58 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



root likewise, and both root and seeds as | Place.'] They grow, for the most part, 

 sharp as it. 'in small standing waters, yet sometimes in 



PlaceJ] They grow in the way-sides in \ small rivulets of running water, 

 untilled places, and by the sides of old j Time.] They flower and seed in the 

 walls. | beginning of Summer. 



TimeJ] They flower in the end of June, \ Government and virtues. It is an herb 

 and their seed is ripe in July. I under the dominion of the Moon. Thev 



Government and virtues^] It is a Saturnine { are more powerful against the scurvy, and 

 plant. The leaves, but especially the root, j to cleanse the blood and humours, than 

 taken fresh in Summer-time, beaten or made \ Brooklime is, and serve in all the other 

 into a poultice or salve with old hog's grease, j uses in which Brooklime is available, as to 

 and applied to the places pained with the j break the stone, and provoke urine and 

 sciatica, to continue thereon four hours if it | women's courses. The decoction thereof 

 oe on a man, and two hours on a woman ; j cleanses ulcers, by washing them therewith, 

 the place afterwards bathed with wine and jThe leaves bruised, or the juice, is good, to 

 oil mixed together, and then wrapped with! be applied to the fare or other parts troubled 

 wool or skins, after they have sweat a little, j with freckles, pimples, spots, or the like, at 

 will assuredly cure not only the same dis- 1 night, and washed away in the morning 

 ease in hips, knuckle-bone, or other of the $The juice mixed with vinegar, and the fore 

 joints, as gout in the hands or feet, but all | part of the head bathed therewith, is very 

 other old griefs of the head, (as inveterate \ good for those that are dull and drowsy, or 

 rheums,) and other parts of the body that \ have the lethargy. 



Water-cress pottage is a good remedy to 

 cleanse the blood in the spring, and help 



are hard to be cured. And if of the former 

 griefs any parts remain, the same medicine 



after twenty days, is to be applied again, headaches, and consume the gross humours 

 The same is also effectual in the diseases | winter has left behind; those that would 

 of the spleen ; and applied to the skin, | live in health, may use it if they please ; 

 takes away the blemish thereof, whether 1 if they will not, I cannot help it. If any 

 they be scars, leprosy, scabs, or scurf, j fancy not pottage, they may eat the herb as 

 which although it ulcerate the part, yet that j a sallad. 

 is to be helped afterwards with a salve made j 



/ .-i i* T-, .1 .1 CROSSWORT. 



of oil and wax. Esteem this as another 



secret. THIS herb receives its name from the 



! situation of its leaves. 



,j Descript.-] Common Crosswort grows 



Descnpt.'] OUR ordinary Water Cresses | up with square hairy brown stalks a little 

 spread forth with many weak, hollow, sappy j above a foot high, having four small broad 

 stalks, shooting out fibres at the joints, and 1 and pointed, hairy, yet smooth thin leaves, 

 upwards long winged leaves made of sundry } growing at every joint, each against other 

 broad sappy almost round leaves, of a | one way, which has caused the name- 

 brownish colour. The flowers are many I Towards the tops of the stalks at the joints, 

 and white, standing on long foot-stalks, t with the leaves in three or four rows down- 

 after which come small yellow seed, con- 1 wards, stand small, pale yellow flowers, 

 tained in small long pods like horns. The ; after which come small blackish round 

 whole plant abides green in the winter, and : seeds, four for the most part, set in every 

 tastes somewhat hot and sharp. husk. The root is very small, and full of 



