Peter Chamberlen, Doctor of Physik (Born 1601)

9^th Great Grandfather – FFFMFFMMFF¹

Peter Chamberlen, who was the father of Hugh Chamberlen the elder was born to Peter Chamberlen the younger² and Sara (nee de Laune) Chamberlen. He was baptised at the French Huguenot church on Threadneedle Street in London³

He was educated, first at Merchant Taylor’s School (see “Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood” 2024), where he was admitted in October 1610⁴ and then at Enmmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was admitted on 24^th April 1615⁵. On 8^th February 1619⁶ he received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Padua, under Roderico Fonseca in Italy (see “University of Padua” 2024). He was incorporated on that degree at both Oxford on 26^th June 1620⁷ and Cambridge in 1621, so by the age of 20 he was well qualified to begin a career in medicine, and follow in his father’s footsteps.

In 1621 he appeared three times as a candidate for examination at the College of Physicians, only to be told to wait and try again later, which he did on 26^th July 1626 when he was one more examined and approved. He was reluctantly approved as a Fellow of the College on 7^th April 1628 after first being told he needed to no longer follow frivolous fashion and become “subordinate to his seniors”⁸. On 10^th March 1631 he was admitted to Gray’s Inn in London⁹.

In June 1630 he married Jane Middleton at All Saints, Edmonton in Middlesex¹⁰. Jane was a daughter of Sir Hugh Middleton and his wife Jane (nee Olmstead) Middleton.

Over the next 15 years Peter and Jane had at least 10 children, 9 sons and one daughter. Although Peter had been baptised at a French Huguennot church, most of his children were baptised at the local Church of England parish, St Anne Blackfriars. For example his son Thomas was baptised 1^st May 1632¹¹ and his son Abraham on 26^th Jun 1639¹². Apparently Peter and Jane must have been in the Netherlands in 1645 as their last child together, John, was baptised there on 12^th March 1645¹³.

Soon after they returned to England Jane died and was buried at Blackfriars on 8^th April 1647¹⁴. Seven days before her burial, a stillborn child was buried, so it is very likely she died as a result of childbirth.

Several years later he remarried to Anne Harrison. They had at least one son named Hope.

He was obviously an accomplished Physician as he was appointed Physician Extraordinary to the King, and there are claims that it was recorded by the King himself that he was present at the birth of the future Charles II¹⁵. The invention of the obstetric forceps used in midwifery has been credited to the Chamberlen family, most likely being invented by his uncle Peter Chamberlen, and so he was in demand as a midwife. On the 28^th August 1634 ata meeting of the College of Physicians there was a debate over the incorporation of midwifes¹⁶. This was an idea that his father had previously pursued. However, Peter was rebuffed by the College.

During the Commonwealth, Peter joined various Baptist congregations and after a rupture with the College of Physicians he moved to Essex in 1652 to escape their jurisdiction (see “Peter Chamberlen the Third” 2023). He had purchased Woodham Mortimer Hall in 1638. There is now a blue plaque recognizing Peter and his son Hugh.

Peter was a campaigner on a number of issues. In 1648 he petitioned Parliament for a monopoly on public baths, in which he was successful¹⁷. In 1649, he wrote a pamphlet on poor relief title “The Poore Man’s Advocate or England’s Samaritan pouring Oyle and Wyne into the Wounds of the Nation”, wherein he advocated for widespread nationalization¹⁸.

With the restoration of the Monarchy he wrote to Charles II pointing out that he was the only surviving royal physician from before the Commonwealth and in 1661 he was reappointed Physician in Ordinary to the King¹⁹

Peter died in 1683, at the age of 82 years. He was buried in Woodham Mortimer parish where there is a tomb with an epitaph. In his will he leaves his estate to his widow Anne and his youngest son Hope, as he states that he has provided for all of his other children during his lifetime²⁰.

Here lyes ye body of Doctor Peter Chamberlen, who was born on the 8th of May, 1601, and died on the 22nd of December, 1683, being aged 82 years, 7 months, and 14 days. He had 2 wives, and by ye first, Jane Middleton, had 11 sons and 2 daughters, and amongst them 45 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren, whereof were living at his death 3 sons, viz., Hugh, Paul, and John, and his 2 daughters and 20 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. By ye second, Ann Harrison, he had 3 sons and 2 daughters, whereof only Hope was living at his death, who hath erected this monument in memory of his father.

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