58 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
root likewise, and both root and seeds as 
sharp as it. 
Place.| They grow in the way-sides in 
untilled places, and by the sides of old 
walls. 
Time.| They flower in the end of June, 
and their seed is ripe in July. 
Government and virtues.] It is a Saturn- 
ine plant. The leaves, but especially the 
root, taken fresh in Summer-time, beaten or 
made into a poultice or salve with old hog’s 
grease, and applied to the places pained 
with the sciatica, to continue thereon four 
hours if it be on a man, and two hours on a 
woman; the place afterwards bathed with 
wine and oil mixed together, and then 
wrapped with wool or skins, after they have 
sweat a little, will assuredly cure not only 
the same disease in hips, knuckle-bone, or 
other of the joints, as gout in the hands or 
feet, but all other old griefs of the head, (as 
inveterate rheums,) and other parts of the 
body that are hard to be cured. And if of 
the former griefs any parts remain, the 
same medicine, after twenty days, is to be 
applied again. The same is also effectual 
in the diseases of the spleen; and applied to 
the skin, takes away the blemishes thereof, 
whether they be scars, leprosy, scabs, or 
scurf, which although it ulcerate the part, 
yet that is to be helped afterwards with a 
salve made of oil and wax. Esteem this as 
another secret. 
WATER CRESSES. 
Descript.] Our ordinary Water Cresses 
spread forth with many weak, hollow, 
sappy stalks, shooting out fibres at the 
joints, and upwards long winged leaves 
‘made of sundry broad sappy almost round 
leaves, of a brownish colour. The flowers 
are many and white, standing on long foot- 
_ Stalks, after which come small yellow seed, 
_ contained in small long pods like horns. 
Place.| They grow, for the most part, 
in small standing waters, yet sometimes in 
small rivulets of running water. 
Time.| They flower and seed in the 
beginning of Summer. 
Government and virtues.] It is an herb 
under the dominion of the Moon. They 
are more powerful against the scurvy, and 
to cleanse the blood and humours, than 
Brooklime is, and serve in all the other uses 
in which Brooklime is available, as to — 
break the stone, and provoke urine and 
women’s courses. The decoction thereof 
cleanses ulcers, by washing them therewith. 
The leaves bruised, or the juice, is good, to 
be applied to the face or other parts 
troubled with freckles, pimples, spots, or 
the like, at night, and washed away in the 
morning. The juice mixed with vinegar, 
and the fore part of the head bathed there- 
with, is very good for those that are dull 
and drowsy, or have the lethargy. 
Water-cress pottage is a good remedy to 
cleanse the blood in the spring, and help 
headaches, and consume the gross humours 
winter has left behind; those that would live 
in health, may use it if they please; if they 
will not, I cannot help it. If any fancy not 
pottage, they may eat the herb as a sallad. 
CROSSWORT. 
Tuts herb receives its name from the 
situation of its leaves. 
Descript.| Common Crosswort grows 
up with square hairy brown stalks a little 
above a foot high, having four small broad 
and pointed, hairy, yet smooth thin leaves, 
growing at every joint, each against other 
one way, which has caused the name. 
| Towards the tops of the stalks at the joints, 
with the leaves in three or four rows down- 
wards, stand small, pale yellow flowers, 
after which come small blackish round 
seeds, four for the most part, set in every 
husk. The root is very small, and full of 
