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THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
poison or infection, was this: Take twenty 
leaves of rue, a little salt, a couple of wal- 
nuts, and a couple of figs, beaten together 
into a mess, with twenty juniper berries, 
which is the quantity appointed for every 
day. Another electuary is made thus: Take 
of nitre, pepper, and cummin seed, of each 
equal parts; of the leaves of Rue clean 
picked, as much in weight as all the other 
three weighed ; beat them well together, and 
put as much honey as will make it up into 
an electuary (but you must first steep your 
cummin seed in vinegar twenty four hours, 
and then dry it, or rather roast it in a hot 
fire-shovel, or in an oven) and is a remedy 
for the pains or griefs in the chest or 
stomach, of the spleen, belly, or sides, by 
wind or stitches; of the liver by obstruc- 
tions ; of the reins and bladder by the stop- 
ping of urine; and helps also to extenuate 
fat corpulent bodies. What an infamy is 
cast upon the ashes of Mithridates, or Meth- 
ridates (as the Augustines read his name) 
by unworthy people. They that deserve no 
good report themselves, love to give none 
to others, viz. That renowned King of 
Pontus fortified his body by poison against 
poison. (He cast out devils by Beelzebub, 
Prince of the devils.) What a sot is he that 
knows not if he had accustomed his body 
to cold poisons, hot poisons would have dis- 
patched him? on the contrary, if not, corro- 
sions would have done it. The whole world 
is at this present time beholden to him for 
his studies in physic, and he that uses the 
quantity but of an hazel-nut of that receipt 
every morning, to which his name is ad- 
joined, shall to admiration preserve his 
body in health, if he do but consider that 
Rue is an herb of the Sun, and under Leo, 
and gather it and the rest accordingly. 
RUPTURE-WORT. | 
coe Descript.] Tus spreads very many 
_thready branches round about upon the | 
ground, about a span long, divided into 
many other smaller parts full of small 
joints set very thick together, whereat come 
forth two very small leaves of a French 
yellow, green coloured branches and all, 
where grows forth also a number of exceed- 
ing small yellowish flowers, scarce to be dis- 
cerned from the stalks and leaves, which 
turn into seeds as small as the very dust. 
The root is very long and small, thrusting 
down deep into the ground. This hath 
neither smell nor taste at first, but after- 
wards hath a little astringent taste, without 
any manifest heat; yet a little bitter and 
sharp withal. 
Place.| It grows in dry, sandy, and 
rocky places. 
Time.] It is fresh and green all the 
Summer. 
Government and virtues.] They say Sat- 
urn causes ruptures; if he do, he doth no 
more than he can cure; if you want wit, he — 
will teach you, though to your cost. This 
herb is Saturn’s own, and is a noble anti- 
venerean. Rupture-wort hath not its name 
in vain: for it is found by experience to cure 
the rupture, not only in children but also in 
elder persons, if the disease be not too in- 
veterate, by taking a dram of the powder of 
the dried herb every day in wine, or a de- 
coction made and drank for certain days 
together. The juice or distilled water of the 
green herb, taken in the same manner, helps 
all other fluxes either of man or woman; 
vomitings also, and the gonorrhea, being 
taken any of the ways aforesaid. It doth 
also most assuredly help those that have 
the stranguary, or are troubled with the 
stone or gravel in the reins or bladder. The 
same also helps stitches in the sides, griping 
pains of the stomach or belly, the obstruc- 
tions of the liver, and cures the yellow jaut 
dice; likewise it kills also the worms iD 
children. Being outwardly applied, it com- 
glutinates wounds notably, and helps much _ 
to stay defluctions of rheum from the head — 
