Of Sambuca. cap. 144.
THE Elder trée is called Sambucus, or Sambuca, and is a little softe trée, & thereof is a certeine symphonie made, that is called Tibia, and Sambuca also, as Isidore sayth libro. 12. or Tractatu de Musicis instrumentis, and is a trée with long boughes, and rounde and plaine, full sounde and sad without, and full hol∣lowe within, and full of certeine softe pith. And the leaues thereof be pleine, smooth, and fat, with heauy smell, and the flowers thereof be full white and small, with strong smell, and hath double rind. The vtter is browne redde, and the in∣ner is gréene. And that rinde is ful moist in déede. And the iuyce thereof accor∣deth to medicine, and beareth flowres and fruite twice in one yeare, and that fruit is black, with horrible smel and sa∣uour: and this is therefore vnprofitable to eate. And the elder tree is hotte and dry, and rindes, leaues, and flowres ther∣of accord to medicine, as it is sayde in Platearius, and hath vertue Diuretica, to temper and soften, to distribute and to drawe, and to purge fleams, and hel∣peth therefore against the Feance Cori∣diana, that commeth of fleme. The iuyce thereof by it selfe, or with honnie, slaieth long. Wormes in the wombe. The broth of the middle rinde within tempereth hardnesse of the liuer, and of the splene. And the same doth the leaues sodden in Oyle. And the barke and fruit therof sod∣den with Salt water, fordoeth swelling of feete, if the feete be baulmed therwith. The iuyce thereof helpeth against the dropsie, that commeth of colde, the broth of the leaues and of the fruits thereof sadde in strong Wine, helpeth agaynst Le〈…〉〈…〉, that commeth of fleame, if it bee used, 〈…〉〈…〉 purgeth, wonderfullye flea∣matike humour and corrupt, call such mours fleamtike disposed to corruption. And wonderull it is to sée in Elder, for if the middle rinde of the stalke, or of the roote bee shauen vpwarde, then it purg∣eth vpwarde, and if it be shauen downe∣warde, it purgeth downewarde, as Pli∣nius, Dioscorides, and Platearius doe meane.
(* 1.1The common elder is hot and dry in the third degrée, especially in the bark, the leaues and buddes, the tender crops or buddes sodden in broath: or Potage, doth open the belly, purgeth flegma and cholarike humours.
There is also Marris Elder, called O∣ple or Dwarfe Plane trée, spoken of be∣fore.
The gréene berryes of the common Elder tree, gathered néere the full of the Mone, and béeing dryed, beaten to Pou∣der, the quantity of halfe a quarter of an Ounce put into white or redish Wine, sixe sponefulls, dronke fasting, is a rare and speciall remedie to cure the stone Collicke, &c. He that taketh this medi∣cine, must walke halfe an houre after the receit, and kéepe good diet.)