Herbal Healing 204

This attractive virtue ought to be fortified when the Moon is in fiery signs, viz.Aries and Sagitary, but not in Leo, for the sign is so violent, that no physic ought to begiven when the Moon is there: (and why not Leo, seeing that is the most attractivesign of all; and that's the reason such as have it ascending in their genesis, are suchgreedy eaters.) If you cannot stay till the Moon be in one of them, let one of themascend when you administer the medicine.The digestive virtue is hot and moist, and is the principal of them all, the other likehandmaids attend it.The attractive virtue draws that which it should digest, and serves continually tofeed and supply it.The retentive virtue, retains the substance with it, till it be perfectly digested.The expulsive virtue casteth out, expels what is superfluous by digestion. It is underthe influence of Jupiter, and fortified by his herbs and plants, &c. In fortifying it, letyour Moon be in Gemini, Aquary, or the first half of Libra, or if matters be come tothat extremity, that you cannot stay till that time, let one of them ascend, but both ofthem together would do better, always provided that the Moon be not in the ascendent.I cannot believe the Moon afflicts the ascendent so much as they talk of, if she be welldignified, and in a sign she delights in.The retentive virtue is in quality cold and dry; cold, because the nature of cold is tocompress, witness the ice; dry, because the nature of dryness, is to keep and hold whatis compressed. It is under the influence of Saturn, and that is the reason why usuallySaturnine men are so covetous and tenacious. In fortifying of it, make use of the herbsand plants, &c. of Saturn, and let the Moon be in Taurus or Virgo, Capricorn is not sogood, say authors, (I can give no reason for that neither;) let not Saturn nor his illaspect molest the ascendent.The expulsive faculty is cold and moist; cold because that compasses the superfluities;moist, because that makes the body slippery and fit for ejection, and disposes it to it.It is under the dominion of Luna, with whom you may join Yerus, because she is ofthe same nature.Also in whatsoever is before written, of the nature of the planets, take notice, thatfixed stars of the same nature, work the same effect.In fortifying this, (which ought to be done in all purgations,) let the Moon be inCancer, Scorpio, or Pisces, or let one of these signs ascend.Although I did what I could throughout the whole book to express myself in such alanguage as might be understood by all, and therefore avoided terms of art as muchas might be, Yet, 1. Some words of necessity fall in which need explanation. 2. Itwould be very tedious at the end of every receipt to repeat over and over again, theway of administration of the receipt, or ordering your bodies after it, or to instructyou in the mixture of medicines, and indeed would do nothing else but stuff the bookfull of tautology.To answer to both these is my task at this time.To the first: The words which need explaining, such as are obvious to my eye, arethese that follow.1. To distil in Balno ‏,وMari is the usual way of distilling in water. It is no more thanto place your glass body which holds the matter to be distilled in a convenient vesselof water, when the water is cold (for fear of breaking) put a wisp of straw, or the likeunder it, to keep it from the bottom, then make the water boil, that so the spirit may bedistilled forth; take not the glass out till the water be cold again, for fear of breaking.It is impossible for a man to learn how to do it, unless he saw it done.