COUNCIL

OF

The Percy Society.

President.

THE RT. HON. LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A.

THOMAS AMYOT, Esq. F.R.S. TREAS. S.A.

WILLIAM HENRY BLACK, Esq.

WILLIAM CHAPPELL, Esq. F.S.A. Treasurer.

J. PAYNE COLLIER, Esq. F.S.A..

T. CROFTON CROKER, Esq. F.S.A., M.R.I.A.

PETER CUNNINGHAM, Esq.

REV. ALEXANDER DYCE.

WILLIAM JERDAN, Esq. F.S.A., M.R.S.L.

CAPTAIN JOHNS, R.M.

T. J. PETTIGREW, Esq. F.R.S., F.S.A.

LEWIS POCOCK, Esq. F.S.A.

E. F. RIMBAULT, Esq. F.S.A. Secretary.

WILLIAM SANDYS, Esq. F.S.A.

WILLIAM J. THOMS, Esq. F.S.A.

THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. M.A., F.S.A.

INTRODUCTION.

THE following tract is appended to a rare work which forms one of the earliest English books in surgery. It is a translation of Lanfranc's "Chirurgia Parva," by John Hall, surgeon. Of the translator little is known. There are no biographical notices of him beyond those which can be gathered from his writings, and from these we learn that he was a surgeon in practice at Maidstone, in Kent, and a "member of the worshipful Company of Chirurgeons." He addresses his book to the members of that body, for protection, as well as to call upon them to unite with him in his endeavours to put down empiricism, and to advance the knowledge of surgeons in general. He appears to have been a man of strong mind, and of great zeal in his profession. A portrait, (wood cut), of which a facsimile is here given, taken when thirty-five years of age, shows that he was born in 1529 or 1530, and is prefixed to the work.

Following his "Vera Effigies," is, in seven quatrains :

THE BOOKES VERDICT.

As some delighte moste to beholde,
Eche newe devyse and guyse,
So some in workes of fathers olde,
Their studies exercise.

Perusing with all diligence
Bokes written long before :
Wherin they learne experience,
To heale both sicke and sore;

Which I alowe in dede and werde,
In those that understande;

For otherwyse it is a sworde

Put in a mad mans hande.

Let idiotes and betles blynde,
Therefore lay me aparte :
Leste contrarie myne author's mynde
They rudly me perverte.

For as the bee doth honie take

From every goodly flowre,
And spyders of the same doe make
Venim that wyll devoure:

So all that learned men and wyse

To good purpose can use,

The rude, that knowledge doe despise,

Will ever more abuse.

Wherefore all those that use me right

I shall increase their fame:

And vyle abusers all my mighte
Shall be to doe them shame.

In his address "unto the Worshipful the Maisters, Wardens, and consequently to all the whole Company and Brotherhood of Chirurgiens of London," he strongly laments the prevalent ignorance of the profession, "and alas," says he, "where as there is one in Englande, almoste throughout al the realme, that is indede a true minister of this arte, there are tenne abhominable abusers of the same. Where as there is one chirurgien that was apprentise to his arte, or one physicien that hath travayled in the true studie and exercise of phisique, there are tenne that are presumptious swearers, smatterers, or abusers of the same; yea, smythes, cutlers, carters, coblars, copers, coriars of lether, carpenters, and a great rable of women." afterwards says, "I would to God, therfore, my dere maisters and brethren, that there might no fault be found in us concerning these thinges; for truly if we weare such men of science as we ought to be, these false abusers would be more fearful to medle as they doe." He contrasts the conduct and information of the professors of other arts and sciences, with those of surgery, and he demonstrates the necessity of drawing attention to the works of the learned and experienced, to improve their condition. With this view he undertook the translation of Lanfranc's work.

He

LANFRANC was a physician, born at Milan, and