¶ The Vertues.
Rue or Herbe-Grace prouokes vrine, brings downe the sicknes, expels the dead child and after∣birth, [ A] being inwardly taken, or the decoction drunke; and is good for the mother, if but smelled to.
Plin. lib. 20. ca. 13. saith it opens the matrix, and brings it into the right place, if the belly all ouer [ B] and the share (the brest say the old false copies) be anointed therewith: mixed with hony it is a re∣medie against the inflammation and swelling of the stones, proceeding of long abstinence from ve∣nerie, called of our English Mountebanks the Colts euill, if it be boyled with Barrowes grease, Bay leaues, and the pouders of Fenugreeke and Linseed be added thereto, and applied pultis wise.
It takes away crudity and rawnesse of humors, and also windines and old paines of the stomack. [ C]
Boiled with vineger it easeth paines, is good against the stitch of the side and chest, and shortnes [ D] of breath vpon a cold cause, and also against the paine in the ioynts and huckle bones.
The oile of it serues for the purposes last recited: it takes away the collicke and pangs in the [ E] 〈◊〉〈◊〉, not only in a clister, but also anointed vpon the places affected. But if this oile be made of the oile pressed out of Lineseed it will be so much the better, and of singular force to take away hard swellings of the spleene or milt.
It is vsed with good successe against the dropsie called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being applied to the [ F] belly in manner of a pultis.
The herb a little boiled or scalded, and kept in pickle as Sampier, and eaten, quickens the sight [ G]
The same applied with honey and the iuyce of Fennell is a remedie against dim eyes. [ H]
The iuyce of Rue made hot in the rinde of a pomegranat and dropped into the eares, takes away [ I] the paine thereof.
S. Anthonies 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is quenched therewith: it killeth the shingles, and running vlcers and sores in [ K] the heads of yong children, if it be tempered with Ceruse or white Lead, vineger, and oile of roses, and made into the forme of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or Triapharmacon.
Dioscorides saith, that Rue put vp in the nosthrils stayeth bleeding. [ L]
Of whose opinion Pliny also is; when notwithstanding it is of power rather to procure bleeding [ M] through the sharpe and biting qualitie that it hath.
The leaues of Rue beaten and drunke with wine, are an antidote against poisons, as Pliny saith. [ N]
Dioscorides writeth, that a twelue penny weight of the seed drunke in wine is a counterpoyson a∣gainst [ O] deadly medicines or the poyson of Wolfs-bane, Ixia, Mushroms, or Tode-stooles, the biting of Serpents, stinging of Scorpions, spiders, bees, hornets, and wasps; and it is reported, that if a man be anointed with the iuyce of Rue these will not hurt him; and that the Serpent is driuen away at the smell thereof when it is burned, insomuch that when the Weesell is to fight with the Serpent, she armeth her selfe by eating Rue against the might of the Serpent.
The leaues of Rue eaten with the kernels of wallnuts or figs stamped together and made into a [ P] masse or paste, is good against all euill aires, the pestilence or plague, resists poyson and all venom.
Rue boiled with Dil, Fennell seed, and some Sugar, in a sufficient quantitie of wine, swageth the [ Q] torments and griping paines of the belly, the paines in the sides and breast, the difficulty of brea∣thing, the cough, and stopping of the lungs, and helpeth such as are declining to a dropsie.
The iuyce taken with Dill, as aforesaid, helpeth the cold fits of agues, and alters their course: it [ R] helpeth the inflammation of the fundament, and paines of the gut called Rectum intestinum.
The iuyce of Rue drunke with wine purgeth women after their deliuerance, driuing forth the [ S] secondine, the dead childe, and the vnnaturall birth.
Ruevsed very often either in meate or drinke, quencheth and drieth vp the naturall seed of ge∣neration, [ T] and the milke of those that giue sucke.
The oile wherein Rue hath beene boyled, and infused many dayes together in the Sun warmeth [ V] and chafeth all cold members if they be anointed therewith: also it prouoketh vrine if the region of the bladder be anointed therewith.
If it be ministred in clisters it expells windinesse, and the torsion or gnawing paines of the guts. [ X]
The leaues of garden 〈◊〉〈◊〉 boiled in water and drunke, causeth one to make water, prouoketh the [ Y] termes, and stoppeth the laske.
Rutasyluestris or wilde Rue is much more vehement both in smell and operation, and therefore [ Z] the more virulent or pernitious; for somtimes it fumeth out a vapor or aire so hurtfull that it scor∣cheth the face of him that looketh vpon it, raising vp blisters, wheales, and other accidents: it ve∣nometh their hands that touch it, and will infect the face also, if it be touched with them before they be cleane washed; wherefore it is not to be admitted vnto meate or medicine.