a friend intreated him If he was innocent that he would free him for his own sake but if he was guilty that he would yet free him for his sake but however he must free him If Vinegar be simple and uncompounded take it for its own 〈◊〉 mixed with other Antidotes take it for 〈◊〉 but however take Vinegar Pliny finds fault with Physitians 〈◊〉 his time for not knowing its excellent vertue Vinegar being contrary to most other liquors in distillation may well have something more than ordinary in operation The Spirits of Wine and Beer and other liquors presently exhale and flie away and have nothing but flegme but when Vinegar is distill'd the flegme rises first and the Spirits stay behind Now as Galen saith of Poysons the hundredth part of a Cantharides doth not hurt nor one spark of fire burn to any purpose so it is in Cordials too little will do little good there must be a considerable quantity and sufficient dose you cannot in reason think one spoonful of Vinegar enough to quench such a heat as the Plague brings 'T is for the vertue of Vinegar that I wrote this Book I would be loath to present you a Glo-worm instead of a Diamond or put a Bulrush instead of a Spear into your hand when you are to fight with such an Enemy Imagine well and think highly of this Medicine I value my own life as much as another man doth his I had rather take Vinegar by it self than many other nay then any other single medicine without it Despise it not because 't is easie to be had neither let it be contemn'd because familiar It is the more excellent because common the more precious because cheap the vertues of it so many they will hardly be believed and therefore the greater because incredible But because the pestilent venome hath a power to corrupt putrifie and inflame the humours and oftentimes the Sicknesse is accompanied with a Fever which sometimes may be almost as dangerous as the Plague there must be care taken thereof so that as you may not by too cold things strike in the Plague so by too hot you may not exasperate the Fever but have respect to both for which purpose you may take cordial and cooling Juleps made of distill'd waters of Sorrel Endive Cichory Borage Bugloss Meadow sweet Angelica Dragons Dandelyon Betony Scabius Balme Fumitory to which you may put as much oyl of Brimstone or Vitriol as will make it very sharp to your taste and to every quart thereof about half a dram of Lapi◠Prunella or Sal Niter or Sal Peter and afterwards sweeten it with any Cordial Syrups as of Gilly-flowers Citrons Lemons Violets adding to it if you please Alchermes and when you are hot and dry you may drink as much as you please and as often as you will As thus Take of Meadowsweet and Cichory water of each one pint of Borage and Buglosse water half a pint of Dragon and Angelica water of each four ounces put to it as much Oyl of Vitriol as will make it very sharp then adde to it a dram of Lapis Prunella powdered Syrup of Gilly-flowers four ounces Alchermes two drams and drink as much and as often as you please Or else you may make the Tincture of Roses thus Boil four quarts of spring-Spring-water then let it cool till it be but about scalding hot then put it into a glased earthen pot and put to it two good handfuls or two ounces of dried Red-Rose leaves and stir them in the water that they may be all wet then put to them one Silver spoonful of Oil of Brimstone or Oil of Vitriol or as much as will make the liquor very sharp stir it all about and presently the Roses and the liquor will be of a delicate red colour then let it stand covered about four hours then strain it gently without squeezing into an earthen pan and sweeten it with a pound or two of Loaf-Sugar more or lesse as you please and with more Oil of Vitriol make it very sharp for your taste and keep it in Glass-bottles and when you are hot and dry drink as much as you please and if you list you may put any Cordial Syrup to it as Gilly-flowers juice of Citron Lemons Poppies or the like Or else you may take some spring-Spring-water and put it fresh into a Glass and drop some Oil of Vitriol or Brimstone into it to make it sharp and sweeten it with Sugar and drink it both as a Preservative against a Fever or the Plague and as a Medicine and Julep in time of Sicknesse and let me tell you that plain Spring-water and Oil of Vitriol or Brimstone is a better Julep in the Plague Pestilent Malignant and other burning Fever than almost any other distill'd water without it Note that it is a vain and scrupulous error to take when you are dry and burning hot but two or three spoonfuls of Julep at a time I never denied my Patients drink in the heat of a Fever but let them drink Julep as much as they please for a little Julep doth but little good and rather encreaseth the heat as the powring of a little Water on a Smiths fire doth make it flame the more and burn the hotter whereas a great deal doth quite extinguish it and put it out And because this Oil of Vitriol is so excellent and useful a remedy mixt with water in this and all hot Diseases I should advise every ingenuous person that lives in the Country never to be without it These Oils you must understand cannot be taken by themselves but with spring or distilled waters and you must be careful of spilling any drop on your cloths for then it will fret and make a hole in them Now if you refuse to meddle with them for fear of receiving any hurt you may as well do so by fire which you must not sit by least a spark light on your apron neither must men take Tobacco for fear of burning their faces And yet I must tell you that 't is better to have a spot on your gown or a hole in your cloths which the negligent slabbering of it may occasion than a Purple in your Skin or a Botch or Carbuncle in your Flesh which the discreet taking of it will hinder I have heard of a Norwegian that coming out of his frozen Country into the South parts of the World saw some Damask Roses growing in a Garden and said Well may the weather be so hot when fire grows upon the Trees at which the hearers fell a-laughing and told him they were most sweet and fragrant flowers as pleasing to the smell as delightful to the eye and gather'd him one and bid him smell to it but he refus'd neither would he take it into his hands for fear of burning his fingers nor smell to it least he should fire his beard or singe his furr'd cap. To perswade you not to fear but use this Oil of Vitriol let me
Vinegar and Water put into the Milk instead of Beer or Ale Or else this which is most excellent without heating of the body or hurting of the purse Take Crabs eyes one ounce burnt Harts-horn half an ounce the black tops of Crabs claws an ounce and a half make them all into a powder and take of it one dram or two drams in a glass of posset-drink when you go to bed and drink another draught of posset-drink after to wash it down Or else you may drink a draught of Oxymel Posset-drink made as followeth Boil a quarter of a pint of English Honey with a quart of water and skum it then put to it one pint of vinegar and let it boil nine or ten walmes then let it cool and boil a quart of Milk and turn it with a sufficient quantity of the Oxymel and put away the curd and drink the posset-drink when you go to bed Or else take a dose or quantity of the Antipestilential Vinegar of which hereafter Of Observation of Diet. Although you defend your self never so safely from the evil air and retain your Blood as the treasure and maintain your Spirits as the guard of your life though you purge out vicious humors and sweat out bad vapours yet if you by any neglect disorder excess or defect do recruit those humors corrupt your blood or spend your spirits it will be to no more purpose than if you had washt your cloths never so clean and yet afterwards should tumble them in the dirt or trample them in the mire By Observation of Diet Physicians understand the well ordering of a mans self in those six things which they call Non-Natures the Air Sleep and Watching the Passions of the Mind Labour and Rest Repletion and Evacuation Meat and Drink which some have called the six strings of Apollo's Harp wherein consists the harmony of health If these be in tune the body is sound but if any of these be skrewed up too high by any excess or slackened too low by any defect or intemperately used then is the body put out of tune and made subject to diseases 1. For the Air let it not be too cold nor too hot and choose rather to wear by day and to be covered at night with too many cloths than too few and let your apparel be rather stuff then cloth which will soonest catch and longest hold Infection but take heed of too great heat Mercurialis tells of many Smiths and Glass-men that died in the Plague at Venice who by the heat of fire had made their bodies too open and apt to receive Infection 2. As for Sleep let it be moderate and take heed of too much watching 3. Let your Passions be calm'd and your mind serene and as much as possible refrain Anger and banish Fear 4. Let your Exercise be moderate and forbear over-heating your body whereby you will be necessitated to draw in more air and it hath been observed that many hard Labourers have not onely been infected but died of the Plague 5. For Repletion and Evacuation take heed of Excess and keep your body neither too loose nor costive Look upon Venus to be as great a friend to the Plague as Mars or Saturn and the Venereal Marks and Swellings no preservative against the Spots and Botches of the Pestilence It is no lesse unfortunate and wretched than devillish and wicked advice for any to get the Pox to avoid the Plague for Experience which is the Mistriss of Fools hath taught some that have no care of their souls that it is as dangerous for the body to go into some other Houses as into a Pest-House Lastly For Meat and Drink you are to have respect not onely to the Quality that it be good and wholesome and take heed of surfetting on any Summer fruit but also to the Quantity of what you take As the body is not to be weakened nor the Spirits spent with Fasting so is it not to be overcharged with Surfetting They that will eat till they can feel the meat with their fingers and drink till they can paddle with the liquor in their throats and be ready to shed it out of their mouths are in the way of cutting their throat with their tongue and digging their grave with their teeth Mercurialis saith of his own knowledge They are much deceiv'd who think to preserve themselves by eating and drinking and tells of many great drinkers both at Padua and at Venice that died of the Plague from which they thought to preserve themselves by drinking Wine It was the Saying of a Politician that Maxima pars frugalitatis est bene domatus venter so it may be the Aphorisme of a Physitian Maxima pars sanitatis est bene domatus venter As he that loveth pleasure will not be quickly rich so he that is given to excess will not be long well Temperance and Abstinence as they are not onely remedies against most diseases as Lessius treats at large in his Spare Diet and Cornaro made experiment by a little and very wholesom food so are they also a great corrector of any inconvenience that comes by evil nourishment When the impregnable City of Carlile under the government of the most invincible and resolute Governour Sir Thomas Glenham in the late Wars was besieged by an Army of Warlike English and hardy Scots there was great scarcity of Provision the besieged did eat all the Dogs and Cats never Roast-beef was sold so dear as Horse-flesh of which when Horses were kill'd and sold in the Market no Family for their money might have above their allowance the best provision that an Officers wife could procure whil'st she lay in Child-bed was a young Colt the Souldiers were allowed but two meals a week and that was a quantity of beans and the water they were boil'd in and yet so couragious as to say Give us but a Bean a Day and we will keep the Town Though the City was full of Inhabitants and Garrison Souldiers and many of the Loyal Gentry and divers Valiant Knights and delicate and tender Ladies came to live there to defend and be defended in the place yet during all that Siege of above forty weeks as I have been credibly inform'd there was not one person sick or died except one Woman who surfeited upon Bread made of Hemp-seed And if you would know what an excellent Antidote Temperance doth furnish you with against the Plague Histories will tell you that in the most grievous Plague at Athens described by Thucidydes Socrates the Phylosopher lived free and not infected To conclude sleep when you are drowsie rest when you are weary drink when you are dry and eat when you are hungry and mixe with your Diet something that is cordial as Vinegar and Nutmeg where it is agreeable and rise from the Table with an appetite Of Issues Seeing it may easily come to pass that in unhealthy times notwithstanding the most exact Observation of Diet some bad humours
noisom smell which spreads it self over all the room Now in this case you must be as careful as you can to avoid the parties breath and some Physitians advise to put a piece of hot bread before his mouth to receive the Infection and afterwards be sure to burn it Some counsel to put a pail or two of hot water in the Chamber Some also put in a handful of green Copperas in the water and afterwards throw in three or four hot burning bricks But in the mean time you must be sure to take Antidotes Vinegar either simple or compound as you were before directed against the infectious Air. Also for your preservation this Antidote is very excellent Take Diascordium two ounces Venice Treacle three drams Confection of Iacynth two drams Nutmeg Seeds of Rew Root of Angelica Zedoary and Elicampane of each two drams powdered Vinegar two ounces Oil of Sulphur twenty four drops Syrup of the Juice of Citron or Gilly-flowers enough to make it into a moist Electury and very often or six or eight times a day take of it as much as a pease and let it dissolve in your mouth and swallow it down Or else use the tincture of Roses hereafter mentioned Or if you are hot and drie and have a desire to drink you may take as much Conduit or spring-Spring-water as you please and drop into it as many drops of Oyl of Sulphur or Oyl of Vitriol or Spirit of Vitriol as will make it as sharp as you desire to drink it and the sharper it is the better then sweeten it with Sugar and drink it up You will find the excellent vertues of Vitriol in the directions how to make Tincture of Roses If sometimes you cannot be without strong waters you may drink Aqua Petasitis Composita or Angelica or Imperial-water or Aqua Mirabilis or Treacle-water at the Apothecaries or some of that water that goes by the Name of the Lady Allens Water If you must needs have Wine you may put to a quart of Wine a dram of Angelica root or of Contrayerva root or Virginia Snakeweed and one Nutmeg bruised You may sometimes eat this breakfast sprinkle Vinegar on toasted bread then spread it with butter and put on it the powder of a Nutmeg and eat it fasting Or else this Toast a Nutmeg till it sweat then powder it and put to it as much salt as you would eat with one bit of meat and mixe it with two spoonfulls of Vinegar and eat it Or else this Take twenty leaves of Rew one grain of Salt two Figgs and two Walnuts eat these sometimes in a morning fasting Wallnuts have a strange vertue against the Plague and Worms and Droetus tells of one that was executed for spreading of the Plague that confest he took nothing to preserve himself but a Wallnut roasted and a little burnt Women with-child may eat Angelica stalks candied or Citron peel candied or preserved or drink a little Zedoary and Nutmeg with Sugar in a Glasse of Wine Beer or Ale If there be any infants that can take nothing wash their bodies all over with Vinegar at Night when they go to Bed once or twice a week you may do so to elder children and use it your self If you have neglected to make an Issue you must lay one or two blistering plaisters broader than a five shilling piece to the in-side of one of your arms between the Elbow and Shoulder and when it hath raised a great Blister which will be in about twelve hours you may take it off and lay on the place some Melilot plaister or else a Plantain or Colewort Leaf and change it twice a day and when that Blister is heal'd begin to make another in the other arm or thigh and keep one sore all the while you fear the Infection You may have plaisters at the Apothecaries or else make one your self thus Take six Spanish Flies shread them very small and mixe them with a little Mustard and Wheat Flowre or Dough or Leaven moistened with a little Vinegar spread it on leather and apply it Let care be taken how Bread is brought home from the Bakers because it will draw to it any infection and therefore you may do well to cover it with a cloth and put on that cloth another wet in Vinegar Be careful that your victuals stand not neer the infected and if you want room cover it with a cloth wet in Vinegar Again remember what I told you of Socrates to be very spare and moderate in your Diet discreet Abstinence is as good a Medicine as can be bought at the Apothecaries Of Preservation from the Plague when it may be caused by Fear and Imagination The learned Galenists in the method of their Cure teach that Diseases are to be help'd by contraries Drowth is cured by Moisture Heat with Coolers Consumptions with Restoratives Poysons with Antidotes so Fear must be cured by its contrary Hope The Industrious Chymists in their undertakings observe some resemblance and agreement between the Agent and Patient the Disease and the Remedy Aqua Fortis will melt Silver but not Brimstone Myrrhe and Frankincense will not dissolve in water so will Gum Dragon and Arabick because they are of a watery Nature Sulphureous Diseases must be removed with Sulphur Medicines Salt Diseases dissolv'd with Salts Mercurial Maladies with Mercurial Remedies Tartareous pains eas'd with Tartar and the Stone is best cured with Stones such as are Lapis Lincis Spongiae Iudaicus c. so Imagination must be cured with Imagination one Fancy by another and Conceit is the best Receit for an Opinion Thus Trallianus tells of one that imagined he had a Snake in his Belly who was cured by conveying a Snake into the Bason when his vomit wrought Another thought he had Sparrows in his Head and was cur'd by one that brought some in his sleeve who fumbling about his Ears made him believe he took them out from thence One fancied that he had so big a Nose that he could not go abroad for fear of peoples treading on it in the Streets and was cured by a Physitian who coming to the Chamber Door seem'd to be stopt for making further entrance and being askt why he came not in desired the Patient to put aside his Nose that he might get by it without treading on it the Patient did so with his hand the Doctor gravely enters by the wall and seem'd very careful of his staffe and steps the Patient is well pleased at the Doctors plain dealing with him in acknowledging he had that Disease which his Friends and Family did deny and said He was sure he was the man that of all others must do the Cure and desires his help The Doctor scarifies his Nose and let 's run upon and from it a great quantity of bloud that he had brought with him enclosed in an empty gut and clapt a plaister to it and in a few dayes he grew well Imagination directs and moves the spirits and
tell you what the most candid and judicious Sennertus saith of it in his fourth Book and 11th Chapter of the cure of pestilent and malignant Fevers Great in this case is the use of Oil of Vitriol which hath a notable faculty to stay putrefaction to open obstructions to cut disperse attenuate cleanse and separate all corrupt humours and further the activity and exalt the vertue of other medicines with which it is most usefully mingled for whereas the Syrups of Succory Endive Violets and the rest by reason of the Sugar in them are not sufficient to extinguish the heat nor thirst in a Fever but are rather turn'd into choler yet if Oil of Vitriol be mixed with them so us to make them sharp they most happily slake the thirst and allay the heat and with good success answer the expectation for which they were taken And Mindererus in his 15. chap. of his Book of the Pestilence where he treateth of the Oil of Vitriol and Brimstone saith There is no Putrefaction whose strength it doth not break no infection which it doth not overcome no depravation of humours which they do not rectifie In truth if I may speak freely if I should be hindred or forbid the use of Vitriol I would never come to the cure of the Plague or if I did come I should come disarm'd Afterwards when you find your self at any time of your Sicknesse especially at the end of any burning fit inclinable to sweat you are to follow the conduct of Nature and endeavour to second it by the use of Medicines For which purpose Take two drams of Confection of Iacynth or Diascordium or one dram of Electuary de Ovo or of the Powder of Cantrayerva or Virginia Snakeweed or of the Powder of Crabs Eyes and Claws and burnt Harts-Horn as formerly you were directed or else two drams of Gascoyn powder made without Bezar And indeed considering the uncertainty of true Bezar there may be Gascoyne powder made as well without Bezar as Confectio Alchermes made without Musk for as some cannot endure the smell of Musk so many cannot go to the price of Bezar Or else you may take some of the compounded Vinegars ordering your self for sweating as you were formerly directed As for Purging and Bleeding there have been many learned Physitians that have made diligent enquiry into the Nature of the Pestilence and cure thereof who would have it wholly omitted and do commend rather timerousness than rashness in opening a vein for neither purging nor bleeding do oppose the Disease but weaken the party In this case the Saying of Hypocrates is very considerable Where Nature aimes its course thither it behoves the Physitian to direct his help Now Nature labours by all means to expel the venome of the Disease to the Superficies and out side of the Body and bleeding and purging draw it inwards towards the heart the Center and Seat of Life What is said of War Non lioet his peccare for the first error will be your overthrow is true in the cure of the Plague the first errour will be your danger and the second day of purging or bleeding if you live so long the first day of your repentance In this Disease the blood is the life of the party which if you take away you soon destroy Paraeus a most expert Chyrurgeon in his Book of the Plague relateth that in the year 1566. when there was a great mortality throughout all France by reason of the Pestilence he diligently enquired of all the Physitians and Chyrurgeons of all the Cities where he came what successe their Patients had after they were let bloud and purged whereunto they answered all alike That all that were infected with the Pestilence and did bleed some quantity of blood or had their bodies somewhat strongly purged thenceforth waxed weaker and weaker and so at length died but others which were not let bloud and purged but took Cordial Antidotes for the most part escaped and recovered their health Of the Blain Botch and Carbuncle The Blain is an angry little blister somewhat like the Swine or Small Pox but far more painful sometimes of a blue reddish or leaden colour and being opened affordeth corrupt matter It may arise in any part sometimes there will be one or two but never many It seldome kills or hinders the cure of the party but being anointed with oil of Saint Iohns-wort will break heal and scale of The Botch is a swelling about the bignesse of a Nutmeg Wallnut or Hens Egge and cometh in the Neck or behind the Eares if the Brain be affected or under the Arm-pits from the Heart or in the Groin from the Liver for cure whereof pull off the feathers from about the Rump of a Cock Hen or Pigeon and rub the Tayl with Salt and hold its Bill and set the Tayl hard to the swelling and it will die then take another and another and do so in manner aforesaid until the venom doth not kill any more Or else take the pith of a hot Loaf from the Oven and clap it to the Sore Also it is very good to launce it for though some pain do thence arise yet Nature doth not draw back from the place pained but sendeth humours thither after the launcing Also take Wheat Flower Honey and the Yolke of an Egge and Venice Turpentine of each a like quantity mixe it well and lay it on just warm this will ripen draw and heal it Or else take an ounce of Venice Turpentine the Yolke of an Egge and Oil of Saint Iohns-Wort one spoonful mixe it and apply it warm it will draw and heal it The Carbuncle so called from its heat like a burning coal riseth in any part of the body like an exceeding angry Wheal with a certain rednesse near it and as if a hole had been made with a hot iron will quickly eat out a piece of flesh about it It ought presently to be scarified to let out the venome or else you may burn the head of it with a small hot iron and you need not fear this burning to be too painful for it toucheth nothing but the point of the Carbuncle which by reason of the scar that is there is void of sense Paraeus commends this plaister Take of Soot from a Chimney or Oven wherein onely Wood is burnt four ounces Common Salt two ounces powder and mixe them with the Yolks of two Eggs and apply it warm Others highly commend this Take of Soot two ounces Sowre Leaven Butter Venice Turpentine Salt of each one ounce Castile Soap one ounce and a half Venice Treacle half an ounce with the Yolks of three Eggs make it into a plaister and apply it twice or thrice a day Some direct to make a Circle about the Carbuncle with a right Blow Saphyr and say that presently the Carbuncle dies as a Coal that is quencht with water according to that of the Poet Sapphyri solo tactu Carbunclus abibit Dyet in this Disease
especially during the Fever ought strictly to be observed Avoid such things as turn into Choler and breed bad Humours such as are Sugar Sops and Cawdels I do not commend but rather condemn the eating of Eggs. I have made enquiry concerning Milk and am satisfied that those that eat it during the Fever never live long after to complain of the hurt it did them You may safely take Water-Grewel and Panada with Corants Mutton Veal Chicken or Barley-Broth is wholesome and if you eat any of the Flesh let your sawce be Vinegar Almond-Milk made with Barley-Broth is good and pleasant but Harts-Horn Gelly is both Meat and Medicine so also is candied and preserv'd Citron eat but a little and often Discretion Moderation and Temperance are as good a Dish or Medicine as you can either fetch from the Cooks or buy at the Apothecaries For a Fume Take Sulphur Vivum otherwise called Quick Brimstone one pound Salt-Peter one ounce powder them severally and melt them over the fire in an iron pan then stir into it an ounce of Yellow Amber powdered and pour it out on a stone or in a mould and it will be a Cake Break a piece of it less than a Nutmeg and light it at a Candle and set it on a Trencher and let it burn in the room where you are Note that A Grain is the weight of a Barley Corn. A Scruple is 20. Grains A Dram is 3. Scruples An Ounce is 8. Drams FINIS ERRATA Pag. 28. Line 1. for Grashoppers read Grasse p. 42. l. 8. real all little enough p. 46. l. 5. read when he went p. 56. l. 6. read Non Naturales p. 64. l. 32. for the ware was they were p. 82. l. 17. for with Vinegar read than Vinegar p. 83. l. 20. for indege r. indeque Any one may make these Medicines themselves or be-speak them at their own Apothecaries or buy them ready made at Mr. Iohn Dansons at the Sign of the Pestle and Mortar in Coleman-street or at Mr. Hamnet Rigbies at the Seven Stars in Fetter-Lane To the Readers Courteous Good Natur'd and Kind-hearted Readers THe Italians have a Saying that To speak ill of another is the fifth Element whereof every one is made Do not you then wonder that I give you this Title since some either out of envy or ignorance may be more ready to requite my pains with a hard censure than a kind acceptance Well in giving you civil language I for this time follow the humour of a certain Frenchman who being near his death and in despair was encouraged to put his trust in God and defie the Devil but he creepingly replied That they would please to pardon him for he would defie no body onely he prayed to God to keep him his soul from Monsieur the Devil at which uncouth and strange expression one of the By-standers being somewhat surpriz'd ask'd him what reason he had to give the evil spirit such a title and he answered That it was convenient to give every one good words because he knew not well into whose hands he might chance to come Being often requested and almost tyred to give directions for preventing the Infectoon of the Plague and being since much satisfied with the good success to all that followed it and considering the self-ended concealing and the geeat cost in buying several medicines which many people would nay must rather die than be at the charge of and knowing how difficult it is for a Doctor how diligent soever to attend above twenty sick Families and how ignorant many sick people are and how little they can learn from Nurses and what errors are committed in bleeding and purging and how hard a matter it is for those who are sick in the Country to procure speedy advice and remedy since people are so far from visiting the sick that they will hardly allow or permit those that are well to visit one another amongst many distractions and setting aside my private affairs I endeavoured to publish this Treatise If you think I have been too brief upon request I shall be ready to enlarge it if not you may do it your self if too tedious you may do as at feasts where is variety of dishes take what you please and leave the rest if too plain there are more sick-folks and Nurses that cannot understand Latine and hard words than Apothecaries and Chyrurgeons that will not understand English I should be a rich man if I had five shillings for every one that dâ—th not know the weight of a French Crown I have heard of Elixir Vitae the Grand Cordial the Infallible Antidote against the Plague and I remember a Story of a Friar who pretended to have a plume of the Angel Gabriels feathers which fell from him at the Salutation of the Virgin Mary but when he came to shew it after Sermon to the multitude he perceived that his feathers had been stoln out of the box and a Charcoal put in their stead and very confidently laid the disappointment upon the indisposition of the people who were not fuly prepared for the fight of so heavenly a Relique neverthelesse out of his own good will he would shew them one of the Coals that was taken from under the Gridiron that Saiâ—t Laurence was broild on I do not much fancy quid proquo neither do you greatly care at present for Elixit Vitae Aeâ—eâ—â—ae neither would you have such a Cordial as should cure you of all Diseases though the Antidote may be infallible yet he that takes it may be deceiv'd Many conceal'd Medicines are dear enough when they cost the taker his life and many cried up sâ—crets do greater cures on the Purse of the Seller than on the Body of the Buyer into whose handt as soon as they chance to come they lose their vertue If things hard or impossible to be done would have pleas'd you I could have given you directions extravagant enough How for getting into a better Air you must ride on Pegasus every day in the Elizian Fields or else take one of the Planets Houses to dwell in and get your Goods sent thither in Charles's Wain 'T is very healthy to walk a turn or two in Via Lactaea and when you are weary sit down in Cassiopoeia's Chair For Dyet you may have your Mutton at Aries and Beef at Taurus your Fish at Cancer or Pisces and let Ganymede fill you no Wine but what is fine neat and racy with an excellent scent and flavour c. Also if things difficult or impossible to be gotten would have gave content I could have told you how handsome and warm a Colchos Mantle made of Jasons Golden Fieece would sit upon your shoulders how to dress your hair with a Myrmaids Comb would cure the Head-ach and help Perspiration what an excellent Cordial a Mornings Draught of Nectar or Ambrosia would be in a Unicorns-Horn how two Phaenix Eggs for Break fast would make a rare Cawdle how excellent a Black Swan would be roasted for Dinner especially if he sang before he was killed how sweetly you would sleep after you had supp'd upon a Manucodiata or Bird of Paradise how delightful a Dish of Fruit from the Hesperides or Pine Apples of America would be in the Afternoon But my directions aye plain and familiar and easie to be understood by an ordinary capacity they which know better may be provoked by my example to publish them with the method and direction how to use them which I had rather communicate for the good of the people of my Native Country than to have gotten an Estate by giving them a hard Name to keep them secret and having them sold for my private advantage as the Custome now is at an Apothecaries or Stationers Shop And so I hope that the superlative excesse of my love shall excuse the defect of my skill Holborn July 22. 1665. W. K.