92 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARCxED. 



Descn'pt.'\ It groweth up sometimes to two or three 

 feet high, but usually about two feet, with square, 

 green, rough stalks, but slender, joined somewhat 

 far asunder, and two very long, somewhat narrow 

 dark green leaves bluntly dented about the edges 

 thereof, ending in a long point. The flowers stand 

 towards the tops, compassing the stalks at the joints 

 with the leaves, and end likewise in a spiked top, having 

 long and much gaping hoods of a purplish red colour, 

 with whitish spots in them, standing in somewhat round 

 husks, wherein afterwards stand blackish round seeds. 

 The root is composed of many long strings, with some 

 tuberous long knobs growing among them, of a pale 

 yellowish or whitish colour ; yet some times of the 

 year these knobby roots in many places are not seen in 

 this plant. The plant smelleth somewhat strong- 



Place.'] It groweth in sundry counties of this land, both 

 north and west, and frequently by path-sides in the fields 

 near about London, and within three or four miles 

 distant about it ; yet it usually grows in or near ditches. 



Time.'] It flowereth in June or July, and the seed is 

 ripe soon after. 



Government and Virtues.~\ It is under the dominion of 

 the planet Saturn. It is singularly etfecStual in all fresh 

 and green wounds, and therefore beareth not this name 

 for nought. And it is very available in staunching of 

 blood, and to dry up the fluxes of humours in old fret- 

 ting ulcers, cankers, &c. that hinder the healing of them. 



A syrup made of the juice of it, is inferior to none for 

 inward wounds, ruptures of veins, bloody flux, vessels 

 broken, spitting, pissing, or vomiting blood. Ruptures 

 are excellently and speedily, even to admiration, cured 

 by taking now and then a little of the syrup, and ap- 

 plying an ointment or plaister of this herb to the place. 

 Also, if any vein be swelled or muscle, apply a plaister 

 of this herb to it, and if you add a little Comfrey to it, 

 it will not do amiss. 



Cock's Head. ? . (/«. m. 2.) 



This is also called Red Pitching, and Medick Fetch. 



Descript.] This hath divers weak but rough stalks, half 

 a yard long, leaning downwards, but set with winged 



