| Description Of Item | From the papers of Richard Poole. The entry in Poole's catalogue states that this volume was copied by Dr Boswell. If this was the Alexander Boswell who acted as clerk to the College, and did a lot of transcribing for Poole, then it probably dates from around 1830.
An inscription on the inside front cover reads 'MSS collections by Sir Robert Sibbald in relation to the rights of a physician in general, and of the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh in particular'. A further inscription on the flyleaf reads 'The original ms from which this was transcrib'd is in the Advocates Library and wrote and collected by that most industrious antiquary Sr Robert Sibbald historiographer to Ch ii [King Charles II] and first projector of and principal promotor of the Royal Coll of Physicians in Edr'. This implies that Sibbald wrote the original text himself of which this is a copy.
The Account itself was dated 1656 and is followed by 'Articles debated and advised by the physicians met at Dundee July 17th 1657'. The volume ends with 'Memoires for compiling the history of the Royal College of Physicians at Edinburgh, done from the records of said College by Sr R Sibb' which are undated. These include a copy of the patent granted to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the ratification by Parliament. On the last page of the volume is a copy of the diploma awarded by the Royal College of Physicians to his Grace Archibald Duke of Argyle 6th February 1759 which is in a different hand. |