OirLPEPEB*8 OOMPLBTl HKBBAL. 839 



li*g a seal, whereof it took its name, lying all along with 

 the up|>er crust of the earth, and not growing downward, 

 but with many tihres underneath. 



P'ac^ — it is frequent in ditferent parts of England. 



Time,—lX. fl >wer8 in May ; the root abides and shoots 

 a-new every year. 



Oovemtnent and Virtues. — Satam owns the plant. The 

 root is available for wounds, hurts, and outward sores, to 

 heal and close up those that are green, and to dry and re- 

 strain the flux of humours of old ones. It stays vomitings, 

 bleedings, and fluxes in man or woman. It stays joints 

 that do not remain firm when set, and broken bones in any 

 part of the body, if the roots be bruised and applied. Th., 

 decoction of the root8 bruised in wine or other drink, after 

 a night's infusion, strained and drank, helps both man and 

 beast whose bones have been broken ; it aloo helps rup- 

 tures, if drank or applied outwardly to the place affected. 

 The powdered root in broth acts the same. It dispels con- 

 gealed blood that comes of blows, bruises, &c., also takes 

 away both the pains and black and bl.i marks that come 

 from the same cause. The distilled water of the whole plant 

 takesHway morphew, freckles &c« from any part of the body 



SORREL (COMMON.)— ('^umcjr Acetota.) 



Detcrip. — The leaves are smooth, succulent, and tender, 

 long and sharp- pointed, ending next the footstalk in two 

 sharp ears like spinach, of a very sour taste ; the stalk is 

 long and slender, set with two or three smaller leaves, and 

 at the top a long reddish spike of small staminous flowers, 

 •uccee<ied by small shiuini? three-square seed. The root is 

 about a tinger thick, branched and full of tibrea, of a yel- 

 lowish brown colour, abiding several years. 



Pfar.B. — It crows every where in the fields and meadows. 

 Time. — It flowers in May. The leaves, wed, and root 

 are used. 



OovemmeiU and Virtues. — All the Sorrels are under the 

 dominion of Venus. It is useful to cool inflammation and 

 heat of the blood in agues, pestilential or choleric, or sick- 

 nesH and fainting, arising from the heart; to quench thirst 

 and procure an apf^etite in fainting or decaying stomachs; 

 for it resists the putrefaction of the blood, kills worms, and 

 is a cordial to the heart, which the seed does more etfecta- 

 ally, because it is more drying and binding, and thereby 

 stays the flaxes of wo.raens* courses, or flax of the stomach. 



