PREFACE TO THE READER.

IT is the Custome of well-Reformed Cities in GERMANIE and ITALIE, (Courteous Reader,) that everie yeare the Colledge of Medi∣cine visit all Apothecarie Shops, and examine their Drogs, Simple, and Composed; as destilled Waters, Syropes, Electuaries, Pillons, &c. and what-soever is fuisted, corrupted, falsified, or any-wayes sophisti∣cate, they throw them out: and all dry Herbs, reserved two yeares (altho perchance fresh) they cause burne: and after there bee new and recent Simples gathered and bought, they over-see the compo∣sing of such thinges as should stand over yeare. Thus the Shop being replenished of new, they cause print the Table and Taxe of all those Medicaments, according to the plentie of the yeare, and as Forraigne Simples are bought, cheaper, or dearer, from IN∣DIAN and EASTERNE Traders: so they renew ordinarily the Taxt everie yeare as the Almanacke, to the intent their owne Recepts bee faythfullie answered, the Diseased relieved, and the People eased: who by vertue of such Taxes can oft times serue themselues, not employing Doctors at all Occasions. VVhether or not such laudable Forms were necessarie in our lawlesse Arte here, any Man may judge; especially, if his Ears were filled with the daily Complaints of the People, which haue beene hither-to kept vp in Page  4 ignorance of the sinceritie and worth of such thinges; alleadging, Whatsoever Doctors ordaines some to sell, quid pro quo, or at least to weigh everie man by the Purse, per justuiam distributivam, non commutativam: and so are forced to cause Merchands bring home things they know neither the composition, nor dose, only for the pryce cause, which being taken without adwise, redoundeth to their owne hurt, and our dishonour that are of the Arte; having insteade of a Common-weale, a Common-evill therein, and the whole Fa∣cultie made in evill odour to the people: not that they haue ever lacked learned Professors, but because hitherto in all the North part of this Kingdome, there hath beene no well-ordered Apothecarie Shop: a thing so admirable, that it merites a part in the Records of the Realme.

True it is, that for redressing these Enormities, I haue brought Home, with great Charges, fresh Materials, and an excellent Arti∣ficer, to make all things contained in this Table: more faythfullie and delicatelie to anie Mans Eye, and as cheape as they can bee had out of FRANCE, FLANDERS, or LONDON. And now seeing wee haue replenished the Shop with Simples and Com∣positions for a yeare, being oft required for a Copie of our Taxe-Board; for eschewing such frequent copying, wee haue thought ex∣pedient to cause Print all, for the vse of the Countrie People, to whome chieflie wee consecrate our Labours, and expects therefore thanks, nomine publico, and approbation of the wysest sort: (whom wee request to signifie vnto vs, by Word or Writ, of their Con∣tentment) which will encourage vs to proceede to greater things, & make Voyages our selues to other Countreyes, for choosing, and Home-bringing in great, of the best Drogs (not relying, as others, which never crossed the Seas, vpon the Factors recommendation) also to renew everie yeare this Take, yea, they may expect of this same AUTHOR a more profitable Worke for the Countrie.

Other-wayes, if Spirites of Contradiction will admit no Refor∣mation, but living ever by evill example, would tyrannize more so∣lito, and gainstand Rules whereby they might bee redacted in Or∣der, suppressing malis Artibus, such things vn-come to light (qui mal▪e facit odit lucem, veritas non quaerit Angulos, if by their procure∣ments, or of whosoever that can maliciouslie, as the Spyes of CA∣NAAN, bring vp an evill report vpon the good Land, wee finde Page  5 little dispatch of these VVares (whereof hitherto praysed be GOD, wee can not complaine) wee must lykewyse fall backe from this Bread, to A•khornes with them, and (as they say) cast no more Pearles before Swine: thinking it sufficient to show our good mea∣ning to the Common-wealth, in erecting such profitable VVorks, and let the Blame hence-foorth lye on others, not ASSISTERS, but RESISTERS there-to: as beeing almoste fatall vnto this NATION, that publicke VVorkes •eldome thryue; as for thinges alreadie composed, wee can imploye them in our particular Practise: and if anie losse bee, wee shall sustaine it Reipublicae causa.

And, seeing that wee are more cunning, now-a-dayes, to bee evill Pratlers of others, than good Doers our selues, if anie Picke-quarrell, in alieno opere malè ingeniosus, object, All thinges vsuall other-where, not to bee comprehended within this Taxe, wee confesse to haue retrinshed Superfluities, and thinges out of vse; and haue with-holden some rare Composi∣tions, serving to our particular Imployment, which wee cannot as yet make juris publici: but they are as manie heere as the Countrey may beare; yea, I feare more, a greater number to exclaime in the contrarie, of too much varietie, and more than our Fathers vsed. But they shall know, that our Praedecessors for the most part, in Ages past, were strong Men in personage, dwelling in Hillie Countreyes, observing exactlie Hippocrates his Rule, Pa•ci in victu, eoque simplici & impigri ad labores. Yea, some∣what in Policie barbarous, (absit invidia verbo:) But this deli∣cate declyning Age bringeth out frailer Bodies, and more disea∣ses: some advancing the same by immoderate Studies, exhau∣sting their humidum radicale & calidum innatum; and clambicating their best Spirites, so leaving no remaines, but the bitter Dregs of Humors, to make the rest of the life anxious and vnpleasant. But the number of such are few, compared to the rest, that by commerce with other Nations, doe not as Salomons Sayleres to Tarshish: for they leaue behinde them the Golde of Ophyr; that is, Vertue and Policie, where-with they should plant their Coun∣trey at their Returne: and bringeth Home onlie the Apes and Peacockes of those Merchandes; that is, Vanities, and Forraine Vices, where-by they infect the Kingdome: Such is, Varietie Page  6 of Dishes, Curiositie of Disertes, Sawses, Confections, VVine, and Strong Drinkes, Ydle-seat, and Venerie: perverting there∣by all Digestions, corrupting the Blood, and disturbing the har∣monie and proportion of Humours: and consequentlie incurring worldes of new Infirmities, vnknowne to former Ages; which Evill, since it is come to such a height now, that it is easier to bee lamented, than redressed, wee thinke it not amisse, that Rea∣medies in exquisitenesse and varietie march, pari passu, with Diseases.

But, to the purpose, for vnderstanding of the following Table, it is requisite to knowe, That Leaues of Herbes are measured by hand-fulles, and an hand-full is noted thus (m.) Flowres, by halfe-hand-fulls, which are noted (halfe m.) other dry Wares and Liquors are measured by weight, whereof the first is a pound, answearing nearely in measure to our Scots Mutchken, and is marked so (lib.) our pound containeth twelue vnces: the vnce is thus noted (vnc.) and containeth eight drag∣maes: a dragma is noted so (drag.) and containeth three scru∣ples: a scruple is written so (scrup.) and containeth twentie graines: a graine is marked so (gra.) and is the least of our weights, answering to a Pepper corne: and the more that is bought of anie thing, it is the cheaper; and the lesse, the dearer: as is vsuall in all Merchandize.

The Prices are redacted to the lowest of this yeere: and as they change heere-after in other Kingdomes, whence wee haue manie Simples, so this Taxe may bee yeerelie reformed, as wee haue begun by this first: which, if it hath not preciselie hit on everie price, at least will serue ever in time-comming, for a groffe guesse (as wee speake) of the valour of such Wares: For Merchandize may height some-what, but not often vnto the triple, and lesse to the quadruple, quintuple, &c. This is saide, for those that abusing the Peoples ignorance, vnder pretence, that Practise is rare, and they must liue by their Calling, takes sixe prices for one thing: where-as, if Mediocritie were vsed, Imployments would be more frequent, and their Conscien∣ces better. And for more certaintie to the People, it were convenient that what Doctors ordaine, were given the Patientes by writ, Page  7 and they to collation the Ingredients and Compositions with the Taxe: so should they not bee deceived. If anie curious man of his owne accord would buy anie things of this Table, hee shall bee answered; providing alwayes hee first informe him∣selfe, with vs, of the vse thereof, (which advise shall cost him nothing:) and not applying them impertinentlie, bring a slan∣der on those hee bought them from. And to that effect, how∣beit wee make long Voyages, South or North, wee shall leaue behind vs a sufficient person in the Shop, to answere all buyers, and informe them of the vse of the things bought: and our selues shall not fa•le to be present (if GOD please) at WHITSONDAY and MARTINMES COVRTS, preciselie.

To those Simples which eyther Herballes, Gardiners, or Dictionaries could furnish vs, wee haue put to first the English, and then the Scottish names: although barbarous, at least to make them knowne vnto everie man: To the intent, that if anie of those bee cast by-handes, in Families, or rot over-yeere in Gardens, send them to vs, they shall be contented for the same. As for Compositions, fewe of them haue Vulgare Names, but the Title before them: and the Table of the Simples de∣clare where-of, and how, they are made.

If anie of the People finde our Medicamentes too deare, wee are not malecontented, that they goe to others, (having not-with-standing first essayed, if anie Deduction may be made) providing they bee eased, which is the chiefe thing we aime at. If, on the other parte, anie of our Brethren will not ac∣cord to our prices, come to vs, they shall not bee refused. Rex IVPITER omnibus idem, Fata viam invenient.

And lastlie, as for those that out of their ridiculous hu∣mour jested moste at our PROGRAME, whether at ALCHIMIE or REMEDIES, when they are convinced with multitudes of Exemples, which they shall beare of (GOD willing) to their con∣fusion, ere it bee long: Advise them, whether their Malice or Ignorance was greater, to take exceptions at our Age and re∣maining place, and argument so wittilie, saying, Such thinges wee never saw, nor knew: Ergo, they are impossible, quasi ve∣r•▪ as if there might not bigg Volumes bee composed of Page  [unnumbered] things which they never yet saw nor know, how loftie so ever their carriage bee. And thus wee are forced, in stead of short PREFACES, to mixe Apologeticall Digressions: rather to prick some emptie Bladders, puffed vp with the VVynde of Con∣ceit, and to cloze the Mouthes of those Braine-sicke Raylers, who suffer no Action to escape their miss-constructing Com∣mentaries; than other-wayes to humour these our Domesticke Chamaeleons, who feede vpon the Aire of ydle Discourses. Which Prolixitie, notwithstanding, and Freedome in Arguing, hoping thou wilt take in good part, I bid thee heartilie Farewell.