THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



and the fruit of the black is ripe in July j 

 and August. 



Government and virtues^] They are under | 

 the dominion of Jupiter. It is a pity they 

 are used no more in physic than they are. 



The black Bilberries are good in hot agues 

 and to cool the heat of the liver and 

 stomach ; they do somewhat bind the belly, 

 and stay vomiting and loathings; the juice 

 of the berries made in a syrup, or the pulp 

 made into a conserve with sugar, is good 

 for the purposes aforesaid, as also for an old 

 cough, or an ulcer in the lungs, or other 

 diseases therein. The Red Worts are more 

 binding, and stops women's courses, spitting 

 of blood, or any other flux of blood or 

 humours, being used as well outwardly as 

 inwardly. 



BIFOIL OR TWABLADE. 



Descript.~\ THIS small herb, from a root 

 somewhat sweet, shooting downwards many 

 long strings, rises up a round green stalk, 

 bare or naked next the ground for an inch, 

 two or three to the middle thereof as it is in 

 age or growth; as also from the middle up- 

 wards to the flowers, having only two broad 

 Plaintain-like leaves (but whiter) set at the 

 middle of the stalk one against another, 

 compassing it round at the bottom of them. 



PlaceJ] It is an usual inhabitant in 

 woods, copses, and in many places in this 

 land. 



There is another sort grows in wet 

 grounds and marshes, which is somewhat 

 different from the former. It is a smaller 

 plant, and greener, having sometimes three 

 leaves ; the spike of the flowers is less than 

 the former, and the roots of this do run or 

 creep in the ground. 



They are often used by many to good 

 purpose for wounds, both green and old, 

 to consolidate or knit ruptures; and well 

 it may, being a plant of Saturn. 



THE BIRCH TREE. 



Descript.~\ THIS grows a goodly tall 



straight tree, fraught with many boughs, and 

 slender branches bending downward : the 

 old being covered with discoloured chapped 

 bark, and the younger being browner by 

 much. The leaves at the first breaking out 

 are crumpled, and afterwards like the beech 

 leaves, but smaller and greener, and dented 

 about the edges. It bears small short cat- 

 skins, somewhat like those of the hazelnut- 

 tree, which abide on the branches a long 

 time, until growing ripe, they fall on the 

 ground and their seed with them. 



PlaceJ] It usually grows in woods. 



Government and virtues J\ It is a tree of 

 Venus; the juice of the leaves, while they 

 are young, or the distilled water of them, 

 or the water that comes from the tree being 

 bored with an auger, and distilled after- 

 wards ; any of these being drank for some 

 days together, is available to break the 

 stone in the kidneys and bladder, and is 

 good also to wash sore mouths. 



BIRD'S FOOT. 



THIS small herb grows not above a span 

 high with many branches spread upon the 

 ground, set with many wings of small leaves. 

 The flowers grow upon the branches, many 

 small ones of a pale yellow colour being 

 set a-head together, which afterwards turn 

 into small jointed pods, well resembling 

 the claw of small birds, whence it took its 

 name. . 



There is another sort of Bird's Foot in 

 all things like the former, but a little larger; 

 the flowers of a pale whitish and red colour, 

 and the pods distinct by joints like the 

 other, but little more crooked ; and the 

 roots do carry many small white knots or 

 kernels amongst the strings. 



Place.~\ These grow on heaths, and many 

 open untilled places of this and. 



1 'ime.J They flower and seed in the end 

 of Summer. 



Government and virtues^ They belong to 

 Saturn and are of a drying, binding quality, 



