AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 
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small branches of whitish flowers, made of 
four leaves a-piece; after which come small 
pods, like those of shepherd’s purse, but 
seldom with any seed in them. The root is 
great, long, white and rugged, shooting up 
divers heads of leaves, which may be parted 
for increase, but it doth not creep in the 
ground, nor run above ground, and is of a 
strong, sharp, and bitter taste, almost like 
mustard. 
Place.] It is found wild in some places, 
butis chiefly planted in gardens, and joys 
in moist and shadowy places. 
Time.] It seldom flowers, but when it 
doth, it is in July. 
Government and virtues.] They are both 
under Mars. The juice of Horse-rhaddish 
given to drink, is held to be very effectual 
for the scurvy. It kills the worms in chil- 
dren, being drank, and also laid upon the 
belly. The root bruised and laid to the 
place grieved with the sciatica, joint-ache, 
or the hard swellings of the liver and 
spleen, doth wonderfully help them all. The 
distilled water of the herb and root is more 
familiar to be taken with a little sugar for 
_ all the purposes aforesaid. 
Garden Rhaddishes are in wantonness by 
the gentry eaten as a sallad, but they breed 
but scurvy humours in the stomach, and 
corrupt the blood, and then send for a phy- 
Sician as fast as you can; this is one cause 
makes the owners of such nice palates so 
 unhealthful; yet for such as are troubled 
_ with the gravel, stone, or stoppage of urine, 
_ they are good physic, if the body be strong 
_ that takes them; you may make the juice 
_ Of the roots into a syrup if you please, for 
_ that use: they purge by urine exceedingly. 
RAGWORT. 
Iv is called also St. James’-wort, and 
_ Stagger-wort, and Stammer-wort, and Se- 
Descript.] The greater common Ragwort | : 
hath many large and Jong, dark green 
leaves lying on the ground, very much 
rent and torn on the sides in many places: 
from among which rise up sometimes but 
one, and sometimes two or three square or 
crested blackish or brownish stalks, three 
or four feet high, sometimes branched, 
bearing divers such-like leaves upon them, 
at several distances unto the top, where it 
branches forth into many stalks bearing 
yellow flowers, consisting of divers leaves, 
set as a pale or border, with a dark yellow 
thrum in the middle, which do abide a 
great while, but at last are turned into 
down, and with the small blackish grey 
seed, are carried away with the wind. The 
root is made of many fibres, whereby it is 
firmly fastened into the ground, and abides 
many years. 
There is another sort thereof differs from 
the former only in this, that it rises not so 
high; the leaves are not so finely jagged, 
nor of so dark a green colour, but rather 
somewhat whitish, soft and woolly, and the 
flowers usually paler. 
Place.] They grow both of them wild in 
pastures, and untilled grounds in many 
places, and oftentimes both in one field. 
Time.] They flower in June and July, 
and the seed is ripe in August. 
Government and virtues.| Ragwort is 
under the command of Dame Venus, and 
cleanses, digests, and discusses. The decoc- 
tion of the herb is good to wash the mouth 
or throat that hath ulcers or sores therein: 
and for swellings, hardness, or impost- 
humes, for it thoroughly cleanses and heals 
them; as also the quinsy, and the king’s 
evil. It helps to stay catarrhs, thin rheums, 
and defluctions from the head into the eyes, 
nose, or lungs. The juice is found by exper- _ 
ience to be singularly good to heal green ~ 
wounds, and to cleanse and heal all old and — 
filthy ulcers in the privities, and in other — 
Ce ee 
