Page 26 - Book of quintessence

with a little quantity at once of the electuary de succo rosarum [medicinal
preparation of rose juice], and let him use this electuary a little at once
each other day, till superfluous humours be purged. But he shall use
every day a little of our quintessence with quintessence of gold and
pearls, and with a few days the patient shall be whole.

The seventh medicine, for to heal itch, and for to destroy lice that be
engendered of corrupt humours, take our quintessence by himself alone
and use to drink thereof a little quantity at once, and take also a little
quantity of mercury and mortify it with fasting spittle, and mix it with a
good quantity of powder of Stafi-sagre [Delphinium Staphisagria, lice-
bane], and then put it into a great quantity of burning water, and then
wash all his body, or else the head where the itch and the lice be, and use
this medicine twice or thrice and the sick man shall be whole.

The eighth medicine for to cure the quartan and all the passions that
come of melancholy in man’s body and the mastery to purge melancholy.
And you shall understand that the quartan is engendered of much
abundance of melancholy that is corrupted within the body, and for this
humour is earthly, cold and dry, of the nature of slow Saturn. Therefore
the access of this sickness be slow, and it endures commonly in a man a
year or more, and it puts from him gladness, and brings in heaviness
more than other fevers do. If you will heal this sickness in short time, let
the patient use to drink our quintessence, and he shall be all whole
hastily. For while it consumes the corrupt superfluous humours, and
reduces nature to equality, and brings in gladness, and chases away
heaviness and melancholy. And if it so be that you have not our
quintessence, then take one pound of the best burning water, and therein
put medulla ebuli [Elder bark] and namely, the white, if you may have it.
Of this water give to the patient, morning and evening, a walnut shell full
at once and he shall be all whole. Or else thus take what thing you will
that purges melancholy and put a little thereof into burning water and use
that laxative made into small pills, wisely receiving right a little at once,
as one little pill, and prove thereby how it works. Then another time two
at once, if it be needed, so that the matter be a little digested and a little
egested. For better it is to work a little and a little at once, than suddenly
grieve the nature. For which reason, two little pills laxative mingled with
burning water will work more mightily than eight pills will do by
themselves. Also philosophers say that a tooth drawn out from a quick
beast, borne upon a man, delivers from the quartan. Also they say that if

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