More Selections from A thousand notable things... (1576).

Here are another five items selected from Thomas Lupton's A thousand notable things, of sundry sortes Wherof some are wonderfull, some straunge,... (1576) — a Tudor self-help and trivia book of sorts. The book was so popular that editions continued to be published at least into the 19th century.

The notable things in the book teach us much more than one might think. First, we learn that the Tudor reading public loved trivia. Second, we learn that they readily considered advice from persons with no particular expertise. Especially if it cited historical persons with exotic names (classical and medieval Latin authors) as sources. The advent of footnotes was still over 150 years in the future.

In #89 of this selection we also learn just how unconscious people were, in general, of cruelty to animals. There is no sense of the pain and terror inflicted on swallows by the act portrayed.

It is possible that the reader may not be aware of the abundant use of opium in early European medicine. It was freely available until the late 19^th century. No prescriptions were required from a medical professional, as the rule, until the late 18^th century and not always then. Those doctors who liberally prescribed opium tended to receive glowing reviews, busy practices and correspondingly higher fees.

[ 48] IF a peece of fine golde, or the leaves of pure golde be put into the juyce of Lymons, and taken out of it after it have [lain] therein a whole daye, and the same juice then geven to one that is sicke of ye plague, with a lytle Wine, and the powder of the roote of Angelica, or of the decoction of the same roote: it is marvayle to bee tolde what helpe it bringes them, yea, though they be past all hope, or thought past recoverie. This Mizaldus wrytes as proved.

[ 75] WHen any drawes nye towarde their death, and that their members lackes bloud & vytal heate: Then Fleas and [Lice] leaves them qu[i]te, or else drawes to that parte of the bodye where the sayde heate tarryes the longest: which is in the hole in the necke under the chyn. &c. This is a token that death is at hande. Lemnius.

[ 89] THe eyes of young Swallowes being in the nest, prickt with an needle or a pynne, & so made blinde: within fowre or five dayes after, they wyl see again. Which is very true, for I have proued it. But howe they recover their syght I knowe not: But dyvers wryte, if their eyes be hurt, the olde Swallowes restores their sight againe with the juyce of Celendin.

[ 93] TO keepe Harnes, or any other thing made of yron or steele from rusting. Let the same be rubd over with Vineger mixt with Ceruse, or the marrowe of a Hart, (which is farre better then Oyle,) and it wyl keepe them fayre and bright.

[ 97] A Notable thing to cause one to sleepe immediatly. Take of the juyce of Henbane, of Lett[ice], of Planteyn, of Poppie, of the leaves of Mandrag, of Ivie leaves, of Mulbery leaves,and of Humlocke, of each one dram, of Opium, and of Ivie berries, of [ether] as much: stampe the Ivie berryes and the Opium together, and myxe the juyces & them well together: then dyp a spunge into the same, and let it drinke it all up, and then laye the same spunge in the Sun to drye: after laye the sayde spunge to the parties nose whome you woulde have to sleepe, and he wyll sleepe quicklie. And when you wyll awake him, dyppe another spunge in Vinegar, and holde it to his nose, and hee wyll awake within a whyle after. This is an excel∣lent thing and true.

Also at Virtual Grub Street and Tudor Topics:

• Were Back-Scratchers Really Invented in Elizabethan Times? August 20, 2023. “...when the domestic manners of the aristocracy, as well as others, were not of the most refined and delicate kind,...”
• Rocco Bonetti's Blackfriars Fencing School and Lord Hunsdon's Water Pipe. August 12, 2023. “... the tenement late in the tenure of John Lyllie gentleman & nowe in the tenure of the said Rocho Bonetti...”
• A Triple Wedding and Surprise Visit from the King (1536). July 31, 2023. “History was rushing onward at that point toward many fateful events”
• Ambassador Noailles’  Account of Mary I’s Procession to Westminster: September 30, 1553. September 17, 2022. “…in matching cloth of silver, was Lady Elizabeth, sister of her majesty…”

• Queen Elizabeth’s Greatest Love, Robert Dudley, died on September 4, 1588. September 3, 2022. “Even after matters had settled down, Robert’s special treatment was the source of smoldering jealousy.”

• Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
• Check out the Queen Elizabeth I Biography Page for many other articles.