SirThomas WitherleyMD (1618–1694) was Physician in Ordinary toKing Charles II, Second Physician toKing James II, andPresident of theRoyal College of Physicians from 1684 to 1687.
In 1688, Witherley was present at the birth ofJames Francis Edward Stuart.
In his earlier life, before his medical training, he had been aschoolmaster.
Witherley was born atBurlingham St Peter,Norfolk, on 21 August 1618. His mother was the sister ofSir Edmund Reve, Justice of theCourt of Common Pleas.[1]
In 1640, on his uncle's recommendation, Witherley was appointedMaster ofSir John Gresham's Grammar School atHolt in his native county.[1] In October 1642, it was reported to theFishmongers' Company, the school's trustees, that there had been a long outbreak ofsmallpox in Holt and that the school had had "noe schollers since Midsomer last yett the schoolmaster hath attended..." However, in May 1643 the Fishmongers heard that Witherley had been "betaking himselfe to the studie and profession of phisick" when he asked for a six-month leave of absence to enable him to take a medical degree in theNetherlands. This request appears to have been refused, as Witherley did not depart until after he had resigned his position as Master of the school in September 1644.[1]
Witherley took the degree ofdoctor of medicine at theUniversity of Cambridge in 1655[2] and in December 1664 was elected an honoraryfellow of theCollege of Physicians. By 1677 he had been appointed physician in ordinary toKing Charles II, and on 7 April of that year he became a fellow of the college. On 21 January 1678/79 he became an elect, was censor of the college (by now renamed theRoyal College of Physicians) in 1683 and president from 1684 to 1687.[3]
In 1688, at the time of the birth ofJames Francis Edward Stuart, son and heir ofKing James II, when the new prince was widely believed to have been smuggled into the Queen's bedchamber in a bed-pan, Witherley was Second Physician to the King and gave evidence that he had been present at the birth. He deposed that he "saw Mrs Labadie bring the child from the midwife, and carry him into the next room... and saw the child before he was cleaned..."[4] A strongroyalist, he was later accused by theWhig historian Burnett of being complicit in a plot by King James to turn a changeling intoPrince of Wales so that there could be aRoman Catholic heir to the throne.[1]
Witherley died on 23 March 1693/94.[3] He was the father ofHammond Witherley, a singer.[5]
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