THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 57 



thereunto, cleanscth the breast of phlegm, and the chest 

 of such cianimy humours gathered therein. The de- 

 codtion of the root drank, and a poultice made of the 

 berries, and leaves being applied, are efFedlual in knit- 

 ting and consolidating broken bones or parts out of 

 joint. The common way of using it, is to boil the 

 root of it, and parsley and fennel, and sraallage in 

 white wine, and drink the decoction, adding the like 

 quantity of grass-root to them ; the more of the root you 

 boil, the stronger will the deco(5tion be; it works no ill 

 eflfeds, yet I hope you have wit eiiough to give the 

 strongest deco(5lion to the strongest bodies. 



Broom, and Broom-Rape. (^ (h. d, 2.) 



To spend time in writing a description hereof is al-» 

 together needless, it being so generally used by all 

 the good housewives almost through this land, to sweep 

 their houses with, and therefore very well known to ail 

 sorts of people. 



The Broom-rape springeth up on many places fron* 

 the roots of the broom (but more often in fields, as by 

 Ledge-sides and on heaths). The stalk whereof is of 

 the bigness of a finger or thumb, above two feet high^ 

 having a shew of leaves on them, and many flowers at 

 the top, of a reddish yellow colour, as also the stalk* 

 and leaves are. 



Place.^ They grow in many places of this land com- 

 monly, and as commonly spoil all the land they grow in. 



Time-I And flower in the Summer months,, and givfr 

 their seed before ^V inter. 



Government and Virtues.'] The j«ice or decoction of the 

 young branches, or seed, or the powder of the seed taken 

 in drink, purgeth downwards, and draweth phlegmatic 

 and watery humours from the joints, whereby it helpeth 

 the dropsy, gout, sciatica, and pains of the hips and 

 joints ; it also provoketh strong vomits, and helpeth the 

 pains of the sides, and swelling of the spleen, cleanseth 

 also the reius or kidnies, and bladder of the stone, pro- 

 voketh urine abund.intly, and hindereth the growing 

 again of the stone in the body. The continual use of 

 the powder of the leaves and seed dolh cure the black 

 D 5 



