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Thomas Morstede (d.1450) was an 'esquire' and English surgeon who served the three successive kings, Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI. He has been described by Theodore Beck as the 'most eminent English surgeon of the fifteenth century'.

Family
Thomas Morstede was the son of Thomas and Alianora Morstede.

In 1431 Morstede married his second wife, Elizabeth Michell. She was the widow of his friend, William Fitzharry, and the daughter of John Michell. John Michell had been an Alderman since 1413, a Sheriff from 1414-15 and a Lord Mayor in 1424-45. Theodore Beck notes that as well as this, John Michell had been a member of parliament for London on six occasions and thus an influential father in law to Morstede.

There are many other people in which Morstede had valuable friendships with during his lifetime. They can be found in R.R. James publication, 'The Will of Thomas Morstede'. One notable example is the gift of '10 marks sterling, his English book bound with two latitudinibus and all his instruments of surgery' which Morstede left to his apprentice, Robert Bryttende.

Although he was married twice, the absence of children Morstede's will has led R.R. James to assume he did not have any.

Career
Thomas Morstede first entered the service of Henry IV in 1410 and was appointed as the Kings Surgeon in 1411.

By 1413 Morstede was appointed Searcher of the Vessels and was responsible for collecting Henry V's dues from ships travelling on the Thames. This office had previously been held by John Bradmore. Thomas Morstede and William Bradwardyne were also asked to 'raise, equip and lead' a company of surgeons during the Agincourt Campaign of 1415. They were therefore contracted to serve the king abroad.

In 1423 and working under Henry VI, Morstede, along with physicians John Somerset, and Gilbert Kymer attempted to found a conjoint college of physicians and surgeons. The main goal for the college has been described by C. H. Talbot and E. A. Hammond as being founded 'for the better education and control of physicians and surgeons in the city and its liberties'. Despite this the college only lasted a year and collapsed in November 1424. By 1426 Morstede became known as 'Master Thomas' and was sheriff in the city of London.

Legacy
Thomas Morstede's will is dated 20th April 1450 and his body was buried in the church of St. Olave in Old Jewry.

Thomas Morstede's legacy remains in many historical works. Theodore Beck reveals in his book 'The Cutting Edge, Early History of the Surgeons of London', the discovery of a manuscript which has been dated to 1446 and attributed to Thomas Morstede. This manuscript has direct parallels with John Bradmore's, 'Philomena' which have been further outlined by S.J. Lang in 1996. Such similarities include a description of the incident at the Battle of Shrewsbury. Here, Henry Prince of Wales was struck with an arrow in the left hand side of his face. The arrowhead became lodged and an instrument illustrated in the both Morstede and Bradmore's manuscripts was devised to remove it.