(J8 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



as the whole herb is ; the flowers stand at several spares 

 of the stalks, Irom the middle almost upwards, M'hich arc 

 small and gaping like to (hose of Mints, and of a pale 

 bluish colour; after which follow small, round blackish 

 seed; the root is small and woody, with divers strings 

 spreading within the ground, and dicth not, but abidcth 

 many years. 



Place.^ It groweth on lieaihs, and uplands, and dry 

 grounds in many places of this land. 



Thfie.^ They flower in July, and their seed is ripe 

 quickly after. 



Government ajid Virtues.'^ It is an herb of Mercury, and 

 a strong one too, therefore excellent good in all afBidtions 

 of the brain ; thedecodtion of the herb being drank, bring- 

 eth down women's courses, and provokcth urine. It is 

 profitable for those that are bursten, or troubled with 

 convulsions or cramps, with shortness of breath, or cho- 

 leric torments and pains in their bellies or stomach ; it 

 also helpeth the yellow jaundice, and stayeth vomiting, 

 being taken in wine ; taken with salt ard honey, it kill- 

 eth all manner of worms in the body. It helpeth such as 

 have the leprosy, either taken inwardly, drinking whey 

 after it, or the green herb outwardly applied. It hinder- 

 eth conception in women, but either burned or strewed 

 in the chamber, it driveth away venomous serpents. It 

 takes away black and blue marks in the face, and mak- 

 eth black scars become well coloured, if the green herb 

 (not the dry) be boiled in wine, and laid to the place, 

 or the place washed therewith. Being applied to the 

 Imckle-bone, by continuance of time, it spends the hu- 

 mours which cause the pain of the sciatica ; the juice be- 

 ing dropped into the ears, killeth the worms in them ; 

 the leaves boiled in wine, and drank, provoke sweat, 

 and open obstruclious of the liver and spleen. It helpeth 

 them tlrat have a certain ague (the body being first pur- 

 ged i by taking away the cold fits ; the decoction hereof, 

 with some sugar put thereto afterwards, is very profitable 

 for those that be troubled with the over-flowing of the 

 gall, and that have an old cough, and that are scarce 

 able to breathe by shortness of their wind ; that have any 

 cold distemper in their bowels, and are troubled with the 

 hardness of the spleen, for all which purposes both the 

 powder, called Diacaluminthes, and the compound sj- 



