152 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL 
the gall of ‘an ox, it mends foul scars, black 
and blue spots, and the marks of the small 
pox. 
WINTER-ROCKET, OR CRESSES. 
Descript.| Winter-Rocket, or Winter- 
Cresses, hath divers somewhat large sad 
green leaves lying upon the ground, torn or 
cut in divers parts, somewhat like unto 
Rocket or turnip-leaves, with smaller pieces 
next the bottom, and broad at the ends, 
which so abide all the Winter (if it spring 
up in Autumn, when it is used to be eaten) 
from among which rise up divers small 
round stalks, full of branches, bearing many 
small yellow flowers of four leaves a-piece. 
after which come small pods, with reddish 
seed in them. The root is somewhat stringy, 
and perishes every year after the seed is 
ripe. 
Place.| It grows of its own accord in 
gardens and fields, by the way-sides, in 
divers places, and particularly in the next 
pasture to the conduit-head behind Gray’s 
Inn, that brings water to Mr. Lamb’s con- 
duit in Holburn. 
Time.| It flowers in May, seeds in June, 
and then perishes. 
Government and virtues.] This is profit- 
able to provoke urine, to help stranguary, 
and expel gravel and stone. It is good for 
the scurvy, and found by experience to be 
a singularly good wound herb to cleanse in- 
ward wounds; the juice or decoction being 
drank, or outwardly applied to wash foul 
ulcers and sores, cleansing them by sharp- 
ness, and hindering or-abating the dead 
flesh from growing therein, and ‘healing 
them by the drying quality. 
ROSES. 
I noxp it altogether needless to trouble 
the reader with a description of any of 
_ these, since both the garden Roses, and the 
__ Roses of the briars are well enough known: 
4 
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take therefore the virtues of them as fol- 
lows; And first I shall begin with the gar- 
den kinds. 
Government and virtues.] What a pother 
have authors made with Roses! What a 
racket haye they kept? I shall add, red 
Roses are under Jupiter, Damask under 
Venus, White under the Moon, and Pro- 
vence under the King of France. The white 
and red Roses are cooling and drying, and 
yet the white is taken to exceed the red in 
both the properties, but is seldom used 
inwardly in any medicine: The bitterness 
in the Roses when they are fresh, especially 
the juice, purges choler, and watery 
humours; but being dried, and that heat 
which caused the bitterness being consumed, 
they have then a binding and astringent 
quality: Those also that are not full blown, 
do both cool and bind more than those that 
are full blown, and the white Rose more 
than the Red. The decoction of red Roses 
made with wine and used, is very good for 
the head-ache, and pains in the eyes, ears, 
throat, and gums; as also for the fundament, 
the lower part of the belly and the matrix, 
being bathed or put into them. The same — 
decoction with the roses remaining in it, is 
profitably applied to the region of the heart 
to ease the inflammation therein; as also St. 
Anthony’s fire, and other diseases of the 
stomach. Being dried and beaten to powder; 
and taken in steeled wine or water, it helps — 
to stay women’s courses. The yellow 
threads in the middle of the Roses (which 
are erroneously called the Rose Seed) being 
powdered and drank in the distilled watet 
of quinces, stays the overflowing of women’s — 
courses, and doth wonderfully stay the de 
fluctions of rheum upon the gums and teeth, 
preserving them from corruption, and 
fastening them if they be loose, being 
washed and gargled therewith, and some 
vinegar of squills added thereto. The heads 
with the seed being used in powder, or in® 
decoction, stays the lask and spitting of 
