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Groundsel.
Description.
OUr common Groundsel hath a round green, and somwhat brownish Stalk, spread toward the top into Branches, set with long and somwhat narrow green Leavs cut in on the edges, somwhat like the Oak Leavs, but lesser and round at the ends; at the tops of the Branches stand many smal green Heads, out of which grow small yellow threds or thrums, which are the Flowers, and continue many daies blown in that manner before it pass away into Down, and with the Seed is carried away in the wind, The Root is smal and threddy, and soon perisheth and as soon riseth again of its own sowing, so that it may be seen many Months in the Yeer, both green, and in Flower and Seed, for it will Spring and Seed twice in a yeer at least if it be suffe∣red in a Garden.
Place.
This groweth almost every where, as wel on the tops of Walls as at the foot among Rub∣bish, and untilled grounds, but especially in Gardens.
Time.
It Flowreth as is said before, almost in eve∣ry Month through the yeer.
Vertues and use.
The Decoction of the Herb (saith Dioscori∣des) made with Wine and Drunk `helpeth the pains in the Stomach proceeding of Choller* 1.1 (which it may well do by a Vomit, as daily experience sheweth) the Juyce hereof taken in Drink, or the Decoction of it in Ale, gently performeth the same: It is good against the Jaundice and Falling-sickness being taken in Wine, as also against difficulty of making Water, it provoketh Urin, expelleth Gravel in the Reins or Kidneys; a dram thereof gi∣ven in Oximel, after some walking or stir∣ring the Body; It helpeth also the Sciatica, griping of the Belly and the Chollick, helpeth the defects of the Liver, and provoketh Wo∣mens Courses. The fresh Herb boyled and made into a Pultis and appled to the Breasts of Women that are swollen with pain and heat, as also to the privy parts of Man or Wo∣man, the Seat, or Fundament, or the Arte∣ries, Joynts, and Sinews when they are infla∣med and swoln, doth much eas them: and used with some Salt helpeth to dissolve Knots or Kernels in any part of the Body. The Juyce of the Herb, or (as Dioscorides saith) the Leavs and Flowers with some fine Frankin∣cense in Pouder, used in Wounds of the Body, Nervs, or Sinews, doth singularly help to heal them: The Distilled Water of the Herb per∣formeth well all the aforesaid Cures, but e∣specially for Inflamations or watering of the Eyes by reason of the Defluxion of Rhewm into them.
This Herb is Venus her Mrs. piece, and is as gallant an Universal Medicine for all Dis∣eases coming of heat whatsoever they be, or in what part of the Body soever they lie, as the Sun shines upon; 'tis very safe and friendly to the Body of Man, yet causeth Vomiting if the Stomach be afflicted, if not, it purging, and it doth it with more gentleness than can be expected. 'Tis moist and somwhat cold withal, thereby causing expulsion, and re∣pressing the Heat caused by the motion of the internal parts in Purges and Vomits, Lay by your Learned Receipts, Take so much Sen∣na, so much Scammony, so much Colocynthis, so much Infusion of Crocus Metallorum, &c. This Herb alone preserved in a Syrup, in a distilled Water, in an Oyntment shal do the deed for you in all hot Diseases, and it shall do it, 1. Safely, 2. Speedily.