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Peter's Wort

Name. Called also spelt.

Description. It rises up with square upright stalks for the most part, some greater and higher than St. John's wort (and good reason too, St. Peter being the greater apostle--ask the Pope else--for though God would have the saints equal, the Pope is of another opinion) but brown in the same manner, having two leaves at every joint, somewhat like, but larger than St. John's wort, and a little rounder pointed, with few or no holes to be seen thereon, and having sometimes smaller leaves rising from the bosom of the greater, and sometimes a little hairy also. At tops of the two stalks stand many star-like flowers, with yellow threads in the middle, very like those of St. John's wort, insomuch that this is hardly discerned from it, but only by its largeness and height, the seed being alike in both. The root abides long, sending forth new shoots every year.

Place. It grows in many groves, and small low woods, in divers places in this country, as in Kent, Huntingdon, Cambridge, and Northamptonshire; as also near water-courses in other places.

Time. It flowers in June and July; and the seed is ripe in August. Government and virtues. There is not a straw to choose between this and St. John's worts, only St. Peter must have it, lest he should want pot-herbs: it is of the same property as St. John's wort, but somewhat weaker, and therefore more seldom used. Two drachms of the seed taken at a time in honeyed water, purges choleric humours (as says Dioscorides, Pliny, and Galen) and thereby helps those that are troubled with the sciatica. The leaves are used as St. John's wort, to help those places of the body that have been burnt with fire.