Solomons Seal.
Description.
THe common Solomons Seal riseth up with a round Stalk about half a yard high, bowing or bending down to the top, set with single Leavs one above another, somwhat large and like the Leavs of the Lilly∣Convalley, or May Lilly, with an eye of blew∣ish upon the green, with some ribs therein, and more yellowish underneath: At the foot of every Leaf almost from the bottom up to the top of the Stalk come forth small long white and hollow pendulous Flowers, som∣what like the Flowers of May-Lilly, but en∣ding in five long points, for the most part two together, at the end of a long Footstalk, and somtimes but one, and sometimes also two Stalks with Flowers at the Foot of a Leaf, which are without any scent at all, and stand all on one side of the Stalk: After they are past, come in their places, smal round Berries, green at the first, and blackish green, tending to blewness when they are ripe, wherein lie smal white hard and stony Seed: The Root is of the thickness of ones finger or Thumb, white and knobbed in some places, with a flat round circle representing a Seal, whereof it took the name, lying along under the upper crust of the Earth, and not growing downward but with many fibres underneath.
Place.
It is frequent in diverse places of this Land, as namely in a Wood two miles from Canter∣bury, by Fishpool-Hill: as also in a bushy Close belonging to the Parsonage of Alderbury neer Clarindon, two miles from Salisbury; in Chesson Wood, on Chesson Hill, between Newington and Sittingborn in Kent, and in diverse other places, in Essex and other Counties.
Time.
It Flowreth about May, The Root abideth, and shooteth anew every yeer.
Vertues and Use.
The Root of Solomons Seal is found by ex∣perience to be available in Wounds,* 1.1 Hurts, and outward Sores, to heal and close up the lips of those that are green, and to dry up and restrain the Flux of Humors to those that are old: It is singular good to stay Vomitings, and Bleedings wheresoever, as also al Fluxes in man or woman, whether the Whites or Reds in Women, or the running of the Reins in men; also to knit any Joynt which by weakness u∣seth to be often out of place, or will not stay in long, when it is set: also to knit and joyn broken Bones in any part of the Body, the Roots being bruised and applied to the place: Yea it hath been found by late experience that the Decoction of the Root in Wine, or the bruised Root put in Wine or other drink, and after a nights infusion strained forth hard and drunk, hath holpen both man and Beast whose Bones have been broken by any occasion, which is the most assured refuge of help to people of diverse Countries of this Land, that they can have: It is no less effectual to help Rupture and Burstings, the Decoction in Wine, or the Pouder in Broth or Drink being inwardly taken and outwardly applyed to the place: The same is also available for inward