of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 103 
A. of the ftomacke,breaft kidneies, liver,lungs,and bladder: and more particularly,ifany of thefe 
arts be inflamed,a proper remedie al{o it is in that cafe, Likewife it cureth the cough and pleu- 
rifie.Irkillech an itch,and provoketh urine, Our wine-knights when they purpofe to fit {quare 2e 
the taverne and carou(e luttily, if they drinke Saffron, never fearefurfeit nor the overturning of 
their braine : and they areverely perfuaded, that this keepeth them frot drunkennefle, and ma- 
keth them carie their drinke well.-Certes,a Chapletof Saffron upon the head, dooth allay che 
fames afcending up thither,and prevent drunkennefle, Saffron induceth fleepe, burittroubleth 
the braine*fomewhat. It pricketh forward to wanton luft. The flower of Saffron reduced into a” Nayitisa 
liniment with white Fullers earth helpeth the Shinglesand S._42thonies fire.And Saffron itfelfe or7 
entereth into very many compofitions of Phyficke.One Collyrie or*eye-falve there is whichta- + Dia-crocm, 
B keththe namealfoof Saffron. And when the ointinent made of Saffroncalled Crocinium, is ?* “3 
{trained and prefled out,the grounds which remaineisnamed Crocomagma, which alfo is not 
without fome efpeciall ufes tor it cureth the fuffufion of the eyes, or the cataract: but it cavfeth 
-erdeur and heat of urine more than Saffron itfelfe. The beft is that accounted which ifa man taft 
in his mouth, doth colour his {pittle and ftaine histeeth. , 
Astouching the Flower-de-lis, the red is thought to bee better than the white, Certes if lit: 
tle infants doe weare it tied about them by way of necklace,collar,or girdle, itis fuppofed to bea 
fingularremedie,efpecially when they breedteeth or have the chincough.Alfoif they bee trou- 
bled with the*worms,they hold it good gently to inftill the fame into the body[either by drink OF +7inearuhy vie 
ciyfters.} All other operations thatthe Flower-de-lis hath, differ not much in effet from honey, #2.P/inie cont. 
C A fingular properticit hath tocleanfe the head from fores and skals, and generally to mundifie MOP faeeth 
all-old impoftumate ulcers. Two drams theroftaken with honey,eafeth the bellie,and provoketh wormes in the 
tothe ftoole.Given in ordinarie drink, itftaieth the cough,appeafeth wrings,and diflolveth ven- Peby:sitrough 
toficies in the bellie.In vinegre it openeth the opilations of thefpleen. And being taken with wa- Reoeacts 
ter and vinegre together, itis an effectuall remedieagainft the ftinging of ferpents and fpiders, fores and skals 
The weight of ewo dramis eaten with bread or druoke in water, refifteth the poyfon of {corpions, 22s" 
Being made intoa liniment with oile,and fo applied, it cureth the bitings of mad dogs, & hea- 
tech the parts mortified with extreame cold.In the fame manner alfo it allaieth the pains of the 
-finewes.Reduced into an ointment with Rofin,it is fingular for the paine of the loins & the gout 
Sciatica. This root is hote in operation. Ifit be drawne or fouffed up into the nofe,itcaufeth {nee- 
D fiag,and purgech the head. A liniment of it & Pome-quinces or Peare-quinces,eafeth the head- 
ach: itrepreffeth alfo the vapours flying up into the head, caufing diftemperature of the brain, 
in afurfeit of wine or ttrongdrinke. Ithelpeth ftreightneffe of breath, and fuch as cannot take 
their wind but fitting upright. Itprovoketh vomit, if it be taken tothe weight of two Oboli.A ca- 
taplafe of it & honey together,draweth forth fpils of broken bones, The pouder of it is much 
ufed for Whit-flawes : and the fame applied with wine, taketh away corns and werts : but it mutt 
lie on three dates before you unbind and take it from the places The very chewing of it, correc- 
teth a {trong and ftinking breath :as alfo the filthie favour of thearme-holes. The juice thereof, 
doth mollifie all hard tumors. It provoketh fleepe, but it confumerh {perme or natusall feed. 
The Fiffares in the feat, as alfo the blind and {welling pilesin the fundament and all {uperfluous 
E excreffences ofthe bodie,ircureth. — 
There isa wild kind of Floure-de-lis,which fomecall Xyris:the root of this hearbis good to 
refolve and dilcufle the {welling kernels named the Kings evill, hot biles,and rifings in the groin, 
Howbeitforto worke thefe effects there be certaine ceremonies precifely to be obferved name- 
~ dy, That itbe taken out of the ground with the left hand in any cafe. Item, that they who gather it 
_ doefay inthe gathering, for whofe fake they pluck itup ; and withall,namethe perfon.And here 
in making mention of this matter, cannot but detect the knaverie of thefe Herbarifts and Sim- 
piers: Their maner is nottoemploy and occupie allthat they have gathered, burreferve & keepe 
port thereof,as alfo of fome other hearbs,as namely of Plantaine:and if they bee not well con- 
tenzed, nor thinke themfelves pated throughly for their paines in the cure, they make no more 
adoe but burie and cover within the earth that part which they kept by them, inthe fame place 
where it was digged forth. And beleeve verely they have an unhappie meaning and a certaine 
kind of witchcraft herein : forfooth, Thatthe maladies which they feemed to have healed,fhould 
breake out and be fore againe,to the end that they might be feton work anew. As touching Sa-_ 
Hunca the decoction of 1t in wine and fo taken, ftaieth vomits,and doth corroborat the ftomack. 
Mufaeus 
