190 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



like flowers at the (op ; the roots arc very fine and small. 

 Government and Virtues.'] It is under the dominion of 

 Jupiter, and under the sign Cancer. \t is a singular good 

 herb for ail the diseases in the liver, both to cool and 

 cleanse it, and helpeth inllammations in any part, and 

 the yellow jaundice likewise ; being bruised and boiled 

 in small beer, and drank, it coolcth the heat of the li. 

 ver and kidneys, and helpeth the running of the reins in 

 men, and the whites in women ; it is a singular remedy 

 to stay the spreading of tetters, ring worms, and other 

 fretting and running sores and scabs, and is an excel- 

 lent remedy for such whose livers arc corrupted by sur- 

 feits, which cause their bodies (o break out, for it forti- 

 fieth the liver exceedingly, and makes it impregnable. 



Loosestrife or WilloAvhcrb. 5 . (c. d. 1.) 



There arc three kinds of Loosestrife, viz. the creeping, 

 the Hyssop-leaved, and the Purple-specked. 



Descript.'] Common yellow Loosestrife groweth to be 

 four or five feet high, or more, with great round stalks, 

 a little crested, diversly branched from the middle of 

 them to the tops into great and long branches, on all 

 which at the joints grow long and narrow leaves, but 

 broader below, and usually two at a joint, yet some- 

 times three or four, somewhat like willow leaves, smooth 

 on the edges, and a fair green colour from the upper 

 joints of the branches, and at the tops of them also stand 

 many yellow flowers of five leaves a-piccc, with divers 

 yellow threads in the middle, which turn into small 

 roundheads, containing small cornered seeds; the root 

 treepeth under ground, almost like couch-grass, but 

 greater, and shootcth up every Spring brownish heads, 

 which afterwards grow up into stalks. It hath no scent 

 or taste, but only astringent. 



Place.'] It groweth in many places of this land in moist 

 meadows, and by water-sides. 



Time.] It flowereth from June to August. 



Government and yirtuss.] This herb is good for all 

 manner of bleeding at the mouth, nose, or wounds, and 

 all fluxes of the belly, and the bloody-flux, given either 

 to drink or taken by clyster ; it stayeth also the abun« 



