PARACELSUS HIS DISPENSATORY AND CHIRURGERY.  
THE DISPENSATORY Contains the choicest of his Physical Remedies.  
And all that can be desired of his CHIRURGERY, You have in the Treatises of Wounds, Ulcers, and Aposthumes.  
Faithfully Englished, by W. D.  
LONDON: Printed by T.M. for Philip Chetwind, and are to be sold by Stationers. 1656.   

To the Reader,  
REader, Thou hast here some of the best Physical pieces, of the best of Physicians, who is so well known through the most part of the world, for his excellent skill in the practice of Physic, for his singular knowledge of the secrets of Nature; for his candour in communicating his Secrets and Experiments faithfully to the World, that I need do no more to commend these following Treatises to thee, but to tell thee, that they are Paracelsus', who very well deserves the Title of Princeps Medicorum, The chief Physician of the Microcosm, and the best Anatomizer of the Macrocosm; for he hath brought out of its Bowels more of its hidden Secrets to the public view, than any Physician or Philosopher before or since his time; as it plainly appears by these ensuing Treatises, wherein you shall find many Secrets worthy your knowledge: Here you have excellent Physical principles, whereby the Physician may be directed, both in his practice of Physic, and how to find out Physical Secrets: Here also you have rare and most useful Experiments for the benefit of the serious, and very strange secrets for the satisfaction of the curious. But these secrets have been much abused by many, who unjustly desiring to have the praise of them from Paracelsus, have inserted them in their own writings, as secrets of their own finding out: And to make the World believe this, they have set down those secrets in their Writings so imperfectly, and so much varying from Paracelsus mind, that they are altogether useless and false. Therefore those who desire to have these secrets truly and fully, let them hear Paracelsus himself, speaking his own mind in these ensuing Treatises, and other his Writings; let them read them attentively and seriously, so as they may have his mind fully, and they shall find these secrets true, which hitherto have been accounted vain and frivolous, as they have been (falsely) set down by others in their Writings.  
In Chemistry, Paracelsus was excellent, and indeed, Posterity is much beholding unto him for reviving an Art so useful; for by this Art are made strong Waters, Oils, Spirits, and many excellent Medicines, the which how useful they are, almost every one now knows: Yet this Art had been buried with the ancient Philosophers, if it had not been for the great pains, and diligent study of Paracelsus, who made it his chief care to bring this Art abroad into the World, which formerly hath been shut up in the Closets and secret Furnaces of Princes and Philosophers; and hath taken off the vail which was left upon it by the Ancient Philosophers, and hath discovered to us the many profitable uses of it, and many worthy secrets of it, never before known. And this he did, not for praise or gains, for he was a man free from ambition & covetousness, as all who knew him do acknowledge; the only thing he aimed at in his actions when he was alive, and in these his surviving Writings, was only the public good; and because of this his candour and faithfulness, and the excellency of his skill, he became an object of general envy; that both when he was alive, and now since his death, he hath been maliciously scandalised by many. And those who knew not the truth of these things, taking upon trust from the malicious, at first believed those falsehoods, and afterwards they themselves spoke them as truths: So that it is doubtful whether Paracelsus and his writings have had more wrong from the malicious, or from the ignorant; for those scandals put upon Paracelsus, which have been invented by the envious, have been defended by the ignorant.  
Reader, what is here spoken in vindication of Paracelsus, it is only to give thee notice, that he is much wronged by many; and not that thou shouldest think him faultless, or his Writings infallible; for nullus sine crimine vivit, and no doubt but he hath had his faults and errors, as well as other men; and those none should defend: but what is good in him, and fit for public use, let none condemn. Many of his Philosophical Opinions are not to be approved, but his Physical practice is certainly very good; and whereas the truth of Phylosophick Opinions, which must be found out by reasoning (in abditis recessibus latet) is hardly found out; therefore Paracelsus, as most part of Philosophers do, useth a liberty and a latitude in such Opinions: But let the Reader use discretion in reading, and be cautious in receiving such Opinions; as in some of the following Treatises, viz. of Corals, Secrets of Vermin, and St. Johns-wort, where he saith, That Coral and St. Johns-wort will drive away Ghosts and evil Spirits from the place where it is, or from the person who carrieth it about them. And in the Treatise of the secrets of Vermin, he telleth us of strange things which may be done by the tongue, tail, and skin of the Adder, etc. These things are in deed very strange, I cannot say much for the probability of them; neither can I say, that they are impossible: I am not of that mind, as many are, who conclude those things to be impossible, or that they must be done by the Devil, which are extraordinary, and are such things which they cannot understand. For I know, that God can do many things, and many things naturally, which we cannot understand how they are done, we only can admire them; yea, God hath given understanding to some men how to use some natural things, whereby wonderful effects are done: Now when we see strange things done, or hear that such or such strange things may be done, shall we think that they cannot be done naturally, nor by God, because we cannot understand how they are done? is any man's reason so reaching, and so comprehensive, as to know all that can be done by God and Nature? shall we say, that this or the other thing is not done naturally, because it is not according to those Principles which we only know? Is not this to bind God and Nature to our Principles, as if they cannot do otherwise then according to our Prescriptions? O the vanity of weak man to dote so much upon his own reason! Alas, how little is the greatest knowledge that any man hath? and how much of that little is very uncertain? how many uncertain, how many contrary Opinions in Philosophy? in Divinity? in every Art and Science? Quot homines, tot sententiae. I have a little digressed, but to return again to Paracelsus. Paracelsus Opinion concerning Spirits and Ghosts, and many other his Philosophic Opinions, which indeed are not ordinary; I do not approve them, nor will I here refute them: his Physical Practice I do approve, and doubtless, his cures and Physical Experiments which he hath left to us in his Writings (the best part of which are in the following Treatises) are very good; as the experiences of many since his death, who have tried them, do testify to us, (viz Crollius, Baptista Vanhelmont, Dorneus, and many other famous Physicians, who have followed his way altogether; yea, those that profess that they will not follow his way, do nevertheless use most of his Medicines in their Practice, as their Writings, and Apothecaries can witness it;) And Paracelsus in his life time gave proof thereof; for he did such cures, which never any Physician hath done the like: He commonly cured those Diseases, which all other Doctors accounted incurable; the truth of which is well known in all Germany, where he practised; for he was Physician to the most part of the Peers and Princes of Germany, and many other Nations, during his life; as all who knew any thing of Paracelsus, yea, even his enemies do acknowledge it; so that he cannot be defrauded of this praise. See Sennertus his Book, De Consensu, & dissensu Peripateticorum, & Chymicorum; and therefore I do admire, that any should put th●s scandal upon Paracelsus, to say, that he was a Mountebank, since all, even his enemies, do confess that he did such great and strange Cures. And certainly Basil, which is one of the most famous Universities of the World, would never have chosen him to be their Public Professor of Physic, if he had been a Mountebank or a weak man: He was chosen to be their Professor, when he was but thirty years of age, and there taught Physic publicly many years, and many came thither to hear his Physic Lectures from all parts of Germany, from Spain, Italy, France, Hungaria, Poland, Denmark, etc. See Sennertus in the aforesaid Book. We also see many learned men approve of his way in the practice of Physic, and have followed it; whereby it appears, that this man was no Mountebank, as some do enviously and falsely scandalise him.  
Reader, I thought it fitting to bint these things to thee, to prevent or remove thy prejudicial thoughts of Paracelsus, which may be bred by those false scandals, which are too common in the mouths of those who know not the truth of these things, lest by thy prejudicial thoughts of him, thou be deprived of the benefit of those things which thou mayest meet with for thy good, in these ensuing Treatises. The Treatises of the Dispensatory, I have given you in Paracelsus own words: I have only for thy benefit divided the Treatises into Chapters; and to the Chapters I have added the Contents of them. But his Chirurgery I have abreviated; giving you only the cures, with the marks of those Ulcers and Aposthumes, for which he hath appointed the Cures. Very few of the remedies in the following Treatises are Chemical, but they are such, as any may themselves easily make them. Paracelsus Chemical Medicines you shall have also shortly in English altogether, with their Preparations fully and clearly explained.  
W. D.   

The Table and Contents of this BOOK.  

TREATISE I. OF the Medicinal Virtues and Preparations of Hellebore.  

Chap. 1. There are two kinds of Hellebore, viz. Younger and Elder; the younger is for young people, and the elder for old people. pag. 1  
Chap. 2. Hellebore a singular Medicine for prolonging life: How it was used by the ancient Physicians. pag. 6  
Chap. 3. The cure of the Falling-sickness with black Hellebore, and the several ways of preparing it. pag. 10  
Chap. 4. The cure of the Gout with black Hellebore. pag. 17  
Chap. 5. The cure of the Palsy and hydropsy, and other diseases, with black Hellebore. pag. 21    

Treatise II. Of the strange virtues of Arsmart.  

Chap. 1. How the Arsmart should be used for any Wound or Ulcer. pag. 26  
Chap. 2. What other diseases are cured by Arsmart, viz Inflammations, Toothache, etc. pag. 32    

Treatise III. Of the virtues and preparations of CORALS.  

Chap. 1. What kind of Coral is best: The virtue of it against Spirits, Melancholy, vain Fancies, etc. pag. 39  
Chap. 2. The virtues of Coral more particularly, with their proofs; showing these operations of Coral to be true and natural. pag. 44  
Chap 3. The marks of the best Coral: How it should be prepared and exalted: the virtues of its Essence. pag. 49    

Treatise iv Of the virtues and preparation of St. Johns-wort.  

Chap. 1. The virtues of St. Johns-wort for fantastic Spirits, worms and wounds. pag. 54  
Chap. 2. When the St. Johns-wort must be pulled out of the ground, and how it must be used against Fantastic Spirits. pag. 59  
Chap. 3. How the St. Johns-wort should be prepared for wounds, bruises, Fractures of the bones, and Ulcers: and how it should be used when it is prepared. pag. 62    

Treatise V Of the virtues of the Loadstone.  

Chap. 1. The virtues of the Loadstone, and how it should be used. pag. 69  
Chap. 2. In this chapter you have the virtues of the Loadstone more particularly for several diseases. pag. 76    

Treatise VI Of the Preparations and Medicinal Virtues of Turpentine, of Ebbony, and of Mummy.  

Chap. 1. The difference of the wild and the planted Larch-tree: and that the natural place of the Larch-tree, maketh much for the good of the Turpentine. pag. 83  
Chap. 2. That the right Turpentine is equal to the Indian Balsam in its preserving Virtue: and how it hath this virtue by the influence of the Stars, and by the Elements, is fully explained. pag. 87  
Chap. 3. The virtues of Turpentine. pag. 94  
Chap. 4. The preparations of Turpentine. pag. 98   

Of Ebbony Wood  

Chap. 1. The preparations and virtues of Ebbony-wood pag. 104  
Chap 2. The virtues of Mummy. pag. 108     

Treatise. VII. Of the secrets, and wonderful Medicinal virtues of Vermin.  

Chap. 1. The Medicinal virtues of Serpents. p. 111  
Chap. 2. The Medicinal virtues of Serpents. pag. 114  
Chap. 3. The medicinal vertues of Serpents pag. 116  
Chap. 4. Preservatives to keep us from the harm of Serpents, Adders, and Snakes. pag. 118  
Chap. 5. The medicinal virtues of the Toad and Spider. pag. 121  
Chap. 6. Paracelsus compared with other Physicicians. pag. 123  
Ch. 7. The Medicinal virtues of Earthworms. pag. 126  
Chap. 8 The Medicinal virtues of the Earthworm, and of the Crabfish Cancer. pag. 128  
Chap. 9 The virtues of the Crabfish Cancer. pag. 131  
Chap. 10. The cure of those marks in the body which the patiented hath from the mother's womb. pag. 135    

Treatise VIII.  

Concerning common Salt and Brimstone, their medicinal Virtues and Preparations. Chap. 1. pag. 139    

Treatise IX. Of the Medicinal and Chemical Virtues and Preparations of Coperas.  

Chap. 1. The kinds of Coperas, and the marks of the goodness of Coperas. pag. 161  
Chap. 2. The Medicinal virtues of Coperas unprepared, and of Coperas calcined. pag. 166  
Chap. 3. Of the true Spirit, and true oil of Coperas, how they are made; and what are their virtues. pag. 171  
Chap. 4. Of the red oil of Coperas, commonly called, The Spirit of Vitrial, and its virtues. pag. 180  
Chap. 5. The Chemical virtues of Coperas, how it changeth Iron into good Copper, etc. pag. 184    

A Treatise of Wounds: Containing the Cures of Wounds by cuts, Fractures, Burn and Scaldings; the Bitings of Venomous Beasts, etc.  

Chap. 1. Potions, which being Drunk, Cure any Wound. pag. 189  
Chap. 2. Ointments for Wounds. pag. 194  
Chap. 3. Oils and Balsams for Wounds. pag. 197  
Chap. 4. Medicines to keep Wounds clean. pag. 199  
Chap. 5. Plasters for wounds. pag. 201  
Chap. 6. Powders by which Wounds and Ulcers are speedily closed up pag. 206  
Chap. 7. Remedies for the bleeding pain, inflammation, etc. of wounds. pag. 209  
Ch. 8. The cure of Fractures, or broken bones. pag. 213  
Chap. 9 The cure of those who are bitten by a mad Dog, Viper or any other venomous creature. pag. 216  
Chap. 10. The cure of Burn and scaldings. pag. 221    

A Treatise of Ulcers.  

Section 1. Describing the kinds of Ulcers, and their several Cures; under 12 Chapters.  
Section 2. Wherein are contained some rare experimented Remedies for Ulcers, especially for the Ulcers of the French Pox. pag. 254  
Section 3. Wherein are described the Tinctures, which are Catholic Medicines for all kind of Ulcers. pag. 822    

A Treatise of Aposthumes.  

With their Cures; under 55 Heads. pag. 298    

A Treatise concerning long Life.  

Ch. 1. All Medicines divided into three sorts, according to the threefold age of man; showing that each age must have its own Medicines proper for it. pag. 369  
Chap. 2. The division of Medicines, according to the difference of diseases, and what is the chief use of Medicine. pag. 376  
Chap. 3. What life is? whether, and how it may be prolonged? pag. 380  
Chap. 4. How the Life is prolonged by virtue of the place where we live? by the four Elements? by the Stars? and by the virtues of Herbs? pag. 383  
Ch. 5. The life prolonging Medicine described; how it should be used? to what use it is chief intended? and to whom it is most effectual? pag. 391  
Chap. 6 How we are preserved from those diseases Which come from the Stars, or from Witchcraft, or from Imagination, etc. pag. 398     

PARACELSUS HIS DISPENSATORY.  

TREATISE I. Of the Medicinal Virtues and Preparations of Hellebore.  

CHAP. I. There are two kinds of Hellebore, viz. Younger and Elder: the younger is for young people, and the elder for old people.  
BEing to write of the two Hellebores; first, I affirm, that whereas there are two sorts of Hellebore, the one called White, and the other Black; so distinguished, not because of the variety of their colours, but because of the difference of their properties. Therefore, to speak more truly and properly, if we would give them names according to their natures, than the white Hellebore should be called the younger, and the black Hellebore should be called the elder: For howbeit these two are the same kind of herb, yet in this they differ, that the younger Hellebore should be given only to young people, till they come to be of fifty years of age: the elder Hellebore is to be used only by those who exceed fifty years.  
And what I have now said of Hellebore, is to be understood of all other herbs and roots, which are of two kinds, viz male and female: Not that they are truly male and female; but by this difference the Physician is to understand, that the one kind should be given only to young people, and the other to old.  
Indeed, it is an exceeding great oversight in Physicians, that they have never taken notice of this, That Nature hath built two Shops, the one for young people, the other for old: so that the same Medicine and Method of Curing is not for young people, which is for old. It is very inconvenient, that those who are old should use the Medicines which are fit only for young people: or that those who are young should use those Medicines which are most agreeable with the constitution of old people.  
To explain this further by an Example of the Moon, which is every month renewed. The increase of the Moon from new Moon to full Moon, may be compared to the age of young people, and the decrease of the Moon from the full Moon to the new Moon, is like old age; so that in those changes of the Moon are well represented unto us the several ages of man: and as the Moon hath not the same qualities in the increase, which she hath in the decrease, so there is a great difference betwixt old and young people. Therefore it concerns every Physician to search throughly into the nature and condition of the Moon; and so he may know the age of a man, of what kind it is, which is to be learned by the Moon. She is the true and genuine book, and not that which is writ with ink. So that one kind of the same herb should be used in the increase of the Moon, and another kind in the decrease; and this is commonly called male and female, the male is the younger, the female the elder.  
That you may better understand this, Observe, that as of every thing there are two sorts, which are as two parts of one whole thing: so there are two kinds of Hellebore, the elder and younger: The elder Hellebore, what good can it do to young people? And how unfit is the younger Hellibore for old people? But having both kinds, we have a complete Medicine for old and young; viz. the younger for young people, etc. But seeing youth and old age cannot consist together, even as the Moon cannot be both old and young at the same time; therefore God hath divided this Medicine into two parts, according to these two ages: and these parts are not tied to one another in their operations, they do their work, the one without the other.  
Again, we must observe the difference of diseases in old age and in young: an Apoplexy is of one nature in young people, and of another in old; and therefore there must be one Medicine used for this disease in those who are young, and another for the same disease in those who are old. Now in the two Hellebores there is a perfect cure of the Apoplexy; being used for the age to which they are proper.  
So the Gout is of two kinds, there is elder and younger: Younger, viz. the Gout of young people; and elder, v●z. the Gout of old people. For both these kinds of Gout there is a present Cure in Hellebore; but not in one and the same root of Hellebore: therefore Nature hath made a division: Now be ever mindful of the difference of herbs, of the difference of ages, of the difference of Medicines, of the difference of Diseases, of the alterations of the Moon. This is a mystery and secret of Nature, which is evident to every Physician, who is a son of Astronomy.  
Now that I should satisfy Mounte-banks in every particular, there is no necessity: Nevertheless, I will leave with you this serious Instruction; but I intent it chief for true Physicians, That the differences of things do arise out of Nature itself; so that every thing is appointed to its own place, where it should be: the Virtues of Medicines are designed where they should have their operations, and they cannot be forced to any other way. So that the Medicine which is for young people, cannot be forced to do good to old people.   

CHAP. II. Hellebore a singular Medicine for prolonging life: How it wa● 〈…〉 the ancient Physicians.  
I Conceive it fit that now I should describe the black Hellebore, and the benefit of it to old age: whereby you may also know the nature of the white Hellebore.  
And first to speak of the preparation of black Hellebore, which was used by the Physicians in ancient times: it was thus; The Hellebore is to be pulled up out of the ground when the Moon is in some of those Signs of Heaven which are called Signs of Conservation; then take the herbs and dry them in the shade with a dry East wind; afterwards beat them to a fine powder with pure white Sugar of equal weight with them. So you have the Powder as it was made by the ancient Physicians, who used all the ways they could to get the true essence of this herb; but they could never do it, and therefore they contented themselves w●th this powder. Now the reason why they so much s●ught after the essence of this herb, was this; because they found by experience a wonderful nature and property in this herb: for those who were passed fifty years of age, by the daily using of the aforesaid powder evening and morning; taking so much at a time as they could take up with their three fingers, they became younger and more vigorous, and so continued healthful and vigorous to the time of their death. This Virtue Nature hath mystically contracted from the whole frame of the great world, for the conservation of the little world Man. In this herb are comprehended the four Elements, and by it are expelled the impurities of the four Elements: it may well be called the Defensive of old age.  
But the aforesaid powder is not to be given to every one in a like quantity: the persons who are to use this powder, must take only so much of it at a time as is most agreeable to their strength, and as it shall be appointed by some skilful Physician.  
Indeed, they who sought so much after the true essence of this Herb, did it not rashly; for what Herb is like to this? or what other herb can (as this) give a firm, vigorous, and lasting life to old age? For it preserves us from all external infections, or inward putrefactions; and will keep a man always in a good temper, that he shall come to old age without any sickness. And therefore it will be worth our pains, if we can separate the pure Essence from the impurities of this herb. Who will not say, but that such a pure Essence is an everlasting Balsam; which can so preserve a man till the time of his death, and in the operations of it agreeth with Balsom every way? Let not these things seem incredible to you.  
By this Essence of Hellebore the Causes of the Gout are removed, the Leprosy quite rooted out; it will not suffer any such disease to be in the body. The Stars have certain times, and they who are born at such times are not troubled with any diseases: Again, the Stars have some other times, and they who are born at such times are still sickly. Now, if according to Nature, Times can make such impression, and such changes in man: Much more all Vegetables, which are brought forth by Nature; they do agree with those times of the Stars, and have a tincture from them; so that in some men, and in some Vegetables there is the same nature, being, and stamp of Conservation: and so from such Vegetables men may receive this tincture of Health.  
And so much I have thought fit to speak concerning the leaves of black Hellebore. This only I will add, That you must have a care to know how to separate the pure Essence from the impurities of the Hellebore under a right Constellation. How much more hurtful the disease is, so much more powerful the Medicine must be.   

CHAP. III. The Cure of the Falling-sickness with black Hellebore, and the several ways of preparing it.  
THe Root of this Hellebore cureth four Diseases; viz. the Falling-sickness, Gout, Palsy, hydropsy. Here consider the difference of Diseases. Every disease is twofold, viz. corporeal, or spiritual: For these two kinds of diseases the Physician must use two kinds of Cures; one for bodily, another for spiritual Diseases. Concerning spiritual Diseases, and their Cures, having spoken of them elsewhere; now in this place I speak only of bodily diseases. As for those diseases whose spirit is altogether in things bodily, and cannot subsist without those bodies, their spirit dies with the body; But where there is an impression from the Stars, there Art appears most of all in removing of that.  
But now to come to our business in hand, to show you how those four Diseases mentioned before, are cured by this Root.  
There is to be observed a difference amongst purging Medicines: Some of them purge slimy humours; which by purging do remove the humours, but do not impair the specifical disease; i. e. they do not touch the disease itself in the root of it. Hence it is that the Humorists, who say, that all diseases come from the humours of the body; their whole Art consists only in purging, and they do no good by it; but oft times miserably kill diseased persons by it. If they knew the specifical purging Medicines, than they were in the right way of purging.  
Now concerning the Root of black Hellebore, Observe, that it purgeth two ways; it purgeth specifically, and it purgeth gross humours; by these two ways it cureth the Falling-sickness.  
Here observe, that we should be slow in purging gross humours, (otherwise the sick person may be much wronged) so as the Epileptic humour may be purged out with other humours. Therefore a Physician should be skilful in considering the Time, Order, and Manner of giving Physic according to the condition of the sick person. In former times, those who were troubled with the Faling-sicknesse, were first to eat the Root itself; afterwards they were to take it in milk, and lastly they were to take it with other mixtures: but now (in our times) the Disease is more violent, and the poison of it more heightened; therefore of necessity the Physician must make his Physic stronger, left it be not able to overcome the Disease.  
Now I will give you my counsel, and show you how this disease may be cured, as I have found by experience: Thus; Take the Root of Hellebore so soon as it is pulled out of the earth, and put it in the spirit of wine, which will bring out both the moisture and the Oil out of the Root; then the Spirit of wine being separated from that Oil, there will remain the essence of the Root, sweet, without any addition. This Essence doth much differ from that way which was used by the Physicians in ancient times: for this Essence doth not purge out a great deal of humours, but rather the Epileptic body itself; i e. the humour wherein the Disease, or poison of the Disease chief lurks, which is the root of the Disease. Therefore this Essence is a safer and more effectual purge, and a more certain cure, then that which was used in former times, against this Disease.  
Now this Essence will be more effectual against this disease, if you join with it in the Spirit of wine, the Misteto of Oak, and Pellitory, and the seeds of Pionie, that the medicinal spirit of these three may be mixed with the Essence of the Black Hellebore, and so to be given to the sick person, so much of it at a time as the skilful Physician shall think fit. This disease must be driven out slowly and by degrees, considering the Nature of the sick person, of the Disease, and of the Country where they live etc.  
Addit. The Root is to be pulled out of the earth in the decrease of the Moon, the Moon being in the Sign of Libra, (which Sign is most agreeable to the Falling-sickness) upon the Friday (or in an hour of Venus) and it must be dried in the shade with a dry North wind. It was the custom of the Ancients to use the Herbs as they are pulled out of the earth, without any addition; but my way of using this Root is thus: Let the Patient who is troubled with the Falling-sickness be purged three days before the fit comes upon him, if it can be done, giving him for a purge two drams of the powder of this Root; to young people in milk, to old people in wine.  

Another Preparation of the Leaves and Root of Hellebore.  
It's certain, that the virtue of this herb is great and admirable, not much differing from a Balsam. He which can bring out the Balsam which lurks in this herb, hath a most precious treasure of Nature: The way to make of this herb a Balsam is thus: This herb must be putrified in its own water, being placed in warm dung, the glass being close stopped: afterwards the water must be separated from that which is putrified, and the putrified matter must be separated from the grounds, the grounds must be kept by themselves; than you have the Balsam with two degrees of moistness, and twenty two degrees of putrefaction: The dose of that which is putrified according to degrees; and of the water according to the quantity, is to be considered in the administration of it, according to the first proceeding. This Balsam may be more exalted in its essence, if the aforesaid work be done again by adding to this water and putrified matter, new (or fresh) Hellebore; and if it be dry, especially the Root, it's so much the better.  
The Root is thus corrected: Take of this Root cut in large slices two ounces, of flesh a quarter of a pound cut very small, of the water of Nutmeg one ounce, of the water of large Pepper one dram; put these together in a pot very well stopped, and put your pot in boiling water three or four hours; then take out your pot, and pour out the liquor, which you shall keep for your use; then throw away the flesh and the herb. Of this liquor you are to give so much as the disease, the sick person, and necessity requires.   

Another Addition.  
You have already heard that this Root cures four principal diseases, and that it is a conservative of long life. But now I will show you how Hellebore can do greater Cures than any I have yet mentioned: Take of this Balsam of black Hellebore one ounce, of natural Balsam half a scruple; let them be so exactly mixed, that there appear but only one and not two: For Balsam and Hellebore are of the same nature in respect of Conservation. Natural Balsam is such a Medicine which preserves us from all the infections of the Stars, from the Pleurisy, and from the Pestilence: Now we should provide Remedies not only against our earthly infirmities and diseases; but also against those diseases which come from the celestial influences: And against such diseases there is no Medicine more powerful than Balsam.  
If the Falling-sickness could be cured by purging, than this Root were a sufficient remedy. Some Herbs are fit purges for the Falling Sickness, other herbs for the Jaundice, etc. Every disease requires its own purge, which is agreeable to it; yet a Purgation is not a full Cure, we must do something else to perfect the Cure: therefore when the Patient is purged so as he should be; then follows the Cure of the Falling Sickness, which consists in the Secret (or Arcanum) of the Essence of Coperas. By this method both old and young may be cured. Nevertheless, the Physician must observe, that this order of Purgations and Essences is not to be learned by the Apothecary's Art, but by the natures of things; which do teach us both the way how the Medicine is to be given, and how much is to be given.    

CHAP. III. The Cure of the Gout with black Hellebore.  
THere are two kinds of Gout; one kind of it comes of blood, the other comes of defluxions from the head. In the Bloud-Gout the blood doth rage: and by Astronomy it appears that the blood Gout is enraged by the influence of the Dog-stars, as in another place I have fully proved. Now Hellebore cannot help this kind of Gout: but it is good for that Gout which comes of saltish, sour, sharp, corrosive defluxions: These qualities of the defluxions are the cause of the Gout; and not heat or cold, or moistness or dryness: but if the diseased person be much troubled with great heat or great coldness in his joints; it is by reason of the contention betwixt nature and the disease, betwixt that which is sound and that which is diseased.  
The Ancient approved Physicians gave Hellebore to those who were troubled with such defluxions, and with it purged them. For this Root is the best of all purging Medicines which were known to the Ancients, both for preventing Defluxions, and for expelling them out of the body. This Purge was made by the Ancients, not according to the Rules of the Physicians of later times; but it was judiciously without curiosity prepared: They regarded not such Medicines which were made up of Syrups etc. and such other vain additions. They gave this root alone, without any addition, to the patiented, a little of it every day, and not all at one time: For Purgations must be given moderately in long Diseases; purging rather often and gently then violently. This Root of elder Hellebore thus prepared, and given every day, as the Patient and Disease requires, doth so cure defluxions by its natural virtue, that no Root or Herb can do he like.  
As we commonly see, that after it hath reigned, the ways may be dried ●gain; but thereafter it m●● 〈◊〉 rain again, as to fill 〈◊〉 ●ennels and Rivers. Thu● 〈◊〉 in the Gout: therefore we must add to this Root of Hellebore some Correctives, for the preventing of new defluxions; and in this respect this addition is very necessary. Unskilful Physicians do not consider this, who use such correctives as do weaken the purging faculty of this herb; they add to it Terra Sigillata, and other things which are contrary to the nature of this Herb, and take away the strength of it; whereas it should not lose any of its natural Virtues, but rather have them heightened. But the true Correction of it, which best agreeth with Physic Rules, is thus: After the humour is purged out, you must do that which may prevent the collection of the humour again. And that is done by two Roots; Avens or herb Bennet, and the Acorus of the shops, as I have more fully showed elsewhere in their particular Treatises. It ofttimes falls out, that a great many other griefs do accompany the Gout, which were not known to the Ancients; for daily they increase and grow more violent: and therefore in these our times there must b●●●culiar Treatises concerning the Gout, in w●●●h we must set down remedies for the several 〈…〉 which do accompany it.  
What I speak of the Gout here, is only how to take away the Cause or the root of it by the Hellebore, which is the most considerable part of the cure. Therefore the purging power of this Root is not to be lessened, but rather augmented. Then the best way of preparing it, is, as I have showed before by the spirit of Wine: But use it what way you will, it is a profitable purge. The patient must be often purged by the aforesaid root betwixt fits; for in so doing, those defluxions which are the cause of the Gout, are purged out of the whole body; so that in the time of the fit, the patient shall have but little pain. The ancient Philosophers by purging often, cured every kind of Gout, even an old, settled Gout. But the Humourists, when they had thrust themselves into the number of Physicians, they presumed to do more in an hour, than nature can do in a year, if they may be believed; and so this Medicine was cast aside and forgot.   

CHAP. IU. The Cure of the Palsy and hydropsy, and other Diseases, with black Hellebore.  
THis Root of black Hellebore cures likewise the Palsy, and hydropsy, but not fully: it only purges out the causes or root of those diseases; there must be some addition proper to these diseases, used with the Hellebore, as hath been said before of the Falli●● sickness, and of the Gout: And the Hellebore with those Additions, becomes a perfect Cure of those Diseases.  
There must be a great quantity of this purge given at a time to those who have the Palsy, so much as the strength of the Patient can bear: for this disease is not easily driven out, we must deal with it violently. The Addition to be used besides the Hellebore, for this disease, is set down in a peculiar Treatise concerning the Palsy.  
They who are troubled with the hydropsy, must be purged slowly and gently; taking once every week so much of this Root as a skilful Physician shall prescribe; and so the humour shall be by degrees purged away: first that which is upward, which is gathered about the breast, stomach, lungs, liver, melt; afterwards the humour which lieth in the groins and hips is purged out; then the swelling of the feet and legs doth vanish; and lastly the swelling of the belly falls low. The humour is purged away in some Patients by Vomit, in some by Stool, in others by Sweat, in others by Urine. When the Patient is sufficiently purged by the Hellebore; then follows the Addition, which takes away the relics of the disease, and makes up the full cure.  
The Addition is the Tincture of Steel: The Hellebore purgeth out the humour already gathered; the Tincture of Steel hinders any such collection of humours to be afterwards.  
Now to conclude this Treatise of Hellebore, which is a purge so excellent, that there is no other like it; for it purgeth out whatsoever is in our bodies hurtful to us. There is nothing better than this Root to bring down women's monthly Courses: it purgeth the Mother, and driveth out untimely Births, false Conceptions, Worms, and every unnatural thing bred within the Womb.  
Every purgative doth not bring down women's monthly Courses, and expel Worms, and untimely Births, etc. But this is above all others, a singular secret of nature: and if it be rightly used, it is so agreeable to the bodies of men and women, that whatsoever it meets with contrary and hurtful to us, it will root it out.  
That Doctor who knows the right use of this Herb and Root alone, without addition, shall by this one herb have more infallible knowledge and skill in curing diseases, than all the Empirics or Doctors whosoever, as experience makes it appear abundantly.  
Those who knew the right use of this Herb and Root in ancient times, lived to a great age very healthfully: but when the Humorists began to be respected, who contemn the secrets of Nature, and judge of every thing according to their own ill-grounded theory, being without the true knowledge of the properties of Nature, they found out their new way of Purgations, Clysters and Syrups, etc. whereby they rashly thought to do as much in one day, as this Herb can do in twenty or thirty years; and so they brought this Herb to be contemned and forgotten: bringing their own Purgations and Clysters in the place of of it. I remember in my time, I have known many who have been much troubled with Itch, Catarrhs, etc. who using this Root after the way of the Ancients, were perfectly restored to health, their nature being thereby throughly renewed. I have known such diseases thus cured, which the Humorists could never cure, neither know they how to cure them; they can talk much, but cannot perform any thing. They took every morning half a drachm, till they were three score years of age: afterwards, once in two days half an ounce till they were seventy years of age; then afterwards every sixth day to the end of their lives, one drachm.  
Titulary Doctors need not admire, that Nature can do more than Art can do: He hath little Art who knows not what Nature can do. There is more to be found in this one herb, then is to be found in all the writings of University Doctors, for the prolonging of life. And I do delight in this Medicine of the Ancients, more than in any other Herb or Vegetable whatsoever, for the preservation of long life.    

TREATISE II. Of the strange Virtues of Arsmart.  

CHAP. I. How the Arsmart should be used for any Wound or Ulcer.  
ARsmart cureth all Sores both in man and in beasts; also Wounds which being badly cured, are turned to Ulcers. There is no herb like this in curing Sores. If your horse be extremely galled by the Saddle, whether it be swelled, or the skin broke etc. if you apply this herb to the sore, it will certainly cure it; and you may nevertheless use your horse either in riding, or etc. in the time of curing it. So if any man be troubled with a hardness of the skin in hands or feet; or if the skin of their hands be chapped by extraordinary labour, or the skin of their feet chapped by extraordinary travel: So those who are in prison, and tied with chains, if the chains do cut into their legs and arms, and so desperate Ulcers do arise from these and such like causes; then this herb is a certain remedy for them.  
But now to show you the uses of this Herb: so soon as you have pulled the Arsemart out of the ground, draw it through clean water; or draw it through the streams of a River or a Spring, which is best of all; then lay it upon that part which is to be cured, so long as you may be eating up half an egg, then take it away and bury it in a most place, where it may rot, and as it putrifies, the sore heals: some do sign the sore with the sign of the Cross, and use a kind of a prayer for it: but such do are very impertinent and absurd; for the operation of the herb is natural, not superstitious or magical. Therefore such vanities are to be rejected, and we ought to observe the natural way, and so we shall find this herb to be of a wonderful virtue.  
Many difficult sores have been ofttimes cured both by me and by others, this way.  
Now the cold water is the correction of the herb; the colder the water is, so much the better. The Arsmart being so cooled and wet, it should be laid upon the sore; but if the sore be heated by the herb, and begin to burn and stink, and to have more corrupt matter, than the herb must be taken off, and another fresh one must be laid to the sore. This order and method must be kept till the Cure be perfected. And certainly, that sore which cannot be cured by this Remedy, will never yield to beyond-sea Remedies.  
Now this way of using this herb is confirmed by the light of nature: Nature itself doth operate so, and not Magic.  
The second way of using this herb, is in applying every day a fresh herb to the sore: That this way is natural, it is so evident, that it needs no proof. As for the first way, of which ancient Writers have not said any thing to prove it to be natural; I will show it by an example of the like operation, betwixt the Loadstone, and the needle of the Compass. There is a power in the Loadstone to draw Iron to it in a wonderful manner, without hand or foot. Now if you would have the Loadstone to draw to it the needle of the Compass, than the Loadstone must be rubbed to it; viz. the belly of the Loadstone must be rubbed to the belly of the needle of the Compass; and the back of the Loadstone must be rubbed to the back of the needle of the Compass; and so the Loadstone will draw the belly of the needle of the Compass to its own belly. This is commonly known, and this is a singular mystery and secret of Nature, whereby God in the light of nature doth admirably show his miracle.  
Now I say, that there is the like agreement betwixt the Arsmart and unfound flesh, as there is betwixt the Load stone and the needle of the Compass. Observe then first, that there must be an union, i. e. an agreement betwixt the ulcerated flesh and this herb; so that the flesh be touched and rubbed with this herb, as you have in the former example of rubbing the needle of the Compass to the Loadstone; and where the Loadstone is, there is also a powerful magnetic operation. If therefore the sore of man or beast be rubbed in the aforesaid manner, by this herb, and afterward the herb be buried in the ground, than the sore shall be wonderfully cured by this herb.  
If any do wonder at this, that the herb must be buried and covered over with a stone: I will therefore give you the natural cause of it; which is this: While the green herb is yet standing in the ground, it hath no operation; for while it is alive, it operates with the Stars, and the Stars operate with it; and than it cannot be beneficial to man. But when it is plucked out of the ground, than it is dead, and then the Stars do not operate with it, as living men cannot have any deal with dead men: and then its virtue is imparted to man, for whose use it was created.  
Now this herb hath naturally this property, that while it is whole and not broken, so long the operation of it lasteth. As for example, Every man in this world hath his daily task which he must do; all the labour of man is only a task: when his task is done, than he is dead, and death is the end of his daily task: So it is with this herb; it hath a task, and its task is to cure Sores: it is still in doing this task till it be putrified, but when it is putrified, the Sore is cured, and then its task is done: therefore if it be a long time in putrifying, so the Sore will be a long time in curing; and if the herb be soon putrified, the cure is soon done. The Herb must be putrified in such ground as it grew in. But if you would hasten the Cure, you must then take some course for a speedy putrefaction. As it is in riding, if we would soon come to our journey's end, we must put spurs to our horse, so it is in this business: if you would accelerate putrefaction, you must bury the herb in a moist fat ground, and lay a great stone over it; and so you shall have also a speedy cure.   

CHAP. II. What other Diseases are cured by Arsmart, viZ. Inflammations, Toothache, etc.  
THis Arsmart is good, not only against those Diseases already mentioned; but likewise many other diseases may be helped by it. As, the Toothache, which comes of a cold humour, is cured by this herb, if the herb be dipped in cold water, and laid upon the aching tooth: you may also bury it; but because it is a long time in putrifying, therefore the most common way of using it for the the Toothache, is to lay it upon the aching tooth, so often as we are troubled with the pain. Many such pains which come of cold humours or cold distempers, are by the burying of this herb, quite taken away, and we are never afterward troubled with them.  
Arsmart hath also a peculiar Narcotick or a benumbing faculty; it is a special Remedy for all Inflammations, and all pains of the head, madness frenzy, and the like. And when the body is so inflamed by any disease, that it cannot be in greater torture, the best thing we can use to take away this heat and pain, is to eat Arsmart. Those of ancient times, when they used this herb, they took away the biting of it by frying it with butter or oil, and so did eat it; and being so eaten, it cured those diseases for which it was intended.  
And further, this Herb by its benumbing faculty, is a Remedy for putrefaction; it takes away the pains and diseases of the Lungs, Cough, pains of the belly, and rise of the mother: being outwardly applied, it cureth that extreme inflammation called St. Anthony's fire, and all other inflamed Ulcers; but it must be wet in Rose-water before it be laid on. It cureth likewise all pains which arise of corrosive humours, or those subtle Salts which are dissolved in our bodies, which do cause most tormenting pains. Now where these corrosive or saltish humours are, as in the teeth, they cause the Toothache: in the finger they cause the Felon, etc. If you lay this herb upon the diseased part, using it that way as hath been showed before, than it will certainly perform the Cure, when all other Narcotick remedies cannot do it.  

An Addition, more fully explaining how this herb should be used for Wounds, Ulcers, etc.  
THat you may be fully instructed concerning the nature of this Herb, I have thought fit to add something concerning that first way of using it, which I have before declared to you by the example of the Loadstone. I told you before, that this herb must be drawn through cold running water, and the fresh herb being cold and wet, must be laid upon the Ulcer, Wound, etc. and then presently it must be taken off again, and buried. Now the thing which I add here, is this: If the disease or other griefs accompanying the disease, be so violent and strong, that they will not easily yield to the Remedy, then do thus: Lay to the sore every morning a fresh herb, after it hath been drawn through running water, then take it and bury it: and thus you must do three mornings, and oftener, if need be: if you see the disease very hard to cure, than you may do so twelve or fourteen mornings, yea every morning till the cure be perfected.  
If a man in his journey be hindered, because his horse hath received some hurt, or is extremely galled, then lay this herb to the sore, and do as I have now shown you: if he be not well after the first, second, fourth etc. dressing, yet you must continue this course till he be well. Troublesome or violent diseases must have powerful remedies, and must be diligently looked to. And seeing in some diseases the aforesaid way of using this herb doth little good at first; as one Purge, or if the quantity of the purge be too little, it doth little good in some diseases; therefore I have thought good here to show you how the first way of using this herb may be made so effectual, that there is not any sore whatsoever, but it may be throughly cured by it.  
Again, you must remember, to keep Wounds and Ulcers clean: if you do it not, you will much hinder the Cure.  
And likewise remember, That it is good for the diseased person (who ulseth this kind of Cure) to be in motion and exercise, so it be moderate: for how much more he useth the part diseased; so much sooner and better he shall be cured by the virtue of this Magnetic herb.  
Again observe, That other Medicaments may be joined with this Herb, such as are suitable to it, and are by nature ordained to such Cures; which being joined with it, may further the magnetic virtue of it.  
Again, there is one great secret in this herb which I will not hid from you; viz. That the Cure which is performed by this Herb is a certain and lasting Cure. You need not fear that an Ulcer, etc. cured by this Herb, will break out again: and it is such a Cure as Nature requires. This magnetic Herb doth not close up that which Nature would have open; nor will it leave that open, which Nature would have closed. As for example; Where there is a passage for the effluxion of humours; especially if there be a great deal of humour which purgeth out, so as if such a passage should be stopped, death would follow; now this herb will not stop such a passage, which should not be stopped; it only cures that which Nature would have cured: it will not do any thing contrary or hurtful to Nature. Whereby it appears, that this way of cure done by this herb is most natural.  
If you would know how to use this herb for the Toothache; take some Arsmart, and some of the bark of Henbane, boil them together in Rose-vinegar; when they are boiled enough, take them out and bury them in the ground; but the liquor you must take and wash your mouth with: you must take it as hot as possibly you can, and hold it in your mouth till it be cooled; then put it out of your mouth; and take some more of this liquor as hot as you did before, and hold it in your mouth till it be cooled: and thus if you do many times together, you have a certain cure for the toothache: or you may take the herb itself not boiled, and rub it upon the tooth, and bury it, and when it is putrified, the pain of the tooth will cease.  
The Correction of this Herb for those inward Diseases, which I mentioned before is thus: Let the Arsmart be boiled in the water of Nightshade, or in the water of great Sengreen: the decoction is to be drunk, and the herb itself must be buried, as hath been said before. And you may do so likewise with it for outward diseases, adding a little Camphire to it.  
Besides all that we have yet spoken concerning Arsmart, there is yet remaining a great and excellent secret. But I conceive it better to be silent, then to speak any more now concerning this noble Jewel.     

TREATISE III. Of the Virtues and Preparations of CORALS.  

CHAP. I. What kind of Coral is best: The Virtue of it against Spirits, Melancholy, vain Fancies, etc.  
Read Corals are of two kinds: one kind of them is of a dark red colour, or toward a purple colour: another kind of them is of a bright, shining red colour, And as they differ in colours, so they differ in properties. There is another kind of a pale colour, which hath very little virtue in it. It is to be observed concerning the red Coral, that how far short it is of a bright radish, it wants so much of its goodness and efficacy.  
Experience teaches us, that those Corals which are of a clear, bright, shining red colour, full of boughs, and no where broken, are full of power and virtue: But those Corals which have clefts, or want any part which they should have, are of less virtue. As a tree which wants some of its boughs, brings forth the less fruit; so Corals, whether purple, or bright red, if they want any of their parts, they likewise want some of their virtue.  
Now to speak of the several properties of those two kinds of Corals; viz. the bright red, and the purple or dark red.  
The bright red are pleasant and delectable; but the dark red are not pleasant to the eye. Those who would carry about them Coral, if they be young men, or old men, let them choose and love the bright Coral; and they must beware of the dull, dark Coral. As joy differs from sorrow, and laughing from weeping; so these two sorts of Corals differ the one from the other. A sick or weak man, who would have his heart merry and joyful, if he carry about him the dark red or purple Coral, it will increase his disease and sadness of heart.  
Now to speak of the virtues of the shining, bright red Coral. It is good to quicken Fancy, or imaginative faculty; its good against Phantasms, or nocturnal spirits; It's good against vain visions, or vain sights, called Spectra. It's good against Melancholy.  
I will explain these a little to you, that you may thereby know better the worth and use of these Corals.  
That you may understand what Fancy is: Consider how some men are naturally inclined to the study of Secrets, of Arts and Sciences, and new Inventions. Now they cannot always find out these things so readily as they would, they tyre their minds and thoughts about it: the bright Coral will be very helpful to us in this business; for it will not suffer the Devil, or any thing else which will seduce a man in his Fantasy to infect his mind with impurity, wickedness or vanity. But the dark red Coral doth the contrary.  
Phantasms, or nocturnal Spirits, proceeding from Nature, they have a little of man's understanding in them; they seek after man, especially him who is joined to them. They be of divers sorts, some good, some bad; they are lovers of man, but not visibly, and they converse with them as dogs: but there is nothing to be got by these Spirits; they can do nothing, except it be to trouble a man: they fly from these bright Corals as a dog from a staff; but they gather together where the dark coloured Coral is. They are much like to the Night-mares, which are bred of Fancy.  
A Spectrum or a Ghost is the Starry body of a dead man. Man hath a twofold body; one made of the Elements, the other made of the Firmament. The body made of the Elements, when the life leaves it, it rots in the place where it is buried: but that other body which man hath from the Stars, flieth up and down in the air above the earth. Now these etherial or Starry bodies of dead men we call Ghosts; which cannot endure to be where the bright Coral is; but the dark coloured Coral allures them to it.  
Melancholy is a disease which makes a man sad whether he will or not; that he grows weary of every thing, and become dull: and by his divers thoughts and speculations makes him grieve and weep. This Melancholy is driven away by the bright red Coral, and it is increased by the dark red Coral.  
It is evident then, by these four particulars now mentioned, that the operation of the Coral is natural, and not superstitious or magical, as many may think; for these four, of which we have now spoken, do proceed from Nature, and not from the Devil, contrary to Nature. Now if they be natural, as Astronomy, and the composition and putrefaction of man proves it, than Nature hath a secret prepared for them, as it hath for all things natural, which proceeds from Nature. Now Coral is one of those Secrets, of which there are also some others, which Nature hath prepared against these four. And so Nature is contrary to nature; that is, contrary to nature in assisting Nature,   

CHAP. II. The Virtues of Coral more particularly, with their proofs; showing these operations of Coral to be true and natural.  
BRight Coral restrains the great tempests of Lightning, Thunder and Hail, and preserves from the hurt of them: if it be used in the right manner, and in the right place.  
The Proof of this. If we by our understanding can find out a way to build a house over our heads to keep off the rain, or to make a shade to keep off the heat of the Sun, etc. So Nature, as it can cause Tempests in the air; doubtless it can also prepare a defensive to save from the harm of these Tempests. As for example; as Nature causeth diseases, so likewise it hath prepared Medicines against those diseases. So that there is not any natural thing but hath its contrary, that is, there is created some natural thing which is contrary to it: and for this end God hath created Coral, who understands these things; and hath likewise created other such things out of the earth.  

Other Virtues of Coral.  
Bright red Coral doth defend us from the cruelty of savage monsters, such as are bred by the Heaven, that is, the Stars, contrary to the course of nature. Sometimes the Stars pour out a seed, of which a Monster is begotten, which should not be reckoned amongst the creatures, as a part of th● Creation: and these monsters we think sometimes to be Devils, sometimes we think they are Ghosts, etc. they are great enemies to men, because they are not generated by a natural way, but by an unnatural way. Now these Monsters cannot be where Corals are.  
The Proof. These Monsters, albeit they proceed from nature, viz. the Stars, yet they are contrary to nature: therefore God hath given to us in nature a help against these Monsters, such a help which is natural, generated in a natural way. Now that which is natural, produced by nature, will certainly expel that which is contrary to Nature; and of this kind are these Monsters: of which we have spoken more fully in our Treatise concerning the Generation of things natural and of Monsters, which we will not repeat here.   

Other Virtues of Coral.  
Devils or Spirits which would possess men, they cannot do it where Coral is; if the Coral be lying in the place, or be hid in a fit place, or if we carry it about us. There be many such Spirits invisible with us, which seduce us, and teach us to lie, and to deceive, etc. but by this Coral they may be driven away from us.  
The Proof. As the Devil flieth from the Sun which he cannot endure; for he hates the light, and loves darkness; so he flieth from this Coral, which God hath singularly enriched, more than any other Vegetable; even as he hath made the Sun to excel all the rest of the Stars. The Devil can comply with any of the Stars, except the Sun; he cannot agree with the Sun, so neither can he agree with Coral. This bright red Coral in its secret, mysterious virtues, is like the Sun; and the purple or dark coloured Coral is like the Moon: and as the Devil doth comply with the Moon, so he doth with ●his dark red Coral.   

Other Virtues of Coral.  
Where this Coral is, whether in the Fields or in Gardens, there all kinds of fruits are multiplied and increased: it likewise drives away from those grounds (where it lieth) all such Birds, Vermine, Spirits, Ghosts, which are hurtful to the grounds, or the fruits of the grounds, and so it increaseth the fruits. For the corn, fruits etc. receive great damage in the night by Spirits and Ghosts.  
Further, if the Devil may possess man, much more he may possess beasts, as Cows, Dogs, Hogs, Birds, etc. viz. such beasts in which men have most delight. And the Devil is also in Tempests, in Lightning, Hail etc. Now if Nature may be thus possessed by unclean Spirits; then certainly Nature by its own strength can deliver itself from those unclean Spirits; that is, that natural thing which is so possessed, howbeit, it cannot by its own strength deliver its self; yet there is some other natural thing like itself which agreeth with it, to which God hath given a peculiar power against such unclean Spirits: that as in Nature there be Remedies against Diseases; so likewise in Nature there be Remedies against such wicked Spirits, of which Remedies, Coral is one.   

Other Virtues of Coral.  
Women with child may reap great benefit by this Coral; and as they undergo more casualties, troubles, temptations, griefs, etc. then men; so they should not want this Coral; but they should always carry about them the most pleasant, lightsome, shining, bright red Coral that they can have.  
This Coral cureth the whites in Women; and stoppeth the extraordinary flowing down of the monthly Courses, and brings them to their natural condition again. It is also a great help to women in child birth, if they have it about them; for by it they shall be delivered safely, speedily, and with little pain.  
This Coral also cureth looseness in the belly, and all kinds of fluxes both in old and young people. It makes us be of a good complexion and cheerful; it corrects the harshness and rudeness of our natures, and makes those civil, which before were uncivil: It stops the blood of the veins, bleeding at the nose, the bleeding of wounds, the Hemorrhoids.  
It cureth the Falling sickness by the rectifying of Nature; so that the diseased person shall not fall. It is one of the chiefest things for the curing of this disease either in young people, or in people of middle age.    

CHAP. III. The marks of the best Coral; How it should be prepared and exalted: the virtues of its Essence.  
HEre I will add one notable ma●k whereby you may know the goodness of Coral, and how it must be carried. This mark you shall find in the figure of the Coral. Take notice especially of the stock of the Coral; in which you may plainly discern a belly and the back: and so you must take notice of the right side and the left side of the Coral; for accordingly it must be carried: that is, he who carrieth the Coral, must set the belly of the Coral towards the same place that his belly is towards; and the back of the Coral towards the same place that his back is towards; the right side of the Coral as his right side, and the left side of the Coral as his left side. And that Coral in which you cannot discern this back and belly wanteth much of the virtue which it should have; or if it wanteth any boughs which it should have, than its defective in its virtue; for the more boughs and branches it hath, it is so much the better. And therefore if you would have the aforesaid benefits of the Coral, you must carry about you the whole Coral; a broken piece of the Coral hath but l●ttle virtue.  
Observe this distinction of the virtues of herbs: There is a twofold Virtue in herbs and other Vegetables &c. viz a specifical virtue, that is a virtue appropriated to some certain Diseases, which striketh at the root of that disease, and roots it out: And there is an essential virtue, which is not proper to any one disease, but is larger: by this virtue an Herb can help a great many diseases, and may cure some. This essential virtue is like the beams of the Sun diffused in the air; the specifical virtue is like the beams of the Sun contracted in a burning glass: So that the specifical virtue is a great deal more operative than the essential virtue.  

The Exaltation of the Virtues of Coral.  
I will not, neither indeed can I exalt the Specifical virtue of Corals: For what God hath already enlarged to its utmost bounds, that it can go no further, such a thing can neither be increased nor diminished: It is only the essential virtue which may be increased. And therefore now I give you the Preparation and Exaltation only of the Essential virtue of Corals: which I cannot pass by, because the mysteries and secrets of Corals are wonderful. Of which I w●ll now treat not so slightly as other Writers do.  
It hath been always the custom of Philosophers to separate the good from the bad, the pure from the impure; that is, all things must die; only the soul continueth: and if the soul doth not die, and the body must rot, hence than it follows, that the seed must putrify before it can bring forth fruit. Putrefaction is incident to the body: only the Essence, that which is good, the soul, doth not putrify. Now when that which is pure is separated from the impurities of the Coral, than the Jewel is discovered in which all its virtues dwell; which is of small quantity, in respect of a great deal of useless, impure matter, which is separated from it. By the Virtue of this Jewel, viz by this essence of Coral, are cured all sorts of vicious fluxes in women, without any harm to the body; whereas such fluxes in women, if they be stopped in one place, they break out worse in another place. It's otherwise with this Cure done by the Essence of Coral; for this cure is perfect, and never doth any harm. This Essence likewise cureth all sorts of fluxes of the belly: that albeit they be mo●t desperate, so that they cannot be cured by other remedies, yet this Essence will help them. This Essence being taken inwardly, stops bleeding in any part of the body. Ten or fifteen drops of this Essence taken inwardly, cureth all sorts of Falling-sickness in men, women or children if they take it five weeks together.  
I deny not, but some things may be added to this Essence of Coral, which may better it; as the secret Essence of the stone Carneolus, which makes the essence of Coral more efficacious in stopping of fluxes, as bleeding fluxes of the belly, etc. Another thing which may be added to this Essence, is the glass of Steel made liquid; which makes the essence very powerful in curing the Falling-sickness. The essence with these additions may be rectified in a Circulatory vessel; not the Circulatory vessel of the vulgar Alchemists, who call themselves Alchemists, and can do nothing but prate.     

TREATISE iv Of the Virtues and Preparations of St. John's wort.  

CHAP. I. The virtues of S. John's wort for fantastic Spirits, worms and wounds.  
I Have ofttimes declared, how by the outward shapes and qualities of things we may know their inward Virtues, which God hath put in them for the good of man. So in St. John's wort, we may take notice of the form of the leaves and flowers, the porosity of the leaves, the Veins. 1. The porosity or holes in the leaves, signify to us, that this herb helps both inward and outward holes or cuts in the skin, and strengthens Nature in expelling that which should be evacuated through the pores of the skin. 2. The flowers of Saint John's wort, when they are putrified, they are like blood; which teacheth us, that this herb is good for wounds, to close them and fill them up. 3 The straikes in the leaves like veins, show us, That this herb drives away from a man Ghosts and night-spirits, and spirits begot by imagination, whether they be within a man or without; and these fantastic Spirits, which are begot by Fancy, do beget Ghosts, so that a man shall see spirits, visions, and hear such fancies: and all these are natural effects; they are diseases which bring men to dotage and madness, and make men sometimes to kill themselves. 4. By the whole herb we may know this, that if there be any of the aforesaid evils in any part of man, it shall be expelled by this herb; so that this herb is an universal medicine for the whole man. Lastly, The taste of this herb is unpleasant to worms, therefore the worms do hate it.  
You may observe four virtues which are in St. John's wort; viz. for Wounds, Worms, Spirits, and its Balsome-vertue. Concerning these Phantasms, or fantastic spirits, which are without body or substance, they are a disease, which in the spirit of contemplation beget another spirit, whereby the man is governed. The which spirit begets in a man such thoughts and gestures as are contrary to his nature. And for this disease there are no more remedies known that are created by God, but only Coral and St. John's wort. Let the Physician here take notice of this, that this Phantasm or fantastic Spirit is not a disease proceeding of Melancholy; as the University Doctors fain: but it is a spirit which cannot be driven away by those things which cure Melancholy; but only by such Remedies in which there is a power and strength to drive them away by force.  
Such a virtue as this is not to be found in those compounded Receipts which are made by the Apothecaries: but it is a Medicine made by God himself without a Physician: it is compounded and made wholly by Nature. And therefore when we would use it against these Phantasms, we must take it alone without addition or composition.  
There be divers sorts of Worms: there be some Worms to which Rue is an enemy; there be others to which Angelica is an enemy etc. and others to which St. John's wort is an enemy, not only because of the taste, but because of that virtue of St. John's wort; which as it is an enemy to all fantastic Spirits; so it is also contrary to the spirits of worms, and all vermin, which by their natural instinct do hate and fly from this virtue of St. John's wort. As the sunbeam pierceth through glass; so this virtue pierceth through the Spirits of men and beasts, even as musk, which by its smell gets into the inmost part of the brain. Therefore worms fly from this herb, and leave the place where it is. This herb is also good for wounds, not as it is in itself, but if it be rightly prepared. And let every Surgeon know, that there is not any herb in all Germany, or in any other Nation, whose virtue by preparation can be so much exalted for the curing of wounds as St. John's wort: and this virtue being so exalted cannot be fully described. There is no other Medicine which can close up a wound so sound and perfectly, without any harm which may follow thereupon, as St. John's wort. Indeed, there is not a more wholesome herb and better for Wounds to be found upon the earth, than Saint John's wort.  
All the Books that ever have been written concerning the cure of Wounds, being compared with this herb, they are vain and useless, and have nothing in them but vain talk. For the greatest virtue and foundation of a vulnerary Cure is to be found in this herb; and by it there may be a Balsam made whose virtues may contend with a natural Balsam: not that there is any natural Balsam essentially in it; but by preparation, as it shall be afterwards showed. Every understanding Physician will take these things well which I speak here: for there are more and greater things taught in this Chapter, then in all the Chirurgery of Galen er Avicen, etc.   

CHAP. II. When the St. John's wort must be pulled out of the ground, and how it must be used against Fantastic Spirits.  
WHen we would use Saint John's wort against these Phantasms, we must observe the time of the heavenly Influences, which is most contrary to these Spirits; and it is chief in Mars, or in Jupiter, or in Venus: it is to be done not with the Moon, but against the Moon; not in the afternoon, or after Sunset; but a little before Sunrising, or in the dawning of the day, in a place looking towards the East, in a place where many other good herbs and flowers grow; Saint John's wort growing in such a place is the best: and the longer it is, and the more flowers it hath, it is so much the better. It is to be pulled up when it hath flowers: and then carry it constantly about you as a Nosegay; or you may carry it in your cap, or in your bosom: in the night time you may lay it under your pillow: hang it about the chamber; and you may hang some of it in every room of your house.  
And let all Physicians be assured of this, that God hath hid a great secret in this herb; especially against Spirits and such Phantasms which make men mad, and bring them to despair; which are not from the Devil, but from Nature. For God hath created for every disease a remedy proper to it; therefore it is the duty of the Physician to learn and to search out where God hath hid such secrets.  

When the St John's wort must be pulled out of the earth; and how it should be used for Worms.  
St. John's wort needs no correction for the worms; but we should use it as God himself hath made it for us. It should be pulled out of the earth the Moon being in those Signs wherein she is when trees are lop'd or cut down, or when Argoile is digged up; in which Signs not worms or moths can be bred.  
Now this herb being thus pulled up, if you lay it to wounds in which there are worms: as it sometimes falls out through negligence or the unskilfulness of the Chirurgeon. It is sometimes the effect of nature it , especially in the Summer time, in the dog-days; but ofttimes impertinent remedies are the cause of it. I have seen in the winter time worms breed for three weeks together in wounds; so that in the evenings and mornings ofttimes there hath been an handful of worms taken out of the wounds, because those wounds were choked: but by St. John's wort wounds may be kept free from worms; for so soon as it is laid to the wound, the worms fall out; so likewise if worms be bred by some putrefaction in any other place of the body; then lay St. John's wort upon your navel, and it will make these worms remove, and hinder the breeding of them.  
But here observe, that St. John's wort can do no good against those worms which are not bred by putrefaction (as there are some worms which are not so engendered) and therefore a skilful Physician should observe, whether they are from putrefaction or not. As for example, you see worms generated in cheese, these are taken away by this herb; so also in flesh; and so it may have the same operation in man. Therefore if there be Worms in any part of the body, lay this herb upon the navel, or upon the skin over against the place where the Worms are, and it will make them remove: and being removed once out of their place, they may by a slight purge be quite purged out: For the chief thing to be done against the Worms, is to make them remove out of their place; which is done most powerfully by Saint John's wort.    

CHAP. III. How the St. John's wort should be prepared for Wounds, Bruises, Fractures of the bones and Ulcers: and how it should be used when it is prepared.  
THe most subtle and certain way of preparing Saint John's wort, so that its virtue may be most exalted, whereby all Wounds etc. may be cured, is thus: First you must have the oil of the seeds of St. John's wort; to which add a like quantity of Turpentine, then boil these two together in good claret wine an hour; afterwards put to them half so much of good new salad oil, and let them boil all together another hour in claret wine: then put into them the leaves of Saint John wort, so much of them till the liquor can hardly cover them: then let all these boil together in the claret wine six hours, till all the wine be consumed, and there remains only the leaves, the two Oils and the Turpentine; which you shall take and set them in the Sun a month.  
If you add to this Medicine the flowers of Centory, Mastic, Incense, Myrrh, Mummy, and so repeat the former proceeding, boiling them all together in the wine, and afterwards to set them in the Sun, this medicine will so be made much better.  
Another way of proceeding worthy your observation, is thus: Take distilled Turpentine, and put into it a good quantity of the flowers of Saint John's wort, and let them stand in the Sun a month; then put the seeds of St. John's wort into this Turpentine, and set them in the Sun a month; then put to this distilled Turpentine, half so much of washed Turpentine, and let them stand in the Sun a month; and so you have a Balsam which is a singular Remedy for the wounds of veins and nerves; preserving them from decaying, and bringing together again those parts of the nerves and veins which by the wound are separated, that there is no need of sowing. And lastly, it prevents the contracture and resolution of the nerves, which are sometimes effected by wounds.  
Sometimes men receive wounds when the Moon is in evil signs, which makes a slight wound become deadly. Now when you are to deal with such wounds which are not deadly because of the part wounded, or because of the greatness of the wound; but because of the evil sign. You may cure them by this following Balsam.  
Take of the Oleum Lacarinum, and put into it the flowers of S. John's wort: Let them stand in the Sun six days; then take out those flowers, and put in fresh flowers, and so let it stand six days more in the Sun: thus you must renew the flowers six or seven times, and every time the oil with the flowers must be set in the Sun six days: so you shall have a Balsam far exceeding all others in curing deadly wounds.  
But there remains yet another kind, of a Balsome-nature, which may be drunk: which is indeed the best vulnerary remedy, if it be taken for thrusts or inward wounds of the body, whereby the principal parts are wounded. There cannot be such another vulnerary Potion made. The Potion is made thus:  
Take of the white oil of Juniper, of the oil made of the seeds of St. John's wort one quart. Put into these two oils the flowers of St. John's wort; let them be set in the Sun: and proceed in the same manner as hath been said before, renewing the flowers, and then setting them in the Sun; the oftener you do this, the better will the Potion be; and what this Potion cannot do, there is no other remedy can do it in wounds.  
These Receipts I have given you for this end, that you may know, that none of the Physicians trouble themselves to find out such secrets: they sell fair words & large promises to sick people; but how often do they make slight wounds turn to be bad wounds, and bad wounds to become worse, and so miserably destroy their patients. But that they may not do so any more hereafter, I therefore have told them these my Remedies, hoping that if they use these my Remedies, many untimely deaths may be prevented. Indeed, it is a sad thing that man who is the image of God, should through the great rashness and unskilfulness of Physicians be often deprived not only of their health, but also their life. Whereas there are many perfect remedies created by God, which ought to be used in stead of those miserable Remedies of theirs.  
Now I will show you how the aforesaid Balsams and Potion should be used. You must lay soft lint, or the scrape of linen in the wound, and lay it over all the wound, if you can; then drop the Balsam warm into and over all the wound. By this means the wound shall not become dry, but always be kept moist.  
The Potion must be taken in the morning, at noon, and at night: and each time you must take two spoonfuls of this potion in twenty spoonfuls of wine: and so you must take every day six spoonfuls of this Potion, till the Cure be perfected.  
All the aforesaid Receipts partake of the nature of Balsam; for they will not let any thing rot which hath any life in it. Here mark the difference of Balsams: There are some Balsams which preserve dead bodies from corruption; and there are some Balsams which do not preserve dead bodies, but preserve living bodies from corruption, that they shall not be troubled with Ulcers or Aposthems etc. Now where is there a Physician who hath such a Remedy in readiness, which can so preserve us from putrefaction, that no part of our living body shall putrify; that can do as this herb of which I now speak?  
Now I will teach you a way of Compounding, which is thus: Add to the first Balsam described before, Treacle, and the best Mithridate, with some other Diaphoreticks; then having put them into a glass close stopped, set the glass in warm dung there to digest some time, viz. a month, and then use it.  
Moreover know this, that you may distil a water from this Herb and the flowers of it in Balneo Mariae, which distilled water can do the same things as the St. John's wort itself. But this water is not so powerful; and it is to be used only for such wounds which are not very dangerous or difficult. It may be both taken inwardly, and applied outwardly.  
But the former Balsams of the S. John's wort can cure any broken bones, or any bruise, or clotted blood in the body. Thus I have thought good to declare this my experience of St. John's wort, that vain Receipts may be rejected, and true Remedies may be used. But indeed, such is the madness of Bath keepers, Surgeons etc. that they would rather destroy a whole Army of men, then to leave their old mad Remedies.    

TREATISE V Of the Virtues of the Loadstone.  

CHAP. I. The Virtues of the Loadstone, and how it should be used.  
We see in the Loadstone an attractive power, whereby in a wonderful manner, beyond humane understanding, it draws to itself Iron and Steel, and other things. This operation of the Loadstone may be plainly seen, and it cannot be unknown to any Physician: Why then doth not the Physician consider this; Whether or no there may not be other uses of the Loadstone. But Physicians are so greedy of gain, that they neglect all such experiences: which they cannot well excuse, seeing they have such an excellent subject as this in their hands, and they clearly see the operation of it with their eyes, and yet should be so dull and slow in knowing it, and in finding out the Virtues of it. And if I should collect out of ancient Writers all that they have said of the virtues of the Loadstone, yet I should do no great matter: for he who writes of the Loadstone, must show what things should be added to the Loadstone, and what things can correct it: so that I shall go beyond all those Physicians in this.  
These Doctors and Apothecaries do often (even to my loathing) repeat to me, that I reject the Authority of ancient Writers. But why should I follow those who have no experience? for you see that what they writ of the Loadstone, it is nothing. Now see what I writ, and weigh my writings with their writings in even scales: If I had not been a guide to myself in getting experience, I should have continued blind and without any knowledge in Physic, for all that I can have out of these ancient Writers. And therefore I am not to be blamed, if I leave them, seeing I seek after greater secrets than they did. Experience hath taught me this, that I should follow it, and not them.  
I entreat the Reader to bear with this discourse, which (I confess) is not pertinent to the subject in hand, viz. concerning the Loadstone. But I have thought good to premise this admonition. The ancient Writers do tell us, that the Loadstone draws iron to it, etc. This is indeed true, and it needs no Writer, when every fool knows it. Now I ask, if it be enough to write such things as every clown seethe; or if it be not better to add that which the clown seethe not. Indeed I think it is lawful and fitting that I do so: for a sleepy, sluggish foot is not to tread in this path. That is a shameful Philosophy that hath nothing in it but what is known already by every clown. But I speak by experience (the Mistress of true knowledge) and according to that knowledge which I have by experience, I affirm, not only that the Loadstone is a stone in which there is an attractive power to draw to it iron and steel; for this is manifest to every one: but I add, That In the Loadstone there is an attractive power, whereby it can draw to it any material disease in the body of man. The old humorists have feigned many things concerning the four humours, whereby they have brought many base errors into Physic. But I say, that we may know diseases more readily by the planets, then by humours. Nevertheless, they still sing the same song concerning humours.  
Experience teacheth, that the Loadstone draws all material diseases out of their own places to it, with all the excrements which are joined to those diseases. Now it must be explained, what those material diseases are. Those diseases (I say) are material diseases, which the Loadstone draws to it, as it draws iron or steel: and of this kind are these diseases following, viz. the fluxes of women, as Whites, or extraordinary flowing down of the monthly Courses etc. all fluxes of the belly; and every other disease which runs out of its centre into a circle, may be brought back again into its centre, viz. by the the Loadstone. And all the several streams of Fluxes, which come from the same root or fountain, may be brought back again to their fountain by the Loadstone. Now these are the virtues which I say are in the Loadstone, not regarding the tales of other Writers, whether they be ancient or modern.  
But to keep close to the matter in hand, I will show you now where the Loadstone should be laid; and my counsel to you is this; that you lay the Loadstone upon the centre or root of the d●sease, where the disease hath had its first being: As for example, if the overflowing of the monthly courses or the whites trouble a woman, than the Loadstone should be laid upon the root of the disease, where the strength of the disease lurks, and whence the disease had its beginning: and then the disease shall cease. If any flux of the belly trouble you, then lay the Loadstone upon the place where the root of this flux lurketh, so it shall be stopped; and so likewise in other diseases, which from their root have spread themselves through the whole body. Now if the Loadstone be laid upon their root, then by its virtue the disease shall be brought back to its root again, and shall stay there. By the same virtue of the Loadstone all excrements and superfluities in the body are restrained and kept within their own place, whence they may easily be driven out by a fit medicine through their natural passages, being thereto furthered by a good digestion; but this stopping of a flux doth not take away the disease wholly: the only advantage of it is this, that excrements and superfluities are more perfectly digested in the place of their root, and more ripened for evacuation. Thus if you use the Loadstone for the Colic, you shall prevent the Cramp, which is ofttimes caused by the Colic. For that matter which is the cause of the disease, is confined to the place of its root whence it is evacuated, and where it is fully ripened according to Nature's method; by which seasonable maturation and evacuation both the Colic and the Cramp are carried away with it.  
To give you much in few words, which you shall esteem of as a most precious Treasure, it is this: Shut up the Disease within its centre or root, that it go not out thence, afterward digest it, and ripen it there. Now how you may shut up the disease within its root, you have heard before, that it is done by the Loadstone; but it is to be ripened by other Medicines: Thus the disease, whether it be good or bad, is cured according to the course of Nature. It is a shame for Physicians to endeavour to drive out disease's, as fluxes etc. before they be fully ripened. Thereby they show their ignorance, that they know not how to stay diseases in their own places, and there to ripen them, and thence to expel them when they are ripe. Indeed, such is the ignorance of the most part of Physicians, that they can neither do the one nor the other: all their skill is, to cure in one part, and to kill in another.  
In the same manner the hydropsy may be stayed within its Centre, there to be digested, and thence expelled. Indeed there are several ways of curing the hydropsy; one is by the Loadstone; another is according to the nature of the hydropsy etc. So that it holds true, that there may be several medicines for one disease. Let us then observe what Nature can do, and how it doth it; and that not only in inward diseases, but also in outward diseases, which belong to the Surgeon; as the Rupture, and the falling down of the fundament: So by the same, old running sores are brought back to their root, and afterward may be purged out by the right passages, being ripe, and not crude and unprepared. Then a Physicians main work is this, to bring a disease into its centre; and afterwards to use those Medicines which can do that which ought to be done; that is, to ripen the disease, and then to expel it.   

CHAP. II. In this Chapter you have the virtues of the Loadstone more particularly for several diseases.  
NOw, that you may rightly understand the use of the Loadstone, you must know that in the Loadstone there is a belly and a back; by the one it draws things to it; by the other it drives things from it. And first, to speak of the Fluxes of women, how they are to be stopped and stayed in their centre. The way is thus:  
The back of the Loadstone must be placed towards the end of the line, & the belly of it towards the beginning of the line; both parts being so placed, that their concavities may be right over against one another. And this is to be done not only for the overflowing of monthly Courses, and for the Whites; but also for all kinds of Fluxes of the belly, however they come. Now the Flux being thus shut up in its centre or root whence it floweth, than you must use medicines which will open the Flux. In case of a weak stomach which cannot digest any thing, but sends down the meat indigested and crude; if you can but bring the stomach to keep the meat till it come to a right digestion, than there will follow a natural evacuation. Here observe, that that which is natural cannot be restrained, but must have its course: only that which is unnatural may be stopped and kept in its place till it becometh natural. And as it hath been said of the belly, so may we do in the diseases of the Mother; and so all may be brought to a perfection of their natural digestion, and then to the natural course of evacuation.  
Mark this addition for the stomach, guts, and mother: To bring them to their right digestion, you must use fit remedies, which are not to be mentioned here: I have done it elsewhere abundantly.  
So likewise for fits of the Mother; the Mother must be pulled downward from that place to which it moves by the belly of the Loadstone, which must be downwards, and the back of the Loadstone must be laid upwards; and this will make the Mother to stay in the place of its root, that it shall not move upwards. Afterwards we must use other medicines proper to the Mother, as the Pearl of Corals and Mica nigra: so the fits do cease, and the cure is perfected.  
And so for the Falling-sickness in all the kinds of it; you must consider whence it ariseth, where it hath its first movings, as it always moves upward to the top of the head; therefore you must carry the Loadstone about you in this manner, viz. with the belly of it downwards, and the back of it upwards; and that not only in one place, but also for the four quarters of the body; there must be a Loadstone laid in every quarter: So the disease shall be drawn from the head to its centre. But you must use Triagummatum— outwardly to comfort and strengthen the heart; and you must take inwardly Esse essentisicatum, and other Cordials.  
After the same manner the Cramp is cured: for when you have returned it to its root, than you must anoint the part diseased with the oil of Salt.  
The Ancient Physicians with their companions, have vainly spoken much concerning the way of turning these defluxions which fall down into the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and other external parts of the body, making way to themselves by Fistulaes', Ulcers, etc. but all their counsels and instructions in that business are nothing worth; for they could never find out the true ground of this mystery, of returning diseases to their root, where they have their beginning; and so they trusted the whole business of Curing Diseases to their Clysters and Purgations. But this Loadstone is the chiefest of all Medicines for Turning of defluxions, returning them to their fountains. If first the back of the Loadstone, and then the belly of it to be laid towards the root of the disease, accordingly as the place will permit where the Loadstone is to be applied; then every defluxion, wheresoever it is in any passage to get out of the body, shall return back again to its first fountain or root; and when it is in its fountain, than it is to be rectified, digested and ripened there; and after it is so ripened, to be driven out thence. You erroneous Physicians, consider what you do when you would turn defluxions yet crude and not ripened; whereas no defluxion can be turned to any other place, till first it be turned back to the place of its nativity; i. e. the root or fountain where it had its beginning, and be ripened there. Now consider how you can do this. What? can you do it by purging? That is impossible; for you do no more by purging but drive out the disease crude, and not yet ripe, through the guts, and thereby you multiply diseases. But the right way is this; to bring back the defluxion to the fountain, and to keep it there till it be ripened; then let nature cast it out afterwards. Now the defluxion must be ripened by Esse essentificatum made of the stands of Wine, in that way of preparation which is discovered to us by the light of experience. Thus likewise are cured ulcerous Legs, Cancers, Fistulaes' and the like: but we must except Noli me tangere, in whatsoever place of the body it is.  
If you would stop bleedi●● you must consider its centre, and towards it you must turn the belly of the Loadstone to draw back the blood, and the back of the Loadstone must be toward the place of bleeding, to stop bleeding there.  

Addition.  
There are some Potions, which being drunk, can draw back the blood to its centre, and can allay the fury and boiling of the blood, as cold water poured into a boiling pot, cools it; so is the blood cooled by this Potion. Of this sort are those Cordial waters which are made after my way of preparation. Let others use their own Experiments: its free for every one to use that which he finds best for him.  
As it hath been spoken of the use of the Loadstone for several Diseases, the same way it is to be used for the Hemorrhoids: for these three concur to make up the perfect cure of the Hemorrhoids; viz. the Loadstone, the ripening of the Hemorrhoids, and cooling of them. To conclude: The Loadstone is not only useful for the diseases before mentioned; but also in many others. It wonderful cureth Ruptures both in old peopl●●nd young; it draws out the Jaundice and hydropsy, if those other medicines be also used, which are proper and suitable to such diseases: of which I will not speak more here, lest I be too large in this discourse. Seeing the whole proceeding is only this, to draw the disease back to its root, to digest it there, and to expel it thence etc. all which may be better learned by practice; there is no need that chewed meat should be put in the mouth of those who know nothing of this Art.     

TREATISE VI Of the Preparations and medicinal Virtues of Turpentine, of Ebony, and of Mummy.  

CHAP. I. The difference of the wild and the planted Larch-tree: and that the natural place of the Larch-tree maketh much for the goodness of the Turpentine.  
IT is the nature of the Larch-tree, or Turpentine tree, to delight in mountainous ground, and such ground which is not manured. As there are Beasts, some wild, and some tame; so Trees, some grow wild, some are planted. The Turpentine-tree planted in domestic places, differs not otherwise from that which groweth wild, than a Do brought from the mountains differs from that which is kept in a garden; but the Turpentine itself hath great harm by this transplantation: for when it is taken from its native place, viz. which is most agreeable to it, then is it removed from its natural nourishment, whereby it is increased, and hath its being. And as manured ground is easily known by sight from that which is not manured: so may the domestic Turpentine be known from that which is wild: for the wild Turpentine grows not in good ground, but the domestic grows in good ground; and when it is brought from mountainous places and planted in plain ground, then is it deprived of that high air which is upon the mountains, and must now stand in a different air, viz. the air of low grounds, which is very much contrary to its nature.  
There are also other reasons why the Larch-tree should not be transplanted: But the chief reason is this; because that celestial influence which is in the Turpentine from the Stars, comes down to the mountains, but not to the low grounds; and if the Turpentine do not enjoy this influence daily, than it cannot come to the perfection of a Balsam: but this influence cannot be transplanted, it cannot be brought to the low grounds from the mountains, where it useth to be.  
I would have all observe this, but especially Physicians, That every thing which groweth should be taken in the place of its influence, where it groweth naturally of itself. It's true, that in the transplanted Turpentine are all the same kinds of Virtues which are in the other true Turpentine; but weaker and more imperfect: As for example; Common people say, that the fish called the Wolf doth thrive better in one water then in another: and the best fishes, if they be put into some waters, they will become worse, and they will have the taste of those waters: and those fishes which live in smooth waters differ much from the same kind of fish which lives in rough waters: And as there is difference of waters; so there is also difference of grounds; and so there must be also a difference in plants growing in divers grounds. We must remember this, that the Turpentine hath its old age, and the older it is, so much the weaker it is: its first age is sixty years, its middle age is from sixty years to one hundred and eighty; then gins its old age. When it grows old, it becomes incapable to receive the celestial influence; for spiritual impressions cannot be well received into decayed bodies. And what I have now spoken of the Larch-tree, the same is to be understood of all other Trees or Herbs of the like nature; viz. which have some special influence from the Stars. I do not speak of that only which is outwardly seen; but I speak of that which is inward, the life and soul of the herb, which preserves the herb, dwelling in those Virtues which stream from it into the corporeal parts of the herb.  
I have spoken here the more plainly, that you may understand that virtue by which every disease is cured.   

CHAP. II. That the right Turpentine is equal to the Indian Balsam in its preserving Virtue: and how it hath this virtue by the influence of the Stars, and by the Elements, is fully explained.  
ANd truly, if we ought to write of the Virtues of any Tree then certainly of the Larch-tree, rather than any other. For it hath a true Balsam, which is to be esteemed of as a Balsam; being of the same nature and goodness with the beyond-sea Indian Balsam For albeit the Indian Balsam, as it is a Balsam, hath some other properties which the Turpentine hath not: yet the Balsam of the Larch-tree hath not only the nature of a Balsam, but it hath also some other virtues. Now a Balsam is that which preserves bodies from putrefaction, as is evident by these two Balsams. And concerning this Germane Balsam, or Balsam of the Larch-tree, know this, that bodies prepared and embalmed with it, never putrify, if it hath been taken from the tree in its time when it should be: for the celestial influence from which it hath this balsam Virtue, requires that it should be taken in the right time.  
Many Sepulchers of the Ethnics, especially of the Romans; have been found and opened, where dead bodies lay embalmed in Alabaster and Marble chests: the balsam wherewith they were embalmed, was thought to be the Indian Balsam: but this was a mistake, for after it was tried by some who diligently searched into the nature of it, it was found to be Turpentine. So that this Turpentine may have two names; it should be called Balsam (and not Turpentine) if it be so gathered, and in such a time as the Balsam influence of the Stars requireth; viz. when the Moon is in the Balsam signs; and if it be not then gathered, it is not a Balsam, but it should be called Turpentine. Remember this, That every thing which groweth, as trees herbs, etc. they have naturally a kind of Balsam in them: for if the tree be cut down when the Moon is in the Balsome-signes, it will not have either clefts or worms in it: for its Balsam nature is fully settled in it by its agreement with the celestial influence: and how much a Balsam is increased in virtue, so much it operates.  
But that you may not neglect the right time of gathering the Turpentine, or this Germane Balsam from the tree, consider this example: they who keep milch beasts must not neglect the time of milking: for that time is by Natures own appointment; and if you do neglect it, than the milk may curdle in the beasts udder, afterwards dissolve, grow sowrish, and so grow more and more corrupt, whereupon diseases follow. The like doth also befall man: for if a man be hindered when he would go to stool, or when he would evacuate urine, etc. then follow diseases, as the Strangury, Dysury, the insatiable desire of going to stool, called Tenasm. Now by these examples you may see, that there is a certain time and hour when the Turpentine should be gathered from the tree; viz. if it be gathered in the time of a Balsome-influence, than it is a Balsam: but if it be gathered in any other time, than it is not a Balsam, but only a Turpentine; for that time when it is taken from the tree, is the time of his generation, which makes it to be a Balsam or a Turpentine: and therefore this time ought to be much observed; it is in our power to choose it.  
By this you see how much it concerns every Physician to know the motions of the heavens, to have the knowledge of Astronomy. If the Turpentine be left too long in the tree, than it is neither a Balsam nor a Turpentine; for it loseth its virtue, and changeth its nature, and there is no goodness in it: and if it be gathered from the tree too soon, before it be fully ripe, and it hath all that virtue which it should have, it causeth the Colic, Dysurie, insatiable desire of going to stool etc. and many other Diseases, through the unskilfulness of Doctors and Apothecaries. These things I show you for this end, that you may know how to proceed more exactly and groundedly to discover and bring out those secret virtues and mysteries which lurk in the Turpentine.  
To proceed concerning the Virtues of the Turpentine, whence they come:  
I must tell you, that those things which I writ here, do not agree with other books and other Writers: But why do they thus differ from me? The cause of it is their imprudency and small experience in those things which every one should know.  
First then, it hath its Virtue from the Elements: the seed of it, which groweth out of the earth becomes a tree, and into that tree is this virtue infused, which is for the good and benefit of man.  
In the next place let us consider what brings the liquor of this tree to that perfection, viz. of a Balsam. The first cause which brings the Turpentine to be of a Balsom nature, it is the heavenly influence: even as Gold and Silver being separated from the dross, are a pure metal.  
If you would know why I do so much esteem of the hour of the birth, that is, that hour when any thing comes first out of the place where it had its first being; The reason why I so much regard this hour, is this; because when any thing is born, it hath in itself the representative of the whole world; so that it hath that which is impure, as well as that which is pure; it hath that which is deformed, as well as that which is beautiful; evil as well as good; that which is fit and useful, and that which is superfluous and unuseful: and when any thing comes into the world, than it goes through a furnace, an invisible fire, and this fire is the Firmament: and as this fire is, so is the thing born more or less purged from that which is evil in it, or useless, or impure, etc. And how much more it hath of Starry-influences concurring in it, it becomes so much the more pure, good, beautiful, etc. And this that I now speak is not only to be understood of Turpentine, but also of every thing natural: in this manner Turpentine is changed into a Balsam by these heavenly Artificers.  
Secondly, It hath its temperature from the Elements, viz. the Air, of whose nature and property it is: which you must understand thus: The Air pierceth through all other Elements, and all bodies which are made of the Elements. Every thing with all its substance is made up of those four Elements; and whatsoever proceeds of the Air, it hath an aerial nature, and therefore it must be hot and moist. As for those degrees, first, second, third, fourth, which have been invented by some Physicians deluded with their own vain imaginations: Esteem of them no otherwise, but that they are groundless and foolish; for there is only one degree, not more nor fewer: in the Snow there is but one degree of coldness; in the Fire one degree of heat. Howbeit, in Alchemy there be degrees of heat observed: yet that which we chief look upon, is the essence itself.  
The Turpentine hath a medicinal influence which God hath created in it: for Medicine (or medicinal virtue) in natural things, is an invisible spirit infused into their bodies, as the spirit of man was breathed into man. In Turpentine there are five things to be considered; viz An Elementary body, The heavenly impressions of the Stars, The heavenly Vulcan, The complexion of the Chaos, and a created Spirit: And according to these five things, I will show you five several kinds of Virtues in Turpentine. That you may the better understand the power and virtues of it severally, according to their natures; and that you may lay your groundwork in Physic by Astronomy and Philosophy; so your experience shall be daily more increased, and appear more in public.   

CHAP. III. The virtues of Turpentine.  
ANd seeing the Turpentine (as I have before told you) is changed into a Balsam; therefore I will now show you the Balsom-vertues of it, which are not inferior to the Indian Balsam, as it shall appear.  
And first, to speak of the Embalming of dead bodies. Embalming may be understood two ways; either when dead bodies are embalmed under Balsam Constellations; that is, when the Moon is in Balsom signs: There be 12 hours of the day in which the spirits of the firmament in their motion pass over us, and this must be daily. Again, observe, That the secret of Embalming consisteth much in the removing of the excrements at the last breath of the person deceased; this will make the Composure of the body to continue longest without decay: But whether of these ways be used, thereby the body may be kept without putrefaction.  
What I have spoken concerning the conservation of dead bodies, it is to show you the excellency of Balsam; and that the influence of the Stars may have its operation in us who are alive, as well as in dead bodies; yea, the strength and virtues of it appear more in the living, then in the dead.  
Now whereas many great diseases (as none will deny) may be caused by infection or poison in the bodies of men; nay there is not any disease but it may be caused by poison; for that part of the body which hath not any disposition to putrefaction, will not yield to poison; and that which is most powerful against putrefaction, is the best medicine against diseases. Hence it follows, that as Balsam is from the Stars, so also is the Pestilence: therefore if you join like to like, that is, if you give Balsom to them who are in danger to be infected with the pestilence, the Balsam will keep out the Pestilence: as they who are in possession of a Garrison, can easily keep out the enemy; so Balsam keeps out the Pestilence; that where Balsam is, there the Pestilence which comes from the Stars, can do no hurt. But if the Pestilence hath already got into the body, than the Balsam can do no good. So that the method to be observed in using this Balsam, is this: The Physician should be careful to give this Balsam before the infection or the disease be in the body, and this will keep the body that it shall not be infected by poison or any disease. This a Physician should know, and it is indeed an unfitting thing, that a Physician newly come from the Universities should be ignorant of this, and now must learn it of me.  
Balsam doth also preserve us from Fevers and all Apostems, whether inward or outward, if it be used before the Aposteme breaketh out. So that the chief use of this Balsam is to preserve from diseases, and not to cure diseases.  
This Balsam is also an enemy to Worms; for where Balsam is, there cannot be any worms or Beetle-flies, etc. or any other vermin, which are naturally the offspring of excrements.  
I cannot reckon all the Diseases which come of putrid causes, or putrefactions: but whatsoever they are, you may use the same method for them all. Doctors, I only tell you of this; and I hope you have learned so much in the Universities, that you have a full knowledge of every thing. And truly I think, that medicinal experience could not do you any harm. But I descent from you, because you descent from me.  
Remember this, which I told you before, that when any thing is in its birth, i. e. when it first leaves the place where it was form, then that which is pure in it, is separated from that which is impure, by the influence of the Stars. Now in the Turpentine there are some impure mixtures which come from the impurities of Mars and Saturn; and these do very much hinder the good Virtues of Turpentine, which comes from the influence of the good Stars. But the influence of the Stars, like a lightning, consumeth these impurities in the birth of the Turpentine: and when it is thus purified, than the two last virtues of it appear; viz. that which is from the Air, and that which is from the infused spirit.  
Concerning the air, learn this, as Astronomy teacheth you; that as is the natural generation of the Air, so is the alteration of the Air, when it is at any time changed. You who are Physicians, should know the nature and properties of the Air, and so you may better know how to preserve from those diseases which come by the infection of the Air. It's better to prevent the violence of the heaven, then to delay till it comes, its easier keeping it out, then driving it out.   

CHAP. IU. The Preparations of Turpentine.  
ONe way of Preparing Turpentine is thus: Boil it in strong red wine; and before the wine be all consumed, power upon it the water of showbread, — and with it wash the Turpentine when it is cooled; and thereafter keep it in a close place. Saturnine wounds are cured by it, if it be dropped into them; and afterwards lay a Wound-plaister to them; or bind them up so as Wounds should be.  
And if you put to the Turpentine half as much of the whites of eggs, it will be a great deal better for the wound; but if superfluous flesh be bred in the wound, then to the aforesaid plaster you must add burned alum prepared with vinegar, so the rank flesh shall be consumed without any pain to the patiented: But such things you must learn by experience. Every one who hath wine in his hand cannot drink it decently.  
There are other things which may be added to the Turpentine, but I will now pass them over.  
Alchemy, which brings the virtues of things to the light, and to be of a wonderful efficacy; it hath also taken Turpentine in hand for the good of man, and hath distilled it; and being distilled, it was afterwards taken notice of by experience. Now those who are unskilful in Physic, do think that this worthy medicine was found out by those Mountebanks, only learned in their own opinion, who, ever since the beginning of the world, have been contemners of all good Arts, spending all their time in decoctions; they cared for no more, but to satisfy their eyes: they never searched into the nature of this Turpentine, neither had they ever any experience of it; but they let their patients die, when they might easily have been restored to health.  
But in this our age experience hath taught me, that distilled Turpentine is an excellent medicine for any unnatural hardness in the body to take it away; but observe, that there are several kinds of hardnesses in the body, viz. the hardness of the spleen, the hardness of the liver, and the hardness of other inward parts: as else the hardness of outward parts, as kernels, hardened skin etc. Briefly, whatsoever unnatural thing is in the body, which is of the nature of hair, or of a vein, or of a bone, or of a gristle, it is taken away by this distilled Turpentine, adding to it such other medicines which are proper to such diseases, and observing their quantities when you mix them. As for the knotty Gout, take this distilled Turpentine with the essence of Mummy.  
Having spoken concerning this Turpentine balsam, so much as is known to me by experience. I will therefore now make an end of this discourse, hoping that these experiences of Turpentine discovered by me, shall be found by others to be true, to their great comfort. But I must not forget to tell you of one thing, that if this destilled Turpentine be dropped into the wounds of veins, it preserves the veins from all inconveniencies. Th●s distilled Turpentine likewise assuageth the pains of the Gout.  
If Turpentine be a little time set over the fire, when it is cold it becomes hard like glass; take this glass, and dissolve it with Amber; and distil it in the right way, and it will be a most subtle and excellent Varnish; if you lay it upon any thing, and dry it speedily; if you mix the powder of tiles with this glass over the fire, you may therewith make most firm and closely floors, where you may keep a great quantity of quicksilver without decay etc.  
I will now show you the way how the Balsam is to be separated from the Turpentine.  
When you have gathered the Turpentine from the tree in the right time; i. e. in the time of the Balsam influence, as it hath been before declared: the same hour when it is taken from the tree, you must put it in your vessel, which must stand in warm dung, one half of the vessel being within the dung; fill your vessel with Turpentine, and so let it stand in the dung some time, and there it will purge out its impurities. When it's purified enough, you will find that it hath divided itself into two parts: the upper part of it will be clear, but that which is under is not so clear: pour it out as it is heated by the heat of the dung, into another vessel, which is already placed in the first degree of heat. Here you must take notice, that this first degree of heat, is the first of those twelve degrees which are in heat: and in this first degree of heat it must stan● sixty hours, and digest: and here it will divide itself again into two parts; the upper part will be very clear and perspicuous; this is the Balsam, so much of it as is thus clear: but the under part, which is not so clear, is the pure Turpentine. These two, viz. the Turpentine and the Balsam are separated the one from the other, as the iron from steel. In this Balsam lurks many admirable Secrets, more than I can find out in my life time: but doubtless, the rest of its Virtues may be found out by experience, if Physicians were as desirous and careful how to cure diseases, as they are to fill their purses; or if they were constrained by the Magistrate to be such as they profess themselves to be. Now if every Tradesman ought to have skill and experience in that Trade which he professeth, much more ought the Physician to have great skill and experience in so weighty a business as the health and life of man.   

CHAP. I. The preparations and virtues of Ebony wood.  
WE have three sorts of medicines out of Ebony, viz. a liquor, a Gum, and a Salt; the liquor is like the juice of Sloes: the Gum is like that balsam which is got from the Larch-tree: the Salt is like that Salt which the Apothecaries call sal gemmae: the liquor is the portion: the Gum is the unguent: the salt is the purgative which purgeth and cleanseth.  
The liquor must be extracted out of the wood, by close distillation, as the oil of Nutmeg is extracted out of the Nutmeg: one pound and a half of this liquor is more efficacious than an hundred pound of that liquor in which the wood only hath been boiled.  
When we have got out the liquor, than we must extract the Gum out of the wood, thus; put the Ebony-wood in a close reverbatory, in the second degree of fire, the space of twenty four hours, than you shall see the Gum come out clammy, and sticking to your fingers like liquid Styrax of a savoury, delightsome savour, one pound and six ounces of this Gum is better, and more efficacious than two hundred pound weight of that liquor in which the wood only is boiled. Lastly, the Salt of it is made thus; you must burn the wood to ashes, (for ashes is the mine of salt) then pour the water of Fumitory upon these ashes, and this will bring the salt out of the ashes; then congeal the salt according to the usual way, and you shall have a salt almost like these salts, called Salt Entalls, or Salt Anatron: one pound and five drams of this Salt is better than fifty pound weight of that liquor which is made after the common way, which is only the boiling the wood in water, or some other liquor.  
With this Salt you may make an excellent purge, thus; take of this Salt a half scruple, of Alexandrine Treacle two drams, mix them together: of this give at a time the quantity of a half scruple; and this is to be given not only once or twice, but three or four times, or oftener, as the disease requires. There is such a virtue in this salt to purge the Gout, the Palsy, and those humours which are breaking out, as no other medicine whatsoever, whether it be purgative, or laxative or expulsive: For this Salt is to such diseases as fire to water. If you would use this Salt in any Cure to be done by Chirurgery, you must proceed thus: If the sore be open, you must first cleanse it by the Salt; than you must anoint it with the gumm twice every day, till the cure be perfected, and the sore place well skinned.  
If there be a great pain in any part of the body, and there is nothing to be seen, then anoint the place with this gumm. By it also may be cured the Gout, the Palsy, the French Pox etc. But remember, that if you do otherwise then I have told you, than you will lose your time and pai● with the Empirics.  

A short and speedy way of curing a Rupture by this Medicine.  
That Proverb, viz. The Cow draws the Chariot, when we signify any thing to be done absurdly and preposterously, may be well applied to the common way of curing Ruptures. Now what is more absurd or more unreasonable, then to leave a Cure to the Surgeon, which belongs to the Doctor; as here, to bring a Rupture from its own natural and most easy way of cure, to come under the horrible tools of the Surgeon; and, as if it were an incurable Tumour, to use the most difficult way of curing? And seeing we thus change certainties for incertainties, what other can we expect, but that God and Nature may deny us their assistance? But to leave this, and to come to show the most easy and readiest way of curing a Rupture (without help of the hand) by this Medicine thus. Take of the liquor of Ebony wood two ounces, of the liquor of Usifur one ounce, of Incense and of Mace of each half a drachm, of Turpentine two drachms, of Heart's grease so much as you need to make it up into an Ointment: with this you shall anoint the place of the Rupture twice every day the space of 3 weeks or a month, the patiented lying upon his back this time; & thus every Rupture may be cured, if the place of the Rupture be not putrified.    

CHAP. II. The Virtues of Mummy.  
THis Mummy you may have at the Drugster's or Apothecaries, which is a singular Medicine. For whereas many have been very industrious in trying experiments, and compounded receipts, to find out some medicine, whereby they might bring poison wholly out of the body; but their endeavours have been without success: for amongst all experiments and receipts, only Mummy is the readiest, and most certain remedy against all kinds of poison. You may preserve Mummy thus; put your Mummy in Salad oil, in a glass close stopped; set your glass in warm dung a month; that your Mummy may putrify in the oil, then separate the oil from the grounds, by the distilling vessel called a Retort; then take this oil which you have distilled from the grounds; and to one pound of it, add one dram of Alexandrine Musk, and six ounces of Alexandrine Treacle; and when you have mixed them all together, put them in a Circulatory vessel; and set your vessel in Balneo Mariae, that is, in boiling water: and so it must be kept in warm water a month, and then you have the Treacle of Mummy, or rather, the balsam of Mummy.  
Of this balsam of Mummy, you may give one ounce in the oil of Almonds to be drunk by the persons who are infected with poison, who must be kept warm in their beds, that the Medicine may do its work the better. You need not fear that any poison, whither of beasts, or poison of minerals, or of herbs, can do you harm, if you take this treacle of Mummy: and such is the efficacy of it, that if you take this Treacle of Mummy before you receive the poison, than the poison cannot do you any harm: and if in the morning you take but one dram of it, than you may be sure that you cannot be infected with any poison that day,  
And likewise if you give one drachm of this treacle of Mummy to any person who hath a Pleurisy, Plague, Carbuncle, or any venomous Aposteme; if they live six hours after they have taken this treacle of Mummy, they may be assured of their recovery: and then these six hours being expired, take another drachm of this treacle of Mummy, and so continue to take of it till you be cured.  
There are also very many other diseases which may be throughly cured by this Treacle of Mummy.    

TREATISE VII. Of the Secrets, and wonderful Medicinal Virtues of VERMINE.  

CHAP. I. The Medicinal virtues of Serpents.  
ALthough I never purposed to write concerning, these nor have I ever spoken any thing of them in my other Books: yet I think it profitable and necessary, that I should make a new plantation, not only of Physic, but also of other Sciences and Secrets of Nature, which are buried in forgetfulness, and by the ignorant are contemned and evil spoken of: which certainly is a punishment from God upon us; because we will not acknowledge the great mysteries and gifts of God to be divine, therefore God is angry with us, and is provoked to take from us again those gifts and secrets, and to give them to others who will receive them with greater thankfulness, and not slight them as we do.  
I will first treat of Serpents, and show you the benefits which we may have by the several parts of the Serpent; and first of the Tongue of it, which hath a wonderful power; and many do carry it about them as a holy thing to defend them against weapons, and all enemies present or absent: this also hath made many victorious and successful, not only in battles and duels, but also in other business: by this lovers have gained the affections of them whom they loved; which I do not speak of that we should do the like; but that we may know how great the power and operations of nature are; yet it cannot be denied but that our imagination and believing may much increase or diminish the power of such things accordingly, as they are used.  
Some who have been troubled with, an inward imposthume near the heart have laid the tongue of the Adder or Serpent upon their breast, over against their heart, which hath so powerfully drawn out the poison of the imposthume, that it hath stuck upon their breast in drops; then these drops being wiped away, and the Adder's tongue again laid upon the place, which was done thus so often until there appeared no more drops upon their breast, and so the patiented was cured. The same use may be made of Toads, as I have showed in some other of my writings: thrust a stick through the head of the Toad, and set the stick upright in the ground, that the Toad may dry upon the top of the stick, when it is well dried, then wrap it in a linen cloth, lay it so upon the imposthume or part diseased, there leave it till it hath drawn out all the poison; or if you will, you may apply the Toad to the place without a cloth about it, and it hath the same effect. And as the patiented and the disease requires: so the Toad must be the oftener applied till the Toad swells no more: for when it swells no more, it is a sign that all the poison is drawn out, and that the patiented is recovering. Howbeit, this creature strikes a terror into every one who sees it near them; even by their looking upon it, they are stricken with horror: yet it is not therefore to be rejected; but it is to be esteemed of, and to be used as a great Secret of Nature. I could wish that this Remedy were preferred more, than it hath been hitherto, to all other attractive, maturative, or corrosive Medicines.   

CHAP. II. The medicinal virtues of Serpents.  
THere be many other effects of the Adder's tongue then those already mentioned, which would be tedious to rehearse: But where I treat of Magic Cures, there I speak largely, not only of this, but also of many other excellent natural Virtues, and natural Things.  
Those who lived in former times, carried about them many Sigils, which did wonderful things; for by them they could cure such difficult diseases, for which we cannot readily find any remedy in the earth: and only by carrying these Sigils about them, they did partake of their Virtues, whereby they were safe, and without danger of harm by weapons or enemies: thereby they also became very prosperous, and had great victories: and many other strange effects have been done by these Sigils, of which we will not speak now.  
There have been found words written, and Characters, and Sigils, and strange Images delineated upon Vergin-paper, or cut in Metals, or in Gamehen's, or in precious Stones, as Saphires, etc. with strange shapes; in some the shape of a man, in some the shape of a beast: And such were the unspeakable virtues of those Characters, Sigils, etc. that they seemed to go beyond all the bounds of Nature itself: and so Ptolomeus, Hermogenes, Balenius, Virgilius, Albertus Magnus have declared: But the books of these Authors are foully corrupted with those superstitious Ceremonies which are in them: so that we cannot safely trust to every thing in those books: therefore we must make a separation, and take the kernel, leaving the unprofitable shell in their writings.   

CHAP. III. The medicinal virtues of Serpents.  
I Will not counsel you to practise, or to trust to every thing in these books; but I leave it to every man to do as he thinks best: and albeit Virgilius, and Albertus Magnus deserve better to be believ●d then the rest of these Writers; yet the best things, the greatest secrets which they know, these things they would not set down in their books, but carried them with them to their graves. And now there are no writings better and larger concerning this supernatural Science, than those which Techellus the Jew hath left to us: there is but little of his writing now remaining; and these of his writings which are extant, they are contemned, because he was a Jew, a famous master in Israel, and a most subtle searcher of Nature.  
But now I return to my present purpose concerning the Serpent or Adder: the skin of the Adder hath a singular faculty in curing wounds: if you make a powder of this skin, and strew it upon the wound. Some, when they go to fight bind this skin about that arm which holds the sword or other weapon wherewith they fight, and so they fight happily, and get the victory.  
If a woman with child, or in childbirth bind this skin about her neck, or about her body, she thereby becomes victorious in this duel of nature, she happily goes through with the business of childbirth.  
Now you must remember this, that it is not every skin of the Serpent or Adder hath such a power, but only that skin which the adder casts. The same is to be understood of the Adder's tongue; it is not every tongue that hath such virtue, but only that which is plucked out of the Adder alive.   

CHAP. IV. Preservatives to keep us from the harm of Serpents, Adders, and Snakes.  
BUt that I may hasten to make an end of this subject; know this, That in the fat and flesh of a Serpent there is a singular faculty of healing both new wounds, and all venomous bitings, and evil ulcers. The flesh of the Adder hath the like virtues, yea more; it hath in it a singular secret, and great medicinal virtues, if you cut off the head and tail, and let the blood run out, in which is all the poison. But in this place I will be brief concerning these things, because I have spoken of them largely elsewhere.  
Now I will speak something of those who do consecrate Serpents: this is a thing which they do not rightly understand; and in this they are contrary to the ways of God and Nature. And although by these consecrations Serpents are tamed and made tractable; nevertheless, such do are not to be approved of, as consecrations and other superstitions, whereby people are made sick or well. For if according to the course of nature we may do such things by the power of a strong faith, and by the strength of imagination; then why should we use these superstitious Ceremonies? Yet it cannot be denied, but that there be some words, which if they be pronounced against Serpents, it makes them tractable and obedient.  
There are also some Preservatives, which (if used) will keep us from the hurt of any venomous creature. But we need not much fear this kind of Serpent of which we speak in this Treatise, which is by nature less hurtful than any other kind of Serpent: But we must be very cautious of starry Serpents which are speckled over with Stars, Sirens, Crocodiles, Salamanders, Basilisks, which be all several kinds of Serpents, most venomous and great enemies to man: their venom is exceeding strong and violent. Albeit there be few of these kinds of Serpents in Germany, yet I speak of them, that people should be wary of them where they are.  
I know not any preservative better, and more certain against the poison of these Serpents, than camphor dissolved in Rock-oyl, otherwise called oil Petreole, wherewith you must anoint your hands, and your feet, and other naked places of your body, and so thou mayest safely handle them: but because this preservative can do no good, or is not efficacious enough against the most fierce and most poisonous Serpents; as that kind of Serpent which leaps at a man being a great way off: and the Crocodile which devours a whole man, albeit he be dead: and the Basilisk which kills a man by its sight only: therefore those who dwell in those places where these Serpents are, carried about them Gameheu's, which were made in the shape of a man, with his left foot trampling upon the neck of a Serpent; and they esteemed of this as a singular preservative against these Serpents. Of this and other things, Techellus hath written, who hath gone fare beyond all other writers in this kind; but some wicked deceivers have kept his works from 〈…〉, and have retained them to themselves, and in their stead they give out to the world their own opinions and vain fancies: and since now it is so done, the event of it we must leave to God.  
I conceive it not needful, that I should say any more of Serpents now, because I will treat of them largely, and discover many more wonderful things of them in that book which I will write concerning Sacraments, and things woncerful.   

CHAP. V The Medicinal virtues of the Toad and Spider.  
THere lurks many great Secrets, not only in the Serpent, but also in other abominable creatures, which strike terror into a man, even with the sight of them; as the Toad, of which I have spoken before, it is a great help against the plague, and the bitings of venomous creatures, if, after it is well dried it be applied outwardly to the part infected; it speedily draweth poison out of the body; it hath preserved the life of those who have despaired of help by any other remedies. I have seen the Morphew cured by it throughly and speedily, thus; the Toad must be boiled alive in oil till it dies, and with this oil anoint the place where this disease is; this oil is also very good against evil Ulcers. But false physicians, when they hear of these secrets, they cannot be brought to believe that they are true.  
The Spider is a hateful creature, yet it is of great virtue against Quotidian Fevers: put the spider in a nutshell, and shut it up close in it, and let the diseased person carry it about him, but he must not know what it is; let him carry it four days, and he shall be well.  
The Salamander is useless in Physic: but the Alchemist hath laboured much in it to extract out of it a tincture f r metals, and thereby to make gold, and for this it is indeed to be much regarded: but you cannot meddle with it without great danger, for the poison of it is most deadly.   

CHAP. VI Paracelse compared with other Physicians.  
HAving done with these hateful and poisonous creatures, now I will speak concerning the other common, contemptible small creatures: and I hope I shall not be blamed for this, nor shall these things I speak be esteemed as feigned tales, as false physicians do, who will not use any common medicines, such as may be gotten cheaply, and easily, not remembering this, that God hath created nothing in vain, but that even the least and most contemptible things have their peculiar virtues according to his divine pleasure.  
And it is our fault that we know not these things, for we are careless and incredulous, and soon wearied in the search of nature. Now if any do improve the gifts of God in them, and are diligent in searching out the works of nature, and do ingenuously declare their experiences publicly: these corrupt Doctors will not be thankful to them for it; nay, they contemn such experiences, they scoff at them, and one way or other they will find fault with them.  
Now I profess myself to be one of those who have found out the Secrets of Nature; yea, and that I am not one of the least of the searchers of nature, and truly whatsoever art or experience I have, I should have imparted it freely and plainly to you; but your ambition and insolency hath made me change my mind, because you will have all the praise to yourselves, and steal it from him who is your teacher; therefore you are not worthy of my art, which would be very advantageous to you, if you would become true Physicians and lovers of your neighbours. But you prefer the profit of your prrse, and of your kitchen, to the health of your patients: and in this you are learned indeed, and more skilful than I. You accuse me, and blame me because I do not highly praise you. It's true, I do it, not because I find you to be only purse physicians, such who are more able to cure the diseases of your purses, than the diseases of your patients; if it were not so, how could you build such stately houses, wear gold rings, walk in your silks? You reproach me because of my poverty and mean clothes: but if I should take (as you do) shamelessly such great rewards every where, than I should be richer than any of you: yet as I am, I am richer than any of you; for my riches are surer to me, than your riches to you: my skill is my great riches, which neither thief can steal, nor fire, or water can devour, nor robber can take from me. They may take my life, but they cannot get my Art that is hidden in me, and dieth with me. You see then what an excellent thing I enjoy, which is fare better than your houses, plantations, clothes, riches, gold, and silver, and all your skill. And if at any time I spend my money largely amongst my pleasant companions, yet I do not diminish (as the proverb is) the principal sum, that is, my Art, which through God's goddess to me, shall never leave me.   

CHAP. VII. The Medicinal virtues of Earthworms.  
NOw I will proceed to speak of that which I intended, viz. of some simple medicines, and of some living creatures, and of some diseases, of which no physicians before me, have ever spoken any thing. Truly, I believe that they were ignorant of them; or if they knew them, than they slighted them, so that these things were quite forgotten: the most common, and most inconsiderable Vermine are Earthworms, which after a shower, creep out of the ground: and who will believe, that in these worms is so much Virtue for the good of the body of man? they are especially good against that disease and pain which is in the fingers and toes, which causeth extreme torment day and night: The Whit flaw, which the Ancients called the gnawing worm, and indeed not without cause; for they knew that this disease should be cured by the earthworm; the way is this; Take an Earthworm bigger or lesser according to the patiented, and the greatness of the pain, if the patiented be not very young, but is of a good age, and the pain very great, than you must take a great earthworm, it must be large, that it may be sufficient for the disease, wrap this worm in a linen cloth, and so lay it upon the part where the pain is, the space of twenty four hours, till it dies, and when it is dead. the disease is cured, and (as it were) dieth with the worm; these things may seem to some to be superstitious, and feigned tales; but by this it appears, that God hath made nothing in the world so base, and so contemptible, which is not some way for the good of man.   

CHAP. VIII. The Medicinal Virtues of the Earthworm, and of the Crab fish Cancer.  
THE Earthworm is not only good against the foresaid disease, but also against all kinds of worms in the body of man, if it be dried, and made into a powder, and so it is to be taken in some liquor; the best liquor is the whey of Goat's milk: for the powder of Earthworms taken in this whey purgeth by stool all worms of the stomach, or that stick in the guts.  
The Mouse, called the field Mouse, is a great Secret for the ptisick. And that kind of Crab called the Cancer, hath often cured the disease called the Canker, viz. thus, bind a linen cloth about the fish Cancer, and about its toes: and lay the toes of this fish, Cancer upon the place where the Ulcer, Canker is, until the fish-Cancer, be dead: and when it is dead, the ulcer, Canker is also killed; but if the Canker was broken out into a sore, then after it is mortified with the fish-Cancer, you must apply the plaster which is used for thrusts, or deep wounds.  
By this fish-Cancer have been also cured Fevers; and Hydropsies, thus; first, you must cut off all the nails of the patient's fingers and toes, than you must bind the fish Cancer to his back, afterward put it into a river, and let it go; and so the patient shall be cured. Do not you think these to be vain, superstitious, or Mountebank cures? I assure you they are the true operations of nature▪ and wrought by God himself, who was pleased to give to creatures in their creation such great Virtues.  
But it may be objected, that some, who have used the fish Cancer for the foresaid diseases, have been nothing better for it. I answer the fish-Cancer cannot cure the foresaid diseases when the patiented is near to the appointed time of hi● death, and that his present disease must lead him to his death. False Physicians thought little of this, when they tried this remedy: and when they did see, that it did not good to all alike: they then falsely conceived that it was a thing superstitious; and that only believing did work here; without which they thought the Cancer had no efficacy. It is true, that imagination and believing are so powerful, that they can make people well or sick. But such common remedies as I have spoken of, are not to be contemned. We find in the holy Scriptures that Christ and the Prophets cured great diseases by very common and ordinary things. So Christ gave sight to the blind by clay mixed with his spittle. So the Prophet cured the plague by a plaster of figs: but to gather together here all such examples, is not needful, I will rather go on to speak of the Virtues of those things.   

CHAP. IX. The Virtues of the Crabfish Cancer.  
IN the foresaid fish Cancer have been found many other Virtues; it hath an excellent cooling faculty, and it is good against St. Anthony's fire, if you press the juice out of the toes of it, and anoint the place with this juice: you may also make an ointment with this juice, very good against all sorts of burn or scaldings, viz. by fire, or water, or pitch, or fat things, etc. The Ancients never found a better remedy than this against any burn. This ointment is also good against inflamed, eating sores; and if it be anointed upon the temples of the head, it very much helpeth those extraordinary pains of the head, which almost distracts people, It helpeth also that inflammation called the Rose, and the heat of ulcers of women's breasts; in such cases it hath done very much good. The Cancer hath also a faculty of expelling urine, sand, and the stone in the bladder. which it doth powerfully dissolve, and expel with the urine, so that those who seed much upon these Cancers, they are free from those diseases; so they are an excellent preservative.  
I cannot pass by here the cruelty of physicians, who would cure the Canker by cutting, burning, and eating Medicines; and they had no other reason for it, but that they thought, such a disease could not be overcome but by corrosives; but so they make the pain greater, not considering, that the Canker itself is an eating sore, and therefore we should use such things to it, which will pacify it, and allay the pain, and gently cure it; all they can say, is this; that one evil should be driven out by another evil. But I say, that we should begin the cure of every disease, with pain assuaging Medicines, which can quiet the disease, and take away the raging of it, allaying those pains which accompany it; as for example a man in a rage cannot be pacified by strokes or wounds; so neither can a disease by exasperating medicines: and as those, who are sad and melancholy should have cordials given to them, they should be comforted and refreshed with mirth; so it is in curing any disease; that which is evil, must be cured by that which is good, and not one evil to be cured by another. Then hitherto your physicians have been far from the right way; and therefore it falls out ofttimes, when you think by your false receipts to cure the Canker, or the whit-flaw that you fail of it, and kill your patient before you can kill the Canker, or whit flaw: after this manner many have endeavoured to cure the Canker, and the whit-flaw, by eating medicines, by cutting or burning the sore, and many other such torturing ways they have used they had also great confidence to do this cure by Arsenic, orpment, & sublimed Mercury. I do not deny but that many incredible cures have been done by Calcinatum magnum, by sweet sublimed Mercury, by the oil of sweet Mercury, & especially by the quintessence of Mercury, so that by these have been cured not only the diseases mentioned, viz. Canker, & the whit-flaw, but also many other greater diseases, as Syrons, wolf etc. but you must remember that these things, viz. quicksilver etc. must not be used crude and unprepared, as they are taken out of the mountains: and seeing you do not know the way how they should be prepared, therefore you should abstain from them, and learn of the Alchemist how to prepare them, and to bring them to the utmost degree of their perfection, than indeed you may use them, but not before, or else you will find it fall out otherwise then you expect, as I have said before concerning the mortification of the Cancer, and of the whitflaw; but if the feet, or hands, or fingers, or nose, or ears, and other members be cut off, then certainly the Cancer must be taken away; but ind●ed the magistrate should restrain such errors by a singular punishment. One thing I might here add concerning the disease called the wolf, to show you how it is cured by unguents and cataplasms made of the flesh and fat of the beast called the Wolf; and to describe to you some such remedies▪ but because I have spoken of the chiefest remedies, therefore I ●ass over those inferior remedies, and I leave them to others to find them out by their experience.   

CHAP. X. The Cure of those Marks in the body which the patiented hath from the mother's womb.  
I Will now make an end of this Treatise: and in this last chapter I will give you a great, and a most secret cure, which fare excels all the other cures mentioned in this Treatise; it is this; that by these Vermin are cured, not only painful sores, v●z. Syrons', cankers, fistulas, wolf, etc. but also by those Vermin such marks may be taken away, which appear in us in their visible shape and colour without any pain, and were imprinted upon some part of our body while we were yet in the womb, by the imagination of our mothers, they being stirred up thereto by fears or strong desires.  
Now how that the mother by her Imagination imprints a mark, not upon herself, but upon the child in her womb; I have explained it in my book concerning Imagination; but how these marks which we have from our mother's imagination may be taken out of our bodies again, and cured, that I will show you here in this chapter.  
And first you must strictly observe these marks, of what shape and colour they are, if they be like a worm, or snake, or toad egg. You must also inquire of the mother of the person who hath that mark concerning the colour of the Vermin which sterd up her imagination; and at what time, day, or hour; yea, you must know if you can, 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 inform you of every particular, therefore you must have recourse to Astronomy, and by it you may have a full information; according to which you must proceed. If the mark be in the likeness of a worm, than 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, than 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, than 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 mother's Imagination was moved by the sight of this worm; and in the same time you must bind the worm upon the mark: if it was in the Summer, etc. then you must bind the worm upon the mark in the Summer time.  
If the Mother's Imagination was moved by a strong desire after any thing, than her child which hath such a mark must be satiated and filled with the thing desired; but if the mother's Imagination was from fear of a worm, than the party, who hath the mark must be put in fear when the worm is laid to the mark. So the mark shall be rooted out: howbeit it is not yet quite brought out of the skin. But to do this, you must take Aqua fortis, and wash the skin with it; and so in the space of eight or fourteen days 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 Vermin, 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 Virtues, 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 men's uses.  
There be two uses of Salt, of which we will here especially take notice, viz. it seasoneth meats, and cureth diseases. That meat which a man eats 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 meats usual to be eaten. And whatsoever meat is not seasoned by Salt, is unwholesome. Let your meat be moderately Salted, not too much, nor too little; this will help digestion; but when meat is not Salted, or slightly Salted, it turns to a thin, waterish, or slimy blood, and the flesh which is bred of such meat, 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 than 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 boiled or otherwise prepared by the fire; unless we give way to appetire to eat somethings raw and unprepared, as onions, Rhadishes, etc.  
Salt is the earthly balsam 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 do not putrify while they are alive. There is a Salt not only in living creatures, but also in herbs, metals, stones, and all Vegetables; there is not any thing, but it hath in it a Salt proper to it, as appears by those several kinds of Salts which are extracted out of several things.  
As Balsam preserveth from putrefaction, so doth Salt; in this it is like balsam; nay, it is of a higher Nature, and more subtle than balsam: Whatsoever wants Salt, it cannot continue, but it decayeth and putrefieth: 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, etc.) 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 engendering 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-days 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 ofttimes undo 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 itself 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 oil, so thick, that an egg laid into it will not sink. Concerning this liquor, observe, that those who have gross bodies full of blood, or humours, or they who are troubled with defluxions, or are troubled with the Gout, or are troubled with a looseness, or have swollen legs etc. if they wash themselves with this liquor, than all superfluous, hurtful humours in the body shall be thereby dried up; and all diseases which come of such humours shall be quite cured; so that you shall never be troubled with these diseases again; by it also are cured all running sores of the legs, if they be washed with it: and it cureth also the itch and scab. This liquor is better than any natural Bath; in a word, it is a powerful and most perfect remedy of the superfluous humours of the body, and of all diseases coming of those humours, it makes the body dry, sound, and nimble. Let a Physician search into the natures of all Baths, and compare them with the Virtues of this liquor; he shall find that this liquor doth far exceed them all; this liquor never doth any hurt to any part of the body; whereas we cannot promise so much safety in any Bath.  
Therefore when the physician hath any patients troubled with such superfluous humours, or defluxions, let him direct his patients to have recourse to this liquor to wash themselves with it; and if there be any disease to which their patient is inclined, this liquor will consume that disease in the conception of it, that it shall never afterward trouble the patiented: and if the disease be already begun; this will drive it out of the body. But for Physicians to direct their Patients to go to Baths, it is ridiculous: seeing they do not throughly know the nature of those Baths. Let us always choose that which is best and safest.  
When you would use salt, use it alone as it is in itself, without altering it, or adding any thing to it. There be many receipts in which they add several things to salt to qualify it▪ as Cummin, Fennel, Cinnamon, etc. but such additions are vain, they are not agreeable to the nature of salt, and thereby the salt is turned out of the right course of its operation; therefore when you would use salt to season meats, and to further concoction, take it alone as it is in itself: but when you would use salt for diseases, you may fi●st correct it, and perfect it; the virtue of it must not be lessened, but rather augmented.  
Salt, as we use it commonly in seasoning our meats, it is in the first degree.  
Salt burned in a hot fire, sometime is more powerful by one degree, than the former salt; and the liquor of salt is more powerful by two degrees: thus the strength of it may be increased from one degree to another; till it comes to the twenty fourth degree; if you know the ways of preparing it and the additions.  
I have before spoken of the operations of Salt upon bodies which are full of humours: now I will show you in what method you shall proceed, and how you shall use it: First, the patiented troubled with the abundance of hurtful humours must be purged with black Hellebore prepared in that manner as is set down in the Treatise of Hellebore: likewise he must take inwardly the Elixir of Tartar for some time, until those obstructions and imposthumes which are in the body be dissolved, and the corruption which are in the body be purged out, and then he must use the liquor of Salt: he may use a Bath, made with the liquor of Salt, which may be raised in strength to the sixteenth degree; that is, it may be made as operative as if it were raised to sixteen degrees; but naturally it riseth not above the thirteenth degree.  
The virtue of this liquor may be increased thus: If the juice of plantain, the greater or the lesser, or of some such herbs be mixed with this Liquor of Salt, and boiled together, so it shall become more powerful against the itch or scab, and can do more in one day, than it could in four days without this addition.  
This liquor of Salt is also good for running Sores, if you mix it with the juices of Comfrey, or small sea-buckhorn, of which there be many kinds. This mixture is wonderfully effications in curing old sores, so that it hath twenty degrees in curing: for as your addition is more exact, so its operation will be more excellent.  
If you would use this liquor of Salt for inward diseases, as defluxions etc. then do thus; after you have boiled it in the juice of Plantain, you must mix it with sublimed wine, and so you shall have a medicine exalted to the twenty fourth degree of dryness, which will exceedingly dry up all defluxions, or any superfluous humour in the body.  
There is another way of preparing Salt, viz. by distilling a water from salt, which is done thus; beat Salt and Rhadishes together, and let the Salt dissolve with it, then distil a water from it, the which you shall mix with the juice of Plantain, the juice of Celandine, and the juice of small sea buck-horn, and the juice of Comfrey; of each alike much; this mixture doth exceed the twenty fourth degree in dryness; it can dry up the Haemorrodes, and all kinds of looseness of the belly, albeit they be such as hardly can be cured by other medicines. This liquor of Salt, with these additions, is of such virtue, that it fare exceedeth all the syrups, or purges, or any other medicines of the Apothecary's shops; for there is not any medicine in the Apothecary's shops which exceedeth the fourth degree: whereas these medicines of mine are raised above 24 degrees, yea, above 32. degrees; by these medicines of mine the disease is exceedingly overpowered, so that the patiented who useth them needs not doubt of his health; this mixture is also singularly good for wounds, and all kinds of sores.  
There be some other ways of preparing the liquor of salt, whereby the virtue of it is heightened to 24 degrees as this; take of common salt, and of salt nitre of each alike much, put them in a crucible, and set your crucible in a wind furnace, t ll they run together like metal then take these two salts, and lay them in a moist place till they dissolve to a liquor, the which liquor hath 24 degrees of a drying virtue, which is so subtle, and so powerful in operation, as there is nothing like it, and if you would have this drying faculty yet greater, you shall add the same things to this liquor which are added to the liquor of salt in the preparation of it, and you must proceed in the same manner, as I have showed you before; and having added these things to this liquor, if you distil it again, you shall thereby much more increase the drying faculty of it, so that by such additions and preparations you may bring its drying faculty to four and thirty degrees.  
It will not be amiss if Salt be burned in hot fire sometime, and afterwards it be mixed with these juices before mentioned or any other which you find to be best; and than if you dissolve it into a liquor and distil it etc.  
There be several things which will much augment the drying faculty of Salt; if you beat them together with Salt, and put them in a wind-furnace till the Salt run like metal, viz. Bole Armoniac, the flower of brass, Terra sigillata, Chimolea, Tutia, Lapis Calaminaris.— Having taken them out of the furnace, lay them in a moist place till the Salt dissolve to a liquor; this liquor keep for your use.  
If you mix common Salt with Salt niter, of each alike much, and put them together in a wind furnace, till they run together like metal; after they are cooled, lay them in a moist place, till they be dissolved to a liquor: take this liquor and distil it; and that water which you distil from it, pour it again upon the grounds which were left in the distilling; and if you do thus three or four times, or oftener, viz. distilling, and pouring the water again upon the grounds, you shall, so doing, have a water of a singular drying and binding virtue: and if Crocus Martis, or Cerus, or the flower of brass be added to it, they will exalt this drying faculty to the highest degree. Note, that if you add the juice of unripe sloes to the liquor before it be distilled, and then proceed as hath been said: it will be made thereby very powerful in binding and closing wounds or sores, searching to the bottom of any sore.  
These things I have thought fit to show you concerning Salt, and the virtues of it, and preparations of it: for others who have undertaken to write of the natures of medicines have not written any thing of this, because they themselves know not the Art, how to exalt the Virtue of a medicine from four degrees, to twenty four, or thirty two degrees; this Art I have here shown you; and it is a worthy and excellent Art thus to augment the Virtues of Medicines; for when our natures meet with such medicines which are in themselves powerful, they do more readily work with such medicines.  
Many have taken great pains in writing of Herbals, and concerning the natures and properties of meats and medicines: but if you take notice of it, you will find that they writ nothing but what they have heard from others, and whether these things be true or false, they know not: after them comes the later and modern writers, who gathering together many things out of the writings of the ancient physicians make up large volumus, not caring whether they writ truth or lies. These books, certainly contain many lies; in which you find such expressions often used, viz. the experiment of such a one etc. Probatum est, etc. If you search further, when they have it, you will at last find it to be some old woman's conceit; He who publisheth books, should not write these things which he hath only by report, but what he knows by his own experience: but indeed, the most part of writers have been too careless, trusting too much to the tales and dreams of old women, and so have built their house upon the sand; therefore every disease is stronger than any medicine which they describe. The world is now full of such writings, and such scribblers, who spend all their time in making up a bundle of lies; all they care for, is, to get themselves a name and applause; and seeing the world would be deceived, they gather together all the fine fables they can find in poesy or prose, that so they may seem to be diligent: such are all their writings, which indeed are not worth the reading,  

The Medicinal and Chymecal virtues and preparations of Brimstone.  
MAny have written much of Brimstone, but none have truly discovered the Virtues of it, for they themselves knew it not; it was their ambition which moved them to write such unprofitable vain books.  
But I have found by experience these Virtues of Brimstone, which I here describe. And I assure you, that so great are the virtues of Brimstone, that we cannot admire them enough: that if God doth not hinder, than it must be the fault of the artist, when the effect of the Brimstone is not answerable to its virtue; and indeed most Physicians and Chemists can do nothing but prate; little of their knowledge or skill appears in public; there are not many medicines which can excel brimstone, or can be compared to it for its Virtues, both in Physic and Chirurgery, which are wonderful: but it is not to be used either in Physic or Chemistry before it be prepared: and when it is rightly prepared, it is an excellent medicine.  
It may be prepared thus; let it be sublimated twice or thrice from Myrrh and Aloe; then take of this sublimed brimstone ten ounces, of Roman Myrrh one ounce and a half, of the best Aloepaticum one ounce, of Oriental Saffron half an ounce; mix them together, and make them a powder which you shall keep for your use. This is an excellent preservative against the pestilence, pleurisy, all imposthumes, and all putrefactions of the body: if you take some of it in a morning, you need not fear that day the pestilence or pleurisy, etc.  
Another way of preparing brimstone is thus; let it be sublimated ofttimes from Coperas, (the oftener you do it▪ the better it will be) and so it draweth the spirit and essence of the Coperas into itself: being thus prepared, it is a good preservative and remedy for all fevers, and all Coughs, whether new or old; it is also a preservative for the falling sickness, and cureth it in children; if it be taken daily, it preserveth health very much. It is also a preserver of wine, it will keep wine a long time from decaying, it will correct it, and make it found and wholesome: whatsoever impurity is in the wine, it will purge it out; and the wine which is thus corrected by this brimstone, it will not breed the stone or sand in kidneys or bladder, nor Apoplexy, nor any kind of imposthume, nor defluxions, nor coughs, nor fevers, etc. When the brimstone is well purged from its impurities, and poison, and that which is useless in it, than it is a worthy Medicine, it is a precious jewel.  
There are several sorts of brimstone, a yellow brimstone, a red brimstone, a purple, a black, a white, and an ashy coloured brimstone; but the yellowest brimstone is the best to be used in physic; the other kinds of brimstone have much of Arsenic, and Realgare etc. in them, and therefore they are not fit to be used in physic they are best for Alchemy: they are also good for the outward diseases of the body, as tetters, etc. because of the arsenical spirits which are in them, they are better for this purpose then the yellow brimstone, so that if they be often sublimed from Coperas, or alum, or salt Gem, 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 magnetic power, which cannot be fully described; such miracles of nature, are manifested by the experiences of Alchemy. 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 show you the way how to prepare brimstone for some Chemical uses, thus; melt your brimstone in some lin-seed oil, and the oil with the brimstone, will become like a piece of liver; take this and distil it, and you shall have come out first a liquour like milk, afterwards will come a red oil like blood: it is to be observed that this white liquor, and the red oil 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 oil swims in the top. Some have attempted to make silver with the white l quor, and to make gold with the red oil but in vain. I know, that never any thing would be effected with this white liquor, neither by the ancient, nor by the modern Chemists; but in the red oil are secrets worthy to be known. I will show you one or two secrets of this oil. If a Crystal or Beril after it is well polished, be put into this oil, and lie in it three years, so it will become a Jacinth; or if you put a pale coloured Ruby in this oil, 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 Alchemists have tried to turn a Jacinth into a Carbuncle, leaving the Jacinth in this oil some time, but my experience tells me that this cannot be done. If you put a Saphir into this oil, and let it lie in it some time, it will make the Saphir be of a bluish 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 oil of Brimstone: but glass cannot receive any colour from this oil.  
You have heard what operation this oil hath upon precious stones; now I will show you what operation it hath upon metals. Put beaten silver into this oil, and when it hath lain in it some time, it will be turned into a blackish golden powder, you must let this powder lie in the oil 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 shall do it. It is true, that the labour of Alchemy is the most dangerous of any: in Chemic 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 oil: you have heard that it gives colours in the highest degree both to stones and to met●●●● but whether it can give them the Virtues with the Colours, or if it can heighten their Virtues; 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 putrify 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 stays fixed 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 again to the Coperas, and thus you must keep your circulating vessel in the warm dung, or hot water, until 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 stays with the Coperas, and will ascend no more, and th●● you have a fixed spirit, which is the ●●●some of the earth, and is the chief of all balsams.     

TREATISE IX. Of the Medicinal and Chemical Virtues and Preparations of COPERAS.  

CHAP. I. The kinds of Coperas, and the marks of the goodness of Coperas.  
IN Coperas there is a perfect cure for the Jaundice, for the stone, and sand in the kidneys or bladder, for all fevers, for worms, for the falling sickness etc. 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 Virtues before it be prepared: then I will show you the Virtues of it prepared. I will show you what virtues it hath in medicine, and what virtues it hath in Alchemy. In medicine it is good, both for inward diseases, and outward diseases; it is good for an hereditary leprosy, for tetters, or wild scabs etc. 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 oil of Coperas, the red and white oil of Coperas, each of these have their several virtues, and how many ways it is changed, so often it gets some new virtue. 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, and cure the fourth part of diseases: if they knew how to prepare this rightly, they needed not so many boxes, pots, glasses, etc. in which there is nothing but cheats. What needs a physician gather together so many boxes, and so many beyond sea medicines? if he be provident and wise, he needs not go far, or trouble himself much to find out medicines for all diseases as good as India, or Egypt, or Barbary, or Greece can give.  
There are many kinds of Coperas, they differ according to the pits whence they are taken. If you would know the goodness of the Coperas in Physic, dissolve the coperas in some liquor, and give it to them who are troubled with the worms, and let them drink it: and as it drives out the worms, so also it is good for other physical uses. But the goodness of Coperas for Chemic uses, appears by this; viz. if it turn Iron into a deep coloured, and malleable Copper: for there is great affinity betwixt iron an Coperas, and the best Coperas makes the best Copper out of iron. This is not a thing to be much admired, there are many such things done by nature: we see lead turned into quick silver by the water of salt-borace, and so also other metals are changed one into another by minerals;— so that not only Coperas, but there are also other things which can change metals. The reason why these things are not known, is this; because when cheaters get the knowledge of such things, they keep them secret for their own gains, for the maintenance of their purses and kitchens. In Hungaria there is a River which comes from a Coperas Mine, or runs through some Coperas Mine, if iron be laid in the water of this river some time, it will be changed to be as it were, all rust, take this lump of rust, and put it in a wind-furnace, and you shall have good Copper, which cannot be again turned into iron.  
There is another way to try the goodness of Coperas for Chemistry, thus; put your Coperas in a pot, and set the pot in the fire till your Coperas be turned into a red powder, then melt it, and if it yield Copper, it is good for Chemistry, but not so good for physic. There is another way to know the goodness of the coperas by the colour; that coperas which is of a sea green, and is throughly green without any other colour mixed with it, it is not so good for physic, as that which hath red and vellow streaks in it, and that which being laid in the open air turns whitish, it is the best to make the green and white oil of it: but that which turns ruddish or yellowish, from it we draw the red oil: and by these marks the Physician or Alchemist may know whar coperas he should choose for his purpose.  
There is one trial more which I will add, to know the goodness of coperas, it is this, if your coperas with galls make good ink, than the coperas is good; but if it make a waterish ink, and not a good black ink, than it is not good coperas.   

CHAP. II. The Medicinal Virtues of Coperas unprepared, and of Coperas calcined.  
HAving given you the marks to know good Coperas, I will now show you the physical virtues of it. And first, of unprepared Coperas, and of calcined Coperas. Observe this, that Coperas is an excellent purge fit to be used for great and difficult diseases of the stomach; it falls out sometimes that by hurtful meats and drinks, or bad diet, the stomach is weakened, and the patiented falls into some long and tedious disease, which may continue with him till his death, or after a long disease he may be troubled with the cramp, etc.  
Likewise by intemperancy ofttimes comes fevers, or looseness etc. Now there is nothing better for all such diseases then to be purged with Coperas, which some do Allegorically call Gryllum; you must take so much of it at a time, as you can take up upon the point of a knife six times: if it doth not work, then take the same quantity of it again; if it doth not yet work, take the same quantity of it the third time, and that will be enough: to those who are weak, you must give it in wine, or water; but to those who are strong, and are bound in their body, give it in the spirit of wine, and so it will throughly purge upwards and downwards. There are many other strong purgatives, as Hellebore, Spurge, Coloquintida, etc. but none do purge so well as Coperas; the reason of it is this, because in the Coperas there is a sourness, sharpness, and a cleansing faculty (which is not in Hellebore, Coloquintida etc.) whereby it hath a full and perfect operation in purging; the Hellebore, Coloquintida etc. have only a laxative faculty; but the Coperas, besides its laxative faculty, hath also a saltishness, which is of such a nature, that wheresoever it meets with any worms in the body, it kills them: none of the other purgatives can do this. Doubtless that purgative which hath sourness and saltishness joined with its laxative virtue; it must needs cleanse and purge singularly well: wherefore (I do think) that Coperas is for the inward diseases of the body a more excellent purge then any other. I need not name all those inward diseases for which it is good, seeing I have so largely described to you the Nature and Virtues of it; only this I would have you observe, that it is the safest, the most powerful; and most profitable purge that can be taken for all diseases of the stomach, for the falling sickness, and for worms: if it be given in a right time, and in a right manner, the person being also considered to whom it is to be given etc. As for calcined Coperas, that is, Coperas burned in the fire till it comes to be a red powder; you must know, that it is not to be taken inwardly; it is to be used only in Chirurgy; it is good for rotten old sores, which will not yield to remedies, it prepares the sore, and makes way for the cure. You shall use it thus; take the calcined Coperas very hot, and quench it in vinegar, and thus do several times; then dry it, strew it upon the plaster which should be applied to the sore; this will bring a hard scurf upon the sore; this scurf you must loosen from the sore, and get it off with oil or fresh butter; afterwards the cure will be easy: but if the sore will not yet yield to the remedy, than you may think, that there is yet some poison in the sore, which must be brought out by the oil of Coperas; for if it be a very malignant stubborn sore, than the calcined Coperas is not subtle enough to search to the bottom of it. But if you would have this calcined Coperas more piercing, you may do it thus; sprinkle this calcined Coperas with vinegar in which Coperas is dissolved, let it dry, and sprinkle it again, and thus do four or five times; when it is thus prepared, it will search to the bottom of the sore. But the best way of preparing this calcined Coperas, is thus; distil the water off from the Coperas, the grounds remaining is calcined Coperas: put the water distilled to the said grounds, distil 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 subtle and piercing. In curing sores you must consider well the degrees of sores, and that which will not yield to the calcined Coperas, must be cured by the oil or water of Coperas. So that if we can do no good by the calcined Coperas, we must not therefore despair, but we must prepare it further by distillation; and in so doing we may bring this medicine to that height that it can cure all kinds of sores, as Canker, wolf, fistuls, etc.   

CHAP. III. Of the true Spirit and true oil of Coperas, how they are made; and what are their Virtues.  
Alchemy hath discovered many excellent secrets to physicians, whereby great cures have been done, and therefore physicians formerly when they entered upon the study of medicine: they also studied Alchemy, because it is the mother of many worthy physical secrets. These two Arts, viz. Medicine and Alchemy, 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 Alchemy hath been wronged in many things, especially in Coperas, how many deceitful oils and spirits of Coperas have we in stead of that true oil, 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 sickness in men, women, or children: but others since, who were unskilful in Alchemy, thinking to take a better way, have endeavoured to draw out the spirit, and to exalt the virtues of the Coperas otherwise, and so leaving the first secret way of the Ancients, which they lost; they laboured to draw the oil 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 oil 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 centre 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 certify this, that the oil which the common Alchemists 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 mere 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 persuaded that the devil 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 show you how you may get the true oil, 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 sickness etc. and outward diseases, and thereby they performed wonderful cures: then they took this water so corrected, and they poured 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 continual 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 glass vessel, where they exalted them to the highest degree: these two spirits, together thus exalted, the Ancients found them to have greater operation than the foresaid water alone. and with this one medicine they could do more than the Humorist-Doctors can do with all the medicines they have. Artists do add to this medicine sublimed wine, to make it more piercing.  
Now I will show 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 add to it these things following, viz. to one ounce of the spirit of Coperas, I add two ounces of the corrected spirit of Tartar, and two drams of the warer of Treacle camphorated. The patiented 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 than this for the falling sickness. My way of preparing this medicine is the same which was used by the Ancients; I only add● the spirit of wine before I distil it: and I add 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-sickness, but also for all diseases of the like nature, as sounding, ecstasy, etc. 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 virtues in this spirit of Coperas if they were diligent in searching them; and if they would show themselves 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 of Coperas as clearly as I can. The main business is this; that the spirit be well extracted and exalted as much as may be, and that it be made of a most piercing Nature, by the addition of those things which I have named before, that it may reach the root of the disease. Besides the former, there is another way of preparing it, thus; put the Coperas in a circulatory vessel, which you must set in warm dung, or boiling water, until no moisture rise up within the circulating vessel: and so you need not distil of the water, and return it; then put some spirit of wine to it, and circulate them together to the grounds, as the way of the Ancients teacheth you, for when the moisture will not vapour up any more from the Coperas, than the wet & dry spirit of the Coperas are firmly united: and this is the true spirit of Coperas. I conceive I have said enough concerning the spirit of Coperas; now I will teach you how to make the oil of Coperas; it is done thus; put your Coperas in a distilling vessel, which distils by descent; and so let it be distilled, and you shall have an oil white or green, according to the nature of the Coperas, for some Coperas yields a white oil, and some Coperas yields a green oil; the green oil is the best; it is indeed a most precious oil, and it hath the same virtues which the spirit of Coperas hath; for in this oil is the spirit of the Coperas. If this oil be circulated, and mixed with the spirit of Coperas before described; then you may assure yourself, that you have a certain remedy for the like nature. But here you must observe, that there is no disease alone, every disease hath several symptoms joined with it, and ofttimes there are many diseases joined together: so likewise the falling sickness hath many grievous symptoms joined with it, which must have their proper remedies, of which I have spoken largely in my treatise of the falling sickness: but the chief remedy for the disease itself, is this oil and spirit of Coperas.  
This green oil of Coperas may be exalted to the highest degree, thus; let it be separated from its earthliness and dregs, in Balneo Mariae, and afterwards by the fire: by Balneum Mariae is separated from it its superfluous moisture, and by the fire it is separated from its earthliness: so you have the pure Oil separated from all its superfluities and impurities, which you must circulate alone some time; then mix it with some spirit of wine.  
You need not add any other thing to it, when you take it only for the disease itself: but if you would take something also against the symptoms which accompany the disease; than you must add to this oil of Coperas such things as are proper for those symptoms: the patiented who is troubled with the falling-sickness, must take this oil in the water of Peony before his fit comes upon him; we must consider the fits, how they come; if they come often, or if they stay long, or if they be very fierce and violent; then before every such fit you must take some of the oil, and so soon as the spirit of this oil comes to the root of the disease, than the fit is presently abated, and decreaseth by degrees: and the disease itself is daily more and more lessened: at the first taking of this oil, all the violence of the disease is taken away, so that the patient shall not afterwards fall nor froth at the mouth, nor beat himself etc. he shall only have a swimming in the head, and then fall into a short slumber: at last this swimming in the head, and slumbering doth also leave him: nevertheless, the patient must use still the oil, viz. so long as the nature of the disease, and condition of the patiented requireth; this the discretion of the physician will determine; and so I have done with the description of the true oil, and true spirit of Coperas.   

CHAP. IU. Of the red Oil of Coperas, commonly called, The Spirit of Vitrial, and its Virtues.  
I Will speak a little concerning the Common Red Oil of Coperas, which is Distilled (according to the common way of Alchemists) from the calcined Coperas by a Retort. Some think this Oil better than the other true Oil and the true Spirit of Coperas; but they are deceived. This Red Oil is of a sour, sharp, corrosive nature; and therefore it must be used very warily: it must not be taken alone, but with other things in a Composition; and if it be so taken as it should be, it is good for all Fevers or queasiness of the stomach: it is good for the stomach, because of its sharpness and sourness: if the stomach be free from Aposthumes, or Choler. But if there be any Aposthumes, or Choler in the stomach, than this Oil, if it be taken inwardly, it will be very hurtful to the stomach; for by its sharpness and sourness, it will enrage the Aposthume: and if it meet with Choler, they will contend and boil together mightily. Many do speak much of the Virtues of this Oil; but I could never find these Virtues in it by experience which they boast of. I have met with many, who have boasted, that they could do wonderful things by this Oil: but I know, That they lied shamefully. The greatest use of this Oil is for the Stone, or Sand in the Kidneys, or Bladder: it can do much good in this, it will moulder the Stone very much, and expel the Sand: yet I never knew any perfectly Cured by it, as it is commonly used; for what it doth, it is by its corrosive, or eating Faculty; which certainly it cannot do much, and it must be with great difficulty. Therefore there must be some other way found out (than hath been hitherto used) to make it effectual. In my practice concerning the Cure of the Stone and Sand, I have there set down a good Composition made up of this Red Oil of Coperas with other things; which is very good and effectual both for the Stone, and for other Diseases. This Oil is not to be used but in this, or some such Composition. Use such compositions which by experience you find to be best; it is a new medicine, and therefore to find out its severrl virtues, we ought to use it in several compositions: so much for its Virtues in Physic. Now concerning its virtues in Chirurgery, it is a a present help for many difficult outward diseases, but it maketh great pain; it cureth the hereditary scab of the head called Achores: if you dip a feather in it, and anoint the scab with it, it will bring off all the scab in one whole piece: but if the first anointing doth it not, than you must anoint again, so often till the scab come off▪ or you may put some of the oil in the water of Celendine, and mix them well together, and therewith wash the scab. This oil cureth all scabs, itches, wolf, Canker, etc. Yea, all outward sores whatsoever, if the sore be therewith anointed; but it causeth great pain: and this you must carefully consider, if the sore be very malignant and venomous, so that the poison of it lieth deep, and hath infected the sound flesh; therefore that you may preserve the sound flesh, that it be not corrupted, you shall use with this oil, our Oppodeltoch plaster, described in my great Chirurgie. This medicine is so powerful and operative, that it can help many such sores, for which other remedies are too weak: it will not be unfitting if you mix this oil with some good ointment, so it will be much milder, but duller in operation; it will not cause so great pain, but it cannot be used without some pain. This red oil of Coperas will be much better, and more powerful, if by distilling it you bring it to be a spirit, and so it will cure the  diseases in lesser quantity, and better. What I have here told you concerning this red oil of Coperas, I have had the experience of it.   

CHAP. V The Chemical virtues of Coperas, how it changeth Iron into good Copper, etc.  
I Have spoken largely, and enough of the medicinal virtues of Coperas, and how it should be prepared. I will now show you what may be done with Coperas in Chemistry. Coperas can change Iron into good Copper, whereby we may see much of the power of Nature; for it is not the Chemist who doth this, but it is Nature with the diligent labour of the Chemist; and it is to be admired, that a metal should leave its own nature, and become another metal; by this we see what privileges God hath bestowed upon Nature for man's use; whence we may conclude, that there may be greater changes wrought in metals, which are unknown to us. It cannot be denied, but that there are many secrets unknown to us, which God will not reveal, because we are unworthy of them. Now to change Iron into Copper is not so much as to turn iron into gold; God hath made known to us the lesser, but the other greater shall not be revealed till the time comes of the full knowledge of all secrets of Arts and Sciences, viz. when Helias shall come. But to come to our purpose in hand, to show you how you may turn Iron into Copper by Coperas, it is thus; Take a thin plate of pure Iron which hath no other metal mixed with it, one pound; of quicksilver half a pound, of Coperas a quarter of a pound, of salt Armoniac one ounce and a half, put them all together in an iron pot, and put to them a good quantity of vinegar▪ set your pot upon the fire, and let it boil, and be always stirring the things which are in the pot with a stick; when the vinegar is consumed, you must put to them more vinegar, and more Coperas; you must keep the pot upon the fire boiling ten or twelve hours, and then you shall find all your iron gone into the quicksilver; then take a bag made of thin leather, or cotton— & put the quicksilver with the iron into the bag, and press the quicksilver through the bag; the iron which remains in the bag, put in a melting pot, and melt it, and you shall have good Copper. Take of this Copper, and of silver, of each alike much, and melt them together, and the silver will have sixteen degrees of whiteness; this is the trial whereby we know such Copper to be made of iron; this whiteness is not firm and fixed; but he who hath skill to work in Regals, he shall have by it a sufficient recompense for his pains. The main business is in the skilful handling of it, in which many do fail: but to turn the iron into Copper you cannot fail, if you observe the way which I have told you, which I have described here for this end, to confirm that truth, That one metal may be changed into another metal.  
There is a very great nearness of nature betwixt Coperas, and Copper. If you put Coperas in a pot, and set it in a hot fire till it becomes to be a Red powder; then take this Red powder, and melt it upon iron, and you will find upon the iron Copper melted out of the Coperas: so likewise if Copper be dissolved in Aqua fortis, and granulated, it will be turned into Coperas, and that which is called Viride aeris, if it be well prepared and exalted, it will come to be Saphir-coloured Coperas; howbeit it may seem ridiculous for me to discourse of such things; yet it cannot be denied, but that there lurks a tincture in Coperas, which can do more, than many will believe: he is a happy man who knows it. I will tell you one Chemical secret of the oil of Coperas; Take the oil of Coperas, and the oil of quicksilver, mix them together, and coagulate them, and you shall have a Saphir of a strange nature; not a Saphir stone, but it is like a Saphir, having a wonderful tincture in it, of which I will say no more here: whence it is evident, that God hath hid wonderful secrets in Nature, which we should search out by diligent study, rather than to spend our time in whoring, and drinking etc. but in these times whoring, and other ways of intemperancy will be predominant till one third part of men be killed by the Sword, and another third part destroyed by the pestilence; the world cannot continue long in this wickedness: arts & sciences cannot flourish now. We cannot expect any good to be done, till wickedness be rooted out; of necessity wicked men of every condition and degree shall perish: then shall come the golden age, when men shall be rational, and use their understanding, and live like men, not like beasts etc.  
These things I have freely communicated from my good affection to you, entreating all, who know the misery of those persons who are afflicted with that sad and grievous disease the falling-sickness; that they seriously consider what God their Creator, their own conscience and charity towards their neighbour requires of them in this business, that they do not contemn or neglect these virtues which God hath created in Coperas; but let Charity move you to it, to be diligent night and day, about this and such things whereby you may do good to your neighbour.    

A Treatise of Wounds: Containing the Cures of Wounds by Cuts, Fractures, Burn, and Scaldings; the Bitings of Venomous Beasts, etc.  

CHAP. I. Potions, which being Drunk, Cure any Wound.  

The first Potion.  
TAke of Sanicle, Periwinkle, Centory, Betony, of each on handful: of Larks-spur, half a handful: of Agrimony, two handfuls: Put them in a gallon of Water, and boil it to three quarts.   

Another Potion.  
Take of Adder's Tongue, three handfuls: of Lady's Mantle, two handfuls: of Periwinkle the lesser, one handful: of Honeysuckle, one handful and an half: of Rheubarbe, one ounce: of Rhapontick, three ounces: Put them in two gallons of water; boil it to six quarts. Or, put them in new Ale or new Beer four or five days; then let the Patiented 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 Showbread, two ounces: of the greater and lesser Sea-marsh Bugloss, of each three handfuls: Put them in a sufficient quantity of Water, or etc. and boil them.   

There is another Way of Preparing Wound-Drinks, viz. thus,  
Let your Herbs lie in distilled Water some time; then set them to a slow fire in a vessel well stopped, 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 Periwinkle, half an handful: set them over a very slow fire, in a Pot well stopped, 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 Honeysuckle, and the Root of white Sanicle, of each half a handful: of Adder's 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 lie in the Water some time: or set them over a slow fire in a Pot well stopped, four or five hours.  
Observe, That Juniper Berries have a singular Secret Virtue 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 Periwinkle, four handfuls▪ of white Sanicle half a handful: of Myrrh, Mastic, Frankincense, Mummy, of each half an ounce: of Rheubarb, six drams: boil them in Wine or Distilled Water, or common Water, with some of the juice 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 Maidenhair, Lilies, etc. 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 putrefieth, 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. Ointments for Wounds.  

TAke of fresh May butter one pound, of Ribwort, and the greater and lesser sea-marsh bugloss, and Beers with their roots of each, one handful, of Adder's tongue three handful, Beat the Herbs with the Roots, and mix them with the Butter, put them in a glass 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 Adder's 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 glass, and set the glass in the Sun some time, or put it in warm dung a month, then strain them through a linen cloth, and what you press out of them, keep it for your use. That your Ointment may keep the better, wash it with salt water, or put a little salt to it.  
You may also make an Ointment with one Herb; as with Butter and Birth-wort, or great Comfrey; or with Honey and Adder's tongue, or the flowers of Saint Johns-wort, and such like. Many such Ointments may be made; but the two former Ointments are sufficient to cure any Wound: This way of making Ointments is commonly used, and was used by the Ancient Physicians. But now I will give you a more excellent way of making Ointments, first found out and used by myself.  
Take Comfrey, Birth-wort, Adder's tongue, ma●sh bugloss, 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 mouths of your pots, that no vapour can come out; and set them over a slow fire ten hours, then take them out, strain and press all the liquor well out of the Herbs; to this liquor put some honey or fresh butter, and boil it again to a consistence; and than you have an Ointment which you may trust to in the most difficult Cures.  
There is yet another way to make Ointments 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 Ointment 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 well together in a warm mortar.    

CHAP. III. Oils and Balsams for Wounds.  

TAke of Salad oil or Turpentine one pound, of Camomile, red Roses, and  of each one handful, of the flowers of St. John's wort two handful; of the flowers of Centory, and the flowers of Celendine of each half an handful; Mix them well with the Oil of Turpentine, put them in a glass, and set them in the Sun two months: By this Oil or Balsam great and strange Cures may be done without any pain. You may the year after put into this Oil again fresh flowers of the same kind which were in it before, and let them stand in the Sun as it did before, two months, then strain the Oil from the Flowers: Then you have an Oil for Wounds which cannot be praised enough.   

Another.  
Take of Adder's tongue, the lesser marsh bugloss, Agrimony and Sanicle of each one handful, of the flowers of St. Johns-wort two handful, of the root of Comfrey half a handful, of Earthworms an hundred, of Oil or Turpentine one pound, set them in the Sun two months: You may likewise put some Mummy, Mastic, Frankincense and Myrrh, but sparingly. Amongst all these Flowers, the Flowers of St. Johns-wort hath most virtue for a Wound.  
Obs. If you take the seeds of the same Herbs whose flowers you did put into the Oil, and bruise them, and put them into the same Oil all the Winter, being set in some warm place; then strain your Oil from those seeds, and then your Oil will be far more efficacious for Wounds than it was before.   

A Balsam for Wounds.  
Take of Salad Oil half a pound, of Turpentine a quarter of a pound, of the flowers of Saint Johns-wort so much as you can conveniently put into the Oil and Turpentine; of the flowers of Mullein so much as the third part of the flowers of St. Johns-wort, put to them thirty ounces of Wine, and boil them until the Wine be boiled away. Then let them stand in the Sun some time, and assure yourself that you shall never use this Balsam without wonderful success.  
Physicians who have not been content with these Oils and Balsams, have found out other ways which have been good and successful; viz. mixing the Herbs and Flowers before named, with Marrow, or Fat. Of Marrows, the marrow of Man is best, next to this is Heart's marrow, and next to it is Calves marraw: And so also Man's Fat is best, next to it is the Fat of a Capon or Pullet: Then having mixed the Herbs with the Marrow or Fat, they put them in a glass and set them in the Sun until the Marrow or Fat is turned to be like an Oil.    

CHAP. IV. Medicines to keep Wounds clean.  
WHen you are to lay on a new Plaster, or to anoint the Wound, then wash it with Wine; but if the Wound be very foul, wash it with salt water, or water in which salt is dissolved; or boil some of the Wound-herbs (before mentioned) in wine, and with this wine wash the wound, and put a little salt in the wine; and in stead of a Plaster, some applied a Honeycomb beaten.  
Others use to wash Wounds with Allome-water, in which there is some Coperas dissolved. Others do take the juice of Plantain and Celendine, and they put a little salt in them, and so apply them to the Wound; which both keepeth the Wound clean, and cureth it. The common people of the Arabians use nothing else for Wounds, but Honey with some salt in it. Such Medicines, howbeit they cure slowly, yet they are safe, and therefore better liked of by the common people, than the cozening Receipts of Mountebank Physicians.  
There are some other Medicines which by a more secret way do keep Wounds clean, and cure them: as Arsmart, wh●ch being dipped in running water and laid once upon the wound, and then buried in the ground, cureth the wound. These Medicines may seem contemptible, but they have not contemptible operations: and you may do more with them sometimes, than you can do with the long Receipts of these titulary Doctors. But you must remember, that the remedies mentioned in this Chapter are only for such Wounds which are not very dangerous, or have not very bad symptoms accompanying them; unless the patiented be of a strong constitution of body.   

CHAP. V Plasters for Wounds.  

TAke of Wax one pound, of Pitch a quarter of a pound, melt them together, and put into them the powder of the stone Carneolus, the powder of the white and red Coral, the powder of the Loadstone, and the powder of Dittander of each half an ounce; of Amber, Mastic, Frankincense, of each six drams; of Myrrh, Mummy, of each half an ounce; of Turpentine an ounce, mix them well together, and when they are cooled, make them into a plaster with the juice of a Lobster, then keep it for your use.  
This Plaster is good not only for Wounds, but also for all malignant Ulcers.   

Another.  
Take of Virgin Wax and Pitch, of each one pound, of Turpentine a quarter of a pound, set them over the fire and melt them; then put to them the powder of Mastic three ounces, the powder of Amber half an ounce, mix them together, and keep them so over a slow fire a quarter of an hour: then put into them the powder of Myrrh and Frankincense of each half an ounce, of Mummy two ounces, of Aloepaticum an ounce and a half, of Camphire half an ounce; mix them well together, stirring them; and when they are cooled, make them into a plaster with the juice of a Lobster. This Plaster is good for such Wounds which are made by a thrust.   

Another Plaster, good to bring out of the flesh, pieces of iron; as of broken arm, or ends of arrows or darts, etc.  
Take of Wax one pound, of Colophony and Shoemaker's wax of each a quarter of a pound, set them over the fire and melt them together; then put to them, while they are melting of Gum armoniac two ounces, Gum bdelium one ounce, of the Loadstone made into powder five ounces, of Amber made into powder three ounces; mix them together, and when they are cooled, make them into a Plaster with the oil of Egs. This Plaster you may use in the hardest Cures, and with this you may perfect the cure of wounds which have been badly cured.   

Another Plaster.  
Take of Wax, Lithagire, and Salad oil of each one pound, of Gum armoniac and Gum bdelium of each half an ounce, of Gum galbanum and Opponax of each six drams; but you must first dissolve these Gums in Vinegar, then strain the vinegar through a linen cloth, and boil it until it be boiled away, and the Gums are almost dry; then put to them the Wax, the Lithargire and Salad oil, with Dittander, red and white Coral, the Loadstone, being all made into powder, of each one ounce and a half; of Frankincense and Mastic of each one once: of Turpentine three ounces, of the oil of Dill half an ounce; mix them together, and make them into a Plaster.   

Another Plaster.  
Take of Oppoponax a quarter of a pound, dissolve it in vinegar, strain the vinegar, and boil it away; of Mummy three ounces, of Birth-wort two ounces, of Mastic, Frankincense Myrrh of each half an ounce, of Turpentine a quarter of a pound, the oil of Bays one ounce, of Camphire two drams: make them into a Plaster with the oil of Camomile.   

Another.  
Take of Gum Ammoniack dissolved in vinegar, etc. as hath been said before of Oppoponax. Take of this purged Ammoniack five ounces, of the Gum of Dragon tree two ounces, of Colophony three ounces, of pitch an ounce, of Frankincense and Mastic of each six drams, of Myrrh one ounce, of Turpentine four ounces; mix them, and make them into a Plaster with the oil of Bays.  
But I have by long experience found this following Plaster to be best of all.  
Take of Virgin wax one pound and a half, and of some of the Wound oils (before described in the third Chapter) one pound and a half; of golden Lithargire one pound, of washed lead a half pound, of turpentine a quarter of a pound, of varnish, in which some wound herbs, or their flowers, hath lain a month or two, being set in the Sun all that time: of this varnish take half a pound, with some of the powders and gums set down in the plasters described before: M●x them all well together, and make them into a plaster, with some of the wound-Oyls or wound-Balsoms described in the third Chapter.  
Take one thing more of my practice, which is this, viz. When I make a plaster, first, I boil a good quantity of Lythargire, in so much varnish as I conceive sufficient, the space of ten hours; and when it is cooled, I make it into powder: and of this Lythargire I put into my plasters, as much as is agreeable to the quantity of the rest of the ingredients.  
These plasters I call stictick plasters, of which there is great use in the cure of Ulcers; as you may see in my Treatise concerning Ulcers. And the Physician who useth these Plasters, shall never fail to do good by them; for what can be done in Wounds or Ulcers by any plasters, may be done by these, which I have described in this Chapter.    

CHAP. VI Powders by which Wounds and Ulcers are speedily closed up.  

THese powders do close up wounds and ulcers, either by their drying faculty, as the powder of Bolus-armenus, or by their gluing faculty, or by their constringent faculty, as the powder of sloes.  
The Powder of Bolus Armenus is made thus. Take of the true Bolus Armenus a quarter of a pound, dissolve it in alum water, and distil the water off from it again; then pour some more new alum water upon the Bolus, and distil off that water again; do thus so often, until the Bolus be turned into an oil: Take this oil and set it in some place where the heat of the Sun may come much upon it and dry it, then make it into powder, with an ounce of Frankincense; of the stone Carnealus a half ounce, of Mummy two drams; all these must be made into a powder and mixed together; strew this powder into the wound or ulcer twice a day, then apply some stictick Plaster described in the aforegoing Chapter.  
This powder is good, not only to close up a wound and cure it, but also it preserves the wounds from these evils, those bad Symptoms which accompany a wound.  
This oil of Bolus Armenus, and the oil of Lead, and the oil of the Crocus of Steel, and the oil of as ustum, they are so powerful (as I cannot sufficiently express it) not only to close up wounds, but also to keep away the bad companions of wounds, as inflammations, humours etc.  
The powder of Sloes is made thus: Take of the juice of unripe Sloes, the juice of unripe gales, of each alike, boil them to the thickness of an Electuary; then put to them the root of great Comfrey made into powder, so much as the eighth part of the two juices, boil them together in alum water, then dry them in the Sun and make them into powder: But this powder you must not use without a stictick plaster, because of those bad Symptoms which may get into the wound.   

Powders which by their gluing faculculty close up wounds, are these following.  
Take of Frankincense, Myrrh, and Mastic, of each a half ounce: of red Corals two drams, of Aloepatick two ounces: Make them into powder.   

Another.  
Take the juice of Sloes not ripe, the juice of unripe Galls, the juice of Sanicle, the juice of the herb Clymer, the juice of Adders-tongue, of each five ounces; dry them in the fire, and while they are drying, put to them two ounces of gum Ammoniak purged, viz. dissolved in vinegar, etc. and when they are all dry enough, make them into a powder.  
When these powders are used, the patient's diet must be drying, his meats must be of a drying nature, and he must take but little drink: If there are any bad Symptoms joined with the wound, as inflammations, etc. then you must first take away all those bad Symptoms from the wound, before you use this powder.    

CHAP. VII. Remedies for the bleeding, pain, inflammation, etc. of wounds.  

TO stench the bleeding of a wound, these simples are good, viz. The crocus of Steel reverberated, as ustum prepared as the crocus of Steel, the hairs which grow under the tail of a Hare, the moss which groweth in dead men's sculls, the stone Carneolus hung about the neck, or held in the hand, the ashes of a frog burned, the stone Haematites. The remedies which are for the looseness of the belly, are a nutshell tied to the wound, in which there is a piece of wood or wool: And if you cannot stench the bleeding with some of these remedies, especially the two first, viz. the crocus of steel, or aes ustum; you can hardly do it with any other, unless by some good stictick plaster, which is indeed the best of all.   

For the inflammation and pain of the wound.  
Take the root of Henbane, put it in rose-vinegar, and set it in the Sun for some time; then dip a linen cloth in this vinegar, and lay it warm to the wound: Let it lie at the wound until it be dried, then dip it again in the vinegar and lay it to the wound; do thus so often until the pain and inflammation of the wound be gone. The virtues of the Henbane are well known to me by experience, and I know it to be excellent for this.   

For the Cramp in any member, caused by a wound.  
We must use these remedies which refresh and strengthen the nerves, the chiefest of which, is the first oil of Turpentine, viz. That oil which cometh first in distilling: if with this oil you anoint the place where the cramp is, and the parts next to it; Salad oil is also good to anoint the place with it.   

For congealed and hardened blood within the body, or in the joints, which comes of bruises or broken veins, etc.  
If there be blood congealed within the body, let the patient have boiled in his drink and broths, some Rhapontick, or Rhenbarb, or the roots of Swallow-wort, or the leaves of Seny. etc. whereby the blood may be purged, and the congealed blood within must be dissolved with this powder.  
Take of choice Rhenbarb two drams, of mummy a half dram, of red Lacca & Parmacity, of each one dram, of Bole-armene and Terra-sygillata, of each a half dram, of the root of Swallow-wort three drams; make them into powder, and take a dram of this powder at a time in the water of the flowers of Teil-tree: this will dissolve congealed blood, whether it be inwardly or outwardly.  
But for congealed blood in the joints, you may also use this oil: Take the flowers of Mullen one handful, of the flowers of S. Johns-wort three handful, of the roots of Swallow-wort half a handful, of good new Salad oil two pound, of Turpentine one pound, of good Claret wine two quarts and a pint, boil them all together in the Wine seven hours, in a pot close stopped, over a slow fire; and when they are cooled, put them in a glass well stopped, and set them in the Sun for some time; then take them out, and strain them through a cloth, and press the liquor well out, which keep for your use: It is an incomparable liquor for dissolving congealed blood in the joints; you must anoint the place where this congealed blood is, with this Liquor morning and evening.  
Observe. If this congealed blood within the body, be not timously dissolved and brought out, it will cause inflammations, putrefactions, etc. and at last dangerous Ulcers will follow.    

CHAP. VIII. The cure of Fractures or broken bones.  
IF the bone is broken, without any wound in the flesh, than we have no more to do but to set the bone right, and to apply such Medicines, which will join the bone together again; but if besides the fracture of the bone, there is also a wound in the flesh, than we must join wound oils, and wound-plaisters before described, with fracture Medicines.  
We must be careful to bind up the Fracture twice every day, whether it hath a wound joined with it or not, and that the bone be not moved out of its right place; for if this be neglected, there will follow many evils upon it, viz. Inflammation and Putrefaction in the place, a Gangrene, etc. and ofttimes death, if the fracture be dangerous, either in respect of the place where it is, or, etc. And therefore me must not delay the binding up of the fracture to the second ●● third day, as Chirurgeons commonly do: If we would prevent these distempers, which will cause Fistula's, deep and stinking Ulcers; howbeit some may be so neglected, and yet be cured; yet certainly my way is safer and better, and by it we prevent many evils, which otherwise may follow.  
I likewise advise you not to u●e splents, which are commonly used by the Chirurgeons in binding up fractures, for these Reasons. First, because we cannot use splents, without moving the bone out of its right place. Secondly, because splents require strong binding, which of necessity must cause inflammation in the place. Thirdly, because ofttimes it falls out, that a swelling, caused by inflammation over night, may be lessened before morning; so the binding slacks, and the Bone turns out of its right place.  
Now to come to the cure: If you carefully observe to do as hath been said, it will be no hard matter to cure a fracture, especially in those who are young: the root of great Comfrey alone, bruised and boiled in W●ne, and applied to the fracture, will cure it; or Birth-wort, or Snake-weed, etc. The herb Flixweed, if it be bruised and laid to the fracture, or if it be boiled in W●●e and laid to the fracture, it will cure it: You may also cure fractures with the wound-oyles, Ointments and Plasters described before. Nature itself doth much, having a little help.  
There are two things which must be carefully done in the cure of fractures. First, If there be any congealed blood within, it must be dissolved and brought out. Secondly, If there be a wound with the fracture; then after we have set the bone right, we must begin with the cure of the wound, and afterwards cure the fracture.  
The swelling, inflammation, and pain which accompany Fractures (if not timously helped, may cause putrefaction and Ulcers) they may be taken away by the oil of St. John's wort, or the oil of the flowers of Mullein, or some of the wound-oyles described in the third Chapter. But if by the mis-skilfulness or negligence of the Chirurgeon, there is a Fistula, or some other dangerous Ulcer bred in the place of the Fracture, than there is no other way but to cut off the part infected.   

CHAP. IX. The cure of those who are bitten by a mad Dog, Viper, or any other Venomous Creature.  

THose who are bitten by a mad Dog, must abstain from all heating things as Wine, Spices, etc. they must drink much cold water, so as to cast it up again; all their drink must be cooling, as Cydar, etc. and sharp things: Let them feed much upon Coleworts, and cooling things, and eat so much at a time, as to cast it up again.  
Let them drink cold Whey, in which there is Seny and Roses boiled, and put into it some Benedicta Laxativa: If they begin to be Feverish and mad, give them in their drink some Rose-vinegar, with some of the conserve of Roses dissolved in it, and some of the juice of Barberries, and a great deal of Salad-oil.  
They must be well purged upward and downward, by these Medicines which purge choler; as Rheubarb, Coloquintida, Agarick, the juice of the Bark of Elder, and Spurge, etc. and there must be laid to the place bitten, some Medicine to take away the pain, as the oil of Mandrake, or Sperniolum, which is thus; Take Frogspawn, Parmacity, Chervil, Juniper-berries, of each alike; put them in a glass, and let them stand in the Sun for some time, and if this Sperniolum be applied to the place bitten, it will take away the pain and raging of it; and when the pain is gone, then apply a stictick plaster, until the cure be done: but if the Patient be so much infected, that none of these Medicines will do him good, than you must give him Brimstone prepared by Coperas: The way of it I have set down in my Treatise of Brimstone.  
For those who are bitten or stung by a Serpent, Newt, Viper, Toad, etc. you must give them inwardly these Medicines, which will defend and strengthen the heart, stomach, and other principal pa●ts; and you must apply outwardly to the place bitten or stung, these Medicines, which will bring out the Poison. Inflammation and Pain.   

The Medicine to be taken inwardly.  
Take of Mithridate two ounces, of the best Treacle one ounce, of red Corals made into powder, one ounce and a half; give so much of it at a time, as necessity requireth: If this do no good, you must give them Diaphoretic gold, or the quintessence of pearls; these are infallible remedies.   

The Medicine to be applied outwardly to the place bitten.  
Take a stictick plaster, made of Lethargire and Mummy, of each a quarter of a pound, of the gums Ammoniacum, Bdellium, Galbanum, Oppopanax, of each two ounces, make them into a plaster.   

A defensive Medicine.  
Take of the flowers of Mulleny, the flowers of St. Johns-wort, Rue and Roses, put them in Vinegar, and set them in the Sun for some time; dip a linen cloth in this vinegar, and lay it over all that member which is bitten; this do so often, until the inflammation and distempers of the place be quite gone: If you perceive by any signs, that the poison comes to the heart, then take a pound of Salad oil, in which you shall quench steel made red in the fire several times; and put into this Oil two ounces of red Coral made into powder, and of the Electuarium de gemmis, a half ounce: Mix them well with the Oil; let the Patient take some of this five times a day, the first warm, and the next cold.  
The Patient's drink must be Claret wine, in which steel hath been ofttimes quenched, and some Treacle dissolved in it; and whensoever the Patient takes a draught of this wine, there must be a half dram of red Coral made into powder put into it: But if the Patient be troubled with an extraordinary thirst, while he takes the oil, than he must drink milk with the powder of red Coral in it; or let him drink of the decoction of Philonium— which marvellously strengtheneth the head, and other principal parts; when there is an extraordinary thirst, it is a sign that the poison goeth to the heart: And if this thirst cannot be allayed by these things taken inwardly, than you must boil Saunders in Rose-vinegar, and when it is cooled, dissolve some Camphire in it: dip a Linen cloth in this Vinegar, and lay it upon the Stomach and the lower part of the breast. The Patient must observe a sparing diet.   

A cure for the poison of a Spider.  
Lay the true Terra Sigillata, made into clay with spittle, upon the place poisoned, and it will cure it. Yea, this Terra Sigillata will cure the biting or stinging of any venomous Creature, if it be applied timously.    

CHAP. X. The cure of Burn and Scaldings.  
THere is great difference in Burn and Scaldings, and as the matter is divers wherewith we are burned or scalded, accordingly we must use different cures.  

And first for Burn by the flame of Wood; and for scaldings by Milk, Oil, Butter, or melted Rosin, etc.  
Take of fresh butter a good quantity, melt it, and pour it into cold water, and stir it well about in the water; then melt it again, and pour it into the water, etc. do this so often until the butter is as white as snow; with this Butter anoint the place burned or scalded, and keep the place always moist with the Butter, until the heat be gone; then apply a stictick plaster unto the place until it be cured: And if there be blisters risen in the place scalded, then so soon as it is anointed, we must apply the stictick plaster to it; likewise the stictick plaster must be much used when a scalding is by Oil, or any fat thing.   

The cure of Burn by Metals, Minerals, Salts, and of Scaldings by Mineral waters, etc.  
Metals and Minerals, they do poison the part which they burn, and therefore we must not only have a cure for the burning, but also for the poison. Burn by Alum, Coperas, Salt, Brass, etc. if not well cured, will cause a dangerous Ulcer, sometimes they bring a kind of Leprosy: For these burn take Hogs grease, melt it, and pour it into the water of Nightshade, and stir it well about until it be cooled; melt it again, and pour it into the same water, etc. This do so often until it become an Ointment, with which anoint the place burned.   

To cure a Burning by hot Quicksilver.  
Lay upon the place burned a double linen clothe dipped in scalding milk, and this do twenty times, or oftener; then you must bring out the heat, by anointing the place with Butter, prepared as you have heard before, and then apply the stictick plaster of Colophony.  
This kind of Burning befalls them ofttimes who work in metals with fire; as those who separate Metals, or makes Cinnabaris, or prepare Mercury by descent, or work in Amalgamaes, etc.  
Scaldings by such waters which come from Mineral mines, and Salt mines (as Coperas water, or Alum water, etc.) are very dangerous: For if the heat be not well brought out of the place scalded, it will cause most difficult and dangerous sores in the place.  
For these Scaldings, take this remedy which you must trust too, viz. Take of the oil of Nuts a half pound, of Heart's grease one pound, of Butter prepared (as I have showed you before) one pound and a half; mix them, and therewith anoint the place scalded evening and morning, until the inflammation and pain be gone: You may also apply some Wound-oyntment, or Wound-balsom to perfect the cure.  
The same remedies are also good for the scaldings of Dyers.   

The cure of Burn by Gunpowder, Brimstone, Salt-Peter, etc. and of Scaldings by scalding Aquafortis, which are the most dangerous of any, except the burning by Lightning.  
Take of the prepared Butter one pound, of the oil of Nuts and Hearts grease, of each a half pound, of the marrow of a Bull a quarter of a pound; melt them together, and pour them into the water of Water-lilies, stir them well in the water; melt them again, and pour them into the same water: do thus three or four times, then anoint the burned place with this Ointment; and when you have brought out the pain and heat, apply a stictick plaster.  
But for scaldings by Aquafortis, you must apply a stictick plaster to the place scalded, as soon as you have anointed it.   

The cure of burning by Lightning.  
I will give you these remedies, which I have used myself with success five times, oftener I have not met with such a case: I used two Medicines, the one to stop the burning, which would (if not stopped) burn the whole body to a cinder; the other, to take away that which is already burned like a cinder, from that which is sound.   

The Medicine to stop the Burning.  
Take of Frogs Spawn, the juice of Water-lilies, the juice of a Cancers toes, of each alike; of Myrrh and Coperas, a little made into powder; mix them, and lay them to the place where the burning is, till the burning be quenched; then anoint the place with the Ointment described before for burning by Gunpowder, and apply a stictick plaster until the cure be done.   

The other Medicine to take away that which is already burned from that which is sound, is this.  
Take of Colophony one pound, of Pitch, half a pound, of Wax, and Turpentine, and Salad oil, of each a quarter of a pound; melt them together, and make a plaster; apply it to the place burned, and it will separate that which is burned, from that which is sound; then the burned part being removed, apply a stictick plaster to perfect the cure.   

The cure of burning by a Bullet shot into the body.  
You must with a Syringe squirt into the wound Rose vinegar, mixed with the juice of Nightshade, or the juice of Water-lilies, or the juice of Housleek, or Frogspawn; but the best of all is the juice of a Cancers toes mixed with the vinegar; squirt this into the wound until the heat is allayed; afterwards cure the wound with Wound-oyls, or Wound-balsomes, described before in the third Chapter.  
Observe. If this burning go to the head, or any principal member, it is deadly.   

The cure of a member deadned by extraordinary cold.  
Any part which is thus deadened, it cannot be recovered again, but it becomes Leprous, and it rotteth; and therefore we must not seek to cure it, but to take it away from the sound part, that the sound part be not infected by it, which may be done by this Medicine.  
Take of long Pepper, and Ginny grains, and Cardamome, of each an ounce, of Ephorbium two ounces, of Mastic an ounce and a half, beat them into powder, and boil them in two quarts and a pint of child's urine, or the urine of a red-haird man, until one pint be boiled away: Then strain the Liquor through a cloth, and dip a linen cloth in it, which you must lay upon the part deadned; do this thrice a day, until you have separated the deadened part from the sound part; and when you have taken away the dead part, do the rest of the cure with Wound-oyntments: There is a great heating-faculty in this Liquor, for if any part of the body be wet with a little of it, it's a wonder if that part be cold again that day.  
For those who are almost dead with extraordinary cold, give them to drink some strong water, in which there is some Saffron, Treacle, and Camphire, dissolved in it; or boil some Zinger and sweet Reed in Wine, and give it them to drink.     

A Treatise of Ulcers: SECTION I. Describing the kinds of Ulcers, and their several Cures.  

CHAP. I.  
IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer or Ulcers, which began thus, viz. He was first troubled with a chillness, and after the chillness came a great heat, and so at several times; and in the part Ulcerated, appeared first a great redness, sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another place; at last, this redness settled with an Inflammation and hardness in this place where now the Ulcer is: This you shall call a tempestuous Ulcer.   

Cure.  
In the curing of this Ulcer, observe this method: When first the coldness or chillness comes, which is not unlike a Pestilential chillness; do not meddle with it until the heat come, and you see in what place the Inflammation and swelling settles: then if you would prevent it that it break not out into an Ulcer, or running Sore, apply to it this following Receipt.  
Take of red Myrrh half an ounce, and of the whitest Incense half an ounce; make them into a fine powder, and put the Myrrh into one bag, and the Incense into another bag, and boil them in a pint of the best white Wine, and half a pint of good vinegar; then dip pieces of linen cloth into this Liquor, and lay them upon the part inflamed, till the inflammation be quite gone.  
But if the swelling is turned into an Ulcer, than you must first take out all the heat with the former remedy; afterwards, if the Ulcer is soul, cleanse it with this following Receipt.  
Take of Alum burned, and quenched in Vinegar, one ounce and a half, of Aloehepatick one ounce, make them into a powder, and mix them with five ounces of honey: Make a Plaster; this plaster must be applied to the Ulcer morning and evening, till it be well cleansed: but if it be an old Ulcer, put into the plaster some burned Coperas; when the Ulcer is sufficiently cleansed, and fit to be closed up, then apply to it this stictick plaster.  
Take of golden Lithargirie one pound, boil it with a good quantity of varnish a long time; to which add Virgin wax and Salad oil, of each one pound, and so make a Cerote: then take the Gum Oppoponax, a quarter of a pound, which you shall dissolve in Vinegar; when it is dissolved, strain the Vinegar, and boil it till it begin to be thick: To this add the former Cerote, and when they be well mixed together, add to them a quarter of a pound of Turpentine, and of Laurel oil one ounce; with these powders, viz. The powder of Mastic, of Incense, and of Myrrh, of each alike, half an ounce: of Camphire two drams; and when you have mixed them well altogether, make them up into a plaster with the oil of Camomile. Take of this stictick Plaster one pound, and mix into it half an ounce of  Coperas, and of Crocus of Steel an ounce and a half; and when you have thus made up your plaster, apply some of it morning and evening to the Ulcer, until it be fully cured: And for your preservation, that the Ulcer return not again, after it is cured, you must every year let blood in the great Veins of the legs or ankles; yea, and in the time of the cure you should let blood in those Veins which come to the Ulcerated place, if they appear putrid or Leprous.   

CHAP. II.  
IF the patiented complain of a Sore which continually issueth forth water at a small hole, being very hollow within, which you may find, by searching it with a quill; and if this sore did break out without any redness or inflammation, or any great swelling, then judge this sore to be a Fistula, which of itself will never be well, nor dry up, it requireth excellent Medicines to cure it.  

Cure.  
In the curing of this Ulcer, we must use inward Remedies and outward Remedies, viz. Waters, Plasters, etc. There needs not be any diet observed.   

A potion for the Fistula.  
Take of Showbread two handfuls, of white Sanicle one handful, of middle Confound half a handful; boil them in white Wine, in a vessel close stopped; then strain it, and put to it an ounce and a half of the distilled oil of Cloves, and mix them well together: Let the Patiented drink of this thrice a day, and by this drink alone new Fistula's may be perfectly cured; but if it be an old Fistula, you must use this following Receipt.  
Take of Oleum Laterinum, or oil of Bricks, three ounces, of Turpentine half a pound, of the oil of Cloves one ounce and a half, of Incense, of Mastic, of Myrrh, of each an ounce and a half, of Mummy three ounces; distil an Oil from them with a strong fire, the which Oil you must use thus: After you have cleansed the Fistula within, than you must put some of this Oil into it; it is cleansed with Wine, or saltish Water, being squirted into it by a Syringe; afterwards the Oil must be also squirted into it by the Syringe, and then lay upon it outwardly, the stictick Plaster mentioned in the former Chapter. There are also other excellent remedies for a Fistula, as the oil of Lead, the oil of Quicksilver, and Mercury water, etc. But if the Fistula be in such a place (as the eyes or ears, etc. where you cannot use a Plaster, than you must be contented with the Potion and the Oil; neither need you trouble yourselves for any other Medicine then what is here set down.    

CHAP. III.  
IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer, which hath a great many deep holes together, which at first were small bushes, afterwards grew to be big hard lumps, then breaks out, and at last comes to be large deep holes; these holes are dry, there comes very little matter out of them.  

Cure.  
We must use such a Medicine for this U cer, which can at once both cleanse and fill up these holes; but we must not at all meddle with the hard swell, to take them away by ripening Medicines, or Corrosive Medicines, we must let Nature itself concoct them and dissolve them in the Ulcer, and then we may apply this Medicine to the Ulcer, viz.  
Take of yolks of eggs three ounces, of the oil of Mercury one dram, mix them together, apply some of this to the sore once in twelve hours; or if you will, instead of this, you may use the stictick plaster described in the first Chapter: This Ulcer may have several shapes, and may be in several places of the body, viz in the Arms, Legs, etc. yea, sometimes it will surround the body like a girdle, etc. But wheresoever it is, or whatsoever shape it hath, yet it is to be cured by the foresaid remedy, if it was at first hard swell, which afterwards broke out, etc.    

CHAP. IU.  
IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer, and say, That he never had any pain in that Ulcer.  

Cure.  
For curing this Ulcer, you must first cleanse it, then fill it up with flesh, and lastly close it: Cleanse it with this, take honey, and mix with it some burned Coperas; this apply to the Ulcer so often, till it hath no stinch or corruption, which will be about the sixth day; afterwards to fill it up with flesh, you must use the stictick plaster; but while you do fill it with flesh, if it gather corruption, than you must use again the former cleansing Medicine, till it yields no corruption, and then you may proceed again with the stictick plaster, till it be fit to be closed up: You must close it up with the Crocus of Steel, which must be strawed into the sores twice a day: But you must wash the sores at the second time when you straw this Crocus upon them, with this water, viz. Take of Spring-water an ounce, of Alum one ounce, of common Salt half an ounce, which you must dissolve in the water, and with this water wash the sores; then strew your Crocus upon the sores, and so do twice every day, until the Ulcer be skinned and throughly whole. In the time of the cure, the Patient must use a very good diet; he must let Blood, and he must take the benefit of some good natural Bath.    

CHAP. V.  
IF the Patient complain that there is abundance of humours gathered together in his legs, to a great hard swelling, which is full of holes, and these holes are soul, hollow, and eating sores; the beginning of them was this, A great many small Blisters came out together, which grew bigger, and then came out into putrid holes.  

Cure.  
In this cure, five things are to be done, First, the Ulcerated part must be kept over the vapour of some Herbs: then the swelling must be taken away. Thirdly, The sores must be cleansed. Fourthly, They must be filled with flesh. And lastly, Skinned.  
For the first, Take of the Root of Swallow-wort two ounces, of Sanicle, of Pond-weed and Stone-moss, of the Flowers of Elder, of each a handful, of Camomile Flowers two handfuls, of Dove's dung three handful, of Hen's dung half a handful; boil them altogether in water, and let the Patient keep his leg over the vapour; this he must do morning and evening, when he renews his Plaster.  
Secondly, To take away the swelling, Take the flowers of Mullein, of St. John's wort, of each two handfuls, the Flowers of Elder three handfuls, of the Flowers of Camomile two handfuls; boil them in Wine and Vinegar, of each alike, then pour off the liquor, and take the Herbs and lay them warm to the swelling, and so keep them at it, till the swelling be gone.  
Thirdly, To cleanse it, Take the unguent of the yolks of Eggs, and mix with it some  Alum; this must be applied twice a day to the sore, till it be well purged from all corruption and filthiness, so as the sound flesh appears in the bottom of the sore.  
Fourthly, To consolidate the sore, or to fill the holes up with flesh, Take of the Stictick plaster of Colophony, a quarter of a pound, of Lithargirium half a pound, of clean Rosin an ounce and a half; set them over a slow fire, and add to them some Crocus of Steel, and so mix them together: You may also put to them some  Alum; this Plaster must be applied to the sores twice a day, until they be filled up with flesh.   

The Stictick Plaster of Colophony is made thus.  
Take of wax a pound, of Colophony and Shoemaker's wax, of each a quarter of a pound, melt them together, and then add to them gum Ammoniact two ounces, of gum Bdelium one ounce, of the Loadstone made into a fine powder, five ounces, of Amber three ounces; which being all mixed together, make them into plaster with the oil of eggs, and so keep it for your use.  
Fifthly, To close it up and skin it, Take the burned shells of eggs half an ounce, of  Alum quenched in vinegar one dram, of the Crocus of steel one ounce and a half, of Incense, Myrrh, Mastic, of each half a dram; make them into a fine powder, and strew this powder upon the sore every day till it be skinned. It falls out ofttimes, that the swelling cannot be taken away by any Medicine, if the disease be of continuance; and when it is so, the Patient must remember to let blood at convenient times.    

CHAP. VI  
IF the Patient complain of a swelling in his Leg or Foot, with great inflammation, stench, and corrupt matter which comes from it, without eating or consuming the flesh; and that formerly he hath had a wound, prick or bruise badly cured in this place, which may be the cause of this Ulcer.  

Cure.  
First you must cleanse the Ulcer with this following Receipt; Take the green fruit of the Fir-tree gathered in May, when they are full of moisture, thirty of them, boil them in water, until you have boiled all the Rosin out of them, then take them out; and the Rosin which is yet in them, press it out of them into the water: throw them away, and take the water with the Rosin, and boil it again till the water be consumed; then take out the Rosin, and make of it an Ointment, with the yolks of eggs, adding to it a little Calcinatum, or the red powder of burned Coperas; and when you have cleansed the Ulcer well with this Unguent, then to perfect the cure, anoint it with this following ointment.  
Take of Wax one pound, of Colophony half a pound, of pitch a quarter of a pound, set them over the fire and melt them, and put to them two ounces of Varnish, with these powders, viz. The powder of Birth-wort, of great Comfrey, of each half an ounce, the powder of Mastic two drams, of Mirth six drams, of Amber one ounce & a half, with this ointment anoint the sore twice a day, until it be well cured; but if the sore be foul again while you are using this Ointment, than you must leave this Ointment, and anoint the sore with the former ointment, until you have taken away all its corruption; afterwards use the second Ointment.  
If there be any other kind of Ulcers joined with this, you must use such Medicines for them as are proper to them; when you have done the cure, it will be good for the Patient to go to the Bath of Salin in Italy, or to use some other good Bath, to take away the remainders of the corruption.    

CHAP. VII.  
IF the Patient complain, that he hath an Ulcer which extremely tormenteth him; before you can cure such an Ulcer, you must use such Medicines as will assuage the pain: These painful Ulcers will not receive any cure, so long as the pain continueth, and therefore unskilful Physicians, not taking the right way in curing, conceive these Ulcers incurable; and to excuse their ignorance, they say, That the Art of Medicine is defective in this: But to leave them, and to give you the Receipt which can assuage the pain of any Ulcer.  

Cure.  
Take of Cloves a quarter of a pound, of Juniper Berry's two ounces, of Brimstone which hath been sublimed from Coperas one ounce and a half; distil an oil from them in a close Vessel; to this oil add half so much of Oleum Laterinum, or the oil of Bricks, and of the three great Mitigatives, of each an ounce, put them altogether in a destilling vessel and distil them, and you shall have an excellent Oil to assuage the pain of any Ulcer.  
When you have taken away the pain, then cleanse the Ulcer with this Receipt: Take the Oil of fixed Arsenic five ounces, of the Oil of Cloves four ounces, of clear Crystalline Realgare one dram; mix them together, and dip pieces of linen cloth in it, which you shall lay upon the sore once in twelve hours; and when you have done so thrice, you shall have a scurf come off all the sore, and the sound flesh shall appear; and when this appears, then apply three or four times to the sore some of these cleansing Medicines before described, that the Ulcer may be very well cleansed: afterwards apply to the sore the last Stictick Plaster described in the first Chapter of the Treatise of wounds, until the cure be perfected.  
Observe. That ofttimes great evils accompany these painful Ulcers. viz. The Veins and Nerves are eaten through the bones are infected, and rot, etc. and if you find the bones so infected and decayed, yet you must not cut them, nor scrape them, as Surgeons commonly do; but if they be inflamed, you must cool them; if they be soul, you must cleanse them; and than it will be an easy matter to bring flesh upon them again: I see no necessity, that Patients should be so tortured by Chirurgeons, as commonly they are.  
Now my remedy which I have always used with great success in curing bones inflamed, or bones decaying, is this.  
Take the oil of Camphire, prepared with the white of an egg, and of the oil of Cloves, of each half an ounce, mix them together, and drop them into the sore, or squirt them into it with a Syrenge.    

CHAP. VIII.  
IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer in his face, or breast, or shoulders, or sides, or some other part of the Body, which eateth all the flesh round even to the bone; this is the worst kind of Ulcer.  

Cure.  
This Ulcer is cured chief by two kind of remedies; viz: by the Oils of Metals, and by sweet Mercury: If the Ulcer be anointed twice a day with any of these, they will cure it: the best Oil for it, is the oil of Lead; next to it is the oil of silver, and next to it the oil of Steel, than the oil of Copper, and then the oil of Tin; but sweet Mercu●y, which is like an oil, is best of all.    

CHAP. IX.  
IF the Patient complain of an Ulcer, which was first of one fashion, then of another, and then of another, so as it is never the same.  

Cure.  
This Ulcer you must cure as you find it, not as it was at first; and it is cured With Mercury, Colophonia, Lithargirium; and gums, viz. Bdellium, Oppoponax, Galbanium, etc. these will close up the Ulcer; but the Mercury cleanseth it, and fits it to be closed up: The Mercury is prepared thus, Take Quicksilver, and harden it with Allum-water, then make it into powder, and mix it with the yolks of eggs, wherewith you shall anoint the sore, until sound flesh appears every where in the sore: Then take the plaster of Lithargirium one pound, of Saliet oil and of wax, of each one pound of Colophonia a pound, of varnish two ounces and a half; melt them together, and put to them the powder of white Frankincense and when they are cooled, make a Plaster of them, and lay it to the sore twice a day, till the cure be perfected: This kind of Ulcer is easily cured, but if it be not prevented, it will turn to a Leprosy.    

CHAP. X:  
IF Ulcers be caused by the influence of the Stars, you may know it thus: Inquire of the Patient when the Ulcer did begin, viz. what month, day and hour, and according to that time let the ginger make a Celestial Scheam, and thereby you shall know, whether the Ulcer be from the influence of the stars, or not; if it be, than you must consider, if that influence, be past, or if it doth yet continue; if the influence be past, than the Ulcer may be cured by these ordinary remedies wherewith other Ulcers are cured; but if the influence yet continueth upon the Ulcer,  

Cure.  
Then you must use such Medicines which by a secret property can cure it, as Arsmart and .  
They must be used thus; dip the herb in cold running water, and lay it upon the sore, then bury the herb in dung, or in some fat ground, and cover it with a stone, that it may quickly rot; for when the herb gins to putrify, than the Ulcer gins to be well; and when the Herb is throughly putrified, than the Ulcer will be throughly cured; which is not by enchantment, as ignorant people may think, but by that extraordinary virtue which almighty God hath granted to these herbs.    

CHAP. XI.  
IF an Ulcer be caused by a defluxion, which sometimes is hereditary, and sometimes it is from the moist, Phlegmatic constitution of the body, so accordingly the Ulcer may be easier or harder to be cured: For first, the Defluxion must be dried 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 ofttimes it returns again to the old passage.  
The Medicine which drieth this Defluxion, and cureth the Ulcer, is the Crocus of Steel; but you must join to this Crocus some cleansing Ointment 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, Plasters or Ointments, etc. but they must have such Medicines, which are governed by some influence, as Celandine, Oak-leaves, Plantain, etc. 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 stopped; put the glass in warm dung some time, then take them out, put them in a distilling Vessel, and distil an oil from them; with this oil anoint the sore, and strew 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 chief four things to be done, viz. First, we must assuage 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 Chirurgeons 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, etc. I do not write these things for them, but for the sick.    

A Treatise of Ulcers: SECT. II. Wherein are contained some rare Experimented Remedies for Ulcers, especially for the Ulcers of the French Pox.  

A Medicine to cleanse Ulcers.  
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 add an ounce of the ashes of burned Fetherfew.   

A Medicine to fill up any Ulcer with flesh after it is cleansed.  
Take of the former Ointment one pound, of Turpentine washed with Rose-water, or Comfrey water, etc. 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 Plaster.   

A Medicine to take away dead flesh, or rotten bottom of an Ulcer.  
If you know not how much there is of the rotten bottom, than you must first apply this; Take of the former cleansing Medicine half a pound, with which you shall mix half an ounce of burned Alum, and quenched in Vinegar; and if in four days the Ulcer be not bet●er, then take this ointment, viz. of burned Alum quenched in vinegar, and of the oil of Arsenic, of each alike; and if the Ulcer yieldeth not to this neither, then instead of burned Alum, take burned Coperas; when there comes a scurf upon the bottom of the sore, it must be taken off with the oil 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 Alum burned and quenched in vinegar, one ounce and a half, of salt Armoniac 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 plaster 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 stopped 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 oil, then dip pieces of linen cloth in it, to be laid into the Ulcer, and lay a Stictick Plaster upon the Ulcer.   

The Balsam or Oil of Tartar is made thus.  
Take of Salt-Peter one pound, of Arsenic or Ratsbane 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 glazed 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, add 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 oil: Take some of this Oil, and some burned Alum quenched in Vinegar, and mix them, so as the mixture be thicker than honey; dip pieces of linen 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 Ulcer and about the Ulcer be very red, than 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 oil of Tartarus two pounds, of Tragacanthum dissolved in Rose-water two ounces, of Camphire half an ounce, mix them together; in this mixture dip pieces of linen 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 oil of Tartar five ounces, of Mummy one ounce, of the Crocus of steel one ounce and a half, of the oil of the yolks of Eggs ten drams; mix them, and apply them to the Ulcer, until it be filled up with flesh; and when it is filled with flesh, you shall anoint the place with the former oil alone ten days.  
This oil of Tartar is excellent to consume any superfluous moisture, and to take away any inflammation or superfluous flesh, etc. but it is especially good for the putrid and running sores of the feet and legs: Whatsoever Ulcers they be, albeit they be putrid, old, swelling or hollow, or eating Ulcers, etc. yet if they be anointed with this oil, it will cure them throughly, it is of a wonderful drying faculty.   

A good Plaster Oppodeltoch to fill an Ulcer with flesh, especially a Fistula, or Cancer, or Syrone.  
Take of common Rosin, Colophony, Turpentine, of each a half pound, of Virgin Wax a pound and a half, of gum Amoniacum and Myrrh, of each two ounces, of Realgare fixed, three drams; mix them, and make a Plaster, which must be laid to the Ulcer when it is well cleansed, twice a day, until the cure be done.   

For a Sphacelus, to separate the dead putrified part, from the sound part.  
Take of Colophony three pound, the oil of Myrrh six ounces, of the gums Bdelium, Ammoniacum, Oppopanax, Galbanum, of each half a pound; make a plaster to be applied to the putrified part, and after the dead and putrified part is taken away from the sound part by this plaster; then apply to the place this following Receipt.  
Take of the water of the salt of Radish one ounce, of the juice of Plaintan eight ounces, mix them, and anoint the part with them Morning and Evening.  
Then apply this Plaster, Take of the oil of Eggs two drams and a half, the oil of Walnuts five ounces, of Wax and Pitch, of each five ounces: make a Plaster.   

Experiments for Ulcers, especially for the Ulcers of the French Pox; And the first kind of Experiments are Baths.  

A good Bath to cure any Scab or Itch, especially the Scab of the French Pox.  
TAke of Alum ten pounds, of Coperas one pound, of burned Tartar half a pound, of Brine, or the Liquor of Salt three pounds, put them in a good quantity of Scalding hot water, in which some hops have been boiled; and when they are dissolved in the water, let the Patiented Bath himself in this water: but if it be an old stubborn Scab, which will not yield to this Bath; then take Quicksilver and make it very hot, and quench it in this water; do so several times, and then it will cure any Scab of the French Pox.   

Another.  
Take of burned Alum, and of Plum-Allum, of each an ounce, of burned Tartar and burned Coperas, of each four ounces, of Roch Alum, salt Nitre and Coperas, of each one pound, and take old blue cheese, and wash from it the blue with water; take of this blue as much as all the rest, and mix it with the rest; then set them in some dry place, and it will grow hard as horn, when you would use it, put some of it in hot water, and it will dissolve in it; then let the Patiented Bath himself in this water for any Scab or itch▪ etc. Nay, some have so highly esteemed of this Receipt, that they have endeavoured to cure the Leprosy with it.  
If the salt of Feverfew or Snakewood be put into the former composition, it will be much better.  
The juice of Nettles, and a little of the Liquor of Salt, cureth the running sores of the feet, if they be anointed therewith. Some who got this Receipt from me, have foolishly thought it a sufficient cure for all Sores.    

The second kind of Experiments are Ointments.  

An Ointment for those Ulcers of the French Pox, which begin to be dry.  
Take of Lethargire and Red-lead, of each half an ounce, of the oil of Myrtles three ounces; of Aloepatick one ounce and a half, the flower of prepared Copper three drams, of Turpentine two ounces, mix them: with this Ointment I have seen these Ulcers happily cured.  
The chief Ingredients in this and such other Ointments, are Aloepatick and the flower of Coperas.   

Another Ointment.  
Take of the Oil of Mummy three ounces, of the flower of Copper half a dram, of Mastic, Myrrh, Frankincense, Mummy, of each two drams and a half, of Aloepatick half an ounce, of washed Turpentine three drams and a half; Mix them.  
There are some ointments in which Quicksilver is the chief ingredient, which common people do ordinarily use for the Itch, Scab, and other faults of the skin; but you must know, that Quicksilver should not be used unless it be rightly prepared: If you can bring it to be an oil with salt Nitre, then mix this oil with any of the ointments for Ulcers, and you have a singular good remedy for all diseases of the skin (except the Leprosy) for Scabs, Ulcers, etc. If you anoint therewith the lips of an old sore, it will cure it speedily, but especially if it be an Ulcer of the French Pox, than it will be so much the sooner cured by this Ointment.  
Precipitate Mercury is an excellent remedy for all the hollow Ulcers of the French Pox, except eating Ulcers: It is made thus, Put Quicksilver in a pot, set it over the fire until it be very hot, then quench it in the water which is distilled from Eggs, and distil this water ofttimes from the Quicksilver, until the Quicksilver is turned into a red powder; mix this red powder with some of the Ointments for Ulcers, and anoint the Ulcer with it.   

A good Plaster.  
Take of both kinds of Snake-weed, of each seven, of Confound, and bushy rooted Birth-wort, of each a half pound, bruise them and mix them, with washed Turpentine one pound and a half, and with Salad oil four ounces; make them into a plaster, and whatsoever sore cannot be cured by this plaster, it is hardly cured by any other.  
The oil of Mummy, the oil of the yolks of Eggs, the oil of Mastic, Oleum Laterinum, or the oil of Bricks; these oils are of great virtue to further the cure of any Ulcer, or to assuage pain, etc. but they are not sufficient to perfect the cure alone.   

Another.  
Bruise Snake-weed, and put to it a little Petroleum, it is a very good remedy for Ulcers.   

Another.  
Take Mummy, beat it to powder, and mix it with Man's fat, it is good for assuaging the pain of Ulcers, etc.   

Another.  
Aloepatick made into powder and mixed with honey, is good for dry sores, and such sores which are near the bone  
Rosin is good for Syron's to further their cure, but it cannot do the cure alone, without some of the aforesaid Herbs, or &c. to be mixed with it.  
Many have endeavoured to imitate my Compositions & have said that they were mine; but with what success they used these compositions, they can tell who were their Patients; and how could they imagine to do any good with these Compositions, when they knew nor the nature of the Ingredients; but when they read these my Writings, they will see their error and ignorance.    

The third kind of Experiments, viz. Wax Plasters.  
Plasters were formerly made with wax and Turpentine, to which were added, several Simples for divers kinds of Ulcers: Wax may be used for any sore, but Turpentine is to be used only for moist sores; divers kinds of sores, must have divers kinds of remedies: It is most rashly done by those, who when they find 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 than I have expressed here.  

A Plaster.  
Take of the oil of Myrtle, 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 Plaster.   

Another.  
Take of the flower of Copper one pound, the oil of Dill, and Wax, of each one pound and a half, of Colophony four ounces, the oil of Bays two ounces, of Turpentine half a pound of Mummy, Mastic, Frankincense, of each two ounces, of Sagapenum and Galbanum, of each one ounce and a half; make them into a Plaster.   

Another.  
Take of Wax and Salad oil, of each three pounds, of Celandine, Buck-horn, of each half an ounce, of Mastic, Oppopanax, Myrrh, 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 Mastic, Frankincense, the gums, Oil and Turpentine then mix with them, the herbs made into powder, to which you may add some Oil of Spike, or of earthworms.   

Another.  
Take of Wax one pound, of Colophony four ounces, of red and white Corals, of the Loadstone, of the Lapis Calaminaris, of Amber, of Antimony, of each of them made into powder, one ounce; of Mummy, Frankincense, Myrrh, Mastic, of each one ounce and a half; first melt your wax, and when it is melted, put the rest to it.    

The fourth kind of Experiments are Powders.  

Mummy is excellent to fill an Ulcer with Flesh.  
Take Mummy, put it in a glass which can endure the fire, or in a pot well closed, 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 vapour 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 oil, 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, than 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 gins 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 boil 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 oil from Amber, pour some of this oil upon the grounds remaining in the Distillation, or upon some fresh Amber, and let it dry again; then pour some more Oil, and let it dry again; and so do ofttimes; then make it into powder.   

There are also two Experiments of Myrrh for curing foul Ulcers.  
Take Myrrh, and dissolve it in the oil of the yolks of eggs, then put to them five times so much Wine, and let them stand five days, than set them over the fire until the Wine be consumed, and take the Myrrh which remains dry, and make it to powder. Or thus, Distil an Oil from Myrrh, with Tragacanth by descent, then coagulate it, dry it, and make it into powder.   

There is great virtue in Coperas to cure Ulcers, if you take from it the corosive faculty; which may be done thus.  
Take Coperas burned to a red powder, pour upon it 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 dried, then pour some more Rain-water upon it, and do as before; do so five or six times, till the  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 Ointments for Ulcers, you may cure therewith Syrons and other Ulcers.    

The Use and several Prepararations of Quicksilver, for the French Pox.  
Quicksilver made into a red powder by the distilled water of eggs, being ofttimes distilled from the Quicksilver, 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 oil of Quicksilver is an infallible remedy, and the only 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 Quicksilver, which is next to it in this cure.  

The Oil is made thus.  
Take of the Quick silver Mine (in which the Quicksilver is not yet come to be a perfect Quicksilver) twenty pounds; beat it, and boil it in 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 oil as heavy as Quicksilver: Let the Patient take two grains of it at a time, with six grains of the oil of Spike.   

Another way to make the Oil of Quicksilver.  
Take of Quicksilver and of Tin, of each alike, melt the Tin, and put the Quicksilver to it, and work them well together, till the Tin become like Quicksilver; then put to them as much Sulphur vivum, as there is of the Tin and Quicksilver; 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 Oil as white as milk, and as heavy as Quicksilver, which is not sharp nor corroding; let the Patient take of this two grains at a time, with six grains of the Oil of Spike.  
Observe. That when you have taken from the Quicksilver its sharp, piercing and eating faculty, and its moving or running nature, than it is fit to be used, but not before.  
Howbeit, Quicksilver 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 Quicksilver is so subtle, that the vapour of it hath the same operation upon our bodies, as the Quicksilver itself hath. There is nothing can be used so many ways as the Quicksilver, yet it is not therefore the safer, as many do think.  
If y●u would use the Quicksilver profitably in Suffumigations, you must prepare it so, that it may have an attractive virtue. Remember this, That Quick silver hath such a nature, which may by Art be brought to have any operation, viz to bind, to purge, to cleanse a sore, to fill it with flesh, to consume or eat, etc. Therefore it is needful that you know how you should prepare the Quicksilver for each kind of the French Pox.  
Some Ulcers of the French Pox may be cured by sweeting, some Ulcers must be cleansed and filled with flesh, some must be, etc. 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 ofttimes 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 Quicksilver and mix with it, sublime them, and so proceed as they do in making Cinabrium; then take of this, and of Saltpetre, of each alike, beat them together into powder, than put a live coal into them, and fire them; then take out your Quicksilver, 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 humour makes its passage out of the body, or where we may bring the humour out of the body most conveniently, and hold some fire-coals under the glass or vessel to heat the Quicksilver a little, so that the vapour 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 vapour out.  
In the Lotions or washings with Quicksilver used for the Ulcers of the French Pox, Mountebanks add to it Pepper, Cardamome, Dittander, which increase the evil qualities of the Quicksilver; they add to it also aqua vitae, or strong water, which carrieth the Quicksilver to the heart, whence are Fevers and fluxes of the Belly; whereas we use these washings with Quicksilver for this end, viz. That the Ulcers do not increase, and therefore the venomous qualities of the Quick silver should be taken from it, that it go no further than the sore: which is done thus: Take Quicksilver 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 Quicksilver 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 Quicksilver thus prepared, and boil it in the water of Celandine half an hour; pour off the water from the Quicksilver, and with this water wash the Ulcer. Having showed you the several ways of preparing Quicksilver for the French Pox, I will conclude with this admonition: That they who use Quicksilver in Ointments, Lotions, Suffumigations, etc. Let them carefully consider the right time when the Patient should use it: for diseases altar 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 Ointments, Washings or Suffumigations with Quick si●ver, do not touch any sound part, but only the place diseased, left they thereby do more harm then good.   

A Plaster to cleanse Ulcers.  
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 Alum 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 honey, gums, eggs, Turpentine, Lithargire, Wax, Oil, I say▪ without some of those no Ulcer can be cleansed.   

A plaster to be applied to a place cauterised.  
When you would draw out an humour at any place, you must lay some Caust●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 Plaster.  
This Plaster apply to the place where the skin is broken, which was raised by the Caustick Plaster.   

A sweeting Medicine for the French Pox.  
For those kinds of the French Pox which are cured by sweeting, use this following sweeting Medicine, which is the best of any for the French Pox, Take of Tin and Quicksilver, of each alike, melt your Tin, and when it beginneth to cool and harde●, pour your Quick silver upon it, that they may be mixed; or put Quicksilver to thin plates of Tin, let them stand together two or three days, till the Tin have drank in as much of the Quicksilver as it can, then let the Tin stand till the Quicksilver be dried in it, then let it drink in some more Quicksilver, 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 Quicksilver and Tin are changed to an oil in the Spirit of Wine; of this oil 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 Ulcers: SECTION III Wherein are described the Tinctures, which are Catholic Medicines for all kind 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 kinds 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 Alchemist: So they and the Alchemist together, have discovered many excellent Medicines, the chief of which are the Tinctures; but these Tinctures have been much abused by Gold smith's, and those who thought to change Metals into Gold with them: & I have showed 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 virtues 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 show you whence I have had these my remedies; and I confess, that I have learned them in the School of Chemistry. But because many errors have crept into this Art of Chemistry, partly through ignorance, and partly through the envy of Chemists; whereby those who followed the practice of Chemistry, 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 endeavoured to reform this Art of Chemistry, & leaving those things which are hurtful or unprofitable, I discover only 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 Chemistry, 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 hide 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 Chemists.  
I have had also many Experiments from several Chemists, and of those I will now name only the most noble Sigismundus, Fueger, Schwatzensis, who maintaineth many servants in the practice of Chemistry, at great charges, and hath enriched the Art of Chemistry with many Experiments.  
To conclude, I conceive that I may very well undertake this talk, Of reforming Chemistry and Physic; considering my knowledge in Philosophy, and my skill of Chemistry and Physic: 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, Quicksilver, Antimony, the Philosopher's Salt, Balsam, 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 Chemists who writ Fables more than serious matters; if they had eased us of this labour, 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 virtue in cleansing, renewing and restoring the Blood, not only in the part diseased, but also throughout the whole Body; how much of this Tincture you must take at a time, you shall hear afterwards: I will now show 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, etc. 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 vapour 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 only 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 circulatory Vessel, which must be set in Balneo Maria the space of a Month; than you will find the Tincture of the Gold mixed with the Spirit of Wine, and the Gold powder in the bottom white as silver; take out this powder when it is melted, it is like Silver: separate the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture, in Balneo Mariae, you shall have the gold Tincture in the bottom of this distilling Vessel. This Tincture you must put in a Circulatory Vessel, and circulate it alone some time.   

The Tincture of Red Corals  
The Tincture of red Corals, which is the purest part of the Corals, containing all the red colour of the Corals in it: It hath such a secret faculty in purging the Blood, that he who knoweth the right use of it, hath a great secret for the preventing and curing of the Leprosy; it will not suffer any Ulcer to breed in the body, and it purgeth all the Blood in the Veins most excellently.  
Let the Physician remember this, that he should extract Tinctures out of such things which excel in colour, for they have the greatest virtue for cleansing the Blood.  
In extracting the Tincture of Corals, you must proceed in the same manner, as you extract the Tincture of Gold; and when you have drawn off the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture, than you must distil the Tincture alone sixteen times in the open fire; And lastly, you must distil it in Balneo Mariae six times, that the Tincture may be well purged from all impurities. When you use this Tincture, take a scruple of it in a dram of Treacle water.  
The Treacle water is made thus: Take of the Spirit of Wine five ounces, of good Treacle two ounces and a half, of red Roman Myrrh, one ounce and two drams, of Oriental Saffron two drams; put them altogether in a distilling Vessel, and distil them.  
The Tincture of the Corals being taken with this water, will throughly cure all Fistula's, Cancers, etc. or any Ulcer whatsoever.   

The Tincture of Balsam.  
It falleth out ofttimes, that Ulcers which have continued a long time, or have been badly cured, they come to be of the nature of a Leprosy, so that they cannot be helped by any Medicine, because of their great putrefaction; in such a case only the Tincture of Balsam can do good, which only can cure such kind of Ulcers, and it is the best for all eating of Ulcers.  

The Tincture is extracted thus.  
Take of Balsom an ounce and a half, of the Spirit of Wine one pound and a half, and two ounces, put them into a circulatory Vessel, and circulate them the space of a Month, than put them in a distilling Vessel and distil them: Take that which you have distilled, and mix with it another half ounce of Balsam, and circulate them together some time; distil them again, then add another half ounce of Balsam to that which you have distilled, and thus you must do four times.  
This Tincture of Balsam hath such a piercing faculty, that there is not any part of the body but it will search into it; there is not any disease or corruption of the body, but it will cure it.    

The Tincture of Antimony.  
Antimony destroyeth all other Metals except Gold: It purgeth Gold perfectly and taketh away all its Impurities: after the same manner it purgeth the body of man, and consumeth all impurities and corruptions in the body, being rightly prepared; therefore the greatest Chemists and Physicians have laboured much in Antimony, but in vain before our times; and now by my industry it is rightly and fully prepared.  
The Tincture is extracted thus: Take Antimony made into fine powder, put it in a close Reverberatory the space of a Month, until it become volatile, and it will be first white, than clay-coloured, then red, and at last Purple-coloured; then take it out, and put it in the Spirit of W●ne, so much, as it be twenty fingers breadth above the Antimony, circulate them together the space of a mon●th; then separate the Spirit of Wine from the Tincture, and so you have the precious Tincture of Antimony.   

The Philosophers Salt.  
The Philosopher's salt. Take of the Salt of Gold, the salt of Antimony, the salt of Balm, of each half an ounce; of common salt eight ounces; make them into a powder, and mix them together. The Patient must take a little of these Salts strewed upon a piece of toasted bread every morning.  

Another.  
Take of the Salt of Germander, the Salt of Succory, the salt of Valerian, of each one ounce, of the salt of Wormwood two drams, of the salt of Coperas one dram, of common salt one pound, make them into a powder and mix them.  
These Salts the Patient may take with his meat, and howbeit the operation of these salts is not so quick, as the operation of the Tinctures; yet they will undoubtedly root out any Ulcer in the Body, whether Cancer, Fistula, etc.    

The Use of the Tinctures.  

The use of the Tincture of gold.  
Take a dram of this Tincture of Gold, and mix it with an ounce of the best Treacle; of this mixture let the Patient take one scruple fasting; then keep himself warm in his bed till he sweat; this will drive out the hurtful humours of the body at the Ulcer, by sweeting and otherwise, so as you may plainly see the operation of this Tincture in the Ulcer itself: And when the Ulcer grows dry, so that no more humour cometh out of the Ulcer, which useth to be at the tenth or twelfth day, than you may easily perfect the cure, if you keep at the Ulcer a stictick Plaster.   

The use of the Tincture of Corals.  
Take of the Tincture of Corals one ounce and a half, and mix it with ten ounces of the water of Germander, or the water of Succory: Let the Patient take two drams of this mixture five hours before dinner, or five hours after Supper, the space of six or seven days: in the mean time he must use meats of easy digestion, and he must drink very little; he must take no other drink but the water of Succory, or the water of Fumitory, so long as he takes of the Tincture: And when the humour hath flowed abundantly out of the Ulcer, and the Ulcer drieth and hath no pain, than the patient must take no more of the Tincture.   

The use of the Tincture of Balsam.  
The Patient may take the Tincture of Balsam alone, five grains of it at a time, or he may take it in good old white Wine twice a day, after meat, and continue it so until the Ulcer be quite dried up.  
Apply outwardly upon the Ulcer some ordinary stictick Plaster, until the cure be perfected.   

The use of the Tincture of Antimony.  
In Vintage time take new Wine, and put half an ounce of the Tincture of Antimony to twenty quarts of it; and when the Wine is well settled, then use it.  
Let the Patiented drink of this, and no other, the space of a month, and he shall find wonderful virtue in this drink for cleansing or closing up of Ulcers or Wounds; and let some ordinary Stictick plaster be applied to the sore.  
This one Potion is better than all the Receipts, Compositions, Potions, etc. 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 inclined 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 manner which hath been showed 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 blue 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 chillness 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 itself into two swell, 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 Myrrh, 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: than you must take a Sapphire stone, and draw it round the swelling; this will make a scurf to come upon the swelling, which you may take off with Saller oil or f●esh Butter; then apply some consolidating plaster, as the stictick plaster, etc. until the cure be perfected.  
Observe. The Chirurgeon 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 breasts 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 ofttimes brings the Patient into aguish fits.  
At last, It eats into the heart, and causeth sudden death.  

Cure.  
Whereas the cause of the Cancer in men, is the Haemorrhoide humours; in women it is their Monthly 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 humour, turning it to its proper passage, viz. thus; To bring down the Haemorrhoide humour in men to the Fundament, and to bring down the monthly courses in women.  
Then you must mortify the Ulcer with this, viz. Take Frogspawn, and of the juice of Nightshade, of each an ounce, of varnish half an ounce, and make them into an Ointment; 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 putrify, 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 Salad oil, as will make them up into a Plaster. This Plaster you must lay to the Ulcer so often, until their comes no corruption out of it: Afterwards strew this powder upon the Ulcer, viz. Take the powder of the dried juice of Celandine, of the dried juice of Feverfew, and of Centory, of each half an ounce, of Mummy one ounce. These powders mixed together, must be strewed upon the Soar morning and evening.    

III.  
The noli me Tangere gins in the face 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, etc. it quite deforms the face; than it eats into the throat, and goeth downwards to the neck; and when it is passed the face, it is deadly.  

Cure.  
If the Noli me tangere be not far gone, it may be cured by this Plaster: Take of Rosin one pound, of Barley-meal six ounces, of Pine-Rosin eight ounces, mix them, and make them into a Plaster; but if it be old and far gone, than we must use first a mortifying Medicine, than a cleansing Medicine, than 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 add to it three ounces of the oil 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 oil, 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 Plaster, which you must lay to the Soar morning and evening.   

Another consolidating Medicine.  
Take of Rosin half a pound, of the dried juice of Comfrey a quarter of a pound, of the dried juice of Celandine a quarter of a pound; mix them over the fire, and make a plaster: But the cure of Noli me Tangere, depends chief 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 humour, like the Cancer, or Noli me tangere.  
At last, It weakens the principal parts, viz. Head, Heart, Stomach, Liver, etc. the face comes to be discoloured, and then death approacheth.  

Cure.  
First, we must apply a defensive above the knee, to keep back the humours that they fall not down to the soar; then we must mortify the Soar. Lastly, we must consolidate it, or fill it up with flesh.   

The defensive.  
Take of salt Anatron one ounce, of an Anodine half an ounce; make them into an Ointment with the Oil of Spike. The Anodyne is made thus: Take of Frogspawn, and of the juice of Nightshade, of each an ounce, of Varnish half an ounce, mix them together.  
Then apply to the soar this mortifying Medicine, viz. Take Parmacity, Frogspawn, of Cherv●l, of Juniper Berries, of each alike, let them stand in the Sun some time; then use them: This must be applied once a day the space of three weeks; afterwards wash the soar ofttimes with the water of Oak leaves, or Salt-water: By this Medicine the soar is mortified, and the pain is taken away, and now you must apply the Oppodeltoch Plaster, or Stictick Plaster (described in the Treatise of Wounds, in the first Chapter) until the cure be perfected,    

V.  
A Fistula is an Ulcer which hath one or more small holes outwardly, but within it is hollow and deep; it useth to be near the joints, or places of evacuation, or where some wound thrust or bruise etc. hath been badly cured: This Soar issueth forth a water or froth at the small holes, and purgeth twelve hours; this kind of soar is not painful.  
If it be not cured by Medicines, it will never be well of itself, yet it doth not cause death, but continueth still the same so long as the Patient liveth.  

Cure.  
First, let the Patient take this Potion: Take of the water of Showbread, and of the water of the leaves of small Sea-Buck-horn, of the water of middle Confound, of each four ounces; mix them, and take four ounces of this at a draught morning and evening, until the cure be done.   

Another Potion.  
Take of the water of Hartshorn one pound, of Centory, golden Confound, Feverfew, of each six ounces, of Rheubarb, choice Manna, Parmacity, of each an ounce; Mix them well, and of this mixture take one spoonful every Morning, and after it take three spoonfuls of Wine: By this Potion the Fistula shall be cleansed inwardly; yea, this Potion alone will cure it, that you need not apply any Medicine outwardly to the Soar, yet you may apply this following Plaster.  
Take of these four Gums, viz. Oppoponax, Bdelium, Ammoniacum, Galbanum, of each two ounces, of Wax six ounces; melt them together, and add to them three ounces of Turpentine: Make a Plaster.    

VI  
When there is a firm hard tumour which lieth amongst the Muscles, and hath a burning heat which strikes into the bone, and it breeds many hard knotty lumps within the flesh; it's never changed into an Ulcer, neither doth it consume the flesh, but continueth in one manner thirty or forty years, yea, so long as the Patient liveth.  
But if the Patient falleth into some acute disease, or shall have a Carbuncle, than the Wolf becomes deadly.  

Cure.  
First, you must use cooling Medicines, then Mucilaginous Medicines, to dissolve the hard knotty lumps; then apply the Plaster Oppodeltoch.  
To cool it, you may use the Anodyne, or mortifying Medicine, before described in the cure of Herysipelas.   

The Mucilaginous Medicine.  
Take the liquor of Mummy, of Mastic, and Camphire, of each half an ounce, the Mucilage of Fenugreek, the Mucilage of Flea-wort, and the Mucilage of Quinces, of each alike, so much as you think fit to make the Plaster; this Plaster you may use in stead of the Oppodeltoch Plaster.  
There are also other remedies whereby the Wolf may be cured, as these following.  
Take of crystalline Realgare one ounce, of burning oil two ounces, of white lead two drams; make an Ointment, with this anoint round the Wolf, but not upon it, once in twelve hours; do so six or eight days, then leave, and that about which you anointed, will fall off: Afterwards you must wash the place evening and morning, with this following water, viz. Rose water, the water of Fish-spawn, of each six ounces, the water of Feverfew five ounces, mix them.  
Then apply this Plaster, viz. Take of Lin-seed oil half a pound, of viride ae●is, and wax, of each a quarter of a pound, of Bdelium two ounces: make a Plaster.    

VII.  
The Malum mortuum, or dead evil, beginneth at the feet, and goeth upward, it maketh the skin to be without feeling.  
And at last, It comes to be a running soar, and so continueth twenty years, afterwards it turns to a Leprosy.  

Cure.  
We must begin the cure with a Cautery, to take away the dead skin; then we must anoint the place where this evil hath spread itself, the space of three months, with the oil of Pepper.   

The Cautery is made thus.  
Take of Brimstone four ounces, melt it, put to it three ounces of Frankincense, and of Rosin seven ounces, the oil of Colophonia, & the oil of Amber, of each four ounces; set them over the fire, that they may mix together; and with this, being warm, anoint the place twelve times in a day, and in three days the dead skin will break and come off.    

VIII.  
When certain spots appear in the skin, sometimes removing from place to place, sometimes they are fixed in one place; some are of a reddish colour, some of a clay colour, sometimes they are of a yellow colour.  
At last, It spreadeth itself over the whole body, and breaks out into small blisters, which grow hard and crusty, than they chop, and at last they turn to Ulcers.  

Cure.  
First, The Blood must be purged, than we must use the Cautery described before in the cure of the Malum Mortuum. Lastly, the cure must be perfected with Plantain.   

The Medicine to purge the Blood.  
Take the juice of Succory, the juice of Germander, of each one pound, of the juice of Maidenhair half a pound, of Manna two ounces, of the true Spirit of Coperas (described in the Treatise of Coperas) one dram▪ Mix them, and distil an oil from them, of this oil take at a time in a draught of Wine, one or two, or three drams, as the Physician shall appoint.    

IX.  
When the face is first of a yellow colour, then turns to be of a red colour, and every day grows more and more red, without Pimples or Itch, so that both skin and flesh come to be of a Scarlet colour.  
At last, the skin and flesh do putrify with a sharp smart humour.  

Cure.  
Take the whites of ten boiled Eggs, and of the burned shells of Eggs six ounces; distil a water from them, then take Silver, Tin, Led, Copper, beaten into very thin leaves, of each one dram; the leaves of Gold, Silver Marchasite, and Gold Marchasite, of each two drams; put them in a Glass, and set the Glass in warm dung a month; then distil an oil from them, with this oil anoint the place.    

X.  
When the face hath had a very red colour, or hath had the gu●ta rosacea, and changeth from that to another colour, viz. a blackish or lead colour, with a little swelling, and breaks out into waterish Blisters and Wens.  
At last, The face gins to putrify, and to have a black scurf over it; then the Morphew is incurable.  

Cure.  
We must use first one of the Tinctures for cleansing the blood; then use one of the cleansing Medicines before described; and then some consolidating Medicine of Glandules.    

XI.  
When there are Flesh-kernels within the flesh, be they fixed or movable, soft or hard, painful or without pain; in time they grow so big, that they draw to them the strength and substance of the member where they are.  
And at last, they putrify.  

Cure.  
A thread of Plum-allum, dipped in the oil of Gilla applied to it, doth take it away, afterwards anoint the place with the Oil of Gilla, and this will consolidate it.    

XII.  
When a blister riseth in any part of the body, as big as a Gall-nut (like those Blisters which are raised by Caustics) and is of a blue or lead colour, hard to the touch.  
At last, It putrefieth; and if it be near the eye, it begets a Fistula, it daily groweth more and more deformed, and multiplieth; it maketh the Patiented hoarse, and taketh away the natural colour of the Body, and so it comes to be a Leprosy.  

Cure.  
First, Nature must be corrected and strengthened by the Liquor or Tincture of Gold, than the Blisters must be dried up with this following ointment.  
Take of Aqua fortis, in which there is some salt Armoniac dissolved, one ounce, the oil of Realgare half an ounce, the oil of Euphorbium one ounce; mix them, and anoint the Blisters with them.    

XIII.  
If the head being rubbed, bleedeth, and this breedeth a hard crusty scab, out of which cometh a yellow water; if it be not timously cured, it spreadeth over all the head: Then there will be daily a bleeding, with a sharp and great pain; this scab never hath holes in it, it continueth with the Patient, if he be not cured of it, until death.  

Cure.  
There are three kinds of remedies used for this Scab, viz. a Pitch plaster, a Corrosive or eating Water, and the Oil of Gilia.   

The Pitch Plaster.  
Take of Pitch dr Shoemakers Wax a pound, of Colophony half a pound, of prepared Cheese, half a pound, that is, dried and made into powder; mix them: First, melt the Pitch and Colophony together, then put the rest to them; when they are cold; make them into a plaster, some do add to them a pound of Wax; this Plaster will bring off the Scab and Skin together: Afterwards anoint the head with the Ointment of white Lead, and this will bring a fair skin upon the head again; some take old Cheese which is very blue, and they wash off the blewness with water: Then they take this blewness which was washed from the Cheese, and lieth in the bottom of the water, and they lay it upon the Scab: This will cure the scab for the present, but it is not a perfect cure; for I have seen this scab thus cured, return within two or three years after.  
Some do use for this Scab, eating corrosive waters and burned Tartarus, but I do not approve Of this, for these Corrosives do eat into the skull, and cause madness, and ofttimes death.  
They who use the Oil of Gilla for this Scab, do thus: After they have anointed the Scab, with this oil, than they anoint it with Salad oil ofttimes together; because the oil of Gilla burns exceedingly, and is very painful to the Patient; and the Salad oil doth assuage the pain, for it abateth the burning heat of the Gilla.  
They anoint the Scab with this oil of Gilla nine days together, and after the ninth day the Scab cometh off; and under the Scab the head is already well skinned.    

XIV.  
When in the Lips of the mouth there is a small excrescency, which is at first like a Wart: This, if it bleed of itself, or if it be cut, than there grows out thence a spongious flesh which groweth daily bigger And at last, it becomes so big, that it stops up the mouth, that the Patient cannot eat, afterwards it causeth madness.  

Cure.  
We must stop the end of the Vein which bringeth blood to this Excrescency, or we must turn the course of the Vein; then we must anoint about this Excrescency with this Ointment: Take prepared Realgate, and mix it with the juice of Celandine, and make a Plaster.    

XV.  
When there is a continual pain in the Leg, with a shining redness over all the Leg, this is a Gangrene; it continueth thus thirty, years, before it break out into an Ulcer. At last, when nature decayeth it turns to an Ulcer a little before death.  

Cure.  
Take the juice of Water-lilies, the juice of Nightshade, the juice of Darnel, of each two ounces, Wheat-Poppy three ounces, of Opium fifteen ounces, of Mandrake three drams, the juice of the outward part of the root of Henbane, five ounces; mix them, and make them into an Ointment with the oil of Lithargire.  
With this anoint the soar; you must also apply the Anodyne, or pain-asswaging Medicine, which you have described in the cure of the Cancer.  
You may also use that Medicine which I have described for the cure of the Noli me Tangere, viz. Of Rosm a pound, of Barley meal six ounces; of common Frankincense eight ounces; make a plaster, and to one pound of this plaster add half an ounce of Scammony, for Scammony hath a peculiar virtue very helpful for open burning Soars.    

XVI.  
When at the roots of the nails of the fingers there is a great pain, with a swelling and burning heat, like the burning of fire, and a pain like the gnawing of a Worm; this is a Whitflaw, which if it be not cured, it will at last perish the whole Finger, with great and long pain.  

Cure.  
Some do cure it with certain Words and Characters, which I do not approve: The remedy which I use for to cure it, is that Anodyne or Pain-asswaging Medicine, described in the cure of the Cancer, or that described in the cure of Herysipeles; viz. Take Parmacity, of Frogspawn, Chervil, Juniper-Berries, of each alike; apply this to the finger, and it will take away the pain.  
Or take Hog's dung and boil it in Vinegar, and apply to the soar.    

XVII.  
When there is great redness and swelling in the heel, or about the ankle, which turneth to a broad soar, with many holes in it, and spreadeth itself upwards towards the knee; it doth not go deep, but stayeth in the upper part of the flesh, it stayeth under the knee; it continueth twenty years much after one, without any great change.  

Cure.  
First, we must apply the pain-asswaging Medicine, which we use for the Whitflaw; then apply this following Plaster of Myrrh.  
Take the Oil of the yolks of Eggs two ounces, of Wax half an ounce, of Colophony three ounces, of red Myrrh five ounces and a half; mix them, and make a Plaster.    

XVIII.  
When there are knotty hard tumours in the neck, lying within the flesh; this is the King's Evil, which continueth with the Patient until death, still in the same manner without any change; unless the tumour hath been big, and it beginneth to lessen, than 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, etc.    

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 manner as the Alcola; an when you have taken away the superfluous flesh than you must apply the Plaster 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, than the Haemorrhoids are within.  
If the Haemorrhoides continue twenty years, than they commonly turn to a Cancer; and if they do not turn to a Cancer, but the Piles multiply and grow bigger, than they close up the Fundament at last.  

Cure.  
The cure is done by two kinds of Medicine, viz. Dung-Medicine, and a Sweet-Corrosive.   

The Swet-Corrosive.  
Take of Oleum laterinum, or Brick oil, one ounce, the oil of Juniper half an ounce, the oil of Myrrh two ounces, mix them.   

The Dung Medicine.  
Take the Patients own Excrements, and mix them with the oil 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 rubbed there falls from it like Scabs; it causeth the hair of the head to come out: If it continue sixteen, or twenty four years, than it spreadeth over all the Body.  
At last, this scaly Scab falleth off, and then followeth a Leprosy.  

Cure.  
Take Succory, Germander, Maidenhair, of each two ounces, of the Pulp 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 lie 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 Groin 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 chillness: 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 Plaster.   

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 Plaster.   

The Oppodeltoch Plaster.  
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 Plaster.    

XXIII.  
If after the act of Venery there followeth a swelling in the Groin, 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 Ointment, and the Plaster of Mummy.   

The Camphorated Ointment.  
Take of Camphire two drams, of the yolks of Eggs four ounces; mix them, and set them in some moist place, or low Cellar, etc. and they will turn to an Oil, with this Oil anoint the Soar.   

The Plaster of Mummy.  
Take of Mummy half an ounce, of the best Turpentine (washed with Rose-water) so much as is requisite to make a Plaster; Mix them, and make a Plaster.    

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 blue or lead colour, or of a dark green colour; the skin of the Leg appears as if it were blowed up with wind, 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 Ointments, such as are used for the Pox, etc. 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, than 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 blue 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 child's mouth often with the Waters of Agrimony, Ladies-Mantle, Sanicle; or anoint the Veins under the Tongue with the Oil of St. Johns-wort, or the Oil of the Flowers of Centory: If after the cure the swelling cometh again, you must do th●●ame as you did before.    

XXVI.  
If a Woman with Child, or after Childbirth, complain of a pain, swelling, redness, and hardness in her Breasts, which afterwards turns to an Ulcer and Putrefaction.  

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 add 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 plaster.    

XXVII.  
If in a fleshy place there are Rise 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 until 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 oil of Roses; in this mixture dip a linen cloth, which you must lay upon the holes.   

The consolidating Medicine.  
Take of Royal Confound half a pound, of long Birth wort three ounces, of Myrrh half an ounce, of Mummy two ounces; make them into a powder, and mix them with so much of the oil of Roses, as is sufficient to make them into a Plaster.   

A Caveat.  
You must not apply to this Soar, Pitch, hot Oils, Birth-wort, Viride aris, Arsenic, salt Armoniac, precipitated Mercury, Orpment,  Alum, or any drawing herb.    

XXVIII.  

Swelling of the Veins.  
If a Vein be swelled, and this Vein breaks into stinking holes, with a putrefaction of the skin and flesh, this is a hollow Ulcer.  
At last, If not cured, it turns to a Saint Antony's fire.   

Cure.  
We must not cure this Aposthume in the same manner, as hath been said before in the cure of the swelling of a Vein, viz. You must open a Vein, etc. and when you open the Vein, apply this following Plaster.  
Take of Lithargire, and red Lead, of each half a pound, of Salad Oil one pound, of Wax half a pound, add 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 Plaster.   

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. Anthonies 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 Monthly courses in women; they grow big sometimes within the skin, sometimes without the skin, accordingly as the humour 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, than you must proceed in the rest of the cure the same way as in Noli me Tangere.   

A Medicine to bring down the Monthly courses in women.  
Take the Liquor of , 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 add to this Composition some Saven-water, and some of the oil made of the grains of Saven.   

A Medicine to bring out the Haemorrhoides.  
Take of clean gum Sagapenum half an ounce, of Bdelium and Mastic, of each one ounce; make them into a Plaster, 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 rise, shining and burning, and it continueth so three or six years: but when there is a burning heat, with yellow rise, and afterwards they turn to a blue or lead colour, this shows it to be a most vehement inflammation.  

A Caveat.  
Beware of such Medicines which drive the humour inwards, and beware of the Guaick-wood, and all such Ointments and Suffumigations which are used for the Pox.   

Cure.  
I will first show you how to cure it, when it is beginning, before it come to be an Ulcer; then I will show you how to cure it when it is an old Soar, when it hath continued twenty years.   

For the first cure.  
Take of Frogspawn half a pound, of Camphire three ounces, of Myrrh and Frankincense, of each an ounce; put them in a Glass close stopped, and set them in the Sun until they turn to be a Liquor; in this Liquor dip a linen 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 only the Oppopanax remains; to which you must add 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 Plaster, boil it and skim it, and mix it with the rest of your Ingredients, and so make them into a Plaster, which you shall apply to an old Saint Anthony's Fire.    

XXXI.  
When below the Breast there is circle round the body of reddish colour, which afterward breaks out into yellow rise, and these in a long time after turn to holes, with redness, burning and pain.  
And at last, it inflameth the Diaphragma, than death followeth.  

A Caveat.  
Abstain from eating Medicines, Gums, Pitch, fat things, and those Ointments which are used for the Pox.   

Cure.  
First, we must cleanse the Diaphragma with Larks-spur, and then apply to the Soar this Plaster.  
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 Plaster.    

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, Cantharideses, Purgations, Ointments, 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 Plaster which must be applied warm to the chopped 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 Plaster 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 humour be quite dried up, which useth to be in fifteen days, or thereabouts; for the four Gums have a peculiar and and admirable cleansing and drying virtue.    

XXXIII.  
The Itch and Scab are so commonly known, that I need not describe it.  

Cure.  
Take of Roch Alum one pound, of Plum Alum half a pound; mix them.   

Another.  
Take of Plum Alum, and salt Entals, of each alike; mix them for the Itch.   

Another.  
Take Coperas, and Alum, of each alike; mix them.    

XXXIV.  
When many Pustules break out together, and being rubbed, they issue out a yellowish water, than 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 of washed Lithargire one ounce, of Frogspawn an ounce and a half, the juice of Housleek, and the juice of Water-lilies, of each three ounces; mix them, and apply them in the night time.   

Another.  
Take of Rose-water two ounces, in this dissolve a dram of Camphire, and anoint the Soar with it.    

XXXV.  
When the Nose burns exceedingly, and being rubbed, there comes a hard scurf upon the place, which continueth so a year.  
And at last, it turns to a Fistula.  

Cure.  
We must not use any of those things for this, which are used in the cure of a Fistula: But use this Ointment following.  
Take the juice of Agrimony an ounce, the juice of Onions half an ounce, the Oil of Dill an ounce and a half; Mix them, and in this mixture dip a linen cloth which you shall apply to the Soar, until the cure be done.    

XXXVI.  
If there be a swelling in the Throat, with a pain in the Head, it turns to a Squinancy, and afterwards to an Ulcer.  

Cure.  
It is cured with the water of .   

A Gargarism to wash the Mouth and Throat.  
Take of Pellitory one ounce, the juice of Saint Johns-wort two ounces, the juice of Ars-smart three ounces, of Oximel Scylliticum six ounces; mix them.   

Another.  
Take the Liquor of Mmmmy one ounce, the juice of Ars-smart two ounces, of Vinegar three ounces: Mix them, and therewith wash your mouth and throat.   

The cure of the Squinancy.  
There are three Medicines which we must use in this Cure, viz. a Gargarism, a Plaster to be applied outwardly, and a remedy for the pain and heat of the head.   

The Gargarism.  
Take the honey of Roses four ounces, round Birth-wort, and Winter-green, of each half an ounce, the water of Prunes, and the water of , of each seven ounces; mix them, with this wash your mouth, letting it fall down to your throat three or four times a day; this Gargarism doth good, if the Aposthume be broken, but not else: And if there be a very great swelling, then apply outwardly this following Plaster.  
Take the Mucilage of Faenugreek ten ounces, white Lead two ounces, of Camphire made into powder, half an ounce; make them into a Plaster, this Plaster will take away both the swelling and pain: In the mean time you must also use this following remedy for the pain and heat of the head.  
Take red Rose-water, the water of Shepherds-purse, the water of Nightshade, the water of Housleek, of each alike; mix them, in this dip a linen cloth, which you shall lay over all the head.    

XXXVII.  
When any have from the Womb some spot in their body, blue or black, or clay coloured.  

Cure.  
Take the flowers of Beans half an ounce, the burned shells of Eggs two ounces, Sal Peregrinorum one pound, the water of Comfrey, and spirit of Wine, of each fifteen ounces; distil them, and in the water distilled dip a linen cloth, and apply it to the spot.   

Another.  
Take Plum-allum and Roch-allum, of each one pound, and distil a water from them, to which add Camphire half an ounce, Salomons-Seal two ounces, distil them again, and dip a linen cloth in the water distilled, and apply it to the spot.    

XXXVIII.  
When there are dry clefts or chaps in the hands or soles of the feet, without Scabs.  

Cure.  
Take the meal of Barley and of wheat, of each one ounce, of Winter-green, Agrimony, Centory, , of each half an ounce, boil them in water, and set your chopped hands or feet over the water, to receive the vapour of the decoction; this you must do every day four or five times.  
Then purge the blood with this: Take Germander and Succory, of each alike; boil them in wine, and drink it; this Potion will purge and rectify the blood.  
Then anoint the chaps or clefts with this ointment: Take Petroleum, the fat of a wild Cat, Heart's grease, Hog's grease, of each half an ounce, set them over the fire, and mix them, with this anoint the chaps morning and evening.    

XXXIX.  

The cure of Warts.  
Take the Oil of Juniper Berry's one once, the oil of Spike two drams, Oleum Laterinum or Brick oil, seven drams; mix them, and with this anoint the Warts.  
You may also drink the decoction of Germander and Succory to cleanse the Blood.    

XL.  
If there be chaps in the entrance of the Fundament or Matrix, which burn, and are very troublesome to the Patient, when the Excrements or Urine are evacuated. At last, they turn to be a running soar inwardly.  

Cure.  
For the chaps of the Womb: Take Aloe Succotrine one ounce, the root of round Birth-wort three ounces, of washed Turpentine, so much as is enough to make a Pessary, with the Aloe and Birthwort, which must be put up into the Womb.   

Another.  
Take the Mucilage of Flea-wort one ounce, the oil of bitter Almonds three ounces, the juice of the Flowers of Vervain six ounces: Mix them, and dip a linen cloth in this mixture, which you must apply to the place where the chaps are, every third hour.   

Another.  
Take the juice of Winter-green, the juice of Comfrey, of each four ounces, the flowers of St. Johns-wort, of the Flowers of , and the Flowers of Centory, of each one ounce, of Betony seven ounces, the oil of Dill four ounces; mix them.   

Another.  
For the chaps of the Womb and the Haemorrhoides: Take of Mummy one ounce, of red Lacca half an ounce, the powder of Oranges, and the powder of Antimony, of each two ounces; make them into powder, and mix them.    

XLI.  
There are some swell, in which are bred small worms like Lice, which grow broad, and they make a reddish scaly scurf, like the scales of Fishes.  
Those who dig salt Mines, as Coperas Mines, or boil Salt, or dig Copper, etc. are troubled with such Tumours.  

Cure.  
This Tumour requires outward Medicines, not inward; let it be anointed with this ointment.  
Take the oil of Juniper Berry's half a pound, the oil of sweet Almonds one pound, the oil of Beachwood eight ounces; mix them, and anoint the Tumour therewith.   

Another Ointment.  
Take of the oil of Spike half an ounce, the oil of Oak three pound, Cat's grease a pound; mix them over a fire, and anoint the T●mor therewith: It is a good Preservative to keep us from the hurt of these Mineral Vapours.    

XLII.  
A swelling without pain, retaining the natural colour of the skin, and being pressed, it retaineth a dimple after the pressure.  
At last, it putrefieth first inwardly, and then breaketh out into a hollow Ulcer.  

A Caution.  
This Tumour must be cured by outward Medicines, and not by inward Medicines.   

Cure.  
We must first open the Tumour, then cleanse it; lastly, fill it with flesh.   

A Medicine to open the Tumour.  
Take Realgare one dram, Talce three drams, of Misselto so much as is sufficient to make the Plaster, which you must apply to the Tumour, until it be opened.   

The cleansing Medicine.  
Take of Colophony an ounce, of Wax four ounces, of Turpentine so much as to make the Plaster, with this Plaster cleanse the Soar.   

The Consolidating Medicine.  
Take the juice of great Comfrey, the juice of round Birth-wort, of each two drams, of the yolks of Eggs and Turpentine of each alike, so much as to make the plaster; keep this Plaster at the soar until the cure be done.    

XLIII.  
A hard swelling which will not be soft, nor will not break, but continueth firm and hard, you may soften it and ripen it with this Medicine.  
Take of Varnish half an ounce, the Mucillage of Faenugreek four ounces, the water of Sea-holly, and the water of sharp pointed Dock, of each two ounces, the juice of Marsh-mallows three ounces; mix them, and apply them to the swelling.  

Another.  
Take the Oil of Lithargire, Colophony, Mummy, the oil of the yolks of Eggs, of each one ounce; mix them, and apply them.   

The oil of Lithargire is made thus.  
Take Alum, Vinegar, and Lithargire, and boil them together, until the Vinegar be almost consumed; then add more Vinegar and more Alum, and boil it again, and thus you must do until the Lithargire be turned into an Oil.    

XLIV.  
If there be rise under the ears, and about the ears, with a swelling, and the third day after they grow red; then the Patient is troubled with a pain and heat in his head, and a swelling in his throat.  
At last, It turns to a putrefaction, and goeth inward.  

Cure.  
We must first ripen and break the Aposthume, then cleanse it, and lastly consolidate it, or fill it with flesh.   

The maturative or ripening Medicine.  
Take Oleum Laterinum, or oil of Bricks one ounce, Oppopanax half an ounce, dissolve the Oppopanax in Vinegar, then strain the Vinegar through a cloth, and boil it, until it be boiled away, and the Oppopanax remaineth dry; then put to it the oil of Bricks, and make them into a Plaster.   

The cleansing Medicine.  
Take Honey and , of each an ounce, of round Birthwort and Aloepatick, of each one dram; make them into a Plaster; this Plaster you must apply to the Aposthume, after it is opened.   

The consolidating or fleshing Medicine.  
Take the yolks of four Eggs, of the best Turpentine three ounces, of Wheat meal and Barley meal, so much as will make a good mixture for a Plaster.    

XLV.  
If any part of the Body exceedeth its proportion, and is bigger than it should be; not through any disease, but by a natural growth, without any pain in that part, or in the Stomach; For if there be any pain in the Stomach or Breast, it is a sign of a Ptisick.  

Cure.  
Take of the Lees of Wine ten ounces, of the Spirit of Wine four ounces, the fat of a Fox five ounces, of the Oil of Dill nineteen ounces; Mix them, and make an Ointment, wherewith you must anoint the part so grown.    

XLVI.  
The swelling in the Cod, and betwixt the Groin and Privities, commonly called a Rupture; there be three kinds of it: There is a waterish swelling, a windy swelling, and a fleshy swelling.  
You may know the waterish swelling by this, If you press it with your finger, it will leave a dimple in it; this waterish swelling, if it be not cured, it will at last putrify the Testicles and the Cod, and turn to a Bubo; if it continue three weeks or a month, it is incurable.  

Caution.  
Before the Physician entereth upon the cure, let him well consider which of the three kinds of swelling it is; for if he should mistake, and apply unfit Medicines, it would be very dangerous.  
Obs. That cleansing Medicines or drying Medicines are not fit; this Tumour must not be opened.   

Cure.  
Take of Figs one pound, the Oil of Juniper-Berries four ounces, Bean-meal six ounces; mix them together over the fire, and apply them to the swelling as warm as the Patient can endure it, thrice a day, viz. Morning, at Noon, and Evening.   

Another.  
Take Bean meal one pound, the seed of Flea-wort, and the seed of Quinces, of each an ounce, of great Comfrey four ounces, Wine and Vinegar, of each so much as is requisite to make a Poultis.    

XLVII.  
The second kind of Tumour of the Cod is a windy Tumour, which you may know by the hardness of it, and stretching of the skin; it makes the Cod to be without feeling.  

Caution.  
We must not open this Tumour, and we must beware of drying things.   

Cure.  
Take the oil of sweet Almonds two ounces, Bean meal half an ounce, Pigeons dung and Goat's dung, of each three ounces, of Vinegar so much as is sufficient to make a Poultis, which must be applied very warm, morning, evening, and at noon.   

Another.  
Take of common Rosin six ounces, of Mummy five ounces, of Elder buds one ounce; mix them.   

Another.  
Take of Turpentine half a pound, Cummin-seed four ounces, of Lettuce-seed six drams, of Wax so much as to make them into a Plaster.    

XLVIII.  
The third kind of Rupture or Tumour of the Cod, is a fleshy Tumour, which may be disearned by the touch, it is firmer than the waterish swelling, and not so hard as the windy swelling; it is a superfluous flesh, sometimes within the skin, sometimes growing without the skin.  
If it doth not ripen in five weeks, it is incurable.  
At last, it putrefieth, and turns to a Fistula.  

Caution.  
You must not take Potions for this Tumour, or any inward Medicine; and you must not apply to the Tumour any fat thing, or any drying thing.  
And remember this, that we do not reckon distilled oils among fat things.   

Cure.  
In this cure we must use Plasters, and Chyrurgical Instruments.   

The Plaster is made thus.  
Take of Oleum Laterinum, or Brick oil, seven ounces, Oppopanax, Galbanum, Bdelium, of each three drams, of Bean-meal three drams, four Figs, of Camphire and Ruc, of each one dram: Mix them together over the fire, and make them into a Plaster, this softeneth, ripeneth, and putrefieth the Tumour, and keepeth the Tumour that it shall not be bigger, nor be any more painful.  
This Tumour, as also any superfluous flesh, or any hard Tumour, as Warts, Corns, etc. may be dissolved by these following Medicines, viz. Distilled oil of Bays, the oil of Nuts, the oil of black Poppy seed, the oil of Dill, the distilled oil of the fat of a Cat, the Spirit of Wine distilled with Beans, or with the seed of Flea-wort, the water of Pepper-wort, the water of Swallow-wort, the water of red Ars-smart, the water of Sea-holly, the juice of sharp pointed Dock, etc.    

XLIX.  
When a woman's Monthly Courses do not keep their right time, but sometimes comes sooner, and sometimes later, and much water comes down with the Courses; likewise when the Urine is evacuated, there comes out corrupt matter with it, and there is pain in the Matrix and in the Belly; and in the time of the act of Venery, this pain of the Womb and Belly is greater: If it continueth so a Month, there comes forth Blood; and if it continues a year, it than comes to be an incurable Ulcer.  

Caution.  
Abstain from Purgations, cleansing Medicines, and consolidating Medicines.   

Cure.  
In this cure we must use three kind of Medicines, viz. Potions, Ointments, and Pessaries.   

A Potion.  
Take of Agrimony, Sanicle, Winter-green, and both kinds of Periwinkle, of each one Scruple, of round Birth-wort one ounce, of Parsnap, and of small yellow Rapes, one ounce; put your Herbs in new Claret wine, or new Ale or Beer, and let them lie in it four or five days; then drink of it every morning a draught: You must use this kind of drink half a year.   

Another Potion.  
Take of Larks-Spurre half a pound, of round Birth-wort six ounces, Lady's mantle and Sanicle, of each ten ounces, of small Sea-Buck-horn one pound and a half; put them in Beer, or Ale, or Wine, four or five days, then take a draught of it every morning.  
Let the patiented use this following Salt with her meat: Take Frankincense, Mummy, the Stone Haemmatites, of each two ounces: Make them into powder, and mix them with half a pound of common salt made into fine powder, let every thing be seasoned with this salt which the Patient eateth.  
Then she must put up into the Womb this Pessary: Take the water of Plantain, the water of small Sea-Buck-horn, the water of Ars-smart the water of St. John's wort, of each half a pound, of Earthworms six ounces, of Iragacanthum one dram, of Comfrey, the leaves of long Birthwort, of each three ounces, and mix them with the best white Sugar, and make them into Pessaries of that bigness as is fit, to be put up into the Womb once a day, and there to continue four or five hours at a time.   

Another.  
Take the juice of St. Johns-wort, the juice of Ars-smart, of each half a pound, of Prune-water, and Cherry-water, of each one pound, of Turpentine washed with Rose-water seven ounces: Mix them, and make a Pessary to be put up into the Womb twice a day, or oftener, as necessity requireth.   

Another Pessary.  
Take the Oil of St. Johns-wort, the oil of Ars smart the oil of round Birth-wort, of each one pound; the oil of Frogs, the oil of Earthworms, of each twelve ounces, the oil of the yolks of Eggs one pound and twelve ounces: Mix them, and dip a linen cloth in the mixture, which must be put up into the Womb.   

An Ointment for the Patients back.  
Take of Mercury, purged from its cold substance and eating biting faculty, half an ounce, of Bolus Scissus three ounces, of Heart's grease half a pound, the oil of Dill, and the oil of the yolks of Eggs, of each six ounces: M x them together over the fire, and anoint the back therewith twice or thrice in a day, or you may put so much Wax to them as to make them into a Plaster, to be applied to the back.    

L.  
If a Woman's belly be big, as if she were with child, nevertheless she hath her Monthly Courses; and sometimes her Belly is big, sometimes it lesseneth; but in some women their Belly continueth in the same bigness, and hard, & some women have pain with it, and some are without pain: This is a false Conception, which continueth with a Woman during her life.  

Cure.  
I will first show you how to drive out a false Conception, than I will give you a Preservative to keep you from a false Conception.   

A Medicine to drive out a false Conception.  
Take of Oriental Saffron four ounces, of salt Borax half an ounce, of Amber half an ounce, of Scammony six drams, of the Azure stone one dram, Oppopanax boiled in Vinegar, and the Vinegar boiled away, until the Oppopanax be almost dry; then take so much of this Oppopanax as is sufficient to make Pessaries, with the former Ingredients, to be put up into the Womb.   

Caution.  
But remember this, that this Medicine cannot be safely used, if the Patient hath carried this false Conception as long as she should have carried a child, and that it is grown so big, that the passage will be too narrow for it to come out, for than it would endanger the Patient's life.   

A Medicine to preserve a Woman from false Conception.  
Take of Agarick Torchiscate one ounce, of Euphorbium half an ounce, of Oppopanax an ounce and a half, let the Oppopanax be dissolved in Vinegar, then strain the Vinegar, and boil it away, until the Oppopanax be almost dry; then mix the Agaric and Euphorbium with it, and make them into Pessaries; put up one of the Pessaries into the Patient's Womb, before the false Conception be big, and in one night if it make not the swelling fall, than she is with child.    

LI.  
When there comes out of the nose yellow stinking corrupt matter, with pain in the head, or without pain; or if there comes out of the ears putrid stinking matter; or if the Patient spit loathsome stinking matter; or if he evacuate corrupt matter with his Urine; or if his dung excrement hath changed its natural colour; or if his sweat stinketh; or if the Monthly courses of Women change their colour without pain in the back or thighs.  
If any of these continue with the Patient four years, sometimes ceasing, and then returning, it is a sign that it will continue with the Patiented all his life time.  

Cure.  
For the corrupt Excrements of the Nose: Take of Darnel, the seed of Gith, black Hellebore, of each one scruple, of Marjoram and Sage, of each half a dram, of Musk two grains; make them into a sneezing powder, take a little of this into the Nose every morning.   

For the corrupt Excrements of the ears.  
Take of Scammony one scruple, of Bdelium one dram, of Wax one scruple and a half; make them into a plaster, which must be made into long small pieces to be thrust into the ears, when the ears begin to purge out this corrupt matter.   

For corrupt Matter voided in the Urine.  
Take of Oriental Saffron half a dram, of the hairs which grow under the tail of a Hare, half an ounce, five Cantharideses: Make them into a powder, and mix them; put them in a little linen bag, which you must lay under the Yard, near to the Fundament, right under the Bladder, and let it lie at the place a day or two, until no more corrupt Matter is voided with the Urine.   

A Medicine to rectify the Dung-Excrement.  
Take of Scammony one scruple, of Haermodactils, and Turbith, of each one dram, of Honey, so much as to make them into Suppositaries.   

For the stink of the Sweat.  
Take of Treacle two drams, of the Spirit of Wine two ounces, of Euphorbium seven grains: The Patient must go into a Bath when he takes this, afterwards let him keep himself warm in his Bed, and sweat: Thus he must do three or four times, or oftener, until the stink of the Sweat be quite gone.    

LII.  
If after rubbing of any place there follows a red swelling, which afterwards turneth into an Ulcer.  

Cure.  
For the swelling before it be turned into an Ulcer: Take the oil of Roses six ounces, of slacked Lime three ounces, of Camphire five drams; mix them, and lay them upon the swelling.  
But if the swelling be changed into an Ulcer, then take of Frog spawn one ounce, the oil of Camphire two drams, of the juice of Poppy, and the juice of Henbane, of each one ounce; mix them, and lay them to the Ulcer, to take away the heat of it.  
Then take of the Apostolorum Plaster, and the Diaquilon Plaster, of each half an ounce, of Mummy three ounces, of Ceruse, or white Lead, two drams, of Camphire one dram: Mix them over the fire, and make them into a Plaster, which must be applied to the soar, until the Cure be done.    

LIII.  

For Corns in Feet or Hands. Caution.  
You must not cut Corns so deep, as to cut the quick flesh; and you must not use Corrosive Waters to them; for in so doing, you may cause a dangerous Ulcer to follow.   

Cure.  
Take the Oil of Juniper Berries, and Agarick, of each one dram, of Ox Gall two drams; mix them, and lay them to the Corn, until the Corn groweth dry and black, and gins to moulder away: then apply to it the Plaster Oppodeltoch some four or five weeks, until the cure be done.   

Another.  
Take Realgare one scruple, of the Oil of the yolks of Eggs half a dram, of slacked Lime half a dram; mix them, and lay them to the Corn, and they will make the Corn black, and consume it.   

The Oppodeltoch Plaster.  
Take of Colophony two ounces, the powder of Celendine, and the powder of Orange skins, of each half an ounce, of the best Turpentine so much as to make them into a plaster.    

LIV.  
When in any part of the body there is a hard immovable tumour or Excrescency of flesh, growing to the Muscles, which groweth still bigger, and at last makes the member crooked where it is; it also weakens the guts, causing great windiness in them.  

Caution.  
You must not use the Chirurgeons Instruments to this, nor any such Medicines which are used for Aposthumes.   

Cure.  
You must do no more to such tumours or Excrescencies, but to hinder their increasing, which is done by this Ointment.  
Take of the Oil of Myrtles two ounces, of the oil of Nutmeg half an ounce, of the marrow of an Ox two drams, of Petroleum two ounces and a half: Mix them. Herewith you shall anoint those places where the Spermatick vessels lie most outwardly, the back and thighs once a month.    

LV.  
When there are spots in the skin of the face, or elsewhere, of a yellow or clay colour, etc. If they stay constantly in the place, or if sometimes they vanish and return again.  

Cure.  
Take of Turnsole and Germander, of each three ounces, of the best Manna half an ounce, of Parmacity, and Bay-berries, of each ten drams, the water of Baulm, the water of Vervain, the water of Valerian, of each five ounces: Put your Herbs into the Waters, and let them lie in the waters two or three days, and when the spots begin to come out upon the skin, take three or four ounces of those Waters at a time.  
Observe. That Turnsole is a singular good Herb, it wonderfully reneweth the blood and flesh.     

A Treatise concerning long Life.  

CHAP. I. All Medicines divided into three sorts, according to the threefold Age of Man; showing, that each Age must have its own Medicines proper for it.  
SEeing there are Medicines which can preserve the Body of Man for many Ages from Diseases, Corruptions, and Superfluities; or if there be any infirmity or corruption in the Body, they can cure it: It ought to be the care of every Physician to know them, and to know them throughly; for there are very many tedious Diseases, and many Maladies incident to the Body of Man, which are rooted out by these Medicines, which prolong life.  
In this discourse of long Life, I will first give you the Theory of it, and then the practice, that you may fully know all that concerns long Life.  
I would not have any to doubt of this, that life may be prolonged, for these two Reasons. 1. Because it doth not appear that there is any certain day or hour of any man's death. 2 Because we have Medicine prepared for us, by him who hath created us, both to preserve us from Diseases, and to drive out Diseases.  
Hence we may conclude, that neither Diseases bring Death, neither is Death the cause of Diseases; nay, Death and Diseases agree no better than fire and water: A natural Disease hates Death, as every part of the living Body hates Death.  
I intent in this discourse to speak to those of my own way, who by great skill, and daily experience have searched into, and do know the propertie● and natures of things, which are hid and unknown to presumptuous and titular Doctors: And I do affirm this as a most certain truth, That the Body may be restored, changed to the better, yea wholly renewed: As it is to be plainly seen in Metals, which may be so purified, that they shall be afterwards free from any rust; so likewise dead Body's, if they be embalmed, do not putrify afterwards.  
Some perhaps may dislike my Writings, because they are short, and because of those Examples which I use; but my Writings are not therefore to be slighted, seeing I use only the examples of such things which are or may be done by Nature; as in this comparison of Metals with the Body of Man: I know that there is great difference betwixt these two, yet they are both preserved one way, as experience teacheth.  
If a dead Body can be preserved by Balsam from putrefaction or decay, how much more may a living Body be so preserved.  
Now there are three parts of Man's Age, viz. young Age, middle Age, and old Age; and each of these must have such Medicines for prolonging life, as are proper and suitable to them; therefore there must be also three kinds of Medicines for the conservation of Life, according to these three Ages. We may likewise say that there are three parts in long life, according to those three parts of man's Age: for many might die in their Infancy, many in their middle age, etc. if their life were not prolonged by the help of Medicines.  
We cannot have any certainty, that an Infant, or a strong young man shall outlive a weak old man: No part of man's age hath any certain time of death appointed to it; the Infant in the Mother's Womb may have many things befall it, which may be the cause of great weakness in the child, or incline the child to diseases; and that Infant which is very weak when it is born, the strength of Nature is abated and lessened in it, as it is in old age: And therefore those Medicines which are the helps of long life, must be given to this Infant, anointing the Nurse's breast therewith, which the child doth suck, etc. as you shall hear more at large afterwards in the practice of long life: For by these Medicines of long life, the strength of Nature is increased, and life prolonged, after the same manner in an Infant as it is in old age.  
Or if a young man runs into so great excess of Drinking or Venery, etc. that thereby his body wastes away, and Nature decays, etc. we must use the same Method of curing him, which is used for prolonging life in old age; viz. by restoring the decayed strength of Nature, and preserving nature afterwards in its strength.  
Old age gins with grey hairs, which if it be subject (as ofttimes it is) to weakness and sickness, it must be timously helped, and the Medicines of long life are to be used; but those old people who are free from sickness, and have much of the strength of Nature, they are only to use these Medicines accordingly as their necessity requireth.  
Remember then this threefold partition of the age of man, viz. Young age, which gins with Infancy, and continueth to the full growth of the Body; middle age, which gins when the Body is come to its full growth, and continueth to the time of grey hairs; and afterwards comes old age: Remember likewise, that each of these ages require such Medicines of long life, which are proper, and most agreeable to them, as was said before.  
It may be, this will be objected to me by the Empiric Physicians, that if we may have such Medicines for preventing death, for curing diseases, and prolonging life; how then comes it to pass, that great men, as Princes, Kings, Emperors, Noblemen, etc. ordinarily live not so long as others? they are more subject to infirmities and diseases than others, so that they live not out the half of their days. Certainly if there were any such Medicines, these great men would have them.  
I answer, the causes of this are well known to me and to those of my way; we little regard such vain, foolish, unlearned objections; yet I will answer it, that I may give satisfaction to all who desire to be resolved in it.  
And we say, that we know not any King or Prince in our times, neither have heard nor read of any in former times, who have used these Medicines of long life, except only Hermes Trismegistus; or if there have been others, they are not known to earthly men: This I do not speak as in answer to the Objection, but my answer is this, That the Physicians of Kings, Princes, Emperors, etc. do know less in Physic they the Country people, and this is the cause why they cannot bring health, but death to their Princes; and while Princes use the counsel of such Physicians, it is impossible they should enjoy health and long life: And this answer concerns those ignorant Doctors, who have nothing of a Physician but the name.  
I give another answer to the Objection, which is this, That the intemperance of great men is most often the cause of their short lives; and this they have as part of the reward of their wickedness: And this I think sufficient for answer to this Objection.   

CHAP. II. The Division of Medicines according to the difference of diseases, and what is the chief use of Medicine.  
YOu have heard, that as there is a threefold difference of man's Age, so there must be three kinds of Medicines, for each age hath its Medicines proper to it. Now I will show you the several kinds of diseases, and the several ways of curing those diseases.  
And first, Some diseases come of intemperate, disorderly living, as hydropsy, Jaundice, Gout, Falling-sickness, Pleurisy, etc. and some diseases come from the Times and Seasons, & other accidents concurring with disorderly living, as Pestilence, Madness, etc. These kinds of diseases are cured by the Medicines of long life.  
Secondly, Some diseases are natural, which proceed of natural external causes, and those diseases are to be cured by natural Medicines.  
Some diseases are unnatural, viz. such as come by Enchantments, Superstitions, etc. I wish our Physicians not to meddle with such diseases, for they seem to me to come upon people by God's permission as punishments; and if so, they are not curable.  
I know much may be done in this case by Images Rings, etc. which are preservatives of life of which I will not speak here: I have spoken of them elsewhere, for it belongs to Astronomy to treat of them.  
Thirdly, Diseases which proceed not from the nature of the Body, or from weakness, but otherwise, they must be cured before you use the preserving Medicine; if the disease be hidden and unknown, you ought not to meddle with it; but if it be such a disease as the Gout, Falling sickness, etc. it may be cured by using only the preserving Medicine.  
Not to pass over altogether those diseases which are from imagination, or by Superstition, or by Enchantment, etc. I will here briefly show you the cure of them, and how you may be preserved from them. 1. Mental diseases must be cured in a mental way. 2. Diseases which are from our own imagination, must be cured by Objects. 3. Diseases which are from the imagination of others, must be cured by imagination. 4. Diseases which come by Enchantments, must be cured by contrary Enchantments. 5. Diseases which are caused by superstitious Charms, etc. must be cured by contrary Superstitions.  
Now the ways how we may be preserved from those diseases, are these: First, Is to preserve natural strength. 2. To preserve us from accidental diseases. 3. From mental diseases. 4. From Enchantments. 5. From Imaginations of others. 6. From our own Imaginations. 7. From Superstitions.  
You see, I make no mention of the four humours of the body in this business of long life, because I find, that the conservation of the body and prolongation of life, is only from the strength of Nature, and not from the good temperature of the four humours: Nay, in any cure the four humours are not to be regarded, but only the strength of nature; which reneweth and cherisheth those humours; and therefore that Physician who thinks by rectifying the humours; to make up the defects of the strength of Nature; he is like that man, who having suppressed the flame, thinks he hath quenched the fire, and leaves the live Coals. He who would preserve a Tree, must be more careful of the root then the branches, because the branches have all their nourishment and virtue from the root; and if we do any thing to the Branches when they are faulty, our principal aim therein, is to cherish the life and strength of the root, for hence the branches have their life and virtue.  
Now as the root of the Tree is to the branches, so is the strength of nature to the humours of the body; so that if the humours of the body be distempered, we do not therefore lose our health, unless by this distemper the root of life, etc. the strength of nature be wronged; and therefore what we do in rectifying the distemper of humours, we do it for the conservation and cherishing the strength of Nature: This is the chief thing we aim at in the use of Medicine.   

CHAP. III. What Life is? whether, and how it may be prolonged?  
THat we may the better understand the nature of short life & long life, it is necessary that we consider, first, what life is; secondly, which is the chief seat of life; thirdly, by what things life is shortened or lengthened.  
L●fe is not a body, but a thing spiritual, like hearing, seeing, smelling, etc. Now that which is a body, we may easily find it out by the course of Nature, whence it is; but we cannot find 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 find 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 manner: 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 resist fire, and yet we can bring fire from them: After the same manner life comes from these things, in which there is no life, viz. seed, root, etc. 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 lengthened, amended or strengthened, seeing it is incorporal: It is like fire, which having more wood, burns more vehemently: So life, the more it hath of the humour 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 satisfy 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 Oil, and fat substances, etc. as it were living in them, visibly represents life to us; and as a flame decaying is renewed again by adding more wood, etc. yea, when the flame is gone, and there is only live coals, yet by larger additions of suitable matter, the flame shall become greater than 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 man's 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 only in us, that we do not know those Medicines.  
Man's 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. IU. How the Life is prolonged by virtue of the place where we live? by the four Elements? by the Stars? and by the virtues of Herbs?  
THe third thing I promised to speak of, is this, viz. To show you those things by which life in lengthened or shortened.  
And first, The Place where we live, makes much for the prolonging or shortening of our life: There is great difference in Countries, Climates, Cities, Mountains, Valleys, etc. Some are far more agreeable to long life than others; in some places there is better Air, they yield more delight, the vapours which rise out of the ground more wholesome, etc. 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 only that which is hurtful to us, as poison, etc. but we have also that which can cure us, and keep us from the harm of such things, as Gold, Balm, etc.  
Do not think, that we have Medicines created only to cure diseases; for if so, than 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 only such things which can destroy us, or take away our health, but also gives us Medicines, which not only 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 ofttimes 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 recompensed 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 ourselves 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, etc. Now of particular Airs, one may be good and another bad, also one piece of earth is better than another, and some water better than other water; so also fire, some is useful, and some is hurtful, as Lightning, etc.  
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 kind of thing in the world, but there are some good and some evil of that kind: Then here lieth 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 influence of Jupiter to ourselves; or if we would turn away from us the influence of Mars; or if we would draw to ourselves the influences of such other Stars which are good: Now this we cannot do, as we can choose one herb and leave another. I say, we cannot do thus with the stars, to keep off the influence of one, and choose the influence of another, as we please: But thus much we may do, if we observe the Sar before it put out its influence, what is the most likely way of that influence, viz. to what work, business, etc. it inclines most; and if it inclines to a business, etc. of that nature as ours is, than we may by certain helps (as those Images, Rings, etc. which are made for the Planets) draw the influence of that Star to work with us and assist us; but these things I declare more fully elsewhere.  
Fourthly, many Herbs have somewhat lurking in them, which can keep the life of man vigorous and flourishing for many ages; for Herbs have an incorruptible essence, the which when the Body of the Herb perisheth, it entereth into some other Herb of the same k●nde, or it remains incorruptible in the earth: If we receive the essence of an Herb into our Bodies, it stayeth with us till our Bodies perish and be putrified, and then it enters into the earth: So likewise ●he essence and properties of Man's body, leaves the body when it putrefieth. Here we must remember the difference which is betwixt the property of the Herb, and the essence of the Herb; as for example, the property of Hellebore makes Hellebore to be such an Herb, differing from all other Herbs, to have such and such virtues, as Laxative, etc. So that the property of Hellebore can be in no other thing than Hellebore; and when we receive the Hellebore, or essence of the Hellebore into our body, yet we do not receive the property of Hellebore. The essence of Hellebore is the purest material substance of it, containing the life, & all the virtues of the Hellibore in the highest degree: Now when we take this essence inwardly, it mixeth itself inseparably with that humour which is the chief seat of our life, and preserveth this humour from destructive alterations; and so long as this essence lasteth in us, it doth us good; it is of itself durable, yet by the infection of our corruptible humours wherewith it is mixed, it grows weaker, and wasteth in time; as Talce, which cannot be consumed by fire, yet it may be consumed otherwise in length of time.  
I will here add one thing further concerning the virtue of the place where we live, viz. That there are some places which do so agree with the humour of life, and do so preserve it, that those who live there, enjoy a wonderful long life; and there are some other places which makes them immortal who live there. The World may be divided into two parts, the one part is the place of Mortality, where we Mortals live in hope of Immortality by Grace; the other part of the World is Paradise, where death cannot be; for whatsoever is there, it is incorruptible naturally, and not by a Miracle: As our Phylosophick gold preserveth from Leprosy, etc. so it is the nature of Paradise to preserve from death, that whatsoever hath its first being there, it is thoroughly undecayable in all its substance.  
But we who live in this place of Mortality, we have an incorruptible essence; and we have a corruptible Body, which can both be preserved without decaying in Paradise. I will not write much of this, because I have but little experience of it, for the essence of Earth is the centre of our experience, and Paradise is far beyond our Travels; so that what I speak of it, I speak spiritually, as in a dream, rather than waking, signifying to you, that life is there perpetual, continuing to the end of the world; or if longer, that is unknown to us.  
But that you may more fully know how health and long life may be preserved, you must consider the causes of health, and the causes of diseases; now health, and all diseases are either from the mind or from the body. The mind is the cause of such diseases which come by Witchcraft, or our own imagination, or the imagination of another, or the influence of the Stars: For when Imagination or Enchantment take hold of the mind, and make an impression upon it, so as the mind is disturbed, and thoughts multiply and grow so strong, that they overcome reason; then at last, by the power of that Imagination or Enchantment, Reason is quite overthrown, and so the evil operation of the Enchantment or Imagination prevails, and thereby diseases are bred. Thus also the influence of the Stars may overcome the mind, and command it, howbeit it be not bred in the mind, nor depend of the mind, as the former, viz. Enchantment and Imagination; yet it may powerfully incline the mind to good and bad operations; as the Sun which pierceth through the glass, and changeth that which is in the glass according to its own nature. The other cause of health and diseases is the Body, viz. The humours or complexions of the Body, or some predominant quality, or some principal member of the Body; the Complexions are from the Body, and are seated in those humours whereby the Body is sustained.  
I will not here describe those diseases, I conceive it not necessary, neither will I here stay to discover to you the nature and causes of the mind and body, or to tell you what choler is, or what blood is, or what Phlegm is, or what Melancholy is, but I will only give you a hint of those things in general.   

CHAP. V The Life prolonging Medicine described; how it should be used? to what use it is chief intended? and to whom it is most effectual?  
I Now come to the Practice, and first I will speak of natural remedies which are for those diseases, whereof the Body is the cause; and afterwards I will show you how these diseases which come from the mind, are to be cured; which are not to be cured by natural remedies, but they must be cured in such a way as is proper to them.  
First then, to preserve us from bodily diseases, we must have respect chief to the humour of life, which upholds the body, & governs the complexions of the body, etc. & if it be kept in good case, the Body is thereby preserved: We need not be careful how we may renew the Complexions and Qualities of the Body, or how to purge out hurtful or superfluous humours, or how to cure the diseases of the Liver, or Milt, etc. for these preservative Medicines which we use for long Life, can do all this; yea, whatsoever defect or disease is in the Body, they can throughly cure it, and this they do, not by that great virtue they have which is proper to the preservation of the humour of life, and prolonging of life, but by their incorruptible essence.  
In this practice of preserving the Body, three things are to be observed, viz. The government of the Body, the disposition of the Body, the Medicine itself whereby the Body is preserved: As for the Government of the Body in respect of the Country or place where we live, it is not so much considerable as the other two; indeed the chief thing that we are here to consider, is the Medicine, and the right ordering of it: All our confidence is in this Medicine, for this preserves both man and beast; this preserves man however it finds him, young or old, etc. it will not suffer any superfluity or corruption to be in the Body, and it doth so guard the body, that no outward disease which comes by Witchcraft, or from the influence of the Stars, or the Imagination of another, can enter into the Body; neither will it suffer any Tartar to stick to any part of the Body, or to stop any passage in the Body; and if there be any Tartar any where, it takes it away.  
But I must tell you, that he who hath but a vulgar understanding, cannot understand these remedies of long Life, which I set down here: They only can understand them who know the art, or to whom I declare my meaning.  
This following preservative Medicine, which I will now describe to you, it is to be used thus: Take a dram of this Medicine in a draught of good Wine once a Month, if nature be not too much weakened by age; but if nature be much decayed, you must take a dram of this Medicine once a week; and when a man comes to fourscore years and ten, or a hundred years of age, than he must take a dram of this Medicine every third day: This is to be well remembered, that you must use more or less of this Medicine, accordingly as you have more or less of the strength of Nature; for amongst those men who are come to the vigorous part of their age, we see the strength of Nature greater in some then in others, some of them more able than others to endure, etc. therefore this preservative Medicine must be used accordingly, as I have said already. Nature is so weak in some that it cannot be preserved, as those who bring this weakness with them from the Womb, in whom the Foundation of Nature was never sound nor sure; and therefore this preservative Medicine cannot be so effectual to such, as to those who have a firm foundation, because of that defect which is in them, which makes them incapable of the benefit of this Medicine; as we see in Stone and Wood in taking fire, the stone cannot take fire so well as Wood, etc.  
If a Woman use this Cordial Preservative, it will make her Courses continue with her even in old age, yea, and make her fit to conceive and bare children, unless she be naturally barren; for their Spirit of life being strengthened by this Medicine, drives out of their Body whatsoever is contrary to it, and makes every thing in the body be as it should be.  
If a woman use this Medicine when she is with child, that child shall have thereby a very sound and good Complexion.  
Seeing long life depends upon the Spirit of life which preserveth life, and upon the humours of life, whence arise the Complexions and Qualities, as several Branches from one root; therefore we have framed our preservative Medicine according to this, viz. to rectify the Spirit of Life and the humours of Life, and so the mind is also defended from hose troublers of Reason which arise from the Complexions, as sadness, or exsessive joy, etc. we need not then use several remedies for several humours; this one is sufficient to keep those humours from distemper, or any unnatural alteration, to keep the body sound and well, and to keep the mind free from all disturbances.  
I will now describe to you our preservative Medicine for long Life, so often mentioned; it consists of two parts, viz. of Simples, and of Arcana or Quintessences; we would not have the Simples and the Quintessences to be used severally, but we join them together in one Receipt; for the Simples have wonderful virtues, yea almost equal to the Quintessences in prolonging of life; there are some simples which can preserve the Life forty years, and some Simples can preserve the Life an hundred years.  
As the leaves of Hellebore, which can preserve the life an hundred and twenty years: I have declared the virtues of it in that Book which I have written concerning the nature of things: here I will not write much of it, because of people's unbelief, for whatsoever is not ordinary, it can hardly be believed.  
Likewise flowers of Secta Croa can preserve the life an hundred years; there be many more no less admirable Virtues in those Herbs, which I will not mention in this place; but the Quintessences in our Receipt have a greater faculty in preserving, than those Herbs, for they can strengthen, comfort and nourish the Radical humour, or the humour of life, more than the herbs; even as flesh and herbs do both nourish a man, but not alike, for the one yields more nourishment and strength than the other; Nature doth more delight in it, and receiveth it with greater benefit: Now my preservative Medicine or Receipt of prolonging life in men or women for two or three ages, it is this, viz. Take of the Quintessence of Gold, and the Quintessence of Pearls, of each half an ounce, of the Quintessence of Saffron, of the Quintessence of Celandine, and of the Quintessence of Balm, of each five drams, of the leaves of the herb Hellebore, and of the flowers of the Herb Secta Croa; let them be mixed together according to art, then put them in a glass bottle for your use, keeping them close from the air.   

CHAP. VI How we are preserved from those Diseases which come from the Stars, or from Witchcraft, or from Imagination, etc.  
HAving in the former Chapter desribed our preservative Medicine, which is for the preservation of our Body, and to preserve us from those diseases whereof the Body is the cause: I will in this last Chapter show you how to cure the diseases of the mind, viz. Those diseases which proceed from the mind, as also those diseases whereby the mind itself is infected, which are all comprehended under one of these five. 1. The diseases which come from the influence of the Stars. 2. Diseases which are from Witchcraft or Enchantment. 3 Diseases effected by the power of Imagination. 4. Diseases which are produced by our own Thoughts. 5. Diseases which are caused by Superstition.  
And first, to show you how those diseases which come from the influence of the Stars are to be cured; howbeit we cannot know the nature, or causes, or power of the Stars, and therefore we cannot say any thing of it; yet we speak of those effects which are visible, produced by the influence of the Stars, and we say, that the Stars have a prevailing power upon the mind of Man, and their operations are so strong that they overturn the mind, oppress it, etc. We cannot hinder the motions of the Stars, nor can we hinder them to put forth their Influence, yet we may preserve ourselves from that influence: As those who are in a Town besieged, howbeit they cannot hinder the Enemy to fire his Guns upon them, yet they may preserve themselves from the harm of the shot, by keeping themselves within the Walls: So we may keep off the evil influences of the Stars, by those preservatives which may be prepared for that purpose: Now you must remember, that there are two kinds of Influences; there is one kind of influence which is good and necessary to us; that as the body is sustained by nourishment, even so we are sustained, strengthened, and preserved by this good influence; there is another kind of influence which is hurtful to us, this hinders the former good influence, that it cannot have any operation upon us to do us good; and against those hurtful influences, we must provide defensives to preserve us from their harm: Those defensives are the Rings and Images of the Planets, which are made according to the influence, i. e. they are made in the time of a good influence, I do not deny, but that the Rings of the Planets (as I have showed elsewhere, treating of Imagination) have a power to preserve us, and are helpful to the prolonging of life; yet I do not approve of them for many reasons, which I will not mention now.  
The best way how we may preserve ourselves from the evil influences of the Stars, I conceive it is this, To turn off the influence from ourselves, to another thing which will easily yield to the Influence: as for example, If some evil Star, as Mars, etc. be inclined to ruin me, and this inclination hath made some Impression upon my mind, and gins to infect it, whereby I may fall into some disease of the mind; then I must make an Image like a man, upon which the evil influence may have its operation, and so I myself may be saved from the harm of that influence: For a Star being inclined to ruin me, and finding some agreement betwixt me and this Image, and that it hath a readier way to fall upon this Image, and hath less resistance in this Image than it should have in me; therefore it leaves me who am more difficult to work upon, and chooseth the Image which is more easy, where it fulfils its operation with delight: There may be many other reasons given why the influence removes thus from the person against whom it was intended, to the Image; but I will not now express them, for they are not pertinent to the purpose in hand.  
The second thing of which I am to speak, is to show you how we may be preserved from the harm of Witchcraft, that our life be not shortened by it: I have in many other of my writings shown remedies for Witchcraft; but you shall use the same way here for Witchcraft and Enchantment, as you have been taught before for the evil influences of the Stars; for Witchcraft or Enchantment hath the same way of working upon our mind or Body, as the evil influence of the Stars: But here we must use another kind of Object, upon which the operation of Witchcraft must be turned, then that which is used for the influences of the Stars: Thus I do, I make an Image of Wax like a Man, which I set in its own place; and whatsoever evil is intended against me by Witchcraft, it shall be removed from me to that Image, and there it will be accomplished; for the Enchantment proceeding from the mind of the Witch against me, my mind keeps it strongly off, and turns it upon the Image, whereby there can be no harm done on either side.  
The third thing is, how we may save ourselves from the harm of the Imaginations of others; I may be killed by an others Imagination, if it be accomplished in me, if it be not turned some other way from me: I will explain this to you by an example; Suppose I have an enemy who hath an extreme hatred against me, so that he exceedingly desires my death daily, he is no Witch, but only a violent enemy; and this I do not know, that he hath any such malice against me: Now what must I do, that this imagination wrong me not: Certainly the best course that I can take for this, is thus, to settle my mind and to keep it in quiet, free from all passions or disturbance as much as possibly I can, not desiring any revenge, or to do any wrong to any, and by this good temper of my mind, the others malicious imagination against me shall be thus overcome, that it cannot do any harm to me.  
Fourthly, whereas our own thoughts do ofttimes wrong us, as when I think my judgement too weak for such a thing, etc. by this thought my reason is quite overcome, and I lose my reason with it, as I have showed more largely elsewhere: Now the best help for such thoughts, is this, Not to put more upon our reason, than it can easily perform; and so we shall not be troubled with such thoughts.  
Another way to help these thoughts, is thus, If we conceive any thing to be much without the reach of our Judgement, etc. for this we may use the same Image, which we use for the influences of the Stars; and the Image standing in our stead, and is as it were the same with us; then those thoughts which would have wronged us, will vanish, and they will pass from us to the Image, for the Image cannot make any resistance against these thoughts, and there they may be fulfilled without any harm.  
Fifthly, By the thoughts and imaginations many Superstitions are made effectual, which differ much from Enchantment or imagination: As for example, When I hear a Raven upon the top of my house, than I have a Superstitious thought, that this must be a sign of death in my house; now this Superstitious thought growing strong, may either cause sickness, or the death of one who is sick in my house; the truth of this appears ofttimes by experience, and I have given the reasons of this in my Treatise of Superstitions. The way to prevent the harm of such Superstitions, is thus, I must persuade my judgement, that such superstitious thoughts are vain and foolish; and what I esteem to be a certain sign of such or such a thing to come to pass, that this is my error, I must endeavour to convince my Judgement of it, and I must be always careful to exalt my Reason above groundless conceits, and not to entertain thoughts upon the report or fancies of others, nor to conform my thoughts to vulgar opinions; as when I hear the croaking of a Raven upon my house, I must think no otherwise of this, but that it is only the natural act of the Raven, which signifieth no more to me upon my house, then in any other place; and thus this superstitious thought is overcome and made ineffectual.  
A strong conceit of the truth and certainty of superstitious thoughts, is the cause which ofttimes makes them have their effect; but if I examine these thoughts by reason, and so come to see their groundlesness, vanity and folly, this will quite destroy them, and prevent that evil which they might effect.  
This I conceive is enough for those cures of the diseases of the mind: If any do not understand these things which I have written here concerning long Life, it is because they can neither perceive what I say, nor what Nature doth: I do not intent to make those things plainer to them; for what I have written here, I have written it only for those who are grounded in the knowledge of such things, and it is my desire that they may fully understand me.  
If you would know what Diet is best for long life, observe these rules following. 1. Let your meats and drinks be prepared with the preservative Medicine, and this will drive out all superfluous humours which lurk in the Body. 2. If you have any inward diseases, than you must speedily use fit Medicines, as Quintessences, etc. to ripen them: Concerning the causes of diseases, and their proper remedies I will not write any thing here, for that I have done in many other of my Physical Treatises. 3. The best Diet for long life, is a moderate diet, which I need not describe here, seeing it is so well known to every Physician. 4. Let your meats and drinks be rightly prepared, that is, They must be purged from all superfluities, impurities, and whatsoever is hurtful in them; and this is to be done the same way, which is used in the separation of the Elements, as I have described in my Book concerning Restauration and Renovation: Such purified meats and drinks, with a moderate diet, are wonderfully helpful to the prolonging of life; they nourish well, and they never cause any disease in the Body; this cannot be said of other meats and drinks.  
To conclude, Observe, That those purified meats and drinks yield better nourishment to our Bodies, than any other; they do increase flesh and good blood very much, this is their use; and the use of their preservative Medicine is to preserve the spirit of Life and the humour of life.    
FINIS.