Capit. 1. Of the Pockes, hovv to knovv them, and the cause whereof they spring.

TO knowe the originall of this filthie sicknesse, there is fur­ther regard to be had, then to the onely act of intemperancie, for the chéefe cause thereof, was the in­fluence of the heauens, which in the very instant when this disease first shewed it selfe, did so strongly infect the secret parts both of man and woman, that thereby the said disease (first in the Parents, and after in the children) hath with a certaine secret poison, infected and spoiled the whole bodie, shewing it selfe commonly (though not alwaies) in the secret parts. For those parts by the influence of the stars are first of all infected, and then the person so infected, giuing him selfe to incontinence, dooth cause the saide disease to shewe it selfe, first in the secret parts, and afterwards throughout the whole bodie, and béeing infected themselues, doo also ingen­der infected children, as they also doo that are infected with the Leprosie. For the Leprosie and this disease are so neere of kinne, that they are Cozen-germanes to each other, there­fore such infected persons, must of necessitie begette corrupt children, because that their séede is also infected, and after­ward such children are yet more corrupt, by reason of the cor­rupt milke that they sucke from their Mothers: so that it is [Page 2]almost impossible to cure the saide children the disease béeing so rooted in them. First through the infection of the seede, [...] and next of the milke: but such children so borne and nouri­shed, are sometimes not so greatly troubled with open sores and botches as their Parents haue béen, but they haue many greefes and paines in their hodies, so that it shold séeme that they are not troubled with this disease, but with the Gout or some such like, notwithstanding it is nothing els but the Pockes, but that it chaungeth by meanes of generation, and the complexion of the child which differeth frō the Parents. These two, to witte, the influence or impression of the hea­uens, and the generation, are the first and principall causes of this disease, and for that the influence is partly past and gone, we may also perceiue the furie of this disease to be part­lie asswaged, and therefore not so terrible as it hath beene, and the older it is, the feebler it becommeth, but though the Pockes doo vanish away, yet there spring other diseases e­nowe, different from those that heeretofore haue raigned, so that we are enforced to séeke for newe remedies to heale the said new diseases. For euery disease hath his proper remedy wherewith to be cured, and vntill the same remedie be vsed, the Patient cannot be holpen, but is the longer the more spoiled, vntill in the ende there commeth one, who by chance vseth the right remedie, and so ignorantly by good fortune healeth the Patient. Whatsoeuer shall be needfull to the curing of the Pocks or any other disease springing thereof, shal by Gods helpe be perfectlie taught in this Booke, so that nothing shall be wanting therein.

To proceede now with other causes of diseases, you shall vnderstand that there are many other causes besides those a­fore mencioned: for though those are the principall, yet it chaunceth notwithstanding, that some doo fall into thys foule disease, which through the impression or influence were not so much inclined thereto, and that chaunceth through compa­nying with women, where through the secret parts are first infected, then y^e blood throughout the whole body, & lastlie the [Page 3]newes, the flesh and the bone. It happeneth also a man to be infected by sweat, and that commeth by lying with another, for when one man lieth with another that is infected, and the [...]me doo sweat sore, hee must needes be infected with the ve­nome of his sweate. But this infection dooth not alwaies chaunce, for if the person infected haue had it a long time, and that it doth not appeare outwardly, but lyeth hidden inward­lie, he dooth not infect so sore, nor so soone as those that are but newlie infected with it. Therefore let euery man take heede, that he doo not lye with them whom he knoweth not, for that it is very dangerous, therfore I counsaile euery man to haue great regard heereof, to eschew such a danger.

Now we will shewe the signes whereby one may knowe when any man is infected with this disease, for a thousand are taken in hande to be cured with the receipts for the Pockes, which are not infected therwith, but with some other disease, as the Goute, the Dropsie, and such like, these and other moe as are all old Ulcers, and other infections of the skinne, are altogether, or for the most part, taken in hande to be cured with such remedies, as pertaine properly to y^e Pocks, which happeneth oftentimes, to the great hurt of the Patient, yea to his vtter ruine. Therefore you ought to take great héede that you vse not the remedies pertaining to the Pockes, till such time as you knowe perfectly, that the disease springeth frō no other cause but the Pockes. Therefore you shal learn to know it thus.

When this disease doth first attach any man, hee doth al­waies feele great pricking and shooting betwéene the skinne and the flesh, and whē he beginneth to were warme, it trou­bleth him so that he cannot abide it, and whosoeuer hath not (for a certaine space) felt or béene greatly troubled with such pricking or shooting, although their disease seeme ouglie or lothsome, yet it is not so ill as they suppose, but is sprung of some other cause. And if a man chaunce to get any infirmitie in his secret part, as botches, running, or such like, and haue not felt the said signe of pricking or shooting, you shall then [Page 4]know, that as yet no certaine iudgment can be giuen, for such infirmities come sometime before the signe can shew it selfe, but when the wound is healed vp, and that nature is not suf­ficiently purged, then commeth the aforesaid signe, and the other euill diseases sometimes many yeeres after. But to instruct you perfectly in all thinges, you shal vnderstand, that this disease taketh place first of all in the sinewes, vppon the bones, and in all the ioynts of the bodie, so that it is verie hard to be knowne from the Goute, because it also doth shew it selfe alwaies in those places: but the paine of the Pockes is alwaies greater in the eueninges then in the morninges, and dooth encline to an Ague. And alwaies (this excepted) thou shalt haue regard to the aforesaide signes of pricking or shooting, for if those signes want, it is not the Pocks, but the Goute or some other colde disease. And if the Patient haue many open holes very redde and inwardly white, which doo not greatlie spread abroade, but continue at one stay without much matter, and will by no meanes heale outwardlie, vn­derstand also the same to be a great signe, yet not so great as the first: for if the first signe of pricking haue not appeared, it is no sufficient token of the Pockes, but some other disease proceeding of Melancholie.

There are yet many other signes of the Pockes, as great Biles, with great paine in the head, and many redde pushes on the fore-head, vnder the hayre, and in the necke, but al­though these doo resemble the Pockes, and that very néerely, yet you may not iudge them to be the Pockes, vnlesse the a­foresaid signe haue gone before, because that is the most cer­taine token of all other, and if so be that that haue shewed it selfe, then doubt not, for it is without all doubt that they are the Pockes, and so much the stronger as there hath beene greater Biles, or holes as aforesaid where Biles haue béen, and also if there be great paine in the members, and y^e more in the euening then at other times of the day, and that the a­foresaid signe haue appeared, then you neede not doubt it to be the Pockes.

[Page 5] Thus much of the Pockes, with the signes thereof, nowe shall be shewed the meanes to cure them.

Capit. 2. Of the abuse vsed in the curing of the Pocks, by annointing or saluing.

THe first abuse of those that with annointing or saluing thinke to cure this foule disease, sprin­geth of this, that they doo not knowe the dys­ease, and therefore they can giue no good coun­sell thereto. For howe is it possible to heale a disease which a man neither knoweth, nor the nature of it? For a man shall as soone spoile it as heale it, with that which blindly and without vnderstanding he doth minister vnto it. The seconde error is, in the composition of their receipts, which they doo so wonderfullie rūble together through their blind ignorance in the disease, that it is a great wonder that they bring not moe men to the graue then they doe, although they kill enowe, and too many toe. Therefore to shunne these inconueniences, we will teach thee to cure thy Patients by a better manner of annointing, whereof shall not onely ensue no perrill, but also the health of the Patient, according to thy will & his owne desire. But first, to make their error more manifest, I will sette before thine eyes the simples whereof they compound their receipts, whereby thou maist perceiue what abuse is in them: the simples are these. Euforbium, Staphisagria, Scamonea, Sal gemmea, Lapis Calaminaris, Pepper, Ginger, Camphier, Vermelion, Axungia, Saun­ders, Bolus armenus, Terra sigillata, Common gumme, Ceruse, Litargirium, Minium, Crued quicksiluer, Mercurius sublimatus, Mercurius precipitatus. These with other things moe, which they ought not to doo, they vse in their annoin­ting, which are hurtfull in diuers respects. And first because [Page 6]they doo vse laxatiue Medicines which are very hurtfull to be vsed in such manner without the bodie. For Mercurie béeing a thing that dooth pierce so sore, doth also draw the other lax­atiues with him into the bodie, and they both béeing so veni­mous and so extreame hote, doo infect the blood in the vaines, and inflame the whole bodie in such sorte, that nature (after she is lightned of her burden, and discharged of that which op­pressed her, must alone heale y^e disease) cannot by any meanes recouer herselfe, but by reason that she is so sore pined, is not able to make any resistance but remaineth vanquished, so that the Patient is brought to a consumption, or to the Dropsie, or els to death, therfore you shall in no wise vse any laxatiues thereto, howe light so euer they be, because they are alwaies hurtfull, and not profitable, sor of all that is vsed in curing the Pockes, there is nothing that dooth anie way profit bee­ing outwardly ministred, but onely Quick siluer, therefore they are greatlie deceiued, which with strong Purgations doo purge the Patient, thinking thereby to expell the matter of the Pockes by stooles, which is vnpossible, other wise then by purging with Mercurie, and béeing purged therewith, hée doth expel it by stooles, but there are not many that haue the knowledge to bring Mercurie to that strength of purging, for it is a noble secret: and it is also neglected of the most parte, because of the great labour and cunning that is to be vsed in preparing of it. But I will sufficiently instruct them in the Chapter that followeth.

Nowe for the correction of those things that are needefull to be corrected in the annointing. First and formost you shall eschew all laxatiues, and all other thinges before mencioned, onely Mercurie excepted, for it is that which in the annoin­ting performeth the action, and without Mercurie there is nothing profitable in this disease ministred outwardlie, but inwardlie there are manie noble remedies beside Quicksil­uer, which both in this, and also in all other diseases, are of great force, so that the like hath not oft times been seene. But because in this Booke we haue taken in hand to write onelie [Page 7]of the Pockes, wee will therefore meddle with nothing but Mercurie. In these two we will vse such dilligence, that no­thing shall be vnpossible for you to helpe in this disease, if so be that you follow our counsaile.

Nowe to prepare your Mercurie that it may outwardlie be ministred without perrill to the Patient: you shall take in Gods name of the earth wherin Mercurie groweth, which is found in Dutch-land in the gold & siluer Mines, this earth is called in Dutch Berch ciuober, of this earth you shal take the softest which is not yet hardened, take twentie poundes thereof, this you shall beate and put it into a Kettle, & poure fayre raine water thereto, and let it seeth an howre long, and the earth and the other filthinesse will seperate it selfe, which you shall scumme off very cleane, then that which re­maineth in the Kettle, you shall rub small, and put it into a Cucurbit, and sette it to distill vpon the fire with great heate, (according as I haue taught you in my Booke of Minerall distillations) and you shall see a white iuyce arise like Milk. And when you perceiue that it will drop no more, then take that white iuyce, and sette it alone to distill in Balneo marie, and the moisture that is thereby, will come alone, and in the bottome of the Cucurbit there will remaine an Oyle, as hea­uie in a manner as Quicke siluer, (the manner to distill by Balneo marie, I haue shewed you sufficiently in my Booke of the distillation of Hearbes, to which Booke I referre you for breuities sake.)

The Oyle remaining in the bottome of the Cucurbit, as afore said, you shall take and vse to annoint withall as folow­eth. Take two ownces of the aforesaid Oyle, and sixe ounces of Spike Oyle, these you shall mingle together and warme them a little vpon the fire, and therewith annoint the disea­sed parts of the Patient, but those parts which are not disea­sed you shal not annoint therewith, because it would doo more hurt then good, for that there is no matter whereuppon they may worke, and not finding other matter to worke vpon, it would drie vppe the naturall moysture from those parts, but [Page 8]the diseased parts you shall annoint as aforesaid in euery part or ioynt, and if there be any holes or blaines, you shall an­noint those also in the euening when he goeth to bed, and you shall couer him very warme that he may sweat, and let him lye and sweat two houres long, and he must not in any wise stirre himselfe, because he may sweat the better, the sayde time being expired, you shall abate the clothes from of him, and giue him warme cleane clothes, that he may drie vp the sweate cleane in euery place, and beeing well dryed, take off his wette shirt, and put him on a cleane shyrt well warmed, then sette him by a good fire of Oken wood, and dry his heade with warme clothes, in the meane while make his bedde, and lay on a payre of cleane sheetes well warmed, then let him goe to bedde againe before it be colde, but couer him not too warme, but that he may sleepe quietly. In the morning whē he awaketh, you shall vse as you did in the euening, to witte, with fire and drying, and béeing well dryed of his sweat, you shall apparrell him, and let him washe his hands and his face in warme water, and then let him eate his meat, which shall be such as heere followeth.

First he shall eate no Swines flesh, nor no salted fleshe, no Hares, Conies, Harts, nor other venison, nor no Cowes flesh, nor no pottage, but broth made of good Mutton, sodden with Borage and a fewe Beetes and with a good deale of Bor [...]age, other Pottage he shall eate none, he shal eate good Mutton, Hennes, Partriges, and all manner of wild foule, excepting all water foules, and all that seeke their liuing or swimme in the water, for that their fleshe is ill to digest for a sicke man, ingendering naughtie and mellancholie blood, hee may also eate good young Beefe, beeing newlie killed, and not long salted, but he must not eate much of it, because it is hard of digestion for a weake stomack: but of all other there is nothing better for such a Patient, then good young Kiddes flesh that yet sucketh his damme, with good Partriges and good young Hennes, he shall not refuse to eate, for that of all other meates they are best: hee shall abstaine from Pepper, [Page 9]and Ginger, but in his meate he may vse Cinamon, Cloues, and such like, also Nutmegges and Saffron: he shall also ab­staine from Onions, Garlike, Skallions and such like, ey­ther rawe or sodden, because they vexe the blood and inflame and dry vp the Liuer. His drinke shall be good Renish wine, tempered with water sodden w^t Annis seedes, Barlie, and Masticke, of each as much as a Chestnut, of this water hée shall take one part, and of Wine two parts, and hée shall drinke thereof vntill he be cured: he shall keepe himselfe ve­rie warme, and out of the ayre within the house, he shal kéepe the windowes and the doores shut: this order he shall in all respects keepe with annointing, sweating, and diet, vntil he be perfectly cured, for if he do as is aforesaid, he shal vndoub­tedly, by Gods helpe be cured, although hee had it twentie yéeres, if so be he haue not béen spoiled with other Medicines before.

Cap. 3. Of fumegation or smoking, with correcti­on of the abuse vsed therein.

THere is yet another way of curing the Pocks, found out by practitioners, for when they per­ceiued that of force they must vse Quicke sil­uer, they tooke and killed it with Brimstone, making Cinober thereof, because it should not be knowne to be Quicke siluer: for the common people, per­ceiuing so manie to be spoiled and killed with Quicke siluer, woulde not willinglie be cured therewith: therefore because they might the better vse it without gainesaying of the Pa­tient, therefore they brought it into another forme, vsing it also after another manner without any annointing, because annointing was become odious to the Patient, therfore they found out a deuice to perfume or smoke the Patient, with the [Page 10]smoke of Cinober or Vermelion and so to cure him, for they knew Quick siluer to be so subtill or piercing, that they wold enforce it into the bodie at anie place, through the pores or sweat holes. And therfore they set the Patient vnder a Tent or Canopie naked, with a Chafingdish of coales between his legges, wherin they strowed the Cinober, stopping him close round about, the Patient then beginning to sweat, the Mer­curie with his whole substaunce creepeth into him in such sort, that it causeth all the slime in his bodie to ascende into his mouth, infecting and corrupting all parts of the Patient in such sort, that it is pittifull to behold, so that the one after long Martirdome at length creepes into his graue, the other becommeth cripple and deformed, the thirde toothlesse, and such like miserable accidents which are befallen them, that it would greeue a man to sée, how they haue handled a number of their Patients.

For Mercurie béeing vsed corporallie, hath this nature, that it dooth draw all the corrupt matter of the Pockes into the mouth, and because they haue dealt so disorderly there­with, taking more of it then they ought, they haue therwith­all drawne the corruption into the mouth in such abundance, that it could not haue sufficient egresse, but for want thereof is returned, and hath sought him a place in the entrailes, as in the Liuer, the Lunges, the Milte, and the stomacke, &c. So that some are fallen into the diseases of the Lunges, as Plurisies, shortnesse of breath, Coughes, consumptions, and such other, almost altogether incurable diseases. Others are fallen into diseases of the stomack, as vomitings, quesinesse, great and intollerable paines, and Apostoms of the stomack, not beeing able to digest any good nourishment. Others are fallen into diseases of the Liuer, as the yellow Iaundies, or Ictteritia, the Dropsie, the Bloodie flixe, hote firie Agues, and such like. And some into the diseases of the Milte, as the Feuer quartaine, the Cancker, the Woolfe, the Leprosie, to all which diseases they were not any way subiect or inclined, vntill such time, as they were brought thereto by the vnskil­fulnesse [Page 11]of foolish Chirurgions, and all these aforesaide disea­ses, are altogether in manner vncurable, and in the end dead­lie. Wherefore I would wish euery man to take heed, not to deale with Mercurie in any such sorte as is before expressed. But if thou wilt vse it in any such order as heereafter shalbe shewed thee, it shall not onely not be hurtfull, but thou shalt also therwith performe that which thou promisest to thy Pa­tient, that is to say the curing of his disease.

Nowe we will shewe wherewith they are wont, and doe yet perfume or smoke their Patients: the simples are these that followe: Cinober naturall, Mercurie calcined, Artificiall Mercurie sublimed, Alipta, Muscata, Cloues, Cinamon, I­reos, Muske, Franckincense, Mastick, Mirha, with other such sweete thinges. These sweet things they haue therefore ta­ken, because the Patient shoulde not smell the stinke of the Brimstone & the Cinober: but though at the first they haue not knowne him by the smell, yet in the ende hee hath made himselfe knowne vnto them by the feeling, for that hee per­formeth his worke with great force, as those Patients know verie well which haue had experience of him, for as a sharpe poyson, so goeth he to worke in all his operation. Their first and greatest error therefore is, that they doo fume the whole bodie of the Patient, where as they shold not fume any more then the place where they know that y^e place desireth to haue issue. For in all diseases, nature hath her certaine emuncto­ries or purging places, where through she coueteth to purge her selfe. As sometimes by stooles, sometimes by vemits, and sometime sweating: but in this disease, shee hath more places to purge by, as the groyne, the arme-holes, and such like, and sometimes other open holes in other places of the body, where a man must smoke, and not in any other place. But for your further knowledge you shall vnderstand, that Mercurie may be prepared in diuers manners, as laxatiue, opilatiue, corosiue, and attractiue, and also diaphoreticke, so that it may be prepared according to y^e desire of him that wil vse it.

[Page 12] But in this fumigation or smoking, the intent is onelie to make him attractiue, that is, to draw out of the bodie, that which is hurtfull or hindersome to nature, but heerein our cunning Chirurgions haue both been deceiued thēselues, and thereby haue also spoyled their Patients, first in that they perfumed or smoked the whole body of the Patient, for by that meanes the venimous matter, which before occupied but one or two places of the body, they haue now drawn through­out all the whole bodie, secondly in vsing the Mercurie so grosselie with his whole substaunce, and that in such great quantitie, they haue also by that meanes brought their Pa­tients to vtter ruine, and thirdly, in that they haue mingled other thinges with the Mercurie, where as it is the Mercu­rie alone that must performe the action without helpe of any other thing, béeing outwardly vsed by fumigation.

Nowe we will shew thee the manner or order to prepare it to be attractiue, with the correction of the abuse heeretofore vsed in the ministring thereof. Although it hath chaunced sometimes, that there hath a Patient or two beene cured by meanes of this aforesaid fumigation, and also by annointing, yet you shall vnderstand, that y^e came to passe alone through the goodnesse of nature, which is willing to helpe herselfe, and strong to resist and ouercome the violence of the Medi­cine, but yet for one so cured, there hath beene tenne thereby spoyled, besides those that haue béene sent ad Patres, to robbe Moles, but to eschew all these inconueniences, you shal pre­pare your Mercurie in this order.

Take Cinober made by arte (not naturall Cinober, and beate it as small as is possible, whereof you shall take one pound, and one pound of Salt Peter, mingle them very wel together, and set them to sublime (as shall be taught you in another Booke, which shall intreate of the preparing of Mi­nerals) the Mercurie béeing sublimed, you shall grind it smal vpon a stone, then you shall take an instrument or Earthen pot of two spannes in length, very well glazed within, it shal be one spanne wide in the bottome, and the mouth shal be as [Page 13]wide as a bigge Apple, in this instrument you shall put of the aforesaid Mercurie, one dramme at a time, and you shall set the Patient and the saide instrument in such sorte, that the mouth of the instrument may be placed vpon the emunctorie or place, where the disease desireth his issue, and the other ende vpon a Chafingdish with coales, making it hote in such order, that it may warme the emunctorie, but heereof you must take great heede, that you make it not so hote, that you cause it bodilie to ascende, for this is the thing that hath kyl­led so many, that the Mercurie with his venimous hote bo­die, hath beene enforced into the bodie of the Patient.

Therefore you must haue great regarde, that you make your fire in such reasonable manner, that you doo not cause him to ascende, but that his spirit or dampe alone may per­forme the action, then you shall see the matter issue foorth in such abundaunce, that the Patient shal thereby be deliuered from his disease. You shall hold the said instrument with the Mercurie so made, hote vpon y^e emunctorie, the space of halfe an howre at a time, and you shall vse this manner of fumi­gation euerie night when the Patient goeth to bedde, and let him sweat euery time in such order as is afore shewed in the Chapter of annointing, vsing him in al points as is there specified, to wit, in sweating, in drying, &c. In this order you may fumigate or smoke without any danger, if you take héed that the Mercurie doe not ascend, so that you shall not onelie auoide all perrill in your curing, but shall also purchase to your selues, praise and thankes whensoeuer you shall vse it. Thus much of fumigation, with the correction of the abuses therein vsed, now concerning washing.

Capit. 4. Of vvashing vvith water.

THere is yet another peece of cun­ning deuised by the subtill Pock-maisters, which perceiued y^t they coulde not longer vse their Mercu­rie without hurt or shame, and al­so without thanke of the Patient, for the Patients perceiuing the great perils that ensued by the an­nointing, & how manie were ther­by spoyled, woulde not anie longer trust their annointing, and so fared it also with their fumi­gation, for when they sawe the numbers that thereby were killed, they feared, and woulde not anie longer be smoked: whereuppon the Pock-Maisters, were enforced to prepare their Mercurie after another order, that hee might be more secret and vnknowne, that they might yet vse him, for they wist wel, that without him there was no cure to be wrought, for as yet Guaicum was vnknowne, therefore they tooke sublimated Mercurie, and sodde it in Aqua vitae, and wyth the said Aqua vitae, they washed the Patient: which is a ve­rie subtill and forcible manner of curing, and very perrilous, which manner of curing, I doo counsaile all men to leaue vn­doone. But in this manner following, you shall not onely a­uoide all daunger, but shall also haue good successe in your workes, which if (for the great labour and charge which is required in the preparing of your Mercurie) you will not fol­low, I would wish you to leaue washing: for of all manners of curing, there is none the like for force and daunger, there­fore if you wil not otherwise correct your Mercurie, it is not lawfull for you to cure any man by washing, for that they [Page 15]which are this way cured, are in greater daunger then one man which dooth fight against two other for life and death. But if you will prepare your Mercurie as heereafter shal be shewed, you shall not onelie eschew all daunger which other­wise may happen, but shall also performe as much as shal be requisite to the curing of this disease, & as much as hath béen hetherto performed by anie man, wherefore flie sloth, and vse diligence in preparing your Mercurie, whereby you shal not onely obtaine your desire in curing the disease without feare and danger, but also with great credite to your selfe, and pro­fit to the Patients.

In this washing, besides this afore written, there is yet another abuse, that is, that they haue washed all the partes of the body, as well those that were sounde, as those y^t were diseased, then the which they could not haue cōmitted a grea­ter ouersight, for by that means they haue brought the sound parts into a worse case then the diseased, for Mercurie vsed in such sort, is in the operation as hote as fire, so that in those partes wherein there is no corrupt matter to bee dryed out, there he goeth to worke, and drieth out all the good and na­turall moisture, and thereby spoyleth the whole member.

Therefore aboue all things you must take heede that you doe not wash the whole parts, but onely those that are disea­sed, for the diseased parts haue matter, wherein the Mercu­rie may worke, and which is needfull to be dryed out. Nowe I will shewe you howe to prepare and to vse your Mercurie, but first I will shewe you those simples wherewith these Masters vse to washe, which are these. Mercurius sublima­tus, Auri pigmentum, Arsenicun, Cerusa, Camphier, Aqua vitae. These thinges if I shoulde minister in this sorte crudlie without other correction, I thinke I shoulde kill all the Patients that I shoulde take in hande. For by reason of the strength of the Aqua vitae, the Mercurie be­commeth so subtil and so fierie, that it is a great wonder that they die not all that are taken in hand to be cured in this or­der. For of all other, this manner of curing is most daunge­rous, [Page 16]for the Mercurie by his subtiltie, and by meanes of the heate of the Aqua vitae, doth performe his operation in the inward parts of the Patient with such force, as manie sicke Patients haue better felt then I can describe, and though this be most true, yet there are some y^e vse it dailie, as though it were good, but I say that it is a secrete kinde of poyson, which though it be but outwardlie applied, doth yet not with­standing (with great force) performe his worke inwardly in the bodie, for it inflameth and stirreth vppe the bloode in such sort, that the Patient oftentimes falleth a bleeding, bléeding themselues to death, others are like to be choked, so forciblie draweth this venime to the hart, but peraduēture some will defend his dooings herein, and say, I haue holpen many there­with, but I would faine heare the Patient himselfe report it, yet nouerthelesse, I doe thinke well, that some one amongst a hundred, may be cured by this meanes, but I conne them no thanke therefore, but rather nature, which herselfe hea­led the disease, and resisted the storme, but howe manie haue they spoiled and holpen vnder the grounde before they haue cured one, verilie a great number I am certaine, but to a­uoide such a daunger, and to attaine credit in this arte, doo as is aforesaid, leaue off your washing, or els prepare your Mer­curie as followeth.

Capit. 5. Of launcing or opening of Tumors.

THere haue béene some that haue held opinion, that be­cause of the great paines that men haue had on theyr shinnes, and the pypes of their armes, that therefore [Page 18]the roote of the disease must needes lye there, (but they are deceiued, for the roote lyeth in the bloode) these going for­wards in their opinions, haue made holes vpon the shinnes, and diuers other places of the bodie, thinking that the dys­ease would haue runne out at those holes, and so haue beene gone, but their expectation was deceiued, for although they had made the skinne full of holes, yet the matter they looked for, ranne not out at them, but there issued a certaine yellow water, which procéeded of the paine which the Corosiue had made, and not any matter of the disease, neither did it con­cerne the Pocks any thing at all. But I find no great fault in this, for as it holpe not, so it hindered not, yet it was a great foolishnesse of them to thinke the disease to be so cow­ardlie to giue ouer his hold before any assault were laid to it. But because there may chaunce sometimes, much matter to lie about the shins, or such like places, which causeth in­tollerable paines, to remedy the same you may vse the afore­said meanes, to drawe away the said matter, yet not as they did, for they did nothing but sette open the doore, forgetting that which was most needfull, that is, when they had ope­ned the place, they should haue applied a Plaister, to haue drawne out the matter, which otherwise of it selfe woulde neuer haue come forth.

But for your further helpe when any such maines do hap­pen. I will sette downe certaine thinges whereof you may make Plaisters, and applie to such open places, whereby the matter may be drawne forth, and the paine diminished.

Capit. vj. Of curing the Pockes by sweating.

THere is yet another opinion sprung vppe, and that is this, to cure the Pockes by sweating. This came first out of Italie into Dutchlande or Germanie, and at length it became cōmon heere in this Countrie: and indeede for some it was good, but for others hurtfull, for flegmaticke & moist bodies, are thereby dryed and made curable, but the Cholle­ricke and Melancholick bodies, are thereby spoiled, not with the sweating, but with the hote Medicines that they vsed to prouoke sweate, which Medicines so enflamed and dryed vp the blood in the vaines, the Liuer, the Lungs, the Milte, and the Kidnies, that thereby manie Patients fell first into the Feuer quartaine, secondlie into the Dropsie, and lastlie into the graue. Well the Pocks are not to be cured in this sorte. For though it be good for one, yet is it hurtfull for annother, but if yee will cure, you must prouide such remedies as may be good for all complexions, and hurtfull to none, especiallie héere in sweating.

But for your better instruction, it shall be necessarie first to shewe you wherewith they vse to prouoke sweate. They haue taken good strong Wine, and mingled the same with Treakle, and with other things which you shal heare anone, and giuen the same to the Patient to drinke, and thē couered [Page 20]him to make him sweat, and this they haue so long continu­ed, vntill either the Patient was cured, or that they were hindered by hote Agues which they brought vpon the Pati­ent, for by this meanes they had so spoiled the Liuer and o­ther parts with heate, that they coulde not any longer vse their naturall strength, but went backward, ingendering e­uill black enflamed blood, which must needes bring forth A­gues and the Feuer quartaine, therfore now I wil shew you the simples whereof they make their Medicine to prouoke sweat, that you may the better eschewe them, and these they are.

Capit. 7. Of curing the Pockes by Seege, vvith laxatiue Medicines.

THe Doctors of Phisicke haue also herein tried all their cunning, & vsed diuers meanes with laxatiue Medicines, y^t (as though it were ve­rie agreeable to nature) they might by Seege expell the matter of the Pockes, but because that nature diuers times chooseth other emunctories to purge herselfe by, therefore their deuices haue had no good successe, for though there be manie remedies whereby to purge the bodie from his vncleannes, yet not one of them is able to de­liuer the bodie from this disease, wherefore I would not wish anie man to purge with any such laxatiues, because it is not onelie in vain, but also verie hurtful, for they doo not so much as once meddle or touch the matter of this disease, as beeing altogether vnable to expell the same, & yet because they must worke beeing once receiued in, they goe to worke vpon that [Page 25]which they ought not to meddle withall, expelling that which is profitable to nature: yea and béeing too often vsed, or in too great a quantitie, they doo expell the blood, the fleshe, and at last they doo melt the marrow in the verie bones, expelling it also, according as wee haue seene the experience thereof in those which thus haue béene purged, for their flesh falleth a­waie, theyr cheekes waxe hollow, they become leane and pale of colour, which palenes of colour so long continueth, as na­ture continueth vnable to clense the bloode, and to ouercome the disease. What auaileth it then to purge with sharpe lax­atiues, when it is the nature alone that must heale the dis­ease.

But I knowe there be many that will say, and I graunt it to be true, that by purging they haue cured diuers Agues, and such like diseases, but though it be graunted that the dis­ease healeth after such time as the Patient is purged, yet not­withstanding it is nature herselfe which healeth the disease, after that her enemies are put to flight: but as for those lax­atiues, they doo not so forsake the bodie of the Patient, but that they leaue manie reliques behind them, which afterward are the causes of manie great euils, & also the body is brought thereby to such a custome, that it doth looke dailie to be pur­ged, and therefore will not performe the accustomed digesti­on as it ought to doo, and notwithstanding all the euils that doo ensure these purgations, there is no helpe nor comfort to be expected of them toward the curing of this disease, because they doo not so much as once touch it.

Nowe I will shewe you wherewith they haue vsed to purge, to the end you may take heede of it, because it cannot any thing profit you. First they haue giuen the Patient of these Iuleps or Sirops, and after haue purged them with the laxatiues following. These are the Iuleps and Sirops, Siru­pus de fumo terre, Sirupus acetosus, Simplex et compositus, Sirupus de Pomis compositus, Sirupus de menta, Sirupus de bisantijs, de Absinthis, et Epitimo, de Cicorea, et de Eupato­ria. Iulep violatum, et Iulep rosatum. In verie hote diseases [Page 26]these aforesaid Sirops they mingled with these distilled wa­ters folowing, because they might the better be receiued. The waters are these, Aqua boraginis, Aqua buglosse, Fumus ter­rę, Aqua cuscutę, Aqua melissę, Aqua scholopendrię, Aqua maioranę, Aqua finiculi, Aqua cicoreę, Aqua endinię, Aqua lupuli, Aqua capillorum veneris, Aqua eupatorij, Aqua lac­tucę, Aqua scabiosę, Aqua cardo benedicti. These aforesaid waters with other moe, they vsed to mingle with theyr Sy­ropes, and then gaue them to the Patient to drinke, to pre­pare the matter, and afterward purged them with these lax­atiues following. Diasene, Diacitoniton, Diacarthami, Aga­ricus, Coloquintida, Turbith, Elleborus, Confectio, Hamech, Electuarium, Iudum, Diagridiū, Ezula, Hermodactilus. And also with these Pilles folowing. Pillule cochię, Pillule indę, Pillule lucis, Pillule artecite, Pillule feditę, Pillule areę, Pil­lule de hermodactilis, Pillule de lapide armeno. Vpon all these aforesaid, I will God willing shewe you the correction, but principallie vppon the laxatiues, for that the other neede not greatlie to be corrected.

First you shall vnderstande, that it is not euill or hurtfull that the matter in the Liuer and the stomacke, be first prepa­red, and then afterward purged with these Medicines folow­ing, which are very easie and not burtfull to be vsed. These are they, Diacatholicon, Cassia fistula, Manna rhabarbarum, Aloes, Polipodium, Sena, Epitimum, Mirobolanorum fyue sorts or kinds. For these helpe to lighten nature, & to clense the blood of all vncleannesse proceeding of meate and drinke, they deliuer also from Agues if they be often vsed, & are hurt­full neither to olde nor young, euerie man may vse them with out daunger. But as for the matter of the Pockes, they doe not so much as once meddle with it, but let it lie still vntou­ched. For that requireth another manner of force wherwith to be roused and driuen forth, which pertaineth to the Mercu­rie alone, for being brought to be laxatiue, he can find out that which the other could not find, and dooth expell that which he [Page 27]knoweth to be offensiue to nature, not onely in this matter of the Pockes, but also in all other diseases, therefore I coun­saile all men to vse diligence in learning to make the Mercu­rie laxatiue, as hereafter shall be taught.

The correction of this that hath béene saide, is nothing but this, that you purge with no other laxatiue but onelie with Mercurie, and to make him laxatiue, you must prepare him thus.

First you must haue a kind of water, that with extreame heate of fire is distilled of Egge-shels, of this water you must take foure ounces, of Quick siluer one ounce, and put them together in a Glasse, which Glasse you must sette in a Cha­fingdish or some other thing with sand, and sette the Chafing­dish in or vpon the fire, & the Mercurie shall dissolue through the force of the water, and being dissolued, you shall distill of the water, and poure other vppon it, this you must doo so of­ten, vntill the Mercurie become as redde as blood, when the water is drawne from it: this Mercurie is the right Purga­tion to expell the matter of the Pockes by stooles. The Mer­curie then being as redde as bloode, you shall grinde it to fine powder, and of the said powder you shall giue the Patient to drinke (with good sweete Wine, or other Wine that is not sowre) euery morning fasting three graines: or you may al­so mingle it with Theriacle or Metridatum, and giue it him to eate euerie morning fasting, and let him fast after it at the least foure howres, and then shall he purge that, that is néed­full to be purged, and is the right matter of the Pockes, and it shall not any way be hurtfull vnto him, but shall clense him from all vnhealthfull thinges, restoring him to a healthfull state, clensing all superfluitie, and leauing all the other hu­mours of the bodie vntouched.

This is that, that purgeth the matter of the Pockes by the stoole, and there is no other laxatiue that is anie thing auailable, but onelie Mercurie beeing thus prepared. The Patient must be kept with meate and drinke, according as [Page 28]is saide of the other in the Chapters going before, he must al­so be kept from colde, & out of the ayre, but principally from the companie of Women, because that is the roote of this dis­ease, which beeing frequented by the Patient, it renueth the disease, making it worse and more venimous then before, therefore aboue all things that must be eschewed. And thus much concerning the curing of the Pockes by Mercurie.

Capit. I. Of the nature and vertue of the vvood called Lignum vitae, or Guaiacum.

THis wood is found in the Ilands of the Indian sea, and is as com­mon there, as our Oke is heere with vs, the people of that Coun­trie doo vse nothing of it but onely the leaues & the smallest twigs, which they stampe small, & wring out the iuyce of it, and so drink it. But because this Countrey is so far from vs, we cannot haue it so fresh, as to take and vse the leaues as they doe, but are faine in steed thereof to vse the boughes or braunches, and thereby to seeke helpe for the Patient, and so it is come to this passe, that of the said braunches we make a certain decocted drink, by which the said disease is cured. But yet there hath beene a great abuse committed by diuers, as well in the making or [Page 30]seething of this drinke, as also in the diets, with other like things, all which heereafter God willing shall be corrected. But ere we proceede heerein any further, I will declare vn­to you the nature and propertie of this wood.

The auncients in times past haue had knowledge of this wood, and haue giuen it his name, although some men be of the contrarie opinion, supposing that they knew it not, yet I say that they are deceiued: for though in all points it doe not agrée with that which they call Hebena, yet I saie that it can not be anie other, but a certain kind of the said Hebena. The auncients describing the said Hebena or Hebenum, doe saie, that it dooth not swim, but goeth to the bottome like a stone, and that within it is as blacke as ynke, and therefore some doo saie that this is not that Hebena. To such wise men I aun­swere, sending them to Dioscorides, willing them to marke his discription of herbes and flowers, &c. For there he descri­beth many herbes and flowers, which if a man should seeke for in that order which they are there described, I know they will scarcely be founde, because they doe not in all points a­gree with the discription: and the reason thereof is, the na­ture of the Countrie where the said Herbes doo growe, for in one Countrey they are of one fashion, and in another some­what different from the same, and sometimes also by remoo­uing from place to place, Flowers doo alter their colours, and become more double of leaues then they were before, and yet they remaine the same Flowers still, euen so is it with He­bena, for that which groweth in India, is of another colour then that which groweth in Grecia, and yet notwithstand­ing it is a kind of Hebena, for it goeth to the bottome, as He­benum doth, and is also of the same vertue, curing the same diseases.

Hauing prooued that this Woode with his name haue beene knowne in olde time, we will nowe shewe his vertue and operation, what he worketh in the bodie of man, beeing ministred as it ought to be. The vertue of this wood is dry­ing more then any other Medicine, and to driue away the [Page 31]opilations or stoppings of the Liuer and the Milte, being mi­nistred with opening Medicines, according as shal be taught héereafter. It may be vsed (almost) in all diseases, beeing vsed with such Medicines as are appertinent to the disease, and béeing so vsed, his vertue is increased, and hee becommeth of more force. Howe to applie him with other Medicines, shall be taught in other Chapters that follow.

But peraduenture you will muse why I doo now so much praise this wood, cōsidering that I haue so much before prai­sed the Mercurie, I say therefore that amongst all other re­medies, there is none that can be vsed with lesse danger then this of Hebenum. Considering the great danger consisting in the Mercurie, by reason that he is so venimous, & that there are so fewe which either can or will prepare him in such or­der as he ought to be prepared, as well for the laboure there­in required, as also the cost and cunning that necessarily be­longeth thereto. These with other moe are the causes why we haue written thus in commendation of this Wood, prai­sing it to be the best and most surest in the curing of this fil­thie disease, excepting onelie the well prepared Mercurie, ac­cording as wee haue mencioned and taught in the Chapters before going: but as I say, Mercurie beeing excepted (a­mongst all other Medicines) there is none comperable to this Hebenum.

For beeing vsed in such order as it ought to be, it may be ministred without all daunger, as well in hote and drie, as also in cold and moist complexions: and dooth also work great wonders in many diseases, such as are almost incredible, but it must be vsed orderlie, as in the Chapters following shalbe taught at large, wherein the curing of eache disease shall be taught you in such good order, that thereby you shall perceiue how greatlie they haue béen deceiued, which (after one man­ner with this aforesaid drinke) haue taken vpon thē to cure all manner of diseases. Euen like a Shoomaker which would make euery mans shoes vpon one laste, which is impossible. Now we will proceed to the choosing of this wood.

Capit. 2. Hovve to choose this VVoode, and which is the best.

YOu shall take and vse the young and small braunches with the barke vpon them if they be fresh, and haue not béene long gathered, if you may so haue them, if not, then you shall take of the biggest hauing the barke vppon them, because that as they are greater and thicker, so they are harder, and drie not so soone as the lesser braunches doe, for if you take the small ones, hauing beene long gathered, they will be too drie, therfore it is best to take the olde being gathered both at one time. For if a man might haue it beeing greene, it were much better then otherwise, but because that is not possible, therefore a man must helpe himselfe with such as he can gette, but this is a thing to bee wondered at, that there should be such vertue in a dry sticke, to expell the matter of the Pocks, yea it is almost incredible, but that we see the experience of it dailie in diuers persons, of all manner of complexions, so that we are enforced to be­leeue it because we sée it.

Further you shall vnderstande that, that Woode is best which is of middle age, which age must be vnderstoode of the growth, because the young Trees are not yet come to theyr perfection, and the olde Trees are decayed, and therfore it is necessarie to choose that which is of middle age, and that as greene as is possible with the barke vpon it, there is yet one thing more to be obserued, and that is this, the place where it groweth, this and such like a man must know of thē which bring it ouer. For that which groweth in S. Dominicus I­land, is not good for this purpose, for in hote and dry complex­ions it is very hurtfull, because of the heate and dryth of the Country where it groweth, which maketh it much hoter and [Page 33]dryer then that which groweth els where, as in S. Iohns Iland, for the Iland of S. Dominicus lieth right vnder the Equinoctiall line, by reason whereof, the inhabitants are greatlie troubled with heate, and also the fruites of it, are much hoter then in other Countries, but the best Woode is found in the Ilande of S. Iohn, béeing not so hote and dry as that of S. Dominicus, and may therefore be vsed with lesser daunger, in hote and drie diseases, as hoarsenesse of y^e voice, with shortnes of breath called Asthma, and in a consumpti­on called Ptisis, these may well be cured with the woode of S. Iohns Iland, which were not good to be attempted wyth that of S. Dominicus Ilande, because the Patient might therby be brought to a greater drith, and in the end to death. For though there be some kind of men, so colde and moist of complexion, that they might better be cured with the woode of S. Dominicus Iland, then with that of S. Iohns, yet not­withstanding there are verie fewe of them, and of those that are hote and drie, or at the least wise hote and moist, there are manie moe, for that those which are most troubled with this disease, are for the most part young women, and young men, and are for the most part not so colde of nature as they should neede such hote Medicines; and cheefely such dry Me­dicines, for by reason of the great heate they drie vp the na­turall moisture, and thereby shorten the life of the Patient, but y^e wood of S. Iohns Iland a man may vse without feare, in hote and drie diseases, béeing prepared accordinglie in the seething, and also in colde and moist diseases béeing prepared thereafter, for it is not so much drying as the other, and is notwithstanding as excellent in colde diseases as any other can be. For the Iland of S. Iohn lieth different from the E­quinoctiall line, almost eyght degrees, béeing in such sorte moistened with springs and Riuers, that the fruites therof are much more excellent, & more natural then are the fruites of the other Iland. In what manner this wood must be pre­pared, shall heereafter be shewed.

Capit. 3. Howe to prepare the Drinke.

SEeing we haue alreadie shewed you what wood is to be vsed in this Drinke, we will nowe shewe you the making or seething of it. I haue seene the Phisitians vse thys drinke almost in all diseases, and to­wards all men, after one kind of order, but in so dooing, whether they did well or not, I leaue to your consideration. For how can a Shoomaker make euery mans shooes vppon one last, euen so is it with this drinke, which hath caused me greatlie to wonder, so see that it hath been so doone by almost all Phisitians. For howe is it possible for a man to finde any one thing, which being ministred after one kinde of order, shoulde cure all kinde of diseases, considering how contrarie one disease is to another.

But in that we haue héeretofore said of this wood, that it may be vsed in colde, and hote, moist, and dry complexions, that is thus to be vnderstoode. It may be so prepared in the séething, that in hote diseases it may be a cooling Medicine, and it may also be prepared to be a hote Medicine in colde and Melancholicke diseases, and to cure them all perfectlie. Therefore when it is to be ministred in hote and dry disea­ses and complexions, it must be sodden with greater quanti­tie of water, then when it is to be vsed in cold and moist dis­eases, and the disease by reason of the moisture and coldnesse of the water, shall be made temperate, and by the wonder­full vertue which secretlie lieth hidden in the woode, it shall be perfectlie cured.

For in this wood is contained a certaine secrete or hidden vertue, in curing diseases not alonelie the Pocks, but in ma­ner all diseases: expelling by the vrine and the sweat, what­soeuer [Page 35]is hurtfull or contrarie to nature, therefore you must dilligently consider the nature of the disease, whether it be hote or cold, that you may make your drinke accordinglie, for in cold diseases, you must vse more wood and lesse water thē in hote diseases, and sometimes you must vse wine, and som­times not, and sometimes the drinke must be made of the woode alone, and sometimes with other additions, as you shall heare more at large héereafter.

Nowe I will teach you howe to séeth or prepare your drinke, after a better and more perfect order, then of manie hath hetherto béene vsed, which is after this manner. You shall take of the woode, béeing made as small as is possible, and put it into a stone Pot, which must be so bigge, that it may not be more then halfe full, when your woode with the other receipts appertinēt to the disease, are put into it, your receipts therefore beeing put into the Pot, you shall set it vp­pon the fire to seeth in a Kettle with water, and (because it shall not in séething loose anie of his vertue) you shall there­fore stoppe the Pottes mouth so close, that no ayre doo issue out, for if it get vent that the ayre come foorth, it doth lose of his vertue, and is so much the worse.

Therefore you must vse great dilligence in the stopping of it, for that is principallie heerein required, and being close stopped, you shall sette it to seeth in a Kettle of water, bind­ing it so in the Kettle that it fall not, and then make it séeth, keeping the Kettle continuallie so full of water, that it may alwaies be higher then that which is in the Pot. In this or­der you shall keepe it séething at the least tenne howres, but peraduenture you will thinke that it cannot séeth, because it is so close stopped and hath no vent, but that is not materi­all, for our desire is, that it should boile or séeth without wal­loping, for seething in this manner, it retaineth all his ver­tue, whereby it shall performe his operation in better order then he hath doone heretofore, béeing simplie set vpō the fire to séeth with a couer of wood or stone. Moreouer, it may bée you will thinke, that if it be stopped as aforesaide, it may as [Page 36]well be sette vppon the fire to séeth, as in a Kettle of water, but heerein you should be deceiued, for béeing set vppon the fire to seeth in that order, it will rather burst in peeces then seeth, and therefore the best way is to sette it in water as is aforesaide. For as the water seetheth in the the Kittle, so shall that also seeth which is in the Pot, although you do not perceiue it to mooue or wallop, which is by reason of the close stopping, and that it can gette no vent, yet notwithstanding it dooth seeth although it doo not wallop, and by this still sée­thing; doth retaine or rather increase in vertue, much more then if it had walloped.

To prooue the experience heereof, you may take a Hen or some other peece of meate, and put it into a Potte, and as much liquor as you meane to haue broth, and stoppe the said Potte, setting it to seeth in a Kettle of water, as aforesaide, letting it séeth in that order, as long as you vse ordinarily to seeth your meate, and you shall find it will be as tender, as if it had sodden & walloped with great force in an open Pot. This is excellent for all sorts of men in all kinds of diseases, to haue their meate dressed in this kind of order, as shall be shewed more at large, when wee shall come to describe the diet of the Patient.

Thus we haue shewed you in what order you shall seeth this drinke, hereafter when we shall say, you shal take thus much, or so much of the woode, and shall seeth it as is afore­said: you shall vnderstand it of this manner of séething, and none other, because that this manner is of all other the best, howe good soeuer they he. The quantitie howe much of each thing shall be taken, is shewed more at large in the Chap­ters following, where the drinke shall be appointed accor­ding to the nature of the disease. Thus much concerning the preparing of the Drinke. Nowe followeth the regiment of the Patient in his diet.

Capit. 4. VVhat regiment the Patient is to obserue.

FIrst and formost you must take diligent heede that you doo not pinche your Patient w^t much hunger, but let him haue as much as shall be sufficient to quench hunger with, for hunger doth weaken and pull down a man more then anie other thing, drying vppe the naturall moisture, and ex­tinguishing the naturall heate, whereby the life of man is shortened. For when a man hath kept a verie strait diet, and beene greatlie pinched with hunger a great time, the saide time beeing expired, and that he commeth to eate his fill, all his nourishment turneth to a certaine waterish humor, tur­ning to the Dropsie & such like foule diseases, the cause here­of is, that his nourishment is giuen him too late. As for ex­ample, a flower which hath beene long parched with y^t heate of the Sunne, in the ende commeth a raine, which raine ser­ueth the flower to no other end but to spoile and rot it the soo­ner, the reason is, because the raine came too late. Euen so is it with a man hauing béene long pined with hunger, ther­fore you shall cause him to abstaine, not from that which is good, but from that which is naught, according as hath béen taught in the other Chapters before.

The best and wholesome meate that you can giue your Patient, is Mutton, Veale, and Hennes, which shalbe boy­led in a Potte stopped close, and sette in a Kettle of water to seeth, as is shewed before, and hee shall not eate his meate fresh, that is to say without salt, as hath heeretofore beene taught by certaine Doctors, but it shall be seasoned in such reasonable sort, that it be neither too fresh nor too salt, but that it may haue a pleasant taste. The reason why we allow [Page 38]of salt is shewed, as we haue set downe in another Chapter before, and therefore not to be repeated now for anoiding of tediousnes. The quantitie of meat and drinke to be vsed by the Patient, cannot well be described, for that mens sto­mackes are not all alike, the one eating more, and the other lesse, therefore you shall giue the Patient so much as shall be sufficient for him to suffise hunger, taking heede that hée doe not gorge or glut himselfe, but that he doe alwaies leaue off with an appetite, and concerning his drinke, that shall bee such as is appertinent to the disease, whereof he may drinke as much as him listeth, beeing alwaies made warme ere hée drinke it, but if he chaunce to be féeble or faint, you shal not giue him of his drinke alone at meales, but you shall giue him some wine with it, eyther Renish, or small white wine, mingling the same with his drinke, halfe one, halfe ano­ther, but as for Beere (howe good so euer it be) hee shall not drinke anie, vntill he be perfectlie cured, because it is hurtful for him.

In this aforesaid order you shall diet all your Patients, olde and young, to wit, with such good meate dressed in this order, vntill they find thēselues reasonably satis-fied, alwaies leauing with a little appetite, that the Medicine be not hin­dered in his operation with ouer much meate. Concerning the obseruation of the time, you shall beginne with the Pa­tient in the morning at fiue of the clock, giuing him then his Medicine to drinke, which being doone, you shall couer him so warme that he may sweat verie well, he shall lie still and sweat at the least two houres, if he be able to endure so long) and you shall giue him warme cleane clothes, to dry of the sweat from his bodie, and you shall take away his wet shirt, giuing him a dry one well warmed to put on, then hee shall put on his clothes, and sitte by a good fire, and make him readie, and when hee is ready, let him walke vp and downe the Chamber till eyght of the clocke, and then he shall goe to dinner, he shall first suppe of the broth with a little Breade, and then eate of the flesh as much as shall suffise him, as is [Page 39]aforesaid. After he hath thus dined, he shall walke vppe and downe the Chamber recreating himselfe with some pastime or other to driue awaie Melancholie, till about foure of the clocke in the afternoone, and then he shall goe to supper, v­sing himselfe as at dinner, after which hee shall fast till sea­uen of the clocke, then he shall goe to bedde, then giue him of his drinke as much as in the morning, to wit, at each time eyght ounces, whereupon you shall cause him to sweat, dry­ing the sweat from him as you did in the morning, and prin­cipallie you must drie his head well, and his shirt which hée put of in the morning you shall drie it verie wel, and let him put it on againe warme, and then you shall make his bedde with a payre of cleane warme sheetes, and so let him goe to bedde, and let him rest quietlie till fiue of the clocke the next morning. And then you shall giue him his drinke, vsing him in all things as is aforesaid.

In this manner (with sweating and diet) you shall vse all those which may keepe their Chamber in y^e time of their curing: but as for those that must goe abroade, their drinke must be prepared with wine, as shall be shewed heereafter, and as for their sweating and their diet, it must be in all re­spects as the other, which béeing performed, they may goe a­bout their busines, although it were better and more sure for them to tarrie within doores, and that cheefelie in foule, rainie, or blustering wether, for although the wine doo resist the contagion of the ayre, yet it cannot resist all, especiallie, when the wether is so vntemperate, notwithstanding, I haue in this maner aforesaid cured many that went abroad, but yet I counsaile you to cause your Patient to tarrie at home in his Chamber by the fire in fouls wether.

The best time to take in hand to cure the Patient, is the Haruest and the spring time, and next to that is the winter, but the Sommer is not good, principallie for hote Cholle­ricke persons, for in it selfe it is contrarie vnto them by rea­son of the great heate and drith, which it increaseth so much the more in them: but to colde, moiste, and flegmaticke bo­dies, [Page 40]the Sommer is not so hurtfull as to the chollerick, and therefore in time of neede, such Patients may be cured in the Sommer.

Thus much concerning sweating, with the time, and the ordering of the diet, nowe followeth the order of curing, and first of the great intollerable paine in the heade, which happeneth often in this disease, suffering the Patient not to take any rest.

Capit. 5. Of the great paine in the head, which taketh away the sleepe.

THis intollerable paine is called Cephalea, or Hemicrauea, and is so great and so vehement aboue the eyes, that oftentimes the Patient is like to runne madde therewith, & although many meanes be vsed, yet the paine decrea­seth not. To cure this and such like paines in the heade, you must first consider the complexion of the Patient, whether be be chollerick, phlegmatick, melancholick, or sanguine, which you shall know in this sort.

If the Patient be chollericke, his vrine is verie yellowe coloured, and the paine is sharper vpon the right side of the head then in other places, he is leane of bodie and his mouth is commonlie bitter. If he be sanguine, he is somewhat fat­ter of bodie, but not much, and hath a sweete mouth, his v­rine is also verie much coloured, and thicke. The phlegma­ticke is commonlie fat, and grosse of bodie, and slow, his wa­ter is white and thicke. The mellancholicke are leane and withered, or dry, and beauie spirited, enuious, and angrie, wishing well to no man, his vrine is bleake and thin, in ma­ner like water, and he is alwaies sad.

Hauing taught you to knowe the complexion of the Pa­tient, [Page 41]we will teach you the preparing of each of their Medi­cines seuerallie. And first of the Chollericke and the San­guine, because in this they doo agree, to wit, in heat, although the Chollericke man be much dryer then the Sanguine, yet because they are both hote, we will conclude them bothe vn­der one cure, which shall be in this order.

First you shall take Diacarthami, and Diaphenicon, of each three drammes, this you shall breake and mingle toge­ther with Fewmetorie water, that it may be a drink, which you shall giue the Patient to drinke at foure of the clocke in the morning warme, and suffer him not to sleepe, to eate, nor to drinke, till such time as it haue doone working, for y^e shall expell part of the matter (whereof the disease groweth) by siege, y^e same day you shal cherish him wel with good meates, such as are before shewed for his diet, béeing dressed after the aforesaid order. The next day you shal giue him of this drink following, eyght ounces, the drinke is this. You shall take of the best wood that you can gette (being broken as smal as is possible) halfe a pound, of cléere spring water eight pound, this you must seeth as is taught in the thirde Chapter, and giue the Patient thereof to drinke morning and euening, at each time eyght ounces, causing him to sweate in such order as before is shewed.

But if so be that the Patient cannot keepe within doores but must goe abroade about his busines, you shall then make his drinke of halfe wine, halfe water, taking foure poundes of vach, but in séething your drinke with wine, yee must see that the Pot be very closelie stopped, because the wine is of such a subtile and piercing nature, so that if it once get anie vent, the vertue of it flieth away. Your drinke béeing thus prepared with Wine, may well be ministred to such Pati­ents as cannot keepe at home but must goe abroade, but yet in verie foule wether they must tarrie at home, and in faire wether they may goe abroade about their busines, after such time as they haue sweat and taken their diet as aforesaide. In this sort are all such Patients to be vsed (for the paine in [Page 42]the head) as are hote of complexion, the space of eight daies, vntill the ninth day earlie in the morning, at which time you shall giue him the aforesaide Purgation, kéeping him from sleepe, from meate, and drink, till the Purgation haue doone working, and that the Patient feele no more paine or gréefe in his bellie, and then you shall giue him his diet, the same day neither in the morning nor the euening shall hee drinke any drinke, but onelie the Purgation, except at his meales you may giue him of his drinke, mingling the same wyth wine, halfe one, halfe another.

In the morning he shall againe drinke of his drinke, and doe in all respects as I haue taught you before, vntill eyght dayes more be expired, and vpon y^e ninth day you shal purge him againe, and then he shall drinke againe as is aforesaid, in this order he shal continue vntill he be whole, and that the paine haue cleane forsaken him. This aforesaid drinke dooth excellentlie helpe hote and dry complexions by cooling them, and is contrarie to such diseases as are of nature colde & drye, expelling them.

Capit. vj. Of madnesse or idlenesse of the head, called Insania.

THis idlenes or madnesse in the head, called in Latine Insania, proceedeth of a certaine veni­mous humour or dampe, ascending from the stomacke and the Liuer into the braines, and because the braines through the infection of the Pockes, or some such like cause is become weake and tender, they are not able to repell or driue backe the sayde dampe or humour, but remaine vanquished and ouercome of the same in such sort, that they forget to doo their office, go­ing quite out of order, so that the Patient hath no rule of him selfe, but dooth and speaketh he knoweth not what.

To cure this disease, as well that which proceedeth of the Pockes as otherwise, (excepting onelie when it commeth of or with a hote sharpe Ague, because therein is great dan­ger of death) you may doo it with the drinke made of thys Wood, without any impediment: which must be prepared after this manner, for such as are hote of complexion, as the Chollericke and Sanguine are. Take of this Wood, beeing made very small, one pounde, fayre water eyght poundes, [Page 44]which you must seeth as is aforesaide, and giue him thereof euery morning and euening eyght ounces, at a time & cause him to sweat well, and you must dry the sweat frō his head verie well, because the disense lyeth altogether in the heade. His diet and his drinke shall be as is mencioned in the for­mer Chapter, notwithstanding as litle as may be, for in this disease much meate is very hurtfull, and therfore he must be content with a little, hee must drinke no Wine, for that it is contrarie both to his disease and complexion, because it ascen­deth vp into the head, he must drinke of his drinke alone as much as he will, & it must alwaies be a little warme. Thus dooing, he shall without doubt be cured by Gods helpe.

Capit. 7. Of the Falling-sicknesse, called in Latine Epileptia.

THis disease springeth of ouermuch moysture in the braine, wherethrough at certain times the braines béeing troubled, there chaunceth vnto them a certaine obstruction; by meanes whereof, the Patient is bereft of the strength of his sinnewes, and so falleth to the ground. And according to the scituation of the place which the disease occupieth, so the accidents doo manifest themselues, as sometimes wyth contraction, that is, in plucking of the ioynts, and somtimes in foming at the mouth, with barking and other such vnséem­lie gestures.

But peraduenture it will cause some to meruaile greatly that I should teach the curing of such a hard disease, with a Drinke made of this Lignum Guaiacum, yet notwithstand­ing, because I haue learned the same by experience, & haue [Page 46]therewith cured moe then tenne Patients, I will therefore publish the same for the commoditie of all, that such as are therwith troubled, may haue recourse hereto in time of néed and find remedie for the same, which by the helpe of GOD they shall vndoubtedlie obtaine, (though they had had y^e saide disease tenne yeeres together) following the order héere sette downe, which is this. You shall vse nothing but onelie this drinke following, purging the Patient in such order as I shall teache you.

First for the Chollericke and Sanguine complexion, you shall take of the said Wood halfe a pound, fayre water eyght poundes, this you must seeth in such order as is shewed in the thirde Chapter before: and you shall giue the Patient thereof euery morning and euening eyght ounces at a time, and shal cause him to sweat verie wel, for it is excellent good for him, & hauing drunke therof eyght dayes, you shall purge him with this Purgation: Take of Hiera picra galeni, halfe an ounce, Diacarthami three drams, and beate amongst it of Epirimi, and Agarici trocistati of each two drammes, this you must mingle with Betoni water, and Cuscuta Water, putting thereto so much water, that it may be a Potion, this the Patient must drink at foure of the clocke in the morning, he must neither sleepe, eate, nor drinke, vntill the Medicine haue doone working, and that he feele no more pain or rum­bling in his bellie. Then you shall giue him his diet, and the same day he shall not drinke, but at his meales according as he is wont to doo, the next morning he shall beginne againe with his drinke, dooing in all respects as hee did the eyght daies before, with sweating and otherwise.

This order you shall in all points obserue, vntill fortie dayes be expired, purging the Patient euery eyght or ninth day once. But this is alwaies to be noted, as well in thys Chapter as in all the other, that when you begin your cure, the first day the Patient must be purged, with the Purgati­on mencioned in the said Chapter, and then to procéed in such sort as is there specified, continuing the cure as I said before, [Page 47]the space of fortie dayes. For though in this maner aforesaid I once cured a Woman of this greeuous disease, within fiue and twentie daies, yet I would wish the cure to be continu­ed fortie daies, that you may be the more assured y^t it should not returne againe.

In this foresaide order you may cure all kindes of lame­nes in hote and dry complexions, and also all lamenesse pro­ceeding of the Palsie, though it procéeded not of the Pockes, but of the influence of the starres, or the constellation of Sa­turne and the Moone in his birth, as Astronomie teacheth. These and all other lamenesse whatsoeuer, may in Cholle­ricke persons be cured in the aforesaid manner, without all imperfection, of howe long continuaunce soeuer they haue beene. In his diet he must behaue himselfe mesurablie, least any Ague or other accident doo happen vnto him, for thē his health would be farre to seeke, for which cause, sobrietie in his diet is very requisit. This is sufficient concerning Cho­lerick and Sanguine complexions.

Capit. 8. Of Polipus an ill disease in the nose, whereof commeth the Cancer.

POlipus is a certaine fleshie Apostemation growing in the nose, conuerting it selfe at last to a Cancer, the cure thereof is not long to be protracted, for if it be let runne to a Cancer, it is so much the harder to be cured. Therefore the Patient must thus be purged, foure daies together you must giue him this Iulep or Sirop.

Take of Sirope De fumo terre, one ounce, Sirope De cicorea, two ounces, Burrage water, Endiue water, Cicore water, Fumiterre water, of each two ounces, this hee must drinke at foure times: vppon the fift day you shall giue him this Purgation. You shall take Confectionis Hamech, and Electuarij, De suco rosarum, of each three drams, this you shall giue him with Burrage water, and Fumiterre water, vsing so much of the said water that it may be a drink, which you shall giue him to drinke at fiue of the clocke in the mor­ning, suffering him neither to sleepe, to eate nor to drink, til the Purgation haue doone working, and that the Patient do not feele any more rumbling or paine in his bellie, and then let him eate measurablie. Then for the Chollericke persons, you shall make this drinke following, giuing him thereof e­uery day morning and euening eyght ounces at a time, and whyle he is drinking of it, you shall with an Instrument cut away the superfluous flesh out of his nose, as much as shalbe requisite, causing him once euery houre to clense his nose with a little sticke wet in Honie of Roses, and hauing drunk of his drinke eyght dayes together, you shall purge him a­gaine with the aforesaid Purgation. This is the Drinke.

[Page 49] Take of the Wood halfe a pound, and of water eyght pound, this you must séeth as aforesaid, and giue it to the Chollerick person to drinke, as aforesaid.

Capit. ix. Of shortnes of vvinde, coughes, and stuf­finges in the breast.

FOr the Chollericke and the Sanguine, you shall make this drinke following. Take of the Woode three quarters of a pound, Isope a handfull, Dates a quarter of a pound, Lyro­ris two ounces, this must be sodden in tenne pounds of water, as in the third Chapter, and the day before he beginne to drinke thereof, you shall giue him this Purga­tion. Take Electuarij inde maioris halfe an ounce, put there to Agarici trociscati, three drammes, giue it him to drinke with Buglosse water, the next day giue him of the aforesaid [Page 50]drink morning and euening, sixe ounces at a time, vsing him with sweating, dyet and drinke as is aforesayd, and purging him with the said Purgation euery ninth day, and he shal be healed in a short space, and shall be as long winded as euer he was in his life.

Capit. 10. Of the diseases in the stomacke, as paines, quesines, vomiting, &c.

THese diseases doo arise of aboundaunce of cold, phleg­maticke, and moist humors, and sometimes of blacke choller or mellancholie, to cure these diseases, you must first prepare the matter with this Drinke, and [Page 51]after purge the Patient. Take of Mintes, Wormewood, I­sope, Betonie, Buglosse, Cicorey, Lettice, of each a handful, Senne leaues, and Polipodium, of each two ounces, thys must be sodden as aforesaid with a pint of water, giuing the Patient thereof to drinke euery morning sixe ounces, till it be drunke out, then you shall purge him with Benedicta lax­atiua, and Stomaticom luxatium, of each thrée drams, put­ting thereto thrée ounces of Wormewood water, and giue it the Patient warme to drinke, kéeping himselfe as I haue shewed in other Chapters before. The same day y^t hee pur­geth, he shall neither eate much, nor any grosse meate, nor drinke much at his meales, and at the end of his meale you shall giue him a slice of Diacitron, for that dooth comfort the stomacke excellentlie, and the next daie you shall giue him this drinke.

Take of the Wood halfe a pound, water sixe pound, Ci­core and Borage of each a handfull, this you shall séeth as a­foresaide, giuing the Patient thereof morning and euening sixe ounces at a time, purging him euery ninth day once with the aforesaid Purgation, and the same day that he pur­geth, you shall giue him after his dinner one slice of Diacitrō, obseruing this, he shall vndoubtedlie be cured.

Capit. 11. Of diseases of the Liuer, as obstruction Aposteme and the Dropsie.

ALl the diseases of the Liuer (as stopping, hardnesse, apostemation and the Dropsie) may all be cured with this excellent Medi­cine, if so be the disease be not ioyned with a hote Ague, for then it should not be profita­ble, but verie hurtfull to vse it, and therefore in such a case you must vse cooling Medicines, vntill the A­gue be cleane gone, and then you shall giue him this drinke. Take Agrimonie, Liuerwort, Cicorea, Endiue, Acetosa, or Sorrell, of each a handfull, Lettice one ounce, Mellon seede, Gowrde seedes, of each halfe an ounce, Polipodij two oun­ces, Agarici trociscati, and Rhabarbari, of each thrée drams, this you shall séeth in a pynt of water, the space of sixe houres in the aforesaid order, then take it out, and straine it through a cloth, putting in so much Suger that it may be very swéet, [Page 53]then put in a little good Wine Vineger. Héereof you shall giue the Patient to drinke euerie morning sixe ounces, vntil it be drunke out. You shall not need to giue the Patient any other Purgation, for this shall giue him euery day two or thrée stooles, and more then that is not good for him, by rea­son of the tendernes of the Liuer, and vppon his Liuer you shall lay a cloth made wette in Agrimonie water, and Cico­rey water, taking dilligent heede in keeping the said cloth a­like warme and moist, least the cold doo encrease the disease for cold is very hurtfull in Apostemations, and therefore you must keepe the cloth alwaies warme, when hee hath thus continued foureteene daies, he shall then take the drink bée­ing made in this order.

Take of the Wood eyght ounces, of water tenne pound, Cicorey, Endiue, Agrimonie, Cuscuta, of each a handfull, Reupontice, Rubarbe of each an ounce, this must be sodden as aforesaid close stopped, and giue the Patient thereof eue­ry morning and euening sixe ounces at a time, continuing the same vntill he be cured. But if he chaunce to be so harde bound that hee cannot goe to the stoole, then you shall euerie ninth day giue him this Purgation.

Take Electuarij de succo rosarum, halfe an ounce, put therto Rhabarbari electi two drams, make this in forme of a Potion, with Agrimonie water, and giue it him in the mor­ning at foure of the clocke to drinke, vsing such order therein as I haue prescribed in other Purgations. But if his drinke doo purge him, then you shall not néede any other Purgation for it dooth purge sufficiently in many Patients. All this a­foresaid, is to be vnderstood of the Chollerick and the San­guine complexions.

Capit. 12. Of the diseases of the Mother, as the su­perfluous issue of menstrums and to stay them, and of barrennesse.

FIrst for those women that are of Chollericke and San­guine cōplexion, you shall giue them this drinke. Take Fennell, Betonie, of each a handfull, Polipodij, Senne leaues, of each three ounces, this must be sodden as a­fore in a pynt of water, giue the Patient thereof euery mor­ning fiue ounces, vntill it be drunke out, then giue her thys drinke following.

Take of the Wood one pound, Wine and Water of each sixe pounds, this must be sodden very close stopped as afore­said: giuing the Patient thereof euery morning and euening sixe ounces at a time, purging her euery ninth day with this Purgation. Diacobicum turbit, halfe an ounce, Mirabola­norum Citrinorum, et Indorum, of each two dramnes, this giue her with Fumiterre water, dooing as is aforesaide the issue shall cease, but if it doo lacke issue, it shall heereby ob­taine issue in due time, for by this order of curing, the Mo­ther is wholly renewed, by meanes whereof, all her acci­dents doe cease. And if by meanes héereof the secrete part be infected with any open sore or otherwise, she shall with this said drinke wash the place often, and shee shall in short space be cured perfectly, both within and without. Let this suffise for the Chollerick and the Sanguine.

Capit. 13. To cure the Cancer in any place of the bodie wheresoeuer.

THis lothsome and fearefull disease béeing once setled, is not cured with any Medicine, and therefore you must in time haue recourse to this excellent remedie, for there haue manie beene cured by meanes of this, which coulde not find helpe by any other. The Patient must first be pur­ged with thys drinke. Take Houndes tongue called in La­tine Cinoglossa, and Agrimonie, of each two handfuls, Wine halfe a pound, water one pound, Polipodii & Senne leaues, of each one dram, Agarici trociscati halfe an ounce, Elebori nigri two drammes, thys altogether shal be sodden as afore­sayd, and then make it sweete with Suger, & giue the Pati­ent thereof to drinke euery morning sixe ounces, vntill it bee drunke out, then giue him this drinke following. Take of the Wood halfe a pounde, water tenne pounde, Ciuoglossa, and Agrimonie of each a handfull: seeth thys as aforesaide, and giue the Patient thereof to drinke, euery morning and euening eyght ounces at a time, purging him euery nynth day vntill he be cured, with Confectio Hamech halfe an ounce, and if the Patient be strong of bodie, you shall gyue [Page 57]him sixe drammes with Fumiterre water, his meate that hée shall eate, shall be sodden in such order as is aforesaide, put­ting thereto Lettice and Buglosse, and hee shall be sober in his diet: but if it chaunce the Patient not to be cured in for­tie daies, yet he shall not leaue of the cure vntill such time as hee be whole, for that this is the surest remedie that can be found against this lothsome disease, and therefore I woulde wish you not to leaue it vntill you be perfectly cured.

Capit. 14. Of all other Vlcerations, whether they come of the Pockes or otherwise.

ALl other Vlcerations whether they procéed of the Pockes or otherwise, as Fistoles in the Mother, and other open sores in the secrete parts both of man and woman, which cannot with any other Medicine be healed, and all o­pen [Page 58]sores wheresoeuer, also all paine and greefe in the armes and legges, and all pushes or byles in any place of the bodie, may altogether be cured with the drinke made of this excel­lent Wood aforesaid, after this manner. First you shal purge the Patient with Pillulae Iudae, giuing him in the euening thrée houres after his supper foure scruples of the said Pilles in the night when he awaketh, feeling great paine and rum­bling in his bellie, he shall prepare himselfe to the stoole, and hauing begunne to purge, he shall not sleepe vntill hee haue doone purging, and that he féele no more griping or rumbling in his bellie, and then he shall eate some good meat, as Mut­ton or Veale, which must be sodden as heeretofore I haue taught you, then you shall giue him this drinke following. Take of the Wood one pound, water twelue pounde, thys must be sodden as aforesaide, giue the Patient thereof twise euery day, eyght ounces at a time, causing him to sweat wel, for that dooth helpe very much in the curing of his disease, and euery ninth day you shall purge him with the said Pils, but in the euening when you giue him the Pilles, you shall not suffer him to drinke but at his supper, this order he must obserue fortie daies.

But if it come to passe (as oftentimes it dooth) that the Patient is sooner cured, as sometimes in twentie or fiue and twentie daies, yet I coūsaile you not to leaue of the cure vn­till the fortie daies be expired, that you may be the more as­sured that it shall not returne againe, for oftentimes it see­meth to be cured when the roote remaineth still within, which in the ende breaketh out againe, and so is worse then at the first, and therefore I counsaile you to continue y^e same fortie dayes, that the roote beeing taken away, you need not feare the returne of the disease.

Capit. 15. Hovv to cure the Rupture.

SOmetimes it happeneth a man first to bée broken, and after to gette the Pockes, and somtime it chaunceth him to breake while he hath them, these cannot any other way be cured, but with the Drinke made of this excellent Woode, the order of it is thus. You shall first purge him with Pilles De fumiterrę, and bée­ing purged you shall giue him this drinke following. Take of the Woode one pound, of Water twelue pounde, this you [Page 60]must seeth as aforesaide, and giue the Patient thereof twise euery day eyght ounces at a time, purging him euery ninth day once with the aforesaid Purgation. This he shal obserue fortie daies, and hee shall vndoubtedly be cured, though hee were fiftie yeeres olde and had had it twentie yeeres and if he haue the Pockes, they shall also herewithall be cured, and he shall be made whole and sound in all his members.

Capit. xvj. Of Podagra or the Goute.

THis disease is of a wonderfull strange nature as experience teacheth vs, comming to man first by the influence of the stars in his birth, that is when the Moone is infortuned wyth Mars and Saturne, which causeth the person then borne, to be more inclined to the said disease thē others are, and then withall, leading his life disorderly in lecherie, surfeiting, and drunkennesse, is by and by attached with this said disease.

The opinion of many men is, that this disease cannot be cured, but that is not so, for there are very manie that are cured of it, which by their disordered liuing doo fall into it a­gaine, which if they would leade their liues well and in good order, they should remaine whole being once cured, especial­lie those that are healed in this sort: notwithstanding, I graunt it will verie hardlie be cured, if it runne so farre that it haue hardened the knockles of the hands, and the ioynts of the foote, for then the matter is become so dry, that it is al­most impossible to resolue it, but if it be taken in any resona­ble time, it may in this sort be cured.

First you must purge the Patient with Pillule de hermo dactilis, whereof you shall take one dramme, making there­of seauen Pilles, which you shall giue the Patient at mid­night, letting him sleepe thereon three howres, and then you shall awake him if he awake not of himselfe, keeping him a­wake that the Purgation may the better worke vppon him, not suffering him to sleepe vntill it haue doone working, and then he shall eate his meate, the next day you shall giue him the drinke mencioned in the former Chapter for the Cholle­ricke, but in the séething of it, you shall put into it a handfull [Page 62]of Cipres, which is an Hearbe so called, purging him euerie ninth day once with y^e aforesaid Pilles, dooing in all respects as is mentioned in the Chapter going before: but you shall cause him to sweat verie much, for that is verie good and al­so to dry the sweat very well from him with warme clothes, that it goe not in againe, for if it goe in againe, it were as good for him not to sweat at all. Thus much for the Cholle­ricke and the Sanguine.