AND COMPLETE HERBAL. 85 
buds, leaves, and branches while they are green, are of good ufe in the ulcers and 
putrid fores of the mouth and throat, and for the quinfey; and likewife to heal other 
frefh wounds and fores': but the flowers and fruit unripe are very binding, they are 
 alfo profitable for the bloody flux and lafks, and a fit remedy for fpitting of blood. 
Either the decoétion or powder of the root being taken, is good to break or drive 
forth gravel, and the ftone in the reins and kidnies. The leaves and brambles as 
well green as dry, are excellent good lotions for fores in the mouth or fecret parts ; 
the decoétion of them and of the dried branches, do much bind the belly, and are 
good for too much flowing of womens’ courfes; the berries or the flowers are a 
powerful remedy againft the poifon of the moft venomous ferpents, as well drank as 
outwardly applied, helpeth the fores of the fundament, and the piles; the juice of 
the berries mixed with juice of mulberries, do bind more effectually, and helps fret- 
ting and eating fores and ulcers wherefoever. The diftilled water of the branches, 
leaves, flowers, or fruit, is very pleafant in tafte, and very effectual in fevers and hot 
| diftempers of the body, head, eyes, and other parts, and for all the purpofes afore- 
faid. The leaves boiled in lye, and the head wathed therewith, healeth the itch, 
and the running fores thereof, and maketh the hair black. The powder of the 
leaves itrewed on cancers and running ulcers, doth wonderfully help to heal them. 
Some condenfate the juice of the leaves, and fome the juice of the <sipeie to keep 
for their ule all the year, for the purpoles aforefaid. ; 
Description. OF thefe there are two forts commonly known, viz. ‘white and 
red. The white hath leaves fomewhat like unto beets, but fmaller, rounder, and of 
a whitith green colour, every one ftanding upon a {mall long foot-ftalk ; the ftall 
riféth up two or three feet high, with fuch like leaves thereon ; the flowers grow at 
the top in long round tufts or clufters, wherein are contained fimell a feed : 
_ the root is very full of threads or ftrings. 
‘The red blite is in all things like the white, hove that his leaves and t\fted heads 
are exceeding red at the firft, and after turn more purple. : | 
There are other kind of blites which grow wild, differing from the two former ie 
forts but little, only the wild are fmaller in every part. “a * 
S: £. They growin gardens, and wild in many places of this land, 
"Te They feed in Auguft and September. 
| GoveRNMENT AND Virtuss. They are all of them cooling dram a bindis 
= ferving to reftrain the fluxes of blood 1 in either man or woman, efpecially the 
which alfoftayeth the overflowing of women’s reds, as the white blite 
No.7. 2B a ? 
