THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. St>^ 



Gavernmcni and Virtues.'} It is a mercurial plant, 

 ■worthy of more esteem than it hath. The seed bruised, 

 heated in warm water, and drank, htlpeth those that are 

 bursten, or troubled with the cramps or convulsions of 

 the sinews, the sciatica, or difficulty in making water, and 

 bringing do-wn women's courses. Taken in wine is aa 

 antidote against all deadly poison, and driveth away 

 venomous creatures; the smell ot" this herb, being burnt, 

 doth the same. The oil thereof anointed on the back 

 bone, before the fits of the agues come, taketh them 

 away ; it taketh away inflammations in the eyes, if it be 

 put with some part of roasted quince, and boiled with a 

 few crums of bread and applied. Boiled with barley-mea!, 

 it taketh away pimples, pushes, or wheals that arise in 

 any parts of the body. The seed as well as the dried herb, 

 is often given to kill worms in children. The herb 

 bruised and laid to, helpeth to draw forth splinters and 

 thorns out of the flesh. The ashes drieth up and healeth 

 old ulcers that are without inflammation, although by the 

 sharpness thereof it biteth sore, and putteth them to sore 

 pains ; as also the privy parts in man or woman. The 

 ashes mingled with old sallad oil, causeth the hair to grow 

 again either on the head or beard. Darantcrs saith, the 

 oil made of Southern Wood, and put among the oint« 

 ments that are used against the French disease, is very 

 effectual, likewise killeth lice in the head. The distilled 

 water of the herb is said to help them much that are 

 troubled with the stone, as also for the diseases of the 

 spleen and mother. It is held by all writers, ancient 

 and modern, to be more otlensive to the^ stomach than 

 wormwood. 



Spigncl ? . (h. 3. d. 2.) 



Arso called Spicknel ; a herb in little use. 



Dcscript.'] The roots spread deep in the ground, many 

 strings or branches growing from one head, which is hairy 

 at the top, of a blackish brown colour on the outside, 

 and white within, smelling well, and of an aromatica.1 

 taste, from whence arise sundry long stalks of most fine 

 cut leaves, like hair, smaller than dill, set thick on both 

 tides of the stalksj and of a good sceutt Among these 



