Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Rosa Anglica (Author: [unknown])

section 36

36

Understand that a thing is said to comfort the force in five ways.303 One by strengthening the spirits, and restoring them, as do sweet-smelling things. Another way by restoring the humours and strengthening them, as do wine and easily digestible foods. According to this, bread304 soaked in wine or capon broth strengthens the force through nourishment. Another way, by increasing the natural heat, as do hot things. Another way, by contracting and uniting parts of the stomach and the heart moderately, as do styptics. So rose and other styptic things comfort internally and externally as emplaisters, for every force is stronger by union than by division. Another way, by evacuation of excess matter, as do laxatives; and so agaric is a cure that affects the heart, and myrobalanum, for


p.147

they purge the gross, melancholic, corrupt vapours of black bile from it.305