such-like things avoid and be temperate and moderate in the use of all things and this will be a good Rule to observe against this Disease But in the Fit of the Gout you may eat Meat once a day freely you need not refrain any good Diet no more than at other times I shall not stand to name particulars but in short you may eat Fish or Flesh or Herbs or any thing else that is nourishing Food But such as have had the Gout long on them and are brought to be weak and have not an Appetite to common Diet let them strive to eat and drink something that is more strengthning than Water-Grewel for sometimes eating too much of that and other Spoon-meats brings a Dropsy and hinders the curing the Gout I shall advise you to such things as are good to strengthen and nourish you and whereas you can eat but little eat the oftner and by so doing you will by degrees get a better Appetite But being willing to help you I will direct to such-like Diet as may be sutable to help weak Persons In a Morning for a Breakfast Take a pint of Ale boil it and scum it then take it from the Fire and let it stand till it be half cold so break in two or three new-laid Eggs brew them together and drink it while it is warm In my judgment if a Man hath â—ot a Stomach to eat a good Breakast he may with such a Morning's-â—raught hold up till Dinner-time But weak Stomachs want change of Diet. Now if you have a good old Nurse they commonly know how to make much of themselves and therefore are the better able to advise to that as may do good for a Master or Mistress My Mind is that People as are not sick should get the best Kitchin-Physick as can be provided or else for want of this Lameness may soon turn to Sickness I do not intend to fill up my Book with Directions for Diet but yet I would give a little help to put your Nurse in remembrance to study to make good heartning things to keep up the Body For Change I shall give you farther Directions that you may know what may be good in a Morning or some times between Meals and use the best of your skill in providing Good Jellies are proper sometimes made after this manner Take two Calves-feet and pu them into three quarts of Water boil them in a Pipkin till half b wasted away then strain off the Feet and set the Liquor on the Fire again put in half a pound of blew Currans well cleansed and two pennyworth of Saffron and half a quarter of an ounce of Cynamon a dram of large Mace boil these till the Currans be plump and take it from the Fire and let it stand till it be half cold then have ready at hand a pint of White-wine with four Eggs well beaten to mix with the White-wine and six ounces of fine Loaf-Sugar Brew these with the White-wine very well then take your Calves-Feet Gelly being as I said half cold mix all together beating it very well with a Spoon till it be almost cold this well prepared is good to eat at any time Night or Day and it may be eaten either warm or cold according to the Season of the Year but in cold Weather warm it a little This is a good thing in a Morning to take about half a pint or more I would advise you for a Dinner to eat Flesh though never so little but eat as freely as you can for that is the best way to get strength sometimes eating against Stomach doth procure a better Appetite against the next Meal for those that are weak it is not good to boil or roast their Meat over-much I am sure for Consumptive People Flesh over-roasted is not good but if you love not your Meat with the Gravy in it then you had better stew it and put in Sippets of White-bread so eat it for then the Liquor is the best of it and Meat thus dress'd is strengthning If you are disposed to eat Fowl 't is proper to have them well roasted or boiled Also Fish if it be not well dress'd is not good being subject to rise in the Stomach and that doth cause a loathing of Food One good way to help the weak is to study new things for often change of Diet is a great help to procure an Appetite and this is the proper Business of good Cooks and Nurses I would advise you to eat freely in the Day but at Night be moderate for then you have more freedom to drink either Wine or strong Drink for that is not hurtful provided you drink not to excess but small Beer is certainly the best thing you can take to bring the Gout on you therefore if you love the Gout drink good store of small Beer and you may be sure it will come with full power This I can speak by Experience that I have found that small Beer will bring a Man into a Consumption sooner than any thing I know of I have been caught twice but I take heed to avoid a third bout for when I find my self thirsty I drink good strong Drink I have seen some afflicted with the Gout that with low Diet and small Beer have been almost consumed to nothing and the Disease is much more powerful and they have no strength to help themselves It is a miserable thing that a Man or Woman shall be in bodily Health but yet in great tormenting Pain with a Leg or an Arm that the very Anguish of the Pain shall cause them to cry aloud till they are almost spent and yet in this Condition they are perswaded to refrain from eating or drinking of the Best though then they have most need of it to support Nature and I am certain that there is less danger of a Fever to keep the Body in strength than when the Body is brought low and weak I do know that what I say in this by admitting you to eat and drink freely in the Fit of the Gout is contrary to the Judgments of some Men but let none be offended for my giving Advice according to my knowledg of the Nature of the Disease If you think my Advice is not good then I make my Appeal to you that find fault with me and I leave you to be Judges by my way of Practice and by the Success I have for no Man can say that ever any died of the Gout that have been under my hands It is now near three Years since I discovered the Gout-Balsam and I have done greater Cures with that Medicine in this time on the Gout than have been done by any others as I have proved before many Witnesses But since I have corrected and amended my Gout-Balsam and discovered other great Secrets I cure many other Diseases and for the most part with outward Medicines but when I find any that are weak and low I am constrained to direct
thing to give them Relief yet they have hindred them from taking help in time They have done more harm to others than they can do to me for many that might have been cured are now uncureable and some are dead as might have been living But thus it hath been in former Ages evil-minded Men are offended at any good Works and as they love not to do good themselves so they would hinder others had they but Power they would like devouring Beasts destroy their Fellow-Creatures CONCLVSION Ingenious Students LET all that are lovers of Art help and incourage one another and join hand in hand together to do good and exact on no Man but do unto others as they would be done by that is the way to obtain a Blessing to make you prosperous in all your Undertakings and indeavour to make improvement of Time we need not spend it idly he that knoweth most may learn more and the best cometh short in many things Let us still press forwards and do Good while we live that we may have Peace when we die let us live in Peace and Unity as Brethren we are all but on a Journey travelling towards the Grave let us take the Advice of our old Father Jacob See that ye fall not out by the way Next follow some good Receipts which I have used my self with great Success in curing many A Receipt with Directions for the Cure of the King's-Evil TAKE a Kilderkin or a lesser Vessel with one end out and put into your Vessel two Gallons of spring-Spring-water then put into the Water three Pounds of Stone-Lime unslacked stir it about very well put in two Gallons more and three Pound of Lime stirring it then add more Water and Lime to what quantity you please still stirring it till it hath done hissing then cover it up for nine Days and it will be very clear Then take of this Lime-water two Gallons and put into a Stean or Pot then put in half a Pound of Liquorish sliced and half a Pound of Anni-Seeds and half a Pound of Currans beaten with half a Pound of white Saxafras-Root sliced stir them all together and after 24 Hours begin to drink of it Take half a Pint first in the Morning and at four in the Afternoon and last at Night for some Weeks together 'T is best for this Disease to take it at Spring and Fall if need be for a Month together This King's-Evil Drink hath cured many of this Disease and being a great cleanser of the Blood is good in many other Diseases as hath been experienced It works chiefly by Urine And helps Scurvy and Dropsy Ulcers and Imposthumes Piles and Fistula's Consumption wastings Cinpanies Stone and Gravel Swelling and Sores All Corrupt Humours Shortness of Breath Want of Appetite If you have any Wound or dangerous Sores that may be under Cure then drink of this and it will help the Cure by purifying the Blood I have observed that the King's-Evil and other corrupt Diseases are mostly among poor People I hope this Receipt with other Directions I shall give will be of great use to help such and be a means of preserving their Limbs that they may be able to work for their Livings for many poor Families have been ruined for want of Cure in many such-like Diseases If you make a quantity it will not keep long except you leave out the Currans if you leave them out it will serve Or you may mix up a little and have it fresh If you would make it pleasant you may put in a spoonful of Syrup of Elder-Berries into every Draught or sweeten it as you like it Now if your young Children have need of it if they cannot drink a Quantity to do them good let them drink the oftner If they drink it for their common Drink several Weeks together it is profitable so to do Some Gentlemen that have experienced it will drink it a Month together for the Scurvy It is also good for any itching or scabby Diseases to drink for six or eight Weeks together if occasion be Another thing good to add to this Drink if need require Take of those things commonly called Hog-Lice or as some call Lock-chesers because they role round up in your Hand Dry these and pouder them and take as much as will lie on a Sixpence last at Night and first in the Morning in a Spoonful of the King's-Evil Drink then drink a little after it but not so much as when you do not mix this Pouder in it Observe when you take this follow it for nine days together A Plaister for the Swellings of the Evil. Take a Handful of Hounds-tongue and boil it in a Pint of Oil Then strain your Oil and to half a Pint of this Oil put in half a pound of Red-lead boil them about a quarter of an hour or something longer till it be fit for a Plaister Apply this to the swelling and let it stick on till it drops off then apply another if need be This is good to dissolve the Swelling For running Sores of the Evil. You may apply this Plaister and if it run much lay on a fresh Plaister once in two days but open it twice a day and wash it very well with Lime-water this will keep it clean and in time heal it up It is not good to use Plaisters that draw much that is hurtful for by drawing the Humours too much to one place they being sharp there will be danger of hurting the Bones Another Help for running Sores Take the inward Bark of Elder and boil in Lime-water then wash the Sores twice a day with this and sometimes lay on Elder-leaves for some days for change after two or three days apply the Plaister again this observed will keep all the Sores in good order better than if they kept to one thing especially if the Humour be very sharp If you do make good use of these things you may have great Success in curing the King's-Evil especially if you apply them in time then the Cure is performed quickly I have cured some in a month and others in less time but when the Distemper is old and fixed it requireth a longer time still keep using the Means you will find encouragement by the Amendments You must keep to the outward Means till it be well the Drink need not be taken but according to the Directions chiefly at Spring and Fall I wish you may have the Success I have had in the King's-Evil and Scurvy and other corrupt Humours you have the same Means Next I shall give Directions for such as have sore Breasts For Swellings in the Breast which are not to be broken that come by Cold. Take a Handful of Holyhock-leaves and as many Violet-leaves cut them small and boil them in fresh Butter or Hogs-Lard make it like a Poultis and lay it on a Woollen Cloth to cover the Breast lay it on as warm as can be endured let it lie on 24 hours and
Stick or Quill and dip into the Pot of Balsam and spot it about the part afflicted as far as the pain is then stir it about with your Finger very well till it be near dried in but not by the Fire for 't is hot of it self therefore I order you to spot it about because if you lay on too much in a place it will smart but some will bear much to be laid on and feel nothing therefore my way is to apply a little first and then stir that about and if it be not felt then I lay on more and if it do not itch or smart I go over a third time and all before I put it up so that my way is to apply it till it be felt and if there be more put on than will be dried in then I do commonly lay on a piece of Bladder or any kind of Skin to keep the Balsam to it for Clothes will take it away from the part Thus drest I put it up for four and twenty Hours or longer but if the pain remain I anoint it again quickly according as it can be well born or endured 'T is needless to use it when there is no pain for the best time to do the most good is to anoint it when the pain is greatest for then the Humour is in the part and may be brought forth But in case of a weakness remaining after or any little kind of pain I do sometimes dress the part once in a day or in two or three days or once a week according as Need requires In this manner use the Balsam for the Gout or such like pains but if need require you may use it till it blister if the Humour will not go off without but then anoint the part with any healing thing as Salet-Oil or Lucatellus's Balsam and this will heal it again in a little time but if it swell after 't is anointed with the Gout-Balsam apply it again quickly and the offending Matter will come out The Vse of this Balsam in Rheumatism Pains When the pains are in all parts at once then begin according to that Direction for the Gout in that part as is mostly pained and when that is well dressed and put up for some time then apply it to the next part and wait a little time after 't is thus applied and if after this the pain yet remain in other parts apply it still where the pain is greatest and with so doing you will find that this Medicine will cure the Rheumatism but you need not apply so much in this Case to every part as when a pain is fixed to one place Directions for its Vse in old Pains and Lameness of Limbs of long continuance In such Cases the Humours being settled to the parts it requires to be applied more freely to open the Pores by small Blisters or Pimples by which means the offending Matter that causeth the pain or weakness cometh away and though the Lameness hath been of many Years standing yet in such Cases the Cure is perfected at once dressing as many have had experience but some are dressed a second or third time before it be performed very few miss of a Cure if there be any pain in the parts Directions for its Vse for Sinews that are shrunk Take a very little just to moisten the part then chafe it in very well with your hand and stroke it with great strength with one hand while you bear out the Joint with the other and when the first Application is dry then apply it again and do thus a third or fourth time with a strong hand still stretching out the part thus doing the Sinews give way then if need require I bind the Joints out streight for one day or more Sometimes there is no need of so doing but they keep out and are presently cured applying it after this manner for about two hours time together Directions for its Vse to help Gout-like Pains in the Head When the Pain is on the upper part of the Head or all over then the Hair must be shaved off to anoint the part pained and the Temples also must be anointed very freely for if the Temples blister it is very profitable in that Case When the Head is anointed put on a Bladder to cover the part and keep it close for one week and if the pain be not gone you may dress it a second or third time but let it be a week between every dressing if the Head be sore or tender anoint it with Salet-Oil or any other mollifying thing but if the Temples should run lay on a Plaister of Paracelsus or any other Plaister that is moderate but it should not be healed too quickly Directions for its Vse in Convulsions of the Nerves Observe the parts that are twitched and so far as the Motion works apply the Balsam use it moderately as it may be dressed every day and after 't is dressed let it be bound up as hard with a Roller as can be well endured If after two or three dressings the Convulsion be not gone then it will be needful to take the Gout-Glister according to the Directions given for the Use so take it once in three days for three times if need require so often but one time commonly doth perform the Cure Directions for the Vse of the Gout-Balsam in inward Convulsions When Convulsions are in the Bowels or Stomach then anoint the Belly or Stomach all over but very moderately especially in young Children speck a very little about just to damp it over so stroke a hand over it easily and as soon as it is done give the Gout-Glister according to the Direction and one Spoonful of the Gout-Cordial Directions for the Vse of the Gout-Balsam in Palsies or numness of Limbs Take of the Balsam and anoint all over the parts afflicted lay on so much as can be well endured and bathe it very well till it be all dried in except the part be cold then put on a little more and put it up moist in Flannel or other Cloth to keep it warm so dress it once a day for nine days together if need require Directions for the Vse of the Gout-Balsam in Dropsies Apply it moderately by spotting it all over the parts that are swelled and stroak it as hard with your hand as can be endured for an hour together and as you find it dry in apply more but if the parts are cold and do not feel any heat or smart then you may apply it more freely and if you discern Water to arise out of the Pores forbear chafing it and when you put it up lay Linen next to the parts anointed for Woollen will cause it to itch too much Thus you may dress it once a day for three or four days together if need require Some are cured of the Dropsy with once dressing and the Water will come away plentifully for several hours together Directions for the Gout-Balsam in the Sciatica