Treatises of fistula in ano : haemorrhoids, and clysters / by John Arderne

Of Valences.

41. Of makyng of valence of scabious or mattefelon.

41. Valence of scabious or of Iacee albe is þus made: Recipe Iuyse of scabious in somer, and cole it þurȝ a cloþe; and tak swyneȝ grese clensed of þe skynneȝ and stamp it wele in a morter in smytyng it bot noȝt in brekyng vtterly; and euermore putte in a litel of þe iuyse to þe grese þat it may wele be imbibed and þat þe talow may be made grene; þe which y-done, tak þat grese and couer it with þe forseid iuyse and so late it stand 9 daieȝ. And after 9 daieȝ take eftsone þe forseid grese with þe iuyse and stamp it as afore, and putte out þat þinne watryneȝ and discolored þat goþ out þerof, and so lat it stande 5 daieȝ. [leaf 173, back] After þe 5 day eftsone tak new Iuyse of scabious and stamp it, as it is seid, with þe forseid grese; þe which

y-done, latte it rest in a vessel with þe iuyse al a fourtnyȝt; which tyme ouerpassed, eftsoneȝ bete it as it is seid afore, and purge it of þe watrineȝ, and putte it in a clene vessel, and lat it stand stil anoþer fourtniȝt, And þan brisse it wele vnto þat it be al of grene colour. And whan þe nedeþ for to vse þerof, as vnto þe antrax,apps putte þerof with þi fynger vpon clene stuppeȝ of lyne, and strech it and lay it on þe antrax anoynted with oile of rose, and remeued it noȝt by a naturel day. ffor without dout it schal slee þe antrax and swage þe akyng, and brist it and vtterly cure it. And þis medyc[in]e is called Valence of scabious for þe valow of it. It may be kepte many ȝereȝ, bot it is better if it be euery ȝere renewed and bette newly with oile roses, and putte vp agayne vnto it nede. And witte þou þat scabious y-dronken sleeþ þe antrax, and putteþ away þe venym of it fro þe hert þat it sle noȝt þe pacient. Also þe same herbe ydronken turneþ inward apostemeȝ to outward and putteþ þam out insensibily. Also witte þou þat new scabious & fresch y-brissed with swynes grese and putte vpon antrax sleeþ it in a day naturel, and takeþ away þe akyng for certayne. Bot for þat scabious may noȝt euermore be had redy & fresch, þerfor was þis medicyne made þat may long be kept, þat wonderfully sleeþ þe antrax and vtterly cureþ it, as I haue proued myself ane hundreþ tymeȝ. Also witte þou þat Iacea alba is scabious, bot Iacea nigra is matfelon. And witte þou þat þat scabious þat groweþ among corneȝ with ane heuenly flour is better þan þat þat groweþ in mydoweȝ þat haþ no flour. After diascorides trowe þou to þis þat it haþe no pere to þe forseid þingȝ wonderfully to be done, and þat softely. I haue proued it a hundreþ tymeȝ for certayne.

42. Of makyng of valence of wormode.

42. Valence of wormode is þus made: Recipe iuyse of wormode, smalach, plantayn, and with swyneȝ grese clensed wele of þe skynneȝ brisse it wele and long togidre in maner as it is seid afore of þe valence of scabious; þe which y-done, kepe it to þin vse. Þis valence of wormode availeþ to brissyngs of leggeȝ and of schynboneȝ, and to woundeȝ þat ar made in þe muscleȝ [leaf 174] of þe armeȝ and of þe leggeȝ with a streyȝt wounde, as of a knyfe or of ane arowe,

[figure]

PLATE IV.—From Sloane MS. 6, Brit. Mus., leaf 176, back.

• (1) A resonable gouernance of laweȝ of lywyng.
• (2) Æsculapius helyd menne with ƚfernices & medicines.
• (3) Aschepius taught to geder rotes and herbeȝ, flowrieȝ and froteȝ.
• (4) Aschepius schewed mesures and quantitieȝ, weghteȝ and wares.
• (5) Aschepius techeth to make puluereȝ confeccionis & electuarieȝ.
• (6) Ypocras & galien schewe certeyne quantitieȝ iu preseruyng.

or of sich oþer. And it availeþ to al woundeȝ for to hold þam opne, and for certayne it mitigateþ wele þe akyng. When þe nedeþ for to vse þerof in woundeȝ, ȝette in first of oile of roseȝ or of violet 2 droppeȝ or þre, and anoynt al þe wounde about of þe same oileȝ, and þe membre þat is hurt. And afterward putte aboue of þe forseid valence vpon softe stupeȝ of lyne, and bynde it competently, and lat it so abide a naturel day. Þis medicyne, forsoþ, represseþ wele bolnyng and akyng and holdeþ þe wounde opne, and gendreþ quitour, and draweþ out venym of þe wounde, and quencheþ þe brynnyng of þe membre. Þis oyntment, forsoþ, luffed I mych; with þis medicyne cured I a fischer at london, which was hurt in þe lacert of his arme of þe prikkyng of a scharp yren standyng on þe gymeweȝapps at þe frere Caromeȝ [cum hac medicina curavi quendam pistenarium apud London. qui ex puncturâ ferri acuti stantem super legimeus ad fratres Carmeli in lacerto brachii læsus.] ; Wherfore he was almost dede, what of akyng, bolnyng, and brynnyng, and what of þe vncouenable cure of a barbour þat putte in þe wounde scharpe tenteȝ of lynne cloþe, and putte aboue diaquilon. His cure, forsoþ, remoued away, I putte to about euensang-tyme of þe forseid valence with anoyntyng of oile of roses, And bifore cokcrow þe pacient was delyuered of akyng and þe arme biganne for to swage,"vnbolne"expand_lessand in the mornyng he sleped wele, and þe arme was purged of quitour by the wounde. Bot witte þou þat I putte no tent in þe forseid wounde, bot al-only with ȝettyng in of oile and puttyng aboue of þe valence without any-þing atuix I cured hym finaly; wherfor I gatte mych honour. At nothyngham, forsoþ, I cured anoþer perfitely with þe forseid medicyne, þat was smyten in þe arme, bot noȝt þorow, with a knyfe; of whos life men despaired for akyng and anguysch of þe pacient.

43. Of makyng a man slepe without pulvereȝ or pilleȝ or enoy[n]tement.

43. Puluis for to make a man sleep agaynȝ his wille, after maner of Ribaldeȝapps and trowans in fraunce, þat felawshypeþ þam by þe waieȝ to pilgrimeȝ þat þai may robbe þam of þair siluer when þai ar aslepe. Recipe semen iusquiamus,appsȝiȝannie, i.[e.] darnel, papaueris nigri, i.[e.] chessede, de radice brionie sicc., ana; brek al-togidre in a brasen morter into ful smal poudre, of which poudre giffe hym in his potage or in a kake of whete or in drynk, & he

schal slepe alsone, wille he wil he noȝt, al-aday or more after þe quantite þat he haþe taken.

[leaf 174, back]

Pillules for to prouoke slepe: Recipe amides dram j, croci dram iii, opii dram j; Make þam wyth watre of roses and make pillule [℞ Amidi ȝj: croci ȝiii: opii ȝi. Confice cum aquâ rosarum et pilulas dein de forma.] and giffe þam; And he þat takeþ þam schal slepe for certayne.

Ane vntement slepyng, with which if any man be anoynted he schal mow suffre kuttyng in any place of þe body without felyng or akyng. Recipe succus iusquiami, [Succus hyoscyami.] Mandrage, Cicute,apps lattuce, papaueris albi & nigri, and þe sedeȝ of al þise forseid herbeȝ, if þai may be hadde, ana; opiiapps thebaici, opii Miconis ana, dram j or ij; fresch swyneȝ grese þat sufficeþ. Breke al þise wele & strongly togidre in a morter, and afterward boile þam strongly and þan cole þam. And if it be noȝt þikke ynoȝ, putte to a litel propoleos, i.[e.] white wex,apps and kepe it to þine vse. And when þou wilt vse þerof, Anoynt his front, his pulseȝ, his templeȝ, his armeholeȝ, and his loneȝ of his heud and his fete, and alsone he schal slepe so þat he schal fele no kuttyng. [Unga frontem pulsus, axillas, volas manuum et plantas pedum et statim dormiet patiens nec incisionem sentiet] Þis is also if a man may noȝt slepe for oþer cause, as in febreȝ or sich oþer, for þis oyntment ouþer schal giffe hym remedy, or þe pacient schal die. Also one grayne of opii thebaici to þe quantitè of dramss., distempered with a pynte of wyne or more after þe miȝt of hym þat schal drynk it, schaƚƚ make hym þat drynkeþ it for to slepe. Also þe sede alon of iusquiami albi giffen in wyne to drynk make þe drynker alsone for to slepe, þat he schal noȝt fele what-so-euer is done to hym. And þis proued I myself for certayne. And witte þou þat it spedeþ for to draw hym þat slepeþ so by þe nose and by þe chekeȝ and by þe berde, þat þe spiriteȝ be quickened þat he slepe noȝt ouer ristfully. Also be þe lech warre þat he giffe noȝt opium without croce for to drynk, for crocus and cassia lignea bene þe freneȝ, i.[e.] bridelleȝ of opii. [Quia crocus et cassia lignea sunt fræna opii.]

44. Of þe maner of wakyng of hym.

44. ffor to wake a man þat slepeþ þus: Putte to his nose gray brede y-tosted & wette in strong vinegre; or put vinegre or mustard in his nose; Or wasch his heued in strong vinegre; Or anoynt his templeȝ with þe iuse of

rubarb. And giffe hym som oþer sternutorieȝ, and alsone he schal wake. And witte þou þat it is gode for to giffe hym afterward castoreum,apps for it is triacle of iusquiamus [theriaca hyoscyami.] & opii & sich oþer, wheþer it be giffen in þe mouþe or in drynk, or it be put in þe nose; for castore chaufeþ & most conforteþ þe syneweȝ colded, and solueþ þe paralysye. And also giffe hym þat conforteþ þe brayne, as castore, nucis moschati, [Myristicæ.] apps roses, nenufare,apps mirtelleȝ & sumac.apps

Notes

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  98/6. Anthrax is considered both by Salicet and by de Chauliac. Salicet (Ed. Pifteau, p. 176) says that anthrax and carbuncle are the same, except that anthrax is the more malignant and acute. It was called "Bonne Bube," says Guy (Ed. Nicaise, p. 100), "in the opposite sense because it is very wicked and very dangerous," just as we call the fairies "good folk" or say of a baby "how ugly he is."
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    100/15. The gymeweȝ. The New English Dictionary gives this word as a variant of gemew or gemow, the plural of gemel, twins; and of a door double. It gives as a quotation 1523, in Kirkpatrick, "Relig. Ord. Norwich" (1848) 170, "Within the White Freris, in Norwich, at the Jemowe door." It would be interesting to know whether the gymeweȝ or Jemowe door was peculiar to the Carmelites.

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    Frere Caromeȝ. It is clear from the Latin text that the Frere Caromeȝ were the Carmelites or White Friars who had their convent and church east of the Temple in London. The Carmelite Convent was founded by Sir Richard Gray in 1241, upon ground given by Edward I. In 1350 Courtenay, Earl of Devon, rebuilt the Whitefriars church, and in 1420 Robert Marshall, Bishop of Hereford, added a steeple. At the Dissolution Dr. Butts was given the Chapter house as a residence. The church was pulled down in the reign of Edward VI, but the refectory of the convent remained as the Whitefriars theatre. The right of sanctuary remained for many years, as is known to every reader of Scott's novels. The Library at Lambeth Palace contains a will (Staff. 2, p. 548, Will 91) dated Feb. 1, 1446, and proved May 12, 1449. The will is made by John Arderne, armiger, who desires to be buried by Margaret his wife, if dying in London, or by Elizabeth his wife, if dying at Leygh. "His body," the document states, "is actually buried in the Carmelite church under the marble tomb with Margaret." The will is dated at St. Margaret's, Westminster, and leaves his effects to John, his son, and Bridget, his daughter.
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  100/33. In 1376, about the time Arderne was writing this treatise, the Commons petitioned the king "that Ribalds ... and sturdy Beggars may be banished out of every town" (Ribton Turner, "Vagrants and Vagrancy," p. 52).

  A truant was any vagabond, beggar or rogue.
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    100/36. Ȝiȝannie is the cockle or tares which the wicked man sowed (Matt. xiii. 25). Darnel was a general name for all kinds of cornfield weeds, says Dr. Prior (op. cit. 64).

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    Chessede is chess-seed, chesses being a name applied to the poppy-chasses and chese boules, from the shape of its capsule.

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    Briony root was looked upon as a powerful hydrogogue purging agent, whilst the juice of the plant was a remedy for gout.

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    The ribald's potion would not have done much harm even in considerable doses.
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  101/10. Cicuta is water hemlock, the Cicuta virosa.
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  101/12. Opium is a tear which flows from the wounded heads or leaves of the black poppy, being ripe. Some promiscuously use it with Meconium, but they do ill; for opium is a drop or tear, Meconium the gross expressed juice from the whole plant. However, they are both of one quality: opium is the finer gum and the stronger, Meconium is the coarser and weaker, yet the more malign.

  "Opium is three-fold. 1. Black and hard, from Syria and Aden. 2. Yellower and softer, from Cambaia. 3. White, from Cairo or Thebes, which last, commonly called Thebian opium, is the best, being heavy, thick, strong-scented like Poppy, bitter and sharp, inflammable, almost of the colour of Aloes, and easie to dissolve in water. The counterfeit when washed colours the water like saffron." (Salmon's "New London Dispensatory," 1678, p. 167, col. 2.)
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  101/16. Propoleos is bee bread. Henri de Mondeville in his "Antidotaire" (Ed. Nicaise, p. 831) says: "85. Cera, en grec Propolis, en Arabe Scham'a (Schamha): elle tient le milieu entre les quatre qualités."
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  102/3. Castor was long looked upon as "a most noble Drug of great use in all distempers of the head." It is the secretion from the cloacal glands of the castor fiber obtained from the Hudson Bay territory. Its properties have hardly yet been adequately tested, and it is possible that it may regain some of its former prestige.
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  102/8. The nux moschata or myristica is the nutmeg, which was looked upon as a comforter of the head and stomach. Mace, which is the arillus of the fruit dried in the sun, has similar properties.
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    102/8. Nenufare is the water-lily used in medicine as an oil, syrup and water. The lily with yellow flowers stoppeth the lask and bloody flux, but the white-flowered lily is the strongest, and is powerful in stopping the Whites, drunk in red wine.

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    Mirtelleȝ is the Rubus hortensis, the garden bramble or dwarf myrtle bush. The leaves astringe and stop fluxes; the fruit and berries bind, cool in fevers, quench thirst, stop vomitings.
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  102/8. The Manuscript stops here abruptly, but I have copied the charm from another source, partly on account of its intrinsic interest, partly because of the sidelight it sheds on the Duke of Clarence's wedding festivities and of Arderne's desire for secrecy.