The Description.

            1. Water-Hemp or Water-Agrimony is seldom found in hot regions, for which cause it is called Eupatorium cannabinum fœmina septentrionalium, and groweth in the cold Northern countries in moist places, and in the midst of ponds, slow running rivers, and ditches. The root continueth long, having many long and slender strings, after the nature of water herbs: the stalks grow a cubit and a half high, of a dark purple colour, with many branches standing by distances one from another. The leaves are more indented and less hairy than the male kind: the flowers grow at the top, of a brown yellow colour, spotted with black spots like Aster atticus; which consisteth of such a substance as is in the midst of the Daisy, or the Tansy flower, and is set about with small and sharp leaves, such as are about the Rose, which causeth the whole flower to resemble a star, and it savoreth like gum elemni, rosin or Cedar wood when it is burned. The seed is long like Pyrethrum, closely thrust together, and lightly cleaveth to any woollen garment, that it toucheth by reason of his roughness. This is found with the leaves whole, and also with them parted into three parts: the second is expressed by this figure we give you here.

            2. There is another wild Hemp growing in the water, whereof there be two sorts more, delighting to grow in the like ground, in show differing very little. This springs up with long round stalks, and somewhat reddish, about two cubits high, or something higher: they are beset with long green leaves indented about the edges, whereof you shall see commonly five or seven of those leaves hanging upon one stem like the leaves of hemp, but yet softer. The flowers are little, of a pale reddish colour, consisting of soft round tufts, and stand perting upon the top of the sprigs, which at length vanish away into down: the root underneath is full of thready strings of a mean bigness.

The Place

            They grow about the brinks of ditches, running waters, and standing pools, and in watery places almost everywhere.

The Time.

            They flower and flourish in July and August: the root continues, but the stalks and lades wither away in winter.

The Names.

            The bastard or wild Hemps, especially those of the water, are commonly called Hepatorium cannabinum: of divers also Eupatorium: Leonhard Fuchsius nameth it Eupatorium adulterinum: of most cannabina, of the likeness it hath with the leaves of Cannabis, Hemp, and Eupatorium avicennæ. It is thought also to be that which Baptista Sardus doth term Terzola: in High Dutch, S. Kunigund Kraut; that is to say in Latin; Sanctæ Cunigunda herba, S. Cunigund's herb: in Low-Dutch, Boelkens Kruit: in English, Water Hemp, Bastard and Water Agrimony. It is called Hepatorium, of the faculty, being good for Hepar, the liver. I have named the second Common Dutch Agrimony, because it is commonly used for Agrimony in the shops of that country.

 The Temperature.

            The leaves and roots of these herbs are bitter, also hot and dry in the second degree: they have virtue to scour and open, to attenuate or make thin thick and gross humours, and to expel or drive them forth by urine: they cleanse and purify the blood.

The Virtues, which chiefly belong to the last described.

            A. The decoction hereof is profitably given to those that be scabbed and have filthy skins; and likewise to such as have their spleen and liver stopped or swollen: for it taketh away the stoppings of both those entrails, and also of the gall: wherefore it is good for them that have the jaundice, especially somewhat after the beginning.

            B. The herb boiled in wine or water is singular good against tertian fevers.

            C. The decoction drunk, and the leaves outwardly applied, do heal all wounds both inward and outward.

            D. Fuchsius saith that the second is very effectual against poison. And Gesner in his Epistles affirmeth, that he boiled about a pugil of the fibres of the root of this plant in wine, and drunk it, which an hour after gave him one stool, and afterwards twelve vomits, whereby he cast up much phlegm: so that it works (saith he) like White Hellebore, but much more easily and safely, and it did me very much good.