The present state of London: or, Memorials comprehending a full and succinct account of the ancient and modern state thereof. By Tho. De-Laune, Gent

Of the Colledge of Physicians.

In this Renowned City, there is a Colledge or Cor∣poration of Physicians, who by Charters and Acts of Parliament of Henry VIII. and since his Reign, have certain Priviledges, whereby no man, though a Gra∣duate in Physick of Oxford and Cambridge, may without Licence under the said Colledge Seal, practise Physick in London, or within seven Miles of the said City, (nor in any other part of England, in case he hath not taken any Degree in Oxford or Cambridge) whereby also they can administer an Oath, Fine and Imprison any Offenders; in that and divers other Particulars, can make By-Laws, purchase Lands, &c. whereby they have Authority to search all the Shops of Apothecaries in and about London, to see if their Drugs and Compositions be wholsom, and well made, whereby they are freed from all troublesom Offices, as to serve upon Juries, to be Constables, to keep Watch and Ward, to bear Arms, or provide Arms or Am∣munition, &c. Any Member of this Colledge may practise Chyrurgery if he please, not only in Lon∣don, but in any part of England.

This Society had anciently a Colledge in Knight∣rider-street, the Gift of Dr. Linacre, Physician to King Henry VIII. since which, a House and Ground was purchased by the Society of Physicians, at the end of Amen-Corner, whereon the Famous Dr. Harvey, anno 1562, at his own proper charge did erect a mag∣nificent Structure both for Library and a Publick Hall, and for the meeting of the several Members of this Society, endowed the same with his whole In∣heritance,

which he resigned up while he was living and in health, part of which he Assigned for an Anniversary Harangue, to commemorate all their Benefactors, and exhort others to follow their good Example, and to provide a plentiful Dinner for the Worthy Company.

This Goodly Edifice was burnt Anno 1666, and the Ground being but a Lease, the present Fellows of the College, have purchased with their own Mo∣neys, a Fair piece of Ground in Warwick-Lane, whereon they have raised a very Magnificent Edi∣fice.

Of this Colledge there is a President, four Censors, aud eight Elects, who are all Principal Members of the Society, and out of whom the President is Yearly chosen. The four Censors have by their Charter, Authority to Survey, Correct and Govern all Physitians or others that shall Practice in London, or within Seven Miles of the same, to Fine, Amerce, and Imprison any of them, as they shall see Cause.

The usual Fee of a Doctor in antient times was 20 s. and one that had not taken that Degree, 10 s. But now there is no certain Rule, but some that are Eminent have received in Fees Yearly 2000 or 3000 l. and purchased great Estates, which in other Coun∣tries (because the Fees are exceedingly less,) is very rare. Besides the Members of this Colledge, there are divers able Physitians in London, that have great Practice, although they never had any License, which is conniv'd at by the Colledge; and so is the too much practice of Empericks, Mountebanks, Apothe∣caries, Chirurgeons, &c. with other pretenders to Cure, by things which they call Ʋniversal Medicines, or Panpharm••c••. And certainly it is a very Peril∣lous and Destructive abuse, to suffer unskilful Persons, that know not the Nature of Diseases, nor are able from the Constitution of the Patient, and requisite Symptoms, to infer a Rational Conclusion, or make

a true discovery of Causes, or give probable Prog∣nosticks of the event, to take up this profession, because they neither understand the Nature of Sim∣ples, nor the proper and fit mixture of Compounds, and consequently cannot apply sutable Medicaments to the languishing Patient, but where (by meer chance) they Cure one, they destroy hundreds, such being as great Murtherers of the Body, as some Au∣dacious, Graceless, Heretical, and unskilful Pre∣tenders to Preach the Sacred Mysteries of the Go∣spel, are instruments to pervert their too too Cre∣dulous Disciples, and consequently to destroy their Souls; which is hinted not to cast any disparage∣ment upon those Honorable Functions, but only such as abuse them, and are not fitly qualified to practice them. And it could be wished that there were a Reformation of the abuses in each, their er∣rors having a direct tendency to destroy both Body and Soul.

Indeed the Law of England has provided, that if one who is no Physitian or Chirurgeon, or is not ex∣presly allowed to practice, shall undertake a Cure, and the Patient die under his hand, it shall be Fe∣lony in the Person presuming so to do. And the Law of God is as expresly against the other, who must give a strict account to the Physitian of Souls, for infecting, instead of Spiritually healing (as far as instruments may do) his Flock. But this by the way.