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♄ Sciatica-Cresses.
Description.
THese are of two kinds; The first riseth up with a round Stalk about two foot high spread into divers Branches, whose lower Leavs are somwhat larger than the upper, yet all of them cut, or torn on the edges, somwhat like unto Garden-Cresses, but smaller: The Flowers are smal and white, growing at the tops of the Branches, where afterwards grow Husks with smal brownish Seed therin, very strong and sharp in tast, more than the Cres∣ses of the Garden: The Root is long, white and woody.
The other hath the lower leavs whol, som∣what long and bread not torn at al, but only somwhat deeply dented about the edges to∣wards the ends, but those that grow up higher are lesser. The Flowers and Seed are like the former, and so is the Root likewise: and both Root and Seed as sharp as it.
Place.
These grow by the way sides in untilled pla∣ces, and by the sides of old Walls.
Time.
They Flower in the end of June, and their Seed is ripe in July.
Vertues and use.
The Leavs, but especially the Roots taken fresh in the Sūmer time, beaten & made into a Pultis or Salve, with old Hogs Greas, and applied to the place pained with the Sciatica,* 1.1 to continue theron four hours if it be on a Man, and two hours on a Woman; the place afterwards bathed with Wine and Oyl mixed together, and then wrapped with Wool or Skins after they have swet a little, wil assuredly cure not only the same Diseas in the Hips, Huc∣klebone, or other of the Joynts, as the Gout in the Hands or Feet, but all other old Griefs of the Head (as invererate Rhewms) and other part of the Body that is hard to be cured: And if of the former Griefs* 1.2 any part remain; the same Medicine after twenty daies is to be ap∣plied again. The same is also effectual in the Diseases of the Spleen•• and applied to the Skin it taketh away the blemishes therof, whe∣ther they be Scars, Leprosie, Scabs* 1.3 or Scurf: which although it exulcerate the part, yet that is to be helped afterwards with a Salve made of Oyl and Wax.
Esteem of this as another Secret.