\ 
24d. The fix and twentieth Booke 
Cuap. rin i 
eg» The fools/h fuperitition of Art Magicke which here ts derided. Of the tettar called 
Lichen : the remedies proper for it, and the difeafes ofthe throat, _ . 
Bove all other things, the fuperftitious vanities of Magicians made much to the eftabli- 
thing of C4/clepiades his new Phyficke heaebs; for they in the heigth of their vanitie, at- 
tributed fo ftrange and incredible operations tofome fimples, thatit was enough todif= 
credit the vertues of themall. Firft, they vaunted much of Aéthiopus, an hearb which (by their 
faying) if it were butcaft into any great river or poole, it would drawthe fame drie; and was of - 
power (by touching only) to open locks, or unbolt any dore whatfoever. Of Achoemeniiag alfo. 
another hearbe, they made this boaft, That being throwne againft an armie of enemies ranged 
in batraile array, it would drive the troups and {quadrons into feare, diforder theirranks, and put 
them to flight. Semblably, they gave out and faid, That when the King of Perfia difpatched his 
Embaffadors to any forrein States and Princes,he waswoont ro give them an hearbecalledLa- 
tace,which fo long as they had about them(come where they would) they thould want nothing, 
but have plentie of all that they defired: Befidesa number of fuch fooleries wherewith their 
books be peftred. But where, befeech you; were thefe hearbs when the Cimbrians and Teutons 
were defeated in a moft cruell and terrible battaile,(o as they cried and yelled againe ? What be- 
came of thefe Magicians and their powerfull hearbs, when Zacal/#s witha {mall armie confi- 
{ting of fome few legions, overthrew and vanquifhed their owne kings ? If herbs were fo migh- 
tie, what is the reafon (1 pray you)that our Romane captains provided evermore above all things 
how to be furnithed with victuals for theircampe, and to have all the waiesand paflages open 
for their purveiours ? In the expedition of Pharfalia,how came it to paffe that the fouldiers were 
at the point to be famifhed for want of victuall, if Ce/ar by the happie having of one hearbe in 
his cape,might have enjoyed the abundance of all things ? Had 1t not been better (thinke yee) 
for Scipio _Aemiltanws to have cauled the gates of Carthage to flie open with the helpe of one 
hearbe,than to lie fo many yeers as he did in leaguer before the cittie, and with his engins and 
ordenance to fhake their walls & batter their gates. Were there fuch vertuein Aithiopus afore- 
faid, why do we notatthis day drie up the Pontine lakes,and recover fo much good ground un- 
tothe territorie about Rome ? Moreover, ifthat compofition which Democritus hathferdowne K — 
and his books maketh praife of, to be fo effectual, as to procure men to haue faire,vertuous,and 
fortunat children, how happeneth it that the kings of Perfia themfelves could never attaine to 
thaticlicitie 2 And verely we might marveile well enough at the credulitie of our aunceftors in 
doting fo much upon thefe inventions (howfoever at the-firft they were devifed and brought in, 
to right good purpofe) in cafe the mind and wit of man knew howto {tay and keepe a meane in 
any thing els befides : or if [could not proove (as I fuppofe to doe in due place) that even this 
new leech-craft brought in by -4/clepiaaes which checketh thofe vanities, is growneto farther 
abufes and abfurdities than are broched by the verie Magicians themfelves. Burthis hath been 
alwaies and ever will be,the nature of mans mindjTo exceed in the end and go beyond all mea- 
fire in every thing which at the beginning arofe upon good tefpeds and neceffarte occafions, 
But to leave this difcourfe: let us proceed to the effects and properties remaining behind of 
thofe hearbs which were defcribed in the former booke ; with afupplement alfo and addition of 
fome'others,as by occafion thall be offered and prefented unto us, Howbeit, to begin firft with 
the remedies of the faid Tettars (fo foule and unfeemly difeaies) | meane to gathera heape ofas 
many medicines as know appropriat forthat maladie, notwithitanding | have fhewed alreadie 
ofthat kind, notafew. Weil then, tn this cafe, Plantaine ftamped is verte commendable: fe is 
Cinquefoile and the root of the white Daffodill, punned and applied with vinegre. The young 
* Bibifti,fome {Mois or tender brauaches of the figg tree boiled in vinegre :likewife the root of the* marth 
take it torthe Mallow {odden with glew ina ftrong and tharpe vinegre to the confumption of a fourth pare. 
Hollyhecke. Moreover, itis fingular good to rub tettars throughly with a pumifh ftone firlt, tothe end that M 
| the root of Sorrell {tamped and reduced into a liniment with vinegre, might bee applied after- 
* fei, fome wards therupon with better fiucceflesas alfo the floure of *Miffeltorempered and incorporatwith = 
read Huby, quicke-lime: the decoGtion likewife of Tichymale togither with rofin,is much praifed for this 
cure: burthe hearbe Liverwort excelleth ali the reft, which therupon tooke the Silat - 
, / . growetn » 4 
tot 
* 
