300 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



of five leaves a.piecc, round at the ends antl dented in the 

 middle, of a rose colour, almost white, uonietiraes deeper, 

 sometimes paler, of a reasonable scent. 



Place.~\ It groweth wild in low and wet grounds, bj 

 brooks and the sides of running waters. 



Timc.'\ It floweretli in July, and continuelh all August 

 end part of September. 



Government and Virtncs.~\ Venus oMiis it. The country 

 people in divers places bruise the leaves of SopcAVort, and 

 lay to their lingers, hands or legs, when (hey are cut, to 

 heal them. Some boast that it is good to provoke urine, 

 and thereby to expel gravel and the stone in the reins or 

 kidnies, and also account it singular good to void hydro- 

 pical Avatcrs ; and they no less extol it to perform an 

 absolute cure in the I'Vench-pox, more than sarsapanlla, 

 jfuaiacum, or China can do: v hich how true it is, I leftv* 

 others to judge. 



Sorrel. $. (h. d. ].) 



SonREL groATs in gardens, also wild in fields, and is so well 

 known that it needeth no description. 



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

 Venus. Sorrel is prevalent in all hot diseases, to cool 

 any inflammation and heat of blood in agues, pestilential 

 and cholerick, or sickness and fainting, arising from heat, 

 and to refresh the overspent s[iirits with the violence of 

 furious or fiery fits of agues ; lo quench thirsty and pro- 

 cure an appetite in fainting, or decaying stomachs. For it 

 resistcth putiefafliou of the blood, killeth worms, and is a 

 cordial to the heart, which the seed doth more eflfecSually, 

 being more drying and binding, and thereby stayeth the 

 hot fluxes of women's courses, or of humours in the bloody 

 flux, or flux in the stomach. The root also in a decoc- 

 tion, or in powder, is effe(5lual for all the said purposes. 

 Both roots and seed, as well as the herb, are held powerful 

 to resist the poison cif the scorpion. The deco<ftion of the 

 roots is taken to help the jaundice, and to expel the gravel 

 and stone in the reins or kidnies. The dcco(ition of the 

 flowers made with wine and drank, helpeth the black 

 jaundice, as also the inward ulcers ol the body and bowels. 

 A sjrup made with the juice of Sorrel and fmnitory, is a 

 3 



