A most excellent and perfecte homish apothecarye or homely physik booke, for all the grefes and diseases of the bodye. Translated out the Almaine speche into English by Ihon Hollybush

¶A good drinke for one that rageth / and specially if it is come of colde.

* 1.1TAke a quarter of an vnce of beaten saffron / half an vnce of Cina∣mon / half an vnce of aqua vite / and put this into a pint of wyne. The speces ought to be knitt in a linnen cloth. And let him drinke a good draught therof in the morning and eueninge.

* 1.2It is good also if he vse speces in his drinke prepared of thys wyse: Ta∣ke a quarter of an vnce of Saffron / Cynamon a quarter of an vnce / Clo∣wes a quarter of an vnce / Sugar an vnce / make thereof a confection: the∣same doth comforte the head and braynes very well. Or els geue hym the sedes of Peony beaten small / temper the same wyth wine / and geue it hym to drinke / that getteth hym hys wittes.

* 1.3It is good also to take the harte and liuer of a fyshe called a Pyck / and put thesame into a pott wyth glowyng hote cooles / and holde the same to the patient / so that the smoke maye entre into hym. If he is possessed / he can not abyde that smoke / but rageth and is angry.

It is good also to make a fyre in hys chamber of Iuniper wood that is grene / and caste into the fyre Franckincense and S. Ihons grasse or S. Ihons worte:* 1.4 for the euill spretes can not abyde thys sent / & waxe angrye / wherby may be perceiued whether a mā be possessed of an euel spret or not.

The cure of all these euils is (without God will punishe them of a seue∣rall wyse.) They shall take and vse two egges shels ful of Aqua vite / & thre tymes as muche of other wine / mixte among it / a quarter of an vnce of pou¦der of Sene / thesame let hym vse thre morninge fastinge.* 1.5 Or els let hym vse Aqua vite / where in is styped fumitory / or the mary of Walwurt / or th•• stone Lazulus / or Garmander / or Brake of the wall / whyche all do purge black colera or Melancoly: For wyth purginge black colera / is the splene clensed / and there wyth auoyd the straunge thoughtes and imaginacions / the pensiffenesse and melancoly is dryuen out / and the braynes get agayne theyr force or strength / and are encreased. Wherfore if this be done / then is the euell sprete or will dryuen out / and all wycked thoughtes are forgetten. If man be thus tended / than commeth he agayne to hys ryght naturall vn¦derstandinge. Neuerthelesse the forsayde medecins must be ministred to hym ether whan soeuer the panges come vpon hym / or whan he semeth to be fre of them / that they maye minishe by processe of tyme / or els hinder so

muche the lesse. If any chylde weare Peony sede about hys body / no euell sprete can hinder him.

Item x. or xij. sedes of Peony beaten wyth wyne / & then dronke / auoyde the disease called Incubus / that is the Mare / whych is a sycknesse or fanta¦sye oppressinge a man in his slepe / that him semeth a great weyght lye vpon his body / wherfore he groneth and sigheth / but can not speake.* 1.6

If a man were desperate or frantike by fantesyes and hys wittes were spred abrode / if thou wilt gather agayn y^e scattered wittes:* 1.7 thē take a greate basin / set it sedelings to a wall / so that it do leane holy vpon the wall / then take a lauer wyth a cock full of water / set that hygh vpon a coupborde or o∣ther thyng / open y^e cock a litle / so y^t the water drop by litle and litle vpon y^e ba¦sin / and make a ringinge / and runne out of the basin agayn. Into this cham¦ber or place lay the patient / so that he can not se this / nor let not much be spo¦ken to him: then doth he muse and fantasye so much vpon y^t dropping & rin∣ging / what it maye be / willing gladly know what it is / y^t at the last he faste¦neth his wittes / & gathered them agayne. If the water fayle / thē fill y^e lauer agayne. Also may be geuen to him the souerayne water of Buglosse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A drinke for ragīg of colde.
• * 1.2

  Spece••.
• * 1.3

  A sumi∣gation.
• * 1.4

  Fuga dae monū, or Hyperi∣con.
• * 1.5

  A cure generall.
• * 1.6

  Incubus or the Mare.
• * 1.7

  To ga∣ther vvit¦tes stra∣vved.