84 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



decoction thereof taken for four days -places of this land, and is usually nursed 

 together, drives away and cures both ter- ; up in gardens. 



tain and quartan agues. It is also good \ Time.'] It flowers not until July, and 

 against all diseases of the brain, as con-; the seed is ripe in August or September 

 tinual head-ache, falling-sickness, melan- 5 yet the husks after they are ripe, opening 

 choly, drowsiness and dullness of the spirits, : themselves, will hold their seed with then? 

 convulsions and palsies. A dram of the ; for two or three months, and not shed them 

 seed taken in powder purges by urine, and i Government and virtues.] It is supposed 

 is good against the yellow jaundice. The : to be under the dominion of Saturn. It is 

 juice of the leaves dropped into the ears : used by many country people to purge 

 kills the worms in them. The tops thereof, j corrupt phlegm and choler, which they do 

 when they are in flowers, steeped twenty- 1 by drinking the decoction of the roots , 

 four hours in a draught of white wine, and and some to make it more gentle, do but 

 drank, kills the worms in the belly. infuse the sliced roots in ale; and some 



itake the leaves, which serve well for the 

 STINKING GLADWIN. weaker stomach : The juice hereof put up, 



DescriptJ] THIS is one of the kinds of 



or snuffed up the nose, causes sneezing, 

 and draws from the head much corruption ; 



Flower-de-luce, having divers leaves arising j and the powder thereof doth the same, 

 from the roots, very like a Flower-de-luce, s The powder thereof diank in wine, helps 

 but that they are sharp-edged on both sides, ; those that are troubled with the cramps and 

 and thicker in the middle, of a deeper green | convulsions, or with the' gout and sciatica, 

 colour, narrower and sharper pointed, and | and gives ease to those that have griping 

 a strong ill-scent, if they be bruised be- i pains in their body and belly, and helps 

 tween the fingers. In the middle rises up | those that have the stranguary. It is given 

 a reasonably strong stalk, a yard high at | with much profit to those that have had 

 least, bearing three or four flowers at the 5 long fluxes by the sharp and evil quality of 

 top, made somewhat like the flowers of the \ humours, which it stays, having first cleansed 

 Flower-de-luce, with three upright leaves, i and purged them by the drying and bind- 

 of a dead purplish ash-colour, with someiing property therein. The root boiled in 

 veins discoloured in them ; the other three \ wine and drank, doth effectually procure 

 do not fall down, nor are the three other j women's courses, and used as a pessary, 

 small ones so arched, nor cover the lower \ works the same effect, but causes abortion 

 leaves as the Flower-de-luce doth, but stand } in Avomen with child. Half a dram of the 

 loose or asunder from them. After they ; seed beaten to powder, and taken in wine, 

 are past, there come up three square hard doth speedily cause one to make water 

 husks, opening wide into three parts when I abuadantly. The same taken with vine- 

 they" are ripe, wherein lie reddish seed, \ gar, dissolves the hardness and swellings 

 turns black when it hath abiden long. The of the spleen. The root is very effectual 

 root is like that of the Flower-de-luce, but j in all wounds, especially of the head ; as 

 reddish on the outside, and whitish within, $ also to draw forth any splinters, thorns, or 

 very sharp and hot in the taste, of as evil j broken bones, or any other thing sticking 

 a scent as the leaves. ( in the flesh, without causing pains, being 



P/ace.] This grows as well in upland j used with a little verdigrease and honey, 

 grounds, as in moist places, woods, and \ and the great Centaury root. The same 

 shadowy places by the sea-side in many \ boiled in vinegar, and laid upon any tumour 



