John Bathurst
Encyclopedia
John Bathurst was an English physician. He attended Oliver Cromwell
, and was twice Member of Parliament.
in Kent
. He was born in Sussex
, his mother being Dorothy, daughter of Captain E. Maplesden of Marsden
, a naval officer. In December 1614 Bathurst entered the university of Cambridge
as a sizar at Pembroke College
, took the degree of B.A. in 1618, and that of M.A. in 1621. In 1637 he obtained the degree of M.D., and in the same year, on 22 December was admitted at once candidate and fellow of the College of Physicians
, of which he was afterwards twice censor, in 1641 and 1650. On 1 February 1643 he was incorporated M.A. at Oxford.
In 1653, during the First Anglo-Dutch War
, he was attending the seamen of the fleet after Robert Blake
's prolonged engagement in February of that year. He represented Richmond, Yorkshire
, as burgess in the parliament summoned by Cromwell in 1656, and again in Richard Cromwell
's parliament in 1658. In July 1657 he was named elect of the College of Physicians in place of William Harvey
. Bathurst was physician to Cromwell and to the family of Sir Richard Fanshawe. When Fanshawe, after his capture at the battle of Worcester
, was kept a prisoner in London, he fell very sick from scurvy
, and Bathurst interceded for him with Cromwell, who, on the strength of the doctor's medical certificate, obtained at the council chamber the order for Fanshawe's liberation, overruling objections of Sir Harry Vane.
He was charitable, and was said to have accumulated a fortune of £2,000 a year. Bathurst married Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of Brian Willance, Esq., of Clints, Yorkshire, and had a numerous family. He died on 26 April 1659, aged 52.
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, and was twice Member of Parliament.
Life
He was the second son of Dr. John Bathurst, of GoudhurstGoudhurst
Goudhurst is a village in Kent on the Weald, about south of Maidstone.It stands on a crossroads , where there is a large village pond. It is also in the Cranbrook School catchment area....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He was born in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, his mother being Dorothy, daughter of Captain E. Maplesden of Marsden
Marden, Kent
Marden is a village about 13 km south of Maidstone and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the flood plain of the River Beult near Maidstone. It is on the B2079 road linking the A229 Maidstone with the A21 at Flimwell. It has its own railway...
, a naval officer. In December 1614 Bathurst entered 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...
as a sizar at Pembroke College
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, took the degree of B.A. in 1618, and that of M.A. in 1621. In 1637 he obtained the degree of M.D., and in the same year, on 22 December was admitted at once candidate and fellow 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...
, of which he was afterwards twice censor, in 1641 and 1650. On 1 February 1643 he was incorporated M.A. at Oxford.
In 1653, during the First Anglo-Dutch War
First Anglo-Dutch War
The First Anglo–Dutch War was the first of the four Anglo–Dutch Wars. It was fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Caused by disputes over trade, the war began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but...
, he was attending the seamen of the fleet after Robert Blake
Robert Blake (admiral)
Robert Blake was one of the most important military commanders of the Commonwealth of England and one of the most famous English admirals of the 17th century. Blake is recognised as the chief founder of England's naval supremacy, a dominance subsequently inherited by the British Royal Navy into...
's prolonged engagement in February of that year. He represented Richmond, Yorkshire
Richmond (Yorks) (UK Parliament constituency)
Richmond is a constituency located in North Yorkshire, which elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
, as burgess in the parliament summoned by Cromwell in 1656, and again in Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
's parliament in 1658. In July 1657 he was named elect of the College of Physicians in place of William Harvey
William Harvey
William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart...
. Bathurst was physician to Cromwell and to the family of Sir Richard Fanshawe. When Fanshawe, after his capture at the battle of Worcester
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
, was kept a prisoner in London, he fell very sick from scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
, and Bathurst interceded for him with Cromwell, who, on the strength of the doctor's medical certificate, obtained at the council chamber the order for Fanshawe's liberation, overruling objections of Sir Harry Vane.
He was charitable, and was said to have accumulated a fortune of £2,000 a year. Bathurst married Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of Brian Willance, Esq., of Clints, Yorkshire, and had a numerous family. He died on 26 April 1659, aged 52.