A newe herball of Macer, translated out of Laten in to Englysshe.

¶The .ii. letter begynneth with. B.

¶Betonia.

BEtonia is an herbe cal∣led Betayne or byschoppes worte, this herde hathe hole leues, but they be endēted by the sydes without, & it hath a

red flower in the croppe of the stalke. ¶ The vertue of this herbe is yf he be pune and put to the wounde in the heade that is smytten with a stroke,* 1.1 he shall hele the wounde fayre and well, and the better yf it be fresshe. Also this herbe wyll drawe out broken bones of woūdes as some Auctours sayen. Also take the water of Betayne, or els breke the leues and take the ioyce and put it in to thyne iyes, than shall you fynde that it is good for akyn∣ge or sorenes of y^e iyen. Also take of Betayn a••ragma and pune it and medle it with wa∣ter that is warme,* 1.2 and drynke it .iiii. tymes fastynge and it wyll breke the webbe aboute the iyen, and clense theym well & fayre. Also yf thou haue waterynge iyen eate euery daye a lytel Betayne and it clenseth them.* 1.3 Also if thou haue akynge iyen, take the leues of Be∣tayne fresshe by them selfe, or els with a lytel water, and then wrynge out the ioyce & put therto a lytell rose water, warme them well togyther, and styll it in to thyne iyen, and af¦terwarde put aboue wolle, and so thou shalte be hole. Also yf thou blede moche at the nose take Betayne and pune it with a lytell salte,* 1.4 and do it to thyne nose thyrlles, as moche as thou mayest with thy thombe and thy medle

fynger,* 1.5 and than holde thy nosethyrlle with the same fyngers, and the bloud shall staūce. Also yf thou haue sore tethe,* 1.6 take Betayne and seth it in olde wyne, or in eysell tyll it be sodde to the thyrde parte, and holde it in thy mouth, and thou shalt amende.* 1.7 Also yf thou haue the cowghe take two oūces of the pow∣der of Betayne and a lytell hony, and seth it with esy fyre, and vse it .ix. dayes.* 1.8 Also yf a mānes yearde be swollen or els sore, take Be∣tayne & pune it with lytell wyne, and after laye to the yarde and he shalbe hole. Also yf a man may not holde his mete within hym, take .iiii. dragmes of the powder of Betayne and medle it with hōny that is sodde,* 1.9 & make pellettes as greate as a walsche nute, & gyue hym .iiii. dayes eche day a pellet, and do hym to drynke .ii. sponefull of that water, & than he shall be hole. Also yf a man be potagre, ta∣ke Betayne and pune it & lay it to his feete,* 1.10 and he shalbe amēded. Also take a lytell Be∣tayne or the powder and eate it erely, and it shall helpe the fro dronkēnes that day,* 1.11 these medycynes ben proued, and hath many moo vertues. This herbe groweth in woodes and holly places amonge busshes in darke places, this herbe is hote and drye.

¶Balsaminta.

BAlsaminta is an herbe that men cal hor∣semynt, this herbe hath leues lyke vnto other myntes, and some men calleth it water mynt, it groweth moche by the water, but it hath a strōger sauer then hath another mynt. ¶ The vertue is that he wyll conforte the sto¦macke,* 1.12 & make a man well to defy his meate Also this herbe purgeth a man within the bo∣dye, and maketh hym well to speke. Also the ioyce of this herbe medled with hōny and a lytell wyne doth awaye the schylke of amans stomacke, and other wycked wyndes of hym. Also the ioyce of this herbe drōke with wyne ysode maketh a woman with chylde esely to bere her chylde,* 1.13 & soone to be delyuered, this is hote and drye, and hath two spyces.

¶Beta.

BEta is an herbe called Bete, this herbe is cōmen, and groweth in Gardaynes, and there be two spyces therof, and Diacoli∣des sayeth, one is whyte another blacke,

¶ The vertue of this herbe is that the ioyce of this herbe putte it in to the nosethyrlles,* 1.14 it clenseth a mans heed. Also this herbe swa∣geth the akynge of a mans heed. Also it clen∣seth the heed from nyttes,* 1.15 and from other ver¦men.

Also it repayreth & kepeth the heer of a mānes heed.* 1.16 Also this herbe dystroyeth bot∣ches and byles. Also Diacolides sayeth,* 1.17 that vpon the rote of this herbe maye be planted a graffe that wyll afterwarde beare fruyte, as vpon the cole rote.

¶Borago Domestices.

BOrago Domestices is an herbe called Borage, this groweth in Gardaynes, and he hath shorte leues and a blewe flower. ¶ The vertue of this herbe is y^t he wyl clense the red colour of mā.* 1.18 Also this herbe medled with wyne maketh a man glade and mery, & it is hote and drye.

¶Bigula.

BIgula is an herbe called Brome Bugle this hath leues somwhat rounde, and somwhat tournynge to blacke, and he hath a blew flower and somwhat boystous. ¶The vertue of this herbe is that he wyll hele woun¦des in a mans heed.* 1.19 Also it breketh and dy∣stroyeth the rewme in amans heade and the akynge, he groweth in woodes, and he is ho∣te and drye, and there ben .ii. spyces of hym.* 1.20

¶Burneta.

BVrneta is an herbe called Burnet, & it hath ablewe flower as hath Hayhoue, and leues lyke to Tansey, but they be not so

great. ¶ The vertue of this herbe is that he wyll distroy the great humours and the laxa∣tyue within a man.* 1.21 Also he healeth and ope∣neth the stoppynge of the lyuer, and maketh a man to pysse. Also he healeth a man of the yelow euyll.* 1.22 Also the ioyce medled with hōny and dronke, vnbyndeth & healeth the sore of the rybbes and pappes, and there be .ii. spyces of this herbe one groweth in harde lande and hath lytell leues,* 1.23 another groweth ī medowes and haue more leues.

¶Bursa pastoris.

BVrsa pastoris is an herbe called shepar¦des purs or tocheworte, this hath leues departed somdele as Burnete, & hath a why∣te flower, and when he hath lost his flower, he hath the maner of a purs, in the whiche is sede ¶ THE vertue of this herbe is he wyll sone staunche blode yf he be dronke,* 1.24 it groweth in feldes and gardaynes well nyghe all aboute, and he is hote and drye.

Notes

• * 1.1

  woūde in the hede
• * 1.2

  broken bonesī y^e hede.
• * 1.3

  sore iyen
• * 1.4

  Nose blede.
• * 1.5

  blode.
• * 1.6

  sore teth.
• * 1.7

  The cowgh.
• * 1.8

  mānes yard be swolen
• * 1.9

  vome∣tynge.
• * 1.10

  pota∣gre.
• * 1.11

  Dron∣kēnes.
• * 1.12

  Purge mans stomak
• * 1.13

  womē with chylde.
• * 1.14

  Heed ache.
• * 1.15

  nyttes
• * 1.16

  Heer.
• * 1.17

  Bot∣ches.
• * 1.18

  colour Mery.
• * 1.19

  woun∣des in y^e hede
• * 1.20

  reume.
• * 1.21

  Laxa∣tyue.
• * 1.22

  Lyuer.
• * 1.23

  Sore rybbes.
• * 1.24

  Forble¦dynge.