The New Murrey and Blue blog

In this time of our own ‘plague’, it is interesting to see that Edward IV had his own concoction for an unpleasant disease recorded as ‘the rayning sickness’ (raining, reigning?–not sure what this word translates as– maybe the King’s Evil (scrofula?))

The recipe was a handful of rue, a handful of marigolds, half a handful of feverfew, a handful of burnet, a handful of sorrell and a quantity of ‘dragonys’ (not sure what plant that might be–dragon’s blood?). These would be washed clean and then seethed; once this was done the potion was strained through clean cloth and then drunk.

Apparently the taste was very bitter, so you could add a bit of ‘sugar or candy’ to improve it.

It you were lucky enough to drink the remedy before the worst ‘purpyl’ symptoms appeared, you would be, ‘by Grace of God’, in no danger of death…