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Rupture-Wort

Description. This spreads very many thready branches round about the ground, about a span long, divided into many other smaller parts full of small joints, set very thick together, whereat come forth two very small leaves of a French yellow, green coloured branches and all, where grow forth also a number of exceeding small yellowish flowers, scarce to be discerned from the stalks and leaves, which turn into seeds as small as the very dust. The root is very long and small, thrusting down deep into the ground. This has neither smell nor taste at first, but afterwards has a little astringent taste, without any manifest heat; yet a little bitter and sharp withal. Place. It grows in dry, sandy, and rocky-places.

Time. It is fresh and green all the summer, but flowers in July. Government and virtues. They say Saturn causes ruptures; if he do he does no more than he can cure; if you want wit, he will teach you, though to your cost, This herb is Saturn's own, and it is a noble antivenerean. Rupture-wort has not its name in vain: for it is found by experience to cure the rupture, not only in children, but also in old persons, if the disease be not too inveterate, by taking a drachm of the powder of the dried herb every day in wine, or a decoction made and drank for certain days together. The juice or distilled water of the green herb, taken in the same manner, helps all other fluxes, either of man or woman; vomitings also, and the gonorrhoea or running of the reins, being taken any of the ways aforesaid. It does also most assuredly help those that have the stranguary, or are troubled with the stone or gravel in the reins or bladder. The same also helps stitches in the sides, griping, pains of the stomach or belly, the obstructions of the liver, and cures the yellow-jaundice; it likewise kills the worms in children. Being outwardly applied, it conglutinates wounds notably, and helps much to stay defluxions of rheum from the head to the eyes, nose, and teeth, being bruised green, and bound thereto; or the forehead, temples, or the nape of the neck behind, bathed with the decoction of the dried herb. It also dries up the moisture of fistulous ulcers or any other that are foul and spreading. The whole plant has a saltish taste, and is some what astringent, but it increases the urinary discharge; and the juice dropped into the eyes, takes away specks and films from them. The juice of the herb applied externally, is much celebrated for curing ruptures.