heath that groweth creeping vp by certaine little Canes it hath a sadde greene colour it carrieth certayne leaues that the greatnesse of them may be of the greatnesse of a good Porenge dish which are in compasse round with a little point the leafe hath his little Sienewes it is small well neere without moysture the stalke is of the colour of a cleere Tawnie. They say that it casteth foorth certayne Clusters with little Grapes of the greatnesse of a Coriander seede which are the fruite and doe waxe rype by the Moneth of September it casteth out many Bowes which doth stretche a long vppon the Earth and if you put any thing neere to it it goeth creeping vpon it The Roote of the Mechoacan is vnsauerie and without byting or anie sharpenesse of tast That which wee doe see at this present of our Mechoacan is a roote which they bring from the new Spayne from the Prouince of Mechoacan made in greate and little peeces of them cutte in peeces of them broken with their handes It is a white Roote somewhat strong and mighty it appeareth that the peeces be of a great roote without any heart The conditions or elections that it must haue for to be good and perfect is that it be freshe which may be knowne if that it be not worme eaten nor blacke and that it be somewhat white but the very white is not so good and if it bee somewhat russet so that it be the vttermost parte of the root for that the inner parte is somewhat white In the tasting or chewing of it it is without sauour or any manner of byting tast It importeth to make his worke the better if so be that it be freshe for that the fresher it is the better it is and the greater the peeces are the better they are conserued And it is true that that which is brought in pouder is not so good for that it doeth putrifie and lose much of the vertue and operation As also we doe see if we make pouder and keepe it it doeth not make so good woorke as when the roote is ground and then forthwith taken The roote beyng old doth turne blacke and it will be worme eaten with holes and become very light It will keepe well rouled in Sere cloth It is gathered in the moneth of October and it neuer loseth his leafe The Complection thereof is hot in the first degree and drie in the seconde for that it hath subtill partes with some bynding whereby it seemeth that his woorke beyng done it leaueth the interiour Members strengthened without debilitation and weakenesse which the other Purgatiue Medicines doe leaue them in but rather those that doe purge themselues therewith doe remayne after they be purged more strong and harde then before they were purged It hath no neede of rectification for that wee doe not see in this roote any notable hurt onely the Wine is vnto it a corroboration for the woorke for being taken with Wine it maketh a better worke then with any other Licour for that it doth not cause vomite and it woorketh the better It is giuen at all tymes and in all Ages it doeth his woorke without molestation and without the accidentes that the other Medicines soluatiue are woont to procure It is a Medicine easie to bee taken for that it hath no euil cast Onely it hath the sauour of that with the which it is taken for that it is of it selfe without sauour and so it is easie for Children for that they may take it without feeling what it is it is so lykewyse for persons that caÌ„not take Medicines for it hath neyther smell nor taste I haue purged therewith many Children and many very olde persons haue giuen it to men of more then 80. yeeres of age and it maketh in them very sure and good woorke with no maner of alteration nor chaunge of body and without being debilited or weakened This Roote doeth auoyde cholerike humors grosse mixt and also flegmatike Humors of what kind soeuer they be and humors putrified and rotten and of both coloâ—rs it doeth euacuate the Citrine water of them that haue the Dropsie with much easines The principall respect thereof is to the Liuer making it cleane and comforting it and the Members neere adioyning to it as the stomacke and the inner partes It doeth cure all Opilations of the same partes and all diseases caused of them As the Dropsie the Iaundies and ioyntly with his good woorke it rectifieth the euill complexion of the Liuer it dâ—ssolueth windinesse and with easinâ—sse it expelleth it and doeth open all the hardnesse of the Liuer and of the Lunges and of the stomacke It taketh away olde griefes of tâ—e head and mundifieth the brayne and tâ—e Sinewes and empâ—ieth out the humors that bee in the head or pâ—râ—es thereof In the disease called the Lampaâ—ones which is the Ringes Euill it maketh a good woorke in olde griâ—feâ— of the head called the Megrim and the Falling sicknesse and in all Distillations or olde runninges in paynes of â—he Ioyntes both particular and vniuersal as in the â—ouâ— Arthetica in paynes of the stomacke emptying the cause and consuming windines Also in paynes of the Uryne Bladder in paynes of the stone and Colicke of what kynde soeuer it bee it maketh a meruellous woorke It cureth the paynes of women and especially the Mother by emptying and taking away the cause as namely those causes which come of cold humors windinesse and in the griefes of the brest as of an olde cough shortnes of breath for vsing this roote oftentymes it taketh it away and healeth it Also in griefes of the Reynes caused of grosse Humors for it doeth emptie and expell them In griefes of the Poxe it maketh a greate worke And it seemeth that for these griefes our Lord did ordaine it emptying the humors of them which for the moste parte are colde and especially when they be waxen olde of long tyme it purgeth them and doeth expel them without any paynes by multiplying the taking thereof as many tymes as is necessarie for that in these infirmities that bee olde and of long continuance one euacuation is not sufficient but it is necessary to haue many euacuations which may be done without daunger with this Roote and it is not to bee maruelled at if that with one euâ—cuation therewith doeth not follow the health that is wished for but that many tymes it is needful to make often repetition to the intent to roote vp and expel the euil and naughtie humors that are the cause of the saide disease This roote doeth maruellously empty foorth the cause of the lâ—rge Feuers and importunate and all Feuers compounded and chiefly in olde Feuers as Tertians Quotidians flegmatike and in sâ—ch diseases as commonly come of opilacions vsing thereof at the tyme that is needefull for that in the lyke large and importunate diseases the Phisition must not bee
a wood which maketh the water yellowe and this is not it which doeth profite but that which maketh the water blewe and this hath the couetousnesse of them caused that bring it because they haue seene that it is wel solde in this citie for the manifest profites that it doeth in these griefes of the Urine by tempering the Reines and the Liuer and procuring many other benefits they bring of all the wood that they finde and sell it for wood of the stone The same hath happened in the Mechoacan which when it came to be worth twentie Ducates the pounde they laded so much from thence of it some not being rype other not being right that when it is come hither it woorketh not the effect that thâ— good and wel seasoned wâ—s wont to doe Wherefore it is needfull to see to that which is taken that it bee the same and that it bee well seasoned That which is very whyte is not such as the yellowe is in myne opinion for that which is yellowe wee see that it mâ—keth the better woorke it may bee that the very whyte is not of it or hath not the perfection that the good hath And comming to our water of Sassafras it prouoketh Urine it maketh them to Uryne well which haue the impediment of it chiefly if it come by humors of colâ—e causes I did knowe a Priest which came in this flâ—ete from the Florida who being in those parts did make water very euil and cast from him stones some tymes with very much griefe and some of them did put him in hazard of his life when hee was in the Florida as hee dranke of the water of Sassafras ordinarily as many other did in the place of wyne hee auoided many great smal stones without any paines and after that hither vnto hee hath founde himselfe whole and very well of this euill by drinking the simple wâ—ter of this wood ordinarily and watering his wyâ—e therewith Many doe drinke of this water for the same purpose and they cast out much Sande and doe finde themselues cured therewiâ—h In them that bee lame or creeples and in them that are not able to goe nor to moue themselues as for the most part that infirmitie commeth of colde humours by taking this water hot in the morning and procuring sweate all that hee can eating things of diet and drinking the simple water continually and vsing it many dayes wee haue seene many healed And it is to bee noted that in taking of this water there is nothing to bee obserued as in other waters but when they shal take it hotte if any sweate come to keepe it and after this they may ryse and goe well clothed it is not needefull of any thing els but of this and good order and to eate good meates and if they sweate not it maketh no greate matter but if they sweate not they shal be healed I knowe a Captaine one of them which came from the Florida and hee certified mee that hee was so weake in all his body that his Soldiours carried him vppon their shoulders for that in any other manner he coulde not stirre and hee was in a place where the tree of Sassafras was not and he sent for it and toke the water and therewith sweate for certaine dayes and afterward he tooke it simply and hee was restored to his perfect health and I did see him whole and well In the toothache this wood beeing broken and chewed with the tooth that is grieued and leauing that which is chewed in the hole of the tooth which is grieued if it haue any hollownesse and although that it haue none yet it taketh away the paines meruellously with experience done vpon many In the euil of the Poxe it worketh the same effectes that the rest of the waters of the holy wood the China and the Sarcaparillia doeth taking it as these waters bee taken with sweates putting vp more or lesse the decoction of the water and the quantitie of the wood as the complexion is and the disease of him that shall take it For that in colde humours Flegmatike it maketh a better woorke then in them that bee Cholerike and so in the Poxe that bee of a long tyme it maketh a better and greater woorke than in them that be of smal continuance and more where there bee knobbes and moisture of matter old griefes of the head with the order as is aforesayd And in these euils the simple water is continually taken for a great tyme and it worketh greate effectes chiefly in them that bee leane which be altogether weakened debilited with the vse of many Medicines Many which haue the Gout haue vsed and doe vse to drinke of the Water of this tree some of them taking it hotte as wee haue sayde and others simple continually by it self and watering their wyne therewith That which I haue seene is that which in the olde kinde of Goutes doeth neither good nor euil and if it doe any good it is to comfort the stomacke and to dissolue winâ—inesse to giue them some lust to their meate the rest of the benefite that it bringeth is to them that hâ—ue bin sicke but short time if the cause proceede of cold vnto whome it procureth notable profite but if the humour and cause be hot it doth them no good but hurteâ—h them inflâ—ming and causiâ—g them to haue greater paynes In one thing I haue seene it in many people to bring notable profit with the continual vse of this water and it is in them which haue foule diseased handes which cannot exercise them as they were wont to doe I healed a Gentleman which could not write that when he went to write his hande fell downe by little and little and the penne also after hee had begon to write not past fiue or sixe letters And hee toke a Cuppe full of that which was last sodden in the morning and after he dranke it hee continued twoo houres in his bedde and after he rose and went about his businesse And he did eate at his dinner good meates and at his Supper vsed diet and dranke the simple water of the self same Sassafras and he was healed very wel hauing spent a great somme of money on Phisitions and Medicines which did not profite him any thing vntil he came to be remedied in the order as is aforesaide Many did certifie mee that which nowe I finde by experience and learned of them that were sicke in the Hauana and could not goe to the stoole that the Phisition which is there did cause them to take in the morning fasting a good Cuppe full hotte of the water of the Sassafras and it did soften the belly and they went to the stoole very well which we haue seene heere to bee true by experience And there was a Soldiour which certifâ—ed mee and prooued it with others of his companie that hauing stooles by
though he had not had any euil therein at all The cake was made of certaine Wormes which the Indians take out of the grounde and they make them fatte giuing them to eate leaues of a certaine kinde of corne that they haue there called Maiz and after they are fatte they put them into a frying panne of earth and seeth them therein and as they take of the skumme they strayne it and seeth it stil vntil it be thicker then an oyntment after the fashion and manner as he had it there They bring also from the Charcas certaine Rootes that bee like to the Rootes of flower de Luce sauing that they are smaller and they smell much lyke the leaues of Figge tree they call these Rootes in the Indias a remedy against the venemous hearbe for beeing made into pouder and taken with whyte wyne it is a thing of great strength and of the greatest vertue that is there against venome of what manner or qualitie soeuer it be so that it be not corsiue as Sublimatum or the lyke and as for that kinde of poyson with only drinking of much Milke they bee remedied This Roote beeing taken causeth the venome to bee cast out which is eaten or drunken or any manner venemous humour comming of any euill degree or cause whatsoeuer which is as wel done by vomit as by sweate If thâ—re bee any small Wormes or long Wormes in the body it killeth and expelleth them and if you haue any suspicion that there haue beene giuen you any venomous morsel whether it bee venome or witchecraft it expelleth it in which there is so much trust in those partes that they take it for a meruellous remedy for the thinges aforesayde The roote being tasted it hath a sweete relishe with some sharpnes It seemeth to be hot in the second degree From the coast of Nicaraga and of Nata they which come in these last ships from the firme land bring a certaine kind of purge with them that surely by the tast is easie to be taken and it worketh well and without any payne principally it purgeth Choler It is the fruite of a tree very great after the maner of Thornish Chestnuts which haue within them Chestnuts sauing that they pricke not but be playne within those prickles there be some like to Chestnuts made cleane without shale well neere square which deuide themsâ—lues asunder by meanes of a little skin euery one into two partes and so they are couered with it and when they be taken occupied that little skin is plucked away they are made cleane froÌ„ it for that beyng taken with it it procureth most dangerous accidentes and vomites much faintnesse and infinite stooles and without it the Chestnut is a purgation very gentle and they purge easily and without paines if they be tosted then they will purge lesse if they be greene they eate them or being beaten in a Morter they take them with wine or with the broth of a henne if â—hey bee drie they make pouder of them any manner of fashion They doe their worke well and with much assurance keeping the order that ought to be kept by them which be purged and the humors beyng prepared as is conuenient They are hot in the first degree ¶ Of the Sarcaparillia of Guaiaquill IN the first part wee declared howe that they brought Sarcaparillia from Peru which wee vse in some persons and it worketh greate effectes And because there was but little of it and soone done we returned to that of the Hâ—nduras which is that we haue spenâ— hiâ—herto And ning as much as they can drinke at once or at diuers times and after they cast themselues into a sweate and they sweate so much that it runneth by the Bedde in great quantitie After that they take cleane cloathes and eate of a Henne but they drinke of no other thing but of that iuyce which they tooke out of the rynde of the Sarcaparillia as well at Dinner as at Supper and they must eate very little at Supper likewise at Dinner And they must procure to keepe themselues from the Ayre and from the colde all that they can although in that Uillage of Guaiaquill wherein bee about fiftie houses or few more the most of them are Cotages of little safegarde and the Walles be made of Canes and there be no Chambers on high but onely belowe they dwel all in places of little defence Being in this order and small comforte for lacke of Conserua and drie fruite which were necessary yet in eight or nine dayes they are made whole of all the diseases that are healed with the Sarcaparillia and of many others which shoulde be very large to speake of It is sufficient that there goe no Man from thence which returneth not whole although he had neuer so greeuous a disease so that they bee not sharpe Agewes For in that case the cure hath no place or in any other sharpe disease All other diseases it healeth with maruellous successe as it is seene by the great number of people which come thither and goe away whole of the diseases which they bring thither But it is needfull that he which doth enter into this cure bee strong and not weake for if he be weake he cannot suffer so great sweate without great perill of his person For these euilles they haue another manner of Water that is taking foure ounces of Sarcaparillia rather more then lesse for that there they vse neyther wayghte nor measure but doe put all at discretion and they take away the rynde from the Sarcaparillia and breake it without putting it in Water if it bee greene and if if it be drie then they breake it put it in water vntill it bee made soft this rynd beyng without the heart they seeth in 4. Pottels of water little more or lesse and they seeth it vntill halfe the water be diminished rather more then lesse and of that Water they drinke as muche as they can in many times or at one time and forthwith they betake themselues to sweat and although they sweat not so much as they sweat with the first water yet they will heale they moue their clothes they eate of a Pullet they keep themselues from the colde and ayre and at Dinner and Supper they vse the self same water for that in one day they consume one seething this people take it in this manner fifteene or twentie dayes in this sort also they are healed of all their euils diseases to the great admiration of the people And for the vse of this Sarcaparillia they do not except any disease vnles it be feuers or sharpe diseases these people purge not at the beginning as we doe heere nor in the middest nor in the ende of the cure for there is no other Phisition nor medicine but certayne women which be there that giue the water they are women Phisitions and therefore they take away and put
the Canes of the small Canafistola there is made an other Conserua verie good which is an excellent purge and delicate for they take the small Canes which are growing of a small time and seeth them in Sugar and with the seething and Sugar is taken from them the sharpenesse and the drinesse which they haue and they are made tender and softe and of a very good sauour These beyng taken make a very good woorke and purge without griefe or molestation and without all accidentes and faintnesse that purges are vsed to procure for that they are full of good tast at the taking of them and light of woorking They are geuen from two Ounces to three I haue geuen them many times with very good successe and haue taken them beyng sicke and they haue wrought verie well with mee Of these Conseruas they bring hither euery yeere from Sancto Domingo and Puerto Rico many Barrelles full The Canafistola that is perfect and rype is the moste excellent Medicine for to purge withall of as many as haue been knowne to this day and that doeth his woorke best in that which it serueth for and with most assuraunce as it is wel knowne not onely to Phisitions but also to all the world and doeth his worke without the hurtes and accidents which other Purgatiue Medicines are vsed too doe and it is a generall Medicine and amongst them that are called blessed is the most blessed of all whose vertues and properties wee doe treate of particularly in the first part and that which we haue spoken heere hath beene to geue relation of the leaues and flowers of it which they haue now brought mee One thing I would they should be aduertised of that when we are commanded to geue Canafistola to lighten and soften the bellie and that the common matters may bee voyded downe is ment that they shoulde take it a smal tyme before meate be eaten at the most halfe an houre before for the meate being mingled ioyntly with it worketh with it and in this order it maketh a very good woorke and purgeth very wel without paines which is not done with that which is taken any long time before meate as two or three houres before as now many doe vse it for that the meate beeing dilated it maketh an ende of woorking And as it is a thing without strength and weake it goeth al into vapours and so sheadeth it selfe abroade throughout al the body if it tarry long it is conuerted into meate and substaunce which I haue seene by experience many yeeres wherein I haue practised that alwayes as I gaue it halfe an houre before meate at the most it maketh a good worke and if it be giuen many houres before meate it purgeth and euacuateth little Concerning mingling of medicines which doe purge with the meate Hipocrates treateth of it in many partes and Galene in his Commentaries And trueth it is that when we wil that the Canafistola should not euacuate but that the vapours shoulde bee spred abroade by the reines and all the body wee geue it many houres before meate and then not working it performeth the effect that wee haue spoken of Of the Balsamo of Tolu THey newly bring now from the Firme lande from a Prouince which is betweene Cartagena Numbre de Dios which the Indians call Tolu a Balsaâ—o or licour that is the best thing and of greatest vertues of as many thinges as come from these partes They gather it from certaine trees which are after the manner of litle Pines which cast out many bowes to al partes It carrieth the leafe lyke to Algarrona al the yeere it is greene they are the best which growe in a softe grounde well tilled This Balsâ—mo the Indians doe gather by way of incision gyâ—ing certaine cuttes in the rinde of the tree for it is thinnâ— and soft and they set vnderneath it neere vnto the tree thinges like to dishes made of waxe which is in that country blacke which they take out of Hiues that certaine blacke Bees doe make in the chappinges of the grounde I haue seene brought much of this Waxe into Spainâ— and it was spent in Torches but it was forbidden that none of it should be spent for the smoke which it cast from it had so euil a smel that it coulde not bee suffered They did vse this waxe in matters of Medicine for therof were made Cereclâ—thes which wrought very good effects in mittigating griefe of any colde cause it dissolueth any maner of swellinges and woorketh many other good effectes Of this waxe the Indians doe make vessels lyke to a spoone and set them close to the tree that they may receiue the licour that commeth out of it by the places where the cuttingâ— are made and from thence they receyue it into those vesselles and it is needfull that it be done in tyme of great heate that the cuttinges may cast out the licour and in this tyme lykewyse there soketh out of the ioyntes of the sayde tree some licour and it is lost because it is so little and falleth into the grounde in the night time there commeth forth none This licour or Balsamo is very much esteemed amongst the Indians and is of greate value and with the notable woorkes which therewith are done and the Spaniardes haue learned and by seeing the great woorkes which it maketh they haue brought it hether as a thing of great estimation and such a thing as they buy there for a great price and they haue reason so to doe for one of the best thinges that haue come from those partes which haue beene brought for Medicine is this Balsamo which seemeth to be better then that of the newe Spaine and in it selfe appeareth to haue more vertues It is of an Alborne colour very neere lyke to a thing that is gilt it is not very thinne nor very thicke it clyngeth faste wheresoeuer it bee layde and it hath the taste and sauour sweete and although it bee taken it maketh not any horriblenesse as the other Balsamo doeth it hath a most excellent smell lyke to Limons insomuch that wheresoeuer it bee the good smell thereof giueth greate contentment and it can not bee hidden for a little of it smelleth much and if you rubbe your hande therewith there remayneth a maruellous smel The woorkes thereof are excellent and very greate for that it is licour which is taken out by incision as they tooke out in olde tyme the Balsamo in Egypt and for al those diseases for which that was good this of ours is as good It healeth al fresh woundes comforting the partes and ioyning them without making any matter and without leauing any signe of them The superfluitie that is in the wouÌ„d must be taken away of what sort soeuer it be washed with wine ioyned wel in the lippes parts therof and then the Balsamo laid to it when the coldnesse is out of it and
better than the hearbe As this hearbe so likewise haue you many other in all the other partes of the Indias that haue the same and other properties doe woorke meruellous effects and to write of euery one of them particularly it were needefull to make a greater volume then wee doe pretende of this that we shall entreate of Three thinges they bring from our Occidentall Indias which at this day bee celebrated in all the worlde and with them they haue made doe make the greatest workes that euer were made in medicine there were neuer the like made by any other medicine that vnto this day hath beene knowen for that the nature of al three is to cure infirmities which without this remedy be incurable and to woorke the effectes that doe seeme to bee thinges of woonder and these are notorious not onely in these parts but in all the worlde the which thinges are the wood that is called Guaiacan the China and the Sarcaparillia And for that it seemeth that the China doth come from Portingall and that the Portingales doe bring it from their Orientall Indias and not froÌ„ ours I wil say what is to be said herafter when we do speak thereof And therefore let vs beginne with Guaiacan as of â— remedie that first came from the Indias and as first of the best of all as experience hath shewed and the vse thereof in so many yeares Of the Guaiacan and of the holie Wood. THe Guaiacan that is called the wood of the Indias was discouered forthwith wheÌ„ the first Indias were fouÌ„d which was the Island of Sancto Domingo where is great quantity thereof There was an Indian that gaue knowledge thereof to his Maister in this maner Ther was a Spaniard that did suffer great paines of the Poxe which he had taken by the company of an Indian woman bâ—t his seruant being out of the Phisitions of that countrie 〈◊〉 vnto him the water of GuaiacaÌ„ wherewith not onely his grieuous paynes were taken away that he did suffer but he was healâ—d verie well of the euill with the which many other Spaniardes that were infected with the same euill were healed also the which was communicated immediatly with them that came from thence hither to Seuill and from thence it was diuulged throughout all Spaine and from thence through all the world for that the infection was sowen abroade throughout all partes thereof and surely for this euill it is the best the most chiefe remedy of as many as hitherto haue been found and with most assuraunce and most certeintie it healeth and cureth the sayde disease if they be wel handled and this water giâ—en as it ought to be it is certaine that it healeth it most perfectly without turning to fall againe except the sicke man doe returne to tumble in the same bosome where he tooke the first infection Our Lord God would from whence the euill of the Poxe came from thence shoulde come the remedy for them Since it is knowne that they came into these parts from the Indias and first of all from Sancto Domingo The Poxe bee as common amongest the Indians and as familiare as the Measelles bee vnto vs and well neere the most part of the Indians both men and women haue them without making thereof any scruple and they came first in this sorte In the yeere of our Lorde God 1493. in the warres that the Catholike King made in Naples with King Charles of France that was called Greathead in this time sir Christofer Colon returned from the discouerie that hee had made of the Indias which was Sancto Domingo and other Ilands he brought with him from Sancto Domingo a great number of Indians both men and women which he carried with him to Naples where the Catholike king was at that tyme who had then concluded the warres for that there was peace betweene the twoo Kinges and the hostes did communicate together the one with the other And Colon being come thither with his Indians the most part of them brought with them the fruite of their countrie which was the Poxe And the Spaniardes began to haue conuersation with the Indian women in such sorte that the men and women of the Indias did infect the Campe of the Spaniardes Italians and Almaines for the Catholike king had then of all these Nations and there were many that were infected with the euill And after the hostes commoned together the fire did kindle in the campe of the king of Fraunce of which it folowed that in short tyme the one and the other were infected with this euill seede and from thence it hath spred abrode into all the worlde At the beginning it had diuerse names the Spaniards did thinke that it had beene giuen them by the Frenchmen and they called it the Frenche euil The Frenchemen thought that in Naples and by them of the Countrie the euill had beene giuen them and they called it the euil of Naples And they of Almaine seing that by conuersation with the Spaniardes they came by it they called it the Spanishe Skabbe and other called it the Measelles of the Indias and that very truely seing that from thence came the euill in the beginning Amongest the great Phisitions of that tyme there were sundry great opinions of the cause and originall of the infirmitie The one sorte sayde that it came of the euil melancholie meates that the hostes of necessitie had eaten as wilde hearbes and many gardeine hearbes and rootes of hearbes Asses and Horses and other lyke things that ingender such lyke infirmities corrupting and burnyng the blood Others there were that did attribute it to the coniunctions of Saturne and Mars and they did apply it to the heauenly influence and gaue thereuntoo diuers and sundry names Some called it the Leprosie others Swine Poxe other Mentegra others the Deathly euill others Elephansia without certaine assurance what disease it was For they were ignoraunt that it was a newe disease and they would reduce it to some already knowen and written of And nowe we come to our Guaiacan whose name was giuen by the Indians and of them very well knowen and so they haue called it and do call it in all the world calling it also the woodde of the Indias Of this woodde many haue written and much one sort sayeng that it was Ebano others that it was a kinde of Boxe with many other names wherby they haue named it It is a new tree and neuer seene in our partes nor in any other of the discoueries as the country is newe so is the tree a newe thing also Whatsoeuer it be it is a great tree of the greatnesse of an Oke it casteth out many vowes the rinde it doth cast from it being dry greate and full of Gumme the hart thereof is very great it is well neere lyke to blacke all is very hard as much and more then Ebano is It casteth forth a little leafe and hard and
which Syrupe doth not heate nor inflame but with great temperature according to the graduation woorketh his good effects The first for whom this thing was ordayned and deuised was for Pantelion de Negro Ienoues who was had in cure by many Phisitions and hauing taken the water of the Wood and other Medicines was well neere consumed and with a grieuous swelling sore vppon his shinne bone and great paynes in it hee tooke it and was healed very well This sirupe I haue vsed in many people for the infirmitie that the Sarcaparilla doth profite for and the wood and for many other and it hath a good effect in woorking by degrees for that the drinesse of the wood is taken away and the heate of the Sarcaparilla and it is made in this forme There must bee taken two ounces of Sarcaparilla and foure ounces of Paulo Sancto which is the holie Wood prepared as it is saide and three Doozen of Acoseifas a fruite of Spayne without their stones and two Doozen of Prunes without their stones and halfe an ounce of the flowres of Borage and an other halfe ounce of Uiolettes and some graynes of Barley made cleane that is too say the huskes taken away All these thinges let them bee cast into three Pottles of water and lette them bee sodden on a soft fire vntill it come to one Pottell and then let it be strayned and vnto tenne ounces of this decoction let there be put one ounce of the Sirupe of Uiolettes Let it be taken hotte in the morning and at night in the order aboue sayde In the rest of the water keeping sweet if ther bee any and although there come little yet they bee healed They may eate a little Chicken from the first day with the rest of the diet drinke the simple water of the Sarcaparilla which is to be made with halfe an ounce of Sarcaparillia sodden in foure Pottâ—ls of water vntill one or somewhat more be sodden away This order doeth heale all kinde of euill of the Poxe and all the infirmities that we haue spoken of that the water of the Wood doeth heale and the China and the Sarcaparillia Which to repeate it shall be too long and too prolixious because it it is sufficieÌ„tly declared before For surely in this simple water and in the foresaide decoction I haue found great effectes aâ— well in the infirmities wherein is suspected the euill of the Poxe as in large and importunate diseases in the which the common remedies of Phisicâ—e haue not profited which although they proceeded not of the French Poxe yet doeth it cure and heale them as it is seene by the woorke of him that vseth it There is an other Sirupe to bee made of the Sarcaparillia which is taking eight ounces of Sarcaparillia being broken or cutte and seething it in foure pottelles of water vntill three be sodden away and the one remaine and into the water that shall remayne to put to foure pounde of Sugar and make a perfect Sirupe And of this Sirupe too take three ounces in the morning and three at night eating good meates and to suppe litle and drinke onely the simple water of the Sarcaparillia and goyng abrâ—ade out of the house and doyng his buisinesse There are healed therwith many diseases without geuing any molestation in the healing of them And this must be taken till the Sirupe bee all consumed Also this Sarcaparillia is taken in pouder in this maner They take the Sarcaparillia and plucke awaie from it the heare within it and dry it and grynde it and then sifte it through a syue of silke and make it in Pouder Of this Pouder is taken in the infirmity of the Poxe or spice of them the weight of sixe pence drinking it with the simple Water of the Sarcaparillia taking it in the Morning and as night as much when he goeth to bedde Hee must eate good meates and drinke no Wine but the simple water thereof It shall doe well he be purged that shall begin to vse it And although that this pouder doth heale many diseases large and temporall one cure it doth meruellously which is the salte Fleume of the handes and feete in this forme The sicke man being purged and also without purging if he cannot otherwise doe hee shall take the Pouder as it is sayde and vpon the salt Fleume he shall lay with a Feather a little of the water of Sublimatum delayed with Rosewater that it be very simple and after it is layed on all partes where the salt Fleume is then let there be put vpon it a plaister that is called of William Serâ—eâ—tis or Dia Palma spread abroade thin vpon Sattin or Taffeta too bee applied in all parts where the simple water of Sublimatum was put This must be done euery day for that in fifteene daies he shall be perfectly whole This doth mundifie and incarnate and skin without hauing need of any other medicine ioyntly with the Pouder and the simple water of Sarcaparillia which wee haue spoken of This is of so great effect and experimented as they shall see by the worke that shall vse it for surely they shall be whole thereby The vse of the water of the Sarcaparillia is so greate at this day in this forme as is sayd that it is applied in anie disease it is come into so much credit that in anie maner of Reumes or runnings or windinesse the euill of Women of the Mother or any other cause or occasion whatsoeuer so that it bee not in Feuers or other sharpe diseases men take the vse of the simple Water of the Sarcaparillia and this is at this day so put in vse that in like sort you shall finde the simple sodden Water of Sarcaparillia in manie houses as ordinary water in yearthen vessels and surely it woorketh greate effectes and doeth remedie large and importunate diseases Trueth it is that the persons that bee hotte of complexion it doeth beate them more then is conuenient and so they cannot drinke it and moste of all if that their Liuer be very hotte for that it heateth too much In womens diseases as well of the Mother as of colde humours it woorketh good effectes and doeth mâ—ruellously dissolue windes And in persons that bee subiect to manie euilles and especially of Reumes and olde greeffes and diseases caused of the euill humours if they runne this course with the continuance thereof they shall receiue manifest profite and benefite and it doeth heale all deseases whiche they neuer thought to be healed of The complexion thereof iâ— hotte and drie well neere in the seconde degree All these waters must be giuen in Sommer or in the ende thereof it is better that the season exceede in heate then in colde ¶ Of the blood Stone and of the Stone for the diseases of the Stone of the Kidneies and Reines THEY doe bring from the new Spaine twoo stones of greate vertue the one is called the
which they pretend to cure Let none thinke that to take this water without order good consideration as many doeth there shall followe health but vnto them rather taking it without measure without order â—t shall do vnto them much hurt wherby it seemeth to me that when this water shal be ministred as well in the diseases that it cureth as in any other whatsoeuer they be it is necessary that they goe to some learned Phisition that may dispose the manner and making of the Water and the order which they shall obserue in taking of it for that in the Winter it shoulde bee taken otherwise than in the Sommer And otherwise it must be geuen to the leane person than to the strong and in an other manner it must bee taken of the Cholerike than of the fleugmatike one order is required in the cold region an other order in the hot Wherby it appeareth that it is conuenient to keep order measure forme in the taking of it for that there goeth no lesse with it then health life coÌ„sidering that we see it haue no price in the world not to let it alone to the iudgement of him that knoweth it not It happened to a gentle woman vnto whom for certaine iâ—dispositions of the Mother proceeding of greate colde that she had taken I couÌ„selled her that she should take this water of the wood of Sassafras And I gaue her the order that shee should vse in making and taking of it which was asmuch as was conuenient for her disease and seeming for her But she tooke muche of the wood more then I willed her seething the water more then I commaunded her she thought that she should heale the sooner And as shee tooke it certayne dayes with this strength she was burdened in such sort with a very great Ague that not onely it stood her vpon to leaue the water but it was needefull to let her blood fiue times and put her life in aduenture so procured infamy to the remedie After she was whole and had preuayled she returned tooke the water with the order that I had first tolde her and she healed very well of her disease It is time nowe that wee come to the vertues of this wood so excellent whereof let vs speak particularly of euery one of them as we haue knowne and experimented them In generall our Spaniardes in those partes of the Florida where they haue beene and now are doe vse this aforesaide water sodden at their discretion for all manner of disseases without making exception of any Anâ— beeyng sicke of any manner of euill which commeth vnto thâ—m sharpe or long hot or colde greeuous or otherwise they â—ure them all by one maner of fashion they heale all with oâ—e maner of water without making any difference and the best is that al be healed therewith in this they repose so much trust that they feare not the euils which are present nor haue any care of them that be to come so they vse it for an vniuersal remedie in all manner of diseases In one of the thinges that they haue founde moste profite in this water was in Opilations in the interiour partes of the which they came to bee swolne and to bee full of the Dropsie the most parte of them For of the long and large heates which they had taken they came well neere generally to haue these diseases And with this water both the swelling and the opilation went away and therewith they came to be made whole of the Quotidian Agues which the most parte of them had For in goyng thither the most parte of them fell sicke of these long and importunate Feuers in the which I haue experience by this Water beyng taken as it ought too bee for it woorketh maruellous effectes and haue healed many therewith For the principall effect that it hath is to comfort the Liuer and to dissolue Opilations and to comfort the stomake which are the two principall thinges that are most conuenient for the Phisition to doe that the sick may be healed of the like diseases For in these euils it is not to be feared that the humors be corrupted And if the principal members be hurt one of the things that these medicines which are brought from our Indias do principally when the water of any of them is taken is to comfort the Liuer and to amende it that it may ingender good humors for if this be not done the cure is in vaine And so our Sassafraâ— hath a maruellous propertie to comfort the Liuer and to dissolue the Opilations in such sort that it doth ingender alowable blood I healed â— young man which had an opilation of certâ—yne Tertians And thereof he was all swolne in such sort that he was well neere full of Dropsie And with purging him many times with Pilles of Ruibarbe and by taking of Dialaca amongest the said Purgations and drinking the water of this Sassafras coÌ„tinually without drinking of any other thing he came to be healed very well and was cleere of his swellings and opilations And he did not let to drinke it vntill he remayned perfectly whole The manner of curing with this water made of the Sassafras for the Tertian Agewes long Feuers I will shewe you and what hath passed in this yeere that I wrote this There haue beene many people diseased with the tertiane Agewes so importunately that no manner of medicine was sufficient to take them away and to roote them out insomuch that we let many alone with onely good order and good gouernment without helping them any more They were opilated and had euill colour of the face and some of them were swolne And at that time it was when the Captayne generall Peter Mellendis came from the Florida and brought him in common this wood of the Sassafras and when euery man did so much prayse it many of them that had Tertians tooke water of the Sassafras keeping the order that the Souldiers gaue them and surely I saw in that greate maruelles for that they healed many with the vse thereof Not onely of the tertians that so much did molest them but also of the Opilations and euill colour that they had And seeing this I caused other to take it that without counsel durst not doe it And it did very wel with them but it must be wel seene vnto how it shoulde bee geuen and to whom that the cause may carrie with it both order and measure That which ordinarily was done was to geue one cuppe full of the Water well sodden in the morning with Sugar or without it and after to drinke the water continually that which was more simple then the firste and as the Phisition shall iudge to be most conuenient for him that is sicke keeping the conditions in the takyng of this water that we shall speake of And surely it is a thing that geueth great
in the cleare water that shall remayne vppon it some small clothes or in place of the smal clothes lint of fine Linen cloth weate in the water it cleanseth the sore eating the euil fleshe in such sorte for howe euill olde and filthy soeuer that the sore bee it leaueth it cleane and being laide to the flesh it doeth soder and heale them and after this is done you must vse the Medicines which haue vertue to ingender flesh And the effect of this seede is no more then to mundifie make cleane and to take away the superfluitie of the wounde The self same effect that this seede worketh in vs it worketh in beastes also which for the most part haue very euill sores that bee cankered and full of Wormes the seede being laide vnto them if the cause bee so great that it doth requyre it or the water of it as it is sayde maketh the lyke woorke as wee haue spoken of and better vsing alwayes the defensiues as is conuenient where such Medicines bee applyed for that it is a Medicine most strong and it hath neede of them all I wil shewe you what happened to me with it An Indian brought me this seede with many other hearbes and going about to discouer them and being come to this seede I tooke a graine and put it into my mouth to proue it He that brought it as one which knew it wel kept back my hand would not suffer me to proue it for all that I parted with my teeth one graine which is no greater then one grayne of hempe seede but some deale lesser and beareth some likenes of it at the tyme that it came to the point of the tongue the seede being parted made me a blister vpon it which dured with me certaine dayes I commended it to the Deuil and then I beleeued what they had certified me of it I began to make experience of it and it wrought more effectually then was spoken of it It is hot in the fourth degree and more if there be any more degrees Also I haue an Hearbe which being sodde and the water of it taken hot healeth the euils of the brest I know not the name of it but in the remembrance of them which came it was written And an other which enforceth to cast out the dead childe of the belly of thi◠the Indians haue great experience for this effect and once in these countries it hath profited They brought me two drie hearbes which I would haue been glad to haue seene greene the one of these being in the field in all his force if a man or woman doe put their handes vpon him forthwith he falleth downe dead vpon the ground And the other lying abroade vpon the ground in touching it to gather it it shutteth it self together as a Cabadge of the Countrie of Murcia Thinges meruellous and of much consideration I haue blacke Eleboro brought from the Prouince of Mechoacan like to that of Spayne and woorking the like effect Certaine dayes past a young man which tooke counsell of me that came from the Prouice of Quito and beeyng with me there came vnto me a neighbour of mine saying that his daughter was verie sicke of the Flixe and I had her in cure and her disease increased with blood requesting me that I shoulde goe to visite her The Indian which was with me asked me if they were stooles of blood I said yea and he sayd vnto me that he woulde geue her a thing that beyng made into pouder and taken woulde take them away forthwith that in the Prouince of Quito it had been experimented many times The Father of the sicke maiden went with him to his house and he gaue him certayne peeces of a fruite which seemed to be of a greate tree of the one parte they were very smooth and of colour yeallowe and of the other they were very sharpe and very redde insomuch that they seemed of a purple colour They were ground smal and he gaue the pouder to the sicke womā with the water of the hed of Roses once that Euening an other time in the Morning and immediatly the Flixe did cease from tha◠time waxed better whereby she came to be whole And as for the man I neuer saw him after he gaue it to her ¶ To the right Worshipfull Maister Doctor Monardus Phisition in Seuill RIght worshipfull famous Doctor it will seeme a newe thing to your worship that I being not learned not of your profession doe write to you in things of your faculty being a Souldier that haue followed the warres in these Countries al my life I haue done this because I am affectioned to your worship by reason of a book which you haue cōpiled of the medicines which are in these partes of the vertues benefits that by thē haue byn receyued which are so great that I cannot declare thē as they deserue And by means of your book we haue order how we should vse the remedies which we haue here for before we did vse thē without rule or measure so that neyther they did work effect nor with them the people were wel remedied which now is to the cōtrary by meanes of your books there hath been people remedied that neuer thought to haue had remedy nor health It is more then 28. yeeres vnto this day that I haue gone wādring by al these Indias where are many things of those which your worship doth write of in your book other things also which haue not byn brought thither for bicause the Phisitions that come to these parts are nothing curious They apply not their eye to the vniuersal wealth but to their owne particular for they come onely to enrich thēselues for the most part they be ignorāt people which passe to those Indias they doe not esteeme of the good which they might doe And though that I haue no learning I am affectioned to men of learning so I am to your worship for that I vnderstood of your bookes and for the same that you haue in these partes which is great although I knowe you not yet I was willing to take these paines which is a contentment to m◠You write in your book geuing knowledge of the Bezaar stone set down the signes of the beasts which haue thē which being cōsidered we haue happened vpon a kind of beasts that liue in the moūtaines of this country which are much like to sheep or kiddes which your woorship speaketh of which are in the Indias of Portugal which breede haue these stones of the which there are many in this country in the mountaines colde countries They are for the moste of a darke red colour they are fed with healthful herbes wherof is greate plentie in the mountaines where these beasts do feed they be very swift insomuch that they cannot bee hunted but with the hande Gun they haue no hornes and in that onely
the vse of it doeth breake the stone from the bladder if the Stones bee soft that they may bee dissolued with taking very little quantitie of it and of this they haue so many examples that they cause mee to maruell at it because I thinke that the stone in the bladder cannot bee expelled but onely to cut it out is the remedie for that no Phisicke can dissolue him They say that taking the seede grounde with some water made for the purpose causeth it to bee cast out in Clay and being come foorth it returneth to be congeled and turneth it self into a stone Only to a yong man I sawe this happen who had a stone in the bladder and I beeing certified of it by the Maister Surgions that had felt him and of the accidents which hee had caused him to bee caried at the beginning of the Sommer vnto the Fountaine of the stone and in twoo monethes after that hee was there hee came whole from thence and brought in a paper all the clay which hee had voyded from him at tymes being of stone dissolued into peeces We wil sowe the seedes although very little onely to see the effect wrought by them which as they say is in a cause so greate and if it doe growe we wil vse of it Of the flowres of blood I Sowed a seede which they brought mee from the Peru more to see the fairenesse thereof then for any Medicinall vertues that it hath The hearbe commeth to bee of the height of twoo spannes litle more or lesse bowes it casteth out straight with certaine rounde leaues very greene and thinne in the hiest of the bowes there groweth a flower being yeallow very high in colour and onely it beareth fiue leaues and in the middest of euery leafe there is figured a droppe of blood so red and so firmely kindled in colour that it can not be more This flower hath at the foote of it a stalke very long which commeth out a good space from the flower It is a flower very beautifull which doeth adornate gardens it groweth very wel of the seede or of the plante and beeing tasted it hath the same sauour and taste that the Mastuesso hath it is notable hotte A rinde of a tree for the Rewme AMongst the thinges with they sent mee froÌ„ the Peru there is a thicke rinde which seemeth to bee of a great tree and being tasted hath a sharpnes of tast with some drynesse the trees growe at the side of a riuer where this rinde is taken of which is twentie and sixe Leagues from Lima and they are not founde in other partes of the Indias but onely there The tree is after the fashion of an â—ime as wel in the greatnes as in the leafe The Indians when they feele themselues laden with Reumes or haue the Cough or any paynes of the head they make pouder very small of the rinde of the tree and take it in at their noses and it causeth them to purge much at them and with this they cleare themselues of the euil which we haue experimented by taking the pouder in at the nose and it maketh them to purge notably It seemeth to be more then hot in the second degree Of the Pacal IN the same Riuer there groweth an other tree which the Indians call Pacal which tree is lesser then that wee haue spoken of before the Indians doe vse it made in Ashes mingled with Soye it taketh away any maner of sore or skabbe in the head howe grieuous soeuer it bee as wel those which growe in the head as in the bodie as also it taketh away the markes of the sayde skabbes or sores being neuer so olde Hether they sent mee a little of the wood wherewith the Ashes are made that we might make experience of it Of the Paico THey sent mee an hearbe which in the Peru they call Payco they bee certaine leaues after the manner of the leaues of Planten of that making and greatnesse and as they come dry they are very thinne and being tasted they haue a notable bityng so that thereby they seeme to bee very hotte And being made into pouder and taken in wyne they take away the griefe of the stone in the kidneis which commeth of windinesse or cold causes and being sodden and made into a plaister and laide vpon the griefe they take it away also An hearbe for the euill of the Reines LIkewise they sent mee another hearbe which profiteth much in the euill of the reines when it commeth of a hotte cause The Iuyce mingled with the oyntment of Roses amongst it and one of the leaues or more if it bee needful laide vpon it is good for an inflaÌ„mation the iuyce thereof being put and it profiteth much for it doth resist the inflammation and mittigate the payne The leaues which they sent me bee lyke to small Lettice with the same greatnesse and being tasted they are of an euill savour it seemeth to be some hearbe notable cold ¶ Of a fruite which groweth vnder the ground THey sent me from the Peru a fruite very good that groweth vnder the earth and very faire to beholde and of a very good taste in eating This fruite hath no roote nor doeth produce any plante nor plante doth produce it but that it groweth vnder the ground as the Turmas doe grow vnder the earth which are called the Turmas of the earth It is of the greatnesse of halfe a finger rounde and rounde about it is wrought with a very fayre worke it is of a bay colour It hath within it a little kernel which when it is dry maketh a sounde within lyke to an Almonde the rinde of it is tawny and somwhat white parted into twoo partes lyke vnto an Almonde It is a fruite of goood sauour and taste and eating of it it seemeth that you eate Nuttes This fruite groweth vnder the earth in the coast of the Riuer of Maronnon and it is not in any other part of al the Indias It is to be eaten greene and dry and the beste way is to toste it It is eaten alwaies after meates as fruite eaten last of all because it dryeth much the stomacke and leaueth it satisfied but if you eate much of it then it bringeth heauinesse to the head It is a fruite in great reputation as wel amongst the Indians as the Spaniardes and with greate reason for I haue eaten of them which they haue brought mee and they haue a good taste It seemeth to be a temperate fruite Of the fruite called Leucoma THey brought mee likewyse a fruite of a tree which the Indians call Leucoma which is like vnto a Chestnutte of these of ours as wel in colour as in the greatnesse as also in the whytenesse that the Chestnutte hath It seemeth that within it is another thing I did not breake it to see what it was because they brought me but twoo of them the one I haue sowen
day in all the worlde although not with so much curiositie by reason they seeth not the water and they content themselues with putting it in the cold ayre and in the deâ—we as commonly it is doone Likewise they doe make colde the water with hanging it in the ayre hauing certaine skinnes full of water in the aire and moouing them continually the which is vsed in all the Countrey called Estremadura Others doe make colde by putting the vesselles with water in the drawe and before the Sunne come forth they drappe them in cloth or in skinneâ— and this the Sheepheardes and other people of the fielde doe This manner to make colde with the ayre hath many inconueniences because the ayre is a subtil element subiect to any maner of alteration and corruption and therefore it may be infected with some euill qualitie easily being infected it may infect the water that so is made colde infusing therinto his malice The which Auicen sheweth very wel in the second of the first saying The ayre is an euill thing by reason it is mingled with euill thinges as Uapors and smelles and euill smoakes chiefly that which is put in betweene two walles and especially that which passeth by places where are rotten Plantes and naughty Trees and where dead bodies are for it altereth at euery one of these thinges and of them receiueth an euill quality And for this cause the auncient Phisitions did forbid that in time of the plague the water shoulde not be put into the ayre to bee made colde because the corrupt ayres should not infect it There is likewise an other inconuenience that you cannot euery night set the water too bee made colde in the Ayre for some nights and the moste parte of them in the Summer time are so whot that not onely the ayre doeth not make colde but the water that is set in the ayre is whotter then it was before and if it bee made any whit colde it dureth no longer then the Morning when it is not needefull and likewise in the time betweene Winter and Sommer or in the Winter when the ayre woulde make colde then the rayne the tempestes and cloudes and other alterations will not suffer the ayre to doe it All these thinges experience doeth shewe at this day There is an other manner of way how to make cold with the ayre which is the most wholesome and more without hurt than any of all the other wherein there is no occasion of any euill qualitie And there are many people of estimation which doe vse this way to make colde that which they should drinke the which they put into vessels of earth or metall and do alwayes make winde and ayre to the vessels with a wet lynnen cloth And it must be so that it be in the ayre continually without ceasing as long as you are at meate And in this sorte it will be made colde to purpose and the hote ayre that is ioyned to the vessell is taken awaye and in place of it commeth freshe and colde ayre euen as it doeth when there is gathered winde to the face and taking away the hote ayre that is ioyned to it and with freshe ayre it maketh it colde and refresheth The other waye to make colde is in a well wherein they do put the vessels with water or wine and there they remayne the moste parte of the daye This kynde of making colde hath also many inconueniences as well of the parte of the water wherewith it is made colde as of the parte of the place where it is put cheefely in the welles of the cities and townes that for the moste parte are fowle and full of filthinesse The water of these welles is an earthly water grosse and harde because it is continually standing in one place and shut within the bowels of the earth And as it is a standing water it must of force he putrified for that the beames of the Sunne do not pearce it nor yet the ayre doeth visite it and therefore continually it is full of euill vapours whereof they do easily rott and they are foule waters full of durte and claye and of other mischiefes of an euill qualitie And seeing the water or wine is so put a long tyme into this foule standing water what can come of it but that it participateth of the euill qualitie that it hath And so Galen sayeth that the vessell which must be put into the well ought to bee full for if it lacke of his fulnesse then the water of the well doeth penetrate it or the vapour of it goeth into that which is emptie and therefore it is conuenient that the vessell bee filled full and that it bee well stopt for that which is sayde And hee sayeth the contrarye when wee shall make colde in the ayre for then the vessell shall not bee put full but some parte thereof remayne emptie for the colde ayre in the night season entering into that which is emptie doeth make the water more colde Ordinarily they are vessels of Copper or of the lease of Milan which are put in welles for to make colde The Copper if it bee not well tinned within doeth suffer too enter into that which is to be made colde an euil qualitie for with the moysture of the well there is growen in it immediately a certeine greenesse that is seene vppon it after it hath stoode a fewe dayes which is a thing verye euill and hurtfull The leafe of Milan is made of Iron the which with the moysture of the well is taken forthwith with rust which is a blacke thing that is seene vppon it after a fewe dayes which is an euill thing which doeth infuse an euill qualitie into that which is drunke And therefore I am of the opinion that that which should be made colde in the water of a well should bee in a glassed vessell or of siluer although the best waye is to take out water of a well and put it into a vessel in the which shoulde bee put that which should bee made colde mouing the water manye tymes for by takyng the water out of the well it looseth much of his euill vapours by reason it is visited of the ayre which as is sayde doeth shewe the incouenience that there is by making colde in a well And besides that wee see that the water hath euer a taste of earth or of some euill taste that is perceyued notably after it is dronke besides the euill smell which wee see thaâ— it taketh The third manner and fashion to make cold is with salt-peter the which is an inuention of marchantes and in especially of such as goe in the Gallie by reason that there the ayre doeth not make colde and especially in the tyme of calmes and there is neither welles nor snow Necessity did teach theÌ„ this remedie although it is not good for the great inconueniences which it hath It doth coole as some say the colde
drithe it causeth the dropsie by reason it corrupteth the first disgestiâ—n consumeth the body with his heate Auicen himselfe confirmeth this in the thirde of the first part saying the colde water is conuenient for them that haue a temperate complection for being whot it causeth the stomake to be sicke Isaac Aliabas and Rasis say the same that Auicen saith the which he did let to wryte of bycause hee woulde not bee long in his sayings One thing Auicen would haue in the thirde of the first parte that hee which shoulde drinke very cold must first make a good foundation eating first a good portioÌ„ of meate before he drinke Also he saith that the cold drinke may not be dronke much at one draught but by litle and litle by reason it doth bring two benefits which is that there is taken more taste in that which is drâ—nke and it doâ—th not kill the natural heat as it is seene by the pot that boyleth if you cast into it much water at one tyme it doeth cease boyling but if it be cast by litle and litle it ceaseth not his working And therfore Auicen himselfe sayeth when that you will drinke colde that you drinke with a vessell which hath a straight mouth that the drinke run not in hastily the said vessel beeing a limet or a yewre with a poynt surely it is a greate benefit for them which are affectioned to drinke with the lyke â—esselles if they ought first to take out the winde or not I do remit me to the Doctor Villalabos who treateth largely of this matter And by that it is seene howe Auicen woulde that those which woulde drinke very colde they shoulde not drinke foorthwith at the beginning of their meate For sâ—me there bee that as soone as they begin to eate foorthwith they will drinke that as is very colde the stomacke beeing empty without meate which cannot choose but hurte and so the hurt which doth come to them by this they doe attribute it foorthwith to the colde of the drinke and not to their euil order the which Auicen sayth speaking of cold water that to drinke it without order is the cause of many diseases if it be dronke in order as wel in time as in quantity it profiteth as he hath said Therfore let euery one loke to that which is conuenient for him and let him make experience in himself and if that it be conuenient for him to drinke colde that hee may beare it without that it doe offende him that doe it for therof wil follow the benefites which we haue spoken of but if he bee sicke and fall into any disease whereby hee saith that the drinking of colde drinke doeth offende him in such case let him not vse it for my intent is to shâ—w and perswade them that doe drinke colde that if it doe them no hurt nor offende them that they drinke it so aâ—d such as doe vse it of custome and haue experience that it doe not offende theÌ„ vnto such iâ— they drinke not that which they drinke cold the lust of their meate is taken away from theÌ„ for they take no taste in that which they eate and they eate it with grief and with an euil wil for that which they drinke doth not satisfie them the whot drinke doth fil the stomake full of windinesse and cannot make therewith a good disgestion But what is hee that hath a reasonable health being in the tyme of great heate or in the whot summer that comming to eate being weary of exercyse or of greate labour hauing the tongue dry the breath shorte that doeth let to drinke colde seeing that to doe it there doe followe the benefites that I haue sayde and doeth succor his necessity and remayne content and glad without hauing offended his disposition and health Unto the which Galen doeth animate and exhorte vâ— in the booke which hee made of good and euil meates saying In the tyme of hot weather when our bodies are whot and somtymes inflamed then we must vse of thinges that may refreshe vs although that they bee euill meates as Plummes Apples Cheries Melons Goords of other colde fruytes in these lyke tymes Galen saith that wee may vse colde meates as the feete of a pigge or hogge sodden in vinegre and crudded milke and the same meates must be made colde and likewyse the drinke must bee made colde as the water and the wyne watered with colde water or made cold in snowe the one and the other must be made colde in the most cold water of a fountaine and if it be not to be had let it bee made colde in snow chiefly the drinke And after that Galen hath made a large digression as it is conuenient so much in the tyme of greate heate to eate and to drinke colde things hee doeth describe who they are that should drinke colde and saith in this sorte those that should drinke cold are such as haue much buzines and haue care of many things as those which are gouerners of cities and common wealthes and the ministers which doe helpe them and doe participate of such cares and troubles and those that are much exercised in bodily buzines in especially the sowldierlyke exercises or other great exercises and they which doe iorney and inespecially long iorneyes giuing to vnderstand all corporal exercises Here I doe see many being sicke and hauing great occasions of sicknes after that they drinke cold they are whole and when they vse it not they become sicke agayne And although experience doe shewe it yet Galen doeth teach it vs in many places being the Prince of Phisicke For in the thirde degree of the substance of meates he saith that vnto them which are whot of stomake it is conuenient that their drinke be made colde with snowe the same he doth confirme in the booke of good and euil meates And in the 7. of his Methodo it hath beene seene as he saith that diseases haue beene healed and the griefes of the stomake with colde water made colde with snowe and in the 6. of the Epidimias hee doeth vse much of water first sodden and after cooled with snow and in many partes hee doeth put to coole in snowe the medicines which he doeth vse of and the same doe the Arabiens for that as it is sayde it doeth seeme that the snowe was had in reuerence by the ancient wryters and that they did vse of it in the preseruation of their health and in the healing of their diseases for that it was the best maner how to nake it cold more cleane and more without scruple For the cold that proceedeth of snow is healthful without receyuing hurt by that which is cooled with it nor causeth any alteration bycause it is a very good congeled water and doeth make cold Truthe it is that it is not conuenient to vse of the sayde snowe continually if it be not in tyme