I Doe assure you I defer much to your kindness, or to your judgement, or to both, in that I am con­tented you should do what you will with part of those papers I writt in 64 but since some of those people who invaded the profession of Physick, and railed at learning and the Colledge (with all that confidence that great ignorance uses to enable bold Knaves with) are dead, or sunk into that contempt such men at last must fall into, I would have all that which concerns their Charecters wholly left out, nor am I at all willing that the reformation of our faculty, which I there desig­ned, should as yet be made publick.

For although I have been several times confirmed by better judgements than my own, that it is a rational way to improve the usefullnesse of our profession, as much as by the industry of a Society of men learned and most capable of such an undertaking, it is possible to be done, yet I do not think the age, or the world we live in, very susceptible of such propositions now.

The Charity there designed to supply all the poor of the Cities of London and Westminster with advice, and [Page 2] some of them with medicines gratis, and the better sup­plying and serving the sick in those Hospitals we have, would but be looked upon as a decoy to bring in bene­factours, whose bounty and Charity might be perverted to luxurious uses, and the care that is offered at to pro­vide against the slaughters every day made by ignorant Quacks and Mountebancks, and yet to secure all the encouragements that can reasonably be asked to any that are really possessed of any thing that may be useful to the recovery or comfort of those that are afflicted with sickness, would be looked upon but as a design to Monopolise physick to the Colledge, and to invest the Physitians with a power to enslave Chyrurgeons and A­pothecaries.

Alas Sir, we live in an age where to prescribe any bounds is to violate magna Charta, we would all be Kings but States-men we are all, nor can any of those that are really so, with so much confidence, venture to cure any disease in a man, as the blew aprons in a Coffe­house shall all those in the State, for it is the humour now to affect, to be wisest out of the Sphear that God, Nature, and Education have placed us in, and we all think ourselves able, and are busie to reforme every thing, but that which is really our duty to endeavour the a­mendment of, I am sure you cannot but meet with occasions every day to confirme these observati­ons.

And this I confess makes me think diversly from what I finde the general opinion to be, That it is an age for the advancement and improvement of knowledge; I rather fear our tumbling into the greatest barbarity and the most profound ignorance, the way to solid know­ledge [Page 3] by cultivating of our reasons, and inuring them to compare, compute, and estimate well, begins now to be wholly despised, the young blades who have tru­anted at School, and debauched at an University, if they have acquired but rongue enough to rally the an­cient learning, and talk of experiments, will disturbe the gravest Societies with their impertinenties, silence the most learned, and think themselves the only dicta­tors in universal learning, and if they are so unfortu­nate to be endowed with wit and good natural parts, they turn every thing that is sober into Ridiculous, and go out Doctors in Atheisme.

Our municipal Lawyers have a bar that hath hither­to kept ignorant invaders at some distance in their pro­fession, but Women, Weavers and Coblers think them­selves able to comprehend all the mysteries in Divinity, and all the reason of Physick, Zeal and good meaning may excuse them in their Divinity but I am deceived if any thing, but pride, and the greatest folly, can be al­ledged for their Physick.

How authoritatively will a Nurse with winde and vapours give you the causes of all diseases and their Sym­ptomes, but an Apothecaries Prentice with Fermentation confounds the admiring Customers, who take him for a very priest of Apollo pronouncing from his Tripode, whilest a learned and a rational Physitian, especially if he have the misfortune of being modest, is looked upon at the best but as a weak, and a timorous man, if he hath the good fortune to be counted a safe man, he may per­haps have some few patients, but the Crowdes for the most part follow the boasting and the lying Quacks; and although they find themselves still cheated by them, [Page 4] yet a new one or the same with some circumstances a little disguised shall cheate them over again, how often even in our age, hath the cheats and knaveries of the pretended Chymists been detected, even with the ruin of some of the admirers of it, yet that vanity wants not its Patrons now: and sober men who knowing the use­fullness of Chymistry, and the best wayes of improve­ing it, would purge it from that lying and knavery which makes the very enquiring into it a reproach in the opinion of some sober men, are looked upon as not ca­pable of knowing any thing in it, so that with some men a man must not be thought a Chymist without renoun­cing learning and his reason, and with others he is be­lieved to have shaken-hands with them and honesty to, if they think him one. I have a great many more rea­sons why I would not have that part of my discourse printed truly I have enough too that nothing of it should be, since I believe that there is very little said in that which hath not been better said by others: Besides when I writ it, the letter wich gave the occasion of it was just printed, and in every ones hand, which would have a little satisfied, for the immethodicalness of the ans­wer; The provocations the Apothecaries had given us were very fresh, they endeavour, dirtily and unjustly to asperse that Society of men who gave them that Trade, by which they were grown rich, and had the Confidence to affront the Kings prerogative in opposing our patent, al­though that prerogative is the only title they have to be a Corporation: The pretended Chymists were then set­ting up for a Colledge to lay in a Magazine of charcoale, that they might have the better utterance for smoak and lyes, and to shew how useful they might in time be, [Page 5] did every day furnish us with some papers for necessary uses, but all that being spent and the rest almost forgot­ten, the heat I then was in is much cooled, and I con­fess I would rather contribute to the preserving the A­pothecaries, than the destroying of them, so it may be done honestly, but we cannot be honest men if we do in the least connive at their abusing the people in their Quacking, or the prises of their medicines, nor can they be honest when they meddle in what they under­stand not, and unjustly injure those men to whom they owe their being Apothecaries: To make this very evi­dent is but briefly and truly to stare the case betwixt us and them.

Although the Colledge of Physitians had been established in the Reign of King Henry the 8th under the broad seal of England, and was confirmed by several acts of Parlia­ment, yet there was no such thing as a Corporation of the Trade of Apothecaries until the Reign of King Iames, when the Colledge (I hope not through pride and lasi­ness grown weary of making their own medicines, but) to obviate all the mischiefs that might be done, where the ordainers of medicines were the makers and exhi­biters of them too, petitioned the King, that such a number of men whose names they offered might be ta­ken for the most part, I think out of the company of Grocers, and constituted a company distinct; for the making such medicines as the Colledge of Physitians should ordain, this petition was granted, and they by the Kings Charter made a Corporation, and in that Charter there is special provision made, that nothing in it should in the least infringe the priviledges of the Colledge of Physitians, the inventing, ordaining, and making of medicines [Page 6] having alwayes been a part of Physick, and so pub­lickly asserted in the Apothecaries constitution, that by the Kings especial command the Colledge of Physitians compo­sed the London dispensatory, and the Apothecaries not only of London but of all England are, by publick proclamation, commanded to follow that, as the rule of their Trade, they are to make and sell those medicines in their shops, and the Physitians impowred to search and examine those shops, whe­ther they have them, and have them well made: They have not the least clause in their Charter to enable them to advise, prescribe or ordainany remedy, but they are faithfully to dis­pense such medicines as shall be ordered by Physitians, and are not to make a Prentice free without his being first exami­ned by the Physitians.

It was upon these termes the Colledge trusted the A­pothecaries with the knowledge of making their medi­cines, and let it be left now to any indifferent man to judge what the honesty or gratitude of those men can be, who not only betray a trust, committed to them with so much advantage to themselves, but convert what they are trusted with to the hurt of those that trust them.

I should have thought this enough to have impartial­ly stated the matter betwixt them and us, if I had not lately read as ridiculous a peice of drollery in my opi­nion, as no sense, less reason, and great confidence can furnish out, nothing can speak more pride nor more ignorance; which two in conjunction do alwayes inso­lently endeavour to level every thing to the meaness of their own understandings. I would have the Pulpit guard routed, and this witty pamphlet called Lex Ta­lionis or Vinditiae printed together, to show the uselessness [Page 7] of those tedious methods of studying divinity, and Physick, and how unnecessary the endowments of U­niversities, Colledges and Schools are. The civil law hath no great encouragements left amongst us, and if the Butcher, the Cobler, the Weaver with gifts are fit­ter to preach and teach than the men of humane learning, and carnal knowledge; and if serving an Apprentiship seven years vvith an Apothecary, and reading a little in those three ancient Authors Frambesarius, Riverius and Primrose, qualifies any man sufficiently for the practice of Physick, to what end this charge and trouble of taking degrees, this twelve years study be­fore a man can be a Doctor. The learning to know all homebred and exotick plants, the Analysing of them in their Elaboratories, the considering vvhat parts are useful of them, and vvhat not, and how their effects may best, and most gratefully be acquired, the inven­ting the best vvays of compounding and mixing (vvhich are things I am sure the Students in Physick in both our Universities for some years past have busied themselves with) are nothing to what may be acquired by making of medicines, according to the Dispensatory, and sel­ling them to the best advantage: but although this Ani­mal hath shewed his teeth thus against Learning and the Universities, and may perhaps, because he could not bite, pass unpunished by them, sure the Apothecaries have more sense than not to find him out, and punish him for his most scandalous libelling of them, what e­ver their fortune may be otherwise, I cannot think a­ny of them so foolishly wicked as to be Wittals, nor so wretchedly knavish to suffer the Physitians to go snips with them in their profits, the better to cheat their cu­stomers [Page 8] which this thing of paper vvould insinuate to the World that some of them do.

But the poor Droll had not sense enough to knovv, that making of Cuckolds and getting of mony are not by all accounted very disgracefull crimes, by vvhat instru­ments soever the pleasure or the profit is procured, nor did his little understanding comprehend hovv vvret­chedly contemptible those instruments of either are e­ven to those vvhose bad ends they serve, sure the honest Apothecaries (and I cannot but persvvade my self there are many such) vvhen they consider that this insiped libel­ler having insinuated, that there are some Apothecaries, vvho are such vvretched instruments for the profit and pleasure of Physitians, and not particularly marked them out; hath given the censuring part of the World occasion to think every Apothecary such an one: vvill rouse themselves, and either by publickly branding the Guilty, vindicate the Innocent; or else by persuing the sottish Defamor to a just punishment, doe some-thing tovvards vviping off those dirty aspersions he hath cast upon them.

Those Physitians that think any thing in the Pam­plet reflects on them, may by making their ovvn me­dicines, and having as little to do vvith Apothecaries as may be, testify to all the World that they are not in con­federacy vvith dishonesty, and the vvorld vvill easily be satisfied that it is cheaper being cousened by one than by tvvo, and that it is much safer to trust him vvhose cre­dit and interest it is to cure Diseases, than him vvhose interest is only to put off his vvare. But let the Apo­thecaries vindicate themselves as vvell as they can, this fellovv being believed to be an Apothecary (and truly [Page 9] the stile, the method, and the force of his reasoning seem to make good the Proverb, that he talks as an Apo­thecary) hath left that scandal upon them and their pro­fession, they will not be able easily to wipe off, for it will be believed he knew what he said, at least as to his own particular, and vvas therefore vvilling enough to have the World believe the same of all the rest of his profession; he should therefore have done vvell to have given his Book a truer Title, Scandalum Phar­macopaerum had been much fitter for it than Vindiciae &c.

But Sir, I am grown almost as impertinent as he, and although I have already out-run the limits of a let­ter, I cannot give over vvithout telling you, I think you did not do, your self, nor our faculty right, in that you did not better inform the grave company you spake off; you knovv as vvell as I, that it is an experiment as old as Gallen (who with the same medicines cured fea­in Rome vvith vvhich some of the Roman Practitioners killed men) that not only the more generous and powerful remedies, but the vveaker and milder have when unduely made use off, brought on irreparable mischiefs: I do assure you vve have some very late ex­amples of it, vvhere the Apothecaries Quacking with medicines formerly prescribed by the Physitians, and he at last, though too late called in has had the mis­fortune to see his patient die, and his medicines de­famed, vvhilest the Apothecarv to justify himself, af­firmed he had given nothing but vvhat the Physitlan in the same case before ordained, whilest the mifera­ble Wretch had not only wholy mistaken the case, but most unduly exhibited the remedies: We are able to [Page 10] produce many miscarriages of this kind, and indeed I think it a duty incumbent upon us, to make things of this nature as publick as vve can, for vvhilest vve detect all the fraudes and abuses that men may suffer by, in the ill using of Physick, and do our ovvn parts to the best of our understanding honestly, c [...]ndidly, and cha­ritably vvhere our assistance is required, vve deliver our ovvn Souls, and then in Gods name let every man dispose of the care of his ovvn life and health as to him seemes best.

But Sir, it is time that I release you, and if you will be Printing these Papers, remember I cannot think them worth the owning, especially after what hath been said in this kind already.

ALthough I was extreamly pleased with the news of your safe arrival, yet that of the improvement of that noble Ladies health by what I sent her, gives me so great and pleasing a satisfaction as you only can guess at; who know the zealous designes I have to serve her as succesfully as I am sure I do faithful­ly.

But the composition and making of that syrrup which my Lady hath found so much good by, and of divers others out of the common road, are the ef­fects of an order lately made at a full Colledge amongst us, to encourage all of our profession to the making [Page 11] of medicines for their own practice, and to which if the members of our Society will industriously settle themselves: as I doubt not but we shall acquire all those noble ends you mention in your Letter, and which as I go a­long I shall particularly speak to, so it will be the best way to brand those men for their injustice, and ingratitude, who have had the confidence publickly to affirme that they who made and taught them their profession were wholly ignorant in it.

I do assure you Sir it is with some reluctancy that I tell you, that we believe that we are able to pick out, divers Mrs. amongst them of name; that appear full of business, but are really full of words, and yet are whollv ignorant, in those first and simple preparati­ons of infusions: and others, who by their own ac­knowledgements, have been forced after they have set up for themselves, to take Journeymen, to teach them how to make up the common medicines of the Dispensatory, their Mrs. not having the will, or leasure (to say no other) to teach it them, in the whole time of their Apprentiships.

But Sir as your own observations amongst men, have given you occasion enough to remark the bold ignorance, of many of these invaders of our professi­on: so they have amongst things too, taught you, how divers the laws of drawing out Tinctures exactly are, as to their proper menstruums, time, and heat, so that you cannot much wonder at my Ladys complaint: That Apothecaries ignorant or careless in these things, make up these sorts of medicines you mention, so fullsome, nau­seous, and unhealthy, but this not being my business at this time, I shall proceed with your letter.

And should Sir with you and your good company, heartily bewaile the State of the professors of Physick at present in this nation, if my humour and Philosophy, as you very well know, did not assigne me rather a­mongst the followers of Democritus than Heraclitus; I consess I cannot forbear smiling at the scarce credi­ble humour that reignes now amongst some men, that are certainly no friends to inspiration, new lights nor levelling, of patronizing those, who if they have any knowledge in Physick, it must be from inspiration or new light, which some of them indeed pretend to, for as to any proper education to what they profess, they are too well knovvn to make any clame here, lear­ning or scholastick education they publickly declaim against, they rail at Anatomical exercises as useless, and think the knovvledge of plants, fit only for an herb­wife to make and sell Nosegays with, the Groom of the Chamber of whom you shall hear more anon, tells you but with reverence to God Almighty, that he might have spared his labour, of making all that won­derful variety of medicinal plants, since he knoweth a seperating medicine worth them all, a new knack as some of them call it, that cures (or kills) infalla­bly.

But when I find these men have considerable Pa­trons, I cannot but merrily consider to what that policy drives: perhaps it's hoped that the countenan­cing this Phanatick humor of levelling our profession may cause it all to be spent upon us, and save the Church and State, on which it's virulency had been so long exercised, but may it not rather be feared, that o­thers will with those very arguments, are now urged [Page 13] to lay wast the faculty of Physick, and make it a prey to Host­lers, Coblers and Tinkers, hereafter bring Taylors to in­vade the Bar, and Iuglers the Pulpit: But you will tell me it is easy to foretell, that, what hath been alrea­dy done, may possibly be done again. But perhaps Sir, it is not so easie, (if these men vvere ever able to bring it into question) to destroy the priviledges of a Society of men established, by so many acts of Parliament, and (to say nothing of the merit of di­vers of their members, whose names are celebrated with honour in other Nations) at once to destroy the third part of the portions of the younger Sons of the Gentry of England: For to one of the three fa­culties, some of them are usually designed, nor yet perhaps to rob both our Universities, of the honour and advantage, of educating generous, and ingeni­ous young men, to the faculty of Physick, nor of conferring upon them honourable degrees, as re­wards of their industry and merit: But these degrees Sir are our faults, to be Graduates and Doctors are our crimes, for otherwise we having the advantage con­fessedly of more learning, than those that at present oppose us may have read as many Chymical Authors: Most of have been Travellers, and not only seen the best Elaboratories, but have conversed with, and been Disciples to the most celebrated Chymical Opera­tors, our Western part of the world knoweth; we have visited it's most famous Hospitals, followed and observed the practice of the most exercised Physitians in them, but Sir we are Doctors, and Colledge Doctors that is after all this, before we could be admitted to the lawful killing of a Cobler in London, we have [Page 14] been forced, by three days rigid examination, to give Testimony that we were able to do it in good form, and according to rule, whereas like a company of Dunces, vve might have saved all this charge and trouble, and being but a little while Philosophers, by the Fire, with the help of a three penny pipkin, and two pence in Charcose, we might have found out a true seperating medicine, should have killed hundreds, and the tens that had escaped, our selves nor no body else knowing how, should have been printed for cures, we dubbed Hermetical Doctors, and have set up for the Chymical Colledge.

I know you will chide me for this, but give me leave to pursue my humour, and laugh at what is so truly ridi­culous; I am sure you can witness for me, I am far from being a despiser of Chymistry, I love it and own it as one of the best keys to the secret recesses of Nature, I think no man worthy the name of a Physitian, that is not knowing in it; for it hath not only much mended the Preparations of Medicines, but hath produced many generous Remedies, and of great use, but to make every little Fellow, that can build a furnace, burn some thing in it until it stinks, and then Christen it by the name of a great Medicine, a Physitian; is to dub a la­bourer in the brick-kilns, an Architect; or the ma­ker of bellows an Organist. Would you not, Sir, think that man out of the way, that should commend one for an excellent hors-man, because he made good Spurs, or a Black-smith for an excellent Watch-maker, because he made most exquisite Files, if some of these pretend­ers to Chymistry only, were by the communication of others, or by chance indeed, Masters of one or moro [Page 15] good Medicines, would this think you qualifie them for Physitians? were it reasonable that one that under­stood nothing of the frame or the making of a Watch, should mend it when out of order, although he had all the Tools of a VVatchmaker in his power? I am sure you would not think it so, I wish no body else would; but it is time I ask your pardon for this digression, and I am sure of it from you, because you know I am al­wayes ready without prejudice to embrace what ever can reasonably appear to be for the publick good, and the rendering the facultie of Physick truly useful and beneficial to Mankind, which must give it its greatest honor; and estimation, and of this I hope to give you farther testimony as I pass your propositions, and offer some of my own; being resolved (only asking your leave forlittle extravagant digressions sometimes) to answer your letter as I read it.

And therefore must next say something of the busi­ness of our Patent, in which although I do to you acknowledge I was ever of your sense, considering the vast length of it, in which it was impossible, but there must be a thousand clauses might give occasion to captious men to quarrel, and so of force cause de­bates for their explanation: Yet I could not but con­demn that sense in my self, when I considered the great vvorth, honesty and known abilities of him that drew up that patent, beside the great assistance, and advice he took in the doing of it: I need but name Mr. John Alleyne to have vvhat is said of him believed; and Sir you vvere I am sure sensible, in those fevv de­bates vve had before the Committee of the house, what little reason there vvas for those senseless clamours a­gainst. [Page 16] it, how little there vvas asked de nov [...], vve being most vvilling to put all our demands into that one of having sufficient power to put in execution the true intents of Acts already established.

But Sir I think you know how impossible almost, in a great assembly of men it is, to have them all of one mind, nay if they could all agree to the attaining of one end, yet that they should not pitch upon se­veral wayes to it; for in such, some men may have no information at all of the thing before them, o­thers extreamly misinformed, others prejudiced be­cause such men are ingaged in it.

Sir, if to these you had been pleased to add the sin­gularity of some, and the levelling humour of others to oppose and destroy every thing that lookes like conformity, order or government, you had certainly with those you mentioned, said all the reasons vvhy any thing so long as our Patent, should not easily pass with the consent of a great assembly.

It is most true Sir what you observe the genius of this present age seemes given up to penetrate into the causes of natural things, and it seemes at last to have pitched upon the true meanes, for so noble and great an exploration; by promoting useful knowledge drawn from experiments, but besides the famous men you mention for it, our own nation ought not to have, her Verulam, and Gilbert Forgotten, nor our profession in it Harvey, Glisten nor Ent; to mention no others now: and perhaps few men are so well qualified, for pro­moting this useful way of knovvledge, as vvell edu­cated Physitians are: I shall not novv stand to dis­course hovv much more difficult a thing it is than u­sually [Page 17] considered to get experience from experiments: how few compare (or are indeed qualified to do it) all circumstances; and since a little one, may make great alterations in things, and the knowledge resul­ting from experience is, that actions, or causes so cir­cumstantiated, always will produce such an effect; the circumstances not considered, or taken notice off, vvhat can such an experience amount to. How many impertinent Fooles do we meet with every day, that talk mighty big of experience, without know­ing any thing of it, if they did, these vvould neither pretend to miracles themselves, nor expect them from others, this I confess amongst other things, makes me despair of any advantages to be procured, for a real and true promoting the good our profession might bring to mankind, or of any great advantages from the royal Society.

For although certainly, there yet never met a company of more excellent and ingenuous Persons, who by a most vir­tuous, and innocent diversion, are laying the foundation of great good to others, and this by a constant and considerable charge to themselves, without the least injury or detriment to any, yet they cannot escape the malicious Scommas and detractations of covetuous Persons who either hope from them the Phylosophers stone, or some wonderful pro­jects for the getting of mony, or of ignorant and preten­ding Curiosos, who would presently see a perpetual motion, or the squaring of the Circle. Beside the liberty some men take, and think it the only witt too, of turning e­very thing, into Ridicule, neither the Scripture, nor the great author of it God himselfe excepted.

But Sir, I am now come to that part of your-let­ter [Page 18] which indeed speaks your kindness to our pro­fession, you will find few of us so brutish, as to hate reproofe, or not to love Instruction; I hope we all of us covet more the wounds of faithful friend, than the kisses of a deceitful enemy, and therefore shall ac­knowledge the imperfections, you charge upon the present method of practising Physick in this Nation: The world doth too much want the advantages might be drawn from it, both as to the assistances to health, and the knowledge of nature in general our patients lives., and our credits are too often in the power of an ignorant confident Fool; or an idle careless Boy: The charge of it is often insupportable, as well as uncon­scionable, and uncharitable, we many times prescribe, a drachme of Treacle, worth two pence, to a poor Neighbour out of charity, the Apothecary makes him pay half a Crown for a Cordial Bolus. There are of us, have retrieved some of our prescriptions, and the Apothecaries bills upon them, you will perhaps be a­mazed when I tell you, that where a Physitian hath with­out a Fee, Prescribed some thing worth six-pence, be­cause it was made into twenty four pills, there was so many shillings paid to the Apothecarie upon his bill for it; but I will give you no more accounts of this kinde now, you may in good time see store of them, upon profes beyond denial; we have endea­voured already, and will alwayes do what ever lieth in us, to reforme what ever honest men think amiss, or to acquire that perfection knowing men think we yet want, and is attainable, even to an universal me­dicine, when ever we can be well assured it hath been in the World or that it is like ever to be.

We must acknowledge too, that the distributing two parts of our profession to be exercised by others hath been by accident the fatal cause of all these ills; and though we may say, that the vveakness of the heart, hands, or Eyes of very knowing Physitians, might make them vvilling to instruct others, to the manual operations in Physick, yet perhaps it vvill be hard to believe, that any thing, but the pride and lasiness of others, spawned Apothecaries; the dispensatories of all the World witness, that Physitians made and gave them their Trade: In England their Charter will tell them, it was our Colledge that made them a Corporati­on, and you can tell your self Sir how grateful re­turnes they have made us, or will you not rather tell me, how justly we are punished for the pride and la­siness I have confest, but if you will a little better con­sider it, you may have some reason to think, that ho­nesty with the design of clear and upright dealing with all men, and a supposition of improving the expe­rience of our profession, were the first motives to what was done in this matter: And here Sir give me leave to assure you, that you need not ask the pardon of any rational Physitian, when you affirme that Phy­sick is but a mass of noble experiments, and I dare with confidence averre, no man can at this time name one Physitian of the Colledge of London, fond of the com­mon principles, in the Physiologicall part of our pro­fession, and that with old Doctor Winston, and Doctor VVright, all our dogmaticall Gallenistes, as they call them, died, and yet I believe all the inspired Chymists, that labour so much at this time for a license (per­haps at last to coyn) will never be able with their [Page 20] joyned stocks, to leave behind them, such an estate as the latter did, gotten all by honest Gallenical pra­ctice.

But Sir to what I was saying, there might be great▪ motives of honesty and ingenuity, with provision for the safety of mankinde, although certainly much a­gainst the private interest of Physitians to make the Pharmacy of Physick a perticular Trade, suppose Sir that goodly Tribe, who have lately with as much ig­norant impudence, as notorious falshood, endeavou­red to surprise many honourable and noble personages, and to perswade them into a belief, that it was fit to establish a Corporation of practising Chymists, that is a body of men, who shall have liberty to exhibit secrets of their own; vvhich none can know but them­selves, to those that are sick or would prevent sickness, besides the mischiefs that this way, a bold and no way to be controuled ignorance may do; what designed murders may not malicious contrivance with merce­nary knaves perpetrate; that there may be amongst these great pretenders of new discoveries in Physick, that have been such; mercenary knaves, I mean; I think a man may affirm without danger of an action: But Sir since as you have said Physick is but a mass of noble experiments, and those performed by a great variety of medicines, most of which have been of known use, for the better part of two thousand years, if a select choice of these both simple and compound being first made, it were committed to a body of men, bred up only to be knowing in the kinds, and good­ness of those simples, and an exact making of the com­pounds, to have such always in readiness, to deliver [Page 21] out upon the prescript of the Physitian, and that pre­script to be kept alwayes on record, by which the goodness, and aptness in the exhibition might be jud­ged off, when needful; certainly all is done, that mo­rally can be thought on, to prevent the mischeifs, both of ignorance, and villany: Whereas the other way mankind is left without defence against, or repara­tion of the attaque of either. And certainly Sir, they that first designed to put the business of Pharma­cy, into this way, could not be ignorant of the great profit, and advantage of the other, (that of making their own medicines,) would bring them in, and a lit­tle practice would soon teach the Arts these men of mighty Secrets practice: vvhen one that appears mean and poor, gives but sixpence for that, vvhich better cloaths gives five shillings for; besides, the often sel­ling upon occasion that, vvhich they vvould otherwise hire some body to throw out of doors; beside, that knowing men might often cos [...]n [...] the people, with advantage to them, as well as credit to them­selves: and here give me leave to tell you a short sto­ry.

A Physitian of your acquaintance and mine, in the coun­try in the beginning of his practice there; being sud­denly carryed to a Gentlevvoman, that had been for some time sick of a feavour; and she living at some distance, from his place of aboad; or from any Apo­thecaries, found as soon as ever he came, that though she appeared just then worse than in the vvhole pre­cedent time of her sickness, and consequently despai­red of by her friends, yet that her sickness vvas very neer determining, and as he thought he had reason [Page 22] to believe to health, he vvas unwilling in his begin­ning, in a family of great relations in the Countrey, to lose the credit of a great cure, and therefore thought it necessary to seem to do some thing in it, yet something that might not at all impede, vvhat na­ture vvas so vvell in doing, and vvhich he did believe, before he could send home or to an Apothecaries, she vvould have done vvithout him: vvhilest he vvas consi­dering this he had at a Table vvhere he vvas leaning, made up three or four fine pills, of white bread, and conveying them into a little box in his pocket, by and by calls for a spoon, and in some liquor, vvith due formality gave them, giving direction for her careful attendance, with confident assurance of her speedy recovery, which accordingly happened, for in very few houres, she fell into a most profuse sweat, and soon recovered perfectly: the Gentleman was not on­ly famous for his great cure, but his greater cordial, and forced indeed to make a good one up into that form, to satisfie the importunity of his patients for it, you may see by this Sir, how easie it is for any one, to whom some lucky chance hath given credit, if he will but pretend to secrets, of secret, and perticular pre­paration, to impose upon the not considering part of the World, who yet are so zealous to be thought knowing, they are alwayes finding out, and rendring the causes of things, and generally vvill have that to be it, vvhich is the next obvious to their short under­standings, though farthest of any removed from the nature of that thing, they apply it to: And Sir, you may by the by observe too, how often it must hap­pen in like cases, that bold and ignorant Quackes in­terposing, [Page 23] destroy those, vvhom nature vvould cure, vvhilest the knowing and experienced Physitian, who hath been long since taught, vvhere truly there is need of it, to fly to the assistance of remedies, as extream as the danger, vvill not by unnecessary, and ignorant tamperings destroy, vvhere nature vvould certainly cure.

But novv Sir, give me leave to assure you, that those tvvo great evills, vvhich the vvay of practie as you suppose it novv to be, had produced, have been of late years very much amended amongst us, for since the time that our great Dootor Harvey acquired that honour to himself, and to our nation in his ex­cellent Anatomical discoveries our younger Physitians grew generously to emulate both his fortune, and en­deavours, and perhaps the World hath not a Society, of our profession, in which considering the number of them, there are so many excellent Anatomists, nor did they so give themselves up to this, that they neglected the enquirlng into the natures of vegeta­bles, and minerals, they had, and have still though I acknowledge not by any publick order of the Socie­ty, their committees and meetings for perticular en­quiries, those that are our old men now thus spent their younger years, and I think the learned Authors of them will own, that the treatises de Rachitide, A­natomia hepatis, and de Glandulis had, if not their pro­duction, yet improvement from such meetings as these; and he that hath lately heard Sir George Ents anatomi­cal Exercises must have acknowledged the great progress that is made in the Anatomia comparata, and give me leave to tell you Sir, men that have been acquainted with [Page 24] the practice of our English Physitians, must acknow­ledge no age yet ever saw such an improvement of the materia medica; Sir they must be very malicious, or ig­norant, that have the face to affirm, that we are so tyed up to the prescriptions of Galen, as not to have embraced and cultivated Chymistry, and that with di­ligence, reason, and success, we have not indeed embraced the lying and boasting part of it, to cry up our selves, and medicines, at such a rate; that if the boasted virtues of any one of them were true, there were no need of any other Physitian, or medicine, and the stupidity of the World, or of those that possess such wonder working medicines, were to be admi­red, that the one should ever want health, or the o­ther mony; I will not undertake Sir, to justify every composition, in our present dispensatory, though I dare affirm there are as good, if not better in it, as to the reason of the compositions, and the usefulness of them, than in any other publick one now extant; besides that all of them have been approved by a long experience. I mean such an one as knows how to make use of them with consideration of all circum­stances, those little Phanatick heads, that pretend to find fault with quantities, or the wayes of compo­sition, in prescribed, and approved Medicines. (I do not intend by this to justifie some defects, in the di­rections, and rules of compounding, or the mistakes of just proportions, to make things such as they should be,) do not know what somewhere in your letter you ob­serve, from our great Verulam, how little the nature of any thing is known to us a priori, and that in things of experience, a little alteration from the way [Page 25] experienced, makes it an other thing, and puts us to seek a new; I do assure you Sir, knowingly that Z [...]elfon who being bred an Apothecary, hath made a rational attempt, to the correcting the Augustan Dis­pensatory, hath spoiled some very good medicines, and even in matter of fact is so much mistaken, as to af­firme that in some distillations nothing of that can be brought over the Helm, which if he had ever tryed he must have known the contrary, and so in some other things proposeth the doing of what I think, cannot be done, in that way he proposeth.

I do assure you Sir, our little Juntoes and com­mittees, meet not to drink, or to talke onely, but they do impose taskes upon each other, and work chearfully and willingly in all the parts of Physick, so that I hope hereafter throughly to satisfie you, that we have in this last age set our selves to improve our profession, by those that you approve to be, and are certainly the best wayes to do it, and you will find, that when ever we come to the resolutions of making our own medicines altogether: or have our priviledges so bettered and confirmed that we may safely trust the Apothecary, that their is provision for a dispensatory, consisting of so choyce experimented medicines, both Chymical and others, especially with relation to our own nation, that no age hath yet produced a better, and they shall be all such too, as the Physitians of our Colledge have made, and long experimentea themselves. But I think as the case stands yet betwixt us and the Apothecaries, none will expect, we should put any thing of such a nature into their hands, who have made us so kind returnes for what we entrusted them with before: But Sir, that [Page 26] you may know this is not onely talk, I will give you now some little account of a weekly Junto that as I am informed have met constantly this nine or ten years, never increasing their number above five, and of which I think it a misfortune not to be one: for some years it was their business to examine as far as they could, all the dispensatories they could get, with the reformations and animadversions upon them, to compare divers compositions with our own, to con­sider upon what authority they had been received, al­tered or amended, and to enquire, as much as the nature of the thing would bear, into the reason of the compositions; for though we be assured of the ef­fects of a medicine, perhaps the why and the how such effect is produced, will not be so easily ascer­tained, and in compositions that which some little busie body, to appear wise, will be making preten­sions to mend, by altering, may be that which gives it as to this particular effect, its greatest Energy: He that considers what alterations some bodies produce in others, though at distance, vvhich yet a little di­versity of position, or change of the Medium may al­ter, vvill be apt enough to apprehend, how little a thing may alter the result of a composition, vvhere divers things must be precisely, as to the measures of proportion, and time, and the quality of the Medi­ums, by vvhich they are to be imbodied, so made up; to produce such effects, and though every novice in Chimistry may know this, yet vvanting the know­ledge of other things to enable them prudently to com­pare and adjoust things to determine effects, or at least to the way of knowing truly their effects: it [Page 27] serves them rather to spoil, than mend any thing they take in hand: This little Committee therefore I was speaking of, made it their business most to enquire into the real effects of medicines, and into all circumstan­ces that attend the effects produced, and to this end did not onely bring in, and communicate to one ano­ther, diligent observations in their own practice, but as much as they could, that two of the most eminent Physitians in the Town, by looking over their pre­scripts, and diligently enquiring into the occasions and success of them, they had their times too, not only of considering home-bred, and exotick simples, as to the outward appearance of their several species; but of their natures and effects, when used alone. And here Sir, I cannot but tell you, I do believe there are ve­ry few Physitians of this present Colledge that would be long to seek in any place of the World, for some proper helps in any occasion of sickness they should be called too, though there were no Apothecaries or Chymist, besides himself in the whole Countrey. But besides this Sir, this little Junto too in other years ex­ercises, brought in not only the Histories of the diseases their own practice furnished them with, but any remarkeable ones they could be furnished with from others, as well as many from books, and be­sides the enquiring into the natures of them, both upon old and new principles, they considered the just circumstances, and measures of applying the most effectual remedies to their cure: In other years, they treated one another once a week, with some animal, for anatomical dissections, and very rarely in that whole time met, but they had some thing relating to their pro­fession, [Page 28] to enquire into: But I hope by that time you come to Town, to give you a better account of this, and to make you and my self too, better acquainted with some of this industrious meetings and I have gi­ven you this account now, only to let you know, that we are not those useless insipid drones, that some things of great noise would render us to the World; I could tell you too of greater things done, for these will own themselves as yet but for seekers by some of greater eminency, and of the elaboratories, and cha­rity every day exercised in assisting of the poorer sort, but they are no Groomes of the great Chamber that do it, nor will they bribe any body, with the hopes, or promise of a charity, to preach their cures, and their bounty, and to assert the truth of things, of which it is impossible they should have any knowledge; yet I would not have you think, I am now justifying eve­ry individual member of our Society, in every thing. We are not perhaps all prudent, or good natured men; but I dare all their enemies, to charge any one of them with want of learning in his profession, with the want of honesty in the exercise of it, or in his deal­ing in relation to others, because I am sure if there be any such amongst us, it is because they are not made appear to be such; and I know the constitutions of our particular government so well, it would soon free it self from such scandals as that, and it is something of this in our Government, that will alwayes make ignorant, or vitious persons fly, as much as they can or dare, in our faces, for we do not only make an on­quiry into the learning, and sufficiencie for practice, of those that are admitted of our body, but into their [Page 29] probitie and good manners too, which that vve may have time to do, no man can be admitted sooner than three moneths, after his first making his desire of ad­mission known to the Colledge, that in the mean time the present Fellowes may have time to enquire after him, and if there be just exceptions against his learn­ing, or his honesty, they may be objected before his admission, as Candidate, after which to, if he doth not behave himself as a learned, and an honest Physitian, he shall then be barred for ever being Fellow; and there are examples of Fellowes being expelled, and forfeiting all their priviledges amongst us, for ill pra­ctice, dishonest Mountebankery, and ill manners: And this I take it Sir, is bidding open war to ignorance, and knavery, and therefore vve must expect the effects of it; all the mischiefs, such enemies can do us: for no vertuous or learned person, vvill ever scruple to have his name registred, and enjoy priviledges, and liber­ties established by lavv, amongst a company of men of known learning, and of no blasted credits; because they are required, with all respect and civility imagin­able, to give an honourable, and honest testimonie of their abilities in their profession, to men too, vvho have given the greatest testimonies, of any Societies of men in the World, that they are not tyed up to the dictates of any Sect of Philosophers or Physitians, they have long since embraced the more generous, and useful way of Philosophising freely; they cherish it, and encourage it in all their members, and I do assure you Sir, no man was ever discouraged by them, who gave a good account that he had judgment, and abilities for the practice of Physick, though he vvere deficieat [Page 30] in the abstruser notions, and nice distinctions of the Schooles, provided they had no reason to think him other, than an honest man: therefore certainly those that know this, must always think the cry against Doctors, and Colledg, is but a compact of ignorance and knavery, which, if I do not forget before I have ended my let­ter, I will make you a little more sensible of, by gi­ving you a short account of those people that make it most.

But I hope you are by this time satisfied, that the Col­ledg of Physitians, have without a Monitor, put them­selves into the ways of improving the usefulness of their profession, as much as the nature of the thing is capable of, and nothing but ignorance, or malice can deny, what you are pleased to take notice of; viz. That this Colledg of Physitians in London, hath more advanced the true knowledg of Physick, within this last forty years, than any one Society of Physitians in Europe besides; and then if you please to consider, that this hath been for the most part carried on, by the private endeavours of several members of it, our Colledg having none of the ad­vantages of publique Professors, competently endowed from the Publique, for teaching in the several parts of Medicine (onely one endowed Lecture from a private Benefactor for Anatomy,) nor no publique Physick­garden, nor Elaboratories for Chymical operations, except those of private erection. You may perhaps be induced to believe, that those men, who have been so industrious without those helps, might advance much farther with them. If the Physitians of those Hospitals we have, had such a Salary, as might oblige them to attend those places diligently, and to suffer our younger [Page 31] Physitians for some time to attend on them; by their direction to serve, and minister diligently about the sick, keeping exact accounts of all Accidents, Cures and miscarriages, and of the Anatomie of mor­bid bodies that die, and such of those as appeared re­ally useful, to be registred in the Archives of our Col­ledg, might we not hope in some time, to arrive at as much perfection in our Art, as is to be hoped for, considering that we must, I fear when all is done, be still mortal, and whilst men are so unwilling to believe that, or at least that it should be so yet with them, how infirm or old soever they be; there will be imployment for bold pretending ignorance, which shall too, thrust sober knowledg out of doors; for where those dastard­ly fears of dying are, they will catch hold of the next log that offers it self to their short and fearful apprehen­sions; though in the bottom of ignorance, where they must inevitably perish by it, certainly that Bishop, had a great and generous soul, not clogged with those misbecoming fears, who upon a bold undertaking of a Mountebank to cure him, when his Physitians despaired, chose rather to dye in the hands of Art, as more be­coming the courage of a man, and the sobriety of a Christian, who should use none but lawful means to preserve himself, than to have it said when he was gone, that he would have been beholding to base and sordid Ignorance, for a few more years of pain and trouble.

And now, Sir, I was just coming to the Reformation you propose in the practice of Physick, if I were not startled at the danger you are running your self into, it is well since your Letter is publick, that your name is concealed, what do you think otherwise might be­come [Page 32] of you and it, that dare venture to provoke the mighty men of fire, what? Paracelsus, and Helmont not Philosophers, I see squadrons arming against you, the Rosters of Geber, the Tosters of Lully, the Fri­casseers of Paracelsus, and the Olla Podrida men of Helmont, men that all know how to rost Apples, stew Prunes, tost Cheese; and some who can, it is believed for need, toss a Panacke, can say, Archeus, Cas, Blas, Duelech, Duumvirate, and a thousand harder words, which though you do not, they all understand, one as well as t'other, and because you do not understand them at all, and perhaps may think, you have a pretty moral assurance they cannot, because they are unintel­ligible; will you call the Philosophy of Paracelsus and Helmont, idle and extravagant Theories? I dare assure you, I can tell you a way, how you shall come to think you understand all those wonderful things, as well as they, that think they understand them best, for there are some that know the emptiness of them as well as you, but use them for sounds sake, and to amuse admiring ignorance: but the way in short for you, or any body to understand them as well as any, is to be mad, as they that think they do understand them: do you not remember the two Fellowes of a Colledge in Cambridge that had been for some years mad, and at last growing a little civiller in their mad­ness, were suffered to walk abroad, and coming into the Chappel at Evening Prayer, sat devoutly and at­tentively there, until the second lesson vvas now to be read, when one of them, before he vvhose turn it vvas to read, could get to the desk vvas there, had turned to the proper Lesson and began to read; all [Page 33] were a little surprized, but perceiving he read distinctly and orderly, they let him go on to the end; hopeing he would as orderly then recede; but instead of that, he began a very mad, senseless comment upon the Chapter he had read; some were quickly ordered to get him out of the Chappel, whilest the rest began the nunc dimiitis, when Prayer was done, the other madman, who had continued civill to the end of prayers, coming to the master, desired to know, why his fellovv mad­man was not suffered to go on, with his pious and learned Comment, and being answered, because he talked like a Fool, and a Mad-man, what none could under­stand; replyed with some admiration, How, not under­stand him, I profess, Sir, I understood him very well; and certainly it is much after the same manner, that these Men of mighty words, and inextricable notions, un­derstand one another; but I cannot forbear to observe, a pretty kind of errant like humour, dictated perhaps from the Custos errans, in these mens understandings, that what ever there is plain, and of good use to be found, in these Authors they deal on, they either do not understand, over-see, or else pass by, as disdaining to take notice of any thing less then Wind-Mills; but by this time you are, I believe, laughing at me, who have run so goodly a course at them my self, and therefore I come now to the reformation you pro­pose.

And do assure you Sir, for all the sixteen reasons you give, I shall my self be most willing so submit, to that very reformation, if we cannot have a better, but since you do your self intimate a better, from the primitive and certainly for that reason, that they made [Page 34] their own medicines, the best practice of Physick; why should the Colledge of Physitians go on to encou­rage a Trade, set up only for their ease, and which if they will themselves be industrious, there is not at all any use of to mankinde; why should we be concer­ned for their being a Corporation, or having been bred to a Trade, which hath onely given them the confi­dence, before they vvell understand that, to invade a profession, that few of them can ever be capable of understanding; some of them have given it for reason why they did oppose the passing of our patent, that it would hinder them from practising Physick, which they did and ought to do, and shall they say and do this expresly against known Lawes, and shall vve scru­ple to do vvhat both the Laws allovv, our patients saf­ties, our own credits, and interests calls upon us to do, that is, make all our own medicines; especially at this time, when we are ready to make a good and thorough reformation in the whole Materia meaica, and when perhaps, we shall not find many of them, for the general want amongst them of knowledge, in Chymical operations, capable of assisting us: I do as­sure you Sir, there are a great many amongst us, I am sure some of your acquaintance very knowing not only in all our home bred simples, but in the ways of knowing and chusing the best and most useful exotick medicinal things, (those that are not, let them in Gods name learn, of those are) and therefore I cannot see if we will set our selves throughly, and industriously to our business, what need we can have of Apotheca­ries, eonsidering how many very good Druggists there are in Town, and then having nothing to do: with [Page 35] Apothecaries at all, we comply wholly with your first reason, we obtain all the advantages of your second, third and fourth, for indeed as you well observe in this, what advantage in nature can an ignorant Moun­tebanke, or boasting pretender to Chymistry have, beyond a sober rational Physitian, but in that of making trivial, and common things great secrets, the better to cheate a sort of people, that love to be cheated; and were born only to admire noise, and emptiness: This pre­tence to secrets Sir, like the Quakers light within them, is to be encountered by no reason, he that is the most knowing in all the materia medica, and the most skilful in the preparations of medicines, will find it perhaps a hard thing, to confute a fellow that with confidence tells you, of a thing of his own invention, unknown to others, or of a particular way of preparing a known medicine, invented by himself, though how many of that kinde, when they have been known, have proved, (if of use or good at all,) such as were known to every body, and of com­mon practice in the Town, and yet how many do we see every day, who if a fellow, nay any old Wo­man, whose education hath been never so remote from the thing they pretend to, or their parts never so mean, shall confidently tell them of great secrets, they presently cry those up, for the only knowing persons, and all men else as Sots and Ideots, never considering that if a fellow ignorant in every thing else, even vvanting much to have a share in common sense, should by hap stumble upon any thing that is very good, and prove able to make up a good medicine custome, and usage, yet by it is impossible but that [Page 36] his paramount ignorantce, should some times do great mischiefs vvith this good medicine; for we must al­low such a thing as this, to be of force to cause great alterations in our bodies, and then it may if not gi­ven vvith reason, make those alterations sometimes to our destruction, except it be an Universal medi­cine; and then I assure you, I shall no more plead for the faculty of Physick, but vvill burn all my books, and if I cannot acquire it my self, vvill vvith all my heart serve that earthly God, that I shall know Master of it; but till then Sir, I cannot but think it reasona­ble, that Physitians should be Masters of those things they have been the inventers of themselves, and since those they have entrusted to make them refuse all subordination to them, or to submit medicines in­vented and designed by Physitians, for such and such uses, to their judgments, whether they be fit for these uses or not, nay rather then miss the serving of a bill sent to them, because they want the things prescri­bed, vvill according to their shallow capacities, put in one thing for an other, or any thing, no matter vvhat, so they be paid for the bill, though to the loss of the Physitians credit, and health, if not life of the patient. I cannot Sir, but think it most necessary, as well as most reasonable; that Physitians resume this part of Physick into their own hands wholly: and either make Medicines for their own practice themselves, or keep, some in their houses, who may do it under their eye, and so enable them, to give a better account of all they do; to the world, their own consciences, and to God. But if you urge against me what I have said before for the making the Pharmacy of Physick a particular Trade, as argument still to continue it soe, I shall quickly [Page 37] reply, I will not be against it, so that it be reduced to its primitive constitution, and that vve be secured of their honest and faithful dispensing of our prescrip­tions, that they have their shops stored, vvith good and vvholesome medicines, and to secure that, that they of all men shall not on any termes be suffered to practise, for that destroies the very reason of their constitution; and this indeed is the great secret, and stirrs up their industrious opposition to us, for whilest they can vend medicines, by their own practice, without the survey or prescript of the Phystian, the putting off the worst, and refuse things, brings in the greatest gain. Besides, that not knowing, or con­sidering more than that gain, they never want any thing: that which comes next to hand makes up any Physitians prescript, and powder of a rotten post, may with some wonderful commendations of its excellency, and virtue, serve there own practice, better than the best gar­belled spices: And that this is too much truth, I think is evident by their no opposition, when lately the pretended Chymists so industriously laboured the ma­king themselves a Corporation; for in that the knife was at their Throats, & Apothecaries vvhen that is done, will certainly in a little time signifie nothing: All the hurt it can do Physitians, is to force them to what I would have them now do, the making their one Me­dicines, and truly I think a very little consideration may serve a man to forsee, that the next age will scarce know, what an Apothecarie is; for vvhat vvith these pretenders to secrets, and the affronts the A­pothecaries put upon us, with their confident inva­ding our profession, we shall be driven at last, to what [Page 38] I have been thus long speaking for: Our old practitio­ners are unvvilling yet to come to it, but the youn­ger provide for it a pace, and I doubt not but vvill finde encouragement enough to persue it: but the design of your fifth reason, for the better breeding up of yound Students in our faculty, will hardly ever be vvell acquired, as to the curing of diseases, but by some such constitution for the Physitians of our Hos­pitals, as I have formerly intimated: for although e­very Doctor in Ph [...]sick should be able to teach the Anatomical, Botanical, and Pharmacutical knowledge of our profession, yet there are not many that have so much practice in great Citties as to need help; besides that those that are able to send for Physitians, will not alwayes be contented that a younger Physitian should be trusted vvith the knowledge of their infir­mities. I could urge a great many inconveniences a­gainst this vvay, but there can be none against con­stituting our Hospitalls so, that the sick in them might be much better attended, and our younger Physitians, In a few Years, acquire great knowledge, in the practicall part of their profession, for thus a three, or four Years attendance, on persons of all ages, and sexes, and sick of all, perhaps of more than all the now known diseases, and under a vvell experienced practitioner, must give men of any capacity, especi­ally if before but reasonably vvell grounded, in the true principles of their profession, that judgment, (if you vvill give me leave to use one hard vvord) that Sto [...]asme, in judging the nature, and causes of diseases, and application of fit remedies to the cures of them, which only indeed makes an able and a fortunate Physitian and [Page 39] vvithout vvhich all the secrets and vvonderful receipts, the promising Quacks of this age boast off, signifie not so well as herb [...]ohn in Porredge, since they are so far from doing no hurt, that they many times, do fatall and irreparable misc [...]iess, by an unseasonable, and ignorant application of them.

But certainly part of your sixth reason is grounded upon mistake, if you reckon that the Fees of Physitians makes any very considerable advance, in the charge of taking Physick; For as no ingenuous Physitian can or will grate on the necessitous condition of his Pati­ent, and make a Cure more irksome to him than a disease, so t [...]e constitutions of our Society, and Cu­stom as prevalent as a Law, forbid, and restrain the most covetous amongst us, to contract for Cures, or to make any bargains for our rewards, I speak now for the Fellows and Candidates of our Society: And what ever VVestminster-Hall may shew done by others, I am very confident it can produce very few Suites commenced by any of that number, against those that have recover­ed from sickness: The truth of it is, we are generally, too much at the mercy of our Patients, as to that. An honest, and conscientious Physitian (I am sure if we are not all such, we ought to be such) cannot neglect the life of a man, committed to his care, but many of us can affirm by experience enough, that there are too many, that very much undervalue, not only their Physitians, who by Gods blessing on his skill, and in­dustry, hath restored them health for sickness, and case for pain, but even that health and ease, they are now possessed of, whilst (though well able to do other­wise) they give mean, and dirty rewards to their Phy­sitians; [Page 40] or perhaps reproaches instead of any. It is a common excuse for their closeness of hand, that the Doctor gets his Fees easily enough, which he only makes a visit and writes a few words for, but not to wish them that sollicitude of mind and anguish of soul, that the doubtful condition of a Patient hath given me, I wish they would consider for others, what I am sure they would for themselves, that is the real loss, and gain in all they deal for; they would then easily compute, that besides the labour of studie, and the expence of as much time, as would make up two Apprentiships, before a man can acquire a law­ful title to Physick; the charge of his Education, the taking Degrees, most commonly too his Travel, the making of Experiments, and his Library, may amount to a greater stock, than is necessary to make a man a Master in any other profession whatsoever; and yet there are farr greater encouragments for other profes­sions than for ours, the two other learned ones of Law and Divinity, mount men to the highest Honors and Authorities next the King, and Royal Family, wealthy Revenues are provided for Churchmen, and places of great profit for men of the Law; but a Doctor of Physick never gets farther; some few of them acquire the ho­nour of being more immediately in the service of the King, but I have not heard of any of them amonst us, very rich, except Sir Theodore Mayerne; all which I have said to insinuate, what I doubt not but you will easily acknowledg; that as Physitians may very well deserve the Fees, that use and custome hath allowed them, so it is not by those Fees that the charge of Phy­sick is increased, beyond what people are willing to make it; since every Patient is in this case his own [Page 41] Chancellor. To confirm this truth to you, before I come to discover the little arts by which the charge of Physick is really encreased; Let me tell you a Story, which to me seems not very unpleasant.

‘One of our number, and a friend of yours and mine, one day in his study was addressed to, by a man that appear­red but of an ordinary condition, with his urinal in hand, desiring as he phrased it, his worships advice, upon due consideration of his complaints, if proved the man had gotten a disease, that too often hap­pens to his betters, and being now of some moneths standing, required a little more than ordinary care to root it out; he said enough to make the Physitian commiserate his case, who without any considerati­on of his promises of being very thankful, gave him directions then without a Fee, and so from time to time after for his cure; so that in about two months time, with six or seven pounds charge to the Apo­thecary, (who was wise enough to be paid for his Physick as the patient had it) the man thought him­self perfectly cured, but in this time the Physitian had learned, that he was a fellow did pay for his debau­ches, and was able enough to pay for his cure too, and so grew into some expectation of the fellows pro­mises, who one day coming to him, told him he was come to give his worships content, the Physitian ho­nestly advised him to be sure he were well, because in this disease men too often thought themselves well too soon, since it was in humane bodies like horse ra­dish in the ground, where if the least Fibre of the roots be left, it will over run the ground again; but he boasting of good stomach, freedom from paines, [Page 42] and cleanness of skin, very generously laid down two half Crowns for the Physitians reward, vvho disdai­ning the meaness of it, told him if he vvere able to give no more, he vvould not take that from him, adding that if he had gone to some of those, that use to make bargaines, they would have made him pay twenty pounds for his cure, besides his Phy­sick; to which the fellow replied with a little emo­tion, how Sir, twenty pound, I protest I vvould not take so much Physick again, if you vvould give me forty shillings, and so vvith his tvvo half Crovvns in his hand, left the Physitian, vvho heard no more of him, nor did he I assure you ever think of suing him. I doubt not but many of our profession, often meet with such returnes as these, and if we did not meet with more generous, and worthy dealing from better persons, the practice of Physick would be forsaken by all learned, and ingenious persons. And the world would want that improvement of real knowledge which that faculty hath, and doth every day make.’

But as I insinuated before, this Story was only brought in to advertise you, that whilst all men are their own Chancellours as to the reward they give their Physitians, those rewards are perhaps, the least part of the charge in taking Physick, and yet it must be acknowledged, as you observe, that the charge of Physick is sometimes intollerable, and unconsciona­ble, and I will endeavour now to let you see how indeed it too often comes to be so.

And that you may know I am not partial to our selves, I will acknowledge that I fear Physitians some­times [Page 43] contribute to the making this charge, Apothe­caries very often, but patients are for the most part the occasion of it themselves: few amongst us are so wise as the Romans, who entertaining, or being entertai­ned by some English, with more Wine than men of that Nation use to drink, was the next morning very sick, with all those accidents that accompany the debauches of men not used to it; he sent presently for his Physitian, a learned and ingenious person of our Nation, one who lived long in Rome, and from whom I had the Story, who finding what his sickness was, by making him keep his bed that day, with a little broth only, found him the next morning reasonably well recovered, but still in fe [...]r that so violent a sick­ness, as he had felt the day before, would not go off so easily, and therefore prayed another visit from his Physitian in the afternoon, who then found him up, and almost in the opinion he should be well; which his Physitian wholly confirmed him in: the man with great joy vvhen the Physitian vvas going, puts two Ze­chines of Gold into his hand, at which he being a little surprized, such fees by men of his quality not being usually given there, nay my Doctor saith the patient, when you cure me without putting those Devills of Senna, Rhu­barbe, Agaricke, Marobatanes, into my Belly, I will pay you five times better, than when you torment me with all or any of them; but few amongst us, will think a Physitian deserves a reward if he orders them no Phy­sick, not considering that he that conducts a sick man soonest, safest and vvith least trouble, to that health he vvants, deserves better than he that by unpleasant, long, and troublesome vvaies brings him to it: It is [Page 44] of an English man the Story is told, who gave the Bar­bor a shilling, ana his Wife six pence, who helped in pul­ling him about the roome by his tooth, and not drawing it: but thought the tooth-drawer did not deserve six pence, who pulled it out dexterously and quickly, because he had taken no more paines in the doing it.

This humour too often inclines the Physitian, when perhaps there is little need of it, to charge the pa­tients belly vvith Physick, and his Table vvith pots, and glasses; but if the Apothecary be a friend to the fami­ly, and the Physitian called in by him, if he doth not then serve the Apothecary, as much as the patient, 'tis ten to one but he is turned out again, however will scarce ever be called another time: And it seems to me Sir, that I am now upon the very reason of the great charge you mention in taking Physick, per­haps there are fevv Trades-men, that think it a fault to sell as much of that commodity they Trade in, and to as much profit as they can, I am sure the sel­ling as much as they can, to those will buy it, can never be thought one; yet few people mark, that it is as much the interest of the Apothecary to do this, as it is of any other Trades-man. When an Apothecary calls to see how my Lord or his worship, or my Lady and the family are, as to health, he is a very diligent, honest, careful, good natured man; at that time the daughter Betty, or the son Thomas, looke as they had the vvormes, or they did not eat their Supper with any Stomach last night (perhaps by reason of two full a Dinner at noon) or the VVoman or the Maid have a pain in their Heads, it may be by sitting up late when the Master and Lady were in Bed, but the Apothecary will send something that is [Page 45] good for them, presently that Doctor such a one prescribed, (for usually it is upon the authority of some Physitian, and with pretence to his Medicines they drive on this trade) and the Child or the Woman is well, and all is well at that time; but sometimes it happens, that by the untimely exhibition of a very good remedy, they grow sick indeed, and until the Apothecary is frighted with eminent danger, his trade drives on as he could vvish it; but if any danger appear, a Physitian must be called, and the Apothecary must be advised with who is fittest to be called; and methinks it seems very natural, that he should call in such an one, if he knows him, that is most likely to save his credit, and vvill best help to carry on the trade of selling his Medi­cines; such a one, who if he come Three or Four times a day, writes new Bills for the Apothecary, compound Glysters, rich cordial Juleps and Boluses, Pearl, Besoar and Gold, words that signifie very much in aug­menting the summ, at the foot of the Account in an Apothecaries Bill: I do assure you many of us in fa­milies vvhere vve are Physicians in ordinary, have known the Apotheoaries Bill at Christmas come to thirty, Forty, Fifty pounds, sometimes more, for Physick for the Family, vvhen no Physitian hath ordained Ten pounds vvorth of Physick; for in such Families the Coachman, Groom and Footman upon any little occasion will be helping the Apothecary of the Family off with his ware, without troubling Mr. [...]octor for his advice, whether it be proper or no; and Sir, if to these arts you add the unconscionable prises of some of them (for I do not in this, nor in any thing before charge all of that profession, I know divers honest knowing and conscio­nable [Page 46] Men amongst them) put upon things of no va­lue, you may easily compute what it is that makes that intolerable charge of Physick you mention: it is some years since, when Doctor Pursean, Doctor Bates and myself, for three or four vveeks attendance on a person of quality, received in Fees, three or four and thirty pounds, they being consulters sometimes only, and I ordinary Physitian had more than half of that summ; I believe my self, the person was well, and well satisfyed untill the Apothecaries Bill was brought in, but then I was called to the ungrateful work of judg­ing upon the prises of it, I was a little started, to find the summ total Five and Fifty pounds, and I do assure you I speak moderately, when I say if he were paid it, his gain vvas as much as the three Physiti­ans received, but it was an Apothecary of the pa­tients own choice, and I had nothing to answer for it.

You know Sir, by what means abroad, in many well governed States and Cities, this is alwayes pre­vented, where the Physitians once a year set the price of all Medicines, and cause it to be printed, and I am afraid it was the apprehension of our taking up this authority here, that made the Apothecaries vvith so much industry oppose our Patent, and use us with so much disrespect before the Committee of your house lately; for if they had vvell and honestly considered their own interest, I knovv nothing vvhich could more solidly have advantaged them, than the prospe­rous condition of the Colledge of Physitians.

But Sir, I have been too long upon this sixth rea­son of yours, and therefore shall briefly tell you, [Page 47] that all the advantages of your seventh are better ob­tained by Physittans making their own medicines, and that I cannot comply with part of your eight, because no business of any great, though private concern­ment, is brought to pass without an industry propor­tionate to the acquisition of that we contend for: They who have the ease they wish for in their private affairs, and have no concernment for the publick, will no doubt (without considering how things are changed now) keep the road they have been used too, and in vvhich they have acqnired the ease and advantage they enjoy, and think it perhaps just to do so, because custome makes the greatest Sins no Bugbear, but they that are vvell exoited by their particular concernments, or with the desire of doing honestly in their Station, will never scruple to use all ingenious industry to vin­dicate an honourable profession, of which they are members, from the obloquie is brought upon it, by ignorance, or knavery: It is on these, the witts vent their virulent Scommas and reproaches; no man yet was ever reproached, for being an honest, able and learned Physitian, he that is that, and a young man, will generously contend for the reputation he deserves, and never refuse any pains to help, out of charity, the distresses of the needy; though called upon in the night to do it, his interest will make him rise to help others; and it will become the elder Physitians, vvho are infirme, so much to countenance, and advantage the younger men of the Society, as to call them in to cases, in which those assistances you mention, are necessary to the frailties of age, or humanity; and this too, if that candor, and ingenuity be exercised, [Page 48] that becomes such men to use, may be so adjousted as not to encrease the charge of the patient; and this vvill give better satisfaction in my opinion, than the sending one, that is but breeding up to be a Physiti­an, when two profest Physitians of the Colledge should be so concerned in assisting him.

Your 9th consists of many parts, but all the diffi­culties insinuated in it, as to the hazard, and charge a young Physitian, at his first entrance to practise may run, in making a competent provision of medi­cines, may be obviated easily enough, by what you insinuate your self, of remitting easie things, as com­mon Decoctions, Glysters, Ptysans &c. to the patients themselves; which may also upon occasion, and ac­cording to emergent exigencies, be actuated by little quantities of generous and lasting remedies, which no Physitian that will attempt the way, that you or I would have but must alwayes have a competent Stock of, readily to supply the sick with upon occasion; and I doubt not, when you and I meet, but that I shall satis­fy you, that some of us have contrived a Materia medica, consisting of generous, lasting, and acknow­ledgedly, the most effectual known medicines; which when the trouble of making them is once over, may be contained in a Cabinet not of the largest size; and by present mixtures, according to the occasion, and the help of easily prepared Vehicles, may serve as effec­tually, as any other whatsoever, to cure all the dis­eases that infect miserable man; or at least to give him all that relief, his condition is capable to receive from medicine: I cannot therefore think, that having some medicines made from shops, renders the way you [Page 49] propose better, because less troublesome than that of the ancients, for I am one of those, that cannot va­lue any trouble, that is indeed really necessary to the acquiring an honest and an honourable purpose; be­sides for the ease, and less trouble you mention, there are three professions in Town, that may not only be better encouraged, but likewise be very helpful, to those that would have that less trouble and ease: All the manual operations in our profession, belong to the Chyrurgeons, applying Blisters, (making issues, bleeding all, which the Apothecaries very often do now) and giving Glysters (where the patient hath not the convenience of having one can give it at home) are all manual operations, and may if they will, be per­formed by some of them; The Druggist may as well fur­nish us, as the Apothecaries, and those Distillers that are known honest, careful and able men, may be em­ployed to destil great quantities of those waters, both simple, and compound, which shall be judged fit to be always in readiness for use, and the number of those I believe need not be many: And although I will allow those men that will not take all the pains themselves, all the advantages of ease these helps can give them; yet I would have every man of our pro­fession, make himself very knowing, both in the choice and preparation of the Materia medica, that he may not easily be imposed on by those he buyes from.

But Sir, that I may at last contract: All the advan­tages of your seven following reasons, except that of your twelfth viz: of a Physitian gratifiing Apothecaries his particular Friends, are by that way I urge perfectly acquired; and that which makes me at present zealous for this way, is that we may the better vindicate our [Page 50] selves from those durty aspersions, these men before the Committee of the House endeavoured to cast upon us; we ought to let them know that as our predecessors inven­ted, and gave them that Trade, by which they now sub­sist, and by which many have gotten fair estares, to wit the London Dispensatory, and procured them to be made a distinct Corporation, that they might the better apply themselves to the knowing, and choosing the best sim­ples, and compounding such Medicines, after such me­thods and forms, as Physitians judged fittest for practice at that time; in trust and confidence, that they would honestly apply themselves to that only, and not ingrate­fully invade, and undermine the priviledges, and inte­rests of such benefactors; neglecting their own honest duties, and destroying the very reason of their consti­tution; which if it were an honest one, could be no­thing, but the obviating those mischiefs, that might be done, where ordainers of medicines were the ma­kers of them likewise: All this I say considered, we ought to let them know, that we are not at all inferior to those predecessors of ours, to whom they owe so much; but as in that Dispensatory they then made, they had se­lected from a vast number of others, such Medicines as they judged fittest to be ready in shops for the uses they should appoint them to; so we taught by their experi­ence, and our own, (besides the communications, we have had from the rest of the learned World) have not onely a great provision of preparations, by that advan­tage the improvement of Chymistry hath given us, un­known to them, but know likewise the defects of many of those in the present dispensatory, and the ex­cellency of many others, not then brought into use. Be­sides that the various complications of diseases, and the [Page 51] luxury, and delicacy of this latter age, having produced many new appearances of Diseases, not known or taken notice of before, it hath put learned and industrious men, upon the invention of appropriate, and more grateful Medicines: so that, That Dispensatory of Lon­don being almost grown useless, we ought to recall it, and then either keep the making of medicines to our selves, or else put it into such hands, or into such a method, as may render all more safe, both to our patients health, and our own credits.

Having therefore Sir, thus leaped to your 17th and lastly, you will find me still of the opinion, that all the reasons of that proposition are likewise better complyed with, and all the advantages better acquired, by the way of wholly making our own Medicines and having nothing to do with those men who have used us so unkindly, provided there be prescribed that candor, and integrity, that mutual commu­nication, and assistance, to each other of the Society, that ought to be amongst men of a liberal and ingenuous profession, and that we do really set our selves to detect all the frauds, cheats, and abuses, that are or may be practised by any in the practice of Physick, so that being severely honest our selves, we may cheat those, that think we are not so; the best way, and if I be not much deceived my self; we are a body of men at this time for the most part, very well qualified for such an undertaking: Omitting therefore the thanks that not only my self, but all of our Society owe you, for the just defence you have made for us, and the good opinion you have of us, I will as shortly as I can, offer the Reformation I would propose, in order to promoting all the ad­vantages, the facultie of Physick can give to mankind.