The Complete Herbal / To which is now added, upwards of one hundred additional herbs, with a display of their medicinal and occult qualities physically applied to the cure of all disorders incident to mankind: to which are now first annexed, the English physician enlarged, and key to Physic.

by Nicholas Culpeper

OINTMENTS MORE COMPOUND.

Unguentum Agrippa.

College.] Take of Briony roots two pounds, the roots of wild Cucumbers one pound, Squills half a pound, fresh English Orris roots, three ounces, the roots of male Fern, dwarf Elder, water Caltrops, or Aaron, of each two ounces, bruise them all, being fresh, and steep them six or seven days in four pounds of old oil, the whitest, not rank, then boil them and press them out, and in the oil melt fifteen ounces of white Wax, and make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] It purges exceedingly, and is good to anoint the bellies of such as have dropsies, and if there be any humour or flegm in any part of the body that you know not how to remove (provided the part be not too tender) you may anoint it with this; but yet be not too busy with it, for I tell you plainly it is not very safe.

Unguentum Amarum.
Or, A bitter Ointment.

College.] Take of Oil of Rue, Savin, Mints, Wormwood, bitter Almonds, of each one ounce and an half, juice of Peach flowers and leaves, and Wormwood, of each half an ounce, powder of Rue, Mints, Centaury the less, Gentian, Tormentil, of each one dram, the seeds of Coleworts, the pulp of Colocynthis, of each two drams, Aloes Hepatic, three drams, meal of Lupines half an ounce, Myrrh washed in Grass water a dram and an half, Bull’s Gall an ounce and an half, with a sufficient quantity of juice of Lemons, and an ounce and an half of Wax, make it into an ointment according to art.

Unguentum Apostolorum.
Or, Ointment of the Apostles.

College.] Take of Turpentine, yellow Wax, Ammoniacum, of each fourteen drams, long Birthwort roots, Olibanum, Bdellium, of each six drams, Myrrh, Gilbanum, of each half an ounce, Opopanax, Verdigris, of each two drams, Litharge nine drams, Oil two pounds, Vinegar enough to dissolve the Gums, make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] It consumes corrupt and dead flesh, and makes flesh soft which is hard, it cleanses wounds, ulcers, and fistulas, and restores flesh where it is wanting.

Unguentum Catapsoras.

College.] Take of Ceruss washed in Purslain water, then in Vinegar wherein wild Rhadish roots have been steeped and pressed out, Lapis Calaminaris, Chalcitis, of each six drams, burnt Lead, Goat’s blood, of each half an ounce, Quick-silver sublimated an ounce, the juice of Houseleek, Nightshade, Plantain, of each two ounces, Hog’s grease cleansed three pounds, Oil of Violets, Poppies, Mandrakes, of each an ounce: first let them sublimate and exungia, then the oils, juices, and powders, be mixed, and so made into an ointment according to art.

Unguentum Citrinum.
Or, A Citron Ointment.

College.] Take of Borax an ounce, Camphire a dram, white Coral half an ounce, Alum Plume an ounce, Umbilicus Marinus, Tragacanth, white Starch, of each three drams, Crystal, Dentalis Utalis, Olibanum, Niter, white Marble, of each two drams, Gersa Serpentaria an ounce, Ceruss six ounces, Hog’s grease not salted, a pound and an half, Goat’s suet prepared, an ounce and an half, Hen’s fat two ounces and an half. Powder the things as you ought to do both together, and by themselves, melt the fats being cleansed in a stone vessel, and steep in them two Citrons of a mean bigness cut in bits, in a warm bath, after a whole week strain it, and put in the powders by degrees, amongst which let the Camphire and Borax be the last, stir them, and bring them into the form of an ointment.

Unguentum Martiatum.

College.] Take of fresh Bay leaves three pounds, Garden Rue two pounds and an half, Marjoram two pounds, Mints a pound, Sage, Wormwood, Costmary, Bazil, of each half a pound, Sallad Oil twenty pounds, yellow Wax four pounds, Malaga Wine two pounds, of all of them being bruised, boiled, and pressed out as they ought, make an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] It is a great strengthener of the head, it being anointed with it; as also of all the parts of the body, especially the nerves, muscles, and arteries.

Unguentum Mastichinum.
Or, An Ointment of Mastich.

College.] Take of the Oil of Mastich, Wormwood, and Nard, of each an ounce, Mastich, Mints, red Roses, red Coral, Cloves, Cinnamon, Wood of Aloes, Squinanth, of each a dram, wax as much as is sufficient to make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] This is like the former, and not a whit inferior to it; it strengthens the stomach being anointed with it, restores appetite and digestion. Before it was called a stomach ointment.

Unguentum Neapolitanum.

College.] Take of Hog’s grease washed in juice of Sage a pound, Quick-silver strained through leather, four ounces, oil of Bays, Chamomel, and Earthworms, of each two ounces, Spirit of Wine an ounce, yellow Wax two ounces, Turpentine washed in juice of Elecampane three ounces, powder of Chamepitys and Sage, of each two drams, make them into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] A learned art to spoil people: hundreds are bound to curse such ointments, and those that appoint them.

Unguentum Nervinum.

College.] Take of Cowslips with the flowers, Sage, Chamepitys, Rosemary, Lavender, Bay with the berries, Chamomel, Rue, Smallage, Melilot with the flowers, Wormwood, of each a handful, Mints, Betony, Pennyroyal, Parsley, Centaury the less, St. John’s Wort, of each a handful, oil of Sheep’s or Bullock’s feet, five pounds, oil of Spike, half an ounce, Sheep’s or Bullock’s Suet, or the Marrow of either, two pounds: the herbs being bruised and boiled with the oil and suet, make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] It is appropriated to the nerves, and helps their infirmities coming of cold, as also old bruises, make use of it in dead palsies, chilliness or coldness of particular members, such as the arteries perform not their office to as they ought; for wind anoint your belly with it; for want of digestion, your stomach; for the cholic, your belly; for whatever disease in any part of the body comes of cold, esteem this as a jewel.

Unguentum Pectorale.
Or, A Pectoral Ointment.

College.] Take of fresh Butter washed in Violet Water six ounces, oil of Sweet Almonds four ounces, oil of Chamomel and Violets, white Wax, of each three ounces, Hen’s and Duck’s grease, of each two ounces, Orris roots two drams, Saffron half a dram: The two last being finely powdered, the rest melted and often washed in Barley or Hyssop water, make an ointment of them according to art.

Culpeper.] It strengthens the breast and stomach, eases the pains thereof, helps pleurises and consumptions of the lungs, the breast being anointed with it.

Unguentum Resumptivum.

College.] Take of Hog’s grease three ounces, the grease of Hen’s, Geese, and Ducks, of each two ounces, Oesipus half an ounce, oil of Violets, Chamomel, and Dill, fresh Butter a pound, white Wax six ounces, mussilage of Gum Tragacanth, Arabic, Quince seeds, Lin-seeds, Marsh-mallow roots, of each half an ounce. Let the mussilages be made in Rose water, and adding the rest, make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] It mightily molifies without any manifest heat, and is therefore a fit ointment for such as have agues, asthmas, hectic fevers, or consumptions. It is a good ointment to ease pains coming by inflammations of wounds or aposthumes, especially such as dryness accompanies, an infirmity wounded people are many times troubled with. In inward aposthumes, as pleurises, one of them to anoint the external region of the part, is very beneficial.

Unguentum Splanchnicum.

College.] Take of oil of Capers an ounce, oil of white Lillies, Chamomel, fresh Butter, juice of Briony and Sowbread, of each half an ounce, boil it to the consumption of the juice, add Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar, two drams and an half, Hen’s grease, Oesypus, Marrow of a Calf’s Leg, of each half an ounce, powder of the bark of the roots of Tamaris and Capers, Fern roots, Cetrach, of each a dram, the seeds of Agnus Castuus, and Broom, of each a scruple, with a sufficient quantity of Wax, make it into an ointment according to art.

Unguentum Splanchnicum Magistrale.

College.] Take of the bark of Caper roots six drams, Briony roots, Orris Florentine, powder of sweet Fennel seeds, Ammoniacum dissolved in Vinegar, of each half an ounce, tops of Wormwood, Chamomel flowers, of each a dram, ointment of the juice and of flowers of Oranges, of each six drams, oil of Orris and Capers, of each an ounce and an half: the things which ought being powdered and sifted, the rest diligently mixed in a hot mortar, make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] Both these ointments are appropriated to the spleen, and eases the pains thereof, the sides being anointed with them. I fancy not the former.

Unguentum e Succis.
Or, Ointment of Juices.

College.] Take of the juice of Dwarf-Elder eight ounces, of Smallage and Parsley, of each four ounces, Wormwood and Orris, of each five ounces, common Oil half a pound, oil of white Lilies ten ounces, of Wormwood and Chamomel, of each six ounces, the fat of Ducks and Hens, of each two ounces, boil them together with a gentle fire till the juice be consumed, then strain it, and with seven ounces of white Wax, and a little white Wine Vinegar, make it into an ointment according to art.

See Unguentum ex Succis Aperitivis.

Unguentum Sumach.

College.] Take of Sumach, unripe Galls, Myrtle berries, Balaustines, Pomegranate Pills, Acorn Cups, Cypress Nuts, Acacia, Mastich, of each ten drams, white Wax five ounces, oil of Roses often washed in Alum water, a pound and ten ounces, make a fine powder of the things you can, and steep them four whole days in juice of Medlars and Services, of each a sufficient quantity, then dry them by a gentle fire, and with the oil and wax boil it into an ointment.

Culpeper.] It is a gallant drying and binding ointment. Besides, the stomach anointed with it, stays vomiting, and the belly anointed with it stays looseness, if the fundament fall out, when you have put it up again anoint it with this ointment, and it will fall out no more. Do the like by the womb if that fall out.

Ointment of Marsh-mallows, compound.
Nicholaus.

College.] Take of Marsh-mallow roots two pounds, the seeds of Flax and Fœnugreek, of each one pound, pulp of Squills half a pound, Oil four pounds, Wax one pound, Turpentine, Gum of Ivy, Galbanum, of each two ounces, Colophonia, Rozin, of each half a pound: Let the roots be well washed and bruised, as also the Linseed, Fœnugreek seed, and Squills, then steep them three days in eight pints of water, the fourth day boil them a little upon the fire, and draw out the mussilage, of which take two pounds, and boil it with the oil to the consumption of the juice, afterwards add the Wax, Rozin, and Colophonia, when they are melted, add the Turpentine, afterwards the Galbanum and Gum of Ivy, dissolved in Vinegar, boil them a little, and having removed them from the fire, stir them till they are cold, that so they may be well incorporated.

Culpeper.] It heats and moistens, helps pains of the breast coming of cold and pleurises, old aches, and stitches, and softens hard swellings.

Unguentum Diapompholigos nihili.
Nicholaus.

College.] Take of Oil of Roses sixteen ounces, juice of Nightshade six ounces, let them boil to the consumption of the juice, then add white Wax five ounces, Ceruss washed two ounces, Lead burnt and washed, Pompholix prepared, pure Frankincense, of each an ounce, let them be brought into the form of an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] It cools and binds, drys, and stays fluxes, either of blood or humours in wounds, and fills hollow ulcers with flesh.

Unguentum Refrigerans. Galenus.
It is also called a Cerecloath.

College.] Take of white Wax four ounces, Oil of Roses omphacine one pound, melt it in a double vessel, then pour it out into another, by degrees putting in cold water, and often pouring it out of one vessel into another, stirring it till it be white, last of all wash it in Rose water, adding a little Rose Water, and Rose Vinegar.

Culpeper.] It is a fine cooling thing, to cure inflammations in wounds or tumours.

Unguentum e Succis Aperitivis primum.
Fœsius.

College.] Take of the juice of Smallage, Endive, Mints, Wormwood, common Parsley, Valerian, of each three ounces, oil of Wormwood and Mints, of each half a pound, yellow Wax three ounces, mix them together over the fire, and make of them an ointment.

Culpeper.] It opens stoppages of the stomach and spleen, eases the rickets, the breast and sides being anointed with it.

An Ointment for the Worms. Fœsius.

College.] Take of oil of Rue, Savin, Mints, Wormwood, and bitter Almonds, of each an ounce and an half, juice of the flowers or leaves of Peaches, and Wormwood, of each half an ounce, powder of Rue, Mints, Gentian, Centaury the less, Tormentil, of each one dram, the seeds of Coleworts, the pulp of Colocynthis, of each two drams, Aloes Hepatic, three drams, the meal of Lupines half an ounce, Myrrh washed in grass water a dram and an half, Bull’s Galls an ounce and an half, with juice of Lemons, so much as is sufficient, and an ounce and an half of Wax, make it into an ointment according to art.

Culpeper.] The belly being anointed with it kills the worms.