THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



moist woods, and watry places ; flowering j three colours. And a certain ointment, an 

 in April or May, and yielding ripe seed in ointment of the Apostles, because it consists 

 September. : of twelve ingredients : Alas, I am sorry for 



Government and virtues.'] It is a tree und-er | their folly, and grieved at their blasphemy, 

 the dominion of Venus, and of some watry j God send them wisdom the rest of their 

 sign or other, I suppose Pisces ; and there- j age, for they have their share of igno- 

 fore the decoction, or distilled water of the j ranee already. Oh ! Why must ours be 

 leaves, is excellent against burnings and in- j blasphemous, because the Heathens and 

 flammations, either with wounds or without, \ infidels were idolatrous? Certainly they 

 lo bathe the place grieved with, and espe- J have read so much in old rusty authors, that 

 cially for that inflammation in the breast, \ they have lost all their divinity ; for unless 

 which the vulgar call an ague. j it were amongst the Ranters, I never read 



If you cannot get the leaves (as in Winter 1 or heard of such blasphemy. The Heathens 



it is impossible) make use of the bark in the 

 same manner. 



The leaves and bark of the Alder-tree are ; 

 cooling, drying, and binding. The fresh j 

 leaves laid upon swellings dissolve them, \ 

 and stay the inflammations. The leaves 

 put under the bare feet galled with travell- 

 ing, are a great refreshing to them. The 

 said leaves gathered while the morning dew 

 is on them, and brought into a chamber 

 troubled with fleas, will gather them there- 

 unto, which being suddenly cast out, will 

 rid the chamber of those troublesome bed- 

 fellows. 



ANGELICA. 



and infidels were bad, and ours worse; the 

 jdolators give idolatrous names to herbs for 

 their virtues sake, not for their fair looks; 

 and therefore some called this an herb of 

 the Holy Ghost; others more moderate call- 

 ed it Angelica, because of its angelical 

 virtues and that name it retains still, and all 

 nations follow it so near as their dialect will 

 permit. 



Government and virtues.'] It is an herb of 

 the Sun in Leo ; let it be gathered when he 

 is there, the Moon applying to his good as- 

 pect ; let it be gathered either in his hour, 

 or in the hour of Jupiter, let Sol be angu- 

 lar ; observe the like in gathering the herbs, 

 of other planets, and you may happen to 

 do wonders. In all epidemical diseases 

 caused by Saturn, that is as good a preser- 

 vative as grows : It resists poison, by de- 

 fending and comforting the heart, blood, 

 and spirits ; it doth the like against the 



To write a description of that which is 

 so well known to be growing almost in every 

 garden, I suppose is altogether needless ; 

 yet for its virtue it is of admirable use. 



In time of Heathenism, when men had 



found out any excellent herb, they dedicated $ plague and all epidemical diseases, if the 

 it to their gods ; as the Bay-tree to Apollo, j root be taken in powder to the weight of 

 the Oak to Jupiter, the Vine to Bacchus, the \ half a dram at a time, with some good trea- 

 Poplar to Hercules. These the iclolatois | cle in Carduus water, and the party there- 

 following as the Patriarchs they dedicate to | upon laid to sweat in his bed ; if treacle be 

 their Saints; as our Lady's Thistle to tile's not to be had, take it alone in Carduus or 

 Blessed Virgin, St. John's Wort to St. John, j Angelica- water. The stalks or roots can- 

 and another Wort to Si. Peter, &c. Our j died and eaten fasting, are good preserva- 

 pnysicians must imitate liKe apes ^though j lives in time of infection ; and at other 

 they cannot come off half so cleverly) for i times to warm and comfort a cold stomach, 

 they blasphemously call Phansies or Hearts- > The root also steeped in vinegar, and a little 

 ease, an herb of the Trinity, because it is of/ of that vinegar taken sometimes fasting, and 



