60 ) THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
a cut on the edge, of a full green colour, 
each standing upon a thick round stalk, of 
a hand-breath long, or more, among which, 
after two or three months that they begin to 
wither, rises up a bare, round, whitish green 
stalk, spotted and streaked with purple, 
somewhat higher than the leaves: At the 
top whereof stands a long hollow husk, 
close at the bottom, but open from the 
middle upwards, ending in a point; in the 
middle whereof stand the small long pestle 
or clapper, smaller at the bottom than at 
the top, of a dark purple colour, as the husk 
is on the inside, though green without; 
which, after it hath so abided for some time, 
the husk with the clapper decays, and the 
foot or bottom thereof grows to be a small 
long bunch of berries, green at the first, 
and of a yellowish red colour when they 
are ripe, of the bigness of a hazel-nut ker- 
nel, which abides thereon almost until 
Winter; the root is round, and somewhat 
long, for the most part lying along, the 
leaves shooting forth at the largest end, 
which, when it bears his berries, are some- 
what wrinkled and loose, another growing 
under it, which is solid and firm, with many 
small threads hanging thereat. The whole 
plant is of a very sharp biting taste, prick- 
ing the tongue as nettles do the hands, and 
so abides for a great while without altera- 
tion. The root thereof was anciently used 
instead of starch to starch linen with. 
There is another sort of Cuckow-point, 
with less leaves than the former, and some- 
times harder, having blackish spots upon 
them, which for the most part abide longer 
green in Summer than the former, and 
both leaves and roots are more sharp and 
fierce than it: In all things else it is like 
the former. 
_ Place.| These two sorts grow frequently 
almost under every hedge-side in many 
_ places of this land. 
_ 'Time.] They shoot forth leaves in the 
_ Spring, and continue but until the middle 
of Summer, or somewhat later; their husks 
appearing before they fall away, and their 
fruit shewing in April. 
Government and virtues.] It is under the 
dominion of Mars. Tragus reports, that 
a dram weight, or more, if need be, of the 
spotted Wake Robin, either fresh and 
green, or dried, being eaten and taken, 
is a present and sure remedy for poison and 
the plague. The juice of the herb taken to 
the quantity of a spoonful has the same 
effect. But if there be a little vinegar 
added thereto, as well as to the root afore- 
said, it somewhat allays the sharp biting 
taste thereof upon the tongue. The green 
leaves bruised, and laid upon any boil or 
plague sore, doth wonderfully help to draw 
forth the poison: A dram of the powder of 
the dried root taken with twice so much 
sugar in the form of a licking electuary, or 
the green root, doth wonderfully help those 
that are pursy and short-winded, as also 
those that have a cough; it breaks, digests, 
and rids away phlegm from the stomach, 
chest, and lungs. The milk wherein the 
root has been boiled is effectual also for the 
Same purpose. The said powder taken in 
wine or other drink, or the juice of the 
berries, or the powder of them, or the wine 
wherein they have been boiled, provokes 
urine, and brings down women’s courses, 
and purges them effectually after child- 
bearing, to bring away the after birth. 
Taken with sheeps milk, it heals the inward 
ulcers of the bowels. The distilled water 
thereof is effectual to all the purposes afore- 
said. A spoonful taken at a time heals 
the itch; an ounce or more taken at a time 
for some days together, doth help the rup- 
ture: The leaves either green or dry, or the 
juice of them, doth cleanse all manner of _ 
rotten and filthy ulcers, in what part of the 
body soever; and heals the stinking sores 
in the nose, called Polypus. The water 
wherein the root has been boiled, dropped 
into the eyes, cleanses them from any film — 
EEE ESSN EEE ROLE EOS a 
