CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

BRIONY

Name. It is called wild-vine, wood-vine, tamus, and lady's seal; the wild is called white-vine, and the black, black-vine.

Description. The common white briony groweth creeping upon the edges, sending forth many long rough, very tender branches at the beginning, with many very rough broad leaves thereon, cut for the most part into five partitions, in form very like a vine leaf, but smaller, rougher, and of a whitish or hoary green colour, spreading very far, and twining with its small claspers, that come forth at the joints with the leaves, very fast on whatsoever standeth next to it; at the several joints also, especially towards the tops of branches, cometh forth a long stalk bearing many whitish flowers, together in a long tuft, consisting of small brances each laid open like a star; after which come the berries, separated one from another more than a cluster of grapes, green at the first, and very red when they are thoroughly ripe; of no good scent, and of a most loathsome taste, provoking vomit. The root groweth to be exceeding great, with many long twines or branches growing from it, of a pale whitish colour on the outside, and more white within, and of a sharp, bitter, loathsome taste.

Place. It groweth on banks, or under hedges, through this land, and the roots lie very deep.

Time. It flowereth in July and August, some earlier, and some later than others.

Government and virtues. They are furious martial plants; the roots of briony purge the belly with great violence, troubling the stomach, and burning the liver, and therefore not rashly to be taken; but, being corrected, are very profitable for the diseases of the head, as falling sickness, giddiness, and swimmings, by drawing away much phlegm and rheumatic humours that oppress the head, as also the joints and sinews; and therefore good for palsies, convulsions, cramps and stitches in the side, and the dropsy; and, in provoking urine, they cleanse the reins and kidneys from the gravel and stone, by opening the obstructions of the spleen, and consuming the hardness and swellings thereof. If the juice be tempered with the meal of vetches or fenugreek, or boiled in oil till it be consumed, it will take away black or blue spots; and Galen affirmeth it is a plant profitable for tanners to thicken their leather hides with. The root spread upon a piece of sheep's leather, in the manner of a plaister, while it is fresh and green, takes away black or blue marks, and all scars and deformities of the skin: it breaks hard imposthumes, draws forth splinters and broken bones, dissolveth congealed blood, and, being laid on and used upon the hip or hucklebone, shoulders, arms, or any other part where there is great pain, it takes it away in a short space, and works very effectually. The decoction of the root in wine, drank once a week at going to bed, cleanseth the mother, and helpeth the rising thereof, expelleth the dead child for fear of abortion; a drachm of the root in powder taken in white wine bringeth down the courses; an electuary made of the roots and honey, doth mightily cleanse the chest of rotten phlegm; and wonderfully helpeth any old strong cough, those that are troubled with shortness of breath, and is good for them that are bruised inwardly, to help to expel the clotted or congealed blood; the leaves, fruit, and root, do cleanse old and filthy sores, are good against all running and fretting cankers, gangrenes, and tetters, and therefore the berries are by some country people called tetterberries. The root cleanseth the skin wonderfully from all black and blue spots, freckles, morphew, leprosy, foul scars, or other deformity whatsoever: as also all running scabs and manginess are healed by the powder of the dried root, or the juice thereof, but especially by the fine white hardened juice: the distilled water of the roots worketh the same effects, but more weakly; the root bruised and applied of itself to any place where the bones are broken, helpeth to draw them forth, as also splinters and thorns in the flesh: and, being applied with a little wine mixed therewith, it breaketh boils, and helpeth whitlows on the joints.

For all these latter complaints, that is to say, sores, cankers, &c. apply it outwardly, and take my advice along with you; you shall find in the Dispensatory, among the preparations at the latter end, a mdeicine called ƒœcula brioniœ: take that and use it; (you have the way there how to make it,) and mix it with a little hog's grease, or other convenient ointment, and use it at your need.

As for the former diseases, where it must be taken inwardly, it purgeth very violently, and needs an abler hand to correct it than most country people have, therefore it is a better way for them, in my opinion, to let the simple alone, and take the compound water of it, mentioned in my Dispensatory; and that is far more safe, being wisely corrected.