Liverwort
Description. Common liverwort groweth close, and spreadeth much upon the moist and sandy places with many small green leaves, or rather (as it were) sticking flat to one another, very unevenly cut in on the edges and crumpled; from among which arise small slender stalks an inch or two high at most, bearing small starlike flowers at the top; the roots are very fine and small. Government and virtues. It is under the dominion of Jupiter, and under the sign Cancer. It is a singularly good herb for all the diseases of the liver, both to cool and cleanse it, and helpeth the inflammations in any part, and the yellow jaundice likewise; Being bruised and boiled in small beer, and drank, it cooleth the heat of the liver and kidneys, and helpeth the running of the reins in men, and the whites in women; it is a singular remedy to stay the spreading of letters, ringworms, and other fretting and running sores and scabs, and is an excellent remedy for such whose livers are corrupted by surfeits, which cause their bodies to break out, for it fortifieth the liver exceedingly, and makes it impregnable.
LOOSESTRIFE, with spiked Heads of flowers.
Description. This groweth with many woody square stalks, full of joints, about three feet high at least; at every one whereof stand two long leaves, shorter, narrower, and a larger green colour than the former, and some brownish. The stalks are branched into many long stems of spiked flowers half a foot long, growing in bundles one above another, out of small husks, very like the spiked heads of lavender, each of which flowers have five round pointed leaves of a purple violet colour, or some what inclining to redness; in white husks stand small round heads after the flowers are fallen, wherein is contained small seed. The root creepeth under ground like unto the yellow, but is greater than it, and so are the heads of the leaves when they first appear out of the ground, and more brown than the other.
Place. It groweth usually by rivers, and ditch-sides in wet ground, as about the ditches at and near Lambeth, and in many other places of this land. Time. It flowereth in the months of June and July.
Government and virtues. It is an herb of the Moon and under the sign Cancer: neither do I know a better preserver of the sight when it is well, nor a better cure for sore eyes than eyebright, taken inwardly and this used outwardly: it is cold in quality. This herb is not a whit inferior to the former, it having not only all the virtues which the former hath, but some peculiar virtues of its own, found out by experience; as namely, the distilled water is a present remedy for hurts and blows on the eyes, and for blindness, so as the christaline humour be not perished or hurt: and this hath been sufficiently proved true by the experience of a man of judgment, who kept it long to himself as a great secret. It cleareth the eyes of dust, or any thing gotten into them, and preserveth the sight. It is also very available against wounds and thrusts, being made into an ointment in this manner: To every ounce of the water, add two drams of May butter without salt, and of sugar and wax, of each as much also; let them boil gently together. Let tents dipped into the liquor that remaineth after it is cold, be put into the wounds, and the place covered with a linen cloth doubled and anointed with the ointment; and this is also an approved medicine. It likewise cleanseth and healeth all foul ulcers, and sores whatsoever, and stayeth their inflammations by washing them with the water and laying on them a green leaf or two in the summer, or dry leaves in the winter. This water gargled warm in the mouth, and sometimes drank also doth cure the quinsy, or king's evil, in the throat. The said water applied warm, taketh away all spots, marks and scabs in the skin; and a little of it drank, quencheth thirst when it is extraordinary.