The Description.

            1. The first of these bastard wild Poppies hath slender weak stems a foot high, rough and hairy, set with leaves not unlike to those of Rocket, made of many small leaves deeply cut or jagged about the edges. The flowers grow at the top of the stalks, of a red colour, with some small blackness toward the bottom. The seed is small, contained in little round knobs. The root is small and thready.

            2. The second is like the first, saving that the cods hereof be long, and the other more round, wherein the difference doth consist.

The Place.

            These plants do grow in the corn fields in Somersetshire, and by the hedges and highways, as ye travel from London to Bath. Lobel found it growing in the next field unto a village in Kent called Southfleet, myself being in his company, of purpose to discover some strange plants not hitherto written of.

            Mr. Robert Lorkin and I found both these growing in Chelsea fields, as also in those belonging to Hammersmith: but the shorter headed one is a flower of a more elegant colour, and not so plentiful as the other.

The Time.

            They flower in the beginning of August, and their seed is ripe at the end thereof.

The Names.

            The bastard wild Poppy is called in Latin, Argemone, Argemonia, Concordia, Concordialis, and Herba liburnica: of some, Pergalium, Arsela, and Sacrocolla Herba: in English, Wind-rose, and Bastard Wild Poppy.

The Temperature.

            They are hot and dry in the third degree.

The Virtues.

            A. The leaves stamped, and the juice dropped into the eyes easeth the inflammation thereof; and cureth the disease of the eye called Argema, whereof it took his name: which disease when it happeneth on the black of the eye it appears white, and contrariwise when it is in the white then it appeareth black of colour.

            B. The leaves stamped and bound unto the eyes or face that are black or blue by means of some blow or stripe, doth perfectly take it away. The dry herb steeped in warm water worketh the like effect.

            C. The leaves and roots stamped, and the juice given in drink, helpeth the wringings or gripings of the belly. The dry herb infused in warm water doth the same effectually.

            D. The herb stamped, cureth any wound, ulcer, canker, or fistula, being made up into an unguent or salve, with oil, wax, and a little turpentine.

            E. The juice taken in the weight of two drams, with wine, mightily expelleth poison or venom.

            F. The juice taketh away warts if they be rubbed therewith; and being taken in meat it helps the milt or spleen if it be wasted.