84 



THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



decoction thereof taken for four days 

 together, drives away and cures both ter- 

 tain and quartan agues. It is also good 

 against all diseases of the brain, as con- 

 tinual head-ache, falling-sickness, melan- 

 choly, drowsiness and dullness of the spirits, 

 convulsions and palsies. A dram of the 

 seed taken in powder purges by urine, and 

 is good against the yellow jaundice. The 

 juice of the leaves dropped into the ears 

 kills the worms in them. The tops thereof, 

 when they are in flowers, steeped twenty- 

 four hours in a draught of white wine, and 

 drank, kills the worms in the belly. 



STINKING GLADWIN. 



Descript.~\ THIS is one of the kinds of 

 Flower-de-luce, having divers leaves arising 

 from the roots, very like a Flower-de-luce, 

 but that they are sharp-edged on both sides, 

 and thicker in the middle, of a deeper green 

 colour narrower and sharper pointed, and 

 a strong ill-scent, if they be bruised be- 

 tween the fingers. In the middle rises up 

 a reasonably strong stalk, a yard high at 

 least, bearing three or four flowers at the 

 top, made somewhat like the flowers of the 

 Flower-de-luce, with three upright leaves, 

 of a dead purplish ash-colour, with some 

 veins discoloured in them ; the other three 

 do not fall down, nor are the three other 

 small ones so arched, nor cover the lower 

 leaves as the Flower-de-luce doth, but stand 

 loose or asunder from them. After they 

 are past, there come up three square hard 

 husks, opening wide into three parts when 

 they are ripe, wherein lie reddish seed, 

 turns black when it hath abiden long. The 

 root is like that of the Flower-de-luce, but 

 reddish on the outside, and whitish within, 

 very sharp and hot in the taste, of as evil 

 a scent as the leaves. 



Place.] This grows as well in upland 

 grounds, as in moist places, woods, and 

 shadowy places by the sea-side in many 



places of this land, and is usually nursed 

 up in gardens. 



Time.'] It flowers not until July, and 

 the seed is ripe in August or September, 

 yet the husks after they are ripe, opening 

 themselves, will hold their seed with them 

 for two or three months, and not shed them. 



Government and virtues.] It is supposed 

 to be under the dominion of Saturn. It is 

 used by many country people to purge 

 corrupt phlegm and choler, which they do 

 by drinking the decoction of the roots; 

 and some to make it more gentle, do but 

 infuse the sliced roots in ale ; and some 

 take the leaves, which serve well for the 

 weaker stomach : The juice hereof put up, 

 or snuffed up the nose, causes sneezing, 

 and draws from the head much corruption ; 

 and the powder thereof doth the same. 

 The powder thereof drank in wine, helps 

 those that are troubled with the cramps and 

 convulsions, or with the gout and sciatica, 

 and gives ease to those that have griping 

 pains in their body and belly, and helps 

 those that have the stranguary. It is given 

 with much profit to those that have had 

 long fluxes by the sharp and evil quality of 

 humours, which it stays, having first cleansed 

 and purged them by the drying and bind- 

 ing property therein. The root boiled in 

 wine and drank, doth effectually procure 

 women's courses, and used as a pessary, 

 works the same effect, but causes abortion 

 in women with child. Half a dram of the 

 seed beaten to powder, and taken in wine, 

 doth speedily cause one to make water 

 abundantly. The same taken with vine- 

 gar, dissolves the hardness and swellings 

 of the spleen. The root is very effectual 

 in all wounds, especially of the head ; as 

 also to draw forth any splinters, thorns, or 

 broken bones, or any other thing sticking 

 in the flesh, without causing pains, being 

 used with a little verdigrease and honey, 

 and the great Centaury root. The same 

 boiled in vinegar, and laid upon an eruption 



