Biography of Thomas Wendy 1500-1560

1547 Death of Henry VIII Accession of Edward VI

1553 Death of Edward VI

1558 Death of Mary I

In May 1500 Thomas Wendy was born to John Wendy of Clare in Suffolk. He was educated at Gonville College, Cambridge University receiving a BA in 1519, MA in 1522 and MD in 1527.

In Jul 1534 Thomas Wendy (age 34) was employed by Henry Percy 6th Earl of Northumberland (age 32) with an annuity of £3 6s.8d. from Fountains Abbey [Map], the grant being made at the instance of the earl, a benefactor of the abbey. Wendy was employed by Northumberland in a number of other capacities. In March 1535 he executed with the earl a deed transferring the Percy lands in Sussex to the crown. He carried a number of letters from the earl to Cromwell in 1536 and 1537 and attended him at Hackney in his last illness in June 1537.

Before 1541 Thomas Wendy (age 40) had married Margaret Butler.

In Jun 1541 Thomas Wendy (age 41) bought the manor and advowson of Haslingfield where he settled. One of his feoffees was William Paget (age 35) who became a close friend.

Before Oct 1546 Thomas Wendy (age 46) had appointed physician to Catherine Parr Queen Consort England (age 34).

In 1547 Thomas Wendy (age 46) was appointed Justice of the Peace for Cambridgeshire.

Death of Henry VIII Accession of Edward VI

On 28 Jan 1547 Henry VIII (age 55) died at Whitehall Palace [Map]. His son King Edward VI of England and Ireland (age 9) succeeded VI King England. Earl Chester merged with the Crown.

Thomas Wendy (age 46) attended the King. He was one of the witnesses to the King's last will and testament, for which he received £100.

In Mar 1547 Thomas Wendy (age 46) was appointed physician to King Edward VI of England and Ireland (age 9).

In Sep 1547 Thomas Wendy (age 47) took a thirty year lease on the Bishop of Hereford's mansion near Old Fish Street.

On 22 Dec 1551 Thomas Wendy (age 51) was admitted to the Royal College of Physicians.

On 13 Jun 1552 Thomas Wendy (age 52) and Margaret Porter were married.

Death of Edward VI

On 06 Jul 1553 King Edward VI of England and Ireland (age 15) died at Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. His first cousin once removed Lady Jane Grey  (age 17) succeeded I Queen England.

Thomas Wendy (age 53) attended the King as physician.

In 1554 Thomas Wendy (age 53) was appointed physician to Queen Mary I of England and Ireland (age 37).

In 1554 Thomas Wendy (age 53) was elected MP St Albans.

In 1555 Thomas Wendy (age 54) was elected MP Cambridgeshire.

Death of Mary I

On 17 Nov 1558 Queen Mary I of England and Ireland (age 42) died at St James's Palace [Map]. Her half sister Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland (age 25) succeeded I Queen England. William Brooke 10th Baron Cobham (age 31) was deputed with informing Philip "The Prudent" II King Spain (age 31).

Thomas Wendy (age 58) attended the Queen as physician; the third monarch's death he attended.

Before 1559 Thomas Wendy (age 58) was elected President of Gonville College, Cambridge University.

On 11 May 1560 Thomas Wendy (age 60) died. He was buried at All Saints Church, Haslingfield [Map].

In his will he left his Thomas Percy (age 32), nephew of his former employer, in his will a silver ewer and basin "in remembrance of such benefits which I have received at the hands of my very good lord and late master the late earl of Northumberland his uncle".

He left Anne Preston Baroness Geneville Beaudasert and Parr Kendal his lands at Coton and Whitwell, Cambridgeshire 'as a poor token of the good will which I have ever borne to her ladyship and in remembrance that in that place she had her first acquaintance with my lord her husband (age 54)'.

He also remembered Judge Anthony Browne (age 51), Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland (age 28), Humphrey Radclyffe (age 51) and Richard Weston (age 33).

Henry Machyn's Diary. 27 May 1560. The xxvij day of May was the obseque and fen[eral] of master docthur Wende (deceased), fessyssyon [physician] at Cambryge, a penon of armes and a cott armur, and vj dosen and d' of skochyons of armes, and a harold of armes master Somersett, and .. morners in blake, and he gayff mony gownes to pore men, and ther was a grett dolle, and thether resortyd xx m[iles] off vC. pepull and had grett plente of mett and drynke, boyth hosses [houses] and barnes and feldes, grett store as has bene [seen] for a men [mean ie middle rank] gentyllman, and gret mone mad [moan made].

Note. P. 235. Funeral of Dr. Wendy. Thomas Wendy, M.D. was one of the witnesses to the will of king Henry VIII. together with doctor George Owen and doctor Thomas Huicke, and they each received a legacy of 100l. (Rymer, xv. 117.) He was re-appointed physician to king Edward VI. March 3, 1546–7, with an annuity of 100l. (ibid. 143); and on the 22d Nov. 1548, was appointed one of the commissioners to visit the university of Cambridge (ibid. 178).