¶ What Waxe is beste allowed and commended. Cap.xxxv.
Waxe being the foode of lighte, and seruing vnto innumerable vses of men, of all the kindes, the same is beste allowed and commended, whiche is bothe newe made, meanelye redde of coloure, somewhat fattie, smelling swéete, hauyng some sauoure in it of the Honny, and cleare. Of the Waxe also in sundrie Counties, that in the countrie of Pontus is well commended, and the same in the Isle of Creta: nexte to these is the Waxe in the Isle of Corsica, which is made of the Boxe trée, and supposed to haue some good effectes in it for Medicine.
¶ Of the great commoditie and benefite of Waxe in Medicines. Cap.xxxvj.
Waxe hath a meane among heating things, both in the cooling, drying, and moistning, as writeth Galen in the seauenth booke of Simples, and .22. Chapiter, whiche properly helpeth the roughnesse of the breaste, when it is ioyned or mixed with the oyle of Violets, for that bothe mollifyeth or softneth the sinewes, ripeneth and resolueth vlcers. The quantitie of a pease in waxe swallowed downe of Nurses, or such women as giue sucke, both dissolue the milke courded in the pappes. And tenne little péeces of pure newe waxe, vnto the biggenesse of a hempséede, drunke downe at one time, doeth cause the milke not to courde in the womans stomacke and breastes. If the priuie place or thereabout, of either man or woman, happeneth to swell, then by applying an ointment made of white waxe, it shortly assuageth and healeth the same. If anye also happeneth to be diseased with the bloudy flixe, by stuffing a yong Pigeon with newe waxe, after rosting the same, and eating the fleshe thereof, doeth in shorte time after staye the same. Also, if a Quince made hollowe and filled with pure newe waxe, be after rosted vnder hote embers, vntill the same be tender, and eaten fasting without drinking after it, doth in like sorte staye and helpe the perillous flixe, and scouring of bloude. The waxe besides serueth to all maner of plaisters, ointments, suppositories, and such like.
¶ Of that whych is a stay of the combes, and made for a defence of Bees from colde. Cap.xxxvij.
The same made of Bées at the entrie of the mouth of hiues, oughte to be yelowe of coloure, and swéete smelling, like to Storax, and drawne into a length, like to Mastike. Yet that is rather chosen, bycause in heating and drawing it is principallest. For of itselfe, this draweth forth thornes or splents of wood run déepe into the flesh by applying it plaisterwise on the grief, it helpeth an olde coughe by making a smoake thereof, and holding the mouth ouer it, and applyed in the forme of an ointment on ringwormes, doeth spéedily heale them. Nowe this matter (as aboue was taught) is the stay of the hony combes, by whiche Bées stoppe and kéepe forth al manner of colde and other annoyances which might endamage them, the same also being of so strong a sauor, that some vse it in the stéede of Galbanum. M. Varro nameth it a refuge of Bées, withoute their cottages, bicause Bées make the same at the entry of the hiue.
¶ Howe to make Waxe white. Cap.xxxviij.
Waxe is made white in this manner, firste that kinde of waxe (fit for this purpose) ought to be whiter and purer, and broken into little péeces, putte after into a newe earthen panne, pouring vppon it sufficient salt or sea water, and a lyttle Nitre brused, which séeth altogither. When the same bath boiled twice or thrice vp, remoue the panne from the fire: the waxe being throughly colde, take forth of the panne, and scraping off the filth, if any suche hang on, putte againe into newe salte water, séething it againe. And when the waxe hathe so often boyled (as aboue was taughte) then take off the panne from the fire, and taking the bottome of a newe earthen panne, melt it with colde water, whiche dippe by little and little into the waxe, drowning it a little, and that the water be aboue the waxe, whereby the waxe maye become verye thinne, and be the sooner cooled it selfe. And taking by and by oute the moulde or bottome, drawe firste the rounde cake off, and wetting againe the bottome in colde water, dip it into the waxe, and the same so long doe, vntill you haue drawne off all that waxe into cakes of like sorte, whiche after stitche throughe with thréede, hanging the cakes on a rope one from another, and that in the daye time often wetting them in the Sunne, but in the nighte time, in the Moone light: and so long doe this, vntill the waxe be white. And if anye desireth to haue waxe whiter than this, then let him do the like, as abouesaide, but boyle the waxe oftner. Some in stéede of the salte seawater, take strong Brine water, in whiche they boyle the waxe in the same manner twice or thrice, as aboue was taughte. And Paulus Euerdus in his booke of Confections, teacheth the making of waxe white two manner of wayes.
¶ Howe you may make redde Waxe. Cap.xxxix.
That you maye colour and make Waxe redde, take to one pounde of waxe, thrée ounces of verye cleare Turpentine, if it be in sommer, but if it be in winter, then take foure ounces. Now these disolue and melt togither ouer a soft fire, and taking it from the fire, let it coole a little, after which put in your Vermillian finely ground on a Marble stone, and of swéete Salet Oyle, of eache one ounce, mixing these well, stirre al togither, diligently. But some in stéede of Vermilion, doe take the reede leade, which is little commended, except there be thrée times so muche of the redde leade, as of the Vermilion putte in. And in the like sorte may you make the gréene Waxe, if instéede of the Vermillian, you take so much of the gréene Coporas finely ground, as you did of the Vermilian.