Balthasar Guersye, M.D. (died 7 January 1557), was an Italian physician who rose to high favour at the court of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

. His surname was variously transcribed as Guersie, De Gracys, Guarcy, Guarsy, Guercio, Guercy, Guercye, and Gwercye. He was born in Italy, and became physician and surgeon to

Catherine of Aragon Catherine of Aragon (also spelt as Katherine, ; 16 December 1485 – 7 January 1536) was Queen of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII from their marriage on 11 June 1509 until their annulment on 23 May 1533. She was previously ...

and Henry VIII. On 7 November 1519, 'Thomas Roos of London, surgeon, was bound over in 100l. not to molest Baltazar de Guerciis, or pursue an information late put into the King's Exchequer, till he prove that surgery is an handicraft'. Guersye was naturalised on 16 March 1521–2. About 1530 he took the degree of M.B. at Cambridge University. On 9 November 1532, his services were rewarded by a grant of lands. On 20 August 1534, he obtained licence to depart into Italy with three servants, five horses or geldings, and twenty crowns of the sun, baggage, etc. He was also surgeon to Henry VIII, and in 1543 was engaged in collecting accusations against

Archbishop Cranmer Thomas Cranmer (2 July 1489 – 21 March 1556) was a leader of the English Reformation and Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and, for a short time, Mary I. He helped build the case for the annulment of Henry's ...

. He was by special grace admitted M.D. at Cambridge in 1546. He was excepted out of the act of general pardon 7 Edward VI, being therein described as "Balthaser Guarsy, surgenn". On 22 December 1556, he was admitted a fellow of the College of Physicians. Guersye, who had long resided in the parish of St. Helen's,

Bishopsgate Bishopsgate was one of the eastern gates in London's former defensive wall. The gate gave its name to the Bishopsgate Ward of the City of London. The ward is traditionally divided into ''Bishopsgate Within'', inside the line wall, and ''Bishop ...

, was buried there on 10 January 1556–7. His will, in which he describes himself as 'being aged and weake of body and diseased,' was dated on 7 January 1556 – 1557, and proved with a codicil at London on the following 18 January. He left two sons, Benedick, admitted

B.C.L. Bachelor of Civil Law (abbreviated BCL, or B.C.L.; la, Baccalaureus Civilis Legis) is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. The BCL originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of University of O ...

on 17 February 1537–8 at Oxford, and Richard, and two daughters, Frances, widow of Thomas Polsted, and Mary Polley. He left a sum of money to be distributed among the poor of Tadmarton, Oxfordshire, and St. Helen's, Bishopsgate. His wife died before him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guersye, Balthasar Year of birth unknown 1557 deaths 16th-century Italian physicians 16th-century English medical doctors Alumni of Clare College, Cambridge Court physicians