of the day the morning is most apt and fittest both for this medicine and all other such like to be taken in And good cause why For in the morning after the whole nights rest the former dayes meate being fully digested and dispearsed into the outward parts of the bodie the inward parts as the stomacke liuer spleene and bellie vaines are then empty therefore more apt both to receaue in themselues and to dispearse throw into the whole bodie the force and vertue of the medicine then taken For alwaies especiall care and regarde is to be taken that neyther this Triacle nor any such like strong forceable medicine be administred inwardly after meate or vpon a full belly Yea and if the bellie be not either by nature loose or by Arte made soluble the vse of Triacle can no wayes be safe The other time to be obserued is that of the dissease it selfe which caryeth so great sway that often times it ouerruleth the time of the day and altereth it at pleasure according to the time of the whole dissease or of that present fitt then possessing the sick body for the time of the whole sicknes as a long Ague or other lingering dissease it is against all rules of Arte to minister Triacle either in the beginning or in the encrease of the dissease vntil manyfest tokens of concoction and ripenes appeare after which time if the obstructions of the lyuer or spleene continue not still great you may safely accordingly as the ripenes encrease the obstructions decrease ratably augment the quantitie of your Triacle The same is to be obserued in the time of the fit for vntill the matter of that fit make show of ripenes that the passages of the outward parts and skinne be somwhat opened you may no wayes giue any Triacle but after that time you may safely minister it the better thereby to further the issue of sweate and insencible out-breathings by which kindes of euacuations being aboundantly performed very often times it falleth out that the whole dissease is dissolued and rid away Besides the two times rehearsed she one of the â—â—y thâ— the other of the dissease the age of the Triacle it lesse is diligently to be considered for the newer he is the better 〈◊〉 readiâ—â— he stayeth any euacuation especially by vomitto or stoole withall asswageth any inward grypings or paines cheifly such as proceede from hotte and fretting humors As gaine the older this Triacle is the more forceable and effectuall are his vertues in opening all stoppings and obstructions of the principall parts and consequently in expecting and driuing out from the inward to the outward parts all venomous and rotten either humors or vapors Now for the manner of giuing it you must note that if your intent be to stay any fluxe or euacuation by strengthening the principall parts or else to mittigate asswage any inward point in such cases you must minister your Triacle in solide or drye forme either alone or with some conserue or Electuary and then sleepe vpon it vnles you meane to stay immoderate sweating Contrariewise if you meane and desire to driue out and expell any corrupt or noysome humor or vapor then giue it dissolued in some conuenient liquor and sleepe not after it except your meaning be to procure sweate which of all euacuations is onely furthered by sleeping And thus much for the right vse of this London Tryacle For what cause the receate is not yet published and wherefore the making thereof is commited onely to one Apothecarie NO doubt many will not a litle meruaile why the receat proscript of this London Triacle is neither in this discourse nor any where els published to the view of all mâ—n especially of Phisitions abroade that by the examining at the simples they may better iudge of of the force and vertue of the whole composition An examâ—â—â— whereof there is no president to be showed either in former ages or forraigne countries vnles one would fetch a president and 〈◊〉 from the barbar 〈…〉 Turks who those many years haue â—onceâ—led the râ—â—eate 〈…〉 till now of late Prosperus 〈…〉 â—â—ing sundrie yeares in Egypt 〈…〉 prescript thereof at the hands 〈…〉 Simpler which yearely had the 〈…〉 daies all the simple ingredients for thâ—◠〈…〉 in the presence of all the skilfullest Phisâ—◠〈…〉 doth yearely make vp the whole Composition 〈…〉 â—â—ceate the same Alpinus hath very honestly and to 〈…〉 praise published to the whole world In auntient timâ—◠〈◊〉 prâ—â—decessors were so farre from concealing and suppâ—â—â—â— any such effectuall medicine that the first Composition of Triacle whereof record is found in any writer Antiocâ—â—us his Theriaca I meane was presently by Endemus a famous Phisition put into verse and the verses engrauen in stone and set vp ouer the good Esculapius his Temple dooâ—â—e the euery man to reade ouer and copie out at his pleasure What cause or reason then should mooue the Phisitions of London to kéepe their new receate of Triacle so much concealed Assure your selues they did it not without great reason and good consideration The very true cause of suppressing the receats is the entire affection they beare to the whole nation their natiue countrie together with a diligent carefulnes they haue that the Composition may without fraude or couâ—â—n â—â—e truly and perfectly prepared For seeing how great 〈…〉 growne in the world by suffering euery man that would take it vpon him to make Geane Triacle hand ouer hand and that without ouer looking or correcting after adâ—â—isâ—â— deliberately taken they could fiâ—â—e in thâ—â—â—ughly and disorderly age nâ—â— other meanes to avoâ—â—e 〈◊〉 incâ—â—â—â—nience or rather mischiefe sauing onely by committing the making and compounding thereof with some one 〈◊〉 and skilfull Apothecary alone which their good 〈◊〉 meaning could not haue bene compassed if the 〈◊〉 haue published to the world For so euery other 〈◊〉 〈…〉 by the 〈…〉 〈…〉 might 〈…〉 〈…〉 as he is whome 〈…〉 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 is committ the 〈…〉 〈…〉 only Apothecary that thereby 〈◊〉 〈…〉 themeselues of the perfect 〈◊〉 〈…〉 viewing and diligently examining all the 〈…〉 at his house which thing would haue bene 〈…〉 labour for them to performe in so many 〈…〉 and Drâ—â—â—ers houses as would haue 〈◊〉 â—â—onâ—â— above the 〈◊〉 thereof Neither is it their mâ—â—â—ing altogether to sâ—â—ppresse the recâ—â—tâ—â— but onely to conceale it for a 〈◊〉 vntill good order may by authoritie be set downe for 〈◊〉 tâ—â—e and orderly 〈◊〉 of it and such other live 〈◊〉 they were the â—â—â—â—rly 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and to 〈◊〉 for a season that before the publishing they might make perfect proofe and full tryall of the effects and vertues thereof FINIS
¶ London Tryacle Being the enemie to all infectious diseases as may appeare by the discourse following London Printed by EDW ALLDE 1612. To the gentle Reader R.B. wisheth all health and welfare according to his owne harts desire It was my good hap gentle Reader not many dayes agoe to hit vpon this discourse of London Triacle which after I had shewed vnto diuers of iudgement and skill in such matters found that they iudged the booke well worthy the setting out especially in this infectious season I resolued thereupon to publish it to the world that therby the fruite and benefite thereof might the better be imparted to our whole nation It should seeme the discourse was fully ended before the plague in London began this last Summer for otherwise it is not to be thought but the authour would somwhere haue made mention therof Notwithstanding I my selfe hauing made diligent enquiry as wel of Phisitions as of Surgeons Apothecaries what tryall hath bene made therof in the time of pestilence I am by many of good iudgement assuredly certified that amongst the poore especially whome it most haunted this Triacle by good triall and experience hath beene found to be of singular vertue and to haue saued the liues of hundreds which haue taken it for very few which in the first or second day of the dissease took any reasonable quantitie of it for litle of it as of all other preseruatiues can haue small force and therewithall laid themselues to sweate very few I say miscaried yea the most part did within few houres perceiue the venome of the disease to be driuen cleane from the heart to the outward partes wherby within a day or two after they found themselues past all daunger But because it is no part of my meaning neyther presume I to haue skill enough to set down at full the due prayses of so pretious a preseruatiue I will surcease to proceed any further in commending the same vnto you and that so much the rather because the Authour in the discourse it selfe hath at large declared the vertues thereof Onely this I will say therof by the way that I can in nothing resemble this Triacle better then to the most valiant and victorious champion Hercules for his worthy actes and conquests canonized amongst the Gods For as Hercules is reported to haue trauailed continually from countrey to countrey throughout the whole world euery where as he went destroying monsters slaying Tyrantes murtherers robbers clearing high wayes cleansing all pestiferous ayres and noysome waters whereby he deliuered infinite nations from thraldome and slauery freed all passages for trauailers and waifarers and restored the interrupted intercourse and trade with forraine countreyes to the wonderfull and inestimable benefit of all mankind Euen so this Triacle being by good aduice recieued into mans body destroieth all venome and poison killeth or expelleth all corrupt vapors and humors and scoureth all the pipes conduits whereby it saueth the heart and chiefe intrailes from suffocation and destruction freeth all the vaines and vessels and restoreth free recourse and passage of the liuely and cheerefull spirits and nourishing humors into all the members of the body to the singuler comfort and refreshing of the whole man What should cause or induce the Authour so long to stay the publishing of so fruitefull or rather necessary a discourse in this so fit an opportunity it is hard to guesse vnlesse peraduenture it be that he perceiued straight vpon the perfecting of his booke the plauge to begin and therefore thought it not amisse to deferre the setting out therof vntill eyther by him selfe or some learned men sufficient triall might be taken of the forcible effects thereof in the plague it self as already very good experiment had beene prooued in many other disseases Wherein if I haue guest aright I hope the Authour hath lesse cause to be offended with me considering I haue but done that which he meant to haue perfourmed himselfe in making him do his countrey good a litle sooner then he intended And my hope herein is the greater because it is apparant by the suppressing of his name that he neither ambitiously therby hunted after praise nor greedily gaped for gaine but wholy respected the benefiting and profiting of his countrey By how much the more his good meaning is of all men to be taken in good part And thus presuming that the Authour will beare with my boldnesse and not doubting but so well a meant worke shall be acceptably receiued of the gentle Reader I commit them both vnto the almighties protection R. Band. The contents of the Booke 1. The occasion of making London Triacle 2. The first inuention of Theriaca and in what estimation mighty princes euer haue had it 3. Why it was called Triacle or Thiriaca 4. The vertues and qualities of London Triacle 5. The order of vsing this Triacle 6. For what cause the receipt is not yet published and wherefore the making of it is by authority committed to one Apothecary The occasion of the making of London Triacle THe Masters Wardens of the Grocers companie hauing by sundry yeares searches wel marked and obserued that a filthy vnwholsome baggage composition termed cōmonly Triacle of Geane hath bene craftily and by couine of certaine lewd persons in a monstrous quantity some thousand weight yearely brought into this Realme and here to the fowle deceauing and danger of the liues of many thousands bene publikely sould carying credit with all sorts of people onely for the bare name sake of Theriaca or Triacle as their dutie to their country bound them did diuers yeares vse all such good meanes and orders as they could deuise to bannish cleane out of the realme or at least to hinder much the vente of such a uoysome and poysonish drugge For although that the most of the company were not greatly learned yet many of them being discreete men and of good insight and experience in such matters did out of the rules of bare reason gather that this so named Geane Triacle being as it is wel known made only of the rotten garble refuse outcast of all kinde of spices and drugs hand ouer head with a little filthy molasses and tarre to worke it vp withall was so farre from either curing or preuenting any disease in mans bodie that by all likelyhood it must needes ingender most rotten and corrupt humors And with good reason might they iudge that composition of no great vertue and force which hath bene often sould of late yeares for xxx s̄ and sometimes for xxviii s.̄ the hundred which falleth out iii. d or at most vnder iii. d.q. a pound Now what good Spice Suger Hony or other drugge of any vertue can be sould for so bace a price let any man iudge So as it is most apparaunt to one that hath but halfe an eye that so base a composition must needes be made of such dregges and refuse as are more fitte for the dungcartes
then the Apothecaries or Grocers shoppes And surely it is great pittie that some seuere punishment is not by the superiour maiestrates inflicted vpon such lewd persons as being so often warned do still bring in or otherwise by themselues or their seruants make or vtter such filthy and rotten drugges and that vnder the cloake and name of so comfortable a preseruatiue as Triakle hath in all ages bene esteemed to be But to goe forward the Grocers finding that their good care and discreete orders for the bannishing of so vnwholsome a drugge did not take such effect as they looked for and wished and obseruing that the very cheapnes of this misnamed Geane Triacle together with the excessiue dearnes of Venice Triacle and Mithridate were the onely causes that still contiinued so meruailous a vent thereof After deliberate consultation had thought it best to entreat the learned Society of Phisitions to set downe some effectuall receite of Triacle which might be both forceable against rotten and venemous disseases and also of an easie and moderate price for the poore subiect Vnto which their so honest and reasonable request the Colledge of Phisitions did readily condiscend and therevpon they presently committed the charge of the setting down of the receite vnto three choise men of their companie which should by a certaine day deliuer vnto Mr. Besse an Apothecarie to whome both by the Phisitions and Grocers order the making thereof was onely committed their prescript which they did after diligent conferring of sundry receats of learned writers together according to the charge to them committed carefully performe within fewe daies after Mr. Besse did bring to the Colledge both the prescript to him before deliuered and also a pound of the composition which he by their order had made vp for a tryall sake to the intent that all the whole company of Phisitions together after diligent examination of the prescript with such tryall as Arte could take by the colour taste smell and consistence of the Tryacle it selfe might either resolue vpon that receat alreadie set downe or elsby adding and rebating as by their skill should seeme good with some little change sette downe another And so it fell out indeede that some little alteration being in one simple or two made the receate was with the Colledge seale annexed vnto it redeliuered to the said Mr. Besse to be yearely by him accordingly dispensed and prepared with streight charge not in any iot or point to varie from the very words of the same prescript And that euery yeare before the dispensing thereof he should giue notice to the President and Censors of the Phisitions Colledge that for the carefuller preparing thereof they might with any other of their Societie come to his house and there make examination and tryall of all the simples ingredients before they were put together compounded And that to the good of all the Realme the said Triacle might be the more faithfully prepared the Master and Wardens of the Grocers first presented M.W. Besse to the Lord Mayor and the Aldermen his bretheren as a very fit Man both for skill and honest carefulnes in his profession to performe the Compounding of such a Tryacle where was giuen him a corporall Oath for the true and carefull preparing thereof And afterwards the said Master and Wardens did deliuer vnto M.W. Besse in writing both the receate new writte out againe and withall all the poynts of his Oath with the Seale of their Company reseruing the Phisitions receate and seale for their discharge in the Grocers Hall Which course and order of examining yearely the simples and carefull making vp of the Composition hath now these fiue years bene accordingly put in execution and the Triacle it selfe by so many yeares experience throughly tried to be of singuler vertue and of wonderfull force as well in comforting nature as in expelling all noysome and venomous matter from the hart and principall partes of mans body In setting downe of which receate the Phisitions tooke especiall care to appoint such ingredients as were perfectly knowne not hard to be gotten and as much as might be in so forceable and effectuall a preseruatiue home bredde and this they chiefely did for the good and ease of the poore subiect whose purse cannot reach vnto the price of costly medicines All which things well considered there may be more said iustly in the commendation of this London Triacle then may be of any other medicine whatsoeuer heretofore deuised and set out in this Realme And if I should say forraine Realmes too it might well be iustified considering the sound learning deepe iudgement and long experience of the whole Colledge of Phisitions that deuised it with the great care which both they and also the magistrates of the Citie haue taken for the diligent and perfect preparing thereof As for the price it is so reasonable a pound not amounting aboue ij s̄ viij d. an ounce by retale not aboue ii d. as no wise man will spare so much to do his horse or dogge good withall This Tryacle is made and to be had at the house of M. William Besse dwelling in the Poultery neere the Counter Of the first inuention of Theriaca and in what estimation mightie Princes euer haue had it ALthough Andromachus the Elder Nero the Emperours chiefe Phisition be of most men estéemed as the first inuentour of Triacle or Theriaca yet you must vnderstand that he did onely adde vipers first to some olde composition thereof which he liked best and withall gaue it a new name tearming it not Theriaca but Galene as much to say as calmenes or stilnes This Galene did Crito a famous practicioner vnder the Vespatians reignes name Theriaca because it receiued the flesh of vipers of Phisitions by a preheminence named in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that the Reader may together take a view both of the first beginning and originall and also what great credit Theriaca was presently in with mightie Princes euen vpon the very first inuention He must vnderstand that the verie first Theriaca recorded of in writers is that of Antiochus whome Plinie surnameth Magnus and Galen Philometor He reigned in Siria some 200. yeares before Christ This was called Antiochus his Theriaca because that great and mightie King himselfe did continually vse it as a preseruatiue against all poysons and venomous stingings By whose countenance it grew presently into such estimation and credit that the famous Phisition Endemus as Galen reporteth put the receate thereof in verse And that all men might pertake the good and profite of so forceable a preseruatiue The verses as Plinie recordeth were engrauen in stone ouer the porch doore of Aesculapius his Temple as a medicine of so diuine power and vertue as not to be esteemed for any mans inuention but rather a diuine receate reuealed vnto mankinde by the great God of Phisick himselfe Within two or three ages after Antiochus did Nicander that learned Phisition and Poet
a row into none of which vipers flesh is any ingredient The first of Antipater The second third of Aelius Gallus vnder whose conduct in our Sauiour Christs time Strabo that learned Geographer did trauaile both Egypt and Arabia The fourth of Euclide by-named Palatianus The fifth of Zeno the Laodician Againe in the fourteenth chap. he shal finde Theriaca Antiochi Philometoris Plini calleth him Magnus which raigned in Siria some 12. score years before euer vipers flesh was put into any Theriaca For Andromachus Neroes Phisition by Galens owne testimony was the very first that added vipers flesh vnto Theriaca Now since Andromachus time we may finde infinite receipts of Theriaca in sundry Phisitions clearely voide of vipers flesh As namely that which M. Aurelius so much vsed with so good successe then the vulger Theriaca diatessaron a simple receate in shew of foure common simples yet a receate no doubt of singular force and vertue And last of all that baggage composition thrust in vnder the name of Geane Triacle hath these many yeares vsurped the name of Theriaca although it hath no vipers flesh in it at all As for simples both Galen calleth Garlicke the country mans Triacle and Plinie maketh mention of a kinde of Vine in the Iland of Thasos called therefore Theriaca because as well the grape as the wine would heale the bitings and stingings of Serpents Besides Valeriana is of sondry late writers named Theriaca for the same reason which things considered the learned Colledge of Phisitions of this famous Citie of London did very aptly and aduisedly to this their Composition attribute the name of Theriaca And that so much the more for that this London Triacle besides the choyse of olde simples containeth in it at least a dozen spices and hearbes not knowne to the olde writers whose wonderfull vertues are notwithstanding against all poysons and venomes by many a hundred yeares tryal sufficiently approoued And these late knowne simples were added by warraant both of reason the perfect rule and leuell of all Phisitions actions and also of Auerroes the best learned both Philosopher and Phisition of all the Arabians which in his abridgement of Phisick commonly called the Colliget doth iustly reprooue the opinion of Auicen otherwise himselfe a most famous Phisition affirming the Andromachus his Triacle taketh his so wonderfull force not from the vertues qualities of the simples which are in it but from a fift supernaturall hidden propertie proceeding from the essentiall forme as he tearmeth it forsooth of the whole mixture and therefore strictly warneth all Phisitions neither to adde too nor diminish any thing from Andromachus his first prescript Which opinion of Auicen as too superstitiously tying all posterity to our fore-fathers receipts Auerroze doth and that iustly confute wishing which in this composition the Phisitions of London haue with great reason put in practise that diuers of such excellent counter-poyson simples as later times haue discouered should be either added ouer and aboue the olde ingredients or else substituted in some of their places which were found to be of least force and vertue Of the vertues and qualities of London Tryacle TO recite all the vertues and vses of the London Triacle as well in preuenting as incuring most gréeuous disseases would require a learneder and larger discourse then at this present is either requisite or intended to be set downe Notwithstanding the cheife and most principall quallities thereof and those from which the reasons and grounds of all the rest must be fetched are these that follow First this Triacle heateth and dryeth about the midst as Phisitions tearme it of the second degree and withall is of very thinne parts Secondly it hath a skowring or deansing vertue with a moderate astriction By his heate it helpeth all kindes of concoction and ripeneth all crud humors or drines in mans body By his heate thinnes of parts it openeth all poares passages it thinneth breatheth out grosse humors and windes it softeneth hard tumors and relaxeth stifnes of partes and consequently mittigateth all kinde of paines and greifes It prouoketh sweate vrine and womens courses it openeth the Emerands and furthereth all euacuations By his drynes and cleansing powre it consumeth and wasteth or els wypeth away all grosse tough and clammy humors and thereby deliuereth obstructions and mightily resisteth all putrifaction and poysons either inward or outward By his milde astriction and moderate warmth it strengthneth all the principall members of mans bodie and thereby renueth good spirits ingendereth pure blood and stayeth all immoderate wastings and euacuations either of humors or spirits So that what soeuer infirmity in mans body proceedeth either from too much aboundance of humors and winde or els from their faultines in coldnes grosenes toughnes clammines or rottennes likewise what soeuer is caused by stopping of the conduits and passages or by the astriction and shutting of the poares Besides whatsoeuer imperfections or defaultes possesse the cheife and principall partes and thereby hinder or depraue any of their functions or workes all these if they be by inward medicines curable may by this Triacle artificially and skilfully vsed be either wholy and altogether cured or at least greatly eased and amended To a Phisition or any other man trayned vp in good literature these breife instructions are sufficient to direct him fully to the perfect vse of this Triacle in all conuenient disseases But because this discourse dooth cheifly respect and is especially written for the ignorant and vnlettered multitude of the common people which is no wayes able to conceaue the naturall causes of things it will not be amisse for the simple persons better instruction to set down by name such common and running disseases as this Triacle is most to be vsed against First of all therefore it is of marueilous force against the Plague Sweating-sicknes Pocks small I meane or measels or any other malitious pestilent Feauer For being giuen the sicke person to drinke with Dragons Carduus Benedictus or Angelica water it driueth out from the hart and principall partes to the skinne all the venome and corruption of the dissease By the same vertue it both preserueth and also cureth as well any inward poyson as any byting or stinging of madde dogge or venomous beast yea being outwardly applyed to the bytings and stingings or to the Carbunble or Bubo in the plague it doth as it were miraculously drawe out all the inward venome and corruption by that issue As for long head-aches megrames Turnsicknes dulnes of sight thicknes of hearing and such like disseases of the braine sinewes and instruments of Senses which proceede from colde and tough humors or from winde all these by the continuall vsage hereof may in time be either cleane taken away or else greatly asswaged and diminished For by comforting the braine it cheareth the spirits sharpeneth the wit strengthneth the memorie quickneth all the Sensces Against the falling sicknes and wormes being disseases most