The Vse of Hyssope.
Hyssope is much vsed in Ptisans and other drinkes, to help to expectorate flegme. It is many Countrey peoples medicine for a cut or greene wound, being bruised with sugar and applyed. I finde it is also much commended against the falling sickenesse, especially being made into pils after the manner before rehearsed. It is accounted a speciall remedy against the sting or biting of an Adder, if the place be rubbed with Hyssope, bruised and mixed with honey, salt and cummin seede. A decoction thereof with oyle, and annointed, taketh away the itching and tingling of the head, and vermine also breeding therein. An oyle made of the herbe and flowers, being annointed, doth comfort benummed sinewes and ioynts.
Chap. V.
Pulegium. Pennyroyall.
Pennyroyall also is an herbe so well knowne, that I shall not neede to spend much time in the description of it: hauing many weake round stalkes, diuided into sundry branches, rather leaning or lying vpon the ground then standing vpright, whereon are set at seuerall ioynts, small roundish darke greene leaues: the flowers are purplish that grow in gardens, yet some that grow wilde are white, or more white then purple, set in roundles about the tops of the branches; the stalkes shoote forth small fibres or rootes at the ioynts, as it lyeth vpon the ground, thereby fastening it selfe therein, and quickly increaseth, and ouer-runneth any ground, especially in the shade or any moist place, and is replanted by breaking the sprouted stalkes, and so quickely groweth.
Other sorts of Pennyroyall are fit for the Physicke Garden, or Garden of Simples.
The Vse of Pennyroyall.
It is very good and wholesome for the lunges, to expell cold thin flegme, and afterwards to warme and dry it vp: and is also of the like propertie as Mintes, to comfort the stomacke, and stay vomiting. It is also vsed in womens baths and washings: and in mens also to comfort the sinewes. It is yet to this day, as it hath beene in former times, vsed to bee put into puddings, and such like meates of all sorts, and therefore in diuers places they know it by no other name then Pudding-grasse.
The former age of our great Grandfathers, had all these hot herbes in much and familiar vse, both for their meates and medicines, and therewith preserued themselues in long life and much health: but this delicate age of ours, which is not pleased with any thing almost, be it meat or medicine, that is not pleasant to the palate, doth wholly refuse these almost, and therefore cannot be partaker of the benefit or them.