I shall trouble the Reader no further, but leave the Receipt to Arnoldus and the College for a pure piece of Nonsense.

 

Electuarium Amarum Magistrale Maius.

Take of White Agrick, choice Turbith, species hiera simplex Galeni, of the best Rhubarb, of each one dram; choice Aloes washed, two drachms; Ginger, Cremor, Tartar, of each two scruples; Orris, Florentine, Sweet Fennel Seeds, of each one scruple; Syrup of Roses, solutive as much as is sufficient to make it into a bitter electuary. 

Electuarium Amarum Minus.

Take of Epithimum, half an ounce; the roots of Angelica, three drachms; of Gentian, Zedoary, Acorus, of each two drams; Cinnamon, one dram and a half; Cloves, Mace, Nutmegs, Saffron, of each one dram; Aloes, six ounces; with Syrup of Fumitory and Scabious, with Sugar, so much as is sufficient (it is something mysterious why Sugar should be added to the syrups).

Make them up into a soft electuary according to art.

Both these purge choler; the former phlegm, and this melancholy. The former works strongest, and this strengthens most, and is good for such whose brains are annoyed. 

You may take half an ounce of the former, if your body be anything strong, in White Wine, if very strong an ounce, ordering yourself as you were taught before, and the Table at the latter end will direct you to the place. A reasonable body may take an ounce of the latter, the weak less.

I would not have the unskillful too busy with purges without the advice of a physician. 

Diacassia with Manna.

Take of Damask Prunes, two ounces; Violet flowers, a handful and a half.

Let them boil according to art till half the water be consumed, then strain it, and dissolve in the decoction pulp of Cassia, six ounces; Sugar of Violets, Syrup of Violets, of each four ounces; pulp of Tamarinds, one ounce; Sugar Candy, one ounce and a half; of the best Manna, two ounces. Mix them together, and make of them an electuary according to art.

It is a fine cool purge for such as are bound in body, for it works gently and without trouble; it purges choler, and may safely be given in fevers coming of choler. But in such cases, if the body be much bound, the best way is first to administer a clyster, and then the next morning an ounce of this will cool the body and keep it in due temper. 

Cassia extracted without the Leaves of Senna.

Take of Prunes, by number twelve; Violet flowers, one handful; French Barley, the seeds of Annis and Bastard Saffron, Polipodium of the Oak, of each five drachms; Maiden Hair, Thyme, Epithimum, of each half a handful; Raisins of the Sun stoned, half an ounce; Fennel seeds, two drams; the seeds of Purslain, Mallows, of each three drachms; Liquoris, half an ounce.

Boil them in a sufficient quantity of water, strain it, and in the decoction dissolve pulp of Cassia, two pounds; Tamarinds, an ounce; Cinnamon (must the Cinnamon be dissolved, too?), three drachms; of the best Sugar, a pound. Boil them to a perfection according to art. 

Cassia extracted with the Leaves of Senna.

Take of the Electuary of Cassia extracted without the leaves of Senna, two pound; the leaves of Senna in powder, two ounces.

Mix them together according to art.

This is also a fine cool purge, gentle, cleansing the bowels of choler and melancholy without any griping, very fit for several bodies, and yet the former is gentler than this. They both cleanse and cool the reins. 

A reasonable body may take an ounce and a half of the former, and an ounce of the latter, in White Wine. If they keep the house, or their bodies be oppressed with melancholy. let them take half the quantity in four ounces of the Decoction of Epithimum.

Diacarthamum, or Diaenicum - Arnoldus de Villa Nova.

Take of species Diatragacanthi frigidi, half an ounce; pulp of the preserved Quinces, an ounces; pulp of seeds of Carthamus or Bastard Saffron, half an ounce; Ginger, two drams; Diagridium beaten by itself, three drachms; White Turbith, six drams; Manna, two ounces, Honey Roses solutive, Sugar Candy, of each one ounce; White Sugar, ten ounces and a half.

Make of them a liquid electuary according to art. 

I wonder what art it must be wherewith a man should make up an electuary and have not wherewith. I tell you truly, that to make up an electuary of this without more moisture (for here is not a quarter enough) is a task harder than all Hercules, his twelve labours; abate me but his fetching Cerberus out of Hell, or it may be they intend you should go back to species electuarii Diagalangae to fetch Honey from thence, where they have appointed three times more than needs. For my part, I shall trouble the Reader no further, but leave the receipt to Arnoldus and the College for a pure piece of nonsense. 

Diaphoenicon - Mesue, together with Fernelius.

Take of the pulp of Dates boiled in Hydronel (water and honey), and strained through a pulping sieve, Penidies, of each half a pound; Sweet Almonds blanched, three ounce and a half. Let all of them be bruised and mixed, then add clarified Honey, two pound; boil them a little, then sprinkle in Ginger, Pepper, Mace, Cinnamon, dried Rue, the seeds of Fennel and Carrots, of each two drachms; Turbith, four ounces in fine powder; Diagrydium, an ounce and a half.

Make of them (first beat them into powder) an electuary according to art. 

I cannot believe this is so profitable in fevers taken downwards as authors say, for it is a very violent purge. Indeed, I believe being mixed with clysters, it may do good in cholics and informities of the bowels coming of raw humours, and so you may give half an ounce at a time.