Culpeper's complete herbal ... To which are ... annexed his English physician enlarged, and Key to [Galen's Method of] physic ... to which is also added ... receipts selected from the author's Last legacy / Nicholas Culpeper.

Nicholas Culpeper

Date:: 1814

Credit: Culpeper's complete herbal ... To which are ... annexed his English physician enlarged, and Key to [Galen's Method of] physic ... to which is also added ... receipts selected from the author's Last legacy / Nicholas Culpeper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$moist woods, and watery places ; flowering in April or May, and yielding ripe seed in September. Govemment and vh'tues^ It is a tree under the dominion of Venus, and of some watery sign or other, I suppose Pisces \ and there- fore the decoction, or distilled water of the leaves, is excellent against ])urnings and in- flammations, either with wounds or without, to bathe the place grieved with, and espe- cially for that inflammation in the breast, which the vulgar call an ague. If you cannot get the leaves (as in Winter 'tis impossible) make use of the bark in the same manner. The leaves and bark of the Alder-tree are cooling, drying, and binding. The fresh leaves laid upon swellings dissolve them, and stay the inflammations. The leaves put under the bare feet galled with travell- ing, are a great refreshing to them. The said leaves gathered while the morning dew is on them, and brought into a chamber troubled with fleas, -vvill gather them there- unto, wdiich being suddenly cast out, will rid the chamber of those troublesome bed- fellows. ANGELICA. To write a description of that which is so well known to be growing almost in every garden, I suppose is altogether needless; yet for its virtue it is of admirable use. In time of Heathenism, when men had found out any excellent herb, they dedicated it to their gods ; as the Bay-tree to Apollo, the Oak to Jupiter, the Vine to Bacchus, the Poplar to Hercules. These the Papists following as the Patriarchs they dedicate to their Saints; as our Lady’s Thistle to the Blessed Virgin, St. John’s Wort to St. John, and another Wort to St. Peter, &c. Our physicians must imitate like apes (though they cannot come off half so cleverly) for they blasphemously call Phansies or Hearts- ease, an herb of the Trinity, because it is of three colours. And a cei’tain ointment, an ointment of the Apostles^ because it consists of twelve ingredients: Alas^ I am sorry for their folly, and grieved at their blasphemy. God send them wisdom the rest of their age, for they have their share of igno- rance already. Oh! Why must ours be blasphemous, because the Heathens and Papists were idolatrous? Certainly they have read so much in old rusty authors, that they have lost all their divinity ; for unless it were amongst the Ranters, I never read or heard of such blasphemy. The Heathens and Papists were bad, and ours worse; the Papists giving idolatrous names to herbs for their virtues sake, not for their fair looks; and therefore some called this an herb of the Holy Ghost; others more moderate call- ed it Angelica, because of its angelical virtues; and that name it retains still, and all nations follow it so near as their dialect will permit. Government and virtues,^ It is an herb of the Sun in Leo; let it be gathered when he is there, the Moon applying to his good as- pect ; let it be gathered either in his hour, or in the hour of Jupiter, let Sol be angu- lar; observe the like in gathering the herbs, of other planets, and you may happen to do wonders. In all epidemical diseases caused by Saturn, that is as good a preser- vative as grows; It resists poison, by de- fending and comforting the heart, blood, and spirits ; it doth the like against the plague and all epidemical diseases, if the root be taken in powder to the weight of half a dram at a time, with some good trea- cle in Carduus water, and the party there- upon laid to sweat in his bed ; if treacle be not to be had, take it alone in Carduus or Angelica-water. The stalks or roots can- died and eaten fasting, are good preserva- tives ill time of infection; and at other times to wann and comfort a cold stomach. The root also steeped in vinegar, and a little of that vinegar taken sometimes fasting, and$