THE EXPLANATION OF The Title Page.
BEcause the Title [...] begins more like a Riddle, than in the common way of a [...]; it may be expected it should be Explained: therefore thus. As to the First Clause of it, Viz, The first Clause of the Title page Explain'd. The Physician, and no Physician; I do freely acknowledge I am no physician, either by Education, Gradation, Licence, Intent or Practice. Yet I thank God, I was not The Fool at 40 according to that old English Proverb, which runs thus, Viz. Every Man is either a Fool or a Physician for himself, at 40 Year [...] of [...]ge. That is as much as to say, He that has liv'd to 40 Years and has not taken so much Notice of His own Constitution &c. as to know what is Good or Bad for His Healthfull Well being &c. may justly be call'd the Fool; But otherwise The Physician. I say I was not Then the Fool, for I had by That Time Observ'd what was Beneficial for my own Health, &c. So that if the Proverb be true you must acknowledge, that I was then a Physician Tho' but for my self, and what was found Good for my self must needs be Good for Thousands besides. Well then Grant me but That, and that's Enough to make Good, the first Clause of my Title Page, Viz, the Physician and No Physician.
And now, since I am upon this Theme, I will take the Liberty, to ask This one Question, Viz: Whether it be not posible, A Pertinent Question. for a Man that has liv'd to 40, 50. 60, 70, or 80 years Old (as I have now done) may not He (I say) be as Good a Physician (having Studied Himself and Nature (It may be) 30, 40, or 50 of Those 80 years) as a young Stripling, who has been but five years at the University, and has got a Batchellor of Physick's Degree upon his Back; by Reading a few Books (perchance but a year or two neither of those Five, before he got his D [...]gree.) Now I say This young Man must not be deny'd to be a Physician, how little Experience soever He's Furnish'd withall Either of His own, or of other Men's Constitutions, or Complexions; neither can he be Questioned (by the Law) if he chance to give such Physick as Kills any Man he takes in hand to Cure.
Without doubt, Experience is a most necess [...]ry Thing for a Physician. But this only by the Bye, and by way of Preparation, (as a Brush or Whisk, [Page 2]to Clear off some dust and that (no doubt) will be Blown or cast upon this my Attempt, by some Envious Breaths or other; who usually are displeas'd, at any stonest or Laudable undertaking, that may seem to Reflect upon Them; Tho' I do it not for any such end (God knows.)
And now to the 2 Riddle which is Prescribing Physick and no Physick. The 2d. Riddle [...]o [...]ded.
This must needs seem as Strange as the First. However it shall be as Easily made Plain as the First, Viz, Thus; You must know, that this Rare Thi [...]g that I Thus Commend unto the World; for an Ʋniversall-Physical-Medicine, for all sorts of Constitutions, and all sorts of Maladies, Sicknesses, and Diseases, is a Chymical Prepar'd Powder which for some late years past I have Publish'd in the Name of the English PRIE [...]T'S POWDER, and which it self is never to be Taken, either Inwardly (as Physick) nor Applyed Outwardly to any Wound, Sore Scab, Bruise, Swelling, Pains, Aches, Head-Ach Rheumetick-Sore-Eyes, &c. All which, and many more, tis most Admirably good for.) I say, it is never (it self) to be us'd or Apply'd (as Medicine) But (only) a ly [...]cture, which It sends forth, into some Certain Liquors; The 2d. Clause of the litle page Explain'd. into which it is to be Infus'd, for some certain Hours: And Those Liquors, (Retaining its Virtue) are only to be us'd; And (as Physick) are to be taken, into the Body, in the way of Potion; [...]ther for Vomit, Purge, Glister, or Sweat; But in the way of Chirurgery, are only Outwardly Applyed, by Washings or Bathings &c.
So, ☞ that the Powder (which is Really and Virtually) the Physick) must never be taken, or us'd, but still carefully kept, in Some Glass-Bottle, to infuse a New supply of liquor, in the room of what may be taken off it for some present use at any time.
So that (here you may Easily perceive, the Riddle un [...]ded, in that you never take the Body of any Physick or Potion, as is generally done from the Apothecaries-Shops by Physicians Directions.
I need say no more (I suppose to Explain these two first Riddles. Therefore I proceed to the next. Viz,
Every man his Own Physician, Apothecary; Chyrurgion with Little Cost, and far less Trouble.
Here are no less than Five Things Particularly to be consider'd, The 3d. Riddle Explained in 5 particulars. All which seem (at the first view a Confounded Piece of Impossibility; but, (as the two former) you shall find them very easie to be understood. As Thus, First as to the Physician, you are only to get the Book of Directions (which is but very Short and Plain, First, the Phyfician is Made. and to be understood (almost) by any one, except (only) an Idiot or Fool. So that upon whatsoever Occasion you are to use your Physick, (or rather Tyncture) it is but Turning to That Place (in the Book which concerns your particular Business; and There you shall have Exact Directions what you are to do and how; as well as if you had Studied five years in the Ʋniversity, and obtain'd a Batchellor of Physicks Degree, &c.
There's one of the five difficulties easily made Easie.
The Second is the Apothecary. Secondly, the Apothecary is Made. Now as to That; most People know that the Skill, the Work and Labour of an Apothecary is to Procure Simples and of several sorts and Kinds; and to Prepare, Order, Mix, Belabour, Compound, and Work them all up into Divers Forms and Ways, with a Vast Deal of continual Care and Trouble (besides the Cost.)
[Page 3]But now, whereas This High Virtue carrying in it such a Powerfull Predominarcy over All the Enemies of Mans-Nature, whereby it does Cleerly Expell and Drive forth the very Root of any Diseuse (curable) if it be Taken in Time) there needs no more to be done, than to Furnish your self with a Competent Store of This Wonderfull Thing. And put it into Preparation, according to the Exact Directiors of the aforesaid book; which (having already (as we will suppose) made you a Physician) you have Nothing more to Provide for, or to do, than what you will find Therein Exactly set down, and now you are an Apothecary also.
So that now, you may conclude your self, both Physician and Apothecary, and sufficiently become Skilfull in both, for Most Diseases.
It now only remains that you have sufficient Skill in the common Art of Chyrurgeny (for I pretend no further) which already, Third, the Chyrurgeon Made. is (upon the matter done;) Supposing you are Physician and Apothecary; for you have Nothing more to do, than still to apply your self, to Those Plain Directions in your Book. Making use of the very same Virtue which does All things as well in common Chyrurgery as in Physick; (excepting only Fractions, Dislocations, Cuttings off of Arms, Legs, and such like; yet it shall Heal any of Those Grievances, as well as most things that are usually applyed upon Those occasions. So that now, you (being thus Accomplish'd) may say, Tria sunt Omnia, you having All the Three Properties of a compleat Physician.
And no doubt (if you would take up the Humour to be a Mountebark) you would (by way of Figure) be said to put them all into your Pocket; The Quacks and Mountebanks undone. That is, You'd spoil their Trade. Qus. Why? Ans. Because, admi [...]ting their Medicines to be never so Good, yet when they are Once taken, they cease to be; They are gone, and you must be at a New-Charge for more continually, as you have occasion; whereas This, (after 'tis Purchas'd) shall do you Ten thousand Services, (never Losing its Virtues) to the End of your Days; as shall be made good by what follows in the next two Particulars to be Explained. And thus I have made Plain these three first Difficulties; there needs not much to be said to Explain the other two. Viz, with Little Trouble but far less Cost. These two last, being Included, in the three former.
First to the Trouble, Fourth, the little Trouble. you having but once Purchas'd your intended Quantum, Stock or Store, of the Forementioned Chymical-Powder, you need but put it into a Srong-Bottle-Glass; And put to it such a Quantity of such Liquor, as you are Directed unto in your Book of Directions; and in 24 Hours That Liquor, will be fit for any Physicall or Chyrurgicall use, without any further Trouble. And this is all the Trouble you need be at, as Long as you Live, putting still a New supply of the same Liquor, when at any time you draw off any from the Powder, the Powder still remaining in the Bottle.
And here 'tis well worth your Notice, Viz,
That tho' the Liquor will be sufficiently Tynctur'd, fit for use in 24 Hours, ☞ Yet if ou let it lie upon the Powder 24 Days, Months, or Years, (or I believe never so long) it will be, (but) always fit for use. For no Liquor can Receive more Tyrcture, than its Body or Capacity is able to contain; And (which more is) the Powder it self, will Never wast in its Substance nor its Virtues, although it lye never so Lo [...]g in Liquors to Feed them with Virtues.
These are Great and High Things, and not Easie to be Believ'd; however [Page 4]you'll find all True for Experience has Confirm'd them; And when You find them thus as I my self (with Many worthy Persons in this Nation) have done; let them not only be the cause of your Wonder and Admiration, but also to Magnify and Adore The Infinite Ʋnconceivable God, (The Good,) the Ʋnsearchable cause of Causes whose works are all Mysterie, and full of Wonder. But This one Thing which I here discourse of, (and thus kindly Publish for a General Good) is One of the most admired Wonders (in its kind) that can be produc'd. The Load-Stone is a Great Mystery, in its Magnetick Property, but This may be said to be more Great, in that it has so General a Physical Excelling Property, as well as Magneticall. (For its Virtues are Perpetual by being Magneticall. And if you do, or can believe, the strange Virtues or Property of the Load-Stone; It will be a means to help you (the more Easily) to the Belief of what I Here declare; concerning these seeming strange and incredible things
The last of which I shall now dispatch in few words; That is, if it be remember'd, what I have already said concerning the four former Particulars, Fifth, with less C [...]st. it is already made out.
For if it have Virtue to doe all those Things which I have affirmed it can and will do, (and These Perpetually as it will most certainly do,) what Thing is there that can be nam'd, of Greater Value, or ought to be more Highly Esteem'd of than This Thing?
So that let it cost what it will, 'tis the Cheapest thing upon Earth. For, when you have but Once Purchast it, The reason why it is the Cheapest thing upon Earth. you need never be at a Penny-worth of Physical cost more, so long as you live; yea, you may when you Dye, leave it as a Precious Legacy to your best Friend; And He again may do the like and so from Generation, to Generation &c.
And now I think the whole Title Page is made Plain, even to the weakest Capacity.
However (yet further) to Highten your Admiration and wonder, you are to know; That 'tis found by continual Experience, that this Powder is Magneticall, continually drawing Inn, the Influentiall Virtues of the Heav'ns, so fast as it gives forth (Load-Stone like as I said) by which Faculty it becomes a Perpetual Medicine, How it comes to be a Perpetuall Medicice. by never wanting Virtue; And if this you find to be True, (as sure enough you will, if you ever be so Happy, as to make Tryal of it) you then will surely say with me, 'Tis the only Thing in its Kind, not only of the Greatest Value, but of the least cost of any Thing known in the whole World.
The Author's Intention by this WORK.
IS This, Viz, to Accommodate the Meaner sort of Men; The Authors Intention by this Work. but more especially the Poorest of all, who stand most in Need of Help and Comfort in their Sicknesses, seeing no Great and Skillfull-Physicians, will so much as look after Them, or scarce think of their Miseries; so that many Thousands live in Misery; Languish and Dye, for want of That which every ordinary House keeper might Easily Purchase, and not only have the Benefit of it for himself and his whole Family, during his Life, in all common Sicknesses, and Diseases, but might also be assisting to all his Poor Sick Neighbours round Him; And not give away the Value of a Quarter of a Farthing at any One Time, to any Poor body towards the Removing of an Ague Fever, Small-Pox, &c. Yea the High High French Pox, Leprosie, or even the Plague it self, all which I my self can manifest that This Rare Cheap Thing has Cur'd, as shall be made out in the following Discourse.
And this is the first of my two Ʋniversal Medicines mentioned in the Title Page, where I say the first the Worst. The meaning of which saying is, that 'tis worse to procure Health, by Physicall-Means, than by Naturall Means, if possibly it may be so gain'd: Note when Physick should be taken, and when not. For Physick is a meer Sickness in it self, and should never be taken but upon Absolute Necessity; and very Cautiously then too, for there is no Physick (Vomitive, Purgative or Applicative,) but has Poyson in it, which is the only cause of its Opperative Qualities; therefore due regard ought to be had what sort of Physick People put into their Bodies. But This Physick which I Here Publish has no Body, but a pure Tincture, This Physick has no Body. which although it has the Opperative Power to stir and bring away the Poysonous Humors in Mens Bodies, yet it having no Body, can leave no Malignity, or Danger behind it; as too often is known from the common ordinary Potions which are given to Sick People, and which oftentimes provs more Dangerous than their Diseases.
Now I would have you take Good Notice that what I have said thus far, is chiefly in Reference to those who are Passively Sick, To whom only it is to be given and labour under Pains and Grief, &c. And unto such I intend only the Benefit, and commend the Excellency of This High Excelling Vertue.
But for all such as be actually Well, and in good Health, I do commend my Second Universal Medicine to be The Best, mention'd in the Title-Page. (Viz, The Best, because 'tis Naturall.) Yet they Both may well be call'd the Best, according as they may, and must be us'd, by all who Truly regard their Health, which is Their Richest Earthly Treasure.
I will now give you a little short Discourse concerning the Phylosophers-Stone, and then tell you a few Remarkable Stories, concerning the Excellency of This First Universal Medicine, in certain Eminent Cures which it hath done, even to Wonder and Admiration.
Concerning The Phylosophers-Stone, Which has been long said to Turn all Things into Gold, and what may probably be the Real Meaning Thereof, for we can see No such Thing.
The Explanation Thus.
For thus it may be Truely said.
Now Here take Notice,
Now here Friend Reader take Notice,
I Declare (in the Presence of the All knowing God) that I have been made Happy, in the Knowledge and possession of this Rare Thing, more than 30. Years last past, as will appear in the First of those Eight Marvellous Unquestionable Stories (here shortly following) and for the which I most humbly give Thanks and Praise to That most Bountifull Donor; This being That Great Ʋniversal Medicine of all Ʋniversals; and the which of late years I have Published, under the Name of The English Priest's Powder. And here I think it convenient to give my Reason, why I gave it That Name, having been somtimes ask'd why I call'd it so. My Reason was This. Viz,
Because, there have been Two very Eminent Powders, The Reason of the Name of the English Priests Powder, and its Augmentation. of late years Published, under the Names of Two Roman Catholiks, the one was Sir Kenelm Digby's Sympatheticall Powder, which would Cure Wounds at many Miles distance, by only Anointing the Weapon or Blood taken upon a Cloath &c. (the which is very Admirable). The other was the Roman Jesuit's Famous Physical Powder, (very Highly Magnify'd by most Great Persons) &c.
And now, My Powder being the 3d. (Et Tria sunt Omnia) and finding it no whit Inferior to those two Former; But in Many Respects, Far outstriping them; and, that the world should see, that The great Bountifull Donor of all Excellent Guifts, has not Bound Himself up in His High Favours only to Those of the Roman Church, But has likewise been Pleased to Distribute Some, to an Ʋnworthy Son of the Protestant-Church of England also; therefore I call it so. But now, (for the more Cleer Distinction sake) I would have it call'd, The English PROTESTANT PRIEST'S POWDER.
And now I shall Proceed (as before) and let you know the Admired Use of This Powder (or Stone) First, as 'tis Physical, Viz,
Now concerning Its Virtues Chyrurgicall.
And now (Friend Reader) if thou canst find but so great Faith, as to Believe This Mighty Troath, which I do Publish Here, Thou mayest be Happy in the Procurement of This Rare Thing.
But if not,
Thou must be content to Live as well as thou canst, in thine own Ignorant Hard Happ and Ʋnbelief, and let others Enjoy the Benefit thereof, who are more Charitably Credulous, and dare Believe an Honest Man upon his own Bare Word.
But now I think on't Better, and consider the Nature of his my seeming Bold, and strange Ʋndertaking, and that it must needs appear very Doubtful, or Incredible to most (or indeed to all) who have taken little or no Notice of Nature's Wonderful Opperations, and the Admirable Secrets which lie Hid, and close lockt up, in Her Rich Cabinet, (not to be Reveal'd, or known to any, that doe not intently give their Minds delightfully after such Things.) I will therefore here relate something that may give thee a competent Satisfaction in some few particular instances,
But still, Thou must Believe. For,
It was never my Business, nor is, nor ever shall be, to play the Quack, Emperick, or Mountebanck, &c.
Some Instances follow as it has Wrought in Eight Eminent Stories.
THE first shall be a true Story of what hapned at Cambridge, The First Story of the Plague. in Alderman Muriel's Family. In the Year 1665, or 1666, in both which Years, the Plague was in that Town (my self being an Inhabitant therein;) This Person, his Wife and Family, were all shut up upon that Account in St. Clement's Parish; when as a near Neighbour of His, (and a Friend of Mine) knowing that I had this Excellent Vertue, came to me, and desired me, to send them some of it in their Distress: And truly, (at the first) I did Refuse to do it, in regard it was a Desperate Case, (my Self, not being a Profess'd Physician.) And besides, there were in the Town, divers Able Physicians, so that I told this Friend, that if I should meddle, and any of them should Die upon it, I might run my Self into I knew not what Danger, and thereupon desir'd to be Excus'd; advising them to have Recourse to the Physicians, &c. Mr. Murial being an Alderman, there must needs follow a greater Notice of any Mishap Hapning, than if he had been an Inferior Man: But this Friend of mine, would not be satisfi'd, but still urg'd me to comply with her desire; telling me, That I should not be known in the Business, but that She her Self, would take it wholly upon Her.
Whereupon, I did Consent, and sent Her three quart Bottles of this prepar'd Vertue in Sack; so she went with it as near the House as she thought Convenient, and call'd to the Watchman, or Keeper, of their Door, and bid him call to Mr. Muriel, to look out of his Chamber Window, which both He and his Wife presently did, (being themselves both very well at [Page 11]that present,) so she told them, What a Hopeful good thing she had there for them, which she doubted not, but would preserve them all, &c.
But Mr. Muriel himself Refused it, and said, He would take none of it: But Mrs. Muriel desired her to set down, saying these very Words, By the Grace of God she would take it; whereupon it was set down, and such Directions, as I had given, for its Use, was likewise left; so my Friend retired, and the Watchman came and took it, and set it into the House for them.
Now the Sequel is to be Observ'd, which, in short, was this: Mrs. Muriel her self took it, and gave it to every person in the Family, (both to the Sick, and to the Well.)
The Sick Recovered, the Well never fell Sick, only Mr. Muriel himself, (who refus'd to take it) Sickned and Died.
This is a Story still in Memory by the Ancient Livers in the Parish, and may be prov'd if need were, but it shall be none of my Business; I told you, You must Believe, but chuse Whether you will or not.
Of the Leprosie.
AT the Lady Rhoade's House in Derby Shire, The Second Story. at a place call'd Barl-brough-Hall (a Mile of Clowne) I met with one Thomas, an Old Man, I knew him by no other Name) he being the Ladies Over-seer of Her Cole-pits, with whom (the Year before) I had left some of This High Vertue, as also, with the Ludy her self, a pretty full Store, for she would needs be a Factriss for me, to divers of her Friends, &c.
Now, as soon as I was come thither, and Old Thomas had Saluted me; he presently told me, That his Wife had cured one of the Leprosie with my Powder, which to me was a great peice of Strange News▪ in that, I never had the opportunity to try it upon any such. Here you have the Person and the place, so that the Verity cannot be suspected; and I am confident the Lady her self, will aver what I have writ from Old Thomas; I shall say no more to this.
The Story shall be of an other Female Person, at the same Lady Rhoad's in Derby-shire, whose Name was Madam Green.
HER visible Disease was the Yallaw Jaundice, The Third Story of the Yallow Jaundice, Obstrustions, and Monthly Vis [...] (very much discovering it self in her Colour) proceeding from inward Obstructions; and those, from the want of her monthly Wisits, and those, from the Original of All, (or most Diseases) viz. the Stomach, (a foul Corrupt Stomach,) which, as it were, Poison'd all her Food; the which corrupted her Blood, and distemper'd her whole Body, so that she could have no perfect Norishment, by any thing, she either Eat or Drank: And so it certainly is with all People, that take not especial care to keep their Stomachs Clean. Now she had [Page 12]us'd all the helps as she thought convenient at London, but nothing did her Good, until she had made trial of this prevailing Medicine, which I here speak of. She took it but five times, and she began first with three spoonfuls, and every other day increas'd a spoonful, till she had taken seven spoonfuls, and Then she was perfectly Cur'd of all, being clearly free'd from the Yellow Jaundice, and from all her other Grievances; as also restor'd to her Monthly Visits. The want of which (proceeding from her foul Stomach) was the cause of all her Ills.
This Story is easie enough to be prov'd or disprov'd, Run or Ride that will.
Of a Girl brought to Life after she was laid out to be Stript.
THIS Gentleman having been one of my Old Acquaintance in Cambridge, This Forth Story was sent me in a Letter from Mr. Samuel Taylor, Chaplain to Sir Roger Langley of Cherry-Hutton, 7 or 8 Miles beyond York, and Minister of the same Town also; who likewise was a Physician to his Neighbourbood, &c. meeting me at York, and hearing that I had This Great Rarity, prevail'd with me for some of it.
But he (having entred into a former formal way of Practice) laid this of mine aside for some Years, not at all making use of it, till once, upon a very Dangerous Case, when he had given a Girl (about Ten Years of Age) some certain Physicks which did not work at all, but lay in the Body of the Girl, to her great Oppression, and his great Fear; so that he knew not what to do further, till at last he bethought himself of My Powder. And according to such Direction [...] as I had given him, he venter'd to give the Girl a Dose of it; which, after some little time, the Child began to be extream Sick, and Died away, and continued so long, till the Women thought convenient to stript it, and (to That purpose) laid it forth upon a Table, and began to turn it over and over, in the way of Stripping: But in That Action, the Girl began to make some Motion, and soon after to Boaken, upon which, they taking Her up, and assisting what they could, the Child began to Vomit, and so continued, till she had brought up all her former Load of Physich, and her Disease along with it; and from That time she Amended and Recovered her perfect Health, and grew found again. This Story, I have still under the Ministers own Hand Writing, which was in the Year, 1670.
Now what is chiefly worth Noteing in this Story, is, That Nature [...] so extreamly over loaden by the Disease and the former Physick, that the [...] was not able to bear up against it, and fell into Languishment. But then, [...] this Powerful Vertue was added to the Former, it must needs either [...] dainly Destroy Life, or set it at Liberty; the First of which, as you have heard, Happened. And, if this be not an Eminent, and a most Remarkable Story, I would fain hear one by any that are thus Imploid; I have told it with Particulars enough, and Circumstances more than sufficient, insomuch, That it may easily be Prov'd or Disprov'd, if any be so minded. I am no Mountebank, nor will I otherwise Trouble my self, to make People Believe; their Ʋnbelief will be their own Loss, and not Mine.
Of a deep Consumption, by twice taking this Vertue, was Cured.
THere was a Person in the City of Norwich, The Fifth Story. (a meer stranger to me) nor do I remember that ever I heard his Name; he was a Master Work-man of Stuffs, and kept many Men at work in that Trade; he was a Friend of a near Kinsmans of mine there, who desir'd me to walk down and see him, so we went to his House: The Man was Bed-rid, and wasted to Skin and Bone, with a deep Consumption, and so very weak grown, that all about him thought he could not live.
I asked his Wife, if he could sit up? She answered, No, my reply was, That then he must Die; yet I told her, That Life was sweet. And if they could raise him up by strength of Arms, and set him in a Great Chair, (which I saw there standing by) and Boulster him up with Pillows, and hold him so for an Hour or two, it might be worth your Labour, and I would send him two or three spoonfuls of something to take (which was this Liquor.
All this was done, and he took the Liquor, and it wrought so effectually upon Him, and his Disease, that he grew finely Cheerful; after it had done working That Day, and sat up two or three Hours after it.
The next day but one, he took it again, in a greater Quantity, which wrought so Effectually, bringing off from his Stomach such a boundance of Foul Humours (which were the only Cause, that no Meats or Drinks could nourish him;) that from That second Taking, he was so Reviv'd and Refresh'd, that he ran about the House among his Work-folks, as if he had not been Sick at all; only he look'd like a Starveling, as Lean as a Rake, as the Proverb goes. So that he perfectly recovered out of his Consumption from That very time.
I would fain have perswaded him to have taken it once or twice more, to have confirm'd him in his Health, but could not: He telling me he was Very well, Very well, &c.
This is as true a Story, as was the former, and very Notable sure.
Of a soar Breast.
IN the same City of Norwich, The Sixth Story. there was a Servant Maid unto Mr. — Cook, one of the Sheriffs of the City, living in Cunsford street. There were two Brothers at That time of the same Name, both Sheriffs of That City; this Mr. Cook was the younger Brother, but the Senior Sheriff, and as I am inform'd, was Mayor there the last Year, or the Year before: This Maid had been long afflicted with a Soar Breast, and often heal'd by Chyrurgeons, but still broak out again, which continu'd thus many Years.
It was my Chance to be there, and seeing it, I did advise Her to make use of This Thing; the which, I left with her, with Directions how to use it; and not long after, I received a Letter that this Malds Breast [Page 14]was perfectly Cur'd, and stood Sound. Her Mistress (Mrs. Cook) sent me a very civil piece of Thankfulness for it afterwards.
This is a true Story, and may easily be Prov'd, &c.
Of Madness Cur'd, very Remarkable.
THis Story shall be of a Mad-Woman, The Seventh Story. at a place call'd, Wath in Yorkshire, four or five Miles from Rotherham, who threw her self into a Deep Well of Water, and very heardly was got out Alive, I being by chance at that Town, hearing of it, went down the Town to see this sad Sight, and found the Woman fastned to her Bed-Post, with a great Horse-Chaine, and her Husband with others, sorrowfully standing by; The Woman looking Frightfully and Sullenly upon us all. So after a little Discourse upon the occasion, I ask'd her Husband, if he had sought out for any means or help of Physicians for his Wives Recovery? &c. His Answer was, That he was a Poor Man, and had not where-with-all to do it, &c. Then I ask'd him, If he were willing to use Means if it were given him? &c. He answer'd, He should be very thankful, &c. Whereupon, I ordered it so, That when she call'd for Drink next time, there should be a good Dose of this Tincture put into it, (for I perceiv'd, she was a lusty strong Woman.) The which was done, and soon after she call'd for Drink, and took it all off, and in a little time, it began to work (Rarely Well;) she all the while standing stoutly upon her Legs staring Mad, and spouting all the Vomits out of her Mouth, to a huge distance from her (looking furiously about her all the while) till at last she ceast Vomiting, and it turn'd to Purging, and then she took her Chamber Pot and us'd it; the which, I caus'd the Man to fetch away, (after she had set it down) that we might see it, but I never saw such a Stool before; for it was as Black as a Chimney Stock, a perfect sign of Melancholly, or Madness. And in short, Thus he continued giving her this same Liquor, and in a very short time, she perfectly recovered her Right Sences, and that very Harvest, she went a Gleaning among her Neighbours, as Sensibly and Quietly, as any of them, and so continued.
This Story is as well worth Noteing, as any of the former, and as well worth the Enquiring into, if any be doubtful of the real truth thereof, there are particulars enough to find it out.
Of the French POX.
IN this Story of the High French Pox, The Eighth-Story. I must be excus'd, in that I nominate no Person, save only a lustly Young Man, of a Vigorous, Strong, Lively, Brisk and Active Temper, &c. It being too great a Reflection upon his Reputation, to give any hints towards his being thus known; I shall therefore only tell you, how that he was Miserably Tormented with this Foul Disease, and how soon he was Cured.
[Page 15]He was infected with it from Head to Foot, broaken out in Head, Arms, Privities and Legs, &c.
It had brought him so deplorably Weak, that he could scarcely go up a pair of Stairs without Fainting or Swounding away.
The Truth is, It was dangerous for any one to come near him, nor did any body Officiate in his Cure but himself. I gave him this thing freely with exact Directions, how to use it, which he very carefully follow'd, and in a short time, (First, by taking it inwardly, in the Nature of Physick, and then by outward Washings and Bathings of his Soars and other swell'd Parts, &c. till he was so perfectly Cur'd, that a while after meeting him in the Street, and asking him how he did, he Rejoycingly told me, (in these following Words, clapping his Hand on his Breast) That he thought he was as strong as a Horse, and so continued.
This is as true a Story as any of the former, and as true as ever any was told by any Man.
Here are but few Stories (of a great many which I could set down) to show and prove the admired Vertues of This Rare thing; and if these few will not suffice to satisfy, concerning the Reality of what I have thus far Declar'd, more would be needless; therefore I shall forbear to Nominate any other.
These Eigth Stories are well worth Observation in This Particular, especially, viz. in that they are each of Them of a different and various kind.
The first, the Plague; the second, the Leprosie; the third, Yallow Jaundice, Obstrustion and Monthly Visits; the forth, a Dead Child Restor'd; the fifth, a Deep Consumption; the sixth, a Sore Breast; the seventh, Madness; the eighth, the High French Pox; by all which you may plainly see, the Powerful and Effective Force, and the Universality of this Active Medicine.
And by which it may very easily be conceiv'd, That no other Disease can stand in its Way, or fail to be Cur'd, where This Tincture is rightly us'd or apply'd; for all, or most other Diseases may well be said to be comprehended under These eight great Grievances, (for Omne majus contenet in se minus) so that cure These; doubt not of cureing any of a lower Rank or Quality, therefore conclude it, (not only an, but) The Ʋniversal Medicine of Ʋniversals, in a Physical way. It never fails suddainly to cure any sort of Ague whatever.
[...]e singular Quality (by all that take it) it is observ'd to have, viz. A singular Quality, constant to this Medicine. [...]ways leaves them with a Hungry Appetite to Meat (which seldom is [...]ound in most other Physicks) and is That, which shows the true Effects of its Operations, viz. ‘That the Stomach is Rectifi'd, the which is no small Commendations of the Physick; for as the Stomach is well or ill affected, so (constantly) is the whole Body; for in It, all our Nourishment is determin'd either for our Health or Sickness, wherefore This very One, only Commendation (if it had no more) is enough to Magnify it above all others commonly used.’
I will therefore now Conclude this first Part, treating of the first Ʋniversal Medicine, specify'd in the Title Page, viz. Thus, The First the Worst.
PART. II.
CHAP I. Treating of the second Universal Medicine, which is no Physical Medicine, but Natural; and is the Best of the Two, as shall appear by what follows.
ALthough I have in the first part spoken so many Great Truths concerning the just and deserved Praise of That Most Excellent Medicine, of all Physical Medicines, and do really believe, that no one Physical Medicine, The reason of a just Preferrance. can be compared unto it in That respect; yet I do far prefer the Natural Ʋniversal Medicine before It, because, that That which is Natural, is ever to be Preferred before That, which is Artificial.
For Nature, being God's Principal Work-man (as may be so said) She never Errs, nor can she do any thing amiss; Her ways are Plain, Perfect and Easie; Gentle, Sweet and Quiet; Cortain, Absolute and Compleat, if she be not interrupted, &c.
So that whosoever follows the Rules and Dictates of Nature, cannot do amiss, but must needs live Happily in their Health, (for That's the Theam we are now upon) and it will hold good in all other things (in Nature) whatever. What may well be judg'd one of God's Predestinate Purposes.
Nature being God's Faithful Servant, does all His appointments Faithfully and most Exactly, even according to His Secret Determination; and sure That may be look'd upon as One, if not the Main Predestinate purpose of God.
We often have the word Nature in our Mouths, What may be understood by the word Nature. but few of us do consider, or understand what it is, or how, &c.
If I should say, that Nature is God's own Opperating, it cannot any way Derogate from the Adorable Honour which is Due to God.
He that shall Studiously, Seriously and Considerately ponder the var [...] Manners and Ways of Nature's subtle and stupendious Opperations, in the production of Millions of Millious, &c. (ad infinitum) of various Varieties of things, he must needs be Confounded, if he thinks they be otherwise produced, than by God Himself, (the most wise Infinite.)
Although God gives (or suffers us to give) Names to His Attribute or Opperations, &c. and to give us leave to call His chief Opperator (Nature) in regard He knows, how we are Deprav'd from our First Original Ʋnderstanding, and Right Capacity, and that in our Present State, we are now involv'd, we see like blind Moles, and are uncapable of discerning God aright, [Page 17]in, or by any of his opperative Works, as we might or should have done, had we continued steadfast in our Primitive and pure Capacity. Therefore (out of His Compassionate Condescention, and great Patience to us) He suffers us to call Things by their wrong Names, and to understand them with a half understanding (if with so much.)
Nature, is God Himself, opperating Mistically and Magically; What is Nature. for if God were not Present in Nature, or Nature Present in God, Nature could not produce a Fly, &c. It being the very Instrument (as we may say) in God's Hand, by which He produceth His Admired Wonderful Works.
Therefore (surely) when, and wheresoever we Offend and cross Nature in her opperative Course, Then and There we Offend and cross God; (although yet God cannot be said, to be either Offended or Cross'd) yet He suffers us to use such Words, when we Offend or Cross, either Nature or our selves, and thereby (Consequently) receive just Punishment for such our Great Defaults, by Sicknesses, Diseases, and all manner of Vexatious Turmoiles and Afflictions, which are Primarily The Effects of Our Sin, &c. and so Consequently of all other Our Woes.
Now Here, in This very Place, are we to Search and Look for, The very place where the Best Ʋniversal Medicine is to be had. Its Name. and to find The Ʋniversal Medicine of All Ʋniversals; we need not go far off to seek It, or find It, or pay Deer for It, it being close by, and ready at Hand, yea, in every Man's Power, and at his Command; and that you may the better know it, by its Right Name,
'Tis Call'd Temperance.
And it is to be had every where, at any place you come at; and 'tis Good for All Sorts of Men, Women and Children, Its Excellencies. and for most Diseases you can Name; and likewise, a most certain Preventor of All the chief Diseases, and Sicknesses incident to Mankind; so that now, although I have Commended the former Ʋniversal Medicine for the cheapest of All Physical Medicine, &c.
Yet This, has far the Preheminency of That for Cheapness; for though That was Cheap, yet it would cost something, but This will cost you Nothing; yea, This will save you much Cost: We must therefore Prefer This to be The Very, Very, Best of Bests (if you can admit of such a Companion.)
But I am Doubtful, because it is so Very Very Cheap, and so very easie to be obtain'd, there are more than a great many will undervallue It, and give it no Entertainment.
For, the Old Proverb is most truely Practis'd, viz. Far Fetcht, and Dear Bought is fit for Ladies and other Ignorant People of all sorts; who, although the Thing be never so Slight or Silly, yet if it come from France, or out of any other Remote Region, and also Dear, &c. it must then needs be Vallued and Purchased by all means at any Rate.
Whereas, (one the contrary) Things near Hand, and low Priz'd, tho' never so Good, and Worthy of due Praise, &c. are most what Ʋndervallued by such Ʋn-understanding Ignorants; yet, some there are, Wiser than other some, and to such as those, This Down-right plain Discourse may be of Good Ʋse, if they will give a little heed unto it, and sollidly consider the Reasons therein Contain'd, no doubt, but they may find Great Benefit thereby. And now to the Medicine it self.
CHAP. II. The Description of the Medicine it self is Short and Easie, and no difficulty at All in its Use.
I Told you it was Temperance, Three Rules belonging to Temperance. which must be considered in three Particular Things only. The First, is Food; the Second, is Labour; the Third, is Rest; all three must be perform'd with Moderation and Temperance.
Some Few and Easie Rules are here following.
The first Rule (as to Food) is but this: The first Rule as to Food. Eate and Drink Sparingly, that is, never to Satiety or Fullness, but ever leave off with an Appetite, and in so doing, you give no Occasion for Sickness, in that particular. For by That Means, Nature can never be Opprest with more Work then She is able to Perform; and when Nature is thus Reasonably imploy'd, She joyeth in her Work, and performs it Perfectly and with Ease; Whereas, on the contrary, Immoderate Eating and Drinking overloads Nature, even as an inconsiderate Man, who laying more Load upon his strong Horse then the Horse is able to Bear, wears out the Strength of his Horse, &c. And just so it is with Gormendizing Men and Women, who Cram down more into their Stomachs, then Nature can Bear, or Deal with; and then, they must needs be Sick; for Sickness cannot properly be said to be any thing else, but Nature Oppressed; therefore keep your self within This Easie Moderate Rule of Food, and you may be sure to Live Healthfully and Pleasantly; If, in the second Place, you observe Temperance in your Exercise or Labour also; and as to That, there need not be many Words, or Rules, One General Rule may ferve for all, which is,
Never to oppress Nature, The second Rule as to Labour. by over Violent, or over long Labour, or Exercise, at any Imployment whatever, viz. at Sport, Work, or Play; but let it always End with Moderation, and so, That when you have left off, you can perceive an Aptitude, and a Sensible Ability of still performing More with the same Vigour and Courage, as you began with: And in so doing, you cannot be said to injure or impedite Nature, in Her chief Work, of your own Chiefest Concern, viz. Your Health: But much rather may be said to do Her a Kindness, in assisting Her, and inabling Her, the more Easily to perform Her own Work the more Vigorously; for Labour or Exercise, is as Necessary to a Tranquil Life, as Food it self, yea, and much more too. For although Food be necessary to maintain Life, yet without Labour or Exercise, it makes a Dull, Heavy, Blockish, Sottish or Swinish Body, seldom long without Sickness or Disease, and sure enough, a Short Life ends All: Therefore moderate Labour is a most Necessary Appurtenance to a Happy Life.
Rest and Sleep, The third Rule as to Sleep. is the Third Particular Thing needful to be Regarded with Moderation, as conducing much to a Healthful and Pleasant Life; but if it be taken in Excess, (Especially by Young People) it makes them [Page 19] Lasie, Dull-Doults, as to any Activity of Mettle-some or smart Agitation, and commonly Lecherous into the Bargin, &c. And if they be Great Eaters and Drinkers also, it Puffs Them up to Corpulency and foul Humours, so that scarce One in Ten Thousand such, live half their Days, which otherwise they might (by the Strength of Nature) do, Who are most subject to Infestious Diseases, and a short Life. their Bodies being apt to receive the Malignity of any Infectious Air, or other catching Diseases, as are at any time a Foot; and if none such be generally Abroad, they fall not to Breed them in themselves. Diseases always are taken or Hatcht in foul Bodies; no Man (I believe) ever saw a Puft Swagging Fat, Lasie person, live long, that were Intemperate and Regardless in these Three Particulars last mention'd; therefore it concerns such Men and Women, Especially to take Good Notice of what I have thus far Writ, towards the Well-being of all sorts of Constitutions, &c.
The many Benefits which will Arise from This Rare Thing, viz. The English PROTESTANT-PRIEST'S POWDER: (Or, The first of these two Universal Medicines) For whomsoever can be so Happily Fortunate, as to be Possessor But of One Ounce, yea, or but Half an Ounce thereof, He has a Treasure beyond the Golden Mounts of That talk'd of PHYLOSOPHERS STONE.
FOR First, He may Preserve himself in Health, The many Benefits attending This Rare Thing. or procure Health out of the worst of Sicknesses (Cureable) and Live to a GOOD OLD AGE.
Secondly, If any Person have taken Poison, one Dose of This Infused Liquor being taken in Time, will most certainly Expell That Poison.
Thirdly, For its Opperations work, in all manner of needfull ways, for the Expelling of Foul Humours out of the Body, viz. By Vomit, Purge, Glister, or Sweet, the four Chief Ways of Cleansing the whole Body, &c.
Forthly, One Quarter of an Ounce of This Powder, is a sufficient Stock (for Ordinary Uses, viz. Vomits, Purges, &c.) for any One Person, During his whole Life, and his Friend's Life after Him, &c. But if there be Need of Outward Bathings, for Curing of Pains, Aches, &c. Then there must be more Powder to the making of such Baths, &c.
Fifthly, Whoever has This Powder, need Never to be at a Penny Charge at any Time, for the Giving a Vomit, Purge or Glister, &c. so long as he Lives.
Sixthly, He may be Charitable to any Poor Sick Body at this easie Charge at any Time; and who would not be Willing, yea, Glad to do such Christian Good-Turns to the Needy and Poor?
Seventhly, It is always Ready at Hand upon any needful Occasion, or suddain Accident, &c.
[Page 20] Eightly, Whoever has a Mind to be a Physician, He need but stock Himself with a convenient Quantity of This Powder, with the which, (and the Directions that go along with it) He may Safely venter at the Cure of most Common Diseases attending Mankind.
Ninthly, Although He lives Remote, far from Physicians, He need not send Man and Horse, Five, Ten, or Twenty Miles for a Doctor, or for Physick.
Tenthly, If in every Town, or Parish throughout the Nation, there were Provided a Convenient Stock of This Powder, which should always be in the Custody of the Minister, for the General Relief of the Poor Sick of the Parish, An Ʋnaccountable Benefit to the whole Nation they might keep Their Poor Generally in Health; The which doing, would be a Considerable, and an Ʋnaccountable Benefit to the Whole Nation. For if Poor People were free from Sickness, &c. the Parishioners would be the more Free from Charge of Maintaining them, &c. This one Thing is worth serious Consideration.
Here are but Ten Conveniencies Expressed, but they will find many more not easily Thought upon at present.
Concerning ASTROLOGY, and its Excellent Use in Physick, &c. With a Notable Story thereupon Depending, &c.
THere is no Noble Art under the Sun, so much Boggl'd at by many, as is The Art of Astrology; and every Horse-man knows what the Cause of a Horse Boggling is, viz. Fearfulness, caus'd by the Ignorance of the Horse, his not knowing What the Object is, which causeth him to Stare and Winch thereat; even so it is by most, who have such Frightful and Auke Apprehensions of That Excellent and very useful Science. The which, if it were Rightly, Honestly and Religiously made use of, would be of exceeding Beneficial Ʋse in many of our Affairs, but more Especially, in Physical and Chyrurgical Occasions or Opperations; and not only so, But also Highly Advantageous to Man, in his Inward and Spiritual Contemplations and Considerations, concerning the Wonderful and Mysterious Works of God, and of His Infinite Wisdom and Power.
I do acknowledge, I am not a fit Advocate, to Plead its Cause as it should be, or a fit Champion to Defend it, as it ought to be; But Thus much I can say in its behalf; viz. That whereas formerly, in Ignorance, I was (as most are) a Jeerer or Fleerer of it, &c. and those that us'd it. But by Accident, I met with one of Their Books, which Treated of the Rudiments of That Art.
The Book was a little Quarto Book, of One Darriot, and (to please my Curiosity) I Read it over, and took Notes of the Chief Particulars in it, which were concerning the very Rudiments of The Art (very Plain and Easie) and finding Them to be so Rational and Harmless, &c. I was resolved to Enable my self (from Those Rules) to Learn to set a Figure of the Heavens; and from thence to make some Tryal of the Verity of That Art, which indeed at That time was the utmost of my desires or intent therein, [Page 21]and in a short Time after, I became Able to Set a Figure, &c. And not long after That, I met with a fit Oppertunity, both to try my Skill, and also to satisfy my self, concerning The Verity of the Art, which was thus:
It happened, An Eminent Story. that I was at an intimate Friend's House (a Minister) who both Himself, and his Wife, were utter Enemies to This Art; and whilst I stai'd There (which was some Weeks) there was a Child Born in the Neibourhood, and this my She Friend was at the Birth of That Child; so when She came Home, I ask'd her the Time of the Child's Birth, the which, She told me Exactly; I then ask'd her, How all was with the Birth, viz. Both with the Mother and Child? She Answered, All was very well and Hopeful, &c. So then (I being glad of so fit and proper an Oppertunity for Proving the Verity of the Art, I went into my Study, and set a Figure of That Child's Nativity, and it was the First that ever I set to make a Tryal of The Art; and therefore I endeavour'd to be as Exact as Possibly I could, by The Rules of the Art which they give.
And when I had done, I began to Examine the Figure by Those Rules, in each particular: The first Thing I did, was to see whether the Child was likely to Live or no.
But, to be short, all the Rules for Life were absolutely against the Child, yea, very Dismally Sad; insomuch, That (if their Rules were True) the Child could not Live long.
Whereupon, I was very much Amus'd, because of the Relation my She Friend gave me of the Hopefulness of the Contrary, &c. So that I began to Suspect my own Ʋnskillfulness in the setting of the Figure, being it was my First attempt in That Kind.
So I went into my Study and Examin'd my Figure Over and Over again, to try where the Fault lay; for I thought it lay in my Figure I set; but when I had wearied my self sufficiently in so doing, and could find no Fault in setting the Figure, I was Confirm'd, that That Child could not live long. And so I came forth, and shew'd my two Loving Friends what I had done, &c. and gave my Judgment accordingly; but They Smil'd at it, in an ordinary Slighting way, &c. and so it rested a while.
Then after Dinner, I went and set the Figure of the Mother of That Child, because I had a great mind (upon such certain Radical Terms as then I had, concerning the Punctuallity of the Time, &c.) to see what was likely to become of the Mother as well as of the Child; and, in short; I found the Mother as Desperately in Danger of Death as the Child, according to the Rules the Learned in That Science have left upon Record. Whereupon I came forth again to my two Antagonists, and told them what I had found concerning the Mother (as aforesaid,) but they Laught on (as before, &c.) so then we were to wait to see the Issue, what would follow hereupon, which (in short) was Thus, viz.
That within a Week or ten Days, Both Child and Mother were Dead, The Issue of the whole story. whereupon my two Friends were forc'd to put on another kind of Countenance; I told them, I was no Witch, but a meer Young Novice in That Art, and what I had Predicted, was not my Own, but what I found Recorded from known Experience; and from the Rules of Art which are, That if: Such and Such Positions of The Stars and Planets were So and So in any Nativity [Page 22]at the Hour or Moment of Birth, Such and Such Consequences would undoubtedly Follow, either for Good or for Bad, &c. the which most exactly came to pass with This Mother and Her Child.
This is as true a Story as ever was Told, and was so convincing to me at that Time, as also by divers Trials since Then, as that I have been Confirm'd of the Verity of That Wonderful Admired Art; and if all the Pretended Artists, were as Knowing, and as Innocently Honest and True, as the Art it self is Real and Infallible; it would have more Fidelians by Multitudes, than at present it has. But enough of this.
Some Plain and Easie Rules to instruct all such who would either Give or take Physick, so as that they may know from the Rules of That Art, how to chuse a Fit and Proper Season, so that the Physick may Work more Effectually and Kindly with the Patient, than otherwise it would do, If given at an Unseasonable Time.
THE first thing to be known, is, The Seven Planets, and their Order, which is Thus, viz.
- The First Planet (and the Highest) is Saturn, Markt thus, ♄
- The Second, Is Jupiter. ♃.
- The Third, Is Mars. ♂.
- The Forth, Is Sol (or the Sun) ☉.
- The Fifth, Is Venus. ♀.
- The Sixth, Is Mercury. ☿.
- The Seventh, and Lowest is Luna. ☽.
The Second Thing to be known is,
THat these seven Planets Refer to the seven Days of the Week, viz. Thus: Saturn Refers to Saturday; Jupiter to Thursday; Mars to Tuesday; Sol to Sunday; Venus to Fryday; Mercury to Wednesday; and Luna to Monday. These two Rules, must be got readily by Heart.
The Third Thing to be known is,
THat every Planet Rules the first Hour of his own Day, viz. The first Hour after Sun Rise.
The next Planet in Order after him, Rules the next Hour after that, viz. The second Hour after Sun Rises.
And so every Planet takes his Hour Orderly, the One after the Other, till the first seven Hours are run out; and then the first Planet again takes [Page 23]the Eight Hour, the second Planet the Ninth Hour, the third Planet the Tenth Hour, the forth Planet the Eleventh Hour, and the fifth Planet the Twelfth Hour, viz. to Sun-set: And thus are the Twelve Hours of the Day provided with different and Proper Planets to Rule Them.
And now for the Hours of the Night.
THey keep the same Order, only you are to Remember, where you last left off, and let the next Planet to That, rule the first Hour from Sunset, and so carry them in the same Order (through the 12 Hours of the Night) till Sun-rise again; and by That Rule, you'l find the Proper Planet for the next day, will come in, to take his proper Hour at Sun-rise.
One thorough Example will make all very Plain, A plain Example for Saturday. therefore i'll set down one for the 24 Hours of Saturday, till Sun-rise on Sunday, as follows.
Saturn Rules the first Hour from Sun-rise on Saturday, viz. Note Well. from 6 till 7 a-Clock, (that is, if the Sun do not Rise before, or after 6) which is about the 10th. of March or September.
Then from 7 to 8 a Clock, Jupiter Rules, from 8 to 9 Mars, from 9 to 10 Sol [...]es, from 10 to 11 Venus Rules, from 11 to 12 Mercury Rules, and from 12 to One a Clock Luna Rules.
Now, Note, From One to Two Saturn comes in again and Rules, which is the 8th. Hour from Sun-rise.
Then from 2 to 3 a-Clock Jupiter Rules, from 2 to 4 Mars Rules, from 4 to 5 Sol Rules, and then from 5 to Sun-set Venus Rules, (thus the 12 Hours of the Day are run out.
Now for the Night, from 6 a-Clock to 7 Mercury Rules, from 7 to 8 Luna Rules, from 8 to 9 Saturn, from 9 to 10 Jupiter, from 10 to 11 Mars, from 11 to 12 Sol, from 12 to 1 Venus; from 1 to 2 Mercury, from 2 to 3 Luna, from 3 to 4 Saturn, from 4 to 5 Jupiter, from 5 to 6 Mars, now from 6 to 7 Sol; and here you see Sol Rules the first Hour on Sunday, as Saturn did on Saturday.
Practice thus your self with all the other Days, and you'l find it very Easie.
A Rule to know the length of a Planetary Hour, every 10 Days, for every Month in the Year.
THe first 10 Days in January 40 Minutes, the second 10 Days 43 Minutes, the last 10 Days 46 Minutes.
The first 10 Days in February 48 Minutes, the second 10 Days 51 Minutes, the last 54 Minutes.
[Page 24]The first 10 Days in March 58 Minutes, the second 10 Days 60 Minutes (or an Hour,) the last 1 Hour 5 Minutes.
The first 10 Days in April 1 Hour 10 Minutes, the second 10 Days 1 Hour 13 Minutes, the last 1 Hour 16 Minutes.
The first 10 Days in May 1 Hour 19 Minutes, the second 10 Days, 1 Hour 22 Minutes, the last 1 Hour 23 Minutes.
The first 10 Days in June 1 Hour 24 Minutes, the second 10 Days, 1 Hour 24 Minutes, the last 1 Hour 23 Minutes.
And now as the Days begin to shorten, Now begin to shorten them Backwards to January. so you must shorten the Hours proportionably Backwards by Minutes, as you lengthned them by Minutes; and by this Rule, you may assure your self of the just length of a Planetary Hour for any day in the Year. I need say no more as to This.
This following (Easie and Short Way) I drew out at the Request of a Friend, who was not willing to take the Pains of Observing all the Exactnesses of Those former Rules, and it may serve Tollerably well, with much more Ease than the Former.
THere are six Hours every day in the Year, which may be good to take Physick in, viz. Three in the Morning, and Three in the Afterhoon. And when the Days and Nights are at an Equal Length. Then Thus:
First, On Sunday, The first 3 Hours begin, from an Hour after Sun Rise; the second 3, from about 2 a Clock Afternoon.
Secondly, On Monday, The first 3 Hours begin from 2 Hours before Sun Rise; the second 3, from about 11 till 2 Afternoon.
Thirdly, On Tuesday, The first 3 begin from 2 Hours after Sun Rise, till about 11 a-Clock; the second 3, from about 3 till 6.
Forthly, On Wednesday, The first 3 from the Hour before Sun Rise, till 2 Hours after; the third 3, from about 12 till 3.
Fifthly, On Thursday, The first 3 from about 9 in the Morning, till about 12, and from about 4 Afternoon, till about 7.
Sixthly, On Fryday, The first 3 from Sun Rise, till about 9 a-Clock, and from 1 Afternoon, till about 4.
[Page 25] Seventhly, On Saturday, The first 3 from about 10 in the Morning till 1, and from about 5 Afternoon till about 8.
This Rule will hold Exactly True, when the Days and Nights are of an Equal Length; as in March and September.
But as the Days Lengthen or Shorten, so must your Planitary Hours Lengthen or Shorten. Therefore, to be very Exact, you must always Divide the Time betwixt Sun-Rise, and Sun-Setting into 12 Equal Parts, and every Part is a Planitary Hour, be it more or less: But if That be too Troublesome for you, let it suffice, that you Observe only the abovesaid Rule; and because you have three Hours Good, ever coming together, you cannot miss of a Tollerable Good Time; but to be sure you will Miss the Evil Time, and That is a Great Benefit.
I could have been more at Large, but because you do not desire to Trouble your Self, in such Curiousness, This may be of Good Ʋse unto You,
The Use of a Planetary Hour in Physick, &c.
THe Right use is, To chuse such an Hour to take a Vomit, or a Purge in, so, as that the Physick may Work kindly with the Patient, and Effectually, &c. And it has been Observ'd by the Learn'd, That if Physick be given in the Hour of Saturn or Mars, it will work very Roughly and Painfully with the Patient; those two Planets being counted In-Fortunes, and in Physick their Hours always to be Refus'd.
Now there are 2 Planets of a different Nature to Saturn and Mars, which generally are esteem'd Good, viz. Venus and Luna, whose Hours are to be chosen; they being Active, Cool, Gentle and Moist Planets, and do cause the Humours in the Body to be more Flued and Active, so that they come away more Freely, and with less Violence.
Therefore, when you take Physick, always observe to take it in one of the Hours of Venus or Luna, (Mercury may do well sometimes) either of which will afford you its Hour once in seven, either in Morning, or in Afternoon, as you may perceive by Those former Rules.
Therefore be careful to Understand them well, and then you will find both a Great Benefit and Content in so doing; and as well in other matters as in Physick (as occasion may fall out.)
The Wise Man tells us, Ecclesiastes 3. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. &c. There is a Time for All Things under the Sun.
An Advertisement for the Satisfaction of those who may think this is Odd or Strange, that Musick is here join'd with Physick in this Work.
I Am not Ignorant How, That (through Ignorance, or Worse, viz. Envy, &c. This Work of Mine (Especially This Latter Part (or Conclusion by Musick) lies liable to the Rash Censures of several sorts of Short-sighted People, which may Meet it.
And methinks I See, and Hear, some of them Frumpingly Laugh, and say, What! Conclude a Serious Physical Book with a Song? This is a Piece of Strange Impertinency, &c. Or, Nothing to the Purpose as to Matter in Hand, &c. Therefore to Rectifie the mistake of all such, I will here inform them of such their Gross Ignorance in That Particular, and let them Plainly See, the Great Affinity and Likeness, that is betwixt Physick and Musick, they both being Properly and Suitably alike, as to the Health and Well-being of the Man, both in Body and Mind, (both which make the Compleat Man;) for as the Body without the Mind is No Man, but a Dead Lump only, so the Mind without the Body is No Man, but a living Spirit only. So that as Physick is Properly Adapted for the Groser and Lower part of Man, (the Body,) so likewise is Musick, as properly design'd for (the Purer and more sublime Part of Man, (the Mind;) therefore it may be Properly said, that Physick is Musick, and Musick is Physick. The which may run in a Handsome Proverb, Thus, viz.
The Proof of This, will be clearly Manifest, both from Scripture and from History; I'll here Instance in Two Uncontroublable Great Examples, The One from Scripture, viz. David's Curing Saul's Distemper'd Sick-Mind by Musick Only.
The Other from Unquestionable History, viz. Concerning The Strange Disease of The Terrantula, which all Learn'd Physicians know, is a Poison of a certain little Creature coming from its Teeth or Sting (like That of a Wasp, &c.) so that whosoever receives That Poison, soon after, falls into a Violent Fit of Distracted Madness; no Cure could ever be found out for it, But Musick only, and That Perfectly Cures them.
Now, these being such Realities, and Uncontroulable Truths, What will my Inconsiderate Frumper say, or do for himself, for Laughing, &c. at he knows not What? I'll tell Him what he shall do, and by Doing it, It may possibly chance to Do him Good. My Advice therefore is This, viz. Let Him go Learn to Construe That Old True Latin Sentence, or Proverb, which is, This, Per Risum Multum, Possis Cognoscere Stultum, and when he has well Learn'd to Construe It, let him Learn to Understand the True Meaning and Intent of It, &c. (But enough of This.)
I'll now return Back to Musick and Physick, and let you still further See, how very suitably They both Agree, in several Other Particulars. Also,
First, As to their very Names, Observe, How They Poetize (as twere) in Meetre, viz. Musick, Physick.
[Page 27] Seconly, As to their Number of Sillables, viz. They are two a Piece.
Thirdly, As to their Number of Letters, viz. They are six a Piece, (count them else,) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c.
Oh! Oh! saies the Critick, there are 7 in One, and but 6 in the Other; There you are Out Mr. Author; No, No, Mr. Crittick, 'tis You that are Out: Are you so Ʋnlearned, as not to know, that H. is no Letter? And if so, Then their Number is Equal, as I have Affirm'd.
Oh! Mr. Author, I crave your Pardon, I had forgot That; 'Tis true, Their Number is Equal, viz. Six and Six, Well! What then? Why then, I say, This with the Rest shews how Neerly they are Allied One to the Other, even as Kindred or Breathren, yea, much rather Twins; so that All this Consider'd. Tell me again, or give me some Reason, if you can, for your so Rash casting your F—s Bolt upon, or towards me, for joining them Thus Together, in This my Work, &c. But I hope by This Time, you are so Modest, as to Acknowledge your Mistake, and think it an Error in you. But, if for all this you cannot be brought to so much Ingenunity, I have yet two further more Reasonable Reasons to Answer, for what I have done, if there had been no Affinity or Likeness at all in their Natures and Properties.
The First is, that my Book Hitherto is a Continuation of Rarities, Riddles and Mervels, and this Song here Set (without any of the former Considerations) is most properly suitable to the whole in That respect; for you shall find both Riddle, Mervile and Rarity: And therefore nothing at All impertinent to the whole Matter in Hand, but (E Contra) very Congruous and Suitable.
My Second Ultimate and most Principle Reason is. I Publish it as my Thanksgiving to The Almighty Goodness in that it has pleas'd Him to make me so Happy, as I have been, by Receiving so Great a Blessing in the finding out of This Rich and long Hidden Secret, Equivolent to the Philosopher Stone. As also, in That I my self have Receiv'd several Inestimable Benefits as to my Health and Well-being Thereby; I therefore Account it a Just Debt and Duty, to His Infinite Goodness, to return Him the Highest Praises and Thanskgiving, I am Capable to do; and therefore, This very Cannon also being an other signal Token of His Peculiar Favour unto me, I think it most Properly Fit, to Return it again as my Duty, and most Sincere Thankfulness, &c. by It, It being The Best I have, and far beyond all (in its kind) that ever I was Possessor of. And Now, Mr. Critt. I hope you will be Satisfi'd, and Scoff no more at me, for this my Seeming Impertinence; But rather Endeavour (if you want Skill in That Divine Art) to enable your Self to Bear a Part in so Needful a Work.
The Author's Advice.
BE Wise, and Trust not thy Precious Life in the Hands of Thou knowest not Who, and must be us'd Thou knowest no [...] How, and may'st be Cur'd Thou know'st not When, but Thou must Pay Thou know'st not What; and at the Long-run, make Thy sad Exit, and leave Thy Executors to Pay the Long Long Bill of Charge, as 'tis too sadly seen by Most, when They are Giving up the Ghost, who thought Themselves so very Wise, but find it now far otherwise when 'tis too Late.