IMPRIMATUR,  
Geo. Hooper, R more D no Arch. Cant. à Sacris Domesticis. 20. Dec. 1675. ex Aedib. Lambeth.   

THE College of Physicians VINDICATED, And the true State of PHYSIC In this Nation Faithfully represented: In Answer to a scandalous Pamphlet, ENTITLED, The CORNER STONE, etc.  
By Charles Goodall, Dr. of Physic.  
LONDON, Printed by R. N. for Walter Kettilby, at the Sign of the Bishop's head, in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1676.   

TO The Right Honourable Sir FRANCIS NORTH Lord Chief Justice OF THE COMMON PLEAS.  
My LORD,  
THE address of this short discourse to your Lordship, hath a double encouragement; the greatness of the Cause in which it engageth, and the confidence it hath of your Honour's Patronage; I mean not, my Lord, so much from any interest of the Writer, as of the Cause; which concerneth no less than the Rights and Privileges of one of the learnedst Societies in the world. I know your Lordship too well, to think the scale of Justice (when in your hand) capable of being weighed down by favour or affection, be the occasion of it never so moving; nor indeed doth our Cause want it: yet if strictness of Integrity could be any ways bowed in your Lordship, it would be in regard to Learning and the support of a noble and ingenuous Art, against the barbarous attempts of rude and illiterate Impostors. The College of Physicians have long since received particular marks of your Lordship's favour; which they owe to the great intimacy your Lordship hath had with Nature herself; and the consequent value you must needs put upon all such, whose Industry and parts have recommended them to her familiarity: Whether the College deserve that character no man better understandeth than your Lordship, to whom few or none of their writings or other transactions are probably unknown. And it is their happiness in this juncture of affairs, where so many machinations and contrivances are made against them, that the two Chief Justices of this Land are Men so abundantly accomplished in all Learning, that is necessary to the true Stating of the question; both of You being fit to be made the Oracles of Philosophy, as well as Law; and to give a true estimate of the difference between an Academic education backed with Experience and Industry in practice; and the impudent pretensions of a few broken Tradesmen, etc. I forbear worse names to them, though never so deserved, nay bestowed upon each other in their own writings; because of the reverence I bear your Lordship, whose ears are not fit to be abused with such language, and whose inclinations lead you to attend to things and not to persons; considering not the interest of any particular Man or Society, but of the Nation, which very much depends upon the issue of the controversy managed in this Treatise, by,  
My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble and devoted Servant, Charles Goodall.   

READER,  
THE Treatise against which I write, is so mean in itself, that the very answering of it, needeth an Apology; for no wise man is in danger of being taken with so scurrilous a Pamphlet, or can think the interest of the College fit to be put in the scale with it; But the greatest part of the world is not wise, and Physic is so abstruse, as to be above the capacity and judgement of the Vulgar, and therefore liable to the misrepresentation of Knaves; who with small colour of reason and great clamour, can breed in the common people what esteem of it they please.  
I have therefore thought it necessary to undeceive the ordinary Readers of that Pamphlet, by giving them as plain an explication as I could of the State of the Question; which since it is of a mixed nature, partly relating to the Legality of the Colleges Jurisdiction, and partly to the usefulness or hurtfulness of that power, I have been forced to adventure upon the exercise of more Faculties than One, and to meddle in matters of Law as well as Physic.  
If I have in the former transgressed the limits of my Profession. I have but followed my Adversary, who did it before me; Not, that I expect not, a far better and sounder defence to be made at the Bar, when the Cause is pleaded by men learned in the Law; But because something was necessary to be said to the People, whose prejudice against the College, as it is easily raised by so weak an accusation as that of my Adversaries; so it will, I doubt not, as easily be taken away, by a plain Narrative of those Laws and Statutes by which the College is firmly established and governed, and of which their leisure or education would not permit them otherwise to take notice.  
The later part was more within my Sphere, and therefore more freely handled; yet that also required such plainness and conciseness, as was requisite to inform the Reader without tiring of him; But as short as it is, I hope it is sufficient to make all men understand the real advantages of a regular institution of Methodical practice, and the danger of Empirical administrations.  
Reader, I will detain thee no longer, but remit thee to the Book itself. Farewell, and be Candid.   

THE College of Physicians VINDICATED, AND The True State of PHYSIC in this Nation faithfully represented.  
ALthough it hath not yet been my happiness to be a Member of the Learned Society of Physicians in London, yet I profess myself an honourer of them, and cannot without indignation behold men of so great worth and abilities in their Faculty, so barbarously assaulted by a wretched combination of ignorant and impudent Empirics, who being united into a confederacy and fortified by a common stock, dare now attack the Law as well as the College; and purchase from hirelings fit for such turns the suggestion of whatever tricks and mean arts are devisable to elude either the proceedings of Courts, or the Statutes themselves, which the prudence of our Lawgivers have provided in this case. By this means that security, which was thereby intended for the lives and healths of the Inhabitants of this Nation is endangered, and one of the noblest Professions in the world exposed to the contempt of the vulgar; who not being competent Judges of the justice or merits of any cause, much less of one of so high an importance, are notwithstanding most forward in their censures; and whilst they are entertained with the ridicule of the subject, by degrees do suffer themselves to be cheated into a false opinion.  
It is therefore high time to undeceive them, and by detecting the legerdemain of these Jugglers to take away the veneration and reverence which ignorance otherwise produceth in such mean capacities towards men, whom but to understand is sufficient to render contemptible. I have for this purpose pitched upon a Pamphlet, entitled, A Corner stone, etc. which whether written by the Club of Mountebanks, by whom the pretended Author is said to be maintained in his Lawsuit, or whether the fruit of one man's labour, I know not; but I find it containeth the substance of what all of them have hitherto said against the College. An Answer therefore to this, may save us the trouble of writing any more upon this Subject; nor need that Answer be prolix, if we consider all their objections are reducible to these three following Questions.  
1. Whether the College of Physicians be established by Act of Parliament?  
2. Whether the proceedings of the College against Empirics and unlicenced persons be oppressive?  
3. Whether Physicians educated in Universities, and particularly the College of Physicians in London, have been the great hinderers of the Art of Physic, and more especially that of Chemistry?  

CHAP. I.  
FOr the clearing of the first you must know, that in 3 H. 8. the King and Parliament taking into serious consideration the great injury that was done to his Liege people by a great multitude of ignorant persons, as, Smiths, Weavers, Women, etc. who boldly took upon them to practise the noble Science of Physic to the high displeasure of God, great infamy of the Faculty, and destruction of many of his Subjects, as the Act more at large expresseth: it was therefore by the Authority of that Parliament enacted, That no person should practise Physic, except he were first examined, approved and admitted by the Bishop of London or Dean of Paul's, calling to him or them four Doctors of Physic, etc. This Act continued in force till the 14th and 15th of the same King's Reign, at which time a Charter that had been granted in the 10th year of the same by the intercession of Cardinal Woolsey and six eminent Physicians, three of which belonged to the King's own person (wherein a perpetual College of Physicians was erected and granted in London, and within seven miles of the same, with several privileges therein specified) was confirmed by Act of Parliament; in which Act it was ordained, established and enacted, That the said Corporation of the said Commonalty and Fellowship of the Faculty of Physic aforesaid, and all and every Grant and Article and other thing contained and specified in the said Letters Patents, be approved, granted, ratified and confirmed in this present Parliament, and clearly authorised and admitted by the same, good lawful and available to the said Body Corporate and their Successors for ever, in as ample and large manner as may be taken, thought & construed by the same.  
Now if you please to compare this Act with the College Charter, which is part of the Act itself embodied in it, you will find that all the privileges therein contained were granted them; Notwithstanding any precedent Statute, Ordinance, Act or proviso in any Act formerly made, published or ordained to the contrary: One of which privileges were as the Patent expresseth it, to have super-visum & scrutinium, correctionem & gubernationem omnium & singulorum dictae Civitatis Medicorum utentium Facultate Medicinae in eadem civitate, ac aliorum Medicorum forinsecorum quorumcunque facultatem illam Medicinae aliquo modo frequentantium & utentium infra eandem Civitatem & suburbia ejusdem sive intra septem milliaria in circuitu ejusdem civitatis, etc. i. e. The oversight and search, correction and government of all and every Physician of the said City practising Physic therein; and of all others using the said Faculty of Physic within the said City or Suburbs thereof, or within seven miles of the same. And in another part of this Patent 'tis so clear and evident that the sole power of Licensing Physicians doth belong to the College, that it plainly tells you in the following words; Concessimus Praesidenti & Collegio seu Communitati & Successoribus suis, quod Nemo in dictâ civitate aut yet 7. milliaria in circuitu ejusdem exerceat dictam facultatem, nisi ad hoc per dictum Praesidentem & Communitatem, seu Successores ejus admissus sit per ejusdem Praesidentis & Collegii literas Sigillo suo communi sigillatas sub poena centum solidorum pro quolibet mense. i e. We grant to the Precedent and College or Commonalty and their Successors, that none shall practise Physic in London or within seven miles of the same, unless he be first admitted by the said Precedent and College or their Successors, and obtain their Licence signed with their common Seal, in pain of forfeiting for every month five pounds. Now let any judicious person compare these two passages with the Statute made in 3 H. 8. beforementioned, and I doubt not but he may be fully satisfied that the power which was granted to the Bishops by that Statute was now invested in the College by the 14th and 15th of the same King's Reign: for 'tis evident that the word Nemo in the Patent is a general Negative, and excludes all from practising, but such as have procured the College Licence.  
But notwithstanding this plain evidence Mr. Adrian Huyberts desires leave to produce certain circumstances (as he terms them) whereby it may appear questionable whether ever any such Law as that in the 14th and 15th of H. 8. was passed in due form; the reason he urgeth being this; that it doth not appear by any Record that the Royal Assent was given to it, there being neither at top nor bottom of it to be seen Le Roy le veult, the only Signature whereby any thing is known to be a Law.  
To this I reply, that I very much question whether ever Mr. H. took the pains to search the Records of the Tower; if he did not, as I have some reason inclining me to believe; I must crave leave to tell him and that by more weighty circumstances than he hath produced to the contrary, that the ipse dixit of his unanswerable Author will pass for an Oracle with none but the Empirics, for doubtless no rational man can imagine  
1. That a Prince so sensible of the great mischief redounding to the Nation by this Mechanical Tribe, and of the great felicity which might be obtained for the public by establishing a College of grave and learned Physicians, who should admit none to the practice of that noble Science without their approbation; should grant a Charter to them by the special request of persons so often employed about his Royal Person, and so much interested in Him; and yet should take no care of confirming this Patent by Act of Parliament, when as our Adversaries confess it was offered to Him.  
2. 'Tis as difficult to imagine that the same College of Physicians in the same King's Reign, and that but 17. years after, should have several other privileges granted them by Act of Parliament (as their not keeping watch or ward, bearing offices, etc.) and that by the name of the Precedent of the Corporation of the Commonalty and Fellowship of the Science and Faculty of Physic in the City of London, and the Commons of the Fellows of the same, etc. if they had not had their Charter confirmed by the forementioned Act.  
3. 'Tis yet a greater difficulty to imagine that a Parliament holden in the first of Queen Mary, which was not above 28. or 30. years after the Collegiate Statute was made, should pass another Act in confirmation of this, only on a presumptive evidence that there had been such a One made, when reallyit never had been so in rerum naturâ; and that this they did, is very evident; which making much to our purpose, and likewise to the abrogating of the Act made in 3 H. 8. I shall take the pains of transcribing.  
Whereas in the Parliament holden at London on the 15th day of April, in the 14th year of the Reign of our late Sovereign King Henry the VIIIth and from thence adjourned to Westminster the last day of July in the 15th year of the Reign of the same King, and there holden, It was enacted, That a certain grant by Letters Patents of incorporation made and granted by our said late King, to the Physicians of London, and all Clauses and Articles contained in the same Grant should be approved, granted, ratified and confirmed by the same Parliament.  
For the consideration whereof be it Enacted by the Authority of this present Parliament, That the said Statute or Act of Parliament, with every Article and Clause therein contained, shall from henceforth stand and continue still in full strength, force and effect, any Act, Statute, Law, Custom, or any other thing made, had, or used to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
4. 'Tis certain that this Act of Parliament hath been owned as such by all the grave Judges and Lawyers of this Land upon every Trial betwixt the College and the Empirics. And though in Dr. bonham's Case the College was overthrown, yet it was not for that the Judges questioned the legality of the Act of the 14th and 15th of H. 8. for the Lord Chief Justice Cook, Justice Warburton and Justice Daniel of the Common Pleas Bench, were so far from doubting the Authority of that Act, that they plainly tell us in that very Case, that the Censors had their Authority by Letters Patents & Act of Parliament, which are high matters of Record: and in the 4th of King James there was a recovery upon this Statute against one Gardener; and in the 7th of King Charles the First, there was another recovery in the Common Pleas against one Butler; and in the 8th of the same Kings Reign a Writ of Error was brought in the King-Bench, and there Judgement affirmed, both Courts owning the Statute of the 14th and 15th of H. 8. where the College Charter was confirmed; and in 1651. there was another recovery in the Common Pleas upon the same Statute against Trigge. And though Mr. H. tell us of one single Judge that would not admit of the College Patent as established by Act of Parliament in the time of the late Usurper (who could scarcely have affection for a Society of men established by Regal power, of whom several had expressed so great Loyalty to their Sovereign) yet very prudently he omits his reasons, lest we should observe so much of partiality if not bribery in him, that it might justly be suspected that Interest not Judgement obliged him to such an Opinion: but allow Mr. H. what he desires from this instance, doth he seriously think that this is as authentic as the Judgement of all the Judges of the King's Bench and Common Pleas, (which I just now intimated) and the High Court of Parliament in the First of Queen Mary? I am apt to believe he cannot; however if he doth, I am sure he will scarcely persuade any other into such an opinion, unless it be those of his own Association, who would gladly have it so.  
But to give the Gentleman all the advantage he can desire to his circumstantial Argument, that there is not to be seen on the top or bottom of this Roll the King's Royal Assent, I make a question whether this will carry his Cause; because the King's Signature is sometimes endorsed on the back side of the Roll; and if he did really put himself to the trouble of searching, I wish he would have informed us whether he found this Roy le veult endorsed upon every single Roll of the other 13. Statutes made in the same Session; for 'tis a little odd to conceive that one poor single Statute in the same Session, where 14 were passed, and that not the first or last, but the 5. in order, should be solely questioned; especially seeing Mr. Pulton in the preamble before those Statutes assures us that the King by the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons assembled, had ordained, made and enacted certain Statutes and Ordinances in manner and form following, of which number this is One.  
Mr. H's second circumstance to prove that the Collegiate Patent was never established by Act of Parliament, is this; because he saith, that it doth militate against the Spirit of an English Parliament, the great Sanctuary of public freedom.  
To this I need return no other Answer, but only desire Mr. H. to read over the foremention'd Statutes of 14 and 32 H. 8. and 1 Mar. and then tell me whether the Parliaments of England did not judge without any breach of Magna Charta, that learned and experienced men were the fittest to pass a judgement of those brought up in their own profession: and doubtless had Mr. H. understood the nature of humane Societies, and the necessity of Laws for their government, he would not have betrayed his weakness and ignorance so much as he hath done in this Argument.  
In the same page he tells us, that it might be an easy matter to impose upon a Printer a Copy of a Bill instead of a Statute, especially about matters of Physic, whose concerns in those days were but in few hands; and the Professors very inconsiderable persons; and that after it had been once printed for a Law, how easy was it for the Lawyers unawares to accept it, and Mr. Pulton to reprint it without further enquiry?  
To these surmises, I answer, that Mr. H. would have done well to have told us the men that durst impose upon a Printer a Copy of a Bill instead of a Statute; or given us an instance of a Printer that was ever so audacious or adventurous to do it; if he cannot, 'tis strange that he should trouble the world with such idle and wild supposals, that never had any better foundation than in an ill-contrived fiction; which doubtless can never obtain greater credit with any judicious man, seeing that all Bills which pass both Houses of Parliament are fairly engrossed and offered to the King to Sign, which being done, Copies of those Bills are taken out by the Clerk of the Parliament, who diligently and faithfully examines them with the Printer by the original Records; and then are the Copies of them committed to the Press. Now by this conjecture of Mr. H. both the Clerk of the Parliament and the Printer, or one at least of them, must needs be imposed upon (as he terms it) But how improbable this is, let any one consider seeing the apparent danger that must needs ensue; it being the custom of Parliament to print all their Acts after every Session, that so all the subjects might understand their duty and the rule they have to steer their actions by; and no doubt but there were some Judges in that Session in the House of Lords, and Lawyers in the House of Commons, who had the Copies of those Acts when printed by them, and would soon have taken notice of an affront of so high a nature as this, put upon the King and both Houses of Parliament: and though I must confess that a Printer may commit an Erratum in the printing of an Act, which occasions the Judges many times to search the Records of the Tower, as being their only authentic evidence to decide a disputable case; yet surely no precedent can ever be produced of a Bill that was printed for an Act, and owned for such by a Parliament in the same King's Reign, and confirmed by another about 28. years after, and allowed as such in several Trials by the Judges of both Benches; when in truth it was but a cheat imposed upon them; especially seeing it was an Act of that nature, which was both public and penal, and might probably have trials upon it the Term after it was passed, there being at that time so many Aggressors thereof.  
And as for what Mr. H. tells us as to the state of Physic in those days, that it was but in few hands, and those inconsiderable persons.  
'Tis manifestly false; for 'tis evident that there was then a great number of the predecessors of Mr. H's society swarming in the Nation, which occasioned that Act to be made in 3 H. 8. as the preamble tells you; but then we will grant him that they were persons as inconsiderable as the Cobblers, Weavers and Trumpeters of our own days, that practice physic to as good purpose as the old Women, Smiths, and other Mechanics than did; who as that Act specifieth, had no insight into physic nor into any other kind of learning, some of them being so ignorant as they could not read. (a fair description of great part of the Empirics of our time) But if Mr. H. intended by this expression those that were the true Professors of physic in that age, they were far from inconsiderable persons, as witness Doctor Linacre, Chambre, de Victoria, Halsewell, Frances, Yaxeley, etc. the first of which is particularly mentioned in the Chronicle of that King's Reign amongst the great men of note of that time.  
And as for what he saith of Mr. Pultons' reprinting this Statute without further enquiry,  
'Tis such a rude and uncharitable reflection upon so industrious and worthy a person, that 'tis necessary to acquaint the world with what account that excellent Author hath given of his great faithfulness and industry in this undertaking; his words are these; with as great care and industry as I could use, so many of the old Statutes heretofore printed in the English tongue and which are the foundation of proceedings both legal and judicial, have been by me truly and sincerely examined by the original Records thereof; and the residue with the Register of Writs being the most ancient book of the Law; the old and new Natura Brevium, the books of Entries, the books of Years and Terms in the Law; the best approved and printed books, and by all such other circumstances as might best give probability of truth to the learned. Now certainly Mr. H. if Mr. Pulton was willing to take such vast pains to examine the old Statutes by the Records of the Tower, and the variety of books he here mentions, that full satisfaction might be given to all inquisitive men; he would not without further inquiry print a Bill for a Statute, especially seeing that he might with much more ease satisfy himself and others of the truth of this Statute, than of those old Satutes he mentions.  
And though Mr. H. tells us that after this Bill (as he calls it) had been once printed for a Statute, it was an easy matter for the Lawyers unawares to accept it;  
To this I answer, that if it were so easy for the Lawyers unawares to accept of a Bill for a Statute; yet methinks the Parliaments of England should not so readily accept it; nor yet the grave Judges and Sergeants of the Law, whose proper study and employment is to search the Records of the Tower and Statutes of Parliament; I confess I am therefore so charitable to think that he could not entertain such dishonourable thoughts of those so grave and judicious of that Faculty; but must rather intend by that saucy expression the younger and less experienced Wits of the Law; but than one would admire, that they should not have been so happy in their discoveries for near 150 years, as the Castle-Cole Philosophers of our age pretend to be; and truly of all the discoveries they have made, since they obtained Certificates of their abilities to practise physic, and have converted that noble Art into a contemptible trade, this may bear away the Bell; it being indeed their true Cornerstone, for erecting a new College of Mountebanks and petty-Chapmen: but when all is done, I am apt to believe that this Gentleman and the rest of his society will find the Lawyers more wary men than they are aware of; and truly it behoves them to be so, when they are to deal with men of such reaching heads, beyond all of their own faculty, and have made greater discoveries in the Lawyer's profession, than any of them can pretend to, though they could have studied the Law from the 15 of H. 8. to the 27 of C. 2.  
The third circumstance that gives Mr. H. cause to believe the forementioned Act to be no Statute, is this; that in 3 H. 8. there was a Statute that lodged the power of licensing persons in the hands of the Bishop of London, or Dean of Paul's; which as he saith, p. 13. was never repealed by any succeeding Law.  
To this I need return little other answer, but only desire M. H. to peruse the abrogation of that Statute, in 14 & 15 H. 8. compared with the latter part of the Letters Patent, granted by King Henry in the 10 of his Reign; and the First of Queen Mary 9 with those four circumstances mentioned p. 8— 10 to which give me leave to add a fifth, it being very pertinent to our present purpose; and that is, the Statute made in 32 H. 8. where the Surgeons of London were likewise made a Body Corporate, and had the search, oversight, punishment and correction of offences committed against Barbary and Surgery. Now let this Statute be compared with that made in 3 H. 8. and you will find that all Surgeons as well as Physicians were exempted by one and the same Statute from exercising their Art, except they were first examined, approved and admitted by the Bishop of London or Dean of Paul's, upon pain of forfeiting five pounds for every month. Now is it probable that the King and Parliament should abrogate the latter part of this Act for the Surgeons and Barbers in London, and that as far as I can observe unrequested; and yet the former part of that very same Act should still remain in force against the Physicians; when the reason of both was but one and the same? which you may read in the beginning of that Act, as follows, for as much as the Science and cunning of Physic and Chirurgery is daily within this Realm exercised by a great multitude of ignorant persons, therefore it was enacted that no Physician or Chirurgeon should practise Physic or Chirurgery without the Bishop's Licence, etc. Now I wish that Mr. H. would give us some instances of Surgeons (since this Charter of theirs) that have taken Licences of the Bishop, or Dean of Paul's, refusing obedience to their own Corporation, and pleading the Act of 3 H. 8. which they may as justifiably and legally do, as any that practise Physic by the Bishop's Licences, and refuse submission to Collegiate establishments; but I am apt to believe he cannot, and then I will leave it to the judgement of any sober man whether Mr. H. hath not more rudely treated the Faculty of Physic than any other profession; allowing Surgeons and Barbers a greater privilege, than he would Physicians; although a man would have thought that his having been bred an Apothecary, should have taught him better manners towards his Masters; but alas! poor man, he hath been so long versed in the Quacking profession, that as far as I can learn by the character he hath given of himself, 'tis a Chronical distemper; so that doubtless had he consulted the Lawyers about justifying his practice against the College, they would rather have advised him to plead prescription for his doing so, than the abrogated Statute of 3 H. 8. I wish therefore that the good man would be so kind to himself as seriously to read over the Statutes I have mentioned, and consider of the circumstances I have proposed against his, to prove that the Collegiate Charter is established by Act of Parliament; and then I doubt not but he will leave discoursing so impertinently and like an Apothecary; if not, I know not what can better help him out of this dangerous malady of his, than a dose of his own Celestial Liquor, which (as he saith) is suited to all palates and constitutions. But to proceed and give the Gentleman all the scope I can, let me tell him, that in his beloved Statute, though the power of licensing Physicians in London was invested in the Bishop's hands; yet that of examination was lodged in the Physicians, else 'tis difficult to give a satisfactory reason why the Bishop or Dean are obliged to call to him or them four Doctors of Physic, unless it were upon the forementioned account; which having been (I conceive) seldom or never observed of late, 'tis a question to me, whether any of the Licences given without this material clause be current in Law, if this beloved Act of his were now in full force and power; seeing 'tis plain that in Doctor Bonham's Case the Justices of the Common Pleas gave it against the College for their not pursuing their power given them by the Statute. And then 'tis probable that Mr. H. and most of his Tribe might find it a greater trouble to obtain their Licences, than yet they have done; and would then as little approve of the Bishops as they do of the Physicians Statute; for 'tis not that they respect one more than the other (they being as truly State-Fanaticks as any can be termed Ecclesiastic ones) but that they hope their Certificates may pass for examination, a test they more hate than Physicians themselves. But however it be, I am sure it is scarce worth Mr. H's so zealous contending for this Act, seeing that in all points it suits not with his apprehension, that Certificates of the integrity of men's lives, and good success in practice are the surest evidence of a man's learning and knowledge proper for his Faculty; the Act well foreseeing that the greatest number of Smiths, old Women, and Weavers, might readily procure those testimonials of their ability to practise; and therefore as the preamble of that Act tells us, that forasmuch as to the Science of Physic there is required both great learning and ripe experience; it hath made provision of a much better test of men's abilities in that profession, viz. Such as have been educated in the same Faculty, and by their great learning and experience have arrived to some perfection in that noble and honourable Art.  
The fourth Circumstance Mr. H. hath mentioned to prove the Collegiate Statute not confirmed by Act of Parliament, abounds with such manifest contradictions that it needeth not any other confutation, but barely its reading over, which the Reader may find in the 14 pag. of his book.   

CHAP. II.  

SECT. 1.  
The Second question was this; Whether the proceedings of the College against Empirics and unlicensed persons be oppressive?  
TO the clearing of this question I have done much already in proving that the College hath been established by 3 Acts of Parliament, owned as such by all the grave Judges and Lawyers of the Kingdom, and therefore acting by those Statute Laws that were made, ratified and confirmed by England's Sovereigns and Parliaments, 'tis very rude if not audacious to term their proceedings according to these Laws, oppression and persecution; as Mr. H. hath done in the title of his book, and in the first page thereof.  
I shall therefore, for the clearing of this Question, and the full satisfaction of all ingenious and inquisitive persons, give them a true and faithful account of the excellent government of this learned Society. After that King Henry the VIII. had constituted a College of Physicians, and granted them power of choosing a Precedent, Elects and Censors; and invested them with power of making Statutes and Ordinances pro salubri gubernation, super-visu & correctione Collegii & omnium hominum eandem facultatem in dicta civitate seu per septem milliaria exercentium, i. e. for the safe or wholesome government, oversight and correction of the College, and of all men practising Physic in the said City or within seven miles of the same. They accordingly made these following Statutes.  

And first, as to the Electors in the College,  
Who were by the Letters Patent in number six, but by the Statute of the 14 & 15 H. 8. were increased to eight; which number have been ever since continued (and by the by may afford us another argument of the legality of that Statute) and have the sole power of choosing the Precedent and succeeding Elects; yet this power of theirs is so far from an arbitrary one, that they are by Statutes of their own obliged to choose none into that order, but such, Qui gravitate, literis, moribus & aetate caeteris praefulgeant, Doctoratus que gradu insigniantur, & natione sunt Angli, who for gravity, learning, good behaviour and age do excel the rest, and have taken their Degrees of Doctor, and are English men by birth. And though formerly in public Universities, and when they were admitted into the College, they had given so full and ample testimonies of their great knowledge and experience in their Art; yet notwithstanding are they obliged by Statutes of their own, that whoever is chosen as an Elector shall be again examined by the rest; and as if that examination were not a sufficient testimony of their fitness for so great an Office; they do dare fidem that they will give their consent and suffrage to the choice of none as Precedent or Elector, nisi qui gravitatem, eruditionem, mores integros, aetatem decentem & sincerum animum en rem publicam, & alacritatem ad obeund● officia cognita & perspecta habuerit, but he, of whose gravity, learning, competent age, sincere affection to the public good, and readiness to undergo all Offices, they are sufficiently satisfied.   

As to the Precedent:  
He is yearly chosen out of one of the Elects, and such a person, quem caeteri Electores praesentes aut plurimi pro temporis, rei & personae ratione idoneum judicaverint: whom, either all or the major part of the Electors present shall think most fit for that office, as to his person and the circumstances of the present time and occasions of the College. His power is great as being the principal Minister of managing the public and private affairs of the College; yet not extravagant or unlimited; he having no power of making or abrogating Laws without the consent and approbation of the rest; and is farther under the obligation of a solemn promise, ut honor Collegii asservetur, statuta ejusdem sine fraude observentur, omniáque acturum in salutem reipublicae. That the honour of the College shall be preserved, the Statutes observed without collusion, and that in all transactions he will have an eye to the good of the Commonwealth.   

As to the Censors,  
They are yearly chosen by the Precedent and major part of the College, being four in number, and those grave and learned men: their Office is to take cognizance of all that practise Physic within London and seven miles of the same, sive nostrates fuerint, sive advenae, eosque examinare, corrigere, gubernare, & light (si opus sit) unà eum Praeside & Thesaurario persequi, eorum medendi rationes inquirere, etc. whether they be English or strangers, and to examine, correct, govern, and with the assistance of the Precedent and Treasurer to prosecute them at Law, if there be occasion; and to inquire into the manner of their practice, etc. And that they may perform this their Office with the greater faithfulness, they are under the obligation of a solemn Oath, which seeing it may give great satisfaction to all rational and inquisitive persons, how much it may tend to the encouragement of learning and industry, and the advancement of public good, I have taken leave to acquaint them with. Jurabunt coram Praeside, se neminem in Collegium admittendum de●…eturos nisi quem, omni seposito affectu, judicaverint & literis & moribus idoneum; nec pretio, prece vel gratiâ quenquam hominem approbaturos, etc. They shall swear before the Precedent, that they will admit no man into the College, but whom (laying aside all affection) they shall judge worthy, by reason of his learning and good manners; neither shall they be drawn to the approbation of any man by reward, entreaty or favour.   

As to the Candidates of the College (out of which number the Fellows of that Honourable Society are chosen) and their Examination, in order to their admission:  
None is to be admitted a Candidate, qui non sit in medicinâ Doctor, & natione Britannus, & medicinam exercuerit per quadriennium, Who is not Doctor in Physic, and an Englishman by birth, and hath practised Physic four years. And before this admission every one whether Candidate or Licentiate is to be thrice examined by the Precedent and four Censors of their abilities for the practice of Physic; they having well observed, quòd nullo modo (nisi examinatione prius habitâ) nobis constare possit, quam sit quilibet idoneus, ut secundum regni leges ad medicinae praxin admittatur, that it cannot appear to them by any other means but by examination, how fit any one is to be admitted, according to the Laws of the Kingdom, to the practice of Physic.   

Their First Examination  
Is to inquire of their knowledge in the rudiments of Physic, viz. in the Physiological and Anatomical part thereof; which though contemned by the ignorant Empirics of our days; yet doubtless will never be so by the learned and inquisitive Age we live in, and was so far from being despised in former, that the great Oracle of the Law, the Lord Chief Justice Cook in Dr. bonham's Case, hath this very expression; oportet Medicum esse Philosophum; ubi enim Philosophus desinit, Medicus incipit. It behoves a Physician to be a Philosopher; for where the Philosopher ends the Physician begins.   

Their Second Examination  
Is in the Pathological part of Physic, where there is a diligent enquiry into the causes, differences, symptoms and signs of Diseases; that so their Nature or Essence may more easily be discovered; likewise the great doctrine of Fevers (which distemper puts a period to the lives of most men) is enquired into, and many other questions proposed relating to Pulses, Urines, etc. coincident with these.   

Their Third Examination  
Comprehends the method of cure and diaetetick part of Physic, especially what relates to the government of Sick and languishing Patients in acute distempers; where are likewise propounded several material questions of a different nature from the former; as what cautions are to be observed in purging and bleeding? what time of the year and disease they may with the greatest advantage be made use of? in what distempers? in what persons? etc. which questions if seriously pondered by any judicious person, he will readily grant us his suffrage to the usefulness of such an examination, which tends so much to the making men fit to cure their Patient's diseases citò, tutò, & jucundè. But here their enquiry doth not rest, they knowing very well the great injury that may be done to the public by Vomits or Opiates unduly administered (of which I shall acquaint the world when I come to treat of Chemistry.) and therefore they are diligent to examine the kinds, quantity, use and danger of them, likewise the manner of their operation upon humane bodies; which being throughly and duly understood, they may be tools of excellent use in a wise man's hands.  
When these Examinations are thus passed, they are obliged to a diligent observation of the Statutes of the College, and never to exhibit or teach any noxious or venenate Medicines, which may occasion miscarriage, or tend to the detriment or injury of any person, etc.   

As to Licentiates,  
Their Examination is much of the same nature with the Candidates, yet the reason of not receiving them into the government of the College is, as the Statutes mention, Quoniam complures in hâc civitate medicinam faciunt, quos inidoneos omnino censemus ut in numerum Sociorum aut Candidatorum adoptentur; vel natione non sint Britanni, vel Doctoratûs gradum non adepti fuerint, vel non satis docti, aut aetate & gravitate provecti fuerint, vel alias consimiles ob causas; & tamen reipublicae inservire & saluti hominum prodesse possunt, saltem in Nonnullis curationibus; ideo de his ordinamus & statuimus ut post examinationes debitas & approbationem Praesidis & Censorum permittantur ad praxin. Because many practice Physic in this City, whom we think altogether unfit to be admitted into the number of Fellows or Candidates, as being not Englishmen by birth, or not having taken the degree of Doctor, or not sufficiently learned, or not of a competent age or gravity, or for other such like causes; yet seeing they may be serviccable to the Commonwealth, and procure the health of men, at least in some Cures; we do therefore ordain and appoint that after due examination and approbation of the Precedent and Censors they be permitted to practise.  
Yet let me acquaint you by the by, that amongst the number of Licentiates that have been admitted by the College, there have been men of great reputation and eminency both for their learning and great success in practice, as well as improvements in Physic: as witness the famous Doctor Wedderburn, Dr. Nurse, Dr. Sydenham; with many other excellent persons of that Profession. And if you please to compare the just beforementioned Statute with that made in relation to Candidates, who took their degrees in foreign Universities, and are therefore obliged to incorporate in one of our own, before they be admitted into the College; you may observe the College, like trueborn Englishmen, so much concerning themselves for the welfare and honour of their own Country, and reputation of the two famous Universities of this Land; that their being foreigners by birth, or non-incorporating into one of our own Academies, (though degrees have been taken in others) is a sufficient bar to their being admitted as Candidates; yet not an exclusion of them, from using their Talents of learning and parts for the public good and interest of the King's subjects; and therefore are they readily admitted to a share of several of the privileges of the College, though not to the government thereof. This I hope will encourage several learned and ingenious Physicians to enter themselves as Permissi into this Honourable Society, seeing they have debarred themselves of coming in as Candidates, by reason of their Education and taking their Degrees abroad; considering how much it may conduce both to their own honour, and the public good of the Commonwealth, that no intestine divisions or unhappy factions should be continued amongst learned and ingenious men of the same Faculty.   

As to Empirics,  
Though then professed Adversaries, yet their proceedings against them are managed with that prudence and moderation, that they are rather to be commended than censured: they first giving order to their Beadle to acquaint them that they abstain from practice, until they have passed the approbation of the College, and accordingly do appoint a particular day and hour for that purpose; to which if they refuse submission, and do contemn the power and order of the College, then are they according to the Statute Laws of the Kingdom proceeded against.   

As to a Monopoly  
Which Mr. H. and the rest of his Friends have particularly charged the College of Physicians with; it argues either gross ignorance of the Statutes of that Society, or want of common honesty: the College having made particular provision against Monopolies in the following Statute; Volumus, ut omnes, quotquot examinatos tam doctrinâ quam moribus idoneos repererint Censores, ad Medicinae praxin admmittant, ne Collegium nostrum Monopolii accusetur. We will, that all, who have been examined and found by the Censors of competent learning and good behaviour, should be admitted to the practice of Physic, lest our College should be accused of a Monopoly.   

As to the rest of their Statutes  
They principally relating to other Officers in the College, as Treasurers, Register, etc. and to the management of their private affairs, it concerns not me here to take notice of them, nor others to be acquainted with them; only give me leave before I conclude this subject, to tell you, that their encouragements to virtue are so great, and punishment of vice so severe, that I could heartily wish that their example might encourage other Societies to the making and observing so good and wholesome Laws, which doubtless would prove the happiness of ours as well as succeeding Ages. And that I may not seem to impose upon the world, or astonish them with Hyperboles, I will acquaint them with one of their own Statutes in confirmation of this assertion; statuimus & ordinamus, ut siquis criminis alicujus gravioris ac publici reus, aut vitio aliquo infamis fuerit, ablegetur à Collegio, ne si retineremus talem, videremur aut virtutem contemnere, aut eodem morbo laborare: We do decree and order, that if any man be guilty of any great or public crime, or infamous for any vice, he shall be expelled the College, lest if we should retain any such person, we should seem to contemn virtue, or be guilty of the like ourselves.  
And as they are thus severe in the expulsion of those, whose vices have rendered them notorious; so are they no less ready to encourage learned and virtuous men, assuring us that 'tis one of their principal endeavours to incorporate those, qui mores honestos & amabiles habent. And to conclude, for their moral conversation to each others, their manner of consultation in reference to their sick and languishing Patients; with their method of composing all differences that may arise amongst them (much excelling that of Pope Adrian's infallible Chair) I cannot but congratulate the happiness of that great and renowned Society, and shall heartily wish that all their proceedings may prove as successful, as I am sure they are just.  
But notwithstanding all this clear evidence of the equity of their Statutes and justice of their proceedings, Mr. H. chargeth them as oppressive and persecuting; which foul charge (one would have expected) should have been attended with plain and evident demonstration; which occasioned me to take the pains very seriously and attentively to view and review his Pamphlet; but all was to little purpose; parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus; for at the long run I could only find a few lines bestowed upon the Reader to acquaint him with a suit at Law commenced against him by the College of Physicians; Now whether this was Oppression on the Colleges part, or stubbornness and refractoriness on Mr. H. I will leave it to the judgement of all indifferent persons, who understand the nature of Oppression; which I take to be, as it hath relation to this present controversy, an unlawful seizing upon the possessions of others, owning and avowing the doing so; and this by pretending a claim to them; corrupting justice by bribes and gifts, or else overruling it by Authority. But how little the College can be charged with this so heinous a crime, and how much Mr. H. with refractoriness, will be very evident to any person, that pleaseth to peruse the former part of this book, where he may find that the power which they exercise towards Mr. H. and the rest of his companions, is established in them by Act of Parliament, and this not by one single Act but by three successively; in which are declared the penalties that would necessarily ensue upon the violation of them, which Mr. H. so little regards that he tells you that he will be in the seent of the College, and his house shall be open to receive Patients, and furnish them with Medicines; and as if this was not sufficient to discover his resolved opposition to the Laws of the Kingdom, and Statutes of the College, he breaks out into opprobrious and vilifying terms, calling them tippling Committees, book Doctors, masters of the stage, etc. and chargeth them for managing their Art under a great mystery of iniquity: which mystery I have faithfully acquainted the world with in this Chapter, where their most just, excellent and equitable Government is faithfully represented to the view and judgement of all impartial Readers; and though these men do so often Cant upon their monopolising of Physic, 'tis so far from truth, that they frankly offer to receive all to the practice of that Art, who upon examination appear to be sober and learned; and if their accomplishments will not arrive to so mean a character as this, yet if it appears that they may any ways be serviceable to the Commonwealth, or promote the welfare of mankind, although but in some cures (as is expressed in their Statutes relating to Licentiates) they do readily admit them to practise; which I hope doth sufficiently prove that this worthy Society is so tender of the lives and health of the King's subjects, that they would discourage none from doing them service, who by a fair examination appear any ways qualified for such an undertaking, and without this approbation, how any man is able to satisfy others of his own Faculty of his abilities for that employment (wherein the precious lives of so many men, women and children are concerned) I do not yet understand.    

SECT. 2.  
Physic no Conjectural Art.  
BUt Mr. H. being wiser than myself, yea than all men but those of his own tribe, hath found out a better and surer test of Physicians abilities, viz. Certificates of their good success in practice, which, he saith, is the surest evidence of a man's learning and knowledge proper for his Faculty; and therefore he strenuously endeavours to discharge Physicians of that employment, because Physic is conjectural, having no certain rules to judge by, etc. and therefore Physicians no competent Judges therein.  

To this I answer,  
1. That success in practice is a more uncertain evidence of a man's learning and knowledge in our Faculty than examination; unless this success appear by sufficient circumstance to be the effect of judgement and knowledge; and if so, why should any person accomplished with those abilities refuse to give a satisfactory account of his proficiency in the Medical Science, to those learned Physicians that are by Law deputed for that purpose? And surely less reason we have of questioning the success of that man's endeavours, who prescribes nothing to his Patients but what is consonant to the rules of reason and Art, than an Empirick's that observes neither; though life and health be not thereby obtained, which is not to be attributed to the ignorance or mistake of the Physician, but to divine providence interposing therein; whilst the fortuitous prescription of Medicines (though attended with success) is no ways to be allowed, nor the person to be better esteemed, that directed them; and that, because they prescribed those remedies without understanding the nature of the disease, or the proper time of their exhibition; which though advantageous to some, may prove ruinous to others, as I have fully satisfied the world in the latter part of this Book relating to the methodus medendi; and though sometimes we will allow that Patients hereby have recovered, yet seeing it hath been by accident and not by Art, we might probably have seen the same, if the Patients had solely committed themselves to Nature's regimen, which is usually attended with far greater success than their high applauded Chemical preparations; especially if managed by the diligent attendance and judicious observation (which were the great Arcana of divine Hypocrates) of a prudent Physician, who is as cautious of discomposing or tumultuating the blood with Cordials and Elixirs, as of weakening and impoverishing it with too cooling and refrigerating Julips, and therefore rather waits her motions, remembering that golden rule, cunctando res agitur.  
2. If success in practice be the surest evidence of a man's learning and knowledge proper for his Faculty, as Mr. H. asserts pag. 9 how comes it to pass that the event of diseases is ever an unequal Judicature, as he tells us out of my Lord Bacon the very page after? who farther saith, as he quotes him, that who can tell, if a Patient die or recover, whether it be by accident or by Art? now pray Mr. H. what becomes of your Certificates in this case?  
But to proceed to that part of Mr. H's assertion, viz. the conjecturalness of our Art, from whence he would persuade us that Physicians are no competent Judges, because their Art is conjectural, having no certain rules to judge by.   

To this I Answer,  
1. If the Art of Physic be Conjectural, why may not Physicians be as good, if not better Conjecturers in their own Art, than any other sort of men? especially seeing they so well understand both the Theoretic and Practic part thereof; for surely he that is the best Conjecturer, is the best able to judge what conjectures are most rational, and founded upon the fairest probabilities.  
2. If there can be no Judges in Physic, how comes it to pass that Mr. H. so fiercely contends for the Reverend Bishops being so fit for that employment? seeing that according to his own assertion, they have no certain rules to judge by.  
3. I would gladly know of Mr. H. how Physicians in former Ages were so fit for that employment, but in ours must by no means be allowed; the reason he gives is this, because the Art was then fixed and staked down to certain points, maxims or rules, etc. but how if I should tell him that from his own principles it may fairly be deduced that the same maxims and rules are still remaining? for if his notion be true, that the College hath made no improvement in Physic, and are only to be esteemed the Sectators of Aristotle and Galen; no doubt but they retain the same maxims they there espoused; although let me tell him (for his better information) that there are several discoveries in the Physiological part of Physic so clearly demonstrated in our days, by those great and renowned Physicians he so much contemns, that we must deny even credit to our senses, if we will not give in our suffrage to the certainty of them; which have been so far from rendering our Art more conjectural, that they have obtained the universal consent of all the ingenious of our Faculty; witness the Circulation of the blood, its sanguification by the vital spirits and not by the Liver (as the Ancients and all later Physicians believed, till the incomparable Doctor Glisson discharged it of that office) the motion of the Chyle through the lacteal vessels, discovered by Asellius; it's discharging itself into the common receptacle, and from that through the ductus Chyliferus & valves of the subclavian veins into the mass of blood, happily found out by the industrious Pecquet; the Lymphaticks by Dr. Jolive, the Ductus salivales and lachrymales by our learned countryman Doctor Wharton, and that excellent Anatomist Steno, and many others which I shall ere long have occasion to mention; which doctrines had they been discovered in the days of those Greeks and Arabians he talks of, would have been so far from everting all maxims in Physic, that I rather think they would have been engraven in letters of Gold, and the Authors have had Statues erected to their memory.  
And truly if we well look into the profession of physic, we shall not find it so Conjectural an Art as Mr. H. pretends; for Medicine strictly so called is very little conjectural as to the rules of it, though as to the particular application of those rules to the hîc & nunc of a single patient it may be; but that is no more than is in Divinity and Law, and indeed in all the professions of the world. The errors of a man's life consisting in the ill usage of avowed and undoubted principles, and misapplying them to particular instances. But still as to the Theory of our Art as far as it is strictly Medical, it will not be found (as I just now mentioned) so Conjectural as our Adversaries pretend; for as to the subject Physic treats of, 'tis certain and well known to every one of the Faculty; and the end and design of the same is no less agreed upon on all hands; and for the general description and Diagnosticks of diseases, who ever yet contested about them? it being universally agreed that there are such distempers, as Apoplexies, Epilepsies, Pleurisies, Gout, Stone, Fevers, Quartane Agues, etc. which are so specifically differenced by their descriptions and diagnosticks, that not only Physicians but Nurses are able to know them. And for the Pharmaceutick part of Physic, so far as it relates to the use of such remedies, which by experience have been found of great benefit in several diseases of humane bodies, who hath not readily embraced it?  
I might likewise inform Mr. H. that we are generally agreed as to the Causes of diseases so far as they relate to air, diet, and the rest of the non-naturalia; so that 'tis plain Physicians have had a standing rule to judge by these 2 or 3000 years, nor will they want such a rule to the world's end.  
But the matters of debate are of a more remote consideration, and not so truly Medical as Philosophical, I mean the Physiological principles which are borrowed out of natural Philosophy to the building up of an Art which might in all parts be complete.  
And though our Adversaries would pretend that these principles are wholly conjectural, yet possibly if they be attentively considered, it may be found that our contests as to these, are rather verbal than real; differences about the focus or minera morbi, or it may be about what hypothesis such a humour may be best explicated by; whether Galenical, Spagirical, or Sylvian.  
I shall therefore endeavour to show both in Acute and Chronical diseases how little our Art may be esteemed conjectural from such debates as these. For instance, suppose that the Galenists shall teach us that intermittent Fevers or Agues proceed from excrementitious choler, phlegm, or melancholy congested in some minera of the body, and according as those humours do sooner or later tend towards a state of putrefaction and commotion (whereby they are conveyed into the blood, and ferment therewith) do cause those febrile paroxysms to return sooner or later.  
And the Willisians shall tell us, that the Essence of the one consists in a more retorrid constitution of the mass of blood, being too much impregnated with Saline and Sulphureous particles; the other in a more acid and austere one, which being deprived of its sweet and balsamic nature, is apt by reason of its penury of spirits and too great exaltation of its terrestrial and tartareous parts, (consisting of salt and earth) to degenerate into a fluor, and induce a sowrness upon the whole mass: the third in a more debile constitution of blood than the former, insomuch that the greatest part of the nutritious juice is perverted into a fermentative matter, which occasions the Fits to return so much sooner than in a Tertian or Quartane.  
And the Sylvians as strongly contend that these Intermittents have their focus in the Pancreas, and derive their original or primary cause from the vitiosity of the pancreatic juice, which at different periods according to its various constitution doth discharge its self through its common ductus into the intestines, and there fermenting with an ill affected bile and phlegm doth produce not only the various symptoms that accompany these Agues, but the different species of them.  
And thus in continued Fevers, the one shall tell you that the putrefaction of the humours in the Veins and Arteries is the immediate cause:  
The other, too great an exaltation of the Sulphureous parts of the blood, which immediately breaking forth into an effervescence, procures that distemper we call a Fever.  
The third shall tell you, that the saliva, bile, and lympha being ill affected and continually circulating through the heart, do there excite the forementioned effervescency, which occasions this distemper.  
And thus in most Chronical affections, as Hypochondriack melancholy, Scurvy, Gout, Rheumatisms, Hysterick affections, Madness, etc.  
The Sylvians shall tell you that these and many others of the like nature do own their original to a preternatural fermentation of an acid juice or lympha with different subjects; or from diversity of acids fermenting with one and the same subject, from whence they would explicate all the phaenomena of those symptoms that are observable in the forementioned distempers.  
The Willisians will no less probably assert, that they proceed, from too great an exaltation of the Saline parts of the blood, which are perverted in some of these distempers into an acid and austere nature; in others, into a sour and corrosive (so that the animal spirits, and nervous liquor are therewith affected) and in others, into a state of fixed Alkalies, whereby the lixivial parts of the blood being conveyed by the Arteries into several parts of the body, and fermenting with the sour recrements of the nervous juice, do produce some of the foremention'd distempers.  
And the Galenists shall teach you, that the cause of some of these is an atra bilis, which is sharp like Vinegar or Aqua fortis.  
Now let any judicious person compare these several Hypotheses, and then tell me whether there be such a difference betwixt them as our Adversaries would pretend to; for seeing they all agree as I before mentioned, as to the description, Diagnosticks, and procatarctick causes of these diseases; to which give me leave to add, Indications for the cure of most distempers, which though explicated by different Hypotheses, yet are so nearly related to one another, that we may find them generally directing but one and the same method of cure; and persisting in the use of Medicines of the like nature, which surely cannot render our Art so Conjectural as Mr. H. would have it.  
And as for those internal causes of diseases I mentioned; which of the Galenists, Willisians or Sylvians ever doubted the existence of those acid humours, whereby they would explicate the symptoms of several Chronical affections, which are so far from Conjectural, that there have been several undeniable demonstrations to prove the truth of them? One of which is mentioned by the learned Doctor Willis in his Treatise the morb. Convuls. p. 116. who had a patient, whose sweat was so corrosive, that like Aqua fortis it would cito exedere & corrumpere lintea; and in his excellent Treatise de morbis Capitis he tells us, usitatum est nonnullos saepe laticem quasi vitriolicum oesophagi ac palati tunicas erodentem vomitu excernere. And Skenkius in his observations as quoted by that great and noble Philosopher Mr. Boyl, gives us an account of the corrosiveness of some juices, which rejected by Urine or Vomit would boil on brass, fret linen, and slain silver.  
And thus I might run through the whole Catalogue of diseases both Acute and Chronical, and satisfy all ingenious Naturalists, how little prejudice our Art suffers by allowing this freedom of Philosophising; for by Physicians comparing these several Hypotheses, they may make choice of explicating the nature of diseases by that Hypothesis, which they find most universally satisfactory; although 'tis certain that our Moderns have ill managed their talents in Physic, if they have not (by enriching our age with so many fresh discoveries) made us Masters of the reason of many of those rules which were gathered from observation only and practice by the Ancients, especially considering they have happily found out several humours in the body which our predecessors were unacquainted with; as the Nervous and Lymphatic liquors, Nutritious juices, and other great Anatomic discoveries, whereby they might more securely and unerringly found their Hypotheses, and more happily solve the phaenomena of diseases.  
And therefore I will not deny that this Age having made so many improvements of the rules that were given by the Ancients, may in some part vary the doctrine concerning Indications and methods of Cure, the greatest part of which improvements I shall anon show to be the effect of Anatomical discoveries. But this doth not at all invalidate my assertion nor change the main body of practical Medicine, in which the chiefest trials are made by Collegiate examinations: that still persisting as much the same, as a house is the same that it was a 100 years ago, though some ingenious Artist, by beating out some large windows, bringing pipes of water, and digging cellars, have rendered it more commodious.  
And as for those Theories I mentioned, they have not only advanced much the true skill of the present Practisers; but have found that allowance among the learned men of the College, that they tie not any man so strictly in their examinations to the Hypothesis of the Ancients; but are content with such rational accounts of Philosophical questions as his studies have furnished him withal; provided be be versed in the practical Theory or general maxims thereof, which I call the rule of physic; nay though in some of them he differs from their opinion, not explicating the constitution of humane bodies, or conjunct causes of their preternatural affections by the doctrine of the four Elements, but instead thereof solidly answers those Physiological questions by the Willisian or Sylvian principles, they do not condemn him; the only thing they sight against, being ignorance and men's impudent reviling of what they so little understand.    

SECT. 3.  
The method of taking Degrees, in the University of Leyden.  
HAving now performed that part of my task, which relates to those certain foundations upon which our Art is established: I shall now make it my endeavour to vindicate the famous University of Leyden, with some worthy and ingenious Physicians, whom Mr. H. hath so rudely treated; which you may find in the 19 29. & 30. pages of his pamphlet; although I think neither of them have much reason to take it unkindly at his hands; he having been so audacious as to affront High Courts of Parliament, King's Bench, and Common Pleas; not sparing the Lawyers, but representing them as men who would unawares accept of a Bill for a Statute; nor yet Mr. Pulton, one of the most industrious men of our Age; to whom all the subjects in England are highly indebted for his faithfulness and care in collecting the Statute Laws of the Kingdom.  
But to our present purpose, and to the giving a faithful relation of the manner of taking Degrees in Leyden, which feather in the Cap Mr. H. so much contemns, as you may see in the forementioned pages; I suppose because he was as unwilling to pass an Examination there, as now he is in England; knowing very well that his Certificates would not be accepted by the learned Professors of that University, for the surest evidence of his learning and knowledge fit for his Faculty; and though he is in some hopes that the Statute of 3 H. 8. may do him some service here, yet it was to little purpose to plead it there.  

The method of educating Physicians and taking Degrees in Leyden is after the following manner.  
When persons have studied some years' Philosophy and other Arts for their better accomplishment, they have liberty allowed them of admitting themselves Pupils to any of the Professors in physic of that University, whose office or employment is to read Lectures daily to their Disciples; and those who are admitted under the practic Professors, do frequently accompany or meet them at their Hospitals, where are usually a great variety of Patients lying sick of several diseases; the Professor as soon as he comes, feels the Patient's pulse, inquires into the Symptoms of their distempers, particular temperaments, methods of living, etc. and then d●●●●…lly acquaints his Disciples with all their complaints and the circumstances of their Cases: then questions them severally what their Opinions are as to the nature of their Sickness? what Causes they would assign procatarctick or conjunct occasioning them? what prognostics they would make? and what methods of Cure they would propose? And thus, when they have variously given their judgement; he commends one, reproves another, and encourageth all to diligent pains and study in their profession; then candidly delivers his own judgement and prognostic, and directs such remedies as may be most serviceable to the Patient's ease and recovery.  
These Medicines are penned by his Disciples, who meet next day together at the Hospital, discourse the Patients and inquire of the success of their Professors prescriptions; and then wait his attendance to hear his farther opinion.  
And thus are the sick people continually treated until a perfect Crisis attends them; which when it proves mortal, the diseased body is dissected, and a Lecture read thereupon for the fuller information of the foremention'd Students.  
Which, how much it may tend to the advantage of all that are educated in such an improving method, I leave to the judgement of others: And could heartily wish that seeing our own Academies have no such public Hospitals amongst them, that his Majesty's College of Physicians would propose a method for obtaining some such laudable custom, for the greater encouragement of all the ingenious in our Faculty, that are educated in our own famous Universities, and Foreigners too; that no advantage might be proposed in another Nation, which might not much more happily be obtained in our own. For doubtless this would not only conduce to the greater improvement of our Art by uniting the Theoretic and Practic part of physic so advantageously together, that the Students thereof, whilst they are diligently pursuing the one, might not miss of obtaining the other; having daily so many and great observations afforded them of the treatment and cure of most acute and chronical distempers; but would likewise encourage them to make some considerable progress in one of the main desiderata of Anatomy, by the dissection and careful observation of the situation, shape, colour, connexion, substance, etc. of the Brain, Lungs, Liver, Intestines, etc. in such as died of the Apoplexy, Epilepsy, Consumption, Dropsy, Jaundice, Small pox, Coughs, etc. solicitously examining the preternatural constitution of every part in those and other diseases, in order to the better understanding of the places affected and the conjunct causes (as hath been very worthily intimated by Mr. Oldenburgh, Transaction n. 107. from the advice of that famous Anatomist Bartholinus) whereby much public service might be done to posterity by acquainting the world with an exact observation of so great Anatomic discoveries. And if the famous Doctor Glisson, Willis, Silvius, and some other great men of our Art have merited so much from all learned and ingenious men for commnnicating their private observations upon several morbid bodies; what might be expected from the Members of the College of Physicians? and how much would the world be indebted to them? if (having obtained the approbation and consent of the Governors of our public Hospitals) they would successively take their turns to dissect the bodies of those that died of several diseases therein; and diligently observe not only the different morbid impressions, that were made on the several viscera and habits of body, in those that died of one and the same disease; but likewise of those that died of distinct distempers? How much this might tend to our present and future benefit, I leave to the judgement of others to determine? Only give me leave to say, that I am apt to think that such a design as this managed according to the prudence of the College of Physicians, might not only advance the reputation of so noble a Science in this Nation, that is now endeavoured to be rendered contemptible by the ignorant Empirics of our days; but would give it such a fame throughout Europe; that our own Universities and City of London (as I before mentioned) might not only obtain the preference of others for the speedy advancements that might be made in the Art of Physic, but likewise encourage English men and Foreigners to spend their time amongst us, the advantages and improvements being so much greater here, than elsewhere to be obtained.  
But to proceed in acquainting you with the method of taking Degrees in Leyden, which is after the following manner.  
Whenever any Student hath spent a competent time in that University, or any Foreigner comes over to take his Degree; he first makes his application to the Dean of the Faculty, who examines him one hour in the Theoretic and Practic part of Physic; and if he finds him not well accomplished in either, he interdicts him making any farther progress in order to the taking of a Degree, till he be better fitted for so great an undertaking; but if he gives a full and satisfactory account of his proficiency in both; he is sent to visit the rest of the Professors of that Faculty, who appointing a convenient time, do all meet together and examine him two hours. And if he be then approved, they give him two Aphorisms of Hypocrates to discourse of next day a quarter of an hour; and then they oppose that explication for three quarters of an hour: after this he is to make and print certain Theses upon what subject he pleaseth, which he sends to all the Professors of the University, who meet him at an appointed hour, and are Judges of his abilities in the defence of those Theses against the four Professors of Physic, who each man in his place acts the part of an Opponent till an hour be spent; then is he admitted by the Dean of the Faculty, having obtained the approbation of the Rector Magnificus and the rest of the Professors of the University to the Degree of Doctor, and receiveth their diploma as a testimonial of his due performance of all the forementioned exercises.  
This in short is the manner of taking Degrees privately, but if more publicly; the person that takes his Degree is opposed by Non-graduates in that Faculty in their public Schools, and the Professors of Physic with the rest of the Professors of the University sit by as Judges.  
Now how slight soever Mr. H. hath endeavoured to make the taking of Degrees in foreign Universities, yet for this he is to be commended, that he was as cautious of passing an examination there as he hath been by the College of Physicians in London.  
And as for those ingenious and learned Physicians he reflects upon, p. 19 'tis very well known that several of them have taken their Degrees in our own Universities, and that all of them are ready to pay no small respect and veneration to the College; and were so far from thinking them uncapable Judges of their own Art, that they readily proffered the examination by Collegiate Statutes expected from them; and never had they proposed entering themselves as Honorary Fellows, had not a precedent Act of that Society and encouragement from several of the Members, invited them to it: but after they perceived it ill resented by some and not fairly reported by others; they were so far from encouraging Empirics in their undue, illegal, and destructive practices, that nothing could have proved a greater motive with some of them to incorporate themselves with that honourable and learned Society.     

CHAP. III.  

SECT. 1.  
The third Question was, Whether Physicians educated in Universities, and particularly the College of Physicians in London, have been the great hinderers of the Art of Physic, and more especially that of Chemistry.  
THat I may the more fully and satisfactorily clear this Question, which I esteem to be of the greatest moment betwixt the College of Physicians and these boasting Empirics, I will treat particularly of our Art as it hath reference to these three main Pillars, Anatomy, Chemistry and the Methodus medendi, and show that the College, with those learned and eminent Physicians, who have had their Education in Academies, and are so rudely treated by Mr. H. and his Mercurial Crew, have been so far from being the hinderers of the Art of Physic in the forementioned respects, that they have been the principal, if not sole promoters of it.  

And as to the first, viz. Anatomy.  
Our Adversaries themselves will allow us in this, the pre-eminence, not out of any good nature or modesty; but purely from the too great palpableness of their ignorance herein: which since it hath fallen to their lot not to be versed in, they do what ignorant men use to do with matters of knowledge, viz. take all occasions of contemning and slighting it; whereas it is notoriously known to all men of skill, that the learned and great Physicians of all Ages, who have been the great Improvers of the Faculty, have principally built on this Foundation. This it were easy to prove historically from Aesculapius downwards to Herophilus, Hypocrates, Polybus, Aristotle, Galen, Avicen, etc. which having fully been done by that great ornament of our University of Cambridge, the learned Doctor Walter Needham in the prefatory speech to his last Reading at Chirurgeons-Hall; where he did likewise prove that all the diagnosticks of physic and methods of cure in all Ages have been derived out of Anatomy; and although he allowed Chemistry its due value, yet he did sufficiently evince that Pharmacy itself, of which Chemistry is but a part, made up but one of the pillars by which Physic was supported, Anatomy being the other; I need not insist any longer upon the proof of that; but proceed to acquaint you what hath been done in later Ages; and especially in this, whose happiness in many excellent discoveries hath kindled so ardent a zeal to the completing of that study, that several eminent Physicians have spent years in the consideration and diligent enquiry into particular parts, as witness the most ingenious de Graef, who tells you in his Epistle to that excellent piece of his the succo pancreat. that he was in the search and study of that, from 63 to 66; and since there would be found (saith he) some carping fellows, quorum genius rixis ac compotationibus magis quam cadaverum dissectionibus indulget (a fair and full description of Mr. H's society) qui me ridebunt, quòd tantum temporis hujus investigationi impendam; whose genius more prompting them to scolding and drinking than to the dissecting of dead bodies, will scorn me for spending so much time in the investigation of the pancreatic juice; therefore he resolved to comfort himself with the story of Democritus, and the Abderitae as it is reported in Hypocrates, which the Reader may there find very fully and pertinently quoted.  
And surely he that considers the time that our immortal Doctor Harvey spent upon his books de circulatione sanguinis & generatione animalium, our incomparable Professor Doctor Glisson de Epate, Dr. Wharton, de glandulis, Dr. Willis, de cerebro, Dr. Needham, de formato foetu, Dr. Lower, de cord, belinus, de structurâ renum, &c. cannot imagine that half a years time spent in Anatomy is enough to fit any Physician for practice, as Mr. H. asserts p. 15. Which occasions me to think that if the good man had taken his Degree in some foreign University, the Professors might much more likely have dismissed him with that proverbial encomium than any man I know; accipimus pecuniam & dimittimus asinum: for I can tell him that those learned Professors are so far from embracing that Notion, that they not only have spent great part of their time in acquainting the world with what new Anatomical discoveries they or others have made, but have also resolved, as one of them frankly tells us, quousque vita mihi supererit, è tenebris eruere conabor; & ●um vita defecerit, inquirenda relinquam posteris.  
And whereas Mr. H. is pleased to tell us in the very same page that he is ready to prove, that the Physicians of the College have done nothing in all their Anatomic theatres, which may conduce to better cure.  
Let me tell him that this assertion of his, did put me to a stand to consider, whether his impudence or ignorance were greatest; and truly had not this expression proceeded from a man that is much better acquainted with Stages, and more aptly fitted to act the Mountebank with his Celestial liquor, than those he would advance to that employment, I think he could not have been so rude to treat learned men in their Profession, in so sordid and scurrilous a manner.  
But however I shall undertake to prove for his better information these following assertions.  
1. That something hath been done in Anatomy, both by the Ancients and Moderns, which hath conduced to the better cure of diseases; and then answer their so much cried up objection borrowed out of Celsus, with some reasons mentioned by a late Author in confirmation thereof.  
2. That the Moderns have very much improved the Anatomic part of Physic by their late discoveries; though Mr. H. proffers in public to evidence, that they have done nothing by it worth a straw, beyond what was done by the Ancients; and then vindicate that Noble person M. Boyl, whom he hath so much abused by a false quotation upon this subject, and perverting the sense of that excellent Author.  
3. That the greatest Anatomists and Practisers of our Age are, and have been the greatest Chemists.    

SECT. 2.  
As to the first, Anatomy hath conduced to the better Cure of Diseases.  
ANatomy in general hath so far conduced to the Cure of diseases that it hath laid the foundations of that noble Art; by teaching us the nature and manner of concoctions, excretions and motions of the blood and humours; the true and sound constitution of all the several parts, which being compared with those that have been found in morbid bodies so much deviating from the sound ones, have not only given greater light to the discovery of many diseases formerly unknown, but likewise engaged learned men to a diligent invention of appropriate Medicines most likely to prevent and cure those formerly latent distempers. Who would ever have thought of Cancers, Gangrenes, Inflations and Dropsies of the womb? Inflammations, Ulcers, Scirrhous tumours of the Lungs, Liver, Spleen, Sweetbread, etc. if Anatomy had not discovered them? And as for the doctrine of Pulses, there is no man judicious in our Faculty that will not freely acknowledge, that great Indications are to be taken, both for the exhibition of Medicines, and passing prognostics, from a diligent observation and exploration of them: how easily may we thereby judge of the strength or debility of our Patients? The indications or contraindications for Cordials, Juleps, Phlebotomy, Purgation, etc. All which are of no small moment to the better cure of diseases; but how was it possible to deliver any artificial rules concerning them, till the structure of the Heart and Arteries was understood? And therefore it is that Pliny doth deliver an account of the original of this skill, which he derives from Herophilus that great Anatomist, concerning whom he saith, quod Arteriarum pulsum in modulos certos legesque metricas primus redegerit, ejusque varietates edocuerit, as was more fully observed in the forementioned speech of the learned Dr. W. Needham.  
And though Mr. H. was so confident as to tell us, that nothing hath been done of late by Anatomy which may conduce to better cure; give me leave to acquaint him with some discoveries which may fully evert this so ignorant and ridiculous assertion:  
As for instance; since the discharge of the Liver from its sanguifying office, and affixing sanguification to the vital spirits residing in the blood; it hath been clearly demonstrated that most diseases do derive their original from some ill affections of the mass of blood, and not from the morbid constitution of the viscera, (which are parts usually but secondarily affected) whereupon our remedies that have been primarily indicated, have had their chief respect to the reduction of the blood to its due and native Crasis; and not to the application of Topics, to those parts which never give the first occasion to the forementioned dyscrasy; for these are generally in their healthful, genuine state, until the sanguineous mass doth affix some preternatural recrements upon them: wherefore the application of Epithemes, unguents, emplasters, etc. are sound in several of the foremention'd cases not so serviceable as was formerly thought; as particularly in those diseases which were believed to derive their original from a calida Epatis intemperies; the primary cure of which depends upon the discharge of those bilious or sulphureous parts of the blood, by venae-section which are too luxuriant therein; or else upon the reduction of them to their pristine state, by internal and appropriate remedies; and not upon Topical applications. I might farther discourse of Dropsies, Scurvy, and other distempers of the like nature; which were imagined to derive their original from the viscera, but that the judicious Reader by considering that one case I mentioned, may easily be induced to believe that in these also the blood and not the viscera is the primary seat of the disease.  
I could likewise inform Mr. H. of the great advantages that might accrue to Physic by that excellent discovery of the circulation of the Chyle with the mass of blood; it being well known that blood appearing with its Chyle swimming upon it, hath till of late days been taken as Sanious; and consequently the person from whose arm it hath been drawn, being possessed with the fancy of a Surfeit, may have put himself upon methods of physic to cure a fictitious disease, and thereby laid a foundation for a real one.  
And doubtless not only this, but many other late Anatomic discoveries might tend very much to the better cure of diseases; as for instance, the commixture of the air with the mass of blood, which hath been experimented so absolutely necessary to the maintaining of Animal life; that neither the motion of the blood nor spirits could be preserved without its continual supply; nay though some time their motion hath been impeded; yet upon a fresh and speedy communication of air to the Heart and blood, they have both recovered their pristine state. Which puts me in mind of two excellent observations to this purpose intimated by the ingenious Doctor Thruston in his Treatise the respiratione; who there tells us of an experiment of that accomplished Physician and accurate Anatomist Doctor Croon, who stifling a Chicken till she seemed quite dead, yet a good while after by blowing air into the Lungs revived it.  
The second was an experiment performed by the no less accurate Anatomist, Doctor Needham, who in a dog dead and opened, after all cessations of pulse, recovered the motion of the heart merely by blowing up air into the receptacle of the Chyle, which from thence by its ductus was transmitted into the mass of blood.  
Now doubtless from these experiments, and others of the like nature, much might be collected for the improvement of the practic part of our Art; especially in those cases, where we are apt to be too severe in keeping our Patients from those reviving gusts of air, which probably might tend much more to the depuration of the blood and refreshment of the animal spirits, than the greatest Cordials that could have been exhibited. Which puts me in mind of what great relief I have seen instantly given to Hysterical Patients in acute diseases by allowing them fresh gales of air.  
And no less to a young Gentleman in a deep Consumption, who was speedily and even to the wonder of all that knew him, recovered to a healthful state by riding five or sixscore miles into the country to take the Air.  
And within these few days discoursing with the learned Doctor Bradey, Master of Caius College in Cambridge, and an eminent practiser in this Town, upon this subject; he was pleased to acquaint me with a very notable observation in confirmation of this assertion, viz. in a Patient of his, who being very highly Asthmatick and Hysterick, and thereby necessitated to keep her bed six winters together, found constant and speedy relief in the paroxysms of the foremention'd distempers, by undrawing the curtains of her bed, putting out the fire in her chamber, and letting in air; and that which was very remarkable, was, that in the greatest of her extremities, if the wind lay in the window, and the casements were opened, she found so great advantage thereby, that not content with what passage Nature had made in her nostrils for air, she would dilate them with her fingers, that it might be more plentifully conveyed to her Lungs.  
Which truly is not so much to be wondered at, seeing the Atmosphere is so highly impregnated with nitrous particles, which as the Lord Bacon hath well observed, are the only refrigerating Cordials that can be exhibited.  
And surely if the motion and florid colour of the Arterial blood do so much depend upon a due commixture of the air; and many diseases and sudden deaths are occasioned by too great a crassitude, roapiness and coagulation of the blood; how much might the free admission of air into the rooms of sick and diseased Patients, and it may be (where we durst not allow of their rising) the bare suction of it by some artificial pipe contrived for that purpose, tend to their more easy and speedy recovery?  
And if in high Fevers, deliriums, etc. that excellent Physician Riverius would direct the strowing the Patient's chambers with green herbs, and pouring water out of one tub or pail into another; surely these late experiments may encourage us in several cases to admit of fresh gales of air into those Patient's chambers, who are almost parched up or suffocated for want thereof.  
And truly if we consider how many fair and beautiful Ladies, in the prime and flower of their years, are precipitated into Phthisicks and Consumptions, from being too closely mewed up with their near relations, lying sick of those distempers; and how many of those afflicted with them, are rendered incurable, and sometimes speedily destroyed by the inspiration of air so highly vitiated from their own morbid expirations; I cannot imagine but the most ingenious Physicians will allow me, that great improvements might be made hereby for the better cure of diseases, if we were as diligent in observation as we have been in speculation, which otherwise is really no better, than (as our adversaries term it) the ornamental part of physic.  
But now 'tis high time to answer their cried up objection taken out of Celsus, which is as a late Author hath told us in plain English.  
That nothing is more foolish than to imagine that things within a man should be in the same state when he is dying, as they were when he was living; much more when he is actually dead; for, saith he, most diseases lying in the variations of blood and humours, spirits and ferments of the parts are causes remote from such ocular inspection. And that nothing certain can be concluded from the stagnation of blood or other humours found in any place or passage of the body after death, is evident in this, that nature upon deaths approach being driven to most violent motions, does extravasate, intravasate, throw blood and humours in and out, here and there, and every where, Cap-a-pee, through the most abstruse and unperceivable passages; so that if stagnant or coagulated blood, or other humours, be found in any part by anatomising, it cannot be concluded it was so before death.  
Thus far hath that ingenious Author endeavoured to defend so ill a cause; which endeavours had they been employed to better purposes, I doubt not but he might have been more serviceable to himself and the Commonwealth of learning.  
But seeing his inclinations have engaged him to different apprehensions, I hope he will pardon us that we refuse to give him our assent to what he hath yet writ on this subject; unless his reasons were more cogent or prevailing.  
For I would gladly have this Author acquaint us, what alteration is made in the body of a healthful man, when he dyeth of a violent death as to those things which we inquire after; I mean as to the viscera and solid parts: do they lose any thing of their figure, connexion, proportion? etc. I confess that they are something altered as to their colour, but I hope we may satisfy ourselves as to the reason of that mutation. Which of the vessels do we then find wanting? The lacteals we acknowledge do then disappear, and the Lymphaticks too some time after death, but the defect of these, vivi-section will supply.  
And as for the rest of the humours (the blood excepted) they receive no great alteration in death, as witness the gall, urine, Lympha, etc. And as for the blood itself, I hope we may observe both it and its motion in the dissection of living Animals, and I am sure we may discover its passages even in dead bodies, by injections.  
And what though we readily allow, that most diseases lie in the variation of the blood and humours, spirits and ferments; yet our Antagonist himself is willing to grant us, that the morbid impressions they make upon the several viscera are visible enough; and so are the blood and humours no less in some diseases, though he is pleased to assert that they are causes remote from ocular inspection; as witness the inflammatory blood that is usually drawn from the arms of Patients in Rheumatisms, Quinsies, Pleurisies, etc.  
And for the humours, there is enough to be found for the proof thereof in Silvius and de Graef, who have acquainted the world with what a variety of diseases do owe their original to the preternatural affections of the bile, pituita, Lymphatic liquor and pancreatic juice, all which may easily be obtained, and that in some considerable quantity, in living and dead, in sound and morbid bodies.  
And as for what is said of the extravasation and intravasation; throwing blood and humours in and out, here and there and every where, Cap-a-pee, through the most abstruse and unperceivable passages in deaths approaches.  
I must confess that I do not well understand this notion, till the Author hath better cleared it: for according to my apprehension the impetuous and disorderly motion that he would fancy the humours to be in at such a time, should be so far from directing them into those unperceivable passages, that it should altogether hinder their motion through those fictitious Meanders.  
And farther let him give me leave to tell him, that I am not of his belief that the blood and humours are then in such an impetuous motion; the languid pulses of most dying persons affording us a sufficient argument to the contrary; and for my own part (with submission to better judgements) I am apt to think that the disorder that is observed in the body upon the approaches of death, doth chiefly proceed from the tumult of the Animal spirits, which are put into those disorders and irregular motions for want of a due supply of influential spirits, from the mass of blood; which alas! at that time is so far from being endued with such volatile and luxuriant parts to occasion this motion, that I take it not only to be perverted in its whole crasis, but a weak, confused, and depauperated liquor.  
And farther as to what is said of extravasation and intravasation in deaths approaches, 'tis as difficult to believe as all the former, seeing that upon the point of death we rarely observe maculae or exanthemata, etc. to appear, but usually in the beginning or augmentation of pestilential or malignant diseases; and if at that nick of time, there should be any appearance of extravasated blood, 'tis as improbable to believe, that it should be again resorbed for the reasons abovementioned.  
And for what he saith, that if stagnant or coagulated blood or other humours be found in any part by anatomising, it cannot be concluded it was so before death.  
I judge it as difficult to imagine as all the rest; for what should hinder my assent from believing that there was a great quantity of aqueous humours in the bodies of Hydropical persons whilst alive, their bellies being so tense and swelled, though I do not actually see it, till my knife discovers it?  
And thus if we find the Cystick ductus wholly obstructed by any calculous concretion or viscid bile, so that the gall being replete and turgid can receive no more of its felleous liquor from the blood; which wanting its due separation and discharge, doth gradually so load and saturate it, that it doth not only pervert its constituent principles and the animal spirits originated from them, but procure the patient's death; shall I question whether this obstruction of the ductus and distension of the gall, were thus whilst the patient was living?  
And thus suppose upon some sudden rupture or erosion of any of the vessels of the inward parts, there should be a great discharge of blood into the brain, thorax or abdomen, and the patient immediately die, shall I question whether this breach was there, or blood extravasated before death ensued?  
Much more might be said to this purpose, but I shall now proceed no farther in an Anatomical reply to this Author; but only crave leave to tell him, that he hath done his Chemical friends little service in this harangue against Anatomy; for since the spagyrical Analysis of bodies is made by fire and menstrua; 'tis notoriously known that they are so much altered thereby, that such divisions do not so much explicate parts as destroy them; or at least to use Helmont's expression, convert them in alia entia. Whereas the Anatomist doth only by wary incisions still discover the more inward parts as whole and unchanged as may be: and when he cometh to dissect any particular part, as the Liver, Spleen, etc. he first vieweth what he intendeth to dissect, and still proceeds leisurely to observe the inward vessels, etc. upon their first appearance, whilst they are yet whole; he never injuring any thing with his knife, till having sufficiently considered it, he thinks fit to destroy it in order to some future discovery of what is beyond it.  
And to conclude, I appeal to any judicious man, whether with a curious knife he may not discover more of an Animal than he can by Chemical preparation.  

The second thing that I undertook to prove was this:  
That the Moderns had very much improved the Anatomic part of physic by their late discoveries, etc.  
For the clearing of this assertion I need not take much pains, seeing 'tis well known to most of our Faculty that there hath been a more satisfactory and true account given to the world of the constitution, structure and nutrition of humane bodies, etc. witness that excellent and full account which Doctor Harvey hath acquainted the world withal in his Treatise the generatione Animalium: what service hath he done to the public by that surprising and admirable discovery of the circulation of the blood, which hath since been universally embraced, and given him so great a name throughout the world? What service hath the incomparable Dr. Glisson done our Faculty in giving us a more faithful account of the nature of sanguification, bilification, separation of Urine and other humours from the mass of blood, etc. Doctor Willis of nutrition, generation and separation of the succus nervosus and Animal spirits, with their preternatural affections? How lame and imperfect was our former knowledge of the nature of the saliva and other juices that are conveyed into the mouth, together with their passages; until our famous countryman Doctor Wharton, and of late the learned Steno have given so full an account of them? Although I am credibly informed, that the world is chiefly indebted to the industry of that great Anatomist Doctor Walter Needham, for these later discoveries. Who ever dreamt that the Lungs consisted only of vessels and bladders? that the Liver, Spleen and Reins were conglomerate glandules, until that expert Anatomist and great Naturalist Malpighius acquainted us therewith? Who ever imagined that the Testicles of the male should only be a conglomeration of vessels; and the female Testicles, Ovaries, until the industrious and learned de Graef discovered it? Who ever instructed us well as to the operation of Cathartick medicines in humane bodies; or as to the reason of the different colours of the excrements that are observed to be evacuated by them, until that great Anatomical light Sir G. Ent the Precedent and Ornament of the College of Physicians? whose learned Pen did likewise in those early times both defend and illustrate the Circulation of the blood in that excellent Apology he made for it against Parisanus; and not only so, but start many other novel doctrines to which we owe many of the more modern Hypotheses; which notwithstanding had never been improved to that height they are now come to, had not he by the forementioned book, and by his frequent communications to his Philosophical friends given many hints which occasioned excellent discoveries, of which that of the succus nervosus is not the least, which how far it owneth him for the Author Doctor Glisson doth sufficiently witness in his learned Treatise de Epate.  
And for the true conveyance of the Chyle into the mass of blood, which of the Ancients were acquainted there with? 'Tis true, they owned its discharge through the Meseraick veins into the Liver; but were as ignorant of its true passage into the blood, as they were of giving us any clear demonstration of the commixture of the air therewith, which notwithstanding they taught in their Schools as an Ens rationis, having no experimental proof for the truth of this assertion.  
How much then is the world beholden to the great industry and indefatigable pains of that great Anatomist Doctor Lower, who in that incomparable book of his the Cord (one of the most fertile for clear satisfactory and experimental demonstration, that ever yet hath been printed) hath not only more plainly evinced the true passage of the Chyle through its lacteals, receptacle, and chyliferous ducts, than formerly; but as unanswerably demonstrated that there can be no other, by which it should have its discharge into the mass of blood? And if the Reader pleaseth to peruse those experiments of his, whereby he hath as satisfactorily proved the commixture of the nitrous particles of the air with the mass of blood, he may find them as clear and demonstrative as the former.  
And though the circulation of the blood was happily discovered by the great Doctor Harvey, yet the velocity of its motion and circulation, was never so clearly and fully evinced as it hath been by Doctor Lower: and how much this may tend to the clearing up of several of the dark and obscure phaenomena of nature; as the speedy passage of liquors from the stomach to the reins, etc. I leave to the ingenious of our Faculty to determine? And doubtless great service he hath done us, in clearing out the nature, origination, conveyance and separation of milk in the breasts of women; a doctrine so much controverted in former ages. And no less service have the learned Doctor Walter Needham and Doctor Lower done us, in their experimental demonstrations of the circulation of the Chyle with the mass of blood some hours before its assimilation: which discovery with many (if not all) of the former, are to be admired, not only for the truth and excellency of their invention, but for their great usefulness in physic, as I have before mentioned.  
Wherefore 'tis apparent that these discoveries have not only tended to the better cure of diseases (as I lately proved) but have likewise been very advantageous in affording us more useful Hypotheses in physic; for our principles having been more certain and demonstrative, it were very unreasonable to conceive that our foundations should not be more firmly laid than the Ancients, who were not acquainted with the distribution and natural motions of the nutritious humour, blood, nervous and Lymphatic liquors, etc.  
Since the investigation of which the world hath been made happy with the excellent writings both of foreigners and our own countrymen.  
One of which (I mean the learned Doctor Willis) hath satisfied the world so well with his excellent and surpassing abilities in that kind, that his Name as well as his writings will be admired both in our own and succeedings ages.  
And if (as Noble Mr. Boyl hath acquainted us) Pythagoras, Democritus, Plato, and divers others of those (whose wisdom made after Ages reverence Antiquity) did not only esteem the truths of Nature worth studying for, but thought them too worth travelling for, as far as those Eastern countries, whose wise men were then cried up for the best Expositors of the obscure book of Nature:  
How much reason than have we and the learned world, to bewail our unhappiness in the loss of one of the greatest and clearest Commentators thereon?  
Witness that ingenious explication of the phaenomena of those stupendous cases he acquaints us with in his book de morbis convulsivis, etc. and though he frankly confesseth that in his explication of the theory of diseases, he doth not tread in the footsteps of the Ancients, but his Hypotheses are altogether new; yet saith that learned Author, they are such, quae super observatis Anatomicis fundatae, ac firmiter stabilitae; aegrotantium phaenomena quaeque melius solvunt, symptomatum causas aptius declarant, & medendi rationes unicuique affectui magis accommodas suggerunt; Which being more firmly founded and established upon Anatomical observations, do better solve the phaenomena of the sick, more aptly discover the causes of their symptoms, and suggest more appropriate methods for the cure of every affection.  
And though Silvius his Hypothesis hath not been so universally embraced by our English Physicians, yet in foreign parts it hath met with no less acceptance from the most learned and judicious of our Faculty, than the forementioned; his Ternary of humours being questioned by none of the Anatomists of our days; from the depravation and exorbitancy of which, he would derive all the preternatural affections of humane bodies; but however, whether his Hypothesis be true or not, 'tis known very well to his friends and enemies too, that his success in practice hath given him a reputation not only in the Low Countries, but amongst most of the learned men in Europe.  
Which hath occasioned your worthy friend M. N. to acknowledge that he hath done the world more service towards the promotion of the Art of Physic, than ever any man did before him in the United Provinces: and how kind and generous he hath formerly been to Doctor Willis, in acquainting all the learned of our Faculty, how much they were indebted to him for that excellent Treatise of his de febribus, I shall have occasion ere long to acquaint them with.  
But if all this will not satisfy Mr. H. of the improvements that our Moderns have made, whereby they have done something more worth than a straw, beyond what the Ancients have done, I would advise him to read over what I have discoursed of in the precedent particular; and what he may find in the latter part of that Section which treats of Chemistry; and if he can spare so much time from his quacking avocations, I would recommend to his serious perusal that excellent book of Doctor Lower's, called Pyretologia Willisiana; which was written against his countryman Meara upon this very matter of contest between myself and him; (which having been printed in the same year that his beloved friend's was printed in, and received no answer to it from its most avowed Adversaries for eleven years; methinks it should be owned for a much more unanswerable book than M. N's. which hath had four satisfactory answers already to it) whereby I should be in some hopes that he might happily be reduced to his wits again, which were unfortunately lost when he wrote this scandalous Pamphlet against the College of Physicians, though he spared not for pen, ink nor paper.  
And though Mr. H. and some others of his acquaintance would seem to commend the Ancients by this assertion; that our late Anatomists have done nothing by Anatomy worth a straw, beyond what was done by the Ancients; I take it to be, not out of judgement or skill in them, of which they are generally ignorant; much less out of love to them, whom they contemn as oft as they are thwarted by them; as witness the principal if not sole design of the forementioned book Mr. H. so highly commends, which tells us, that we must proceed by other definitions of the nature of diseases, and indagations of their causes, and invent other remedies and reasons and rules of curation, than what have been delivered by the Ancients, and not confine ourselves to their conceptions, aphorisms and inventions, &c and chargeth the Aristotelians and Galenists for superstitious devotion to their old heathenish authors; and their Sectators as drones of the old methodical Hive; that practice in the ordinary dog-road of Physic, and therefore calls them, the herd of vulgar Methodists; and the old way of practice, lazy; its principles dull, and the bane of our profession, etc. which is a plain demonstration that Mr. H. in this assertion did only use the Ancients as an engine to pull down modern discoveries.  
Whereas we profess ourselves to have a great respect and veneration for them, as having done great things in Physic in their times, for which we and our posterity will own ourselves highly obliged, and readily allow the great honour that was due to their names: yet are we not so superstitious as to believe all their doctrines as infallible, or that they had searched so fully into Nature's mysteries, that nothing was left to future industry to discover; and therefore I will be bold to say, that though there hath been so great pains, and much more than I can acquaint the world with, taken to investigate the nature of humane bodies, with the several juices and ferments that are lodged in them, yet many things belonging to them are yet unobserved, and others so obscurely and dissatisfactorily delivered; as may still lay an obligation upon all the ingenious of our Faculty to diligent search and enquiry.  
Amongst the number of which I esteem the ferment of the stomach, of which I must confess much more hath been ingeniously wrote than demonstratively proved: some conceiving digestion to be caused by heat, others by an acid humour from the Spleen; which last opinion hath justly been exploded by our later Anatomists, by reason there are no passages to be found, by which this humour may be conveyed from the Spleen into the stomach, and therefore others have asserted it to have its passage through the gastrick Arteries, and its supply from the mass of blood, and some from the Nerves; the Sylvians have asserted that this Stomachical ferment proceeds from the saliva commixed with our aliment in deglutition and conveyed into the stomach: and Doctor Willis (of late) from the reliquiae Chyli turned sour like leven, and preserved in the stomach, which being mixed there with a spirituous liquor, conveyed from the Arteries, doth not by dissolution alone, but also by fermentation convert our Aliment into a homogeneous Chyle.  
But notwithstanding all these ingenious conjectures, I must confess that I am no ways satisfied with them, having never observed any fermentation betwixt the contents of the stomach and lixivial, or volatile Alkalies; which puts me in mind of what that great Philosopher Mr. boil hath said to this purpose in the usefulness of his experimental Philosophy, who there tells us, that he hath fruitlessly endeavoured to discover the stomachical acidity, to which many of our modern Physicians are pleased to ascribe the first digestion of the nutriment of Animals, in the purposely dissected stomaches of ravenous Sea-fish; in whose stomaches though our taste could not perceive any sensible acidity, yet we found in one of them a couple of fishes each of them about a foot long, whereof the one, which seemed but to have been newly devoured, had suffered little or no alteration in the great fishes stomach: but the other had all its outside, save the head, uniformly wasted to a pretty depth beneath the former surface of the body, and looked as if it had not been boiled or wrought upon by any considerable heat; but uniformly corroded like a piece of silver coin in Aqua fortis.  
And truly I must be so free to acknowledge to the world, that from these and some other reasons, I began to question the existence of the forementioned ferments; and could not therefore forbear to propose to myself some methods, whereby I might obtain a greater satisfaction and certainty in this so great yet controverted subject, and have therefore already made some progress in it; but there being so great a number of experiments required to a faithful and due investigation of it; I durst not deliver my opinion herein, till unerring experiments and not conjectures shall encourage me to it.  
In the mean time I am sure that all ingenious men will allow me, that many things in our Art may still be discovered by future industry; which occasioned the learned de Graef to use this expression, quod post mille secula indefessis naturae scrutatoribus quaedam invenienda sunt, that after a thousand ages some things will be found out by the diligent and indefatigable searchers of nature: and therefore I think we have more reason to be sorry that no more hath been done in Anatomical discoveries, than to quarrel with men for knowing and doing so much.  
But now 'tis high time to acquaint the world how unworthily and injuriously Mr. H. and some other of his friends have treated that great improver of learning and encourager of all Arts and Sciences, the honourable Mr. boil. The occasion of his quoting him, you may find p. 15. where having told us that Anatomy is, the last part Physicians have to play, or trick to show, to entertain Spectators and amuse the world, to uphold some repute among such as are ignorant, and draw on customers; so that it is wonderful to see how many, even of the nobility and gentry as well as the citizens, are taken by this sort of trick, the mock-shews of pretended discovery by Anatomy; he endeavours to confirm this theatrical harangue against that noble Art by the following quotation. But how little is to be expected from such Actors, that Honourable Gentleman Mr. Boyl tells you, in his book of experimental Philosophy, where he saith, he doth not see wherein by any of those new discoveries, any thing hath been done, to better the cure of diseases, and then adds, you may take his word.  
Now how unjustly he hath abused that noble Author, not only in the unfaithful representing his design, for which he there discoursed of Anatomical discoveries, but likewise in the false quoting of that passage, that it might serve his purpose; you may observe in the following account; if you please to consult Mr. Boyles second part of the usefulness of experimental Philosophy, p. 222, 223. where dissuading from the neglect of useful remedies, because presented by persons that ignore them, and perhaps too, hold opinions contrary to them, he leaves the Reader, to consider what is in the person of the Empirical sect represented by Celsus, which you may there read; and then tells you, that though this sentence ascribes too little to reason, yet there is something in it that deserves to be considered, especially since we observe not that the late Anatomical discoveries of the motions of the Chyle & Lymphatic liquor, by formerly unknown ways in newly detected vessels, hath yet made men cure diseases much better than before. Not that I think that Anatomical & Pathological discoveries will not in process of time, (when the Historia facti, shall be fully and indisputably made out, and the Theories thereby suggested clearly established) highly conduce to the improvement of the Therapeutical part of physic; but yet this observation may make it the more reasonable to beware of relying so much upon the yet disputable opinions of Physicians, as to despise all practices, though usually successful, that agree not with them.  
Thus have I faithfully and fully transcribed what that Noble person hath said of this subject, that all Physicians may take notice how unworthily he is treated by the Empirics of our days, who are as much pleased with any passage they can meet with in that excellent Author, which they fancy may be made serviceable to their designs, as they have been with their confutation of the learned Doctor Willis in the title pages of their books; but I hope that none of our Faculty will ever give credit to any quotation of theirs, without a due examination of the Author's design: for 'tis plain by this account that I have given of Mr. Boyles quotation, that he hath been so far from discoursing against Anatomy, that he hath spoken as much in the favour thereof as any of our Moderns would have done; and therefore, as if he had foreseen this vile sort of men, that would abuse these excellent passages, he wrote them with so much caution, that one could have scarcely imagined, that a man who pretends to cure the poor members of Jesus freely for his sake, durst have been guilty of such apparent and malicious falsehoods, and that to maintain so bad a cause.  
I shall therefore for the prevention of these Empirics for the future from quoting any passages out of Mr. Boyl against Anatomy, acquaint the world out of this very book, what a great honour and veneration he hath for this noble Art; where you may find in the first part of it, p. 5. that telling us, that one would think that the conversing with dead and stinking carcases (that are not only hideous objects in themselves, but made more ghastly by putting us in mind that ourselves must be such) should be not only a very melancholy, but a very hated employment. And yet, saith he, there are Anatomists that dote upon it. And I confess its instructiveness hath not only so reconciled me to it, but so enamoured me of it, that I have often spent hours much less delightfully, not only in Courts, but even in Libraries, than in tracing in those forsaken Mansions, the inimitable workmanship of the Omniscient Architect.  
And in p. 9 he tells us, that, were we not lulled asleep by custom or sensuality, it could not but trouble as well as it injures a reasonable soul to ignore the structure and contrivance of that admirably organised body, in which she lives, and to whose intervention she owes the knowledge she hath of other Creatures.  
And in the second part of the same book, p. 9 he positively asserts, that since divers things in Anatomy, as particularly the motion of the blood and Chyle cannot be discovered in a dead dissected body (where the cold hath shut up and obliterated many passages) that may be seen in one opened alive; it must be very advantageous to a Physicians Anatomical knowledge, to see the dissections of Dogs, Swine and other live creatures; which puts me in mind of what a very learned Physician ingeniously observed, that Dogs, Pigs, and Monkeys, have contributed more to the advancement of Physic, than this sort of men ever did or are like to do.  
But to proceed in a further account of the great estimation that this noble Author had for Anatomy, which you may find in p. 46. of the same book, where he tells you, that not only the dissections of sound beasts may assist the Physician to discover the like parts of a humane body, but the dissection of morbid beasts may sometimes illustrate the doctrine of the causes and seats of diseases. For that this part of Pathology has been very much improved by the diligence of modern Physicians, by dissecting the bodies of men killed by diseases, we might justly be accused of want of curiosity or gratitude, if we did not thankfully acknowledge; for indeed much of that improvement of Physic (for which the Ancients, were they now alive, might envy our new Physicians) may, in my poor opinion, be ascribed to our industrious scrutiny of the seat and effects of the peccant matter of diseases in the bodies of those that have been destroyed by them. And in the same page he blames the acute Helmont for not having been a more diligent dissector of beasts.  
And in the following page he tell us, that here we may also consider, that there are divers explications of particular diseases, or troublesome accidents proposed by Physicians, especially since the discovery of the blood's circulation, wherein the compression, obstruction, or irritation of some Nerve, or distension of some Vein by too much blood, or some hindrance of the free passage of the blood through this or that particular Vessel, is assigned for the cause of this or that disease or symptom; Now in divers of these cases the liberty lately mentioned, that a skilful Dissector may take in beasts, to open the body or limbs, to make Ligatures strong or weak on their Vessels or other inward parts, as occasion shall require, to leave them there as long as he pleaseth, to prick or apply sharp liquors to any Nervous or Membranous part, and whenever he thinks convenient, to dissect the Animal again, to observe what change his experiment hath produced there: Such a liberty, I say, which is not to be taken in humane bodies, may in some case either confirm or confute the Theories proposed, and so put an end to divers Pathological controversies, and perhaps too, occasion the discovery of the true and genuine causes of the phaenomena disputed of, or of others really as abstruse.  
Now, pray Mr. H. can any unprejudiced or impartial person read this account Mr. boil hath given of his estimation for Anatomy, and yet believe that little is to be expected from it, and that he doth not see wherein by any of those new discoveries, any thing hath been done to better the cure of diseases? I am apt to think he cannot; and if so, what reason hath Mr. H. to peruse these passages with blushing Cheeks (if he hath either ingenuity or modesty left him) and come and supplicate pardon of that Noble person, for that injury he hath done him in public print?  
The third Assertion was this,   

That the greatest Anatomists and Practisers of our Age have been the greatest Chemists.  
For the proof of this, I need not take any great pains; seeing two of our latest Anatomists and greatest Practisers may afford us so clear a testimony to the truth of this Assertion, I mean the eminently learned Doctor Willis and Silvius; both which excellent Physicians have obtained an universal reputation throughout the world, for their admirable accomplishments in the Anatomic and practic part of Physic; and how highly they did esteem of Anatomy, their great industry and pains therein, with their learned writings drawn from that fountain, will sufficiently testify to all posterity; witness that incomparable book of Doctor Willis de Cerebro, with what he hath wrote the ventriculo, intestinis & pulmonibus; and Silvius his disputationes Medicae; and though a friend of Mr. H. would persuade us that Silvius his doctrines had not their rise from Academies, but from his own and others Laboratories; yet I believe he will scarcely be credited by any ingenious Physician, that hath been conversant in his writings; for 'tis plain that Anatomy not Chemistry laid the first foundation of his Ternary of humours; by which he and his Disciples ever since have endeavoured, not only to explicate the phaenomena of all distempers; but as strenuously to defend.  
And for Dr. Willis, he hath plainly told us that his Pathological discourses are established upon Anatomical observations.  
Now that both these great men were not meanly versed in the Spagyrical Art, I am sure your unanswerable friend will allow us; for as to the latter he hath told us, that he raised most of his doctrines from Chemical experiments, and verified them with pleasant and speedy cures, by joining the use of plants and minerals together, both Chemically prepared, which hath rendered him worthy the reading and imitating; and farther saith, that the forementioned doctrines had not their rise from the Ancients, but most of them from Laboratories of his own and others, wrought out of the fire for near forty years together, and confirmed by constant practice among the sick; in which work of curing he excelled all his Fellows in the most difficult cases.  
And as to the former, he hath acknowledged to the world eleven years agone in public print, that he was a Physician indeed and Philosopher by fire.  
The third I shall here name, is that profound Chemist Borrichius, whose affection to Anatomy hath been so great and surpassing; that he hath been so far from thinking a year or half a years study sufficient for its attainment; that he hath not only spent vast pains and labour in the dissection of humane bodies, but hath expressed even the greatest curiosity of any one in our Age for the advancement of our Art by Anatomic discoveries; and so far was this generous soul, from esteeming it an honour for Paracelsus (whom I hope Mr. H. will own for a Chemist) to be thought an adversary to Anatomy; that his learned Pen hath been particularly engaged to vindicate him from that aspersion so unjustly cast upon him by Conringius; and therefore he acquaints the world with Paracelsus his great industry in the dissection of several Animals; and gives this following account of that great estimation, that famous Chemist had for Anatomy, out of his own works; which making much to our present purpose I shall crave leave to transcribe.  
And first, in his fragment, de peste, he tells us, that Paracelsus taught, Vulnerum curam ex partium laesarum naturâ cognoscendam; that the cure of wounds was to be obtained from understanding the nature of the parts affected. In his 11. Book de morbis verm. he asserts, ex Anatome constare, vermes quandoque piam duramque matrem pertudisse & profectam inde phrenesin, vermes item in spleen, felle, & pulmonibus genitos, That it doth appear from Anatomy, that Worms have sometimes made their passage through the membranes of the Brain, and from thence a Frenzy hath been occasioned; and also, that Worms have been generated in the Spleen, Gall, and Lungs.  
And in his Book, de vit. long. cap. 11. principio, inquit, considerantur partes ejus, & hae ex locali Anatomiâ per locum totius physici corporis, cum intellectu medullarum, conditionum, usus ligamentorum, formarum ossium, & cartilaginis, nervorum, carnis proprietatum, septemque principalium membrorum virtutum, ut quid acturus sis in physico, teipsum intelligas ad hanc regulam; principio oportet probè cognitam habeamus universam rationem atque naturam cum physici corporis, tum physicae vitae: In the beginning, saith he, are to be considered the parts, and these from local Anatomy, through the several parts of a natural body, with an understanding of the nature of medullary juices, of embalmings, use of the ligaments, shape of the bones, cartilages and nerves, properties of the flesh, offices of the seven principal members; that whatever thou dost in physical bodies, thou mayest understand thyself according to this rule; in the beginning it behoves us that we well understand the universal constitution and nature as well of a natural body as a natural life.  
And further, saith Borrichius, I think it will appear how great Paracelsus was in the Anatomy of beasts from his Book, de pestilit. tract. 1. where he saith, contemplare leonem & felem, quam omninò Anatome docet utrumque formâ & habitu omni corporis invicem convenire: contemplate the Lion and Cat, which Anatomy doth teach to be alike in the form and habit of their bodies. And in his History of the Lion; feles, inquit, tam insignem habent conformationem cum leonibus, ut fundamentum quasi habere videatur fabula in Alcorano inventa, ubi narratur, quod felis in arcâ prognata sit ex sternutatione leonis. Cats, saith he, have such an exact conformity with Lions, that the fable invented in the Alcoran may seem to have its foundation from this, which tells you, that the Cat was generated in the Ark from the sneezing of the Lion. Nay further, in his Book de ulceribus gallicis, prolix probat usum genuinae Anatomes; he largely demonstrates the use of genuine Anatomy; and so far was Paracelsus from being an Adversary to this excellent Art, that Borrichius tells us, quod scripta Paracelsi fatentur ex Anatomiâ cujusvis medici initium & finem esse, that the writings of Paracelsus do testify that the beginning and end of every Physician is from Anatomy: and to conclude, he gives us this character of that great Chemist, quod progressus est in Anatome ultra vulgatas Anatomicorum metas, that his proficiency and excellency was such in Anatomy, that he exceeded the ordinary attainments of Anatomists.  
Now having thus brought so great a testimony for Anatomy out of the works of the greatest and most applauded Chemists of former Ages and of our own too; I hope Mr. H. will not be so bold for the future, as to speak so contemptibly against that noble Art; And lest he should suspect by this commendation of Paracelsus for Anatomy, that Borrichius was a man who gave not Chemistry its just value and due; let me recommend to his perusal those two incomparable books that he hath wrote of that subject, the one de ortu & progressu Chymiae; the other Hermetis, Aegyptiorum & Chymicorum sapientia ab Hermanni Conringii animadversionibus vindicata; whereby he must be necessitated to own him; not only as a profound Chemist, understanding the rise, progress, and nature of that Art better than himself and all his companions; but as Master of greater Arcana in Chemistry than any they can reasonably pretend to; yea so great an Antiquary and universal Scholar hath he approved himself by the foremention'd books, that his learning and worth will be had in estimation by our own and succeeding ages.  
I might further acquaint Mr. H. with the ingenious Doctor Daniel Cox, a man better versed in the Art of Chemistry, than any of Mr. H's Society; and yet so far from being an Adversary to Anatomy, that he hath publicly told the world, that no Physician, who hath any spark of curiosity or sense of his duty, but will endeavour to acquaint himself with these great processes of Nature, the preparation of the food, its distribution; respiration, muscular motion, and generation; to which we may add the exclusion of what is useless or burdensome: and then he can be no longer a stranger to her regular actings, and knows what are most likely to continue them such without interruption: but to attain this knowledge, the Physician must be at the expense of much money, time and labour, this skill not coming by inspiration, but is the result of innumerable experiments and observations, and therefore one dissection of a dead man is not sufficient to inform him, but he converseth with many other Animals living or dead, whereon he makes numerous experiments, which by Analogy and induction he applies to man.  
Now that this ingenious Physician is no less acquainted with Chemical processes, than Anatomical dissections, I might easily prove by what he hath already acquainted the world withal, as to the great industry and pains that he hath taken in the investigation of the nature of vegetables, etc. whereby (as he hath told us) he can by an easy and genuine method prepare simples so that their whole Crasis shall be preserved entire, their virtues rather heightened than in the least impaired; and as for flowers, he can by a most natural and facile method without so much as the help of culinary fire, convert them into liquors exceedingly spirituous, which may be kept without loss of virtue for many years; nay, without any additament to vegetables than what they may receive from the air, he can procure copiously a Liquor, which rectified, is not to be distinguished from spirit of Blood, Soot, Hartshorn or other Urinous spirits or salts; and mixed with highly dephlegmed spirit of Wine, will coagulate into the offa alba. I might likewise mention those excellent Experiments of his, lately communicated to the Royal Society; where he hath at large proved that alcalisate or fixed salts extracted out of the Ashes of vegetables, Volatile salts, and Vinous spirits do not differ from each other. And as for Medicines of the higher form in Chemistry, I wish Mr. H. could produce such as that ingenious Doctor is Master of, whose extraordinary effects he hath seen and can witness; as the Volatile salt of Tartar, Basilius Valentinus his Tincture of Antimony, Tinctura Lilii, helmont's Laudanum, his Aroph Paracelsi; the Anodyne Sulphur of Vitriol, its Essential oil, the tincture of gold, etc.  
And that I might not seem too tedious upon this subject, I will acquaint Mr. H. at present but with one more, who was no contemptible Chemist, though his Talon lay much more in practice; and for that he hath had an universal esteem from all learned men; who have been conversant in his book de peste: now for what estimation this learned Author Diemerbroeck hath for Anatomy, you may judge by his Epistle to that late Body of Anatomy, that he hath published where he tells you, quod Medica Ars sine Anatomicâ vix solidis fundamentis innititur, & haec sine illâ inutilis est. That the Medical Art without the Anatomical is scarcely fixed upon solid foundations, and without it 'tis nothing worth.  
Now pray, Mr. H. inform us, whether we may not more rationally hope for greater things from these men's labours, who are not less acquainted with the structure of humane bodies and Philosophical improvements, than they are with the Spagyrical Art; than from an Empirical crew of men, who can pretend to little better education than a Smith's Anvil, or some such Mechanical trade? For 'tis sufficiently proved by the Honourable Mr. Boil in that incomparable book of his so often mentioned, that the Naturalists knowledge doth highly tend to the advancement of our Faculty in all parts of the Medical Art, which indeed was the principal, if not sole design of the Authors writing that Treatise; to which I shall refer all ingenious persons, not doubting but upon a serious perusal thereof, they will not only clearly discover the utter incapacity of our London Empirics from making any future pretensions to improvements in Physic; but readily acknowledge the great obligations they owe to our famous Universities and learned College of Physicians in London, from whose fountains have been derived those great discoveries both in Nature and Art, relating to the Medical Science, whereby men may more happily be cured of their diseases and enjoy the blessings of a happy and pleasant life.    

SECT. 3.  
As to Chemistry.  
I Shall in this Section endeavour to show that Physicians educated in Universities, and particularly Members of the College of Physicians, have been so far from being the hinderers of the Art of Chemistry, that they have been the great Improvers and promoters of it.  
As to the clearing of this Assertion to the satisfaction of all Impartial Readers; I shall crave leave to acquaint them; that our contest at present with this Empirical tribe of men, is not about the antiquity, excellency, or usefulness of this Art; nor yet about the Arcana majora in that Science, which the Ancients did endeavour to persuade the world they were Masters of; for, by the by, let me tell them, that they have exploded their doctrines and principles, which were the very same with Aristotle's and Galens (which are so much contemned by Mr. H. and others of his Society) as may be seen at large in their writings of the Elements in general, and each of them in particular.  
And as to the great Arcana of the Ancients, the universal by dissolution of Gold, liquor Alkahest, Ferment, grand Elixir, etc. there is none of them I presume, will dare to pretend to them; they being (as I conceive) but bad Commentators upon so obscure and dark a text; it being very well known to all men that have been conversant in their writings, that they affected an Enigmatical and Hieroglyphical stile, too difficult for these men to unfold.  
And therefore they have wisely contented themselves with Authors of a later date and lower form in Chemistry; which had they well understood, they would not have discoursed so contemptibly against the fountains of all good and ingenious literature and education, viz. the famous Universities of our own and foreign Countries; nor yet have fancied that a few preparations stolen out of Faber, Horstius, etc. should have merited such a splendid title as that of Aurora Chymica; nor that Antimonial or Mercurial preparations (the most dangerous, venenate and fatal Medicines, if not wisely and faithfully managed both by their Operators, and those that exhibit them) should have deserved the estimation of remedies extracted by the Solar rays; nor that an Infusion of Senna, Elecampane, Liquorice, Guajacum, Coriander and Annise-seeds in Aqua vitae, should have deserved the title of Elixir Salutis: nor a dissolution of Elaterium, Jalapp, Gummi gutta, or the like, in a little Brandy, or Spirit of Wine, drawn from Scurvygrass; that of a Golden Purging Spirit: nor yet that these Medicines should have suited all palates and constitutions, as they knavishly pretend.  
For 'tis no difficulty to prove that none of these Medicines (which they would gladly have the ignorant vulgar believe Universal) can cure diseases better, nor yet so well, as the Emetic Infusion which every Apothecary hath in his shop; nor as the Cathartick pills or potions which our Dispensatory doth sufficiently furnish us withal, and every Novice in our Art may easily prescribe: but the cures that are performed by the forementioned remedies, are to be attributed to little else but the method of using them, which they as much contemn and ignore as learning itself.  
And therefore that they might maintain their repute with their ignorant Devotionists, they have affixed several monster-dropsied titles to their pretended Arcana; as Aqua Tetra-Chymagogon; Pilulae Anticachecticae, Pulvis Catholicus Emetico catharticus, Elixir Lysiponon, Archei Sedativum & Anodynum, Bezoardick and Anti-odontalgick powders fabricated by Sol and Luna; Panpharmacons, etc. which occasions those poor silly souls to fancy their Authors a form above Physicians, the very names of their remedies being more likely to fright or conjure away their diseases than their medicines.  
And as for their cures, that are cried up and down the streets in printed Bills, and patched on every post; I take them to be of as good credit as their Predecessor's O Dowdes; of which the ingenious Mr. Johnson formerly Operator to the College of Physicians hath given the world an account. And lest his testimony should not please them, or his credit be suspected, as having some dependence upon that learned College; I shall acquaint them with what characters they have lately given each other in their printed bills; the one charging the other for an ignorant Dunce that cannot write three lines of true English and sense; for villainy and poison, etc. and for several of the Cures that he pretends to have done in several parts of England, he will prove them forged and lies; the other charging his Adversary for Felony, Burglary and other misdemeanours. And therefore one of the most ingenious of this gang of men, having formerly received an account out of several of the Counties of England, of the apparent, undeniable, and inexcusable tragedies that have been caused by taking these Empirical Medicines; hath told the world in Print, that their Universal remedies are but dangerous Venoms; and their Authors but stupid and blockish Philosophers; heteroclite pieces of mortality; as Weavers, Tailors, Butchers, Cobblers, etc. who of late having thrown aside their Bodkins and Thimbles, Lasts, Awls, and Shuttles, are become (Asini ad Lyram) like so many Apes in a Carpenter's work-room, etc.  
And lest Mr. H. should be offended with this relation I have given from some of his brethren's writings, I will be so kind as to acquaint him with the operation of some of their famous, wonderful, and never failing Medicines, (as they term them) which have been attended with the following success.  
The first is discoursed of by Doctor Willis in the first part of his Pharmaceutice rationalis, p. 99 who there gives an account of the exhibition of two doses of a Cathartick powder from an Empirick to two Boys; the effect whereof was this, that in one of them the powder wrought no less than an hundred times in the space of forty eight hours; the other it neither purged nor vomited; but in few days his hair fell off, and nails grew black, and in a short time aqueous pustles broke forth in all the habit of his body, which were soon hardened into crusty scabs, which were of so poisonous and venenate a nature, that the poor boy was miserably afflicted with them for above two years before any cure could be obtained; although the most appropriate Medicines were not wanting during that time.  
The second by Doctor Castle; who in his Chemical Galenist acquaints us, p. 22. that having visited his learned friend Dr. Cox, he told him that he had been lately called to a Citizen of London, who upon taking a Vomit from an Empirick, fell into an Hypercatharsis, and out of that into dismal Convulsions, in which in despite of the most proper remedies he died.  
And 'tis not long since that my Apothecary told me, that one of this Tribe being sent for to a poor Ostler in a Fever, whom finding after some day's treatment in great want of rest; he sent for a dram of Opium (at least 58 grains too much) with some Diascordium to give this Fellow inwardly; which the Apothecary understanding, refused to supply him with, which caused him to hus like one of the Hectors of the Town, that his learning and skill should be called in question by an Apothecary, though it were to save a man's life.  
I could likewise acquaint Mr. H. with a Friend and Companion of his, who promising his Patient a speedy cure, performed it in good earnest; the Physic he exhibited, being of such a deleterious, deadly quality, that its operation was not only incredibly violent; but in a short time it found its passage into the blood, and from thence for several days discharged such large quantities of that noble and vital liquor; that the poor languishing Patient speedily died; notwithstanding the most rational and proper remedies that were made use of, by a very great and learned Physician to have prevented his death.  
And if Mr. H. were as good at an application as I find him at a false quotation; I could tell him of a man that served seven years with an Apothecary, and traveled into Holland, Germany, France and Spain; and thus spent eight and thirty years in laborious pains and travels to gain experience and knowledge in Physic above the common sort, and to look into the practice of the best Physicians and Artists of divers Nations; and then coming into England well furnished with a Celestial liquor, and other remedies which himself and Patients might depend upon; very confidently undertook the Cure of a Gentleman that had for a year or two laboured under a pertinacious Jaundice and inveterate Dropsy (though given over by the most eminent and learned Physicians of our Age) promising to carry off the disease without any evacuating remedies; yet after a weeks use of his Arcana, the Patient fell into violent Vomitings and dejections downwards, suffering forty or more evacuations in a short space; which giving some present relief, encouraged the Patient to continue the use of this Gentleman's Physic; which after a week or ten day's time, procuring such another evacuating paroxysm, it very unfortunately proved so high and fatal to the Patient, that he died in the Operation; the Physician by Certificate giving hopes of his recovery to the last moment of his life. Now surely Mr. H. had this Traveller been as studious in his inquiries into the nature and causes of the forementioned distempers, as he hath been into Chemical preparations; he would not have exhibited those medicines so fortuitously; nor yet have passed a prognostic so ignorantly.  
And to conclude, I will at present trouble Mr. H. but with one story more of this friend of his; and that was of his exhibition of another of his effectual remedies to a young Virgin, which unexpectedly (as I presume) having the fortune of raising some slight Salivation, he ordered her to swallow her spital, which speedily produced such Symptoms, that both the Parents of the Child and the learned Physicians that were afterwards sent for, did both judge her poisoned by the medicines exhibited; which proved so indeed; for in a very short space she died thereby.  
Now surely, Mr. H. had the forementioned person been half so good a Philosopher or Physician as the learned Dr. Witherly, or Dr. Hodges, whom he is pleased to call Novices; (although the former is a person of those excellent accomplishments in his Faculty, that his reputation is great with most persons of Quality in this famous City; and is Physician to his Majesties own person; the later a person, to whom posterity will own themselves indebted, for leaving behind him so full and complete a History of the late direful London Plague) he would have understood, that when Mercurial or other mineral preparations had put the blood into a fluor, and impregnated it with sour and Vitriolic parts, it must needs be very dangerous to swallow that saliva down, which would not only injure the Tone of the Stomach, Intestines and other viscera, but destroy the native temper of the blood, Animal spirits and all the other noble juices of the body.  
And that, Mr. H. this dearly beloved friend of yours, may not for the future by such unjustifiable Arcana, ruin the lives and health of any more of his Patients in this kind, I will acquaint him with the following observation; which was of a poor silly Dog, who unfortunately lapping up a quantity of saliva in a Patient's chamber of mine that was Salivated; immediately forsook his victuals, grew languid and weak, pining away to skin and bones, and in a short time died.  
But to proceed according to my former promise; I shall now endeavour to prove that what advancement hath accrued to this noble Art of Chemistry, did never own its original to these Adversaries of ours, or any of their Predecessors; but to Physicians of Academic education and Collegiate members.  
Which certainly is so far from a difficulty to undertake; that whoever hath been acquainted with the learned writings of Mynsicht, Crollius, Faber Beguinus, Hartman, Grulingius, Horstius, Schroderus, Quercetan, Zwelfer, Becherus, Langelott, Borrichius, etc. (most of which men I hope Mr. H. will own to have been better versed in Chemistry than himself or any of his Companions) will give me their assent to so great a truth; which any ingenious person may be satisfied in, who pleaseth to peruse the forementioned Authors; but more especially the admirable Pharmacopoeas of the learned Quercetan and Zwelfer; the one having acquainted the world with the great improvements, that may be made in the medicinal part of Physic by Chemical Pharmacy; the other no less judiciously correcting the errors of the common Pharmacopoeias; and substituting remedies that might answer the same intentions the Authors expected from their former compositions, but much more efficaciously.  
And surely he that reads, how learnedly the great Borrichius hath defended this excellent Art against C●nringius; will not only admire what he hath written upon that subject, but expect something great in Chemistry from that learned man. And for the famous Langelott, there is none who hath been acquainted with the admirable remedies he hath already discovered, but must acknowledge that he hath been very conversant with Nature even in her greatest secrets. And he that hath read over the famous Becherus his Physica subterranea, will scarcely scruple to allow us, what vast improvements have been already made from these true Adepts of Nature; who having divulged to the world the great familiarity they already enjoy in her palace, what may be expected from them, when they come to be admitted as part of her Cabinet Counsel?  
Now good Mr. H. do you or any of your friends give us parallel instances of the like improvements that have been made by any of your Society in this Art we contend about, and we will ingenuously give them their due; but for my own part I profess that I know not of any, neither do I believe that such instances can be produced, and then what little reason hath Mr. H. to glory of that great spirit that is now up and at work for further and further improvement amongst the working Physicians, as he terms those of his own fraternity?  
And though he hath taken the pains to transcribe that thread bare story of Quercetan and Sir Theodore Mayerne out of that unanswerable book (as he ignorantly calls it, having I perceive never perused the replies to it) Medela Medicinae, in perpetuum rei scandalum, as his friend would have the world believe; yet how little to the purpose, you may observe by the following account.  
In p. 23. he tells us that in the year 1603. the laborious famous Quercetan and Sir Theodore de Mayerne, were both of them in two several public Sentences of the Academian Professors, and whole College of Physicians in Paris, printed by their order, condemned, (and in positive terms the whole Art itself of Chemistry) as men not only unworthy to be consulted with by the Physicians of the College; especially Mayerne, declaring him an unlearned, impudent, drunken mad fellow; exhorting all Nations to abominate them both, and banish them and the like practisers out of their Territories, as Monsters of mankind: and threatening all the Fellows of that College, that if they did consult with either of them about any Patient, they should be deprived of all privilege belonging to their College.  
Well quoted Mr. H! had you known when you had done well, you would have proceeded no farther in this relation, but I perceive you were near the pitch of one and thirty when you transcribed this story, and then unfortunately all came out, for Children, etc.— witness what follows in the very same page where he tells us;  
That for all this, the one of those condemned persons became famous in France, the King's chief Physician, and lived to see that College repent of their folly, and their successors become admirers of those Chemical books and remedies which they had so rashly damned. The other (viz. Mayerne) became Physician to two Kings of England, and two of France, and left a name of great wealth and honour behind him.  
To this story of your friend's M. N. which I have observed twice quoted by himself, and once by Mr. H. I might return this answer; that Chemistry was then in its infancy in France, and therefore no wonder that it met with such opposition even from a learned Society; seeing it was not the fate of that Art alone to meet with so ill and unjust entertainment: For Anatomy itself (which is so much damned and hectored against by you and your companions) hath born its share in that kind; witness that excellent story of Democritus, who was esteemed no better than a mad man by the Senate and people where he lived, for secluding himself from company to investigate the nature and use of the bilis; which occasioned the great Hypocrates by request of the Senate, etc. to come a perilous & troublesome voyage by Sea, to undertake his cure; who finding him diligently employed in the dissection of Animals; he commended his industry, admired his wisdom, and accused his friends of madness in their censures: which madness how much it hath possessed Mr. H. and the Pseudo-Chymists of our Age, I will leave to the judgement of any judicious person, who hath been conversant in their writings.  
And lest this they should think the only case we can produce, I could tell them of the unkind usage and ill treatment that our immortal Doctor Harvey met with; for that great invention of his, the circulation of the blood; for which posterity will both admire and bless him.  
And if there were need, I might tell him of many more; but though I should, I fear it would be to little purpose; for his and his brethren's ignorance and confidence do make them more irreconcilable to Anatomy, than the College of Paris ever was to the learned Quercetan and famous Mayern.  
But to proceed in giving Mr. H. a closer answer; I now would gladly know of him, how much this story is quoted to his purpose; and what it is that he hath so wisely collected from it? For let any judicious man read it, and he may plainly observe that the persons that were thus severely damned (as he terms it) were not Empirics, but Doctors of Physic, men of Academic education; great Philosophers and Naturalists, (which in Mr. H. and our Adversaries, opinions could make them no better, than idle and formal Speculators, Academian Thinkers, Medicasters' and talking Book-Doctors,) only they lived in an age, wherein other Physician's education and practice had too much prejudiced them against the noble Art of Chemistry; which prejudice (it seems) by Mr. H's own confession was not so great, but they lived to repent of their folly; and their successors became admirers of those Chemical books and remedies. 'Tis well then, Mr. H. I perceive the College of Paris is now in your favour; for by your own quotation and confession, they are become admirers of those books and medicines they formerly damned: This passage I must own did so much please me when I read it, that I was in some hopes to have found the College of London received into favour in the next page; but no such matter, the man forgetful of what he had quoted but in the page before about the College of Paris, tells us quite another tale, viz. that Corporations of Physic have been the great hinderers of the progress of this Art throughout Europe, and still are: well observed Mr. H! but what testimony have we for this so bold and confident an assertion? the chief that I can find is this, that the College of Paris did damn two learned men, and sound repent for their pains; which repentance was so serious that it left such an impression upon their posterity, that they admired (as I before mentioned) both the men and their remedies, which their Predecessors so rashly condemned; and yet they must be quoted upon every occasion as enemies to this Art of Chemistry.  
But not withstanding these contradictions, which ought to be allowed to a man that makes so little of Academic learning; pray what is all this Harangue to the College of Physicians in London? especially seeing 'tis so well known, that the famous Sir Theodore de Mayerne was so far from being an Adversary to Corporations of Physic, that he was a member of this learned Society.  
But to proceed, I shall further endeavour to clear the truth of my assertion; and seeing Mr. H. discovers so much anger against the College of Paris, I will acquaint him out of one of their own Country men's writings and an eminent Chemist too, Le Febure, lately Royal Professor to His Majesty of England, and Apothecary in Ordinary to his Honourable Household, and Fellow of the Royal Society; what improvements have been made in this Art by men of Academic education in France, and those whom I presume might be of their College too.  
And in the first place he tells us, that Physicians are the fountains from whence all first receive the noble knowledge of true Natural things, and the manner of preparing them well And that Mr. H. may be assured that he intended not by the name Physicians, any of his Tribe; that like not (as he terms it) that Feather in the Cap; he doth particularly and ingenuously acknowledge his obligations to those learned men, to whom he was so much indebted for his attainmen in Chemical pharmacy.  
The one was, Dr. Duhan Doctor of Physic and Professor of Philosophy, who promoted him much in his diligent searching into physical verities; yea so eminent was this Doctor in his knowledge in Chemistry, that he tells you, that France suffered much by his untimely death, he designing to publish some writings, that would have much illustrated the knowledge of things natural, Medicine and Pharmacy.  
The second was M. du Clos Doctor of Physic, who did him the favour (as he frankly and ingenuously acknowledgeth) to correct his defaults, and lead him by the hand of his judgement and experience, through all that which he had undertaken in his endeavours; to advance the dignity of Pharmacy, which now (saith he) lies bending towards its ruins; if it be not upheld by its true Arches and pillars; the faithful, learned, experienced and curious Physicians; nay farther, he confesseth, that he was indebted to this Doctor for the well-being he had acquired in his Profession.  
The third was, Mons. Vallot, chief Physician to the present King of France, from whose unfathomed depths of learning and experience he yet obtained farther light and knowledge in this Art: So that he owns him, for the true Father and Restorer of Medicine and Chemistry, and tells us, that he could not do less than to let posterity know, how much he stood indebted to the bounty, learning and sole generosity of this great and illustrious Maecenas.  
And to conclude, he frankly tells the world, in that excellent Book of his, called his Complete Body of Chemistry; that he hath given nothing therein, but what hath been received from Physicians, so that 'tis to them only to whom you owe the obligation.  
But to come nearer home, let me tell Mr. H. that this is not all the evidence that I can produce for the proof of my assertion; for 'tis very well known that the lately mentioned Sir Theodore Mayerne and old Doctor Rugeley were members of the College of Physicians, and persons so eminently skilled in this Art we contest about, that I doubt not but our Adversaries themselves will allow us their suffrage to the truth thereof: And so far was that learned College from discouraging Chemistry in those early days, that 'tis very well known, they had a constant Operator employed by them.  
And for our own time, who is ignorant of the great abilities of several of the members of that worthy Society? witness the excellent Dr. Rugely, Dr. Jonathan Goddard (who lately died) Dr. Merret, etc. the first of which eminent Physicians, is not only a Gentleman of universal learning and accomplishments both of body and mind; but of that profound insight into the Art of Chemistry, that were Mr. H's beloved Helmont now alive, he could give him no less character than I have done.  
I might farther mention several other members of that worthy Society, and University Physicians too, whose private Laboratories, and continued pains that have been spent in them, for the public good, and particular benefit of their Patients; might make these men ashamed (if they had any ingenuity left them) to pretend that they are, and have been the great hinderers of the progress of this Art throughout Europe: which is so notoriously false, that I shall crave leave to acquaint them with what improvements have been made in Chemistry, by one more of the late Fellows of that learned College, and that was the excellent Doctor Willis, who was likewise Professor of Natural Philosophy in the famous University of Oxford, and Fellow of the Royal Society in London; who hath not only ingenuously communicated many good medicines, which are scattered up and down his works; but was master of greater Arcana in Chemistry, than any our Adversaries can reasonably pretend to; which any rational man will grant me, that seriously and consideratively readeth over that incomparable book of his de Febribus, and especially the first part of it the fermentatione.  
Where he hath most judiciously and learnedly acquainted all ingenious Physicians and Naturalists, with the reasons that prevailed with him, to embrace the Spagyrical principles, for the explication of all the difficult phaenomena in Nature, as well as in humane bodies; and very learnedly demonstrated their true existence; which having done, he gives us an admirable account of the great alterations that are made in the works of Nature and Art, viz. in the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral kingdoms, from the intestine combination and motion, separation and dissolution of these active principles.  
And in the ninth Chapter of that Tract, he hath furnished us with such a learned and satisfactory account of the several menstrua that are most proper, for the solution of all natural bodies; whose vinculum doth chiefly consist in Sulphureous, Saline or Terrestrial parts; that none who readeth him, but must admire him for an acute Philosopher, as well as a profound Chemist: for the knowledge of these doth indeed accomplish a Physician for the improvement of Chemical Pharmacy; especially if we add hereto a full understanding of the true nature of Fermentation, Digestion and Circulation, which our Author was no stranger to.  
And truly I may be bold to say that we may expect far greater attainments in this Art from him, that throughly understands the forementioned operations, than from the whole Club of our London Empirics; who generally are ignorant, not only of the constitutive principles of those Bodies, they would pretend to analyse; but likewise of their proper Solvents.  
And therefore the learned Doctor Willis just before mentioned, hath well acquainted us in his Epistle to that admirable book of his, which he calls, his Pharmaceutice rationalis, what we may expect from this sort of men, where he tells us; Dum mineralia inscitè tractant, eventum quendam incertum expectantes, potius quam aliquid seriò designantes; si forsan productum insolitum apparuerit, cum novo hoc Pharmaco (cujus virtutes prorsus ignotae, saepe aut nullae aut maleficae existunt) morbos statim omnes sanaturos pollicentur, ipsúmque in quovis casu ad magnam aegrotantis noxam & non rarò perniciem audacter exhibent: adeò securè & temerariè solent carnifices isti de corio humano ludere, dum ad medicamenta ista (in quibus aculeus semper latet venenosus) aut paranda, aut exhibenda nullo consilio, nulliúsque methodi filo, sed mero casu & caeco quodam impetu ducuntur: i. e. Whilst they unskilfully handle minerals, rather expecting an uncertain event, than prosecuting any serious design; if by chance any unusual product doth appear, they straightway promise the cure of all diseases from that new Medicine; whose virtues are altogether unknown; or it may be pernicious, or none at all; and this they boldly exhibit in any case to the great injury of the Patient, nay it may be to his utter ruin; so rashly and confidently do these Butchers of mankind sport away the precious lives of men, whilst they adventure upon the preparation and exhibition of such medicines as these (in which there is constantly latent some venomous sting) not being directed thereto by any advice or method, but merely driven on by chance and blind rashness.  
But to proceed in a farther account of our excellent Author's attainments in Chemistry, which we may find, if we will take the pains to peruse the second part of the forementioned book, which treateth de febribus, and the third de urinis; where he hath given us an incomparable account of the constituent principles both of humane blood, and urine; from whence he hath rationally and ingeniously deduced such useful Hypotheses, for the explication of the phaenomena of both, in a natural and preternatural state; that no Age can parallel.  
And though some boasting Empirics, have pretended a confutation of his learned writings in the title pages of their scurrilous books; yet to how little purpose, any ingenious person may be satisfied, who is willing for his curiosity to lose so much precious time as to read them over: And therefore our learned Author did very prudently return them no other answer but the following (the most proper that could be contrived for those Adversaries of his, whose writings were stuffed with little else but Billingsgate language) Quandoquidem Empirici nonnulli, arreptâ tam quidlibet impune scribendi, quam ludendi de corio humano licentiâ; placita mea, quae non satis intelligunt, passim dilacerant, & convellunt; & quò speciosiùs merces suas venditent, libellorum titulis me Triumphatum praedicant; hos non aliter quam silentio & contemptu redarguam, utpote quorum scripta & responso indigna sunt & spreta exolescent: nec majoris illos aestimo, qui argumentorum loco, tantùm opprobria & convitia ingerentes, debacchari potius quam Philosophari videntur. Whereas some Empirics having taken the liberty of writing any thing, as well as dallying with the lives of men, do rudely treat those opinions of mine, which they do not well understand; and that their books might more speciously sell, they carry me in Triumph in their title pages: But to these men I shall return no other answer but silence and contempt; whose writings are not worthy of a better, and being contemned will vanish of themselves and be forgotten: neither have I greater estimation for those men, who do rather rage and rail like mad and drunken sots; than reason like Philosophers, printing little else but ill language and revile.  
But it may be Mr. H. will not yet allow me (notwithstanding this so clear demonstration which I have given of the surpassing abilities of this learned man) that he was so great a Proficient in the Spagyrical Art as himself, or some of his Companions would pretend to be:  
But suppose, Mr. H. that I should produce a greater and truer evidence, for the confirmation of this assertion, out of that unanswerable book of your friend's, Doctor Marchamont nedham's, which you at large have told us p. 23. was written eleven years ago; than you have produced out of the honourable Mr. Boil against Anatomy, and that without everting the design of the Author or a false quotation; would this be a means to silence your confidence for the future, and make you more wary in railing against Academic education and Collegiate members? I confess one would think it should; and therefore out of respect and kindness to you, for some real favours that you have formerly done to some deserving persons; I shall desire you to read over the beginning of p. 237. of that book called Medela Medicinae, where you will find, that your unanswerable friend having told the world in the latter part of the page preceding, that all along that Treatise, he had said little but what was in the language of the best writers of this latter Age, or agreeable to their sense; he there craves leave to make use of one, who is (I may well say) the Ornament of our Nation next to immortal Harvey, by name Doctor Willis, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Oxon; one that hath made himself a Physician indeed, and Philosopher by Fire.  
And in p. 336. he tells you, that he thought it necessary to give the Reader a taste of Doctor Willis his new Doctrine about Urines, which certainly (saith he) is much more agreeable to reason than any thing that was ever said before upon that subject, and must needs be abundantly more conducible to the practice of Physic; seeing it directs our judgement not by mere outward appearances and bare observations of old; but by an accommodation of our understandings in the real principles which are in Urines, the same as in men's bodies; from whence doubtless a more certain way of judgement must needs arise, than can be imagined by any other course that may be taken to judge by Urines, concerning the state of the blood and its diseases. I cannot therefore but recommend that Tract of Urines to ingenious Practisers, as a more sure guide than any that they can meet with in former Authors.  
And in p. 415. of the same book he owneth, that this learned Doctor had the honour of opening the eyes of the world, more than any before him (his acute Helmont not excepted) about the nature of Fevers.  
Now pray, Mr. H. let me persuade you to take the pains seriously to peruse and consider these passages faithfully quoted out of your unanswerable book, and then let us understand the reason, why you made so bold a challenge, and that in the view of the world, to the whole College of Physicians, as to nominate any one particular of improvement that their Society have made in the Art of Curing since their first incorporation, etc. seeing that your ingenious friend in that very book you quoted as unanswerable, hath told the world that Dr. Willis did understand the nature of Fevers more than any before him, and consequently the Cure: nay further (as I just before quoted) he frankly owneth, that the Doctor's principles about Urines were the same as in men's bodies, which must needs be abundantly more conducible to the practice of Physic, and to judge of the state of the blood and its diseases, than any that were formerly delivered.  
Now certainly, Mr. H. those doctrines which can acquaint us, with the real constituent principles of the blood, and other humours and recrements of humane bodies, with their various preternatural affections, must of necessity tend to one particular improvement, and be abundantly conducible to the practice of Physic; which you by no means will allow the College since their first Incorporation, but will undertake to prove the contrary, as you have boldly asserted, p. 15.  
But seeing, Mr. H. by the account you have given of your travels, and your quacking Avocations; I may justly suspect that you have not had time to search into all that hath been written by the learned members of that Honourable Society; I will be so ingenuous for the present, as to acquaint you with another particular of improvement, that was made in the Art of curing, by the learned Doctor Glisson, Dr. Bates, and Doctor Regemorter; and that was the Rickets, a disease altogether unknown to the Ancients; it being the Endemial distemper of our own Nation. And if there were need, I could mention several other improvements in this Art, which have been made by this learned Society, but that Mr. H's desiring an instance but of one, hath prevented my discoursing any further at present on this subject.  
But to proceed, Mr. H. tells us, p. 28. of ingenious men that were not educated in a Collegiate way, who afterwards betaking themselves to learn the Art of Physic in the most proper way, which is by labour; have soon outstripped the Scholasticks in right knowledge of the materia medica.  
To this I answer, that Mr. H. had done well, if he had acquainted us with those ingenious men, who by their labour have outstripped the Scholasticks in right knowledge of the materia medica, for we know very well that dolus versatur in universalibus: and farther give me leave to tell him, that I am not of his belief, that manual operation alone will fit any man, (much less those of his mechanical Tribe) for any great improvement in the materia medica; it being very well known, that no person is truly capable of performing any thing great in Chemical pharmacy, who is ignorant of the constituent principles of those bodies he operates upon, or of those to whom his remedies are to be exhibited; and therefore it was one of the chief designs of that noble Author Mr. boil in that Treatise of his, so often mentioned, the usefulness of Experimental Natural Philosophy, to show, how much the Naturalists knowledge might be serviceable to him, in the improvement of all the parts of Physic, and more especially the Pharmaceutical: and surely if labour be the most proper way to advance this Art, the Smiths, Brewers and Colliers may be greater Proficients therein, than Mr. H. or the most learned of his companions; for 'tis certain, they are much more able by labour and pains to obtain it: but the contrary is manifest, by the writings of the learned Quercetan, Zwelfer and other eminent Chemists, who had never been capable of doing half that service in Pharmacy, for which the world is so much indebted to them; had they not been as great Philosophers, as they were Operators. And therefore that excellent Chemist Le Febure hath well observed the two following maxims.  
1. That Chemistry doth not merely consist in the skill of preparing well a remedy, as many do erroneously imagine; but in the using of it with due circumstances, and respect to the Theorems of Art, which is properly the true Physic.  
2. That whosoever meddles with Chemical remedies, without the previous grounds of Theory, can deserve no other name than of an Empirick; since he is altogether ignorant of the internal efficient causes of their effects, and cannot give the physical reasons, why he doth administer such a remedy for such and such disease.  
And further I can acquaint Mr. H. with several of the members of the College of Physicians now living, who for their elegant and rational prescriptions, and true knowledge of the materia medica, do not only excel Mr. H. and all his Society; but are highly honoured for their admirable and surpassing improvements therein, by all of their own Faculty; as witness the most accomplished Dr. Thomas Cox, Dr. Wolf, etc.  
And though Mr. H. is pleased to tell us, p. 20. that remedies well prepared by Chemical Art, seem to be as the hands of God reached down from heaven in this latter age, in exceeding mercy to poor man, when his iniquities have so altered the whole scene of diseases, etc. which makes them exceedingly different from what they were in the days of Hypocrates and Galen, and indeed from what they were a hundred years ago, and less; so that the old Art and remedies are insufficient to deal with them.  
To this I answer, that in my opinion Mr. H's Divinity is as heterodox as his Physic hath been; for 'tis a little odd to conceive that the iniquities of men should have been the procuring causes of exceeding mercy; I do therefore very much fear, that Mr. H. hath been as great a stranger to his Bible as he hath been to Philosophy; else he might have observed, and that without the help of Spectacles, that all the judgements that God Almighty hath inflicted upon poor man, have been procured by his sins; amongst the number of which Judgements Mr. H. might well have ranked his Chemical remedies, which have proved so indeed to some that have made use of them; as I have lately mentioned; and then I am sure they can procure but little commendation to his Art.  
And as for his discourse of the great alteration of diseases since Hypocrates and Galens time, from whence he would prove that the old Art and remedies are altogether insufficient; let me tell him, that there are so full and satisfactory Answers given to his friend upon that subject, that I should injure those learned men, should I now dwell or insist long upon that controversy; and therefore I shall recommend to his perusal those four books which were written against his friend's Medela medicinae ten or eleven years agone: only by the by let me tell him, that 'tis possible that the old Art and remedies may be sufficient to deal with the diseases of our days, though much altered from those in former times; but that 'tis Mr. H's and the rest of his Companions misfortune, that they understand not how to exhibit them, being so great contemners of a rational methodical practice; by which I must frankly own, that I have seen far greater cures performed with Chicken-broth, Whey, Milk and Water, etc. than by all their applauded Chemical Arcana.  
And further for that alteration of diseases they discourse of; I could tell them of a Physician of the learned College they so much decry; who hath done more service to the public in acquainting the world with a faithful History of the Acute diseases of our days, with their specifical differences, and happy cures, by the old remedies, they so much damn; than they or any of their Predecessors have done by all their books that ever they printed, or medicines they published. And though we may allow, that the Theories of Fevers and other distempers may possibly of late, by the industry of Collegiate members, have been built upon more solid foundations, than formerly; yet this is so far from occasioning us to reject the good old remedies and methods of practice, that Doctor Willis hath well observed, Quod indicationes quaedam, antiquitus receptae, adhuc ratae perstant, erúntque in perpetuum observandae; quia Experientiae primae hujus artis magistrae debentur: that some indications that were of old received, are yet approved, and will for ever be observed, because they owe their original to experience, the first mistress of Art. And to the same purpose, he discourseth of the remedies that were used by the Ancients, and no less valued by the Moderns.  
And no less ingeniously did the learned Doctor Castle acquaint the world in the Epistle to his Chemical Galenist, where he solidly and rationally asserts, that the practical part of Physic being grounded upon experience, doth not so much depend upon the notional; that, this being overthrown, the other must necessarily fall to the ground, the Fancies and reasonings of Philosophers and Physicians being built upon the practice; and signifying not much more to the Fundamentals of the Art of Physic, than pinnacles to the body and foundation of a building, which (though they be blown down) may stand unshaken: much of the Therapeutic part of Physic being (as he hath well observed) like Dial's and Almanacs, which agree as well with that of Copernicus, as Ptolomy's Hypothesis: Therefore saith he, as the Ancients made a true use of the light and heat of the Sun, in distinguishing and measuring times and seasons, and managing of their husbandry, though probably they erred in their notion of his motion round the earth; so did the Physicians no less happily employ Apollo's Art in the Curing of diseases, though they were ignorant of the true motion of the blood, and of (the Sun of the Microcosm) the heart.  
But to conclude this discourse about Chemistry; I would gladly know of Mr. H. why the Chemical mineral medicaments set down in the London Pharmacopoeia, are things but of the lowest form in Chemistry, and neglected by knowing men in this Age of improvement? And that because I find upon a serious perusal of them, that the learned Quercetan and Sir Theodore Mayerne (whom you will own I hope as most eminent Chemists) have been the Authors, Approvers and Defenders of some of them, and have raised so great a reputation to their names by their successful administrations, that they both became eminently famous in our own and foreign Courts and Cities: but now it seems, they are neglected by knowing men in this Age of improvement; I confess, I should be very thankful to Mr. H. to acquaint us with those knowing men he boasts of; and of their great improvements in Chemical pharmacy; for let me tell him, how contemptibly soever he and his companions do think of the London Dispensatory; the best Chemists of them all, would be at a great loss for a key to open most mineral bodies, if they should exclude their proper solvents which are there to be found; And it may be in stubborn and chronical diseases, they might be glad to steal now and then some Chalybeate or Mercurial preparation out of that contemptible book; and yet rail at it, for affording them that kindness at so dead a lift: and further I might tell them that in acute diseases, there are as efficacious Chemical medicines to be found in that Dispensatory, as most of their Laboratories will afford: and doubtless did any of their Shops or Furnaces supply them with half so many of those Chemical oils, Mineral solvents, Diaphoretick powders, Chalibeate, Vitriolic, Antimonial, Mercurial and Anodyne preparations; Essential and Lixivial salts, with safe and experimental Chemical Emetics and cathartics, etc. that are there to be found; we should have had them applauded for Polyacea's, and Panacea's too: some of which, might probably have as well answered the Helmontians primary indication in the cure of diseases, as their singular Arcana of so general use fabricated out of Mercury; it being, as they tell us, the pacifying, indulging and gratifying the Archaeus, the Architectonical contriver of our first being; every Atom of those generous remedies, sending forth lively illustrious beams; with the intuition of which, the Archaeus being wonderfully affected and infinitely delighted, it layeth aside all morosity, melancholy, exorbitant passions, and the entertainment of deformed Ideas; by means whereof an Eutaxie, eucrasy and Symmetry in the inferior orbs of the Microcosm follows: and others of them, as fully their second principal indication, which is, as they say, the ablation of the inward efficient Cause and the outward occasional irritating matter, by such generous remedies, which taking part with Nature, might help her to conquer evils and exclude the Nosopoietick thorns and briers, those goads in the sides of the Archaeus, extimulating it to enormous passions and perturbations, through the Sluice and outlet most patulous and convenient: as an Acid son of Helmont hath lately discoursed in his direct method of curing Chemically.  
But to proceed, notwithstanding the London Dispensatory hath furnished us with the forementioned Chemical preparations, it must not only be hectored against, but damned by Mr. H. and his Companions; either because it pretends not to teach them the preparations of the Solar, Lunar, Mercurial, Saturnal, Jovial, Venereal and Martial, Metalline Sulphur's or Celestial Liquors; or rather, because it hath that unpardonable fault accompanying it, viz. its Authority from the learned College of Physicians in London; which will certainly give it a far greater reputation amongst all judicious men, than the Chemical Champion of your cause will give the Apothecary's Laboratory, by telling the world that since he had found the Company of Apothecaries had erected a Laboratory at their Hall, for supply of their Shops with Medicines of all sorts of the Chemical preparation, he was resolved wholly to refer Patients with bills to receive medicines dispensed by their hands; which new device, though expected to prove advantageous, yet I wish he finds it not (as you prognosticate of the Anatomists of our Age) the last part he hath to play or trick to show, to entertain Spectators, and amuse the world, to uphold some repute among such as are ignorant, and draw on Customers; and for my own part, I am to apt believe that this action of his, may be so ill resented amongst his Brethren the Arcanamongers of London, that it may occasion some intestine faction in your Empirical Commonwealth, as hath lately been publicly managed by some of your Tribe; but then 'tis to be hoped that when knaves fall together by the ears—   

SECT. 4.  
The usefulness of Method in the Cure of Diseases.  
HAving thus far proceeded in the demonstration of what I promised; I come now to enter upon some short discourse of the methodus medendi; which though our Adversaries, nay it may be our friends may not judge worth the contending for; yet I think fit to give all ingenious persons an account of the great usefulness, yea necessity of the strict observation of it; and that because I frequently observe, that the Enthusiastic Pseudo-Chymists of our Age, do so much contemn and decry it; being masters (as they pretend) of such great Arcana in Physic, as will happily Cure diseases without it.  
I shall therefore endeavour to clear the truth of this assertion, by producing several instances both of Acute and Chronical diseases, whose happy Cure is principally (if not solely) to be attributed to the prudent method of the discreet and judicious Physician; amongst the number of which, I shall first begin with Fevers; they being to be ranked amongst the most Epidemical distempers we know of.  
And in the first place, we will discourse of those, that are generally owned as putrid; in which are constantly observed ratione motûs, four considerable mutations, viz. their beginning, augmentation, state and declination.  
In the beginning of which putrid Fevers, 'tis usually observed; that the Sulphureous parts of the blood growing too luxuriant, do break forth into a flame; agitating the whole mass in a preternatural manner; whereby its crasis is in danger of being destroyed, its vessels too much distended; and if not timely calmed, affections of the Head and Nerves, with pain and spasms do usually ensue: wherefore in this state of the disease, here are present indications for Phlebotomy to ventilate this mass of blood; for a spare and refrigerating diet; for Emetics, (if indicated) lenient cathartics, Clysters, etc. which many times are no less prosperously than judiciously prescribed; this formidable distemper being niped in its bud, it Sulphureous pabulum being extracted by bleeding, Clysters, etc. or its disorder quieted by a cooling diet.  
But if notwithstanding the proper application of the forementioned remedies, this Febrile flame cannot be extinguished; but it still increaseth to a higher degree, so that intolerable thirst and inquietude, headache and watchfulness, with delirium and frenzies do continually attend our Patients: here are fresh indications for repeated phlebotomy, clysters, cooling Julips and decoctions, etc. whereby the spirits may be refreshed, the parched viscera cooled; and if possibly, the motion of the blood so moderated, that it may not injure the head or genus nervosum.  
In the state of this disease, we are diligently to attend Nature's motions; that so we might observe whether a future Crisis may be expected or not; which if it doth appear a perfect and salutiferous one; the febrile heat declines, signs of concoction appear in their urines, and all things prognosticate a speedy and happy recovery: But on the other hand, if Nature's attempts be too weak for making a full discharge of that adust, febrile matter, which hath passed its due deflagration, and is fitted for expulsion; we ought then to afford her some gentle assistance by some mild Diaphoretic or lenient cathartick; accordingly as we observe at that nick of time the tendency of her motions: But if we find, that in this state of the Fever, there is no Crisis; or at best, but an imperfect one attempted by Nature; the Patient's pulse being very weak, and his spirits low; we must then be very cautious of any evacuation by Sweat or Stool, it being not to be attempted without manifest danger of the Patient's life: And therefore we should rather allow her time, and attend her diligently; until the blood being reduced to a more orderly motion, and the spirits recruited, she may gradually make secretion and exclusion of the morbific matter, in order to the obtaining of her due and native temper; than increase the too great and unhappy confusion she is already under, by exhibiting any high Diaphoreticks or cathartics; this being a time, that nothing of medicine is to be allowed, unless it be some very temperate Cardiack.  
In the declination of this distemper, an exactness of diet is to be observed; and at length some gentle purgations to be prescribed, to exterminate the relics of that febrile matter, which probably may be already protruded out of the Meseraick Arteries in order to its discharge by the intestines; lest it should be again resorbed, and a relapse ensue thereupon; upon which account we do likewise as strictly forbid the Patients overhasty eating of flesh-meat, until their Urines appear in colour, consistence and hypostasis like to those who are in a healthful state; and then we direct them to begin with broths, and so gradually to adventure upon a flesh diet.  
To this purpose hath the learned Doctor Willis acquainted us in that excellent book of his de febribus.  
Now pray let sober and judicious men consider, what apparent hazards and dangers they must necessarily adventure upon, by employing any, but Physicians well skilled in their Faculty; seeing 'tis apparent by the forementioned account of Fevers, (which I have faithfully acquainted them with) what diligence and judgement ought to be made use of in every state of this disease; that so the Patient might happily be restored to his pristine health and temper.  
But now let us suppose, that in the first attack of this distemper, an Empirick should be sent for, who being ignorant of its nature, should presently exhibit some of his well rectified spirits of strong liquors, complete Aqua vitae, Punch, Analeptical and refocillating wines, etc. can any rational man imagine that these hot and fiery medicines, should be any ways proper to bridle the tumult and ferociency of the blood; which being already too much exalted by hot and bilious parts abounding in it, doth rather require a discharge by venaesection, etc. or attemperating, by cooling medicines; than an advancement to a higher pitch of luxuriancy, by the forementioned Chemical liquors? which doubtless can do no less than inflame and fire the whole mass of blood in a moment: whereas 'tis evident that Phlebotomy, Clysters, etc. being made use of; or large proportions of Whey and other cooling liquors freely drunk in the first assault of these Fevers, have often prevented their farther increase: but to expect the like advantage from the forementioned rich and spirituous drinks, would prove as fruitless if not foolish, as to undertake the quenching of an house on fire, by throwing on gunpowder and fire-balls.  
Now if this mischief must necessarily attend these Empirical prescriptions, in the first attack of these Fevers; what may we expect from them in their augmentation? I dare assure you, little else but thunder and lightning; frenzies, heart-burnings, Convulsions, etc. especially seeing that the most prudent management of these Fevers in this state of the disease, can scarcely calm the impetuous motion of the inflammable parts of the blood.  
And if we farther proceed to the State of this distemper, how much sooner may these Empirics dispatch their poor languishing Patients, whose only security depends upon their precedent management, that so a perfect and salutiferous Crisis might ensue? which if it should not happen, but their universal medicines are made use of, how certainly must the sick bid adieu to their Relations? this being a time, when neither Cathartick or Sudorific, much less any hot or vinous medicines can be used, without manifest endangering the Patient's life.  
And for the declination; what care must be used for some time, that the Patients eat no flesh-meat or broths made of the same; lest an unhappy relapse should ensue; how can we then imagine that their spirituous medicines or Aqua vitae's, impregnated with brisk and active vegetables, may then be allowed of?  
But 'tis possible they will tell me, that they are not without other Chemical preparations, which they use upon such occasions, and in such distempers as we discourse of; viz. their Elixir vivisicans, their pulvis Catholicus diaphoreticus, Aurum vitae diaphoreticum, Elixir grande Cordiale, etc. which one of the most candid and ingenious of that Society hath told us, that they are to him (with some others that he hath mentioned) quasi tot medicinae columnae, etc.  
To this I answer, if this be so, I wish that Mr. H. would tell us, how he durst pretend to the world, that one single medicine should suit all palates and constitutions; and that others of his Tribe should no less ignorantly than confidently engage, that their private Arcana will perform in helping all curable diseases, what in reason may be expected from all other.  
But give me leave, Mr. H. to tell you, that I very much suspect that neither you nor any of your fraternity do well understand the exhibition of your own remedies; they being rarely to be administered (as I before showed) in putrid Fevers; by reason that there are usually contraindications to their exhibition, both in the beginning, augmentation and state of them; lest in the two former they should occasion too violent an ebullition of the blood; and in the later wholly impede her Crisis.  
For I would have them to understand, that these Fevers are usually but Nature's instruments, to discharge the luxuriant and bilious parts of the blood; when they are apt to exceed their due bounds and limits; which if prudently managed by an Artist in the Faculty, she will gradually deflagrate this morbific matter, and being over-burdened with it, will both separate and exclude it; and this much more happily and opportunely, than if she were disordered by any of your Jovial powders, or Solar diaphoreticks; Nature wisely observing her proper periods and times, when this secretion and exclusion of the recrements of the blood should be made, to the greatest relief and advantage of the Patient; whereas your medicines (as I before intimated) do usually disturb all her regular actings, and make a confusion in the very crasis of the blood; and therefore are as wisely administered to cure this sort of Fevers, before Nature's appointed time; (which is usually about the thirteenth or fourteenth day) as they would be to a woman, in expectation of bringing forth a healthful and living child, in five or six months' time.  
Now if these putrid Fevers ought to be managed with so much diligence and observation; how woefully would these men bungle and miscarry with all their applauded Arcana, when they were called to exhibit them in Fevers specifically different from the former?  
As for instance, the putrid Fevers of women in Childbed, where cooling or heating remedies are equally dangerous; their proper indications principally allowing the use of Uterines'; whereby the blood might be attenuated and disposed to discharge itself by the Iliack and Hypogastrick vessels, in order to its necessary depuration.  
And thus, I might likewise instance in those lacteal Fevers; which usually attend the female sex about the third or fourth day after delivery; which are solely to be managed by a spare and appropriate diet; and committed to Nature's regimen; and though many times the Symptoms that do accompany this sort of Fevers, are a little troublesome, and it may be frightful too, to the Patients; as heat, thirst, inquietude of the whole body, pain in the back, shoulders, breasts, etc. yet if these be not increased by some overhasty and undue administrations, they usually are freed from them within three or four days, by a constant Crisis of Natures own procuring.  
I might further acquaint Mr. H. with the mischiefs that must necessarily have attended their Celestial liquors and Stomachical essences in several Fevers that our late days have produced (of which the world will speedily have a very full and satisfactory account from that excellent Methodist, the industrious Dr. Sydenham) as particularly the Fevers which did accompany the Small pox, when it was the Epidemical distemper of the Town; wherein the forementioned Chemical preparations would have been so far from alleviating or curing those severe Symptoms that did attend them, that they would rather have highly increased them; amongst the number of which Symptoms, profuse and violent Sweats would usually (if not constantly) accompany the sick and feeble Patients, even from their first invasion; and that though no Medicines were exhibited, or other means made use of, to increase that disease of the blood, lympha, or nervous liquor.  
And truly, so much have most of our late Fevers differed from those putrid ones I lately discoursed of; that I doubt not but most observing and unprejudiced Physicians will frankly own, that the forementioned Sweats were so far from relieving or curing the Symptoms that attended their Patients; that usually more dangerous and mortal ones did speedily affect both head and genus nervosum.  
Now surely, if our Indications may best be taken from the juvantia and laedentia in Physic, we cannot allow those discharges as critical, which are rarely or never attended with relief to the Patient; but do rather seem to proceed from some strange perversion and fluor of the mass of blood, and other noble juices of the body: and though it must be allowed, that in all methods some must die; yet doubtless every honest and conscientious Physician is very diligent to observe, to what method of Cure a disease doth most happily and generally yield; and therefore in Epidemical distempers, that seem to be specifically different from each other; the advice of the learned Doctor Willis may be thankfully entertained, which he giveth us in cases of this nature; Praeter medici cujusque privatum judicium, experientia potissimùm medendi rationem suppeditat; cum enim hae Febres primò grassantur, singuli ferè singula tentant remedia, & ex eorum successibus unà collatis facilè ediscitur, quali demum methodo innitendum erit; donec ultimò crebro tentamine seu transeuntium vestigiis, via quasi regia & lata, ad hujusmodi affectuum rationem teritur, variisque observationibus monitisque munitur.  
But to proceed; I would gladly know of Mr. H. and the rest of the Arcanamongers of this Town, who are apt to believe that all distempers may be happily cured by their strong and Vinous liquors, Diaphoretick powders, etc. what they would have done in those pestilential and malignant diseases, which could be cured by no other method, but that, which they continually decry and exclaim against; although very powerful Alexipharmick and Diaphoretick medicines had been frequently made use of in the forementioned cases, to little or no advantage. And that they may not charge me with discoursing any thing of my own sense in these cases; I will acquaint them with my Authors, and some observations that I have read of this kind.  
The first they may find in the 359 page of Riverius his praxis, where he giveth us an account of a pestilential Fever, that raged in so great violence at Montpelier in the year 1623., that multitudes died of it; And further lie telleth us, that he observed that in all those Patients, quibus parotides superveniebant; which was usually about the ninth or eleventh day of the disease, (there commonly preceding or accompanying a delirium, stupor, convulsive motions, with unequal formicating pulses, etc.) they all died within two days after; notwithstanding the frequent exhibition of Alexipharmick medicines, and the diligent application of Topics; which engaged this ingenious and excellent Physician to think, that these swellings proved so fatal, because the parts affected were not capable of receiving all the morbific matter; wherefore that which still remained in the blood, killed the Patient; and therefore he thought, that Nature's work being begun in those swellings, might be happily supplied by venae-section or gentle purgation: But these indications seemed to be contra-indicated, by the great imbecility of the Patients, who appeared to be even in the agonies of death; yet on the other hand considering, that it was better to experiment a doubtful remedy in one or two persons, than to leave so many to undoubted destruction: he resolved first to prescribe Phlebotomy to the quantity of three ounces, which blood was very corrupt; and after three or four hours the Patient's pulse waxing stronger, it encouraged him the day following to prescribe him a lenient purge, which likewise was attended with that good success, that his deplorable Patient was delivered from the jaws of death; and afterwards (saith he) all the sick that had these parotides behind their ears, I first bled several times a little at a time, and the day following purged them, and so all of them who were thus ordered, happily recovered; not one of them afterwards dying in the whole year, that had those parotides behind their ears. Which observation this learned and ingenuous Physician thought so necessary to communicate, that he tells us in the forementioned page, insigne hoc experimentum silentio praeterire nefas fuisset.  
And in the fourth Century of his observations he acquaints us, that in the plague itself, an ingenious Physician having undertaken the care of the third part of a City miserably afflicted with that depopulating disease, he prescribed to all his Patients an Emetic potion, whereby he was so happy as to cure almost all that were committed to his care, he scarcely losing ten or twelve for his part; when as in the other two parts of the Town, few escaped.  
And if any of your friends, Mr. H. will take the pains to consult the rest of his observations in malignant Fevers; they may find him frequently using the Launcet, purgations, etc. even in those cases where violet coloured spots, exanthemata, etc. have appeared.  
As particularly in a Counsellor who was fifty five years old; who upon the ninth day of his disease fell into rave and convulsive motions of his hands, with a certain profound sleepiness, and looseness; which Symptoms were likewise attended with exanthemata, etc. yet notwithstanding these direful Symptoms, and the great evacuations the patient had undergone from a Diarrhoea and Cupping glasses; he bled him on the twelfth day to the quantity of four or five ounces; which blood being corrupt and the Patient bearing it well, he bled him the like quantity five hours after; the Patient finding no diminution of his strength thereby; and thus by the forementioned use of the Launcet and temperate medicines, he gradually recovered his health.  
Another Patient he mentions in the fourth Century of his observations, p. 79, 80. who upon consultation was ordered to be bled, notwithstanding he had bluish spots broken out all over his body; which gave the Patient great relief, he being in a short time happily cured; And though we find that one of those learned Physicians upon their consultation, did at first oppose Phlebotomy; lest the malignant matter should strike in again; yet upon the others reply, that there was little fear of that, by reason it had been for some days protruded into the habit of the body; they both consented to the forementioned remedy.  
And in his second Century, he tells us of a Citizen extremely weakened with a malignant Fever; whom he undertook to purge with a gentle infusion three or four days together, whereby his strength was a little increased, and by little and little he began to be better; repeating his purgations at certain times.  
And in an Epidemical Fever which raged so violently at Avignion, Bellicadre and other places, that very few escaped, their chief Symptoms being a Cough, pain of the Head and loins, frenzies, phthisical affections, etc. the remedies that were found effectual, were pectoral medicaments, gentle purgations (not forgetting blood-letting as principally efficacious) cooling Clysters, Cupping-glasses, Cordial opiates, etc.  
Which observations do put me in mind of what an ingenious Licentiate of the College of Physicians acquainted me with, in the late malignant Fevers, that accompanied the Small pox at Colchester, when it was the Epidemical disease of that Town, viz. that those Fevers were very acute and mortal, being attended with prodigious Sweats, spasms, tremulous motions in the hands, stiffness in their jaws, livid spots in their bodies, etc. and though that observing Physician was a great Helmontian, and did frequently exhibit high Alexipharmicks and Bezoardick Cordials; yet saith he, they signified no more than chips in pottage, the Patients generally dying under the use of them; but at length bleeding was attempted, which cured several, though it were used the eighth or twelfth day of their disease.  
But to proceed; though in the forementioned observations we may take notice, that Alexipharmick and Diaphoretick remedies, did not so well answer the seeming indications for them; but Physicians were necessitated to alter their methods of practice: yet how efficacious this Classis of medicines was in the late London pestilential Fever, is as evident, by that account Doctor Sydenham hath acquainted us with, in the second Edition of his book de Febribus; where he telleth us, that after he had Sweat his Patients twenty four hours, he observed that they were so far from complaining of the loss & decay of their strength by that plentiful evacuation they underwent by Sweeting; that they rather obtained more life and vigour thereby: tantum enim abest (saith he) ut se exinde debiliores factos quererentur, quin potius quantum supervacanei humoris sudando dejecissent, tantundem novi roboris sibi accrevisse profiterentur— And that which was very observable in these pestilential Fevers was this; that towards the latter end of the forementioned Sweats, there would break forth fresh ones more natural, genuine, and eopious than the former; and that without the help of Medicines, which were accompanied with much more ease and refreshment to the Patient, they being altogether critical and eradicative.  
Now by comparing this last observation and those mentioned by the eminently learned and famous Diemerbroeck, with those other I just now acquainted the Reader with, we may easily observe what a necessity there is of following that advice of the learned Dr. Willis in cases of this nature, which I lately quoted; and farther how many people's lives would have been sacrificed to Empirical prescriptions, had they in the forementioned distempers relied upon them, there seeming to be (as I intimated) some specifical difference even amongst these pestilential and malignant diseases, by reason they would not yield to one and the same method of cure, though it was rationally attempted.  
And though we will allow Mr. H. that Empirical prescriptions are not like to be accompanied with those unhappy and fatal consequences in the distempers we just now discoursed of, by reason they are sometimes of a strengthening & sudorific nature; which are generally indicated in these diseases; yet how much mischief they are like to be attended with in putrid and other Epidemical Fevers, I have in part shown already, and shall now take notice of in variolous cases.  
In which I take the indications for cure to be the very same, that the judicious Doctor Sydenham hath laid down in his book de febribus, viz.  
1. The preservation of the mass of blood, during its time of separation and expulsion, in that exact and equal motion, that the protrusion of the morbific matter might neither be too hasty or precipitant, nor yet too dull or sluggish; the first (as he excellently observeth) procuring too often, violent Frenzies, or such profuse Sweats as might occasion the secretion and exclusion of those parts of the blood, which never were intended or designed by Nature for that purpose; the later impeding or hindering the due expulsion of the variolous matter: and therefore in the beginning of this distemper, he is no less fearful of administering too high Cordials, etc. than he is of Bleeding, Clysters, cooling medicines, etc.  
His second indication is taken, from the time of the expulsion of the variolous pustles, into the habit of body; in which he is very careful that those Abscesses of nature's protruding, might be preserved in a due manner, until they arrive to a state of maturation and decidency. And therefore at this time is he as diligently and studiously employed to prevent the too high ebullition of the blood, lest whilst these pustles are in their state of crudity, any of their morbific parts should be resorbed; as he is, that the blood should not grow too languid or weak, lest Nature should be unable to perform what is required at her hands.  
Now seeing 'tis manifest, by this short account I have given of this distemper, what care and judgement ought to be used by every prudent Physician for the Cure hereof; how unfit, yea dangerous must Empirical prescriptions of necessity be in cases of this nature; where too great an exaltation or depression of the mass of blood is alike dangerous, and where there may be indications for cooling remedies, or at least for those that are very temperate, as well as for Cordials?  
But to proceed, we will now discourse of a Chronical distemper, viz. the Scurvy; which some of Mr. H's fraternity do pretend to cure by their golden purging spirits, Spirits of Scurvey-grass, Elixir Salutis, etc. not making any observation as to the different constitutions of the Patients to whom they are exhibited; whereas 'tis undoubtedly true that many Patients, who are afflicted with the forementioned distemper, have the constituent principles of their blood, so much differing from others; either from an hereditary indisposition, or some irregularities in the non-naturals, or the like; that some of them shall have their blood chiefly constituted of dull and torpid parts, and others of hot, adust and bilious; insomuch that 'tis clear and evident, that the remedies which are indicated in one constitution, ought not to be used in the other: for where the dyscrasy of the blood doth chiefly consist in a saline-sulphureous or impoverished mass, there remedies that are not impregnated with hot, vinous and volatile parts, may be highly serviceable, by reason they do as it were afresh actuate and enliven this flat and depraved blood, inspiring it with additional ferments. But then, if this sort of remedies should be exhibited to those scorbutic bodies, whose diathesis of blood, spirits and other humours consist in too hot and nitro-sulphureous parts; how soon would they upon every light occasion, be hurried into Fevers, violent tumults, heat and disorders of the whole body? the proper indications for medicines in this case, being only for such, as we call mild or temperate; which gradually do calm and quiet the forementioned disorders of the blood, sedate its too frequent and preternatural fermentations, and in process of time so purify and alter it, that it shall recover its pristine and native temper.  
And that I might more fully and satisfactorily clear the truth of this assertion, I will acquaint Mr. H. what his unanswerable friend hath observed to this purpose, viz. in p. 92. of his Medela Medicinae, where he tells you, that Scurvygrass, Water-cress, common Wormwood, Water-mint, Horseradish, etc. do a world of mischief, and are eminently destructive in the Scurvy, where the disease is lodged in a blood and humours full of acidity or acrimony, and abounding with a vicious volatile salt; by reason, they render the salient particles of all sorts, the more capering, turgid and unruly within the veins, and send them a gadding thence about the habit of the body; by which means a foundation is laid for Agues of all sorts, Fevers, Vertigoes, running pains, stitches, headaches, Cramps, Convulsions, Griping of the guts, short Breathe, straitness of the Chest, Fluxes of all sorts, Gouts, Hypochondriack and Hysterical passions, Inflammations, Pleurisies and all diseases of the Lungs.  
Nay, so full is he in the defence of what I have discoursed of in a disease, which he would persuade the world is no less common than the Scurvy, (it having (as he saith) so corrupted the frame of Nature, that even in Countrey-Cottages 'tis a hard matter to find a woman in puris naturalibus) that he tells us, p. 80. of the forementioned book; that the common sort of Receipt-mongers should undertake the management of this Cure, and that the wealthier sort of men should so readily venture their bodies in their hands, shows the blind boldness of the one, and the marvellous indiscretion of the other. I will grant (saith he) that 'tis possible an ordinary man may be acquainted with a method very good and sufficient in general against this disease, and he may do some Cures with it, etc. but that such a man should think himself fit with such a traditional method and the credit of having cured some by it, to undertake the cure in all cases, is terrible to consider, since every rational Practiser knows, there is so great a variety in the Pox itself, respecting the nature of the venom, and other qualifications of the body in which 'tis seated, that in a thousand bodies infected, you shall not find two that are alike circumstantiated, or that yield concurrents so alike, as that there will arise thence the like indication for cure in the one as in the other; or that the same method and medicines may be used to one as to another, without prejudice and damage; which frequently happens to be so great, that instead of curing this disease they exasperated it; and do often precipitate men's bodies into other destroying distempers. I might (saith he) be copious in instances to confirm this from my own observation; but that being not fit to be done, you may see enough in the observations of Horstius, Zacutus, Riverius, etc. in whom you will find (as we say in our English Proverb) what is one man's meat, may be another man's poison; what cured one of the Pox was destructive to another; those wise men ever varying the way and means of curing, according to the nature of the person and disease they were to deal with.  
Now good Mr. H. do you and the rest of your friends seriously peruse these passages faithfully quoted out of your unanswerable book, and then tell me, what fair defence you can make in telling the world, that your Celestial liquor will suit all palates and constitutions; that your Spirit of Scurvygrass incorporated with its fixed salt, with your Golden purging Spirits, will prevent the Scurvy and cure it also, if not of too long continuance; and if so, the later will certainly effect the cure, if the disease be curable; and therefore 'tis commended as beneficial to all persons that travel by land or sea: and that your pills are the most approved remedy for relief of mankind against all medicable or curable distempers: yea one of your gang hath been so bold and impudent, as in public print to tell the world, that his Pills are the true tincture of the Sun, and hath dominion from the same light; for as the Sun at its appearance giveth nourishment to all creatures, so do his pills give present relief, comfort and nourishment to all mankind; nay he tells us, that they are the greatest temporal blessing, that ever God bestowed upon the sons and daughters of men: and yet his Antagonist hath published to the world; that a Chemist hath made Oath, that he extracted out of a very few of these Pills near half a small vial glass of Quicksilver, which he hath sealed by him.  
But, Mr. H. that I might farther inform you of what may be done by ordinary medicines well managed by method, I will acquaint you with the following observations.  
The first is taken out of the Lord Bacon 's Natural History, who tells you, p. 16. that there be many medicines, which by themselves would do no Cure, but perhaps hurt; but being applied in a certain order one after another, 〈◊〉 great Cures. I have tried myself (saith he) a remedy for the Gout, which hath seldom failed, but driven it away in twenty four hours space; It is first to apply a pultess, than a bath, and then a plaster; the first relaxeth the pores and maketh the humours apt to exhale; the fomentation calleth forth the Humour by vapours; and the plaster repelleth new humour from falling: now saith he, The pultess alone would make the part more soft and weak, and apt to take the defluxion and impression of the humour; the fomentation alone, if it were too weak, without way made by the pultess, would draw forth little; if too strong, it would draw to the part, as well as draw from it: the plaster alone, would pen the humour already contained in the part, and so exasperated it, as well as forbid new humour: therefore they must all be taken in order as is said.  
The second observation shall be of the Cholera morbus, a disease which is ofttimes no less violent than mortal; upon which account it may truly be ranked amongst those distempers the Ancients called extremè peracuti; its Symptoms being often times so violent, that in six or eight hours' space, strong, and lusty men have been reduced to spasms and Convulsions, with other as well amazing as surprising Symptoms; and yet have I seen these per acute and cruel distempers relieved in a few hours space by a remedy of no higher extraction than Chicken broth; and that although the Patients have been judged both by themselves and all their Relations to have been entering the very confines of death; yet in a few day's time they have been well and healthful again, and that without the use of any Chemical Arcana.  
And thus by a no less successful than rational method, hath the industrious Doctor Sydenham acquainted us with the Cure of that cruel and tormenting disease, the Iliack passion.  
And I doubt not, but that ere long he will give us an account of several other prosperous methods which he made use of in the Dysentery, Colic, Hysterick affections, etc. which have been attended with so speedy and happy success, that all the effectual remedies which Mr. H. obtained by his laborious pains and travels, deserve not to come in competition with those Galenical prescriptions methodically administered, whereby he performed the forementioned Cures; and whatever Mr. H. may think, I am apt to believe that in process of time, that Physician will be universally judged the greatest Artist in his Faculty, who can cure diseases much more speedily, easily, and safely by the judicious administration and methodical prescription of proper medicines, (though Galenical) than he that patcheth upon every post his Arcana, or giveth us large commendations of his pilulae in omnes morbos, in every printed pamphlet.  
I could likewise tell Mr. H. that I could acquaint him with a ●…alenical medicine methodically used, which hath been much more successful in the Cure of quartano Agues, than his Celestial liquor or appropriate remedies, which sometimes have been so violent in their operation, that they have endangered the translation of his Patients into a Celestial Country.  
I might further assure him, that I have seen a medicine so judiciously managed in some diseases accompanied with most violent, racking, and tormenting pains; that the Patients in a few hours have not only been relieved from those dreadful tortures; but by a methodical use of it, secured from all danger of a relapse; which medicine should it have been used without this due circumspection and method, it would have inevitably ruined and destroyed the Patients to whom it had been exhibited.  
I could thus proceed to acquaint all ingenious persons, with what care and observation is made use of by all honest and conscientious Physicians in the exhibition of their remedies for the relief or cure of all other distempers, which are incident to humane bodies; as Hypochondriack Melancholy, Dropsies, Jaundice, Apoplexies, Sanguineous fluxes, etc. who being men of liberal education, and well acquainted with the component parts of humane bodies, and the causes that do ordinarily put them into disorders, and produce that variety of Symptoms which do usually accompany distempers; they do wisely consider, as the learned Doctor Willis hath well observed; quip dumb manifestò liquet, cujusmodi particulae in patient aut alterandae, aut in motum concitandae; & quails in agente ad opus illud requiruntur, non difficile erit hoc satis aptè designare, ac ad alterum illud rite-accommodare.  
And though, Mr. H. I will not scruple to allow you that some Chemical remedies may be of great value and excellency for their admirable efficacy in the Cure of some distempers; yet doubtless they are not to be used without methods, nor yet, where there are not fair indications for prescribing them; unless we were willing to sacrifice our Patient's lives to ignorance and confidence: neither do I understand wherefore they should be applauded in those cases, where other remedies have been experimented much more powerful and successful in their operation; which occasioned that noble Chemical Philosopher Mr. Boil to confess, that he never knew any of the vulgar Chemist's Essences or Elixirs half so powerful a remedy to staunch blood, as a slight mixture of Hen-bane and white Poppy seeds, beaten up into a stiff Electuary with Conserve of Roses; nor ever did he see such wonderful effects against spitting and vomiting of blood, of the most elaborate Chemical preparations, as he had done of a slight Syrup made of the juice of Plantain, Comfrey, etc.  
But to draw near a conclusion of this discourse, I do very much hope that all ingenious persons who have taken the pains to peruse this Book, and therein observed how much pains and industry, how much learning and judgement is required to the due qualification of an able Physician; will not only gratefully own how much this Nation is indebted to the labours of the famous Universities and learned College of Physicians; whose members have been so indefatigably industrious in every province of Physic, as if they seemed thereby to tell the world, that they could never rest satisfied, till they had obtained as great a perfection in their Art as it was capable of; but will likewise use their joint endeavours to detect the folly and knavery of our London Empirics, whose Elixirs and Panaceas may be truly assigned as more probable causes of the stubbornness and contumaciousness of our late diseases, with their great and main alterations; than the Chimerical Ternary of your unanswerable friends, viz. the Pox, Scurvy, and Worms; whereby many of his Majesty's subjects have not only been deprived of the Cure of their distempers, but sacrificed their lives to the forementioned detestable prescriptions.  
'Tis therefore likewise to be hoped, that our Sovereign Lord the King, who hath been so great an Encourager of all liberal Arts and Sciences, will imitate his Royal Predecessor King Henry the Eighth, in confirming that Charter by Act of Parliament, which out of his Royal bounty he hath lately bestowed upon his College of Physicians, whereby the mechanical successors of those old Empirics, exactly described and characterized in 3 H. 8. may be prevented for the future, from trying experiments upon his Majesty's Subjects; to the high displeasure of God, great infamy of the Faculty, and the grievous hurt, damage and destruction of the King's liege people, etc.  
Nay further, 'tis to be hoped, that the Chancellors of our Universities, with the grave Judges of our Land, and all other persons of ingenuous or Academic educations, will be exemplary in the encouragement of this no less famous than worthy College; that so the Laws already made and established by the Parliaments of England, being diligently prosecuted by them, may give some check to their Empirical pride and insolency, as well as their bold invasion of this noble Art of Medicine, whereby so many of the worthy Professors of it have met with no small discouragement. I shall therefore crave leave to conclude this subject with what hath been no less ingeniously than judiciously observed by a very curious and inquisitive person, viz. That if Physicians, who are men of so clear judgements, so unparallelled for industry, have no more respect or consideration than mean, empty, shallow pretenders; we may have reason to fear, that hereafter persons of so great abilities and liberal education, will scorn to look towards a Faculty, which though honourable in its own nature, is so low and mean in the esteem of the world; that every person who hath confidence to affirm he is a Physician, although perfectly ignorant of the Rudiments of Physic, shall yet have no less countenance from the public; than those gallant persons, who after a long courtship have rendered Nature familiar, are acquainted with the causes and Cure of diseases; and who have so deserved of mankind, that I cannot but marshal them next to those divine persons, who also as these, are often slighted and neglected, although of them the world is not worthy.  
FINIS.     

POSTSCRIPT.  
SInce the writing of the first part of my Book, which relates to the establishment of the College of Physicians by Law, I understood that the Records of the Parliament, in 14 and 15 H. 8. were to be seen at the Rolls Chapel; which engaged me to make a very diligent search into that Act, and the rest which concerned the College of Physicians: where I found upon that Parliament Roll 36 Acts public and private, whereof 26 were signed at the bottom with Respons. Regis le Roy le veult; and ten others stitched to these on the same Roll, without le Roy le veult: But at the end of the Roll there is affixed a Commission granted by the King to Cardinal Woolsey to Prorogue and Adjourn the Parliament, from Blackfriar's to Westminster, and there to continue and hold it; immediately after which Commission we may find, that upon the 13 day of August, about six in the evening, the King being present, the House of Commons was sent for, and Sir Thomas Moor their Speaker having made a very elegant and learned Speech, he presented the King with a very large Subsidy given by the Commons, as a Testimony of their great devotion to their Prince; which being done, and the Lord Chancellor having (according to the usual custom) privately conferred with his Majesty, he commanded that all those Acts which were made in that present Parliament for the public good, should be recited and published. Quibus ex ordine per initia recitatis & lectis singulis publicavit Parliamento respons. secundum Annotationes Regiae voluntatis Declarativas à dors. script. fact. dictus reverendissimus dominus Legatus Cancellar. exhortando & admonendo nomine Regis omnes Dominos & Communes supradictos ut diligenter ordinata Statuta pro bono publico in hoc Parliamento observarent & ab aliis observari procurarent, etc.  
Now 'tis evident that the Titles of all Bills that were agreed upon by both Houses, were read in the King's presence, and received the Royal Assent, though it was not engrossed by the Clerk of the Parliament upon Ten of those Acts which are to be seen in the forementioned Roll, which are but Transcripts of the Original Records; and therefore as far as can be proved, Roy le veult might be ingross'd at the top or bottom of these Ten as well as the other 26. in the Original Records; But however 'tis plain, that the Form and Essence of a Statute Law doth not consist in the Clerk of the Parliaments engrossing the Royal Assent at the top or bottom of an Act, (that not being done until the Session is over) but in the Clerk of the Crown's pronouncing of it after he hath read the Title of each Act, according to certain instructions given from the King. Now the Clerk having in the audience of Lords and Commons pronounced aloud to every public Bill le Roy le veult, to every private Bill soit fait comme il est desire, and to every public Bill the King refuseth to pass le Roy se avisera; 'twas no difficulty for the Judges and Lawyers, Lords and Commoners to know what Acts passed that Session; and that this Act relating to Physicians did then pass by this Royal Assent, seems very clear; because (as I before intimated in page 8. of my book) a Parliament within 17 years after in the same King's Reign owned the College as a Body Corporate, and gave them several privileges which they maintain, and enjoy to this day; and about 28 or 30 years after, another Parliament confirmed the 14 and 15 H. 8. with every Article and Clause therein contained, as you may see more at large, page 9, 10. And that the giving the Royal Assent to these two Acts last mentioned in 32 H. 8. and 1 Q. M. might not be questioned, you may see it thus ingross'd upon the top of the first, Item alia quaedam Billa formam cujusdam Actus in se continens exhibita est suae Regiae Majestati in Parliamento praedicto, cujus tenor sequitur in haec verba. And then the whole Statute is recited. And at the bottom you will find it thus engrossed, Cui quidem Billae perlectae & ad plenum intellectae per dictum Dominum nostrum Regem ex authoritate & assensu Parliamenti praedicti sic respons. est, Soit fait comme il est desire. And at the bottom of the second of the two last mentioned Statutes you will find it thus engrossed, Cui quidem Billae perlectae & ad plenum intellectae per dictam Dominam Reginam ex authoritate Parliamenti praedicti sic respons. est, le Reigne le veult. Now 'tis plain that these Sessions of Parliament were not so long distant from the former, but that some that were in both Houses of Parliament in these two Sessions, might be in that; and therefore would not have owned the forementioned for an Act, if they had not heard the Royal Assent given to it? But besides, this Act of Parliament with some others of the Ten were ever owned as Acts of Parliament: As for instance, an Act that the Sir Clerks of Chancery might marry, an Act concerning cordwainers, an Act of Tracing Hares, an Act for the Clothiers in Suffolk, an Act for the payment of Custom, an Act for the Haven or Port of Southampton; all which, with two or three private ones, were passed by the same authority that the Physicians was; and if that be invalid, all the former are much more. Nay further, these Acts were publicly printed, and bound up after that Session; which hath been in use ever since Printing hath been common in England; so that they may be found not only in the Rolls Chapel, but in Mr. Pulton's Statute-book, and in old Books that are bound up with Acts of Parliament that were made in particular Princes Reigns, which may be seen at Mr. Miller's in St. Paul's Churchyard.  
But suppose that this Testimony were not sufficient, I would desire Mr. H. to resolve me whether the forementioned Parliaments owning and declaring it as an Act, and the Judges upon several Trials giving their opinions for it, and the receiving it as a Record into the Rolls Chapel, be not evidence enough to prove this very Statute an Act of Parliament; for I am credibly informed, that a Record being brought into the Rolls Chapel, and received as such by the Master of that Court, who is termed sacrorum scriniorum Magister, is so far from being questioned, that it is a full and sufficient evidence in any Court.