304 THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



leaves rise up round stiff stalks, with a few joints, and 

 leaves on them, and at the tops an umbel of fine i)urc 

 white flowers; at the edges whereof sometimes will be 

 seen a shew of the reddish bluish colour, especially before 

 they be full blown, and are succeeded by small, somc- 

 ■what round seeds, of a brown colour, divided into two 

 parts, and crusted on the back. 



Place.] It groweth wild in Lancashire, Yorkshire, 

 and other northern counties, and is also planted in gar- 

 dens. 



Government and Virtues.'] It is an herb of Venus. 

 Galen saith the roots of Spignel are available to provoke 

 urine and women's courses; but if too much be taken, it 

 causeth head-ach. The roots boiled in wine or water, 

 aud drank, helpeth the stranguary and stoppings of the 

 urine, the wind, swellings and pains in the stomach, pains 

 of the mother and all joint-achs. If the powder of the 

 root be mixed with honey, and the same taken as a lick- 

 ing medicine, it breaketh tough phlegm, and drieth up 

 the rheum that falleth on the lungs. The roots are etfec- 

 tual against the stinging or biting of any venomous crea- 

 ture. 



Spleenwort. Tj . (/i, 1. d. 2.) 



LiREY/isE called Ceterach, and Heart's Tongue. 



Descript.^ The smooth Spleenwort, from a black thready 

 and bushy root, sendeth forth many long single leaves, 

 cut in on both sides into round dents almost to the middle, 

 •which is not so hard as that of polypody, each division 

 teing not always set opposite unto the other, cut between 

 each, smooth, and of a light green on the upper side, 

 and dark yellowish roughness on the back, folding or 

 rolling itself inward at the first springing up. 

 Place.] It groweth upon stonewalls, in moist and shadowy 

 places, about Bristol, and other west parts plentifully ; 

 as also on Framlingham-Castle, on Beaconsfield churck 

 in Berkshire, and at Stroude in Kent. 



Government and Virtues.'] Saturn owns it. It is ge- 

 Berally used against infirmities of the spleen ; it helpeth 

 the stranguary, wasteth the stone in the bladder, and is 

 good against the yellow jaundice, and the hiccough; 



