Pharmacopœia Londinensis, or, The London dispensatory further adorned by the studies and collections of the Fellows, now living of the said colledg ... / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent.

The TRANSLATORS PREFACE to the Catalogue of SIMPLES.

BEfore I begin the Catalogue, I thought good to pre∣mise a few words to the Reader.

1. Let him have a care he mistake not one thing for another; viz. Herbs for Roots, or either of them for Flowers: If he cast but his eye up to the top of the Page he shall there see which it is.

2. Let a due time be observed (cases of necessity excepted) in gathering all Simples; for which take these few Rules. The time to gather all roots is before the hearb run up to seed, for then they are softest, as you may see by Radishes, carrots, parsneps &c. the roots of which, you may perceive hard when they run up to seed and not because the sap is then in the root, as the vulgar hold; for if the sap rose and fell as they hold, then the root must grow in winter only, as the branches do in Summer, which experience will shew to be falce; for the root grows only in Summer, as the branches doe; you see what a wooden Docter Tradition is: Would not this make e∣very one endevour to Study a reason for what he doeth? and see how our forefathers have been lead by the noses by Tradition. The truth is, it is the Sun is the author of life and growth to the wholl Creati∣on, he was ordained of God for that end; when he comes on this side of the Equator, the trees spring, when he passeth to the south side of the Equator they loose their verdant color and growth also till the revolution of time bring his presence to revive them; but enough of this in this place.

Herbs are to be gathered when they are fullest of juyce which is, before thy run up to seed; and if you gather them in a hot sunshine day, they will not be so subject to putrifie: the best way to dry them, is in the Sun, according to Dr. REASON, though not according to

Dr. TRADITION: Such Herbs as remaine green all the year, or are very full of juyce, it were a folly to dry at all, but gather them only for present use, as Housleek, Scurvy-grass &c.

Let Flowers be gathered when they are in their prime, in a sun∣shine day, and dried in the sun. Let the Seeds be perfectly ripe be∣fore they be gathered.

3. Let them be kept in a dry place; for any moisture, though it be but a moist air, corrupts them, which if perceived in time, the beams of the Sun will refresh the hearbs and flowers and do the Sun no harm.

4. Take notice, that only the Latin Names, were quoted by the Colledg, & are to beseen at the beginning of each Simple, in a diffe∣rent Letter; the English Name, together with the Temperature, and Vertues, were added by the Translator for the publick good.

5. All the Latin Names to one Herb are not set down, most of which are superfluous, some ridiculons, some Idolatrous; as to attri∣bute one Herb, to the Virgin Mary, another to St. Peter, and a third to St. Paul: Some blasphemous as to call one, the holy Ghost, another Allelujah, another, an Herb of the Trinity &c. So in the Compositions, To call an Oyntment, the Oynt∣ment of the Apostles: to call one Plaister, Divine, another, Holy, a third, the grace of God. The Colledge might have been ashamed of it if they had ever come where shame grew: but,. 1. The Heathen they dedicated herbs and trees to their Gods. 2. the Pa∣pists they must follow their patriarks and dedicate them to their Saints; Ours having not wit enough to find out a third, (for their wits were in print before they were born) they follow the Papists as their holy Fathers as in absconding their art so in their blasphemies, see how one sin ushers in another.