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[EDGENOTE:] Disury, Strangury, Stitch, terms provokes, breast, short wind, Cough, Flegm, Pestilence, Wind, Headach, Eyes, Pin and Web, Wounds, Splinters, thorns.

that are bitten or stung by any Venemous Creature, being boyled in Wine. It is of especial Vertue against the Plague, the Decoction thereof being drunk, and the Root being used to smell unto; It helpeth also to expel the wind in the Belly. The green Herb with the Root taken fresh, being bruised and applied to the Head taketh away the pains and prickings therein, staieth Rhewms and thin Distillations, and being boyled in white Wine, and the drop thereof put into the eye, taketh away the dimness of the sight, or any Pin or Web therein: It is of excellent property to heal any inward Sores or Wounds, as also for outward Hurts or Wounds, and draweth any Splinter or Thorn out of the Flesh.

[EDGENOTE:] Obstructions, Clensing, Healing, Yellow Jaundice, Venemous Beasts, Pestilence, Agues, Worms, Cough, shortness of Breath, Wheesing, Stone, Gravel, Reins, Bladder.

It consolidateth and healeth also all Wounds both inward and

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outward, and stayeth bleedings, and used with some Honey healeth all old Ulcers and Fistulaes in the Legs or other parts of the Body, as also those Ulcers that happen in the Mouth; or used with old Hogs grease it helpeth the Swellings and pains of the secret parts in man or Woman, as also for the Piles and Hemorrhoids: Applied with some Oyl of Roses and Vinegar unto the Forehead and Temples, it easeth the inveterate pains and ach of the Head, and is good for those that are Frenetick. The Leaves bruised, or the Juyce of them mixed with some Vinegar doth wonderfully clense the Skin, and taketh away Morphew, Freckles, Pustulaes, and other such like Inflamations and deformities of the Skin in any part of the Body. The distilled water of the Herb when it is in his full strength, dropped into the Eyes, clenseth them from Films, Clouds, or mists that darken the sight, and wonderfully strengtheneth the Optick Nerves; The said Water is very powerful in all the Diseases aforesaid either inward or outward, whether they be old corroding Sores, or green Wounds.

This also is an Herb of Venus, and an excellent Herb for the Womb, to strengthen it and remedy all the cold griefs of it, as Plantane doth the hot, the Herb bruised and hung about the Neck helps the Headach.

[EDGENOTE:] Sore Mouth, Inflamations, Womens Longing, Stone, Teeth black.

Sugar and taken inwardly, is excellent to stay Womens longings after every thing they see, which is a Disease many Women with Child are subject too; the Decoction of Vine Leaves in white Wine doth the like: also the Tears of the Vine drunk, two or three spoonfuls at a time, breaks the Stone in the Bladder: This is a very good Remedy, and it is discreetly done to kill a Vine to cure a Man, but the Salt of the Leaves is held to be better.

The Ashes of the burnt Branches will make Teeth that are as black as a coal to be as white as snow if you do but every morning rub them with it.

[EDGENOTE:] Inflamations, Eyes, Womb, Head-ach, Watching, Choller, Quinsie, Falling-sickness, Swellings, Pleuresie, Flegm, Hoarseness, Throat, Back, Reins, Bladder, Thirst, Heart.

and the Bladder: It is good also for the Liver and the Jaundice, and in al hot Agues to cool the Heat and quench the Thirst: But the Syrup of Violets is of most use and of better effect, being taken in some convenient Liquor; and if a little of the Juyce or Syrup of Lemmons be put to it, or a few drops of the Oyl of Vitriol, it is made thereby the more powerful to cool the heat and to quench the Thirst, and giveth to the drink a Clarret Wine colour, and a fine tart rellish, pleasing the tast. Violets taken, or made up with Honey doth more clense than cool, and with Sugar contrary-wise. The dryed Flowers of Violets are accounted among the Cordial Drinks, Pouders, and other Medicines especially where cooling Cordials are necessary:

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The green Leaves are used with other Herbs, to make Plaisters and Pultisces for Inflamations and Swellings, and to ease pains wheresoever, arising of heat, and for the Piles also, being fried with Yolks of Eggs and applied therto.

Tansies or Heartsease are like unto Violets in all their operations but somwhat hotter and dryer, yet very temperate, and by viscuous Juyce therein doth somwhat mollifie, yet less than Mallows: It is conducing in like manner as Violets to the hot Diseases of the Chest and Lungs: for Agues, Convulsions, and Falling-sickness in Children. The Decoction helpeth Itch and Scabs being bathed therwith: It is said also to soder green Wounds, and to help old Sores, the Juyce or distilled Water thereof being drunk.

There is another sort little differing from the former, only in that it beareth white Flowers.

[EDGENOTE:] Venemous Beasts, Poyson, Heart, Sadness, Melancholly, Agues, Milk, Loyns, Back, Kidneys.

before they be bitten, shall not be hurt by the poyson of any Serpent. The Roots or Seeds are thought to be most effectual to comfort the heart, and expel Sadness, or cause less Melancholly, it tempers the Blood, and allayeth the hot Fits of Agues: The Seed drunk in Wine procureth abundance of Milk in Womens Brests. The same also being taken easeth the pains in the Loyns, Back, and Kidneys: The distilled Water of the Herb when it is in Flower, or his chiefest strength, is excellent to be applied either inwardly or outwardly for all the Griefs aforesaid. There is a Syrup made hereof very effectual for the comforting of the Heart, and expelling Sadness and Melancholly.

[EDGENOTE:] Obstructions, Liver, Terms provokes, Afterbirth, Dead Child, Spleen, Weakness, Disjuncture, Gout, Sinews, Apoplexy, Palsey.

Physick; It clenseth the Blood and freeth the Liver and Reins from Obstructions, provoketh Womens Courses, expelleth the Secon-

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dine and dead Child, helpeth the hardness and pains of the Mother, and of the Spleen also, stayeth Inflamations and Swellings, comforteth and strengthneth any weak part, or out of Joynt: helpeth to clense the Eyes from mistiness and Films on them, and to clense foul and filthy Ulcers in the Mouth or any other part, and is a singular Remedy for the Gout, and all Aches and Pains in the Joynts and Sinews. A Conserve made of the Flowers is used for a Remedy both for the Apoplexie and Palsey.

[EDGENOTE:] Binds, Dries, Worms, Poyson, Epidemical Diseases.

Oneus Pompeius found in the Treasury of Methridates King of Pontus, when he was overthrown, a Scrowl of his own Hand-writing, containing a Medicine against any Poyson and Infection, which is this: Take two dry Walnuts, and as many good Figgs, and twenty Leaves of Rue bruised and beaten together with two or three Corns of Salt, and twenty Juniper Berries, which taken every morning fasting, preserveth from danger of Poyson or Infection, that day it is taken. The Juyce of the outer green Husks, boyled up with Honey, is an excellent gargle for sore Mouths, the Heat and Inflamations in the Throat and Stomach: The Kernels when they grow old are more Oyly, and therfore not so fit to be eaten, but are then used to heal the Wounds of the Sinews, Gangrenes, and Carbuncles; The said Kernels being burned, are then very astringent, and will then stay Lasks and Womens Courses, being taken in red Wine; and stay the falling of the Hair and make it fair, being anointed with Oyl and Wine; The green Husks will do the like being used in the same manner. The Kernels beaten with Rue and Wine, being applied, helpeth the Quinsie; and bruised with some Honey and applied to the Ears, easeth the pains and Inflamations of them: A piece of the green Husk put unto a hollow Tooth, easeth the pains. The Catkins hereof taken before they fall off, dried and given a dram thereof in pouder with white Wine, wonderfully helpeth those that are troubled with the rising of the Mother. The Oyl that is pressed out of the Kernels, is very profitably taken inward like Oyl of Almonds, to help the Chollick, and to expel wind very effectually, an ounce or two thereof may be taken at a time. The yong green Nuts taken before they be half ripe and preserved with Sugar, are of good use for those that have weak Stomachs, or Defluxions thereon. The distilled water of the green

[EDGENOTE:] Inflamation in the Throat, wounds of the Sinews, Gangrenes, Carbuncles, Flux, Terms stops, Baldness, Quinsie, Toothach, Mother, Chollick, Wind, Agues, Deafness, Ears.

Husk before they be half ripe, is of excellent use to cool the heat of Agues, being drunk an ounce or two at a time, as also to resist the Infection of the Plague, if some thereof be also applied to the Sores thereof: The same also cooleth the heat of green Wounds and old Ulcers, and healeth them being bathed therewith: The distilled Water of the green Husks being ripe when they are shelled from the Nuts, being drunk with a little Vinegar, is also found by experience to be good for those that are infected with the Plague, so as before the taking therof of a Vein be opened. The said Water is very good against the Quinsin being gargled and bathed therewith, and wonderfully helpeth Deafness, the Noise, and other pains in the Ears. The Distilled water of the yong green Leaves in the end of May performeth a singular cure on foul running Ulcers and Sores, to be bathed with wet Cloathes or Spunges applied to them evening and morning.

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which with the Stalks carry many smal yellow Flowers in a long spiked Head at the tops of them where afterwards come the Seed, which is small and black inclosed in Heads that are devided at the tops into four parts. The Root is long, white, and thick, abiding the Winter: The whol Herb changeth to be yellow after it hath been in Flower a while.

[EDGENOTE:] Flegm, Humors, Tumors, Venemous Beasts, Pestilence, Worms.

do highly commend it against the bitings of Venemous Creatures, to be taken inwardly and applyed outwardly to the hurt place; as also for the Plague or Pestilence. The People in some Countries of this Land do use to bruise the Herb and lay it to Cuts or Wounds in the Hands or Legs to heal them.

[EDGENOTE:] Cold, Tetters, Ringworms, Ulcers, Chops in the Hands & Feet, Mad Dogs, Eyes, Kings Evil.

The green Corns of Wheat being chewed, and applied to the place bitten by a mad Dog, healeth it: Slices of Wheat Bread soaked in Red Rose-water, and applied to the Eyes that are hot, red, and inflamed, or blood-shotten, helpeth them. Hot Bread applyed for an hour at a time three daies together, perfectly healeth the Kernels in the Throat commonly called the Kings Evil. The Flower of Wheat mixed with the Juyce of Henbane, stayeth the Flux of Humors to the Joynts being laid theron: The said Meal boyled in Vinegar helpeth the shrinking of the Sinews saith Pliny; and mixed with Vinegar and Honey boyled together, healeth all Freckles, Spots, and Pimples on the Face. Wheat Flower, mixed with the Yolk of an Eg, Honey, and Turpentine, doth draw, clense, and heal, any Boyl, Plague Sore, or foul Ulcer. The Bran of Wheat Meal steeped in sharp Vinegar, and then bound in a Linnen Cloth, and rubbed on those places that have the Scurf, Morphew, Scabs, or Leprosie, wil take them away, the Body being first well purged and prepared. The Decoction of the Bran of Wheat or Barley, is of good use to bath those places that are Bursten by a Rupture: and the said Bran boyled in good Vinegar, and appled to swollen Breasts, helpeth them, and stayeth all Inflamations; it helpeth also the bitings of Vipers (which I take to be no other but our English Adder) and all other Venemous Creatures.

[EDGENOTE:] Sinews, Pestilence, Scabs, Leprosie, Venemous Beasts, Cods, Hoarceness.

The Leaves of Wheat Meal applied with some Salt, taketh away hoarness of the Skin, Wharts, and hard Knots in the Flesh. Starch moistned with Rosewater and laid to the Cods taketh away their Itching. Wafers put in Water and drunk, stayeth the Lask and Bloody Flux, and is profitably used both inward and outwardly for the Ruptures in Children: Boyled in Water unto a thick Gelly and taken, it stayeth spitting of Blood: and boyled with Mints and Butter it helpeth the hoarsness of the Throat.

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being stopped if it be drunk and to cleer the Face and Skin from Spots and Discolourings. Galen saith, The

[EDGENOTE:] Stanch Bleeding, Spitting of Blood, Fluxes of Blood, Vomiting, Distillations on the Lungs, Wind Chollick, Heat of Lust, Dimness of sight, & other Diseases in the Eyes, Cleer the Face, Dry up Humors, Warts, Corns & superfluous flesh, Scurf or Dandriff, Feaver.

Flowers have an admirable faculty in drying up Humors, beeing a Medicine without any sharpness or corrosion: You may boyl them in white Wine, and drunk as much as you will (So you drink not your self drunk.) The Bark work the same effects, if used in the same manner, and the Tree hath alwaies Bark upon it though not alwaies Flowers: The Burnt ashes of the Bark, being mixed with Vinegar taketh away Warts, Corns, and Superfluous Flesh being applied to the place. The Decoction of the Leaves or Bark in Wine, takes away Scurf or Dandriff by washing the place with it: 'Tis a fine cool Tree, The Boughs of which are very convenient to be placed in the Chamber of one sick of a Feaver.

[EDGENOTE:] Bleeding, Spleen, Ulcers, Inflamations, St. Anthonies fire, defluxions of Blood.

them, but set it in such a Vessel that they cannot drown themselves, which may be remedied if you put pieces of Cork in it. I told you before the Herb was drying and binding, and so drying and binding that it is not fit to be given inwardly. An Oyntment made thereof stancheth Bleeding: A Plaister made thereof and applied to the Region of the Spleen (and I pray you take notice, that the Spleen lies on the left side) takes away the hardness and pains thereof: The Oyntment is excellent good in such Ulcers as abound with moisture, and takes away the corroding and fretting Humors: It cools Inflamations, quencheth St. Anthonies fire, and stayeth Defluxions of Blood to any part of the Body.

[EDGENOTE:] Lungs afflicted, Asthma, Spleen, provokes Urine & speedy Delivery in Childbirth, Cramps, Convulsions & Palseys, Freckles & Sunburning.

and whatsoever griefs comes of cold or stopping: If you please to make use of it in an Oyntment, it will cleer your Skin of Mor-

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phew, Freckles, and Sunburning, or whatsoever else discolours it, and then the Maids will love it. I have done, when I have told you what Authors say, and cavelled a little with them, They say the Flowers are of more effect than the Leaves, and that's true; but they say, The Seeds are of least effect of all: But Dr. Reason told me, That there was a Vital Spirit in every Seed to beget its like; and Dr. Experience told me, That there was a greater heat in a Seed than there was in any other part of a Plant, and withal, That Heat was the Mother of action, and then judg if old Dr. Tradition (who may well be honor'd for his Age, but not for his Goodness) have not so poysoned the World with his Errors before I was born, that it was never well in its wits since, and there is great fear it will die mad.

Sea Wormwood hath gotten as many Names as vertues (and perhaps one more) Seriphion, Santonicon, Belgicum, Narbonense, Xantomicum, Misnense, and a matter of twenry more, which I will not blot Paper withal: A Papist got the Toy by the end, and he called it Holy Wormwood; and in truth I am of Opinion, Their giving so much holiness to Herbs is the Reason there remains so little in themselves.

The Seed of this Wormwood is that which usually Women give their Children for the Worms: Of all Wormwoods that grow here, this is the weakest; I but Doctors commend it, and Apothecaries sell it, the one must keep his Credit, and the other get Money, and that's the key of the work. The Herb is good for somthing, because God made nothing in vain; Will you give me leave to weigh things in the Ballance of Reason; Then thus, The Seeds of the common Wormwood are far more prevalent than the Seed of this, to expell Worms in Children, or People of ripe age: Of both, some are weak, some are strong. The Seriphian Wormseed is the weakest, & happily may prove to be fittest for weakest Bodies (for it is weak enough in all conscience) Let such as are strong take the common Wormseed, for the other will do but little good. Again, neer the Sea many people live, and Seriphium grows neer them, and therfore is more fitting for their Bodies because nourished by the same Air; and this I had from Dr. Reason. In whose Body Dr. Reason dwels not, dwels Dr. Madness, and he brings in his Brethren, Dr. Ignorance, Dr. Folly, and Dr. Sickness, and these together make way for Dr. Death, and the latter end of that man is worse than the beginning. Pride was the cause of Adam's Fall, Pride begate a Daughter, I do not know the Father of it unless the Divil, but she christned it, and call'd it Appetite, and sent her Daughter to tast these Wormwoods, who finding this the least bitter, made the sqeamish Wench extol it to the Skies, though the Vertues of it never reached to the middle Region of the Air. Its due praise is this; It is weakest, therefore fitter for weak Bodies, and fitter for those Bodies that dwel neer it than those that live far from it: my reason, is The Sea (as those that live far from it know when they comt neer it) casteth not such a smel as the Land doth: The tender Mercies of God being over all his Works, hath by his eternal Providence planted Seriphium by the Sea side, as a fit Medicine for the Bodies of those that live neer it. Lastly, It is known to all that know any thing in the Course of Nature, That the Liver delights in sweet things; if so, it abhors bitter, then if your Liver be weak, it is none of the wisest courses to plague it with an Enemy: if the Liver be weak a Consumption follows; Would you know the Reason? 'tis this, A mans Flesh is repaired by Blood, by a third concoction which transmutes Blood into Flesh ('tis well I said [Conction] for if I had said [Boyling] every Cook would have understood me.) The Liver makes Blood, and if it be weakned that it makes not enough the Flesh wasteth, and why must Flesh alwaies be renewed? Because the eternal God when he made the Creation, made one part of it in continual dependency upon another: And why did he so? Because Himself is only Permanent, to reach us, That we should not fix our affections upon what is transitory, but upon what endures for ever. The result of all is this, If the Liver be weak and cannot make Blood enonough (I would have said [Sanguifie] if I had written only to Schollers) The Seriphian which is the weakest of Wormwoods is better than the best. I have been Critical enonough (if not too much.

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bears little yellow Flowers. The Root lies deep and is woody.

Common Wormwood I shall not describe, for every Boy that can eat an Eg knows it.

Romane Wormwood; And why Romane, seeing it grows familiarly in England? It may be it was so called because 'tis special good for a stinking Breath, which the Romans cannot be very free from maintaining so many Baudy Houses by Authority of his Holiness.

[EDGENOTE:] Choller, Venery, Provokes Urine, Helps Surfets, Swellings, Appetite lost, Yelloow Jaundice, Preserve Health, Terms provokes, Biting of Rats & Mice, Mushroms wheals, Pushes, Black & blew Spots, Quinsie, Eyes, Biting or stinging by Venemous Beasts, Spleen, French Pox, Surfet, Stinking Breath, Dull Brain, Weak Sight.

Wormwood provokes the Terms. I would willingly teach Astrologers, and make them Physitians (if I knew how) for they are most fitting for the Calling, if you will not beleeve me, ask Dr. Hippocrates, and Dr. Galen, a couple of Gentlemen that our Colledg of Physitians keep to vapor with, not to follow. In this one Herb I shall give the Pattern of a Rule to the Sons of Art, rough cast, yet as neer the Truth as the men of Benjamin could throw a stone; whereby my Brethern of the Society of Astrologers may know by a penny how a shilling is coyned: (as for the Colledg of Physitians they are too stately to learn, and too proud to continue, They say a Mouse is under the Dominion of the Moon, and that's the reason they feed in the night: The House of the Moon is Cancer: (Rats are of the same nature with Mice but that they are a little bigger.) Mars receives his fall in Cancer, Ergo Wormwood being an Herb of Mars is a present Remedy for the biting of Rats and Mice. Mushroms (I cannot give them the title of Herba, Frutex, or Arbor) are under the Dominion of Saturn (and take them one time with another they do as much harm as good:) if any have poyson'd himself by eating them, Wormwood an Herb of Mars cures him, because Mars is exalted in Capricorn the Hous of Saturn, & this it doth by Sympathy as it did the other by Antipathy. Wheals, Pushes, black & blew Spots coming eitheir by bruises or beatings, Wormwood an Herb of Mars helps becaus Mars (as bad as you love him, & as ill as you hate him) will not break your Head, but he'l give you a Plaister. If he do but teach you to know your selves, his Courtesie is greater than his Discourtesie: The greatest Antipathy between the Planets is between Mars and Venus, one is hot, the other cold, one Diurnal, the other Nocturnal; one dry, the other moist, their Houses are opposite, one Masculine the other Feminine, one publick the other private, one is valiant, the other effeminate, one loves the light, the other hates it, one loves the Field, the other the Sheets; then the Throat is under Venus, the Quinsie lies in the Throat and is an Inflamation there: Venus rules the Throat (it being under Taurus her Sign) Mars eradicates all Diseases in the Throat by his Herbs (of which Wormwood is one) and send them to Aegypt on an errand never to return more; this by Antipathy. The Eyes are under the Luminaties, the right Eye of a Man, and the left Eye of a Woman, the Sun claims Dominion over: The left Eye of a Man, and the right Eye of a Woman, are the priviledg of the Moon, Wormwood an Herb of Mars cures both; What belongs to the Sun by Sympathy becaus he is exalted in his House; but what belongs to the Moon by Antipathy, because he hath

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his Fall in hers. Suppose a man be bitten or stung by a martial Creature, imagine a Wasp, a Hornet or Scorpion, Wormwood an Herb of Mars gives you a present cure: Then Mars as Chollerick as he is, hath learned that Patience, to pass by your evil speeches of him, and tells you by my Pen, That he gives you no Affliction but he gives you a Cure; You need not run to Apollo nor Aesculapius; and if he were so Chollerick as you make him to be, he would have drawn his Sword for Anger to see the ill conditions of those people that can spy his Vices and not his Vertues. The enternal God when he made Mars, made him for a publick good, and the Sons of Men shall know it in the latter end of the world. Et caelum Mars solus habet. You say Mars is a Destroyer, mix a little Wormwood an Herb of Mars with your Ink, and neither Rats nor Mice will touch the Paper is written with it, and then Mars is a Preserver. Astrologers say Mars causeth Scabs and Itch, and the Virgins are angry with him, because wanton Venus told them he deforms their Skin: But quoth Mars, my only desire is they should know themselves; my Herb Wormwood will restore them to the beauty they formerly had, and in that I will not come an inch behind my opposite Venus; for which doth the greatest evil, he that takes away an innate beauty, and when he hath done knows how to restore it again; or she that reaches a company of wanton Lasses to paint their Faces? If Mars be in the Virgin in a Nativity, they say he usually causeth the Chollick ('tis well God hath set some body to pul down the Pride of Man) He in the Virgin troubles none wth the Chollick but them that know not themselves (for who knows himself may easily know all the world:) Wormwood an Herb of Mars is a present cure for it: and whether it be most like a Christian to love him for his good, or hate him for his evil, judg ye. I had almost forgotten that Charity thinks no evil, I was once in the Tower and viewed the Wardrobe, and there was a great many fine Cloathes (I can give them no other title, for I was never neither Linnen or Woollen Draper) yet as brave as they looked, my opinion was, the Moaths might consume them (yea Henry the eighth his Codpiece) Moaths are under the Dominion of Mars, his Herb Wormwood being laid amongst Cloathes will make a Moath scorn to meddle with the Cloath, as much as a Lyon scorns to meddle with a Mouse, or an Eagle a Fly. You say Mars is angry, and 'tis true enough, he is angry with my Country-men for being such Fools to be led by the Noses by a Colledg of Physitians, as they lead Bears to Paris-Garden. Melancholly men cannot endure to be wrong'd in point of good name, and that hath sorely troubled old Saturn, because they called him the greatest Infortune: In the Body of Man he rules the Spleen (and that makes Covetous men so Splenetick.) The poor old man lies crying out of his left side, Father Saturn's angry, Mars comes to him, come Brother, I confess thou art evil spoken of, and so am I, thou knowest I have my exaltation in thy House, I'le give him an Herb of mine, Wormwood, to cure the poor man; Saturn consented, but spoke but little, and so Mars cured him by Sympathy. When Mars was free from War (for he loves to be fighting, and is the best friend a Soldier hath) I say when Mars was free from War he called a Councel of War in his own Brain to know how he should do poor sinful man good, (desiring to forget his abuses in being called an Infortune) He musters up his own Forces and places them in Battalia, Oh, quoth he, why do I hurt a poor silly Man or Woman? His Angel Answers him, Tis because they have offended their God [Look back to Adam] Well, saies Mars, though they speak evil of me, I'le do good to them; Death's cold, my Herbs shall heat them, They are full of ill Humors (else they would never have spoken ill of me) my Herb shall clense them and dry them: They are poor weak Creatures, my Herb shall strengthen them; they are dul witted, my Herb shall fortifie their Apprehensions; and yet amongst Astrologers, all this doth not deserve a good word; Oh, the Patience of Mars.

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Surfet by drinking. A poor silly Countryman hath got an Ague and cannot go about his business, he wishes he had it not, and so do I, but I'le tell him a Remedy whereby he may prevent it. Take the Herb of Mars Wormwood, and if Infortunes will do good what will Fortunes do? Some say the Lungs are under Jupiter, and if the Lungs, then the breath, and yet a man somtimes gets a stinking breath, and yet Jupiter is a Fortune forsooth; up comes Mars to him, Come Brother Jupiter, thou knowest I sent thee a couple of Trines to thy Houses last night, the one from Aries, and other from Scorpio, give me thy leave by Sympathy to cure the poor man by drinking a draught of Wormwood Beer every morning. The Moon was weak the other day, and she gave a man to terrible mischiefs, a dull Brain, and a weak sight, Mars laies by his Sword and comes to her, Sister Moon saith he This man hath anger'd thee, but I beseech thee take notice he is but a Fool, prithee be patient, I will with my Herb Wormwood cure him of both Infirmities by Antipathy, for thou knowest, thou and I cannot agree; with that the Moon began to quarrel; Mars (not delighting much in Womens Tongues) went away, and did it whether she would or no.

He that reades this and understands what he reades, he hath a Jewel more worth then a Diamond: He that understands it not, is as little fit to give Physick. There lies a Key in these words, which will unlock (if it be turned by a wise hand) the Cabbinet of Physick: I have delivered it so plainly as I durst; 'tis not upon Wormwood only that I wrote, but upon all Plants, Trees, and Herbs: He that understands it not, is unfit (in my Opinion) to give Physick. This shall live when I am dead; and thus I leave it to the World, not caring a Halfpenny whether they like or dislike it. The Grave equals all men, and therefore shall equal me with the Princes, until which time the Eternal Providence is over me; then the ill tongue of a pratling Priest, or of one who hath more Tongue than Wit, or more Pride than Honesty, shall never trouble me. Wisdom is justified of her Children; and so much for Wormwood.

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