomy.
17th January, 1644. It is ordered That in respect of the greate
troubles and distractions of these times there shalbe noe publique
Anatomy this yeare discected.
27th October, 1645. This day M{r} Edward Arris acquainting this Court
that a person a friend of his (who desired his name to be as yet
concealed)[225] through his greater desire of the increase of the
knowledge of Chirurgery did by him freely offer to give unto this
Corporac͠on for ever the sum of 250{li} to the end and upon Condic͠on
that a humane Body be once in every yeare hereafter publiquely
dissected and six Lectures thereupon read in this Hall if it may be
had with Conveniency and the Charges to be borne by this Company
And if noe humane Body may be had nor conveniently dissected in one
yeare then the Company to destribute One halfe of the Sum of the
usuall Charges of a publique Anatomy to our owne poore and the other
halfe to the poore of S{t} Sepulchers, the said worthy Overture is
thankefully accepted by this Court And it is Ordered a Draught be
drawne by our Clerke against the next Court of Assistants for the
performance thereof And to that purpose a Rent charge of xx{li} pˀ
annum be granted out of our Lands at Holborne Bridge.
[225] It was the worthy Alderman Arris himself.
24th November, 1645. This Court taking into Considerac͠on in what
manner the publique Bodyes hereafter shalbe dissected and by whome
that Anatomy which is now newly about to be established shalbe
performed Doth thinke fitt and soe Order That the present M{rs} of
Anatomy or such others as shalbe appointed by the two M{rs} Surgeons
for the time being and the more part of the Examiners shall performe
the same and that the manner of dissections of every publique Anatomy
shalbe such as they the said Two M{rs} or Governo{rs} for the time
being and Examiners on the more part of them shall direct.
30th January, 1646. The draft deed of settlement for the Arrisian
Lectures was brought into Court and (6th February, 1646) approved; but
it appearing at the next Court that there was some technical difficulty
as to the names of the feoffees it was remitted to the donor’s counsel.
20th February, 1646. This Court doth agree That the Deed of an
Annuity formerly granted to the use of the new publique Anatomy be
made for 24{li} upon the Considerac͠on of 300{li} And it is promised
by M{r} Arris on the behalfe of the Donor That if the 300{li} shalbe
restored within 12 yeares he or his Heires shall grant unto this
Company for the same use the like sum of 24{li} p. Annum out of some
of his Lands or Tenements And doe nominate and appoint for ffeeoffees
M{r} Dunn M{r} Collins M{r} Kings M{r} Pinder M{r} ffleete M{r} Arris
M{r} Boone and M{r} Bennett.
24th March, 1646. This daye M{r} Edward Arris payd the sum of 300{li}
to the use of this Company and is the purchase money for the Annuity
of 24{li} pˀ annũ for the use of the new publique Anatomy Whereupon
the Deed of Grant of the said Annuity and for establishing the said
new Anatomy was sealed with the Com̃on Seale and Delivered to the
Donor and the severall ffeoffees intrusted in that matter.