245 



lame, having prickles when it is young and low, but when it is old 

 and becometh great, it lofeth all the prickles, except that at the end, 

 and fometimes that alfo. 



The Vertues and Signature. 



* * * The decoction of the Rootes, but efpecially of the Barke of 

 the Rootf, as Matthiolus faith, being applyed by way f fomentation 

 to thofe places that have been put out of Joynt, doth help them much 

 * * *, and alfo to confolidate the broken bones. * * * The powder 

 of the leaves dryed in an Oven and the pricks taken off, being drunk 

 in Ale, is commended againft the Stitches and pricking paines of the 

 fide, which the prickles growing on the leaves to alfo fignify. The 

 Sap or juice that droppeth out of the wood being laid on the fire, 

 being dropped into the Eaves of thofe which are inclined to deafneffe, 

 removeth that infirmity. * * * The leffer branches may be used to 

 adorne Houies and Churches alfo, at Chriftmas as well in this as in 

 former age without any fuperftition at all ; thefe that are of a bigger 

 and longer fize are very neceffary for Carters to make Whips, and 

 the fame may be ufed as Riding-rods, as is known to every one ; But 

 that which may feeme a little ftrange, is this. One, that I knew, had 

 a Holly-Tree growing in his Orchard of that bigneffe that being cut 

 down, he caused it to be fawed out in Boards and made himself 

 thereof a Coffin, and if I mistake not left enough to make his wife 

 one alfo : Both the parties were very corpulent, and therefore you may 

 imagine the Tree could not be fmall. 



CHAR CCLXXXII 

 Of the Water Lillie. 



The Forme. 



THe great common white water Lilly hath very large round 

 Leaves, in the fhape of a buckler, thick, fat, full of juyce, 

 and of a dark green colour, which, ftanding upon long, 

 round, and smooth footftalks, full of a fpongious fubstance, alwayes 

 flote upon the water, feldome or never growing above it: from 

 amongft which, there rife up from the Root other thick and great 

 f talks * * * each of them fuftaining one onely large white flower 

 thereon, green on the outfide, but exceeding white within, confifting 

 of divers rowes, of long and fomewhat thick, and narrow Leaves, 

 fmaller and thinner, the more inward they be, with many yellow 

 thrums or threds in the middle, ftanding about a fmall head, which 

 after the leaves are fallen off, becometh like unto a Poppy Head 

 * * * . 



