Editing Thomas Linacre (section)

==Life==

Linacre was born at [[Brampton, North East Derbyshire|Brampton]], [[Chesterfield, Derbyshire|Chesterfield]], in [[Derbyshire]], descended from an ancient family, recorded in the [[Domesday Book]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}} He received his early education at the [[Canterbury Cathedral]] school, under the direction of [[William Tilly of Selling]], who became prior of Canterbury in 1472. It was from Selling that Linacre must have received his first incentive to study Classics. Linacre entered [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] in about 1480, and in 1484 was elected a fellow of [[All Souls College, Oxford|All Souls College]]. Shortly afterwards he visited [[Italy]] in the train of Selling, who was sent by King [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] as an envoy to the papal court. Linacre accompanied his patron as far as [[Bologna]]. There he became the pupil of [[Angelo Poliziano]], and shared the instruction that Poliziano imparted at Florence to the sons of [[Lorenzo de Medici]]. The younger of these princes became [[Pope Leo X]] and later remembered his old companionship with Linacre.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=701}}

Among his other teachers and friends in Italy were [[Demetrius Chalcondylas]], [[Ermolao Barbaro|Hermolaus Barbarus]], [[Aldus Manutius|Aldus Romanus]] the printer of [[Venice]] (of whose New Academy Linacre was a member), and [[Niccolò Leoniceno|Nicolaus Leonicenus]] of [[Vicenza]]. Linacre took the degree of doctor of medicine with great distinction at [[Padua]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=701}}

On his return to Oxford, full of learning and imbued with the spirit of the [[Italian Renaissance]], he formed one of the brilliant circle of Oxford scholars, including [[John Colet]], [[William Grocyn]], and [[William Latimer (clergyman)|William Latimer]], who are mentioned in the letters of [[Erasmus]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=701}}

Linacre does not appear to have practised or taught medicine in Oxford. In about 1501 he was called to court as tutor of the young [[Arthur, Prince of Wales]]. On the accession of [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] in 1509, he was appointed as  [[Physician to the King]], an office at that time of considerable influence and importance, and practised medicine in [[London]], having among his patients most of the great statesmen and prelates of the time, including [[Thomas Wolsey|Cardinal Wolsey]], Archbishop [[William Warham]], and Bishop Fox.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=701}}

[[File:Thomas Linacre.jpg|thumb|300 px|{{center|The bust of Thomas Linacre,<br>in the Dining Hall of Linacre College, Oxford}}]]
After some years of professional activity, Linacre devoted himself to the study of theology and the duties of the priesthood. In around 1509, he received priest's orders as the rector of Merstham, Kent.  Numerous ecclesiastical positions followed, and he finally obtained the rectorship of Wigan in 1520,<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41379#n52 |title=A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4 – The Parish of Wigan|editor=William Farrer & J. Brownbill |year=1911}}</ref> which he held until his death in 1524. His clerical benefices included the Precentorship of York Minster.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture5a.html |year=2001 |author=Steven Kreis |title=Lectures on Modern European Intellectual History. Lecture 5. The Medieval Synthesis Under Attack: Savonarola and the Protestant Reformation |work=The History Guide |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718015855/http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture5a.html |archive-date=18 July 2011 }}</ref> His ordination was connected with his retirement from active life. Literary labours and the cares of the foundation that owed its existence chiefly to him, the [[Royal College of Physicians, London|Royal College of Physicians]], occupied Linacre's remaining years.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=702}}

The most important service Linacre conferred on his own profession and science was the foundation by royal charter of the [[Royal College of Physicians|College of Physicians]] in London, and he was the first President of the new college, which he further aided by bequeathing to it his own house and library. Shortly before his death, Linacre obtained from the king [[letters patent]] for the establishment of readerships in medicine at Oxford and Cambridge, and placed valuable estates in the hands of trustees for their endowment. Two readerships were founded at [[Merton College, Oxford]], and a lectureship at [[St John's College, Cambridge]]. The Oxford foundation was revived by the university commissioners in 1856 in the form of the [[Linacre Chair of Zoology|Linacre professorship of anatomy]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=702}} At St John's College the funds are still in use today; since 1989 the college has hosted an annual "Linacre Lecture"<ref>{{cite web|title=Linacre Lecture|url=http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/annual-lectures|access-date=7 May 2013}}</ref> on a subject in medicine, delivered by a leading research scientist in their field.

A modern monument in the crypt of [[St Paul's Cathedral]] in [[London]] lists Linacre's grave as one of the important lost in the [[Great Fire of London]] in 1666.<ref>"Memorials of St Paul's Cathedral" [[William Sinclair (Archdeacon of London)|Sinclair, W.]] p99: London; Chapman & Hall, Ltd; 1909</ref> His [[epitaph]] in [[Old St Paul's Cathedral]] was recorded by [[Paul Hentzner]] and translated by [[Robert Naunton]] as reading:

{{blockquote
|text=Virtue survives the funeral.
To the memory of
Thomas Linacre, an eminent physician, John Caius placed
this monument.

On the lower part of it is this inscription in gold letters:

Thomas Linacre, physician to King Henry VIII., a man learned in the Greek and Latin languages, and particularly skilful in physick, by which he restored many from a state of languishment and despair to life. He translated with extraordinary eloquence many of Galen's works into Latin; and published, a little before his death, at the request of his friends, a very valuable book on the correct structure of the Latin tongue. He founded in perpetuity in favour of students in physick, two public lectures at Oxford, and one at Cambridge. In this city he brought about, by his own industry, the establishing of a College of Physicians, of which he was elected the first president. He was a detester of all fraud and deceit, and faithful in his friendships; equally dear to men of all ranks: he went into orders a few years before his death, and quitted this life full of years, and much lamented, A.D. 1524, on the 29th of October.}}<ref>Travels in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth by Paul Hentzner AND Fragmenta Regalia by Sir Robert Naunton. 1892 Cassell https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/1992/pg1992.html accessed 8.9.2021</ref>