¶ The Vertues.
The dry Figs do nourish better than the greene or new Figs; notwithstanding they ingender [ A] not very good bloud, for such people as do feed much thereon doe become low sie.
Figs be good for the throat and lungs, they mitigate the cough, and are good for them that be [ B] short winded: they ripen flegme, causing the same to be easily spet out, especially when they be sodden with Hyssop, and the decoction drunke.
Figges stamped with Salt, Rew, and the kernels of Nuts withstand all poyson and corruption [ C] of the aire. The King of Pontus, called Mithridates, vsed this preseruatiue against all venom and poyson.
Figs stamped and made into the forme of a plaister with wheat meale, the pouder of Fenugreek, [ D] and Lineseed, and the roots of marish Mallowes, applied warme, do soften and ripen impostumes, phlegmons, all hot and angry swellings and tumors behinde the eares: and if you adde thereto the roots of Lillies, it ripeneth and breaketh Venerious impostumes that come in the flanke, which impostume is called Bubo, by reason of his lurking in such secret places: in plaine English termes they are called 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
Figs boiled in Wormwood wine with some Barly meale are very good to be applied as an im∣plaister [ E] vpon the bellies of such as haue the dropsie.
Dry Figges haue power to soften, consume, and make thinne, and may be vsed both outwardly [ F] and inwardly, whether it be to ripen or soften impostumes, or to scatter, dissolue, and consume them.
The leaues of the Fig tree do waste and consume the Kings Euill, or swelling kernells in the [ G] throat, and do mollifie, waste, and consume all other tumors, being finely pouned and laid there∣on: but after my practise, being boiled with the roots of marish Mallowes vntill they be soft, and so incorporated together, and applied in forme of a plaister.
The milky iuyce either of the figs or leaues is good against all roughnesse of the skinne, lepries, [ H] spreading sores, tetters, small pockes, measels, pushes, wheales, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, lentiles, and all other spots, scuruinesse, and deformitie of the body and face, being mixed with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 meale and appli∣ed: it doth also take away warts and such like excrescences, if it be mingled with some fattie or greasie thing.
The milke doth also cure the tooth-ache, if a little lint or cotton be wet therein, and put into the [ I] hollownesse of the tooth.
It openeth the veines of the hemorrhoids, and looseneth the belly, being applied to the funda∣ment. [ K]
Figs stamped with the pouder of Fenugreeke, and vineger, and applied plaisterwise, doe ease [ L] the intollerable paine of the hot gout, especially the gout of the feet.
The milke thereof put into the wound proceeding of the biting of a mad dog, or any other ve∣nomous [ M] beast, preserueth the parts adioyning, taketh away the paine presently, and cureth the hurt.
The greene and ripe Figs are good for those that be troubled with the stone of the kidneyes, for [ N] they make the conduits slipperie, and open them, and do also somewhat clense: whereupon after the eating of the same, it hapneth that much grauell and sand is conueyed forth.
Dry or barrell Figs, called in Latine Caricae, are a remedie for the belly, the cough, and for old [ O] infirmities of the chest and lungs: they scoure the kidnies, and clense forth the sand, they mitigate the paine of the bladder, and cause women with child to haue the easier deliuerance, if they feed thereof for certaine dayes together before their time.
Dioscorides saith, that the white liquor of the Fig tree, and iuice of the leaues, do curdle milke as [ P] rennet doth, and dissolue the milke that is cluttered in the stomacke, as doth vineger.
It bringeth downe the menses, if it be applied with the yolke of an egge, or with yellow wax. [ Q]