192 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
pestilence. The people in some counties of 
this land, do use to bruise the herb, and lay 
it to cuts or wounds in the hands or legs, to 
heal them. 
WHEAT. 
ALL the several kinds thereof are so well 
known unto almost all people, that it is all 
together needless to write a description 
thereof. 
Government and virtues.] It is under 
Venus. Dioscorides saith, That to eat the 
corn of green Wheat is hurtful to the 
stomach, and breeds worms. Pliny saith, 
That the corn of Wheat, roasted upon an 
iron pan, and eaten, are a present remedy 
for those that are chilled with cold. The oil 
pressed from wheat, between two thick 
plates of iron, or copper heated, heals all 
tetters and ringworms, being used warm; 
and hereby Galen saith, he hath known 
many to be cured. Mitthiolus commends 
the same to be put into hollow ulcers to heal 
them up, and it is good for chops in the 
hands and feet, and to make rugged skin 
smooth. The green corns of Wheat being 
chewed, and applied to the place bitten by 
a mad dog, heals it: slices of Wheat bread 
soaked in red rose water, and applied to 
the eyes that are hot, red and inflamed, or 
blood-shotten, heals them. Hot bread ap- 
plied for an hour, at times, for three days 
together, perfectly heals the kernels in the 
throat, commonly called the king’s evil. 
The flour of Wheat mixed with the juice of 
henbane, stays the flux of humours to the 
joints, being laid thereon. The said meal 
boiled in vinegar, helps the shrinking of the 
sinews, saith Pliny; and mixed with vine- 
gar, and boiled together, heals all freckles, 
spots and pimples on the face. Wheat flour, 
_ mixed with the yolk of an egg, honey, and 
_ turpentine, doth draw, cleanse and heal any 
_ boil, plague, sore, or foul ulcer. The bran 
of Wheat meal steeped in sharp vinegar, 
_ and then bound in a linen cloth, and rubbed 
on those places that have the scurf, mor- 
phew, scabs or leprosy, will take them | 
away, the body being first well purged and — 
prepared. The decoction of the bran of | 
Wheat or barley, is of good use to bathe — 
those places that are bursten by a rupture; 
and the said bran boiled in good vinegar, 
and applied to swollen breasts, helps them, 
and stays all inflammations. It helps also 
the biting of vipers (which I take to be no 
other than our English adder) and all other 
venomous creatures. The leaves of Wheat 
meal applied with some salt, take away 
hardness of the skin, warts, and hard knots 
in the flesh, Wafers put in water, and 
drank, stays the lasks and bloody flux, and 
are profitably used both inwardly and out- 
wardly for the ruptures in children. Boiled 
in water unto a thick jelly, and taken, it 
stays spitting of blood; and boiled with 
mint and butter, it helps the hoarseness of 
the throat, 
THE WILLOW TREE. 
TueEse are so well known that they need — 
no description. I shall therefore only shew — 
you the virtues thereof. 
Government and virtues.] The Moon — 
owns it. Both the leaves, bark, and the 
seed, are used to stanch bleeding of wounds, 
and at mouth and nose, spitting of blood; 
and other fluxes of blood in man or womad; 
and to stay vomiting, and provocatioD 
thereunto, if the decoction of them in wine 
be drank. It helps also to stay thin, hot 
sharp, salt distillations from the head up 
the lungs, causing a consumption. 
leaves bruised with some pepper, and drank 
in wine, helps much the wind cholic. The 
leaves bruised and boiled in wine, 
drank, stays the heat of lust in man  — 
woman, and quite extinguishes it, if it be 
long used: The seed is also of the sa@° — 
effect. Water that is gathered from ” 
Willow, when it flowers, the bark being l 
slit, and a vessel fitting to receive it, is Ve"Y _ 
