in ruderous places and about ruined aedifices some prefer black Horehound before the white but I choose the white with the more perite and Learned It is hot in the second degree Vires dry in the third it removes obstructions purges the Lungs educes flowers conduces to broken and convelled nerves and is given against the stings of Serpents and poysonous potions CHAP. XLI Of Betony Betony is altogether wild delighting in opagque and watry places yet for its excellent endowments it is cultivated in Gardens it emits long broad green subasperous leafs incided about like a Saw its caulicles are slender quadrangular somewhat hirsute and cubital its flowers are spicated red and white in some places the Greeks call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Betonica which name may be detorted to another plant which some call Vetonica altilis some flos Armerius and the Germans flos superbus Besides the vulgar Betony there is another latifolious one found in many places which delights more in culture and flourishes most in Gardens Betony is hot and dry in the second degree Vires it is indued with a cephalical and alexiterial faculty wherefore it is good against the Epilepsie and poysonous diseases especially against the bitings of mad dogs and Serpents and if any praeassume this lethall poyson drunk shall not hurt him CHAP. XLII Of Veronica or Speedwell VEronica is twofold one masculine the other foeminine which many call Elatine the former Paulus Aegineta calls Betony it creeps along the earth with many hirsute and pedall surcles with long leafs lesser then Betony somewhat like * Spanish Spurge Teucrion but lanuginous with flowers orderly digested of a purpureous colour with a small rotund black seed contained in cups like boxes and with a slender root variously divaricated The foeminine Veronica which many call Elatine some Reprilis Veronica hath many pedal slender flexile lanuginous and solious surcles with hoary pilous leafs like †Money-wort Nummulary with small white flowers like * Snap-draggon Anthirrhinon with small round black seed like †Anagalidis Pimpernel much of it growes among segetives in fallow ground and sandy places Some make mention of a kind of Veronica with an erect Caul which puts forth more rigid furcles which are renuious ramous and folious like the former Dodonaeus adds another Veronica growing in Meadowes and moist places in effigies and magnitude very like the foeminine but its leafs are lesser not lanuginous but smooth and green its brauches are reptile flowers caeruleous its seed contained in little boxes small and black this and the former are seldom or never used in medicine Sense indicates that Veronica is hot and dry Vires and experience demonstrates it to be astrictive and a good vulnerary it cures the Scab Wounds Ulcers and all vices in the skin it hath a peculiar faculty in curing or at least asswaging cancerous Ulcers Fuchsius writes falsly that the King of France correpted with the Leprosie was cured with the adjument of this herb for no King of France was ever correpted with such a foede disease nor yer with Pestilence CHAP. XLIII Of Ditanny DItiany's caulicles are cubital or shorter which divide themselves into certain wings on whose summities depend flowers proceeding from the same interstices in the form of scales its leafs are rotund but acuminated on the one side very lanuginous and like pennyroyal but higher that is best that growes in Crete and that most laudable that growes on Picte a Mountain in that Region whence it is denominated some of the Greeks call it Beloacon that is Weapon-salve and Belotocon because it excludes infixed darâ—â— for Harts confixed with Arrowes run to Dictanny by the contact whereof they exclude the Arrowes Hence some call it Dorcidium or Cervary because Harts first invented its use Goats also feeding near it and vulnerated demonstrated its efficacy its leafs are tomentous and its flowers of a violaceous black colour Another kind of Dictanny is found in some maritimous places as in the Barofluctuan shores in Normandy very like this in leass which is called Pseudo-Dicamny but its flowers do verticulately circumcinge its surcles and its faculties are not so efficacious as the legitimate Dictamny which some call Diphthomny is hot and dry in the third degree it will by the Ancients testimony extract weapons extinguish introsumed poyson it helps in pestilence excludes flowers young and seconds abates the spleen and cures Strangury CHAP. XLIV Of Stoechas Cassidony or French Lavender SToechas is unjustly firnamed Arabian seeing it equally germinates in other parts and regions as in Crete Belgium and Normandy where it lives well among Snowes and in the Islands Stoechades from which or from their spicated summities they are denothinated Dodonaeus knew three sorts thereof the first the common and true Stoechas the second the Belgian like the former in effigies the third with sawed leafs besides which there is another with golden coloured leafs like Eliochrysum and is called Chrysocome or Orenge-coloured Stoechas this hath short and slender caulicles angust hoary and hispid leafs and luteous splendent flowers like small bubles it growes in rough and Sandy places Pena makes three sorts hereof See him The true Stoechac emits many cubitall slender and lignous cauls with hair on its summities angular like ears of Corn long leafs broad like Lavander spike and heary small caeruleous odorate flowers in a Foliaceous spike which are sua veolent Stoechas is manifestly hot a mare moderately astrictive and very cephalical for it recreates head and all animal faculties discusses frigid humours exhilarates the mind and conduces to all affections of the head flowing from a cold distempet it roborates all the intrals and the whole body CHAP. XLV Of Sage SAge is either domestick or Sylvestrian domestick is twofold the greater and the lesser both called Elelisphacos though some denote the greater onely with this name calling the lesser Sphacelos which some call wild Sage others boske Sage There is another kind of Sage in Crete that bears betries which in figure odour and sapour is very like ours Sage is a ramous plant Diosc C. 41. L. 3. having quadrangular and hoary branches with leafs like Quince leafs but more angust sharp crasse and whiter its flowers which depend on the tops of its branches are fulcated like them of Horminum and caeruleous Salvia is Cephalical nerval calefactive siccative apertive Vires moving flours and urine the lesser must be selected as better to the confection of Stoechas but the greater may well supply its defect CHAP. XLVI Of Horminum or Clary CLary is either sative Species which delights in cultivated and fat soyl or wild which growes in meadowes and macilent places both are well known they emit from one root many cubital angular and subhirsute Cauls but especially the sative their leafs are broad mucronated and sharp like Horehound their flowers besides their leafs do verticulately
long as in amaritude it resembled that which the Bees collect in Pontus It were supervacaneous to treat any more of Honey since we have abundantly spoken thereof in the third Chapter of the third Book of our Institutions CHAP. VII Of Manna MAnna is the most excellent and divine gift of Nature and not onely that which God preternaturally bestowed on the Israelites but this also which like Honey or Sugar-dew distills upon leaves and daily offers it self for our use For our vulgar Husbandmen do no less admire their small Manna than the Israelites did their Sugar-hail whil'st exulting they sing Jupiter rains Honey down whence it is called Areomel by the Arabians Terenjabin and in the sacred Scriptures Manna with which our Manna or Manna Thuris accords onely in name which is produced by the elision of two bundles one against another for therby certain small fragrancies are congested which is collected for Manna Thuris There is also another kinde they call Manna Larigna collected of the broken boughs of the Larix tree but both these too licentiously usurp this title for Manna properly so called which is used by Physicians for I do not speak of the Man-hu or Manna of the Hebrews is celestial dew sweet and gratefull delabing about the day-spring upon the boughs and leaves of trees and herbs which speedily concretes into the consistency of a gum That is best which is collected of leaves and is called Manna de folio and that worst which is called Manna de terra Now the Calabrian Manna especially that which comes out of a certain part of Oenotria is thought the best where it descends every Summer and is gather'd of all Brassavel in exam fimpl Brassavelus tels us Historia how the Neopolitan Kings once occluded this place that none might assume it without toll or tribute but the Manna thereupon ceased to descend the tribute being taken off and the hindrances removed the Manna again descended the place being again occluded it ceased the inclosure or hedge being again taken away it descended so that the Kings were glad to leave it free and permit any to collect it that would The same is storied of the Tragasaan of Salt in Epirus upon which when Lysimachus imposed a tribute there was none to be found when the tribute was contra-decreed the Salt redounded c. 12. l. 9. Rhod. Cal. But that I may not further rove there is a kinde of Manna in France commonly called Manna Briansonnensis which Medicks sometimes use for want of Calabriensis but it is not near so good There is another kinde round called Manna Mastichina Manna â—â—â—â—china which beaten from the boughs and leaves of trees by the impetuousness of the winde which delabes like hail but neither from Heaven nor from the Air which is improperly called Manna being the tears of trees or their juice concreted Manna is moderately hot it lenifies the throat asper-artery and breast it benignly moves the belly and purges watry humours especially the small Manna as that which comes from Calabria not Terenjabin which the Arabians say is like Honey which we use not because we want it CHAP. VIII Of Cordial Flowers and first of Violets A Violet which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grows in opake and rough places at the foundations of walls or margins of gardens and sometimes in meadows it is green all the year long and flourishes sometimes in February most frequently in March whence it is called Mars his Flower and sometimes in Autumn if it be cultivated it leaves are like Ivy leaves but less and thinner of a short stalk in the end whereof grows a Flower of a ceruleous purple colour and odour like Flower de luce It brings forth a small seed in little round leaves about the end of Summer Now Violets are multifarious and different in colours for some are white some blew and other in a mean betwixt both There are some also which stand upon longer and harder stalks whose flowers are like a purple colour others which are tricolorous and grow upon quadrate slender succulent and reptile stalks in dry places whose leaves are more angust long and lascivious than others from its three-fold colour some call it the herb Trinity others the flammeous Violet and the vulgar Frenchmen the Minute pensea Other small stocks of Violets have got names which because Phyficians seldome use we omit But the martial Violets are wholly used for their flowers being endued with an exhilarating faculty Vires are mixed with Cordials their seeds and leaves being malactical ingrede the decoction of Glysters and confection of Cataplasms All men conclude that their Flowers are refrigerative yet that acrimony they leave in the mouth by mastication speaks them to participate of some calour But because that calour is fugitive being overcome by their exuberant frigidity the Medicks judge them to be frigid CHAP. IX Of the Flowers of Bugloss BUgloss so tearmed from its similitude to an Oxes tongue because it is eximious in inducing hilarity is by Dioscorides and Pliny called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath long broad rough leaves like Cumfrey but straiter shorter and not of so obscure a green Its stalks are bicubital brachiate rough its flowers replenished with spots like stars ceruleous shining in the bottome whereof is a long obscure pithy seed It s root is long crass black without white within succubent sweet it grows in gardens in fandy and also in plain places There is no variety neither in nature nor shape amongst the Hortensian Buglosses onely the flowers of some are white of others purpureous and vulgarly ceruleous But the wild ones differ much for some are alwayes green which will like in any region others are very sharp whose leaves are rigid with prominent pricks which by some are mistaken for Anchusa so named from the blood wherewith its root infects the tangent Bugloss is of a hot and moyst or rather a middle temperature whence it is reckoned amongst the exhilarative Plants which Galen was not ignorant of when c. 80. l. 6. de simpl med he wrote that Bugloss immerged in Wine would cause joy and hilarity CHAP. X. Of Borrage flowers BOrrage is an herb notorious enough its leaves and faculties bear an affinity with Bugloss for both their leaves are long resembling a Neats tongue but Borrage leaves are shorter and broader which the rigour of the winter soon corrupts and kills but Bugloss bears it out and grows but especially its root and those leaves that are next ground flourish It bears broad ceruleous flowers and sometimes white larger than Bugloss in the midst whereof as in its center is defixed a certain dusky crown whose end is acuminated It grows in any ground but it is more florid in humid and fat soyl It is fresh all Summer and also all Autumn if it be sown later its seed is black in all other things it responds to Bugloss Its flowers put into broth give a special taste and
concoction roborate the ventricle dissipate Flatuosity move Urine and flours take away the suffocation of the uterus and cure the bitings of Serpents CHAP. XI Of Seseli or Hartwort MAny Plants dissident in effigies are donated with this name as Massiliense Aethiopicum the herb Aethiopicum the shrub Creticum or Thordylium Peloponnense pratense herbaceum or that which is like hemblock the Massilian Seseli which is most useful in medicine hath a ferulaceous caul of two Cubits heighth Seseli Massiliense geniculated and hard its leases like Fennel but more ample large and crasse with white flowers in Umbells long seeds like Fennel which are very acrimonious and yet grateful whereof Medicks make much use The Aethiopian fruticious Seseli hath lignous Aethiopicum jrutex rigid subrubeous and cubital surcls long leafes which are indifferent broad smooth and a whitish green yellow flowers upon umbells and long seeds like Libisticum The Aethiopian herbaceous Seseli Aethiop Herba hath ferulaceous bicubital cauls broad leafs like paludapium umbells referted with white flowers membranous broad plain paleaceous odorate and grateful seed The Peloponnesian Seseli Peloponeuse hath a geniculated and ferulaceous caul broad leafes variously dissected patulous Umbells subluteous flowers broad long plain seed and a crass root somewhat blackish without white within acrimonious and amare and grievous to the stomach The Cretian Seseli hath a lowe and more obsequious Caul leass incided and crisped in their margine small white flowers in umbells small broad plain odorate and acrimonious seeds which are seldom used in medicine All Seseli seed is hot and dry in the second degree expels urine Vires drawes flowers and the young and educes urine from the reins and bladder the seed of the Massilian is best CHAP. XII Of Gentian GEntian is not underservedly extolled nor yet indignly denominated after Gentius King of Illyrium for it is a most solemn fugatour of pestilence destroyer of putretude and antidote against Poyson its Leafes are like Plantain or rather white Hellebore veinous a foot long very amare and of a redly green colour it s Caul is cubitall or higher out of whose severall genicls issue flowers consisting of six small angust and radiant leafes vertiginously disposed to which broad tenuious seeds succeed which are included in the long Cauls whereon the flowers stood It growes in any place but delights more in montanous so they be opaque the best come from Illyrium where it arrogated the princely name of its inventor its root is of chiefest use Gentian especially in its root comprises so much of vertue that it keeps not onely men Vires but beasts also from the harm of poyson drunk in water it corroborates the stomach kills the worms arceates puttertude tames pestilentious poyson and securely cures the stinging of poysonous animalls Other plants from some similitude acquire the name of Gentian as the lesser Cruciata and Gentianella but their faculties being little or not at all like the true Gentians they seldom ingrede the composition of Antidotes CHAP. XIII Of Tormentill THis plant is called Tormentilla The denomination because it leniates the torment and pain of Odontalgy or tooth-ache and Septafoile by the Greeks Heptaphyllon because it consists of seven leafes it growes in shady wooddy and opaque places it puts forth many slender simbecil and lower branches betwixt every knot it emits seven leafes of inequal magnitude luteous flowers a crasse tuberous short root black without red within whose use is eximious in curing pestilentious diseases It s root calefies moderately dryes exceedingly to wit Vires in the third degree it astringes moderately wonderfully opposes putretude moves sudor and efficaciously sucurres in pestilentious diseases CHAP. XIV Of Poeony POEony is an herb eximious in name flower and faculties it hath many branches of feets length with fair rubeous flowers on their summities ample like Roses whence some call them Saint Maries Roses There are three sorts of Poeony The first is the Masculine Species which hath leafs like Walnut-trees but lesser in circuit and more crasse The second bears leafs divided like Lovage lesser then the former of a dark green colour with shorter surcl's and all things lesse which is the foeminine The third seems to be neuter or promiscuous bearing an Idea of both which is neither absolutely red nor white but pale Some grow now in Gardens altogether white and very fair the most elegant whereof is multiflorous whose flower is not simple like the rest but manifold All have tuberous and multifidous roots but some of them are more glandulous then the rest they have long cauls divided leafs patulous flowers in the summity of their cauls there are husks like Almond husks which dehisceing shew their small red splendent grains like Orenge grains and in the middle some black lucid medullous ones of a medicated sapour acrimonious subastringent with some amaritude I describe these briefly lest my Work should swell into a greater Volume Many things are supersititiously spoken of Poeony which I willingly omit not judging them worthy recital Its roots are commended to the roboration of the Nerves and Brain Vires to exarceate the Epilepsie and cure it as also to roborate the whole Head CHAP. XV. Of Rubia or Madder THis Plant from its rubetude is by the Latines called Rubia by the Greeks Erythrodanum it puts forth quadrangular sharp and geniculated boughes from the very ground with angust long sharp leafes orbicularly digested about the genicls its flowers in the summities of its branches are small and luteous to which a small round seed succeeds which at first is green after red at last black Its roots are very long numerous flexibly dispersed along the ground red within and without wherewith wooll and skins are infected or dyed the Shopmen calls it Dyers Ruby the vulgar Garensa it growes spontaneously in shady and opaque places so that all regions abound therewith its root is amare to the gust accommodated to infect and dye woollen and therefore most used by Dyers Ruby root moves urine and flours Vires cures the jaundice its seed drunk in vinegar absumes the Spleen its root applyed drawes flours seconds and the birth and illited with vinegar it cures the tetter or ringworm CHAP. XVI Of Oinon or Rest-Harrow THis plant is called Onon Resta Bovis Or Oinon from its flower which in colour represents wine the Barbarians call it the Oxens arrest Remora Aratri Acutella or rest the Romans the Ploughes remora because its long and fibrous roots remorate the Oxen in ploughing it is also called Acutella because with hard and acure pricks it punges its attingents it is a most notorious plant growing in the middle or margins of fields especially in fat and glutinous soyles and most vivacious of plants For happening upon an accommodate foyl it propagates much emitting every year new surcles which spread themselves over the vicine land so it
that is calld or frigid in the beginning of the second degree he that wants a medicament hot in the end of the second degree may exhibit one that 's hot in the beginning of the third Now since the doses of compounds are deduced from simples according to the deficiency of any simple another may be substituted which is Analogicall to the deficient in the mixtion whereof if the aforesaid Lawes be observed the result in the compound will be no way deficient by substitution CHAP. XVI What Medicaments and when they are rightly substituted LEast our Pharmaceuticall treati should be defective or a patient destitute of praesidy when his auxiliatory Physician prescribes him something that neither the Pharmacopolitans shops nor gardens affoard we will here describe the supplements of such defects which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latins Succedanea Substituta or more vulgarly quid pro quo But as we before observed such substitutes should be similar What substitutes ought not to be allowed of inivertue to those whose place they spply and whose vicegerents they are now if such cannot be found then those must be elected which differ in little and respond in many things For its absurd to call those succedaneous Vicegerents which are mdued with opposite not succedaneous and symbolicall qualities and they write without reason who substitute Euphorbium for Agarick Pellitory for Sorrell and Melliote for a Quince for these have no affinity with each other But when some weaker are substituted in place of better their qualities must be augmented by quantity for quantity reduplicated recompenses the weakness of the quality as on the contrary if the substitute be too valid lesse quantity must be exhibited that thereby its rigour may be diminished Now this should not be done without the advice of some skilfull Doctor which many do not onely despise but themselves prescribe Medicaments to the great damage of their patients but such are for the most part unconstant importunate and talkative knaves who trimly apparelled intrude themselves to the sicks presence and deceive them with fair speeches I speake of that impious rabble who deceive the incautious vulgar but the skilfull and prudent who take nothing rashly but at a Phisicians advice and preception may substitute legitimate Vicegerents in the place of such as want or are decayed Those that without choice and care repose for genuine and good what ever Medicament comes first to their hands will make dangerous Medicaments and substitutions One was wont pleasantly to inculcate that of the Ninivite to such a busy fellow Saepe loco illius quid pono Least therefore any errour be committed in reposition of suppositories we shall here place the substitute in opposition to the deficient You may substitute For Wormwood Origanum or southernwood For Southernwood Origanum For The juice of Acaoia The juice of Cistus or Hypocistis For Bears foot Mallowes For Acorus The root of folefoot or Radix Asari For The true Venus haire The Common For Ameos Anise seed For Amomus Acorus For Gum Amoniack Propolis For Bitter Almonds Persian nuts For Woolfs grease Weasels grease For Harts grease Goats grease For Alum Fossile salt For Althea Mallowes For Arsenick Sublimatum For Rain-water Fountain water For Sea water Saltedwater For Anise Carret For Round Aristolochy Long. For The flower of Fomgranate The rind thereof For Balsam Limpid Turpentines For Borrage Buglosse For Bettony Parsley For Spinach Arache For Butter Oyle For Calamus Arom Squinant For Cardamomum Cyperus For Calamintha Wild mint For Germander Ground pine For Cinamon Common Cassia For Cinabrium Red Lead For Juice of Citron Limmons juice For Daucus Creticus English carret seed For Dates Massilian figgs For Dittany Sage For A Bears tooth A hogs tooth For Diphryx Burned Brasse For Liquorice Raisons For Wallwort Elder For White Hellebore Elaterium For Blacke Hellebore Lapis Lazuli For Epithyme Epithymbrum For Eruca Erisimum For Agrimony Liverwort For Sea holly Oenone For Fenygreek Orobus For Fennell Smallage For Partridge gall Cothurnix gall For Verdigrease Rust For Fumitory Sowthistle For The hulls of Senny Twice as much of its leaves For Myrtle leaves Its berryes For Galangale Acorus For Galbanum Sagapenum For Gentian Tormentill For Liverwort Agrimony For Helecampare Flower deluce For Hysope Savoury For The juice of Cistus Acacia For Jasmins flowers Rormary Flowers For Jujubs Raisons For Sweet rush Cardomomum For Henbane Poppy For Lettice Garden Succory For Sorrell Black Violet For Laureola Misletoe For Lacca Storax For Sciatick Cresses Cretian Cresses For Loadstone The Phrygian stone For Mallowes Arach For Mandrake Poppy For Honey Sugar For Mumy Pissaphaltum For Spicnard Schaenanthum For Nep Wildmint For Nutmeg Cloves For Water-Lilly Lettice For Sheepsgrease Calfes marrow For Oyle Butter For The juice of unripe grapes Juice of Limons For Opium Lettice juice For Opobalsamum Oyle of Cloves For The juice of panax Gum Amoniake For Ryce Wheat meale For White thorn Gooseberry tree For Poppy juice Mandrake juice For Petty spurge Sea Lettice For Parsley Smallage For Plaintain Mouse-eare For Pompholyx Burned brass oar For Walwort Ground pine For Quinquenerve Plantain For Radish-seed Its juice For Rosemary Majoram For Gooseberryes * Berberryes For Rue Tansey For Sagapene Pyne gum For Sage Calaminthe For Elder Wallwort For Cantonicum Southernwood For New wine Sweet wine For Cuttlebone A pumick stone For Sutureia Thyme For Saxifrage Burnet For Houseleek Nightshade For White spike Lavander For Tansey Feverfew For Sowthistle Succory For Cuckow bread Sower dock For Thyme Satureia For Thimelaea Chamelaea For Tamariske Citrarch For Tussilage Lungwort For Garden Valerian Wild For Masculine betony The famale For White Hellebore Turpethum For Black Violet White For Red Wine White For Sweet Cassia Cynamon For Yylobalsum Radix Ligustici For Ginger Pepper For Civet Musck But because it seldom falls out that one can erre twice in a Medicine let junior Apothecaryes diligently beware least they substitute any thing without the Physicians advice if they do otherwise they may exhibite and sell spurious Medicaments for legititimate as I have 1000. times observed in some ignorant fellowes who without discretion substitute any simple which of its self is deficient CHAP. XVII Of Adulterate Medicaments MEns insatiable avarice hath rapt some to that heighth of iniquity that they exhibite Adulterate Medicaments for true and genuine the dignotion whereof is of great moment in making Medicaments and should be a Physicians and an Apothecaryes imployment accurately to learn that to be their patients may exhibited none but good which may conduce to their adjument and sanity not adulterate whose end is perill and languour These I thought meet to detect least some unskilfull Apothecary be deceived by such circumforaneous prestigiatours who often sell the flowers of Carthamus for Crocus and Ivory for Monocerots horn and similate many more especially rare and precious Medicaments whose use is frequent and vertues eximious Least therefore the Apothecary in whose hand the
be of the family of Wood-binds from its effigies its seed is mucagineous black hard and angulous its faculty is hydragogous and it much conduces to the hydroptical assument And though it be an enemy to the stomack yet duely administred and mixed with other Medicaments it roborates the intrals educes watry humours without violence and is a good ingredient for that eximious Hydragogal Medicament we have heretofore described Our Land is nobilitated with many more purgative Simples as the Aller tree Rhamnus which we call Buck-thorn which I will not here congest because they are either seldome used or that they do not ingrede our compositions SECTION III. Of Exotical Calefactives The Preface THE all-seeing providence of God hath thought good to bless the remotest part of the East India with better Medicaments than Physicians Plants of such rare worth and admirable virtue that Medicks of a more polish life and conversation of greater learning and experience than those rude Barbarians have to their perpetual renown demonstrated their virtues and operations and by long use and observation have found them fortunately successfull in many desperate distempers What shall we say do we not daily receive multifarious and innumerable Plants from divers parts of the East and West Sweet-swelling-Aromaticks heart-reviving-Cardiacks and body-warming-Calefactives to which our Microcosm is perpetually obliged of which we are about now to treat And we intend to fix our discourse first upon those that are calefactive in the highest degree afterwards handle such as are less and lastly speak to those that have a middle quality or moderation between both CHAP. I. Of Ginger GINGER is a Plant so called Ginger which we borrow of the Barbarians like our water Flower-de-luce but its leaves are blacker its root extends it self with internodian genicles which emits arundinaceous leaves From whence the best Ginger comes twice or thrice repeated each year It grows in many parts of India whether sown or planted That we count best that comes from Malavar where it is most frequent and diligently cultivated else it is not good When it is effoded they leave an internodium thereof in the hole for the perennity of the Plant for the piece occluded will germinate the next year producing new roots and leaves This root while tender cut into small pieces will eat pleasantly with vinegar oil and salt but it comes not to us till it be dry or condited for it is too efferous for our soyl We shall hereafter declare what difference there is among Ginger Zerumbet and Zedoaria Ginger calefies in the third degree it helps concoction and roborates the weak ventricle but its use is now more rare than it hath been formerly for it is scarce admixed to any Condiments onely used in the castigation of some Medicaments CHAP. II. Of Zerumbet ZErumbet or Zumbert Zedoaria and Ginger are peregrine Plants of near cognation but not all known to all men For the Arabian Serapio c. 172. l. de simpl from the assertion of Isaac saith that Zerumbet and Zedoaria are one Afterwards he asserts that Zerumbet are round roots like Aristolochy of the colour and sapour of Ginger And in another place c. 271. ejusd libri he writes that it is a great tree in the Mountains of the East-Indies Avicenna l. 2. tract 2. c. 247. saith that Zerumbet is a wood like Cypress Some think it is Arnabo Arnabo quid whereof Paulus Aeginus makes mention c. 3. l. 6. but they mistake for it is the opinion of many that Arnabo is a tall tree that is suaveolent or as others think that Arnabo is the name of a Plant that is now known by some other name But Zerumbet is a graminaceous Plant either sative How it differs from Ginger that grows in the Province of Malavar or spontaneous which grows in some woody places of that Countrey and is there called wild Ginger Garcias Because its form and root hath much affinity with Ginger But all in Zerumbet are larger for its leaves are longer and broader its roots more crass which after their effossion are cut and dryed and so conveyed to Arabia afterwards into Europe Round Zedoaria may justly be substituted in stead of Zerumbet for it is probable that both Plants are of the same name nature and genus and differ no more than long and round Cyperus Zerumbet is much commended against Poysons Vires it exhilarates the heart roborates and conserves the intrals CHAP. III. Of Zedoaria or Set-wall BY the names Zador Set wall Zeduar Geiduar and Zadura we are to understand the vulgar Zedoaria which Mesue saith is a round root resembling Ginger but more odorate and withall bitter and not so sharp and hot as Ginger It is brought from the Countrey of Sina and the extreams of India it is related to Zerumbet but more vulgar and notorious but neither Plant have been seen whole by any almost in Europe Avicenna saith Zedoaria is like Cyperus others say it is like Costus of which hereafter but all Aromatical Simples are more similar in virtue and power than in form and effigies Zedoaria is hot and dry in the second degree Vires it discusses flatuosity cures the bitings of poysonous Animals helps the colical dolour kills maw-worms and is a good ingredient in Actidotes CHAP. IV. Of Galangal THere are two sorts of Galangal the greater and the lesser both growing in the same soyl but the lesser which is more odoriferous fruticates more plenteously in the Region of Sina Major the greater in Javar and Malabar and it is two cubits high and higher if sown in fat ground Its leaves are almost two cubits long more green above than below its caul is circumvested with the convolution of the leaves its flower is white and inodorate its seed small its root about the head crass bulbous and nodous like that of reeds in other parts it is very like Ginger and it is propagated in like manner to wit by root and not by seed though it thrives very well that is sown it seems to be very like * Orris Flower-de-luce in root leaves and form The lesser Galangal is about two hands high Minor with leaves like Myrtle its root nodous for the most part spontaneous Some simply confound it with sweet Cane and Acorus The Chyneans and Malabareans use it oftner in Condiments than Medicaments It is hot and dry in the third degree it roborates the ventricle cures the colical dolour discusses flatuosity and helps all frigid distempers The lesser must be taken for the better CHAP. V. Of Acorus or Water-flag ACorus is an odorate Plant geniculated like our Orris but its leaves are longer and narrower its caul more tenuious and longer and its roots also more slender which obliquely prostrate themselves along the superficies of the earth which are whitish within and without and of an acroamare sapour They erre shamefully who say that Acorus The errour of many both the
boy infested with the Epilepsy CHAP. XXII Of Bulbus or the Sea Bulb BUlbus is either Coronative medicative or esculent among the Coronative are enumerated the innumerable varieties of Daffadills Lilionarcisses Tulips and Hyacinths among the medicative Scilla Hermodactylls Pancratium and the vomitory Bulbus and among the esculent which are also desumed to many eximious medicinall uses Leeke the Onyons of Ascalon and such as by a certain antinomasy are called regall Onions as praecelling the rest which excite venery and which come in frequent use among the ancients for meat instead whereof we use common Onions which are the true bulbus and pollicitate the same effects being also alike described with the ancients Bulbi so that when Bulbus seed is praescribed Onion or Scallyons seed may be usurped Bulbus is a certain root corticous short round and tunicated with many membranes the most external whereof is greatest it often growes out of the earth producing some slender radicles like capillaments which keeping in the earth attract convenient succe for the nutriment of the whole Bulbus Its fronts are like them of Onyons round angust inane and mucronated its caulicles of nine inches heighth in whose summity little purpureous flowers emicate to which succeeds seed black without white within All sorts of Bulbus are acrimonious Vires they excalefie excite venery suppeditate Aliment cause inflation and stiffnesse of the yard but two large plenty of them should not be used in meats because they trouble the nerves Of all the Bulbuses I think Satyrium most excites venery the rest are more ignave causing it by their flatuosity CHAP. XXIII Of Satyrion or the True Dogs-stones SOme plants from the effigies of their roots are called Testicls from their effect Satyria because they make men Satyrs-like prone to venery amongst Bulbous roots such as have but one bulb are properly called Satyria that which hath two Cynosorchis that which hath three Triorchis Of every of which there are many differences some desumed from the form of their bulbes How to know the Best others from the number of their leafs others from the colour of their flowers and their positure yet are all alike in facultres and friends to Venus but that is most approved whose root is singular round about the magnitude of an Apple yellow without white within turgid with carnosity sweet to the gust and grateful to the mouth Three leafs emerge out of this root which are depressed towards the ground in figure and colour like Lillies leafs but lesser from which three it is called Trifoile its caul is of a foot heighth its flowers small and white the roots of this praecels the rest for conditure and this I think is the true Satyrium Condited Satyria are analeptical and restaurative they are good for such as are tabid and such as frequently exercise venery for the root of Satyrium is thought so potent in exciting venery that by retension in ones hand it will stimulate them to congresse whence the Greeks design all plants by the nomenclature of Satyrion which excite venery CHAP. XXIV Of Leeks LEeks are sowen in gardens for culinary uses for the plant is rather esculent then medicinal as Cooks well know yet its succe is sometimes usurped in medicinal remedies as in coacting the powders of foetid pills and sometimes in extinguishing or rather educing of Empyreums for though it be calid yet it hath an excellent faculty in attracting and expelling the impressed vestigium of colour Leck is either sative or spontaneous and both are twofold Species the first sort of the sative is called the headed Leek the second the sective Leek the first because it consists of a round root like an Onyon the later because its root is longer and oftner sected one sort of the spontaneous is called Schoen oprasum which bears tenuious leafs like a bulrush the other is called Ampeloprasum which growes spontaneously in vineyards and other places Dioscorides makes mention of one to wit the headed Leek whose head or rather root that it might greatly increase and dilate it self the ancients covered it with a tile or slate and so they obtained their end many other wayes are invented whereby Leeks may acquire a prodigious magnitude but these we leave to Gardners All Leeks calefie extreamly ezsiccate extenuate open incide Vires resolve and help against the bitings of Serpents and Ustions It s seed brayed and drunk in passum or white Wine helps against the difficulty of urine and diduces its passages some write that Leek eaten excites venery and discusses ebriety but its frequent use causes tumultuous sleeps hurts the sight and begets aeruginous bile CHAP. XXV Of Radish root and Rape or wild Navew THere is much affinity betwixt radish root rape root and wild Turnep Radish root is so notorious that it needs not much explication for the vulgar are so delighted therewith that they sustain themselves with this root bread and salt nay all Nations make meat thereof Rephani Species There are three sorts hereof one is the greater which is an enemy to Vines another lesser the third is black radish which some call wild radish the Gardeners Reforum Rape root Rapium unde dicitur Bunias is from its tumescent figure called Bunias from its round figure Gonzylon or rather Strongylon vulgarly Nape its root is very crasse carnous tuberous white and not capillated its leafes long sharp green deeply incided on both sides its Caule bicubitall and ramous its flowers luteous to which Cods succeed praegnant with seeds like Colewort feeds but greater which ingrede the confection of Mithridate whose faculty is eximious in expugning venenate diseases Some suspect that Bunias differs from Nape and that the seed of Bunias and not of Nape ingredes the composition of Mithridate but each may be substituted in defect of the other There are three differences of Napes or Rapes desumed from their Roots the first is orbiculated turbinated and short the second crasse and long the third lesse and vulgar which the vulgarity call Nape Napes or Turneps as they acquire their magnitude so also their bonity from the condition of the Heavens and of the soyl those that grow in the fields about * A Town in France Caen are so sweet and grateful that they are justly preferred before the rest Rapistrum is a certain wild rape root not at all bulbous Rapistrum which germinates in every field with broad green leafs and luteous flowers whose seed the women call Navet There is another sort thereof with leafs like Bank-cresses which is called Lapsana as also a third kind with leafes like rocket and white flowers all of them bear small black round seeds included in Cods Radish roots are eaten raw turneps not without coction all calefie open and move urine CHAP. XXVI Of Anemone or Wind-flower WE have above treated onely of such Calefactives whose Roots were most celebrated save that at the beginning of this Section we described
a few because of their exceeding calidity whose roots were uselesse Now we come to dissert of such whose other parts are also useful beginning with Anemone Which is sometimes called the Winds-herb because it never opens and dilates it self save when the wind blowes the Poets fable that it grew from Adonis blood whence they call it Adonis his flower There are two general differences hereof Species one is the wild the other the garden Anemone both which especially the later are manifold whose sorts and varieties are distinguished onely by the colour and multiplicity of their flowers for some bear white flowers others red others caeruleous some phoeniceous others somewhat red others violaceous and others a greenish red all which are coronary for the excellency and pulchritude of their flowers but the wild Anemones varieties are fewer and yet more requisite in medicine as in the confection of unguent Marliatum des Myrepsus wherein wild Anemone especially that that is called wind-herb is usurped but seeing all their descriptions and variety are excellently and elegantly depinged by the famous Authors D. D. Dod. Clus I will not further prosecute their descriptions All the sorts of Anemone are acrimonious apertive incisive detersive and exsiccative CHAP. XXVII Of Keiri or Wallflowers KEiri is a Mauritanian word denoting a luteous Violet which is alwayes green patient of Cold contrary to the nature of other Violets which wither at the first aspect of Winters rigidity and grow not again till they be new sowen I except the Garden Violets that repullulate every year in following the distinction of the Herbalists who nothing sollicitous about the nature of words distinguish Leucoïon from white violets when yet Leucoïon enunciates nothing more then a white violet Leuco signifies white ïon a Violet And as there are many varieties of Violets so are there also of Leucoïa amongst which that which bears a luteous flower to wit Keiri is most commendable to medicinal uses it growes in all places as on stone walls old edifices and rubbages and other saxous and dry places it is sowen also and pullulates in gardens near walls it s Causs are ramous many rigid and slender its leafs long angust of a blewish green lesser and more rigid then other violets its flowers luteous odorate and sweet its codds long and small wherein a small plain seed is coarctated They make an oyl of the flowers by infusion fit to resolve humours mitigate cold dolours and roborate the nerves ʒ ij of its seed given in wine or subacted with honey educes flowers young and secondines A bath made of the decoction of its flowers will perform effect the same CHAP. XXVIII Of Thyme THyme unknown to none is a little surculous plant with small angust leafs vested with many heads referted with white flowers in its summities whereof there are two sorts the first called Cephaloton Species which is like Stoechas the others differs from this because it is harder and hath few leafs and flowers and them not on heads but about the leaf roots There is another exotical Thyme they call Peruvian Thyme which is not so surculous and folious lesse acrimonious and more suaveolent in other things it responds to the rest Thyme calefies and siccates in the third degree it incides attenuates moves flours protrudes the young purges the Bowels and Lungs it is thought very conducible to the clarity of the eyes But it is more frequently used in condiments then otherwise Vires CHAP. XXIX Of Serpylle or Mother of Thyme THere are two sorts of Serpyll one garden which is greater and more succulent delighting in culture and fat soyl the other wild which growes in petrous squalid dry sterile places and in the margines of fields and on hills both of them are like Thyme in effigies odour and sapour they derive their names from creeping for their branches creep along by the ground and radicate where ever they touch it the vulgar and wild serpyl is exile and small like a little Vine hard and lignous assurging a palm in altitude with small leafs like Thyme others lay along demitting capillated fibres or radicles into the earth They have round heads on their summities out of which issue flowers of a whitish red and purpureous colour which with the whole Plant are suaveolent Another kind of serpyll is found in many places which is not Serpentine as the rest but large and wild which the shopmen call Montanous Penny-royall The Garden Serpill because of its gratefull and sweet odour is enumerated among the coronaries its circles are longer and crasser then the other its leafes also broader and duller and its heads coronated with greater flowers Serpill is acrimonious and hot moves floures and Urine abates the gripeings of the belly conduces in the Lethargy cures the biteing of poisonous beasts and by its fume when it is burned repells Serpents CHAP. XXX Of Sampsuchum and Marjoram SAmpsuchum according to Dioscorides is not Marjoram but another ramous hearb which is reptant with round and hirsute leaves like calamint whereas Marjoram is not reptant but erect with many surcles and with mucronated not round leafes yet it may well be used for want of Sampsuchum for it is a plant both in faculty and forme very like it whose gratefull odour and savour causes it to be nourished in gardens and pots with diligence and care and Marjoram perhaps desumed its name from Marum as Dodonaeous writes who makes Marjoram Marum and Hysobrium one Plant as he collected from Dioscorides his description and Sampsuchum and Amaracus another as he gathered from Dioscorides and Theophrastus yet Amaracus by Galens authority which he also gathered out of Dodonaeus is Feverfew so named not by his own but by anothers lapse seeing Amaracus is indeed Sampsuchum We cannot admit of their reasons who make Pulick Mountain a kind of Marum which the vulgar French call Mastick sinck they are very dissident for Marum according to Dioscorides is a surculous herbe with a flower like Origanum leafes much whiter and by him called Origanum Pliny saith it is an exoticall Plant and not to be numerated amongst the domestick family whereas Clinopodium which some call Cleonicon other Zopyron is an herb of vulgar dignotion and like Serpill Now Marjoram is either impatient of cold or most patient thereof the latter is Winter Marjoram which flourishes in the midle of Winter the former summer Marjoram which perishes with the first occurse of frost Marjoram is manifestly calefactive cephalicall and hystericall which drank or assumed at the mouth or fundament acceletates flowers CHAP. XXXI Of Penny-Royall PEnny-royal is two-fold Species the one masculine and sative which is the true Pulegium and latifolious the other wild and angustifolious the true Pennyroyal doth abundantly emit many and round cauls which are often procumbent But oftner extoll themselves on high two leafs somewhat rotund emerge out of each genicle its flowers are subcaeruleous circumcingeing the culms
Bosphorus in Thracia and Pontus in Euxinum of the crassitude of the greater Radish somewhat black and ruddy like the greater Centory fragile of a dark red colour within and of a ferrugineous subamare astrictive and inodorate sapour void of all acrimony There growes in many Gardens in France especially in such as appertain to them that delight in rare simples Rhaponticum that so well agrees with the antique that it seems to be the very same That root is best which admits no Worms and which in manducation becomes pliant and clammy without much astriction and colours the spittle palely red and Croceous It cures the imbecillity of the stomack Vires is good against the lienous hepatical coxendical and convulsive dolours cures burstnesse circuits of Feavers and bitings of venenate animals it is an useful ingredient in Antidotes CHAP. LXXII Of Meum or Spignell MEu or Meum Species is twofold the one most laudable which is found in Macedonia and copiously in Athamanthe whence they call it Athamanticum the other more vulgar which grows in many places in France and Italy which Herbalists call sometimes the wild Dill sometimes tortuous Fennel both of them have small angust and capillaceous leafs gracile and cubital surcles out of whose summities umbells with candid flowers emerge to which angulous long odorate and acrimoniously amare seeds succeed greater then Cumin seed its roots are very slender and odorate It calefies in the third Vires and siccates in the second degree it incides attenuates expurges removes obstructions moves urine and flours discusses the flatuosity of the stomack takes away the stopings of the Liver and emends the vices of the reins CHAP. LXXIII Of Anethum or Dill. BOth Medicks and women make use of Anethum the women in June at which time it is coronated with flowers and most fragrant excerpe or cut it dry it keep it and recond it with their Linnen to conciliate a pleasant odour to them but the Medicks use its seed also to many things as we shall hereafter declare Now Anethum is of a bicubital procerity with rotund and geniculated surcles leafs dissected small like capillaries luteous flowers on its muscary plain small foliated and pallid seed and a hard fibrous root it is sowen in Gardens and annually revives from the deciduous seed its odour is grave and yet jucund and sweet It calefies and siccates in the second degree Vires being introsumed it moves urine allayes gripings and flatuosity abates singulture evokes milk and augments it it incides attenuates and cocts humours CHAP. LXXIIII Of Macedonian Petroseline PEtroseline is either vulgar frequent in our Gardens which Physitians call Garden Smallage and the vulgarity Parsley which as a gratefull Pot-herb is inservient to culinary uses Or Macedonian which is diversely depinged by herbalists For Lobelius contends that in caul leafes umbells and seed it is very like the vulgar or Garden Parsley onely it growes in Praerupt and saxous places whence it is called Petrapium and Petroseline so that ours and the Garden is one the wild and the Macedonian Parsley the same also yet Fuchsius saith it hath leafes like Pimpinella and seeds like Ammi Odorate Acrmionious and Aromaolent And this same description he received not onely by tradition from Dioscorides but saw and experienced for when he had committed the seed of Macedonian Petroseline to the Earth he found the Plant thence produced to beare leafes respondent to Pimpinella and seed conditionated as Dioscorides had described It growes copiously in Macedonia especially in rough and saxous places It calefies and siccates notably moves urine educes flowers Vires eases the colicall dolour mitigates gripings cures the dolours of the sides Reins and Liver discusses flatuosity attenuates incides and successefully ingredes the confecture of Antidotes CHAP. LXXV Of Coriander THough Coriander be a tetrous and graveolent herb yet is it sowen and cultivated in Gardens for its grains by frication depose their ingratefull odour and become suaveolent its surcle is very slender round cubitall and ramous its leafes are at first like them of Adiantum laciniated and variously incidped for the part next the caul is lesse sected the remoter more its flowers are white on large umbells its seed made round firme somwhat striated and inane which at first is green then luteously white its root short hard and fibrous the odour of its leafes is putrid and tetrous It seed is commonly prepared with Vinegar for the castigation of some inique quality but desiccation effects as much so that it may thenceforth be desumed without further preparation Coriander is refrigerative according to Dioscorides and cures biles pimples and inflammations if taken in bread or pancakes Vires But Galen dissents from this tenent proveing it to be calid and not to help biles or the like but onely small watry powks for it calefies moderately resiccates manifestly and is somwhat astrictive CHAP. LXXVI Of Capers THe Caper shrub growes spontaneously in many places makeing much prouent in dry and desart fields without the help of the Ploughman it is a senticous shrub low and hamated with many a dark Prickles whose aculeated branches are orbicularly spread on the ground its leafes are circinated like them of Quince-Trees out of whose wings erupt long pedicles capitulated with round umbells which dehisteing expand white flwers whereunto long fruits full of Acinous seeds succeed These rudments of flowers or small heads while they are yet nodose and not explicate are by Pharmacopolists evelled condited and brine and kept for Capers the lesser are better then the larger this conditure makes them more suaue and whol-some both for medicinall uses and esure the root of this shrub is also praescinded its bark separated siccated and text Capers afford but small Aliment to their assumers because of the tenuity of their parts and are therefore rather subserivent to mediniall uses yet they mutuate a certain savour pergratefull to the stomack from this brine that invites the ranseative to banquets and revotes the languishing appetite Caper both fruit and root is calefactive extersive and purgative Vires it incides and digests roborates helpes and minuates the spleen removes obstructions and cures all diseases ariseing from the insariture imbecillity of the spleen CHAP. LXVXII Of upright holy suckles or Woodbind THis Plant the Romans call volucrum majus somtimes Caprifolium scribonius largus calls it Matrisglua and some the Lilly among Thornes it is a Surculons Lignous and Scansory shrub circumuoluring it self about the Vicine-Trees and with its obsequious surcles ascending their summities T is leafes which are posited at distance and two together at each Genicle are long smooth sofi of a whitish green colour more white one the lower side its flowers white and somtimes flave long fistulous gapeing in their extremities many congested together Garland wise and suaveolent out of whose middle come some lusts its fruit somwhat red round racemously cohaerem wherein a hard
seed is contained its root is crasse and lignous and of no use in Pharmany It growes in Woods and Hedges so straightly amplexing trees sometimes that it leaves thereon the impression of its circumvolutions Some of these Woodbinds in amplexing the vicine trees take their rounds from the Orient to the Occident others from the occident to the orient and that at all times and in all places It calefies and siccates evidently diminishes the Spleen conduces to the orthopnoical moves urine adimates singultion accelerates delivery in birth deleates the pimples of the face Vires and by long use causes sterility both in man and woman Xylosteron is very like this honey-suckle or woodbind but that it needs no fulciments for its supporture as this requires CHAP. LXXVIII Of Broom THe very Maids know Broom which they collect and colligate for Beesoms ours growes in incultivated and dry places and is wild the Spanish Broom which is our Garden Broom is like the wild but its branches leafs and flowers are larger The flowers of the Spanish Broom are more graveolent then its branches the branches of the wild Broom more tetrous then its flowers There is a low kind of Broom which we call Genistella whose caulicles are each way extended into membranous wings instead of leafs which is neglected as uselesse in medicine Broom flourishes at the beginning of the spring whose flowers not then perfectly explicated are collected and condited with Vinegar and Salt and kept for Winter-Acetaries like Capers It calefies and siccates to the second degree its flowers are chiefly commended to the expediating of the infarctures of the Spleen and Liver one dragme or a dragme and a half of its feed brayed and drunk in three ounces of sweet water Vires moves and subduces the belly opens the bladder and cures Strangury CHAP. LXXIX Of Savine THere are two sorts of Savine the one bacciferous the other devoid of all fruit both lowe like Juniper and alwayes green Species that which is not gravidated with Berries is more graveolent rigid and rough with short pricles its Come is alwayes green its odour molestfull and its sapour fervid and acrimonious this is alwayes low diffusing it self laterally and sometimes assurging on high if its boughes which circumdate its Caul be praescinded The other is not so horrid not aculeated with any prickles very like Tamarisk not so graveolent as the former it bears subpuniceous and resinous Berries this delights not in frigid soyls but grows copiously and spontaneously in hot places Besides the two former Belonius saith that in Crete and Mysia he saw another sort which was arboreous in magnitude and manner of an Almond-tree whom I had rather believe then go so far to see the truth It is hot and dry in the third degree Vires it educes blood with urine moves flowers and taken in wine or adhibited it excusses the young whether alive or dead CHAP. LXXX Of Rosemary DIoscorides gives the name Libanotis to two very different Plants Species the first he calls foecund frugiferous Libanotis or Rosemary whose leafs are like Fennel spread along the ground and suaveolent whose Caul is cubital or higher concave and capitulated with umbells wherein is contained long and acrimonious seed called Canchrys Of this there are three varieties one whereof is this described the second is very like the former onely its seed is more broad not so mordacious nor acrimonious the third bears neither flower nor seed The other sort is Coronary much dissimilar to the former for it is a lignous shrub having many slender long cauls circumvested with angust and hard leafs whitish below and green above coronated on each side with caeruleously candescent flowers though its odour be grave yet it is not ingrateful but roborates the brain and nerves it is planted in every garden growing spontaneously in the hotter Regions of France it flourishes twice a year in Spring and Autumne It is calefactive Vires cures the Jaundice if its decoction be drunk before exercise and after exercise the diseased ingrede a bath and drink wine it helps against the resolution of the Nerves and stupour and all diseases arising from the frigid humours in the brain CHAP. LXXXI Of Agnus Castus or White Willow THere growes a certain odorate shrub in hot Countreys about the brinks of Rivers torrent Channels and rough places which they call Agnus Castus or white Willow with leafs like Hemp yet not serrated in their ambient long acuminated and cohaering on one pedicle a piece its boughs are long lent not fragile its flowers are subpurpureous verticulately circundating the summities of its surcles its seed is rotund like Cardamome it is called Agnus Castus because its leafs and flowers strewed under one conduces to their Chastity It calefies and siccates notably validly discussing all flatuosity Vires it auxiliates in venenate bitings and affections of the Spleen it moves flowers cohibits the motion of sperm and allayes venereous fancies in the night as well as Rue seed for which cause the Athenian Matrons in their Feasts to Ceres the better to custodite their Chastity strewed their beds with its leafs CHAP. LXXXII Of the Ash and Ashton Keyes THe Ash is a tall Tree which the Greeks call Media and Milea not onely used in the fabrication of ligneous vessels but also accommodated to medicinary uses whose bark wood and fruit afford many commodious medicaments it assurges with a very crasse and high Caul involved in a slender and smooth bark with long leafs consisting of many together and adhering to one pedicle like Liquorice or Wallnut leafs Many Cods colligated together upon one pedicle issue out of its slender boughes without any praegession of conspicuous flowers which Cods resembling birds tongues and their Medulla a lingel are called Birds tongues by the Greeks Ornithoglossa The Ancients have noted such an Antipathy betwixt Serpents and this Tree that they had rather run into the fire then creep upon its leafs and boughes if they were circundated with both Its leafs and bark calefie moderately and siccate efficaciously Vires and its seed which we call Ornithoglossum is hot and dry in the second degree Now if this Tree be so averse from Serpents that its very shade abigates them its leafs succe or other parts duly assumed or adhibited must needs produce potent effects upon poysons they are therefore useful for the curation of such affections as participate of any maligne quality and good ingredients to Antidotes its seed is much celebrated for exciting of venery it cures the dolours of the Liver and Spleen proceeding from a cold cause if it be taken in wine CHAP. LXXXIII Of Viscus Quercinus or of Misselto of the Oak THere are three sorts of Misselto one whereof is as they say Collachrymated our of black Camelaeon Thistle about the rising of the Dogge Starre which according to Pliny Scribonius and Hesichius is venenate and by them named Ixia
herb recreates the heart exarceates putretude and refrigerates its water distilled helps in continual and pestilent Feavers CHAP. XII Of Oxylapathum or Sowerdock LEst confusion should bring obscurity upon the dignotion of these Simples I shall constitute the difference betwixt Lapathum and Hippolapathum Hydrolapathum Oxylapathum and sanguineous Lapathum Lapathum simply so called is a pot-herb expetible for culinary matters which the Cooks call Patience the Herbalists Parella Hippolapathum is either latifolious or rotundifolious both cultivated and called Monks Rhabarb and sometimes Pseudo-Rhabarbe Hydrolapathum is twofold great and small both like the precedent which grow onely in fenny and watry places Oxylapathum growes copiously in incultivated places with a long and crasse root flave within and croceous without a bicubitall and brachiated surcle green and broad seed depending on very minute pedicles and involved in thin membranes of a yellow colour Some call Sanguineous or maculated Lapathum very inconsiderately Dragons blood as we shall shew in its place Sorrel is a kind of Lapathum as also that hearb which some upon what grounds I know not call slow Henry which I think is a spinaceous wild Pot-hearb CHAP. XIII Of Hepatica Hepatorium and Eupatorium or Agrimony PErite Herbalists doe thus distinguish of Hepatica Hepatorium and Eupatorium Hepatica is liver-wort Hepatorium is the vulgar Eupatorium and the true Eupatorium is Agrimony these three being accommodated to the roboration and cure of the Liver are frequently and rightly called Eupatoryes Hepatica is often called Lichen either because it is the best remedy against Ring Wormes Liver-wort or else because it lickes stones its leafe is succulent and crasse adhaering to a moist and umbrous Rock under which little caulicles in forme of pedicles emitt stellated heads it is abstersive refrigerative Hepatorium doth from its root which is of a moderate magnitude exert bicubitall and ramous surcles Hempe-like Agrimony circumvested with long Canhabine leafes serrated about with small muscous and ruddy flowers which having coronated its fair umbell wither and turne into pappe or down Eupatorium or Agrimony is a fruticous plant very like Wild-tansey but that its leaves are more virid divided into more parts and more serrated and hirsute its caule is slender streight cubitall and pilous out of severall parts whereof small luteous flowers emerge whereunto small seeds sharpe on one side whereby they adheaere to wollen cloaths do succeed Agrimony was called Eupatorium from Eupator its inventer it attenuates expurges and peculiarly helpes the Liver and other bowells Mesue which I would not omitt usurpes another hearb which is cubitall and very amare with leafes like the lesser Centory sharpe and serrated about for Eupatorium we call that Hearb the Hearb Julia the Greeks call it Ageratum CHAP. XIIII Of Primerose THe various denominations of this vulgar hearb have obscured its dignotion for I find it called Primiveria Primerose St. Peters hearb the Paraliticall and Arthriticall hearb Phlomis Brachula Caculi Tusculane violer white Betony and petty Mullein but let the inane investigation of the nomenclature be omitted seeing the thing it self is perspicuous It is called primula veris or Primerose because it flourishs and germinates as soon as the very spring approaches there are three generall differences thereof the hortensian pratensian and nemorall the hortensian or garden Primerose is either simple or multiflorous both their flowers are either green or luteously pallid they that grow in Meadowes and Woods are alike as to leafes dissimilar in flowers for the pratensian flowers are croceous small and almost inodorate the nemoralls pallid more patulous and odorate Primerose is multifolious whose leafes are rugose like Betony but longer broader and more pallid out of whose centre arise long and slender pillars in whose summities three foure or five subluteous and pensile flowers whose extremities are denticulated do dehisce somtimes one only flower growes upon an exile pedicle I have noted six varietyes differenced by the colour of their flowers for some are herbaceous green and elegant others white and vetust some red others aureous and others subflave besides some are onely coronated with a simple flower Paralysis others are so prolifically multiflorous that one flower seems to grow out of another that which produces a simple and luteous flower growes copiously and spontaneously in many places in the lower Neustria especially in the Vallonian field where many rare Plants make their provent It helpes much in paralyticall and arthriticall dolours Vires The decoction of its root will expediate from the infarctures of the Reines protrude Sand and expell the stones of the bladder CHAP. XV. Of Cabbage or Garden Colewort CAbbage which the Greeks call Crambe is so vulgar that it were supervacaneous with much labour to prosecute its designation seeing it is sowen planted and cultivated in every Nation and place for esure yet all its kinds do not flourish in every Region but some require this others that soyle whence some are called Sabaudae because they delight most in that Tract which are patulous not occluse green without and white within others marine because they grow spontaneously in maritimous soyles others Cauliflowers and Italian Cabbages which grow onely in Italy or spring from Italian seed others vulgar which fruticate plenteously in all places others Caulorape which are turbinated from the middle of the caule upwards and Bulbous Furthermore many varieties may be desumed from the conglomeration incisure plainenesse laevity asperity whitenesse viridity rubeding and obscurity of their leafes as also from their crisped racemous laciniated or sessile heads which are rather for looks then Apothecaryes except the Sea Cabbage which is altogether medicamentall Cabbage generates crasse and melancholicall succe Vires and is thought to inebriate the head whence the Germanes do so much desire it the red one is pectorall and praeferred before the rest in confecting ecclegmes CHAP. XVI Of Flebane PSyllium is a pulicary hearb so called from the effigies of its seed it growes in fallow ground and ditches with long angust and hirsute leafes like Crowfoot its Corne begins at the middle of its caule with spicated heads cohaereing like scales at the foot of the leafes out of which small pallid and lanuginous flowers erupt whereunto small black and splendent seeds succeed which clemently mollify and subduce the belly It is refrigerative in the second degree Vires and symmetricall as to humectation and siccation according to Galen Dioscorides and Pliny also affirme that it is thus refrigerative so that I cannot but admire that Mesue should say that it is indued with a sharpe ulcerative and poysonous quality but I beleive he praecipitantly wrote this from the relation of some other man or else excerped it out of some lying book or rather that some changed what he wrote most truely its quality and use is more safe then Mesue his writeings do patifie CHAP. XVII Of Tussilage or Colts-foot THe Romans call this Plant Tussilago the Greeks
Bechion from that speedy help and utility it affords the Coughers and anhelant Apothecaryes call it Colts-foot because its leafes do a little resemble a horses hoofe the inferiour part whereof is tomentous and white the superiour green It s caule is so short scarce aequalling a palme in length that some thought it grew without a caule its flower is luteous rudiated and aureous like Sow thistles flowers which erupts in February or March before the egression of its leafes which standing a few dayes dehisces into dawn its root is slender white and geniculated delighting in moist places and River brinkes Vires It s faculty hath respect unto cough and anhelations it is also credited that its fume in a Tobacco-Pipe will break an imposthume in the breast CHAP. XVIII Of Hops THere is a scansory Plant which creepes up to the summityes of Trees which we call Hop-Tree It growes spontaneously in Hedges and Meadow sides with sharpe leafes like Cucumber or triangular like Briony wherewith it encompasses shrubs its flowers are subalbid herbaceous compacted of many folicles scale-wise disposed and racemously pendent wherein a small seed is contained the Belgians much estimate this fruit for with this and their fruits they make up their drink as we do our Beer its tender branches in the beginning of the spring cocted may be eaten with butter or oyle and vinegar like Sperage or sallets It refrigerates moderately moves Choller Vires diduces the passages removes obstructions moves urine cures the Jaundice exacts Phlegme and hydropicall humours and allayes the heat of the Stomack CHAP. XIX Of Bistort BIstort is so denominated from its intorted and convolved radicles some take it for Dragon-wort others for wild Bete some say but without ground or reason that it is the Arabian Bean others more tolerably call it Britannica of whose family we constitute it for it differs from it onely in the colour of its root for they are both very like in forme and faculties Britannica doth with a peculiar faculty respect stomacate and sceletyrbe which maladyes much molest the Germanes and Septentrionall incolists the like whereof hapned upon Caesars Souldiers when they came beyond Rhene who there finding a River drunk of the water which within two dayes caused their teeth to fall out and resolved the joynts of their knees but the herb Britannica well help such as are thus infested Bistort doth from its nodose intorted rubescent root emit long broad acuminated and venous leafes green above and somwhat white beneath round cubitall or shorter caules circumvested with little leafes from the middle upwards and adorned with purpueous flowers its seed is small and triangular like that of Sorrell It s root is most used in Pharmacy Vires which is inodorate refrigerative and astrictive it roborates the internalls exarceates putretude resists poyson and cures pestilent diseases CHAP. XX. Of the Strawberry-Bush FRagaria is perpetually green never devoid of leafes it depends upon no Caule onely its radicles emit slender and lanuginous pedicles some whereof bear onely leafes others flowers and fine leafes others like fibres creep along the ground and germinate for where ever they touch ground there they radicate and ministrate a new Plant there are three oblong broad serrated leafes like them of Cinquefoile on each pedicle an herbaceous lump erupts after the occasion of the flowers which augments by little and little and becomes white when it attaines maturity it is red like a Mulberry it is candid soft medullous vinose humid gratefull and sweet to the gust referted with minute grains which we call Strawberries It s root is fibrous capillated and blackish neither it nor the leafes of this Plant are much celebrated for Medicinall uses though it accede the confection of the Martian unguent for the commendable quality of this whole Plant is in its fruit as of Rose-trees in their flowers Mulabathrum in its leafe and Ginger in its root it growes spontaneously in Woods and umbrous places but flourishes more in Gardens and beares greater and sweeter berryes Strawberryes refrigerate Vires quench thirst and nourish the body for a while their water destilled deleates the spots of the face expurges it and makes it fairer CHAP. XXI Of Cinquefoile THis herb is so denominated from the number of its leafes it emitts from one root many pedall festucaceous surcles with luteous and fugaceous flowers on their summityes like them of wild Tansey each pedicle beares five oblong flowers crenated about like a Saw the whole Plant is somwhat hirsute and whitish its root long blackish without and ruddy within it growes spontaneously about the margins of fields There is another sort of Cinquefoile with great crenated leafes green above and white and lanuginous below there is a third also which is reptile whose branches are slender and imbecill leafes smooth and green flowers luteous and roots fibrous and exile another sort growes in stagnant places in leafes and magnitude very like the first with double darkly red flowers which grow upon an head referted with many seeds Cinquefoile whose root is most in use allayes the inflammation of the jawes and asper artery Vires it stayes the belly flux and dysentery in drink it cures the dolours of the hips and junctures cures biles and scabs discusses cowles on the neck cohibites pimples represses watry swellings the succe of its root while young and tender is good against the affections of the Liver and Lungs CHAP. XXII Of Goosse-grasse or Cleavers GOosegrasse hath either soft surcles and leafes and is called Mellugo or sharpe ones and is called Asperugo or Spargula and Asperula for the whole Plant adhaeres to the Cloaths of such as passe by through its tenacious asperity whence the Greeks call it Philanthropon and Philadelphon Pliny Lappago Goosegrasse is a Plant growing besides hedges ditches and amongst thornes adhaereing to vicine shrubs with imbecill obsequious quadrangular surcles of many cubits length with angust leafes decussated like Starres and orbicularly cohaereing to the genicles of its surcles as in Ruby to which it is very like its flower is small and white its seed hard white round concave in forme of a navil whence some call it Omphalocarpon Goosegrasse is moderately extersive and desiccative the succe of the whole Plant drunk in Wine auxiliates against the biteings of Spiders and Vipers the Plant infused therein cures the eares aches Vires its leafes brayed and collected in Wine-Lees discusse swellings in the neck Gallion is very like Spargula or Mollugo which is often put into milke to co-agulate it CHAP. XXIII Of Scabiose SInce this Plant is neither that which Dioscorides calls Scrobe nor that which Aëtius calls Psora we cannot learn from the ancients what it is however it is a Plant which is now for its frequency and excellent effects very well known it beares long broad hirsute and laciniated leafes incided like Rocket its root is simple and long it s Caule halfe a foot
levigated and transmitted through a sieve and mixed with despumed Honey and so an Opiate must be made reposed in a fit vessel and agitated once a day for the first moneth with a rudicle in the second moneth twice a week in the third once a week in the fourth thrice of all and so left till the sixth moneth and then once again agitated Vires It is the most safe praesidy against Poyson and contagious Diseases it hath more faculties but they are so well known that I shall not need to recenseate them CHAP. 12. Theriaca Androm jurioris ex Gal. c. or Andromachus junior his Theriack out of Galen who calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly known now by the name of Venice-Treacle ℞ of the Troches of Squillsʒ xlviij of the Troches of Vipers Magnatis Hedychroi Long-Pepper Opium of eachʒ xxiiij dryed Roses Sclavonian Orris Juyce of Liquorice sweet Navew-seed Scordium Opobalsamum Cinamon Agarick of eachʒ xij Myrrhe sweet-smelling Costus Corycius Saffron Cassia-Lignea Spikenard * Juncus odoratus Squinant Olibanum ⸪ Aglia white Pepper black Pepper flowers of Dittany fresh Horehound Pontick Rhabarb Staechas or Arabian Lavender Macedonian Parsley-seed Mountain-Calamint Chian Turpentine the roots of Cinqfoil and Ginger of each ʒ vj. Polium from Crete Ground-pine Storax Spignel of Athamas Celtitk Nard Amomum Pontick Valerian the seed of Cretian Germander Indian leaf Chalcytidis Vitriol burnt Lemnian Earth Gentian root Anise-seed the Juyce of Cystus Carpobalsamum Gum-Arabick sweet Fennel-seed Idaean Cardamomes the seeds of Hartwort Treacle Mustard and Bishop-weed S. Johns-wort tops Acacia Sagapenum of each ℥ ss Castoreum small Birth-wort-root Cretian Carret-seed Judaean Bitumen Tops of the lesser Centaury Opoponax Galbanum of eachʒ ij generous Wine as much as will suffice to dissolve the Liquors and Gummes Narbonian Honey or any other sort that 's good a treble quantity or lb xiiij ss or as much as will suffice Make it up according to Art into an Opiate which keep in an idoneous vessel well covered The COMMENTARY It is not without ground that they call Mithridate the Father and Theriack the Mother of Medicaments seeing in dignity and excellency they farre exceed all others and comprehend all others faculties for there is scarce any preternatural affection whereunto the one of these duly prepared doth not conduce Mithridates is justly made the Author of both for he invented and congested the matter whereof they both consist Andromachus and Damocrates disposed it onely more orderly and added some few things Thus Theriack had its original from Mithridate which Criton first so called from a Viper which the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose flesh duly prepared as we shall hereafter shew Andromachus Nero's chief Physician added to Mithridate and made its faculty which before was void and imbecile as to wild beasts and venenate Serpents stings now most efficacious And thus of Mithridate is made a Theriack the most present Remedy against Poyson from which all Medicaments that extinguish any poyson are called Theriacal Andromachus his sedulity was very commendable who digested and adorned these two Antidotes with good order and form which were before without order and form in imitation whereof the later age hath described many Compositions and Theriacks wherewith some Pharmacopolies are rather onerated then adorned All Theriacks tradited by Rhasis Avicenna Mesue Serapio Paulus Oribasius Aetius Myrepsus and Neotericks do not onely dissent from one another but all from the ancient one delivered by Andromachus and therefore they are seldome made but neglected as useless And although the Theriack of Andromachus senior be described in Verses and so may not be perverted yet that which his Son gives in Prose is more celebrated which we here exhibit However there is no difference of moment betwixt them Many things accede to this confection which cannot be alwayes had in whose stead others must be substituted a like in first or second qualities though not in kinde as when we make one herb succedaneous to another one seed to another and one metal to another But we usurp such substitutes as are indued with like qualities though we have not the best of that kinde Thus Galen substitutes Wormwood for bitter Almonds Doves-dung for Euphorbium Ginger for Pepper But now adayes the Parisian Apothecaries spare no cost in acquiring the most precious and rare Medicaments and Simples and many of them that scarce know their seconds have all the kindes of Aromata's Precious-stones and rarest Simples in their Pharmacopolies yea they scorn to let any Simple be unknown that ingredes the composition of Medicaments But if any one as it often falls out can neither by Art Labour nor Price acquire some things necessary for confecting this Theriack he may in stead of Opobalsamum which is most rare subrogate Oyl of Cloves or of Nutmeg in stead of Costus Setwel in stead of Schoenantum sweet Cane for Cretian Dittany indigenous for Amome Acorus for Carpobalsamum Cubebs or seeds of Lentisks for Falernian other generous wine But nothing must be substituted for Pastils whose preparation we shall give in the next Section For want of small Aristolochy the long may be used for the Illyrian Orris the Florentine for Calcithis Vitriol which many think may be omitted as conducing nothing to the vertue but onely to the colour of the Theriack yet if a Theriack should be without that colour its Confector would be derided for his pains Others on the contrary hold that it is upon good grounds admitted because by its styplicity it roborates the intrails and by its siccity arceates putretude Moreover it is mixed in small quantity and half burnt or else Vitriol in its stead which is burnt totally and thence participates of little acrimony Of old it was otherwise prepared but the true manner of its confection is that which we have given to Mithridate And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehends all venenate and wild Animals in general and by a more peculiar signification denotes a Viper whose Male is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Female 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Theriack complects all Antidotes which either by assumption or admotion tranquillitate diseases Galen calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is most expertly alexiterial against all evils Vires and it cures not onely venenate diseases but many common ones for assumed in sweet wine it cures diuturnal head-aches the Vertigo heaviness of hearing hebetude of eyes Epilepsie and difficulty of breathing it emends the vices of the stomack difficult coction and imbecility of the ventricle it cures the inflations cholical and ileous dolours of the intestines it kills all kindes of worms cures swoundings and imbecility exhibited with the water of Radish-roots or Pellitory of the wall it breaks the stone and helps against the hard mixtion in the reins and bladder it is of approved use in the inclining to or beginning of Fevers especially quartane Agues it dissipates flatulency absumes putrid