Sir John Baber,

M.D. Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

(18 April 1625 – 1704), was an English

physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

to Charles II, often employed by the king to negotiate with

puritans The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. P ...

and other non-conformists on account of his sympathies with them.

Life and work

Baber was the son of John Baber,

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Wells, Somerset Wells () is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, located on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, south-east of Weston-super-Mare, south-west of Bath and south of Bristol. Although the population recorde ...

shire, and was born on 18 April 1625. He was educated at

Westminster school (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

, London, then became a student at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

, in 1642. He graduated as a

Bachelor of medicine Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

on 3 December 1646, being admitted by virtue of the letters of Colonel John Lambert, governor of the garrison of

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

. He travelled abroad, studying medicine at

Leyden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration with ...

, in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, and on 10 November 1648 took the degree of

Angers Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...

. On his return to England he was made an M.D. at Oxford on 18 July 1650, became a candidate of the

College of Physicians, London The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

, on 4 July 1651, and a fellow of the same institution on 17 August 1657. He started to practise in London, his residence being in King Street,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

. Through the recommendation of a near neighbour,

Thomas Manton Thomas Manton (1620–1677) was an English Puritan clergyman. He was a clerk to the Westminster Assembly and a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell. Early life Thomas Manton was baptised 31 March 1620 at Lydeard St Lawrence, Somerset, a remote sou ...

, rector of St. Paul's, Covent Garden, who, with other presbyterian divines, had taken a prominent part in the

restoration of Charles II The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland took place in 1660 when King Charles II returned from exile in continental Europe. The preceding period of the Protectorate and the civil wars came to be ...

, he was made physician to the king, the honour of

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

also being conferred on him 19 March 1660. Baber was frequently made use of by King Charles in his negotiations with the

. Roger North, who styled him as 'a man of finesse', stated that he was 'in possession of the protectorship at court of dissenting preachers.' In September 1669 Baber informed Manton of the king's intention to do his utmost to 'get them accepted within the establishment;' but it would appear that Charles made use of him to inspire trust in intentions which were at the best feeble and vacillating.

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...

said of Baber that he was so cautious that he would not speak in company until he was acquainted with every stranger present.Elliot, Hugh F.
A new manuscript of George Saville, 1st marquis of Halifax
', Macmillan's magazine, vol. 36, May-Oct 1877, pp. 452-63. Baber died in 1704. He was married three times, and had three sons by his first marriage, but no issue by the other two marriages.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baber, John 1625 births 1704 deaths 17th-century English medical doctors Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford People educated at Westminster School, London English knights