(No. 14.)

3 H. 8. c. 11.

(Willcock's Laws, p. vi.)

Anno 1511.

Physic and surgery,

An Act for the appointing of Physicians and Surgeons.

To the King our Sovereign Lord, and to all the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons in this present parliament assembled: Forasmuch as the science and cunning of physic and surgery (to the perfect knowledge whereof be requisite both great learning and ripe experience) is exercised by daily, within this realm, exercised by a great multitude of ignorant per- ignorant persons, of whom the greater part have no manner

sons,

using sorcery;

of insight in the same, nor in any other kind of learning; some also can no letters on the book so far forth that common artificers, as smiths, weavers, and women, boldly and accustomably take upon them great cures and things of great difficulty, in the which they partly use sorcery and witchcraft, partly apply such medicines unto the disease as be very noious and nothing meet therefore, to the high displeasure of God, great infamy of the faculty, and the grievous hurt, damage, and destruction of many of the King's liege people, most especially of them that cannot discern the uncunning from cunning. Be it, therefore, to the surety and comfort of all manner of people, by the authority of this present parliament enacted, That no person within the city of London, nor within seven miles of the same, take upon him to exercise or occupy as a physician or surgeon, except he till admitted be first examined, approved, and admitted by the bishop of London, or by the dean of Paul's, for the time being, calling to him or them four doctors of physic, and for surgery other expert persons in that faculty; and for the first examination such as they shall think convenient, and after

none to use in precinct of London,

by bishop,

&c., physi

cians, surgeons.

ward alway four of them that have been so approved, upon the pain of forfeiture, for every month that they do occupy as physicians or surgeons not admitted nor examined after the tenour of this act, of 5l., to be employed the one Penalty, 57. half thereof to the use of our Sovereign Lord the King, and the other half thereof to any person that will sue for it by action of debt, in which no wager of law nor protection shall be allowed.

in country

&c., approve;

2. And over this, that no person out of the said city and None to use precinct of seven miles of the same, except he have been (as is aforesaid approved in the same), take upon him to exercise and occupy as a physician or surgeon in any diocese within this realm, but if he be first examined and until bishop, approved by the bishop of the same diocese, or he being out of the diocese, by his vicar-general; either of them calling to them such expert persons in the said faculties as their discretion shall think convenient, and giving their letters testimonials under their seal, to him that they shall and give tesso approve, upon like pain to them that occupy contrary to this act (as is above said) to be levied and employed after the form before expressed.

timonials.

3. Provided alway, that this act, nor any thing therein Rights of contained, be prejudicial to the universities of Oxford and universities. Cambridge, or either of them, or to any privileges granted to

them.

Memorandum. That surgeons be comprised in this act Surgery. like as physicians, for like mischief of ignorant persons presuming to exercise surgery.

Anno 1522.

Recites char

14 & 15 H. 8. c. 5.

(No. 15.)

(Willcock's Laws, p. vii.)

The Privileges and Authority of Physicians in London.

In the most humble wise shew unto your Highness, your ter, 10 H.8. true and faithful subjects and liegemen, John Chambre, Thomas Linacre, Ferdinandus de Victoria, your physicians, and Nicholas Halsewell, John Frances, and Robert Yaxley, and all other men of the same faculty within the city of London, and seven miles about, That where your Highness (by your most gracious letters patents, bearing date at Westminster the twenty-third day of September, in the tenth year of your most noble reign) for the commonwealth of this your realm, in due exercising and practising of the faculty of physic, and the good ministration of medicines to be had, hath incorporate and made of us, and of our company aforesaid, one body and perpetual commonalty or fellowship of the faculty of physic, and to have perpetual succession and common seal, and to choose yearly a president of the same fellowship and commonalty, to oversee, rule, and govern the said fellowship and commonalty, and all men of the said faculty, with divers other liberties and privileges by your Highness to us granted for the common wealth of this your realm, as in your said most gracious letters patents, more at large is specified and contained, the tenour whereof followeth in these words:

For certain reasons,

Henricus Dei gratiâ Rex Angliæ et Franciæ, et Dominus Hiberniæ, omnibus ad quos præsentes literæ pervenirint, (No. 16.) salutem. Cum regii officii nostri munus arbitremur ditionis nostræ hominum felicitati omni ratione consulere; id autem

vel imprimis fore, si improborum conatibus tempestive occurramus, apprime necessarium duximus improborum quoque hominum, qui medicinam magis avaritiæ suæ causâ, quàm ullius bonæ conscientiæ fiduciâ, profitebuntur, unde rudi et credula plebi plurima incommoda oriantur, audaciam compescere: Itaque partim bene institutarum civitatum in Italia, et aliis multis nationibus, exemplum imitati, partim gravium virorum doctorum Johannis Chambre, Thomæ Linacre, Ferdinandi de Victoria, medicorum nostrorum, Nicholai Halsewell, Johannis Francisci, et Rob. Yaxley, medicorum, ac præcipue reverendissimi in Christo patris, ac domini Dom. Thomæ tituli Sanctæ Cecilia trans Tiberim sacrosanctæ Romanæ ecclesiæ presbyteri cardinalis, Eborascensis archiepiscopi, et regni nostri Angliæ cancellarii charissimi, precibus inclinati, collegium perpetuum doctorum et gravium vivorum, qui medicinam in urbe nostra Londino et suburbiis, intraque septem millia passuum ab ea urbe quaque versus publice exerceant, institui volumus atque imperamus: Quibus tum sui honoris, tum publicæ utilitatis nomine, curæ (ut speramus) erit, malitiosorum quorum meminimus inscientiam temeritatemque, tam exemplo gravitateque suis deterrere, quàm per leges nostras nuper editas, ac per constitutiones per idem collegium condendas, punire: Quæ quo facilius rite peragi possint, memoratis doctoribus Joan. Chambre, Thomæ Linacre, Ferdinando de Victoria, medicis nostris, Nicholao Halsewell, Johanni Francisco, et Rob. Yaxley, medicis, incorporating concessimus, quòd ipsi, omnesque homines ejusdem facul- physicians of tatis de et in civitate prædicta, sint in re et nomine unum corpus et communitas perpetua sive collegium perpetuum; et quòd eadem communitas sive collegium singulis annis in President. perpetuum eligere possint et facere, de communitate illa

London.

aliquem providum virum, et in facultate medicinæ expertum, in præsidentem ejusdem collegii, sive communitatis, ad supervidend' recognoscend' et gubernand', pro illo anno, collegium sive communitatem præd' et omnes homines Common seal. ejusdem facultatis, et negotia eorundem. Et quòd idem præsidens et collegium, sive communitas, habeant successionem perpetuam, et commune sigillum negotiis dict' Power to pur- communitatis et præsidentis in perpetuum serviturum. Et

chase, &c.

ing annual

quod ipsi et successores sui in perpetuum sint personæ habiles et capaces ad perquirendum, et possidendum in feodo et perpetuitate terras et tenementa, redditus, et alias possessiones quascunque.

Concessimus etiam eis et successoribus suis pro nobis et hæredibus nostris, quòd ipsi et successores sui possint prequirere sibi et successoribus suis, tam in dicta urbe quàm Not exceed extra, terras et tenementa quæncuque annuum valorem duodecim librarum non excedent' statuto de alienatione ad manum mortuam non obstante. Et quòd ipsi per nomina præsidentis et collegii seu communitatis facultatis medicinæ Lond' placitari et implacitari possint coram quibuscunque Ordinances. judicibus in curiis et actionibus quibuscunque. Et quòd

value of 121. Name.

+ Sic.

præd' præsidens et collegium, sive communitas, et eorum successores, congregationes licitas et honestas de seipsis ac stat' et ordinationes pro salubri gubernatione, supervisu, et correctione collegii seu communitatis præd', et omnium hominum eandem facultatem in dicta civitate, seu per septem milliaria in circuitu ejusdem civitatis exercen' secundum necessitatis exigentiam, quoties et quando opus fuerit, facere valeant licite et impune, sine impedimento nostri, hæredum, vel successorum nostrorum, justiciorum, escatorum, † vilce-comitum, et alior' ballivor' vel ministror' nostror' hæred' vel successor' nostror' quorumcunque.