The herball or Generall historie of plantes. Gathered by Iohn Gerarde of London Master in Chirurgerie very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Iohnson citizen and apothecarye of London

¶ The Vertues.

Galen saith that the Cresses may be eaten with [ A] bread Velutiobsonium, and so the Antient 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsually did; and the low-Countrie men many times doe, who commonly vse to feed of Cresses with bread and butter. It is eaten with other sallade hearbes, as Tarragon and Rocket: and for this cause it is chiefely sowen.

It is good against the disease which the Germaines call Scorbuch and Scorbuye: in Latine, [ B] Scorbutus: which we in England call the Scuruie, and Scurby, and vpon the seas the Skyrby: it is as good and as effectuall as the Scuruie grasse, or water Cresses.

Dioscorides saith, if the seed be stamped and mixed with hony, it cureth the hardnesse of the [ C] milt: with Vineger and Barley meale parched it is a remedie against the Sciatica, and taketh away hard swellings and inflammations. It scoureth away tetters, mixed with brine: it ripeneth felons, called in Greeke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: it forcibly cutteth and raiseth vp thicke and tough humors of the chest, if it be mixed with things proper against the stuffing of the lungs.

Dioscorides saith it is hurtfull to the stomacke, and troubleth the belly.

[illustration]

3 Nasturtium Hispanicum. Spanish Cresses.

[illustration]

4 Nasturtium Petreum. Stone Cresses.

It driueth forth wormes, bringeth downe the floures, killeth the child in the mothers womb, [ D] and prouoketh bodily lust.

Being inwardly taken, it is good for such as haue fallen from high places: it dissolueth clutte∣red [ D] bloud, and preuenteth the same that it do not congeale and thicken in any part of the body: it procureth sweat, as the later Physitions haue found and tried by experience.