6 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
colour, with small white spots upon the lips 
that hang down. The root is small with 
strings. 
Place.| It is commonly found under 
hedges, and on the sides of ditches, under 
houses, or in shadowed lanes, and other 
waste grounds, in almost every part of this 
land. 
Time.| They flower somewhat early, and 
abide a great while; the leaves continue 
green until Winter, and sometimes abide, 
except the Winter be very sharp and cold. 
Government and virtues.] It is an herb 
of Venus, and therefore cures the diseases 
she causes by sympathy, and those of Mars 
by antipathy; you may usually find it all 
the year long except the year be extremely 
frosty ; it is quick, sharp, and bitter in taste, 
and is thereby found to be hot and dry; a 
singular herb for all inward wounds, exul- 
cerated lungs, or other parts, either by it- 
self, or boiled with other the like herbs; and 
being drank, in a short time it eases all 
griping pains, windy and choleric humours 
in the stomach, spleen or belly; helps the 
yellow jaundice, by opening the stoppings 
of the gall and liver, and melancholy, by 
opening the stoppings of the spleen; ex- 
pelleth venom or poison, and also the 
plague; it provokes urine and womens’ 
courses; the decoction of it in wine drank 
for some time together, procureth ease to 
them that are troubled with the sciatica, or 
hip-gout: as also the gout in hands, knees, 
or feet; if you put to the decoction some 
honey and a little burnt allum, it is excel- 
lent good to gargle any sore mouth or 
throat, and to wash the sores and ulcers in 
the privy parts of man or woman; it speed- 
ily helps green wounds, being bruised and 
bound thereto. The juice of it boiled with 
a little honey and verdigrease, both won- 
_ derfully cleanse fistulas, ulcers, and stayeth 
the spreading or eating of cancers and ul- 
cers; it helpeth the itch, scabs, wheals, and 
_ other breakings out in any part of the body. 
The juice of Celandine, Field-daisies, and : 
Ground-ivy clarified, and a little fine sugar 
dissolved therein, and dropped into the 
eyes, is a sovereign remedy for all pains, 
redness, and watering of them; as also for — 
the pin and web, skins and films growing — 
over the sight; it helps beasts as well as 
men. The juice dropped into the ears, won- ' 
derfully helps the noise and singing of | 
them, and helps the hearing which is de- 
cayed. It is good to tun up with new drink, i 
for it will clarify it in a night, that it will — 
be the fitter to be drank the next morning; — 
or if any drink be thick with removing, or — 
any other accident, it will do the like in a 
few hours. 
ALEXANDER. 
Ir is called Alisander, Horse-parsley, — 
and Wild-parsley, and the Black Pot-herb; — 
the seed of it is that which is usually sold © 
in apothecaries’ shops for Macedonian — 
Parsley-seed. 
Descript.| It is usually sown in all the — 
gardens in Europe, and so well known, that — 
it needs no farther description. ; 
Time.] It flowers in June and July; the — 
seed is ripe in August. : 
Government and virtues.| It is an herb © 
of Jupiter, and therefore friendly to nature, — 
for it warms a cold stomach, and opens — 
a stoppage of the liver and spleen; it is good 
to move women’s courses, to expel the after- 
birth, to break wind, to provoke urine and — 
helps the stranguary; and these things the — 
seeds will do likewise. If either of them 
be boiled in wine, or being bruised and — 
taken in wine, is also effectual against the — 
biting of serpents. And you know what — 
Alexander Pottage is good for, that you 
may no longer eat it out of ignorance, but — 
out of knowledge. — 
THE BLACK ALDER-TREE. 
Descript.| Tus tree seldom groweth to 
any great bigness, but for the most part 
