174 
THE COMPLETE HERBAL ‘ 
Government and virtues.] It is a gallant 
mercurial plant, worthy of more esteem 
than it hath. Dioscorides saith, That the 
seed bruised, heated in warm water, and 
drank, helps those that are bursten, or 
troubled with cramps or convulsions of the 
sinews, the sciatica, or difficulty in making 
water, and bringing down women’s courses. 
The same taken in wine is an antidote, or 
counter-poison against all deadly poison, 
and drives away serpents and other veno- 
mous creatures; as also the smell of the 
herb, being burnt, doth the same. The oil 
thereof anointed on the back-bone before the 
fits of agues come, takes them away: It takes 
away inflammations in the eyes, if it be put 
with some part of a roasted quince, and 
boiled with a few crumbs of bread, and ap- 
plied. Boiled with barley-meal, it takes 
away pimples, pushes or wheals that arise 
in the face, or other parts of the body. The 
seed as well as the dried herb, is often given 
to kill the worms in children: The herb 
bruised and laid to, helps to draw forth 
splinters and thorns out of the flesh. The 
ashes thereof dries up and heals old ulcers, 
that are without inflammation, although by 
the sharpness thereof it bites sore, and puts 
them to sore pains; as also the sores in the 
privy parts of man or woman. The ashes 
mingled with old sallad oil, helps those that 
have hair fallen, and are bald, causing the 
hair to grow again either on the head or 
beard. Daranters saith, That the oil made 
_of Southern-wood, and put among the oint- 
ments that are used against the French dis- 
Sease, is very effectual, and likewise kills 
lice in the head. The distilled water of the 
herb is said to help them much that are 
_ troubled with the stone, as also for the dis- 
eases of the spleen and mother. The Ger- 
_ Mans commend it for a singular wound 
_ herb, and therefore call it Stabwort. It is 
held by all writers, ancient and modern, 
0 be more offensive to the stomach than 
SPIGNEL, OR SPIKENARD. 
Descript.| Tux roots of common Spig- 
nel do spread much and deep in the ground, 
many strings or branches growing from one 
head, which is hairy at the top, of a black- 
ish brown colour on the outside, and white 
within, smelling well, and of an aromatical 
taste, from whence rises sundry long stalks 
of most fine cut leaves like hair, smaller 
than dill, set thick on both sides of the 
stalks, and of a good scent. Among these 
leaves rise up round stiff stalks, with a few 
joints and leaves on them, and at the tops 
an umbel of pure white flowers; at the 
edges whereof sometimes will be seen a 
shew of the reddish blueish colour, espe- 
cially before they be full blown, and are 
succeeded by small, somewhat round seeds, 
bigger than the ordinary fennel, and of a 
brown colour, divided into two parts, and 
crusted on the back, as most of the umbelli- 
ferous seeds are. 
Place.] It grows wild in Lancashire, 
Yorkshire, and other northern counties, and 
is also planted in gardens. 
Government and virtues.] It is an herb 
of Venus. Galen saith, The roots of Spig- 
nel are available to provoke urine, and 
women’s courses; but if too much thereof be 
taken, it causes head-ache. The roots boiled 
in wine or water, and drank, helps the 
stranguary and stoppings of the urine, the 
wind, swellings and pains in the stomach, 
pains of the mother, and all joint-aches. If 
the powder of the root be mixed with honey, 
and the same taken as a licking medicine, 
it breaks tough phlegm, and dries up the 
rheum that falls on the lungs. The roots are 
accounted very effectual against the sting- 
ing or biting of any venomous creature. 
> 
SPLEENWORT, CETERACH, OR HEARTS 
TONGUE. 
Deseript.] Tue smooth Spleenwort, — 
