AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 29 
_ the edge of the sickles that reap the corn; 
- Blue-blow, Corn flower, and Blu--bottle. 
_ Descript.] I shall only describe that 
which is commonest, and in my opinion 
most useful; its leaves spread upon the 
ground, being of a whitish green colour, 
somewhat on the edges like those of corn- 
_scabions, amongst which rises up a stalk 
divided into divers branches, beset with 
long leaves of a greenish colour, either but 
very little indented, or not at all; the 
flowers are of a blueish colour, from whence 
it took its name, consisting of an innumera- 
ble company of flowers set in a scaly head, 
not much unlike those of knap weed; the 
seed is smooth, bright, and _ shining, 
wrapped up in a wooly mantle; the root 
perishes every year. 
Place.| They grow in corn fields, 
amongst all sorts of corn, (pease, beans, 
and tares excepted.) If you please to take 
them up from thence, and transplant them 
in your garden, especially towards the full 
of the moon, they will grow more double 
than they are, and many times change col- 
our, 
Time.] They flower from the beginning 
of May, to the end of harvest. 
Government and virtues.| As they are 
naturally cold, dry, and binding, so they 
are under the dominion of Saturn. The 
powder or dried leaves of the Blue-bottle, 
or Corn flower, is given with good success 
to those that are bruised by a fall, or have 
broken a vein inwardly; and void much 
blood at the mouth; being taken in the 
water of plaintain, horsetail, or the greater 
comfrey, it is a remedy against the poison 
of the scorpion, and resists all venoms and 
poison. The seed or leaves taken in wine, 
is very good against the plague, and all in- 
-fectious diseases, and is very good in pes- 
-tilential fevers. The juice put into fresh or 
green wounds, doth quickly solder up the 
lips of them together, and is very effectual 
to heal all ulcers and sores in the mouth. 
x 
The juice dropped into the eyes takes away 
the heat and inflammation of them. The 
distilled water of this herb, has the same 
properties, and may be used for the effects 
aforesaid. 
BRANK URSINE. 
Besipes the common name _ Brank- 
Ursine, it is also called Bears-breech, and 
Acanthus, though I think our English 
names to be more proper; for the Greek 
word Acanthus, signifies any thistle what- 
soever. 
Descript.| This thistle shoots forth very 
many large, thick, sad green smooth leaves 
on the ground, with a very thick and juicy 
middle rib; the leaves are parted with 
sundry deep gashes on the edges; the leaves 
remain a long time, before any stalk ap- 
pears, afterwards rises up a reasonable big 
stalk, three or four feet high, and bravely 
decked with flowers from the middle of the 
stalk upwards; for on the lower part of the 
stalk, there is neither branches nor leaf. 
The flowers are hooded and gaping, being 
white in colour, and standing in brownish 
husks, with a long small undivided leaf 
under each leaf; they seldom seed in our 
country. Its roots are many, great and 
thick, blackish without and whitish within, 
full of a clammy sap; a piece of them if 
you set it in the garden, and defend it from 
the first Winter cold, will grow and flourish. 
Place.| They are only nursed in the 
gardens in England, where they will grow 
very well, 
Time.] It flowers in June and July. 
Government and virtues.| It is an excel- 
lent plant under the dominion of the Moon; 
I could wish such as are studious would 
labour to keep it in the gardens. The 
leaves being boiled and used in glisters, is 
excellent good to molify the belly, and _ 
make the passage slippery. The decoction _ 
drank inwardly, is excellent and good for 
the bloody-flux: The leaves being bruised, 
