1408 Of the Hiftory of Plants. L 1 b. 3, 
! y in S paine and fuch hot regions-we plant and fet it in gardens, defending it from cold at~th7b7 
ginning of March efpecially, . 
1 banc not feene any one tree thereof growing in Denmarke,Sweuia, Poland, Liuonia nr Ruffle 
or in any of thofe cold countries where 1 haue trauelled. 5 01 
The Time. 
. The B ay tree groweth greene winter and Sominer : it floureth in the Spring, and the black fruit 
is ripe in October. 
The N times . 
This tree is called in GreekeJk-w inLatine,£a«r«* .• in Italian, Lauro ■ inbDh Dutch 
hcetbamn : in low Dutch^mitugbOOmeiin Frencb,£a#rc»vin Spanifh,£W%«/,and ' Lome no- 
in Engli(h,Laurell,or Bay tree. 
The fruit is named in Greeke *»*!*< -in Lttim,Lauri bacc * : in high Dutch, TLoOCtbCEtfll : in low 
Dutch, JSafeeleet in Spamfh,^^ ; in Englifh, Bay berries. 
The Poets faine that it tooke his name of Daphne, Lado his daughter, with whom Apollo fell in 
loue. 1 1 
•J TbcTcmperaturc and Virtue!. 
A TI,e Berries and leaues of the Bay tree, faith Galen, are hot and very drie,and yet the berries more 
than the leaues. 
B The barke is not biting and hot, but mere bitter, and it hath alfo a certaineaftridliue or bindine 
qualitie. a 
C Bay Berries with Hony or Cute, are good in a licking medicine, faith Diofcorides, againft the 
pthificke or Confumption of the lungs, difficulty of breathing, and all kinde of fluxes or rheumes 
about the chert. 
D Bay Betties ta.cen in wine, ate good againrt the bitings and rttngings of any venomous bead and 
againft all venome and poifon : they clenfe away the morphevv : the iuicc preffed out hereofis a re- 
medy for paine of the cares, and deafeneffe.if it be dropped in with old wine and oile of Roles: this 
is alfo mixed with ointments that are good againft wearifomneffe, and that heate and difeufle or 
tvafte away humors. 
E B a y berries are put into Mithridare, Treacle, and fucb like medicines that are made to refrefh 
fuch people as are growne (luggifhand dull by meanes of taking opiate medicines, or fuchas haue 
any venomous or poifoned quality in them. 
F They are good alfo again ft cramps and drawing together of (inewes. 
G W e * n our fime do not vfe theberries for the infirmities of the lungs, or cheft,but minifter them 
againft the difeafes of the ftomacke,liucr,fpIeene, and bladder: they vvarmea cold ftomacke,caufe 
concoTion ofravv humours, ftirre vp a decaied appetire, rakeaway the loathing of meat, open the 
flopping of the liner and fpleene,prouoke vrine, bring down the menfes.and driue forth the fecon- 
dine. J 
H 
I 
K 
L 
M 
N 
O 
The oile preffed out of thefe,or drawne forth by deco&ion, doth in fhort time take away fcabs 
and fuch like filth of the skin. 
I r cureth them that are beaten blacke and blew, and that be bruifed by fquats and fal Is, it remoo- 
ueth blacke and blew fpots and congealed blond, and digefteth and wafteth away the humors ga- 
thered about the grieued part. 
Diofcorides faith, that theleaues are good for the difeafes of the mother and bladder, if a bath be 
made thereof to bathe and fit in : that the greene leaues do gently binde, that being applied, they 
aregood againft the ftingings of wafpes and Beesjthat with Barly meale parched and bread, they 
affwage all kinde of inflammations, and that being taken in drinke they mitigate the paine of the 
ftomacke.but procure vomite. 
1 he Berries of the Bay tree (lamped with a little Scammonie and Saffron, and laboured in a 
mortar with vineger and oile of Rofes to the forme of a liniment, and applied to the temples arid 
forepart of the head, do greatly ceafe the paine of the Megrim. 
It is reported that common drunkards were accuftomed to eat in the morning falling two leaues 
thereof againft drunkennefle. 
The later Phyfitionsdoeoftentimes vfe toboyle the leaues ofLaurell with diners meats,efpeci ■ 
a 'Iv fifties, and by fo doing there happeneth no defirc of vomiting: but the meat feafoned herewith 
becommeth more fauorv and better for the flomackc. 
< he barke of rhe mot of the Bay tree, as Galen writeth,drunken in wine prouoketh vrine, breakes 
the (lone, and driueth forth grauell : it openeth the flopping? of the liuer, the fpieene.andall other 
flopping? of the inward parts’: which thing alfo Diofcorides affirmed!, who likewife addeth that it 
Juiieth the childe in the mothers wombe. 
It 
