The apologie, or defence of a verity heretofore published concerning a medicine called aurum potabile that is, the pure substance of gold, prepared, and made potable and medicinable without corrosiues, helpfully giuen for the health of man in most diseases, but especially auaileable for the strenghning [sic] and comforting of the heart and vitall spirits the perfomers of health: as an vniversall medicine. Together with the plaine, and true reasons ... confirming the vniversalitie thereof. And lastly, the manner and order of administration or vse of this medicine in sundrie infirmities. By Francis Anthonie of London, doctor in physicke.

CONCLVSION OF THE SECOND PART.

BY these euidences, and mani∣fold experience sincerely deli∣uered, partly taken and faith∣fully translated out of Latine letters, sent from seuerall parts beyond the seas; partly in English verbally set downe, as they came to me; any rea∣sonable man, not seduced by vaine oppositions, nor willfully preiudicate, nor peruersly malicious, may ea∣sily iudge, that this medicine, my Potable gold, is the most wholesome, safe, & operatiue medicine, which at this day is knowne to be had in vse: both for the cure of desperate and hopelesse sicknesses, when all helpe of man is accounted vaine: And for the won∣derfull restoring of the decaied strength, and langui∣shing powers of the body, with a singular comforting of the heart: As also, for a Prophylacticke, and preser∣uer of health. Which so being, the greater is their sinne, which contrary to Gods commandement, Christian charitie, the loue of truth, their dutie to∣wards their neighbour, and peraduenture their in∣ward testimony of their owne conscience, haue so vi∣rulently and despitefully inueighed against the true and vncontrollable virtues and effects thereof: And

in their wast papers of impression, haue attempted to shew the power of malicious Rhetoricke, thereby to wrong that good, which they themselues cannot at∣taine vnto. Whereby so farre as their habilitie and cre∣dibilitie could stretch, they haue notoriously iniured, not me only, but all sorts, ranks, and degrees of peo∣ple, subiect to the vnrespectiue tyranny of sicknesse, which maketh no difference betweene the Cottage and Pallace, the King and the Peasant. The wrong to me, is, that for my loue and truth, workes of charitie, good intentions towards all, and good deserts of as many as haue made, or hereafter shall make vse of the fruites of these my labours: they haue rewarded me, with that which is vnder my backbiters tongues, rai∣ling, for reuerence, reproch, for my good deeds, and slander, for a recompence. But the wrong done to o∣thers, hath many branches, and searcheth to the seate of greatest honour. For (though I dare not say that it should haue beene otherwise, by the administring hereof (the length and number of all daies being in Gods hand) yet to shew their warme charitie against all things, not in their owne Apothekes, they would not suffer our late yong Prince, worthy of immortall memorie, to vse this so famously and aboue all excep∣tions approued medicine; notwithstanding in the vse of all other, they found not so much as any hope. In a desperate case, and a prognosticated life, all rules both of learning and charitie allow, yea and require the at∣tempt of any meanes, not noted of ill suspicion: Much more so publikely and manifoldly testified, for the ad∣mirable good effects which it had wrought in diuers persons. But that Rubricke (Propter dignitatem personae &c.) Giue ordinary medicines to great persós, to pre∣serue the honour of the Physition, that he hath done

no hurt, scilicet, though he did no good, is neither Prophylacticke nor Therapeuticke. We say in Eng∣lish: As good neuer a whit as neuer the better. And such is their pious affection towards all others whom it may concerne, that whatsoeuer happen, none of them will make vse of this my potable gold, (which though not properly, yet emphatically may be called a diuine Medicine: and certainly with more merit, then their Gratia Dei, Manus Christi, Benedicta Medi∣camenta, Diuinum Medicamentum) though it would saue a thousand liues. Esteeming (as it seemeth) that good which is so done without the Seplasiasticke pre∣parations, to be their dishonor, and delinement. Let all be soberly vsed, but where greatest need is, the best and most powerfull chosen. But the searcher and iudge of all hearts will recompence according to me∣rit, to them, as to enemies of truth. And to the sincere louers thereof, acknowledging Gods mercies shewed in the administration of his owne guifts, their guer∣don, which is the testimony of a good conscience. If we looke backe, vnto the actions of certaine Physiti∣ons of old time euen before the age of Galen, and the admirable medicines of some of them: we shall find not impertinent to our purpose, that of great Alexan∣der King of Macedon. He (as Quintus Curtius in his third booke reporteth) in the extremitie of a most dangerous and violent disease, desiring either present helpe or death, that he might hold his appointed day of battell with Darius King of Persia; for that purpose, consulted with his friends and counsellors, what re∣medy might be found in this desperate case. The King disliked al ordinary medicines, as too weake for his purpose. The Physitions would allow none such as they called vnknowne. One Physition among the

rest, named Philip, being borne in the country Acar∣nania a part of Greece, offered Alexander to make him a medicine very safe to be taken, which should speedily restore him to health, though the other Phy∣sitions knew not what it was. Parmenio a great Coun∣sellour and fauorite of Alexanders, disswaded his King from this medicine, (for he was vnwilling the King should recouer as the sequell shewed) and laboured to perswade him, that this Philip the Physition was hired by Darius for 1000. talents to poyson him. Yet Alex∣ander tooke that Physicke, and finding the effect an∣swerable to his promise, after his health so suddenly and beyond expectation recouered, did afterwards a∣mong other accusations, lay this for one against Par∣menio, as not wishing him well; which altogether made vp that Iudgment which brought him to his end. And very honorablie, both rewarded and re∣garded Philip, to whom next vnder God, be attribu∣ted and acknowledged the preseruation of his life. The working of that medicine, in the same place is described, not vnlike to this of mine. In this manner, Vt vero Medicamentum, &c. So soone as the Medicine dif∣fused or spred it selfe into the veines, there might leisurely, by little and little recouery and healthfulnesse be perceiued in all the body. First the spirits and heart recouered their vi∣gor, and after the body also, sooner then could be beleeued. For Alexander after he had beene in this case three daies, shewed himselfe to his Armie: which did not more ardently or affectionatly fixe their eyes vpon Alexander, then vpon Philip who had so vnexpectedly restored him to them: Euery one striuing who should first giue him their right hand, em∣brace and thanke him. Thus much Curtius.

Semblably it is sufficiently prooued and famously manifest, that very many great, Noble and Honou∣rable

personages, both men and women, sicke either as Alexander was, or taken with other more dange∣rous and violent diseases, forsaken by all other Phy∣sitions, as vncurable, haue beene by the vse of this Medicine, through Gods grace, in very short time re∣couered, and restored to their perfect health. There∣fore vnto you worthy and Honourable gentlemen, who as you are the Inheritors of Nobilitie, so are you of gentle and noble dispositions: to you I say, I turne my selfe, resting assured, that you esteeme these ca∣lumniating bablers, to haue said nothing reall, mate∣riall, and veritable against me, howsoeuer they haue mooued their tongues and quills. They intend not in this case, your health, but my dammage: and would rather you were offered a silent sacrifice in e∣ternall sleepe, then strike one saile, or vnlace one bo∣net blowen with the winde of their malicious breath, or leese the price of a popular Recipe, for a Benedict Medicament, although it doe no good, shall doe no harme, Propter honestatem Medici, that is, for the repu∣tation of the Doctor: though euery day almost doe giue miserable experience, that by want of doing good, the mischiefe increaseth; and so with the repu∣tation of the Doctor, the poore patient is lodged in his grauesend, which is harme enough, and the worst of a maledict Medicine. Therefore as I desire, so I iustly hope, that you will discerne betweene a blacke and a white: falshood, and truth: light and darknesse. That you will patronise, defend and keepe from op∣pression, both me and the truth. If there be any doubt concerning the auouchment of the cures and good effects of this my potable gold, here spoken of, you haue the reports, the particular names and places, and many of their owne hand writings I keepe ready at

all times, to be shewed for your further content∣ments. And I am verily perswaded, that all honest persons which haue beene recouered from their dis∣eases and infirmities by the good vse of this my pota∣ble gold, will be so thankfull to God for that benefit, as to acknowledge the meanes of their recouery, and not imitate those silent 9. Pharises clensed from their Leprosie by our Sauiour: which is little lesse (if not equiualent) then against their owne knowledge and conscience to deny. Of them you may know and be satisfied, that it hath done good to all, hurt to none: That it is a safe, powerfull and pleasing Medi∣cine: euen a Prince amongst all, analogising with principalitie in this. That doing much good, yet of malicious and vnshamefull persons it is ill spoken of as Princes oft times are. Let these worldling slande∣rers, disprooue that I say, or prooue the contrary, if they can. If not, then it is time they would be intrea∣ted, if not for conscience sake, yet at least for shame (if they feare any) to be silent hereafter: though it were more for their honest account, to recant in print. These great cures performed, realities, things of fact, often times, in sundrie and distant places, and sundry and diuers persons, in sundry and different diseases, done and performed to the great good of many, and applaused by common attestation, in all parts of the Realme, and many parts beyond the seas: This (I say) cannot be pocketted as not done, nor so easily vilified by a fine phrase, a little good Latine: Sub∣stance or sence there is none in his writing, it is meere froth, and the deceitfull inside of a rotten Egge, or worm-eaten nut: good for nothing but to befogge the cleere light of a knowne truth, and maintaine the inured practise of learned scolds. Surely, this is not,

White, in any tongue, Latine or Welch, howsoeuer versified. These testimonies for me (which will daily increase) shall lye and remaine to all posterities, as ho∣nourable Trophies, fixed in the hearts of vnderstan∣ding and honest men; when these stagie chartlets of theirs, shall not be vouchsafed an honest eye or eare: but cast by for wast paper, to stop mustard pots, or o∣ther base offices. They are not able, to produce one Instance, of harme receiued by this Medicine. Wher∣as contrary, the chiefest, most polychresticall, and greatest magnified compositions (whereof (to speake truth) at this day the right Ingredients bee not knowne: and against which some learned Doctors haue learnedly written) haue their Imputatiōs, wher∣in the charge must bee either vpon the Medicine it selfe, or vpon the Physitions. Whose errors, if them∣selues will not mend, I will not excuse. If obiection be made, that all haue not recouered, which haue taken this Medicine of mine, but some haue died: I confesse that is true. But what then? Old Age is irreuocable. Many diseases also are either essentially incurable, or preuent all power of Medicines, either by the vehe∣mencie or malignitie Morbi acutissimi, or by the neg∣ligence of timely helpe. Many also being easily to be cured at the first, are made desperate and vncurable, by errors, either of Medicines directly hurtfull, or at the least not helpfull, to the intollerable weakning of the poore patient, and triumph of the disease. Also Hippocrates telleth vs, that all diseases be not curable. For the fatall and predestinate houre is ineuitable. There resteth an vnknowne cause, which is the vn∣searchable counsell of God, which wil not that all dis∣eases shall be cured in al men. Thus much concerning the second part, we will now proceede to the third.