Royal College of Physicians: The Lady Sedley, her Receipt book, 1686 (MS534)

26

A Most Soveraigne and approv'd preservation above all others for the Purgeing away from the Heart all evill humors which causeth the infection of the Plague by one Mr Hintent Doctor in Physick. XXXVII.

Take the Root of double Crowfoot that beareath a double yellow flower glistering like Gold, or instead thereof A Claw of Garlick Stamp it in a Wooden dish, and fill half a Hasel nutt shell full of the same, and tye the same in the inn part near to the lower side of the left Arme A handfull from the Wrest, and let it remain there about xij houres, then, open the same, and you Shall find a little Bladder in the Same place, if it be not risen wrought in the Said 12 houres, let it remain vntill the time that the Said Bladder be risen, and Cut of the Skin thereof if the Said Bladder be fallen, if it be not fall'n prick it with a pinn, then Cut it of, and then take a peice of the branch of an Elder tree of the greenest as bigg as apense pare of the bark, and tye the end thereof to the place aforesaid, and three Ivy leaves vppon the same, first prick'd full of holes, and let it remain there so long vntill it have made a hole that will receive a pease, then put therein a pease and lay thereon iij Ivie leaves prick'd, and So S^hift the same with a pease and three Ivie leaves morning and evening and keep the same Cleer and every ij dayes, as you Shall so need, wash your

27

Arm with French Wines blood warme, and do continue with the same vntill the danger of the Pestilence be past

The Order to heale the Same xxxviii

Fourteen dayes before you will heal the Same, you must beware of Surfetting, and vse no penson nor Beanes, and take half a pint of French wine and half a pint of Sallet Oyle, and mingle them together, and bath the Sore therewith twice or trice a day, and tye a Cloth wet therewith to the Same, and So it will be well Healed.

To make the Botch appear xxxix

Take a handfull of Sorrill otherwise cal'd green sawce Stamp and Strain it with a draught of Beer or Ale, take a little Treacle and the powder of one Nutmegg, Mix 'em all together, give it the Sick to drink and the Botch will appear within five dayes houres after probatum est

To break a Botch or Boyle xl.

Take Vnlirinum Egrimonium and Snailes, Stamp 'em together and Lay it to the Sore.

Another for the Same. xli.

Take Raw honny, the Oyle of an Egg & Wheat flower & make a plaister thereof, Lay it to the Same.

28

for the Tooth Ache. xlij.

Take a Spoonfull of English Hony, a Spoonfull of Ginger and Pepper beaten small, a Spoonfull of Rose water, a Spoonfull of Aquâvitæ a Spoonfull of Red or white vinegar & ij Sage leaves Shred Small and as much as a Nut of Roch Allome, and so boyle them on a Chafing dish of Coales vntill they come to a Treacle then make a Cloath like a Peascod, and lay it beetween your Cheek and your Gumme.

For the yellow Jaundice xliij.

Take Stale Ale half a pint, Dasy Roots a handfull wash, & Stamp 'em together, then Take Angletouches A handfull & Strip the earth out of them, then Strain them, and put to it the Inner part or Rinde of a Barbary tree, and drink them next your Heart at Morning and Evening.

For the Dropsy in the Womb, or in the feet, or for the Imposthume in the Stomach or Gout in the Stomach, or for any evill. xliiij

Take Scamony iiij^d weight, Of Rubarb xij^d weight, of Spicknard iij^d weight, flower of Cammomill j^d weight, of white Shuggar Candy one ounce, put them all together in a Mortar and beat them into fine powder. Vse this 3 dayes following fasting a Spoonfull at a time.

29

A Drink to the same which is made after this Sort following. xlv.

Take Hyssop, Rosemary, Violletts, Varvain, Bittany, John Moseares, Plantine, Avemes, Sage, Featherfew, of each one handfull, wash them Clean and Stamp yet a little and do it in a new Eearthen pott, and put thereto a Gallon of White Wine, and let it Stand all night, and in the Morning boyl it to a pottle, then Strayn it through a Strayner, and drink thereof in a morning Cold, and in the Ev'ning hott. You may use this 8 or 9 dayes following, and but a little of the powder before he doth Drink it.

A water to Dissolve the Swelling in the Bowells or Superfluity of Fatt. xlvi.

Take two Gallons of Running water, Set it on the fire, put into it 2 pounds of Red Fennell and 2 ounces of Angelikoe, and a quantity of Comynne, boyl these from 2 gallons to one or less of water, and this every day fasting in the Space of xx dayes. the greatness of the Superfluities of Humors, and also of the Grosness will wast.

For Biteing of a Mad Dogg. xlvij

Take a little portion of the hearbs following, Scabies Matfolm Night-shade with the blewflower Wild Sage, Lilly root and Leafe Stamp & Strain them, or if you have them Distill'd, take the water of them put it to alitle Treacle, with such Liquor as is meet to be ministerd whether ^it be man or Beast that must drink it, and that must be given within ix dayes after it, fortune.

30

A water to wash the breasts, if they be healed or not xlviij

Take a handfull of Rhue, as much of Sage two Spoonfulls of Hony, a little Roch Allomme lik a Walnut, Seeth all these in a quantity of White wine, vntill they be half consum'd, then straine it and keep it in a Glass, wash the holes with it .... and dress them with Salve following.

A Salve for any Sore. xlix

Take five ounces of fine wax iij ounces of Rosin a Spoonfull of hony iij Spoonfulls of Neats Oyle, boyle all these together, well Stir'd, keep it. It is good for any Sore.

For Bloodshott Eyes l.

Take Plantin water, Rose water and the white of an Egg, Mix them all together, and wash your Eyes therewith, or else lay it upon your Eyes and it help with God's Assistance.

A wonder^full Plaister for a Sore Breast. li

Take leaves of Mallow's & Wormwood of each a handfull Seeth them in Water vntil they be as tender as Butter of an Apple, then lay them on a board, and let the water run from them Clean, then Cut them Small, with a

31

knife, for they will not grind for fat, then Stamp them with a pound of old Swines grease; and temper them together till you know not the one from the other, this plaister is most pretious for sore Paps, the rott of all others, it Matureth and Mitigateth ^not only the payn in the Paps, but also, in hard Botches or Boyles vnder the Throat or Arm holes, or any other place in the body where it lyeth hard in the flesh. This must be laid to luke warm in a double Linen Cloath changed twice in a day; Looke Substantially on this Plaister for it hath no pore in such things.

For the Bynding in the Body lij.

Take a handfull of Parsley, boyle it in fair water, and lay it as warm as you can endure it to your Navill and this to be us'd 3 nights together bound round about you with a fair Cloath, then the 4^th night take a Slice of Raw beefe and lay it to your navill with a fine Linen Cloath between one night and no more and that shall make you moderate in your Body.

For the black Jaundice liij

Take a pint of Malmsey, put thereto the Juice of ix branches of Sallendine, and a Sheep's turd strayn'd into it when it is new dung'd, long Pepper, English Saffron & Turmerick, put these together & give it to the partye fasting. probatum est

32

A water for the Liver & burning Feaver liv

Take Hartstongue, Liverworth, Maydenhear, distill them together, and vse to drink of this water which will purge and purifye the Liver, and quench the burning of an Ague or Feaver.

To make hard Lyggs soft and small, if it be never so hard. lv

Take Milldust, Barely flowre, Wheat flowre and Seeth them in Milk, put thereto Sheep's Tallow, Hony, Barrow's grease, and boyle them very thick and lay it thereto.

An Oyntment for the Morphew, be it white or Black. lvi.

Take a pound of good Verdigreese, & one ounce of white Brimstone, make them into small powder, then take out the brains of two Sheep's heads, put the heads into a pott, Seeth them without Salt then take the grease thereof and put into the powder ^thereto and temper them together and it will be a good Oyntment for the purpose

To expell Poyson out of a Man. lvij

Take the black Claws of a Crawfish, & beat them to powder, then drink them and it Shall help you that are poyson'd without doubt.

33

A Salve to draw a heale lviij

Take a quarter of virgin wax, two ounces of Sheep's suet, melted them together a little, then take them from the fire, and thereto an ounce of Frankinsence and Stirr it well together.

For the Tooth Ache. lix

Take xx Ivye leaves, a little long pepper, boyle them with a handfull of Salt in Old wine, then put the Liquor, when it is well boyl'd, into your mouth, on that side that is vex'd with Ache, and you you shall prove that the Ache is destroy'd. probat. est.

A water to keep the Teeth from Stinking & also white lx.

Take long Pepper, Purslowe, Astrologine, Rotundum Salgeme, Seeth them in Wine, and vse to wash your Teeth with this water, for it will keep them white and Clean.

A Speciall Medicine for the Tetter or Canker. lxi

Take a Quart of the Strongest Ale you can gett, put thereto a handfull of Sage, and a handfull of Herb of grace, a handfull of Rosemary, a handfull of Columbine leaves, seeth them togehter till the one half of the Liquor be consumed; then put thereto a Spoonfull of English hony, and as much Allome as a Walnut, then let it seeth together, and let it be cover'd

34

And let the Herbs abide Still in it, and so wash the soreness and it shall ease it, probatum est.

To make Teeth white. lxij

Take the Root of Walnut Tree, & Seeth it in white wine then take part of it and Chew it between your Teeth to dissolve the hardness thereof & So rubb your Teeth, and it will make them white and this is good for the Eye Sight also

for a woman travelling with Child to make her soon be deliver'd. lxiij

Take Bittonye and date Stones in powder and drink it, and she shall be delivered anon.

A Restoritie for a Ring lxiv

Take Rosa Solis and Steep them all night in white wine and Still them, if a man be weak let him drink the water alone if he be metlye let him drink it with vinegar, this will make a whole man a lepor.

For Shortness of Breath. lxv.

Take Hartstongue, Liverworth, Bittanye, Vervaine, Sentorye, Mugworth, Pellipodine, Sallandine of ev'ry one of those an oz. then take Rue, Fennell, Dandalyon, Fetherfew, and Wormwood, of each of these half an oz. then take 4 Nutmeggs, Saffrones, Graynes & Treacle of every one of these parcells one half peny worth. Licoris, Annise & Siny of every one of these parcells one peny worth, & 2^d worth of Shuggar Candy, boyle all those in white wine, and so straine and drink it

35

Another for the same, and for the Ague Cure. lxvi

Take Bean water, or else a quantity 2 or 3 Spoonfulls and so much of running water, and drink Morning & evening, and if thy Leggs do fortune to break or Swell then take Smith's water & a good Quantity of Shugger and boyle them well together, and so wash thy Leggs therewith warm

For the Head Ache. lxvij

Take Bean flower, & powder of Cumyne of each like Quantity and Seeth it in Strong white vinegar till it be thick, then lay it in a Linnen bagg to Noddack of thy neck hehind, as hot as you may Suffer it.

A Coppy to make the Soveraign'st water that ever was devis'd by man, which Dr. Stephens a Phisician of great Cunning ^& of Long experience did use and therewith did many great Cures, and all was kept in secrett vntill a little before his death, then the Archbishopp of Canturbury gat it from him as followeth lxviij

Take a gallon of Gascoyn wine, then take Ginger, Gallingall, Camell & Cinamint Tollianders, Nutmegs, Cloves Annise seed, of every of them one dramme, then take sage Mints Red Roses, Thyme of the Moore Pillotory of the wall Rosemary wild Margerum or gamon as well called pennyroyall, Pennemountain, wild thyme, Camall, Lavender and Avants, of every of them a handfull, then break & beat the Spices Small & break the herbs, put all in the wine, let it stand still & ij houres, Stirring it Sometimes, then Still it in a Limbeck, & keep the first water by it selfe for it is best.