AND COMPLETE HERBAL. > 343 
There are many other forts of fcabious, but thofe here defcribed are moft fami- 
liar with us ; the virtues both of thefe and the red being much alike, you will take 
them as followeth. — : | 
GoveRNMENT AND Virtues. Mercury owns the plant. Scabious is very effec- 
tual for all forts of coughs, fhortnefs, of breath, and all other difeafes of the breait 
and lungs, ripening and digefting cold phlegm and other tough humours, voiding 
them by coughing and fpitting. It ripeneth alfo all forts of inward ulcers and im- 
pofthumes, the pleurify alfo, if the decoction of the herb, dry or green, be made in 
wine, and drunk for fome time together. Four ounces of the clarified juice of fca- 
bious, taken in the morning fafting, with a drachm of Mithridate or Venice treacle, 
freeth the heart from any infection of peftilence, if after the taking of it the party 
perfpire two hours in bed. The green herb, bruifed, and applied to any carbuncle 
or fore, is found, by certain experience, to diffolve or break it in three hours fpace. 
The fame decoétion alfo, drunk, helpeth pains and ftitches in the fides. The decoc- 
tion of the roots, taken for forty days together, or a drachm of the powder of them _ 
taken at a time in whey, doth (as Mathiolus faith) wonderfully help thofe that are 
troubled with running or fpreading fcabs, tetters, or ringworms, even though they 
proceed of the venereal difeafe. The juice, or decoction, drunk, helpeth alfo feabs 
and breakings out of itch and the like. The juice, made up into an ointment, is 
effectual for the fame purpofe. The fame alfo helpeth all inward wounds, by the 
drying, cleanfing, and healing, quality therein. A fyrup made of the juice and fu- . 
gar is very effeétual to all the purpofes aforefaid, and {0 is the diftilled water of the 
herb. and flowers made in due feafon; efpecially to be ufed when the green herb is 
not in force to be taken. The decoétion of the herb and roots, outwardly applied, 
doth wonderfully help all forts of hard or cold fwellings in any part of the body, and 
isas effe€tual for any fhrunk fineworvein. The juice of fcabious made up with the 
powder of borax and camphire, cleanfeth the skin of the face or other parts of the » 
body, not only from freckles and pimples, but alfo from morphew and leprofy. The 
head being wafhed with the fame decoction, it cleanfeth it from dandriff, fcurf, fores, 
itches, and the like, being ufed warm. Tents, dipped in the juice or water thereof, 
not only heal green wounds, but old fores and ulcers alfo. The herb bruifed, and 
applied, doth in fhort time loofen and draw forth any fplinter, broken bone, arrow- 
head, or other thing, lying in the flefhe : 
— 30 dod Ye pn Boe Se 8 ¥-GRASS. Jdt er. 
Description. OUR ordinary Englifh feurvy-grafs hath many ‘thick leaves — 
more long than broad, and fometimes longer and narrower, fometimes fmooth on 
No, 23. 4U- = Aa 
