Herbs And their Leaves

A Brotanum, mas, fœmina. Southernwood, male and female. It is hot and dry in the third degree, resists poison, kills worms; outwardly in plaisters, it dissolves cold swellings, and helps the bitings of venomous beasts, makes hair grow: take not above half a dram at a time in powder.

Absinthium, &c. Wormwood. Its several sorts, are all hot and dry in the second or third degrees, the common Wormwood is thought to be hottest, they all help weakness of the stomach, cleanse choler, kill worms, open stoppings, help surfeits, clear the sight, resist poison, cleanse the blood, and secure cloaths from moths.

Abugilissa, &c. Alkanet. The leaves are something drying and binding, but inferior in virtue to the roots, to which I refer you.

Acetosa. Sorrel. Is moderately cold, dry and binding, cuts tough humours, cools the brain, liver and stomach, cools the blood in fevers, and provokes appetite.

Acanthus. Bears-breech, or Branks ursine, is temperate, something moist. See the root.

Adiantum, Album, nigrum. Maiden hair, white and black. They are temperate, yet drying. White Maiden hair is that we usually call Wall-rue; they both open obstructions, cleanse the breast and lungs of gross slimy humours, provoke urine, help ruptures and shortness of wind.

Adiantum Aurcum Politrycum. Golden Maiden-hair. Its temperature and virtues are the same with the former; helps the spleen; burned, and lye made with the ashes, keeps the hair from falling off the head.

Agrimonia. Agrimony. Galen's Eupatorium. It is hot and dry in the first degree, binding, it amends the infirmities of the liver, helps such as evacuate blood instead of water, helps inward wounds, opens obstructions. Outwardly applied it helps old sores, ulcers, &c. Inwardly, it helps the jaundice and the spleen. Take a dram of this or that following, inwardly in white wine, or boil the herb in white wine, and drink the decoction. Galen, Pliny, Dioscorides, Serapio.

Ageretum. Hot and dry in the second degree, provokes urine and the menses, dries the brain, opens stoppings, helps the green sickness, and profits such as have a cold, weak liver; outwardly applied, it takes away the hardness of the matrix, and fills hollow ulcers with flesh.

Agnus Castus, &c. Chast-tree. The leaves are hot and dry in the third degree; expel wind, consume the seed, cause chastity being only borne about one; it dissolves swellings of the testicles, being applied to them, head-ache, and lethargy.

Allajula, Lujula, &c. Wood Sorrel. It is of the temperature of other Sorrel, and held to be more cordial, cools the blood, helps ulcers in the mouth; hot defluxions upon the lungs, wounds, ulcers, &c.

Alcea. Vervain Mallow. The root helps fluxes and burstness. Ætius, Dioscorides.

Allium. Garlick. Hot and dry in the fourth degree, troublesome to the stomach: it dulls the sight, spoils a clear skin, resists poison, eases the pains of the teeth, helps the bitings of mad dogs, and venomous beasts, helps ulcers, leprosies, provokes urine, is exceedingly opening, and profitable for dropsies.

Althæa, &c. Marsh-Mallows. Are moderately hot and drier than other Mallows; they help digestion, and mitigate pain, ease the pains of the stone, and in the sides. Use them as you were taught in the roots, whose virtues they have, and both together will do better.

Alsine. Chickweed. Is cold and moist without any binding, assuages swelling, and comforts the sinews much; therefore it is good for such as are shrunk up; it dissolves aposthumes, hard swellings, and helps mange in the hands and legs, outwardly applied in a pultis. Galen.