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 licence 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-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 Mayerne.

Of this college there are at present a president, four censors, eight electors, a registrar, 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 to as not to exceed four score; 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 licence, and are connived at by the college: yet, by law, if any person not expressly allowed 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 1695, the college made a subscription, to the number of forty-two of their members, to let 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 23rd 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 L5 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 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 a certain bounds.

College of Justice, the supreme civil court of Scotland; otherwise called Court of Session, or, of Council and Session. See Law, Part III. No. civit. 4.

Sion College, or the college of the London clergy; which has been a religious house time out of mind, sometimes under the denomination of a priory, sometimes under that of a hospital: at its dissolution under 31st Henry VIII. it was called Ellyn's Spital, from the name of its founder, a mercer, in 1329. At present it is a composition of both, viz. a college for the clergy of London, who were incorporated in 1630, in pursuance to the will of Dr White, under the name of the President and Fellows of Sion College; and an hospital for ten poor men and as many women. The officers of the corporation are the president, two deans, and four assistants; who are annually chosen from among the rectors and vicars of London; and are subject to the visitation of the bishop. They have a good library, built and stocked by Mr Simpson, and furnished by several other benefactors, chiefly for the clergy of the city, without excluding other students on certain terms; and a hall, with chambers for students, generally occupied by the ministers of the neighbouring parishes.

Gresham College, or College of Philosophy; a college founded by Sir Thomas Gresham, and endowed with the revenue of the Royal Exchange: one moiety of this endowment the founder bequeathed to the mayor and aldermen of London and their successors, in trust, that they should find four able persons to read, within the college, divinity, geometry, astronomy, and music; who are chosen by a committee of the common council, consisting of the lord mayor and three aldermen and eight commoners, and allowed each, besides lodging, £50 per annum. The other moiety he left to the company of mercers, to find three more able persons, chosen by a committee of that company, consisting of the master and three wardens, during their office, and eight of the court of assistants, to read law, physic, and rhetoric, on the same terms; with this limitation, that the several lecturers should read in term-time, every day in the week except Sundays; in the morning in Latin, in the afternoon the same in English: but that in music to be read only in English. By 8th George III. cap. 32, the building appropriated to this college was taken down, and the excise-office erected in its room. Each of the professors is allowed £50 per annum, in lieu of the apartments, &c. relinquished by them in the college, and is permitted to marry, notwithstanding the restriction of Sir Thomas Gresham's will. The lectures are now read in a room over the Royal Exchange; and the city and mercers company are required to provide a proper place for this purpose.

In this college formerly met the Royal Society, that noble academy, instituted by king Charles II. and celebrated throughout the world for their improvements in natural knowledge. See their history and policy under Society.

College de Propaganda Fide, was founded at Rome in 1622 by Gregory XV. and enriched with ample revenues. It consists of thirteen cardinals, two priests, and a secretary; and was designed for the propagation and maintenance of the Romish religion in all parts of the world. The funds of this college have been very considerably augmented by Urban VIII. and many private donations. Missionaries are supplied by this institution, together with a variety of books suited to their several appointments. Seminaries for their instruction are supported by it, and a number of charitable establishments connected with and conducive to the main object of its institution.

Another college of the same denomination was established by Urban VIII. in 1627, in consequence of the liberality of John Baptist Viles, a Spanish nobleman. This is set apart for the instruction of those who are destined for the foreign missions. It was at first committed to the care of three canons of the patriarchal churches; but ever since the year 1641 it is under the same government with the former institution.

College of Heralds, commonly called the Heralds Office; a corporation founded by charter of king Richard III. who granted them several privileges, as to be free from subsidies, tolls, offices, &c. They had a second charter from king Henry VI.; and a house built near Doctors-commons, by the earl of Derby, in the reign of king Henry VII. was given them by the duke of Norfolk, in the reign of queen Mary, which house is now rebuilt.

This college is subordinate to the earl-marshal of England. They are assistants to him in his court of chivalry, usually held in the common-hall of the college, where they sit in their rich coats of his majesty's arms. See Herald.

College of Heralds in Scotland, consists of Lyon king at arms, six heralds, and six pursuivants, and a number of messengers. See Lyon.