9(5 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



other doth, ramping upon trees or hedges, j 



that stand next to them, with rough branches i 



and leaves like the former, but it gives i THERE are two kinds of Horehound. 



smaller heads, and in far less, plenty than ! the white and the black The black sor 



it, so that there is scarcely a head or two > is likewise called Hen-bit ; but the white 



seen in a year on divers of this wild kind, I one is here spoken of. 



wherein consists the chief difference. Descript.~] Common Horehound grows 



P/ace.] They delight to grow in low | up with square hairy stalks, half a yard or 

 moist grounds, and are found in all parts | two feet high, set at the joints with two 

 of this land. \ round crumpled rough leaves of a sullen 



TimeJ] They spring not until April, and 1 hoary green colour, of a reasonable good 

 flower not until the latter end of June ; the j scent, but a very bitter taste. The flowers 

 heads are not gathered until the middle or 1 are small, white, and gaping, set in a rough, 

 latter end of September. jhard prickly husk round about the joints, 



Government and virtues.'] It is under the I with the leaves from the middle of the 

 dominion of Mars. This, in physical { stalk upward, wherein afterward is found 

 operations, is to open obstructions of the small round blackish seed. The root is 

 liver and spleen, to cleanse the blood, to blackish, hard and woody, with many 

 loosen the belly, to cleanse the reins from j strings, and abides many years, 

 gravel, and provoke urine. The decoc-j Place.] It is found in many parts of 

 tion of the tops of Hops, as well of the | this land, in dry grounds, and waste green 

 tame as the wild, works the same effects, j places. 



In cleansing the blood they help to cure \ Time.'] It flowers in July, and the seed 

 the French diseases, and all manner of Us ripe in August, 

 scabs, itch, and other breakings-out of the \ Government and virtues.] It is an herl 



body ; as also all tetters, ringworms, arid 



of Mercury. A decoction of the dried 



spreading sores, the morphew and all dis- herb, with the seed, or the juice of the 

 colouring of the skin. The decoction of \ green herb taken with honey, is a remed) 

 the flowers and hops, do help to expel* for those that are short-winded, have a 

 poison that any one hath drank. Half a j cough, or are fallen into a consumption, 

 dram of the seed in powder taken in drink, i either through long sickness, or thin dis- 

 kills worms in the body, brings down \ tillations of rheum upon the lungs. It helps 

 women's courses, and expels urine. A syrup | to expectorate tough phlegm from the chest, 

 made of the juice and sugar, cures the yel-j being taken from the roots of Iris or Orris, 

 low jaundice, eases the head-ache thatcomes \ It is given to women to bring down their 

 of heat, and tempers the heat of the liver j courses, to expel the after-birth, and to 

 and stomach, and is profitably given in > them that have taken poison, or are slung 

 long and hot agues that rise in choler and i or bitten by venemous serpents. The leaves 

 blood. Both the wild and the manured used with honey, purge foul ulcers, stay 

 are of one property, and alike effectual in 5 running or creeping sores, and the growing 

 all the aforesaid diseases. By all these j of the flesh over the nails. It also helps 

 testimonies beer appears to be better than j pains of the sides. The juice thereof with 

 ale. | wine and honey, helps to clear the eye- 



Mars owns the plant, and then Dr. Rea-; sight, and snuffed up into the nostrils, 

 son will tell you how it performs these \ purges away the yellow-jaundice, and with 

 actions. ]a little oil of roses dropped into the ears, 



