Fig. 1059. Agrimony

The Description.

            The leaves of Agrimony are long & hairy, green above, and somewhat greyish underneath, parted into divers other small leaves snipped round about the edges, almost like the leaves of Hemp: the stalk is two foot and a half long, rough & hairy, whereupon grow many small yellow flowers one above another upwards toward the top: after the flowers come the seeds somewhat long and rough, like to small burrs hanging downwards; which when they be ripe do catch hold upon people's garments that pass by it. The root is great, long, and black.

The Place.

            It grows in barren places by highways, enclosures of meadows, and of corn fields; and often times in woods and copses, and almost everywhere.

The Time.

            It flowereth in June and somewhat later, and seedeth after that a great part of summer.

The Names.

            The Latins call it Eupatorium: Pliny, Eupatoria: yet there is another Eupatorium in Apuleius, and that is Marrubium, Horehound. In like maner the apothecaries of Germany have another Hepatorium that is there commonly used, being described in the last chapter, and may be named Hepatorium adulterinum. Agrimony is named Lappa inversa: and it is so called, because the seeds which are rough like burrs do hang downwards: of some, Philanthropos, of the cleaving quality of the seeds hanging to men's garments: the Italians and Spaniards call it Agramonia: in High Dutch, Odermeng, Bruckwurtz: in Low Dutch and in French, Agrimonie, and in English, Agrimony, and Egrimony: Eupatorium taketh the name of Eupator, the finder of it out: and (saith Pliny) it hath a royal and princely authority.

The Temperature.

            It is hot, and doth moderately bind, and is of a temperate dryness. Galen saith that Agrimony is of fine and subtle parts, that it cutteth and scoureth; therefore, saith he, it removes obstructions or stoppings out of liver, and doth likewise strengthen it by reason of the binding quality that is in it.

The Virtues.

            A. The decoction of the leaves of Agrimony is good for them that have naughty livers, and for such as piss blood upon the diseases of the kidneys.

            B. The seed being drunk in wine (as Pliny affirmeth) doth help the bloody flux.

            C. Dioscorides addeth, that it is a remedy for them that have bad livers, and for such as are bitten with serpents.

            D. The leaves being stamped with old swine's grease, and applied, closeth up ulcers that be hardly healed, as Dioscorides saith.

            E. Agrimony boiled in wine and drunk, helpes inveterate hepatic fluxes in old people.