the hurtful humours that are norysshmentes of this disease from some in theyr vrine and sweatynges and from other somme in their sieges And whan of this disease a man begynneth to waxe whole than the fyrst operation of Guaiacum is to make a man to sweate and secondly by the passages of the vrine it purgeth by which menes it fetcheth out voydeth marueylous foule fylthynes And than the handes and feete waxe meruaylous colde in so moche that they seme to haue no heate in them at all Wherof physitions saye this is the cause that than this medicine draweth the heate from the vtter partes to the inner the whiche inward parties after they be warmed and made hotte than the heate spredeth it selfe in to the outwarde parties For this without any doubt is proued that theyr lymmes that be heled with Guaiacum be moste hotte And .vi. or vii wynters nexte folowynge my legges and fete wolde be so colde that I coude neuer gette them warme inoughe thoughe I wrapped them in neuer soo many clothes nowe they waxe so warme that with a very thyn hose or suche lyke garment I put a way the colde These thynges thus vnderstand and knowen we muste comme to this poynte that is to knowe the operation of Guaiacum and agaynste what sycknesses it helpeth ¶ What power Guaiacum is of and what sycknesses it helpeth Cap. xxiiii THe mooste principall and the chieffest effect of Guaiacum is to hele the frenche pockes cleane pluckyng them vppe by the rootes but specially whan a man hath ben diseased with them of alonge tyme. For I haue sene them that many a day laye soore peyned with the pockes sooner and better restored vnto theyr helth than they on whom the scabbes beganne newly to appere Not that on those newelye diseased any thynge shoulde be lefte vnhealed but that the curynge goothe forwarde more hardely and the disease stycketh faster and is more greuousely plucked out For Guaiacum doth resolue distroy meruailously swellinges getherynges to gether of yll matters hardnesses bumpes and knobbes Fluxions or runnynges it vtterly taketh awaye eyther consuminge or tournynge the same an other waye It causeth the soores to impostume withoute any maner of grefe And if any thynge lye hydde within it rooteth it oute And soo of some as hit dydde to me hit maketh the bones bare of some it shewethe the synowes and breaketh the veynes or eateth moste depelye in and it healeth these partyes that be infected with this disease and with suche stynche and fylthinesse that the sauoure canne not be abyden And therfore the phisitions saye that the vertue of this medicine is to heate to drye and to amende the fautes ol the bloude and of the lyuer but it worketh all these thynges with suche a temperaunce that indifferently whether the cause be hotte or colde it easethe the pacientes Wherfore with the drynes therof it restreyneth the flyde destroyenge the hurtfull humours that flowe oute orelles plucketh vp by the rootes the cause of theyr begynnynge and restorethe agayne the good disposition of the body It dothe extenuate fleme and the poores or passages of the vryne that chaunce manye tymes by perunctions to be shutte and also other in this disease hit openethe ye and prouoketh compelleth the vryne to make and haue way For the whiche skylle some thynke it helpeth them that haue the stone and that it compelleth the stones to issue out of the bladder I haue experyence that hit greately mynisheth blacke coler And therfore it maketh a man more gladsome and quencheth anger Vndoubtedly hit hathe a a greater vertue agaynst melancolye And hit taketh away runnynges and droppynges and it lyghtneth his heuynes by heatynge as it may be thought the brayne It is sayde that hit amendeth soores whiche were before yll healed howe soo euer they come and cuttethe agayne the scarres It amendeth the leannes whiche hath longe contynued in the body And therfore whan this cure is done meÌ„ waxe very fat al their lyfe after They saye it hath a meruaylous vertue ageynst the stynkyng of the mouth doth amende the griefe of the brethe whiche also cometh through the faute of anoyntynge It helpeth the inwarde parties and specially the stomacke the which it holle reneweth and maketh the brokynge as good as euer it was before His effect is excelleÌ„t for the membres that be fallen awaye and diminished it increaseth theym and fyllethe them vp it stretcheth forth the sinowes that are shroâ—ke and those that be lose it fastneth and maketh stronge It is also proued that suche parties as throughe this disease be made deed and without felyng are agayne quickened and brought to theyr olde felyng and lustynesse I sayde before that as touchynge the bealy it varyed For some it dyd bynde and some it made laxe tyl they were wery And agayne somme it dyd bynde in the begynnynge and afterwarde hit losed theym and made them lanke belyed And that the verye shauynges broken as smalle as coude be to the mountenaunce of halfe an vnce was gyuen in drynke to prouoke a siege I haue also sayde that the measure therof is not gyuen after the proportion of his strength that receyueth it For hit maketh not one weaker whan it is mynistred And now this one thyng I affirme that if it be .iiii. tymes sodden yet is not all the vertue gone out Wherin I do not beleue other men but I my selfe haue proued it Howe be it I deny not but the fyrst broth is moch stronger Somme there are that stedfastly beleue that it is very good for fistules and cankers and for the parties that be eaten with cankers Certayne it is it helpeth them that fetche theyr wynde with peyne and can not breth if that faulte come throughe this sickenes or throughe anoyntyng ¶ And for as moche as I haue shewed before what euyls come with this sickenes it were but labour in vayne to repete them whiche all it taketh awaye distroyeth and vanquyssheth as I before tolde and that if they be olde very lyghtly And in lyke maner it helpeth the gowte For I my selfe haue sene two restored to helth which were â—ore vexed in their fete but yet the physytions saye that it helpeth onely those that haue gotten the gowte through colde whiche thynge I leue to them to complayne of It is also an helthfull remedy for the palsey and especially whan it is new and lately begonne For than it quencheth and dryueth it away whiche thynge I doo wryte vppon the reporte of faythfulle and sadde men that haue knowlege therof For as for me I dyd neuer hytherto se any that was so delyuered ¶ Ricius tolde of a leper the which though he were not cleane delyuered by this medicine yet was he made moch better and cleaner and suche a man as men myght suffer his company so that Ricius iudgeth that this medicine is able to hyde and stoppe leprosie though it can not take it clene away But if this cure
noted howe be it al doth nowe knowe it that this one thynge is hit that maketh this sycknes to be verye greuous bycause there is great difficultie in dyetynge For whan this disease is ouercome it is not one onely that must be obserued in the order of our lyuynge but many thynges and dyuerse must be rekened vppon In so moche as what so euer thynges there be whether they be with or agaynst all the diseases whiche I sayde before folowed this syckenes he that is recouered must set them before hym endeuorynge him selfe with al diligence to obteyne them that make with hym and to anoyde them that be ageynst him Wherfore he must be alwayes very careful in his lyuyng that al thyng maye be done ordinatly Not with standynge if this medicine haue saued any there is for theym great comforte bycause they that are expert therof plainly thynke that after the pacientes haue ones receyued theyr helth the time of obseruation which foloweth this cure be past nothinge that is not contrary to theyr olde maner of lyuyng can putte them in any daunger soo that they vsed not before to lyue without order vtterly For that same order shal serue hym that is thus restored as shall serue theym that neuer had the sycknes Wherfore they thinke it not so moche to be regarded what a man eateth as howe moche he eateth And therfore no kynde of meate to be forborne no choise of meate to be hadde concernynge the qualitie of fedynge nothynge to be cared fore but that whiche is knowen to apperteygne to the commen conseruation of helthe and to the vniuersall auoydynge of all maladies and diseases Wherin that that Celsus teacheth perchance shall not be the leest whiche is that euerye man take hede leste whyle his bodye is in prosperitie the aydes and succour ageynst aduersite be consumed and wasted ¶ Helth is preserued as the same Celsus sayth by dyet by medicines by oyntynges by frictions and rubbynges by baynes by exercyse by caryage aboute by clere and pleasant readynge whiche thynges howe they ought to be considered fully and holle I leaue you to aske of hym Here wylle I breuely touche a fewe thynges and suche as apperteyne to dyete This I thynke they muste fede pleasauntely and moderately and take suche meates and drynkes as be of lyghtest dygestion For as Poule saythe The chiefest poynt of education is that the meate be suche as wyll lyhgtly dygeste and nourysshe well not slowe in digestynge nor clammye nor plentuous in superfluities and the drynke to be smalle wyne whyte pure and a lyttell delayde with water And Celsus saythe Se your meate be not fatty clammy nor wyndy And by his couÌ„sell ye muste absteyne in all suche dyseases from all maner salte meates sharpe sowre and bytter For the same reason I thynke wherof I made mention before And Paule saythe In eatynge the greatteste faute is satietie and fulnes For all thoughe the bely digeste well yet the veynes to moche replenysshed labour soore they swelle they breake they be stopped and fylled with wynde and playne it is that the worst dyseases of all comme of sacieâ—ie He thynketh this onely to be auoyded that no man fylle him selfe And I iudge the same but not only for I wolde more ouer nothynge to be dressed deintuously nothynge to be â—auced curiously and that many dysshes of dyuerse kyndes be not sette before vs nother wyll as these ryche menne vse sixe or .vii. or sometyme .x. messes at one soupper to be broughte in For a manne wolde not beleue howe moche these thynges hurte not onely the stomacke but also the holle digestion And therfore I wil repete again this thing whiche is spoken of the same authore Varietie of meates is greattely to be auoyded specially whan contrarye operations and vertues be in them For whan they be soo thruste in they resist digestion and the same thinketh Galene and Auicene and as many as be of pure iudgement in phisicke ¶ Cato as Tully wryteth commandeth so moche meate and drynke to be receyued as may refresshe the strength and power of the body and not oppresse it Wherfore by the counsell of Xenophon we muste make for the most parte a small dyner that there may be a place for the supper ¶ Playnly this disease is of that sorte that Galenus thynketh to come of fulnes whiche thynge is thus to be vnderstande not that I thynke all that lyueth in surfetynge streight waye to be cast into the french pockes all thoughe suche shall not escape dyseases no not most greuous but if any haue ben vexed before with them and than healed eate and drynke intemperately he must nedes fal agayne into theym And therfore the meate that is receyued let it nother be dyuerse nor moche that the stomake be not loded and dygestion letted And agayne let it be as I monysshed easye in dygestynge Plinie sayth all maner sharpe meates all that is to moche and all that is hastely receyued be harde in workynge and harder in somer than in wynter and harder in age than in youthe ¶ It is wryten in Tully he that medleth not with exquysite meates looded tables and often cuppes shal not be combred with dronkennes rawnes of stomacke or dreames But for as moch as whan this cure is done we muste prouyde howe the bodye that hath hytherto benne emptyed and made leane may be brought ageyn vnto his olde state therfore peraduenture those meates muste be vsed that increace and fyll the body not with noyfull humours but suche as Celsus reherseth in the .iii. chapter of the fyrste boke ¶ Plinie also sayth The bodies growe and increace with sweate and fatte meates and with drynke they diminisshe and go downe with drye leane and colde meates thurst But this muste be wysely vnderstande for those thynges whiche I haue often before monysshed But seinge Galenus warnethe vs in all thynges to take hede to the bealy For what so euer sayth he is corrupted in that it is a cause of rot vnto al the body and so of diseases I thynke it best to take those drynkes and meates as Celsus teachethe which do both noryshe make the bely soft ¶ But if any through the dyuelles prouocation fyll hym selfe and lode his stomake with meate more than it is able to beare if he lyste to seke helpe by slepe let him here Plinie saying To dygest in slepe it maketh more for the corpulentes than the strengthe of the body And therfore the phisytions wolde haue the great fat wrastlers to make theyr digestion by walkynge But if he had leauer ease hym selfe by vomyt as many do counsell and Paule specially teacheth for throughe vomytes many euyls oftentymes haue ben stopped and withstande lette him rede his doctrine shewynge howe one maye lyghtly vomyt And if nother of these be regarded or to late proued than peraduenture he muste go to phisike whervnto if the sycke be compelled I can gyue hym none other commaundement but
OF THE VVOOD CALLED GVAIACVM THAT HEALâ—â—H THE FRâ—â—â—â—E POCâ—â—â— ANâ— also helpeth the goute in the feete the â—â—â—â—ne the palsey â—â—â—â—â—â— dropsy fallynge euyll and other dyseases LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THO. BERTHELETI M. D. XXXVI CVM PRIVILEGIO ¶ The preface of Thomas Paynel châ—non of Marten abbey translatour of this boke NOt longe agoo after I had translated into our englysshe tonge the boke called Regimen sanitatis Salerni I hapned being at London to talke with the prynter and to enquire of hym what be thought and how he lyked the same boke and he answered that in his mynde it was a boke moche necessarye and very profitable for them that take good hede to the holsome teachynges and warely folowed the same And this moche farther he added therto that so fareforthe as euer he coude here it is of euery man very well accepted and allowed And I sayd I pray god it may do good and that is all that I desyre And thus in talkynge of one boke and of an other he came forthe and sayde that if I wolde take so moche peyne as to translate into Englysshe the boke that is intitled De medâ—rina guaiaci et morbo gallico wryten by that great clerke of Almayne Vlrich Hutten knyght I shuld sayd he do a verye good dede For seynge hit is â—oth as this great clerk writeth of this medicine GuaiacuÌ„ For he hym selfe hath had the verye experience therof how nedefull and howe beneficiall to the common welthe were it For almoste into euerye parte of this realme this mooste foule and peyneful disease is crepte and manye soore infected therwith Whan he had sayde thus his fantasye and that I hadde bethought me and well aduysed his wordes I answered If I thought it wolde do good I wolde take the peyne with all my verye harte and hit were moche greatter and yet sayde I I feare me it be as moche or more than I am able to accomplysshe For I doubt whether I may com to the clere vnderstandyng therof or not It is in ernest a matter straunge inough to translate not onely for the names of herbes and other dyuers thynges therin conteyned but also for the phrase and eloquente style But what so euer aunswere I made hym I finally determyned to translate the sayde boke as I haue done in dede not so well I am sure so playnly and so exquisitely as many other coude if they wold vouchesafe to take the peyn But yet I trust I haue not moche erred from the true meanynge of the auctour And I saye not the contrarye But somme wordes haue I lefte barely englysshed and somme not at al but they be suche as are by those names in latine vsually knowen to phisitions withoute whose counsayl specially those that be approued and knowen to be syngularly lerned in physyke I wold counsayll no man to be to bolde either to practise or receyue any medycine ¶ At Marten Abbey an dmi 1533. ¶ The table of this boke THe beginnyng of the frenche pockes and why it hath dyuers names cap. j. fo 1. The causes of this disease Cap. ii fo 3. Into what diseses the freÌ„ch pockes are tourned cap. iii. fo 4. Howe men at the begynnynge resisted the frenche pockes cap. iiii fo 6. what helpe the author of this boke vsed in this syckenes cap. v. fo 8. The discription of the wod Guaiacum and of the fyndynge name therof ca. vi fo 10. Of the orderynge of Guaiacum in medycine cap. vii fo 12â— The maner of curynge with this wodde Guaiacum cap. viii fo 15. Howe a man muste lyue and dyete hym selfe in this cure cap. ix fo 19. That Guaiacum woll not be myngled with any other thynge cap. x. fo 22. What place the phisitions haue in this cure cap. xi fo 24. Whether concernynge this cure there ought any regard to be taken of the age of the sex or qualitie of the bodyes cap. xii fo 27. whether the vse of this wodde be lyke in all placis cap. xiii fo 29. What tyme is best to be cured with this medicine Cap. xiiii fo 31. That we must vtterly forbeare wyme and women in this cure cap. xv fo 35 That salte muste be eschewed in this cure Capit. xvi fo 37. Of sklender sedynge and hunger whiche are necessary in this cure cap. xvii fo 39 Howe hunger may easely be suffered Capit xviii fo 42. The preyse of Temperaunce in the despite of ryotte cap. xix fo 43. Whether a man may be restored to his helth by reason of the dyete onely that is appointed in this disease cap. xx fo 55. Howe a man ought to order his bely in this cure cap. xxi fo 57. Howe in this cure one maye be moued to sweate cap. xxii fo 58. Howe this medicine shall helpe this disease and whether it healeth men sodeynly orels by leysure Cap. xxiii fo 59. What power the wodde Guaiacum is of and what diseases hit helpethe besyde the pockes cap. xxiiii fo 62. What kynde of dyseases this medycine of Guaiacum hath taken frome the autour of this boke cap. xxv fo 65. As touchynge the order of lyuynge after this cure is paste what he that is healed ought to eschewe and obserue is shortelye descriued cap. xxvi fo 68. ¶ Thus endeth the table ¶ The begynnynge of the frenche pockes and why it hath dyners names Ca. i. IT hathe pleased god that in our tyme sycknesses shuld aryse whiche were to our forefathers as it maye be wel coniectured vnknowen In the yere of Christ. 1493. or there about this foule and most greuous disease began to spredde among the people not in Fraunce but fyrste at Naples in the freÌ„chemens hoste wherof it toke his name which kept warre vnder the frenche kynge Charles before hit appered in any other place By whiche occasion the frenche men puttynge from them this abhorred name calle it not the frenche pockes but the euyll of Naples reckenynge it to theyr rebuke if this pestilent disease shulde be named the frenche pockes Not withstandynge the coÌ„sente of all nations hathe obteyned and we also in this boke wylle calle it the frenche pockes not for any enuye that we beare to so noble and gentyll a nation but bycause we fere that all men shuld not vnderstand if we gaue it any other name ¶ At the fyrste rysynge therof some men supersticiously named it meuyn syckenes of the name I know not of what saynt some accompted it to come of Iob scabbe whom this syckenes I thynke hath broughte in to the numbre of sayntes Some iuged it to be the infirmitie wherwith the monke Euager was greued throughe immoderate colde and eaâ—ynge of rawe meates whan he was in deserte And therfore he also was sought from ferre countreyes with great resorte of men offeryng gyftes habundantly at his chappelle whiche is in Vestrike And bycause the name of sayncte Euager was not knowen amonge the common people of Almayne
they called it Fyacres sickenes for Euagers Not enquerynge what the lyues of these were but onely beleued that these coulde helpe them Suche opinions hadde the people and thus they dydde ryse There was ymages offered and hanged before saynt Roche and his olde sores were newe remembred whiche thynge if it were done of a godly mynde I doo not reproue but if it were done that those might get auaÌ„tage that were the inueÌ„ters therof I meruayle that disceyte shulde haue place in so great discomforte and sorow and in so myserable distruction of mankynde ¶ But the diuines did interpretate this to be the wrathe of god and to be his punysshement for our euylle lyuynge And so dyd openly preache as thoughe they admytted into that hye counsaylle of god had there lerned that men neuer lyued worse or as who sayth in that golden worlde of Augustus and Tiberius whan Christe was here on erthe moste myscheuous diseases dydde not begynne or as who sayth that nature hath no power to brynge in newe diseases whiche in all other thynges maketh greatte chaunges or as who saythe that within shorte tyme in our dayes bycause menne be nowe of good lyuyng the remedy of Guaiacum is founde for this sickenes So well these thynges do agree whiche these mens myndes that declare god as they thynke do preache vnto vs. Than began the phisitions busynesse whiche serched not what shuld take away this disease but what was the cause therof for they myght not abyde the syght of it moche more they abstayned from touchynge For whan it fyrste began it was of suche fylthynes that a man wold scarsely thynke this sickenesse that nowe reygneth to be of that kynde They were vyles sharpe and standynge out hauynge the 〈◊〉 and quantite of acornes from whiche came so soule humours and so gre◠〈◊〉 thei who so euer ones smelled it â—hâ—ught hym selfe to 〈◊〉 eâ—â—ect The colour of 〈…〉 was derke grene and the â—â—ght therof was more greuous vnto the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the peyne it selfe and yet their 〈◊〉 were as thoughe they hadde lyen in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ This disease not longe after his begynâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 into Garmâ—nia where it hath wondred more largely than in any other placeâ— whiche thynge I do ascribe vnto our intemperaunce ¶ Ther whiche than toke counsayle of the 〈◊〉 prophecied that euyll not to endure aâ—oâ—e .vii. yeres wherin they were disceyued if they ment of this disease and all the iâ—el that cometh therof But if they meÌ„t it of the forsaid most fylthye kynde whiche cometh of hym selfe and not onely of infectioÌ„ but through the corruption of the ayre or the ordinaunce of god than were they not dysceyued For it taryed not longe aboue the .vii. yere But the infyrmytie that came after whiche remayneth yet is nothynge so fylthy For the sores at sometymes ben lytell not so hye nor so hard And somtyme there is a certayne brode crepynge scabbe for his venym entreth deper and bryngeth forth more diseases ¶ It is thoughte this kynde nowe adayeâ— to growe in no person but throughe infection by defylynge of hym selfe which thing especially happeneth by coâ—ulation For if appereth manifestly that yonge chyldren olde men and other whiche are not gyuen to the bodily luste ben very seldome enfected therwith And the more that man is gyuen to wantonnesse the sooner he is infected And as they lyue that ben taken therwith so other it shortely leauethe them or longe holdeth them or vtterly consumeth them For it is very easy vnto the Italyans and Spanyardes and so such as lyue soberly but through our surfetynge and intemperate lyuyng it dothe longe contynâ—e with vs and greuousely doth vexe and chafe vs. ¶ The causes of this disease Cap. ii THe phisitions haue not yet certeynly diffined the secrete causes of this disease although they haue long peinfully with greatte variete serched therfore But in this thynge all do agre which is very euydent that throughe some vnholsome blastes of the aire which were at that time the lakes fountaynes flodes and also the sees were corrupted and therof the erthe to receyue poyson The pastures to be enfected venemus vapours to come downe from the ayre which lyuing creatures in drawynge the brethe receyued For this disease was founde in other bestes lyke as in men The astrologers fetch the cause of this infirmytie from the sterres sayenge that it procedethe of the coniunctions of Saturne and Mars whiche was not longe before and of .ii. eclipses of the sonne and they do affirme that by these sygnes they myghte perceyue many coleryke and fleumatike infirmities to folowe whiche shuld long continue and slowly departe as Elyphancia lepre tetters and all yll kynde of scabbes and boiles and what so euer euylles deformethe and vnfasshionethe the body as the gout palsey sciatica ioynt ache and other lyke dangers And that these thinges shuld chaunce rather in the north parte by reason of this syâ—ne Aquarius wherin fel the first ecclypse And in the west part by reason of this sygne Piscis in the whiche fell the last eclyps But the phisitions affirme this sicknes to come of yl and habundant humoursâ— as of coler blacke advst yelowe and fleume salt or advst and that of one of these alone or of certayne or els of al these myngled whose sharpnes strekinge to the outwarde partes of the body burneth and dryeth the skyn and fylleth it ful of scabbes but that which cometh of rawe heuy and grosse humours they saye is driuen into the ioyntes and causeth great peine in them and to arise knobbes and swellynges knottes to gether and the skyn to ryuell And moreouer the heed to ake wherby the beautie of the body is clene altered gone Some breuely concludyng say that this infirmitie cometh of corrupt burnt and enfect blod And all these thinges were in doubtful disputatioÌ„ y e nature ther of not yet knowen but now it is knoweÌ„ they be also approued for in myne opynion this sicknes is no other thinge but a postumation rotting of vnpure blod the which after it begynneth to drye turnethe into swellyng and hard knobbes the which thinge procedeth of the lyuer corrupte ¶ To knowe more of the nature or qualytyes of this infyrmytie shulde be very tedious and harde to iudge For we se in our tyme what dyuers concertations and opinyons haue benne to boldely dysputed and what peyne the phisitions haue taken therin sens the begynnynge therof The phisitions of Garmanie for the space of .ii yeres medled with suche disputation and yet whanne I was but a boye they vndertoke to heale me but what profit cam therof the ende hath shewed not withstandinge they were bold to medle with strange dregges and spices and to myngle and mynister many thynges whiche they shulde not haue mynystred And I remembre they forbode me to eate peasen For in some places there growe certayne wormes in them with winges of the which hoggefleshe was thought to be infected bycause that beaste
be taken in tyme of sething that it ruÌ„ne not ouer or boyle to fast and they byd that the pot be close stopped that nothynge brethe out but whaÌ„ the skom is perceiued to ryse it must be softely opened and the skomme taken out and so couered agayne They putte this decortion whan it is streyned into a glasse onely bycause it shulde be sene and bycause a glasse of all vessels is purest and clennest The colour of this decoction is some what lyke muddye water whan it is some what troubled Wete lynnen in it and it wexeth grene of a meruaylous shewe The relesse therof at the fyrste tastynge is some what soure but to hym that vsethe it by lyttell and lyttel it waxeth pleasant The phisityons were so bolde as to put to a pounde of this .iiii. vnces of hony Whiche thynge as I do not improue so do I denye it to be necessarye And I wolde nothynge shoulde be added vnto suche a thynge beinge of suche power where as it nedeth not For what nedeth a man there to bestowe his labour where as no nede is And to say the trouth the relesse of Guaiacum is not so grenous that it requireth to be tempred with hony Yea were it not for my maysters the phisytions all men wolde be contented therwith Howe be it what nedeth me to name phisytions whan I speke onely but of tryflers For they that be counnynge and experte as is O moste noble prynce Stromer thy phisition and throughe frendshyppe myne also and thy other phisition Coppus suche I saye vnderstode and knewe howe hit is not conueniente eyther to meddle it with vnknowen thynges and myngle theym or elles to adde oughte vnto those thynges whiche as yet are not perceyued to lacke oughte The whiche thynge as hit chaunced vs to haue communycatyon of this woode Guaiacum at the citie of August whan many had auysed me to commyt my selfe to this maner to cure and I for newnes of the thynge wolde here none of them Stromer spekynge after this maner of this wodde with great grauitie of wordes sayde that he feared leest the helthsom and excellent power of Guaiacum shoulde be diffamed through the superfluous additions of vnlerned phisitions whiche thyng if hit were not done nothynge coulâ—e be founde better agaynste this sycknes And with his wordes caused me streight without any taryenge to caste my selfe hedlynge into this experience of Guaiacum And therfore I wold this now ones spokeÌ„ shuld be generally vnderstande that as often as I shall conplaine in this smal treatise of phisitions all men shulde thynke me to meane theym that haue no erudition nor experience and that boste them selfe amongest the common people of the title and name of their doctorshyp which they bought that knewe nother greke nor latyn and yet no science requireth more erudicion or knowledge of the tonges than phisike the whiche beynge mooste ignorant do lyghtly abuse the symple people of Germaynie seynge there is no doubte made of his lernyng that is ones garnyshed with the name of Mayster doctour But why haue I vsed in this thyng so many wordes Veryly to make my cause good with the excellent prince and to defend my selfe agaynst them that by this occasion mought accuse me as one that spake wordes more snappyshe than besemed me Whiche thynge whan somme of the lawyers and diuines dyd of late agaynste whose lernynge they sayde I inueyed without good maner whan I dydde snybbe but onely the vnlerned and them whiche were soore greâ—ed and were bytter ennemyes vnto suche good lernynge they caused many a good manne to thynke that I was agaynst them and yet was that thynge far from my maners and also the purpose wherin I than was occupied whiche thynge seing I perceyue your excellentnes to knowe wel ynough I wyl leue these runne agate anoynters and theuyshe phisitions and also these vntaughte doctours and come vnto Guaiacum the which in me dicine must thus be vsed ¶ The maner of curynge Cap. viii THe pacient must be kepte in a close chambre without ayre or wynde where fyre muste be nourysshed contynually or els he must be in a stewe after the maner of Almain whiche shall not nede alwayes to be kepte hotte but must be close and defended from ayre that noo ayre blowe vppon hym for the tyme of this curation he muste also beware of colde Therfore if he be cured in wynter or in Autumne he must loke that he haue fyre in his chaumber erely in the mornynge specyally before daye for than is the colde fernente he must cause the cleftes of the wyndowes if any be to be stopped with playster or other lyke matter and vpon the chaumbre doore must he hang carpettes or other lyke thynges within and without that no colde or ayre entre into the chaumbre or come out whan he is thus ordered his meate must be dimynisshed First the fourthe parte of that he was wonte to take and than the thyrde parte and shortly after the one halfe that he maye lerne to beare hunger and his wyne muste be well watered thanne muste he take a purgation other with regarde that hit be suche a one as shall be thought sufficient to cutte away the cause or take awaye the matter that norisheth the disease other such a one withoute any regarde at all as maye emptye the hoole bealye For that thynge as I perceyue onely is requyred whiche thynge done thanne maye ye ther vppon begynne this worke after this maner The decoction whiche was fyrst sodden and is strongest must be ministred vnto hym twise adaymyâ—ke warme a gobblet or cyat ones in the mornyng at .v. of the clocke or there about and again at nyght at .vii. of the clocke we call a ciates a cuppe that wyl receyue half a pound wherof we may gather seing .viii. pounde of water is required to the sethynge of one pounde of wodde and the one halfe therof muste be consumed in the sethynge that so there muste .iiii. pound remayne and muste drynke therof twyse a daye that the decoction of one pounde of Guaiacum is suffyciente for the foure dayes For hit is nowe a coÌ„men maner with phisitioÌ„s to measure theyr lycoures by weyghte and they haue cleane caste vppe the names of measures It must be dronke at one draught with out any breth takynge ¶ After he hath dronke let hym rest more than .iiii. houres and let hym the fyrste .ii. be couered that by the helpe of heate this medicine maye be dygested abrode into the membres and the pacient maye sweate out that that noyeth whiche thyng to do howe profitable it is I wyll declare whan place cometh And it shall not hurte if he be close couered one hole houre before he drynke that he maye be hotte ¶ Some wyll not in any wyse he shuld rise from his bedde in fiue houres after he hath taken his ciates of drynke ¶ He must take his meate in the myddaye and not before and than as lyttell as maye
a man of hygh auctoritie in the comen welth for his godlynes and good deseruynges towarde all men who as Virgyll sayth maye gouerne and rule with wordes theyr hartes and quiete theyr stomakes So in lyke maner is it in salte whiche as I sayde through fastynge driynge byndyng and purgynge dothe put to quietnes thynges that are moued doth vnite and knytte thynges that are broken doth bynd to gether thynges that are plucked aparte doth make caulme and quiete thynges that are troubled and bryngeth quietnes and sauegarde vnto all thynges yea how greatte a thynge and howe necessary thoughte Plinie salte to be sayinge without salte a mans life can not indure And therfore say they how can that hurte in this syckenes which in other diseases conserueth all thynges And for as moche as in this cure we muste take hede that no corrupt humours be abundaÌ„t and salte resolueth and clenseth all fylthye moistnes and also kepeth down and restray neth the flowynge of the body it is thougt we shulde be more plentuous of salte herein than elles where Notwithstandynge these reasons we muste haue an other consyder ation herein And fyrste of alle as moche as appertaynethe vnto his dysease howe the sycke muste forbeare salte meates not alle maner but onely suche as are very sharpe Lette it be asked of the phisitions whiche haue long before tyme prosecuted that matter to the vttermost for this tyme seynge the medicine of Guaiacum is specyally intreated of we may say that though all phisitions knowe the vse of salte excepte hit be very lyttell to be noyous and hurtefull in all other passions of the synowes and in suche diseases as sprynge of corrupte bloude and of yelowe and blacke colour or salte fleume for so moche as with his tartshes it narpeneth coler and burneth the bloudde and with his natiue drynes causeth the humours and nutriment of the body to dry vp and by that meanes distroyeth all thynges that shulde helpe vnto helthe Yet neuer the lesse about the administration of Guaiacum they forbede vtterly all maner vse of salte for the same consyderation they fordede all sharpe thynges and moreouer all thynges penetratine and amonges these spices and wyne For so moche as all suche throughe theyr sharpenes and persynge power do open all poores and entreyes and goo depe whiche violence runnyng through the body Guaiacum can haue no place to worke If these reasoÌ„s do not satisfie those mens mindes I wyl say vnto them as the philosophers say of the stone Magnes if it be anointed with garlyke it draweth not yron to it so lyke wise GuaiacuÌ„ hath a certayne secret vertue and can not tell whither it be as yet knowen to abhorre specially the vse of salt and whiche power is loste if salt ones come vnto it And this haue we spoken of the for bearynge of salte in this cure Nowe wylle we speke of the sklender fedynge and hunger wherwith the body muste be weakened and made leane whervpon al the matter of this dieth hangeth ¶ Of sklender fedynge and hunger necessary in this cure Cap. xvii ALthoughe we spake before of the smale and thynne fedynge that the sycke muste vse and howe his meat must be diminished he brought to hunger yet we thynke it very necessary to warne you ones agayne of the same thynge in this place not onely bicause this medicine requireth a voyde and an emptye body frome all maner fulnes but also bycause I wolde declare that in olde tyme there was a lyke maner to cure the sike And we may also rede in Diodoro that the Egiptians dydde heale theyr sycke other with fastynge or els with vomyt For they affirme as he recyteth that sycknesses are ingendred specially of the superfluitie of meate And therfore they thoughte that waye of curynge to make moste vnto helth that tuketh awaye the fyrste causes of the disease Let not therfore these dronkerdes these interpretate felowes gyuen to surfetynge be greued with this dyete which as Persius sayth delyteth only in delitious fedynge and may lyue scantely halfe a daye without meate whose bealy as the prophet saythe is their god and all theyr mynde and lyfe is nothynge but fedynge Let such felowes as I sayde cesse theyr grudginge agaynst this dyete seyng that therby so excellent and so good a thyng is obteyned and so great an euyll is auoyded with so lyttell labour And let them not than in this thyng speake of the great ieoperdye whiche maye comme of weakenes throughe longe abstinence as who saith that he may faint that â—ateth after this maner For Plini saythe that none dyethe for lacke of meate before the .vii. day and may continue vntyl the .xi. day And al be it he writeth that in his time there was a woman in Germani which lyued sometyme full twenty dayes withoute meate and sometyme .xxx. And that he sawe a man whiche contynued .vii. wekes without meate drynkyng euery second day onely water Plini also sayth that he knoweth for a suretie that the Scythians hauynge certayne herbes in their mouthes abyde huÌ„gre thirste somtyme .xii. days And some also say that the christen philosopher Amonius neuer eate but only tosted bread whiche thinge if any man greatly meruayle at lette hym remembre that this is also wrytten in the storyes that certayne of the mages lyued ones by meale and herbes only Aâ—d that Diodore writeth that the olde Egiptians meate was herbes and rootes And Hesiodâ—â— monysheth saying we shuld lyne eate Malus asphodelo And Plato writynge of the lawes maketh mention that Epimenides was contented sometyme so to lyue If any man wyl set these thingis before his eies coÌ„sider theÌ„ thaÌ„ shal he perceiue that we lyue very deinteously in this diete and do take in a maner more than nedeth But if it were a very harde thynge to absteyne so from meate what is he that loueth him self so lytel but he wold to get his helthe suffre this griefe or that hadde not leuer suffre .xxx. dayes hunger than to be sycke as longe as he lyueth or had nat leuer passe ouer so many dayes with stronger hunger that he may lyue the resydue of his lyfe holle and sounde of bodye than to anoyde this lyttell griefe and to be turmented all the dayes of his lyfe with intollerable sorowes and to haue runnynge frome hym stynkynge and fylthy matter I haue tolde you that this is no new maner of curynge for alwayes the best phisitions haue commaunded abstinence to the sycke Of the whiche nombre is Asclepiades who as Celsus sayth writeth that the mooste soner aygne remedy agaynste the feuer is as he hath proued it to diminisshe the strength of the patient with moche watche and abstinence in so moche that at the fyrste begynnynge of the syckens they shulde not soomoche as wasshe theyr mouthe ¶ Abstinence sayth Eusebius both kepeth the bodyly helth and the shamefastenes of minde Whâ—rby it appereth that lyttell and temperate feding is profytable to the flesh and
the soule as wytnessethe Timotheus whiche beyng on a seson with Plato at supper hauynge before hym such meate as he was wonte to haue tourned towarde his frendes and sayd They that Plato receyueth to super shal be wel at ease long after meanynge that after moche eatynge of dyuers and aboundant costly dysshes deynteously dressed there folowed euyll and rawe digestion and greatte grefe of the stomake Wherfore afterwarde whan it chanced him to mete with Plato he sayde vnto hym Ye Plato do ete this day rather for to morowe than for the tyme present ¶ And in Lucian Gallus the cocke Pithagory iugeth it a great benefit of god giuen to Micyllus bycause he coude alway with hunger auoyd al feuers And for that cause was without such dysease Nowe what shal we saye to that whiche as sayncte Hierome wrytethe that certayne dyseased with the ioint ache and the goute after theyr goodes were gone and were from them and were broughte to poore fare and symple meate they dydde recouer theyr helthe For they sayth saynt Hierome toke no thought nor care for theyr houshold and the habuÌ„dance of meate and drynke which do breke both the body and the soule And anone after he sayth There is nothynge that dullethe a mannes mynde so moche as a ful bealy rysynge and tournynge hyther and thyther blowynge out wynde with balkynge fysting and fartynge ¶ This story may be a lernynge vnto many men whiche is redde of a certayne great belyed and fatte abbot As he was caryed vnto certayne bathes it fortuned hym to mete with a gentylman who asked him whither he was goynge the abbotte made him answere and sayd that he must go vnto the bathes Why quod the gentylman are ye sicke Nay quod the abbot I am not sicke but I haue no appetite vnto my meate I go therfore now vnto the bathes to get againe myne appetite whiche I dydde of late lose for they are holsom therfore Veryly quod the gentylman In this thynge I can be a better phisition vnto you And toke the abbotte with hym and put hym into a depe and daâ—ke dongeon where he fedde hym certayne dayes hungerly and than at laste he asked hym whether he had an appetite to hie meate Ye mary quod the abbotte I sayth quod the gentylman than is it reson that thou gyne me a rewarde for my medicine and made hym pay two hundred crownes and sente hym awaye in good helthe with suche an appetite that he coude haue eaten bothe beanes and lekes where as before he refused all maner meate were it neuer soo deyntie and so was he well ordered seynge he soughte not meate with hunger but hunger with meate But peraduenture we haue spoken more than ynoughe of this thynge therfore let vs go vnto other matters But first I must tell you to make an ende of this chapiter that Guaiacum requyrethe not a bealy that is replenysshed with varyetie of meates or troubled with wynde in the inwarde partes but purified and clensed from al rawnes and grosnes of humours ¶ Howe hunger may easely be suffred Cap. xviii ANd this scarsenes of meate canne not only be borne but also mâ—ye easely be borne and that throughe the vertue of Guaiacum whiche after that the body is ones brought downe doth both preserue the life and also causeth that the fycke shall not nede to eate any thynge at all Therfore dydde I not without a cause gyue warnynge that the sycke shuld absteyne from meate as moche as may be And if he way feble or faint he maye not be holpen with meate but with the swete sauours which I speke of as moche as is possible put to his mouthe and specially with hote breadde But if any fele hym selfe to be wasted and redy to slyde awaye throughe weakenes Whiche thynge howe it shulde chaunce in any manne I can not telle for in me there happened no suche thyng at all that I neded any maner helpe Than I wolde counsayle hym to vse these thynges which Plinie thynketh easeth hunger and quenchethe thyrste whan they be very lyttell tasted of that is butter and lykeresse reclisse likoresse Drels in this thing we muste folowe Celsus which sayth thus This one thynge muste alwayes be obserued that the phisition be often tymes caused 〈◊〉 sytte by the pacient to consyder what strength he is of and to cause hym as longe as he hath any strength to wrastle and fight with hunger And if he begynne to doubt of his weakenes to helpe hym with meate Excepte any had leuer folowe that whiche Gellsius sayth that Erastrat dydde write that the Scythians whan they for somme cause muste nedes suffer hunger do thruste together theyr bely and bind it round about very straitly with brode swadlynge bondes thynkyng that by suche pressynge to gether of theyr bealy hunger may be putte away or the easelyer borne For seing as he saith hunger commeth of emptines and is caused of the voydnes and holownesse of the intrayles and of the bealy than whanne the bealy is gyrded in harde so that the emptines is filled and the holownes ioyned there can be no hunger where as these thynges be not and vtterlye forbearynge of meate may lightly be born But why say I vitterly for bearyng of meate whiche can not be in this cure I may well calle it hunger what so euer it be that any abydeth For it maye be suffred well aud easely thoughe a man take nothynge in the worlde to helpe it But vnto these deynteous sycke persones what thynge can be lyght whiche can not onely suffer no hunger but also not to haue a stomake vnto meate they thynke it intollerable For the whiche if at any tyme they be sycke we mought praye god that they neuer recouer consyderynge they esteme hit a greatte grefe to bye helth with a lyttel sufferynge ¶ Of these maner persons if I speke some what largely I do it after myn accustomed maner specially whan I perceyue many of my countrey men the Almaynes to erâ—e in this behalfe ¶ The prayse of temperaunce in spite of ryotte Cap. xix BVt I beseche almyghty god that this nation maye ones knowe it selfe Whiche thing I do not desyre so moch bycause it is vncomely that the people that rulethe all the worlde shoulde so lyue as for that that suche intemperancie and ryotte is an occasion to vs of great euyls and also to be greatly dispised If other people shoulde eate and drynge as moche as they coud they thinke they shulde passe the lawe of nature but whan we cromme in so moche that we can not beare it we loke after laude and prayse What meneth these strynes and contentions of our valyant drynkâ—rs Whanne he that drynketh is receyued with triumphe whan it is glorye to ouercome in drynkynge and no shame to be dronke and cast it vp agayn O countâ—ry O empire As for the Polonians or if there be any other that passeth vs in dronkennes I regard them not but this
not in dede peynfull but it boyled out certayne fowle and stynkynge matter and issued very fylthyly after the maner of a fystule with a narowe mouth outewarde and inwarde it was of a large holownes And aboue hym there was also an other as thoughe a bone hadde bene bredde there vpon a rybbe And to conclude I dyd playnly feele a streme and issue come downe behynde from the toppe of my heed vnto all these And where it began the leeste touche in the world made my heed to worke as though the brayne panne had ben broken nother myghte my face be tourned backewarde but as it was tourned with the hole bodye This one thynge yet wolle I not passe wherfrom if Guaiacum had delyuered me and done nothynge elles yet oughte I to haue lauded and preysed his vertue greatly and that is noone slepe whiche I coueted so deedly and was soo moche gyuen thervnto that almooste in .vi. yeres space there scaped not one daye whan the phisitions cryed oute vppon me sayinge that was the cause of all my diseases and yet I coulde not refrayne my selfe frome it But nowe is that gone so far from me that I trowe if I shuld enforce my selfe to slepe in the day tyme I coulde not With all these and so great euyls all though I was so maystred that al men dispeyred my helth yet my good angel I beleue wylled me to tary and loke for somwhat And lo through the helpe of Guaiacum I am bolde nowe to lyue and to drawe brethe agayne Whiche mynde god gyue to all good men that they neuer ceasse to hope and truste As for me I repent my selfe in nothynge and iâ— by any meanes longe lyfe myght be graunted vnto me I haue greatte hope that I shulde lyue hoole sounde and lusty And of this disese and of the remedy of Guaiacum I haue wrytten these thynges that cam to my mind â—ery faythfully truely and as my lernyng wolde suffre me and here wold I make an ende if I thought it not necessary to admonysshe them that shall rede these thynges howe after this cure the sycke muste be ordered as touchynge the order and maner of theyr lyuynge which thynge I wyll performe and that breuely ¶ As touchynge the order of lyuyng after this cure is paste what is to be obserued Cap. xxvi I Gaue warnynge before that after this cure is paste and the pacient is departed owte of the cloyster of this medycyne wherin he was close kept he must vse consequently in his lyuing a certayne diet and order by the space of .iii. or at the lest .ii. hole monthes And nowe that we be come to the very propre place to entreate of the same thynge I say that it is so necessary to be done that who so euer hath recouered his helthe except he afterwardes take good hede dilygently obseruynge many thynges and lyue for a space vnder a certayne rule as though he were yet shut vp I say playnly that his helth shall not longe endure And therfore thre monethes are appoynted vnto suche as were eyther greattely consumed and lowe brought in theyr syckenes and hadde many issues and auoyded moche or els were sore hurt in theyr synowes and lymmes or be so weakened in their body that a lyttell tyme can not be sufficient to gether vp perfitely theyr cromes agayne And on the other side they that be stronge and not so farre gone nor broken vnto suche .ii. monethes after their settyng out ar inough as it is thought â—ut by cause I wolde prouyde surely for them that wyll folowe me I wyll aduyse them to obserue and kepe this prescrypte very longe and to begynne with they shall absteyne them selfes longe tyme frome the flâ—shely acte Bycause they that be recouered through Guaiacum haue theyr bodyes very tender and vtterly weake as yet as thoughe they had bene lately newe borne And therfore if they shoulde haue the company of woman wherby the newe gotten strength is weake and grene and not yet ryped it wolde by and by dissolue and destroy the strengthe and myghtis of all the membres for euer And for as moche as the vse of carnall copulation bryngeth into perylle not one membre by hym selfe but al the hole bodye at one choppe What other thynge maye we saye he pretendeth that medleth carnally with women being so febled than wyllyngly to slee hym selfe or at the leste spedily to distroy his naturall strength and playnly caste his helthe away ¶ And if some be forbodden the companye of women whiche be neuer the lesse of good lykynge in body and haue no disease at all Howe moche ought they to auoyde and flee it that thus haue lost theyr helth myght and must labour al that they can to repayre the same agayne And if before .xiiii. yere of age none is stronge inough vnto that act bycause his strength is not full furnyshed to putte so ieoperdous a thynge in experience How thaÌ„ ought be to beware and take hede that is thus nowe borne agayne and hathe so yonge and tender a body that he offer not hym selfe to be rashely plucked and torne before he haue receyued his strength and is well hardned therin ¶ The nexte poynte here vnto is this that thoughe they shall haue a gredye and sharpe appetite to meate beinge emptied with continuall hunger yet they muste resyste the same and as moche as maye be to behaue them selfe very soberly and scarsely in their fedynge And therfore they muste fyrst vse verye lyttell meate and afterwarde some what more goinge forth by lyttell and littell soo that there maye be a good space eâ— that they come to theyr olde custome of eatynge exercysynge them selfe softely begynnynge no newe thynge hastely or sodenly vtterly absteinyuge fro al wynes except it be fyrste delayed with moche water and be also of hit selfe smalle and of good sauour and clere and yet so very moderatly Let hym also that is cured be well fensed agaynst the violence of the ayer and specially in those tymes that be greuous with colde wynde and rayne orels let hym goo forth abrode verye seldome He maye take meate twyse a day but at euentyde very lytell and all that tyme he maye neuer folowe his appetite but muste auoyde fulnes as the greattest euyll that can be He muste also aboue all thynges forbeare fyshe and feade vpon yonge and tender flesshe suche as is of lyghte dygestion and nourysshethe purely whiche they be ye maye knowe by the phisitions teachynges And these thynges must haue place in the sayde two or .iii. monethes for other thynges whiche shall be further obserued maye be lerned more playnly in the thynges folowyng For nowe I wyll aduyse and monyshe with fewe wordes not onely theym that are recouered by Guaiacum but other as well from what so euer disease they be delyuered if they tender theyr good helthe and wellfare and desyre to be longe in prosperitie whatte thynges they shall folowe And here it is chiefely to be