necessary that we consider first what life is secondly which is the chief seat of life thirdly by what things life is shortned or lengthened Lâ—fe is not a body but a thing spiritual like hearing seeing smelling c. Now that which is a body we may easily finde it out by the course of Nature whence it is but we cannot finde out by the course of Nature what sight is or what is the cause of sight or how it is effected so neither can we finde out what life is or how it is produced for life comes not of natural seed according to the ordinary course of nature as the most part of natural things do but it comes from a natural beginning in a Spiritual and extraordinary maner As for example we strike fire with a steel and a flint and yet there is no fire either in the steel or flint neither are they of a fiery nature either by their predominant Element or their complexion they are bodies which will not yield to fire they are not easily consumed by fire they seem to râ—sist fire and yet we can bring fire from them After the same maner life comes from these things in which there is no life viz. seed root c. even as the fiery sparks comes from the flint in which there is no fire Now let us consider whether or not the life can be lengthned amended or strengthned seeing it is incorporal It is like fire which having more wood burns more vehemently So life the more it hath of the humor of life so much the more the Spirit of life abounds But that fire should come from that in which there is no fire the reason of this we cannot know Many do think that the hardness of the flint and steel is the cause of these fiery sparks which comes from them and so they rest satisfied But by this answer they do not yet satisfie our question viz. How any thing can come from that in which it never was The life as I said before is like a flame which feeding upon Wood or Oyl and fat substances c. as it were living in them visibly represents life to us and as a flame decaying is renewed again by adding more wood c. yea when the flame is gone and there is onely live coals yet by larger additions of suitable matter the flame shall become greater then it was before So the life is stronger or weaker according to the goodness or badness of that whereby the life is continued so that according to nature we may refresh and cherish life by supplying it with those things which are agreeable and delightsom to it whereby it is made stronger and of longer continuance We ought not then to think the time of mans life is so determined that every man must needs die such a day and such an hour nor is it suitable to Christianity to think this that the life cannot be prolonged by these Medicines which God hath created to this purpose God hath created these Medicines for our use and he hath granted us a liberty to use them the defect is onely in us that we do not know those Medicines Mans reason is very weak it fails in most things we are much short in discerning of things good or hurtful to us how few men know the largeness of that power which God hath granted to man Adam knew all those things perfectly he was the wisest of Mortal men and he had continued immortal if he had not been deprived of the Tree of Life the which Tree of Life hath its place in Medicine as well as in Divinity for howbeit it was the Tree of Life yet it was a natural Tree CHAP. IV. How the Life is prolonged by vertue of the place where we live by the four Elements by the Stars and by the vertues of Herbs THe third thing I promised to speak of is this viz. To shew you those things by which life in lengthned or shortned And first The Place where we live makes much for the prolonging or shortning of our life There is great difference in Countreys Climates Cities Mountains Valleys c. Some are far more agreeable to long life then others in some places there is better Air they yield more delight the vapors which rise out of the ground more wholesom c. then in other places Secondly the Elements viz. Earth Air Water and Fire work great changes in life sometimes to the better sometimes to the worse Out of the Earth groweth every thing which nourisheth our Bodies and that also which destroyeth our Bodies We have from the earth not onely that which is hurtful to us as poyson c. but we have also that which can cure us and keep us from the harm of such things as Gold Balm c. Do not think that we have Medicines created onely to cure diseases for if so then Medicines could have no operation in Bodies which are sound and whole but experience proves this to be false You must know this that the Earth brings forth not onely such things which can destroy us or take away our health but also gives us Medicines which not onely can cure our diseases but also can preserve our life and health Meat and drink if rightly used they are the means to preserve our life but if abused they destroy life as it appears oft-times by the effects of Drunkenness and gluttony for whatsoever we have from any of the Elements may be good or hurtful to us accordingly as it is used Again observe That what damage we receive by one Element it is recompenced by another Element Water doth resist fire and by this resistance it preserveth things that they are not destroyed by the consuming heat of fire and if there be any damage by fire or water the Air will make amends the Air will not forsake us nor leave life if we do not first forsake it Sometimes the Air is infected and by its infection may kill us but we may easily know when it is infected and so we may preserve our selves from it if we leave it and go where there is a better Air. Here observe this difference in Air and the rest of the Elements there is a general Air and a particular Air a general water c. Now of particular Airs one may be good and another bad also one piece of earth is better then another and some water better then other water so also fire some is useful and some is hurtful as Lightning c. Thirdly the Stars have a great and powerful influence upon the life and health of Man they can make sick they can restore health they can preserve health they can bring death or prolong life There is no kinde of thing in the world but there are some good and some evil of that kinde Then here lyeth the main business how to get the good and eschew the evil we cannot have always that which we would as if we would appropriate the
the very moment of her imagination You must also know the cause of her imagination why she touched any part of her body at that time but because it is seldom that the mother can fully enform you of every particular therfore you must have recourse to Astronomy and by it you may have a ful information according to which you must proceed If the mark be in the likenes of a worm then you must take a worm such a one with which the mark agreeth best according to the information and if that worm was alive when the mother saw it then you must lay the worm alive upon the mark and so keep it at the mark till it dieth and no longer But if it was dead before she saw it then you must lay a dead worm upon the mark which you must keep at the mark till it be putrified You must also observe the time when the mothers Imagination was moved by the sight of this worme and in the same time you must binde the worme upon the mark if it was in the Summer c. then you must binde the worme upon the mark in the Summer time If the Mothers Imagination was moved by a strong desire after any thing then her child which hath such a marke must be satiated and filled with the thing desired but if the mothers Imagination was from feare of a worm then the party who hath the mark must be put in fear when the worm is laid to the marke So the marke shall be rooted out howbeit it is not yet quite brought out of the skinne But to doe this you must take Aqua fortis and wash the skin with it and so in the space of eight or fourteene dayes the old skin shall fall off and a new fair skin shall come in its place after the same manner All marks not only of beasts or Vermine but also of fruits or of any thing else in our bodies may be taken away and cured by these things which caused those marks being used in that manner as hath been now said of worms This is a most secret cure which never any revealed before me and I am not ashamed to reveal it for I am the first who by experience have found the truth of it TREATISE VIII Concerning Common Salt and Brimstone their Medicinal Vertues and Preparations CHAP. I. GOD hath created every thing needful for the use of man and it is easily gotten that which is less useful is not so plentiful so God hath appointed Now Medicine is a thing very useful to man which he needs not fetch from beyond seas seeing he may have it at hand Nor yet they who live beyond sea need these medicines which grow here and so I may say of Salt that as it is of great use to man so there is great quantity of it sufficient to all mens uses There be two uses of Salt of which we will here especially take notice viz. it seasoneth meates and cureth diseases That meate which a man eates without Salt is never well and perfectly digested for it is the nature of Salt to correct every thing in the digestion of it it is the true Corrector of all meates usual to be eaten And whatsoever meat is not seasoned by Salt is unwholesome Let your meate bee moderately Salted not too much nor too little this will helpe digestion but when meate is not Salted or slightly Salted it turns to a thin waterish or slimy blood and the flesh which is bred of such meate is subject to corruption and to all diseases those who cannot endure any saltishness in any thing but whatsoever they eat is very fresh most commonly they are weaker then others their complexion is worse and they are easily infected with any disease Our Nature would have nothing but what is corrected and seasoned by Salt and boyled or otherwise prepared by the fire unless we give way to appetire to eat somethings raw and unprepared as onions Rhadishes c. Salt is the earthly balsome of man and of all things else And where no Salt is there is the beginning of putrefaction It is Salt only which preserveth both dead things and living from putrefaction In things living their Salt which is in them preserveth them there is Salt in the blood of every living creature which preserveth them that they doe not putrifie while they are alive There is a Salt not only in living creatures but also in herbs mettals stones and all Vegetables there is not any thing but it hath in it a Salt proper to it as appeares by those several kinds of Salts which are extracted out of several things As Balsome preserveth from putrefaction so doth Salt in this it is like balsome nay it is of a higher Nature and more subtle then balsome Whatsoever wants Salt it cannot continue bu it decayeth and putrifieth man beast and every thing else must have this preserving power of Salt in it we see by experience many things as flesh and fish c. preserved by Salt yea there is not any thing but it may be preserved by Salt which is to be done not by a sprinkling only or mixing of the Salt with the thing to be preserved but the Salt must be prepared and if the Salt be made a breeding or engendring Salt it will preserve any thing a very long time if wood or clay be laid in it they will become hard like stones Whatsoever is sprinkled with this breeding Salt it doth not decay or alter but in time it grows to be of a stony nature This breeding Salt howbeit it drieth and at last decayeth and perisheth yet it so congealeth and becomes so firm and hard that it can endure in the air water or earth alike Moreover Salt is wonderfully good for the preservation of health it is of great worth to us not only in seasoning of meat but it is also a singular remedy for wounds for if wounds be washed with water in which this salt is dissolved they shall thereby be preserved a whole year from corruption so that if a wound in the Summer time especially in the beginning of the dog-dayes incline to corruption the way to hinder it is by this washing this will likewise hinder the breeding of worms in wounds and if there be any worms in the wounds it will bring them out This is a great secret in Chirurgery and let not Surgeons c be ashamed to use such a water They do indeed use other remedies whereby corruption and worms are bred in wounds which they can no way afterwards help and thus by their remedies they oft-times undoe their patients But let the true and faithful Physician use this washing in the cure of wounds for wounds being kept clean by this nature it self will do the rest of the cure This washing cureth wounds after the same manner as a dog by licking cureth his soars or cuts Where Salt is made there is a kind of liquor like oyl so thick that an
allom or salt Gemme they will thereby become so subtle that they can root out tetters or any kind of scabs for this one thing we may well esteem of brimstone as of a great treasure that it can take away these outward faults of the body which are rooted within the body even as the loadstone draws iron to it and makes it leave the place where it was So there is in brimstone a magnetick power which cannot be fully described such miracles of nature are manifested by the experiences of Alchimy God hath given to us sufficient medicines but it is our fault that we are not more diligent in preparing of them in separating the good from that which is bad and useless in them Medicine now is not an Art as it was in former times for in stead of physical practice we have ntohing but prating I will now shew you the way how to prepare brimstone for some Chymical uses thus melt your brimstone in some lin-seed oyl and the oyle with the brimstone will become like a piece of liver take this and distil it and you shall have come out first a lâ—quor like milk afterwards will come a red oyl like blood it is to be observed that this white liquor and the red oyle are not confounded in the distilling but they come out severally and when they are distilled they do not mix but the white liquor goeth to the bottom and the red oyl swims in the top Some have attempted to make silver with the white l quor and to make gold with the red oyle but in vain I know that never any thing would bee effected with this white liquor neither by the ancient nor by the modern Chymists but in the red oyl are secrets worthy to be known I will shew you one or two secrets of this oyle If a Crystall or Beril after it is well polished be put into this oyle and lye in it three years so it will become a Jacinth or if you put a pale coloured Ruby in this oyl and let it lie in it nine years it will become so clear and bright that it will sparkle and shine in the dark like a live coal this experience hath taught Some Alchimists have tryed to turne a Jacinth into a Carbuncle leaving the Jacinth in this oyl some time but my experience tells me that this cannot be done If you put a Saphir into this oyl and let it lie in it some time it will make the Saphir be of a blewish colour mixed with a green Thus likewise other precious stones may be coloured this is the only thing which can help the colour of precious stones there was never any other way known how to give colours to precious stones or how to heighten their colours if they be low but only by the red oyl of Brimstone but glass cannot receive any colour from this oyl You have heard what operation this oyl hath upon precious stones now I will shew you what operation it hath upon metals Put beaten silver into this oyl and when it hath lien in it some time it will be turned into a blackish golden powder you must let this powder lye in the oyl till it be fixed for if you take it out before its time you will find it to be an unripe thing which will not endure the fire because it is not yet fixed but of this I will say no more Observe this of the Brimstone that the more it is purified and exalted so its operation will be quicker and more powerful and by it metals or stones may be fixed any who will try it may assure themselves that they shal do it It is true that the labour of Alchimy is the most dangerous of any in Chymick operations is great danger and difficulty and therefore it requires a man of long practice and great experience who must have his knowledge not by reading or by the report of others but by his own experience You may take notice of one thing more concerning this oyl you have heard that it gives colours in the highest degree both to stones and to metâ—â—â—â— but whether it can give them the Vertues with the Colours or if it can heighten their Vertues this is to be doubted I can say nothing to it Again observe that there is a balsom in brimstone which will not suffer either a living or a dead body to putrifie or decay yea it so preserveth the body that neither any influence of the stars nor corruption can touch the body If you take circulated Coperas that is that Coperas whose water is so long circulated upon its own body till it stayes fix'd in its body so that the force of fire cannot make it leave its body any more your circulating vessel wherein your Coperas is must be set in warm dung or warm water then will the moisture of the Coperas vapour up in the glass and fall back againe to the Coperas and thus you must keep your circulating vessel in the warm dung or hot water untill the moisture of the Coperas will not rise up any more in the glass and then you have circulated Coperas mix your brimstone made into a powder with this circulated Coperas and sublime the brimstone so often from the Coperas till it stayes with the Coperas and will ascend no more and thâ—â— you have a fixed spirit which is the â—â—â—some of the earth and is the chief of all balsoms TREATISE IX Of the Medicinal and Chymicall Vertues and Preparations of COPERAS CHAP. I. The kinds of Coperas and the marks of the goodnesse of Coperas IN Coperas there is a perfect cure for the Jaundice for the stone and sand in the kidnies or bladder for all fevers for worms for the falling sicknesse c. if we be bound in our body Coperas will loosen excellently In this discourse concerning Coperas I will observe this Order first I will speak of its Vertues before it be prepared then I will shew you the Vertues of it prepared I will shew you what vertues it hath in medicine and what vertues it hath in Alchimy In medicine it is good both for inward diseases and outward diseases it is good for an hereditary leprosie for tetters or wild scabs c. and for many other diseases where other medicines fail and can do no good the powerful medicines which are made of Coperas searcheth till it find the root of the disease which it consumes and so cureth the disease throughly and therefore the preparations of Coperas should be well known to every physician The Coperas dissolved in water and the Coperas calcined or burned the green oyl of Coperas the red and white oyl of Coperas each of these have their several vertues and how many wayes it is changed so often it gets some new vertue This one thing viz. Coperas doth confound all the Apothecaries and Writers both of Italy and Germany this alone can fill the fourth part of their shops
vinegar in which Coperas is dissolved let it dry and sprinkle it again and thus doe four or five times when it is thus prepared it will search to the bottome of the sore But the best way of preparing this calcined Coperas is thus distill the water off from the Coperas the grounds remaining is calcined Coperas put the water distilled to the said grounds distill it again do thus so often till no water will come from the grounds If you use this for any sore you will find it to be very subtil and piercing In curing sores you must consider well the degrees of sores and that which will not yeild to the calcined Coperas must bee cured by the oyle or water of Coperas So that if wee can do no good by the calcined Coperas wee must not therefore despair but we must prepare it further by distillation and in so doing wee may bring this medicine to that height that it can cure all kinds of sores as Canker wolf fistuls c. CHAP. III. Of the true Spirit and true oyle of Coperas how they are made and what are their Vertues ALchimy hath discovered many excellent secrets to physicians whereby great cures have been done and therefore physicians formerly when they entred upon the study of medicine they also studied Alchimy because it is the mother of many worthy physical secrets These two Arts viz. Medicine and Alchimy as companions were studied together till those talkative cheaters the humorists poisoned Medicine and made that virgin to be a strumpet and so must remain so long as they prevail for when ignorant men take upon them the profession of an art which they know not that Art certainly doth suffer violence and must be wronged Thus Alchymy hath been wronged in many things especially in Coperas how many deceitful oyls and spirits of Coperas have we in stead of that true oyl and true spirit of Coperas which the ancient physicians used they had the true spirit of Coperas and they exalted it to the highest degree whereby they perfectly cured any falling sicknesse in men women or children but others since who were unskilfull in Alchymy thinking to take a better way have endeavoured to draw out the spirit and to exalt the vertues of the Coperas otherwise and so leaving the first secret way of the Ancients which they lost they laboured to draw the oyle out of the calcined Coperas but in vain for what they draw out of it is of no use for that which cureth the falling sickness must have a subtle piercing spirit The true spirit or true oyl of Coperas hath such a piercing searching nature that it goeth through the whole body and nothing can escape it and when it meets with the disease it resists it and overcomes it in its own place now a physician cannot certainly know the seat and center of the disease and therefore he hath need to have such remedies as will search through the whole body and find out the disease and this is the reason why Humorist-doctors can never cure this disease and so they shame their profession because they have not the right remedies which can do it I can certifie this that the oyl which the common Alchymists draw out of the calcined Coperas which the Apothecaries call the spirit of Vitrial it hath nothing of a subtle or piercing nature in it it is a meer earthly dead thing which hath no profitable operation It is much to be lamented that through unskilfulness the true way should be suppressed and the false should be thus received in its stead I am perswaded that the divel doth this for this end that the sect of the Humorist-Doctors may be prevalent and that the diseased may not re-enjoy their health But to return to my purpose I will now shew you how you may get the true oyl and the true spirit of Coperas and how the Ancients found out the spirit first they distilled a water from the Coperas this water they distilled alone circulated it till it was fully corrected as their way teacheth and this water they used for many diseases both inward diseases as falling sicknesse c. and outward diseases and thereby they performed wonderful cures then they took this water so corrected and they powred it upon the grounds which remained in the first distillation and they distilled it again from the grounds thus they did eight or ten times with a strong fire whereby the wet spirits were united to the dry spirits so firmly that by continuall distilling the dry spirits at last came out with the wet spirits then they took these two spirits thus firmly united and put them in a glasse vessel where they exalted them to the highest degree these two spirits together thus exalted the Ancients found them to have greater operation then the foresaid water alone and with this one medicine they could do more then the Humorist-Doctors can do with all the medicines they have Artists do adde to this medicine sublimed wine to make it more piercing Now I will shew you my way which I use and commend it to all physicians especially for the falling-sickness which is cured only by this spirit of Coperas my way is thus I put so much spirit of wine to the Coperas as the Coperas will drink in then I distil a water from the Coperas and so I proceed in the same manner as is said before when the medicine is perfected I adde to it these things following viz. to one ounce of the spirit of Coperas I adde two ounces of the corrected spirit of Tartar and two drams of the warer of Treakle camphorated The patient who is troubled with the falling-sickness should take this medicine before his fit come upon him he may take it twice or thrice a day so much of it as the physician shall appoint Nature cannot afford a better medicine then this for the falling sickness My way of preparing this medicine is the same which was used by the Ancients I only addâ— the spirit of wine before I distill it and I adde to the medicine when it is perfected these things which I have named This precious spirit of Coperas is not only good for the falling-sicknesse but also for all diseases of the like nature as sounding extasie c. It is also good for all obstructions and inward imposthumes for fits of the mother and falling down of the mother Physicians might find out many other excellent vertues in this spirit of Coperas if they were diligent in searching them and if they would shew themselvs good and faithful physicians and careful of the health of their patients cursed be all those physicians who regard only their own gain and not the health of their patients especially those patients who are afflicted with that sad disease the falling-sickness I hope all good people will approve of what I have done here and truly I have described the way of preparing this spirit
Put them in two gallons of water boyl it to six quarts Or put them in new Ale or new Beer four or five dayes then let the Patient drink of it Another Potion Take of Angelica half an ounce of Mummy one ounce of Parmacity two drams of the kernels of Walnuts two ounces of Orpine two handfuls of Sowbread two ounces of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss of each three handfuls Put them in a sufficient quantity of Water or c. and boyl them There is another Way of Preparing Wound-Drinks viz. thus Let your Herbs ly in distilled Water some time then set them to a slow fire in a vessel well stopt six or eight hours then strain it and drink it The Potion Take of the Water of Marsh Bugloss twenty ounces of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss one handful of Sanicle half a handful of Periwincle half an handful set them over a very slow fire in a Pot well stopt six or eight hours then strain it and keep it for your use Another Potion Take of Juniper Berries two pounds and bruise them of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss of Hony-suckle and the Root of white Sanicle of each half a handful of Adders Tongue a handful and an half of great Comfrey and Birth-wort of each five ounces of Arsmart four ounces put them in a distilling Vessel and distil a Water from them then put into the Water distilled fresh Herbs viz. These already named and fresh Juniper Berries and let them ly in the Water some time or set them over a slow fire in a Pot well stopt four or five hours Observe That Juniper Berries have a singular Secret Vertue for Wounds Another Potion Take the Roots of great Comfre two ounces of Birth-wort three ounces of sweet Flagg one ounce of Flower-de-luce half an ounce of Periwincle four handfuls of white Sanicle half a handful of Myrrh Mastich Frankincense Mummy of each half an ounce of Rheubarb six drams boyl them in Wine or Distilled Water or common Water with some of the juyce of Marsh-Bugloss in that manner as hath been already described How much of these Potions a Patient should take at a time must be considered by the skilful Physician according to the strength of the Patient and nature of the Potion These Wound-Drinks do keep the Body in good temper and do prevent many Evils which use to accompany Wounds They feed and strengthen Nature very much which cannot be done by outward Medicines And there is no way so good as by Wound-Drinks to cure wounds made by thrust Therefore Surgeons should not neglect these wound-potions so much as they do There are many good Herbs with which you may make wound drinks as these viz. white Sanicle wood Sanicle middle Comfrey Parsnep Arsmart both Beets golden Maiden-hair Lilies c. and many others there are But observe that amongst those Herbs mentioned in the Potions and here there are three whose juice being drunk cureth any Wound made by cut or thrust and there are two herbs mentioned which if you take any of them whole and dip it in running water and lay it to the wound take it presently off again from the wound and bury it in some place and as it putrifieth so the wound groweth well There is also one herb named amongst these whose juice or decoction being drunk thrice cureth any wound and all those evils which accompany a Wound But such great secrets of Nature should not be put in print but every one should diligently search after them There are also some herbs amongst these already named which being drunk cure the wounds of the Gout as easily as the Wounds of fleshy parts CHAP. II. Oyntments for Wounds TAke of fresh May butter one pound of Ribwort and the greater and lesser sea-marsh Buglosse and Beers with their roots of each one handfull of Adders tongue three handfull Beat the Herbs with the Roots and mix them with the Butter put them in a glasse and set them in the Sun two or three months then strain them and keep them for your use Another Take of May butter three pounds the Roots of great Comfrey one pound of Adders tongue one pound and a half of Birth-wort a quarter of a pound beat them and mix them with the Butter put them in a glasse and set the glasse in the Sun some time or put it in warm dung a month then strain them through a linnen cloth and what you presse out of them keep it for your use That your Oyntment may keep the better wash it with salt water or put a little salt to it You may also make an Oyntment with one Herb as with Butter and Birth-wort or great Comfrey or with Honey and Adders tongue or the flowers of Saint Johns-wort and such like Many such Oyntments may be made but the two former Oyntments are sufficient to cure any Wound This way of making Oyntments is commonly used and was used by the Ancient Physicians But now I will give you a more excellent way of making Oyntments first found out and used by my self Take Comfrey Birth-wort Adders tongue maâ—sh Buglosse all of them or which of them you will take them green with their Roots then pour so much wine upon them as the wine may be above them then take two pots which are of the same bigness put your Herbs and the wine in the one pot and over this pot set your other pot mouth to mouth lay clay about the mouthes of your pots that no vapour can come out and set them over a slow fire ten hours then take them out strain and presse all the liquor well out of the Herbs to this liquor put some honey or fresh butter and boyl it again to a consistence and then you have an Oyntment which you may trust to in the most difficult Cures There is yet another way to make Oyntments with Rosins thus Take the Rosin of the Larch-tree or Pine Rosin one pound make it into powder and mix it with the whites of twenty eggs and beat them well together then add to them the powder of the roots of great Comfrey half an ounce the powder of round Birth-wort one ounce of barley meal six drams Mix them all well together and then you have a very good Oyntment for any Wound Another Take of the Rosin of the Fir-tree or common Rosin one pound melt it with some of the marrow of a Calf then put to them so much of the powder of the root of Great Comfrey as you shall see fit and mix them wel together in a warm mortar CHAP. III. Oyls and Balsoms for Wounds TAke of Sallet oyl or Turpentine one pound of Camomile red Roses and Self-heal of each one handfull of the flowers of St. Johns wort two handfull of the flowers of Centory and the flowers of Celendine of each half an handfull Mix them well with the Oyle of Turpentine put them in a glasse and set them in the Sun two
is from the moist Phlegmatick constitution of the body so accordingly the Ulcer may be easier or harder to be cured For first the Defluxion must be dryed up before the Ulcer can be cured its true the Defluxion may be turned another way but not without danger of some great evil and oft-times it returns again to the old passage The Medicine which dryeth this Defluxion and cureth the Ulcer is the Crocus of Steel but you must joyn to this Crocus some cleansing Oyntment before described that the sore may be kept clean until it be cured When Ulcers come of wounds badly cured the way how these Ulcers should be cured I have set it down in my Book concerning the cure of Wounds CHAP. XII WHen Ulcers are from the influence of the stars you may know it by this That they will not yield as other Ulcers to any natural Medicines viz. Mummy Comfrey Plaisters or Oyntments c. but they must have such Medicines which are governed by some influence as Celandine Oak-leaves Plantane c. these do the cure certainly and safely if they do not cure without preparation then prepare them thus Take Celandine three handfuls of Oak-leaves two handfuls bruise them together and put them in a glass close stopt put the glass in warm dung some time then take them out put them in a distilling Vessel and distil an oyl from them with this oyl anoint the sore and strow the powder of the same herbs upon the sore until the cure be perfected To conclude observe this that in the curing of any Ulcer there are chiefly four things to be done viz. First we must asswage the pain Next we must cleanse the sore And in the third place We must consolidate the sore And lastly We must close it up and skin it If Chyrurgions would observe this method they might cure all Ulcers unless they be such Ulcers which are inflicted by God upon us as punishments But because of their pride avarice envy c. I do not write these things for them but for the sick A Treatise of Vlcers SECT II. Wherein are contained some rare Experimented Remedies for Ulcers especially for the Ulcers of the French Pox. A Medicine to cleanse Vlcers TAke of Turpentine one pound the yolks of twenty Eggs mix them well together and put to them as much of honey as is of them and set them over the fire half a quarter of an hour Apply this to the Ulcer morning and evening until the Ulcer be cleansed to these you may adde an ounce of the ashes of burned Fetherfew A Medicine to fill up any Vlcer with flesh after it is cleansâ—d Take of the former Oyntment one pound of Turpentine washed with rose-Rose-water or Comfrey water c. put them together over the fire and stir them together then put to them these Gums viz Galbanum Oppoponax Bdelium being dissolved in vinegar and the vinegar strained and boiled away from them of each an ounce the Powder of Birth wort one ounce and a half mix them and make a Plaister A Medicine to take away dead flesh or rotten bottom of an Vlcer If you know not how much there is of the rotten bottom then you must first apply this Take of the former cleansing Medicine half a pound with which you shall mix half an ounce of burned Allum and quenched in Vinegar and if in four days the Ulcer be not betâ—er then take this oyntment viz. of burned Allum quenched in vinegar and of the oyl of Arsnick of each alike and if the Ulcer yieldeth not to this neither then instead of burned Allum take burned Coperas when there comes a scurf upon the bottom of the sore it must be taken off with the oyl of Bricks afterwards anoint the place with Butter But I commend to you this following way as better to take away the rotten bottom of an Ulcer without a scurf by this following Receipt viz. Take of Allum burned and quenched in vinegar one ounce and a half of salt Armoniack one dram the yolks of four eggs a spoonful of honey of Bean-meal a half ounce mix them together with this make a tent to be put into the Ulcer if it be deep but if the Ulcer be not deep you may apply it as a plaister once a day until you come to a sound bottom cleared of all putrefaction But if there be any venomous matter in the bottom of the Ulcer you must draw it out with this following Medicine Take of Amber made into powder put it in a small pot well stopt set it over the fire to melt and when it is melted put to it so much of Turpentine as is the third part of the Amber and when they are mixed together put to them as much more Turpentine and this do so often until you have put to one ounce of Amber four ounces of Turpentine if it be too thick you may put to it some Lin-seed oyl then dip pieces of linnen cloth in it to be laid into the Ulcer and lay a Stictick Plaister upon the Ulcer The Balsom or Oyl of Tartar is made thus Take of Salt-Peter one pound of Arsnick or Rats-bane one ounce of unslaked Lime three ounces of Tartar twelve ounces make them into a powder put them into an earthen vessel which is not glased within and burn them in a hot fire six or eight hours then dissolve them in a sufficient quantity of water strain the water and boil it until it be boiled away and to that which remaineth adde some Salt-Peter of each a like quantity beat them together into a powder mix them well and keep them in a hot fire four or five hours then desolve them in water and do as you did before thus do three times and when they are burned the third time then pour upon them a sufficient quantity of vinegar let them dissolve in the vinegar and distil the Vinegar from them until you have an oyl Take some of this Oyl and some burned Allum quenched in Vinegar and mix them so as the mixture be thicker then honey dip pieces of linnen cloth in this to be laid into the Ulcer and when it hath lain in the Ulcer twelve hours look upon the Ulcer and if the Uâ—cer and about the Ulcer be very red then you must apply this Medicine but once in twenty four hours and continue it so until the redness and inflammation be gone Then take of the former oyl of Tartare two pounds of Tragacanthum dissolved in Rose-water two ounces of Camphire half an ounce mix them together in this mixture dip pieces of linnen cloth and lay them into the Ulcer and it will without pain or danger dry up and cure the Ulcer But if the Ulcer be hollow and must be filled up with flesh then take of the common oyl of Tartar five ounces of Mummy one ounce of the Crocus of steel one ounce and a half of the oyl of the yolks of Eggs ten drams mix them and apply them
ignorance The third kinde of Experiments viz. Wax Plaisters Plaisters were formerly made with wax and Turpentine to which were added several Simples for divers kindes of Ulcers Wax may be used for any sore but Turpentine is to be used onely for moist sores divers kindes of sores must have divers kindes of remedies It is most rashly done by those who when they finde a Medicine good for one sore they will use it for every sore I advise Physicians that they use not these my experiments any other ways then I have expressed here A Plaister Take of the oyl of Mirtle of Wax and of red Lead of each one pound and a half of the flower of Copper and Mummy of each one ounce of Aloepatick one ounce and a half of Oppopanax two ounces of Turpentine half a pound mix them and make them into a Plaister Another Take of the flower of Copper one pound the oyl of Dill and Wax of each one pound and a half of Colophony four ounces the oyl of Bays two ounces of Turpentine half a pound of Mummy Mastick Frankincense of each two ounces of Sagapenum and Galbanum of each one ounce and a half make them into a Plaister Another Take of Wax and Sallet oyl of each three pounds of Celandine Buck-horn of each half an ounce of Mastick Oppopanax Myrrhe Mummy Galbanum of each one ounce of round Birthwort Frankincense Ammoniacum of each one ounce and a half of Turpentine six ounces melt your Wax then put to it the Mastick Frankincense the gums Oyl and Turpentine then mix with them the herbs made into powder to which you may adde some Oyl of Spike or of earth-Worms Another Take of Wax one pound of Colophony four ounces of red and white Corals of the Load-stone of the Lapis Calaminaris of Amber of Antimony of each of them made into powder one ounce of Mummy Frankincense Myrrhe Mastick of each one ounce and a half first melt your wax and when it is melted put the rest to it The fourth kinde of Experiments are Powders Mummy is excellent to fill an Vlcer with Flesh Take Mummy put it in a glass which can endure the fire or in a pot well closâ—d and set it in a fire which hath three degrees of heat four days then take your glass or pot out of the fire open it let the vapor go out of it and when the Mummy is cooled take it out and make it into a powder Another Take of Mummy and Lin-seed oyl of each alike mix them together and let them stand two days then pour to them as much of the Spirit of wine as they both and let them stand two days then set them over a slow fire till the Wine be consumed and the Mummy is dry when it is cooled make it into powder Another Take Mummy and burn it until the ashes of it begins to change their colour then pour water upon it and let it stand a day then pour off the water carefully so that the grounds do not mix with it take this water and boyl it away that which remains in the bottom make it into powder and keep it for your use There are two Experiments of Amber observed by the ancient Physicians the one is to fill up hollow sores the other is to cure eating sores The first is this Take Amber and dissolve it in some Petroleum afterward dry them and make them into powder The other is this Distil an oyl from Amber pour some of this oyl upon the grounds remaining in the Distillation or upon some fresh Amber and let it dry again then pour some more Oyl and let it dry again and so do oft-times then make it into powder There are also two Experiments of Myrrh for curing foul Vlcers Take Myrrhe and dâ—ssolve it in the oyl of the yolks of eggs then put to them five times so much Wine and let them stand five days then set them over the fire until the Wine be consumed and take the Myrrhe which remains dry and make it to powder Or thus Distil an Oyl from Myrrhe with Tragacanth by descent then coagulate it dry it and make it into powder There is great vertue in Coperas to cure Vlcers if you take from it the corosive faculty which may be done thus Take Coperas burned to a red powder pour upon it rain-Rain-water let it stand two or three hours then pour off the water and set the burnt Coperas over the fire till it be well dryed then pour some more Rain-water upon it and do as before do so five or six times till the burnt Coperas become hard and firm like a stone and is sweet to the taste if you make this into a powder and mix it with some of the Oyntments for Ulcers you may cure therewith Syrons and other Ulcers The Use and several Prepararations of Quick-silver for the French Pox. Quick-silver made into a red powder by the distilled water of eggs being oft-times distilled from the Quick-silver is good both for wounds and Ulcers especially of the bladder which are hardly cured by any other Medicines it cureth also the deep Ulcers of the throat That which is commonly called Precipitate Mercury which is done with aqua fortis cannot cure Ulcers because of its eating faculty which it hath by the aqua fortis But this Precipitate Mercury which is done with the water of Eggs is a singular Medicine for Ulcers especially the Ulcers of the French Pox. The oyl of Quick-silver is an infallible remedy and the onely remedy of the French Pox and of all those Ulcers which accompany the French Pox but because this is hardly attained to therefore in its stead use the red powder of Quick-silver which is next to it in this cure The Oyl is made thus Take of the Quick silver Mine in which the Quick-silver is not yet come to be a perfect Quick-silver twenty pounds beat it and boil it in rain-rain-water until no dross or soil comes to the top then strain it and put the Liquor in a distilling Vessel distil it with a strong fire and you shall have at last come out a most clear Liquor which you shall distil again in Balneo Mariae to take from it all waterishness and you shall have in the bottom of the distilling Vessel an oyl as heavy as Quicksilver Let the Patient take two grains of it at a time with six grains of the oyl of Spike Another way to make the Oyl of Quick-silver Take of Quick-silver and of Tin of each alike melt the Tin and put the Quick-silver to it and work them well together till the Tin become like Quick-silver then put to them as much Sulphur vivum as there is of the Tin and Quick-silver beat it into powder and mix it well with the Tin and Quick silver put them altogether in a disti ling Vessel and distil from them an Oyl as white as milk and as heavy as Quick-silver which is not sharp nor corroding let the Patient take
of this two grains at a time with six grains of the Oyl of Spike Observe That when you have taken from the Quick-silver its sharp piercing and eating â—aculty and its moving or running nature then it is fit to be used but not before Howbeit Quick-silver as it is commonly used in suffumigations for the French Pox seemeth sometimes to do good yet it cannoot be so used without great danger for the nature of the Quick-silver is so subtil that the vapor of it hath the same operation upon our bodies as the Quick-silver it self hath There is nothing can be used so many ways as the Quick-silver yet it is not therefore the safer as many do think If yâ—u would use the Quick-silver profiâ—ably in Suffumigations you must prepare it so that it may have an attractive vertue Remember this That Quick silver hath such a nature which may by Art be brought to have any operation viz to binde to purge to cleanse a sore to fill it with flesh to consume or eat c. Therefore it is needful that you know how you should prepare the Quick-silver for each kind of the French Pox. Some Ulcers of the French Pox may be cured by sweating some Ulcers must be cleansed and filled with flesh some must be c. Accordingly the Quick silver must have its several preparations for these several Operations and if it be not rightly prepared it is dangerous So when it is used in Suffumigations if it be not rightly prepared before it is of the nature of Sublimats which do very great harm to the Body and oft-times they do pierce to the heart and are deadly Therefore if you would use it in suffumigations safely and profitably prepare it thus Take Sulphur vivum make it into powder and take Quick-silver and mix with it sublime them and so proceed as they do in making Cinabrium then take of this and of Salt-peter of each alike beat them together into powder then put a live coal into them and fire them then take out your Quick-silver put it into a long glass which hath a broad bottom and narrow top Set the mouth of your glass or vessel to the place where the humor makes its passage out of the body or where we may bring the humor out of the body most conveniently and hold some fire-coals under the glass or vessel to heat the Quick-silver a little so that the vapor of it may come to that place of the body where we set the mouth of the glass but you must have a care that it do not vapor out In the Lotions or washings with Quick-silver used for the Ulcers of the French Pox Mountebanks adde to it Pepper Cardamome Dittander which increase the evil qualities of the Quick-silver they adde to it also aqua vitae or strong water which carrieth the Quick-silver to the heart whence are Fevers and fluxes of the Belly whereas we use these washings with Quick-silver for this end viz. That the Ulcers do not encrease and therefore the venomous qualities of the Quick silver should be taken from it that it go no further then the sore which is done thus Take Quick-silver and sublime it alone three or four times then mix it with the Liquor of Salt and sublime it again three or four times then take the Quick-silver so sublimed and pour a good quantity of the Spirit of Wine upon it and distil the Spirit of Wine off from it again then pour upon it more Spirit of Wine and distil it and thus do several times until you have taken from the Quick silver all its corroding or consuming faculty Then take this Quick-silver thus prepared and boil it in the water of Celandine half an hour pour off the water from the Quick-silver and with this water wash the Ulcer Having shewed you the several ways of preparing Quick-silver for the French Pox I will conclude with this admonition That they who use Quick-silver in Oyntments Lotions Suffumigations c. Let them carefully consider the right time when the Patient should use it for diseases alter according to the times sometimes a disease may be more easily cured then at other times diseases suffer no delay and Medicines must be used in time Again the Physician must have a care that these Oyntments Washings or Suffumigations with Quick siâ—ver do not touch any sound part but onely the place diseased left they thereby do more harm then good A Plaister to cleanse Vlcers Whereas Physicians do oftentimes burn ulcerated places with hot Irons sometimes they cut off members which they think helpless sometimes they use eating Medicines to take away dead flesh and the corrupt bottoms of Ulcers in stead of those practices I advise you to use this one cleansing Medicine Take of honey one pound of Aloepatick made into powder a quarter of a pound of burned Allum quenched in Vinegar one ounce the yolks of twenty eggs of Turpentine half a pound mix them well together and keep it for your use Observe That without hony gums eggs Turpentine Lithargire Wax Oyl I say without some of those no Ulcer can be cleansed A plaister to be applyed to a place cauterized When you would draw out an humor at any place you must lay some Caustâ—ck Medicine to the place and when there are Blisters raised in the place and broken then apply this following attractive Medicine viz. Take of the apples of the Fir-tree twenty boil them in water until you have boiled the gum out of them then boil away the watet from the gum put to this gum Rosin and Turpentine let them together over the fire until they be well mixed together Another Take of Oppopanax a half ounce of Sagapenum Galbanum Ammoniacum of each two drams of Bdelium six drams dissolve these Gums in Vinegar then strain the Vinegar and boil it away until the gums be almost dry then mix with them Rheubarb made into powder two drams of Amber made into powder half an ounce and when they are all well mixed make them into a Plaister This Plaister apply to the place where the skin is broken which was raised by the Caustick Plaister A sweating Medicine for the French Pox. For those kindes of the French Pox which are cured by sweating use this following sweating Medicine which is the best of any for the French Pox Take of Tin and Quick-silver of each alike melt your Tin and when it beginneth to cool and hardeâ— pour your Quick silver upon it that they may be mixed or put Quick-silver to thin plates of Tin let them stand together two or three days till the Tin have drank in as much of the Quick-silver as it can then let the Tin stand till the Quick-silver be dryed in it then let it drink in some more Quick-silver and let it dry do thus three or four times then beat it into fine powder If there be an ounce of this powder put it in a Gold Poringer set the Poringer in good Wine-vinegar up
almost to the brims then fill the Poringer with the Spirit of Wine let it stand so four or five days then kindle the Spirit of Wine with a piece of burning Paper and keep it burning so until the Quick-silver and Tin are changed to an oyl in the Spirit of Wine of this oyl let the Patient take one grain at a time in a draught of the best wine warmed and let him keep himself well covered in his bed until he sweat A Treatise of Vlcers SECTION III. VVherein are described the Tinctures which are Catholique Medicines for all kinde of Ulcers THe diligence of wise men in former times was great in searching out the causes and preservatives of long Life the natures and uses of all kindes of remedies therefore they were called The students of Wisdom but they knew not the right way of preparing Medicines they learned this from the Alchymist So they and the Alchymist together have discovered many excellent Medicines the chief of which are the Tinctures but these Tinctures have been much abused by Gold Smiths and those who thought to change Metals into Gold with them I have shewed in some other of my writings how much may be done by them therefore I will not here speak any thing of it In former times they made Tinctures whereby they coloured Metals purged them and afterwards they used these Tinctures as Medicines for the bodies of men what great vertues are in these Tinctures are declared in the Books of Ancient Writers which have long time been kept hidden by false Physicians but I will publish them for I have had the experience of them and I know they have a wonderful faculty in cleansing the blood And because I now write concerning the cure of Ulcers I conceive it fitting that I shew you whence I have had these my remedies and I confess that I have learned them in the School of Chymistry But because many errors have crept into this Art of Chymistry partly through ignorance and partly through the envy of Chymists whereby those who followed the practice of Chymistry being much seduced they were forced to seek new ways and so of themselves they found out many things some profitable and some hurtful Therefore I have endeavored to reform this Art of Chymistry leaving those things which are hurtful or unprofitable I discover onely such things which are useful and good for the Body of Man This task I am able to perform so much the more happily in regard my first studies were in this way of Chymistry in which I took great delight and followed it with great diligence under excellent Masters who were most skilful in secret Philosophy My Masters were first William of Hohenheim my careful and loving Father and many others who hid nothing from me which they knew and besides I was much helped by the Books of learned men viz. Bishop Setgaius Erhradus Laventalius Bishop Nicolaus Hipponensis Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim and other most learned and experienced Chymists I have had also many Experiments from several Chymists and of those I will now name onely the most noble Sigismundus Fueger Schwatzensis who maintaineth many servants in the practice of Chymistry at great charges and hath enriched the Art of Chymistry with many Experiments To conclude I conceive that I may very well undertake this talk Of reforming Chymistry and Physick considering my knowledge in Philosophy and my skill of Chymistry and Physick And here I will give you some taste of my skill in the following Tinctures The Simples out of which the Tinctures are extracted are these viz. Gold Quick-silver Antimony the Philosophers Salt Balsom red Corals Mummy Baulm Celandine Valerian Germander Succory Swallow wort And beginning with Gold I will briefly and Methodically teach you the way to extract the Tinctures out of these Simples The Ancient Chymists who writ Fables more then serious matters if they had eased us of this labor we should have been very thankful to them but seeing they have failed us I will make up this defect The Tincture of Gold The Tincture of Gold is the purest part of the Gold wherein all its colour is contained and this being extracted there remaineth the white body of Gold this coloured part of the Gold differeth much from the white Body as the pure from the impure and therefore they must be separated or else you do nothing When you have extracted the coloured part you must exalt it to the highest degree and whereas the colour in Gold may be exalted to the twenty fourth degree the Tincture extracted must be exalted ten times more and no further This Tincture hath a wonderful vertue in cleansing renewing and restoring the Blood not onely in the part diseaâ—ed but also throughout the whole Body how much of this Tincture you must take at a time you shall hear afterwards I will now shew you how you must extract it First melt your Gold with Antimony that it may be well purged by the Antimony according to the usual way Take this Gold and dissolve it in the distilled water of common Salt this water of Salt must be made thus Take of the best white Salt made by the Sun and melt it in a very hot fire as Brass or Silver c. is melted several times Then make it into powder and mix it with the juice of Radishes and when the Salt is dissolved in the juice distil them together then take the water which you have distilled off from them and mix it with the juice of Bloodwort of each alike and distil them together take the water which you have distilled off from them and pour it again to the grounds remaining distil it again and so you must do five times Then take of the water of the first distillation and in this dissolve your Gold when your Gold is dissolved put a little of the Spirit of Tartar into this water of Salt to make the Gold powder fall to the bottom then pour off this water of Salt from the Gold powder and wash your Gold powder with common Water distilled until all the Spirit of Salt be well washed from it Then take this Gold powder and put it in the Spirit of Wine which must be made thus Take of the best wine and put it in a Circulatory Vessel which must be very well closed up so that no vapor can get out fill the third part of your circulatory vessel with the Wine and leave two parts empty and how much of the circulatory vessel is filled with the Wine so much of it must be set in Balneo Maria the space of ten days then put it in a distilling vessel and distil it and that which comes out first is the Spirit of Wine the rest is onely sublimed Wine Put your Gold powder after it is washed with the distilled common water into this Spirit of Wine so much of it as that it may be a hands breadth above the Gold powder put them together in a
for cleansing or closing up of Ulcers or Wounds and let some ordinary Stictick plaister be applyed to the sore This one Potion is better then all the Receipts Compositions Potions c. which are used for Ulcers or Wounds I will now conclude this Treatise of Tinctures giving this counsel in two words for the preserving of those from Ulcers who are or have been much enclined to them Once every year in the Spring time when the Sun enters into the first degree of Aries which falls upon the the eleventh day of March let them take one of these Tinctures in that maner which hath been shewed in the use of the Tinctures A Treatise of Aposthumes with their Cures I. IF any of the large veins be swelled and the swelling is of a blew or Lead-colour with a burning heat in it and much redness round it and a white head in the middle of it the Patient in the beginning of the swelling was aguish having sometimes a great heat sometimes a chilness over his body he cannot sleep and when he sleepeth he is very disquiet and much troubled with terrible dreams At last this swelling seems to strike inward divideth it self into two swellings then follows great inflammation and stitches in the sides the lips are chopped the Patient hath a great thirst yet he cannot drink much These are certain signs of death Cure The Patient must first be sweated with this Potion Take of the corrected Spirit of wine ten ounces of Treacle half an ounce of red Myrrhe and of Saffron of each an ounce of the liquor of Ginger and of Pepper of each half a dram mix them together of this mixture let the Patient take half an ounce in a draught of good wine and keep himself warm till he be well sweated then you must take a Saphyre stone and draw it round the swelling this will make a scurf to come upon the swelling which you may take off with Saller oyl or fâ—esh Butter then apply some consolidating plaister as the stictick plaister c. until the cure be perfected Observe The Chyrurgion must not cut this Apostume he must not lay Realgare or any other Cautery to it II. The Cancer is a red swelling which is in the brests of Women but in men it is betwixt their shoulders When it comes to be ripe it breaks out into a stinking Ulcer which hath great redness round it with a burning heat and continual pain and oft-times brings the Patient into aguish fits At last It eats into the heart and causeth suddain death Cure Whereas the cause of the Cancer in men is the Haemorrhoide humors in women it is their Monethly courses which leaving their right course they flow to this place where they cause the Cancer therefore we must begin the cure of the Cancer with changing the course of the humor turning it to its proper passage viz. thus To bring down the Haemorrhoide humor in men to the Fundament and to bring down the monethly courses in women Then you must mortifie the Ulcer with this viz. Take Frog-spawn and of the juice of Night-shade of each an ounce of varnish half an ounce and make them into an Oyntment if you anoint the sore with this three or four times it will take away the pain Or take of Fish-spawn a pound after you have turned it into water of the red powder of burned Coperas and of the flower of Brass of each one ounce and a half mix them and apply them to the Soar until it putrifie which will be in four days space Then take this from the Soar and apply a cleansing Medicine to it viz. this Take of Pitch of Pine-Rosin of common Rosin of each a pound of the best Turpentine one pound and a half of the common Turpentine a quarter of a pound melt them together and put to them so much of Wax and Sallet oyl as will make them up into a Plaister This Plaister you must lay to the Ulcer so often until their comes no corruption out of it Afterwards strow this powder upon the Ulcer viz. Take the powder of the dryed juice of Celandine of the dryed juice of Feverfew and of Centory of each half an ounce of Mummy one ounce These powders mixed together must be strowed upon the Soar morning and evening III. The noli me Tangere begins in the sace with small pointed Pustuls which break out into a waterish scab afterwards it comes to be an eating stinking Sore it eats up the flesh of the face viz. the Cheeks and Lips and eats into the nose At last If it be not cured it eats nose ears c. it quite deforms the face then it eats into the throat and goeth downwards to the neck and when it is past the face it is deadly Cure If the Noli me tangere be not far gone it may be cured by this Plaister Take of Rosin one pound of Barley-meal six ounces of Pine-Rosin eight ounces mix them and make them into a Plaister but if it be old and far gone then we must use first a mortifying Medicine then a cleansing Medicine then a consolidating Medicine or a Medicine to fill up with flesh The mortifying Medicine Take of Crystalline Realgare one ounce boil it vinegar two hours until the vinegar be consumed then adde to it three ounces of the oyl of Marjoram of Firr-tree-Rosin half a pound viz. That Rosin which is boiled out of the green Fruit of the Firr-tree in water Mix them together over the fire and apply them to the soar you must often wet it outwardly with the oyl lest it grow dry and hard let it lie at the soar two days then take it off and apply to the soar the cleansing Medicine described before in the cure of the Cancer And when it is cleansed then apply this consolidating or fleshing Medicine viz. Take of Wax and Pitch of each half a pound of the powder of Birth-wort three ounces the powder of Mummy two ounces the powder of Antimony four ounces melt your Wax and Pitch together put into them your powders make a Plaister which you must lay to the Soar morning and evening Another consolidating Medicine Take of Rosin half a pound of the dryed juice of Comfrey a quarter of a pound of the dryed juice of Celandine a quarter of a pound mix them over the fire and make a plaister But the cure of Noli me Tangere depends chiefly upon the mortifying and cleansing the soar IV. When there is a redness and an exceeding pain and burning heat in the leg afterwards it swells and breaks out into many foul corrupt holes sometimes dry and sometimes issuing forth a yellow or clear waterish humor like the Cancer or Noli me tangere At last It weakens the principal parts viz. Head Heart Stomack Liver c. the face comes to be discoloured and then death approacheth Cure First we must apply a defensive above the knee to keep back the humors that they fall not
change unless the tumor hath been big and it beginneth to lessen then death approacheth this is a sign of it Cure The cure is twofold viz. Physical Chyrurgical The Physical cure is done with Powders and Potions The Chyrurgical cure is done by actual Cauteries c. XIX This Polypus is superfluous flesh growing out of the Nose which when it is grown big and great abundance of Blood floweth out of the Veins into it then this superfluous flesh breaketh out into an Ulcer it turneth to a Noli me Tangere Cure It must be cured after the same maner as the Alcola an when you have taken away the superfluous flesh then you must apply the Plaister Oppodeltoch XX. The Pyles come out about the Fundament of a red colour but if the Blood come out with the Excrements always when we go to stool and the Excrements come out with great difficulty and trouble to us and we are much pained within then the Haemorrhoids are within If the Haemorrhoides continue twenty years then they commonly turn to a Cancer and if they do not turn to a Cancer but the Piles multiply and grow bigger then they close up the Fundament at last Cure The cure is done by two kindes of Medicine viz. Dung-Medicine and a Sweet-Corrosive The Swet-Corrosive Take of Oleum laterinum or Brick oyl one ounce the oyl of Juniper half an ounce the oyl of Myrrhe two ounces mix them The Dung Medicine Take the Patients own Excrements and mix them with the oyl of the yolks of Eggs first let the Patient press the Piles as much as he can and then apply to them this Excrementitious Medicine XXI There is a dry scab of the Head out of which cometh very little moisture when it is rub'd there falls from it like Scabs it causeth the hair of the head to come out If it continue sixteen or twenty four years then it spreadeth over all the Body At last this scaly Scab falleth off and then followeth a Leprosie Cure Take Succory Germander Maiden-hair of each two ounces of the Pulpe of Cassia half an ounce of the best Manna one ounce and a half put them into a pint and a half of the water of Mugwort let them ly in it a day then set them over a slow fire until you bring it to a pint then strain it and drink it warm XXII If there be a swelling in the Groine near the privities with redness the Patient fainteth and beginneth to lose his strength and is troubled with Aguish fits sometimes with great heat sometimes with chilness By this you may know it to be a Pestilential Aposthume Cure First This Aposthume must be opened with a ripening Medicine proper for it afterwards apply to it the Oppodeltoch Plaister The Ripening Medicine Take of the four Gums viz. Galbanum Ammoniacum Oppoponax Bdelium of each a half ounce of the juice of Marsh-Mallows of each three ounces mix them and make a Plaister The Oppodeltoch Plaister Take of the four incarnative Seeds viz. of Birth-wort Comfrey Adders-Tongue and Sea-marsh Bugloss of each half an ounce Wax and Colophony of each two ounces of Pitch three ounces mix them and make a Plaister XXIII If after the act of Venery there followeth a swelling in the Grine with great heat afterwards this swelling breaks out into foul corrupt holes and with the Urine also corrupt matter is evacuated At last this Ulcer comes to be an eating Ulcer that whereas there were many holes before now they all become one hole and so it eats all the flesh round Cure This Ulcer is cured with these two viz. the Camphorated Oyntment and the Plaister of Mummy The Camphorated Oyntment Take of Camphire two drams of the yolks of Eggs four ounces mix them and set them in some moist place or low Cellar c. and they will turn to an Oyl with this Oyl anoint the Soar The Plaister of Mummy Take of Mummy half an ounce of the best Turpentine washed with Rose-water so much as is requisite to make a Plaister Mix them and make a Plaister XXIV When the Veins of the Legs swell and become as it were knotty having many small hard lumps like small Bullets in them they lose their natural colour and are of blew or lead colour or of a dark green colour the skin of the Leg appears as if it were blowed up with winde yet the flesh under it is firm and sound At last The skin breaks out into a most filthy stinking soar and if then the Patient be troubled with stitches in his side this is a sign of death Cure You must not use any Corrosive Waters or Baths or Purgations or Mercury Oyntments such as are used for the Pox c. but open a Vein first one and then another at another time once a year if the swelling comes but once a year and if the swelling comes twice a year then the Veins must be opened twice a year at the same time when the swelling useth to come and when you open a Vein you must lay to the place the gums of a Hare or the fat of a man the space of three weeks XXV When there is a swelling under the tongue with a blew or Lead-colour and it groweth to be an Imposthume it is deadly in Infants or if do not come to be an Aposthume yet it will cause a great impediment in the speech of the Infant Cure Let blood in these Veins then wash the childes mouth often with the Waters of Agrimony Ladies-Mantle Sanicle or anoint the Veins under the Tongue with the Oyl of St. Johns-wort or the Oyl of the Flowers of Centory If after the cure the swelling cometh again you must do thâ—â—ame as you did before XXVI If a Woman with Childe or after Childe-birth complain of a pain swelling redness and hardness in her Brests which afterwards turns to an Ulcer and Putrifaction Cure Take Gum Oppopanax and Gum Bdelium of each one ounce of gum Serapinam two ounces dissolve them in so much vinegar as being dissolved they may be of the thickness of honey then adde to them one dram of Mummy and of Birth-wort three drams of the Liquor of Chachymia four ounces and a hall mix them and make a plaister XXVII If in a fleshy place there are Risings with a yellow head and a burning heat and a swelling and then suddenly they grow exceeding red and breaks into several holes which after three or four years turn to a blue colour mixed with a black with a vehement burning heat and under the skin it is hollow and so it continueth untill death Cure We must first use an eating Medicine and afterwards a Consolidating or fleshing Medicine The Eating Medicine Take of white Coper as one ounce of Rose-water three ounces of Lithargire half an ounce Mix them with the oyl of Roses in this mixture dip a linnen cloth which you must lay upon the holes The consolidating Medicine Take of Royal Consound half a pound of long Birth
wort three ounces of Myrrhe half an ounce of Mummy two ounces make them into a powder and mix them with so much of the oyl of Roses as is sufficient to make them into a Plaister A Caveat You must not apply to this Soar Pitch hot Oyls Birth-wort Viride aris Arsnick salt Armoniack precipitated Mercury Orpment burnt Allum or any drawing herb XXVIII Swelling of the Veins If a Vein be swelled and this Vein breaks into stinking holes with a putrifaction of the skin and flesh this is a hollow Ulcer At last If not cured it turns to a Saint Antonies fire Cure We must not cure this Aposthume in the same maner as hath been said before in the cure of the swelling of a Vein viz. You must open a Vein c. and when you open the Vein apply this following Plaister Take of Lithargire and red Lead of each half a pound of Sallet Oyl one pound of Wax half a pound adde to them these powders viz. of Orange-skins of Celandine round Birth-wort of each three ounces being all mixed together make them into a Plaister A Caveat You must not apply to this Soar any Corrosive Water or Canteries or drawing Medicines made of Gums for if they be used they will change it to a St. Anthonys Fire XXIX If in men there be Pustules betwixt the shoulders or in the breasts of Women which become hard like Warts they come from the stopping of the Haemorrhoides in men and from the stopping of the Monethly courses in women they grow big sometimes within the skin sometimes without the skin accordingly as the humor floweth to them At last they break out into a running soar which draweth to it the substance of the Body and continueth during life-time Cure First If it be in a man you must bring out the Piles if it be in a Woman you must bring down their courses then you must proceed in the rest of the cure the same way as in Noli me Tangere A Medicine to bring down the Monethly courses in women Take the Liquor of Penny-Royal and of Mugwort of each three ounces of the corrected Spirit of Wine seven ounces the liquor of the milt of an Ox one ounce mix them and take half an ounce of them in a draught of Wine or Beer every morning and evening You may adde to this Composition some Saven-water and some of the oyl made of the grains of Saven A Medicine to bring out the Haemorrhoides Take of clean gum Sagapenum half an ounce of Bdelium and Mastick of each one ounce make them into a Plaister which you must apply to the place of the Haemorrhoides XXX When there is in any place a great pain with redness and a burning heat and afterwards a swelling which breaks into holes and about these holes are small yellow risings shining and burning and it continueth so three or six years but when there is a burning heat with yellow risings and afterwards they turn to a blew or lead colour this shews it to be a most vehement inflammation A Caveat Beware of such Medicines which drive the humor inwards and beware of the Guaick-wood and all such Oyntments and Suffumigations which are used for the Pox. Cure I will first shew you how to cure it when it is beginning before it come to be an Ulcer then I will shew you how to cure it when it is an old Soar when it hath continued twenty years For the first cure Take of Frog-spawn half a pound of Camphire three ounces of Myrrhe and Frankincense of each an ounce put them in a Glass close stopt and set them in the Sun until they turn to be a Liquor in this Liquor dip a linnen cloth which you shall apply to the part pained And when the cloth is dry dip it again in the said Liquor and apply it and do thus so often until the pain be gone For the second cure Take of Turpentine two pounds set it over the fire and boil it a little take it off and let it cool and it will be hard and brittle as glass then take of Oppopanax half a pound dissolve it in a quart of Vinegar then strain the vinegar through a cloth and boil it until it be consumed and onely the Oppopanax remains to which you must adde the Turpentine which you have hardened being beat into powder and three ounces of the red powder of burned Coperas then take so much honey as is necessary to make a Plaister boil it and skim it and mix it with the rest of your Ingredients and so make them into a Plaister which you shall apply to an old Saint Anthonies Fire XXXI When below the Brest there is circle round the body of reddish colour which afterward breaks out into yellow risings and these in a long time after turn to holes with redness burning and pain And at last it inflameth the Diaphragma then death followeth A Caveat Abstain from eating Medicines Gums Pitch fat things and those Oyntments which are used for the Pox. Cure First we must cleanse the Diaphragma with Larks-spur and then apply to the Soar this Plaister Take of Colophony one pound the powder of Celandine and the powder of Orange skins of each four ounces of the best Turpentine so much as is sufficient to make the Plaister XXXII When in the hand there breaks out first Pustles which afterwards turn to a crusty substance and then there follows deep clefts in the flesh At last it spreads over all the body thereafter the crusty substance falleth off and then it ceaseth Caution Abstain from Corrosive or eating Medicines Cantharides Purgations Oyntments Fumigations and the Guaick-wood Cure Take of the four Gums viz. Oppopanax Segapenum Galbanum Bdelium of each one ounce of Colophony two ounces of washed Turpentine four drams set them over the fire that they may be mixed then make a Plaister which must be applyed warm to the chopt hands and let it lie at the hands twelve hours then take it off and wash your hands with clean warm water then apply the Plaister unto it again and let it lie other twelve hours then take off and wash your hands and thus you must do so often until the humor be quite dryed up which useth to be in fifteen days or thereabouts for the four Gums have a peculiar and and admirable cleansing and drying vertue XXXIII The Itch and Scab are so commonly known that I need not describe it Cure Take of Roch Allum one pound of Plum Allum half a pound mix them Another Take of Plum Allum and salt Entals of each alike mix them for the Itch. Another Take Coperas and Allum of each alike mix them XXXIV When many Pustules break out together and being rubbed they issue out a yellowish water then there comes on a hard crusty Scab which falls off again and in its stead comes another And at last it turns to an Ulcer Cure You must not use any Medicines but such as are cooling Take