soporiferous and therefore the greater care must be had in the administration thereof lest in prouoking sleepe you induce a drow sinesse or dead sleepe CHAP. 30. Of Reeds ¶ The kindes OF Reeds the Ancients haue set downe many sorts 〈◊〉 hath brought them all first into two principall kindes and those hath he diuided againe into moe sorts The two principall are these Auleticae or Tibiales Arundines and Arundo vallatoria Of these and the rest we will speake in their proper places 1 Arundo vallatoria Common Reed 2 Arundo Cypria Cypresse Canes ¶ The Description 1 THe common Reed hath long strawie stalkes full of knotty joints or knees like vnto corne whereupon do grow very long rough flaggy leaues The tuft or spoky eare doth grow at the top of the stalkes browne of colour barren and without seed and doth resemble a bush of feathers which turneth into fine downe or cotton which is carried away with the winde The root is thicke long and full of strings dispersing themselues farre abroad wherby it doth greatly increase ‡ Bauhinus reports That he receiued from D. Cargill a Scottishman a Reed whose leaues were a cubit long and two or three inches broad with some nerues apparantly running alongst the leafe these leaues at the top were diuided into two three or foure points or parts as yet I haue not obserued it Bauhine termes it Arundo Anglica 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 dissectis ‡ 1 The Cypresse Reed is a great Reed hauing stalkes exceeding long sometimes twenty or thirty foot high of a woody substance set with very great leaues like those of Turky wheate It carrieth at the top the like downie tuft that the former doth 3 Arundo farcta Stuffed Canes 4 Calamus sagittalis Lobelij Small stuffed Reed 5 Nastos Clusij Turky walking staues 6 Arundo scriptoria Turky writing Reeds 3 These Reeds Lobelius hath seene in the Low countries brought from Constantinople where 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 said the people of that countrey haue procured them 〈◊〉 the parts of the Adriaticke sea side where they do grow They are full stuft with a spongeous substance so that there is no hollownesse in the same as in Canes other Reeds except here and there certaine small pores or passages of the bignesse of a pinnes point in manner such a pith as is to be found in the Bull-Rush but more firme and solid 4 The second differeth in smalnesse and that it will winde open in fleakes otherwise they are very like and are vsed for darts arrowes and such like 5 This great sort of Reeds or Canes hath no particular description to answer your expectation for that as yet there is not any man which hath written thereof especially of the manner of growing of them either of his owne knowledge or report from others so that it shall 〈◊〉 that yee know that that great cane is vsed especially in Constantinople and thereabout of aged and wealthy Citisens and also Noblemen and such great personages to make them walking staues of caruing them at the top with sundry Scutchions and pretty toyes of imagerie for the beautifying of them and so they of the better sort do garnish them both with siluer and gold as the figure doth most liuely set forth vnto you 6 In like manner the smaller sort hath not as yet beene seene growing of any that haue beene curious in herbarisme whereby they might set downe any certaintie thereof onely it hath beene vsed in Constantinople and thereabout euen to this day to make writing pens withall for the which it doth very fitly serue as also to make pipes and such like things of pleasure ¶ The place The common Reed groweth in standing waters and in the edges and borders of riuers almost euery where and the other being the angling Cane for Fishers groweth in Spaine and those hot Regions ¶ The time They flourish and flower from April to the end of September at what time they are cut down for the vse of man as all do know ¶ The Names The common Reed is called Arundo and Harundo vallatoria in French Roseau in Dutch 〈◊〉 in Italian Canne a far siepo of Diosc. Phragmitis in English Reed Arundo Cypria or after Lobelius Arundo Donax in French Canne in Spanish Cana in Italian Calami a far Connochia In English Pole reed and Cane or Canes ¶ The nature Reeds are hot and dry in the second degree as Galen saith ¶ The vertues The roots of reed stamped smal draw forth thorns and splinters 〈◊〉 in any part of mans body The same stamped with vineger ease all luxations and members out of ioynt And likewise stamped they heale hot and 〈◊〉 inflammations The ashes of them mixed with vineger helpeth the scales and scurfe of the head and helpeth the falling of the haire The great Reed or Cane is not vsed in physicke but is esteemed to make slears for 〈◊〉 sundry sorts of pipes as also to light candles that stand before Images and to make hedges and pales as we do of laths and such like and also to make certaine diuisions in ships to diuide the sweet oranges from the sowre the pomecitron and lemmons likewise in sunder and many other purposes CHAP. 31. Of Sugar Cane ¶ The Description 1 SVgar Cane is a pleasant and profitable Reed hauing long stalkes seuen or eight foot high ioynted or kneed like vnto the great Cane the leaues come forth of euerie joynt on euery side of the stalke one like vnto wings long narrow and sharpe pointed The Cane it selfe or stalke is not hollow as other Canes or Reeds are but full and stuffed 〈◊〉 a spongeous substance in taste exceeding sweet The root is great and long creeping along within the vpper crust of the earth which is likewise sweet and pleasant but lesse hard or woody than other Canes or Reeds from the which there doth shoot forth many yong siens which are cut away from the maine or mother plant because they should not draw away the nourishment from the old stocke and so get vnto themselues a little moisture or else some substance not much worth and cause the stocke to be barren and themselues little the better which shoots do serue for plants to set abroad for encrease Arundo Saccharina Sugar Cane ¶ The place The Sugar Cane groweth in many parts of Europe at this day as in Spaine Portugal Olbia and in Prouence It groweth also in Barbarie generally almost euery where in the Canarie Islands and in those of Madera in the East and West Indies and many other places My selfe did plant some shoots thereof in my garden and some in Flanders did the like but the coldnesse of our clymate made an end of mine and I thinke the Flemings will haue the like profit of their labour ¶ The time This Cane is planted at any time of the yeare in those hot countries where it doth naturally grow by reason they 〈◊〉 no frosts to hurt the yong shoots at their first planting ¶ The Names
the substance of the wood is tender and easie to worke on it sendeth forth on euery side very many goodly boughes and branches which make an excellent shadow against the heate of the Sun vpon which are great broad and cornered leaues much like to those of the Vine hanging by long reddish stalks the floures hang by clusters of a whitish greene colour after them commeth vp long fruit fastened together by couples one right against another with kernels bumping out 〈◊〉 to the place in which they are combined in all the other parts flat and thin like vnto parchment or resembling the innermost wings of grashoppers the kernels be white and little 2 There is a small Maple which doth oftentimes come to the bignes of a tree but most commonly it groweth low after the maner of a 〈◊〉 the barke of the young shoots hereof is likewise smooth the substance of the wood is white and easie to be wrought on the leaues are cornered like those of the former slippery and fastened with a reddish stalke but much lesser very like in bignes and smoothnes to the leafe of Sanicle but that the cuts are deeper the floures be as those of the former greene yet not growing in clusters but vpon spoked roundles the fruit standeth by two and two vpon a stem or foot-stalke ¶ The Place The small or hedge Maple groweth almost euery where in hedges and low woods The great Maple is a stranger in England only it groweth in the walkes and places of pleasure of noble men where it especially is planted for the shadow sake and vnder the name of Sycomore tree ¶ The Time These trees floure about the end of March and their fruit is ripe in September ¶ The Names This tree is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Acer in English Maple or Maple tree The great Maple is called in high Dutch 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the French men Grand Erable and Plasne abusiuely and this is thought to be properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they are far deceiued that take this for Platanus or the Plane tree being drawne into this errour by the neerenesse of the French word for the Plane tree doth much differ from this ‡ This is now commonly yet not rightly called the Sycomore tree And seeing vse will haue it so I thinke it were not vnfit to call it the bastard Sycomore ‡ The other is called in Latine Acer minor in high Dutch 〈◊〉 in low Dutch 〈◊〉 in French Erable in English small Maple and common Maple ¶ The Temperature and Vertues What vse the Maple hath in medicine we finde nothing written of the Grecians but Pliny in his 14. booke 8. chapter affirmeth that the root pouned and applied is a singular remedy for the paine of the liuer Serenus Sammonicus writeth that it is drunke with wine against the paines of the 〈◊〉 Si latus immeritum morbo tentatur acuto Accensum tinges lapidem stridentibus vndis Hinc bibis aut Aceris radicem tundis vna 〈◊〉 vino capis hoc praesens medicamen habetur Thy harmelesse side if sharpe disease inuade In hissing water quench a heated stone This drinke Or Maple root in pouder made Take off in wine a present med'cine knowne CHAP. 119. Of the Poplar tree ¶ The Kindes THere be diuers trees vnder the title of Poplar yet differing very notably as shall be declared in the descriptions whereof one is the white another the blacke and a third sort set downe by 〈◊〉 which is the Aspe named by him Lybica and by Theophrastus 〈◊〉 likewise there is another of America or of the Indies which is not to be found in these regions of Europe ¶ The Description 1 THe white Poplar tree commeth soone to perfection and groweth high in short time full of boughes at the top the barke of the body is smooth and that of the boughes is likewise white withall the wood is white easie to be cleft the leaues are broad deeply gashed cornered like almost to those of the Vine but much lesser smooth on the vpper side glib and somwhat greene and on the nether side white and woolly the catkins are long downy at the first of a purplish colour the roots spread many waies lying vnder the turfe and not growing deepe and therefore it happeneth that these trees be oftentimes blowne downe with the winde 1 Populus alba The white Poplar tree 2 Populus nigra The blacke Poplar tree 2 The black Poplar tree is as high as the white and now and then higher oftentimes fuller of boughes and with a thicker body the barke thereof is likewise smooth but the substance of the wood is harder yellower and not so white fuller of veines and not so easily cleft the leaues be somwhat long and broad below towards the stem sharp at the point and a little snipt about the edges neither white nor woolly like the leaues of the former but of a pleasant greene colour amongst which come forth long aglets or catkins which do turne into clusters the buds which shew themselues before the leaues spring out are of a reasonable good sauour of the which is made that profitable ointment called Vnguentum Populeon 3 The third kinde of Poplar is also a great tree the barke and substance of the wood is somewhat like that of the former this tree is garnished with many brittle and tender branches set full of leaues in a manner round much blacker and harder than the blacke Poplar hanging vpon long and slender stems which are for the most part stil wauering and make a great noise by being beaten one to another yea though the weather be calme and scarce any winde blowing and it is knowne by the name of the Aspen tree the roots hereof are stronger and grow deeper into the ground than those of the white Poplar 3 Populus Libyca The Aspen tree 4 Populus Americana The Indian Poplar tree ‡ 5 Populus alba folijs minoribus The lesser leaued white Poplar 5 There is also another sort of Poplar which groweth likewise vnto a great tree the branches whereof are knotty and bunched forth as though it were full of scabs or sores the leaues come forth in tufts most commonly at the end of the boughes not cut or iagged but resembling the leaues of that Atriplex called Pes Anserinus in colour like the former but the aglets are not so closely packed together otherwise it is like ¶ The Place These trees doe grow in low moist places as in medowes neere vnto ditches standing waters and riuers The first kinde of white Poplar groweth not very common in England but in some places here and there a tree I found many both small great growing in a low medow turning vp a lane at the farther end of a village called Black-wall from London and in Essex at a place called Ouenden and in diuers other places The Indian Poplar groweth in most parts of the Islands of the West Indies ¶
Of double floured Oriental Hyacinths Of this kindred there are two or three more varieties whereof I wil giue you the description of the most notable and the names of the other two which with that I shall deliuer of this may serue for sufficient description The first of these which Clusius calls Hyacinthus Orientalis subvirescente flore or the greenish floured double Orientall Iacinth hath leaues roots and seeds like vnto the formerly described Oriental Iacinths but the floures wherin the difference consists are at the first before they be open greene and then on the out side next to the stalke of a whitish blew and they consist of six leaues whose tips are whitish yet retaining some manifest greenes then out of the midst of the floure comes forth another floure consisting of three leaues whitish on their inner side yet keeping the great veine or streake vpon the outer side each floure hauing in the middle a few chiues with blackish pendants It floures in Aprill 12 This varietie of the last described is called Hyacinthus Orientalis flore 〈◊〉 pleno The double blew Orientall Iacinth 13 This Hyacinthus Orientalis candidissimus flore pleno The milke-white double Orientall 〈◊〉 14 This which Clusius calls Hyacinthus obsoletior Hispanicus hath leaues somewhat narrower and more flexible than the Muscari with a white veine running alongst the inside of them among these leaues there riseth vp a stalke of some foot high bearing some fifteene or sixteene floures more or lesse in shape much like the ordinarie English consisting of six leaues three standing much out and the other three little or nothing These floures are of a very dusky colour as it were mixt with purple yellow and greene they haue no smell The seed which is contained in triangular heads is smooth blacke scaly and round It floures in Iune 15 The lesser Spanish Hyacinth hath leaues like the Grape-floure and small floures shaped like the Orientall Iacinth some are of colour blew and other some white The seeds are contained in three cornered seed-vessels I haue giuen the figure of the white and blew together with their seed-vessels 16 This Indian Iacinth with the tuberous root saith Clusius hath many long narrow sharpe pointed leaues spread vpon the ground being somewhat like to those of Garlicke and in the middest of these rise vp many round firme stalkes of some two cubits high and oft times higher sometimes exceeding the thicknesse of ones little finger which is the reason that oftentimes 〈◊〉 they be borne vp by something they lie along vpon the ground These stalkes are at 〈◊〉 spaces ingirt with leaues which end in sharpe points The tops of these stalkes are adorned with many white floures somewhat in shape resembling those of the Orientall Iacinth The roots are knotty or tuberous with diuers fibres comming out of them ‡ ¶ The place These kindes of Iacinths haue beene brought from beyond the Seas some out of one countrey and some out of others especially from the East countries whereof they tooke their names Orientalis ¶ The time They floure from the end of Ianuarie vnto the end of Aprill ¶ The nature The Hyacinths mentioned in this Chapter do lightly cleanse and binde the seeds are dry in the third degree but the roots are dry in the first degree and cold in the second ¶ The vertues The Root of Hyacinth boyled in Wine and drunke stoppeth the belly prouoketh vrine and helpeth against the venomous bitings of the field Spider The seed is of the same vertue and is of greater force in stopping the laske and bloudy flix Being drunke in wine it preuaileth against the falling sicknesse The roots after the opinion of Dioscorides being beaten and applied with white Wine 〈◊〉 or keepe backe the growth of haires ‡ The seed giuen with Southerne-wood in Wine is good against the Iaundice ‡ CHAP. 80. Of Faire baired Iacinth ¶ The Description 1 THe Faire haired Iacinth hath long fat leaues hollowed alongst the inside trough fashion as are most of the Hyacinths of a darke greene colour tending to rednesse The stalke riseth out of the middest of the leaues bare and naked soft and full of slimie juyce which are beset round about with many small floures of an ouerworne purple colour The top of the spike consisteth of a number of faire shining purple floures in manner of a tuft or bush of haires whereof it tooke his name Comosus or faire haired The seed is contained in small bullets of a shining blacke colour as are most of those of the Hyacinths The roots are bulbous or Onion fashion full of slimy juyce with some hairy threads fastned vnto rheir bottome 2 White haired Iacinth differeth not from the precedent in roots stalkes leaues or seed The floures hereof are of a darke white colour with some blacknesse in the hollow part of them which setteth forth the difference 3 Of this kinde I receiued another sort from Constantinople resembling the first hairy Hyacinth very notably but differeth in that that this is altogether greater as well in leaues roots and floures as also is of greater beauty without all comparison 1 Hyacinthus comosus Faire haired Iacinth 2 Hyacinthus comosus albus White haired Iacinth ‡ 3 Hyacinthus comosus Bizantinus Faire-haired Iacinth of Constantinople ‡ 5 Hyacinthus comosus ramosus elegantior Faire curld-haired branched Iacinth ‡ 4 There are two other more beautifull haired Iacinths nourished in the gardens of our prime Florists The first of these hath roots and leaues resembling the last described the stalke commonly riseth to the height of a foot and it is diuided into many branches on euery side which are small and threddy and then at the end as it were of these threddy branches there come forth many smaller threds of a darke purple colour and these spread and diuaricate themselues diuers wayes much after the manner of the next described yet the threds are neither of so pleasing a colour neither so many in number nor so finely curled This is called Hyacinthus comosus ramosus purpureus The faire haired branched Iacinth 5 This is a most beautiful and elegant plant and in his leaues and roots he differs little from the last described but his stalke which is as high as the former is diuided into very many slender branches which subdiuided into great plenty of curled threads variously spread abroad make a very pleasant shew The colour also is a light blew and the floures vsually grow so that they are most dilated at the bottome and so straiten by little and little after the manner of a Pyramide These floures keepe their beautie long but are succeeded by no seeds that yet could be obserned This by Fabius Columna who first made mention hereof in writing is called Hyacinthus 〈◊〉 panniculosa coma By others Hyacinthus comosus ramosus elegantior The faire curld-haire Iacinth These floure in May. ‡ 6 Hyacinthus botryoides 〈◊〉 Blew Grape-floure 7 Hyacinthus botryoides caeruleus major Great Grape-floure 6 The small
corne when there is scarsitie of victuals Galen writeth that he 〈◊〉 a plant of the Sycomore tree like to the wilde Fig tree fruit and all ¶ The Time It bringeth forth 〈◊〉 three or foure times in one yeare and oftner if it be 〈◊〉 with an iron knife or other like instrument ¶ The Names This tree is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Fig tree and the Mulbery tree in Latine Sycomorus 〈◊〉 Celsus nameth it backward Morosycos the Egyptians of our time do call it Ficus 〈◊〉 or Pharao his Fig tree as witnesseth Bellonius and it is likewise termed Ficus Aegyptia Egyptian Fig tree and also Morus Aegyptia or Egyptian Mulberrie tree We cal it English Sycomore tree after the Greek and Latine and also Mulberry Fig tree which is the right Sycomore tree and not the great Maple as we haue said in the chapter of the Maple The fruit is named in Greeke Sycomoron and in Italian Sycomoro and Fico d'Egitto ¶ The Temperature and Vertues The fruit of the Sycomore tree hath no sharpnesse in it at all as Galen saith It is somwhat sweet in raste and is of temperature moist after a sort and cold as be Mulberries It is good saith Dioscorides for the belly but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without any nourishment and troublesome to the stomacke There issueth forth of the barke of this tree in the beginning of the Spring before the fruit appeareth a liquour which being taken vp with a spunge or a little wooll is dried made vp into fine cakes and kept in gallie pots this mollifieth closeth wounds together and dissolueth grosse humours It is both inwardly taken and outwardly applied against the bitings of serpents hardnesse of the milt or spleene and paine of the stomacke proceeding of a cold cause this liquor doth very quickly putrifie CHAP. 133. Of the Fig tree ¶ The Description 1 THe garden Fig tree becommeth a tree of a meane slature hauing many branches full of white pith within like Elderne pith and large leaues of a darke greene colour diuided into sundry sections or diuisions The fruit commeth out of the branches without any floure 〈◊〉 all that euer I could perceiue which fruit is in shape like vnto Peares of colour either whitish or somewhat red or of a deep blew full of small graines within of a sweet and pleasant taste which beeing broken before it be ripe doth yeeld most white milk like vnto the kindes of Spurge and the leaues also beeing broken doe yeeld the like liquour but when the Figges be ripe the iuice thereof is like honie 1 Ficus The Fig tree ‡ 2 Chamaeficus The dwarfe Fig tree 2 The dwarfe Fig-tree is like vnto the former in leaues and fruit but it neuer groweth aboue the height of a man and hath many small shoots comming from the roots whereby it greatly increaseth There is also another wilde kinde whose fruit is neuer ripe Theophrastus nameth it Erincos 〈◊〉 Caprificus ¶ The Place The Fig trees do grow plentifully in Spain and Italy and many other countries as in England where they beare fruit but it neuer commeth to kindely maturitie except the tree be planted vnder an hot wall whereto neither North nor north-Northeast windes can come ¶ The Time The dwarfe Fig tree groweth in my garden and bringeth forth ripe and very great fruit in the moneth of August of which Figs sundry persons haue eaten at pleasure In England the Fig trees put not forth their leaues vntill the end of May where oftentimes the fruit commeth forth before the leaues appeare ¶ The Names The Fig tree is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of diuers for difference sake betweene it and the wild Fig tree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Ficus and Ficus satiua and Vrbana in high Dutch Feygenbaum in low-Dutch Uijgheboom in French Figuier in Italian Fico in Spanish Higuera in English Fig tree The fruit is named in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Ficus and the vnripe fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Grossus that which is dried is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Carica in high-Dutch Feygen in low-Dutch Uijghen in French Figues in Italian Fichi in Spanish Higos in 〈◊〉 Fig the little seeds which are found in them are named by Galen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cechramides ¶ The Temperature The greene Figs new gathered are somewhat warme and moist the dry and ripe Figs are hot almost in the third degree and withall sharpe and biting The leaues also haue some sharpnesse with an opening power but not so strong as the iuice ¶ The Vertues The dry Figs do nourish better than the greene or new Figs notwithstanding they ingender not very good bloud for such people as do feed much thereon doe become low sie Figs be good for the throat and lungs they mitigate the cough and are good for them that be short winded they ripen flegme causing the same to be easily spet out especially when they be sodden with Hyssop and the decoction drunke Figges stamped with Salt Rew and the kernels of Nuts withstand all poyson and corruption of the aire The King of Pontus called Mithridates vsed this preseruatiue against all venom and poyson Figs stamped and made into the forme of a plaister with wheat meale the pouder of Fenugreek and Lineseed and the roots of marish Mallowes applied warme do soften and ripen impostumes phlegmons all hot and angry swellings and tumors behinde the eares and if you adde thereto the roots of Lillies it ripeneth and breaketh Venerious impostumes that come in the flanke which impostume is called Bubo by reason of his lurking in such secret places in plaine English termes they are called 〈◊〉 Figs boiled in Wormwood wine with some Barly meale are very good to be applied as an implaister vpon the bellies of such as haue the dropsie Dry Figges haue power to soften consume and make thinne and may be vsed both outwardly and inwardly whether it be to ripen or soften impostumes or to scatter dissolue and consume them The leaues of the Fig tree do waste and consume the Kings Euill or swelling kernells in the throat and do mollifie waste and consume all other tumors being finely pouned and laid thereon but after my practise being boiled with the roots of marish Mallowes vntill they be soft and so incorporated together and applied in forme of a plaister The milky iuyce either of the figs or leaues is good against all roughnesse of the skinne lepries spreading sores tetters small pockes measels pushes wheales 〈◊〉 lentiles and all other spots scuruinesse and deformitie of the body and face being mixed with 〈◊〉 meale and applied it doth also take away warts and such like excrescences if it be mingled with some fattie or greasie thing The milke doth also cure the tooth-ache if a little lint or cotton be wet therein and put into the hollownesse of the tooth It openeth
which I drew as soone as I receiued it and it is marked with this figure 1. The figure 2. sheweth the shape of one particular fruit with the lower side vpwards 3. The same cut through the middle long wayes 4. The same cut side wayes I haue been told but how certaine it is I know not that the floures which precede the fruit are bell-fashioned and of a blew colour I could obserue no seed in the fruit it may be it was because it had been cut from the stocke so long before it came to 〈◊〉 This Plant is found in many places of Asia Africke and America especially in the hot regions you may find frequent mention of it amongst the sea voyages to the East and West Indies by the name of Plantaines or Platanus Bannanas Bonnanas Bouanas Dauanas Poco c. some as our Author hath said haue iudged it the forbidden fruit other-some the Grapes brought to Moses out of the Holy-land ‡ Musae fructus exactior Icon. An exacter figure of the Plantaine fruit ¶ The Place This admirable tree groweth in Egypt Cyprus and Syria neere vnto a chiefe city there called Alep which we call Aleppo and also by Tripolis not far from thence it groweth also in Canara Decan Guzarate and Bengala places of the East Indies ¶ The Time From the root of this tree shooteth forth yong springs or shoots which the people take vp and plant for the increase in the Spring of the yeare The leaues wither away in September as is aboue said ¶ The Names It is called Musa by such as trauell to Aleppo by the Arabians Musa Maum in Syria Mose The Grecians and Christians which inhabit Syria and the Iewes also suppose it to be that tree of whose fruit Adam did taste which others thinke to be a ridiculous fable of Pliny Opuntia It is called in the East Indies as at Malauar where it also groweth Palan in Malayo Pican and in that part of Africa which we call Ginny Bananas in English Adams Apple tree ¶ The Temperature Dioscorides and Serapio iudge that it heateth in the end of the first degree and moistneth in the end of the same ¶ The Vertues The fruit hereof yeeldeth but little nourishment it is good for the heate of the breast lungs and bladder it stoppeth the liuer and hurteth the stomacke if too much of it be eaten and procureth loosenesse in the belly whereupon it is requisit for such as are of a cold constitution in the eating thereof to put vnto it a little Ginger or other spice It is also good for the reines or kidnies and to prouoke vrine it nourisheth the childe in the mothers wombe and stirreth to generation CHAP. 137. Of the Date tree Palma The Date tree Palmarum fructus flores cum Elate The fruit and floures of the Date tree ¶ The Description THe Date tree groweth very great and high the body or trunke thereof is thicke and couered with a scaly rugged barke caused by the falling away of the leaues the boughes grow onely on the top consisting of leaues set vpon a wooddy middle rib like those of Reeds or Flags the inner part of which rib or stalke is soft light hollow and spongie Among the leaues come forth the floures included in a long skinny membrane as it were a sheath or hose like that which couereth the Floure de-Luce before it be blowne which being opened of it selfe white floures start forth standing vpon short and slender foot-stalkes which are fastened with certaine small filaments or threddy strings like vnto little branches after which spring out from the same branches the fruit or Dates which be in fashion long and round in taste sweet and many times somewhat harsh of a yellowish red colour wherein is contained a long hard stone which is in stead of kernell and seed the which I haue planted many times in my Garden and haue growne to the height of three foot but the first frost hath nipped them in such sort that soone after they perished notwithstanding my industrie by couering them or what else I could doe for their succour ¶ The Place The Date trees grow plentifully in Africa and Egypt but those which are in Palestina and Syria be the best they grow likewise in most places of the East and West Indies where there be 〈◊〉 sorts as well wilde as tame or manured ¶ The Time The Date tree is alwaies green and floureth in the Spring time the fruit is ripe in September and being then gathered they are dried in the Sunne that they may be the better both 〈◊〉 into other countries far distant as also 〈◊〉 from rotting at home ¶ The Names The tree is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Palma in English Date tree The fruit is named in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Glans Palmarum or the fruit of the 〈◊〉 trees and by one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Palmula in shops Dactylus in high-Dutch Dattelen in low-Dutch Dadelen in Italian Dattoli in French Dattes in Spanish Tamaras and Dattiles in English Date The cod or sheath wherein the floures and Dates are wrapped is called 〈◊〉 and of some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ The Temperature and Vertues All manner of Dates whatsoeuer are hard of digestion and cause head-ache the worser sort be those that be dry and binding as the Egyptian Dates but the soft moist and sweet ones are lesse hurtfull The bloud which is ingendred of Dates in mans body is altogether grosse and somewhat clammy by these the liuer is very quickly stopped especially being inflamed and troubled with some hard swelling so is the spleene likewise The Dates which grow in colder regions when they cannot come to perfect ripenesse if they be eaten too plentifully do fill the body full of raw humors ingender winde and oft times cause the leprosie The drier sorts of Dates as Dioscorides saith be good for those that spet bloud for such as haue bad stomacks and for those also that be troubled with the bloudy flix The best Dates called in Latine Caryotae are good for the roughnesse of the throat and lungs There is made hereof both by the cunning Confectioners and Cookes diuers excellent cordiall comfortable and nourishing medicines and that procure lust of the body very mightily They do also refresh and restore such vnto strength as are entring into a consumption for they strengthen the feeblenesse of the liuer and spleene being made into conuenient broths and physicall medicines directed by a learned Physitian Dry Dates do stop the belly and stay vomiting and the wambling of womens stomackes that are with childe if they be either eaten in meates or otherwise or stamped and applied vnto the stomacke as a pectorall plaister The ashes of the Date stones haue a binding qualitie and emplastick facultie they heale pushes in the eyes Staphylomata and falling away of the haire of the eye lids being applied together with Spikenard
but the Arabians haue mentioned this Indian Nut tree the body whereof is very great smooth and plaine void of boughes or branches of a great height wherefore the Indians do wrap ropes about the body thereof as they doe vpon the tree last described for their more ease in gathering the fruit the timber whereof is verie spongie within but hard without a matter fit to make their Canoos and boats of on the top of the tree grow the leaues like those of the Date tree but broad and sharpe at the point as thornes whereof they vse to make needles bodkins and such like instruments wherewith they sow the sailes of their ships and do such like businesse among these leaues come forth clusters of floures like those of the Chestnut tree which turne into great fruit of a round forme and somwhat sharp at one end in that end next vnto the tree is one hole somtimes two bored through this Nut or fruit is wrapped in a couerture consisting of a substance not vnlike to hempe before it be beaten soft there is also a 〈◊〉 and gentler stuffe next vnto the shell like vnto Flax before it be made soft in the middle whereof is contained a great Nut couered with a very hard shell of a browne colour before it be polished afterward of a blacke shining colour like burnished horne next vnto the shell vpon the inside there cleaueth a white cornelly substance firme and sollid of the 〈◊〉 and taste of a blanched Almond within the cauitie or hollownes thereof is contained a most delectable liquor like vnto milke and of a most pleasant taste 2 We haue no certaine knowledge from those that haue trauelled into the Indies of the tree which beareth this little Indian Nut neither haue we any thing of our owne knowledge more than that we see by experience that the fruit hereof is lesser wherein consisteth the difference 1 Nux Indica arbor The Indian Nut tree Nux Indica The Indian Nut. 2 Nucula Indica The little Indian Nut. 〈◊〉 3 ¶ The Place This Indian Nut groweth in some places of Africa and in the East Indies and in all the Islands of the West Indies especially in Hispaniola Cuba and Saint Iohns Island and also vpon the continent by Carthagena Nombre de Dios and Panama and in Virginia otherwise called Norembega part of the same continent for the most part neere vnto the sea side and in moist places but it is seldome found in the vplandish countries ¶ The Time It groweth greene Winter and Sommer ¶ The Names The fruit is called in Latine Nux Indica of the Indians Cocus of the Portugals that dwell in the East Indies Cocco taken from the end wherein are three holes representing the head of a Monkie Serapio and Rhasis do call this tree Iaralnare idest Arborem Nuciferam the tree bearing Nuts of 〈◊〉 Glauci al hend of the vulgar people Maro and the fruit Narel which name Narel is common among the Persians and Arabians it is called in Malauar Tengamaran the ripe fruit 〈◊〉 and the greene fruit Eleri in 〈◊〉 it is called Lanhan in Malaio Triccan and the Nut 〈◊〉 The distilled liquor is called Sula and the oile that is made thereof Copra ¶ The Temperature It is of a meane temper betwixt hot and cold ¶ The Vertues and vse The Indians do vse to cut the twigs and tender branches toward the euening at the ends whereof they haue bottle gourds hollow canes and such like things fit to receiue the water that droppeth from the branches thereof which pleasant liquor they drinke in stead of wine from the which is drawne a strong and 〈◊〉 Aqua Vitae which they vse in time of need against all manner of sicknesses of the branches and boughes they make their houses of the trunk or body of the tree ships and boates of the hempon the outward part of the fruit they make ropes and cables and of the siner stuffe sailes for their ships Likewise they make of the shell of the Nut cups to drinke in which we likewise vse in England garnished with siluer for the same purposes The kernell serueth them for bread and meat the milkie iuice doth serue to coole and refresh their wearied spirits out of the kernel when it is stamped is pressed a most precious oile not onely good for meat but also for medicine wherewith they annoint their feeble lims after their tedious trauell by meanes whereof the ache and paine is mitigated and other infirmities quite taken away proceeding of other causes CHAP. 141. Of the Dragon Tree 1 Draco arbor The Dragon tree Draconis fructus The Dragon tree fruit ¶ The Description THis strange and admirable tree groweth very great resembling the Pine tree by reason it doth alwaies flourish and hath his boughes or branches of equal length and bignesse which are bare and naked of eight or nine cubits long and of the bignesse of a mans 〈◊〉 from the ends of which do shoot out leaues of a cubit and a halfe long and full two inches broad somewhat thicke and raised vp in the middle then thinner and thinner like a two edged sword among which come forth little mossie floures of small moment and turne into berries of the bignesse of Cherries of a yellowish colour round light and bitter couered with a threesold skin or filme wherein is to be seene as 〈◊〉 and diuers other report the forme of a Dragon hauing a long necke or gaping mouth the ridge or backe armed with sharpe prickles like the Porcupine it hath also a long taile foure feet very easie to be discerned the figure of it we haue set forth vnto you according to the greatnesse thereof because our words and meaning may be the better vnderstood and also the 〈◊〉 of the tree in his full bignesse because it is impossible to be expressed in the figure the trunke or body of the tree is couered with a rough barke very thin and 〈◊〉 to be opened or wounded with any small toole or instrument which being so wounded in the Dog daies bruised or bored doth yeeld forth drops of a thicke red liquour which of the name of the tree are called Dragons teares or Sanguis Draconis Dragons bloud diuers haue doubted whether the liquour or gummie iuice were all one with Cinnabaris of Dioscorides not meaning that Cinaber made of Quicksiluer but the receiued opinion is they differ not by reason their qualitie and temperature worke the like effect ¶ The Place This tree groweth in an Island which the Portugals call Madera and in one of the Canarie Islands called Insula Portus Sancti and as it seemeth it was first brought out of Africke although some are of a contrary opinion and say that it was first brought from Carthagena in America by the Bishop of the same Prouince ¶ The Time The time of his growing we haue touched in the description where wee said that it flourisheth and groweth greene all the yeare ¶ The Names The names haue
Barnakle whose fabulous breed my Author here sets downe and diuers others haue also deliuered were found by some Hollanders to haue another originall and that by egges as other Birds haue for they in their third voyage to 〈◊〉 out the North-East passage to China and the Molucco's about the eightieth degree and eleuen minutes of Northerly latitude found two little Islands in the one of which they found aboundance of these Geese sitting vpon their egges of which they got one Goose and tooke away sixty egges c. Vide Pontani 〈◊〉 vrb 〈◊〉 Hist. lib. 2. cap. 22. Now the shells out of which these birds were thought to fly are a kinde of 〈◊〉 marinus and thus Fabius Columna in the end of his Phytobasanos writing piscium aliquot historia iudiciously proues to whose opinion I wholly subscribe and to it I refer the Curious His asseueration is this Conchas vulgò Anatiferas non esse fructus terrestres neque ex ijs Anates oriri sed 〈◊〉 marinae speciem I could haue said somthing more hereof but thus much I thinke may serue 〈◊〉 with that which Fabius Columna hath written vpon this point ‡ ¶ The Place The borders and rotten plankes whereon are found these shels wherein is bred the Barnakle are taken vp in a small Island adioyning to Lancashire halfe a mile from the maine land called the Pile of Foulders ¶ The Time They spawne as it were in March and Aprill the Geese are formed in May and Iune and come to fulnesse of seathers in the moneth after And thus hauing through Gods assistance discoursed somewhat at large of Grasses Herbes Shrubs Trees and Mosses and certaine Excrescences of the earth with other things moe incident to the historie thereof we conclude and end our present Volume with this wonder of England For the which Gods name be euer honored and praised FINIS AN APPENDIX OR ADDITION OF certaine Plants omitted in the former Historie The Preface HAuing run through the Historie of Plants gathered by Mr. Gerrard and much enlarged the same both by the addition of many Figures and histories of Plants not formerly contained in it and by the amending and encreasing the historie of sundry of those which before were therein treated of I finde that I haue forgotten diuers which I intended to haue added in their fitting places the occasion hereof hath beene my many businesses the troublesomenesse and aboue all the great expectation and hast of the Worke whereby I was forced to performe this task within the compasse of a yeare Now being constant to my first resolution I here haue as time would giue me leaue and my memorie serue made a 〈◊〉 collection and addition though without method of such as offered themselues vnto me and without doubt there are sundrie others which are as fitting to be added as those and I should not haue been wanting if time would haue permitted me to haue entred into further consideration of them In the meane time take in good part those that I haue here presented to your view CHAP. 1. Of the Maracoc or Passion-floure ¶ The Description THis Plant which the Spaniards in the West Indies call Granadilla because the fruit somewhat resembles a Pomegranat which in their tongue they term Granadas is the same which the Virginians call Maracoc The Spanish 〈◊〉 for some imaginarie resemblances in the floure first called it Flos 〈◊〉 the Passion floure and in a counterfeit figure by adding what was wanting they made it as it were an Epitome of our Sauiours Passion thus 〈◊〉 persons semper sibi somnium fingunt Bauhine desirous to refer it to some stock or kindred of formerly knowne plants giues it the name of Clematis trifolia yet the floures and fruit pronounce it not properly belonging to their Tribe but Clematis being a certaine genericke name to all wooddy winding plants this as a species may come vnder the denomination though little in other respects participating with them The roots of this are long somewhat like yet thicker than those of Sarsa parilla running vp and downe and putting vp their heads in seuerall places from these roots rise vp many long winding round stalkes which grow two three soure or more yards high according to the heate and seasonablenesse of the yeare and soile whereas they are planted vpon these stalkes grow many leaues diuided into three parts sharpe pointed and snipt about the edges commonly out of the bosomes of each of the vppermost leaues there groweth a clasping tendrell and a floure the floure growes vpon a little foot-stalke some two inches long and is of a longish cornered forme with fiue little crooked hornes at the top before such time as it open it selfe but opened this longish head diuides it selfe into ten parts and sustaines the leaues of the 〈◊〉 which are very many long sharpe pointed narrow and orderly spred open one by another 〈◊〉 lying straight others crooked these leaues are of colour whitish but thicke spotted with a 〈◊〉 colour and towards the bottome it hath a ring of a perfect Peach colour and aboue and 〈◊〉 it a white circle which giue a great grace to the floure in the middest whereof rises an 〈◊〉 which parts it selfe into foure or fiue crooked spotted hornes with broadish heads from the midst of these rises another roundish head which carries three nailes or hornes biggest aboue and smallest at their lower end this floure with vs is neuer succeeded by any fruit but in the West Indies whereas it naturally growes it beares a fruit when it is ripe of the bignesse and colour of Pomegranats but it wants such a ring or crown about the top as they haue the rinde also is much thinner and tenderer the pulpe is whitish and without taste but the liquor is somwhat tart they open them as they do egges and the liquor is supped off with great delight both by the Indians and Spaniards as Monardus witnesseth neither if they sup off many of them shall they find their stomack opprest but rather their bellies are gently loosned In this fruit are contained many seeds somwhat like Peare kernells but more cornered and rough Clematis trifolia siue Flos Passionis The Maracoc or Passion-floure This growes wilde in most of the hot countries of America from whence it hath been brought into our English gardens where it growes very well but floures only in some few places and in hot and seasonable yeares it is in good plenty growing with Mistresse Tuggy at Westminster where I haue some yeares seene it beare a great many floures CHAP. 2. Of Ribes or red Currans ¶ The Description 1 THe plant which carries the fruit which we commonly terme red Currans is a shrubbie bush of the bignesse of a Gooseberry bush but without prickles the wood is soft and white with a pretty large pith in the middle it is couered with a double barke the vndermost being the thicker is greene and the vppermost which sometimes chaps and pills off is
Quamoclit sive Conuoluulus Pennatus Winged Windeweed ¶ The Description THe first that writ of and described this plant was 〈◊〉 that by the name of Gelsiminum rubrum alterum after him Camerarius gaue a description and figure therof in his Hortus Medicus by the name of Quamoclit and after him Fabius Columna both figured and described it more accurately whose description is put to the figure of it we here giue in Clus. his Curaeposteriores It is so tender a plant that it will not come to any perfection with vs vnlesse in extraordinary hot yeres and by other artificiall helps wherefore I will borrow the description thereof out of Fabius Columna This exoticke plant saith he cannot more fitly be referred to any kinde than to the family of the 〈◊〉 or Bindweeds for in the nature and whole habit it is almost like them excepting the shape of the winged leaues it is stored with lesse milk the flours are long hollow but parted into fiue at the top of a pleasing red colour with streaked lines or folds standing vpon long stalkes one or two together comming out of the bosomes of the leaues at each ioint of the branches and they haue in them fiue yellowish pointalls then succeeds a longish fruit standing in a scaly cup ending in a sharp pointall and couered with a tough skin as that of the common Convoluulus but lesser hauing within it foure longish blacke hard seedes of a biting taste The leaues grow alternately out of the ioints of the purple winding branches being winged and finely diuided twise as small as the common Rheseda of a darke greene colour but the young ones are yellowish first hauing a few diuisions but afterwards more till they come to haue thirteen on a side and one at the top but the lower ones are oft times forked by reason of the great plenty of leaues and flouring stalks or branches winding themselues about artificiall hoops crossings or other fashioned workes of Reeds or the like set for winding herbs to clime vpon it much delights the eie of the beholder and is therefore kept in pots in gardens of pleasure The seed sowne in the beginning of the Spring growes vp in Iune and the first leaues resemble the winged fruit of the Maple it floures in the end of August and ripens the seed in the end of September CHAP. 7. Of the sensitiue Herbe Herbamimosa The sensitiue berbe 〈◊〉 exactior icon A perfect figure thereof ¶ The Description THis which I here call the sensitiue herbe is that which Christopher a Costa sets forth by the name of Herba mimosa or the Mocking herbe because when one puts his hand thereto it forthwith seemes to wither and hang downe the leaues but when you take it away againe it recouers the pristine greenesse and vigor I wil here giue you that which Acosta writes thereof the figure historie which Clusius giues in his notes vpon him and also another figure better expressing the leaues and manner of growing There is found saith Acosta in some Gardens another plant some fiue handfuls long resting vpon the neighbouring shrubs or walls hauing a slender stalke of a fresh greene colour not very round set at certaine spaces with small and pricking thornes the leaues are not vnlike the former That is the Herba viua which in condition is little different from this being somewhat lesser than those of the female Ferne. It loues to grow in moist and stony places and is called Herbamimosa for the reason formerly giuen The nature hereof is much different from that of Arbor tristis for euery night at Sun-set it as it were withers and dries so that one would thinke it were dead but at Sun-rise it recouers the former vigor and by how much the Sun growes hotter by so much it becomes the greener and all the day it turnes the leaues to the Sun This plant hath the smell and taste of Liquorice and the leaues are commonly eaten by the Indians against the cough to clense the chest cleare the voice it is also thought good against the paines of the kidneies and to heale greene wounds Thus much Acosta Now saith Clusius the leaues of many plants especially pulses vse to contract or shrinke vp their leaues in the night time Now I receiued a dry plant which was sent to me by the name of Herbamimosa by Iames Garret in the end of October 1599 which he writ he had of the right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland who returning from Saint Iohn de Puerto rico in the West Indies brought it put in a pot with some earth but could not preserue it aliue But I caused the figure of that dried plant to be expressed as well as it might so to fit it to the description following made also by the dried plant This plant which was wholly drie and without leaues had a single root and that not thick but hard and wooddy with few fibres from whence arose three or foure short stalks which straight diuided themselues into slender branches which spread themselues round about vpon the ground at each ioint putting forth many long and slender fibres like as in the branches of the common Woodbinde which lye vpon the ground these branches were a cubit long and sometimes more round tough with some prickles broader at their setting on as you may see in the common bramble yet lesser fewer lesse firme these againe were diuided into other more slender branches set with many little prickles out of whose ioints betwixt two little leaues grew forth foot-stalks bedeckt with their little leaues which were many set in order with other to answer to them on the other side but hauing no single leafe at the end they were tender green not vnlike the little leaues of Acacia these at their first comming out couered with a thin whitish hairines as I gathered by a little branch retaining the foot-stalke and leaues thereon which he sent with the former and it had also some fibres comming forth thereof He also added to the former two little heads which growing vpon the same plant he writ he receiued of the forementioned right Honorable Earle with some branches yet retaining the leaues These little heads consisted of many slender narrow and as it were prickly little leaues amongst which lay hid round seeds smooth blacke and somewhat swoln in the middle the floures I saw not neither know 〈◊〉 whether they were brought with the rest but whether the leaues of this plant being green yet growing on the ground do wither at the approch of ones hand as Christopher A Costa writes and for that cause imposes the name thereon they best know who haue seene the greene and yet growing plant for the faculties you may haue recourse to that which A Costa hath set downe Thus much out of Clusius Novemb. 7. 1632. I being with Mr. Iob Best at the Trinity house in Ratcliffe among other varicties he shewed me a dry plant hereof
ordinarie but at the bottome of the stalke aboue the fibrous roots it hath a bulbe greenish within and couered with two or three skins it growes in moist and 〈◊〉 low places of Holland ‡ 1 Ophris 〈◊〉 Twaiblade ‡ 3 Ophris bifolia bulbosa Bulbous Twaiblade ¶ The Place The first groweth in moist medowes fenny grounds and shadowie places I haue fonnd it in many places as at South fleet in Kent in a Wood of Master Sidleys by Long-field Downes in a Wood by London called Hampstead Wood in the fields by High-gate in the Woods by Ouenden neere to Clare in Essex and in the Woods by Dunmow in Essex The second sort is seldome seene ¶ The Time They floure in May and Iune ¶ The Names It is called of the later Herbarists Bifolium and Ophris ¶ The Nature and Vertues These are reported of the Herbarists of our time to be good for greene wounds burstings and ruptures whereof I haue in my vnguents and Balsams for greene wounds had great experience and good successe CHAP. 88. Of Adders-Tongue ¶ The Description 1 OPhioglosson or Lingua Serpentis called in English Adders tongue of some Adders Grasse though vnproperly riseth forth of the ground hauing one leafe and no more fat or oleous in substance of a finger long and very like the yong and tender leaues of Marigolds from the bottome of which leafe springeth out a small and tender stalke one finger and a halfe long on the end whereof doth grow a long small tongue not vnlike the tongue of a serpent whereof it tooke the name 2 I haue seene another like the former in root stalke and leafe and 〈◊〉 in that this plant hath two and sometimes more crooked tongues yet of the same fashion which if my iudgment faile not chanceth per accidens euen as we see children borne with two thumbes vpon one hand which moueth me so to thinke for that in gathering twenty bushels of the leaues a man shall hardly finde one of this fashion 1 Ophioglosson Adders-Tongue ‡ 2 Ophioglosson abortivum Mis-shapen Adders-Tongue ¶ The Place Adders-Tongue groweth in moist medowes throughout most parts of England as in a Meadow neere the preaching Spittle adioyning to London in the Mantels by London in the medowes by Cole-brooke in the fields in Waltham Forrest and many other places ¶ The Time They are to be found in Aprill and May but in Iune they are quite vanished and gone ¶ The Names Ophioglossum is called in shops Lingua serpentis Linguace and Lingualace it is also called Lancea Christi Enephyllon and Lingua vulneraria in English Adders tongue or Serpents tongue in Dutch Natertonguen of the Germanes Nater zungelin ¶ The Nature Adders-tongue is dry in the third degree ¶ The Vertues The leaues of Adders tongue stamped in a stone morter and boyled in Oile Oliue vnto the consumption of the iuyce and vntill the herbes be dry and partched and then strained will yeeld a most excellent greene oyle or rather a balsam for greene wounds comparable vnto oyle of S. Iohns wort if it do not farre surpasse it by many degrees whose beauty is such that very many Artists haue thought the same to be mixed with Verdigrease CHAP. 89. Of One-berry or Herbe True-loue and Moone-wort 1 Herba Paris One-Berry or Herbe True-loue 2 Lunaria minor Small Moone-wort ¶ The Description 1 HErbe Paris riseth vp with one small tender stalke two hands high at the very top whereof come forth foure leaues directly set one against another in manner of a Burgundian Crosse or True-loue knot for which cause among the Antients it hath bin called Herbe True 〈◊〉 In the midst of the said leafe comes forth a star-like floure of an herby or grassie colour out of the middest whereof there ariseth vp a blackish browne berrie the root is long and tender creeping vnder the earth and dispersing it selfe hither and thither 2 The small Lunary springeth forth of the ground with one 〈◊〉 like Adders-tongue iagged or cut on both sides into fiue or six deepe cuts or notches not much vnlike the leaues of Scolopendria or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a greene colour whereupon doth grow a small naked stem of a finger long bearing at the top many little seeds clustering together which being gathered and laid in a platter or such like thing for the space of three weekes there will fall from the same a fine dust or meale of a whitish colour which is the seed if it bring forth any The root is slender and compact of many small threddy strings ‡ In England saith Camerarius there growes a certaine kinde of Lunaria which hath many leaues and sometimes also sundry branches which therefore I haue caused to be delineated that other Herbarists might also take notice hereof Thus much Camerarius Epit. Mat. p. 644. where he giues an elegant figure of a varietie hauing more leaues and branches than the ordinary otherwise not differing from it 3 Besides this varietie there is another kinde set forth by Clusius whose figure and description I thinke good here to set downe This hath a root consisting of many fibres somewhat thicker than those of the common kinde from which arise one or two winged leaues that is many leaues set to one stalke and these are like the leaues of the other Lunaria but that they are longer thicker and more diuided and of a yellowish greene colour Amongst these leaues there comes vp a stalke fat and juycie bearing a greater tuft of floures or seeds for I know not whether to cal them than the ordinarie but otherwise very like thereto It groweth in the mountaines of Silesia and in some places of Austria ‡ ‡ 3 Lunaria minor ramosa Small branched Moon-wort ¶ The Place Herba Paris groweth plentifully in all these places following that is to say in Chalkney wood neere to wakes 〈◊〉 seuen miles from Colchester in Essex and in the wood by Robinhoods well neere to Nottingham in the parsonage orchardat Radwinter in Essex neere to Saffron Walden in Blackburne at a place called Merton in Lancashire in the Moore by Canturbury called the Clapper in Dingley wood six miles from Preston in Aundernesse in Bocking parke by Braintree in Essex at Hesset in Lancashire and in Cotting wood in the North of England as that excellent painefull and diligent Physition Mr. Doctor Turner of late memorie doth record in his Herbal Lunaria or small Moone-wort groweth vpon dry and barren mountaines and heaths I haue found it growing in these places following that is to say about Bathe in Somersetshire in many places especially at a place called Carey two miles from Bruton in the next Close vnto the Church-yard on Cockes Heath betweene Lowse and Linton three miles from Maidstone in Kent it groweth also in the ruines of an old bricke-kilne by Colchester in the ground of Mr. George Sayer called Miles end it groweth likewise vpon the side of Blacke-heath neere vnto the stile that leadeth vnto Eltham house about an hundred paces
from the stile also in Lancashire neere vnto a Wood called Fairest by Latham moreouer in Nottinghamshire by the West wood at Gringley and at Weston in the Ley field by the West side of the towne and in the Bishops field at Yorke neere vnto Wakefield in the Close where Sir George Sauill his house standeth called the Heath Hall by the relation of a learned Doctor in Physicke called Mr. Iohn Mershe of Cambridge and many other places ¶ The Time Herba Paris floureth in Aprill and the berry is ripe in the end of May. Lunaria or small Moone-wort is to be seene in the moneth of May. ¶ The Names One-berry is also called Herbe True-loue and Herbe Paris in Latine Herba Paris and 〈◊〉 tetraphyllum by Gesner and Lobel Lunaria minor is called in English Small Lunarie and Moon-wort ¶ The Nature Herbe Paris is exceeding cold whereby it represses the rage and force of poison Lunaria minor is cold and dry of temperature ¶ The Vertues The berries of Herbe Paris giuen by the space of twentie daies are excellent good against poison or the pouder of the herbe drunke in like manner halfe a spoonfull at a time in the morning fasting The same is ministred with great successe vnto such as are become peeuish or without vnderstanding being ministred as is aforesaid euery morning by the space of twentie daies as Baptista Sardus and Matthiolus haue recorded Since which time there hath been further experience made thereof against poison and put in practice in the citie of Paris in Louaine and at the baths in 〈◊〉 by the right excellent Herbarists Matthias de L'obel and Petrus Pena who hauing often read that it was one of the Aconites called 〈◊〉 and so by consequence of a poisoning quality they gaue it vnto dogs and lambes who receiued no hurt by the same wherefore they further prosecuted the experience thereof and gaue vnto two dogs fast bound or coupled together a dram of Arsenicke and one dram of Mercurie sublimate mixed with flesh ‡ in the Aduersaria it is but of each halfe a dram and there pag. 105. you may finde this Historie more largely set downe ‡ which the dogs would not willingly eat and therefore they had it crammed downe their throats vnto one of these dogs they gaue this Antidote following in a little red wine whereby he recouered his former health againe within a few houres but the other dog which had none of the medicine died incontinently This is the receit R. 〈◊〉 Angelicae 〈◊〉 domesticam syluestrem Vicetoxici Valerianae domesticae Polipodij querni radicum Altheae Vrticae ana 3. iiij Corticis Mezerei Germanici 3. ij granorum herbae Paridis N. 24. foliorum eiusdem cumtoto Num. 36. Ex maceratis in aceto radicibus siccatis fit omnium pulvis The people in Germany do vse the leaues of Herbe Paris in greene wounds for the which it is very good as 〈◊〉 Camerarius 〈◊〉 who likewise saith that the pouder of the roots giuen to drink doth 〈◊〉 cease the gripings and paine of the Collicke Small Moonewoort is singular to heale greene and fresh wounds it staieth the bloudy flix It hath beene vsed among the Alchymistes and witches to doe wonders withall who say that it will loose lockes and make them to fall from the feet of horses that grase where it doth grow and hath beene called of them Martagon whereas in truth they are all but drowsie dreames and illusions but it is singular for wounds as aforesaid CHAP. 90. Of Winter-Greene ¶ The Description 1 PYrola hath many tender and verie greene leaues almost like the leaues of Beete but 〈◊〉 in my opinion like to the leaues of a Peare-tree whereof it tooke his name Pyrola for that it is Pyriformis Among these leaues commeth vp a stalke garnished with prettie white floures of a verie pleasant sweet smell like Lillium Conuallium or the Lillie of the Valley The root is small and threddie creeping farre abroad vnder the ground ‡ 2 This differs from the last described in the slendernesse of the stalkes and smalnesse of the leaues and floures for the leaues of this are not so thicke and substantiall but very thinne sharpe pointed and very finely snipt about the edges blacker and resembling a Peare-tree leafe The floures are like those of the former yet smaller and more in number to which succeed fiue cornered seed vessels with a long pointell as in the precedent the root also creepes no lesse than that of the former and here and there puts vp new stalkes vnder the mosse It growes vpon the Austrian and Styrian Alpes and floures in Iune and Iuly 1 Pyrola Winter Greene. ‡ 2 Pyrola 2 tenerior Clus. The smaller Winter-Greene ‡ 3 Pyrola 3. fruticans Clus. Shrubby Winter-Greene ‡ 4 Pyrola 4. minima Clus. Round leaued Winter Greene. 5 Monophyllon One Blade 4 This from creeping roots sends vp short stalkes set at certaine spaces with small round and thin leaues also snipt about the edges amongst which vpon a naked stem growes a floure of a pretty bignes consisting of fiue white sharpish pointed leaues with ten threds and a 〈◊〉 pointell in the midst The seed is contained in such heads as the former and it is very small This growes in the shadowie places of the Alpes of Sneberge Hochbergerin Durrenstaine towards the roots of these great mountaines Clus. ‡ 5 Monophyllon or Vnifolium hath a leafe not much vnlike the greatest leafe of Iùie with many ribs or sinewes like the Plantaine leafe which single leafe doth alwaies spring forth of the earth alone but when the stalke riseth vp it bringeth vpon his sides two leaues in fashion like the former at the top of which slender stalke come forth fine small floures like Pyrola which being vaded there succeed small red berries The roote is small tender and creeping farre abroad vnder the vpper face of the earth ¶ The Place 1 Pyrola groweth in Lansdale and Crauen in the North part of England especially in a close called Crag-close 2 Monophyllon groweth in Lancashire in Dingley wood six miles from Preston in Aundernesse and in Harwood neere to Blackburne likewise ¶ The Time 1 Pyrola floureth in Iune and Iuly and groweth winter and sommer 2 Monophyllon floureth in May and the fruit is ripe in September ¶ The Names 1 Pyrola is called in English Winter-greene it hath beene called Limonium of diuers but vntruly 2 Monophyllon according to the etymologie of the word is called in Latine Vnifolium in English One-blade or One-leafe ¶ The Nature 1 Pyrola is cold in the second degree and drie in the third 2 Monophyllon is hot and dry of complexion ¶ The Vertues Pyrola is a most singular wound-hearbe either giuen inwardly or applied outwardly the leaues whereof stamped and strained and the iuice made into an vnguent or healing salue with waxe oile and turpentine doth cure wounds vlcers and fistulaes that are mundified from the callous tough matter which keepeth the same from