which Syrupe doth not heate nor inflame but with great temperature according to the graduation woorketh his good effects The first for whom this thing was ordayned and deuised was for Pantelion de Negro Ienoues who was had in cure by many Phisitions and hauing taken the water of the Wood and other Medicines was well neere consumed and with a grieuous swelling sore vppon his shinne bone and great paynes in it hee tooke it and was healed very well This sirupe I haue vsed in many people for the infirmitie that the Sarcaparilla doth profite for and the wood and for many other and it hath a good effect in woorking by degrees for that the drinesse of the wood is taken away and the heate of the Sarcaparilla and it is made in this forme There must bee taken two ounces of Sarcaparilla and foure ounces of Paulo Sancto which is the holie Wood prepared as it is saide and three Doozen of Acoseifas a fruite of Spayne without their stones and two Doozen of Prunes without their stones and halfe an ounce of the flowres of Borage and an other halfe ounce of Uiolettes and some graynes of Barley made cleane that is too say the huskes taken away All these thinges let them bee cast into three Pottles of water and lette them bee sodden on a soft fire vntill it come to one Pottell and then let it be strayned and vnto tenne ounces of this decoction let there be put one ounce of the Sirupe of Uiolettes Let it be taken hotte in the morning and at night in the order aboue sayde In the rest of the water keeping sweet if ther bee any and although there come little yet they bee healed They may eate a little Chicken from the first day with the rest of the diet drinke the simple water of the Sarcaparilla which is to be made with halfe an ounce of Sarcaparillia sodden in foure Pottâ—ls of water vntill one or somewhat more be sodden away This order doeth heale all kinde of euill of the Poxe and all the infirmities that we haue spoken of that the water of the Wood doeth heale and the China and the Sarcaparillia Which to repeate it shall be too long and too prolixious because it it is sufficieÌ„tly declared before For surely in this simple water and in the foresaide decoction I haue found great effectes aâ— well in the infirmities wherein is suspected the euill of the Poxe as in large and importunate diseases in the which the common remedies of Phisicâ—e haue not profited which although they proceeded not of the French Poxe yet doeth it cure and heale them as it is seene by the woorke of him that vseth it There is an other Sirupe to bee made of the Sarcaparillia which is taking eight ounces of Sarcaparillia being broken or cutte and seething it in foure pottelles of water vntill three be sodden away and the one remaine and into the water that shall remayne to put to foure pounde of Sugar and make a perfect Sirupe And of this Sirupe too take three ounces in the morning and three at night eating good meates and to suppe litle and drinke onely the simple water of the Sarcaparillia and goyng abrâ—ade out of the house and doyng his buisinesse There are healed therwith many diseases without geuing any molestation in the healing of them And this must be taken till the Sirupe bee all consumed Also this Sarcaparillia is taken in pouder in this maner They take the Sarcaparillia and plucke awaie from it the heare within it and dry it and grynde it and then sifte it through a syue of silke and make it in Pouder Of this Pouder is taken in the infirmity of the Poxe or spice of them the weight of sixe pence drinking it with the simple Water of the Sarcaparillia taking it in the Morning and as night as much when he goeth to bedde Hee must eate good meates and drinke no Wine but the simple water thereof It shall doe well he be purged that shall begin to vse it And although that this pouder doth heale many diseases large and temporall one cure it doth meruellously which is the salte Fleume of the handes and feete in this forme The sicke man being purged and also without purging if he cannot otherwise doe hee shall take the Pouder as it is sayde and vpon the salt Fleume he shall lay with a Feather a little of the water of Sublimatum delayed with Rosewater that it be very simple and after it is layed on all partes where the salt Fleume is then let there be put vpon it a plaister that is called of William Serâ—eâ—tis or Dia Palma spread abroade thin vpon Sattin or Taffeta too bee applied in all parts where the simple water of Sublimatum was put This must be done euery day for that in fifteene daies he shall be perfectly whole This doth mundifie and incarnate and skin without hauing need of any other medicine ioyntly with the Pouder and the simple water of Sarcaparillia which wee haue spoken of This is of so great effect and experimented as they shall see by the worke that shall vse it for surely they shall be whole thereby The vse of the water of the Sarcaparillia is so greate at this day in this forme as is sayd that it is applied in anie disease it is come into so much credit that in anie maner of Reumes or runnings or windinesse the euill of Women of the Mother or any other cause or occasion whatsoeuer so that it bee not in Feuers or other sharpe diseases men take the vse of the simple Water of the Sarcaparillia and this is at this day so put in vse that in like sort you shall finde the simple sodden Water of Sarcaparillia in manie houses as ordinary water in yearthen vessels and surely it woorketh greate effectes and doeth remedie large and importunate diseases Trueth it is that the persons that bee hotte of complexion it doeth beate them more then is conuenient and so they cannot drinke it and moste of all if that their Liuer be very hotte for that it heateth too much In womens diseases as well of the Mother as of colde humours it woorketh good effectes and doeth mâ—ruellously dissolue windes And in persons that bee subiect to manie euilles and especially of Reumes and olde greeffes and diseases caused of the euill humours if they runne this course with the continuance thereof they shall receiue manifest profite and benefite and it doeth heale all deseases whiche they neuer thought to be healed of The complexion thereof iâ— hotte and drie well neere in the seconde degree All these waters must be giuen in Sommer or in the ende thereof it is better that the season exceede in heate then in colde ¶ Of the blood Stone and of the Stone for the diseases of the Stone of the Kidneies and Reines THEY doe bring from the new Spaine twoo stones of greate vertue the one is called the
euery yeere it bringeth foorth yellow flowers out of the which is ingendered a round fruite with litle kernelles within it of the greatnesse of a Medler of these Trees there is greate aboundance in Sancto Domingo And after this they haue founde an other Tree of the kind of this Guaiacan in Saint Iohn de Puerto Rico which is an other Ilande neere to that of Sancto Domingo such an other tree as that is sauing that it is lesse the body of the tree and the bowes are smaller it hath scarsely any harte or if it haue any it is very little and that is in the body of the tree for that the bowes haue none at all It is of more sweete smel and more bitter then the Guaiacan that is nowe vsed in our tyme I meane that of Sancto Domingo and for his maruellous effectes they call it the holy Woode surely with reason for that it is of a better working then that of Sancto Domingo which is seene by experience but euen aswell the one the other is a maruellous remedy to cure the disease of the Poxe of the which and of euery one of them a water is made and is taken for this infirmitie and for many others in this forme They take twelue ounces of the wood made small and twoo ounces of the Rinde of the same woodde broken and they cast it to steepe in three Pottels of Water in a newe pot that will holde somwhat more for the space of xxiiii houres and the pot being well stept they seeth it ouer a soft fire of kindled Coales vntill the twoo Pottels bee sodde away and one remayning And this is to be noted at the time the water is put to it putting therein one Pottle they dip in a little Rodde and doe marke howe high the water of one Pottle reacheth and by that measure and marke they shall see when the twoo are sodde away and the one Pottell remayneth After the water is sodden they set it to coole straine it and keepe it in a glassed vessell and forthwith vppon the said sodden woodde they poure foure Pottels of water and seeth it till one bee sodden away and this water must bee strayned and kept apart and it must bee taken in this forme After that the sicke man is purged by the counsell of a Phisition let him be put into a warme Chamber and kept from the colde and from ayre and beeing laied in his bedde let him take early in the morning tenne ounces of Water of that which was first made wel warmed and let him bee couered so that he may sweate wel let him kepe his sweat at the least two houres after he hath swet let him be made cleane from his sweat take a warme Shirt and the rest of his Linen clothes foure houres after he hath swette let him eate Reasings Almonds and Bisket and that in reasonable quantitie Then let him drinke of the water that was made at the second tyme the quantity that he hath need of and of the selfe same let him drinke in the day time eight houres after hee hath eaten let him returne to take the first water and let him take other tenne ounces well warmed and then sweate other two◠houres and after his sweate let him bee made cleane and then bee couered againe with warme cloathes and one houre after hee hath swet let him make his supper of the same Reasings Almonds and Bisket and drinke of the second Water This order he must obserue the first fiftiene daies except hee haue some notable weaknesse and in such case her must bee succoured with geuing him to eate of a young Chicken iointly with the rest of the Diet and in them that be leane that cannot beare so precise Diet it is sufficient that they take it for nine dayes and at the end of them they may eate a little Chicken rosted if in case the sicke person be debilited and that he cannot suffer the Diet let him haue from the beginning a very small Chicken going forwarde increasing in the proces of tyme and beeing past the 15. dayes let him returne to purge himselfe at the sixtiene dayes end let him take the waight of fiue shillinges of the substaunce of Canafistola taken out by Strayner or other thing respondent thereunto and that day let him drinke no strong Water but of the simple and the next day after the Purgation let him returne to the aforesayde order taking in the morning and euening the strong water with his sweatinges and eating and drinking the same Sauing that in place of a Chicken hee may eate halfe a rosted Pullet or somwhat more and this seconde tyme let him take it for other xx daies in the which tyme hee may ryse and walke about his chamber being apparelled and kept warme And at the end of them hee shall returne to purge him selfe an other tyme and must haue a speciall care to keepe good order and after hee hath takē the water for other fortie dayes must keepe himselfe from women and from wyne especially and in place of wyne hee must drinke the simple water of the woodde which if he wil not doe then let him drinke of water sodden with Anise seede or Fenell seede supping little at night and eating no flesh This is the best way that the water of the wood ought to be taken which doeth heale many infirmities incurable where other Medicines could not worke the same effect this water is the best remedy that is in the worlde to heale the disease of the Poxe whatsoeuer or of what kinde soeuer it bee for that it rooteth it out for euer without any more comming againe and in this it hath his principal prerogatiue and excellencie This water is also good for the Dropsy for the shortnes of breath for the Falling sicknes for the diseases of the Bladder and of the Raynes for the paynes of the Ioynts for all euils caused of cold humors for ventositie and other dangerous and importunate diseases where the ordinary benefites of Phisicions haue not profited Chiefly it excelleth where the euil dispositions be that haue proceeded at any tyme from the disease of the Poxe There be many that with this wood haue made sundry mixtures making Syropes therof and surely with good effect But my iudgement and opinion is that he which shall take the water of the wood ought to take it in the maner as is aboue saide without any mingling thereof for that by expeperience it hath beene seene so to make the better woorke This water is good for the teeth making them white and fastning them by continual washing of them therewith it is hot and dry in the second degree Of the China THe Second Medicine that commeth from our Indias is a roote called the China It seemeth that I should slaunder it to say that the China groweth in our Occidental Indias since commonly the Portingales doe bring
it from the Orientall Indias By this you shall vnderstande that Syr Frauncis de Mendosa a worâ—hy Knight when hee came from the newe Spayne and Peru shewed to mee a greate Roote and other little rootes who asked mee what rootes they were I aunswer â—o that they were rootes of the China but that they seemed to mee to bee very freshe Hee sayde to mee that so they were and that it was not longe since that they had beene gathered and brought from the new Spaine I maruelled that they had it there for I did beleeue that in the China only it had growen he said vnto mee that not only there was in the newe Spaine the China but that also wee shoulde see brought greate quantitie of Spicerie from the place which that China came from And I beleued it when I saw the contract that he made with his maiestie to bring into Spaine great quantitie of spicerie that hee had begon to set and to plante and I saw greene Ginger brought from thence as also the China This China is a roote lyke to the roote of a cane with certaine knottes within it whyte and some with the whytenesse hath an alborne colour it is red without the best is the freshest that which hath no holes if it bee weightie and not worme eaten and that it haue a fatnes as if it were congeled and it hath an vnsauery cast This Roote doeth growe in the China which is the Orientall Indias neere to Siria and Sirciana It groweth neere to the Sea onely with the roote they helpe themselues with the which the Indians bee healed of grieuous diseases And therfore they haue it in great estimation they do heale al maner of large diseases therewith and also the sharpe diseases especially Agues with the Water of it prouoking Sweats and by this way they heale many It prouoketh sweat maruellously It is wel neere xxx yeeres since that the Portingales brought it to these parts with great estimatioÌ„ for to heale al manner of diseases and especially the disease of the Poxe in the which it hath wrought greate effectes and the Water is giuen in this forme The sicke person beeing purged as is most conuenient must take one of the Rootes and cut them small vnto the thicknesse and greatnes of a three penny peece and so being cut shall way one ounce and cast it into a newe Pot and thereupon shall poure three Pottels of Water and so shall lye a sleeping there xxiiii houres and the Pot beeing stopt let it seeth at a soft fire of kindled Coales vntill half be sodden away one Pottel half remaine and this is to be knowen by the order of the Measure as aforesaid in the water of the Wood. And after that it is colde let it bee strained and kept in a glassed vessel There must be care taken that it stande in some hotte or warme place neere to the fire for that therwith it doeth preserue the vertue the better and dureth longer tyme before it be corrupted The sicke man being lodged in a close conuenient Chamber must take in the morning fasting tenne ounces of the sayde water as hotte as he can suffer it and he shall procure sweat keepe it two houres at the least After the sweat hee shal bee made cleane and shall take a Shirte and cleane clothes warme them and shall lye downe againe twoo or three houres in the bed quietly after hee hath swet And afterwarde let him apparell himselfe and beeing well warmed remayne in his Chamber in the which he shal be kept from cold the open ayâ—e with all the pleasure of good company and conuersation he shal eate at xi of the clocke halfe a Chicken sodden or a quarter of a Henne with a little Salt At the beginning of dinner he shal drinke a dishfull of Broth and foorthwith eate of the Pullet eating at the beginning a little and hee shal ende with Marmelade His drinke shal bee of the water hee tooke in the morning for that heere is no more then one water hee may at the beginning after the Broth is taken begin too eate Reasinges without theyr little Graynes or Prunes without theyr stones theyr bread must bee Crustie well baked or Bisket If hee will drinke in the day tyme hee may doe so with taking of a little Conserua and drinke of the same water and beeing â—ight houres past his Dinner let him lye downe in his Bedde and take other tenne ounces of the same water the which being hotte hee may drinke and procure sweate two houres after he hath sweat let him be made cleane and take a cleane shirte and cleane clothes warme and after one houre let him sup with CoÌ„serua Reasinges and Almondes with some Bisket and drinke of the selfe same water and last of all eate Marmelade vpon the which he may not drinke Thus he may continue xxx dayes continually without neede of any more Purgation then the first and hee may sit vp so that he go wel cloathed vsing in this tyme all content and mirth and keeping him selfe from al that may offend him After that he hath taken this water in this sort hee must keepe good order and good gouernement for fortie dayes continually And hee must drinke no Wine but water made of the China that was before sodden the which hee shall keepe after it is sodden setting it to dry in a shadowie place and that China being dry must be kept to make water for other 40. dayes to drinke after the taking of the first water seething one ounce thereof in three Pottels of water vnâ—il one halfe be sodden away and this water let him drinke continually And aboue all thinges let him keepe himselfe from women and he must alwayes haue care that as well in the water of xxx dayes as in the water of the fourty daies that the China be steeped in the water xxiiii houres before it be sodden There be many diseases healed with this water al kinds of euill of the Poxe all olde Sores it resolueth all swellinges and knobbes it taketh away the paynes of the ioyntes which they call the Arthetica Goute and any other kinde of Goute that is in any particular member or place and especially the Sciatica it taketh away olde paynes of the head and of the stomake It healeth all manner of runninges of Rewmes it dissolueth Opilations and healeth the Dropsie It maketh a good colour in the face it taketh awaie the Iaundies and all euill complexion of the Liuer rectifieth it and in this it hath a greate prerogatiue And by this meanes these infirmities are healed It healeth the Palsey all infirmities of the Sinewes it healeth all diseases of Urine it taketh away Melancholy and all infirmities comming of colde diseases It doth comfort the stomake it doth dissolue windes meruellously and also Agues long and sharp as quotidians the taking of this water as it is conuenient so doth
it roote them out and take them away The which thing it doeth by prouoking of sweat in this it doth exceede all other Medicines and some will say that in Pestilent Agues by prouoking sweat it healeth them It is dry in the second degree with very litle heate the which is seene by the other waters of the wood And as Sarcaparillia which doth heate and drie so this doth not nor leaueth any impression of heate Surely it is a notable Medicine in the which I haue founde greate effectes for the Diseases which I haue spâ—ken of Of the Sarcaparillia THE Sarcaparillia is a thing brought into our partes since the China It is xx yeeres since that the vse thereof came to this city It first came froÌ„ the new Spaine the Indians did vse it for great medicine with the which they did heale many and diuers diseases It is a plant which doth cast many rootes vnder the ground being of a yeard long of the colour of a cleere Tawny sometimes the rootes shoote so deepe that to take them out all it is needfull to dig a Mans length It casteth foorth certaine bowes full of knottes that quickly do drie and we know not that they haue carried flowers or fruite at all After that the Sarcaparillia of the newe Spayne was founde there was also found in the Hunduras an other sort that was better and of better effectes it is knowne to be of the Hunduras because that it is of colour Tawnie and grosser than that of the newe Spayne the which is white and somewhat like to yellowe and more small and so the Sarcaparillia that is most like to blacke is best It ought to be freshe and in this is all the goodnes therof it is knowne to be fresh by not beyng Worme eaten For that at the freshe breaking of it long wise in the middest it maketh a running out to the end and casteth out no dust and the heauier it is the better it is The Spaniardes did call it Sarcaparillia when they saw it for the great likenes that it hath with the Sarcaparillia of these partes I haue it for certayne that the Sarcaparillia of these partes and of the Indias is all one and the verie same that ours is The which I haue experimented manie times ours worketh the effect that the Sarcaparillia of the new Spaine doth it is like vnto that of the Hunduras but it is of a bitter tast and not very sharpe and the water that it yeeldeth hath no more sauour then barley water hath The vse of this hearbe at the first did differ muche from that which is now in experiment for that they gaue it as the Indians did in the healing of their sicke folkes and surely it did worke very great effects But the delicatenesse of our time doth require that it should be vsed and geuen as the water of the wood is At the beginning they took of the Sarcaparilla much quantitie more then halfe a pounde did cut it small and breake it and cast it into a quantitie of water and being well wet they beate it in a Morter a good while in suche sorte that it was made like a Iellie and then did straine it pressing it very well for there came out of it the likenesse of a thicke drinke And of that they tooke in the morning hot one good Cup full and then the Pacient clothed him selfe well And sweete two houres and if in the day time they woulde drinke any thing it should bee of the selfe same thicke drinke so made by expression hot and then they swete as much in the morning This order they obserued for three dayes continually without eating or drinking of other meate sauing onely that thicke drinke taken out by pressing or straining of the Sarcaparillia after this sort I gaue it at the beginning many times and surely it wrought great effects and many sicke people did better recouer then they doe nowe with this other fashion After there was inuented an other forme and manner to geue it and is that which is now vsed in this sort They take two ounces of Sarcaparillia and wash it and cut it small and then they put it into a newe earthen pot and there vppon they poure three Pottâ—ls of water and sette it in the water to steepe twentie and foure houres and afâ—er the Pot being well stopte it must seeth on a soft fire of kindled coales vntill the two Pottels bee sodden away and the one remaine the which may be knowne by the order of the measure that we spake of and when it is colde let it be strained into a glassed vessel and vpon the selfesame Sarcaparillia that is soddeÌ„ let there be so much water powred in agayne that the pot be filled let it boyle a reasonable time and kept in a vessel glassed Nowe the sicke Man beeyng purged as it seemeth most conuenient and placed in a warme Chamber he must take in the morning ten ounces of the first water of the Sarcaparillia and must sweate at the least twoo houres and after sweate he must be made cleane from his sweate and take a warme shirt and warme clothes and the like hee must doe at night eight houres after he hath eaten his Dinner changing his shirt and hot apparrell He must dine at eleuen of the clocke and suppe one houre after he hath sweat at night eating nothing but Reasinges Almondes and Bisket and drinking of the second water Let him keepe this order fifteene daies and if he be weake geue him a little rosted chicken increasing it in processe of time at the least hee must keepe his bed niene dayes at the first beginning and the rest of the time in his chamber kept from colde and from ayre and on the fifteene day he must be purged with a soft and an easie medicine and likewise on the thirty day in such sorte that all the order that we haue prescribed be kept as in the manner of the taking of the water of the wood is already declared And likewise after the 30. daâ—es he must haue good gouernment for other fourty dayes not drinking any wine but simple water made of the said Sarcaparillia and keeping himselfe from women This is the ordinarie manner in taking of the water of Sarcaparillia which at this day is vsed And because I haue experience of other wayes that bee of great secret and of great effectes I will write them heere to the end that all the vertues which are in the Sarcaparillia may be set downe and declared seeyng it is the Medicine that is moste vsed and that wee doe see in it so greate and rare effectes I doe make a Sirupe that many yeeres hath been celebrated and had in estimation in this citie and in all Spaine for that it is xxvi yeres since I vsed it first for the disease of the Poxe for other infirmities
content with one euâ—cuation but with many digesting by little and little and auoyding out by little and little seeing that the auoyding out is done with such assuraunce by this Medicine so blessed He that hath neede of it must haue a good hart and with trust that it will profite him much which hetherunto wee haue experimented in so many that with iust title all credit may be giuen to the good workes therof We see with how much easines without any accideÌ„ts it worketh the effects that we haue spoken of it is looked for that euery day will bee discouered greater matters that may bee added vnto these The Rule and order that must be kept in the administration and geuing of the Pouders made of the roote of Mechoacan was learned of the Indian Phisition that wee haue spoken of and since it hath beene vsed in diuers and sundrie fashions The first thing that is requyred of him that shal take this Pouder is that he do prepare himself with good diet good order keeping himselfe from all thinges that may offende health and to vse these meates which are most conuenieÌ„t for him to dispose the humor that principally hee pretendeth to auoyde out with some Syrope that may haue the same respect that the humor is disposed vnto the way to be prepared where he may go out And for this it is good that he take the counsel of a PhisitioÌ„ he must vse Glisters if the Belly be not obedient at the least the day before he shal take it and if by chaunce he shal neede letting blood he shall doe it with the iudgement and opinion of a Phisition The body so prepared and ready to be purged he shal take this roote chosen as we haue said and it must be grounde making Pouder of it of an indifferent sinenesse and way of it the quantitie that must bee taken as wee shall speake of and put it into whyte Wyne which is Sacke as much in quantitie as is needful for to drinke and it must be tâ—ken in the morning Wyne is the best licour that it can bee taken withall and so it is vsed generally in the Indias for the Wyne as wee haue sayde doeth corroborate and geue strength to these Pouders and because there be some that can drink no wine in such case they may geue it in sodden water wherein Synamon hath beene boyled or Anis or Fenell seede and if the pure wine doe offend them it may be delayed with any manner of Water but the quantitie of the Wine that shall be taken is so little that it canâ—ot offende nor molest anie person It may be delaied with Endife or Langdebeefe water and because this medicine is not geuen in sharpe Agues but in large and temperate diseases it doth heare the Wine better then any other licour Also they geue these Pouders with Conserua of Uiolets and with Syrope of Uiolets and it is a good practise for with his colde and moysture it doeth correct the litle heate and drought that the Patient hath and let them drinke vpon it Wine watered or some water as aforesaide There is made of this Pouder Pilles formed with electuary of Roses and surely they make a very good worke and purge well Also they doe put it in paste of Wafer bread or in Marchpaines and as it hath no euill sauour so they doe not feele it It serueth much for children and for them that cannot take the like thinges The Pilles that must be made of this pouder must be very little somewhat greater then Coriander seede that they may dissolue the rather and not heat and so they work more quickly and better They may be geuen in the morning and at night these pouders be receiued with most prosperous successe beeing made vp with Syrope of Roses of nine infusions mingling the quantity that thereof shal be taken in two ounces of Syrope and surely this mixture doeth make a meruellous woorke for that it doth strengthen and inforce much the worke of the pouders It auoydeth Cholerike grosse and fleugmatike humors and permixt and the fearcenes of the blood and so it is a greate Medicine and of maruellous woorke It auoydeth also most strongly the Citrine water of them that haue the Dropsie frequenting it many tymes giuing betweene one purge and another that which may corroborate and make strong the Liuer in Broth it is taken many tymes and maketh good woorke This Medicine or purge must bee taken in the morning early and after it is taken they may sleepe halfe an houre vppon it before it doe purge for that the sleepe doeth slaye the Uomit and the natural heate shal make a better worke in the Medicine Hee that shall take these Pouders if he do feare them or any other Medicine purgatiue and if he feare Uomit may vse this one remedy of the which I haue large experience and is when hee hath taken this purge or any other let him take the Yolke of an Egge rosted hot broken betweene his Fingers and put into a course Linen Cloth and so rounde let him put it into the Throate Pit and let him holde it there vntill that hee doe beginne to purge for that surely it will slaye the Uomiting and also the Fumes that doe ryse of the purge and this is no small content After that hee hath somwhat slept if hee can at the tyme that it beginneth to woorke let him not sleepe nor eate nor drinke any thing but bee in place where the ayre doe not offende him nor with much company for that all the intent shall bee for to purge staying all thinges that may let the auoyding out And he shall be aduertised that one of the greatest excellencies that this purge hath is that it is in the handes of the sicke person to auoyde out what quantitie of humour hee will the which is a thing that they of olde tyme did consider much of And waying which was surest of purging or the letting of blood they doe not aleage any other cause more principall than that the letting of blood is more sure Forasmuch as in the letting of blood wee may take out what quantity of blood we lust not in the purge which once being taken it is not in the handes of the PhisitioÌ„ nor the sicke person to let it to doe his woorke which quality is not in this our purge of the roote of Mechoacan seeing that with taking of a little Broth or eating any maner of thing the working of it seaseth and it worketh no more and so it cannot exceede nor hurt the patient Surely it is to be holden of much price that there is fouÌ„de a kinde of purge with so much assurance and that so mightily doeth his woorke and is at the will of him that doth take it After it hath done what to the patient seemeth good and sufficient then with a little Broth which
with lesse quantity of wood The like shall be done in the hot or cold times in the age of the person or the most causes making to this respect and proportion And for the more light I will here set downe the maner how this water ought to be vsed the which shall serue to shew how that they may rise or fal therein coÌ„formably to the opinion which shall seeme good to euery one For in these infirmities that be very cold they must set vp the water in quillates both in seething and also in quantity of the wood And in the diseases that are not so colde or that doe participate of any heate they must set the water lower in Quillats seething it lesse putting in lesse wood the maner and order of the preparing it is this You shall choose the freshest wood that may be had and that which hath a rynde For that wood which hath not the rinde is not good nor taketh effect you must procure that it be of the roote for that is the best of the tree for these effects and cures and for the diseases which we haue spoken of And if in case there be no roote then the bowes are the best that growe in the higher part of the Trees and in case the boweâ— lacke then is the tree good if so be that the one and the other haue the rinde of the roote let there be taken lesse in quantity therof more of the bowes much more of the tree which must be double to the quantitie of the roote Nowe let vs speake of the bowes as of a thing in the middest betweene the roote and the tree beeyng that which continually they doe bring of the which you shall take halfe an Ounce and cut it as small as may be And it must be put into three Pottelles of water in a newe Earthen pot and there lie a steeping two howres and after it must bee sodden at a fire of Coales vntill the two partes bee consumed and tâ—e one remâ—yne And after it is colde let it be strayned and kepte in a glassed vessell and vpon those small cuttinges of wood that haue beene already sodden let there be poured other three Pottels of water and let it seeth vntil halfe a Pottell bee consumed and no more after that it is colde let it be strayned and kept in a glassed vessell Let the first water be taken in the morning fasting halfe a Pint hot and then keepe your selfe warme and procure sweate then change your selfe into hot clothing and wipe your selfe from the sweate And eate of a Hen rosted dry fruite and Conserua and drinke of the second water at Dinner and Supper and in the day time And then rise and goe well clothed and flie from all things which may offend you And at night make a light Supper and eate drie fruite and Conserua but eate no flesh at night and drinke of the second water And this you may doe for as many dayes as you finde your selfe greeued and if you finde your selfe well with the vse of this water taken in this maner proceed forward vntill you be whole if not then coÌ„tinue in taking of the strong water euery third day drink of the simple water coÌ„tinually After this order it may be geuen in all diseases that we haue treated of and it will profite But many will not submit themselues to this labour which truely is the best of all others that which is most conuenient They may make â—he simple water in this forme Let there be taken halfe an ounce of the wood little more or lesse with the conditions aforesaide and let it be made into small peeces and seeth it in three Pottels of water vntill halfe be sodden away rather more then lesse And of this water you may drinke continually at Dinner and at Supper and in the day time and surely taken in this order it doeth and hath done mauellous woorkes and moste greaâ—e Cures in long diseases and importunate taking it and â—eeping a good gouernemâ—nt in yâ—ur Meate and other thinges prohibited And howsoeuer it bee beyng drunke so simple it procureth great profite They that cannot forbeare tâ—e drinking of wine may water their wine therewiâ—h for it will rather make it of a better tast and sweetnesse for this water hath a most sweete smell and tast and aboue all it worketh maruellous effectes as we haue seene and do see in diuers and sundrie diseases in the which ordinary remedies of Phisicke doe not profit with the greate examples which we haue hereof And it is to be considered that principally it doeth profite in longe and colde diseases and where there is wyndines other euils that run this course which shal be knowne foorthwith by him that shall haue need of it vse it And one thing is to be vnderstoode that vsing it in the order as is aforesaid although that he which taketh it haue no neede thereof it can doe him no hurte but rather if it be well considered it wil manifestly profite him in the time that he shall take it yea although he leaue the taking of it when he seeth that he findeth not the profite which hee desireth nor that it hath done him any hurt or harme during the time that hee hath taken it CARLO SANCTO ¶ Of the Carlo Sancto a roote brought from the new Spaine THey bring from the newe Spayne within this three yeeres a mauellous roote of great vertues which is called Carlo Sancto the which a father of S. Francis order discouâ—red and published in the prouince of Mechoacan beyng taught by an Indian of that countrie that was verie wise in such thinges and a man of greate â—xperience in the vertues of them In the firâ—te parte wee haue declaâ—ed that there bee many Medicinadle Hâ—arâ—es which haue greate secretes and vertues This â—ur Carlo Sancto groweth in that Prouince in places which are vâ—rie tâ—mperate which â—e not drie nor verâ— moyst The forme and figure thereoâ— is like to our wilde Hopâ— of Spaine for it câ—rrieth a Lease as they doe and it râ—nnâ—th vp by any otâ—er tâ—ing that is neere vnto it and if it haue nothing to leaâ—e vâ—to then it câ—eepeth all along vppon the grounde the coloâ—r is a sadde grâ—ene it carâ—ieth neither flowâ—e nor fruâ—t the smell that it hath is little and acceptable to some Out of the Roote sâ—riâ—geth a grosse tree and it casteth foorth other Rootes of the greatnesse of a finger it is white in colour and hath a Rinde which falleth from the inner parte the hearte of it is meruellously wrought for it is compounded of certayne small boordes very thinne and they may be deuided by one and one the roote hath a pleasant smell and beeyng chewed it hath a notable bitternesse wiâ—h some sharpnesse of tast this roote hath his vertue in the Rinde In the ships that he
which they pretend to cure Let none thinke that to take this water without order good consideration as many doeth there shall followe health but vnto them rather taking it without measure without order â—t shall do vnto them much hurt wherby it seemeth to me that when this water shal be ministred as well in the diseases that it cureth as in any other whatsoeuer they be it is necessary that they goe to some learned Phisition that may dispose the manner and making of the Water and the order which they shall obserue in taking of it for that in the Winter it shoulde bee taken otherwise than in the Sommer And otherwise it must be geuen to the leane person than to the strong and in an other manner it must bee taken of the Cholerike than of the fleugmatike one order is required in the cold region an other order in the hot Wherby it appeareth that it is conuenient to keep order measure forme in the taking of it for that there goeth no lesse with it then health life coÌ„sidering that we see it haue no price in the world not to let it alone to the iudgement of him that knoweth it not It happened to a gentle woman vnto whom for certaine iâ—dispositions of the Mother proceeding of greate colde that she had taken I couÌ„selled her that she should take this water of the wood of Sassafras And I gaue her the order that shee should vse in making and taking of it which was asmuch as was conuenient for her disease and seeming for her But she tooke muche of the wood more then I willed her seething the water more then I commaunded her she thought that she should heale the sooner And as shee tooke it certayne dayes with this strength she was burdened in such sort with a very great Ague that not onely it stood her vpon to leaue the water but it was needefull to let her blood fiue times and put her life in aduenture so procured infamy to the remedie After she was whole and had preuayled she returned tooke the water with the order that I had first tolde her and she healed very well of her disease It is time nowe that wee come to the vertues of this wood so excellent whereof let vs speak particularly of euery one of them as we haue knowne and experimented them In generall our Spaniardes in those partes of the Florida where they haue beene and now are doe vse this aforesaide water sodden at their discretion for all manner of disseases without making exception of any Anâ— beeyng sicke of any manner of euill which commeth vnto thâ—m sharpe or long hot or colde greeuous or otherwise they â—ure them all by one maner of fashion they heale all with oâ—e maner of water without making any difference and the best is that al be healed therewith in this they repose so much trust that they feare not the euils which are present nor haue any care of them that be to come so they vse it for an vniuersal remedie in all manner of diseases In one of the thinges that they haue founde moste profite in this water was in Opilations in the interiour partes of the which they came to bee swolne and to bee full of the Dropsie the most parte of them For of the long and large heates which they had taken they came well neere generally to haue these diseases And with this water both the swelling and the opilation went away and therewith they came to be made whole of the Quotidian Agues which the most parte of them had For in goyng thither the most parte of them fell sicke of these long and importunate Feuers in the which I haue experience by this Water beyng taken as it ought too bee for it woorketh maruellous effectes and haue healed many therewith For the principall effect that it hath is to comfort the Liuer and to dissolue Opilations and to comfort the stomake which are the two principall thinges that are most conuenient for the Phisition to doe that the sick may be healed of the like diseases For in these euils it is not to be feared that the humors be corrupted And if the principal members be hurt one of the things that these medicines which are brought from our Indias do principally when the water of any of them is taken is to comfort the Liuer and to amende it that it may ingender good humors for if this be not done the cure is in vaine And so our Sassafraâ— hath a maruellous propertie to comfort the Liuer and to dissolue the Opilations in such sort that it doth ingender alowable blood I healed â— young man which had an opilation of certâ—yne Tertians And thereof he was all swolne in such sort that he was well neere full of Dropsie And with purging him many times with Pilles of Ruibarbe and by taking of Dialaca amongest the said Purgations and drinking the water of this Sassafras coÌ„tinually without drinking of any other thing he came to be healed very well and was cleere of his swellings and opilations And he did not let to drinke it vntill he remayned perfectly whole The manner of curing with this water made of the Sassafras for the Tertian Agewes long Feuers I will shewe you and what hath passed in this yeere that I wrote this There haue beene many people diseased with the tertiane Agewes so importunately that no manner of medicine was sufficient to take them away and to roote them out insomuch that we let many alone with onely good order and good gouernment without helping them any more They were opilated and had euill colour of the face and some of them were swolne And at that time it was when the Captayne generall Peter Mellendis came from the Florida and brought him in common this wood of the Sassafras and when euery man did so much prayse it many of them that had Tertians tooke water of the Sassafras keeping the order that the Souldiers gaue them and surely I saw in that greate maruelles for that they healed many with the vse thereof Not onely of the tertians that so much did molest them but also of the Opilations and euill colour that they had And seeing this I caused other to take it that without counsel durst not doe it And it did very wel with them but it must be wel seene vnto how it shoulde bee geuen and to whom that the cause may carrie with it both order and measure That which ordinarily was done was to geue one cuppe full of the Water well sodden in the morning with Sugar or without it and after to drinke the water continually that which was more simple then the firste and as the Phisition shall iudge to be most conuenient for him that is sicke keeping the conditions in the takyng of this water that we shall speake of And surely it is a thing that geueth great
indisgestion and rawnesse of stomacke for want of heate it tooke them away with taking of one good cupfull of this water euery morning fasting and so with drinking it continually but that which he dranke euery morning he dranke it cold and yâ—t neuerthelesse hee was healed very well of the flixe which he had many yeeres Iâ— griefes of women the water of Sassafras doeth greatly profite and in especially in that which is called the euil of the Mother and where there is windinesse it consumeth dissâ—â—â—eth it and also any maner of colde of the belâ—y and it dissolueth the swelling of it curing any manner of disease which proceedeth of the Mother And this is so experimented and so put in vse that many haue beene healed with this water that neuer thought to haue recouered health And in the withhelding the Monethly course that commeth not to women this water maketh a meruellous woorke by prouoking and making it come in them that wholie doe lacke it taking one Cuppe ful of this water in the morning drinking it ordinarily at dinner and at supper and in the day tyme being more simple then that in the morning vsing good regiment and dooing other thinges which may helpe the water that it may bee prouoked And vnto them also to whome it doeth not come wel it bringeth manifest profite taking the water in forme as is aforesaide keeping them the tyme that they take it from such thinges as may offende them and beeing vsed it doeth disopilate and make a good colour in the face as it is seene by the experience of them that doe vse it hauing need of it Let them beware if they haue much heate or bee of a hotte complexion in such case let them moderate the quantitie of the wood and the seething of the water as is conuenient and this is easie to be done by seing howe it goeth with them at the beginning with the vse of it and according thereunto they may ryse or fal as it seemeth to be necessarie Some women doe vse of this water for to make them with childe and in some it hath wrought the effect as it is wel knowen That which I can say is that a gentlewoman beeing many yeeres married without hauing children tooke this water for that her husbande vsed it for certayne euilles of Opilations and of an agewe that helde hâ—m with certayne sittes of a double tercian which he had and hee continued with the taking of it in the Morning hotte and at Dinner simple and at Supper and in the day tyme keeping a good gouernement whereby it came to passe that she was with childe and brought foorth a sonne And I vnderstande that one of the principall vertues that this water hath is to dryue away the Mother for this effect for the most parte of women that haue no children is for the greate colde that is ingendered within the Mother which doeth hinder the cause of generation and as the water ryseth it consumeth it comforting the place and dissoluing the windes that are the let of it I am sure that it will manifestly profite as we haue seene in them which doe not bring forth childreÌ„ for hauing too much heate and drieth to whome permit not the vse of this water for because it will not profite them and if they do take it and feele hurt thereof let them not put the fault in the water but in their complexions seing that it is not conuenient for them The vse of this water doeth make fatte and this is certainly knowen for we haue seene many leane and sicke that haue taken it and haue healed of their euils and haue recouered much more flesh better colour as those people that come from the Florida do praise it very much they they al say that the vse of this water doeth make fat and it happeneth so to many and not onely it healeth them of their diseases but also maketh theÌ„ remaine with a good colour And so it seemeth by theÌ„ that come from that country for that they come al fatte and of a good colour who I beleeue as they wâ—re very sick so that they were very leane yellow when as they were healed of their infirmities which they had they gathered fleshe and became of a good colour ingendering in the Liuer good blood by the which the members were â—etter maintayned than when they were sicke And surely it iâ— a greate thing that this water shoulde woorke this effect coâ—sidering that it is hot and â—rye if it were not for the causes that are aboue sayd And I haue seene many that entered iâ— to taâ—e the water of the wood leane and with an euil colour to come foorth strong and fatte and of a good colour eating no otâ—er thing then Resâ—nges Almondes and Bisket In pestilent and contagious diseases which we haue seen in the time of the Pestilence past there were many that desired to drinke it to preserue them from that euill And we did see that none of them which vsed it were wounded of the disease that then reigned Many did vse to carry a peece of the Roote of the Wood with them to smell to it continually as to a Pomander For with the smell so acceptable it did rectifie the infected ayre I carried with mee a peece a great time and to my seeming I found great profite in it For with it with the chewing of the rind of the Cidron nor of the Lemmon in the morning and in the day time to preserue health it haâ—h a great strength and property And it seemeth to me that I was deliuered by the helpe of God from the fire in the which wee that were Phisitions went in blessed be our Lord GOD that deliuered vs from so great euill and gaue vs this most excellent tree called Sassafras which hath so great vertues and worketh such maruellous effectes as we haue spoken of and more which Time wil shewe vs which is the discouerer of all thinges It shall doe well to shewe the quantitie of the wood and also the quantitie of water wherein it shall be sodden to prescribe a rule in waight and measure in effectes and temperatures for them that are hot and others that are colde I will tell you the order that ought to bee kept in taâ—ing the water of this excellent wood which must bee made conformably to the disease of him that shall take it and accordinâ— to the quantitie and compâ—exion of the sicke bodie For vâ—to the Cholerike Person the water ought to bee geuen lesse sodden and with lesse quanâ—itie of wood and to the flegmatike more sodden and with more quantitie of woode So the diseases should be considered of Uâ—to them that are very cold the water ought to be geuen more sodden and with more quantitie of Wood. And vnto them thâ—t be not so colâ—e but doe participate of some heate the water ought to be geuen lesse sodden
and little of them and it seemeth wel by them that they haue medicinal vertues many persons bring them which are now come in this Fleete who come to mee as though I were the first discouerer of them They declare maruellous effects of theÌ„ that iâ— seemeth wonderful I brake one and gaue it made into pouder to a boye of whome it was sayde that venom had bene giuen to him I cannot tel whether any other benefites done vnto him or that healed him but hee was well recouered I wil vse it in other infirmities and what I find of their operation and the rest of the medicines which shal be newly discouered I wil shew in the thirde volume which I wil wryte of this Medicinall historie wherein shal bee expressed thinges maruellous and greate secretes of Phisicke that may giue contentation to al men and much more to the sick that shal be healed with them Of one thing you must bee aduertised that which is heere written part of it we haue learned of them that haue come from those partes and brought knowledge of them hither and parte is attributed to theyr complexion and qualities what they may doe and part wee haue experimented and in all haue this consideration that al these things which are brought from our Indias bee for the most parte hotte and see that you vse them in this qualitie in all causes wherein they shal bee needful And it is needful that there bee some aduertisement giuen heereof since the vse of the things doeth so import it ¶ Of the Dragon the other the blood of Drago in bread The one and the other haue vertue to retayne any maner of the fluxe of the bellie layde vppon the bellie or geuen in glisters or taken by the mouth Made into pouder it staieth the running of the head and to the lower parts applied in any maner of fluxe of blood it doeth retaine and slanch it It sodereth and gleweth woundes together which be fresh and new made It letteth that the teeth fall not out and it maketh the flesh to grow on the bare gummes It is a meruellous colour for Painters And besides this it hath many other vertues I do meane to sow some of the seed to see if it wil grow in these partes It is thought that the blood of Drago is temperate with little heate There was a gumme geuen vnto me which they bring from the firme lande of the Peru wherewith they purge them which haue the Goute in those partes they put of it as much as a Nut into distilâ—ed water and let it stande all the night in steepe and in the morning they strayne and wring it and take that water which must be the quantity of two Ounces and the patient must remayne without meate till the middest of the day and therewith they purge the humour which causeth the Goute I saw a Gentleman who came in this last Fleete vse it which hee brought for remedie of this euill who was full of the Goute and with vsing this euacuation he findeth himselfe well and the Goute doeth not come to him as it was woont to doe for that it came to him very cruelly and often and he gaue mee as muche as a small Nutte and would geue me no more and I gaue it in the order aforesaide to one which had the Goute and hee had three stooles with it I know not how it will proue it were needfull to haue more quantitie for to proceede forewarde in more experience thereof but it will bee brought hither by others as they haue done many other thinges It hath a goâ—d tast in the taking for that it hath neither smel nor sauour it maketh his worke without paynes It is hot in my opinion in the first degree I know not what manner of thing the Tree is wherout they take it for hee which brought it knoweth not so much himselfe Of the Armadilio THis beasts portraiture I tooke out of an other naturally made which was in the Counting house of Gonsalo de Molina a Gentleman of this Citie in the which there is greate quantitie of Bookes of diuers Authours and the fashion and fourme of many kindes of Beastes and Birdes and other curious thinges brought from the Orientall Indias as also from the Occidentall and from other partes of the worlde And great variety of coynes and stones of antiquity and differences of armes which with greate curiositie and with a noble minde he hath caused to be brought thither waight then two pound hollowe in some partes and very white they are al somwhat heauie Of these stones they haue in the Indias great â—xperience geuing them made into pouder vnto those that suffer the griefe of the stone in the Kydneies and to them that cannot pisse and to them that cannot cast out the stone of the Reines and of the Bladder beeyng of such greatnesse that it may not passe out This is a thing amongst the Indians very common and well knowne and likewise amongest the Spaniardes which dwell in those partes and they which come hither auerre it plainly and affirme it to be so I haue tasted it and it seemeth a thing vnsauorie but I haue not proued it nor applied hitherto in time it shal be done we wil geue some reason thereof They bring also from the newe Kingdome and from the prouince of Cartagena a certayne TurpeÌ„tine very cleare of sweet smel much better then that they call de Vetae which they bring from Venice it hath all the vertues that the good Turpentine hath it worketh the selfesame effectes better and with greater efficacie and readinesse Here hath beene vsed of it in woundes and it is a thing maruellous to see the good worke which it doeth especially in wounds of ioyntes and Sinewes of Legges wherein I haue seene greâ—t works done with it And it doth mundifie being mingled with other thinges all kind of olde soares it is an excellent thing washed prepared for the faces of Ladies which haue neede of it Moreouer they bring from the selfesame parts Caranna of Cartagena purified so cleare that it is like to Cristal and surely it is better it is applied vnto much better effect then that which hithervnto hath come and maketh better works and is of a more sweet smel and more excellent in operation Of the Flower of Mechoacan MAny persons of them which came now in this last Fleate from the firme land brought very good Mechoacan better then that of the new Spaine gathered in the Coast of Nicaraga and in Quito yea since the Mechoacan was discouered in the new Spaine they haue founde the selfsame hearbe and roote in those partes which I doe speake of And they vse it to purge and it doth maruellous works and they vse it in those countries and in al the firme land as they did vse that which was brought from the newe Spaine with maruellous successe From the
Cape of Saint Elen which is in the same coast they bring another kind of Mechoacan but it is very strong and beeing taken it causeth great accidentes of vomites and faintnesse with many stooles and for this cause they cal it Escamonea no man vseth it bicause it bringeth by incision which commeth foorth like to a whyte teare or drop most cleare with a maruellous sweete smel declaring wel the maruellous effectes and Medicinal vertues that it hath of the which wee haue treated in the first parte And that Balsamo which is made by seething as wee doe there showe we see the maruellous effectes that it worketh with so great and maruellous vertues that it bringeth admiration to the whole worlde with many other maruels which hetherunto we haue seene that be there spoken of And greater wil these woorkes bee that shal bee done with the Balsamo which they nowe bring made by incision seeing that one drop of this is more woorth then twoo Gallons of the other as it is manifestly seene by vsing of it And surely that which was in Egypt and failed so many members of yeeres past I beleeue that it had not more vertues then this And I am sure that this is of greater vertue and effectes then euer that was of I haue the fruite of this tree which is little according to the greatnesse of the tree and it is a grayne as great as a white Pease the taste of it is a little bitter it is shut into the end of a little â—od of the length of a finger beeing narrowe whyte and thinne of the thicknesse of vi d. It carieth no more but one graine in the ende which is the fruite that the Indians doe vse to perfume them withal in griefes of the head and in Reumes Surely the Balsamo is a maruellous thing and it sheweth well in it selfe what it is according to the workes therof They bring moreouer from the firme land a TurpeÌ„tine or Licor which is called Deabeto and it is gathered from certaine trees of mixture they be not Pine trees nor Cipres for they bee higher then our Pine trees they are as straight as Cipresses trees In the highest part of the tree it bringeth forth certaine bladders of two sortes the which are great and smal and being broken there cometh foorth of them a maruellous licour which falleth drop after droppe and the Indians gather them with great deliberation and they receiue the same droppes which bee in the bladder into a shel and alwayes haue shelles lying vnder the bladders whereouâ— they distill and it is a thing done with such leasure that many Indians doe gather very little al the whole day The Licor serueth for all things that the Balsamo doeth it healeth very well woundes it taketh away colde griefes and windie Some do take it for the griefs of the stomacke caused of colde humors or for windines with a little white wyne And it is to be vnderstood that the Balsamo which is made by seething or that which is made by incision and this or any other manner of Licour of these of the Indias which is to bee taken by the mouth ought to bee taken but in little quantitie which must not bee more then foure or fiue droppes and it must not be taken in the Palme of the hand as it is sayde but putting a litle wine or Rose water into a spoone and pouring vpon that the droppes of Balsamo putting the spoone wel into your mouth and letting the Licor fal in so that it touch not the tongue For taken with it or touching it the sauour and tast is not remoued away in a long time it procureth an euell tast in such sort that for this onely cause many doe abhorre it and wil not take it and from others it hath taken away the lust of their meate by receiuing it and touching it with the tongue Of long Peper ALso they bring from Cartagena and from the coast of the firme lande from Nata neere to Veraga a certain kinde of Peper which they cal long Peper which hath a sharper taste then the Peper which is brought from the Oriental Indias and biteth more then it and is of more sweete taste and of better smell then that of Asia or the Peper of the East India it is a gentle spyce to dresse meates withall and for this purpose al the people in that country doe vse it A Gentleman gaue me a platter full of it for he brought a great quantitie of it for the seruice of his Ritchin because they vse it in place of blacke Peper and they take it to be of a better tast and more healthfull I haue tasted it and it byteth more then the blacke Peper doeth and it hath a more sweete taste then it hath I haue caused it to be put into drest meates in place of the Oriental Peper it giueth a more gentle taste vnto the meates that are drest therewith It is a fruite that casteth out a high plante of the greatnesse of a grosse Packethreed and the lower parte neere to the roote is as great as a litle sticke that is very small and vpon it are ioyned the little graines very neere together as though they were wrested one within the other which causeth the greatnesse whereof wee spake and beeing taken away from the litle sticke the stick remaineth bare and whole and it is greene being fresh but the Sunne ripeneth it and doeth turne it blacke and so they bring it into these partes It groweth in the coast of the firme lande in Nata and in Cartagena and in the newe kingdome in all these partes they vse it as I haue saide It hath the Medicinall vertues which the Orientall Peper hath that we vse The complexion thereof is hotte in the third degree And going to visite a childe the sonne of this Gentleman which gaue mee this Peper being diseased of the fire in the face I commanded him to bee let blood and that to his face they should apply some litle cloth with Rose water and the hearbe Mora hee saide to me that hee liked the letting of blood well because the boye was of Sanguine complexion but as for that which should be laid to his face hee had wherewith to heale it in short tyme and he commanded to bee brought foorth a thing lyke vnto a cake as great as a meane platter the outside was blacke and within yeallowe and beeing brought wel neere twoo thousand Leages it was moyst and hee dissolued a little of it with Rose Water and layde it to the boyes face I was desirous to know what it was he said that when the worke was seene what it would do he would tel me whereof it was compounded The next day I returned to the sicke and his face was so amended that I maruelled at it and immediatly he was washed with Rose water a little warme and hee remayned as
to as it seemeth good vnto them That which I doe note in this businesse is that they seeth the Sarcaparillia without the heart that they vse not but of the rynde which seemeth to be very well done verie conformable to good Phisicke for the parts of the roots which bee harde should be taken away as things superfluous and without vertue profite which rather do let and disturbe that it cannot worke that effect which is desired in it the vertue is in the rynde and this is that which we doe commonly vse when we will profite our selues by it And so from henceforward when I shall ordaine this water for any that haue need of it I will vse the rynde onely And thus I ordayne it at this present Which is to take foure ounces of Sarcaparillia and too take away the hearte BEing in company with Iohn Gotierres Telo a gentlemaÌ„ very excelleÌ„t Treasurer of the ContratatioÌ„ house a passenger which came froÌ„ the Florida gaue him a peece of Ambar Grese very excellent saying that he brought it from the Florida I took it brake it it was perfect grese of a very good colour and in the vttermost part it was blacke and I asked him that brought it where he had it he sayd that he gathered it in the coast of Florida and that they haue it commonly of the Indians that gather it in that Coast and they take much pleasure in it with great delight and contentment annoynting their faces with it and other partes for the good smell which it hath And surely it maketh mee maruell to see that in our Occidentall Indias there is so excellent Ambar and that the time hath discouered it vnto vs and that there hath come from those partes not onely so greate riches of Siluer and Golde Pearles and other precious stones but that also nowe they bring vs suche excellent Ambar Grise a thing so esteemed in the world so muche vsed for the health of the body and so necessary to cure and to heale withall so many and diuers infirmities as we will speake of beeing a thing which for the delicacy of mankind is an ornament coÌ„tentment with very much serueth for vse I do vnderstand also that other Passengers brought of the like Ambar and some in much quantitie of which I was very glad and the first peece that I saw was very suspicious vnto me and after that I had seen more then I beleeued that there was of it in those parts which is found cast vp vnto the coast Some there bee which thinke that it is the seede of a Whale as it hath beene an auncient opinion which is false as Simeon Archiatros a Greeke author doeth shew saying that the Ambar in diuers places doeth spring they bee his fountaynes from whence it doeth spring as those of Pitch Licor the worst is that which these fishes doe taste and swallowe downe c. The same it seemeth Serapio doth vnderstande and besides this Simeon a Greeke and Actio I finde no other Greekes that make mention thereof but it is treated of by the Arabies with as great ignorance and confusion as may bee seene Whosoeuer by them will verifie what Ambar is it is to bee determined vppon that it is a kinde of Pitch that cometh forth of springs Fountaines that are made in the deapth of the Sea and comming forth to the ayre the Licor being grosse doth congele and waxe hard and is made the Ambar which we see as many things else which are in the lower part of the Sea are soft tender but being brought out into the aire are made harde As we see in the Coral which in the lower partes of the Sea is soft and tender and by bringing it into the ayre is turned into a stone and the Ambar whereof the Beades are made in the lowe parts of the Sea is whyte and being come foorth into the aire turneth hard and stony and is Pitch which cometh foorth of a fountaine which is in the Germaine Sea wherby the barbarous opinions are confounded that say the Ambar is the seede of the Whale And the cause whereof this ignorance came was this for that Ambar was founde in the Whales and other fishes and therefore men said that it grewe of it own nature in their mawes and as this Pitch riseth vp to the highest partes of the Sea by reason of the lightnes therof the Whales do deuoure it thinking that it is a thing to bee eaten and so men finde it in their Mawes For if it were seed it would be found in other parts of their bodies where it is natural to al beasts In my tyme was taken a Whale in the coast of the Canaria that had more theÌ„ one hundred pound waight of Ambar within him and after that they killed many and found none They that come from the Florida say that there bee Whales by those coastes and that they haue killed some of them and founde neither Ambar nor other thing in theyr Mawes more then fishes also in the yong Whales which are very greate although they haue killed them that they found nothing in them for that the Indians doe fishe for theÌ„ and take them with the greatest cunning that may bee imagined which is after this maner One Indian taketh a long cord and strong made with certaine ginnes and shippeth himself in a litle Boate and maketh towarde the Whale where he seeth him comming with his yong Whales and goeth to one of them and leapeth vppon him and casteth his snare vpon his snowâ— The strong young Whale when hee feeleth this he goeth downe to the deapth of the Sea the Indian hampered fast with him for they are greate swimmers and can abide long in the water and the yong Whale as hee hath neede to breath returneth vp to the height of the Sea And in the tyme that hee cometh vp warde the Indian carrying with him a sharpe wedge and putting it through his nose where he breatheth he striketh the wedge into him with his fist in such sorte that the yong Whale cannot cast it from him and when hee commeth vpp on heigh the Indian giueth him corde and taketh his boate and goeth after the yong Whale and as he cannot breath he châ—keth him easily and he commeth to the lande It is surely a delicate and maruellous hunting wherein they haue so much cunning that a great Lizard or Crocodil of xxiiii foote the most horrible and cruel beast that is in the Sea one Indian doeth kil Some say that the Ambar is made of certaine fruite growing by the Sea side where Whales bee and in the Moneth of April and May when it is in season of sweete smell the Whales doe eate it and of that the Ambar is made as if the fruite so eaten would be conuerted into an other thing then into blood and flesh There bee many other opinions concerning
in payne so that from the tyme that hee receyued it his soundings came not to him so continually as they did before This being perceiued I saide one day to my Lady that it was the doctrine of Phisitions that the medicines which doe not heale diseases cannot preserue that wee fall not into them but that it seemed good to mee that wee shoulde giue vnto him euery morning the pouder of the Bezaar stone that with the continuall vse thereof the vapour might bee consumed which did ryse vp to the braynes so that what seemeth to be venomous and hurtfull the stone woulde extinguish and kil and would consume the vapour that riseth vp froÌ„ all the body and from A Childe did eate a certaine venomous thing whereby hee was in danger of death and seing that the common remedies did not profit I caused to bee giuen to the childe the Bezaar stone and immediatly it was well And for children that haue wormes it is lykewyse very good for that it causeth them to be expelled by dissolution meruellously taking away the accidents that are wont to happen to childreÌ„ And this it worketh wheresoeuer you feare any griefe or venomous humour In the thinges that it hath done most good hath bene in the pestilence for that there was in Germany a greate Plague and vnto all such as had the Bezaar stone giuen them immediatly was seene the greate effect that it did in them that toke it And in an Hospital were foure persons infected with this euill and it was giuen to twoo of them and not to the other and they that tooke it escaped and the other twoo dyed And then it was giuen to many that were infected with this euill and some of them had twoo sores and some had three and yet they escaped and of this were witnesses many people of greate credit that sawe it and other meaner persons as it is very well knowne to all the Court. This stone doeth profit much to them that be sad and melancholike the Emperour toke it many tymes for this effect and it is taken of many persons that are melancholike for it taketh it away and maketh him glad and mery that vseth it and to bee of a good disposition Many I haue seene that haue beene much diseased with fayntnesse soundinges and melancholie and taking the waight of three graynes of this stone with the water of Oxtongue they haue bin healed presently In feuers of an euill qualitie and most pestilent it is meruellous the good woorke that it doeth for that it taketh away the malice thereof extinguishing and killing the euil qualitie of the venom which is the first and principall thing that the Phisition should doe for if that this bee not taken away first the cure is in vaine Many do vse this stone holding a peece thereof in theyr mouth in the suspected time of a Pestilence and whereas venom is feared or any thing that is venomous and also it dooth profite much taking it in water to them that are sicke of pestilent Feuers A Gentleman had all his seruantes sicke of Agewes that are commonly called Modorras and he put into a pot of water a Bezaar stone that hee had of the which he caused the sicke people to drinke and they all escaped and were deliuered from death And many people for this cause haue this stone layde in water continually that they may drinke thereof being sicke for it profiteth much to take away the Agewe and geueth strength to the hart and not onely this stone doth profite in venomous thinges and venomes but in other diseases as it hath byn proued being geuen to them that haue the gidines in the head it doth much profit and also against opilations And it happened that a Nunne that had sowndinges and greate opilations by taking the Bezaar stone was healed and likewise of the opilations and being long time without her customed termes they came very well too her and aboundantly This stone profiteth much to them that haue taken Arsenike or other corsiue venome for that it dooth kill and consume the force of the venome and taketh away the accidentes thereof Milke hath in this a great prerogatiue and doth woorke effectually by taking much quantitie and continually vsing the same for although that it be a meruellous remedie it must be vsed in corsiue venomes for that it maketh the venomes to be expelled by vomit and doth extinguish the mallice It is the true Antidote against corsiue venome and after the vse thereof the stone may be giuen or the pouder or any of the sayde medicines that haue vertue against venome Also this stone doth profit muche against feuers that bringe certaine red spots in the bodie like to Flea-bytinges that commonly doe appeare in their shoulders and in their archter parts of the bodie these doe come in sore Agewes that doe expell the humours out of the bodie and so it is conuenient that it bee so vsed that it may come out well and this muste bee done by putting bentositâ—es and other like helpes that may expell the humour whereby nature is holpen forbidding oyntmentes and other things that may disturbe the comming out of these thinges An other thing which is conuenient is to geue to the sicke when these small spottes doe beginne to appeare those thinges which doe extinguish and kill the venome of the which we haue treated very largely hauing respect not to let blood after that they haue appeared if it come not of too muche replection and fulnesse of blood One thing I haue founde for these redde Spottes and for Feuers of muche profite and notable experience in many which is our Bolearmenike prepared in a dishe of earth with Rose water geuen in all medicines that are too bee taken and in the meates that are too bee eaten and surely in it I haue founde great effect chiefly in one yeere wherein reygned many Pestilent Agues called Moderâ—as and many were deliuered from them with the vse of it for that this our Bolearmenike doth differ little from that of the East partes and this shall bee where the Bezaar stone is not to bee had for that it doth exceed all as I saw in a principall Gentleman of this citie which had a sore Feuer with soundinges Uomites and other Accidentes of an Ague vpon whom did appeare spottes which before I haue spoken of on his shoulders and in geuing him the Bezaar stone with a little of the Uâ—â—cornes horne foorthwith the Accidentes did cease and began to be better for that it did extinguishe and kill the force of the Agewe which caused all the hurte And after this sorte I coulde speake of many heere in Spayne that for the space of this fourteene yeeres I haue vsed it and many haue beene deliuered therewith from many diseases with the vse thereof that surely it seemeth a thing of woonderfull effectes that a stone taken out of the bellie of a beaste like to a wilde Harte or Goate
done with speed before the hurt doe enter the inner partes for if it once doe come to the harte the cure will goe harde and this must bee vniuersally in al prickinges or bytings of venomous beastes And if the wound bee smal it is needful to open it with a smal cut or some other way and if it be newe let the cuttinges bee smal and if it bee of a long tyme then let the incision bee deepe for that with the much blood that geeth out thereof there goe out a greate parte of the venom also And after the cutting let there bee applyed such things as may drawe out strongly the venom still adding thereunto that as shal be needful Some there bee that doe sucke out the venom of the prickes or woundes with their mouth but it is dangerous to them that so doe for some haue dyed therof it is better to râ—medie it with ventosities or to put too it the hinder parte of a Cocke or a Chicken or a Pigeon beeing aliue vppon the pricke or wâ—unde the fethers being plucked fâ—om the hindâ—r part therâ—of and vse it so often as shal bee needful vntill yâ—u perceiue that they haue taken out the venom that is in the wounde and euery one of them must be applyed thereto so long tyme vntil that you may perceiue that hee doeth waxe faynt or vntill he bee readie to dye Also it is a good remedie to put them that bee a liue opened at the back and let thâ—m be there as long time as they haue any heate and beginning to waxe colde then take them away put others to and the venom being taken out by these meanes let there bee put vpon the wouâ—d a medicine that hath vertue to keepe the wounde open Some do vse in the cuttinges or incisions an actuall thing to burne called a cauterie which doth very much good extinguishing the venom and comforting the hurte The same â—ffect doâ—th the cawterie potentiall in killing the venâ—me but it is not so good as the actuall but thereby it doeth cause that the wounde doe not close which is very necessary for the cure The iuyce of the herbe Escuerçonera doeth profit very much being put on venomous â—ytings or prickings by it selfe or mingled with other medicines that haue vertue to take away the streÌ„gth of the venom as treacle methridato other medicines like to these and if the Bezaar stone might be had casting the pouder therof vpoÌ„ the wound it wil worke a maruellous effect While they are in this case they must be kept with good order good gouernement in al thinges that are contrary to them and vsing euacuations such as is conuenient with wholesome medicines and there must bee mingled with them medicines that are against venom and when time serueth vse letting of blood and in the rest to goe to the cure of the disease and vnto euery one of them as it is conuenient vniuersally and particularly hauing alwayes care to giue to them that are sicke in the morning fasting the conserua of the roote of the Escuerçonera and his water or the Bezaar stone or the pouder as it is said or Bolearmenike prepared hee must haue care to annoynt the harte with things which are temperate that may comforte with pouders and cordiall waters amongest the which let there bee put the herbe Escuerçonera And besides the vertues that the herbe Escuerçonera hath against the bytinges of these beastes in particular and for the remedie of all in vniuersal it hath also other particular vertues the vse whereof hath beene shewed vnto vs it is very good against sowndinges of the harte and for them that haue the falling sicknes and for women whose matrix are suffocated or stopped by taking the conserua made of the roote and drinking the iuyce of the hearbe clarified or the water of it distilled It doeth profit much when the soundinges are come but much more before they doe come when they feele that they begin to sownde let them take the roote therof with the water and it doeth hinder the comming therof and if it do come it is much lesse and it doeth not woorke so vehemently as when it is taken after Unto them that haue the gidinesse in the head it doeth good and being continually taken it maketh the hart merrie it doeth take away the sadnes which is the cause therof the iuyce taken out of the leaues and clarified and set in Sunne for certaine dayes taking the cleerest thereof and put into the eyes doeth clarifie the sight and taketh away the dimnesse therof if it be mingled with a litle good hony it is good for them that feare themselues to bee poysoned The conserua of the roote beeing taken and the water in the morning that day by Gods grace they shal bee safe The vse and experience of this hearbe hath bin taught without any auctor for to this day we knowe not with what name the authors doe terme it Iohn Odoricus Mechiorius an Almayne PhisitioÌ„ doth wryte in an Epistle to Andrew Mathiolo saying that Peter Carniser a Catalan Phisition sent to him the herbe Escuerçonera dry into Germany this Phisition did aske of Mathiolo what herbe it was Mathiolo did not know what hearbe it was neither did any other vntil now that it hath bin spoken or written of Some that are curious wil say that it is the CoÌ„drillia a spice of Succory which Dioscorides doth make mention of in the second booke in the 122. chapter although that it hath some likenesse therof it differeth much in the roote for the Condrillia hath it very wooddie and vnprofitable and very smal and in the flowers but they differ not in their vertues for both of them are good for the bytings of adders And whatsoeuer that our Escuerçonera is wee see that his effectes are greate as well against the bytinges of the Escuerços which is so euill a beast and venomous as for other diseases which we haue spoken of which seeing that in so fewe yeres there hath bene so much thereof discouered I do trust that much more wil be hereafter by wise men that there may be added to this which I haue discouered and written of it And seeing that we haue treated briefly and the best that we can of these twoo medicines so precious to wit the Bezaar stone and the hearbe Escuerçonera which are twoo things so precious and of so greate effectes against venom now haue we to treate of the last parte which wee promised to doe â—nd how we ought to keepe and preserue our selues not to fal into so greate a danger as of them is declared for that it is better to keepe our selues from daunger theÌ„ to fal therein Heerein the ancient wryters haue bin very circumspect Amongest the rest it hath beene an ancient custome in Princes Courts other greate estates to haue their tasters as wel of their meate as of their drinke for the eschewing of poyson and so by
the meanes thereof they assure themselues to be out of peril for that matter the which surely is allowable and a good custome and necessary for the safegard and health of any Prince or Lorde for if there be any hurte in the meate or in the drinke it shal light first vppoâ— theÌ„ that doe eate or drinke thereof and not vpon the Prince or other high estate in whose life and health greate matters doe depende Trueth it is that in these dayes it is done more for a ceremony and estate then for health safety of life this order is vsed amongst great estates more for custome then for any thing else for this purpose the common people haue it in estimation so that at this present it is vsed contrary to that end and purpose it was ment for they vse nowe taking of a little bred and bringing it with the meate and so taste it that done they cast it away and lykewyse they drinke a drop of wyne or water if it should be vsed as it ought to bee they should eate and drinke thereof throughly for otherwyse the poyson if there be any caÌ„not be discerned before it come in to the Princes mouth Also the lord ought to command that there be prepared for him diuers meates for that if hee mislyke of one he may tast of another for being of diuers sorts he may tast of eache a little and eating little at once of any that were infected it would doe lesse hurte then if he shoulde eate of one dish being infected filling himself therwithal for being either of them infected and eating much therof it shal doe the more hurte And note this wel that many times a maÌ„ is not giuen alwaies to eate of one meate nor to see it alwayes tasted before he eate it and afterwarde there appeareth in it notable hurte therefore it is good to take your meate with a forke or a spoone and that they be made as Ierome Montuo a learned man in Phisike had appoynted for king Henry of Fraunce which was made to knowe if that he had eateÌ„ any venom there must be made a little forke and a spoone of one mixture of gold and siluer that the olde wryters called Eletrum and it must bee 4. partes golde and one of siluer they must bee smooth cleane well burnished with the forke or holder let him eate his meate and with the spoone his broth for putting them in the meate or in the broth if that there bee any venom therein foorthwith the golde will haue an euil colour appearing tawnie blewe or blacke and loosing the beautie that before it had the which wil cause them to looke better to the meate and this is done for trial therof and to make further experieÌ„ce by some beast that may eate thereof and so to see the effect thereof for that is the greatest experience the lyke may bee done with the drinke to make a cuppe therof or a broade vessel well burnished For if the wine or water that is put into it haue any venom the vessel wil take some colour therof as aforesaide and if it haue no poyson therein it will remaine in his owne colour And surely it is a gallant and a delicate secrete when you begin to eate any manner of meate the first morsell that you take let it be wel chewed and marke wel if it do byte or haue any euil taste or if it burne your mouth or your toÌ„gue or that your stomacke abhorre it for in perceiuing or feeling any thing of these signes cast it forth and wash your mouth with wyne or water and leaue that meate and fal to other it woulde doe very wel to giue it to some beast to see the effeâ—t therof it is good to haue in the house some beast to whome it might giuen for to make experience thereof And the effect so appearing they haue to iudge therof And this is to be vnderstoode when the venomes come of corsiue thinges you shal feele a notable sharpenes and they byte and burne forthwith the best is for them that haue suspicion to eate meate that is rosted or sod that they eate neither brothes nor pottages for in them there may be greater hurte and if any bee made let them not bee made with things of smell as Amber muske and sweete spyces and let them not haue ouermuch sharpenes for in broth or pottage the poyson wil sooner lurke then in rosted or sodden and vse no meates which haue much sweetnesse therein all poyson will lurke the more Hee that hath any suspition when hee goeth to his meate let him not bee to greedie to eate foorthwith very hastily but let him refraine himselfe and let him eate with leasure by litle and litle The lyke he must do in his drinking being very thirsty hee feeleth not what he drinketh and so many people beeing very dry haue dronke in lie lye and also water of arsenike not feeling the same vntil they haue hurt their body and therefore it is conuenient to drinke leysurely by litle and litle tasting his drinke as he drinketh surely if men woulde be ruled by this order they should easily finde if there were any euil thing in that they eate and drinke You haue to consider the colour of your meate for thereby will somewhat appeare For it wil looke otherwyse then it ought to doâ— see that your vessels wherein you eate or drinke bee cleane newe and glistering and if your abilitie be such let them bee of siluer being cleane burnished for if you haue venom in the drinke it is easily espied and the siluer doth turne blacke or tawney Not many dayes past a Gentleman of great riches by drinking in a plaine cuppe of siluer perceiued the cup stayned of a sad tawney colour and did maruel thereat hee only tasted the wyne and it made his tongue rough his mouth also hee looked wel on the wyne that was put into the cup it had not that quicknes in drinking that it ought to haue had and hee looked on the water and in the bottome of the ewre there were many graines of arsenyke with as yet were not dissolued I was called I gathered out of the ewre more then xx smal graines of arsenike within certain dayes after the Gentleman fell sicke wherby I did conâ—ectâ—re that it was not the first tyme that they pretended to poyson him since that he hath bin sicke a long time And thus much I affirme that if the cup had not bin altered of his colour â— bin infected it had not bin perceiued Therefore it is necessary that the vessels and tinages where wyne water are kept be stopt for feare least any venomous thing fall therein as spyders Sallamanquesas and other lyke venomous beâ—sts and therefore it is nought to drinke with vessels or cuppes that haue narrow mouths for it is best to see what one drinketh in a cleere vessel and broade for it is good for
the Piles doeth remedie the soares of them It healeth sort cheekes casting the pouders vpon them it is a great remedy worthy of estimation He that doeth cause it to be made doth put it vpon a Playster called Higre the which doeth profite to take away and make cleane the soares and to take away the Fistula and too eate away the Braunches and too cause that the sores bee filled with fleshe all this is of Plinie in the Chapter of yron Galen in the Booke of Triacle to Piso declareth much the necessitie of yron for the life of mankinde and for the seruice of man and doeth account it for a most excellent remedy for to dry vp the moystures teares of the eyes In that of continuall dissolution he sayeth that peeces of burning IroÌ„ cast into milke by taking away that waterishnes which the milke hath is good for ouer much stoles and especially for the bloody flix Anâ— in the tenth of the simple medicines he commaundeth that milke be giuen where in peeces of Iron haue beene quenched and sayth that such kinde of milke doth good vnto them which haue the bloodye flix And in the like case it is better to vse of Iron then of stones or pebble stones by reason the Iron doeth leaue more drithe in the milke Alexander Traliano adding to this treatetâ— how milke shoulde be vsed in stooles He commauÌ„deth to seeth milke with a quarter part of water vntill the one halfe be consumed and in this sort it may be giuen to them which haue the ague with stooles and it is better in the place of small pebble stones wherewith they do commaund it to be soddeâ— that there be cast into it small peeces of burning Iron Paulo well neare sayeth that which Galen hath sayed and that the powder of Iron mingled with vinegre profiteth mâ—ch to such as haue matter comming forth of their eares although that it hath beene of a long continuance And also it is a great remedy for such as haue taken â—enom that is called Aconito And forthwith he treateth of the vertues of the water that haue cooled hot Iron and sayth that it doeth good to such as do suffer the payne of the belly and such as haue any cholerike disease and such as haue hot stomakes and such as haue the stopping of the lunges Dioscorides in the chapter where hee treateth of the rust of yron saieth that the water or the wyne that hath quenched a peece of burning yron is good for them that haue the fluxe of the stomake and the bloody fluxe it desolueth the hardenesse of the lungs and serueth in cholerike stooles and in the loosenesse of the stomake Accio treating of certaine rowles which are very excellent for the opilations of the inner partes saieth that it is a moste conuenient remedie for the Lunges and inner partes of the Bodie that the water that hath quenched whotte yron bee taken for a long time but suche as haue a whotte disease must vse of the water and such as are colde if they be weake of wine that hath quenched yron Oribacio sayeth that the water which hath quenched whot stile is an excellent remedie for suche as are sicke of the lunges Scribonio an auncient Phisition sayth that the water which hath quenched whot steele is a greate remedy for such as are swollen and for suche as haue sores and griefes of the bladder chiefly if they vse it continually Rasis in his Continent treating of yron saieth the same as Galen doth And Paule adding this the yron doth take away the fluxe beyng ouermuche of the menstruous and conceauing with child it healeth the little soares that are betweene the finger and the nayle it taketh away the Pearle in the eye and the hardnesse of the eye lid it healeth the piles outwardly it remedieth rotten gummes it taketh away the Goute from the feete and from the handes it maketh heare growe where it lacketh although there haue none growne a long time The water that hath quenched yron is good for the fluxe of the bellie although that it hath beene of a long continuance and for stooles of blood which doth auoyd from the bodie and the meate which is eaten and not consumed and for stooles of blood it also dissolueth the hardnesse of the lunges it remedieth the runninges and weakenesse of the stomake And Macerico an auncient Phisition saith if the pouder of yron be taken with sodden Wine called Cute it comforteth the weakenesse of the stomake he taketh for his Authour Mese a Phisition And Rasis concludeth the same saying I say and certifie by great experience that the yron doeth profite in the disease of the Piles and for the fluxe of Urine and for ouermuche fluxe of the menstrues this sayeth Rasis Scrapio reciteth all that Rasis saith word for worde and because I woulde not say it twice together I let it alone Auicen followeth Rasis in all that he hath sayd adding this thaâ— followeth to it The water wherin yron is quenched maketh strong the inner members by his owne propertie and manifest qualitie it comforteth the stomake for the water which doeth quench whot yron strengtheneth the vertue and consumeth the superfluities of the stomake and the superfluous moysture thereof for those are the things that take away appetite by the loosenesse of the mouth of the stomake and they are those which extinguish and kill the natural heat and the yron by reason of the coldnesse and drithe helpeth the knitting which is made in the mouth of the stomake wher the appetite is ingendred it comforteth the Liuer and the rest of the interiour members it strengtheneth naturall heat the sinewes and powers of the bodie and in such sorte it doth geue them strength and they take such vertue thereby that they caste from them the opilations by reason of which causes the Lunges are consumed It comforteth the vertue of generation and this it doeth by consuming the moysture which is that which letteth troubleth naturall heate which is necessary therefore and if it be not done by his qualitie yet it is done by his accidents All this is spoken by Auicen in the second of his first as also he sayeth in the seconde Canon where hee prayseth the yron greately for Ring wormes and for swellings and for the Goute and mingled with Uineger and put into the eares that of long time haue cast out matter it healeth them for the sharpnes of the eye liddes and to take away a webbe or the whitenesse of the eyes and hee saieth moreouer that the Wyne which doeth quenche â—he Iron dooth profite for the Apostumations in the Lunges and for the loosenesse of the stomake and for the weakenesse thereof it taketh away the superfluous Flute of the Mother it drieth the piles it taketh away olde stooles and the blooddie Flixe it doeth good to such as theyr fundament commeth forth and
inner partes Galen sayth that the vse therof healeth the dropsie and doeth euacuate the grosse humors Serapio saieth that being taken with water and hony it looseth the belly chiefly grosse humors many doe prayse it for the dropsie with water and hony I vnderstand that the loâ—â— stone ought to be prepared in such sorte that iâ— may bet vsed as wee haue saide of the preparing of the yron B. Doth your woorship minister any time the rust of yron prepared'â— for I haue prepared it by commandement of a Phisition being a stranger and geue the pouder thereof vnto such as had opilations and hee saide to mee that they did better woorke then the pouders of steele D. We haue spoken of Plateario and of Mathew Siluatico howe they say that the rust of the yron and the yron it selfe and the filing of it and the steele haue al one maner of vertue and therfore the rust of the yron prepared wil profit as much for the said purpose as the rust doth and I haue vnderstood for to consume and dry vp the moysture of the stomake and the slimy humours therof it wil make greate effectes for the rust of the yron and of the steele is the most hot partes the dryest parts of them And so Galen doeth command it to be prepared with vineger and that there bee made of it pouder most small the which dryeth extreemely as hee saieth in the nienth of simples and in the fifth of his Methodo Mesue in that of the vlcers of the eares hee doeth put a confection for them wherein in is conteined the preparing of the rust and before that hee putteth the same rust prepared in vineger and made in small pouders hee maketh of them a liniment for the eares that are troubled with vlcers Rasis in the nienth chapter of those thinges that doe comforte the stomake after hee hath shewed of many compound medicines saieth if they doe not profit let there bee giuen the skales of yron with wyne and hee saieth the same in the bookes of the Deuisions in the chapter of the diseases of the moyst stomake hee commandeth to giue a composition called Trifera Minor and after that the rust of yron And in the same chapter before for the weakenes of the stomake and the debilitation of the natural heate hee commandeth that there bee giuen Trifera and after that the rust of yron and at the end of the sayde chapter for such as do eate earth clay and coales hee commandeth them to bee purged with Acibar and after that they eate Trifera made with the rust of Iron B. You haue spoken very wel Maister Doctor but I pray you shew vs how wee shoulde minister the pouders of these things D. seeing that there with wee shal make an end I wil shew it in short tyme considering that the time doeth no longer giue place The cause and original of the disease being knowen the sicke person ought to bee let blood and purged if it seeme good to the Phisition to bee so and if the sicke person hath strength therefore for there are some so leane that it is not conuenient to vse of any euacuations in them This beeing done they shal take of the pouders that shal seeme most conuenient for them of the three thinges which are spoken of the yron the steele or the rust of them the quantity that shal seeme good to the Phisition according to the age vertue strength I do giue to them of a meane age a dramme and from thence I ryse or fal as the age and strength or the continuance of the disease requyreth and that it may not be lesse then twoo graynes of waight nor more then a dram halfe I giue it many kinde of wayes either mingled with suggar of Roses or with conserua of violettes or with a syrope of Coriander or of the roote or made in pilles with a syrope made for the purpose casting them into the mouth or any maner of these wayes that they bee taken there must bee dronke after them a little sacke that it be not cold nor very strong And if the person that taketh it drinke no wine then he may drinke water sodden with Cinamon although the wine be the better it must be taken fasting in the morning and immediatly after it be taken they must goe and exercise their bodies twoo houres after if they haue strength therefore and if there bee not strength to doe it one is sufficient or the tyme that they may possibly The going must bee in such sort that the partie bee not ouerwearied and if he be let him sit downe now and then and by reason such as do take them haue stoppings or opilations of any maner of exercise although it bee little they are foorthwith wearie and all the payne is for the first dayes for afterward they shal goe very wel and shal not be so much wearied This exercise is better to bee vsed out of the house and by the streetes and in the fieldes it doeth importe very much by the going whereby these pouders do make their woorke and doe good that if they bee not well gone with all they doe not the effect that is desired and the exercise being made let him take rest in his house or in the place where hee commeth vnto not vnclothing himselfe but euen so apparelled let him lye downe vpon his warme bed and rest himselfe one houre and let him eate foure houres at the least after hee hath taken these pouders or when hee perceyueth his stomake to bee cleere of them hee shall eate of a Hen or of another Byrde without any sauce with some dry fruite or some conseruas and not to eate any greene thing Let the drinke be according to the disposition that hee hath wine watered if it bee conuenient for him to drinke it or water sodden with Cinamom let him refraine to that day from al thinges that may offend him let him not drinke betweene meales let him make a light supper with that as may dry vp moysture I will not counsell that they take these pouders euery day but euery third day and chiefly these first dayes and especially such which are leane and delicate for in taking of them euery day they wil bee much wearied and one day that they rest betweene they will be restored and take strength for the next day The day that it is not taken if there doe appeare any feuer it would doe well that there were taken a good vessel or great cup full of whey made of goates milke hot whot with suggar if it be not to be had then take a smal table of rosade of a sweete smel this day their liuer shall bee anoynted with some oyntment made for the purpose and their lungs with some thing that may vnstoppe them and the stomake with some thing that may comfort This shal bee done in the morning
when he is on his bed and after the oyntmentes are ended a little tyme one houre or twoo after that they are anoynted receiue a common medicine with thinges that haue vertue to euacuate and this medicine shal not lacke euery day when the pouders are not taken for it doeth much import except if there bee not many stooles in such sorte it will bee better that it bee a washing medicine The day which they take not the pouders they may eate sodde meate with some sauce and greene thinges and in the one day and the other drinke little These pouders are giuen many or fewe dayes according to the necessitie of the partie that is sick and as it doth him good for to some 15. dayes are sufficient and to others 20. and to others 30. some there be which do vomit them vp the first twoo or three dayes and they cast vp much choler with them whereby they are notably lightened and doeth iâ— this sort they giue contentmeÌ„t gladnes I know no other medicinall benefite it can do to them There are many Phisitions which doo coÌ„mande to carrie to the mony house which is the house where the money is made a pot of water corporall and spirituall and after he hath done this he doeth moderate it in this manner saying But such which haue not these eates and drinketh without them when they are idle and in pleasure and doe not exercise themselues these people as they haue not heate to constrayne them to drinke colde let them not doe it neither is it conuenient for them to drinke it let them content themselues with colde water as nature hath brought it foorth without putting it too coole in any other thing seeyng that they haue not neede of that which is most colde And foorthwith he sayeth Although they liue idlely and doe no exercise and also without cares if the time were warme or very whot they may drinke the water colde I doe meane that in Countries where it is not colde they may put it too bee made colde so that it bee not vâ—ry colde The selfesame is confirmed by Galen himselfe in his thirde booke of meates and in the booke of the disease of the raynes where hee saith That the vse of colde water cooled with Snowe vnto suche as are very whot and such as are fattâ— and suche as doe excercise themselues and labour muche that suche may drinke very colde chiefly if they be vsed therevnto for such as are accustomed to drinke it doe suffer and carrie yt better and more without hurte then suche as doe not vse it for such ought to drinke it with more respect and consideration And albeit the water hath so greate benefite in it as wee haue sayde for the conseruation of health it hath greater too heale Feuers and other diseases and therevppon Hipocrates and Galen treated very particularly inespecially Galen in the nienth of his Methodâ— doeth reprehende there Erasistratâ— and suche as doe followe him which did forbid the vse of colde water vnto such as were sicke of the Feuers And in his first booke of his Methodo by the like reason doeth reprehende Tesalo and in the seuenth booke he doeth shewe that hee himselfe hath healed many sicke persons that had the griefe of the stomake with most cold water and also made cold with Snow And in the eight nienth tenth and eleuenth of the same Methodo he healeth the Feuers and other diseases with water that is most colde And it is an excellent remedy taken with the conditions that is conuenient In the xl he saith that the sharpe Feuers are cured with letting blood and colde water especially the Feueâ—s of blood or that haue much mixture thereof By that which is said is seene how conuenient it is that water be made cold with snowe where there is not to be founde any so colde as is conuenient for our conseruation contentment for to heale vs of many infirmities Al the which wee haue treated of in briefe whereby it may be a beginning of our pretence that shall follow which is to shew the manner how to make tolde with snow and because that which shall be made colde is the water and vnder is also to be vnderstood the wine al the rest that shal be made cold we will speake of that which shall be treated vnder the water The water is cold two maner of waies one naturally as it commeth forth of the springes and this is as cold as it is conuenient and hath no neede to coole it if it hath as muche coldnesse as will satisfie our necessitie without hauing neede too seâ—ke any thing that may make it colder There is an other water which is not so colde as is conuenient for vs as wel for our conseruation health as for our satisfaction and by reason it is not so colde as it ought to be it is the cause of the hurts it doth that before we haue spoken of Some waters are not so colde as they ought to bee by nature by reason they are in whot countries Now our intent is to treate of them how they ought to be made colde because with their heate they hurte vs and beyng made cold as much as neede requireth they doe satisfy vs so that wee may drinke them and vse them without any hurt that they can doe vs so we wil shew of al the meanes that we may haue to make cold which are vsed at this day in all the worlde and of them wee will choose the best and most sure setting downe the inconuenience that is in euery one There are foure maner of waies to make colde which at this day are vsed in all the worlde that is to say with the aire in the well with salt Peter and with snow euery one of these is vsed at this day The first is to make colde with the ayre although it bee a common thing and vsed in all places yet it hath beene and is most vsed of the Egyptians by reason they haue neither wels nor snowe and that of the salt Peter they neuer knewe Galen maketh a large relation of the manner howe to make cold with the aire and saith thus they of Alexandria and Egypt for to make their water colde that they may drinke it in time of whot wether doe warme it first or doe seeth it then they put it into earthen vessels and set it in the colde aire or deaw in the night in windowes or in the gutters of houses and there they set it all the night and before the Sunne riseth they take it away and washe the saide earthen vesselles in the outside with colde water and then they roule them with the leaues of a Uine tree and of lettice and other fresh herbes and they put them in the grounde in the most colde part of the house that there the cold may conserue it This maner of making colde is vsed at this
are most colde They which drinke that which is made colde with snowe saye that it doeth not offende them as that which is made cold with the weather for it is seene that a cuppe of colde water beeing dronke that commeth foorth of a well or of a colde fountayne hurteth such as doe drinke it and drinking that which is made colde with snow they feele no such hurte I doe much maruell at one thing that this Citie of Siuill beeing one of the most famous of the Worlde wherein alwayes haue liued many greate personages of very high estate and many people of greate estimation as well of the naturall people of the Country as strangers that ther hath byn none which haue brought thither snowe in the time of whot weather for to make colde that which they drinke seeyng that the heate of this countrie from the beginning of Sommer vntil it be well neere towardes Winter is so great that it is not to be suffered and all the waters are most whot that they cannot scarcely be drunke And besides that the moste parte of the people of this Citie are people of much businesse and cares And seeyng that in a Countrie so whot where businesse and cares doe abounde where the water is whot and nothing wherewithall to coole it with iust Title it may be admitted and vsed that it may be cooled with snowe seeyng that the coldnesse is so sure as we haue sayd and it doth make the benefites which Galen and Auicen haue shewed vnto vs. Let euery one looke vppon his disposition that beeing whole although hee bee not altogether in health in time of whot wether he may drinke colde more or lesse as it is conuenient for him For the drinking colde doeth temper the Liuer it mitigateth the heate it geueth appetite to meate it comforteth the stomake it geueth strength too all the foure vertues that may doe theyr woorkes the better the meate is eaten with appetite and with gladnesse it taketh away the drithe in the day time it causeth that the stone doth not ingender in the raynes by keeping temperate the heate of them it taketh away lothsomnesse and likewise it doeth many other good effectes that the vse and thereof experience ode shewe vs. And because it is the best manner too make colde with Snowe as we haue sayde let vs aâ—â—we thereof with graue Authours and let Auicen bee the first in the thirde of the first where he saith The water that is made cold with snow vnto such as are of a temperate complection whereas coldenesse hath beene made with Snowe yea although the snow be fowle and not cleane then it serueth to make colde the water without and that as is good and cleane is to be put in to that which shal be dronke as Auicen himselfe sheweth in the second parte of the first booke the 16. chapter where hee sayth the snowe and the frosen water when it is cleane and that the Snowe hath not fallen vppon euill plantes or that it be not mingled with earth or other superâ—â—uâ—ties and the frost not made of euill infected waters but that the water which come foorth of the snow bee cleere and cleane and the water that commeth foorth of the frost be also good and cleane if any parte of the water of the snowe or of the frost bee put into the water that must bee dronke or with them the water be made cold without dout it is good for the waters which come foorth of them bee not straunge from other waters This doth Auicen say giuing to vnderstande that these waters which doe proceed of snow and of frost being cleane doe not differ from the goodnesse of other waters onely the difference is that the water of the snowe and of the frost are grosser then other waters by reason that the vapour is congeled in the middle region of the ayre as wee haue declared Rasis amongest the Arabiens the best learned in the thirde booke of those which hee wrote to the King Almasor sayeth thus The water of snowe cooleth the Liuer that is whot beeing taken after meate it strengtheneth the stomake it giueth appetite and lust to meate but that which is dronke may not be much And immediatly after he sayth the water which hath not so much coldnesse that it giueth not contentment to him that drinketh it filleth the belly taketh not away the drithe it destroyeth the appetite it taketh away the lust of the meate it consumeth the body and concludeth in saying that it is not a thing conuenient to bee dronke I do vnderstand it for the preseruation of the health of man of the which Rasis treating in that booke himselfe in the 4. of Almasor speaking of the preseruation from the and there commeth to him hurt and poyson which destroyeth and corrupteth him beleeue you mee and suffer not such which are sicke to spende their mony to cast golde in medicines which they take nor let them quenche golde that is whot in wyne nor in water for of the one and of the other there remayneth no medicinal vertue that wil remedy their euilles Only the golde being made mony hath greate vertues and properties for that is it that maketh the hart glad and taketh away sadnesse and melancholy and repaireth al the vertues and strength of man it giueth strength whereas is none it is an vniuersal remedy of al thinges vnles it bee of death for against that nothing can preuayle And seeing that night is come and tyme giueth not vnto vs any longer liberty and although that it gaue vs yet age doeth his office for I feele my selfe weary God bee with you Maister OrtunÌ„o and likewyse to you Maister Burgus and I goe to take rest The end of the Dialogue of Yron THE BOKE WHICH TREATETH OF THE SNOW AND OF the properties vertues therof And of the maner that should be vsed to make the drink cold therwith of the other wayes wherewith drinke is to be made colde Wherof is shewed partly in the latter parte of the seconde Dialogue of yron With other curiosities which will geue contentment by other auncient thinges woorthy too bee knowen which in this treatise shal bee declared Written by Doctor Monardes Phisition of Seuill 1574 To the excellent Lord the Earle of Barajas assistent of the citie of Seuill c. the Doctor Monardes your Phisition wisheth health MOst excellent Lorde the faire white snow doeth complaine vnto mee saying that she being so auncient and of so many ages celebrated of so many Princes Kinges wise and valiant mâ—n and beyng had in so greate estimation and price that with greate care they seeke after her with greater care they doe conserue her for to geue health contentment to all persons yet for all this many people with little consideration not knowing what they say doe persecute her putting vndecent names to her and that which doeth most greeue her is
that some Phisitions either for ignoraÌ„ce or for malice do speak euil of her not perceiuing what so many lerned meÌ„ haue treated said of the great vtility profit which she doth to many as experience doth shew all people doe vnderstand chiefly when they doe drinke their drink most cold with the benefit which doth remaine to them thereof they do praise extol her Moreouer she saith that she forceth no persoÌ„ to vse her but if any wil vse her shee can geue such order maner to make cold the drinke as is coÌ„uenient for al persons geuing the degrees of coldenesse which euery one would haue which doeth best appertayn to them this with all assurance with onely leauing or placing the vessel whâ—rein the drinke is ioyned nere to her the which none of the olde writers nor of the late did speake against or forbid And especially let this maner of making cold not be done with stinking water of a well nor with the most burning Saltpeter but with pure water beyng cleane and cleare These coÌ„plaintes many other the faire lillie white Snow hath vttered vnto me in the end she lastly saide to me that since that I had praysed her so much and taken in hande to fauour hâ—r that I should ly the fire hath no mixture of other Elementes and amongest these Elements the ayre is very principall which is deuided into three parts one is the supreame and neere to the Râ—gion of the efire which is whotte and drie for the felowshippe that it hath therewith taking muche of his qualitie which is cleere and pure from whence doe not proceede anye wyndes nor cloudes and this they call the celestiall Region and the partes more lowe which are neere too the water and earth be greaâ— and troubled full of Uapours pearced and visited with the beames of the Sunne whereby it commeth too bee whotte and the supreame and middle Region of the ayre doeth come too bee very colde because it standeth in the middest of the twoo extremities beeyng so whotte And in it is increased the colde as in the middle parte fleing from the extreme partes of heate as we haue spoken of before This middle parte hath partes more or lesse colde for the parte that is ioyning neere vnto vs is not so cold as that which is neere to the superiour partes of the fire And how much more the vapours do rise vp on height the more they doe congele and hold fast In the middle region of the ayre doe ingender the clowdes the small raynes the droppes the frost the rayne the Snowe the Hayle and other impressions as the Thunder lightnings and sharpe showers and comets The Clowdes be the principal matter which doe ingender the Rayne the Snowe and the Hayle and the other impressions which wee haue spoken of that are made of many Uapours which doe rise vp from the lower partes vnto the middle Region of the ayre and so being ioyned they make one body and they waxe thicke with the colde of the saide place and for this the clowd is like to a mother and is the common matter of all the impressions that are made in the ayre And so it is of the snowe as a thing ingendred of it in the middle Region of the ayre And the Snowe is no other thing but a Uapour colde and moyst which came into the middle Region of the ayre beeing ingendred in the bodie of the Clowde with a meane coldenesse which is not so strong as that which doeth cause the Hayle nor so soft as that which doeth cause the water and in the like Uapour before it be made water it both congeale and freese and doeth fall broken in peeces and are white because there doe rayne in them more colde then in the water The which Galen doeth shewe vnto vs in the booke of the Philosophicall hystory of Anaximenes the Philosopher Of the congealed ayre he saieth that the cloudes are made and of the same beeyng more thicke the rayne is ingendred and the same is congealed and frosen and by the coldenesse of the Ayre it is made Snowe and beeyng more congealed it is made Hayle And the same Galen doeth say in his booke de Vtilitate respirationis the Clowdes congealed are made Snowe which is the matter that the rayne is made of the Snowe doeth fall in the highe places which of their owne nature are colde places and thereby it is muche conserued and very seldome it falleth in the Ualleyes and if it doe fall there it is very smal foorthwith it dissolueth It falleth in the Sea but seldom times by reason of the heat which it hath for the winds that are continually in it for heat moisture are coÌ„traries much more the wind accoÌ„panied with the sunne Galen in the nienth of his simples saieth that there were Philosophers that saide the snow had hot parts for being takeÌ„ in the hand it heateth burneth like to fire And so the saide Galen in the 4. of the sayd Bookes sayeth as he went vpon snow his feet did burne the cause of this is not that the snow is whot nor that it hath whot parts but with his cold it doth shut the pores of the handes or feete and causeth that the heate which is in the inner partes haue not wher to come forth so being shut in do cause so great a kindlying that seemeth to burne the which we see contrary if the handes doe burne be put into whot water as the pores drinking of the coldest water they were healed as Galen sayth in the 7. of his Methodâ— that he sawe in one day yeâ— in one houre with a draught of colde water many diseases were healed and some of these were weake of stomake not only with colde water of a fountaine but with water cooled in snowe and in Roâ—â—e it is vsed And so Cornelio Celso in his first booke vnto such as were weake of stomake commanded them to drinke after they had eaten the coldest water they could get and in cholerike stooles should be dronke water that was most cold and in runnings of whot humors it shoulde bee vsed for to stay the fluxe Auicen in the sayde chapter saith that the cold water doth coÌ„fort all the â—ertues in his workes that is to say the vertue disgestiue attractiue reteÌ„tiue and expulsiue And so he goeth declaring euery one of them giuing vs to vnderstand how much the colde water doth corroborate and make strong al these vertues whereby they doe their workes the better And the said Auicen in the second of his first treatie of water saieth the colde water is the best of all waters and it is conuenient for them which are whole for it giueth lust to meate maketh the stomake strong And a little before hee saieth that which is not colde doeth corrupt disgestion and causeth the meate to swim in the stomake it taketh not away the
it doeth muche diminishe very little commeth hither of that which they take out there and therefore it is so deere It is a maruellous thing that these mountaines of Granado are alwaies full of snow that in them it is durable and perpetual and for great heates and sunne that shineth vpon them yet the snow continueth in one state and we see that it doth not change In the mouÌ„taines Pirineos which are filled with snow euery winter but the suÌ„mer being come al is melted in such sort that there remayneth in them no snowe The kinges of Granado being in all theyr royall authoritie did vse in the moneths of great heat and time of summer to drink these waters which they dranke made cold with snow as our hystory writer Alonso de Palensio doth referre himselfe too thaâ—â—hich he wrote of the warres of Granado Let the snowe be kept in cold and dry places for the moysture and heate are his contrary the wind which commeth of the siâ—ne much more because it is whot moyst They doe tread or presse the snowe when they put it in sellers to keepe that it may the loÌ„ger endure melt lesse Charles Militineus doth say that the snow must be kept trodeÌ„ couered with leaues and bowes of an Oke because in this sort it is most conserued That which is brought to this citie they bring it in strawe for it doeth conserue it more then any other thing it doeth melt the lesse which the glorious S. Augustine doeth shew vs in the first booke of the citie of God where he saith who gaue vnto the straw a cold vertue so strong that it kepeth the snow which is most cold and conserueth it and who gaue it likewise so whot feruent a vertue that the green fruit not being rype as apples and other like it doth rype and season them that they may be eaten in the which it is seene what diuers vertues the straw hath seeing that it doeâ—h contrary effectes which doth conserue the snow â— doeth make ripe the greene fruite and doth more then the water which is made colde in the deawe or in other thing by putting any vessell with it amongest strawe it doeth conserue his coldenesse all the day There were vsed two principal wayes in these times too make colde with snow the one is to put the bottelles or the vessels of that as you will make cold buried in the snow this is done where there is much snow this doth make very cold and quickly the same is likewise done with the water frosen There is another way to make cold which is more easie and it is done with little snow which is to fill a vessell of that which is to be made colde and put vpon it a little platter of siluâ—r or glasse or of â—hin Plate called the leafe of Milan that it may be made so deepe whereby it may penetrate through that which shal be made cold and vppon that deepe vessell let the snow bee put and from time to time the water which doeth melt from the snow must be taken away for if it bee not taken away it heateth the snow and it melteth the more After this sort it doeth coole much and maketh it as exceeding cold as you woulde drinke it and it is a way that euery one may vse more or lesse as colde as he will or as hee hath neede of it The selfesame is done with a long caue made of the leafe of Milan putting it full of snow into the thing that you mynde to make colde continuing in it still and this is to make anie thing colde in an earthen pot or any other great vessell This manner of way is long or it be colde and it is needfull that it be put long tyme before you goe too meate and for all this it will not make it very colde Others there bee that doe put the snowe in a little basket layde vpon a little strawe for this doeth conserue the snowe muche putting in one goblet with that as you wil drinke leaning harde too the snow after this sorte there followeth muche benefite for it is not needefull to goe taking away the water from the snowe by reason that it goeth away through the basket And the other is that the snowe doeth not melt so muche let euery man doe as hee hath the quantitie of Snowe to doe it withall and likewise in the cooling of it more or lesse as his necessitie and health doeth require and can beare well the vse thereof of the which wee haue made a large relation although that my intente and purpose was for no more than too defende that the best way too make the drinke colde and more healthfull is to make cold with snowe and as for the other manner of wayes and vses too make colde they haue many inconueniences which I haue spoken of and onely too make colde with Snow is that which is conuenient seeyng that the snowe doeth not touche the thing onely the little platter that is made cold with it is onely that which doeth make colde All other wayes which doeth make colde doeth not come neere to the cooling with snow by a great way for that is most colde which is cooled with it and all other wayes doe seeme whotte beeyng made colde in the deawe in welles or with saltpeter in comparison of that which is made colde with snow And so it is a greate thing and too bee muche esteemed that in the tyme of whot weather when weâ— are made a burning cole of the extreeme heate of the tyme when the drithe is so great that it maketh vs to sounde and our bodies are so burning and sweating that we haue so easie a remedie with a little Snowe wee may drinke so colde as is conuenient for vs and as colde as wee will with all assuraunce of health geuing vs so muche delighte and contentment that there is no price to bee esteemed too it nor vnderstanding that can expounde it of the which euery one that doth drinke colde with snowe may bee iudge of my Apologie when they do make an end to drinke by meanes of the most colde snowe By that which is said it is seene what a thing snowe is how the vse of it was esteemed amongst the people of old time for to make colde therwith as the best maner of these which are to make colde withall and more agreeable to our health and necessitie is that which is done therewith also as the drinking cold doth bring so many benefits and commodities the drinking hot so many hurts discoÌ„modities seeing that to vse it is to make leane and debilitate the stomake it doeth make the meate to swim in it it doth corrupt the disgestion whereby it doth consume and weaken the bodie it ingendreth winds it is the cause that the Liuer is debilitated weakened it causeth continuall drithe it doth not