THE EXPLANATION OF The Title Page.
BEcauſe the Title〈◊〉begins more like a Riddle, than in the common way of a〈◊〉; it may be expected it ſhould be Explained: therefore thus. As to the Firſt Clauſe of it, Viz,The firſt Clauſe of the Title page Explain'd. The Phyſician, and no Phyſician; I do freely acknowledge I am no phyſician, either by Education, Gradation, Licence, Intent or Practice. Yet I thank God, I was not The Fool at 40 according to that old Engliſh Proverb, which runs thus, Viz. Every Man is either a Fool or a Phyſician for himſelf, at 40 Year•of•ge. That is as much as to ſay, He that has liv'd to 40 Years and has not taken ſo much Notice of His own Conſtitution &c. as to know what is Good or Bad for His Healthfull Well being &c. may juſtly be call'd the Fool; But otherwiſe The Phyſician. I ſay I was not Then the Fool, for I had by That Time Obſerv'd what was Beneficial for my own Health, &c. So that if the Proverb be true you muſt acknowledge, that I was then a Phyſician Tho' but for my ſelf, and what was found Good for my ſelf muſt needs be Good for Thouſands beſides. Well then Grant me but That, and that's Enough to make Good, the firſt Clauſe of my Title Page, Viz, the Phyſician and No Phyſician.
And now, ſince I am upon this Theme, I will take the Liberty, to ask This one Queſtion, Viz: Whether it be not poſible,A Pertinent Queſtion. for a Man that has liv'd to 40, 50. 60, 70, or 80 years Old (as I have now done) may not He (I ſay) be as Good a Phyſician (having Studied Himſelf and Nature (It may be) 30, 40, or 50 of Thoſe 80 years) as a young Stripling, who has been but five years at the Univerſity, and has got a Batchellor of Phyſick's Degree upon his Back; by Reading a few Books (perchance but a year or two neither of thoſe Five, before he got his D•gree.) Now I ſay This young Man muſt not be deny'd to be a Phyſician, how little Experience ſoever He's Furniſh'd withall Either of His own, or of other Men's Conſtitutions, or Complexions; neither can he be Queſtioned (by the Law) if he chance to give ſuch Phyſick as Kills any Man he takes in hand to Cure.
Without doubt, Experience is a moſt neceſſ•ry Thing for a Phyſician. But this only by the Bye, and by way of Preparation, (as a Bruſh or Whisk,2 to Clear off ſome duſt and that (no doubt) will be Blown or caſt upon this my Attempt, by ſome Envious Breaths or other; who uſually are diſpleas'd, at any ſtoneſt or Laudable undertaking, that may ſeem to Reflect upon Them; Tho' I do it not for any ſuch end (God knows.)
And now to the 2 Riddle which is Preſcribing Phyſick and no Phyſick. The 2d. Riddle•••o•ded.
This muſt needs ſeem as Strange as the Firſt. However it ſhall be as Eaſily made Plain as the Firſt, Viz, Thus; You muſt know, that this Rare Thi•g that I Thus Commend unto the World; for an Ʋniverſall-Phyſical-Medicine, for all ſorts of Conſtitutions, and all ſorts of Maladies, Sickneſſes, and Diſeaſes, is a Chymical Prepar'd Powder which for ſome late years paſt I have Publiſh'd in the Name of the Engliſh PRIE•T'S POWDER, and which it ſelf is never to be Taken, either Inwardly (as Phyſick) nor Applyed Outwardly to any Wound, Sore Scab, Bruiſe, Swelling, Pains, Aches, Head-Ach Rheumetick-Sore-Eyes, &c. All which, and many more, tis moſt Admirably good for.) I ſay, it is never (it ſelf) to be us'd or Apply'd (as Medicine) But (only) a ly•cture, which It ſends forth, into ſome Certain Liquors;The 2d. Clauſe of the litle page Explain'd. into which it is to be Infus'd, for ſome certain Hours: And Thoſe Liquors, (Retaining its Virtue) are only to be us'd; And (as Phyſick) are to be taken, into the Body, in the way of Potion;••ther for Vomit, Purge, Gliſter, or Sweat; But in the way of Chirurgery, are only Outwardly Applyed, by Waſhings or Bathings &c.
So,☞ that the Powder (which is Really and Virtually) the Phyſick) muſt never be taken, or us'd, but ſtill carefully kept, in Some Glaſs-Bottle, to infuſe a New ſupply of liquor, in the room of what may be taken off it for ſome preſent uſe at any time.
So that (here you may Eaſily perceive, the Riddle un•••ded, in that you never take the Body of any Phyſick or Potion, as is generally done from the Apothecaries-Shops by Phyſicians Directions.
I need ſay no more (I ſuppoſe to Explain theſe two firſt Riddles. Therefore I proceed to the next. Viz,
Every man his Own Phyſician, Apothecary; Chyrurgion with Little Coſt, and far leſs Trouble.
Here are no leſs than Five Things Particularly to be conſider'd,The 3d. Riddle Explained in 5 particulars. All which ſeem (at the firſt view a Confounded Piece of Impoſſibility; but, (as the two former) you ſhall find them very eaſie to be underſtood. As Thus, Firſt as to the Phyſician, you are only to get the Book of Directions (which is but very Short and Plain,Firſt, the Phyfician is Made. and to be underſtood (almoſt) by any one, except (only) an Idiot or Fool. So that upon whatſoever Occaſion you are to uſe your Phyſick, (or rather Tyncture) it is but Turning to That Place (in the Book which concerns your particular Buſineſs; and There you ſhall have Exact Directions what you are to do and how; as well as if you had Studied five years in the Ʋniverſity, and obtain'd a Batchellor of Phyſicks Degree, &c.
There's one of the five difficulties eaſily made Eaſie.
The Second is the Apothecary. Secondly, the Apothecary is Made.Now as to That; moſt People know that the Skill, the Work and Labour of an Apothecary is to Procure Simples and of ſeveral ſorts and Kinds; and to Prepare, Order, Mix, Belabour, Compound, and Work them all up into Divers Forms and Ways, with a Vaſt Deal of continual Care and Trouble (beſides the Coſt.)
3But now, whereas This High Virtue carrying in it ſuch a Powerfull Predominarcy over All the Enemies of Mans-Nature, whereby it does Cleerly Expell and Drive forth the very Root of any Diſeuſe (curable) if it be Taken in Time) there needs no more to be done, than to Furniſh your ſelf with a Competent Store of This Wonderfull Thing. And put it into Preparation, according to the Exact Directiors of the aforeſaid book; which (having already (as we will ſuppoſe) made you a Phyſician) you have Nothing more to Provide for, or to do, than what you will find Therein Exactly ſet down, and now you are an Apothecary alſo.
So that now, you may conclude your ſelf, both Phyſician and Apothecary, and ſufficiently become Skilfull in both, for Moſt Diſeaſes.
It now only remains that you have ſufficient Skill in the common Art of Chyrurgeny (for I pretend no further) which already,Third, the Chyrurgeon Made. is (upon the matter done;) Suppoſing you are Phyſician and Apothecary; for you have Nothing more to do, than ſtill to apply your ſelf, to Thoſe Plain Directions in your Book. Making uſe of the very ſame Virtue which does All things as well in common Chyrurgery as in Phyſick; (excepting only Fractions, Diſlocations, Cuttings off of Arms, Legs, and ſuch like; yet it ſhall Heal any of Thoſe Grievances, as well as moſt things that are uſually applyed upon Thoſe occaſions. So that now, you (being thus Accompliſh'd) may ſay, Tria ſunt Omnia, you having All the Three Properties of a compleat Phyſician.
And no doubt (if you would take up the Humour to be a Mountebark) you would (by way of Figure) be ſaid to put them all into your Pocket;The Quacks and Mountebanks undone. That is, You'd ſpoil their Trade. Quſ. Why? Anſ. Becauſe, admi•ting their Medicines to be never ſo Good, yet when they are Once taken, they ceaſe to be; They are gone, and you muſt be at a New-Charge for more continually, as you have occaſion; whereas This, (after 'tis Purchas'd) ſhall do you Ten thouſand Services, (never Loſing its Virtues) to the End of your Days; as ſhall be made good by what follows in the next two Particulars to be Explained. And thus I have made Plain theſe three firſt Difficulties; there needs not much to be ſaid to Explain the other two. Viz, with Little Trouble but far leſs Coſt. Theſe two laſt, being Included, in the three former.
Firſt to the Trouble,Fourth, the little Trouble. you having but once Purchas'd your intended Quantum, Stock or Store, of the Forementioned Chymical-Powder, you need but put it into a Srong-Bottle-Glaſs; And put to it ſuch a Quantity of ſuch Liquor, as you are Directed unto in your Book of Directions; and in 24 Hours That Liquor, will be fit for any Phyſicall or Chyrurgicall uſe, without any further Trouble. And this is all the Trouble you need be at, as Long as you Live, putting ſtill a New ſupply of the ſame Liquor, when at any time you draw off any from the Powder, the Powder ſtill remaining in the Bottle.
And here 'tis well worth your Notice, Viz,
That tho' the Liquor will be ſufficiently Tynctur'd, fit for uſe in 24 Hours,☞ Yet if ou let it lie upon the Powder 24 Days, Months, or Years, (or I believe never ſo long) it will be, (but) always fit for uſe. For no Liquor can Receive more Tyrcture, than its Body or Capacity is able to contain; And (which more is) the Powder it ſelf, will Never waſt in its Subſtance nor its Virtues, although it lye never ſo Lo•g in Liquors to Feed them with Virtues.
Theſe are Great and High Things, and not Eaſie to be Believ'd; however4 you'll find all True for Experience has Confirm'd them; And when You find them thus as I my ſelf (with Many worthy Perſons in this Nation) have done; let them not only be the cauſe of your Wonder and Admiration, but alſo to Magnify and Adore The Infinite Ʋnconceivable God, (The Good,) the Ʋnſearchable cauſe of Cauſes whoſe works are all Myſterie, and full of Wonder. But This one Thing which I here diſcourſe of, (and thus kindly Publiſh for a General Good) is One of the moſt admired Wonders (in its kind) that can be produc'd. The Load-Stone is a Great Myſtery, in its Magnetick Property, but This may be ſaid to be more Great, in that it has ſo General a Phyſical Excelling Property, as well as Magneticall. (For its Virtues are Perpetual by being Magneticall. And if you do, or can believe, the ſtrange Virtues or Property of the Load-Stone; It will be a means to help you (the more Eaſily) to the Belief of what I Here declare; concerning theſe ſeeming ſtrange and incredible things
The laſt of which I ſhall now diſpatch in few words; That is, if it be remember'd, what I have already ſaid concerning the four former Particulars,Fifth, with leſs C•ſt. it is already made out.
For if it have Virtue to doe all thoſe Things which I have affirmed it can and will do, (and Theſe Perpetually as it will moſt certainly do,) what Thing is there that can be nam'd, of Greater Value, or ought to be more Highly Eſteem'd of than This Thing?
So that let it coſt what it will, 'tis the Cheapeſt thing upon Earth. For, when you have but Once Purchaſt it,The reaſon why it is the Cheapeſt thing upon Earth. you need never be at a Penny-worth of Phyſical coſt more, ſo long as you live; yea, you may when you Dye, leave it as a Precious Legacy to your beſt Friend; And He again may do the like and ſo from Generation, to Generation &c.
And now I think the whole Title Page is made Plain, even to the weakeſt Capacity.
However (yet further) to Highten your Admiration and wonder, you are to know; That 'tis found by continual Experience, that this Powder is Magneticall, continually drawing Inn, the Influentiall Virtues of the Heav'ns, ſo faſt as it gives forth (Load-Stone like as I ſaid) by which Faculty it becomes a Perpetual Medicine,How it comes to be a Perpetuall Medicice. by never wanting Virtue; And if this you find to be True, (as ſure enough you will, if you ever be ſo Happy, as to make Tryal of it) you then will ſurely ſay with me, 'Tis the only Thing in its Kind, not only of the Greateſt Value, but of the leaſt coſt of any Thing known in the whole World.
The Author's Intention by this WORK.
IS This, Viz, to Accommodate the Meaner ſort of Men;The Authors Intention by this Work. but more eſpecially the Pooreſt of all, who ſtand moſt in Need of Help and Comfort in their Sickneſſes, ſeeing no Great and Skillfull-Phyſicians, will ſo much as look after Them, or ſcarce think of their Miſeries; ſo that many Thouſands live in Miſery; Languiſh and Dye, for want of That which every ordinary Houſe keeper might Eaſily Purchaſe, and not only have the Benefit of it for himſelf and his whole Family, during his Life, in all common Sickneſſes, and Diſeaſes, but might alſo be aſſiſting to all his Poor Sick Neighbours round Him; And not give away the Value of a Quarter of a Farthing at any One Time, to any Poor body towards the Removing of an Ague Fever, Small-Pox, &c. Yea the High High French Pox, Leproſie, or even the Plague it ſelf, all which I my ſelf can manifeſt that This Rare Cheap Thing has Cur'd, as ſhall be made out in the following Diſcourſe.
And this is the firſt of my two Ʋniverſal Medicines mentioned in the Title Page, where I ſay the firſt the Worſt. The meaning of which ſaying is, that 'tis worſe to procure Health, by Phyſicall-Means, than by Naturall Means, if poſſibly it may be ſo gain'd:Note when Phyſick ſhould be taken, and when not. For Phyſick is a meer Sickneſs in it ſelf, and ſhould never be taken but upon Abſolute Neceſſity; and very Cautiouſly then too, for there is no Phyſick (Vomitive, Purgative or Applicative,) but has Poyſon in it, which is the only cauſe of its Opperative Qualities; therefore due regard ought to be had what ſort of Phyſick People put into their Bodies. But This Phyſick which I Here Publiſh has no Body, but a pure Tincture,This Phyſick has no Body. which although it has the Opperative Power to ſtir and bring away the Poyſonous Humors in Mens Bodies, yet it having no Body, can leave no Malignity, or Danger behind it; as too often is known from the common ordinary Potions which are given to Sick People, and which oftentimes provs more Dangerous than their Diſeaſes.
Now I would have you take Good Notice that what I have ſaid thus far, is chiefly in Reference to thoſe who are Paſſively Sick,To whom only it is to be given and labour under Pains and Grief, &c. And unto ſuch I intend only the Benefit, and commend the Excellency of This High Excelling Vertue.
But for all ſuch as be actually Well, and in good Health, I do commend my Second Univerſal Medicine to be The Beſt, mention'd in the Title-Page. (Viz, The Beſt, becauſe 'tis Naturall.) Yet they Both may well be call'd the Beſt, according as they may, and muſt be us'd, by all who Truly regard their Health, which is Their Richeſt Earthly Treaſure.
I will now give you a little ſhort Diſcourſe concerning the Phyloſophers-Stone, and then tell you a few Remarkable Stories, concerning the Excellency of This Firſt Univerſal Medicine, in certain Eminent Cures which it hath done, even to Wonder and Admiration.
Concerning The Phyloſophers-Stone, Which has been long ſaid to Turn all Things into Gold, and what may probably be the Real Meaning Thereof, for we can ſee No ſuch Thing.
The Explanation Thus.
For thus it may be Truely ſaid.
Now Here take Notice,
Now here Friend Reader take Notice,
I Declare (in the Preſence of the All knowing God) that I have been made Happy, in the Knowledge and poſſeſſion of this Rare Thing, more than 30. Years laſt paſt, as will appear in the Firſt of thoſe Eight Marvellous Unqueſtionable Stories (here ſhortly following) and for the which I moſt humbly give Thanks and Praiſe to That moſt Bountifull Donor; This being That Great Ʋniverſal Medicine of all Ʋniverſals; and the which of late years I have Publiſhed, under the Name of The Engliſh Prieſt's Powder. And here I think it convenient to give my Reaſon, why I gave it That Name, having been ſomtimes ask'd why I call'd it ſo. My Reaſon was This. Viz,
Becauſe, there have been Two very Eminent Powders,The Reaſon of the Name of the Engliſh Prieſts Powder, and its Augmentation. of late years Publiſhed, under the Names of Two Roman Catholiks, the one was Sir Kenelm Digby's Sympatheticall Powder, which would Cure Wounds at many Miles diſtance, by only Anointing the Weapon or Blood taken upon a Cloath &c. (the which is very Admirable). The other was the Roman Jeſuit's Famous Phyſical Powder, (very Highly Magnify'd by moſt Great Perſons) &c.
And now, My Powder being the 3d. (Et Tria ſunt Omnia) and finding it no whit Inferior to thoſe two Former; But in Many Reſpects, Far outſtriping them; and, that the world ſhould ſee, that The great Bountifull Donor of all Excellent Guifts, has not Bound Himſelf up in His High Favours only to Thoſe of the Roman Church, But has likewiſe been Pleaſed to Diſtribute Some, to an Ʋnworthy Son of the Proteſtant-Church of England alſo; therefore I call it ſo. But now, (for the more Cleer Diſtinction ſake) I would have it call'd, The Engliſh PROTESTANT PRIEST'S POWDER.
And now I ſhall Proceed (as before) and let you know the Admired Uſe of This Powder (or Stone) Firſt, as 'tis Phyſical, Viz,
Now concerning Its Virtues Chyrurgicall.
And now (Friend Reader) if thou canſt find but ſo great Faith, as to Believe This Mighty Troath, which I do Publiſh Here, Thou mayeſt be Happy in the Procurement of This Rare Thing.
But if not,
Thou muſt be content to Live as well as thou canſt, in thine own Ignorant Hard Happ and Ʋnbelief, and let others Enjoy the Benefit thereof, who are more Charitably Credulous, and dare Believe an Honeſt Man upon his own Bare Word.
But now I think on't Better, and conſider the Nature of his my ſeeming Bold, and ſtrange Ʋndertaking, and that it muſt needs appear very Doubtful, or Incredible to moſt (or indeed to all) who have taken little or no Notice of Nature's Wonderful Opperations, and the Admirable Secrets which lie Hid, and cloſe lockt up, in Her Rich Cabinet, (not to be Reveal'd, or known to any, that doe not intently give their Minds delightfully after ſuch Things.) I will therefore here relate ſomething that may give thee a competent Satisfaction in ſome few particular inſtances,
But ſtill, Thou muſt Believe. For,
It was never my Buſineſs, nor is, nor ever ſhall be, to play the Quack, Emperick, or Mountebanck, &c.
Some Inſtances follow as it has Wrought in Eight Eminent Stories.
THE firſt ſhall be a true Story of what hapned at Cambridge,The Firſt Story of the Plague. in Alderman Muriel's Family. In the Year 1665, or 1666, in both which Years, the Plague was in that Town (my ſelf being an Inhabitant therein;) This Perſon, his Wife and Family, were all ſhut up upon that Account in St. Clement's Pariſh; when as a near Neighbour of His, (and a Friend of Mine) knowing that I had this Excellent Vertue, came to me, and deſired me, to ſend them ſome of it in their Diſtreſs: And truly, (at the firſt) I did Refuſe to do it, in regard it was a Deſperate Caſe, (my Self, not being a Profeſs'd Phyſician.) And beſides, there were in the Town, divers Able Phyſicians, ſo that I told this Friend, that if I ſhould meddle, and any of them ſhould Die upon it, I might run my Self into I knew not what Danger, and thereupon deſir'd to be Excus'd; adviſing them to have Recourſe to the Phyſicians, &c. Mr. Murial being an Alderman, there muſt needs follow a greater Notice of any Miſhap Hapning, than if he had been an Inferior Man: But this Friend of mine, would not be ſatisfi'd, but ſtill urg'd me to comply with her deſire; telling me, That I ſhould not be known in the Buſineſs, but that She her Self, would take it wholly upon Her.
Whereupon, I did Conſent, and ſent Her three quart Bottles of this prepar'd Vertue in Sack; ſo ſhe went with it as near the Houſe as ſhe thought Convenient, and call'd to the Watchman, or Keeper, of their Door, and bid him call to Mr. Muriel, to look out of his Chamber Window, which both He and his Wife preſently did, (being themſelves both very well at11 that preſent,) ſo ſhe told them, What a Hopeful good thing ſhe had there for them, which ſhe doubted not, but would preſerve them all, &c.
But Mr. Muriel himſelf Refuſed it, and ſaid, He would take none of it: But Mrs. Muriel deſired her to ſet down, ſaying theſe very Words, By the Grace of God ſhe would take it; whereupon it was ſet down, and ſuch Directions, as I had given, for its Uſe, was likewiſe left; ſo my Friend retired, and the Watchman came and took it, and ſet it into the Houſe for them.
Now the Sequel is to be Obſerv'd, which, in ſhort, was this: Mrs. Muriel her ſelf took it, and gave it to every perſon in the Family, (both to the Sick, and to the Well.)
The Sick Recovered, the Well never fell Sick, only Mr. Muriel himſelf, (who refus'd to take it) Sickned and Died.
This is a Story ſtill in Memory by the Ancient Livers in the Pariſh, and may be prov'd if need were, but it ſhall be none of my Buſineſs; I told you, You muſt Believe, but chuſe Whether you will or not.
Of the Leproſie.
AT the Lady Rhoade's Houſe in Derby Shire,The Second Story. at a place call'd Barl-brough-Hall (a Mile of Clowne) I met with one Thomas, an Old Man, I knew him by no other Name) he being the Ladies Over-ſeer of Her Cole-pits, with whom (the Year before) I had left ſome of This High Vertue, as alſo, with the Ludy her ſelf, a pretty full Store, for ſhe would needs be a Factriſs for me, to divers of her Friends, &c.
Now, as ſoon as I was come thither, and Old Thomas had Saluted me; he preſently told me, That his Wife had cured one of the Leproſie with my Powder, which to me was a great peice of Strange News ▪ in that, I never had the opportunity to try it upon any ſuch. Here you have the Perſon and the place, ſo that the Verity cannot be ſuſpected; and I am confident the Lady her ſelf, will aver what I have writ from Old Thomas; I ſhall ſay no more to this.
The Story ſhall be of an other Female Perſon, at the ſame Lady Rhoad's in Derby-ſhire, whoſe Name was Madam Green.
HER viſible Diſeaſe was the Yallaw Jaundice,The Third Story of the Yallow Jaundice, Obſtrustions, and Monthly Viſ••• (very much diſcovering it ſelf in her Colour) proceeding from inward Obſtructions; and thoſe, from the want of her monthly Wiſits, and thoſe, from the Original of All, (or moſt Diſeaſes) viz. the Stomach, (a foul Corrupt Stomach,) which, as it were, Poiſon'd all her Food; the which corrupted her Blood, and diſtemper'd her whole Body, ſo that ſhe could have no perfect Noriſhment, by any thing, ſhe either Eat or Drank: And ſo it certainly is with all People, that take not eſpecial care to keep their Stomachs Clean. Now ſhe had12 us'd all the helps as ſhe thought convenient at London, but nothing did her Good, until ſhe had made trial of this prevailing Medicine, which I here ſpeak of. She took it but five times, and ſhe began firſt with three ſpoonfuls, and every other day increas'd a ſpoonful, till ſhe had taken ſeven ſpoonfuls, and Then ſhe was perfectly Cur'd of all, being clearly free'd from the Yellow Jaundice, and from all her other Grievances; as alſo reſtor'd to her Monthly Viſits. The want of which (proceeding from her foul Stomach) was the cauſe of all her Ills.
This Story is eaſie enough to be prov'd or diſprov'd, Run or Ride that will.
Of a Girl brought to Life after ſhe was laid out to be Stript.
THIS Gentleman having been one of my Old Acquaintance in Cambridge,This Forth Story was ſent me in a Letter from Mr. Samuel Taylor, Chaplain to Sir Roger Langley of Cherry-Hutton, 7 or 8 Miles beyond York, and Miniſter of the ſame Town alſo; who likewiſe was a Phyſician to his Neighbourbood, &c. meeting me at York, and hearing that I had This Great Rarity, prevail'd with me for ſome of it.
But he (having entred into a former formal way of Practice) laid this of mine aſide for ſome Years, not at all making uſe of it, till once, upon a very Dangerous Caſe, when he had given a Girl (about Ten Years of Age) ſome certain Phyſicks which did not work at all, but lay in the Body of the Girl, to her great Oppreſſion, and his great Fear; ſo that he knew not what to do further, till at laſt he bethought himſelf of My Powder. And according to ſuch Direction•as I had given him, he venter'd to give the Girl a Doſe of it; which, after ſome little time, the Child began to be extream Sick, and Died away, and continued ſo long, till the Women thought convenient to ſtript it, and (to That purpoſe) laid it forth upon a Table, and began to turn it over and over, in the way of Stripping: But in That Action, the Girl began to make ſome Motion, and ſoon after to Boaken, upon which, they taking Her up, and aſſiſting what they could, the Child began to Vomit, and ſo continued, till ſhe had brought up all her former Load of Phyſich, and her Diſeaſe along with it; and from That time ſhe Amended and Recovered her perfect Health, and grew found again. This Story, I have ſtill under the Miniſters own Hand Writing, which was in the Year, 1670.
Now what is chiefly worth Noteing in this Story, is, That Nature〈◊〉ſo extreamly over loaden by the Diſeaſe and the former Phyſick, that the〈◊〉was not able to bear up againſt it, and fell into Languiſhment. But then,〈◊〉this Powerful Vertue was added to the Former, it muſt needs either〈◊〉dainly Deſtroy Life, or ſet it at Liberty; the Firſt of which, as you have heard, Happened. And, if this be not an Eminent, and a moſt Remarkable Story, I would fain hear one by any that are thus Imploid; I have told it with Particulars enough, and Circumſtances more than ſufficient, inſomuch, That it may eaſily be Prov'd or Diſprov'd, if any be ſo minded. I am no Mountebank, nor will I otherwiſe Trouble my ſelf, to make People Believe; their Ʋnbelief will be their own Loſs, and not Mine.
Of a deep Conſumption, by twice taking this Vertue, was Cured.
THere was a Perſon in the City of Norwich,The Fifth Story. (a meer ſtranger to me) nor do I remember that ever I heard his Name; he was a Maſter Work-man of Stuffs, and kept many Men at work in that Trade; he was a Friend of a near Kinſmans of mine there, who deſir'd me to walk down and ſee him, ſo we went to his Houſe: The Man was Bed-rid, and waſted to Skin and Bone, with a deep Conſumption, and ſo very weak grown, that all about him thought he could not live.
I asked his Wife, if he could ſit up? She anſwered, No, my reply was, That then he muſt Die; yet I told her, That Life was ſweet. And if they could raiſe him up by ſtrength of Arms, and ſet him in a Great Chair, (which I ſaw there ſtanding by) and Boulſter him up with Pillows, and hold him ſo for an Hour or two, it might be worth your Labour, and I would ſend him two or three ſpoonfuls of ſomething to take (which was this Liquor.
All this was done, and he took the Liquor, and it wrought ſo effectually upon Him, and his Diſeaſe, that he grew finely Cheerful; after it had done working That Day, and ſat up two or three Hours after it.
The next day but one, he took it again, in a greater Quantity, which wrought ſo Effectually, bringing off from his Stomach ſuch a boundance of Foul Humours (which were the only Cauſe, that no Meats or Drinks could nouriſh him;) that from That ſecond Taking, he was ſo Reviv'd and Refreſh'd, that he ran about the Houſe among his Work-folks, as if he had not been Sick at all; only he look'd like a Starveling, as Lean as a Rake, as the Proverb goes. So that he perfectly recovered out of his Conſumption from That very time.
I would fain have perſwaded him to have taken it once or twice more, to have confirm'd him in his Health, but could not: He telling me he was Very well, Very well, &c.
This is as true a Story, as was the former, and very Notable ſure.
Of a ſoar Breaſt.
IN the ſame City of Norwich,The Sixth Story. there was a Servant Maid unto Mr. — Cook, one of the Sheriffs of the City, living in Cunsford ſtreet. There were two Brothers at That time of the ſame Name, both Sheriffs of That City; this Mr. Cook was the younger Brother, but the Senior Sheriff, and as I am inform'd, was Mayor there the laſt Year, or the Year before: This Maid had been long afflicted with a Soar Breaſt, and often heal'd by Chyrurgeons, but ſtill broak out again, which continu'd thus many Years.
It was my Chance to be there, and ſeeing it, I did adviſe Her to make uſe of This Thing; the which, I left with her, with Directions how to uſe it; and not long after, I received a Letter that this Malds Breaſt14 was perfectly Cur'd, and ſtood Sound. Her Miſtreſs (Mrs. Cook) ſent me a very civil piece of Thankfulneſs for it afterwards.
This is a true Story, and may eaſily be Prov'd, &c.
Of Madneſs Cur'd, very Remarkable.
THis Story ſhall be of a Mad-Woman,The Seventh Story. at a place call'd, Wath in Yorkſhire, four or five Miles from Rotherham, who threw her ſelf into a Deep Well of Water, and very heardly was got out Alive, I being by chance at that Town, hearing of it, went down the Town to ſee this ſad Sight, and found the Woman faſtned to her Bed-Poſt, with a great Horſe-Chaine, and her Husband with others, ſorrowfully ſtanding by; The Woman looking Frightfully and Sullenly upon us all. So after a little Diſcourſe upon the occaſion, I ask'd her Husband, if he had ſought out for any means or help of Phyſicians for his Wives Recovery? &c. His Anſwer was, That he was a Poor Man, and had not where-with-all to do it, &c. Then I ask'd him, If he were willing to uſe Means if it were given him? &c. He anſwer'd, He ſhould be very thankful, &c. Whereupon, I ordered it ſo, That when ſhe call'd for Drink next time, there ſhould be a good Doſe of this Tincture put into it, (for I perceiv'd, ſhe was a luſty ſtrong Woman.) The which was done, and ſoon after ſhe call'd for Drink, and took it all off, and in a little time, it began to work (Rarely Well;) ſhe all the while ſtanding ſtoutly upon her Legs ſtaring Mad, and ſpouting all the Vomits out of her Mouth, to a huge diſtance from her (looking furiouſly about her all the while) till at laſt ſhe ceaſt Vomiting, and it turn'd to Purging, and then ſhe took her Chamber Pot and us'd it; the which, I caus'd the Man to fetch away, (after ſhe had ſet it down) that we might ſee it, but I never ſaw ſuch a Stool before; for it was as Black as a Chimney Stock, a perfect ſign of Melancholly, or Madneſs. And in ſhort, Thus he continued giving her this ſame Liquor, and in a very ſhort time, ſhe perfectly recovered her Right Sences, and that very Harveſt, ſhe went a Gleaning among her Neighbours, as Senſibly and Quietly, as any of them, and ſo continued.
This Story is as well worth Noteing, as any of the former, and as well worth the Enquiring into, if any be doubtful of the real truth thereof, there are particulars enough to find it out.
Of the French POX.
IN this Story of the High French Pox,The Eighth-Story. I muſt be excus'd, in that I nominate no Perſon, ſave only a luſtly Young Man, of a Vigorous, Strong, Lively, Brisk and Active Temper, &c. It being too great a Reflection upon his Reputation, to give any hints towards his being thus known; I ſhall therefore only tell you, how that he was Miſerably Tormented with this Foul Diſeaſe, and how ſoon he was Cured.
15He was infected with it from Head to Foot, broaken out in Head, Arms, Privities and Legs, &c.
It had brought him ſo deplorably Weak, that he could ſcarcely go up a pair of Stairs without Fainting or Swounding away.
The Truth is, It was dangerous for any one to come near him, nor did any body Officiate in his Cure but himſelf. I gave him this thing freely with exact Directions, how to uſe it, which he very carefully follow'd, and in a ſhort time, (Firſt, by taking it inwardly, in the Nature of Phyſick, and then by outward Waſhings and Bathings of his Soars and other ſwell'd Parts, &c. till he was ſo perfectly Cur'd, that a while after meeting him in the Street, and asking him how he did, he Rejoycingly told me, (in theſe following Words, clapping his Hand on his Breaſt) That he thought he was as ſtrong as a Horſe, and ſo continued.
This is as true a Story as any of the former, and as true as ever any was told by any Man.
Here are but few Stories (of a great many which I could ſet down) to ſhow and prove the admired Vertues of This Rare thing; and if theſe few will not ſuffice to ſatisfy, concerning the Reality of what I have thus far Declar'd, more would be needleſs; therefore I ſhall forbear to Nominate any other.
Theſe Eigth Stories are well worth Obſervation in This Particular, eſpecially, viz. in that they are each of Them of a different and various kind.
The firſt, the Plague; the ſecond, the Leproſie; the third, Yallow Jaundice, Obſtrustion and Monthly Viſits; the forth, a Dead Child Reſtor'd; the fifth, a Deep Conſumption; the ſixth, a Sore Breaſt; the ſeventh, Madneſs; the eighth, the High French Pox; by all which you may plainly ſee, the Powerful and Effective Force, and the Univerſality of this Active Medicine.
And by which it may very eaſily be conceiv'd, That no other Diſeaſe can ſtand in its Way, or fail to be Cur'd, where This Tincture is rightly us'd or apply'd; for all, or moſt other Diſeaſes may well be ſaid to be comprehended under Theſe eight great Grievances, (for Omne majus contenet in ſe minus) ſo that cure Theſe; doubt not of cureing any of a lower Rank or Quality, therefore conclude it, (not only an, but) The Ʋniverſal Medicine of Ʋniverſals, in a Phyſical way. It never fails ſuddainly to cure any ſort of Ague whatever.
••e ſingular Quality (by all that take it) it is obſerv'd to have, viz. A ſingular Quality, conſtant to this Medicine.••ways leaves them with a Hungry Appetite to Meat (which ſeldom is•ound in moſt other Phyſicks) and is That, which ſhows the true Effects of its Operations, viz. That the Stomach is Rectifi'd, the which is no ſmall Commendations of the Phyſick; for as the Stomach is well or ill affected, ſo (conſtantly) is the whole Body; for in It, all our Nouriſhment is determin'd either for our Health or Sickneſs, wherefore This very One, only Commendation (if it had no more) is enough to Magnify it above all others commonly uſed.
I will therefore now Conclude this firſt Part, treating of the firſt Ʋniverſal Medicine, ſpecify'd in the Title Page, viz. Thus, The Firſt the Worſt.
PART. II.
CHAP I. Treating of the ſecond Univerſal Medicine, which is no Phyſical Medicine, but Natural; and is the Beſt of the Two, as ſhall appear by what follows.
ALthough I have in the firſt part ſpoken ſo many Great Truths concerning the juſt and deſerved Praiſe of That Moſt Excellent Medicine, of all Phyſical Medicines, and do really believe, that no one Phyſical Medicine,The reaſon of a juſt Preferrance. can be compared unto it in That reſpect; yet I do far prefer the Natural Ʋniverſal Medicine before It, becauſe, that That which is Natural, is ever to be Preferred before That, which is Artificial.
For Nature, being God's Principal Work-man (as may be ſo ſaid) She never Errs, nor can ſhe do any thing amiſs; Her ways are Plain, Perfect and Eaſie; Gentle, Sweet and Quiet; Cortain, Abſolute and Compleat, if ſhe be not interrupted, &c.
So that whoſoever follows the Rules and Dictates of Nature, cannot do amiſs, but muſt needs live Happily in their Health, (for That's the Theam we are now upon) and it will hold good in all other things (in Nature) whatever. What may well be judg'd one of God's Predeſtinate Purpoſes.
Nature being God's Faithful Servant, does all His appointments Faithfully and moſt Exactly, even according to His Secret Determination; and ſure That may be look'd upon as One, if not the Main Predeſtinate purpoſe of God.
We often have the word Nature in our Mouths,What may be underſtood by the word Nature. but few of us do conſider, or underſtand what it is, or how, &c.
If I ſhould ſay, that Nature is God's own Opperating, it cannot any way Derogate from the Adorable Honour which is Due to God.
He that ſhall Studiouſly, Seriouſly and Conſiderately ponder the var••••Manners and Ways of Nature's ſubtle and ſtupendious Opperations, in the production of Millions of Millious, &c. (ad infinitum) of various Varieties of things, he muſt needs be Confounded, if he thinks they be otherwiſe produced, than by God Himſelf, (the moſt wiſe Infinite.)
Although God gives (or ſuffers us to give) Names to His Attribute or Opperations, &c. and to give us leave to call His chief Opperator (Nature) in regard He knows, how we are Deprav'd from our Firſt Original Ʋnderſtanding, and Right Capacity, and that in our Preſent State, we are now involv'd, we ſee like blind Moles, and are uncapable of diſcerning God aright,17 in, or by any of his opperative Works, as we might or ſhould have done, had we continued ſteadfaſt in our Primitive and pure Capacity. Therefore (out of His Compaſſionate Condeſcention, and great Patience to us) He ſuffers us to call Things by their wrong Names, and to underſtand them with a half underſtanding (if with ſo much.)
Nature, is God Himſelf, opperating Miſtically and Magically;What is Nature. for if God were not Preſent in Nature, or Nature Preſent in God, Nature could not produce a Fly, &c. It being the very Inſtrument (as we may ſay) in God's Hand, by which He produceth His Admired Wonderful Works.
Therefore (ſurely) when, and whereſoever we Offend and croſs Nature in her opperative Courſe, Then and There we Offend and croſs God; (although yet God cannot be ſaid, to be either Offended or Croſs'd) yet He ſuffers us to uſe ſuch Words, when we Offend or Croſs, either Nature or our ſelves, and thereby (Conſequently) receive juſt Puniſhment for ſuch our Great Defaults, by Sickneſſes, Diſeaſes, and all manner of Vexatious Turmoiles and Afflictions, which are Primarily The Effects of Our Sin, &c. and ſo Conſequently of all other Our Woes.
Now Here, in This very Place, are we to Search and Look for,The very place where the Beſt Ʋniverſal Medicine is to be had.Its Name. and to find The Ʋniverſal Medicine of All Ʋniverſals; we need not go far off to ſeek It, or find It, or pay Deer for It, it being cloſe by, and ready at Hand, yea, in every Man's Power, and at his Command; and that you may the better know it, by its Right Name,
'Tis Call'd Temperance.
And it is to be had every where, at any place you come at; and 'tis Good for All Sorts of Men, Women and Children,Its Excellencies. and for moſt Diſeaſes you can Name; and likewiſe, a moſt certain Preventor of All the chief Diſeaſes, and Sickneſſes incident to Mankind; ſo that now, although I have Commended the former Ʋniverſal Medicine for the cheapeſt of All Phyſical Medicine, &c.
Yet This, has far the Preheminency of That for Cheapneſs; for though That was Cheap, yet it would coſt ſomething, but This will coſt you Nothing; yea, This will ſave you much Coſt: We muſt therefore Prefer This to be The Very, Very, Beſt of Beſts (if you can admit of ſuch a Companion.)
But I am Doubtful, becauſe it is ſo Very Very Cheap, and ſo very eaſie to be obtain'd, there are more than a great many will undervallue It, and give it no Entertainment.
For, the Old Proverb is moſt truely Practis'd, viz. Far Fetcht, and Dear Bought is fit for Ladies and other Ignorant People of all ſorts; who, although the Thing be never ſo Slight or Silly, yet if it come from France, or out of any other Remote Region, and alſo Dear, &c. it muſt then needs be Vallued and Purchaſed by all means at any Rate.
Whereas, (one the contrary) Things near Hand, and low Priz'd, tho' never ſo Good, and Worthy of due Praiſe, &c. are moſt what Ʋndervallued by ſuch Ʋn-underſtanding Ignorants; yet, ſome there are, Wiſer than other ſome, and to ſuch as thoſe, This Down-right plain Diſcourſe may be of Good Ʋſe, if they will give a little heed unto it, and ſollidly conſider the Reaſons therein Contain'd, no doubt, but they may find Great Benefit thereby. And now to the Medicine it ſelf.
CHAP. II. The Deſcription of the Medicine it ſelf is Short and Eaſie, and no difficulty at All in its Uſe.
I Told you it was Temperance,Three Rules belonging to Temperance. which muſt be conſidered in three Particular Things only. The Firſt, is Food; the Second, is Labour; the Third, is Reſt; all three muſt be perform'd with Moderation and Temperance.
Some Few and Eaſie Rules are here following.
The firſt Rule (as to Food) is but this:The firſt Rule as to Food. Eate and Drink Sparingly, that is, never to Satiety or Fullneſs, but ever leave off with an Appetite, and in ſo doing, you give no Occaſion for Sickneſs, in that particular. For by That Means, Nature can never be Oppreſt with more Work then She is able to Perform; and when Nature is thus Reaſonably imploy'd, She joyeth in her Work, and performs it Perfectly and with Eaſe; Whereas, on the contrary, Immoderate Eating and Drinking overloads Nature, even as an inconſiderate Man, who laying more Load upon his ſtrong Horſe then the Horſe is able to Bear, wears out the Strength of his Horſe, &c. And juſt ſo it is with Gormendizing Men and Women, who Cram down more into their Stomachs, then Nature can Bear, or Deal with; and then, they muſt needs be Sick; for Sickneſs cannot properly be ſaid to be any thing elſe, but Nature Oppreſſed; therefore keep your ſelf within This Eaſie Moderate Rule of Food, and you may be ſure to Live Healthfully and Pleaſantly; If, in the ſecond Place, you obſerve Temperance in your Exerciſe or Labour alſo; and as to That, there need not be many Words, or Rules, One General Rule may ferve for all, which is,
Never to oppreſs Nature,The ſecond Rule as to Labour. by over Violent, or over long Labour, or Exerciſe, at any Imployment whatever, viz. at Sport, Work, or Play; but let it always End with Moderation, and ſo, That when you have left off, you can perceive an Aptitude, and a Senſible Ability of ſtill performing More with the ſame Vigour and Courage, as you began with: And in ſo doing, you cannot be ſaid to injure or impedite Nature, in Her chief Work, of your own Chiefeſt Concern, viz. Your Health: But much rather may be ſaid to do Her a Kindneſs, in aſſiſting Her, and inabling Her, the more Eaſily to perform Her own Work the more Vigorouſly; for Labour or Exerciſe, is as Neceſſary to a Tranquil Life, as Food it ſelf, yea, and much more too. For although Food be neceſſary to maintain Life, yet without Labour or Exerciſe, it makes a Dull, Heavy, Blockiſh, Sottiſh or Swiniſh Body, ſeldom long without Sickneſs or Diſeaſe, and ſure enough, a Short Life ends All: Therefore moderate Labour is a moſt Neceſſary Appurtenance to a Happy Life.
Reſt and Sleep,The third Rule as to Sleep. is the Third Particular Thing needful to be Regarded with Moderation, as conducing much to a Healthful and Pleaſant Life; but if it be taken in Exceſs, (Eſpecially by Young People) it makes them19 Laſie, Dull-Doults, as to any Activity of Mettle-ſome or ſmart Agitation, and commonly Lecherous into the Bargin, &c. And if they be Great Eaters and Drinkers alſo, it Puffs Them up to Corpulency and foul Humours, ſo that ſcarce One in Ten Thouſand ſuch, live half their Days, which otherwiſe they might (by the Strength of Nature) do,Who are moſt ſubject to Infestious Diſeaſes, and a ſhort Life. their Bodies being apt to receive the Malignity of any Infectious Air, or other catching Diſeaſes, as are at any time a Foot; and if none ſuch be generally Abroad, they fall not to Breed them in themſelves. Diſeaſes always are taken or Hatcht in foul Bodies; no Man (I believe) ever ſaw a Puft Swagging Fat, Laſie perſon, live long, that were Intemperate and Regardleſs in theſe Three Particulars laſt mention'd; therefore it concerns ſuch Men and Women, Eſpecially to take Good Notice of what I have thus far Writ, towards the Well-being of all ſorts of Conſtitutions, &c.
The many Benefits which will Ariſe from This Rare Thing, viz. The Engliſh PROTESTANT-PRIEST'S POWDER: (Or, The firſt of theſe two Univerſal Medicines) For whomſoever can be ſo Happily Fortunate, as to be Poſſeſſor But of One Ounce, yea, or but Half an Ounce thereof, He has a Treaſure beyond the Golden Mounts of That talk'd of PHYLOSOPHERS STONE.
FOR Firſt, He may Preſerve himſelf in Health,The many Benefits attending This Rare Thing. or procure Health out of the worſt of Sickneſſes (Cureable) and Live to a GOOD OLD AGE.
Secondly, If any Perſon have taken Poiſon, one Doſe of This Infuſed Liquor being taken in Time, will moſt certainly Expell That Poiſon.
Thirdly, For its Opperations work, in all manner of needfull ways, for the Expelling of Foul Humours out of the Body, viz. By Vomit, Purge, Gliſter, or Sweet, the four Chief Ways of Cleanſing the whole Body, &c.
Forthly, One Quarter of an Ounce of This Powder, is a ſufficient Stock (for Ordinary Uſes, viz. Vomits, Purges, &c.) for any One Perſon, During his whole Life, and his Friend's Life after Him, &c. But if there be Need of Outward Bathings, for Curing of Pains, Aches, &c. Then there muſt be more Powder to the making of ſuch Baths, &c.
Fifthly, Whoever has This Powder, need Never to be at a Penny Charge at any Time, for the Giving a Vomit, Purge or Gliſter, &c. ſo long as he Lives.
Sixthly, He may be Charitable to any Poor Sick Body at this eaſie Charge at any Time; and who would not be Willing, yea, Glad to do ſuch Chriſtian Good-Turns to the Needy and Poor?
Seventhly, It is always Ready at Hand upon any needful Occaſion, or ſuddain Accident, &c.
20Eightly, Whoever has a Mind to be a Phyſician, He need but ſtock Himſelf with a convenient Quantity of This Powder, with the which, (and the Directions that go along with it) He may Safely venter at the Cure of moſt Common Diſeaſes attending Mankind.
Ninthly, Although He lives Remote, far from Phyſicians, He need not ſend Man and Horſe, Five, Ten, or Twenty Miles for a Doctor, or for Phyſick.
Tenthly, If in every Town, or Pariſh throughout the Nation, there were Provided a Convenient Stock of This Powder, which ſhould always be in the Cuſtody of the Miniſter, for the General Relief of the Poor Sick of the Pariſh,An Ʋnaccountable Benefit to the whole Nation they might keep Their Poor Generally in Health; The which doing, would be a Conſiderable, and an Ʋnaccountable Benefit to the Whole Nation. For if Poor People were free from Sickneſs, &c. the Pariſhioners would be the more Free from Charge of Maintaining them, &c. This one Thing is worth ſerious Conſideration.
Here are but Ten Conveniencies Expreſſed, but they will find many more not eaſily Thought upon at preſent.
Concerning ASTROLOGY, and its Excellent Uſe in Phyſick, &c. With a Notable Story thereupon Depending, &c.
THere is no Noble Art under the Sun, ſo much Boggl'd at by many, as is The Art of Aſtrology; and every Horſe-man knows what the Cauſe of a Horſe Boggling is, viz. Fearfulneſs, caus'd by the Ignorance of the Horſe, his not knowing What the Object is, which cauſeth him to Stare and Winch thereat; even ſo it is by moſt, who have ſuch Frightful and Auke Apprehenſions of That Excellent and very uſeful Science. The which, if it were Rightly, Honeſtly and Religiouſly made uſe of, would be of exceeding Beneficial Ʋſe in many of our Affairs, but more Eſpecially, in Phyſical and Chyrurgical Occaſions or Opperations; and not only ſo, But alſo Highly Advantageous to Man, in his Inward and Spiritual Contemplations and Conſiderations, concerning the Wonderful and Myſterious Works of God, and of His Infinite Wiſdom and Power.
I do acknowledge, I am not a fit Advocate, to Plead its Cauſe as it ſhould be, or a fit Champion to Defend it, as it ought to be; But Thus much I can ſay in its behalf; viz. That whereas formerly, in Ignorance, I was (as moſt are) a Jeerer or Fleerer of it, &c. and thoſe that us'd it. But by Accident, I met with one of Their Books, which Treated of the Rudiments of That Art.
The Book was a little Quarto Book, of One Darriot, and (to pleaſe my Curioſity) I Read it over, and took Notes of the Chief Particulars in it, which were concerning the very Rudiments of The Art (very Plain and Eaſie) and finding Them to be ſo Rational and Harmleſs, &c. I was reſolved to Enable my ſelf (from Thoſe Rules) to Learn to ſet a Figure of the Heavens; and from thence to make ſome Tryal of the Verity of That Art, which indeed at That time was the utmoſt of my deſires or intent therein,21 and in a ſhort Time after, I became Able to Set a Figure, &c. And not long after That, I met with a fit Oppertunity, both to try my Skill, and alſo to ſatisfy my ſelf, concerning The Verity of the Art, which was thus:
It happened,An Eminent Story. that I was at an intimate Friend's Houſe (a Miniſter) who both Himſelf, and his Wife, were utter Enemies to This Art; and whilſt I ſtai'd There (which was ſome Weeks) there was a Child Born in the Neibourhood, and this my She Friend was at the Birth of That Child; ſo when She came Home, I ask'd her the Time of the Child's Birth, the which, She told me Exactly; I then ask'd her, How all was with the Birth, viz. Both with the Mother and Child? She Anſwered, All was very well and Hopeful, &c. So then (I being glad of ſo fit and proper an Oppertunity for Proving the Verity of the Art, I went into my Study, and ſet a Figure of That Child's Nativity, and it was the Firſt that ever I ſet to make a Tryal of The Art; and therefore I endeavour'd to be as Exact as Poſſibly I could, by The Rules of the Art which they give.
And when I had done, I began to Examine the Figure by Thoſe Rules, in each particular: The firſt Thing I did, was to ſee whether the Child was likely to Live or no.
But, to be ſhort, all the Rules for Life were abſolutely againſt the Child, yea, very Diſmally Sad; inſomuch, That (if their Rules were True) the Child could not Live long.
Whereupon, I was very much Amus'd, becauſe of the Relation my She Friend gave me of the Hopefulneſs of the Contrary, &c. So that I began to Suſpect my own Ʋnskillfulneſs in the ſetting of the Figure, being it was my Firſt attempt in That Kind.
So I went into my Study and Examin'd my Figure Over and Over again, to try where the Fault lay; for I thought it lay in my Figure I ſet; but when I had wearied my ſelf ſufficiently in ſo doing, and could find no Fault in ſetting the Figure, I was Confirm'd, that That Child could not live long. And ſo I came forth, and ſhew'd my two Loving Friends what I had done, &c. and gave my Judgment accordingly; but They Smil'd at it, in an ordinary Slighting way, &c. and ſo it reſted a while.
Then after Dinner, I went and ſet the Figure of the Mother of That Child, becauſe I had a great mind (upon ſuch certain Radical Terms as then I had, concerning the Punctuallity of the Time, &c.) to ſee what was likely to become of the Mother as well as of the Child; and, in ſhort; I found the Mother as Deſperately in Danger of Death as the Child, according to the Rules the Learned in That Science have left upon Record. Whereupon I came forth again to my two Antagoniſts, and told them what I had found concerning the Mother (as aforeſaid,) but they Laught on (as before, &c.) ſo then we were to wait to ſee the Iſſue, what would follow hereupon, which (in ſhort) was Thus, viz.
That within a Week or ten Days, Both Child and Mother were Dead,The Iſſue of the whole ſtory. whereupon my two Friends were forc'd to put on another kind of Countenance; I told them, I was no Witch, but a meer Young Novice in That Art, and what I had Predicted, was not my Own, but what I found Recorded from known Experience; and from the Rules of Art which are, That if: Such and Such Poſitions of The Stars and Planets were So and So in any Nativity22 at the Hour or Moment of Birth, Such and Such Conſequences would undoubtedly Follow, either for Good or for Bad, &c. the which moſt exactly came to paſs with This Mother and Her Child.
This is as true a Story as ever was Told, and was ſo convincing to me at that Time, as alſo by divers Trials ſince Then, as that I have been Confirm'd of the Verity of That Wonderful Admired Art; and if all the Pretended Artiſts, were as Knowing, and as Innocently Honeſt and True, as the Art it ſelf is Real and Infallible; it would have more Fidelians by Multitudes, than at preſent it has. But enough of this.
Some Plain and Eaſie Rules to inſtruct all ſuch who would either Give or take Phyſick, ſo as that they may know from the Rules of That Art, how to chuſe a Fit and Proper Seaſon, ſo that the Phyſick may Work more Effectually and Kindly with the Patient, than otherwiſe it would do, If given at an Unſeaſonable Time.
THE firſt thing to be known, is, The Seven Planets, and their Order, which is Thus, viz.
- The Firſt Planet (and the Higheſt) is Saturn, Markt thus, ♄
- The Second, Is Jupiter. ♃.
- The Third, Is Mars. ♂.
- The Forth, Is Sol (or the Sun) ☉.
- The Fifth, Is Venus. ♀.
- The Sixth, Is Mercury. ☿.
- The Seventh, and Loweſt is Luna. ☽.
The Second Thing to be known is,
THat theſe ſeven Planets Refer to the ſeven Days of the Week, viz. Thus: Saturn Refers to Saturday; Jupiter to Thurſday; Mars to Tueſday; Sol to Sunday; Venus to Fryday; Mercury to Wedneſday; and Luna to Monday. Theſe two Rules, muſt be got readily by Heart.
The Third Thing to be known is,
THat every Planet Rules the firſt Hour of his own Day, viz. The firſt Hour after Sun Riſe.
The next Planet in Order after him, Rules the next Hour after that, viz. The ſecond Hour after Sun Riſes.
And ſo every Planet takes his Hour Orderly, the One after the Other, till the firſt ſeven Hours are run out; and then the firſt Planet again takes23 the Eight Hour, the ſecond Planet the Ninth Hour, the third Planet the Tenth Hour, the forth Planet the Eleventh Hour, and the fifth Planet the Twelfth Hour, viz. to Sun-ſet: And thus are the Twelve Hours of the Day provided with different and Proper Planets to Rule Them.
And now for the Hours of the Night.
THey keep the ſame Order, only you are to Remember, where you laſt left off, and let the next Planet to That, rule the firſt Hour from Sunſet, and ſo carry them in the ſame Order (through the 12 Hours of the Night) till Sun-riſe again; and by That Rule, you'l find the Proper Planet for the next day, will come in, to take his proper Hour at Sun-riſe.
One thorough Example will make all very Plain,A plain Example for Saturday. therefore i'll ſet down one for the 24 Hours of Saturday, till Sun-riſe on Sunday, as follows.
Saturn Rules the firſt Hour from Sun-riſe on Saturday, viz.Note Well. from 6 till 7 a-Clock, (that is, if the Sun do not Riſe before, or after 6) which is about the 10th. of March or September.
Then from 7 to 8 a Clock, Jupiter Rules, from 8 to 9 Mars, from 9 to 10 Sol•••es, from 10 to 11 Venus Rules, from 11 to 12 Mercury Rules, and from 12 to One a Clock Luna Rules.
Now, Note, From One to Two Saturn comes in again and Rules, which is the 8th. Hour from Sun-riſe.
Then from 2 to 3 a-Clock Jupiter Rules, from 2 to 4 Mars Rules, from 4 to 5 Sol Rules, and then from 5 to Sun-ſet Venus Rules, (thus the 12 Hours of the Day are run out.
Now for the Night, from 6 a-Clock to 7 Mercury Rules, from 7 to 8 Luna Rules, from 8 to 9 Saturn, from 9 to 10 Jupiter, from 10 to 11 Mars, from 11 to 12 Sol, from 12 to 1 Venus; from 1 to 2 Mercury, from 2 to 3 Luna, from 3 to 4 Saturn, from 4 to 5 Jupiter, from 5 to 6 Mars, now from 6 to 7 Sol; and here you ſee Sol Rules the firſt Hour on Sunday, as Saturn did on Saturday.
Practice thus your ſelf with all the other Days, and you'l find it very Eaſie.
A Rule to know the length of a Planetary Hour, every 10 Days, for every Month in the Year.
THe firſt 10 Days in January 40 Minutes, the ſecond 10 Days 43 Minutes, the laſt 10 Days 46 Minutes.
The firſt 10 Days in February 48 Minutes, the ſecond 10 Days 51 Minutes, the laſt 54 Minutes.
24The firſt 10 Days in March 58 Minutes, the ſecond 10 Days 60 Minutes (or an Hour,) the laſt 1 Hour 5 Minutes.
The firſt 10 Days in April 1 Hour 10 Minutes, the ſecond 10 Days 1 Hour 13 Minutes, the laſt 1 Hour 16 Minutes.
The firſt 10 Days in May 1 Hour 19 Minutes, the ſecond 10 Days, 1 Hour 22 Minutes, the laſt 1 Hour 23 Minutes.
The firſt 10 Days in June 1 Hour 24 Minutes, the ſecond 10 Days, 1 Hour 24 Minutes, the laſt 1 Hour 23 Minutes.
And now as the Days begin to ſhorten,Now begin to ſhorten them Backwards to January. ſo you muſt ſhorten the Hours proportionably Backwards by Minutes, as you lengthned them by Minutes; and by this Rule, you may aſſure your ſelf of the juſt length of a Planetary Hour for any day in the Year. I need ſay no more as to This.
This following (Eaſie and Short Way) I drew out at the Requeſt of a Friend, who was not willing to take the Pains of Obſerving all the Exactneſſes of Thoſe former Rules, and it may ſerve Tollerably well, with much more Eaſe than the Former.
THere are ſix Hours every day in the Year, which may be good to take Phyſick in, viz. Three in the Morning, and Three in the Afterhoon. And when the Days and Nights are at an Equal Length. Then Thus:
Firſt, On Sunday, The firſt 3 Hours begin, from an Hour after Sun Riſe; the ſecond 3, from about 2 a Clock Afternoon.
Secondly, On Monday, The firſt 3 Hours begin from 2 Hours before Sun Riſe; the ſecond 3, from about 11 till 2 Afternoon.
Thirdly, On Tueſday, The firſt 3 begin from 2 Hours after Sun Riſe, till about 11 a-Clock; the ſecond 3, from about 3 till 6.
Forthly, On Wedneſday, The firſt 3 from the Hour before Sun Riſe, till 2 Hours after; the third 3, from about 12 till 3.
Fifthly, On Thurſday, The firſt 3 from about 9 in the Morning, till about 12, and from about 4 Afternoon, till about 7.
Sixthly, On Fryday, The firſt 3 from Sun Riſe, till about 9 a-Clock, and from 1 Afternoon, till about 4.
25Seventhly, On Saturday, The firſt 3 from about 10 in the Morning till 1, and from about 5 Afternoon till about 8.
This Rule will hold Exactly True, when the Days and Nights are of an Equal Length; as in March and September.
But as the Days Lengthen or Shorten, ſo muſt your Planitary Hours Lengthen or Shorten. Therefore, to be very Exact, you muſt always Divide the Time betwixt Sun-Riſe, and Sun-Setting into 12 Equal Parts, and every Part is a Planitary Hour, be it more or leſs: But if That be too Troubleſome for you, let it ſuffice, that you Obſerve only the aboveſaid Rule; and becauſe you have three Hours Good, ever coming together, you cannot miſs of a Tollerable Good Time; but to be ſure you will Miſs the Evil Time, and That is a Great Benefit.
I could have been more at Large, but becauſe you do not deſire to Trouble your Self, in ſuch Curiouſneſs, This may be of Good Ʋſe unto You,
The Uſe of a Planetary Hour in Phyſick, &c.
THe Right uſe is, To chuſe ſuch an Hour to take a Vomit, or a Purge in, ſo, as that the Phyſick may Work kindly with the Patient, and Effectually, &c. And it has been Obſerv'd by the Learn'd, That if Phyſick be given in the Hour of Saturn or Mars, it will work very Roughly and Painfully with the Patient; thoſe two Planets being counted In-Fortunes, and in Phyſick their Hours always to be Refus'd.
Now there are 2 Planets of a different Nature to Saturn and Mars, which generally are eſteem'd Good, viz. Venus and Luna, whoſe Hours are to be choſen; they being Active, Cool, Gentle and Moiſt Planets, and do cauſe the Humours in the Body to be more Flued and Active, ſo that they come away more Freely, and with leſs Violence.
Therefore, when you take Phyſick, always obſerve to take it in one of the Hours of Venus or Luna, (Mercury may do well ſometimes) either of which will afford you its Hour once in ſeven, either in Morning, or in Afternoon, as you may perceive by Thoſe former Rules.
Therefore be careful to Underſtand them well, and then you will find both a Great Benefit and Content in ſo doing; and as well in other matters as in Phyſick (as occaſion may fall out.)
The Wiſe Man tells us, Eccleſiaſtes 3. v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. &c. There is a Time for All Things under the Sun.
An Advertiſement for the Satisfaction of thoſe who may think this is Odd or Strange, that Muſick is here join'd with Phyſick in this Work.
I Am not Ignorant How, That (through Ignorance, or Worſe, viz. Envy, &c. This Work of Mine (Eſpecially This Latter Part (or Concluſion by Muſick) lies liable to the Raſh Cenſures of ſeveral ſorts of Short-ſighted People, which may Meet it.
And methinks I See, and Hear, ſome of them Frumpingly Laugh, and ſay, What! Conclude a Serious Phyſical Book with a Song? This is a Piece of Strange Impertinency, &c. Or, Nothing to the Purpoſe as to Matter in Hand, &c. Therefore to Rectifie the miſtake of all ſuch, I will here inform them of ſuch their Groſs Ignorance in That Particular, and let them Plainly See, the Great Affinity and Likeneſs, that is betwixt Phyſick and Muſick, they both being Properly and Suitably alike, as to the Health and Well-being of the Man, both in Body and Mind, (both which make the Compleat Man;) for as the Body without the Mind is No Man, but a Dead Lump only, ſo the Mind without the Body is No Man, but a living Spirit only. So that as Phyſick is Properly Adapted for the Groſer and Lower part of Man, (the Body,) ſo likewiſe is Muſick, as properly deſign'd for (the Purer and more ſublime Part of Man, (the Mind;) therefore it may be Properly ſaid, that Phyſick is Muſick, and Muſick is Phyſick. The which may run in a Handſome Proverb, Thus, viz.
The Proof of This, will be clearly Manifeſt, both from Scripture and from Hiſtory; I'll here Inſtance in Two Uncontroublable Great Examples, The One from Scripture, viz. David's Curing Saul's Diſtemper'd Sick-Mind by Muſick Only.
The Other from Unqueſtionable Hiſtory, viz. Concerning The Strange Diſeaſe of The Terrantula, which all Learn'd Phyſicians know, is a Poiſon of a certain little Creature coming from its Teeth or Sting (like That of a Waſp, &c.) ſo that whoſoever receives That Poiſon, ſoon after, falls into a Violent Fit of Diſtracted Madneſs; no Cure could ever be found out for it, But Muſick only, and That Perfectly Cures them.
Now, theſe being ſuch Realities, and Uncontroulable Truths, What will my Inconſiderate Frumper ſay, or do for himſelf, for Laughing, &c. at he knows not What? I'll tell Him what he ſhall do, and by Doing it, It may poſſibly chance to Do him Good. My Advice therefore is This, viz. Let Him go Learn to Conſtrue That Old True Latin Sentence, or Proverb, which is, This, Per Riſum Multum, Poſſis Cognoſcere Stultum, and when he has well Learn'd to Conſtrue It, let him Learn to Underſtand the True Meaning and Intent of It, &c. (But enough of This.)
I'll now return Back to Muſick and Phyſick, and let you ſtill further See, how very ſuitably They both Agree, in ſeveral Other Particulars. Alſo,
Firſt, As to their very Names, Obſerve, How They Poetize (as twere) in Meetre, viz. Muſick, Phyſick.
27Seconly, As to their Number of Sillables, viz. They are two a Piece.
Thirdly, As to their Number of Letters, viz. They are ſix a Piece, (count them elſe,) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, &c.
Oh! Oh! ſaies the Critick, there are 7 in One, and but 6 in the Other; There you are Out Mr. Author; No, No, Mr. Crittick, 'tis You that are Out: Are you ſo Ʋnlearned, as not to know, that H. is no Letter? And if ſo, Then their Number is Equal, as I have Affirm'd.
Oh! Mr. Author, I crave your Pardon, I had forgot That; 'Tis true, Their Number is Equal, viz. Six and Six, Well! What then? Why then, I ſay, This with the Reſt ſhews how Neerly they are Allied One to the Other, even as Kindred or Breathren, yea, much rather Twins; ſo that All this Conſider'd. Tell me again, or give me ſome Reaſon, if you can, for your ſo Raſh caſting your F — s Bolt upon, or towards me, for joining them Thus Together, in This my Work, &c. But I hope by This Time, you are ſo Modeſt, as to Acknowledge your Miſtake, and think it an Error in you. But, if for all this you cannot be brought to ſo much Ingenunity, I have yet two further more Reaſonable Reaſons to Anſwer, for what I have done, if there had been no Affinity or Likeneſs at all in their Natures and Properties.
The Firſt is, that my Book Hitherto is a Continuation of Rarities, Riddles and Mervels, and this Song here Set (without any of the former Conſiderations) is moſt properly ſuitable to the whole in That reſpect; for you ſhall find both Riddle, Mervile and Rarity: And therefore nothing at All impertinent to the whole Matter in Hand, but (E Contra) very Congruous and Suitable.
My Second Ultimate and moſt Principle Reaſon is. I Publiſh it as my Thanksgiving to The Almighty Goodneſs in that it has pleas'd Him to make me ſo Happy, as I have been, by Receiving ſo Great a Bleſſing in the finding out of This Rich and long Hidden Secret, Equivolent to the Philoſopher Stone. As alſo, in That I my ſelf have Receiv'd ſeveral Ineſtimable Benefits as to my Health and Well-being Thereby; I therefore Account it a Juſt Debt and Duty, to His Infinite Goodneſs, to return Him the Higheſt Praiſes and Thanskgiving, I am Capable to do; and therefore, This very Cannon alſo being an other ſignal Token of His Peculiar Favour unto me, I think it moſt Properly Fit, to Return it again as my Duty, and moſt Sincere Thankfulneſs, &c. by It, It being The Beſt I have, and far beyond all (in its kind) that ever I was Poſſeſſor of. And Now, Mr. Critt. I hope you will be Satisfi'd, and Scoff no more at me, for this my Seeming Impertinence; But rather Endeavour (if you want Skill in That Divine Art) to enable your Self to Bear a Part in ſo Needful a Work.
The Author's Advice.
BE Wiſe, and Truſt not thy Precious Life in the Hands of Thou knoweſt not Who, and muſt be us'd Thou knoweſt no•How, and may'ſt be Cur'd Thou know'ſt not When, but Thou muſt Pay Thou know'ſt not What; and at the Long-run, make Thy ſad Exit, and leave Thy Executors to Pay the Long Long Bill of Charge, as 'tis too ſadly ſeen by Moſt, when They are Giving up the Ghoſt, who thought Themſelves ſo very Wiſe, but find it now far otherwiſe when 'tis too Late.