Healing and Society in Medieval England: A Middle English Translation of the Pharmaceutical Writings of Gilbertus Anglicus

IX. The Upper Chest

f.l46v Unguentum 105 Squinacy soden yn and medle it with asse mylke or gotis mylke. And if al pis helpep not pat pe postem breke, bruse it pen with pin hande til it breke. And whan it is broken, 3yue him pe 3elkis of eyren y-soden with amyde, and 5 drag[ag]natum, and oile of violet; or with pe iuse of planteyn, and watir pat barliche and liquoris ben y-soden yn; or fygis and cassia fistula y-doon perto and y-medlid with oile of violettis; or with / pe iuse of planteyn and watir pat barliche and liquoris ben y-soden yn. An 10 oynement to opene a postem of wesaunde: Take of white wexe and of oile of violet, dr. xu; of bottir, dr. viii. Stampe hem togedir and make vp pin oynement. And let hem pat han pis sekenes ben y-norisshid with bran yclensid with watir, and with oile of almondis, and oile 15 of violet, and with penides, and hockes, and arage, and betis, and gourdes. And let anoynte her wesaunt with oile of violet, and with drag[ag]antum, and with pe gleyr of eyren. Chapter IX, The Upper Chest Part 1, Hoarseness [?] Here beginnep pe jxe chaptre and it IS deuidid 20 in pre titles or pract[is]es. [183] Hosnes comep in iio maneris: Oon is of humours f. 147 pat been in pe vessellis pat ben / cause of pe voice, pat is to sey, in pe li3te, or in pe breest, or in pe prote-bolle. Operwhilis, it comep of sekenes of pe heed, 2}>is] in r. h. margin. 5 dragagantum] dragantum. 12 let] in I. h. margin. 17 dragagantum] dragantum. 19 ir:] CO". from xpe. 215line initial in gold. 106 Hoosnes as apoplexie, and epilencie, or falling dovne of pe pose into pe spirituel membris. Operwhiles it comep of feblenes, and nameliche of suche men pat drinken moche watir, and pe coldenes of pe watir streynep her breest, 5 and hurtep her li3te and pe prote, pat ben pe instrumentis of pe voys. And if it comep of blood, pes ben pe tokenes: a moyst coughe, and reednes of visage, swelling and fulness of veynes, swetnes of pe moop, and withholding of blood pat was wont to be voided by pe nose or at f. 147v 10 sum oper place, or defaute of blood-Iet/ting in suche men pat ben wonte forto blede. Of habundance and plente of flevme pat is aboute pe li3te and pe breste, pes ben pe tokenes: a moyst coughe, and vnsauerynes of pe moop, and coIde, and moche spitting, pale colour, 15 and moche greuaunce on ny3tes, and moche slevpe. Of feblenes, pes ben pe tokenes: feblenes of al pe body, and leenship pat comep of moche fasting beforne, eipir of fluxe, or oper pingis pat maken a mannes body leen. Hoosnes pat comep of drines of pe brest, comep on two 20 manens: Eipir it comep of duste, or of smoke, or sum suche ping pat comep from withouten into pe breest; / f. 148 eipir of pe drynes of pe placis pat a mannes breep passep poroughe, and pat drines comep of wynde, eipir of vse of salte metis and soure. And pe tokenes herof 8 fulness] corr. from fulling. f.148v A gargarisme [183v] 107 Hoosnes ben a drye coughe, and drynes of pe moop, and pricking withinforpe. If pe hoosnes be of blood, let him blede at pe heed veyne of pe arme aftir pat his astate axep, and let him be purgid with a cologoge. And let him 5 vse an electuary y-made of diapenidion, and diarris, but pe iiO partis muste be of diapenidion, and pe iiiO parte of diarris. And let him vse pes pillulis: Take pe seed of melone, of gourdes, of portulake, cytonies; pe iuse of liquoris; of amyde; of gumme arabike; of 10 dragagantum; of penides; of eueriche, yliche moche. j Tempere hem with pe sirip of violet and with pe iuse of hockes, and ley hem vndir his tunge. But if it be of flevme, purge him with a fleumag[ogle. And aftir pat 3yue him a gargarisme of oximel, and pe clensing of piretre 15 y-soden in meep. And make him a stufe of pe watir pat yreos, and ysope, and sauery, and sauge, and fenel, and horshel, and spike, and femigreke, and lynseed y...