20 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
performs the same office, as also Gallion, 
Pettimugget, and Maid-hair; and by some 
Wild Rosemary. 
Descript.| This rises up with divers 
small brown, and square upright stalks, a 
yard high or more; sometimes branches 
forth into divers parts, full of joints, and 
with divers very fine small leaves at every 
' one of them, little or nothing rough at all; 
at the tops of the branches grow many long 
tufts or branches of yellow flowers very 
thick set together, from the several joints 
which consist of four leaves a piece, which 
smell somewhat strong, but not unpleasant. 
The seed is small and black like poppy 
seed, two for the most part joined to- 
gether: The root is reddish, with many 
small threads fastened to it, which take 
strong hold of the ground, and creep a lit- 
tle: and the branches leaning a little down 
to the ground, take root at the joints there- 
of, whereby it is easily encreased. 
There is another sort of Ladies Bed- 
straw growing frequently in England, 
which bears white flowers as the other doth 
yellow; but the branches of this are so 
weak, that unless it be sustained by the 
hedges, or other things near which it grows, 
it will lie down to the ground; the leaves 
a little bigger than the former, and the 
flowers not so plentiful as these; and the 
root hereof is also thready and abiding. 
Place.] They grow in meadows and pas- 
tures both wet and dry, and by the hedges. 
Time.| They flower in May for the most 
part, and the seed is ripe in July and 
August. 
Government and virtues.| They are both 
herbs of Venus, and therefore strengthen- 
ing the parts both internal and external, 
which she rules. The decoction of the for- 
mer of those being drank, is good to fret 
-and break the stone, provoke urine, stays 
inward bleeding, and heals inward wounds. 
_ The herb or flower bruised and put into the 
- nostrils, stays their bleeding likewise: The 
‘ment of these two sorts of Beets are, t 
flowers and herbs being made into an oil, 
by being set in the sun, and changed after 
it has stood ten or twelve days; or into 
an ointment being boiled in Azunga, or sal- 
lad oil, with some wax melted therein, after 
it is strained; either the oil made thereof, 
or the ointment, do help burnings with fire, 
or scaldings with water. The same also, or 
the decoction of the herb and flower, is 
good to bathe the feet of travellers and 
lacquies, whose long running causes weari- 
ness and stiffness in the sinews and joints. 
If the decoction be used warm, and the 
joints afterwards anointed with ointment, it 
helps the dry scab, and the itch in children; 
and the herb with the white flower is also 
very good for the sinews, arteries, and 
joints, to comfort and strengthen them 
after travel, cold, and pains. 
BEETS. 
Or Beets there are two sorts, which are 
best known generally, and whereof I shall 
principally treat at this time, viz. the white 
and red Beets, and their virtues. 
Descript.] The common white Beet has 
many great leaves next the ground, some 
what large and of a whitish green colour. 
The stalk is great, strong, and ribbed, beat 
ing great store of leaves upon it, almost to 
the very top of it: The flowers grow i2 
very long tufts, small at the end, and tur 
ing down their heads, which are small, pale 
greenish, yellow buds, giving cornered 
prickly seed. The root is great, long, and 
hard, and when it has given seed is of n0 
use at all. 
The common red Beet differs not fro® 
the white, but only it is less, and the leave 
and the roots are somewhat red; the leaves 
are differently red, some only with red 
stalks or veins; some of a fresh red, and 
others of a dark red. The root thereof i8- 
red, spungy, and not used to be eaten. 
Government and virtues.] The 
