> as lemmas

?a1300 in T. Hunt Plant Names Medieval Eng. (1989) 144 [Iacea] alba et nigra, anglice madefeloun.

a1400 J. Mirfield Sinonoma Bartholomei (1882) 24 Jacia nigra, matfelonn.

?a1450 Agnus Castus (Stockh.) (1950) 166 (MED) Iasia nigra is an herbe þat men clepe matfeloun [v.rr. madfeloun, maudefelun, maidfeloun] or bollewed or hyrnehard or cnopwourte.

c1465 Care of Horses (Yale Beinecke 163) f. 52^v Giff hym drynke made in this wyse take a galon of welle water and cast in-to an hanfull of salt and iij hanfulle of Metfoln.

?a1500 in G. Henslow Med. Wks. 14th Cent. (1899) 45 (MED) For þe felon. Take matfelon and flouris of gold-wort.

1578 H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball i. lxxiii. 109 The fourth is now called on Shoppes Iacea nigra, and Materfilon: and it hath none other name knowen vnto vs.

1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 588 Matfellon or blacke Knapweede is doubtlesse a kind of Scabious.

1633 T. Johnson Gerard's Herball (new ed.) ii. ccxlix. 727 The third kinde of Matfellon, or Knapweed is very like vnto the former great Knapweed..sauing that the floures of this plant are of an excellent faire yellow colour.

1640 J. Parkinson Theatrum Botanicum 469 We call it in English Bullweede, and Knapweede, as also Matfellon.

1724 J. J. Dillenius Ray's Synopsis Methodica Stirpium Brit. (ed. 3) 198 Jacea major..Great Knapweed or Matfellon.

1758 M. Delany Autobiogr. & Corr. (1861) III. 507 Matfellon and figwort flourish here remarkably.

1766 Museum Rusticum 6 451 Common, or Black Knapweed, Matfellon, Black Matfellon, or Bulweed.

1829 S. Glover Hist. County of Derby I. 124 Centaurea Jacea, common knapweed or matfellow [sic].

1866 J. Lindley & T. Moore Treasury Bot. II. 724/2 Matfellon, Centaurea nigra.

1931 M. Grieve Mod. Herbal II. 456/2 This larger species [sc. Centaurea scabiosa] was in olden times called ‘Matte Felon’, from its use in curing felons or whitlows.