cxtlpipbb's complete herbal. 33 



hare also the same virtae, though tLej do not operate so 

 forcibly ; they are very effectual against the biting of ser- 

 pents, and therefore are put in as an ingredient both into 

 Mithridate and Venice treacle. The leaves and root be- 

 ing boiled in lye, and the head often washed therewith 

 while it is warm, comforteth the head and brain thftt is 

 ill affected by taking cold, and helpeth the memory. 



I shall desire ignorant people to forbear the use of the 

 leaves : the roots purge more gently, and may prove bene- 

 ficial to such as have cancers, or old putrefied ulcers, or 

 fistulas upon their bodies, to take a dram of them in 

 powder in a quarter of a pint of white wine in the mom* 

 mg. The truth is, I fancy purging and vomiting medi- 

 cines as little as any man breathing doth, for they weaken 

 nature, nor shall ever advise them to be used onless upon 

 urgent necessity. If a physician be nature's servant, it ia 

 his duty to strengthen his mistress as much as he can, and 

 weaken her as little as may be. 



ASTAB.AOJJS.-^AtparaffUS OjffvdnalU,) 



Descrip. — It rlseth np at first with ,diver8 white and 

 green scaly heads, very brittle or easy to break while they 

 are young, which afterwards rise up in very long snd slen- 

 der peen stalks, of the bigness of an ordinary riding 

 wano, at the bottom of most, or bigger or lesser, as the 

 roots are of growth ; on which are set divers branches of 

 green leaves, shorter and smaller than fennel, to the top ; 

 at the joints whereof come forth small yellowish flowers, 

 which run into round berries, green at first, and of an ex- 

 cellent red color when they are ripe, showing like bead or 

 coral, wherein are contained ex'reeding hara black seeds : 

 the roots are dispersed from a spon^eous head into many 

 long, thick, and round strings, wherein is sucked much 

 nonrishnent out of the ground, and iucreaseth plentifully 

 thereby. 



ASPARAGUS {FRlCKLY.)-'(Asparagus Sativui.) 



Detcrip. — It groweth usually in gardens, and some of it 

 grows wild in Appleton meadows, in Gloucestershire, 

 where the poor f)eople do gather the buds of young shoots, 

 and nell them cheaper than our garden asparagus is sold 

 In London. 



7H'f7M.~They do for the most part flower and bear their 



