64 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



short and blackish, with many strings, | morphew, or other deformities thereof, 



abiding after seed time many years. This j especially if a little vitriol be dissolved 



root was longer, until the devil (as the I therein. 



friars say) bit away the rest of it for spite, j 



envying its usefulness to mankind; forj 



sure he was not troubled with any disease; MANY kinds of these are so well known, 



for which it is proper. | that I shall not trouble you with a descrip- 



There are two other sorts hereof, in \ tion of them : My book grows big too fast, 

 nothing unlike the former, save that the j Government and virtues.'] All Docks are 

 one bears white, and the other bluish-colour- 1 under Jupiter, of which the Red Dock, 

 ed flowers. \ which is commonly called Bloodwort, 



Place.'] The first grows as well in dry { cleanses the blood, and strengthens the 

 meadows and fields as moist, in many : liver ; but the yellow Dock-root is best to 

 places of this land : But the other two are 1 be taken when either the blood or liver is 

 more rare, and hard to be met with, yet! affected by choler. All of them have a 

 they are both found growing wild about I kind of cooling (but not all alike) drying 

 Appledore, near Rye in Kent. I quality, the sorrel being most cold, and the 



Time.'] They flower not usually until | Blood-worts most drying. Of the Burdock, 

 August. I have spoken already by itself. The seed 



Government and virtues^ The plant is \ of most of the other kinds, whether the gar- 

 venereal, pleasing, and harmless. The herb J dens or fields, do stay lasks and fluxes of 

 or the root (all that the devil hath left of fall sorts, the loathing of the stomach through 

 it) being boiled in wine, and drank, is very \ choler, and is helpful for those that spit 

 powerful against the plague, and all pes- \ blood. The roots boiled in vinegar help 

 tilential diseases or fevers, poisons also, : the itch, scabs, and breaking out of the 

 and the bitings of venemous beasts: It i skin, if it be bathed therewith. The dis- 

 helps also those that are inwardly bruised | tilled water of the herb and roots have the 

 by any casuality, or outwardly by falls or j same virtue, and cleanses the skin from 

 blows, dissolving the clotted blood ; and j freckles, morphews, and all other spots and 

 the herb or root beaten and outwardly \ discolourings therein. 



applied, takes away the black and blue ; All Docks being boiled with meat, make 

 marks that remain in the skin. The de-tit boil the sooner: Besides Blood-wort is 

 coction of the herb, with honey of roses j exceeding strengthening to the liver, and 

 put therein, is very effectual to help the | procures good blood, being as wholesome 

 inveterate tumours and swellings of the j a pot-herb as any growing in a garden; yet 

 almonds and throat, by often gargling the j such is the nicety of our times, forsooth, 



.1.1 . 1 T.ll 1 - J.l 11 * .*..*, 1 



mouth therewith. It helps also to procure 

 women's courses, and eases all pains of the , 



that women will not put it into a pot, be- 

 cause it makes the pottage black ; pride 



mother and to break and discuss wind i and ignorance (a couple of monsters in the 

 therein, and in the bowels. The powder of! creation) preferring nicety before health, 

 the root taken in drink, drives forth the! 



u J ri^i J DODDER OF THYME, EPITHYMUM. ANT 



worms in the body. The mice or dis-j 



.n j r^uiu-ir i r OTHER. DODDERS. 



tilled water of the herb, is effectual for[ 



green wounds, or old sores, and cleanses j Descript.~\ THIS first from seed gives 

 the body inwardly, and the seed outwardly, j roots in the ground, which shoot forth 

 from sores, scurf, itch, pimples, freckles, * threads or strings, grosser or finer, as the 



