William Rant

William Rant (ca. 1604, Norwich – 15 September 1653, Norfolk) was an English physician, noteworthy as the Gulstonian Lecturer in 1639.^[1]

Family

William Rant, junior, was the son of William Rant, senior (ca. 1564–1627), a Cambridge graduate and physician with a medical practice in Norwich. William Rant, senior, was closely related to several men who matriculated at the University of Cambridge: he was the brother of Robert Rant (matriculated in 1582) and Thomas Rant (matriculated in 1592; he was the father of William Rant, junior (matriculated in 1619), Humphrey Rant (matriculated in 1612), Thomas Rant (matriculated in 1619), John Rant (matriculated in 1626),^[2] and Edward Rant (matriculated in 1830).^[1]The Thomas Rant who matriculated in 1619 at the University of Cambridge was knighted in 1660.^[3] William Rant, junior, married Jane Dingley, whose father was Sir John Dingley of Wolverton.^[1] During the reign of Elizabeth I, John Dingley owned Wolverton Manor.^[4]

William (junior) and Jane Rant's daughter married Sir Edward Ward, 2nd Baronet, of Bixley.^[5] William (junior) and Jane Rant's son William was knighted in 1671.^[6] There were two Englishmen named "William Rant" who lived contemporaneously and were nephews of Sir Thomas Rant.^[7] Sir William Rant's daughter Jane was the first wife of Harbord Harbord.^[8]

Education and career

At the age of 16, William Rant Jr. enrolled at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge on 1 May 1619. He earned his M.B. in 1625 and M.D. degree in 1630. In 1634 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.^[1] He was the Gulstonian Lecturer in October 1639 with a lecture entitled De morbis partium quibus optime doctissimeque se gessit.^[9]

For many years, Rant Jr. practised medicine in London^[10] and eventually retired to Norfolk, allegedly because of his immoral conduct.^[11]

William Rant, junior, is buried at Thorpe St Andrew. He bequeathed six Arabic books to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.^[12]

Both William Rant, senior, and William Rant, junior, were considered outstanding physicians.^[13]