understand the Trade, and that truly too, and that they cannot subsist without this incroachment? And why should not Chirurgeons keep open Apothecaries Shops? but that the same Law limits those Tradesmen, as well as prohibits the Apothecary from the practice of Physic. And surely the Law and State have no consideration of those persons subsistence, who conform not to them; and why should we have of those, subordinate to us, who against all good Conscience take away from us all that is our due, and continually traduce and slander us very untruly and designingly? The last objection (and a strange one) is, that in this private way of giving Medicines, Physicians may poyson their Patients. But this is easily retorted upon the Apothecaries, who may themselves or their Servants do the like, as 'tis known in the poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury; besides, since it cannot be otherwise, but that the Patient must trust somebody, 'tis better to trust one then many; and if one, better him whose education will teach him better Morality, (and who hath given his Faith (equivalent to an Oath) twice to the Body of the College; viz. once at his admission as Candidate, and a second time at his admission as Fellow; whereby he promiseth in these words, That he shall give nothing to cause miscarriage, or to destroy, or hinder Conception, nor Poysons (for of such, good Medicines may be made) to an evil purpose, nay that he shall not even teach them where there is any suspicion of ill using of them. Which promise is nothing else but the Oath proposed by Hippoc. to Physicians, in the entrance to his Books) then to trust such as want these qualifications; and this seems to be the reason why our Common Law makes it Felony, for any person to have any one dy under his hand, unless he were a lawful Physician. More noble and generous was the opinion of Alexander the Great, concerning his Physician, who confidently drank off that Medicine which cured him, though he was before informed by some friend that 'twas poysoned. Neither can History it self to my knowledg produce any example, that ever any such foolish Villany was acted; Though doubtless many lives might have been saved if the Apothecaries would have complyed with the College, in their proposed Orders for selling Rats-bane.