Fig. 1079. Devil's-Bit

The Description.

            Devil's-Bit hath small upright round stalks of a cubit high, beset with long leaves somewhat broad, very little or nothing snipped about the edges, somewhat hairy and even. The flowers also are of a dark purple colour, fashioned like the flowers of Scabious, which being ripe are carried away with the wind. The root is black, thick, hard and short, with many thready strings fastened thereto. The great part of the root seemeth to be bitten away: old fantastic charmers report, that the Devil did bite it for envy, because it is an herb that hath so many good virtues, and is so beneficial to mankind.

The Place.

            Devil's-Bit groweth in dry meadows and woods, and about waysides. I have found great store of it growing in Hampstead Wood near London, at Lee in Essex, and at Rayleigh in Essex, in a wood called Hammerell, and sundry other places.

The Time.

            It flowereth in August, and is hard to be known from Scabious, saving when it flowereth.

The Names.

            It is commonly called Morsus diaboli, or Devil's-Bit, of the root (as it seemeth)that is bitten off: for the superstitious people hold opinion, that the Devil for envy that he beareth to mankind bit it off, because it would be otherwise good for many uses: it is called of Fuchsius, Succisa: in High Dutch Teuffels Abbisz: in Low Dutch, Duyvelles beet: in French Mors du Diable: in English, Devil's-Bit, and Forebit. Fabius Columna judgeth it to be the Pycnocomon of Dioscorides, described by him lib. 4. cap. 176.

The Temperature.

            Devil's-Bit is something bitter, and of a hot and dry temperature, and that in the later end of the second degree.

The Virtues.

            A. There is no better thing against old swellings of the almonds, and upper parts of the throat that be hardly ripened.

            B. It cleanseth away slimy phlegm that sticketh in the jaws, it digesteth and consumeth it: and it quickly taketh away the swellings in tbose parts, if the decoction thereof be often held in the mouth and gargarised, especially if a little quantity of mel rosarum, or honey of Roses be put into it.

            C. It is reported to be good for the infirmities that Scabious serveth for, and to be of no less force against the stingings of venomous beasts, poisons, and pestilent diseases, and to consume and waste away plague sores, being stamped and laid upon them.

            D. And also to mitigate the pains of the matrix or mother, and to drive forth wind, if the decoction thereof be drunk.