PURCHAS HIS PILGRIMES
Ambition will be highest or nothing. they betake themselves home to their Bookes afresh, till the third-yeare-examination returnes, so that some stand ten times, continuing so long private to become more publike. A Booke is also published of them and of their successe. Another is yearely set forth contayning the Names, Countrey, Parents, Offices of all the Doctors; and where they governe, whereby a man may know how any hath risen or descended all his life, as is there usuall after their merits. It is remarkable also how the Licentiates and Doctors of the same yeare respect one the other as Brethren ever after, and love the Friends also of their Colleagues, and honour their Examiners as Fathers.
Military degrees. They use to grant at the same times and places the same Titles (in the Moone following) to Military Professors, but with lesse pompe, because Souldierie is of no such reckoning with them, and few stand for them. Threefold tryall. This Military tryall is three-fold, in the first they shoot nine Arrowes on Horse-backe running; in the second they shoot as many at the same marke standing: and hee which hath hit the Marke with foure on Horse-backe and two Arrowes on foot, is admitted to the third tryall wherein they have some Theame of Military matters propounded, and the Judges examining this Triple tryall out of the whole number pronounce about fifty Licentiates in every Province. And when the Doctorall Act is at Pequin, one hundred of the choice of these after a Triple Examination are made Military Doctors. These Doctors are more easily admitted to Military Prefectures (but scarcely without Bribes) then the Licentiates. Both the Philosophicall and Military, over their doores, set up in great Letters this their new attayned dignity. All the Examiners, whether of Mathematicall, or Military, or Philosophicall degrees, are of those Philosophers, without assistance of any Captaine, Mathematician, or Physician, as if thereby they were inabled to all things.
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