AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 
139 
tween them. The Periwinkle is a great 
binder, stays bleeding both at mouth and 
nose, if some of the leaves be chewed. The 
French used it to stay women’s courses. 
Dioscorides, Galen, and Zgineta, commend 
it against the lasks and fluxes of the belly 
to be drank in wine. 
ST. PETER’S WORT. 
Ir Superstition had not been the father 
of Tradition, as well as Ignorance the 
Mother of Devotion, this herb, (as well as 
St. John’s Wort) had found some other 
name to be known by; but we may say of 
our forefathers, as St. Paul of the Athen- 
ians, I perceive in many things you are too 
superstitious. Yet seeing it is come to pass, 
that custom having got in _ possession, 
pleads prescription for the name, I shall 
let it pass, and come to the description of 
the herb, which take as follows. _ 
Descript.] It rises up with square up- 
right stalks for the most part, some greater 
and higher than St. John’s Wort (and good 
reason too, St. Peter being the greater 
apostle, (ask the Pope else;) for though 
God would have the saints equal, the Pope 
is of another opinion,) but brown in the 
Same manner, having two leaves at every 
joint, somewhat like, but larger, than St. 
John’s Wort, and a little rounder pointed, 
with few or no holes to be seen thereon, and 
having sometimes some smaller leaves ris- 
ing from the bosom of the greater, and 
Sometimes a little hairy also. At the tops of 
two stalks stand many star-like flowers, 
with yellow threads in the middle, very like 
those of St. John’s Wort, insomuch that 
this is hardly discerned from it, but only by 
the largeness and height, the seed being 
alike also in both. The root abides long, 
sending forth new shoots every year. | 
Place.] It grows in many groves, and 
small low woods, jn oben blows fs 
falls. 
and Northamptonshire; as also near water- 
courses in other places. 
Time.] It flowers in June and July, and 
the seed is ripe in August. 
Government and virtues.] There is not 
a straw to choose between this and St. 
John’s Wort, only St. Peter must have it, 
lest he should want pot herbs: It is of the 
same property of St. John’s Wort, but 
somewhat weak, and therefore more seldom 
used. Two drams of. the seed taken at a 
time in honied water, purges choleric 
humours, (as saith Dioscorides, Pliny, and 
Galen,) and thereby helps those that are 
troubled with the sciatica. The leaves are 
used as St. John’s Wort, to help those 
places of the body that have been burnt 
with fire. 
PIMPERNEL, 
Descript.]| Common Pimpernel hath 
divers weak square stalks lying on the 
ground, beset all with two small and almost 
round leaves at every joint, one against 
another, very like Chickweed, but hath no 
foot-stalks; for the leaves, as it were, com- 
pass the stalk. The flowers stand singly 
each by themselves at them and the stalk, 
consisting of five small round-pointed 
leaves, of a pale red colour, tending to an 
orange, with so many threads in the middle, 
in whose places succeed smooth round 
heads, wherein is contained small seed. The 
root is small and fibrous, perishing every 
year. 
Place.| It grows almost every ices as 
well in the meadows and corn-fields, as by | 
the way-sides, and in gardens, arising of — 
itself. Bee 
Time.| It flowers from May until April, — 
and the seed ripens in the mean ek ms 
Government and sires It isa gi lant 
solar herb, ofa cleansing : attractive | jua 
