Wellcome Collection: Catchmay, Lady Frances (d.1629) (MS.184a)

64.

Blaunched XIIII in namber, bruse all these seedes w^th the water & malmesey myngled together, drawe the mylke out of them, & put into them the Juise of Lyquoras or the powder to the weight of VI pence, Drinke of this in the morninge own in VI dayesL & faste after it two howers:

A good water for the dullnes of the stomacke & to drive away heavines from the harte: Take Rosemarye flowers, Borrage flowers, but not so muche as of the Borrage flowers, the younge budds of sweete margera, the budds of Balme, the yonge basill mynte, the white mynte, bruse all these & steepe them ⁱⁿ Rhenishe wyne & or secke, put in no more lyquor then will cover the herbes; still it & drinke it fastinge & an hower before supper:

for a woman in labour before her tyme: Take a Rose cake & sprinkell it w^th aquavite, set it on the fire & let it be very hott, lay it to the bottome of the bellye:

for the same: Take a brest of mutton, & breake the bones of it boyle it in Cowe hott mylke, & redd mynt & sawders, & drinke it w^th suger warme:

A drinke for a styche: Take fennell Rootes: parselye rootes, succorye rootes of eache VI handfulls, great reasons the stones pulled out, and Anyseede of bothe one ownce, seethe them both in a pottell of fayre water, untill all be halfe be boyled awayre, then strayne it & seethe it w^th suger a good while, drinke therof warme morninge & eveninge.

To kill an inwarde heate: Take a quarte of red wyne & a quarte of good mylke, still them together, & drinke the water every morninge fastinge & at night when yo^u goe to bedd & yo^u shall have helpe.

A good medicine for the ague: Take ahandfull of sage, as muche of Sage Rosemarye & as muche of verven & as much of Hope, stampe all thes together & take the Juice of it, drinke it w^th Ale bloodwarme an hower before the fitt dothe come, & let the patient lay him on his bedd, & cover him warme, let him use this but fower tymes & he shall have remedye:

for heate in the face: Take Brimstone never melted, & lay it in rose water, warme it over the fire, take therof & washe yo^r face therw^th & it will helpe.

for a brues proved Take Cowdonge & frye it w^th maye butter, & lay it as hott as yo^u can to the place, changinge it when it is could.

A Poultes for asore brest that is swollen & lookes redd Take whey ahandfull of spurge that growes w^th longe leaves, shread it & put it into the whey, a little wheat meale, & boyle it all together w^th sheepe shuett, till it be very thicke, & then spread it in a linen clothe, & lay it as hott as can be suffred on the breast & so drese it twise aday, & this will breake it drawe it & heale it.

A Poultes to Breake agathering in any place Take Clarett wyne, & wheaten flower, & boyle it together till it be thicke, then put in alittle sallett oyle, & lay it to the sore, twise or thrice adaye. –

To make the redd water good for ould sores & woundes putrified Take Ashe woode & burne so muche therof in aday or two as will make aheaped pecke of fine Ashes f sifted, put therto a gallon & ahalf of water or more, so that yo^u make a gallon of cleane lye, strayne it throughe a canvas clothe, then put to it agallon of [tanwose] that never was occupied w^th any lether, than take half a pownd of madder, & crudble it smale into the tanwose, & half apownd of roche Allam fine beaten, set it over the fier in apann & take good heede that is runne not over in seathinge, & so seeth it till it be half wastid, then take agreat bagg made of Canvas like to an Iporras bagge, & put it into the bagg & hange it hye from the ground, & let it dropp into an earthen pott, so longe as it will dropp, then put it into glasses, & washe the sore therw^th, & lay ragges, & ould flaxen clothes therin dipped lewck warme, & so apply it to the Itch or sore.

A surrope for the shortenes of the wynde Take agood handfull of Hoppe, a handfull of horehownde boyle it in a quarte of water to a pynte, then streyne it, put in suger to make it pleasaunt, use it eveninge & morninge w^th a lyquoras sticke.

for the same an other Take ahandfull of folefoote, & boyle it in a pottle of fayre runninge water till half be consumed, then streyne it & take apynt therof & put therto a pownde of fine suger then set it on the fire & let it boyle to a surrope, & so give it to the patient w^th a lyquoras stick moreninge & Eveninge.

for one that is broken Take Comfrey knott grass worte, mayden heare, shreed them, then boyle them in maskadell Raspis or pleasant red wyne, & put to the boylinge therof Corriander seedes & anyseedes, & streine it & give it to the patient to drinke morninge & Evening a drafte firste & last by the space of IX^en dayes:

An oyntment for the same: Take oyle of spike two ownces, of the oyle of exeter one ownce beate them together, & take the white of an egg beaten into a cleare water the frothe taken away & so use it the first three dayes, then take the above named herbes, boyle them in sallett oyle from aquarte to a pynte mingle all together & anoynt the place grieved IX^en dayes, yo^u must take the roots & all of the herbes

A Balme for woundes: Take of oyle olive apottell, of nets foote oyle aquarte, of Rosemary, Valerian leaves, Bramble leaves, Planten leaves an ay. Turpentine thre peny worthe stampe, stampe all yo^r hearbes together then put them into the oyle, boyle them in a chaufron & strayne them then putt in yo^r budds of St Johns Worte a handfull, & let it remayne in the lyquor.

A medicen for a woman after she is delived for the after throwes: Take agood quantitie of mallowes & frye it w^th Butter unsalted, & lay it as hott as she can suffer it all over her belly betweene two wollen clothes:

for the Collicke in a younge Childe Take the beardes of unsett leekes & drye it between two tylestones, then beat it into powder, & put it into a little white wyne, w^th alittle sugar, & give it to the childe to drinke

for wormes in an ould bodye Take Boxe leaves pownde them, & strayne them into Ale & let the partye drinke it fastinge thre morninges together.

for a womans brest that is curdeled wth milke Take a pynte of stale Ale & a Quantitie of honye & boyle it together, to the half, then take adouble Clothe, & wett it therin & so laye it to the brest.

An other for the same: Take oyle of lyneseede & virgen waxe, & temper them together & make a sere Clothe therof & so laye it to the brest:

A medicen to Cause a woman to be Delivered of Childe Take savorye, Boyle it in white wine till half the lyquor be consumed: & so drinke it.

An other for the same: Take ferne that groweth uppon the Oke, & savery, pownd them together, & temper it w^th Brest mylke, & lay it to the soles of her feete.

A Speciall medicen to coole a burninge fever: Take a great quantitie of the Juice of lemons, put it close into an Earthen pott, then put to it the like suche a quantitie of the best sallett oyle as will cover the topp of the lemons from any ayre; this done close upp the mouth of the pott very close, & as yo^u shalbe troubled w^th yo^r heate, drawe out aquantitie therof at a spicked hole, & drinke it & the rest keepe for yo^r fourther use.

for the morphewe: Take littrage of silver, & brimstone of eache like quantitie, & boyle it in Rose water & white vineger, or els laye it unto unboyld & washe the places w^th all wher the morphew is.

for a Consumption proved for all weake Diseases: Take afatt sowe pigge of IX^en dayes ould & flaye him & quarter him & put him into a fayre dislatorye, a handfull of spere mynts, of red fennell, of red nepp of eache a handfull & half a handfull of lyverworte, asmuche of clarye, IX^en dates, cleane made the stones pulld out, a handfull of great reysons the stones pulld out & wash them very cleane, & half a quartr of an ownce of mace, & two stickes of good synamon brusd, put all thes in yo^r still & distill it & so keepe it in glasses for yo^r use.

An other for a weakenes: Take a hedgock cutt him in peaces, & put it into astill w^th a quarte of redd wyne, a pynte of rose water, a quarte of sugar, thre quarters of synamon, one handfull of greate reysons, twelve dates, two handfulls of nepp.

for a bruese Take aquantitie of fayre water, & asmuche wyne vinegar & the powder of one nutmegg & drinke it whiles the bruse is newe, then make a possett & put therin one handfull of balme leaves & some parmasite & drinke it, them take the curde & temper it w^th parmasite & anoynte the place brused therw^th

for heate in the backe Take ^of boushere & picke it cleane two or thre handfulls, & put it into a pipkin w^th sower crayme, & boyle it till it be like butter, then strayne it & keepe it in a gallye pott, & anoynte the fillets of yo^r backe, & this will coole the heate:

An other for the same:– Take white willowe leaves, boyle them in runinge water w^th asticke of hole whole synemon & a few reysons of the sonne the stones pulld out. Drinke this water & lay the leaves to yo^r Backe

for the fluxe & to streynthen the backe Take Ryse & almonds of eache alike quantitie washe them bothe very cleane, & let the almonds be [bublaucht], them stampe them in a morter very smale, then put to them runing water [unwarmed], streyne it as thicke as [pape], then seeth it w^th alittle grated synamon & a little nuttmegge but but no suger w^th it, & eate it firste in the morninge & if yo^u use it but thre dayes I doubt not but it will helpe, yo^u muste drinke redd wyne before yo^u eate any meate, eyther at diner or supper; a quarter of an hower before.

for awoman that usethe to lose her burden Make brothe or Almond mylke w^th thre chickins , comfrey, buckshorne, hartshorne, catts tayle, knott grasse, wild tansey, planten, all thes boyle w^th yo^r chickins, & drawen w^th almons, & this milke often drunken, thes herbs sometymes in brothe; & some tymes [crust] of bread, & clarye fried an egge in the morninge w^th redd rose water; no pearringe wines must be drunke, nor muche watching usd, early goinge to bedd & early rysinge, this observation through gods helpe will recover yo^u

To make hands white: Take tenn Almonds blaunched & alittle peece of venis sope about the quantitie of awalenutt, & the whitest tallowe yo^u can gett, beat it all together in astone morter for the space of two howres, & then put to it half an ownce of oyle of syterne, and one ownce of oyle of tartar; beate it all together till it be very white, & therw^th anoynt yo^r hands.

for the face Take virgen waxe, & oyle of syterne & parmasitis, & set it on the fier, & then dipp apeece of holland in it, & stick it in a cleane sheete of paper & so make yo[r] maske of it.

A good medicen to drawe out a thorne: Take a pynte of white wyne, a quantitie of Rye meale, & sheepes dounge, & boyle it together & so lay it to the sore.

the vertue of tadpolls Tadpolls stilled, the water therof is good for a swellinge.

A medicen for the yellow Jaundice:– Take apeny worthe of turmericke, as much of parmacitie, of safrone of ginger, & as muche of white suger candye, make all thes in a fine powder, & drinke it in Ale first & last warme IX^en dayes together.

To make the good greene salve Take of planten of Ribwoorte, of self heale, of yaroe, of vervayne, of Comfrey, of smallige of eache of thos agood handfull, washe them cleane & drye them in a clothe, then pownd them in a morter, & when they be well pownded put to them agood peace of freshe butter w^thout salt & unwasht, pownd it all together, take it upp, & let it stand two or thre dayes, then take & drye it in a fryinge pann, till it be thorow warme, then strayne it through aclothe into a pose[net] & put to it asmuche waxe & rasom as will make it in a salve, boyle it together & then power it out & make therof a [keache].

An excellent water for the Collicke & a Surfitt:– Take Rosemarye flowers, & the Rosemarye in middest of maye gathered in the morninge before the sonne Ryseth, take the Rosemarye & stripp the leaves from the stalkes, take fower or five Rootes of Elycompane, one handfull of sage, & beate them in a morter till they be verye smale, take thre ownces of cloves, thre ownces of mace, thre ownces of Quibibells, one half of anyseeds, then beate the spice very smale, every seede by it self, take all the herbes & spice & put them into five or sixe gallons of good white wyne, put all thes into An Earthen pott, stop the pott close w^th a cover, set the same into the grownd by the space of XV ten dayes & then take it up, & still it in alymbecke.

for a consumption of the members, quakinge constraction or paulsey of the Joyntes: Take of [Calbannu] one pownde, of Turpentine thre pownde, of oyle of bayes & oyle olive of ether thre ownces, make an oyle therof, & use it

for the Spleane: Take mascadell & elder leaves boyle them together when it is boyled put a peece of spunge into it when it is hott lay it to the spleane at morning & night.

A drinke for the spleane: Take Rhenshe wyne & the iner rinde of Ivie cut in peaces, lay it in the wyne all nighte, put suger to it in the morninge, warme it & drinke it fastinge:

for the Coughe of the longes:– Take aquarter of apynte of Elicompane water, as muche of horehounde water as muche of the water of the red budds of the oke, but to all thes a quarter of a pownde of white sugercandie, boyle it together, & skume it, let it boyle alittle awaye, take alittell quantitie at once luke warme, If yo^u can gett longe worte water put to a litell, it wilbe the better.

for a bruese well proved: – Take orpine Rootes, a handfull of Comfrey, & ahandfull of daysie rootes, stampe them all together, strayne out the Juice w^th ale, & give to the patient to drinke bludd warme eveninge & morning two or thre dayes.

for the wynde in the stomake Take the toppes of Camamell, & boyle it in muskadyne, & w^th sponges apply it to yo^r stomake as hott as yo^u can suffer it: –

A water for melancholye: Take Rosemarye flowers, the leaves of balme, the stickes of synamon broken smale, lay them in a lymbeck, a layinge of Rosemarye & balme, & a layinge of Sinamon, fill it almoste full of white wyne, let the synamon be moste, it wilbe pleasant to drinke w^th wyne or of it selfe.

for an impostume Take apownde of sheepe suet & melt it, a pownd of [bruclyme], shred it & bruse it, put it into the sheepe suet, & let it boyle an hower, sturr it diligentlye, streyne it, & put in it six sponefulls of sallet oyle, & so much of aquavite & let it boyle a quarter of an hower.

A Powder for wynde in the stomake Take anyseeds colliander & commen seed, steepe all these in gascoyne wyne all night, take them oute & drye them in an oven, make a powder, & boyle it in an yo^r brothe or drinke it, & it will helpe:

for the Coughe of the longes:– Take horehound water a pottell, & asmuch Hope water, two handfulls ofo horehownd, two handfull of Hope, a roote of Elicompane, boyle it agood while together, take to every pynt of water a pounde of white sugar candye, boyle it till it come to a surope, & use it

A precious drinke for the palsey that hath bine proved:– Take the longes of afoxe newe killed, lay it all night in new milke, & Rosemary flowers & leaves, a great quantitie, a handfull of harts tonge, take away the stringe that goeth about the backe of the leafe, agood quantitie of buglas, & afewe smale Reisons, still all thes together, & when it is 40 dayes ould drinke it morninges fastinge.

for a payne in the stomake Take a quarte of Ale & agood handfull of grounsill, & a handfull of Currants, boyle all thes together from aquarte to apynte, then strayne it & drinke it in the morninge fastinge & it will make yo^u vomitt.

An oyntement for the Stomake Take apynte of very good sallet oyle, & thre or fower sponefull of white wyne vyneger & of redd mynts a good handfull, of wormewoode a good handfull, cloves, mace, & ginger, of eache of them an ownce, in grosse powder, shred the herbes finelye, & temper them together in a cleane pott, & stopp it fast, & so seathe it in a pott or pann of water on the fier, so that the water may cover more then half the pott, wherin the thinges be, & so boyle it fower or five howers, renewinge the water so often as it waxeth could, strayne the oyle from the other thinges hard & melt a quarte of puer waxe, & so put it into afayre glasse pott, & every morninge when yo^u Ryse heat some of it & anoynte yo^r stomake therwth.

for a takinge: Take aquarte of thicke Creame, & apynte of Camamill let it boyle till it come to an oyle then strayne it & use it.

To kill a heate w^th one Take a quarte of redd wyne, & a quarte of good mylke & still them together & drinke the water everye morninge & Eveninge first & laste, & by gods grace it will helpe.

To make abalme for a wounde Laye Rosemarye flowers in sallett oyle, & sonne it a& afterwards put St Johns worte in it & sonne it then put clarett wyne in it & sonne it & ginger grated, & so use it.

for heate in the face Take brimstone never melted, put it in aclothe & laye it in rose water, & set it on the fier, & when it is warme washe yo^r face therw^th

A water for the eyes: Take a crowne wayght of Coppres, & thre Crownes wayght of Suger Candye thre egges boyld harde & the yolkes taken out, then make a hole in the bottom, & put in the Copres & suger & it will droppe then take thre droppes of the water & eight droppes of rose water, & put in yo^r eyes: yo^u make oyle of mer this waye for the spotts in the face –

To make ague water: – Take thre gallons of white wyne, of Angelica, Dragons, wormewoode, Salendine, pimpernell, betonye Scabious, egremony, Sage, tyme, Rosemarye, verven: of eache ahandfull, lay all thes two dayes & two nights in the wyne & styrre them two or thre tymes adaye, then putt it in astill & still it w^th agentill fier, takinge heed it burne not to; & so keepe it.

A Soveraine Jellye for a Consumption Take a well fleshed capon, scald him, & drawe him, & put in his belly a handfull of barleye & asmuche reysons corrants & dates, & put him in an Earthen pott w^th agallon of clarett wyne & so put in him aquantitie of Synamon & ginger, & let hit seeth till the fleshe be fallen from the bones, then beate him in a morter, & when he is well beaten, put him in an Iporras bagge & strayne let the Jellye come into afayer vessell, & geve the patient therof at morninge, noone & night warme, w^th the yolkes of the egges newe layde, & by the spendinge of thre capons thus used, by the assistance of god, the patient shall recover health: & fourther to Comfort his stomake give him of Aromaticú rosarú made into losenges: probat:

To cleanse the backe:– Takw two good nuttmegges, pricke them full of holes w^th a needle, lay them in white vineger all a nighte, & in the morninge wrapp them in a wett browne paper, & roste them in the imbars till they be throughlye dried, then beate them into powder as fine as flower, & every morninge & Eveninge drinke of it luke warme w^th Ale, & in any wyse let yo^r nuttmegges be could before yo^u beate them, for otherwise they will not be powder. this is very good to cleanse the backe, the kydneyes, & to make on pysse.

for the Collicke & Stone & for the moother moost principall Take fennell seedes, Corriander Seedes, carraway Seedes, parselye Seedes, gallingale Seedes, & grommell Seedes, of every one of them an ownce, of the leaves & Coddes of Seene, a quarter of an ownce, a quarter of an ownce of spinnell, a quarter of an ownce of tyme, make all thes into powder, & serse them through a searser & so drinke them in good Ale or white wyne first & ;aste, & in all manor of sawces yo^u use w^th yo^r meate, & this medicen by gods helpe shall heale for it hath bine often proved.

To make Jelly for the restoringe of a weake body w^thout any anoyance of the Stomake or inflaminge the lyver first take a well flesht Capon or Cocke not very fatt, scald & dress him very fayer, then splatte him into fower quarters takinge out all the intrayles, & also the little harde kydneyes in the [lyde of 15]

of the skynne in the binder, quarters, for makinge the Jelly foulsome, then take a knockle of veale, pyck out all the bloud, then lay all the meate in water agood while, after takinge it out crushe out all the bloude & water in afayer clothe, as longe as eyther water of stringes of bloude will appeare, then put all the meate beinge cut in peaces into afaire Earthen pott, then then take a pottell of white wyne, w^th asmuche water or less as yo^u shalle thinke good, & boyle it softely till the meate be all to peeces, then let the lyquor runne throughe a clothe not very thicke, put not out the meate, but only receave the lyquor into a fayer bason, wherin it must stande untill it be verye coulde, then styme of all the fatt w^th a spone, takinge the cleare from the drosse in the bottome, & boyle it w^th suger asmuche as will sweeten it, two nuttmegges slist, let it not boyle past half an hower, then lett it runne therewe a newe Jelly bagge wast fayre w^th white wyne w^th a rosemary braunche, letting it runne till it be cleare, so keepe it uppon bay salt in a coole seller.

for the Collicke Take mustard seeds & grind them smale the quantitie of half a pynte w^th the strongest Ale vineger yo^u can gett, & take half apound of the best figges, & pare of the skynne, stampe them in a morter agood while, & then put the mustard seed & the vineger to gether, & make therof a playster, & lay it on a clothe & minister the same to the patient place grieved, so that yo^u lay a clothe betweene it & the plaster not warmed & yo^u shall find great ease therby: proved.

for the Stone Take the stone in an Oxe gaule, beate it into powder, & drinke in maulmesey & water of wild tyme

for one that can not make water: Take a pynt of Ale & clarifie it, take aparsely roote scrapt & washt, slyse it into the Ale, take asponefull of parsely seed rubde & alittle brused, seathe it from apynt to half apynte strayne it, thake so myche Amber pownded fine as will fill the shell of ahasell nutt, put it into the drinke w^th alitell sugar, let the patient drinke of it agood drafte, when he is greeved & after, every morninge & eveninge, as longe as findeth himself greved.

for an ague Take asponefull of the Juice of orenges one sponefull of aquavite, a sponefull of white wyne, mingle all thes together, & drinke it two howers before the fitt come.

To drawe out a pricke w^th a thorne & heale it Take of sallendine & orpines, two handfulls, cut it Smale & boyle it w^th oyle olive & [umbrought] waxe, strayne it & make therof a playster:

for spedye delivery of a childe & also for bewitched persons Take five head toppes of Redd archangell & seven of fetherfewe alias white worte, take tenn of speadewell: washe them cleane, then pound them together, & put therto a draughte of stronge Ale, & w^th the Ale strayne it, & give it to drinke bloud warme, to any creature livinge, thre tymes: proved: –

for a bruise: Take a quarte of malmesey two or three handfulls of onyons slyced & fower spo= =nefulls of pepper somewhate smale beaten, boyle all these together till it be thicke, then spreade it uppon white leather, & change it but once in two dayes & two nightes, & lay it on as hott as yo^u can suffer it: –

for the wynde collicke Take a good quantitie of the powder of dried sage, & a quantitie of the Consarve of Rosemary flowers, & temper [them] together & make therof pilles & when yo^u are troubled take thre or fower of them, & it will helpe.

for weakenes in the backe or the Ruminge of the Reynes:– Take three sponefulls of white Rose water, & the yolke of a newe layde egge, one nuttmegge grated, & temper it all together, & th drinke it fastinge three morninges fastinge

A water to washe a soare:– Take Camphier an ownce, white copras a quarter of a pownde, put them into an Earthen pott, seeth them together on a softe fier, half an hower & therof will come a water w^ch wilbe hard agayne but yo^u must sturre them well together many tymes, & in the seethinge take them from the fier & stirre it till it be could, when also it wilbe hard, then take [bolearmeinde] a quarter of a pownde & beat it to powder, then take the other, & beat them all together to a very fine powder, & put it in a fyne bledder, & when yo^u will use any of it, take a pottell of Runninge water & set it on the fier, & when it beginneth to seeth take it off & put therin three or fower sponefulls of yo^r powder then put yo^r water into an Earthen pott not Covered, & let it stand so till it be cleare, then take of the clearest of the water, & so warme it & therw^th washe the soare therw^th as hott as the patiend can suffer it, w^th alynen clothe, use this eveninge & morninge till it be whole; & when yo^r water hath stood seven or eght dayes shake it well together, but afterward let it be well cleared before yo^u doe use it agayne & when the clearest is spent, cast away the rest, for it will cause proude flesh: –

To heale the navell of a childe that cometh out: Take waxeth that commeth from the hive, & strayne the honey from it & so keepe it till need is, & mealt it in a sawcer & deepe therin, blacke woolle & that bynde to the navell:

An oyntemente for the moother: Take the gaule of a redd bullocke & so much aquavitie as the lyquor of the gaule commeth to mingle it together, & then put to it alittle footeoyle, then boyle it, & ano= =ynte the place wher the griefe lyeth, eysell in steede of ^the aquavitie is good, for all manor of aches, if it requier not haste, put it in a glasse, & set it in the sonne.

A plaster for the same: Take the yolke of an egge, & put therto a little wheaten flower, & a little honey, w^th a prety quantitie of Commen, then stampe them together & make aplayster therof as broad [as] a ryall, & lay it to the navell as hot as yo^u can suffer it:

for the fluxe: Take a hott pibble stone, heat very hott in the fier & put it into a mess of mylke & let it remayne therin as longe as the mylke boyleth, then cast therin agood quantitie of powder of pepper, & a little salt, then strayne it & give it the patient to drinke or eate at any time: –

for the goute: 1: make a playster of tecle & lay it to the place greved:– 2: Take a redd wollen clothe, lay pitch uppon it & melt it at the fier, & make a playster of it & lay it to the place as hott as yo^u can suffer it & so remove it & warme it agayne: – 3: Take a handfull of the leaves of Rue, & a handfull of salendine, stampe them well together, then take powder of Allam & otemeale, & halfe a penyworthe of blacke sope, mingle altogether & lay it could to the [place]