AND ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 



55 



in this nation ; the first of which shoots 

 forth one or two winged leaves, upon long 

 brownish foot-stalks, which are doubled 

 down at their first coming out of the ground; 

 when they are fully opened they consist 

 of seven leaves, most commonly of a sad 

 green colour, dented about the edges, set 

 on both sides the middle rib one against 

 another, as the leaves of the ash tree ; the 

 stalk bears no leaves on the lower half of 

 it ; the upper half bears sometimes three or 

 four, each consisting of five leaves, some- 

 times of three ; on the top stand four or 

 five flowers upon short foot-stalks, with 

 long husks ; the flowers are very like the 

 flowers of Stockgilliflowers, of a pale 

 purplish colour, consisting of four leaves 

 a-piece, after which come small pods, which 

 contain the seed ; the root is very smooth, 

 white and shining; it does not grow down- 

 wards, but creeps along under the upper 

 crust of the ground, and consists of divers 

 Email round knobs set together ; towards 

 the top of the stalk there grows some single 

 leaves, by each of which comes a small 

 cloven bulb, which when it is ripe, if it be 

 set in the ground, it will grow to be a root. 



As for the other Coralwort, which grows 

 in this nation, it is more scarce than this, 

 being a very small plant, much like Crow- 

 foot, therefore some think it to be one of 

 the sorts of Crowfoot. I know not where 

 to direct you to it, therefore I shall forbear 

 the description. 



Place.~\ The first grows in Mayfield in 

 Sussex, in a wood called High read, and in 

 another wood there also, called Fox-holes. 



TimeJ] They flower from the latter end 

 of April to the middle of May, and before 

 the middle of July they are gone, and not 

 to be found. 



Government and virtues.'] It is under the 

 dominion of the Moon. It cleanses the 

 bladder, and provokes urine, expels gravel, 

 and the stone ; it eases pains in the sides 

 and bowels, is excellently good for inward 



wounds, especially such as are made in the 

 breast or lungs, by taking a dram of the 

 powder of the root every morning in wine ; 

 the same is excellently good for ruptures, as 

 also to stop fluxes ; an ointment made of it 

 is exceedingly good for wounds and ulcers, 

 for it soon dries up the watery humours 

 which hinder the cure. 



COSTMARY, OR ALCOST, OR BALSAM 

 HERB. 



THIS is so frequently known to be an 

 inhabitant in almost every garden, that I 

 suppose it needless to write a descriptioi 

 thereof. 



Time.'] It flowers in June and July. 



Government and virtues.^ It is under the 

 dominion of Jupiter. The ordinary Cost- 

 mary, as well as Maudlin, provokes urine 

 abundantly, and moistens the hardness of 

 the mother ; it gently purges choler and 

 phlegm, extenuating that which is gross, 

 and cutting that which is tough and glu- 

 tinous, cleanses that which is foul, and 

 hinders putrefaction and corruption ; it 

 dissolves without attraction, opens obstruc- 

 tions, and helps their evil effects, and it is a 

 wonderful help to all sorts of dry agues. 

 It is astringent to the stomach, and 

 strengthens the liver, and all the other in- 

 ward parts ; and taken in whey works more 

 effectually. Taken fasting in the morning, 

 it is very profitable for pains in the head 

 that are continual, and to stay, dry up, and 

 consume all thin rheums or distillations 

 from the head into the stomach, and helps 

 much to digest raw humours that are 

 gathered therein. It is very profitable for 

 those that are fallen into a continual evil 

 disposition of the whole body, called 

 Cachexia, but especially in the beginning 

 of the disease. It is an especial friend and 

 helps to evil, weak and cold livers. The 

 seed is familiarly given to children for the 

 worms, and so is the infusion of the flowers 

 in white wine given them to the quantity of 

 Q 



