208 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



upon wharfs, takefh them away. The Juice mingled with 

 some \itiegar, helpcth all running scabs, totters, ring- 

 ■wornis, and the itch. Galen saith, that being ajjplicd 

 in manner of a poultice to any swelling or inllammation, 

 it digesteth tlie swelling, and allayeth the inllammation, 

 and is therefore given in cl^^^sters to evacuate from the 

 belly offensive humours. The Dog Mercury, although 

 it be less used, yet may serve in the same manner, to 

 the same purpose, to purge waterish and melancholy 

 humours. 



Mint. ?. (h, d. 3.) 



Of all the kinds of Mint, the Spear Mint or Heart Mint, 

 being most usual, 1 shall only describe as follows : 



Desaipt,] Spear jNlint hath divers round stalks, and 

 long but narrow ish leaves set thereon, of a dark green 

 colour. The flowers stand in spiked heads at the tops of 

 the branches, being of a pale blue colour. The smell or 

 scent thereof is somewhat n»ar unto Basil; it increaseth 

 by the root under ground, as all others do. 



Place.'] It is an usual inhabitant in gardens : and be- 

 cause it seldom giveth any good seed, the etre6fs is re- 

 compensed by the plentiiul increase of the root^ which 

 being once planted in a garilen, will hardly be rid out 

 again. 



Time.'\ It flowereth not until the beginning of August, 

 for the most part. 



Government and Firtues.'\ If is an herb of Venus, Dios- 

 Coritles saith it hatha heating, bniding aud drying qua- 

 lity, and therefore the juice taken in vinegar, staj'Cth 

 bleeding: it stirreth up venery, or bodily lust ; twoorthree 

 branches thereof taken in the juice of tour pomegianates, 

 stayeth the hiccough, vomiting, and allayeth the cholcr. 

 It dissolveth imposthumes being laid to with barley-mtal. 

 It ih good to repress the milk in women's breasts, and for 

 such as have swollen, flagging, or great breasts. A])pIiod 

 with salt, it helpeth the biiing of a mad dog ; with mead 

 and honied water, it easeth the pains of the ears, and 

 taketh away the roughness of the tongue, being rubbed 

 thereupon. It suflereth not milk to curdle in the stomach, 

 if the leaYCS thereol be stcc]!ed or boiled in it before you 



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