10 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
say the flowers never open but when the 
wind bloweth. Pliny is my author; if it 
be not so, blame him. The seed also (if it 
bears any at all) flies away with the wind. 
Place and Time.] They are sown usually 
in the gardens of the curious, and flower in 
the Spring-time. As for description I shall 
pass it, being well known to all those that 
sow them. 
Government and virtues.] It is under the 
dominion of Mars, being supposed to be a 
kind of Crow-foot. The leaves provoke the 
terms mightily, being boiled, and the decoc- 
tion drank. The body being bathed with 
the decoction of them, cures the leprosy. 
The leaves being stamped and the juice 
snuffed up in the nose, purges the head 
mightily; so does the root, being chewed in 
the mouth, for it procures much spitting, 
and brings away many watery and phleg- 
matic humours, and is therefore excellent 
for the lethargy. And when all is done, let 
physicians prate what they please, all the 
pills in the dispensary purge not the head 
like to hot things held in the mouth. Being 
made into an ointment, and the eyelids 
anointed with it, it helps inflammation of 
the eyes, whereby it is palpable, that every 
stronger draws its weaker like. The same 
ointment is excellent good to cleanse malig- 
nant and corroding ulcers. 
GARDEN ARRACH, 
Catep also Orach, and Arage; it is cul- 
tivated for domestic uses. 
Descript.] It is so commonly known to 
every housewife, it were labour lost to de- | 
- scribe it. 
Time.| It flowers and seeds from June 
to the end of August. 
Government and virtues.] It is under the 
government of the Moon; in quality cold 
and moist like unto her. It softeneth and 
looseneth the body of man being eaten, 
and fortifieth the expulsive faculty in him. 
_ The herb, whether it be bruised and applied 
to the throat, or boiled, and in like manner 
applied, it matters not much, it is excellent, 
good for swellings in the throat: the best 
way, I suppose is to boil it, and having 
drank the decoction inwardly, apply the 
herb outwardly: the decoction of it besides 
is an excellent remedy for the yellow jaun- 
dice, 
ARRACH, WILD AND STINKING. 
Cautep also Vulvaria, from that part of — 
the body, upon which the operation is most; 
also Dog’s Arrach, Goat’s Arrach, and 
Stinking Motherwort. 
Descript.| This hath small and almost 
round leaves, yet a little pointed and with- 
out dent or cut, of a dusky mealy colour, 
growing on the slender stalks and branches 
that spread on the ground, with small 
flowers set with the leaves, and small seeds 
succeeding like the rest, perishing yearly, 
and rising again with its own sowing. It 
smells like rotten fish, or something worse. 
Place.| It grows usually upon dunghills. 
Time.]| They flower in June and July, 
and their seed is ripe quickly after. 
Government and virtues.| Stinking Ar- — 
rach is used as a remedy to women pained, 
and almost strangled with the mother, by 
smelling to it; but inwardly taken there is 
no better remedy under the moon for that 
disease. I would be large in commendation 
of this herb, were I but eloquent. It is an 
herb under the dominion of Venus, and un- 
der the sign Scorpio; it is common almost 
upon every dunghill. The works of God 
are given freely to man, his medicines are 
common and cheap, and easily to be found. 
I commend it for an universal medicine for 
the womb, and such a medicine as will 
easily, safely, and speedily cure any disease 
thereof, as the fits of the mother, disloca- 
tion, or falling out thereof; it cools the 
womb being over-heated. And let me tell 
you this, and I will tell you the truth, heat 
of the womb is one of the greatest causes — 
