The Description.

            1. The first kind of Elatine, being of Fuchsius and Matthiolus called Veronica fœmina, the Female Fluellen, shooteth from a small and fibrous root many flexible and tender branches, dispersed flat upon the ground, ramping & creeping with leaves like Nummularia, but that the leaves of Elatine are of an hoary, hairy, and overworn green colour; among which come forth many small flowers, of a yellow colour mixed with a little purple, like unto the small Snapdragon, having a certain tail or spur fastened unto every such flower, like the herb called Larkspur. The lower jaw or chap of the flower is of a purple colour, and the upper jaw of a fair yellow; which being past, there succeeds a small black seed contained in round husks.

            2. The second kind of Elatine hath stalks, branches, flowers, and roots, like the first; but the leaves are fashioned like the former, but that they have two little ears at the lower end, somewhat resembling an arrowhead, broad at the setting on: but the spur or tail of the flower is longer, and more purple mixed with the yellow in the flower.

The Place.

            Both these plants I have found in sundry places where corn hath grown, espeeially barley, as in the fields about Southfleet in Kent, where within six miles compass there is not a field wherein it doth not grow.

            Also it groweth in a field next unto the house sometime belonging to that honourable gentleman Sir Francis Walsingham, at Barn Elms and in sundry places of Essex; and in the next field unto the churchyard at Chiswick near London, towards the midst of the field.

The Time.

            They flower in August and September.

The Names.

            Their several titles set forth their names as well in Latin as English.

The Nature and Virtues

            A. These plants are not only of a singular astringent faculty, and thereby help them that be grieved with the dysentery and hot swelling; but of such singular efficacy to heal spreading and eating cankers, and corrosive ulcers, that their virtue in a manner passeth all credit in these fretting sores, upon sure proof done unto sundry persons, and especially upon a man whom Pena reporteth to have his nose eaten most grievously with a canker or eating sore, who sent for the physicians & chirurgeons that were famously known to be the best, and they with one content concluded to cut the said nose off, to preserve the rest of his face: among these surgeons and physicians came a poor sorry barber, who had no more skill than he had learned by tradition, and yet undertook to cure the patient. This foresaid barber standing in the company and hearing their determination, desired that he might make trial of an herb which he had seen his master use for the same purpose, which herb Elatine, though he were ignorant of the name whereby it was called, yet he knew where to fetch it. To be short, this herb he stamped, and gave the juice of it unto the patient to drink, and outwardly applied the same plasterwise, and in very short space perfctly cured the man, and saved the rest of his body from further corruption, which was ready to fall into a leprosy. Adversaria pag. 197.

            B. Elatine helpeth the inflammation of the eyes, and defendeth humours flowing unto them, being boiled, and as a poultice applied thereto.

            C. The leaves sodden in the broth of a hen, or veal, stayeth the dysentery.

            D. The new writers affirm, that the Female Fluellen openeth the obstructions or stoppings of the liver and spleen, provoketh urine, driveth forth stones, and cleanseth the kidneys and bladder, according to Paulus.

            E. The weight of a dram or of a French crown, of the powder of the herb, with the like weight of treacle, is commended against pestilent fevers.