AND COMPLETE HERBAL; 295 
more, and bind the belly; the moift and waterifh fooner corrupt in the ftomach 
than the firm, which are more nourifhing and lefs offenfive. The dried fruit, fold 
by the grocers underthe name of damafk prunes, do fomewhat loofen the belly, 
and, being ftewed, are often ufed, both in health and ficknefs, to procure appetite 
and gently open the belly, allay choler, and cool the ftomach. The i juice of plumb- 
treeleaves, boiled in wine, is good to wath and garéle the mouth and throat, to dry 
the flux of rheum coming to the palate, gums, or almonds of theears. The gum of 
the tree is good to break the ftone. The gum, or leaves, boiled in vinegar, and 
applied, will kill tetters and ring-worms. Mathiolus faith, the oil preffed out of the 
ftones as oil of almonds is made, is good again{t the inflamed piles, the tumours or 
fwellings of ulcers, hoarfenefs of the voice, roughnefs of the tongue and throat, and. 
likewife pains in the ears. Five ounces of the faid oil, taken with one ounce of muf- 
veg will on the ftone, and —_ the cholic. — | ; 
POLIPODY. OF THE OAK. 
Datei tion, THIS is a fmall hetb, confifting of nothing but roots and leaves, 
bearing neither ftalk, flower, nor feed, as it is thought. It hath three or four 
leaves rifing from the root, every one fingly by itfelf, of about a hand’s-length, 
which are winged, confifting of many {mall narrow leaves, cut into the middle rib 
ftanding on each fide of the ftalk, large below, and fmaller up to the top, not dented 
‘or notched on the edges at all like the male fern; of a fad green colour, and fmooth 
on the upper fide, but on the under fide fomewhat rough, by reafon of fome yel- 
lowith {pots thereon. The root is fmaller than one’s little finger, lying: floping, or 
_ €teeping along under the upper cruft of the earth, brownifh on the outlide, greenifh 
within, of a fweet harfhnefs in tafte, fet with certain rough knobs on each fide 
thereof, having alfo much mofs or yellow hair upon it, and fome fibres under- 
Patil whereby itis nourifhed. —_- 
- Prace. It groweth as well upon old rotten ftumps or trunks of trees, as oak, 
beech, hazel, willow, or any other, asin the woods under them, and upon old mud 
walls, alfo in moffy, ftony, and gravelly, places, near unto the woods. That which 
_ SfOWs upon oak is accounted the bett, but the cur Sela is fcarce fufficient 
for common ule, : 
, Time. Being always green, it may be gathered for ufe at any time. 
Gover NMENT AND Virtuss. Iti is an ‘herb of Saturn. Polypodium of the oak 
_isdeareft ; but that which grows upon the ground is beft to purge melancholy 5 if 
| chumour proceed from other caufes, chufe your polypodium accordingly, 2 ) a 
- No. 20. 4H 
