182 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



long and narrow, set thereon, waved, but j resisting poison, venom and putrefaction, 

 not cut into the edges, broadest towards the $ It is also available in many cases for which 

 ends, somewhat round pointed ; the flowers I the common Mustard is used, but somewhat 

 are white that grow at the tops of the \ weaker. 



branches, spike-fashion one above another; | TH BLACR THQ QR SLOE . BUSH> 

 after which come round pouches, parted in | 



the middle with a furrow, having one black- i IT is so well known, that it needs no 

 ish brown seed on either side, somewhat ! description. 



sharp in taste, and smelling of garlick, j Place.'] It grows in every county in the 

 especially in the fields where it is natural, | hedges and borders of fields. 

 but not so much in gardens: The roots \ Time.'] It flowers in April, and some- 

 are small and thready, perishing every year. I times in March, but the fruit ripens after all 

 Give me leave here to add Mi thridate \ other plums whatsoever, and is not fit to 

 Mustard, although it may seem more pro- 1 be eaten until the Autumn frost mellow 

 perly by the name to belong to M, in the j them. 



alphabet. Government and virtues.] All the parts of 



i the Sloe-Bush are binding, cooling, and 



MITHRIDATE MUSTAED. K ^ ^ ^^ ^ ^ b!m , in | at ^ 



rescript.] THIS grows higher than the \ nose and mouth, or any other place; the 

 former, spreading moreand higher branches, ilask of the belly or stomach, or the bloody 

 whose leaves are smaller and narrower, j flux, the too much abounding of women's 

 sometimes unevenly dented about the edges. > courses, and helps to ease the pains of the 

 The flowers are small and white, growing i sides, and bowels, that come by overmuch 

 on long branches, with much smaller and : scouring, to drink the decoction of the bark 

 rounder vessels after them, and parted in ; of the roots, or more usually the decoction 

 the same manner, having smaller brown 5 of the berries, either fresh or dried. The 

 seeds than the former, and much sharper in j conserve also is of very much use, and more 

 taste. The root perishes after seed time, j familiarly taken for the purposes aforesaid, 

 but abides the first Winter after springing. 5 But the distilled water of the flower first 



Place.] They grow in sundry places in * steeped in sack for a night, and drawn 

 this land, as half a mile from Hatfield, by | therefrom by the heat of Balneum and 

 the river side, under a hedge as you go tojAnglico, a bath, is a most certain remedy, 

 Hatfield, and in the street of Peckham on j tried and approved, to ease all manner of 

 Surrey side. j gnawings in the stomach, the sides and 



Time.'] They flower and seed from May | bowels, or any griping pains in any of them, 

 to August. J to drink a small quantity Avhen the extre- 



Government and virtues.'] Both of them \ mity of pain is upon them. The leaves 

 are herbs of Mars. The Mustards are said j also are good to make lotions to gargle and 

 to purge the body both upwards and down- 1 wash the mouth and throat, wherein arc 

 wards, and procure women's courses so ; swellings, sores, or kernels ; and to stay the 

 abundantly, that it suffocates the birth. ! deductions of rheum to the eyes, or other 

 It breaks inward imposthumes, being taken parts ; as also to cool the heat and inflam- 



inwardly ; and used in clysters, helps the' 

 sciatica. The seed applied, doth the same. 



mations of them, and ease hot pains of the 

 head, to bathe the forehead and temples 



It is an especial ingredient in mithridate; therewith. The simple distilled water of 

 and treacle, being of itself an antidote j the flowers is very effectual for the said 



