COLLEGE, is also used for a public place endowed with certain revenues, where the several parts of learning are taught.
An assemblage of several of these colleges constitutes an university. The erection of colleges is part of the royal prerogative, and not to be done without the king's license.
The establishment of colleges or universities is a remarkable period in literary history. The schools in cathedrals and monasteries confined themselves chiefly to the teaching of grammar. There were on-
college. ly one or two masters employed in that office. But, in colleges, professors are appointed to teach all the different parts of science. The first obscure mention of academical degrees in the university of Paris (from which the other universities in Europe have borrowed most of their customs and institutions), occurs A. D. 1215.
COLLEGE of Civilians, commonly called Doctors Commons; a college founded by Dr Harvey, dean of the arches, for the professors of the civil law residing in London; where usually, likewise, reside the judge of the arches court of Canterbury, judge of the admiralty, of the prerogative court, &c. with other civilians; who all live, as to diet and lodging, in a collegiate manner, communing together; whence the appellation of Doctors Commons. Their house being consumed in the great fire, they all resided at Exeter-house in the Strand till 1672; when their former house was rebuilt, at their own expense, in a very splendid manner. To this college belong 34 proctors, who make themselves parties for their clients, manage their causes, &c.
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 constables, keep watch, provide arms, &c.
The society had anciently a college in Knight-rider-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 expense of the fellows, in Warwick-lane, with a noble library, given partly by the marquis of Dorchester, and partly by Sir Theodore Mayne.
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.
Edinburgh COLLEGE of Physicians was erected on the 26th November 1681. The design of this institution was, to prevent the abuses daily committed by foreign and illiterate impostors, quacks, &c. For this reason, his majesty, at the time above mentioned, granted letters patent to erect into a body corporate and politic, certain physicians in Edinburgh and their successors, by the title of "the President and Royal College of Physicians at Edinburgh," with power to choose annually a council of seven, one whereof to be president: these are to elect a treasurer, clerk, and other officers; to have a common seal; to sue and be sued; to make laws for promoting the art of physic, and regulating the practice thereof within the city of Edinburgh, town of Leith, and districts of the Canongate, Westport, Pleasance, and Potterrow: through all which the jurisdiction of the college extends. Throughout this jurisdiction, no person is allowed to practise physic, without a warrant from the college, under the penalty of 5l. sterling the first month, to be doubled monthly afterwards while the offence is continued; one-half the money arising from such fines to go to the poor, the other to the use of the college. They are also empowered to punish all licentiates in physic within the above-mentioned bounds, for faults committed against the institutions of the college; and to fine them of sums not exceeding 40s. On such occasions, however, they must have one of the bailies of the city to sit in judgment along with them, otherwise their sentence will not be valid. They are also empowered to search and inspect all medicines within their jurisdiction, and throw out into the street all such as are bad or unwholesome. That they may the better attend their patients, they are exempted from watching, warding, and serving on juries. They are, however, restrained from erecting schools for teaching the art of physic, or conferring degrees on any person qualified for the office of a physician; but are obliged to license all such as have taken their degrees in any other university, and to admit as honorary members all the professors of physic in the rest of the universities of Scotland. These privileges and immunities are not, however, to interfere with the rights and privileges of the apothecary-surgeons, in their practice of curing wounds, contusions, fractures, and other external operations.
Edinburgh COLLEGE of Surgeons. This is but a very late institution, by which the surgeons of Edinburgh are incorporated into a Royal College, and authorized to carry into execution a scheme for making provision for their widows and children, &c. They have also the privilege of examining and licensing, if found qualified, all practitioners in surgery within certain bounds.
COLLEGE of Justice, the supreme civil court of Scotland; otherwise called Court of Session, or of Council and Session. See LAW INDEX.