Here may you see what a Labyrinth the College have run themselves into through their Fantasticalness.

 

Species Electuarii Diamagariton Calidi - Avicenna.

Take of Pearls and Pellitory of the Wall, of each one drachm; Ginger, Mastic, of each half an ounce; Doronicum, Zedoary, Smallage seeds, both sorts of Cardomoms, Nutmegs, Mace, of each two drams; Been of both sorts - if they cannot be procured take the roots of Avens and Tormentil - and Black and Long Pepper, of each three drams; Cinnamon five drachms.

Beat them into powder and keep them for your use.

Avicenna prescribes this as an electuary, and so are all the College's powders prescribed by those whom they borrowed them as I told you before, and they will keep longer and better in electuaries than in powders, but people must be fantastical.

This - quoth Avicenna - is appropriated to women, and in them to diseases incident to their matrix, but his reasons I know not. It is cordial, and heats the stomach.

Species Electuarii Diamargariton Frigidi - Nich.

Take of the four greater cold seeds cleansed the seeds of Purslain, White Poppies, Endive, Sorrel, Citrons, the three sorts of Sanders, Lignum, Aloes, Gingerm the flowers of Red Roses, Water Lilies, Bugloss, Violets, the berries of Myrtle, the bone of Stag's Heart, Ivory, Roman Doronicum, Cinnamon, of each one drachm; both sorts of Coral, of each half a drachm; Pearls, three drachms; Ambergris, Camphire, of each six grains; Musk, two grains.

Make of them a powder according to art.

You must observe that the Poppy seeds and the Four Greater Cold Seeds ought not to be added before the powder be appointed for use by the physician, otherwise they will make the composition sour; and so must you do in other powders in which these seeds are. 

Here may you see what a labyrinth the College have run themselves into through their fantasticalness, viz. because they would seem to be singular in sailing contrary to wiser physicians.

They run upon two dangerous rocks in this one receipt:

It is a costly cordial, and not usually above a drachm of it - very seldom half so much - given in their caution, and upon grounds just enough are not the tenth part of the composition which - a drachm being prescribed - is but six grains, which six grains must be divided into five equal parts - a nice point - one part for each seed.

If this rock were put off, yet then can you not beat them into powder alone, because they are so moist. 

As for the virtues of it, authors hold it to be restorative in consumptions, to help such as are in hectic fevers, to restore strength lost, to help coughs, asthmas and consumptions of the lungs, and restore such as have laboured long under languishing or pining diseases. 

Species Electuarii Diambrae - Mesue.

Take of Cinnamon, Doronicum or Zedoary, Cloves, Mace, Nutmegs, Indian Leaf, Galanga, of each three drachms; Indian Spikenard, Cardomoms both Greater and Lesser, of each one drachm; Ginger, a drachm and a half; wood of Aloes, Yellow Sanders, Long Pepper, of each two drachms; Ambergris, a drachm and a half; Musk, half a drachm.

Beat them into a powder. 

Mesue appropriates this to the head, and says it heats and strengthens the brain, causes mirth, helps concoction, cherishes the animal, vital and natural spirit; it strengthens the heart and stomach, and resists all cold diseases, and is therefore special good for women and old men. 

Your best way is to make it into an electuary by mixing it with three times its weight of clarified honey, and take the quantity of a nutmeg of it every morning. 

Species Electuarii Diamoscu Dulcis - Mesue.

Take of Saffron, Doronicum or Galanga, Zedoary, wood of Aloes, Mace, of each two drachms; White Pearls, Raw Silk torrefied, Amber, Red Coral, Gallia Moschata, Basil, of each two drams and a half; Ginger, Cubebs, Long Pepper, of each one drachm and a half; both sorts of Been - or if they be wanting take the roots of Avens and Tormentil in their stead - and Indian Leaf or Cinnamon, Indian Spikenard, Cloves, of each one drachm; Musk, two scruples. 

Beat them into powder according to art, and then, if you wish, you may make it into an electuary by adding four times the weight of the whole in sugar* dissolved in White Wine.

* Mesue appoints honey.

It wonderfully helps cold afflictions of the brain that come without a fever, melancholy and its attendance, viz. sadness without a cause, etc., vertigo or dizziness in the head, falling sickness, palsies, resolution of the nerves, convulsions, heart qualms, afflictions of the lungs and difficulty of breathing. 

The dose of the powder is half a dram, or two scruples or less, according to the age or strengths of him or her that takes it. Of the electuary, two drams; the time of taking it is in the morning, fasting. 

Species Electuarii Diamoscu Amari - Mesue.

To the former ingredients* in the same proportion Wormwood, Roses, of each three drachms; the best Aloes washed, half an ounce; Cinnamon, Lovage, of each one dram.

* Mesue something alters the proportion, but not much.

Make of them all a powder.

Besides the virtues of the former, it purgeth the stomach of putrified humours.

Species Electuarii Dianthon - Nicholaus.

Take of Rosemary flowers an ounce; Red Roses, Violets, Liquoris, of each six drachms; Cloves, Indian Spikenard, Nutmegs, Galanga, Cinnamon, Ginger, Zedoary, Mace, wood of Aloes, Cardomoms, the seeds of Dill and Annis, of each four scruples.

Beat them all into powder according to art. 

It strengthens the heart and helps the passions thereof; it causes a joyful and cheerful mind, and strengthens such as have been weakened by long sickness, it strengthens cold stomachs and helps digestion notably. 

The dose is half a drachm, you may take it into an electuary with honey, and take two drachms of that at a time.