Text.Anthony.1610-01.G2v

From Theatrum Paracelsicum

Source: Francis Anthony, Medicinae chymicae, et veri potabilis auri assertio, Cambridge: Cantrell Legge, 1610, sig. G2v–H1r = pag. 52–57 [BP.Anthony.1610-01]

Text

[p. 52] Cvm essem apud venerabilem Anistitem, mihiq́ue plurimis nominibus colendum, Episcopum Wintoniensem, post varios hinc indè collatos sermones, tandem de Auro tuo potabili sententiam meam postulabat. Respondi, Aurum potabile inter omnia quidem Medicamenta facilè primas tenere, si debitè præparatum ritè administretur. Cuiusmodi autem illud tuum esse, octo his vltimò elapsis diebus certo experimento deprehendi. Quatuor enim sunt anni ex quo nurus mea cum magno intuentium stupore, continuis ferè Epilepsiæ ab vtero paroxismis, & formidolosis convulsionibus correpta fuit. Adeò vt ad eam Stomachi debilitatem adducta fuerit, vt nec cibum, nec liquida, nec Medicinas, absque vomitione & animi deliquio sumere posset, quamvis Galeno-Chymicas Medicinas permultas hauserit, à Doctore Chanello[n1], viro in vtroque genere erudito præparatas. Hæc ego gravia Sympotimata præsens intuitus, coram reverendo Præsule vices illius multum lugebam, negaviq́ue quicquam ei profuturum, nisi fortè aurum potabile præberetur. Hic ille, pro solita sua misericordia & charitate, infit ad manum illi esse de tuo, & quidem si illi porrigerem, mihi libentissimè [p. 53] præstare velle. Accepi conditionem, statimq́ue post reditum meum qui fuit die Dominico vltimo, illam reperi decumbentem, oculis in caput retractis, manibus retrò contortis, thorace admodum elevato, in corpore autem strepitus audiebatur, tanquam soniuts aquarum multarum & flatuum. Aurum potabile exhibui, atque intra semihorulæ spatium, omnia illa gravia symptomata evanuerunt, quæ quidem à primâ syncope ad horas 24. nunquam antea cessaverant, & erant fermè continuæ. Ab inde carnes edit, quas quidem in mensem antea non gustaverat: easque retinuit, quæ paulò ante ne potum quidem continuerit: eo vsque revaluit. Et si possim efficere vt soluta sit, vt peccantes humores præciperet, non dubito quin præter omnium opinionem convalescat. Quod si fiat, Auro tuo potabili acceptum feram, vt Medicinæ præstantissimæ & legitimè præparatæ. Nec non possum te, vti virum dignissimum colere, deq́ue patria optimè meritum, qui tantam hanc Medicinam in lucem attuleris. Quocirca noli putare (reverende Doctor) me Auro tuo potabili detraxisse quicquam, sed illud potius de hoc tanto bono impensius laudavisse: cuius quidem facti mei testes habeo & frequentes & vberri- [p. 54] mos, & in his (certo scio) principem Episcopum Wintoniensem. Vale.

Tui studiosissimus Tho[mas] Leuknerus Medicinæ Doctor.


Grassatur hic inter nos (egregie Doctor) Morbus quidam novus ortus, qui Caput, Stomachum, & ossa totius corporis ita afficit, vt alios in Phrenesim, alios etiam in Maniam adigat. Nonnullis in domo patris mei hoc Morbo correptis, Aurum tuum potabile propinavi: quo quidem & citò & indubitò liberantur. Si quidem Morbus invaluerit, paulò tardius restituit. Si statim post accessum Morbi sumatur, vim eius ita retundit, vt graviora symptomata non sentiant. Vtcunque se Morbus habet, Medicina tamen terto aut quartò hausta, illum profligat. Hisce experimentis penum omnem exhausi. Peto igitur à te vt penuriam meam resartias. Cursori isto vncias trade quatuor, in quas ab illo accipies solidos viginti.

Vale, Barkhamsteed. 13. August[i] 1609.

Tuus fidelis H[enricus] Cary.


[p. 55] Post tuum nuper à me discessum, pauperem quendam è villa nostra solo auro tuo potabili restitui, qui diè Solis vltimò in aurorâ subitâ Paralysi mutus remanserat per totum illum diem. Sub noctem autem, & sensus omnis, & motus tibias eius vsq́ue ad genua deseruerat. Vtinam ita cum mea filiola operetur, vt saluam identidem & valentem restituat. Vale.

August[i] 31. 1609.

Tui amantissimus H[enricus] Cary.


Servavi apud me, vti pretiosum aliquem thesaurum, aquam illam quam Aurum potabile nominas, quam termino Trinitatis à te acceperam. Servavi (inquam) donec coactus eam necessitatibus amicorum condonavi. Erant enim hic duæ nobiles Dominæ adhuc à partu languidæ decumbentes: quarum vna in Causonem inciderat: ambabus dubia salus; erant etiam prorsus insomnes. Hausto autem tuo liquore aureo, & somnum, & solitas corporum vires, & animorum lætitiam recuperaverant. Et cùm tantas eius vires deprehenderim, nollem eo planè destitui. Peto igitur vt vncias mihi duas illius ipsissimi liquoris transmittas, Nuncius iste pecunias numerabit. Et cum proximè [p. 56] Londinum accessero, & te videbo, & tibi de Medicamento hoc, gratias, vt meritus es, agam. Kirbiæ, Decemb[ris] 10. 1609.

Tui amantißimus Walterus Hastings.


Dici vix potest (reuerende D[octo]r Antoni quantâ animi lætitiâ perfusus sum, quòd tàm fœliciter Auro tuo potabili Comitissa Dorcestriæ vsa fit. Eoque magis lætor, quòd vxoris meæ suasu illud assumpserit. Hac ipsa quâ scribo aurorâ dignissimo Comiti Marito eius in Aurla Regia fiebam obvius. Hic mihi retulit quàm mirabiliter, quàm celeriter aqua illa Dominæ suæ vires labefactatas recuperasset, adeò languenti antea & insomni, magnasq́ue tuo nomine vxori meæ gratias habuit, quod te adduxerat. Hoc ego arripui, & indicavi quanta anteà præstiteras eo solo liquore in vxoris meæ sanatione, illâ admodum insolenti quide,, & de qua te plurimùm amem. Dixi quos angores perpessa est: dixi quanta vitalium spirituum consternatione percussâ: dixi quàm fuit vicino morti, è cuius faucibus ita erepta est, vt cum aquam tuam ter gustasset, & quies, & cibi appetentia, & cætera signa sint consequuta salutis: quam etiam infra quinque aut sex dies integram [p. 57] & illæsam recuperavit. Huic autem tanto tuo beneficio id reddam quod habe, summum nempe vt illud prælustribus meis amicis prædicem, qui tuâ operâ imposterum vsuri, maiora tuis studijs præmia rependant, quam meæ fortunæ tenuitas patietur. Rogo te vt huic tabellario vncias quatuor firmiter clausas ad me des: has rus mittam. Si eo successu quo priorem meam copiam in vrbe distibui, nonnullas (certò scio) gratias merebor. Nulli enim (audeo dicere) nulli adhuc medicamentum illud impertivi, cui mirificissimè opem & salutem non attulerit. Nominibo tantùm duos: filium meum & malo & Medicamentis tabescentem, & dilectum fratrem Tho[mam] Lewknerum. Perplures filebo, & famulos meos & vicinos. Vale. Ianuarij. 7. 1609.

Tibi vere amicus Lodovicus Lewknerus.

Apparatus

Notes

  1. ↑ Not identified.

Modern English Raw Translation

Generated by ChatGPT on 12 March 2024. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
When I was with the venerable and highly respected Bishop of Winchester, after various conversations, he eventually asked for my opinion on your Drinkable Gold. I replied that Drinkable Gold indeed holds the highest place among all remedies, provided it is properly prepared and administered correctly. I have discovered through certain experiments over the past eight days just what kind yours is. For four years, my daughter-in-law, to the great astonishment of all who saw her, was seized with nearly continuous epileptic fits and terrifying convulsions from the womb. She was so weakened in her stomach that she could not take food, liquids, or medicines without vomiting and fainting, despite having consumed many Galeno-Chemical medicines prepared by Doctor Chanellus, a man learned in both fields. Witnessing these severe symptoms myself, I lamented her condition in front of the reverend Bishop and denied that anything would benefit her unless perhaps Drinkable Gold was provided. Here, he, with his usual mercy and charity, said he had some of yours on hand and would very gladly provide it to me if I would administer it to her. I accepted the offer, and immediately upon my return, which was last Sunday, I found her lying down, her eyes rolled back, her hands twisted behind her, her chest greatly elevated, and a noise in her body as if of many waters and winds. I administered the Drinkable Gold, and within half an hour, all those severe symptoms disappeared, which from the first fainting spell to 24 hours had never ceased before and were almost continuous. Since then, she has eaten meat, which she had not tasted for a month before; and she retained it, which just before she could not even keep down a drink: she has recovered that much. And if I can manage for her to be purged, to precipitate the offending humors, I do not doubt she will recover beyond all expectations. If this happens, I will credit your Drinkable Gold as a most excellent and properly prepared medicine. Nor can I fail to honor you, as a most worthy man and one who has merited well of his country, for bringing such a great medicine to light. Therefore, do not think (reverend Doctor) that I have detracted anything from your Drinkable Gold, but rather that I have praised it all the more for this great good: of which deed I have many and most abundant witnesses, among them (I am certain) the principal Bishop of Winchester. Farewell.

Your most devoted Thomas Lewkner, Doctor of Medicine.

Here among us (distinguished Doctor) a certain new disease has arisen, affecting the Head, Stomach, and bones of the entire body so that it drives some into Frenzy, others even into Mania. With some in my father's house seized by this Disease, I administered your Drinkable Gold: by which they are quickly and undoubtedly freed. If the Disease has strengthened, it restores a bit more slowly. If taken immediately after the onset of the Disease, it so blunts its force that they do not feel the more severe symptoms. However the Disease presents itself, the medicine, taken the third or fourth time, defeats it. With these experiments, I have exhausted my entire supply. I therefore ask you to replenish my stock. Give the courier four ounces, for which he will pay you twenty shillings.

Farewell, Berkhamsted. August 13, 1609.

Your faithful Henry Cary.

After your recent departure from me, a poor man from our village was restored solely with your Drinkable Gold, who last Sunday morning had suddenly become mute from Paralysis for that entire day. However, by evening, all sense and movement had left his legs up to his knees. If only it could work so with my little daughter, to restore her safe and healthy again and again. Farewell.

August 31, 1609.

Your most loving Henry Cary.

I have kept with me, as a precious treasure, that water which you call Drinkable Gold, which I received from you at Trinity term. I have kept it (I say) until compelled by the needs of friends to give it away. For here were two noble ladies still languishing in bed from childbirth: one of whom had fallen into a Causon: both in doubtful health; they were also completely sleepless. But having taken your golden liquid, they recovered sleep, their usual bodily strength, and joy of spirit. And having discovered its great powers, I would not want to be completely without it. I therefore ask you to send me two ounces of that very same liquid, this messenger will pay the money. And when I next come to London, I will see you and thank you for this medicine, as you deserve. Kirby, December 10, 1609.

Your most loving Walter Hastings.

It can hardly be expressed (reverend Dr. Francis Anthony) with how much joy I am filled, that the Countess of Dorchester has used your Drinkable Gold so successfully. And I am all the more delighted because it was at my wife's persuasion that she took it. This very morning on which I write, I happened upon her most worthy Count husband in the Royal Hall. He told me how wonderfully, how quickly that water had restored his lady's weakened strength, previously so languishing and sleepless, and he expressed great thanks to my wife in your name, for having brought you to her. I seized upon this, and told him how much you had previously achieved with that same liquid in healing my wife, who was very unusual, and whom I love very much. I told of the torments she suffered: I told of how she was struck with a great consternation of the vital spirits: I told of how close to death she was, from whose jaws she was so snatched away, that after tasting your water three times, rest, appetite for food, and other signs of health followed: and how within five or six days she recovered completely and unharmed. For this great benefit of yours, I will return what I have, namely to proclaim it to my most illustrious friends, who by your work in the future may repay greater rewards to your studies than my meager fortune would allow. I ask you to give this messenger four ounces securely sealed for me: I will send these to the countryside. If they are distributed in the city with the success that my previous supply was, I will certainly (I know) earn some thanks. For I dare say, to no one (I dare say) have I imparted that medicine, to whom it has not brought wondrous help and health. I will name only two: my son, wasting away from illness and medicines, and my beloved brother Thomas Lewkner. I could name many more, both my servants and neighbors. Farewell. January 7, 1609.

Truly your friend, Ludovicus Lewkner.
Retrieved from "https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?title=Text.Anthony.1610-01.G2v&oldid=26948"