26 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
Eat i ntsc 
chiefly nourished up in gardens. The nar- 
row leafed Bistort grows ‘in the north, in 
Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cumberland. 
Time.| They flower about the end of 
May, and the seed is ripe about the begin- 
ning of July. 
Government and virtues.| It belongs to 
Saturn, and is in operation cold and dry; 
both the leaves and roots have a powerful 
faculty to resist all poison. The root in 
powder taken in drink expels the venom 
of the plague, the small-pox, measels, pur- 
ples, or any other infectious disease, driv- 
ing it out by sweating. The root in powder, 
the decoction thereof in wine being drank, 
stays all manner of inward bleeding, or 
spitting of blood, and any fluxes in the body 
of either man or woman, or vomiting. It 
is also very available against ruptures, or 
burstings, or all bruises from falls, dissoly- 
ing the congealed blood, and easing the 
pains that happen thereupon; it also helps 
the jaundice. 
The water distilled from both leaves and 
roots, is a singular remedy to wash any 
place bitten or stung by any venomous 
creature; as also for any of the purposes 
before spoken of, and is very good to wash 
any running sores or ulcers. The decoction 
of the root in wine being drank, hinders 
abortion or miscarriage in child-bearing. 
The leaves also kill the worms in children, 
and is a great help to them that cannot keep 
their water; if the juice of plaintain be 
added thereto, and outwardly applied, much 
helpeth the ghonorrhea, or running of the 
reins. A dram of the powder of the root 
taken in water thereof, wherein some red 
hot iron or steel hath been quenched, is also 
an admirable help thereto, so as the body 
be first prepared and purged from the of- 
_ fensive humours. The leaves, seed, or roots 
_ are all very good in decoctions, drinks or 
lotions, for inward or outward wounds, or 
other s sores. And the powder strewed upon 
> 
in a vein, stays the 
| th 
immoderate bleeding thereof. The decoc 
tion of the root in water, where unto some 
pomegranate peels and flowers are added, 
injected into the matrix, stays the immod- 
erate flux of the courses. The root there- 
of with pelitory of Spain, and burnt allum, 
of each a little quantity, beaten small and 
into paste with some honey, and a little 
piece thereof put into an hollow tooth, or 
held between the teeth, if there be no hol- 
lowness in them, stays the defluction of 
rheum upon them which causes pains, and 
helps to cleanse the head, and void much 
offensive water. The distilled water is very 
effectual to wash sores or cankers in the 
nose, or any other part; if the powder of 
the root be applied thereunto afterwards. 
It is good also to fasten the gums, and to — 
take away the heat and inflammations that 
happen in the jaws, almonds of the throat, 
or mouth, if the decoction of the leaves, — 
roots, or seeds bruised, or the juice of them 
be applied; but the roots are most effectual — 
to the purposes aforesaid. ; 
ONE-BLADE. ) 
Descript.] Tuts small plant never bears 
more than one leaf, but only when it rises 
up with its stalk, which thereon bears an 
other, and seldom more, which are of a blue 
ish green colour, broad at the bottom, and — 
pointed with many ribs or veins like plain- 
tain; at the top of the stalk grow many 
small flowers star-fashion, smelling some-_ 
what sweet; after which comes small red-_ 
dish berries when they are ripe. The root — 
small of the bigness of a rush, lying and 3 
creeping under the upper crust of the earth, 
shooting forth in divers places. S 
Place.| It grows in moist, shadowy; — 
grassy places of woods, in many places of © 
this realm. 
Time.] It flowers about Mag; and the 
berries are ripe in June, and then quickly 
_—— mae he ee eaeteraine ae 
