Pharmacopœia Londinensis, or, The London dispensatory further adorned by the studies and collections of the Fellows, now living of the said colledg ... / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent.

ROOTS, of

Colledg. SOrrell, Calamus Aromaticus, Water∣flag, Privet, Garlick, Marsh-mallows, Aleanet, Angelica, Anthora, Smallage, Aron, Birth∣wort long and round, Sowbread, Reeds, Asarabac∣ca, Virginian, Snakeweed, Swallow-wort, Spara∣gus, Asphodel male and foemale, Burdocks great and small, Behen, or Bazil, Valerian white and red, Da∣zies, Beets, white red and black, Marsh-mallows, Bistort, Borrage, Briony white and black. Bugloss garden and wild, Calamus Aromaticus, our Ladies thistles, Avens, Coleworts, Centaury the less, O∣nions, Chameleon white and black, Chelondine, Pile∣wort, China, Succory, Artichokes, Virginian Snake∣root, Comfry greater and lesser, Contra yerva, Costus, sweet and bitter, Turmerick, Wild Cucumers, Sow∣bread, Hounds-tongue, Cyperus long and round, tooth∣wort, White Dittany, Doronicum, Dragons, Woo∣dy Nightshade, Vipers Bugloss, Smallage, Hellebore white and black, Endive, Alicampane, Eringo, Coltsfoot, Fearn male and foemale, Filipendula or Dropwort, Fennel, White Dittany, Galanga great and small, Gentian, Liquoris, Dog-grass, Hermoda∣ctills, Swallow-wort, Jacinth, Henbane, Jallap, Ma∣sterwort, Orris or flower-de-luce both English and Florentine, Sharp-poynted-dock, Burbock greater and less, lovage, Privet, White Lillies, Liquoris, Mallows, Mechoacan, Jallap, Spignel, Mercury, Devils Bit, Sweet Navew, Spicknard, Celtick, and Indian, Wa∣ter lillies, Rest-harrow, Sharp-poynted-Dock, Peony male and foemale, Parsneps garden and Wild, Cink∣foyl, Butter-Burre, Parsly, Hogs-Fennel, Valerian greater and lesser, Burnet, Land and water Plantane, Polypodium of the Oak, Solomons Seal, Leeks, Pelli∣tory of Spain, Cinkfoyl, Turneps, Rhadishes garden and Wild, Rhapontick, Common Rhubarb, Mouks-rhu∣barb, Rose-root, Maddir, Bruscus, Sopewort, Sarsa∣parilla, Satiryon male and foemale, white Saxifrage, Squills, Figwort, Scorzonera English and Spanish, Virginian, Snakeweed, Solomons Seal, Cicers, Stin∣king Gladon, Devills-bit, Dandelion, Thapsus, Tor∣mentill, Turbith, Colts foot, Valcrian greater and lesser. Vervain, Swallow-wort, Nettles, Zedoary, long and round, Ginger.

Culpeper] These be the Roots the Colledge hath named, and but only named, and in this order as I have set them down. It seems the Coiledg hold a strange opinion, viz. That it would do an Eng∣lish man a mischeife to konw what the herbs in is garden are good for, such admirable Common∣wealths-men they are, so infinitly beneficiall to their Country; even in the suparlative degree.

For my own particular I aim solely at the benefit of my country in what I do, and shall impartially reveal to them what the Lord hath revealed to me in Phy∣sick: I see my first labours were so well accepted, that I shall not now give over till I have given my coun∣try that which is called the whol body of Physick, in their own mother tongue; I waigh the ill language of the Colledg no more than I do a straw under my foot; Wisdom will be justified of all her children: only I desire them not to grow to proud, but remem∣ber who it was said, Pride goes before a fall, and a haughty mind before destruction.

In antient times when men lived more in health, simples were more in use by farr than now they are: now compounds take the cheif place, and men are farr more sickly then before; The reason I conceive to be the incongruity between the Colledges compounds and our bodies; It is palpably true that their re∣ceipts were no children of their own brains, but bor∣rowed

some from Arabia, others from Greece, and some few from Italy: I know no reason why they ab∣scorded the names of the Authors from whence they borrowed them, unless it were either to make the Ge∣neration to come, beleeve they were their own: or else to put an exceeding difficulty to all, an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 im∣possibility upon most, to find the verttues of them, as not knowing in what Authors to search for them; The one of these shews the pride, the other the dishonesty of their hearts.

But to return to my purpose, my opinion is, that those herbs, roots, plants &c. which grow neer a man are farr better and more congruous to his nature than any out-landish rubbish whatsoever, and this I am able to give a reason of to any that shall demand it of me, therefore I am so capious in handling of them, you shall observe them ranked in this order.

1. The Temperature of the Roots, Herbs, Flowers &c. are of, viz. Hot, cold, dry, moist, together with the degree of each quality.

2. What part of the body each root, herb, flower, is apropriated to, viz. head, throat, breast, heart, stomach, liver, spleen, bowells, reins, bladder, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, joynts, and in those which heat those places, and which cool them.

3. The property of each Simple as they, bind, open, mollify, harden, extinuate, discusse, draw out, sup∣pure, clense, glutinate, break wind, breed seed, pro∣voke the terms, stop the terms, resist poyson, abate swellings, ease pain.

This I intend shall be my generall method through∣out the Simples, which having finished; I shall give you a paraphrase explaining these terms, which right∣ly considered will give the key of Galens way of ad∣ministring Physick.

The Temperature of the Roots.

Roots hot in the first degree.

Marshmallows, Bazil, Valerian, Spattling poppy, Burdocks, Borrage, Bugloss, Calamus Aroma∣ticus, Avens, Pilewort, China, Self-heal, Liquoris, Dog-grass, White-Lillies Peony male and foemale, Wild parsneps, Parsly, Valerian great and small, Knee-holly, Satyrion, Scorzonera, Skirrets.

Hot in the second degree.

Water-flag, Reeds, Swallowwort, Asphodel male, Carline thistle, Cyperus long and round, Fennel, Lovage, Spignell, Mercury, Devils-bit, Butter-burr, Hogs-Fennel, Sarsa-parilla, Squills, Zedoary.

Hot in the third degree.

Angelica, Aron, Birthwort long and round, Sow∣bread, Asarabacca, Briony, white and black, Sullen∣dine, Virginian Snake-root, Hermerick, White 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Doronicum, Hellebore white and black, A∣licampane, Filipendula, Galanga greater and lesser, Masterwort, Orris, English and Florintine, Rest∣harrow, Stinking Gladon, Turbith, Ginger.

Hot in the fourth degree.

Garlick, Onnions, Leeks, Pellitory of Spain.

Roots temperate in respect of heat are,

〈◊〉〈◊〉, Sparagus, Our Ladies thistles, Erin∣go, Jalap, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Mechoacan, Garden-Parsnips, Sink-foyl, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 cold in the first degree.

Sorrel, Beets white and red, Comfry the greater, Plantane, Rose root, Maddir.

Cold in the second degree.

Alcanet, Dazies, Succory, Hounds-tongue, En∣dive, Jacinth.

Cold in the third degree,

Bistort and mandrakes, are cold in the third de∣gree, and Henbane in the fourth.

Roots dry in the first degree

Bearsbreech, Burdocks, Red beets, Calamus Aro∣maticus, Pilewort Self-heal, Endive, Eringo, Jacinth, Maddir, Knee-holly.

Dry in the second degree.

Waterflag, Marsh-mallows, Alkanet Smallage, Reeds, Sorrel, Swallow-wort, Asphodel male, Bazill, Vale∣rian and Spatling-poppy, according to the opinion of the Greeks, Our Ladies thistles, Avens, Succory, Hounds-tongue, Cyperus long and round, Fennell, Lovage, Spignel, Mercury, Devills bitt, Butter-burt, Parsly, Plantane, Zedoary.

Dry in the third degree.

Angellica, Aron, Birthwort long and round, Sow∣bread, Bistort, Asarabacca, Briony white and black, Carline thistle, China, Sullendine, Virginian, Snake∣root, White Dittany, Doronicum, Hellebore white and black, Alicampane, Filipendula, Galanga greater and lesser, Master-wort, Orris English and Floren∣tine, Rest-harrow, Peony, male and foemale, Sink∣foyl, Hogs-Fennell, Sarsa-parilla, Stinking-Gladon, Tormentill, Ginger.

Dry in the fourth degree

Garlick, Onnions, Costus, Leeks, Pellitory of Spain.

Roots moist are,

Bazil Valerian, and Spattling-poppy, according to the Arabian Physitians, Daisies, white Beets, Bor∣rage, Bugloss, Liquoris, Dog-grass, Mallows, Saty∣rion, Scorzonera, Parsnips, Skirrets.

Roots are also apropriated to several parts of the bo∣dy; and so they,

Heat the head,

Doronicum, Fennel, Jallap, Mechoacan, Spicknard, Celtick, and Indian, Peony male and foemale.

Neck and throat.

Pilewort, Devils-bit.

Breast and lungues.

Birthwort long and round, Elicampane, Liquoris, Orris English and florentine, Calamus Aromaticus, Sinkfoil, Squills.

Heart

Angellica, Borrage, Bugloss, Carline thistle, Doro∣nicum, Butter bur, Scorzonera, Tormentil Zedoary, Bazil, Valerian white and red.

Stomach

Alicampane, Galanga greater and lesser, Spick∣nard, Celtick, and Indian, Ginger, Fennel, Avens; Radishes.

Bowels

Valerian great and small, Zedoary, Ginger.

Liver

Smallage, Carline thistle, Sullendine, China, Turmerick, Fennel, Gentian, Dog-grass, Cinkfoyl, Parsly, Smallage, Sparagus, Rhubarb Rhapontick, Knee-holly.

Spleen

Smallage, Carline thistle, Fearn male and foemale, Parsly, Water-flag, Sparagus, round Birthwort, Fen∣nel, Capers; Ash, Gentian.

Reins and bladder.

Marshmallows, Smallage, Sparagus, Burdock, Ba∣zil, Valerian, spatling Poppy, Carline thistle, Chi∣na, Cyperus long and round, Filipendula, Dog-grass, Spicknard, Celtick, and Indian, Parsly, Kneeholly, white Saxisrage.

Womb

Birthwort long and round, Galanga greater and les∣ser, Peony male and foemale, hogs Fennel.

Fundament

Pilewort.

Joynts

Bears-breech, Hermodactils, Jallap, Mecoacan, Ginger, Costus.

Roots cool the Head

Rose Root.

Stomach

Sow thistles, Endive, Succory, Bistort.

Liver and spleen

Maddir, Endive, Cichory.

The properties of the Roots.

Although I confess the properties of the Simples may be found out, by the ensuing explanation of the terms and I suppose by that means they were found out at first, and although I hate a lazy Student from my heart, yet to encourage young Students in the art; I shall quote the cheifest of them, I desire all lovers of Physick to compare them with the explanation of these Rules, so shall they see how they agree, so may they be enabled to find out the properties of all Simples, (yea of such as are not mentioned in the learned Colledges Apish Dispensatory) to their own exceeding benefit in Physick.

Roots, Bind,

Cyperus, Bistort, Tormentil, Cinkfoyl, Bears breech, Waterflag, Alkanet, Toothwort, &c.

Discuss

Birthwort, Asphodel, Briony, Capers, &c.

Clense

Birthwort Aron, Sparagus, Grass, Asphodel, Sul∣lendine, &c.

Open

Asarabacca, Garlick, Leeks, Onions, Rhapontick, Turmerick, Carline thistle, Succory, Endive, Fili∣pendula, Fennel, Parsly, Bruscus, Sparagus, Smallage, Gentian &c.

Extenuate

Orris English and florentine, Capers, &c.

〈◊〉〈◊〉

Garlick, Onions, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Spain &c.

〈◊〉〈◊〉

Mallows, Marshmallows, &c.

Suppure

Marshmallows, Briony, white Lillies, &c.

Glutinate

Comfry, Solomons seal, Gentian, Birthwort, Dai∣sies, &c.

Expell Wind

Smallage, Parsly, Fennel, Waterflag, Garlick, Co∣stus, Galanga, hogs Fennel, Zedoary, Spicknard Indian and Celticque, &c.

Breed seed

Waterflag, Eringo, Satyrion, Galanga, &c.

Provoke the terms

Birthwort, Asarabacca, Aron, Waterflag, white Dittany, Asphodel, Garlick, Centaury the less, Cy∣perus long and round, Costus, Capers, Calamus, A∣romaticus, Dittany of Creet, Carrots, Eringo, Fen∣nel, Parsly, Smallage, Grass, Alicampane, Peony, Valerian, Kneeholly, &c.

Stop the terms

Comfry, Tormentil, Bistort, &c.

Provoke sweat

Carline thistle, China, Sarsa parilla, &c.

Resist poyson

Angellica, Garlick, long Birthwort, Smallage, Do∣ronicum, Costus, Zedoary, Cyperus, Gentian, Car∣line thistle, Bistort, Tormentil, Swallow-wort, Vi∣pers, Bugloss, Alicampane &c.

Help burnings

Asphodel, Jacinth, white Lillies, &c.

Ease pains

Water-flag, Eringo, Orris, Rest-harrow, &c.

Of Roots, some purge,

Choller

Asatabacca, Rhubarb, Rhapontick, Fern, &c.

Melancholly

Hellebore, white and black, Polypodium.

Flegm and watry humors

Squils, Turbith, Hermodactils, Jallap, Mechoacan, wild Cucumers, Sowbread, male Asphodel, Briony white and black, Elder, Spurge, great and small.

* 1.1 I quoted some of these properties, to teach you the way how to find the rest, which the explanation of these terms will give you ample instructions in: I quoted not al because I would fain have you studious; be dilligent, gentle Readers be dilligent, who knows but you may come to be Collegiates, or as good Phy∣sitians as Collegiates, before you die.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How to use your bodies in, and after taking Purges; you shall be taught by and by: