COLLEGE of Physicians, a corporation of physicians in London, who, by several charters and acts of parliament of Henry VIII. and his successors, have certain privileges, whereby no man, though a graduate in physic of any university, may, without license, under the said college-seal, practise physic in or within seven miles of London; with power to administer oaths, fine and imprison offenders in that and several other particulars; to search the apothecaries shops, &c. in and about London, to see if their drugs, &c. be wholesome, and their compositions according to the form prescribed by the said college in their dispensatory. By the said charter they are also freed from all troublesome offices, as to serve on juries, be constable, keep watch, provide arms, &c.
The society had anciently a college in Knight-riders-street, the gift of Dr Linacre, physician to King Henry VIII. Since that time they have had a house built them by the famous Dr Harvey, in 1652, at the end of Amen-corner, which he endowed with his whole inheritance in his lifetime; but this being burnt in the great fire in 1666, a new one was erected at the expence of the fellows, in Warwick-lane, with a noble library, given partly by the marquis of Dorchester, and partly by Sir Theodore Mayerne.
Of this college there are at present a president, four censors, eight electors, a register, and a treasurer chosen annually in October; the censors have, by charter, power to survey, govern, and arrest, all physicians, or others practising physic, in or within seven miles of London, and to fine, amerce, and imprison them, at discretion. The number of fellows was anciently thirty, till King Charles II. increased their number to forty; and King James II. giving them a new charter, allowed the number of fellows to be enlarged so as not to exceed fourscore; reserving to himself and successors the power of placing and displacing any of them for the future.
The college is not very rigorous in asserting their privileges; there being a great number of physicians, some of very good abilities, who practise in London, &c. without their license, and are connived at by the college; yet, by law, if any person not expressly al-
lowed to practise, take on him the cure of any disease, and the patient die under his hand, it is deemed felony in the practitioner. In 1696, the college made a subscription, to the number of forty-two of their members, to set on foot a dispensatory for the relief of the sick poor: since that they have erected two other dispensaries.