"26 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



good against tlic biting of viper, adder, or any other 

 venomous beast ; and the Mater distilled therefrom being 

 taken, asniall quantity every morning fasting, is a singular 

 medicine for those that are subje6l to dropsy, or to abate 

 the greatness of those that are too gross or fat. The 

 deco6lion of the leaves in white wine helpeth to break 

 the stone, and expel it, and cureth the jaundice. The 

 ashes of the bark of the Ash made into lye, and those 

 heads bathed therewith, M'hich arc leprous, scabby, or 

 scald, they arc thereby cured. The kernels within the 

 husks, commonly called Ashen Keys, prevail against 

 stitches and pains in the sides, proceeding of wind, and 

 voideth away the stone, by provoking urine. 



I can justly except against none of this, save only the 

 first, viz. That Ash-tree tops and leaves arc good ajjainst 

 the biting of serpents and vipers. 1 suppose this had its 

 rise from Gerard or Pliny, both which hold, That (here 

 is such an antipathy between an adder and an ash-tree, 

 that if au adder be encompassed round Mith ash-tree 

 leaves, she will sooner run through the fire than through 

 the leaves. The contrary to which is the truth, as 

 both my eyes are witness. The rest are virtues some- 

 thing likely, only if it be in Winter when you cannot 

 get the leaves, you may safely use the bark instead of 

 them. The keys you may easily keep all the year, 

 gathering them when they are ripe. 



Avens. IJ. (h. d. 2.) 



This is also called Colewort, and Herb Bennet 



Descrtpt.'] The ordinary Avens hath many long, rough, 

 dark green winged leaves, rising from the root, every one 

 made of many leaves set on each side of the middle rib, 

 the largest three whereof grow at the end, and are snipped 

 or dented round about the edges ; the other being small 

 pieces, sometimes two and sometimes four, standing on 

 each side of the middle rib underneath them. Among 

 which do rise up divers rough or hairy stalks, about two 

 foot high, branching forth with leaves at every joint, not 

 50 long as those below, but almost as much cut in on the 

 edges, some into three parts, some into more. On the 

 tops of the branches stand small, pale yellow flowers. 



