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Lady's Bedstraw
Names. Besides the common name above written, it is called cheese rennet, because it performs the same office; as also gallion, pertimugget, and maid's hair, and by some wild rosemary.
Description. This rises up with divers small, brown, and square upright stalks a yard high, or more, sometimes branched forth into divers parts, full of joints, and with divers very fine small leaves at every one of them, little or nothing rough at all; at the tops of the branches grow many long tufts or branches of yellow flowers, very thick set together, from the several joints, which consist of four leaves each, which smell somewhat strong, but not unpleasant: the seed is small and black like poppy seed, two for the most part joined together; the root is reddish with many small threads, fastened unto it, which take strong hold of the ground, and creepeth a little; and the branches, leaning a little down to the ground, take root at the joints thereof, whereby it is easily increased.
There is also another sort of lady's bedstraw growing frequently in England, which beareth white flowers as the other doth yellow; but the branches of this are so weak, that unless it be sustained by the hedges, or other things near which it groweth it will lie down on the ground; the leaves are little bigger than the former, and the flowers are not so plentiful as those: and the root hereof is also thready and abiding.
Place. They grow in meadows and pastures, both wet and dry, and by the sides of hedges.
Time. They flower in May for the most part, and the seed is ripe in July and August.
Government and virtues. They are both herbs of Venus, and therefore strengthen the parts, both internal and external, which she rules. The decoction of the former of these, being drunk, is good to fret and break the stone, provokeurine, stay inward bleedings, and to heal inward wounds; the herb or flower bruised, and put up in to the nostrils, stayeth their bleeding likewise; the flowers and the herb being made into an oil by being set in the sun and changed after it hath stood ten or twelve days; or into an ointment being boiled in axungia, or sallad oil with some wax melted therein after it is strained; either the oil made thereof, or the ointment, do help burning with fire or scalding with water; the same also, or the decoction of the herb and flower, is good to bathe the feet of travellers and lacquais, whose long running causeth weariness and stiffness in their sinews and joints; if the decoction be used warm, and the joints afterwards anointed with the ointment, it helpeth the dry scab, and the itch in children: and the herb with the white flower is also very good for the sinews, arteries, and joints, to comfort and strengthen them after travel, cold, and pains.
BEETS.
Description. Of beets there are two sorts, which are best known generally, and whereof I shall principally treat at this time, viz. the white and red beets; and their virtues.
The common white beet hath many great leaves next the ground, somewhat large, and of a whitish green colour; the stalk is great, strong and ribbed, bearing great store of leaves almost to the very top of it: the flowers grow in very long tufts, small at the ends, and turning down their heads, which are small, pale, greenish-yellow, burs, giving corned prickly seed. The root is great, long, and hard, and when it hath given seed, is of no use at all. The common red beet differeth not from the white, but only it is less, and the leaves and the roots are some-what red; the leaves are differently red, in some only with red strakes or veins, some of a fresh red, and others of a dark red. The root hereof is red, spungy, and not used to be eaten. Government and virtues. The government of these two sorts of beet are far different, the red beet being under Saturn, and the white under Jupiter; therefore take the virtues of them apart, each by itself. The white beet doth much loosen the belly, and is of a cleansing digesting quality, and provoketh urine: the juice of it openeth obstructions, both of the liver and spleen, and is good for the head-ach, and swimmings therein, and turnings of the brain; and is effectual also against all venomous creatures; and applied to the temples, stayeth inflammations in the eyes; it helpeth burnings, being used without oil, and with a little alum put to it, is good for St. Anthony's fire. Beet is hot and dry, and loosens the belly by reason of its nitrosity. It is an errhine, especially the root; for the juice of it received into the nostrils occasions sneezing; the young plants, with their roots, gently boiled and eaten with vinegar, procure an appetite, extinguish thirst, and suppress choler in the stomach. Beet among the ancients was much noticed for its insipid taste. MARTIAL reproaches it in the following distich. Ut sapiant future fabrorum prandia betae. O quam saepe petet vina piperque coquus? Insipid beet may bid a tradesman dine; But ask of thee abundant spice and wine.
The juice of this herb drawn up into the nostrils powerfully evacuates phlegmatic humours from the brain, and cures inveterate head-achs. This is counted a great secret by some. It is also good for all wheals, pushes, blisters, and blains, in the skin; the herb boiled, and laid upon chilblains, or kibes, helpeth them: the decoction thereof in water and some vinegar, healeth the itch, if bathed therewith, and cleanseth the head of dandriff, scurf, and dry scabs, and doth much good for fretting and running sores, ulcers, and cankers, in the head, legs, or other parts, and is much commended against baldness and shedding of hair.
The red beet is good to stay the bloody flux, women's courses, and the whites, and to help the yellow jaundice. The joice of the root put into the Rostrils, purgeth the head, helpeth the noise in the ears, and the tooth-ach; the juice snuffed up the nose helps a stinking breath, if the cause lieth in the nose, as many times it doth, if any bruise have been there; as also want of smell coming that way.