Mel Helleboratum. Page 72. in the Latin Book. Or, Honey Helleborated.
The Colledg] Take of white Hellebore Roots brui∣sed a pound, cleer water fourteen pound, after three daies infusion, boyl it till half be consumed, then strain it diligently, and with three pound of Honey boyl it to the thickness of Honey.
Culpeper] A. What a monstrum horrendum, hor∣rible terrible Receipt have we got here? A pound of white Hellebore boyled in fourteen pints of Water to seven; I would ask the Colledg (if they would not be angry, or if they be I cannot help it) whether the Hellebore will not lose its vertue in the twentieth part of this infusion and decoction (for it must be in∣fused (forsooth) three daies to a minute;) if a man may make so bold as to tell them the truth, A Tay∣lors Goose being boyled that time, would make a De∣coction near as strong as the Hellebore, but this they will not beleeve; well then be it so, imagine the Hellebore still to retain its vigor after being so long tired out with a tedious boyling (for less boyling would boyl an Ox) what should this Medicine do? purge Melancholly say they, but from whom? from men or beasts? for the Medicine would be so strong the Devil would not take it unless it were powred down his throat with a horn. I will not say they in∣tended to kill men cum privilegio, that's too gross; I charibly judg thus, They fearing their monopoly would not hold as being built upon a rotten foundati∣on, intended when it failed to turn Horse-Doctors, and so provided this Receipt against a wet day, For,
A. Either the vertue of the Hellobore will fly away in such a martyrdom, or else it will remain in the Decoction.
A. If it evaporate away, then is the Medicine like themselves good for nothing.
A. If it remain in, it is enough to spoil the stron∣gest man breathing.
A. 1. Because it is too strong.
A 2. Because it is not corrected in the least, and because they have not corrected that, therefore I take leave to correct them.