THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



root likewise, and both root and seeds as 

 sharp as it. 



Place.] They grow in the way-sides in 

 untilled places, and by the sides of old 

 walls. 



Time.] They flower in the end of June, 

 and their seed is ripe in July. 



Government and virtues.] It is a Saturnine 

 plant. The leaves, but especially the root, 

 taken fresh in Summer-time, beaten or made 

 into a poultice or salve with old hog's grease, 

 and applied to the places pained with the 

 sciatica, to continue thereon four hours if it 

 be on a man, and two hours on a woman ; 

 the place afterwards bathed with wine and 

 oil mixed together, and then wrapped with 

 wool or skins, after they have sweat a little, 

 will assuredly cure not only the same dis- 

 ease in hips, knuckle-bone, or other of the 

 joints, as gout in the hands or feet, but all 

 other old griefs of the head, (as inveterate 

 rheums,) and other parts of the body that 

 are hard to be cured. And if of the former 

 griefs any parts remain, the same medicine 

 after twenty days, is to be applied again. 

 The same is also effectual in the diseases 

 of the spleen ; and applied to the skin, 

 takes away the blemish thereof, whether 

 they be scars, leprosy, scabs, or scurf, 

 which although it ulcerate the part, yet that 

 is to be helped afterwards with a salve made 

 of oil and wax. Esteem this as another 



secret. 



WATER CRESSES 



Descript.] OUR ordinary Water Cresses 

 spread forth with many weak, hollow, sappy 

 stalks, shooting out fibres at the joints and 

 upwards long winged leaves made of sundry 

 broad sappy almost round leaves, of a 

 brownish colour. The flowers are many 

 and white standing on long foot-stalks 

 after which come small yellow seed, con- 

 tained in small long pods like horns. The 

 whole plant abides green in the winter, and 

 tastes somewhat hot and sharp. 



Place.'] They grow, for the most part, 

 in small standing waters, yet sometimes in 

 small rivulets of running water. 



Time.] They flower and seed in the 

 beginning of Summer. 



Government and virtues.] It is an herb 

 under the dominirfh of the Moon. They 

 are more powerful against the scurvy, and 

 to cleanse the blood and humours, than 

 Brooklime is, and serve in all the other 

 uses in which Brooklime is available, as to 

 break the stone, and provoke urine and 

 woman's courses. The decoction thereof 

 cleanses ulcers, by washing them there with, 

 The leaves bruised, or the juice, is good, to 

 be applied to the face or other parts troubled 

 with freckles, pimples, spots, or the like, at 

 night, and washed away in the morning. 

 The juice mixed with vinegar, and the fore 

 part of the head bathed therewith, is very 

 good for those that are dull and drowsy, or 

 have the lethargy. 



Water-cress pottage is a good remedy to 

 cleanse the blood in the spring, and help 

 headaches, and consume the gross humours 

 winter has left behind ; those that woul d 

 live in health, may use it if they please ; 

 if they will not, I cannot help it. If any 

 fancy not pottage, they may eat the herb 

 as a sallad. 



CROSSWORT. 



THIS herb receives its name from the 

 situation of its leaves. 



Descript.] Common Crosswort grows 

 up with square hairy brown stalks a little 

 above a foot high, having four small broad 

 and pointed, hairy yet smooth thin leaves, 

 growing at every joint, each against other 

 one way, which has caused the name. 

 Towards the tops of the stalks at the joints, 

 with the leaves in three or four rows down- 

 wards, stand small, pale yellow flowers," 

 after which come small blackish round 

 seeds, four for the most part, set in every 

 husk. The root is very small, and full of 



