The Return of the Master and Wardens admits the whole of the custom and facts, to be as they are alledged in the Writ. But they further certify and return, That long before the said _Richard Guy_ offered his said son _Melmoth_, or the said _Melmoth_ offered himself to them or any of them, to be admitted and bound before them or any of them, an Apprentice for the said Term of 7 years, in the said Art, Science, or Mystery of Surgery, according to the custom aforesaid; and after the making of a certain Act of Parliament intitled “An Act for making the Surgeons of _London_, and the Barbers of _London_, two separate and distinct Corporations;” to wit, on the 7th day of _April_ in the Year of our Lord 1748, _at Stationers-hall_ in _London_ aforesaid; _John Freke_, then and there being Master of the said Company of _Surgeons_, and _William Pyle_ and _Legard Sparham_, then being two of the Governors of the said Company of Surgeons, before that time duly elected chosen appointed and sworn into their said respective offices; and also _John Ranby_ esq. _Cæsar Hawkins_ esq. _William Petty_ esq. _Joseph Sandford_, _William Cheseldon_ esq. _James Hicks_, _Peter Sainthill_, _Noah Roul_, _John Westbrook_, _William Singleton_, _James Phillips_, _Joseph Webb_, _Mark Hawkins_, _Christopher Fullagar_, _Edward Nourse_, _John Girle_ esq. and _John Townsend_, being then and there Nine and more of the Members of the Court of Assistants of the said Company of Surgeons before that time duly elected chosen appointed and sworn to be of the said Court of Assistants, did hold a Court and Assembly, at _Stationers-hall London_ aforesaid, in order to treat and consult about and concerning the Rule Order State and Government of the said Company of Surgeons; and that the said _John Freke_, so being then and there Master of the said Company of Surgeons, and the said _William Pyle_ and _Legard Sparham_, so being then and there two of the said Governors of the said Company of Surgeons, and the said _John Ranby_ esq. _Cæsar Hawkins_ esq. &c. &c. &c. so being then and there nine and more of the Members of the said Court of Assistants of that Company, being all then and there duly assembled as aforesaid, did then and there, according to the Form of the Statute in that case made and provided, make ordain constitute and establish a certain BYE-LAW _and_ ORDINANCE, for the Regulation Government and Advantage of the said Company of Surgeons, in the words following. To wit, _Item_, It is _Ordained_ “That _no Member_ of the said Company _shall take_ any Person into his Service, _as his Apprentice_, to be instructed in the Art or Science of Surgery, for any shorter time than 7 years; _which person_ SHALL UNDERSTAND _the_ LATIN _Tongue_; his ABILITY _wherein_ shall, BEFORE _his being bound_, be _tried by the Governors or one of them_. And every Freeman of this Company or Foreign brother shall, within one month next after his