174 THE COMPLETE HERBAL 



Government and virtues. It is a gallant 

 mercurial plant, worthy of more esteem 



than it hath. Dioscorides sailh, That the 

 seed bruised, heated in warm water, and 

 drank, helps those that are bursten, or 

 troubled with cramps or convulsions of the 

 sinews, the sciatica, or difficulty in making 



SPIGNEL, OB SPIKENARD. 



DescriptJ] THE roots of common Spig- 

 nel do spread much and deep in the ground, 

 many strings or branches growing from one 

 head, which is hairy at the top, of a black- 

 ish brown colour on the outside, and while 



water, and bringing down women's courses. I 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, I of most fine cut leaves like hair, smallei 

 and drives away serpents and other venom- j 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 I edges whereof sometimes will be seen a 

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



boiled with a few crumbs of bread, and ap- 

 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 I crusted on the back, as most of the umbel- 

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



herb bruised and laid to, helps to draw forth I 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 j Government and virtues.] It is an herb of 

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

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

 privy parts of man or woman. The ashes j 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 j wine or water, and drank, helps the stran- 

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

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

 of Southern-wood, and put among theoint- j of the mother, and all joint-aches. It' 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 J rheum that falls on the lungs. The roots an: 

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

 eases of the spleen and mother. The Ger-f ingor biting of any i enomous creature 

 mans commend it for a singular wound j ' 



c . Q . P SPLEENWORT, CETERACH, OR HEARTS 



herb, and therefore call it Stabwort. It is \ 



held by all writers, ancient and modern, j 



to be more offensive to the stomach than! Descript.~\ TII E smooth Spleen wort, from 



worm-wood. 'a black, thready and bushy loot, sends fort)) 



