Chap. 259. Engltjh Herbs. ? 
male Fern dented. 3. Iv 7 ;v Fcemina pinnulis acule- 
at is • F///.Y rdmofa minor pinnulis denial is Bauhini •, 
Pteridium mj'cul.tm Cordi & Thalii , Female Fern 
{harp-pointed. 
Female Fern. 
III. The Defer iptions. The fir ft , or Common 
Female Fern, has a Root which is long , /lender er 
than the former , 0/ about a Fingers Thicknefs , 
blue hi [h for the moft part , creeping under Ground : 
from this Root rifes up but one Stalk, (feldom two J 
which is round , chamfered , and fomething edged , 
growing fometimes higher than the Male, a/ft/ 
branched forth into fucb like winged Leaves , grow- 
ing on both fides , like to the Leaves of the Male 
Fern, but leJJ'er, fet on both fides thereof for the 
moft part one againft another , and more dented than 
the Male, jy# w?/ fharp , but round-pointed , 
a 5 >//d 7 / tf-r //?£• former , and having the like 
Spots on the backfides of them. This Stalk (as alfo 
the Root, as fome fay ) being cut aflope fomewhat 
long, will in the white Pith thereof have fome cer- 
tain Refemblance or Form of a fpread Eagle. 
IV. The fecond , or Dented Female Fern, has a 
Root like the former ■, from which fprings up one 
main Stalk , which is fuller of Branches , and grows 
not up fo high as the other , nor fo ftraight : it has 
alfo fmall winged Leaves, like the firft or Common 
Female , which are fet on each fide of the middle 
Rib, but fomewhat fharp-pointed, of a more lad 
green color, and narrower than the other, and fpot- 
ted on the backfide •, but in any thing elfe little dif- 
fering from the firft Female kind. 
V. The third, or Sharp-pointed Female Fern, 
from a pretty thick black Root , fends forth the main 
Stalk , which is about a foot in Height, and branches 
it felf out into winged Leaves, each of which is not 
dented, but whole, and ending in a fmall Prick or 
Point. 
VI. The Places. The firft grows more frequent- 
ly than the Male kinds on barren Heaths and Hedge- 
fides in moft places thro’ the Kingdom, and indeed 
in almoft all barren, dry and defert places. The 
two latter grow rather on moift Rocks and lhady 
Hills. 
Female Fern Dented. 
VII. The Times. They flourifli at the lame times 
that the Male kinds do and their Leaves perifh in 
Winter in like manner. 
VIII. The Qualities. They are all of them, both 
Male and Female, hot and dry in the firft Degree -, 
Aftringent, Aperitive, Abfterfive, Cofmetick, Diu- 
retick and Vulnerary -, dedicated to the Liver, Spleen 
and Womb, Cathartick and Emmenagogick. 
IX. The Specification. Ferns kill Worms, pro- 
voke the Terms in Women, heal Wounds and cure 
putrid Ulcers. 
X. The Preparations. You may have therefrom, 
1. The green Leaves. 1. A Decof/ion of the Roots 
in Mead, or White Port Wine. 3. A Ponder of the 
Roots. 4. An Oil or Ointment. 5. A Mixture. 61 
Afhes, of which SpaniJh Barilla is made. 
The Virtues. 
XI. The green Leaves. They being eaten purge 
the Belly, cleanfing the Bowels of colericft a,nd wa-* 
terifh Humors ; but they alfo at the fame time trou j 
ble the Stomach, and caufe either Vomiting or 
Naufeoufnefs. 
XII. The Decot 7 ion of the Roots in Mead or Wine. 
It kills Worms in the Body, both long and broad, 
powerfully opens ObftruUions of the Spleen, taking 
away its Swelling and Hardnels, and reprelfes Hy- 
pochondriack Melancholy. Dofe half a pint Morn- 
ing and Night, faffing an hour after it in the Morn- 
ing, and taking it an hour after Supper. 
XIII. The Poudcr of the Roots. Taken to a dram 
inwardly in a Glals of White Port, it opens Obftru- 
Uions of the Liver, Spleen and Womb, and pro- 
vokes the Terms F but the often taking it caufes 
Barrennefs. It is ufed with fuccefs in foul, putrid 
and malign Ulcers, for it cleanfes them, incarnates 
and drys up the putrid Moifture, and induces a 
fpeedy Healing. The Ponder of the Leaves, brings 
^way both Birth and After-birth, being taken to one 
Z z dram 
