150 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
and running cankers, and hollow fistulas, 
not suffering them to spread farther. It 
is also much commended to help aches and 
pains either in the fleshy part, or in the 
nerves and sinews, as also the sciatica, or 
pain of the hips or knuckle-bone, to bathe 
the places with the decoction of the herb, or 
to anoint them with an ointment made of 
the herb bruised and boiled in old hog’s 
suet, with some mastick and olibanum in 
powder added unto it after it is strained 
forth. In Sussex we call it Ragweed. 
RATTLE GRASS. 
Or this there are two kinds which I shall 
speak of, viz. the red and yellow. 
Descript.] The common Red Rattle hath 
sundry reddish, hollow stalks, and some- 
times green, rising from the root, lying for 
the most part on the ground, some growing 
more upright, with many small reddish or 
green leaves set on both sides of a middle 
rib, finely dented about the edges: The 
flowers stand at the tops of the stalks and 
branches, of a fine purplish red colour, like 
small gaping hooks; after which come 
blackish seed in small husks, which lying 
loose therein, will rattle with shaking. The 
root consists of two or three small whitish 
strings with some fibres thereat. 
The common Yellow Rattle hath seldom 
above one round great stalk, rising from 
the foot, about half a yard, or two feet high, 
and but few branches thereon, having two 
long and somewhat broad leaves set at a 
joint, deeply cut in on the edges, resembling 
the comb of a cock, broadest next to the 
stalk, and smaller to the end. The flowers 
grow at the tops of the stalks, with some 
shorter leaves with them, hooded after the 
same manner that the others are, but of a 
_ fair yellow colour, or in some paler, and in 
| _ some more white. The seed is contained 
in large husks, and being ripe, will rattle 
The root is small and slender, perishing 
every year. : 
Place.| They grow in meadows and 
woods generally through this land. 
Time.| They are in flower from Mid- 
summer until August be past, sometimes. 
Government and virtues.] They are both — 
of them under the dominion of the Moon. | 
The Red Rattle is accounted profitable to 
heal up fistulas and hollow ulcers, and to 
stay the flux of humours in them, as also the _ 
abundance of women’s courses, or any other 
fluxes of blood, being boiled in red wine, 
and drank. 
The yellow Rattle, or Cock’s Comb, is 
held to be good for those that are troubled 
with a cough, or dimness of sight, if the 
herb, being boiled with beans, and some — 
honey put thereto, be drank or dropped into 
the eyes. The whole seed being put into the 
eyes, draws forth any skin, dimness oF 
film, from the sight, without trouble, oF 
pain. 
REST HARROW, OR CAMMOCK. 
Descript.| Common Rest Harrow rises 
up with divers rough woody twigs half 4 | 
yard or a yard high, set at the joints with- 
out order, with little roundish leaves, some 
times more than two or three at a place, of 8 
dark green coluor, without thorns while | 
they are young; but afterwards armed in 
sundry places, with short and sharp thorns. 
The flowers come forth at the tops of the | 
twigs and branches, whereof it is 
fashioned like pease or broom blossoms, but 
lesser, flatter, and somewhat closer, of 8 
faint purplish colour; after which comé 
small pods containing small, flat, round 
seed: The root is blackish on the outside, ; 
and whitish within, very rough, and 
to break when it is fresh and green, and #8 } 
hard as an horn when it is dried, thrusti™ _ 
down deep into the ground, and spreading _ 
likewise, every piece being apt to 3°" | 
againifit be left inthe ground. 
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