of Plinies Natural Hiftorie. 
A tarsand ringworms called Lichenes, ifthey be taken at the firft beforethey have run far. The Ars 
E 
but or Strawberrie tree ,otherwifenamed Vnedo, beareth a fruit hard of digeftion, and offenfive 
tothe ftomacke. The Lawrell, both leafe, barke,and bertie, isby nature hor; and therefore itis 
agreed among all writers, That their decoction ,efpecially of the leaves, is comfortable to the 
bladder and naturall parts of women : the fame being applied asa liniment, be fingular good for 
the pricke or {ting of wafps,hornets,and bees ; and likewife againft the poifons of ferpents,efpe- 
cially of the viper,& Seps otherwife called Dipfas, Boiled with oile,they are good to bring down 
womens fleures. The tender leaves of the Bay ftamped, and mixed with groffe barley meale or 
groats, cure the inflammationsof the eies: with rue, they helpethe hot tumors and {wellings of 
the cods: but incorporat with oile rofat,or with oile of Ireos or floure-de-lis, they afluage che 
head-ach. WWhofoever doth chew and {wallow downe three Bay leaves, for three daies togither, 
fhall be delivered by that means from the cough. The fame, if they be beaten to powder and re- 
duced into an eletuarie or loch with honey, are good for fich as be purfie and labour for wind. 
The barke or rind growing to the root,is daungerousfor women great with child,andfuch mutt 
take heed how they meddle with it. The very root it felfe, breaketh ordiffolveth the ftone, and 
is holefome for the liver, ifit be taken to the weight of three oboli in odoriferous wine.Bay leaves 
given doe drinke, doe provoke vomit. Bay berries bruifed and fo applied,or otherwife pulverifed 
and taken in drinke, drawdowne the iflue of womens terms, Take two Bay berries, rid or cleanfe 
them from their huske and drink them in wine, itis a fingular medicine for invecerat coughs,and 
the difficultie or ftraightnefle of breath, when amamisforced to fit upright forto fetch and de- 
liver his wind : howbeit,ifthe Patient be in a fever, it is better to take thefe berries in water; orels 
by way of a loch or electuarie, after they have been fodden in honeyed water or fweetcuit. And 
_ inthismannerthey be good ina phthificke or confumption of the lungs,and all catarrhs which 
-fallto the petorall parts; for they ripen fleame, and fend it out of the cheft, Foure Bay berries 
drunk with wine,are a good remedie for the fting of {corpions. The fame being broughtto pow- 
derand reduced into a liniment with oile,and fo applyed, doe heale the bloudy-falls called Epis 
nyCides ; rid away freckles and pimples; cure running {calls and ulcers,cankers and fores in the 
mouth; andcleanfe the bodie of fcurfe,{calls,and dandraffe. The juice drawne out of Bay ber- 
ries, killech an itch that fretteth the skin,and befides, the lice that crawle and fwarme all over the 
bodie. The fame, mingled with old wine and oile rofarand fo dropped into the ears, cureth their 
paine and deafeneffe : and whofoever be annointed all over therewith, need feare no venomous 
things, for they will flie ftom them. The fame juice, efpecially if itbe drawne from the berries of 
that Lawrell which hath the fmallerandthinner leaves, may be taken in drinke, and foitis effec- 
tuall againft all ftings. The berries drunke in wine, wichftand the venome of ferpents ,{corpions, 
and {piders, Brought into aliniment with oie and vinegre, and fo applied, they heipe thefplene 
and liver; but with hony,they heale gangrens.Suchias be wearied with travaile,or otherwife ftiffe 
and benummed with cold,find much good by being annointed with the faid liniment or juice, if 
fome fal-nitre be putthereto, Some are of opinion, That if awoman in labour drinke the quan- 
titie of one acetable of the Lawrell root ia water, {hee thall have the more {peedie deliverance: 
and for this purpofe (they fay) that a frefh and greene root is better thana dric. Others prefcribe, 
to give in drinke ten Bay berries againft the pricke of {corpions. Alfowhen the Vvula is falne, 
fome give counlelito take three ounces of the leaves and berries,and feech them in three fex- 
tars of water to the thirds,& to gargarize with this decoction hot: alfo for the head-ach, co take 
- fome odd number of Bay berries,and ftampe them with oile into a liniment,and therwithtoan- 
noint the forhead and temples,as hot as the patient can well abide it, The leaves oi the Delphick 
Lawrell beaten to powder, and held to the nofe and finelled unto ever and and anon, ferve fora 
good prefervative in time of the contagious peftilence; and the rather, ifthey bee burnt, their 
perfume doth reGtifie the infetion of the aire. The oile of the faid Bayes of che lfle Delphos, ts 
good forto makethofe cerots which put away laffitude & wearineffe, to dilcuffe and refolve the 
cold humors which caufe quivering and quaking, to mollifie and {tretch thefinewes, to allay the 
pain of the fides in a pleurific,and laft of all to drive away the cold fits of agues.Semblably, ifthe 
fame be warmed inthe rind of a Pomegratat,and inftilled into the ears,it eafeth their pain. The 
Jeaves boiled in water to the confumption ofa thitd part,keep up the Vvula,ufed by way ofagar- 
“garifaie: but the faid decoGtion taken inwardly ,allayeth the pains ofbelly and guts. The tendreft 
Jeaves that may be had, ftamped with wine intoa liniment, doe repreffe and keepe down wheals 
Qiij and 
173 
