The Description.

The Ash also is an high and tall tree: it riseth up with a straight body, now and then of no small bigness, now and then of a middle size, and is covered with a smooth bark: the wood is white, smooth, hard, and somewhat rough grained: the tender branches hereof and such as be new grown up are set with certain joints, and have within a white and spongy pith: but the old boughs are woody throughout, and be without either joints or much pith: the leaves are long and winged, consisting of many standing by couples, one right against another upon one rib or stalk, the upermost of all excepted, which standeth alone; of which every particular one is long, broad, like to a Bay leaf, but softer, and of a lighter green, without any sweet smell, and nicked round about the edges: out of the younger sort of the boughs, hard to the setting on of the leaves, grow forth hanging together many long narrow and flat cods, as it were like almost to divers birds' tongues, where the seed is perfected, which is of a bitter taste: the roots be many, and grow deep in the ground.

The Place.

The Ash doth better prosper in moist places, as about the borders of meadows and riversides, than in dry grounds.

The Time.

The leaves and keys come forth in April and May, yet is not the seed ripe before the fall of the leaf.

The Names.

This tree is called in Greek, Melia, and of divers, Milea: in Latin, Fraxinus: in High Dutch, Eschernbaum, Eschernholtz, and Steynschern: in Low Dutch, Esschen, and Esschenboom: in Italian, Frassino: in French, Fresne: in Spanish, Fresno, Fraxino, and Freixo: in English, Ash tree.

The fruit like unto cods is called of the apothecaries, Lingua Avis,["Bird's tongue"] and Lingua Passerina["Sparrow's tongue"]: it may be named in Greek, Ornithoglosson: yet some would have it called Orneoglossum; others make Ornus or the wild Ash to be called Orneoglossum: it is termed in English, Ash keys, and of some, Kite keys.

The Temperature and Virtues.

A. The leaves and bark of the Ash tree are dry and moderately hot: the seed is hot and dry in the second degree.

B. The juice of the leaves or the leaves themselves being applied, or taken with wine, cure the bitings of vipers, as Dioscorides saith.

C. The leaves of this tree are of so great virtue against serpents, as that they dare not so much as touch the morning and evening shadows of the tree, but shun them afar off, as Pliny reports, lib. 16. cap. 13. He also affirmeth, that the serpent being penned in with boughs laid round about, will sooner run into the fire, if any be there, than come near the boughs of the Ash: and that the Ash doth flower before the serpents appear, and doth not cast his leaves before they be gone again.

D. We write (saith he) upon experience, that if the serpent be set within the circle of a fire and the boughs, the serpent will sooner run into the fire than into the boughs. It is a wonderful courtesy in nature, that the Ash should flower before these serpents appear, and not cast his leaves before they be on again.

E. Both of them, that is to say the leaves and the bark, are reported to stop the belly: and being boiled with vinegar and water, do stay vomiting, if they be laid upon the stomach.

F. The leaves and bark of the Ash tree boiled in wine and drunk, do open the stoppings of the liver and spleen, and do greatly comfort them.

G. Three or four leaves of the Ash tree taken in wine each morning from time to time do make those lean that are fat, and keepeth them from feeding which do begin to wax fat.

H. The seed or kite-keys of the Ash tree provoke urine, increase natural seed, and stir up bodily lust, especially being powdered with nutmegs and drunk.

I. The wood is profitable for many things, being exalted by Homer's commendations, and Achilles' spear, as Pliny writeth. The shavings or small pieces thereof being drunk are said to be pernicious and deadly, as Dioscorides affirmeth.

K. The lye which is made with the ashes of the bark cureth the white scurf, and such other like roughness of the skin, as Pliny testifieth.