222 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



likewise cutteth tough humours ; the juice 

 heereof in summer time is a profitable sauce 

 in many meates, and pleasant to the taste. 

 It cooleth an hot stomache; mooveth appe- 

 tite to meate ; tempereth the heat of the 

 liuver, and openeth the stoppings thereof. 

 The leaves taken in good quantitie, stamped 

 and strained into some ale, and a posset made 

 thereof, cooleth the sick bodie, quenches the 

 thirst, and alaieth the heat of such as are 

 troubled with a pestilent feuer. The leaves, 

 sodden and eaten in manner of a spinach tart, 

 or eaten as meat, doth attemper and cool 

 the blood exceedingly." It was made into 

 green sauce, and eaten with fish, in this au- 

 thor's time. 



The wild sorrel was used medicinally by 

 the Romans in various cases. They used it 

 mixed with hog's lard for swelled kernels, 

 and the king's evil, as also to cure the sting 

 of scorpions. The root was chewed to fasten 

 teeth that were loose, and it was also used 

 to cure wens, &c* 



The natives of Lapland boil large quanti- 

 ties of the leaves of sorrel in water, and mix 

 the juice, when cold, with the milk of the 



# Plin. book xix. c. 12. 



! 



