Place.] It is frequent in all pastures.
Time.] It flowers late, even in the latter end of August.
Government and virtues.] It is under the influence of Venus. An ointment of them cures wounds, and is most fit for such as have inflammations, it being an herb of Dame Venus; it stops the terms in women, being boiled in white wine, and the decoction drank; as also the bloody flux; the ointment of it is not only good for green wounds, but also for ulcers and fistulas, especially such as abound with moisture. It stays the shedding of hair, the head being bathed with the decoction of it; inwardly taken it helps the retentive faculty of the stomach: it helps the gonorrhea in men, and the whites in women, and helps such as cannot hold their water; and the leaves chewed in the mouth eases the tooth-ache, and these virtues being put together, shew the herb to be drying and binding. Achilles is supposed to be the first that left the virtues of this herb to posterity, having learned them of this master Chiron, the Centaur; and certainly a very profitable herb it is in cramps, and therefore called Militaris.
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING SYRUPS, CONSERVES,
&c. &c.
Having in divers places of this Treatise promised you the way of making Syrups, Conserves, Oils, Ointments, &c., of herbs, roots, flowers, &c. whereby you may have them ready for your use at such times when they cannot be had otherwise; I come now to perform what I promised, and you shall find me rather better than worse than my word.
That this may be done methodically, I shall divide my directions into two grand sections, and each section into several chapters, and then you shall see it look with such a countenance as this is.
SECTION I.
Of gathering, drying, and keeping Simples, and their juices.
| [CHAP. I.] | Of leaves of Herbs, &c. |
| [CHAP. II.] | Of Flowers. |
| [CHAP. III.] | Of Seeds. |
| [CHAP. IV.] | Of Roots. |
| [CHAP. V.] | Of Barks. |
| [CHAP. VI.] | Of Juices. |