Thomas Morstede facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Morstede
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Original manuscript of Morstede's 1446 A Fair Book of Surgery.
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| Died | 20 April 1450 Church of St. Olave, Old Jewry
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| Occupation | Royal Surgeon |
| Spouse(s) | Juliana Michell, Elizabeth Michell |
Thomas Morstede was a very important English surgeon who lived from about 1411 to 1450. He worked for three kings of England: Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI. People at the time thought he was the best English surgeon of the 1400s.
Contents
About Thomas Morstede's Life
Thomas Morstede was the son of Thomas and Alianora Morstede. They were from a place called Betchworth, Surrey in England.
His Marriages and Friends
Morstede was married two times. His first wife was named Juliana. After she passed away, he married Elizabeth Michell in 1431. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Michell. Her father was a very important person in London. He had been an alderman and a sheriff, and even the Lord Mayor of London. This made him a powerful father-in-law for Morstede.
Morstede also had many good friends. For example, he left a special gift to his apprentice, Robert Bryttende. This gift included money, an English book about surgery, and all his surgery tools. Even though he was married twice, it seems Morstede did not have any children.
Thomas Morstede's Career as a Surgeon
Morstede learned his skills from another surgeon named Thomas Dayron in London. He started working for King Henry IV in 1410. By 1411, he was officially named the King's Surgeon.
Working for the King
In 1413, Morstede got another job. He became the "Searcher of the Vessels." This meant he was in charge of collecting money for King Henry V from ships on the River Thames.
Morstede also played a key role during the Agincourt Campaign in 1415. He and another surgeon, William Bradwardyne, were asked to gather and lead a group of surgeons. Their job was to serve the king's army during this important battle.
Trying to Start a College
In 1423, when Henry VI was king, Morstede tried something new. He worked with two doctors, John Somerset and Gilbert Kymer, to create a college for doctors and surgeons. The idea was to help doctors and surgeons get better training and follow rules in London. However, this college only lasted for about a year.
By 1426, Morstede was known as "Master Thomas." He also became a sheriff in the city of London, showing how respected he was.
Thomas Morstede's Lasting Impact
Thomas Morstede passed away on April 20, 1450. He was buried in the Church of St. Olave in Old Jewry.
His Surgical Writings
Morstede left behind an important book called A Fair Book of Surgery. This book was written around 1446. It is one of the very first books about surgery written in English. In this book, Morstede wrote that surgeons should be good at both the ideas and the hands-on practice of surgery. He also said they should be kind and help poor people.
Some people have wondered if Morstede truly wrote all of A Fair Book of Surgery. This is because parts of it are very similar to another book called Philomena by John Bradmore. For example, both books describe a famous event from the Battle of Shrewsbury. In that battle, Prince Henry (who later became King Henry V) was hit in the face by an arrow. The arrowhead got stuck. Both books show a special tool that was invented to remove it.
