A detection and querimonie of the daily enormities and abuses co[m]mitted in physick concernyng the thre parts therof: that is, the physitions part, the part of the surgeons, and the arte of poticaries. Dedicated vnto the two most famous vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge. Nowe lately set foorth by Iohn Securis physition.

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Title
A detection and querimonie of the daily enormities and abuses co[m]mitted in physick concernyng the thre parts therof: that is, the physitions part, the part of the surgeons, and the arte of poticaries. Dedicated vnto the two most famous vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge. Nowe lately set foorth by Iohn Securis physition.
Author
Securis, John.
Publication
[Londini :: In ædibus Thomæ Marshi],
1566.
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Subject terms
Physicians -- England -- Standards -- Early works to 1800.
Pharmacists -- England -- Standards -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"A detection and querimonie of the daily enormities and abuses co[m]mitted in physick concernyng the thre parts therof: that is, the physitions part, the part of the surgeons, and the arte of poticaries. Dedicated vnto the two most famous vniuersities Oxford and Cambridge. Nowe lately set foorth by Iohn Securis physition." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A11844.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 17, 2024.

Pages

¶ The first part intreateth of dyuers and sundrie errours and abuses of the vnlearned and wycked sorte of Physitions.

THAT excellente man & great clerk Aristoteles, who for his incompa∣rable doctrine is of all learned men named the prince of philosophers hath this saying in the .vii. boke of his Ethikes: Non oportet tantum verum dicere, sed etiam causam falsi assignare, that is: A man may not onely tell the truth, but he must al∣so shewe and declare the cause of falshod and errour. As who shold say: The truthe can neuer so well appere, as when it is compared to his contrary, which is errour, lye, and falshode. Quia opposita semper

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iuxta se posita, magis elucescunt: Contrary thinges set one against an other, are always a great deale better knowen.

The philosophers of ancient time as it appereth playnly in Aristotle and Galen, ye and in the holy doc∣tours of the churche. In many of their works, had in a maner more adoo to confute the false errours, sophistrie & cauillations that were then vsed & imagined as true doc∣trin, thē they had to write the very truth it selfe. The great mercy of God had neuer bē so wel knowen if the fal & transgression of mā had not ben. And as S. Paul saith in ye. v. chap. to ye Romans: Vbiexu∣berauit peccatū, ibi magis exubera∣uit gratia, Where syn hath exceded there grace hath the more exceded. And Christ in S. Luke ye vii. cha. said of Mary Magdaleu: Many

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syns ar forgeuē her, because she lo∣ued much. Nowe therfore, before I speake of ye abuses & enormities of phisike, I wil shew and declare first, what is the part office and cō¦dition of a good Phisition. Thus doyng I wyl first alledge Hippo∣cratis Iusiurandum, that is, the oth that Hipocrates wold yt euery phi∣sition shuld take before he practise any phisike. I wil not recite ye hole chapter, but ye chiefest parte first in latin, then in english. Caeterū quod ad aegros attinet sanandos, dietā ip∣sis cōstituā pro facultate, & iuditio meo cōmodam, omne{que} detrimentū et iniuriā ab eis prohibebo. Ne{que} ve¦ro vllius preces apud me adeo vali∣dae fuerint, vt cuipiā venenū sū pro∣pinaturus, ne{que} etiā ad hanc rē cōsi∣liū dabo. Similiter autē ne{que} musieri talum vulnae subdititiū ad corrum∣pendum

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cōceptum vel foetū dabo▪ Porro praeterea, sancte vitam & ar∣tem meā conseruabo. Nec vero cal∣culo laborantes secabo, sed viris chi¦rurgiae operarijs, eius rei faciendaelo∣cū dabo. In quascun{que} autē domos ingrediar, ob vtilitatem aegrotantiū intrabo, ab omni{que} iniuria volūtaria inferenda, & corruptione cū alia, tū praesertim operum venereorū absti∣nebo, siue muliebria, siue virilia, libe rorumue hominū aut seruorum cor pora mihi cōtigerint curāda. Quae∣cū{que} vero inter curandū videro aut audiuero, imo etiā ad medicandum non adhibitus in cōmuni hominum vita cognouero, ea siquidem efferre non contulerit, tacebo, & tanquā ar cana apud me continebo. The en∣glishe is this: And as concernyng the curyng of the sycke, I will or∣deyn and deuise for them as good

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a diete as shall lye in my power & iudgement. And I will take hede yt thei fal in no domage nor hurte. Nor yet any mans praiers shall so much preuail with me, that I geue poyson to any man, neither will I counsaile any man so to do. Like∣wise I will geue no maner of me∣dicine to any woman with chylde to destroy her childe. Moreouer I will vse my life and science godly. I will not cut those that haue the stone, but I will cōmit that thyng onely to the Surgions. In what house so euer I shall come in, my cōmyng shalbe for the pacients cō∣moditie and profite. And I wil re∣fraine willingly from doyng any hurt or wronge, & from falshode, & chiefly frō venereous actes, what kynd of bodies soeuer it shal chāce me to haue in cure: whether it be

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of mē or womē, of fre or bond ser∣uants. And whatsoeuer I shal see or heare among my cures (yea al∣though I be not sought nor called to any) whatsoeuer I shall know amōg the people, if it be not lauful to be vttered, I shal kepe close, and kepe it as a secrete vnto my selfe: Again▪ the same Hippocrates saith in the boké or chapter called Lex. (To eschue tediousnes I wil leue the latin) who soeuer saith, he wyl truly get him the knowlege of phi¦sike, he must satisfie his mynd, and as it were be accompanied with these guides, with nature, science, a place mete & cōuenient for study & lerning, an institution frō child∣hod, a labor & peinful diligēce with a long tune. Itē in his boke de me dico, he saieth: The phisition must be of a good coloure, and comely countenaunce, and of a good dis∣position

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of the body: he muste al∣so be had in estimation among the common people, by comely appa∣rell, and by swete sauours (so that he be not suspected of to much ex∣cesse) for by suche meanes the pa∣cientes are wont to be delited.

In lyke maner the Physition muste see and studye, that he bee of a modest and sobre mynde, and not onely as concernynge modest talke, but also in other things con∣cerning his behauiour, he must be wel disposed: for there is nothyng yt getteth a man better estimation and authoritie then to bee endued with an honest lyfe and good ma∣ners. Hys countenaunce must be lyke one that is geuen to studye and sadde, and yet not ouer much, for so he should be taken to be stub¦born & scornful, & like one yt disdai∣neth

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other mens company: but on the contrary, he that hath always a laughing contenance, & is geuen to too much iesture and mirthe: is taken for a lewde person. And ther¦fore this must nedes be eschewed. Also he must be iust and beare him selfe vpright in all his busynes and affayres. &c.

In his booke De decenti ornatu he saith: a Phisicion beinge a Phi∣losopher is equall in a maner vnto god. Item it is decent that the phi∣sicion be gentyll and curteis, for rudenesse and churlishnes are gret¦ly misliked, as wel of the whole as of the sicke. He must often visit his paciēt and be diligent. He may not declare all thinges to his pacient, but some things he must kepe close from him, and must conforte him with a liuely & mery countenance.

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And sometimes to withdraw him from his fonde desiers, he muste rebuke him, in resisting with sharp words: and somtimes againe he must intreate & conforte him, with a dexteritie and gentle perswasion. And yet notwithstanding he may not alwaies tell him of his present state, nor what shall becom of him.

Thus much I haue brought out of Hipocrates to testifye & declare the office and condition of a Phisi∣cion. Now som thing will I bring out of Galen, who in his boke inti∣tuled quod optimus medicus idem e•••• et Philosophus, declareth plain∣ly by the very title of ye boke it self, what learning a Phisicion ought to haue. He saith also in his boke de Antidotis, That a Phisicion if it be possible oughte to haue the know∣ledge of al herbes, if not, at the least

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he ought to knowe those whiche be commonly vsed. Agayne in the commentaries vpon the fyrst boke of Hippocrates de morbis vulgari∣bus: The Phisicion saith he ought in any wise to haue a respect to pro fit and helpe his pacientes, and if he can not, then at the leaste wise that he hurt them not.

Item vpon the vi. boke de mor∣bis vulgaribus he saith: Albeit that the phisicion be gentle and curteis, sober & also mery, yet neuertheles he ought not to minishe his graui∣tie, for vnlesse the paciente haue in reuerence & estimation his phisiciō as a god, he shall neuer folow and obey his counsell, it wil be therfore very decent that ye phisicion do not so abase hym selfe & flatter, that he bringe him selfe in a contempte: Nor agayne, as it were an other a

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Eallianactes, shewe him selfe hog∣gish and rude. And that shal he ea∣sely bring to passe, if in his counte∣naunce and talke and al his honest behauior, he retayne the grauitie of a phisicion, and so do perswade his pacient to followe and kepe those things that he appoynteth and or∣dayneth for him.

But now lest I should be to te∣diouse in alledging many authors: I will come to those of our tyme, and namely I wil bring that man of high learning & famous memo∣rie master doctor Siluius, who som¦times was ye publike reader of phi¦sicke in the vniuersitie of Paris, ha¦uing daily at his Lecture litle lack of a M. auditors (or as they call thē, scholars) of the which I being one, may plainly testify it to be tru The same Siluius saith in his boke

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De ordine legendi libros Galeni e Hippocratis, that a good Phisicion must haue al these properties.

Fyrst, he must be naturally bent and geuen to onely trueth, all the dayes of his life, he must be circum spect, discrete, and of a good preg∣nant witte and memorie.

Secondly, he must haue a sounde and, healthye bodie, & must be able to abide great payne in studying.

Thirdly, he must be endued with great richesse, or at leaste he muste haue sufficient to liue by.

Fourthly, he must haue and get his learning of the best learned mē of his time, who diligentlye, euen from his childhode must instructe him with these sciences: grammer, Logick, musicke, Astronomie, and chiefely (as Plato counsayleth) A∣rithmetick and geometrie, and also

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Philosophie.

Nowe to come to my chiefe In¦tent & purpose, & (as they are wont to say) to the principal: These thin∣ges aboue rehearsed, well wayed & considered: what hope may there be conceaued? what foundation & stay may be had? yea what securi∣tie & sauegard is there in these sort of fellowes: which now a days al∣most in al places so rashly, so fond∣ly and so wickedly do abuse the no¦ble art & science of Phisicke. Where is their great and manifold know∣lege of the tounges, of the liberall sciences, of Philosophie, of anato∣mie, of the simples, of the compoūd medicines, and of the temperatures or cōplerions? wher haue they stu∣died? of whō haue thei learned their science? (if I may call it a science) what authors haue they sene or red. Many

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standed without logike and natu∣rall philosophie. For Aristotle saith Vbi desinit Physicus, ibi incipit me dicus, A man must first peruse na∣turall Philosophie, before he entre into phisycke.

I doo not denye but to haue some bokes of phisike in englyshe specially of the Simples, well and cunnyngly set foorthe for Surge∣ons, Apothecaries, yea and for so∣ber and wyse men, that delyte to reade in suche thynges, and know not the Latine tongue, is not vn∣mete nor hurtefull. Althoughe I woulde not wyshe, nor it is not decente, that eyther Surgion or Apothecarie, or any other manne, beyng no physition should practise or vse any inward medicine with∣out the learned and approued phy∣sitions counsayle. For as the two

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Prouerbes sayeth: Falcem ne mit∣t•••• in messem alienam, Etne sutor vltrā crepidam, Let no man medle with an other mannes corne, but with his owne. Lette the shoema∣ker meddle with his shoes.

But to the pourpose, doo you thynke to haue in youre Englyshe Bookes, all the perfecte knowe∣ledge that is required in Physicke? Yea, haue you the tenthe parte onely? We coulde neuer haue it yet in Greke and Latine perfectly (not wythstandynge we haue it no we better then euer we hadde afore) howe thenne shoulde you haue it: If Englyshe Bookes could make men cunnyng Physi∣tions, then pouchemakers, thre∣shers plonghmē & coblers mought be Physitions as well as the best,

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yf they can reade.

Then wer it a great foly for vs to bestow so much labor and stu∣dy all our lyfe tyme in the scholes and vniuersities, to breake oure braynes in readynge so many au∣thours, to be at the lectures of so many learned menne, yea and the greatest follye of all were, to pro∣cede in any degree in the Vniuer∣sities with our great coste & char∣ges, when a syr John lacke latin a pedler, a weauer, and oftenty∣mes a presumptuous womā, shall take vppon them (yea and are per∣mytted) to mynyster Medicine to all menne, in euery place, and at all tymes. O tempora, O mores, O Deum immortalem, To what purpose haue the vniuersities ben¦erected & founded in tymes paste? To what purpose haue they so

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many goodly priuileges graunted vnto them of al princes successiue∣ly from all ages? what doth it pre∣uaile for vs that be lerned to pro∣cede (as I saide) in any degree of maister, of bacheler, or doctor, and so to be allowed and haue autho∣ritie to vse our sciēce? when euery man, woman, and chyld that lyst, may practise and vse phisike (id{que} impune) aswell as we? and so, ma∣ny tymes not only hinder and de∣fraud vs of our laufull stipende & gaynes: but (which is worst of all and to much to be lamented) shall put many in hasarde of their lyfe, yea & be the destruction of many. Is this tolerable? will the magi∣strates alwayes wynke at this? shall there neuer be no reforma∣tion for suche abuses? God of his great mercy graūt that ones they

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may be refourmed. For if they be not, verily it wyll greately discou∣rage men of learnyng hereafter to apply them selues to the studye of Physyke, whereby the healpe; suc∣cour and sauegard of many a sick man, woman, and chylde shall be hyndred and secluded: yea and ma∣ny shall fall in danger, and be sicke which otherwyse mought be pre∣serued from al sicknes by the right ministerie of physike. For physyke is appoynted not onely to expelle sicknes, but also to preserue the bo∣dy in healthe.

But nowe to the thirde parte I aunswere: you say that you heale many tymes by the gyfte of Na∣ture: I praye you telle me what you meane by nature. Perhappes you vnderstande by Nature; a na∣turall inclynation or dysposition,

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geuen by the influence of starres and planettes, (as I doo not de∣nye but that we may be the better moued and inclined to any arte by theyr influence) yet is it not a mere gyfte, but onely a disposition, and as it were a dexteritie and natu∣rall towardnesse to heale som kind of disease: whych thyng notwith∣stādyng is oftentymes done more by chaunce, then by any certayne Methode or Reason. For verilye haue you neuer so good a wytte, disposition and inclination to any arte: yet if you applye not that arte and exercise your self in it earnest∣ly, and continually, and specially in this science of physike (whiche can neuer be well vsed without greate study, & the knowledge of diuers other sciences, as I haue saide a∣fore) your doyngs shalbe but rashe

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vayne, and of small effecte. For as the philosopher saith: Scientiae no∣bis, non innascūtur, sed acquirūtur, The sciences ar not infused in vs at our byrth, but are gotten after∣ward: And science is thus defined in Logicke: Science is an habite, (that is) a ready, prompt and bent disposition to do any thynge, con∣firmed and gotten by long study, exercise and vse. Therfore the na∣turall inclination by the influence of the starres can profite but little, vnlesse you applye your selfe with greate diligence and study to that kynd of science or art that you in∣tende to practise and folowe.

But yf you vnderstande (by Na∣ture) God: I say plainly, that god doth not geue the gyfte of healing to any wicked people, but only by a speciall priuiledge to those onely

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that be of a moste pure, sobre, and holy lyfe, as we reade of the apo∣stles, and some of the Prophetes. And as sainct Paule saythe in the first epistle, the .xii. chap. to the Co∣rinth. To some is geuen the gyfte of healyng by the holy ghost. So that to hele by this maner of mea∣nes, is not commonly to vse her∣bes, rootes, or any other drouges bought at the poticaries shop, or to take any money or other rewarde for the healynge. For this kynde of healyng is the mere gift of god workynge in those (to whome it pleaseth God to geue it) withoute any laboure or studye. We heare of none nowe a dayes that hathe thys gyfte of nature (I meane of God) sauynge onely the kynges of Englande, and the Frenche kynges, whyche as the Excellente doctour

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should be better and more honestly truely and iustely vsed and mini∣stred then it is nowe in these dais.

And because that I would that euery man should see and knowe, what articles they be that I dely∣uered, I haue thought it good to take a copie of them (which not∣withstanding I haue somwhat al¦tered) and rehearse theym here in order.

Seuen Articles concerning the mi∣nistration and vse of Phisike.

The fyrst.

It were very mete, expedient & necessary that no phisition shoulde practise phisicke in any dioces, vn∣les he were fyrste allowed by some vniuersitie: or at the leaste hauing sufficient learninge in the saide sci∣ence, he were allowed and licensed by the byshop or his chaunceloure in that dioces wherin he dwelleth.

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The second.

It were good and necessarye that no Surgion shoulde practyse his surgery, vnles he coulde reade and write, and had knowledge and ex∣perience in the simples belonginge to his art. And that he presume not to let bloud or vndertake any hard cure, without the physitions coun∣sell, if he may conueniently haue it.

The thyrd

That no Poticarie should mini∣ster of his owne heade, or ordeyne any purgation or other compositi∣on of Phisicke for any man: or that he shoulde prepare and make any purgation or notable confection, withoute the Phisitions aduyse and counsell, vnles that the Phi∣sition hadde fyrst sene and vewed the Ingredientes, wherof the com¦positions are made, and speciallye the purgations.

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The fourthe.

It is not decent nor profitable for the common weale, that any igno∣rant lewde or ill suspected person, be he man or woman, shoulde be suffered to make, sell or minister medecines to any bodie, but that suche kind of persons (beyng duely examined and conuyeted by the learned Phisitions of the dioces) should haue condigne punishment appoynted them by the Byshop or his chauncelour.

The fyfthe

That no Phisition do take vpon him the name of anye degree of Schole, as bachelour, maister of Arte, or doctor: or cause and permit any writer or printer so to terme him, vnles he can approue it to be so in dede by any vniuersitie.

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The syxte.

That no midwife should disdayne to come aske counsell of the Phisi∣tion, as often as any woman be∣yng in laboure of childe, is in dan∣ger. It were good also that the midwiues wer first sworne to the byshoppe, before they take vppon them their office.

The seuenth.

It were also good and expediente that (as the vse of London is, graū¦ted by an acte of Parliament) that the Phisitions in euery other dio∣ces one or two, or more, shold haue licence of the byshop, to searche and vewe the poticaries shoppe once a yere at the leaste, and see whether their stuffe and medecines be good and lawfull or not.

These Articles aboue rehear∣sed I thought good here to allege, (although

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gora, the roote of Gentian: for Hęmatites, A methystus: for Semper∣uiuum minus, the herb called thrist or greate Stonecrope, they haue taken litle Stonecrope in making their Populeum,

To the purpose, where as the acte presupposeth a speculation or practise, they practise at a venture a thynge whiche they knowe not, whether it be colde or hotte, drye, or moyste.

Item, where as the Act geueth them licence to mynister drynkes for the stone, strangurie, & agues: They knowe not the stone in the back, from the stone in the blader: neither whether the stone may be wasted and brokē by drinkes and powders, or had out by incision. Moreouer thei know no differēce betwene a colyke and a stone: for

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they name them bothe one, where as they be two sundry diseases. They know not what Stranguria is, nor how many maner of ways it may be engendred in the bodye. They can scant discerne a tertian ague from a quotidian. As for the mixt and complicate agues, they know not what to make of them They call them newe diseases, be∣cause they can geue them no other name.

Nowe in good faithe, yf these ioly felowes had but that know∣ledge onely, which the said act pre∣supposeth theym to haue: it were not so great a danger, if they some tymes were permytted to geue some medicines for the foresayde dyseases. But I praye you, howe manye of theym haue that litle knowledge? which knowlege

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is but lyttle in dede in comparison of many other sciences, whiche be not onely profitable, but also ne∣cessary to attayne the noble science of phisike. If the other actes which hath ben made for the reformation of Physike, be well scanned & con∣ferred togither one with an other, it shal plainly appere, that the afore named act, shal not make so great∣ly for theyr purpose, who by igno∣rance and rashnesse do vse to prac∣tise phisike at theyr pleasure.

Verily I muche meruaile at one thynge that many which be of the higher sort, reputing them selues to be of no small grauitie & wisedom will sometymes geue credite to su∣che lewde persons, counterfayting the phisitions. In dede I suppose that they be partly deceiued by the vain persuasions & faire flattering

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speche of suche fellowes. Their cō∣munication is so faire, swete, gen∣till, plesant and amiable: and their promise and waranting so earnest and great, that they will go nye to deceaue the wisest man that is, yf he haue not the more grace, and be very ware of them. And the bet∣ter to allure the symple people vn∣to them: They wil say to him whō they do take in hand: Syr, I will nonne of your money no we vntil you be whole: I will haue money only of you for the medicins, whi∣che I must occupy for your disese. They wyll lyghtly warrant euery manne to heale hym, of what dis∣case soeuer he hath: And for all dis∣eases they haue cōmonly but two or three sortes of medicines, and yet moste commonly they be pur∣gations or vomites.

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They purge so muche and so of∣ten, that they purge many tymes as wel the sowle out of the body, as the money out of the purse.

Moreouer, these fellowes will al∣so (to haue the more credite geuen vnto them) name them selues af∣ter som great lerned mans name. Somtunes they fain them selues to be of some straunge countrey, and wyll counterfayte their lan∣guage (As I know one in Salis∣bury) and loke to be called by som name of dignitie or worshyp: as Maister, gentylman, domine, doc∣tour, and al to deceaue the people.

O I would wyshe, that euery man woulde take hede, and I be∣seche God that euery man may be ware of suche false Physytions, whyche maye be lykened to wol∣ues or foxes, clothed outwardlye

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with lambes skyns, but inward∣ly are full of subtiltie and deceite. Many perishe through the yere at their nands, wherby the good sci∣ence of physike is brought into an obloquie and reproche.

Many learned doctours of oure time haue in their works inueyed greatly agaynst these abuses, and haue wished som punishmēt to be establyshed by the Maiestrates, vnto such as wickedly and with∣out all reason mysuse and practise this science.

Here I coulde also somewhat touch some of the lerned sort, whi∣che although they bere themselues neuer so stoute, and appere to mē to do all things wel: yet neuerthe∣lesse, they halt somtimes on bothe sides: They se & know many abu∣ses in ye poticaries shops, and yet

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they winke at the matter, and are loth to displease the poticarie, who perchance is their frende. But the prouerbe saithe: Amicus Socrates, amicus Plato, Amica tamen magis veritas, The truthe ought to take place in all thynges, and aboue all thynges.

There be also many phisitions, that thynketh them selues so pro∣foūdly lerned, that they beleue that no man is able to match with thē in lerning, they be so arrogant and scornful, that although the pacient hymself be content to haue the coū sayle of two or three other phisiti∣ons, to consult and conferre togi∣ther of hys disease: yet they wyll not wyllyngely graunte to it, but rather disdayne to conferre with any other, the whyche perchance are sommetymes a greatte deale

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better learned then they are. They remember not what Hippocrates their maister saith, in his booke de preceptionibus, who being in La∣tin translated saith thus: Nec vero indecore se illegeret medicus, quiin rei praesentis augustia circa aegrum aliquem, et imperitia tenebras of∣fundēte, alios quo{que} accersere iusse∣rit, quo ex cōmuni consideratione, res circa aegrum inquirantur ac cog∣noscantur, & illi cooperatores fiant ad auxilli ferendi facultate. The en∣glishe is thus: That phisition shall not do amisse, nor behaue himselfe vncomly, which beyng as perplex in the busines about his paciente, and doubtfull for want of perfecte knowledge: do cause other phisiti∣ons to be called, that by common deliberation, and conferringe one with an other, ye pacientes affaires

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may be dewly examined and kno∣wē, so that they may be as coadiu∣tors (yt is to say, helpers one to an other) to prouide for some remedy. Some there be also (leste I wene that other men should learne their cunning) that wil rather scrible thē write a recept, and will make such dashes and strange abbreuiations in theyr billes, that theyr writinge semeth rather to be arabicke, or like the writinges of the Cabalistes, then Latin. I feare me that they that write so, are ashamed of their owne occupation, and feare leaste that if they shoulde write playne, their errours and faultes shoulde be espied. He that is a playne man will deale▪ playnelye, will speake playnely, and write playnely.

Some ther be also that be so stiffe necked & heady in theyr opinions,

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that they will be of no man gain∣sayde in no wyse, no and if you bringe them neuer so good a rea∣son, although you alledge them ne∣uer so many authorities.

But I say, Plus vident duo ocu∣li{que} vnus. All the wit of the worlde lyeth not in one mans heade. Ther¦fore to conferre together vppon a matter, it doeth oftentimes greate good, and no man (be he neuer so well learned) ought to refuse it, as often as time, place, or any other oc¦casion shall serue.

Item, some phisitions ther be, that be so greedy and of so an vnsacia∣ble desier, that they care and passe not in what daunger they caste them selues in, what shame & da∣mage they sustain, so that thei may haue many cures, wher somtimes

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one would suffice thē well enough and be more perchaunce then they can well bring to passe. They be so couetous that they wold haue all, and do al them selfe, and they haue enuy many tymes at other honest men hauing cures, when they haue none. Thys doinge verelye they bringe them selues in greate con∣tempte, and dothe as it were abate and blemishe the honorable science of phisicke, which requireth rather to be sought earnestly with greate sute, with humilitie, reuerence and prayinge, then to be offered, and as it were obiected vndiscretely to e∣uery man, and in euery place, lyke a blinde harpers songe or a Ped∣lars packe. The common prouerbe saith, that offered seruice stynketh. And I haue harde oftentymes saye, that phisicke vnles it be ear∣nestly

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sought and well payde for, it will neuer prosper nor woorke well with the pacientes, I meane not by this but that the Phisition muste be alwayes liberall and mer¦cifull to the poore, on whom his li∣uing dependeth not but on the rich Nowe to conclude and finish this fyrst part, I will leaue to intreate any more of phisitions, (except as occasion shall serue) and nowe in the next parte followinge I will speake of poticaries, & touche som∣what their abuse and negligence. Whosoeuer wil read anye more of the tokens and qualities of folishe and blynd phisitions: Let him rede a litle boke of mine, printed about a dosē yeres past, which is intituled: A gret Galley lately com into Eng¦land òut of Terranoua, laden with phisitions, poticaries & surgiōs. &c. made in forme of a dialoge.

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