AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 
141 
ness. It is a special remedy for the poison 
of the aconites, and other poisonous herbs, 
as also against the stinging of any veno- 
mous creature. It is a good remedy for a 
cold cough, especially in the beginning. 
For all the purposes aforesaid, the herb 
being tunned up in new drink and drank, 
is almost as effectual, but far more accepta- 
ble to weak and dainty stomachs. The dis- 
tilled water of the herb hath the same 
effects, but more weakly. The conserve of 
the flowers doth the like, which Matthiolus 
much commends against the palsy. The 
green herb, or the decoction thereof, being 
applied, dissolves the hardness of women’s 
breasts, and all other hard swellings in any 
other part of the body. The green herb also 
applied, or the juice thereof with some 
honey, not only cleanses putrid, stinking, 
foul, and malignant ulcers and sores of all 
sorts, but heals and solders up the lips of 
green wounds in any part also. Let preg- 
nant women forbear, for it works violently 
upon the feminine part. 
PLANTAIN. 
Tus grows usually in meadows and 
fields, and by path sides, and is so well 
known, that it needs no description. 
Time.] It is in its beauty about June, 
and the seed ripens shortly after. 
Government and virtues.] It is true, Miz- 
aldus and others, yea, almost all astrology- 
physicians, hold this to be an herb of Mars, 
because it cures the diseases of the head 
and privities, which are under the houses 
of Mars, Aries, and Scorpio: The truth is, 
it is under the command of Venus, and 
cures the head by antipathy to Mars, and 
the Privities by sympathy to Venus; neither 
18 there hardly a martial disease but it 
cures, 
The juice of Plantain clarified and drank 
| for divers days together, either of itself, or 
im other drink, prevails wonderfully against 
_ all torments or excoriations in the intestines 
proceeding from heat, and he 
or bowels, helps the distillations of rheum 
from the head, and stays all manner of 
fluxes, even women’s courses, when they 
flow too abundantly. It is good to stay 
spitting of blood and other bleedings at the 
mouth, or the making of foul and bloody 
water, by reason of any ulcer in the reins 
or bladder, and also stays the too free 
bleeding of wounds. It is held an especial 
remedy for those that are troubled with the 
phthisic, or consumption of the lungs, or 
ulcers of the lungs, or coughs that come of 
heat. The decoction or powder of the roots 
or seeds, is much more binding for all the 
purposes aforesaid than the leaves. Dios- 
corides saith, that three roots boiled in wine 
and taken, helps the tertian agues, and for 
the quartan agues, (but letting the num- 
ber pass as fabulous) I conceive the decoc- 
tion of divers roots may be effectual. The 
herb (but especially the seed) is held to be 
profitable against the dropsy, the falling- 
sickness, the yellow jaundice, and stoppings 
of the liver and reins. The roots of Plan- 
tain, and Pellitory of Spain, beaten into 
powder, and put into the hollow teeth, takes 
away the pains of them. The clarified juice, 
or distilled water, dropped into the eyes, 
cools the inflammations in them, and takes 
away the pin and web; and dropped into 
the ears, eases the pains in them, and helps 
and removes the heat. The same also with 
the juice of houseleek is profitable against 
all inflammations and breakings out of the 
skin, and against burnings and scaldings by 
fire and water. The juice or decoction made 
either of itself, or other things of the like 
nature, is of much use and good effect for 
old and hollow ulcers that are hard to be © 
cured, and for cankers and sores in the 
mouth or privy parts of man or woman; ~ 
and helps also the pains of the piles in the 
fundament. The juice mixed with oil of 
roses, and the temples and forehead anoint- 
ed therewith, eases the pains of the 
