An Article that upon his examy’on of Surgery the said prentis shall have his preferme’t of grace and if he or they can reade to bring in qr’terly an epistle.
That when he hathe aunswered to the firste article preyving that he hathe some Learninge or practyse Then to have his firste preferment of grace to occupye Surgery by the space of so many yeres or tyme as the Mr and govˀnors and the examyners shall thinke meete, and as his Industrye shall seme to receyve the grace of god and by his dilligent travell to studye in the same and for an homage thereof if he be learned or can wryte to bringe in an Epistell evˀy half yere and to reade it himselfe openly at the day of Lecture before the hole house that they may see his furtheraunce how he hathe profyted in his dilligent Labor and studye, and the unlearned that can not wryte nor reade to be examyned half yerelye what they can doo in the practyse because they be unlettered by the mr and govˀnors and the Examyners how they have taken payens in their studye to practyse because they be unlettered for the Savegarde of the kg̃ and queenes mãts people.
An Article that any man desyr ing to have his prefermẽt of grace shall paye to the Clarcke for ye wryting therof viijd.
That any man occupyinge the mystery of Surgery being made free and desiereth to have his firste preferment of grace shall paye to the Clercke of the Companye for the wrytinge Inrolling fynding waxe to seale it and for the having of the Seale viijd.
An Article that no man occup’ing Surgery shall sewe for the Busshopes seale before he be admitted a Mr of Surgery by the Mr and govˀnors & the iiij Examyners.
That no man of the Companye after the feaste of Saint Michell Tharchaungell next comyng shall call for the Busshopes seale which ys the confyrmac͠on of a Surgeon untill suche tyme as he hathe passed his fyrste preferment of grace & the Seconde admyssion to be admitted to be a Surgeon and a Maister of Anathomye, and to paye for the having of the Seconde admyssyon a spone of an ounce of Silver and his name to be wrytten upon it to the hall, and the Clercke of the Company for the wryting and findinge waxe and enrolling of yt in the boke viijd. and if the pˀson doo not this passe orderly he to paye for a ffyne to the hall xls.
The order of the ffyrste preferment of grace of the admissyon of practycyoners that have been prentizes and be made ffree what they shall have fyrste towards their preferment.
The order of the first prefermẽt of grace of practicioñs and prentices.
Fforasmoche as yt is expedyent that no man occupye the worthye Scyence of Surgerye but suche as shalbe thoughte apte and industrˀ to execute the same truelye and accordinglye as well for the comodytie and proffyt of the comen welthe as also for the avoyding of the Inconveniences and Slaunder that otherwise mighte happen by the rasshenes and unconning of suche lewde persons as taketh upon them to exercyse Surgery being neither expert nor of us admytted to the same. And forasmoche as it is not possyble that any shall attayne to the same wtout instrucc͠ons firste learned of conninge and well exercysed men of that facultie: being broughte up therin as a practycyoner or otherwise under some well scylled Mr for certayne yeres: in whiche tyme he mighte applye his mynde to learne perfectly the rules and speculatyve pert therof. The maister and govˀnors of the Barbors and Surgeons of London wth the foure Examyners and the rest of the hole assistaunce have thoughte it good after suche tyme and terme of yeres expired every suche prentis or otherwise Servaunt being made ffre of the sayed Companye and ffellowship shall also have a tyme appointed by us and the reste of the Companye to practise and to put in use suche knowledge as he hathe that we in tyme afterwarde havinge intelligence of his connynge and well dooyngs may constitute him a maister of Surgery if his deserving so requier. Wherfore we the sayed Maisters and governors and the iiijor examyners wth the rest of the hole assistaunce here at this instante doo admitt A. B. as a practycyoner: who hath served as a prentis with R. G. maister aucthorisshed of this Company the space of yeares and now being a freeman of this Companye to practise Surgery in all placˀs according to his knowledge for the space of yeares as a tryall and a proofe of his knowledge may be had. In Witnesse wherof of the premisses we have caused this Lrẽ to be sealed wt our seale of our hall touching the firste admissyon of his fyrste prefermẽt of grace the xxiiijth day of Julye Anno dñi 1556.
The Order of the firste preferm̄et of their grace that be Lay bretherne that occupye the Scyence of Surgery wth us and also for them that be not a brother wth us and dothe desyre to be (of) us for their fyrste admissyon of practycyoners.