Reliquiæ Baxterianæ, or, Mr. Richard Baxters narrative of the most memorable passages of his…

In a Word, God hath made this Herb do more for me (not for Cure but for Ease) ⟨p. 83⟩than all the Medicines that ever I used from all Physicians in my Life: So that though still I am very seldom without pain, yet my Languishings and Pains have been much less these last ten Years than long before. How it doth all this I am not certain; but I suppose principally by its great Astriction, mightily corroborating the relaxed Stomach and Vessels, and Brain, and by Astriction of the relaxed Vein, doth hinder the Motion and Shedding abroad of the corrupted Blood they contain: And also I am sure it mightily precipitateth and taketh off Acidities. The way I use it is, 1. Well boiled in the Wort in all my Beer: 2. Well boiled in my Gruel for every Mornings Breakfast: 3. Upon any special Necessity I take a Spoonful of the Powder (of the Leaves dried and mixed with two or three Parts of Sugar) which is the Strongest way of all: So that I find the Virtue is most in the terrene and salive Parts, and not in any thing superficial and volatile. For the Infusion, and Ale made by Infusion doth me little Good, nor the Conserve of the Flowers. I have tried it on others, and find no such marvellous Effects as on my self; but least on the fat and strong, and most on the lean, old and weak, and that have thin fluid Humours, and laxity of Vessels, and some inordinate Acrimony. This I thought my self obliged to mention to the Praise of my heavenly Physician, in Thankfulness for these ten Years Ease; and to give some hint to others in my Case: Though now, through Age and constant Use, this Herb doth less with me than at the first; yet am I necessitated still to use it, and quickly to return to it when I have omitted it. After sixteen or seventeen Years benefit it now saileth me, and I forsake it.

In a Word, God hath made this Herb do more for me (not for Cure but for Ease) ⟨p. 83⟩than all the Medicines that ever I used from all Physitians in my Life: So that though still I am very seldom without pain, yet my Languishings and Pains have been much less these last ten Years than long before. How it doth all this I am not certain; but I suppose principally by its great Astriction, mightily corroborating the relaxed Stomach and Vessels, and Brain, and by Astriction of the relaxed Vein, doth hinder the Motion and Shedding abroad of the corrupted Blood they contain: And also I am sure it mightily precipitateth and taketh off Acidities. The way I use it is, 1. Well boiled in the Wort in all my Beer: 2. Well boiled in my Gruel for every Mornings Breakfast: 3. Upon any special Necessity I take a Spoonful of the Powder (of the Leaves dryed and mixed with two or three Parts of Sugar) which is the Strongest way of all: So that I find the Vertue is most in the terrene and salive Parts, and not in any thing superficial and volatile. For the Infusion, and Ale made by Infusion doth me little Good, nor the Conserve of the Flowers. I have tried it on others, and find no such marvelous Effects as on my self; but least on the fat and strong, and most on the lean, old and weak, and that have thin fluid Humours, and laxity of Vessels, and some inordinate Acrimony. This I thought my self obliged to mention to the Praise of my heavenly Physician, in Thankfulness for these ten Years Ease; and to give some hint to others in my Case: Though now, through Age and constant Use, this Herb doth less with me than at the first; yet am I necessitated still to use it, and quickly to return to it when I have omitted it. After sixteen or seventeen Years benefit it now saileth me, and I forsake it.