ouij^kpkr's oohplkte herbal. 81 



may be coDsamed in auother, aud so be a readier way to 

 extinguish the sight than to restore it. 



It is calletl cheiidonium, from the Greek word chelidon^ 

 which signifies a swallow, because they say that if you 

 put out the eyes of young swallows when they are in the 

 nest, the old ones will recover them again with this herb : 

 this I am confident, for I have tried it, that if we mar 

 the very apple of their eyes with a needle she will re- 

 cover them again ; bat whether with this herb or not 1 

 know not 



Also I have read, and it seems to be somewhat proba- 

 ble, that the herb, being gathered as I showed before, 

 and the elements drawn apart from it by the art of the 

 alchymist, and after they are drawn apart rectified, th« 

 earthly quality still in rectifying them added to the terra 

 damnata (as alchymists call it,) or terra sacratusima (as 

 some philosophers call it,) the elements so rectified are 

 sufficient for the cure of all diseases, the humours offend- 

 ing being known, and the contrary elements given. It is 

 an experiment worth the trying, and can do no harm. 



CELANDINE (THE LESSER) called also HLE- 

 WOB,T.—(FieaHa Vemcu) 



I wuNOKR >%hat ailed the ancients to give this the name 

 of celandine, which resembleth it neither in nature or 

 form ; it acquired the name of pilewort from its virtuea, 

 and it being no great matter where I set it down, so I set 

 it down at all, I humoured Dr. Tradition so much as to 

 set it down here. 



Descrip. — This celandine or pilewort (which you please) 

 doth spread many round pale green leaves, set on weak 

 and trailing branches, which lie on the ground, and are 

 flat, smooth, and somewhat shining, and in some places, 

 though seldom, marked with black spots, each standing 

 on a long foot-stalk, verv like unto a crow's foot, whereunto 

 the seed is not unlike, bein^ many small kernels, like a 

 ^jain of com, sometimes twice as long as others, of a whit- 

 ish colour, with some fibres at the end of them. 



Place, — It groweth for the most part in moist comers 

 of fields and places that are near water-sides, yet will abide 

 in drier ground if it be but a little shady. 



Time, — It tiowereth about March or April, is quite gone 

 hj May, so it cannot be found till it springs again. 



OovimmefU and Virtues, — ^It is ander Uie dominion oi 



