Blagrave's supplement or enlargement to Mr. Nich. Culpeppers English physitian containing a description of the form, names, place, time, coelestial government, and virtues, all such medicinal plants as grow in England, and are omitted in his book, called, The English-physitian, and supplying the additional virtues of such plants wherein he is defective : also the description, kinds, names, place, time, nature, planetary regiment, temperature, and physical virtues of all such trees, herbs, roots, flowers, fruits, excrescencies of plants, gums, ceres, and condensate juices, as are found in any part of the world, and brought to be sold in our druggist and apothecaries shops, with their dangers and corrections / by Joseph Blagrave ... ; to which is annexed, a new tract for the cure of wounds made by gun-shot or otherways, and remedies for the help of seamen troubled with the scurvy and other distempers ...

Rattle, Red and yellow.

Kinds, Names.] OF this we shall describe two sorts: the one called common red Rattle, pedicularis pra∣tensis rubra vulgaris; the other yellow Rattle or Coxcomb, pedicularis sive crista galli lutea; it is also called Fistularia, of the hollowness of the stalks, and Coxcomb, because the flowers as some think do stand like a Cocks comb at the tops of the stalks; it is also called Rattle grass and Louse-wort.

Descript.] 1. Common red Rattle, Pedicularis pratensis rubra vul∣garis; this hath sundry reddish hollow stalks and sometimes green, rising from the roots lying for the most part on the ground, yet some growing more upright with sundry small reddish or greenish leaves set on both sides of a middle rib, finely dented about the edges; the flowers stand at the tops of the stalks, and branches of a fine purplish red colour, like small gaping hoods: after which come small blackish flat seeds in small husks, which ly∣ing loose therein, will rattle with shaking: the root consisteth of small whi∣tish strings with some fibres thereat.

Descript.] 2. Yellow Rattle or Coxcomb, Pedicularis sive crista galli, lutea; The common yellow Rattle hath seldome above one round green stalk, rising from the root, about half a yard or two foot high, and with but few branches thereon, having two long and somewhat broad leaves, set at a joynt deeply dented or cut in the edges, resembling therein the Crests or Combe of a Cock, broadest next to the stalk and smaller to the end; the flowers grow at the tops of the stalks, with some shorter leaves with them, being hooded after the same manner that the red ones are, but of a fair yellow colour in most, or else in some paler and in some more white: the seed is contained in large husks, and with lying loose in them will rattle when they are ripe: the root is small and slender, and dyeth every Winter.

Place and Time.] Some of both these kinds grow in Meadows and Woods generally throug•• out our Land, where they are rather an an∣noyance than of any good use for Cattel. They are in flower from Midsummer till after August sometimes.

Government and Vertues.] These Plants are Saturnine, of a cold and drying property: the red Rattle is good to heal up Fistula's and hol∣low Ulcers, and to stay the flux of humours to them, and also the abundance of womens courses, or any o∣ther flux of blood to be boyled in harsh or red wine, and drunk. The yellow Rattle is also held to be good for those that are troubled with a Cough or dimness of Sight, if the herb being boyled with Beans and some honey put thereto be drunk, or dropped into the eyes; The whole seed being put into the eyes doth draw forth a∣ny skin, film or dimness from the sight without trouble or pain.

Notes

• Fistula's, Ʋl∣cers, Courses.
• Cough, Dimness of Sight.