of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. | 349 
A delivered to their capacitie ; than in others, which they underftand never a whit! And hereupon 
verely it is come to paffe, that the art of Phyfick hath this peculiar gift and priviledge alone, That 
whofoever profeffeth himfelfe a Phyfician,is ftraightwaies beleeved,fay what he will : and yet to 
{peake a truth,there are no lies dearer fold or more daungerousthanthofe which proceed out of 
a Phyficians mouth.Howbeit,we never once regard and look to that,fo blind we ate in our deepe 
perfuiafion of them, and feed our felveseach one in afweet hope and plaufible conceit of out 
health by them,Moreover,thismifcheef there is befides, That there is no law or {tatute to punifh 
theignorance of blind Phyficians,though aman loft his life by them : neither was there ever any 
man knowne, who had revenge or recompence for theevill intreating or mifofage under their 
hands, They learne their skill by endaungering ‘our lives: andto make proofe and experiments 
> B oftheir medicines,they care nortokillus. In'a word, the Phyfician oncly is difpenfed withall, if 
he murder a man: fo ¢leare he goeth away with impunitie,tha tnone fo hardié as once to twit or 
challenge him forit: But fay that one bee fo bold'asto charge them with any untoward dealing 3 
‘out they crie prefently upon the poote patients 5 at them they raile with open mouth , they are 
found fault with for their unrulineflediftemperature, wilfulnefie, and F know not what’: and'chus 
the'fillie foulesthat be dead and gone,are fhent'and bear away the blame. The decuries or bands 
_ avRome of thofe knights which are deputed and called Iudges,are not chofen but byan ordina- 
rie triall and examination of their eftate, qualitie,and perfon ; and the fame by the principal of 
that orderand degree,both taken and approoved : ftreight inquifition there is made of theirde- 
meanure from houfeto houle; of their parentage alfo,yea and true information given to the le- 
C Gors beforetheycan be chofen,Mint maifters,fuch as are to give their judgeinentof money,and 
the touch of coine,be not taken hand over head : but if any be more skilfull chan others therin, 
they are fent for(rather than to faile) as far as from Calis and the ftreights of Gilbretar. Aad for 
‘to pronouncefentence as touching the banifhment of aRomané cittizen, the five depited or 
ele&ted delegats (named Quinquevitt) had no warrant or decreed pafle before godaies were ex- 
pired. But for thefe Phyficians,who are the judges themfelves to determine of our lives, & who 
anany times are not long about it,but give us a quick difpatch and fend us to heaven or hell;what 
regard ts there had,what enquirie and examination is made of their qualitie and worthinefle?But 
furely,well ynough are we ferved,and we may thanke none but our felves,if we come by a fhrewd 
turne, fo long as there'is not one of us hath any care or defire to know that which is good for his 
D Jifeand health. We love to *walke(forfooth) with other mens feet.* Wee read, wee looke by the * Is this place 
eyes of others :we truft the remembrance ofanother when we falute any man :andto conclude, “e @fthin 
the Remancs © 
in thevery maine pointof all we commit our bodies and lives tothe careand induftrie of others: sccch,cheir Le- 
No reckoning ts there now made of the riches and treafure of Nature: butthe moft precious “cary.Arag- 
things indeed which ferve for the maintenance and prefervation of health and life,ave utterly res "@7627d Ne" 
jeGted and caft away: No account make we of any thing and thinke our owne,but to live in plea- *Agno/cimus, 
{ures and daintie delights.1 will not leave my hold of M4.Cto, whom I have oppofedas a fhield “77°"*- 
and buckler againft the envieand fpight of this ambitious and vaine-glorious art : neither wil] I 
give over the protection of that honourable Senat which hath judged no lefle:and that without 
catching advantage at the finfull pranks & leud parts which are committed and praGtifed under 
E theprerence of this art, asfome man haply would look that! fhould fer them abroad.Forto fay 
atruth, is there any trade oroccupation goeth beyond it for poyfoning ? that is the caufe of 
mote gaping and laying wait after wils and teftaments,than this? What adultéries have beene 
commuted under the colour hereof, even in ptitices and emperours pallaces ? Asforexample, 
Evdemus with Livia the princefle,and wife to Drufw Cafar : Valens likewife with the queene or 
emprefie abovenamed, Me(/alina But fay that thefe crimesand-odicus offences are not to be im- 
puted unto the artitfelfe, butrather to bee charged upon the perfons, Imeane the corrupt and 
leaud profeffours thereof: yerfurely 1 am of this beleefe,that in regard of thefe enormities,Ca- 
to was as much afraid of the entrance of Phyficke, as of fome Queene into the cittie of Rome. 
For mine owne part, I meane not to fay ought of their extréame avarice; of themerchaundife, 
F fpoile,and havocke that they make when they fee their patients in daunger of death, and draw- 
ing to their end; nor how high they hold (as it were in open market)the eafementand releafe of 
the ficke mans pains,whiles he is under their hands, ne yet what pawnes and pledges they take as 
earneft of the bargaine,to difpatch the poore patient out of the way at once ; and laftly, of their 
hidden fectets and paradoxes,which forfooth they will not divulge abroad, but for fome round 
fumme 
