ANSWERS to the OBJECTIONS against the COLLEGE-BILL  
OBJECTION. The Case of the Precedent and 12 of the Ancient Fellows against other who have brought in the Bill in Parliament.  
Answ. That is, The Precedent and 12 of the Ancient Fellows in a private Cabal against the same Precedent and the majority of the ancient Fellows, and 40 other Fellows assembled in Public College.  
Obj. The Persons who promote this Bill were chief Actors in surrendering the Colle●● Charter.  
Answ. The Surrender of the late Charter was Subscribed by 35 of the ancient F●●●ows, of which Number were the now Precedent and 10 of the Petitioners against this Bill; and by way of Ballot 23 of 27 of the Fellows then present gave ●●eir Vote for the said Surrender; nor do we know of any who promoted this Surrender, besides Sir Tho. Witherly, the then Precedent. And so far were those Pe●sons who promote this Bill, from being chief Actors in Surrendering the Charter, that great Endeavours were made to leave their Names out of the Charter of King James as Persons disaffected to the then Government; one of them having voted for Common-Council Men, who appeared against the Surrender of the City Charter.  
Obj. And procured a New Charter from King James.  
Answ. The College in Public Meeting appointed 18 of the ancient Fellows, (of which number were the present Precedent and 4 more of the Petitioners against the Bill) to act in relation to the new Charter, who met and resolved what useful Privileges they should desire to be inserted therein: as securing the Treasury and College Seal, settling Committees, Licensing Books relating to Physic and Surgery, etc.  
Obj. The late Charter makes the Fellows to be only at the King's Pleasure.  
Answ. This Clause was not desired, but forced upon us.  
Obj. Forty new Fellows were imposed on the College by the new Charter, some of which were Papsts and Foreigners.  
Answ. Most of these new Fellows were Members of the College before, and examined, the rest Men of good Practice and approved Learning; residing in the Town, having taken their Degree of Doctors in our own or other Universities, and such as by our Acts of Parliament we had Power to admit, amongst whom there were only two Papists (that we know of) and the Queen Dowagers Physician, who are left out in this Bill, as they well know. And tho' they would pretend that these new Fellows were imposed upon them; yet 'tis so far from truth, that they do well know that their Names were given to the late Lord Chancellor by Sir Tho. Witherley then Precedent, as Persons fitly qualified for their Learning and Experience to be Fellows of the College, and when 30 of these Fellows were admitted into the College, there were not fewer than 24 of the ancient Fellows present consenting to their admission, of which Number were the present Precedent and five of the Petitiones against the College-Bill, who gave 10 s. a Man towards making a Feast to express their Joy for the advantage the College received by the increase of their Number, etc. The College having hereby received about 1500 l. towards the Payment of a great Debt (contracted in great measure by the ill management of late Precedents and Elects) and enable themselves to Pay the remainder in half the time they otherwise could.  
Obj. The New Charter cost the College to Burton and Grayham above 200 l.  
Answ. This Money was all disposed of and paid to Burton by the then Precedent Sir Tho. Witherley, and Dr. Rogers now Precedent, and then Treasurer of the College, who thereupon ought to answer for it, and there being about 30 l. more demanded by Burton of Sir Thomas Millington the present Treasurer, ●ho thought it so Extravagant, that he absolutely refused to Pay it.  
Obj. Some of the old Fellows were excluded by this Charter.  
Answ. The Chancellor lest out 4 by his Absolute Power, and we by our Application got them restored, having in the mean time consulted with them, and treated them as Fellows upon all occasions; and as a farther testimony of our respect to them, refused to put out a Catalogue during their Suspension, lest we should thereby have owned the Illegal and Arbitrary Proceed of the Chancellor against them.  
Obj. Arbitrary By-Laws were made upon the Admission of these new Fellows.  
Answ. All our By-Laws were made upon great Deliberation for the good of the Public and the College, pursuant to our Acts of Parliament; in the framing of which, some of these Petitioners were concerned, and at the confirming of them in two several public Meetings as our Statutes require) most of the Petitioners against this Bill were present. And as to those made after the admission of the new Fellows, they were such as added greater Penalties to enforce the due observation of the Moral Statutes of the College, obliged Treasurers to give Bond for the College Security, directed Auditors to be joined with the Elects in passing the College Accounts, secured the College Seal from being applied to Writings, etc. without the consent of the Society, and advanced the Honour and Interest of our own Universities: nor do they any way relate to this Bill.  
Obj. One of the Arbitrary By-Laws was, That no Member of the College should write Latin Directions; for the breach of which, Members were fined at will and pleasure.  
Answ. This By-Law instanced was ballotted in two several Meetings, in the first it passed Nemine contradicente; in the second at a Month's distance it was carried by 31, of 37. Which By-Law was, and still is thought necessary to prevent the mistakes too often committed by Apothecaries and their Servants, in translating Physicians Latin Directions, which have proved fatal to some of the King's Subjects. The Fine is certain by Statute, viz. 20 s. and not Arbitrary, being inflicted by the Censors who are upon Oath.  
Obj. Divers Suits and Actions were commenced, etc. by Virtue of the new Charter against Apothecaries and Surgeons.  
Answ. All Suits whatsoever are commenced by the Censors as the Law of the Kingdom direct, nor has any Apothecary or Surgeon been sued since the new Charter (that we know of) by virtue of any new by Law.  
Obj. The Doctors who promote the Bill Petitioned a Committee of the House to Confirm King James' s Charter.  
Answ. The Precedent and 11 of the ancient Fellows (as they call themselves) did secretly without the consent of the College present a Petition to the Committee of Grievances, the consequence of which had been the turning out of 40 new Fellows; whereupon (in open College) the same Precedent and 55 Fellows (whereof 26 were of the ancient Corporation) did Sign and Seal a Petition for continuing the said Fellows, and the Privileges contained in the said Charter, having in a former College chosen a Committee to take care of them; after which, the Precedent refusing to call a College (tho' requested by the principal Members thereof) the Vicepresident and 40 of the Fellows (of which Number were 4 of the Elects, and above 20 ancient Fellows) made it their desire under their hands, that the forementioned Committee would bring in a Bill in Parliament, which accordingly they did; and when the Precedent was forced to call a College to answer an Order of the House of Lords, He with two other of the Petitioners against the College-Bill, did agree in public College, that this Committee should proceed in carrying on this Bill. In which there is nothing of King James' Charter; but only the Number of 80 Fellows and the Treasurer's giving Bond to the College; so that there is no pretence for all that Paragraph.  
Obj. They added a Clause that the Censors might examine Persons upon Oath.  
Answ. No such Clause in this Bill, as they acknowledge.  
Obj. They added a Proviso, that the Precedent and any 14 Fellows may make a Court to examine any Offences or Matters in the Society.  
Answ. No such Proviso in the Bill.  
Obj. The Sums or the greatest part received of the Fellows admitted by the new Charter was run out for obtaining the new Charter, and other Extravagancies.  
Answ. The Money received of the Fellows admitted by the new Charter amounted to about 1500 l. This Charter cost the College (as they formerly owned) about 200 l. which was Paid by Sir Tho. Witherley and Dr. Rogers before any of these Fellows were Entered, and since their admission, Sir Tho. Millington, (the present Treasurer) has paid and expended 1900 l. towards Payment of Debts, the making a new Library, and repairing the College.  
Obj. Most of the Debt the College was run into, was for Building the College.  
Answ. When the whole College was finished, it was but in Debt 1350 l. which Sum by mis-management was in Eight years increased to 6000 l.  
Obj. The Miscarriage of Dr. Whistler was chief owing to the Promoters of this Bill.  
Answ. We desire that may be examined, for the present Precedent and Elects upon auditing Dr. Whistler's Accounts after he had received 2000 l. did make the College Debtor 384 l. 7 s. 7 d. to him, without taking any Security, or making any Entry of the said 2000 l. in the Treasury-Book, where they have also allowed him Interest advanced for the 2000 l. about 10 Months before it was due; to all which matter, and several other Miscarriages of some late Precedents and Elects, (such as entering Subscriptions of several Hundred Pounds in lose Papers without date of Day, Month or Year; giving a discharge of a small Sum never entered in the Treasury Book, which is insisted upon why the College should not be let into an account of 1200 l. neglecting to receive several Sums of Money owing to the College, appropriating others due to the College to their private use, violating the College Statutes, governing not according to the Laws of the College, but at will and pleasure rediculing Solemn Oaths, withdrawing a College Writ when legally executed, and applying the College Seal to a public Writing, without the knowledge of the College) Sir Tho▪ Millington and Dr. Goodall are willing to be heard.  
Obj. By this new Charter of King James, and this new Bill, there are to be 16 Elects, which is in Infringement of Ancient Rights.  
Answ. By K. C. 2. Charter, there were to be 10 Elects, by the Charter of K. J. 2. there vere to be 12, and by this Bill 16, whereof 2 are of the Petitioners, one of which did act as an Elect by the Charter of K. J. 2. tho' told it was against an Act of Parliament; an so earnest was He then to defend this Charter, that He brought a Paper of Reasons to justify his Proceed.  
Obj. They turned out and displaced whom they pleased, and made what Arbitrary By-Laws thy thought fit.  
Answ. There has been none hitherto so turned out or displaced, nor will be, unless they desere it by the Judgement of the majority of the College, nor can any Officers be chosen but in the same Method; And as for the Arbitrary By-Laws here complained of, they are such ●s were formerly mentioned.  
Obj. A Laboratory or Apothecary's Shop is to be set up to make their own Physic, etc.  
Answ. The Laboratory was made at the first Building of the College, and it was lately orded by a Public Decree thereof, that it should be fitted up for the preparing Medicines for the Poor, to be given them Gratis, in pursuance of a former Vote for giving their Advicin like manner, which was the public Design of the Laboratory.  
Obj. This Bill will hinder the good Correspondence which should be maintained betwixt the College and Apothecaries and Surgeons.  
Answ. We all desire a good Correspondence with Apothecaries and Surgeons, they keep in within their due Bounds; but we have very good reason to believe that these Gentlemen who oppose this Bill, and the Public good of the College, do it with a design to ingraate themselves thereby with the Apothecaries, so that they may be by them recommended to Patients; and that they might still continue in open Contempt and Defiance ●f the wholesome and good Government of their Society.  
As to what is Objected that the College is a Monopoly, It is a great Mistake, because the Number of Licentiates is unlimited, the College having never refused to receive any Person into that Order who hath given any tolerable account of his Ability (before the Censors of the College, w● are upon Oath) to do any Service to the King's Subjects, tho' it be but in some particular Diseases.