William Hobbys, Richards doctor
William Hobbys, Richards doctor
2013-04-28 02:14:39
Hello, I've been lurking for a while and am very impressed with and appreciative of the depth of knowledge and research shared so generously by everyone here.
Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him.
Hobbys was surgeon and physician to the Duke of York, Edward IV, and Richard. I can't find when he entered the Duke of York's service, but it seems to have been some time before Richard's birth. When he entered Edward IV's service, there was an early link with Richard: the incorporation of the "Mystery or Commonality of Barbers of London" named in its charter of February 24, 1461, the founders as physician Jaques Fries, William Hobbs ("physician and chirurgeon"), Edward IV "and his brother Gloster." Richard was only eight years old, so maybe his role was just nominal or ceremonial. But that makes me wonder why George wasn't included? (Unless it's more indicative of Edward snubbing George than anything else…)
The age of onset for Richard's scoliosis has been given as "after ten," so if it started to become apparent between that time and before he joined Warwick's household at twelve, then Hobbys was already established on the scene. Maybe I'm giving Edward IV too much credit, but I'd like to think that he'd have wanted the best for his little brother in this situation. Hobbys could have seemed like the best: over a dozen years of experience as a surgeon, advanced degrees in medicine (bachelor's from Oxford, MD from Cambridge), all packaged in one man who had already served their father for years.
Certainly Edward seems to have been highly pleased with Hobbys, granting him a lot of perks throughout his reign (these are mentioned in the Hobbys file on the Ian Rogers site, by the way). I get the impression that these perks weren't all that unusual for royal doctors, but Hobbys was exceptional in one way: according to his DNB entry, "When parliament sought to revoke several such grants as an economy measure, in 1473, `our trusty and well-beloved servant, William Hobbys, cirurgion for oure body' (RotP, 6.83) was formally exempted."
There is also a later case of Edward IV assigning Hobbys to Richard: he accompanied Richard on the Scottish campaign as chief army surgeon, although that would have been more for the benefit of Richard's men than Richard himself. In any case, Richard himself thought well enough of Hobbys that after becoming king he retained him in service and increased his salary.
But the thing is, in at least one respect Hobbys was the kind of man you might expect Richard to sweep out of office with a big broom once he became king. In 1476 Hobbys was successfully sued by his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with prostitutes. Seems old Willy was quite the swinger for years, with the last straw for Mrs. Hobbys being his reported antics in French brothels during the 1475 invasion. The scandal caused him no harm with Edward IV, unsurprisingly. But it is surprising that it also seems to have done him no harm with Richard, whose opinion of adulterers and men who do not love and care for their wives we all know well. Moreover, the French brothel incident would also seem to taint Hobbys with some of the dishonor of Picquigny in Richard's eyes.
Nonetheless, Richard not only retained Hobbys but actively promoted and rewarded him. Maybe it was a courtesy to an old family servant, or a concession of respect for a man of learning. I don't think for a minute that he was paying Hobbys for silence about the scoliosis, since Hobbys had already kept silent for 20 years by then. But maybe some of it was gratitude on Richard's part, a way of thanking Hobbys for his earlier treatments (if any) and discretion? Also maybe it shows that (contrary to what some historians say about him being a prude) Richard was capable of accepting the basic worth of a person even if there were aspects of that person he may have disapproved of. I think I read (but can't remember where) that Hobbys was at Bosworth as Richard's chief army surgeon, so if that's correct then he trusted Hobbys right up to the bitter end.
And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Thank you,
Cathy
Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him.
Hobbys was surgeon and physician to the Duke of York, Edward IV, and Richard. I can't find when he entered the Duke of York's service, but it seems to have been some time before Richard's birth. When he entered Edward IV's service, there was an early link with Richard: the incorporation of the "Mystery or Commonality of Barbers of London" named in its charter of February 24, 1461, the founders as physician Jaques Fries, William Hobbs ("physician and chirurgeon"), Edward IV "and his brother Gloster." Richard was only eight years old, so maybe his role was just nominal or ceremonial. But that makes me wonder why George wasn't included? (Unless it's more indicative of Edward snubbing George than anything else…)
The age of onset for Richard's scoliosis has been given as "after ten," so if it started to become apparent between that time and before he joined Warwick's household at twelve, then Hobbys was already established on the scene. Maybe I'm giving Edward IV too much credit, but I'd like to think that he'd have wanted the best for his little brother in this situation. Hobbys could have seemed like the best: over a dozen years of experience as a surgeon, advanced degrees in medicine (bachelor's from Oxford, MD from Cambridge), all packaged in one man who had already served their father for years.
Certainly Edward seems to have been highly pleased with Hobbys, granting him a lot of perks throughout his reign (these are mentioned in the Hobbys file on the Ian Rogers site, by the way). I get the impression that these perks weren't all that unusual for royal doctors, but Hobbys was exceptional in one way: according to his DNB entry, "When parliament sought to revoke several such grants as an economy measure, in 1473, `our trusty and well-beloved servant, William Hobbys, cirurgion for oure body' (RotP, 6.83) was formally exempted."
There is also a later case of Edward IV assigning Hobbys to Richard: he accompanied Richard on the Scottish campaign as chief army surgeon, although that would have been more for the benefit of Richard's men than Richard himself. In any case, Richard himself thought well enough of Hobbys that after becoming king he retained him in service and increased his salary.
But the thing is, in at least one respect Hobbys was the kind of man you might expect Richard to sweep out of office with a big broom once he became king. In 1476 Hobbys was successfully sued by his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with prostitutes. Seems old Willy was quite the swinger for years, with the last straw for Mrs. Hobbys being his reported antics in French brothels during the 1475 invasion. The scandal caused him no harm with Edward IV, unsurprisingly. But it is surprising that it also seems to have done him no harm with Richard, whose opinion of adulterers and men who do not love and care for their wives we all know well. Moreover, the French brothel incident would also seem to taint Hobbys with some of the dishonor of Picquigny in Richard's eyes.
Nonetheless, Richard not only retained Hobbys but actively promoted and rewarded him. Maybe it was a courtesy to an old family servant, or a concession of respect for a man of learning. I don't think for a minute that he was paying Hobbys for silence about the scoliosis, since Hobbys had already kept silent for 20 years by then. But maybe some of it was gratitude on Richard's part, a way of thanking Hobbys for his earlier treatments (if any) and discretion? Also maybe it shows that (contrary to what some historians say about him being a prude) Richard was capable of accepting the basic worth of a person even if there were aspects of that person he may have disapproved of. I think I read (but can't remember where) that Hobbys was at Bosworth as Richard's chief army surgeon, so if that's correct then he trusted Hobbys right up to the bitter end.
And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Thank you,
Cathy
Re: William Hobbys, Richards doctor
2013-04-28 14:26:13
Interesting post Cathy...Dr Hobbys comes across as a loyal and trustworthy man. It speaks volumes of him that he was doctor to the Duke of York and two of his sons...eileen
--- In , cattivoid <no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> Hello, I've been lurking for a while and am very impressed with and appreciative of the depth of knowledge and research shared so generously by everyone here.
>
> Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him.
>
> Hobbys was surgeon and physician to the Duke of York, Edward IV, and Richard. I can't find when he entered the Duke of York's service, but it seems to have been some time before Richard's birth. When he entered Edward IV's service, there was an early link with Richard: the incorporation of the "Mystery or Commonality of Barbers of London" named in its charter of February 24, 1461, the founders as physician Jaques Fries, William Hobbs ("physician and chirurgeon"), Edward IV "and his brother Gloster." Richard was only eight years old, so maybe his role was just nominal or ceremonial. But that makes me wonder why George wasn't included? (Unless it's more indicative of Edward snubbing George than anything else…)
>
> The age of onset for Richard's scoliosis has been given as "after ten," so if it started to become apparent between that time and before he joined Warwick's household at twelve, then Hobbys was already established on the scene. Maybe I'm giving Edward IV too much credit, but I'd like to think that he'd have wanted the best for his little brother in this situation. Hobbys could have seemed like the best: over a dozen years of experience as a surgeon, advanced degrees in medicine (bachelor's from Oxford, MD from Cambridge), all packaged in one man who had already served their father for years.
>
> Certainly Edward seems to have been highly pleased with Hobbys, granting him a lot of perks throughout his reign (these are mentioned in the Hobbys file on the Ian Rogers site, by the way). I get the impression that these perks weren't all that unusual for royal doctors, but Hobbys was exceptional in one way: according to his DNB entry, "When parliament sought to revoke several such grants as an economy measure, in 1473, `our trusty and well-beloved servant, William Hobbys, cirurgion for oure body' (RotP, 6.83) was formally exempted."
>
> There is also a later case of Edward IV assigning Hobbys to Richard: he accompanied Richard on the Scottish campaign as chief army surgeon, although that would have been more for the benefit of Richard's men than Richard himself. In any case, Richard himself thought well enough of Hobbys that after becoming king he retained him in service and increased his salary.
>
> But the thing is, in at least one respect Hobbys was the kind of man you might expect Richard to sweep out of office with a big broom once he became king. In 1476 Hobbys was successfully sued by his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with prostitutes. Seems old Willy was quite the swinger for years, with the last straw for Mrs. Hobbys being his reported antics in French brothels during the 1475 invasion. The scandal caused him no harm with Edward IV, unsurprisingly. But it is surprising that it also seems to have done him no harm with Richard, whose opinion of adulterers and men who do not love and care for their wives we all know well. Moreover, the French brothel incident would also seem to taint Hobbys with some of the dishonor of Picquigny in Richard's eyes.
>
> Nonetheless, Richard not only retained Hobbys but actively promoted and rewarded him. Maybe it was a courtesy to an old family servant, or a concession of respect for a man of learning. I don't think for a minute that he was paying Hobbys for silence about the scoliosis, since Hobbys had already kept silent for 20 years by then. But maybe some of it was gratitude on Richard's part, a way of thanking Hobbys for his earlier treatments (if any) and discretion? Also maybe it shows that (contrary to what some historians say about him being a prude) Richard was capable of accepting the basic worth of a person even if there were aspects of that person he may have disapproved of. I think I read (but can't remember where) that Hobbys was at Bosworth as Richard's chief army surgeon, so if that's correct then he trusted Hobbys right up to the bitter end.
>
> And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
>
> If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
>
> Thank you,
> Cathy
>
--- In , cattivoid <no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> Hello, I've been lurking for a while and am very impressed with and appreciative of the depth of knowledge and research shared so generously by everyone here.
>
> Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him.
>
> Hobbys was surgeon and physician to the Duke of York, Edward IV, and Richard. I can't find when he entered the Duke of York's service, but it seems to have been some time before Richard's birth. When he entered Edward IV's service, there was an early link with Richard: the incorporation of the "Mystery or Commonality of Barbers of London" named in its charter of February 24, 1461, the founders as physician Jaques Fries, William Hobbs ("physician and chirurgeon"), Edward IV "and his brother Gloster." Richard was only eight years old, so maybe his role was just nominal or ceremonial. But that makes me wonder why George wasn't included? (Unless it's more indicative of Edward snubbing George than anything else…)
>
> The age of onset for Richard's scoliosis has been given as "after ten," so if it started to become apparent between that time and before he joined Warwick's household at twelve, then Hobbys was already established on the scene. Maybe I'm giving Edward IV too much credit, but I'd like to think that he'd have wanted the best for his little brother in this situation. Hobbys could have seemed like the best: over a dozen years of experience as a surgeon, advanced degrees in medicine (bachelor's from Oxford, MD from Cambridge), all packaged in one man who had already served their father for years.
>
> Certainly Edward seems to have been highly pleased with Hobbys, granting him a lot of perks throughout his reign (these are mentioned in the Hobbys file on the Ian Rogers site, by the way). I get the impression that these perks weren't all that unusual for royal doctors, but Hobbys was exceptional in one way: according to his DNB entry, "When parliament sought to revoke several such grants as an economy measure, in 1473, `our trusty and well-beloved servant, William Hobbys, cirurgion for oure body' (RotP, 6.83) was formally exempted."
>
> There is also a later case of Edward IV assigning Hobbys to Richard: he accompanied Richard on the Scottish campaign as chief army surgeon, although that would have been more for the benefit of Richard's men than Richard himself. In any case, Richard himself thought well enough of Hobbys that after becoming king he retained him in service and increased his salary.
>
> But the thing is, in at least one respect Hobbys was the kind of man you might expect Richard to sweep out of office with a big broom once he became king. In 1476 Hobbys was successfully sued by his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with prostitutes. Seems old Willy was quite the swinger for years, with the last straw for Mrs. Hobbys being his reported antics in French brothels during the 1475 invasion. The scandal caused him no harm with Edward IV, unsurprisingly. But it is surprising that it also seems to have done him no harm with Richard, whose opinion of adulterers and men who do not love and care for their wives we all know well. Moreover, the French brothel incident would also seem to taint Hobbys with some of the dishonor of Picquigny in Richard's eyes.
>
> Nonetheless, Richard not only retained Hobbys but actively promoted and rewarded him. Maybe it was a courtesy to an old family servant, or a concession of respect for a man of learning. I don't think for a minute that he was paying Hobbys for silence about the scoliosis, since Hobbys had already kept silent for 20 years by then. But maybe some of it was gratitude on Richard's part, a way of thanking Hobbys for his earlier treatments (if any) and discretion? Also maybe it shows that (contrary to what some historians say about him being a prude) Richard was capable of accepting the basic worth of a person even if there were aspects of that person he may have disapproved of. I think I read (but can't remember where) that Hobbys was at Bosworth as Richard's chief army surgeon, so if that's correct then he trusted Hobbys right up to the bitter end.
>
> And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
>
> If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
>
> Thank you,
> Cathy
>
Re: William Hobbys, Richards doctor
2013-04-28 17:52:32
Cathy wrote:
> [snip] Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him. [snip]
> And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
>
> If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Carol responds:
Thanks very much for this interesting post, which I've bookmarked. I'm afraid that I can't answer your question (are there any biographies of Richard, Duke of York that might provide that information?), but I do have one for you. What's the source of the inscription on Hobbys's tombstone? What a fine testament to Richard!
By the way, Dr. Hobbys must have been the physician, or one of them, who advised (ordered?) Richard to avoid his wife's bed in the late stages of her illness.
Carol
> [snip] Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him. [snip]
> And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
>
> If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
Carol responds:
Thanks very much for this interesting post, which I've bookmarked. I'm afraid that I can't answer your question (are there any biographies of Richard, Duke of York that might provide that information?), but I do have one for you. What's the source of the inscription on Hobbys's tombstone? What a fine testament to Richard!
By the way, Dr. Hobbys must have been the physician, or one of them, who advised (ordered?) Richard to avoid his wife's bed in the late stages of her illness.
Carol
Re: [Richard III Society Forum] William Hobbys, Richard’s doctor
2013-04-29 00:38:36
Welcome, Cathy. Really interesting post.
Ishita Bandyo
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 27, 2013, at 9:14 PM, cattivoid <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello, I've been lurking for a while and am very impressed with and appreciative of the depth of knowledge and research shared so generously by everyone here.
>
> Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him.
>
> Hobbys was surgeon and physician to the Duke of York, Edward IV, and Richard. I can't find when he entered the Duke of York's service, but it seems to have been some time before Richard's birth. When he entered Edward IV's service, there was an early link with Richard: the incorporation of the "Mystery or Commonality of Barbers of London" named in its charter of February 24, 1461, the founders as physician Jaques Fries, William Hobbs ("physician and chirurgeon"), Edward IV "and his brother Gloster." Richard was only eight years old, so maybe his role was just nominal or ceremonial. But that makes me wonder why George wasn't included? (Unless it's more indicative of Edward snubbing George than anything else&)
>
> The age of onset for Richard's scoliosis has been given as "after ten," so if it started to become apparent between that time and before he joined Warwick's household at twelve, then Hobbys was already established on the scene. Maybe I'm giving Edward IV too much credit, but I'd like to think that he'd have wanted the best for his little brother in this situation. Hobbys could have seemed like the best: over a dozen years of experience as a surgeon, advanced degrees in medicine (bachelor's from Oxford, MD from Cambridge), all packaged in one man who had already served their father for years.
>
> Certainly Edward seems to have been highly pleased with Hobbys, granting him a lot of perks throughout his reign (these are mentioned in the Hobbys file on the Ian Rogers site, by the way). I get the impression that these perks weren't all that unusual for royal doctors, but Hobbys was exceptional in one way: according to his DNB entry, "When parliament sought to revoke several such grants as an economy measure, in 1473, `our trusty and well-beloved servant, William Hobbys, cirurgion for oure body' (RotP, 6.83) was formally exempted."
>
> There is also a later case of Edward IV assigning Hobbys to Richard: he accompanied Richard on the Scottish campaign as chief army surgeon, although that would have been more for the benefit of Richard's men than Richard himself. In any case, Richard himself thought well enough of Hobbys that after becoming king he retained him in service and increased his salary.
>
> But the thing is, in at least one respect Hobbys was the kind of man you might expect Richard to sweep out of office with a big broom once he became king. In 1476 Hobbys was successfully sued by his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with prostitutes. Seems old Willy was quite the swinger for years, with the last straw for Mrs. Hobbys being his reported antics in French brothels during the 1475 invasion. The scandal caused him no harm with Edward IV, unsurprisingly. But it is surprising that it also seems to have done him no harm with Richard, whose opinion of adulterers and men who do not love and care for their wives we all know well. Moreover, the French brothel incident would also seem to taint Hobbys with some of the dishonor of Picquigny in Richard's eyes.
>
> Nonetheless, Richard not only retained Hobbys but actively promoted and rewarded him. Maybe it was a courtesy to an old family servant, or a concession of respect for a man of learning. I don't think for a minute that he was paying Hobbys for silence about the scoliosis, since Hobbys had already kept silent for 20 years by then. But maybe some of it was gratitude on Richard's part, a way of thanking Hobbys for his earlier treatments (if any) and discretion? Also maybe it shows that (contrary to what some historians say about him being a prude) Richard was capable of accepting the basic worth of a person even if there were aspects of that person he may have disapproved of. I think I read (but can't remember where) that Hobbys was at Bosworth as Richard's chief army surgeon, so if that's correct then he trusted Hobbys right up to the bitter end.
>
> And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
>
> If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
>
> Thank you,
> Cathy
>
>
Ishita Bandyo
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 27, 2013, at 9:14 PM, cattivoid <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hello, I've been lurking for a while and am very impressed with and appreciative of the depth of knowledge and research shared so generously by everyone here.
>
> Some of the recent discussions have finally nudged me to post regarding a minor figure in Richard's life about whom I've been curious for awhile: William Hobbys (also Hobbs or Hobbes), one of his doctors. It seems to me that Hobbys would have been one of the few who knew about Richard's scoliosis, and may even have been involved with its early treatment. I apologize in advance for the length of this post, but I'd like to mention some things I've learned and would love to hear your own thoughts or any other information you may have about him.
>
> Hobbys was surgeon and physician to the Duke of York, Edward IV, and Richard. I can't find when he entered the Duke of York's service, but it seems to have been some time before Richard's birth. When he entered Edward IV's service, there was an early link with Richard: the incorporation of the "Mystery or Commonality of Barbers of London" named in its charter of February 24, 1461, the founders as physician Jaques Fries, William Hobbs ("physician and chirurgeon"), Edward IV "and his brother Gloster." Richard was only eight years old, so maybe his role was just nominal or ceremonial. But that makes me wonder why George wasn't included? (Unless it's more indicative of Edward snubbing George than anything else&)
>
> The age of onset for Richard's scoliosis has been given as "after ten," so if it started to become apparent between that time and before he joined Warwick's household at twelve, then Hobbys was already established on the scene. Maybe I'm giving Edward IV too much credit, but I'd like to think that he'd have wanted the best for his little brother in this situation. Hobbys could have seemed like the best: over a dozen years of experience as a surgeon, advanced degrees in medicine (bachelor's from Oxford, MD from Cambridge), all packaged in one man who had already served their father for years.
>
> Certainly Edward seems to have been highly pleased with Hobbys, granting him a lot of perks throughout his reign (these are mentioned in the Hobbys file on the Ian Rogers site, by the way). I get the impression that these perks weren't all that unusual for royal doctors, but Hobbys was exceptional in one way: according to his DNB entry, "When parliament sought to revoke several such grants as an economy measure, in 1473, `our trusty and well-beloved servant, William Hobbys, cirurgion for oure body' (RotP, 6.83) was formally exempted."
>
> There is also a later case of Edward IV assigning Hobbys to Richard: he accompanied Richard on the Scottish campaign as chief army surgeon, although that would have been more for the benefit of Richard's men than Richard himself. In any case, Richard himself thought well enough of Hobbys that after becoming king he retained him in service and increased his salary.
>
> But the thing is, in at least one respect Hobbys was the kind of man you might expect Richard to sweep out of office with a big broom once he became king. In 1476 Hobbys was successfully sued by his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with prostitutes. Seems old Willy was quite the swinger for years, with the last straw for Mrs. Hobbys being his reported antics in French brothels during the 1475 invasion. The scandal caused him no harm with Edward IV, unsurprisingly. But it is surprising that it also seems to have done him no harm with Richard, whose opinion of adulterers and men who do not love and care for their wives we all know well. Moreover, the French brothel incident would also seem to taint Hobbys with some of the dishonor of Picquigny in Richard's eyes.
>
> Nonetheless, Richard not only retained Hobbys but actively promoted and rewarded him. Maybe it was a courtesy to an old family servant, or a concession of respect for a man of learning. I don't think for a minute that he was paying Hobbys for silence about the scoliosis, since Hobbys had already kept silent for 20 years by then. But maybe some of it was gratitude on Richard's part, a way of thanking Hobbys for his earlier treatments (if any) and discretion? Also maybe it shows that (contrary to what some historians say about him being a prude) Richard was capable of accepting the basic worth of a person even if there were aspects of that person he may have disapproved of. I think I read (but can't remember where) that Hobbys was at Bosworth as Richard's chief army surgeon, so if that's correct then he trusted Hobbys right up to the bitter end.
>
> And in this case he was right: the loyalty of Hobbys is a matter of record. He died in 1488, three years into Henry Tudor's reign, yet he openly requested that his tombstone be inscribed with: "Here lies William Hobbys, formerly physician and surgeon of the most illustrious duke of York, and his sons the most illustrious Edward IV and Richard III, whose souls may God protect, amen."
>
> If anyone knows when Hobbys started serving the House of York, or if I've got any of this wrong, or if there are any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!
>
> Thank you,
> Cathy
>
>
Re: William Hobbys, Richards doctor
2013-04-29 01:05:38
--- In , "justcarol67" <justcarol67@...> wrote:
Hi Carol,
>(are there any biographies of Richard, Duke of York that
> might provide that information?)
There seems to be one "monograph" about the Duke by "P. A. Johnson" but the cheapest available copy is something like $60! I want to know, but not that badly. :)
> What's the source of the inscription on Hobbys's
> tombstone? What a fine testament to Richard!
It's in Hobbys's will; the original inscription is given there in Latin. You can see his will in the "Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London," Volume 2, edited by Reginald R. Sharpe (sorry for the monstrous link):
http://books.google.com/books?id=ek4MAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=sharpe+calendar+of+wills+volume+2&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KLN9Ue_CNtDB4AO3r4DoDw&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sharpe%20calendar%20of%20wills%20volume%202&f=false
Hobbys's will is on pages 590-591. I also note with mixed emotions that it was dated August 15, 1488, about a week before the third anniversary of Bosworth. I can't help thinking Richard's death may have been weighing on Hobbys's mind, for Richard was not only his former patron but someone he'd known from cradle to grave.
And I think you're right that he probably had the thankless job of forbidding Richard to sleep with Anne anymore. :(
Cathy
Hi Carol,
>(are there any biographies of Richard, Duke of York that
> might provide that information?)
There seems to be one "monograph" about the Duke by "P. A. Johnson" but the cheapest available copy is something like $60! I want to know, but not that badly. :)
> What's the source of the inscription on Hobbys's
> tombstone? What a fine testament to Richard!
It's in Hobbys's will; the original inscription is given there in Latin. You can see his will in the "Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London," Volume 2, edited by Reginald R. Sharpe (sorry for the monstrous link):
http://books.google.com/books?id=ek4MAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=sharpe+calendar+of+wills+volume+2&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KLN9Ue_CNtDB4AO3r4DoDw&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sharpe%20calendar%20of%20wills%20volume%202&f=false
Hobbys's will is on pages 590-591. I also note with mixed emotions that it was dated August 15, 1488, about a week before the third anniversary of Bosworth. I can't help thinking Richard's death may have been weighing on Hobbys's mind, for Richard was not only his former patron but someone he'd known from cradle to grave.
And I think you're right that he probably had the thankless job of forbidding Richard to sleep with Anne anymore. :(
Cathy
Re: William Hobbys, Richards doctor
2013-04-29 17:00:41
Cathy wrote:
> It's in Hobbys's will; the original inscription is given there in Latin. You can see his will in the "Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London," Volume 2, edited by Reginald R. Sharpe (sorry for the monstrous link):
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=ek4MAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=sharpe+calendar+of+wills+volume+2&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KLN9Ue_CNtDB4AO3r4DoDw&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sharpe%20calendar%20of%20wills%20volume%202&f=false
>
> Hobbys's will is on pages 590-591. [snip]
Carol responds:
Thanks very much, Cathy. I've downloaded the book as a .pdf file and will look at the index to see whose wills are included at the first opportunity.
Meanwhile, next time you include a long URL that might not link, you might consider creating a TinyUrl just in case. It's very easy. Just go to http://tinyurl.com/, copy and paste the long URL, and the site will create a TinyUrl for you.
Carol
> It's in Hobbys's will; the original inscription is given there in Latin. You can see his will in the "Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London," Volume 2, edited by Reginald R. Sharpe (sorry for the monstrous link):
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=ek4MAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=sharpe+calendar+of+wills+volume+2&hl=en&sa=X&ei=KLN9Ue_CNtDB4AO3r4DoDw&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sharpe%20calendar%20of%20wills%20volume%202&f=false
>
> Hobbys's will is on pages 590-591. [snip]
Carol responds:
Thanks very much, Cathy. I've downloaded the book as a .pdf file and will look at the index to see whose wills are included at the first opportunity.
Meanwhile, next time you include a long URL that might not link, you might consider creating a TinyUrl just in case. It's very easy. Just go to http://tinyurl.com/, copy and paste the long URL, and the site will create a TinyUrl for you.
Carol
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