Chap. 2 6g. 'Englijb Herbs . 
367 
Bujhy, fo that in fome places where it naturally 
grows , they make Befomsof it , from whence came the 
1. tame Scop.iri i. The Leaves are linall and narrow, 
a 1 mult like to the Leaves of flax. The Flowers are 
linall, and of an 1 lerby color, growing among the 
Leaves ^ it keeps Green to Winter, or till theFrofty 
weather comes, the hardfhip of which it never out 
lives. 
XI The Seventh , or Baftard Flaxweed, has a Root 
which is White , divided into feveral Branches , and 
lives long , every Tear fending up many Stalks , which 
are hard , pale, green and ft raked •, growing to be a 
Foot high or more $ and upon thefe, without any order, 
grow many hard , narrow , long Leaves , like thofe of 
Flax •, at fir ft of a very tart , but afterwards of a 
bitterifh Tafie. The tops of the Stalks are branch- 
ed out into feveral Foot ftalks, which carry little 
white Flowers, confifting of five fmall leaves a- 
piece, lyirig Star fafhion, with fome threads in the 
midli Thefe being palt away, a fingle five cor- 
nered Seed comes forth, containing a white Pith, 
in a hard Film or Skin. 
XII. The Eighth , or Purple Flaxweed, has a Root 
which is fmall and thready, perifhtng for the moft 
part every Tear , and fpringing again of its own f ow- 
ing, if it is f offered to Jhed its Seed, except the hard- 
nefs of the Winter kills it. From this Root rife up 
feveral fmall, thick, long, and fomewhat narrowifh 
Leaves, of a whitifh green Color ^ among^ which rife 
up divers Stalks of a Cubit height,befet with long 
narrow Leaves, like unto thofe of our Common 
Flaxweed at Sett. IV. aforegoing : Thefe Stalks to- 
wards the Tops are replenifhed with many fmall 
Flowers of a Purple Color, growing together one 
above another, fpike fafhion, which are fmall and 
fomewhat lweet, whilft they are frefh, and formed 
much like unto our Firft or Common Flaxweed, with 
a gaping mouth, but they are much fmaller, and 
want that crooked Spur behind. Sometimes they 
are of a fad Purple, near unto a Violet Color, and 
fometimes of a Paler blew Color, having a yel- 
low fpot in the middle, or gaping place. The Flow- 
ers being paft fmall, hard, round heads come forth, 
in wbich are contained fmall, fiat, and grey ifh Seed. 
XIII. The Flares. The firft grows almoft every 
where thro’ the whole Kingdom, both by the Way 
fides, as in Meadows, and alfo by Hedge fides, and 
upon the fides of Banks and borders of Fields. The 
feventh grows on Mountainous places in Germany 
and it has been found growing Wild in England, on 
the fide of a Chalky Hill, in an Inclofure, on the 
right hand of the Way as you go from Droxford to 
Poppie Hill in Hampfbire -, all the reft are only nurlt 
up with us in Gardens. 
XIV. The Times. They all flower in the Summer 
Months, from May to Auguft, and the Seed is ripe 
foon after. The eighth, tho : it often fows it felf, 
yet by reafon a hard frofty Winter may kill the Seed, 
it ought to be fown anew every Spring. 
XV. The Qualities. They are hot and dry in the 
fecond Degree $ Aperitive , Abfterfive, andBiure- 
tick, Hepatick , Splenetick, and Nephritick, Cathar- 
tick, Emmenagogick, Sudorifick , and Alexipbarmick * 
XVI. The Specification. They are peculiar againft 
the Strangury, Dropfie, Jaundice, and Poyfon. 
XVII. The Preparations. You may have there- 
from, j. A Juice, 2. An Effence, 2. An Infufion 
or Decottion in Wine. 4. A Pouder of the Seed. 5. A 
diftilled Water from the whole Plant. Of all thefe 
kinds, the firft is the moft effectual, and moft ufed. 
The Virtues . 
XVIII. The Liquid Juice. Given to three or 
four fpoonfuls Morning, Noon, and Night in a 
Glafs of White Lisbon or Port Wine, it gives eafe 
in the Strangury, powerfully provokes Urine when 
it is flopped by Sand, Gravel or Tartarous matter, 
and carries off by Piffing the Water in Dropfies. It 
effectually provokes the Terms in Women, and 
drives forth the Dead Child and After-birth. Pur 
into Foul Ulcers, whether they be Cancerous or Fi- 
ftulous, with Tents rowled therein, or the parts 
wafhed therewith, or it being iniefted into them, 
cleanfes them throughly from the bottom, and in a 
fhort time heals them up fafely. It alfo cleanfes the 
Skin wonderfully from all forts of filthinefs and de- 
formities, as Spots, Marks, Freckles, Lentils, Yellow- 
nefs, tawninefs, Wheals, pimples Scabs, Scurfs, Mor- 
phew, Leprofie, and other the like Defcedations. 
XIX. The Effence. It has all the Virtues of the 
Liquid Juice, befides which, it wafhes and cleanfes 
the Reins and Uretory parts from Stones, Gravel, 
Sand, and Tartarous Mucilage heaped up in thofe 
parts-, and taken from two to four Spoonfuls 
in White Lisbon or Port Wine, it moves the Belly 
downwards, and prevails both againft the Dropfie 
and Yellow Jaundice. Dropt into the Eyes, it is a 
certain remedy againft all Heat, Inflamations, and 
Rednefs therein. It opens obftruHions of the Liver 
and Spleen, purifies the Blood, and is good againft 
Hypochondriack Melancholy. 
XX. The Infufton, or Decottion in Wine. It has 
all the Virtues of the Juice and Effence, but weaker 
in Operation, and therefore mutt be given in larger 
Dofes, as to fix, feven or eight Ounces. It expels ' 
Poyfon, and is good againft the Bitings of Mad 
Dogs, Serpents, or other venemous Beafts. 
XXI. The Pouder of the Seed. Given to One 
Dram with the Liquid Juice, or Effence, or Infufi- 
on or DecoUion as aforelaid, and continued for le- 
veral days together, it is held to be a Angular Re- 
medy 
