Section 52

con-
N.ATURAL MAGICK. JbOO\&.
congealed or fetled. Bur wherefore acide things (hould diflblve them, we may thus guefs ihc Reafon : An Egg Laid in any Vinegar fome time , will wax foft , anS his fhell will diffolve Alfo Lead, which is the toughdt and heavielt, if it be laid in a Veffcl of Vinegar, and clofed up?wiil diffovle,and become Ccrufs. By the fame means, Coper, which is of a more folid Nature, if it be ordered as the former, will melt, and become Verdcgreefe. Like wife Pearl, as hard as Flint, which nei- ther iron or fire can diflbJve of themfelves, when they arc heat by the fire , and then Iprinkled w.th V>negar,break and diflolve. Therefore, when we fee rhefe things done before our eyes, we may infer by the fame Reafcns, thar the Stone may naturally be diffolved by acide things , through the fharpnefs of thtii juice. Thus far Vitrttvtui. The place where the Vein is now to be found , is called com- monly Francolife, about a mile from Theano , and runneth along the way to- ward* Rome.
To Jlrengthen the Stomach,
We will not emir a wonderful Oyl, which helpeth conco&ion, and taketh away the inc instions to vomit : it is thus made: Pour half a Pint of the beft Oyl into a bras Pot, tinned within , and of a wide mouth : then t*ke fifteen pound of Romane- Mint, and beat it in a Marble- Mcrttr, with a VVooden-Peftle , until it come to the form of an Oymment ; add as much more Mint and Wormwood , and put them into the O 1: mingle them,and ftir them well : but covet the Pot lcit any dun (hould fall in j and let them ftand three dayes , and infufe : then fet them on a gentle fire, and boyl them five hours for fifteen dayes together, until the Oyl haie extracted all the venue of the infuled Herbs : then Brain them through a Linen cloth in a prefs, or with your hand?, till the Oyl be run cleer our : then tike new Herbs, beat them, and put them into the drained Oyl ; boyl it again, and (train it again : do the fame the third time} and as often as you rent w it, obferve the fame courie until the Oyl have coricra&cd a green colour : but you mull: leparatc the juice from the Oyl \cry carefully ; for if the leaf! drop do remain in it , the Oyl wiii have but imall operati- on, and 'he whole inrent is loft. A certain fign of perfect deco&ion , and of the juice being confumed, will be, if a drop of it, being cart upon a plarc of iron red hot, do not hifs. At laft, Take a pound of Cinnamon, half a pound of Nutmegs, as much Mjftick and Spikenard, and a third part of Cloves : poun them feverally s and be- ing well feirced, put them into the Oyl, and mix them with a Wooden-ftick. Then pour it all into an Earthen VctTel glazed within, with a long Neck , that it may ea- filv be fhur, and ftopt clofc - but let it be of fo great a capacity , that the third pare of it may remain empty. Let it ftand fifteen days in the Sun , alwayes moving,and fluking it three or four times in a day. So fet it up for your nfe.
Chap. VII. That a Woman may conceive,
THere are many Medicines to caufe Conception ipread abroad , becaufe they are much defired by Great Perfons. The Ancients did applaud Sage very muc*i for this purpofe : AndinCoptus after great Plagues , the Egyptians that furvived , forced the Women to drink the juice of ir, to make them conceive , and bring forth often. Salt alfo helperh Generation : for it doth not only heighten the Pleafures of Venn* , but alfo caufe th Fruitfulnefs. The Egyptians,when their Dogs are backward in Copulation , make them more eager by giving them Salt-meats. It is an Argument alfo of it, That Ships in the Sea , as Plutarch witneffeth , are al- w«yes full of an innumerable company of Mice. And fome affirm, That Female- Mice will conceive wirhout a Mile, onely by licking Salt. And FiftVwives are in- fatiably leacherous, and alwayes full of Children. Hence the Poets feigned Venw to be born of Salt or the Sea. The Egyptian Pricfts ( faith the fame Author) did moft Religioi-ifly abftain from Salt and Salt-meats, becaufe they did excite to luft , and caufe erection.
A
Of Thy/teal Experiments* xij
A remedy to procure conception. This I havetryed and found the be f ; when a wormos courfes are pa0,' Iec her take a new-laid e?ge, boil it , and mix a graiB of musk with it, and fop it up when (K e goes to bed. Next morning take fomc old beans , at leaH five years old , and boil them for a good fpace in a new pipkin , and let the woman when ftv- irifcth out of her bed , receive the fume into her privities , as it were through a tunnel , for the fpace of an hour : then let her fop np two eggs , and go to bed again , arid wipe off the moifture with warm clothes : then let her enjoy her husband, and reft a while • afterwards, take the whites of two eggs, and mix them with Bole-armenick and San- ouis draconis,and dip fome flax into it, and applY it to the reins ; but becaufe it will hardly flick on, fwathe it on from falling : a while after, let her arife, and at night re- new the platter. But when {hegoeth to fleep, let her hold ginger in her mouth. This (he mul* do nine days.
Chap. VIIT. Remedies againfi the Pox.
Since this difeafc hath raged fo cruelly among'* men , there have been invented a multitude of moft excellent remedies to oppofeir. And although many have let out fevcral of them , yet I will be contented with this one only, which we may ufe, not onely in this difeale , but almoft in all other : and I have feen many experi- ences of it. It is eafily made,and as eafily taken. Take a pound of lingnum Guaiacum, half a pound of Sarfapcrilla beaten fmall, five ounces of the ftalks and leaves of Sena, one handful of Agrimony and Horfe-tail , a drachm of Cinnamon, and a? much cloves, and one nutmeg : Poun them all, and put them into a veflel which con- taineth twenty gallons of Greek wine; let it Hand a day, and then let the patient drink it at meals , and at his pleafure : for it purgeth away by degrees all maladies, befide the French-pox. If the patient groweth weak with purging, let him intermit fome days. In the fummer time leave out the cinnamon, and the nutmeg. I have uled it againfi continual head-aches, dcafnefs,hoarfnefs, and many other difcafes.
A prefervation againfi the Vox,
which a man may ufe after unclean women. Take a drachm of hartwort and gen- tian, two fcruples of fanders and lignom-aloes , half a drachm of powderof coral, fpodium,and harts horn burnt,a handful of fowthi'Ue, fcordium, bctony,fcabious, and tormentil ; as much of rofes,two pieces of Guaiacum, two fcales of copper, a drachm and a half of Mercury precipitate ; a pint of malmefey, a quart of the waters of fow- thiSle,andfcabious: mix the wine and waters,and lay the Guaiacum in it a day,and then the reft \ then boil them, till half be confumed; ftrain them, and lay alinnen- cloth foakbg in the exprefTion a whole night; then dry it in the lhade : do this thrice , and after copulation, wafh your yard in it , and lay feme of the linncn on j and keep it clofe.
Chap. IX. Antidotes againfi Pojfon.
IT is the common opinion of all Phyfitrans, that thofe herbs, ftones, or any other thing , which being put into a Serpents mouth , doth kill him , is an Antidote againft his poyfon . We read in Viofctrides of the herb Alkanet , which is very effi- cacious againfi the poyfon of Serpents ; and being chewed and fpit out upon a Ser- pent,killeth him. Upon this, I thruft half a drachm of treacle or mithridate , mixt with Aqua vit*y into a vipers mouth,and (he died within half ah hour. I made a wa- ter-ferpent fW allow the fame , but fhe received no hurt by it , onely lay a fmall time ftupificd : wherefore I preffed fomc oyl out of the feeds of citron , and orange or
I f lemons^
%i6 Natural Magick. 8.
lemons , and dropt it into the ferpents month , and flic died prefemly. Moreover a drachm of the juice of Angelica-roots will kill a ferpent. The Balfame, as they call it, which is brought from the weft-Indies, is excellent againft them i for when I anointed their mouth and jaws with it , they died in half an hour. Balfame of the eaft, is a prefent remedy againft poyfon by oymments, or the biting of a ferpent, faith v£tiHt, In Arabia, where it growetb, there is no fear of poyfon, neither dorti any one dye of their bitings ; for the fury of this deadly poyfon , is allayed by the feeding of the ferpents upon this pretious Baliame. But I have found nothing more excellent than the earth which is brought from thelfleof Malta: for the leaft duft of it put into their mouths, kills them prefemly. I have tried the fame vertue in Lithoxylon, which Phyfitians ufe for the worms in children. There is a Hone called Chelonites,the French name it Crapodina,which they report to be found in the head of a great old Toad ; and if it can be gotten from him, while he is alivc,it is foveraign againft poyfon : they fay it is taken from living Toads, in a red cloth , in which co- lour they are much delighted ; fer whilft they fport and open themfelves upon the fcarlet, the flocc droppeth out of their head, and falleth through a hole made in the middle, into a box fet under for the purpofe, clfe they will fuck it up again. But I never met with a faithful perfon , whofaid that he found it : nor could lever find one, though I have cut up many. Neverthelefs, I will affirm this for truth, that thole ftones which are pretended to be taken out of Toads are minerals ; for I remember at Rome I faw a broken piece of ftonc, which was compacted of many of thofe ftones, fome bigger, fome lefs , which Puck on the back of it like limps on a rock. But the vertue is certain: if any fwallowit down with poyfon , it will prefervehim from the malignity of it ; for it runneth about with the poyfon, and aflawageth the power of it, that it becometh vain and of no force.
A moft perfect oyl againft poyfon, often tryed in repreffing the violence of it. Take three pound of old oyl , put into it twohandfullsof the flower of St Johns wort, and let them macerate in it for two months in the fun. Then ftrain out the flowers, and put into the oyl two ounces of the flowers of the lame herb, and fet it to boil in Baineo Mariae a quarter of a day. Stop the bottle clofe, that it may have no vent , and fet it a funning for fifteen days. In the moneth of July, take three ounces of the feed , ftamp it gently, andfteepk in two glafles of the beft white- wine,with gentian, tormentil, white dittany ,zedoary, and carline gathered in Auguft; red landers, long ariftolochie,of each two drams : Lec allthefe mecerate in the wine for three days ; then take them out, and put them in the oyl, and boil them gently in Baineo for fix hours ; then ftrain them in a prefs. Adde to the expreffion an ounce of faffron, myrrhe, aloes, fpikenard, and rubarb, all broiled, and let them boil in it for a day in B. M. atlaft treacle and mithridate , of each two ounces , and let them alio boil in it fix hours as before : then fet it forty days in the fun. It muft be ufed thus : In the plague-time, or upon fufpition of poy- fon , anoint the ftomach and wrifts , and the place abont the heart , and drink three drops of it in wine. It will work wonders.
Chap. X. Antidotes and prefervatives againft the Plague,
I Have fpoken of poyfons , now I will of the plague, being of the fame nature , and cured almoft by the fame Medicines. I will fet down onely them, which in our time have been experimented by the Neapolitanes, Sicilians, and Venetians (whilft the plague was fpread amongft them)to refift the contagion of that epidemical plague, and prefcrve their bodies from infection.
A confettion of Gillyflowers againft the plague, of wonderful operation. Gather fome clove-gilliflowers in the moneth of (JW47, of a red and lively colour, becaufe they are of the greater vertue ; pull them out of their husks, and clip off the
green
Of Thy fecal Experiments. 217
green end , then beat them in a marble mortar with a wooden peftle , until they be- come fo fine as they may hardly be felt. In the mean while, take three pound of fu- gar for one of the flowers ; melt it in a brafs skillet, and boil it with a little orange- flower- water, that may quickly beconfumed. When it is boiled fufficiendy, put in lbme whites of egges beaten, enough to froth and clarifie it, ftill ftirring it, anHi skimming off the froth with a lpoon, until all the dregs be taken our. Then put i« the due weight of flowers, and ftir it with a wooden flice, till it turn red : when it u almoft boiled, adde thereunto two drachms of cloves beaten with a little musk, th mixture of which will both add & excite a fweet fent and pleafantnefs in the flowers Then put it into earthen pots, and fet it up : if you add a little juyce of lemon, it wil make it of a more lively blood-colour. We may alio make Lozenges and rounrf Cakes of it, by pouring it on a cold marble. If any would do it after the beft mm. ner , they mull extract the colour of the flowers, and boil their fugar in that infufi- on, for fo it will fmell lwecter. Some never bruife the flowers, but cut them very fmall with fizers, and candy them with fugar; but they are not very pleafant to car. This confeSion is moft grateful to thetaftc , and by reafon of the feet of the clove?, very pleafanr. The venues of it are thefe, as I have found by experience : it is good for all difeafes of the heart, as fainting, and trembling thereof ; for the megrom and poyfon , and the bitings of venimous creatures , and efpecially againft the infe- ction of the plague. , There may be made a vinegar, or infufion of it, which being rub'd about the noftrils,is good againft contagious air, and night- dcw/s,and all effects of melancholy.
Jgainfl the Plague*
Gather Ivy-berries in LM In April gather goats rue : dry themin the (hade, and make them into powder. One drachm of it being drank in wine, is excellent againft infectious difeafes. The Be- zoar ftone, brought from the welt-Indies , being hung about the neck nigh to the heart ; or four grains of it in powder, being taken in wine, is good againft the plague, and the infection of all peftilential feavors , as I can teftifie : And taketh away foundings, and exhilarateth the heart. The water or oyl, extracted from the feeds of Citron, is a very ftrong Antidote againft the plague, Apparitiui Hifpanut, his oy 1 is alfo approved againft the fame.
Chap. XI.
Remedies for wounds and blows 0
Here are fome remedies for wounds and blows, which (hall not be omitted* for I have found fome of them to be of wonderful vertue.
The ojl ofHifpanusfor wounds and other things.
Take two pound of new wax, four ounces of Wax, asmanyoflinfeed, twoounces of rofemary-flowers , and bay-berries, as many of betonyj of chamomil- flowers, or the oyl of it,threc ounces ; of cinnamon an ounce and a half, as much of St Johns wort , or the oyl of it , two ounces of old oyl. Dry the flowers and herbs in the fhade ; and when they are withered , beat them , and feirce them through a fteve. Melt the wax on the fire, then pour in the oyls, next the powders, ftill ftirring them with a ftick. At length, pour it on a marble, and cut it into fmall dices, and put it into a glafs retort • flop it clofe with ftraw-mortar , and fet it on the fire with his receiver ; ftopthe joynts, and give the indofed no vent, left the virtue flye out and vanifhaway. Firft, by a gentle fire draw out a water ; then encreafingit, and changing the glafs, draw a red oyl; flop them clofe, and keep them for ufe: the qua- lities of it are heating •, by anointing the neck, it cureth all creeks that are bred by cold ; it healeth wounds, helpeththe contraction of the nerves caufed by cold j ic mollifieth cold gouts, and taketh away the trembling of the hands j It may be drank for the Sciatica, taken in wine ; it helpeththe quinfic: by anointing the reins of the