Page:Merret - A short view of the frauds and abuses committed by apothecaries.pdf/25

 enjoy, yet nothing would ever content them, but an unlawful, unreasonably, dangerous, and destructive Usurpation of liberty to some pretended practice, that thereby they might gain the whole.

Secondly, They have continually traduced the College, and troubled them in Parliaments, at the Council-Board, &c. to their great charge and molestation. And for such their great demerits against the College, the King and his Council, Anno 1639. granted a Quo Warranto to the Attorney General (the Judges having first heard the whole matter) to take away their Charter, which doubtless had been effected, had not the troubles, and long civil War immediately ensued.

Thirdly, And in this present Parliament, how did they endeavour to prepossess the Members of the House of Commons with strange, and false prejudices and assertions drawn from irrational, and groundless suppositions, making us the greatest Tyrants in the World, inferring ridiculously that a Lady, or Charitable Gentlewoman (for in that believing Sex they have gain'd a great deal of ground by their falsities) might not give the Poor a Cordial, &c. without being questioned by the College; whereas they know in their Confidences, that the College hath power enough by their first Charter to act as much in this kind against themselves, and all other persons, as they desired of this present Parliament; And yet neither Apothecary, or any other who practised charitably, were ever troubled for so doing. They pretended also they were abridged wholy from their Trade, and might not sell a penny-worth of Mithridate, &c. without a Doctors Rh