third is not very frequent in our Land but the last is more rare yet it hath been sowen in our Gardens in April and not before and was ripe in the beginning or middle of August The usuall time for the ordinary sort being in March as to the sowing and the latter end of August as to the mowing The Temperature Barly is cooling and drying in the first Degree It hath also a little abstersive or cleansing quality and doth dry somewhat more then Bean Meal The Vertues The Meal of Barley and Fleawort being boyled in water and made into a Pultis with Honey and Oyl of Lillies applyed warm cureth Tumours under the Ears Throat Neck and such like places A Plaister thereof with Tar Wax and Oyl helpeth the hard swellings of the Throat called the Kings Evill A Pultis made of Barley Meal or Flower boyled with Vinegar and Honey and a few dry Figs put unto them dissolveth all hard Impostumes and excrescences upon the Eye-lids growing in the form of a Barley Corn by Sâ—gnature and asswageth Inflammations also being applyed And being boyled with Melilote and Camomile Flowers and some Linseed Fennigreek and Rue in Powder and applyed warm it easeth the pains in the sides and stomack and the windinesse of the Spleen boyled with sharp Vinegar into a Pultis and layd on hot helpeth the Leprosie being boyled in red Wine with Pomegranat Rinds and Myrtills it stayeth the Lask or other Flux of the Belly boyled with Vinegar and a Quince it easeth the hot pains of the Gout Barley Flower white Salt Honey and Vinegar mingled together is used by divers to take away the Itch speedily and certainly The distilled water of green Barley stilled in the end of May is very good for those that have Defluxions in the Eyes to stay the humours and to ease the pains being dropped into them or white bread layd to steep therein and bound thereto doth the same All the preparations of it as Barley-water and other things made thereof do give great nourishment to persons troubled with Feavers Agues and Heats in the Stomach French Barley is much used in pectorall Diseases or Diseases of the Breast helpeth the sharpnesse of the Throat and increaseth Milk especially boyled with Fennel It provoketh Urine and is very profitable in Choletick Feavers if it be thus administred Take two Ounces of French-Barley boyl it in two fresh waters then boyl it again in a quart of water adding half an Ounce of Licorish and an handful of Violet Leaves and as many Strawberry Leaves to a pint or a pint and a half strain it and put thereto of Syrup of Violets two Ounces or for the poorer sort you may sweeten it with a little Sugar It is used outwardly to soften hard swellings and is good for Inflammations and sorenesse of the Throat being boyled alone or with other fitting Herbs and the Mouth and Throat washed therewith Take Mallowes Violet Beets black Hellebore Fumitory of each three handfuls of French Barley six handfulls boyl them in a sufficient quantity of water for a Bath and use it against the Scab Itch c. you shall find it very effectuall CHAP. LXXII Of Garlick The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Allium which last name the Apothecaries do commonly use Some say 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Rudis Rosa because of its strong scent offending the Nose Allium also seemeth to have its Originall from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. exilire because of its growth which is so speedy that it 's said as it were to leap Galen and others have called it Theriaca Rusticorum the Country Mans Treacle We in English call it Garlick Some of this kind are called Scorodoprassum and Moly The Kinds There are 12 sorts of Garlick mentioned by Authours 1. Common Garlick 2. Crow-Garlick 3. Ramsons spotted or Snake-Garlick 4. Great Turky Garlick 5. Great Turky Garlick with a bulbed and twining head 6. Clusius his first leafed Hungarian Moly 7. Sweet smelling Hungarian Moly 8. Purple round headed Mountain Moly 9. Purplish headed Moly of Africa 10. The small Italian white Moly 11. Indian Moly 12. Ramsons The Forme Omitting the Description of Garden Garlick because it is so common I shall give you that of the wild or Crow Garlick which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Snakes Garlick It hath small tough long Leaves like Rushes but not so round smooth and hollow within Amongst which riseth up a naked stalk round slippery hard and sound on the top whereof after the Flowers be gone grow little Seeds made up in a round cluster like small Kernells having the smell and tast of Garlick Instead of a Root there is a bulbe or round head without any Cloves at all The Places and Time Garlick is seldom sowen of Seed but planted in Gardens of the small Cloves which are commonly set in March Some on St. Peters day knit the blades together in a knot that it may head the better and is gathered not long after The Crow-Garlick groweth in fertile Pastures in all parts of England particularly in a Field called the Mantels on the back side of Islington by London The rest are peculiar to divers Countries as Germany Hungary France Spain Italy Turkey and our Land also flowring in Summer and Seeding after The Temperature It is hot and dry in the fourth Degree and raiseth Blisters being applyed to the skin The Vertues Garlick being eaten heateth the Body maketh thin thick and grosse humours cutteth such as are tough and clammy digesteth and consumeth them it also openeth Obstructions or stoppings and is an enemy to cold poyson and to the biting of venomous Beasts It taketh away the roughnesse of the Throat also helpeth an old Cough provoketh Urine killeth Worms expelleth Wind helpeth the Cholick cures the Dropsie proceeding of a cold Cause provoketh the Courses in Women and stirreth up Venus and Lust but dryeth the Seed of Generation and is most excellent for a cold and moyst stomach and to stir up naturall heat An old Man by lying in the cold in the Winter season had almost lost the innate or naturall heat of his stomach and his appetite was even decayed after many hot Medicines used in vain at length was cured with Garlick and Honey It is a good preservative against the contagious and pestilent Air. A Decoction thereof made with Origanum and Wine being drunk killeth Worm-Lice and Nits It is profitable against the biting of a mad Dog and for such as are inclined to the Palsie for shortnesse of breath and to dry up Rheum and also for the cold Head-ach It is commended against the Consumption of the Lungs pissing of blood and for such as cannot hold their water The distilled water is good for the same Diseases and for the Quinsie The milk wherein Garlick hath been boyled is good for worms in Children or two
sweeter relish and a shorter crisp tast in eating The Place and Time Some of these sorts of Fennel grow in hot Countries as Italy Spain Candy c. and some of them are sowen in Gardens amongst us though the Climate altereth even the best and sweetest The common sort flowreth in June and July and the Seed is ripe in the end of August but the strange sorts do not perfect their Seed unless the year be kindly It is to be sowen in the end of February and that in sunny places and somewhat stony The Temperature There be different opinions concerning the temperature of this Plant. One saith it is hot and dry in the second degree but most affirm it to be hot in the third and dry only in the first Gerard saith that the Seed is hot and dry in the third Degree The Vertues The distilled water of Fennel dropped into the Eyes clense them from all enormities rising therein but the condensate Juyce dissolved or as some take it the natural Juyce or Gum that issueth out thereof of its own accord in hot Countries doth cleanse the Eyes from mists and films that hinder the Eye-sight Some for this purpose take the green stalks of Fennel and holding them to the fire in Autumne while they are green cause a certain Juyce or Liquor to drop from them which they apply to the Eyes as holding it to be more effectuall then either the condensate Juyce or naturall Gum. And some yet more neatly make a water to clear the Eye-sight in this manner They powder some white Sugar Candy very finely and put that Powder into the hollow green stalk of Fennel while it groweth a foot above the ground so that it be between two joynts which having remained therein two or three dayes and the hole covered and bound close over that no rain get in they open it at the lower joynt having first placed a good peece of soft wax made a little hollow gutter-wise under the hole which may serve to carry the liquor from falling down the stalk into a Vessel or thing set of purpose thereto to receive it Neither is it only good for the Eys but for many other uses It is used to lay upon Fish and other viscous meats to digest the crude Phlegmatick quality thereof and to boil it with them and the seed is oftentimes put in bread to break wind and to make a long breath It provoketh Urine and easeth the pains of the Stone and helps to break it and being boyled in Barley water and drunk it is good for Nurses to increase their milk and to make it the wholsomer for their Nurse-Children The leaves boyled in water but much more the seed stayeth the Hickock and taketh away that loathing which often happeneth to the stomacks of sick or feavourish persons and allayeth the heat thereof The seed boyled in Wine is good for them that are bitten by Serpents or have eaten poysonous â—â—erbs or Mushromes the Seed and the Root much more helpeth to open the obstructions of the Liver Spleen and Gall and thereby much conduceth to all the Diseases arising from them as the painful and windy swellings of the Spleen and yellow Jaundies as also the Gout and Cramp The seed is of good use in pectorall Medicines and those which help the shortness of the breath and wheesings by obstructions of the Lungs it helpeth also to bring down the Courses and to cleanse the parts after delivery The Roots are of most use in Physick Drinks and Broths that are taken to cleanse the blood to open the obstructions of the Liver to provoke Urine to amend the evill colour or complexion in the face after long sickness and to cause a good colour and a good habit throughout the whole body Fennell both Leaves and Seeds or roots are much used in drinks and broths for those that are grown fat to abate their unweldinesse and make them more gaunt and lank The sweet Fennel by reason of its sweetnesse is much weaker then the ordinary which is better for all the Physicall purposes aforesaid And therefore they do but deceive themselves and others that use the sweet Fennel Seed in compositions as thinking it better when as it is much weaker by want of the bitternesse which is most operative The Juyce killeth the worms in the ears if it be dropped therein The wild Fennel is stronger and hotter then the tame and therefore more powerfull against the stone but not so effectual to increase milk because of its dryness Let them that live in those Countryes where there be any Serpents or Snakes have a care they wash their Fennel before they use it because they delight much to be amongst it it is thought that they make use of it to preserve their Eyesight Fennel roots are one of the five opening roots the other four being Smallage Asparagus Parsly Kneeholly or Butchersbroom called in Latine Ruscus Bruscus CHAP. XVIII Of Vervain The Names IT is Called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hiera botané id est Herba sacra for so it was reputed amonst them as also amongst the Romans for with it they purged their houses and made clean the Table of Jupiter before the Sacricrificiall Banquets were set there on And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peristereon because Pidgeons love to be about it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Pidgeon In Latine Verbena quasi Herbena or Herba bona Verbenaca Matricalis Columbaria Columbaris or Columbina Exupera Martialis Herculania and Ferraria and of others Vervena in English Vervain and in some Countries Holy herb Mercuries moist blood Juno's tears and in others Pidgeon-grasse because Pidgeons eat thereof as is supposed to clear their Eye sight For Epxlication of that place in Terence Ex ara verbenas hinc sume The later Herbarists and Writers do conceive that the Poet in that place speaking after his countrey Phrase for Menander hath Mirtles out of whom this was translated understandeth such herbs as lay there which were also called Sagmina and not Vervain only The Kindes 1. Common or upright Vervain 2. Bending or Female Vervain 3. Vervain of Peru. 4. Round headed creeping Vervain The Forme The Common Vervain that is familiar to our Country hath divers Leaves towards the bottom of middle fise deeply gashed at the bottom of them the other part being deeply dented about the edges and some only deeply dented and cut all alike something like unto an Oaken Leaf those that grow higher are lesser all of them being of a dark green Colour on the upper side and somewhat gray underneath the stalk is square and branched into divers parts rising to be about half a yard high with a Spike of Flowers on the top which are set on all sides thereof one above another and sometimes two or three together being small and gaping of a whitish colour and some Purple and blew intermixt after which come small round seed in small and somewhat long heads the Root is small
is not likely that this Commodity should have any Greek name the Ancients never having any knowledge of that part of the World The West Indians from whence it first came call it Guayacan and from thence it is called in Latine Guajacum by some Lignum Indicum Lignum Sanctum and Lignum Vitae In English Pockwood for its excellency in curing the French Pox and sometimes Indian Packwood because it is brought from the West Indies The Kindes I finde three sorts of Guajacum mentioned by some later Writers 1. The true Guajacum or Indian Pockwood 2. A West-Indian tree like Guajacum 3. A differing Indian Guajacum The Forme This Tree whereof Guajacum is the wood groweth to be of the bignesse of an Oake with a reasonable thick greenish gummy barke spread with sundry Armes and Branches both great and small and on them winged Leaves set by coupâ—es one against another which are but small thick hard and round almost with divers veines in them abiding alwaies green upon the branches at the joynts and ends of the branches come forth many flowers standing in a tuft together every one upon a long footstalke consisting of sixe whitish yellow Leaves not very great with some threds in the middle which afterwards turne into flat yellowish gristly fruit of the fashion of the seed Vessel of Thlaspi or else oâ— Shepheardâ— purse with two divisions likewise having in the one side a grâ—stly seed almost as hard as horne the other being for the most part empty hanging down together by their long foot-stalkes it yeeldeth also a Gumme or Rosiâ— of a darke colour which will easily burne The Places and Time All the three sorts of Guajacum grow in the West Indies and the first especially about Sâ—anto Doâ—ingo whence this disease was originally brought to the King of Spaines Campe which was at Naples in the yeare 1493. he being then treating of peace with the French King whose Army was thereabouts also and in a short time after infected with it The French-men thought that they got it by accompanying with the Spaniards as indeed they did and therefore they called it the Spanish Scab yet the â—paniards thought that the French had given it to them and they called it the French Poxe Others called it the Disease of Naples because it arose in those Coasts as they supposed when as truly it came from the West Indies and therefore some call it the Measells of the Indies Whence Monardâ—â— observes that God Almighty would so have it that as these Poxe came from those parts so should a Remedy be brought thence also Diseases and their Remedies commonly arising in the same Climate which is a wonderful Act of Providence The Temperature Guajacum or Pockwood is hot and dry in the second degree and hath a cleansing faculty The Vertues The principall Prerogative and Excellencie of Guajacum is that it is the best remedy in the world for those kind of Poâ—ks for it provoketh Sweate resisteth contagion and putrefaction and cleanseth the Blood and strengthneth the Liver which is a part many times affected in this disease the decoction of the Wood being made and used after this manner Take of Guajacum a pound of the bark thereof two ounces steep them in twelve or foureteen pints of Spring Water foure and twenty houres then boyl them to seaven or eight pints straine it and give thereof a good draught morning and evening and let the party sweat upon it and if you adde two ounces of Liquorish or more and some Anniseed it will be much more pleasant to take This decoction which was first discovered by an Indian to a Spaniard who had suffered great paines by the Poxe is good also in the Dropsie Falling-Sicknesse shortnesse of Breath in Catarrhs Rheumes and cold distiâ—ations of the Lungs or other parts Coughâ—s and Consumptions the Gout Sciâ—tica and all other Joynt-Aâ—hes and for cold Phlegmatick humors for the diseases of the Bladder and Reines and for all long and lingring diseases proceeding from cold and moist Causes for it openeth the stoppings of the Liver and Spleene warms and comforts the stomach and entralls and is good in Scabbes Itch Shinglâ—s Leprosie and the like as also in Fevers horrible Apostumations and swellings of the Belly the Jaundise c. It maketh the teeth white and firme if they be often washed with the decoction thereof The Barke is also given in the aforesaid Diseases from halfe a dram to a dram in powder and the Gum also is sometimes used but the Wood is of greatest use The best kinde whereof is the blâ—cker or browner for the yellow is but the Sap as it were the former being in a manner all Heart yet it is all firm hard close and heavy so that it will sink in water more thâ—n Ebony It is not so good for hot and dry bodies as it is in cold and moist and therefore for hot diseases use the more Water and the lesse Wood and for cold griefs more Wood and less Water CHAP. CCCXXVIII Of China The Names IT is called in Latine for Greek name it never had any China because the Root thereof was first brought from China which is a Country of the Orientall Indies and therefore also it is that it is called China Radix or Chinaea Radix in English as in divers other Languages it is called China but the Chineses call it Laâ—patan the Arabians and Persians Chophchina The Kindes The sorts of China that I finde mentioned are two 1. The true China Root 2. Bastard China The Forme The China groweth up with many prickly Branches of a reasonable great bignesse liâ—e unto Sarsa parilla or the prickly Bindweed winding it self about Trees and hath divers Leaves growing on them like unto broad Plantane Leaves what Flower or Seed it beareth I finde not mentioned by any The Root is like to the root of a great Reed sometimes flattish sometimes round not smooth but bunched and knotty reddish for the most part on the out-side and whitish or sometimes a little reddish on the in-side the best is solid and firm and somewhat weighty fresh and not worm-eaten and without any taste The Places and Time It groweth not onely in China Malabar Cochin Cranganor Tanor and other places of the East Indies but also in the West Indies as Monardus saith Though the time be not expressed by any Author that I have met with yet I conceive it continueth green all the year long as divers other Plants there growing do As for the duration of the Root it will keep good many years The Temperature It is immoderately hot and very drying The Vertues The Root called China is not onely commended but daily proved to be most effectual in the French Dâ—sease the decoction thereof being made and given in manner following Take of China Root cut thin in slices one ounce and an half put into it a Gallon of faire Water and let it stand covered a night and a day then boyle it
or Corn-rose 4. Wilde Poppy with a white flowre 5. Murry coloured Poppy like the commonest single of the Garden 6. Party coloured Poppy Some spatling as 1. Beheâ— Album or white Battle 2. Elegant spatling Poppy with guilded leaves Others bastard called in Latine Argement As 1. Round headed bastard wilde Poppy 2. Long headed bastard wilde Poppy 3. Yellow wilde bastard Poppy of Waleâ— To trouble you with the Descriptions of every one of these would be tedious I shall therefore describe only the spatling Poppy the others being better known The Forme Spatling Poppy which doth very little resemble any other Poppy but only the Seed and Cod or Bowle wherein the seed is contained hath divers weak tender stalks full of joynts about a foot or half a yard long usually lying on the ground whereon grow many pale whitish green leaves two alwayes let together at the joynts one against another having many times upon the leaves but more often about the joynts of the stalks a certain white frothy substance like unto that is called Cuckow-spittle or Wood-seer at the tops of the stalks upon many slender foot-stalks stand divers white flowers composed of five small leaves a peece with a deep notch in the middle of every one of them standing in a thin loose stripped husk wherein the black seed is afterward contained the root is white and spreadeth in the ground continuing sundry years The Place and Time Many of the Garden-Poppies are to be found in Country Gardens but the yellow horned Poppie groweth upon the sands and banks of the Sea neer unto Rie in Kent in the Isles of Sheppy and Thanet and in many other places along the English Coast with the other wilde Poppies every Corn-field is garnished as also with spatling Poppy which sometimes groweth in Pastures and high-way-sides the Elegant spatling Poppy with guilded Leaves groweth in Womersly field in Yorkshire Argemone groweth in Soâ—â—rsetshire and near South-fleet in Kent The white Corn-Rose groweth amongst the Wheat between Pontfract and Ferry-Bridge They begin flowring in May and continue till the end of July the seed of them is ripe presently after The Roots of all except the spatling Poppy perish every year and spring again either of their own or others sowing The Signature and Vertues The Heads of the Poppies with their Crowns do somewhat represent the Head and Brain and therefore the decoctions of them are used with good successe in several diseases of the Head The Garden Poppy Heads with the seeds made into a Syrup procureth rest and sleep in the sick and weak and stayeth Catarrhs and deâ—luxions of hot thin Rheumes from the head into the stomack and upon the Lungs causing a continual Cough which is the fore-runner of a Consumption The green Knops of Poppy stamped with Barley Meal and a little Barrows-grease and applyed in the form of a Pultis helpeth St. Authoâ—ies fire called Ignis Sacer. The Leaves Knops and Seeds stamped with Vinegar Womans milk and Saffron cureth Erysipelas another kinde of St. Anthonies fire and easeth the Gouâ— mightily and put into the Fundament as a Clyster causeth sleep The seed of black Poppy drunk in Wine stoppeth the Flux of the beâ—ly and the over-much flowing of Womens sicknesse Mr. Culpepper saith that it is the juyce of white Poppy growing in England which they sell for Opium in the Shops though they pretend to have it out of the Eastern Countries where they gather it only from the heads of the great white Poppy but certainly his Pen run before his Wit when he said it grew beyond the Moon for there is no question but that it is so gathered in those parts and should be that which is used in Narcotick Medicines though perhaps for want of it our Meconium which is the juyce of Poppy thickned and is much weaker is sometimes used It is an ingredient of much respect in those great Compositions of Treacle and Mithridate and in other Medicines that are made to procure rest and sleep and to ease the pains of the head as well as other parts or rather to palliate them and make them insensible for the time present It is used also both to cool Inflammations Agues oâ— Phrensies and generally for the same occasions as the seed or any part of the Plant is but if it be taken in too great a quantity it causeth the Lethargy and sometimes killeth and therefore it is to be used with caution inwardly divers have found that applyed to the Gout it hath given much ease and put into hollow teeth ceaseth their pain The Syrup of Meconium or Diacodium which is made of the heads of white and black Poppies a little after the heads are fallen off may safey be given to those which are troubled with hot and sharp Rheums but not to young Children which are froward for if Nurses would keep their own bodies temperate their Children would sleep well enough without it The Syrup made of the Flowers of the red wilde Poppy is with good effect given to those which have a Plurisie the dryed Flowers also either boyled in water or made into Powder and drunk either in the distilled water of tâ—em or in some other drink worketh the like effect the same also is available in all other Cephalicall or Pectorall griefs The distilled water of the said Flowers is held to be of much good use against surfeits to drink it evening and morning it is also more cooling in quality then any other Poppy and therefore cannot but be as effectual in hot Agues Phrensies and other Inflammations either inward or outward but the seed is dangerous to be used inwardly The Syrup aforesaid is thus made Take of the fresh Flowers or red Poppies two pound steep them in four pound of warm Spring-water the next day strain it and boil it into a Syrup with its equall waight of Sugar It cools the blood helps Surfeits and may be safely given in Phrensies Feavers and hot Agues The Seed of Spatling Poppy purgeth Flegme said Galâ—n and causeth vomitings saith Dioscorides being taken in Mead or honyed water and is especially good for those that are troubled with the Falling-Sicknesse It was the head of this Poppy about the time it was in flower which the Greeks called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth foreshew as they conceived the success of their love For these Flowers the tops being closed together with ones fingers seem like little Bladders which being broken against ones other hand make a noyse like unto the Bladders of little Fishes being broken If they gave a good report they concluded they should be succesful if not they presently let fall their suit so superstitious were those people as some in our dayes be The leaves of Argemâ—né or Bastard wilde Poppy stamped and the juyce dropped into the eyes easeth the Inflammation thereof and cureth the Disease in the Eye called Argema whereof it took his name by signature which Disease when it happeneth on the
burn but especially that which groweth by the Sea-side When the Hoggs were troubled with tuberous Baggs of corruption about their Necks the Country people were formerly wont to give them of the Herb Impious boyled in Milk or the like and they observed that which soever of them refused to take it would assuredly die CHAP. LXXVIII Of Jewes Eares The Names AMongst other Simples there is an Excressence of the Elder or Bore-tree which I shall treat of a part from the Tree it self and with it put a period to those things that are appropriated to the Throat it being of so great use for this part whereas the Elder it self is available to many others Notwithstanding I think that the Grecians took so little notice of it that they scarcely afforded it a Name It is called in Latine Fungus Sambucinus and Auricula Juda some having supposed the Elder-tree to be that whereon Judas hanged himself and that ever since these Mushromes like unto Eates have grown thereon which I will not perswade you to believe It is called in English Jewes Eares the Mushrome of the Elder by some the Gelly and by others the Sponge growing upon the Elder The Kinds My Lord Bacon in his naturall History saith that Jewes-Eâ—res grow upon other Trees besides the Elder as the Ash Fir c. but I suppose he was mistaken There are sometimes growing on those Trees certaâ—n Mushromes but like to Jewes-Eares neither in form nor vertue and therefore not to be called by that Name The Forme This Excrescence called Jewes-Eares is a soft and limber Mushrome which while it is fresh is not very thick but transparent and of a blackish colour of differing forms and sizes for some will be swolne and puffed up in one place more then in another having some resemblance to a Mans Eare some thin on the edge and thick in the middle and some two or three growing together all of them being dryed become of a blackish gray colour and then may be kept a whole year or more safe without spoyling to be used as you need The Places and Times Jewes-Eares grow as I said upon the Elder-tree but not so frequently upon them in other places as upon those that are planted upon Cony-Boroughs for their shadow and shelter I understand not but they may be found there at any time of the Year The Temperature Gerard saith that the jelley of the Elder otherwise called Jewes-Eares hath a binding and drying quality The Vertues Dr. Martin Blochwich Physician-Ordinary of Oshatin in his ingenious Tract called the Anatomy of Elder saith that even common Country Women so soon as they suspect any Disease in the Throat of their young Children they steep the Sponge of Elder in their Drink and when it is swelled they therewith carefully wipe away all the filth of the Palat Gums and Tongue It is likewise used for the same purpose being boyled in Ale or Milk with Columbine Leaves and with a little Pepper and Pellitory of Spain in Powder it helpeth to put up the Uâ—â—la or Palat of the Mouth being fallen down Take of the water or Decoction of Elder-Flowers wherein a little Elder-Honey hath been mixed and add thereunto some Leaves of Self-heal and a Jewes Eare or two and you will find it a sure Experiment for the Quinsey And a Lohoch or licking of the Rhob of Elder inspislated with Sugar with some pulverised Jewes-Eares added thereunto is commodious The distilled water of Jewes-Eares is very profitable for the Dropsie according to Crâ—lliâ—s de signaturis rerâ—â— and a drink made by sleeping three whole dryed Umbels of Elder Flowers and two Jewes-Eares very well dryed in two quarts of White-wine if it be used and no other drink the tumour will vanish away suddenly An handful of Jewes-Eares infused in a quart of the Spirit of Wine and a full draught thereof given to one that is troubled with the suffocation of the Matrix in the time of her fit cureth her The Powder of the Grains of Elder being mixed with an equall part of Jewes-Eares is commended in spitting blood CHAP. LXXIX Of Elecampane The Names HAving appropriated severall Simples to the inside and outside of the Throat the Breast comes next in Order to be provided for both internally and externally to which there is nothing more proper then Elecampane which is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Helenium also in Latine and of some Inula and Enula and Enula Campana some think it took the name from the tears of Helen from whence it sprung which is a Fable others say it was so called because Helen first found it available against biting and stingings of venemous Beasts and others think it took its name from the Island Helena where the best was found to grow We in English call it Elecampane generally yet in some Countries of this Land it is called Sabwort and Horse-heal The Kindes To this Plant which otherwise would be single do some refer the Flowers of the Sun as 1. The greater flower of the Sâ—â— 2. The lesser flower of the Sun 3. The Male flower of the Sun 4. The Marigold Sun flower The Forme Elecampane shooteth forth many large leaves lying neer the ground which are long and broad but small at both ends somewhat soft in handling of a whitish green on the upper side and gray underneath each set upon a short footstalk From amongst which riâ—e â—p divers great and strong hairy stalks two or three foot high with some leaves thereon compassing them about at the lower ends and are branched towards the tops bearing divers great and large flowers like unto those of the flower of the Sun of which it is said to be a kind as I said before both the border of the leaves and the middle Thrum being yellow which is not wholly converted into large seed as in the flower of the Sun but turneth into Down with some long small brownish seed among it and is carried away with the wind the Râ—â—t is great and thick branched forth divers waies blackish on the outside and white within of a very bitter taste but good sent especially when it is dryed no part else of the plant having any smell The Places and Time This is one of the Plants whereof England may boast as much as any for there growes none better in the world then in England let Apothecaries and Druggeists say what they will It groweth in Meadows that are fat and fruitful as in Parsons Meadow by Adderbury as I have been told and in divers other places about Oxfordshire It is found also upon the Mountains and shadowy places that be not altogether dry it groweth plentifully in the fields on the left hand as you go from Dunstable to Puddle hill Also in an Orchard as you go from Colâ—râ—â— to Ditton Ferry which is in the way from London to Windsor and in divers places in Wales particularly in the Orchard of Mr. Peter Piers at Guieruigron neer St. Asaphs The
Vine which bears abundance of fruits to perfection The Fox Grape and the red and white Muscadine Grape set against the South and well ordered bear store of good fruit They are not ripe here till September but sooner in the hotter Countries The Raisin of the Sun-Vine groweth as I suppose in Spain and about Damascus and Smyrna for thence are they brought into these parts and therefore so called The Vine that beareth Currans groweth about Corinth and therefore they are called Uvae Corinthiacae and in the Isle of Lante The wild Vine of Europe groweth in many places of Italy France and Germany the other wild sorts are expressed in their Titles These wild sorts flowre later then the other and their fruit is ripe later The Temperature The Vine hath in it divers differing and contrary properties some cold some hot some sweet some sowre some mild and some sharp some moystening and some drying The tender and clasping Branches of the Vine and the Leaves do cool and mightily bind And as Grapes are divers in tast so they are in quality for soure Grapes are cold and moyst and sweet Grapes are hot and moyst Raisins be hot in the first Degree and moyst in the second being stoned they open the Breast and Liver and loosen the belly but eaten with stones they bind The Vertues Many things there are that proceed of Grapes besides what I have mentioned already as Must Lora Cute Argel Lees c. which have their severall uses at some of which I may chance to touch but my purpose is to shew you how proper dryed Grapes or Raisins are to help Coughs hoarsnesse of the Throat shortnesse of wind toughnesse of flegme causing it to be expectorated more easily and do lenifie sharp and nauseous humours that offend the mouth of the stomach a decoction being made of them and Liquorice Maiden-hair Colts-foot c. They serve likewise to open the stoppings of the Liver Spleen and Bladder and taken by themselves they nourish much by reason of their thick sweet and temperate substance whereby also they stay not long nor putrifie in the Stomach but withstand putrifaction and concoct raw humours as Galen writeth and for this purpose they may well be eaten fasting the stones being first taken out And â—ot crudity or rawnesse of the stomach Mr. Eliot by his own report never found any thing better then Rubarb chewed with Currans of small Raiâ—ins yet by the judgment of Arnoldus they cause oppilations of the Spleen though they be good for the breast and Reins and so saith Schola Salerni Passula â—on Spleni tussi valet bona reni and therefore some think that Rubarb may be better eaten with great Raisins These being bruised and applyed the stones taken out with Rue in manner of a Poultis it helpeth Warts Carbuncles Corns in the feet the Gangrene and the Gout They take away loose Nails being applyed Being mixed with a little Cumminseed in powder and Oyl of white Liâ—â—ies it asswageth the swelling of the Cods They are hurtful to hot and Cholerick persons if they eat too largly of them If Grapes newly gathered be eaten they trouble the belly and fill the stomach with wind but if they be kept two or three daies after they be gathered till the husk be somewhat asswaged they nourish the better and are lesse laxative neither do they inflate so much as saith Arnoldus Ripe Grapes and sweet do nourish much and make one fat as Galen proveth by experience of some Vinedressers that fed thereon but the fat so gotten soon weareth away because it is not firm and fast but loose and overmoist White wine is good to be drunk before meat preserveth the body and pearceth quickly into the bladder but upon a full stomach it rather maketh oppilations or stoppings because it doth swiftly drive down meat before it be digested Claret Wine doth greatly nourish and warm the Body and is wholsome with meat especially unto Phlegmatick people but very unwholsom for young childâ—en as Galen saith because it heateth above nature and hurteth the head RedWine stoppeth the belly corrupteth the blood breedeth the Stone is hurtful to old people and good for few but such as are troubled with the lask bloody flix or any other loosenesse of the body Sack hath been used of a long time to be drunk after meat to cause meat the better to digest but common experience hath found it more beneficial to the stomach to be drunk before meat Likewise Malmesie Muscadine Tent and such sweet wines have been used before meat to comfort the cold and weak stomach especially being taken fasting but Sack is much better and warmeth more effectuall if it be taken moderately but all wine taken inordinately relaxeth the siâ—ews bringeth with it the Palsey falling sicknesse to the aged it bringeth hot Feavers Phrensy and Lechery consumeth the Liver and other of the inward partâ— Moreover excessive drinking wine dishonoureth Noblemen beggereth those which otherwise might have had sufficient and more have been destroyed with furfeiting therewith then with the cruell Sword The Juce of the green leaves branches and tendrels of the Vine drunken is good for those that vomit or spit blood for the bloody flix and women with child that vomit over much The kernel within the Grapes boiled in water and drunk hath the same effect CHAP. LXXXII Of Reeds but especially of the Sugar Cane or Reed The Names A Reed called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Calamus and Harundo or Arundo as some write it whereof the Mas according to Theophrastus is the Nastos farcta the solid or stuffed Reed and the Faemina the hollow But I suppose the Sugar Reed was not known to the Greek Writers for we find no name that it hath in Greek the Latines have called it Arundo Saccharina with this additament Indica because it was first known or came from India Of some it is called Calamus Saccharatus in English Sugar-Cane The Sugar that is made of them is called Saccharum Sacchar Succharum Mel Arundiâ—aceum mel Cannae that is Hony of the Cane The white Juyce or Liquor dryed or hardned in the Sun was called by the ancient Latine Writers Sal Indum and Saccharum Indum which was used before Sugar was made out of the Canes by boyling The Kindes Pliny numbereth up five and twenty sorts of Reeds most of which are known to Us onâ—y by the dry Canes therefore I shall mention those which are propet to these neer climates together with the Sugar Reed which for its sweetness deserves the first place 1. The Sugar Cane or Reed 2. Our common Reed 3. Finger Reed 4. The Spanish Reed or Cane 5. The stript or party coloured Reed 6. Low branched Reed 7. The small writing Reed 8. The Arrow or Dart Reed 9. The greater solid Reed 10. The lesser solid Reed 11. The Thorny Reed 12. The Flowring Reed The Forme The Sugar Cane is a pleasant and
sharp withall and somewhat clammy when they are ripe flat as it were at the lower end next the stalk whose skin is thicker and harder then a Plum and the stone within it is small firm and solid long round and solid like unto an Olive or Cornelian Cherry-stone both for form and hardnesse All the Branches both greater and smâ—ller are armed with Thorns two alwayes at a joynt whereof the one is long sâ—â—ong sharp pointed and straight and the other crooked both of them of a blackiâ—â— red colour like unto the elder Branches The Roots are long and firm in the Ground The Places and Time The first groweth naturally in Africa Egypt Arabia and Syria and those more Easterly Countries from whence as Pliny saith it was brought into Italy and planted there in his time by Sextus Rampinius in the latter end of Caesar Augustus his Raign which now a dayes is very frequent not only in many Gardens and Orchards of Italy but of Provence in France also It is so tender that it cannot endure long in our Countrey by reason of the cold The other likewise was brought into Italy in these later times from Syria where it is only to be seen and but with a few that are lovers of rarities The last groweth wild in the Fields by the Hedges not far from Verona abundantly as Pena saith They all shoot forth in April at which time the Seeds or Stones are to be set and sowen for increase They flowre in May and their fruit is ripe in September the Leaves falling off shortly after The Temperature Jujubes are temperate in heat and moysture The Vertues They open the Body and gently purge Choler and cleanse the Blood according to Actuarius and Simeon Sethi especially when they are fresh yet Matthiolus following the Opinion of Avicen denyeth that they have any purging quality in them at all But all Authours do agree that they cool the heat and sharpnesse of the Blood and therefore hold them to be good in hot Agues and to help them that have a Cough by bringing away tough flegme and are very profitable also for other Diseases of the Chest and Lungs as shortnesse of breath hot Rheums and Distillations proceeding from hot humours They are also to good purpose used to cleanse the Reins and Bladder from Gravel in making the passages slippery they also stay Vomitings procured by sharp humours But they are hard of digestion nourish very little and do not easily passe through the stomach and are therefore used in decoctions with other Ingredients fitting for the foresaid griefs CHAP. LXXXIV Of the Sebesten or Assyrian Plum-Tree The Names THere are also to be had at the Apothecaries Shops a certain kind of Plums called by them Sebestens in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à muccoso fructus lentore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim muccum significat The Tree whereon this Fruit groweth is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Myxos for the Tree and Myxa and Myxaria for the Fruit. It is thought as Ruellius saith that the Syrians in honour of Augustus called them Sebastae from whence the Arabians called them Sebesten The Kindes The Sorts hereof are two 1. The Sebesten or Assyrian Plum-Tree 2. The wild Sebesten-Tree The Forme The Sebesten-tree groweth somewhat lower then the Plum-tree covered with a whitish Bark the Branches are green whereon grow rounder thicker and harder Leaves then those of the ordinary Plum-Tree the blossoms are white consisting of five Leaves a peece growing many together on a stalk which afterwards turn into small Berries rather then Plums of a blackish green colour when they are ripe every one standing in a little Cup of a sweet tast and glutinous and clammy substance and a very thick skin within which lyeth a three square hard stone with a thick Shell and a small Kernel these are gathered and layd in the Sun whereby they grow wrinckled and so they are kept and brought over unto us in Boxes The Places and Time The first groweth in Syria and is but planted in Egypt as Alpinus saith and from thence were brought into Italy in Pliny his time which were grafted on the Service Tree and do now grow in many places there in their Orchards it is so tender not enduring the cold with us that we can as hardly keep it as cause it to spring the Shell of the Stone being so thick and the Kernel so small The other as Alpinus seemeth to aver growth in Egypt naturally They flowre in May and their Fruit is gathered in September The Temperature Sebestens are temperately cold and moyst and have a thick clammy substance The Vertues They are very effectuall to lenifie or make smooth the hoarsnesse and roughnesse of the Throat which is caused by sharp humours which descend from the Head into the Wine-pipe galling it and fretting it so that unlesse there be means used to stop them and to prevent the Throat from corroding they will run down abundantly and with great force making the Patient to breath with great difficulty Neither are Sebestens good only for the Throat but also do very much help the Cough and wheesings of the Lungs and Distillations upon them by lenifying the passages and causing much flegme to be avoided They also give ease to them that are troubled with pains in their sides and marvellously helpeth those that are troubled with the sharpnesse of their Urine proceeding from Cho 〈…〉 or salt flegme they also drive forth the long worms of the Belly By the judgement both of the Arabians and Greek Physitians they open the body in the fame manner or rather more by reason of the Muscilaginesse in them than Damask Primes yet more when they are green and lesse when they are dry yet the decoction of them or the infusion of them in broth although dryed worketh effectually They serve to cool any intemperate heat of the Stomach or Liver and therefore are good in hot Agues and to purge Choler whereof they come 〈◊〉 saith that he hath found often by his experience that ten drams or twelve at the most of the pulp of Sebestans taken from the Skins and Stones worketh as well and to as good purpose as the pulp of Cassia fistula There is a kind of Birdlime made of these fruits by boyling them a little in water to take away their Skins and Stones and after boyling them more to a consistence the which as M 〈…〉 saith was used in V 〈…〉 to catch Birds but Alpinus saith they use it in Egypt as a Plaister to dissolve hard tumours or swellings CHAP. LXXXV Of Scabious The Names IT hath no Greek Name unless it be as some think that Herb which Aetius calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but few dare venter to say it is the same because there is nothing but the bare Name without any Description extant in him yet the Greek word signifieth Scabies in Latine It took the name of Scabiâ—sa
Saffron the kernells of Wallnuts two ounces Figs two ounces Mithâ—idate one dram and a few Sage Leaves stamped together with a sufficient quantity of Pimpernell water and made into a masse or lump and kept in a Pot for your use and thereof twelve graines given in the morning fasting preserveth from the Pestilence and expelleth it from those that are infected Infinite advantage hath been made of this commodity by those that Planted it there being no Saffron comparable to the English but now it is manured by so many that it is not so profitable as formerly CHAP. CXX Of Borage The Names IT is called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euphrosyne ab efficienda animi voluptaâ—â— from causing mirth Apulâ—â—us said that Buglossum meaning our Borage was called by them of Luca Corragâ— quod cordis affectibus medetur because it is very Cordiall which by the alteration of one letter is Borrage and from thence as is supposed came the name Borrage which is not found in any of the ancient Writers whom I can perceive to make little or no difference between it and Buglosse but rather that it is the same that was formerly so called yet we have them growing in distinct formes in our Gardens The Kinds And of Borage commonly so called I find five sorts 1. Garden Borage with blew Flowers 2. Garden Borage with white Flowers 3. Everlasting Borage 4. Small creeping Borage 5. Small wild Borage The Forme And because the first Garden Borrage is so well known I shall describe the Everlasting Borage which hath very many broad Leaves rough and hairy of a black darke green colour amongst which rise up stiffe hairy stalkes whereupon do grow faire blew Flowers ripe seed and buds for new Flowers all at once whereupon it is called Everlasting and that very properly because it lasteth both Summer and Winter and is seldom without Flowers buds ripe or unripe seed whereby it greatly increaseth The roote is very durable The Places and Time The first groweth in most Gardens and there increaseth very much after it is once sown the second and third are not so common yet found in divers Gardens of those that affect rarities the last in Germany as Lobel saith and in Naples as Columna saith and in Kent if Mr. Parkinson mistake not The fourth came to us out of the Low-Countrys and prospereth well in the Physick-Garden at Oxfora they do all Flour in the moneths of June and July except the Creeping Borage which Lobel saith flowâ—eth both in the Spring and in August and their seed doth ripen quickly after both ripe seed Flowers may at one time be gathered from many of them The Temperature The Garden kinds are temperate and accounted rather hot and moist in the first degree then cold and yet for their cordiall properties are often used amongst other cold herbs as conducing to the like effect The Vertues The Leaves Flowers and Seeds of Borage all or either of them are very Cordiall and helpe to expell sadnesse and melancholy arising without manifest cause whereof came the saying Ego Borrago gaud a semper ago I Bo rage bring allwaies Courage It helpeth also to clarify the blood is to very good purpose used in all putrid or Pestilentiall Feavers to de end the Heart and to help to reâ—st and expell the poyson or the venome of other Creatures The juice made into a Syrup prevaileth much to all the purposes aforesaid and is also put with other cooling opening and clensing herbs to open obstructions and to help the yellow Jaundise to coole and clense the blood and temper the heate and sharpnesse thereof especially with Fumitory and thereby to helpe the Itch Ring-wormes or Tetters or other spreading Scabs or Sores that arise from adust and sharp humors and for that purpose is put into the Syrupus Byzantinus which worketh to the same effect The Conserve made of the Flowers or the Flowers candyed are helping also in those causes but are chiefely used as a Cordiall and good for those that have been long sick or in a Consumption to comfort the Heart and Spirits and is thereby good for those that are troubled with often swouning or passions of the Heart The distilled Water is no lesse effectuall to all the purposes aforesaid and the eyes washed therewith helpeth the rednesse or inflamation of them The dryed Herb is almost uselesse yet the Ashes thereof boiled in Meade or Honyed water is available against Inflammations Ulcers in the mouth or Throat to wash and gargle it therewith The green Leaves and stalkes with the Flowers on them are frequently used in the summer-time to be put in Wine or Beere for the comforting the Heart and giving a better rellish thereunto Syrup made of the Juice of Borage and Sugar having some of the powder of the Heart-bone or a Hart put into it is good against swouning the Cardiack passion of the Heart against melancholly and the falling sicknesse The wild Borage is somwhat hotter and dryer and is very neere the property of Vipers Buglosse which differeth little from what hath been already said of Borage as you shall heare hereafter CHAP. CXXI Of Violets The Names THe Garden Violet is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viola purpurea by Dioscorides and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Viola nigra and Melanion by Theophrastus Some would have the name to come from Io whom Jove transformed into a Cow because she fed on them cheifly Others from certain Nymphes of Jonia who first gave of the Flowers to Jupiter for a presenâ—â— others think it to be derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasiâ—re aut primum prorumpere veris enim praevia est Viola because it is one of the first herbs that flowreth The Latines call it Viola Martia and Herba Violaria Heartsâ—ease which is also a kind of Violet is called in English Pansyes as also Love in idlenesse Call me to you and Three faces under a hood in Latine Viola Tricolor c of the three colours therein The Kinds There are many sorts of Violets 1. Single purple Violets 2. Single white Violets 3. Double purple Violets 4. Double white Violets 5. Upright Violets 6. Smal narrow Leafed Violets 7. Mountaine Violets with jagged Leaves 8. Yellow Violets of Virginia 9. Yorkeshire striped red Violets 10. Wild Violets 11. Garden Pansyes 12. Wild Pansyes or Hearts-ease The Forme The description of the ordinary Garden Violets being needlesse I shall set down that of the upright Violet which groweth a foot-high or neere upon with hard upright stalkes which yet bend down againe their tops having two Leaves somwhat round set at each joynt but longer and more dented about the edges then the Garden kinds at which joynts with the Leaves on both sides of the stalkes commeth forth a larger Flower and more spread open then it being more like a Pansye but of a pale purplish colour almost as sweet as the Violet as Matthiolus but without scent as Lobel saith The Names
modern Writers backed with daily experience do sufficiently testifie that it is appropriated to the Liver both for the opening the obstructions thereof and then for cleansing and strengthening it so that there is no plant so 〈…〉 raly applicable for all diseases that proceed from the Liver as this For it helpeth the Iaundisâ— both black and yellow being boyled in Wine or Water with other ingredients that correct and strengthen the Liver as Horehound Elecampone Buglosse Rubarb Lign-Aloes c. And so likewise for the severall kinds of Dropsies it is frequently used in Diet Drinks It is good also for the Bowels and healeth their inward woundings bruises or hurts and quaâ—iâ—â—eth aâ—l inward distempeâ— that grow therein being boiled in wine and drunk and so it is effectual for those that are stung or bitten by Serpents and helps them that have soul troubled and bloody waters making them to pisse clear very â—peediâ—y and is usefull in long continued fluxeâ— of the Liver eâ—pecially in old people It is good 〈◊〉 the Srangury and helpeth also the Collick the pâ—th the Cougâ— câ—eâ—nâ—th the Breast A dâ—light of the Decoction taken beâ—ore the fit of an Ague first removes â— and afterwards rids it quire away the Leaves and Seeds 〈◊〉 the bloody flux being taken in Wine The Roots or Leaves boiâ—ed in Wine helpe such as have the Palsy It is accounted a good Herb as questionlesse it is against the Spleen being stopt as also against the Pestilence and biting of a mad Dog The Leaves and root are good for those which are troubled with the Green Sicknesse The distilled water of the Herb is good for all the said purposes but worketh not altogether so effectually as the Decoction thereof Being stamped with Hogs-grease and applyed it helpeth old Sores Cancers and inveterateâ— Ulcers for it cleanseth them and afterwards healeth them and so it draweth forth the corrupt â—â—ater that sometimes happeneth to gather under the Nailes and easeth the aking and maketh the â—ailes to grow againe in case they come off Being used after the some manner it draweth forth thornes Splinters of Wood or such like when they are gotten into the flesh The juyce dropped into impostumated ears causeth them to send forth that which opprâ—sseth them and being mingled with Vinegar it taketh away warts being laid thereunto The distilled water cureth Ulcers and 〈◊〉 of the mouth and throat being gargled or washed therewith The Hemplikâ—â—grimour it good for many of the purposes aforesaid and further it provoketh Urine and the naturall Courses of women and boyled with Fumitory in Whey drunk it helpeth Scabs the Itch which proceeds of salt sharp humors especially if the juice be â—ixed with Vinegar and the outward parts be bathed therewith The Juâ—ce being drunk is held to be very effectuall for curing the Leprosy if it be taken in the beginning and to kill the Wormes if the Leaves be but steeped in drink and taken The â—moak of the herb being burnt drives away Gnats Plyes Wasps c If Countrey people give it to their Cattle when they are troubled with the Cough or broken-Wâ—nded it will cure them and it is said that Deere being wounded cure themselves by eating hereof Mr. Culpepper who seldome hit the Naile on the head as to the matter of Plants attributes the Vertues of Water-Hampe to Water Agrimony which are two distinct things as those which are acquainted with simples can easily tell CHAP. CLXXX Of Liver-Wort The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lichen either because of its vertue in curing the Tetter or Ring-Worme which the Greeks call Lichen or for that it doth as it were â—ick thoâ—e stones whereon it groweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to sick It is called also Lichen in Lâ—tine and aâ—so Jecoraria either from the simiâ—itude that the 〈◊〉 thereof have with the Fibres of the Liver which is the Signature thereof or else from helping the diseases of the Liver or both Some call it Heâ—patica but that name is more uâ—ually understood of the noble Liver-Wort which is prized more for pâ—eâ—ure to the senses then for helping any disease The Kinds Though the Common Liver-wort be that which is of most use yet I shall according to my custome give you all the sorts thereof which are seaven 1 Common ground Liver-wort 2. Small-ground Liver-wort 3 Cluster-headed Liverwort 4 Liver-wort with a hooded head 5. Small Liver-wort with skinny Heeles 6. The smallest Liver-wort without Stalkes 7. Corke or Archal or Darbyshire Liver-wort The Forme The Common-Liver-wort groweth close and spreadeth much upon the ground and stony places which many sad greene Leaves lying or rather as it were sticking flat one unto another very unevenly cut in on the edges and crumpled from among which rise small slender Stalks an inch or two high at the most bearing small start-like flowers at the tops the Roots are very fine and small whereby it liveth The Places and Time They all grow in moist and shadowy places somtimes upon the ground as the Common sort doth in the Garden of John Smith by Adderbury Church-Yard sometimes at the heads of Springs as it doth at Runghill-well in the Mill-mead of the Town aforesaid and somtimes upon the stones of the inside of Welles as it doth in the Physick Garden at Oxâ—n Corck or Archall groweth upon the Free-stones of the Mountaines in Darbyshire It is greene all the yeare long and bringeth forth its Flowers oftentimes in June and July The Temperature Liver-wort must needs be cold and dry and somewhat binding for the growing in moist places maketh it col and upon stones maketh it dry and astringent The Signature and Vertues That rare discoverer of Signatures Oswald Crollius treating of those plants that are proâ—â—table to the Liver by Signature sets down this both for the â—miâ—itude the Fibres of this Plant and those of the Liver have one with another and the eminent Vertues it hath in all distempers of the Liver and therefore is put into Dyet-drink with Mayden haire Agrimony Harts-Tongue c to coole and cleanse it as often as occasion serves and heâ—peth also inflammations in any part and the yellow Jaundise likewise Or being bruised and boyâ—ed alone in small beere and drunk it cooleth the heat of the Liver and Kidneys and helpes the running of the Reines in Men and the Whites in Women It is likewise very good in the Hectick Feavour and in all other Feavours and Agues proceeding of Choâ—er as also in the Scab Tetter and all other unkind heates proceeding from the Liver as Whiteloves blaines blisters c taking away the cause of them if it be taken inwardly and boyled in Posset-drink and taken it helpeth bleeding at the nose which being suffered to coole quencheth the inflammations of the Tongue Being stamped with Hogs-greafe and applyed it healeth all manner of Sores but especially Tetters Ringwormes and other fretting Ulcers for which it is a singular remedy The water
Womens courses being applyed to the Matrix The distilled Water of the Herb and Roots being brought into a consistence by being mixed with other proper ingredients worketh the same effects and of it selfe it cleanseth the skin of Freckles Morphewes all other Spots and discolourings therein Blood-wort is as wholesome a Potherb as any that growes in a Garden though it be in these dayes used only by those few which know it to be so CHAP. CLXXXIIII Of Sorrell The Names IT is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying sharpe because it is sharp both in tast and forme and some Latine writers call it Oxalis after the ordinary Greek name for it hath others also as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it may be said Metaphorically to pierce the tongue like a Raisor with its sharpnesse of Galen it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Acidum lapathum or Acidus Rumex sowre Dock because it is so very like a Dock in severall respects other Latine-writers call it Acetosa and Acedula for its sharpnesse Rumex hortensis Sheepes Sorrell is called Lapatiolum and Acetosella by divers The Kinds The Sorts of sorrel besides Wood sorrell which I have entreated already are Sixteene 1. Ordinary Sorrell 2. Great Sorrell of Germany 3. Round leafed Sorrell 4. Tuberous rooted Sorrel 5. The greater bulbous Sorrell 6. Small Mountaine round leafed Sorrell 7. Creeping Sorrell with broad Leaves 8. Candy Sorrell 9. Sorrell of Naples 10. Marygold Leafed Sorrell 11. Indian Sorrell 12. Indian Sorrell with swollen huskes 13. Mountaine Welch Sorrell 14. Sheepes Sorrell 15. The smallest Sorrell 16. Tall narrow leafed Sorrell The Form Sorrell hath tender greene Leaves long and full of juice broad and forked as it were at end towards the foot-stalke as those of Spinach and Mercury are of a sharpe sowre tast the stalkes are slender bearing purplish long heads somwhat like those of the Dock described in the former Chapter whereof it is a kind wherein lye three-square shining brown seed like but lesser then the other the root is smaller then any of the Docks but the strings thereof go further into the earth then of any other herb somtimes to the depth of three Cubits as the Lord Bacon witnesseth in his naturall History it abideth a long time without decaying having greene Leaves all the Winter except in the very extremity thereof which often taketh away all or most of its Leaves The Places and Times The ordinary Sorrell groweth commonly in Gardens and so doth the Sorrell with round Leaves The tuberous kinds grow in some places neere unto the water side and the sheepes Sorrell groweth in upland grounds where Sheepe use to frequent The two last grow in some sandy and gravelly grounds and upon the bankes of some ditches As for the rest their places are most of them set down in their titles All of them flower and seed in May and June except the Indian sort which flowreth not till July and their seed is ripe in August The Temperature Sorrell is cooling and drying in the second degree and by its sowernesse cutteth tough humours The Vertues The juice of Sorrell in the Summer-time is a profitable sawce in many meates and pleasant to the tast especially if some Sugar be added thereunto It cooleth an hot Stomack moveth appetite to meat tempereth the heat of the Liver openeth the stoppings and preventeth the walling thereof and is effectuall in all hot diseases to coole any inflammation and heat of blood in Agues Pestilentiall or Cholerick or other sicknesse and fainting rising from heat and to refresh the Spirits being almost spent with the violence of furious or fiery fits of Agues and to quench the thirst in them for which there is nothing better then Sorrell-Posset drink which may be made by putting the juice to milk when it beginneth to seeth The Leaves eaten in the morning fasting in the time of Pestilence do mâ—rvailously preserve from infection but much more the conserve thereof which is good for all the purposes aforesaid The seeds thereof brayed and drunk with Wine and Water are very wholesome against the Chollick and fretting of the Guttes it stoppeth the hot Fluxes of Womens Courses or of humours in the bloody Flux or Flux of the Stomack and helpeth it when it is annoyed with repletion The roots also in Decoction or in Powder is effectuall for the said purposes and further it helpeth the Jaundise and expelleth Gravell and the Stone from the Kidneys and a decoction of the Flowers made with Wine and drunk helpeth the Black Jaundise as also the inward Vlcers of the body of Bowells The Leaves wrapped up in a Wort Leafe and roasted under the Embers and applyed to any hard Impostume or Tumor Botch Boile or Plague sores both ripeneth and breaketh it and discusseth Kernells in the Throat if applyed in time The juice with a little Vinegar is profitable to bathe those places which are troubled with the Itch Tetter Ringworm St. Anthonies fire c The distilled Water of the herb is of much good use for all the purposes aforesaid killing Wormes and resisting Poyson CHAP. CLXXXV Of Beets The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teutlon and Seutlon ab impulsu quòd facilè excrescat because it cometh up within few dayes after the sowing and afterwards groweth very fast untill it attaine to its bignesse which in â—ome hot Countryes will be three foot in length and of a great breadth It is called Beta in Latine quoniam Figuram Luerae Graecae C dum semine turget referre videtur because the figure of it being in seed is somwhat like the Greeke Letter Beta as Columella hath it It is called also Sicula and Sicla by some because it is supposed that it was first brought out of Sicily viz. The White Beet In this place for want of a fitter I shall speake of Spinage because it deserves not a Chapter by it selfe Ob raritatem in usu medico which made the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being seldom used in Physick yet amongst Sallets and Pot-herbs there be few more common Some Latine Authors call it Spinachia and Spinaccum others Spanachia supposing it grew originally in Spaine and Olus Hispanicum The Kinds There be nine sorts of Beets and but three of Spinage with put together will make up a Dozen 1. The Common white Beet 2. The Common red Beet 3. The Comon greene Beet 4. The Roman red Beet 5. The Italian Beet 6. Prickly Beets of Candy 7. Sea Beets 8. Yellow Beet 9. Flat stalked Beet 10. The greater Spinage with Prickly Seeds 11. Thelesser Spinage with prickly Seeds 12. Spinage with smooth seeds Spinage sometimes beareth no seed but that is only by accident The Form The Common white Beet hath many great Leaves next the Ground of a whitish greene colour the stalke is great strong and ribbed or crested bearing great store of Leaves
forms yet if you break any of them gently you may easily perceive a certaine Sinew in the middest of them which will declare it to be of this sort The Places and Time Chick-weeds some grow among bushes and bryers old Walls gutters of houses and shadowy places some in Woods and by water-sides and others upon Mountaines and rocky places Some of them are greene all the Winter sending forth their flowers in the beginning of Spring and their seeds quickly after others are later not flouring till June and July The Temperature Chickweed is cold and moist and of a waterish substance and therefore it cooleth without any binding or astriction as Galen saith The Vertues As those herbs hitherto appropriated to the Liver are for the most part to be used inwardly so Chick-weed may be applyed outwardly to the Region of the Liver the herb being bruised or Cloathes or Spunges dipped in the juice thereof which may be renewed when they be dry to the great reliefe of those that are greived with the heat of the Liver for it doth coole it wonderfully The Decoction also taken inwardly cooleth and tempereth the blood inflamed in Agues the heat of the Stomack and Liver breaking out into the Lips procureth Appetite being lost or become weake is used in Hectick Feavours and asswageth the heat of the back and Urine It is also effectuall for the Jaundise if it be stamped and streined into stale Ale or White-Wine and dranke first and last for five dayes together The Leaves boiled with Marsh-mallow rootes in Water till they be very soft adding thereunto some Hogs-grease Powder of Fenugreeke and Linseed do make a very good Pultis to be applyed to Swellings or Impostumes for the ripening breaking of them to take away swellings oâ— the Legges or of any part to case members that are shrunke up to comfort Wounds in Sinewy places to defend foule malignant virulent Ulcers from Inflammation during the cure to dissolve those swellings that will not willingly be digested or come to suppuration Being boiled in Vinegar and Salt it is good against the rednesse in the Face Wheales Pushes Itch Scabs St. Anthonies fire c and so is the juice either simply used or boiled with Hogs-grease only and applyed which also helpeth Cramps Convulsions and Palsyes The Juice or distilled-distilled-Water is of much good use for all Heat and Rednesse of the eyes if some of it be dropped into them as also into the Eares to ease the paine of them and is of good effect to ease the paines heat and sharpnesse of blood in the Piles and generally all paines in the body that arise of Heat The juice sâ—â—ffed up into the Nose Pâ—rgeth rotten filth from the Head and drunk with Honyed-Wine or Water it purgeth the Belly and is good for the Stone in the Kidneys and the Dropsy It hath all the Vertues of Pellitory of the Wall and of Purslane too saving only that it is not used with meat and therefore it helpeth the Tooth-ach being boyled in Vinegar and the mouth gargled therewith Little birds in Cages especially Linnets are refreshed with it when they loath their meat the lesser sort is called Passerâ—na by some So much for the Liver in particular The Diseases usually proceeding there from are the Jaundise and the Dropsy For the former it will be needlesse to enlarge particularly because there is scarcely a Simple appropriated to the Liver which will not serve for the Jaundise especially the yellow And therefore I shall proceed to those that have a more specifick Vertue for curing the Dropsy for many there be more effectuall for that purpose then any yet spoken of and most of them are remedies for the Jaundise also CHAP. CLXXXIX Of the Elder The Names IT is called by Dioscorides and other Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is a lover of the Brinks and shadowy banks of Rivers and Ditches as the most learned suppose and this name is retained by Paracelsus and the moderne Chymistâ— in whose Writings there is frequent mention of Granorum Actes In Latine it is usually called Sambâ—â—us from Sambyx the first finder of it yet some think that it should rather be called Sabucus from the likenesse that the musicall Instrument called Sabuck or Sambuck hath with its hollow and pith-emptied Rods. The English call it the Elder-Tree the Scot Boor-Tree or Bore Tree perhaps because the pith being done forth it seemeth as if it were bored The Kinds Matthiolus and others speake of Eight kinds thereof 1. Ordinary Elder 2. White berried Elder 3. Jagged Elder 4. Red berried Elder 5. March Elder 6 The Golder Rose or Rose Elder 7. Wall-wort Dane-Wort or Dwarfe Elder which is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. humilis Sambucus in Latine Ebulus 8. Jagged Wall-Wort The Form The Elder-Tree which in figure is somewhat like the Ash sendeth forth its Branches very plentifully covered with a Grayish or Ashcoloured Bark as to the outward view under which there is another of a greene colour and under that next to the Wood one that is yellow and succulent within which is contained a white and Fungous Pith the Leaves are somwhat like those of the Wall-Nut-Tree but lesse consisting of five and seaven upon a Stalke a little nicked about the edges of a faire sad green colour but smelling somwhat rank and strong From the tops of the branches do Spring many broad Tufts or umbells of Flowers which by their â—all give place to small round berries first greene then ruddy lastly of a black dark purple colour full of a purplish Winy juice containing in them some small flat Seeds or graines the Root is great and thick spreading farre about of all Wild Plants it is the first that putteth forth his Leaves and the last that sheddeth them The Places and Time There is not a Town nor scarcely a feild where the first groweth not being Planted commonly for Moundes because of its speedy growth The Second was found by Tragus in the Woodes of Germany The Third groweth wild on hills in watery Woods The fourth is not found but in the Gardens of the curious The fifth is found by waters sides and in moorish grounds The sixth is nursed up only in Gardens The seaventh groweth wild in many places as in the Abby Orchard at St. Albans in the feilds between Bloxham and Milton in Oxfordshire and in divers other places most of these sorts Flower about Midsummer but Dane-wort because it riseth out of the ground eâ—ery yeare flowreth not so soone The Fruit of the former is commonly ripe in August that of the last not before September The Temperature Elder is hot and dry in the second and third degree and Danewort would be of the same quality if it were not somwhat hotter The Signature and Vertues The Pith of the Elder being pressed with ones finger doth Pit and receive the Print of them therein as the Legs and Feet of Hydropick persons doe
therefore saith Crollius that excellent Author in his book of Signatures the juice of Elder and the Distilled-Water of Jews-Ears which I have treated of in the seaventy eight Chap â— of this worke upon another occasion though they never grow but upon the Elder-Tree are profitable in the Dropsy which is a Disease for the most part Caused by Coldnesse of the Liver because the Blood-making Faculty being vitiated and corrupted many watery humours fall into the Abdomen or belly between the skin and the flesh for the removing of which Elder is of great Vertue For not only the juice and Water of Jews-Earsâ— but that of the Flowers as also the berries green or dry are often given with good successe to helpe the Dropsy by evacuating great plenty of waterish Humours the barke of the Root also boyled in Wine or the juice or distilled water thereof two Ounces being taken fasting and two houres before Supper worketh the same effect yea more readily then any of the former the juice of the root taken provoketh Vomit mightily and purgeth the Watery humours of the Dropsy but not without trouble to the Stomack The yellow middle or if you will the undermost barke is commended by its Signature for the Yellow Iaunndise by the said Crollius which must therefore be sleeped in Wine with one or two Jewes-Eares of which strained drink a good Draught morning and evening The distilled Water thereof or a Syrup made of its juice may be used to the same purpose For besides that they Open the Belly and Evacuate hurtfull humors the Medicines prepared of this Bark have great Vertue to open all Obstructions Six drops of the Spirit of Elder-salt taken in broth is commended in the Scurvy The decoction of the Root in Wine cureth the Biting of Venemous beasts as also of a mad Dogge and mollifyeth the hardnesse of the Mother if Women sit therein and openeth the Veines and bringeth down the Courses the berries boiled in Wine perform the same effects the Haire of the Head or of any other part washed therewith is made black The juice of the green Leaves applyed to the inflammation of the Eyes asswageth them and the Leaves boiled till they be tender then mixed and beaten with Barly meale asswageth inflammations â—n any other part helpeth places that are burnt with fire or scalded with Water cureth fistulous Ulcers being laid thereupon and easeth the paines of the Gout being beaten and boiled with the tallow of a Bull or Goat and â—â—id warme thereto The Powder of the seeds first prepared in Vinegar and then taken in Wine halfe a dramme at a time for certaine dayes together is a meane to abate and consume the flesh of a corpulent body and to keep it lean Should I give you all the Vertues of Elder at large I should much exceed the usuall Limits of a Chapter and therefore I shall only give you a Breviat of them and referre you to that learned peece of Dr. Martâ—n Blockwich called the Anatomy of Elder where you may satisfy your selfe perfectly of every particular There is hardly a Disease from the Head to the Foot but it cures for besides the Vertues I have allready mentioned it is profitable for the Head-ach for Ravings and Wakings Hypocondriack Mellancholy the Falling-sicknesse the Apoâ—â—exy and Palsy 〈…〉 rrius Toâ—â—h-ach Deafenesse want of smelling Blemishes of the 〈◊〉 and Head Diseases of the mouth and Throat the infirmities of the Lungs Hâ—â—sting and Hearsenesse the Pleurify and Ptisick Womens brests being sore swooning and P 〈…〉 esse in Feavours the Plague Pox Measles Diseases of the Stomack the VVormes and other Diseases of the Gutts the Hemorrhoides the Stone Diseases of the Matrix c Neither is there any part about this Tree without its use The Leaves Berries Seeds Root and Barkes I have allready spoken of Of the flowers are made conserves a Syrup and Hony Water and Spirits Vinegar and Oxy 〈…〉 a Wine Oyle c The young shoots boiled like Asparageâ— and the young Leaves and Stalkes boiled in fat broth draweth forth mightily Choler and tough Phlegme and so do the tender Leaves eaten with Oyle and Salt The VVood serveth to make Skewets for Butchers and divers other things The Pith in the middle of the Stalkes being dryed and put into the holes of hollow and fistulous Ulcers that are ready to close openeth and dilateth the Orifices whereby injections may be use and other remedies applyed for the cure of them and may be used to keep open Issues insteed of a Pease It is said that if a Horse that cannot stale be strucken gently with a Stick hereof and some of the Leaves be bound under his Belly it will make him stale quickly It is said also that if a branch hereof be put into the trench where a Mole is it will either drive him forth or kill him there The Mountaine or Red-berried 〈◊〉 hath the properties that the common Elder hath but much weaker The Marsh Elder is of the like purging quality with the common sort especially the beâ—â—ies or juice of them The Danewort is not only more powerfull then the Elder for all the forementioned purposes but hath particular Vertues that are not in the other or at least are nothing so prevalent The juice of the root of Danewort applyed to the Throat healeth the Quinsy or Kings-Evill the Fundament likewise is stayed from falling down if the juice thereof be put therein The Powder of the Seedes taken in the Decoction of Ground-Pine with a little Cinamon to the quantity of a dram at a time is an approved remedy both for the Gout Joynt-Aches and Sciatica and also for the French disease for it easeth the paines by withdrawing the humors from the places affected and by drawing forth those humors that are fluent peccant and offensive and so doth the Powder of the Root used as aforesaid Wine wherein the root hath been steeped a night seldome faileth to drive away an Ague at the second taking An Oyntment made in May with the Leaves hereof May-butter is highly esteemed by many as a soveraigne remedy for all outward paines Aches and Cramps in the Joynts Nerves or Sinewes for starcknesse and Lamenesse coming by cold or any other Casualty and generally to warme comfort and strengthen all the outward parts being ill affected as also to mollify the hardnesse and to open the obstructions of the Spleene the greived parts being annointed therewith CHAP. CLXXXX Of Soldanella The Names NOtwithstanding the dissimilitude that this Plant hath with any of the Cole-worts yet it is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Dioscorides and others whom the Latines following have called Brassica marina not without great oversight in both Neither are some of our English Writers to be excused who follow their Authors to the very heeles and call it Sea Cole-wort But some Latine Authors considering the unreasonablenesse of the former name have called it Soldana Soldanella à consolidando and
the year which do helpe to stirr up an appetite to meat to help Obstructions of the Spleen and to provoke Urine The Broom Rape is commended by some to be as good as Asparagus taken when they are young and eaten either raw or boyled but they are somewhat bitter The decoction thereof in wine is thought to be as effectuall to avoid the stone in the Kidnies and Bladder and to provoke Urine as the Broom it self The juyce thereof is Singular good to cure as well green wounds as old and filthy sores and malignant Ulcers Being put into oyle Olive and set in the Sun for certain dayes it taketh away all Spots Lentiles Freckles Pimples Wheales and Pushes from the face or any part of the body being anointed therewith All the lesser sorts have the same qualities and may be conducible to the same diseases but some stronger some weaker But the most effectuall of all the Brooms is the Spanish kind which hath not onely all the properties aforesaid very exactly but others also It purgeth both upwards and downwards especially the seed which being taken to the quantity of a dram in Meade or honyed water purgeth by vomit as Hellebore doth yea without trouble or danger An Oxymel or Syrupe made of the Flowers Seed and Vinegar often used breaketh healeth all Impostumes of the Spleen by causing the corrupt matter to void it self and draweth humors from the Joynts CHAP. CXCIV Of the Ash-Tree The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin Fraxinus quia facilè frangiâ—ur because the boughs of it are easily broken The seed or rather the inner kernel therof is called Lingua Avis and Lingua Passerina from the form thereof being like unto a Birds Tongue in English Ash-Keyes and of some Kitkeyes and Peter keyes The Tree is called the Ash because its barke is of the colour of Ashes The wild Ash which I here add because of its name is very probable to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fraxinus montana of Theophrastus which Pliny calleth Ornus of some Orneoglossum Fraxinus sylvestris Fraxinea arbor Fraxinus aucuparia because Boyes and Fowlers use the Berries as Baites to catch Blackbirds Thrushes c. In the English the Wild Ash but more generally Traxinus bubula the Quicken-Tree The Kinds There be no more sorts then what I have already mentioned viz. 1. The Common great Ash 2. The wild Ash or Quicken-tree The Forme The Ash commonly riseth up with a straight body sometimes to a very great thickness but commonly of a middle sise and is covered with a smooth barke of a grayish colour spreading reasonable wel and bearing long winged Leavs consisting of others which stand by couples one over against another the uttermost onely being excepted which standeth alone all which are long narrow gentle of a pale green colour and dented about the Edges at sundry joynts with the Leaves cometh forth a bunch of flowers and after them a bunch of seeds commonly called keyes tasting somewhat strong and hot in the mouth there be sometimes small round Balls called Apples growing therein but not in every place The timber of it contrary to the branches is strong and tough and therefore is much used in Coaches Carts Ploughes and other instruments of Husbandry but especially to make Pikes for Souldiers The Places and Times The Ash for its usefulnesse both for Timber and Firewood is planted generally throughout the whole Land both in high and Low grounds yet experience tells us that it thriveth best in moist low grounds and by meddow sides The Quicken-Tree groweth in the Woods by High-Gate and in divers other parts And particularly amongst Trees in the walk between Shaford and Gorehambery The Balles or Apples of the Ash come forth in the end of Winter the leaves and flowers of both in the Spring and the seed and fruit is ripe in September The Temperature The Leaves and Bark of the Ash-Tree are dry and moderately hot the seed is hot and dry in the second degree The Vertues There is scarce any part about the Ash but is good for the Dropsy The Leaves and Bark with the tender Crops boiled in Wine and drunk are excellent for it for they purge Water and so doth the Water that is distilled from the Leaves Barke or Seed The young Rootes also boiled in Ale and a draught thereof drunk morning and evening is profitable for the same The said Leaves and Bark boiled in Wine and drunk do likewise open and comfort the Lâ—ver and Spleene and ease the paines and Stitches of the sides and so will they do being boiled in Oyle and applyed to them outwardly and being used in the same manner it is singular good against the biting of the Viper Adder or any other venemous beast to which purpose the seed may also be drunk in Wine according to that Verse of Serenus Fraxineum semen cum Bacchi rore bâ—bendum est The Leaves and Barke are reported to stop the Belly and being boiled with Vinegar and Water do stay Vomiting if they be laid upon the Stomack Three or foure Leaves taken in Wine every morning constantly doth make those leane which are fat and keepeth them from grossnesse which begin to wax fat and so doth the distilled Water of the Keyes a small quantity taken every morning The Decoction of the Leaves in White Wine helpeth to break the Stone and expell it and cureth the Jaundise The seeds having their Huskes taken off prevaile against Stitcâ—â—s and paines in the sides proceeding of Wind and the Stone by provoking Urine They are commended also for the Rickets to increase naturall seed to stir up bodily lust especially being powdered with Nutmegs and drunk The Lye which is made of the ashes of the barke cureth those Heads which are Leprous Scabby or Scal'd being bathed therewith The Leaves of the Wild Ash boiled in Wine are good against the paines in the sides the stoppings of the Liver and asswageth the bellies of those which have the Tympany or Dropsy CHAP. CLXXXXV Of the Sassafras or Ague-Tree The Names THe use of this Ingredient is of late Invention therefore it were in vaine to seek for the Greek name It is called in Latine Sassafras which is also the French and Spanish name but why they called it so is unknown yet the French were the first that discovered the Vertues of it to the Christian world For at their being neere the Florida they got Agues and Swellings in their Legges which as I conceive was the Dropsy and other diseases by lying on the ground and intemperate dyet which they used for which they could get no cure untill they had learned the use of this Tree from the Natives who call it Pavame and Winanke All other Countryes call it Sassafras and amongst them the English who call it also the Ague-Tree from its Vertue in healing the Ague There is hereof but one kind and therefore
going away of the Sunne The flowers are somwhat large and white consisting of eight Leaves smelling very sweet having foure small white threds standing in the middle about a little knob which afterward groweth to be the fruit which is like a Kidney-Beane-cod when it is ripe but much larger wherein is contained a black substance or pulp amongst which the seed lyeth having divers strings running through it of a sharpe sweet tast very pleasing to the Palate and Stomack the seed is square and somwhat flat The Places and Time This Tree is by most supposed to grow in India yet others say it groweth in Arabia whence the fruit is brought into the Indies It continueth greene all the Winter but at what time it giveth its flowers and ripe fruit is not recorded The Temperature Tamarinds are cold and dry in the second degree or in the beginning of the third The Vertues The two former Simples being hot are to be used in cold affects of the Spleene and therefore I have set down this next which is cold which may be used in the hot distempers thereof for the Pulpe of Tamarinds openeth the Obstructions of the Spleene as well as Liver and taken with Borage Water it quickneth the Spirits dulled by Melancholy and somwhat mitigateth the fits of the Phrensy and Madnesse It purgeth Choler and adust humors and is therefore beneficiall in acute Feavers stayeth Vomiting cooleth Inflammations of the Liver and Stomack and also of the reines and back and helpes the running of the Reines It is profitable against all breakings out of the skin which arise from heat of the blood or from Salt or sharp Water running between the flesh and the skin Scab Itch Leprosy and such like It doth stay all Rheumes and distillations being taken with some Sugar and the Water of Maiden-haire It doth exceedingly quench thirst if an Ounce thereof be dissolved in faire Water and a little Sugar mixed therewith or taken of it selfe expelleth hot or burning Agues and procureth an appetite It is excellent in Erysipilas or Wild-fire bleeding of the Nose arising from Choler and Womens fluxes as also the Yellow Jaundise Both Leaves and Pulpe applyed outwardly do coole all hot Inflammations and Wheales Pimples and such like CHAP. CCIV. Of Spleene-Wort or Milt-Wast The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asplenium and Splenium as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scolopendrium and Scolopendra the two first Names being given unto it quia Splenem juvat because it helpes the Spleene the later from the likenesse it hath with that rough Creature called the beare Worme which Anglers somtimes use Theophrastus calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the likenesse it hath with Ferne as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Galen translateth Mula herba The Arabians call it Ceterach which is the name by which it is best known in shops but it is called also Spleene-wort Milt-wast and Scale-ferne The rough Spleene-wort is called Asplenium silvestre Asplenium magnum Scrutiopteris Lonchitis aspera Longina â—t Calabrina In English Rough Spleene-wort or Milt-wast The Kinds I think I may without falshood reckon up Nine sorts of Spleene-wort the Mules Ferne being a kind thereof 1. Smooth Spleen-wort 2. The greater rough Spleen-wort 3. The smaller rough Spleen-wort 4. Bastard rough Spleen-wort 5. Island rough Spleen-wort 6. The greater Mules ferne 7. The lesser Mules ferne 8. Strong Mules-ferne 9. Mules-Ferne with divided Leaves The Form Spleen-wort hath many Leaves which after they attaine to their full growth want but little of a span long jagged of cut upon both sides even almost to the middle ribbe every Cut or jagge being as it were halfe round whereby it is known from the rough Spleen-wort which is slashed on the edges quite to the middle ribbe not one cut over against another but one besides the other set in severall orders being slippery and green on the upperside and of a darke yellowish roughnesse underneath which is conceived to be the seed at its first coming up it foldeth and rouleth it selfe inwards as Ferne commonly doth with many haires growing on the outside so that it lookes like unto the rough Beare Worme before remembred the root is small black and rough much platted or interlaced having neither stalke nor flower The Places and Time The first groweth as well upon Stone walles as Rockes and in moist and shadowy places of this land especially in the Westerne parts at Bristow Bath Welles and Salisbury on Framingham Castle-Walles on the Church of Beckensfield in Barkshire Strowd in Kent c The second groweth in the moist Moores of Italy the third and fourth in moist Groves both there and in Germany and with us upon Hampsteed-Heath the fift in Ilva an Island of the Tirrhene Sea The natural places of the foure last are shadowy Rocks and moist hollow places where little heat of the Sunne commeth They all continue greene both Winter and Summer The Temperature These plants are hot and dry in the first degree of very thin and subtile parts The Signature and Vertues The learned Crollius amongst the Signatures of parts doth set down Ceterach which is the first kind above mentioned to have the Signature of the Spleen and that therefore it is profitable for all the diseases and infirmities thereof especially those that cause it to grow big and there it is called Miltwast for it diminisheth it not onely in men but in beasts also for Vitruvius saith that the swine in Candy where there is store thereof by feeding thereon were found without Spleens and it is said also that when Asses are oppressed with Melancholy they eate thereof and so ease themselves of the Swelling of the Spleen It is effectuall also for the yellow Jaundise and consequently for the stoppings of the Liver and to stay the Hicket which is a distemper which happens not seldome to the mouth of the Stomack It helpeth the Srangury and Stone in the Bladder causing it to moulder and passe away without any great pain but the use of it in women hindereth Conception and is therefore to be avoided by them that desire Children If a dram of the dust scraped from the Backside of the Leaves be mixed with half a dram of Amber in powder and taken with the juyce of Purslane or Plantain it will help the running of the Reines speedily It helpeth Melancholy diseases also and those which rise from the French disease if the herb and root be boiled and taken but they must not be boyled very long for then the strength will evaporare especially of the Leaves The distilled water is good against the Stone both in the Reines and Bladder and the Lye made of the Ashes thereof being drunk for sometime together helpeth Spleenetick persons for which purpose the herb may be boiled a little and applied warm to the Region of the Spleen CHAP. CCV Of Harts-Tongue The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 Phyllitis quasi foliosa because it hath many long Leaves growing without any stalk which name is sometimes given it by the Latines but they call it also Lingua Cervina from the similitude it hath with an Hearts-Tongue which is the name that the English have taken up In former times the Apothecaries called it Scolopendrium but that error is now sufficiently manifested and left The Kinds The sorts of Harts-Tongue which I find mentioned by Authors are three 1. Ordinary Hearts-Tongue 2. Iagged Hearts-Tongue which is also called Finger Ferne and Finger Hearts-Tongue because the tops of the leaves thereof are divided into parts like unto the Fingers of a mans hand 3. Branched Hearts-Tongue according to Alphinus The Form Ordinary Hearts-Tongue hath divers Leaves rising from the Root every one severall which at their first springing up are crumpled and foâ—ded as Spleenwort and Fern are at theirs but after they have spread themselves to their full proportion they almost a foot long smoth and green above but hard or with little sap in them and straked on the back overthwart on both sides of the middle rib with small and somewhat long brownish marks the bottoms of the Leaves are a little bowed on each side of the middle rib somewhat narrow with the length and somewhat small at the end the root is of many black threds folded or interlaced together The Places and Time The first groweth in shadowy places and moist stony vallies in the Western parts and is much planted in Gardens in every Country by those that have delight in Physicall herbs The second groweth upon Ingleborough hills and divers other mountaines in the North of England It beareth no flower but is green all the year long bringing forth new Leaves in the Summer time The Temperature Hearts-Tongue is of a binding and drying faculty but whether it be hot or cold is set down by few and those disagree concerning it The Signature and Vertues Crollius writeth also that Hearts-Tongue hath the Signature of the Spleen as indeed it very manifestly hath being in Figure somewhat long as the Leafe of this herbe is Neither hath it this Signature for nothing for there is no Simple whatsoever that is more effectuall for all the Diseases of the Mâ—lt then this is for if it be loose or too much opened this bringeth it to its right temper and so likewise if it be swollen hard or stopped the decoction thereof in Wine being drunk and the herb it self after it is boyled laid to the greived place It is also commended against the hardnesse and stopping of the Liver and against the heat both of it and the Stomack It is very good likewise to stop lasks and the bloody Flix Spitting of blood the Termes and all other Fluxes Posset drink made of the Milk wherein it hath been boiled drunk warm or sodden in water till the Third part be boiled away and afterwards streined and one part thereof drunk with two parts of good white wine it expelleth the Stone and Gravell The like quantity of Hearts-Tongue Knot-grasse and Comfrey Roots being boiled in Water and a draught of the decoction drunk every morning and the Materialls which are taken out thereof applyed to the place is a notable remedy for such as are burst It is profitable also in the Jaundise Kings-Evill and against the bitting of Venemous beasts The herb or juyce applyed doth cleanse Wounds and Ulcers very wonderfully The distilled Water is commended by divers against the passion of the Heart to stay the Hicket to help the Falling of the Pallate and to stay the bleeding of the Gummes if the mouth be gargled therewith Mr. Culppeper commendeth the Syrupe thereof for strengthening the Liver which may be allowed of but the hardnesse of his beliefe as to the growing of it green all the year sheweth him to be one very little versed concerning the times of Plants and silly also in doubting of that which he himself saith Authors much more skillfull then himself do affirm CHAP. CCVI. Of Fern. The Names THe Male kind is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pteris and Pterion without any composition the Leavâ—s thereof being like unto the wings of birds Nicander calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Filâ—x mas in Latine The Female is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thelypteris and Nymphaapteris In Latin Fâ—lix Foemina in English Brake and Common Fern. There is a third kind which is called in Latin for it had no Greek name Osmunda Regalis of the Singular properties therein it hath other Latin names also as Filicastrum Filix florida or florescens Filix palustris or Aquaâ—â—ca c. It is called in English Osmund Ferne Osmundum the Waterman Osmund Royall and St. Christophers herb The Kinds Under the generall appellation of Fern are comprehended these seven sorts 1. The Common male Fern 2. The prickly male Fern 3. Sweet smelling Fern 4. Common Female Fern 5. Dented Female Fern 6. Sharp Female Fern 7. Osmund or Water Fern. The Forme The Common Male Fern sendeth forth divers hard rough unbranched stalkes of winged Leaves naked towards the bottom for a little space but afterwards hath many Leaves on each side up to the tops with one at the end not fully opposite each of them being deeply nicked on the Edges of a paâ—e green coulor hard and without sap broadest at the bottom and smallest towards the Top. It hath no flower yet Mr. Parkinson affirmes that it hath seed growing on the back side of the Leaves in the form of certain brownish small spots by the falling of which it is increased and so are all other sorts of Ferns and Capillary herbs whereby it appears that they were in an Error which held that it had no seed not knowing or at least not taking notice of the place in Genesis Chap. 11. 12. The root hereof is made of many thick black threads descending from a brown scaly thick head The Places and Time The first groweth on Heathes and open places of hills and sometimes in woods and shadowy places by the sides of fields more or lesse in every Country of this Land the second groweth in the like places also but very rarely the third in the Forrest of Savernake in Wiltshire The fourth groweth more frequently then the male on barren heaths and shady hedge-sides c. The fifth and sixth grow rather on moist rockes in the shaded hills the last groweth on bogs moors and watery places in severall Countries of this Land as on Hampsted heath and by an hedge-side in a medow on the left hand of the way that goes from St. Albans to Windridge c. The Leaves of all these sorts periâ—h commonly in the Winter but shoot up new from the root in the Spring which at their first rising are brownish and folded round The seed of the former six which groweth on the back
side of the Leafe is ripe about Midsummer but the seventh hath a long bush of small and more yellowish green scaly Agletts as it were which are accounted as the Flower and seed grow in up in July or there abouts The Temperature Fern is of a hot and dry quality and also bitter and somewhat binding The Vertues The Roots of any of the above named Ferns being bruised and boiled in Meade or honeyed water abateth the swelling and hardnesse of the Spleen and killeth both broad and long wormes in the belly The green Leaves eaten are said to open the belly and move it downwards purging both cholick and watery humors but it troubleth the Stomack and causeth barrennesse in Women The Roots being bruised or boiled in Oyle or Hogs-grease maketh a very good oyntment to heale wounds punctures or pricks in any part which is good also against bruises and strengtheneth those bones which are either broken or out of Joynt and giveth much ease to the Cholick and Splenetick diseases if the parts greived be anointed therewith especially those of the water Ferne whose decoction may be taken inwardly for the same purposes It restoreth strength to the Sinews a basket full of the Leaves being boiled in good store of Water and every part at least that which is afflicted bathed therein and therefore may be good for the Palsy which is a resolution of the Sinews The powder of the root used in foule Ulcers dryeth up their malignant moisture and causeth their speedier healing It is excellent good for the Rickets in Children a dyet drink being made of it and other capillary herbs and given often It is an Ingredient in the Oyntment called Unguentum Agrippa which is good to anoint the Bellies of such as have the Dropsy The smoake of it being burned driveth away Serpents gnats and other noisome Creatures from those places which are molested with them I read that in Warwickshire the good Houswives use the Female Ferne instead of Sope making it up about Mid-Summer in balls which when they will use they burn untill it become blewish and then lay it a side to dissolve into powder like Lime which will do the deed In France as in Dutchy of Main c. a kind of a thick or dark coloured green glasse is made of the Ashes of Fern and the like might be done in England if it be not put to that use already CHAP. CCVII. Of Capers The Forme IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Capparis also in Latin we in England call them Capperis Caper and Capers according to the Greek and Latin which all Nations follow as neer as their Dialect will permit yet Gaza the Interpreter of Theophrastus calleth it Inturis and Pliny seemeth to thinke it was the Cynosbatos of Dioscorides which was indeed the bastard name thereof in those times Hereunto is added Capparis fabago sive Leguminofa Bean Capers The Kinds Unto this kind there may without any great breach of affinity be referred these five sorts 1. Rough Leaved Thorny Capers 2. Thorny Capers with pointed Leaves 3. Egyptian Capers without thorns 4. Great Capers of Arabia 5. Bean Capers The Form The Caper is a prickly shrub sending forth divers long weak trailing wooddy stalkes lying round about upon the ground unlesse they be propped up which are full of sharp prickly thornes like hooks as the bramble at each joynt whereof come forth two round Leaves like those of Asara Bacca opposite one unto another from whence Springeth also a small round head upon a pretty long foot-stalke for the flower which being gathered before it open pickled up in Barrels with great Salt is the Caper in use amongst us but being let alone putteth forth four white sweet smelling Leaves with four other green ones as the husk wherein they stand having many yellowish threds and a long pestle in the middle which groweth to be the fruit and is when it is ripe long and round like any Olive or Acorn conteining divers hard brown seeds like unto Grape-kernels The root is long and wooddy and covered with a thick bark or rind which is much used in Physick The Places and Times The two first grow in Italy Spaine and some parts of France without manuring but that with pointed Leaves is not so frequent as the other The third groweth in Egypt as the title declareth the fourth in Arabia the fifth in the Low Countries The stalkes of the two first perish every Winter shooting forth new Stalkes and Leaves in the Spring and Flowring shortly after but their fruit is not ripe untill September the other two have the same times of flowring and fructifying but keep their old Leaves yet shooting forth some fresh ones every Spring the last flowereth and seedeth in the end of Summer The Temperature The bark of the root of Capers consisteth of various qualities for first it is extream bitter next sharp then sower by the bitternesse it cleanseth purgeth and cutteth by the sharpnesse it heateth cutteth and digesteth and by the Sowernesse it contracteth thickneth and bindeth The Capers themselves are hot and of thin parts The Vertues Galen whose skill in Physick was inferior to none saith the barke of the Roots of Capers is a Medicine above all others available for the hardnesse of the Spleen whether it be applyed outwardly of it self or mixed with other things to anoint the place or the roots boyled in Vinegar or Oxymel and taken inwardly or the powder of the root mixed with the said Decoction and taken for it is certaine that it purgeth grosse and Slimy humors not onely by Urine but by Stool also and many times it bringeth away with it congealed corrupted blood and thereby giveth much ease to those that are troubled with the Gouts or Palsies with the Sciatica or Hipgout weaknesse of the Sinews and for women that have their Courses Stopped to procure them The same made in a Pultis and applyed is an especiall Remedy to help foul Ulcers for it cleanseth and dryeth them mightily and is also good for hard Swellings under the Eares and the Kings-Evill It draweth also from the Head and other parts those offensive humors which are the Originall cause of the Rickets Ruptures Convulsions and Cramps and thereby giveth much ease The said Roots boiled in Oyle and dropped into the Eares easeth the paines and killeth the Wormes breeding in them The Capers being washed from the Salt and steeped in Vinegar and so eaten are both meat and Medicine for they cause appetite open the stopping of the Liver and Milt and consume cold Phlegme in the Stomack being boiled in Vinegar they help the Tooth-ach and so doth the dryed Bark of the Root which decoction serveth also to clense all manner of filth of the skâ—n all filthy sores and white scurfe and hard-swellings The Oyle that is made of Capers is of very good use against the paines of the sides and Spleene against Hypocondriack Melancholy the Rickets c
the afflicted part being bathed therewith by a good fire The three last sorts are of very little or no use amongst us CHAP. CCVIII Of the Tamariske-Tree The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying infinitus from the abundance of little Leaves wherewith it is adorned In Latine also Myrica and Tamarix but of divers Tamarisus which cometh from the Hebrew word Tamarik signifieth Abstersio quia magnam abstergendvim habet of its great force in clensing The Kinds Heretofore there were only two sorts of Tamariske known one great and bearing Galles the other small and bearing none but now there are five sorts found out which belong to this kind 1. The French or finer leafed Tamarisk 2. The Germaine or broader Leafed Tamarisk 3. White Tamarisk 4. Aegyptian Tamarisk which beareth Galles 5. Sea Tamarisk The Forme The French or finer Leafed Tamarisk which I take to be that which groweth most ordinarily in England attaineth not to any great bignesse in this Country though in others it is said to have the bignesse of a great thick and tall-Tree with many spreading slender branches whose Bark is somewhat thick and rugged of a dark reddish colour the younger shootes being reddish at the first green afterwards and blackish when they are dry but the Leaves as long as they be growing are of a whitish green colour crisped as it were somwhat like unto Heath but finer and smaller The flowers grow spike fashion being purplish at the first but white when they are blown open consisting of five Leaves a peece which turn into down with the small seed in them and falleth away as that of the Willow and Poplar doth The Places and Time The first groweth by the Rivers sides and in other moist and gravelly places not only in Narbone and about Mompelier in France but in divers parts of Spain also The second groweth in Germany as well neere unto the River of Rhene as about that of Danubius yet not without some difference The third did grow in the Garden of one Mr. Ward at his house at Boram in Essex The fourth in Arabia Aegypt and the places thereabouts The last groweth upon the Sea Coasts in Flanders They flower about the end of May or in June and the seed is ripe and blown away in the beginning of September The Temperature Tamarisk as Galen saith hath a cleansing and cutting quality and manifestly drying it is also somewhat astringent or binding especially the fruit and Bark The Vertues The Root or Leaves or young branches of Tamarisk being boyled in Wine or Vinegar drunk and applyed outwardly also is a very powerfull remedy against the hardnesse of the Spleene The Leaves boiled in Wine and drunk driveth forth Melancholly helpeth Spitting of Blood and the excessive flowing of the termes the bleeding of the Hemorrhodiall Veines and other Fluxes the Jaundâ—se and all other griefes that come of Obstructions The Root sodden with Raisins and drunk helpeth the Lepry because it cleanseth and healeth the Milt whereof the Lepry commeth The Bark and Leaves boyled in Wine and the Mouth and Teeth gargled therewith helpeth the Tooth-ach and being dropped into the Eares it helpeth the paines thereof and is good for the rednesse and watering of the Eyes The said Decoction is also good to wash those that are subject to Nits and Lice and being mixed with a little honey it is effectuall to stay Gangrens and fretting Ulcers A Bath made by boyling a good quantity of the Leaves in store of Water being sat in by those Women whose Matrix is in danger of falling down through loosenesse fasteneth it and the ashes of the Wood applyed to the place stoppeth the excessive flowing thereof The Wood is said to be so powerfull to consume the Spleene that those Hogs which have beene served in Troughes made thereof have beene found without Spleens and therefore it is more then probable that if those which are Splenetick should constantly drink out of Cannes Piggins or Cups made thereof they would find it effectuall for their Disease The Ashes of the Wood made into a Lye with Water is of good use for many of the purposes aforesaid as also to help those blisters which are raised by burning or scalding of fire or water The Aegyptians use the Wood hereof to cure the French disease Leprosy Scabs pushes Ulcers and the like It is available also to help the Dropsy arising from the Hardnesse and Obstructions of the Spleene as also for Melancholy and the black Jaundise that ariseth thereof especially the Bark with the Barks of Ash and Ivy infused in Beere or Ale and drunk Some in cases of necessity use Heath or Ling insteed of Tamarisk CHAP. CCIX. Of Germander The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamaedrys which in English is as much as a dwarfe Oak the Leaves of it being somwhat like to those of the great Oake In Latine Trissago and Trixago and of some Querculaminor yet Chamaedrys is more frequent then either of them in shops or elsewhere in English Germander or English Treacle Tree Germander is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek and Teucrium in Latine à Teucro inventore from one Teucer which first found out the vertues of it in English Tree Germander and upright Germander The Kindes Of both these kinds we may reckon Eighteen sorts 1. The common Germander 2. Great Germander 3. Germander of Naples 4. Jagged Germander or with fine cut Leaves 5. Thorny Germander of Candy 6. Mountaine Germander 7. Rock Germander 8. The greater Bastard Germander 9. The smaller Bastard Germander 10. The least Bastard Germander 11. Common Wild Germander 12. Narrow Leased wild Germander 13. Jagged base Germander of Austria 14. Wild Spanish Germander with fine â—ut Leaves 15. The more common Tree Germander 16. Tree Germander of Candy 17. Tree Germander of Spaine 18. Unsavory-Tree Germander of the Alpes The Form Common Germander shooteth forth very many branches lying on the ground which are tough hard and wooddy spreading themselves here and there whereupon are placed small Leaves sniâ—â— about the edges like the teeth of a Saw and therefore of some called Serratula though improperly resembling the shape of an Oaken Leafe as I said before The flowers are of a purple colour very small standing close to the Leaves towards the top of the branches The seed is little and black the root slender and full of strings which by spreading themselves a great way round about cause it to be very plentifull in a short space where it is once set The Places and Time To set down the places of all the sorts abovenamed would be to little purpose seeing that none of them grow naturally in England save the Eleaventh sort which groweth almost every where I shall therefore referre you to the Gardens of those that delight in Varieties of this Nature where it is probable you may find many of them Some of them flower
upon Mountaines it hath somtimes the Epithite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyned to it in the Greek but more usually Montanum in Latine We in English call it Poley and Poley Mountaine The Kinds And of these Poleys there many be reckoned nine sorts 1. Our ordinary Poley Mountaine 2. Small Spanish upright Poley Mountaine 3. Small French Poley Mountaine 4. Creeping purple Poley Mountaine 5. The smallest creeping white flowred Poley Mountaine 6. Spike Leafed Poley Mountaine 7. Candy Poley with hoary broad Leaves 8. Upright narrow leased Candy Poley 9. The small African dwarfe Poley The Form The ordinary Poley Mountaine is a small low Plant having divers white or hoary round hard branches scarce a foot high whereon are set divers long and small hoary Leaves overlaid as it were with a yellowish white Down somewhat dented about the edges with two alwaies set together on the stalkes as they gâ—ow up at the tops whereof grow forth whitish or hoary yellowish heads thrusting out many small pale coloured flowers and in some places more yellow standing in hoary huskes the seed is small and blackish which it seldome perfecteth in our Land and therefore we slip the branches which being set will grow very well as often as we desire to increase it the whole plant smelleth sweet somwhat strong and quick withall The Places and Time These Plants grow not naturally in England and therefore I shall referre you to the Gardens for them as the Physick Garden at Oxford and that at Westminster where you may find divers of them They do most of them flower in July and August yet some later then others The Temperature Poley is dry in the third degree and hot in the end of the second of a loathsome bitter tast The Vertues Though this Simple be not commonly to be had in the feilds nor in every Garden yet at the Apothecaries shop it may be had at no great expence It is very effectuall to free all the inward parts from obstructions especially the Spleene and Liver which it doth through the bitternesse wherewith it is qualified it being the nature of all bitter things to open Obstructions Neither doth it only open the stopping of the Spleene but helpeth all other diseases thereof or proceeding from it as the swelling thereof the Jaundise and the Dropsy being boiled in Vinegar and Water and the Decoction thereof drunk It is also of wonderfull efficacy to resist Poyson and therefore it is alwaies put into Mithridate Treacle and all other Antidotes or Counterpoysons and to help those that are stung or bitten with Venemous Creatures the Decoction of the herb being drunk whilst it is warme nay it is so Antipatheticall to all Vermine that the fumigation or smoak thereof being burnt drives them away and so doth the herb being strewed or laid in those places that are subject thereunto It moveth the belly and bringeth down the feminine courses and doth consolidate or soder up close the Lips of cuts or wounds if it be applyed to them greene and being dry it healeth grievous sores or Ulcers and this the lesser kind doth best performe which is that also which is used in Mithridate Venice Treacle and the like Notwithstanding all these good qualities it troubleth the Stomack and causeth some paines in the head somtimes CHAP. CCXII. Of Lupines The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thermos in Latine Lupinus Plautus called Lupinus Aurum Comicum because in his time they were used instead of money in such Comedies as had any shew of payment in any Scene thereof But that they were not used for Currant money upon other occasions may be gathered from that Verse of Horace Nec tamen ignorent quid distant ara Lupinis Which sheweth that Counters and Counterfeit monies were easily to be distinguished from true and Currant Coyne In English they are usually called Lupines after the Latin Name yet some call them Fig-beanes after the Dutch name because they are flat and round as a Fig that is pressed and others Flat-beans for the same reason Some have called the yellow Lupine Spanish Violets and other foolish names have been given it as Virginia Roses and the like The Kinds There be Eleaven severall sorts of Lupines 1. The white-Garden Lupine 2. The greater blew Lupine 3. The lesser blew Lupine 4. The smallest blew Lupine 5. The blew Sea Lupine 6. The spotted white Lupine 7. The yellow Lupine 8. The Arabian Lupine 9. A middle sort of great blew Lupine 10. Blush flowered Lupine 11. Lupinus flore obsoleto The Form The white Garden Lupine riseth up with a great round stalk hollow and somewhat woolly with divers branches whereon grow upon long Foot-stalkes many broad Leaves divided into five seven or Nine parts or smaller Leaves equally standing round about as it were in a Circle of a whitish green colour on the upper side and more woolly underneath the Flowers stand many together at severall Joynts both of the greater stalk and the branches like unto Beanes and of a white colour in some places and in others of a very bleak blew tending to white after the flowers are past there come in their places long broad and flat rough Cods wherein are contained round and flat seed yellowish on the inside and covered with a rough white skin and very bitter in tast the roots are not very great but full of small fibres whereby it fasteneth it self strongly in the ground yet perisheth every year as all the rest of these kinds do which differ little from this but onely in the colour of their Flowers for which they are cheifely desired The Places and Time All the sorts above named do grow in the Gardens of those that are curious Lovers of these delights here in England but the first came from Greece where it was anciently cherished for food the Great blew Lupine from Caramania beyond Persia the lesser blew and the yellow sort from Spaine They flower in June and July and their seed is ripe quickly after The Temperature Lupines by reason of their bitternesse do open digest dissolve and cleanse but being steeped some dayes in water they lose their bitterneâ—â—e The Signature and Vertues The Lupine is said by Crollius to have the Signature of the Spleen and therefore the decoction therefore is profitable for those that are Splenetick to which may also be added Rue and Pepper that it may be the pleasanter and more effectuall The said Decoction helpeth to kill and expell all manner of Wormes if it be drunk in a Morning fasting and so doth the Meale hereof taken with Honey or with Water and Vinegar or tempered with an Oxe gall and laid to the navell whilst the party is fasting Though taken often and without preparation they breed grosse and rude humours being hard of digestion and slow in passing thorow the belly yet being steeped and afterwards dryed beaten and taken with some Vineâ— as they cleanse the Stomack help digestion and provoke Appetite
The decoction aforesaid provoketh Urine and Womens Courses and iâ— it be taken with Myrâ—he it expelleth the dead Child A decoction or Lye made with Lupines with Worm-Wood Centaury and Bay Salt added thereto stayeth the spreading and running of a Gangreen being applyed thereto very hot with Cloath or Tow. The simple decoction thereof cleanseth all Scabbes Morphew Cancers Tetters and creeping or running Ulcers and Sores and boiled in Lye it cleanseth the Head from Ulcers Scurfe c. It also cleanseth the face and taketh away the markes that the Pox do leave after their healing and all other markes and black and blew Spoâ—â— in the skin especially if the Meale of Lupines the Gall of a Goate some juyce of Lemmons and sugred Alloâ—â— be made into the form of a soft oyntment and the face anointed therewith going to bed as many women know very well The said Meale being boiled in Vinegar and applyed taketh away pimples and discusseth hard swellings breaketh Carbunkles and Impostumes the burning of the husks driveth away Gâ—ats Flyes c. To these which help the Spleen might be added many other as the Orebus or bitter Vitch Wall flowers Time Coltick Spicknard c. But these are reserved for other parts whereunto they are also serviceable Many also of those handled in the aforegoing part of this work are effectuall for the diseases of this part but because it stands not with our conveniency to treat of every thing that is good for every part when we come to every part that it is good for for then we must treate of the same thing over and over again Therefore the Reader is desired not to be over Strict in censuring these Appropriations because of the diversity of virtues wherewith every plant is endued and because every part may share of the benefit proceeding from some of them And now I shall proceed to the Reines and give you some that may be properly referred to them as also for the Bladder and Stone because most of these plants which are good for the one are good for the other and because the Strangury and Difficulty of making Water proceeds somtimes from the indisposition of these parts and sometimes the indisposition of these parts proceed from the Stone that is the Difficulty of making water some-times causeth the Stone and somtimes the Stone causeth Difficulty of making water I shall speak of all those together which rectifie the Reines and Bâ—â—dder provoke Urine help the Stone and Strangury without any Transition all I have finished what I shall hold necessary for all the purposes aforesaid CHAP. CCXIII. Of Asparagus The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asparagus and according to the Atticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aspharagus yet by its Etymology which is either quia ex asperis virguetis ligitur as Varro or quód in asperá vitgulta nascitur as Pompeius the Grammarian would have it it seemeth to have its originall from the Latin which many other Plants have being afterwards made Greek by some of the Later writers in that Language Galen saith that the first budding of any herb that was used to be eaten after it sprung from the seed was called Asparagus as in Cabbage Lettice c. But that being most usually eaten at that time hath got the name peculiarly to it self It is called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it provoketh lust and Corruda in Latin from Corruo becauâ—e it quickly decyayeth after it is ripe and Sperage Asparagus and Sparagus in English The Kinds There be five sorts of Asparagus 1. Garden Asparagus 2. Sea or wild Asparagus with thicker Leaves 3. Wild Asparagus with sharp Leaves 4. Prickly Rock Asparagus 5. Asparagus with cruel sharp thornes The Forme Garden Sparagus riseth up at the first with divers whitish green scaly heads very brittle or easie to breake while they are young which afterward rise up into very long and slender green Stalks some bigger and some lesser according to the growth of the Roots and the fertility of the ground wherein it is planted but commonly of the bignesse of an ordinary riding Wand at the bottome and as high as a man almost on which are set diveâ—s branches of green Leaves shorter and smaller then Fennel to the top at the Joynts whereof come forth small mossy yellowish flowers which turn into round berries gâ—een at the first and of an excellent red colour like unto beads of Corall when they are ripe wherein are contained black seeds of an exceeding hardnesse The roots are dispersed from a spongious head into many long thick and round strings whereby it sucketh much nourishment out of the ground and sendeth forth many heads therefrom The Places and Time The first groweth usually in Gardens but it is supposed to be the same with the second which groweth in many low Meadows of this Land both in Essex Lincoln and Gloucestershire and that the alteration is made onely by transplanting The third groweth in stony and rocky places neer Salamanca in Spaine The fourth in many stony and ragged places both in Spaine Portugal and Candy the last is very plentifull in the rough and uneven waies about Lisbone The bare tender shootes of Sperage Spring up most familiarly in Aprill then it is that they are most fit for Sallets They flower in June and July and bear their berries late in the year The Temperature The root of Garden Sparagus as also of the wild do cleanse without any manifest heat or drynesse The Signature and Vertues The buds branches or Roots of Asparagus especially of the wild being boiled in Wine do provoke Urine being stopped yea even in those which are troubled with an hardnesse or Difficulty to make water or the Strangury when it cometh by Drops and to expell gravell and the stone out of the Kidnyes which it doth by the Signature which the hardnesse of the seed holdeth forth and helpeth all other paines in the Reines and Back being taken inwardly or the Back and the Belly bathed therewith Being boiled in White Wine or Vinegar it is good for those that have their Arteries loosned or are troubled with the Hip-gout Yellow-Jaundise Falling-Sicknesse the Mother dimnesse of sight and the Tooth-ach if it be gargled in the mouth warme The same also healeth the paines of the breast Stomack and bowells and taken every morning fasting for certain days together it stirreth up bodily lust both in Man Woman The seed is held to be very effectuall also for the purposes aforesaid especially if a good quantity of the Rootes and it be boiled in good store of Water and put into a large vessell where a man may stand or sit up to the middle at least for so it hath beene found effectuall against the paines of the Reines and Bladder the Mother and Cholick and generally against all those grievous torments that happen to the lower parts of the body neither is it lesse effectuall to
by any venemous Creature CHAP. CCXVIII Of the Sweet-smelling Flagge The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acorus and Acorum quia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 medetur because it heâ—peth to cleare a dimme Eye-sight which names are used in Latine also yet some have given it others as Radix nautica Singentiana or unguentis petita And because this is used commonly for Calamus Aromaticus by the Apothecaries though they be different things the one being a Flagge and the other a Reed I shall put them together It is called Calamus Aromaticus and odoratus which in my judgment signify the same though Parkinson maketh a difference but the result of his discourâ—e is that Aroma is a Drugge that hath a strong smell no matter whether it be sweet or no and he instances in Myrrhe and Galbanum in which signification Odor is also taken for we have commonly bonus Odor and malus Odor a sweet and a stinking scent according to the Epithet that is joyned with it and I believe this may be a reason of those suppositions that the Antients counted those things sweet which are not sweet to us This is that Calamus mentioned in the 30 of Exodus verse 23. The Kinds Though Acorus and Calamus Aromaticus may not properly be said to be of the same kinds yet I shall put them together and one more 1. The sweet smelling Flag or Calamus of the Shops 2. The supposed true Syrian or Arabian Aromaticall Reed 3. Matthiolus his Aromaticall Reed The Forme The sweet smelling Flagge hath many Flaggy long and narrow fresh greene Leaves two foot long a piece yet many times somwhat brownish towards the bottome the one rising or growing out of the side of another in the same manner that other Flagges or Flowerdeluces do thin on both sides and ridged or thick in the middle the longest for the most part standing in the midst all of them smelling very sweet which dye every yeare yet when they are dead they keep their smell new ones rising in their steed the next Spring after it hath grown three or four yeares in a place it putteth forth a round head like unto the Catkin of the Hasel-nut-Tree growing upright of a length and thicknesse of one finger of a purplish green colour out of which shoot forth paâ—e whitish flowers consisting of four small Leaves a peice nothing so well sented as the Leaves falling away quickly without giving seed the root is thick and long somewhat like to that of the Garden Valerian of a sweet sent and and somewhat a bitter tast The Places and Times The first groweth in Turky as also in Russia and the places thereabouts naturally in moist places whence it hath been brought into a few of our Gardens The second in Aegypt as also by the lake of Gennesareth in Judea and in divers places also of Syria and Arabia The third is suppoâ—ed by Matthiolus and others to grow in India Syria and Judaea The sweet smelling Flagge beareth its Catkin in July or August The Temperature The Rootes of Acorus are hot and dry in the second degree and of thin and subtill parts The Virtues The decoction of the rootes of the Sweet smelling Flagge being made with Wine and drunk doth not only provoke Urine but is also very profitable for all the diseases of the Reines and Bladder cleansing and waâ—â—ing all the superfluities in them without any hurt or danger it helpeth to ease the paines of the sides Liver and breast as also those of the Collick and Cramp it recovereth thoâ—e that are bursten and bitten with Venomous Creatures and waâ—eth the Spleene The Root is very much used in divers Electuaries and Antiâ—otes against all Venome Poyson and infection as in that called Diacorum Mithridate c Being taken fasting every morning for some time together it is a speciall remedy for a stinkâ—ng breath A dram of the powder of the Root with as much Cinnamon taken in a draught of Worm-wood wine is singular good to comfort and strengthen a cold weak Stomack The whole Rootes preserved either in Sugar or Honey are effectual also for the same purposes but these that are preserved greene are more desired then those that being dry are steeped and afterwards preâ—erved The juice dropped into the eyes dryeth the Rheumes therein and cleareth the sight taking away films or such like that may offend them The hot fumes of the decoction made in Water and taken in at the mouth through a Funnel are excellent to help them that are troubled with a Cough The Rootes bruised and boiled in Wine and applyed warme to the Testicles that are swollen dissolveth the Tumour and easeth the paines it likewise mollifyeth hard swellings in any other part of the body It is used amongst other things to make sweet Powders and Water Calamus Aromaticus if the true can be had is as good if not better for many of the purpoâ—es aforesaid and is moreover avaleiable to procure Womens Courses and to remedy the fits of the Mother CHAP. CCXIX. Of Cyperus or English Galanga The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyperus from the round forme of the Root which is like a small Boxe or Vessell in Latine also Cyperus and Juncus triangularis and angulosus to distinguish between it and the Juncus laevis or vulgaris ordinary rushes It somtimes beareth four square stalkes and then it is called Juncus quadratus In English many do call it Gallinga or Gallingale because the rootes of one sort of it are somwhat like to those of the small Gallinga It is called also as commonly Cyperus and sweet Cyperus after the Greek and Latine names The Kindes To this kind may be referred these five sorts 1. The more common round rooted sweet Cyperus 2. The greater Assyrian sweet Cyperus 3. The lesser Assyrian round rooted sweet Cyperus 4. The ordinary sweet Cyperus or English Galanga 5. The most delicate sweet Cyperus or Rush-nut The Forme The more common round rooted sweet Cyperus shooteth forth many heads of long and narrow Leaves somwhat ridged in the middle every lease seeming thereby to be three square of a sweet scent amongst these Leaves rise many smooth square Stalkes about three foot high stuffed with a white pith without any knot or joynt therein unto the tops where there stand a few short Leaves and many small panicles or chaffy greene spikes of small Leaves above them which after containe within them the seed the root is composed of many long and round blackish brown small rootes fastned together by long strings of the bignesse of small Olives of a sweet scent even while they are greene but much more when they are dry and of a bitter tast somwhat like unto Galanga The Places and Time None of these sorts grow in England unlesse it be in the Gardens of those that delight in rarities in the Physick Garden at Oxford Westminster c. Yet
because I find not any Greek or Latin Author that treates of it being unknown to all the transmarine Doctors before Lobel came to us who called it Percepier Anglorum which first word Percepier is derived from Percepierre signifying in French as much as Lâ—thon-tribon in Greek Saxifraga Petrifindula an obsolete word and Câ—lculum frangens in Latine which is Pierce-stone or Break-stone in English and Anglorum is added because it is thought to be peculiar to our Country Some call it Parsley-Pert and deâ—ive it from Pâ—tra but it is more properly Parsly Break-stone becauâ—e of its eminent â—aculties to that purpose Though there be but one sort hereof which might have been placed amongst the other Knot-grasse whereof it is a kind yet because it is somwhat different and is peculiar to our Country I have given it a Chapter by it selfe The Form Break-stone Parsly groweth with many Leaves spread upon the ground each standing upon a small long foot-stalke and being as broad as the naiâ—e of a mans finger or thumb very much jagged on the edges which maketh it to seeme somewhat like unto a Parsly leafe whereof came the name but of an overworn or dusky greene colour from amongst which there rise up weake and slender stalkeâ— about two or three fingers long set full of the like Leaves but smaller up to the tops that almost no part of the stalke can be seene amongst these Leaves come forth very small greenish yellow flowers scarce to be discerned where afterwards groweth the seed as small as that of the Knot-grasse The root is very small and threddy abiding divers yeares if it grow in a place that is liketh The Places and Time Parsly-pert groweth in those fields that are plowed up for Corne both at the same time with the Corne and also when they are fallow in most Countryes of this Land that ever I came into though Gerard and Parkinson make as if it were a Plant growing in few places It is to be found all the Spring Summer and Harvest even from April to the end of October yet it must be in severall places for that which groweth in the open and Sunny places will flourish first but that which is shadowed will continue longest The Temperature It is as I conceive of the same Temperature with Knot-grasse The Vertues Parsly Break-stone hath not its name for nothing for it is found to be a singular remedy to provoke Urine when it is stopped wholly or passeth away by drops with paine or unsensibly without pain expelleth store of Gravel in those that breed it and the stone also in the Reines or Kidneyes in washing it down by the abundant passage of the Urine and helpeth also to expell it out of the Bladder if it be not grown too great for the passages and if it be it is very probable that the abundance of Urine brought down into the Bladder by the Vertue of it even whilst it abideth there will work so much upon the stone therein confirmed and grown great that it will wast by degrees by causing it to be avoided in Gravell with the Urine And that it may performe these operations with the better successe you may take of the juice of the herb about three Ounces and mix it with so much White Wine as is fit to make a Posset the drink whereof taken in a pretty quantity morning and evening to which you may if you please adde Mother of time and some Camomile which is a good way Or you may boile the Herbs aforesaid in Wine or if that cannot be had in Water and drink it but I hope you will have the wit to streine it first The powder also of the dryed herb to the quantity of a dramme or lesse in White-Wine or in other drink where Wine is wanting taken first and last for divers dayes and the distilled Water drunk with a little Sugar in the same manner worketh the forementioned effects and so doth this Composition which came originally from a poore Country man who with good successe ministred it to divers sorts of people Take of the dryed herb of Parsly-pert and Mous-eare Bay-berries Turmarick and Cloves the seed of the Burdock the seed of Hep or the Bryar berries and the seeds of Fenugreek of each one Ounce of the Stone in an Oxes Gall twenty foure graines weight let all these be beaten into fine Powder and kept in a dry box or pot to use upon occasion whereof the quantity to be taken at a time is from halfe a dram to a dram as the age and necessity of the patient shall require There be divers who conceiving themselves inclined to the stone eat it familiarly as a Sallet Herb and pickle it up also like Sampire to eat in Winter when the greene herb cannot be gotten CHAP. CCXXIII. Of Saxifrage The Names IT is called in Latine Saxifraga or Saxifragia for to the Greek Writers it was altogether unknown as farre as we can gather they having left no name for it from its efficacy in breaking the Stone in England Saxifrage and Breakstone So much for the names in generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there being 〈◊〉 that do it also though not so effectually I shall speak of them more particularly in the kindes The Kinds Because the best Saxifrage that is growes in England I shall trouble you with no forreine sorts we having nine or ten sorts of our own which for their Vertues not for their formes I shall put together 1. English Saxifrage so called because it groweth more plentifully in England then in any other Country 2. Mr. Goodrers Marsh-Saxifrage so called because he first discovered it in a marshy place 3. Lobels West-Country Saxifrage because Lâ—bâ—l found it in the Westerne parts of this Land 4. White Saxifrage so called from the colour of the flowers to distinguish it from the former 5. Golden Saxifrage from the Golden colour of the Leaves 6. The greater Burnet Saxifrage so called because it hath Leaves somwhat like Burner 7. The middle Burnet Saxifrage 8. The lesser Burnet Saxifrage 9. Saxâ—frage with Chickweed Leaves The Forme English Saxifrage White Saxifrage Golden Saxifrage and burnet Saxifrage be of so different Formes that it will be necessary that I describe them one aâ—ter another English or Medow Saxifrage which is known to divers by the name of Medow Parsly groweth with many very green winged Leaves somwhat like unto those of Fenneâ— but thicker and broader so like unto Medow Hart-wort of Mompelier that it made Parkinson joyne it next thereunto from amongst the said Leaves riâ—e up divers creâ—ed stalkes of a Cubit high having thereupon divers smaller stalkes of winged Leaves also finely cut but somwhat harsh to the feeling and bearing at the top spoky rundells or umbells beâ—et with white flowers tending a little to yellow which give place unto seeds like unto the Common Fennell â—eed both for forme and greatnesse but of a browner colour and small tast The root is thick black without
white within and of a good savour White Saxâ—frage groweth with divers round faint or yellowish greene Leaves but grayish underneath spread upon the ground unevenly dented about the edges and somwhat hairy every one upon a little footstalke from whence riseth up a round brownish hairy greene stalke about a foot-high with a few such like round Leaves as grow below but smaller somwhat branched at the top whereon stand pretty large white flowers of five Leaves a peece with some yellow Threds in the middle standing in a long crested brownish greene husk which being past there ariseth somtimes a round hard head biforked at the top wherein is contained small blackish seed the Root is compact of a number of black strings whereunto are fastned many small reddish graines or round rootes about the bignesse of Pepper-cornes which are used in Medicine and called by the Apothecaries white Saxifrage seed and is that which is truly meant by though not so truly said of it Golden Saxifrage is most like unto the before described yet it differeth therefrom in that the Leaves are not hairy but somwhat thicker and of a darker greene colour amongst which rise up Stalkes in handfull high with such Leaves on them as grow below two at a Joynt but three at the top of all whereas also at the Joynts do come forth very small gold yellow flowers not easily observed and seldome seen with them because they fall away so quickly after which come small round heads wherein is contained small round reddish seed the Root is compâ—â—ed of a number of small strings or Fibres Burnet Saxifrage groweth up with divers stalkes of winged Leaves set one against another each being somewhat broad and a little pointed and dented about the edges of a sad greene colour at the tops of the stalkes stand 〈…〉 s of white flowers after which comes small and blackish seed The root is long and whitish The Places and Time The first groweth almost in every Medow and therefore it is called Medow Parsly yet it somtimes growes in up and ground the second was found by Mr. Goodyer on a boggy ground below the red Well of Welling borough in Norhamptonshire the third by Lobel between Chipnam and Marleborough in the High-way between London and Bristow on a Chalky Hill the fourth groweth very pâ—entifully in a feild immediately below the Abby Orchard at St. Albons anâ— in many other places the silt in moist and marish places about Bath and Wâ—lles and in the Moores by Boston and Wisbich in Lincolneshire the sixth seventh and eâ—ght grow in divers Meadows and Pastures-grounds of this Land the last groweth upon barren hills and sometimes upon Walls The first flowreth from the beginning of May to the end of August the second and third â—omwhat later the fourth in April or May at the furthest when it is gathered for that which is called the seed as well as to distill for it perisheth soon after the fifth in March and April the rest about July and their Seed is ripe in August The Temperature All the aforementioned sorts are hot and dry in the third degree except the Golden Saxifrage which is cold of temperature as the tast declareth The Vertues and Signature The seeds and rootes of Saxifrage or Medow Parsly boiled in White-Wine and the dâ—â—oction drunk breaketh the Stone in the Bladder and Kidnâ—es hel 〈…〉 the strangury and cauâ—eth one to make Water freely which also bringeth down Womens Courses and expelleth the Secondine and dead Child The root dryed and maâ—e into Powder and halfe a dram or a dram taken with Sugar comfoâ—teth and warmeth the Stomack cureth the gnawâ—ngs and griping paines oâ— the belly caleth the Cholick also and expelleth Wind. The Cheshire Women put it amongst the Râ—mnes that they put into their Cheese as a Country-man of theirs reporteth The distilled Water is much in use with Nurses to give unto their Children against the stopping of their Urine and to ease the griping paines in their belly which they usually calâ— the Frets It is used outwardly in Bathes and Fomentations to provoke Urine and to ease the paines of the Belly proceeding from Wind. The seed or rather the root of the white Saxifrage cureth the Stone by signature as the learned Crâ—llius hath observed and is singular good against the strangury and stoppings of the Kidneys and Bladder the Powder of them being drunk in Wine or the decoction made of them The distilled Water of the whole herb rootes and flowers which is as effectuall in a manner is familiarly taken by those that have need thereof for any of the purposes aforesaid as also to clense the Stomack and Lungs from tough and thick Phlegme that troubleth it and causeth it more easily to be avoided It is not probable that the Golden Saxifrage hath any operation upon the Stone because of its insipide tast unlesse it be by a specifick Vertue yet I mentioned it because it is esteemed as a rarity The Burnet Saxifrages have the same properties that the others have both in provoking Urine and easing the paines thereof as also in expelling Wind and helping the Cholick the roots or seed being used in Powder decoction or any other way which are likewise effectuall for the windy paines of the Mother to procure Womens Courses to break and avoid the stone in the Kidneys and to digest cold viscous and tough Phlegme in the Stomack and is an especiall remedy against all kind of Venom The rootes hereof dryed are as hot as Pepper and may be used for the same being much more wholesome as Tragus saith The same in Powder with the Powder of the Seeds and Sugar purgeth the braine helpeth the Tooth-ach restoreth lost speech and is good for Convulsions Cramps Apoplexies and cold feavers and so is the distilled water wherein Castoreum hath been boiled which is profitable also for the Palsy and many other cold griefes The same drunk with wine and Vinegar cureth the Plague and being holden or chewed in the mouth it preserveth from the Infection when the aire is corrupted The seed made into Comfits like unto those of Caraway are effectuall for all the purposes aforesaid and so is the distilled water sweetned with Sugar though not in so powerfull a manner as the former which water also beautifieth the face by cleansing it from all Spots and Freckels and leaving a good colour The juyce of the Leaves doth the same and being dropped into the grievous wounds of the Head or any other place dryeth up the moisture and healeth them quickly The distilled water alone or with Vinegar being put into the eyes cleareth the sight exceedingly I conceive I have given to every sort its due properties notwithstanding I find all or most of them attributed to Saxifrage in general and no doubt when one sort is not to be had the other may serve as substitutes they being promiscuously used by divers CHAP. CCXIII. Of Dropwort The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
long hard rough sharp pointed narrow greene Leaves at the tops of the stalkes stand divers small white flowers in rough brown huskes wherein after they are past is contained a white hard stony round shining seed like unto Pearles the root is long and hard or somwhat wooddy with divers branches and fibres thereat which perisheth not every yeare as the stalkes do The Places and Time The first groweth in Gardens as I said before whither it was brought out of Italy or the parts of France next unto it where it groweth wild The second and third grow wild in many places of our Land in barren grounds whether tilled or untilled and somtimes in those which are fruitfull also The fourth groweth as Lobel saith in the descent of the Valley of Ostia in Piedmont The sixt as the same Author affirmeth groweth in Corne-grounds by the way from Bristol to Bath The seaventh in the Corne-feilds of Germany The eight about Mompelier in France The last groweth naturally in Candy Rhodes Syria and other Easterne Countryes being brought thence into our Gardens where it groweth well The Gromels do all flower from Midsummer to September the seed ripening in the meane time but the seed of Jobs Teares seldome come to perfection with us unlesse it be sown betimes and the Summer prove very hot The Temperature The seeds of Gromel are hot and dry in the second degree and so are those of Jobs Teares The Signature and Vertues The seeds of Gromel by their stony hardnesse have given our fore-Fathers to understand that they are of singular force to break the Stone and to avoid it and also the Gravel either in the Reines or Bladder and if it be made use of in these dayes it will be found as effectuall as any other Seed or Herb whatsoever for the said purposes as also to provoke Urine being stopt and to help the Strangury being bruised and boiled in white Wine or Broth or the powder of it drunk in raw White-Wine or in broth or the like but the most pleasant safe and effectuall way is to make a Barly creame with the Kernells of the four greater cold seeds and the seeds of Gromel by boyling them in Barly water and to take thereof in the morning fasting for three dayes together when you are troubled with any of the aforesaid griefes The said seeds being bruised and laid to steepe all night in White-Wine with some Fennell Parsly and Sena and then boyled in a stone Vessell strained and sweetned with Sugar and drunk the next morning is a good medicine to purge Phlegme and Choler to open and cleanse the Reines and Bladder and to expell wind exceedingly Two drammes of the seed in Powder taken with the Milk of a Woman is very effectuall to procure a speedy delivery to such Women as have sore paines in their Travel and cannot be delivered as have been found true by divers as Matthiolus saith Being mixed with other ingredients it helpeth the Running of the Reines The Herb it selfe when the seed is not to be had being boyled in White-Wine and the decoction thereof or else the juice of it being drunk worketh the same effects but not so powerfully nor speedily and a Bath wherein some of it hath been boyled being sate in is much commended for an outward remedy Of Jobs Teares the most exquisite Crollius who taketh notice of the former also saith thus Lacrhyma Jobbaa ad deturbandâ—s calculos nunquam satis landata that is Jobs-Teares can never be sufficiently commended for expelling the Stone then doubtlesse it performeth the other effects usually annexed if the Powder or decoction of the seeds be taken as aforesaid The said seeds are used by Papists beyond Sea to number their Prayers and by others for beads Bracelets c. CHAP. CCXXVI Of Onions The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Poets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Antients were wont to shut their Eyes as often as they eat them lesf they should make them Water It is called in Latine Cepa and Cepe from Caput as some think because of the greatnesse of their head and Unio because the root is single not giving off-setts for increase as other bulbous roots do The old writers have given it Sirnames from the place where it grew as Cypria Sardia Cretica Samothracia and Ascalonia from whence comes our English word Scallions which are set Onyons the lesser sort whereof are by some called Chibouls from the French name Sâ—boula The Kinds There be divers sorts of Onyons half a dozen whereof I shall here present you with 1. The Ordinary flat white Onyon 2. The long white Onion 3. The flat red Onion 4 The long red Onyon 5. The Strasborough Onion whose outside onely is red 6. St. Omers Onion called by some but corruptly St. Thomas Onion The Form The Onion for the description is generall hath divers long green hollow Leaves seeming half flat amongst which riseth up a great round hollow stalk bigger in the middle then any where else at the top whereof standeth a close round head covered at the first with a thin skin which breaketh when the head is grown and sheweth forth a great Umbell of white Flowers which turne into black seed but then the head is so heavy that the stalk cannot sustain it and therefore it must be upheld from falling to the ground lest it rot and perish the root of every one is round in some greater in some lesser in some flatter in others longer in some sharp and strong in others milder and more pleasant some being so pleasant that they may be eaten as an Apple The Places and Time All the sorts of Onions are Inhabitants of the Garden and prosper best in that ground which is well digged and dunged I know not whether they grew naturally or in Gardens about Ascalon a City of Judea but that they were formerly very plentifull in those parts I am verily perswaded Those that are sown for store should be sown in February or before the latter end of March at the furthest in the increase of the Moon and are to be gathered about August when the blades begin to be flagged towards the roots Those which are for seed must be set at the same time when the former are sown yet it seldome comes to perfection in our own Country most of the seed we use coming from beyond the Seas The Temperature Onions are hot and dry in the fourth degree as Galen affirmeth The juyce is of a thin watery substance and if it be taken in any great quantity it is rank poyson but the rest is of thick parts and may be eaten with little or no danger The Signature and Vertues White wine wherein a sliced onyon hath been steeped all night being drunk in the morning and the party walke an hour after it is a good Remedy for the Stone which its Signature doth demonstrate as Crollius noteth as
Bladder is the Bladder Nut-Tree which is therefore said to be effectuall to help those which are troubled with the Stone in the Bladder but because it is without any other Vertue unlesse it be to provoke Venery as some affirme having withall divers evill Qualities whereby they are loathsome and overturne the Stomacks of them that eate them I shall passe it by without any description at all only tell you that it is called Nux Vesicaria in Latine supposed to be the Staphylodendron of Pliny Some call it Pistacium Germanicum because they call it by the same name they do the Pistake whereof Scaliger taketh it to be a kind So much I thought good to say of it because it growes in Gardens and Fields in divers places of this land CHAP. CCXXVIII Of Dogs-grasse or Quich-grasse The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Agrostis that is Gramen simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is of most use In Latine Gramen Caninum and Gramen Caninum medicatum by Lobel following Pliny herein who first called it Canaria quasi à Caniâ—â—â—inventa because Dogges when they are sick at the Stomack do naturally eat hereof fall to their Vomit and are well and therefore others have called it Cynagrostis and Dens Canis from the forme wherein it first appeareth We call it in English Dogs-grasse because Dogs feed thereon Quich-grasse and Couch-grasse from the nature of the rootes which ly so close in the ground that they cannot be got out unlesse the ground be broken up with a Spade The Latine word Gramen is derived à Gradiendo from spreading it selfe for it will overâ—â—â—ne a place speedily The Kindes You may guesse by the severall sorts of Quich-grasse what a huge number of Grasses there be in all this being a subordinate kind and yet hath sixteene under it 1. Common Quich-grasse 2. Quich-grasse with a more spread Panickle 3. The lesser Quich-grasse with a sparsed tuft 4. Low bending Quich-grasse 5. Low bending Quich-grasse of Mompelier 6. A small sweet grasse like Quich-grasse 7. Common bulbed and knotted Quich-grasse 8. Knobbedgrasse with a small round spike 9. Double bulbed 10. The bulbed Grasse of Aleppo 11. The Sicilian Bulbed Grasse 12. Sea spiked Dogs-grasse or Quich-grasse 13. Sea Quich-grasse 14. Sea Dogs-grasse with long roots 15. Sea spiked Dogs-grasse of Mompelier 16. Rough Sea Dogs-grasse The Forme Common Quich-grasse is well known both by Gardiners and Husbandmen to creepe farre about under the ground with long white joynted Rootes and small fibres almost at every joynt very sweet in tast as the rest of the herb is and interlacing one another from whence shoote forth first one and afterwards many faire and long grassy Leaves small at the ends and cutting and sharpe at the edges the Stalkes are joynted like corne with the like Leaves on them and a long spiked Head with long husks on them and hard rough seed in them The Places and Times The first is too common both in Gardens and Ploughed feilds for the Gardeners and Husbandmens store though not for such Physitians as Mr. Culpepper who holds halfe an Acre of it worth five of Carrots or Corne the second and third are nothing so frequent and are more naturall to sandy and chalky grounds the three next are likewise found in feilds that have been Ploughed but ly fallow at present The seaventh is found in some Ploughed Feilds and Medowes of this Land the eighth neere Basil the ninth in Spaine the tenth neere Aleppo the eleaventh neere Verona the three next on our Sea-Coasts especially in Kent the fifteenth about Mompelier and Narbone the last about Venice They flourish most in the Summer but their Rootes endure the hardest Winters The Temperature Dogs-grasse is cold in the first degree and moderate in coldnesse and moisture but the seed is much more cold and dry of some tenuity of parts and somewhat harsh The Vertues and Signature All the sorts of Grasse especially those of Quich-grasse are very effctuall to open the passages of Urine being stopped as also to wast the gravel of the Stone in the Bladder and the Ulcers thereof but that sort which is knobbed is held to be most proper because it hath a kind of Signature And if I should say that some of the other sorts cure the Wormes by Signature I should not say amisse for the rootes of some of them are very like those beds of Wormes which we somtimes see voided from men the juice thereof mixed with Honey and the Powder of Southernwood and taken in drink for Children the juice mingled with an Oxe-Gall and a cloth dipped therein and laid to the Navell will be sufficient and for this purpose the Dogs also eat it who after the taking thereof have been observed to void many Being boiled in white wine and drunk it openeth the Obstructions of the Liver and Gall and easeth the griping paines of the Belly and Inflammations The Roots bruised and applyed are very effectuall for Consolidating Wounds The seed doth more powerfully expell Urine and stayeth the Lask and Vomitings The distilled Water by it self or with a little wormseed killeth the Wormes in Children The way of using it for the diseases of the Reines and Bladder which I forgot to expresse after the Signature is onely to bruise the Roots and having well boiled them in white wine to drink the decoction yet after the benefit of making Water is obtained the decoction must be made in water CHAP. CCXXIX Of Butchers Broom The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oxymyrsine which is as much as Acuta Myrtus in Latine and Prickly Myrtle in English as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myrtus Sylvestris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myrtacantha Myrtus Spinosa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 murina Spina and of Theophrastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Centromyrrhine Pliny saith that it was called in his time Chamaemyrsine and Acaron or rather Aceron which is one of the Bastard Names by all which we may gather that it was taken for the wild Myrtle but falsly for that which was accounted so amongst the Ancients is like unto the manured kind with prickly Leaves and therefore Pliny misâ—ooke when he attributed the faculties of the one to the other It is called in Latine Ruscus and Ruscum and in Shops Bruscus and of some Ruscus Bruscus by Onomaâ—opaeia because of the Russeling noise it maketh when it is moved and of some as Marcellus saith Scopa Regia We call it in English Knee-holme Kneeâ—â—lver Kneeholly Pettigree and Ruscus Bruscus The Kinds Butchers Broom at its first coming up sendeth forth thick whitish short Shoots somewhat like unto those of Asparagus but greater which thing to be about a foot high are spread into divers green branches which are a little crested tough pâ—â—ant and flexible whereon are set somwhat broad and allmost hard Leaves sharp and prickly pointed at the ends of a dark green colour and somewhat like unto Myrtle Leaves
two for the most part set at a place very close or near together about the middle of the Leafe on the back or lower side from the middle Rib breaketh forth a small whitish green flower consisting of four small round pointed Leaves standing upon little or no foot-stalk in the place whereof cometh a small round berry green at the first and red when it is ripe wherein are conteined two or three white hard round seeds The Root is thick white and great at the Head and from thence sendeth forth divers thick white long tough strings The Places and Time Butchers Broom groweth plentifully in divers Copses Heaths and wast grounds of this Land especially upon Hampsted Heath four miles from London and in divers parts of Kent Essex and Bark-shire where Holly-bushes grow for under them they are oftentimes found It shooteth forth its young Buds in the Spring the berries being ripe in or about September and the branches or Leaves abiding all the Winter The Temperature The Roots of Butchers Broom which are of greatest vertue and use are temperatly hot and dry also in a mean with a thinnesse of Essence The Signature and Virtues Though Butchers Broom cannot be said to have the Signature of the Reines and Bladder or the Stone in them yet it may as well be said to have the Signature of that pricking pain that is left in them as often as the Stone or Gravell moves just as if thornes were put into the passages of the Urine as Carduus Benedictus to signifie its efficacy in curing the paines of the sides by the prickles that grow thereon and therefore the Decoction of the Roots made with Wine is very profitable to open Obstructions to provoke Urine and to amend the strong smell thereof it being one of the sive opening or diureticall Roots expressed in the London Dispensatory for it helpeth to expell Gravell and the Stone and consequently from those tormenting paines which seeme as if those parts were peirced through with Needles It is also of great operation in the Strangury bringeth down Womens monthly Courses and being taken with some Honey or Sugar it cleanseth the Breast of Phlegme and the Chest of much Clammy humors gathered therein The same effects are attributed to the Leaves and Berries by Dioscorides The juyce of the Leaves taken with Sugar helpeth Spitting of blood and cleanseth the Womb. Halfe a Ounce of the Roots with the like quantity of Annise-seed and Fennel-seed made into powder and halfe an Ounce of Sugar mixed therewith and as much of it taken in posset drink or white wine as will lye on a Shilling is very available against Wind and gripings of the Belly The decoction of the Roots drunk and a Pultis made of the Berries and Leaves being applyed are effectuall in knitting and consolidating broken Bones or parts out of Joynt The juyce thereof taketh away the stinke of the mouth and Gums being washed therewith and the powder of the root cleanseth wounds and preventeth a Gangrene being strewed therein The Leaves stamped and boiled with rose-Rose-water and a little Wine and applyed unto the secret parts of a man helpeth the Inflammations thereof The young shoots are in some places eaten in Sallets after that manner as Asparagus are The full grown branches were formerly used to make Beesoms to sweep the house whence it was called Scopa Regia but now it is used by few unlesse it be Butchers who make cleane their stalls defend their meat from the flyes therewith which is the reason why it is called Butchers Broom It hath been used to preserve Martlemasse-beof and Bacon from the mice eating and so it may be still by those that have the command of both The most effectuall way of using it in the Diseases of the Reines and Bladder is to boile the Roots of it and Parsly Fennell Smallage and Grasse of each a like quantity in White wine and to drink the decoction respect being had to the strength of the Patient otherwise it is possible that so many cleansing things may make some Excoriation or fretting in the passages of the Urine these many diureticall roots being put together CHAP. CCXXX Of Chervill The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaerephyllum either because it delighteth to grow with many Leaves or because they cause joy gladnesse which name the Latines partly follow it being called Chaerophyllum by Columella and is likely to be the Carophyllum of Pliny but the most common name it hath is Cerefolium or Châ—rifolium being a mongrell Word composed both of Greek and Latine It is called in English by no other name that I know then Chervill for Myrrhis Sweet Chervill and Sweet Cicely is another plant which I have already treated of different from this in many respects as I could shew if I thought it needfull but I think what I have said may suffice The Kinds Of this Chervill I find but two sorts 1. Garden Chervill To which I may add Shepheards-needle or mock Chervill The Form The Garden Chervill doth at the first coming up somewhat resemble Parsly but after it is better grown the Leaves are very much cut in and jagged resembling Hemlocks so much that some have mistaken one for the other yet they may easily be distinguished if you smell unto them being a little hairy and of a whitish green colour and sometimes turning reddish in Summer with the Stalkes also It riseth above halfe a yard high though Parkinson say but halfe a foot bearing white Flowers in spotted Tufts which turne into long and round seed sharply pointed at the ends and blackish when they are ripe of sweet tast but of no smell whereas the herb it self smelleth reasonable well which Hemlock doth not The root is small and long and perisheth every year yet being once sown and suffered to seed and that seed suffered to sow it self it will put you to no further trouble unlesse it be to weed it out lest it encroach upon its neighbours territories The Places and Time The first groweth in Gardens and is a good Sallet herb at the first coming up yet after a while it growes strong and unpleasant The second groweth wild in Vineyards and Orchards beyond the Sea and in divers places of our own Land The last is to be found in most Corne-Fields in England If that of the Garden be sowne early the seed will be ripe in June and Jluy which being suffered to â—â—ll or sown againe presently will rear up a new Crop for Autumn-Sallâ—â—s the other two flower early and seed accordingly The Temperature Chervill is of a temperate heat and moderate drynesse Shepherds Needle is hot and dry in the later end of the second degree The Signature and Vertues The sharp pointed seeds of Chervill and Shepherds-Needle may be said to signifie the Vertues they have in easing the pricking paines of the Stone in the Reines and Bladder for the juyce or distilled water of either of them
men The Forme The Common Haw-thorne usually groweth to be but a Shrub or Hedg-bush with divers shootes armes and branches whereon are set in â—ivers places sharp thornes and faire shining Leaves somwhat broad and cut in on the edges into divers parts the flowers are many standing together comming forth both at the â—op of the branches and the upper joynts with the Leaves onâ—â—â—â—ng of five white Leaves a peece with divers white threds in the middle tipt with red and of a very pleasant sweet scent after which come the fruit being roundish berries greene at the first but of a lively red colour when they are ripe consisting of a soft sweet and certaine whitish seed the root groweth deepe into the ground of a very hard and durable substance The Place and Time The first groweth generally throughout the whole Land where any Hedges be the second in Germanâ— in some of the Gardens of those that love rarities not differing from the ordinary kind save that the fruit thereof is as yellow as Saffron the last at Glastenbury Abby and in Whey-street or rather High-street in Rumney Marsh and neere unto Nautwich in Cheshire by a place called White-green The two first flower in May and their fruit is ripe in September or thereabouts the last both in May and about Christmas sooner or later as the temperature of the weather will permit having at the same time both greene and ripe berries The Temperature The Leaves Flowers and fruit of the Haw-thorne are supposed to be drying and binding The Signatures and Vertues The powder of the Berries or the seeds in the Berries being given to drink in Wine is genâ—rally held to be a singular good Remedy against the Stone which is signified by the Stones or seeds which they cheifely consist of and so it is reported to be good for the Dropsy The flowers steeped three dayes in Wine and afterwards distilled in Glasse and the water thereof drunk is a Soveraign Remedy for the â—leurisy and for inward tormenting paines such as those of the Stone are which is also signified by the prickles that grow on this Tree The water of the Flowers distilled after the ordinary way stayeth the Flux or Lask of the belly the seeds cleared from the down bruised and boiled in wine and drunk perfoâ—meth also the same effect The said distilled water of the Flowers is not onely cooling but drawing also for it is found by good experience that if Cloathes and Spunges be wet in the said water and applyed to any place whereinto thornes Splinters c. have entered and be there abiding it will notably draw them forth so that the Thorne gives a medicine for its own pricking as many other things beâ—ides do if they were observed The Bark stamped with Red Wine and fryed with Boares grease and applyed hot worketh the effect before mentioned The ripe Berries are the best sustenance that many birds have in the Winter and they are good food for Hoggs and therefore the Swineheards do beat them down for them The Wood hath many convenient uses as making of Mounds If you would have a living Mound plant the Setts if a dead one make a hedge with them and it will out last two that is made of any other wood though it be troublesome to lay on the fire yet it will burn excellent well and last longest of any fewell especiall the Roots CHAP. CCXXXIII Of the Lemmon-Tree The Names IT is not likely that either this Tree or its fruit were known to the Ancient Greeks or Latins there being no mention of it in any of their writings but by modern Authors and in these dayes it is called Malus Limonia and the fruit Limons The Spaniards amongst whom it is most plentifull call the tree Limera and the fruit Limas All other Nations follow the Latin as near as their Dialect will permit The Kinds Of Lemmon-trees I find six sorts upon record 1. The ordinary Lemon-tree 2. The thin rinded sowre Lemmon 3. The round Lemmon-tree 4. The greater sweet Lemmon-tree 5. The Sivill Lemmon 6. The wild Lemmon-tree The Form The Lemmon-tree in hot Countryes where it principally delighteth grows to the stature of a lusty tall tree with great armes and slender branches but in this Land it is content with the compasse of a box filled with earth which standing upon legges may be carried up and down so that you may conceive it doth not attain to the bignesse of that in hotter Countries the branches are armed with long and greenish thornes the Leaves are long and somewhat like unto that soâ—t of the Bay-tree Leaves which is commonly called the Lawrell â—ented about the edges with a shew of very small holes in them but lesse then the Orenâ—e Leaves have of a very good sent the flowers grow at the Leaves all along the branches being somewhat longer then those of the Orenge maâ—e of five thiâ—k white Leaves with some threds in the middle and of a sweet sent also the fruit that followeth is somewhat long and round with a paller yellow rind the Orenge or Citron somewhat uneven or rugged somewhat bitter in tast but of a sweet smell the pulpe is white and lesser in quantity then eirher of the other in the middle whereof is contained a more soft spungy pulpe fullpulp of sower juyce it hath such like seed as the Citron amongst it but smaller and somewhat longeâ— if it be heedfully marked though they may seeme both alike at first sight The Places and Time Spaine is the place which furnishes us with Lemmons yet we have some of the Trees growing in our own Land as at Zion house by Brainford and at Wâ—mbleton house in the County of Surrey The Trees in Spain are seldom seen without ripe fruit and half ripe and small young and green and blossomes all at once and those with us have the same but not so frequently yet are alwaies green The Temperature Lemmons are not wholly of one temperature for the rind is hot in the first degree and dry in the second the juyce of them is cold in the second degree and dry in the first The Vertues and Signature The Lemmon with the prickles wherewith the tree is fortified do not altogether insignificantly expresse the Stone in the Reines and Bladder and the prickâ—ng paines that do accompany it and therefore an Ounce and half of the juyce of unripe Lemmons being taken with a little Malmesy helpeth to cleanse expell the Stone out of the Kidneys Or if the party grieved do but drink the juyce of Lemmons next his heart in a morning three times in a week he shall find it of good effect and I think it would do no body else any great harm if he take it in a Cup of White or Rhenish wine with Sugar and so it strengtheneth the heart stomack and head resisteth poyson expelleth Melancholy and maketh the breath sweet It likewise killeth and driveth forth the Wormes of the belly both from men
and Children If an Angel of Gold of the same weight or pure leaf Gold be steeped four and twenty houres in three or four ounces of the â—aid juyce being very pure and some of it given in a Cup of Wine with a little powder of Angelica Root unto any infected with the plague though dangerously sick if there be any hope or likelyhood of recovery it will help him The said juyce is singular good to quench thirst in hot Feavers and so is the Posset drink made thereof It is of good use likewise at Sea in long Voyages to put into their Beverage to keep them from the Scurvy whereunto Seamen and passengers are subâ—ect if the Voyage be long and to quench their thirst when they come into hot Countries The water that is distilled in Glasse from the inward pulp or substance of the Lemons provoketh Urine breaketh and expelleth the Stone being drunk cleareth the Skin from all Freckles Spots and other marks in the face or in any part of body helpeth also the running Scab and killeth Lice in the bead the wormes in the Hands or Nose and pushes and wheales in the skin The rind or peele of the Lemmon being put into Tarts and Sawces giveth unto them an excellent relish and doth correct the Stench of the mouth whether it come by taking Tobacco or otherwise especially if it be dryed It may safely be used to all purposes which the rind of the Citron is coming somewhat near to it in properties though in a weaker degree The seeds of these are likewise almost as effectuall as those of Ciâ—rons to preserve the Heart and Vitall Spirits from poyson to resist the infection of the Plague or Poxes or any other contagious disease to kill the wormes in the Stomack provoke womens courses cause aâ—â—rtion having a digesting and drying quality fit to dry up and consume moist huâ—ors both inwardly in the body and outwardly in any moist or running Ulcers and Sores The juyce of the said fruit is very necessary for Dyers who spend much thereof in striking sundry dainty colours which will never be well done without it and is used also by Laundresses to get Iron mouldes and all manner of sâ—ainâ—s out of the purest Linnen for which they find it very effectuall Though some perhaps may covet after the sweetest Lemmons because they are more delicious and gratefull to the Palate yeâ— for any of the purposes aforementioned as also to make Lemmon Beer the sowre Lemmon is most proper being more â—ooling in Physick and operative for other businesses because it is more abstersive CHAP. CCXXIIII Of the Cypresse Tree The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyparittâ—s and Cyparissus either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the branches of it grow so eaven that one would think it were formed by Art or from Cyparissus who as it is said was turned into the Cypresse tree or from the City Cyparissus near unto which a great multitude of these trees do grow Some imagine that the Gopher 〈◊〉 whereof the Arke of Noah is said to be made was the Wood of this Tree and indeed there is some probability for it there being no Wood whatsoever so durable or lesse subject to rottennesse though it continue in a wet or damp place as appeares by what Thevet reporteth who saw as he saith at Damiate in Egypt a Cypresse Chest that was digged tenfoot out of a moorish ground not having one jot of corruption about it though it is thought to have laine there many years It is called in Latine Cypressus either from Cyparissus or from the â—and Cyprâ—s where they grow plentifully Virgil maketh mention of Froâ—◠〈…〉 reâ— which the Commentator conceives was this Cypresse tree which was used in those dayes and is in these by the gentiler sort at funeralls to signifie that the remembrance of the present solemnity ought to endure a long while The fruit is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Latine Pilula Cupressi Nuces Cupressi and Galbuli in shops Nuces Cupressi In English Cyprâ—sse Nuts or Clogs This Tree was formerly dedicated to Pluto which might be a reason also why it was used at funeralls The Kinds The sorts of the Cypresse tree are said to be three 1. The Ordinary Cypresse Tree 2. The wild Cypresse Tree 3. The Cypresse Tree of America The Forme The Ordinary Cypresse Tree hath a long thick and straight body whereupon many slender branches do grow which do not spread abroad like the branches of other Trees but grow up with the body yet not equally so that it imitateth the fashion of a Spiâ—e Steeple being broad below and picked towards the top the body and armes are covered with a reddish bark the Leaves are ever green but lose much of their Verdure in winter which the next spring restoreth being somewhat long slender and flattish round parted very much and somewhat resembling Savinâ— of a resâ—nous sent and strong tast the flowers are small and yellow growing here and there amongst the boughes after which cometh the fruit which is close and hard at first of a russet brown colour but cloven and opening into many parts when it is ripe in which is conteined small brownish seed the root spreadeth much but not very deep The Places and Time The first groweth in Eastern Countries and in many of the Isles of the Mediterranean Sea as Rhodes Candy formerly called Creet where it groweth very plentifully of its own accord beaâ—ing ripe fruit from September almost all the Winter The second by Jupiter Ammons Temple and in other parts of Cyrâ—ne the last in the Northern parts of America I speake of the naturall places for there be but few that are Ignorant how familiar they are now in moâ—â— Garâ—ens about London The Temperature The fruit and Leaves of the Cypresse Tree are dry in the third degree having neither heat nor bitting sharpnesse yet by its adstringency it doth resolve and consume humidities in putrid Ulcers The Vertues The Leaves of Cypresse boiled in sweet wine or Meade doth help the Stangury and difficulty of making water and the powder of the Leaves with a little Myrrh and wine helpeth thoâ—e fluxes that fall on the Blaâ—der and provoketh Urine being stopped The said decoction helpeth the Covgh and shortnesse of breath if it be taken in a small draught divers mornings fasting and so it is good for the fluxes of the belly or stomack bleedâ—ngs and Spitting of blâ—od as also the Rupture if some of the fresh Leaves be well bound to the place which thing the fruit or Nuts do performe more effectually The Leaves bruised and â—aid unto fresh wounds doth not onely stanâ—h the extraordinary bleeding of them but consolidateth them also and used by themselves or with Barly meale it helpeth St. Anthonies fire creeping Ulcers and Carbunâ—les the sores and Ulcers of the privy parts in man or woman and the inflammations of the Eyes and applyed to
The Herb boiled in Ale or wine and given for some Mornings and Evenings together stayeth the Distillations of hot and sharp Rheums falling into the Eyes from the Head and helpeth all manner of accidents that happen to the Eyes Wart Cresses which are called in Latine Coronopus Râ—ellii and Nasturtium Verrucarium because the seed of it beareth the perfect Signature of the Warts upon a mans hand will consume and take away Warts in a short time the herb being bruised and applyed and so it stoppeth blâ—â—ding most effectually having all the Virtues which are attributed to the former CHAP. CXXXIX Of Sampire The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crithmum which is the usuall Latin name also yet Petrus Crescentius calleth it Crethmum and Rincum marinum It is also called Feniculum marinum which name the Italians and French follow as neer as their Dialect will permit in shops Creta marina especially beyond Sea In English Sampier and Sampire because it grows upon rocks and Sea Fennell because it somewhat resembles our ordinary Fennell The Kinds To this kind may be referred these four sorts 1. Ordinary Rock Sampire 2. The greater Rock Sampire 3. Thorny Sampire or Sea Parsnep 4. Golden Flowered Sampire The Forme Ordinary Rock Sampire groweth up with a tender green stalk not above halfe a yard or two foot high at the most branching forth almost from the very bottome and stored with sundry thick almost round and somewhat long Leaves of a deep green colour sometimes three together and sometimes more on a stalk being full of sap and of a pleasant hot or spicy tast at the topps of the stalkes and branches stand Umbells of white flowers after them come large seed bigger then Fennell yet somewhat alike the root is great white and long continuing many yeares and is both of a delightfull and pleasant smell and tast The Places and Time The first groweth on the Rocky Cliffes at Dover Winchelsey by Rye and about Southampton and the West and North West of England but especially in the Isle of Wight where there is so great plenty that it is gathered yet not without danger for some have ventured so farr upon the craggy precipices that they have fallen down and broken their nets ' so that it might be said they paid For their sawce and afterwards being pickled up is sent to London and other places The second groweth likewise upon Rocks that are moistened if not somtimes overflown with the Sea water The third near the Sea upon the sands between Whitstable and the Isle of Thanet by Sandwich and by the Sea near VVestchester The last in the miry Marsh in th Isle of Shepey by the way from the Kings Ferry to Sherland house Rock Sampire flourisheth in May and June and must be gathered to be kept in pickle in the beignning of August They all flower and seed in the end of July and August The Temperature Sampire is conceived to be hot and dry in the second degree and of a cleansing or scouring faculty The Vertues Of all the Sawces which are very many there is none so pleasant none so familiar and agreeable to mans body as Sampire both for digestion of Meates breaking of the Stone and voiding of Gravell in the Reines and Bladder It provoketh Urine also and Womens Courses and prevailes against the Jaundâ—se the Leaves seeds and Roots being boiled in Wine and drunk and so it openeth the Obstructions of the Liver and Spleene and all other stoppings of the intralls whatsoever from whence and from ill digestion moâ—â— of the diseases whereunto the fraile Nature of man is subject are caused so that it is great pitty that it is no more in use It is very pleasant both to the Taste and Stomack not only by the Saltnesse but by the Spicynesse in it likewise whereby it is very available to whet a dull Stomack It is eaten raw as well as boyled by those which live where it growes but the best way is to boile it in water till it be tender and then pickled up in a Barrell with a convenient Liquor made of Vinegar Water and Salt it will be fit for ones own occasions at any time or to present to a freind as usually it is or to sell CHAP. CCXL Of Fraxinella or False white Dittany The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chamaemelium which signifies as much as Fraxina humilis or the low or dwarfe Ash because of the resemblance of its winged Leaves to those of the young Ash and therefore it is called in Latine Fraxinella being a diminutive of Fraxinus Yet some do call it Dictamus albus or Dictamnus albus and Diptamus albus to distinguish it from the Dictamnus Creticus which is a farre differing Plant. Some would have it to be Tragium of Dioscorides but besides other differences it yeeldeth no juicy Milke as Tragium is said to doe We in English do either call it Fraxinella and Bastard Dittany from the Latine Dictamus being also a corrupted word but it is more properly to be called False white Dittany then Bastard Dittany because there is another Plant to which the name of Pseudo dictamnus doth more properly belong and therefore a distinct Epithet is necessary to avoid confusion The Kindes But if this Fraxinella be called False white Dittany it must not take its denomination from the flowers for of the four sorts there is but one that hath a white Flower 1. Fraxinella with a reddish Flower 2. Fraxinella with a red Flower 3. Fraxinella with a white Flower 4. Fraxinella with an Ash coloured Flower The Form Fraxinella is a very goodly Plant rising up with divers round hard brownish stalks neere two foot high the lower parts whereof are furnished with many winged Leaves somwhat like unto Liquorice or a small young Ash-Tree consisting of seaven nine or eleaven Leaves set together which are somwhat large and long hard and rough in handling the two first of a darke but the two later of a fresher greene colour and of an unpleasant strong or resinous sent the upper parts of the stalkes are furnished with many flowers growing spike fashion at certaine distances one above another consisting of five long Leaves a peece whereof foure that stand on the two sides are somwhat bending upwards and the fift hanging down but turning up the end of the leafe a little againe having in the middle a tassell of five or six long threds that bow down with the lower Lease and turne up also the ends againe with a little freese or thrum at the end of every one after the flowers are past arise hard stiffe rough clammy husks horned or pointed at the end foure or five standing together somwhat like the seed Vessels of Columbines but greater thicker and harder wherein is contained round shining black seed greater then any Columbine seed by much the root is white large
Vulgar call Weedes and indeed there is a great deale of prettynesse in every one of them if they be narrowly observed yet divers of them are so pernicious to Corne and other things of greater use and value by their strangling qualities that the names above mentioned have not been given them without some reason CHAP. CCXLVIII Of Centory The Names IT is divided into two kinds a greater and a lesser which might be treated of in two distinct Chapters yet for their names sakes and somwhat for their qualities I shall joyne them in one though of different forms The greater is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Centaurium magnum which is generally affirmed to have received its name from Chiron the Centaure who healed himselfe herewith after that he had wounded his foot by the fall of one of Hercules's Arrowes out of his hand when he received Hercuâ—es as â—iâ—â—ueâ— and therefore of some was â—aâ—ed 〈◊〉 It hath formerly though falsely been called Rha Pont cum and uâ—â—â— insteed thereof that being a kind of Rubaâ—be The lesser is caâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek Centaurium parvum and minus in Latine and Centaurea as also â—â—râ—s for the extraordinary bitternesse thereof and Febrâ—fuga of cuâ—ing Feaâ—â—â—â—â—gh that name properly belong to another Plant calâ—ed Feaveâ—ew of â—â—â—e also Multiradâ—x but why I know not Dioscorides saith it was calâ—ed Limâ—â—n and Pliny Libadâ—oâ— because it â—oveth to grow in moiâ—â— places yet in our Country it loveth to grow in dry places also It is called in English Small Century and the lesser Centory The Kinds Of these two kinds above named there be Eleaven sorts foure of the greater and seaven oâ— the lesser 1. The Common Great Centory 2. The Pyrenean gâ—eat Centory 3. The great Centory of Portugall 4. The great yellow Centory 5. The red ordinary small Centory 6. White flowered Centory 7. Small spiked Centory 8. Small yellow Centory 9. Small yellow thorough leased branched Centory 10. Small yellow unbranched Centory 11. The least yellow Centory The Form Though I have set the greatest Centory foremost for his greatnesse sake yet the lesser being thaâ— at whose Vertues I cheifely aâ—â—e take the description thereof as followeth The red ordinary small Centory groweth most commonly but with â—â—â— round and somwhat creâ—â—ed stalke not above halfe a foot high at most that eâ—er I saw branching forth at the top into many sprigs and some also from the joynts of the stalkes below At the extremities of the branches there stand as it weâ—e in an Umbell or tuâ—t divers small flowers of a pale red colour tending to a Caâ—â—tion consisting of six but usually of five small Leaves somwhat like unto those of St. Johns-wort which in the day time when the Sun shineth open themselves and towards the evening shut themselves againe after which cometh the seed in little short Huskes in for â—e like unto Wheat Cornes but much lesser The Leaves are small and somwhat round like unto those of St. Johns-wort but lesser The root is small and hard The Places and Time The first and third grow upon the Alpes and Mount Baldus the name of the second will discover its place the fourth is a naturall of Mount Baldus also the â—â—ft is found almost every where in fields pastures and woods as in a field by Oxford highway from Baubury not farre from Beechen Tree and in a place called New-paâ—â—ure in the Common fields of Adderbury East not farre from the high way side and in some of Walton grounds which are on the other side the River Charwell and other places that I could name the sixth is not so frequent the seaventh about Momâ—eâ—â—er and neere unto Padoâ— upon the Euganean Hilles the eighth in a field next Sr. Francis Carew's house in Kent at Beddington neere Croydâ—â— and in many other places where the other sorts are somtimes found and removed into the Gardens of the curious where some of the greater sorts may be also seene They do all flower about July and give their seed in August only the Portugall kind is seldom brought to flower in our Country much lesse to seed The Temperature The great Centory is hot and dry in the third degree The lesser is hot and dry in the second degree and very bitter The Vertues and Signature Both the Centories are commended for gripings in the Belly yet because the lesser it most effectuall to that purpose I shall set down the Vertues thereof The decoction thereof being made in Wine Ale or posset drink is very available in severall diseases of the Belly as the Chollick Costivenes Wormes and the like purging Phlegme and Choler and provoking Sweat It is given with very good successe to those that are perplexed with Agues for it openeth the stoppings of the Liver Gall and Spleene helping the Jaundise which the yellow sort doth by Signature for that especially purgeth Choller as the white doth Phlegme and Water and the Red cleanseth the Blood maketh thin both it and the humors by the cleansing and bitter qualities It is usefull in the Sciatica helpeth those that have the Dropsy and the green sicknesse for it bringeth down the Courses of women It helpeth also to avoid the Dead Birth and helpeth the paines of the Mother and is very effectuall in all paines of the Joynts as the Gout Cramp or Convulsions Being boiled in White Wine or Ale with Liquorice and strained and drunk Morning and Evening it openeth the Obstructions of the Chest and Lungs and a little Sugar-Candy added it is a good Remedy against Hoarsnesse and the Ptisick The decoction of the tops of the Stalkes with the Leaves and flowers which are most in use being taken inwardly and the boyled Herb that is taken forth applyed ovtwardly helpeth both the paines of the sides and hardnesse of the Spleene A dram of the powder thereof taken in Wine is a wonderfull good help against the bitting and poyson of any Venemous Creatures Being boiled in Water and drunk it provoketh Appetite cleanseth the Stomack and Breast purgeth the Back and Reines and healeth whatsoever is amisse in them The juyce of the Herb mixed with a little Honey is good to cleare the Eâ—â—s 〈◊〉 Dimnesse mists or Clouds that hinder the sight and is singular good â—or green or fresh wounds and also for old Ulcers and Sores to close up the one and to cleanse the other and perfectly cure them both although they be fistulous and hollow the green Herb especially being bruised laid to The decoction thereof being dropped into the Eares cleanseth them from wormes cleanseth â—he foule Ulcers and spreading Scabs of the Head and taketh away Freckles Spots and Markes in the skin being washed therewith The greater Centory is appropriated especially to Wounds because it helpeth those that spit blood or bleed much at the Mouth two drams at the Root in powder taken in Wine or Water Neither is the Root but the whole Plant very available also in
all sorts of wounds and Ulcers to dry sodder cleanse and heale them and should be a principall Ingredient in all Wound drinks and Injections Yet it is effectuall in many other Cases also for the Roots thereof being steeped in wine and drunk or the powder thereof given in wine is good for such as have the Dropsy or Jaundise or are troubled with the stoppings of the Liver It is also used for Ruptures Crampes and Pleurisies and for an old Cough shortnesse of breath and other diseases of the Lungs Gripings in the Belly and paines of the Mother Being scraped and put up as a Pessary it procureth womens Courses and causeth the Dead Birth to be avoided the juyce thereof used after the same manner worketh the like Effects It helpeth the Strangury and pissing by drops as also the Stone if the decoction or Powder thereof be taken and the juyce injected The decoction or juyce of the Root or a dram of the powder thereof drunk and the wound washed therewith taketh away the paine and danger of the bitings or Stingings of Venemous Creatures It helpeth to sharpen the Eye sight if it be steeped in Water and dropped into them CHAP. CCXLVIII Of Lovage The Names IT hath no Greek Name that I can meet with It is called in Latin Levisticum which is the proper and onely Latine Name thereof Ligusticum being a far different plant although some being deceived with the vicinity of the name have taken them to be both one The Kinds As the Names of Lovage are but few so the sorts are not many for of it I find but two 1. Ordinary Lovage 2. The Lovage of Germany The Forme Ordinary Lovage hath many long and great stalkes of large winged Leaves divided into many parts like Smallage but much larger of a sad green colour smooth and shining every Leafe being cut about the edges and broader forward then towards the Stalke The Stalkes that arise from thence are diverse and of different proportions according to the goodnesse or badness of the Soile wherein they grow as also to their time of continuance for though in a fat soile where it hath grown long they attaine unto the height of five or six foot yet if the ground be barren or the herb but newly set they seldome exceed three or four answerable whereunto is the bignesse of them being green and hollow set with lesser leaves then those that grow below towards the tops of these come forth other smaller branches bearing at their tops large Umbels of yellow Flowers which turne into flat brounish seed somewhat like the seed of Angelica The root groweth large both in length and thicknesse being of a brownish colour without side and white within The whole Plant smelleth strong and in tast is both hot sharp and biting The Places and Time Both the sorts are Inhabitants in the Gardens of those that love Physicall herbs especially and sometimes in the Garden of those that understand it not the first being common to divers Countryes the second proper to Germany yet neither of them are found wild in any part of Europe if they be any where else The root in continuance of time spreadeth much for it endureth long and sendeth forth every yeare new stalkes which hold the Flowers in the end of July and the seed in August The Temperature Lovage is hot and dry in the third degree and is of thin parts also The Vertues Halfe a dram of the dryed Root of Lovage in powder taken in Wine doth wonderfully warm a cold Stomach helping digestion and consuming all superfluous moisture and raw humours therein as also in the Guts and therefore it easeth all inward gripings and paines both of the Stomach and Belly as also by dissolving wind and expelling it effectually which is an utter enemy to them both and it is commended for resisting poyson and infection that may assault either of them or any other part The said Root boiled in Wine or Barly-water cleanseth the Lungs openeth the passages of the Vrine provoketh Womens Courses mightily and healeth inward Wounds Being bruised in a Mortar before it be dryed and steeped for twelve houres in faire Water then strained and two or three spoonfuls drunk first and last morning and evening asswageth any drought or great desire to drink when no ordinary liquor will do it and this it performeth by a specifick property for the Root is well known to be hot To drink the Decoction of the herbe for any sort of Ague and to help the cold paines and torments of the Body and Bowels comming of cold was not long since a known and much practised Remedy but the present Age which forgets every thing that should do it goood knowes none such as far as I can under-stand The seeds drunk in White-wine fasting either in powder or boyled therein and strained doth purge both upwards and downwards and being used in Glisters it easeth the Gout in the feet Being steeped a night in Wine or else boiled therein and drunk it provoketh the Termes and expelleth the Dead-child and likewise opens the stoppings of the Spleen but because the seeds be very strong the like weight of Annise and Fennel may be mixed with them to qualifie them And to be briefe the seeds are as effectuall to all purposes as any other part of it and worketh more powerfully in Womens diseases The distilled water of the herb helpeth the Quinsey in the Throat if the Mouth and Throat be gargled and washed therewith and helpeth the Pleurisy being drunk three or four times Being dropped into the Eyes it taketh away the rednesse and dimnesse of them It likewise taketh away the spots or freckles of the Face The Leaves bruised and fryed with a little Hogs-lard and laid to any botch or boyl will quickly break it and being boyled in water and bathed therein it provoketh Vrine expelleth the Stone and healeth the inward parts Being applyed three or four times with Rue and Honey to the Knees of those that are troubled with pain in them it is a good expedient for the removing thereof The people of Germany and of this and other Countreys also in former times used both the Root in Powder and the seed to season their Meats and Brothes and found them as effectuall to comfort and warm the Stomack but now a dayes whatsoever is not farre fetched will hardly please The green roots pickled with salt and vinegar are a good sawce for those that are troubled with wind but if they be preserved with sugar they are more acceptable to the Palate CHAP. CCXLIX Of Tansey The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasia peradventure from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying sine morte or non moriens that is immortall because the yellow Flowers gathered in due time will continue very lively a long while It is also called Athanasia in Latine Tanacetum corruptly taken as Fuschius imagineth for Tagetes or Apuleius his Arthemisia Tragantes yet I
beareth flowers but when it doth the Stalk whereon they grow is great rising up with some few lesser Leaves thereon to the height of three or four foot spreading at the top many small branches of whitish flowers consisting of four Leaves a peece after which come small pods like unto those of the lesser Shepheards purse but seldome with any seed in them the root is long and thick white of colour in tast sharpe and biting the tongue somewhat like Pepper The Places and Time Mountaine Radish for so it is sometimes called is cheifly planted in Gardens where it joyeth most in a moist and shaddowy place yet it groweth naturally in divers parts of this Land as at Namp-â—wich in Châ—shire in a place called the Milne-Eye and also at a small Village near London called Hâ—gâ—â—don in the feild next unto the farme house by the way leading to Kings land Iâ— so seldome beareth seed or flowereth that some have affirmed that it beareth neither yet sometimes it doth flower in July or August and the seed is ripe in September but the common way of propagating it is by the root for it shooteth up divers heads which may be parted for increase either in the Spring or Autumne The Temperature Horse Reddish is hot and dry in the third degree being of a drying clensing and somewhat digesting quality The Vertues Of all things that are given to Children for the Wormes Horse Reddish is not the least effectuall for it killeth and expelleth them whether the juice of the green root or powder of the dry root be given in Wine or other convenient liquor or an Oyntment be made thereof and the Belly of the Child be anointed therewith The Leaves boyled in Wine with a little Oyl Olive added thereunto and laid to the grieved parts in manner of a Pultis do mollify and take away the hard swellings of the Liver and Milt and being applyed to the bottom of the belly is a remedy for the Strangury and so are the Roots sliced thin and eaten with meat as a saâ—â—ce having some vinegar put thereto as also for the chollick It is also a good remedy in strong Bodies for the Cough Tissick and other diseases of the Lungs as also to procure Womens courses that are stopped being boyled in honey and vinegar into an Electuary it also is often given before the fit of the Quartan Ague to alter the course which it doth by provoking vomiting and sweating the juyce given in drink is held to be very effectuall for the Scâ—rvey The Root bruised and laid to the place grieved with the Sâ—iatica gout Joynt-ach or the hard swelling of the Liver and Spleen doth wonderfully help them all And if any think or find it too strong for their stomacks or that it hurteth their head or causeth sharp and sower belchings the distilled Water of the Leaves and Roots may be taken with a little Sugar for all the purposes aforesaid without any disturbance at all The Root is commonly used amongst the Germans and sometimes by Gentlemen with us also for sauce to eat Fish with and other Meats as Mustard is and so it heateth the Stomach more and causeth better digestion then Mustard notwithstanding whatsoever some have written as if it were too strong for ordinary Stomacks CHAP. CCLVII Of Sumack The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the red or Scarlet colour of the seed which is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying no more but Red Pliny calleth it also Rhus in Latine saying that it hath not any pure Latine Name yet Gaza translateth it Fluida supposing it to come from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fluo for no reason at all Some call it Rhus simply without any Epither as Matthiolus c. Others with one as Rhus Coriaria because the Coriers use it about their Leather and Rhus Obsoniorum because it is used about sauce the shops call it Sumack and so do We in English The Kindes To this kind may be referred these five sorts and not improperly 1 Coriare Sumack 2 Virginian Sumack 3 Mirtle leafed Sumack 4 Venice Sumack 5 Sweet Gall. The Forme Coriars Sumack groweth in our Gardens to be two or three yards high spreading sundry branches with larg winged Leaves that is having many set on both sides of a middle rib somewhat like unto Elder which are soft and hairy with a red sinew running through the middle of every of them at the ends of the branches come forth large spiked clusters of whitish Flowers which afterwards become reddish round and flat seed like unto Lentils with an outward skinny husk The Root is hard and woody not growing very deep nor much spreading the Wood is whitish but dyeth black The Places and Time The first groweth in Syria Pontus Italy and Spain where for its profit it is carefully manured the place of the second may be known by its name the third groweth about Mompelier and divers other places the fourth in Savoy and on the Apenine Hils the last by old Windsor Park-Corner in Sussâ—x Hartford-shire and Kent as well as beyond the Sea They flower for the most part in July and their seed is ripe in Autumne The Temperature Both the Leaves fruit and seed of Sumack are cold in the second and dry in the third degree being also of a very binding quality The Signature and Vertues The Reddish colour of the seeds of Sumack did teach those that found out the Vertues of Plants by their Signatures that it is good for the bloody flâ—x which is a distemper of the Belly with exulceration and excoriation so that blood is voided whereunto great paines with gripings are joyned and upon this account it is prescribed generally by all those that meddle with the cures of diseases as also for stopping all other Fluxes of the Belly the inordinate Courses of Women the Whites also and all other Immoderate Issues of blood whatsoever the Leaves being either boyled in Wine and drunk or the seed eaten in Sawces with Meat or the decoction set in some convenient place as the Case of a Close Stool whence the fume may powerfully ascend into the bodies of those that are thus diseased and the said decoction maketh the Hair black that is washed therewith The leaves and seeds may be used severall other ways for the said Fluxes as in Broths Baths Gilsters c. The said decoction of the Leaves and Seed in Wine doth also close up the Stomacks of those that are much given to vomiting and being mixed with vinegar and a little honey it is good against Gangrenes and Cankers The juyce that is gotten out of the dryed Leaves by boyling them in water being kept boyling till it have the consistence of Honey helpeth the roughnesse of the tongue and throat and performeth all those effects for which Lycium is commended The seed is likewise boyled in Water and the decoction thereof evapored to the thicknesse of honey
the Description The Forme Rice cometh up in a manner like unto wheat but that the stalks seldome exceed a yard in height and the Leaves are much thicker which come forth at the joynts as those of the Reed do at the top whereof groweth a bush or tuft spiked yet spread into branches sending forth purplish blossomes standing a part each from one another after which cometh the seed inclosed in a brown straked husk and an awn or beard at the end of every one of them as Barly hath which beink husked or hulled is very white blunt at both ends but not altogether so big or long as Wheat The Root is like unto that of other grain perishing every year after it hath brought its seed to its full bignesse as other Grain doth The Places and Time Rice is usually sold heere in England by the Druggists and others that deal in the like Commodities but it is brought to them by the Merchants out of divers parts as the East-Indies where it is their chiefest food as you shall hear anon from Syria Aethiopia and Africa and not only from thence but from Spaine Italy and Germany to all which places it was brought from the East Indies where it groweth most naturally in Fenny and waterish places being sowne in the Spring and gathered about the middle or end of Autumne The Temperature It is somewhat binding and drying but otherwise it is very temperate scarcely exceeding in heat or cold The Vertues The use of Rice is very much commended by the Physitians of all Ages to stay the I asâ—s and Fluxes of the Belly as well as the Stomack and is prescribed by those even of later times for the same purpose as also for the Hemorrhoides or Piles especialiy if it be a little parched before it be used and afterwards boyled in Milk wherein hot Steele or hot Stones have been quenched But if that be not sufficiently effectuall for the Flux there may be pottage made thereof after this manner Take a good handful of Oaken bark and boyl it in a gallon of running Water to the 〈…〉 half or thereabouts then straining it and suffering it to cool take half a pound of Jordan Almonds and beat them in a Mortar with Hulls and all on afterwards strain them with the aforesaid Water and so with Rice make Pottage O 〈…〉 it blanched Almonds be stamped with Rosewater and strained into Rice broth pottage or milk it is also very good for the Flux and so is the Flower or Meal taken either in a Potion or Glister The ordinary sort of Rice pottage made with Rice well steeped and boyled in Water and good Milk and spiced with Sâ—gar and Cinnamon is very pleasant and easy of digestion and is thought to encrease the naturall seed as Matthiolus writeth The fine flower hereof mixed with yolks of egges which being fryed with fresh butter and eat morning and evening helpeth the bloody Flux The same is put into Cataplasmes that are applyed to repell humours that fall to any place and may be conveniently applyed to Women breasts to stay Inflammations but it must be at the beginning Being boyled in running Water and the face washed therewith taketh away pimples spots and other deformities thereof It is without question very excellent and wholesome food for the East Indians whose generall feeding it is do live more free from sicknesse and longer then others that meddle not with it sometimes they boyl the grain till it be plump and tender but not broken having a little green Ginger and Pepper and Butter put to it and sometimes they boyl the peeces of flesh or Hens and other Foul cut in peices in their Rice which dish they call Pillaw being as they order it an excellent and well tasted Food They have many other dishes wherein Rice is an ingredient as in Catcheree Dupiatcâ— and Mangee-real as the Portugals call it which signifies as much as Food for a King They eat it likewise with their Fish and please themselves much therewith When Sr. Thomas Row was sent Ambassadour from England to the Great Magul he and Mr. Terry his Chaplain were entertained by Asaph Chan the greatest Favourite in all that Empire the Ambassadour had threescore and ten dishes Asaph Chan threescore Mr. Terry fifty in most of which were Rice presented some white some yellow some green some purple as also in their Jelâ—ies and Culices The meaner sort of people also eat Rice boyled with their Green-Ginger and a little Pepper after which they put Butter into it but this is their principall dish and but seldome eaten of them being to them as Rost-meat is to poor folkes amongst us And so much for the great estimation that Rice hath in the East Indies which is indeed the wholesomest grain that grows though not so much in use amongst us CHAP. CCLXIV Of Flix-Weed The Names IT hath no pure Greek name set down by any Author that I can find yet those Latine names that it hath obtained are many of them composed of Greek as well as Latine as Pseudonasturtium sylvestre Sophia Chirurgorum and Thalietrum or Thalictrum but not truly for that name belongeth to the Rubarbe that growes in our Medowes It is called Pseudonasturtium sylvâ—stre because it pertaines to the Family of the wild Crâ—sses but why it is called Sophia Chirurgorum I know not unlesse it be the Sophia Paracelsi wherewith the Paracelsians pretend to do wonders in uniting broken bones and healing old sores yet though the matter be disputable it is generally called and knowne by the name of Sophia Chirurgorum In English it is called Flix-Weed from the Vertues that it hath to cure the Flix The Kindes And because Flix-weed is said to be of the Family of wild Cresses I shall adde one or two more thereunto so that there is 1 Common Flix-weed 2 Broad leafed Flix-weed 3 Narrow leafed wild Cresses 4 Spanish wild Cresses The Formes Flix-weed riseth up with a round upright hard stalke half a yard or two foot high but seldome more spread into sundry branches whereon do grow many Leaves of an overworn grayish green colour sinely cut and divided into a number of fine jagges like unto those of the Worm-wood commonly called Roman The Flowers which are small and of a dark yellow colour do grow in a spiked fashion upon the tops of the spriggy branches after which come very small long Pods with much small yellowish seed in them The Root is long and woody perishing every year yet if it be suffered to seed and shed it will not faile you of many appearances for one the next year The Places and Time The three first grow very frequently by Hedge-fides High-wayes upon old Walls and amongst rubbish in most places of this Land especially the first The last hath been found only in the Kingdome of Valentia in Spain They Flower from the beginning of June to the end of September the seed ripening in the meane while The Temperature Flix-weed is said
upon other occasions as Sheepherds purse Strawberries Mirtles Water-lillies Plantaine Housleek Knotgrasse c. The way of using it for the distempers aforesaid is to boyl the roots in Water or Wine to drink the decoction and so it helpeth those that spit blood or that bleed at the mouth or that make a bloody Vrine and is very soveraign also for all inward hurts bruises and wounds and the ulcers of the Lungs The same also drunk stayeth the falling downe of Rheume from the head to the lungs the Fluxes of humours or blood by the belly and stoppeth not onely the Reds which are the mouthly Flowers of Women but the Whites also which is a continual distillation or flux of the Matrix proceeding from abundance of phlegmatick humours that oppresse the whole body and therefore it may not be stopped untill those evil humours be purged but that being done there is not a better remedy than this Decoction as also for the running of the Reines happening by what course soever The Syrup that is made of the said Roots is very effectual for all inward griefs and hurts aforesaid and the distilled Water may be used for the same though not so effectually and is usefull for outward Wounds and Sores in the fleshy or sinewy part of the body wheresoever The Decoction of the Leaves also â—s in some sort effectual for all the said purposes Camerarius saith that two ounces of the juyce being taken by one that is troubled with the Lethargy it restoreth him The said Roots bruised and applyed in the manner of a Plaister to any fresh or greene Wound or Cut helpeth the same immediately by glewing the lips of them together yea they are so glutinative that they will fasten together pieces of meat that have been cut asunder making them all into one lump if they be boyled in a pot therewith it must therefore be of especiall good use in all manner of Ruptures the decoction or Syrup taken inwardly and the Roots stamped and applyed to the place in the form of a Plaister The said Plaister is good to be applyed to Womens breasts that grow sore by much flowing into them as also to stop the over-much bleeding of the Hemorrhoides to cool the Inflammation and to give ease to such pains as happen thereabouts Being applyed after the same manner upon a piece of Leather as it may be also in the form â—r cases to any place that is troubled with the Gout it taketh away the pain presently and so it giveth ease to pained joynts and profiteth very much for running aâ—d mâ—st Vlcers Gangrenâ—s Mortifications and the like The powder of the dryed Root and Cynamon doth consolidate the Matrix of any one when it happeneth to be torn by sore travail in Child-birth CHAP. CCXCIII Of Mouseare The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Myosota from whence these Herbs are generally called Myosotis but two of them especially the rest being more commonly called in Latin P 〈…〉 sella which is a kind of barbarous name put thereon because of its hairyness It is also called Auricula Muris for that resemblance that the Leaves have with the Eare of a Mouse as the Greek name doth likewise intimate Some call the greater sort Grim the Collier in English the middle sort Mouseare and the lesser sort â—corpion-Mouseare The Kindes To this kinde may be referred these seven sorts 1. The Common Mouseare 2. Great Mouseare 3 Codded Mouseare 4. Common upright Mouseare 5. Another upright Mouseare 6. Mouseare-Scorpion-grass 7. Water-Scorpion-grass The Forme The Common Mouseare is a low Herb creeping upon the ground by small strings or wires somewhat after the manner that the Strawberry-plant doth whereby it shooteth forth and increaseth each string taking root again after it hath run but a very little way and sending forth many small and somewhat short Leaves set in a round form together hollowish in the middle where they are broadest of an hairy colour all over as well above as below and very hairy resembling in many things the Eare of a Mouse which being broken do give a white Milk from amongst these Leaves spring up divers small hairy Stalks about an handfuâ—l long coming forth at the joynts of the Wires where there grow also divers Leaves but smaller than the former one at a place as the Flowers also do consisting of many pale yellow Leaves broad at the poynts and a little dented in set in three or four rowes the greater outermost and the smaller inward very like a Dandelyon flower but lesser being a little reddish underneath about the edges especially if it grow in dry ground turning at length into a certain Down which the wind carrieth away with the seed to boot The root is small and thredy The Places and Time The first groweth in most Pasture grounds of this Land especially if the soyl be but a little sandy the second doth sometimes grow in the like places but more usually upon Walls as upon Queenes Colledge wall in Oxford the third is also found in this Land growing in the borders of some Fields the fourth upon the banks of Ditches and in them also if they be dry the fifth upon dry barren Heaths especially upon Hamstead Heath where it is very plentifull the sixth is common upon the dry banks of ditches and the last will grow in ditches amongst the mud though there be some water in them as in the ditch between the two Waters next the Holly-bush at Oxford by the Cawsway that leads to Botly They abide green all the Winter and flower in June and July The Temperature Mouseare is hot and dry and of a clensing binding and consolidating quality The Vertues The juyce of Mouseare in Wine or the decoction thereof drunk is of very great force to stay the abundance of Wâ—meâ—s Courses as also the Whites and all other Fluxes of blood whether at the Mouth or Nose or by Stoole and all inward bleedings also the same is very availeable to help the Jaundise although of long câ—ntinuance to drink thereof morning and evening but then other drink must be abstained from two or three hours after and so it is often used as a speciall remedy against the Stone and other paines of the Bowels Being taken in like manner before the Fit of a Quartane Ague it is said to keep back and lessen the fit very much and by use of it to take it quite away The Decoction thereof with Succory and Centory is held very effectuall to help the Dropsie and them that are inclining thereto as also the diseases of the Spleen A Syrupe made of the juyce of Mouseare and Sugar is very usefull for such are as troubled with the Cough or Ptisick and helpeth exceedingly all Ruotures or Burstings if a spoonfull or two thereof be taken at a time The green Herb bruised and presently bound to any fresh Cut or Wound doth quickly bring together the Lips thereof for it is a singular good
following sorts 1. Common Medow Trefoile with Purple Flowers 2. White flowred Medow Trefoile 3. Heart Trefoile or spotted Snaile Trefoile 4. Smooth upright narrow leafed Birds foot Trefoile 5. Great codded Trefoile 6. Small codded Trefoile 7. Roundheaded Trefoile 8. Green flowred Trefoile 9. Strawberry or Bladder Trefoile 10. Hop Trefoile 11. Little yellow Trefoile 12. The great Purple Trefoile 13 Knotted Trefoile 14. White Dwarfe Trefoile 15. Burgundy Trefoile or Medick Fodder 16. Yellow-horn Trefoile 17. Smooth Starry Trefoile 18. Marish Trefoile or Buckes Beans 19. Purplewort or Purplegrasse called in Latine Quadrifolium fuscum being as it seems rather a four leafed then a three leafed grasse The Forme Medow Trefoile shooteth up stalks about an handful long and sometimes longer round and somewhat hairy yet for the most part leaning towards the ground whereon grow Leaves consisting of three joined together one standing a little from another of which those that are next the ground and roots are rounder and those which grow higher are longer having for the most part in the midst a white spot like an half Moon from amongst which rise up stalkes of Flowers somewhat longer then the Leaves bearing many deep Purple Crimson flowers together in a tuft rising smaller up to the top which turn into little cods with small seed in them the root spreadeth much and endureth long The Places and Time The two first grow more frequently in Medowes then any of the rest yet there be others that grow there also some in one Countrey and some in another The third groweth in a Field between Longford and Bow as also beyond Southwarke in the right way from London to Croyden and the parts adjacent The eighth in Mr. Stonehouse his Orchard at Darfield The seventeenth groweth in divers Fenny and Moorish places The last groweth in divers Countrey Gardens as well as in the Gardens of the curious who also entertain divers of the other sorts They flower and flourish from May to August The Temperature Medow Trefoile both Leaves and Flowers are thought by some to be câ—oling and binding but others thinke them to be of a digesting and sâ—ppurating quality and there is no doubt but the rest do in some sort follow the Temperature of this The Vertues and Signature The Decoâ—tion of Medow Trefoile with its Flowers Seeds and Roots taken for some time helpeth Women that are troubled with the Whites and consequently the extraordinary over-flowing of their ordinary courses it being more then probable that what is availeable for the fiâ—st is profitable for the second because the first is harder to be cured The Decoction of the Leaves and Fâ—owers having some Honey put thereto and used in a Clyster easeth the fretting paines of the Guts and bringeth forth tough and slimy humors that cleave to the Guts The said Leaves boyled with a little Barrowes grease and used as a Pultis taketh away hot swellings and Inflammations The juice especially of that which is spotted upon the Leaves being strained and dropped into the Eyes or mixed with a little Honey and applyed is a familiar Medicine with divers to take away the Pin and Web as they call it in the Eyes by Signature and so it ceaseth the pain and Inflammation of them when they are bloud-shotten The said Juice is also held to be very available against the biting of an Adder being drank the herbe also being boiled in Water and the place washed with the decoction and then some of the herbe laid to the hurt place also and so is the herbe boiled in Swines grease and made into an oyntment The herbe also bruised and heated between two Tiles and applyed hot to the Share causeth them to make Water who had it stopped before It is held likewise to be good for wounds and to take away Scarres The Burgundy Trefoile called also Foenum Burgundiacum Burgundy Hay and Meddick Fodder is conceived by divers to be that which Dioscorides commends for its cooling property as also that whose Oyle as Aâ—icen saith is very effectuall against the trembling of the Heart An Oyle drawn out from the Seed as it is done from Almonds is said to be good for the Stone In those Countreys where it groweth plentifully it is found so powerfull to fatten Cattle that they are faine to be stinted lest they should grow so fat that suffocation shâ—uld ensue If the March Trefoile be the Isopyrum of Dioscorides as some suppose it to be then the Seed thereof is good against the Cough and other griefes of the Breast or Chest for as Galen saith it cleanseth and cutteth tough and grosse humors and maketh them the easier to be expectorate or spit forth it is also good to purge and cleanse the Liver and to help those that spit blood The Leaves of Purplewort stamped and the Juice given in drinke is very confidently administred and that with good successe not onely to Children but to others also that have the disease called in English the Purples which it doth by Signature And if the Heart Trefolle were used it would be found to be a great strengthner of the Heart and cherisher of the Vitall Spirits relieving the body against Faintings and Swoonings fortifying it against Poysons Pestilence and defending the Heart against the noisome vapors of the Spleen for it resembleth the heart both in forme and colour and surely it hath no so eminent Signatures for nothing CHAP. CCXCIX Of Moneywort The Names IT is called in Latine for Greek name it hath none that I can meet with in any Author Nummularia of the round forme of the Leafe somewhat like unto Money and Serpentaria because it is reported that if Serpents be hurt or wounded they doe recover themselves with this herbe Fuschsius calleth it Centummorbia from its wonderfull efficacy in healing Vlcers and green wounds and Tabermontanus would have it named Hirundinaria because as Swallowes doe usually fly close to the ground so this Plant cleaveth close to the Earth It is called in English Herb two pence Two-penny grasse but usually Money-wort The Kindes Though Moneywort seemeth to be of different sorts because it groweth to be of severall sizes yet that is to be impated to the fertility or â—â—â—rility of the soile they enjoy howsoever there be two sorts thereof 1. Common Moneywort 2. Small Moneywort with purplish Flowers The Forme The Common Moneywort sendeth forth divers long weak and slender branches lying and running upon the ground set with two Leaves at each joynt opposite one to another at equall distances which are almost as round as a penny but that they are a little pointed at the ends smooth and of yellowish green colour at the joynts with the Leaves from the middle forward come forth at the joynts sometimes one and sometimes two yellow flowers standing each upon a small footstalâ—e being composed of five narrow leaves pointed at the ends with some yellow threds in the middle which being past there stand in their places small round heads
and helpeth Suffusions or Spots in the Eyes being mixed with Honey and dropped in It cures the stinging of venemous Beasts being applyed and the swelling of the Spleen being laid on as a Plaister A Perfume thereof and of Goats horn is not onely good for the Mother but prevents or much mitigates the Fit of the Falling Sicknesse if the party's head be held over it when the Fit is a coming It helpeth the Toothach being put into an hollow Tooth It is exceeding powerfull to expell Wind not onely in Men but also in Horses when they are over-subject thereunto These are the vertues of Assa faetida which is the true and onely Laser or Laserpitium of the Ancients as Garcias saith that it is so accepted generally by the Arabians in India who say they err mightily that make them differing It is given from half a Scruple to a Dram in powder if it be very dry but if not it must be dissolved in Honey or Wine and so taken yet Women with Child and such as have very hot and dry bodies must avoid it The Assa dulcis is now a dayes quite lost and forgotten being not brought into these parts neither are the Salks Leaves or Roots of Laserwort to be seen with us The Vertues of the two last are not yet discovered that I can finde CHAP. CCCXI. Of Cow-parsnep The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sphondyllum and Spondylium being derived as some think from Spondyle which signifieth a Flie of a very stinking smell like unto this Herb Tragus Cordus and others call it Branca Vrsina and Fuchsius Acanthus vulgaris sive Germanica and therefore the Apothecaries in high and low Germany did commonly use it in Clysters instead of Beares-breech It is called in English Cow-parsnep and Meadow-parsnep but some Countrey people call it Hog-weed because Hogs feed upon it with a great deal of greedinesse The Kindes There be five sorts of Cow-parsneps some of which have been made known to the world but of later dayes 1. Ordinary Cow-parsnep 2. The great Cow-parsnep of Germany 3. Jagged Cow-parsnep of our own Land 4. Small Mountain Cow-parsnep 5. Smooth Mountain Cow-parsnep The Form The Ordinary Cow-parsnep groweth with divers large spread rough winged Leaves lying either upon the ground or else touching it within a very little yet sometimes they stand more upright upon their long thick and roundish hairy Foot-stalks parted commonly into five divisions the two couples standing each against other and the odde one at the end each division or leaf being almost round yet cut intâ— the edges somwhat deeply in divers of them but not so deep in others of a whitish green colour and of somewhat a strong scent from amongst the Leaves riseth up a round crested hairy Stalk two or three foot high with some few Joynts and Leaves thereat like the former but lesser branched also at the â—op whereon divers Umbels of somewhat large and white flowers do commonly stand yet sometimes they are a little reddish after which cometh the Seed which is flat whitish thin and winged two of them being alwayes joyned together The Root is long and white somewhat like to that of Henbanâ— growing down into the ground with two or three long strings thereat having also somewhat a strong and unpleasant smell The Places and Time The first groweth not onely in the corners of Meadows and in the borders of Fields but in the Meadows and Fields themselves many times amongst the Corn whence the Husband-men pull them forth and bring them home to their Hogs being very acceptable to them as also to other Cattle neither do they count their Hay or Straw much the worse if it be amongst them it being good Fodder for Cowes and therefore called Cow-parsnep as well as for other Cattle the second is an Inhabitant of Germany the third being of our own Land was found by Dr. Bowl in Shropshire the fourth on the Alpâ—s of Austria the fifth and last on the Alpes of Basil They do all flower in July and seed in August The Temperature Cow-parsnep is of a manifest warme Temperature The Seed as Galen saith is of a sharpe and cutting quality The Vertues The Seed of Cow-parsnep being either boyled in Wine and drunk or powdred and so taken therein is commended as a good Remedy for Womens passions of the Mother and so it cleanseth the Belly from tough phlegmatick matter abiding therein and easeth them that are Liver-grown The smoak also of the Seed bâ—ing burned and received underneath is effectuall for the Mother and being burned under the Nose it helpeth such as are fallen into a deep sleep or have thâ— Lâ—tâ—argy The Root being boyled in Oyle and the Head rubbed therewith heâ—pâ—th not onely those that have the Lethargy or Drowsy Evil but those that have the Frensy or Waking Evil if I may so call it notwithstanding they are so contrary and those that of a long time have been troubled with the Head-ach if it be likewise used with Rue and so it is good for Ringwormes and Tetters the â—unning Scab and the Shingles The Seed is effectuall for those that are troubled with a Cough or shortnesse of Breath the Falling Sicknesse or the Jaundise The Root is of the like quality and available for the said purpose and besides it is of great use to take away the hard callous skin that groweth on a Fistula if it be scraped upon it The Leaves are profitable to consume and dissolve cold swellings if they be bruised and applyed thereto The Juyce of the Flowers being dropped into the Eares that are full of Matter and run cleanseth and healeth them â—he poor people of Polonia and Lit 〈…〉 ia do boyl the Seeds and Leaves hereof in water and by putting a little Yest or Barm thereunto make of it a Liquor which they drink as familiarly as we do Beer CHAP. CCCXII Of Birth-wort The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is good both to facilitate the Birth and to purge all impurity that may be in the Womb after delivery The Latines following the Greek do likewise call it Aristolochia besides which it hath none other Latine name but those which are corrupt yet coming thence also as Pistolochia and Aristologia In English it is called Birth-wort from the effects before mentioned The Kindes There are eight sorts hereof reckoned up by Bauhinus in his Pinax though perhaps not translated Verbatim 1. The more ordinary round rooted Birth-wort 2. Another round rooted Birth-wort 3. The true long rooted Birth-wort 4. Spanish long Birth-wort 5. The running rooted Birth-wort 6. Spanish climing Birth-wort 7. The bushy rooted Birth-wort 8. Ever-green bushy rooted Birth-wort of Candy The Forme The more ordinary round rooted Birth-wort sendeth forth divers long trailing square Stalks a foot long or thereabouts with few or no branches but with many round yellowish green Leaves
be eminent for healing green Wounds yet not for all other diseases as those names import The Forme Clownes Wound-wort groweth up with slender four square green rough Stalks to the height of halfe a yard or two foot surrowed in a little upon every square the joynts standing somewhat farre a sunder with two very long and somewhat narrow dark green Leaves bluntly dented about the Edges and sharp pointed at the end the flowers stand towards the top compassing the stalkes at the joynts as those of Horehound doe but it endeth in a spiked top which Horehound doth not having long and much open gaping hoods of a purplish red colour with whitish spots in them standing in somewhat rough huskes wherein afterwards stand blackish round seeds The root is composed of many long strings with some tuberous long knobs commonly growing amongst them of a pale yellowish or whitish colour the whole plant is of a strong smell somewhat like unto Stinking Horehound The Places and Time Clownes Allheale groweth frequently in most of the Countries of this Land by the sides of severall brooks and ditches and sometimes by the Path-sides and Borders of fields It floureth in August and bringeth its seed to perfection about the end of September The Temperature This kind of Sideritis is hot in the second degree and dry in the first and withal of an earthy quality The Vertues The Leaves of Clownes Wound-wort stamped with Swines grease and applyed unto green Woundes in manner of a Pultis doth heale them in a short time according to the first intention that is by closing up the lips of them without drawing or bringing them to Suppuration or Matter in such absolute manner that it is hard for any one that hath not had the experience thereof to believe It is also very availeable in stanching of bloud and to dry up the Fluxes of humors in old fretting Vlcers Cancers c. that hinder the healing of them Neither is it excellent onely for outward but also for inward Wounds Ruptures of veines bloudy flux spitting pissing or vomiting bloud a syrupe being made thereof and taken now and then a little and so Ruptures or burstings of the belly are speedily even to admiration cured if a Plaister of the Herb or an oyntment of the same be applyed to the place The said Plaister being applyed to any veine that is swollen or Muscle that is cut helpeth it and if there be a little Comfry added to it it will be so much the better CHAP. CCCXXXIV Of Arsmart The Names IT is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hydropiper i. e. Piper aquaticum because one kind of it hath a burning taste like Pepper and Hydropiper in Latine sometimes but generally Perficaria quod folia â—jus Perfica foliis similia sunt because the leaves of it are like unto those of the Peach-tree yet some make this distinction calling the mild or gentle sort Perficaria simply and the other Hydropiper five Perficaria urens in English Water Pepper and Arsmart and in some Countries Red-knees and of some Culrage and Cyderach The Kindes There be foure Sorts of Arsmart growing in our owne Country 1. Dead or Spotted Arsmart 2. Small creeping Arsmart 3. Codded Arsmart or Touchme not 4. Biting Arsmart or Water Pepper The Forme The â—ild or Spotted Arsmart groweth up with Leaves of a middle size both for length and breadth set at the great red joynts of the Stalkes with blackish spots upon them many times almost like a halfe moone but not alwayes the flowers grow in long Spiky heades either of a blush or whitish colour which falling away blackish â—lat seed come in their places The root is long with many fibres thereat perishing yearly this hath no biting tast as the Water Pepper hath which is exceeding hot but is rather like sowre Sorrell or else a little drying or without tast the way of distinguishing one from an other is to breake a leafe of it crosse ones tongue for the biting sort will make the tongue to smart and so will not the other The Places and Time The first groweth very common almost every where in moist and watery Plashes and neer to the brims of Rivers Ditches and running Brooks and sometimes in those Corn-fields that are subject to moisture in the Winter time The second groweth also within the confines of our Countrey and so doth the third but the place thereof is not particularly expressed and therefore some Physick Garden is the surest place to finde them the last is found in like places with the first but not so frequently and is to be known from iâ— by the red spots which it sometimes hath as also by the Diagnostick I have already set down They flower in June and their Seed is ripe in August The Temperature The â—ildâ— or dead Arsmart as it is called is cold and something dry but the Biting Arsmart is hot and dry yet not so hot as Pepper according to Galen The Vertues and Signature The Leaves and Stalkes of the Dead Arsmart being stamped and applyed to green or fresh Wounds doe cool and comfort them exceedingly and keep them from â—â—postumation and inflaâ—mation and so doth the juice of them being dropped thereinto Being applyed in like manner it consumeth all cold swellings and taketh away black and blew markes of the Skin by dissolving the congealed blood happening upon bruises strokes fallâ— c. which is signified by the black spots which are upon the Leaves and being laid to a Joynt that hath a Felon thereon it taketh it away by Signature also A piece of the Root or some of the Seed bruised and held to an aking tooth taketh away the pâ—ine The Juice of it being dropped into the Eares destroyeth the Wormes that are in them and so it is good against deafenesse Two dâ—amms of the powder of the herb taken with a little Vinegar openeth the obstructions of the Liver Being stamped with Wine and applyed to the Matrix it bringeth unto Women their monthly Courses If it be stamped with Rue and Wormwood and all of them fryed together with Butter or Suet and applyed to the Stomach or Bâ—lly it killeth the Wormes in them When a Womans Belly is great and she not with Childe let her boyl of Arsmart Rue and Hyssâ—p of each one handfull in a quart of Ale to the one halfe and drinke thereof first and last it will reduce it to its just measure The distilled Water of the herb mingled with an Oxe Gall and a little Oyle of Spike being annointed upon any place that is troubled with the Gout and a blew woollen cloth laid upon it taketh away the pain thereof Two spoonfulls of the said Water with one of Aqua Vitae being nointed on any place troubled with an Ach for five or sixe dayes taketh it quite away It is said that if a handfull of Arsmart wetted in Water be applyed to a Wound or Sore and afterwards buried in moist ground as the herb rotteth so
gently till about half the Water be consumed strain it and give about four ounces thereof in bed for divers mornings together if need be The said Decoction is also profitable in Agues whether quotidian or intermittent or pestilential Feavers and also Hecticks and Consumptions to rectifie the evil disposition of the Liver the inveterate paines in the Head and Stomack which it also strengtheneth to dry up Rheumes to help the Jaundise and Ruptures in Children or others by drying up the humours which is the cause thereof The Palsie also may be cured by it and so may the diseases of the Joynts as the Gout Sciatica and the Nodes also or hard bunches that sometimes grow upon the Joynts It is useful also in the ulcers of the Yard Scabs Leprosie Scirrous and watry Tumors and is good in all cold and melancholy griefes but especially in the Dropsie and Greene Sicknesse Some say it provokes Lust which is very likely but it is not to be used in hot and dry bodyes for to such it is very hurtfull It is also sliced into thin pieces and boyled in broth being bound up together with a Chicken in a Linnen cloath The dose to be put therein is from two drammes to four drammes CHAP. CCCXXIX Of Prickly Bindweed and Sarsa parilla The Names Iâ—t is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine Smilax aspera to distinguish it from the other sorts of Smilax of which there be four besides this viz. two Trees and two Herbs the first of the two Trees is Smilax Arcadum a soft Oake the other is Smilax simply and by that is meant the Yâ—w-tree the first of the two Herbs is Smilax lavis smooth Bindweed the other is Smilax hortensis the French or Kidney Beane Gaza in his translation of Theophrastus calleth it Hedera Cilicia because the Leaves thereof are somewhat like Ivy and the Hetruscians call it Hedera spinâ—sa because of its prickles the Spaniards call it Zarsa parilla or Sarsa parilla which signifieth a small or little Vine whereunto it is like and therefore when they saw the like in Peru they called it by the same name so that it is generally so termed at this day in most Languages yet some write it Sarca parillia The Kindes Three sorts of prickly Bindweed desire a room in this place 1. Prickly Bindweed with red Berries 2. Prickly Bindweed with black Berries 3. Sarsa parilla or the prickly Bindweed of Peru which is the most useful and therefore I shall describe it as well as I can The Forme Sarsa parilla or the prickly Bindweed of Peru springeth up with many branches winding themselves about the poles that are stuck in the ground about them for to climb on having some tender pricks like thorns growing on them especially at the joynts it hath divers very green Leaves like unto Bindweed but longer and cornered like Ivy leaves the Flowers are great and white every one as big as a middle sized dish which opening in the morning doth sade at night from whence the Spaniards are said to call it Buenas Noches that is good night Clusius saith that he had a small branch with three heads of seed thereon the largest that ever he saw of that kinde for it had five leaves a piece every one almost an inch broad and long which seemed to be the cup of the Flower and Fruit every head which was three-square and skinny had within three round Seeds as big as great Pease of a smoaky or brownish colour The Root like that of Smilax aspera is down right and full of joynts or knots from which shoot other roots or strings which in the Indies grow to be great and long The Places and Time The two first grow in Italy Spain and other the warmer Countreys throughout Europe and Asia but the third is found onely in the Western Indies as Peru Virginia and divers other places the goodness or badness whereof is caused from the fertility or barrennesse of the ground whereon it grows so that the Honduras being very fertile bringeth forth the best They flower and fructifie timely enough in the warmer Climats but in ours they soon perish if there be not a care to keep them from the Frost and cold in Winter but where a convenient place is provided to set them in they will continue as I have seen the true Sarsa parilla if I mistake not in the Garden house of the Lord Laâ—bert at Wimbleton growing in a poâ— The Temperature Sarsa parilla is hot and dry in the first or second degree of thin parts and provoketh sweat The Vertues The Decoction of Sarsa parilla or the prickly Bindweed of Peru is of great force to cure those that are troubled with the French Pox being made and administred after the way which I shall here prescribe Take of Sarsa parilla four ounces cut it into small parts and afterwards infuse it into ten pints of hot water for the space of foure and twenty hours then boyl it being close covered till it be neere half consumed then being strained give a good draught thereof morning and evening It I mean the said Decoction is of very great use in Rheumes Gouts cold diseases of the Head and Stomacâ— and expelleth Wind both from the Stomach and Mother It helpeth all manner of Aches in the Sinews and Joynts all running Sorâ—s in the Legs all cold Swellings Tâ—â—ters or Ringwormes and all manner of Spots and foulnesse of the Skin It is also good in the Catarrhe or distillation from the head being sharp and salt in Cancers not ulcerate and in Tumors which are hard to be dissolved and it hath been found by experience to be very good for the Kings Evil a dram of the powder of Sarsa with the powder of Ruseus or Butchers-Broom being taken in White wine or Ale for forty dayes together The same powder having a just quantity of Tamariâ—k added thereto is a good remedy in the tumour of the Spleen The roots of the other rough Bindweeds are also used by divers of the learned and judicious instead of Sarsa parilla with good successe for Sarsa doth not purge the body of humours manifestly as other purgers do being generally held to spend them by its dryness and diâ—phorâ—tical quality rather than by heat or by going to stool It is given as an Antidâ—te against all sorts of poysonous or venemous things A dozen or sixteen of the Berries beaten to powder and given in Wine procureth Vrine when it is stopped The distilled water of the Flowers being drunk worketh the same effect cleanseth the Reynes and asswageth inward inflammations If the Eyes be washed therewith it taketh away all heat and rednesse in them and if the sorâ—s of the Legs be washed therewith it healeth them throughly Sarsa parilla iâ— not convenient to be given to those whose Livers are over-hot nor to such as have Agues CHAP. CCCXXX Of Star-wort The Names IT is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in