The English physitian enlarged with three hundred, sixty, and nine medicines made of English herbs that were not in any impression until this: ... Being an astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar herbs of this nation: containing 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, they being most fit for English bodies. Herein is also shewed these seven things, viz. 1 The way of making plaisters, oyntments, oyls, pultisses, syrups, decoctions, julips, or waters, of al sorts of physical herbs ... 7 The way of mixing medicines according to cause and mixture of the disease, and part of the body afflicted. By Nich. Culpeper, Gent. student in physick and astrologie: living in Spittle Fields.

Orpine.

Descript.] COmmon Orpine riseth up with diverse round brittle Stalks, thick set with fat and fl••shly Leavs without any order, and little or nothing dented about the edges, of a pale green colour; The Flowers are white or whitish growing in tufts, after which come small chaffy Husks, with seed like dust in them. The Roots are diverse thick, round, white, tu∣berous clogs; and the Plant groweth not so big in some places as in others where it is found.

Place.] It is frequent almost in every Country of this Land, and is che∣rished in Gardens with us, where it groweth greater than that which is wild, and groweth in the shadowy sides of Fields and Woods.

Time.] It Flowreth about July, and the Seed is ripe in August.

Government and Vertues.] The Moon owns the Herb, and he that knows but her Exaltation, knows what I say is true.

Orpine is seldome used in inward Medicines with us, although Tragus sai••h from experience in Germany that the distilled water thereof is profitable for gnawings or excoriations in the Stomach or Bowels, and for Ulcers in the Lungs, Liver, or other inward parts, as also in the Matrix, and helpeth all those Diseases, being drunk for certain daies together: And

that it stayeth the sharpness of Humors in the Bloody Flux, and other Fluxes in the Body, or in Wounds: The Root thereof also performeth the same effect. It is used outward∣ly to cool any heat or inflamation upon any Hurt or Wound and easeth the pains of them: as also to heal Scaldings or Burnings: The juyce thereof beaten with some green Sallet Oyl, and anointed. the Leaf also bruised and laid to any green Wound in the Hands or Legs, doth heal them quickly; and being bound to the Throat, much helpeth the Quinsie, it helpeth also Ruptures and Burstinesse.

If you please to make the Juyce thereof into a Syrup with Honey or Sugar, you may safely take a spoonfull or two at a time (let my Author say what he will) for a Quinsie, and you shall find the Medicine more pleasant, and the Cure more speedy, than if you took a Dogs-turd which is the Learned Col∣ledges vulgar Cure.

Notes

• Excoriation of Bowels, Ptisick Womb, Bloody Flux, Wounds
• Inflamation, Scalding, Bur∣nings, Quinsie, Ruptures.