themselves into the Practice of Physic and Surgery, and continued it many Years, notwithstanding the Decree of the Council of _Tours_ in 1163, where Pope _Alexander_ III. presided; which forbids any Religious Persons going out of their Cloisters, to hear the Lectures in Law or Physic; and that it is absolutely forbidden, that any Sub-Deacon, Deacon, or Priest, exercise any Part of Surgery in which actual Cauteries or Incisions are required. Most of the Physicians who practised in _England_ about this Time, were likewise well skilled in the Mathematics and other Parts of Philosophy; but the Surgeons of those Times were so much addicted to Astrology, as make some Parts of their Writings very obscure. After this both Physic and Surgery began to flourish much more, by the public Encouragement given very early by many of our Kings to several of the Practitioners in both Faculties, as will appear by the List of our Kings Physicians and Surgeons, to be inserted in it’s proper Place. _Hector Boëtius_ informs us, that _Josina_, King of _Scotland_, who lived above a hundred Years before our Saviour, well understood the Nature of _Scotch_ Plants, and their Use in Physic and Chirurgery; and _John Bale_, afterwards Bishop of _Ossory_ in _Ireland_, assures us, he wrote a Book, _de Herbarum Viribus_. _Buchanan_ relates, the _Scotch_ Nobility were anciently very expert in Chirurgery, and it is particularly remarked of _James_ IV, King of _Scotland_, _Quod vulnera scientissime tractaret_. It is said, that when _Scribonius Largus_ attended the Emperor _Claudius_ in his Expedition to _Britany_, he wrote a _British_ Herbal, or Description of divers Plants in this Island. And our most learned and famous King _Alfred_, is said to have written a Book upon Aristotle _de Plantis_. _Cinfrid_, a famous Physician, is mentioned by that early Writer _Venerable Bede_, in his _Histor. Ecclesiasticar._ page 307, 308. And _Ernulphus_, another eminent Physician, in the Time of _Nigellus_, the second Bishop of _Ely_, is likewise recorded in the _Anglia Sacra_, Vol. I. p. 625. Many more Particulars might, in all Probability, have been met with relating to my present Design, had not one very great Misfortune attended the Suppression of the Abbies, which was the Destruction of a prodigious Number of Manuscripts. _John Bale_, before-mentioned, though an utter Enemy to Popery and Monastic Institution, remonstrates against this Piece of Barbarity, in pretty strong Terms, to King _Edward_ VI. Covetousness, says he, was at that Time so busy about private Commodity, that public Wealth was not any where regarded. A Number of them, which purchased those superstitious Mansions, reserved of those Library-Books, some to serve their Jacks, some to scour their Candlestics, and some to rub their Boots, and some they sold to the Grocers and Soap-sellers, and some they sent over Sea to the Book-binders, not in small Numbers, but at Times whole Ships full.