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

College.] Take of Pearls prepared, Crab’s eyes, red Coral, white Amber, Hart’s-horn, oriential Bezoar, of each half an ounce, powder of the black tops of Crab’s claws, the weight of them all, beat them into powder, which may be made into balls with jelly, and the skins which our vipers have cast off, warily dried and kept for use.

Culpeper.] This is that powder they ordinarily call Gascoigns powder, there are divers receipts of it, of which this is none of the worst, four, or five, or six grains is excellently good in a fever to be taken in any cordial, for it cheers the heart and vital spirits exceedingly, and makes them impregnable.

Species Cordiales Temperatæ.

College.] Take of wood of Aloes, Spodium of each a dram, Cinnamon, Cloves, bone of a Stag’s-heart, the roots of Angelica, Avens, and Tormentil, of each a dram and an half, Pearls prepared six drams, raw Silk toasted, both sorts of Coral of each two drams, Jacinth, Emerald, Samphire, of each half a dram, Saffron a scruple, the leaves of gold and silver, of each ten, make them into powder according to art.

Culpeper.] It is a great cordial, a great strengthener of the heart, and brain.

Diacalaminthe Simple.

College.] Take of Mountain Calaminth, Pennyroyal, Origanum, the seeds of Macedonian Parsley, common Parsley, and Hartwort, of each two drams, the seeds of Smallage, the tops of Thyme of each half an ounce, the seeds of Lovage, black Pepper, of each an ounce, make them into powder according to art.

Culpeper.] It heats and comforts cold bodies, cuts thick and gross flegm, provokes urine and the menses. I confess this differs something from Galen, but is better for our bodies in my opinion than his. It expels wind exceedingly, you may take half a dram of the powder at a time. There is nothing surer than that all their powders will keep better in Electuaries than they will in powders, and into such a body, you may make it with two pound and an half of white sugar dissolved in rose water.

Diacalamintha compound.

College.] Take of Diacalamintha simple, half an ounce, the leaves of Horehound, Marjoram, Bawm, Mugwort, Savin dried, of each a dram, Cypress roots, the seeds of Maddir and Rue, Mace, Cinnamon, of each two scruples, beat them and mix them diligently into a powder according to art.