WILLIAM CLOWES.
William Clowes was the son of Thomas Clowes, originally of Kingsbury, Warwickshire, and afterwards of London. He was born about 1540, and studied surgery under Mr. George Keble, who was not free of our Company, but of whom Clowes more than once speaks in terms of highest praise. He tells us that in 1563 he served as a Surgeon in the army under the Earl of Warwick at Havre, and after this campaign he was for some time in the Navy, in both which appointments he undoubtedly gained great experience. In 1569 he no doubt settled in London, as on the 8th of November in that year he was admitted to the freedom by translation, and he soon secured a large practice, though it was not until the 18th July, 1588, that he was made an Assistant of the Court.
The records do not display Mr. Clowes’ character in the most favourable light, as the following extracts will show:—
6th October, 1573. Here was one & complayned [against] Willm̄ Clowes for takynge his money and he not cured.
7th February, 1575. Here came one Willm̄ Goodnep and complayned of Willm̄ Clowes for not curing his wief de morbo gallico and yt was awarded that the saide Clowes sholde either geve the saide Goodnep xxs orells cure his saide wief wch Clowes agreed to pay the xxs and so they were agreed and eche of them made acquittance to other.
28th February, 1576. Here was a complainte against Willm̄ Clowes by one Goodenge for that the saide Clowes had not onlie misused the saide Goodinge in speche but also most of the masters of the Company wth scoffing wordes and jestes, and they all forgave him here openlye in the Corte and so the stryfe was ended upon condˀ that he sholde nevr so misuse him self agayne and bonds was caused to be made to that effect.
25th March, 1577. Here at this Corte was a greate contension and stryffe spoken of and ended betwene George Baker and Willm̄ Clowes for that they bothe contrary to order and the good and holsome rules of this howse misused eche other and fought in the ffelds togethers. But the Mr Wardens and assistance wishing that they might be and continewe loving brothers pˀdoned this greate offence in hope of amendement.
The George Baker with whom Clowes fought, was afterwards Serjeant-Surgeon and Master of the Company in 1597. In 1575 Mr. Clowes was appointed one of the surgeons of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and later on he was surgeon to Christ’s Hospital; he was also surgeon to Queen Elizabeth and James I. His first book, “De morbo Gallico,” was published in 1579. In 1585 he went as surgeon of the forces in the expedition to the Low Countries under the Earl of Leicester. In his book, “Proved Practise,” he tells a great deal of this expedition and says that many of the surgeons were most unskilful and “slew more than the enemy did,” though he and his friend Serjeant-Surgeon Gooderus (Master 1594) did not lose a case. Mr. Clowes had the honour of serving in the fleet which defeated the Spanish Armada, and in 1594 was Warden of the Barber-Surgeons, the last Court which he attended was on the 9th February, 1596. After a successful practice he retired to a country house at Plaistow, in Essex, and died in 1604. Dr. Norman Moore says that his books “are the best surgical writings of the Elizabethan age; they are all in English, and his style is very easy and forcible, sometimes a little prolix but never obscure.”