A brief and short discourse of the Virtue and Operation of Balsam, With an instruction for those that have their health to preserve the same.  
Whereunto is added Doctor Bullins Diet for Health.  
Imprinted at London for john Perin, dwelling in Paul's Churchyard. Anno Domini. 1585.   

The virtue and operation of this Balsam.  
how this Balsam may be used to the health and profit of the buyers, it must be always kept close, and the vessel wherein it is, must be very well stopped, for else it will consume and waste away.  
ANy person which hath his sight beginning to fail him, let him continually smell unto this Balsam, and they shall be helped, and their sight shall be preserved.  
Make this Balsam warm, and rub therewith the Nose within and without of all those which have a moist and cold brain, so shall they be preserved in great health thereby.  
And whosoever hath a coldrume descending from the brain, let them use to rub their Nostrils with this Balsam three times a day, morning, noon, and night, and it helpeth them.  
SUch as are heavy headed, dull witted, & forgetful, let all those use to anoint the hinder part of their head with the Balsam, and it comforteth the wit, and refresheth a man exceeding well.  
Give one drop of this Balsam in a spoonful of wine, Beer, or Ale, fasting, to all those which hath no appetite, and it helpeth them. Also all they which use to drink of it are long preserved in good liking: And causeth a man's hear to keep his colour, and not to wax white:  
IF any person have a slimy stomach, let them use every morning fasting to take one drop of this balsam, in wine, beer, or ale, and it expulseth the phlegm, and comforteth the stomach. Also whosoever hath abundance of coruption in their stomach, which is cause of great feebleness, let them use as it aforesaid, every xii. or xiiii. day to purge himself, so may one shortly be helped, which might their life time live and suffer great pains.  
Being taken every morning one drop in a spoonful of wine, beer, or ale: It preserveth one from poisoning the whole day after: Also, it preserveth a man from corrupt or poisoned air, and is especial good to be used in the time of Pestilence.  
SUch as are poisoned, let them incontinent take one drop of this Balsam in a spoonful of water, & so continue in taking of this Balsam xii. hours after, that is every hour a drop, so shall they be helped.  
ANy person which by chance falleth and is bruised on any part of the body, let them strait way anoint the same place therewith, and it assuageth the swelling, & putteth away the blackness of the sore, also when a man hath a stitch in the side, anoint it therewith and it helpeth.  
NEither any old or young folk which have a stinckking breath, so that the stench come out of the stomach, but it helpeth, if it be received every morning fasting one drop with a spoonful of wine, the space of xiiii. days, and fast two. hours after they have taken it.  
ONe drop of this Balsam put into a Fistel every day the space of xx. days, healeth and stoppeth the fistell, also it healeth all wounds old & new, laid into them twice a day according to the quantity of the wound.  
Four drops of this balsam put upon a broad Pustel which cometh of cold and gross humours, in the space of xii. days it will be made whole.  
MAny which are sick by occasion of cold and dry humours, which causeth consumption, may drink every morning & evening one drop of this Balsam with wine, and they shall recover their health again.  
ANy body which hath apostumation which cometh of wind and moisture, which would settle itself in any place of the body, anoint the said place with this Balsam three times a day, and in the space of eight days it will be healed.  
readily doth this Balsam help all sores which chanceth in the hands, legs, arms, or any part of the body, if they be anointed with it three times a day.  
PEaceably and very quickly this Balsam suageth all swellings which is not of the dropsy, if the swelling be anointed three times a day with it, and Linen clothes laid upon them wet with the said Balsam.  
Every person that is taken with the Palsy, let them morning and evening drink a drop of this Balsam in a spoonful of wine, and also anoint the part which is taken with the said Palsy two. times a day, and theyshall be healed, and it comforteth that parts marvelously.  
THis Balsam healeth all pains in that joints, so that ye wash the joints therewith, and also plaster the said joints with a linen cloth, wet it in the said Balsam, this must be done twice a day.  
HE or they which have their sinews drawn together let them wash them with this Balsam, and they shall be restored with their former health and strength. Also it helpeth the Emroides when they are very grievous. Also it is good for the sickness which chanceth in the Arse Gut which is named Tenasmos, if a linen cloth be wet with the said Balsam and put therein.   

For those which have their Health.  
HE which hath his health and would so continue, I wish him either to forbear or little to use those things which greatly digress from that constitution, or mediocrity in which man is created. Our Physicians do call every thing hot or cold, in the respect of the nature of man. For if it be somewhat hotter than his nature, them it digresseth, and they term it hot in the second degree, and in like manner to the third and fourth, which because it doth so far exceed his constitution, by daily proof is found to be unto him flat poison, the like consideration on the contrary side have they of cold things, whereby you may gather how like always desireth like, and abhorreth the contrary. The things which are like, and best agree with the nature of man, are good wholesome usual meats & drinks, a dry fresh & sweet air, moderate sleep and travel or labour, which although it were allotted unto us as punishment by God. Yet mercifully withal he hath made it a mean to preserve our health, the things which greatly disagree are wines, spice, salt meats, and all very hot things, which thou shalt know by taste, for either they bite like Pepper, fret like salt, or else show some great manifest heat in the mouth. Also on the other, side, all raw fruits and cold herbs, with divers things of like nature, much use of sauces devised by belly gods, whom God hath punished as much by want of appetite, having meat at will: as the poor by want of meat having good appetite, to live in a thick foggy air, to live idly and to exceed in eating & drinking, sleeping watching or venery. I would not have any man to think that I do utterly condemn all very hot and cold things, but seeing they are rather of the nature of medicine than nutriment: I wish them to be very discretely & moderately used, for hot things are to be used when a man's body is very cold, and cold things when his body is over hot, but to use either the body being not distempered, is mere madness. Now further for as much as all men are subject unto death, and our bodies as yielding thereunto, from time to time always gather corruption, to preserve our health as much as may be, until we have run that race which God hath appointed. I commend unto you this receipt.  
Take Borage and Parsley in like quantity, boil them in Whey clarified & keep it in some earthen vessel, use of it warm in the spring, especially every morning fasting a good draft, and in every draft take so much of a polion as will give thee two stools a day more than ordinary, some may use it ten days together some fifteen or twenty as the body doth require, by this means thou mayst prevent many diseases and keep thy body in very good state, it maketh women apt to conceive, if during the taking thereof they live chaste, and it hath many other special virtues which for brevities sake I will omit. Their is yet one disease wherewith our wantoness here of England are much troubled for not resperting the force or help of nature, if they feel never so small or light a grief, they must presently to Physic, until they have so filled their Bodies with drinks that they are sicker of their Physic, then of any disease, in this grief a little more wit will be a present help, for so shall they have heavier purses lighter hearts & sounder bodies.   

Doctor Bullins Diet for Health.  
BEware of coldness both of the air, as misses, wind, thin clothing, unclean lodging, with open windows in that chamber, or lying on thy back or near the ground, but use sweet warm air with a small fire not near at hand, it will help the matter to ripe, whereas coldness will bind and drive back the matter and kill the patient suddenly, sup clean broth of chickens, eat but little and oft, covit to sleep in the might vi. or seven. hours for sleep is a great friend to nature, if sleep come not in that night▪ then refuse not sleep in the day, sitting in thy Chair with thy head upright after meat two hours, walk not much up & down, for rest with warmness is a great nourisher of the humours specially blood and choler, be rather laxative on the day, than the night. Beware of carefulness for worldly things Look not into the glass of desperation, with Agony and heaviness of mind. Hope ever for the best, for a good stomach driveth away many diseases: but when the spirit is vexed: who may abide it. A merry heart is the life to the body but rancour consumeth the bones. Heaviness doth bring sickness, and they which have heavy countenances, with continual agony, are either to rich, to poor, too sick, too foolish, or to sore oppressed. Therefore commend gladness, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, then to eat and drink betime and to leisure, and to be merry for that shall he have for his labour, all the days of his life, which almighty God hath given him under the sun, for there is nothing better than gladness, honesty of life, love to each o●●er, and do as we would be done unto. Thus far you well.