Section 31 of the Anatomy of Melancholy. Volume 2. Partition 2. Section 4. Number 1 subsections 2 and 3. Subsection 2. Simples proper to melancholy against exotic symbols. Medicines properly applied to melancholy are either simple or compound. Simples are alternative or purgative. Alternatives are such as correct, strengthened nature, alter, any way hinder or resist the disease, and they be herbs, stones, minerals, etc. all proper to this humour, for as there be diverse distinct informities continually vexing us. Number 3. So there be several remedies as is safe, each disease a medicine for every humour, and as some hold, every climb, every country, and more than that, every private place have his proper remedies growing in it, peculiar almost to the domineering and most frequent maladies of it. As one discourseth, wormwood grows sparingly in Italy, because most part there they be misaffected with heart diseases, but henbane hoppy and such cold herbs with us in Germany and Poland, great store of it in every waste. Barakellus, Otto Geniali, and Baptista Porta, Physionomicae, book 6, chapter 23, give many instances and examples of it, and bring many other proofs. For that cause be like that learned Fuchsius of Nuremberg, when he came into a village, considered always what herbs did grow most frequently about it, and those he distilled in a silver alambic, making use of others amongst them as occasion served. I know that many of our opinion are northern symbols are weak, imperfect, not so well concocted of such force as those in the southern parts, not so fit to be used in physics, and will therefore fetch their drugs far off. Senna, Cassia, out of Egypt, Rubab from Barbary, Allos from Sokotra, Turbith, Agaric, Meribolene's, Hermodactylis from the East Indies, Tobacco from the West, and some as far as China, Hellebore from the Antichyri, or that of Austria which bears the purple flower, which Matthewlis so much approves, and so of the West. In the kingdom of Valencia in Spain, Maginus commends two mountains, Mariola and Rhenagolosa, famous for symbols. Neander-Albertus, Baldus, a mountain near the lake Bernacus in the territory of Verona, to which all the herbalists of the country continually flock. Ortelius, one in Apulia, Munster, Mons major in Istria, Prosper Altinas prefers Egyptian symbols, Garcia's Abhorto-Indian before the rest, another those of Italy, Crete, etc. Many times they are overcurious in this kind, whom Pucius taxed, that they think they do nothing except they rake all over India, Arabia, Ethiopia for remedies, and fetch their physics from the three-quarters of the world, and from beyond the Garamantes. Many an old wife or country-woman does often more good with a few known and common garden herbs than our bombast physicians with all their prodigious, sumptuous, far-fetched, rare, conjectural medicines. Without all question, if we have not these rare exotic symbols, we hold that at home, which is in virtue equivalent unto them, ours will serve as well as theirs, if they be taken in proportionable quantity, fitted and qualified a right, if not much better and more proper to our constitutions. But so, just for the most part, as Pliny writes to Gallus, we are careless of that which is near us, and follow that which is afar off, to know which we will travel and sail beyond the seas, wholly neglecting that which is under our eyes. Opium in Turkey does scarce offend, with us in a small quantity it stupefies. Cicuta or hemlock is a strong poison increase, but with us it has no such violent effects. I conclude with Votius, who has he much been raised against those exotic medicines, so he promises by our European, a full cure on absolute of all diseases. A capite ad calcum, nostri regionis herbi, nostris corporebus magis conducunt. Our own symbols agree best with us. It was a thing that Pharnelius much laboured in his French practice, to reduce all his cure to our proper and domestic physique. So did Janus Cornarius and Martin Rulandus in Germany. TV with us, as appeareth by a treatise of his divulged in our tongue 1615, to prove a sufficiency of English medicines, and the cure of all manner of diseases. If our symbols be not altogether of such force, or so opposite it may be, if like industry were used, those far-fetched drugs would prosper as well with us, as in those countries whence now we have them, as well as cherries, artichokes, tobacco, and many such. There have been diverse worthy physicians, which have tried excellent conclusions in this kind, and many diligent, painful apothecaries, like Wagner, Bessler, Gerard, etc. But among the rest those famous public gardens of Padua in Italy, Nuremberg in Germany, Laidon in Holland, Montpellier in France, and ours in Oxford now in Fieri, at the cost and charges for the right honourable the Lord Danvers Earl of Danby, are much to be commended, wherein all exotic plants almost are to be seen, and liberal allowance yearly made for their better maintenance, that young students may be the sooner informed in the knowledge of them, which as fuchsious holes, is most necessary for that exquisite manner of curing, and as great a shame for a physician not to observe them, as for a workman not to know his acts, saw, square, or any other tool which he must of necessity use. Subsection III. Alternatives, herbs, and other vegetables, etc. Amongst these eight hundred symbols, which Galeotus reckons up, Book III, Diplomacy, Doctor, Chapter III, and many exquisite herbalists have written of these few following alone, I find appropriated to this humour, of which some be alternatives, which by a secret force, say Threnodeus, and special quality expel future diseases, perfectly cure those which are, and many such incurable effects. This is as well observed in other plants, stones, minerals, and creatures, as in herbs, in other maladies, as in this. How many things are related of a man's skull? What several virtues of corns in a horse leg, or a wolf's liver, etc. Of diverse excrements of beasts, all good against several diseases? What extraordinary virtues are ascribed unto plants? Sartirium et Eruca penum erigunt, Vitex et Nymphi semen ex tingurunt, Some herbs provoke lust, some again as Agnus castus, water lily, quite extinguished seed, Poppy cause a sleep, Cabbage resisteth drunkenness, etc., and that which is more to be admired, that such and such plants should have a peculiar virtue to such particular parts, as to the head, aniseeds, bullfoot, veternae, calamant, Ibrite, lavender, bays, roses, roux, sage, marjoram, peony, etc. For the lungs, calamant, licorice, annula, campana, hyssop, whorehand, water, gamander, etc. For the heart, borage, brugloss, saffron, balm, basil, rosemary, violet, roses, etc. For the stomach, wormwood, mince, betony, balm, sentry, sorrel, parsley. For the liver, darspine, or cameopetus, gamander, agrimony, fennel, endive, succary, liverwort, barberries. For the spleen, maidenhair, fingerfern, dollar of thym, hop, the rind of ash, betony. For the kidneys, grommel, parsley, saxophage, plantain, malo. For the womb, mugwort, pennyroyal, featherfew, savine, etc. For the joints, chamomile, st. John'swort, organ, caslips, sentry, the less, etc. and so to particular diseases. To this of melancholy you shall find a catalogue of herbs proper, and that in every part. See more in Wrecker, Rhanodeus, Hernias, Book 2, Chapter 19, etc. I will briefly speak of them, as first of alteratives, which Galen in his third book of disease parts prefers before diminutives, and Traliana's brags that he has done more cures on melancholy men by moistening than by purging of them. Borage In this catalogue borage and bruglos may challenge the chiefest place, whether in substance, juice, roots, seeds, flowers, leaves, decoctions, distilled waters, extracts, oils, etc. For such kind of herbs be diversely varied. Bruglos is hot and moist, and therefore, worthily reckoned up amongst those herbs which expel melancholy and exhilarate the heart. Galen, the rascaldes, Pliny much magnifies this plant. It may be diversely used, as in broth, in wine, in conserves, syrups, etc. It is an excellent cordial, and against this melody most frequently prescribed, a herb indeed of such sovereignty, that as their Doris, Book 7, Plinias, Book 25, Chapter 2, and Book 21, Chapter 22. Plutarch, Symposium, Book 1, Chapter 1, Dioscoredes, Book 5, Chapter 40, Caelius, Book 19, Chapter 3. Suppose it was that famous Nepenthes of Homer, which Polydena, Thonus' wife, then King of Thieves in Egypt, sent Helena for a token of such rare virtue that if taken steeped in wine, if wife and children, father and mother, brother and sister, and all thy dearest friends should die before thy face, thou couldst not grieve or shed a tear for them. Quisimel id patera mistum Nepenthes jacquo, as serit, id lacrimam, non-cisua visimaporeis, sigamanus e carus, matercui, patercui, opetat, ante oculus ferro, confossus atorci. Helena's commanded role to exhilarate the heart as most of our critics conjecture, than this of borage. Balm Melissa Balm have an admirable virtue to alter melancholy, be it steeped in our ordinary drink, extracted or otherwise taken. Carden, Book 8, much admires this herb. It heats and dries, St. Thonius, in the second degree, with a wonderful virtue comforts the heart and purges all melancholy vapours from the spirits. Matthewless, in Book 3, Chapter 10, Indios scored them. Besides, they ascribe other virtues to it, as to help concoction, to cleanse the brain, expel all careful thoughts and anxious imaginations. The same words, in effect, are in Aberkenna, Pliny, Simon Sethley, Fusius, Liovel, Dela Campius, and every herbalist. Nothing better for him than his melancholy than to steep this and borage this drink. Matthewless, in his fifth book of medicinal epistles, reckons up Scorsonera, not against poison only, falling sickness, and such as are vertiginous, but to this malady, the root of it taken by itself expels sorrow, causes mirth and lightness of heart. Antonius Moussa, that renowned physician to Caesar Augustus, in his book which he writ of the virtues of Betany, wonderfully commends that herb. Animus hominum et corpora custodit, succourus de meta reddit. It preserves both body and mind from fears, cares, griefs, cures falling sickness, this and many other diseases, to whom Galen subscribes, diascorides, book four, chapter one, etc. Marigold is much approved against melancholy, and often used therefore in our ordinary broth against this and many other diseases. Pop Lupalus, pop, is a sovereign remedy. Fusius much extols it, it purges all colour, and purifies the blood. Matthews, chapter hundred and forty in Ford diascorides, wonders the physicians of his time made no more use of it, because it rarefies and cleanses. We use it to this purpose in our ordinary beer, wholesome. Wormwood, sentry, any royal, are likewise magnified and much prescribed, as I shall after show, especially in hypochondriac melancholy, daily to be used, soed in way, and as Rufus Ephesius, erratus relate, by breaking wind, helping concoction. Many melancholy men have been cured with the frequent use of them alone, and because the spleen and blood are often affected in melancholy, I may not omit endive, succory, dandelion, plumatory, etc., which cleanse the blood, scolopendria, cuscuta, keterash, mugwort, liverwort, ash, tamarisk, genist, maidenhair, etc., which must help and ease the spleen. To these I may add roses, violets, capers, feather-few, scordium, stakers, rosemary, rose-solus, saffron, oakime, sweet-apples, wine, tobacco, sandals, etc., that peruvian, chemical, monstrosa, facultate, etc., linchclosteus d'achora, and to such as our cold, the deculsion of guicum, china sarsparilla, sarsopras, the flowers of carduous benedictus, which I find much used by Montanus in his consultations, Julius Alexandrinus, Nilius, Egubinas, and others. Bernardus Pinotus prefers his herb a solis, or dutch cindal, before all the rest in this disease, and will admit of no herb upon the earth to be comparable to it. It excels Homer's moly, cures this, pawling sickness, and almost all other infirmities. The same Pinotus speaks of an excellent palm out of Aponensis, which, taken to the quantity of three cups in a drop of wine, will cause a sudden alteration, drive away dumps, and cheer up the heart. Antonius Guarnarius in his antidotary has many such. Jacobus didondis, the aggregator, repeats ambergris, nutmegs, and all spice amongst the rest, but that cannot be general. Amber and spice will make a hot brain mad, good for cold and moist. Garcia's abhoto has many Indian plants and virtues he much magnifies in this disease. Lemnius admires Rue, and commends it to have excellent virtue, to expel vain imaginations, devils, and to ease afflicted souls. Other things are much magnified by writers, such as an old cock, a ram's head, a wolf's heart born or eaten, which Mercurialis approves, Prosper Altinus, the water of Nylis. Gomesius all water, and at seasonable times to be seasick, goat's milk, whey, etc. End of Section 31 Section 32 of the Anatomy of Melancholy Volume 2 This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org Recording by Morgan Scorpion The Anatomy of Melancholy Volume 2 by Robert Burton Section 32 Partition 2 Section 4 Member 1 Subsection 4 and 5 Subsection 4 Threcious stones, metals, minerals, alternatives Threcious stones are diversely censored. Many explode the use of them, or any minerals in physics, of whom Thomas is the chief in his tract against Paracelsus, and in an epistle of his to Peter Monavius. That stones can work any wonders, let them believe that list, no man shall persuade me, for my part I have found by experience there is no virtue in them. But Natholus, in his comment upon Dioscorides, is as profuse on the other side in their condemnation. So is Cardon, Rhenodeus, Alardus, Lureus, Anchelius, Mobodeus, etc. Natholus specifies in Coral, and Oswaldus Corleus prefers the salt of Coral. Christopher and Anchelius, Book 3, Chapter 131, will have them to be as so many several medicines against Melancholy, Soron, Fear, Delness and the like. Rhenodeus admires them. Besides, they adorn King's crowns, grace the fingers in which our household stuff defend us from enchantments, preserve health, cure diseases. They drive away grief, cares and accelerate the mind. The particulars be these.  If hung about the neck, or taken in drink, it much resisteth sorrow, and recreates the heart. The same properties I find ascribed to the hyacinth and topaz. They allay anger, grief, diminish madness, much delight and exhilarate the mind. If it be either carried about or taken in a potion, it will increase wisdom, safe garden, expel fear. He brags that he have cured many madmen with it, which, when they laid by the stone, were as mad again as ever they were at first. Petrus Bayeris, Book 2, Book 13, Venimicum, Ruius, Chapter 19, Degemenis, say as much of the Chrysolite, a friend of wisdom and enemy to folly. Pliny, Book 37, Solinus, Chapter 52, Albertus de Lapidae, Cardon, and Kellyus, Book 3, Chapter 66, highly magnifies the virtue of the barrel. It much avails to a good understanding, repressive vain conceits, evil thoughts, etc. In the belly of a swallow there is a stone found called Cheledonius, which, if it be lapped in a fair cloth and tied to the right arm, will cure lunatics, madmen, make them amiable and merry. There is a kind of onyx called Chelcadoni, which have the same qualities, avails much against fantastic illusions which proceed from melancholy, preserves the bigger and good estate of the whole body. The Ewan stone, which Goldsmiths use to sleeken their gold with, worn about or given to drink, has the same properties, or not much unright. Levina's Lemnius, amongst other jewels, makes mention of two more notable, Carbuncle and Coral, which drive away childish fears, devils, overcome sorrow and hung about the neck with best troublesome dreams, which properties almost Cardon gives to that green-coloured emetris, if it be carried about or worn in a ring, to the diamond. Nicholas Cabeus, a Jesuit of Perala, in the first book of his Magnetical Philosophy, Chapter 3, speaking of the virtues of a lodestone, recites many several opinions. Some say that if it be taken in parceled inward, sequest per frustra vorret, du ventotem restituate. It will, like Viper's wine, restore one to his youth, and yet, if carried about them, others will have it to cause melancholy. Let experience determine. The Curialis admires the emerald for its virtues in pacifying all affections of the mind, others the sapphire, which is the fairest of all precious stones, of sky-collar, and a great enemy to black-collar, freeze the mind, mend manners, etc. Jacobus didondis, in his catalogue of symbols, hath ambergris, os encode curvy, the bone in the stag's heart, a monocoat's home, bezoa stone of which elsewhere. It is found in the belly of a little beast in the East Indies, brought into Europe by Hollander's and our countrymen merchants. When Odeus says he saw two of these beasts to lie in the castle of the Lord of Ritri at Kuber, Lapis lazuli and Arminus, because they purge, shall be mentioned in their place. Of the rest in grief, thus much I will add out of carden, when Odeus chapter 23 book 3, Rondolatius, etc., that almost all jewels and precious stones have excellent virtues to pacify the affections of the mind, for which cause which men so much covet to have them, and those smaller unions which are found in shells amongst the Persians and Indians by the consent of all writers are very cordial, and most part avail to the acceleration of the heart. Minerals. Most men say as much of gold and some other minerals, as these have done of precious stones. Erastus still maintains the opposite part. Disputationes in Paracelsum, chapter 4, volume 196, he confesses of gold that it makes the heart merry, but in no other sense but as it is in Amisa's chest, at Mihi Plado simulac numus contempla in Arca, as he said in the poet, it so revives the spirits, and is an excellent recipe against melancholy. For gold in physics is a cordial, therefore he loved gold in special. Arum portabally he discomends and invades against it, by reason of the corrosive waters which are used in it, which argument our doctor Grin urges against D. Antonius. Erastus concludes their philosophical stones and potable gold, etc., to be no better than poison, a mere imposter, a non-ense.  Paracelsus calls Galen, Hippocrates, and all their adherents, infants, idiots, Sophistas, etc. Apagasis, Istos, Cree Volcanius, Istos, Metamorphosis, Sugirant. Inschitiai, Soboleis, Suponai, Putinakiai, Alunos, etc. Not worthy the name of physicians. For want of these remedies, and draggs that by them he can make a man live a hundred and sixty years, or to the world's end, with their Alexifal markums, Arthesias, Mumias, Ungentum Armarium, and such magnetic cures. Lampus vitae et mortis, Balneum daianae, Balsamium, Electrum magico-physicum, Amulata martiola, etc. What will not he and his followers effect? He brags moreover that he was primus medicorum and did more famous cures than all the physicians in Europe besides. A drop of his preparations are no farther than a dram or ounce of theirs, those loathsome and fulsome filthy potions, hetero-critical pills, so he calls them, horse-medicine, ad quorum aspectum, psychops polyphemus ex horescarette, and though some condemn their skill and magnetic cures as tending this magical superstition, rituri, charms, etc., yet they admire, stiffly vindicate nevertheless that these are both an extremes, the middle sort approve of minerals, though not in so high a degree. Lemneus, Book III, Chapter VI, commends gold inwardly and outwardly used, as in rings, excellent good in medicine, and such mixtures as are made for melancholy men, save Vecca, to whom whenodia subscribes Book II, Chapter II, Fikinas, Book II, Chapter XIX, Thernal, Daniel Thernatus, Book I, Part II, Chapter IX, Ordonacus, Libavius, Crocatanus, Oswaldus, Cholius, Yvonimus, Rubius, and Mathiolus in the fourth book of his epistles. Andres Aplawan, epistula at Mathiolum, as commended and formally used by Aberkenna, Anodus, and many others. Mathiolus in the same place approves of potable gold, mercury, with many such chemical confections, and goes so far in the information of them that he holds no man can be an excellent physician that has not some skill in chemical distillations, and that chronic diseases can hardly be cured by that mineral medicines. Look for Antimony among purges. Subsection V. Compound alternatives, censure of compounds, and mixed physics. Pliny, Book XXIV, Chapter I, virtually taxes all compound medicines. Posture and captious wits have invented those shops in which every man's life is set to sale, and by and by came in those compositions at inexplicable mixtures, far-fetched out of India and Arabia. A medicine for a botch must be had as far as the Red Sea, and is not without cause which he saith, for out of question they are much to blame in their compositions, whilst they make infinite variety of mixtures, as fuchsious notes. They think they get themselves great credit, excel others, and be more learned than the rest because they make many variations, but he accounts them fools, and whilst they brag of their skill and think to get themselves a name, they become ridiculous, betray their ignorance and error. A few symbols well prepared and understood are better than such a heap of nonsense, confused compounds, which are in apothecary shops ordinarily sold, in which they come up, exhalate things out of date are to be had, saith Cornarius, a company of barbarous names given to syrups, doulots, an unnecessary company of mixed medicines. Rudis indicates Darkway more days. Many times, as a gripper taxeth, there is by this means more danger from the medicine than from the disease, when they put together they know not what, or leave it to an illiterate apothecary to be made. They cause death and horror for health. Those old physicians had no such mixtures, a simple potion of hellebore in Hippocrates time was the ordinary purge, and at this day, saith Mephaeus, Rickius, in that flourishing commonwealth of China, their physicians give precepts quite opposite to ours. Not unhappy in their physics, they use altogether roots, herbs and symbols in their medicines, and all their physics in a manner is comprehended in a herbal. There is no school, no art, no degree, but like a trade, every man in private is instructed of his master. Cardon crags that he can cure all diseases with water alone, as Hippocrates of old did most incoherencies with one medicine. Let the best of our rational physicians demonstrate and give a sufficient reason for those intricate mixtures, why just so many symbols in Mithvedeti or Trico, why such and such quantity, may they not be reduced to half or a quarter? Pustra fit per plur, as the saying is, called Pieri protest per parkiora, three hundred symbols in a duly potion or little pill, to what end or purpose? I know not what Alkindus, Capivachius, Montania and Simon Etovo, the best of them and all most rational, have said in this kind, that neither he, they, nor any one of them gives his reader, to my judgment, that satisfaction which he bought. Why such, so many symbols? Roger Bacon has taxed many errors in his tract de graduality. Roger Bacon has taxed many errors in his tract de graduality universe, explained some things but not cleared. Percurialis in his book The Composite Medicine gives instance in Hamec and Phelonium Romanum, which Hamec and Arabian Roman long since composed, but crass as the rest. If they be so exact, as by him it seems they were and those mixtures so perfect, why doth Pernelius alter the one and why is the other obsolete? Cardon taxed Galen for presuming out of his ambition to correct Theriacum and Romachi, and we as justy make up at all the rest. Galen's medicines are now exploded and rejected, what Nicholas Maripsa, Meswe, Kelsus, Scribanius, Attuarius, etc. Ridd of Old are most part contend. Malikius, Cordus, Reca, Croquetan, Rhenodeus, Rhenodeus the Venetian, Florentine states have their several receipts and Magistral, they of Nuremberg have theirs and Augustana, Pharmacal, Payup, peculiar medicines to the Meridian city, London hers, every city, town, almost every private man hath his own mixtures, compositions, receipts, Magistral's, precepts, as if he's scorned antiquity and all others in respect of himself. But each man must correct an alter to show his skill. Every opinionative fellow must maintain his own paradox, be it what it will. Delirant rigids, Lectunta archivi, they doth and in the meantime the poor patients pay for their new experiments. The commonality ruin it. Thus others object, thus I may conceive out of the weakness of my apprehension. But to say truth, there is no such fault, no such ambition, no novelty or ostentation as some suppose, but as one answers, this of compound medicines is a most noble and profitable invention found out and wrought into physics with great judgment, wisdom, counsel and discretion. Mixed diseases must have mixed remedies, and such symbols are commonly mixed as have reference to the part affected, some to qualify, the rest to comfort, some one part, some another. Cardan and Brasovola both hold that Nullum's simplex medicamentum in the Cine Noxa. No simple medicine is without hurt or offence, and although Hippocrates, Erisistratus, Diocles of old, in the infancy of this art, were content with ordinary symbols, yet now, safe 80s, necessity compels us to seek for new remedies and to make compounds of symbols, as well to correct their harms of cold, dry, hot, thick, thin, insipid, noisome to smell, to make them savoury to the palate, pleasant to taste and take, and to preserve them for continuance by a mixture of sugar, honey, to make them last months and years for several uses. In such cases compound medicines may be approved, and Arnaudus, in his 18th aphorism, does allow of it. If simple cannot, necessity compels us to use compounds, so far Recites and Majestals, the SDM Dorquet, one day teaches another, and they are as so many words or phrases, Quenunxunt in honourable, fabulous to enrol at Ussus, ebb with the season, and as wits vary, so they may be infinitely varied. Chris Grey's Surum Plaquitum called Capiato Habet. Every man as he likes, so many men, so many minds, and yet all tending to good purpose, though not the same way. As arts and sciences, so physics is still perfected amongst the rest, Ole, Moussin, Nutriques, and experience teacheth us every day many of which our predecessors knew not of. Nature is not a feat, as he says, or so lavish to bestow all her gifts upon an age, but hath reserved some for posterity, to show her power, that she is still the same, and not old or consumed. Birds and beasts can cure themselves by nature. Naturae Usoea Plaquunque Cognoscant Quae Hominés Fix Longo Labore Echductina as Seque Untor. But men must use much labour and industry to find it out. But I digress. Compimed medicines are inwardly taken or outwardly applied. Inwardly taken, be either liquid or solid, liquid or fluid or consisting. Fluid as wines and syrups. The wines ordinarily used to this disease are Wormwood wine, Tamarisk, and Buglosatum, wine made of borage and Buglos, the composition of which is specified in Enoldus Villanovarnis, Lib Divinis of borage, balm, Buglos, cinnamon, etc., and highly commended for its virtues. It drives away leprosy, scabs, clears the blood, recreates the spirits, accelerates the mind, purges the brain of those anxious black melancholy fumes, and cleanses the whole body of that black humour by urine, to which I add, that it will bring madmen and such raging bed-lite, as are tied in chains, to the use of their reason again. My conscience bears me witness, that I do not lie. I saw a grave matron helped by this means. She was so choleric, and so furious sometimes, that she was almost mad and beside herself. She said, and did, she knew not what, scolded, beat her maids, and was now ready to be bound, till she drank of this borage wine, and this excellent remedy was cured, which a poor foreigner, a silly beggar, taught her by chance that came to crave an arms from door to door. The juice of borage, if it be clarified and drunk in wine, will do as much, the roots, sliced and steep, etc., says Anthony Misaldas. Art Med, who cites this story verbatim out of villain of Varnus, and so does Magninus a position of Milan in his regimen of health. Such other excellent compound water I find in Rebeius, De distillery, Section 3, which he highly magnifies out of Savonarola, for such as are solitary, dull, heavy, or sad without a cause, or be troubled with trembling of heart. Other excellent compound waters for melancholy, he cites in the same place. If their melancholy be not inflamed or their temperature over-hot, Evonimus have a precious aqua vitae to this purpose, such as are cold, but he and most commend all importantly, and every writer prescribes clarified way with borage, brugos, endi, sucre, etc., of goat's milk especially, some indefinitely at all times, some thirty days together in the spring, every morning fasting, a good draught. Syrups are very good and often used to digest this humour in the heart, spleen, liver, etc. As syrup of borage there is a famous syrup of borage highly commended by Laurentius to this purpose in his tract of melancholy, the promise of King Sable, now obsolete of time and epitime, hops, scolopendria, fumatoids, maiden hair, risen time, etc. These are most used for preparatives to other physics, mixed with distilled waters of like nature or in duleps otherwise. Consisting are conserves or confections, conserves of borage, brugos, balm, fumatory, sucre, maiden hair, violets, roses, wormwood, etc. confections, treacle, misvedeti, eclements, all linctures, etc. solid as aromatical confections, hot, diambra, diamargaritum calidum, dianthus, diamoschum duke, electorium de gemis, laetificans galene et racis, dia galanga, dia kiminum, dianesum, diatrion, peperion, dia zanzibar, dia capas, dia kinamonum, cold, as diamargaritum, frigidum, dia corolli, dia rodon, abatis, dia codion, etc. as every pharmacopoeia will show you, with their tables or losings that are made out of them, with condites and the like. Outwardly used as occasion serves as amulets, oils, hot and cold, as of chamomile, stacados, violets, roses, almonds, poppy, nymphaea, mandrake, etc. to be used after bathing or to procure sleep. Ointments composed of the said species, oils and wax, etc., as alabla, stritum, populeum, some hot, some cold, to moisten, procure sleep and correct other accidents. Liniments are made of the same matter to the like purpose, emplasters of herbs, flowers, roots, etc., with oils and other liquors mixed and boiled together. Cataplasms, salves or poultices made of green herbs pounded or sold in water till really soft, which are applied to the hypochondries and other parts when the body is empty. Kerotes are applied to several parts and frontals to take away pain, grief, heat, procure sleep. Meditations or sponges wet in some decoctions, etc. Epithymata or those moist medicines laid on linen to bathe and cool several parts misaffected. Saculee or little bags of herbs, flowers, seeds, roots and the like applied to the head, heart, stomach, etc. Odoramants, balls, perfumes, posies to smell to, all which have their several uses in melancholy as shall be shown when I treat of the cure with a cure themselves. End of Section 32 Section 33 of the Anatomy of Melancholy Volume 2 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Morgan Scorpion The Anatomy of Melancholy Volume 2 by Robert Burton Section 33 Partition 2 Section 4 Member 2 Subsection 1 Purging Simples Upward Melanagoga or melancholy purging medicines are either simple or compound and that gently or violently, purging upward or downward. These following purge upward asaurum or aswebeka, which, as Mesure says, is hot in the second degree and dry in the third. They can in wine, way or, as with us, the juice of two or three leaves or more, sometimes, pounded in porcid drink, qualified with a little licorice or aniseed to avoid the falseness of the taste. Or, as Diasaurum for Nellii, Drasivola reckons it up amongst those simple that only purge melancholy and Urelias confirms as much out of his experience that it purges black colour like Helebor itself. Galen and Matthewolus ascribe other virtues to it and will have it purge other humours as well as this. Laurel, by Hernius's method, is put amongst the strong purges of melancholy. It is hot and dry in the fourth degree. Theroscorides, Book 11, Chapter 114, adds other effects to it. Pliny sets down fifteen berries in drink for a sufficient potion. It is commonly corrected with his visits, cold and moist, as juice of endive, purslane, and is taken in a potion to seven grains and a half. But this, and as Rebecca, every gentlewoman in the country knows how to give. They are two common rummits. Scilla, or sea onion, is hot and dry in the third degree. Drasivola in Catac, out of Messouet, others, and his own experience, will have this simple to purge melancholy alone. It is an ordinary rummet. Vrenum skeleticum, mixed with rubble in a little white wine. White hellebore, which some call sneezing powder, a strong purger upward, which many reject as being too violent. Messouet in Avaroas will not admit of it. By reason of danger of suffocation, great pain and trouble it puts the poor patient to, says Dodoneus. Yet Galen and Dioscorides, Chapter 145, how of it? It was indeed terrible in former times as Pliny notes, but now familiar in so much that many took it in those days, that were students, to quicken their wits, which Perseus, Sata 1, objects to Achius the poet. Ilus achii ebria veratru. It helps melancholy, the falling sickness, madness, gout, etc. But not to be taken of old men, youths, such as our weaklings, nice or effeminate, troubled with headache, high-coloured or fear-strangling, said Dioscorides. Our Abasius, an old physician, has written very copiously and approves of it in such affections which can otherwise hardly be cured. Hernius, Book II, Div vomittori is, will not have it used but with great caution, by reason of its strength, and then when antimony will do no good, caused homophilus to compare it to a stout captain, as Codranaeus observes, that will see all his soldiers go before him and come post-Principia, like the bragging soldier last himself. When other helps fail in inveterate melancholy, in a desperate case, this vomit is to be taken. And yet, for all this, if it be well prepared, it may be securely given at first. Mathiolus brags that he listened to the good of many, made use of it, and Hernius, that he have happily used it, prepared after his own prescript, and with good success. Christophorus of Vega, Book III, Chapter 41, is of the same opinion, that it may be lawfully given, and our country gentle-women find it by their common practice, that there is no such great danger in it. Dr. Turner, speaking of this plant in his herbal, telleth time it was an ordinary receipt among good-wives to give hellebore in powder, to eyed-weight, and he is not much against it. But they do commonly exceed, for who so bold as blind they are, and prescribe it by Pennyworths, and such irrational ways, as I have heard myself market-hosts ask for it in a apothecary's shop? But with what success, God knows.  So the fault is not in the physic, but in the rude and indiscreet handling of it. He that will know, therefore, when to use, how to prepare it a right, and in what dose, let him read Hernius, Brasivola, God of Friedus Stegius, the Emperor Rudolfus's position, Chapter 16, Mathiolis in Dioscoridum, and that excellent commentary of Baptista where we shall find great diversity of examples and receipts. Antimony, or Stibium, which are chemists so much magnify, is either taken in substance or infusion, etc., and frequently prescribed in this disease. It helps all infirmities, says Mathiolis, which proceed from black collar, falling sickness, and hypercondriacal passions, and for further proof of his assertion, he gives several instances of such as have been agreed with it. One of Andrew Gallus, a physician of Trent, that after many other essays imputes the recovery of his health, next after God, to this remedy alone. Another of George Hanshers, that in like sort, when other medicines failed, was by this restored to his former health, and which of his knowledge others have likewise tried, and by the help of this annual medicine being recovered. A third of a parish priest at Prague in Crimea, that was so far gone with melancholy, that he doted and spake he knew not what. But after he had taken twelve grains of stibium, as I myself saw and can witness, for I was called to see this miraculous accident. He was purged of a deal of black collar, like little gobbits of flesh, and all his instruments were as black blood, a medicine fitter for a horse and a man. Yet it did him so much good, that the next he was perfectly cured. This very story of the Bohemian priest, Shenkius, relates verbatim with great approbation of it. Hercules de Saxonia calls it a profitable medicine, if it be taken after meat to six or eight grains, of such as are apt to vomit. Rodericas Afronseca, the Spaniard and late professor of Padua in Italy, extols it to this disease. Tom II, consultation So doth Rodericas Mercatus with many others. Jacobus Gavinas, a French physician on the other side, explodes all this, and saith he took three grains only upon Matthewus and some others commendation, but it almost killed him, whereupon he concludes antimony is rather poison than a medicine. Erastus concurs with him in his opinion and so doth Aelian Montaltus chapter 30 de Melancholia. But what do I talk? It is the subject of whole books. I might cite a century of authors pro and con. I will conclude with a Zwinga. Antimony is like Scandberg's sword, which is either good or bad, strong or weak, as the party is that prescribes or uses it. A word in medicine, if it be rightly applied to a strong man, otherwise poison. For the preparing of it, look in Eronimi Thesaurus, Croquetan, Oswaldus Qualius, Valentius, etc. Tobacco Divine, rare, super-excellent tobacco, which goes far beyond all the panaceas, portable gold and philosopher's stones. A sovereign remedy to all diseases. A good vomit, I confess, a virtuous herb, if it be well qualified, opportunitaken and medicinally used. But as it is commonly abused by most men, which take it as tinkers do ale, tis a plague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, health, hellish, devilish and damned tobacco, the ruin and overthrow of body and soul. Subsection 2. Simples purging melancholy downward. Polypody and epithomy are, without all exceptions, gentle purges of melancholy. Diascologies will have them void flem, but Brasovola out of his experience are rareth that they purge this humour. They are used in decoction, infusion, etc. Simple, mixed, etc. Mirabollonis, all five kinds, are happily prescribed against melancholy and quatern agus. Brasovola speaks out of a thousand experiences. He gave them in pills, decoctions, etc. Look for peculiar receipts in him. Circus, fumatory, dodder, herb mercury, roots of capers, genista or broom, penny-royal and half boiled cabbage, I find in this catalogue of purges of black collar, Oregon, feather-few, ammoniac salt, salt-peeter. But these are very gentle. Alipis, dragon-root, sentry, ditany, colotea, which fuchsias Chapter 168 and others take the senna, but most distinguish. Senna is in the middle of violent and gentle purges downward, hot in the second degree, dry in the first. Brasovola calls it a wonderful herb against melancholy. It scars the blood, lightens the spirits, shakes off sorrow, a most profitable medicine as Dodonaeus terms it, invented by the Arabians and not heard of before. It is taken diverse ways, in powder, in fusion, but most commonly in the infusion, with ginger or some cordial flowers added to correct it. Actuarius commends it sodden in broth, with an old cock, or in whey, which is the common conveyor of all such things as purge black collar, or steeped in wine, which hernias accounts sufficient, without any father correction. Allos, by most, is said to purge collar. But Orillianus Arculanus, Julius Alexandrinus, Crato prescribe it to this disease, as good for the stomach and to open the veins, out of Messuae, Rassus, Serapio, Avikenna, Menardus, Epistulaeum, Libri 1, Epistle 1. Menardus, Epistulaeum, Libri 1, Epistle 1, oppose with it. Allos does not open the veins or move the hemorrhoids, which Leonhardus fuchsius likewise affirms, but Brassivola and Dodonaeus defend Messuae out of their experience. Let Valaceus end the controversy. Lapis Arminus and Lazuli are much magnified by Alexander Book 1, Chapter 16, Avikenna, Aetius, and Actuarius, if they be well washed that the water be no more coloured fifty times, some say. That good Alexander, say Scronarius, put such confidence in this one medicine that he thought all melancholy passions might be cured by it, and I for my part have often times happily used it, and was never deceived in the operation of it. The like may be said of Lapis Lazuli, though it be somewhat weaker than the other. Garcius Abhorto relates that the physicians of the Moors familiarly prescribe it to all melancholy passions, and Matthewolus Epistle and Book 3 drags of that heavy success which he still had in the administration of it. Nicholas Maripsa puts it amongst the best remedies, Section 1, Chapter 12, in Antidotus, and if this will not serve, then there remains nothing but Lapis Arminus and Hellebor itself. Valescus and Jason pretenses much commend Paul this Harley, which is made of it. James Damaskiness, 2 Chapter 12, Hercules de Saxonia, etc., speaks well of it. Crato will not approve this. It and both Hellebor's, he says, are no better than poison. Victor Trincavelius, Book 2, Chapter 14, found it in his experience to be very noisome, to trouble the stomach and hurt their bodies that take it over much. Black Hellebor, that most renowned plant and famous purge of melancholy, which all antiquity so much used and admired, was first found out by Melan Podius, a shepherd, as Pliny Records, Book 25, Chapter 5, who, seeing it to purge his goats when they raved, practised it upon Elege and Pliny, King Pratius's daughters that ruled in Arcadia near the fountain Clitorius, and restored them to their former health. In Hippocrates' time it was in only request, in so much that he writ a book of it, a fragment of which remains yet. Theophrastus, Galen, Pliny, Caelius Aurelianus, as ancient as Galen, Book 1, Chapter 6, Aretas, Book 1, Chapter 5, Orobacius, Book 7, a famous Greek, Aetius, Galen's Ape, Book 7, Chapter 4, Actuarius, Tralianus, Book 5, Chapter 15, Cornelius Kelsus, only remaining of the old Latins, Book 3, Chapter 23, extol and admire this excellent plant, and it was generally so much esteemed of the ancients for this disease, amongst the rest, that they sent all such as were crazed, or that doted, to the Antichyri, or to focus in Acaya, to be purged, this plant was in abundance to be had. In Strabo's time it was an ordinary voyage, navigate Antichyrus, a common proverb among the Greeks and Latins, to bid a desert or a madnan go take Helebor, as in Lucian, manifest to Tantelus. Tanteli, Decipis, Helebor, a porto tibi opus est, eucre sonne meraco. Thou art out of thy little wit, o Tantelus, and must need drink Helebor, and that without mixture. Aristophanes in Vespis, drink Helebor, et cetera, and Harpax in the Comoridian, told Simo and Baleo, two doting fellows, that they had need to be purged with this plant. When that perved Manacratis, or Zeus, had wit an arrogant letter to Philip of Macedon, he sent back no other answer but this. Consulo tibi ut ad Antichyrum take on for us. Noting thereby that he was crazed, atque Elibore indigere, had much need of a good purge. Lilius Geraldus saith, that Hercules, after all his mad pranks upon his wife and children, was perfectly cured by a purge of Helebor, which an Antichyrum administered unto him. They that were sound, commonly took it to quicken their wits, as Ennis of old, queen Portus ad Armour, prosiluid de Kenda, and as our poets drink sack to improve their inventions, I find it so registered by Agelius, Book 17, Chapter 15. Camiadus, the academic, when he was to write against Zeno the Stoic, purged himself with Helebor first, which Petronius puts upon chrysipus. In such esteem it continued for many ages, to let length, messae, and some other Arabians reject and reprehend it, upon whose authority, for many following lustres, it was much debased and quite out of request, held to be poison and no medicine, and is still opuned to this day by Crato and some junior physicians. The reasons are hard, because Aristotle said, Henbane and Helebor were poisons, and Alexander Aphrodisaus, in the preface of his problems, gave out that, speaking of Helebor, Quail spread on that which was poison to men. Galen confirms as much.  And so, Misaldus, Nicander of old, Gavinas, Stencius, and some other neoterics that have written of poisons, speak of Helebor in a chief place. Nicholas Leonicus, at the story of Solon, that besieging, I know not what city, steeped Helebor in a spring of water, which by pipes was conveyed into the middle of the town, and so either poisoned, or else made them so feeble and weak by purging that they were not able to bear arms. Notwithstanding all these cavals and objections, most of our late writers do much approve of it. Gario Pontus, Book 1, Chapter 13, Codroncus, Valopius, Montanus, Vizemelica, Consilium XIV, Hercules de Saxonia, so that it be opportuny given. Jacobus de Dondis, Amartus, Stygius, Chapter 13, Hilarius, and all our Herbalists subscribe. Phonellius confesses it to be a terrible purge and hard to take, yet well given to strong men and such as have able bodies. Petrus Forestus and Capivacius forbid it to be taken in substance, but allow it in decoction or infusion, both which ways Petrus Monavius approved above all others, Epistle 231, Scalzii. Jequinas in 9, Rassus, commends a receipt of his own preparing. Penotus, another of his chemically prepared, Evonymous another. Hildesheim has many examples how it should be used, with diversity of receipts. Phoneus calls it an innocent medicine, how so ever, if it be well prepared. The root of it is only in use, kept many years, and by some given in substance, as by Phallopius and Gracivola amongst the rest, who brags that he was the first that restored it again to its use, and tells a story of how he cured one Melitasta, a madman, that was thought to be possessed in the Duke of Firaeus court with one purge of black hellebore in substance. The receipt is there to be seen. His excrements were like ink, he perfectly healed at once. Vidus Vidius, a Dutch physician, will not admit of it in substance, to whom most subscribe, but as before in the decoction, infusion, all which is all in all, in the extract which he prefers before the rest and calls suave medicamentum, a sweet medicine, an easy, that may be securely given to women, children, and weaklings. Barakellus auto-ganiali, terms at maximae trastantia medicamentum, a medicine of great worth and note. Quercetan and many others, tell wonders of the extract. Paracelsus above all the rest, is the greatest admirer of this plant, and especially the extract. He calls it terriacum terrestre balsamum, another treacle, a terrestrial balm, in star omnium, all in all the soul and last refuge to cure this malady, the gout, epilepsy, leprosy, etc. If this will not help, no physic in the world can but mineral. It is the upshot of all. Mathiolus laughs at those that accept against it, and though some abhor it out of the authority of messuae, and dare not adventure to prescribe it, yet I, say thee, have happily used it six hundred times without offence, and communicated it to diverse worthy physicians, who have given me great thanks for it. Look for receipts, dose, preparation, and other cautions concerning this simple. In him, brassivola, baracelsus, codroncus, and the rest. Subsection 3. Compound Purges. Compound medicines which purge melancholy are either taken in the superior or inferior parts, superior at mouth or nostrils. At the mouth swallowed, or not swallowed, if swallowed liquid or solid, liquid as compound wind of hellebore, scilla, or sea onion, sena, venum scilliticum, helleboratum, which quercitin so much applause for melancholy and madness, either inwardly taken or outwardly applied to the head, with little pieces of linen dipped warm in it. Oximel, scilliticum, syrapus helleboratus major and minor in quercitin, and syrapus genistai for hypochondriacal melancholy in the same author. Compound syrap of succary, of fumatory, polypody, etc. Hernius, his purging, cock-broth. Some accept against these syrups, as appears Odolrinus Leonoris, his epistle to Mathiolus, as most pernicious, and that out of Hippocrates, coctamorveri et medicari non crudar, no raw things to be used in physic. But this in the following epistle is exploded and soundly computed by Mathiolus. Many syrups, potions, receipts are composed of these, as you shall find in Hildesheim, Hernius Book 2, Chapter 14, George Schenkeus, etc. Solid purges are confections, electories, pills by themselves or compound with others, as dilapidae lazulo, amino, pilulai indae, of fumatory, etc. Confection of hammock, which though most approve, Solinander Section 5, Concilium 22, Bitterly invades again. Sodath Rondolatius, Ronilius and others. Diasenna, Dia Polypodium, Diacacia, Diacas Solcon, Weca's Electroide Episymol, Ptolemies Hierologadium, of which diverse receipts are daily made. Aesthes 22, 23, Commends Hierom, Trincarellius Concilium Book 12, Book 4, of Fruels of Hierom, known, Inquit, in Venomelius Medicamentum, I Find No Better Medicine, you say. Hernius adds pilulai aggregati, pills the epithymol, pilulai indae. Mesoey describes in the Florentine Antedotary, pilulai sinai cribus ese nolo, pilulai coccyx, cum helaboro, pilulai arabicai, feitida, stikrinqueganeribus miribolanoam, etc. More proper to melancholy, not excluding in the meantime, turbis, manor, rhubarb, agaric, eloscopy, etc., which are not so proper to this humour. For as Montalces holds Chapter 30, as Montanas, Colloa etiam proganda, cod atrai citpabilum. Colla is to be purged because it feeds the other. And some are of an opinion, as Erosistratus and Asclepillades maintained of old, against whom Galen disputes, that no physic does purge one humour alone, but all alike, or what is next. Most therefore, in their receipts and magistrals, which are coined here, make a mixture of several symbols and compounds to purge all humours in general as well as this. Some rather use potions than pills to purge this humour, because that, as Hernius and Crater observe, hiksuckas a sicko remedio agri trahetor. This juice is not so easily drawn by dry remedies, and as Montanas advises, 25 concilium, all drying medicines are to be repelled, as aloe, hyra, and all pills whatsoever, because the disease is dry of itself. I might here insert many receipts of prescribed potions, bowls, etc. The doses of these, but that they are common in every good physician, and that I am loath to incur the censure of foresters, Book 3, Chapter 6, the Uranus, against those that indulge and publish medicines in their mother tongue, and lest I should give occasion thereby to some ignorant reader to practice on himself, without the consent of a good physician. Such as are not swallowed, but only kept in the mouth, our gargarrisms used commonly after a purge, when the body is soluble and loose. All apoflegmatisms, masticatories, to be held and chewed in the mouth, which are gentle, as hiksuck, organ, penny-royal, thyme, mustard, strong, as pelletory, pepper, ginger, etc. Such as are to be taken into the nostrils, erhina, are liquid or dry, juice of pimpanel, onions, etc., castor, pepper, white helleboil, etc. To these you may add odourments, perfumes and suffumigations, etc. Taken into the inferior parts are clisters strong or weak, suppositories of castilian soap, honey boiled to a consistence, or stronger of scarmony, helleboil, etc. These are all used and prescribed to this malady upon several occasions, as shall be shown in its place. End of section 33 Section 34 of The Anatomy of Malancholy Volume 2 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org recording by Anna Simon The Anatomy of Malancholy Volume 2 by Robert Burton Section 34 Partition 2 Section 4, Member 3 Surgical Remedies In letting of blood, three main circumstances are to be considered. Who, how much, when. That is, that it be done to such a one as may endure it, or to whom it may belong, that it be of a competent age, not too young, nor too old, over weak, fat, or lean, sore laboured, but to such as have need, are full of bad blood, noxious humours, and may be eased by it. The quantity depends upon the party's habit of body, as he is strong or weak, full or empty, spare more or less. In the morning is the fittest time, some doubt whether it be best fasting or full, whether the moon's motion or aspect of planets be to be observed. Some affirm, some deny, some grant in acute, but not in chronic diseases, whether before or after physique, tis hernias aphorism, aphlebotomia aus picandum esse coriachonem non afamachia. You must begin with bloodletting and not with physique. Some accept this peculiar melody, but what do I? Ahoratius archenius, a physician of Padua, have lately written 17 books of this subject, Gebertus, etc. Particular kinds of bloodletting in use are three. First is that opening a vein in the arm with a sharp knife, or in the head, knees, or parts as shall be thought fit. Cup and glasses with or without scarification, ocissime compescunt, seth frenilius, they work presently and are applied to several parts to divert humus, aches, winds, etc. Horse leeches are much used in melancholy, applied especially to the hemorrhoids. Horatius archenius, book 10, chapter 10, Plato's Dementis alienacionibus, chapter 3. Auto-Mars, Piso, and many others prefer them before any evacuations in this kind. Quarteries are searing with hot irons, combustions, borings, lancings, which, because they are terrible, dropaxe and synapses are invented by plasters to raise blisters and eating medicines of pitch, mustard seed, and the like. Issues still to be kept open, made as the former, and applied in and to several parts have their use here on diverse occasions as shall be shown. End of section 34. The Anatomy of Melancholy, volume 2, by Robert Burton, section 35. Partition 2, section 5, member 1, subsections 1 to 4. Subsection 1, particular cure of the three several kinds of head melancholy. The general cures, thus briefly examined and discussed, it remains now to apply these medicines to the three particular species or kinds of that, according to the several parts affected, each man may tell in some sort how to help or ease himself. I will treat of head melancholy first, in which, as in all other good cures, we must begin with diet as a matter of most moment, able often times of itself to work this effect. I have read, saith Laurentius, that in old diseases which have gotten the upper hand, or a habit, the manner of living is to more purpose than whatsoever can be drawn out of the caries. This diet, as I have said, is not only in choice of meat and drink, but of all those other non-natural things. Let air be clear and moist most part. Diet moistening of good juice, easy of digestion and not windy. Drink clear and well brood, not too strong nor too small. Make a melancholy man fat, as races sayeth, and thou hast finished the cure. Exercise not too remiss sleep a little more than ordinary. Excrements daily to be voided by art or nature, and which Farnelius enjoins his patient above the rest to avoid all passions and perturbations of the mind. Let him not be alone or idle in any kind of melancholy, but still accompanied with such friends and familiars he most affects, neatly dressed, washed, and combed according to his ability at least, in clean sweet linen, spruce, handsome, decent, and good apparel. For nothing sooner dejects a man than want, squalor, and nastiness, foul, or old clothes out of fashion. Concerning the medicinal part, he that will satisfy himself at large in this precedent of diet, and see all at once the whole cure and manner of it in every distinct species, let him consult with Gordonius, Valescus, with Prospercholinius liber de atrabile. Caesium, Laurentius, Chapter 8 and 9 de melancholia, in Montaltos de melancholia, Chapter 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, Donatus ab Altomari, Chapter 7, Hercules de Saxonia, Savonarola, Skenchius, Heronius, Vittorius Faventius, Hildesheim, Platter, Stokeris, Petros Peverus, Forrestus, Fuchsius, Capavacius, Rondelicius, Jason Pratensis, Salustius Salvianus, Iachinus, Ludovicus Alexander Messaria, Olerius, etc., that have called out of those old Greek Serabians and Latins whatsoever is observable or fit to be used. Or let him read those councils and consultations of Hugo Sinensis, Concilia 13 and 14, Reineris Solanandre, Concilium 6, Section 1 and Concilium 3, Section 3, Creto, Concilium 16, Book 1, Montanus, 20, 22 and his following councils, Lilius Afonte Egubinus, Consultation 44, 69, 77, 125, 129, 142, Fresnilius, Concilia 44, 45, 46, Julius Caesar Claudinus, Mercurialus, Frambisarius, Sinertus, etc., wherein he shall find particular receipts the whole method, preparatives, purgers, correctors, avertors, cordials in great variety and abundance, out of which because every man cannot attend to read or peruse them, I will collect for the benefit of the reader some few more notable medicines. Subsection 2, Bloodletting Phlebotomy is promiscuously used before and after physical, commonly before, and upon occasion is often reiterated, if there be any need at least of it. For Galen and many others make a doubt of bleeding at all in this case. If the Malady, Seath Piso, Chapter 23, and Altomaris, Chapter 7, Fuchsius, Chapter 33, shall proceed primarily from the misaffected brain. The patient in such case shall not need at all to bleed, except the blood otherwise abound, the veins be full, inflamed blood, and the party ready to run mad. In immaterial melancholy, which especially comes from a cold distemperature of spirits, Hercules De Saxonia, Chapter 17, shall not admit a phlebotomy. Laurentius, Chapter 9, approves it out of the authority of the Arabians. But as Massouet, racist, Alexander appoint, especially in the head, to open the veins of the forehead, nose, and ears is good. They commonly set cupping glasses on the party's shoulders, having first scarified the place. They apply horse leeches on the head, and in all melancholy diseases, whether essential or accidental, they cause the hemorrhoids to be opened, having nephorism of the sixth book of Hippocrates for their ground and warrant, which sayeth, that in melancholy and mad men, the varicose tumor or hemorrhoids appearing doth heal the same. Valescus prescribes blood, letting in all three kinds, whom Salustius Salvianus follows. If the blood abound, which is discerned by the fullness of the veins, his precedent diet, the party's laughter, age, etc., begin with the median or middle vein of the arm. If the blood be bloody and clear, stop it, but if black in the springtime, or a good season, or thick, let it run according to the party's strength, and some eight or twelve days after, open the head vein and the veins in the forehead, or provoke it out of the nostrils, or cupping glasses, etc. Salvianus allows of this, if there have been any suppression or stopping of blood at nose, or hemorrhoids, or women's months, then to open a vein in the head or about the ankles. Yet he doth hardly approve of this course, if melancholy be situated in the head alone, or in any other dotage, except it primarily proceed from blood, or that the malady be increased by it, for blood letting refrigerates and dries up, except the body be very full of blood, and a kind of ruddiness in the face. Therefore I conclude with Eretius. Before you let blood deliberate of it, and well consider all circumstances belonging to it. Subsection 3. Preparatives and perjures. After blood letting we must proceed to other medicines. First prepare and then purge, Augier, Stabilon, Purgare, make the body clean before we hope to do any good. Walter Broul would have a practitioner begin first with a glycer of his, which he prescribes before blood letting. A common sort, as mercurialis, montaltus, cap 30, etc. proceed from lennatives to preparatives and so to perjures. Lennatives are well known, Electorium Lennitivum, Diaphenicum Diacatholicon, etc. Preparatives are usually syrups of borage, bugloss, apples, fumatory, time and epitime, with double as much of the same decoction or distilled water, or of the waters of bugloss, bomb, hops, andiv, scolopendri, fumatory, etc. or these sodden in way, which must be reiterated and used for many days together. Perjures come last, which must not be used at all if the malady may be otherwise helped, because they weaken nature and dry so much, and in giving of them we must begin with the gentlest first. Some forbid all hot medicines, as Alexander and Salvianus, etc. Ne insemiores inde fient, hot medicines increase the disease by drying too much. Perj downward rather than upward, use potions rather than pills, and when you begin physique, persevere and continue in a course, for as one observes movare et non educere in omnibus malum est, to stir up the humor as one purge commonly doth, and not to prosecute doth more harm than good. They must continue in a course of physique, yet not so that they tire and oppress nature, danda qui es natre, they must now and then remit, and let nature rest. The most gentle purges to begin with are Sena, Cassia, Epitime, Mirabilania, Catholicon. If these prevail not, we may proceed to stronger as the confection of Hamach, Pil Inde, Fiumatore, De Asiaret, of Lapus Armanus and Lazuli, Di Sena. Or if pills be too dry, some prescribe both hellebors in the first place, amongst the rest Aritus, because this disease will resist a gentle medicine. Laurentius and Hercules de Saxonia would have entomoni tried last, if the party be strong and it wereally given. Trincavelius prefers Hierologodium to whom Francis Alexander subscribes a very good medicine they accounted, but Crato, in a council of his for the Duke of Bavaria's Chancellor, wholly rejects it. I find a vast chaos of medicines, a confusion of receipts and magistrals amongst writers appropriated to this disease, some of the chiefest I will rehearse. To be seasick first is very good at seasonable times. Heleborismus Mattioli, with which he vaunts and boasts he did so many several cures, I never gave it, sayeth he, but after once or twice by the help of God they were happily cured. The manner of making it he sets down at large in his third book of epistles to George Hancius, a physician. Walter Broul and Hieronius make mention of it with observation. So doth schenkeus in his memorable cures and experimental medicines. That famous heleborism of Montanus, which he so often repeats in his consultations and councils as twenty-eight pro melancholio satsodote, et concilium one hundred forty-eight pro hippocondriaco, and cracks to be a most sovereign remedy for all melancholy persons which he hath often given without offense and found by long observations to be such. Quirzitan prefers a syrup of helebor in his Spajurica farmacia, and helebor's extract chapter five of his invention likewise, a most safe medicine and not unfit to be given children before all remedies whatsoever. Paracelsus in his book of black helebor admits this medicine, but as it is prepared by him, it is most certain, sayeth he, that the virtue of this herb is great and little differing from balm itself, and he that knows well how to make use of it hath more art than all their books contain or all the doctors in Germany can show. Elianus Montaltus in his exquisite work de morbibus capitis chapter three one sets a special receipt of his own, which in his practice he fortunately used because it is but short I will set it down. Prescription syrupe de pomis two ounces, acue boragice four ounces, elebori nigri per noctem infusion ligatura, six vel eight gram manifacta colatura exhibe. Other receipts of the same to this purpose you shall find in him. Bolesco's admires Pulvis Halle, and Jason pretenses after him, the confection of which our new London pharmacopia hath lately revived. Put case, sayeth he, all other medicines fail, but the help of God this alone shall do it, and the crowned medicine which must be kept in secret. Prescription epitemi half an ounce lapidis lazuli, agarici ana three ounces, scam noniae one dram, cariofilorum numero twenty pulviscentro omnia edipsius preveris quator singilis septimanis asumat. To these I may add our noldy vinambu glossalom, or borage wine before mentioned, which mizaldus calls vinum drabele, a wonderful wine, and stoccarus vouchsafes to repeat verbatim amongst other receipts. Rubius, his compound water out of savonarola. Pinatus his balm. Cardans pulvis e asinti, with which in his book Decurus admirandis he boasts that he had cured many melancholy persons in eight days which Schenckius puts amongst his observable medicines. Altomaris, his syrup, with which he calls God so solemnly to witness he hath in his kind done many excellent cures, and which Schenckius mentioneth Daniel Cenartus so much commends. Rulandus is admirable water for melancholy, which he names spiritum vitae aureum panaceum what not, and his absolute medicine of fifty eggs to be taken three in a morning, with a powder of his. Faventinos doubles this number of eggs, and will have one hundred one to be taken by three and three in like sort, which celest salviana proves with some of the same powder, till all be spent a most excellent remedy for all melancholy and mad men. Prescription epitimi, timi, anatrahmas duas sakari albi unciam unam croci granatria cinamoni drachmam unam misce fiat pulvis all these yet are nothing to those chemical preparatives of aqua caledonia quintessence of hellebore salts, extracts, distillations oils, aureum potibile et cetera. Dr. Anthony in his book de aureum potibili edited sixteen hundred is all in all for it. And though all the schools of gaylinists with a wicked and unthankful pride and scorn detested in their practice yet in more grievous diseases when their vegetals will do no good they are compelled to seek the help of minerals, though they use them rashly, unprofitably, slackly and to no purpose. Cretanus, a dutch chemist in his book de sale e puteo emergente takes upon him to apologize for Anthony and sets light by all that speak against him. But what do I meddle with this great controversy which is the subject of many volumes? Let Paracelsus, Quercitan, Corleus and the Brethren of the Rosicross defend themselves as they may. Creto, Erastus and the gaylinists opune Paracelsus. He brags on the other side he did more famous cures by this means than all the gaylinists in Europe and calls himself a monarch. Galen, Hippocrates, Infants Illiterate, etc. As Thessilus of old railed against those ancient Asclepiadian writers he condemns others, insults triumphs, overcomes all antiquity sayeth Galen as if he spake to him declares himself a conqueror and crowns his own doings one drop of their chemical preparatives shall do more good than all their fulsome potions. Paracelsus and the rest of the gaylinists vilify them on the other side as heretics and physics. Paracelsus did that in physics which Luther in divinity a drunken rogue he was a base-fellow a magician he had the devil for his master devils his familiar companions and what he did was done by the help of the devil thus they contend and rail and every mart write books pro and con at ad hooks of beauty chelice est let them agree as they will I proceed subsection 4 avertors avertors and purgers must go together as tending all to the same purpose to divert this rebellious humor and turn it another way in this range clisters and suppositories challenge a chief place to draw this humor from the brain and heart to the more ignoble parts some would have them still used a few days between and those to be made with the boiled seeds of anise fennel and bastard saffron hops time epitime mallows fumatory bugloss polypedy senna diacine hammock cassia dia catholicon earl agodium oil of violet sweet almonds etc for without question a clister opportunity used cannot choose in this as most other maladies but to do very much good clister is nutrient sometimes clisters nourish as they may be prepared as I was informed long since by a learned lecture of our natural philosophy reader which he handled by way of discourse out of some other noted physicians such things as provoke urine most command but not sweat trincovelius concilium 16 chapter 1 in head melancholy forbids it petrus biaris and others approve frictions of the outward parts and to bathe them in warm water instead of ordinary frictions cardan prescribes rubbing with nettles blister the skin which likewise basardus visontanus so much magnifies sneezing masticatoris and nasals are generally received montaltis chapter 34 hildesheim gives several recipes of all three hercules desaxonia relates of an empiric in venus that had a strong water to purge by the mouth and nostrils which he still used in head melancholy and would sell for no gold to open months and hemorrhoids is very good if they have been formerly stopped faventinas would have them opened with horse leeches so would hercules desaxonia julius alexandranus concilium 185 scoltzii thinks aloes fitter most approve horse leeches in this case to be applied to the forehead nostrils and other places montaltis chapter 29 out of alexander and others prescribes cupping glasses and issues in the left thigh aratus book 7 chapter 5 paulus regolanus silvius will have them without scarification applied to the shoulders and back thighs and feet montaltis chapter 34 bids open an issue in the arm or hinder part of the head piso enjoins ligatures frictions suppositories and cupping glasses still without scarification and the rest cauteries and hot irons are to be used in the suture of the crown and the seared or ulcerated place suffered to run a good while tis not amiss to bore the skull with an instrument to let out the fuliginous vapours siluptius salvianus d'ere medica book 2 chapter 1 because this humor hardly yields to other physique would have the leg cauterized or the left leg below the knee and the head bored in two or three places for that it much avails to the exhalation of the vapours I saw, seethi, a melancholy man at Rome that by no remedies could be healed but when by chance he was wounded in the head and the skull broken he was excellently cured another to the admiration of the beholders breaking his head with a fall from on high was instantly recovered of his dotage gordonius chapter 13 part 2 would have these cauteries tried last when no other physique will serve the head to be shaved and bored to let out fumes which without doubt will do much good I saw a melancholy man wounded in the head with a sword his brain pan broken so long as the wound was open he was well but when his wound was healed his dotage returned again but alexander massaria a professor in padua will allow no cauteries at all to stiff a humor and too thick as he holds to be so evaporated quinerius chapter 8 tract 15 cured a nobleman in savoy by boring alone leaving the hole open a month together by means of which after two years melancholy and madness he was delivered all a prove of this remedy in the suture of the crown but arculanus would have the cauteries to be made with gold in many other parts these cauteries are prescribed for melancholy men as in the thighs mercurialus concilium 86 arms legs edem concilium 6 and 19 and 25 montanus 86 rudericus affonseca tom 2 consultation 84 proibocondriaco coxadextra etc. but most in the head if other physics will do no good end of section 35 recording by Sean Michael Hogan St. John's Newfoundland, Canada section 36 of the anatomy of melancholy volume 2 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Sean Michael Hogan the anatomy of melancholy volume 2 by Robert Burton section 36 partition 2 section 5 member 1 subsection 5 alternatives and cordials corroborating resolving the reliquaries and mending the temperament because this humor is so malign of itself and so hard to be removed the reliquaries are to be cleansed by alternatives cordials and such means the temper is to be altered and amended with such things as fortify and strengthen the heart and brain which are commonly both affected in this malady and to mutually mis-effect one another which are still to be given every other day or some few days inserted after a purge or like physics as occasion serves and are of such force that many times they help alone and as Arnoldus holds in his aphorisms are to be preferred before all other medicines in what kind so ever amongst this number of cordials and alternatives I do not find a more present remedy than a cup of wine or strong drink if it be soberly and opportunally used it makes a man bold, hardy, courageous, wetteth the wit if moderately taken and as Plutarch sayeth it makes those which are otherwise dull to exhale and evaporate like frankincense or quickens in a phon-ads as oil doth fire a famous cordial Mathiola Cyndius Cordum calls it an excellent nutriment to refresh the body it makes a good color, a flourishing age, helps concoction fortifies the stomach, takes away obstructions provokes urine, drives out excrements, procures sleep, clears the blood, expels wind and cold poisons, attenuates concocts dissipates all thick vapours and phylogenous humours and that which is all in all to my purpose, it takes away fear and sorrow. Cura sedace dissipatevius the heart of man Psalm 104 15 Ilaritatis dulce seminarium Helena's bowl, the sole nectar of the gods, or that true Nepenthi's in Homer, which puts away care and grief, as Orobacius and some others will, was not else but a cup of good wine. It makes the mind of the king and of the fatherless both one of the bond and freeman, poor and rich. It turneth all his thoughts to joy and mirth, makes him remember more debt, but enricheth his heart and makes him speak by towns Esdras III 19221 It gives life itself, spirits, wit, etc. for which cause the ancients called Bacchus liber patar a liberando, and sacrificed to Bacchus and Pallas still upon an altar.  Bacchus et afflictis requiem mortalibus afert, crola lice d'uro compere vinctaforient. Wine makes a troubled soul to rest though feet in fetters be oppressed. Demetrius in Plutarch, when he fell into Cilus as his hands and was prisoner in Syria, spent his time with that he might so ease his discontented mind, and to avoid those continual cogitations of his present condition for whith he was tormented. Therefore Solomon, Proverbs 316, bids wine be given to him that is ready to perish and to him that hath grief of heart let him drink that he forget his poverty and remember his misery no more. Solicitis animis onus eximit It easeth a burdened soul nothing speedier, nothing better which the prophet Zachariah perceived when he said that in the time of Messias they of Ephraim should be glad and their heart should rejoice as through wine. All which makes me very well approve of that pretty description of a feast in Bartholomeus Anglicus, when grace was said, their hands washed and the guests sufficiently exhilarated with good discourse, sweet music, dentifer, exhilaration excrazia, pokolo etorum acue etorum offorontor as a corollary to conclude the feast and continue their mirth a grace cup came in to cheer their hearts and they drank healths to one another again and again, which as Fredericus Matinesius was an old custom in all ages in every common wealth so as they be not enforced be better a per violencia but as in that royal feast of Ahasuerus which lasted 180 days without compulsion they drank by order in golden vessels when at what they would themselves. This of drink is a most easy and parable remedy a common, a cheap, still ready against fear, sorrow, and such troublesome thoughts that molest the mind as brimstones with fire the spirits on a sudden are enlightened by it no better physics sayeth races for a melancholy man and he that can keep company and carouse needs no other medicines is enough. His countrymen Avicena proceeds farther yet and will have him that is troubled in mind or melancholy not to drink only but now and then to be drunk excellent good physics it is for this and many other diseases Magnunus will have them to be so once a month at least and gives his reasons for it because it scours the body by vomit, urine, sweat of all manner of superfluities and keeps it clean of the same mind is Seneca the philosopher in his book De Tranculitate Book 1 Chapter 15 Nunun quam uttina alias morbis ad ebriatatem usque veniendum curas deprimit trisiatse medetur it is good sometimes to be drunk it helps sorrow depressive cares and so concludes this tract with a cup of wine abes serene carissime quae ad tranquilitatem anime pertinent but these are epicureal tenets tending to looseness of life luxury and atheism maintained alone by some heathens disillute Arabians profane Christians that are exploded by Rabbi Moses Placentius, Valescas de Teranta and most accurately ventilated by Johannes Silvaticus a late writer and physician of Milan where you shall find this tenet copiously confuted Howsoever you say, if this be true that wine and strong drink have such a virtue to expel fear and sorrow and to exhilarate the mind ever after let's drink and be merry. Lidis trenua cacubum capaciores puruc afer sifos etchia vina aut lesbia Come lustilida fill us a cup of sac and siradrar bigger pots we lack and sea-o wines that have so good a smack I say with him in Aulus Gelius let us maintain the vigor of our souls with a moderate cup of wine natis in usum letitie sifis and drink to refresh our mind if there be any cold sorrow in it or torpid bashfulness let's wash it all away nunc vino pellet de curas soseith horis soseith anacrian metion tegar me case dai paul creson et anonta let's drive down care with a cup of wine and sosei too though I drink none myself for all this may be done so that it be modestly, soberly opportunity used so that they be not drunk wine wherein is excess which our apostle forewarns for his Chrysostom well comments on that place adletitium tatum est vinum non adabri etatem tis for mirth wine but not for madness and will you know where, when, and how that is to be understood? vistis shere ubibonum sit vinum audic quiddicat scriptura hear the scriptures give wine to them that are in sorrow or as paul bid Timothy drink wine for his stomach's sake for concoction, health, or some such honest occasion otherwise as Pliny telleth if singular moderation be not had nothing so pernicious tis mere vinegar blandus daemon poison itself but here a more fearful doom Habacuk 2 15 and 16 woe be to him that makes his neighbor drunk shameful spewing shall be upon his glory let not good fellows triumph therefore said Matthewus that I have so much commended wine if it be immoderately taken instead of making glad it confounds both body and soul it makes a giddy head, a sorrowful heart and twas well said of the poet of old vine, causeth mirth, and grief nothing so good for some so bad for others especially as one observes qui accousicale de male abente that are hot or inflamed and so of spices they alone as I have showed cause head melancholy themselves not use wine as an ordinary drink or in their diet but to determine with Laurentius wine is bad for mad men and such as are troubled with heat in their inner parts or brains but to melancholy which is cold as most is wine soberly used may be very good I may say the same of the decoction of china roots sassafras, sarsparilla, guayakum china sayeth manardus makes a good color in the face takes away melancholy proceeding from cold even so sarsparilla provokes sweat mightily, guayakum dries cloudiness, montanas, capivaccio scoltzii make frequent and good use of guayakum in china so that the liver be not incensed goods for such as are cold as most melancholy men are but by no means to be mentioned in hot the Turks have a drink called coffee for they use no wine so named of a berry as black as soot and as bitter like that black drink which was in use amongst the lackademonians and perhaps the same which they sip still of and sip as warm as they can suffer they spend much time in these coffee houses which are somewhat like our ale houses or taverns and there they sit chatting and drinking to drive away the time and to be married together because they find by experience that kind of drink so used help with digestion and procureth alacrity some of them take opium to this purpose borage, bomb, saffron, gold, I have spoken of montaltus commends scorzanero roots condite garcius aborto makes mention of an herb called datura which if it be eaten for 24 hours following takes away all sense of grief makes them inclined to laughter and mirth and another called bauge like an effect to opium which puts them for a time into a kind of ecstasy and makes them gently to laugh one of the roman emperors had a seed which he did ordinarily eat to exhilarate himself christophorus erarus prefers bezzouar stone and the confection of alchromies before other cordials and amber in some cases alchromies comforts the inner parts and bezzouar stone hathen a special virtue against all melancholy affections it refresheth the heart and corroborates the whole body amber provokes urine, helps the body breaks wind, etc after a purge, 3 or 4 grains of bezzouar stone and 3 grains of amber grease drunk or taken in borage or bugloss water in which gold hot hath been quenched will do much good and the purge shall diminish less the heart so refreshed of the strength and substance of the body to bezzouar stone most subscribe menardus and many others it takes away sadness and makes him marry that use of it I have seen some that have been much diseased with faintness, swooning and melancholy but taking the weight of 3 grains of this stone and the water of ox tongue have been cured Garchius Aborto brags how many desperate cures he hath done upon melancholy men by this alone when all physicians had forsaken them but alchemy's many except against, and in some cases it may help if it be good and of the best such as that of Montpellier in France which Yorakus Sinterus itinerare or Gaulier so much magnifies and would have no traveller omit to see it made but it is not so general a medicine as the other Fernilius concilium 49 suspects alchemy's by reason of its heat, nothing sayeth he sooner exasperates this disease and the use of hot working meats and medicines and would have them for that cause warily taken I conclude therefore of this and all other medicines as theucidities of the plague at Athens no remedy could be prescribed for it Nam quod uni profuit oc alies erat exitio there is no catholic medicine to be had that which helps one is pernicious to another the physician is full of such receipts one only I will add for the rareness of it which I find recorded by many learned authors as an approved medicine against dotage, head melancholy and such diseases of the brain take a ram's head that never meddled within you, cut off at a blow and the horns only take away boil it well, skin and wool together after it is well sawed take out the brains and put these spices to it, cinnamon, ginger nutmeg, mace, cloves mingle the powder of these spices with it and heat them in a platter upon a chafing dish of coals together stirring them well for they do not burn take heed it be not over much dried or drier than a calf's brains ready to be eaten keep it so prepared and for three days give it the patient fasting so that he fast two hours after it it may be eaten with bread in an egg or broth or anyway so it be taken for fourteen days let him use this diet, drink no wine etc gizner, caracterias, yatro mention this medicine though with some variation, he that list may try it and many such adoramans to smell too of rose water, violet flowers balm, rose cakes, vinegar etc do much recreate the brains and spirits according to Solomon Proverbs twenty seven, nine they rejoice the heart and as some say nourish tis a question commonly controverted in our schools an odora is nutrient let fichinos book two chapter eighteen decided many arguments he brings to prove it as of democratus that lived by the smell of bread alone applied to his nostrils for some few days when for old age he could eat no meat ferraria speaks of an excellent confection of his making of wine, saffron etc which he prescribed to dull, weak, feeble and dying men to smell too and buy it to have done very much good eque ferre profusse or facto et potu as if he had given them drink our noble and learned lord verulam in his book de vita et morte commends therefore all such cold smells as any way served to refrigerate the spirits montanus concilium thirty one prescribes a form which he would have his melancholy patient never to have out of his hands, if he will have them spajerically prepared look in his wall discrolius irrigations of the head shaven of the flowers of water lilies, lettuce violets, chamomile, wild mallows weather's head etc must be used many mornings together montanus concilium thirty one would have the head so washed once a week lilius affonte aiugubines consultation forty four for an italian count troubled with head melancholy repeats many medicines which he tried but two alone which did the cure use of huay made of goat's milk with the extract of hellebore and irrigations of the head with water lilies lettuce violets, chamomile, etc upon the suture of the crown piso commends a ram's lungs applied hot to the four part of the head or a young lamb divided in the back exenterated, etc all acknowledged the chief cure in moistening throughout some say a thlorentius use powders and caps to the brain but for as much as such aromatical things are hot and dry they must be sparingly administered unto the heart we may do well to apply bags, epithems, ointments of which lurentius chapter nine de melancholia gives examples brul prescribes an epithem for the heart of bugloss borage water lily, violet waters sweet wine, bomb leaves nutmegs, cloves, etc for the belly make a fomentation of oil in which the seeds of cumin, rou, carrots, dill have been boiled baths are of wonderful great force much admired by galen, asius, racis, etc. a sweet water in which is boiled the leaves of mallows or roses, violets, water lilies weather's head, flowers of bugloss chamomile, mellilot, etc quainair chapter eight treatise fifteen would have them used twice a day and when they came forth of the baths their backbones to be anointed with oil of almonds, violets, nymphia fresh capon grease, etc amulets and things to be born about, I find prescribed by some, approved by renodius platyrus, amulet, a inquit non-negligenda, and others look for them in mezaldus, porta, albertus, etc basardus viscantus commends hypericon, where saint johnsward gathered on a friday in the hour of jupiter when it comes to his effectual operation that is about the full moon in july so gathered and born, or hung about the neck, it mightily helps this affection and drives away all fantastical spirits files, a greek author that flourished in the time of Michael paleologus, writes that a sheep or kid's skin, whom a wolf worried, ateus in humani raptus abore lupi, not at all to be worn about a man because it causes palpitation of the heart, not for any fear but a secret virtue which amulets have, a ring made of the hoof of an ass's right four foot carried about, etc, I say with renodius they are not altogether to be rejected peony doth cure epilepsy, precious stones most diseases a wolf's dung, born with one, helps the colic a spider, an ague, etc being in the country in the vacation time, not many years since at lindley and lester shirt, my father's house I first observed this amulet of a spider in a nutshell lapped in silk, etc, so applied for an ague by my mother, whom although I knew to have excellent skill and chirurgy, sore eyes, aches, etc and such experimental medicines as all the country where she dwelt can witness, to have done many famous and good cures upon diverse poor folks that were otherwise destitute of help yet among all other experiments this me thought was most absurd and ridiculous, I could see no warrant for it, quid aranea cum febre for what antipathy to let length rambling amongst authors as often I do, I found this very medicine in Dias Cordes, approved by Matthewus, repeated by Aldoverandus chapter de aranea book de insectis I began to have a better opinion of it and to give more credit to amulets when I saw it in some parties answer to experience some medicines are to be exploded that consist of words, characters spells and charms which can do no good at all but out of a strong conceit as Pomponatsias proves, or the devil's policy who is the first founder and teacher of them End of section 36 Recording by Sean Michael Hogan Sean's Newfoundland, Canada