things which are very hot as Wines Spices Salt and salt meates c and also from raw fruites greene hearbes and all cold thinges or at the least vse of these as little as thou maiest For thy body being emptied it is very requisite thou make supply with those thinges which are of good nutriment and fittest to breed good blood For otherwise it is but vaine to take away that which is bad and to fill the place with that which is worsse Wherefore let thy Drinke be Ale thy Bread of the finest of good Wheate whereof also eate very little thy Meates for the most part boyled and such as are fine and light of digestion 14 In any wise read and marke well these rules before thou take of the potion For the Head-ach and for such as are much bound and haue their excrement alwayes hard and dry also for the swimming of the Head and for red and sore Eyes The fourth Chapter THe Head-ach proceedeth of diuers causes First of heate and chiefely of the Sunne which heateth the Braine and blood about the Head and this kind of Head-ach is sayd to be of heat alone without the mixture of any Humour causing the same 2 The second kind of Head-ach contrarie to the first is of cold alone and happeneth most vnto those who hauing long vsed to keepe their heads warme suddainly take cold But because these two kindes happen seldome also for the most part stay not long and the causes being knowne may easily be preuented I write nothing touching the cure of the same There are also diuers other griefes of the Head but mine intent is to speake here onely of the cure of those which follow 3 The third kind of headach is of fulnes when the partie liuing in great securitie some some feedeth his bodie excessiuelie euen vntill his Eies swell with fatnesse and his whole Bodie be puffed vp like a bladder 4 The fourth kind is of corrupt humors which abounding in great quantitie are the verie present cause alone of the Headach without any other accidentall matter For cure of this third fourth kind take of my Potion so much as shall giue thee three foure or fiue stooles a daie for eight daies or longer vntill thy head and bodie be well emptied In this sort shalt thou vse the potion for the cure of the swimming or giddinesse of the head and for sore and red watering eies 5 The fift kind is of the fume of corrupt humors not of the humors themselues for that the corruption lying in the stomach onely casteth vp to the braine euill fumes which offende the same being of all other partes the most sensible For cure of the fift kind take of my Potion so much as shall giue thee foure or fiue stooles a day for three dayes and keepe thy bed one houre after the same but sleep not 6 There is also one other kind of head-ach which proceedeth of the excrement continuing ouer-long in the body whereof I thinke it very necessarie to speake After thou hast receiued thy food first Nature sucketh from it that which is thin and pure leauing the rest as grosse corrupt And if then it remaine longer in the body the noysome fumes thereof it being now an excrement and hauing lost the nature of a nutriment ascend vp to the Braine and cause the Head-ach also otherwise nature being as yet forced to feede thereupon it greatly infecteth the body So that it is in reason a thing vnpossible for him to be long in health who is much costiue or bound in his body For cure of this sixt and last kind take for ten or twelue dayes together or longer euery morning fasting so much of my Potion as shall giue thee one stoole a day more then ordinarie And when thou hast brought thy body to good order take alway lesse and lesse for by that meanes thou shalt toll nature on to doe her worke without helpe And in any wise remember that euery morning both whilest thou vsest the Potion and afterwards also thou offer thy selfe to the Stoole although thou feele no prouocation For Pimples or other itching humors rising in the face and for all itches of the bodie a verie rare ointment The fift Chapter FOr the Pimpies or other itching humors rising in the face when you goe to bed annoint the place lightlie euery night and in the morning moisten it with a litle new milke and wipe it for your bodie annoynt when you go to bed by a fire foure or fiue nights which will kill an itch be it neuer so olde For those that are troubled with Biles itches scabs and such like proceeding of inward infection The sixt Chapter SOme by nature from their Parents some by long and euill diet others by companie haue their bodies inclined to Biles Scabs itches and such like all which I will teach thee to cure euenin as perfect an order as thou maâ—est wash a foule vessell with faire water Take of the potion so much as shal giue thee foure stooles a daie for three daies The fourth day take of the rootes of Briony which thou shalt haue at maister Claphams and boile halfe an ounce thereof and one whole mase in a pint of ale gently halfe an houre then adde thereto a little Sugar And let the Patient drinke a good draught thereof warme and keepe his Bedde and sweat three houres aud during his sweat now and then let him take more of this Ale vntill he haue taken the whole pint but if it be a Child lesse as the age dooth require Use this order three daies together and longer if the disease haue beene of long continuance Note that in Sweating the patient must rubbe his bodie with warme clothes to take away such corruption as commeth out by sweating Note also that by this meanes thou maiest preuent the Pockes and Meazels in Children and others in such sort as they shall be vnapt to take them as they which haue had them For those that are full of Flegeme also for the Cough and shortnesse of breath for such as haue taken an heat and cold and for those which are towards the consumption of the Lunges The Seuenth Chapter THey whose bodyes are full of flegme and haue their Lunges stuffed with the same or other corruption so that thereby they are troubled with the Cough are thus to be cured Take of my Potion for three dayes euery morning fasting so much as will giue thee foure or fiue stooles a day for thereby thou shalt finde thy body vnladen of much Flegme Then take one handfull of the hearbe called Tussilago or otherwise Vngula caballina Lickerish scraped and brused 2. ounces Aniseed brused halfe an ounce I soppe foure branches boyle these in three pintes of water gently vntill halfe bee consumed then straine put therto three ounces of Sugar or Sugar-candie which is better Drinke hereof a reasonable quantitie well warmed euery morning one houre before you rise for ten
which lieth in them but the purging doth take it away It were also more agreeing with physicke reason if thou purge a little before thy sweating to cleanse thy stomach and guts least such corruption as lyeth there be caried into the body But in the meaner sort who euer do expect suddaine helpe I often haue omitted the first purging yea and sometimes also they feeling ease haue neuer sought for the second Note if the Iaundise in short time after shew not himselfe perfectly cured let the patient sweat againe as before Note also hereby thou shalt cure the obstruction of the Liuer But the most easie and ready cure of the Iaundise is by the conserue for the Iaundise of which take euery morning fasting for ten dayes together as much as a Walnut and fast one houre after it For the Blacke Iaundise for the hardnesse and swelling of the Spleene or Milt also for the Piles The xiiij Chapter LIke as the Yellow Iaundise proceedeth of Choler so the Blacke Iaundise of Melancholie which ioyning with the Blood is dispearsed ouer the whole body It is knowne by diuers signes but chiefly by this token which wil serue for all They that are troubled with this Disease haue alwayes dry withered and blacke bodyes It is very hard to be cured and requireth great diligence of the patient for Melancholie is a very stubborne humour and without great digestion will not yeeld to any Purgation whatsoeuer For cure take Ceteracke the inner rine of the Ash the roots of the white Uine Parsely of each foure ounces hoyle these gently in three gallons of Whey clarified one houre at the least and being cold keepe it in some cleane vessell vntill the same bee well setled Take hereof well warmed a great draught or two euery morning fasting for thou canst not take too much and walke after it vntill the body be hot or else vse some other exercise to stirre thy blood that the Whey may bee the better dispearsed within thy body Take it at the least thirtie or fourtie daies together especially in the Spring and Fall But alwayes remember to take so much of my Potion with the Whey as will giue thee dayly one stoole more then ordinary Note that the Whey thus prepared doth digest some some the melancholy and the potion doth take it away from time to time as it is made fit to be purged Note also that it is good for thee to annoynt thy left side about thy girdle stead where the Spleene lyeth with oyle of Wormewood warmed or oyle of Brionie which is farre better Note thirdly that in this sort thou mayest cure the swelling and hardnesse of the Spleene also the Piles or Hemâ—rrhoides For the Greene-sicknesse The xv Chapter THis Disease happeneth when the Liuer is also weakened that it is not able to conuert the nutriment into blood but the digestion thereof is raw so that the whole body is filled with water and fleame in stead of good blood It is found most in Maydens who either of folly desire to abate their colour to be ouer fine or otherwise of childish appetite feede vpon such things as change the state of their bodyes which are these Apples Peares Plums Cheries and generally all raw Fruites and Hâ—â—rbes also Otemeale Wheate Barlie raw Milke and many other thinges of like nature They that haue this Disease are very pale and greenish if they chaunce to cut a Finger no Blood but Water will rather follow They feele a great paine in their heades with a continual panting or beating They are faint also with shortnes of breath and haue their naturall course stayed For cure take of my Potion for foure or fiue dayes euery day so much as shall giue thee fiue or sixe stooles The next day after thy Purging boyle halfe an ounce of the rootes of the white vine in a wine pint of Ale gently a quarter of an houre and drinke a good draught thereof and keepe thy bed and sweate three or foure houres more or lesse as the body of the patient will beare and in thy sweating drinke of thy Ale now and then vntill thou haue taken all or as much as thou canst The day following take a good draught of thy Ale in like sort prepared one houre before thou rise and keepe thy body warme without sweating vse this last order twelue dayes But it were farre better to walke after thy draught or to vse some other exercise whereof I haue spoken in the Chapter for the Rheume for one houre to heat stirre the humors in thy body Use withall onely meates of good nutriment and easie digestion thou shalt haue very speedy helpe and also perfect health For the quotidian Ague which commeth euery day The xvj Chapter TAke Centurie Burrage and Betonie of each three handfulles Fumiterrae one handfull Iuie berries one pint choppe all these very finely together and put them into a faire Stillatorie with one pint of White-wine and distill them with as gentle a Fire as is possible vntill thou haue all the Water which keepe in a Glasse close stopped with yellow Waxe For the Quotidian Ague let the patient take seauen or eight spoonefuls of this Water warmed two houres before his fit and keepe his bed and sweat three or foure houres and in his sweating let him drinke Ale clarified reasonable hot now and then and into euery draught put two spoonefuls of the Water The next day in like order two houres before his fit get him into a sweat and do in all thinges as before Note that the Water is more perfectly made if the thinges be first digested in a close vessell in Balneo Marie or Fimo equino eight or ten dayes Note also that these thinges orderly doone and the patient well kept from the ayre the Ague is cured in two dayes But if by some ouersight it chaunce to continue longer begin againe and vse the like order for two dayes as before Note thirdly it will be more easily cured if thou purge before thy sweating with so much of my Potion as will giue thee fiue or sixe stooles If a Child be sicke of a Quotidian or Tertian ague which being young will not bee perswaded to take inward things take an ounce of the Rootes of the white Uine beate them to Powder also take halfe so much wheat flower and boile both in a little milke vntill it be thicke then spread it vpon two linnen clothes bind it warme to the Wristes of the child when it is drie take fresh In foure daies for the most part the ague is thus cured it helpeth much also for all others and in all agues For the quartane ague The 17. Chapter THe Quartane Ague is a disease so hard to cure that it hath beene alwaies accounted the reproach and shame of the Physicians For it resisteth the fore of all their vsuall medicines and doth in despite of them triumph ouer their patient Wherefore I shall now take a hard
matter in hand and I know my slender receipt shall be greatly suspected for the working of so rare an effect But notwithstanding being greatly incouraged by experience and reason hir good Lady and Gouernesse I will boldly proceed heerein Take on thy two good dayes euery day so much of my Potion fasting as will giue thee sixe or seuen stooles The third day which is thy fit day passe ouer as thou thinkest good for I prescribe thee nothing The fourth day take of the Water whereof I spake in the Chapter before a reasonable draught warmed early and keepe thy bed sweat moderatly fiue or sixe houres and during thy sweat drinke now and then Ale clarified warme into euery draught put three spoonefuls of the Water and one spoonefull of good wine vineger Use this order foure dayes togither If the Quartan forsake thee not in that time which I thinke almost impossible vpon thy next fit day two hours before thy cold take the like quantitie of the water as before and sweat vntill the time of thy cold be past and in thy sweate drinke Ale clarified as before also Use this order three times onely vpon thy fit dayes After thy fits haue left thee take ten dayes together of my Potion so much as will giue theâ— dayly two stooles Note that this Water being dispearsed in thy bodie by naturall heate stirred vp in sweating doth in wonderfull sort ripen and digest the matter of the quartane Ague so that it far excelleth all the preparatiues of the world For thereby alone I haue cured many without purging but it is farre better to purge For the Tertian Ague which commeth euery second day The 18. Chapter TAke of Centuary sixe handfuls Endiue twelue handfuls distill these with a very gentle fire and keepe the water close stopped in a Glasse but let the Glasse bee but halfe full for so it will keepe the better For cure first let the Patient take so much of my Potion as will giue him fiue or six stooles on his good day the next day two houres before his fit will come giue him a reasonable draught of the Water warmed well whereunto ad a little sugar and let him keepe his bed and sweate three or foure houres and in his sweat let him drinke Ale clarified and in euery draught of Ale put two or three spoonefuls of the water vse this order also the second fit and thou shalt giue the Feuer such a check that it dareth not assault the patient any more Be carefull and thou mayest cure many extreame hot Feuers with this Water euen in one fit but after the fittes bee gone purge and so shalt thou deale very orderly thou mayest make a Water of Celendine alone which will cure the quotidian tertian and quartan Agues is this sort Take this Hearbe when it bloweth and is in greatest force chop it very small and digest it in a close vessell of Glasse ten dayes in Balneo Mariae which done thou shalt find it blacke and of a very sweete and pleasant sauour then distill it with a gentle heat and when in thy iudgement thou hast halfe the Water take it away keepe it by it selfe then increase the heate of the fire and get as much more Water as thou canst These Waters are to be vsed as the others whereof I haue spoken in the cure of these agues but the first water being of the colder nature doth cure onely the Tertian the second being hotter cureth the quotidian and quartan A generall cure for all Agues The 19. Chapter TAke a good draught warmed of the Iulip for Agues one houre before your fit and keepe your Body very warme and within halfe an houre take as much also in like sort take also in the same order the third draught in three fits this cureth all Agues orderly vsed If the Patient keepe his Bed and sweate in taking the Iulip hee may be the sooner cured For the Plague The 20. Chapter THere be three speciall causes of this disease The first is the iust iudgement of GOD for the sinnes of the people And herein I consent with the Diuines that in this case the Plague commeth as it were by the commandement of God and then in vaine worketh the pollicie of Man vnto health where the power of the Almightie worketh to destroy Wherefore repentance and amendment of life is the only salue for the sore Yet withall for that we are ignorant of the determination of God I wish no man to omit such naturall meanes as he hath prouided for the preseruation of our natural bodyes least thereby he tempt him The second kind proceedeth of the corruption of the Ayre which is of two sorts the one generall the other particular The Ayre is generally infected by the distemperature of the Heauens which thou shalt know in this sort The weather is long darke cloudy foggy stifeling very hot and moyst also our bodyes faint we loath the breath we draw for it bringeth a most sensible and present offence it is hard to keepe Flesh sweete litle Frogs Todes also flies Lobchesters Wormes of sundry sortes such as commonly proceed of putrifaction doe greatly abound and to conclude the Heauens do as it were refuse to draw the corruption from the Earth but rather seeme to yeelde downe againe such as they had taken away before The Ayre is particularly infected by the sauour of dead Carcases as it happeneth oft in battaile where many are slaine and lie vnburied which infecteth the particular â—lace onely where the bodyes lie also by the euill and putrified sauour of a fennie or marish ground or such like And further by the breath and sauour of the bodyes of such as throng togither in a taynting or stifeling sort especially in some close or sluttish place as it happeneth no doubt often in London and such like Cities of great resort that many lodge together in one small roome hauing perhaps as many Beds as the place will well containe And then after one houre or two how may any of these draw fresh or sweete breath but such as his fellowes haue drawne often before as also the rancke fume of their bodyes Both which are so contrary to Nature that some and some with continuance they infect the vitall spirites and breed such corruption as bursteth out into the Plague The third kind of Plague riseth of the corrupt Humours in mans body by euill diet ingendred And these last sorts come by the permission of God like as the first by his commandement To preuent this heauie griefe first I wish one old order to be renewed which was to make Fires in all great Cities Townes in the open streets vpon certaine dayes euery yeare which no doubt doth greatly cleanse and purifie the ayre And although this order was diligently obserued by the followers of the Pope yet I thinke they did it rather of policie then of religion and therefore being good it is not to be reiected Secondly I
dayes after your purging or longer for it will cause the flegme to come vp easily and is a wonderfull preseruatiue for the lungs keeping them from putrifaction But otherwise if you will haue a thing of like or greater vertue also more readie more pleasant and which wil last longer in perfect force take the things aboue mentioned in such quantities as before that is of the leaues of Tussilago one handfull Lickerish scraped and bruled two ounces Aniseede brused halfe an ounce I ssop foure branches of the Herbe commonlie called Ros solis halfe an handfull Steepe these in a quart of verie good Malmesie and let it stand in a reasonable heat by the fire side close stopped 24. houres or more After take it from the fire and when it is almost cold straine it and put thereto a pound and a halfe of fine Sugar well beaten and then let it stand in as gentle an heate as you can vpon a chafing dish with embers in a faire Pewter vessell vntill it be verie thicke alwaies stirring it now and then It will bee well in eight or nine houres But if thou wilt haue a certaine rule when it groweth to bee thicke drop two or three drops on a colde Pewter vessell and if when it is perfect cold it bee as it were a gellie and will not run then it is well Keepe it in a gallie pot close stopped somewhat neere the fire For the cough thou shalt vse it in this order After purging as before clarifie a draught of Ale and put to it a spoonefull thereof drinking it warme and fasting If anie man bee sicke of anie disease wherein he is also troubled with tough and slimie fleame let him take now and then a litle hereof vppon a kniues point and hold it long in his mouth so that it melt downe some some For thereby the fume thereof and part of the substance will passe with the breath into the lunges loose the fleame and cause it to void easilie For those that are troubled with the shortnesse of breath hauing their lunges drie so that it is a continuall labour for them to fetch their wind it is good first to take of my Potion now and then for a daie or two asmuch as will giue them three or foure stooles at a time and afterwards to vse the Medicine before rehearsed made with Malmesie in this order following Clarifie a draught of Ale and put therein the yolk of a new laid egge and one spoonefull of the medicine when you are ready to take it from the Fire and let the patient drinke it fasting and fast one houre after it Although thou haue beene troubled with this griefe many yeares yet if thou vse this medicine it will moisten and open thy lungs or lights and cure thee Thou canst not vse it too long for it is both a nutriment and a medicine In this sort also shalt thou greatlie ease them which are entring into the consumption of the Lunges But if they will bee cured they must withall abstaine from all Spices Wines and Salt meates which fret or inflame their bodies Also they must haue a great care that they vse no violent Exercise to ouer heate their Bodies and that in Coughing they straine their Lightes as little as possible may bee least by violent Coughing they teare them Cheese nuts and all rawe fruites also are verie euill for them They cannot haue too great care in their diet and vsage For this disease is verie harde and almost vnpossible to bee perfectlie cured If any man by vehement labour or exercise heate his bodie excessiuelie and during his heate either by Drinking by rest or any meanes suddenly coole himselfe extreamelie for the most part he falleth sicke vnto death and if he escape yet he remaineth weake and sicklie during his life for nature misliketh nothing more than a sudden passage from the one contrarie which is extreame heate vnto the other which is extreame cold Now if the partie thus heating his Bodie do keepe himselfe so warme that he abate the extremitie by little and little vntill he come to that state in which he was before his heate then he falleth not sicke neither doth nature complain at all Wherevpon I thinke by great reason and I am sure by long experience I may conclude that the best meane to cure a man in this extremitie is to bring his bodie orderlie againe to the like heate wherin it was when he tooke cold and to suffer the same some and some as it were by degrees to passe away which thou shalt do in this order Take a pint of ale clarifie it and dissolue therein as much treacle as a walnut and a spooneful of the medicine before rehearsed made with malmesie Let the patient drink a good draught hereof warmed fasting and keepe his bed sweat foure or fiue hours after it and during his sweat now and then let him take of the Ale thus prepared vntill he haue taken all If it be a Child lesse quantitie will serue and in anie wise abate his sweate verie gentlie and beware he take no cold For three mornings following let him take one draught of the like two howers before he rise and keepe his body warme without sweating Note if in the beginning of his sickenesse thou vse the order prescribed for the first day hee will presently recouer But if hee haue been long sicke and so weake that he bee not able to sweate as before there is no hope of life Note that if the patient be much bound I wish thee to giue him fiue or sixe spoonefuls of my Potion to ease and disburden nature and let him drinke oft milde and thin Broth warme For a Surfet by ouer eating The eight Chapter WHen any man either by long fasting being very hungry or otherwise comming to such daintie meates as he is not vsed vnto eate ouer much and cloyeth nature she refuseth to digest at all like as one seeing a burden farre too heauie for him to beare doth not so much as once offer to lift it This griefe is in the quantitie of things taken But there is also the like in the euill quality of meats although they exceed not in quantitie as in eating of fresh-herings fat Pies Piecrust heauie Cakebread and such like whereof eating but so much as may well be eaten of better meates oftentimes groweth greater sicknes For cure if the Patient complaine as yet the cause or matter of his griefe being in the stomach giue him a draught of water warme as milke from the cowe with two spoonefuls of Sallet oyle which will cause him to Uomit but if it worke not quickly let him helpe it with his finger by offering it to his throate And after his vomit giue him three or foure spoonfuls of a Cawdell or some Broath reasonably hot and let him haue great care of his diet for fiue or sixe daies following first that hee eate nothing but what is warme and easie to
digest next that he eate not at anie time much in quantitie But if the matter passe the stomach with verie slight or no digestion so that a Uomit will not pleasure him giue him a draught of sacke fasting well burned putting thereto as much Trâ—acle as an Hazell Nut and Sugar as you thinke sufficient and let him keepe his bed and sweat foure houres more or lesse as you thinke good according to the strength of the patient and in his sweat now and then let him take Ale clarified with a little Mace wherein also dissolue some sugar for thus shall you make perfect digestion through the whole body of that whereof he did surfet For the Heartburning The ninth Chapter I Thinke it good togither with the multitude to content my selfe with the ordinarie name of this disease which is the heart burning although it be a disease of the Stomach and not of the Heart They which are troubled with this griefe are for the most part at ease after they haue eaten but when their meat is digested they feele a continual heate or bitternes in the mouth oâ— their stomaches they often belch and haue a continuall readines as it were to vomit In some it is of long continuance in others it riseth vpon euery light occasion especiasly by eating of fat salt and cholericke meates As touching the cure first I wish thee to marke verie diligentlie after what meates and drinkes thou art most troubled with this disease and forbeare the same for assure thy selfe that they are either very vnfit to make good blood or otherwise thy nature hath some speciall mislike thereof I wish thee also to take this for a generall rule that what griefe soeuer thou mayest helpe by good diet or abstinence in any wise take no Physicke for the same But if thy long euill diet hath laden thy stomach with hot salt cholericke humors which doe cause the heart burning then take of my Potion for three dayes euery morning so much as shall giue thee foure or fiue stooles so shalt thou cleanse thy stomach perfectly which is a very sufficient and perfect cure For those which Vomit continually after meat THere are two speciall causes of this Disease the one is when the first veines which receiue the nutriment from the stomach are stopped the other when the body is long bound and the excrement very hard so that the patient goeth scarsely once in ten dayes to the stoole In some it groweth to such extremitie that they neuer goe to the stoole but that which remayneth after digestion passeth from them by Uomit For cure take foure spoonefulles of my Potion fasting and if that worke not take more the next day and so foorth alwayes increasing the quantitie vntill it worke The next day after it hath wrought boyle a pint of good White-wine with one handfull of Parsely a quarter of an houre or better then straine it and put thereto a litle Sugar and let the patient drinke a reasonable quantitie thereof warme and keepe his bed and sweat three houres and during his sweat let him take now and then more of the same vntill he haue taken all Afterwardes let him take fasting so much of my Potion as will giue him one Stoole a day This hee must continue in such sort that he suffer not his excrement to stay long or to dry in his body but that he be alwayes soluble Note the White-wine thus prepared together with the sweating openeth the first veine and maketh good passage into the body The purging dissolueth draweth downe the excrement and some some bringeth nature to her vsuall course also cleanseâ—h the stomach of such corruption as happely is some cause of the griefe For those that haue no appetite to Meate The tenth Chapter THere are diuers causes of this Disease but I will rehearse onely two which are most vsuall The one is when the first Ueines doe not sucke which is their naturall action whereby they receiue food for the whole body and this is found in men of diuers constitutions The other is proper vnto fatte and grosse bodyes which are alwayes stuffed as it were and so full that nature seemeth contented with that she hath and hath little desire of more For cure take of my Potion euery day as much as will giue thee two or three Stooles and in few dayes thou shalt feele thy selfe exceeding hungry But if thou haue not good appetite presently after thy purging take White wine boyled in such sort as in the Chapter before is prescribed For those who are troubled with the gnawing of the stomach or guttes also for the collicke and wind and all corruption which causeth wind The xi Chapter THese griefes rise of such corrupt and slymie humours as cleaue to the inner part of the Stomach and Guts and are thus very easily to be cured Take of my Potion so much as shall giue thee three or foure Stooles a day for fiue or sixe dayes more or lesse respecting the age and body of the patient For when his Stomach Guts are cleansed hee is very perfectly cured Then learne to auoyde all windy and slimie meates whereby thou shalt be able to preuent these diseases I muse at the madnesse of such as in this case vse Pepper Ginger and other hot spices also Coriander seed or any thing of like nature for that in reason it is farre better to take away the matter of the Disease in such sort as I haue sayd then to ioyne one contrarie with another to let them both remayne These hotte thinges are fitter to warme a cold Stomach and to make it apt to digest beeing moderatly vsed then to clense it being full of corruption and good chiefly for those who are in yeares and haue naturall heat so decayed that by Arte they are forced to seeke helpe where Nature fayleth For the Rheume The twelfe Chapter FOr the Rheume I chiefly prescribe thee three Rules following for that the cure thereof consisteth more in the patientes owne good gouernment then in much taking of Physicke The first Rule Use labour and exercise for thereby thou shalt stirre vp naturall heat and consume the waterish humours which doe cause the Rheume but if the weather be such as thou canst not goe abroade either â—osse a great yarne Ball against a wall or driue a great woodden Top in some conuenient place for both these are very good exercises Use them twise a day and continue alwayes one houre but make an end an houre before meate and in the beginning as also a little before thou ende vse gentle labour that thou abate thy heat by litle and litle this is the chiefe and principall meane both to preuent cure this griefe Which dooth appeare manifestlie first for that they who labour much are neuer troubled with the Rheume next that students and such as vse litle stirring or motion of their bodies are most subiect thereto for while they sit still the outwarde partes of their
flat poyson The like consideration on the contrary side haue they of cold thinges Whereby you may gather how like alwaies desireth like and abhorreth the contrarie The thinges which are like best agree with the nature of man are good holesome vsuall meates drinkes a dry fresh sweet aire moderate sleepe trauell or labour which although it were allotted to vs as a punishment by God yet mercifully withall he hath made it a meane to preserue our health The things which greatly disagree are wines spices salt meates all very hot things which thou shalt know by taste For either they bite like Pepper fret like Salt or else shew some manifest great heate in the mouth Also on the other side all rawe fruites cold hearbes with diuers things of like nature Much vse of sauces deuised by belly Gods whom God hath puniâ—hed as much by want of appetite hauing meate at will as the poore by want of meate hauing good appetite To liue in a thicke or foggie Ayre to liue idlely and to exceed in eating drinking sleeping watching or venerie I would not haue any man to thinke that I doe vtterly condemne all very hot and cold thinges but seeing they are rather of the nature of medicine then nutriment I wish them to bee very discreetly and moderately vsed for hot things are to be vsed when a mans bodie is ouer cold and cold things when his body is ouer hot but to vse either the body being not distempered is meere madnesse Now further for so much as all men are subiect vnto death and our bodies as yeelding thereunto from time to time alwaies gather corruption to preserue our health as much as may be vntill we haue run that race which God hath appoynted I commende vnto you this receipt Take Borage Parselie in like quantitie boyle them in Whey clarified and keepe it in some earthen vessell Use of it warme in the Spring especially euery morning fasting a good draught and in euery draught take so much of my Potion as will giue thee two stooles a day more then ordinarie Some may vse it ten dayes together others fifteene or twentie as the body doth require By this meanes thou maist preuent many diseases and keepe thy body in very good state It maketh women apt to conceiue if during the taking hereof they liue chast and it hath many other speciall vertues which for breuitie sake I will omit FINIS Here followeth an Addition by the same Author wherein be declared three speciall stayes of health The first by the vse of a new kind of Worme-wood wine The second by Bathing The third by Annointing of the body The first Chapter FOr that Lignum Aloes is one of the chiefest Simples which is vsed in the making of this Worme-wood Wine and such as yeeldeth the greatest vertue thereto I may not let to speake yet in briefe sort what I read therof Lignum Aloes is the wood of a tree which according to some writers groweth in diuers partes of Babylon and others affirme that it is one of the Trees of Paradise growing by one of the waters there whose armes â—alling into the waters are carried by the swiftnesse thereof into other places farre from thence where the inhabitantes find them and send them into diuers partes of the world Being cut in small Chips and laid vpon roles this wood yeeldeth a fume somwhat pleasant and most healthfull For it comforteth the Braine and all the senses woonderfullie Also entering into the Lunges with the breath preserueth the same and expelleth al euill and infectious ayre It hath beene euer verie rare of great value and in effect of the same price with siluer weight for weight Princes and great States did vse long since to burne it in their Chambers and to Perfume their bedding therewâ—th to the intent that sleeping they might draw the sauour of the same into their bodies Also the great Prelates who neueâ— were behinde for preseruation of them selues vsed the like in Perfuming the 〈◊〉 and the vestments which they weare and gaue the meaner sort-leaue to vse onlâ— Frankincense being a thing of far lesse value I found in a booke made by a Frier an Englishman in Magdalen colledge Librarie in Oxford a great discourse touching the nature and vertues of Lignum aloes which hee preferreth farre before all the knowne simples of the world Hee commendeth it wonderfullie being steeped in Wine and so taken Further hee writeth of an Oyle made therewith which was sent from Prince to Prince for a most pretious Iewell but in exceeding small quantitie The making thereof hee sheweth not which somewhat greeued me and I thinke therein he was ignorant He reporteth of certeaine Priests which had it where with they would annoint the Noses and Lips of such as by sicknesse were in great extreamitie vsing also deuout Praiers and often thereby onely reuiued them wherevpon in the sight of the People they were thought to worke great miracles and were had in maruellous estimation for they were deeâ—ed very Holy Men and to worke these â—ffects cheefely by their praiers which was 〈◊〉 be attributed vnto the Oyle and yet as 〈◊〉 naturall meane prouided by God For â—he wonderfull vertue thereof entering at the Nostrils and Mouth directly vnto the Lungs Heart the two principall Members of Mans Common wealth I meane his Body maketh a very strong supplie in the conflict betweene Nature and the Disease which is the cause of so sodaine reâ—ouerie There came at the length of this Oyle vnto the â—ope who kept it as a wonderfull treasure and sent thereof to diuers great Princes whose vertue indeede was suâ—h while it was well and truely maâ—e that both the fame and price thereof was great But after within a short time it 〈◊〉 counterfaited that there was 〈…〉 who le worldes and the Priestes 〈…〉 had of it from Rome 〈◊〉 the Priestes vsed as a very holy 〈…〉 vnto those that were sicke but 〈◊〉 vertue being gone they ceased to worke 〈…〉 thereby And yet continuing their 〈◊〉 of extreame vnction which they 〈…〉 vnctionis 〈…〉 diuers Prayers did annoynt 〈…〉 mouth eares eyes the palmes 〈…〉 handâ—s the soales of the feete and 〈…〉 of the sicke body For these are 〈…〉 whereby sinne entereth 〈◊〉 sâ—ule of man But to conclude who 〈◊〉 will know more of the nature of 〈◊〉 Aloes let him read the old writers in Physicke This Chapter intreateth of the nature of Worme-wood wine and how it is to be vsed The second Chapter THe vertues of this Worme wood-wine are both great and many First it keepeth the body solubâ—e and is good for such as seldome goe to the Stoole it cleanseth the Stomach openeth the Liuer and the Spâ—eene and causeth a good and cleere Complection it strengthneth the Heart and mâ—keth 〈…〉 it cleanseth the Braine and kâ—epeth all the senses perfect also preserueth the Memorie it is good for womens weake backs it is generally an excellent and most â—amiliar Medicine
receiues the knife He yeeldes his blood to bring thee health His death shall be thy life And end thy smart Loe thus the Author greetes thee well Thy friend without desart He craues but thankes and so doth sell A salue for wounded heart He seekes good will giues ease of paine Good wordes for ware an easie gaine Vale. The causes of the Stone and how it is ingendred in mans body The first Chapter IT is not vnknowne vnto such as haue bestowed any time in the studie of Physicke that as well the old as the new Writers with one consent agree that there are two causes of the Stone the one materiall the other formall The materiall cause is an earthy grosse thicke and slimie humour the formall cause is the heate of mans body digesting or baking the sayd humour vntill it be hard which then remayneth in the nature of a Stone this will I make more manifest to you by a familiar example Clay of it selfe is an earthy and slimie substance which I will compare vnto the humor whereof the Stone is ingendered Also the Fire I wil compare vnto the heat of mans body whereby you may see how the Stone in ingendred For this Clay being baked in the Fire is made a Stone and looseth his nature of Clay Here also I thinke it good to note that Nature requireth alway a fit matter to worke vpon For one onely action of Nature at one time worketh diuers and very contrary effects which happeneth because of contrarietie of the matters wherevpon she worketh and not by any diuersity of her action For as by Fire Clay is made a Stone so Chalke being a Stone by Fire is conuerted into powder And as Clay by Fire is made a cast and firme substance which before was soft and easie to be dissolued in Water so Chalke being before a fast and sound lumpe is by the same fit to be dissolued in Water because of the discontinuitie or separation of his partes Whereby you may gather that this slimie humour being in mans body hath a nature very apt to be turned into a Stone and yeeldeth it selfe to the speedie generation thereof wherevnto it is naturally inclined which otherwise by so small heate could hardly bee And therefore I would wish euery man to haue a speciall care in refusing Meaâ—es and other things which are apt to breed the Stone and in vsing the contrary which hereafter in place conuenient touching the preuenting of the Stone I will not omit The difference of Stones ingendred in mans body The second Chapter I Haue according to my promise briefly spoken of two causes of the Stone Now with like breuitie I will speake of the difference of Stones ingendred in mans body which I find by experience to differ in place colour forme quantitie and hardnesse 1 As touching the first there are two vsuall places where the Stone is ingendered the Kidnies and the Bladder Unto the stone of the Kidnies the middle-aged and they that somewhat decline are most subiect And these Stones of the Kidnies are also of two sortes For they are either ingendred in the hollow vessels of the Kidnies or in the substance or fleshie partes But vnto the Stone of the Bladder Children are most inclined which hapneth for that all Children for the most part first eate often ere that which they eate before be digested Next after they haue eaten they vse violent exercise and motion of their bodyes continually whereby they force a thicker and more grosse iuice or nutriment from the stomach into the body then Nature requireth and that grosse substaunce setling in the bottome of the Bladder by the temperate heate of the child is conuerted into a Stone As in the making of the artificiall Wmes if you let them passe through the strayner gently of their owne accord they come cleare but if hastily you force them by wringing they come thicke and being setled will be full of Groundes in the bottome 2 Secondly for colour there are some Stones white some blacke others yellow some red some of ash-colour some mixt of diuers colours Which diuersitie happeneth chiefly by difference of the matter whereof the Stones were ingendred and somewhat by digestion of the Stones either by smaller or greater heat with either longer or shorter time 3 The third difference of Stones is in forme or fashion For some are round as a Ball some like an Egge some like a Pease some like a Barlie corne some sharpe some piked of diuers sundry other formes wherof I need not to speake 4 The fourth difference is in quantitie for the Stone differeth in quantitie from the bignesse of a pins head or lesse vnto the quantitie of an Egge or greater And the smaller sort of Stones are for the most part ingendred in the Kidnies and that either in the hollow vessels of the Kidnies as I sayd before which being but small the Stone cannot exceed the bignesse thereof and therefore must be small also Or else in the substaunce or fleshie partes of the Kidnies here and there dispearsed which also are seldome found to be great But the greater sort of Stones are alwayes ingendered in the Bladder for that the vessels being great will also admit the generation of a great Stone 5 The fift difference is in hardnesse For there are some as I haue often seene scant congealed or baked so that one may breake them to grite with this finger his thumbe Others somewhat harder and not easie to be broken And others so hard as they will not easily yeeld to the Hammer The Stone that breaketh gently is for the most part red or yellow The middle sort is of diuers colours The hardest white There is also a mixt kind of Stone compact of hard stones lightly knit togeather by soft Grauell and this kind is most dangerous and painefull in voyding The vsuall way how to preuent and cure the Stone The third Chapter IN the two former Chapters I haue briefely touched the matter whereof the Stone is ingendered and the difference of Stones Now I will shew the vsuall meanes both to preuent and cure the Stone which amongst the Physitians of our time are now dayly practised The Stone in those who onely feare the Disease and are not yet troubled therewith is preuented by two speciall meanes The one is by abstinence from Meates and thinges which are apt to breed the Stone Which are of 2. sortes also For either they breede in the body of a fitte matter easie to be conuerted into a Stone as Ueale Pigge Lambe Ling Greene-fish Eeles Cheese Milke and generally all very grosse slimie sweete and fatte Meates Or else they cause an vnnaturall heate in the Body and inflame the Kidnies and other partes as heating the Backe at the Fire lying much vpon the Backe also great vse of Pepper Ginger and other Spices or any thing of like nature The other by purging that humour which being in the body is not yet