Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Paget, Nathan
PAGET, NATHAN, M.D. (1615–1679), physician, son of Thomas Paget, rector of Stockport, Cheshire, and nephew of John Paget (d. 1640) [q. v.], was born at Manchester in 1615. He graduated M.A. at Edinburgh, and on 25 Nov. 1638 entered as a student of medicine at Leyden, where he graduated M.D. 3 Aug. 1639. He began practice in England, outside London, and was admitted an extra licentiate of the College of Physicians of London 4 April 1640. He was incorporated M.D. at Cambridge 3 June 1642, and was elected a fellow of the College of Physicians 4 Nov. 1646. He was nominated physician to the Tower by the council of state of the Commonwealth on 31 Dec. 1649 (Masson, Milton, iv. 151). He was one of the seven physicians who aided Francis Glisson [q. v.] in the observations preparatory to the publication of the 'Tractatus de Rachitide' in 1650, and he was a friend of Milton, whose third wife was his cousin. He was a censor of the College of Physicians in 1655, 1657, 1659, 1669, and 1678, and he delivered the Harveian oration in 1664. He lived in Coleman Street, a locality then much affected by puritans (Cowley). His will, dated 7 Jan. 1679, was proved 15 Jan. 1679, and gave 20l. a year for thirty years to the College of Physicians. He died in January 1679. His library was sold by auction 24 Oct. 1681.
[Munk's Coll. of Phys. i. 243; Glisson's De Rachitide, Leyden, 1671, preface; Gent. Mag. 1813, pt. ii. p. 14; Masson's Life of Milton.]