[209] By a Proclamation, June 18, 1626, it is ordered, that no one shall apply for this purpose, who does not bring a certificate that he was never touched before; a regulation which undoubtedly arose from some supposed patients, who had attempted to receive the bit of gold more than once. [210] Rymer, tom, xviii. p. 118. [211] Id. p. 1023. [212] Browne, book iii. p. 135. One would naturally be surprized to read of such numbers who received the Royal Touch in the 17th century, when the disease is now so nearly worn out; but Mr. Browne tells us it raged remarkably at the period when he lived. As to the giving of a piece of Gold, Mr. Browne says, "it only shews his Majestie's Royal well-wishes towards the recovery of those who come thus to be healed." In other parts of his book, however, he tells us that "some, losing their Gold[213], their diseases have seized them afresh; when, upon obtaining a second Touch, and new Gold, their diseases have been seen to vanish." Again, as to the virtue contained in the Gold, he relates a story of a father and a son, who both were afflicted with the Evil, for which the former was touched, and received a piece of Gold; but the latter never was touched, and had no Gold; upon which the son borrows the father's Gold, and received great relief from it. During this interval the father grew worse, received back his Gold, and, after wearing it a little time, became better; and this practice was pursued for several years. Mr. Browne likewise gives other examples of the operation of the Gold, on, persons who had never received the Touch.--Though we have called it Gold, which, in itself, was anciently reckoned to have a sanative quality in itself, yet Silver would do as well; for Mr. Browne does not deny but that a Silver two-pence has effectually done the business. The case was, that the King (Charles I.), who was the Operator, was then a Prisoner at Hampton Court, and perhaps had no Gold to spare; and therefore, in several instances, he used Silver, with which many were known to have been cured:--but, after all, by way of salvo, Mr. Browne adds, that such as failed of their cure--_wanted Faith_. From another passage in Mr. Browne's preface, one would be tempted to think that the virtue neither consisted in the Gold or the Silver, but in the Ribbon to which it was pendent; for he assures those who contended that a _second_ piece of _Gold_ was necessary on a _second_ Touch, that the same Gold, newly strung upon a White Ribbon, would work as effectually as a fresh piece of Gold. Some, he tells us, have been cured with the Touch only, without Gold or Silver. [213] Sir Kenelm Digby informed Mons. Monconys, that if the person had lost the piece of gold, the complaint immediately returned.