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

XII. The Stomach

153 The Stomac bapen hem, ne be y-lefte to blede, for pat wolde drawen pe spiritis of her herte outeward. And perfore it behouep to lye him in a colde place, and maken it cold with cold leues, as it is y-tolde in pe cardiacle of pe herte. / f.194 5 And if pis greuaunce comep of moche beyng in pe sunne, or of long abidyng in a bap, caste no colde watir on his visage but it be medlid with wiyn. But set him in pe wynde, or by craft blowe wynde on him. And pe smel of gourdes is good for hem. And if it comep of grete cold, f.221 [?] f.221v Greuaunce ofswolwing [206v] 10 let him vse hote electuaries, and let him drinke good wiyn and smel to wel-sauerid pinges and good of smel. / 15 20 Chapter XII, The Stomach Part 1, Difficulty in Swallowing Here beginnep pe xii chaptir of pis boke whiche conteinep xii titles or practi[s]es. A man-is stomake hap many greuaunces. pe firste is greuaunce in swolewing of mete and drinke. Anopir IS vnresonable appetit to mete and drinke. Anopir is defaute of appetit to mete and drinke. Anopir is pirste; anopir is defaute of pirste. / Opir greuaunces per ben, as balking, zosking, abhominacion to mete and drinke, and wille forto caste, turnyng vpsodoun of a Mannes stomake, grete hete of pe stomake, and a postem of pe stomake. Greuaunce of swolewing comep in pre maners and of pre enchesons. Of greet hete and of greet coold of pe wesaunde: but pan whan he swolewip, it is greuous, 12 In the margins off. 221 the scribe has written Aftir trey stonding pis chaptir shulde stonde nexte aftir pe title of sincopis, and nexte pis: pe chaptir of pe guttis. And aftir pat, pe chaptir of pe lyuer, and aftir pat pe chaptir of pe spleen, and pen pe chaptir of pe reines, and soforp as it is writen. The text has been rea"anged accordingly. xii] xiiii. 13 xii] xi. practises] practies. 14 4-line initial in gold. 154 The Stomac but so he may swollewen a litH and a litH. And he is pirstful if it comep of hete, and hap moche hete and row3nes in his wesaunt. And to helen him of pis greuaunce, 3yue him cassia fistula, and plumbes, and innibes. And if 5 him nedip, let him blede. And ellis purge him. And sip 3yue him colde siripis to akelen him with, as violet, and f.222 of plumes with pe iu/se of gourdis. And let him ete colde erbis, as purselane, gourdis, violet, arage, letuse, and suche oPir. And anoynt him with oynementis 10 and ley colde plastris also perto to abaten pe hete. And if it comep of colde, let him vsen electuaries pat IS y-made of hony roset, and scariole, and pe iuse of marche y-medlid togedir. Hony roset is y-made of hony and of roses y-hackid Honyroset 15 smale and y-soden in hony ouer pe fier. In-to a pounde of roses pou shalt put iio pounde of hony. Also let him vse hoot electuaries pat weren tolde in pe coughe. [?] [206v] In anopir maner pis greuaunce comep, as of a postern pat is In wesaunde. And pan he hap grete greuaunce 20 perin, and nameli while he swolewip. And if pe postem f. 222v is hoot, / pou may knowe bi pe foreseide tokenes. And if it comep of colde, per is heuynes in pe wesaunde withouten pHke tokenes. And if it is an hoot postern, do as it was seide rapir. Whan it comep of hete withouten postern, leye 11 electuaries] alectuaries. 16 put] CO". from haue. 22 it] ins. above. 155 The Stomac colde plastris withoutenforpe and cold pillulis vndir pe tunge, and norisshe him with almonde milke, and with gourdes, and tisan, and suche opir pingis. And if it be a coolde postern, 3yue him ysope y-soden in hony, and pe sirip of 5 horehone pat was y-spoke of in pe cou3. And if it be with a feuer, 3yue him tysan wip almonde mylke and with sugir. And if pe postern breke, dense him with tisan, and almonde milke, and calamynte y-medlid togedir. And if he be ri3t feble, 3yue him gotis milke to drinken pat a reed 10 glowing stoon hap...