S*^ THE ENGLISH niYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



tree of the smi, and under the celestial sign J^co, and rc- 

 si.steth Avitchcr.iR very potently, as also all the evils old 

 Satan can do to the body ol man, and they are not a 

 few ; for it is the speech of one, and i am mistaken if it 

 were not AJizaldus, that neither witch nor devil, thunder 

 Bor lightning, w;ill hurt a man ia a place where a bay- 

 tree is. Galen said, that the leaves or bark do dry and 

 heal very much, and the berries more than the leaves; 

 (lie bark of the root is less sharp and hot, but more 

 bitter, and hath some astriction withal!, whereby it is 

 effediual to break the stone, and good to open obstruc^lion? 

 of the liver, spleen, and other inward parts, which bring 

 the jaundice, dropsy, kc. The berries are very efl'ectual 

 against all poison of venomous creatures, and the sting 

 of wasps and bees; as also against the pestilence, or 

 other infectious diseases, and therefore put into sundry 

 treacles for that purpose. They likewise procure women's 

 courses ; and seven of them given to a woman in sore 

 travail of child-birth, do cause a speedy delivery, and 

 expel the alter birth, and therefore not to be taken by 

 such as have not gone out their time, lest they procure 

 abortion, or cause labour too soon. They wonderfully 

 help all cold and rheumatic distillations from the brain to 

 the eyes, lungs, or other parts; and being made into an 

 electuary with honey, do help the consumption, old 

 coughs, shortness of breath, and thin rheums, as also the 

 megrum. They mightily expel the wind, and provoke 

 urine; help the mother, and kill the worms. The leaves 

 also work the like effects. A bath of the decoction of 

 the leaves and berries, is singularly good for women to 

 sit in, that are troubled with the mother, or the diseases 

 thereof, or the stoppings of ihoir conrses, or for tho 

 diseases of the bladder, pains in the bowels by wind and 

 stopping of urine. A decoction likewise of equal parts 

 of Bay berries, cummin seed, hyssop, origanum, and 

 Ciiphorbium, with some honey, and the head bathed 

 tlierewith, doth wonderfully help distillations and rheums, 

 and settleth the palate of the mouth into i(s place. The oil 

 madeof tlie berries is very comfortable in all cold griefs 

 of tiic joints, nerves, arteries, stomach, belly, or womb, 

 and hclpelh palsies, convulsions, cramji, aches, tremblings 

 and uwmbiieso ia any part, weariness uiso, and pains that 



