AND COMPLETE HERBAL, 237 
MAIDEN-HAIR, 
- Description. THE common maiden hair doth, from a number of black hard 
fibres, fend forth a great many blackifh fhining brittle ftalks, hardly a fpan long; 
in many not half fo long; on each fide fet very thick with fmall round dark-green 
leaves, {potted on the back. of them like other ferns. 
Prace. It groweth much upon old {tone walls in the weftern parts of England ; — 
in Wales, in Kent, and divers other places. It is to be found, in great abundance, 
by the fides of {prings, wells, and.on the rockey, moift, and fhadowy, places; and is 
always green, — a : 
“WALL-RUE, or ordinary WHITE MAIDEN-HAIR, 
Description. THIS hath very fine pale-green ftalks almoft as fine as hairs, 
fet confufedly with divers pale-green leaves on very fhort foot-ftalks, fomewhat fimi- 
lar to the colour of garden rue, and not much differing in form, but more diverfely’ 
cut in on the edges, and thicker; fmooth on the upper part, and {potted finely 
underneath, : Be : ; 
Puace. It growethin many parts of the kingdom ; at Dartford, and the Bridge 
atvAthford,, both in Kents at Beaconsfield, in Buckinghambhire ; on Framlingham 
caitle, in Suffolk; on the church-walls at Mayfield, in Suflex ; in Somerfethhire; 
and divers other parts. It is green in winter as well as fummer. ets 
‘GovernmenT anbd’Virtuts.. Both this and the former are under the dominion 
of Mercury, and fo.is that alfo which follows after; and the virtues of both are fo 
nearly alike, that defcribing thofe of the one.will equally anfwer the other, =. > 
~ Phe decoction of the herb. maiden-hair, being drunk, relieveth thofe that are 
troubled with a cough, fhortnefs, of breath, the yellow jaundice, difeafes of the 
fpleen, ftoppaze of urine, and, helpeth; exceedingly to break the tone in'the kid- 
_ heys, (in all which cafes the wall-rue is alfo very effectual). It provoketh women’s 
courfes, and. ftayeth both bleedings and fluxes of the ftomach and belly, efpecially - . 
when the herb is dry ; but, when green, it openeth the body, voideth choler and 
phlegm from the ftomach and liver; it cleanfeth the lungs, and by rectifying the 
blood, caufeth a good colour tothe whole body.. The herb, boiled in oi] of camo- 
mile,, diffolveth knots, allayeth. {wellings, and drieth up moilt ulcers. The lye 
made thereof is. fingularly good to cleanfe the head from fcurf, and from-dry and gas 
| eee. foress ftayeth the falling or thedding! of the hair, and caufeth it tog 
nati 
Jair, and well-coloured ; for which purpofe fome boil it in wing, pt 
