To these I may add roses, violets, capers, featherfew, scordium, staechas, rosemary, ros solis, saffron, ochyme, sweet apples, wine, tobacco, sanders, &c.  That Peruvian chamico, monstrosa facultate &c., Linshcosteus Datura; and to such as are cold, the [4134]decoction of guiacum, China sarsaparilla, sassafras, the flowers of carduus benedictus, which I find much used by Montanus in his Consultations, Julius Alexandrinus, Lelius, Egubinus, and others. [4135]Bernardus Penottus prefers his herba solis, or Dutch sindaw, before all the rest in this disease, “and will admit of no herb upon the earth to be comparable to it.”  It excels Homer’s moly, cures this, falling sickness, and almost all other infirmities.  The same Penottus speaks of an excellent balm out of Aponensis, which, taken to the quantity of three drops in a cup of wine, [4136]"will cause a sudden alteration, drive away dumps, and cheer up the heart.”  Ant.  Guianerius, in his Antidotary, hath many such. [4137]Jacobus de Dondis the aggregator, repeats ambergris, nutmegs, and allspice amongst the rest.  But that cannot be general.  Amber and spice will make a hot brain mad, good for cold and moist.  Garcias ab Horto hath many Indian plants, whose virtues he much magnifies in this disease.  Lemnius, instit. cap. 58. admires rue, and commends it to have excellent virtue, [4138]"to expel vain imaginations, devils, and to ease afflicted souls.”  Other things are much magnified [4139]by writers, as an old cock, a ram’s head, a wolf’s heart borne or eaten, which Mercurialis approves; Prosper Altinus the water of Nilus; Gomesius all seawater, and at seasonable times to be seasick:  goat’s milk, whey, &c.

SUBSECT.  IV.—­Precious Stones, Metals, Minerals, Alteratives.

Precious stones are diversely censured; many explode the use of them or any minerals in physic, of whom Thomas Erastus is the chief, in his tract against Paracelsus, and in an epistle of his to Peter Monavius, [4140] “That stones can work any wonders, let them believe that list, no man shall persuade me; for my part, I have found by experience there is no virtue in them.”  But Matthiolus, in his comment upon [4141]Dioscorides, is as profuse on the other side, in their commendation; so is Cardan, Renodeus, Alardus, Rueus, Encelius, Marbodeus, &c. [4142]Matthiolus specifies in coral:  and Oswaldus Crollius, Basil.  Chym. prefers the salt of coral. [4143]Christoph.  Encelius, lib. 3. cap. 131. will have them to be as so many several medicines against melancholy, sorrow, fear, dullness, and the like; [4144]Renodeus admires them, “besides they adorn kings’ crowns, grace the fingers, enrich our household stuff, defend us from enchantments, preserve health, cure diseases, they drive away grief, cares, and exhilarate the mind.”  The particulars be these.