sixteen take it oftener in the day time And likewise take three thin rashers or slices of Martelmass-beef And put these three slices of Beef upon the Chaffing-dish of coals and the Caffing dish into a close stool and so it over it and this is so strong and of such vertue that it will go quite through the body when you breath you will tast the sent of it in your mouth do this often and with the help of God you will not miss of the cure The Author of this book hath cured them that hath been far and near before and could get no help and this hath cured them Probatum est An excellent way to cure desperate bleeding at Nose IF you be passing along on the high way and 〈◊〉 bleed at Nose by reason of heat of travel or by the heat of the Sun take green nettles or the roots and bruise them and put them to your Nose and snuf up the juice or sent into your head and this will stop it but if you be at home and at no hard work or labour and your Nose do fall a bleeding take the herb above mentioned and apply first to the Nose and if that will not stop it tie thy left finger for thy right nostril and thy right finger for thy left nostril if an occasion serve tie both if that will not do let the party lie down backward and have a cloath dipt in fair spring water and applie to the private parts of the body 〈◊〉 mean to lay it close too If that will not do take a toad dried in the sun and lay it on the bare chest of man or woman if the party be a little fearful as some maids are to loose their maidenheads but very few wrap the toad in a fine thin white rag and if it be for a woman or maid they will like it the better my reason is the female sex delighteth in clean linnen But friends whosoever you are that makes use of this book these rules before mentioned will not fail you in time of need Probatum est A rare way to cure the Spleen or stiches in the side TAke black double refined Rosin it is clear like glass when you hold it against the light take a little quantity of it a time and beat it to a powder and take up as much of the powder at a time as willie upon a four peny piece called a groat and put it into a quarter of a pint of sack or strong beer or ale and drink it quick and it will give you ease immediately after you have taken it and it will cause you to break wind immediately and give you case and this helpeth either man or woman at a convenient time with speed Probatum est Here is a sure and speedy way to cure the Plurisie in man woman or child THE impediment of the Plurisie is desperate and will kill either man woman or child without they have a speedy remedy but this which I shall here prescribe it is most certain and true Take Stone-horse dung press forth the juice of it and take one spoonful of it and two spoonfuls of Aniseed water and stir them together in a little earthen cup or porringer and let the â—arty drink it up presently and it will give them ease and taking of it three times one after another it cureth either man woman or child of a Plurisie speedily without leting blood Probatum est A most sure and speedy way to cure children of the worms TAke a handful of the young buds of Ashen-trees you may know them from any other buds for the outside shews as black as Seacoal take a handful of the buds before mentioned and a handful of unset Hysop and half a handful of wormwood mix these together and heat them very hot in a Fire-shovel or between two tyles then lay it to the childs belly as hot as the child may suffer it and bind it on with a cloath at night and let it lie till the morning and in the morning give the child three spoonfuls of new milk and put a little of the seeds of Worm-wood into it and bruise it before you put it into the milk and stir them together then give the child the milk and worm-seed stirred together the quantity of three spoonful I mean the seeds of the common worm-word that growes almost in every place this art cures children of the worms and cleanseth the body and causeth children to thrive very lustily after the taking of it Probatum est A fine art to cure and kill all manner of Warts that groweth on the hands of men women or children THere is an herb grows by the high wayside it is called Arssmart one sort of it hath a little black spot grows on it I judge that the Planet Saturn hath some influence over it but I mean the Arssmart that bears a green leafe and it bites if you bruise it and it toucheth any sore all you that have Warts bruise the herb and rub the Wart with it and this will kill all Warts whatsoever Frobatum est A rare way to cure the Ioynt-evil or other foul running sores TAke a handful of the buds of Broom and halfe a handful of Fenel and half a handful of Thime mother Thime or field Thime and half a handful of unset Hysop and a quarter of a handful of Balm and half a handful of Sage boyl these in five ale quarts of fair spring water until it be boyled to five pints and let it boyl gently over a wood fire and when it is cool put it into some manner of Vessel that will keep it closs as a small Firkin or closs Pitcher and take of this five spoonful in the morning and three at noon and five at night after supper This hath cured three or four in a house that have the disease they call the Kings-evil before his Majesty came into the Land and now it doth cure the Joynt-evil the Gout in the Joynts and other foul diseases in the body this hath cured several of these impediments that never could get any help before Probatum est A rare art to cure the Morbus Gallicus or the French Pox. IN he first place purge your self and that you may do and take but a dram of pulvus sanctus in halfe a pint of clear posset-drink and the quantity of five pints of clear posset-drink to to drink after and if you are of a stronger constitution take a dram of the extract of Rudi and make it into five or six pills acording as you can Swallow them and drink about five pints of good strong beer luke warme or as warm as milk from the Cow that you may easily do and set it against the fire now after purging your selfe do this take the barke of an Ashen tree and pare off the outside and take the middle bark as the Tanners do of Oake bark if it be winter dry your bark in an Oven but if it be
THE Countrymans Friend AND No circumventing Mountebanck But a rare method of Chyrurgery and physick teaching the country people excellent cures the like was never laid open in any age before Besides here are four arts three of them concerning horses and the fourth an art to keep a Field of corn from any manner of Fowles that devour grain this art is only by anointing a few Crow feathers for neither Pidgeon Sparrow Rook nor Crow will endure the Field where they stick By ABRAHAM MILES London printed for E. Andrews at the White Lyon neer Pye-corner 1662. The Epistle to the Reader FRiends whosoever you are that shall obtain the rules of my practice which are laid open to the view of people and not hid and kept close as it is the use of some Physitians and Chyrurgeons because they love darknes rather then light many people there are who are lost for want of help that have not a great deal of mony to give for a smal cure these corrupt wretches will in no wise help the sick nor the lame no more then Dives did help Lazarus in the time of his necessity if we would but regard we have the holy Scripture to enlighten our hearts to charity and to be pitiful-hearted one towards another Mat. 24. but we are in cruelty one towards another Sure the Judgment day is drawing near at hand is not this one of they most evident signs For as much saith he as iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold when did iniquity ever so abound when was the love of men ever so cold towards the poor how many now in so great a multitude do cloath the poor naked creatures of God with canvas and rugg they give shooes of silver and gold and set with rich stones to dumb Mahomets but who now giveth shooes of leather to the poor O too much unmercifulnes can these things escape unplagued remember well this saying is truth He that is well needs not the Physitian but he that is sick But they may be sick and recover as they can for any help they shal have without great store of mony to pay for the cure But here is an easie way for thee to work by to help thy self in time of necessity of any desperate impediment and at a very easie rate to help thee or thy friend and thou mayst gain both love and profit and the purer thou dost lead thy life the more God will bless that which thou doth undertake And these are the diseases a followeth in the next pages A Catalogue of the diseases cured in the Book following TO prevent sickness For convulsion fits For falling-sickness For corns in the feet For old sores For broken bellies For a Timpany For melancholy For the stone in the kidneys For the Stone-colick For the Rickets For the Thrush in the mouth For a Cancer in the mouth For a Quinzey or sore throat For difficultie of breath For a Rhume-Meager For hot watery rhumes in the eys For sore eys For a green wound For the running of the reins For the Falling of the Fundament For the bleeding at the Nose For the Spleen For a Plurisie For the Worms For the Warts For the Joynt-evil For the French Pox. For the Chin Cough For the Dropsie For the Wind-collick For a Wolf in the breast For the Itch. For to preserve a horse from any disease To cure a horse of the red water For to cure a horse of the Mourning of the Chine For to scare fowls that devour grain in the field The Country mans friend and no circumventing Mounte-bancke Here is a rare way to prevent any manner of sickness whatsoever TAke milk new from the Cow about the quantity of a halfe pint porringer full and if it be not warm enough of it self set it a little while upon some warm embers and then you must have the quantity of halfe a penny worth of Saffron tyed up in a little holland rag and that end of the rag as the Saffron lieth in dip it into the milk and squeez the end of the rag that it may drop into the milk so dip the Saffron rag into it six or seven times one after another every time you squeez the rag you must do it with your thumb and fore-finger and when you have so done lay your Saffron rag aside and put a spoonful of life hony into it and stir it with a spoon and when your honey is dissolved let the party that is ill drink it up and this take when they find themselves first amiss it prevents almost any desease and drives away evil humours from the heart and is a rare desensiive it prevents either Pox or Plague or any other cruel diseases taking this potion but three mornings and three evenings Probatum est A rare way to cure the convulsion Fits YOu that are troubled with convulsion fits observe this rule that it is the best time at the new of the Moon or after the full to begin to take any thing against the convulsion fits take your Elethergie of gold as much at a time as will lie on a groat after you have made it into a powder and put it into your broath into any manner of broath or milk or posset-drink always when you go to meals or to your diet And if the the party be curable this cureth either man woman or child in a short time Probarum est A certain and sure way to cure the falling-sick BEgin to take this which I shall prescribe here for the Falling sickness much about the same time as is above mentioned concerning the convulsion fits Let the party that is afflicted have a pye and three young Ravens baked in it or a pye with three young Jeas baked in it and let the party so afflicted eat of it three times a day a little quantity at a time take a handful of Sage red Sage and a quart of white Wine if you cannot have it take a quart of fair spring water and boyl the Sage in it very gently until it be boyled half away They take it off and set it a cooling and when it is cold put it into a glass and if you can have it put to it two grains of the Countess of Kents powder that you may have at the Apothecaries and when you go to use it you must shake the glass a little and drink the quantity of a quarter of a pint of it at a time in an evening this cured several of the Falling-sickness Probatum est A rare and easie way to cure corns in the feet IN the first place soak your corns in warm water that will soften them that you may cut them with ease spread a plaister of Flossunguentorum on a little thin bit of lambs leather And so many corns as you have make so many little plaisters to cover the places where the corns are the plaisters will stick fast and in one day it will soften them that you may
cut them at your ease then you must have a little unslact Lime and the best crown soap mixt together a little quantity of each will serve the turn then lay a little of this on each corn that is ready cut and open a Raisin of the Sun to lay over each place where you have laid your soap and Lime then wrap a linnen cloath about your foot and make it fast and this art kils the corn to the very root and makes a perfect cure Probatum est Here is a rare way to make a salve to cure old stinking sores Rotten and putrified as old sore legs loath som-like gouts or old sores in other parts of the body TAke the quantity of a wine pint of Sallet oyl and Linseed oyle and put them together then take a peny worth of red head and a peny worth of white Lead and a peny worth of soft sealing wax and a peny worth of verdigrease put these with the other oyles into a pot that is well leaded stir it about a little before you set it to the fire then you should have a spotellet it is at one end like a spad then your pot of salve being set to the fire you must stir it constantly it will change of several colours as it stands against the sire but when you preceive black spots arise in your salve then it begins to be enough stir constantly and when it is black all over and riseth all frothy it is enough then you must have a little bole or bason almost full of fair cold water to set the bottome of your salve pot into this is to cool the heat of the salve by setting the pot into the water and still you must keep it stirring until it be cold then it is ready for your use You may spread this salve upon dry oaken leaves or Primrose leaves or fine holland rags or fine writing paper and if the sore be very broad or long you may spread it on London brown paper and apply it to the sore There was of this salve sent to the Hospital and it cured such sores that the Cyhrurgeons did admire at the vertue of it proffered many peices of gold for the receipt of it But the authour of this book obtained the art in making this salve by keeping a gentleman company that used much to frequent the gentlemans house where this salve was made this hath cured sore legs that should have been cut off Probatum est Here is an excellent and rare way to cure broken-bellied children either male or female TAke half a handful of five-leaved grass and the roots with it and half a handful of comferry roots and half a handful of pollipodum and half a handful of Sallowmans seal Pollipodum is fearn that groweth in an Oak tree and halfe handful of knot grass and half a handful of webroad planten leaves boyl these in five quarts of the strongest wort of the first shot and let it boyl gently until it be boyled halfe away then take it off and set it a cooling and when you see time put barm yest or quickening to it call it what you will the thing is all one and when it is ready to tun as they do beer or ale put it up into a pitcher or two Jug bottles or what you have most convenient to keep it in you must give it room to work and afterwards keep it close from the air it will be the stronger If it be a young child give it this diet drink as often in the day time as the child will take it three spoonful at a time if the party be of riper years let them take it three times a day after breakfast after dinner and after supper the quantity of a quarter of a pint at a time then you must anoint the privy parts of the body twice a day with Oleum extrensi and you must have a Chaffing dish of coals stand neer to the broken place of the belly that the heat of the coals may dry in the ointment you must use but little of your ointment at a time and chafe it in with your hand very gently do this twice a day morning and evening then fold up a double cloath a linen cloath I mean heat it hot and lay to the place defected or if you will you may bruise a little hemp-seed and sew it up in a cloath like a little purse heat it hot and lay it flat upon the place tie it fast up with a swade and if you will lay the party to bed let the middle part of the body lye some thing higher then the head and when they sit up let them sit very soft and you must have some little soft thing made with feathers or wool to lye under the belly as they sit by the fire or in any other place you need not question this curing either old or young with Gods help for the Author of this booke hath cured them that have been broken and broken fifteen years and by thy art hath made a perfect cure Probatum est A rare way to cure a Timphany in the belly of Woman or Maid TAke half a handful of Sentary and boyl it in two quarts of strong Ale until it be boyled to one quart and drink halfe a quarter of a pint at a time and follow this constantly and in a short time this will do the cure Probatum est To cure Melancholy TAke a little quantity of Pollipodum or Fern of the Oak and boyl it in a little new milk and make a Posset skim off the curd and sweeten the Posset-drink with a little hard Sugar and drink this often and you that are troubled with Melancholy it will drive it clean away and make you as jovial as ever you were melancholy before Probatum est A very gallant way to cure the stone in the Kidnies TAke a quart of spring water and put into it a pound of the best life honey and let it boyl until almost half of it be boyled away keep this in a little earthen bottle or glass and drink five spoonful fasting and five after diner and five after supper and in a short time this will give you ease and cure you of that impediment Probatum est Here is a rare way to cure the Stone-colick FIrst you must take a pint of white Wine and have the back bone of a red herring beat to powder and the weight of six pence in Holly-berries beat to a powder and the kirnels of Ashen-keyes beat to powder and take as much of it as will lie on a groat and put these powders into a pint of white Wine and put into it an indifferent spoonful of the juice of Camomile new prest from the hearb and let the party either man or woman drink this at two or three draughts if they can let them drink the whole pint at one draught this hath cured those at three times taking that hath spent many a pound in seeking
far and neer for help yet never could be eased of this cruel impediment the Stone-colick until they took this before mentioned and this hath cured them in eight and fourty hours space to the admiration of many people Probatum est Here is an excellent and rare way to cure the Rickets in little children TAke halfe a handful of the middle peil of the bark of Sallowes and half a handful of Tamerisk and half a pound of Raisins of the sun three halfe peny worth of Liquorish and a halfe peny worth of Aniseeds and a quarter of a handful of Maiden hair boyl these in four quarts of st ong Wourt until it be boyled to two quarts then strain it out very clean and set it a cooling then barm it as you do beer and when it is worked skim off the barm then tun it up into a closs Vessel a Pitcher of two quarts or two Jugs and at three day end it is for you use give it the child either boy or girl morning and evening the quantity of a quarter of a wine pint at a time and give the child a little of this diet-drink often in the day time after any maner of diet Another for the same TAke three or four peny worth of Parmaceti and half an ounce of the oyl of Caphas and two peny worth of Muskadine put these into a Viol-glass and when you go to anoint the child shake that which is in the glass well together and anoint the breast the bow of the armes the wrists the Reins of the back the hams and the anckles every morning and every night This diet drink and ointment hath cured poor lame and weak children that could neither stand nor go The Author of this book hath proved it in practice on a hundred several children Probatum est Here is a rare way to cure either Thrush or Cancer in the mouth of a child TAke a quarter of a pint of fair spring water and put as much Roman-viteral as the quantity of a white pease break it to powder in a little white paper put it into the water and having a rag or linen tide about a stick not so big as a hand-cudgel a little stick I mean dip the little stick with the rag tide about it into the water and stir the water and Romanviteral together and then rub then childs mouth but not so hard as a man would rub a horse heels but rub the mouth of the child very gently and this will cure it Probatum est You may have this Romanviteral at the Apothecaries four peny worth or six peny-worth will serve the turn and do the cure this cure is performed at halfe a dosen times dressing the time is every morning and every night A most sure way to cure a swelling in the throat called the Quinzy TAke halfe a handful of Mugwort and heat it between two tilsors in a fire Showel and lay it as hot all under the throat as the party can suffer it if there be any swelling betwixt the ear and the throat which is called the aumuns of the ears falling down spread two plaisters of Burgany pitch upon two little holland cloaths an inch and halfe long and halfe an inch broad and then lay one end to the lower part of the ear and the other end toward the throat so likewise lay a plaister on the other side just upon the place that is swelled which is called the aumuns of the ears then lay on the Mugwort as hot as you can suffer it do this at a night when you go to bed then wash and gargle the mouth throat with a little Romanviteral called the Celestial stone and this will cure you in two or four hours space keeping your self warm Probatum est A rare and excellent way to cure the difficulty of breath or the heaving of the Lungs THere is a long herb or plant that grows common almost in every hedg it runs long like a vine but the leaves are very broad of a dark green colour it is called amaradulsis and some cals it woody-might shade it is governed under Mercury take a pound of the leaves and stalks together and bruise them a little then put them into three pints of White wine and let it stand and infuse by the fire very gently in an earthen pot covered with embers about it it must infuse twelve hours then take it off and if you will you may put a quarter of a pound of Sugar candie and when it is cold you may use it you may take the quantitie of a quarter of a wine pint morning and evening and once at noon after dinner this hath cured several men and women of the heaving of the lungs that could not get help from any before Probatum est Here is a rare way to cure the Rhume Meger or wind Meger which is a dizng giddiness in the head of man or woman or younger people TAke fine Flaxen cloath new Flaxen cloath and make it just the compass of the forehead from temple to temple and when you have so done then take your Flax cloath and spread it on a board then spread a quarter of a handful of Flax-hurds or Flax-tow on the top of your Flax cloath just the same compass and with your hand pat it down together very close upon the flaxen cloath and wipe in any loose hurds that you see round the edges of the plaister with the back of the knife then having the white of a new laid egg ready beat in a dish with a spoon spread with the spoon the white of the egg all over the Flax hurds then having your Sanguis draconis beat to powder strew the Sanguis draconis all over the white of the egg then lay this plaister to the forehead and pin it on with a cloath and let it lie twenty four hours on the forehead then if it be not loose let it lie untilit beloose then take it off Two of these plasters one after another hath cured some that have been blind with Rhume Probatum est Here is a rare medicine for hot watry Rhumes in the eyes or sore eyes TAke a bit of Roach-allum about the bigness of a Pigeons egg or a smal walnut then take a new laid egg and break the white of it into a clean dish then take your Roach-Allum and stir the white of the egg about in the dish very lustily for a quarter of an hour until it be very thick and curdled it will seem like white bread and milk beat together take this and with your finger wipe it upon your eye and into your eye and lying on your back let it disolve in the eyes for a quarter of an hour at a time in the morning and at noon and at night you may use the plaister before mentioned with this if you please or this of it self according as you see occasion Friends whosoever you are that shall make use of this art it will by Gods blessing
help you and the Author of this book hath cured them with this art that hath been almost blind with Rhume Probatum est Another rare medicine for the eyes TAke the juice of plantan the herb is governed under Venus and a peny worth of eiebright water take of each a like quantity and put these into a little Vial-glass and then put therein a little Romanviteral or the Celestial stone as much as the quantity of a gray pease and put it into the glass or vial and let it dissolve in the juice and water then when you go to dress your eyes shake the Vial a little dress your eies as occasion shall serve and your own discretion uide you you may dress your eyes at morning and at noon and at night if your eyes be very hot dress them more oft this is a curing sovereign medicine for the eyes and hath done good to many both men women and children Probatum est A rare way to cure a green wound TAke two peny worth of good sack and wash the sore with it twice a day morning and evening and dip your lint into the oyl of St. Johnswort and bind it up and this will heal a green wound that is cut deep more firm and sound then balsum Probatum est Here is a rare way for the curing the Gonorhea or Running of the reins IN the first place if you mistrust you have caught the Running of the reins by keeping company with any foul or unclean person go this way to work first either to help your selfe or your friend Take a dram of Pulvus-sanctus In English holly powder and put this powder into half a pint of dear posset drink and sur it about with a knife and then drink it up and then take good store of posset drink after that it may cause the purge to work lustily you must begin alwayes to take a purge in a morning fasting but if you are of a strong constution I would wish you to take a dram of Extractum â—rudi and make it into four or five little pils and drink either posset-drink or strong Ale or Beer to cause it to work then after it hath worked well take some warm broath made on purpose these purges purge choller from the chest and slime from the guts and wrinseth and washeth the reins of the back prepares the body fit for that which is restraining or restringing Now in the second place if you would seek to stop this flux called the Running of the reins take a good handful of Yarow Milfoyl Nose-bleed or Thousand leafe it hath all these names but it is commonly called Yarow take a good handful of this green herb and put it into a Morter and bruise it with a pestle and when you have well beat it or bruised it put to it the quantity of a pint of good fresh small beer and stir it altogether then take a thin cloath and strain it thorow and then put it into a Vialglass or a little close jug bottle and put to it two ounces of the best hard Sugar and let the Sugar dissolve in it and when you go to use it shake it together and the quantity that you must take is as followes if the day be very hot take a spoonful at a time often in the day time or otherwise three times a day The Author of this book hath applied this medicine as fasting in a morning three spoonfuls three spoonfuls at noon after diner and three spoonfuls after supper this hath cured men and women that several noted Physitians hath left and could not cure Probatum est Here is another way for to cure the Gonorhea or the running of the reins TAke Cipress Turpentine or Venus Turpentine to the quantity of two ounces and put to it the quantity of three measured spoonful of clear spring water and then stir it well together with the point of a knife until it be white this is called washing of Turpentine or if you be so well provided instead of washing it with water wash it with the juice of Lemond and you must wash it in a little white Gally pot and let it stand in the same pot covered with a white paper so you may take it three times a day at the end of a knife point an indifferent quantity at a time or you may take it in little pils rolled in Sugar upon a trencher and if you will you may add to it Sanguis draconis or the blood of a Dragon beat to powder and so you may mix it with the pils and these pils worketh a gallant effect in man or woman and it will do the cure Probatum est Another way to cure the Gonorhea or running of the Reins TAke every Morning fasting and every Evening after supper as much as will lie on a shilling of the hard row of a red Herring dried and beat to powder and put it into a quarter of pint of beer and drink it up and often in the day time drink your black double refined Rosin it is clear like a glass let it be beat to powder and drink it this hath cured the foul disease of the running of the Reins it self The Author of this book giveth notice to all people both men and women to observe this rule those that shall have occasion to make use concerning this cure if it be in winter to wear a warm red cloath next to the reins of the back and if it be in Summer wear next to the Reins of the back a plaister of Dioccula spread upon a linnen cloath about the length of your hand and four fingers broad one plaister will stick on a week this plaister is drying and by Gods help performeth the cure Probatum est Here is a most excellent and rare way to cure the falling at the fundament never the like laid open before for the good of the Country IN the first place for either man or child or what party soever that hath the impediment of the fundament falling down when they go to stool they always void a great deal of blood take the hearb knot grass it is as common as the high way because it groweth by the high way side but the herb is as honest as if it grew in a Ladies garden and as full of vertue there is another herb groweth close by it is called Planten not Bucks-horn Planten but Webroad Planten it is governed under Venus and under the sign Libra a very honest herb and helpeth Venus girls of many a loose disease But concerning our cure before mentioned Take Planten and Knot-grass and beat them in a morter with a pestle then strain out the juice and put it into a vial-glass then that is ready for use then the party afflicted with the disease before mentioned let them take two spoonful of the juice and a spoonful of good strong sack mix them together and drink this quantity morning and evening and after dinner if the party be past