CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

CALAMINT

Names. It is called also mountain mint.

Description. It is a small herb, seldom rising above a foot high, with square, hairy, and woody stalks, and two small hoary leaves set at a joint, about the bigness of marjoram, or not much bigger, a little dented about she edges, and of a very fierce or quick scent, as the whole herb is; the flowers stand at several spaces of the stalk, from the middle almost upwards which are small and gaping like the common mint, and of a pale blueish colour; after which follow small, round, blackish seeds; the root is small and woody, with divers small sprigs spreading within the ground, abideth many years.

Place. It groweth on heath, and upland dry grounds in many counties of this kingdom.

Time. They flower in July, and their seed is ripe quickly after.

Government and virtues. It is an herb of Mercury, and a strong one too, therefore excellent good in all afflictions of the brain; the decoction of the herb, being drunk, bringeth down women's courses, and provoketh urine; it is profitable for those that are bursten, or troubled with convulsions or cramps, with shortness of breath, or choleric torments or pains in the belly or stomach; it also helpeth the yellow jaundice, and being taken in wine stayeth vomiting; taken with salt and honey, it killeth all manner of worms in the body, it helpeth such as have the leprosy, either taken inwardly drinking whey after it, or the green herb outwardly applied; it hindereth conception in women, being either burned or strewed in the chamber; it driveth away venomous serpents. It takes away black and blue marks in the face, and maketh black scars become well-coloured, if the green herb be boiled in wine, and laid to the place, or the place washed therewith: being applied to the huckle-bone, by continuance of time it spendeth the humours which cause the pains of the sciatica; the juice, dropped into the ears, killeth worms in them; the leaves, boiled in wine, and drunk, provoke sweat, and open obstructions of the liver and spleen. It helpeth them that have a tertian ague, the body being first purged, by taking away the cold fits; the decoction thereof, with some sugar put thereto, is very profitable for those that are troubled with the overflowing of the gall, and also for those that have an old cough, and that are scarce able to breathe by shortness of their wind; that have any cold distemper in their bowels, and are troubled with the hardness of the spleen; for all which purposes both the powder called diacaluminthes, and the compound syrup of calamint, (which are to be had at the apothecaries,) are most effectual. Let no woman be too busy with it, for it works very violent upon the feminine subject.