Petrus de ebaâ—o The passion of the mind called dread or feare is whan the bloud and sprites be drawen inwardlye and maketh the outwarde partes pale trimblinge â—o this by sides pitiful experieÌ„s Haliabas Galen and Aristotel do witâ—es the same The suddayn passion of ioye or gladnes is clene contrary to feare For the harte â—endeth fourth y e spiritual bloud â—hyche in weake persons the arte can neuer recouer agayne â—ut death incontinent as Galen â—yth and as we maye se by exâ—erience As in the metinge of â—en and there wyues ChildreÌ„â—nd there parentes which ether â—y pryson or banyshment were â—ythoute al hope euer to se eche â—ther and in ioye of metynge the delating spreding of y e hart bloud haue caste the bodye into swoninge And thus my frende Iohn I do coÌ„clude vpon certeyn affections of the mind wisshing doctor diat quiat mery man to helpe the whan thou shalt nede For mirth is beloued of musicions plesante birdes fisshes as the Dolphin What is mirth honestly vsed an image of heueÌ„ A great lordshippe to a poore maÌ„ and preseruer of nature Salomon sayth Non est oblectatio super cordis gaudium c. And yet I saie THe Ireful man is euer a thall The ioyful minde is happest of al. Zele burne lyke flames of fiere Whan honest mirth haue his desyre Loue well mirth but wrath dispise This is the counsell of all the wyse ¶ Iohn I Wold very fayne knowe the natures of sorten simples and first what is worme wood ¶ Humfrey A CoÌ„mon knowen herbe it is of diuers kindes as PoÌ„ticum Romanum c. It is hote in the first drye in the seconde degre and it is very bitter and beinge â—ried kepeth clothes frome worâ—es and mothes and the sirope â—hereof eaten before wyne preâ—erueth men frome dronkennes â—f it be sodden in vineger it will â—elpe y e sores that bredes in the â—ares being laid warme vppon â—t is good to be dronke agaynste Appoplexia Opthalmia Which is 〈◊〉 sicknes of the eye is greatlye â—elped with the wormwood if it â—e stamped made luke warme â—yth rosewater and layed vpon â—he eye and couered with a clene â—yked walnut shel the sirope helâ—eth the bloudie flixe it doeth â—elp a cold stomack if it be droÌ„ke tenne daies together euery morninge two sponfull of the sirope is good against the dropsie euery daye dronke two ounces fastinge and thus saythe Auicen figges cocle wormwood nitur stamped together and made in a plaister is good agaynst the disease of the splen and also killeth wormes in the bellye vsed in the foresayde maner one drame of the powder maye be dronke at once in wine it haith many moo godlie vertues ¶ Iohn What is y t propeties of Anes seedes ¶ Humfrey IT is much like vnto fenel sede and is called Romane fenel that is warme and swete and hote in the seconde and drye in the third degre the newe sedes is y e beste It ingendereth vitall sede openeth the stoppinge of the raynes and matrixe being dronke with Tysantes or clene temperate vine ¶ Iohn What thinkest thou of mouse eare ¶ Humfrey AN herbe comenlye knowen colde and moiste in the firste â—egre as Gallen sayth the decocâ—ion of this herbe sodden in waâ—er with suger is good againste â—he falling sickenes being often â—imes dronke put a lefe therof â—nto the nose it wil prouoke sterâ—utation or nesinge which wonâ—erfullie doth clense the vayns ¶ Iohn 〈◊〉 wold fayne knowe what is Chyken â—ede ¶ Humfrey ALmoste euery ignorant woman doth knowe this herbe but theyr be of it diuers kindes they bee verye good to keepe wouÌ„des from impostumations stamped and applied vnto them and draweth corruption out of wouÌ„des and sodden with vineger doth draue fleume out of the head if it be often warme put into the mouthe and spit it oute agayne In this same maner it helpeth the teath and soden in wine and so dronke it will clense the reignes of the backe ¶ Iohn VVhat is Sorrell might I knowe of the and the propertie therof ¶ Humfrey THy Coke dothe righte well knowe it and all they that make grene sauce but y e discription I leue to Dioscorides and Leonard futchius not onlye in thys herbe but in al other and to tell tell thee the vertue I will it is colde and drie in the seconde degree it also stoppeth it is like on diue in propertie because it ouer commeth choler and is muche commended it helpeth the yelow iaundis if it be droÌ„ke with small wyne or ale and also quencheth burning feuers to eate of the leues euery morning in a pestileÌ„ce time is moste holsome it they be eaten fasting This herbe doeth Dioscorides Galen and Auicen greatly commende besides the greate learned men of this tyme. ¶ Iohn What is Planten or Waybrede ¶ Humfrey THe greater Planten is the better it hathe seuen greate vaynes it is cold drie the seede of it droÌ„ke with read wyne stoppeth the bloudie flixe the rootes sodden and dronke in wyne stoppeth the bloudy Flixe the rootes and leaues beinge sodden with sweate water and with Suger or borage water and geuen to hym that hath an Ague either tertian or quartaine two houres afore his fitte proue this for thus haue I helped many it is verye comfortable for chyldren that haue great Flixes Agues and is a friende vnto the lyuer this herbe is greatlye praysed of the Doctours ¶ Iohn VVhat is Camomill and the operation thereof ¶ Humfrey THis herbe is very hoat it is dronke against cold windes and rawe matter beinge in the guttes the Egiptians did suppose it woulde helpe all colde Agues and did consecrate it to the sunne as Galen saieth Also if it be tempered and streined into white wyne and dronke of women hauing y e childe dead within the body it will cause present deliuerance it dooeth mightelie clense the bladder and is excellent to be soddeÌ„ in water to wash the feete the oyle is precious as is declared hereafter ¶ Iohn HOppes be well beloued of the beer brewers howe dooe the Phisiâ—ions saye to them ¶ Humfrey THere be whiche doth coole be called Lupilum those that we haue be hote and drie bitter sower hote saith old herbals And â—ucchius saith thei clense fleume â—holer and y e water betwene the skin and fleshe the sirupes wyll clense grosse rawe fleume from y e guttes and is good agaynst obstructioÌ„s sodden If the iuice be dropped in the eare it taketh the stinke away of rotten sores the rootes will helpe the lyuer and splene beyng sodden and droÌ„ke the beer is very good for flegmatike men ¶ Iohn What is Sage for that I loue well ¶ Humfrey THere be two kindes of sage they be herbes of health and therfore they be called Saluia this herbe is hote dry prouoketh vrine clenseth y e matrix stoppeth the bloud in a wouÌ„de If
of the flowers be plesaunte the oyle that is made of this herbe haue vertue to bring quiet slepes to them which haue greuous hote paine in the hed Ihon. VVhat is the vertue of the pleasant white Lilly Humfray DIoscorides saith that the Oyle of Lillies doothe mollifye the Sinnewes and the mouthe of the Matrixe the Iuse of Lillies vineger and Honnye sodden in a brasen Vessell doth make an ointment to heale both newe aud olde woundes If the roote be rosted and stamped with Roses it maketh a healing plaister against burning of fier the same rote rosted hath vertue to breake a Pestilence sore applied hoate vnto the sore place is drie in y e first degre The oile of water Lilies be moiste sufferent against all hoate diseases to anointe the ardent places and doth reconcile quiet sleepe if the forehead be anoynted therewith Iohn IN the time of the pestilence my wyfe maketh me a medicine of an herbe called Centauri doth she well or not Humfrey PLini saieth that the Sirupe of this herbe dronke with a litle vineger and salte doth clense the body The leaues and flowers be of great vertue to be sodden dronke against al rawe humors of grose sieume watry or windy it doeth clense cruent or bloudy matter within the bodies of men or women The pouder of this herbe is good in pessaries for women causing the dead childe to departe from the mother and is holsome against the pestilence in the time of wynter and is hoat and drie Iohn VVe beutifie and make pleasaunte our wyndowes with Rosemary vsyng it for small other purposes Humfrey ROsemary is an herbe of gret vertue hoate and drie soddeÌ„ in wyne and droÌ„ke before meat it doth heale the kinges euill or paynes in the throte as Dioscorides and Galen sayeth the sauour of it doth comforte the brayne and harte y â— flowers of Rosemary is an excelleÌ„t cordial called Anthos Ihon. IS pulial royal an herbe of anye valewe or a wede of contemption Humfrey IT is an herbe of muche vertue and profite hote and dry in the thirde degre Diascorides saithe if this herbe be sodden with honnye and Aloes and droncke it wil clense the liuer and pourge the bloud most chiefly it helpeth the lunges Simeon Sethi saithe if womeÌ„ drinke it with white wine It wil prouoke and cleanse the termes menstrual and is a very holsome pot herbe Ihon. What saist thou vnto Muslarde Humfrey PLinius dothe greatlye lawd it saiyng that there is nothing that dothe pearse more swiftlier into the braine then it doth Hony vineger and mustarde tempered together is an excellente gargarisma to purge the head teethe and throte Mustarde is good againste al the diseases of the stomacke or lunges winde â—leume and rawnes of the guts and conduceth meat into the body prouoketh vrine helpeth the â—alsye waisteth the quartaine â—rieth vp moiste rumes applied plaster wise vnto y e head Hony and mustard helpeth the cough and is good for them that haue â—he fallinge sicknesse notwithstandinge the coÌ„mon vse of mustard is an enemy to y e eie Many more vertues haue I reade of mustarde but the occasion of â—ime hathe vnhappilye preuened not onlye my large discriptioÌ„ 〈◊〉 this but also in manye other â—mples whyche heareafter I entende largely to wryte vpon if it please God to permit me Iohn Thei say that Buglos is very holsom Humfrey IT is an herbe moste temperate betwene hoate and colde of an excellent vertue a comforter of y t harte a purger of Melancoly a quieter of the Frencie a purger of the vrine holsome to be droÌ„kâ— in wyne but moste effectuall in sit 〈◊〉 Dioscorides and Galen doet greatly commende this herbe that doth dayly experience wel proue Iohn What is thy mynde of swete Basell â–ª Humfrey THis herbe is warme in the sconde degre hauing the vertue of moistues and if it be soddâ— in wyne with Spicenarde droÌ„ke it is good agaynste dropsyes windes fleume coldnesse of the hart hardnesse of the stomacke the sauoure of Basill doth comfort the braine and hart the vse of this herbe in meates doth decay the sight Ihon. The plaine people of the country will say that those flowers which be pleasaunt in smellinge be oftentimes vnholesome in working the rose is pleasaunte in sence what is it in vertue Humfray IT hath an odour most plesaÌ„t hath vertue to cole and binde The water is good to make Manus Christe many other goodly cordialles Roses and vineger applied vnto the foreheade do bringe slepe conserue of Roses haue vertue to quench burning choller and to stay the rage of a a hoote feuer oyle of Roses Vineger and the white of an egge beaten together doth not onlye quenche sacra igms but also bring a madde man into quietnesse if hys foreheade be well annointed therwith after the recept of Pilles of chochi in the time of the pestilence there is nothinge more coÌ„fortable then the sauor of Roses ¶ Iohn What saist thou of Sauery ¶ Humfrey IT is hote and dry in the thirde degree if the greene hearbe be sodden in water or white wine and dronke these be his vertues to make the liuer soft to cleanse dropsies coulde choughes clenseth womens diseases and seperateth the deade childe from the mother as Diascorides and Galen â–ª saith also Germander is not much vnlike the vertue of this herbe Iohn BVt for troublinge of you I woulde be glad to knowe youre minde of Time and a fewe of other hearbes Humfrey IT is vehamente of heat with drinesse in the thirde degree Diascorides saith if it be dronke with vineger and salte it pourgeth fleume sodden with honny or meide it hathe vertue to cleanse the lunges breaste matrix rains and bladder killeth wormes Iohn VVhat saiste thou of Parslye and Saxifrage Humfrey THey haue vertue to breake the stone Parslye is hote in the seconde degree and drye in the middest of y e third The sede dronke with whyte wine prouoketh the menstruall termes as Diascorides saithe also smalledge hathe the like vertue ¶ Iohn VVhat is thy iudgemente of Liuerworte ¶ Humfrey IT hathe vertue to cleanse and coole Dioscorides saithe it dothe heale the woundes of the liuer and quencheth the extreme heat thereof tempered with honnye and eaten dothe healpe a disease called regius morbus and pains of the throte and lunges Iohn What is Bettony ¶ Humfrey THey be of diuers kindes Leonardus futchius doothe call the sweete Gilliuers by the names of Bettonye but the one semeth to talcke of that whiche is commonlye knowne of the people called the lande Bettony which hathe the vertue to kill wormes within the bellye and healpeth the quarteine cleanseth the matrixe and hathe the vertue to heale the bodye within If it be brused it is of greate effecte if it be sodden with worme wodde in white wine to purge fleume and is hote in the first degre dri in the
but waterie not ayre but airie not fire but firie But the things whiche man do fele be the foure Elementes as earth aire fier water And these be y e vttermost simples of complexions diuersly specially alone of theim selues or mingled with other takinge sundrie and diuers effectes maners condicions formes qualities both in man and beast and euery liuing thinge sensible and insensible ¶ Iohn VVhat is the coÌ„plexions of the foure quarters of the yeare and names of the signes ¶ Humfrey THe spryng time when bloud doth increase Sommer wheÌ„ read coller doeth rewle Heruest when coller aduste or melancoly doth reigne Wynter when fleme doth abounde in full strengthe It is called wynter from the .xii. day of December vnto the tenth daie of Marche This season is colde moiste it is called spring time froÌ„ the .xii. day of Marche and endeth about the .xii. day of Iune SoÌ„mer beginneth about the .xii. day of Iune and endeth about the .xii. day of SepteÌ„ber Autumne or Heruest beginneth about the .xiii. daie of September and endeth about the .xi. daie of December Capricornus Aquarius and Pisces be winter signes Aries Taurus and Gemini be signes for the springe Cancer Leo and virgo beo the signes for SoÌ„mer Libra Scorpio and Sagitari be the signes for Haruest And y e sunne goeth through all these .xii. signes in xii monethes And the Moone goeth .xii. times through eche of the forsayde signes ones in the yeare and do take sondry effectes in man beates and frutes in the sayd signes hote or cold moist or drye ¶ Iohn VVhat bee the complexions of medicines ¶ Humfrey THose thynges that ouercommeth and gouerne the bodye as purgacions expulciues c. These be called medicines and those thinges that norysheth and augmenteth the bodye be called meates For the complexions of meates medicines be knowen by their tastes as coldnes hootnes moistnes Drynes bitternes saltnes swetenes fatnes sharpenes stiptick and clammy And because thy requeste is to haue prescribed vnto thee but only a litle gouernement of health I wyll showe vnto thee another of my litle songs in plain metre howe thou shalt knowe meates and medicines by their tastes ¶ Iohn THat is my chiefe desire I wyll beare thee saye on ¶ Humfrey COlde quencheth the collers pride Moist humecteth y t whiche is dried The flowing moister be proffe I trie Is wasted of humors hote and drie The subtill fode that is persing quicke The clammy meates maketh it thicke Bitter thinges clense and wypith ofte And expelslem and maketh softe Salt drieth and resolueth fleme tough Fat norisheth and make subtil inough Stiptick or rough taste on the tonge Bindeth and coÌ„fouteth appetite long Swete things in clensing is very good â—t desolueth much norisheth blod These things wel vsed nature wilplease But abusing theÌ„ beastly briÌ„geth disease ¶ Iohn â—N good faithe me thinke thou sayest 〈◊〉 wel for there apere perfit reasons in â—hese thy prety rules Nowe thou hast declared vnto mee the signes of complexions of men with the waye and â—pte knowledge of meates by theyr astes I would fayne learne shortelye â—he tempramentis and complexions of mankynde ¶ Humfrey THere was neuer no discrete nor wyse phisicioÌ„ that either feared God or pitied mankynde or loued his own honestie wold take in hande either to prescribe diet or to minister medicine to any body before be well did consider and wysely weye with him selfe the temprament mixture or complexion of mankinde Fyrste whether he were hoote or colde moist or drie fat or leane or indifferent betwene them bothe Tempored by health or distempored by sickenesse as the extremities of hootnes coldnes moistnes and drienes Therefore Iohn these thinges may not bee forgotteÌ„ you must note also the foure ages of mankinde fyrst the tender state of childreÌ„ which beginneth at the birth and so coÌ„tinueth vntill fiftene yeares next after their said byrth Their tempramentes or complexions bee hoote and moiste very like vnto the seede wherof they be proceaâ—ed then next vnto childhode or innocent age Youth which is the seconde part of life beginneth to â—eigne his temprament or complexion hathe rather more fyrie â—eate then perfite naturall heat and this second age continueth or tenne yeares as Galen saieth â—ell in this two firste states of yfe let al natural fathers moâ—ers bring vp their youth sette GOD before their eyes for they â—aue no small charge committed â—nto theim that muste geue acâ—mpte to God howe they haue brought vp their children they 〈◊〉 in these yeares do spare corâ—â—ction truely be greuous enemies vnto their children and at laste shalbe recompensed with shame when they shall se misfortune and wretchednes fall vpon the frutes of their owne seedes For meÌ„ haue smal profit of their corne whiche bee choked ouercome with thistels bryeres and brakes whiche were not weeded in time muche lesse of their children whiche haue receaued neyther correction nor honest learnyng in due season If y e kepers of gardeins be careful ouer their late soweÌ„ sedes tender herbes whiche are in daunger to bee destroied of euerye froste What shoulde good fathers mothers do for their children whose tender and youthfull yeares bee caried away ouercoÌ„med of euery foolishe fantasie and it is no meâ—â—uayle But this shall suffise for the wyse and smally profite the fooles but to my matter whiche I toke in hande I will returne vnto the thirde age of mankynd which is called the lusty state of â—yfe and beginneth at .xxv. yeres and continueth vnto xxxv This age is hoote and drie and verye collericke as Galene saieth This parte of life is subiect to manye burnyng and extreme feuers â—oote vlcers therfore it is necessary to knowe this temprament or coÌ„plexion which is called collericke as plainely may appeare by age strength diet vrine c. This is the beste tyme for mankynde to trauell in with godlye exercise in science arte and profitable trauelles in his vocatioÌ„ puttinge in practise the vertues whiche he hath learned in youth for this is the sommer parte of life wherin all goodlye frutes 〈◊〉 florishe in euery good ocupacioÌ„ â–ª This is the very heruest to gaâ— the precious corne and frute 〈◊〉 their labours againste the colde stormes cloudie daies of their aged wynter wherein the bodie shalbe weake and the eies syghâ— decaye and the handes trimble and therfore it is not comelye 〈◊〉 see the state of age without rest whiche in the tyme of youth diâ— honestly trauell For there is 〈◊〉 grace geuen to many creatureâ— vnreasonable bothe beastes and foules to make prouision before hande what is then to be required of men reasonable as foloweth in these verses THe bird in time her nest can make The bee will buyld his house ful 〈◊〉 The Crane with stone in fote wil wake The Cony will carue vnder the myne The Squirel in trees her nuts can kepe Against colde winter
good the pouder therof to be dronke is moste of effect against the pestilence excepte Methredatum It is good against poyson winde chollericke and colde passions of the harts and doth restrain vometes The weight of eight granes doth suffice to be dronke in ale or wyne vpon an empty stomacke ¶ Iohn What is Sinamon Humfrey DIoscorides dooeth saie there be many kindes of Sinamon but generally their vertue is this to helpe dropsies windes or stopping of the lyuer and is hoate drie in the thirde degre Ihon. VVhat is Cassia fistula Seneca and Rewbarbe Humfrey CAssia fistula if the Caane be heuie the cassia within blacke and shining that is good cassia if this be drawen new out of the caane halfe an ounce or more at one time mingled with suger and eaten of a fastinge stomacke in the morning it hath power to purge choller to cleÌ„se the raines of the backe it will frete and consume the stone it purgeth verye easely and is pleasant in taking may be taken of children weke women and sicke meÌ„ in the time of their feuers y e accesse of their fyttes eccepted Rhabarbe do purge yellowe coller by him self two or thre drames may be takeÌ„ or a litle more so that there be a drame of spicanarde or sinamon put vnto it In sommer to drinke it with whay In wynter with white wine but y e cleane yellowe rubarbe sliced and put into infution all the nighte with whaye whyte wyne or Endiue water and streyne it in the mornynge doth greately purge the bloude and lyuer three or foure drames with spicanarde a dram or more Seene Alexandria if it bee sodden in the broth of a cocke or a henne doeth purge the bloude and melancoly very gently and comfort the hart One ouÌ„ce of the cleane small leaues of seene withoute codes or stalkes halfe a quarter of one ounce of ginger twelue cloues finkle seede two drames or els twoo drames of sinamon tartar halfe a drame beaten all together in pouder These dooe purge the head mightely to bee taken before supper y e weighte of one drame in a litle white wine ¶ Iohn I woulde bee glad to learne the vertue of Aloes Humfrey THere be two kindes of aloes one is named Succotrina which is lyke a lyuer cleare brittle bitter collered betwene read and yellowe this is best for medicines 〈◊〉 little of this beinge tempered with Rose water being put vnto the eyes helpeth the droppyng watery eies Also it is put in many excellent medicines laxatiue as safron myrre aloes mingled together In the forme of pilles is the most excellent medicine against the pestileÌ„ce as it is written in this book folowing Honye and aloes mingled together doe take away the markes of stripes and also doth mundify sores and vlcers it doth clense the aboundaunce of cholere fleume from the stomacke It is not good to be taken in winter for Auicen dothe forbid it but in the springe time or haruest the pouder therof The weight of a freÌ„ch crown mingled with the water of honie or meade and so droncke in the morninge it dothe clense bothe choller and flewme There is an other grose aloes which is good for horse tempored with ale and ministred aswell to other great beastes as horses the weight of halfe Anounce and thus muche haue I said of Aloes but if aloes be clene washed it is the holsomer manye vnwasshed Aloes wil cause emeroydes Iohn IS the Safron that growe in England as good as that that come from the other syde of the Sea Humfrey OVr English hony Safron is beter theÌ„ any that cometh froÌ„ aniother strang or foren laÌ„d But to thy question of Safron it haue vertue ether in bread or potage to make the hearte glad it warme the body it preserueth froÌ„ droÌ„knes droÌ„ke in ale or wine prouoketh actes venerus inducith slepe purgeth vryn Mirh a loes saffroÌ„ maketh an excelent pil against y t pestilens two peny waght of safron powder roosted with the yolke of an egge very hard and the sayd yoke beaten in powder twelf graynes drinke a morninges is good agaynst the pestileÌ„ce Safron planten Iuiry soddeÌ„ The dicoction drinke helpeth the yellow Iaunders it is drye in the firste degre haue vertue to restrayne Iohn VVe playne men in y t countrie dwel far from great Cities our wyues and children be often sicke at deaths dore we can not tell what shifte to make we haue no acquantance with y â— a apothicaris comonly we send for aquaÌ„titie or mamsey what so euer out diseases be these be our comoÌ„ medicine or else we send for a boxe of triakle when these medicines faile vs we cause a great posset to be made and drynke vp the drinke thinkest thou these medicines be not good ¶ Humfrey FOr lacke of medicine God helpeth the people oftentimes by myracle or els a great number of men should pearish But because the almightye God hath couered the whole face of the earth wyth many precious simples wherof riche coÌ„possions be made Therfore be nether so rude nor barbarous to thincke these medicines good that thou hast rehersed for al diseases although not hurtful to some but because many do receiue more mischiefe then medicine in counterfaite treacles I shal rehearse vnto thee what Valerius Cordus and other doth write vppon the vertue of the precious triacle called Metridatum Iohn I Woulde be glad to heare of that precious triacle and his vertues ¶ Humfrey THis excellent triacle Methridâ—tum is nexte in qualitye and vertue to Theriaca do differ but little but onely Theriacha is a little hotter and stronger againste venyme of Snakes edders and serpentes It helpeth all paines of the head of men or women if it come of colde most chiefly of melancholye and feare It helpeth megreme fallynge sickenes and all paines of the forehead droppynge of eyes It helpeth tothe-ach paines of the mouth chekes if it be put in maner of a plaister or els anointe the pained place It helpeth pains of the throte called Squinance and also coughe appoplextia and passion of the lunges and many greuous dollers and paynes within the body dronk with the decoction of the flowers of pomgranetes or planten it helpeth and stoppeth flixes in the Ilias long gutes windes or collick The extention or cramps be helped very much with this MetridatuÌ„ droÌ„ken wyth stilled watters Palses sickenessis in the midriffe the liuerrayns bledder be clensed therby it prouoketh the menstruall termes in women being dronke with possit ale If Isope or iermaÌ„der be sodden in the sayd ale it is excellent agaynste the pestilence or poysone If it be dronke but a litle quaÌ„titie therof accordinge to the disease strength or adge of the persone It is verye good against the stone or for wemen which haue a newe disease peraccidentes called the grene syckenes there is nothinge better against the bitinge of a mad dogge then to