Good Henry
Name. Called also English mercury, Description. This mercury has a thick, yellowish, perenial root, with several fibres; the leaves grow upon long foot-stalks of a triangular shape, like spinach, of a yellow green colour, feeling greasy or unctuous in handling. The stalks grow to be about a foot high, with several of the like leaves growing on them; and on their tops spikes of small herbaceous flowers, inclosing little round black shining seed.
Place. It grows in waste places, and among rubbish.
Time. It flowers in spring.
Government and virtues, It is under the dominion of Mercury. This herb is detersive and diuretic, and therefore deserves a place in vulnerary decoctions and fomentations. In this country it is deservedly preferred to spinach, to which it is much superior in firmness and flavour as goose-foot is inferior to it. The young shoots, the succeeding leaves, and at last the flowery tops, are fit for kitchen purpose, which has gained it the name of good Henry. It is cooling, soluble, and good for the scurvy, and provokes urine; outwardly, it is much used in glysters, and a cataplasm of the leaves helps pains of the gout. The only officiual preparation is the Mel Mertriale.