156 PLANTS AND PLANETS. [CHAP. 



in juice, conserve, oil, ointment or plaster, electuary, 

 pills or troches." 



''Agrimony is an herb under Jupiter, and the sign 

 Cancer ; and strengthens those parts under the planet 

 and sign, and removes diseases in them by sympathy, 

 if they happen in any part of the body governed 

 by Jupiter, or under the signs Cancer, Saggitary, or 

 Pisces, and therefore must needs be good for the gout, 

 either used outwardly in oil or ointment, or inwardly 

 in an electuary, or syrup, or concerted juice." He 

 anticipates the incredulous reader, and says : " I can- 

 not stand to give you a reason in every herb, why it 

 cureth such diseases ; but if you please to peruse my 

 judgment in the herb Wormwood, you shall find 

 them there, and it will be well worth your while to 

 consider it in every herb, you shall find them true 

 throughout the book." 



Upon this hint we turn to Wormwood, where we 

 find the following : " Will you give me leave to be 

 critical a little? I must take leave: Wormwood is 

 an herb of Mars, and if Pontanus say otherwise he is 

 beside the bridge ; I prove it thus : What delights in 

 martial places is a martial herb; but Wormwood 

 delights in martial places (for about forges and iron- 

 works you may gather a cartload of it), ergo it is a 

 martial herb." " The sun never shone upon a better 

 herb for the yellow jaundice than this : why should 

 men cry out so much upon Mars for an infortunate 

 (or Saturn either) ? Did God make creatures to do 

 the creation a mischief? This herb testifies that 

 Mars is willing to cure all diseases he causes; the 

 truth is Mars loves no cowards, nor Saturn fools, 



