The Privileges and Authority of Physicians in _London_.
‘In the most humble wise shew unto your Highness, your true and faithful Subjects and liege Men _John Chambre_, _Thomas Linacre_, _Ferdinandus de Victoria_, your Physicians, and _Nicholas Halsewell_, _John Frances_, and _Robert Yaxley_, and all other men of the same Faculty within the City of _London_, and Seven Miles about, that where your Highness (by your most gracious Letters Patent bearing date at _Westminster_, the xxiii Day of _September_, in the tenth year of your noble Reign) for the Commonwealth of this your Realm, in due exercising and practising of the Faculty of Physick, and the good Ministration of Medicines to be had, hath incorporate and made of us, and of our Company aforesaid one Body and Perpetual Commonalty or Fellowship of the Faculty of Physick, and to have perpetual Succession and common Seal, and to choose yearly a President of the same Fellowship and Commonalty, to oversee, rule and govern the said Fellowship and Commonalty, and all men of the same Faculty, with divers other Liberties and Privileges by your Highness to be granted for the Common Wealth of this your Realm, as in your said most gracious Letters Patents more at large is specified and contained, the Tenour whereof followeth in these Words:—
“Henricus Dei Gratia Rex Angliæ & Franciæ & Dominus Hiberniæ, omnibus ad quos præsentes literæ pervenerint salutem. Cum regii officii nostri munus arbitremur ditionis nostræ hominum fælicitati omni ratione consulere; id autem vel imprimis fore, si improborum conatibus tempestive occuramus, apprime necessarium duximus improborum quoque hominum, qui medicinam magis aviritiæ suæ causa, quam ullius bonæ conscientiæ fiducia, profitebuntur, unde rudi & credulæ plebi plurima incommoda oriantur, audaciam compescere: Itaque partim bene institutarum civitatum in Italia, & aliis multis nationibus, exemplum imitati, partim gravium virorum doctorum Joannis Chambre, Thomæ Linacre, Ferdinandi de Victoria, Medicorum nostrorum, Nicholai Halsewel, Joannis Francisci & Rob Yaxley, medicorum, ac præcipuc reverendissmi in Christo patris, ac domini, dom Thomæ tituli Sanctæ Ceciliæ trans Tiberim sacrosanctæ Romanæ ecclesiæ presbyteri cardinalis, Eboracencis archiepiscopi & regni nostri Angliæ cancellarii clarissimi, precibus inclinati, collegium perpetuum doctorum & gravium virorum, qui medicinam in urbe nostra Londino & suburbis, intraque septem millia passuum ab ea urbe quaqua versus publice exerceant, institui volumus atque imperamus. Quibus tum sui honoris, tum publicæ utilitatis nomine, curæ (ut speramus) erit, malitiosorum quorum meminimus inscientiam temeritatemque, tam suo exemplo gravitateque, suis deterrere, quam per leges nostras nuper editas, ac per constitutiones per idem collegium condendas, punire. Quæ quo facilius rite peragi possint, memoratis doctoribus Joan Chambre, Thomæ Linacre, Ferdinando de Victoria, medicis nostris, Nicholao Halsewel, Joanni Francisco, et Rob Yaxley, medicis, concessimus, quod ipsi, omnesque homines ejusdem facultatis de & in civitate prædicta, sint in re & nomine unum corpus et communitas perpetua sive collogium perpetuum; & quod eadam communitas sive collegium singulis annis in perpetuum eligere possint & facere, de communitate illa aliquem providum virum, & in facultate medicinæ expertum, in præsidentem ejudem collegii sive communitatis, ad supervidend’ recognoscend’ & gabernand’ pro illo anno collegium sive communitatem præd’ & omnes homines ejusdem facultatis & negotia eorundem. Et quod idem præsidens & collegium sive communitas habeant successionem perpetuam & commune sigillum negotiis dict’ communitatis & præsidentis in perpetuum serviturum. Et quod ipsi & successores sui in perpetuum sint personæ habiles & capaces ad perquirendum & possidendum in feodo & perpetuitate terras & tenementa, reditus, & alias possessiones quascunque.”