Text.BP035.a2r/Translation
To the honorable, wise, and very prudent Lords, Bailiff, Burgomasters, and Council of the City of Delft, Peter Volck wishes health and prosperity.
Three things have motivated me, esteemed and wise Lords, to translate this book from German into our Dutch language: Firstly, because so little is published in this language concerning this science, which nevertheless surpasses all others in esteem. For what treasure on earth can compare to health, let alone surpass it? From all the books written on surgery thus far, with great effort, we have derived little or no benefit. And I worry that if they hadn't been motivated more by the desire to gain a great reputation than by the outcomes of their work, they might never have written anything at all. But the world has always been such that it loves appearances and what pleases the ears. It's true that many capable men have left us their writings, but there's so much chaff and weeds mixed in that it's hard to separate the good from the bad.
I write this because from my youth until now, I have pursued this craft, and I dare say that there are few authors in surgery whose works I haven't read or examined. And to tell the truth, I found more harm than remedy in their writings, especially among the Italians and French, some of whose books we still have, such as those by Lanfranc, Guido, and Giovanni da Vigo, which even today burden surgeons like a cat with her kittens. If one were to follow their prescriptions and advice, ten might be killed before four could be helped. And there's hardly a recipe among them that doesn't require at least half a cartload of herbs. And there are others, like Nicolaus Massa, Johannes Almenar, and Nicolaus Leonicus, who wrote extensively on the treatment of syphilis, leading many to death with their mercury treatments, which is disheartening to think about. Moreover, our surgeons are so dull or ignorant (yet still wish to be considered the cleverest) that they use such deadly prescriptions without understanding their compositions. And following these aforementioned authors (who are not even worth naming in full), God Almighty in Germany has raised some who have written on the surgery of wounds, notably the learned and wise Doctor Hieronymus of Brunswick, whose work has also been translated into our Dutch language, named "The Craft," but it too was poorly translated. Then came the "Field Book," created by someone called Scheelhans, named so because it was tested in the field during wars, slaughters, and storms. This has been the best book in surgery one could find. Then came the very worthy and expert Doctor Paracelsus from Switzerland, who surpassed all others. Indeed, he has demonstrated through his works and writings a level of expertise unmatched as long as the sun has shone. I praise him out of necessity, for the truth compels me, having followed and used his writings and prescriptions for more than fourteen or fifteen years. And God, my witness, knows I have never found fault in him. I have tested him thoroughly, and never once did any mishap befall me. If I had not found this to be true, I would not praise or commend him, for there are enough books filled with lies and idle talk; we don't need to create more.
Secondly, I see a great lack and abuse in our craft every day and still recognize so little of what instrument God Almighty has ordained and set for us: namely, that God has appointed us to the sick as a means, and mercy to relieve the pain and suffering of the injured. If such mercy is not within us (as it should be, and as ordained by God), how can God then grant us the ability to help and heal the sick? For what God has created and ordained in us, namely, that the medicine and the doctor should be received by the sick as one who fulfills God's mercy and love. And not only to look after the sick person's purse or wallet but rather how we can fulfill divine love and mercy. In which there is a great lack today: For the times are such that if someone learns our craft and can shave a beard, yes, even if he cannot sharpen his razor, I say nothing of possessing greater skill, such apprentices are sent to foreign lands like France to learn the language, which is commendable, but to learn the science of our Profession, there is no land less suitable than there. The best one can do there when any accidents happen is to immediately use corrosives, cut, and burn: and other such executioner's tortures to inflict on people, where there is enough other help and advice available with gentleness. When these apprentices have lived there for three or four years and have learned to play the pipe, flute, and dance, then they return home: and he is called Jan, they give him a wife or young daughter, and in the morning he is called Master Jan, it's good to wonder who made such a master in such a short time: then the sick must entrust their lives to them: Yes, like sheep to the wolves.
If such a young, inexperienced master encounters any accidents in his injured patients, then the young one knows no remedy, he immediately calls for three or four old ones for help, who are also often as inexperienced as the majority, namely, they have traveled as far as where bread is called "pain": these also cannot help themselves: then my Lord the Doctor is called as is fitting, who will then perform miracles: He does not know the wound, and the surgeons do not know the accident: one can imagine what poor comfort this brings to the injured. Moreover, the physicians also want to be surgeons, they should indeed be, but they are as rare to find as the phoenix bird. Within a year, I saw a Doctor who wanted to be a great deal in surgery, who, when some masters were at their wits' end for advice, was called to give advice to an injured person, and he advised such that the three of them killed the fourth: which is disgraceful, for a murderer sets himself against one man, life against life: but here there were three against one man, and to tell the truth, it was not even a man. I have seen in large cities at other times that physicians gave lectures to surgeons, presuming to teach the surgeons the right way to handle surgery: which is the greatest mockery of all, that someone presumes to teach what he himself cannot do: for I have followed this craft for twenty-five years, I have never seen a physician who was a good surgeon. If the works are to praise the master, then it is fitting to listen to one who can do it, like this worthy excellent man, whose writings surpass all others, as will be demonstrated in the works: for whoever understands and uses him correctly will soon throw away his white ointment and the plaster for the eyes, which has disfigured and ruined so many people. And if the surgeons want to follow this man's advice, they will become other respected men, and it will no longer happen that an old woman, beguine, and the like take the work out of the master's hands, as now happens in many places, which some who boast of this Profession might well be ashamed of. I also hope that my prudent wise Lords will take notice of this: for there is hardly a pig that has not wallowed in this art. An old woman would do well with a spinning wheel, and a beguine to satisfy her ears, so an artisan might have pleasure and love for his work.
May Almighty God, according to His divine will, enable my Honorable Lords to extricate themselves from such abuses, which many men's lives depend on, and so many people are killed, that it cannot all be told.
Thirdly and lastly, the reason I have published this in our language is because this book was once translated and titled "The Pearl of Surgery," which book is entirely false and corrupted, so that there is not a single chapter that has six rules resembling Doctor Paracelsus's writings, yes, there are great errors in the recipes, and moreover, other recipes have been added that Paracelsus never thought to include, which astonishes me. As the title suggests, it was done by a learned man named Philippus Hermanni. With your permission, I dare say that it was done by a learned fool and beast, for it has never been seen by sensible learned men to translate something and corrupt it so, substituting poison for medicine, as the beloved reader can well see. Therefore, it can be said that it is a plague in the world, where God grants something good to mankind, there comes the devil and envies it, and cannot bear through his envy that any good should happen to mankind. In short, however it goes, always the mouse droppings want to mix with the pepper.
I am certain that this work of mine will be envied by many who call themselves Masters, who let their work be taken out of their hands by useless people, like old women, weavers, and the like, every day, and must suffer to be shamed by such company, often leaving the sick unhelped, and others stepping into their work from which they depart in disgrace, yet still wanting to be called Masters: what comes of it, I leave to all discreet people who have a taste for truth, to judge. I am not put off by such envy, I have undertaken this solely out of pity that the injured sick are so shamefully ruined, and afterwards hardly anyone can help them: so that they might keep their lives as long as God grants it to them, and be freed from such murderers.
With this, I commend myself to my Honorable prudent, wise Lords, under your protection, as a dutiful willing servant in all things possible for me, may God preserve my Honorable Lords for advice and action detrimental and contrary to the common good.
Dated in Delft, the 23rd of March, Anno 1555.
Peter Volck Holst, Surgeon.
