A Short View of the Frauds and Abuses Committed by Apothecaries | Page 7

Poor a Cordial, &c. without being questioned by the College; whereas they know in their Consciences, that the College hath power enough by their first Charter to act as much in this kind against themselves, and all other persons, as they desired of this present Parliament; And yet neither Apothecary, or any other who practised charitably, were ever troubled for so doing. They pretended also they were abridged wholy from their Trade, and might not sell a penny-worth of Mithridate, &c. without a Doctors Bill. Whereas there's not a word in the Charter to that purpose; the sole intent whereof was to keep them as well as other Mountebanks, from prescribing (which they call selling) the Physicians only livelyhood. And as to the bill itself so much railed on by them in Westminster-Hall, Coffee-Houses, Ale-Houses, &c. 'tis easie to make it out, that this Charter as proposed gives the Apothecaries more liberty and freedom of exercising their lawful Trade, then is enjoyed in any other Nation, where both Corporations are erected, and that it doth in nothing infringe, or diminish their freedom as Citizens, or their Charter as Apothecaries; and that our Charter was compiled by some, and perused and approved by others the most eminent Lawyers in England for Worth and Place; and yet none of these could find any thing in it either Illegal, Tyrannical, or unfit to be desired of the Parliament. Nay many mis-informed Members being rightly instructed in the true state of the matter, have acknowledged the justice of it; And was no more then King James by his Letters Patents, dated the 18th of October, in the 15th year of his Reign, granted to the said College; near about the same time the Apothecaries Charter was granted; and being almost nothing else but a supply of what was short in their former Grants, viz. That whereas their Charter granted by King Henry the Eighth, gave power to punish offenders in the practice of Physic; and because there was no power given to summon, nor penalty imposed for the non-appearance of such offenders; therefore by their non-appearance, the said power of the Censors was eluded; for no such offenders would appear before them, and consequently no punishment could be inflicted on them, according to the true meaning of the said Act. Now this Charter so much declaimed against, prayed only a supply of this defect, and also better and more necessary ways and means, without which, such and all other offenders against the lives and healths of his Majesties Subjects could not be discovered; and they had reason not to doubt a grant of the said power, since by the said Charter a power was granted them to imprison offenders, whom the Keepers of the Prisons would not receive, because no command, nor penalty was imposed on them, for not receiving such offenders sent by the Censors (a thing ridiculous to our present Lawyers) however this defect was supplyed by an Act in the first of Queen Mary. Now whereas since the making of the said Acts and Powers, granted to the College, several other Trades, besides the Apothecaries, relating to Physic (being then all Members of the Grocers Company) viz. Druggists, Chymists, Sellers of Strong-Waters and Oyls, have arose distinct from each others, and many abuses have been and are committed in each of them, as they all confess. The said Charter prays for the publick good only (there being the same reason of all) they might have the same power of Surveying them also, as they have of the Apothecaries, which most of the Judicious, and sober of the said Companies, as well in relation to their own private profit, and also the publick, by having all Medicines good, did not oppose, but liked well of. Nay there was nothing in the said Charter, but what was judged good by all or most of the Judges of England, several times convened by Order of the King and his Council, to deliver their opinions concerning some Qu?ries, which comprised the main of what was desired and petitioned for by the College, of this present Parliament. But before the Committee could make report to the House, the Parliament was adjourned, whereupon Apothecaries falsly gave out, and made people believe our Charter was taken from us. And in this transaction before the Committee, one Cocket an Apothecary exhibited in the name of the Chymists such a Scandalous Libel, as the Committee would not suffer to be read; drawn as some conceive by the assistance, and countenance, if not contrivance of his Company.
Lastly, The Company of the Apothecaries are bound by their Charter to bring their Servants (before they make them Free) to be examined by the Censors of our College, and to have their approbation of