74 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
Both leaves, seeds, and roots thereof are 
much used in drink or broth, to make peo- 
ple more lean that are too fat. The dis- 
tilled water of the whole herb, or the con- 
densate juice dissolved, but especially the 
natural juice, that in some counties issues 
out hereof of its own accord, dropped into 
the eyes, cleanses them from mists and 
films that hinder the sight. The sweet 
Fennel is much weaker in physical uses 
than the common Fennel. The wild Fen- 
nel is stronger and hotter than the tame, 
and therefore most powerful against the 
stone, but not so effectual to encrease milk, 
because of its dryness. 
SOW-FENNEL, OR HOG’S-FENNEL. 
Besipes the common name in English, 
Hog’s Fennel, and the Latin name Peuci- 
danum, is called Hoar-strange, and Hoar- 
strong, Sulphur-wort, and Brimstone-wort. 
Descript.| The common Sow Fennel 
has divers branched stalks of thick and 
somewhat long leaves, three for the most 
part joined together at a place, among 
which arises a crested straight stalk, less 
than Fennel, with some joints thereon, and 
leaves growing thereat, and towards the 
tops some branches issuing from thence; 
likewise on the tops of the stalks and 
branches stand divers tufts of yellow flow- 
ers, whereafter grows somewhat flat, thin, 
and yellowish seed, bigger than Fennel 
seed. The roots grow great and deep, with 
many other parts and fibres about them of a 
strong scent like hot brimstone, and yield 
forth a yellowish milk, or clammy juice, 
almost like a gum. 
Place.] It grows plentifully in the salt 
low marshes near Feversham in Kent. 
Time.] It flowers plentifully in July and 
August. 
_ Government and virtues.] This is also an 
_ herb of Mercury. The juice of Sow-Fennel 
(saith Dioscorides, and Galen,) used with | 
‘. Se ee Ao ie 
little euphorbium put to the nose, helps — 
those that are troubled with the lethargy, 
frenzy, giddiness of the head, the falling — 
sickness, long and inveterate head-aches, — 
the palsy, sciatica, and the cramp, and 
generally all the diseases of the sinews, used 
with oil and vinegar. The juice dissolved — 
in wine, or put into an egg, is good for a — 
cough, or shortness of breath, and for those — 
that are troubled with wind in the body. 
It purges the belly gently, expels the hard- 
ness of the spleen, gives ease to women © 
that have sore travail in child-birth, and 
eases the pains of the reins and bladder, 
and also the womb. A little of the juice — 
dissolved in wine, and dropped into the — 
ears, eases much of the pains in them, and — 
put into a hollow tooth, eases the pains © 
thereof. The root is less effectual to all 
the aforesaid disorders; yet the powder of 
the root cleanses foul ulcers, being put into _ 
them, and takes out splinters of broken 
bones, or other things in the flesh, and 
heals them up perfectly: as also, dries up — 
old and inveterate running sores, and is of 
admirable virtue in all green wounds. 
FIG-WORT, OR THROAT-WORT. 
Descript.] Common great Fig-wort — 
sends divers great, strong, hard, square 
brown stalks, three or four feet high, where- 
on grow large, hard, and dark green leaves, 
two at a joint, harder and larger than Nettle — 
leaves, but not stinking; at the tops of the 
stalks stand many purple flowers set in — 
husks, which are sometimes gaping and | 
open, somewhat like those of Water Betony; — 
after which come hard round heads, with — 
a small point in the middle, wherein lie 
small brownish seed. The root is great, — 
white, and thick, with many branches at it, — 
growing aslope under the upper crust of — 
the ground, SRIF AAR | 
keeps not his green leaves in Winter. - 
—— It oe stays in moist 
