AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 143 



Time.~\ It being always green, may be | doth much help it ; and applied also to the 

 gathered for use at any time. j nose, cures the disease called Poly pus, which 



Government and virtues.'] Polypodium of jis a piece of flesh growing therein, which 

 the Oak, that which grows upon the earth ; in time stops the passage of breath through 

 is best ; it is an herb of Saturn, to purge j that nostril ; and it helps those clefts or 

 melancholy ; if the humour be otherwise, \ chops that come between the fingers or 

 chuseyour Polypodium accordingly. Meuse i toes, 

 (who is called the Physician's Evangelist for | POPTAR 



i {* i j j , i i J. UiS JrU Jr.LAlt .1 JftJSJa* 



the certainty or his medicines, and thej 



truth of his opinion) saith, That it dries up \ THERE are two sorts of Poplars, which 

 thin humours, digests thick and tough, and \ are most familiar with us, viz. the Black 

 purges burnt choler, and especially tough j and White, both which I shall here des- 

 and thick phlegm, and thin phlegm also, j cribe unto you. 



even from the joints, and therefore good for j DescriptJ\ The "White Poplar grows 

 those that are troubled with melancholy, or j great, and reasonably high, covered with 

 quartan agues, especially if it be taken in j thick, smooth, white bark, especially the 

 whey or honied water, or in barley-water, | branches ; having long leaves cut into 

 or the broth of a chicken with Epithymum, j several divisions almost like a vine leaf, but 

 or with Beets and Mallows. It is good for j not of so deep a green on the upper side, 

 the hardness of the spleen, and for pricking j and hoary white underneath, of a reason- 

 or stitches in the sides, as also forthecholic: j able good scent, the whole form represent- 

 Some use to put to it some Fennel seeds, or > ing the form of Coltsfoot. The catkins 

 Annis seeds, or Ginger, to correct that : which it brings forth before the leaves, are 

 loathing it brings to the stomach, which is j long, and of a faint reddish colour, which 

 more than needs, it being a safe and gentle j fall away, bearing seldom good seed with 

 medicine, fit for all persons, which daily ? them. The wood hereof is smooth, soft, 

 experience confirms ; and an ounce of it i and white, very finely waved, whereby it is 

 may be given at a time in a decoction, if: much esteemed. 



there be not Sena, or some other strong \ The Black Poplar grows higher and 

 purger put with it. A dram or two of the * straighter than the White, with a greyish 

 powder of the dried roots, taken fasting in \ bark, bearing broad green leaves, somewhat 

 a cup of honied water, works gently, and \ like ivy leaves, not cut in on the edges like 

 for the purposes aforesaid. The distilled i the White, but whole and dented, ending 



water both of roots and leaves, is much 



in a point, and not white underneath, hang- 



commended for the quartan ague, to be | ing by slender long foot stalks, which with 

 taken for many days together, as also j the air are continually shaken, like as the 

 against melancholy, or fearful and trouble- j Aspen leaves are. The catkins hereof are 

 some sleeps or dreams ; and with some | greater than those of the White, composed 

 sugar-candy dissolved therein, is good { of many round green berries, as if they 

 against the cough, shortness of breath, and I were set together in a long cluster, contain- 

 wheezings, and those distillations of thin j ing much downy matter, which being ripe, 

 rheum upon the lungs, which cause phthi- i is blown away with the wind. The clammy 

 sicks, and oftentimes consumptions. The \ buds hereof, before they spread into leaves, 

 fresh roots beaten small, or the powder of j are gathered to make Unguentum and 

 the dried roots mixed with honey, and ap- ! Populneum, and are of a yellowish green 

 plied to the member that is out of joint, ! colour, and somewhat small, sweet, but 



p P 



