_Britain_ has been very happy in furnishing the World, in very early Times, with a great Number of famous and learned Men. Of the first Sort were the _Druydæ_, who, it is said, had their Original and Name from _Druys Sarronius_ the fourth King of the _Celts_, who died _Anno Mundi_ 2069. Next the _Bardi_, who celebrated the illustrious Deeds of famous Men, who had their Name from _Bardus Druydus_ the fifth King of the _Celts_. _Cæsar_ assures us, (and a noble Testimony it is) that the Learning of the _Druydi_, was first invented in _Britain_, and from thence transferred to _France_; and that, in his Time, those of _France_ came over hither to be instructed. A celebrated _German_ Writer, as quoted by Mr _Ashmole_ in the Prolegomena to his _Theat. Chem._ says, that when the World was troubled with Pannonic Invasions, _England_ flourished in the Knowledge of all good Arts, and was able to send her learned Men into other Countries to propagate Learning: And instances in _Boniface_, a _Devonshire_ Man, and _Willeboard_, a _Northern_ Man, which were sent into _Germany_ for those Purposes. Mr _John Leland_, a famous Antiquary, in the Reign of King _Henry_ VII, who was excellently well acquainted with our _British_ Authors, assures us, upon his own Knowledge, that we have had a great Number of excellent Wits and learned Writers, who, besides their great Proficiency in Languages, were well acquainted with the Liberal Sciences. And Bishop _Nicholson_, in his Historical Library says, I think we may without Vanity affirm, that hardly any Kingdom in the World has out-done _England_, either in the Number or Goodness of her Authors; and that even in the darkest Ages our Lamps shone always as bright as any of our Neighbourhood. When School-Divinity was in Fashion, we had our _Doctores Subtiles_, _Irrefragabiles_, _&c._ But as the History of the Learning of this Nation in general is not my present Design, I shall confine myself more particularly to what relates to Physic and Surgery. An Historical Account of the Antiquity and Progress of which Faculties, with the successive Improvements they have received, has not hitherto been attempted by any Hand. And indeed the Difficulty which must attend an Undertaking of this Nature, must be very great, by reason of the little Knowledge we are able to get, in this Kind, from those Manuscripts which yet remain among us. The ancient _Britains_, who went without Cloaths, may be very well presumed to live without Physic; but external Accidents they must be liable to, as well in their Wars as from other Causes; and History informs us, they had Methods of Cure for such Misfortunes. The _Saxons_, while they possessed _England_, had their Leeches, a sort of Surgeons, but very little skilled in Methodical Practice. But under the _Normans_ that Science began to be much more improved. About this Time the _Monks_ and _Fryars_, and others in Religious Orders, out of a pretended Charity to their suffering Fellow-Creatures, intruded