40 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



turn into green berries inclosed with thin 

 skins, which change to be reddish when 

 they grow ripe, the berry likewise being 

 reddish, and as large as a cherry ; wherein 

 are contained many flat and yellowish seeds 

 lying within the pulp, which being gathered 

 and strung up, are keep all the year to be 

 used upon occasions. 



Place.'] They grow not naturally in this 

 land, but are cherished in gardens for their 

 virtues. 



Time.'] They flower not until the middle 

 or latter end of July ; and the fruit is ripe 

 about August, or the beginning of Sep- 

 tember. 



Government and virtues^] This also is a 

 plant of Venus. They are of great use in 

 physic : The leaves being cooling, may be 

 used in inflammations, but not opening as 

 the berries and fruit are ; which by draw- 

 ing down the urine provoke it to be voided 

 plentifully when it is stopped or grown hot, 

 sharp, and painful in the passage; it is 

 good also to expel the stone and gravel out 

 of the reins, kidneys and bladder, helping 

 to dissolve the stone, and voiding it by grit 

 or gravel sent forth in the urine ; it also 

 helps much to cleanse inward imposthumes 

 or ulcers in the reins of bladder, or in those 

 that void a bloody or foul urine. The 

 distilled water of the fruit, or the leaves 

 together with them, or the berries, green or 

 dry, distilled with a little milk and drank 

 morning and evening with a little sugar, is 

 effectual to all the purposes before specified, 

 and especially against the heat and sharp- 

 ness of the urine. I shall only mention 

 one way, amongst many others, which 

 might be used for ordering the berries, to 

 be helpful for the urine and the stone ; 

 which is this : Take three or four good 

 handfuls of the berries, either green or 

 fresh, or dried, and having bruised them, 

 put them into so many gallons of beer or 

 ale when it is new tunned up : This drink 

 taken daily, has been found to do much 



good to many, both to ease the pains, and 

 xpel urine and the stone, and to cause the 

 stone not to engender. The decoction of 

 the berries in wine and water is the most 

 usual way; but the powder of them taken 

 in drink is more effectual. 



CHERVIL. 



It is called Cerefolium, Mirrhis, and 

 Mirrha, Chervil, Sweet Chervil, and Sweet 

 Cicely. 



Descript^] The garden Chervil doth at 

 first somewhat resemble Parsley, but after it 

 is better grown, the leaves are much cut in 

 and jagged, resembling hemlock, being a 

 little hairy and of a whitish green colour, 

 sometimes turning reddish in the Summer, 

 with the stalks also ; it rises a little above half 

 a foot high, bearing white flowers in spiked 

 tufts, which turn into long and round seeds 

 pointed at the ends, andblackish when they 

 are ripe ; of a sweet taste, but no smell, 

 though the herb itself smells reasonably 

 well. The root is small and long, and 

 perishes every year, and must be sown 

 a-new in spring, for seed after July for 

 Autumn fails. 



The wild Chervil grows two or three feet 

 high with yellow stalks and joints, set with 

 broader and more hairy leaves, divided 

 into sundry parts, nicked about the edges, 

 and of a dark green colour, which likewise 

 grow reddish with the stalks ; at the tops 

 whereof stands small white tufts, of flowers, 

 afterwards smaller and longer seed. The 

 root is white, hard, and enduring long. 

 This as little or no scent. 



Place.l The first is sown in gardens for 

 a sallad nerb ; the second grows wild in 

 many of the meadows of this land, and by 

 the hedge sides, and on heaths. 



Time,~] They flower and seed early, and 

 thereupon are sown again in the end of 

 Summer. 



Government and virtues^] The garden 

 Chervil being eaten, doth moderately warm 



