FAMILY HERBAL. 161 



ous account sent lately to a person of distinctioft 

 with some leaves of the herb. There is no doubt 

 of the truths and the surgeons will verj well under* 

 stand the nature of the cure ; the discarery how- 

 ever is not new, for the herh has alwajs been 

 reckoned amohg the vulnerary plants; and some 

 have pretended that it yfiII singly cure the king's 

 evil;, but that is not to be expected ; at the same 

 time it may he proper ta observe, that v?e do not 

 want plants for the same use in England ; we have 

 the tutsan which is to be applied in the same man- 

 ner, and has the same effect; clown's ad-heal^ and 

 many others, named in their places. 



4 



Hare's Foot. Zagopus. 



A COMMON little plant, singular in the tuft, 

 which contains its seeds, and whence it has its 

 name, but not so much regarded as it ought to be 

 for its virtues. The stalks are numerousr, round, 

 ^lender, and spread upon the ground^ each is 

 divided into a number of lesser branches. The leaves 

 are small, oblong, narrow, of a pale green colour, 

 and hairy; and they stand three together, in the 

 manner of trefoils. The flowers are small and of 

 a faint red^ they stand several together in a short 

 spike, and the cups which receive them at the 

 base, aredowny ; this gives the singular aspect of 

 luiiriness to these heads, and their softness to the 

 touch. 



The whole plant is to be used dried. It is an 

 ejccellent astringent. It stops the overflowings of 

 the menses, and the whites, and is good againft 

 bloodv fluxes, and purgings of all kinds. The best 

 way of taking it is in a strong decoction, which 



must be continued some time. 



X 



