Talk:Burchard Kranich

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Nina, a while back I asked my dad to look up Burchard Kranich in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and he sent me this entry. You may find something you wish to include.--User:Salix alba (talk): 18:20, 10 November 2013 (UTC)

Kranich, Burchard  [known as Dr Burcot]  (d. 1578), physician and mining entrepreneur, came from southern Germany ('High Almain'); his name suggests that he was from Kronach, upper Franconia, near the mining area of the Erzgebirge. He is first heard of in 'The suit of Burghard touching the mines' (CSP dom., no. 826), on 3 June 1553. The following year Kranich was licensed to prospect for, mine, and smelt any kinds of minerals in England. After being involved in lead-smelting in Derbyshire, he moved to Cornwall, being commissioned 'to dig ... such mines of gold, silver and copper as he hath already ... tried out' (APC, 1554-6, 211). He is credited with using the first water-wheel type hammers ('stampers') in England. However, his Cornish mines were taken over, and for the years 1557-9 he was granted protection from creditors, 'on account of certain causes ... touching the king and queen and the realm' (CPR, 1555-7).

On 14 June 1561 Kranich was granted denization, and during 1562 was paid 100 marks (£66 13s. 4d.), with no reason given. In August, John Somers wrote that 'My Lady Marquis [the marchioness of Northampton] is in great danger by the jaundice. The physicians half despair, but Burcot, the Dutchman, at a pinch is like to do some good' (CSP for.). In October, Queen Elizabeth was taken ill with smallpox: the story of the insulted Kranich being threatened with a dagger before he would attend her is a later invention. The physician William Bullein made good-natured references to 'Dr Tocrub', while Gervase Markham's The English Hus-Wife (Markham5) attributed unspecified prescriptions to a manuscript (unidentified) of Kranich and Eliseus Bomelius.

Amid growing doubts, Kranich alone insisted that the ore brought home (1577-8) by Martin Frobisher contained gold, and demanded for extracting it a daily wage of £1, and £200 pension-without success. Kranich designed a new hearth, and-someone said-'doctored' the melt with gold and silver coins. In the event, the influential investors lost their money, and his reputation suffered.

In 1568 Kranich was said to adhere to the English church; the report, ten years later, that he had heard mass at a private house was probably untrue, and his will is in the protestant form. Kranich lived in St Clement's churchyard, just outside Temple Bar, in Westminster. On 20 September 1578 a Susan Burcott 'from Doctor Burcotts' was buried at St Clement Danes: 'the death of a child of his' hastened Kranich's end, William Fleetwood believed (Hatfield House, Salisbury (Cecil) MSS, no. 660).

On 7 October 1578 Kranich, suffering from gout and infirmity, made his will, leaving his dwelling-house to his wife, who was to receive the proceeds from the sale of his Holborn properties, after payment of his debts. Following legacies to his servants and the poor, the residue, likewise, would go to his widow and executrix. By a codicil (19 October), his servant William Deane would have any proceeds over £700 from the sale, and also his (unspecified) medical books and instruments; Kranich promised a silver-gilt bowl with a cover, given him by 'my Lord', to a friend.

Kranich died later that month, and was buried at St Clement Danes on 22 October 1578; probate was granted on 21 November to his widow, Agnes.

John Bennell

Sources CPR, 1553-4, 159, 160; 1555-7, 554; 1557-8, 308; 1560-63, 97, 392, 409, 495 + APC, 1554-8 + CSP for., 1562 + M. B. Donald, 'Burchard Kranich (c.1515-78), miner and queen's physician', Annals of Science, 6 (1948-50), 308-22, pl. IV + will, proved, 21 Nov 1578, TNA: PRO, PROB 11/60/41 + R. E. G. Kirk and E. F. Kirk, eds., Returns of aliens dwelling in the city and suburbs of London, from the reign of Henry VIII to that of James I, Huguenot Society of London, 10/3 (1907), 416 + M. B. Donald, Elizabethan monopolies: the history of the Company of Mineral and Battery Works from 1565 to 1604 (1961), 167 + Calendar of the manuscripts of the most hon. the marquis of Salisbury, 2, HMC, 9 (1888), nos. 660, 1217 + CSP dom., 1547-53, nos. 826, 829; addenda, 1566-79 + parish registers, St Clement Danes, City Westm. AC + F. E. Halliday, 'Queen Elizabeth and Dr Burcot', History Today, 5 (1955), 542-4 + G. Markham, Countrey contentments, in two books ... the second intituled, The English hus-wife (1615); repr. in G. M. [G. Markham], A way to get wealth (1631), pt 5
 * Thanks! I've very nice of you to do this. NinaGreen (talk) 20:42, 10 November 2013 (UTC)

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