I would not have the Vulgar meddle with this.

 

Diascordium - Fracastorius.

Take of Cinnamon, Cassia, Lignea, of each half an ounce; Scordium, an ounce; Dittany of Crete, Tormentil, Bistort, Glabanum, Gum Arabic, of each half an ounce; Opium, one dram and a half; Styrax, Calamitis, four drachms and a half; Sorrel seeds, one drachm and a half; Gentian, half an ounce; Bole Armenic, one ounce and a half; Terra Lemnia, half an ounce; Long Pepper, Ginger, of each two drachms; clarified Honey, two pound and a half; Conserves of Roses, one pound; Canary Wine, half a pound.

Make them into an electuary according to art. 

It is a well-composed electuary, something appropriated to the nature of women, for it provokes the terms, hastens their labour, helps their usual sickness at the time of their lying in.I know nothing better; it stops fluxes, mightily strengthens the heart and stomach, neither is it so hot, but it may safely be given to weak people, and besides provokes sleep. 

It may safely be given to young children, ten grains at a time; ancient people may take a drachm or more. 

It is given as an excellent cordial in such fevers as are accompanied with want of sleep. 

Mithridate - Democrates.

Take of Myrrh of Arabia, Saffron, Agrick, Ginger, Cinnamon, Spikenard, Frankincense, the seeds of Treacle Mustard, of each ten drachms; the seeds of Seseli or Hartwort, Opobalsamum or oil of Nutmegs by expression, Schoenanth, Stocchas, Costus, Castorium of Pontus, the juice of Hypocystis, the best Styrax, Opopanax, fresh Indian Leaves, or for want thereof Mace, of each an ounce; Cassia, Lignea, Poley, White Pepper, Scordium, Carrot seeds, Carpobalsamum or Cubebs, Trochisei Cypheos, Bdellium, of each seven drachms; Celtic Spikenard, Gum Arabic, Macedonian Parsley, Opium, Cardamoms the Less, Fennel seeds, Gentian, the leaves of Red Roses and Dittany of Crete, of each five drams; Annis seeds, Asarabacca, Acorns or Calamus, Aromaticus, Orris, Valerian the Greater, Sagapenum, of each three drams; Spignel, Acacia, the belly of Cincus [Pharmacopoeia Londinensis, 1618: Ventrium Scincorum. Mastic - PSY], the tops of St John's Wort, of each two drams and a half; so much wine as is sufficient to dissolve the gums and juices, then with three times the weight of all (the wine excepted) in Honey.

Make it up into an electuary. 

I have not time to search whether there be any difference in the composition between Damocrates and the College. It was also corrected afterwards by Bartholomew Maranta; also, Adromacus has another sort of Mithridate. It may be it is that usually called with us Venus Mithridate, but because the electuary is very chargeable to be made, and cannot be made but in great quantities, and only that here prescribed is to be gotten, or at least easily to be gotten, I am willing to spare my pains in my further search.

It is good against poison, and such as have done themselves wrong by taking filthy medicines. It provokes sweat, it helps continual warrings of the stomach, ulcers in the body, consumptions, weakness of the limbs, rids the body of cold humours and diseases coming of cold; it remedies cold infirmities of the brain, and stopping of the passage of the senses (viz. hearing, seeing, smelling, etc.) by cold. It expels wind, helps the cholic, provokes appetite to one's victuals; it helps ulcers in the bladder, if Galen say true, as also difficulty of urine. It casts out the dead child, and helps such women as cannot conceive by reason of cold. It is an admirable remedy for melancholy and all diseases of the body coming through cold; it would fill a whole sheet of paper to reckon them all up particularly.

You may take a scruple or half a drachm in the morning and follow your business; two drams will make you sweat, yea, one dram if your body be weak, for then two drams may be dangerous because of its heat. How to order your body in sweating, you were taught before; if you have forgot where, look the Table at the latter end. 

Philonium Persicum - Mesue.

Take of White Pepper, White Henbane (the seeds out of question), of each twenty drachms; Opium, Terra Lemnia, of each ten drams; Lapis Hematitis prepared, Saffron, of each five drams; Castorium, Indian Spikenard, Euphorbium, Amber, Zedoary, Doronicum, Troches of Ramich, Pellitory of Spain, Pearls, of each a dram and a half; Camphire, one scruple; Honey Roses [Pharmacopaeia Londinensis, Mellis rosati - Honey of Roses. PSY], the triple weight of all.

Mix them together into an electuary according to art. 

All the difference is Mesue appoints Honey, whose commendations of it is this: it stops blood flowing from any part of the body, the immoderate flowing of the terms in women, the haemorrhoids in men, spitting blood, bloody fluxes, and it is profitable for such women as are subject to miscarry. 

See the next receipt.

Philonium Romanum - Nich.

Take of White Pepper, the seeds of White Henbane, of each five drams; Opium, two drachms and a half; Cassia, Lignea, one dram and a half; the seeds of Smallage, one drachm; the seeds of Macedonian Parsley, Fennel, and Carrots of Crete, of each two scruples and five grains; Saffron, a scuple and a half; Indian Spikenard, Pellitory of Spain, Zedoary, of each fifteen grains; Cinnamon, a dram and a half; Euphorbium, Myrrh, Castorium, of each one drachm. 

With three times the weight of them all in clarified Honey, make them into an electuary according to art.

It is a most exquisite thing to ease vehement and deadly pains, in what part of the body soever they be, whether internal or external. That vehemency of pain will bring a fever, and a fever, death, no man well in his wits will deny; therefore, in such diseases which cause vehemency of pain, as cholic, the stone, strangury, etc., this may be given (ordered by the discretion of an able brain, for it conduces little to the cure) to mitigate the extremity of pain until convenient remedy may be had (as men pump water out before they can stop the hole in a leaking vessel). 

As for other virtues which authors say this electuary has, I shall pass them by, resting confident that other remedies may be found out for them in this Book as effectual and less dangerous; and because the former electuary is not much unlike to this in some particulars, take the same caution in that also. 

I would not have the vulgar meddle with this, nor the former.