Original 1658 University of Oxford Medical License, awarded to William Turges (b1630 Upavon, Wiltshire, England)
'A Licence to Practice Medicine issued by the University of Oxford to William Turges dated 27th July 1658' with provenance including brief Biography, Oxford College Note, Translation of Text, KF Russell loose extracts 1957 plus a fax copy of a diploma written on parchment 1665 of Theodore de Vaux.
Some foxing to vellum plus repaired seal, repaired by the Public Records Office London. Vellum drop a little crushed, historic mounting fold marks to centre of vellum. Latin script on folded vellum with attached stamped red wax seal, mounted on display board and set in conservation box (vellum 170x240mm plus seal extension plus tail 160x50mm) 310x380mm (box)
Oxford University seal reading: SIGILL. C[AN]CELLARI [I:ET universitat] IS OXONIENS. License translation: 'We the Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford give everlasting greetings in the Lord to William Turges, Bachelor in the Faculty of Medicine, of Wadham College in this University, beloved to us in Christ. Whereas all our studies, plans and actions should be related to the Glory of God and the wellbeing of our brothers and since Medicine among the other Faculties greatly contributes to this: Therefore we the aforesaid Chancellor, Masters and Scholars (in view of the opinion which we have of your knowledge and the integrity of your life and character) have granted you free power and permission, within the sense of this present document, to practise Medicine and of doing all those things relating to that permission, which is to last forever, anywhere in the whole of England. For the greater assertion and fuller testimony of all which we have caused the Common Seal of the University of Oxford, which we use for this purpose, to be set on the present document. Given, in the house of our Congregation, on the twenty-seventh day of the month of July in the year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and fifty-eight.'
PROVENANCE:
Collection Late Kenneth F. Russell (1911-1987), Professor of Anatomy and Medical History, University of Melbourne.
Estimate $1,200-1,400