Of the Qaujes of IVMeiers til things . 17

as for eximple>to make fruitful and barren ; both which, the herb Ragge-wort isforcible unto-, for they grow double, a greater and a smaller ; the greater helps ge-neration, the smaller hinders it. And this herb is called Testiculns. Some herbs aregood for procreation of a male, and feme of a female ; as the herb which is calledMarifica,and Foeminipara ; both are like each other r the fruit of the Facm'mipara islike the moss of an Olive-treejihe fruit of the Maripara is double like a mans stones.The fruit of white Ivy will make feed barren, but the fruit cf Arfemcrywill make itfertile ; which fruit is a small grain, like to Millet. The leaves of the herb Harts-tougue will make a man quite'barren,if the herb it self be barren ; for there is Harts-tongue that bears fruit, and this will make a man fruitful. It is a thing robe notedinalsur, that a flower grows within the roughnesse and prickles of it, which dothhot shew it self, but conceives and brings forth feed within itself; much like asWeasils and Vipers do: for they bring forth egges within themselves, and soonafter bring forth young ones; so the Bur contains, and cherishes, and ripens theflower within it self, and afterward yeelds fruit. But the'e things have both theactive and passive parts of generation. writeth, That the herb Scorpius

refembleth the tail of the Scorpion, and is good against his hieing?. So he faith, thatthe herb Dragon, both the greater and the less, is full of speckles like a Serpentshackle, and is a remedy against their hurts: so the herb Arifaron in Egypr, andWake-robin,and Garlick,bear feeds like a Snakes head ; and so Buglofs and Or-chanet bear feeds like a Vipers head. and these are good to heal their venemousbitings. Likewise Stone-crop and Saxifrage are good to break the stone in a mansbladder: and many other such things he there sets down. Galen faith, That theLark hath a crested crown, of the fashion of the herb Fumitory, and that either ofthem is good against the Cholick. Pliny hath gathered into his books, many thingsout of the Antients works that were extant in his time. We will relate some ofthem. He faith, That an herb which grows in the head of an Image, being wrapt ina cloth,is good for the Head-ach. Many men have written of Holy-wort: it hath.a flie-beetle in the stalk, that runs up and down in it, makings noise like a Kid,(whence it receives the name) ; and this herb is passing good for the voice. Or -sheets found out by his wit, the properties of Stones. The stone Galactites, in co-lour like milk, if you cast the dust of it upon the back of a Goat, she will give milkmore plentifully to her young; if you give it a nurse in her drink , it encreases hermilk. Christal is like unto water; if one sick of an Ague keep it, aud roul it !a hisinouth, it quenches his thirst. The Amethist is in colour like wine, and it keeps fromdrunkenness. In the stone Achates you may fee fruits, trees, fields and medows*the powder of it cast about the horns.or shoulders of Oxen as they are at plough,will cause great encreafe of fruits. The stone Ophites refembleth the speckles andspots of Serpents, and it cures their bitings. If you dash the stone Galcophonos, i tsounds like brass: stage-players are wont to wear ir, because it makes one have anexcellent voice. The stone Hematites being rubbed, is like blood, and is good sotthose that bleed, and for blood-fhot eyes: and the stone Sinoper is of the fame bothcolour and vertue. The residue I will not here set down, because I havehandled them more at large, in that which I have written of die knowledgeof Plants*

Chap. XII,

How to compound and lay things together , by this bigness.

t*tE have shewed how that Nature Iayes open the likenesse of vertues andVV properties; now let us shew how to compound and lay those things to-gether : for this is a principle of most use in this faculty, and the very rootof the greatest part of secret and strange operations. Wherefore here thoumust imitate the exact diligence of the Antients, studying to know how to

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