Of some eximious Flowers from which most efficacious Waters and Oils are extracted and first of Roses ROse is so common spontaneously growing in every hedge that it cannot but be known There are two sorts hereof one wild which is called Cynorrhodon or Dog-rose the other Garden-rose which we call Rose absolutely whereof there are many sorts to wit red white pale incarnate luteous ceruleous which grows in many places in Italy and the mosellate Rose which flourishes in Autumn Other varieties may be educed out of these by art and mangony but three onely are used in Medicine to wit white red and damask waters are distilled out of the white Honey of Roses Conserve Oil and Unguent of the red and Syrup laxative are made of the damask There are many parts in Roses to wit the flower the stalk capillaments granules little flowers the calix the seed the daun Some call those little flowers that adhere to the capillaments Anthera but Anthera properly is a compound Medicament used to the affections of the mouth as it appears by Actuarius c 7. l. 6. meth med by Celsus c. 11. l. 6. by Oribasius and Marcellus All Roses have not the same faculty for the pale relax the red astringe both roborate as also the common white and sweet Roses for all sweet odours recreate and refresh the spirits as also those vital and animal parts that hold the principality CHAP. XXXIX Of Nymphea or Water-Lilly THis Nymphea which the Poets feign to have sprung from a dead Nymph that was jealous of Hercules is the most used of all water-plants in Medicine whereof Pharmacopolists make two sorts one greater which bea rt white flowers the other less which bears luteous flowers Both grow in standing waters and fens The greater hath ample round and green leaves gracile long smooth and round stalks white flowers in candour and magnitude resembling Lillyes and yellow in the middle a black nodous and long root some call it Water Lilly some Neâ—â—â—â—ar and others Heraclea The lesser grows in a slimy watty soyl on slender stalks about three cubits long whereon a yellow shining flower grows like a Rose its root is white nodous sharp and sweet Nymphea refrigerates exceedingly asswages salacity Vires retains the immoderate flux of the seed and being drunk and exhibited by way of liniment it quite extinguishes the seed it conciliates sleep and wholly takes away Venery if its decoction or conserve or syrup made of its flowers be long used CHAP. XL. Of Lilly Lilly is by some of the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by others who believe that it was produced by Juno her milk it is called Juno's Rose in Garlands it is placed next to the Rose for its eximious candour suaveolence and elegant form illustrate its dignity This Plant is very fecund for one root will produce and nourish fifty heads It consists commonly of one stalk two cubits high and sometimes higher comous with leaves like Ragwort but something longer twined and green with a flower in form of a basket whole labra constitute a circle out of which bottom issue shining tufts like yellow yearn and whose extremity is tuberous This broad and elegant flower adhering to a small slender and languid peduncle and another to a crass and rigid branch encompassed with leaves which withers about the end of Summer and buds again at the beginning of Autumn There are many sorts of Lillyes for besides the white and common which is so called absolutely there is another they call the white Byzantian Lilly which hath got its distinction from the place where it grows another there is of a cruent colour another yellow another light red There is also a small Lilly they call the Lilly of the Valley and there is a great one they call the Persian Lilly or more commonly the Imperial Crown which the Barbarians of Tusat whereunto we may adde the Day-Lilly Chalcedony Byrantine and such like whereof now to treat were beyond our institution The root of white Lilly is malactical and anodynous and of much use in decocting glysters and confecting emollitive and matter moving Cataplasms An Oil also may be extracted out of the flowers infused for the same purposes Their water also distilled will take wrinkles out of ones face and make it of a very white colour CHAP. XLI Of Crocus or Saffron WE referr to the order of these eximious flowers Saffron the golden coloured red flower of a bulbous Plant which the Physicians call Crocus the French men following the idiome of the Mauritanians Saffron But it is a bulbous Plant lively and carnous whose leaf is narrow and gramineous whose flower is like meadow Hermodactyle with filaments of a purple and golden colour and whose odour is intense with some sharpness It grows best about fountains and high-wayes rejoycing to be torn and trod upon which as they say comes better on by being killed But the best of all grows in Corycus a Mountain of Cilicia for its odour is more fragrant and its colour more aureous It is green in the Spring it dilates it self all Summer in Autumn are its flowers gathered which are not usurped for medicinary and culinary uses solely but many more when any aureous colour is desired Now Crocus is either domestick whereof Dioscorides enumerates many sorts or sylvestrian whereof Dodonaeus describes more all which for brevities sake I omit It is hot in the second degree dry in the first Vires if moderately used it helps the brain refocillates the senses excites sleep and torpour by recreating the heart it begets joyfulness draws the humours to concoction and much profits him that knows how to use it with prudence Mesue makes an Oil thereof which ingredes the confection of the Emplaster made of Frogs It goes also to other compositions as to the Syrup of King Sabor and to the Oxycrocean Emplaster whereunto it gives not onely colour but also eximious faculties SECTION II. Of Purgative Simples The Preface OUR former Section being finished wherein we have clearly unfolded and explained such common Simples as are as it were Preparatives and occur every where to the composition of Medicaments we will proceed therefore in the next place to describe such Catharticks as purge humours by subdacing the belly and they are such as are given sometimes by themselves alone or mingled with such Compositions as are prescribed in our Shop And these are for the most part exetical and forreign conveyed to us dry from savage and barbarous Regions Yet some we have growing with us especially in hot Regions net they do not retain the same virtues and qualities that the other have but come far short and therefore it is that they are rejected and the forreign which are brought from India and Arabia used Notwithstanding our Soyl is not altogether so ungratefull but the it affords many excellent purging Simples as we shall here demonstrait in this Section CHAP. I. Of Rhabarb MAny of the Antients put no difference
long as in amaritude it resembled that which the Bees collect in Pontus It were supervacaneous to treat any more of Honey since we have abundantly spoken thereof in the third Chapter of the third Book of our Institutions CHAP. VII Of Manna MAnna is the most excellent and divine gift of Nature and not onely that which God preternaturally bestowed on the Israelites but this also which like Honey or Sugar-dew distills upon leaves and daily offers it self for our use For our vulgar Husbandmen do no less admire their small Manna than the Israelites did their Sugar-hail whil'st exulting they sing Jupiter rains Honey down whence it is called Areomel by the Arabians Terenjabin and in the sacred Scriptures Manna with which our Manna or Manna Thuris accords onely in name which is produced by the elision of two bundles one against another for therby certain small fragrancies are congested which is collected for Manna Thuris There is also another kinde they call Manna Larigna collected of the broken boughs of the Larix tree but both these too licentiously usurp this title for Manna properly so called which is used by Physicians for I do not speak of the Man-hu or Manna of the Hebrews is celestial dew sweet and gratefull delabing about the day-spring upon the boughs and leaves of trees and herbs which speedily concretes into the consistency of a gum That is best which is collected of leaves and is called Manna de folio and that worst which is called Manna de terra Now the Calabrian Manna especially that which comes out of a certain part of Oenotria is thought the best where it descends every Summer and is gather'd of all Brassavel in exam fimpl Brassavelus tels us Historia how the Neopolitan Kings once occluded this place that none might assume it without toll or tribute but the Manna thereupon ceased to descend the tribute being taken off and the hindrances removed the Manna again descended the place being again occluded it ceased the inclosure or hedge being again taken away it descended so that the Kings were glad to leave it free and permit any to collect it that would The same is storied of the Tragasaan of Salt in Epirus upon which when Lysimachus imposed a tribute there was none to be found when the tribute was contra-decreed the Salt redounded c. 12. l. 9. Rhod. Cal. But that I may not further rove there is a kinde of Manna in France commonly called Manna Briansonnensis which Medicks sometimes use for want of Calabriensis but it is not near so good There is another kinde round called Manna Mastichina Manna â—â—â—â—china which beaten from the boughs and leaves of trees by the impetuousness of the winde which delabes like hail but neither from Heaven nor from the Air which is improperly called Manna being the tears of trees or their juice concreted Manna is moderately hot it lenifies the throat asper-artery and breast it benignly moves the belly and purges watry humours especially the small Manna as that which comes from Calabria not Terenjabin which the Arabians say is like Honey which we use not because we want it CHAP. VIII Of Cordial Flowers and first of Violets A Violet which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grows in opake and rough places at the foundations of walls or margins of gardens and sometimes in meadows it is green all the year long and flourishes sometimes in February most frequently in March whence it is called Mars his Flower and sometimes in Autumn if it be cultivated it leaves are like Ivy leaves but less and thinner of a short stalk in the end whereof grows a Flower of a ceruleous purple colour and odour like Flower de luce It brings forth a small seed in little round leaves about the end of Summer Now Violets are multifarious and different in colours for some are white some blew and other in a mean betwixt both There are some also which stand upon longer and harder stalks whose flowers are like a purple colour others which are tricolorous and grow upon quadrate slender succulent and reptile stalks in dry places whose leaves are more angust long and lascivious than others from its three-fold colour some call it the herb Trinity others the flammeous Violet and the vulgar Frenchmen the Minute pensea Other small stocks of Violets have got names which because Phyficians seldome use we omit But the martial Violets are wholly used for their flowers being endued with an exhilarating faculty Vires are mixed with Cordials their seeds and leaves being malactical ingrede the decoction of Glysters and confection of Cataplasms All men conclude that their Flowers are refrigerative yet that acrimony they leave in the mouth by mastication speaks them to participate of some calour But because that calour is fugitive being overcome by their exuberant frigidity the Medicks judge them to be frigid CHAP. IX Of the Flowers of Bugloss BUgloss so tearmed from its similitude to an Oxes tongue because it is eximious in inducing hilarity is by Dioscorides and Pliny called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath long broad rough leaves like Cumfrey but straiter shorter and not of so obscure a green Its stalks are bicubital brachiate rough its flowers replenished with spots like stars ceruleous shining in the bottome whereof is a long obscure pithy seed It s root is long crass black without white within succubent sweet it grows in gardens in fandy and also in plain places There is no variety neither in nature nor shape amongst the Hortensian Buglosses onely the flowers of some are white of others purpureous and vulgarly ceruleous But the wild ones differ much for some are alwayes green which will like in any region others are very sharp whose leaves are rigid with prominent pricks which by some are mistaken for Anchusa so named from the blood wherewith its root infects the tangent Bugloss is of a hot and moyst or rather a middle temperature whence it is reckoned amongst the exhilarative Plants which Galen was not ignorant of when c. 80. l. 6. de simpl med he wrote that Bugloss immerged in Wine would cause joy and hilarity CHAP. X. Of Borrage flowers BOrrage is an herb notorious enough its leaves and faculties bear an affinity with Bugloss for both their leaves are long resembling a Neats tongue but Borrage leaves are shorter and broader which the rigour of the winter soon corrupts and kills but Bugloss bears it out and grows but especially its root and those leaves that are next ground flourish It bears broad ceruleous flowers and sometimes white larger than Bugloss in the midst whereof as in its center is defixed a certain dusky crown whose end is acuminated It grows in any ground but it is more florid in humid and fat soyl It is fresh all Summer and also all Autumn if it be sown later its seed is black in all other things it responds to Bugloss Its flowers put into broth give a special taste and
Feavers Coughs and asperity of the tongue they cure stranguty and ardour they quench thirst if duly assumed Vires and kill and expell Wormes CHAP. XVII Of Jujubs JUjubs which the Greeks call Zizipha and Zinzipha grow in Syria and now in many places in Italy and Narbone upon a small tree like a Whin with hard spinose and spolious surcles mossy flowers its caule is contorted rough and ramous its boughs slender long obsequious but hard and protended like the branches of Broome its leafes hard oblong like them of Periwinkle alternately disposed at long intervalls about which small mossy and pallid flowers do erupt after whose occase oblong carnose tender berryes of the magnitude of Cherryes vested with a membranous and hard cortex do accede Galen calls them Serica These luteous or luteously purpureous sweet carnose vinous fruits of the figure and magnitude of moderate Olives turgid with a stone yellow without when they have attained maturity are gathered dryed contracted into wrinkles and kept We cannot learn from the Greeks and Arabians any thing of their qualities and salubrity for Galen saith they are ill for the stomack they nourish little and are hard of concoction the Arabians accommodate and commend them to many uses and though Fuchsius acerbly insult and speak against these yet Actudrius Graecus Nic. Alexandrinus and many more much celebrate their use having sufficiently experienced their salubrious effects They cure the Cough difficulty of breathing and the asperity of the Artery they concoct and expell humours Vires cure many vices in the Lungs and Breast help the reines and allay the ardour of Urine and dolour of the Bladder CHAP. XVIII Of Figgs THe Figge-Tree germinates every where but in cold Countreys it is either sterile or beares only grosse and uselesse or small and insuave fruits which never attain maturity in hot regions it fruiticates copiously fructifying twice annually in the Spring and Authmne it is a Tree of a moderate magnitude not assurging with a direct caule nor yet a smooth bark but somwhat rough especially when inveterate its wood is white soft and meoullous its leafes ample quinquefariously disterminated quinqueangular rough hard and obscurely green its fruits which are at first small and green afterwards greater and either white or red with a turbinated figure erupt about the exortion of its leafes without any praevious flowers and as some Figgs are more forward and sweeter then others so are some whiter some redder some blacker then others all are soft medullous and gravidated with small graines while they are immature if they be vulnerated with the stalks or ends of leafes they will emitt a lacteous acrimonious and amare humour There is another low Fig-Tree very like the former excepting procerity which growes in a prique places and somtimes in Septentrionall regions Another wild and infaecund one responds to these in effigies which is celebrated for no medicinall use There is also an Indian Fig-Tree which some think is that same that Pliny calls Opuntia which is a Plant without boughs without Caules consisting onely of leafes which hath not yet been experienced in medicinall uses The best Figges come from Massilia which may be substituted in defect of Dactyls Vires they calefy moderately nourish lubricate the belly but do not generate very laudable blood they attenuate leviate maturefy concoct and profit the asper artery the reins Lungs and Bladder a dry Figge is called Carica by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which word Matthiolus designes Apias Figg-Tree leafes move baemorrhoids if the Fundament be rubbed therewith the so much celebrated Antidote Mythridate is made of Figgs Rue and Nutts whose composition we have described in the History of Rue Figgs are of much more utility which for brevity sake I will not recenseate See Dioscorides C. 183. and 184. Lib. 1. CHAP. XIX Of Dactyls or Dates DActyls are the fruits of Palmes growing in Aegypt Crete and Judaea which attaining maturity are by Galen called Phaenicobalani the best come from Judaea they are great flave somwhat rugous soft but carnous subdure within white towards the Kernell red towards the cortex of a vinous sapour they sound little or nothing when concussed the flaccid hard and macilent are worse Now there is no small difference in Palmes Galen himself being Judge for some are dry and astrictive as the Aegyptian ones others soft humid and sweet as those we call Chariotae but the best grow in Syria Palestine and many Eastern regions where they suppeditate both meat and drink to the incolists The Trunk of a Palme is crasse round and high rough with dense and gradate notches by the adjument of whose inaequality the orientall incolists can easily ascend their summityes its leafes are Arundinaceous long and acuminated many proceeding out of one exortion according to the longitude of the boughs it beares much fruit on its summity as it were racemously cohaereing but their pedicles are more prolix whereof there are many sorts but the sweet and succulent ones such as grow in Judaea Syria and Palestine are best they are of a yellow or luteous colour neither great nor yet small the green insuave and juicelesse are naught Galen's judgement of the qualityes of the Palme and its fruits is this All the parts of the Palme-Tree saith he participate of an astrictive faculty for the austere succe of its boughs consists of an aqueous tepid terrene and frigid substance But it s sweet fruits have much of calidity they profit the stomack and breast Vires suggest laudable nutriment and are meat for many Nations CHAP. XX. Of Olives THat Olives and their fat juice called oyle appertain to esculents each one knowes for Olives nobilitate rich mens Tables to excite appetite and their oyle is usurped not only in confecting acetaryes frying fishes and praepareing other meats but also in confecting unguents and salves Now Olives are the fruit of a Tree of a moderate magnitude which the French call Olivetum the Latines Olea which especially the sative assurges with a long Caule for the wild one is lower with many oblong boughs laterally diffused hard and pallidly virid like willow boughs with white racemous flowers whereunto oblong carnous succulent berryes called Olives at first green after black with hard stones within succeed the fruit derives its name from the Tree and the succe from the fruit This Tree delights in dry places and hot regions as in Spain Italy and France for it willingly amplects a hot squalid air it either growes not at all or else is sterile and tabid in the Septentrionall regions The Greeks call Olives drawing to maturity and blacknesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the French Drupae when they are condited with salt the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oyle simply so called is extracted from them when they are mature Omphacinum when immature but let herbalists be sought for larger treatises hereabout Immature Olives are
the mixtion of other things But maleolent things though tempered with the ambient air are averse to the brain both in quality and substance according to Galen cap. 10. lib. de instrum odorat which Aristotle also confirms whil'st cap. 24. lib. 8. de Hist Anim. he sayes that Women may become abortive at the smell of an extinguished Candle Seeing then that suaveolent Odours are consocial to the spirits and their familiar Pabulum the Physician will not onely acquire praise of the Vulgar by being perfumed but he will be better able to prescribe Odoraments both to roborate the spirits and defend sanity Now they are either described in form of an Unguent or of a Pomander or of Trochisks or of Powder An Odorament in form of Powder is thus confected ℞ Calamus Aromaticusʒ iij. Orris Florentineʒ ij Storax Benioin anaʒ j. Roses ℈ ij Clovesʒ ss Mosch Amber anaʒ ss make of these a Powder Our later Physicians extoll an Odorament they call the * Damask Powder Cyprian Odour or the Violet Odour which being variously described every one calls a suaveolent or fragrant Powder or the Cyprian or Violet Powder An Odorament in form of an Unguent may be easily made if you put the above described Powder in Oil Amber and Wax that it may acquire a fit consistency Or thus ℞ Yellow Saenders Calamus Aromaticus Squinant Cinnamon anaʒ j. Storax Benioin Mace anaʒ ss Waxʒ iij. Ol. Moschelini q. s fiat unguento Or thus ℞ Mace Cinnamon anaʒ ss Benioin ℈ ij Civet Mosch Amber ana ℈ ss Camphor gr 5. with Oil of Almonds make it up into an Unguent An Odorate mass also may be made of select Aromataes whereof Pomanders or Trochisks may be formed whose suaveolence is of great esteem as ℞ Citron pill dry Cinnamon Labdanum anaʒ j. Storaxʒ ij Mace Cloves Lignum Aloes Orris anaʒ ss Camphor ℈ j. Mosch Civet Amber ana ℈ ss with musilidge of Gum Traganth make it into a mass of which make Pomanders or Trochisks CHAP. XXVII Of Perfumes and Suffumigatories ALL sweet Odours exhilarate the spirits but many will not communicate their scent save by fire and therefore such are set over burning coals or otherwise so calefied that they emit their odours plentiously Thus did the first Adorers of a Deity make their Incense Sacrifice thus do Physicians confect their Perfumes for sanity and thus do the Courtiers confect theirs for pleasure Yet the matter of Perfumes is not alwayes injected upon coals but sometimes put into a brasen or silver pot which the Vulgar call a Cassolet Corula Cassoleta together with water of Roses or Oranges laying quick coals under it that it may boyl and with its vapour fill and perfume the whole house A Perfume is either humid or dry and both either for pleasure or sanity the humid may easily be made and is very familiar to delicate women who being sick or taking purgative Medicaments perfume their Cubicles with the pills of Oranges Lemmons Cloves Cinnamon and Rose water mixed together and put in a Cassolet over the fire The dry ones are more frequently confected by Apothecaries at the Phyficians precept either for pleasure or profit Those who through epicurism and voluptuousness profusely spend their Fathers means most accustome delicious Perfumes Those whose spirits want refection brains roboration hearts exhilaration and bodies vindication from some extrinsecal malignity require sanitiferous Perfumes Now Perfumes help the lungs stuffed with abundance of flegm Suffitus quibus affectionibus conveniat and yet they are not convenient to all diseases and affections about the breast for Aetius cap. 144. tetr ser 3. saith that they do harm such as spit blood by opening the vessels neither yet are they convenient for those who have some dry disease about their breasts but they eximiously conduce to such as are pursy orthopnoical and whose breasts are infested with many crude humours as also to such as labour under the French disease Lues Indica suffitu nonnunquam curatur if they be duely confected of idoneous Medicaments which will abject the poyson of that distemper by frequent salivation and be exhibited after the body hath been vacuated by universal remedies And they are most frequently used in form of a pretty crass Powder as thus to roborate and siccate the brain ℞ Storax Benioin anaʒ j. ss Gum of Juniper Frankincense anaʒ j. Cloves Cinnamon ana ℈ iij. the leaves of Bayes Sage Rosemary anaʒ ss make of all these a gross Powder and then put a part thereof upon burning coals that the diseased may expire the suffigated fume This Perfume will stop the humour that delabes from the brain to the lungs ℞ Cypress nuts Balaustians Ladanum anaʒ j. Rosesʒ ij Mirtle berries and Mastich anaʒ j. ss make gross Powder for Fumigation This Fumigation made after this manner doth wonderfully roborate the heart and resartiate the spirits ℞ A Cordial Fume Calamus Aromaticus Xyloaloes Squinant Cinnamon anaʒ j. Storax Benioin anaʒ j. ss Mace Cloves anaʒ ss Roses Marjoran ana ℈ ij Aliptae Moschataeʒ ij pulverize them for a fume A mass may be confected of these Powders with some dust of small coals and a fit liquor which may be formed into Pastills or Birds or Cloves which we commonly call Cyprian Birds which take fire without flame and exhale a suaveolent fume and they are thus confected ℞ Benioin ℥ j. Storax ℥ ij Ladanum ℥ ss Aliptae Moschataeʒ iij. small Coal ℥ ij beat all these into a fine Powder and with Gum Traganth dissolved in Rose water make them up into a paste of which form little Birds Cloves or what you please Hippocrates lib. de nat mulicb advises women whose flowers stay twice every day to receive the fume of a Suffiment through a tunnel pipe into their privities and it will move flowers To which end such must first be elected as calefy in the first or at most in the second degree afterwards more vehement may be used yet with this caveat that too sharp ones be not exhibited lest the head be burthened or the neck of the uterus ulcerated Hip. lib. de superfoetatione Perfumes are destined to deduce the vessels and to draw the uterus towards the orifice that the blood may easily profluate But seeing the cunctation of flowers proceeds from the durity and siccity of the uterus the matter of Perfumes must be received in some idoneous liquor whereby the uterus may be humectated as in Wax simple or odorate Oil Turpentine Ladanum or Gum of Tragacanthum that Pastills may be formed thereof which when use requires may be injected upon burning coals or rather ashes as Aristotle in his Problems thinks more convenient as thus ℞ The roots of Sow-bread Asarum Orris Myrrhe Bdellium anaʒ j. Storaxʒ iij. * Nigella Romana A Fumigation to move a womans flowers by sitting over the Fume and receiving it into her Privities Roman Gith ʒ ij Cinnamon Cloves anaʒ j. Savin Marjoran Calamint Dictamus ana ℈ ij
be cultivated and fat its furcles are short rigid and spinous coronated with leafes like Rue leafes disposed Garland-wise its heads are circinnared its leafs hirsure and suadveolent its flower like Pease blooms but lesser unicolorate and purpureous It s root calefies and extenuates moving Urine breaking and expelling the stone removing obstructions expelling flours and blood and curing the Jaundice CHAP. XVII Of Eryngium or Sea Holly ERyngium is either marine Species which germinating plenteously in maritimous places puts forth broad and angulous leafs circumsepted with hard pricks or campestrian and vulgar whereof there are many varieties some being called the Spanish Pannonian and Alpine Eryngium besides many spurious names The leafs of the vulgar is sected into many acuminated spinous particles its caul is cubital and ramous in whose summity certain globular heads circumcincted with pricks radiate like Stars out of the middles of which heads so horrid with spines issue caeruleous and sometimes flave flowers its root is crasse and long black extrinsecally white intrinsecally succulent sweet and odorate From the indefinite number of its heads many call it centum-caput the rusticks hare thistle and flying thistle for the whole plant withering is evelled by the force of the winds which rolling up and down the fields eminously represents a running hare they mistake that think this is Secacul for Serapio treats of these two in several Chapters and gives them distinct descriptions The Arabians call Eryngium Astaraticon not Scacul or Scekakul yet their faculties being alike as the learned Writers do assert vulgar Eryngium may well be substituted for ignote secacul Eryngiums root is calefactive it deduces the passages Vires moves Urine and flours expels sand out of the reins and bladder and excites venery CHAP. XVIII Of Common grasse SEeing grasse comprehends all plants which bear leafes Species graminis quot or a segetive Idea it is no wonder if perite Herbalists enumerate fourty six differences thereof Yet of all these the dogge-grasse is onely medicative the rest rather affording aliments for beasts then medicaments for man And as dogge-grasse is unknown to none so is it infensive to all Agricolists who with their hands and rakes purge their corn of it which being very feracious would otherwise surrept all aliment from their wheat or vicine plants for it creeps along with numerous genicusated and vivacious radicls which attract to themselves all the fatnesse of the earth Its leafes are hard as broad as them of a small reed tenuious and acuminated whence women call it needle-grasse and dogs-tooth This grasse liberates the reins and other intrals from obstructions Vires and kills the intestines worms the root is more excellent then any other part of the plant CHAP. XIX Of Liqucrice THe whole plant is denominated from the sweetnesse of the root for Glycyrrhiza which Pharmacopolists call Liquorice denotes a sweet root some call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because retained in the mouth it quenches thirst It s root is long numerous spread along the ground which emits a caul of three Cubits high with leaves like Lentisks dense fatt gluminous and gummeous to the touch with purpureous and somtimes white flowers In the Moneth of July or sooner it beares Cods about the bignesse of Vetches or Cicers Theophrastus C. 3. L. 9. calls it Scythica because the Scythians useing a little Liquorice would tolerate thirst eleaven or twelve dayes Children delight herein for which end they demerge small peices of Liquorice in water in a glasse bottle which when it is flave with Liquorice-juice they drink off and put more water thereunto Spanish-Juice which they agitate for more potions The Cappadocians and Spaniards bring us every yeare Liquorice-Juice condensed into Pastills They say it is temperate as to all qualities but accedes nearer to calour Vires it leniates the asperities of the Artery and Ulcers of the Bladder it helpes the Cough moves expectoration and is very good against all diseases in the Lungs and Breast CHAP. XX. Of Cyclamen or Sowe-Bread VArious and many are the nomenclatures of this Sowe-bread for the Barbarians call it Arthanita the Shopmen Hogs-Bread some the Earth-Corke others the Earth-Aple and some Cissophyllon It growes in shady places under Trees in bryars and thick Woods it flourishes in Autumne it bears Leafes like Ivy which are angular crisped about of a greenly purpureous colour maculated with white spots on both sides There is another sort of Cyclamen which hath broad Leaves but scarcely any whit angular but rather round and obscurely maculated And a third sort also which hath lesser roots more purpureous flowers and more suaveolent which some think is that which Pliny calls Chamaecisson Cyclamen is indued with many eximious qualities for it incides potently opens moves floures expells conception though dead cures the Jaundice expells stones it is efficacious against impostumes emends all spots is averse to Poisons either by potion or application drawes menstruous blood and young ones They say if a woman with Child go over the root of Cyclamen she will become abortive Vires but light conjectures oft beguile the credulous The later writers mention two more different from the former in form and magnitude of leaves as also in colour and inversion of their flowers and besides some flourish in the Spring others in Autumn others in the midle time CHAP. XXI Of Scilla or Sea Onyon THat Scilla is caepacious and delights in hot sandy and maritimous places and growes spontaneously is unknown to few for it is of late called the Sea Onjon And he that hath anatomized an Onyon and a Scilla hath found no difference in their internals nor yet in their cores yet in leafe flowers and seed they are much dissident When the leaves of Scilla are marcid its Caule assurges to the height of a Cubit with white flowers issuing out of its midle like strawberry-flowers which from thence pullulate to its very summity short triangular and compressed huskes follow these gravidated with black and full seed The stalk is very long and florid because of the threefold emersion of flowers the first wherof which are like them of Bulbus expand themselves for a long season then the second Garland of flowers performes its course and then the last And it is most remarkeable that the Caule and the Leaves never flourish at once for not till the Caule withers will the leaves erupt nor till the leaves become marcid will the Caule assurge contrary to the nature of other Plants which first emit leaves then prolong their Caules in Scilla the Caule first erupts then the Leafes Scilla calefies in the second degree and is very incisive Galen saith it is best to take it boiled or rosted for so its vehement quality will be castigated duely praepared it helpes against the frigid affections of the braine and Nerves Galen repurged one cut it small demerged it in a melitery insolated it forty dayes and gave it to a
quantity of the wormwood and augment the sugar for those things that would roborate the ventricle if ingrateful subvert it This syrupe roborates the stomack Vires helps concoction excites appetite discusses flatuosity opens the veins and moves urine CHAP. 4. Syrupus de Stoechade or Syrupe of Stoecados D. Fernel â„ž of the flowers of Stoecados â„¥ iiij Thyme Calamint Origanum of each â„¥ j. ss Sage Betony the flowers of Rosemary of each â„¥ j. ss the seeds of Rue Piony and Fennel of eachÊ’ iij. boyl them in lb x. of water till half be consumed and to the Colature adde sugar and heney of each lb ij make it into a syrupe aromatize it with Cinemon Ginger sweet-Cane of each Ê’ ij tyed up in a linen rag The COMMENTARY Mesue gives two descriptions of this syrupe in both which he puts Pepper and Bartram which being hotter are rejected by Fernelius and he addes certain cephalical Medicaments to wit Sage Betony Poeony and Rosemary that it may acquire the effect the Author intends This syrupe is cognominated from its Basis to wit Staecados whereunto the rest are adjoyned to acquire more cephalical and noble faculties Sylvius permits it to be made with sugar and not honey for the more delicate It conduces to many affections of the brain Vires as Mesue attests to which it would nothing confer if it were made after his description for Stoechas which he puts for its Basis is more hepatical or splenical then cephalical therefore Fernelius addes many cephalicals which make his syrupe conduce to the Epilepsie Cramp Trembling and all cold affections of the brain CHAP. 5. Syrupus de Glycyrrhiza or Syrupe of Liquorice D. Mes â„ž of Liquorice scraped and bruised â„¥ ij white Maiden-hair â„¥ j. dryed Hyssop â„¥ ss macerate them a whole day in lb iiij of rain-water then boyl them till half be consumed to the Colature adde of the best honey penidees and sugar of each lb ss Rose-water â„¥ vj. and so boyl them into a syrupe The COMMENTARY Many do right in not cocting dry Liquorice long lest it grow bitter but put it in in the end of the coction they clarifie the Colature with Penidia Sugar and Honey then coct it to a syrupe adding thereunto some Rose-water before it be perfectly cocted which some disallow of because the syrupe is confected for purgation and the Rose-water is astrictive to whose opinion Joubertus subscribing substitutes the water of the infusion of Roses as less astrictive but this water is therefore commixed that the syrupe may thereby participate of an astrictive quality and assumed in the beginnings of diseases stay the fluent humours and coct such as have delabed The infusion may be desumed for want of the water but not as less astrictive This syrupe consists not onely of simple but compound Medicaments to wit of Penidees which are made of Barly Water and Sugar cocted in such proportion and Art that a very solid mass arises thence so tractable that it adheres not to ones fingers but may be drawn into small long crass short or intorted threads alwayes white and hence its name is Alphenicum It stayes the humours flowing from the brain Vires cocts such as are fallen helps the cough and causes the expectoration of cocted humours CHAP. 6. Syrupus Jujubinar or Syrupe of Jujubees D.M. â„ž of Jujubees n. lx Violets the feeds of Mallows of eachÊ’ v. Liquorice scraped and bruised Maiden-hair Barley of each â„¥ j. the seeds of Quinces white Poppies Melons Lettice Gumme Thraganth of eachÊ’ iij. boyl them in lb iiij of Fountain-water to the Colature adde of sugar lb ij to bring it into the consistency of a Syrupe The COMMENTARY In confecting this syrupe the cleansed Barly must first be cocted then the Jujubs added then the Liquorice afterwards Maidens-hair and the seeds of Melons Lettice and Poppy at length violet-Violet-flowers and Tragacanthum in the end lest by longer coction it become fume It should be included with Mallowes and Quinces-seed in a linen cloth and then cocted with the rest in four or five pounds of water to the absumption of the third part and elixated with the said quantity of sugar into the consistency of a syrupe the coction should not be to the half unless the weight of sugar be abated It conduces to hoarseness cough pleurisy it cocts Vires moves and educes spittle and that of Violets and is a mean betwixt the syrupe of Poppy it cohibits all fluxions and cocts the defluxed humours CHAP. 7. Syrupus de Hyssopo or Syrupe of Hyssop D. Mes â„ž of dryed Hyssop the roots of Smallage Fennel Liquorice of eachÊ’ x. Barley â„¥ ss the seeds of Mallows and Quinces Gumme Thraganth of eachÊ’ iij. Maiden-hairÊ’ vj. Jujubees Sebestens of each n. xxx Raisins stoned â„¥ j. ss dryed Figs fat Dates of each n. x. boyl them in a sufficient quantity of water to lb iiij to the Colature adde Penidees lb ij make it up into a Syrupe The COMMENTARY This syrupe is cognominated from Hyssop its Basis in the confection whereof its Author Mesue is so far from defining a quantity of water that he mentions no water at all but they should take eight pounds wherein they should coct the Barly half an hour then inject the incided roots to be elixated a quarter of an hour then all the fruits at length the seeds bound in a linen cloth with Tragacanthum and at last pretty dry Hyssop true Maidens-hair or in its stead vulgar Maidens-hair Penidees made without starch must be added to the Colature by coction reducted to three pounds and clarified some had rather put in sincere sugar others the water of sape and sugar but it is best to confect it according to Mesue's description The same Author describes more preparations of this same syrupe but this we have transcribed is the most usual and best This syrupe conduces much to difficulty of breathing Vires pectoral dolours from a cold cause it takes away obstructions moves flours and deterges sand from the reins and bladder CHAP. 8. Syrupus de Aretemisia or Syrupe of Mugwort D. Fern. â„ž the leaves of Mugwort m. ij the roots of Orris Enula-campane Madder Piony Lovage Fennel of each â„¥ ss the leaves of Peny-royal Origanum Calamint Nep Balm Basil Carrets Savin Marjoran Hyssop Horehound Germander Groundpine St. Johns-wort Feverfew and Betony of each m. j. the seeds of Anis Petroseline Fennel Rue Gith of eachÊ’ iij. bruise those that are to be bruised and macerate them 24 hours in Hydromel lb viij boyl them to lb v. and with lb v. of Sugar coct it into a Syrupe The COMMENTARY This syrupe of Mugwort first described by Matthaeus containing a mass of Medicaments perperously congested was rightly castigated by Fernelius who substracting such things as were not known inconvenient and supervacancous left onely such as were usesul as Plantius well observed for when it is in vain to adde more where the thing may be better done by fewer
Kettle without water and expressed out of a hollow not plain Press into a subdititious vessel wherein the Oyl that swims above the water may be collected The mass may be again brayed and moistened with water and pressed in a hollow Torcular that more oleous fatness may be elicited Dioscorides confects it a little otherwise for he elixates the mature berries in water which exude their fatness through their skins which he subacts with his hands and puts in a shell but the former way is more usual yet Apothecaries make it not but buy it thus ready made of such as congesting a great quantity of berries together make it their work to elicite Oyl Some bray the fresh and mature berries without other mistion and express their Oyl out of them in a Torcular Oyls may be thus extracted out of the berries of Lentisks Turpentine-trees Ivy Junipers and the like which bear odorate berries The Oyl of Laurel-berries is calefactive mollitive apertive and discussive and hence it cures all cold distempers whether simple or mixed with phlegm and flatulency as also the cholical dolour arising hence if it be injected into the intestines with some convenient decoction it presently cures all cold affections of the brain nerves articles and loyns it takes away lassitude opens the spiracles of the veins cures the Palsey and Trembling if the Back-bone be anointed therewith CHAP. 8. Oleum Balfami or The Oyl of Balm THe next of this kinde is Oyl of Balm which flows from a peregrine Tree which is low of stature and not elegant of a subcineritious colour with a luteous flower like Jasmins its leaves fall off about the end of Autumn and grow again in Spring It fruticates copiously in the Arabian Aegyptian and the Babylonish tract it is scarcely cicurable in colder Regions They sometimes cut off its tender succles whereunto they annex Canes oblited with wax that their fat succe may flow into them Sometimes they vulnerate its crasser boughs out of which wounds that precious Lachryma which is so much celebrated distils Some drops of this Oyl exhibited on a jejune stomack help difficulty of breathing take away the obstructions of the Liver move fluours allay stomachical dolours help the tabid and consumed and excite appetite CHAP. 9. Liquid Amber LIquid Amber is a certain oleous Rosine flowing from the incisures of a Praegrand and Venust tree of a vast magnitude whose leaves are hederaceous cortex crass and cineritious which being vulnerated emits this Oyl called from its suaveolence Liquid Amber or Oyl of Amber The Trees from which it flows are so fragrant that they send a sweet odour from the place where they grow into vicine Regions This Liquor is of much use in Medicine for it calefies roborates resolves mollifies all tumours removes obstructions moves fluors cures the suffocation of the Uterus and other diseases of women CHAP. 10. Petreolaeum or Oyl of Peter PEtreol is the work and effect of Natures hand not of the Apothecaries for he onely collects it or buys keeps and uses it when collected for Nature confects it in the bowels of the Earth and it eructates out of the clefts of Rocks whence it is called Petreol or Rock-Oyl It is to be had in those Regions where Bitumen is whereunto it is related for Bitumen is either dense or liquid the dense is as it were the fatness of the earth which swims upon the water and by agitation of the winds is cast upon the shore and there concretes and becomes tenacious and dense The legitimate Bitumen is Judaical by some called Bitumen of Sodom because it is found on the banks of Sodom It is very rare in Europe The liquid which the Greeks call Naphta is very white of colour and rapacious of fire insomuch that fire will leap to it from distance as also to all dense Bitumen Besides this Naphta there is another sort yet more fluxile like Oyl which distils from Rocks and Stones as that which abounds in the Mutinian fields on the Mount Gibion There is also a fossile and terrene Bitumen and that of two sorts the one too hard and frangible which they commonly call Stone-coal the other very dense and intensely black with nitre called Gagates of which we have treated in our Book of Simples Some and that upon good grounds affirm that Amber is a kinde of hard Bitumen Bitumen then is of large comprehension to whose family many refer Pissaphaltus and Mumy However Pissaphaltos is a kinde of mixture made of Pitch and Asphaltos or dense Bitumen which is used in maritimous towns to Pitch Ships withall The Arabians call Pissaphaltus Mumy which in their Language denotes Balm in stead whereof the Syrians and Arabians of meaner fortune used Pissaphaltos in embalming their dead carcases And thus they take Pissaphaltus for Balm and Balm for Mumy which agree not so much as in name for natural Balsam or Balm is Opobalsamum artificial consists of many Aromata's used in conditing Kings bodies Pissaphaltos is a certain mixture of Pitch and Asphaltos Mumy is a thing arising from one or both of them and the putretude of a carcase whose illicite use now to prosecute and disprove appertains not to our purpose whereunto I shall now return Petreol is not to be rejected by Apothecaries for its faculties are of much use Vires It calefies siccates by the tenuity of its substance opens penetrates digests resolves all excrementitious matter helps many diseases of the brain and nerves as the Epilepsie Lethargie and Palsey SECT V. Of Oyls extracted by Distillation and first of such as are elicited by descent BEsides these wayes of confecting Oyls Mesue subjoyns many more all which he saith are made by Resolution Education by descent and ascent is a Chymical term of whose Oyls opportune occasion now gives leave to treat Mesue also leading the way Of which I shall onely subjoyn a few words both because laborious work long time and great cost are necessarily requisite to this education of Oyls and also because they are now adayes made by some base imperite and ignorant Circulators who defraud the Commonalty with their vain promises and spend their time in seeking secret Fopperies and confecting Magisterial Bables I do not now speak of men of approved skill learning and knowledge who given to the study of abstruser Sciences seek the more secret Closets of Nature and finde the more miraculous vertues of Creatures who make Medicaments after several manners change them into several forms and by divers preparations give them divers qualities sejoyning what is useless and retaining what is expetible and so coacting them that in small quantity they have much vertue But such Medicaments should not be exhibited but by the perite for else they are perillous and precipitate men into open danger Yet skilful Medicks and Apothecaries following Mesue their Chieftain may after a Chymical manner educe certain Oyls by distillation and that either by descent whereunto descension by transudation or by draining is