or a little more or less according to the strength and age of the Assumer cleansed brayed and drunk will deject bile and water by stool CHAP. XXII Of Sea-Colewort or Soldanella SOldanella comprehends two different Plants under it Sea Bind weed the one is very like the vulgar in form but its leaves are perdifolious it germinates every year and produces new leaves it is called Brassica multiflora Monospermos The other is very dissimilar and thought to 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
and in the Mountain Apenninus where it is called Panacea Species because it resembles the Heraclea panax in its root caul and faculties Panacea is fourfold the Syrian the Heraclean the Chironian and the Centaurean which some call the Pharnacean but I leave these to the exact discussers of Simples who write the History of all Herbs and return to my purpose The Roots and Seeds of Ligusticum are calefactive Vires and therefore help 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
other Plants which first emit leaves then prolong their Caules in Scilla the Caule first erupts then the Leafes Scilla calefies in the second degree and is very incisive Galen saith it is best to take it boiled or rosted for so its vehement quality will be castigated duely praepared it helpes against the frigid affections of the braine and Nerves Galen repurged one cut it small demerged it in a melitery insolated it forty dayes and gave it to a 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 Rapiumunde 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 * * * ATownin 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
Saxifrages the one whereof is called white Saxifrage because it bears a white flower the other aureous because it bears a golden flower the seed of the greater Saxifrage should be selected to the confection of Benedicta Laxativa It is evidently hot and dry Vires it attenuates incides digests expurges takes away obstructions moves flowers educes glutinous humours out of the breast moves urine and breaks and expells stones CHAP. LI. Of Aristolochy or Birthwort ARistolochy is so called because it helps childbearing and edures their Lochia Many call it the Earths apple because its fruit is like an apple but this nomenclature is peculiar to the round ones for the fruits of some are turbinated There are five sorts of Aristolochies the long round sarmentitious saracenical and Pistolochia or Polyrhizon all which are so like in cauls leafs and flowers that none but such as are very perspicacious can difference and distinguish them They grow in many places in France about the margines of vineyards of fields in fat and restible soyl the long growes copiously on the Banks of Sequana Dioscorides acknowledges onely three sorts of Aristolochy the round the long and the sarmentarious the long he calls the masculine the round the foeminine which some call Dactylis he attributes eximious faculties to both not onely against venerate animals but also for their potency in extracting the splinters and fractures of bones and darts The round which nigreds the Confection of Hiera Pacchii Vires calefies and dryes potently it is good against poysons difficulty of breathing sighings and Spleen it attracts such things as are left after childbearing whence it is called Aristolochia for removing the remora's it validly educes the Seconds and moves Flowrs CHAP. LII Of Asarum or Asarabacca ASarum is by some called Vulgago by others Perpensa and Baccharis but the Shopmen call it after the Greeks and Latines Afarum its leafs are in colour and magnitude hederaceous yet not acuminated but somewhat rotund constituting an imperfect circle or as the Alchymists say referring the signature of an ear of which herb when the Empirick Rivierius boasted he was demanded by a learned Physician of Paris whether or no the Leafs of Asarum were the best and most determinate cure for the diseases of the Auricles whose ridiculous response demonstrated that he neither knew the herb nor the proper affections of the place its flowers are small lying under its leafs like the flowers of Orenge coloured Henbane but lesser wherein a small angulous and sharp seed is contained its roots are many slender and gracile obliquely diffused and alternately implicated Its roots are hot and dry as also its Leafs Vires but these more imbecilly they move urine and flowers excite vomit and expurge pituitous and crasse humours they are very good against the obstructions and tumours of the Liver and Spleen whence macerated in wine it is good against the Jaundice and Dropsie CHAP. LIII Of Pimpinell or Burnet PImpinel or Pampinell Species which some enumerate amongst the Saxifrages is twofold the one Hortensian which delights in sature and culture the other Sylvestrian which growes in Meadowes and other incultivated places both agree with Saxâ—frage not onely in form but faculties also some call this plant Peponell others Bipennula others Sanguisorbe and Sanguinary some give it the most composited name of Dionysio-nymphas because conjected into Wine it conciliates a certain grateful suavity in drinking The Hortensian is most used both or them have long leafs many congested together upon one pedicle each whereof is subtotund serrated and somewhat hirsute their cauls are cubitall quadrangular somewhat striated and ramous our of whose summities erupt round capiâ—ls compacted of little cleraceous leafs and flowers which seem to dye sometimes before the rising of the flowers and after theoccase of the fruits wherein many angulous and dusky seeds are included It s root is long hard and uselesse It calefies and siccates in the beginning of the second recesse Vires it is very grateful to the principal parts as the Heart Liver and such Intrals it purifies the blood purges the reins ejects stones and sand helps against the bitings of mad-dogs and conduces in maligne and pestilent Feavers CHAP. LIV. Of Germander CHamadrys growes in petrous and rough places it is a fulfruticious plant of nine inches heighth whose leafs are like oak Leafs whence it is called Chamaedrys or small oak It is called Trissago and sometimes Toucrium but it hath small affinity with Teucrium Dioscorides substitutes no Species to this plant though the later Writers have found many which have much cognation therewith for Fuchslus sayes there are two masculine plants and as many foeminine of this name Dodonaem saith there are two reptile ones and as many assurgent the last whereof he onely calls the wild Chamaedrys when indeed they are all wild It calefies and siccates in the second degree liberates the intralls from obstructions educes flowers and much profits its assumers as you may see in Dioscoriaes C. 12. L. 3. CHAP. LV. Of Ground Pine DIoscorides makes three varieties of true Ground Pines Dâ—donaeus addes three more of spurious ones the first is called Ajuga or Abuga from its odour It hath leafs like semper Vivum but much smaller fatter hirsute and densely set about the boughes with a tenuious flower of a whitish luteous colour it is also called Arthriticall Ivy because it conduces to the cure of the Gout the second hath cubitall slender crooked boughs with candid flowers and small black seed the third is called masculine Ground Pine which is small with exile whitish and hispid leafs sharp caulicle â—â—teous flowers and seed all smell like the Pine none of Musk as sâ—me have thought Ground Pine is hot in the second and dry in the third degree Vires it is apertive helps against the Kings Evil and Strangury moves flowers helps against the bitings of Scorpions roborates the nerves and conduces to the cure of the Sciatica and other Gowts CHAP. LVI Of Feaverfew WE said before that Feaverfew was not Mugwort now we confesse that it is a kind of Motherwort but not stinking Camomil as I heard a skilful man once affirm Feverfew as Discorides asserts hath leafs like Coriander but smaller variously incided and jagged the ambient of its flower is white the middle luteous like Camomile its odour is venenate its sapour amare its root is scinded with many slender and hard fibres and the whole plant is of a dilute colour and known to all It is called the shops motherwort because it cures such women as are obnoxious to the suffocation of the matrix and other affections from that cause There are two sorts thereof the one with a simple flower Species which is the vulgar the other with a full and manifold flower which for its elegancy is sowen and cultivated in gardens and unlesse it obtain fat soyl degenerates into the simple one there is another brought
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 incided 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 flowrs 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
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 annelant 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
a higher dignity of substance and virtue as when some rude and crude matter is brought to maturity and perfection Maturatio Maturation and Gradation they say conduce to this as Digestion and sometimes Circulation do to Maturation Digestio Maturation is an exaltation from a rude crudity to a well cocted and elaborate perfection Digestion is a simple Maturation whereby things incocted and untractable are cocted and made more milde and tractable by a digestative heat Circulation is an exaltation of pure Liquor by a circular solution Circulatio Gradatio by the help of the heat in Mercuries or Pelicans Cup. Gradation appertains properly to Metals for it is an exaltation of them to a greater degree of bonity and perfection whereby their weight colour and consistency is brought to a more excellent degree But that I may no longer digress from my purpose I will leave their Chymical Preparations to themselves for this Treatise of Distillation compelled me briefly to touch of these and paint it on the margin as a Work by the by The end of the second Book OF MEDICAMENTAL INSTITUTIONS The third Book Of the composition of general Medicaments CHAP. I. Why Medicaments are compounded AS Simplicity in Nature is before Composition so are simple Medicaments before compound and the antient Physicians as Pliny relates cap. 2. lib. 26. Nat. Histor first prescribed onely Simples to cure Diseases as Diocles Praxagoras Chrysippus and Eristratus Hippocrates also who first laid the foundations of the medicinal Art and gave Laws thereto cured almost all Diseases with simple Medicaments alone Yet saith Aetius cap. 25. tetr 4. serm 2. necessity constrained the exercised Medicks to seek new remedies and compound some Simples because Simples cannot alwayes cure for saith Galen cap. 5. lib. 1. comp med general if Simples onely could preternaturally cure all affections there would be no need of Compounds but this no Simple can do The use therefore of Composition in Medicine is necessary especially for such Diseases as require at once contrary faculties in Medicaments which cannot be in Simples The causes why Medicaments should be compounded are many Serapio cap. lib. 7. first Multas esse causas composiâ—tonum medicamâ—morum when in curing or expelling a disease there is no one simple Medicament altogether contrary to it then must some compound be used which may supply the defect of the simple as when we would moderately cleanse an ulcer we mixe two simple Medicaments the one whereof would do it too potently the other too negligently now from the concourse and commistion of these two will proceed one moderate detersory the second cause of composition is that the violence of the Medicament may be obtunded or its ignavy excited now its violence is obtunded by the admixtion of a more benigne or an opposite Medicament as when with sharp we mixe mild with bitter sweet with calid refrigerating with maligne Cordiall Medicaments The third cause or reason is drawn from the variety of the Maladies to be cured for to every part affected and noxious humour a Medicament that is Analogicall and destinated to the same must be prescribed for it is meet that Medicament must be given to the Brain Lungs or other parts ill affected which hath respect to such parts and will free from such a mortificall cause the situation also and dignity of the parts affected demonstrate composition to be necessary for some part doth not onely require roboration which indeed is a principall effect as the brain by Cephalicks and the heart by Cordialls as Galen commands Cap. 1. lib. 1. comp med gener But also oftentimes alteration and a vindication from the noxious humour which one simple Medicament cannot effect furthermore a part situated farre from the remedy speaks composition to be necessary for some attenuating Medicament must be mixed with these remedies that the quality thereof may permeate to the part affected as Galen declares lib. 1. de comp per gener There are also other lesse necessary causes of composition as when Medicaments are dulcorated with sugar or honey that they may be more acceptable to the palate and heart or when they are condited with Cynamon and other sweet spices or washed in convenient decoctions or composed into the forme of a bole or solid Electuary for many Medicaments are conjoyned mixed and united together for odour sapour colour or jucundities sake and also for preservation to future uses CHAP. II. Of Syrups in Generall WHereas many Plants cannot always be had in readiness and integrall but either their leaves will be fallen or their Roots hidden in the ground as in Winter or their vertue decayed their leaves and flowers being scattered or they will not be found when urgent necessity requires juices are extracted out of them for future uses or their decoctions condited with a sufficient quantity of sugar or honey or both together are prepared so as they may be kept a long time without impairing their strength and vertue after great coction till they acquire the the consistency of a syrup Now a syrup is a certain liquid Medicament of juices or decoctions so long cocted with honey or sugar Syrupus quid for sapour and conservations sake till it attain a just consistency which may be known if one drop of it dropped on a marble stone dilate not but cleave together or taken betwixt ones fingers dwawne out in threads or teats Syrups were invented by the Arabians which Avicena lib. 5. serm 1. tract 6. calls decoctions or juices thickned with sweetnes according to the Arabick word Scarab Sharab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which denotes a certain drink but sweet or Srab which signifies sweet wine or rather a Syrup or potion prepared after our manner the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ancients by all these often understood Oinomel or sweet potions for the name syrup and the preparation thereof was scarce known to antient Graecians But some hold that the name syrup is more probably derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juice and and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to draw Nominis syrupietymologia as it were a juice extracted or that they were derived from Syria or from that which Alexander Aphrodiseus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wine boyled to the half new wine wine boyled to the third part or a sweet potion of wine and honey Syrups are perfectly cocted with honey or sugar that they may not corrupt but be usefull for a whole yeare and they therefore have a thicker consistency a meane betwixt wine boyled to the third and a julep as an Apozeme betwixt a julep and a syrup for a syrup is not so thick as sapa nor a julep as a syrup nor an Apozeme as a julep for as syrups which because thicker may be kept longer safer so Apozemes and Juleps being thinner may not be kept long and safely for they
yet dilute but alike in all parts which besides its sweetness participates of the acrimonious sapour of Thyme but no perceptible part thereof in odour according to Oribasius c. 62. l. 2. collect And as Honey by long coction so by long keeping i will grow bitter for Galen saith c. 11. l. 1. de antidot that he kept Athenian Honey which we account the best so 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-hâ— 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 up 〈◊〉 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 kâ—â—de 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 mâ—sichina 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
astringing and roborating the heart and liver CHAP. V. Of Aloes ALoes is the name both of the juice and of an Herb very usefull in Pharmacy for whether it be internally assumed or externally applyed it produces falutiferous effects And it is a Plant either little or not at all like Scilla as some conjecture for its leaves are crasser fatter longer and broader sharp on both sides jagged bent backward aculeated with blunt pricks pregnant with viscid and tenacious juice and foliated like the greater House-leek It s stalk is a foot high its flowers white and seed like Daffadil its root is single and crass like a stake struck into the earth It grows plentifully in India from whence its juice is brought as also in Arabia and other hot Countryes This Plant will through its tenacious juice live two years and emit new leaves if it be set upon a board but if it be cast on the ground it withers It is by some for its lively nature for it is alwayes green called the Seas Sempervive yet it will soon tabefy if it be not preserved from cold whereof it is very impatient The whole Plant is graveolent and its sapour bitter but especially its juice which out of what part soever it be extracted is very usefull in Medicinal Confections It s liquor concreted and brought to us is of two sorts the one sandy and contaminated with filth which we call Aloe Caballine and use in curing horses and the like the other is coacted like a liver and is thence called Hepatical Aloes or Aloe succotrine or Succo-citrine its powder being of Citrine or Orange colour It is also called by some Socotorine because it comes out of an Island so called The yellow fat clear and friable made up like a liver is the best the black hard sandy and impure is not good It is hot in the first degree dry in the third applyed it condensates astringes exsiccates and glutinates the wounds assumed it opens reserates the passages moves and stimulates the Hemorrhoides roborates the ventricle subduces the belly purges cholerick and phlegmatick humours kills and expells belly-worms takes away obstructions exarceates putretude and preserves bodyes long from corruption CHAP. VI. Of Seeny or Senna AS all the precepts of Pharmacy were not at first put in practice Senna so neither were all Medicaments at first marshall'd under precepts or indeed brought to light for the Antients had no knowledge of that we call Seeny the Persians Abalzemer than which no purgative now more frequent more usual more usefull It is a siliquous Plant brought to us from the Eastern Countryes much like our Collutea but its leaves better resemble the greater Myrtle Flowers of a dusky colour issue out of the hollow betwixt its stalk and stem appended on tenuious pedicles to which succeed little long plain incurvated leaves gravidated with small brown compressed seeds like Gygars Its roots which are long and slender are useless in Pharmacy especially if its stalk be not long-lived which being impatient of cold lives not above four months in the Western Countryes nor in Raly after Autumn There are two sorts hereof one wild whose leaves are lesser rounder and more useless the other domestical whose leaves are larger more acute and usefull Seeny calefies not so much as some think Vires for it is but hot about the end of the first degree or beginning of the second and dry about the end of the second It purges clemently both cholcrick and crass phlegmatick humours it deterges digests and expurges all viseid humours and adust choler from the brain lungs spleen liver ventricle and mesentery and cures all diseases in those parts arising from these humours It is exhibited either in form of powder Lenitivum as when it ingredes the Electuary of* Diabalzemer or Catholicon or infused and decocted as when purgative Syrupus de pomis or laxative Apozemes are made thereof But seeing in concoction it excites gripings and flatuosity it must be mixed either with Anise or Coriander or Fennel seeds to discuss its flatuosity CHAP. VII Of Mechoacan root ACertain crass root cut into short stakes and dryed hath been of late brought us from the Province of Mechoacan and bears the Provinces name This peregrine root is purgative of a pale colour and crass which puts forth many long and imbecil boughs which without fulciments would lay along the ground but being annexed to perches they grow up and with many involutions amplect them like Briony to which its effigies is very similar but its faculties dissident Differentia inter Brioniam Mechoacam for Briony is sharp and hot Mechoacan almost infipid and voyd of all acrimony The leaves of Briony are broad and quinquangular and divided like Vine leaves but more sharp hirsute and white its flowers small white racemous and congregated like Grapes And Mechoacous leaves are ample but withall tenuious sad-green and mucronated onely on one side not angular like Briony Its fruits are many cohering in bunches about the magnitude of Corianders which come to maturity in Autumn The whitish and freshest root is best Some call this root white Rhabarb others American Scammony the Pharmacopolists Mechoacan root That which is very white or black or worm-eaten is naught It is hot in the first degree and dry in the second it purges and that facilely pituitous and watry humours not debilitating like other purgatives but roborating the parts It should be dissolved rather in wine than in other liquors it may be safely adhibited to old men and boyes it conduces very much to such as are infested withan inveterate cough with colick dolour and with the French disease CHAP. VIII Of Agarick MUshromes are either terrestrial which grow out of the earth or arboreous which adhere to the stocks of trees for there 's scarce an inveterate tree but some kinde of campinion adheres thereunto either blackish and rugous as on Oaks and Wallnut trees or crass dure and whitish as on the Beech tree or white full soft and friable as Agarick that is excerped from the Larix tree Which tree is nobilitated with three sorts of excrements as Larix Rosine which is more humid than others and voyd of all acrimony which is by some sold for Turpentine Laxative Manna which is collected from its effracted boughs and branches and Agarick which grows upon its bole when inveterate The coniferous Larix tree is of eximious procerity assurging with a strait stalk incorticated with a crass bark dehiscing with frequent chinks circumvested with many leaves short soft and tenuious like Pine leaves not aculeated but retuse which numerously cohere together in each tubercle Its apples are small almost like them of the Cypress tree That Agarick that seems to be the impostume of the Larix tree is best which is white rare friable at the first sweet to the gust afterwards bitter and styptical Democritus calls it Medicamentum familiae It grows in Galicia and Cilicia but the best
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 be cultivated and fat its furcles are short rigid and spinous coronated with leafes like Rue leafes disposed Garland-wise its heads are circinnared its leafs hirsure and suadveolent its flower like Pease blooms but lesser unicolorate and purpureous It s root calefies and extenuates moving Urine breaking and expelling the stone removing obstructions expelling flours and blood and curing the Jaundice CHAP. XVII Of Eryngium or Sea Holly ERyngium is either marine Species which germinating plenteously in maritimous places puts forth broad and angulous leafs circumsepted with hard pricks or campestrian and vulgar whereof there are many varieties some being called the Spanish Pannonian and Alpine Eryngium besides many spurious names The leafs of the vulgar is sected into many acuminated spinous particles its caul is cubital and ramous in whose summity certain globular heads circumcincted with pricks radiate like Stars out of the middles of which heads so horrid with spines issue caeruleous and sometimes flave flowers its root is crasse and long black extrinsecally white intrinsecally succulent sweet and odorate From the indefinite number of its heads many call it centum-caput the rusticks hare thistle and flying thistle for the whole plant withering is evelled by the force of the winds which rolling up and down the fields eminously represents a running hare they mistake that think this is Secacul for Serapio treats of these two in several Chapters and gives them distinct descriptions The Arabians call Eryngium Astaraticon not Scacul or Scekakul yet their faculties being alike as the learned Writers do assert vulgar Eryngium may well be substituted for ignote secacul Eryngiums root is calefactive it deduces the passages Vires moves Urine and flours expels sand out of the reins and bladder and excites venery CHAP. XVIII Of Common grasse SEeing grasse comprehends all plants which bear leafes Species graminis quot or a segetive Idea it is no wonder if perite Herbalists enumerate fourty six differences thereof Yet of all these the dogge-grasse is onely medicative the rest rather affording aliments for beasts then medicaments for man And as dogge-grasse is unknown to none so is it infensive to all Agricolists who with their hands and rakes purge their corn of it which being very feracious would otherwise surrept all aliment from their wheat or vicine plants for it creeps along with numerous genicusated and vivacious radicls which attract to themselves all the fatnesse of the earth Its leafes are hard as broad as them of a small reed tenuious and acuminated whence women call it needle-grasse and dogs-tooth This grasse liberates the reins and other intrals from obstructions Vires and kills the intestines worms the root is more excellent then any other part of the plant CHAP. XIX Of Liqucrice THe whole plant is denominated from the sweetnesse of the root for Glycyrrhiza which Pharmacopolists call Liquorice denotes a sweet root some call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because retained in the mouth it quenches thirst It s root is long numerous spread along the ground which emits a caul of three Cubits high with leaves like Lentisks dense fatt gluminous and gummeous to the touch with purpureous and somtimes white flowers In the Moneth of July or sooner it beares Cods about the bignesse of Vetches or Cicers Theophrastus C. 3. L. 9. calls it Scythica because the Scythians useing a little Liquorice would tolerate thirst eleaven or twelve dayes Children delight herein for which end they demerge small peices of Liquorice in water in a glasse bottle which when it is flave with Liquorice-juice they drink off and put more water thereunto Spanish-Juice which they agitate for more potions The Cappadocians and Spaniards bring us every yeare Liquorice-Juice condensed into Pastills They say it is temperate as to all qualities but accedes nearer to calour Vires it leniates the asperities of the Artery and Ulcers of the Bladder it helpes the Cough moves expectoration and is very good against all diseases in the Lungs and Breast CHAP. XX. Of Cyclamen or Sowe-Bread VArious and many are the nomenclatures of this Sowe-bread for the Barbarians call it Arthanita the Shopmen Hogs-Bread some the Earth-Corke others the Earth-Aple and some Cissophyllon It growes in shady places under Trees in bryars and thick Woods it flourishes in Autumne it bears Leafes like Ivy which are angular crisped about of a greenly purpureous colour maculated with white spots on both sides There is another sort of Cyclamen which hath broad Leaves but scarcely any whit angular but rather round and obscurely maculated And a third sort also which hath lesser roots more purpureous flowers and more suaveolent which some think is that which Pliny calls Chamaecisson Cyclamen is indued with many eximious qualities for it incides potently opens moves floures expells conception though dead cures the Jaundice expells stones it is efficacious against impostumes emends all spots is averse to Poisons either by potion or application drawes menstruous blood and young ones They say if a woman with Child go over the root of Cyclamen she will become abortive Vires but light conjectures oft beguile the credulous The later writers mention two more different from the former in form and magnitude of leaves as also in colour and inversion of their flowers and besides some flourish in the Spring others in Autumn others in the midle time CHAP. XXI Of Scilla or Sea Onyon THat Scilla 〈◊〉 caepacious and delights in hot sandy and maritimous places and growes spontaneously is unknown to few for it is of late called the Sea Onjon And he that hath anatomized an Onyon and a Scilla hath found no difference in their i◠ernals nor yet in their cores yet in leafe flowers and seed they are much dissident When the leaves of Scilla are marcid its Caule assurges to the height of a Cubit with white flowers issuing out of its midle like strawberry-flowers which from thence pullulate to its very summity short triangular and compressed huskes follow these gravidated with black and full seed The stalk is very long and florid because of the threefold emersion of flowers the first wherof which are like them of Bulbus expand themselves for a long season then the second Garland of flowers performes its course and then the last And it is most remarkeable that the Caule and the Leaves never flourish at once for not till the Caule withers will the leaves erupt nor till the leaves become marcid will the Caule assurge contrary to the nature of
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 Ê’ 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 whiâ—â—r 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
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 humours in the bowels and ventricle removes obstructions emends the colour helps the palpitation of the heart moves womens fluors ejects the dead birth and given opportunely cures Hydrophoby and the bitings of mad Dogs CHAP. 13. Opiata Neapolitana or The Neapolitan Opiate ℞ of Senny ℥ j. ss Hermodacts Turbith of eachʒ vj. the shaving of the * * * Pali sancti Holywood Sarsaperilla Sassafras of each ℥ ss of the best Honey despumed in the decoction of China-root and cocted to the absumption of the aqueous humidity lb j. make it into an Opiate The COMMENTARY There is no Pharmacoean novellist so ignorant but he can boast of some secret Remedy he hath for the virulent flux of sperm or any venereous Ulcer concerning which affections and their cures Empiricks are most busie whereunto the vulgarity of Apothecaries frequently run not without peril for this kinde of people being greedy of novelties and too credulous will amplect any errour though capital so it smell but of Medicine and take from deceivers their most deletery Medicaments It is indeed miserable that such as are unwilling to dye should yet thrust themselves willingly into the hands of the killer I would exhort all worthy Apothecaries to move induce and valiantly infer war upon such nefarious wretches and use onely such remedies as are delivered and approved by most perite and learned Authors We describe this Opiate for the help of such Youngsters as Venery hath caught it is Invented by much Reason described by much Art and proved by much Experience for given when and where it should it successfully cures the Indian Pox which they call the Neapolitan Disease whence it is justly cognominated the Neapolitan Opiate We have often seen another of the same name in the Parisian Chirurgeons hands which being ill described at first was daily changed by every fresh-man for some onely make it of Guaiacum Senny Honey and Aqua-vitae others adde Bayberries some take away Guaiacum and substitute Sarsaperilla some approve of Hermodactyls others Turbith others both and some neither We exhibit it according to the prescript established and proved by Reason and