¶ The Vertues.
Dioscorides writeth that the first springs or sproutings being boiled and eaten, do purge by siege [ A] and vrine. Galen saith, that all men vse accustomably to eate of it in the spring time, and that it is a nourishment wholesome, by reason of the binding qualitie that it hath; which is to be vnderstood of those of the wilde Vine, called in Latine, Tamus; and not of the sproutings of this plant; for the sproutings of the first springs of white Bryony are nothing binding at all, but do mightily purge the belly, and torment the stomacke.
Dioscorides also affirmeth, that the juice of the root being pressed out in the spring, and drunke [ B] with meade or honied water, purgeth flegme: and not onely the juice, but also the decoction of the root draweth forth flegme, choler, and waterish humours, and that very strongly; and it is withall oftentimes so troublesome to the stomacke, as it procureth vomite.
This kinde of strong purgation is good for those that haue the dropsie, the falling sicknesse, [ C] and the dizzinesse and swimming of the braine and head, which hath continued long, and is hardly to be remooued: yet notwithstanding it is not dayly to be giuen (as Dioscorides admonisheth) to them that haue the falling sickenesse, for it will be troublesome enough to take it now and then: and it is (as we haue said) an exceeding strong medicine, purging with violence, and very forceable for mans nature.
The root put vp in manner of a pessary bringeth forth the dead child and afterbirth: being boi∣led [ D] for a bath to sit in, it worketh the same effect.
It scoureth the skin, and taketh away wrinckles, freckles, sunne burning, blacke marks, spots, and [ E] scars of the face, being tempered with the meale of vetches or Tares, or of Fenugreeke: or boiled in oile till it be consumed; it taketh away blacke and blew spots which come of stripes: it is good against Whitlowes: being stamped with wine and applied it breaketh biles; and small apostumes, it draweth forth splinters and broken bones, if it be stamped and laid thereto.
The same is also fitly mixed with eating medicines, as Dioscorides writeth. [ F]
The fruit is good against scabs and the leprie, if it be applied and annointed on, as the same Au∣thor [ G] affirmeth.
Galen writeth, that it is profitable for Tanners to thicken their leather hides with. [ H]
Furthermore, an electuary made of the roots and hony or sugar, is singular good for them that [ I] are short winded, troubled with an old cough, paine in the sides, and for such as are hurt and bur∣sten inwardly: for it dissolueth and scatereth abroad congealed and clottered bloud.
The root stamped with salt is good to be laid vpon filthy vlcers and scabbed legs. The fruite [ K] is likewise good to the same intent if it be applied in manner aforesaid.
The root of Bryony and of wake-Robin stamped with some sulphur or brimstone, and made vp [ L] into a masse or lump and wrapped in a linnen clout, taketh away the morphew, freckles, and spots of the face, if it be rubbed with the same being dipped first in vineger.