The Complete Herbal / To which is now added, upwards of one hundred additional herbs, with a display of their medicinal and occult qualities physically applied to the cure of all disorders incident to mankind: to which are now first annexed, the English physician enlarged, and key to Physic.

by Nicholas Culpeper

Mezerei, &c. Of Spurge, Olive, or Widow-wail. See the Herb, if you think it worth the seeing.

Merorum Celci. Of Mulberry Tree. The bark of the root is bitter, hot and dry, opens stoppings of the liver and spleen, purges the belly, and kills worms, boiled in vinegar, helps the tooth-ache.

Morsus Diaboli, Succisæ, &c. Devil’s-bit. See the herb.

Norpi Spicæ, Indicæ, Celticæ, &c. Of Spikenard, Indian, and Cheltic. Cheltic Nard wonderfully provokes urine. They are both hot and dry. The Indian, also provokes urine, and stops fluxes, helps windiness of the stomach, resists the pestilence, helps gnawing pains of the stomach; and dries up rheums that molest the head. The Celtic Spikenard performs the same offices, though in a weaker measure.

Nenupharis, Nymphæ. Of Water-lilies. They are cold and dry, and stop lust: I never dived so deep to find what virtue the roots have.

Ononidis, Arrestæ Bovis, &c. Of Cammock, or Rest-harrow, so called because it makes oxen stand still when they are ploughing. The roots are hot and dry in the third degree; it breaks the stone (viz. the bark of it.) The root itself, according to Pliny, helps the falling-sickness; according to Matthiolus, helps ruptures: you may take half a dram at a time.

Ostrutij. Masterwort, given once before under the name of Imperitoria. But I have something else to do than to write one thing twice as they did.

Pastinatæ, Sativæ, and silvestris. Garden and Wild Parsnips. They are of a temperate quality, inclining something to heat: The Garden Parsnips provoke lust, and nourish as much and more too, than any root ordinarily eaten: the wild are more physical, being cutting, cleansing, and opening: they resist the bitings of venomous beasts, ease pains and stitches in the sides, and are a sovereign remedy against the wind cholic.

Pentafylli. Of Cinqfyl, commonly called Five-leaved, or Five-finger’d grass: the root is very drying, but moderately hot: It is admirable against all fluxes, and stops blood flowing from any part of the body: it helps infirmities of the liver and lungs, helps putrified ulcers of the mouth, the root boiled in vinegar is good against the shingles, and appeases the rage of any fretting sores. You may safely take half a dram at a time in any convenient liquor.