A nievve herball, or historie of plantes wherin is contayned the vvhole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers [and] sundry kindes: their straunge figures, fashions, and shapes: their names, natures, operations, and vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly vsed in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongue, by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, physition to the Emperour: and nowe first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte Esquyer.

❧ The Vertues.

[ A] The Decoction of Betonie dronken, prouoketh vrine, breaketh the Stone of the kidneyes, doth clense and scoure the breast and lunges from flegme and slyme, and is very profitable for such as haue the Phthisik or consumptiō, and are vexed with the Cough.

[ B] The leaues of Bettayne dried, are good to be giuen the quantitie of a dram with Hydromel, that is to say, Honied water, vnto such as are troubled with the Crampe, and also agaynst the diseases of the Mother or matrix.

[ C] The same taken in like manner, bringeth the fluxe menstruall.

[ D] The dreid leaues dronken in wine, are profitable against the biting of Ser∣pentes, and so be they to be applyed or layde outwardly vpon the wounde: and it is good also for them that haue taken any poyson. And if it be taken before hande, it preserueth the people from all poyson.

[ E] Betany openeth and cureth the oppillation or stopping of the liuer, the melt, and the kidneyes, and is good agaynst the Dropsie.

[ F] The same dronken with wine and water is good for them that spet blood, and it cureth al inwarde and outwarde woundes.

[ G] The same taken with Hydromel or Meade, looseth the belly very gentilly, and helpeth them that haue the falling sicknesse, madnesse, and head ache.

[ H] It comforteth the stomacke, helpeth digestion, swageth belching & the desire

to vomit if it be taken with clarifyed honie, in the euening after supper. The same vertue hath the Conserue therof made with sugar and taken in the quan∣titie of a beane.

[ I] The roote of Betony dried, and taken with honied water, causeth one to cast out and vomit tough clammie flegme, and other superfluous humors.