the 14th. and 15th. of Henry the Eighth injoyns us to it, declaring
that 'tis good for the Common-wealth of this Realm, and therefore
expedient, and necessary to provide that no person of the College of
Physicians (for all practisers then were of the said body) be suffered
to exercise, and practise Physic, but only those persons that be
profound, sad, and discreet, groundly learned, and deeply studyed in
Physic. Now certain it is, that none of the said body did or dare use
any of the forementioned frauds and deceits, but will constantly
indeavour (since 'tis impossible but there will be Cheatees;
(according to the old Proverb, Populus vult decipi, The People will be
deceived) to abridge the number of the Cheaters, who answer to the
former part of the Proverb, Decipiatur, Let them be couzened.

I shall end this discourse by returning from my digression to the
Apothecaries, who may and do use some of the tricks before-mentioned,
and shall here briefly recite some great advantages they have, and
make use of above Physicians. One is, that they live in this City 7 or
8 years as Apprentices, as also by their retail Trade, and by living
in open Shops, by frequent converse with their fellow Citizens,
whether in Commerce or Offices, by many friendly and Neighbourly
mutual kindnesses and actions, wherein they spend their whole lives,
and are never diverted by studies, and ingenuity from their proposed
way of gain, by all which means they get into a fixed familiarity and
good opinion with their Neighbours, and a large acquaintance in the
World. Now for their skill, besides what hath been before-mentioned,
and common to them with the Mountebank, viz. Vapouring and braging of
their skill, and decrying Physicians, by talking above the Capacity of
those they converse with, who therefore take all they say to be
authentick, though never so absurd, and trivial, and many times to set
off themselves they will venture to speak Latine commonly as false as