AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



7 



abideth like a hedge-bush, or a tree spread- 

 ingits branches, the woods of the body being 

 white, and a dark red colet or heart ; the 

 outward bark is of a blackish colour, with 

 many whitish spots therein ; but the inner 

 bark next the wood is yellow, which being 

 chewed, will turn the spittle near into a saf- 

 fron colour. The leaves are somewhat like 

 those of an ordinary Alder-tree, or the 

 Female Cornet, or Dogberry-tree, called in 

 Sussex Dog-wood, but blacker, and not so 

 long. The flowers are white, coming forth 

 with the leaves at thejoints, which turn into 

 small round berries, first green, afterwards 

 red, but blackish when they are thorough 

 ripe, divided, as it were, into two parts, 

 wherein is contained two small round and 

 flat seeds. The root runneth not deep into 

 the ground, but spreads rather under the 

 upper crust of the earth. 



Placed] This tree or shrub may be found 

 plentifully in St. John's Wood by Hornsey, 

 and the woods upon Hampstead Heath ; as 

 also a wood called the Old Park, in Bar- 

 comb, in Essex, near the brook's sides. 



TimeJ] It flowers in May, and the berries 

 are ripe in September. 



Government and virtuesJ] It is a tree of 

 Venus, and perhaps under the celestial sign 

 Cancer. The inner yellow bark hereof 

 purges downwards both choler and phlegm, 

 and the watery humours of such that have 

 the dropsy, and strengthens the inward parts 

 again by binding. If the bark hereof be 

 boiled with Agrimony, Wormwood, Dodder. 

 Hops, and some Fennel, v/ith Smallage, 

 Endive, and Succory-roots, and a reason- 

 able draught taken every morning for some 

 time together, it is very effectual against 

 the jaundice, dropsy, and the evil disposition 

 of the body, especially if some suitable 

 purging medicines have been taken before, 

 to void the grosser excrements : It purges 

 and strengthens the liver and spleen, 

 cleansing them from such evil humours and 

 hardness as they are afflicted with. It is 



to be understood that these things are per- 

 formed by the dried bark ; for the fresh 

 green bark taken inwardly provokes strong 

 vomitings, pains in the stomach, and grip- 

 ings in the belly ; yet if the decoction may 

 stand and settle two or three days, until the 

 yellow colour be changed black, it will not 

 work so strongly as before, but will strengthen 

 the stomach, and procure an appetite to 

 meat. The outward bark contrariwise doth 

 bind the body, and is helpful for all lasks 

 and fluxes thereof, but this also must be 

 dried first, whereby it will work the better. 

 The inner bark thereof boiled in vinegar is 

 an approved remedy to kill lice, to cure the 

 itch, and take away scabs, by drying them 

 up in a short time. It is singularly good to 

 wash the teeth, to take away the pains, to 

 fasten those that are loose, to cleanse them, 

 and to keep them sound. The leaves are 

 good fodder for kine, to make them give 

 more milk. 



If in the Spring-time you use the herbs 

 before mentioned, and will take but a hand- 

 ful of each of them, and to them add an 

 handful of Elder buds, and having bruised 

 them all, boil them in a gallon of ordinary 

 beer, when it is new ; and having boiled 

 them half an hour, add to this three gallons 

 more, and let them work together, and drink 

 a draught of it every morning, half a pint 

 or thereabouts ; it is an excellent purge for 

 the Spring, to consume the phlegmatic 

 quality the Winter hath left behind it, and 

 withal to keep your body in health, and 

 consume those evil humours which the heat 

 of Summer will readily stir up. Esteem it 

 as a jewel. 



THE COMMON ALDER-TREE. 



Descript.~\ THIS grows to a reasonable 

 height, and spreads much if it like the place. 

 It is so generally known to country people, 

 that I conceive it needless to tell that which 

 is no news. 



Place and Time."] It delights to grow in 



