170 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



taste is nothing salt at all ; it hath a hot, \ the ground, whereby it is made agieai 

 aromatical spicy taste. j in a short time. 



Time.'] It flowers in April and May, I Place.] It is found in woods and fields 

 and gives seed ripe quickly after. [every where. 



Government and virtues.] It is an herb of] Time.'] It flowers in May, and some- 

 Tupiter. The English Scurvy grass is more > times in April. 



used for the salt taste it bears, which doth I Government and virtues.^ Here is another 

 somewhat open and cleanse; but the Dutch ! herb of Venus, Self-heal, whereby when 

 Scurvygrass is of better effect, and chiefly j you are hurt you may heal yourself: It is 

 used (if it may be had) by those that have \ a special herb for inward and outward 

 the scurvy, and is of singular good effect to > wounds. Take it inwardly in syrups for 



cleanse the blood, liver, and spleen, taking 



inward wounds : outwardly in unguents, 



the juice in the Spring every morning fast- and plaisters for outward. As Self-heal is 

 ing in a cup of drink. The decoction is | like Bugle in form, so also in the qualities 

 good for the same purpose^ and opens* and virtues, serving for all the purposes 



obstructions, evacuating cold, clammy and 

 phlegmatic humours both from the liver 



whereto Bugle is applied to with good success, 

 either inwardly or outwardly, for inward 



and the spleen, and bringing the body to a } wounds or ulcers whatsoever within the 

 more lively colour. The juice also . helps \ body, for bruises or falls, and such like 

 all foul ulcers and sores in the mouth, ! hurts. If it be accompanied with Bugle, 

 gargled therewith ; and used" outwardly, s Sanicle, and other the like wound herbs, 

 cleanses the skin from spots, marks, or scars j it will be more effectual to wash or inject 

 that happen therein. jinto ulcers in the parts outwardly. Where 



| there is cause to repress the heat and sharp- 

 SELF-HEAL. j ness of humours flowing to any sore, ulcers, 



\ inflammations, swellings, or the like, or to 

 Descript.'] TH^E common Self-heal which j stay the fluxes of blood in any wound or 



is called also Prunel, Carpenter's Herb, 

 Hook-heal, and Sickle-wort, is a small, low, 



part, this is used with some good success ; 

 as also to cleanse the foulness of sores, and 



creeping herb, having many small, roundish cause them more speedily to be healed. It 

 pointed leaves, like leaves of wild mints, of; is an especial remedy for all green wounds, 

 a dark green colour, without dents on the j to solder the lips of them, and to keep the 

 edges ; from among which rise square hairy j place from any further inconveniencies. 

 stalks, scarce a foot high, which spread \ The juice hereof used with oil of roses to 

 sometimes into branches with small leaves j anoint the temples and forehead, is very ef- 

 set thereon, up to the top, where stand \ fectual to remove head ache, and the same 

 brown spiked heads of small brownish j mixed with honey of roses, cleanses and 

 leaves like scales and flowers set together, j heals all ulcers, in the mouth, and throat, 

 almost like the heads of Cassidony, which j and those also in the secret parts. And the 

 flowers are gaping, and of a blueish purple, j proverb of the Germans, French, and 

 or more pale blue, in some places sweet, j others, is verified in this, That he needs 

 but not so in otheis. The root consists of \neither physician nor surgeon that hath Self- 

 many fibres downward, and spreading s heal and Sanicle to help himself. 

 strings also whereby it increases. The * 

 small stalks, with the leaves creeping on the| 

 ground, shoot forth fibres taking hold on* 



