The ouerthrovv of the gout written in Latin verse, by Doctor Christopher Balista

❧ The Ouerthrowe of the GOVTE . AGainst the Goute with al her force my minde desires to goe : And with a valiaunt hand to fling , my darts at this my foe . Longe time this beast hath now presumed , her wicked force to bend : Against that good olde man that doth , the Sedun flock defend , Diseased sore he lies and able , not to stirre a limme : So hath the wretche benomd his Joints and so hath plagued him . That still he is inforste to keep his house , as doth the Snaill : O pitious hap and great mischaunce , that each man ought to waill . It gréeues me to the hart to se , the torments that he beares : Her crueltie Constrayneth me , to staine my chéekes with teares My sorowes doth commaund the doutfull hap of Mars to trye : Why stand I stil ? I will assayle , the monster presentlye . Drawe néere O swéet Redéemer of , the World before vndoone : Of that moste glorious maiestie , the true and only sonne . Uouchsafe to giue thy spéeding darts , in this my quarrel iust : And cause that I with them may throwe this monster in the dust . And thou O noble Phillip , by all the Gods abooue that be : I thée require to showe thy self , a man in eche degrée . Hope wel for hope auaileth much , In driuing gréef away : I dout no whit , but shortly thou shalt sée a fairer day . More hapeneth in an houre somtime , then in a thousand yéer : And many great commodities , in smallest time appéer . I trust to driue the Gout vnto the lothsome pit of hel : And that thou shalt good Phillip haue thy feet again ful wel . Doo you no more but bear in minde , the woords that I shall say : And these my lessons that I giue , doo cary wel away . The suttle shackles that this Beast , dooth binde the féet withall : Podagran all the learnd of Gréece , haue euer vsde to call . Hence sprang at first the hateful name , of this so painful gréef : That suddainly the feet unwares , assaileth like a theef . At first it rageth in the ioynts , and then assaults the toes : And straight from thence with hastie course vnto the héel it goes . And somtimes to the buckle bones , where as it swelles and showes : With pain while as abundance great , of humors thether flowes . Somtime the Cod beside , that bothe the stones incloseth round : Dooth swel withall and hanging lowe , it oftentimes is found . The causer of this great disease , not euermore is one : Oft times the parents are the cause it falles the Childe vpon . When as the séed but féeble is , wherof the frute is wrought : For since the root such weakenes hath , the plant must néeds he nought . Besides to vehement exercise , the Gout dooth often bréed : Of seruice long in Venus court , it likewise dooth procéed . The very frame of all the limmes , is shaken with this game : Eche Sinow eke enféebled is by vsing of the same . And Bacchus thou that wunted art , the spirits to reuiue : Doost vse to hurt the féet of such , as in thy seruice striue . Of Martiall acts in stately stile , did Ennius alwaies write : And in his cups did blase the déeds , of many a worthy knight . Yet of the Gout at last he dyed , nor could his verses saue : ( With all the swéetnes that they had ) their maister from the graue . Great hurt beside vnto the ioynts , dooth euermore arise : Of colde , excessiue Idlenes , and to much exercise . The hart with fury once inflamde , dooth kindle presently : And fireth all the humors straight , that in the body lye . Wherby vnbrideled all , they rome and raunge in euery place : And paining all the Senous sore , they vex in pitious case . Oft times of thick and clammy fleume , this vile disease dooth bréed : Somtime again , of bothe the sortes of Choler dooth procéed . And to much blood while as it dooth , the tender ioynts oppresse : Is many times the onely cause , of this vnquietnes . Moste gréeu'd with this disease are men . the women not so much : The cause is plain and euident , who listeth it to touch . One reason is because that heat , in man dooth more excéede : Which causeth that the humors pearse , the senowes more with spéed . Moste subiect to the gout are those , that greatest age haue séene : And such as with some sicknes great , haue long tormented béene . And cares of minde and sorowes great , doo bréed this gréeuous sore : And want of wunted exercise , as hath béen said before . Let this suffise to showe the spring , of such a ●●●lish sprite : Now time it is my weapons for , to showe and fall to fight . And first I wil begin with herb , with Juyce and mettals bright : And then of stones that serue the turn , I craue the aid and might . Then Beasts and Birds I set in rank , and cause them to restore : The weake and wearish limmes of those that lamed were before . And last of all my Tables doo I spred with meat and Wine : And there the perfect diat for this sicknes doo assigne . ¶ First Toutsane vnto thée I giue , Not our common Toutsane but Dioscorides his Panacaea reed Mathiolus . the cheefest place before : That doost deriue thy worthy name , of bealing euery sore . Thou beaten small and mingled wel with reasons good and sweet : In plaister made applyed wel , doost heal the féeble feet . An herb there is that in the Sun , Mary Goldes . dooth woundrously delight : And after him dooth euermore , direct her course aright . That when be once begins to rise , dooth spred and open wide : And mourning hangeth down her hed , when Westwards he dooth slide . This medled wel with sewet of a Gote , dooth driue away . The Gout , the like dooth Balme stamped if to the féet you lay . And Ueruen sod in water dooth the féet from sicknes saue : Which herb the noble Romans wont in great account to haue . The alter fair of Iupiter , with this they vsde to swéep : And therwith euery corner of their houses sprinkled déep . Beside the Herald when he gaue , defiance to his foe : Commaunded was with Garland all of Ueruen clad to go . Coleworts in this disease are good , béeing sodden specially : The broth wherof refuse not thou , to drink for remedy . Put Coliander to the Cole , and Salt and Rewe beside : And flower fine of Barley that , by grinding small is tride , A Pultise made of these , if to the aking ioynts ye lay : It greatly dooth the paines asswage , and driues the Gout away . And if the Gout be such as in his rage it dooth not swel : The Radish root wil help , if that in Wine you séeth it wel . The noble Radish that our fathers olde , did greatly looue : And did indéed the same estéeme , all other meats abooue . At Delphus was it then decréed , it should be grau'd in Golde : The Bé et in siluer to be framde , the Raape in leaden moulde . This to the Gout is to be laid , the Juce of Woodbinde thick : And mingle there withall the meal or Flower of Fenugrick . And Nettel rootes wel brused in the strongest Uinager : The leaues beside béeing pouned with The leaf & the seede with Beres Greace . the tallowe of a Bear. And stinking Assa faetida , in spunges wel applyde : Wil like wise help the gréeuous Gout , and Feuer sore beside . If therunto you put the War , that is from Cipresse brought : And sée that with the suet of a Gote it wel be wrought . Plantain béeing pouned wel with salt , and Lens with * * Pap made with Barly Polent good : The water Betany , besides Hemp roots , and Sothernwood . The Juyce of Henbane mixt with meal , that from the Mil dooth flye : And war , with Gum Armoniack in equall quantitie . And boyled wel in Uinagre . the braunche of Poplar small : With Herb that beares his name of Age , that Grounsil we doo call . To this it néedful is to put , the greace of fatted Bore : And mingle wax with Willowe leaues , that wel haue sod before . An Herb there is that in the Sea , Phicus marina Sea weed . dooth alwaies winde about : Which ( if it be not ouer dry ) wil heale the painful Gout . Who would beleeue that heaps of Corne , should driue the Gout away , And bring the féeble foot his force , to stand without a stay ? As Sextus searching of the Barnes , Sextus Pompeius was taken with the Gout : He laid him down in heaps of Wheat , that closde him rownd about . When suddainly he felt him self , aswel as any man : And rysing vp with ioyful hart , to walke about began . For all the humor out was drawen , and dryed by this reléef : That was the hed , the fountain and the cauie of all this gréef . For such a force is in the Wheat , as that it hath béen séen : The vessels ful in shortest time to drawe and dry vp clens To Elder leaues . the Sewet of a Gote put orderly : This laid vnto the féet wil be a present remedy . Forget not that same herb beside that gréen dooth alwaies growe : Houseleek or Singre . It healeth those same angry Goutss , that red and fiery showe . The Gourd that groweth wilde his rine , is thought to doo the same : Which also helps the hed that dooth with fiery humors flame . The like béeing sod in Uinagre The wylde Cocumber . the Cocumber wil doo : So wil the Cole , the surging Seas that groweth néer vnto . Sea Colwort it groweth vnder the Clyfts besydes Seaforde in Sussex And Purslain pounded wel with Salt , dooth heale this painful rage : And likewise dooth the fiery heat of shingles soon assawge . T is very straunge that rust of Iron , wil heale the gréeuous Gout : The wound beside with Lancel made , wil let the poyson out . When Telephus with staf of fierce Achilles wounded was : And neuer a Surgion there aboute : could bring the cure to passe . They took aduisement of their Gods , Apollo answered thus : Achilles Swoord ( quoth he ) shall saue , the life of Telaphus . With ioyful mind went Telephus , to méet his enemy : Who striking gaue him with his wound , a present remedy . The treacle good beside , that cures the deadly poyson strong : Is souerain to be vsde against the Gout retained long . What should I héer of Salt intreate Nature that all things spun : Created nothing néedful more for man then Salt and sun . With salt we sauour all our meat , and doo preserue our food : Take Salt away our bankets loss , no Uiands séemeth good . Salt maketh strong and lustie Joynts , example good may be : A Bag of Salt beaten smal wet in boyling wine and layd to the feet . Or salt very fine beaten with Oyl of Camomil made in an Ointment . The tough and sturdy limmes of horne , in Fishers that we sée . Salt with his fretting force , dooth enter , pearce and thorow spring : Dissolueth , eateth , burneth vp and fineth euery thing . With Hony , Oile , and meal béeing mixt and beaten as it ought : It maketh good the féet again , that féeble were and nought . And if you list my poore aduise , in this disease to take : Go get you to the Sea and bathe , your féet when they doo ake . T is good in Brimstone bathes somtime to wash your self beside : Which wil refresh your crased limmes , and stop a stormy tide . Take water with Salt Péeter mixt and Brimstone , let them boil : And wash your legges , or if you list , with Lées of sodden Oyle . And now for stones , let thrée suffise , the Jet as one of those : From whence a stinking sulphur asre , ascendeth to the nose . The smel wherof doo Serpents shun , wherwith what soeuer you write : In brittel vessel made of Earth , wil neuer out of sight . Lay this vnto your Gout , the stone that Iron vp dooth take : Dooth tame this mad vnruly beast , and quickly out dooth shake . Beat small a Medstone , mix it with the Milk of such a wight : As at her first deliuery brings a pretie Boy to light . This wil asswage the Gout , if that you lay it therunto : And bring the Senowes to their force , to doo as they should doo . You worthy creatures that haue life , with haste your selues addresse , And let me haue your helping hands , in this my busines . The bones of man to ashes burnt , and made in pouder sine : Béeing drunk , is not of little force , against this foe of mine . And womans milk , if that you ioyne the Humlock therwithall : Applyed to the féet dooth heale , the raging torments all . Put Goosegrece héerunto and ad green Isop to the same : Or Opium wherwithall you may , a parfect medicine frame . Opium the Juyce or Gum of black Poppey . With grece of swine , ioyne womans heare and this shall doo you good : Béeing laid vnto the aking féet , that rage with angry mood . Refuse not thou to bath thy feet , with Urin of a man : Prouided that the party be , as helthy as ye can . The right foot of an Egle , to your right foot look you lay : And to your left leg lay the left , to driue the gout away . Somtime again with Horseleaches , beset your féet about : That Blood suckers are termed of the rude and common rout . These neuer wil forsake the legges , wherto they cleaue and pul : ( So great desire they haue to blood ) til all their skin be ful . But all the vilest humors that , they in those partes doo finde : Which were the causers of this gréef , they drink with gréedy minde . And when they once haue fiid them selues , as ful as they may be : They leaue the place and fall away , as beasts that drunken be . But if they chaunce to cleue to fast , and wil not leaue their holde , Then sprinkle beaten Salt theron burnt wul or ashes colde . It holsom is beside to open in thy féet some bleeding vain : Wherby the humor passeth out , that bréedeth all thy pain . An aged Cock wel stewed in broth , béeing drunk dooth pleasure great : In filling all the ioints and limmes with swéet and plesant heat . The milk of Asses drunck dooth heale , the gout with raging mood : So dooth the flesh therof if that , you vss it for your food . The Owle that hath a body fat , you seeth in water stall : And often eat the tender flesh and drink the broth withall . The Grece of Swine , with Ashes mixt of dung that Gates doo make : Is very souerain , if therwith Gotes dung mingled with Barly flower and Uinagre , a good Pultis . So is the root of marsh malowes mingled with Ducks greace , for olde swelling goutes you noynt the féet that ake . O worthy Greace of Swine that doost , deserue so great a praise : What good vnto the ioynts of man , thou bringest sundry waies . When as the limmes and members all , with colde congealed be : Their naturall heat again , and warmth they straight receiue from thée . Thou supplest stifned partes and such as weake and féebled be : Restorste to helth and sores doost heale that lothsome are to sée . Thou driu'st the Gout from hand and foot , what should I vtter more ? In few woords wil I speake at once , thou healest euery sore . Such force to thée the helthful roots , of noble herbes doo giue : Wherwith the wandring herds of Swine in pleasant pastures liue . The Romains , that by valure all the world did once subdue : Had thée in honor great for this , thy vertues that they knew . With thée the gladsome Bride , when as the house she enter should Of her new maried mate , the posts and thresholdes couer would . Héer of the wife first took her name , because in times before : The charge to her committed was of noynting of the doore . For they supposde this Grease would put all troubles vnto night : And that for euer after , no misfortune enter might . But to my Gout again , The Dung of Kites and ashes fine : Of Snailes and Wesel burned bothe wil heale this Gout of thine . Let Legges that thus diseased be , be bath'd with Wesels blood : The Sewet like wise of a Calf , for this is very good : To this may also added be , the flesh of fearful Déer : And there withall the Broth wherin , A For fleaed cut in small Gobbits destilled with Oile of Camomil , Oile of Rew , oile of wormes , of eche 〈◊〉 . ounces , a quantitie of Aqua vite . A good water to noint the ioynts . the Hare hath boyled cléere . With case of craftie Fox let all thy foot wel wrapped be : And for to noint them with the Greace , of Reynard helpeth thée . And good it is in skinnes of D●gs , to kéep and wrap them wel : And with the greace of them to noint , the painful féet that swel . Moreouer take a Crowe and quick put him in Horsedung déep : And close him so that he may haue , no place away to creep . When foure dayes once be ful expirde , go take him from his graue : And burn him straight , then mingle Wax with the Ashes that you haue . This laid vnto the feet , dooth driue this monster quite away : And makes the poore diseased man , to go without a stay . And Iunoes bird , the Peocock helps if that his dung you take : And plaister wise apply it to , the lamed limmes that ake . Annoint thy féet with drippings hot of greasy rosted Cat : And take the Beauers stones beside , and mingle wel with that . To Ashes burn the Mullets hed , that in the sea dooth swim : With pleasant Honye mingle it , and noint thy crased lim . Go take the crauking Frog , and with thy knife , go quarter out His members all , and lay his féet vnto the painful Gout . So that the right doo touch the right and that the left doo lye : Upon the left , so shalt thou finde a present remedy . ¶ But leauing now these creatures héer , though many more there be : Of like effect , for who can write of all in eche degree ? I wil thée straight wayes showe how thou , thy table shalt prepare : And in what sorte for thine auail , thou shalt appoint thy fare . Great Gluttony and surfetting , the limmes dooth quickly lanie : And therfore would I soberly , thy diet thou shouldst frame . First see thy bread be baked wel , that thou at Table hast : And neither black nor yet to white , but pleasant in the taste . All trifles banish from thy boord , and meal with honye made : As Custards , Pyes and Florentines , and other of this trade . All Salt and slimy meats , and flesh that long dooth poudred lye : And fish in Salt preserude , all such I warne thée for to flye . Bothe Garlick , Rue and Onions soure expel them far from thée : Although the fond Egiptians doo : suppose them Gods to be . Abstain from Pepper , Raapes & Grapes that in the spring time be : From Apples , Peares , and such like frute as winter giueth thée . Nor suffer thou the deadly Beanes to come vpon thy boord : Which once the wise Pithagoras condemned by his woord . With this the holy Préests durst neuer deale in all their rites : It longeth vnto Goblins and to black and fearful sprights . It dooth the sence and wit of man , bothe dul and dampish make : And rayseth in the night such dreames , as makes the hart to quake . Bothe Peason , Nuts and Chesnuts grose despise thou in this case : And take thou héed that at thy boord , no Chéese haue any place . Let these suffise for food , the Hen and Chanticlere the bolde : The Wether and the lustie Stéere , who neuer yet was colde . The Cunny , Hare , the Partridge , and the Egge that s rosted rere : And all the smallest Birds beside that tender limmes doo beare . Such Fishes small I like , as in the running Riuers fléet : And such as haue no scales , for to refuse I think it méet . The Lamperns shun , that licking of the rock was wunt to lye : And therwithall the Crab that sidling séekes her self to wry . Let not the Eele thy Table touch , a clamy humor stil : Dooth from this fish procéed , that all the ioints of man dooth fil . The Lamprey long agone was had , in estimation great : And taken for his daintie taste , to be a Princes meat . Antonia ( Drusus wife ) was wunt , the Lamprey for to féed : And set her out with rings of golde , the farther to excéed : A Lampry dead Hortensius did bewaile with many a teare : Such was the fauour of the great goodwil that he did beare . But medle not with it whosoeuer thou art that hast the gout : For why , it dooth increase thy paines , and brings thy gréef about . In fewe woords for to make an end , For who can all things touch : In this disease much helthsomer is flesh , then fish by much . Take for your drink the mildest wine , and cléerest you can get : And mingle it with water wel , the fume away to fet . What quantitie you ought to drink , I néed not heer define : Your own discretion héerin best , a measure may assigne . But this I onely warn you of , that when you leaue your meat : You leaue with some desire to drink , and some desire to eat . Then féed on Coliander séeds , when thus you wel haue fed : To make a mery hart and kéep the vapours from the hed . Giue not thy self to too much sléep , nor watch not all the night : And let some distance be betwixt , thy sleepe and supper light . Lye not vpon the back for this is for the body nought : But very seldome vse to ride , take neuer any thought . Somtime it shall be good awhile , to passe the time away : To hear the pleasant instrument , of such as wel can play . Nothing then Musick , more our gréef and sorowes banish can : It glads the minde , and mery minde dooth make a helthy man . Far from thée look thou euer haue ▪ all grim and sollemne Syers . All louring lumpish lookes that lothe , bequeath them to the Fryers . Make choyse of such companions , as be wise and swéet withall : Whose talke delightful is to hear , and voide of any gall . Whose grauitie is poudred with , an honest pleasant minde : Not tedious to the hearer , nor vain waster of his winde . Take such into thy company , eschue the fléering mate : The flatterer , and such as where they come doo so we debate . Use alwaes holsome exercise , thy féet to walke assay : This exercise consumes and wastes the humors il away . For long and slothful Idlenes , decayes the members all : And dooth disgrace the body quite , And causeth it to fall . And like as Iron rusteth straight , with lothsome Canker vile : If that you suffer it to rest and vse it not a while . So are our bodyes straight defilde , and vnto mischéef fall : If that we let them idle be , and woork them not at all . Beside a pitious sight it is , a lamentabie case : In sée the King of Creatures all lye lame and not haue grace . Nor wil to exercise him self , but Idle stil to bée : And through his owne great fault & blame , to want his libertie . By little and little try thy strength , with certain rule and rate : Which force with labour wil increase , so it be moderate . Auoid the aire that flameth stil , with ouerscorching heat : And that which ouercolde the members all dooth il intreat . If these my rules you doo obserue I trust you soon shall sée : This cruel raging Gout , as she deserues destroyd to bée . Inough now haue we tryed the féelde , the Trumpet bids retire : Héer stands the bownds of mine exployt and end of my desire . ❧ Soli Deo honor et Gloria . FINIS .