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

¶But when a man dyd cough / and were strayght aboute the brest and harte / and had heate therewyth / so that it were taken for an apo∣stemacion.

TAkē a dishe full of Hempe sede / put thereto a litle warm water / braye it well / and strayne it wyth warme wa∣ter / so that it become as a thyn parage. After that when it is colde / geue the patient therof to drinke so muche as he listeth wythout hurte: the same doth mollifye & coole very well / slaketh thyrste / and maketh large aboute the harte. And it is hood to seth that hempsede milke wyth

butter / suppe there of wyth a spoune as hote as ye can suffre it / and in thre dayes ye shalbe whole without hurte or payne. It is good also for stich ab∣out the hart.

But he that hath a consuming cough / and were greatly trauayled ther∣wyth / let hym eate at ones halfe a vnce of suger Benedicti.* 1.1 Then let hym take thre hoopes of a vessell / the one alwaye greater then the other / & hang ouer them a couerled or tent cloth / tied to the roofe or plancher / in the forme of a bell dounwarde / and aboue narrowe / reachinge wythin a foote to the grounde. Vnder thesame set a stoole wyth a hole / but sitting vpon thesame / he maye not reache wyth hys head to the chayne or festeninge. Then take Malowes / Oerstrawe of eche a great handfull / and as much of herbe Va¦leriane / seth thesame in a kettel well couered. After that put them into two robbes / and put the one vnder the stoole wyth a hole / into the other set thy fete as hote as thou canst suffer it / and let the vapor strike vp into the and vpon the naked body / vntill thou be fallen into a sweat. If the tobbe vnder the stole doth cast no more vapor / then laye a hote flintstone therein / so ofte tyll thou be fallen in a sweat: and thys ought to be done in a warme cham∣ber / or hote house. Ye must not trauayl your self to muche / lest ye waxe to fe¦ble: and also if ye be fat / like ye haue a siege before ye attempt thys dry bath. When ye now do sweate well / then laye you doun vpon a bedde in y^e cham∣ber or hote house: and if ye haue yet strength to sweate more / do so / for it is very good: for it weakeneth the harde matter / and maketh easye to be caste out / whereof the cough is engendred. After the bath must ye not go in the wynde / and remayne that nyght in the hote house / or some close chamber / and shoulde eat som thinge that geueth strength / and drinke good drinkes: the meat must be suche as nourisheth well / as are Oetmel gruel / Persely ro¦••es / and suche lyke. This shall ye do thre dayes one after another / & y^e cough shalbe mollifyed without grefe: and if he had a running in his head / wher∣by the congeled matter might be hindered to lose and breake / thys shal brea¦ke it / and voyde it. Take also oft in thy mouth the roote of the herbe called Pelitory of Spayne or Mustarde sede / chawe them / but swalowe thē not: that draweth much corruption doune. If the patient is stronge of comple∣xion / than put a litle Nisinge pouder into his nose / to drawe doune the euill humors / and beware of colde.

He ought also holde hys mouth oft ouer a pott / wherein are sodden Ra∣pes or Nauets / that the hote breth or vapor maye go into his mouth / vntill hys face waxe reed / and he do sweate: and let him kepe himselfe warm ther¦vpon. Thus may he do lykewyse ouer a pott / wherin Appels or Peares are sodden wyth wyne / Ale or Bire.

Item if ye will be ridde of the running / take ix. matches made of brim∣stone / put them into a pot stopped close / saue a litle hole / make thē to burne / hang a clock or some thing vpon thy head / open thy mouth wyde open ouer the pott / and receyue that breth or vapor into it: thys do in the morning and euening / and the running shall breake or fayde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A consu∣mynge cough.