AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 21 
different ; the red Beet being under Saturn, 
and the white under Jupiter; therefore take 
the virtues of them apart, each by itself. 
The white Beet much loosens the belly, and 
is of a cleansing, digesting quality, and 
provokes urine. The juice of it opens ob- 
structions both of the liver and spleen, and 
is good for the head-ach and swimmings 
therein, and turnings of the brain; and is 
effectual also against all venomous crea- 
tures; and applied to the temples, stays 
inflammations in the eyes; it helps burn- 
ings, being used with oil, and with a little 
allum put to it, is good for St. Anthony’s 
fire. It is good for all wheals, pushes, 
blisters, and blains in the skin: the herb 
boiled, and laid upon chilblains or kibes, 
helps them. The decoction thereof in water 
and some vinegar, heals the itch, if bathed 
therewith; and cleanses the head of dan- 
druff, scurf, and dry scabs, and does much 
good for fretting and running sores, ulcers, 
and cankers in the head, legs, or other parts, 
and is much commended against baldness 
and shedding the hair. 
The red Beet is good to stay the bloody 
flux, women’s courses, and the whites, and 
to help the yellow jaundice; the juice of 
the root put into the nostrils, purges the 
head, helps the noise in the ears, and the 
tooth-ach; the juice snuffed up the nose, 
helps a stinking breath, if the cause lie in 
the nose, as many times it does, if any 
bruise has been there; as also want of smell 
coming that way. 
WATER BETONY. 
Catxep also Brown-wort, and in York- 
shire, Bishop’s-leaves. 
Descript.| First, of the Water Betony, 
which rises up with square, hard, greenish 
Stalks, sometimes brown, set with broad 
dark green leaves dented about the edges 
with notches somewhat resembling the 
leaves of the Wood Betony, but much larger 
too, for the most part set at a joint. The 
? 
flowers are many, set at the tops of the 
stalks and branches, being round bellied 
and open at the brims, and divided into two 
parts, the uppermost being like a hood, and 
the lowermost like a hip hanging down, of 
a dark red colour, which passing there 
comes in their places small round heads 
with small points at the ends, wherein lie 
small and brownish seeds; the root is a thick 
bush of strings and shreds, growing from 
the head. 
Place.] It grows by the ditch side, 
brooks, and other water-courses, generally 
through this land, and is seldom found far 
from the water-side. 
Time.| It flowers about July, and the 
seed is ripe in August. 
Government and virtues.] Water Betony 
is an herb of Jupiter in Cancer, and is ap- 
propriated more to wounds and hurts in the 
breasts than Wood Betony, which follows; 
It is an excellent remedy for sick hogs. It 
is of a cleansing quality. The leaves bruised - 
and applied are effectual for all old and 
filthy ulcers; and especially if the juice of 
the leaves be boiled with a little honey, and 
dipped therein, and the sores dressed there- 
with; as also for bruises and hurts, whether 
inward or outward. The distilled water of 
the leaves is used for the same purpose; as 
also to bathe the face and hands spotted or 
blemished, or discoloured by sun burning. 
I confess I do not much fancy distilled 
waters, I mean such waters as are distilled 
cold; some virtues of the herb they may 
haply have (it were a strange thing else;) 
but this I am confident of, that being dis- 
tilled in a pewter still, as the vulgar and 
apish fashion is, both chemical oil and salt 
is left behind, unless you burn them, and 
then all is spoiled, water and all, which was 
good for as little as can be by such a dis- 
tillation. 
WOOD BETONY. eee 
Descript. ] Common eabseows Betony hes — 
