82 ctttlpepeb's complete hebbai.. 



Man, and behold here another veriiicatioii of the learn- 

 ing of the ancienta, viz. that the virtue of an herb may be 

 known by its signature, as plainly appears in this : for if 

 you dig up the root of it you shall perceive the perfect 

 image of the disease which they commonly call the piles. 

 It is certain by good experience that the decoction of the 

 leaves and root doth wonderfully help piles and hsBmorr- 

 hoides, also kernels by the ears and throat, called the king's 

 evil, or any other hard wens or tumours. 



Here is another secret for my countrymen and women, 

 a couple of them together : pilewort made into an oil, 

 ointment or, plaster, readily cures both the piles, or 

 hsemorrhoides, and the king's evil ; the very herb borne 

 about one's body next the skin helps in such diseases, 

 though it never touches the place grieved ; let poor peo- 

 ple make much of it for those uses ; with this I cured my 

 own daughter of the king's evil, broke the sore, drew out 

 a quarter of a pint of corruption, cured without any scar 

 at all in one week's time. 

 CENTAUBY (THE ORDINARY SMALL.)— ^Cbi- 

 taurea Cjfanus.J 



Descrip, — This groweth up most usually but with one 

 round and somewhat crusted stalk, about a foot high or 

 better, branching forth at the top into many sprigs, and 

 some also from the joints of the stalks below : the flowers 

 thus stand at the tops as it were in one umbel or tuft, 

 are of a pale red, tending to carnation colour, consisting 

 of five, sometimes six small leaves very like those of St 

 John's wort, opening themselves in the day-time and clos- 

 ing at night^ after which come seeds in little short husks, 

 in form like unto wheat corn ; the leaves are small and 

 somewhat round: the root small and hard, perishing 

 every year ; the whole plant is of an exceeding bitter 

 taste. 



There is another sort in all things like the former, save 

 only it beareth white flowers. 



Place.^They grow ordinarily in fields, pastures, and 

 woods, but that with the white flowers not so frequently 

 as the other. 



Time,— They flower in July or thereabouts, and seed 

 within a month after. 



G(yvemment and Virtues.— Thej are under the domi- 

 jdon of tiie Sun, as appears in that then: flowers open and 

 that as the sun either sheweth or hidj^th his face : this 



