262 CULPEPER’s ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
Description: This tree hath (from a {mall body, rifing to the height of a hedge. 
“tree, or bufh, covered with a dark-greyifh bark) fundry {mall fhort but very tough 
and pliant branches, of a finger’s thicknefs, whofe bark is fmooth and whitifh, 
‘whereon grow broad leaves, like elm-leaves, but long and hoary, rough, thick, and 
‘white like meal, and a little hairy, fet by couples, and finely dented about the 
edges; at the ends of the branches ftand large tufts of white flowers, which turn 
into large bunches of round and flat feed, like that of the lentil, but larger; green 
when they are firft formed, and fora confiderable time afterwards, but black when 
they are ripe. 
The branches thereof are fo tough and ftrong that they ferve for bands to tie bun- 
dies, or any other thing ; or to make faft gates leading into fields, for which ‘pur- 
pofes they are betier adapted than withy, or any thing of that nature. 
Prace. It groweth as a hedge-bufh, and is often cut and plafhed by country 
people to fpread on the hedges; is very frequently found in Kent, and in anes 
other parts of this kingdom. 
Time. It flowereth about the end of May, and the fruit is ripe in Séptemnbes 
GovERNMENT AND Virtues. Itis aplant of Saturn. The leaves thereof have a 
harfh binding quality, and are good to ftrengthen and faften loofe teeth. The de- 
coction of the leaves thereof, and of olive-leaves together, in vinegar and water, is 
exceeding good to wafh the mouth and throat when fwelled by fharp humours fall- 
ing into them ; reftores the uvula or palate of the mouth to its right place, when 
fallen down ; it alfo ftays the rheums that fall upon the jaws, The kernels of the 
_ fruit hereof, taken before they are ripe, dried and made into powder, and drunk 
“In any liquid, {top loofenefs of the’belly, and all forts of fluxes. Of the roots, being 
 fteepéd under ground, then boiled, and beaten a long. time afterwards, bird- lime 
‘4s made to catch fmall birds. 
‘The leaves, boiled in lye, keep the hair Foi alin off the head, and change 
sa into black. 
bs. MAY-WEED. 
‘aS ease. THERE are found three forts of may-weed. 1. Cotula 
Setida, ftinking may-weed. 2. Cotula non fetida, may-weed with no fcent. Stinking 
_ may-weed groweth more upright than that which hath no fmell, or the common ¢a- 
momile ; neither of them creep or run on the ground as camomile doth ; the leaves 
are longer and larger than thofe of camomile, yet very like unto it, but of a paler 
green colour ; oer? ftrong fmell, the other no {cent at all ; the 
a >.-2 flowers 
