THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 291 



Government and Virtues.'] Mercury claims thedominioa 

 over this herb, neither is there abetter remedy agaiust the 

 colic and iliac passion, than this herb; keep it dry by you 

 all the year, if you leve yourself and your ease, and it is a 

 hundred pounds to a penny if you do not: keep it dry, 

 make conserves and syrups of it for your use, and withal, 

 take notice that the Summer kind is the best. They are 

 both of thera hot and dry, especially the Summer kind, 

 •\vhich is both sharp and quick in taste, expelling wind ia 

 the stomach and bowels, and is a present help for the 

 rising of the mother procured by wind ; provoketh urine 

 and women's courses, and is much commended for women 

 witli child to take inwardly, and to smell often unto. It 

 cureth tough phlegm in the chest and lungs, and helpeth 

 to expectorate it the more easily; quickens the dull 

 spirits in the lethargy, the juice thereof being snuffed up 

 into the nostrils. The juice dropped into the eyes, 

 cleareth a dull sight, if it proceed of tliin cold humours 

 distilled from the brain. The juice heated with oil ot 

 Hoses, and dropped into the Cars, easeth them of the 

 noise and singing in them, and of deafness alsO. Out- 

 wardly applied with wheat ilour, in manner of a poultice, 

 it giveth ease to them, and takcth away their pains. It 

 also takcth away the pain that comes by stinging of bees, 

 wasps, Sec. 



Savinc. cJ. (h. d. 3.) 



To describe a plant so well known is needless, it being 

 uursed up almost in every garden, and abiding green all 

 the Winter. 



Government and Jlrtue^.'\ It is under the dominion of 

 Mars, being hot and dry in the third degree, and being 

 of exceeding clean parts, is of a very digesting quality. 

 If you dry the herb into powder, and mix it with honey, 

 it is an excellent remedy to cleanse old lilthy niccrs and 

 fistulas ; but it hinders them from healing. The same is 

 excellent good to break carbuncles and plague sores ; 

 also helpeth the king's evil, being applied to the place. 

 Being spread over a piece of leather, and applied to the 

 navel, kills the worms iu the belly, helps scabs and itch, 

 o 2 



