THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 95 



leaves, longer and more pointed than those of lintels, 

 and whitish underneath ; from the tops of these stalks 

 arise up other slender stalks naked without leaves unto 

 the tops, where there grow many small flowers in manner 

 cf a spike, of a pale reddish colour, with some blueness 

 among them ; after which rise up in their places, round, 

 and somewhat flat heads. The root is tough, and some, 

 ■what woody, yet liveth and shooteth a-new every year. 



Place. \ It groweth under hedges, and sometimes in 

 the open fields in divers places of this land. 



Time.2 They flower all the months of July and Au- 

 gust, and the seed ripeneth in the mean while. 



Government and Virtues.^ It is under the dominion of 

 Venus. It hath power to rarify and digest ; and there- 

 fore the green leaves bruised and laid as a plaister, dis- 

 perse knots, nodes, or kernels in the flesh ; and if when 

 dry it be taken in wine, it helpeth the straaguary ; and 

 being anointed with oil, it provoketh sweat. It is a 

 singular food for cattle, to cause them to give store of 

 milk ; and why then may it not do the like, being boiled 

 in ordinary drink, for nurses ? 



Columbines. ? . (h. m. 2.) 



These are so well known, growing almost in every gar- 

 den, that 1 think I may save expence of time in writing 

 a description them. 



Titne.'] They flower in May, and abide not, for the 

 most part, when June is past, pcrfeifting their seed in the 

 mean time. 



Government and Virtues.'] It is also an herb of Venus. 

 The leaves of Columbines are commonly used in lotioas 

 with good success for sore mouths and throats. Tragus 

 saith, that a dram of the seed taken in wine with a little 

 saff'ron openeth obstru6lions of the liver, and is good for 

 the yellow jaundice, if the party after the taking there, 

 of be laid to sweat well in bed. The seed also taken in 

 Avine, causeth a speedy delivery of women in child-birth ; 

 if one draught suffice not, let her drink the second, and 

 it is eff"e6lual : The Spaniards used to eat a piece of the 

 root thereof in a morning fasting, many days together, to 

 help them when troubled with the stone in the reins or 

 kidnies. 



