106 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
ries are red, not much unlike those of 
Asparagus. 
Place.} They grow plentifully upon 
Hampstead-Heath, and many other places 
in this nation. 
Time.| They flower in May, and the 
seed is ripe in September. 
Government and virtues.| It is under the 
dominion of Mercury, and therefore it 
strengthens the brain, recruits a weak mem- 
ory, and makes it strong again: The dis- 
tilled water dropped into the eyes, helps 
_ inflammations there; as also that infirmity 
which they call-a pin and web. The spirit 
of the flowers distilled in wine, restores lost 
speech, helps the palsy, and is excellently 
good in the apoplexy, comforts the heart 
and vital spirits. Gerrard saith, that the 
flowers being close stopped up in a glass, 
put into an ant-hill, and taken away again 
a month after, ye shall find a liquor in the 
glass, which, being outwardly applied, 
helps the gout. 
WHITE LILIEs. 
Ir were in vain to describe a plant so 
commonly known in every one’s garden; 
therefore I shall not tell you what they are, 
but what they are good for. 
Government and virtues.] They are un- 
_ der the dominion of the Moon, and by anti- 
pathy to Mars expel poison; they are ex- 
cellently good in pestilential fevers, the 
roots being bruised and boiled in wine, and 
the decoction drank; for it expels the 
venom to the exterior parts of the body: 
_ The juice of it being tempered with barley 
meal, baked, and so eaten for ordinary 
bread, is an excellent cure for the dropsy: 
_ An ointment made of the root, and hog’s 
grease, is excellent good for scald heads, 
unites the sinews when they are cut, and 
sided ta tectadls Oh beaks te atc | 
birth. The root roasted, and mixed with a 
little hog’s grease, makes a gallant poultice 
to ripen and break plague-sores. The oint- 
ment is excellently good for swellings in 
the privities, and will cure burnings and 
scaldings without a scar, and trimly deck a 
blank place with hair. 
LIQUORICE. 
Descript.] Our English Liquorice rises 
up with divers woody stalks, whereon are 
set at several distances many narrow, long, 
green leaves, set together on both sides of 
the stalk, and an odd one at the end, very 
well resembling a young ash tree sprung up 
from the seed. This by many years con- 
tinuance in a place without removing, am 
not else, will bring forth flowers, many 
standing together spike fashion, one above 
another upon the stalk, of the form of pease 
blossoms, but of a very pale blue colour, 
which turn into long, somewhat flat and 
smooth cods, wherein is contained a small, 
round, hard seed: The roots run down ex- 
ceeding deep into the ground, with divers 
other small roots and fibres growing with 
them, and shoot out suckers from the main 
roots all about, whereby it is mach im 
creased, of a brownish colour on the outside, 
and yellow within. 
Place.] It is planted in fields and gar 
dens, in divers places of this land, and 
thereof good profit is made. 
Government and virtues.] It is under the 
dominion of Mercury. Liquorice boiled in 
fair water, with some Maiden-hair and figs, 
makes a good drink for those that have 
a dry cough or hoarseness, wheezing °F 
shortness of breath, and for all the griefs of 
the breast and lungs, phthisic or consump- 
tions caused by the distillation of salt 
humours on them. It is also good in all 
pains of the reins, the stranguary, and heat 
of urine: The fine powder of Liquorice 
{ blown through a quill into the eyes that 
|have a pin and web (as they call it) oF 
| 
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