THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 171 



Descript.'] Common Horcho^nd groweth up with square 

 hairy stalks, half a yard or two feet high, set at the joints 

 with two round crumpled rough leaves, of a sullen hoary 

 green colour, of a reasonable good scent, but a very bitter 

 taste. The flowers are small, white, and gaping, set in a 

 rough, hard prickly husk round about the joints, with the 

 leaves in the middle of the stalk upwards, wherein after- 

 wards is found small round blackish seed. The root is 

 blackish, hard and woody, with many strings, and abideth 

 many years. 



Place.'] It is found in many parts of this land, in dry 

 grounds, and waste green places. 



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

 August. 



Government and Virtues.] It is an herb of Mercury. 

 A decoction of the dried herb, with the seed, or the juice 

 of the green herb taken with honey, is a remedy for 

 those that are short-winded, have a cough, or are fallen 

 into a consumption, either through long sickness, or thin 

 distillations of rheum upon the lungs. It helpeth to ex- 

 pe6torate tough phlegm from the chest, being taken with 

 the roots of Iris or Orris. It is given to women to bring 

 down th«ir courses, to expel their after birth, and to 

 them that have sore and long travails ; as also to those 

 that have taken poison, or are stung or bitten by veno- 

 mous serpents. The leaves used with honey, purgeth foul 

 ulcers, stays running or creeping sores, and the growing 

 of the flesh over the nails; it also helpeth pains of the 

 sides. The juice thereof with wine and honey, helpeth 

 to clear the eye-sight; and snuffed up into tiie nostrils, 

 purgeth away the yellow jaundice ; and with a little oil 

 of roses dropped into the ears, easeth the pains of them. 

 Galen saith, it openeth obstrudlions both of the liver and 

 spleen, and purgeth the breast and lungs of phlegm ; and 

 used outwardly, it both cleanseth and digtsteth. A 

 decofilion of Horehound (saith Matthiol^s) is available for 

 those that have hard livers, and for such as have itches and 

 running tetters. The powder hereof taken, or the decoc- 

 tion, killeth worms. The green leaves bruised, and boiled 

 in old hog's grease into an ointment, healeth the bitings of 

 dogs, abatetli the swellings and pains that come by any- 

 pricking of thorns, or such like means; and useJ with 

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