54 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



MFREY \of the lungs, and causes the phlegm that 



I oppresses them to be easily spit forth : It 



THIS is a very common but a very neg-| helps the defiuction of rheum from the 

 lected plant. It contains very great virtues. | head upon the lungs, the fluxes of blood or 



Descript.~\ The common Great Com- i humours by the belly, women's immoderate 

 frey has divers very large hairy green leaves 5 courses, as well the reds as the whites, and 

 lying on the ground, so hairy or prickly, ; the running of the reins, happening by what 

 that if they touch any tender parts of the j cause soever. A syrup made thereof is 

 hands, face, or body, it will cause it to itch; | very effectual for all those inward griefs 

 the stalks that rise from among them, being; and hurts, and the distilled water for the 

 two or three feet high, hollow and cornered, ? same purpose also, and for outward wounds 

 is very hairy also, having many such like ; and sores in the fleshy or sinewy part of the 

 leaves as grow below, but less and less up j body whatsoever, as also to take away the 

 to the top: At the joints of the stalks it is j fits of agues, and to allay the sharpness of 

 divided into many branches, with some humours. A decoction of the leaves here- 

 leaves thereon, and at the ends stand many $ of is available to all the purposes, though 

 flowers in order one above another, which j not so effectual as the roots. The roots 

 are somewhat long and hollow like the j being outwardly applied, help fresh wounds 

 finger of a glove, olf a pale whitish colour, j or cuts immediately, being bruised and laid 

 after which come small black seeds. The i thereto ; and is special good for ruptures 

 roots are great and long, spreading great and broken bones ; yea, it is said to be so 

 thick branches under ground, black on the powerful to consolidate and knit together, 

 outside, and whitish within, short and easy that if they be boiled with dissevered pieces 

 to break, and full of glutinous or clammy j of flesh in a pot, it Avill join them together 

 juice, of little or no taste at all. ? again. It is good to be applied to women's 



There is another sort in all things like; breasts that grow sore by the abundance 

 this, only somewhat less, and bears flowers | of milk coming into them ; also to repress 

 of a pale purple colour. j the over much bleeding of the haemorrhoids, 



Place .] They grow by ditches and } to cool the inflammation of the parts there- 

 water-sides, and in divers fields that arejabouts, and to give ease of pains. The 

 moist, for therein they chiefly delight to ; roots of Comffey taken fresh, beaten small, 

 grow. The first generally through all the j and spread upon leather, and laid upon 

 land, and the other but in some places. By j any place troubled with the gout, doth 

 the leave of my authors, I know the first j presently give ease of the pains ; and ap- 

 gjows in dry places. j plied in the same manner, gives ease to 



Time.'] They flower in June or July, j pained joints, and profits very much for 

 and give their seed in August. running and moist ulcers, gangrenes, mor- 



tifications, and the like, for which it hath 

 by often experience been found helpful. 



CORALWORT. 



Government and virtues. ~\ This is an herb 

 of Saturn, and I suppose under the sign 

 Capricorn, cold, dry, and earthy in quality. 

 What was spoken of Clown's Wound wort i 

 may be said of this. The Great Comfrey j IT is also called by some Toothwon, 

 helps those that spit blood, or make ajToolh Violet, Dog-Teeth Violet, and 

 bloody irine. The root boiled in water or Dentaria. 



wine, and the decoction drank, helps allj Dtscript.'] Of the many sorts of this 

 inward hurts, bruises, wounds, and ulcers ] herb two of them may be found growing 



