72 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
some authors hold to be so rare: Such a 
thing there is I know, and may be easily 
had upon Midsummer Eve, and for ought 
I know, two or three days after it, if not 
more. 
Government and virtues.] It is under the 
dominion of Mercury, both Male and 
Female. The roots of both these sorts of | 
Fern being bruised and boiled in Mead, 
or honeyed water, and drank, kills both 
the broad and long worms in the body, 
and abates the swelling and hardness of the 
spleen. The green leaves eaten, purge the 
belly of choleric and waterish humours 
that trouble the stomach. They are dan- 
gerous for women with child to meddle 
with, by reason they cause abortions. The 
roots bruised and boiled in oil, or hog’s 
grease, make a very profitable ointment to 
heal wounds, or pricks gotten in the flesh. 
The powder of them used in foul ulcers, 
dries up their malignant moisture, and 
causes their speedier healing. Fern being 
burned, the smoke thereof drives away 
Serpents, gnats, and other noisome crea- 
tures, which in fenny countries do, in the 
night time, trouble and molest people lying 
in their beds with their faces uncovered; it 
causes barrenness. 
OSMOND ROYAL, OR WATER FERN. 
Descript.] Tuts shoots forth in spring 
time (for in the Winter the leaves perish) 
divers rough hard stalks, half round, and 
yellowish, or flat on the other side, two feet 
high, having divers branches of winged yel- 
_lowish green leaves on all sides, set one 
against another, longer, narrower, and not 
nicked on the edges as the former. From 
the top of some of these stalks grow forth 
a long bush of small, and more yellow, 
_ green, scaly aglets, set in the same manner 
on the stalks as the leaves are, which are 
_ accounted the flowers and seeds. The root 
pith in the middle, which is called the heart 
thereof. 
Place.| It grows on moors, bogs, and 
watery places, in many parts of this land. 
Time.] It is green all the summer, and 
the root only abides in winter. 
Government and virtues.] Saturn owns 
the plant. This has all the virtues men- 
tioned in the former Ferns, and is much 
more effectual than they, both for inward 
and outward griefs, and is accounted sin- 
gular good in wounds, bruises, or the like. 
The decoction to be drank, or boiled into 
an ointment of oil, as a balsam or balm, 
and so it is singular good against bruises, 
and bones broken, or out of joint, and gives 
much ease to the cholic and_splenetic 
diseases: as also for ruptures or burstings. 
The decoction of the root in white wine, 
provokes urine exceedingly, and cleanses 
the bladder and passages of urine. 
FEVERFEW, OR FEATHERFEW. 
Descript.| Common Featherfew has 
large, fresh, green leaves, much torn or cut 
on the edges. The stalks are hard and 
round, set with many such like leaves, but 
smaller, and at the tops stand many single 
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flowers, upon small foot stalks, consisting 
of many small white leaves standing round 
about a yellow thrum in the middle. The 
root is somewhat hard and short, with many 
strong fibres about it. The scent of the 
whole plant is very strong and stuffing, and 
the taste is very bitter. 
Place.| This grows wild in many places — 
of the land, but is for the most part 
nourished in gardens. 
Time.| It flowers in the months of June 
and July. 
Government and virtues.] Venus com- 
mands this herb, and has commended it to 
succour her sisters (women) and to be 2 — 
general strengthener of their wombs, and 
remedy such infirmities as a careless mid- _ 
wife hath there caused ; if they will but be | 
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