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.

Cabbages and Coleworts. ☽

IShal spare a labor in writing a Descrip∣tion of these, sith almost every one that can but write at all may describe them from his own knowledg, they being ge∣nerally so well known that Descriptions are altogether needless.

Place.

These are generally planted in Gardens.

Time.

Their flowering time is towards the middle or end of July, and the Seed is ripe in August.

Vertues and use.

The Cabbages or Colewors boyled gently in Broth and eaten, do open the Body, but the second Decoction doth bind the Body.* 1.1 The Juyce therof drunk in Wine helpeth those that are bitten by an Adder, and the Decoction of the Flowers bringeth down Womens Courses. Being taken with Honey, it recovereth hoars∣ness or loss of the voice. The often eating of them wel boyled, helpeth those that are ••••••ing into a Consumption. The Pulp of the middle Ribs of Coleworts boyled in Almond Milk, and made up into an Electuary with Honey, being taken often, is very profitable for those that are pursie and short-winded. Being boy∣led twice, and an old Cock boyled in the Broth and drunk, it helpeth the pains and obstructi∣ons* 1.2 of the Liver and Spleen, and the Stone in the Kidnies. The Juyce boyled with Honey and dropped into the corner of the Eye, clea∣reth the sight, by consuming any Fn•• or cloud begining to dim it; it also consumeth the Can∣ker growing therin. They are much commen∣ded being eaten before meat, to keep one from surfetting, as also from being drunk with too much Wine, or quickly make a man sober a∣gain that is drunk before. For (as they say) there is such an Antipathy or enmity between the Vine and the Colewort, that the one will die where the other groweth. The Decoction of Coleworts taketh away the pain and ach, and allayeth the swellings* 1.3 of swoln and gouty Legs and Knees, wherein many gross and wa∣try humors are fallen, the place being bathed therwith warm: It helpeth also old and fi••thy sores being washed therewith, and healeth all smal Scabs, Pushes and Wheals that break out in the Skin. The Ashes of Colewort Stalks mixed with old Hogs-Grease are very effectual to anoint the Sides of those that have had long

pains therin, or any other place pained with Melancholly* 1.4 and windy humors.

This was surely Chrysiptus his god, and ther∣fore he wrote a whol Volumn of them and their Vertues; and that none of the least nei∣ther, for he would be no smal Fool, he apro∣priates them to every part of the Body, and to every Diseas in every part, and honest old Ca∣to they say used no other Physick, I know not what Mettals their Bodies were made of, this I am sure, cabbages are extream windy whe∣ther you take them as Meat, or as Medicine, yea as windy Meat as can be eaten, unless you eat Bagpipes or Bellows, and they are but sel∣dom eaten in our daies, and Col••wort Flowers are somthing more tollerable, and the whol∣somer Food of the two.

The Moon challengeth the Dominion of the Herb.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Venemous Beasts. Terms provokes, Hoarsness, Consump∣tion,
• * 1.2

  Obstructi∣ons, Stone, Sight, Canker Surfets,
• * 1.3

  Swellings, Gout, Sores, Scabs, Wheals,
• * 1.4

  Melan∣cholly, Wind.