A 
of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 
certaine tortoifes, devide one peece from another andtake out the fat within, ftampe the fame 
with the hearbe called houflecke and linefeed ; incorpotat all into an ointment; let the patients 
be annointed herewith before the fic commeth, all over the bodie fave the head only ; and when 
they bewell lapped with cloaths aboutthem,givethem fome hotdrinke : This(Lfay)is thought 
tobe a foveraigne medicine againft the faidague. Buta tortoife to be emploied for this purpofe, 
oughtto be taken at the full of the moone, becaufe there may be more fat found in her: marty 
the ficke bodie muft not bee annointed (men fay) at any time,bur two daiesafrer. The bloud of 
tortoifes which are of this fourth kind, if ic be dropped upon the head by way of embrochation, 
appeaferh the head-ach that ufeth toreturne and come often by fits :the fame alfo applied unto 
the kingsevill,cureth it. Some are of opinion, thatthe better toletcortoifes bloud and accor- 
ding to Art, (as requifititis in thefe cafes of phyficke)they oughtto belaid along with their bel- 
lies upward, and fo their heads to bee cur off with a brafen knife:and then they give order, tore- 
ceive the bloud in a newearthen vefiell, never occupied before : which bloud, is excellent to an- 
- noint the fhingles, or any kind of S, Amthonies fice: likewife the running {calls of the head, and 
be) . 
alfowerts. The fame authours doe promife and warrant, that with the dung of all forts of tor- 
toifes, the biles called Pani may bee difcufled and refolved. And although ic beeincredible and 
norto be fpoken, yetfome there be who have written, That any {hip maketh way more flowly at 
fea, that carrieth within it the right foot of atortoife. And thus much fhall {uffice as touching 
tortoifes. ay 
And now from henceforth as touching the fithes and other water creatutes, Fmeaie to dife 
courfe of them and their medicinable properties, according to everie difeafe which they ferve 
for: And yetLam notignorant, that many a one will be defirousto knowallat once, the vertues 
of ech living creature, which indeed maketh them to feeme more admirablea great deale. How- 
beit, thiscourfe that 1 meane to take, I holdto bee more expedient and profitable to this life; 
namely, to fet downe teceits and remedies digetted by order,of each difeafe and maladie: con- 
fidering that one thing may be gocd for this patient, and another for that; and fome medicines 
are foonerfound and ceatyhe others, ! 
Cnap, v. 
2g Sundrie medicines and receits taken fromtbofe living creatures which cosverfe 
in waters, and the fame digcfted orderly into difeafes. And in the 
. fieft place fuch as be apprapriat to poifons and ves 
nomous beafls. 
Eretofore have I written of venomous honey, andthe countries wherein {uch is gathered 
t and made: now, if any be poitoned therewith, good itis to eat the ithcalled Aurata, 7. a 
Guilt-head: or {ay that one bee glutted wich pure honey, or have taken a {urfer thereof, 
_ which of all other is moftdaungerous, whereby the appetit iscleane gone, and the ftomacke 
oppreffed with crudities: for toprevent farther daunger, Pelops ordained for a {peciall antidot or 
detenfative,the meat of tortoifes boiled, after the head, feet, and taile, were cut away : But Ape/~ 
desin this cafe ateributeth as much to Scincus.. Now whatthis Scincus is, I have declared hereto- 
fore. Shewed alfo I have often umes in many places, how venomous the monthly fleurs of wo- 
mien are: but yet (as hath been {aid alreadie)the fith called a Barble,is a fingular remedieagainft 
the venome thereof: Jikeas, both applied omwardly in a liniment, and taken inwardly as meat, it 
isa foveraigne thing forthe pricke of the Puffin or Forkfith, of Scorpions aswellof thelandas 
thefea, and of the malicious {piders Phalangia. The athes of a Barble,frefh taken and calcined,. 
isa general countrepoifon;but more particularly it helpeth thofe who have eaten deadly. muth- 
433 
roms. Moreover, itis faid, [batifthe fith called. aSea-ftar well be{meared and anointed all over «2° 
with the bloudof a fox, be faftened to the lintell,or hanged to the brafen naile or ring ofa dore, 
itwill put byali charms,forceries,and witchcrafts, that none fhall come into the honfe; or if any 
doe, yet they fhall not worke any harme. Asfor the prick or fting of fea-dragons and{corpions, 
acataplafme of Sea-ftars flefhapplied thereto,healeth them :{o it doth alfo the venomous bit of 
Spiders, In fia, the broth of their decodion is thoughtto bee afoveraigne remedie againft all 
Pp manner 
