86 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



and woody, abiding the Winter, and shoots 

 forth fresh stalks in the spring. 



The smaller wild Gromel sends forth 

 divers upright hard branched stalks, two or 

 three feet high full of joints, at every one of 

 which grow small, long, hard, and rough 

 leaves like the former, but less ; among 

 which leaves come forth small white flowers, 

 and after them greyish round seed like the 

 former ; the root is not very big, but with 

 many strings thereat. 



The garden Gromel as divers upright, 

 slender, woody, hairy stalks, blown and 

 cressed very little branched, with leaves 

 like the former, and white flowers ; after 

 which, in rough brown husks, is contained 

 a white, hard, round seed, shining like 

 pearls, and greater than either the former ; 

 the root is like the first described, with 

 divers branches and sprigs thereat, which 

 continues (as the first doth) all the Winter. 



Place .] The two first grow wild in barren 

 or untilled places, and by the way side 

 in many places of this land. The last is 

 a nursling in the gardens of the curious. 



Time.'] They all flower from Midsummer 

 until September sometimes, and in the 

 mean time the seed ripens. 



Government and virtues.^ The herb be- 

 longs to Dame Venus ; and therefore if 

 Mars cause the cholic or stone, as usually he 

 doth, if in Virgo, this is your cure. These 

 are accounted to be of as singular force as 

 any herb or seed whatsoever, to break the 

 stone and to void it, and the gravel either 

 in the reins or bladder, as also to provoke 

 urine beingstopped, and to help stranguary. 

 The seed is of greatest use, being bruised 

 and boiled in white wine or in broth, or the 

 like, or the powder of the seed taken there- 

 in. Two drams of the seed in powder 

 taken with women's breast milk, is very 

 effectual to procure a very speedy delivery 

 to such women as have sore pains in their 

 travail, and cannot be delivered : The herb 

 itself, (when the seed is not to be had) either 



boiled, or the juice thereof drank, is effec- 

 tual to all the purposes aforesaid, but not so 

 powerful or speedy in operation. 



GOOSEBERRY BUSH. 



CALLED also Feapberry, and in Sussex 

 Dewberry-Bush, and in some Counties 

 Wineberry. 



Government and virtues J] They are under 

 the dominion of Venus. The berries, while 

 they are unripe, being scalded or baked, 

 are good to stir up a fainting or decayed 

 appetite, especially such whose stomachs 

 are afflicted by choleric humours : They are 

 excellently good to stay longings of women 

 with child. You may keep them pre- 

 served with sugar all the year long. The 

 decoction of the leaves of the tree cools 

 hot Dwellings and inflammations ; as algo 

 St. Anthony's fire. The ripe Gooseberries 

 being eaten, are an excellent remedy to 

 allay the -violent heat both of the stomach 

 and liver. The young and tender leaves 

 break the stone, and expel gravel both from 

 the kidneys and bladder. All the evil they 

 do to the body of man is, they are sup- 

 posed to breed crudities, and by crudities, 

 worms. 



WINTER-GREEN. 



Descript.] THIS sends forth seven, eight, 

 or nine leaves from a small brown creeping 

 root, every one standing upon a long foot 

 stalk, which are almost as broad as long, 

 round pointed, of a sad green colour, and 

 hard in handling, and like the leaf of a 

 Pear-tree ; from whence arises a slender 

 weak stalk, yet standing upright, bearing 

 at the top many small white sweet-smelling 

 flowers, laid open like a star, consisting of 

 five round pointedleaves,with many yellow 

 threads standing in the middle about a green 

 head, and a long stalk with them, which in 

 time grows to be the seed-vessel, which 

 being ripe is found five square, with a small 



