72 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



some authors hold to be so rare: Such a j pith in the middle, which is called the heart 

 thing there is I know, and may be easily j thereof. 



nad upon Midsummer Eve, and for ought j Placed] It grows on moors, bogs, and 

 I know, two or three days after it, if not j watery places, in many parts of this land, 

 more. Time.'] It is green all the summer, and 



Government and virtues."] It is under the j the root only abides in winter, 

 dominion of Mercury, both Male and j Government and virtues.'] Saturn owns 

 Female. The roots of both these sorts of | the plant. This has all the virtues men- 

 Fern being bruised and boiled in Mead, \ tioned in the former Ferns, and is much 

 or honeyed water, and drank, kills both \ more effectual than they, both for inward 

 the broad and long worms in the body, ! and outward griefs, and is accounted sin- 

 and abates the swelling and hardness of the j gularly good in wounds, bruises, or the like, 

 spleen. The green leaves eaten, purge the I The decoction to be drank, or boiled into 

 belly of choleric and waterish humours : an ointment of oil, as a balsam or balm, 

 that trouble the stomach. They are dan- j and so it is singularly good against bruises, 

 gerous for women with child to meddle j and bones broken, or out of joint, and gives 

 with, by reason they cause abortions. The > much ease to the cholic and splenetic 

 roots bruised and boiled in oil, or hog's j diseases : as also for ruptures or burstings, 

 grease, make a very profitable ointment to j The decoction of the root in white wine, 

 heal wounds, or pricks gotten in the flesh. \ provokes urine exceedingly, and cleanses 

 The powder of them used in foul ulcers, > the bladder and passages of urine, 

 dries up their malignant moisture, and { 



V. . T 1? k FEVERFEW, OR FEATHERFEW. 



causes their speedier healing, lern being 



burned, the smoke thereof drives away! Descript.~\ COMMON Featherfew has 

 serpents, gnats, and other noisome crea- \ large, fresh, green leaves, much torn or cut 

 Cures, which in fenny countries do, in the j on the edges. The stalks are hard and 



* IT IT 11" 1 _ * 1 1_ 1 * I 1 l_ 



night time, trouble and molest people lying 

 in their beds with their faces uncovered ; it 



round, set with many such like leaves, but 

 smaller, and at the tops stand many single 



causes barrenness. {flowers, upon small foot stalks, consisting 



of many small white leaves standing round 



OSMOND ROYAL, OR WATER FERN, jiabouta yellow thrum in the middle. The 



root is somewhat hard and short, with many 

 Descript.~] THIS shoots forth in spring j strong fibres about it. The scent of the 



time (for in the Winter the leaves perish) whole plant is very strong, and the taste is 



divers rough hard stalks, half round, and 1 very bitter. 



yellowish, or flat on the other side, two feet \ Place.'] This grows wild in many places 



high, having divers branches of winged yel- ! of the land, but is for the most part nourish- 



lowish green leaves on all sides, set one |ed in gardens. 



against another, longer, narrower, and not j Time.~\ It flowers in the months of June 



nicked on the edges as the former. From 

 the top of some of these stalks grow forth 



and July. 



Government and virtues.'] Venus com- 



a long bush of small and more yellow, mands this herb, and has commended it to 

 green, scaly aglets, set in the same manner j succour her sisters (women) and to be a 

 on the stalks as the leaves are, which are | general strengthener of their wombs, and 

 accounted the flowers and seeds. The root | remedy such infirmities as a careless mid- 

 is rough, thick and scabby : with a white 5 wife hath there caused ; if they will but be 



