Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 59 
A isthecaufe, that fome name itthe favage Penyroiall. In the time of Pompey the Great, it was 
knowne by experience, that the leaves of wild Mint chewed and applied outwardly, cured the » 
Leprofie : by occafion, that a certaine leaper minding to difguife himfelfe, tharhee might not 
for very fhame bee knowne, chaunced to annoint and befmearehisface all over with the juice 
of wild Mints. But fortune was better niftriffe unto him than he expected, forbeyond his ex« 
pectation or intent, his good hap wastobe rid of his Leprofie by that meanes, The fanie leaves 
ferve for aliniment againft the venome of Scolopendres,and the fting of Serpents:fo docthey 
alfo; if one drinke two dramsof theleaves in two Cyaths of wine. Allo, forto core the prickes 
of Scorpions, they be ufed wich fale, oile, and vinegre « Buragainft Scolopendres, commonly 
they drinke the juice or broth of the decoction, Moreover, the wifer fort of people fave the drie 
B leaves of wildMints tobee reduced into'a pouder, asa very counterpoyfon againft all venome 
whatfoever. For being ftrewed in the houfe,or burnt, the very aire and perfuinethereof chaferh 
away Scorpions. A ditake made therwith purgeth and purifieth women pafling well,fuch [mean 
as be newlydelivered of childbirth : but it killeth the fruit within the wombe of as many as ule it 
whilethey goe with child. There is nota medicine inthe world fo effeGuall as it is for thofe, who « 
are fo ftreight winded, thatthey cannot take their breath unlefle they fitupright: for {uch alfo as 
in the chollerick paffion,never give over cafting upward & purging downward.It appeafeth alfo 
gthe paine of the loines,andeafech the gout, if it be applied totheplace affe ted, The juice theres 
“Sot is good to be dropped into eares that have wormes within them. is ufually caken in drink for 
the Iaunife, A liniment made therof, helper the kings eviil : befides,itis a fingular remedie tor 
iC them thatbyaftrong imagination of Yexus intheir dreames, defile and pollite themifelves in 
their flcepe. If one drinke itwith vinegre, itexcludeth the flatbroad wormes in the bellie. To 
{coure away the foule dandruffe,an Embrochation of it and vinegre upon the head in the Sunis 
‘counted fingular, : ‘ 
__ Astouching garden Mint,as the very {mell of italone recovereth and refrefheth the fpirits : 
“forthe taft firteth up the appetite to meat, which is the caufe ,that it is fo ordinarie in our fharpe 
fances wherein we ufe to dip our meats.Being put into milke,it will not fufferitto turn or foure, 
- atkeepeth it from quailing 8¢curding: which is the reafon,that they who ufe ordinarily to drinke 
miike,take Mints therewith ,for feare itfhould coagulate or crudle in their ftormacke,& put them 
in daunger of {uffocation. Some, forthefame effed ufe to give it in water orhoniedwine : and 
PD lorely it 1s chought by thatvery propettie to hinder generation, in thatit diflolveth the due ccti- 
fiftence and thicknefie which isrequired in naturall feed, And yet itis a great ftancher of bloud 
indifferently in men and women: but more particularly it {taieth the immyoderat flux of whites « ps, yucmeta, 
that many timesfo!loweth women, Being taken with Amydum or ftagch- pouder in water, it t¢- 
ftraineth the tnordinat flux occafioned by the imbecilitie of the ftomacke.Syriation the Phyfici- 
an uled ordinarily to cure the apoftumes and fores of the Matrice,with Mint. Alfo apainft che ob- 
ftcuctions &other accidents of the liver,he was wontto give three Oboles therofin honied wine, 
And for them that raught up bloud atthe mourh,heprefcribed to take Mintsin-abroth or fup- 
“ping. The skall char little children be troubled withall, it bealeth wonderfull well.ttis fingularto 
drie up the humors that mollifie the griftly wind pipe & the other inflruments of the breath and 
E_ voice;and when they are drie,knitteth and ftrengtheneth them. Taken in water and honied wine, 
— itcleanfeth the corruptand putrified flegmaticke humors which bee offenfive tothe chgoar and 
thofe parts. The juice of Mints is excellent for to fcoure the pipes and clear the voice,being drunk 
alittle before that a manis to {traine himfelfe either in the quier,or upon the {tage,orat the bar; 
aud nototherwife.A gargarifme of milke wherin hath ben Rue and Coriander,befides Mints,is 
pafling good to bring down the {welling of the Vvula. Being ufed in tharmanner with forme AL- 
jum, it reftraineth the mumps or inflammation of the Amygdales : and with Honie it cureth the 
roughnes & furring of the toung.Being nfed alone without any other addition, it isa proper me- 
dicine forin ward convulfions,as alfo tor the difeafe of the lungs. Democritus faith,that to drinke 
it withthe juice of a Pomgranat,isa ready means to ftay the yex and vomiting, The juice of green 
F Mints,drawn up wich the wind into the noftiinls,helpeth the ftinking ulcers there. Thehearb it 
{eife {tamped xepreftech the rage of cholerthat purgeth both waies unceflantly, but itmuft bee 
drunke with vinegre, And in that manner itreftraineth all internall fluxions of bloud.But applied 
outwardly with Barly groats to the grieved place, it eafeththe intollerablepain of the lliake paffi- 
onsalterthe fame forsif ibe fpreadand emplaiftered, icallaieth the {welling of womens breafts. i 
a7 
