CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 397 



of ribwort, monsecar, comfrey (leaves or root), cinqiiefoil 

 ana, 1 handful. Put all into three or four gallons of ale ; 

 boil it as you do hops, and drink it for your ordinary 

 drink. 



Advising with some friends whether it might be safe 

 for me to use this diet-drink, and being encouraged by 

 them, I got it made, and drunk of it for about a week, 

 by which time the vessel leaking, had run out all my drink. 

 This drink had not the effect of drying up my sores, but 

 effectually stopt my diarrhoea, so that, ever since, my 

 belly hath been astrictior. I am not sorry that I lost my 

 liquor ; for though, if I could have gone on with it, I 

 believe it would in time have stopped my sores, but I 

 fear would have had an ill influence on my health. 



Since the time of drinking this diet-drink, Sir Thomas 

 Millington coming to see me, discovering my condition, 

 told me that he believed no outward application would do 

 me any good, and advised me to use a plain antiscorbutic 

 diet-drink, made of dock roots, water-cress, brooklime, 

 plantain, and alder-leaves, which I have done now this 

 fortnight, but as yet have received no sensible benefit 

 by it, my sores running as bad, and being as painful 

 as ever. 



My wife hath been very sick of the epidemical fever 

 hereabouts, but, thank God, is now perfectly recovered. 

 She gives you her most humble service. Another ex- 

 pression of kindness is your intention to make us another 

 present of sugar. We have been already so extremely 

 obliged to you for many presents of this nature, that I 

 am greatly ashamed to receive any more, having no 

 prospect of ever making you the least part of an amends. 

 I want words to express my thankfulness, and therefore 

 can add no more on that subject. The books I have of 

 yours, besides the two great volumes of dried plants, are 

 ' Hyacinthi Ambrosini Phytologia,' Cupani's ' Hortus 

 Catholicus,' with the second Supplement in sheets, Boc- 

 cone's ' Observazioni Naturali,^ and Eauwolff's ' Itinerary' 

 in High Dutch. I should be glad to see your China 



