148 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
THE QUINCE TREE. 
Descript.| Tue ordinary Quince Tree 
grows often to the height and bigness of a 
reasonable apple tree, but more usually 
lower, and crooked, with a rough bark, 
spreading arms, and branches far abroad. 
The leaves are somewhat like those of the 
apple trees, but thicker, broader, and full of 
veins, and whiter on the under side, not 
dented at all about the edges. The flowers 
are large and white, sometimes dashed over 
with a blush. The fruit that follows is yel- 
low, being near ripe, and covered with a 
white freeze, or cotton: thick set on the 
younger, and growing less as they grow to 
be thorough ripe, bunched out oftentimes 
in some places, some being like an apple, 
and some a pear, of a strong heady scent, 
and not durable to keep, and is sour, harsh, 
and of an unpleasant taste to eat fresh; 
but being scalded, roasted, baked, or pre- 
served, becomes more pleasant. 
Place and Time.] It best likes to grow 
near ponds and water sides, and is frequent 
through this land: and flowers not until 
the leaves be come forth. The fruit is ripe 
in September or October. 
Government and virtues.| Old Saturn 
owns the Tree. Quinces when they are 
green, help all sorts of fluxes in men or 
women, and choleric lasks, casting, and 
whatever needs astriction, more than any 
way prepared by fire; yet the syrup of the 
juice, or the conserve, are much conducible, 
much of the binding quality being consumed 
by the fire: if a little vinegar be added, 
it stirs up the languishing appetite, and the 
stomach giving to casting; some spices be- 
ing added, comforts and strengthens the 
decaying and fainting spirits, and helps the 
liver oppressed, that it cannot perfect the 
_. digestion, or corrects choler and phlegm. If 
_ you would have them purging, put honey 
Se to them instead of sugar; and if more laxa- 
tive, for choler, rhubarb; for phlegm, tur- 
bith; for watery humours, scammony; but 
if more forcibly to bind, use the unripe 
Quinces, with roses and acacia, hypocistis, 
and some torrified rhubarb. To take the 
crude juice of Quinces, is held a preserva- | 
tive against the force of deadly poison; for — 
it hath been found most certainly true, that — 
the very smell of a Quince hath taken away _ 
all the strength of the poison of white helli- 
bore. If there be need of any outwardly 
binding and cooling of hot fluxes, the oil 
of Quinces, or other medicines that may be 
made thereof, are very available to anoint 
the belly or other parts therewith; it like- 
wise strengthens the stomach and belly, 
and the sinews that are loosened by sharp 
humours falling on them, and restrains im — 
moderate sweatings. The mucilage taken 
from the seeds of Quinces, and boiled in 4 
little water, is very good to cool the heat 
and heal the sore breasts of women. The 
same with a little sugar, is good to lenify 
the harshness and hoarseness of the throat, 
and roughness of the tongue. The cotton 
or down of Quinces boiled and applied to 
plague sores, heals them up: and laid as 4 
plaister, made up with wax, it brings hait 
to them that are bald, and keeps it from 
falling, if it be ready to shed. 
RHADDISH, OR HORSE-RHADDISH- 
Tue garden Rhaddish is so well know?; 
that it needs no description. 
Descript.| The Horse Rhaddish hath its 
first leaves that rise before Winter about? | 
foot and a half long, very much cut in of 
torn on the edges into many parts, of a dark 
green colour, with a great rib in the middle; | 
after these have been up a while, others 
follow, which are greater, rougher, broader 
and longer, whole and not divided at first, 
but only somewhat rougher dented abov' | 
the edges; the stalks when it bears flowers 
(which is seldom) is great, rising up with 
some few lesser leaves thereon, to three 
four feet high, spreading at the top ma" 
a, 
