138 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



Government and Virtues.'] This herb is Saturnine also; 

 Both the herb and seed of Flux-weed arc of excellent 

 use to stay the ilux or lask of the bell}', being drank ia 

 water wherein gads of steel, heated, have been often 

 quenched; and it is no less effectual for the same pur- 

 pose than plantain or cumfrey, and to restrain any other 

 tlux of blood in man or woman, as also to consolidate 

 bones broken or out of joint. The juice thereof drank 

 in wine, or the decoction of the herb drank, doth kill 

 the worms in the stomach or belly, or the worms that 

 grow in putrid and filthy ulcers; and made into a salve 

 doth quickly heal all old sores, how foul or malignant so- 

 ever they be. The distilled water of the herb worketh 

 the same eftects, although somewhat weaker, yet it is a 

 fair medicine, and more acceptable to be taken. It is 

 called Flax-weed because it cures the flux, and for its 

 uniting broken bones, &c. Paracelsus extols us to the 

 skies. It is fitting that syrup, ointment, and plaistcrs of 

 it were kept in your houses. 



FIower-de-Luce. J. (c. w. 4.) 



It is so well known, being nourished up in most gar* 

 dens, that I shall not need to spend time in writing a des. 

 cription thereof. 



Time.] The flaggy kinds thereof have the most physical 

 uses ; the dwarf kinds thereof flower in April, the greater 

 sorts in May. 



Government and Virtues.'] The herb is Lunar. Tha 

 juice or decoction of the green root of the flaggy kind of 

 Flower-de-luce, with a little honey drank, doth purge 

 and cleanse the stomach of gross and tough phlegm, and 

 choler therein; it hclpeth the jaundice and the dropsy, 

 evacuating those humours both upwards and downwards ; 

 and because it somewhat hurts the stomach, is not to be 

 taken without honey and spikenard. The same being 

 drank, doth ease the pains and torments of the belly and 

 sides, the shaking of agues, the diseases of the liver and 

 spleen, the warms of the belly, the stone in the reins, 

 convulsions and cramps that come of old humours ; it also 

 helps those whose seed passeth from them unawares; it is- 



