68 oulpepkr's comflkte herbal. 



of knap-weed ; the seed is smooth, bright, and shining, 

 wrapped up in a woolly mantle ; the root perisheth every 

 year. 



Place, — They grow in corn-fields, amongst all sorts of 

 corn, peas, beans, and tares excepted. If you please to 

 take them up from thence and transplant them in your 

 garden, especially towards the full moon, they will grow 

 aiore double than they are, and many times change colour. 



Time. — They flower from the beginning of May to the 

 end of harvest. 



Government and Virtues, — Ab they are naturally cold, 

 dry, and binding, so they are under the dominion of 

 Saturn. The powder or dried leaves of the blue-bottle, 

 or corn flower is given with good success to those that are 

 bruised by a fal^ or have broken a vein inwardly, and 

 void much blood at the mouth : being taken in the water 

 of plantain, horse-tail, or the greater comfrey, it is a re- 

 medy against the poison of the scorpion, and resisteth all 

 venoms and poison. The seed or leaves taken in wine, is 

 very good against the plague and all infectious diseases, 

 and is very good in pestilential fevers : the juice put into 

 fresh or green wounds doth quickly solder up the lips of 

 them together, and is veiy effectual to heal all ulcers and 

 sores in the mouth ; the juice dropped into the eyes takes 

 away the heat and inflammation of them : the distilled 

 water of this herb hath the same properties, and may b« 

 used for the effects aforesaid. 



BKANK URSINE.— C.4can^Ai« Spinosue.) 



BisiDKs the common name Brank Ursine, it is also called 

 Bear's Breech, and Acanthus, though I think our English 

 names to be more proper ; for the Greek word Acanthus 

 signifies any thistle whatsoever. 



Descrip, — This thistle shooteth forth very many large, 

 thick, sad green smooth leaves upon the ground, with a 

 verv thick and juicy middle rib ; the leaves are parted 

 witn sundry deep gashes on the edges ; the leaves remain 

 a long time before any stalk appears, afterwards riseth up 

 a reasonable big stalk, three or four feet high, and bravely 

 decked with flowers from the middle of the stalk upwards, 

 for on the lower part of the stalk there is neither branches 

 nor leaf : the flowers are hooded and gaping, being white 

 in colour, and standing in brownish husks, with a long, 

 small, undivided leaf under each leaf : they seldom se^ 



