TO THE HONOURABLE House of Commons assembled in Parliament. The humble Petition of many thousands of Citizens, and Inhabitants in and about London.  
In all humility showing,  
THat Mr. William Trigg Practitioner of Physic, the last great sickness did by God's blessing upon his Physic and Chyrurgeries, cure many that are still living; and did abundance of good to all sorts of people in and about this City: when most of the College Doctors deserted us, since which time your Petitioners have for above twenty years, in their several times of sicknesses, and infirmities taken Physic from him; for whom they have great reason to bless the Lord, who hath made him the instrument to restore us, and many of our several Families, to our former healths; and in which time, we do verily believe in our consciences, that he hath done good to above thirty thousand Persons; and that he maketh all his Compositions himself, not taking any thing for his Physic from poor people; but rather relieving their necessities, nor any money from any of us for his advice; and but moderately for his Physic: his custom being to take from the middle sort of Patients, 12d. 18d. 2s 2s. 6d. as they please to give, very seldom five shillings, unless from such as take much Physic with them together into the Country: Having done many wonderful cures of divers of your Petitioners, and others who had long languished, and spent great sums of money upon other Physicians and left by them as incurable  
That there is a good and wholesome law made in the 34th. year of King Hen 8. c. 8. Permitting every man that hath knowledge, and experience in the nature of Herbs, Roots, and waters, to improve his Talon for the common good and health of the people; the Copy whereof your Petitioners have humbly presented, to be as a glass to represent the faces, and conditions, of things to be such now, as formerly they were.  
WHerein the Parliament holden at Westminster, in the third year of the Kings most gracious reign, amongst other things for the avoiding of Sorceries, witchcraft, and other inconveniences, it was enacted that no person within the City of London, nor within seven miles of the same; should take upon him to exercise and occupy as Physician, or Chirurgeon, except he be first examined, approved and admitted by the Bishop of London, and others, under and upon certain pains and penalties in the same Act mentioned. Sithence the making of which said Act, the Company and Fellowship of Chirurgeons of London, minding only their own lucre's, and nothing the profit of the diseased, or patiented, have sued, troubled, and vexed divers honest Persons, as well men as women, whom God hath endowed with the knowledge of the nature, kind, and operation of certain herbs, roots, and waters, and the using and ministering of them, to such as are pained with customable diseases: As women's breasts being sore, a pin and a web in the eye, uncomes of hands, scaldings, burn, sore mouths, the stone, strangury, saucelim, and morfew, and such other like diseases. And yet the said persons have not taken any thing for their pains, or cunning; but have ministered the same to the poor people, only for neighbourhood and God's sake, and of pity and charity. And it is now well known, that the Chirurgeons admitted will do no cure to any person, but where they shall know to be rewarded with a greater sum, or reward, than the cure extendeth unto; for in case they would minister their cunning to poor people unrewarded, there should not so many rot and perish to death, for lack of help of Chirurgery, as daily do; but the greatest part of Surgeons admitted be much more to be blamed, than those Persons that they trouble: For although the most part of the Persons of the said craft of Surgeons have small cunning; yet they will take great sums of money, and do little therefore, and by reason thereof they do oftentimes impair and hurt their patients, rather than do them good. In consideration whereof, and for the ease, comfort, succour, help, relief and health, of the King's poor Subjects, Inhabitants of this his Realm, now pained, or diseased, or that hereafter shall be pained, or diseased. Be it ordained, established, and enacted, by the authority of this present Parliament, that all time henceforth it shall be lawful to every person being the King's subject, having knowledge and experience, of the nature of herbs, roots, and waters: or of the operation of the same by speculation, or practice, within any part of the Realm of England, or within any other of the King's Dominions, to practice, use, and minister, in and to any outward sore; uncombe, wound, appostumations, outward swelling, or diseases; any herb, or herbs, ointments, baths, pultes, and emplasters, according to their cunning experience and knowledge, in any of the diseases, sores, and maladies before said, and all other like to the same; or drinks of the stone, and strangury, or agues; without suit, vexation, trouble, penalty, or loss of their goods, the foresaid statute in the aforesaid third year of the Kings most gracious reign, or any other Act, Ordinance, or Statute to the contrary hereof, heretofore made in any wise notwithstanding,  
Yet notwithstanding the Precedent, and College of Physicians in London, envying the happy success of his Physic; endeavour by all means possible to suppress the said Mr. William Triggs Practice, and have maliciously preferred several Inditements against him at the common law, and have brought an information, and an action of debt upon him, etc. Prohibiting all men from practising Physic, which are not by them licenced; which was made to suppress Mountebanks, who then cozoned and deluded the people; and not to be put in execution against him, who is the poor people's honest Doctor, as may appear by thousands of our hands hereunto annexed: Endeavouring to make him odious in the sight of all men; who under God hath preserved thousands of our lives; whom God hath endowed with the knowledge of the nature, and operation of Herbs, Roots, and many wonderful secrets in Physic, and Chirurgery; wherein if the said College shall prevail, many poor people must of necessity perish to death, for want of help in time of sickness, from which there is no exemption, for they are not able to pay great fees to Doctors, and Apothecaries bills which cost more than his advice and Physic: Nor can we have access unto them when we desire, which we familiarly have to Doctor Trigg to ourgreat ease and comfort.  
Forasmuch as your Honours have declared, that the health of the people, is the supreme law; and that he who in the great plague, adventured himself for our good, aught to be encouraged in his practice in times of health. Your Petitioners hope that if there be any penal law in force, that is destructive to the health and welfare of the people: Your Honours will be pleased in your great wisdoms, to suspend the execution thereof; rather then to suffer many poor people to perish to death, for want of help; and your Petitioners therefore most humbly beseech this Honourable House, who hath done such great things for the safety of this Kingdom, for the sakes of so many poor people, in and about this City, who are deeply concerned herein, as much as their lives are worth; to Order that the said D. Trigg, shall and may quietly, and without any disturbance, or penalty, practice and administer Physic, in and about this City, notwithstanding any Charter, or law to the contrary. And that your Honours would be pleased, that such monies as have been recovered against the said William Trigg, may be remitted unto him; For why should any man suffer for saving his neighbour's life.  
And your Petitioners, who have faithfully adhered to your Honours in this great cause, shall have reason to magnify your Honour's Justice in the care and preservation of our health, a thing most dear unto us; And shall ever pray for the Prosperity of this Honourable House.