24 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
and the fruit of the black is ripe in July 
and August. 
Government and virtues.| They are un- 
der the dominion of Jupiter. It is a pity 
they are used no more in physic than they 
are. The black Bilberries are good in hot 
agues and to cool the heat of the liver and 
stomach; they do somewhat bind the belly, 
and stay vomitings and loathings; the juice 
of the berries made in a syrup, or the pulp 
made into a conserve with sugar, is good 
for the purposes aforesaid, as also for an 
old cough, or an ulcer in the lungs, or other 
diseases therein. The Red Worts are more 
binding, and stop women’s courses, spitting 
of blood, or any other flux of blood or 
humours, being used as well outwardly as 
inwardly. 
BIFOIL, OR TWABLADE. 
Descript.| Tus small herb, from a root 
somewhat sweet, shooting downward many 
long strings, rises up a round green stalk, 
bare or naked next the ground for an inch, 
two or three to the middle thereof as it is in 
age or growth; as also from the middle up- 
ward to the flowers, having only two broad | 
plaintain-like leaves (but whiter) set at the 
middle of the stalk one against another, 
compassing it round at the bottom of them. 
Place.| It is an usual inhabitant in 
woods, copses, and in many places in this 
land. 
There is another sort grows in wet 
grounds and marshes, which is somewhat 
different from the former. It is a smaller 
plant, and greener, having sometimes three 
leaves; the spike of the flowers is less than 
the former, and the roots of this do run or 
creep in the ground. 
They are often used by many to good 
purpose for wounds, both green and old, 
to consolidate or knit ruptures; and well it 
may, being a plant of Saturn. 
THE BIRCH TREE. 
_Descript.| Tuts grows a goodly tall 
' to Saturn, and are of a drying, binding 
strait tree, fraught with many boughs, and ' 
slender branches bending downward: the — 
old being covered with discoloured chapped © 
bark, and the younger being browner by 
much. The leaves at the first breaking out 
are crumpled, and afterwards like the beech 
leaves, but smaller and greener, and dented 
about the edges. It bears small short cat-— 
skins, somewhat like those of the hazelnut- 
tree, which abide on the branches a long 
time, until growing ripe, they fall on the 
ground, and their seed with them. | 
Place.| It usually grows in woods. 
Government and virtues.] It is a tree of — 
Venus; the juice of the leaves, while they — 
are young, or the distilled water of them, 
or the water that comes from the tree being 
bored with an auger, and distilled after- 
wards; any of these being drank for some 
days together, is available to break the stone 
in the kidneys and bladder, and is good also 
to wash sore mouths. 
BIRD’s FOOT. 
Tus small herb grows not above a span 
high with many branches spread upon the — 
ground, set with many wings of small 
leaves. The flowers grow upon the branches, 
many small ones of a pale yellow colour 
being set a head together, which afterwards — 
turn into small jointed cods, well resemb- — 
ling the claw of small birds, whence it took — 
its name. 
There is another sort of Bird’s Foot in — 
all things like the former, but a little © 
larger; the flower of a pale whitish red — 
colour, and the cods distinct by joints like 
the other, but a little more crooked; and — 
the roots do carry many small white nots — 
or kernels amongst the strings. ) 
Place.| These grow on heaths, and many — 
open untilled places of this land. : 
Time.] They flower and seed. in the end 
of Summer. 
Government and ail They belo. | 
