Echij. Of Viper’s Bugloss, or wild Bugloss. This root is cold and dry, good for such as are bitten by venemous beasts, either being boiled in wine and drank, or bruised and applied to the place: being boiled in wine and drank, it encreaseth milk in nurses.
Ellebori, Veratri, albi nigri. Of Hellebore white and black. The root of white Hellebore, or sneezewort, being grated and snuffed up the nose, causeth sneezing; kills rats and mice being mixed with their meat.
Black Hellebore, Bears-foot or Christmas flower: both this and the former are hot and dry in the third degree. This is neither so violent nor dangerous as the former.
Enulæ Campanæ Helenij. Of Elecampane. It is hot and dry in the third degree, wholesome for the stomach, resists poison, helps old coughs, and shortness of breath, helps ruptures, and provokes lust; in ointments, it is good against scabs and itch.
Endivæ, &c. Of Endive, Garden Endive, which is the root here specified, is held to be somewhat colder, though not so dry and cleansing as that which is wild; it cools hot stomachs, hot livers, amends the blood corrupted by heat, and therefore is good in fevers, it cools the reins, and therefore prevents the stone, it opens obstructions, and provokes urine: you may bruise the root, and boil it in white wine, ’tis very harmless.
Eringij. Of Eringo or Sea-holly: the roots are moderately hot, something drying and cleansing, bruised and applied to the place; they help the Scrophula, or disease in the throat called the King’s Evil, they break the stone, encrease seed, stir up lust, provoke the terms, &c.
Esulæ, majoris, minoris. Of Spurge the greater and lesser, they are both (taken inwardly) too violent for common use; outwardly in ointments they cleanse the skin, take away sunburning.
Filicis, &c. Fearn, of which are two grand distinctions, viz. male and female. Both are hot and dry, and good for the rickets in children, and diseases of the spleen, but dangerous for pregnant women.
Filipendulæ. Of Dropwort. The roots are hot and dry in the third degree, opening, cleansing, yet somewhat binding; they provoke urine, ease pains in the bladder, and are a good preservative against the falling-sickness.
Fœniculi. Of Fennel. The root is hot and dry, some say in the third degree, opening; it provokes urine, and menses, strengthens the liver, and is good against the dropsy.