The Virtues. 
Chap. 442. Tinglijh Herbs 
Threads in the middle, and fmall Heads, with fmall 
Seed in them. 
VII. The third or Great White Water Lilly of 
/Egypt. It hat a Root in form not like any of the 
former , hut fmall, round , and almofl Pm-fqfhioned. , 
of the Bignefs of a Hens Egg, black on the outftde , 
and yellotnijh within , with many fmall fibres there- 
at ; the inner Subfiance is flejhy , firm and hard, 
fomewhat facet and ajlringent withal, which when 
it is boiled, or roafied under Embers , becomes as yel- 
low as the folk of an Egg. The ./Egyptians famili- 
arly eat it with Broth, and oftentimes raze, as well 
as roafied. This Root fends up out of the Water 
feveral fair broad Leaves, like thofe of the Greater 
afore-defcribed , but that thefe are l'omewhat lefs, 
more waved about the edges, and with more Veins 
in them, lying on the Superficies of the Water, as 
they do upon feveral Foot-ftalks alfo. The Flow- 
ers are fair, large and double, that is, confifting of 
many Rows of Leaves in like manner, inclofed in a 
Husk, confining of tour Leaves, green on the out- 
fide, and white within. The middle Leaves of the 
Flowers are often, upon the firft opening, fomewhat 
folded inwards at the ends, but growing to their 
Perfection, they grow flrait forth ; all of them be- 
ing white in the middle part, and yellowifh toward 
the edges, of a fweet Violet like Smell : in the 
middle of which, when they begin to decay, a fmall 
Head riles up, which growing greater, becomes the 
Seed-Veffel, not much unlike to the firft Greater a- 
foregoing, and is as large as a good Medlar -, parted 
on the infide into Cells longwife, containing round 
Seed, like unto that of Co/eworts. This Herb lofes 
both its Leaves and Stalks after Seed-time, efpeci- 
ally upon the decay of the Water wherein it grew, 
and in which it delights, and the Root abides all 
the Year ; for which Reafon it may be accounted 
among the Number of the Perennial Plants. 
VIII. The Plkccs. The two firft are found grow- 
ing with us throughout all England , in fenny and 
watery Grounds, in great Pools, in large Ditches of 
Water, and other Handing Waters, in flow running 
Brooks and Rivers, efpecially near thofe Brooks 
and Rivers fides, and fomecimes in their very mid- 
dle, if the Water is not deep, and the Current foft 
and fmooth. The third grows in JEgypt, as alfo in 
florida , and other Southern Climes, agreeing with 
the Latitudes of thofe Countries, or lying in the 
fame Parallels. 
IX. The Times. They commonly flower about 
the end of May, or foon after in June -, and their 
Seed is ripe in Augufi. 
X. The iQua/ities. The Leaves and Flowers of 
Water Lillies are cold and moift in the end of the 
firft Degree ; but the Root and Seed are cold and 
dry in the firft Degree. They are Aflringent, Cof- 
metick, Repercuflive, Emphraftive, and Antifper- 
matogenetick. 
XI. The Specification. White Water Lilly cools 
Inflammations, abates the Heat of Fevers, procures 
Rett, flops Fluxes of Blood or Humors, whether of 
Wounds or of the Belly ; cures the Heat of Urine, 
helps in a Gonorrhoea, flops the Overflowing of 
the Terms, and extinguifhes Venereal Heats and 
Defires. > 
XII. The Preparations. You may have there- 
ftom, 1 . A liquid Juice of the flowers or Root. 2. 
A Decoftion oj the Root. 3. ri. Syrup of the flowers 
or Root, or of their Juice. 4. A Conferve of the 
flowers. 5. A Pouder of the Seed. 6 . An Oil of 
the flowers. 7. An Ointment of the Root. 8. A 
Cataplafm of Leaves or Roots. 9. AdiftiUedWater 
of the flowers. 
XIII. The liquid Juice of flowers or Root. That 
of the Flowers is the finer Juice ■, but that of the 
Root is the ftronger. It flops Fluxes of the Belly 
and Womb, and the Overflowing of the Seed in No- 
flurnal Pollutions. Prevails againft Spitting, Vo- 
miting, or Pifling Blood, or the Bloody-flux : and 
being constantly tiled for fome time inwardly, ir is 
faid to extingtiifli the Seed, and thereby Liilt and 
all Venereal Defires. It cools the Head and Brain, 
is profitable in Frenfies, and helps the Diltempera- 
ture of thofe Parts. And as it cools and binds, lo 
it flops Catarrhs, and cutes a Gonorrhoea, or Run- 
ning of the Reins, and is alfo profitable againft the 
Whites in Women. Dofe one, two, or three Spoon- 
fuls, mixt with a little Red Port Wine, according 
to Age, Sex, and other Accidents, Morning and 
Nighr. 
XIV. The DecoHion of the- Root in Red Tort 
U me. It has all the Virtues of the Juice, but not 
full out fo powerful. It may be taken inwardly 
from three to eight Ounces, Morning and Night. 
It is peculiar againft Spitting and Pifling Blood, and 
other Difeafes of the Reins and Bladder. If the 
Decoction is made in Water, it helps againlt the 
Strangury, powerfully refifts Lull, and abates hot 
burning Fevers. 
XV. The Syrup of the flowers or Root, or of their 
Juices. It is good againft burning Fevers, and Ra- 
vings in malign Fevers ; and indeed has all the Vir- 
tues of the liquid Juice or DecoUion, but may he 
given in double the quantity the Juice is given in. 
It procures Reft, fettles the Brain, and Hops De- 
fluxions of Humors upon Wounds, Ulcers, Fiftu- 
la’s, We. 
XVI. The Conferve of the flowers. It has the 
Virtues of the Syrup, and may be given Morning 
and Night againft Coughs, Catarrhs, Watchings, 
Pinings, Wallings, and Confumptions, as alfo to 
abate Lull. Dofe as much as a Cheftnut or Wall- 
nut at a time, wafhing it down with a little of the 
dillilled Water, fweetned with white Sugar. 
XVII. The Pouder of the Seed. It has all the 
Virtues of the Root, and may be given Morning 
and Nighr, from half a Dram to a Dram and halt, 
in any convenient Vehicle, as Conferve of Sloes, or 
of Hips, Conferve of Barberries, or in Syrup of the 
Juice of the Root, (V c. It is good againft Veneyeal 
or Flelhly Defires, deltroys Lull, cools the Reins, 
drys up the Seed, and hinders its Generation, there- 
by caufing Chaftity in Man or Woman. Some give 
it in Water-gruel or Mutton-Broth. 
XVIII. The Oil of the flowers. It is made by 
Infolation or Boiling, with a treble or fourfold Re- 
petition, juft as we make Oil of Rofes, Sic. It is 
profitable to cool Inflammations and hot Tumors, 
as alfo the Inflammations of Wounds and Ulcers’ 
to eafe Pains and heal running Sores, it caufes Kelt 
and quiet Sleep, repreffes Venerous Dreams and 
Noflurnal Pollutions : anoint therewith the Temples 
Forehead, Nolfrils, Reins of the Back, and Tcfli- 
cles. Evening and Morning. It is good alfo againlt 
black and blew Spots, Yellownefs of the Skin, Sun- 
burnings, 0Y. 
XIX. The Ointment of the Root. It is made by 
boiling the bruifed Root in Tar till it is crifp, 
ftraining it out, and repeating it three times more, 
adding a little Oil Olive, if it is too thick. It is 
good againft Scurff, Morphew, Tettars, Ringworms, 
Serpigo, Mentagra, Scabbinefs, Leuce, Leproly, and 
fuch other like Defedations of the Skin. It is faid 
alfo to be a kind of Depilatory for taking off of 
Hair : but of this I can fay nothing by Experi- 
ence. 
M m m m ? 
XX. T be 
