{41}Fifthly, Of Plants.
AND
Hedghog-grass.[106]
Mattweed.[107]
Cats-tail.[108]
Stichwort, commonly taken here by ignorant People forEyebright; it blows inJune.[109]
Blew Flower-de-luce; the roots are not knobby, but long and streight, and very white, with a multitude of strings.[110]
To provoke Vomit and for Bruises.
It is excellent for to provoke Vomiting, and for Bruises on the Feet or Face. They Flower inJune, and grow upon dry sandy Hills as well as in low wet Grounds.
Yellow bastard Daffodill; it flowereth inMay, the green leaves are spotted with black spots.[111]
Dogstones, a kind ofSatyrion, whereof there are several kinds groweth in our Salt Marshes.[112]
{42}To procure Love.
I once took notice of a wanton Womans compounding the solid Roots of this Plant with Wine, for an Amorous Cup; which wrought the desired effect.
Watercresses.[113]
Red Lilliesgrow all over the Country innumerably amongst the small Bushes, and flower inJune.[114]
Wild Sorrel.[115]
Adders Tonguecomes not up tillJune; I have found it upon dry hilly grounds, in places where the water hath stood all Winter, inAugust, and did then make Oyntment of the Herb new gathered; the fairest Leaves grow amongst shortHawthornBushes, that are plentifully growing in such hollow places.[116]
One Blade.[117]
Lilly Convallie, with the yellow Flowers grows upon rocky banks by the Sea.[118]
Water Plantane, here calledWater suck-leaves.[119]
For Burns and Scalds, and to draw Water out of swell’d Legs.
It is much used for Burns and Scalds, and to draw water out of swell’d Legs.Bearsfeed much upon this Plant, so do theMoose Deer.
{43}Sea Plantane, three kinds.[120]
Small-water Archer.[121]
Autumn Bell Flower.[122]
White Hellibore, which is the first Plant that springs up in this Country, and the first that withers; it grows in deep black Mould and Wet, in such abundance, that you may in a small compass gather whole Cart-loads of it.[123]
Wounds and Aches Cured by theIndians.For the Tooth-ach. For Herpes milliares.
TheIndiansCure their Wounds with it, annointing the Wound first with Raccoons greese, or Wild-Cats greese, and strewing upon it the powder of the Roots; and for Aches they scarifie the grieved part, and annoint it with one of the foresaid Oyls, then strew upon it the powder: The powder of the Root put into a hollow Tooth, is good for the Tooth-ach: The Root sliced thin and boyled in Vineager, is very good againstHerpes Milliaris.
Arsmart, both kinds.[124]
Spurge Time, it grows upon dry sandy Sea Banks, and is very like toRupter-wort, it is full of Milk.[125]
Rupter-wort, with the white flower.[126]
JaggedRose-penny-wort.[127]
{44}Soda bariglia, ormassacote, the Ashes ofSoda, of which they make Glasses.
Glass-wort, here calledBerrelia, it grows abundantly in Salt Marshes.[128]
St.John’s-Wort.[129]
St.Peter’s-Wort.[130]
Speed-well Chick-weed.[131]
Male fluellin, orSpeed-well.[132]
Upright Peniroyal.[133]
Wild-Mint.[134]
Cat-Mint.[135]
Egrimony.[136]
The lesserClot-Bur.[137]
Water Lilly, with yellow Flowers, theIndiansEat the Roots, which are long a boiling, they tast like the Liver of a Sheep, theMoose Deerfeed much upon them, at which time theIndianskill them, when their heads are under water.[138]
Dragons, their leaves differ from all the kinds with us, they come up inJune.[139]
Violetsof three kinds, the White Violet which is sweet, but not so strong as our Blew Violets; Blew Violets without sent, and a Reddish Violet without sent; they do not blow tillJune.[140]
{45}For swell’d Legs.
Wood-bine, good for hot swellings of the Legs, fomenting with the decoction, and applying theFecesin the form of aCataplasme.[141]
Salomons-Seal, of which there is three kinds; the first common inEngland, the second,Virginia Salomons-Seal, and the third, differing from both, is calledTreacle Berries, having the perfect tast of Treacle when they are ripe; and will keep good along while; certainly a very wholsome Berry, and medicinable.[142]
Doves-Foot.[143]
Herb Robert.[143]
Knobby Cranes Bill.[143]
For Agues.
Ravens-Claw, which flowers inMay, and is admirable for Agues.[143]
Cinkfoil.[144]
Tormentile.[144]
Avens, with the leaf ofMountane-Avens, the flower and root ofEnglish Avens.[145]
Strawberries.[146]
Wild Angelica,majorisandminoris.[147]
Alexanders, which grow upon Rocks by the Sea shore.[148]
{46}Yarrow, with the white Flower.[149]
Columbines, of a flesh colour, growing upon Rocks.[150]
Oak of Hierusalem.[151]
Achariston is an excellent Medicine for stopping of the Lungs upon Cold, Ptisick, &c.
Oak of Cappadocia, both much of a nature, but Oak ofHierusalemis stronger in operation; excellent for stuffing of the Lungs upon Colds, shortness of Wind, and the Ptisick; maladies that the Natives are often troubled with: I helped several of theIndianswith a Drink made of two Gallons ofMolosses wort, (for in that part of the Country where I abode, we made our Beer of Molosses, Water, Bran, chips ofSassafrasRoot, and a little Wormwood, well boiled,) into which I put of Oak ofHierusalem, Cat-mint, Sowthistle, of each one handful, ofEnula CampanaRoot one Ounce, Liquorice scrap’d brused and cut in pieces, one Ounce, Sassafras Root cut into thin chips, one Ounce, Anny-seed and sweet Fennel-seed, of each one Spoonful bruised; boil these in a close Pot, upon a soft Fire to the consumption of one Gallon, then take it off, and strein it gently; you may if you will{47}boil the streined liquor with Sugar to a Syrup, then when it is Cold, put it up into Glass Bottles, and take thereof three or four spoonfuls at a time, letting it run down your throat as leasurely as possibly you can; do thus in the morning, in the Afternoon, and at Night going to Bed.
Goose-Grass, orClivers.[152]
Fearn.[153]
Brakes.[153]
Wood sorrel, with the yellow flower.[154]
Elm.[155]
Line Tree, both kinds.[156]
A way to draw out Oyl of Akrons, or the like, &c.
Maple; of the Ashes of this Tree theIndiansmake a lye, with which they force out Oyl from Oak Akorns that is highly esteemed by theIndians.[157]
Dew-Grass.[158]
Earth-Nut, which are of divers kinds, one bearing very beautiful Flowers.[159]
Fuss-Balls, very large.[160]
Mushrooms, some long and no bigger than ones finger, others jagged flat, round, none like our great Mushrooms inEngland, of these some are of a Scarlet colour, others a deep Yellow,&c.[160]
{48} Blew floweredPimpernel.[161]
NobleLiver-wort, one sort with white flowers, the other with blew.[162]
Black-Berry.[163]
Dew-Berry.
Rasp-Berry, here calledMul-berry.
Goose-Berries, of a deep red Colour.[164]
Haw-thorn, the Haws being as big as Services, and very good to eat, and not so astringent as the Haws inEngland.[165]
Toad flax.[166]
Pellamount, or Mountain time.[167]
Mouse-ear Minor.[168]
The making of Oyl of Akrons. To strengthen weak Members. For Scall’d-heads.
There isOakof three kinds, white, red and black, the white is excellent to make Canoes of, Shallopes, Ships, and other Vessels for the Sea, and for Claw-board, and Pipe-staves, the black is good to make Waynscot of; and out of the white Oak Acorns, (which is the Acorn Bears delight to feed upon): The Natives draw an Oyl, taking the rottenest Maple Wood, which being burnt to ashes, they make a strong Lye therewith, wherein they boyl their white Oak-Acorns until the Oyl swim on the top in great quantity; this{49}they fleet off, and put into bladders to annoint their naked Limbs, which corrobarates them exceedingly; they eat it likewise with their Meat, it is an excellent clear and sweet Oyl: Of the Moss that grows at the roots of the white Oak theIndessesmake a strong decoction, with which they help theirPapousesor young Childrens scall’d Heads.[169]
Juniper, whichCardanussaith is Cedar in hot Countries, and Juniper in cold Countries; it is hear very dwarfish and shrubby, growing for the most part by the Sea side.[170]
Willow.[171]
Spurge Lawrel, called herePoyson berry, it kills theEnglishCattle if they chance to feed upon it, especially Calves.[172]
Gaul, or noble Mirtle.[173]
Elder.[174]
Dwarf Elder.[175]
For a Cut with a Bruse.
Alder; AnIndianBruising and Cutting of his Knee with a fall, used no other remedy, than Alder Bark, chewed fasting, and laid to it, which did soon heal it.[176]
To take Fire out of a Burn.
The decoction is also excellent to take {50} the Fire out of a Burn or Scalld.
For Wounds and Cuts.
For Wounds and Cuts make a strong decoction of Bark of Alder, pour of it into the Wound, and drink thereof.
Hasel.[177]
For sore Mouths, falling of the Pallat.
Filberd, both with hairy husks upon the Nuts, and setting hollow from the Nut, and fill’d with a kind of water of an astringent taste; it is very good for sore Mouths, and falling of the Pallat, as is the whole green Nut before it comes to Kernel, burnt and pulverized. The Kernels are seldom without maggots in them.[177]
The Figure of the Walnut.Walnut
The Figure of the Walnut.
Walnut; the Nuts differ much from ours inEurope, they being smooth, much like a Nutmeg in shape, and not much bigger; some three cornered, all of them but thinly replenished with Kernels.[178]
{51}Chestnuts; very sweet in taste, and may be (asthey usually are) eaten raw; theIndianssell them to theEnglishfor twelve pence the bushel.[179]
Beech.[180]
Ash.[181]
Quick-beam, orWild-Ash.[182]
Coals of Birch pulverized and wrought with the white of an Egg to a Salve, is a gallant Remedy for dry scurfy Sores upon the Shins; and for Bruised Wounds and Cuts.
Birch, white and black; the bark of Birch is used by theIndiansfor bruised Wounds and Cuts, boyled very tender, and stampt betwixt two stones to a Plaister, and the decoction thereof poured into the Wound; And also to fetch the Fire out of Burns and Scalds.[183]
Poplar, but differing in leaf.[184]
Plumb Tree, several kinds, bearing some long, round, white, yellow, red, and black Plums; all differing in their Fruit from those inEngland.[185]
Wild Purcelane.[186]
Wood-wax, wherewith they dye many pretty Colours.[187]
Red and blackCurrans.[188]
{52}For the Gout, or any Ach.
Spunck, an excrescence growing out of black Birch, theIndiansuse it for Touchwood; and therewith they help theSciatica, or Gout of the Hip, or any great Ach, burning the Patient with it in two or three places upon the Thigh, and upon certain Veins.[189]