Of Stitchwoort.

S titchwoort, or (as Ruellius termeth it) Holosteum, is of two kindes, and hath round tender ftalks, full of ioints, leaning toward the ground. At euery ioint grow two leaues one againft another. The flowers be white, compact of many fmall leaues, fet in the maner of a ftar. 2 The second is like the former in shape of leaues and flowers, which are set in forme of a star, but the leaues are orderly placed, and in good proportion by couples two together, being of a whitish colour, declining to crimson: when the flowers be vaded, then followe the seedes, which are inclosed in round bullets like the seede of flaxe. 1 Gramen Leucanthemum. Stitchwoort. <column-break/> 2 Gramen Leucanthemum alterum. Small Stitchwoort. <column-break/>

The place (el lugar).

They growe in the borders of fields vpon bank sides and hedges, almost euery where. The water Flower de-luce or yellow flag, prospereth well in moist medowes, and in the borders and brinkes of riuers, ponds, and standing lakes. And although it be a water plant of nature, yet being planted in gardens, it prospereth well.

The time (la época).

They flourish all the sommer, especially in May and Iune. These flower in May and Iune, bringing foorth their square cods, full of large yellowish flat seeds, ioined or piled togither like little cheeses.

The names (los nombres).

The Grecians call this plant ὁλόστεον: in Latine Tota ossea: in English All-bonie: whereof I see no reason, except it be by the figure Antonomia, as when we say in English, He is an honest man, our meaning is, that he is a knaue. For vndoubtedly this is a tender herbe, lightly braied or pound, hauing no such bonie or tough substance in him, according to the signification of his Greeke name. Wherefore I take it to be so called by contraries: commonly in English Stitchwoort. Flower de-luce is called in Greeke ἴρις: Atheneus and Theophrastus do reade ἴρις: as though they should say, Consecratrix, by which name it is also called of the Latins, Radix marica: or rather Radix Naronica, of the riuer Naron, by which the best and greatest store do growe: whereupon Nicander in his Treacles commendeth it thus, > Iridem quam aluit Drilon & Naronis ripa. Which may thus be Englished. > Iris, which Drilon water feedes, > And Narons bancke with other weedes. The Italians Giglio azurro: in Spanish Lilio Cardeno: in French Flambe: the Germaines Gilgen, Schwertel: in Dutch Lisch. The second is called in Latine, Iris palustris lutea, Pseudoacorus, and Acorus Palustris: in English, Water flags, bastard Flower de-luce, or water Flower de-luce.

The temperature (el temperamento).

The seede of Stitchwoort, as Galen writeth, is sharpe or biting to him that tasteth it: and to him that vseth it, very like to Mill. 1 The rootes of the Flower de-luce being as yet fresh and greene, and full of iuice, are hot almost in the fourth degree. The dried rootes are hot and drie in the thirde degree, burning the throate and mouth of such as taste thereof. The bastard Flower de-luce, his roote is colde and drie in the third degree, and of an astringent or binding facultie.

The vertues (las virtudes).

They are woont to drinke it in wine with the powder of Acornes, against the paine in the side, stitches, and such like. Diuers report, saith Dioscorides, that the seede of Stitchwoort being drunke, causeth a woman to bring foorth a man chiilde, if after the purgation of hir sicknes before she conceiue, she do drinke it fasting thrise in a day, halfe a dram at a time, in three ounces of water many daies togither. | 1 Iris vulgaris. | 2 Iris palustris lutea. | | :--- | :--- | | Flower de-luce. | Water flags, or Flower de-luce. | The roote of the common Flower de-luce cleane washed and stamped, with a fewe drops of rose water, and laide plaister-wise vpon the face of man or woman, doth in two daies at the most, take away the blacknes or blewnes of any stroke or bruise: so that if the skin of the same woman, or anie other person, be very tender and delicate; it shall be needfull that yee laie a peece of silke, sindall, or a peece of fine laune betweene the plaister and the skin: for otherwise in such tender bodies, it often causeth heate and inflammation. The iuice of the same doth not onely mightily and vehemently drawe foorth choler, but most especially waterish humours, and is a speciall and singular purgation for them that haue the dropsie, if it be drunk in whaie or some other liquor, that may somewhat temper and alaie his heate. The drie rootes attenuate or make thin thicke and tough humors, which are hardly and with difficultie purged away. They are good in a loche or licking medicine for shortnes of breath, an old cough, and all infirmities of the chest, which rise heereupon. They remedie those that haue euill spleenes, and those that are troubled with convulsions or cramps, biting of serpents, and the running of the raines, being drunke with vineger, as saith Dioscorides; and drunke with wine, it bringeth downe the monthly course of women. The decoction is good in womens bathes, for it mollifieth and openeth the matrix. Being boiled very soft, and laid to plaisterwise, mollifieth or softeneth the kings euill, and old hard swellings.