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CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

 

GOLDEN WAKE ROBIN

Description. This little but neglected plant has a roundish tuberous root, brown on the outside, and white within, placed at no considerable depth below the surface of the ground, and furnished with a few fibres. The leaves, which are marked with beautiful gold coloured veins, grow alternately upon the stock; they are oblong, smooth at the edges, pointed at the ends, and of a fine fresh green, and often some spots of white are visible on them. The stem is round, thick, and ten inches or a foot high. On its top stands a single flower, of a fine yellow, which is afterwards succeeded by fine bright red berries.

Place. It is common under hedges, and in most meadows.

Time. It flowers in May.

Government and virtues. It is under the dominion of the Sun. The root of Wake Robin is chiefly used in physic; it is a most powerful antiscorbutic, and by the activity of its subtle parts, it cuts all viscidities, and therefore is of service to humourous asthmas, in which case it should be bruised and gently boiled in a close vessel, in half white-wine, and half water, and sweetened with honey of roses. The root bruised and mixed with cow's dung, and applied warm in a fit of the gout and rheumatic pains, is not without reason commended by Matthiolus. The root also beat up with vinegar and laid upon a bruised part, will dissipate the stagnating blood, and prevent or take off the blackness of the skin. It is most certain that with drying and long keeping it loses all its subtle pungent parts, and nothing but a measly insipid substance remains, wherefore it should always be used as soon as gathered, and the best way is in infusions. However, if it be imediately sprinkled with good vinegar, and afterwards dried and reduced to a powder, it will retain its virtue longer, but should be kept in a vessel close stopt, otherwise it is the worst ingredient in the powder that bears its name.

Few plants have puzzled system-masters more than the above, not knowing where to place it. Yet had they followed the obvious character impressed by nature in the fruit, the confusion had been avoided; for whatever diputes may have arisen from teh singularity of the flower, the fruit is a berry, which plainly distinguishes it from any other plant.

Nor can many plants boast that variety of appellations which have distinguished the present article. It has been called Meadow Pink, Crow-Flower, Wild Williams, Ragged Robin, Cuckoo-Flower, and Meadow Lichnis.

The agreement between the blowing of flowers, and the periodical return of the birds of passage, has been attended to from the earliest ages, before the return of the seasons was exactly ascertained by astronomy, these observations were of great consequence in pointing out stated times for the purposes of agriculture, and still, in many a cottage, the birds of passage and their corresponding flowers assist in regulating

"The short and simple annals of the poor;"

for this reason, no doubt, we have several other plants, that in different places go by the name of Cuckoo-Flower. Gerard says, Cardamine pratensis (common Ladies-Smock) is the true Cuckoo-Flower; Shakespear's Cuckoo Buds are of yellow hue; by some the Orchis, Arum, and Wood-sorrel, are all called after the Cuckoo.


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