84 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
thereof taken for four days together, drives 
away and cures both tertian and quartan 
agues. It is also good against all diseases 
of the brain, as continual head-ache, falling- 
sickness, melancholy, drowsiness and dull- 
ness of the spirits, convulsions and palsies. 
A dram of the seed taken in powder purges 
by urine, and is good against the yellow 
jaundice. The juice of the leaves dropped 
into the ears kills the worms in them. The 
tops thereof, when they are in flowers, 
steeped twenty-four hours in a draught of 
white wine, and drank, kills the worms in 
the belly. 
STINKING GLADWIN. 
Descript.| Tutus is one of the kinds of 
Flower-de-luce, having divers leaves aris- 
ing from the roots, very like a Flower-de- 
luce, but that they are sharp-edged on both 
sides, and thicker in the middle, of a deeper 
green colour, narrower and sharper pointed, 
and a strong ill-scent, if they be bruised be- 
tween the fingers. In the middle rises up 
a reasonable strong stalk, a yard high at 
least, bearing three or four flowers at the 
top, made somewhat like the flowers of the 
Flower-de-luce, with three upright leaves, 
of a dead purplish ash-colour, with some 
veins discoloured in them; the other three 
do not fall down, nor are the three other 
small ones so arched, nor cover the lower 
leaves as the Flower-de-luce doth, but stand 
loose or asunder from them. After they 
are past, there come up three square hard 
husks, opening wide into three parts when 
they are ripe, wherein lie reddish seed, 
turns black when it hath abiden long. The 
root is like that of the Flower-de-luce, but 
reddish on the outside, and whitish within, 
very sharp and hot in the taste, of as evil 
_ scent as the leayes. 
, Place.] This grows as well in upland 
_ grounds, as in moist places, woods, and 
_ shadowy places by the sea-side in many 
boiled in vinegar, and laid upon any tumour 
places of this land, and is usually nursed ' 
up in gardens. 
Time.] It flowers not until July, and 
the seed is ripe in August or September, | 
yet the husks after they are ripe, opening 
themselves, will hold their seed with them 
for two or three months, and not shed them. 
Government and virtues.] It is supposed 
to be under the dominion of Saturn. It is 
used by many country people to purge cor- 
rupt phlegm and choler, which they do by 
drinking the decoction of the roots; and 
some, to make it more gentle, do but infuse 
the sliced roots in ale; and some take the 
leaves, which serve well for the weaker 
stomach: The juice hereof put up, oF 
snuffed up the nose, causes sneezing, and 
draws from the head much corruption; and 
the powder thereof doth the same. The 
powder thereof drank in wine, helps those 
that are troubled with the cramps and con- 
vulsions, or with the gout and sciatica, and 
gives ease to those that have griping pains 
in their body and belly, and helps those 
that have the stranguary. It is given with — 
much profit to those that have had long 
fluxes by the sharp and evil quality of hu- 
mours, which it stays, having first cleansed - 
and purged them by the drying and bind- 
ing property therein. The root boiled in 
wine and drank, doth effectually procure 
women’s courses, and used as a pessary; 
works the same effect, but causes abortion 
in women with child. Half a dram of the — 
seed beaten to powder, and taken in wine, 
doth speedily cause one to make water 
abundantly. The same taken with vine 
gar, dissolves the hardness and swellings 
of the spleen. The root is very effectual in 
all wounds, especially of the head; as also 
to draw forth any splinters, thorns, of | 
broken bones, or any other thing sticking } 
in the flesh, without causing pains, being | 
used with a little verdigrease and honey; 
and the great Centaury root. The same 
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