Persons, of whom the great part have no manner of Insight in the same, nor in any other Kind of Learning; some also can no Letters on the Book, so far forth, that common Artificers, as Smiths, Weavers, and Women boldly and accustomably take upon them great Cures, and Things of great Difficulty, in the which they partly use Sorcery and Witchcraft, partly apply such Medicines unto the Disease as be very noious, and nothing meet therefore, to the high Displeasure of God, great Infamy to the Faculty, and the grievous Hurt, Damage, and Destruction of many of the King's liege People, most especially of them that cannot discern the uncunning from the cunning:' Be it therefore (to the Security and Comfort of all manner People) by the Authority of this present Parliament enacted, That no Person within the City of London, nor within Seven Miles of the same, take upon him to exercise and occupy as a Physician or Surgeon, except he be first examined, approved, and admitted by the Bishop of London, or by the Dean of Paul's, for the time being, calling to him or them Four Doctors of Physick, and for Surgery other expert Persons in that Faculty, and for the first Examination such as they shall think convenient, and afterward alway Four of them that have been so appointed, upon the Pain of Forfeiture for every Month that they do occupy as Physicians or Surgeons, not admitted nor examined after the Tenour of this Act, of v. li. to be imployed the one Half thereof to the Use of our Sovereign Lord the King, and the other Half to any Person that will sue for it by Action of Debt, in which no Wager of Law nor Protection shall be allowed.
II. And over this, That no Person out of the said City, and Precinct of Seven Miles of the same, except he have been (as is aforesaid) approved in the same, take upon him to exercise and occupy as a Physician or Surgeon, in any Diocese within this Realm, but if he be first examined and approved by the Bishop of the same Diocese, or, he being out of the Diocese, by his Vicar General; either of them calling to them such expert Persons in the said Faculties, as
