Another of George Handshius, that in like sort, when other medicines failed, [4203]"was by this restored to his former health, and which of his knowledge others have likewise tried, and by the help of this admirable medicine, been recovered.”  A third of a parish priest at Prague in Bohemia, [4204]"that was so far gone with melancholy, that he doted, and spake he knew not what; but after he had taken twelve grains of stibium, (as I myself saw, and can witness, for I was called to see this miraculous accident) he was purged of a deal of black choler, like little gobbets of flesh, and all his excrements were as black blood (a medicine fitter for a horse than a man), yet it did him so much good, that the next day he was perfectly cured.”  This very story of the Bohemian priest, Sckenkius relates verbatim, Exoter. experiment. ad. var. morb. cent. 6. observ. 6. with great approbation of it.  Hercules de Saxonia calls it a profitable medicine, if it be taken after meat to six or eight grains, of such as are apt to vomit.  Rodericus a Fonseca the Spaniard, and late professor of Padua in Italy, extols it to this disease, Tom. 2. consul. 85. so doth Lod.  Mercatus de inter. morb. cur. lib. 1. cap. 17. with many others.  Jacobus Gervinus a French physician, on the other side, lib. 2. de venemis confut. explodes all this, and saith he took three grains only upon Matthiolus and some others’ commendation, but it almost killed him, whereupon he concludes, [4205]"antimony is rather poison than a medicine.”  Th.  Erastus concurs with him in his opinion, and so doth Aelian Montaltus cap. 30 de melan. But what do I talk? ’tis the subject of whole books; I might cite a century of authors pro and con.  I will conclude with [4206]Zuinger, antimony is like Scanderbeg’s sword, which is either good or bad, strong or weak, as the party is that prescribes, or useth it:  “a worthy medicine if it be rightly applied to a strong man, otherwise poison.”  For the preparing of it, look in Evonimi thesaurus, Quercetan, Oswaldus Crollius, Basil. Chim.  Basil. Valentius, &c.

Tobacco, divine, rare, superexcellent tobacco, which goes far beyond all the panaceas, potable gold, and philosopher’s stones, a sovereign remedy to all diseases.  A good vomit, I confess, a virtuous herb, if it be well qualified, opportunely taken, and medicinally used; but as it is commonly abused by most men, which take it as tinkers do ale, ’tis a plague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, health, hellish, devilish and damned tobacco, the ruin and overthrow of body and soul.

SUBSECT.  II.—­Simples purging Melancholy downward.

Polypody and epithyme are, without all exceptions, gentle purgers of melancholy.  Dioscorides will have them void phlegm; but Brassivola out of his experience averreth, that they purge this humour; they are used in decoction, infusion, &c. simple, mixed, &c.

Mirabolanes, all five kinds, are happily [4207]prescribed against melancholy and quartan agues; Brassivola speaks out [4208]"of a thousand” experiences, he gave them in pills, decoctions, &c., look for peculiar receipts in him.