A nievve herball, or historie of plantes wherin is contayned the vvhole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers [and] sundry kindes: their straunge figures, fashions, and shapes: their names, natures, operations, and vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly vsed in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongue, by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, physition to the Emperour: and nowe first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte Esquyer.

Of Flaxe / or Lyn. Chap. xlix.

❀ The Description.

FLax hath a tender stalke, couered with sharpe nar∣row leaues, parted at the toppe into small shorte branches, the whiche bringeth foorth fayre blewe floures, in steede wherof being now fallen there com∣meth vp round knappes, or buttons, in whiche is con∣tayned a blackishe seede, large, fatte, and shining.

❀ The Place.

Flaxe is sowen in this countrey, in fatte, and fine ground, especially in lowe moyst fieldes.

❀ The Tyme.

It floureth in May and Iune.

❀ The Names.

Flaxe is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Linum, and in Shoppes it is welknowen by the same name. And here ye may perceyue the cause why the base Al∣maignes do vse the worde Lyn, to all things made of Flaxe, or Lyne, as Linendoeck and Lijnen laken, that is to say, Lyneclothe, or clothe made of Lyne: in Englishe Flaxe, or Lyne: in Frenche Lin: in highe Douche Flaschsz: in base Almaigne Vlas.

[illustration]

Linum.

❀ The Nature.

The seede, whiche is muche vsed in medicine, is hoate in the firste degree, and temperate of moysture and drynesse.

❀ The Vertues.

The seede of Lyn boyled in water and layde too in manner of a pultis, or playster, appeaseth all payne. [ A] It softeneth all colde tumors, or swellings, the empostems of the eares, and neck, and of other partes of the body.

[ B] Lynseede pound with figges, doth rypen and breake all Empostems, layde there vpon: and draweth forth Thornes, and all other things that sticke fast in the body, if it be mingled with the roote of the wilde Cocomber.

[ C] The same mingled with Cresses and Hony, and layde vnto rough, rug∣ged, and euill fauoured nayles, aswell of the handes, as of the feete, causeth them that be corrupt to fall of, and cureth the partie. The same rawe, pounde and layde to the face, clenseth and taketh away all spottes of the face.

[ D] The wine wherein Lynseede hath bene boyled, preserueth the vlcers & old sores, y^t shalbe washed in the same, frō corruption, festering or inward rāckling.

[ E] The water wherein Lynsede hath bene boyled, doth quicken and cleare the sight, if it be often dropped or stilled into the eyes.

[ F] The same taken in glisters swageth the gryping paynes of the belly, and of the Matrix or Mother, and cureth the woundes of the bowelles, and Matrix, if there be any.

[ G] Lynseede mengled with Hony, & taken as an Electuary, or Lochoch, clean∣feth the breast, and appeaseth the Cough, and eaten with Raysons, is good for such as are fallen into Consumtions, and feuer Hetiques.

❀ The Daunger.

The seede of Lin, taken into the body, is very euill for the stomacke: it hin∣dereth the digestion of meates, and engendreth much windinesse.