Kidneywort, or Wall∣Penyroyal.
♀ ♎ Description.
THis hath many thick, flat, and round Leavs growing from the Root, every one having a long Footstalk fastned underneth about the middle of it and a little uneven∣ly waved somtimes about the edges, of a pale green colour, and somwhat hollow on the up∣per side like a Sawcer; from among which rise one or more tender smooth hollow Stalks half a foot high with two or three smal Leavs thereon, usually not round as those below, but somwhat long and devided at the edges: The tops are somtimes devided into long Branches, bearing a number of Flowers, set round about a long spike one above another, which are hollow and like a little Bell, of a whitish green colour, after which come smal Heads contai∣ning very smal brownish Seed,, which falling on the ground, wil plentifully spring up before Winter, if it have moisture. The Root is round and most usually smooth, grayish with∣out and white within, having smal fibres at the head of the Root, and bottom of the Stalk.
Place.
It groweth very plentifully in many places of this Land, but especially in all the West parts thereof, upon stone and mud Wals, upon Rocks also, and in stony places upon the ground, at the Bottom of old Trees, and somtimes on the Bodies of them that are de∣cayed and rotten.
Time.
It usually Flowreth in the begining of May and the Seed is ripening quickly after, shed∣deth it self: so that about the end of May usu∣ally, the Leavs and Stalks, are withered, dry, and gone until September, that the Leavs spring up again, and so abide all Winter.
Vertues and Use.
The Juyce or the distilled water being drunk is very effectual for al Inflamations* 1.1 and unna∣tural heats, to cool a fainting hot Stomach, or a hot Liver or the Bowels: The bruised Herb or the place bathed with the Juyce or distilled Water thereof and outwardly applied healeth Pimples, Redness, St. Anthonies Fire, and o∣ther outward heats and Inflamations. The said Juyce or Water helpeth much also to heal sore Kidneys, torn or fretted by the Stone, or exulcerated within, and easeth the p••ns; It also provoketh Urine, and is available for the Dropsie, and helpeth to break the Stone, coo∣ling the Inflamed parts and other pains of the Bowels, and the bloody Flux; It is singular good to cool the painful Piles, or Hemorrhoi∣dal Veins, the Juyce being used as a Bath un∣to them, or made into an Oyntment: It is no less effectual to give eas of pains to the hot Gout,, the Sciatica, and the Inflamations and Swellings in the Cods; It helpeth the Ker∣nels or Knots in the Neck or Throat, called the Kings Evil; healeth Kibes and Chilblains if they be bathed with the Juyce, or anointed with an Oyntment made thereof, and some of the skin of the Leaf laid upon them; It is al∣so used in green Wounds to stay the Blood, and to heal them quickly.
Venus challengeth the Herb, under Libra.