34 culpeper's complete herbal. 



berries late in the ye{»r, or not at all, although they are 

 housed in winter. 



Oavernment and Virtues. — They are both under the do- 

 minion of Jupiter, The young buds or branches boiled 

 in ordinary broth, make the belly soluble and open ; and 

 boiled in white wine, provoke urine being stopped, and 

 is good against the strangury, or difficulty of making 

 water ; it expelleth the gravel and stone out of the kid- 

 nies, and helpeth pains in the reins : and boiled in white 

 wine or vinegar, it is prevalent for them that have their 

 arteries loosened, or are troubled with the hip-gout or scia- 

 tica. The decoction of the roots boiled in wine, and taken, 

 is good to clear the sight, and being held in the mouth 

 easeth the tooth-ache ; and being taken fasting several 

 mornings together, stirreth up bodily lust in man or wo- 

 man, whatever some have written to the contrary. The 

 garden asparagus nourish eth more than the wild, yet hath 

 it the same effects in all the aforementioned diseases. The 

 decoction of the roots in white wine, and the back and 

 belly bathed therewith, or kneeling or lying down in the 

 same, or sitting therein as a bath, hath been found ef- 

 fectual against pains of the reins and bladder, pains of 

 the mother and colic, and generally against all pains that 

 happen to the lower parts of the body, and no less ef- 

 fectual against stiff and benumbed sinews, or those that 

 are shrunJt by cramps and convulsions, and helpeth the 

 sciatica. 



ASH TREE.— ("/Voxintw Excelsior,) 



This is so well known, that time will be misspent in 

 writing a description of it ; and therefore I shall only in- 

 sist upon the virtues of it. 



Government and Virtues. — It is governed by the Sun 

 and the young tender tops, with the leaves taken inward- 

 ly, and some of them outwardly applied, are singular 

 good against the biting of an adder, viper, or any other 

 venomous beast ; and the water distilled therefrom being 

 taken, a small quantity every morning fasting, is a singu- 

 lar medicine to those that are subject to the dropsy, or to 

 abate the greatness of those that are too gross or fat. The 

 decoction of the leaves in white wine helpeth to break the 

 stone and expel it, and cure the jaundice. The aahes of 

 the bark of tne ash made into lye, and those heads bathed 

 therewith which are leprous, scabby, or scald, they are 



