78 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



■whcreunto (he seed also is not unlike, being many small 

 iernels like a grain of corn, sometimes twice as lone; as 

 others, of a whitish colour, with some fibres at the end 

 of them. 



iVr/a;.] It growefh for the most past in moist corners of 

 fields and places that are near water sides, yet will abide 

 in drier ground if they be but a little shady. 



Time.^ It flowercth betimes about Marcii or April, is 

 quite gone by May ; so it cannot be found till it spring 

 again. 



Government and Virtues.'] It is under the dominion of 

 Mars, and behold here another verification of the learn- 

 ing of the antients, amz. that the virtue of an herb may 

 be known by its signature, as plainly appears in this; 

 for if you dig up the root of it, you shall perceive the 

 perfeft image of the disease which they commonly call 

 the piles. It is certain by good experience, that the de- 

 co6lion of the leaves and roots doth wonderfully help 

 piles and haemorrhoids, also kernels by the ears and throat, 

 called the king's evil, or any other hard wens or tumours. 



Here's another secret for my countrymen and women, 

 a couple of them together ; Pilewort made into an oil, 

 ointment, or plaister, readily cures both the piles, or hae- 

 morrhoids, and the king's evil ; the very herb borne 

 about one's body next the skin, helps in such diseases, 

 though it never touch the place grieved ; let poor peo- 

 ple make much of it for their uses ; with this 1 cured my 

 own daughter of the king's evil, broke the sore, drew 

 out a quarter of a pint of corruption, cured without any- 

 sear at all in one week's time. 



The ordinary small Centaury. ©. (h. d. 3.) 



'J'heue are two kinds of this plant, one bearing pale red 

 flowers the other white ; but their virtues are the same. 



Descript.'] This groweth up most usually but with 

 one round and somewhat crusted stalk, about a foot 

 high or better, branching forth at the top into many 

 sprigs, and some also from the joints of the stalks 

 below ; the flowers thus stand at the tops as it 

 were in one umbel or tuft, are of a pale red, tending to 

 carnation colour, consisting of five, sometimes lix small 



