18 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



of Venus in one kind, so it spoils all her ac- j leaves also work the like effects. A bath of 



tions in another. I dare write no more of it. 



THE BAY TREE. 



THIS is so well known that it needs no 

 description : I shall therefore only write 

 the virtues thereof, which are many. 



the decoction of the leaves and berries, is 

 singularly good for women to sit in, that 

 are troubled with the mother, or the diseases 

 thereof, or the stoppings of their courses, 

 or for the diseases of the bladder, pains in 

 the bowels by wind and stopping of the 



Government and virtues J\ I shall but only j urine. A decoction likewise of equal parts 



1 1 1 -* " J 1_ X* "P> I * 11 



add a word or two to what my friend has 

 written, viz. that it is a tree of the sun, and 

 under the celestial sign Leo, and resists 

 witchcraft very potently, as also all the evils 



of Bay- berries, cummin seed, hyssop, ori- 

 ganum, and euphorbium, with some honey, 

 and the head bathed therewith, wonder- 

 fully helps distillations and rheums, and 



WjL.tr* \ 



old Saturn can do to the body of man, and \ settles the pallate of the mouth into its 

 they are not a few; for it is the speech of j place. The oil made of the berries is very 

 one, and I am mistaken if it were not ( comfortable in all cold griefs of the joints, 

 Mizaldus, that neither witch nor devil, i nerves, arteries, stomach, belly, or womb, 

 thunder nor lightning, will hurt a man in ! and helps palsies, convulsions, cramp, 

 the place where a Bay-tree is. Galen said, aches, tremblings, and numbness in any 

 that the leaves or bark do dry and heal 

 very much, and the berries more than the 

 leaves ; the bark of the root is less sharp 

 and hot, but more bitter, and hath some 



part, weariness also, and pains that come 

 by sore travelling. All griefs and pains 

 proceeding from wind, either in the head, 

 stomach, back, belly, or womb, by anointing 



astriction withal whereby it is effectual to the parts affected therewith : And pains in 

 break the stone, and good to open obstruc- j the ears are also cured by dropping in some 

 tions of the liver, spleen, and other inward of the oil, or by receiving into the ears the 



parts, which bring the jaundice, dropsy, 

 &c. The berries are very effectual against 

 all poison of venomous creatures, and the 

 sting of wasps and bees ; as also against the 



fume of the decoction of the berries through 

 a funnel. The oil takes away the marks 01 

 the skin and flesh by bruises, falls, &c. and 

 dissolves the congealed blood in them. It 



helps also 

 the skin. 



the itch, scabs, and weals in 



BEANS. 



pestilence, or other infectious diseases, and j 

 therefore put into sundry treacles for that i 

 purpose; They likewise procure women's! 

 courses, and seven of them given to a wo- i 

 man in sore travail of child-birth, do cause i BOTH the garden and field beans are so 

 a speedy delivery, and expel the after birth, i well known, that it saves me the labour of 

 and therefore not to be taken by such as have i: writing any description of them. The vir- 

 not gone out their time, lest they procure \ tues follow. 



abortion, or cause labour too soon. They 1 Government and virtues^] They are plants 

 wonderfully help all cold and rheumatic j of Venus, and the distilled water of the 

 distillations from the brain to the eyes, j flower of garden beans is good to clean the 

 lungs or other parts ; and being made into j face and skin from spots and wrinkles, and 

 .in electuary with honey, do help the con- j the meal or flour of them, or the small beans 

 sumption, old coughs, shortness of breath, 1 doth the same. The water distilled from 

 and thin rheums ; as also the megrim. They, i the green husks, is held to be very effectual 

 mightily expel the wind, and provoke urine;* against the stone, and to provoke urine, 

 help the mother, and kill the worms. The 5 Bean flour is used in poultices to assuage 



