62 culpeper's complete herbal. 



Such drinks ought to be made of sundry herbs accord- 

 ing to the malady. I shall give a plain and easy rule at 

 the latter end of this book. 



BUTCHER'S BROO^L—{Ruscu8 Aculeatus,) 



It is called Ruscus, and Bruscus, Kneeholm, Knee-Holy, 

 Kneehulver, and Pettigree. 



Descrip. — The first shoots that sprout from the roots of 

 butcher's broom are thick, whitish, and short, somewhat 

 like those of asparagus, but greater, they rising up to be 

 a foot and a half high, are spread into divers brandies, 

 green, and somewhat cressed with the roundness, tough 

 and flexible, whereon are set somewhat broad and almost 

 round hard leaves, prickly, pointed at the end, and of a 

 dark green colour ; two for the most part set at a place 

 very close and near together : about the middle or the 

 leaf, on the back and lower side from the middle rib, 

 break eth forth a small whitish green flower, consisting of 

 four small round pointed leaves standing upon little or no 

 foot-stalk, and in the place whereof cometh a small round 

 berry, green at the first and red when it is ripe, wherein 

 are two or three white, hard round seeds contained. The 

 root is thick, white, and great at the head, and from 

 thence sendeth forth divers thick, white, long tough 

 strings. 



Place. — It groweth in copses, and upon heaths and 

 waste grounds, and oftentimes under or near the holly 

 bushes. ' 



Time.— lt shooteth forth its young buds in the spring, 

 and the berries are ripe about September, the branches of 

 leaves abiding green all the winter. 



Oovemment and Virtues. — It is a plant of Mara, being 

 of a gallant cleansing and opening quality. The decoction 

 of the root made with wine openeth obstructions, pro- 

 voketh urine, helpeth to expel gravel and the stone, the 

 strangury and women's courses, also the yellow jaundice 

 and the head ache : and with some honey or sugar put 

 thereunto, cleanseth the breast of phlegm, and the chest 

 of such clammy humours gathered therein. The decoc- 

 tion of the root drank, and a poultice made of the berries 

 and leaves being applied are effectual in knitting and con- 

 solidating broken bones or parts out of joint. The com- 

 mon way of using it is to boil the root, and paralev, fennel, 

 and smallage in white wine, and drink the decoction, 



