some powlder as the powlder of the electuary Theriacal of Guidon or the powlder of Bole Armenus with Iuniper berries or for the rich with Terra sigillata or treacle or good mithridate If then the patient be poore thou must giue him halfe an ounce of the electuary of the iuyce of roses or asmuch of Diaprunis solutiue or an ounce of Diacatholicon if hée be cholerike And if he be phlegmatike thrée drachmes of Diacarthamum or Electuary de Citro solutiue And if he be melancholike the confection Hamech dissolued in water of scabious or sorrel or buglosse an ounce of sirop of limons or a drachme of good treacle or the powlder of bole Armenus prepared or the séedes of Citron or Iuniper berries The richer sort ought to be purged with manna Rubarbe sirrop of roses solutiue without scammony with Cassia and Mirabolans and if néede require you may mixe a little dose of the electuary of the iuyce of roses or Diaprunis solutiue in those that are cholerike as in the phlegmatike a litle Diaphenicon or in the melancholike alitle of confection Hamech mixing with the saide potions for the rich halfe an ounce or a drachme of Terra sigillata or of the powlder of Diamargariton or of the powlder Theriacal of Guidon with the abouenamed waters and the sirrope of limons or the iuyce of citrons And if they take more contentment to be purged by pils they may vse the common pils of Rufus made of aloes mirrhe and saffron adding thereunto a little Rubarbe for the rich Agaric with a little Terra sigillata or Bole Armenus prepared The poore may vse pilles Aggregatiue or Aurea or Cochia to the quantitie of a drachme or foure scruples and when their medicine hath wrought his operation they may take half a porrenger of the broath of a chickin and make a light meale And during the working of their medicine they may alwayes holde in their handes to smel to roses orenges limons marioram rosemary and such like and may oftentimes wash their hands and wet their nostrilles in rose water mixed with vineger and the powlder of cloues or Angelica or Zedoary as hath béene before times declared Sée héere the methode in purgation Potions against the Plague AND to accomplish this chapter it remaineth to set downe certaine necessary potions to minister to the sicke that may resist the venime which during the time of their sickenesse ought very oftentimes to be ministred vnto them vntill such time as nature ouercommeth the force of the infection being assisted by the vertue of naturall heate and by cordiall Antidotes that is to say by medicines that are altogether contrarie to the venime of the plague which the Arabians in their tongue are accustomed to call Bezoatici and the Latines Antidotes Euerie morning and euening therefore and if néed be at midday or midnight if the accidents be violent you may cause the patient to drinke these potions folowing If he be poore take Iuniper-berries and Bole Armenus of each a drachme powlder them wel and mixe them with scabious buglosse or sorrel water and one ounce of sirop of limons cause him to take it euening and morning euery day or else take the powlder of the Electuary of Guido giue him a drachme after the same manner you may also vse with good effect the poulder of betony dried to the quantity of a drachme or 4. scruples taking it in summer time with rose water and in winter in good white wine and it worketh wonderful effects if the patient kéepe himselfe well couered and sweate therevpon for it causeth the venime to euaporate by sweat Treacle and Mythridate also are soueraine medcines to this effect being taken to the quantitie of a drachme with rose water in summer or succorie or sorrel water and in winter with good white or claret wine For the rich let this powlder be dispensed Take the rootes of tormentil the roote of Diptamus Creticus if it be possible the roots of Angelica Zedoari and Gentian of each a drachme of the seedes of citrons and sorrel two drachmes of true Bole Armenus prepared twoo drachmes of Terra sigillata thrée drachmes of pearles two drachmes of red corall foure scruples of the rinde of the citron or Oringe dryed a drachme beate all these to a fine powlder of which you may giue the patient in the waters aboue named the weight of a drachme or a drachme and a halfe If you will make an opiate thereof you may confect the powlder with conserue of roses or buglosse or sirrop of limons and make an opiate of which you may giue the patient halfe an ounce at a time This poulder is of most excellent vertue and great effect if it be wel dispenced which amongst all other medicines is most appropriate as by the vertue of the ingredients the expert and learned Phisitian may easily coniecture These are the remedies which in potions are most assured and are both experimented and alowed laying aside the superstitious and vaine opinions of the vnicornes horne of which the common sort make so great reckoning For in truth it is a méere folly to beléeue that the pieces of horne which diuers men beare about them is the horne of that beast which the Gréekes called Monoceros and the latins Vnicornu as the simple sorte vnicornes horne for it is a beast so rare to be séene and in places so strange that scarsely Alexander the great could recouer one to his great charge and expence as Plinie Aelian and Philostratus testifie neither may it be taken aliue for that it liueth in places desart and solitary in the extreamest parts of India and the East But leauing these things apart I say that we ought to trust to perfect tried experienced medicines such as are those which heretofore I haue faithfully set downe for the common good and the loue I beare vnto my neighbours In prosecution of which matter I say by the authoritie of Galen Lib. 9. de simpl fac cap. 14. V.T. that Bole Armenus is by him singularly commended amongst all other simples for the plague For in that great plague which in his time was in Greece all those that drunke Bole Armenus were sodainely healed as the said Galen testifieth who aduiseth vs to take it with good white wine somewhat qualified and mixed with water the quantitie ought to be some two drachmes And here you are to note that in those who are already taken with the plague it behooueth to giue them a greater dose of your Antidotes then those whom you intend to preserue For in the venime of the plague is already inclosed in their bodies it is necessary that the medicine should be more forcible to ouercome and subdue the same then before that it seazeth the body And therefore if to the healthy you will ordaine a drachme to preserue him you ought to giue eare to those that are sicke And this may serue for an aduertisement to the common sorte how they should gouerne their
taken away mixe the same with oyle of roses in a leaden morter and stirre it well and you shall haue a good oyntment to repaire the deformed cicatrises which are left after carbuncles This is the whole forme of the cure of a pestilent carbuncle Chap. XV. The maner how to withstand the most vrgent accidents that happen in the pestilent feuer the Botch and Carbuncle THE most troublesome and dangerous accidents in this sickenesse are weakenesse of vertue faintings of the heart soundings rauing or frensie extreame drith profound sléepe or continuall waking crampes coldnesse of the extreame parts which we ought diuersly to correct according as the nature of each of them requireth The féeblenesse of vertue which may be knowne by the weaknesse of the pulse palenesse of the face and dulnesse of the patient may be preuented or corrected by comforting the sicke by good and cordiall broths and colices cawdles or such like with good wine also as Galen commandeth in the twelfth booke of his Methode ministring it but little in quantitie and alayed with water or to make him take a toste of bread with sugar cinamon stéeped in good white or claret wine you shall giue him Diamargariton Manus Christi with pearles and amongest al the medicines that are proper to comfort the vertue the confection Alchermes described by Mesue in his Antidotary is allowed which hath maruelous force and efficacie to restore vertue almost extinct in the sicke as by diuerse experiments I am able to auow to the valew of a drachme in buglosse water or white wine It shal be good also to comfort the patient to incourage him with friendly words to embolden him extinguish his feare for these meanes both quicken and strengthen vertue The faintings of the heart which the Gréekes call Lipothimiae may be eased by the Electuary of Diamargariton or the powlder thereof annexing vnto it the powlder of Electuarium de gemmis or a little of the powlder of Diamosci dulcis giuen in white wine or buglosse or scabious water to the valew of a drachme And in this accident you must comfort the sick with good odors and rubbe the pulses of his armes and his temples with rose water and rose vineger or with the mixture of rose water rose vineger the powlder of cloues and cinamon and if the patient be bound it wil be good to giue him a clister of the decoction of mallowes béetes borage mercury mellon séedes and a little annice séede and branne and dissolue therein an ounce of Catholicon or Cassia oyle of violettes and grosse sugar If the sicke fall into a sound giue him sodainely two or thrée spoonefuls of pure wine as Galen commaundeth in the twelfth of his Methode and in such a case it is good to giue him foure graines of muske dissolued in good wine and buglosse water if the Feuer be not ouer vehement or instéede of this remedie giue him this drinke folowing Take of powlder of cloues halfe a drachme of the powlder of pearles and corrall of each halfe a drachme make a drinke with buglosse water and a little good white wine or claret wine And in such an accident you must crie vpon the sicke rubbe him violently make him smel rose water and muske or giue him a drachme of the confection Alchermes with buglosse water and a little wine and halfe a drachme of pearles for the rich and for the poore the powlder of cloues And if he abound in cholerike humors purge him with a little rubarbe or the Electuary of the Iuyce of roses or the sirrope of roses It is good also to cast fresh water very oftentimes in his face for it quickeneth the decayed spirites These are the remedies for soundings If the patient fall a rauing you must giue him some spéedy euacuation to diuert the humors lest they mount to the braine you must therefore rubbe the lower partes very often and apply ligatures to the extremities and make him take sirrope of poppy with water of the decoction of lettuce purselane or sorrell and wash his féete and armes with the warme decoction of the leaues of willow vine leaues lettice floures of roses and lillies camomile and the tops of white poppy boyled in water and kéepe the patient in silence and in a secret place and to beware that he speak not as much as is possible and if the raging be ouerfurious you ought to binde him and to take all thinges from him that may hurt him as all sorts of armor and other offensible things finally to procure him to sléepe The extreame thirst that presseth the patient must be eased by drincking fréely as Paulus Aegineta and Auicen commaund and his drinke shall be fresh water in great quantitie if the patient be yoong and strong or mixed with sirope of limons or sower grapes or sirop of violets And note that he must drink largely and aboundantly to extinguish the heate of the feuer that burneth him inwardly for to drincke in little quantitie rather inflameth then cooleth the same And therefore the aboue named Authors will that in the pestilent feuer we should allow aboundance of drinke for it either prouoketh vomite or sweate or extinguisheth the feuer heauinesse of sléep must be remedied by strong rubbings of the féete and handes by often calling on the sicke by kéeping him in a lightsome chamber by clapping cupping glasses with scarification to the nape of his necke by sharpe clisters made with the decoction of mallowes holihockes béetes hisope bitony rew sage and the lesser centory of each a handfull agaric two drachmes polipody an ounce coloquintida a drachme branne a handfull let all be boyled in water and strayned to which you may adde of catholicon one ounce of the electuary of Indie or Hiera piera composita halfe an ounce of salt a drachme of common hony halfe an ounce make hereof a clister which he may take in the morning or after supper during his heauines Subeth and déepe sléepe It is good also to make him smel to the powlder of burnt haire mixed with vineger for it awaketh him much And if contrariwise the patient cannot sléepe you shall giue him two ounces of the sirope of poppy or one ounce an houre before he take rest with the decoction of lettuce and poppy séede and you shal annoynt his forehead with vnguentum populeonis or alittle of the séedes of white poppy and annice you may annoynt his nosthrills also with the oyles of poppy and violets with a graine of Opium and saffron incorporated together if necessity require it and not otherwise If the patient be seazed with the cramp which is a mortal signe and after which few escape as Hippocrates testifieth in his second booke 2◠Aphorisme yet must we notwithstanding assist all that wée may and annoynt the nape of his necke with oyles of white lillies and violets and make him holde in his mouth a péece of nutmeg and chew it often you shall likewise giue him
stench corruption putrifaction and euill qualitie For which cause it is necessary to make good fumes in our houses of swéet and wholesome wood as Rosemarie Iuniper and Lawrell or Bayes and to perfume the whole house and chambers with the fume of Rosemary Iuniper the parings of Apples Storax Beniamin Incence dried Roses Lauender and such like both Euening and Morning It is not amisse likewise at euery corner of the stréet at least twise in the wéek to make cleare and quicke Bonefires to consume the malignant vapours of the ayre according as Acron the great Phisitian commaunded to be done during the mortall plague in Greece As Paulus Aegineta testifieth in his second Booke Chap. 35. It is good also to weare swéet sauors and perfumes about vs such as in Winter time are Marcorame Rosemarie Storax Beniamin or to make a Pomander after this sort that ensueth and to weare it about vs to smell too vpon all opertunities Take of the flowers of red Roses of Violets of Buglos of each halfe a little handfull of the thrée Sanders of each a Dramme of the rootes of Angelica Gentian and Zedoary of each foure scruples of white Encens Cloues Nutmegs Calamus Aromaticus of each a dram of Storax Calumit and red Beniamin of each a dramme and a halfe of orientall Muske a scruple of Amber-greece halfe a scruple of Ladaum infused in Rose-water one ounce mixe all these together in Rose-water where in the Gum Dragacanth hath béene infused and with a little of Rose-vinegar make a paste of which you may forme certaine rounde Pomanders to weare about your necke and smell vnto continually Or take of Rose-water thrée ounces of white Vinegar of Roses ij ounces of white Wine or pure Malmosie two spoonfuls of the powder of Cloues of the roote of Angelica and Storax of each halfe a dramme mixe them all together and with this liquor it shall not be amisse to wash your hands bedeaw your forehead nostrils and the pulces of your armes for such an odour and of so wholesome a qualitie vehemently repulceth the venome that assaileth the heart and altereth the pestilence of the ayre It shall not be amisse likewise to carrie an Angelica roote in your mouth or a Gentian or Zedoary roote or else the rine of an Orange Lemon or Pomecitron which as Auicen testifieth haue soueraine effects in this case The continual vses of these good odors comforteth the heart and vitall spirites driueth away all venemous vapours and rectifieth the ayre that whirleth about vs as Auicen testifieth in his Booke Of the Forces of the Heart For which cause they which desire the continuance of their health ought neuer to be vnprouided of these things Amongst all other medicines that haue the propertie to comfort and reioyce the heart the Easterne Hyacinth béeing worne about the brest and next vnto the naked skin or else held in the mouth is very effectuall as Auicen testifieth in his Booke Of the Forces of the Heart in that Chapter wherein hée entreateth of the Hyacinth where hée saith that the sayd Stone hath not only a propertie to fortifie the heart and quicken the vitall spirites but also to resist all venomes For which I aduise all such as haue both meanes and maintenance to get such a iewel to carrie the same either in their mouthes or continually about their neckes neare vnto the region of their hearts by reason of that excellent propertie which all Authors by vniforme consent attribute vnto the same CHAP. V. The meanes and preseruatiues which are to be ministred inwardly against the Plague GAlen in his first booke of the differences of Feuers and in that Chapter wherein he intreateth of the pestilent Feuer saith That to preserue the body from infection it shall be very necessarie to clense and purifie the same from al corruptions and superfluities by sit purgations and to take away these oppilations and stoppings which are the meanes that naturall heat cannot bee dispersed to dry the body from humidities and to maintaine such bodyes as are drie in their Estates In imitation of whose opinion and direction it shall be good to euacuat and expell those superfluities of humours which abound according to there natures age complexion vertue quantitie and qualitie who are forced with the same superfluous humours It is therefore note worthy in suspected and dangerous times that no accustomed euacuations either by fluxe of Hemeroides or of the belly old vlcers menstruall blood itches or such like should be restrained For those purgations which are of this kinde doo clense the vnnecessary humours and by this meanes maketh the body healthfull whereas such humours being either repressed by astringent medecines or such like ointments might greatly hurt the principall members and produce strange sicknesses in the same And for this cause Galen and Hipocrates write That it is a good signe when as any defluxion is expelled from the inward and principall parts of the body where contrariwise if the same be transported from the outward to the inward parts it is a most euil and sinister signe For which cause in the Plague time it is the surest way rather to suffer those superfluities to haue their course then to stop or stay them by any medecine because by the voydance thereof the body is purged from the same superfluities which being retained might wonderful annoy it Which counsaile of theirs may serue for an aduertisement to all those that shall be so disposed and affected in the time of the Plague It behooueth therefore such as be Sanguine full in loue and youthfull in yeares to be let blood after a competent manner thereby to diminish their replexion and aboundance of blood Those that are chollerique ought to be purged with an infusion of Rubarb if they be wealthy and if poore with the Electuary of the iuice or Roses by taking thrée Drammes or halfe an ounce thereof in Sorrell Endiue or Purslane water or else by Diacatholium Diaprunis Laxatiue the sirope of Roses Cassia or the pilles of Rubarb Femetorie or those that for their gentle working are called by the Phisitians Aureae The Flegmatique ought to be purged with Agaric Diaphenicon Diacarthami the pils Aggregatine Cochiae according to the strength of their bodyes the qualitie of the humor which are offensiue at the discreton of the learned experienced Phisitians by whose directions and prescriptions such medecines are to be ministred not according to the custome of this time by foolish Idiotes and ignorant Emperiques Such as are melancholy should be purged with the infusion of Sena and Epithemum with a little Anice seede and Diacathelicon with the Confection Hamech Diasene Solutiue the pilles of Femitory and Aureae I forbeare to call the pils De lape Armeno and Lasuli into vse because they are too violent and scarcely well prepared Such as are weake and delicate persons As woman with childe children and aged people it shall suffice to purge them with an ounce of
eache halfe an ounce let all these 〈◊〉 beaten to a fine powder and searsed and then incorporate the whole with liquide Storax adding therevnto of Muske â—nd Amber of each a dramme of Ciuet two drammes make â—â—aste hereof with the infection of Gumme Tragacents in â—ose water â— prettie preseruatiue to be carried in a mans mouth during the time of infection which procureth a sauoury and sweete breath TAke of fine Sugar one ounce of Orace halfe an ounce of the shell of an Egge the inward skin being taken away halfe an ounce put the shell of the Egge into Muske Rose water till it be mollified for the space of eight dayes beat 〈◊〉 these to a fine powder and with Rose water wherin Gum Tracagant hath bene infused make prettie Pellets according so what bignesse you please These are very wholesome and make the breath swéete and comfort the heart inwardly and are of a temperat qualitie which you may kéep in your mouth some thrée houres An admirable and excellent defensatiue in forme of an oyntment to defend the heart in time of infection profitable both for the healthy and diseased and of admirable effects TAke of the best Treacle you can get or in stead thereof Methridate but Treacle is the better take I say two ounces The iuice of sixe Limons mixed together and put them into a litle glassed pipkin and let them boyle therein till halfe the iuice be consumed Then suffer it to coole and afterwards take two drams of beaten Saffron of Caroline and white Diptamy of each two drammes incorporate all these things together after they are well pounded and bring them to the forme of an ointment wherwith euery day annoint the region of the heart vnder the left pappe making a circle with the same round about the pap Afterward take an ounce of Christaline pure Arsenick and wrap it in Gossapine Cotton and red Taffata after the forme of a litle bag carry the same about you being bounde vnderneath or hard vpon your left pap by this meanes each man may be assured that he shall not be infected if so be he vse those interior remedies which I shal set downe and haue heretofore declared for the good of my Country An other excellent preseruatiue against the Plague TAke of the leaues of Mary-golds which the Latines call Calendula of Uerveine Scabious and Sorrell of each a handfull of the rootes of Gentian Zedoary and white Diptamy of each two drams boyle them all together for two houres space in good and pure fountaine-water from the value of a quart to a pinte adde thervnto the iuice of sixe Limons and as much Sugar as shal be sufficient make a sirope hereof and aromatise it with Cinamom and take thereof euery morning foure or fiue spoonefulls A singular water both for the healthy and diseased in the time of the sicknesse whereof they may take an ounce euery morning with much comfort TAke Ualerian Carline Zedoary good Mirrhe Bole Armenus Gentian of round Birtwoort of Aristolochia of Calamus Aromaticus of white Diptamy Imperatoria of each one ounce and a halfe of fiue Aloes two drams of Saffron a scruple beate all these to a fine powder and afterwards stéepe them in fiue pintes of excellently wel râ—ctified spirit of Wine and let them inâ—use therein sixe houres and sée the body wherein you put them be well luted After the sixe houres be past adde thervnto fiue pintes of good Malmessie and straine the same or rather you may leaue the simples in the bottome and dreine it clearly and gently Of this water euery morning fasting take two or thrée spoonefulls for it is an excellent and well approued remedy Excellent Pilles against the Plague TAke of Aloes one ounce of Mirrh and Saffron of each thrée drammes of Bole Armenus Terra Sigillata Zodoarie white Diptamus the rootes of Tormentil of each a dramme make Pilles of these being all of them well poudered and mixed with the iuice of Mary-goldes or redde Coleworts of which euery day take one and once euery moneth a dramme An excellent and approued remedie allowed by diuers learned mens experience TAke the rootes of Tormentil and of white Diptamus the rootes of Ualerian and white Daises and if it be possible to get them gréene it shal be the better Take these aboue named rootes as much of the one as of the other pound them and make a fine pouder of them Then take the decoction of Sorrel and let the aboue named pouder be infused in the same then let it be taken out and dried in the Sunne Afterwards beate it to pouder againe and infuse it anew and afterwards dry it in the Sunne as before which when you haue done thrée or foure times reserue the same pouder clearly in some conuenient vessell and when as any one feeleth himselfe strooken with the Plague giue him presently halfe an ounce of this pouder in Rose water or Scabious water or in nine houres after he shall séele himselfe infected This remedy in diuers persons and very oftentimes hath bene experimented and hath wrought wonderfull effects if it were giuen within the time prescribed A singular and secret Remedie the which I receiued from a worthy man of Venice admirable for his learning in all Sciences who of curtesie imparted the same vnto me with protestation that he had seene wonderfull effects of the same TAke of the Rootes of Tormentil and white Diptamy as much of the one as of the other of Bole Armenus washt in Rose water the quantitie of a great Chestnut of orientall Pearles one dramme of the sharings of Iuory one dramme and a halfe beate all these into a fine powder and incorporate them with conserue of Roses in a marble Morter reserue this confection in a vessell of glasse well couered Take hereof the quantitie of a great Nut in the Morning and drinke a spoonefull of the Iuice of Mary-golds or Lemons with Sugar after it The Gentleman that gaue me this assured mée that hée had giuen it to many in the time of the great Plague in Venice who though continually conuersant in the houses of those that were infected receiued no infection or preiudice by them A Remedie worthy the vse and noting An Opiate against the Plague extracted partly out of Galen partly out of Dioscorides and others of excellent effect TAke twentie common Nuttes of dried Figges to the number of 15. and of Rue and Scabious of each twentie leaues Of the rootes of both sorts of Aristolochia the round and long of each halfe an ounce of Tormentil white Diptamy Pimpernell Bay Berries Borage flowers the Kinde of the roote of Capres of each two drammes a halfe of Galingale Harts horne Mace and Mirrhe of eache two drammes of Bole Armenus Terra Sigillata common Salt of each two scruples beat all these to fine pouder and incorporate them with two pound of pure clarified Hony and make an Opiate therof wherof in the morning take the quantitie of a Nut
sicke in time of visitation This water that enseweth is likewise of great vertue and allowed by many experiences TAke two pound of the iuyce of limons of rose vineger as much of Bole Armenus prepared two ounces of the dried rinde of orenges one ounce infuse them a day naturall or xxiiii houres in the saide vineger and afterwardes distill them in Balneo Mariae giue of this water foure ounces with sirrope of limons or sirrope of sowre grapes for it is an excellent medicine as Fracastorius in his third Booke de morbis Contagiosis chap. 7. whose name I héere set downe to the end I may no waies seeme to defraude any one of the praise due vnto them or challenge to my selfe other mens inuentions Hitherto haue we sufficiently spoken of those medicines which are to bée taken inwardly it remaineth that we speake of those that are to be applied outwardly But before that I intreate of them I will describe in this place a confection or restoratiue to be ministred vnto him that is infected with the plague Take conserue of roses conserue of water lillies conserues of sowre grapes and buglosse of each an ounce of pouldered pearles one drachme of Bole Armenus prepared foure scruples of fine suger as much as sufficeth reduce all these into the forme of a Conduite with leaues of golde for the rich As for the poore it shall suffice to giue them the foresaide conserues with a little of the poulder of Bole Armenus or Triasantali or the séeds of sowre grapes or citrons or the barke thereof It is good also to giue them oft times a tablet of losenge of Diamargariton when they haue the fainting of the heart with a little buglosse water or white wine and if they fall into soundings giue them confection Alchermes after the same maner for it is a miraculous medcine in strengthening the heart and reuiuing the spirites And in this case it is good to restore them with good broaths wine caudles and egges as wée haue héeretofore aduised Manus Christi perlata also is good in this case and pleasant to the eater which you may giue in brothes in buglosse water or in the forme of a tablet To comfort the heart outwardly vse this Epitheme that followeth For the rich take rose water sorrell water buglosse and balme water of each foure ounces of good white wine or malmsey thrée ounces of the powlder of Diamargariton and de Gemmis of each one drachme of powlder of scarlet which we call vermilion of cloues of each halfe a drachme of powlder of zedoary and Bole Armenus of ech a scruple of the trochisques of camphre halfe a scruple make an Epitheme for the heart the which you shall apply with a péece of fine scarlet vppon the region of the heart morning and euening For the poore it sufficeth to make an Epitheme of sowre grape-water or sorrel water of balme-water and rose water with alittle white wine and the powlder of sanders and alittle powlder of Iuniper-berries Instéed of the said Epithemes you may make certaine bagges of silke for the hart after this fashion Take dryed red roses flowers of violets water-lilies and buglosse of each a little handful of rosemary flowers as much of the powlder of scarlet cloues sāders the powlder of Diamargariton of each a drachme of Citron séede Bole Armenus of each foure scruples of muske and amber of each fiue graines beate all these to powlder and baste them with cotton in red taffatie and make a bag thereof which you may easily besprinckle with rose water and a little white wine and apply to the hart An Epitheme for the liuer TAKE of the distilled water of endiue succory sorrel rose and wormewood water of each thrée ounces of good white rose wine vineger thrée siluer spoonfuls of the powlder of sanders one drachme of the séeds of sower grapes two scruples of spicknard a scruple make an Epitheme hereof for the poore and for the rich you may adde powlder of Diamargariton pearles corall and Zedoary of each halfe a drachme Mathiolus of Siena a notable Phision of our age principally in matter of simples in his sixt booke of his Commentaries vpon Dioscorides writing vpon the preface sets down an excellent ointment of great virtu to withstand the operation of venim in those that are sicke of the plague the description whereof is long and difficult to be made and serueth but for Princes and great Lords in that it is very chargeable Therefore to auoyde prolixitie we haue thought good to referre the Reader to that place if he thinke good to cause it to be dispensed The name thereof is the oile of scorpions which in trueth is of maruelous vertue to expel poison and venime as by the maruellous composition and art in making that oile may be séene But instead thereof we will set downe an other oyle of scorpions of a more easie composition set downe by Alexander Benedictus in the xx chapter of his booke of the plague the description whereof hereafter ensueth Take of oile oliue the oldest that may be gotten one pound then take thréescore liue scorpions and put them in a violl of glasse in the said oyle and boyle them ouer a soft fire nine houres or set the said oyle in our Ladies baine and when they haue thus boyled in the oyle thou shalt adde vnto them of treacle two ounces and let it boyle in the said oyle a quarter of an houre then straine all of it and kéepe the said oyle in a violl well closed and stopped with waxe and parchment and with it annoynt the sicke vnder the armepittes behinde the eares on the breast the pulses of the armes the temples and nosthrilles twice or thrice a day This is a most excellent remedy and of great force as the aforesaid Authors testifie who writes that if this vnction be applied sodainly to him that is sicke of the plague before 24. houres be past he shal be deliuered vsing the remedies aforesaide The same Author likewise reporteth that this oyntment is of great effect Take a glasse that containeth a pint and a halfe and more fil it with oile that is old in which oile you shal infuse of elder floures six litle handfuls of the floures of walworth two handfuls of the leaues and floures of Hipericon or S. Iohns wort a handful but let the oile couer the hearbs and be more in quantitie set this vessel closely luted in the sunne for the space of fortie dayes or a whole summer and reserue it to the abouenamed vses to annoynt the sicke as hath béen saide But after you haue annoynted him you must couer him close for the oyle procureth sweate and by such euacuation causeth the venime to vapor outwardly and if to the said oyle you shal annex twenty or thirty scorpions it wil be farre more excellent if besides you adde two or thrée ounces of good treacle and boyle them in our Ladies bayne it will haue more force Sée here the best