Biography of Alexander Burnett -1665
In 1648 Alexander Burnett was awarded Doctor of Medicine at Cambridge University.
Pepy's Diary. 21 Jan 1664. So to my office and did a little business, and then to my aunt Wight's (age 45) to fetch my wife home, where Dr. Burnett did tell me how poorly the sheriffs did endeavour to get one jewell returned by Turner (age 55), after he was convicted, as a due to them, and not to give it to Mr. Tryan, the true owner, but ruled against them, to their great dishonour. Though they plead it might be another jewell for ought they know and not Tryan's.
Pepy's Diary. 28 Jun 1664. Thence to the Mitre [Map] and there comes Dr. Burnett to us and Mr. Maes, but the meeting was chiefly to bring the Doctor and me together, and there I began to have his advice about my disease, and then invited him to my house: and I am resolved to put myself into his hands. Here very late, but I drank nothing, nor will, though he do advise me to take care of cold drinks.
Pepy's Diary. 01 Jul 1664. By and by comes Dr. Burnett, who assures me that I have an ulcer either in the kidneys or bladder, for my water, which he saw yesterday, he is sure the sediment is not slime gathered by heat, but is a direct pusse. He did write me down some direction what to do for it, but not with the satisfaction I expected. Dr. Burnett's advice to mee. The Originall is fyled among my letters. "Take of ye Rootes of Marsh-Mallows foure ounces, of Cumfry, of Liquorish, of each two ounces, of ye Mowers of St. John's Wort two Handsfull, of ye Leaves of Plantan, of Alehoofe, of each three handfulls, of Selfeheale, of Red Roses, of each one Handfull, of Cynament, of Nutmegg, of each halfe an ounce. Beate them well, then powre upon them one Quart of old Rhenish wine, and about Six houres after strayne it and clarify it with ye white of an Egge, and with a sufficient quantity of sugar, boyle it to ye consistence of a Syrrup and reserve it for use. Dissolve one spoonefull of this Syrrup in every draught of Ale or beere you drink. Morning and evening swallow ye quantity of an hazle-nutt of Cyprus Terebintine. If you are bound or have a fit of ye Stone eate an ounce of Cassia new drawne, from ye poynt of a knife. Old Canary or Malaga wine you may drinke to three or 4 glasses, but noe new wine, and what wine you drinke, lett it bee at meales".1. I did give him a piece, with good hopes, however, that his advice will be of use to me, though it is strange that Mr. Hollyard (age 55) should never say one word of this ulcer in all his life to me. He being gone, I to the 'Change [Map], and thence home to dinner, and so to my office, busy till the evening, and then by agreement came Mr. Hill (age 34) and Andrews and one Cheswicke, a maister who plays very well upon the Spinette, and we sat singing Psalms till 9 at night, and so broke up with great pleasure, and very good company it is, and I hope I shall now and then have their company. They being gone, I to my office till towards twelve o'clock, and then home and to bed. Upon the 'Change [Map], this day, I saw how uncertain the temper of the people is, that, from our discharging of about 200 that lay idle, having nothing to do, upon some of our ships, which were ordered to be fitted for service, and their works are now done, the towne do talk that the King (age 34) discharges all his men, 200 yesterday and 800 to-day, and that now he hath got £100,000 in his hand, he values not a Dutch warr. But I undeceived a great many, telling them how it is.
Note 1. From a slip of paper inserted in the Diary at this place.
Pepy's Diary. 17 Jul 1664. Walked home again, and there fell to read, and by and by comes my uncle Wight (age 62), Dr. Burnett, and another gentleman, and talked and drank, and the Doctor showed me the manner of eating, turpentine, which pleases me well, for it is with great ease. So they being gone, I to supper and to bed.
In Dec 1664 Alexander Burnett was admitted as Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
Pepy's Diary. 10 Jun 1665. In the evening home to supper; and there, to my great trouble, hear that the plague is come into the City (though it hath these three or four weeks since its beginning been wholly out of the City); but where should it begin but in my good friend and neighbour's, Dr. Burnett, in Fanchurch Street [Map]: which in both points troubles me mightily.
Pepy's Diary. 22 Jul 1665. Back to White Hall, and by and by comes the Duke of Albemarle (age 56), and there, after a little discourse, I by coach home, not meeting with but two coaches, and but two carts from White Hall to my own house, that I could observe; and the streets mighty thin of people. I met this noon with Dr. Burnett, who told me, and I find in the newsbook this week that he posted upon the 'Change [Map], that whoever did spread the report that, instead of the plague, his servant was by him killed, it was forgery, and shewed me the acknowledgment of the master of the pest-house, that his servant died of a bubo on his right groine, and two spots on his right thigh, which is the plague.
Pepy's Diary. 25 Aug 1665. Up betimes to the office, and there, as well as all the afternoon, saving a little dinner time, all alone till late at night writing letters and doing business, that I may get beforehand with my business again, which hath run behind a great while, and then home to supper and to bed. This day I am told that Dr. Burnett, my physician, is this morning dead of the plague; which is strange, his man dying so long ago, and his house this month open again. Now himself dead. Poor unfortunate man!
On 25 Aug 1665 Alexander Burnett died of plague.
Pepy's Diary. 11 Jun 1665. They being gone, I out of doors a little, to shew, forsooth, my new suit, and back again, and in going I saw poor Dr. Burnett's door shut; but he hath, I hear, gained great goodwill among his neighbours; for he discovered it himself first, and caused himself to be shut up of his own accord: which was very handsome.
Before 25 Aug 1665 Alexander Burnett resided at Fenchurch Street [Map].
Pepy's Diary. 26 Aug 1665. Thence I by water home, in my way seeing a man taken up dead, out of the hold of a small catch that lay at Deptford, Kent [Map]. I doubt it might be the plague, which, with the thought of Dr. Burnett, did something disturb me, so that I did not what I intended and should have done at the office, as to business, but home sooner than ordinary, and after supper, to read melancholy alone, and then to bed.
Pepy's Diary. 15 Sep 1665. I by water to Deptford, Kent [Map], thinking to have seen my valentine, but I could not, and so come back again, and to the office, where a little business, and thence with Captain Cocke (age 48), and there drank a cup of good drink, which I am fain to allow myself during this plague time, by advice of all, and not contrary to my oathe, my physician being dead, and chyrurgeon out of the way, whose advice I am obliged to take, and so by water home and eat my supper, and to bed, being in much pain to think what I shall do this winter time; for go every day to Woolwich, Kent [Map] I cannot, without endangering my life; and staying from my wife at Greenwich, Kent [Map] is not handsome.