The workes of that famous chirurgion Ambrose Parey translated out of Latine and compared with the French. by Th: Johnson

CHAP. XXIIII. Of Certaine jugling and deceiptfull wayes of Curing.

HEre I determine to treat of those Impostors, who taking upon them the person of a Chirurgion, doe by any meanes either right or wrong put themselves upon the workes of the Arte; but they principally boast them∣selves amongst the jgnorant common sort, of setting bones which are out of joynt and broken, affirming as falsly as impudently that they have the knowledge of * 1.1 those things from their Ancestors; as by a certaine hereditary right; which is a most ridiculous fiction; for our mindes when we are borne, is as a smoth table, upon which nothing is painted. Otherwise what need wee take such labour and paines to acquire and exercise sciences? God hath endued all brute beasts with an inbred knowledge of certaine things necessary for to preserve their life, more than man.

But on the contrary hee hath enriched him with a wit furnished with incredi∣ble celerity and judgment, by whose diligent and laborious agitation he subjects all things to his knowledge. For it is no more likely, that any man should have skill in Chirurgery because his father was a Chirurgeon, than that one who never endured sweat, dust nor Sunne in the field, should know how to ride and governe a great horse, and know how to carry away the credite in tilting, onely because hee was begot by a Gentleman and one famous in the Arte of Warre.

There is another sort of Impostors farre more pernitious and lesse sufferable, * 1.2 boldly and insolently promising to restore to their proper unity and seate, bones which are broken and out of joynt, by the onely murmuring of some conceited charmes, so that they may but have the Patients name and his girdle. In which thing I cannot sufficiently admire the idlenesse of our Country-men so easily crediting so great and pernitious an error; not observing the inviolable law of the ancient Physitions, and principally of Divine Hippocrates, by which it is de∣termined, that three things are necessary to the setting of bones dislocated and * 1.3 out of joynt; to draw the bones asunder; to hold the bone receiving, firmely immoveable with a strong and steddy hand; to put the bone to be received into the cavity of the receiving. For which purpose the diligence of the Anci∣ents hath invented so many engines, Glossocomies and bands, lest that the hand should not be sufficient for that laborious worke; What therefore is the madnesse of such Impostures to undertake to doe that by words, which can scarse be done by the strong hands of so many Servants, and by many artifici∣all engines?

Of late yeares another kind of Imposture hath sprung up in Germany, they beare into fine powder a stone within there mother tongue they call Bembruch, and give it in drinke, to any who have a bone broken, or dislocated, and affirme that it is suffici∣ent to cure them. Through the same Germanie there wander other Impostors who bid to bring to them the Weapons with which any is hurt; they lay it up in a secret place and free from noise, and put and apply medicines to it, as if they had the patient to dresse, and in the meane time they suffer him to go about his busines, & impudently

affirme that the wound heales by litle and litle by reason of the medicine applyed to the weapon,

But it is not likely that a thing inanimate which is destitute of all manner of sence, should feele the effect of any medicine; and lesse probable by much, that the wounded party should receive any benefit from thence. Neither if any should let mee see the truth of such jugdling by the events themselves and my owne eyes, would I therefore beleeve that it were done naturally and by rea∣son, but rather by charmes and Magicke.

In the last assault of the Castle of Hisdin the Lord of Martigues the elder was shot through the breast with a Musket bullet. I had him in cure together with the Physitions, and Chirurgions of the Emperoure Charles the fist and Emanuel Philibert the Duke of Savoy, who because hee entirely loved the wounded prisoner, caused an assembly of Physitions and Chirurgions to consult of the best meanes for his cure. They all were of one opinion, that the wound was deadly and incureable, because it passed through the midst of his lungs, and besides had cast forth a great quantity of knotted blood into the hollownesse of his brest.

There was found at that time a certaine Spaniard, a notable Knave, and one of those Impostors who would pawne his life, that hee would make him sound; wherefore this Honorable Personage being in this desperate case was commit∣ted to his care. First of all hee bid they should give him the Patients shirte, which hee tore into shreds and peeces, which presently framing into a Crosse, hee laid upon the wounds whispering some conceived or coined words, with a low murmure. For all other things hee wished the Patient to rest content, and to use what diet hee pleased, for hee would doe that for him, which truely, he did. For hee eate nothing but a few Prunes, and drunke nothing but small beere, yet for all this the wounded Prince died within two dayes; the Spani∣ard slipt away, and so scaped hanging. And whilest I opened the body in the sight of the Physitions and Chirurgions to embalme him, the signes and acci∣dents of the wound did evidently and plainly appeare to be as we had pronoun∣ced before.

And there be also other Iugling companions of this tribe, who promise to cure all wounds with linte, or Tents either dry, or macerated in oyle, or water, * 1.4 and bound to the wound, having murmured over some charme or other, who have had sometimes, good successe, as I can witnesse. But the wounds upon which triall was made were simple ones, which onely required union, or closing for to perfect the cure. So verily the bones of beasts when they be broke, grow together by the onely benefit of Nature. But when the affect shall be compound by diversity of Symptomes, as a wound with an ulcer, in∣flammation, contusion and fracture of a bone, you must hope for no other from Tents or Lints, nor charmes than death. Therefore the common sort who com∣mit themselves to these Impostors to be cured, doe not onely injure them∣selves, but also hurt the Common-wealth, and the common profit of the Citizens; for whose good and justice sake a prudent Magistrate ought to deprive impostors of all freedome in a free and Christian common-weale.

Witches, Conjurers, Diviners, Soothsayers, Magitians and such like, boast of curing many diseases; but if they doe or performe any thing in this kind, they doe it all by slights, subtilties and forbidden Arts, as Charmes, conjurations, Witche∣ries, Characters, Knots, Magicall Ligatures, Rings, Images, Poysons, laces tyed a-crosse, and other damnable trickes, with which they pollute, pervert and defame the prime and sacred Arte of Physick & that with the danger of menslives. Who certainly are to be banished by the lawes of our country, especially seeing it is decreed in Moses Law. Let none be found among you that useth witchcraft, or a regarder of * 1.5 times, or a marker of the flying of Fowles, or a Sorcerer or a Charmer, or that counselleth with Spirits, or a Soothsayer, or that asketh counsell at the dead; for all that doe such things, are abomination to the Lord, and because of these abo∣minations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee. But the Miracles of

our Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, and of his Saints and Apostles in curing diseases beyond nature and all Arte, are of another kind, which we ought to beleeve so firmely and constantly, that it should be counted an impiety for a Christian to doubt of them. All holy writings are full of these; as to give sight to the blinde, hearing to the deafe, power to goe to those sicke of the Palsey, to drive forth Devills, to cure the Leprosy, to give fruitfullnesse to weomen, to raise the Dead, and performe by the holy Ghost other Miracles which exceed the condition and law of Nature; whom here we earnestly intreat to free and protect us from uncleane Divels and the spirits of diabolicall deceit, and to give us the minde that we may will and be able alwayes to aspire to Heaven and fasten the hope, safety and anchor of all our fortunes in God alone.

Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sciences are not hereditary
• * 1.2

  A most impu∣dent sort of Impostors.
• * 1.3

  Three things necessary for the cure of a Luxation.
• * 1.4

  What wounds may be cured onely by lint, or by tents and water.
• * 1.5

  Deuteron. 18.