20th July, 1607. Mr. Thomas Thorney (Master 1602), Mr. Richard Mapes (M. 1612), Mr. Richard Wood (M. 1591), Mr. Serjeant Gudderus (M. 1594), Mr. Willm̃ Gayle (M. 1595), Mr. George Baker (M. 1597 and Serjeant Surgeon), Mr. John Peck (M. 1605), Mr. Christopher Frederick (M. 1609 and Serjeant Surgeon), Mr. John Gerrard (the celebrated Herbalist, M. 1607), and Mr. Joseph Fenton (M. 1624), were appointed Examiners of Surgeons, and amongst other articles it was ordained:—
That none of the said examiners shall pˀsent any pˀson useinge surgery to the Bishop of London or to the Deane of Pawles to the intent to get or pˀcure such Surgeon Lycence or admission to practize Surgery unlesse such Surgeon at such tyme shall have his letter of admittance from this Company under the Common scale of the same testifieinge his admission to practize surgery.
7th July, 1608. This daye Mathias Jenkinson was examyned concerninge his skyll in the arte of Surgery And was lycenced to cut for the hernia or Rupture to couch the Catrac to cut for the wry neck & the hare lip Provided that hee call the pˀsent Mrs of this Company to every such Cure or such of the Assistantꝭ as are examined & approved as the said Mrs in such case shall appoynt And is to enter into bond in xlli for pˀformance hereof And paid to the pˀsent Mrs xls And is to paye xls more at midsomer next.
20th June, 1609. This daye Mathias Jenkinson is dischardged from his practize in Surgery for that hee hath not observed the articles of his Tollerac͠on and for his evell & unskilfull practize.
27th February, 1610. Whereas one William Wright was a suiter to this Courte that he might be examined & admitted to practice Surgery. Now forasmuch as it appeareth he is one of a contentious & troublesome speritt & of a bad & scandalous disposition who hath not onlie heretofore divers tymes byn fined for usinge slanderous & evill speeches against divers that have byn Mrs & governours of this Company but also sundrie tymes heretofore & now daylie useth slaunderous wordꝭ & speeches wth many wicked cursingꝭ & revilingꝭ against Mr Mapes in the hearinge of divers of the neighbours of the said Wright where he dwelleth, which beinge by this Court dulie examined is found that the same slaunders & revilingꝭ doe proceed out of his wicked mynd wthout any just cause given Wherefore it is by this Courte ordered and fullie decreed That the said Wright shall not at any tyme hereafter be examined or approved for his skill of Surgerie untill he shall & doe before 4 or 5 of the neighbours of the said Wrighte to whom he hath thus abused Mr Mapes and in his & their presence openlie confesse & acknowledge that he the said Wrighte hath wronged and abused the said Mr Mapes And shall then and there before them submitt himself & be sorrie for all such wrongꝭ & wicked Cursingꝭ as he hath reported or spoken with promise hereafter never by wordꝭ or deedꝭ to wronge him or any other of this Courte or any other of the Assistantꝭ of this Company.
27th February, 1610. At this Courte was John Cotton of Radcliffe a professor of Surgery comited to the Compter for not makinge presentac͠on of his Cure wch dyed under his hand & also for his evill practice wch he used to his Cure as it did appeare beinge examined thereuppon And further he is forbidden to practice Surgery any more untill that he be examined.
2nd October, 1610. At this Court it is ordered that Richard Baynes and Xpõfer Browne shalbe comitted to the Compter for that they did not come and make answer to this Court of the Complayntꝭ wch are made against them by their sevˀall patientꝭ they being therefore warned at sevˀall Court dayes.
9th October, 1610. At this Court was one wyddowe Bryers comitted to the Compter for practising Surgery contrary to the Statutꝭ of this Realme.
About this period are several instances of Surgeons being fined for going to sea without licence, and for not having their sea chests examined, e.g.:
6th November, 1610. Att this Court Gyles fflemmynge did promyse that on Tewsdaye come ffortnight he woulde bring in his ffyne of xli for going to Sea wthout lycence of this howse, whereupon the Court was contented to proceed noe further against him in respect of such abuses as he hath offred.