1690. The following is a copy of a Press warrant issued by the Masters and Governors to their Beadles, Smith and Wills:—
Whereas by certeine Letters pattents of our Late Sovereigne Lord King Charles the first dated the ffifteenth day of August in the first yeare of his reigne As alsoe by order of our Sovereigne Lord the King in Councill beareing date the twenty eight day of December last Wee the Masters or Governors of the Mistery & Coiãlty of Barbers & Chirurgions of London are Authorized and required forthwith to cause to be impressed or taken up for their Majties service in Ireland ffortey Chirurgeons Mates & to returne their Names to the Councill Board that care may be taken for their subsistance, In pursuance of the said Authorities & in discharge of the trust in us reposed Wee doe hereby require & com̃and you Peter Smith & Jonas Wills being our officers joyntley & severally to imprest for their Majties Service fortey Able Chirurgeons Mates delivering every person by you imprest one shilling impresse money chargeing him upon his Allegiance forthwith to pˀpare himselfe for the said Service & to make his personall appearance before us at our Com̃on Hall upon further Summons there to receive such orders & direcc͠on for his speedy repaire to such Service as he shall be assigned unto, and for better execuc͠on hereof his Majties Deputy leiftennants Sherr̃s Mayors Bayliffs & Constables & others whom it may concerne are to be aiding & assisting unto you. Given under our Comon Seale this 17th day of January in the first yeare of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord & Ladie King William & Queene Mary 1689.[217]
2nd July, 1690. It was ordered that any of the Assistants or Livery being Surgeons and not appearing at the Public Anatomy were to forfeit 3s. 4d. each.
12th December, 1690. Whereas there hath been an abuse offered to Mr ffenton Bynns by Doctr Goodall for giveing internall medicines in a case of Surgery, Ordered that if the College of Phisitians doe arrest Mr Bynns that he shall bee defended at the cost of the Company for the fact now menc͠oned in Court.
20 July, 1693. Considering some late ill practises in this Company relating to Anatomy & to prevent the same for the future it is ordered by this Court that noe pˀson what soever (except the Reader, Masters & Stewards of Anatomy for the time being) shall use a knife &c. to disect any humaine body at any time hereafter brought to this Hall for an Anatomy upon the forfiture of xls for every fact soe com̃itted.
The Court would seem to have had the power of nominating the Surgeons and Surgeons’ Mates to the ships of the Royal Navy. There are hundreds of instances in the books of these appointments, but the following will suffice as examples:—
11th August, 1693. Ordered that Mr John Bamber bee warranted Chirurgeon of the Waymouth at Portsmouth.
Ordered that Larkham bee continued on board the Bristoll.
Ordered that Mr Harding have the first fowerth rate that shall bee ordered out.