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Lavender

Being an inhabitant almost in every garden, it is so well known, that it needeth no description.

Time. It flowereth about the end of June and beginning of July. Government and virtues. Mercury owns the herb, and it carries his effects very potenly. Lavender is of a special good use for all the griefs and pains of the head and brain that proceed of a cold cause, as the apoplexy, falling sickness, the drosy, or sluggish malady, cramps, convulsions, palsies, and often faintings. It strengthens the stomach, and freeth the liver and spleen from obstructions, provoketh women's courses, and expelleth the dead child and after-birth. The flowers of lavender steeped in wine, helpeth them to make water that are stopped, or are troubled with the wind or cholic, if the place be bathed therewith. A decoction made with the flowers of lavender, horehound, fennel, asparagus root, and a little cinnamon, is very profitably used to help the falling-sickness, and the giddiness or turning of the brain; to gargle the mouth with the decoction thereof, is good against the tooth-ache. Two spoonfuls of the distilled water of the flowers taken, helpeth them that have lost their voice, as also the tremblings and passions of the heart, and faintings and swoonings, not only being drank, but applied to the temples, or nostrils to be smelt unto; but it is not safe to use it where the body is replete with blood and humours, because of the hot and subtile spirits wherewith it is possessed. The chemical oil drawn from lavender, usually called oil of spike, is of so fierce and piercing a quality, that it is cautiously to be used, some few drops being sufficient, to be given with other things either for inward or outward griefs,