IN cuius rei testimonm̃ has lrãs nr̃as fieri fecimꝰ patentes. TESTE me ip̃o apud Westm̃ vicesimo quarto die ffebruarii Anno regni nr̃i primo. PEKHAM. [Illustration] pˀbrẽ de priuato sigillo de datꝭ pˀdct̃ auctoritate parliamenti & pˀ decem libris soluitꝭ in hanapˀio (Endorsed.) Irt̃o in Curꝰ Domini Regis in Cam̃a Guihalde Ciuitatꝭ Londõn in libro signatꝭ cum lit̃ta. l. folˀ tercio decimo. Anno regni Regis Edwardi quarti post conquestum Tercio. TRANSLATION. EDWARD by the grace of God, King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland, TO all to whom these present letters shall come, health. KNOW ye, that we considering how our beloved, honest, and free men of the Mystery of Barbers of our City of London, exercising the Mystery or Art of Surgery, as well respecting wounds, bruises, hurts, and other infirmities of our liegemen, and healing and curing the same, as in letting blood, and drawing the teeth of our liege men, have for a long time undergone and supported, and daily do undergo and support, great and manifold applications and labours; and also, how through the ignorance negligence and stupidity of some of the men of the said Barbers, as well of the freemen of our said City, as of other Surgeons foreigners and not freemen of the said City, and who daily resort to the said City, and in the mystery of Surgery are not sufficiently skilled, whereby very many and almost infinite evils have before this time happened to many of our liegemen, in their wounds, hurts, bruises, and other infirmities, by such Barbers and Surgeons, on account of their defect in healing and curing; from which cause, some of our said liegemen have gone the way of all flesh, and others, through the same cause, have been by all given over as incurable and past relief, and it is to be dreaded, that similar or greater evils may in future arise on this head, unless proper remedy is by us, speedily provided for the same. WE therefore, heartily weighing and considering that such evils do happen to our liegemen for want of the examinations, corrections, and punishments by a due supervision of such Barbers and Surgeons as are insufficiently skilled and instructed in the said mysteries or arts as aforesaid; have at the humble request of our aforesaid beloved, honest, and freemen of the said Mystery of Barbers in our said city, granted to them that the said Mystery, and all men of the said Mystery aforesaid, may be in deed and name one body and one perpetual Community, and that two Principals of the said Community may, with the consent of twelve persons, or at least eight of the said Community who are best skilled in the mystery of Surgery, every year elect and make out of the Community, two Masters or Governors of the utmost skill, to superintend rule and govern the Mystery