64 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
short and blackish, with many strings, 
_ abiding after seed time many years. This 
root was longer, until the devil (as the 
friers say) bit away the rest of it for spite, 
envying its usefulness to mankind; for 
sure he was not troubled with any disease 
for which it is proper. 
There are two other sorts hereof, in 
nothing unlike the former, save that the one 
bears white, and the other blush-coloured 
flowers. 
Place.| The first grows as well in dry 
meadows and fields as moist, in many 
places of this land: But the other two are 
more rare, and hard to be met with, yet 
they are both found growing wild about 
Appledore, near Rye in Kent. 
Time.| They flower not usually until 
August. 
Government and virtues.] The plant is 
venereal, pleasing, and harmless. The herb 
or the root (all that the devil hath left of 
it) being boiled in wine, and drank, is very 
powerful against the plague, and all pes- 
tilential diseases or fevers, poisons also, 
and the bitings of venomous beasts: It 
helps also those that are inwardly bruised 
by any casualty, or outwardly by falls or 
blows, dissolving the clotted blood; and 
the herb or root beaten and outwardly 
applied, takes away the black and blue 
marks that remain in the skin. The de- 
coction of the herb, with honey of roses 
put therein, is very effectual to help the 
inveterate tumours and swellings of the 
almonds and throat, by often gargling the 
mouth therewith. It helps also to procure 
women’s courses, and eases all pains of the 
mother and to break and discuss wind 
therein, and in the bowels. The powder of 
the root taken in drink, drives forth the 
worms in the body. The juice or distilled 
cially if a little vitriol be dissolved therein. 
DOCK. 
Many kinds of these are so well known, 
that I shall not trouble you with a descrip- 
tion of them: My book grows big too fast. 
Government and virtues.] All Docks are 
under Jupiter, of which the Red Dock, 
which is commonly called Bloodwort, 
kind of cooling (but not all alike) drying 
blood-worts most drying. Of the Burdock, 
I have spoken already by itself. The seed 
colourings therein. 
it boil the sooner: Besides Blood-wort is 
procures good blood, being as wholesome 
a pot-herb as any growing in a garden; yet 
cause it makes the pottage black; pride and 
tion) prefering nicety before health. 
DODDER OF THYME, EPITHYMUM, AND 
OTHER DODDERs. 
quality, the sorrel being most cold, and the | 
phew, or other deformities thereof, espe- _ 
cleanses the blood, and strengthens the | 
liver; but the yellow Dock-root is best to 
be taken when either the blood or liver is ; 
affected by choler. All of them have a — 
of most of the other kinds, whether the gar- 
dens or fields, do stay lasks and fluxes of all 
sorts, the loathing of the stomach through _ 
choler, and is helpful for those that spit 
blood. The roots boiled in vinegar help the — 
itch, scabs, and breaking out of the skin, — 
if it be bathed therewith. The distilled — 
water of the herb and roots have the same ; 
virtue, and cleanses the skin from freckles, 
morphews, and all other spots and dis- — 
All Docks being boiled with meat, make 
exceeding strengthening to the liver, and — 
such is the nicety of our times, forsooth, 
that women will not put it into a pot, be- — 
ignorance (a couple of monsters in the crea-__ 
Descript.] Tus first from seed gives if 
Toots in the ground, which shoot forth | 
| threads or strings, grosser or finer, as the t 
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