it giveth small nourishment though not bad and is withal a little statuâ—ent or windy yet Country-people in divers places of Germany and Italy do feed hereon as almost their onely bread-corn and are strong â—nd lusty Persons following hard Labor for the bread or cakes made â—herof are pleasant but do somwhat presse or lye heavy on the stomack I never knew any bread or cakes made of it for people to eat â—n this Country but it is generally used to fatten Hogs and Poultry of â—ll sorts which it doth very exceedingly and quickly The physical uses of it are these It provoketh Urine Vrine Milk Belly Melancholy Sight increaseth milk loosneth the belly and being taken in wine is good for melancholy persons the juice of the leaves dropped into the eyes cleareth the sight Bane-wort Names IT is also called in some places of England Sperewort Descript This plant hath reddish stalks full of knees or joynts upon which grow long narrow leaves almost like the leaves of Withy but longer and a little snipt or toothed round about especially those that grow lowest the flowers are yellow as Gold somwhat rough in the middle in Fashion and Colour like those of Golden Crowfoot After the flowers be past there succeed knops or heads like those of Crowfoot the reed is threddy Place It groweth in moist medows watry places and standing puddles Time It flowreth in May and yeeldeth his seed soon after Government and Vertues This is an herb of fiery Mars hot and dry in the fourth degree it blistereth the body as Ranunculus doth and is like it in complexion and operation This herb is no way to be given inwardly for it is hurtful both to man and beast the sheep which happen to eat thereof are troubled with a greivous inflamation which burneth up and consumeth their Livers whereof they dye the Dutchmen call it Egelcoolen because sheep that have eaten of it have a disease which they call Egel that is the blistering and inflamation of the Liver Spanish-Broom Names IT is also called Italian-Broom Descript The Spanish-Broom hath woodish stems from which grow up long slender and pliant twiggs which be bare and naked without leaves or at least having very few small leaves set here and there far apart from one another the flowers are yellow not much unlike the flowers of our English Broom after which it hath Cods wherein are contained brown and flat seed Place This Broom groweth in dry places in Spain and Languedoc and is not found in this Countrey but in the Gardens of Herbarists It is plentifull in the Physick Garden at Westminster Time It flowers in this Countrey in June and somwhat after the seed is ripe in August Government and Vertues It is under the planetary influence of Mars hot and dry of temperature the flowers and seed of Spanish Broom the quantity of a dram being drunk in mede or honyed-honyed-water cause strong Vomiting Vomiting but without danger the seed taken alone looseth the belly Belly loosned and bringeth forth great plenty of watry and tough humors out of the twigs or little branches being steeped in water is pressed forth a juice which taken in quantity of a little glass full fasting is good against the Squinancy and also is good against the Sciatica Base-broom Name IT is called also in English Woodwoseen Descript This is not much unlike the common broom saving that it is not so high nor so straight but lieth along almost upon the ground with many small branches proceeding from a woody stem and set with little long small leaves and at the top with small fair yellow flowers not much unlike those of the Common Broom but smaller after them come narrow husks or Cods wherein is a flat seed the root is hard and of a woodish substance Place It groweth in untilled places that lye low and is very frequent in moist clay pasture grounds Time It flowers in July and August and sometimes after and shortly after the seed is ripe Government and Virtues It is hot and dry of temperature and under the same planetary influence as the other Brooms and is in nature and operation like unto the common Broom but not so powerful It is seldom suffered to grow while the seed is ripe in the Country they gather it while it is in flower for the dyers who dye clothes yellow with it Behen Names IT is also called Been-album and Polemonium Descript Behen hath tender stalks with joynts the leaves are meetly broad set two at every Joynt one against another at the highest of the stalks grow white flowers hanging down and joyning one to another like a little nose-gay after the flowers there cometh black seed inclosed in round huskes the root is white plain and long Place Behen groweth upon mountains and rough stony places but is planted here in Gardens Time It flowers in June and July Government and Vertues It is dry in the second degree a Saturnine plant the root being drunk in wine is good against the bloudy Flux flux Venemous bitings Vrine Strangury and the bitings and stingings of Venemous beasts the same drunk in water Provokes Urine and helps the strangury and pains in the huckle bone It is good to be taken with Vinegar against the hardnesse and stoppings of the Spleen Spleen and all pains thereof being chewed in the mouth it helpeth the Tooth-ach Tooth-ach the same being pounded and applied cureth the stingings of Scorpions and is reported to have so great Antepitheticall power against Scorpions that whosoever doth but hold the same in his hand cannot be stung by any Scorpion Black-bind-weed Name IT is also called With-wind Descript Black-bind-weed hath smooth red branches very small like great threds wherewithal it wrappeth and windeth it self about trees hedges staks and all things it can lay hold upon the leaves are like to Ivy but smaller and tenderer the flowers be white and very small the seed is black tryangled or three square small and black growing thick together every seed is enclâ—sed and covered with a little skin the root is also small and tender as a thred Place It groweth in borders of Fields and Gardens and about hedges and ditches and amongst herbs Time It delivereth ' its seed in August and September and afterwards perisheth Government and Virtues Bind-weed is a plant of Mercury of a hot nature and of subtil parts having power to dissolve the juice of the leaves being drunk do loosen and open the belly and being pounded and laid to the grieved place dissolveth wasteth and consumeth hard swellings Rough bind-weed Names IT is also called prickly Bind-weed and commonly known in shops by the name of Sarsa-parilla Descript Rough or prickly Bind-weed groweth with tender stalks and branches garnished or set round about with many sharp prickles or thorns winding it self about trees hedges and bushes like our English Bind-weed taking hold with its clasping branches upon every thing stands near it the leaves be
only planted in Gardens Time The Lupines do flower in July and August and the seed is ripe soon after Government and Vertues Lupines are under the dominion of Mars and have an opening cleansing dissolving and digestive property but if they be steeped in water untill they have lost their bitterness they may be eaten but they are very hard to digest and breed grosse humors and passe slowly through the belly yet do not stop any flux If they be so steeped Appetite Stomack Liver Spleen Vrine Terms Dead-Child Scabbs Morphew cankers Tetters Sores and afterwards dryed and taken with Vinegar they provoke Appetite and help the loathing of the Stomack to meat The decoction of Lupines taken with hony opens obstructions of the Liver and Spleen provokes Urine and the Terms and expelleth the Dead-child if it be taken with Myrrhe The decoction of them cleanseth the body of Scabs Morphew Cankers Tetters and soul running Ulcers or Sores It also cleanseth the Face and taketh away the marks or pits which the Pox leaves behind it and cleareth the skin of Marks and black and blew Spots An oyntment of Lupines to beautifie and make the Face Amiable is made after this manner Take the meal of Lupines the gaul of a Goat or Sheep juice of Lemons and a little Alumen Saccharimum mingle them into the form of a soft oyntment The meal of Lupines being boyled in Vinegar and applied taketh away knobs and kernels or pimples The smoak of the shells being burned drives away gnats and flyes which annoy many houses in Summer Madder great and small BEsides the Garden and Wild Madder there are many other kinds hereof sound out Parkinson makes six kinds of the Rubia major or greater Madder and eight sorts of the Rubia minor or little small Madder Rubia Tinctorum is the general name of the manured Madder in Shops not onely so called from the colour of the root but also from its propety to dye a red colour The names of the other kinds follow in their Descriptions Descript 1. Culpepper hath described the Garden or manured Madder therefore I say no more of it Descript 2. Rubia sylvestris wild Madder is very like unto the manured but the stalks are smaller and not so spreading neither are they so rough or hairy the leaves are lesse the flowers are white the root groweth greater but not so red as the Garden-kind Descript 3. Wild Madder with long leaves called Rubia sylvestris longioribus foliis hath divers round jointed stalks two or three foot long or thereabout not so rough as the other wild sort the leaves that stand at the joints are somewhat rough narrower and longer than the other seaven or eight at a distance the flowers are white and stand at the tops of the stalks having four leaves apeece which turn into small round seed like the other the root is red as the former but smaller Descript 4. Smooth-leaved-Madder Rubia levis Taurinensium hath divers round smooth stalks two or three foot long whereon stand leaves not rough at all but smooth larger broader than garden Madder towards the tops of the branches and at the joints with the leaves standing round about the stalks come white flowers consisting of five or six small leaves apeece the roots are smaller then the other and run not far into the ground Descript 5. The 〈◊〉 smooth Candy-Madder called Rubia levis arborescens Cretica It hath a thick short stalk about the thickness of one's singer from whence spring many straight smooth branches with small short leaves standing at distances like the former sorts at the tops of the branches shoot out two or three slender sprigs which bear whitish flowers like those of the ordinary Madder the root is long and reddish and of a bitter harsh tast Descript 6. Sea-Madder Rubia marina hath many square hard and somewhat rough stalks full of joints and spreading round about the root upon the ground the leaves are somewhat rough small and long broadest at the bottom and pointed at the end growing lesser towards the tops the flowers are of a star-like fashion and whitish the root is more red on the outside then within more wooddy and harder then the other Place The first is manured in Gardens and large fields for the profit that is made of it for dyers as well as medicinal uses the second groweth by hedge-sides in many places of Germany and so doth the third which groweth also in many places of our own Land the fourth is found by Turin on the hills of Piemont according as Pena and Lobel say the fift in Candy and the sixt by the Sea-side in Provence and neer Mompelier Time They flower towards the latter end of Summer and the seed of some of them is ripe shortly-after Government and Vertues All the Madders are plants of Mars our Antient and modern writers have controverted each other about the properties of Madder whether it be of an opening or binding quality Galen and Dioscorides say that the root doth open and cleanse the body of thick and tough Flegm Vrine Terms Dead-Child After-Birth Yellow Jaundice Liver Spleen Melancholy Palsie Sciatica that it provoketh Urine bringeth down Womens Courses and expelleth the Dead-child and afterbirth but Dodoneus affirmeth that it is dry and astringent and hath no opening faculty at all but it is sound to have both an opening and an astringent quality even as Rhubarb hath which first opens and then binds and strengthens it turneth the Urine into a red colour as Rhubarb doth colour it yellow it is an excellent remedy for the yellow Jaundies opening obstructions of the Liver and Spleen and cleanseth those parts it abates Melancholy humor it is effectual for those that have the Palsey and Scitica the roots boyled in Ale drunk is good for those that have received any hurts by bruises or falls and for all these purposes the root may be boyled in Wine Ale or Water and some hony or Sugar put thereunto afterwards The seed taken with Vinegar and hony helps swellings and hardness of the Spleen Spleen Freckels Deformity of the skin the decoction of the leaves and branches is good so Women to sit over to drive down their Courses The leaves and roots bâ—â—â—sed and applied cleanse and take away Freckles Morphew white Scurff or any deformity of the skin Small or little Madder Descript 1. Candy-Madder with a spikey head and larger leaves called in Latine Rubia spicata Cretica latiore folio It hath divers square rough slender stalks full of joints from which shoot many branches with four or five small rough leaves compassing them the top-branches end in small long spiked four square heads with many short rough husks set close one above another which send forth small whitish green flowers scarce to be seen after which come small greenish Seed The root is fibrous and wooddy but dyeth every Winter Descript 2. Spiked-Madder with small leaves Rubia spicata angusti-folia This differeth from the former in that
almost woody and cutteth blackish within so that it may be very probable that the one sort with the soft white root hath flag-like-leaves and seed also like Iris. The other root which is more slender and black yet of the same fashion may be that which beareth seed like leaves described by Lobel rather to be preserved than for ordinary use with us but both sorts are preserved best while they are fresh and green and the black sort aswel also after it is dryed by steeping it and then boyling it to make it tender but the white sort will not so well serve to be preserved or candied after it is dryed but is best being preserved green Government and Vertues Ginger is a Solar plant it is of excellent use to warm a cold Stomack to help Digestion Digestion and to dissolve Wind Wind both in the Stomack Stomack and Bowels the Indians eat it in Sallads while it is fresh the root being sliced and put among the herbes and it helpeth to mollifie and loosen the Belly while it is moist much of the heat which it hath being dry being abated by the moisture the Candied or Green-ginger is most comfortable to the Stomack and is profitable for all the purposes aforesaid Guiacum Names IT is also called Lignum Sanctum Lignum-vitae and Lignum Indicum Descript The Guiacum that groweth in some parts of the Indies is better than in others yet the wood of all is hard firm close and heavy so that it will sink in water more than Ebony and not swim it is of an hot sharp and resinous tast somewhat burning in the Throat the blacker or browner is better then the yellow being in a manner all heart the yellow being as it were but the sap The tree groweth great with a reasonable thick greenish gummy bark the tree is also spread with sundry Armes and branches great and small and on them winged leaves set by couples one against another which are small thick hard and almost round with divers veines in them and continue always green at the joints and ends of the branches come forth many flowers standing in a tuft together every one on a long footstalk consisting of six small whitish yellow leaves with some threds in the middle which turn into flat yellowish gristly fruit of the fashion of the seed Vessel of Shepherds purse it yeeldeth forth also a gum or Rozen of a dark colour which will easily burn Government and Virtues Mars ownes this tree boâ—h the wood bark and gum are hot and dry and are used for all cold flegmarick and windy humors Flegm Wind Catharrhs Lungs Coughs Teeth and are effectual against the Epilepsie Falling-s ckness Catharrhs Rheums and cold distillations on the Lungs or other parts Coâ—ghs and Consumptions the Gout and all Joint-aches and many other like diseases and to make the Teeth white and firm if they be often washed with the decoction thereof but most particularly it is appropriated to the cure of the French-pox French-Pox by drinking the decoction of the wood and bark which by reason of its heat and dryness is somewhat rough in the Throat it may be mollified by adding Licoris and other proper qualifications There may an extract be made thereof which is not unpleasant to take and most effectual for the French-Pox which is made in this manner Extractum Ligni Guiaci pro morbo Gallico Take of the chips of Guiacum one ounce bark of the same half an ounce let them stand in digestion in Spirit of Wine 15 days separating it so often until all the strength thereof be extracted then evaporate the Spirit by distillation untill it come to the consistence of hony then take this matter while it is hot and cast it into an earthen pan wherein is cold water and it will forthwith coagulate into a substance like Pitch or Aloes This may be formed into pills of the bigness of Pease whereof may given two or three it is a most excellent Sudorifick and Bezo artick remedy which will so mundifie and cleanse the body and whole Mass of blood as that it will suffer no corruption to abide therein it doth wonderfully provoke Sweat and Urine and takes down the great Bellies and Swelling legs of hydropick bodies The dose is from two pills to three or at the most in strong bodies to four drinking after it some water of Carduus Benedictus The ordinary diet drink for the French Disease is thus prepared Take of Guiacum four ounces of the bark thereof one ounce and an half Sarsa-parilla eight ounces Sassafras one ounce china-China-root sliced three ounces let them stand in infusion hot in Spring water three gallons by the space of 24 hours adding towards the end Raisins of the Sun stoned half a pound Harts-horn and shavings of Ivory of each one ounce fine Cinnamon one ounce and an half Coriander-seeds prepared one ounce strain it and let the patient drink it for an ordinary drink forbearing all other Although this be appropriated chiefly to the cure of the French-Pox yet it is effectual and profitable to be used for the Scurvy Dropsie Jaundies Gout Leprosie old putrified Agues and Feavers and indeed all Chronick diseases An excellent purging Ale may also be here with made effectual not onely for all the purposes before mentioned but for Coughs Consumptions shortness of Breath Tissicks it restores natural heat helps the Memory quickens the senses helps Cramps and Palsies stiches and pains that come of Wind and is good to prevent Miscarriages and opens obstructions of the Liver Reins and Bladder It is thus made Take Guiacum 6 ounces bark of the same one ounce and an half Sarsaparilla half a pound China-root and Sassafras each two ounces Lignum Aloes Coriander-seed Annise and sweet Fennel-seeds of each three ounces Citron peeles two ounces leaves of Colts-foot Ceterach Maiden-hair Sage Rue Harts-tongue Scabious Egremony each one handful Sena and Carthamum-seeds each 6 ounces Rhubarb Hermodactils each four ounces Liquorice three ounces infuse all in 8 gallons of Ale and let it work together adding of the juice of Garden-Scurvy-grasse Water-Cresses and Brook-lime each a pint with two Orenges sliced after it is three daies old drink it a pint in the morning and asmuch at four a Clock in the Afternoon Gum Arabick Names Descript THis Gum cometh forth of a tree called Acacia seu Spina Aegyptia vera the true Acacia Aegyptian thorn or Binding-bean-tree which yeeldeth of its own accord a bright Gum in small curled peeces and greater round peeces if it be wounded which is called Gummi Arabicum and Gum Arabick which being broken is clear pure white and transparent some are very long and large peeces and cleer and transparent but reddish this gum will dissolve of it self in waters and serveth as a glew to stiffen bind and fasten things it distilleth and droppeth out of the tree in bigger or lesser peeces as either issuing forth or helped by slitting the bark and giving it
many small branches whereon are large blew flowers the seed and vessels when they are ripe are like unto the last the root is also small but hath many more fibres than the others Place The first is found growing in many places of Germany and other outlandish parts and in divers places of our own land as by Gravesend neer Greenhith in a Chalk-pit not far from Dartford and at Cobham in Kent it groweth both in wet and dry grounds The second upon the hills in Naples as saith Columna The third in divers placeâ— of Kent as about South-fleet and Long-field and also in Bedfordshire and Hartfordshire neer old Verulam The rest are strangers heer Time These flower not untill August and thence got the name of Autumn-Gentian Government and Vertues These Lung-flowers or Autumn-Gentians are also under the dominion of Mars as the Gentian or Felwort is and much of the same temperature in heat and dryness and may be used both inwardly and outwardly as effectually as Gentian and where these are in plenty and the other not easie to be had may well serve instead thereof Poyson Plague They are powerful against Putrefaction Venome and Poison The Germans accompt it their Treakle and did formerly make a Treakle with it and other things at Jena which was brought unto us and called Jenes-Treakle made of these Gentians Aristolochia Bay-leaves and other things which were very good for griefs and pains in the Stomack Stomack plague and very effectual against infection of the Plague and other infectious diseases to expel the malignity thereof and to preserve the Heart and strengthen it against Fainting and Swoonings which Treakle was of a bitter tast But that which is now commonly used by the vulgar people and generally by them called Treacle which is of a sweet and pleasant tast is not any kind of Treacle but is called properly Molosses and is nothing else but the grosse dross of Sugar taken in the refining or boyling thereof and is not helpful in any disease yet usually and greedily desired and taken by the common People as an universal medicine The roots of these Gentians being made into fine powder and taken in Wine either by themselves or with other things as Myrrhe Rue Pepper or the like is an effectual remedy against the bitings or stingings of Serpents Venemous bitings Mad-Dogs Scorpions or any other Venemous Creatures and against the bitings of Mad-Dogs being taken three or four dayes together and the wound carefully kept open with Vinegar and Salt-water and orderly cleansed and dressed The same roots also being so taken in Wine open obstructions of the Liver and help such as are Liver-grown It easeth pains in the Stomack Liver grown stomack lameness Sides Stiches bruises Agues and helpeth such as cannot keep or relish their meat or have lost their appetite to meat It refresheth such as are overweary with Travail being steeped in Wine and drunk helps such as are Lame in their joints by cold or bad lodging and is effectual for pains stiches and prickings in the sides and is good for those who are bruised by falls dissolving congealed Blood and easing the pains thereof The root is held to be good also against Agues to be taken not in Wine but in some other drink or the distilled water of the herb Dead-Child Courses Vrine Stone Cramps The fresh root of the dryed made into a pessary and put into the Matrix expelleth the Dead-Child and After-birth And being taken inwardly it driveth down the Courses and provokes Urine The decoction of the root is excellent to give ease to them who are pained with the Stone the same taken in Wine is very good for those that are troubled with cramps or Convulsions and is good also for Ruptures and those that are Bursten Dioscorides commendeth the roots hereof not to help men only but also for beasts that are troubled with Coughs out-going of their entrails and that it killeth and driveth forth Worms and breaketh Wind in the body It is available in all cold diseases either inward or outward It doth extenuate and make thin thick Flegm or gross humors cleanseth corrupt and filthy sores or Ulcers purging of offensive and peccant humors Liver Lungs Gaul Spleen and opens obstructions of the Liver Lungs Gaul and Spleen and freeing the parts affected with any the diseases incident unto them The decoction of the leaves or the juice of them or the roots worketh the same effect and so doth the distilled water thereof The distilled water of the leaves flowers and roots drawn in a glasse-body in Balneo Mariae hath been found effectual in a wonderful manner to cure putrified Agues Agues Worms Green Wounds Vlcers Kings-Evil Piles Eyes and cleanses the bloud and killeth Worms in the belly the same water used to the Face cleanseth it from Spots Freckles and Morphew The powder of juice of the root healeth Green Wounds and all sorts of foul putrid and rotten Ulcers the same or the powder of the dryed roots helpeth the knots or kernels of the Kings-Evil and the soreness of the Piles the juice either fresh or condensate is good to take away inflamations and swellings of the Eyes and to cleanse them from films The decoction of the herb or root is good to drench Cattell with to free them from Bottes and Worms or if they have received any harm by licking up any Venemous Worm or Tick with their grasse as often they do the same decoction of juice of the bruised leaves is good to bath the Udders of kine which have been bitten or stung by any hurtful worm or other poisonous vermine by two or three times so bathing they are perfectly cured Lupines Kinds and Names THere are several kinds of Lupines as The great white Lupine called Lupinus sativus albus 2. The spotted white Lupine called Lupinus alter albus and the smallest blew Lupine called Lupinus minimus Coeruleus Descript 1. The great white Lupine riseth up with a strong upright round woolly stalk set confusedly with divers soft woolly leaves upon long footstalks each being divided into several parts narrow long and soft greenish on the upperside and woolly underneath the main stalk is divided into two parts after the flowers are grown from the uppermost joint and are like unto the great Garden-bean but wholly white without any spot after the flowers come long soft woolly stalks containing in them flat white leaves somewhat yellowish within of a very bitter taste The root is long hard and fibrous and perisheth every Winter Descript 2. The spotted white Lupine differeth from the former in the greatness and in the flower which is spotted with blew on the head of the inner most leaves and the hollow of the uppermost Descript 3. The smallest blew Lupine is very like unto the other blew Lupine but smaller both stalks and leaves the flowers are blew the seed a little spotted Place They grow naturally wild but in England are
and among the flowers which are whiter spreading forth into many branches and consisting of five or six small white leaves a peece hardly to be discerned from the white threds which are in the middle after which come brownish three square seed the Root groweth in time to be very great with divers and sundry great spreading branches of a dark brownish or reddish colour on the outside and with a pale yellow thin skin under it which covereth the inner substance or Root which rind and skin being pared away the root appeareth of so fresh and lively a colour with fresh coloured Veins running thorow it that the cheifest of that Rubarb brought us from the Indies doth not excell it which Root being carefully dryed will hold his colour almost aswel as when it is fresh Descript 4. The true Rubarb and Rhapontick of China and of the shops Rhabarbarum ponticum genuinum officinarum The form of the root is somewhat great round and long for the most part yet there are smaller and shorter peeces that come together the colour on the outside is not all alike for some is of better colour and sounder than other the best is firm and heavy not spongy or light somewhat brown but fresh on the outside without many blackish spots with fresh coloured veins running thorow it bitter in tast and somewhat Aromatical in smell especially if it be fresh and causing the spittle to be yellow being a little chewed in the Mouth The True Rhapontick brought to us with the Rubarbe is only the lesser and longer peeces of the Root of the true Rubarb Descript 5. The broader Elecampane leafed Rubarb Rhaponticum Enuliae folio latiore This hath divers leaves rising from the root somewhat large and long but not so large as the leaves of Elecampane greenish on the upper-side and greyish or woolly underneath every one standing on his own stalk pointed at the end and dented about the edges from amongst which riseth up a reasonable big round stalk about half a yard or a foot high bearing at the top thereof one great scaly head consisting of very broad and loose or open brown scales like a small Artichoke head at first but that the scales are much more open The flower standeth in the middle and is composed of many blewish red or purple thrums very pleasant to behold after which come blackish round and long seed the Root is somewhat long and thick blackish on the outside and of a deadish colour on the inside And hath formerly been used for Rha Ponticum Descript 6. The narrower Elecampane leafed Rhubarbe Rhaponticum alterum angustifolium This differeth not much from the last but onely in the leaves which are a little narrower and longer then it and a little unevenly waved on the edges the head flowers are alike but a little larger and so is the Root Place and Time Tragus saith that the first groweth naturally about Lausanna in Savoy but onely in Gardens with us The second groweth upon the hills not far from Caria in Germany as also neer Friburg in Switzerland and on the Mountains in Austria The third as is reported was natural in Thracia and from some seeds thereof it hath been planted both in England and other Countries The fourth groweth chiefly in China and Cataga and in the Mountains of Persia The fifth groweth on Mount Baldus neer Verona in Italy and upon the Hills in Switzerland and in some craggy places in Savoy All these sorts of Rhubarbe do grow with us in our Gardens and do flower about the beginning or middle of June and the Seed is ripe in July The Roots that are to be dryed and kept all the year following are not to be taken up before the stalk and leaves be quite withered and gone which will be about the middle or end of October Government and Vertues Culpepper with a great deal of foolish non-sense assigns all these plants to the Government of Mars But I say that they more properly are under the particular influence of Jupiter the leaves of these kinds of Docks do a little mollifie and loosen the Belly being boyled in Broth and taken but the Roots have a more opening and purging quality in them and some more or lesse then others according to their quality The round-leafed Rubarb is stronger in operation than the Garden-Patience or Moncks Rubarb but this last is of Excellent use in dyet drinks and decoctions to purge the Liver and cleanse the Blood Liver Blood Tragus saith that a dram of the dryed Roots of Moncks Rubarb with a scruple of Ginger made into powder and taken fasting in warm Broth purgeth Choler and Flegm Choler Flegm downward very gently the seed thereof contrariwise doth bind the Belly and helpeth to stay any sort of Lask or Bloody-flux The distilled Water of the leaves is used with good successe to heal Scabs and foul ulcerous Sores Lask Bloody-Flux Scabs Sores and to allay the inflamations of them the juice of the leaves or Roots or the decoction of them in Vinegar is a most effectual remedy to heal foul-Scabs and Running-Sores The round-leafed or bastard-Rubarb hath all the same properties but more effectual and is also good against the stinging of Scorpions as Dioscorides saith the decoction thereof in Vinegar dropped into the Ears Scorpions pain in the Eares taketh away the paines thereof and gargled in the Mouth taketh away the pains of the Tooth-ach Tooth-ach and being drunk healeth the Jaundice the Seed thereof taken helpeth the gnawing and Griping pains in the Stomack Jaundice gripings in stomach and taketh away the loathing thereof unto Meat which cometh by vicious sharp humors which are gathered together at the Mouth of the Stomack the Root thereof helpeth the ruggedness of the nails Rugged Nails and being boyled in wine it helpeth the Kings-Evil Swellings of the Throat and kernels Kernels of the Ears being swollen and it helpeth them that are troubled with the Stone provoketh Urine and helps the dimness of the sight The Roots of this bastard Rubarb are of good use in diet-drinks which are opening and purging or in Ale or Beer prepared for opening the Liver cleansing the blood and to allay the heat thereof The properties of the round leafed Dock or English Rubarb are the same with the former but much more effectual and hath all the virtues of the Indian Rubarb but only is not so purgative but being taken in a double quantity it worketh almost in an equal quality without bitterness or Astriction The true Indian Rubarbe doth excellently and safely purge the body of Choler and Flegm Flegm Choler either taken it self in powder in a draught of White-wine or steeped therein all night and taken fasting or mixed among other purgers cleansing the Stomack Stomack Liver and Spleen Liver Spleen and the Blood opening Obstructions Obstructions and helping those griefs that come thereof as the Jaundies Jaundies Dropsie
paler white colour The flowers stand in the same manner three or four together upon a stalk but are somewhat of a paler white colour to whom succeed sometimes but one and sometimes two pods together which are thicker and shorter than those of the white kind straked all along and double-forked at the ends wherein lie silk and seeds as in the former The roots have not so strong a smell as the last and have aswel as the rest of the Plant a strong smell like Box-leaves Place and T me The two first grow in rough and untilled ground upon divers Mountains in France about Narbone Marseilles and Mompelier and in Italy also The last in Candy They flower in the months of June and July and sometimes not until August and their Cods are ripe about a moneth after the empty husks abiding on the dry branches when the seed and silk is fallen out Government and Virtues These are Solar Plants the roots have a most soveraign faculty against all poysons Poysons Venemous beasts Serpents mad doâ— Plague Pâ—stilence Pâ—ssions of the heart Griping in the Belly particularly against the Apocynum or Dogs-bane and is effectually given to such as are bitten by any venemous beast or stung by any Serpent or other Creature as also against the biting of a mad dog and a dram and an half thereof taken in carduus-Carduus-water for divers days together It is taken also in wine every day against the Plague and pestilence a dram thereof taken in bugloss-Bugloss-water is effectual against all passions of the heart if the same quantity of citron-Citron-seeds be taken therewith it easeth all the griping pains in the belly the Decoction of the roots made with white-wine taken for divers days together a good draught at a time and sweating thereupon cureth the dropsie The same also cureth the Jaundice Jaundice Dropsie Vrine provoketh Urine and easeth the cough and all defects of the Chest and lungs The powder of the roots taken with Peony-seeds is good against the Falling-Sickness Cough Chest Lungs Falling-Sickness Melancholy Worms or with Basil-seed or the rinde of Pomcitron-seeds is good against melancholy and taken with the roots of Dictamnus albus or bastard-Dittany will kill and expell worms of the maw or belly the roots are also used amongst other things for baths for women to sit in to ease pains of the Mother and to bring down their courses the decoction hereof with comfrey roots made in wine Pains of the Mother Courses Rupture Bruises Vlcers Sores is good for those that have a Rupture or are bursten or have received hurts by bruises The powder of the roots or leaves is effectual to cleanse all putrid rotten and filthy Ulcers and Sores and may safely be used in all Salves Unguents and Lotions made for such purposes The leaves and flowers boyled and made into a Pultis and applyed to the hard tumors or swellings of womens breasts cureth them speedily and all sores in the matrix Womens breasts Matrix Tobacco Names Descript IT is called Petum and Nicotiana There have several kinds thereof been planted here in England which they did manure for Smoaking but that is now prohibited I shall only describe one kind which is planted here for its uses in physick and Chirurgery only It riseth up with a thick round stalk about two foot high whereon do grow thick fat fleshy green leaves nothing so large as the other Indian kinds neither for breadth nor length somewhat round-pointed also and nothing dented about the edges the stalk brancheth forth and beareth at the tops divers flowers set in green husks scarce standing above the brims of the husks round-pointed also and of a greenish yellow colour after which followeth the seeds contained in great heads The root is woody byt perisheth in winter but generally riseth of the seed that is suffered to shed it self Place and Time This as is supposed was first brought from Brazile it giveth ripe seed in our Countrey here earlier than the other Indian sorts It flowreth from June to the end of August or later and the seed ripeneth in the mean time Government and Vertues Tobacco is a Plant of Saturn Culpeppers deity of a stupifying quality it is held to be available to expectorate tough phlegm out of the stomach chest and lungs the juice thereof made into a Syrup Phlegm Stomach Chest Lungs worms or the distilled water of the herb drank with Sugar The same also helps to expell worms in the stomach and belly as also to apply a leaf to the belly and to ease the pains in the head or Meagrim Pains in the head Meagrim Stone Gravel Mother and griping pains in the bowels It is also profitable for those that are troubled with the stone in the kidneys to ease pains and by provoking Urine to expell gravel and the stone ingendred therein and hath been found very effectual to suppress the malignity and windy vapours which cause the strangling of the mother The seed hereof is much more effectual to ease the pains of the teeth than Henbane-seed and the ashes of the burnt herb to cleanse the gums and teeth and make them white The herb bruised and applyed to the place of the Kings-Evil is a speedy rememdy as is said It is also said to be effectual to cure the Dropsie Kings-Evil Dropsie by taking four or five ounces of the juice thereof fasting which will strongly purge the body both upwards and downwards And too strongly too unless it be a well steeled body indeed The distilled water is often given with some sugar before the fit of an Ague to lessen the fits and alter them and to take them quite away in three or four times using if the distilled faces of the herb having been bruised before the distillation and not distilled dry be set in hot dung to digest for fourteen days and afterwards hung up in a bag in a Cellar the liquor that distilleth therefrom is singular good to use for Cramps Aches the Gout and Sciatica and to heal Itches Cramps aches Gouts Sciatica Scabs Cankers Lice Green wounds Old Sores Scabs and running Ulcers and foul Sores whatsoever The juice is good for all the said griefs and likewise to kill lice in childrens heads The herb bruised and applyed to any green wound doth speedily heal the same the juice put into old sores doth heal the same A good salve thereof may be made in this manner Take of the green herb three or four handfulls bruise it and put it into a quart of good oyl-olive boyl them on a gentle fire till the herb grow dry and the oyl will bubble no longer adding thereto wax Rozen and sheeps-tallow or Deers suet of each a quarter of a pound of Turpentine two ounces which being melted put it up for your use Some will add to it the powder of round Birthworth and white Frankincense each half an ounce which is to be put in when it is nigh cold and well
Tisan or Barley-water or Plantane-water wherein you are to dissolve two ounces of brown sugar and an ounce of Honey of Roses mix them and inject them warm with a Syringe if you see symptoms continue you may put in a leaden Pipe till the wound runs little and good matter then take it out and cure it up the manner of dressing such Patients is this having warmed your medicine as before cast it in with a syringe which done let your Patient betake himself to that posture that it may all come forth again after put the Pipe into the wound and lay a sponge dipt in Aqua vitae on it which will keep forth the aire and draw out the matter contained in the wound Instead of the Sponge you may make use of this Take half a pound of the clear and best Rozin and two ounces of Gum-elemy melt them over a gentle fire till they be well mixed together then add to them Oyl of Bays and common Turpentine of each one ounce boyl them a little then strain them through a thick linnen cloath which spread upon leather lay it upon the Pipe which will powerfully draw matter out of the wound Renew it once a day if in winter and twice a day in Summer remembring always to snip your plaister in the middle that the mater may have passage to flow out With this and Artificial Balsom may wounds be cured which are piercing Forget not if you see occasion to bleed first on the contrary side of the wound and if need be and strength permit afterwards in the other arm To dissolve clotted bloud give this medicine inwardly made of half a dram of Rhubarb Madder and Mummy of each one scruple half a scruple of Sealed earth Scabious and Buglos-water and the juice of Lemmons of each one ounce To help difficulty of breathing and ease pain let the Patient take a quarter of a pinte of this Decoction following Four ounces of French barley three ounces of Raisins of the Sun stoned three handfulls of Buglos roots two ounces of Liquorice scraped and bruised twenty Jujubes fifteen pruans and a handful of Parsley-roots Boyl all these in seven quarts of rain or running water to the consumption of the third part and to make it palate-able and pleasant for taste Boyl two or three drams of Cynamon in the straining dissolve three ounces of Pennids Syrup of Roses and Comfrey and of the two opening roots made without vinegar of each two ounces four ounces of Sugar Candy this nourisheth so much that he need no other food for three days unless he drink Tisan wherein you may boyl Fennel and parsley-Parsley-roots If the Patient find ease by spitting help him by the using of Vinegar water and sugar for his cough administer this Take Sugar-Candy and Pennids of each one ounce two ounces of Diatragacanthum frigidum syrup of Violets and Juiubs of each as much as is sufficient to make a Linctus or Lohoc which he is to use often with a Liquorish-stick if he spits thick matter then use syrup of Coltsfoot with Oxymel simplex or simple which is thus made Take four pound of the best honey clear water and white-wine vinegar of each one quart boyle the water and honey into a syrup afterwards add the Vinegar then boyl it to the consistance of a syrup scumming it with a wooden scummer But when the matter is coming to suppuration let the patient drink half a pint of this following in the morning which he may sleep after and the like quantity at four of the Clock in the afternoon Take Eupatorie Scabies Sanicle Clove-gilliflower Privets and Colts-foot of each one handful of the root of the greater Comfrey and Burridg of each one ounce boyl the roots first then the herbs according to Art in five quarts of water till one half be consumed afterwards put to it Sugar and Honey of each four ounces which being clarified with the whites of two eggs keep it for use which you may also use for an Injection if you please indeavouring to get out all again for what remains will be of a sharp quality and so may increase if not beget Symptoms A wound made in the lungs if it be on the skirts and without inflammation c. then giving your Patient things to hinder his coughing much and great breathing may be cured while the patient takes those Linctus's or others before described he is to lye on his back for so the medicine will fall by little and little upon the wind-pipe otherwise if they should fall down hastily or in great quantity it might cause the Patient to Cough Cows Asses or Goats-milk if they may be had with a little Honey that they corrupt not in the stomach are very good in these wounds or the mulcians of Almonds which is made by bruising the Almonds being first blanched in a stone-morter and pouring Barley-water upon them and stir them well and strain through a cloth doing this often and it will look like milk Sugar of Roses likewise is excellent in this case because it is of a cleansing and strengthening quality but when you shall think it time to close up the wound after you have cleansed it with the medicines before spoken of The Patient must use in Broths or Linctuses some sealed Earth Boll-Armonack Plantan Knot-grass Shumack Acasia or the Juice of Sloes and such like sharp and binding medicines which being mixed with Honey of Roses may carry away that filth which may hinder the closing up of the wound Wounds happen to divers parts of the Belly some whereof are piercing as you will see the Guts and Caule sometime come forth if the great Guts come out put them up again presently into the Belly But if they have been a good while out and so the cold Air hath injured them and they be full of wind and the like then they must be fomented with medicines that will discuss the wind such as is made of Thyme and Calemint Camomil Mellilot Penni-royal Origanum Wormwood and the like or else prick them with needles if after all this you cannot make it go up there is no other way but to enlarge the wound But if the Gut it self be wounded which you will know by perceiving the excrements come forth at the wound if it be wounded longwayes and little it is easily cured if overthwart-ways and great 't is difficultly cured if black 't is deadly then it must be sowed up so as Glovers use to stitch in making Gloves Then put upon it powder of Mastick Mirrhe Boll Armonack and the like after you have stitched it up you must not put up the Gut into its place all at once but by little and little the patient lying on the side opposite to the wound as if the wound be on the right side the patient shall lie on his left by which means you may more easily restore the Gut fallen down if the lower part of the guts being wounded fall through the wound
dissolve one ounce of white sugar and the yolks of two eggs for a glyster After the body is sufficiently emptied then give binding Glysters such as you shall find next in the cure of the Bloudy-flux at the mouth likewise you shall there be directed If the Patient have not a feaver boyl new milk if you can get it and scum off the foam then quench red hot steel in it often drink it warm it is a present remedy Unripe Blackberries and Mulberries dryed and powdered is good to stay this Flux likewise this Opiat is excellent Take of the juice of Quinces Conserve of Roses of each one ounce Dragons bloud sealed-earth and fine Bolearmonack of each one dram Bloud-stone and the Troches of Amber of each half a dram with syrrup of comphry make an Opiat take a little often Or take one ounce of the powder of Rheubarb two drams of the Troches of Sanders mix them and give the Patient two drams thereof twice a day this purgeth away the ill humours and strengtheneth the bowels Or this Take half an ounce of the old Conserve of Roses one dram of Marmalet of Quinces a scruple of Tormentil-root in fine powder half a scruple of fine Bolearmonack with sugar make a bole for one dose which is to be given often if the Flux continue long and strength much decay give Laudanum a grain or two amongst your other medicines you may for ordinary drink use one made of three pintes of water wherein two drams of Mastich hath been boyled Plantane boyled in broth is good and for fear it turn to a Bloudy-flux give an Emulsion of Barley-water and the four cold seeds The last of the Fluxes of the belly is called Dysenteria or the Bloudy-flux which is known by the Patients voiding of bloud with tormenting pains from the ulceration of the guts by sharp and salt phlegmatick and cholerick humours which is cured by removing those sharp humours asswaging pain cleansing and consolidating the ulcer and stopping the Flux To evacuate the humours you must purge with Rubarb every second third or fourth day according to the strength of your Patient season of the year and the like the Dose from half a dram to two drams being dryed as before or made into a Potion thus Take Liquorice scraped and sliced Raisins of the Sun of each three drams Tamarinds and yellow myrobolans of each two drams boyl them in Barley and Plantane-water to three ounces in the straining infuse a dram of Rubarb thin-sliced then add an ounce of the syrrup of Roses solutive and make a potion This following is excellent in desperate fluxes Take two ounces of the bark of Guiacum bruised and beaten boyl it in a sufficient quantity of water til half be wasted then add red Rose leaves Pomgranate-flowers and plantane-Plantane-seed of each two drams let them boyl an hour then to the straining add a dram of Rubarb in powder and three drams of Catholicon for a Potion Mechoacan with Cinnamon is good If with the Dysentery there be a seaver and inflamation of the bowels let the Patient bloud according to strength sometimes vomiting is profitable to intercept those sharp salt humours that fall from the stomach to the Guts omit it not if you see a loathing and perceive the stomach stuft full of humours your vomiting may be this Take from half a dram to a dram of salt of Vitriol syrrup of Quinces and bettony-Bettony-water of each one ounce with ten drams of cinnamon-Cinnamon-water give it for one Dose In the mean time you must give mild and cleansing Glysters first as this made of the roots of Marsh-mallows and Butter-burr of each one handful one pugil of Camomile-flowers fleabane-Fleabane-seed and Flux-seed of each two drams Boyl them in Barley-water or milk or water wherein steel or Iron hath often been quenched or mutton or sheeps-head-broath to a pinte strain it and dissolve therein the yolks of four eggs well beaten oyl of Roses and syrrup of Quinces of each one ounce and make a glyster At Sea instead of milk use the decoction of Bran boyling in it such of these following herbs as have virtue to cleanse the ulcer such as Centory Wormwood St. Johns wort to the straining of which add Turpentine dissolved in the yolk of an Egg and the chymical oyl of wax of each one dram for excoriations or fretting of the guts a glyster of the decoction of bran with Deer-suet the yolk of an egg if to be had is good you may add some Anniseed Fennel-seeds Comin-seeds and Dill-seeds when there is need of more binding then make a Glyster thus Take of the Roots of Comfrey Tormentil and Bistort of each one ounce Plantane Shepherd-Purse Knot-grass and Mouse-ear of each one handful Pumpranet-flowers Acorn-cups Cyprus-nuts of each one dram parched Rice French Barley and red Roses of each one pugil boyl them in Smiths water or water wherein Iron hath often been quenched To a pinte of the straining add of the juice of Plantane and Yarrow of each one ounce and the yolks of two roasted eggs Or instead of the juices you may use the muscilage of Gum Draganth made with Rose or Plantane-water and Goats or Deer-suet of each one dram All this while you must not forget internal remedies to stay the flux nutmegs are excellent if desperate dryed and burnt to powder Rice pottage or this Take of sealed-Earth Harts-horn prepared with Plantane and Knot-grass-water prepared Corral Crocus Martis of each one dram mix them the Dose is from a scruple to one dram in Knot-grass or Plantane-water one dram of crude Allum given in the said waters doth in a manner charm the flux Or take a pinte of syrrup of Prunes without Sugar a spoonful and half of Tormentil-root in powder boyl them a little together and drink a quarter of a pinte first and last Lastly the Body being well cleansed before make this binding Decoction to compleat the Cure Take the roots of Bistort Comfrey and Tormentil the leaves of Plantane Tarrow Shepherds purse Horse-tail Mouse-ear and Agrimony of each one handful Seeds of Sorrel Grape-stones and Sumach of each one ounce boyl them in four quarts of water till half be consumed then strain it and sweeten it with syrrup of Comfrey Quinces Mirtles dryed Roses and Corral or else make use of this following Opiat Take of Conserve of Quinces and Conserve of old Roses of each one ounce half an ounce of the Conserves of Comfrey-roots prepared Corral Dragons-bloud Bolarmenick sealed-earth Conserve of Slowes Acatia of each one dram Spodium burnt Ivory of each one scruple with as much of any of the Syrrups aforesaid as will make it to an Opiat Give thereof the quantity of a Chesnut morning noon and night Narcoticks do wonders especially if they be mixed with Strengtheners and Binders as this Take of the old Conserves of Roses and Services of each one dram half a scruple of Confectio Alkermes three granes of Laudanum make thereof a Bolus four ounces of the juice of
Vertues There is a great antipathy between this plant and the benevolent and sociable Venus Mars rules him and makes use of him to check the too much salacious entertainments of Venus Of temperature it is hot and dry in the third degree and of a very astringent quality Agnus Castus is a singular remedy for those whose nature prompts their desires to Venereal sports a procurer of chastity and singular for such who desire to live and preserve themselves in that condition it takes away and abates so much lecherous desires Lust abates as it extinguisheth the thoughts thereof the reason is it dryeth and consumeth the seed of generation in what sort soever it be taken whether in powder or in decoction or as some write the leaves alone laid upon the bed to sleep upon putteth away all unchast thoughts and desires A decoction of the seed being drunk driveth away and dissolveth all windiness in the bowels Wind stomack Stomack mother or any part of the body A dram of the seed in powder drunk in wine cureth hardness and stoppings in the Liver and spleen Liver Spleen and is good in the beginnings of Dropsies It provoketh the Termes Termes being taken by it self or with Penny-royal or used in manner of a Pessary It is profitable to be mixed amongst Oyles or oyntments to heat and mollifie stiff and benummed members Dead members and cures clift or rifts of the great Gut being applied with water Agnus Castus is good against Venemous creatures Venemous bittings it driveth away Serpents and all other Venemous beasts from the place where it is strewed or burned and healeth bitings and stingings of the same if it be laid upon the greived place and the seed therof being drunk with wine A decoction therof is good for women to sit in to help hardness stoppings apostumations and Ulcers of the matrix Vlcers Matrix A Cataplasm made with the leaves thereof and fresh butter and applied doth dissolve and asswage swellings of the Cods and Stones Cods Stones The Almond-tree Names THere are two kinds the bitter and the sweet the fruit of both is called Almonds distinguished by the Epithets sweet or bitter Descript The Almond-tree is in growth and leaves much like unto the peach tree but it groweth to bee much bigger and stronger and is of a longer lasting or continuance Time The Almond-tree floureth betimes in the Spring and the fruit is ripe in June and July Government and Vertues The sweet Almonds are under the dominion of Venus and are temperatly hot the bitter are claimed by Mars and are not only hot but also dry and of a clensing and cutting faculty Almonds eaten before meat stop fluxes of the belly Flux and nourish especially being blanched the sweet oyle new pressed out of them is of a gentle healing quality for any inward sorenesse fretting of the Guts Guts or soreness of the Reines Kidneys or sharpness of Urine Bladder and is good for them that spit bloud Spitting bloud so is the fruit Bitter Almonds do open obstructions of the Liver Liver Lungs Lungs Spleen Spleen Kidneys Kidneys and other inward parts and are good against the Cough Cough and shortnesâ—e of Breath Breath inflamation and exulceration of the Lungs being made into a lohoch with Turpentine and licked in as writeth Dioscorides The bitter Almonds taken with sweet wine provoke Urine Vrine and cure difficulty and pain in making water and are good for them that are troubled with Gravel and Stone Stone Five or six bitter Almonds eaten in the morning fasting preserve from Drunkenness all that day Drunkenness and being applied to the forehead with oyle of Roses and Vinegar they take away Head-ach Headach they are with great profit applied with hony upon corrupt and foul spreading sores and the bitings of mad dogs they clense the skin and face from spots and pimples Ammoniacum Name AMmoniacum is the only name it hath in shops and is generally known by Descript This is a Gum or liquor of a tree called by Dioscorides Agasyllis and of some Ferula growing in Cyrene and nigh unto the place where was the oracle Ammon in Lybia whereof it is supposed to be called Ammoniacum the best sort is that which is close firm and pure free from Gravel or drosse of a bitter tast smelling somewhat neer unto the sent of Câ—storeum and is almost like the true Frankincense Government and Virtues It is under the planetary influence of Mars hot and dry in the second degree the quantity of a dram thereof taken inwardly looseth the Belly Belly and purgeth away cold Slimy flegm â—legm drawing the same unto it self from remote parts of the body it is also good against Asthma Asthma shortness of breath Stoppings of the breast Breast falling sickness Gout pain of the haunch or huckle-bone called the Sciatica Sciatica against the old head-ach Head ach and diseases of the brain Brain sinews and extream parts Sinewes it may be taken in a lohoch with hony or in the decoction of French barley to mundifie and cleanse the breast Breast and ripen flegm Flegm causing the same easily to be spit out It is also good against hardness and stoppings of the Spleen Spleen it provokes Urine expells the dead child Dead Child but then must be but little of it taken at once for if it be takâ—n in too great a quantity or too often it will cause one to pisâ—e bloud it cures swellings Swelling and hardness and abates pain of the Liver and Spleen Liver Spleen if it be steeped in Vinegar and layd upon the place being mingled with hony and pitch and applied it disâ—olveth hard swellings and Tumors Tumors in the joynts and extream parts and consumes all cold Tumors and Scirrhus matter being layd thereon and is good to he put into all oyntments and plaisters that are made to warm mollifie and to asswage pain Being mixed with the oyl of Cyprus and Nitre it is good to be applied to the hip for the Sciatica or hip-gout Sciatica Hip-gout and to be laid upon any part to asswage pain and weariness It is excellent to be put into Collyries and all medecins that are made to cleer the sight and to take away dimness and the web of the eyes Eyes Amber Names IT is called Yellow Amber Ambra Citrina but in Latin more generally Succinum Descript It is of sundry colours some peeces whitish some yellow paler or deeper and some of a very deep red colour and dark all the other being cleer and transparent but much more being polished It is by some taken to be a vegetable as Corall is but more generally to be a kind of liquid Bitumen issuing from springs and fountains in the German Seas and running into peeces greater or lesser is taken up by
something like those of our Ivy but longer and sharper at the point the flowers are white and the fruit are red berries when they be ripe clustering like Grapes the root is of a thick hard substance Place It groweth in the West-Indies as in Peru and Virginia delighting in places that incline to moisture and in low and shadowy Valleys and is sometimes found in the Gardens of curious herbarists Time In its natural Country it flowers in Spring and Autumn Government and Virtues It is hot and dry of temperature but of subtile and thin parts under the influence of Mars to which plant he flies for cure after he hath been too much inflamed in his fiery assaults with Venus the decoction of this plant is excellent for the French-pox Pox Rhumes Gouts Stomach Catharrs Kings-Evill Spleen and is good in Rhumes Gouts and cold diseases of the head and stomach and expelleth Wind from the Stomach and Mother it helpeth also Catharrs and salt distillations from the Head it is good in Tumors and the Kings-Evill A dram of the powder with the like quantity of Tamarisk being taken in Ale or Wine mollifies Tumors and hardness of the Spleen It is so great an Antidote against Poyson that it doth not serve only for Venome received before hand but also against all poyson after that one hath taken hereof so that whosoever taketh thereof daily no Venome can hurt him it is also reported of this plant that if the juice thereof be given to a child newly born no Poyson shall ever after hurt him Bombace-tree Name IT is also called the Cotton-Tree Descript This plant is but a shrub or low-tree which groweth not very high the leaves be broad with deep cuts or slits somewhat like Vine leaves but smaller the flowers be yellow and somwhat purple in the middle jagged about the edges the fruit is almost like unto Filberds broad and flat and full of fair white Cotton or Bombace in which the seed lyeth hidden Place The Bombace or Cotton-tree groweth in Egypt Candy Maltha and the Indies it is now very plentifully planted in the Island of Barbadoes Government and Vertues This plant is under the dominion of Venus the seed whereof is of temperature moderatly hot and moist and is very good against a Cough and all cold diseases of the breast It augmenteth natural strength increasing the seed of Generation and exciteth and stirreth up the desire to Venus sports Box-tree Names IT hath been also called Palm-tree because on Palm-sunday people use to dresse up Churches and their houses therwith Descript It is so well known a description is needlesse Place It delighteth in hilly Grounds as Boxwood in Surry can testifie they usually plant it to make knots in Gardens Time It is planted in the beginning of November it floureth in February and March and the seed is ripe in September or thereabouts Government and Vertues It is a Saturnine plant the leaves are hot and dry and astringent It is not useful in any medicine but rather hurtful for box taken into the body doth not only hurt the head and brain but the very smell thereof is hurtfull unto the brain and causeth Head-ach Some writers do affirm that the lye wherein boxen leaves have been steeped make the hair yellow if the head be often washed therewith Prickly-Box Names IT is called also Box-thorn Asses-box and Thorn-box Descript It is a tree not much unlike the other Box the leaves be thick and somewhat round like boxen leaves and amongst them grow sharp prickles the flowers grow amongst the leaves and after them there cometh a black round seed as big as a pepper corn the roots are woodish and spread much abroad Of the small branches and roots of this tree steeped in water and boyled or of the pressing forth of the juice of the seed they make Licium which formerly was in much use with Physitians Place The prickly Box-tree groweth in Capadocia Lybia and in some parts of Italy and Slavonia Government and Vertues Mercury governs it the dryed Licium is of subtil parts and astringent it helpeth those who have the Lask and Bloudy-flux Lask Bloudy-flux Spitting-bloud Cough Vlcers Gums Lipps Eyes as also those that spit Bloud or have a Cough It stoppeth the inordinat course of the flowers either taken inwardly or applyed outwardly it is good against corrupt Ulcers and running Scabs running of the Eares inflamation of the Gums and against chops of the lips and fundament being applied thereto It cleereth the sight and cureth scurvy festred sores of the eye lids and corners of the Eyes Comin Name IT hath no other names there are two kinds hereof Garden Comin and wild Comin Descript The Garden Comin hath a straight stem with divers branches the leaves be jagged not much unlike Fennel the flowers grow in rundells or spiky tops like Annise Fennel or Dill the seed is brown and long The wild Comin hath a brittle stalk of a span long upon which grow four or five leaves all jagged or snipt or dented round about Place The Garden Comin groweth in Ethiopia Aegypt Galatia lesser Asia and Cicily from whence the seed is brought to us Government and Vertues The seed is hot and dry in the third degree and solar Comin scattereth and breaketh windiness of the Stomack Bowels and Matrix it is singular against Gripings Griping of the Guts and frettings of the Bowells either to be received at the Mouth administred in Clisters or outwardly applied pultis-wise with barly-meal The same eaten or drunken is very good for the Cough Cough Colds Cold stoppings in the Breast and if it be drunk in Wine it is good for those that are hurt with any Venemous beast it asswageth swellings of the Cods and Stones Cods swelled being applied pultis wise The same mingled with Yuray meal and pulpe of raisins and applied to the Belly stops the inordinate flux of Womens courses Flowers Comin-seed pounded and given to smell to with Vinegar stops bleeding at Nose Bleeding at Nose Capers Names NAmes it hath none but Capers or Cappers Descript It is a prickly plant or bush almost like the bramble with many branches spread abroad and stretched along the ground upon which do grow hard sharp and crooked prickles with blackish round leaves standing one against another not much unlike the leaves of Assarabacca or the leaves of a Quince-tree but much rounder amongst the leaves spring up small knops or buds which do open into fair starlike flowers of a pleasant smell after which cometh the fruit which is long and round and hath in it small corns or kernells the root is long and woodish covered with a thick bark or rind very useful in Physick Place Capers grow in rough untilled places in stony sandy ground and by hedges sides in Spain and Italy and other hot Countries the fruit and flowers are brought unto us from Spain preserved in pickle Government and Virtues Capers are plants of Mars
seed is long and hairy the root is small and hard Place The true Daucus groweth in Candy in stony places that stand in the Sun the other groweth in this Country about the borders of Fields in stony places and by the way sides Time This last kind floureth in July and August Government and Vertues The seeds of Daucus are hot and dry almost unto the third degree under the influence of Mercury the seed beaten and drunk in Wine is good against the Strangury Strangury and painful making of Water Gravel and Stone it provokes Urine Vrine and Womens Courses and expells the dead child and Secondine Courses Secondine It asswageth the tormenting pains of Gripings in the Guts Gripings-Cuts dissolveth Wind Wind cureth the Cholick and is good to ripen an old Cough Cholick Cough The same drunk in Wine is good against bitings of Venemous beasts and being pounded and applied it scattereth cold swellings and dissolveth Tumors The root of Daucus of Candy drunk in Wine stoppeth the Lask Lask and is a soveraign remedy against Venom and Poyson Poyson Cedar-tree Names THere be two kinds hereof the great Cedar-tree and the small Cedar out of the great tree issueth a white Rozen called in Latine Cedria and Liquor Cedrinus or Liquor of Cedar Descript The great Cedar groweth very tall high great and thick the bark from the foot of the stem unto the first branches is rough and from thence up to the top it is smooth and plain of a dark blew colour out of which there droppeth white Rozen of his own kind which is moist odoriferous or of a sweet smell and by the heat of the Sun it becomes dry and hard the Limbs and branches of this tree be long and parted into many other small branches standing directly or right one against another like those of the Firre-tree the said branches be garnished with many small little leaves thick short and having a sweet savor the fruit is like that of the Firre-tree but that it is greater thicker harder the whole tree groweth strait up like the Firre-tree Of their smaller Cedar there be two kinds the first kind of small Cedar is much like to Juniper but somwhat smaller the stem is crooked or writhed and covered with a rough bark the fruit is round berries like Juniper berries but somewhat greater of colour at the first green then yellow and at last reddish of an indifferent good tast The second kind of small Cedar groweth not high but remaineth small and low like the other the leaves of this are not prickly but somewhat round and mossey at the ends almost like the leaves of Tamarisk and Savin the fruit of this kind beareth also round berries which at first are green afterwards yellow and when they are ripe they become reddish and are bitter in tast Place The great Cedar groweth in Africa and Syria and upon the Mountains of Libanus Amanus and Taurus The second kind groweth in Phoenicia and in certain places of Italy in Calabria and also in Languedoc The third kind groweth in Lycia and is found in certain parts of France as in Provence and Languedoc Time The great Cedar perfecteth his fruit in two years and it is ever without fruit which is ripe at the beginning of Winter the small Cedar-trees be alwayes green and Loaden with fruit having at all times upon them fruit both ripe and unripe as hath Juniper Government and Vertues The great Cedar is under the dominion of the Sun the smaller of Mars the Cedar is hot and dry in the third degree the Rozen or Liquor Cedria which runneth forth of the great Cedar tree is hot and dry almost in the fourth degree and of subtil parts The fruit of the small Cedar is also hot and dry but more moderatly Cedria that is the liquor or Gum of Cedar swageth the Tooth-ach Toothach being put into the hollowness of the same also it cleareth the sight and taketh away spots and scars of the Eyes Eyes Spots Scars being laid thereon the same dropped into the Ears with Vinegar killeth the Worms of the same Worms and with the Wine of the decoction of hysop it cureth the noise and ringing in the Eares Eares and makes the Hearing good Hearing The old Egyptians did use in times past to preserve their dead bodies with this Cedria for it keepeth the same whole and preserveth them from corruption but it consumeth and corrupteth living flesh it killeth Lice Lice Mothes Moths Worms and all such Vermine so that they will not come near it The Fruit of the Cedar is good to be eaten against the Strangury strangury it provokes Urine and brings down Womens Courses Courses Cistus Kinds and Names OF this there be two sorts the first called Cistus non Ladanisera because it beareth no Ladanum the other is a plant of a woody substance upon which is found that fat liquor or gum called Ladanum The first kind which yeeldeth no Ladanum is also of two sorts viz. the Male and Female The Male beareth red flowers the Female white in all things else the one is like the other out of the root of the Female Cistus is drawn forth a sap or liquor called Hippocistis The second kind of Cistus is called also Ledum and Ladum the fat Liquor which is gathered from it is called Ladanum and in shops Lapdanum Descript The first kind of Cistus which beareth no Ladanum hath round hairy stalks and stems with knobbed joints and full of branches the leaves be roundish and covered with a cotton or soft hair not much unlike the leaves of Sage but shorter and rounder the flowers grow at the tops of the stalks of the fashion of a single Rose whereof the Male kind is of colour red and the Female white at the last they change into knops or huskes wherein the seed is contained There is found a certain excrescence or out-growing about the root of this plant which is of colour sometimes yellow sometimes white and sometimes green out of which is artificially drawn a certain juice which in shops is called Hypocistis and is used in medicine The second kind of Cistus which is also called Ledon is a plant of a woody substance growing like a little tree or shrub with soft leaves in figure not much unlike the others but longer and browner upon the leaves of this plant is found that fat substance called Ladanum which is found growing upon the leaves about Midsommer and the hotest daies Place The first kind of Cistus groweth in Italy Cicily Candy Cyprus Languedoc and other hot Countries in rough and untilled places The second kind groweth also in Crete Cyprus and Languedoc Time The first kind of Cistus floureth in June and sometimes sooner The second kind of Cistus floureth and bringeth forth seed in the spring time and immediately after the leaves fall off and about Midsommer there cometh new leaves again upon
Calefar and in some place Chanque Government and Virtues The Cloves are under the solar influence of temperature hot dry in the third degree they comfort the Head â—nd Heart Head Heart Liver stomack Wind Vrine strengthen the Liver and Stomack and all â—nward parts that want heat they help digestion â—reak Wind and provoke Urine the Portugal Women use to distill the Cloves while they are fresh which make a sweet and delicate water profitable for â—ll passions of the Heart and weakness of the Stomack China-root Descript THe root called China-root is like to the root of a great Reed some flattish others round not smooth but bunched and knotty reddish for the most part on the outside and whitish and sometimes a little reddish in the inside the best is solid and firm and somewhat waighty fresh and not worm-eaten and without any tast but as it were drying the plant of the root groweth up with many prickly branches like unto Sarsaparilla or the prickly Bind-weed winding it self about trees and hath many leavs growing on them like broad Plantain leavs the roots grow sometimes many together and while they are fresh the Indians eat them as we do Turneps or Carrots Place This plant groweth not only in China but also in Mallabar Cochin and divers other places there Government and Vertues It is a plant of Jupiter and the properties therof are many and of great use with us in divers cases in diet drinks for the French-Pox French-pox it is profitable in all Agues Agues Heckticks Quotidian Intermittent or pestilential Heckticks and Consumptions Consumptions it helps the evil disposition of the Liver pains of Head Head and Stomack Stomack and strengthneth it It dryes up the defluxions of Rheums helps the Jaundies Jaundies and burstings Burstings in Children or others by drying up the humor which is the cause therof It also helps the Palsie Palsie Gout and all other diseases of the joints and bladder the Gout Sciatica Sciatica Nods Pocky-nods and Ulcers of the Yard Yard Lust and is good in all cold and Melancholy diseases It stirreth up Venery it may be taken several wayes as being boyled first slic'd thin and steeped a good while in water onely or with Wine and water some boyl it in the broth of a chicken tyed up in Linnen cloth and to take from a quarter to half an ounce or more at a time as the quantity of drink oâ— broth is or as the party can bear Cinnamon and Cassia Lignea Descript THe Cinnamon-tree is described to be a great Tree about the bigness of the Olive-tree with many straight branches without knots covered with a double bark like the Cork whose inner rind is to Cinnamon and is so barked every third year and being cut in long peeces oâ— if it were the bark of the whole tree is cast on the ground wherein dry it it is rouled together as we see it and is better or worse blacker or betteâ— coloured by the greater or lesser heat of the Sun the leaves are of a fresâ— green colour like those of the Cittron-tree the flowers are white and the fruit black and round like hasel-nuts or small Olives the best groweth in Zeland having leaves like Willowes and fruit like unto bay-berries whereof there is made an oyl As concerning the Cassia several Authors do write that Cinnamon and Cassia is one and the same tree and that the variety and difference of the Soyl where they grow makes the difference onely but we daily see that the Cassia which cometh to us is the bark of a tree and either roul'd together like Cinnamon or not roul'd but in small or great smooth peeces and therefore may be conceived to be a sort of Cinnamon yet the tast being Glutinous lesse sharp and quick and more stiptick then Cinnamon argueth it to be the bark of another sort of tree although of the same kind and nature Pliny lib. 12 cap. 29. saith that Cassia which groweth where Cinnamon doth is a shrub of three cubits high but on the hills whose thick branches have their bark unto leather which must be emptied or hollowed in a contrary manner unto that of Cinnamon for being cut into sticks of two cubits long they are sewed into fresh beasts skins that the worms may eat out the wood and leave the bark whole by reason of the sharpness and bitterness the three sorts of colour therein sheweth their goodness That which is white for a foot high next the ground is the worst the next thereunto for half a foot is reddish which is next in goodness from thence upward which is blackish and the best and is to be chosen fresh of a mild scent and of a very sharp tast rather than biting of a purplish colour light in waight and with a short pipe not easily broken so that we may see plainly that Cassia differeth not much from Cinnamon and yet that it is differing from it Government and Virtues Cinnamon is under the dominion of Jupiter it is of temperature hot and dry in the second degree of very subtile parts and very Aromatical it is very Cordial it comforteth the Heart and strengthneth a weak Stomack Heart stomack it easeth the pains of the Cholick Cholick Vrine especially the distilled water of it the stopping of Urine and it stayes the superabounding flux of Womens Courses Terms Face it causeth a good colour in the Face makes a sweet breath Breath Poison and good against the poison of venemous beasts it is much used to stay looseness Looseness and binde the body the distilled water thereof is most effectual but the Chymical oyle thereof is much more hot and piercing Cocculus Indus Names Description and Vertues THe Italians call these berries or round seed Cocco di levante and the French call them so likewise they are of a blackish Ash-colour on the outside having a thick white kernel within them of a hot tast drawing water into the mouth and grow many together like Ivy-berries yet each by it self on a stalk some thinking them to grow upon a kind of night shade others on a kind of Tithymal or Spurge they are used either to make bates to catch fish with things for that purpose or the powder thereof used to kill Lice and Vermine in in Childrens Heads Costus THere are to be had in our Druggists and Apothecaries Shops two sorts of Costus far differing the one from the other both in form and substance the vertues of the true Costus are these It provokes Urine Vrine Courses and Womens Courses and helps diseases of the Mother Mother Convulsions aswel by bathing as suming two ounces thereof being drunk helpeth the biting of Vipers and is good against pains of the Breast Convulsions or the windy Stirches Stitches Stomack swellings in the Stomack Sides or Body being taken in Wormwood-Wine sciatica sinews and being taken with sweet Wine
shortness of it then with a spoon take up some of the paste which will be almost liquid and so either make it into tablets or rowles or put it into boxes and when it is cold it will be hard To make the Tablets you must put a spoonful of the paste upon a sheet of Paper the Indians put it upon a leaf where being put in the shade it grows hard and then howing the Paper the Tablets fall off by reason of the fatness of the paste but if it be put into any thing of earth or wood it will stick fast and will not come off without scraping or breaking In the Indies they take it two several wayes the one being the common way is to take it hot with Atolle which was the drink of antient Indians they call Atolle pap made of the flower of Maiz and so they mingle it with the Chocholate the other modern way which the Spaniards use is of two sorts the one is that the Chocholate being dissolved with cold water and the scum taken off and put into another Vessel they put the remainder upon the Fire with Sugar and when it is warm then they pour it upon the scum they tooke off before and so drink it the other way is to warm the water and then when you have put into a pot or dish asmuch Chocholate as you think fit put in a little of the warm water and then grind it well with the Molinet and when it is well ground put the rest of the warm water to it and so drink it with Sugar to your tast Besides these former wayes there are others one is put the Chocholate into a pipkin with a little water and let it boyl well until it be dissolved and then put in sufficient water and Sugar according to the quality of the Chocholate and then boyl it again until there comes an oyly scum upon it and then drink it There is another way to drink Chocholate which is cold and takes its name from the principal ingredient and is called Cacao which they use at Feasts to refresh themselves and it is made after this manner The Chocholate being dissolved in water with the Molinet take off the scum or crassy part which riseth in great quantity when the Cacao is older and more putrified the scum is laid aside by it self in a little dish and then put Sugar into that pan from whence you took the scum and pour it from on high upon the scum and so drink it cold but this drink doth not agree with all Stomacks by reason of its coldness There is another way to drink it cold which is called Cacao penali and it is done by adding to the same Chocholate having made the confection as is before set down so much Maiz dried and well grownd and taken from the husk and then well-mingled in the morter with the Chocholat it falls all into flower or dust and so these things being mingled as is said before there riseth the scum and so take it and drink it as before There is another way which is a short and quicker way to make it which is more wholsom that is first to set some water to warm and while it warms throw a Tablet or some Chocholate scraped and mingled with Sugar into a little cup and when the water is hot pour the water to the Chocholate and then dissolve it with the Molinet and then without taking off the scum drink it But in our colder Country most usually it is thus made with milk instead of water and some add yolks of Eggs and a sop of white Bread Such as desire to take it in milk three ounces of Chocolate will be sufficient to a quart of milk scrape the Chocolate very fine and put it into the milk when it boyles work it very well with the Spanish instrument called Molenillo between your hands which instrument must be of wood with a round knob made very round and cut ragged that as you turn it in your hands the milk may froth and dissolve the Chocolate the better then set the milk on the fire again untill it be ready to boyl having the yolk of two eggs well beaten with some of the hot milk then put your eggs into the milk and Chocolate and Sugar asmuch as you like for your tast work it altogether with the Molinet and thus drink it or if you please you may slice a little manchet into a dish and so eat it for a breakfast you may if you please make it also with water instead of milk after this manner Set a pot of conduit-water over the fire untill it boyles then to every person that is to drink put an ounce of Chocolate with asmuch Sugar into every pot whereunto pour a pint of the said water so boyling and therein work together the Chocolate and the Sugar with the Instrument called El-Molenillo until it be throughly incorporated which done pour in as many half pints of the said water as there be ounces of the Chocolate and if you please you may put in the yolks of one or two new-laid eggs which must be beaten untill they froth very much the hotter it is drunk the better it is you may likewise put in a slice of white-bread or bisket and eat that with the Chocolate which will be a very substantial and Cordial breakfast Coffee THis is reported to be the berries of certain shrubs or bushes growing in Arabia and from them into Turkey and other parts it is said of it self to be insipid having neither scent nor tast but being pounded and baked as they do prepare it to make the Coffee-liquor with it then stinks most loathsomly which is an argument of some Saturnine quality in it the propugners for this filthy drink affirm it causeth watchfulness so do both the stinking Hemlock and Henbane in their first operation if unhappily taken into the body but their worse effects soon follow They also say it makes them sober when they are drunk yet they would be alwaies accounted sober persons or at least think themselves so when they can but once sit down in a Coffee-house certainly if there had been any wâ—th in it some of the antient Arabian Physitians or others neer those parts would have recorded it But there is no mention made of any medicinal use thereof by any Author either Antient or Modern neither can it be indued with any such properties as the indulgers of it feed their fancies with but this I may truly say of it Quod Anglorum Corpora quae huic liquori tantopere indulgent in Barbarorum naturam degenerasse videntur But if any one desire to make Coffee after the manner as it is prepared and sold here in Engl. in the publick Coffee-houses it is thus Take a gallon of water and set it in a pot of Tyn or any other Vessel close cover'd set it upon the fire and let it boyl when it throughly boyles put into it a quarter of
a pound of the powder of the Coffee-berry stirring it well together so let it boyl a quarter of an hour and your Coffee is ready to drink then pour some of it into a smaller pot covered and keep it alwayes ready before the fire Those that delight to have it in their houses for their private use may add or diminish the quantity of the Coffee-powder making it stronger or smaller as they please Camphire Names IT is called in Latin Camphora and Camphura from the Arabians Cafar Descript Camphire is a gum or liquor of a great vast-tree like unto a Walnut-tree and of an ash-colour like unto a Beech the leaves are whitish like unto willow leaves this liquor or gum partly distilleth forth of its own accord but cheifly by incision it is cleer and white and transparent and although when it is dry it be somewhat brittle and will breaks into many small peeces yet it will not be made into powder by it self alone but must have the help of a blanched Almond or some other such like unctuous thing which will reduce it into fine powder neither will it be easily dissolved in cold water but by warmth will be resolved like unto fat being easily set on fire and will burn in the water It is of a very strong scent and subtill parts Govern Nature Vert. Divers have been the opinions of Authors about the temperature of Camphire some take it to be hot because it is of such tenuity of parts Rhasis saith it is cold and moist and Avicenna saith that it is cold and dry and that it causeth watchings and wakefulness and quieteth the senses of those that are hot It is governed by Mercury and by experience is found to cool the heat of the Liver and Back Back Reins and all hot inflamations Inflamations and distempers of heat Heat Liver in any part of the body it easeth pains of the Head Head-ach Operate and restrainth fluxes Fluxes either of blood out of the Head or nostrills being applied to the nostrills and to the forehead with juice of housleek and plantain-plantain-water or with either of them and some nettle-Nettle-seed It stayeth the flux of the natural seed either in Man or Woman using it to the Reins and privy parts and extinguisheth the heat of Lust and desire to venereal actions It doth preserve from putrefaction and for that purpose is put into divers compositions and antidotes to resist Venome Venery Poysons poisons and infection of the Plague Plague Vlcers or other diseases it is good in wounds and Ulcers to restrain the heat of them and is of much use with Women to preserve their beauty Cambugio Names IT hath obtained a great many names partly from the sunddry nations languages and partly from the mistakes of people as Gutta Gamba Gutta Gamandra Gutta Gemon and many others in english it may be called the Golden yellow Indian purger Descript Cambugio is yet scarce well known unto us whereof it is made but only what we see of it being a solid peece of substance made up into wreathes or rouls yellow both within and without and giving a yellow colour upon the moistning of it we cannot learn certainly whether it be a gum or hardned juice but it is most likely to be a juice because it will easily dissolve in water and it is most likely to be the juice of some peculiar herb of that Country from whence it is brought that gives a yellow juice it is brought unto us out of the East-Indies and some say from China Government and Vertues It is particularly under the influence of Mars and hath a property to purge both by stool and vomit and may be given from three or four grains unto ten or twelve or to a scruple or half a dram accorrding to the age and strength of the patients Body it worketh gently with some purging forth crude flegmatick Flegm humors from the Stomack and wheyish from the Bowells Bowells without any trouble but contrarily with others it worketh very churlishly and much troubles the Stomack some use to make small pills of it and give it in that form especially if the humors be stubborn and not easie to be avoided and for that cause some add a little Scammony unto it to help the slow working in some bodies also some correct it by giving it in the pulp of Currans extracted in white Wine and some in the infusion of Roses White Daffodyl Names and Kinds CAlled also Narcissus and primrose-Pearls Ther are several kinds hereof one with a crimson or red purple circle in the middle of the flower and another having a yellow Circle as it were a Crownet or cup in the middle of the flower there is another kind that is yellow in the middle and another sort which beareth double flowers The cause of the name Narcissus given to these flowers These flowers took their name in commemoration of a Noble and Beauâ—iful youth whose name was Narcissus who was so exceeding Beautiful that â—e was desired of many great Ladies who were vehemently enamoured of â—im but he regarded them not because of his surpassing beauty wherefore â—e being desirous to free himself from their most importunate suits and reâ—uests he went a hunting and being thirsty he came to a Fountain whereâ—f when be would have drunken he saw in the water his own feature and â—urpassing beauty the which before that time he had never seen for there were no looking-glasses in those daies and thus as he stood amazed gazing this own shadow he supposed it had been one of the Amorous Ladies that â—ved him and was so ravished with the love of his shadow that hee deâ—â—red and endeavored to kisse and embrace himself and when he could not take hold of his own shadow or figure he still endeavored the same until at last he died by extream force of love In whose honour and perpetuall Memory the poets say that the earth brought forth this delectable flower Descript The first kind of Daffodill or Narcissus hath small narrow leaves like Leek blades with a crested bare naked stalk without leaves of a foot or nine inches long with a flower at the top growing out of a certain film as it were a skin most commonly growing singly or alone and sometimes two together consisting of six little white leaves growing together in the middle whereof is a little round wrinckled hoop or cup edged about the brinks with a certain round edg wherein are contained certain small threds or stems with yellowish tips hanging upon them after the flowers appear angled husks wherein grow black seeds the root is round and Bulbus like an Onion The other Narcissus with the yellow cup or Circle in the middle his blades are longer and broader and not so green as those of the first the stalks are longer and thicker and upon every one of them standeth three or four flowers like unto the first but that they are all
by cutting and extenuating and digesting the grosse and tough Flegm therein all the properties before-said of the Elder the Walwort doth perform more strongly and is more effectual in opening and purging Choler Flegm Choler Flegm and Water in helping the Gout Water Gout the Piles Piles and Womens diseases coloureth the Hair black helpeth the Inflamations of the Eyes and pains in the Eares Womens courses hair Eyes ears the stinging or biting of Serpents Serpents Mad-dog Burning or a Mad-dog the Burnings or Scaldings Scaldings by Fire or Water Wind Cholick Wind Cholick and Stone and Stone the cure of all old sores and fistulous Ulcers Vlcers and all other the griefs and maladies before of the Elder specified Thus in general Terms I have given the species nature and vertues of the Elder and Dwarff-Elder with their excellent operations deducted from the Testimony of the best Authors and late admired experience I shall now lay down some more particular and late experienced medicaments composed of some parts of the Elder and appropriated to several diseases in several parts of Mans body For pain in the Head Take the Cake of the flowers of Elder left in the Still after the distillation and sprinkle upon it the Vinegar of the flowers and apply it to the Temples renewing it with sprinkling on fresh Vinegar or you may use Rose cakes be sprinkled with the Vinegar of Elder which is far better for the brain where the heat is more vehement and the brain more sensible Or Take of fresh Elder leaves two handfuls of Roses and waterlilly-flowers of each one handful being cut and pounded pour upon them of Elder Vinegar the water distilled out of the flowers of each a like quantity presse the juice out strongly and mix with it two whites of Eggs well beaten in which dip a double Linnen cloth and apply it to the Head repeating it often This decoction is excellent to dispell the Vapours of the brain and make one sleep soundly if the Legs and Arms be soundly rubbed therewith when you go to bed Take six Umbells of the Elder flowers when they are full of Annise Umbells four of Roman Camomil flowers one handful six poppy Heads with their seeds being cut together beat them in rain water and so apply them The Elder 's remedies again Hypochondriack and flatulent Melancholy In these diseases if the Patient be subject to Vomit it is expedient first of all to provoke it by the oyl of the infusion of the flowers and bark of the Elder lest by preparing and purging medecines those crude and Excrementitious humours which often are gathered in the Stomack be carried to the more principal parts of the body and augment the obstructions Or give of the syrrup made of the juice of the buds and berries an ounce with some grains of the extract of Scammony and three drops of the oyl of Elder-flowers distilled in the distilled water of the flowers thereof Or use this clyster following which will mitigate pain expell wind and loosen the belly Take of Elder leaves two handfulls of Elder flowers and Roman Cammomil-flowers of each an handful of the stones of Elder-berries dryed two drams which being cut and pounded boyl them in good Wine or Wine of the Elder till the colature come to eight ounces add the oyl of the infused flowers three ounces of Elder-honey two ounces the yolk of one egg mix them and make a clyster and inject it hot After this the Wine which is drawn out of the berries and flowers is very profitable for it opens obstructions cuts grosse humors and by degrees carries them off It doth likewise refresh the vital and animal Spirits drink a cupful thereof each morning for a Month taking before a spoonful or two of flesh broth or a soft Egg with these you may also mix once or twice a week the powder of the buds of Elder which is thus prepared Take of Elder-buds dryed in the shade half an ounce of Elder-kernels trochiscated of Sene leaves of Crystalized Elder Salt of each three dams of the extract of Scammony two drams of Galingale and Mace each half a dram being all subtilly powdered distill upon them of the oyl of Cloves and Fennel of each six drops of Cinnamon and Caraway of each three drops let them be mixed exactly in a marble Morter for a powder whose dose is from a scruple to a dram The Trochiscation or preparation of the seeds of Elder is thus Take one ounce of the lesser Esula prepared in infusion in Vinegar and pulverized grossly put it into Spanish Wine and let them macerate eight daies in the Sun or in the Winter in the Chimney-corner the mouth of the glass being well stopt after strain them through gray Paper and purifie them take the clean Arilla's of the Elder-berries dry them pulverize them and with a sufficient quantity of the powder of Esula make them in paste dry it and then sprinkle them with the same infusion and again work it into paste of which form your Troches dry them and keep them for your use The specifick cure of the Epilepsie or Falling sickness from the Elder The Cure of Children To Infants new born before you give them any thing to swallow you may give them with great profit a spoonful of the syrrup of the flowers or juice of the Elder-berries to carry off that putrid yellowish and sometimes blackish water gathered in the Stomack and parts about while the Infant is in the Mothers womb for these syrrups do not only change and evacuate but they also preserve from and resist malignities Macerate a handfull of Elder-flowers well dryed in Wine with which wash the new born babe it consumes the humors gathered about the joints and comforts the members this also is profitable Take of the powder of the buds one dram of the berries of herb Paris Numb 6. powder them very finely of which give half a scruple for 9 daies together in the water of Elder-flowers or in any other convenient Liquor In the Fit the least spoonful of the spirit of the flowers given with three or five of the seeds of Peony excorticated is much commended or of Peony-seeds excorticated of the best Water of Elder-flowers one ounce and an half of the flowers of Linden half an ounce The cure of those that are of age and grieved with the Falling-sickness In the cure of such persons first purge the body very well In the Spring time macerate the bark of the roots of Elder in the Whey of Cows milk which being sweetned with Sugar let him each morning drink an hearty draught thereof or take of the compound powder of the buds two scruples or a dram or take of the new rob of the Elder well thickned with Sugar asmuch as will make a Bolus The Spirit of the flowers and berries of the Elder in and out of the fit is very effectual but it may be made more efficacious in this
with clothes dispose themselves for sweating But this is onely to be done in the beginnings of Feavers and in such bodies as are not full of grosse and corrupt humors otherwise it is more safe to open the passages of the whole body by Emeticks and Catharticks The purified oyl expressed out of the kernels of the berries is commended in strong and lusty bodies one dram or a dram and an half thereof being taken in the broth of flesh for it gently moveth Vomiting and loosneth the Belly The oyl made of the infused flowers and bark of the Elder from one ounce to three provokes Vomit and purgeth the Belly the same alone or in a decoction may be given in a Glister In young ones the syrrup of the juice of the berries of the buds or bark sufficeth There are some which testifie and call experience to witness that if the middle bark of Elder be pulled downward from the tree it purgeth the body downwards but if they be pulled upward it worketh by Vomit In such Feavers which are lengthened from the stopping or fullness of the Meseraick Veins and from the grosseness and toughness of the humor Oxymel Sambucinum dissolved in the distilled water of the flowers or Barly-water and dayly on the intermitting dayes drank an hour or two before supper is commended the Crystallized salt of the Elder taken from half a scruple to a whole one is profitable also six drops of the Spirit of the fame taken in the broth of flesh all these do powerfully open obstructions and cut asunder the grossenesse and roughnesse of the humor they cleanse the Bowells and Vessels and both by Urine and Sweat dissipate the Feaverish matter In the time of the Fit give the patient a spoonful or a dram and a half of the oyle pressed out of the berries-kernells in warm Ale the rob of Elder in greatness of a Walnut being mixed with half a dram of the powder of Carduus benedictus and swallowed and drinking Vinegar above it and afterwards provoking sweat in bed is a very good medicine In continual and hot burning Feavers where the heat is more intense and great drought tormenteth the Patient make this Julap Take of Fountain or river-River-water three pounds of Elder Vinegar three ounces of the finest Sugar two ounces let them boyl together a little in a fit Vessel unto which being warm add an ounce of Cinnamon in powder let them cool of themselves in a close Vessel and strain them for a Julap of which give the Patient oft in a day it extinguisheth the Feaverish heat cuts the grosse and tough matter cleanseth the thin and Bilous opens obstructions it purgeth the peccant humors and by its acidity sharpneth the appetite and refresheth the strength Of Worms The Crystalline salt of the Elder preserveth and freeth from Worms it robs them of their nourishment kills them and purgeth them out the dose is from half a scruple to half a dram or two scruples for those of riper years you may prepare in the Spring time a dish made of Elder-buds freed from their bitter nauseous tast by the infusion of boyling water with Oyl Salt and Vinegar which is to be used as a sallad before supper That this sallad may be the more pleasant you may add some tender leaves of Sorrel Briefly whatsoever I have here said in relating the properties of the Elder the Dwarff-Elder doth more strongly effect in opening and purging Choler Flegm and Water in helping the Gout the Piles and Womens diseases it coloureth the hair black helpeth inflamations in the Eyes and pains in the Eares the biting or stinging of Venemous creatures or a mad Dog the Burnings or Scaldings by fire or water the Wind Chollick the Chollick and Stone difficulty of Urine the cure of old sores and Fistulous Ulcers the Dropsie and Gout and all the other griefs before specified Eglantine Name IT is also called Sweet-bryar Descript Eglantine or Sweet-bryar is much like the Wild Rose plant having very sharp prickles shutes springes and rough branches the leaves also be not much unlike but larger and of a pleasant smell the flowers be single smaller than the flowers of the Wild Rose most commonly white and sometimes red after which there come also little knaps or long red berries like as in the other Roses wherein the seed is contained Place The Eglantine aswell as the manured Roses is planted in Gardens if it be set against a wall under a Window it will cast a most pleasant smell into the room and so will the branches thereof being set in flower-pots in Windows and Chimneys in the Summer Months Time Eglantine flowers in May and June about the time the Garden-Roses doe Government and Vertues It is under the dominion of Venus the fruit is of an astringent quality It stoppeth the Lask Lask and all other issues of blood Bloody-Issues being eaten There is a rough Spongeous ball or Excrescence that groweth on the Wild Rose bush and also on the Eglantine which is of great efficacy and virtue against the Stone Stone and Strangury strangury It bringeth forth the Gravel and Stone and provoketh Urine Vrine White Ellebore Names IT is also called Hellebore and Neese-wort Veratrum album in Latine and Helleborus albus Descript The White Ellebore hath great broad leaves with ribs or Sinews like the leaves of the great Plantain or Gentian the stalk is round two or three foot high at the uppermost part whereof grow along and round about the top the flowers one above another pale of colour divided into six little leaves the which have a green line overthwart the flowers being passed away there cometh in their places small husks wherin the seed is contained the root is round as thick as a mans finger or thumb white both within and without having many threddy strings appending unto it Place White Ellebore or Hellebore groweth in Anticyra neer about the Mountain Octa and in Cappodocia and Syria but the best groweth in Cyrene in this Country the Herbarists plant it in their Gardens Time White Ellebore flowereth in June and July Government and Virtues The root of White Ellebore is hot and dry in the third degree a plant of Mars The root causeth one to Vomit up mightily and with great force all superfluous slimy Venemous and naughty humors Slimy-humors likewise it is good against the Falling-sickness Falling-sickness Frenzies Frenzy Head-ach Melancholy old pains in the Head Melancholy the Gout Gout Sciatica and Sciatica all sorts of Dropsies Poison and against all cold diseases that he hard to cure and will not yield to any medicine But it ought not to be given to any body to be taken inwardly but from a skilful hand and with good advice and due preparation and correcting Galen adviseth not to give of this root in any medicine to be taken into the body but to be used only in outward applications Therefore Outwardly it is good
to be used against all roughness of the skin Wild Scurff Scurff Knobs Knobs foul spots and the Leprosie Leprosie Fistulas Terms dead birth Sneesing being mixed with Oyles and Oyntments and applied thereunto the same sliced and put into Fistula's takes away the hardnesse of them the same used as a pesâ—aty bringeth down the flowers and expelleth the Dead-birth the powder thereof put into the Nose or snuffed up into the same causeth Sneesing warmeth and purgeth the Brain from grosâ—e Slimy-humors the same boyled in Vinegar and holden in the mouth easeth the Toothach Tooth-ach Eyes and mingled with Collyries for the Eyes it doth cleer and sharpen the sight The root of Hellebore pounded with Meal and Hony and laid where Mice and Rats frequent will kill them that eat thereof and if it be boiled in Milk and set for Waspes and Flies to sick thereof it killeth them White Ellebore unprepared and unduly taken or too much in quantity is very hurtful to the body for it choketh and troubleth all the inward parts draweth together and shrinketh all the Sinews and at length killeth the Party therefore it ought not to be taken without good advice and care and due preparation neither is it to be given to such people as be either too old or too young nor to weak or Feeble persons nor to such as spit bloud or be troubled in their Stomacks or such as are straight and narrow-Chested such people may by no means take of it without danger Wild White-Ellebore or Neesewort Names IN Latine it is called Helleborine and Epipactis in high Dutch Wild't Wit Niescruyt that is Wild White-Helle-bore Descript This Herb is like unto the before-mentioned White Ellebore but that in all parts it is smaller it hath a straight stalk with sinewy leaves like the l aves of Plaintain or White Ellebore but smaller the flowers hang down from the stalk of a white colour hollow in the middle with small yellow and incarnate spots of a very strange fashion and when the flowers are gone there cometh after them small seed like Sand inclosed in thick husks the roots are spread here and there full of sap covered with a thick bark and of a bitter tast Place This plant delighteth in moist Meadows and shadowy places it groweth in low dark shadowy places in Brabant as Dodoneus writeth Time This herb sloureth in June and July Government and Vertues It is likewise a Martial plant hot and dry of temperature The decoction of this Herb drunk openeth the stoppings of the Liver Stopping Liver and is good for such as are any ways diseased in their Livers or have received any Poison Poison or are bitten by any manner of Venemous beast Erisimon Names IT is called in Latine Iâ—io which some English by the name of Winter-Cresses this is the Erisimum of Dioscorides Descript Erisimon groweth up with long leaves deeply rent and jagged upon both sides not much unlike the leaves of the Rocket gentle or Roman rocket or Wild Mustard the stalks be small slender and pliant and will twist and wind like Ozier branches upon the same stalks or branches grow many yellow-flowers and after them come little slender husks wherein also is a seed of a sharp biting tast the root is long and thick having many strings or hairy threds hanging thereunto Place This herb delighteth to grow in untilled and stony places and by High-ways sides Time Erysimon floureth in June and July Government and Vertues Erisimon is hot and dry of the same nature as are Cresses under the dominion of Mercury the seed thereof taken with hony in manner of a Lohoc and often licked in ripeneth tough and clammy Flegm Flegm Lungs gathered together about the Lungs and within the Breast and canseth the same to be spit easily forth it is likewise good against shortness of Breath and an old Cough Breath short Old Cough it will be the more proper for the same purpose if the seed be first steeped in fair water and then dryed by the fire or else lap it up in paste and bake it which will mitigate the heat thereof The same seed so prepared and put into medicines is good against the Jaundies and Gripings of the Belly against the Sciatica and all Venome and Poison Jaundies Belly ake Sciatica Poison cankers Swelling Imposthumes breast Cods Stones The seed of Erisimum mingled with hony and water and applied pultis-wise is very available against Cankers hard Swellings Imposthumes behind the Eares the old and hard Imposthumes and hard Swellings of the Breast Cods and Stones it wasteth and consumeth all cold Swellings Euphorbium Names IT is called in shops Euphorbium and Euforbium of some Carduus Indicus and Ficus Indicus the Thistle or Fig of India Descript Euphorbium is the Gum or Tear of a certain strange plant growing in Lybia en the mount Athlante or Athlas next the Country of Mauritania now called Morisco or the Country of the Moors It was first found out in the time of Juba King of Lybia the leaf of this plant is long and round almost like the fruit of the Cucumer but the ends or corners be sharper and set about with many prickles which are sometimes found in the Gum it self one of those leaves set in the ground doth increase and multiply divers the sap or liquor that cometh forth of the said leaves burneth or scaldeth and straightwayes it congealeth or becometh thick and that is the Euphorbium the Euphorbium at the first is yellowish clear brittle very sharp and burning in the mouth and throat fresh and new not much above a year old For this Gum doth soon lose much of his heat and virtue by Age. Place The Euphorbium described of the Antients groweth upon the borders of Mauritania and in Africa and Judaea from whence it hath been brought into certain places of Spain France and Italy where it bringeth forth neither flowerâ— nor fruit Time Euphorbium putteth forth his leaves in the Spring-time whereof the first second and the third is the stalk or stem and the rest grow forth as branches and when the plant is seven or eight years old it bringeth forth yellow flowers the fruit is ripe in Autumn of colour red and prickly Government and Vertues Euphorbium is under the dominion of Mars it is of temperature very hot and dry almost in the fourth degree Euphorbium is too churlish a medicine to be taken of it self alone but being duly corrected and prepared it becomes very medicinal The way and manner of correction and preparation thereof is as followeth 1. It may be corrected several wayes one manner is first to anoint it with oyl of sweet Almonds afterwards put it in the middle of a Citron or Lemmon and wrap it or close it up in leavened paste and so bake it and when the paste is baked you may take the Euphorbium out of it to use in medicine 2. Another way is Take of Mastick Gum Tragacanth and Euphorbium
humors wherefore they may very well be given to young Children that are sick of the Small-pox Small-Pox and Wheals or Measels Measells for they bring them quickly forth without any danger they be good also for the Throat Throat Lungs Lungs and Cough Cough and those that are short Winded they ripen Flegm Flegm and cause the same to be easily spit out whether they be eaten raw or rosted or sodden with Hysop and Licoris and the decoction drunk The decoction of Figs in water is good to be drunk of those that have taken hurt by squats or bruises Bruises of or by falls Falls from high they disperse and scatter clotted Clotted and congealed blood bloud and asswage or slake the pain An Electuary made with Figs Salt Rue and Walnuts is an Antidote against all Poison and corruption of the Air. This was the preservative which Mithridates King of Pontus used against the Plague Plague Pestilence and against all Poison Poison Venome Venome The decoction of Figs gargariz'd or holden in the mouth is good against the sharpness and hoarseness Hoarseness of the Throat and also against Swellings swellings and Impostumations Imposthumes of the Mouth Throat Almonds of the Throat and Jawes and Swelling of the Tongue Figs are also good to be kept in the Mouth against Swellings and Ach and pain of the Teeth Teeth Gums Gums and Jawes Jaws being outwardly applied with Wheaten-Meal they do soften and ripen boiles Boiles Imposthumes and Phlegmons that is hot and angry Swellings Swellings and Tumors Tumors behind the Eares especially if there be put to it Linsâ—ed and Fenugreek and if Lilly roots be mixed with it and applied pultis-wise it will ripen and break Plague-Sores Plague Sores Imposthumes Buboes Buboes and Botches Botches Figs sodden in Wormwood Wine with Barly-meal is good to be applied as a Pultis or Plaister upon the Bellies of those that have the Dropsie Dropsie Figs and Mustard-seed being pounded very well together and outwardly applied amend the Hearing Hearing help Deafness and take away the ringing noise Noise or sound in the Eares Eares the dry Figs have power to dissolve consume and make subtill and may very well be used both inwardly and outwardly the leaves of the Fig-tree do wast and consume way the Kings-Evill Kings-Evil or Swelling kernels in the Throat and mollisie and wast all other Tumors being beaten small and applied thereunto The milky juice of Figs is good against all roughness of the skin Skin Leprosies Leprosie spreading Sores Sores Tetters Tetters Small-pox Measells Pushes Freckles Lentiles and other such like spots Spots and Scurviness both of the body and Face being laid thereto with parched Barly-meal and being mixed with sat or grease it taketh away Warts Warts if they be anointed therewith It cureth the Tooth-ach Tooth-ach if you dip a little Cotton in the said Milk and lay it to the Tooth or make a pellet thereof and put it into the Tooth if it be hollow It openeth the Veins of the Hemerrhoids Hemerrhoids and looseth the Belly being laid to the fundament the leaves have the same vertue being used for a suppository being mixed with the Meal of Fenugreek and Vinegar it giveth ease in the hot Gout the same juice is good to pour into Wounds made by the biting of Mad-dogs Mad-dog the Ashes of the Fig-tree mixed with oyle of Roses and Wax cureth burnings Burnings and the Lye that is made of the ashes of the fig healeth festred and foul fretting Sores Sores if they be washed therewith Fistick-Nuts Names THese Nuts are called in shops Pistacia Pistacies Fistici and Fistick-nuts Descript The Tree that heareth the Fistick-nuts hath long great leaves spread abroad consisting of five seven or more leaves growing one against another all along a reddish rib or sinew whereof the last which is alone at the top of the leaf is the greatest and largest the fruit of this tree is much like to small Hazel-nuts and like the kernells of the Pine-apple in which lyeth the kernel or nut Place This tree is a stranger in this Country it groweth in Syria and other hot Eastern Countries Government and Virtues Fistick-nuts are under the influence of Jupiter they are of a mean or temperate heat and somewhat astringent Fisticks are good to open stoppings and obstructions of the Liver and also they strengthen the same they he also good for the Stomack they also open the pipes of the Lungs Liver Lungs and Breast Breast stomack and are good against shortness of Breath Lungs Breath the Tissick Tissick and painful fetching of Breath to be eaten either alone or with Sugar Dioscorides saith that Fistick nuts given in Wine are a good medecine against the bitings or stingings of Venemous beasts Flax. Names IT is called Linum in Latine by which name it is well known in shops it is called also Lin whence the Cloth that is made thereof is called Linnen-cloth and the seed is called Linseed the oyl which is pressed out of the same seed is called Linseed-oyle Descript Flax hath a tender stalk covered with sharp narrow leaves parted at the top into small short branches the which bringeth forth fair blew flowers when the flowers are fallen away there cometh in their stead round knaps or buttons in which is contained a blackish seed large fat and shining Place Flax is sown in this Couuntry in fat and fine Ground and in low moist fields it delights to grow in Time Flax floureth in May and June and is ripe soon after Government and Vertues It is under the dominion of Venus the seed of Flax which is onely used in medecine is of temperature hot in the first degree and temperate in moisture and driness The seed called Linseed being boyled in water and applied in manner of a pultis or plaister asswageth all pains softneth cold Tumors or Swellings the Imposthumes of the Eares and Neck and of other parts of the body Linseed pounded with Figs doth ripen and break Imposthumes and boyles Pains Imposthumes swelling Eares Boyles being laid thereon and draweth forth thorns and all other things that stick fast in the body iâ— it be mingled with the root of Wild Cucumer The same seed mingled with hony and Cresses and laid unto rough rugged and il-favored Nailes aswell of the hands as the Feet cleanseth them that be corrupt and cureth the party Nailes Spots in the Face Old Sores Vlcers Sight Belly Gripings Bowells Matrix Cough Heckick Feavers the same seed being pounded and laid to the Face cleanseth and taketh away all Spots and Freckles thereof The Wine wherein Linseed hath been boyled preserveth old Sores and Ulcers from corruption if they be washed therewith and from festering and inward rankling the water wherein Linseed hath been
boyled doth quicken and clear the sight if it be often dropped into the Eyes the seed used in glisters asswageth the griping pains of the Belly and of the Matrix or Mother and cureth the Wounds of the Bowels and Matrix Linseed mingled with hony and taken as an electuary oâ— lohoch cleanseth the Breast and appeaseth the Cough and taken with Raisins is good for such as are fallen into Consumption or Hecktick-feavers The seed of Lin taken into the body alone or in too great quantity is bad for the Stomack ingenders much Wind and hinders digestion of meats Flea-bane Names IT is called in Latine Psyllium by which name it is known in shops it is also Herba pulicaris and in English Fleabane and Flea-wort Descript Fleabane hath long narrow hairy leaves amongst which spring up round and tender branches set full of like leaves but smaller and garnished at the top with little long round spiked knops like Eares with greenish flowers or blossoms which do afterwards change into brown or shining seeds in proportion colour and quantity like unto Flea's Place Dioscorides saith It groweth in fields and desart places In this Country it groweth not but in some Gardens where it is sown and where it is once sown it groweth continually afterwards of its own sowing or shedding of seed Time It floureth and seedeth in July and August Government and Vertues Flea-wort is a Saturnine plant the seed therof which is chiefly used in medicine is cold in the second degree and temperate in moisture and dryness as Galen and Serapio write The seed of Fleabane steeped in water and boyled and the decoction thereof being drunken purgeth downwards addust and Cholerick humors It asswageth pain and stacketh the inflamation and heat of the entrails or Bowels and is good against hot Feavers or burning Agues Choler inflamed Bowels Fevers Agues and in all inward heats and against Drought and Thirst The same seed grossely bruised but not broken being parched at the fire is good against the Bloudy-Flux Bloudy Flux vehement Lask especially when they proceed of taking strong and violent medicines the Fleabane-seed mingled with oyle of Roses and Vinegar or water is good to be applied unto hot griefs of the joints Aposthumes or swelling behind the Ears and other hot Swellings Hot pains Ears Swellings Also it is good against the Head-ach Head-ach the same applied pultis-wise with Vinegar is good against the going out of the Navel and the bursting Navel bursting of young Children The water wherein the seed hath been steeped is good to be laid on the burning heat called St. Anthonies-fire St. Anthonies fire and to all hot Swellings Some are of opinion that if this plant when in it is green be strowed in any House it driveth away Fleas so that they will not come near it Too much of Fleabane-seed taken inwardly is very hurtful to the body and ingendereth coldness and stiffness dulness of the Spirits and heaviness of the heart If any one find himself distempered by taking of it a speedy remedy is to provoke Vomiting and afterwards drink of the best old Wine that can be gotten either by it self or boyled in Wormwood or Wine mingled with a little hony Firre-tree Names THis Tree is called in Latine Abies and the Dutch call it Mastboom because of the usefulness of the Timber in serving to make Masts for Ships the liquid or clear Rozen that runneth out of the bark of the young trees is called Terebinthina Veneta and in English Venice Turpentine Descript The Firre-tree is great high and long and continueth always green it groweth much higher than the Pine and Pitch-trees The stem is very even and straight plain beneath and without joints but upwards it groweth with joints and knops upon which joints grow the branches bearing leaves almost like Ewe but smaller longer and sharper at the points or ends of a blewish green colour the fruit is like to the Pine-apple but smaller and narrower not hanging down as the Pine-apples do but growing straight upward from out of the bark of the young Firre-tree is gathered a fair liquid Rozen clear and shining which in tast is bitter and Aromatical in tast almost like to Citron pills or Lemon pills condited There is also found upon this tree a Rozen or white Gum like as there is found upon the Pine and Pitch-trees which is sold for the right Frankincense and so is vulgarly esteemed Place The Firre-tree groweth upon high Mountains in Greece Italy Spain and France But in divers places of Germany and most in Norway from whence the Timber thereof is plentifully brought hither and is very serviceable in building Government and Vertues The Firre-tree is under the rule of Mars The bark and dry Gum or Rozen of this Tree are in temperature and vertues like the bark and Rozen of the Pine-tree but these of the Firre-tree are of a more Acrimonious and cleansing quality The liquid or clear Rozen is hot and dry in the second degree having a sharpe quality and is of a digestive or cleansing nature the liquid Rozen of the Firre-tree taken about the waight of half an ounce looseth the Belly driveth forth hot and Cholerick humors it doth cleanse and mundifie the Kidneys Choler Kidneys and Bladder provoketh Urine Bladder Vrine driveth forth the Stone and Gravel Stone Gravel and is good to be taken oftentimes of such as are troubled with the Gout the same taken with Nutmeg and Sugar to the quantity of a Nut helpeth the Strangury Gout strangury and is very good against excoriations or going off of the skin or Flux of the Secret parts Secret parts It is also very excellent for all fresh and green Wounds especially Wounds of the Head Wounds Head for it cleanseth and healeth very much Galangall Names IT is called in Latine Cyperus Descript This plant hath long hard and narrow leaves the stalk is triangled about a foot and an half long at the top whereof grow little leaves among which are spiky tops and white seed the root is long interlaced one within another having many threds of a brown colour and sweet savor Place Galangall as Dioscorides writeth groweth in low and moist grounds but is not common in this Country but as it is planted in some Gardens Time This herb bringeth forth his spikey top and seed with leaves in June and July Government and Vertues It is a plant of Mars the root is hot and dry in the thrid degree The roots of Galangal boyled and the decoction drunk provoketh Urine Vrine bringeth down Womens Flowers driveth forth the Stone Stone and is good for those who are troubled with the Dropsie Terms the same is also good against the Cough Cough the stingings of Scorpions Scorpions and bitings of Venemous beasts being taken after the same manner It is also good against the hardness of the Mother Mother remedieth Stoppings and
coldness therof if the Belly be bathed therewith the same root made into powder closeth up and healeth old running Sores Sores of the Mouth and secret parts Secret parts although they eat and wast the flesh if it be strowed thereon or laid thereupon with Wine It is also a very good ingredient to be put into hot oyntments and maturative plaisters Pliny saith that the seeds of Galangal drunk with water stoppeth the Flux of the Belly Belly the overflowings or immoderat Flux of Womens Flowers Flowers but if it be taken in too great â— quantity it causeth Head-ach Galbanum Names THe plant out of which the Gum Galbanum cometh is called by Pliny Stagonitis Descript Galbanum is a gum or liquor drawn forth of a plant in Syria called Metopium the best is gristly between hard and soft very pure fat close and firm without any stalks and splinters of wood amongst it saving a few seeds of a strong savor not too moist nor too dry Place The plant out of which Galbanum cometh doth grow upon the Mountain called Amanus in Syria Government and Vertues Gum-Galbanum is hot almost in the third degree and dry almost in the second a plant of Jupiter Galbanum is good against an old Cough Cough and for such as are Tissical Tyssick or short-Winded and cannot easily draw their Breath Breath but are subject to panting it is very good for those that are bruised Bruises inwardly and against Cramps Cramps and shrinking of Sinews Sinews-shrunk the same drunken with Wine and Myrrhe is a very good counter-Poison against any Venome taken into the body or shot received by poisoned Poison Darts or Arrows to be taken in the same manner it provokes the Terms Terms and driveth forth the Dead-birth Dead-birth it hath the same vertue if it be conveyed as a Peâ—ary into the secret Parts Secret parts or the fume thereof received up into the Matrix and the quantity of a Nut thereof given in a glass of Wine helpeth the painful travail of Women and causeth easie Delivery Eâ—sie Delivery The perfume of Galbanum doth help Women that are troubled with rising suffocation or Strangling of the Mother and them that have the Falling-sickness and being laid to the Navel it causeth the Matrix that is removed to settle in its proper place Galbanum doâ—h mollifie and soften and draweth forth thorâ—es Thorns Splinters Splinters or slivers and discusseth and disperseth cold humors and is very good to be laid upon cold Tumors Cold Tumors and Swellings Swellings and is a proper substitute in all oyntments oyles and plaisters that have power or vertue to warm digest and dissolve to ripen and break Boyls and Imposthums Boyls Imposthumes and to draw out Thorns and Splinters It is good to be laid upon the side Sides against pains thereof and against hardness and Stoppings of the Spleen Spleen the same mixed with Nitre and Vinegar and applied is very good to take away Spots Spots and Freckles Freckles of the Face or any scurff or Morphew or other discolourings of the skin It is good to stop an hollow Tooth Tooth-ach to take away Ake and pain of the same It is also good to cleanse the Eares Eares of corrupt filth and running Running matter being mixed with oyle of Roses and dropped therein There is likewise by the Antients a more than ordinary yea a miraculous vertue ascribed to this Galbanum as may be found amongst the stupendious wonders of Pliny and the imaginary miracles of Mizaldus Albertus Magnus and many more that is to say that wheresoever this Gum is burned all manner of Serpents noisome and Venemons Creatures will presently fly away and dare not come with in the seent thereof and that no Venemous Creature whether it be a flying Insect creeping Serpent or Poisonous Beast whatsoever that is any wayes inimical to mankind have any power to hurt such as be anointed with this Galbanum And that those Venemous beasts or Serpents as be but touched with Galbanum mingled with oyle and the seed or root of Spondilium or Angelica it will cause them presently to dye The same is truly reported of the New-England and Virginia Snake-weed that it will kill those Rattle-Snakes if touched therewith or come within the scent of it and it is probable that the Galbanum in the Country where is groweth naturally those parts being much subject to be infested with those Venemous Creatures it may there work the same effects upon them Stock-Gillow-flowers Kinds and Names THere are found two kinds of these Gillow-flowers the one is great and called the Castel or Stock-Gillow-flower which may be kept both Winter and Summer the other is not so big and is called the small Stock-Gillow-flower which must be sown newly every Spring and bringeth forth his flower and seed the same year they are called Leucoion and Violae albae or white violets because the leaves be white but the leaves of the flowers for they be of divers colours late writers do call them violae matronâ—les or Dames Violets Descript These two kinds of Gillow-flowers are not much unlike Wall-flowers but that their leaves are whiter and softer The great Castel or Stock-Gillow-flower his leaves be hard and straight at the height of two or three foot with long narrow and soft leaves like Molleyn far greater longer and larger then the leaves of Wall-flowers or Yellow-Gillow-flowers the flowers be of a fragrant or pleasant smell much like to those of Harts-ease or Wall-flowers but much larger of colour sometimes white and sometimes Ash-câ—lour Carnation and sometimes inclining to Scarlet and sometimes purple or violet colour after which flowers there come long husks or Cods wherein the seed is contained being flat and large The small Stock-Gillow-flower is like to the great in his stalks and whitish woolly soft leaves also in the sweet smell and fragrant savor of his flowers in the diversity of colours in his Cods and seed saving that it is smaller in all respects not exceeding the length of a mans foot in height and perisheth every year after his seed is ripe Place These kinds of Gillow-flowers are sown and planted in Gardens in this Country they are hardly sound els-where Time The great Castel Gillow-flower floureth in March and Aprill the second year after it is sown but the smaller Stock-Gillow-flower yeeldeth its flowers in July and August the same year in which it is first sown Government and Virtues The Stock-Gillow-flowers are of temperature hot and dry and of nature somewhat like unto the Yellow-Gillow-flowers or Wall-flowers they are plants of Mercury The flower of the Stock-Gillow-flower boyled in water and drunk is good against difficulty of breathing and the Cough Difficulty of breathing Cough Courses sweat these flowers do likewise drive down Womens Courses and provoke Urine and a bath made of the decoction thereof
of a very sweet tast with a round stone in the middle thereof like an Olive-stone but not long Place and Time These plants in Syria Egypt Arabia and those parts thereabouts they continue with their leaves green on them all the Winter which the red Jujubes do not in those Countries but in Candy and other neerer Climats they fall off as other Trees do in the hotter Countries they bear twice a year but the fruit of the spring is seldome ripe being spoiled by the moisture of the season but in the Antumn the fruit is perfectly ripened and pleasant Government and Vertues Venus also owns the Fruit of both these The fruits before they are ripe are cold and dry in the first degree and binding but when they are ripe they are moist and are effectual to strengthen the Looseness of the Stomack and Belly Looseness Stomack Belly Vlcers Bowels Feavers Choler Feavers the juice of them either taken inwardly at the Mouth or given in a glister The dryed fruit infused in water and the infusion drunk is good against slipperiness and Ulcers of the Bowells The decoction or infusion of the dry ripe fruit is good against Pestilential Feavers and to resist putrefaction the fruit being endued with an excellent property against Venemous qualities The juice of the fruit being throughly ripe is effectual to purge Choler from the Stomack the infusion of them is profitably used to cool the heat and violence of all putrid Feavers Kali Names and Kinds IT is called also Glasse-wort Salt-wort There are 4 kinds of Kali described by Parkinson viz. 1. Kali majus Cochleatum great Glasse-wort with snailt like seeds 2. Kali minus album small Glasse-wort 3. Kali Aegyptiacum Glasse-wort of Aegypt And 4. Kali geniculatum sive salicornia jointed Glasse-wort I shall only describe the last This jointed Kali or Glasse-wort groweth up usually but with one upright round thick and almost transparent stalk a foot high or more thick set and full of joints or knots without any leaves at all but shooting forth joints one out of another with short cods at the heads of them and such like smaller branches on each side and they also divided into other smaller ones it is thought to bear neither flower nor seed the root is small long and threddy Some other kinds there are differing somewhat in the form of the joints and one kind wholly reddish and differing from the other in nothing else The first and third are absolute strangers in our Countries but grow in Syria and Egypt Italy and Spain the second groweth not onely in those Countries but in Colder Climates upon many places of our own Coasts especially of the West Country The last groweth generally in all Countries in many places of our Sea-coasts where the salt-salt-water overfloweth it Tims They all flourish in the Summer and those that perish give their seed in August or later the last abideth all Winter Government and Vertues Kali or Glasse-wort all the sorts thereof are under the dominion of Mars they are all of a cleansing quality without any great or manifest heat the powder of any of them or the juice which is much better taken in drink doth purge downwards flegmatick Flegm Waterish Water and Adust or Melancholy Melancholy humors And therefore is very effectual for the Dropsie to provoke Urine Vrine and expell the Dead-child Dead-birth It also opens stoppings of the Liver Liver and Speen Spleen and wasts the hardness thereof but it must be used with discretion for a great quantity is dangerous hurtful and deadly The Ashes hereof are very sharp and biting like a Caustick and the Lye that is made thereof is so strong that it will fetch off the skin from the hands or any part of the body but may be mixed with other more moderate medicines to take away Scabbs Leprosie and to cleanse the skin The powder of stones and the ashes hereof being melted is the matter whereof Glasse is made which when it gloweth in the furnace it casteth up a fat matter on the top of it which when it is cold is fat and brittle and is called Sandiver It worketh much to the same effect with the herb or ashes It is used often in powder to blow into horses Eyes or being diossolved to be squirted in them to take away any superfluous film or skin beginning to grow thereon both of them likewise serve to dry up running Sores Scabbs Scabbs Tetters Tetters Ringworms and to help the Itch. Itch Lacca or Gum-lake DEscript This is neither gum distilling out of any tree as other gums do nor condensed juice yet it will melt with heat and burn with fire but is a certain matter wrought by great winged Ants that breed in the ground and sucking out from trees of divers sorts but especially from that which is called Mala Indica from which they take the substancâ— of their work about the smaller branches as Bees do Hony Combs and make this Lacca which is a dark red substance and somewhat transparent harder than any gum and being chewed it will make the spittle look red It is first wrought on sticks by the Ants and then melted being cleered from the sticks and the wings of the Ants and made into Cakes or small peeces is so brought unto us aswell as on the sticks and is the original of the hard Wax wherewith Letters are sealed whose colours of red green yellow or black are added in the new melting of it again and making it into such Rouls as we buy it in but some do Counterfeit it by putting of wax unto it which maketh it softer and run thinner The Painters Lake or Lack is made of Brasill or other dying stuffes and hath in former times been very ignorantly by some put into the composition called Dia-lacca but that Error is reformed Government and Vertues Lacca is governed by Jupiter it is of temperature hot in the second degree it strengthneth the Stomack and Liver Stomack Liver and freeth them from obstructions Obstructions and dissolveth the hardness of the Liver helpeth the yellow Jaundies and driveth forth watry humors of the Dropsie Jaundies dropsies provokes Urine and breaks the Stone Vrine Stone both in Kidneys and Bladder Larch-tree Names IT is called in Latine Larix and the liquid Rozen Resina laricea or larigna and Terebinthia Venetia Description The Larch-tree is usually lower then the Pine or Firre-tree but sometimes groweth as high as either it hath a rugged thick bark full of Chaps and reddish in the inside the branches very comely one above another having several small yellowish knobs or bunches set at several distances from which do yearly shoot forth many long narrow thick soft and smooth leaves as it were in a tuft together of a green-colour which do not abide in Winter but fall away shooting fresh ones every Spring the flowers are of a Crimson colour and very sweet which
afterwards turn into small soft Cones like to Cypresse Nuts while they are close but longer than they made of many fine scales lying one upon another standing on a short stalk having seed in the inside of every scale formed like a small bird with two wings and a small sweet kernel within them like the Pine kernel the wood is very firm hard and close long in growing and long lasting It yieldeth forth a liquid Rozen being bored veâ—y clear and white which is called Venice Turpentine There is also found upon the bodies and great boughs thereof a kind of hard and dry Mushroom called Agarick Place and Time It groweth plentifully in the Woods by Trent and in many other places of Germany and between Germany and Italy It shooteth forth leaves in the Spring and the blossomes presently after and the fruit is ripe towards the latter end of Summer The Turpentine is gathered in the hottest time of the Summer but the Agarick about November and December Governments and Vertues The Larix-tree is under the dominion of Venus the leaves bark and fruit are of the same temperature as those of the Pine-tree the Turpentine thereof taken to the quantity of an ounce will gently open the belly provoke Urine and cleanse the Reines Kidneys Reines Kidneys and Bladder and helps to dissolve the Stone Bladder Stone and drive forth the Gravel and gives ease to those that have the Gout Gravel Gout if it be rouled up in Sugar and taken it helps the running of the Reins But pills most excellent for the Gonorrhaea or running of the Reins may be made thereof in this manner Turpentine Pills for the Gonorrhaea or Running of the Reins Take Turpentine-and wash it in Plaintain and Rose-water then with the powder of white Amber red Corral Mastick and a little Camphire make it into Pills which are to be taken morning and Evening for certain dayes together It is good also for the Tissick and Consumption of the Lungs Tissick Lungs being taken with hony in an Electuary it expectorates tough flegm and helps those that are troubled with a continual Cough it is of excellent use also outwardly to be used as an ingredient amongst salves It doth both draw cleanse and heal all sores or Ulcers whether new or old and green Wounds the Chymical oyl drawn from Turpentine is more drying and consolidating than the Turpentine it self so that it is singular good to be used in Wounds Wounds Vlâ—ers and to warm and ease paines in the joints and sinews caused with cold and being mixed with oyl of St. Johns-wort it is singular good against Sprains Pains Sprains Wrinches and outward Bruises Bruises-freckles caused by falls or otherwise the parts being fomented This oyl being drank the quantity of twenty drops at a time in Ale or white Wine provokes Urine cleanseth and cureth all Ulcers and Sores in the Kidney Kidneys or Bladder Bladder or Uretory passages The water that is distilled with the oyl is good for freckles and spots in the Face A scruple in weight of that water taken in white Wine procureth a Vomit and giveth much ease to those whose Stomacks are overcharged with Flegm Agarick which is the Tuberous substance which groweth upon this tree is a good purging medicine and often used by it self but more commonly is mixed with other medicines of a purging quality to open obstructions of the Liver Spleen Liver Spleen and entrails it purgteh all vitious humors which offend the body It is usually corrected wich Ginger and given with Oxymel that is a sirrup made with Vinegar and Hony otherwise of it self it is apt to trouble the Stomack and cause Vomiting It purgeth thin and rotten tough flegm both yellow hard and black burnt Choller Flegm Choler from the Head and Brain Breast Lungs Head Lungs stomack Liver Stomack Liver and Spleen Spleen Gout and from the Reins joints Sinews and Muscles whereby it helpeth such as are troubled with the Gout Dropsie Falling-sickness Jaundise Chollick Dropsie Chollick Sciatica shortness of Breath Cough Consumption of the Lungs spitting of Blood paines of the Womb Blood Womb sharpness of Urine and the Wormes It is also helpful to cure all sorts of Agues Agues to ease griping pains of the Stomack and Belly and such as have had Falls and Bruises or are bursten-Bellied Half a dram or two scruples being taken in Wine either by the infusion or in powder is good against all poisons and bitings of Serpents The most usual way of preparing it for the other diseases before mentioned is to slice a dram and put it into a gentle purging decoction or an Infusion If it be boyled in Lye with other Cephalicks and the head washed therewith it comforteth the Brain Memory Brain Memory and giddinessof the Head and stayes Rhumes and Catarrhs and cleanseth it from scurff Rhumes Scurff and Dandriff Spurge-Laurel Names IT is also called Wild Laurel and in Latine Laureola Descript The Spurge Laurel springeth up usually but with one stem but sometimes with more very tough and pliant having a whitish thick tough bark branching forth into divers parts towards the tops whereon grow many long thick somewhat broad and shining dark green leaves longer smoother and softer than Bay-leaves and without any veins therein the flowers come forth towards the tops of the stalks and branches and at the joints with the leaves many set together which are somewhat long and hollow having four small leaves of a whitish yellow green colour after which come small round and somewhat long black berries when they are ripe wherein is contained a white kernell the root groweth deep into the ground and spreadeth with long white strings and is somewhat wooddy The leaves flower bark and root are very hot in tast burning the mouth and Throat of any that shall tast them the leaves continue green all the Winter Place Spurge Laurel groweth Wild in many places of this land particularly in Cobham Park in Kent Time It floureth very early as about January if the Winter be mild and the berries are ripe about June Government and Vertues Mars rules this plant both leaves and berries hereof are violent purges of a heating burning quality so that they inflame the throat and Stomack of whosoever shall take thereof yet being given advisedly and prepared by a skilful hand it cleanseth the Stomack of Flegm Flegm Terms both by purge and Vomit it driveth down Womens Courses and being chewed in the Mouth it draweth down much corrupt matter from the Head and brain if the leavs and berries when they are fresh be boyled in oyl and the oyle strained forth this oyle looseneth the belly and helpeth the Chollick the belly being anointed therewith it provokes Urine and helpeth the Piles some give the powder of the leaves in a little broth to ease the pains of the Chollick and purge forth watry humors in the Dropsie The
and Spleen strengthneth the Stomach and corroborates the inward parts after purging and opening the obstructions of them It helpeth also all diseases proceeding from them as Dropsie Jaundice it rectifieth the evil constitution of the Liver openeth and dissolveth the hardness thereof as also of the Spleen and Stomach and expelleth wind It helpeth and taketh away all old and inveterate pains in the head by cleansing the brain and the nerves and purging those Rheumatick distillations and humours that are in them It helpeth also Joynt-Aches or Gout-pains in the bladder and Reins provokes Urine It helps the Chollick powerfully expelling the wind It also helps pains and windiness of the Mother shortness of breath and an old Cough It is also effectual in the French disease by taking it as often as there is cause purging old peccant humours especially if the disease be not of any long continuance It takes away also the cause of old and long lingring Agues The Jalap is in operation and purging somewhat like unto the Mechoacan but worketh more strongly and somewhat more churlishly both upon Flegmatick and watry humours yet it strengthens both the Liver and Stomach The manner to take it is being made into powder to drink it in White wine fasting or in the distilled water of Cichory or Borrage or else in broth made with cold herbs and some use to drink it in Posset-drink Millet Names Kinds THere are three sorts growing in Europe they are generally all called by the name of Millium with their Adjectives for distinction Gesner calleth it Panicum Indicum Descript 1. Common white Millet Millium vulgare album This groweth with many hard joynted tall stalks full of white pith yet soft and a little hairy or downy on the outside with long and large Reed-like Leaves compassing one another The tops of the stalks are furnished with a great many whitish yellow long Sprigs like feathers bowing down their heads set all along with small seeds inclosed in whitish husks of a shining pale yellowish colour somewhat hard little bigger than the Seed of Fleawort the Root spreadeth much in the ground but perisheth every year Descript 2. Black Millet Millium nigrum differeth from the other but little being somewhat less saving that as the tuft is brownish so is the seed blackish and shining else it is very like to the other Descript 3. Indian Millet called also Melica sive Forghium and higher than the former rising to be five or six foot high or more the stalks are full of joynts and large long leaves at them the juba or Tuft standeth upright and doth not hang down the head as the others whereon stand somewhat round seed as big but not as flat as Lentils and is either whitish yellow red or blackish hard and shining the root busheth more than the other yet endureth all Winter Place All the sorts of Millet came first into Europe out of the Eastern Countries and require a strong well watered ground they soon will impoverish a ground that is not still inriched it will not prosper in dry or hungry ground Time It is to be sown in April and the grain in the hotter Countries will be ripe in August or September Government and Vertues It is Mercurial of a cooling temperature in the first degree and dry almost in the third according to Galen and is also endued with a little tenuity of parts Theophrastus saith that if the grain be kept from wind and weather it will last always It is sometimes made into bread but it is very brittle it dryeth up moist humours In Germany they much use it boyled in milk and some sugar put to it Mathiolus saith that at Verona they eat the bread thereof with great delight while it is hot by reason of the sweetness but being cold it is hard and unpleasant Dioscorides saith that Gruel or Pottage made with it Binding of the belly Vrine Feavers thirst Chollick Sides Pains Joynts Sinews bindeth the belly and provoketh Urine the Apozeme made thereof called Syrupus Ambrosianus or Syrupus Ambrosii taken warm with white wine procureth sweat very much the party being covered in bed and is effectual to cool hot Feavers and to quench thirst Being put into a bag and fryed and applyed hot it easeth the griping pains of the Chollick and of the sides and pains in the Joynts and Sinews in Italy and other places they fat their Poultry with the grain Mathiolus saith that the Indian Millet-stalks are good to help those that are troubled with kernels under the ears or else where to be used in this manner For Kernels under the Ears or elsewhere TAke ten of the joynts of the Indian Millet of the Stalks thereof take out the pyth of them which burn with a new red Sponge take the powder of them with twelve grains of pepper and an ounce of Wheat Paste or Dowe make it up into a Cake with a new-layd egg and let it be baked under the Embers this Cake divide into six parts and let the Patients take one part of it every other night when the Moon is decreasing as they go to bed and not drink after it that night This must be repeated two or three Moons and by this he saith he hath known many to have been cured He also saith that the red flowers taken in red wine to the quantity of a dram cureth women of the Reds as the white flowers doth the Whites It is also good for all Fluxes of the belly Myrtle Names and Kinds THere are several kinds hereof whose names shall follow with their descriptions The Druggists and Apothecaries in their Shops call the berries Myrillus and we in english Myrtle-berries Descript 1. The greatest open Lawrel Myrtle Myrtus latifolia maxima This greatest Myrtle hath great and thick woody branches set with a double row of large leaves coming near unto the smaller leaves of the Baytree but of a paler green colour abiding always green and very â—weet Clusius saith that this sort in Spain seldome beareth either flowers or fruit because they prune it often being kept in Hedges for pleasure Descript 2. The strange broad-leaved close Myrtle Myrtus Latifolia Exotica This doth grow up higher than the former and shooteth from the root many strong thick stemmes more pleasantly stored with large leaves yet not fully so large as the first sort but closer set together that they almost touch one another sometimes in a double rowe and sometimes in a treble and very sweet The flowers are white like unto others but larger the fruit is somewhat longer than in the small sorts green at the first purplish before it be ripe and black when it is full ripe with many crooked white seeds in them Descript 3. The usual broad-leafed Myrtle Myrtus latifolia vulgaris This Myrtle groweth to be four or five foot high with us and in the hot Countries to be a little Tree full of branches and leaves like a small Bush the leaves are somewhat
Capsicum Cordatum propendens This sort is somewhat like the greater upright Heart-fashioned Pepper about the same bigness but more uneven and not so round but is as red being ripe and hanging downwards Descript 10. Pendulous Olive-fashioned Guinny-Pepper Capsicum siliqua Olivaria propendeus This Pepper hath small long and round Cods smaller below than above very like unto an Olive-berry as red being ripe as any of the rest and with the stalk hanging downwards Descript 11. Vpright Olive-fashioned Guinny-Pepper Capsicum siliqua Olivaria erecta This is greater than the last and standing upright not differing from the last in any thing else Descript 12. Cherry-fashioned Guinny-Pepper Capsicum siliqua rotunda Cerasorum There are two sorts of this Pepper one which is fully round like unto our Cherries the other hath a little point at the end thereof and is a little bigger than the other and both hanging down Descript 13. Broad and Crumpled Guinny-Pepper Capsicum siliqua lata et rugosa The Cods of this Pepper are somewhat large greater above and smaller below somewhat flat also and not round but Crumpled as it were or shrunk half together and smelleth pretty sweet Descript 14. Long and upright Guinny Pepper Capsicum erectum majus longum This Pepper is long and round yet not like that which beareth the form of the Olive-berry but much longer and of an equal bigness all the length thereof and standeth upright Descript 15. The greater Crooked or Horned Guinny-Pepper Capsicum oblongum majus recurvis siliquis This hath large great Cods above 5 inches long sometimes little or nothing crooked at the lower end which is long and small sometimes a little crooked or bended upwards and sometimes very much Descript 16. The lesser Horned Guinny-Pepper Capsicum oblongum minus recurvis siliquis This is not half so thick and long as the last and keeping his end bowed or crooked constantly not varying as that doth both this and the last hang down their Cods towards the ground the whole plant also groweth lesse then the other Descript 17. Double pointed Guinny-Pepper Capsicum bifurcata siliqua This Pepper is very like the long upright Pepper and much about the same form and bigness being almost of an equal size all the length thereof but the lower end is parted as it were into two short round points and is a little smaller there than upwards in nothing else differing from the rest Descript 18. The shorter Gold-yellow Guinney-Pepper Capsicum siliqua flava breviore This hath like leaves stalks and flowers in every part as the rest and onely differeth in that it beareth Cods very like unto the first sort which is the most common but that they are shorter and ending in a smaller or sharper point and of a fair Gold-yellow Colour and not red as all the other before are Descript 19. The longer Gold-yellow Guinny-Pepper Capsicum siliqua flava longiore This yellow-Pepper differeth in nothing from the last but in the Cods which are not so thick as they but a little smaller from the middle thereof being longer or lessening very finely unto the pointed end of as fair a Gold-yellow colour as the other Descript 20. Guinny-Pepper with hairy stalks Capsicum caule piloso This groweth with green round stalks set full of white hairs thereon contrary to all the former sorts at the joynts with the branches come forth two such leaves as the first here set forth hath but larger then they the flowers are white consisting of five leaves like the rest but larger then any of them after which come the Cods green at the first as all the other are but as red as the rest when they are ripe which are somewhat great and long ending in a very long point in the rest as in the seed and roots not differing from the former sorts Place and Time All these sorts of Pepper came first from the West-Indies called America and the several parts thereof Brasile being reckoned as a part thereof and our Sommer-Islands also but here in England though erroniously we give it the name of Guinny-Pepper as though it originally came from thence they are now nursed up in Gardens in all the Provinces of Europe except cold Countries and grow in many places of Italy and Spain c. Set in pots about windows either for their beauty or for the use it serveth or both They do not sow them in the hot Countries before the end of March or beginning of April and at the soonest they do not flower before the beginning of August and their beautiful red Cods ripen not thorowly until the beginning of Winter and so will abide both with flower and fruit most of the Winter with them in the warmer Regions but in our colder Climates they presently perish with the first frost and therefore must be carefully housed if any will preserve them Government and Vertues All these sorts of Pepper are under the Planetary Regiment of Mars and are of a fiery hot and sharp biting taste and of temperature hot and dry to the end of the fourth degree they burn and inflame the Mouth and Throat so extreamly that it is hard to be endured and if it be outwardly applyed to the skin in any part of the body it will exulcerate it and raise blisters as if it had been burnt with fire or scalded with hot Water The fierce vapours that arise from the husks or Cods while one doth but open them to take out the seed especially if they do but beat them into powder or onely bruise them will so peirce the brain by flying up into the Head through the Nostrils that it will procure violent Sneesings and draw down abundance of thinn Rhueme forcing teares from the Eyes in abundance and will all passe into the Throat and provoke a sharp Coughing and cause such violent Vomiting that the very Bowells aswel as the Stomack will be much perplexed with it if any shall with their hands touch their Face or Eyes it will cause so great an Inflamation both in the Face and Eyes that it will not be remedied in a long time by all the bathing thereof with Wine or cold Water that can be used but yet will passe away without further harm If any of it be cast into the fire it raiseth grievous strong noisome Vapours procuring Sneezings very fiercely and Coughing strong Vomiting to all that be neer unto it if it should be taken simply of it self though in a very small quantity either in powder or decoction it were scarce to be endured and would prove very dangerous to Life Having now given you an Account of the dangers of these violent plants and fruits I shall now direct you how to tame and master them and to make them become serviceable for health being corrected and cleansed from all their evil and noisome Qualities The safest way to reduce these Peppers to be taken familiarly and often without offence both in meat aswel as medecine as also
major This greater Sea-plantane hath a number of small long leaves almost like Grass but that they are stiffe and hard sometimes lying upon the ground and sometimes from a stem under them raised a little higher of a grayish or hoary green colour and having on some of them some small gashes on the edges among which rise up naked stalks about half a foot high with small spikey heads like unto Plantane-heads set at the top of them wherein also is contained such like Seed the root is somewhat thick long and woody with some fibres growing thereat Descript 4. The lesser Sea-Plantane with Grassy leaves Holosteum angusti-folium minus This lesser Holosteum is very like the former but that it is smaller and scarce having any dent on the edges and groweth much lower not exceeding three or four inches in height having such like heads but smaller Descript 5. Candy Sea-Plantane Holosteum Creticum sive Leontopodium Creticum This plant hath a reddish root somewhat great and as it were scaly at the head growing smaller downwards and spread into many long fibres from whence springeth up many long and narrow soft woolly leaves a hand-breadth long with three Ribs in each of them among which rise up divers small and short footstalks about two or three inches long and covered with a soft woolliness on every one whereof standeth a thick short reddish woolly head like unto a Plantane-head having divers whitish flowers upon them with blackish spots within them seeming so many holes in them which after they are past have small brownish Seeds inclosed in their husks very like unto Plantane-Seed or the Seed of Psyllium or Fleawort which heads when they are fully ripe do bend downwards to the ground and are so drawn or bended together that they resemble herein a Lyons-foot clasped together whereof it obtained the name of Leonto-podium Descript 6. Mouse-tail Holosteum Loniceri cauda muris vocatum This being in tast and property like unto these Holostea's is therefore ranked amongst them It shooteth forth divers small Grassy leaves very short rough and hard among which spring divers small slender stalks with small long blackish green spiked heads like unto a small Plantane-head but smaller with white flowers on them which quickly fade and fall away after which there are found very small blackish Seeds in the long heads which then in some are a little crooked and in others straight resembling a Mouse-tail the root is small and threddy Place and Time The first groweth in divers places about our Sea-coasts aswell as others The second of both sorts groweth in Valentia Salamanca and divers other parts of Spain as Clusius saith the third and fourth as saith Mathiolus by the Sea-side in Italy Camerarius saith by a lake of salt-Salt-water neer Istebia which is in Germany The fifth in Candia The last groweth in many fertile Pastures and Meadowes as also on dry Banks and by the path-sides in divers places of our own Land They do flower in the Moneths of June and July and their Seed ripeneth quickly after The last which is the earliest of them all flowreth often in April and is almost gone in May. Government and Vertues These are of the same temperature and regiment as our ordinary Plantanes so very little differing in quality of cold dryness that all the virtues of the other Plantanes may properly be attributed to these onely the third kind Mathiolus saith that the people of Gorilia who call it Serpentina have used it to very good purpose as he himself also saith he hath found by good experience against the Bitings or stingings of Venemous Beasts Serpents serpents-bitings especially as also to help those that are troubled with the Dropsie especially that which hath possessed the whole body The Mouse-tail is cooling and drying like the Plantane and the Country people in some places of this Land apply it not onely to those that bleed at the Nose Dropsie bleeding at the Nose by bruising of the leaves and putting it up therin or pounding it and letting the party snuffe up the juice but also use it with good effect to stay the much bleeding of Wounds and to heal them up it being a singular good Wound-herb The Pomegranate-Tree Kinds and Names THe Pomgranate-tree is distinguished into three kinds that is The manured Pomegranate bearing fruit and the greater and lesser wild kinds the first is called Malus Punica and Malus granata and the fruit Malum Punicum and Malum granatum because it is supposed that they wer brought over from that part of Africa where old Carthage stood into that part of Spain which is now called Granada and froâ— thence called Granatum The flowers of the manured kind Dioscorides saith are called Citini but Pliny calleth the flowers the wild kind Citinus and the flowers of both kinds Balaustium but Cytinus is more properly the cup wherein do stand the flowe of both kinds and Balaustium is with us generally taken for the doble flowers of the wild kind only Descript 1. The Pomgranate-tree bearing fruit Malus Punica saâ—va This Tree groweth not great in the warm Countries and where it is natural not above seven or eight foot high spreading into manny slender branches here and there set with thorns and with many very fair green shining leaves like in form and bigness unto the leaves of large Myrtle-leaves every one upon a small reddish footstalk Among the leaves come forth here and there the flowers which are like Bell-flowers broad at the brims and smaller at the bottom being one whole leaf divided at the top into five parts of an orient red Crimson colour naturally but much paler with us and many veins running through it with divers threds in the middle and standing in a brownish hollow cup or long hard husk the fruit is great and round with a hard smooth brownish red rind not very thick but yellowish on the inside and a Crown at the top stored plentifully with a most cleer Liquor or juice like Wine either sweet or sower or between both full of seeds inclosed in skins and the liquor among them Sometimes this breaketh the rind as it groweth which will cause it to rot very soon Descript 2. The greater double blossomed Pomgranate-tree Malus Punica Sylvestris major sive Balaustium majus The great wild Pomegranate-tree groweth into slender brownish branches with some thorns amongst them and shining green leaves somewhat larger than the former but it is a shrubbish low Tree naturally from the branches shoot forth flowers very double as large as a double Provence-Rose but with shorter small leaves of an excellent bright crimson colour tending to a silken carnation standing in brownish hard cups or husks divided into five parts but no fruit followeth Descript 3. Balaustium minus the lesser double Pomgranate-tree There is but little difference in this from the other the leaves onely are of a sadder green colour the flowers smaller and lesse thick and double and of a sadder
were with blisters in divers places with thorns thereon like a Bryar or wild-Rose the leaves are not many but small like the wild hedge-bryar or rather smaller and turning red in Summer the Roses are single and small of a deep incarnate colour more than the former Descript 4. The Virginia Bryar Rose called in Latine Rosa sylvestris Virginiensis The Virginia Rose hath divers as great stems and branches as any other Rose whose young are green and the elder greyish set with many pricks and a few great thorns among them the leaves are very green and shining small and almost round many set on a middle rib one against another somewhat like unto the single yellow-Rose the flowers stand at the tops of the branches consisting of five small leaves of a pale purple or deep Carnation-colour like unto those of the sweet Bryar Descript 5. The single sweet white Rose called in Latine Rosa Campestris flore albo odora This Rose hath woody stems about three foot high set as thick with sharp thorns as any of the other and hath the like leaves but not so green at the tops of whose branches stand usually but one flower apiece consisting of five white leaves reasonable large and of a sweet smell with divers yellow threads in the middle in their places come such like round and short heads or berries as are in other Roses but are black when they are ripe and not red with white seeds lying in flocks of Down Descript 6. The Vermilion Rose of Austria Rosa sylvestris Austriaca flore phoeniceo The younger branches of this Rose are slender and reddish the elder brownish grey set with divers thorns but not very thick great or sharp the leaves are somewhat sharper than those of the single yellow Rose else not much unlike the flowers are single and as large as those of the yellow-Rose but of an excellent Orange-tawny-colour with an eye of vermilion cast over it and of a paler-yellow on the outside after which the fruit follows Descript 7. The single dwarf red-Rose of Austria Rosa pumila rubra Austriaca This Dwarf-Rose groweth not above half a yard high with slender green stems set with few or no thorns below but having many higher having whitish green leaves upon them like the other roses and greyish underneath five or seven set on a stalk together at the top of the branches come forth very great bearded husks wherein stand large flowers made of five leaves apiece somewhat sweet red at the first but decaying with standing growing much more pale before they fail away with yellow threds in the middle after which come the fruit which are red as the others but greater somewhat more like unto a pease than the others Descript 8. The small Burnet-Rose or Pimpinel-Rose Rosa Pimpinella sive pomifera minor This small Rose seldome riseth above a foot high being of two sorts whereof the one hath but few thorns and the other full of small thorns which is most frequent set with long winged stalks of leaves being many small leaves round and greenish set one against another upon the stalk finely dented about the edges seeming like unto a Burnet leaf for the form and number set together The flowers are single small and white without any scent after which come small round heads black when they are ripe and full of seed as the other Roses Descript 9. Dwarf single white Rose Rosa pumila sylvestris alba This scarce riseth above a foot above ground being set with small thorns and leaves according to the proportion of the Plant and the wildness of the kind the flowers are white and small giving heads and seed like the rest the root creepeth about more than others Descript 10. The single Dwarf-Rose without thorns Rosa simplex pumila sine spina This Dwarf-Rose groweth also very low almost upon the ground with green stalks without any thorn thereon set with small winged leaves the flower is small and of a pale reddish colour and single in some places very sweet and in others little or nothing flowring also in some places both in the Spring and Autumn Place and Time The two first grow in the Hedges of our Land every where almost yet the second not so frequent as the first the third came from Muscovy the fourth from Virginia the fifth from Germany in sundry places the sixth and seventh from Austria the eighth is found in divers places of our own land both in barren Heathy grounds and by Woods and hedges sides the ninth on some of the hills among the Switzers and the last near unto Lyons in France upon Pilates Hill there some of these Roses flower earlier than others some in May and others not until June Government and Vertues The Roses are certainly all under the dominion of Venus I shall first set down the properties of the manured-Roses Both the white and the red are of a cooling binding quality yet the white is taken to exceed the red in both these qualities but is seldom used in any inward medicine The red hath a watry substance and a warm joyned with the other Qualities The yellow threads in the middle do binde and dry more then the Rose it self The Juice of the Roses when they are fresh purgeth Choler and watry Humours Choler watry humors but being dryed they have a stopping and astringent quality The decoction of the red-Rose in wine is very good for the Headach and pains in the Ears Eyes Throat and Gums The Fundament also the lower-bowels and the Matrix being bathed or put into them The same decoction with the Roses remaining therein is profitably applyed to the Region of the Heart to ease the inflamations therein as also St. Anthonies fire and all other diseases of the Stomack and being dryed and beaten to powder and taken in steeled wine or water they stay womens Courses Headach pains in the Ears Eyes Throat Gums Fundament Lower-Bowels and Matrix Inflamation of the Heart St. Anthonies fire stomack Womens Courses Eyes and are good for the eyes being mixed with other medicines for that purpose The yellow threads in the middle of the red Roses being powdered and drunk in the distilled water of Quinces stayeth the abundant flux of womens Courses and helps the defluxions of Rheume upon the Gums and Teeth Womens Courses Rheums Gums and Teeth-loose and preserveth them from corruption and fastneth them if they be loose if they be washed and garbled therewith and some Vinegar of squils added thereto the heads with seed being used in powder or in a decoction stayeth the Laske and the spitting of Blood Red Roses do strengthen the heart the stomack and the Liver and the retentive faculties and mitigate pains that arise of heat asswage Inflamations procure sleep and rest stay womens Courses Gonorrhaea and the fluxes of the belly The husks of the Roses with the beards and the nailes of the Roses are binding and cooling and the distilled water of
Bryar-ball is often used being made into powder and drunk to break the stone to provoke Urine and to ease and help the Chollick Whites Stone Vrine Chollick In the middle of these balls are often found certain white worms which being dryed and made into powder and some of it drunk is found by long experience of many to kill and drive forth the worms of the belly Rice Descript THis grain or Corn riseth up with a stronger stalk than wheat about a yard high with sundry joynts and a large thick leaf at each of them like unto the Reed at the top it beareth a spiked tuft spread into branches whose blooming is said to be purplish with the seed standing severally on them inclosed in a hard brown straked husk and an Arm at the head of every one of them which being hulled is very white of the bigness almost of wheat Cornes blunt at both ends Names Rice is called in latine Oriza and the Italians call it Rizo the French Rys Place and Time This grain originally was brought out of the East-Indies where in many places it yieldeth two Crops in a year being the chiefest Corn they live upon and not with them onely but through all Aethiopia and Africa and from thence hath been brought into Syria Aegypt Italy c. It delighteth to grow in moist grounds and is a Summer Corn ripe about the middle of Autumn Government and Vertues It is a Solar grain The physical use thereof is chiefly to stay the Lasks and Fluxes of the stomach and belly especially if it be a little parched before it be used and steel quenched in the milk wherein it is boyled being somewhat binding and drying It is thought also to increase seed Lasks Fluxes increase Seed being boyled in milk and some sugar and Cinnamon put thereunto The flower of Ryce is of the same property and is sometimes also put into Cataplasmes that are applyed to repell humours from flowing or falling to the place and is also conveniently applyed to womens breasts Repell humors Inflamations in womens breasts to stay Inflamations therein in the beginning thereof Spanish Safron Kinds and Names I shall describe severally the sorts hereof and therein set down their names Descript 1. The manured Spanish or bastard Safron called in Latine Cnicus sive Carthamus sativus This hath sundry large leaves lying next the ground without any pricks or with very few white ones at the corners of the leaves and divisions among which riseth a strong round stalk three or four foot high branching it self up to the top bearing shorter leaves sharp-pointed and prickly at the edges and at their ends a great open scaly head out of which shoot forth many gold yellow threads of a most orient and shining colour which being gathered in a dry warm time and kept dry will abide in the same delicate colour which it bare when it was fresh for a long time the seed when it cometh to maturity is white and hard somewhat long and round and a little cornered the root is long white and woody perishing yearly after seed time Descript 2. Wild or bastard Safron of Candy Cnicus alter Creticus This hath a thick and long black root from which riseth up one streight round stalk half a cubit high set here and there with long sharp-pointed leaves thick set with prickles at the dents of the edges at the top whereof standeth a scaly head compassed with prickly leaves of the bigness of the Atractylis or distaff-thistle out of which break forth divers thick yellow Safron-like threads thrust thick together a fier which the seed groweth therein being white and as big as the greater Centory-seed Descript 3. Clusius his everliving bastard Safron Cnicus alter perennis Clusâ—i This groweth up with divers hard strong and round stalks without any branches at all from them to the height of three or four foot bearing thereon at several places somewhat large and long leaves dented about the edges of a sad or dusky green colour at the top of every stalk standeth one great close hard scaly head but not prickly at all not so great as the other bastard-Safron never opening the scales of the head as that doth from the middle whereof cometh divers threads yet nothing so many as in the other of a sad blewish ash colour and whitish at the bottom of them the seed which lyeth among the down in those heads is greater than of the other thick and short but not white and in lesser quantity than it The Roots run down deep into the ground and being there increased do run and spread themselves taking up a great deal of room Place and Time The first is generally sown in Spain Italy and other places for the especial use thereof The second Alpinus saith was brought out of Candy the last groweth wild in Spain aswel about Sevil as Cordula and in several other places as Clusius saith These kinds of Safron are called both in Greek and Latine Cnicus and Cnecus and in Apothecaries shops Carthamus of some also Crocus Saracenicus the Arabians call it Kartan the Italians Saffarano Sarasenisco the Spaniards Alacor and Acafran Salvia the Germans call it wilder Safron the French Safron-bastard and graine de Peroquets because they use to feed Parrots with the seed in English wild Safron Bastard-Safron Spanish Safron and Catalonia Safron Government and Virtues These are all Solar the flowers of the first Spanish Safron are much used in Spain and other places to be put into their broths and meats they are also of great use in dying silk into a kind of a Carnation-colour the seed is chiefly used in physick or rather the kernels within the seed which beaten and the emulsion thereof taken in honyed water or the broth of a Pullet and taken fasting doth open the body and purgeth watry and Phlegmatick humours Phlegm Watry humours Chollick Dropsie both upwards and downwards which it also performeth if the emulsion thereof be given in a Glyster and thereby helpeth the Chollick and dropsie and those other diseases that proceed from those humours Being made into a lohoch or licking Electuary with Sugar and honey and a few Almonds and Pine-kernels it wonderfully cleanseth the breast and lungs of phlegm sticking thereon causing it to be spit forth Phlegm Breast Lungs Sperm Voice cleared it clears the voice and increaseth seed by the often use of it but it doth somewhat trouble the stomach and therefore some stomachichal helpers are to be used with it As Anniseed Galanga Mastich or if need be of more forceable Cardamoms Ginger Salgem a dram of the flowers in powder taken in Hydromel or honyed water or in Barley-water helpeth the Jaundise Jaundise a dram of the pulp of the seed taken with an ounce of Syrup of wormwood doth the like also the Confection made of the seeds of it called in Shops Diacarthamum is an especial good medicine to purge Choler and flegm as also to clear and
fluxes from the head and braine Fluxes Head Brain Rheum Catarrhes cold Stomaks Wind Mother French-disease Aches sinews Joints Sores Swellings tetters ringworms Rheums and Catarrhes as also in all cold griefs of the stomack and expelleth wind very powerfully from the stomack and mother It helpeth not only the French disease but all manner of Aches in the Sinews or Joynts all running sores in the legs all flegmatick swellings Tetters or Ringworms and all manner of spots Spots in the Skin and foulness of the skin It is not proper to be given to those whose Livers are over-hot or to such as have Agues The manner of using it is and hath been divers in former times it was used beaten to powder and so drank others used to boyle it so long until it became tender which being beaten or broken was afterwards strained into the decoction making a kinde of thick drink like cream Some others and that most usually boyled it in water to the half or the consumption of the third part as they would have it stronger or weaker and that either by it self or with other things proper for the disease it was intended for and others also put it amongst other things into drink either Beer or Ale new tunned up to drink after it hath stood three or four dayes for Physick-drink for the remedy of those griefs it is conducible unto as aforesaid A dyet-drink with Sarsaparilla for the French-disease Aches pains or any the diseases before mentioned Take Lignum Vitae which is Guiacum nine ounces bark of the same two ounces Sassafras one ounce Sarsaparilla four ounces Juniper-berries one ounce Boyl them in two ounces of fountain-water to the Consumption of half add to the strained liquor Coriander-seeds four drams Cinamon Liquorish each two drams for an ordinary drink Saracens Consound Descript and Names There have several plants been mistaken and set forth for the true Saracens Consound The true is called Solidago Saracenica vera Salices Folia the true Saracens Consound with willow leaves This groweth very high sometimes with Brownish stalks and sometimes with green and hollow to a mans height having many long and narrow green Leaves snipt about the edges set thereon somewhat like unto those of the Almond or Peach-tree or Willow-leaves but not of such a white Green-colour The tops of the stalks are furnished with many pale yellow star-like-flowers which stand in â—green-heads which when they are fallen and the seed ripe which is somewhat long small and of a yellowish brown-colour wrapped in down is therewith carryed away with the winde the root is composed of many strings or fibres set together at the head which perish not in winter but abide though the stalks dry away and no leafe appeareth in winter the taste hereof is strong and unpleasant and so is the leaf also Place and Time It groweth in moist and wet Grounds by woods sides and sometimes in the moist-places of the shaddowy-Groves as also by water-sides It is rare to be found in England Gerrard saith it groweth by the high-way sides in Essex I have sought many wayes there but could never yet find it In July it is in flower and the seed is soon ripe and carried away with the wind Government and Vertues This singular Wound herb is a Plant of Mars so that he can sure aswell as kill It is of temperature hot and dry almost in the third degree and somewhat binding In Germany it is preferred before all other Wound-herbs being boyled in wine and drunk it helpeth the indisposition of the Liver and freeth the gall from obstructions Liver Gall obstructed Yellow Jaundise Dropsie Vlcers of the Reins Wounds and bruises and for the dropsie in the beginning thereof as also in all inward Ulcers of the Reins or elsewhere and inward wounds or bruises and being steeped in wine and then distilled the water thereof drunk is singular good to ease all gnawing in the stomach or any other pains or torments in the body as also the pains of the Mother Gnawings on the stomach Pains Mother Agues green wounds Old Sores Vlcers Sores Mouth and throat privy parts and being in wine and drunk it helpeth continual Agues This said water or the simple water of the herb distilled or the juice or decoction are all very effectual to heal any green wound or old Sore or Ulcer whatsoever both cleansing them from any corruption is in them and healing them up quickly afterwards the same also is no less effectual for the Ulcers of the mouth or throat be they never so foul or stinking by washing and gargling the mouth and throat therewith and likewise for such Sores as happen in the privy parts of man or woman and is as effectual to all the purposes as are Bugle or Sanicle Sassafras or Ague-tree Descript Names THis Indian tree is called by some Ind ans Pavame of some Winanke but its general name amongst the French Spaniards and all other Nations is Sassafras The tree groweth great and tall bare of branches unto a reasonable height covered with a greyish brown bark somewhat thick in taste hotter and quicker than the wood or root towards the top it doth spread forth many Armes and branches into a round compass or form having large dark green leaves growing thereon one at a place standing on the contrary side each to other tasting like the root but more weakly some cut into three Divisions somewhat resembling Fig-tree leaves but lesser by the half for the most part with a middle rib running through each Division and two others to the inner cuts with veins besides and some with little or no division at all upon them smooth also and not dented about the edges the flowers are small and yellow made of threads very like to the male Cornel-tree and the fruit small blackish berries set in small cups upon long footstalks many clustring together The roots are not very great neither do they grow deep but are covered with the like brownish bark that the trunk and branches are but somewhat redder which are most in use being of more force and efficacy than any other part of the tree and of a spicy taste Place This is brought unto us from the parts near Florida and other places of the West-Indies Government and Virtues This is a solar plant of temperature hot and dry in the beginning of the third degree the decoction is very useful in all cold diseases of the liver and spleen as also in cold rheums and defluxions of the head Liver Spleen cold Rheums on the teeth defluxions on the teeth eyes or Lungs eyes or lungs warming and drying up the moisture and strengthening the parts It is available in coughs Coughs Breast Stomach and other cold diseases of the breast stomach and lungs restrains castings and helpeth digestion Castings Digestion wind gravel Kidneys Vrine Terms Agues breaketh and expelleth wind the gravel and stone in the kidneys and provoketh Urine and womens
round ruggish root covered with a crested or as it were a joynted Bark come forth out of knots three or five broad leavs like unto those of the Maple or Plane-tree standing on small blackish long stalks and are divided in three or five parts full of veins dented about the edges and pointed at the ends Descript 3. Red Storax called in latine Styrax rubra This hath formerly by some been thought to be the bark of some kind of tree that went under that name of Storax But Serapio and Avicen divide Storax into liquida and sicca by liquida meaning the pure gum flowing from the tree and not that liquida which we have now adays by that name and by the sicca the feces of the expressed oyl from the fruit but Calumita is now taken of some to be red Storax Place and Time The first groweth in Provence of France in Italy Candy Greece and some hither parts of Turkey where it yieldeth not gum but in Syria Silicia Pamphylia Cyprus and those hotter countreys it groweth much It flowreth in the Spring yielding fruit in September Government and Virtues This is a solar Plant there is no part of this tree in use with us but the gum that issueth out of it It is of temperature hot in the second degree and dry in the first it heateth mollifieth and digesteth and is good for Coughs Catarrhes Coughs Catarrhes Rheums Courses Mothr Loosen the belly Afterbirth Ears cold Aches Lameness distillations of Rheums and hoarsness It provokes womens courses and mollifieth the hardness and contractions of the Mother Pills made with it and a little Turpentine and taken gently looseneth the belly it resisteth cold poysons used as a Pesâ—ary it draweth down the courses and Afterbirth dropped into the ears it helpeth the singings and noise in them applyed to the hips joynts or shoulders afflicted with cold Aches it resolveth and comforteth much and is good to be put into baths for lameness of the joynts and weariness by travail It is also good to be put with white Frankincense to perfume those that have Catarrhes Rheums and defluxions from the head to the nose eyes Rheums head Nose Eyes or other parts by casting it on quick coals and holding their heads over the smoak and to air their night-caps therewith It dissolveth hard Tumors in any part as them about the throat and the Kings-evil Tumors Kings-Evil Sumach Descript Names Sumach groweth like a bushy shrub about the height of a man bringing forth divers branches upon which grow long soft hairy or velvet leaves with a red stem or sinew in the middle the which upon every side hath six or seven little leaves standing one against another nipt about the edges like the leavs of Egrimony the flowers grow among the leaves upon long stems or footstalks clustring together like the Cats-tails or blowings of the Nut-tree of a white green colour the seed is flat and red growing in round berries clustring together like grapes This Plant is called in Latine Rhus and in English Sumach and Coriers Sumach The seed is called in Latine Rhus obsoniorum and in English Meat-Sumach and Sauce Sumach Place and Time It groweth in Spain and other hot Countreys It is seldome found in this countrey but in the gardens of diligent Herbarists where it flowers in July Government and Vertues This is a Saturnine Plant of temperature cold in the second degree and dry in the third of a strong binding faculty the leavs have the same power that Acacia hath they stop the Lask and womens flowers with all other issues of blood Lask-flowers Bloody Issues Bloody-Flux Watry Ears to be first boyled in water and wine and drunken the same decoction stoppeth the Lask and bloody flux to be used as a Glyster or to bathe in the decoction It also dryeth up the running water and filth of the ears when it is dropped into the same and maketh the hair black being washed therein The seed of Sumach being eaten in sawces with meat doth stop all Fluxes of the belly with the bloody-flux and the whites Bloody-Flux Whites The same layd upon new bruises and green wounds defendeth them from hurts inflamations Swellings and Exulcerations the same pounded with Oaken-coals and layd to the hemerrhoids healeth and dryeth up the same The decoction of the leaves worketh the same effect Swallow-wort Kinds Names OF this there are three kinds The usual latine names of Swallow-wort is Asclepias or Vnice toxicum their distinct names follow in their Descriptions Descript 1. Swallow-wort with white flowers Asclepias flore albo This Swallow-wort riseth up with divers slender weak stalks to be two or three foot long not easie to break scarce able to stand upright and therefore for the most part doth lean or lie down upon the ground if it find not any thing to sustain it and sometimes will twine themselues about it whereon are set two leaves at the joynts being somewhat broad and long-pointed at the end of a dark green colour and smooth at the edges At the joynts with the leavs towards the tops of the stalks and at the tops themselves come forth divers small white flowers consisting of five pointed leaves apeece of an heavy sweet scent after which come small long pods thick above and less and less to the point wherein lie small flat brown seed wrapped in a great deal of white silken down which when the pod is ripe it openeth of it self and sheddeth both seed and cotton upon the ground if it be not carefully gathered The roots are a great Bush of many strings fastned together at the head smelling somewhat strong while they are fresh and green but more pleasant when they are dryed both leavs and stalks perish every winter and rise anew in the spring of the year when the stalks at their first springing are blackish brown Descript 2. Swallow-wort with black flowers called in Latine Asclepias flore nigro This groweth in the same manner that the former doth having his long slender rough branches rise to a greater height than the other and twining themselves about whatsoever standeth next unto them having such like dark green leavs set by couples but somewhat smaller than they the flowers likewise stand in the same fashion but somewhat smaller also and of a dark purplish colour that it seemeth to be black and are scarce discerned unless one look very earnestly upon them after which come more plentifully than the other such like Cods with a white silver down and seeds in them as the former the roots hereof are not so bushy as the other neither smell so strong neither doth it give any milky but a watry juice when it is broken Descript 3. Swallow-wort of Candy Asclepias Cretica This riseth up in the same fashion that the former do with many slender flexible green branches with leavs set at the joynts on either side as the white kind hath and are very like unto them but somewhat of a
are drawn from it The branches and leaves Sarmenta Folia The leaves and branches are cooling and binding and good to be put into Lotions for sore mouths Sore mouths Feavers head-ach coming by heat Stomach Inflamations and in drinks against Feavers being bruised and with Barley-meal applyed to the temples easeth the headach coming by heat and applyed to the stomach easeth the Inflamations and heat thereof the juice of them being drunk stayeth the lask inflamations spitting of blood and womens immoderate longings Vine-ashes and the Lye of them Cineres clavellatae eorum Lixivium The Ashes of the burnt branches or pressing made into a lye and drunk is very effectual for the gravel and stone in the Kidneys Gravel Stone Kidneys warts and Inflamations of the Fundament being mixed with a little vinegar it consumeth the warts of the Fundament and inflamation thereof being bathed therewith it doth marvellously ease the pains and take away the swelling The said Lye of Vine-ashes is good to wash places out of joynt or burnt with fire Places out of joynt Burning Spleen hard tumors Fistulaes Vlcers Shrinking Sinews Falls Wens Warts and used with Rue and Vinegar is good for the swelling of the Spleen The ashes made up with axungia is good against hard tumors cleanseth Fistulaes and hollow Ulcers healeth them up afterwards helpeth the pains and shrinking of the sinews and being mixed with oyl easeth those places that are bruised by Falls or otherwise and cureth the bitings of Scorpions and dogs used with vinegar and nitre it washeth away Wens Warts and other excrescencies in the flesh The Vine-tears or bleeding Lachrymae Vitis The water that droppeth out of the grape when it is cut out of due time that is too late in the Spring when the Sap is â—un up being drunk helpeth to expell wash down â—he gravel and Stone in the kidneys And it taketh away Sun-burning and Freckles out of the face Gravel Stone Kidneys Sun-burnings Freckles being washed therewith The gum of the Vine Gummi Vitis The Gum that issueth out it self sticking to the bark being drunk in wine doth the same but that we seldome see any such in our Countrey we may safely use the water in the stead thereof and being bathed on the skin taketh away Scabs Tetters the Morphew Scabs Tetters the Morphew Leprous Scurf Hairs Warts and the leprous Scurf if the places be first washed with nitre The said Gum or the water that droppeth from the green branches when they are burned being used with a little oyl taketh away hairs and warts Grapes and Raisins Vvae Passulae The fresh Grapes being eaten do breed a little windiness which is incident unto all sorts of raw fruit but stir up the Appetite Appetite Spittings of blood Head Bladder Agues loosen the belly and are pleasant to the stomach help to stay spittings of blood but affect the head and the bladder and are forbidden in Agues being hung up and dryed a little or made into Raisins they do help to loosen the belly especially if they be taken without the kernels which are more drying and binding to be taken in Powder of themselves than any other part of the vine The Raisins of the Sun are the best for this purpose with us and for any other use in physick And herewith are made Tisane drinks to help Coughs hoarsness of the throat shortness of wind Coughs Hoarsness of the throat Shortness of breath Stomach Obstructions Liver Spleen Bladder toughness of phlegm causing it the more easily to be expectorated and do lenifie sharp and nauseous humors that offend the mouth of the stomach They serve likewise to open obstructions of the Liver Spleen and Bladder and taken by themselves they nourish much by reason of their thick sweet and temperate substance whereby they stay not long nor putrifie in the Stomach Currans Passulae Corinthiacae The small Raisins or Currans are very nourishing likewise and somewhat opening the belly especially being stewed with some other things conducible thereunto as with a decoction of Sena Rubarb and other such like things as long as occasion shall need Pssulae Damascenae or Damasco-Raisins The Damasco-Raisins have a little tartness in them whereby they are most grateful to the stomach and excell the Raisins of the Sun for all the purposes aforesaid Sapa agresta sive Omphiacum the Juice of the Grape The juice of the grape is of two sorts That is made of unripe grapes which is called varjuice or of the ripe grapes called wine The varjuice is a fine tart liquor fit to be used in broths meats or sawces to sharpen the stomach to get an Appetite and to refresh and quicken fainting spirits of this juice is made a Syrrup of especial use in the same causes the wine is of so many sundry sorts as not only the grapes but the sundry Climates and Soyls wherein they grow are The weak wines are very Rhumatick and cleanse much the strong wines are very heady and inflame the bloud very much those of a middle temper are most proper for our bodies and most wholsome for our health and most useful in physick both to boyl in drinks and to serve as the vehiculum to extract the virtues of whatsoever shall be steeped in it And is distributed into many parts for of it is made both Sapa and defrutum in English Cuite that is to say boyled wine and both made of mustum new wine the later boyled to the half the former to the third part Then there is Acetum vinegar that is sowr wine which is made by setting it in the Sun which exhaling the purer spirits and the heat causeth the other to grow acide and is of great use both in health and sickness both in meat and medicine The Sapa and defrutum differing but only in the manner of boyling they may be both comprehended under Cuite It helpeth the cough and shortness of breath Cough Shortness of breath Phlegm Chest Lungs and to expectorate tough phlegm from the Chest and Lungs It also easily passeth through the belly and maketh it soluble Vinegar contrariwise is cooling and drying as the Cuite is heating and moistning and therefore serveth to correct the heat in Feavers and to resist putrefaction it cutteth tough phlegm that is hard baked and not easily spit up and brought forth It is very sharp and penetrating and very useful in scabs Itches tetters ringworms Tough phlegm Scabs Itches Tetters Ring-worms and fretting and creeping Ulcers to correct their malignity and extirpate their corroding quality but is offensive to the sinews by its piercing and drying quality causeth them to shrink but the distilled Vinegar is of a more fiery and penetrating quality which it gaineth by the distillation thereof the manner and order in this being quite different from the distilling of wine wherein the purest and strongest spirits do first rise and come forth when as in vinegar almost two third parts
greater sort is but weaker by much nor is so strong to breed so much blood as it Place and Time The first groweth both in the East and West-Indies and from both places have been brought unto us and hath grown with us and sometimes born ripe Ears but not always and will desire a strong rich ground as the Millet doth It is sown only in the Spring and ripe in September the other is a stranger and seldome seen with us Government and Virtues The grain is certainly Saturnine of a dry quality the meat hath in it some clamminess which bindeth the bread close and giveth good nourishment to the body The sweetness also of the bread sheweth the power of nourishment in it but it breedeth thick blood and humors which cause obstructions It is properly used to be put into Cataplasmes to ripen Imposthumes Imposthumes much feeding thereon ingenders gross bloud which breedeth Itches and Scabs Itches Scabs in those that are not used to it of it is made drink also both in the Indies and in some of our English Plantations that will intoxicate assoon as our small Beer if it be made accordingly But is found to be very effectual if it be made accordingly to hinder the breeding of the stone so that none are troubled therewith that do drink thereof the leaves thereof are used also to fatten their Horses and Cattel Wormwood I Would willingly have omitted this common Wormwood and said nothing of it but that Culpepper hath so ridiculously Romanced upon it and it remains still under colour of truth Common Wormwood called Absynthium vulgare is well known to have many whitish green leaves somewhat more hoary underneath much divided or cut into parts from among which rise up divers hard and woody hoary stalks two or three foot high beset with like leaves as grow below but smaller divided at the tops into smaller branches whereon grow many small yellow buttons with pale yellow flowers in them wherein afterwards is contained small seed the root is hard and woody with many strings thereat the stalks hereof dye down every year but the root holdeth a tuft of green leaves all the winter shooting forth new again which are of a strong scent but not unpleasant and of a very bitter taste The Seriphium or Sea-wormwood is much weaker but of a pleasant bitterness Place and Time It is plentifully found in most places in England and flowers about August Government and Virtues All the sorts of Wormwoods are Martial Plants It is of a heating binding property and is said to purge Choler that cleaveth to the stomach or belly It is said also to provoke Urine help Surfets Choler Vrine Surfeits pains in the stomach Yellow Jaundise and ease pains in the stomach The decoction or the Infusion thereof taken doth take away the loathing to meat and helpeth those that have the yellow Jaundise for which purpose Camerarius in his Hortus Medicus giveth a good Receipt Take saith he of the flowers of Rosemary Wormwood and Blackthorn each a like quantity of Safron half that quantity all which being boyled in Rhenish wine let it be given after the body is prepared by purging a small draught thereof taken a few days together bringeth down womens Courses Womens Courses Heart Liver being taken with vinegar it helpeth those that are almost strangled by eating Mushrooms It helpeth the pains of the heart and Liver being beaten and mixed with Ceratum Cyprinum and applyed as also applyed to the stomach with Rosewater it giveth much comfort to those that have layn long sick It helpeth those that are troubled with the swelling and hardness of the spleen or those that have a hot sharp water running between the skin and the flesh It is often used both inwardly and outwardly for the worms the seed thereof helpeth the Bloody flux Spleen Worms Bloody-flux and all other fluxes vinegar wherein wormwood hath been boyled is good for a stinking breath that cometh from the gums or teeth or corruption of the Stomach The Conserve thereof is good against the Dropsie Stinking-breath Dropsie the Sea-wormwood worketh the same effects but weaker Thus I am sure I have set down all the true virtues of wormwood and it may be some more than will bear the Test when they are tryed if I should have written all that Authors say of wormwood I should have taken up a great deal of room stuff'd full of falsities for besides Culpeppers idle Romancing upon it others have mightily commended it for dimness of sight and to clear the eyes if they had said it is good to cause dimness of sight and put out the eyes they had been nearer the truth Another story they have of it that it preserves cloaths from moths and worms and driveth away Gnats Fleas and such noisome Insects if the skin be anoynted with the juice or oyl thereof This is utterly false as I have had the experience upon my self for being troubled and gnats lodging in the countrey near the Sea-side where gnats are very troublesome in the night to prevent which as I then believed I caused my chamber to be rubbed all over and both walls and windows with wormwood and anointed my self with the juice of it all over thinking to have a quiet night but was worse infested with fleas and Gnats than ever before so that I was forced to leave my Chamber and walk all night These are the true virtues of wormwood Yucca or Jucca Descript THis Indian Plant hath a thick tuberous root spreading in time into many tuberous heads from whence shoot forth many long hard and narrow-guttured or hollow leaves very sharp-pointed compassing one another at the bottome of a greyish green colour abiding continually or seldome falling away with sundry hard threds running in them and being withered become pliant withal to bind things From the midst whereof springeth forth a strong round stalk divided into sundry branches whereon stand divers somewhat large white flowers hanging downwards consisting of six leaves with divers veins of a weak reddish or blush-colour spread on the back of three outer leaves from the middle to the bottom not reaching to the edge of any leaf which abide not long but quickly falling away Place and Time It groweth in divers places of the West-Indies as in Virginia and New-England and flowers about the latter end of July Government and Virtues There hath no property hereof conducible to physical uses as yet been heard of but some of its vices The Natives in Virginia use for bread the roots hereof And that the raw juice is dangerous if not deadly Aldinus relateth that the wound made with the sharp point-end of one of these leaves in his own hand wrought such intolerable pains that he was almost beside himself until by applying some of his own Balsamum unto it he was thereby miraculously eased of the pain and all trouble thereof It is very probable that the Indians use to poyson the