Mistress Louise,the herbalist of the group, ready to dispense her remedies at Laugharne Castle.

For many years the Mistress had assisted her father, Master Denis the surgeon. She acquired her skills by fervently studying nature, its flowers, shrubs and even weeds. Many of her remedies had also been passed down to her from her wise grandmother who, in turn, had learnt them from her forebears.

The Mistress prepared poultices, balms, lotions and potions to suit all occasions whether it was a sneezing fit or the awful ague which sweeps the country from time to time.  She was to be found working quietly in her part of the Marcher Stuart camp during any spare moment, for there was much preparation needed to produce her remedies.....firstly she would gather the necessary berries, leaves and nuts, then pummel them in her mortar with her pestle until they were of the right consistency. Then she might mix them with liquids to make them easier to apply.

You might have noticed that this is spoken of in the past tense, for it doth seem that the Mistress is shying away from her former life and is taking up a dubious pastime. She has spoken of setting up a house where folks may partake of games of chance, whether for fun or for profit we know not. Perhaps she is trying to acquire the wherewithal to buy material for a fine dress for her wedding to Captain James.

However, we will not frown too unkindly on this departure for, if it be for profit, the Marcher Stuarts may gain something for their coffers. The  selling of herbs did not make much and the treatment of wounds of folks who very often did not pay after treatment made even less, for who can extract payment from someone who carries no money about his person, then is so indecent as to die.   

 

 

 

 

For

 

For a man that has a perillous cough,  take sage rue comins (cumin) and powder or pepper and mix em well with honey and make an electuary (medicine mixed with treacle or preserve) and use thereof 1 spoonfull evening and morning.

A plaister to be laid to a childs navel for worms, take a broad piece of red leather cut rownd and prick the wrong side of it with the point of your pen knife then rub the same side well with green wormwood then spread it over with honey and strow upon it powther of alloes so lay it to the childs belly upon the navel.

To take away Haire, take the shells of 52 eggs; beate them smaller, and still them with a good fire: and with the water anoint youre selfe, where you would have your haire off.

Or else; catt’s dunge, that is hard and dryed; beaten to powder; and tempered with strong vinegar; and anoynte on your place.

To make haire grow thick, take 3 spoonfulls of honey; and a good handful of vine sprigs, that twist like wire; and beat them well; and straine the juice into the honey.  And anoint the bald places therewith.

Warts and Wens, take tar water that is the water swimminge uponj the tar-tub put it in a glass and dip a scuer into it and drop a drop on the head of ever wart and lett it dry or else dry it in by the fier.  And in 6 or 8 times doing it will crackle and dry them away quite rootes and all quite out of the flesh.a man that has a perillous cough,  take sage rue comins (cumin) and powder or pepper and mix em well with honey and make an electuary (medicine mixed with treacle or preserve) and use thereof 1 spoonfull evening and morning.

A plaister to be laid to a childs navel for worms, take a broad piece of red leather cut rownd and prick the wrong side of it with the point of your pen knife then rub the same side well with green wormwood then spread it over with honey and strow upon it powther of alloes so lay it to the childs belly upon the navel.

To take away Haire, take the shells of 52 eggs; beate them smaller, and still them with a good fire: and with the water anoint youre selfe, where you would have your haire off.

Or else; catt’s dunge, that is hard and dryed; beaten to powder; and tempered with strong vinegar; and anoynte on your place.

To make haire grow thick, take 3 spoonfulls of honey; and a good handful of vine sprigs, that twist like wire; and beat them well; and straine the juice into the honey.  And anoint the bald places therewith.

Warts and Wens, take tar water that is the water swimminge uponj the tar-tub put it in a glass and dip a scuer into it and drop a drop on the head of ever wart and lett it dry or else dry it in by the fier.  And in 6 or 8 times doing it will crackle and dry them away quite rootes and all quite out of the flesh.