Adam in Eden, or, Natures paradise the history of plants, fruits, herbs and flowers with their several names ... the places where they grow, their descriptions and kinds, their times of flourishing and decreasing as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations and particular physical vertues together with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our English simples with directions how to preserve them in their compositions or otherwise : ... there is annexed a Latin and English table of the several names of simples, with another more particular table of the diseases and their cures ... / by William Coles ...

CHAP. CCCXLII. Of VVoody Night-shade, or Bitter-sweet.

The Names.

IT is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Glycypicron, that is Bitter-sweet in English, be∣cause the Bark of it being the wed in the mouth, tastes bitter at the first, but sweet afterwards; and for the same reason it is called Dulcamara and Amaradulci•• in Latine: Some referring it to the Night-shades, do call it Solanum lignosum, o•• fruticosum or rubrum, and therefore we in English call it Woody Night-shads, Bitter-sweet, and of some Felon-wort, because it cureth the Felons, which happen upon the joynts of the Fingers.

The Kindes.

Of this kind of Night-shade, there bee onely these two sorts: 1. Common woody Night-shade: 2. Woody Night-shade, with white Flowers.

The Forme.

The Common woody Night-shade groweth up with many slender, winding, brittle, woody Stalks, as high as a man, and sometimes higher, folding it self about the Hedges, or any thing else that standeth next thereunto, yet without any claspers at all, covered with a whitish rough Bark, & having a pith in the middle, shooting ou•• Branches on every side, which are green while they are young, and so are the new shoots of those that are elder, whereon grow many Leaves without order, some∣what like unto those of Night-shade, but that they are pointed at the ends, with two smal Leaves or pieces of Leaves usually growing upon the Foot-stalks, between the Leaf and the Branch, like little wings; of a pale green colour, but some of them have but one, and some none: the Flowers come forth at the tops and sides of the Branches, standing many together in fashion of a long Umbell, upon short foot∣stalks, one above another, which consist of five narrow and long violet purple co∣loured Leaves, with a long gold-yellow pointel in the middle, sticking forth, which afterwards turn into round, and somewhat long Berries, green at the first, but red, soft, and full of juyce when they come to ripenesse, of an unpleasant bitter tast, though sweet at first, wherein many flat white Seeds are contained: the Root sprea∣deth it self into many strings under ground, not growing to any great bignesse.

The Places and Time.

The first groweth in every Country by the sides of Ditches and Hedges, where∣on it many times runneth; the second, is seldome met with, but by S. Margarets Church in Rumney Marsh: The Leaves come forth in the Spring, the Flowers in July, and the Berries are ripe in August.

The Temperature.

The Leaves and Berries of Bitter-sweet are hot and dry, cleansing and wasting away.

The Vertues.

The Leaves or Berries of Bitter-sweet stamped with rusty Bac••••, applyed to that Joynt of the Fi••ger that is troubled with a Felon, hath been found by divers Coun∣trey people, who are most su••j••ct thereunto, to be very success••ful for the ••u∣ring of the same. The decoction of the Leaves and tender branches being infused and set over the fire in three p••nts of White Wine, the Pot wherein it is done, be∣ing close covered for twelve houres together, which being then st••ained, is a most excellent Drinke to op••n the O••structi••ns of the Liver, Gall, and Spleen, and is used with good successe, not onely in the yellow, but black Jaundise, and to cleanse Wom••n hat are newly brought ab••d, a quarter of a Pint thereof being drank for many Mornings together, and if you will in the Evenings also: The said Infusion is also availeable for difficulty of breathing, Bruises, Falls, and congealed blood in any part of the body, and it is good against the Dropsie, for it purgeth away waterish and other humors very gently both by Urine and Stool. It is also used against putrid Feavers or Agues, and when any bone is broken, or out of joynt, as likewise for Ruptures and Wounds. The Sheepherds in Germany, as Tragus reporteth, doe use to hang it about their Cattles neck, when they are troubled with a swimming in the Head, causing them to turne round as if they were bewitched, and therefore they say it removeth Witch∣crafts both in Men and Beasts▪ b••t that swimming in the head is no effect of Witchcraft, but proceeds from a naturall cause, for which this Plant is a speci∣fick remedy, as it is for all such like sodaine distempers whatsoever, being hung about the the Neck, and that is not farre from the head.