REASONS Humbly Offered against Passing the BILL, For Exempting Apothecaries from Serving the Offices of Constable, Scavenger, and other Parish and Ward-Offices.  
THE BILL is founded upon Untrue Suggestions in the Preamble, ( Viz.) That their Serving Parish, Ward and Leet-Offices, takes up so much of their Time, that they cannot perform their Trust in their Trade, nor Attend their Patients according to their Duty.  
Whereas their Trust in their Trade is only to Make up and Compound, by themselves and Servants, such Medicines as are Prescribed by the Physician, or Directed by the Dispensatory; And what they do more than this, is besides their Duty and Trust, 
14& 15 H. 8. cap. 5.  and not allowed by Law: For by the Statute of 14& 15 H. 8 cap. 5. and by an Ordinance of the college of Physicians, the Apothecaries are prohibited to Administer, advice or Prescribe physic, under a Penalty. And the Statute of 32 H 8 cap. 40. doth not entrust the Apothecaries with the judgement of their Drugs and wears; 
32 H. 8. cap. 40.  but Ordains that Four Physicians shall be Yearly Sworn to Search and Try them, and to burn and destroy such as they shall not find good. And their Duty is, To carry and sand Medicines and their wears to their Customers and Patients, as other tradesman do; which is generally done by their Servant's, with a Direction in Writing only thereunto affixed.  
The Apothecaries Proceedings, in Endeavouring to Obtain this BILL, is very Unequal and ●● partial:  
For by the Bill, they would be Excused their Service of Parish and Ward Offices, ( Viz.) Churchwardens, Overseers of the Poor, Constables, Scavengers, and Quest-Men, which are of great Necessity and for Common Good, and seldom or never happen to any Man more than Once, which they may Execute either by themselves, or Deputies. For the Parish Offices, as Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, are Executed at such Times as they themselves Appoint; and may be, and are Executed as well by Some as by All, in Ease of each other: And the Ward-Offices, as Constable and Scavenger, They may serve either by Themselves or by a Deputy; And such Custom has been by Rolls, 
See Style's Reports, fo. 362  Chief Justice, adjudged good, who did provide One to Serve for him in his Turn.  
And yet the Apothecaries Seek and Serve such Offices as require much greater Attendances, and must be Executed in Person, and not by a Deputy; as Aldermens Deputies, Common-Council Men, Governors of Hospitals, Commissioners of Lieutenancy, and Sewers, and Military Offices; and are as Busy in the Elections of Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, Chamberlain, Auditors of the Cities accounts, Bridge-Masters, and other Officers: And their Care of their Patients is not so prevalent, as to Induce them to quit, or not to seek such Employments, as make either for their Honour or Interest. Which evidently shows, The Apothecaries Design is not to save their Time, but their money, in providing a Deputy; and to put the Trouble and Charge upon their poor Neighbours, that they may reap the Benefit of their Neighbors Trouble and expense.  
The Apothecaries have not the same Reason to be excused from Parish and Ward-Offices, as the Physicians have: For that the Physicians must Personaly Attend their Patients, and Exercise their Faculty; and cannot do it by Others, as the Apothecaries may, and do.  
The Fines pretended to be taken for Excuse, are never Demanded of any; but sometimes at the Desire of such Persons as are Excused. Fines are taken and applied to the public Uses of their respective Wards and Parishes, and not otherwise: And are expressly forbid by Common-Council, to be applied to Feasting, or any such Uses, as the Apothecaries in their CASE pretend.  
The Exemption desired by this BILL, Extends to all other Towns and Corporations in England, where the Apothecaries that would be Excused from Offices are( in proportion to Others, who are liable to Serve these Offices) as Numerous as they are in London.  
☞ Note, The Exemptions from Parish and Ward-Offices within the City of London, are such and so many already, that there is rather need of a Law to oblige Others to Serve these Offices either in Person or by Deputy, for the Common Good,( especially at this Time, when Taxes and Offices are so many) rather than Excuse more; Which tends to the great Oppression of the Subject but more particularly of the Meaner sort.   

REASONS Against The Apothecaries BILL.