Chap. 300. "Englijh Herbs. 
399 
CHAP, CCC. 
Of FOX GLOVE Common, 
or Field. 
0 R, 
FINGER- WORT Wild or Ordinary. 
I, Names. It has no Greek Name as a- 
X foiefaid ; nor any ancient Latin Name, as 
buing unknown to any of the ancient Greeks or 
Latins : But our modern Authors have called it 
Digitalis ; which we render in Englijh , Fox Glove, 
or Fox Finger , or Finger Wort. 
II. The Kinds. This is the fecond Species, be- 
ing the common ordinary, or Field kind. Ccefalpi- 
nvs calls it Virgil Regia major Acre purpureo, alio 
Alifma itADamafomum , and Fifiula Pafioris. Tra- 
gus calls it Campanula Sylveftris fiore purpureo. 
Columna thinks it to be the Ephemercm of Dio/cori- 
des. And Dalechampius upon Pliny will have it to 
be Viola Calathiana Plinii , as is faid before in the 
former Chapter ; but it is generally called Digitalis 
purpurea Vulgaris, Common purple Fox Glove. 
Ill . The Defcription. Its Root conjifls of many 
fmall, husky Fibres, and [onto greater Strings among 
them ; from whence Jpring up many long and broad 
Leaves, lying upon the Ground, dented about the 
edges, a little foft or Woolly, and of a kind of a 
Ivory green color : Among which rife up feveral 
Stalks fometimes, and very often but one, bearing 
Inch Leaves thereon from the bottom to the middle; 
from whence to the top it is replenilhed with large, 
arid long, hollow, reddilh purple Flowers, a little 
more long and eminent at the lower Edge, with 
fome white Spots within them, one above another 
and with dome ftnall green Leaves at every one - 
but all of them turning their Heads one way, and’ 
hanging downwards, having fome Threads alfo in 
the middle ; from whence rife round Heads, point- 
ed (harp at the ends, which contain within them 
Imall brown Seed. The Flower has no fmell, but 
the Leaves have a bitter hot tafte. 
IV ■ The Places. It grows in dry Sandy Ground 
for rhe mod part, and as well on (he higher as 
lower places, under hedge fides, almoft in every 
County of this Kingdom. There is alfo a White Wild 
fort, deferibed in the former Chapter at Self. VII, 
which does grow naturally about Landjda/e and 
Craven, in a Field called Cragge Cloje in the North 
of England ; alfo by Colchefler in Effex ; and near 
Exeter in the Weft of England, and in feveral 0- 
ther places : Yet this Wild White kind is alfo nurft 
up in Gardens, as in the former Chapter we have 
declared. 
V. The Times. They Flower and Flourifh in 
June and July , but feldom before July ; and the 
Seed is Ripe in Augitfi. 
VI. The Qualities. Fox Glove is hot and dry at 
leaft in the fecond Degree, Sulphureous and Saline ; 
Aperitive, Abftetfive, Allringent, Digeftive and 
Vulnerary ; Petloral, Hepatick and Arthritick; Erne* 
tick, Cathartick, and Analeptick. 
VII. The Specification. It Cures Confumptions, 
King’s Evil , Green-Gcknefs and Falling-iicknefs; 
alfo Wounds, old Sores and running Ulcers. 
VIII. The Preparations. You may have there- 
from, 1. A Liquid Juice. 2. An Ejfence. 7. A Sy- 
rup. 4. A Decolfion or lnfufton. f, An Ointment or 
Balfam. 6. A Cataplafm. 
The Virtues. 
IX. The Liquid Juice. It purges and cleanfes 
the Lungs, Stomach and Bowels; but ought to be 
given not in too great a quantity, becaufe of its vio- 
lent Operation. It may be given from three Spoon- 
fuls to Six, in Mead or White Port Wine, accord- 
ing to Age and Strength ; it works ftrongly both 
upwards and downwards, and prevails againft the 
Scurvy, Droplie, Jaundice, Gout, and Khumatifm ; 
and is found by experience to be an excellent tiling 
againft the King’s Evil. Outwardly applied, it 
heals any frefh or green Wound , the Leaves being 
bruifed and applied thereto alfo. It is frequently 
nfed in old and putrid Sores to cleanfe them, dry 
up their moifture, and caufe a Ipeedy healing. 
X. The Ejfence. It has all the Virtues of the 
Juice, and more excellent for the lame purpofes and 
intentions ; befides which it ratifies or attenuates 
thick tough Flegm, and vifeous Humors, affecting 
the Lungs, Brelt and Stomach : It cleanfes and 
purges the Body both upwards and downwards 
freeing it both from Vifeous and Watery humors ■ 
It opens ObltruUions of Liver, Spleen,' Gall and 
Womb, and refills thofeDifeafes occasioned thereby. 
And by late Experience, it has been found effebluai 
againft the Falling-ficknefs, for that divers have 
been abfolutely Cured thereby. Dofe from two to 
fix Spoonfuls or more, according to Age and Strength 
in the Morning falling, to be given in any proper 
Vehicle. 
XI. The Syrup, or Rob of the Juice of the Herb 
and Flowers made with Honey. It is a Specifick 
which tranfcends all other Vegetable Medicaments 
for the Cure of Confumptions; cleanfing and heal- 
ing after an admirable manner Ulcers of the Lungs. 
It opens the Obftru£lionsof all the Vifcera, cleanfes, 
carries off, or expels the recrements of the Humors’ 
by which means the daily Nutriment may be con- 
veyed 
