A MEDICINE FOR THE TIMES. OR, AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST FACTION.  
Written, By T. J.  
Containing these Cures, viz. 

1. How to cure a man that hath a factious Spirit.  
2. How to cure a woman so possessed.  
3. A new and direct experiment, to know the Kings-Evil.  
4. How to cure one that is troubled with crosses.  
5. A cure for him that is troubled with an oval-pate, (in English) a Round-head.  
6. A brief Definition of a Disease called obstinacy.  
7. A cure for his Impatience, that is angry with me for this slender expression of my Art.    
LONDON. Printed for Robert Wood. 1641.   

A MEDICINE FOR THE TIMES.  

1. How to cure a man that is possessed with a factious Spirit.  
TAke one heartful of Ecclesiastical obedience, as much of regal submission (for this being a malady of the mind, requires the physic to be mental) forbear the society of those infected people, that would make a breach in that sacred Text; Fear God, Honour the King. Let not the ground of your Religion (which is the prop of the soul) consist only in Contradiction, unless you hope to gain Salvation, by disputing niceties. Or if you are so strangely possessed, that you must make your lives a tedious Argument, let not your reasons be like the womens' reasons, (It is not, because it is not) there is as much difference betwixt Religion and Faction, as is between a Temple of Saints, and a Den of thieves. If you do not love your enemies, according to divine injunction (though that part of the litany be disputed) you may question your own Salvation. If you can thus purge yourself with these Receipts, you may quietly enjoy your health, without the unnecessary charge of bleeding.   

IJ. 2. How to cure a woman so possessed.  
A Woman being the weaker vessel, shall have the application of a weaker Remedy; let her obey her husband when he hath taken hi● Cure, and not disdain to conceive that (over his own Family) he is both a King and a Bishop, one that is capable both of moral Gov●rnment, and Divine: this observation in her, will keep her from pulling off the sacred Chain that is about the neck of authority, and free her from a strange madness she hath got in expounding Scripture: and to conclude (according to her own belief) I would not have her sit or lie crosslegged, it is abominable, and the continuance of such crossing may prevent the first great Blessing, increase and multiply.   

IIJ. 3. A new and direct Experiment to know the King's evil.  
THe small Practice I have had in physic, hath instructed me that one Simple hath been mixed with many Varieties for several Diseases; such use must I make of this one excellent drug Obedience; which being mixed with right consideration, will so purge the brain, that the eyes of good opinion will be open, and your discerning shall be perfect; whereas before, you looked as people do through deceitful glasses: every white seemed a blemish, and every such blemish a thousand; I must now prescribe a Diet: fast one month from Faction, observe the King's laws, behold him in his true Prerogative; write not about the new stamped coin of your Conscience, Ego & Rex meus, I and my King. Do not only ceremonially take the Oath of supremacy, but obey it with a true consideration, that the breach of it will shake the very frame of your Religion; if you can sincerely obey all this, you have a sound body, and cannot be troubled with the King's evil.   

IV. How to cure one that is troubled with Crosses.  
CArry no coin about you; for you know that there is an Image on one side, and a cross on the tother: and I would have you so much the more avoid it, because you are already prone to worship it, and some think it is the only way to make a Papist on you: avoid that Idolatroies play of push-pin (t●ough with a sister) let not your Children be instructed in the hornbook; because of the first Character: forbear to walk in these forbidden paths, till their n●mes be changed (viz.) Whitecross-street, Redcrosse-street, charing-cross, Cow-cross, ratcliffe-cross, Bishopsgate-street, Ave-mari lane.  
If any man's Name be cross, let him change it, and call himself Overthwart, as william Overthwart, John Overthwart, or Martin Overthwart; unless his name be Andrew, than you may call him Andrew cross: i will not wish you to put away all cross wives, because I would not debar ye of the general society of women.  
I should applaud their pulling down of Cheapside cross, but I fear that there are certain men amongst them, who (under pretence of Zeal) weigh not altogether so much the Idolatry of the form, as the ponderous substance of the Lead: and I pray let any honest man judge, what Relation felony hath to Acts of Piety, if it have, we must censure this to be a holy Robbery: which according to common sense, is a strange contradiction, and cannot hold in Religion; unless they largely stretch this Text to it: They took Heaven by violence: which they conceive (according to literal explanation) is with Clubs and Haves, and short Swords, worn up to their arm pits: Some shut up their shops, to make the times hard, purposing to starve his majesty's Subjects into a zeal like theirs; (in conclusion) I would not have all Crosses, put down; because I would have no alteration in the regal Diadem, which hath stood many wise Ages unquestioned. I am an honest Physician (though I say't) and am so far from being a Papist, that I dare curse the Pope; so far from being a Separatist I dare love the King: And that I am no Neuter, shall appear in my willing Service (provided there be an equality in my Spirit and my Office) in the hazard of my life for my King and Country.   

5. A Cure for him that is troubled with an oval-pate, (in English) a Round-head.  
NO man is demonstrated to be a Round-head, but he that takes the name to himself; and conceives he is so, because he is in opposition to the Cavalier: (who may be an honest man, though he we●r scarlet and silver lace, and holds it no sin to be in fashion.) A Round-head is a man (though cut within a quarter of an inch to the skull) hath more hair than wit, and according to his daily distractions, may be titled hair-brained: And this proves him to be an Hypocrite: for though his hair be clipped short, he loves to wear it long, and very long; which is, from Generation to Generation. (Long may he wear it.) Hath not that man more hair than wit, whose wit is so much troubled with his hair? (your censure Gentlemen:) For my own part, cause I would know the way to heaven to an hair's breadth, I have left off my Periwig; and I have not had one pious thought, for that cause, more than I had before. It is in hair, as it is in habit; one man wonders why I wear it long, I as much wonder why he wears it short: I love a b●oad brimed hat, he loves a narrow one: my opinion of this formal reformation, is but a change from one indifferent ceremony to another. In brief, if a man be troubled with a Round-head, let him do as if his right hand offended him. Desperate Diseases must have desperate cures.   

6. The Brief definition of a Disease called obstinacy.  
IF a man worship zealously his own opinion, contrary to divine Inspiration; which he cannot assure himself, whilst he hath one thought of Oppression; orwants the zealous Obedience he ought to pay to God's Lord deputy; his own Anointed: for in this point my opinion runs hand in hand with that Gentleman that writ these Lines: 
They whom their King affront, the like would do,  
To th' King of Kings, could they come at him to.  I am so far from the spirit of Contradiction, that if I had a full assurance, the alteration of my form would save me, I should willingly resign my fashionable habit, and confine myself to the steeple crown hat, short hair, Geneva ruff, with all accoutrements correspondent to this posture; but indeed I will not believe any man can add to his salvation or damnation by Form merely: if preaching is as sacred in a stable as in a Church, why not in a Church as well as a stable (a place fit for Oxen and Asses) if ye do it in remembrance that it was the necessitated place of our Saviour, ye stand in your own light, and confute yourselves; you may with as little idolatry keep in view the form of that whereon he died, as of that where he was born; he that co●ceives Cheapside cross may cause idolatry, hath but a weak faith, and, for aught I know, he doubts if it stand long, himself may be won to be a worshipper and by this means would prevent it: For my part, if he liked as I do, which is for the workmanship in the nice and natural postures, and as the grace of so glorious a city, he would go home, mend shoes, and never trouble his head about it. I plead not for it, for were it down, I would not give the poor Contribution of a penny to have another erected, because it should not trouble the heads of the unemployed people.   

7. A Cure for his Impatience that is angry with me, for the expression of my Art.  
IN the first place, he hath no cause to doubt my Medicines, for i'll give him no worse than i'll take myself. Let him not brand me with a prejudicate opinion, that I am a Papist; for, by yea and nay, I am none, but can with a safe conscience, take the oath of supremacy; I love the King, and all those that love him, I daily pray for the prosperity of all those high designs in Parliament; I am no Railer and Pamphletizer against Bishops; 'tis a charity I hold not, to laugh at any man's fall, though my enemy and perfecutor: Nor would I weaken so great a Synod as this present Parliament, as to conceive they know not how to dispose of Offenders; if things may not proceed in Order, a commonwealth will quickly prove a heap of ruins; and resolve, as the world must (at the general doom) to its first Chaos. And thus being come to the world's end, I leave you.   
FINIS.