IT was not without great skil & knowledge , that the wise & lerned Grecians did cal man by the name of Microcosmos , which is as much to say with vs , as the lesser worlde . for the greater worlde ( in Greke , cosmos ) doeth consist of the heauenly , & elementarie region . And the lesser worlde ( being man ) doth vnder God , reule & gouerne what so euer is them conteyned . & applieth them to his vse and profite , & if we shal begin firste , with that most meruaylous hande worke of God , I meane the beautiful heauenes , so wounderfully adorned & decked with most confortable lightes : what els shall we iudge , but that he ruleth them , whan being placed so farre from them distant , doth diligently & truly note & obserue , not only ther motions , ascentions , discentions , progressions , retrogradations , stations , deuiations , declinations , coniunctions , & sondry configurations : but also marketh what mutations , alterations , & effectes , they cause in the elementarie region , wherby he is taught to take that which may be to his profit & gayne : & eschew , or els mitigate and equally beare , what is therto contrary . and here of it came to passe , that the great Astrotagian , Claudius Ptolomaeus durst boldly affirme that The wise , by Prudence and good skyll . Shall rule the sterres to serue his will .

Yea , & the wyse Philosophers and Poetes , which did deapely , and with no small iudgement beholde the figure and shape of man : howe he only among all liuyng creatures loked vpwarde to the heauens , they dyd constantly affirme , that only for that cause he had gyuen to him suche countenaunce , and that right eloquently the Poete sitteth out in theis fewe verses .

And here by the way I gather , that this countenance was not gyuen man only to gape , gase , stare , & toote an the heauens : but wyselye to consider the wounderful forme & frame herof , how incessantly it torneth , & moueth abought the center of the yearth . & that the heauens are as freshe & lustie at this present to fulfil ther course , as at ther first creation . and that he by considerynge them , might confesse that ther is a God , who ruleth them , & hath made them to his vse & profit . but let that past & cume we vnto the elementarie region . What thing is ther in conteyned which he gouerneth not , and taketh of them profit . the wyndes he gathereth in a smal compasse , & by the forse of them , he romneth & walketh on the hough Seas as on the lande . The fyshes in the greates depes he bringeth to his handes . the foules of the ayre for al ther swyfnes of winges , he getteth for his pray . Yea he subdueth one foule , & teacheth it to bringe diuers others vnto hym . Example of the hauke , & the partrich . suche is the diuine wisdome , & greate poure giuen to this litle worlde , man , what ? doeth he not subdue the most stronge & ferse beastes , & ouer runne those that are most swyfte ? the horse beinge a coragious & proud beast , for all his strenth , swyftnes , and forse in his houys , doth he not bridle and tame , and rydeth on hym like an Emperour & gouernour ? The mightye Lyon for all his strength , is made captiue & subiecte . the hart , and hare , for all ther swyfnes , he ouertaketh . and to conclude , what beaste is it whom man hath not , or can not bryng in subiection ? What saye you to the venemous serpentes , scorpions , toades , and such as are poyson to humaine nature , whiche man doth not onely vanquishe : but of them maketh healthful medicines to expell greuous infirmities . I omit for breuitie , the innumerable trees , plantes , frutes , herbes , rotes , gummes stowes , mettalls , and earthes , whose secret natures he hath founde out , whose vertues he hath tried , & whose substance he doeth rightly vse for his commoditie & welth . What artes hath he inuented , what scienciens founde , and misteries set out ? so that of right as I suppose , I may cal man microcosmos , and the lesser worlde . But me thinke I heare one demaunde , to what ende is this longe tale of man set out . Forsoth that you may riply and duely consider what a noble and excellent substance man is of , who is the subiecte and matter on which the Phisician and Chirurgian doe worke . but as touchynge the Phisician I haue nothynge to saye , and therfore of the Chirurgian I purpose somwhat to vtter . both to warne this microcosmos man , of those who vnder the name of Chirurgians be nothynge els but open murtherers , and also to deface theis rude Emperikes , and to pricke fowarde the righte Chirurgian . and that you maye the easelier conceyue that which I go abought , it behoueth you to knowe , that chirurgery is moste harde and difficultye to attayne vnto , and is also a longe arte , and requireth longe tyme in lernynge , and also exercisyng : as both the princes of Phisicke Hippocrates & Galen do testifie : and all wyse men doe also confesse . for howe can it be but difficil and longe , whan the Chirurgian must consider so many diuers temperatures of men , and hyd and secret effectes , and properties of nature in them grafted . Wherefore doeth one loue porke , an other hateth it as poyson . some abhorre chese , some frute , & other some wyne ? Wherfore doeth one concocte and digest meat most harde to concocte : an other is not able wyth out longe tyme to digest the easiest and lightest meates ? Wherfore is one by drinkinge of wyne made loose bodied , and soluble : wher an other man can not haue that benefite , no not with strong & vehement laxatiues ? furthermore , Chirurgirie for the greater part consisteth in right vse of profitable experiments : whiche require both longe tyme in the findynge of them out , & also in obteynyng ther right vse . & leste you may obiecte that one may receyue experiments of other that are lerned , & so easely obteyne the arte : I must say that the right vse can not so easely be obteyned . for to that , is required that both the Chirurgian hymselfe be lerned & wyse : and furthermore that he seeth other Chirurgians of longe experience worke , & put those experimented medicines in other right vse . This also maketh the arte longer , for that ther spring new infirmities in our dayes vnknowen to them before our time . What say you to Chamaeleontiasis , vulgarly named morbus gallicus ? Who euer haue written of the nature cause , & accidentes of it ? which is the occasion that so many miserablye haue dyed , & daily perishe of it : & those that haue receiued helth , haue bene so small a numbre . againe the art is longer to vs Englishe men , then to other , whan as we are first constrayned to learne the latine tongue before we can attayne the myndes of those who wright of Chirurgirye . there be diuers other thinges which also maketh the arte longe : which for that I wyl not be tedious , I comit to thy discretion to consider . Nowe this I conclude , if the subiecte of Chirurgirye be so noble and excellent a creature : the arte must also be noble & excellent , whiche teacheth to worke on it . if the art be excellent , then it foloweth that it is difficult and hard . again , if it be longe : then it requireth a long tyme in the obteyning therof , if then that the subiecte of Chirurgiry be so noble , the art so excellent & difficill : & so long a time required in the gettynge therof : thou mayst easelye iudge that the rable of theis rude Emperikes ( and drosse of the yearth whiche whan they can not otherwyse lyue choppe strayst ways in to the arte of Chirurgirye ) be no Chirurgians : but manquillers , murtherers , and robbers of the people : suche are some hosiers , taylours , fletchers , mynstrelles , souters , horsheches , Iuglers , wiches , sorceres , bandes , & a rable of that secte : which wolde by lawes be driuen from so diuine an art , the exercise of whiche for want of knowledge , bringeth some tyme losse of member , some tyme of lyfe , and some time both of lymme & life . Wherfore I do admonishe the frendly reader , what so euer thou arte , that hast nede of Chirurgirye , not to trust euery runagate , & him that called him selfe a Chirurgian : but consider whether he be lerned or not , demaunde of him some questions of his art ( which if thou canst not do of thy selfe , thou shall finde diuers in my booke intitled , the Institution of a Chirurgian ) whiche if he answereth them thou mayst be the boulder to commit thy selfe to to hym . otherwyse trust hym not , though he sayth he haue cured an hundred of that infirmitie . for experimentum fallax , experimentes are deceyuable . now seing by theis fewe liues , you may coniecture what a diuine and excellent art Chirurgirye is , and how thou mayst discerne and know the right Chirurgian from the murtherynge and bursserly Emperike , I thinke it good in fewe wordes to set out vnto thee , what caused me to publishe theis fewe and symple labours of mine . Ther ware two thynges whiche moued and styrred me hereto ( louyng reader ) the first was the discharge of my talent towarde God , and dutie to my natiue countrye : the second was to helpe my Brethren Chirurgians who althoughe they are desirous to attayne ther arte , yet both because it is so long , and not set out in our vsuall language , they are frustrat of ther desire , and the comonwelth vnfurnished of men of this profession . wherfore musinge longe with my selfe , what parte of the art I might best set out , as most necessary for them , and most spedely to attayne the art : I founde none more conuenient then first to wright an institution of a Chirurgian , in which he myght lerne the theorike parte and principles of the art : which whan as I had finished and brought to an ende : I dyd not thinke good ther to stay , but thought also it a necessarye thing to compile fourme tretise , comprehending the practise of some partes of the art . Wherfore I dyd set penne to paper , & wrotte an Enchiridion of Chirurgirye , contaynyng the methode and way to cure woundes , both in similer and instrumental partes , and eke fractures and luxations , wyth a newe way , of stanchyng flux of blod with out cauterizen yrons by a pouder diuisyd by maister Perpoint & me , whan as any membre is taken of from the body , & is now in the hospitalles of London vsed to the great confort of the sicke people , and sauegarde of ther liues , wher comonly before they perished and decayde . and whil I thought heare to haue stayed , behoulde warres folowed , and controuersie arose wether the cure of woundes made with comon gonnepouder & shotte ware like to inuenomed woundes , or els woundes contused , whiche controuercye to decyde I thought for the tyme necessarye . and haue compiled a litle volume confutynge the aduersaries opinions , and establishynge myne owne , and yet further wayeng what want the Chirurgians had of good and approued medicines belongynge to ther arte , I dyd take out of the best authours , suche as might serue herein ther necessarie vse , addinge therto suche experte medicines as I had both inuented and proued . and this booke I haue called my Antidotarie . all whiche .iiij. bookes , I shall require thee hartelye to take in so good part , as I doe offer wyth free harte , and loue to profit , both the & other . and heare , I may not forget maister Doctour Cunnyngham , who was no smal helpe to me in diuising the arguments , & perusynge the copies written , whose trauelles in this behalfe I commende to thy thankful minde louing reader . ther now reasteth no more , but to committe my woorkes with my selfe vnto thy Iudgement prayeng thee wher the errours haue escaped , both to pardon the same , & also to gyue me warnynge of them . thus Doinge thou shalt encorage me duringe lyfe accordynge to my small knowledge , to trauaile in this my vocation .