IN primus the Syrurgy on dothe cut awaye the heer of the heed / And he cutteth a crosse the skynne , the musculus flesshe / with the Pannycles & theyr Cōmyssuris with the Pelicraniū . and he putteth away all those partyes from the Cranium . ( That is to saye ) the skulle of the heed with his instrumentes called after some Cyrurgions a Spatter , Leuer , Slyse , Chyssel or other lyke Instrumentes . And then he putteth and layeth betwene those partyes and the Skul Ronlettes , stupes , or plagettes made of lynte , Cotten or other lyke stuped or dypped in hote Oyles / Mel Rosarum or oyntmentes and playsters therupon . And at the next dressynge he wyl make more rome with his instrumentes . And thens the warden or certayne other parsons of the crafte or facultie of Cyrurgery muste be there at that dressynge . To saye that the Cyrurgyon worketh lyke a cunnynge man yf he please to kepe the syke partie long vnder his handes / and to make hym to spende his mony , and that he may crepulat hym to proue masterys with his instrumentes called after some Cirurgyon , Trapanes , Graters , Rapes , Fyles , Chyssels , & other lyke instrumentes , for to make the bone to scalifie and fall , or to be taken awaye with theyr workes / & to blynde the people , & to make them to beleue that they haue done a great cure where no cause nor nede was so to worke . And so at the fyrste or seconde or thyrde dressyng many men and women , and specyally those that be full of grosse humours they fal in to a febre called Effymera , and so after that in to another febre called Febre putrida , and so the pacyent doth dye . ¶ Then the Cirurgion doth say that the pacyent doth dye of the wounde or elles ex visitacione diuina . ¶ And then he bryngeth other Syrurgions with hym for his wytnesse to exscuse hym of his noughty workemanshyp . And yf any other Cyrurgion do fortune to dresse the sycke man or woman / he shall lose a fyne yf he be one of theyr company . ¶ And yf he be a straunger then the Cirurgions wyl sue theyr statute on hym of . v.lī . for euery moneth so occupyeng of syrurgery to dryue hym out of the countrey , or to kepe hym in pryson tyll he dye . ¶ Forsoth the Cyrurgyons workemanshyp is the cause of the death of the man or woman . ¶ Therfore it is necessary for euery Cyrurgyon nat to cut the flesshe of the heed a crosse , nor none other membre of the body . ¶ Except there happen any Arrowe , Quarell , Spereheade , Gonstone , or other lyke to enter into craneum called the Scull , or in any other bone of the body . ¶ But no skynne nor flesshe to be cut a crosse but onely the heade and in all other places rome must be made a length the membres , & nat ouerthwarte for to take out the thynge that stycketh fast in the bone . ¶ But in all such causes take counsayl of some good expert Physycyon , or els study in Physyke your selfe by some good boke and noble auctours to knowe the febres , the causes , and the daungers of them , so that the pacient may scape from deathe & to lyue longe . ¶ For yf there be any bone or grystell hurte or brused in any parte of the bodye / surely there is playsters and many other good and holsome medycynes that wyll cause the bones and grystels so hurte and brused to scalifie and fal out by their selfe , or to knyt agayn by nature within a short space with a lytell payne or none . ¶ And without cause or daunger of any febre or death . ¶ Therfore let euery man that wyl take vpon hym to be a Cirurgion and to heale any man or woman wounded to folowe this rule and Regemie . And studye well and seke for those good playsters & oyntementes , and other lyke medycynes / that maye be to the health and prosperitie of the kyng our Soueraygne lordes Subiectes and liege people .

¶ And you shal haue moche more mony for your labours & paynes then you haue had in tymes past / & better name and fame . And at your endynge the glorye of the kyngdome of God for your rewarde , to the whiche I pray God sende vs there to remayne . ¶ But many Cyrurgyons doth vse to kepe men and women longe in theyr handes that hath any vlcere , vlcus , pustyl , postume , or any other morbos gendred of humours , & falling into theyr legge or other membres descended out of the body into the skynne musculous flesshes , vaynes , panyacles , or bones .

¶ They do laye medycynes to them one whyle helyng , another whyle debatyng the flesshes , so that it may nat heale , saying that it is a prowde or a deade flesshe . ¶ Then they lay corsyfe medycynes therto / as vnguentum Ruptorum , Mercuri sublime , Arsnike , sublimed , or such other malyng , and mortall corrosyns , or els to caltrice the flesshes and bones with read hote caltrysyng yrons , whiche is a mortal payne to the pacient to corrode , borne and mortyfye the flesshe & bones . ¶ And then the bone must scalifie and a pece fal away after the core or after of the flesshe is taken away . And thus they do to make the pacyent to spende theyr mony .

¶ Many men hath ben thus vsed that Cyrurgions many haue a lyuynge . And they make the people to beleue that they haue done a great cure & that they maye be called great connynge men . ¶ Or elles they do it vpon ignoraunce that they know nat the cause of this humours aforesayd nor the ryght cure of them . ¶ Therfore , I wolde that euery Cyrurgyon wolde leye a parte all those workes / and seke for some noble medycyns / that wyll put away the causes of the humours that commeth out of the bodye . And those Empostumes or nodes that be engendred vpon the pany●les , ouer the bones and vnder the flesshes make your Insicion at length the membres into it , and then thrust out the Sania or corrupcion . ¶ For the flesshe and bone wyl heale alone by nature / & then you shal be the workeman of god to whome let vs all praye euermore for his mercy . Amen .