•128 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



many such like leaves, hut smaller, and at the tops stand 

 many single flowers, upon small foot stalks, consisting of 

 many small white leaves standing round about a yellow 

 thrum in the middle. The root is somewhat hard and 

 short, with many strong fibres about it. The scent of the 

 whole plant is very strong and stuffing, and the taste is 

 Tery bitter. 



Place.'] This grows wild in many places of the land, 

 but is for the most part nourished in gardens. 



Goverment and Virtues.'] Venus commands this herb, 

 and hath commended it to succour her sisters (women) 

 and to be a general strengthener of their wombs, and 

 remedy such infirmities as a careless midwife hath there 

 caused.; if t>ey will but be pleased to make use of her 

 herb boiled in white wine, and drink the deco6lion ; it 

 cleanseth the womb, expels the after-birth, and doth a 

 woman all the good she can desire of an herb. And if 

 any grumble because they cannot get the herb "'n Win- 

 ter, tell them, if they please, they may make a syrup of 

 it in Summer ; it is chiefly used for the diseases of the 

 mother, whether it be the strangling or rising of the mo- 

 ther, or hardness or inflammations of the same, applied 

 outwardly thereunto; or a decoftion of the flowers in 

 "wine, with a little nutmeg or mace put therein, and 

 drank often in a day, is an approved remedy to bring 

 down women's courses speedily, and helpeth to expel 

 the dead birth and after-birth. For a woman to sit over 

 the hot fumes of the decoftion of the herb made in water 

 or wine, is efFe6lual for the same ; and in some cases, 

 to apply the herb warm to the privy parts. The decoc- 

 tion thereof made with some sugar or honey, is used by 

 many with good success to help the cough and stuffing 

 of the chest, by cold, as to cleanse the reins and bladder, 

 and helps to expel the stone in them. The powder of the 

 herb taken in wine with some Oxymcl, purgeth both 

 choler and phlegm, and is available for those that are 

 short winded, and are troubled with melancholy and 

 heaviness, or sadness of spirits. It is very effectual for all 

 pains ill the head coming of a cold cause, the herb being 

 bruised applied to the crown of the head; as also for 

 the vertigo, that is, a runniag or swimming of the head. 

 The deco6tiou thereof drank warm, and the herb bruised 



