The English physitian, or An astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar herbs of this nation being a compleat method of physick, whereby a man may preserve his body in health, or cure himself being sick for three pence charge, with such things only as grow in England ... / by Nich. Culpeper.

Vertues and use.

Galen saith, That the Leaves or Bark do dry and heal very much, and the Berries more than the Leaves: The Bark of the Root is less sharp and hot, but more bitter, and hath some astriction withal, whereby it is effectual to break the Stone,* 1.1 and good to open obstructi∣ons of the Liver, Spleen, and other inward parts, which bring the Dropsie, Jaundice, &c. The Berries are very effectual againft al Poy∣son of venemous Creatures, and the Stings of Wasps and Bees, as also against the Pestilence or other infectious Diseases, and therfore is put into sundry Triacles for that purpose: They likewise procure Womens Courses; and seven of them given to a Woman in sore travel of Child-birth, do cause a speedy delivery, and expel the After-birth; and therfore not to be taken by, such as have not gon but theit time lest they procure Abortment, or cause Labor too soon: They wonderfully help al: cold and rhumatick Distillations from the Brain to the Eyes, Lungs or other parts: And being made into an Electuary with Honey, do help the

Consumption, old Coughs, shortness of Breath,* 1.2 and thin Rhewms: as also the Mea∣grim, they mightily expel wind and provoke Urin; help the Mother, and kil the Worms: The Leaves also work the like effects. A Bath of the Deccction of the Leavs and Ber∣ries, is singular good for Women to sit in that are troubled with the Mother, or the Diseases therof, or the stoppings of their Courses, or for the Diseases of the Bladder, pains in the Bowels by wind, and stoppnig of Urin: A Decoction likewise of equal parts of Bay-ber∣ries, Cummin-Seed, Hysop, Origanum, and Euphorbium, with some Honey, and the Head bathed therwith doth wonderfully help Distil∣lations and Rhewms, and setleth the Pallat of the Mouth into its place. The Oyl made of the Berries is very comfortable in all cold Griefs of the Joynts, Nervs, Arteries, Stomach, Belly, or Womb, and helpeth Palsies, Convulsions, Cramps, Aches, trembling and numness in a∣ny part, weariness also, and pains that come, by sore travelling: Al griefs and pains like∣wise proceeding from Wind, either in the Head, Stomach, Back, Belly, or Womb, by ••nointing the parts affected therwith: And pains in the Ears are also cured by dropping in some of the Oyl, or by receiving into the ••Ears the warm fume of the Decoction of the Berries through a Funnel. The Oyl takes a∣way marks of the Skin and Flesh by bruises, fats, &c. and dissolveth the congealed Blood in them: It helpeth also the Itch, Scabs, and Wheals in the Skin.

I shal but only ad a word or two to what my Friend hath written, viz. That it is a Tree of the sun, and under the Co••lostial sign Leo, and resisteth Witchcraft* 1.3 very potently, as also al the evil old Saturn can do to the Body of Man, and they are not a few, for it is the Speech of one, and I am mistaken if it were not Myzal∣dus, That neither Witch nor Devil, Thun∣der nor Lightning wil hurt a Man in the place where a Bay-Tree is.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Stone, Ob∣structions of the Li∣ver and Spleen, Dropsie, Poyson, Jaundice, Bees, Wasps, Hornees Terms provokes, Cause De∣livery, After birth Eyes, Lungs,
• * 1.2

  Coughs, Shortness•• of Breath, Megrim, wind, Ver∣tigo, Disu∣ry, Mother, worms, Joynts, Nerves, Arteries, Stomach, Belly, womb, Ears, Marks in the Skin, Itch, Scabs.
• * 1.3

  Witchcraft