The surgions directorie, for young practitioners, in anatomie, wounds, and cures, &c. shewing, the excellencie of divers secrets belonging to that noble art and mysterie. Very usefull in these times upon any sodaine accidents. And may well serve, as a noble exercise for gentle-women, and others; who desire science in medicine and surgery, for a generall good. Divided into X. parts. (Whose contents follow in the next page.) / Written by T. Vicary, Esquire, chyrurgion to Hen 8. Edw. 6. Q. Mary. Q. Eliz.

Certaine Rules to bee obferved in Dyet for all them that will enter into any Bath, or drinke the water thereof.

THe counsell of Learned and wise Physiti∣ans is, that no man should at any tim•• goe into any Bath to seeke remedy for any

Sickneffe, except it bee such a one as that the learned Physitians almost dispaire of the hea∣ling of it. If God have smitten you with any Disease, before you goe to any Bath for the healing of it, call to your remembrance how often and wherein you have displeased GOD, and if any of your sinnes come to your re∣membrance, exercise the same no more but be heartily sorie for it, and desire of God forgive∣nesse for it, intending and promising by his mercy and grace never to fall into the same a∣gaine. This counsell is agreeing with that which is written in the 38. Chapter of Ecclesi∣asticus▪ which saith in this manner, vers. 9, 10, 12. My Sonne in the time of thy Sicknesse, faile not to pray unto the Lord, and hee will make thee whole. Leave off from sinne, and order thy hands aright, and clense thy heart from all wickednesse. Then give place to the Physitian, and let him come unto thee, as one that God hath sent unto thee. And a little after hee doth plainly declare, that Sicknesse com∣meth from the punishment of sinne, where hee saith, vers. 15. Hee that sinneth against his Maker, let him fall into the hands of the Phy∣sitian. As Christ in the 5. of John doth also manifest▪ when he said unto the blind man he had healed; Goe and sinne no more, lest worse things chance nnto thee.

Howbeit, wee may judge no man to bee a greater sinner then another, because hee is oft∣ner sicke then the common sort be; for God sendeth unto good men oftentimes sickne••se, not for the sinnes they have done more then o∣ther men, but to keep them in good order, that the flesh rebell not against the spirit. For if that many Infirmities had been a sure token that such a man were a greater ••inner, then should Timothy, which had many Infirmities and sicknesses (as Paul writeth) been a very great sinner; but hee was not so, therefore that argument is not true.

But whether Sicknesse come for to punish sinne, or to hold a man in good nature and o∣bedience, all Sicknesse commeth from GOD; Therefore, for whatsoever cause it commeth of, before ye aske any helpe of any worldly Phy∣sitian, yee must make your Prayers to Al∣mighty GOD, (as the good King Ezechias did,) and if it be meet for you to be healed, you shall be healed as he was.

Then before yee goe into the Bathes, in any wise ye must goe to some learned Physitian, and learne of him, by the helpe of shewing, what Complexion you be of▪ and what Hum∣our or other thing is the cause of your disease; and there after his Counsell, use such Dyet as

shall be most fit for your Complexion and sicknesse. Let no man enter into any Bath be∣fore his body be purged or cleansed after the advice of some learned Physitian, for if any man goe into the bath unpurged, he may for∣tune never come home againe: or if he come home againe, he commeth home most com∣monly with worse Diseases then he brought to the bath with him.

Yee may not goe into the bath, the first day that you are come to it, but you must rest a day or two, and then goe into the bathe.

There is no time of the yeare that is more fit to goe into the most part of all the bathes, then are the Moneths of May and September: but the Spring time is better then any other time is.

The best time of the day is an houre after the rising of the Sunne, or halfe an houre: but before yee goe into the bathe, if your disease will suffer you, yee must walke an houre, or at the least halfe an houre before you goe into the bath.

But you must at no time goe into the bath, except yee have beene at the stoole, either by nature or by art; yee may take a Suppository, or a Glister, and for a great need Savanorolla suffereth Pils, but hee will not suffer that he

that is so purged, enter into the bath, for the space of foureteene houres.

The same Author also, would at the least every Bather should have a stoole once in three dayes: wherefore if any man be hard of na∣ture, and cannot abide Suppositories and Glisters, he pardoneth the Patient, if he be once purged, or goe to the stoole in three dayes, which thing scarcely any other writer that J have read will doe, neither would J counsell any Patient to deferre the going to stoole so long, if there be any meanes possible to make a man goe to the stoole, without his great paine.

If that he be counselled to goe twice on a day into the Bathe, he must see he goe not into it, till seaven houres be past after your dinner, and tarry not so long in it in the afternoone as you did before.

The common time of tarrying in the bath, is commonly allowed to be an houre or more or lesse, according to the nature both of the Bath, as also of the Patient.

Let no man tarry so long in the Bath that he be faint or weak, but let him come out before that time.

Yee must alwayes goe into the bath with an empty stomack, and as long as you are in

it, you must neither eate nor drinke except that great need require the contrary.

Some grant that a weake person may eate a little bread steeped in the juyce of Pome∣granats, Barberries, or Rilts, or in the Syrups made of the same.

Some Physitians suffer a man that cannot abide hunger so long, to take ere he goe in, two spoonfuls of Raisons well washed often∣times with two parts of water, one of wine, or so much of delaied or watred wine, as much as can be holden in a spoone, or a few Prunes sodden and steeped in water, or two spoonfuls of crummes of bread, washed oftentimes with water or wine, tempered as J told before, or a toste put into such water: but let no man drinke in the Bath, except he swound in the bath, or bee in danger of sounding, or else ye must all the time that ye be in the bath, ab∣staine from all meate and drinke.

As long as you are in the bath, you must cover your head well that you take no cold, for it is very perilous to take cold in the head in the Bath, as divers reasons may be laid to prove the same.

When you come out of the Bath, see that yee cover your self well that ye take no cold, and dry off the Water on your body with

warme clothes, and goe by and by into a warme bed, and sweat there if you can, and wipe off the sweat diligently, and afterwards sleepe, but yee must not drinke any thing un∣till dinner time, except ye be very faint: then ye may take a little Suger-candy, or a few Raisins, or any such thing in a small quantity that will slake thirst: for Galen in the 14 De Methodo medendi, commandeth that a man shall not eate nor drinke by and by after the Bathe, untill he hath slept after his bathing.

After that yee have sweat and slept enough, and be clearely delivered from the heate that you had in the Bathe, and afterwards in the Bed, then may you rest and walke a little, and then goe to dinner; for by measurable walk∣ing, the vapours and windinesse that is come in the Bath is driven away.

If the Patient cannot walke, then let him be rubd quickly, and if hee can suffer no rub∣ing, then at some time it were good to take a a Suppositorie, either of Roote, or of a Beete, with a little Salt upon it, or a Suppository of Honey, or a Suppositorie of a Flower deluce, or of salt Bacon▪ or white Sope.

After all these things, then shall you goe to dinner, but you must neither eate very much good meate, nor any evill meate at all.

Wherefore you must rise from the Table with some good appetite, so that you could eate more if you would.

The meates that are commonly of all Phy∣sitians allowed that write of Dyet that be∣longeth to Bathes, are, Bread of a dayes baking, or two at the most, well leavened, and throughly baked, small Birds, and other birds of the fields and mountaines that are of easie digestion, (but Waterchanters yee must not touch) Kids-flesh, Veale and Mutton, or a Lambe of a yeare old, new laid Egges, Phea∣sants, Partridges, Capons, Chickens and young Geese. The meates that are forbidden, are salt Beefe and Bacon, Pidgeons, Quailes, Pyes, and Pasties, and such like meates▪ Cherries, and all such fruits, Garlicke, Onions, and all hot spices, and all cold meates, as are the most part of Fishes: howbeit, divers may be well allowed, so they be well dressed.

Milke is not to be allowed much: but if that the Patient be so greedy of it, that in a manner he long for it, then let him take it two houres or thereabout, before he take any other meate, and he must drinke after it.

White wine that is small is allowable, or Wine delayed with the third or fourth part of sodden water, according to the Complexion

of the Patient: Some use to steepe bread in strong Wine, when as they can get no other Wine.

Beware that in no wise ye drinke any water, and especially cold water, and so should yee forbeare from all things that are presently cold▪ namely, when ye begin first to eate and drinke. Let therefore both your meate and drinke be in such temper, that they be not cold but warme, lest when as yee are hot within by your Bathing and sweating, the cold strike suddenly into some principall member and hurt it.

They that are of a hote Complexion, and of an open nature, and not well fastened to∣gether, ought not to tarry so long in the bath, as other ought that are of colder and faster complexions.

If that any man betweene meale times be vexed with thirst, he may not drinke any thing, saving for a great need he take a little Barley water▪ or Water sodden with the fourth part of the juyce either of sowre or milde sweet Pomgranats, with a little Suger: a man may use for a need, a little Vineger, with Water and Suger, if he have no disease in the Sinewes, nor in the Joynts.

A man that is very weake, or accustomed

much to sleepe after dinner, an houre and a halfe after that he is risen from the Table, he may take a reasonable sleepe.

All the time that a man is in them, he must keepe himselfe chaste from all women, and so he must doe a moneth after, after the counsell of divers learned Physitians, and some for the space of forty dayes, as Pantheus and Alear∣dus would, namely, if they come out of the Cauldron.

It were meete that in every foure and twenty houres the Bath should be letten out, and fresh water received into the pit againe, for so shall you sooner be healed, and better abide with lesse jeopardy, abiding in the Bath.

It is most meete for them that have any di∣sease in the head, as a Catliaire or Rheume, comming of a moyst cause and not very hot. For them that have Palsies, or such like disea∣ses, that they cause a bucket to be holden over their heads, with an hole in it, of the bignesse of a mans little finger, about foure foote above their heads, so that by the Reed or Pipe made for the nonce, the water may come downe with great might upon the mould of the Head, if they have the Cathaire; and upon the nape of the necke, if the Patient be sicke of the Palsie, or any such like disease.

The clay or grounds of the Bath, is better for the Dropsie then is the water alone: It is also good for shrunken, swelled, and hard places, and for all old and diseased places, which cannot well be healed with other medi∣cines: The matter is, to lay the grounds up∣on the place, and to hold the same against the hote Sunne, or a warme fire, untill it be some∣thing hard, and then to wash away the foule∣nesse of the Clay, with the water of the Bath: this may a man doe as oft as he list. Some Physitians counsell, that betweene the Bath∣ings, when a man is twice bathed upon one day, in the time that the Patient is out of the bath, to use his plaistering with the Clay: but if the person be any thing weake, J counsell not to goe twice into the Bath, but either once, or else to be content with the plaistering of the mudde or grounds of the Bath.

It were good wisedome for them that can∣not tarry long at the Bathes, either for heate or for cold, to take home with them some of the grounds, and there occupie it as is afore-told.

There are certaine learned men, which rec∣kon that the hote breath or vapour that riseth up from the Bathe, is much more mightier then the water of the bath is, and it is true: there∣fore it were well that they which have any

Dropsie, and especially a Tympanie, should sit over such a place of the Bath, that they might receive into the moyst diseased place, the vapour of the bathe, either by an holed stoole, or by some other such like manner of thing well devised for that purpose.

If any poore man by the heate of the dry∣nesse of the Bathe cannot sleepe enough, let him eate Lettice, or Purslaine, or the seedes of Poppy, called Chesbowle, in some places of England, or let him eate Suger and Poppy∣seed together, let this be done at night. Hee may also if he cannot get the aforesaid things, seethe Violet leaves and Mallowes, and bathe the uttermost parts with that they are sodden in. These are remedies for poore folke that are not able to have a Physitian with them to give them counsell: Let the rich use such re∣medies as their Physitians shall counsell them.

If any poore man be vexed with any un∣sufferable thirst, let him take a little Barley and seethe it long, and put a little Suger unto it: or let him take the juyce of an Orange, or take a little of it with a little Suger.

If any poore man catch the Head-ache, let him take a little Wormelade if he can get it, or Coriander Comfits: or if he can get none of these, let him take the white of an Egge▪ and

beate it with Vineger, and Rosewater, or with the broath of Violets, or Nightshade, or with any of them, and a little Vineger, and lay them in a cloath unto the temples of his head, and forehead.

If any poore man be burned too much, let him take a Glister made with Mallowes, Beetes, and Violet leaves, or let him seethe Prunes with Barley a good while, and Raisins, putting a way the stones, and eate of them, or let him use Suppositories sometimes, made of rootes, either of Beetes, of Flower-de-Luce, or of white Sope, or of salt Bacon.

If any man sweat too much, let him use colder meates than he used before, with Vi∣neger or Verjuyce, and let them also eate Sheepes-feete, and Calves-feete, with Ver∣juyce or Vineger.

If any man have the burning of his water when he maketh it, let him an houre after he is come out of the Bathe, annoynt his Kid∣neyes with some cold Oyntment, as is In∣frigidus Galeni: or if you cannot come by that, let him seethe Violet leaves, Poppy∣heads, Raisins, Licorice and Mallowes toge∣ther, straine them, and put some Suger in the broath, and drinke of it a draught before Supper.

If any be troubled with the Rheume which he hath caught in the Bath, let him parch or bristle at the fire Nigella Romana, and hold it in a cloath to his Nose, and let him set cups or boxing glasses to his shoulders, without any scorching, and let him drinke sodden water with Barley, and with a little Suger.

If any man have any appetite to eate, let him use the sirrups of Ribles or Barberies, or the sirrup of unripe Grapes, or use Verjuyce or Vineger to provoke appetite in due mea∣sure, and now and then if ye can get it, let him take a little Marmalade, or of the sirrup of Mynts, or Worm-wood Raman. (These have I written for poore folke.) Those that are rich, by the advice of the Physitians, may have other Remedies enough against the fore-named ac∣cidents, that chance in the time of their bath∣ing.

If thou be rid of thy disease by thy bathing, offer unto Christ in thy pure members, such offering of Thankesgiving, as thou mayest spare and give him hearty thankes, both in word, minde and deed, and sinne no more, but walke in all kindnesse of life and honesty, as farre as thou shalt be able to doe, as long as thou shalt live hereafter.

But if thou be not healed the first time, be

patient, and live vertuously till the next bath∣ing time, and then if it be to the glory of God, and for the most profitable, thou shalt the next bathing time be healed by the grace of God, of whom commeth all health both of body and soule.

Some if they be not healed whilest they be in the bathing, cry out both upon the Bath, w••ich healeth many other of the same Diseases that they are sicke of, and of the Physitian also that counselled them to goe to the Bathe, such men must learne, that they must not appoint God a time to heale them by the Bathe, and that when as the Bath hath dryed up, and wa∣shed by Sweating, and made subtill through blowing the evill matter of the disease; that it is one dayes worke or two, to make good humours to occupie the place of such evill humours as have beene in them before. There∣fore let such be patient, and for the space of a Moneth keepe the same dyet that they kept at the Bath, and if God will they shall have their desire, but not onely these, but all others that are healed for a moneth at the least, the longer the better, must keepe the same dyet that they kept in the Bath, as touching meate and drinke, and if it be possible also from the use of all Women.

When as you goe homewards, make but small Journeyes, and beware of surfetting and of cold, and when you are at home, use mea∣surable Exercise daily, and honest mirth and pastime, with honest company, and beware of too much study or carefulnesse.

And give God thankes for all his Guifts.