Purging Electuaries

Benedicta Laxativa

College : Take of choice Turbith ten drams, Diacridium, bark of Spurge Roots prepared, Hermodactils, Red Roses, of each five drams, Cloves, Spikenard, Ginger, Saffron, long Pepper, Amomus, or for want of it Calamus Aromaticus, Cardamoms the less, the seeds of Smallage, Parsley, Fennel, Asparagus, Bruscus, Saxifrage, Gromwell, Caraway, sal. gem. Galanga, Mace, of each a dram, with their treble weight of clarified Honey: make them into an electuary according to art. Also you may keep the species itself in your shops.

Culpeper : It purges flegm, chiefly from the joints, also it purges the reins and bladder.

Caryocostinum

College : Take of Cloves, Costus, or Zedoary, Ginger, Cummin, of each two drams, Hermodactils, Diacridium, of each half an ounce: with their double weight of Honey clarified in white wine, make them into an electuary according to art.

Culpeper : Authors say it purges hot rheums, and takes away inflammations in wounds. I assure you the electuary works violently, and may safely be given in clysters, and so you may give two or three drams at a time, if the patient be strong. For taken otherwise it would kill a horse cum privilegio.

Cassia Extracta pro Clysteribus
Or Cassia extracted for Clysters

College : Take of the leaves of Violets, Mallows, Beets, Mercury, Pellitory of the Wall, Violet flowers, of each a handful, boil them in a sufficient quantity of water, the benefit of which let the Cassia be extracted, and the canes washed; then take of this Cassia so drawn, and boil it to its consistence, a pound, Sugar a pound and a half, boil them to the form of an electuary according to art.

Culpeper : You may take it in white Wine; it is good for gentle bodies, for if your body be hard to work upon, perhaps it will not work at all; it purges the reins gallantly, and cools them, thereby preventing the stone, and other diseases caused by their heat.

Electuarium Amarum Magistrale majus
Or the greater bitter Electuary

College : Take of Agarick, Turbith, Species Hiera Simplex, Rhubarb, of each one dram, choice Aloes unwashed two drams, Ginger, Crystal of Tartar, of each two scruples, Orris, Florentine, sweet Fennel seeds, of each a scruple, Syrup of Roses solutive as much as is sufficient to make it into an electuary according to art.

Electuarium Amarum minus
Or the lesser bitter Electuary

College : Take of Epithimum half an ounce, the roots of Angelica three drams, of Gentian, Zedoary, Acorus, of each two drams, Cinnamon one dram and an half, Cloves, Mace, Nutmegs, Saffron, of each one dram, Aloes six ounces, with Syrup of Fumitory, Scabious and Sugar so much as is sufficient to make it into a soft electuary.

Culpeper : Both these purge choler, the former flegm, and this melancholy, the former works strongest, and this strengthens most, and is good for such whose brains are annoyed. You may take half an ounce of the former, if your body be any thing strong, in white Wine, if very strong an ounce, a reasonable body may take an ounce of the latter, the weak less. I would not have the unskilful too busy about purges without advice of a physician.

Diacassia with Manna

College : Take of Damask Prunes two ounces, Violet flowers a handful and an half, Spring Water a pound and an half, boil it according to art till half be consumed, strain it, and dissolve in the decoction