Chap. 267. 'EngHjh Herbs. 
if 
lumella fays, in a far, moift, and fruitful Soil. Some, 
fays Palladius , Sow it thick in a lean Ground, and 
fo have a fine fort of Flax. Pliny fays that it is to 
be Sown in Gravelly places, efpecially in Furrows. 
Experience has taught us that it grows admirably 
well in Light, Sandy and Gravelly Grounds, fucli 
as France abounds with, where it grows in vaft plen- 
ty, and in other Countries where the Ground is 
Sandy and Light, as in Florida. 
V. The Times. Flax is Sown in the Spring, and 
Flowers in June and July, the Seed ripening in the 
mean Seafon^ after it is plucked up, or cut down, 
as Pliny Lib. 19. Cap. 1. fays, the Stalks being bound 
up in fmall Bundies, are put into Water fubjeft to 
the heat of the Sun, and have fome weighty things 
laid thereon, that they may the better lfeep, and 
they are fo long to lye in the Water, till the Rind 
or Peeling feems to be loofened fo as it may eafily 
peel off, then it is taken up and dryed in the Sun 5 
after which the Peelings are prepared for the Block 
and Hackle, to make the Fibres thereof very fine, 
in order for Spinning and Making Cloth. 
VI. The Qualities. There is nothing of this Plant 
ufed in a Phyfical way but the Seed only, and that 
feems to be temperate in refpeft to heat or coldnefs, 
and is Emollient and Laxative , Pe&oral and Anti- 
pleuritick. 
VII. The Specification. It is peculiar againft 
Pleurifies, the Piles, and all Contraflures of the 
Nerves and Mufcles. 
VIII. The Preparations. You may have there- 
from, 1. The Seed prepared. 2. A Pouder of the 
Seed. 3. A DecoUion. 4. A half am. 5. A Cat a - 
plafm, 6 . An Oil by Exprejfion. 7. A Fumigation . 
The Virtues. 
IX. The Seed prepared. Galen lays that fome 
parched the Seed, and eat it with Honey for Food, 
and that others put it into their Bread, but lays he 
prime Aliment orum, it troubles the Stomach, is hard 
of Digeftion, and gives not much Nourifhment to 
the Body ^ but as to the moving of the Belly down- 
wards (fays he) I will neither commend nor'difcorri- 
mend it, but it in fome fmall meafure provokes U- 
rine, which it does belt being parched. 
- X. The Pouder of the Seed. If it is'mixtwith 
an eighth part of Pepper in fine Pouder, and made 
into an Eleftuary with Honey, and taken to the 
quantity of a large Nutmeg every Morning falling, 
and Night going to Bed, it prevails againlt Coughs, 
Colds, Hoarfenefs , Wheezing, Obftruftions ol the 
Lungs, and vehement Catarrhs. 
XI. The DecoUion in Wine. Sweetned with Ho- 
ney and drunk it eafes the Bellyach and Colick , 
Stitches, and all Inflammations of the Vifcera*, if 
Raifons are boiled in it it opens (fays Pliny ) the Ob- 
Itruftions of the Liver * and if it is applied to any 
fretting or running Sore it dries it, and Hays it from 
fpreading farther. 
XII. The half am. If it is made into a Ballam 
withRolin, Pouder of Myrrh, and fome of the Oil 
by Exprelfion, and applied to Ruptures, or Swellings 
of the Scrotum or Teflicles, it cures the one and 
difculfes the other ; it alfo difculfes Tumors in any 
other part of the Body. 
XIII. The Catap lafm. If it is made with equal 
parts of Line Seed, Fenugreek Seed , and Mallows, 
and applied, it is of good ufe to mollifie and difcufs 
any Tumor or Hardnefs in any pait of the Body. 
If it is made with Sal Nitre and Fig-Tree Allies it 
eafes the Pains, and takes away the hardnefs of the 
Nerves, Tendons, and Mufcles. If it is made with 
Figs and Wild Cucumber Roots, and applied, it 
draws forth Splinters, Thorns, Nails, Prickles, 
A a a 2 Splimets 
