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.

Calamint, or Mountain ☿ ☽ Mint.

Description.

THis is a smal Herb seldom rising above a a Foot high, with square hoary and woo∣dy Stalks, and two smal hoary Leavs set at a Joynt, about the bigness of Marjoram, or not much cigger, a little dented about the edges, and of a very fierce or quick scent, as the whol Herb is: The Flowers stand at several spaces of the Stalks from the middle almost upwards, which are smal and gaping like to those Mints, and of a pale Blush colour: after which fol∣low smal, reund, blackish Seeds: The Root is smal and Woody, with divers smal sptigs spreading within the ground, and dieth not, but abideth many yeers.

Place.

It groweth on Heaths, and Upland dry grounds, in many places of this Land.

Time.

They Flower in July, and their Seed is ripe quickly after.

Vertues and vse.

The Decoction of the Herb being drunk, bringeth down Womens Courses and provo∣keth Urin: It is profitable for those that are Bursten, or troubled with Convulsions or Cramps, with shortness of Breath, or Cholle∣rick torments and pains in their Bellies or Sto∣machs, it also helpeth the yellow Jaundice, and staieth Vomiting, being taken in Wine; taken with Salt and Honey, it killeth al man∣ner of Worms in the Body: It helpeth such as have the Leprosie, either taken inwardly, drinking Whey after it, or the green Herb outwardly applied: It hindreth Conception in Women: being either burned, or strewed in the Chamber, it driveth away Venemous Serpents. It takes away black and blue marks in the Face, and maketh black Scars become wel colored, if the green Herb (not the dry) be boyled in Wine and laid to the place, or the place washed therwith. Being applied to the Hucklebone, by continuance of time it spen∣deth the humors which caused the pain of the Sciatica. The Juyce dropped into the Ears killeth the Worms in them: The Leavs boy∣led in Wine and drunk provoketh sweat, and openeth Obstructions of the Liver and Spleen;* 1.1 it helpeth them that have a Tertian Ague* 1.2 (the Body being first purged) by taking away the cold Fits. The Decoction herof with some

Sugar put therto afterwards, is very profitable for those that be troubled with the overflow∣ing of the Gal,* 1.3 and that have an old Cough, and that are scarce able to breath by the short∣ness of their wind: That have any cold di∣stemper in their Bowels, and are troubled with the hardness of the Spleen, for al which pur∣poses, both the Pouder called Diacalaminthes and the Compound Syrup of Calamint (which are to be had at the Apothecaries) are most effectual.

Let not Women be too busy with it, for it works very violently upon the Foeminin parts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Terms provokes, Disury, Ruptures, Convul∣sions. Cramps, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice, Vomiting, Worms, Leprosie, Serpents, Black and blue Marks, Scars, Sciatica, Obstructi∣on of the Liver and Splein.
• * 1.2

  Tertion Agues
• * 1.3

  Gall, Cough, Bowels, Spleen.