*rHE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 263 



Ragwort. ? . (h. d. 2.) 



It is called also St. James's-Wort, and Stagger-wort, and 

 StaraHier-^voit, and Segrum. 



Descript.'] The greater common Ragwort hath many 

 large and long, dark green leaves Ijing on the ground, 

 very much rent and torn on the sides in many places;. 

 from among which rise up sometimes but one, and some- 

 times two or three square or crested blackish or brownish 

 stalks, three or four feet high, sometimes branched, 

 bearing divers such-like leaves upon them, at several 

 distances unto the top, wlicre it branches forth into many 

 stalks bearing yellow flowers, consisting of divers leaves, 

 set as a pale or border, with a dark yellow thrum in the 

 middle, which do abide a great while, but at last are turned 

 into down, and with the small blackish grey seed, are 

 carried away with the wind. The root is made of many 

 fibres, whereby it is firmly fastened into the ground, and- 

 abideth many years. 



There is another sort thereof different from the former' 

 only in this, that it riseth not so high, the leaves are not 

 go finely jagged, nor of so dark a green colour, but rather 

 somewhat whitish, soft and woolly, and the flowers usu- 

 ally paler. 



Place.~\ They grow both of them wild in pastures, and 

 nntilled grounds in many places, and oftentimes both ia 

 one field. 



Government and Virtues.'] Ragwort is under the com- 

 mand of Dame v^enus, and cleanseth, digesteth, and dis- 

 cusseth. The decoction of the hert) is good to wash the 

 mouth or throat that hath ulcers or sores therein ; and for 

 swellings, hardness, or imposthuraations, for it thoroughly 

 cleanseth and healeth them ; as also the quinsy, and the 

 king's evil. It helpeth to stay catarrhs, thin rheums, and 

 defluCiions from the head into the eyes, nose, or lungs. 

 The juice iis found by experience to besingular good to 

 heal green wounds, and to cleanse and heal all old and 

 filthy ulcers in the privities, and in other parts of the body, 

 as also inward wounds and ulcers ; stayeth the malignity 

 of fretting and running cankers, and hollow fistulas, not, 

 suffering them to sprea-d farther. It is also much com- 



