22 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



the end, roundly dented about the edges, 

 standing upon long foot stalks, from among 

 which rise up small, square, slender, but 

 upright hairy stalks, with some leaves there- 

 on to a piece at the joints, smaller than the 

 lower, whereon are set several spiked heads 

 of flowers like Lavender, but thicker and 

 shorter for the most part, and of a reddish 

 or purple colour, spotted with white spots 

 both in the upper and lower part. The 

 seeds being contained within the husks that 

 hold the flowers, are blackish, somewhat 

 long and uneven. The roots are many 

 white thready strings : the stalks perishes, 

 but the roots with some leaves thereon, 

 abide all the Winter. The whole plant is 

 somewhat small. 



Placed] It grows frequently in woods, 

 and delights in shady places. 



TimeJ] And it flowers in July; after 

 which the seed is quickly ripe, yet in its 

 prime in May. 



Government and virtues .] The herb is ap- 

 propriated to the planet Jupiter, and the 

 sign Aries. Antonius Musa, physician to 

 the Emperor Augustus Caesar, wrote a pe- 

 culiar book of the virtues of this herb ; and 

 among other virtues saith of it, that it pre- 

 serves the liver and bodies of men from 

 the danger of epidemical diseases, and from 

 witchcraft also ; it helps those that loath 

 and cannot digest their meat, those that 

 have weak stomachs and sour belchings, or 

 continual rising in their stomachs, using it 

 familiarly either green or dry ; either the 

 herb, or root, or the flowers, in broth, drink, 

 or meat, or made into conserve, syrup, 

 water, electuary, or powder, as every one 

 may best frame themselves unto, or as the 

 time and season requires ; taken any of 

 the aforesaid ways, it helps the jaundice, 

 falling sickness, the palsy, convulsions, or 

 shrinking of the sinews, the gout and those 

 that are inclined to dropsy, those that have 

 continual pains in their heads, although it 

 turn to phrensy. The powder mixed with 



pure honey is no less available for all sorts 

 of coughs or colds, wheesing, or shortness 

 of breath, distillations of thin rheum upon 

 the lungs, which causes consumptions. 

 The decoction made with Mead, and a little 

 Pennyroyal, is good for those that are 

 troubled with putrid agues, whether quo- 

 tidian, tertian, dr quartan, and to draw 

 down and evacuate the blood and humours, 

 that by falling into the eyes, do hinder the 

 sight ; the decoction thereof made in wine 

 and taken, kills the worms in the belly, 

 opens obstructions both of the spleen and, 

 liver ; cures stitches, and pains in the 

 back and sides, the torments and griping 

 pains in the bowels, and the wind cholic ; 

 and mixed with honey purges the belly, 

 helps to bring down women's courses, and 

 is of special use for those that are troubled 

 with the falling down of the mother, and 

 pains thereof, and causes an easy and 

 speedy delivery of women in child-birth. 

 It helps also to break and expel the stone, 

 either in the bladder or kidneys. The de- 

 coction with wine gargled in the mouth, 

 eases the tooth-ache. It is commended 

 against the stinging and biting of venomous 

 serpents, or mad dogs, being used inwardly 

 and applied outwardly to the place. A 

 dram of the powder of Betony taken with 

 a little honey in some vinegar, does won- 

 derfully refresh those that are over wearied 

 by travelling. It stays bleeding at the mouth 

 or nose, and helps those that void or spit 

 blood, and those that are bursten or have 

 a rupture, and is good for such as are 

 bruised by any fall or otherwise. The 

 green herb bruised, or the juice applied to 

 any inward hurt, or outward green wound 

 in the head or body, will quickly heal and 

 close it up ; as also any vein or sinews that 

 are cut, and will draw forth any broken 

 bone or splinter, thorn or other things got 

 into the flesh. It is no less profitable for 

 old sores or filthy ulcers, yea, tho' they be 

 iistulous and hollow. But some do advise 



