174 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



Government and virtues. It is a gallant 

 mercurial plant, worthy of more esteem 



than it hath. Dioscorides saith, That the 



SPIGNEL, OB SPIKENARD. 



DescriptJ] THE roots of common Spig- 



seed bruised, heated in warm water, and | nel do spread much and deep m the ground, 

 drank, helps those that are bursten, or \ many strings or branches growing from one 

 troubled with cramps or convulsions of the: head, which is hairy at the top, of a black- 



sinews, the sciatica, or difficulty in making! 

 water, and bringing down women's courses.; 



ish brown colour on the outside, and white 

 within, from whence rise sundry long stalks 



The same taken in wine is an antidote, or * taste, from whece rise sundry long stalks 

 counter-poison against all deadly poison, j of most fine cut leaves like hair, smaller 

 and drives away serpents and other venom- ! than dill, set thick on both sides of the 

 ous creatures ; as also the smell of the herb, j stalks, and of a good scent. Among these 

 being burnt, doth the same. The oil thereof' leaves rise up round stiff stalks, with a few 

 anointed on the back-bone before the fits of \ joints and leaves on them, and at the tops 

 agues come, takes them away : It takes j an umbel of pure white flowers ; at the 

 away inflammations in the eyes, if it be put | edges whereof sometimes will be seen a 

 with some part of a roasted quince, and I shew of the reddish blueish colour, especi- 



boiled with a few crumbs of bread, and ap- j 

 plied. Boiled with barley-meal it takes 



ally before they be full blown, and are 

 succeeded by small, somewhat round seeds, 



away pimpels, pushes or wheals that arise: bigger than the ordinary fennel, and of a 

 in the face, or other parts of the body.! brown colour, divided into two parts, and 

 The seed as well as the dried herb, is often ! crusted on the back, as most of the umbel- 

 given to kill the worms in children: The Uiferous seeds are. 



herb bruised and laid to, helps to draw forth \ Place.'] It grows wild in Lancashire, 

 splinters and thorns out of the flesh. The ! Yorkshire, and other northern counties, and 

 ashes thereof dries up and heals old ulcers, j is also planted in gardens, 

 that are without inflammation, although by | Government and virtues.'] It is an herb of 

 the sharpness thereof it bites sore, and puts i Venus. Galen saith, The roots of Spignel 

 them to sore pains ; as also the sores in the 1 are available to provoke urine, and women's 

 privy parts of man or woman. The ashes \ courses ; but if too much thereof be taken, 

 mingled with old salladoil, helps those that | it causes head-ache. The roots boiled in 

 have hair fallen, and are bald, causing the i wine or water, and drank, helps the stran- 

 hair to grow again either on the head or j iguary and stoppings of the urine, the wind, 

 beard. Daranters saith, That the oil made* swellings and pains in the stomach, pains 

 of Southern- wood, and put among theoint- jof the mother, and all joint-aches. If the 

 ments that are used against the French dis- j powder of the root be mixed with honey, 

 ease, is very effectual, and likewise kills * and the same taken as a licking medicine, 

 lice in the head. The distilled water of the j it breaks tough phlegm, and dries up the 

 herb is said to help them much that are * rheum that falls on the lungs. The roots are 

 troubled with the stone, as also for the dis- j accounted very effectual against the sting- 

 eases of the spleen and mother. The Ger- j ing or biting of any T enomous creature 

 nians commend it for a singular wound j 8PLEBNW CETKHACH, OR HEAET'S 



herb, and therefore call it Stabwort. Itisj TONGUE 



held by all writers, ancient and modern, \ 



to be more offensive to the stomach than! DescriptJ] THE smooth Spleen wort, from 

 worm-wood. a black, thready and bushy root, sends forth 



