



Produced by Chris Curnow, Emmy and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)  In loving memory of Poppy Curnow, who
loved her herb garden.






[Transcriber's Note: As with any medicinal work first published in the
1600s and rewritten countless times, it should go without saying to not
attempt these recipes. Just in case, the transcriber has now said it.
Also, many and varied were the printing and publishing anomalies, for a
more complete explanation, see the extensive notes collected at the end
of this text.]



[Illustration: NICHOLAS CULPEPER, M.D.

Author of the Family Herbal.]

[Illustration: RED LION HOUSE, SPITALFIELDS

IN WHICH CULPEPER LIVED, STUDIED AND DIED]



  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.

  WITH

  RULES FOR COMPOUNDING MEDICINE ACCORDING TO THE TRUE SYSTEM OF NATURE.

  FORMING A COMPLETE

  FAMILY DISPENSATORY AND NATURAL SYSTEM OF PHYSIC.

  ————————————
  BY NICHOLAS CULPEPER, M.D.
  ————————————

  TO WHICH IS ALSO ADDED,

  UPWARDS OF FIFTY CHOICE RECEIPTS,

  SELECTED FROM THE AUTHOR’S LAST LEGACY TO HIS WIFE.

  A NEW EDITION,

  WITH A LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL DISEASES TO WHICH THE HUMAN BODY IS
      LIABLE,

  AND A GENERAL INDEX.

  _Illustrated by Engravings of numerous British Herbs and Plants,
        correctly  from nature._

  ———————
  “The Lord hath created Medicines out of the earth; and he that is
      wise will not abhor them.”—_Ecc._ xxxviii. 4.
  ———————

  LONDON:
  THOMAS KELLY, 17, PATERNOSTER ROW.
  ———
  MDCCCL.




    LONDON;
    A. CROSS, PRINTER, 89, PAUL STREET,
    FINSBURY.




[Transcriber's Notes: All plates were done by: THOMAS KELLY, LONDON]


PLATE 1.

    Alexander
    Agrimony
    Alkanet
    Allheal
    Amara Dulcis _or_ Bitter Sweet
    Amaranthus
    Adder's Tongue
    Angelica
    Alehoof _or_ Ground Ivy


PLATE 2.

    Garden Arrach
    Avens
    Ars smart
    Basil
    Archangel
    Beets
    Yellow Bedstraw
    White Bedstraw
    Water Betony


PLATE 3.

    Bird’s Foot
    Bishop’s Weed
    Bistort _or_ Snakeweed
    White Briony
    Borage
    Brooklime
    Bucks-horn Plantain
    Brank Ursine
    Blue Bottle


PLATE 4.

    Burdock
    Butter-bur
    Wall Bugloss
    Bugle
    Camomile
    Carraway
    Centaury
    Wild Carrot
    Celandine


PLATE 5.

    Chervill
    Comfry
    Cleavers
    Coltsfoot
    Crabs Claws _or_ Fresh water Soldier
    Cowslip
    Columbine
    Shrub Cinquefoil
    Costmary


PLATE 6.

    Crowfoot
    Cuckow Point
    Water Cress
    Cudweed
    Crosswort
    Dill
    Dandelion
    Daisy
    Devils Bit


PLATE 7.

    Eringo
    Eyebright
    Elecampane
    Dock
    Dragons
    Dog’s Grass
    Dropwort
    Dove’s Foot
    Bloody Dock


PLATE 8.

    Foxglove
    Flower-de-luce
    Figwort
    Fleawort
    Fumitory
    Fluellin
    Fennel
    Flaxweed
    Feverfew


PLATE 9.

    Wall Hawkweed.
    Hart’s Tongue.
    Mouse-ear Hawkweed.
    Gentian.
    Golden Rod.
    Galingal.
    Clove Gilliflower.
    Groundsel.
    Germander.


PLATE 10.

    Longrooted Hawkweed
    Hearts Ease
    Hounds Tongue
    Herb Robert
    Marsh Pennywort
    White Horehound
    Henbane
    Truelove
    Hemlock


PLATE 11.

    Knapweed
    Lady’s Mantle
    Ladysmock
    Sea Lavender
    Water Lily
    Liquorice
    Loosestrife or Willowherb
    Liver Wort
    Lily of the Valley


PLATE 12.

    Lovage
    Lungwort
    Loosestrife _or_ Wood Willow-herb
    Maidenhair
    Field Madder
    Marsh Mallow
    Marigold
    Melilot
    Masterwort


PLATE 13.

    Mouse Ear
    Moon-wort
    Field Mouse Ear
    Yellow Money-wort
    Black Mullein
    Mother-wort
    Mug-wort
    White Mullein
    White Mustard


PLATE 14.

    Black Mustard
    Common Nightshade
    Deadly Nightshade
    Nep
    Nailwort
    Orpine
    Cow Parsnip
    Rock Parsley
    Wild Parsnip


PLATE 15.

    Pellitory of the Wall
    Periwinkle
    Pepper-wort
    Pimpernel
    Plantain
    Polypody
    White Poppy
    Corn Rose Poppy
    Primrose


PLATE 16.

    Privet
    Queen of the Meadow
    Meadow Rue
    Cress Rocket
    Rattle Grass
    Rocket Cress
    Ragwort
    Rapture Wort
    Saffron


PLATE 17.

    Meadow Saxifrage
    Great Sanicle
    Samphire
    Garden Scurvygrass
    Scabious
    Shepherd’s Purse
    Saracen’s Confound
    Self-heal
    Burnet Saxifrage


PLATE 18.

    Yellow Succory
    Solomon’s Seal
    Wild Succory
    Spignel
    Wood Sorrel
    Common Sorrel
    Smallage
    Sow Thistle
    Tansy


PLATE 19.

    Treacle Mustard
    Tustan
    Thorough Wax
    Tooth-wort
    Trefoil
    Tormentil
    Lady’s Thistle
    Wild Teazle
    Cotton Thistle


PLATE 20.

    Vervain
    Valerian
    Viper’s Bugloss
    Woad
    Woodbine
    Wall Flower
    Wormwood
    Sea Wormwood
    Yarrow




CULPEPER’S

ORIGINAL EPISTLE TO THE READER.


TAKE Notice, That in this Edition I have made very many Additions to
every sheet in the book: and, also, that those books of mine that are
printed of that Letter the small Bibles are printed with, are very
falsely printed: there being twenty or thirty gross mistakes in every
sheet, many of them such as are exceedingly dangerous to such as shall
venture to use them: And therefore I do warn the Public of them: I can
do no more at present; only take notice of these Directions by which
you shall be sure to know the _True one_ from the _False_.

_The first Direction._—The true one hath this Title over the head of
every Book, THE COMPLETE HERBAL AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. The
small Counterfeit ones have only this Title, THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN.

_The second Direction._—The true one hath these words, GOVERNMENT
AND VIRTUES, following the time of the Plants flowering, &c. The
counterfeit small ones have these words, VIRTUES AND USE, following the
time of the Plants flowering.

_The third Direction._—The true one is of a larger Letter than the
counterfeit ones, which are in _Twelves_, &c., of the Letter small
Bibles used to be printed on. I shall now speak something of the book
itself.

All other Authors that have written of the nature of Herbs, give not
a bit of reason why such an Herb was appropriated to such a part of
the body, nor why it cured such a disease. Truly my own body being
sickly, brought me easily into a capacity, to know that health was
the greatest of all earthly blessings, and truly he was never sick
that doth not believe it. Then I considered that all medicines were
compounded of Herbs, Roots, Flowers, Seeds, &c., and this first set
me to work in studying the nature of simples, most of which I knew
by sight before; and indeed all the Authors I could read gave me but
little satisfaction in this particular, or none at all. I cannot build
my faith upon Authors’ words, nor believe a thing because they say it,
and could wish every body were of my mind in this,—to labour to be
able to give a reason for every thing they say or do. They say Reason
makes a man differ from a Beast; if that be true, pray what are they
that, instead of reason for their judgment, quote old Authors? Perhaps
their authors knew a reason for what they wrote, perhaps they did not;
what is that to us? Do we know it? Truly in writing this work first,
to satisfy myself, I drew out all the virtues of the vulgar or common
Herbs, Plants, and Trees, &c., out of the best or most approved authors
I had, or could get; and having done so, I set myself to study the
reason of them. I knew well enough the whole world, and every thing
in it, was formed of a composition of contrary elements, and in such
a harmony as must needs show the wisdom and power of a great God. I
knew as well this Creation, though thus composed of contraries, was one
united body, and man an epitome of it: I knew those various affections
in man, in respect of sickness and health, were caused naturally
(though God may have other ends best known to himself) by the various
operations of the Microcosm; and I could not be ignorant, that as the
cause is, so must the cure be; and therefore he that would know the
reason of the operation of the Herbs, must look up as high as the
Stars, astrologically. I always found the disease vary according to the
various motions of the Stars; and this is enough, one would think, to
teach a man by the effect where the cause lies. Then to find out the
reason of the operation of Herbs, Plants, &c., by the Stars went I; and
herein I could find but few authors, but those as full of nonsense and
contradiction as an egg is full of meat. This not being pleasing, and
less profitable to me, I consulted with my two brothers, DR. REASON and
DR. EXPERIENCE, and took a voyage to visit my mother NATURE, by whose
advice, together with the help of DR. DILIGENCE, I at last obtained my
desire; and, being warned by MR. HONESTY, a stranger in our days, to
publish it to the world, I have done it.

But you will say, _What need I have written on this Subject, seeing so
many famous and learned men have written so much of it in the English
Tongue, much more than I have done?_

To this I answer, neither GERRARD nor PARKINSON, or any that ever wrote
in the like nature, ever gave one wise reason for what they wrote, and
so did nothing else but train up young novices in Physic in the School
of tradition, and teach them just as a parrot is taught to speak; an
Author says so, therefore it is true; and if all that Authors say be
true, why do they contradict one another? But in mine, if you view it
with the eye of reason, you shall see a reason for everything that is
written, whereby you may find the very ground and foundation of Physic;
you may know what you do, and wherefore you do it; and this shall call
me Father, it being (that I know of) never done in the world before.

I have now but two things to write, and then I have done.

    1. _What the profit and benefit of this Work is._

    2. _Instructions in the use of it._

1. The profit and benefit arising from it, or that may occur to a wise
man from it are many; so many that should I sum up all the particulars,
my Epistle would be as big as my Book; I shall quote some few general
heads.

First. The admirable Harmony of the Creation is herein seen, in the
influence of Stars upon Herbs and the Body of Man, how one part of the
Creation is subservient to another, and all for the use of Man, whereby
the infinite power and wisdom of God in the creation appear; and if I
do not admire at the simplicity of the Ranters, never trust me; who but
viewing the Creation can hold such a sottish opinion, as that it was
from eternity, when the mysteries of it are so clear to every eye? but
that Scripture shall be verified to them, _Rom._ i. 20: “_The invisible
things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even his Eternal Power and
Godhead; so that they are without excuse._”—And a Poet could teach them
a better lesson;

    “_Because out of thy thoughts God shall not pass,_
    “_His image stamped is on every grass._”

This indeed is true, God has stamped his image on every creature, and
therefore the abuse of the creature is a great sin; but how much the
more do the wisdom and excellency of God appear, if we consider the
harmony of the Creation in the virtue and operation of every Herb!

Secondly, Hereby you may know what infinite knowledge _Adam_ had in his
innocence, that by looking upon a creature, he was able to give it a
name according to its nature; and by knowing that, thou mayest know how
great thy fall was and be humbled for it even in this respect, because
hereby thou art so ignorant.

Thirdly, Here is the right way for thee to begin at the study of
Physic, if thou art minded to begin at the right end, for here
thou hast the reason of the whole art. I wrote before in certain
Astrological Lectures, which I read, and printed, intituled,
_Astrological Judgment of Diseases_, what planet caused (as a second
cause) every disease, how it might be found out what planet caused it;
here thou hast what planet cures it by _Sympathy_ and _Antipathy_; and
this brings me to my last promise, _viz._


    _Instructions for the right use of the book._

And herein let me premise a word or two. The Herbs, Plants, &c. are now
in the book appropriated to their proper planets. Therefore,

First, Consider what planet causeth the disease; that thou mayest find
it in my aforesaid Judgment of Diseases.

Secondly, Consider what part of the