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POOR JOHN ESSON -
MEDICAL CARE IN TUDOR KENT
  Written records often give us a vivid picture of the health of people in the past.
 

Records that tell us about the health of ordinary people only became available during the sixteenth century. Before that date they are very rare indeed. Sometimes it is possible to link a selection of records that refer to an individual. This is the story of John Esson, his treatment his illness and his death.

In the parish register of Preston near Faversham, the baptism of John Esson is recorded on October 9th 1575. He lived at Han in Preston and was one of two children of William Esson. His mother died shortly after the birth of John’s sister Susan. When he was eight his father died and left him an orphan. All these deaths are recorded in the parish register. Before his father died Thomas Finch and Laurence Hollenden of Preston agreed to look after John.

Shortly after John’s eighth birthday he fell ill. The story of his illness is recorded through a set of accounts
 
The final record referring to John Esson is the entry in the burial register for November 4th 1583. Illness in Tudor Kent
Paid the physician for advice 10s
Paid the apothecary for drugs prescribed by physician 7s 4d
Paid to him that brought it 6d
Paid to Mr Booth for his pains in dressing John Esson’s mouth 5s
Women watching with John Esson for 14 nights 4s 8d
For their meat and drink 2s 6d
Paid to the surgeon for ‘rippinge’ of John Esson and for his pains otherwise 10s
Paid for a sheet to sock him in 20d
Paid to the women which did sock him 12d
Paid for fire and candle in time of John Esson’s sickness 5s
Paid for a coffin for him to be buried in 2s 6d
Paid for the making of the grave 8d
Paid to those who carried the corpse to Church 16d
 
 

Activities

1.

What do each of the entries from the accounts tell us about health care and medicine in Tudor times?
2. Tell the story of John Esson. Use a series of cartoons or write an account. Check that you are using only the evidence available to describe accurately the events and the features of the period.
3. How different or how similar was the treatment of John Essom compared with the treatments offered by the Romans?
4. Explain why medicine had changed or not changed during the previous 1500 years.