Text.BP032.A2r
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Source: Philippus Hermanni, Die Peerle der Chirurgijen, Antwerpen: Jan Roelants, 1553, sig. A2r–A3r [BP032] [see also BP036]
Summary: The prologue addresses the reader on the importance and purpose of the book, which is dedicated to the noble art of surgery. The author is motivated by the significant errors and abuses he observes in the field, emphasizing that surgery is a divine art meant to aid the needy and serve humanity. He stresses the need for diligent observation, mature understanding, and the proper application of surgical practices to avoid harming the poor. The book aims to provide comfort and support to surgeons, both experienced and novice, encouraging them to move away from past mistakes and embrace well-composed remedies and techniques derived from the work of Paracelsus. The author urges readers to approach the book with an open mind, to not dismiss its contents without firsthand experience, and to appreciate its value based on personal trials. He warns against haughty claims of mastery and knowledge without substance, advocating for a humble and conscientious application of surgical skills for the benefit of all. The prologue concludes with a call to vigilance and moral responsibility, reminding readers of the accountability they hold before God in their practice of surgery, and positioning the book as a valuable resource for genuine practitioners and a rebuke to those who misuse the art.
The 1556 addition criticizes a Peter Volck, who boasts about his surgical skills and experiences in war, implying that true surgical expertise can only be acquired through warfare. The author questions Peter's qualifications, noting his lack of certification and his tendency to leave patients in despair, suggesting that his claims of greatness and healing are unfounded. The author highlights the danger of such unverified claims, as they can lead to harm and deceit, especially when such individuals demand payment for ineffective treatments. The passage emphasizes the importance of genuine skill and knowledge in surgery, cautioning against the valorization of experience without proven competence, and criticizes those who exploit their alleged expertise for financial gain while leaving a trail of unhealed patients and potential deceit. (generated by ChatGPT)
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De oorsake seer beminde Leser van desen arbeyt oft schrijuens[v1] in der edelder Const der Chirurgijen dye my verweckt heeft om te schrijuen/ is dat ick so grooten ende so schandelijcken dwalinghen ende abuysen sie gheschieden in der seluer seer nootelijcker Const/ dye alleen tot onderstant des behoeftighen ende tot dienst van sinen euen naesten van God gheordineert is datmen daer seer naerstelijc ende met grooten gheduerighen contemplatien ende rijpen verstande op mercken sal/ datmense nyet en misbruycke ende den armen nyet en bederue/ maer alle bystandicheyt bewijse ende hulpe dye der Const moghelijc is. Op dat desen voorschreuen wille oft ordinancie Gods in deser Consten souden moghen gheobserueert worden/ so heb ick voor my ghenomen/ soo verre my Godt spaert dit Boeck te schrijuen tot troost ende bystant van eenen yeghelijcken Churgijn/ dye van zijn voorleden errueren oft dwalinghen dye hy alle daghe is werckende/ af stant begheert te doen/ ende oock tot onderstant van eenen yeghelijcken dye dese Conste bemindt/ hy si gheleert oft ongheleert/ want de rechte ende wel gheleerde dye sullen moghen van dit Boeck verlichtinghe ontfanghen van recepten te ordineren totter cranckheyt oft totter wonden dienende/ want si dye volmaectelijck ende sonder eenich ghebreck hier in ghecomponeert sullen moghen vinden om dye te vergaderen ende te maken alst noot wesen sal/ beter dan si van veel andere oyt ghecomponeert zijn gheweest/ als si int lesen wel sullen moghen mercken/ so verre als sijt niet met onuerstant oft met nijt dit Boeck en ouerlesen/ ende de ongeleerde die te leeren begheeren om huer pacienten te helpen oft om huer seluen/ huer huysurouwen/ oft kinderkens inder noot behulpich te wesen/ sullen hier in moghen vinden alle dat ghene dat huer inder Chirurghen nootelijck wesen mach/ alsoo wel dye sake ende kennisse vanden ghebreke/ als dye hulpe ende raet daer toe dienende/ [sig. A2v] Daerom en si nyemant soo onbeleeft dit werck te straffen eer hy het eynde daer af ghelesen ende ouermerckt hebbe/ want het is voorwaer gheciert met de alder beste Recepten der drancken/ Olien/ Saluen/ Plaesteren/ ende dier ghelijcken stucken dye inder Chirurgijen van noode moghen wesen dye sint het beghin der werelt van yemanden ghecomponeert oft gheschreuen zijn gheweest/ niet dattet wt veelderhande ende vreemde Auctores soude vergadert oft gheraept wesen/ maer tis de keerne ende het merch van allen Boecken der Chirurgijen/ dye gheschreuen zijn gheweest van Theophrasto Paracelso dye in deser Const de volmaecktste gheweest is dyemen gheuonden heeft onder der sonnen/ daerom seer beminde Leser soo is hier in mijn begheeren dat ghy dit wel mijn Boeck wilt lesen ende ouermercken al tghene datter in staet met seer rijpen verstande/ ende en wilt de Recepten niet verworpen oft si en zijn eerst van v gheprobeert al mochtet by auontueren geschieden datse niet alle man en ghenoechden/ als ghijse gheprobeert sult hebben/ ghy sultse prijsen bouen al de ghene dye ghy oyt gheprobeert sult hebben in ghelijcker saken. En wiltse daeromme nyet oordeelen voor dat ghijse gheproeft hebt/ want si zijn menichmael gheprobeert/ ende daer is veel goets mede ghewrocht in seer[v2] diueersche plaetsen ende tot diueerschen tijden/ ende noyt en is nyemant daer mede qualijck ghenesen/ alsmen nochtans nv daghelijcx ghenoech siet gheschieden God betert/ van den ghenen dye nochtans veel meynen te weten ende huer seluen seer hoouaerdelijck beroemen groote Meesters te wesen/ ende alle Boecken ghelesen te hebben/ [Ghelijcken[n1] als eenen Peeter volc geheeten/ die hem veel groote dinghen beroemt gedaen te hebben/ ghelijc int eerste Boec Paracelsi/ dwelc hi wt die Ouerlantsche sprake (also hy seyt) ouergesedt heeft/ want het een gheboren Deen is wt Denemercken geboren oft in die Contreye/ so en can icx niet wel geloouen dat hijt alleen/ sonder hulpe van andere gedaen heeft. Niet te min in die Prologe van tselue Boec scandaliseert hi ende veracht hi alle geleerde mannen dwelc niet eerlijc en is/ want hy selue ongeleert ende logenachtich is. Jndien die goede mannen noch int leuen waren/ ic gelooue dat hy sulc schrijuens vry niet te vergeefs met alsulcken moetwille gedaen en soude hebben. Hi beroemt hem ooc seer langen tijt metter Chirurgien omme ghegaen te hebben ende den crijch geoulcht/ waer mede hi als cacx wil te verstaen geuen ende hem laet duncken dat de selue edele conste nergens anders en soude connen gheleert worden dan biden crijch/ maer dat en is so niet. Daer zijn noch al andere vromer Chirurginen dan hi is/ ende nochtans en hebben si den crijch niet geuolckt/ ende zijn nochtans so vroom dat hi nyet waerdich en is die riemen vande selue huere scoenen te ontdoen/ niet te min het is wel te prijsen dat een Chirurgijn den crijch volcht om wat vreemts te sien/ gelijc dat daer diewils gebuert. Maer dat hi seit den crijch geuolcht te hebben/ het is eer gheloofliker dat hi mach door dlant geloopen hebben ende met olie ende salue op die Mercten gestaen mach hebben gelijc dese lantlos pers gemeynlijc doen die alle geleerde mannen verachten/ Dwelc iammer is/ datmense niet wt den Landen en veriaecht gelijc datmen tot veel steden ende plaetsen doet/ want sie menich mensche met hare valsce logenen ter doot brengen oft ten minsten cruepel oft lam maken. Jc soude wel begeeren te weten/ wat Certificatie dat hi heeft vander stadt van Antwerpen oft Bruessele/ daer hi hem oocvoor een groot Meester wt ghegeuen heeft ende noch tot veel ander plaetsen/ ende heeft veel arme crancken mistroostich laten liggen/ dwelc kennelijc genoech is bi vele diuersce Chirurginen dye na der hant daer ouer gehaelt zijn/ hoe wel hi so beroemelijc scrijft/ so weet ic nochtans wel dat hijse niet al ghenesen en heeft die onder zijn handen geweest hebben/ Jae hi is ooc door sulcx tot sommige plaetsen heymelijc vertrocken daer zijn goet metten Heere vercocht werde tselue dat hi achter liet dwelck nyet veel en was/ ende begeerde alle menschen met zijn groote logenen te bedriegen om ghelt te crijgen ghelijc dat wel blijckelijc is. Hi weet alder best hoe hi metter conscientien becommert ende belast is/ Maer so vele is daer aen datmen geen dooden en behoort te veroordeelen/ principalijc daermen niet dan duecht ende eere aen ghesien en heeft/ Ende ooc so en behoortmen geen dinc te verachten ten si datment weet te verbeteren dwelc in hem nietbeuonden en is. Dat hi sinen persoon tot eeniger plaetsen yet bedreuen heeft dat vertellenswaert is/ want achteruolgende die rechte secten der rationalen so en soude hi ghelooue ick niet weten een cleyn wondeken te tracteren na der conste soot behoort want hijt tot deser tijt toe noch nyet bewesen en heeft/ hoe wel hy hem beroemt .xxviij. Jaer met die Chirurgije omme ghegaen te hebbene/ maer men hoort genoech/ hoe dat hi menich men sce bedrogen heeft met sinen grooten logenen daer hi een groot Meester af is/ also dat ic wel gelooue datmen zijns gelijcke daer af met vinden en soude also wel is hi daerin gefundeert/ ende metten monde te spelen gelijc sodanigen gasten gemeynlijc doen die nergens geen seker woonstede en hebben/ &c.] Dese selue willen si huer conscientie quijten int eerste ende huer eere daer nae soo sullen si huer reguleren als hier in dit Boec gheleert wort/ want doen sijt si en sullen nyemant meer verderuen maer eenen yeghelijcken (soo veel als der Const moghelijcken is) hulpe ende troost doen ende huer seluen eere ende profijt aen doen/ Die si met hueren ouden valschen ende onghekundeerden Recepten gheen bate oft hulpe (maer schade ende verderffenisse) ghedaen en souden hebben ende huer seluen schade ende schande. Hier mede so wil ick die Prologhe besluyten/ beuelende eenen yeghelijcken de wake dyen si beuolen is/ want dye almoghende God en sals soo slechtelijck nyet laten henen gaen is te vermoeden als si doen dye de crancken daghelijckx verderuen/ ende nochtans nyet te min huer doen betalen/ seggende si hebben soo veel ghedaen als huer naer der Const moghelijck is gheweest dat[v3] si valschelijck lieghen/ huer moghelijckheyt en weet [sig. A3r] ick niet/ maer der Consten moghelijcheyt salmen hier in gants ende onuercrompen vinden ghelijck si vanden Schepper alder creatueren gheordineert is/ Dye selue Schepper wil v verleenen zijn gratie ende bystandt dat ghy van v voorleden verderuen af ghekeert wesende/ v reguleren moet nae tghene dat dye Conste eysschet/ ende daer v dye liefde ws euen naesten toe dwinghet/ dat is hem te helpen nae al v macht/ ende nae tghene dat dye Conste vermach/ v weten en is alleen nyet ghenoech/ hebdy dye Conste nyet soo en roeret gheen Patienten aen voor dat ghijse hebt/ want van al tghene dat ghy doet suldy den Oppersten Rechter moeten rekenschap gheuen.
Modern English Raw Translation
The reason, dear Reader, for this work or writing in the noble Art of Surgery, which has prompted me to write, is that I see such great and shameful errors and abuses occurring in this very necessary Art, which is ordained by God solely for the support of the needy and the service of one's fellow man, that we must observe very diligently and with great continuous contemplation and mature understanding, so that it is not misused and the poor are not harmed, but rather all possible assistance and help that the Art can offer is provided. In order that this aforementioned will or ordinance of God in this Art might be observed, I have undertaken, as far as God spares me, to write this Book for the comfort and support of every Surgeon, who wishes to distance himself from his past errors or mistakes which he makes every day, and also for the support of everyone who loves this Art, whether learned or unlearned, for the properly educated will be able to receive enlightenment from this Book on prescribing remedies for illness or wounds, as they will find here perfectly and without any defect composed remedies to gather and make when necessary, better than many others ever composed, as they will notice upon reading, as long as they do not read this Book with misunderstanding or envy, and the unlearned who wish to learn to assist their patients or themselves, their wives, or children in need, will find herein all that may be necessary in Surgery, both the knowledge of the ailment and the help and advice pertaining to it. Therefore, let no one be so uncouth as to criticize this work before he has read and considered its end, for it is truly adorned with the very best Recipes for potions, Oils, Salves, Plasters, and the like, which may be necessary in Surgery since the beginning of the world, not that it is gathered or scraped together from various and strange Authors, but it is the core and essence of all Books of Surgery, written by Theophrastus Paracelsus, who in this Art has been the most perfect that has been found under the sun. Therefore, dear Reader, it is my desire that you read and consider well my Book and everything in it with very mature understanding, and do not reject the Recipes unless you have first tried them, even if it happens by chance that they do not please everyone, when you have tried them, you will value them above all others you have ever tried in similar matters. Do not judge them before you have tested them, for they have been tested many times, and much good has been done with them in very diverse places and at diverse times, and no one has been poorly healed by them, although we see enough happening nowadays, God improve it, by those who yet claim to know much and boast very haughtily of being great Masters and having read all Books. These same people should clear their conscience first and their honor thereafter, so they should regulate themselves as taught in this Book, for then they will not harm anyone any more but will provide help and comfort to everyone (as much as the Art allows) and gain honor and profit for themselves, which they would not have done with their old false and unlearned Recipes, causing harm and disgrace to themselves. With this, I wish to conclude the Prologue, entrusting everyone to the vigilance they are entrusted with, for the Almighty God will not let it go as easily as is presumed by those who harm the sick daily, and yet do not fail to charge for their services, saying they have done as much as was possible within the Art, which is a blatant lie, their possibility I do not know, but the possibility of the Art you will find here in full and unadulterated, as ordained by the Creator of all creatures. May the same Creator grant you His grace and support, that having turned away from your past destruction, you may regulate yourself according to what the Art demands, and what the love for your fellow man compels you to, which is to assist him to the best of your ability and according to what the Art can achieve, knowing is not enough if you do not possess the Art, do not touch a Patient until you have it, for you will have to give account to the Supreme Judge for all that you do.
To the Lovers of the Art as a great Treasure, and to the destroyers as a destruction.
(Addition of the 1556 edition):
Just like a certain Peter Volc, who boasts of having done many great things, similar to the first Book of Paracelsus, which he claims to have translated from the foreign language (as he says), being a native Dane from Denmark or that region, I cannot well believe that he did it alone, without the help of others. Nonetheless, in the Prologue of the same Book, he scandalizes and despises all learned men, which is not honorable, for he himself is unlearned and deceitful. If those good men were still alive, I believe he would not have dared to write such things with such malice for nothing. He also boasts of having been involved with Surgery for a long time and having followed the war, with which he wants to imply and make it seem that this noble art could only be learned through war, but that is not so. There are other more capable Surgeons than he, and yet they have not followed the war, and are so competent that he is not worthy to untie the straps of their shoes, nevertheless, it is commendable for a Surgeon to follow the war to see something unusual, as it often happens there. But that he says he followed the war, it is more believable that he might have roamed the land and stood on the Markets with oil and salve like these common vagabond types who despise all learned men, Which is a pity, that they are not banished from the Lands as is done in many cities and places, for they bring many a person to death with their false lies, or at least cripple or maim them. I would like to know, what Certification he has from the city of Antwerp or Brussels, where he also presented himself as a great Master and in many other places, and has left many poor sick people in despair, which is evident enough by many diverse Surgeons who were called upon afterwards, although he writes so boastfully, I know well that he has not healed all those who have been under his hands, Yes, he has also secretly left some places where his goods were sold by the Lord, what he left behind which was not much, and desired to deceive all people with his great lies to get money, as is quite clear. He knows best how he is troubled and burdened with conscience, But so much to that, one should not condemn the dead, especially where nothing but virtue and honor has been seen, And also one should not despise anything unless one knows how to improve it, which is not found in him. That he has committed something noteworthy in any place is worth telling, for according to the correct sectors of the rationals, I believe he would not know how to treat a small wound according to the art as it should be, for he has not proven it to this day, although he boasts of having been involved with Surgery for 28 years, but it is well heard, how he has deceived many people with his great lies, of which he is a great Master, so that I believe one would not find his like in this, so well he is founded in it, and to play with the mouth as such people commonly do who have no certain dwelling place, &c.