avour to gain back the money for her. And thereupon went to
a Chymist, and bought as much of the said Spirit, as would make up the
quantity purchased of Dr. Goddard, who after Tryal of it by smell, and
tast, acknowledged it to be his, and honestly payed back the sum 'twas
first sold for; which I think few of the Mountebanks do. Sure I am
that a Quack sold 21 Pills for 20 l. whereof the Patient took 4 at two
doses, to the great hazard of his life, who then repairing to me for
my advice, I by Tryal of one of them found them to be Mercurial, and
wished him to return them back, but the Quack would not give him 10 s.
for the 16 remaining.

The inference and sum of what hath been said, is to shew briefly by
what Artifices people are deceived in their Healths, and Purses, and
how easily the ignorant are couzened, and such practices used, that
Physicians, men of honesty and repute, would be ashamed to own, and
must by using them in a short time be ruined and discredited. And such
Cheats as these, the College of Physicians are bound by the Laws of
the Land to decry, and punish (though by so doing it hath often
incurred the censure and clamor of the vulgar) Besides the Statute of
the 14th. and 15th. of Henry the Eighth injoyns us to it, declaring
that 'tis good for the Common-wealth of this Realm, and therefore
expedient, and necessary to provide that no person of the College of
Physicians (for all practisers then were of the said body) be suffered
to exercise, and practise Physic, but only those persons that be
profound, sad, and discreet, groundly learned, and deeply studyed in
Physic. Now certain it is, that none of the said body did or dare use
any of the forementioned frauds and deceits, but will constantly
indeavour (since 'tis impossible but there will be Cheatees;
(according to the old Proverb, Populus vult decipi, The People will be
deceived) to abridge the number of the Cheaters, who answer to the
former part of the Proverb, Decipiatur, Let them be couzened.

I shall end this discourse by returning from my digression to the
Apothecaries, who may and do use some of the tricks before-mentioned,
and shall here briefly recite some great advantages they have, and
make use of above Physicians. One is, that they live in this City 7 or
8 years as Apprentices, as also by their retail Trade, and by living
in open Shops, by frequent converse with their fellow Citizens,
whether in Commerce or Offices, by many friendly and Neighbou