THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. ] B7 



aiHicted ; you shall do well to keep it in a syrup all the 

 year : for though authors say it is grRen all the year, I 

 scarce believe it. Hart's Tongue is much commendeil 

 against the hardness and stoppings of the spleen and 

 liver, and against tlie heat of the liver and stomach, and 

 against lasks, and the bloody. flux. The distilled water 

 thereof is also very good against the passions of the 

 heart, and to stay the hiccough, to help the falling of 

 the palate, and to stay the bleeding of the gums, being 

 gargled in the mouth. Dioscocides saith, it is good 

 against the stinging or biting of serpents. As for the use 

 of it my direction at the latter end will be sufficient, and 

 enough for those that are studious in physic, to whet their 

 brains upon for one year or two. 



Ilazel-Nut. 5. (temp. cL \,) 



Hazel-nuts are so well known to every body, that they 

 need no description. 



Government and Virtues.'] They are under the 

 dominion of ^lercury. The parted kernels made into an 

 electuary, or the milk drawn from the kernels with mead 

 or honeyed water is very good to help an old cough, and 

 being parched, and a little pepper put to them and drank, 

 digcsteth the distillations of rheum from the head. The 

 dried husks and shells, to the weight of two drams, taken 

 in red wine, stayeth lasks and women's courses, and so 

 doth the red skin that covers the kernels, which is more 

 clfedlual to stay women's courses. 



And if this be true, as it is, then why should the vulgar 

 so familiarly affirm, that eating Nuts causeth shortness of 

 breath ? than which nothing is falser. For how can that 

 which strengthens the lungs, cause shortness of breath? 

 I confess, the opinion is far older than I am ; I knew 

 tradition was a friend to error before, but never that he was 

 the father of slander : or are men's tongues so given to 

 slander one another, that they must slander Nuts too, to 

 keep their tongues in use ? If any thing of the Hazel-nut 

 be stopping, it is the husks and shells, and nobody is so 

 mad to eat them, unless physically ; and the red siin 

 •whicU. covers the kernel^ you may easily pull off. And 

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