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Clown's Woundwort

Description. It groweth up sometimes to three or four feet high, but usually about two feet, with square green, rough stalks, but slender, jointed somewhat <??> asunder, and two very long, and somewhat narror dark green-leaves, bluntly dented about the edges, and ending in a long point. The flowers standing towards the tops, compassing the stalks at the joints with the leaves, and end likewise in a spiked top, having long and much open gaping hoods, of a purplish red color with whitish spots in them, standing in somewhat rough husks, wherein afterwards stand blackish round seed. The root is composed of many long strings, with <??>tubrous long knobs growing among them, of a <??> yellowish or whitish colour, yet at some times of the year these knobby roots, in many places, are not seen the plant: the whole plant smelleth somewhat strongly.

Place. It groweth in sundry counties of this land both north and west, and frequently by path-sides in the fields near about London, and within three or four miles distance about it, yet usually grows in or near ditches. Time. It flowereth in June and July, and the seed ripe soon after. Government and virtues. It is under the dominion of the planet Saturn. It is singularly effectual in a fresh and green wounds, and therefore beareth not the name for nought: And is very available in staunching of blood, to dry up the fluxes of humours in old fretting ulcers, cancers, &c. that hinder the healing of them. A syrup made of the juice of it is inferior to none for inward wounds, ruptures of veins, bloody flux, vessel broken, spitting, pissing, or vomiting blood: rupture are excellently and speedily, even to admiration, cure by taking now and then a little of the syrup, and applying an ointment or plaster of the same to the place; and also if any vein be swelled, or muscle cut, apply a pla<??>ter of this herb to it, and, if you add a little comf<??> to it, it will not do amiss: I assure you this herb deserves commendation, though it have gotten but a clowrish name; and whoever reads this, if he try it as I have done, will commend it as well as me,-It is of an earthly nature.