the joynts with the leaves on both sides of the stalke three for the most part standing together except the uppermost of all where they stand five together each of them with a short footestalke under them consisting of five small pointed leaves spread like a starre of a pale blew colour finely spotted with many small blacke prickes on the inside having a small umbone in the middle and five small threds tipt with yellow standing about it the seede that follweth is enclosed in such heads or huskes as the Gentians have the roote is small and yellow with many fibres annexed unto it Hereunto I may referre another very like unto it found in the North parts of this land namely in Lancashire by Mr. Hesket a Gentleman in his life time very skilfull in the knowledge of Plants whose figure I here exhibit that some other may be stirred up to finde it out againe that we may have further knowledge thereof Centiana dubia Anglica 2. Gentianella aestiva cordata Small Heartlike Sommer Gentian This Sommer Gentian hath a small long fibrous but wooddy yellowish roote and thereby may be judged to be but annuall and not abiding from whence arise small leaves somewhat round pointed with a greenish yellow â—ibbe in the middle of them two alwaies set one against another the stalke is square about halfe a foote high with the like leaves at the joyntes and divided from the middle upwards into divers small short branches on the toppes whereof stand very large flowers in comparison to the smallnesse of the Plant which is of a whitish blew colour before it be open and writhed together like to many of the flowers of the small Bindeweeds but being opened consisteth of a long hollow round huske ending in five hard leaves somewhat broad and pointed like a starre of as brave a deepe blew colour as any of the former betweene those greater leaves there are other smaller leaves set each of them round at the ends and dented in making them seeme like unto a heart as it is painted from whence the name in the title cordata heart-like was imposed upon it the like forme being not observed in any of the other the seede vessell after the flower is past groweth to have a small long necke and bigger above which being ripe openeth it selfe at the head contrary to the rest containing within it much blacke seede but twise as bigge and as long as the other 3. Gentianella aestiva purpuro-caerulea Small purple Sommer Gentian This purple Sommer Gentian shooteth forth a reasonable strong stalke a foote and a halfe high with divers joynts and two leaves at every one of them somewhat broad at the bottome where it joyneth to the stalke not having any footestalke to stand on growing smaller to the end and long pointed the stalke at the toppe hath some short branches whereon are set five or six or more small purplish blew flowers ending in five small pointed leaves after they are fallen and past come up small long cornered pods or seede vessels containing much small seede the roote is slender long and fibrous and perisheth after bearing raising it selfe againe from its owne sowing and if it spring before Winter it will endure it well and flower the next yeare else if it rise in the Spring it will abide all the first yeare and flower and seede the next 4. Gentianella aestiva flore lanuginoso Sommer Gentian with a cottony flower This Sommer Gentian springeth up with many long and narrow leaves lying in compasse upon the ground with three veines in every one of them as is usuall in all or most of the Gentians from among which riseth up a square stalke about a foote high or more bearing at every joynt two such like leaves as grow below but lesser and longer pointed at the joynts with the leaves toward the toppes of the stalkes shoote forth two or three short branches bearing every of them three or foure flowers larger then the former and bigger bellyed ending in five points or leaves of a paler purple colour having a small purplish cottony downynesse at the bottome of each of the leaves where they are divided on the inside after the flowers are fallen there appeare small long huskes like hornes full of small round seede the roote is small and long of a pale colour somewhat wooddy perishing as all the Sommer kindes doe 5. Gentianella aestiva flore breviore Sommer Gentian with short flowers This kinde of Gentian is somewhat like unto the last but that the leaves are broader by the halfe two alwaies standing at a joynt of a deeper greene colour the stalke is square and branched at the toppe in the same manner bearing divers flowers on every of them which are both shorter and greater then they and of a pale blewish colour the seedes and rootes are much alike all these kinds as well as the former are very bitter which cause them to be referred to Gentian 6. Gentianella aestiva minima Neapolitana The small Sommer Gentian of Naples This small Gentian hath small square stalkes little more then halfe a foote high but fuller of branches and flowers then the last the leaves thereon are somewhat long and narrow the stalkes are branched from the bottome with many small flowers on them standing in small huskes which are long like a cuppe the brimmes ending in foure parts somewhat distant one from another making the ends to seeme the longer of a purplish colour enclining to rednesse with a small woollinesse at the bottome of each of the foure leaves where they are divided and white also on the inside at the lower part of them and of a paler purple about the edges after which come up small long heads forked at the toppe wherein is contained small round shining yellowish seed yet bigger then any of the former the roote is longer and more full of threds or fibres then the last spreading much under ground The Place The first as Clusius saith Dr. Penny of London shewed him the figure and gave him the description and told him that he gathered it upon Bockmut a hill of the Switzers and the other of that kinde as is said in some places of Lancashire but we know not where Columna saith he found the second upon the hils Aequicoli in Naples The third and fourth groweth in the meddowes at the foote of hills in many places of Germany as Clusius saith The fifth groweth on the toppes of hills onely in many places of Austria And the last on the hils in Naples as Columna saith The Time These doe all flower in the Sommer Moneths of Iuly and August and not before the seede growing ripe soone after which shedding themselves continue their kinds but will hardly endure transplantation or rise of the seed sowen in a Garden as both Camerarius and others have observed and my selfe can say the same The Names These are called Gentianellae aestivae and are mediae inter Gentianas Centaurias minores as
to be taken inwardly the juyce also clarified and mingled with a little vinegar is good to wash the mouth and throate that is inflamed but outwardly the juyce of the herbe or berries with oyle of Roses and a little vinegar and cerusse laboured together in a leaden Morter is very good to anoint all hot inflammations Saint Anthonies fire all other grieved places that are molested with heate as the head ache and frenzies anointing the temples and forehead therewith as also the heate and inflammation in the eyes it doth also much good for the shingles ringwormes and in all running fretting corroding ulcers and in weeping or moist Fistulaes if the juice be made up with some hens dung and applied thereunto a pessary dipped in the juyce and put up into the matrixe stayeth the immoderate fluxe of womens courses a cloth wet therein and applied to the testicles or cods upon any swelling therein giveth much ease as also to the goute that commeth of hot and sharpe humours the juyce dropped into the eares easeth those paines that arise of heat or inflammation Pliny saith moreover that it is good for hot swellings under the throate the sleepie Nightshade of both sorts are of one and the same qualitie being cold in the third degree and drie in the second comming neere unto the propertie of Opium to procure sleepe but somewhat weaker if a dramme of the barke of the roote be taken in wine but not to exceede that proportion for feare of danger the seede drunke doth powerfully expell urine and is also good for the dropsie but the often taking thereof in too great a quantite procureth frenzie the remedy whereof is to take good store of warme honied water the roote boyled in wine and a little thereof held in the mouth easeth the paines of the tooth ache Pliny saith it is good to fasten loose teeth the juyce of the roote mingled with hony is good for the eyes that are weake of sight It is more effectuall in all hot swellings and inflammations than the former in regard it is colder in qualitie the juyce of the herbe or rootes or the distilled water of the whole plant being applied the deadly Nightshade is held more dangerous than any of the other for it is thought to be cold in the fourth degree the juyce of the leaves and a little vinegar mixed together procureth rest and sleepe when upon great distemperature either in long sicknesse or in the tedious hot fits of agues rest and sleepe is much hindered if the temples and forehead be a little bathed therewith as also taketh away the violent paine of the head proceeding of a hot cause the leaves bruised or their juyce may be applied to such hot inflammations as Saint Anthonies fire the shingles and all other fiery or running cankers to coole and stay the spreading the danger is very great and more in the use of this inwardly than in any of the former and therefore there had neede of the more heed and care that children and others doe not eate of the berries hereof least you see the lamentable effects it worketh upon the takers thereof as it hath done both in our owne land upon sundry children killed by eating the broth wherein the leaves were boiled or the berries and beyond the sea in the same manner yet some doe hold that two ounces of the distilled water hereof is effectuall to be taken inwardly without any danger against the heart burning and other inflammations of the bowells and against all other hot inflammations of the skinne or eyes giving ease to the paines It hath beene often proved that one scruple of the dried roote hereof infused in a little wine sixe or seven hoares and then strained hard through a cloth that if this wine be put into a draught of other wine whosoever shall drinke that wine shall not be able to eate any meate for that meale nor untill they drinke some vinegar which will presently dispell that qualitie and cause them fall to their vlands with as good a stomacke as they had before this is a good jest for a bold unwelcome guest The Virginia Nightshade is a familiar purger with them in Virginia New England c. where they take a spoonefull or two of the juyce of the roote which worketh strongly but we having tried to give the dried roote in powder have not found that effect CHAP. VII 1. Solanum lignosum sive Dulcamara Wood Nightshade or Bitter sweete ALthough this plant hath no dangerous quality therein nor yet is properly any Nightshade more than the outward conformitie in some sort yet because many learned Authours have reckoned it as a sort thereof and called it by that name let me also place it with them and shew it you in this place thus it groweth up with many slender winding brittle wooddy stalkes five or sixe foote high without any claspers but foulding it selfe about hedges or any other thing that standeth next unto it covered with a whitish rough barke and having a pith in the middle shooting out many branches on all sides which are greene while they are young whereon grow many leaves without order somewhat like unto the leaves of Nightshade but that they are somewhat broad long and pointed at the ends with two small leaves or rather peeces of leaves at the bottome of most of them somewhat like the Sage with eares and many of them likewise but with one peece on the one side sometimes also those peeces are close unto the leaves making them seeme as it were jagged or cut in on the edges into so many parts and sometimes separate there from making the leaves seeme winged or made of many leaves and are of a pale greene colour at the toppes and sides of the branches come forth many flowers standing in fashion of along umbell upon short foote stalkes one above another which consist of five narrow and long violet purple coloured leaves not spread like a starre or very seldome but turning themselves backwards to the stalkes againe whereon they stand with a long gold yellow pointell in the middle sticking forth which afterwards turne into round and somewhat long berries greene at the first and very red soft and full of juyce when they are ripe of an unpleasant bitter taste although sweete at the first wherein are contained many flat white seedes the roote spreadeth it selfe into many strings under ground and not growing into any great body the barke also of the branches being chewed tasteth bitter at the first but sweeter afterwards 2. Dulcamara flore albo Wood Nightshade with white flowers Of this kinde there is another that differeth not from the former more than in the flowers whose outer leaves are white and the pointell yellow Dulcamara seâ— Solanum lignosum Wood Night shade The Place This groweth usually by ditches sides and hedges where they may climbe up upon them the first almost every where the second is very rare and seldome to be met
Melissa Turcica flo Coer albo Turky Baulme with blue and with white flowers 4. Melissophyllum Fuchsij Vnpleasant Baulme and whitish above this hath no such good scent therein as the Baulme hath but is rather of a stronger unpleasant scent for which cause I have so entituled it 5. Melissa Molucca laevis sive Syriaca lavis Great Assirian Baulme This hearbe Matthiolus and others make a kinde of Baulme from the forme of the leaves chiefly it riseth from seed with a round hollow stalke out of the ground to bee two foote high or thereabouts branching forth diversly on all sides up to the toppe whereon are set shorter and rounder leaves at the end of long foote stalkes somewhat lesse dented about the edges then in the common Baulme and not at all sharpe on the edges as in the next at the joynts of the stalke from the middle thereof upwards come forth round about it certaine hard whitish skins small and round at the bottome and wide open at the brims like unto a bell having five corners for the most part from the bottome of each of these commeth forth one flower somewhat small and like unto the flower of common Baulme almost white or with a small shew of blush therein and after they are past in the bottome of the same skinny bells grow the seed but seldome one of ten commeth to be ripe with us which is whitish and cornered the smell hereof is nothing like Baulme but rather fulsome the taste thereof is bitter the roote perisheth every yeare 6. Melissa Molucca asperior sive Syriaca asperior Prickly Assirian Baulme This other Assirian Baulme riseth a little higher and groweth somewhat greater than the former but after the same fashion the leaves hereof are somewhat longer and sharper on the edges the huskes likewise in which stand these skinny bells at the corners of them are sharpe pointed and of a paler white colour the flowers and seed are all alike and perisheth likewise at the first approach of any cold night this hath a little better scent to commend it than the former 7. Cardiaca Motherwort As these three last had little likenesse with Baulme more than in the forme of the leaves and the properties as you shall heare anon so this besides the properties answerable to the rest in comforting the heart hath no shew of affinity no not in the leaves but because some have put it to the kindred of the Baulmes and others to Nettles and others to Horehound I have thought it best for the vertues sake whereunto none of the Nettles or Horehounds are answerable to set in the end of the Baulmes and to be as it were a bridge to passe from them to the Horehounds whereunto in face it hath the more resemblance It hath a hard square brownish rough strong stalke rising to bee three or foure foote high at the least spreading into many branches whereon grow leaves on each side with long foote stalkes two at every joynt which are somewhat broad and long as it were rough or crumpled with many great veines that shew themselves therein of a sad greene colour and deepely dented in about the edges and almost torne or divided from the middle of the branches up to the toppes of them which are very long and small grow the flowers round about them at distances in sharpe pointed rough hard huskes which are more purple or red than in any of the former Baulmes or in any Horehound but in the same manner and forme and roughnesse as the Horehounds after which come small round blackish seed in great plenty the roote 5. Melissa Molucca levis sive Syriaca lavir Great Assirian Baulme 6. Melissa Molucca asperior sive Syriaca asperior Prickly Assirian Baulme 7. Cardiaca Motherwort sendeth forth a number of long strings and small fibres taking strong hold in the ground of a darke yellowish or brownish colour and perisheth not as the other but abideth as the Horehound the smell likewise is not much differing from it The Place The first is onely to be found in gardens the two next growes naturally in Moldavia which is under the Turkish Dominion The third at the foote of divers hills both in Germany and Narbone in France The fourth and fifth as Matthiolus thought in the Molucca Ilands which are in the East-Indies but therein he was much mistaken yet he saith they came from Constantinople others and that more truely say that Martinellus Sequinus an Italian sent them to Venice out of Syria The last groweth among rubbish and by the sides of walls and hedges in many places beyond the Seas but not with us that I have knowne or heard but onely in Gardens where it hath beene once sowne or planted The Time The three first and the last flower somewhat earlyer in the Summer than the two Assirian kindes which flower very seldome before the middle of August so that it hardly giveth any good seed although the two former and the last doe plentifully The Names Balme is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melissophyllum or Meliphyllum id est apum folium quod apes eo valde delectantur in Latine Melissa Citrago ab odore Citri Apistrum quod apibus sit gratissima Melissophyllum of the effect being good for Bees The first is called Melissa or Melissophyllum generally by all writers the second and third are called Melissa Moldavica Turcica by most Writers Bauhinus calleth it Melissa Turcica peregrina folio oblongo the third Cordus and Fuchsius take to bee the true Melissophyllum thereupon it is generally called Melissa or Melissophyllum Fuchsij by most writers although it have not the smell of Baulme nor good to rub hives withall as the true Baulme Lugdunensis saith it is the Calamintha praestantior which Pena and Lobel have described and set forth more exactly but he is therein much deceived for Fuchsius saith his hath blacker and larger leaves than Baulme that Calamint hath smaller and whiter only Bauhinus and Clusius referre it to the Lamia Bauhinus calling it Lamium Montanum Melissae folio and saith withall that the varying thereof may be referred to the variable sorts of the Lamia Pannonica of Clusius it is called in English as it is in the title untill a more exact or truer name may be given it for I cannot consent to Bauhinus and Clusius to call it Lamium seeing so many Authors call it Melissa The fourth Matthiolus calleth Melissa Constantinopolitana or Melissophyllum Constantinopolitaenum laeve is added by Dodonaeus for hee maketh no mention of any prickles in that which grew in the Emperours Garden but that which Alphonsus Pantius of Ferrara sent him as he saith the leaves were prickly assuredly that kind that I have had growing in my garden at severall times had no prickles either on leafe or huske although Bauhinus saith hee never saw any that was without some sharpe thornes and therefore it should seeme that Lobel maketh the one
without falling away are to be seene full of holes as if they had beene eaten with wormes all the ribbes and veines abiding as they grew untill the frosts doe cause their stalkes to fall away the flowers are of a purplish colour greater than any of the Horehounds and more gaping after which come the seed in hard prickly huskes like unto Horehound the roote is thicke spreading with many blackish strings whereby it taketh strong hold in the ground and dyeth not but shooteth a fresh every yeare this hath no scent either good or ill to be found in it The Place The first is found in many places of our Land in dry grounds and waste greene places the second came from Spaine and being sowne of the seed abideth The third in like manner was sowne of seed that came from Candy as the fourth was also The fift was found growing about Paris in France The sixth in Germany The seaventh in Spaine and the last about Mompelier in fat grounds and sometimes in the wheate fields The Time They doe all flower in Iuly or thereabouts and their seed is ripe in August The Names Horehound is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Latine â—rasium Marrubium videtur autem inquit Pena Prasinus viror aut certe vinosus odor appellationem dedisse Marrubio tam nigro faetido quod Ballote dicitur quam albo odoro Pliny hath committed many faults in translating the Greeke word Prasium setting downe Prasum id est porrum for it The first is generally called Marrubium by most of our moderne Writers but Prasium by Anguillara the second is called by Lobel Marrubium candidum alterum Hispanicum Of Clusius Marrubium alterum Pannonicum and of Camerarius Marrubium Creticum Of Dodonaeus Marrubium Candidum and of Bauhinus Marrubium album latifolium peregrinum The third is called by Lobel Marrubium Creticum angustiore folio Of Camerarius Marrubium Creticum aliud Marrubium Creticum of Dodonaeus Lugdunensis and others Of Bauhinus Marrubium album angustifolium peregrinum The fourth is called in the great Booke of the Bishop of Eystot his garden Marrubium Creticum angustifolijs inodorum and by Bauhinus Marrubium album peregrinum brevibus obtusis folijs The fifth is called of Bauhinus Marrubium album villosum and maketh a doubt if it should not be Prasium of Dioscorides in English French Horehound or white hairy Horehound The sixth is also called by Bauhinus Marrubium crispum in English Crispe or Curld Horehound The seventh is called by Clusius Ocimastrum Valentinum because as he saith the learned at Valentia in Spaine did so call it by Lobel Marrubium Hispanicum odore Staechadis Of Tabermontanus and Gerard Marrubium Hispanicum and of Bauhinus Marrubium nigrum latifolium The last is called by the Apothecaries of Mompelier Herba Venti Rondeletij others call it Sideritis Monspeliensium Parietaria Monspeliensium as Lugdunensis saith and so saith Cordus also Lobel maketh a question or quaere if it be not the Othonna of Dioscorides rather than the flos Africanus which usually carrieth that title Bauhinus calleth it Marrubium nigrum longifolium in English Black French Horehound untill a fitter may be given it The Vertues The second and third sorts of Horehound because they are nearest unto the first or wilde kinde are found to bee as effectuall for the purposes whereunto the wild is assigned having the same properties and as Dioscorides saith a decoction of the dryed hearb with the seed or the juyce of the greene hearbe taken with honey is a remedy for those that are pursie and short winded for those that have a cough and for such as by long sicknesse or thinne distillations of rheume upon the lungs are wasted and fallen into a consumption it helpeth to expectorate tough flegme from the chest being taken with the dryed roote of Iris or Orris it is given to women to bring downe their courses and to expell the afterbirth as also to them that have sore and long travels it is also given to them that have taken poison or are bitten or stung by any venemous Serpents or beasts but it hurteth the bladder and the reynes the leaves being used with honey doe purge foule ulcers stay running or creeping sores and the growing of the flesh over the nailes it helpeth also the paines of the sides the juyce thereof with wine and honey helpeth to cleare the eye-sight and snuffed up into the nostrils helpeth to purge away the yellow jaundise and either of it selfe or with a little oyle of Roses being dropped into the eares easeth the paines of them Galen saith that by reason of the bitternesse it openeth the obstructions both of the liver and spleene purgeth the breast and lungs of flegme and procureth womens courses and used outwardly it both clenseth and digesteth A decoction of Horehound saith Matthiolus is availeable for those that have bad livers and for such as have itches and running tetters the powder thereof taken or the decoction killeth the wormes the greene leaves bruised and boyled with old Hogs lard into an oyntment healeth the bytings of Dogges abateth the swellings of womens breasts and taketh away the swelling and paines that come by any pricking of thornes or any such like thing Vsed with vineger it clenseth and healeth tetters If saith Matthiolus you boyle two ounces of fresh Horehound in three pints of good white wine with the roots of Buglosse Elecampane and Agrimony of each one dram and a halfe of Rubarbe and lignum aloes of each one dram untill halfe be consumed and strained hereby is made a most excellent medicine to helpe the yellow jaundise that commeth by the obstruction of the vessels and overflowing of the gall if two ounces thereof having a little Sugar put to it to sweeten it be taken fasting for nine dayes together but he counselleth that if they that shall take this medicine have an ague the decoction must bee made with water and not with wine the decoction thereof is a singular helpe for women that are troubled with the whites if they sit over it while it is warme the same also healeth any scabs whether they be dry or moist if the places be bathed therewith being stamped and put into new milke and set in any place overpestered with flies it will soone destroy them all There is a sirope made of Horehound to be had at the Apothecaries much used and that to very good purpose for old coughes to rid the tough flegme as also for old men and others whose lungs are oppressed with thinne and cold rheme to helpe to avoid it and for those that are asthmatick or short-winded The other sorts are not used or their properties are not expressed by any CHAP. XVIII Stachys Base Horehound I Must needs adjoyne these Base Horehounds unto the former for the neare affinity that some of them especially have both in face smell and vertues referring the Sideritides to another place which some have joyned with these 1. Stachys Dioscoridis The
Clusius maketh mention that he received the figure thereof set forth to the life in colours from Iacobus Plateau as it grew with him The seventh Bauhinus saith he first saw in an Apothecaries Garden in Bassil and afterwards in the Duke of Wittenbergs Garden at Mont Belgard but from whence it was brought to them he doth not declare The eighth Bauhinus saith he received from Doctor Neudorfferus and saith no more The ninth hee saith likewise hee had from an Apothecarie at Smalcald the two next throughout Spaine and Portugal plentifully and the eleventh about Mompelier also the last grew in Candy All these sorts will grow by the slippes taken from them and planted in March or Aprill The Time Most of these sorts of Sage doe flower in Iuly or about the time of the ordinary Sage yet some of them flower not untill August All of them also doe beare seed but the small ordinary Pigge Sage or Sage of vertue which although I doe acknowledge to give seed in some places and in some yeares yet most commonly and with many it doth not nor the smeet small Spanish kinde The Names Sage is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pale ash-coloured dry and withered deformity of the leaves of Sage especially on the dry and burnt hills in the hot Countries where it groweth naturall was the cause to give it that name as if you should call it scorched or consumed by blasting for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie intorquere and contrahere to bee drawne together or wound within it selfe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie that disease in plants which the Latines call sideratio a blasting that is when the hearbe or tree by the extreame heate of the Sunne in the Dog-dayes or otherwise piersing into it and drying up the moisture that nourished it seemeth to grow faint and dry or as it were scorched It might saith Pena be fitly so named from the helpe this hearbe giveth to those parts of a mans body that seeme to be as it were dead by some blasting in restoring the naturall heat and vigour to the part in which quality it excelleth giving a friendly and beneficiall comfort to the vitall spirits and therefore the Latines called it Salvia quia salvos homines incolumes efficiat because it maketh men safe and sound in health And the Latine versifyer from hence tooke his occasion to say Cur moritur homo cum Salvia crescit in horto And Sage in English from the property in comforting and strengthening the head and memory to make men sage or wise of the French word Sauge or from the Latine Salvia to say safe and altered into Sage Pliny in his 21. Booke 16. chap. hath foulely erred in mistaking the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and translating it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lens for he there saith that Elilisphacos with the Greekes is phacos with others The one is more gentle than the manured lentell with a lesser dryer and sweeter leafe and the other kinde that is wilde is of a more grievous scent c. too much here to recite and set downe and to little purpose The first is generally called Salvia major latifolia by almost all Authors the second Clusius saith he first saw in Austria and Bauhinus that he had it first from England and called it Salvia latifolia serrata the third is called Salvia pomifera baccifera or baccata Cretica or Cretensis to shew the kinde Lobel calleth it Coccifera Matthiolus Salvia fructum instar gallae ferens and Anguilara Salvia Graeca which he saith they usully call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phlascomelea the fourth is called Salvia nobilis by Gesner minor by Matthiolus and divers others angustifolia and tenuifolia by some others aurita also or auriculata or pinnata by others the fift Camerarius calleth Salvia Hispanica odoratissima but Bauhinus Salvia folio tenuiore the old Gerard calleth it Salvia Indica but his Correcter confoundeth it with the seventh following as you shall heare the sixt Clusius setteth forth with this title Salvia Cretica angustifolia and Bauhinus Salvia angustifolia serrata the seventh Bauhinus onely hath remembred unto us by the name of Salvia minor altera and I adde thereunto flore rubente to make it the better knowne for it is scarce knowne to many this is that Sage that I said before Master Iohnson that corrected Gerard hath erred exceedingly in confounding this with the fift which is the same that Master Cannon shewed him and gave me whose scent is farre sweeter than the small Pigge Sage and much differing from the scent of Wormewood if he had as duely enformed his smell thereof as hee did his sight of the flower the eighth Bauhinus also giveth the name of Salvia angustifolia lanuginosa and in English small woolly Sage the ninth likewise hath his name in the title Bauhinus giving the Latine and I the English the tenth is called by Clusius Phlomis Lychnitis and referreth it to the Lychnitis called also Thryallis by Dioscorides and by the Castilians in Spaine Candilera and those of Granado Menchera Lobel calleth it Verbascum sylvestre folijs salviae tenuifoliae and Bauhinus Verbascum angustis salvia folijs who saith it is also called of some Angarathi but Gesner in hortis Germaniae calleth it Salvia sylvestris Monspeliensium and therefore I have placed it in the number of the Sages and altered the title in Latine and call it thereafter in English the greater yellow Sage with narrow leaves the eleventh is called by Matthiolus also Verbascum sylvestre being his fourth and from him Anguilara Castor Durantes Clusius and others do call it Verbascum 4. Matthioli Camerarius Verbascum sylvestre folijs salviae and Lobel Verbascum fruticosum lignosum flore luteo who saith as I shewed you in the description that it is called a wilde Sage in Italy France the Low-Countries and England for we call it French Sage and why then he and they should call it as the next going before this Verbascum Mullein I see no cause more than that the leaves in both are woolly like Mullein and may serve as a weeke for Lampes as the Spaniards doe with the last before this and as Mullein leaves may doe but that is not a sufficient cause in my judgement to make them of the tribe of Mulleins other things not concurring as the flowers whereof I have spoken before Let others of knowledge bee judges herein It is called in English as I said French Sage and wooddy Mullein and this may as fitly bee called the great yellow wilde Sage with broad leaves as the former is called the greater yellow wilde Sage with narrow leaves The last is called Verbascum salvifolium by Prosper Alpinus in his Booke De plantis exoticis but because the flowers of this are more like a Sage than a Mullein as in the former I have rather referred it to these
beaten and mixed with barly meale and applyed to hot inflammations asswageth them and helpeth places that are burnt either by fire or water cureth fistulous ulcers being layde thereupon and easeth the paines of the goute being beaten and boyled with the tallow of a bull or goate and layd warme thereon the juyce of the leaves snuffed up into the nostrills purgeth the tunicles of the braine the juyce of the berries boyled with a little honey and dropped into the eares easeth the paines of them the decoction of the berries in wine being drunke provoketh urine the powder of the seedes first prepared in vinegar and then taken in wine halfe a dramme at a time for certaine dayes together is a meanes to abate and consume the fat flesh of a corpulent body and keepe it leane the berries so prepared and as much white tartar and a few aniseede put to them a dramme of this powder given in wine cureth the dropsie humour by purging very gently the dry flowers are often used in the decoctions of glisters to expell winde and ease the chollicke for they lose their purging quality which they have being greene and retaine an attenuating and digesting propertie being dryed the distilled water of the flowers is of much use to cleare the skinne from sunne burning freckles morphew or the like and as Matthiolus saith both the forepart and hinderpart of the head being bathed therewith it taketh away all manner of the headach that commeth of a cold cause The Vinegar made of flowers of the Elder by maceration and insolation is much more used in France than any where else and is grate full to the stomacke and of great power and effect to quicken the appetite and helpeth to cut grosse or tough flegme in the chest A Syrupus acetosus made hereof would worke much better than the ordinary for these purposes The leaves boyled and layd hot upon any hot and painefull apostumes especially in the more remote and sinewie parts doth both coole the heate and inflammation of them and ease the paines The distilled water of the inner barke of the tree or of the roote is very powerfull to purge the watery humors of the dropsie or timpanie taking it fasting and two houres before supper Matthiolus giveth the receipt of a medecine to helpe any burning by fire or water which is made in this manner take saith he one pound of the inner barke of the Elder bruise it or cut it small and put it into two pound of fine sallet oyle or oyle Olive that hath beene first washed oftentimes with the distilled water of Elder flowers let them boyle gently a good while together and afterwards straine forth the oyle pressing it very hard set this oyle on the fire againe and put thereto foure ounces of the juyce of the young branches and leaves of the Elder tree and as much new wax let them boyle to the consumption of the juyce after which being taken from the fire put presently thereunto two ounces of liquid Vernish such as Ioyners use to vernish their bedsteeds cupboords tables c. and afterwards of Olibanum in fine powder foure ounces and the whites of two egges being first well beaten by themselves all these being well stirred and mixed together put it up into a cleane pot and keepe it for to use when occasion serveth The young buddes and leaves of the Elder and as much of the rootes of Plantaine beaten together and boyled in old Hogs grease this being laid warme upon the place pained with the gout doth give present ease thereto The leaves also burned and the pouder of them put up into the nostrills staieth the bleeding being once or twise used If you shall put some of the fresh flowers of Elders into a bagge letting it hang in a vessell of wine when it is new made and beginneth to boyle I thinke the like may be tried with a vessell of ale or beere new tunned up and set to worke together the bagge being a little pressed every evening for a seaven night together giveth to the wine a very good rellish and a smell like Muscadine and will doe little lesse to ale or beere The leaves of Elders boyled tender and applied warme to the fundament easeth the paines of the piles if they be once or twice renued growing cold The foule inflamed or old ulcers and sores of the legges being often washed with the water of the leaves or of the flowers distilled in the middle of the moneth of May doth heale them in a short space The distilled water of the flowers taketh away the heate and inflammation of the eyes and helpeth them when they are bloud shotten The hands being washed morning and evening with the same water of the flowers doth much helpe and ease them that have the Palsie in them and cannot keepe them from shaking The pith in the middle of the Elder stalkes being dried and put into the cavernous holes of Fistulous ulcers that are ready to close openeth and dilateth the orifices whereby injections may be used and other remedies applied for the cure of them It is said that if you gently strike a horse that cannot stale with a sticke of this Elder and binde some of the leaves to his belly it shall make him stale quickly The Mushromes of the Elder called Iewes eares are of much use being dried to be boyled with Ale or Milke with Columbine leaves for sore throates and with a little Pepper and Pellitory of Spaine in powder to put up the uvula or pallet of the mouth when it is fallen downe Matthiolus saith that the dried Iewes eares steeped in Rosewater and applied to the temples and forehead doe ease the paines of the head or headach The Mountaine or red berried Elder hath the properties that the common Elder hath but weaker to all purposes the berries hereof are taken to be cold and to procure sleepe but the frequent use of it is hurtfull It is said that if a branch of this Elder be put into the trench that a moale hath made it will either drive them forth or kill them in their trench The Marsh Elder is of the like purging qualitie with the common especially the berries or the juyce of them Mens and birds doe feede upon them willingly in the Winter The Wallwort or Danewort is more forceable or powerfull than the Elder in all the diseases and for all the purposes whereunto it is applied but more especially wherein the Elder is little or nothing prevalent the Wallwort serveth to these uses The young and tender branches and leaves thereof taken with wine helpeth those that are troubled with the stone and gravell and laid upon the testicles that are swollen and hard helpeth them quickly the juice of the roote of Wallwort applied to the throate healeth the Quinsie or Kings evill the fundament likewise is stayed from falling downe if the juyce thereof be put therein the same also put up with a little wooll into the mother
thereon somewhat longer but not broader then the former at the toppes whereof stand divers woolly leaves and in the middle of them three or foure or more heads of flowers like unto the other small Cudworts consisting of thrums of a pale yellow colour with some blacke haires among them the seede is like the other and so is the roote also The Place The first is found on the Alpes of Germany and Baldus of Italy the second on divers mountaines in Germany and Italy also The Time They flower in Iuly and sometimes in August The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leontopodium and so in Latine also which is as much as Pes Leâ— Lyons foote for the causes declared in the descriptions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cemos as it is among the other names were given it as Dioscorides saith yet some affirme that the title of Leontopodium is not found in some copies of Dioscorides but Cemos or Camos so that Cemos and Leontopodium be one thing and therefore Pliny in his 27. Booke and 8. Chap. speaking of Catanance which was onely used about love matters saith that for the same cause Ceâ— 1. Leontopodium majus The greater Lyons foote or mountaine Cottonweede 2. Leontopodium mâ— The lesser Lyons foote being so used 〈◊〉 would say nothing of it There is much controversie also among writers about Leontopodium which should be the right some accounting one plant and some another and some accounting none that are extant to be right Matthiolus and Lobel set forth theirs which is the first here expressed which Clusius refuseth accounting it but a kind of Gnaphalium or Cudweede calling it Gnaphalium Alpinum as though Leontopodium were so much differing from Gnaphalium that there were little or no likenesse betweene them Lonicerus hath his Leontopodium which is the Echium Scorpioides palustre of Bauhinus or Myosotis Scorpioides of Lobel Apuâ—ius Aetius and Oribasius say as I shewed before in the Chapter of Leontopetalon that it was called Leontopodium Brâ—felsius maketh the Alchymilla which the shops beyond Sea called Pata Leonis to bee Leontopodium which Matthiolus noteth as an errour in him Iosephus de Casa bona as Clusius saith in his History of Plants sent him some dryed plants received out of Candy by the name of Leontopodium which hee judgeth rather to belong to the kinds of small Plantaines yet Clusius himselfe setteth it forth under the name of Leontopodium Creticum which plant also as he saith Cortusus sent him for Catanance Honorius Bellus as Clusius saith there also sent him some plants and the figure also drawne of the same or the like herbe which hee calleth Leontopodium Creticum aâ— which as the other he judgeth but a species of the Ribwort Plantaine all which sorts of Clusius are here before expressed in the twelft Chap. of this Classis Bauhinus setteth downe no herbe peculiar for the true Leontopodium of Dioscorides but together with Lugdunensis thinketh that Pliny his Leontopodium doth much differ from that of Dioscorides and maketh the Leontopodium of Matthiolus Lobel and others to be but species of Gnaphalium yet because I cannot see but that the first may as properly belong unto Leontopodium of Dioscorides as unto Gnaphalium I have as you see set it downe by it selfe suum cnique judiciumesto the second is the Leontopodium parvum of Lobel and others which Dodonaeus calleth Pilosella minor altera and is Gerard his Gnaphalium Alpinum The Vertues The taste hereof being astringent and drying with some bitternsse in it also doth testifie it is very availeable for all fluxes of blood or humors as also effectuall for all sores eyther greene wounds or old ulcers and conducible for whatsoever cures the other Cudweeds may performe but because I have no author that expresseth the prosperties nor any experience of my owne or others to what disease or greefe it is a remedy I forbeare to play the Physition and appoint the practise any further pauca sapienti CHAP. XCIX Gnaphalium Cudweede or Cottonweede THere be divers sorts of these Cudweedes or Cottonworts some of much beauty whereof I have given you the knowledge of in my former booke as the Gnaphalium Americanum Live long or Life everlasting Gnaphalium montanum flore albo purpureo White and Purple Catsfoote Gnaphalium Roseum the Cotton Rose which I joyned to other plants of like beauty forme and quality whereof I shall not neede to make further mention others that are of 3. Gnaphalium minus seâ— berba Impia The lesser Cudwort or herbe Impious 2. Gnaphalium major Germanicum The greater Germane Cudweede more vertue then beauty I meane to entreate in this Chapter onely the figures of some of them I shall here insert 1. Gnaphalium Anglicum vulgare majus Our greate Common Cudweede The common Cudweede that groweth every where almost in this Land especially in dry sandy grounds riseth up but with one stalke sometimes and sometimes two or three thicke set on all sides with small long and narrow whitish or woolly leaves from the middle of the stalke almost up to the toppe with every leafe standeth a small flower of a dun or brownish yellow colour or not so yellow as others in which heads after the flowers are fallen come small seede wrapped up with the downe therein and is carried away with the winde the roote is small and threddy 4. Viâ— minor The lesser Cudweede 6. Gnaphalium sâ—m oblonga folio Small leaning Cudweede 2. Gnaphalium majus Germanicum The greater Germane Cudweede This is in all things like the former but that it groweth larger in stalkes leaves flowers and roote And there is another sort also of the same sise that beareth the flowers not all along the stalkes as the former doe but at the toppes onely Alterum not differing else in any thing except the leaves may seeme to be somewhat shorter and a little more white and hoary then they 3. Gnaphalium minus seu herba Impia The lesser Cudweede or herbe Impious The lesser Cudweede groweth up with a shorter stalke and set with shorter leaves also but somewhat more white or hrory and a little broader at the toppes whereof standeth a larger and more open flower then in the former and of a paler yellow colour from the sides of this stalke spring forth divers short branches set with such like but smaller leaves then those that grow below with such a like yellow flower as the other which branches with their flowers doe alwayes rise higher then the middle stalke and the flower upon it sometimes also the branches will have other small branches spring from them bearing leaves on them and flowers on the toppe of each and these also rising above the branches with their flowers in the said manner that the first branches did unto the maine stalke the seede that followeth these flowers is carryed away with the winde as the rest are 4. Filago minor The lesser Cudweede This small Cudweede shooteth forth a small hoary stalke
with Vinegar it taketh away the Morphew Lepry and all other deformities in the skinne and is good also for old foule Vlcers and sores to clense and heale them thâ— say Dioscorides and Galen of their Telephium but divers have thought that the difference in qualitie may happen from the Climate as it doth in Arum which in some places of Asia and Cilicia as Galen saith is not sharpe and biting as it is in these places of Greece Italy and all Europe and as it is found also in the lesser Celandine which as they say is sharpe in some places but is not so found with us Orpine is seldome used in inward Medecines with us although Tragus saith from his countrey Germanes experience that the distilled water thereof is profitably taken of those that have any gnawings or excoriations in their stomacke or bowells or have Vlcers in their Lungs or Liver or other inward parts as also in the matrix or mother and doth helpe all those diseases being drunke for certaine dayes together and that it stayeth the sharpnesse of humors in the blooddy flux as also stayeth other 〈◊〉 of bloud in the body or in the wounds the roote thereof also performeth the same effect It is used outwardly to coole any heate or inflammation upon any hurt or wound and easeth the paines of them as also to heale scouldings or burnings the juyce thereof beaten with some greene sallet oyle and annointed the leafe also bruised and laid to any greene wound in the hands or legges doth heale them quickly and as it is said being bound to the throate of them that hath the Quinsie doth helpe it very much it helpeth ruptures or burstings and from thence as Tragus saith the Germans call it Bruch wurts and Knabenkraut The leaves are much used to make Gâ—ds about Midsommer with the come Marigold-flowers put upon strings to hang them up in their houses upon bushes and May-poles c. Tragus sheweth a superstitious course in his country that some use after Midsommer day is past to hang it up over their chamber doores or upon the walles which will be fresh and greene at Christmas and like the Aloe spring and shoote forth new leaves with this perswasion that they that hanged it up shall feele no disease so long as that abideth greene CHAP. IV. Rhodia sive Rhodia radix Rosewort BEcause this plant is so like unto an Orpine both in leafe flower and manner of growing I thinke it fit to joyne it next thereunto It sendeth forth divers stalkes which are upright thicke round and greene about a foote thicke set with leaves up to the toppes and are somewhat long and narrow like unto those of Orpine but smaller yet as fat or thicke and of the like pale greene colour dented about the edges the flowers are many small and yellow set in a tuft or cluster but smaller than Orpine with seede in heads like unto Rhodia radix Rosewort it also the roote is thicke and tuberous or knobbie at the heads and branched out rising oftentimes above the ground whereas it groweth somewhat reddish and is long downward with divers fibres annexed unto it which being a little broken or bruised with it is fresh Altera much more than when it is drie smelleth like a Rose from whence it tooke the name Some doe account that there is an other sort hereof whose leaves are not dented and the flowers more purplish than the other The Place It groweth in the North parts of England and no where else wilde in our Land as I can heare of as upon the mountaines of Pandle and Ingelborough oftentimes on the very raggiest places and most dangerous of them scarce accessible and so steepe that they may soone tumble downe that very warily doe not looke to their footing from whence hath beene sent me some rootes for my Garden The Time It flowreth about Iuly and the stalkes and leaves perisheth to the ground springing every yeare anew from the toote which abideth firme in all extremities of cold The Names It is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rhodia radix not from the Iland Rhodes but from the Rose as I said for the sent thereof it hath no other name with all authors than Rhodia radix or Rosea radix that I know The Vertues It is found by good experience to be cold and not hot as some have taken it to be and as Galen placeth it almost in the third degree of heate for even as red Roses so this by the coldnesse is profitable to asswage the headeach arising from an hot cause and both Dioscorides and Galen appoint it for paines in the head the juyce thereof with a little Rosewater applied to the forehead and temples which Gerard vindicateth to his owne invention CHAP. V. Aizoon Sedum sive Sempervivum majus The greater Houseleeke THere are so many sorts of Houseleekes properly and unproperly so called both great and small with whole or with divided leaves some cooling and others heating or exulcerating that without some methodicall division I can neither expresse them conveniently nor you apprehend them effectually which that I may do I will digest them into five Rankes and orders that is to say of all the great ones in this Chapter and of the smaller ones in the severall Chapters following which because they are of much variable I must intreate of those that grow upon muddie stone walles or houses and upon drie sandie bankes and places in the next thirdly of these that grow upon rockes and mountaines or in stony places and fourthly of such â—e divided leaves and lastly to accomplish the history of all the sorts of Houseleekes I should set forth the sorts of Coryledon or Kidney Worts but having entreated of many of them in my former Booke I will here shew you the rest that remaine 1. Sedum Majus legitimum The true great Houseleeke The true great Houseleeke groweth great to the forme of a shrubbe or woddy plant of the height of two or three foote or more sometimes in the naturall places which are the warme countries whose stemme or â—de below is of the bignesse of foure fingers and the other branches of ones thumme of a grayish colour on the oâ—side spot red as it were round about but they are the markes of the old leaves that are fallen the like whereof may be seene in the stalke of the Wood Spurge spreading limber smaller branches on all sides and â—es at the ends of them standing in a compasse like the heaâ—s of common houseleeke but nothing so close every 〈◊〉 formed somewhat like a tongue small at the bottome and broader toward the end where it is broadest â—y deâ—ted about the edges and as it were a little hollow like a Spoone thicke and full of juice and of a pale greene colour from the toppes of some of the branches thrusteth forth a long stalke divided into many twigges with some few small leaves on them and at the ends of them
are many long and narrow of sixe inches long and scarce halfe an inch broad covered with a soft downe or freese which grow shorter as they rise higher on the stalke this is found much smaller about Padoa as Bauhinus saith The Place Although these are set downe by Bauhinus and others to grow in severall places in Germany c. yet some of them have beene found in our owne Land as I have oftentimes gathethered in the way to Hampstead-Heath and backe againe especially the third and the fourth The Time These keepe the same time of flowring and seeding or rather later The Names The first is called by Bauhinus as it is in the title is the second Hieracium latifolium of Clusius the second is so called also by Bauhinus as I have here downe the third is taken to be the Erinus Matthioli yet no way answering to his figure as Lobel saith being much bigger than it and as it is thought by divers that the figure is but a figment for it is not certainly knowne what herbe among all we have should be the right Erinus of Dioscorides in that none doth answer it in all points Lobel in his Adversaria would referre both the Esula dulcâ— Tragi hereunto and his Esula sylvestris also because they give milke and their leaves doe nearest resemble Basill whereunto Dioscorides compareth the leaves of Erinus and therefore as it should seeme Castor Durantes calleth Erinus Mattâ— Basilicum aquaticum Guilandinus calleth this Hieracium Militaris Galeni and Lactaris Plinij who being demanded what herbe Matthiolus his Erâ—us should be shewed this Hieracium Hortus Eysteâ—sis calleth it Hieracium fruticosum latifolium polyanthos called also by some Hieracium Sabandum latifolium as the fourth is called by Lobel Hieracium Sabandum angustifolium and Hieracium alterum grandius for he maketh them to be both one although the description of their leaves be much differing it is the third Hieracium of Clusius for as he saith himself it hath great affinitie unto Lobels if it be not the same Dodonaeus maketh it his first Hieracium Gerard maketh it his Hieracium Intubacium and Bauhinus calleth it Hieracium fruticosum angustifolium majus as he doth the fift Hieracium fruticosum minus the last is added to this ranke not having any other of that sort to ranke with it for Bauhinus his other sorts of Hieracium murorum the one is our Pilosella major called Anticula muris major Tragi of some Chondrillaâ—ea and Falmonaria Gallorum or Gallica which Lugdunensis very unâ—y calleth Corchâ—rus Dalechampij but is not Costa Caâ—rarâ— as Bauhinus seemeth to suppose for Câ—rarâ— referreth it to the Hieracium latifolium Pannâ—icum of Clusius as I said before in the last Chapter save one and his other is the Palmonaria Galica faemina of Tabermontanus if they be severall being noted to be Laciniatum and not one and is called by Bauhinus Hieracium nurorum angustifolium non sinnatum I have given you that figure here of Lobel which hath narrower leaves to be compared with this of Bauhinus The Vertues There is none of these Hawkeweedes inferiour to any of the former in their qualities as farre as may be judged by their taste for we have no further experience set downe by any and therefore if yee will so take them yee neede not a repetition of the same things againe that have beene delivered but I will referre you to the first â—e of Hawkeweedes to peruse the vertues there appropriated to them and transferre them if you please hereunto And so much shall serve to have spoken of the whole family of the Hawkeweedes CHAP. XXXVIII Sonchus Sow-thistle DIoscorides and the other ancient writers have set downe but two sorts of Soâ—-thistles dividing them into rough or prickly and smooth Pliny into blacke and white Theophrastus mentioneth onely the rough kind but since their time there have beene sundry other herbes found out which doe so nearely resemble them that they are therefore referred unto them as shall bee presently shewed but because there are so many that beare that title I thinke good to avoid confusion to distribute them into sundry Chapters as you shall finde them mentioned Sonchi asperes Prickly Sow-thistles Ordo primus The first ranke 1. Sonchus asper major non laciniatus The greater prickly Sow-thistle with whole leaves The prickly Sow-thistle hath somewhat long and broad leaves of a whitish greene colour unevenly dented but not gashed or torne on the edges and every dent set with a sharpe and short pricke somewhat hard and sometimes prickly also along the middle ribbe on the under side yeelding a more bitter milke in every part where it is broken then the smoother kind the stalke is somewhat tender and as it were winged with a filme running upon it rough and sharpe set with such like leaves as grow below diversly branched with small pale yellow flowers at the toppes which turne into downe and are blowne away the roote is long yellowish and somewhat hard when it is growen up with a stalke with a number of small fibres set thereat 2. Sonchus asper minor non laciniatus The lesser prickly Sow-thistle with whole leaves The lesser Sow-thistle is in all things like the other but lesser in every part having a rounder stalke seldome above a foote high somewhat firmer and not so tender with smaller leaves but as sharpe and prickly as the former some because this doth more usually grow in the fertile grounds doe account it to be the cause that the leaves are whole and not rent which is but an opinion with small reason therefore 1. Sonchus asper major non laciniatus The greater prickly Sow-thistle with whole leaves 4 Sonchus asper laciniatus Creticus Prickly Sow-thistle of Candy 3. Sonchus asper laciniatus Common prickly Sow-thistle This common Sow-thistle hath the leaves very much cut or torne on the edges into three or foure parts much separate asunder one from another and smaller peeces of leaves set betweene them of a whitish greene colour like the former and having prickles on the dented edges likewise the stalke groweth very high sometimes rough and prickly with such leaves thereon as are below branched at the toppe where grow such like pale yellow flowers turning into downe the roote is like the other 4. Sonchus asper laciniatus Creticus Prickly Sow-thistle of Candy This Candy Sow-thistle hath the first leaves little or nothing divided on the edges of an handbreadth long and more but those that rise up with the stalke are very much torne on the edges into great and deepe gashes set with some prickes likewise the stalke is rough straked and hollow halfe a yard high branched from the middle upwards with such like leaves but smaller set at the joynts at the toppes whereof stand large yellow flowers in rough greene huskes upon long footestalkes which turne into downe as the other 5. Sonchus asper subrotundo folio major The greater round leafed prickly Sow-thistle The greater of these two
such like leaves under them the seede that followeth is small and blackish 〈◊〉 like unto the Atractylis or bastard Saffron the roote also is not much unlike it perishing every yeare 6. Acarna major folioso caule Clusius his Chamaeleon Thistle of Salamanca The stalke of this Thistle likewise is winged like the last but not with so large a filme nor so much jagged from whence shoot forth branches on all sides with longer and narrower leaves thereon somewhat hoary and not so deepely jagged but set with long sharpe prickles at the tops of the branches stand many such like sharpe prickly leaves from among which rise five or six small prickly heads as it were in a tuft set together out of which come 〈◊〉 purplish flowers consisting of threads in which after they are past lye the seede wrapped in downe in forme 〈◊〉 unto the Cnicus or bastard Saffron but smaller and of a blackish gray colour 7. Acarna major caule non folioso The supposed true Acarna of Theophrastus The true Acarna of Theophrastus as it is supposed by divers hath sundry leaves lying on the ground in a compasse which begin to wither as soone as they rise up with the stalke being sometimes but one and sometimes more reddish and covered with downe the leaves that are set thereon without order are long and narrow and deepely endented hoary or white underneath thicke set with short prickes very like unto the upper leaves of Atractylis or Distaffe Thistle whose toppes are set with such like leaves also and very pale yellow flowers made of threads rising out of the midst of small prickly heads after which come small slender seede of the fashion of Cnicus the roote is small short and white with divers fibres thereat 8. Acarna minor caule non folioso sive Leo Carduus ferox The cruell sharpe Thistle This cruell prickly Thistle that is almost wholly composed of sharp pricks groweth little above an hand breadth high whose leaves are long and narrow thicke set with most cruell sharpe prickes on all sides at the toppes stand yellow thrummy flowers in sharpe prickly heads so strongly armed that the most cautelous cannot touch it without being pricked the roote is long and stringie The Place The first groweth in Spaine as Clusius saith the second and third in the kingdome of Naples the fourth in Spaine from whence Guilaume Boel brought it shewed it us as well as Clusius who doth remember both him it in the 66. page of his Curae Posteriores the fift Lobel saith groweth in the countrey of Crau among those of 〈◊〉 in the Provence of France the sixt as Clusius saith about Salamanca in Spaine the seaventh on the heath grounds among the Sequanis as Lobel saith and the last on the Appennine hills and in some places of Italy The Time Some of these Thistles flower very late with us so that there is seldome ripe seede to be gathered from them others floâ—er and seede in Iuly and August The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so likewise Acarna and Acorna in Latine reckoned by Theophrastus and Pliny to be a species of Cnicus or Atractylis because it is so like that it might be said to be the same but that the Atractylis is whiter and this more browne or yellow and that it giveth not a blooddy juice which is proper onely to Atractylis The first here set downe is thought to be Eryngium Archigenis which hath the leafe of Atractylis and the yellow flower of Buphthalmum with Clusius and Dodonaeus it is Carlinâ— sylvestris minor with Lobel Acarna sive Sequanorum Cirsij Carlinaeue varietas with Lugdunensis Acarnae similis Carlina sylvestris minor and with Bauhinus Acarna flore luteo patulo the second is called by Columna Acanthoides parva Apula and by Bauhinus Acarna flore purpureo rubente patulo the third is called by Columna Acarna altera Apula and by Bauhinus Acarna capitulis parvis luteis in umbella the fourth Clusius setteth forth in the 66. page of his Curae posteriores by the name of Carlina aliud genus but called by Bauhinus Acarna capitulis globosis the fift is called by Lobel Picnoâ—â—s Cretae Salonensis Galloprovinciae by Lugdunensis it is called in his Chapter of Atractylis Atractylis marina 〈◊〉 Penae but in the Chapter of Chamaeleon he giveth another figure with the same title of Picnomos Cretae 〈◊〉 Penae accounting it there to be a kinde of Chamaelion niger as Lobel and Pena themselves say it may best 〈◊〉 referred unto yet Bauhinus maketh thereof no mention among the Chamaeleons but in the Scolymus Theophrasti by Tabermontanus and Gerard Chamaeleon niger and by Bauhinus Acarna humilis caule folioso the sixt 〈◊〉 the Chamaeleon niger Salmanticensis of Clusius Dodonaeus and Gerard who follow him by Tabermontanus Chaâ— hispanica and by Bauhinus Acarna major caule folioso the seaventh is the Acarna Theophrasti of Anguiâ— Lobel Lugdunensis and Tabermontanus called Cirsium luteum Sequanorum as Pena saith and Erisithales of 〈…〉 and is the most likely to be the true Acarna of Theophrastus and Pliny as by all these mens judgements 〈◊〉 appeare and called by Bauhinus Acarna major caule non folioso the last is called by Dodonaeus Leo Carduus 〈◊〉 and by Lobel Phaenix Leo Carduus ferox and by Bauhinus Acarna minor caule non folioso The Vertues The Vertues of Acarna either of the one or of the other are not set downe by any that have made experience â—f them but as they are in forme nearest unto Atractylis so they may be in qualities also unto it therefore it may â—e referred untill more certaine proofe hath beene declared of them CHAP. V. Chamaelion Carlina The Camaeleon or changeable Thistle and the Carline Thistle THe Chamaeleon Thistle is divided by the ancient writers into white and blacke both which I intend to shew you in this Chapter but the true knowledge of them and their right distinctions hath troubled many as also whether the Carline Thistle be a different plant from the white Chamaeleon Thistle 1. Chamaeleo albus verus acaulis The true Chamaeleon or changeable Thistle without a stalke The true Chamaeleon or changeable Thistle without a stalke which differeth from the Carline Thistle without stalke as you shall heare by and by hath sundry large leaves lying on the ground a foote long or more cut in on the edges and more prickly then the Carline Thistle whose cuts or divisions are more like unto those of the Artichoke being white and as it were hoary and sometimes greene and reddish when they grow old which varietie as Dioscorides saith was the cause of the name would make many to beleeve they were differing 〈◊〉 and somewhat hairy underneath among these leaves riseth a round hoary prickly head without any stalke of the bignesse of a great Thistle head in which the flower is conteined and
thereat likewise the flowers are of a pale red colour set in a long spiked head but more loose and not so compact as the former this I had by Boel out of Spains by the name of Tenuifolius 1. Lagopus maximus flore rubâ—o The greatest Hares foote 2. Lagopus major follo pinnato The longer handed Hares foot 4.5 Lagopus augustifolius 〈…〉 Bright red 〈…〉 6. Lagopus vulgaris Common Hares foote 5. Lagopus minor flore ruberrimo Bright red small Hares foote This small Hares foote hath small woolly or soft leaves as small but nothing so long or narrow as the last and groweth little more then halfe a foote high the spiked head is small but larger then the wilde kind and the flowers on them are of a most excellent crimson colour the corners of whose woolly huskes stand out like starres when the seede within them are ripe this is but annuall perishing yearely as the former this also came to me out of Spaine by the name of Lagopus pratensis Baeticus 6. Lagopus vulgaris Common Hares foote The common Hares foote is well knowne to be a small plant growing greater and higher in some places and smaller in others with whitish woolly small trefoile leaves set upon the stalkes and many branches it hath the heads at the toppes are small and somewhat long with the roundnesse composed as it were all of a hairy hoary downinesse whose flowers in some are of a white in others of a blush colour it is annuall as the rest and this is 〈◊〉 especiall note of this family of Hares foote or that beare spiked heads of flowers that they perish yearely when as the other sorts of â—refoiles that are to follow or that went before are not so This also I had from Boel Supinus 〈◊〉 grew larger and another that stood not upright with many other sorts out of Spaine which are perished with â—e by some unkindly yeares have happened The Place and Time These have beene all found some in Italy others in Spaine some in France and others in Germany but are preserved with â—â— in the Gardens 〈◊〉 such as are curious and the last almost every where in dry grounds in our owne Land and flourish in the summer the onely The Names It is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke and so likewise Lagopus in Latine a Leporis hirfuto pede of the hairy foote of an 〈◊〉 as also Legâ—â—â— and Pes Leporis Lâ— and Trifolium humiles Hippocrates called it Lagopyron quasi Triticum Lepâ—â—â— because it grew among Corne the first is called by most writers Lagopus maximus Lobeâ— by Clusius and Lagopus maximus or major folio 〈◊〉 by Lobel himselfe and Dâ—naeus the second is called by Lobel Lagopus altera folio 〈◊〉 which Clusius maketh the other sort of his third Trifolium majus Tragus called it Cytisus and so did 〈…〉 and Cordus Trifolium magnum the commentors on Mesâ—es in their Pâ—ects Pes 〈◊〉 and Thalius Trifolium spicatum the third is called by Lobel Lagopus altera augustifolia and so by others but as I sayd by Lugdunensis Alapecuros 〈◊〉 Dalechampij the fourth Clusius so calleth as it is in the title the fift is not remembred by any before the last is generally called Laogpus or with little variation Tragus onely calleth it Lotus campestris The Vertues All the parts of these Hares feete that is leaves stalkes c. but especially the spiked heads doe dry and binde and of the first saith Lobel wee have had most certaine experience to stay Fluxes and Larkes of the belly being drunke in wine or in water if the patient be feverish and being bound to the Share it taketh away the inflammations thereof it is profitable saith Matthiolus besides the aforesaid qualities to stay chollericke belchings of the stomacke and paines of the belly if the heads and seede in powder be taken in red wine the herbe boiled with Mallowes in wine is very good for the paines of the bladder the heate of urine and scalding The seede also taken helpeth the spitting of blood the ashes of the heads being burnt is good to apply to the piles to stay their bleedings and some also thinke that if the fundament bee but wiped with the herbe it will stay their bleeding Pena saith that the facultie of drying is so powerfull besides the binding that it wonderfully stayeth the running of the Reines it is also profitably used in all foule and hollow Vlcers being first clensed to raise up flesh in them and to cicatrise them and is of great good use to helpe burstings CHAP. XXXI Trifolia capitulis stellatis globosis c. Starry headed and round headed Trefoiles THese sorts of Trefoiles are likest to the last in their heads chiefely but they are not so closely compacted but stand somewhat looser one flower from another 1. Trifolium stellatum Monspeliensium Starry headed Trefoile of Mompelier This Trefoile of Mompelier hath a small white long down-right root with some fibres therat from whence rise divers leaves upon long weake hoary foote stalkes not standing upright made of three soft hairy and hoary parts formed somewhat like unto an heart whereon some have rashly taken it to be Trifolium cordatum and a little dented about the edges from among which come up three or foure or more low stalkes seldome a spanne high or branched but naked up to the toppe where there usually grow three such like leaves as the lower are set under the head which is a small round spike or umbell with many long flowers appearing of a whitish red or flesh colour out of woolly or hairy and hoary huskes every one by it selfe which when they beginne to fade the whole head becommeth more round and the huskes shew their fine long sharpe points whereinto the toppes of them were divided more apparent laid abroad like a starre in each whereof is contained one blackish flat seede in the place about Mompelier where it groweth naturally it flowreth in May and the seede is ripe in Iune but with us it will neither flower nor seede of a moneth after 2. Trifolium clypeatum argenteum Buckler Trefoile with silver-like flowers This small plant spreadeth many branches upon the ground set with Trefoile leaves like the common medow Trefoile every branch bearing at the end divers silver like flowers and long round blacke and flat seede like unto the old Venetian Bucklers which are hot and drie in taste for which cause I should rather make it a Thlaspi but in that I have not seene the plant I can say no further of it but give it you as my author Alpinus hath set it downe 3. Trifolium globoso capite Globe or round headed Trefoile This round headed Trefoile from a long white fibrous and hairy roote sendeth forth divers slender round stalkes a hand breadth high and sometimes a foote long divided into branches somewhat hairy beset with small triparted leaves a little hairy with two small leaves at every
a long thicke round fleshy stalke by it selfe among which rise up fat thicke stalkes a â—ard high or neere with some leaves thereon and at the toppes divers faire great gold yellow flowers like unto Crowfoote flowers but much larger and shining the roote is composed of many long strings which grow deepe in the myre The Place and Time It joyeth onely in waters and watery ditches and by their banckes sides and flowreth somewhat earely yet continueth a good while and is paâ—t before the end of Aprill The Names It is generally called Caltha and to put a difference betweene it and the Calendula which is also called Caltha it is called Caltha palustris Tragus calleth it Caltha Virgilij and Gesner Caltha palustris who also saith it was called of some Ferraria from the likenesse of the leafe unto an Horse shooe Cordus calleth it Chelidâ—nia palustris and Tabermontanus Populago for what cause I know not nor yet why two sorts whereas they are all one although Caltha palustris vulgaris simplex Common single Marsh Marigold Caltha flore pleno The double Marsh Marigold lesser or greater in one place then another The Dutch call it Dotter bloâ—men And we Marsh Marigolds of some Gouldes and in some Countryes Bootes The Vertues We have not understood that any hath applyed this in Physicke for any griefe or disease CHAP. III. Cotyledon palustris Marsh Penny wort THe Marsh or water Penny wort Cotyledon palustris acris Septentriâ—â—alium as some call it groweth creeping on the ground with long trayling branches shooting forth fibres at sundry joynts and roundish deep greene leaves a little hollow in the middle and unevenly dented about the edges each standing on a small long footestalke the flowers are very small and white comming forth under the leaves the rootes are very small fibres that doe not grow deepe in the ground The Place and Time It groweth alwayes in wet grounds marshes or bogges as on Hampsteede heath and in many other places neere London and flowreth in Iuly The Names It is called by most Herbaristes in these daies Cotyledon palustris and aquatica Lobel calleth it Cotyledon aquatica acris Septentrionalium and in his observations maketh a doubt if it be not the Callitriche of Pliny but is taxed therefore by Columna who calleth it Raminculus aquaticus umbilicato folio making it a Rarunculus as it is most probable howsoever it be termed Cotyledon from the forme of the leaves Our Apothecaries as well as they beyond Sea did use this kinde instead of the true Vmbilicus Veneris being deceived in that the forme thereof doth somewhat resemble it but sure they have amended that error now in better knowing the true plant It is called in some Countries of this Land the White rot because if sheepe seede thereon it will kill them The Vertues By reason of the sharpe taste it cannot but be of an hot quality somewhat like the Crowfeete and therefore requireth respect in the use and not a current tradition we have no certaine property recorded of it CHAP. IV. Ranunculus palustris Marsh Crowfoote OF this kinde of Crowfoote there are divers sorts which shall be declared in this place being reserved for it 1. Ranunculus palustris flammeus major The greater or Marsh Spearewort This greater Marsh Spearewort hath a long joynted roote stored with many blackish fibres from whence riseth up a thicke joynted smooth stalke two foote high furnished with large and long shining and smooth thinner leaves then in the next some being more then halfe a foote long and two or three inches broad but smaller up to the toppe where stand a few pale yellow Crowfoote like flowers but larger then in others 2. Ranunculus palustris flammeus minor sive angustifolius The lesser Spearewort The lesser Spearewort groweth up with more store or sappy greene stalkes with longer thicker and narrower leaves thereon and more store of pale yellow flowers like other sorts of Crowfeete the seede that followeth is like other sorts of Crowfeete the roote is nothing but a bush of threddes or fibres that grow deepe in the mudde 3. Ranunculus flammeus serratus Dented Spearewort This other dented Spearewort is altogether like the last or is the very same but that this is oftentime found having the leaves dented about the edges in more plenty then in the other for both of them is often seene the plaine with some dented leaves and the dented with some plaine leaves among them 4. Ranunculus flammeus Bayonensis The French Spearewort We have had another sort of Spearewort sent us from Bayon growing in their Marshes neere the Sea coasts whose leaves are long and narrow sharpe pointed at the ends the stalke is branched and beareth larger yellow flowers then the last the rootes are like it 5. Ranunculus flammeus flore albo minor Small white flowred Spearewort This little Spearewort hath such like long leaves as the lesser Spearewort hath standing upon long footestalkes but lesser and narrower by much the stalke is bare without leaves saving that at the toppe where the flowers breake forth it hath two small long leaves the flowers are smaller then the common small sort but pure white the seede and rootes are alike also 1 2 3. Ranunculus flammeus major minor folâ—oâ— serrato The greater and lesser Marsh Crowfoote or Spearewort and with dented leaves 4 5. Ranunculus flammeus maritimus Bayonensis alter flore albo The French and small white flowred Spearewort 6. Ranunculus palustris Sardonius laetis Round leafed Marsh Crowfoote 7. Ranunculus Sardinius lanuginosis The true Sardinian Crowfoote 8. Ranunculus aquat cus Hepaticae facie Water Crowfoote 9. Ranunculus Hederaceus aquaticus Water Crowfoote with Ivy leaves 10. Ranunculus hederalae folio aquaticus Water Crowfoote with Ale-coast leaves 6. Ranunculus palustris Sardonius laevis Round leafed Marsh Crowfoote This kinde of Crowfoote shooteth forth a round hollow stalke neere halfe a yard high branching forth into sundry parts the lower leaves whereof are more round then those above and are divided some into three which are ths first and lowest others into five divisions and each of them dented about the edges somewhat like unto Coriander leaves of a pale greene colour and smooth but those up higher on the stalkes and branches are still more and more divided so that some of the highest have no devision or dent in them at the toppes stand small yellow yet Cordus saith he hath observed some to beare purplish flowers after which commeth a small long round head of many crooked seedeâ— set together as in other sorts is to be seene the rootes are a bush of small white stringes the whole plant is as sharpe and virulent as any of the other sorts here or else where described 7. Ranunuclus palustris Sardonius lanuginosus The true Sardinian Crowfoote The true Sardinian Crowfoote groweth very like unto the last but somewhat higher with such like leaves but more divided and hairy like a small
Dioscorides describeth them both in two severall Chapters the one in the roote that the Lotus roote was called Corsium and was round of the bignesse of a Quince which was used to be eaten either boiled or rosted under the fire which the roote of Nymphaea faileth in this is most probable to bee the Lotus Aegyptia of Dodonaeus And then againe in the seede which as Dioscorides sheweth is flat in the head of the Nymphaea and like Milium that is round in the Lotus but the leaves and flowers in both being so like the other being hid under the water caused Alpinus as he saith himselfe to â—ake no further knowledge or marke any difference in them then of a Nymphaea and I am halfe perswaded the like neglect hath happened to the Faba Aegyptia that it is not yet found in the waters of Egypt because the leaves thereof also are round like the Lotus or Nymphaea but now in his Booke of Exoticke plants he changeth his note and shâ—weth there that this is the true Lotus Aegyptia and all the parts thereof particularly desciphered All thâ—se sorts of Water Lillyes are so called by all Writers almost as I doe and therefore neede no further 〈◊〉 or amplification But hereby all men may take a good caveat not to be too forward either to condemne the Teâ—t of the ancients as judging it erronious or to be too confident of their owne judgement without well considering all parts For the like hereunto happened unto the Faba Aegyptia which formerly was confidently supposed to be Colocassia ignorance being the cause of error which knowledge since by industry hath corrected The Vertues The leaves and flowers of the water Lillies are cold and moist but the roote and seede is cold and dry the leaves doe coole all inflammations and both outward and inward heares of agues and so doe the flowers also either by the Syrupe or Conserve the said Syrupe also helpeth much to procure rest and to settle the braines of franticke persons for it wonderfully helpeth the distemperature of the head arising from heate the seede is sometimes used to stay fluxes of blood or humours either of wounds or of the belly yet is as effectuall as the roote but the roote is of greater use with us some taking the white roote which is of the yellow sort and some the roote of the white Water Lilly which hath the blacke roote to be the more effectuall to coole binde and restraine all Fluxes or defluxions in man or woman as also the gonorrhea or running of the reines and the involuntary passage of sperme in sleepe and is so powerfull that the frequent use thereof extinguisheth Venerious actions the roote likewise is very good for those whose urine is hot and sharpe to be boiled in wine or Water and the decoction drunke the blacke roote which beareth the white flowers is more used with us in these times then the other because it is more plentifully to be had then that with yellow flowers but the white roote of the yellow kinde is lesse pleasant and more astringent and harsh in taste and therefore not without just cause doe most preferre it before the other to stay womens courses and mens spermaticall issues The distilled water of the flowers is very effectuall for all the diseases aâ—oresaid both inwardly taken and outwardly applyed it is much commended also to take away freckles spots sunburne and Morphew from the skinne in the face or any other part of the body The oyle made of the flowers as oyle of Roses is made is profitably used to coole hot tumours and the inflammations of ulcers and wounds and ease the paines and helpe to heale the sores The Frog bit as being a species as I said of the Nymphaea minor and so likewise these lesser sorts have generally a cooling quality in them yet in a weaker measure then the greater sorts But let no man mistake the yellow Marsh Marigold instead of the yellow Water Lilly as it is likely Serapio lib. simplicium cap. 144. and some other Arabian Authours did that said there was another kinde of Nenufar which was sharpe and hot and of subtill parts and is fit to warme and give heate to cold griefes for assuredly they meant hereby the Caltha palustris which they mistooke to be a kinde of Nenufar as is evident by this their relation CHAP. XXX Potamogeton sive Fontalis Pondweede OF the Pondweedes there are divers sorts more found out and referred to them then was in former times which are these that follow 1. Fontalis major latifolia vulgaris The greater ordinary Pondweede This greater Pondweede riseth up with sundry slender round stalkes full of joynts and branches and faire broad round pointed darke greene leaves with long ribs in them like Plantaire set siâ—gly at the joynts and lying flat on the toppe of the water at the toppes of the stalkes and branches usually and seldome Potamogeton sive Fontalis major minor latifolia vulgaris The greater and lesser broad leafed Pondweede 2. Fontalis major longifolia The greater long leafed Pondweede at the lower joynts come forth long spiked heads of blush coloured flowers upon long footestalkes like unto those of Bistort or Arsmart whereon after they are past stand chaffie huskes containing within them blackish hard seede the roote creepeth to and fro in the mudde with divers joynts and tufts of fibres at them whereby they are fastened to the ground There is another of this sort that is lesser not much differing in any thing else Minor 2. Fontalis major latifolia The greater long leafed Pondweede This other greater sort differeth little from the former but in the leaves which are longer and narrower and the ribbes running acrosse in them and not at length as the former doth the spiked heads of flowers hereof are is some more whitish and in others as faire a blush colour as the former and come as well from the upper joynts as the toppes of the stalkes and branches There is another sort hereof also Altera with leaves not altogether so long or narrow 3. Fontalis serrato longifolio Dented Pondeweede The roote of this is joynted and creepeth like the former bringing very long and narrow leaves at the joynts of the stalkes and dented about the edges without any order on both sides and beareth at the toppes such like spiked tufts of flowers and seede after them as the others doe 4. Potamogeton gramineum ramosum Grasselike Pondweede The stalke hereof is a foote high or more being very slender round and whitish parted into sundry branches with many small grassiy round darke greene leaves not set together but by spaces a good way in sunder which end in other leaves that are almost as small as haires yet notwithstanding from the wing of the first leafe commeth forth a stalke with the like leaves at the end and thereat a small footestalke three inches long sustaining certaine small flowers dispersedly set in a
the stones and rockes on the ground and sometimes also upon the very ordinary Mosse it selfe as Sir Matthew Lyster one of his Maâ—esties Physitians assured me and sent me some to see which he gathered in Windsor Forrest 8. Muscus ex cranio humano The Mosse upon dead mens Sculles Let me here also adjoyne thiâ— kinde of Mosse not having any fitter place to insert it It is a whitish short kinde of Mosse somewhat like unto the Mosse of trees and groweth upon the bare scalpes of men and women that have lyen long and are kept in Charnell houses in divers Countries which hath not onely beene in former times much â—ounted of because it is rare and hardly gotten but in our times â—â—ch more set by to make the Vngâ—entu◠〈…〉 â—etâ—â—ium which cureth wounds without locall application of salâ—â—s the composition whereof is put as a 〈…〉 ingredient but as Crollius hath it it should be taken from the sculls of those that have beene hanged 〈…〉 for offences The Place and Time The 〈…〉 â—ound in many 〈◊〉 and Woods in this Land but the places of the second and third are Italy as the fourth is also the 〈…〉 as usuall to our Land as to others but the last is oftner brought out of Ireland than found with us and they 〈◊〉 â—o be gathered in the Summer time The Names I have shewed you before how the Greekes and Latines called the Mosses which names indeede doe more properly belong to these trâ—e Mosses for I cannot finde that any of the ancients made any account of the ground Mosses or put them to any use the Arabians called it Axnec and Vsnec and by the Apothecaries Vsnea the Italians Mosco the French Mousse the Germaines Mooss and the Dutch Mosch The first here set downe is called Muscus arboreus and Muscuâ— quâ—ruâ— by most writers the second third and fourth are remembred by Columna the fifth is generally called Pulmonaâ—ia by most writers of this latter age for it is thought it was not knowne to the elder times but without distinction almost whereby many were misse 〈◊〉 taking one herbe for another because there are divâ—â—◠〈…〉 that name and therefore Lobel to distinguish it called it Muscus pulmonarius and others 〈…〉 Lichenis genus and yet some more properly Lâ—chen arbâ—â—â—m the seventh because it is a 〈…〉 as it is in the title and as I take it is Columnâ—â— his Lichen Dioscoridis and Plinii altera 〈…〉 betweene them this of trees and that on the ground by those titles Lichen foliosum being that of the 〈…〉 Lichen adhaerens being this of the trees The Vertues The Vertues that the ancients attributed unto Mosse are wholly to be understood concerning these of trees being cooling and binding and partake of a digesting and mollifying quality withall as Galen saith especially that of the great Ceder for each Mosse doth much partake of the nature of the tree from whence it is taken as that of the Oake to be more binding than those of the Cedar Larche Ivie Ritche and Firre to be more digesting and mollifying it is of good use and effect to stay fluxes and laskes in man or woman as also vomittings and bleedings the powder thereof to be taken in wine The decoction thereof also in wine is very good for women to be bathed with or to sit in that are troubled with the aboundance of their courses the same also drunke doth stay the troubled stomacke perplexed with casting or the hickocke and doth also comfort the heart as Avicen saith and as Serapio saith procureth deepe steepe some have thought it availeable for the Dropsie to take the powder thereof in drinke for some time together the Oyle of Roses that hath had fresh Mosse steeped therein for a time and after boyled and applyed to the Temples and forehead doth merveilously ease the head ache that commeth of a hot cause as also the distillations of hot rheume or humors to the eyes or other parts the ancients much used it in their oyntments c. against lassitude and to strengthen and comfort the sinewes The Lungwort is of great good use with many Physitions to helpe the diseases of the Lungs and for Coughes wheesings and shortnesse of breath and the sheapheards also to their Cattle doe give it for the same purpose with good successe with a little salt it is also very profitably put into lotions that are taken to stay the moyst humors that flow to ulcers and hinder their healing as also to wash all other ulcers in the secret parts of man or woman CHAP. LXII Lichen sive Hepatica Liverwort OF the Liverworts also there are diverse sorts which are also other kindes of Mosses that doe either grow on the ground or on rockes and stones yet moist 〈◊〉 1. Lichen sive Hepatica vulgaris Common ground Liverwort The common Liverwort groweth close and spreadeth much upon the ground in moyst and shadowie places with many sad greene leaves lying or rather as it were sticking flat one unto another very unevenly cut in on the edges and crumpled from among which rise small slender stalkes an inch or two high at the most bearing small starre like flowers at the toppes the rootes are very 〈◊〉 and small whereby it liveth 2. Lichen sive Hepatica minor stellaris Small ground Liverwort This small Liverwort groweth in the like manner as the former and sendeth forth such like starrie flowers but is smaller for the most part in all places where it grow for so as it groweth in the shaddow it will abide in pots as well as on the ground Vubellatus if the place be not stirred or turned up There is also another sort that beareth not 2. Lichen sive Hepatica minor umbellatus Small ground Lâ—verwort with round heaâ—s 4. Lichen 〈◊〉 pileatus Calceato folio 2. Lichen sive Hepatica minor stellaris Small ground Liverwort divided leaves and the small stalkes have round heads not differing in any other thing from the last 3. Lichen petraeus racemosus Cluster headed Liverwort This Liverwort that groweth upon the stones by wells and springs hath much lesser leaves than the former â—â—t lying flat one upon another in the like manner and of a paler greene colour and somewhat hayrie from among which rise slender naked stalkes two inches high bearing at their toppes small heads made like a cluster of divers graines set together of a reddish colour 4. Lichen petraeus pileatus Liverwort with a hooded head This Liverwort groweth in the like moyst stony 1. Lichen sive Hepatica vulgaris Common ground Liverwort places and hath such like leaves lying one upon another of a yellowish greene colour dasht over with an ash colour and spotted a little in the middle of them the stalke groweth to be three or foure inches high being white smooth cleare or transparent and of the thickenesse of a rush whereon standeth a small head somewhat like unto a hat divided underneath into five parts of a spongie substance
bladders thereon as the former the wood or timber of this is not so tough as the former but is more short and will bee more easily cleft 3. Vlmus folio glabro Smooth leafed Elme or Witch Elme The Witch Elme groweth more like to the last then the first in the bending boughes and great body the blooming and seede also is like though lesse but the leaves hereof are nothing so large as the last but neerest in bignesse unto the first yet not rough or crumpled but smooth and plaine and without any blisters on them as the former two have the timber hereof is as strong and as tough as the first or rather more and is accounted of workemen the stronger and more serviceable kinde 1. Vlmus vulgaris cum samâ—rtis sive seminibus suis Our Common Elme with his seede 2. Vlmus latiore folio Broad leafed Elme or witch Hasell 3. Vlmus folio glabro Smooth leafed Elme or Witch Elme 4. Vlmus minor The lesser Elme 4. Vlmus minor The lesser Elme There is in some places of this land found a sort of Elme somwhat differing from those before in that it groweth lower and lesser and with smaller leaves that are as rough on both sides as the first and easie to be distinguished if they be heedefully observed The Place and Time All these sorts are as is said found in our owne Country yet the first is the most frequent and the second in some Countries as much or rather more then the first the third is to be seene in many woods in Essex they all blossome as is said before the leaves come forth and the seede not long after their first spreading at large The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Vlmus Theophrastus and Columella as I said mention but two kindes Theophrastus Montiulmus or montosa Vlmus and campestris Vlmus Columella hath Vlmus Gallica and Vernacula which is Italica Pliny hath foure sorts Attinia Gallica Nostras and Sylvestris which will thus be reduced into the two sorts his Attinia and Gallica are both one sort as Columella plainely setteth downe and is the same with Theophrastus his montosa which is excelsissima Pliny his nostras and sylvestris are both one likewise and the same with Columella's Vernacula which as I said is called Italica and the same also with Theophastus his Vlmus campestris so that our third sort with smooth leaves was knowne to none of them nor yet scarse to any of our moderne Writers unlesse they put it for the Carpinus as it is usually called or for Ornus as Tragus calleth it as shall be shewed in the next Chapter so that our first here set downe agreeth with the Attinia of Pliny Galica of Columella and Montosa Vlmus of Theophrastus and our second with the campestris of Theophrastus Vernâ—cula of Columella and nostras sylvestris of Pliny and called also latifolia by divers but Bauhinus in my judgement hath much confounded them putting one for another the seede of the Elme is called Samarra The Arabians call it Didar Dirdar and Luzach the Italians Olmo the Spaniards Vlmo the French Orme the Germanes Rustholtz Vlmerbaum Iffenholtz and Lindbast as Tragus saith the Dutch Olboom and we in English the Elme tree The Vertues All the parts of the Elme are of much use in Physicke both leaves barkes branches and rootes the leaves while they are young were wont to be boyled or stewed and so eaten by many of the common people Marcellus saith that the leaves hereof beaten with some pepper and drunke in Malmesie doth helpe an old rotten cough to be taken fasting both Dioscorides and Galen upon his owne experience say that greene wounds are healed by applying some bruised leaves thereto and bound upon with the barke of the Line or Linden tree or with it owne barke the leaves used with vinegar cureth the scurfe and lepry very effectually so doth the barke also in vinegar as Galen saith Dioscorides and Columella do both say that the outer bark of the Elme drunk in wine hath a property to purge flegme which I know of none in our time hath tryed to confirme it the decoction of the leaves barke or roote being bathed healeth broken bones that moisture or water that is found in the bladders on the leaves while it is fresh is very effectually used to cleanse the skinne and make it faire whether of the face or of any other place Matthiolus saith he hath sufficient tryall that the water in the blisters on the leaves if clothes often wet therein and applyed to the ruptures of children will helpe them and they after well bound with a trusse The said water put into a glasse and set in the ground or else in dung for 25. dayes the mouth thereof being close stopped and then the bottome set upon a lay of ordinary salt that the feces may settle and the water become very cleare is so singular and soveraigne a balme for greene wounds that it is a wonder to see how quickly they will be healed thereby being used with soft tents the decoction of the barke of the roote fomented mollyfieth hard tumours and the shrinking of the sinewes the rootes of the Elme boyled for a long time in water and the fat rising on the toppe of the water being cleane scummed off and the place annointed therewith that is growne bald and the haire falne away will quickly restore them againe the said barke ground with brine or pickle untill it come to the forme of a pultis and laid on the place pained with the gout giveth a great deale of ease It hath been observed that Bees will hardly thrive well where many Elmes doe grow or at least if they upon their first going abroad after Winter doe light on the bloomings or seed thereof for it will drive them into a loosenesse that will kill them all if they be not helped speedily CHAP. XII Ostrys sive Ostrya Theophrasti The Horne beame tree THis tree which as I said before is so like unto the Elme but notably differing from it riseth up to be a reasonable great tree with a whitish rugged barke spreading well and bearing somewhat longer and narrower leaves then the ordinary Elme and more gentle or soft in handling resembling in some sort the Beech leaves turning yellow before they fall for which cause some have taken it as a kinde of small Beech at the end of the branches hang downe a large tuft of whitish greene narrow and long leaves being almost three square set together amogn which rise small round heads wherein are contained small yellowish seede like unto barley cornes the timber or wood hereof is whitish like the Beech but tougher and stronger then any Elme and more durable in any worke growing as hard is Horne whereon came our English name Caesalpinus seemeth to set forth another sort differing in the heads of seede which in Italy are smaller and closer Altera Italica
from ours or whether he be mistaken it resteth doubtfull Some as Lugdunensis saith have taken this plant to be the Ostrys or Ostrya of Theophrastus because it beareth small seede like unto Barley and some would have the white Syringa here set forth to be his Ostrys likewise for the same cause but I have shewed you the true Ostrys Theorhrasti before as Clusius hath sufficiently declared it The second is remembred in no Authour but the hortus Eystetensis The third is called by Prosper Alpinus in his Booke de plantis exoticis Ligustrum nigruâ—â— by which name it came first to Bauhinus as he saith out of Italy and afterwards from Signiour Contareni his Garden by the name of Syringa laciniatis folijs which he altereth to Ligustrum laciniatis folijs but it seemeth he had but onely a branch to see without flower as it is in his description and therefore could not further determine upon it but I have often seene it both in and out of flower and doe here give you both a full and true description of the plant and the name that both we and Iacobus Cornutus set it out by in his Booke of Canada plants viz. Agemlilag Persarum which as he saith signifieth Lilac Persicum Agem enim Persideni significat Lilac florem but came to us by the name of Iasminum Persicum because many of the leaves are formed very like those of Iasminum Catolonicum as I have shewed you in the description yet the truest name to be imposed on it is Lilac Persicum as I have before shewed you and this is that Lilac laciniatis folijs that J gave you understanding of in my former Booke The fourth is called Frutex coronarius by Clusius and Syringa alba by all other Authours but Lobel who calleth it Syringa Italica not that he ever saw it growing naturally wilde in Italy but that he there found it very frequent in their Gardens Bauhinus calleth it Syringa alba sive Phyladelphus Athenaei The last is called Sambac Arabum sive Iasminum ex Gine so that it may not unfitly be referred to either it is called Syringa Italica flore albo pleno by Besler who set out the great Garden of the Bishop of Eystot although Bauhinus seeme to make two sorts of it as his custome is in many other things which it is likely he never saw but upon Alpinus his resembling the leaves unto those of the Orenge tree for thereby he maketh his distinction We may call it in English either the double white Syringa or Pipe tree or the double white Iasmine according as it is in Latine which you will although the single white hath nothing the like resemblance in the flower to a Iasmine The Vertues There is no use of any of these in Physicke that I know and are but as ornaments in a Garden and for the beauty and sweetenesse of the flowers there cherished unlesse any would make a perfume of the flowers by infusing them in the Sunne with oyle of sweete Almonds or draw a Chymicall oyle out from the said flowers by distillation onely the last Alpinus sheweth the Egyptians doe use more for ornament to trimme up and perfume themselves then for to helpe them in their diseases neverthelesse they make saith he an oyle thereof which their women use in their bathings to mollifie the hardnesse and warme the coldnesse of the mother for by their experience they have found it to be very helpefull for hard kernels and tumours in the flesh and to cause a more easie and speedy delivery in travaile of childbirth by drinking this oyle warme and annoynting the wombe also Some use likewise to drinke that oyle warme and to annoint the stomacke outwardly therewith against the cough and shortnesse of breath and against the dangerous pleurisie where one can hardly bring up the flegme or their spittle and against Impostumations in the lungs and against the violent paines in the stomacke bowels or privities the oyle is made after the manner aforesaid either with oyle of Almonds or Sesamum and the flowers steeped and sunned CHAP. LIII 1. Oleander sive Laurus Rosea The Rose bay or Oleander THere is of this Rosebay two sorts the one with 1. Oleander flore rubro The Rose bay with red flowers crimson coloured flowers the other with white which are both so like in leafe and growing that very hardly they can be distinguished before they be in flower and therefore one description shall serve for them both and so might one figure also but that I had them both ready cut in my hand as I had many others that are inserted into this Worke. The stemme or trunke hereof groweth in rime with us but much more in the hotter climates to be as big below as a reasonable mans wrist and divideth it selfe upwards into many stalkes three for the most part rising at a place and from each of them likewise three other branches and so by degrees from three to three as long as it groweth the lowest part of the branches being bare without leaves and keeping them only at the tops al the Winter being long somewhat narrow more like to those of the Peach then Bay tree but thicker and harder of a darke greene above and yellowish below the flowers come forth at the tops onely of the branches of a deepe crimson colour while they are in the bud and being blowne consist of foure long and narrow leaves with round ends somewhat twining themselves of a paler red colour tending to a deepe blush and in the other are white without any mixture of other colour therein but the greene leaves are paler or fresher after which come long â—ooked pods hard or wooddy almost on the outside and browne in the hot Countries but was never seene to beare ripe pods I thinke in our Country wherein is contained brownish flat seede wrapped in a great deale of most fine brownish yellow downe as fine almost as silke the pods being somewhat like unto the pods of Asclepias or Periploca but larger flatter and harder 1. Oleander flore albo The Rose bay with white flowers 2. Nerij facie arbor Indica An Oleander-like Indian tree 2. Nerijfacie arbor Indica An Indian Oleander-like tree Because Lobel onely hath set forth this branch comparing it to the Oleander I thought good to joyne it next thereunto although wee have no further knowledge thereof then his relation which is thus Seven or nine of these together like unto sheathes of leather a foote or a foote and a halfe long every one of them resembling a slender Lamprey did hang downe from one place of the branch which was like a pithy Marsh Elder knotty pale browne sticke so neerely resembling the cast skin of a Snake or the dead body it selfe that it might very well fright children therewith although stuffed on the inside with woolly skins at the same knot with these skins came forth some flowers growing out of small huskes as the figure expresseth them
later Greeke writer doth not mention it neither yet doe the Latines or Pliny in his time for his Caryophyllon or Garyophyllon lib. 12. c. 7. is a round graine like Pepper as is shewed before with the Amomum but greater and more brittle and was taken by some in these dayes to be Amomum and by others Carpobalsamum yet were they knowne to the later Greekes by meanes of the Arabian Authours who have brought a more ample and exact knowledge of the Indian commodities and of many other things then were formerly knowne so that now what by the Portugals travels the Dutch and ours by sea unto those parts the tree hath beene well observed to be great and tall covered with an ash-coloured barke the younger branches being more white having leaves growing by couples one against another somewhat long and narrow like unto the Bay-tree that beareth narrow leaves with a middle rib and sundry veines running there through each of them standing on a long footestalke the ends of the branches are divided into many small browne sprigs whereon grow the flowers on the toppes of the Cloves themselves which are white at the first with their sprigges greene afterward and lastly reddish before they be beaten off from the tree and being dryed before they be put up grow blackish as we see them having foure small toppes at the heads of them and a small round head in the middle of them the flower it selfe standing betweene those consisteth of foure small leaves like unto a Cherry blossome but of an excellent blew colour 〈◊〉 it is confidently reported with three white veines in every leafe and divers purplish threds in the middle of a more dainty fine sent then the Clove it selfe which is a small slender fruite almost like a small nayâ—e and 〈◊〉 called Clavus by many and from thence the Dutch call them Naegelen being of a hot quickâ— and sharpe taste which are first ripe and gathered but those that doe abide longer on the trees doe grow somewhat thicker and greater and are not oâ— halfe the others goodnesse being called by most Fusses yet some call the stalkes of the Cloves Fustes and grow of their owne falling and are not grafted Hereout likewise commeth a certaine darke red gum and are found usually put together These grow chiefly in the Maluccâ— Islands where they gather them twise every yeare that is in Iune and December the leafe barke and wood being nothing so hot in taste as the Clove they grow also in Amboyâ—â— where they grow well and beare plentifully being there Caryophyllorum affigies spuâ—â—a A false figure of the Clove tree Caryophyllorum tâ—â—â—â—lis geâ—â—ina affigie A branch of the Clove tree with the fruite truely expressed planted by the Dutch in other places of the Indies more scarsely and lesse fruitefull then there which are called generally by the Indians Calefur and by those of the Maluccas and in some other places Chanqâ—â— The properties of Cloves are many and excellent being hot and dry in the third degree yet some say the second and of much use both in meate and medicine comforting the head and the heart and strengthening the liver the stomacke and all the inward parts that want heate helping digestion to breake winde and to provoke urine The oyle chymically drawne is much used for the tooth-ache and to stop hollow aking teeth as also to be put into perfumes for gloves leather and the like the Cloves themselves for their excellent sent serving as a speciall part in all sweet powthers sweet waters perfuming pots c. Garcias saith that the Portugall women distill the Cloves while they are fresh which make a most sweet and delicate water no lesse usefull for sent then profitable 〈◊〉 all the passions of the heart the weakenesse of the stomacke c. and with the pouther of Cloves applyed to 〈◊〉 forehead helpe the head ach comming of cold as also by eating them procure a sweet breath Soâ—â— as he saith procure sweating to those that have the French disease by giving Cloves Nutmegs Mace long and blacke â—â—â—per but this hath no use with us Christophorus a Costa saith that they binde the belly and sharpen the eye sight clensing them and taking away filmes or clouds that darken it if their water be dropped into them and that foure drammes of the pouther of Cloves taken in milke will procure and stirre up venery or bodily lust CHAP. XXII China radix officinarum The roote China THe roote called China is like to the roote of a great reed some flattish others round nor smooth but bunched or knotty reddish for the most part on the outside and whitish or sometimes a little reddish on the inside the best is solid or firme and somewhat weighty fresh and not worme eaten and without any taste but as it were drying it groweth up with many prickely branches of a reasonable great bignesse like unto Sarsa parilla or the prickely Bindeweed winding it selfe about trees and hath divers leaves growing on them like unto broad Plantaine leaves the rootes grow sometimes many together and may be eaten while they are fresh and so the Indians doe with their meate as we doe Carâ—ets or Turneps it not onely groweth in China but in Malabar Cochin Cranganâ—â— Taâ—â—r and other places there and is called Laâ—patan by the Chineses and Chophchina by the Arabians and Persians The properties whereof are many and of great use with us in divers cases it was at the first knowledge thereof to the Christians and others that dwelt in India chiefly used for dyet drinkes in Lua Vexerea the French disease but since it is found profitable in agues whether quotidian or intermittant or pestilentiall and also hectickes and consumptions China rozix officinarum The true China roote Pseudochina Bastard China to rectifie the evill disposition of the liver the inveterate paines in the head and stomacke and strengtheneth it and to dry up the defluxions of rheumes to helpe the jaundise and the burstings in children or others by drying up the humour which is the cause thereof it helpeth also the palsie and all the other diseases of the joynts and bladder the gout and Sciatica and the nodes also and ulcers of the yard and is good in all cold and melancholicke griefes some take it to be a great incendiary to lust the manner of taking it is divers for some boyle it being sliced thinne and steeped for a good while in water onely and some adde wine thereto and some boyle it in the broth with a chicken tyed up in a linnen cloath and to take from a quarter to halfe an ounce or more at a time as the quantity of drinke or broth you will provide or as the party can beare We have had a kinde of roote brought us from the West Indies in forme somewhat like unto this true but harder redder Pseudochina and more knotty which some called bastard China and was not used by any that I know Monardus saith that the
men and the whites in women applyed also to Maides or womens great brests mixed with the juyce of Puâ—slane abateth their greatnesse and represseth their overmuch growing CHAP. XLVIII Pseudosantalus Cretica Abolicea dicta Bastard red Saunders of Candy THis tree groweth in Candy and made Pseudosantalus Cretica Abolicea dicta Bastard red Saunders of Candy knowne to Alpinus whose figure was sent him as I here shew it you with this description following It is a tree that groweth to a reasonable great height straight upright furnished with many armes and branches very beautifull to behold set with faire greene leaves one at a place like unto those of Alaternus but rounder and deeplier endented about the edges the flowers were not observed what forme or colour they bore but the fruite was round and of the biggenesse of Pepper cornes of a darke greenish colour which were not perfectly ripe when this tree was found The wood it selfe is somewhat sweete hard and reddish so that it seemed like red Saunders especially being made into pouther from whence I thinke saith he it may not unfitly be called Bastard red Saunders of Candy some of the wood saith Pona hath beene brought into Italy and there sold for Saunders but it differs from it in that it is nothing so heavy as the true red Saunders is CHAP. XLIX Sassaphras The Sassafras or Ague tree THe first knowledge of this Sassafras or Ague tree came by the French to our Christian world and to the Spaniards by driving out the French who had seated themselves somewhat neere the Florida which they claimed for themselves for they having gotten Agues and swellings in their legges and other diseases by lying on the ground in the open aire by bad victualls and raw drinke of water as the French before them had by a French man that remained among them were taught the use of this tree which he and his Country men had learned before of the Natives to helpe themselves in these extremities some Indians call the tree Pavame and some Winanke but the French whom the Spaniards and all other Nations since that use it follow Sassafras upon what ground or cause is not knowne The tree groweth great and tall bare of branches unto a reasonable height covered with a grayish browne barke somewhat thicke being in taste hotter and quicker then the wood or roote by much towards the toppe it spreadeth forth many goodly armes and branches into a round compasse or forme having large darke greene leaves growing thereon one at a place standing on the contrary side each to other tasting like the roote but more weakely some cut into three divisions somewhat resembling Figge tree leaves but lesser by the halfe for the most part with a middle ribbe running through each division and two others to the inner cuts with veines besides and some with little or no division at all upon them for both sorts wee have seene growing on the same tree smooth also and not dented about the edges the flowers are small and yellow made of threds very like to the Male Cornel tree as Master Iohn Tradescant saith and the fruite small blackish berries set in small cups upon Sassafras The Sassaphras or Ague tree long footestalkes many clustring together the rootes are not very great nor grow deepe in the like manner as all other sorts of Indian trees doe but are covered with the like brownish barke that the trunke and branches are but somewhat redder which are most in use being of greater force and efficacy then any other part of the tree and taste somewhat spicelike rellishing Fennell seede withall but Clusius compareth the taste thereof unto the herbe Tarragon and is hot and dry in the beginning of the third degree The decoction whereof is familiarly given in all cold diseases and obstructions of the Liver and spleene as also in cold rheumes and defluxions of the head on the teeth eyes or lunges warming and drying up the moisture and strengthning the parts afterwards and therefore is availeable in coughes and other cold diseases of the brest stomacke and lungs and restraineth castings and helpeth digestion breaketh and expelleth winde the gravell and stone in the kidneyes and provoketh urine and womens courses it also warmeth heateth and dryeth up the moisture of womens wombes which is in most the cause of barrennesse and causeth them to be the more apt to conceive it is of especiall good use in tertian and quotidian agues that come of humours or are of long continuance it is thought also to be good in the time of the pestilence to weare some thereof continually about them that the smell of it may expell the corrupt and evil vapours of the pestilence it is generally used in all the diseases that come of cold and raw thin and corrupt humours the French disease and other of the like foule nature the Indians use the leaves being bruised to heale their wounds and sores of whatsoever quality they be CHAP. L. Spermacaeti Parmasitty SPermacaeti that is the spawne of the Whale usually called in English Parmasitty is found in the head of one onely sort of Whale fish called Trumpa which hath no finnes in his mouth but teeth about a spanne long and as thicke as ones wrist it lyeth in a hole therein as it were a Well which is taken out and brought home after their fishing for Whales in barrels and is afterwards pressed in a presse that the thinne oyle may runne from the thicker substance which is that Parmasitty we use and the more it is pressed the whiter it will be and of little or no smell yet the oyle is somewhat strong this sort of Whale hath but one hole in the head whereby it spouteth out water all other sorts having two his head is bigger then others and bigger then his whole body besides which is also of a more gray colour in this Whales entralls Ambergreise is said often to be found in more plenty then in other which it is more likely that they swallow as food finding it swimming on the Sea water then that it should breed in them as diverse have supposed for I have here shewed you the generation of Ambergreese this Whale also yeeldeth a kind of oyle as other Whales doe but it groweth both white and hard when it is cold when as all other are liquid like oyle and never glow hard like it and therefore it is alwayes kept by it selfe and not put to others CHAP. LI. Tacamahaca The Gum Tacamahaca THis Gum which the West Indians call Tacamahaca the Spaniards and all other Nations retaining the same name is said to be gathered from a great tree like unto a Poplar that is very sweete having a red fruite or berry like unto those of the Peony more we cannot as yet learne of it The Gumme is of good and much use for outward remedies not being knowne to be given inwardly for any infirmity although I doubt not but that it might safely and to good purpose
hard to judge which of them or whether any of them were right or no for as he saith some cakes were much greater then others and some of a pale brownish colour of a fatty substance like tallow easie to be chewed and without any grittinesse therein which some others have that were more red and somewhat acide in taste Some againe had divers red spots in a whitish earth and some smell so sweete that it may be thought to be so made And some againe of a wan colour tending to yellow others very gritty betweene the teeth being chewed these and divers other varieties doe shew that covetousnesse this being of much esteeme is the cause of counterfetting and besides experience sheweth us that the earthes of sundry other Countries are found to be of excellent properties both to provoke sweate to resist poyson and notably to dry and bind fluxes catarrhes c. all which are attributed to the best Terra Lemnia but Galen in his time had the tryall of the Bolus or Terra or Lapis Armenius which you please to call it for sundry especiall remedies wherein it was effectuall as also in a great Plague time in Rome which he compared to that was in Greece in Thucydides time for as he saith whosoever tooke of that Bolus Armenius dissolved in thinne wine or water were saved if they were to be saved for no other thing could if that did not and therefore seeing we have so little right Terra Lemnia or sigillata wherein to trust and so much counterfet whereof we have cause to beware my advise is rather to use the best fine Bole which both in forme and quality commeth neerest to the truest Terra Lemnia then any other substitute or new found earth going under the name of the right although they have divers good properties in them Let no man impute this as a temerity in me for could I be assured that we could have true Terra Lemnia or that the true that now is to be had were of that excellency that Dioscorides Galen and others report of that in their times I would spare my advise and speake otherwise But seeing I have commended the fine Bole for the best substitute unto Terra Lemnia let me also declare unto you although I have said somewhat before of Bole the speciall uses of both of them that by comparing their properties you may see how little they differ in quality The chiefest effect of Terra Lemnia according to Dioscorides is to resist the venome of Serpents and other deadly poysons for which cause it is put into the great Antidotes against them and is good also against laskes and fluxes but Galen setteth them forth more largely for as he saith having had a Booke given him when he was in the Isle of Lemnos by one of the chiefest men containing all the properties of Terra Lemnia he sheweth that besides the remedies of venome and deadly poysons he had experience of the helpe it gave to those that had eaten of the Sea Hare or of Cantharides defending them from all the fits that doe accompany those that have taken of them as also the biting of a mad dog and that it wonderfully helpeth old sores that are hard to be cured and fresh wounds also to consolidate them The fine Bole of Armenia Galen sheweth to be admirable effectuall in the plague as is before said it also is singular good in laskes blooddy flixes and spitting of blood for the catarrhe or defluxion of rheume and thinne humours upon the brest and lungs and shortnesse of breath marvellously drying and helping them and likewise against the foule ulcers in the mouth the ulcers in the lungs or other parts and the fistula in any without applying any other thing that might clense it or take away the callous skinne therein this onely dryed it and healed it up CHAP. LIII Turbith officinarum The usuall Turbith HAving said something before in the Classis of purging Plants concerning the various sorts of Turbith as divers did take them and account of them whereof I meane not to speake againe in this place but yet I thought good here to say somewhat more of the true Turbith which is a forraigne Drugge and used in the Apothecaries shops not knowne to us or any other certainely that hath written thereof what forme or face the plant truely beareth whose roote it is for although Garcias saith that he saw the plant growing greene and in flower yet he saith himselfe that it differeth from that which we use in our shoppes which he describeth to have no great or long roote whose stalke is like unto Ivy spreading on the ground of a fingers thickenesse or more and two hands long and some times much longer the leaves are like unto those of the Althaea Marsh Mallow and so are the flowers of a reddish white and sometimes all white but not changing three times a day as some report of it that part of the stalke that is next unto the roote and is gummy is onely used the rest being too small is of no use sometimes the roote is gathered with the stalke which is unprofitable the stalke onely being of use in Physicke the whole is insipide without taste so that you may perceive by this description that this Turbith of Garcias is but the stalke of an herbe as it seemeth but our Turbith in shops is plainely deserned to be a roote yet somewhat small and of an ash-colour on the outside and white within having a pith in the middle which is cut out and cast away as unprofitable and some peeces but not all gummy at the ends having no manifest taste which by bruising of it while it is greene as he saith yeeldeth forth a juyce that hardeneth into a gumme yet doth Garcias appropriate this Turbith in his following discourse to that which was with them of daily use saying that the Arabians Persians and Turkes call it all by the name of Turbith by the Indians in Surrat where it groweth plentifully Barcaman and in Canara whereof Goa is a part Tigmar It groweth also as he saith in other places of India naturally wilde but that of Bisnager or Goa is not used by the Physitions there but that of Guzatate which is the best from whence also as he saith it is transported into Persia Arabia Asia minor and Portugall In this discourse of Garcias I finde some contrariety as I take it at least such intricacy as maketh me doubt it was not so advisedly written as so worthy a man whose Workes and labours Turbiâ—h off uinarum The usuall Turbith were as directions to posterity should have done for first he saith that the stalke is of use the roote is unprofitable and yet he saith this very same is both called Turbith and used by the Physitions there of all nations as the Turbith of the ancients which that the Indians gather it to sell to the Merchants that carry it into their Countries and yet it was never seene that any such
resembling a small lambe whose coate or rinde is wolly like unto a Lambes skinne the pulpe or meate underneath which is like the flesh of a Crevise or Lobster having as it is sayd blood also in it it hath the forme of an head hanging downe and feeding on the grasse round about it untill it hath consumed it and then dyeth or else will perish if the grasse round about it bee cut away of purpose it hath foure legges also hanging downe the Woolves much affect to feede on them CHAP. LXVIII Manobiforte Brasilianorum Indian earth nuts or Pease THere is growing in sundry places in Brassil and in America also neare the River Maranon a certaine fruit or Pease breeding under the ground like as puffes doe without either leafe or roote as it is sayd but they are no bigger then great Pease and inclosed in a small grayish thicke and short cod very like a small Pescod with one or two Pease therein of a pale reddish colour on the outside and white within tasting like unto an Almond which will rattle being shaked in the skinne growing many together and tyed by small strings The fruits are eaten as junkets with great delight for their pleasant tastes sake eyther fresh or dryed but a little tosted make them rellish much better and are served to the table of the better sort as an after course and doe dry and strengthen the stomacke very much but taken too liberally breed head ach and heavinesse CHAP. LXIX Radix Sancta Helenae Saint Helens beads or Indian round sweet Cyperus NEare the Port of Saint Hellen which is in Florida grew certaine rootes very long and full of knots or round joynts as great as ones thumbe blacke Radix Sancta Helene Saint Helens Beads or Indian round sweet Cyperus without and white within tasting somewhat aromaticall like Galanga which when they are dry are as hard as an horne the leaves are large and very greene growing on stalkes that spread on the ground it groweth in moist grounds and is drying in the beginning of the second degree and heating in the end of the same the pouther of them taken in wine is used against the paines of the stomacke and bowels easing the collicke and stone in the Kidneyes and provoking urine The Indians use to sprinkle the pouther of the rootes all over their bodies being ready to goe into the Baths because as they say it bindeth the skinne and strengthneth the members of the body by its sweet sent They use there to disjoynt these round knots of the rootes which being drilled and strung serve them in stead of Beads to tell God how many prayers they will give him at a time Clusius thinketh these roots may not unfitly bee referred to some kind of Cyperus but I thinke the large leaves contradict it CHAP. LXX Radix Quimbaya Carthagenas purging roots PEtrus Cieca maketh mention of these roots in the first part of his Peruvian history that they are slender of about a fingers thicknesse growing among the trees in Quinbaya a Province in Feru whose cheife city is Carthage if some of these roots be taken and steeped in a good quantitie of water all night they will drinke up most of the water but yet three ounces thereof remaining being drunke doe purge the body so gently and without trouble or perturbation as if it had beene purged with Rubarbe this hath beene often tryed Clusius thinketh that these rootes were the same or very like unto such as was sent him by a friend by the name of Bexugo vel Peru which he tooke to be no other then the branches of Atragene or Viorna of that Countrey they were so like CHAP. LXXI Rhabarbarum Americanum Rubarbe of America or West Indie Rubarbe MOnardus saith that among other things were sent him out of the maine of the West Indies he had a peece of a roote which they called there by the name of Rubarbe and was very like the East Indian kind for as hee saith it was round with a brownish coate and reddish core or inside which being broken had some whitenesse mixed among it and coloured the spittle yellow like Saffron being bitter withall but what leaves it bore was not signified This is not the white Rubarbe of America for that as is sayd in its place in the Mechoacan CHAP. LXXII Carlo Sancto The Indian Hoppe-like purger OVt of the Province of Mexico commeth this root which they there call Carlo Sancto for what cause is not well knowne it groweth after the manner of Hoppes climing on poles or other high things or else it will lye on the ground the leaves are like unto Hoppe leaves of a very sad greene colour and of a strong heady sent it is not knowne whether it beare eyther flower or fruite the roote is great at the head having sundry smaller sprayes issuing from it each of the bignesse of ones greater finger and white the barke or tinde whereof is easily separated from the rest and is of most use smelling somewhat sweet and tasting bitter and somewhat sharpe withall the pith of the roote consisteth as it were of many small and very thinne filmes which may easily Carlo Sancto The Indian Hoppe-like purger be separated one from another it is hot and dry in the beginning of the second degree The barke of the roote being a little chewed in the mouth draweth downe from the head much flegme whereby rheumes catarrhes and destillations therefrom are voyded and the parts much eased of paines and other griefes in some also it causeth a vomit avoyding thereby much choller and flegme from the stomacke that oppressed it before and strengthned it afterwards the decoction thereof worketh better thereon if a purgation fitting the person be taken before this evacuation upwards it will doe the more good the barke being chewed helpeth loose gummes putrid and rugged teeth and maketh a sweete breath but it were good to wash the mouth with a little wine afterwards to take away the bitternesse the pouther thereof taken in a little white wine or the decoction thereof with Maiden haire and a little Cinamon easeth women of the obstructions of the mother the staying of their courses and consumeth winde in their bodies being formerly purged and prepared and using Liquidambar Vng Dealthaea of equall parts mixed together to annoint the lower parts of the belly all the while the same also helpeth the Simptomes of the heart as swounings and other the passions thereof especially rising from the defects of the mother This decoction likewise is very beneficiall for them that are so troubled that is to take two drams of the barke and boile it in three pints of faire water putting in at the end thereof foure drammes of the barke of Pomcitrons and two drammes of Cinamon which afterwards being strained six ounces of this decoction is to be taken with a little Sugar every morning the body being purged before hand This pouther and decoction is commended likewise against the French disease the
Apples THe tree that beareth this fruite is great full of branches and leaves which are somewhat like Apple-tree leaves but longer and not so round Mala Indica Lusitanis Ber Bor Acostae Small Indian Apples of a sad green on the upper end hoary or woolly on the underside astringent in taste the flowers are white made of fine small leaves without any sent the fruite is of the bignesse and likenesse of the Iujube fruite or plant some greater and lesser as well as pleasanter then others yet in the ripest which it is seldome seene that they come to perfect maturity neither will they last to be transported into other Countries they hold a certaine binding property and are good therefore to binde the loose belly but are not so good as Iujubes for the stomacke In Canara and Decan they call the tree Bor or Ber and in Malayo Videras but the Portugals Mansanas de la India that is Mala Indica whom wee have followed those that grow in Malaca are preferred before those of Malabar In Summer these trees are continually seene loaden with those flies or winged Antes that worke gum Lacca thereon CHAP. CIII Iamboloins Indian Ollives THis tree is somewhat like the Lentiske tree in the barke thereof but the leaves are like the Strawberry tree with dented leaves tasting like the Mirtle leaves when they are greene the fruite is very like unto ripe Ollives but of an harsh and binding taste able to draw ones mouth awry yet being pickled up like Ollives they rellish reasonable well and serve to procure and whet the appetite being eaten with boyled Ryce CHAP. CIV Carambolas Furrowed tart Indian Apples THe fruite which they of Malabar call Carambolas and Camarix or Carabeli by those of Canara and Decan and Bolimba in Malayo groweth on a tree much like to a Quince tree whose leaves are longer then Apple tree leaves of a sad greene colour and bitterish in taste the flowers are of a dainty blush colour but without sent and of a sower or tart taste like to Sorrell the fruite is of the bignesse of a good egge but somewhat long withall yellow on the outside hanging by and short stalke and set in the small huske that Carambolas Furrowed tart Indian Apples formerly held the flower being pointed at the end divided as it were into foure parts with furrowes which being deepely impressed therein make it the more gracefull of a pleasant tart taste very pleasing to the palate and stomacke in the middle whereof are contained small seedes These fruites are much used as well to please and stirre up the appetite by reason of their pleasant sharpenesse as in hot and chollericke agues also either the juyce of them made into a Syrupe or the whole fruite preserved in Sugar or pickled up in brine to serve for aftertimes some use the juyce thereof with other ocular medicines for to take away the haw or the pinne and web in the eyes or any filme beginning to grow over them CHAP. CV Iambos Blood red and blush Peares of India THere is another Indian fruite worthy Iambos Red and blush coloured Peares of India to be remembred as well for the beauty it beareth in the shew thereof and the sweete sent and taste it carryeth to the other senses as chiefely for the excellent medicinall properties is now daily found out more and more in it The tree groweth vaste or huge equalling the greatest Orrenge tree in Spaine largely spread with great armes which make a spacious shaddow the body and branches are covered with a grayish barke the leaves are very faire and smooth an handfull long or more with a thicke middle ribbe and other smaller veines therein of a sad greene on the upperside and paler greene underneath the flowers are of a lively purplish red colour with divers threds in the middle very pleasant and standing in a great huske and tasting like Vine branches the fruite is of the bignesse and fashion of a King Peare growing out of that large huske wherein the flower was formerly seated and are of sundry kindes for some are of so deepe a red colour that they seeme allmost blacke some have no kernell or stone within them when others have one which are the best another sort is of a whitish red colour and shining cleare having a hard stone within it like to a Peach stone but smooth and covered with a white rough skinne which although it must give place to the former yet may well be accepted to a dainty palate the skinne being so tender that as in a Plumme or Cherry it cannot be pared away the smell of each resembleth the Rose and in property is cold and moist The tree is never without greene and ripe fruite thereon and blossomes also at all times which falling abundantly on the ground make it seeme all red therewith the ripe fruite by the shaking of the tree are soone made to fall and gathered from under it as also easily gathered by hand The Indians of Malabar and Canara call it Iambolin the Portugalls that dwell there Iambos the Arabians and Persians Tupha and Tuphat the Turkes Alma They there use to eate this fruit before meate most usually yet they are not refused at other times also both flowers and fruite are preserved with Sugar and kept to give to those that have hot agues to coole their stomackes and liver and to quench thirst CHAP. CVI. Iangomas Indian Services IAngomas are Indian fruites like Services growing on trees not much unlike our Service tree both in leaves and flowers but set with thornes and are manured or planted in Orchards as well as found wild abroad the fruite is harsh like an unripe Sloe when it is ripe and must therefore be rowled betweene the fingers to make it mellow before it can be eaten and is generally taken to binde or restraine whensoever there is cause of such an operation CHAP. CVII Lencoma The Indian Chesnut THis tree groweth very great and the wood is strong and firme having leaves like to the Strawberry tree the fruite is very like to our Chesnut as well in colour as bignesse as also in that white or spot thereon but it seemed to have the kernell loose within it for that it giveth a noyse in shaking the fruit is edible and pleasant yet a little astringent CHAP. CVIII Charamci Purging cornered Hasell nuts THere are two kindes of this tree called Charamci by all the Indians generally but the Persians and Arabians Ambela the one is as great as the Medlar Charamci Purging cornered Hasell Nuts tree with Peare tree pale great leaves and yellowish fruite somewhat like to Hasell or Fillberd Nuts ending in sundry corners of the taste of sowre Grapes yet more pleasant which they pickle up as well being ripe as unripe and usually eate them with salt The other kinde is of the same bignesse but hath lesser leaves then the Apple tree and a greater fruite which the Indians use being boyled
fashion and stand one above another upon a single upright stalke and 7. Polyganatum Virginiâ— Salomons Seale of Virginia 8. Polygonatum racemosum Americanum Cluster like Salomons Seale of America branched about a foote or halfe a yard high but not of so sad a greene colour not discouloured underneath but at the very toppe of the stalke many being set together which are whiter and smaller and nothing so long and pendulous ending in fine small pointed leaves and lastly in the beries which in this are smaller then in any of the former and of a most orient red or scarlet colour which made them at the first to bee taken for Chermes or Scarlet berries where they are naturall and thought fit to dye withall but found unprofitable which while they are white and before they become ripe have six blacke strakes on every of them equally distant but are quite worne out being ripe within which are contained white hard stony graines or seedes like the other Iacobus Câ—untuâ— of Paris in his Canadensium plantarum historia maketh hereof two sorts one be calleth Fertila the other â—ile when as they are both but one sort however happening one may be more apt to beare berries then another for that which I have in my Garden that never bore berries rose from the seede of those berries that were brought us from New-England 8. Polygonatum racemosum Americanum Cluster like Salomons Seale of America This plant shooteth up a round brownish single stalke and sometimes parted or branched about two or three foote high set with many very faire broad leaves some ribbes being of a reddish others of a sad greene colour harder then others and compassed about the edges with a rougher and darker list at the toppes of the branches stand in open clusters many small pale coloured threds like unto the Vine Blossomes which passing away there succeede sundry small berries composed like a cluster of Grapes and each of the bignesse of a â—per 〈◊〉 yellowish before they be ripe and finely spotted with blood red speckles which after they have long so 〈◊〉 are worne out by the ripening of them and change red like a Cherry whose pulpe or juice is sweete and containe within them small white rounidish seede the roote is thicke white tuberous long and joynted as it were by distances with sundry fibres thereon 9. Polygonatum perfoliatum Brasilianum Salomons Seale of Brassil The Salomons Seale of Brassil hath an upright straked stalke about a cubit high whereon are set leaves one above another very large about foure inches long and two inches broad of a pale greene colour full of ribbes tender and not hard which compasse the stalke at the lower end where it is broadest like unto Thoroughwax that the stalke seemeth to goe thorough them the flowers also which stand in the same manner that the ordinary sorts doe are much larger then any of the former consisting of five narrow white leaves two inches long a peece standing at the ends of very small and long footestalkes the berries and rootes are not set forth by mine author 10. Polygonatum ramosum perfoliatum flore luteo majus minus Americanum The greater and lesser thorough leafed yellow Salomons Seale of America This Salomons Seale hath a slender smooth stalke or two halfe a foote high parted about the middle into two branches and each of them againe into others the greater sort having faire broad and long very pale greene ribbed leaves compassing the stalke wholly at the bottome the smaller sort much narrower and smaller at each of 10. Polygonatum ramosum perfoliatum flore luteo majus et minus Americanum The greater and lesse thorow leafed yellow Salomons Seale of America 11. Polygonatum Angestifoliuâ— Narrow leafed Salomons Seale the joynts with the leaves and at the toppes also stand the flowers singly in each sort composed of six long and narrow yellow leaves hanging downewards in the middle whereof is a crooked head or horne compassed with six yellow threds or chives when the flower is past the footestalke thereof riseth up bearing that crooked or horned three square thicke skinny cod on the end having whitish seede within it the roote is nothing so thicke or white as the eight but fastned by many strings in the ground 11. Polygonatum angustifolium Narrow leafed Salomons Seale The narrow leafed Salomons Seale shooteth forth divers upright stalkes about a foote high bending downewards at the toppes without any branches at all upon them whereon stand at severall joynts and spaces foure or five and sometimes six long and narrower greene leaves then they of the former being smooth and ribbed or full of veines at the said joynts with the leaves come forth two or three short stalkes with whitish greene flowers at the ends of them like unto the first after which come round berries red when they are ripe more pulpie or juicie then the last conteining hard white kernells within them like the rest the roote is tuberous like the former ordinary sorts branching forth at the sides like them 12. Polygonatum angustifolium ramosum Branched small Salomons Seale This small Salomons Seale is in most things like the last as in rootes leaves flowers and berries the chiefest difference consisteth in this that it brancheth forth at every joynt on the maine stalke on both sides thereof and hath the leaves somewhat smaller and narrower yet set in the same manner and the flowers somewhat smaller also standing on short footestalkes The Place The first is frequent in divers places of our Land as beside those that Gerard hath named it groweth in a wood two miles from Canterbury by Fishpoole hill as also in a bushie Close belonging to the Personage of Alâ—berry neare Clarindon two miles from Salisbury the next Close thereunto is called Speltes and in Chesson wood on Chesson hill betweene Newington and Sittingburne in Kent the other six following it and the two last grow in Germany Austria and the parts thereabout the seventh was brought both out of Virginia and New-England by some Martiners that had thought they had beene the Scarlet or Kermes berries as I sayd before from whose seede sprang with me first as I thinke in this kingdome and brought such plants as I have expressed in the description the eighth and tenth were brought from Canada by the French the ninth groweth in Brassill and from thence brought and communicated to Bauhinus by Dr. Burserus The Time They flower about May and the Virginia Brassill and American sorts not untill Iune and Iuly the berries of the European sorts are ripe in September and continue on the stalkes untill the frosts rot the stalkes and they fall downe and perish with all above ground the roote abiding safe and shooting a new every yeare the Virginian sort hath such red berries as are expressed in the description but it never bore berries in our Land that I know of but the other Americans beare berries about September The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Polygonatum and so in Latine also A radicis geniculorum frequentibus nodis of the many nodes and knots in the roote it is usually called Sigillum Salamonis for the causes set downe in the description of the first and of some Scala coeli Ioannes Monardus tooke it to bee Secacul of the Arabians but without all shew of reason almost the Italians in some places call it Polygonato and Ginochietto in others and in Hetruria or Florence Frassinella but for what respect I know not not having any likenesse or affinitie with Fraxiâ— from whence the name should be derived the French Genicoliere of somâ— and Seau or Signet de Salomon of others the Germans Weisswurtz id est radix alba of the Dutch Salomons Seghel and wee in English Salomons Seale most usually but in some countries the people call it Ladder to Heaven according to the Latine name Scala caeli which was anciently knowne in the Apothecaries shoppes from the forme of the stalke of leaves one being set above another The first is called Polygonatum generally by all writers almost some calling it Latifolium some majus and some vulgare and some Sigillum Salomonis Anguilara Caesalpinus and Castor Durantes following their owne country name call it Frassinella confounding it with the Dictamum albus which is called Fraâ—ciâ—ella the second is the first Polygonatum latifolium of Clusius which Camerarius in horto calleth Polygonatum Pannonicum the third is Clusius his second Polygonatum latiore folio which Cordus in his History of plants calleth Polygonatum angulosam the fourth is the third Polygonatum Latiore folio of Clusius which Bauhinus calleth Polygonatum latifolium Ellebori albi folijs the fift Bauhinus in his Pinax and Prodromus calleth PolygonatuÌ„ latifoliuÌ„ minus flore majore The sixt is diversly called Matthiolus setteth it forth for Laurâ— Alexandrina whom Camerarius â—th and Clusius reproveth in that it answereth not thereunto as you shall heare more amply in the next Chapter both by the description and explication Iohannes Mollinaeus that set forth the great Herball of Dalechampius generally called Lugdunensis taketh it to be Hippoglossum of Dioscorides whom Clusius also taxeth for it shewing that howsoever the Text of Dioscorides if corrupted be amended yet this cannot be it because it wanteth those ligulae small tongues that are growing upon the leaves of Hypoglossum as you shall heare by and by and that this is not perpetually greene as the Hypoglossum but dyeth downe to the roote every yeare shooting sooth new stalkes in the Spring and therefore Clusius saith that it cannot be better referred then unto the kinds of Polygonatum unlesse as he saith it might be the Idaea radix of Dioscorides wherein as he saith because he is so briefe nothing can be affirmed for certaine yet I certainely thinke it answereth very fitly thereunto both in face an vertues Lobel calleth it in his observations Polygonato Assinis planta and Caesalpinus Rusco affinis tertia Gerard hath two figures hereof and two descriptions as if they were two severall plants which are his fourth and fift by the name of Polygonatum ramosum and acutum the one being the figure of Matthiolus his Laurus Alexandrina and the other of Clusius for they expresse but one plant no other diversitie thereof to bee found that I can learne Bauhinus calleth it Polygonatum latifolium ramosum the seventh is as I sayd of mine owne nursing and naming the eighth and tenth are so called by Cornutus as they are in the titles the ninth Bauhinus in his Pinax and Prodronius calleth Polygonatum latifolium perfoliatum Brasilianum the eleventh is called Polygonatum minus by divers and generally Polygonatum angustifolium and tenuifolium by all others Thalius calleth this Polygonatum tâ—nnifolium majus as he doth the last tenuifolium minus which Clusius and Bauhinus call Polygonatum angustifolium ramosum The Vertues The roote of Salomons Scale is of chiefest use and hath a mixt property as Galen saith having partly a binding and partly a sharpe or biting quality as also a kinde of loathsome bitternesse therein hardly to be expressed whereby it is of little use in inward medecines which sharpenesse and loathsomenesse we hardly perceive in those that grow with us yet some authors doe affirme that the powder of the herbe or of the seede purgeth flegme and viscous humors very forcibly both upward and downeward it is said also that the roote chewed in the mouth draweth downe much rheume out of the head and put up into the nostrills causeth sneesing but it serveth as he and Dioscorides both say and all experience doth confirme for wounds hurts and outward soâ—es to heale and close up the lippes of those that are greene and fresh made and to helpe to dry up the moisture and restraine the flux of humors of those that are old it is singular good to stay vomitings and also bleedings wheresoever as also all fluxes in man or woman whether it be the whits or reds or the running of the reines in men also to knit any joynt that doth grow by weakenesse to be often out of place or by some cause stayeth but small time therein when it is set as also to knit and joyne broken bones in any place of the body the roots being bruised and applyed to the place yea it hath by late experience beene found that the decoction of the roote in wine or the bruised roote put in wine or other drinke and after a nights infusion strayned hard forth and dranke hath holpen both man and beast whose bones have beene broken by any occasion which is the most assured refuge of helpe to the people in divers countries of this Land that they can have it is no lesse effectuall to helpe râ—pâ—es and burstings to be both inwardly taken the decoction in wine or the powder in broth or drinke and outwardly applyed to the place the same also is availeable for inward or outward bruises falls or beatings both to dispell the congealed blood and to take away both the paines and the blacke and blew markes that abide after the hurt the same also or the distilled water of the whole plant used to the face or other part of the skinne cleâ—seth it from morphew freckles spots or markes whatsoever leaving the place fresh faire and lovely which the Italian dames as it is said doe much use CHAP. CIIII. Laurus Alexandrina The Laurel of Alexandria THere hath beene so great varietie of opinions among our moderne writers concerning the Laurell of Alexandria what plant should be the right of Dioscorides some shewing one and some another and scarse one the true that I much doubt whether this that I shall here shew you in this Chapter will be taken and judged to be the genuine plant by many who peradventure contemning my opinion may thinke me sooner to erre and be deceived then so many learned men before me that have had contrary opinions but