go to one of his poor neighbours that hath been sick where he hath given away his Physick which some of his friends wondering at he hath â—aid His conscience would not suffer him to do otherwise the Rich could not want help for their 〈◊〉 but the Poor must perish if his Charity did 〈◊〉 relieve them As he was an Apothecary formerly himself so he discerned the errours of Apothecaries and was therefore an Apothecary to himself and others He used not to hansel his experiments letting loose as some do their mad Receipts into sick mens bodies to try how well Nature can â—â—ght â—gainst them as one writes whilst they stand by and see the Battel except it were in desperate cases when death must be expelled and when he could keep life no longer he made an easie passage for it to go out as his Book of the Astrological judgement of Diseases where he unites Astrology to Physick as they concerne the decumbiture of the sick doth sufficiently discover to the World not like an Emprick who being guilty neither of Greek nor Latine of writing well or spelling true English being asked why it was called a Hectique Feaver answered because of a Hecking Cough that attended the disease yet this imposture is an imagined Aesculapius so as to tyranize over the purses and bodies of thousands having as many fools to wait his leisure as the late learned Senertus was reported to have had sometimes two hundred Patients in a morning But removing this block out of the way it is also to be observed of him that he was never too Rigi◠〈◊〉 prescribing of his Diet for the sick and yâ—◠〈◊〉 man in his time did stranger cures so far a 〈◊〉 onely to cure men but to cure the Art of â—â—ring of men to reform Physick it self as many of learnedst of the Colledge of Physicians haâ—â— freely expressed one of them being disposed to speak truth of him said That he was not onely for Gallen and Hypocrates but he knew how 〈◊〉 correct and moderate the tyrannies of Paracellus The best Chymists that could fix Quick-silver search into the depths of that Art claimed him which experiments in this Volumne do admirably manifest As some of the learned were pleased to spend their verdicts either well or ill on him so he hath not been much behinde hand with them I have heard him say that the Doctors were Learned well furnished with general notions in Physick but there were some tried Receipts in the hands of private persons they could never arrive to which if they had they were now honoured sufficiently then they would have been worshipt like Gods And sometimes in jeast as his custom was he used to say That there were a certain sort of Physicians that were like the Bishops they had the Keyes of Binding and Loosing and nothing else To wave what might further be said of Mr. Culpeper's Practice I shall end with this that by his ingenuity and industry he got the love and applause of all people in so high an esteem he was that he had gained the general repute of the three Kingdoms insomuch that though he was courted by his friends to alter the condition of his single life he would admit of no such proffers till like a skilful Astrologer he had fixed his eyes upon the Firmament where Venus the Star of his own Affections governed surrendring all the powers and faculties of his soul to the vertues and beauty of Mrs. Alice Field the daughter of Mr. John Field and Alice his Wife kinswoman of Mr. Simon Barckstead an eminent Gentleman owing two and twenty Lordships free estate whom it was his happinesse afterwards to espouse at fifteen years of age a Gentlewoman who as she was of a good extraction so also besides her richer qualities her admirable discretion and excellent breeding she brought him a considerable fortune By her he had seven Children whereof Mrs. Mary was his fourth now living with her Mother in Spitttle-fields the true picture of her Father Mrs. Culpeper while she continued in that blessed state of Matrimony fourteen years with him she so wisely demeaned her self as never to entrench on his prerogative not in the least to disturb his studies she onely sought to maintain her own propriety in domestick Feminine Affairs so that she was all his time a Wife at her own disposing enfranchised free-born from her Wedding-day Neither while Mr. Culpeper was in health did he go about to keep her in the wholesome ignorance of such unnecessary Secrets as some suppose them but that by her discreet observation of his practice she hath got the start of most of her Sex now living insomuch as since his death to be in no less esteem for her practice then some of the other gender that boast of their lesser knowledge It was Mr. Culpepers usual expression in the time of his health that though he could not do for her as she deserved that he should neverthelesse leave her a competent estate meaning that he should enrich her with some Secrets of his Practice which she hath since in the Aurum Potabile and other rare Secrets found happily verified to her own expectation When Mr. Culpeper began first to decline in his health he endeavoured to sequester himself from the throng of the people he strove for a season to obscure his own name which he found to be a most impossible task for being so long time laborious in his studies and having particular tryed Receipts by which he had formerly done most admirable cures he was past all concealment He being then so unexpectedly taken notice of as to be put upon the Translation of the Doctors Dispensatory to his great assistance and more happy accomodation he had for some time together a most ingenious Mannuensis one Mr. William Ryves After the Dispensatory he writ several experienced Treatises amongst others inestimable Aphorismes some of them not much inferiour to those of Hippocrates It is not to be omitted that amongst other eminent Authors of our times he had the fate to suffer under some works which he is likely to own to posterity some whereof are honourable injuries at which if he were now alive he would be the less incensed if the more particular ingratitude of the person whom he deserved so much from had not been onely shewed to him in his life-time but so as after his death to asperse a genuine Work of his intituled His Legacies It will be needless to mention other particulars what disguises and false pretences for his self-interest this person hath been forced to make use of To proceed I shall pass by Mr. Culpeper's fighting of a Duel for which he was forced to flie into France remaining there a quarter of a year till the cure was perfected at his own expences as also his taking up of Armes and some other cross transactions of his life I refer those that are Artists to the consideration of the before-named Scheme of his Nativity Calculated by
kinde of Excrement is common to all living Creatures as well Beasts as Men for which cause Nature as a wise Mother hath provided that every concoction hath its excrement or superfluity the Stomach sends out dung the Liver Urine the Veins Sweat so after the third and last concoction which is done in every part of the body that is nourished there is left some profitable blood reserved by Nature for Procreation which blood we call the Generative Seed the timely evacuation whereof avails much for the bodies health for by it the body is made light and disburthened of Phlegm and other superfluous humors which otherwise would wax rank as may be observed in ancient Maids and some chaste Schollers for besides their secret flames and imbridled affections which dispose their mindes to extravigant imaginations we see them also ill complexioned by reason of such vaporous fumes which ascend up towards their cloudy brains To pass over other inconveniences they are subject to as the Green-sickness the Night-mare the Spleen the palpitation and trembling of the heart and their polluted dreams the best advice I can give such persons is to marry in the fear of God and chiefly those are required who are Sanguine or lean for such persons abound with blood Physicians hold the Winter to be the best time for Carnal Copulation and in the Spring-time when Nature is desirous without the help of Arts and Drugs and at night when the stomach is full and the body somewhat warm that sleep immediately after it may lenifie the Lassitude caused through the action thereof In the Summer in May and July when the Spittle thickens on the ground it cannot be so wholesome nor in frosty wâ—ather Immoderate Venery weakeneth the strength hurts the brain extinguisheth radical moisture and hasteneth on old age and death the Spâ—rm or Seed of generation being one of the greatest comforters of life which being wilfully shed or lost hurteth more then if he should bleed forty times as much That Batchelors and Maids may drive away their unclean dreams at nights let them refrain from Wine and Venerious Imaginations not use to lie in soft Beds let them read the Bible and moral Philosophers use exercises let them eat Agnus Castus in English Park and they shall finde a strange effect to follow Of Bathing BAthing in cold Water so that the same be clear clear from Rain or a silver colour'd Brook in the summer time before meats doth wonderfully delight nature provoke the appetite and is very good against Rhumes the Dropsie and Gout and causes digestion you shall finde it wonderful expedient sometimes to bathe the head with hot Lee made of ashes after which you must cause one presently to pour three or four quarts of cold water then let the head be dried with cold Towels the suddain powring down of the water stirs up the natural heat of the body quickneth the memory keepeth from baldness In the summer washing of the hands often doth much avail the eye-sight In the Winter time when the Water is cold and Frozen this kinde of artificial Bath is very expedient and wholsome take two pounds of Turpentine four ounces of the Juyce of Wormwood and Wilde Mallows one ounce of fresh â—â—cor one dram of Saffron mingle them and seethe them a pretty while and being hot wet four Linnen cloathes therein and therewith bathe your self or else make a Bath after this manner take Fumitory Enula Compana Leaves Sage Fetherfue Rosemary and Wormwood of each a handful or two seethe them in a sufficient quantity of water till they be soft and put as much as a Walnut of Allom and a little Brimstone powder and therewith bathe the affected places of the body he that uses these bathes in convenient time may live healthfully for by them superfluous excrements are extracted in sweat But with this caution I commend Baths that no person that is distempered through Venery Gluttony Fasting Watching or violent Exercise do enter into them Diet for a Feaver and Ague I Do advertise every one that hath a Feaver or an Ague to eat no meat six hours before his fit doth take him and in no wise as long as the Ague doth endure to put off his shirt or dublet nor to rise out of the bed but when need shall require and in any wise not to go nor take the open Air for such provision may be had that at the uttermost at the third fit he may be delivered of the Feaver Let the Patient beware of casting his hands and arms at any time or to spraul with his Legs out of the bed it is good for the space of three fits to wear continually Gloves and not to wash the hands He is to eat little and those temperate meats to refrain from Wine Beer and Cider and all other things whatsoever that are not of a very light digestion Diet for the Chollick and the Stone THe Iliack and Chollick are ingendred of ventosity the which is intrused or inclosed in two Guts the one is called Ilia and the other is called Colon for these two infirmities one must beware of cold and it is not good to be long fasting and necessary to be laxative but in no wise to be constupate These things following are not good for those which have these aforesaid infirmities new bread stale bread new ale they must abstain also from drinking of Beer of Cider of Red Wine and Cinamon also refrain from all meats that Honey is in from eating of cold Herbs Beans Pease Pottage beware of fruits and of all things the which do ingender winde For the Stone abstain from eating of Red herring Martilmas-beef and Bacon salt fish salt meats Beware of going cold about the middle especially about the Reins of the back and make no restriction of wine and water nor seege that water would expel Diet for several kindes of the Gout They which are troubled with the Gout or any kinde of it I do advertise them not to sit too long forgetting to exonerate the bladder and the belly when need shall require and also to beware the Legs hang not without some stay nor that the Boots or Shoes be not over strait Whosoever hath the Gout must refrain from drinking of new Ale of Beer and Red Wine Also he must not eat new Bread Eggs fresh Salmon Eels Fresh Herring Pilcherds Oysters all shell fish he must avoid the eating of fresh Beef of Goose of Duck and of Pigeons he must beware of taking of cold in his Legs or riding or going wetshod Beware of Venerous acts after refection or after or upon a full stomach from all things that ingender evil humors and are inflative Diet for the Lepors HE that is infected with any of the four kindes of Leprosie must refrain from all manner of Wines and from new drinks and strong Ale let him beware of riot and surfeiting let him abstain from eating of Spices Dates from Tripes Puddings and all inwards of Beasts Fish
Moderns a most eminent Writer of this nation that when the Physician comes to the office of repairing of them the other which are easily repaired finding themselves deprived of their wonted ability and strength cease longer to perform their proper function by which means it comes to pass that in process of time the whole body tends to ruine Though these considerations are thus premised that in spight of Art Death and a Dissolution at last will come nevertheless it ought to be the care of every wise and honest Physician that since nature may in part be repaired that life may be nourisht that the length of it is one of the greatest blessings on earth so for him to show his Christian Charity most religiously to observe and endeavour to the extent of his skill what may be by him performed as to this prolongation it being the duty of one that knows the wayes of nature as how to turn her about so also whilst life can be preserved to maintain her in her most healthful dimensions Nor do I esteem of a Physician for his onely knowing how to act as to a nourishing renovation restoring and continuance of health but it will be further enjoyned on his conscience to mitigate the far distance of a Doctor with such wholesome instructions been able to discern if not to have determined of the parts affected the causes the signs and symptomes of a Disease how to have applied right Medicines either for the quantity or quality for the curing of themselves or others such as in cases of necessity they needed not to have sent some miles for but might have found in the Fields or in their neighbouring Gardens whereas for want of the assistance of a true Method of Physick this knowledge having been denied them thousands have perisht as at the great day of account some will finde to be too true I appeal to all men in their Wits whether there are such unnatural Monopolizers in the World What Nation is there that their Physicians have not for the most part at the first writ in their Mother tongue I have been informed that the late Famous Mr. Noy of Lincolns Inne that he would have had the Gentlemen to have joyned with him and moved to have the Law turned into English which they being averse to though otherwise he promised to remember the Society in his Will instead of a Library which he intended when he died he left them nothing but the Comedy of Ignoramus which hangs up and as I am certified is there still to be seen I have read that the German Physicians once a year in their Mother Tongue regestred their Cures in the temple of Aesculapius whereby the common sort of people knew how to difference diseases could distinguish of the easie from the more difficult cures and learnt according to the light then derived to them to preserve themselves and others whereas we have reason to thank our grave wise and learned Physicians over the left shoulder who would have us know nothing or as little as may be Mr. Culpeper now in Heaven spent himself early and late for the good of his Countrey-men he discovered their Subtilties and was one of the first that broke down the partition-wall of our ignorance and slavery they are his own words I have already made a progress and whilest I am in the Land of tâ—â— Living I will persist in spight of all opposers to inform my Countrey-men It was his greatest ambition to do all the good he could on earth the Lord having answered his desires though himself did not live to see it in the publishing of this Volume which may truly be called a School of Physick even a Grammar to learn all the Rudiments of the compleat Practice of this Art so that if the peruser of this Work be but one of good natural parts though he be ignorant of the Tongues he shall on sufficient grounds be able to give a reasonable answer so as to resolve the most useful and considerable questions in Physick that can be propounded to him he shall be so informed to give an account of what of himself he shall undertake to practise It will be needless to enlarge my self further this Book hath worth enough in it to declare its Author it requires no commendation to fore-run it Diet Reason and Experience the three Doctors Mr. Culpeper consulted with built upon good principles so that the Student shall finde both the Theorick and the Practick sweetly to agree in the discovery of the most concealed truths This method of practice being experienced by himself written in the intervals of his lingring sickness as he had a long time before his death bid adieu to all worldly respects he having as hath been said no higher aim then the healths and prosperity of his Countrey-men he left as I may presume from my own knowledge to affirm in the hands of his best friends to this very purpose all his tried Receipts in writing to be printed as besides those names thou readest affixed to this work there are many others if there were occasion are ready to testifie I am confident no private man in any age could show such a volume compiled of such experimental probations the Author never showing himself so clearly and powerfully in any of his printed Treatises as in this last having been heard to say that in publishing some of his former translations he was troubled with the epidemical disease as 't is usual with persons of such worth he then entertained as he acknowledged an ambition to be known to the world but in these his Treatises as he protested he had opened his breast dealt so ingeniously for the good of the publick as to discover the mystery of his profession not reserving a secret he knew that might keep men alive or when they were in danger that might recover them this beeing the store-house of his whole Practice Loving Countrey-men whatsoever benefit you shall reap by the labours of our deceased friend let your Christian charity employ it for the good of your neighbours thanks be to God there are still noble persons left that upon such blessed occasions of being aiding to others are ready to expose their persons and purses not being ashamed as some are but accounting it their honour to be helpful to the poor to such Worthies this volume will be most acceptable not onely as it will increase but also confirm their knowledge It will be also extreamly necessary for those of lower Formes in the School of Physick young Practitioners who may in this lively mirror see their mistakes and the deformities of their Practice how they have caused the Medicines they formerly applied not onely to be ineffectual but rather destructive to the healths of their Patients as they are to ask God forgiveness for their ignorance in placing the Cart before the Horse the Practick before the Theorick their ventring hand over head on the Medicine before they rightly knew the disease
necessaries as might best appertain to a Journey and so secretly to make their escape near to Lewis in Sussex where they intended to Marry and afterwards for a season to live privately till the incensed Parents were pacified but this happiness was denied them by the Malevolence of Mars and some other envious Planets as you shall finde in his Nativity Not to vex the expectation of the Reader any longer but rather to epitomize so sad a story Mr. Culpeper hastes from Cambridge his Mistress with those that she durst trust were gone part of their way to meet him at the appointed place but it pleased the great disposer of terrene affairs to order it otherwise the Lady and her servants being suddainly surprized with a dreadful storme with fearful claps of Thunder surrounded with flames of Fire and flashes of Lightning with some of which Mr. Culpepers fair Mistress was so stricken that she immediately fell down dead exchanging of this life for a better her Marriage on earth for one in heaven When the Lady was stript all the marks that could be found on her fair body was onely a blue spot on her right side about the breadth of ones hand The news of this sad accident met Mr. Culpeper as he journed towards his dead to him but otherwise a 〈◊〉 living Saint At the instant when this direful 〈◊〉 chance befell him Sir Nicholas Astey his intimate acquaintance passing by chanced to be an eye-witness of this sad disaster who used the best Rhetorick he had to comfort him in this his affliction he took him up in his Coach and conveyed him to his Mother who not expecting then to have seen him received him with a great deal of joy till being so truly sensible of his sorrows she for that cause left that County and afterwards fell into a fit of sickness which she was never rid of till her dying day It is impossible to express the sorrow of so true a lover as Mr. Culpeper was the strangeness of this misfortune being enough to shake the strongest resolutions of the most establisht person of the world I shall onely acquaint the Reader with what I have heard of his best friends that when that he was serious even to entertain the deepest Melancholly that his frailty could suffer on earth that then he would discourse at large the sad fate of his unfortunate Mistriss This Lady on whom this unhappy accident fell had two thousand pounds in personal estate and five hundred pounds a year the loss of this Jewel which Mr. Culpeper valued above all worldly considerations cast him into so deep a Melancholly that he left the University of Cambridge so that it was high time for his Grand-father Mr. William Attersol whose care he was to think of some seasonable way to divert this his extraordinary distemper and the rather for that he perceived contrary to his intention that Mr. Culpeper bent his inclinations from the time that he was but ten Years of Age to those as he conceived unprofitable if not unlawful studies of Astrology and occult Philosophy which how they are resented still by some Divines and other Zealous persons the world is too well acquainted Mr. Attersol had formerly used his best Arguments though to no purpose to perswade him to embrace the Ministerial function with an intention as it was supposed after his Decease to have setled his estate on him which since he would not hearken too he divided four hundred pounds a year amongst the rest of his Grand-children and left him but a Legacy of forty shillings which was paid him by the two Executors at Nathaniel Brook his shop at the Angell in Cornhill This small summe he received with a smile and said He had courted two Mistresses that had cost him very dear but it was not the wealth of Kingdoms should buy them from him The truth is there are some Zealots that without any colour call Astrology it self the Black Art count all Circles above thâ—â— Sphere to be conjuring as Mr. Culpeper used to say If such kinde of people cannot flie up to Heaven to render Astrology a miracle they will fetch it from Hell to make it Magick though it may be well enough performed by natural causes To proceed Mr. Attersol with the advice of his friends consulted how to dispose of Mr. Culpeper which was to send him to London where they placed him with Mr. White an Apothecary near Temple Bar to whom they gave with him fifty pounds he having not been with him above a year and a half Mr. White failed his necessities compelling him to go into Ireland with the loss of Mr. Culpepers money which caused his friends afterwards to bestow him with Mr. Drake an Apothecary in Thredneedle-street where being himself excellent in the Latine he taught Mr. Drake that Tongue in less then a year and a half Not long after this his other friend dyed he still remained with Mr. Samuel Leadbeaters who formerly lived with him and afterwards took his Masters shop within Bishops-gate where for some space of time he studied Physick In which application of his he shewed a great deal of wisdom to chuse a Profession according to his own disposition and inclination the strongest Indenture to binde a man to the happiness of a noble and successful enterprise Before I shall further discourse his story it will not be impertinent to acquaint the World with some observations that those that were most familiar with him intimated to me with some others that I gleaned from him concerning his Physical Practice in his addresses to his Patients he was not as some are so arrogant to warrant their recovery his usual advice was to bid them trust in God and seek to him for a Blessing He was none of those that used to put confidence in the single testimony of the Water which as he used to say Drawn from the Vrine is as brittle as the Vrinal the Water running sometimes in such poste haste through the sick mans body that there is no account to be given of it though the most judicious person examine it for the sick man may be in the state of death though life appear in the Urinal To the poor he prescribed cheap but wholesome Medicines not removing as many in our times do the Consumption out of their bodies into their purses not sending them to the East-Indies for Drugs when they may fetch better out of their own Gardens Those that knew him rightly affirm that he was so Charitable to his poor Countrey-men that the money that he received from rich persons he spread upon the waters laid it forth for the good of those that were in want though through his Charity he was sometimes necessitated he would not participate of any thing from the meaner sort of people he onely desired their prayers I have heard those that rightly knew him say that when he might have had a large summe to have gone to a rich person he rather chose to
little cynamon and seed of Annis white wine mixt with water musick is good in this disease and such means must be used as may cause sleep Of Melancholly of black Choller THis disease is a kinde of doting without a feaver arising from such maligne and melancholick humors which distrub the seat of the Minde The signs of melancholly are fear and sadness evil thoughts without any cause proceeding from such vapors of black Choller as darken the mind and over-cloud the brain Melancholy which seizes on the essence of the brain and continues there long is altogether incureable The Air where the Patient resides must be of a wholesom smell moist and temperate his diet moist but of good juyce easie of digestion Let him drink white wine and exercise himself moderately his sleep should be somewhat longer then ordinary he is to be cherisht with mirth and good hopes perturbations of minde being wholly avoided Of the overflowing of the monethly Tearms THe superfluous flux of moneths is when it doth tend to be the hurt rather then the good of the woman by reason that they are purged more then they should but in such women as are of a moist constitution that have good diet and much ease the moneths may be suffered to flow more then ordinarily they use The womb is the part chiefly affected sometimes the whole body sympathizeth this affection is an accident which appertains to the immoderate excretion it is not altogether against nature as it is in the bleeding of the nose and other bleedings for here onely too great a quantity of the monethly flux is unnatural This distemper takes away the appetite hinders digestion breeds crudities weakens the whole body the colour of the face is changed feaverish heats arise in the body sometimes the feet are swelled and a dropsie follows one cause is by reason of the heat thinness or abundance of blood more then is requisite or else because of the continual motion for when these concur Nature is defeated Immoderate fluxes caused by the birth of a large Infant are less dangerous because they will stay of themselves This disease is to be feared if the body be weakned or the colour of the face changed the woman being reduced to such coldness faintness of heart swoundings and sometimes death The Air that this Patient lives in should be temperate the meat binding and thickning exercise is forbidden her rest and sleep must be moderate her minde pleased Of the suppression of the Moneths AS the overflowing is dangerous so the retention on the contrary is as dangerous and unnatural if they be of age unless they have conceived the womb is chiefly affected in regard of the fatness thereof whereby the veins are crushed together and so the flux is hindred In this disease the forepart of the head is pained spreads it self to the neck shoulders and loins her appetite is taken away her minde unquiet her stomach queasie she loathes meat her face discoloured she is troubled with phlegm and taken with a trembling her urine is thick red and muddy sometimes blackish with a red watry substance in the bottom the chief cause is gross and phlegmy matter mixed with blood which stops the veins leading to the womb whereby the straitness of the veins doth happen or else from the inflammation of the womb if the Tearms are stopt other diseases must of necessity follow The Air she is to breathe must incline to heat her meat must be heating she must not sleep too long her minde must not be disquieted Of the Obstruction of the Liver THe Obstruction of the Liver is a binding or straitning of the Veins or Liver passages The Liver is the Store-house of blood from which all parts of the body draw nourishment and together with purer blood gross and slimy humors are generated in the Liver seeing that the branches of the hollow Veins are knit unto the Vena Porta in such sort that the knitting and combination doth not come within the compass of our sight as also that all the nutriments of the body must be conveighed through the port Veins and the hollow Veins ends which are very small where they end in the Liver substance so that it is no wonder that by reason of the passages and straitness Obstructions are oftner caused in the Liver then in any other Bowel This Disease doth breed in the extream parts of the vessels of the hollow part and Veins and they are terminated in the Livers substance with thin ends knit one into another with little bones the universal nourishment of the whole body being to be made through these This Disease is to be discerned by a heaviness and stretching pain in the right side then most to be perceived when the Patient is exercised presently after meat The narrowness of the Liver and Veins passages is the cause of this Disease The air for the Patient must be hot and clear his diet such as may heat not stopping he must shun bathing and exercise after meat his diet moderate he may sleep in the day time but not too long at night not at the most above seven hours his belly must be kept loose and his minde delighted The Hicket THe Hicket called Singultus is a violent or vehement motion of the Stomach whereby it doth endeavour to expel such things as rest in the Tunicles and in the Body and also such as do stick fast thereto The Hicket though it much resemble vomiting yet this Disease is rather stirred up then vomit when the humors are strongest the part affected is the mouth of the Stomach sometimes the inflamation of the Liver This Disease comes often for the most part by fits as the Cough doth with a swooning the cause of the swooning in this disease is the straitness of the passage of the air which is contained in the stomach it being often caused by fulness and superfluous moisture by which the Patient is either loaded â—or in a manner shrunk together If this disease be caused by fulness if a sneezing come the Patient will soon be rid of it if it be accompanied with wringing in the guts commonly called Illiaca passia it is a bad Omen but if it follow doating swooning or convulsion it is mortal A temperate air is best for the Patient his meat must be such as doth heat and dry a small quantity of Wine may be permitted Of the Stone THe Stone of the Kidneys is a hard substance bred like a Sand-stone in the Reins from whence by the force of the Urine it is often conveighed through the straight pipes into the Bladder if it be not too great which doth so stretch the passages of the Urine that great pain doth follow the settled pain is in the Veins and sometimes the right side or the left is affected or both at one time even as the right or left Kidney is affected for the gravel is bred in the mouth of the Kidney or substance of them This Disease is
Aqua â—â—tis the space of ten dayes that it may be well â—â—citated afterwards grinde it again upon a â—arble and imbibe it with the same Phlegm â—â—d distil it in an Alimbeck till in the matter â—ou shall perceive white little stones like salt â—issolve this salt again with the water you have â—istilled and when it is dissolved distil it again â—epeating it so often untill the earth lose all its 〈◊〉 pure and terrene colour and become white 〈◊〉 Virgins wax and then it is truly rectified There is also another more subtil way to reâ—â—ce and bring every Element into his chief subâ—â—ance and Quintessence it being presupposed â—â—at every Element is first rectified then let it â—e taken and put in a Circulatory Vessel and 〈◊〉 in Horse-dung or in Balneo Mariae thirty â—â—yes and afterwards distil it again then its â—ody being as it were a gross matter will be â—â—nged into a spirit or most substil substance There are some who operate after a more â—â—sie manner by taking four parts of Earth and â—â—e part of one of the four Elements which you â—â—ll and digest them in forme aforesaid and cirâ—â—late them thirty dayes by a frequent ascension â—â—d descension of the matter which is done in â—â—e Circulatory in that space of time so as every â—â—e of the Elements is converted into a Quinâ—â—â—sence and when you perceive the Quintesâ—â—â—ce to swim above the other matter then it is circulated enough and thus you have thâ— way to extract the Quintessence of Chelidonia it follows now to declare the virtues thereof The Element therefore of Water or thâ— Phlegm conduces to expel all diseases of the body whether hot or cold for it temperates thâ— veins about the heart and expells all poisoâ— therefrom it cures all accidental diseases of thâ— Lungs purifies the blood and preserves the natural virtue of man from all corruption anâ— abateth the malignity of any infirmity The Element of fire is like Oyl and hath theâ— virtues it confirmes and preserves youth in iâ— strength and beauty because it suffers not anâ— blood to putrifie it expells all salt Phlegâ— and Melancholly and wonderfully takes awaâ— all Adust Choller The Element of fire the quantity of oâ— Grain thereof being taken and incorporatâ— with good Wine and applyed to the Neck 〈◊〉 one that is sick nay a dying hath this efficacy it recovers and restores again all the lost powâ— and strength of the body it penetrates unâ— the heart and calefies it and expells all poisoâ— and superfluous moisture from the heart if yoâ— give a man a grain of this Oyl that is an Agâ—ny of death it will immediately revive him 〈◊〉 a miraculous manner saith Lullyus There are also others who do likewise extract a Quint essence from Chelidonia after aâ—other manner by taking the Herb Rooâ— and Flower of Celandine and weigh it reseâ—ving the weight for its time then cut it smaâ—â— and infuse it in Fountain-water then boil it till it is reduced to its former weight this being done beat it in a stone Mortar and strain out the juyce take away the Feces and boil the rest unto the thickness of Honey and then the matter will be prepared to separate the four Elements one from another which to do put it in a â—ucurbite filling him half full and lute an Alimbeck upon it the best way you can and distil it in Balneo Mariae with a gentle fire so that the water may be separated from the matter Then place the Distillatory in ashes and another water will be separated from it which is like oyl and when you see the oyl swim on the top the third time remove the receiver and apply another to receive that Oyl which is the fire And thus you have the three Elements separated viz. Water Air and Fire and the Earthly substance remains in the bottom of the vessel as it were a combust matter now reserve every one of these Elements in a vessel by its self and when you would rectifie any one of them to make it medicinal distil the water seven times in an Alembick and in every distillation wash the Cucurbite from its remaining Feces and admix them with the earthly Element and distil them in Balneo Mariae and let the vessel wherein that water is reserved be well luted After this manner you may also rectifie the Air by a seplenary reiteration in ashes alwayes mixing the Feces with the Earth so likewise may you temperate and rectifie the fiery Element and this is the third Oyl which must also be kept in a vessel close shut and so musâ— all the rest The work being thus done and perfected wâ— proceed to demonstrate and shew the nature and vertues thereof The vertue and quality of the watry substance is to expel all venomous heaâ— from the Breast and to mundifie the Blood to open all oppilations of the Lungs and Liver to evacuate Phlegm and superfluous humours The Oyl of the Air conserves youth strength and beauty suffers not the blood to putrifie noâ— Melancholly to rule nor Choller to burn noâ— Phlegm to abound in mans body but increases the blood and disperses it through all the members of the body it is very penetrating It is good also if any one be in danger of losing the sight of an Eye drop a drop oâ— two thereof into the Eye every day and in thirty dayes you shall see a wonderful effect But the quality of the fiery Oyl is of much more efficacy and vertue then the two other it wonderfully preserves old men and keeps back old age calefies the blood recreates the heart preserves a man from death and restores youth And if it be taken with Aqua Sîliginis it is said to be the Elixer of life The earthly matter being rectified three times by dissolutions coagulations and calcinations is a subtle salt of earth with which all Metals may be transmâ—â—ted into Stone and wherewith all Spirits are fixed having radical moisture The manner of taking this Medicine is this Take Ignis Chelidoniae gutta 3. Aqua Rosarum coclearia 3. sumantur stomacho jejuno If the infirmity be cold give it in Wine if the party exceed twenty four years of age give it in Aqua vitae but in burning Feavers in no wise administer to the Patient Chap. 17. To extract a Quintessence from Mans Blood Eggs Flesh or the like TO extract a Quintessence of humane blood take the blood of a man of a sanguine Complexion or Chollerick that is sound and healthy of Middle-age and one that drinks good Wine when he is newly phlebotomized and when the blood resides in the bottom of the vessel separate the water from the blood and labour it in a convenient vessel with its tenth part of common Salt and labour them well together and inclose it in a Pellican Afterwards set it in a bed of Horse-dung and Calx viva about five foot deep and two foot broad having one laying of the Calx and another of
like the mad Empericks of these times confident in undertaking cures though they erre both in the method and rules that ought step by step to be trod in and pursued In this School of Physick such too forward dangerous Practitioners whatsoever arrogantly they have hitherto assumed to themselves they are to meet with other discipline sure to be put back and taught a new lesson first rightly to know the dolors and torments of diseases for him like the good Samaritan to pour in the Oyl of his compassion as much as in him lies to abate the present miseries of the Patient that he may for the present finde some comfort till God in his mercy vouchsafes to show better Symptomes of his recovery and when he hath so given him over that all hopes of life are past still to remain constant to his undertakings like honest Mr. Culpeper who would not leave or forsake his patient when he perceived death till he had procured and opened a fair and easie passage for him to go out of this life As for those stately Doctors that scruple at attendance after they have received their large Fees pretending other dispatches they will not stay with their languishing Christian brother what can this neglect of theirs be imputed so much to as the cruelty of their excessive pride for otherwise if they were not wanting to their profession and to humanity it self they might in the time of their staying give such advice as to facilitate the pains of death comfort the spirits of the afflicted person so far as to enlighten his minde for the making of his peace with Heaven and his more orderly taking of his leave of his affairs on earth The Physician also might better his skill so far as to observe the conflicts of the several distempers in the issues of death so as to distinguish of the vigors and workings of all manner of Diseases in their last saddest triumphs Physicians in other parts of the world do not come so easily by their money they have set stinted small fees appointed them so ordened of purpose that they might be made more diligent that if their Christian Charity did not their necessities might compel them to come the oftner to make up their Summe so that the poor for a small pittance are better attended then our rich persons are here for their handfuls of Gold The truth is throughout the whole World there are not such slaves to the Doctors as the poor English are most of them profess themselves Protestants but their practices have been like those of the Papists to hide the grounds of Physick from the vulgar who for want of a right knowledge of the true course and rules of this Art having no estates to pour into their bottomless Purses Si nihil attuleris ibis Homere foras No Money no Doctor The poor souls in their disserted and extream necessities having been forced as they were alwayes kept in a desperate ignorance to take such unnatural and monstrous Physick as to be their own murtherers whereas if they had not been hood-winkt and muffled in such darkness sacrificed to the ambitions and covetousness of such uncharitable persons the poor wretches might by the conscientious aids of worthy Writers in their mother tongue I do not mean such English mad hodge-podge dangerous Books as we have already too many of in Print but of learned advised methodical and useful Authors in our Language from which they might have been so taught and directed as to know how to distinguish of the most usual Diseases of themselves in case of the disease before they go about the cure and then to compound the Medicine so as to relate to the nature of the Patients body otherwise that which may cure one might kill another They being thus once put into the right way to discern and determine of the most usual Diseases throughout this book with Gods blessing they shall meet with perfect directions for the cures the truth is amongst a few good there are abundance of Authors of other Climates whose works with whatsoever hard words they amaze their Readers do the less concerne us as their Medicines do more properly agree with the constitutions of the bodies of their own Countreys The volumes of these forreign Doctors in the practical part of Physick do so swell to no purpose with such infinite variety of medicaments that the practitioners are confounded as not knowing amongst so many which of them to choose Mr. Culpeper being truly sensible of this their error made it his business not to puzzle his young Students with the multiplicity of Medicines but onely to select and set down such as are most proper choice and effectual against the disease such as are generally esteemed and frequently used the most magisterial Receits To be brief this work may be compared to the Rainbows diversity of colours in respect of the variety of the Treatises it consists of which cannot but render it the more acceptable to the people of the three Nations as in so small a volume they have the whole body of Physick which before in respect of the largeness of the size was of such a price that the meaner sort of people were not able to purchase it this work in the Abstract and Epitome comprehending whatsoever of any concernment hath formerly been printed it being so intire and beholding onely to it self as to be free from whatsoever tautologies impertinences vain and frivolous repetitions those larger Authors to no purpose have puzzled their Readers with this work being of purpose contrived to save the charges of larger volumes to use the Authors own words It contains Homers Illiads in a Nut-shel his honest intention being for the future to prevent those already mentioned inconveniences which the poor have so long suffered under that with the use of this book and on occasion their further recourse to the Doctors Dispensatory if they are at too great a distance from a charitable and deserving Physicians upon suddain emergencies of necessity they might be so readily furnisht as to help themselves or be assistant to others To conclude Courteous Student I shall in the fear of God request thee to make an honest use of these endeavours to be careful dilgent and understanding in what thou undertakest and in all thy undertakings to crave a blessing from heaven never failing to return hearty thanks to the Lord for what good soever thou receivest For my own part I desire not to be known I am sufficiently concerned in the applause of my own conscience I look not on any worldly repute to my self but to the good of thousands of generations that shall follow It is enough for me that in the publishing of this Work I have with sincerity and truth discharged the trust imposed in me by our deceased friend Farewell read and enjoy Thine in all honest endeavours R. W. Decemb. 15. 1658. The Nativity of Nicholas Culpeper Student in Physick and Astrology Calculated By
renown and indeed had not ♄ who is dominus Ascendentis been in ☠to ☉ the general significator of honour c. and in □ of ♂ the particular designed thereof in this Radix the Native would have obtained a far higher degree of honour and preferment then he did but he was an enemy to his own preferment yet nevertheless he did in his latter part of his life increase very much in his Reputation and his Honour and Fame were generally taken notice of If you would know by what means he should attain Fame and Credit c. ☽ being in ⚹ of ♂ Lord of the tenth and ♀ Lady of the ninth locally in the tenth thence casting a ⚹ aspect to the Ascendent and ☿ Lord of the sixth there also being the strongest Planet in the Figure all which Arguments laid together presage his Fame and Honour to come by studying Arts and Sciences and that he should rise in the opinion of the world chiefly thereby but this not without some difficulty as ♂ his □ to ☿ aptly signifies It is very well known that he gained his Honour by Arts and Sciences but chiefly by Physick in the knowledge of which he was most excellently skilled and it was purely by that alone Study of Practice that he hath left a name behinde him which will remain until time shall be no longer The fiery Planet Mars in the eighth House in □ to ♄ Lord of the ascendent What death he might dye and three Planets more seems to portend a violent death but the ☉ being upon the Cuspe of the Mid-heaven near the body of ♀ and in reception with ♂ and ☽ in the sixth in ⚹ to him also takes off the edge of that suspicion and abates much of the fury of ♂ and seems rather to portend the Native to die of a Consumption or by a decay of natural strength at the heart ♂ is in ♌ I have heard it credibly reported by some that were with him at the time of his death and constantly in his sickness that he dyed of a Consumption which had been long upon him and much means and that of the better sort was used to enervate it but it still prevailed upon him wasting and consuming him by degrees until it reduced him to a very Sceleton or Anatomy and afterwards viz. on Munday the tenth of January 1653 4 released him and gave him his pasport to a better world The ☽ then being in □ to the Radical place of ♂ and ☉ in □ to his own and to the place of ♄ in his Nativity ♄ and ♃ being then in a direct opposition Nor was it truly reported that some Physicians designed his death by setting their engines at work to poyson him I do believe they were enemies great enough unto him yet I am confident by this report they are egregiously scandalized it being customary for ill-will to speak the worst The Accidents by which this Nativity was verefied are these 1634. Aged eighten years he went to the University ☉ to the body of ☿ and the Ascendent near the ⚹ of the same Promitter by direction caused that He being bred up a Scholler and fitted for the University in his younger years upon the M. C. ad ☌ ☿ and ☽ ad △ ♀ 1640. Aged twenty four years began to study Physick the ☽ being then directed to the △ of ☿ her dispositer in the Radix 1643. Aged twenty seven years he then went for a Souldier and was wounded by a small shot over the forepart of the body which he never recovered of till his dying day and then the Ascendent to the □ of ☉ and presently after the □ of ♄ by Direction Directions of so evil Tendency and Import that might very well have ruined a King 1653 4. Aged thirty eight years he dyed The Ascendent coming to an ☠of ♂ with Latitude The revolution it self being the same with that of the Radix ♄ passing by the Radical place of ♂ and ♂ upon the Ascendent ☉ and ♃ in □ and ♃ upon the opposite place of ♂ and in □ to ♃ place also which ill revolution agreeing with an ill Direction necessarily portended Death Tempus edax rerum nos terit omnia tempus Nos terimus tempus jam sumus ergo pares Thus time devours all and doth all waste And we waste time and so we 're ev'n at last The LIFE of the admired PHYSICIAN and ASTROLOGER of our Times Mr. Nicholas Culpeper IN the County of Kent a place eminently famous for Loyalty to Superiors Nicholas Culpeper was born the eighteenth of October 1616. he was the Son of Nicholas Culpeper a Reverend Divine son to Sir Thomas Culpeper Knight and Baronet his Mother was the Daughter of Mr. William Attersol Minister of Isfield in the County of Sussex this worthy Divine did write that learned Comentary on the Book of Numbers with other excellent Works Ncholas Culpeper the younger was educated at a Free-school in Sussex at the cost and charges of his Mother for his Father died a moneth before he was born he was a most eminently pious Minister and much reverenced for his vertuous Qualities by all that rightly knew him who were truly afflicted that his worthy Father did not live to bring him up since he left no other Children behinde him After her Husbands decease Mrs. Culpeper his mother took such care for his education that she spent four hundred pounds on her said Son for his Diet Schooling and his being at the University of Cambridge where he continued some years profited in all manner of Learning and gained the applause of the University whilst he remained there One of the first Diversions that he had amongst some other smaller transactions and changes none of his Life proving more unfortunate was that he had engaged himself in the Love of a Beautiful Lady I shall not name her for some reasons her Father was reported to be one of the noblest and wealthiest in Sussex This fair Lady after many generous treatments as Mr. Culpeper might clearly perceive entertained the Tenders of his service so far as to requite him with her entire and sincere Affections and though the strictness of Parents have often too severe eyes over their Children yet where hearts are once united Lovers use to break through all difficulties The riches of the Lady which might have enchanted inferior spirits in respect of the vertuous inclinations of her Minde and Person had no power over him so that like a true Lover the Language of his Eyes and his Heart were the same insomuch that the languishing sincerities of these suffering Inamorato's put them to the extremity of the determination some way to set a period to their Martyrdomes Mr. Culpeper having then supplied himself with two hundred pounds from his Mother during his abode at Cambridge his Fair Mistress and he by Letters and otherwise plotted secretly with the assistance of a Gentlewoman that waited on her to pack up such Rich Jewels and other
water or a dram of the powder In like manner being drunk it helpeth infants that are troubled with the falling-sickness The decoction taken in wine doth mitigate the pain of the guts and reines and other griefs of the belly it provoketh sweat it killeth the worms and is good against other diseases of the womb The Herb it self as well green as dried both drunk and laid outwardly to the grief doth heal ulcers On such exraordinary occasions it is mingled with the drink made of Guacum wine and water for the French Pox. Thus much Mathiolus Learned Writers affirm that it taketh away the stoppings of the inward bowels it provoketh urine breaketh the stone and helpeth them that are stung of venomous beasts They say also that they are not to be infected that take it in their meat or drink before they come into the evil air that it helpeth them much that are already infected Moreover most agree that it iâ— a remedy against the bitings of Serpents Finally to conclude late writers say That it cureth the pains of the head taketh away giddiness recovereth the memory being taken in meat or drink Also it helpeth festering sores especially of the Paps and Teats if the powder thereof be laid upon it Thus much Fuchsius By this we may in part understand with how great vertue God hath indued and as I may say blessed this herb To sum up all it helpeth the body inwardly and outwardly it strengthens almost all the principall members of the body as the brain the heart the stomach the liver lungs and kidneys I may say it is a preservative against all diseases for it provoketh sweat by which the body is purged of much corruption which breedeth disease It expelleth the venom of infection it consumes ill blood and all naughty humours whereof diseases are ingendred Therefore giving God thanks for his goodness which hath given us this Herb and all other things for the benefit of our health it will in the next place be convenient to consider how to make use of it in the application How Carduus Benedictus may be taken It is to be observed that we may use this herb and enjoy the vertues thereof four wayes First in the green leaf Secondly in the powder Thirdly in the juice And fourthly in the distillation The green leaf may be taken with bread and butter as we use to take Sage and Parsley in a morning to breakfast And if it be too bitter it may be taken with honey instead of butter It may be taken in pottage boiled among other herbs and being shred small it may be drunk with Ale Beer or Wine It is sometims given in Beer with aqua composita and that without harm when the stomach of the patient is weak and he not troubled with any hot disease The juice of it is either outwardly applied the leaf powder and water of it is received in the mouth It may be taken in Pottage also in the green leaf or with Wine which if it be burned and drunk hot it is the better If you please you may boil it with Wine and honey or suger to make it sweet and then drink it very warm The powder may be taken with honey upon a knives point or with bread and honey if you please or else it may be drunk with Ale Beer or Wine The distilled water may be drunk by it self alone or else with white Wine before meat or with Sack after meat especially if the stomach be weak and cold The liquor or broth in the which this herb is boiled may be made thus Take a quart of running water seethe it and scum it then put into it a good handful of the herb and let it boil until the better part of the liquor be consumed then drink it with wine or if you think fit with honey or suger to make it more pleasant in the taste Or else make a Potion thus Take a good handfull of the leaves with a handfull of Raisins of the Sun washed and stoned and some Sugarcandy and Licorice sliced small boil them all together in a quart of Water Ale or Wine If it be too bitter it may be made sweet as is aforesaid It is also to be observed that the Powder and Water of the Herb is most to be regarded and specially the water For they may be long preserved so that one may have them alwayes in a readiness to use as need shall require when aâ— the juice cannot be had nor the green leaf And the Water which onely is void of bitterness may be drunk by it self alone for the stomach and taste will bear it and like of it as well as of Rose-water Notwithstandig if the seed be sown as soon as it is ripe one may have the Herb both winter and summer from the time that it beginneth to grow until the seed wax ripe again Therefore I councel all them that have Gardens to nourish it that they may have it alwayes for their own use and the use of their Neighbours that stand in need of it Of the time and quantity to be observed in taking of Carduus Benedictus Here perhaps some will ask a question of the time and quantity which things are to be considered in taking of medicines As touching the time if it be taken for a preservative it is good to take it in the morning or in the evening before one goes to bed because that is a convenient time to sweat for one that feeleth not himself greatly diseased But if a man take it to expel any ill humours it is good to take it whensoever any grief is felt in the body immediately to go to bed and sweat As touching the quantity one needs not be so careful in taking this Herb as in taking those medicines that do purge vehemently by â—gestion as some term it or by vomit For â—n taking them if great discretion be not used â—n considering the time the quantity and the state of a mans body they may cause present death or otherwise they may much weaken the Patient This I counsel all that use it that when they or any of theirs are diseased they defer not the time but take it presently as soon as it may be had and that they do not think it sufficient to take it once but that they take it three or four times at the least Of the Sovereign Vertues of ANGELICA NOw I have written what is sufficient of Carduus Benedictus I will adde unto it anothe◠〈◊〉 much like it in the vertue called Angelica that if the one be wanting the other may be taken As â—â—uching the name the latest writers in my judgement most to be credited in this matter finde no other name for it neither in English nor in Latine Howsoever I know that some much to be commended for their learning anâ— also for the publishing of the same to the benefit of their countrey have given it other nameâ— but I think erroneously If we
be made clean or the Nodes taken away and sometimes leave the Bone foul By the which means they purchase to themselves both shame and infamy for within four or five moneths the Ulcers open with great corruption of the Bone Moreover they commit an errour touching the Unction for they anoint the Head the Region of the Heart and other noble parts against all reason and also all the whole body over which is the occasion of many a mans death Therefore to amend these errors when you see that this disease is confirmed and that there are hard Ulcers hard Swelling or Nodes it is the most surest way to mundifie the said Ulcers and to open the Nodes with acaustick then you shall make incision in the Node unto the corruption of the Bone and then apply Praecipitatum or else Pledgets with Basilicon and Praecipitatum mingled together this done you shall take away the corruption of the bone And then after that you may safely use your Unctions made with Axungia Gummes Minerals Oyles and Mercury also if you adde thereto of fine Treacle or Mithridatum it will be the better You shall anoint the Shoulders the Muscles of the Back the Loins the Hips the Thighs the Knees and all the outward members as Legs and Arms. But you must take very good heed that you touch not the Head the Region of the Heart the Somach nor the ridge of the Back Also you must have a good respect to cease your anointing in such order that you bring not too many accidents to the mouth whereby the Patient may utterly lose the use both of his Tongue and Teeth Because that so many ignorant Chyrurgeons have taken upon them this cure without either discretion in applying the Unction or ordering of the Patient I have thought good to write two or three words touching the ordering of the Patient When the body is prepared with apt and meet Medicines as well Syrrups Decoctions Purgings and opening of the Vein according to the disposition of the body the Patient shall be placed in a place naturally hot or else otherwise made warme which must be free from all cold having the doors windows and other open places closely stopt for the cold Air is very hurtful both for the Sinewie parts and also for the working of Medicines for it will diminish and hinder the actions thereof And in this case there are many which commit great errors which are worthy of reprehension for as well in the Winter as in the Summer they anoint the Patients in great and large Chambers where very much Air entreth Wherefore at the beginning of this cure if the place be not very close and warm you shall make a Pavilion with Coverings and such other like round about a fire by the which means you shall keep the cold Air from the Patient But if it be possible it is better to have a little Chamber close and warm and also continually a pan with Coles in the midst of it If it be so that the Patients be so weak that they cannot abide the heat of the fire or would be loath to be seen naked as Women or Maids you shall anoint them lying in their Beds First the Patient shall put out one Arm and then the other and so the rest of the parts shall be anointed one after another And you shall use the Patients from time to time to such a course as is required against the disease The third Error is concerning Wounds piercing into the Breast IT fortuneth oftentimes that the Wounds pierce the hollowness of the Breast so that great quantity of blood doth fall down into the bottom of the same and there doth stay upon the Diaphragma also the heaviness of the said blood oppresseth the Diaphragma Diaphragma is two Muscles which go overthwart the Breast and separateth the Heart from the Liver and putrefieth and ingendreth an evil Qualtity The which putrefaction sending Vapors to the heart causeth a continual Feaver and commonly death within ten dayes Of the which the common Chyrurgeons have no consideration or else by their ignorance they know not the cause and so the Patient is destitute of all help Wherefore when you see that the Wound pierceth into the Thorax or Breast you shall take good advisement in searching out diligently whether the Blood be descended into the lower part of the Diaphragma the which may be known by the stinking of the Breath and by the relation of the Patient which doth feel the Blood quivering or shaking inwardly And also commonly his face will be of a reddish or high colour by reason of the Vapors which ascend up And note that at the which side the blood doth most remain in lying upon the same side the Patient shall feel less pain then upon the other because that the said blood oppresseth the Lungs and the Diaphragma the Chyrurgeon ought to have a good respect to the signâ— above written and whilest that the strength of the Patient is yet remaining it shall be needful to make way for the said blood to be evacuated between the fourth and fifth rib a hand breadth or a little more from the ridge of the back and your Incision-knife being very sharp also you shall do it by little and little very gently in cutting Mesopleuria or the Muscles between the ribs it ought to be done toward the lower part of the said Muscles for the Vein which nourisheth them and the Ligaments which giveth them their moving and feeling are placed more above then below After that the Incision is made you shall let out the corrupted blood by little and little according to your discretion and it shall sufficc to evacuate every dressing five or six ounces this done it shall be very profitable to use the wonted Potions which you shall finde in the writings of learned Practitioners which have largely written of the said potions and by this means above written I healed four in one year The which cures without the aforesaid remedies could never have been done for the which I give unto God most hearty thanks The foruth Error touching the applications of the Traepans Terebelles for fractures of the Head IN the fractures of the Scull there are committed great errors touching the application of the Traepan principally when the bone is broken in many parts for they have no consideration of the shivering of the Scull but apply the Traepan by the which means they press down the shivers of the bone upon the Dura Mater and rent or tear it in such order that it produceth grievous accidents whereby commonly death ensueth Wherefore in this case you shall have a good consideration before that you apply the Traepan for it is better if it be possible in this case to use other Instruments as Eleviatories Cisers Lenticuli or such other like to make way for the bruised matter which depresseth the Dura Mater it shall be the better and less danger for the Patient By this means I
Sea Sand. IF a man that hath the Dropsie stand up to the neck in Sea-sand by the Sea-side in a hot day it will drink up all the water and cure the Disease Wicker 20. Whetstone of Cypress A Whetstone of Cypress that which comes off from it by whetting stayes the falling off of Hair and causeth it to grow in bald places it keeps the breasts of Virgins from growing being drunk with Vinegar it consumes the Milt and cures the Falling sickness Wicker 21. Aetites THere are four sorts of these but the best comes from Affrick and are found in an Eagles nest which is very little and soft having another little one within it and is thought to be the female The Male come from Arabia and is hard like a Gaul having another hard Stone within it and is of a reddish colour The third comes from Cypress and is like that which comes from Affrick but is bigger and hath sand and little stones within it The fourth is called Taphiusius from the place whence it comes and is found in Rivers it is white and round in form this is the worst of all These all joyntly are called Lapis pregnans or a Stone with Childe because it carries another Stone within it If this Stone be given to a thief in bread he cannot swallow it down or if you boil it in any thing and give the Decoction to any that hath stollen any thing from you he cannor drink it though the Stone be out Being bound to the Neck or Arm of a Woman it strengthens conception and stayes miscarriage in the time of her Labour if it be bound to the inner part of her Thigh near the place of conception it causeth her to have an easie labour almost without any pain but be sure you take it away so soon as she is delivered for fear of further mischief Pliny Disocorides Lemnius 22. Chelidonius IF you take young Swallows out of their nest before the full Moon you shall finde two little Stones in their Ventricles the one reddish the other black these ought never to touch the earth but be kept close wrapped up in Bullocks or Stags leather the former being bound under the Armeholes helps the Falling-sickness the other Feavers Thus Albertus Magnus Some say if you prick out their eyes the Old one will bring a Stone which will recover their sight and some say she doth it by Celandine the Stone will remain in their Ventricle I have tried this I pricked out the eyes of some in a nest and not of others and I found the Reddish-stone in the Ventricle of one whose eyes I pricked out and she could see again but in those whose eyes were not pricked out there was none but I never observed the Lunation Also they say if you break their Legs she will bring a Stone which will instantly cure them which Stone will be found in the nest 23. Lincyrius LApis Lincyrius being cast among burning coles quencheth them and if you wrap it up in a Linnen cloth not onely that but the cloth also will remain unburned even in the midst of the hottest fire It wonderfully helps forward the Travail of Women Epiphanius 24. Jet 25. Amber IEt being beaten into a very fine powder and given to a Woman fasting in White Wine will presently make manifest whether she be a Virgin or no for if she presenlty make Water her Virginity is lost if not the contrary The same effect also hath Amber both of them or either of them being hung about ones Neck are profitable against distillation of Phlegm into the Throat and Lungs Baptista Porta Mathiolus 26. Lapis Lazuli IT is a Stone of a Sky colour the best of them have spots in them like stars of gold and are found in Gold Mines being given inwardly they purge Melancholly notably So they do meanly being carried about one they make the bearer of them merry fortunate and rich Dioscorides Cardanus Med. Florentini 27. Blatta Bizantia BEing beaten into powder and snuffed up into the Nose helps the fits of the Mother and such as have the Falling sickness being taken inwardly it looseneth the Belly Dioscorides Medici Coloniensis 28. Pearls PEarls help trembling in Old men Convulsions and Frenzies preserve the body sound and restore lost health both amend and increase milk in Nurses correct the seed and failings in the parts of generation helps eating Ulcers Cankers and the Hemorrhoydes Dardanus Wicker 29. Corral OF Corral there are three sorts Black White Red the first is most rare the second most common the third most excellent Let a Childe newly born take ten grains of Red Corral in powder in a little Breast Milk before it taste any other food and it will never have the Falling-sickness Generally it takes away all inward griefs restores weak and sick bodies by strengthning the heart resisteth all Diseases growing in children by strengthening nature cureth all Fluxes in Men Women and Children it stops blood flowing from any part it stops the Tearms in Women if they be immoderate else not and brings their bodies to good temperature Arnoldus Mathiolus Wicker 30. Turkey Stone THis Stone being worn in a Ring as sickness comes or death draws nigh so it loseth its lustre it looks perfectly blew in sickness pale a little before death perfect white and so it looks if brought neer to any Poyson This Treatise was revised and for want of time left to posterity without addition Nich. Culpeper Sol. 18. Aquar 1652. Doctor Diets DIRECTORY OR THE Physicians Vade Mecum OR Short but safe Rules to preserve Health in a Methodical way passing by the Impertinencies and Niceties of former Physicians treating onely of familiar and the most useful things in Diet such as chiefly nourish and continue Life BY Nich. Culpeper Gent. late Student in Physick and Astrology LONDON Printed for Nath. Brook at the Sign of the Angel in Cornhill 1659. Doctor DIETS Directory OR The Physicians Vade mecum OR Short but safe Rules to preserve Health in a Methodical way passing by the Impertinencies and Niceties of former Physicians treating onely of familiar and the most useful things in Diet such as chiefly nourish and continue Life Courteous Reader HAving to my no small grief observed what a stir and a pudder most Writers have made about Diet and there Common-place Practice I thought fit to reduce their tedious deviations into this Epitome that the diligent Student having recourse to these three Doctors Diet Reason and Experience might with the other assistance of the Doctors Dispensatory be so clearly informed as to rest ingeniously satisfied Nicholas Culpeper Of Diet. BY Diet is to be understood the ministring of Meat and Drink according to the accustomed natural ordering of it for the substance and temperature an exact order of it in labour Meat Drink Sleep and Venery There is none but if they rightly understand themselves but may in some respects be their own Physicians if they will but rightly consider of those things
accompanied with a loathing of meat frequent belchings and extream pains in the Reins The cause of this Stone is a gravelly and sandy constitution and immoderate heat of the Kidneys for the most part of a gross and slimy humor Those that are troubled with this Disease are loose bodied and do often vomit this Disease in old men is hardly cured The air where the Patient lives must be clear and bright his diet moderate he may drink small Wine he must avoid exercise his belly must be kept loose he may sleep more then ordinary his minde being free from perturbations Of thickness of Hearing SUch men as cannot understand a loud voice such men we say are deaf sometimes the cause of this effect is in it self sometimes by accident when as the Brain or Nerve through which this faculty is conveighed is hurt This Disease is known by the Patients complaints and answers this Disease is sometimes caused by the distemper of the Brain by gross or cold humors thrust into the ears and there fastned this Disease if it slowly increase in process of time brings with it an incureable deafness The air for the Patient to live in must be hot and dry he is to abstain as much as may be from meat especially from those that breed gross vapors his drink must be small Wine his exercise moderate his belly kept loose by art or nature Of Madness MAdness or Fury is an inflamation of melancholly to the great fierceness and alienation of the mind Such as have this Disease rage like beasts Madness differs from a Phrenzie as a Feaver is the companion of a Phrenzie from which madness is free the part affected is the Brain which doth appear by the hurt of the principal functions of the minde The signs of this disease are various sometimes laughing singing then sad fearful rash doating crying out threatning skipping leaping then serious c. This Disease doth chiefly arise from the distemper of the Brain from hot or melancholly humors so much sometimes dried up as to turn to black Choller sometimes by yellow Choller over-burnt or the boiling of the blood Young persons are most subject to it it is an ill sign if the Patient have no stomach a good if Ulcers arise in the face The air the person lives in must be temperate his diet liquid broths and moistners of the body his drink Barley-water by no means Wine except his disease came by fear moderate exercise more then usual sleep strangers must not see him Of Shortness of Breathing CAlled the Asthma it is a thick and a fast breathing without a Feaver such as is usual to them which run this disease often pestreth the Patient so that he cannot breath except he hold his neck streight up and if he lies down it almost choaks him in this distemper the Wind-pipes branches scattered into the Lungs distance are affected The Patient in this distemper findes a heaviness at his breast and feels a straitness and shrinkings coughs often and voids nothing in old men this disease is never cured hardly in young men The air the Patient breaths must be hot and dry he must forbear such meat as breed gross and slimy matter his exercises must be little his sleeps in the day time those in the night very moderate his mind not perturbed Of the Worms THis disease is for the most part caused by the stopping of the passages of the vessels through which the Gall is conveyed from the Liver and Spleen into the Bowels by reason of gross humors which do heat the Liver and generate plenty of Gall therein these Worms which do breed in the Bowels are called Lumbrici or Belly Worms there are others which are called Ascarides like to Mites which breed in rotten Cheese It is evident that Worms are of several kindes as they breed in many parts of the body in rotten Ulcers in Teeth in Ears and Kidneys but the Guts are for the most affected Those that are troubled with the Ascarides have an extream itch in their fundament and narrow Guts have a desire to go often to the stool after they have voided somewhat they are not so much troubled The cause of worms commonly is rottenness or gross Phlegmy and slimy matter apt to corrupt with a putrefying heat which accompanies all these which doth prepare this matter and then it is wrought by the perfusion of natural heat which gives life to the Worms many persons of age and stature have slighted the Worms till their Guts have been fretted and brought into danger of death For the remedy the air must be temperate the meat such as breed good Juyce Let the Patient eat largely or else the Worms will gnaw their Gutts for wants of sustenance the excrements of the Belly must be kept loose Of the Plague THe Plague is caused by unusual and pernicious putrefaction sometimes the constitution of the body is so different from the natural temperature that it is altogether changed into a pernicious and poysonous quality This disease is sometimes caused by corrupt and poysonous exhalations by Carrion by the evil influence of the Stars which is then the immediate hand of God and properly called the pestilence when it proceeds from outward causes 't is called a pestilent Feaver or the Plague the air infected first gets into the heart the air being subtle thin and apt to get into the pores it first infects the Genital Spirits then the Radical Moisture at last the whole substance of the body This disease first begins to discover it self by the Patients unquietness loss of his appetite the members dull and heavy the head aking the stomach pained the spirits decayed strength failing especially the Vital with many other Symptomes except the disease be supernatural and then the signs are so gentle that they can scarcely be perceived the infected air which is a great cause doth not onely weaken the humors and spirits of the body but also the sollid substance of the heart The Plague of all other diseases is most dangerous for although the signs are good yet suddenly the Patient dies the danger is the greater if no Pushes or Carbuncles break forth it is also as dangerous if they break and run in again this disease is consummated and brought to its full ripeness in four and twenty hours if a cold sweat arise on the body the face and eyes look black the spirits are cast down extraordinarily and the Patients excrements that are voided diversly coloured it is a sign of death The air must be rectified by sweet perfumes every day they must not be spared At the beginning of the disease the diet must be cooling the sleep short for by long sleeping the corrupt matter turns again to the heart Venery must be eschewed the belly kept loose and the minde freed from all careful perturbations Catarracta or Suffusion IS when the sight is by little and little dulled by a slimy humor frozen from Ice and droping over the eyes
shall onely treat of that pain that doth follow asharp disease by the inflamation of the inner skin for if the inflamation be in the outward Muscles or if the pain be great because of windiness this is but a basterd Pleurisie and the Patient is without a Feaver The signs of this disease besides the difficulty of breathing and a vehement Cough is a pricking pain which plainly doth demonstrate that the membranes and some other tender parts are affected this pricking pain sometimes spreads it self over the sides and breast sometimes to the short Ribs to the Channel-bone of the Throat so that the Patient is forced to breath short and thick also there is a continual Feaver because the inflamation doth border on the heart the Pulse is thick not too great hard and unequal and by that means tough and like to a saw a cough also cometh withal the first day and then nothing cometh at length spettle is voided and comes up coloured according to the nature of the excrements and it is also moister there are many other signs the cause for the most part is blood running from the hollow Veins into the Ribs thin Veins sometimes it is caused by Phlegmy blood and then the disease is longer of continuance and the spettle frothy and white sometimes the blood is Chollerick and then a sharper disease is caused The suppression of the Hemrhoides or monethly tearms will cause a Pleurisie this disease is dangerous to old men to Women with childe and such as have been sick twice or thrice of it it vexes the Patient more in the night then day time whosoever is sick of a Pleurisie and is not cleansed in fourteen dayes they turn to supuratiâ—â— This disease kills by choaking or too mâ—ch pain or by the translation of the matter into the Lungs whereby the Consumption of them is caused and also Ulcers The air the Patient lives in must be temperate somewhat inclining to heat his meat easie of digestion he is not to drink Wine till the disease be abated he may be permitted longer then ordinary sleep his belly must be kept loose Of the Bleeding at the Nose THe Bleeding at the nose called Hemorrhagia doth signifie a Bleeding at the Nose whether it doth come immediately from the Nostrills carried thither by the Veins of the palate through which for the most part nature doth expel the superfluous blood of many or else whether it comes from the Veins of the Head further off but in general it doth signifie any bleeding whether it be of Nose Womb or any other part of the body when blood comes forth moderately in the beginning of a Pleurisie Impostume Squinancy Burning Feaver Small Poxs it is alwayes for the best yet this Bleeding in some other diseases is Critical foreshewing death the Nostrills are chiefly affected but not alwayes the essence of the Nostrils but they are affected by the consent of some other part the Veins by which this blood is cast out at the Nose run from the palate and Mouth into the Nostrills and sometimes from the head when too much blood is voided the colour of the face waxeth pale the body is of a leaden colour the outward parts are cold and a swooning follows and many times after death Oftentimes bleeding at the Nose is caused by nature which doth by this means expel the excrements and which is troublesome to the body Sometimes it is caused by the evil affection of the Veins wherein the blood is contained and the blood runs out of the Veins the Veins being opened by the plenty of blood which they could not contain There are sundry other causes If bleeding have continued long swooning weakness and too much cooling of the Liver Lachexia or the Dropsie is to be feared Bleeding at the Nose without coldness of the outwards parts is mortal The air the Patient should live in must be somewhat cold his meat must be such as doth nourish well and easie of digestion he must avoid exercise and speak little he must avoid all passions of the minde especially anger Of the Falling-sickness THe Falling-sickness is a Convulsion of all the parts of the body not continual but that which cometh by distances of time the minde and senses being thereby hurt This disease doth either happen when the brain hath the cause of the disease in it self which is usual or by the evil effect of the mouth of the stomach or from some other part underneath by which the venemous effect creepeth into the brain through secret passages the Patient feels the cause of this Disease like a vapour of cold winde to be carried to the brain by the continuity of the other parts from the part of the body wherein the Disease is chiefly seated the cause of this Disease being for the most part a venomous vapour carried up from some lower part of the body into the brain and then the Patient doth suddenly fall with a Convulsion The brain is the part affected either by it self or by the consent of the stomach or by some other parts The fit comes oftentimes suddenly with much foam which because it is slimy may be drawn out at length yet in a gentler Falling-sickness this doth not appear when the Patient is deprived of his senses he falls to the ground with a violent shaking of his body his face is wrested his eyes turned upwards his chin somewhat driven to his shoulder and oftentimes he voids seed and ordure against his will his Muscles are loosened all these are signs of a strong fâ—t Sometimes their teeth are so fast closed together that they are in danger of stifling paleness of the face inordinate motion of the tongue pain and heaviness of the head forgetfulness sadness troublesome dreams are ushers to this Disease the Patient being taken with a giddiness sometimes darkness and divers dim glisterings appear before his eyes This Disease is for the most part caused by abundance of melancholâ—ck and phlegmatick humors from whence corâ—upt venomous and stinking vapors break out whereby obstructions are caused in the passages â—f the brain and the passages of the spirits are â—â—ereby hindred by this means the brain and the roots of the Sinnews shrink and as it were tremble in the expelling of that which is obnoxious whether it be vapor or humor This disease frequents children because they are of a moister brain then yong men next to these men oâ— a full growth and old men least of all This Disease is more incident to men then women and usually it doth stick close to the Patient unless it be taken away by medicines in the minority If the Disease be vehement and come often on the Patient it is incurable but if a quartane Ague or any longer Feaver surprize him iâ— portends health The air wherein the Patienâ— lives must be hot and dry his meat mixed with such things as do dissolve and extenuate the humors exercise of the body and frication of thâ— head are prevalent