ottlpepxr'8 complstx herbal. 18V 



growing on them, set one against another, longer, narrower, 

 and not nicked on the edges as the former. 



Place. — It fi^rows on moors, bogs, and watery places, In 

 many parts of this country. 



Time. — It is green all the summer, and the root only 

 abides in winter. 



Oovemment and Virtues. — Saturn owns theplant. This 

 has all the virtues mentioned in the former Ferns, and is 

 much more effectual than they, both for inward and out- 

 ward uses ; and is accounted singularly good in wounds, 

 bruises, or the like ; the decoction to be drunk, or boiled 

 into an ointment of oil, as a balsam or balm, and so it is 

 singularly good against bruises, and bones broken, or out 

 of joint, and gives much ease to the colic and splenetic 

 diseases ; as also ruptures and burstings. 



FEVERFEW, or FEATHERFEW.— (Pyrc^Arwrn, or 

 Matricaria Parthenittm,) 



Descrip. — Common Featherfew has large, fresh, greet 

 leaves, much torn or cut on the ed^es. The stalks are hard 

 and round, set with many such like leaves, but smaller ; 

 and at the tops stand many single flowers, upon small 

 foot-stalks, consisting of many small white leaves, stand- 

 ing round about a yellow thrum in the middle. The root 

 is somewhat hard and short, with many strong fibres about 

 it The scent of the whole plant is very strong, and the 

 taste is very bitter. 



Place. — This grows mild in many places of the country, 

 but is for the most part nourished in ^rdens. 



TVme. — It flowers in the months of June and July. 



Oovemment and Vvrtvse. — Venus commands this herb, 

 and has commended it to succour her sisters (women,) to 

 be a general strengthener of their wombs, and to remedy 

 such infirmities as a careless midwife has there caused ; if 

 they will be pleased to make use of her herb boiled in white 

 wine, and drink the decoction, it cleanses the womb, ex- 

 pels the afterbirth, and does a woman all the good she can 

 desire of an herb. And if any grumble because they can- 

 not get the herb in winter, tell them. If they please, they 

 may make a syrup of it in summer: it is chieuy used for 

 the disease of the mother, whether it be the strangling or 

 rising of the mother, or hardness or inflammations of ths 

 same, applied outwardly thereunto. Or a decoctiou of the 

 flowers in wine, with a little nutmeg or mace put there. 



