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and the ground and basis of several dyes, especially sadder colours, and o kap.are a great revenue to those who have quantities of them. Nor mustI forget ink, composed of galls % iiij, copperas ^ij, gum arabic -j>i; beatthe galls grofs, and put them into a quart of claret or French wine, andlet them soak for eight or nine days, setting the vefsel (an earthen glazedpitcher is best) in the hot sun, if in summer, but in winter near the fire,stirring it frequently with a wooden spatula ; then add the copperas and<rumi and after it has stood a day or two it will be fit to use. There are

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a world of receipts more, of which see Caneparius de Atramentis .—

Of the very mofs of the Oak, that which is white composes the choicestcyprefs-powder, which is esteemed good for the head; but impostorsfamiliarly vend other mofses under that name, as they do the fungi(excellent in haemorrhages and fluxes) for the true agaric, to the greatscandal of physic. Young red oaken leaves, decocted in wine, makean excellent gargle for a sore mouth; and almost every part of thistree is sovereign against fluxes in general, and where astringents areproper. The dew that impearls the leaves in May, insolated, meteorizes,and sends up a liquor which is of admirable effect in ruptures. Theliquor ifluing out between the bark, which looks like treacle, has manysovereign virtues. And some affirm the water stagnate in the hollowstump of a newly-felled Oak is as effectual as lignum sanctum in thefoul disease, and also stops a diarrhoea. A water distilled from the acornsis good against the phthisic and stitch in the side pit heals inward ulcers';.breaks the stone, and refrigerates inflamations, being applied with linendipt therein: Nay, the acorns themselves, eaten fasting, kill the worms,.provoke urine, and, some affirm, break even the stone itself. The coalsof Oak, beaten and mingled with honey, cure the carbuncle. We shallsay nothing of the viscuses, polypods, and other excrescences, of whichinnumerable remedies are composed, noble antidotes, syrups, &c.—

Nay, it is reported, that the very shade of this tree is so wholesome, thatthe sleeping, or lying under it, becomes a present remedy to paralytics,and recovers those whom the mistaken malign influence of the Walnut-tree has smitten k . But what is still more strange, I read in one Paulus,

k The ancients, who were fond of refreshing themselves under the shade of trees, cautionus against the influence of the Walnut. Pliny says of its shade, “ gravis et noxia, etiamcapiti humano, omnibusque juxta satis.” Lib. xvii. c. xviii.

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