Chap. 8 . llnglifh Herbs . 1 1 
fully opening Obftru£lions. Dole from x. grains to 
j. fcruple, in its own diftilled Water. 
XX 1 I 1 . The EJfence. Ir prevails againft Phlegm, 
and a Phlegmatick habit of body, opens Obftr uni- 
ons of the Yifccra , cleanfes and purifies the Blood, 
warms a cold Stomach, is Carminative, provokes 
the Courfes, and brings away both Birth and After- 
birth. Dole j. ounce, more or lels, according to 
the Neceflky and Age of the Patient, in a Glafs of 
Wine. 
CHAP. VIII. 
Of A L K A N E T. 
I. A T' H E A limes. It is called in Greek "A yyy<t<t. 
X in Latin finch uf a, Onocleia , Bugloffa Hifpa - 
nica , and in Englifh Alkanet. 
II. The Kinds. It is faid to be a Species of Bug- 
lofs •, but of this there are leveral kinds, as, i. The 
great yellow Alkanet , called limply clyy*™, Anchu- 
Ja. 2. The leffer Alkanet , with purple Flowers, 
called ayfara Anchufa altera. 2,. The fmall 
Alkanet , with yellow Flowers, called dyx*cct 
Anchufa tertia. 4. Anchufa Lignofior, Woody Al- 
kanet. 7. Anchufa humilis Cretica , Low Alkanet 
of Candia. 6 . Anchufa arbor ea, Great or Tall Al- 
kanet. Of thefe, we fhali only dilcourfe of the three 
firfr, as being only ufefiil for our purpofe. 
III. The Defer iption. The firfl kind has a great 
and thick Root , of a dark reddifh colour , with many 
Branches from the fame. The Leaves are long,narrow, 
hairy and green , like the Leaves ^Buglofs, which 
lye very thick upon the Ground : the Stalks rife up, 
and are compaffe a round about thick with Leavcsgvhich 
are leffer and narrower than the former -, they are 
tender , and (lender, not much above afoot and half 
high , at the tops whereof (and fmall yellow Flowers , 
with a fmall Leaf at the foot of every Flower, which 
are fomewhat long and hollow, very like to Comfrey 
F lowers, but a little opening themf elves at the brims 
like unto Buglofs Flowers , j. with a Rointel in themidf, 
after which come in their places, fmall, / ng, blackjl) 
Seed, not unlike to Buglofs and Comfrey Seed. . The 
Root Is as big as ones Finger or Thun.b , and about 
two lingers long, whofe outward Bark Is fomewhat 
thick, and of an excellent orient red colour, ready to 
colour ones Hands and Fingers with its red colour, if 
handled: its inner Pith Is white and vtoody, and the 
whole Riant is of a Styptick or Afringent Tafe. 
IV . 'The fecond kind has a Root pretty large and 
thick, and of a dusky red colour, with many Branches 
from the fame ■, the Leaves are greater and longer 
than the next kind, narrow, hairy and green, like 
Buglofs Leaves, and fomewhat like to the farmer, but 
yet leffer and narrower, but more plentiful, as re ell 
thofe which lye upon the Ground, as thofe which rife 
up with the Stalks , which are many, fender and ten- 
der, of about afoot and half high , whofe Flowers arc 
like the others, fave that they are of a reddif: pur- 
ple colour, and the Seed following ?nore gray, the 
whole being of a rough and afringent Tafe. 
V. The fmall yellow) Alkanet is like unto the firfl , 
having a Root great in re /pelt to the Riant, red, and 
tender whilfl it is young, but growing blackif) and 
woody when it is old , and lives and abides after Seed 
time, which fome others do not ■, its Leaves alfo are 
natrower and (sorter than the frfl, and covered with 
an Hoarynefs, as are alfo the Stalks , which in fome 
are but a foot, in others a foot and half high, with 
f mailer Leaves thereon : the Flowers are hollow and 
yellow like the firfl, but leffer, the Seed alfo is like 
the Seed of the fiifi. Thefe Riant s are famously 
known throughout all Europe, for the beautiful red 
colour contained in the Roots, which will colour White 
Wine of the delicate colour of deep Clarret . 
VI. The Rlaces. They are nourifhed up with us, 
chiefly in Gardens, but the fecond of them. Lobe - 1 
fays, grows near Rochefter in Kent • as alfo in the 
Weft of England, as in Dcvonjhire and Cornwall . 
VII. The Times. They flower in July, and Au- 
guft, and the Seed is ripe not long after ; and the 
Roots yield their glorious red or purple Juice or 
Tin&ure in Harveft time, as Dio/ cor ides faith. 
VIII. The Qualities. It is Temperate as to heat 
and cold«rbutis dry in the fecond degree. It is Re- 
perculhvfr, Abfteifive, Styptick, Altringent, and 
Traumatick or Vulnerary. And by Appropriation 
it is Stomatick, Cardiack, Hyfterick and Nephri- 
tick : of the Stock of Alteratives. 
IX. The Specification. It is peculiar in refilling 
ofPoyfon, of all kinds, and flopping Fluxes. 
X. The Reparations. The Shops keep nothing 
hereof, but the Root but thefe Preparations may 
be made therefrom, 1. An E fence of the whole 
Plant. 2. A Juice. 9. A Decottion. 4. A Wine. 
5. A Vinegar. 6 . A Spirituous Tintfure. 7. A Sa- 
line TinUure. 8. An Oil. 9. ACataplafm. 10. A 
Cerote. n. A Reffary. 12. Sanguis Veneris. 
The Virtues. 
XI. The Root. It is ufed to colour Wines with, 
Syrups, Waters, Gellies, and fuch like things : and 
boiled in Wine, and taken with fweet Butter, it 
helps Bruifes by falls, Efc. 
XII. The EJfence of the whole Riant. It is bind- 
ing and ftrengthening, and flops Fluxes of all kinds, 
and allays the heat of Choler : and by its Trauma- 
tick Property, is good for the healing of Wounds, 
running Sores and old Lllcers, prevails againft the 
Yellow Jaundice, the Spleen, Agues, and Dileales 
of the Reins and Bladder : it is good againft all forts 
of Inflamations, burning Heats, Eryfipelas, and the 
bitings of Venomous Beafts •, it ftrengthens a weak 
Back, and is good againft Fits of the Mother. Dofe 
j. or ij. ounces. 
