of Camphire two drams of the juice of Poppy and the juice of Henbane of each one ounce mix them and lay them to the Ulcer to take away the heat of it Then take of the Apostolorum Plaister and the Diaquilon Plaister of each half an ounce of Mummy three ounces of Cerusse or white Lead two drams of Camphire one dram Mix them over the fire and make them into a Plaister which must be applyed to the soar until the Cure be done LIII For Corns in Feet or Hands Caution You must not cut Corns so deep as to cut the quick flesh and you must not use Corrosive Waters to them for in so doing you may cause a dangerous Ulcer to follow Cure Take the Oyl of Juniper Berries and Agarick of each one dram of Ox Gall two drams mix them and lay them to the Corn until the Corn groweth dry and black and begins to moulder away then apply to it the Plaister Oppodeltoch some four or five weeks until the cure be done Another Take Realgare one scruple of the Oyl of the yolks of Eggs half a dram of slacked Lime half a dram mix them and lay them to the Corn and they will make the Corn black and consume it The Oppodeltoch Plaister Take of Colophony two ounces the powder of Celendine and the powder of Orange skins of each half an ounce of the best Turpentine so much as to make them into a plaister LIV. When in any part of the body there is a hard immovable tumor or Excrescency of flesh growing to the Muscles which groweth still bigger and at last makes the member crooked where it is it also weakens the guts causing great windiness in them Caution You must not use the Chyrurgions Instruments to this nor any such Medicines which are used for Aposthumes Cure You must do no more to such tumors or Excrescencies but to hinder their increasing which is done by this Oyntment Take of the Oyl of Myrtles two ounces of the oyl of Nutmeg half an ounce of the marrow of an Ox two drams of Petroleum two ounces and a half Mix them Herewith you shall annoint those places where the Spermatick vessels lie most outwardly the back and thighs once a moneth LV. When there are spots in the skin of the face or elsewhere of a yellow or clay colour c. If they stay constantly in the place or if sometimes they evanish and return again Cure Take of Turnsole and Germander of each three ounces of the best Manna half an ounce of Parmacity and Bay-berries of each ten drams the water of Baulm the water of Vervain the water of Valerian of each five ounces Put your Herbs into the Waters and let them lie in the waters two or three days and when the spots begin to come out upon the skin take three or four ounces of those Waters at a time Observe That Turnsole is a singular good Herb it wonderfully reneweth the blood and flesh A Treatise concerning long Life CHAP. I. All Medicines divided into three sorts according to the threefold Age of Man shewing that each Age must have its own Medicines proper for it SEeing there are Medicines which can preserve the Body of Man for many Ages from Diseases Corruptions and Superfluities or if there be any infirmity or corruption in the Body they can cure it It ought to be the care of every Physician to know them and to know them throughly for there are very many tedious Diseases and many Maladies incident to the Body of Man which are rooted out by these Medicines which prolong life In this discourse of long Life I will first give you the Theory of it and then the practice that you may fully know all that concerns long Life I would not have any to doubt of this that life may be prolonged for these two Reasons 1. Because it doth not appear that there is any certain day or hour of any mans death 2 Because we have Medicine prepared for us by him who hath created us both to preserve us from Diseases and to drive out Diseases Hence we may conclude that neither Diseases bring Death neither is Death the cause of Diseases nay Death and Diseases agree no better then fire and water A natural Disease hates Death as every part of the living Body hates Death I intend in this discourse to speak to those of my own way who by great skill and daily experience have searched into and do know the propertieâ— and natures of things which are hid and unknown to presumptuous and titular Doctors And I do affirm this as a most certain truth That the Body may be restored changed to the better yea wholly renewed As it is to be plainly seen in Metals which may be so purified that they shall be afterwards free from any rust so likewise dead Bodâ—es if they be embalmed do not putrifie afterwards Some perhaps may dislike my Writings because they are short and because of those Examples which I use but my Writings are not therefore to be slighted seeing I use onely the examples of such things which are or may be done by Nature as in this comparison of Mettals with the Body of Man I know that there is great difference betwixt these two yet they are both preserved one way as experience teacheth If a dead Body can be preserved by Balsom from putrefaction or decay how much more may a living Body be so preserved Now there are three parts of Mans Age viz. yong Age middle Age and old Age and each of these must have such Medicines for prolonging life as are proper and suitable to them therefore there must be also three kindes of Medicines for the conservation of Life according to these three Ages We may likewise say that there are three parts in long life according to those three parts of mans Age for many might die in their Infancy many in their middle age c. if their life were not prolonged by the help of Medicines We cannot have any certainty that an Infant or a strong yong man shall outlive a weak old man No part of mans age hath any certain time of death appointed to it the Infant in the Mothers Womb may have many things befal it which may be the cause of great weakness in the childe or incline the childe to diseases and that Infant which is very weak when it is born the strength of Nature is abated and lessened in it as it is in old age And therefore those Medicines which are the helps of long life must be given to this Infant anointing the Nurses breast therewith which the childe doth suck c. as you shall hear more at large afterwards in the practice of long life For by these Medicines of long life the strength of Nature is increased and life prolonged after the same maner in an Infant as it is in old age Or if a yong man runs into so great excess of Drinking or Venery c. that thereby
Lead the oyl of Quick-silver and Mercury water c. But if the Fistula be in such a place as the eyes or ears c. where you cannot use a Plaister then you must be contented with the Potion and the Oyl neither need you trouble your selves for any other Medicine then what is here set down CHAP. III. IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer which hath a great many deep holes together which at first were small pushes afterwards grew to be big hard lumps then breaks out and at last comes to be large deep holes these holes are dry there comes very little matter out of them Cure We must use such a Medicine for this U cer which can at once both cleanse and fill up these holes but we must not at all meddle with the hard swellings to take them away by ripening Medicines or Corrosive Medicines we must let Nature it self concoct them and dissolve them in the Uâ—cer and then we may apply this Medicine to the Ulcer viz. Take of yolks of eggs three ounces of the oyl of Mercury one dram mix them together apply some of this to the sore once in twelve hours or if you will instead of this you may use the stictick plaister described in the first Chapter This Ulcer may have several shapes and may be in several places of the body viz in the Arms Legs c. yea sometimes it will surround the body like a girdle c. But wheresoever it is or whatsoever shape it hath yet it is to be cured by the foresaid remedy if it was at first hard swellings which afterwards broke out c. CHAP. IV. IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer and say That he never had any pain in that Ulcer Cure For curing this Ulcer you must first cleanse it then fill it up with flesh and lastly close it Cleanse it with this take honey and mix with it some burned Coperas this apply to the Ulcer so often till it hath no stinch or corruption which will be about the sixth day afterwards to fill it up with flesh you must use the stictick plaister but while you do fill it with flesh if it gather corruption then you must use again the former cleansing Medicine till it yields no corruption and then you may proceed again with the stictick plaister till it be fit to be closed up You must close it up with the Crocus of Steel which must be strawed into the sores twice a day But you must wash the sores at the second time when you straw this Crocus upon them with this water viz. Take of Spring-water an ounce of Allum one ounce of common Salt half an ounce which you must dissolve in the water and with this water wash the sores then strow your Crocus upon the sores and so do twice every day until the Ulcer be skinned and throughly whole In the time of the cure the Patient must use a very good diet he must let Blood and he must take the benefit of some good natural Bath CHAP. V. IF the Patient complain that there is abundance of humors gathered together in his legs to a great hard swelling which is full of holes and these holes are soul hallow and eating sores the beginning of them was this A great many small Blisters came out together which grew bigger and then came out into putrid holes Cure In this cure five things are to be done First the Ulcerated part must be kept over the vapour of some Herbs then the swelling must be taken away Thirdly The sores must be cleansed Fourthly They must be filled with flesh And lastly Skinned For the first Take of the Root of Swallow-wort two ounces of Sanicle of Pond-weed and Stone-moss of the Flowers of Elder of each a handful of Camomile Flowers two handfuls of Doves dung three handful of Hens dung half a handful boil them altogether in water and let the Patient keep his leg over the vapour this he must do morning and evening when he renews his Plaister Secondly To take away the swelling Take the flowers of Mullein of St. Johns wort of each two handfuls the Flowers of Elder three handfuls of the Flowers of Camomile two handfuls boyl them in Wine and Vinegar of each alike then pour off the liquor and take the Herbs and lay them warm to the swelling and so keep them at it till the swelling be gone Thirdly To cleanse it Take the unguent of the yolks of Eggs and mix with it some burnt Allum this must be applyed twice a day to the sore till it be well purged from all corruption and filthiness so as the sound flesh appears in the bottom of the sore Fourthly To consolidate the sore or to fill the holes up with flesh Take of the Stictick plaister of Colophony a quarter of a pound of Lithargirium half a pound of clean Rosin an ounce and a half set them over a slow fire and adde to them some Crocus of Steel and so mix them together You may also put to them some burnt Allum this Plaister must be applied to the sores twice a day until they be fill'd up with flesh The Stictick Plaister of Colophony is made thus Take of wax a pound of Colophony and Shoo-makers wax of each a quarter of a pound melt them together and then adde to them gum Ammoniact two ounces of gum Bdelium one ounce of the Load-stone made into a fine powder five ounces of Amber three ounces which being all mixed together make them into plaister with the oyl of eggs and so keep it for your use Fifthly To close it up and skin it Take the burned shells of eggs half an ounce of burnt Allum quenched in vinegar one dram of the Crocus of steel one ounce and a half of Incense Myrrhe Mastick of each half a dram make them into a fine powder and strow this powder upon the sore every day till it be skinned It falls out oft-times that the swelling cannot be taken away by any Medicine if the disease be of continuance and when it is so the Patient must remember to let blood at convenient times CHAP. VI. IF the Patient complain of a swelling in his Leg or Foot with great inflammation stench and corrupt matter which comes from it without eating or consuming the flesh and that formerly he hath had a wound prick or bruise badly cured in this place which may be the cause of this Ulcer Cure First you must cleanse the Ulcer with this following Receipt Take the green fruit of the Fir-tree gathered in May when they are full of moysture thirty of them boil them in water until you have boiled all the Rosin out of them then take them out and the Rosin which is yet in them press it out of them into the water throw them away and take the water with the Rosin and boil it again till the water be consumed then take out the Rosin and make of it an Ointment with the yolks of eggs adding to it
of washed Lithargire one ounce of Frog-spawn an ounce and a half the juice of Housleek and the juice of Water-Lillies of each three ounces mix them and apply them in the night time Another Take of Rose-water two ounces in this dissolve a dram of Camphire and anoint the Soar with it XXXV When the Nose burns exceedingly and being rubbed there comes a hard scurf upon the place which continueth so a year And at last it turns to a Fistula Cure We must not use any of those things for this which are used in the cure of a Fistula But use this Oyntment following Take the juice of Agrimony an ounce the juice of Onyons half an ounce the Oyl of Dill an ounce and a half Mix them and in this mixture dip a linnen cloth which you shall apply to the Soar until the cure be done XXXVI If there be a swelling in the Throat with a pain in the Head it turns to a Squinancy and afterwards to an Ulcer Cure It is cured with the water of Self-heal A Gargarism to wash the Mouth and Throat Take of Pellitory one ounce the juice of Saint Johns-wort two ounces the juice of Ars-smart three ounces of Oximel Scylliticum six ounces mix them Another Take the Liquor of Mmmmy one ounce the juice of Ars-smart two ounces of Vinegar three ounces Mix them and therewith wash your mouth and throat The cure of the Squinancy There are three Medicines which we must use in this Cure viz. a Gargarism a Plaister to be applyed outwardly and a remedy for the pain and heat of the head The Gargarism Take the honey of Roses four ounces round Birth-wort and Winter-green of each half an ounce the water of Prunes and the water of Self-heal of each seven ounces mix them with this wash your mouth letting it fal down to your throat three or four times a day this Gargarism doth good if the Aposthume be broken but not else And if there be a very great swelling then apply outwardly this following Plaister Take the Mucilage of Faenugreek ten ounces white Lead two ounces of Camphire made into powder half an ounce make them into a Plaister this Plaister will take away both the swelling and pain In the mean time you must also use this following remedy for the pain and heat of the head Take red Rose-water the water of Shepherds-purse the water of Nightshade the water of Housleek of each alike mix them in this dip a linnen cloth which you shall lay over all the head XXXVII When any have from the Womb some spot in their body blew or black or clay coloured Cure Take the flowers of Beans half an ounce the burned shels of Eggs two ounces Sal Peregrinorum one pound the water of Comfrey and spirit of Wine of each fifteen ounces distil them and in the water distilled dip a linnen cloth and apply it to the spot Another Take Plum-allum and Roch-allum of each one pound and distil a water from them to which adde Camphire half an ounce Salomons-Seal two ounces distil them again and dip a linnen cloth in the water distilled and apply it to the spot XXXVIII When there are dry clefts or chops in the hands or soles of the feet without Scabs Cure Take the meal of Barley and of wheat of each one ounce of Winter-green Agrimony Centory Self-heal of each half an ounce boil them in water and set your chopped hands or feet over the water to receive the vapor of the decoction this you must do every day four or five times Then purge the blood with this Take Germander and Succory of each alike boil them in wine and drink it this Potion will purge and rectifie the blood Then anoint the chops or clefts with this oyntment Take Petroleum the fat of a wilde Cat Harts grease Hogs grease of each half an ounce set them over the fire and mix them with this anoint the chops morning and evening XXXIX The cure of Warts Take the Oyl of Juniper Berries one once the oyl of Spike two drams Oleum Laterinum or Brick oyl seven drams mix them and with this anoint the Warts You may also drink the decoction of Germander and Succory to cleanse the Blood XL. If there be chops in the entrance of the Fundament or Matrix which burn and are very troublesom to the Patient when the Excrements or Urine are evacuated At last they turn to be a running soar inwardly Cure For the chops of the Womb Take Aloe Succotrine one ounce the root of round Birth-wort three ounces of washed Turpentine so much as is enough to make a Pessary with the Aloe and Birthwort which must be put up into the Womb. Another Take the Mucilage of Flea-wort one ounce the oyl of bitter Almonds three ounces the juice of the Flowers of Vervain six ounces Mix them and dip a linnen cloth in this mixture which you must apply to the place where the chops are every third hour Another Take the juice of Winter-green the juice of Comfrey of each four ounces the flowers of St. Johns-wort of the Flowers of Self-heal and the Flowers of Centory of each one ounce of Betony seven ounces the oyl of Dill four ounces mix them Another For the chops of the Womb and the Haemorrhoides Take of Mummy one ounce of red Lacca half an ounce the powder of Oranges and the powder of Antimony of each two ounces make them into powder and mix them XLI There are some swellings in which are bred small worms like Lice which grow broad and they make a reddish scaly scurf like the scales of Fishes Those who dig salt Mines as Coperas Mines or boil Salt or dig Copper c. are troubled with such Tumors Cure This Tumor requires outward Medicines not inward let it be anointed with this oyntment Take the oyl of Juniper Berries half a pound the oyl of sweet Almonds one pound the oyl of Beach-wood eight ounces mix them and anoint the Tumor therewith Another Oyntment Take of the oyl of Spike half an ounce the oyl of Oak three pound Cats grease a pound mix them over a fire and annoint the Tâ—mor therewith It is a good Preservative to keep us from the hurt of these Mineral Vapors XLII A swelling without pain retaining the natural colour of the skin and being pressed it retaineth a dimple after the pressure At last it putrifieth first inwardly and then breaketh out into a hollow Ulcer A Caution This Tumor must be cured by outward Medicines and not by inward Medicines Cure We must first open the Tumor then cleanse it lastly fill it with flesh A Medicine to open the Tumor Take Realgare one dram Talce three drams of Misselto so much as is sufficient to make the Plaister which you must apply to the Tumor until it be opened The cleansing Medicine Take of Colophony an ounce of Wax four ounces of Turpentine so much as to make the Plaister with this Plaister cleanse the Soar The Consolidating
influence of Jupiter to our selves or if we would turn away from us the influence of Mars or if we would draw to our selves the influences of such other Stars which are good Now this we cannot do as we can choose one herb and leave another I say we cannot do thus with the stars to keep off the influence of one and choose the influence of another as we please But thus much we may do if we observe the Sar before it put out its influence what is the most likely way of that influence viz. to what work business c. it enclines most and if it enclines to a business c. of that nature as ours is then we may by certain helps as those Images Rings c. which are made for the Planets draw the influence of that Star to work with us and assist us but these things I declare more fully elsewhere Fourthly many Herbs have somewhat lurking in them which can keep the life of man vigorous and flourishing for many ages for Herbs have an incorruptible essence the which when the Body of the Herb perisheth it entreth into some other Herb of the same kâ—nde or it remains incorruptible in the earth If we receive the essence of an Herb into our Bodies it stayeth with us till our Bodies perish and be putrified and then it enters into the earth So likewâ—se â—he essence and properties of Mans body leaves the body when it putrifieth Here we must remember the difference which is betwixt the property of the Herb and the essence of the Herb as for example the property of Hellebore makes Hellebore to be such an Herb differing from all other Herbs to have such and such vertues as Laxative c. So that the property of Hellebore can be in no other thing then Hellebore and when we receive the Hellebore or essâ—nce of the Hellebore into our body yet we do not receive the property of Hellebore The essence of Hellebore is the purest material substance of it containing the life all the vertues of the Hellibore in the highest degree Now when we take this essence inwardly it mixeth it self inseparably with that humor which is the chief seat of our life and preserveth this humor from destructive alterations and so long as this essence lasteth in us it doth us good it is of it self durable yet by the infection of our corruptible humors wherewith it is mixed it grows weaker and wasteth in time as Talce which cannot be consumed by fire yet it may be consumed otherwise in length of time I will here adde one thing further concerning the vertue of the place where we live viz. That there are some places which do so agree with the humor of life and do so preserve it that those who live there enjoy a wonderful long life and there are some other places which makes them immortal who live there The World may be divided into two parts the one part is the place of Mortality where we Mortals live in hope of Immortality by Grace the other part of the World is Paradise where death cannot be for whatsoever is there it is incorruptible naturally and not by a Miracle As our Phylosophick gold preserveth from Leprosie c. so it is the nature of Paradise to preserve from death that whatsoever hath its first being there it is thorowly undecayable in all its substance But we who live in this place of Mortality we have an incorruptible essence and we have a corruptible Body which can both be preserved without decaying in Paradise I will not write much of this because I have but little experience of it for the essence of Earth is the center of our experience and Paradise is far beyond our Travels so that what I speak of it I speak spiritually as in a dream rather then waking signifying to you that life is there perpetual continuing to the end of the world or if longer that is unknown to us But that you may more fully know how health and long life may be preserved you must consider the causes of health and the causes of diseases now health and all diseases are either from the minde or from the body The minde is the cause of such diseases which come by Witchcraft or our own imagination or the imagination of another or the influence of the Stars For when Imagination or Inchantment take hold of the minde and make an impression upon it so as the minde is disturbed and thoughts multiply and grow so strong that they overcome reason then at last by the power of that Imagination or Inchantment Reason is quite overthrown and so the evil operation of the Inchantment or Imagination prevails and thereby diseases are bred Thus also the influence of the Stars may overcome the minde and command it howbeit it be not bred in the minde nor depend of the minde as the former viz. Inchantment and Imagination yet it may powerfully encline the minde to good and bad operations as the Sun which pierceth through the glass and changeth that which is in the glass according to its own nature The other cause of health and diseases is the Body viz. The humors or complexions of the Body or some predominant quality or some principal member of the Body the Complexions are from the Body and are seated in those humors whereby the Body is sustained I will not here describe those diseases I conceive it not necessary neither will I here stay to discover to you the nature and causes of the minde and body or to tell you what choler is or what blood is or what Phlegm is or what Melancholy is but I will onely give you a hint of those things in general CHAP. V. The Life prolonging Medicine described how it should be used to what use it is chiefly intended and to whom it is most effectual I Now come to the Practice and first I will speak of natural remedies which are for those diseases whereof the Body is the cause and afterwards I will shew you how these diseases which come from the minde are to be cured which are not to be cured by natural remedies but they must be cured in such a way as is proper to them First then to preserve us from bodily diseases we must have respect chiefly to the humor of life which upholds the body governs the complexions of the body c. if it be kept in good case the Body is thereby preserved We need not be careful how we may renew the Complexions and Qualities of the Body or how to purge out hurtful or superfluous humors or how to cure the diseases of the Liver or Milt c. for these preservative Medicines which we use for long Life can do all this yea whatsoever defect or disease is in the Body they can throughly cure it and this they do not by that great vertue they have which is proper to the preservation of the humor of life and prolonging of life
that the Stars have a prevailing power upon the minde of Man and their operations are so strong that they overturn the minde oppress it c. We cannot hinder the motions of the Stars nor can we hinder them to put forth their Influence yet we may preserve our selves from that influence As those who are in a Town besieged howbeit they cannot hinder the Enemy to fire his Guns upon them yet they may preserve themselves from the harm of the shot by keeping themselves within the Walls So we may keep off the evil influences of the Stars by those preservatives which may be prepared for that purpose Now you must remember that there are two kindes of Influences there is one kinde of influence which is good and necessary to us that as the body is sustained by nourishment even so we are sustained strengthned and preserved by this good influence there is another kinde of influence which is hurtful to us this hinders the former good influence that it cannot have any operation upon us to do us good and against those hurtful influences we must provide defensives to preserve us from their harm Those defensives are the Rings and Images of the Planets which are made according to the influence i. e. they are made in the time of a good influence I do not deny but that the Rings of the Planets as I have shewed elsewhere treating of Imagination have a power to preserve us and are helpful to the prolonging of life yet I do not approve of them for many reasons which I will not mention now The best way how we may preserve our selves from the evil influences of the Stars I conceive it is this To turn off the influence from our selves to another thing which will easily yield to the Influence as for example If some evil Star as Mars c. be enclined to ruine me and this inclination hath made some Impression upon my minde and begins to infect it whereby I may fall into some disease of the minde then I must make an Image like a man upon which the evil influence may have its operation and so I my self may be saved from the harm of that influence For a Star being enclined to ruine me and finding some agreement betwixt me and this Image and that it hath a readier way to fall upon this Image and hath less resistance in this Image then it should have in me therefore it leaves me who am more difficult to work upon and chooseth the Image which is more easie where it fulfils its operation with delight There may be many other reasons given why the influence removes thus from the person against whom it was intended to the Image but I will not now express them for they are not pertinent to the purpose in hand The second thing of which I am to speak is to shew you how we may be preserved from the harm of Witch-craft that our life be not shortned by it I have in many other of my writings shewed remedies for Witch-craft but you shall use the same way here for Witch-craft and Inchantment as you have been taught before for the evil influences of the Stars for Witch-craft or Inchantment hath the same way of working upon our minde or Body as the evil influence of the Stars But here we must use another kinde of Object upon which the operatâ—on of Witch-craft must be turned then that which is used for the influences of the Stars Thus I do I make an Image of Wax like a Man which I set in its own place and whatsoever evil is intended against me by Witch-craft it shall be removed from me to that Image and there it will be accomplished for the Inchantment proceeding from the minde of the Witch against me my minde keeps it strongly off and turns it upon the Image whereby there can be no harm done on either side The third thing is how we may save our selves from the harm of the Imaginations of others I may be killed by an others Imagination if it be accomplished in me if it be not turned some other way from me I will explain this to you by an example Suppose I have an enemy who hath an extream hatred against me so that he exceedingly desires my death daily he is no Witch but onely a violent enemy and this I do not know that he hath any such malice against me Now what must I do that this imagination wrong me not Certainly the best course that I can take for this is thus to settle my minde and to keep it in quiet free from all passions or disturbance as much as possibly I can not desiring any revenge or to do any wrong to any and by this good temper of my minde the others malicious imagination against me shall be thus overcome that it cannot do any harm to me Fourthly whereas our own thoughts do oft-times wrong us as when I think my judgement too weak for such a thing c. by this thought my reason is quite overcome and I lose my reason with it as I have shewed more largely elsewhere Now the best help for such thoughts is this Not to put more upon our reason then it can easily perform and so we shall not be troubled with such thoughts Another way to help these thoughts is thus If we conceive any thing to be much without the reach of our Judgement c. for this we may use the same Image which we use for the influences of the Stars and the Image standing in our stead and is as it were the same with us then those thoughts which would have wronged us will vanish and they will pass from us to the Image for the Image cannot make any resistance against these thoughts and there they may be fulfilled without any harm Fifthly By the thoughts and imaginations many Superstitions are made effectual which differ much from Inchantment or imagination As for example When I hear a Raven upon the top of my house then I have a Superstitious thought that this must be a sign of death in my house now this Superstitious thought growing strong may either cause sickness or the death of one who is sick in my house the truth of this appears oft-times by experience and I have given the reasons of this in my Treatise of Superstitions The way to prevent the harm of such Superstitions is thus I must perswade my judgement that such superstitious thoughts are vain and foolish and what I esteem to be a certain sign of such or such a thing to come to pass that this is my error I must endeavor to convince my Judgement of it and I must be always careful to exalt my Reason above groundless conceits and not to entertain thoughts upon the report or phansies of others nor to conform my thoughts to vulgar opinions as when I hear the croaking of a Raven upon my house I must think no otherwise of this but that it is onely the natural act of the Raven which signifieth no more to me upon my house then in any other place and thus this superstitious thought is overcome and made ineffectual A strong conceit of the truth and certainty of superstitious thoughts is the cause which oft-times makes them have their effect but if I examine these thoughts by reason and so come to see their groundlesness vanity and folly this will quite destroy them and prevent that evil which they might effect This I conceive is enough for those cures of the diseases of the minde If any do not understand these things which I have written here concerning long Life it is because they can neither perceive what I say nor what Nature doth I do not intend to make those things plainer to them for what I have written here I have written it onely for those who are grounded in the knowledge of such things and it is my desire that they may fully understand me If you would know what Dyet is best for long life observe these rules following 1. Let your meats and drinks be prepared with the preservative Medicine and this will drive out all superfluous humors which lurk in the Body 2. If you have any inward diseases then you must speedily use fit Medicines as Quintessences c. to ripen them Concerning the causes of diseases and their proper remedies I will not write any thing here for that I have done in many other of my Physical Treatises 3. The best Dyet for long life is a moderate dyet which I need not describe here seeing it is so well known to every Physician 4. Let your meats and drinks be rightly prepared that is They must be purged from all superfluities impurities and whatsoever is hurtful in them and this is to be done the same way which is used in the separation of the Elements as I have described in my Book concerning Restauration and Renovation Such purified meats and drinks with a moderate dyet are wonderfully helpful to the prolonging of life they nourish well and they never cause any disease in the Body this cannot be said of other meats and drinks To conclude Observe That those purified meats and drinks yield better nourishment to our Bodies then any other they do encrease flesh and good blood very much this is their use and the use of their preservative Medicine is to preserve the spirit of Life and the humor of life FINIS