without spectacles he tolde me that about the age of 40. yeares finding his sighte to decay he did vse eiebright in ale for his drinke and did also eare the powder thereof in an egge three daies in a weeke being so taught of his father who by the like order continued his sight in good integrity to a very long age I haue heard the same confirmed by many old meÌ„ Rowland Sherlooke an Irish man Phisition to Queene Marie did affirme for trueth that a Bishop in Ireland perceiuing his sight to wax dimme about his age of fifty yeares by the vse of eiebright takeÌ„ in powder in an egge did liue to the age of 80 yeares with good integrity of sight VVe do reade of many prinkes to preserue the sight compounded not of eie-bright onely but many moe thinges added so some put to it sage some veruaine some celendine and fenell seedes anise feeds the forenamed spices others elecampane rootes iris galengale cubebs and in truth all these are greatly commended to preserue the sight and may very aptly be put in drinkes for the sight notwithstanding for that we are now to deliver a drinke for the sight which may bee pleasing and allowed with meates mine opinion is that the same ought to be made as simple as may be For if Gallen in his 6. booke de sanitate tuenda doth preferre the composition of the medicine termed diatrioâ— pâ—perioÌ„ which hath fewest simples because as he writeth that is soonest with lesse trouble to nature digested surely the drinkes for the sight which are compounded of fewest thinges are most to bee commeÌ„ded especially when we meane to vse the same with meate as all our authors do couÌ„sel vs. Wherfore for my part at this time I will onely advise to haue for vse either wine or ale or beere according to ech mans best liking made as is before prescribed with eiebright and fenell seeds to drinke of the same in the morning or if it so like with meate as other drinke It is holden better to drinke oft small draughts at meate then seldome great draughts for so meate and drinke will better mingle and the meat wil lesse swimme in the stomake which giueth cause of many vapors to the head It is affirmed not good to begin the meale with drinke but to eate somewhat before you drinke When you drinke wine if you meane to alay the same with water it is best to mingle to the wine fenell water or eiebright water Montagnana doth councell to do the same some reasonable time before you doe drinke and not presently vvhen you drinke as commonly men doe Bread in our intention is to bee made of fine flower of chosen wheat alwaie leuened and salted somewhat more then common bread well wrought throughly baked not new nor old of about a day or two daies old Vnlevened bread is not accoÌ„pted good and the bread is better if fenell seedes be wrought with the past to which purpose some do cause cakes to be made of some portion of the dowe in vvhich they knead the powder of fenell seedes and the powder of eiebright and doe eate them in the morning and after drink the eiebright drinke and make that a breakfast As generally in the preservation of health so especially to continue the sight it is convenient that the body bee obedient and doe his office for evacuation accordingly and if nature herein be slack it may bee procured with brothes made of loose herbes as mallowes violet leaues mercury grouÌ„dsell great raisons the stones taken out damaske prunes and currantes and if neede be of more medicinall things surely the same must be gentle for as stroÌ„g medicines vvhich make agitation of humors are not good to bee vsed for this intention so gentle medicines taken in due time doe great good to the sight which I doe leaue to the appointment and direction of a learned Phisition Of all manner of evacuation these which are done by vomiting are most hurtfull so are fluxes of blood by the nose And as belkes doe ease the stomacke so much belking giueth occasion that fumes doe arise to the fore-part of the head wherby the sight may be harmed Nothing is more hurtfull to health then fulnes And he that will continue his sight good must bee carefull of over plentifull feeding and therefore must end his meales with appetite and never lay gorge vppon gorge but so feede that the former meate may bee concocted before hee doe eate againe It is best to make light suppers somewhat timely As modest vse of Uenus perfourmed in the feare of God in due time when the meate in the stomacke is digested and nature is desirous to be disburdened is to be allowed so immoderate and vnseasonable vse thereof doth of all thinges most hurt the sight and soonest induce blindnes over much watching is not good very long sleepes are more hurtfull the meane sleepes of about vij houres are best ye better to abridge the sleepe to inlarge watching then contrariwise sleepe taken in the night is best as most naturall when externall aire doth not distract natures motion and all externall things concurre to helpe sleepe therefore the moe houres a man doth borrow of the day for sleepe the worser It is not good especially to this our purpose to sleepe immediatly after meate for tvvo houres at the least ought to be put between meate sleep Best to begin sleepe vpon the right side then to turne on the left side to sleepe vpright vpon the backe is naught generally to turne vppon the face vvorser for the sight Care must bee had that you sleepe not in a chamber or any place in vvhich the moone doth shine Exercises are needfull the same best after the bellie hath done his office that the excrements are avoided otherwise by exercise vapours are stirred and doe ascend more plentifully to the head All exercises must be done fasting and none after meat And I wish you might after meat forbeare writing by the space of three houres but if your course of life and calling will not so permit you you may herein follow Montagnaua his counsell to write either standing vpright or a little leaning and resting your head vpon your right or left cheeke in no case to write bovving your selfe forward holding downe the head When opportunity and time will serue frictions with a rough linnen cloth are verie good which are to be performed thus first to rub the feete the legges then the thighes the hips the buttockes ascending to the shoulders and necke vvith sofâ—e and long rubbings even vntil the partes begin to wax red Amongst orders to remooue the weaknes of the sight Auicenna vvriteth that the combing of the heade is not of least force which ought to be done every morning fasting backwardes against the haire for it draweth the vapours out of the
head remooveth them from the sight Mirth ioy pleasantnes of the minde is good a little anger doth not huâ—â— iâ—moderat sorow fearfulnes al vehement affectioÌ„s are forbiddeÌ„in al affectes but in this our case chiefly as most hurtful to the sight To preserue the sight by medicines THE order to preserue the sight by medicines doeth consist of things outwardly applied inwardly taken Amongest outward medicines to preserue the sight it is accounted a great secret to smel much to marierum So these things following are found very much to comforte the sight in staying the visible spirits from wasting vidilicet corall pearle the stone called Lapis Armenius spectacles of Christalline or clear pure glasse green skie colours to dip the eies in colde water to vvhich purpose many haue cups made in the forme of an eie called eie cups to wash the eies with the waters or decoctions of eiebright roses veruaine Some other things are put into the eies to clear the sight to remoue impediments which do often grow there to which purpose as approved very good without hurt the iuices waters of eie-bright of fenell of veruaine of marigolds of pearl wort are greatly commended And Montagnana doeth mention a certaine kinde of preparation of the iuice of fenell singular good to preserue the sighte from dimnesse to take the iuice of fenill in the month of Aprill and to put it in a vessell of glasse with a long and narrow necke and let it stand fifteene daies in the sunne that it may bee well dryed then remoue the glasse softly that you do not trouble the residue or groundes and so powre it into another vessell and to every halfe pound of the iuice put an ounce of chosen lignum alaes beaten into fine powder and let it stande other fifteene daies in the sun Then straine it twise through a thick cloth and keepe the clearest in a vessell of glasse to your vse you may drop a little hereof into your eies to cleare the sight And some do distill this wood in a stillatory of glasse and put the vvater thereof into the eies and holde this for a greate secrete as miraculous to preserue the sight And the samâ— Montagnana doeth compounde an othâ—â— medicine more abstersiue to remedie thâ—â— dimnes of the sight dissoluing in an ounâ—â— of the vvater of Rosemarie flowers twâ— scruples of Salgemma very finely powdâ—red and filtered and counselleth to drop the same often into the eies affirming by his experience that it doeth so mightily cleare the sight that suffusions are thereby wonderfully remoued and especially moistures of the eies I am here also in this place for the clensing and strenghtning of the eies especially to commende vnto you the frequent vse of olde and cleare vvhite vvine in which the Calaminar stone hath beene ofrentimes extinguished and likewise the pure liquor of good sugar-candy dissolued in the white of an egge being hard rosted and the yolke taken out Also our authors do coÌ„meÌ„d the washing of the eies with the vrin of a childe and sometimes to drop the same into the eies And for this purpose also they do coÌ„mend â—ie made of the ashes of fenell stalkes We â—oe read in all our writers great commenâ—ations of a liquor of the liuer of a goate â—repared in manner following Take the liuer of a male goat not diseased nor newly â—â—lled and after it is well washed pricke â—â— in many places and fill the same vvith â—raines of pepper and infarce the liuer with the leaues of fenell and of eiebright then rost it with a soft fire cleare not smoaâ—kie vntill it bee reasonably rosted and iâ— the time of rosting receiue the liquoâ— which doth distil in a convenient vessel apply the same to your vse Avâ—cenna in his thirde sen third bookâ— and fourth treatise cap. de debilitate visuâ— abouâ— all other things doth commend thâ— medicine called collyrium de fellybus for thaâ— it cleanseth the pores of the eies clearetâ— and conserueth the spirites muâ— difieth thâ— moystures or vvaters of the sight as yoâ— may reade in Avicenna in the foresaid place Inward Medicines MEdicins to be takeÌ„ inwardly are in number many buâ— I thinke best at this time tâ— meÌ„tion a few which are eâ—sie to be had as of greâ—â— efficacy most coÌ„meÌ„ded aâ— of such the powder following is most siâ—ple yet by expeâ—ieÌ„ce aproved of such forâ— that many after their sight hath bin decâ—ed haue by the vse of it receiued againâ— â—he same perfectlye the powder is thus made Take of the powder of eiebright Ê’ iiij of mace Ê’ j. mingle them togither and take thereof the weight of three pence before meate Montanuâ— in his 92 counsel giveth great praise to a sirupe against the decay of the sight through the weakenes and dimnes of the same which he compoundeth thus Take of the iuices of fenel of vervaine of roses of each Ê’ ij â—he leaues of the herbe eiebright of endiue of celendine of each M. S. â—oyle the herbes in two pints of water vnâ—â—ll the halfe be spent then straine it hard â—nd mingle the iuices with the decoction â—nd with sugar according to art make a siâ—p which is to bee kept in a glasse vessell â—ou may take two ounces of this sirup in â—â—ree ounces of the water of eiebright in â—â—e morning fasting In windy bodies hee â—aketh the sirup thus â—ake of fenell seedes of anise seedes of each Ê’ iij. of the herbs of eiebright of vervaine of rose-leaues of each M. iij. of celending M. j. of rhue M. j. S. boile these in water vntill halfe bee consumed straine it harde and with sugar sirup pize the decoction both these sirups arâ— excellent good to defende the sight froâ— dimnesse Mesâ—e in his booke called Grabadin wrâ—ting of the diseases of the eies aboue all other medicines extolleth an electuary vnder the name of Hamaine as having nobâ—â— vertues to preserue the eies and to conâ—â—nue the visible spirites in their clearenessâ— which he compoundeth thus Take the herbe called Adhil that is eiebright Ê’ ij fenill seedes Drams v. mace cubebs cinamom long-peper cloues of eaâ—â— Dra. jâ— beate all into powder sâ—arse it then 〈◊〉 of good hony clarified lib. j. of the iuice of fenill boyled and clarified Ê’ j. of the iuice of rhue of celendine both boiled clarified of each Ê’ S. boyle all to the height of an electuary and then put to it the powders according to art and so reserue it in glasse vessels You may take hereos the quantity of Dra. iij in wine as Mesue writeth If wine seeme too hot you may allay it with fenill water or with eiebright water it must bee taken in the morning fasting and you oughte to forbeare the taking of other thinges by the â—pace of three houâ—es and so at night but then you must makâ— a light supper sup the more timely Where in this little Treatise mention is made of distilled waters I wish the same to be artificially done in stillatories of glasse â—hat the qualities of the herbes may reâ—aine in the distilled waters And therfore do not allow of the common manner of â—istiling in stillatories of lead by the which â—he watery parts only are drawne FINIS Diet Aire Windes Dust Smoke Meates Fish Preparation of meates Intrals Braines Milke Egges Sauces Spices Suger Honie Oile Butter Raw herbs Capers Oliues Rootes The Rape Turnep Fruites Peares Apples Figges Raisons Nuts Dates Confects Drinkes Beere Wine Medicinal drinkes Drinke made with ciebright Arnoldus de villa noua The praise of eie-bright for the sight Eiebright VVine Eiebright taken in an egge Eiebrigh may bee vsed in beere in ale or meade How eie-bright wine may be vsed The vse of eiebright ale and of eiebright beere Ale made with grout How to make eie-bright ale and beere Eiebright meade The quantitie of eie-bright to the drinke Fenell seedes Spices may be added The effect confirmed by examples Drinkes more compounded for the sight The most compound not alwaies best Drinke often smal draughts Not best to begin the meale with drinke When to mingle water with wine Breade Past with fenil seeds EvacuatioÌ„ Fulnesse hurtfull Vse of Venus sleepe and watching The moon shiâ—e hurâ—fuâ—â—o the sight Exercises VVriting after meat Frictions Combing hte heade AffictioÌ„s of the minde Outward medicines The smell of marierum Thinges comfortable to the sight Eie cups Things put into the eies A preparation of the iuice of fenell LignuÌ„ aloes good for the sight Salgemma doth cleare the sight The vrine of a childe A lie of fenel stalkes A preparation of the liuer of a goate for the sight Collyrium de fellibus A powder for the fight A sirup for the sight An excellent electuary to preserue the sight Distilled waters
wine are drying cleare abstersiue so do consume and extenuate grosse and thick humours so it bee moderately takē In this place I do greatly commend their counsels which do prepare medicinable drinkes with eiebright other thinges comfortable for the sight to be vsed in the morning and at meates if the pacient can well endure so to drinke the same our authors herein are very ingenious some addressing drinkes vvith one thing and some with another The simplest and most vvritten of is vvith the herbe called of the Arabians Adhill in Latine Euphragia in English Eiebright of vvhose miraculous vertues in preservation of the sight Arnoldus de villa noua hath vvritten in these vvordes Eie-bright is good any vvay taken either with meat drinke or medicine greene and dry against all impediments of the sight wherby the clearenes of the same may be obscured And hee vvriteth thus of vvine made vvith eiebright vvhich hee calleth Uinum euphragiatum This vvine saith he is made by putting the herbe in the muste or newe vvine vntill the same wine become cleare to be dronke By the vse of this wine olde mens sightes are made young it taketh away the impedimentes of the sight in all men of all ages especially in fat men and such which do abound with phlegme One saith he which was blind and did see nothing in long time by vsing this wine one yeare vvas restored to his fight The herbe is hot and drie and hath by propertie of substance to remove affectes of the sight And so the powder of the herbe taken in an egge or dronken in wine doth vvonderfully performe the same And there are yet aliue saith he vvitnesses of good credite vvhich haue made proofe heereof in themselues vvhich could not reade vvithout spectacles by vse heereof haue recovered their sight to reade small letters And so Arnoldus concludeth that nothing to doe good to the sight is to bee compared with wine made with eiebrright If the wine be too strong hee counselleth to alay the same vvith fenell water and to that intention you may also adde sugar In countries vvhich for their common drinkes do vse wine and water they alway do mingle things for the sight in wine and not in water for wine in truth is a fitter liquor to receiue the qualities and to carie the same to the eies then water vvhich thinges they do put in the muste and so let it stand vntill the wine be ripe and ready to be dronken and so doe vse it Notvvithstanding in other countries vvhich haue other vsuall drinkes the same things may be put in their common drinks So some haue put them in ale some in beere and some in meade and no doubt but all these meanes are very good according to the vsage and disposition of the partie So even in this our countrie they which either by vse or by constitution of body may wel beare the drinking of wine may well compound the same with things good for the sight others of hot complexions and drie not greatly accustomed to wine may of ale beere and meade make such drinkes because in the North countries ale and beere are the vsuall and common drinkes and in some places meade also is much vsed therefore in mine opinion it is convenient for most men to make these drinkes with ale beere and meade rather then with wine and meade assuredly is a very convenient thinge for them which can well away with hony Touching the direction of those which haue bin accustomed to drinke wine I do nothing doubt but that they may without offence beare such drinks for the sight compounded with wine to take a draught in the morning especially if they alay the same with the distilled water of fenell according to Arnoldus counsell And for this purpose choyse may bee made of verie good white wine and the thinges may be mingled in the countries where the wine doth growe notwithstanding in that our most vsed drinke with meat is ale or beere these are very convenient to receiue these thinges for the sight and absolutely better then wine if yee like to drinke the same with meate as our authors doe counsell Which ale I thinke better to be made with grout according to the olde order of brewing And so the thinges for the sight may be sodden in the grout or other way put in the drinke when it is newly clensed put into the vessell in vvhich sit is tunned to be kept that in the working of the drink in the vessell the vertues and qualities of the thinges may bee drawen and receiued into the same VVhen these thinges are compounded in meade then the same are sodden with the honie in such order as other herbes are sodden when they make methegline I thinke it best to begin with the simplest order to compound ale or beere to ech mans best liking with eiebright onely taking to every gallon of the drink a great handfull of the herbe and bind it togither or put it in raw and thinne tinsell of silke and so tie the same by a string to the tap of the vessell that the herbe may hang in the middest of the drinke not too low in the grownd neither to high in the barme being put into the drinke vvhen it is nevvlie clensed let all vvorke togither vntill the drinke be cleare and ripe to bee dronken according to the common vse and then ye may drinke of it at pleasure in the morning fasting and at meate also if you will and can vvell like thereof and most men may like to drinke it because this herbe doeth yeelde no vngratefull taste but rather with a pleasant sapour doth commende the drinke It were not amisse to avoide windines to every handfull of the herbe to adde two drammes of fenell seeds well dusted and a little bruised As I do put this for more proportion to beginne vvith-all that the stomacke be not at the first offended with the strangenes So after a time yee may increase the quantitie and put to every gallon of the drinke tvvo handfuls of the herbe vvherein yee may best be directed by the taste that the herbe shall yeelde into the drinke In the winter season yee may also adde some spices as ginger vvhole mace a few cloues nutmegs cinnamon and make as it were bragget ale vvhich drinke besides that it doth preserue and cleere the sight will also helpe digestion clense and cut phlegme and breake winde I can witnes that many by this simple composition of eiebright and fenell seeds haue found great good for their sight not onelie to continue in good estate but also that some haue found remedie against the dimnes other impediments growing in their sight In truth once I met an old man in Shropshire called M. Hoorde aboue the age of 84. yeares who had at that time perfit sight and did read small letters very wel