A Precious TREASURY OF TWENTY Rare SECRETS.  
Most Necessary, Pleasant, and Profitable for all sorts of People.  
PUBLISHED BY Signier FRANCISCO DICKINSON an Expert Operator, and presumed to as good as any the best in all Europe.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author, whose skill is Approved, 1649.   

The Contents of this Book.  

THe first Secret is how to make make hair grow.  
The second how to write Letters either ●lack, blue or Green, without pen or ink.  
The third how to write Letters of Secrets several ways, that can be read by none without this instruction following.  
The fourth how any that in necessity are troubled with Lice or vermin may destroy them suddenly.  
The fifth how to make a Horse to have a good hoof.  
The sixth how to make Wine to be odoriferous.  
The seventh how to make strong vinegar.  
The eighth how to make hair of any colour to become black.  
The ninth how to make a Candle to burn in water, and to endure a long time.  
The tenth how to keep Wine from souring.  
The eleventh how to ripen Musmelions, and such other fruit before their season.  
The twelfth how to clear your feet from all sweat.  
The thirteenth how to take out spots of grease or oil.  
The fourteenth how to keep meat a long time fresh, without salt.  
The fifteenth how to make a Powder that will make good ink in an Instant.  
The sixteenth how to cure the Ague.  
The seventeenth how to appease the pain of the toothache.  
The eighteenth how to make hair to grow where there is none.  
The ninete●nth how to make a most pleasing and wholesome mess of broth for a sick body.  
The twentieth how to make one's hands and face smooth and fair.    


I. How to make hair to grow.  
TAke half a pound of Aqua Mellis, in the spring time of the year, warm a little of it every morning when you rise in a sauser or such a thing; and tie a little sponge to a fine Box Comb, and dip it in the said water; and therewith moisten the very roots of your hair in combing it, and it will grow long, thick, and curled in a very short space.   

II. How to write letters either Black, blue, Red, or Green, without Pen or ink.  
Take the ashes of burned paper, with a little salad-oil and mingle it like a thick Ointment; then take paper, warm it a little by the fire, and anoint it over with the foresaid Ointment, and when you would write, lay this anointed side of your Paper upon a clean sheet of Paper: then take a piece of any strong wire, or a little stick smooth and small at the end: then write therewith upon the said Paper, and it will appear most plainly upon the white Paper. If you would have your letters blue, take Indigo, if green, Verdigreace.   

III. How to write letters of secrets several ways that can be read by none without this instruction following.  
Take fine Allom, beat it small, and put a reasonable quantity of it into a little water, then write with the said water, the which writing cannot be read, but by steeping your Paper aftetwards in fair water.  
You may likewise write with Vinegar or the juice of a Lemon, or of an onion; then when you would read the same, you must heat your Paper against the fire.  
Moreover, if you will anoint a piece of Paper with Candlegreace, and lay it upon an other white Paper, then write thereon, next open your Paper asunder, and strew a little Powder upon your Paper, and whatsoever colour you Powder be of, your writing will appear of the same colour.   

IV. How any that in necessity are troubled with Lice or any other Vermin may destroy them suddenly.  
Take laurel oil half an ounce, three pennyworth of Quick Silver, mingle them well, and anoint therewith the places where you have most Vermin, and you shall suddenly be clear from all such things.   

V. How to make a Horse to have a good hoof.  
Take Cowdung and Chimney soot, mingle them, beat them, and apply them to the Horse his hooves, and bind it on with some course thing, and it will do the effect.   

VI. How to make Wine to be Odoriferous.  
Stick a Lemond or an Orange full of Cloaves, then fusten itto the inside of the barrel, in such sort that it touch not the Wine, then stop your vessel very well, that the Odour go not forth, and it will be excellent.   

VII. How to make strong vinegar.  
Take Gooseberries and wild Mulberries when they are green, dry them, beat them into Powder, and then make a paste of them with strong vinegar, of which you shall make little round Balls, then take your wine, and boil all together, and it will prove excellent good vinegar.   

VIII. How to make hair of any colour to become black.  
Take a little Aqua fortis, put there in a groat or six pence according to the quantity of the foresaid water, then set both to dissolve before the fire. Lastly, dip a little sponge in the said water, and wet your beard or hair therewith, but touch not the skin.   

ix.. How to make a Candle burn in water and endure a long time.  
Take a Candle and stick at the bottom of it as much Lead as will make it stand upright in a pail of water, and not sink, and the Can●le will endure burning therein a long time.   

X. How to keep Wine from souring.  
Tie a piece of very salt Bacon on the inside of your barrel, so as it touch not the Wine, in so doing your Wine will never sour.   

XI. How to ripen musk-melons, and such other fruit before their season.  
You must plant them in dry weather, and once every third or fourth day water them with warm water, and so they will be ripe before their season.   

XII. How to clear your feet from sweat.  
Take the fi●ings of Pins, otherways called Pin-dust, put a lit●le thereof into your shoes or Boots, and it will keep your feet clear from sweat.   

XIII. How to take out spots of oil or grease.  
Take the bones of sheep's feet burn them almost to ashes, then bruise them to Powder, and put of it upon your spots, and lay all before the sun when it shines hottest; when the Powder becomes black lay on fresh in the place till it suck out the spots, which is done in very short time.   

XIV. How to keep Meat fresh and sweet a long time without salt.  
Put your Meat in Flower, meal or Bran, and therein it will keep fresh and sweet a long time, or else cast beaten Coriander seed and Vinegar on it, and it will do the same.   

XV. How to ma●e a Powder that will make good Ink in an instant.  
Take Roman vitriol, and Copperas, as much of the one as of the other; beat this into powder, mingle it, and put of it into a little water; and on the present it will be very good Ink: likewise if you strew of the same Powder upon white paper and write thereon with a little fair water, the letters will appear presently black.   

XVI. How to cure the Ague quartan, tertian, or quotidian.  
First take advice of your Doctor; that will be I know to purge, and let blood, which indeed is a great preparation for obtaining of health in all diseases; yet none can prescribe any certain rule for this purpose, but such a Doctor as partly knows the constitution of your body, and the nature of your disease; therefore if your ague stick to you after you have been under the doctor's hands, take little pieces of Allom, scrape and cut them to the fashion of Pills, and let them that are very young, very old, or very weak take three of these Allom pills in three spoon fulls of anise seed water; let the stronger sort take five or six, in the same manner; this is a remedy whereby I never failed to cure as many as ever I took in hand, observing likewise if you can to use Cardus Benedictus boiled in posset drink for your ordinary drink; especially when you have a mind to sweat.   

XVII. How to appease t●e pain of the toothache.  
Take a little Cotton and dip it into essence of Cloves which you may have at the Apothecaries, thrust the said dipped Cotten in the hollowness of your tooth, and it will appease the present pain.   

XVIII. How to make hair grow where there is none.  
Take Bees and burn them upon a fire shovel, or such a thing then boil the ashes of the Bees in salad oil, then anoint therewith the place where you would have hair to grow and you shall obtain your wish in a short time.   

XIX. How to make a most wholesome and pleasing mess of Broth for a sick body though his stomach be never so weak for other things.  
Take the yolks of two new eggs, put them in a little pipkin for that purpose, squeeze therein the juice of a Lemon or two, then take a good Ladle full of good broth out of another pot that boyles, first beat the eggs yolks and Lemon juice very well together; then put in the said broth, but let it not be too salt by no means, then stir all together upon an easy fire, and at the first boil thereof take it off and give it the sick body upon a little bread according to your discretion.   

XX. How to make one's hands and face smooth and fair.  
Take bitter Almonds, steep them overnight in water, then pill off their skins with your fingers, and then beat them very well in a mortar with two or three yolks of eggs; use this paste to wash your face & hands often, and it will make your skin smooth and fair: to wear dog leather gloves is likewise good for that purpose, but especially any little delicate gloves, rub them well with some of the sweetest smelling oil before a fire and wear these gloves under others awhile, there is nothing in the world better for that purpose.  
I have some things extraordinary which I cannot communicate to any but them that have need of my help, and will make use of me. I have written here something to satisfy the curious, but I must confess they are but trifles in comparison of my manual operations, which I presume to be as expert in as any man in Europe whatsoever he be, as my approbation of some of the best Doctors of this Age shall justify if need re●uires.  
I say again, I have some things extraordinary, which I cannot ●ommunicate publicly, but those that need my help may re●ayr to me, and I will satisfy their desires.  
I glory not in knowing or doing much, but in doing well that which I undertake  
I help those that are thick of hearing without any the least pain to the party. probatum est.  
Those that are pained with the toothache may (without drawing their teeth) have present ease and remedy.  
I can also help the Bloody flux, though they have been long troubled therewith.  
I can give remedies against all kinds of fevers, and can help quotidian, terian, and quartan Agues.  
I have likewise a most rare and precious approved balsam for to ease any pain about men's joints and limbs, an● to heal old Sores, or green wounds by cuts or stabs, in a short time.  
I have also certain mineral Stones, whose virtues are found to be good against diver sorts of maladies.  
I live at present in Stanhop street ove● against the Black-moores-head near the new Market, in St Clement's parish, where they that have need of me, may find me to give them all reasonable satisfaction, God willing.  
Per me FRANCISCO DICKINSON Operator.