AND COMPLETE HERBAL: 6 
does alfo Cryfippus, but Pliny and the Arabian phyficians defend it. For mine own 
part I prefently found that fpeech true; Non noftrum inter nos tantas componere lites. 
and away to Dr. Reafon went 1, who told me it was an herb of Mars, and under 
the Scorpion, and perhaps therefore called bafilicon, and then no marvel if it carries 
a kind of virulent quality with it. Being applied to the place bitten by a venomous 
beaft, or ftung by a wafp or hornet, it {peedily draws the poifon to it. Every like 
draws its like, Mizaldus affirms, that if it be laid to rot in horfe-dung, it will 
breed venomous beafts ; and Hollerius, a French phyfician, affirms upon his own 
knowledge, that an acquaintance of his by common fmelling to it, had a fcorpion 
bred in his brain. Something is the matter, this herb and rue will not grow toge- 
ther, no, nor near each other: and we know that rue is as great an enemy to poifon 
-as any that grows. To conclude, it expelleth both birth and afterbirth, and as it 
aie the deficiency of Venusin one kind, foit {poils all her actions in another, 
Ge. BA Y PRE Bs 
THIS j is fo well att) that i it needs no defeription i sar moore oped write 
the virtues thereof, which are many. ~ 
GoveRNMENT AND Virtues. I fhall but only add a word or two to what my 
friend hath written, viz. That it is a tree of the Sun, and under the celeftial fign 
Leo, and refifteth witchcraft very potently, as alfo all the evils old Saturn can do 
to the body of man, and they are not a few; for it is the fpeech of one, and I am 
miftaken if it were not Mizaldus, that neither witch nor devil, thunder nor light- 
ning, will hurt a man in the place where a bay tree is. Galen faith, that the leaves 
or bark do dry and heal very much, and the berries more than the leaves. ‘The 
bark of the root is lefs fharp and hot, but more bitter, and hath fome aftriction 
withal, whereby it is effe€tual to break the ftone, and good to open obftructions of 
the liver, fpleen, and other inward parts, which bring the dropfy, jaundice, &c. 
The berries are very effectual againft . the poifon of venomous creatures, and the 
ftings of wafps and bees, as alfo againft the peftilence, or other infectious difeafes, 
and therefore is put into fundry treacles for that purpofe: they likewife procure 
women’s courfes; and feven of them given to a woman in fore travel of childbirth, 
do caufea fpeedy delivery, and expels the afterbirth, and therefore not to be taken 
by fuch as have gone out their time, Jeft they procure abortion, or caufe labous 
too foon: they wonderfully help all cold and rheumatic diftillations from the brain ae 
to the eyes, lungs, or other: parts ; -and being made into an electuary with honey, do 
Helpratie confumption; old coughs, fhortnefs of breath, and thin rheums;- ss, 
