AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 97 
saith, it opens obstructions both of the liver 
and spleen, and purges the breast and lungs 
of phlegm: and used outwardly it both 
cleanses and digests. A decoction of Hore- 
hound (saith Matthiolus) is available for 
those that have hard livers, and for such 
as have itches and running tetters. The 
powder hereof taken, or the decoction kills 
worms. The green leaves bruised, and 
boiled in old hog’s grease into an ointment, 
heals the biting of dogs, abates the swell- 
ings and pains that come by any pricking 
of thorns, or such like means; and used 
with vinegar, cleanses and heals tetters. 
There is a syrup made of Horehound to be 
had at the apothecaries, very good for old 
coughs, to get rid the tough phlegm; as also 
to void cold rheums from the lungs of old 
folks, and for those that are asthmatic or 
short-winded. 
HORSETAIL. 
Or that there are many kinds, but I shall 
not trouble you nor myself with any large 
description of them, which to do, where 
but as the proverb is, To find a knot in a 
rush, all the kinds thereof being nothing 
else but knotted rushes, some with leaves, 
and some without. Take the description of 
the most eminent sort as follows. 
Descript.] The great Horsetail at the 
first springing has heads somewhat like 
those of asparagus, and after grow to be 
hard, rough, hollow stalks, jointed at sun- 
dry places up to the top, a foot high, so 
made as if the lower parts were put into the 
upper, where grow on each side a bush of 
small long rush-like hard leaves, each part 
resembling a horsetail, from whence it is so 
_ ealled. At the tops of the stalks come forth 
smal] catkins, like those of trees. The ‘root 
cTeeps under ground, having joints at sun- 
places. 
Place.] This (as most of the other sorts 
oe a in wet grounds. g ; 
Time.] They spring up in April, and 
their blooming catkins in July, seeding for 
the most part in August, and then perish 
down to the ground, rising afresh in the 
Spring. 
Government and virtues.| The herb be- 
longs to Saturn, yet is very harmless, and 
excellently good for the things following: 
Horsetail, the smoother rather than the 
rough, and the leaves rather than the bare, 
is most physical. It is very powerful to 
staunch bleeding either inward or outward, 
the juice or the decoction thereof being 
drank, or the juice, decoction, or distilled 
water applied outwardly. It also stays all 
sorts of lasks and fluxes in man or woman, 
and bloody urine; and heals also not only 
the inward ulcers, and the excoriation of 
the entrails, bladder, &c. but all other sorts 
of foul, moist and running ulcers, and soon 
solders together the tops of green wounds. 
It cures all ruptures in children. The de- 
coction thereof in wine being drank, pro- 
vokes urine, and helps the stone and stran- 
guary ; and the distilled water thereof drank 
two or three times in a day, and a small 
quantity at a time, also eases the bowels, 
and is effectual against a cough that comes 
by distillations from the head. The juice 
or distilled water being warmed, and hot 
inflammations, pustules or red wheals, and 
other breakings-out in the skin, being 
bathed therewith, doth help them, and doth 
no less the swelling heat and inflammation 
of the lower parts in men and women. 
HOUSELEEK, OR SENGREEN. 
Born these are so well known to my 
countrymen, that I shall not need to write 
any description of them. 
Place.] It grows commonly upon walls — 
and house-sides, and flowersin July. 
Government and virtues.] It is an herb Bs 
of Jupiter, and it is reported by Mezaldus, 
to — what it grows upon from : 
