AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 173 



but broad at the ends, and cut in the mid- { 



,. SOW THISTLE. 



die, or a yellowish green colour, every one 



standing on a long foot-stalk, which at 

 their first coming up are close folded toge- 



Sow Thistles are generally so well known;, 

 that they need no description. 



ther to the stalk, but opening themselves i PlaceJ] They grow in gardens and 



afterwards, and are of a fine sour relish, 



and yielding a juice which will turn red pathsides of fields, and high ways. 



when it is clarified, and makes a most 



manured grounds, sometimes by old walls, 



Government and virtues.'] This and the 



dainty clear syrup. Among these leaves | former are under the influence of Venus, 

 rise up divers slender, weak foot-stalks, \ Sow Thistles are cooling, and somewhat 

 with every one of them a flower at the top, j binding, and are very fit to cool a hot 

 consisting of five small pointed leaves, star- i stomach, and ease the pains thereof. The 

 fashion, of a white colour, in most places, t herb boiled in wine, is very helpful to stay 

 and in some dashed over with a small show! the dissolution of the stomach, and the milk 

 of blueish, on the back side only. After ; that is taken from the stalks when they are 

 the flowers are past, follow small round \ broken, given in drink, is beneficial to those 

 heads, with small yellowish seed in them. j that are short winded, and have a wheez- 

 The roots are nothing but small strings! ing. Pliny saith, That it hath caused the 

 fastened to the end of a small long piece ; | gravel and stone to be voided by urine, and 

 all of them being of a yellowish colour. |t.hat the eating thereof helps a stinking 

 Placed] It grows in many places of our | breath. The decoction of the leaves and 

 land, in woods and wood-sides, where they j stalks causes abundance of milk in nurses, 

 be moist and shadowed, and in other places j and their children to be well coloured. The 

 not too much upon the Sun. |j u ' ce or distilled water is good for all hot 



Time.~] It flowers in April and May. j inflammations, wheals, and erputions or 

 Government and virtues.^ Venus owns it. ; heat in the skin, itching of the haemorr- 

 Wood Sorrel serves to all the purposes thatjhoids. The juice boiled or thoroughly 

 the other Sorrels do, and is more effectual | heated in a little oil of bitter almonds in the 

 in hindering putrefaction of blood, and j peel of a pomegranate, and dropped into 

 ulcers in the mouth and body, and to j the ears, is a sure remedy for deafness, sing- 

 quench thirst, to strengthen a weak stomach, \ ings, &c. Three spoonfuls of the juice 

 to procure an appetite, to stay vomiting, ! taken, warmed in white wine, and some 

 and very excellent in any contagious sick- } wine put thereto, causes women in travail 

 ness or pestilential fevers. The syrup made; to have so easy and speedy a delivery, that 

 of the juice, is effectual in all the cases j they may be able to walk presently after, 

 aforesaid, and so is the distilled water of' It is wonderful good for women to wash 

 the herb. Sponges or linen cloths wet in \ their faces with, to clear the skin, and give 

 the juice and applied outwardly to any hot jit a lustre, 

 swelling or inflammations, doth much cool ! 



,_J i rri SOUTHERN WOOD 



and help them. Ihe same juice taken and \ 



gargled in the mouth, and after it is spit j SOUTHERN Wood is so well known to be 



Forth, taken afresh, doth wonderfully help a ! an ordinary inhabitant in our gardens, 



foul stinking canker or ulcer therein. It j that I shall not need to trouble you with 



is singularly good to heal wounds, or to * any description thereof. 



stay the bleeding of thrusts or scabs in the 5 Time.~] It flowers for the most part in 



body. | J u ly and August. 



