Physicians and Surgeons Act 1511
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
(3 Hen. 8) C A P. XI.
'TO the King our Sovereign Lord, and to all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled. Forasmuch as the Science and Cunning of Physick and Surgery (to the perfect Knowledge whereof be requisite both great Learning and ripe Experience) is daily within this Realm exercised by a great Multitude of ignorant Persons, of whom the greater Part have no Manner of Insight in the same, nor in any other Kind of Learning; (2) 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'sliege People, most especially of them that cannot discern the uncunning from the cunning:' (3) Be it therefore (to the Surety and Comfort of all Manner People) by the Authority of this present Parliament enacted, That no Person within the City ofLondon , nor within Seven Milesof 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 ofLondon , or by the Dean of Pauls 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 approved, (4) 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 thereof to any Person that will sue for it by Action of Debt, in which no Wager of Law nor Protection shall be allowed.
II A Physician or Surgeon allowed by the Bishop of the Diocese.
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...
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