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Monday 4 July 2011

plants Herbs

Aloe
Aloe
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It is a martial plant, hot in the second degree, and dry in the third; of a very bitter taste; the juice being refined and clarified from its dross, is of a clear and blackish clean brown colour: it opens the belly, and purges cold, phlegmatic, and choleric humours which overburden and hurt the stomach: it is the basis in almost all pills and comforts, cleanses and dries up all superfluous humours

Angelica
Angelica
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It is an herb of the Sun in Leo; let it be gathered when he is there, the Moon applying to his good aspect; let it be gathered either in his hour, or in the hour of Jupiter; let Sol be angular

Basil
Basil
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This is the herb which all authors are together by the ears about, and rail at one another (like lawyers). Galen and Dioscorides hold it not fitting to be taken inwardly; and Chrysippus rails at it with downright Billingsgate rhetoric; Pliny, and the Arabian physicians, defend it...an herb of Mars, and under the scorpion, and, perhaps therefore called basilican, and it is no marvel if it carry a kind of virulent quality with it. Being applied to the place bitten by venomous beasts, or stung by a wasp or hornet, it speedily draws the poison to it. Every like draws his like.

Black Pepper
Black Pepper
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All peppers are under the dominion of Mars, and of temperature hot and dry, almost to the fourth degree, but the white is the hottest. It comforts and warms the stomach, consumes crude and moist humours, and stirs up the appetite.

Blessed Thistle
Blessed Thistle
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It is an herb of Mars, and under the sign of Aries. Now, in handling this herb, I shall give you a rational pattern of all the rest; and if you please to view them throughout the book, you shall, to your content, find it true. It helps swimming and giddiness in the head, or the disease called vertigo, because Aries is in the house of Mars. It is an excellent remedy against the yellow jaundice and other infirmities of the gall, because Mars governs choler. It strengthens the attractive faculty in man, and clarifies the blood, because the one is ruled by Mars. The continually drinking the decoction of it, helps red faces, tetters, ring-worms, because Mars causeth them. It helps the plague, sores, boils, and itch, the bitings of mad dogs and venomous beasts, all which infirmities are under Mars; thus you see what it doth by sympathy.

Borage
Borage
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They are all three (borgage species) herbs of Jupiter, and under Leo, all great cordials and strengtheners of nature. The leaves or roots are to very good purpose used in putrid and pestilential fevers, to defend the heart, and help to resist and expel the poison or the venom of other creatures: the seed is of the like effect; and the seed and leaves are good to increase milk in women's breasts: the leaves, flowers, and seed, all or any of them, are good to expel pensiveness and melancholy; to clarify the blood, and mitigate heat in fevers.

Burdock
Burdock
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Venus challengeth this herb for her own; and by its seed or leaf, you may draw the womb which way you please, either upward by applying it to the crown of the head, in case it falls out, or downward in fits of the mother, by applying it to the soles of the feet; or, if you would stay it in its place, apply it to the navel, and that is likewise a good way to stay the child in it; the bur leaves are cooling, moderately drying, and discussing withal whereby they are good for old ulcers and sores.

Caraway
Caraway
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This is also a Mercurial plant. Caraway seed hath a moderate sharp quality, whereby it breaketh wind, and provoketh urine, which also the herb doth. The root is better food than the parsnips; it is pleasant and comfortable to the stomach and helpeth digestion.

Catnip
Catnip
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It is an herb of Venus. Nep is generally used for women to procure their courses, being taken inwardly or outwardly, either alone, or with other convenient herbs in a decoction to bathe them, or sit over the hot fumes thereof

Cayenne
Cayenne
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All kinds of guinea pepper are under Mars, and are of a fiery, sharp, biting taste, and of a temperature hot and dry, to the end of the fourth degree; they burn and inflame the mouth and throat so extremely that it is hard to be endured, and if it be outwardly applied to the skin in any part of the body, it will exulcerate and raise it as if it had been burnt with fire, or scalded with hot water.

Celery
Celery
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It is under the dominion of the Sun, as are all celeries. The root, in its wild state, is of an acrid, noxious nature, but culture takes away those properties, and renders the plant mild and esculent.

Chamomile
Chamomile
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Nechessor saith, the Egyptians dedicated it to the Sun, because it cured agues, and they were like enough to do it, for they were the arrantest apes in their religion I ever read of.

Chervil
Chervil
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There are three of them of the nature of Jupiter, and under his dominion. This whole plant, besides it's pleasantness in salads, hath its physcial virtue. The roots boiled and eaten with oil and vinegar, does much please and warm oil and cold stomachs oppressed with wind and phlegm.

Clary Sage
Clary Sage
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It is under the dominion of the Moon. The mucilage of the seed made with water, and applied to tumours, or swellings, disperseth and taketh them away; as also draweth forth splinters, thorns, or other things gotten into the flesh.

Coltsfoot
Coltsfoot
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The plant is under Venus. The fresh leaves, or juice, or a syrup made thereof, is good for a hot dry cough, for wheezings and shortness of breath.

Comfrey
Comfrey
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This is an herb of Saturn, and I suppose under the sign Capricorn, cold, dry, and earthy in quality... the root boiled in water or wine, and the decoction drunk, helpeth all inward hurts, bruises, and wounds, and the ulcers of the lungs, causing the phlegm that oppresseth them to be easily spit forth

Dandelion
Dandelion
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It is under the dominion of Jupiter. It is of an opening and cleansing quality, and therefore very effectual for the obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen, and the diseases that arise from them, as the jaundice, and hypochondriac

Dill
Dill
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Mercury hath the dominion of this plant, and therefore to be sure it strengthens the brain. The dill being boiled and drank, is good to ease swellings and pains

Elder
Elder
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Both the elder and dwarf tree are under the dominion of Venus.The decoction of the root taken, cureth the biting of an adder, and biting of mad dogs. It mollifieth the hardness of the mother, if women sit thereon, and openeth their veins, and bringeth down their courses: The berries boiled in wine performeth the same effect; and the hair of the head washed therewith is made black.

Evening Primrose
Evening Primrose
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Of the leaves of Primroses is made as fine a salve to heal wounds as any that I know; you shall be taught to make salves of any herb at the latter end of the book: make this as you are taught there, and do not (you that have any ingenuity in you) see your poor neighbours go with wounded limbs when an halfpenny cost will heal them

Fennel
Fennel
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One good old fashion is not yet left off, viz . to boil fennel with fish; for it consumes that phlegmatic humour which fish most plentifully afford and annoy the body with, though few that use it know wherefore they do it; I suppose the reason of its benefit this way is, because it is an herb of Mercury, and under Virgo, and therefore bears antipathy to Pisces.

Feverfew
Feverfew
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Venus commands this herb, and has commended it to succour her sisters (women), to be a general strengthener of their wombs, and to remedy such infirmities as a careless midwife has there caused

Garlic
Garlic
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Mars owns this herb. This was anciently accounted the poor man's treacle, it being a remedy for all diseases and hurts (except those which itself breed.) It provokes urine, and women's courses, helps the biting of mad dogs and other venomous creatures, kills worms in children, cuts and voids tough phlegm, purges the head, helps the lethargy, is a good preservative against, and a remedy for any plague, sore, or foul ulcers

Hazelnut
Hazelnut
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They are under the dominion of Mercury. The parted kernels made into an electuary, or the milk drawn from the kernels with mead or honeyed water, is very good to help an old cough; and being parched, and a little pepper put to them and drank, digests the distillations of rheum from the head. The dried husks and shells, to the weight of two drams, taken in red wine, stays lasks and women's courses, and so doth the red skin that covers the kernels, which is more effectual to stay women's courses.

Hops
Hops
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It is under the dominion of Mars. This, in physical operations, is to open obstructions of the liver and spleen, to cleanse the blood, to loosen the belly, to cleanse the reins from gravel, and provoke urine.

Horehound
Horehound
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It is an herb of Mercury. A decoction of the dried herb, with the seed, or the juice of the green herb taken with honey, is a remedy for those that are short-winded, have a cough, or are fallen into a consumption, either through long sickness, or thin distillations of rheum upon the lungs.

Horsetail
Horsetail
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The herb belongs to Saturn, yet is very harmless, and excellently good for the things following: Horsetail, the smoother rather than the rough, and the leaves rather than the bark is most physical. It is very powerful to staunch bleeding either inward or outward, the juice or the decoction thereof being drank, or the juice, decoction, or distilled water applied outwardly. It also stays all sorts of lasks and fluxes in man or woman and bloody urine; and heals also not only the inward ulcers, and the excoriation of the entrails, bladder, &c. but all other sorts of foul, moist and running ulcers, and soon solders together the tops of green wounds. It cures all ruptures in children. The decoction thereof in wine being drank, provokes urine, and helps the stone and stranguary; and the distilled water thereof drank two or three times in a day, and a small quantity at a time, also eases the bowels, and is effectual against a cough that comes by distillations from the head. The juice or distilled water being warmed, and hot inflammations, pustules or red wheals, and other breakings-out in the skin, being bathed therewith, doth help them, and doth no less the swelling heat and inflammation of the lower parts in men and women.

Hyssop
Hyssop
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The herb is Jupiter's, and the sign Cancer. It strengthens all the parts of the body under Cancer and Jupiter; which what they may be, is found amply described in my astrological judgment of diseases. Dioscorides saith, that Hyssop boiled with rue and honey, and drank, helps those that are troubled with coughs, shortness of breath, wheezing and rheumatic distillation upon the lungs

Jasmine
Jasmine
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Jessamine (Jasmine) is a warm,cordial plant, governed by Jupiter in the sign Cancer. It warms the womb, is useful for cough, difficulty of breathing.

Juniper
Juniper
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This admirable solar shrub is scarce to be paralleled for its virtues. The berries are hot in the third degree, and dry but in the first, being a most admirable counter-poison, and as great a resister of the pestilence, as any growing

Ladys Mantle
Ladys Mantle
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Venus claims the herb as her own. Ladies' Mantle is very proper for those wounds that have inflammations, and is very effectual to stay bleeding, vomitings, fluxes of all sorts, bruises by falls or otherwise, and helps ruptures

Lavender
Lavender
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Mercury owns the herb; and it carries his effects very potently. Lavender is of a special good use for all the griefs and pains of the head and brain that proceed of a cold cause, as the apoplexy, falling-sickness, the dropsy, or sluggish malady, cramps, convulsions, palsies, and often faintings.

Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm
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It is an herb of Jupiter, and under Cancer, and strengthens nature much in all its actions. Let a syrup made of the juice of it and sugar (as you shall be taught at the latter end of this book) be kept in every gentlewoman's house, to relieve the weak stomachs and sick bodies of their poor sickly neighbor.

Liquorice
Liquorice
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It is under the dominion of Mercury. Liquorice boiled in fair water, with some Maiden-hair and figs, makes a good drink for those that have a dry cough or hoarseness, wheezing or shortness of breath, and for all the griefs of the breast and lungs

Lovage
Lovage
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It is an herb of the Sun, under the sign Taurus.Half a dram at a time of the dried root in powder taken in wine, doth wonderfully warm a cold stomach, helps digestion, and consumes all raw and superfluous moisture therein.

Marsh Mallow
Marsh Mallow
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All the mallows are under Venus. The leaves and the roots also boiled in wine or water,with Parsley or Fennel roots, do help to open the body, and are very convenient in hot agues, or other distempers of the body, to apply the leaves so boiled warm to the belly

Motherwort
Motherwort
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Venus owns the herb, and it is under Leo. There is no better herb to take melancholy vapours from the heart, to strengthen it

Mugwort
Mugwort
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This is an herb of Venus. It's tops, leaves and flowers are full of virtue, they are aromatic, and most safe, and excellent in female disorders.

Myrtle
Myrtle
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This tree is under Mercury. The leaves sometimes, but chiefly the berries are used. They are both of them dry and binding.

Nettle
Nettle
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This is also an herb Mars claims dominion over. Nettle-tops eaten in the Spring consume the phlegmatic superfluities in the body of man, that the coldness and moistness of Winter hath left behind.

Oregano
Oregano
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This is also under the dominion of Mercury. It strengthens the stomach and head much, there being scarce a better remedy growing for such as are troubled with a sour humour in the stomach; it restores the appetite being lost; helps the cough, and consumption of the lungs

Parsley
Parsley
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It is under the dominion of Mercury; is very comfortable to the stomach; helps to provoke urine and women's courses, to break wind both in the stomach and bowels, and doth a little open the body, but the root much more.

Pennyroyal
Pennyroyal
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This herb is under Venus. If boiled and drank it provokes women's courses, and expels the dead child and afterbirth.

Peppermint
Peppermint
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It is an herb of Venus. This herb has a strong, agreeable, aromatic smill, and a moderate warm bitterish taste, it is useful for complaints of the stomach, such as wind, vomiting, for which there are few remedies of greater efficacy.

Pine
Pine
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It is a tree of Mars. From it common turpentine is obtained.

Raspberry
Raspberry
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Venus owns this shrub. The fruit which has a pleasant grateful smell and taste is cordial and strengthens the stomach, stays vomiting, is somewhat astringent and good to prevent miscarriage.

Rose
Rose
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It is under the dominion of Venus. Botanists describe a vast number of roses, but this (Damask), and the comon red rose, and the dog rose, or hip, are the only kinds regarded in medicine.

Rosemary
Rosemary
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The Sun claims dominion over it. It helps a weak memory, and quickens the senses. The leaves are used much in bathings and made into ointments or oil are god to help cold benumbed joints, sinews, or members.

Sage
Sage
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Jupiter claims this, and bids me tell you, it is good for the liver, and to breed blood. A decoction of the leaves and branches of Sage made and drank, saith Dioscorides, provokes urine, brings down woman's courses, helps to expel the dead child, and causes the hair to become black

Salad Burnett
Salad Burnett
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This is an herb the Sun challenges dominion over, and is a most precious herb, little inferior to Betony; the continual use of it preserves the body in health, and the spirits in vigour; for if the Sun be the preserver of life under God, his herbs are the best in the world to do it by. They are accounted to be both of one property, but the lesser is more effectual because quicker and more aromatic. It is a friend to the heart, liver, and other principal parts of a man's body. Two or three of the stalks, with leaves put into a cup of wine, especially claret, are known to quicken the spirits, refresh and cheer the heart, and drive away melancholy

Shepards Purse
Shepards Purse
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It is under the dominion of Saturn, and of a cold, dry, and binding nature, like to him. It helps all fluxes of blood, either caused by inward or outward wounds; as also flux of the belly, and bloody flux, spitting blood, and bloody urine, stops the terms in women; being bound to the wrists of the hands, and the soles of the feet, it helps the yellow jaundice

Soapwort
Soapwort
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Venus owns it. The country people in divers places do use to bruise the leaves of Sopewort, and lay it to their fingers, hands or legs, when they are cut, to heal them up again. Some make great boast thereof, that it is diuretical to provoke urine, and thereby to expel gravel and the stone in the reins or kidneys, and do also account it singularly good to void hydropical waters: and they no less extol it to perform an absolute cure in the French pox, more than either sarsaparilla, guiacum, or China can do; which, how true it is, I leave others to judge.

Sweet Majoram
Sweet Majoram
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It is an herb of Mercury, and under Aries, and therefore is an excellent remedy for the brain and other parts of the body and mind, under the dominion of the same planet. Our common Sweet Marjoram is warming and comfortable in cold diseases of the head, stomach, sinews, and other parts, taken inwardly, or outwardly applied.

Thyme
Thyme
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It purges the body of phlegm, and is an excellent remedy for shortness of breath. It kills worms in the belly, and being a notable herb of Venus, provokes the terms, gives safe and speedy delivery to women in travail, and brings away the after birth. It is so harmless you need not fear the use of it.

Valerian
Valerian
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This is under the influence of Mercury. Dioscorides saith, That the Garden Valerian has a warming faculty, and that being dried and given to drink it provokes urine, and helps the stranguary.

Vervain
Vervain
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This is an herb of Venus, and excellent for the womb to strengthen and remedy all the cold griefs of it, as Plantain doth the hot. Vervain is hot and dry, opening obstructions, cleansing and healing

White Willow
White Willow
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The Moon owns it. Both the leaves, bark, and the seed, are used to stanch bleeding of wounds, and at mouth and nose, spitting of blood, and other fluxes of blood in man or woman, and to stay vomiting, and provocation thereunto, if the decoction of them in wine be drank.

Yarrow
Yarrow
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It is under the influence of Venus. As a medicine it is drying and binding. A decoction of it boiled with white wine, is good to stop the running of the reins in men, and whites in women

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