[34]De Indiciis et Praecognitionibus, C₃r.
[35]There is record of the probate of his will in that year in the Vice-Chancellor’s Court in the University of Cambridge with mention of his wife Alice. The actual will, however, appears to be no longer in existence. Information kindly supplied by Miss H. E. Peek, Archivist of the University of Cambridge.
[36]J. D. Comrie, History of Scottish Medicine, London, 1932.
[37]The Paintings of Hans Holbein, ed. Ganz, London, 1956, nos. 218, 219.
[38]Young, op. cit., p. 588.
[39]Guildhall, Repertory 10, f. 186, 14 Dec. 1540.
[40]De Libris Propriis, p. 90, in The Works of John Caius, M.D., ed. Venn, Cambridge, 1912.
[41]William Munk, The Roll of the Royal College of Physicians of London, London, 1878, iii. 351. The statute is cited from Goodall’s MS., On College Affairs, pp. 55-56: ‘Among our elders the Anatomical Lecture was considered of such importance that according to everyone’s recollection very few Fellows sought to be excused from that duty except for very grave reasons. However, lest it happen that frequent dispensations of that sort should become usual and customary and thence, so it was feared, lest such a useful institution should gradually perish, they decided to prevent it through the statutes, by slight penalties in the beginning and afterward increased and more severe according to the danger. We desiring to follow their prudent regulation, lest hereafter we admit Fellows into the Society influenced by a like hope of always declining this duty and not giving their attention seriously to that task: We establish and Order that for those refusing the duty of the ordinary anatomical lecture and wishing to be released wholly from that duty, the penalty of paying the College twenty pounds, unless because of very serious obstacles approved by the President and a majority of the Fellows in plenary session. In cases of lesser importance in which there is not sought a continuing exemption but a deferment from lecturing for a time, we leave to the judgment of the President how far this ought to be granted to the applicants; but the deferment granted may not exceed seven months. In which case also we wish that deferment from the first lecture may not be granted in favor of the succeeding lecturer, but that he be held to observe the time ordered for him by the President, as if there were no such deferment.’
[42]Charles Goodall, The Royal College of Physicians of London, London, 1684, pp. 34-37: ‘Elizabeth by the grace of God, Queen of England, France & Ireland, defender of the faith &c. Greetings to all those reached by the present letter. Our father of noble memory Henry VIII, formerly King of England, among certain other decrees for the well-being and usefulness of his kingdom of England, especially watching over the health of his subjects, through his Letters Patent instituted in perpetuity a College of certain grave men of medicine who practised medicine publicly in his City of London and its suburbs within seven miles of that city. In the name of the President of the College and the Fellowship of the faculty of medicine of London, he incorporated them in the corporate and political body, and he granted to the same President and College of Fellowship aforesaid and to its successors diverse liberties and privileges. Our same father not only confirmed those Letters Patent and all things contained in them through his Senatus Consultum or Parliament held in the fourteenth and fifteenth years of his reign, but also he increased and amplified the same statute in many ways. Since our said father granted this pious design for the well-being of the commonwealth, assuredly day by day there will be manifestly great advancement if to the aforesaid President, College or Fellowship and their successors forever we grant what is especially necessary for those professing medicine, certain human bodies annually for dissection. Know that we, not only deservedly renewing the famous institution of our said father, but also considering the responsibility of our royal office to provide as much as possible for the assured health and security of our subjects, of our special grace and from our certain knowledge and genuine affection for our people, we grant presently and for our heirs and successors to the aforesaid President of the College or Fellowship of the aforesaid faculty of medicine of London, and their successors or assigns, that they may have and receive annually and forever in future times, at one time or at different times of the year, at the discretion, desire and liberty of the aforesaid President during the time of his existence and of his successors, one, two, three or four human bodies for dissection and anatomization, which have been condemned and executed according to the common law of this kingdom for theft, homicide or whatever felony, or have been condemned and executed according to the common law of this kingdom for theft, homicide or whatever felony within the County of Middlesex or within the aforesaid City of London or elsewhere within sixteen miles of the aforesaid City in whatever County.... And that it be permitted to the same President of the College and aforesaid Fellowship and their successors and whatever others of their assigns, professors or experts, to dissect and to divide the same bodies or otherwise according to their will and judgment, with that reverence which ought to be granted to human flesh, for the increment of knowledge of medicine and experiment of the same, and for the health of our liegemen without the contradiction of anyone. And this without rendering or paying any one any sum of money or any sums of money for the same. Provided always that when from time to time an anatomy of this sort has been undertaken and completed that the aforesaid bodies be given funeral and burial at the expense of the President and his successors.... Westminster, 24 February, in the seventh year of our reign’
[43]Caius was not only a confirmed Galenist, but with the passing years ever a more conservative and literal Galenist, and his anatomical lectures to the surgeons were described by Bullein in his Little Dialogue of 1579 as ‘reveiling ... the hidden jewels and precious treasures of Cl. Galenus’. It seems likely that, whatever anatomical lectures were given in the College of Physicians, they must, at least for a time, have been of like character. In the Annals of the college as written by Caius we find that as late as the year 1559 a certain Joannes Geynes was subject to disciplinary action because of his assertion that Galen had been guilty of error. He was required to state that ‘I Joannes Geynes confess that Galen did not err in those things for which I criticized him’, Annales a Collegio Condito, pp. 53-54, in The Works of John Caius, ed. Venn, Cambridge, 1912. Such conservatism carried over to the study of anatomy would certainly have been detrimental to any advancement of knowledge.