32 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
Mars, being of a gallant cleansing and 
opening quality. The decoction of the root 
made with wine opens obstructions, pro- 
vokes urine, helps to expel gravel and the 
stone, the stranguary and women’s courses, 
also the yellow jaundice and the head-ache: 
And with some honey or sugar put there- 
unto, cleanses the breast of phlegm, and 
the chest of such clammy humours gathered 
therein. The decoction of the root drank, 
and a poultice made of the berries and 
leaves applied, are effectual in knitting and 
consolidating broken bones or parts out of 
joint. The common way of using it, is to 
boil the root of it, and parsley and fennel 
and smallage in white wine, and drink the 
decoction, adding the like quantity of grass- 
root tothem: The more of the root you boil, 
the stronger will the decoction be; it works 
no ill effects, yet I hope you have wit 
enough to give the strongest decoction to 
the strongest bodies. 
BROOM, AND BROOM-RAPE. 
To spend time in writing a description 
hereof is altogether needless, it being so 
generally used by all the good housewives 
almost through this land to sweep their 
houses with, and therefore very well known 
to all sorts of people. 
The broom-rape springs up in many 
places from the roots of the broom (but 
more often in fields, as by hedge-sides and 
on heaths.) The stalk whereof is of the 
bigness of a finger or thumb, above two 
feet high, having a shew of leaves on them, 
and many flowers at the top, of a reddish 
yellow colour, as also the stalks and leaves 
are. 
Place.] They grow in many places of 
this land commonly, and as commonly 
spoil all the land they grow in. 
Time.| They flower in the Summer 
_ months, and give their seed before Winter. 
Government and virtues.] The juice or 
decoction vetion of the young branches, or seed, | 
or the powder of the seed taken in drink, | 
purges downwards, and draws phlegmatic — 
and watery humours from the joints, where- — 
by it helps the dropsy, gout, sciatica, and 
pains of the hips and joints; it also pro-— 
vokes strong vomits, and helps the pains of — 
the sides, and swelling of the spleen, — 
cleanses also the reins or kidneys and blad- | 
der of the stone, provokes urine abundantly, 
and hinders the growing again of the stone — 
in the body. The continual use of the 
powder of the leaves and seed deth cure — 
the black jaundice. The distilled water of © 
the flowers is profitable for all the same — 
purposes: it also helps surfeits, and alters — 
the fit of agues, if three or four ounces — 
thereof, with as much of the water of the — 
lesser centuary, and a little sugar put there- 
in, be taken a little before the fit comes, — 
and the party be laid down to sweat in his — 
bed. The oil or water that is drawn from — 
the end of the green sticks heated in the © 
fire, helps the tooth-ache. The juice of — 
young branches made into an ointment of — 
old hog’s grease, and anointed, or the young — 
branches bruised and heated in oil or hog’s — 
grease, and laid to the sides pained by | 
wind, as in stiches, or the spleen, ease © 
them in once or twice using it. The same 
boiled in oil is the safest and surest medicine © 
to kill lice in the head or body of any; 
and is an especial remedy for joint aches, — 
and swollen knees, that come by the falling 
down of humours. 
The Broom RaPE also is not without its 
virtues. 
The decoction thereof in wine, is thought 
to be as effectual to void the stone in the 
kidney or bladder, and to provoke urine, 
as the Broom iself. The juice thereof is 
a singular good help to cure as well green 
wounds, as old and filthy sores and malig- 
nant ulcers. The insolate oil wherein there - 
has been three or four repetitions of infu- 
sion of the top stalks, with flowers strained _ 
