Page 23 - Book of quintessence

The third medicine is to cure the leper that is caused of corruption
and putrefaction of any of the principle humours of man. But not the
leprosy that comes to mankind of the father and of the mother leprous,
for it is called morbus hereditus, nor the leprosy that is sent of God by his
plague, but that that is caused only of rotten humours. Take our
quintessence aforesaid, with the quintessence of gold and pearl, a little
quantity at once, and use it in the manner as I said before, and if you
have not prepared ready our quintessence, that take in the stead thereof
fine burning water, but that other is better.

Also, draw a water of the fruit of strawberry or mulberry tree when it
is ripe, and wash the leper therewith. This water is of so great virtue, for
a sovereign master took it to a leprous woman, that with the washing
only of the water, within short time was made all whole. But surely the
virtue thereof is much worth if it be mingled with our quintessence, or
else burning water, and then it shall be no need to use in this perilous
cure, venoms, as some doctors do.

The fourth medicine is to cure palsy universal. Forsooth all
philosophers say that the palsy universal comes of abundance of viscous
humours closing the passages of virtue, animal, sensitive and motive.
And therefore it is necessary that those things that shall sure this sickness
be temperate, hot, and moist, and a little attractive, and to the sinews
comfortative. Therefore, blessed be God, maker of mankind, that
ordained for the man paralitic our quintessence aforesaid, that
sovereignly to him comforting, restoring, and temperately working.
Therefore fix therein the qintessence of those laxatives that purge phlegm
and viscous humours. As a little of Euphorbia, or Turbith, or Sambucy
[Elder tree], and then without doubt, if God will, the paralytic man shall
be whole with comforting and restoring of kind. If you make him a stew
hot and moist with herbs, that is to say, herb ivy and sage, that have a
heavenly strength to comfort the joints and the sinews, and the virtue
motive. And if you have not ready prepared our quintessence, then take
fine buring water till it be ready, and let the patient drink thereof a little
in fine wine, and also he shall wash all his body and his extremities with
burning water ofttimes, and let him use this a good while and he shall be
whole.

The fifth medicine for a man that is almost all consumed and wasted
in all his body, and right lean, as that man that has the tisik [asthma or

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