xxxvi LETTERS TO MARCO 247 



July, Per. (name from the disease for which the plant was 

 formerly thought a specific). 



All this is practical enough, and no doubt 

 satisfactorily correct ; but hear how J. Gerard 

 describes it : 



Of great Figgewoort, or Kernell woort. Scrophularia 

 major. Great Figwoort. 



THE DESCRIPTION. 



The great Figgewoort springeth up with stalks fower 

 square two cubites high, of a dark purple colour, and hollow 

 within : the leaves growe alwaies by couples, as it were 

 from one joint, opposite or standing one right against the 

 other, broad, sharp-pointed, snipped rounde about the edges 

 like the leaves of the greater nettle, but bigger, blacker, and 

 nothing at all stinging when they be touched : the flowers 

 in the tops of the branches are of a dark purple colour, very 

 like in forme to little helmets : there commeth up little small 

 seede in pretie rounde buttons, but sharpe at the ends : the 

 roote is whitish, beset with little knobs and bunches as it 

 were knots and kirnals. 



THE PLACE. 



The great Scrophularia groweth plentifully in shadowie 

 woods, and sometimes in moist meadows, especially in 

 greatest abundance in a woode as you go from London to 

 Hornesey, and also in Stowe woode, and Shotover neere 

 Oxenforde. 



