The Description.
I Pimpernell is like unto Chickweed; the stalkes are foure square, trailing here and there upon the ground, whereupon do grow broad leaves, and sharpe pointed, set together by couples: from the bosomes whereof come forth slender tendrels, whereupon doe grow small purple floures tending to rednesse: which being past there succeed fine round bullets, like unto the seed of Coriander, wherein is contained small dusty seed. The root consisteth of slender strings.
2 The female Pimpernell differeth not from the male in any one point, but in the colour of the floures; for like as the former hath reddish floures, this plant bringeth forth floures of a most perfect blew colour; wherein is the difference.
(Dagger)3 Of this there is another variety set forth by Clusius by the name of Anagallis tenuifolio Monelli, because he received the figure and History thereof from John Monell of Tourney in France; it differs thus from the last mentioned, the leaves are longer and narrower, somewhat like those of Gratiola, and they now and then grow three at a joynt, and out of the bosomes of the leaves come commonly as many little foot-stalkes as there are leaves, which carry floures of a blew colour with the middle purplish, and these are somewhat larger than them of the former, otherwise like.(Dagger)
4 The yellow Pimpernell hath many weake and feeble branches trailing upon the ground, beset with leaves one against another like the great Chickweed, not unlike to Nummularia, or Moneywoort; betweene which and the stalkes, come forth two single and small tender foot-stalkes, each bearing at their top one yellow floure and no more. The root is small and threddy.
The Place.
They grow in plowed fields neere path waies, in Gardens and Vineyards almost every where. The yellow Pimpernell growes in the woods betweene Highgate and Hampstead, and in many other woods.
The Time.
They floure in Summer, and especially in the moneth of August, at what time the husbandmen having occasion to go unto their harvest worke, will first behold the floures of Pimpernell, whereby they know the weather that shall follow the next day after; as for example, if the floures be shut close up, it betokeneth raine and foule weather; contrariwise, if they be spread abroad, faire weather.
The Temperature.
Both the sorts of Pimpernell are of a drying faculty without biting, and somewhat hot, with a certaine drawing quality, insomuch that it doth draw forth splinters and things fixed in the flesh, as Galen writeth.
The Vertues.
Dioscorides writes, That they are of power to mitigate paine, to cure inflammations and hot swellings, to draw out of the body and flesh thornes, splinters, or shivers of wood, and to helpe the Kings Evill.
The juyce purgeth the head by gargarising or washing the throat therewith; it cures the tooth-ach being snift up into the nosethrils, especially into the contrary nosethrill.
It helpeth those that be dim sighted: the juyce mixed with hony cleanses the ulcers of the eye called in Latine Argema.
Moreover he affirmeth, That it is good against the stinging of Vipers, and other venomous beasts.