516 CULPEPER’s ENGLISH PHYSICIAN, 
-“T here is another fort hereof different from the former only in this, that it rifeth not 
fo liigh 5 the leaves arenot fo finely jagged, norof fo dark a green colour, but nati 
whitifh, foft, and woolley, and the flowers ufi ually paler. 
Psace. They both grow wild in paftures and untilled grounds in many phibes; 
and oftentimes both of them in one field. | 
Time. They flower in June and July, and the feed is ripe in Auguft. . 
- GovernMENT AND Virtues. -Ragwort is underthe command of Venus, and 
cleanfeth, digefteth, and difcuffeth. The decoétion of this herb is good for ulcers in 
the mouthor throat, and for fwellings, hardnefs, or impofthumations, for it thorough- 
ly cleanfeth and healeth them ; as alfo the quinfey and the king’s evil, It helpeth 
to ftay catarrhs, thin rheum, and defluxions from the head into the. eyes, nofe, or 
lungs. ‘The juice is found by experience to be goed to heal green wounds, and to 
cleanfe and heal old and filthy ulcers; as alfo inward wounds and ulcers, and ftayeth 
the malignity of fretting or running cancers, and hollow fiftulas, not fuffering them 
to fpread further. It is alfo much commended to help achs and pains, either in the 
Refhy parts, or in the nerves and finews ; as alfo the fciatica, or pain of the hips. 
Bathe the places with the decoction of the herb, or anoint them with an ointment 
made of the herb bruifed and boiled in hogs-lard, with maftic and olibanum in 
bated added to it after i it is s ftrained. An Suffex this herb is called ragwood.* 
GB RATTLE-GRASS. 
‘ _OF this there are two kinds, the red and the yellow. 
Description. ‘The common red rattle-grafs hath fundry reddifh hollow flalks, 
7 cand fometimes green, .rifing from the root, lying for the moft part on the ground, 
yet fome growing more upright, with many {mall reddifh or greenifh leaves fet on 
-both fides of a middle rib finely dented about the edges: the flowers ftand at the 
‘tops of the ftalks and branches, of a fine purplith red colour; after which come flat 
blackith feed in fmall hufks, which, lying loofe therein, will rattle with thaking. 
heroot confifts of two or three fmall whitifh {trings, with fome fibres thereat. 4 
1€ commor sania rattle hath feldom above one round green’ ftalk, rifing from 
and fe XK ' ew ewhat trond leaves fet ata a loli. deeply cut inon the edges, refem- 
acock, broadeft next the ftalk, The Rlowers grow at the tops of 
if with gop reafon agsing fwelings, ue in inflammations : they are fe 
Seb ame with bread and oil. 
60? Sf 5 “gore 2mn@t 
i Eo b i the 
