Of Cranes-bill
Geranium Columbinum; commonly called in Latine, Pes Columbinus;
in French, Pied de Pigeon; in English, Doves-foot, Pigeons foot.
The root is slender, with fibres annexed thereto.
It hath many hairy stalks, trailing or leaning toward the ground,
of a brownish colour, somewhat kneed or joynted;
wherupon do grow rough leaves of an overworn green color,
round, cut about the edges, like unto the common Mallow:
amongst which come forth the floures of a bright purple colour:
after which is the seed, set together
like the head and bill of a bird, a Storks-bill.
It is found neere to common high waies, desart places,
untilled grounds, and specially upon mud walls almost every where.
It springeth up in March and Aprill,
floureth in May, bringeth his seed to ripenesses in June.
The dried herbe and roots, beaten into most fine pouder,
given halfe a spoonfull fasting, and the like quantitie
to bedwards in red wine, or old claret,
for the space of one and twenty daies together,
cure miraculously ruptures or burstings,
as my selfe have often proved,
whereby I have gotten crownes and credit:
if the ruptures be in aged persons,
it shall be needfull to add thereto
the powder of red snailes (those without shels)
dried in an oven in number nine,
which fortifieth the herbes, it never faileth,
although the rupture be great and of long continuance:
it likewise profiteth much those wounded into the body:
the herbe decoction made in wine prevaileth mightily
in healing inward wounds, as my self have likewise proved.
Of Gith, or Nigella
In Italian, Nigella; in English Gith and Nigella Romana,
in Cambridgeshire, Bishops wort
and Divae Catherinae flos, Saint Katharines floure.
Damaske Nigella, both faire and pleasant,
like the wilde Nigella
in his small cut and jagged leaves,
but his stalke is longer:
the flours are like the former,
but greater, and every floure hath
five small green leaves under him,
as it were in support to beare him up:
which floures being gone, there succeed
knops and seed like the former,
but without smell or savour.
The tame are sowne in gardens:
the wilde ones doe grow of themselves,
floureth in July and August
among corne and other graine,
in divers countries beyond the seas.
The seed, parched or dried at the fire,
brought into pouder and wrapped
in fine lawne or sarcenet,
cureth all murs, catarrhes, rheumes, and the pose,
drieth the braine, restoreth the sence of smelling
unto those which have lost it,
being often smelled unto from day to day,
and made warme at the fire when it is used.
It serveth well among other sweets
to put into sweet waters, bagges, odoriferous pouders.
Mixed with vineger, it takes away freckles.
As Galen saith, it is a most excellent remedy.