Of the Hiftorie of Plants. L 1 b. 2. 
the floures and feed : for this kinde hath a greater quantitie of floures and feed growing together 
like little chillers of grapes, of a yellowiih colour. 1 he feed for the moft part is loft before it can 
be gathered. 
i MercurialU mas . 
Male Mercurie. 
a Mercurialis fcemina. 
Female Mercurie. 
The Place. 
French Mercurie is fovven in Kitchen gardens among pot-herbes ■ in Vineyards, and in moift 
Ihadow ie places: I found it vnder the dropping of the Bifhops houfe at Rochefter : from whence 
I brought a plant or two into my garden, fince which time 1 cannot rid my garden from it. 
The Time. 
They floureand flourifh all the Sommer long. 
The Names. 
It is called in Greeke, w-tfor, and e.™*,., or Mercurie his herbe ; whereupon the Latines cal! it 
Mercurialis : it is called in Italian, Mercorella in Engliih.French Mercurie : in French, Mercunale, 
y ignoble, and Foirelle, quia Fluidam laxamitc alvum redcht , Gallobelga entmfoi^e & foizeus ,ventr is Flu- 
or cm vacant . 
«l The Temperature. 
Mercury is hot and dry, yet not aboue the fecond degree : it hath a clean/ing facultie, and (as 
Galen writerh) a digefting qualitie alio. 
TheVertues. 
A It is vfed in our age in clifters,and thought very good to clenfe and fcoure away the excrements 
and other fi 1th contained in the guts.lt ferueth.to purge the belly, being eaten or otherwife taken, 
voiding out of the belly not only the excrements, but alfo phlegme and choler . Diofcortdes repor- 
teth,that the decodtion hereof purgcth vvatcrifh humors. 
B The leaues ftamped with butter, and applied to the fundament, prouoketh to the ftoole ; and the 
herbe bruifed and made vp in manner of a peifary,cleanfcth the mother, and helpeth conception. 
C Cejheus in his booke of the nature of plants faith, that the iuyee of Mercurie, Hollihocks,& pur- 
flane mixed together, and the bands bathed therein,defendeth them from burning, if they be thruft 
intoboyhngleade. 
Chap. 
