28 FAMILIAR TREES 
his description is so characteristic as to be worth 
transcription at some length. 
“1. Rhamnus solutivus vulgaris. The common purging thorne. 
“The purging thorne, that is frequent in our owne Land, is for the 
most part but alow shrubbe or hedge bush, seldome growing any 
thing bigge or like a tree, having many stemmes or branches rising 
from the roote, covered with a smooth blackish red barke on the out- 
side, and greene on the inside, the innermost being yellow, the wood 
whereof is of a whitish yellow, toward the outside, and of a reddish 
yellow inward, and at the heart strong, and not easie to bend or to 
breake, whereof strong bowes may be made, and hath beenc in times 
past: the smaller branches are furnished with many leaves like unto 
those of the crab tree, but smaller, with small long straight thornes 
in many places set with the leaves, the ends of the branches ending 
in a thorne also; among the leaves come forth many flowers, every 
one upon a severall foote stalke, consisting of foure leaves a peece, 
of awhitish greene colour ; after which come small red round berries, 
greene at the first, and blacke when they are ripe, full of pulpe or 
juyce that is greene, with one ortwo small graines within them 
of an unpleasant taste. . . . 
“The Place. 
“The first groweth in many places of this land, but especially in 
Kent, as at the hither end of Dartford next unto London, Farning- 
ham upon the Connie burrowes, and in a narrow Lane neere South 
Flcete, and in many other places. . . . 
“ The Vertues, 
“The berries hereof dryed and a drame of the powder, given in 
wine or the broth of flesh, doth purge both flegme and grosse thicke 
humors also, yet Pena saith it rather draweth forth thinne flegme, 
and that from the joints and Arteries, and therefore is singular good 
for dropsies ; some doe make an Electuary and some a Syrupe of the 
juyce of the berries clarified, and Sugar or Honey put thereto, but 
because it worketh a little troublesomely, some spices are to be 
added thereto to aromatise it, as Cinamon, Ginger and Cloves, and 
some adde Masticke and roses also, which doth correct the evill 
quality therein, and cause it to worke without paine: an ounce or 
more of either Electuary or Syrupe may be given at a time, dissolved 
either in wine or in the broth of flesh, which will draw forth raw 
