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Of Eye-Bright

The Description.

EUphrasia or Eye-bright is a small low herbe not above two handfulls high, full of branches, covered with little blackish leaves dented or snipt about the edges like a Saw. The floures are small and white, sprinkled and poudered on the inner side, with yellow and purple speckes mixed therewith. The root is small and hairie.

The Place.

This plant groweth in dry medowes, in greene and grassie waies and pastures standing against the Sun.

The Time.

Eye-bright beginneth to floure in August, and continueth unto September, and must bee gathered while it floureth for physicks use. The Names.

It is commonly called Euphrasia.

The Vertues.

It is very much commended for the eies. Being taken it selfe alone, or any way else, it preserves the sight, and being feeble & lost it restores the same: it is given most fitly being beaten into pouder; oftentimes a like quantitie of Fennell seed is added thereto, and a little mace, to the which is put so much sugar as the weight of them all commeth to.

Eye-bright stamped and laid upon the eyes, or the juice thereof mixed with white Wine, and dropped into the eyes, or the distilled water, taketh away the darknesse and dimnesse of the eyes, and cleareth the sight. Three parts of the pouder of Eye-bright, and one part of maces mixed therewith, taketh away all hurts from the eyes, comforteth the memorie, and cleareth the sight, if halfe a spoonefull be taken every morning fasting with a cup of white wine.