our common Germander thereby transferring the Chamaedrys to be the taller shrub and Teucrium the lesser and lower yet as he saith seeing Dioscorides himselfe saith that in his time they were transferred for the likenesse of their leaves one unto another it is not absurd to call them as they are usually entituled but as I shall shew you in the next Chapter the Teucrium of Dioscorides is better to bee explaned than Dodonaeus doth It seemeth also that Dodonaeus having beene in an errour in his former workes concerning Hierabotane mas faemina giving the figures of the Chamaedrys sylvestris thereunto reclaimed himselfe in his later History or Pemptades and left them both out as not allowing of his former opinion The Arabians call it Damedrios Chamedrius and Kemadriut the Italians Chamedrio and Quercivola and some Calamandrina the Spaniards Chamedrios the French Germandree the Germanes Gamanderle and Bathengel the Dutch Gamandree and we in English Germander The Vertues Germander is hot and dry in the third degree and is more sharpe and bitter than Teucrium and as Dioscorides saith is a remedy for coughes taken with honey for those whose spleene is become hard for those that can hardly make their water and helpeth those that are falling into a dropsie in the beginning of the disease especially if a decoction be made thereof when it is greene and drunke It doth likewise bring downe the termes helpe to expell the dead child and taken with vineger doth waste or consume the spleene it is most effectuall against the poison of all Serpents both drunke in wine and laid to the place used with honey it cleanseth old and foule ulcers and taketh away the dimnesse and moistnes of the eyes being made into an oyle and annoynted It is likewise good for the paines in the sides and for crampes The decoction thereof taken for some dayes together driveth away and cureth both quartane and tertian agues The Tuscans as Matthiolus saith doe highly esteeme thereof and by their experience have found it as effectuall against the plague or pestilence as Scordium or water Germander It is also as he saith good against all the diseases of the braine as the continuall paines of the head the falling sicknesse melancholicke fullennesse the drowsie evill those that are sottish through the dulnesse of the spirits and for crampes convulsions and palsies a dramme of the seed taken in powder doth purge choller by urine and is thereby good for the yellow jaundise the juyce of the leaves dropped into the eares killeth the wormes in them It is also given to kill the wormes in the belly which a few toppes of them when they are in flower laid to steepe a day and a night in a draught of white wine and drunke in the morning will doe also Theophrastus in setting downe the properties of Germander saith that the one part of the roote purgeth upwards and the other part downewards whereof there is more wonder than for Thapsia and Ischias that is blistering Fennell and tuberous or knobbed Spurge to doe so Andreas Vesalius pag. 49. speaking of the China roote saith that if a decoction hereof bee made in wine and taken for 60. dayes continually foure houres before meate it is a certaine remedy for the gowt Durantes giveth the receipt of a Syrupe very effectuall for the spleene in this manner Take saith he Germander Chamaepitys or Ground Pine Ceterach or Milt waste and Madder of each one handfull the barke of the roote of Capers the rootes of Smallage Elecampane Orris or Flagge Flower-de-luce and Liquorice of each halfe an ounce Of the leaves and barke of Tamariske and of Cyperus of each three drammes of the seed of Anise Fennell and Smallage of each one dramme of Raisins stoned one ounce Let all these be boyled according to art in a sufficient quantity of Posset that is of vineger and water equall parts Vnto each pound of this decoction being strained put sixe ounces of Sugar and three ounces of Cinamon water which being made into a cleare Syrupe take foure ounces every morning fasting The decoction thereof is good to stay the whites in women if they sit therein while it is warme and likewise easeth the passions of the mother being boyled in vineger and applyed to the stomacke with a little leaven stayeth vomitings that rise not from chollericke or hot causes the leaves hereof and the seed of Nigella quilted in a Cap stayeth the catarrhe or distillation of raw cold and thinne rheumes being boyled in lye with some Lupines or flat beanes and the head washed therewith taketh away the dandraffe or scurfe thereof The mountaine Germander is used by those of the Alpes where it groweth to stay all manner or fluxes whether of the belly or of the blood the feminine courses and the bloody flixe as also to stay vomitings CHAP. XXXIX Teucrium Tree Germander IT remaineth that I shew you in this Chapter the rest of the Germanders called Teucria Tree Germanders to distinguish them from the former sorts whether they be true or false 1. Teucrium majus vulgare The more common Tree Germander Tree Germander groweth like a little shrubbe with hard 1. Teucrium majus vulgare The more common Tree Germander wooddy but brittle stalkes a foote or two and sometimes a yard high if it be well preserved and defended from the injuries of the Winters branching forth on all sides from the very bottome bearing alwayes leaves by couples smaller smoother and thicker that those of Germander of a darke shining greene colour on the upperside and grayish underneath and dented also about the edges like them the gaping flowers stand about the toppes of the branches spike fashion one above another of a pale whitish colour saith Clusius of a purplish saith Lobel of both which I have had plants somewhat larger than those of Germander and without any hood above having a few threads standing forth the seed is small blackish and round contained in small round but pointed huskes the roote is somewhat wooddy with many blackish fibres the whole plant is of a fine weake scent but somewhat stronger if it be a little bruised holding the stalkes and greene leaves continually if it be not exposed to the sharpnesse of the Winter season 2. Teucrium Creticum Tree Germander of Candy This shrubby Germander of Candy riseth up with such like wooddy brittle stalkes as the former but somewhat smaller and whiter whereon doe grow such like leaves and in the same manner but somewhat lesser lesse greene and shining above and more hoary underneath two alwayes set at a joynt but on the contrary side with the leaves towards the toppes come forth five or sixe flowers standing in a huske like unto the former but a little lesse and of a purple colour after which come small round seed like the other the whole plant is somewhat sweeter than the former 3. Teucrium Boeticum Tree Germander of Spaine This Spanish shrubby Germander groweth in some places of Spaine
ordinary great one having such like red flowers and yet he maketh the same to be Clusius his Cynoglossum pumilum sive Austriacum alterum and also Columna his Cynoglossa minor montana serotina altera Plinij who both say that theirs have blew flowers as the Elatine of Tragus and the Lappula rusticorum of Lugdunensis which are both one and the same with it this also Bauhinus himselfe maketh his tenth species calling it Cynoglossum minus and there also making it to be the same Cynoglossa Plinij of Columna before set downe so that he confoundeth them much maketh that sort with red flowers to be the same with that of Tragus and Lugdunensis which hath blew flowers and doth corresponde altogether with theirs which errour in him is usuall in many other places of his Pinax and not in this onely It is called by the Italians Cinoglossa and Lingua di canc by the Spaniards Langua de perro by the French Langue de chien by the Germans Hundss zungin by the Dutchmen Honts tonghe and we in English Hounds tongue generally or of some Dogges tongue The Vertues Hounds tongue is temperately cold drying and astringent and yet hath a mollifying qualitie The roote is very effectually used in pills as well as in decoctions or otherwise to stay all sharpe and thin defluxions of rheume from the head into the eyes or nose or upon the stomacke or lungs as also for coughs and shortnes of breath for which purpose the Pilulae de Cynoglossa either of Mesues or Trallianus description or as it is corrected by Fernelius is singular good which is set downe in this manner Take of Myrrhe five drammes Olibanum sixe drammes of Opium of the seedes of white Henbane and the barke of the dried rootes of Hounds tongue of each foure drams or halfe an ounce of Saffron and Castor of each one dramme and a halfe let all these be made into a masse or lumpe for pilles according to art with the syrupe of Staechados the leaves boiled in wine saith Dioscorides but others do rather appoint it to be made with water and to add thereunto oyle and salt mollifieth or openeth the belly downewards the same also taken doth helpe to cure the biting of a mad Dogge and applying some of the leaves also to the wound the leaves bruised or the juice of them boyled in Axungia that is Hogges larde and applied cureth the falling away of the haire which commeth of hot and sharpe humours the same also is a very good remedy to apply to any place that is scalded or burnt with fire the leaves of themselves bruised and laid to any greene wound doth heale it up quickly the same ointment aforesaid with a little Turpentine added thereunto as also the juyce used with other fit things doth wonderfully helpe all old ulcers and deepe or much spread sores in the legges or other parts of the body and taketh away all inflammation that rise about them or any where else in the body be it St. Authonies fire or the like the roote likewise baked under the embers either wrapped in paste or wet papers or in a wet double cloth and thereof a suppository made and put up into the fundament or applied to the fundament doth very effectually helpe the painefull piles or hemorrhoides the distilled water of the herbe and rootes is very good to all the purposes aforesaid to be used as well inwardly to drinke as outwardly to wash any sore places for it doth heale all manner of wounds or punctures and those foule ulcers that rise by the French Poxe CHAP. XX. Auchusa Alkanet THere are divers sorts of Alkanet whereof I have given you the description of one and under it have made mention of some other sorts in my former Booke but because I there did not shew you them at the full I will in this place make further mention thereof with the rest of it is kinde 1. Anchusa lutea major The greater yellow Alkanet This yellow Alkanet hath many long and narrow hoary leaves lying on the ground and thicke set on the stalkes likewise which riseth not much above a foote and a halfe high at the toppes wherof stand many yellow flowers with a small leafe at the foote of every flower which are somewhat long and hollow very like unto Comfrey flowers but a little opening themselves at the brimmes like unto Buglosse flowers with a pointell in the middle after they are past there come in their places small long blackish seede not unlike both to Buglosse and Comfrey seede the roote is of the bignesse of ones finger and of the length of two whose outward barke is somewhat thicke and of an excellent orient red colour ready to colour their hands and fingers with its red colour that shall handle it the inner pith being white and wooddy the whole herbe is of an astringent taste 2. Anchusa lutea minor The lesser yellow Alkanet This small Alkanet is very like unto the former but that the leaves are narrower and not so long yet covered 1. Anchusa lutea major Thâ— great yellow Akanet 2. Aâ—chusa lutea â—r The lesser yellow Alkanet 3. Anchusa minor purpurea Small Alkanet with purple flowers 5. 6. Anchusa arboreâ— Anchusa hâ— Tall and low Alkanet with an hairy hoarinesse as the stalkes are also which in some are but a foote in others a foote and a halfe high with smaller leaves thereon the flowers are hollow and yellow like the other but lesser the seede also is alike the roote is great in respect of the plant red and tender while it is young but growing wooddy when it is old and blackish but liveth and abideth after seed time which some others doe not 3. Anchusa minor purpurea Small Alkanet with purple flowers The small purple Alkanet hath greater and longer leaves then the last hairy and greene like unto Buglosse and somewhat like unto the first but yet lesser and narrower although more plentifull that lye upon the ground and those also that rise up with the stalkes which are many tender and slender Altera supina atro purpureo flore whose flowers being like the others are of a reddish purple colour the seede following is more gray the roote is greater and thicker then the other We have another sort hereof whose small flowers scarse rising out of the huskes are of a sad or dead red colour the seede blackish rising againe yearely of its owne sowing and leaning downe to the ground 4. Anchusa lignosior angustifolia Wooddy Alkanet This smallest Alkanet which scarse deserveth to be accounted one of them both for the want of colour in the roote and the hardnesse of both rootes and stalkes for the stalkes are scarse a foote high hard and wooddy having many small and narrow sad greene hairy leaves much smaller and shorter then the last the flowers stand on crooked stalkes bending inwards like Heliotropium and are hollow but smaller then the former and of a very blew colour like
kind lesse sharpe or thorny than the other and calleth it Cardiaca Melica sive Molucca minus aspera Molucca Syriaca Bauhinus calleth it Melissa Moluccana odorata as he doth the fifth Melissa Moluccana foetida making the one to be sweet and the other stinking Lobel calleth it Molucca asperior Syriaca and saith moreover that it is called Maseluc of the Turkes Caesalpinus would referre both these kindes unto the Alissum of Dioscorides and Pliny and Bauhinus saith they are like to the Alissum of Galen They have their English names over their heads The last is called Cardiaca of most of our later Writers for it is likely it was not knowne to them of ancienter ages yet Dodonaeus formerly tooke it to be a Sideritis Tragus to be a wilde Baulme Brunfelsius to bee Marrubium mas Anguillara to bee Licopsis or Branca lupina Bauhinus calleth it Marrubium forte primum Theophrasti Caesalpinus thinketh that it is the Alissum of Galen and Aetius We doe call it Motherwort in English as truely from the effects to helpe the Mother as they call it Cardiaca from the effects to helpe the heart as you shall heare by and by the Arabians call Baulme Bederengie Bedarungi Cederenzegum Turungen or Trungian and Marmacor the Italians Melissa Codronella and Aranciata the Spaniards Torengil yerva cidrera the French Melisse Poncirade the Germanes Melissen Binenkrant and the Dutch Melisse Honichbaum Consille degreyn and we in English Bawme from the singular effects therein in imitation of the true naturall Baulme The Vertues The Arabian Physicians have extolled the vertues of Baulme for the passions of the heart in a wonderfull maner which the Greekes have not remembred for Serapio saith it is the property of Baulme to cause the minde and heart to become merry to revive the fainting heart falling into swounings to strengthen the weaknesse of the spirits and heart and to comfort them especially such who are overtaken in their sleepe therewith taking away all motion of the pulse to drive away all troublesome cares and thoughts out of the minde whether those passions rise from melancholly or black choller or burnt flegme which Avicen confirmeth in his booke of medicines proper for the heart where he saith that it is hot and dry in the second degree that it maketh the heart merry and strengthneth the vitall spirits both by the sweetnesse of smell austerity of taste and tenuity of parts with which qualities it is helpfull also to the rest of the inward parts and bowels It is to good purpose used for a cold stomack to helpe digestion and to open the obstruction of the braine It hath a purging quality therein also saith Avicen and that not so weake but that it is of force to expell those melancholly vapours from the spirits and from the blood which are in the heart and arteries although it cannot doe so in the other parts of the body Dioscorides saith that the leaves drunke in wine and laid to is a remedy against the sting of Scorpions and the poison of the Phalangium or venemous Spider as also against the bytings of Dogges and commendeth the decoction thereof for women to bathe or sit in to procure their courses and that it is good to wash the teeth therewith when they are full of paine and that it is profitable for those that have the bloody flixe The leaves also with a little Niter are taken in drinke against a surfet of Mushroms it helpeth the griping paines of the belly and is good for them that cannot take their breath unlesse they hold their necks upright being taken in a Lohoc or licking Electuary used with salt it taketh away wennes kernels or hard swellings in the flesh or throate it clenseth foule sores and is an helpe to ease the paines of the gowt Galen saith in his seventh Booke of Simples that Baulme is like unto Horehound in qualities but weaker by much and therefore few will use Baulme when Horehound is so plentifull and neere at hand to be had every where Pliny saith in lib. 20. cap. 11. that in Sardinia it is poyson wherein it is very probable that he was much mistaken and for Sardonia herba which is called of some Apium risus and of Apuleius Apiastellum he tooke this Apiastrum or Baulme the juyce thereof used with a little honey is a singular remedy for the dimnesse of the sight and to take away the mistinesse of the eyes It is of especiall use among other things for the plague or pestilence and the water thereof is used for the same purposes It is also good for the liver and spleene A Tansie or Caudle made with egges and the juyce thereof while it is young putting some Sugar and Rosewater unto it is often given to women in child-bed when the afterbirth is not throughly avoided and for their faintings upon or after their sore travels It is used in bathings among other warme and comfortable hearbes for mens bodies or legges in the Summer time to comfort the joynts and sinews which our former age had in much more use than now-adayes The hearbe bruised and boyled in a little wine and oyle and laid warme on a Bile will ripen and breake it There is an ordinary Aqua-vita or strong water stilled and called Baulme water used generally in all the Land which because it hath nothing but the simple hearbe in it which is too simple I will commend a better receit unto you Take two pound of Baulme while it is young and tender of Mints and Sage of each one pound bruise them well in a stone-morter and put them into a pot or Limbeck and put thereto of Aniseeds foure ounces of Cloves of Nutmegs of Cinamon of Ginger of Cubebes and of Galanga of each one ounce being all a little bruised and put into two gallons of good Sacke if you will have it excellent good or else into foure gallons of Ale and so still it as Aqua-vitae is distilled and let it distill as long as you shall finde any strength in the water yet so that the latter water bee not so weake to make all the rest white whereunto put a pound of Sugar shaking it well before you set it away and after it hath rested so one moneth you may use of it as occasion shall require for it is of especiall use in all passions of the heart swounings and faintings of the spirits and for many other purposes whereunto the hearbe is here declared to be availeable The hearbe is often put into oyles or salves to heale greene wounds and it is very probable the name of Baulme was given to this hearbe from the knowledge of the healing properties of the true and naturall Baulme It is also an hearbe wherein Bees doe much delight both to have their Hives rubbed therewith to keepe them together and draw others and for them to suck and feed upon and is a remedy against the stinging of them The Turkey Baulme is of as good
Clusius saith Pona remembreth it to grow upon Mount Baldus The Time They flower in the end of Iuly or about the beginning of August and the seede is ripe about the end thereof The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cnicus and Cnecus either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est pungere vel mordere or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod pungendo pruriginem excitet but is more properly to be understood of the wilde kind or rather a floris colore cum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponatur croceus vel rutilus it is called Cnicus and Cnâ—cus also in Latin and Carthamus in the Apothecaries shops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is thought quod est purgare but more truly from the Arabians Kartam The first is called Cnicus sativus urbanus and vulgaris by most Authors and Carthamus as I said in the Apothecaries shoppes of some also Crocus Saracenicus The second is remembred onely by Alpinus in his booke de plantis exoticis by the name of Cnicus singularis the last Clusius calleth Cnicus alter coeruleo flore and so doe all other after him without any great variation The Arabians call it Kartam the Italians Saffaranâ— Sarasenisco the Spaniards Alacor and Acafran salvaja The Germaines call it Wilder Saffran the French Saffran bastard and graine de Perroquets because they use to feede Parrats with the seede in English Wilde Saffron Bastard Saffron Spanish Saffron and Catalonia Saffron The Vertue The first Spanish Saffron flowers are much used in Spaine and other places to bee put into their brothes and meates to give them a yellow colour which doth much please them for as for any relish of spice or hot quick taste they have none nor any comfortable qualities that they should be desired or used neither have they any great use in Physicke that I know but many pounds of them are spent in dying silke into a kind of Carnation colour the seede is chiefly used in Physick or rather the kernells within the seede which beaten and the emulsion thereof with honyed water or with the broth of a pullet taken fasting doth open the body and purgeth waterie and flegmatick humours both upwards and downewards which humors also it voydeth if the emulsion of the seede be given in a glister and thereby helpeth the collicke and dropsie and those other diseases that proceede from those humors being made into a Lohoc or licking electuary with Sugar and hony and a few almonds and pine kernells it clenseth the brest and lungs of flegme sticking therein wonderfully causing it to be easily spit forth it also cleareth the voyce and encreaseth sperme by the often use of it but it doth somewhat trouble the stomacke and therefore some stomachicall helpers are fit to be given with it as Aniseede Galanga Masticke or if neede be of more forcible Cardamoms Ginger sal gemma c. a dram of the flowers in pouder taken in hydromel or honyed water or in barly water helpeth the Iaundise a dram of the pulpe of the seede taken with an ounce of the Syrupe of Wormewood doth the like also the confection made of the seeds hereof called in shoppes Diacarthamum is an especiall good medecine both to purge choller and fleagme as also to cleare and clense the body of the watery humors of the Dropsie Parrots doe most willingly feede upon this seede yet doth it not move their bodies a white The second sort Alpinus saith is used by the naturalists in the same manner and to the same purposes to purge that the first is used Of the last there is little written but wee may onely suppose that being so like in forme it should so be also in quality CHAP. XLIX Papaver corniculatum Horned Poppie THere are at this day two or three sorts of horned Poppies knowne to us whereas there was but one sort knowne to Dioscorides and other the antient Greeke and Latin writers 1. Papaver corniculatum luteum Yellow horned Poppie This horned Poppie hath divers long and somewhat large whitish or hoary leaves lying upon the ground very much cut in or torne on the edges and somewhat rough or hayrie from among which rise up divers weake round stalkes leaning downe rather then standing upright somewhat hayrie also spreading forth into some branches and bearing a large flower at the top of every one of them consisting of foure leaves of a fine pale yellow colour with a few threds in the middle standing about a small crooked pointell which in time groweth to be a long naked round pod halfe a foote long or better with a small head or button as it were at the end thereof wherein is conteyned small blackish round seede the roote is white long and tough spreading divers wayes enduring many yeares and keeping his leaves all the winter every part hereof yeeldeth forth a yellow juice being broken of bitter tast 2. Papaver Corniculatum rubrum Red horned Poppie The red horned Poppie hath fewer lesser and more jagged leaves then the former nothing so whitish but of a sullen greene colour somewhat hairy also the stalks are slenderer and lower bearing flowers at the tops of them like the other and consisting of foure leaves a peece but much smaller and of a pale reddish colour for the most part yet sometimes sadder after which come such like crooked or horned pods but smaller then the other having such like small blackish seede within them the roote is long and slender perishing every yeare and raiseth it selfe oftentimes from it owne sowing or else must bee sowen every yeare in the spring this yeeldeth no yellow juice when it is broken like the other 3. Papaver Corniculatum flore violaceo Blew horned Poppie The blew horned Poppie groweth much lower and with smaller leaves very much or finely cut and divided into many parts of a sad greene colour the stalkes are low and slender yet somewhat hairy rising not much 1. 2. Papaver corniculatum luteum sive rubrum Horned Poppie yellow and red 3. Papaver corâ—ulatum violaceum Blew Horned Poppie above a foote or halfe a yard high at the most with small flowers at the toppes of them like unto the last for forme that is consisting of foure leaves but of a faire deepe purple colour almost like unto a violet after which come small slenderer and shorter pods not above a fingers length wherein lyeth such like blackish seede but smaller the roote is small and perisheth every yeare The Place The first groweth naturally by the sea side as well beyond sea as on the coastes of our owne country in many places both of the Kentish and Essex shore as at Rie and Lid at Harwich and Whitstable in the Iles of Tennet and Shepey and is much desired and planted in Gardens for the beautifull aspect thereof as well as the vertues the other two Clusius saith hee first found in Spaine growing by the way sides and in the corne fields as
and attenuating quality whereby it is very effectuall for all sorts of coughs shortnesse of breath and all other the diseases of the brest and lunges ripening and digesting cold flegme and other tough humours voyding them forth by coughing and spitting It ripeneth also all sorts of inward ulcers and apostumes yea the pluresie also if the decoction of the dry or greene herbe being made with wine be drunke some time together thereby voyding it forth by the urine as well as other waies or if you would have it more effectuall take this receipt viz. an haâ—dfull of dryed Scabious an ounce of Licoris scraped and cut into thinne slices a dozen figges washed and cut into peeces an ounce of Anisseede and as much of Fennelseede bruised and halfe an ounce of white Ortis rootes cut into thinne slices let all these be steeped for a night in a quart of faire water or rather in so much wine boyling them the next day untill a third part be consumed at the least whereof take a draught every morning and evening somewhat warme well sweetned with Sugar or Hony which worketh wonderfully to helpe all the diseases aforesaid Foure ounces of the clarified juice of Scabious taken in the morning fasting with a drâ— of Mithridatum or Venice Treakle doth free the heart from any infection of the plague or pestilence so as upon the taking thereof they sweate two houres in their beds at the least yet after the first time taking let them that are infected take the same proportion againe and againe if need be for feare of further danger the greene herbe also bruised and applyed to any Carbuncle or Plague sore is found certaine by good experience to dissolve or breake it within the space of three houres the same inward and outward application is very availeable against the biting or stinging of any venemous beast the same decoction also drunke helpeth the paines and stitches in the sides the decoction of the rootes taken for forty dayes together or the powder of them to the quantity of a dramme at a time taken in whey doth as Matthiolus saith wonderfully helpe those that are troubled with dangerous running or spreading scabbes tetters or ringwormes yea although they proceed of the French pox as himselfe saith he hath found true by certaine experience the juice or the decoction drunke doth wonderfully helpe those that are broken out into scabbes and itches and the juice also made up into an oyntment and used is effectuall for the same purpose The same also wonderfully helpeth all inward wounds be they made by thrust or stroke by the drying clensing and healing quality therein A Syruppe made of the juice and Sugar is very effectuall to all the purposes aforesaid and so is the distilled water of the herbe and flowers made in due time especially to be used when the greene herbe is not in force to be taken the decoction of the herbe and rootes outwardly applyed doth wonderfully helpe all sorts of hard or cold tumours or swellings in any part of the body and is also as effectuall for any shrunke sinew or veine in any place the juice of Scabious made up with the powder of Borax and Camphire doth notably clense the skinne of the face or any other part of the body as freckles pimples and other small eruptions therein yet it prevaileth also in greater deformities as the Morphew and Lepry the same decoction doth also helpe the rednesse and spots in the white of the eyes used either of it selfe or with the juice of Fennell the head washed with the same decoction clenseth it from dandraffe scurse scabbes sores itches and the like being used warme tents also dipped in the juice or water thereof doth not onely heale all greene wounds but old sores and ulcers also both by staying their fretting or running qualities and clensing and healing them up afterwards the herbe also bruised and applyed to any place wherein any splinter broken bone arrow head or other such like thing lyeth in the flesh doth in short time loosen it and causeth it to be easily drawne forth CHAP. X. Morsus Diaboli Divels bit THere resteth yet this kinde of Scabious to be entreated of being of all Herbarists accounted an especiall different kinde thereof yet some referre it to the Iacea's but not properly the former ages knew but one sort we have in these times found out some others as they shall presently be shewed you 1. Morsus Diaboli vulgaris flore purpureo Common Devills bit Devils bit riseth up with a round greene smooth and not hairy stalke two foote high or thereabouts set with divers long and somewhat narrow smooth darke greene leaves somewhat snipt about the edges for the most part being else all whole and not divided at all or but very seldome even to the toppes of the branches which yet are smaller then those below with one ribbe onely in the middle and being broken yeeld not such threds as the Scabious doth at the end of each branch standeth a round head of many flowers set together in the same manner or more neatly or succinctly then the Scabious and of a more blewish purple but not darke red as Gerard saith for such I never saw any colour which being past there followeth seede like unto the Scabious that falleth away in the same manner the roote is somewhat thicke but short and blackish with many strings fastned thereto abiding after seede time many yeares Fabulous antiquity the Monkes and Fryers as I suppose being the first inventors of the Fable said that the Devill envying the good that this herbe might do to mankinde bit away part of the roote and thereof came the name Succisa Devils bit which is so grosse and senslesse a relation that I merveile at the former times stupidity to receive as true such a fiction Of this kinde some doe make a greater and a lesser which I thinke rather commeth from the place of growing then from the nature of the plant Vnto this plant in my opinion belongeth the Scabiosa rubra Austriaca of Clusius set forth in my former booke for the leaves thereof being all whose and the flowers red doe notably resemble this Devils bit and may be a species thereof proper to Germany Austria c. Bauhinus maketh mention of one of this kind that hath hairy leaves not differing in any thing else and for his author nameth Gesner in hortis Germaniae who as hee saith called it Morsus Diabolihirsuta rarior which I cannot finde in Gesner but of the three sorts of Scabious one of the lesser he calleth Scabra hirsutaque having leaves without divisions which whether he should meane this I know not for he nameth it not Morsus Diaboli therefore I leave it to time to declare the truth thereof 2. Morsus Diaboli flore albo Devils bit with a white flower This sort differeth not from the former in any other thing then in the flower which is of a pure white colour as some
swellings or inflammations and to binde and stay fluxes of humors unto sores but is put also into many other compositions both oyntments and plaisters that are cooling and binding and restraining the flux of humors The dryed leaves of the red Roses are used both inwardly and outwardly both cooling binding and cordiall for with them are made both Aromaticum rosarum Diarrhodon Abbatis and Saccharum rosarum each of whose properties are before declared Rose leaves and Mints heated and applyed outwardly to the stomacke stayeth castings and strengthneth a weake stomacke very much and applied as an Epitheme or fomentations to the region of the Liver and Heart doth much coole and temper the distemperature in them as also in stead of a Rose cake to the head and temples to quiet the overhot spirits which will suffer no sleepe or rest to fasten on the sicke patient Of the Damaske Roses are not made so many medicines or compositions for beside the Conserve and Preserve the Syrupe and Hony of those Roses each whereof is called Solutive the water and the distilled oyle or spirit which serveth more for outward perfumes then inward Physicke as the dryed leaves to fill sweete bagges and the like I know not any other use made of them and yet there is by many times much more of them spent and used then of red Roses so much hath pleasure outstripped necessary use The Syrupe of Damask Roses is both simple and compound and made with Agoricka the simple solutive Syrupe is a familiar safe and gentle easie medicine purging choller taken from one ounce or two unto three or foure yet this is remarkable and wonderfull herein that the distilled water of this Syrupe should notably binde the belly the Syrupe of Roses with Agaricke is more strong and effectuall in working then the simple Syrupe for one ounce thereof by it selfe will open the body more then of the other and worketh as much on flegme as choller the compound Syrupe is more forceable in working on melancholicke humors and availeable against the Lepry Itch Tetters c. and the French disease also Hony of Roses solutive is made of the same infusion that the Syrupe is made of and therefore worketh the same effect in opening and purging but because the hony is neither so familiar to many or convenient to hot and aguish bodies it is oftener given to flegmaticke then collericke persons and is more used in Glisters then potions as the Syrupe made with Sugar is The Conserve and Preserved leaves of these Roses are operative to the same effect in gently opening the belly The simple water of the Damaske Roses is of so much use for fumes to sweeten all things as also to put into meats and broths c. that it hath left almost no use for any Physicall purpose yet it hath beene well observed by Costaeus in his commentary upon Mesues that tenne ounces of Damaske Rose water drunke in the morning doth open and purge the belly the dryed leaves of the Damaske Roses serve most to make sweete powders and to fill sweet bagges or the like yet the same Costaeus in the same place sheweth that the dryed leaves powdered and drunk in the whey of Goats milke worketh to the same effect in purging The Muske Roses both single and double doe purge more forceable then the Damaske and the single is be'd to be stronger then the double for although none of the Greeke writers have made any mention thereof yet Mesues especially of the Arabians doth set it downe twenty of the leaves of the single Rose must be taken saith Camerarius but more of the double kinde to open the belly and purge the body The wilde Roses are few or none of them used in Physicke but yet are generally held to come neare unto the nature of the manured Roses both in the earthy and binding facultie Pliny setteth downe in his eighth booke and fourth Chapter that the roote of the wilde Rose is singular good to cure the biting of a mad Dogge which as he saith but how wee may beleeve him I know not was found out by miracle the fruit of the wilde Brier which are called Heppes being thorough ripe and made into a Conserve with Sugar according to the manner of divers other fruits besides that it is very pleasant to the taste doth gently binde the belly and stayeth defluxions from the head upon the stomacke and dryeth up the moisture thereof and helpeth digestion the pulpe of the Heppes dryed unto a hard consistence like to the juice of Licoris or so dryed that it may bee made into powder and taken in drinke stayeth speedily the whites in women With the fruit Cookes and their Ladies and Mistresses doe know how to prepare many fine dishes for their tables The Brier ball is often used being made into powder and drunke to breake the Stone to provoke urine when it is stopped and to ease and helpe the collicke some appoint it to bee burnt and then taken for the same purpose in the middle of these balles are often found certaine white wormes which being dryed and made into powder and some of it drunke is found by long experience of many to kill and drive forth the Wormes of the belly CHAP. XXVII Capparis Capers THe Caper tree or bush that was knowne to Dioscorides and Theophrastus being but one sort was thorny but there hath beene since some other sorts knowne both that are and are not thorny which for affinitie sake I thinke meete to joyne together and with the Capers another plant which for some likenesse beareth also the name of Capparis fabago or leguminosa Beane Capers not intending to joyne it to the pulses as some might thinke it should be 1. Capparis spinosa folio rotundâ— Round leafed thorny Capers This Caper sendeth forth divers long weake trayling wooddy stalkes lying round about upon the ground set with crooked thornes like hookes or as the Bramble at each joynt come forth two round leaves like unto Asarum opposite one unto another from whence springeth also a small round head upon a pretty long footstalke which is the bud from the flower before it open and is that small round Caper which wee doe usually eate at meate which being then gathered and pickled up with great salt are kept in barrells and brought into other countries and are taken out of the salt afterwards and kept in Vinegar to be spent at the table as all know but when it is open consisteth of foure white sweete smelling leaves with foure other greene ones as the huske wherein they stand having many yellowish threads and a long stile or pestle in the middle which afterwards groweth to bee the fruit and is long and round like unto an Olive or Acorne when it is ripe which also are brought pickled to us and are the long Capers which are used wherein are conteined divers hard browne seede somewhat like unto the kernells of Grapes the roote is great white long and
Dioscorides describeth them both in two severall Chapters the one in the roote that the Lotus roote was called Corsium and was round of the bignesse of a Quince which was used to be eaten either boiled or rosted under the fire which the roote of Nymphaea faileth in this is most probable to bee the Lotus Aegyptia of Dodonaeus And then againe in the seede which as Dioscorides sheweth is flat in the head of the Nymphaea and like Milium that is round in the Lotus but the leaves and flowers in both being so like the other being hid under the water caused Alpinus as he saith himselfe to â—ake no further knowledge or marke any difference in them then of a Nymphaea and I am halfe perswaded the like neglect hath happened to the Faba Aegyptia that it is not yet found in the waters of Egypt because the leaves thereof also are round like the Lotus or Nymphaea but now in his Booke of Exoticke plants he changeth his note and shâ—weth there that this is the true Lotus Aegyptia and all the parts thereof particularly desciphered All thâ—se sorts of Water Lillyes are so called by all Writers almost as I doe and therefore neede no further 〈◊〉 or amplification But hereby all men may take a good caveat not to be too forward either to condemne the Teâ—t of the ancients as judging it erronious or to be too confident of their owne judgement without well considering all parts For the like hereunto happened unto the Faba Aegyptia which formerly was confidently supposed to be Colocassia ignorance being the cause of error which knowledge since by industry hath corrected The Vertues The leaves and flowers of the water Lillies are cold and moist but the roote and seede is cold and dry the leaves doe coole all inflammations and both outward and inward heares of agues and so doe the flowers also either by the Syrupe or Conserve the said Syrupe also helpeth much to procure rest and to settle the braines of franticke persons for it wonderfully helpeth the distemperature of the head arising from heate the seede is sometimes used to stay fluxes of blood or humours either of wounds or of the belly yet is as effectuall as the roote but the roote is of greater use with us some taking the white roote which is of the yellow sort and some the roote of the white Water Lilly which hath the blacke roote to be the more effectuall to coole binde and restraine all Fluxes or defluxions in man or woman as also the gonorrhea or running of the reines and the involuntary passage of sperme in sleepe and is so powerfull that the frequent use thereof extinguisheth Venerious actions the roote likewise is very good for those whose urine is hot and sharpe to be boiled in wine or Water and the decoction drunke the blacke roote which beareth the white flowers is more used with us in these times then the other because it is more plentifully to be had then that with yellow flowers but the white roote of the yellow kinde is lesse pleasant and more astringent and harsh in taste and therefore not without just cause doe most preferre it before the other to stay womens courses and mens spermaticall issues The distilled water of the flowers is very effectuall for all the diseases aâ—oresaid both inwardly taken and outwardly applyed it is much commended also to take away freckles spots sunburne and Morphew from the skinne in the face or any other part of the body The oyle made of the flowers as oyle of Roses is made is profitably used to coole hot tumours and the inflammations of ulcers and wounds and ease the paines and helpe to heale the sores The Frog bit as being a species as I said of the Nymphaea minor and so likewise these lesser sorts have generally a cooling quality in them yet in a weaker measure then the greater sorts But let no man mistake the yellow Marsh Marigold instead of the yellow Water Lilly as it is likely Serapio lib. simplicium cap. 144. and some other Arabian Authours did that said there was another kinde of Nenufar which was sharpe and hot and of subtill parts and is fit to warme and give heate to cold griefes for assuredly they meant hereby the Caltha palustris which they mistooke to be a kinde of Nenufar as is evident by this their relation CHAP. XXX Potamogeton sive Fontalis Pondweede OF the Pondweedes there are divers sorts more found out and referred to them then was in former times which are these that follow 1. Fontalis major latifolia vulgaris The greater ordinary Pondweede This greater Pondweede riseth up with sundry slender round stalkes full of joynts and branches and faire broad round pointed darke greene leaves with long ribs in them like Plantaire set siâ—gly at the joynts and lying flat on the toppe of the water at the toppes of the stalkes and branches usually and seldome Potamogeton sive Fontalis major minor latifolia vulgaris The greater and lesser broad leafed Pondweede 2. Fontalis major longifolia The greater long leafed Pondweede at the lower joynts come forth long spiked heads of blush coloured flowers upon long footestalkes like unto those of Bistort or Arsmart whereon after they are past stand chaffie huskes containing within them blackish hard seede the roote creepeth to and fro in the mudde with divers joynts and tufts of fibres at them whereby they are fastened to the ground There is another of this sort that is lesser not much differing in any thing else Minor 2. Fontalis major latifolia The greater long leafed Pondweede This other greater sort differeth little from the former but in the leaves which are longer and narrower and the ribbes running acrosse in them and not at length as the former doth the spiked heads of flowers hereof are is some more whitish and in others as faire a blush colour as the former and come as well from the upper joynts as the toppes of the stalkes and branches There is another sort hereof also Altera with leaves not altogether so long or narrow 3. Fontalis serrato longifolio Dented Pondeweede The roote of this is joynted and creepeth like the former bringing very long and narrow leaves at the joynts of the stalkes and dented about the edges without any order on both sides and beareth at the toppes such like spiked tufts of flowers and seede after them as the others doe 4. Potamogeton gramineum ramosum Grasselike Pondweede The stalke hereof is a foote high or more being very slender round and whitish parted into sundry branches with many small grassiy round darke greene leaves not set together but by spaces a good way in sunder which end in other leaves that are almost as small as haires yet notwithstanding from the wing of the first leafe commeth forth a stalke with the like leaves at the end and thereat a small footestalke three inches long sustaining certaine small flowers dispersedly set in a
is of a manifest heating quality and a little binding and Aetius saith the same also but he further saith that some report that the fumes thereof being taken when it is burnt doth stay the immoderate fluxe of womens courses and all other fluxes of theirs Agrippa saith that if childing women whose wombes be too moist and slippery not able to conceive by reason of that default shall take a quantity of the juyce of Sage with a little salt for foure dayes before they company with their Husbands it will helpe them to conceive and also for those that after they have conceived are subject often to miscarry upon any small occasion for it causeth the birth to be the better retained and to become the more lively therefore in Cyprus and Aegypt after a great plague women were forced to drinke the juyce of Sage to cause them to be the more fruitfull Orpheus saith that three spoonefuls of the juyce of Sage taken fasting with a little honey doth presently stay the spitting or casting up of blood For them that are in a consumption these Pills are much commended Take of Spiknard and Ginger of each two drammes of the seed of Sage a little tosted at the fire eight drammes of long pepper twelve drammes all these being brought into fine powder let there bee so much juyce of Sage put thereto as may make it into a masse formable for pills taking a dramme of them every morning fasting and so likewise at night drinking a little pure water after them Matthiolus saith that it is very profitable for all manner of paines of the head comming of cold and rheumaticke humours as also for all paines of the joynts whether used inwardly or outwardly and therefore It helpeth such as have the falling sicknesse the lethargie or drowsie evill such as are dull and heavie of spirit and those that have the palsie and is of much use in all defluxions or distillations of thin rheume from the head and for the diseases of the chest or brest The leaves of Sage and Nettles bruised together and laid upon the impostume that riseth behind the eares doth asswage and helpe it much also the juyce of Sage taken in warme water helpeth an hoarsnesse and the cough the leaves sodden in wine and laid upon any place affected with the Palsie helpeth much if the decoction be drunke also Sage taken with Wormewood is used for the bloody fluxe Pliny saith it procureth womens courses and stayeth them comming downe too fast helpeth the stinging and bytings of Serpents and killeth the wormes that breed in the eares and also in sores Sage is of excellent good use to helpe the memory by warming and quickning the sences and the conserve made of the flowers is used to the same purpose as also for all the former recited diseases they are perswaded in Italy that if they eate Sage fasting with a little salt they shall be safe that day from the danger of the byting of any venemous beast they use there also never to plant Sage but with Rue among it or neare it for feare of Toades and other Serpents breeding under it and infecting it with their venemous spittle c. the danger whereof is recorded in Boccace of two Friends or Lovers that by eating the leaves of that Sage under which a Toade was found to abide were both killed thereby and therefore the Poet joyneth them both together to have wholesome drinke saying Salvia cum ruta faciunt tibi pocula tuta Sage hath beene of good use in the time of the plague at all times and the small Sage more especially which therefore I thinke our people called Sage of Vertue the juyce thereof drunke with vineger The use of Sage in the Moneth of May with butter Parsley and some salt is very frequent in our Country to continue health to the body as also Sage Ale made with it Rosemary and other good hearbes for the same purpose and for teeming women or such as are subject to miscary as it is before declared Gargles likewise are made with Sage Rosemary Honisuckles and Plantaine boyled in water or wine with some Honey and Allome put thereto to wash cankers sore mouthes and throats or the secret parts of man or woman as need requireth And with other hot and comfortable hearbes to be boyled to serve for bathings of the body or legges in the Summer time especially to warme the cold joynts or sinewes of young or old troubled with the Palsie or crampe and to comfort and strengthen the parts It is much commended against the stitch or paines in the side comming of winde if the grieved place be fomented warme with the decoction thereof in wine and the hearbe after the boyling be laid warme also thereto CHAP. XX. Horminum Clary THere are divers sorts of Clary some manured onely called Garden Clary others growing wilde whereof I shall here shew you many collected from sundry parts 1. Horminum sativum vulgare sive Sclarea Garden Clary Our ordinary Garden Clary hath foure-square stalkes with 1. Horminum sativum vulgare sive Sclarea Garden Clary broad rough wrinckled whitish or hoary greene leaves somewhat evenly cut in on the edges and of a strong sweet scent growing some neare the ground and some by couples upon the stalkes The flowers grow at certaine distances with two small leaves at the joynts under them somewhat like unto the flowers of Sage but smaller and of a very whitish or bleack blue colour the seed is brownish and somewhat flatt or not so round as the wild the rootes are blackish and spread not farre and perish after the seed time it is most usuall to sow it for the seed seldome riseth of it owne shedding 2. Horminum genuinum sativum Dioscoridis The true garden Clary of Dioscorides This small Clary riseth up but with one square hairy stalke about halfe a yard high as farre as ever I could yet observe divided into severall square branches whereon are set at every joynt two leaves one against another which are somewhat broad and round a little rugged like unto Horehound but more greene than white and of a reasonable good and small scent at the toppes of the stalkes stand divers leaves one row under another of a very fine deepe purple violet colour yet the lowest are paler than the uppermost and seeme a farre of to be flowers but nearer observed are discerned to bee but the toppe leaves the flowers comming forth under them at spaces about the stalkes of a whitish purple colour smaller than any of the sorts of Clary standing in brownish purple huskes which after the flowers are past while the seed ripeneth turne themselves downeward whereby the seed is lost if it be not gathered in fit time the roote is small and perisheth every yeare requiring to bee new sowne in the Spring for it seldome commeth of the seed that it shed the Frosts and Winter most likely killing it 3. Horminum Syriacum Assirian Clary Assirian Clary is somewhat like
made into powder and drunke in a draught of white wine or steeped therein all night and taken fasting or put among other purgers as shall be thought convenient clensing the stomacke and Liver and thereby the blood opening obstructions and helping those griefes that come thereof as the Iaundise the Dropsie the swelling of the spleene tertian and day agues and the pricking paine of the sides as also stayeth the spitting of blood comming as well from the Lunges as any other part the powder taken with Cassia dissolved and a little washt Venice Turpentine clenseth the Reines and helpeth to strengthen them afterwards and is very effectuall to stay the Gonorrhoea or running of the reines It is also given for the paines and swellings in the head for those that are troubled with melancholy and helpeth the Sciatica and Goute and the paines of the Crampe for which purpose one dramme or two of the extract thereof made in this manner and given in broth doth work effectually Let a sufficient quantitie of Rubarbe be steeped in Cinamon water which being strongly pressed forth let it be stilled in a glasse Limbeck in balneo untill the water be drawne forth and the substance remaining be of the thicknesse of honey which keepe in a close covered pot or glasse for the use aforesaid The powder of Rubarbe taken with a little Mumia and Madder rootes in some red wine dissolveth congealed or clotted blood in the body happening by any fall or bruise and healeth burstings and broken parts as well inward as outward the oyle likewise wherein it hath beene boyled being anointed worketh the same effect It helpeth the yexing or hickocke and all fluxes of the belly if it be toasted or dryed a little by the fire but much more if it be more roasted to be halfe burnt and taken in wine after this manner Take a pint of good Claret wine and burne it with some Sugar and a toppe or two of Rosemary into which put a dramme and a halfe of Rubarbe torrified or roasted by the fire as is aforesaid and one dramme of Chebul Myrobalanes a little broken or bruised let these stand in the burnt wine all night by the fire and straine it forth in the morning giving this at two times fasting which will in three or foure dayes stay any scowring or laxe strengthning the stomack and inward parts afterwards It is used to heale those Vlcers that happen in the eyes and eyelids being steeped and strayned as also to asswage the tumors and allay the inflammations and applyed with honey or cute that is to say boyled wine it taketh away all blacke and blew spots or markes that happen therein This Rubarbe is so gentle a medicine that it may be given to all sorts of gentle constitutions but in robustions or strong bodies it purgeth little or nothing whether they be children or women with childe and that safely at all times of the yeare the whey of milke but especially of Goates milke is the best and most accommodate liquor wherein it is to be steeped taken or else in white wine and it worketh thereby the more effectually in opening obstructions and in purging the stomacke and Liver from choler and flegme and most doe use a little Indian Spiknard as the best corrector thereof The other two last sorts of Rubarbe are not much or often used and their qualities are more astringent then opening little experience having beene made with us to shew you more of them CHAP. III. 1. Colocynthis Vulgaris Coloquintida or the bitter Gourde THis bitter Gourd runneth with his branches upon the ground as a Gourd or Cowcumber doth having diverse rough hairy leaves thereon every one by it selfe which are lesser and somewhat longer than those of the Cowcumber and more divided or cut in at the edges most usualy into five or seaven parts each partition also dented in or notched round about the leaves of the forme doe very much resemble those of the Citrull Cowcumber at the joynts with the leaves come forth the flowers which are yellow of the same fashion with them but somewhat smaller and also small tendrells or twining stalkes as the Vine hath wherewith it windeth about any plants or other things that stand next unto it thereby strangling or killing them the fruite that followeth is small and round as a ball many of them not much bigger than a great Crabbe or Peare-maine greene at the first on the outside and afterwards growing to be of a browne yellow which shell is as hard as any Pompion or Gourde and is usually pared away while it is greene the substance under it being white very light Colocynthis Pomiformis Pyriformiâ— The round and Peare fashioned bitter Gourde spongie or loose and of an extreame bitter taste almost indurable and provoking loathing or casting in many that taste it having therein sixe orders or rowes of white hard seede of the bignesse of Cowcumber seede but fuller harder and rounder and nothing so bitter or forceable in working as the white pulpe or substance is the roote is not very great but stringie and quickly perishing with the first cold approach of winter 2. Colocynthis major rotunda The greater Coloquintida or bitter Courde This sort of bitter Gourde differeth not from the former either in leafe or flower or manner of growing but onely in the fruite which groweth to be twice as big as the former and as round greene at the first but of a pale yellow when it is ripe whose pulpe or inner substance is also white and spongie and in a manner as bitter with such like seedes as are in the former and disposed for the most part into eight rowes or partitions the roote perisheth as the former 3. Colocynthis oblonga The long bitter Gourde This kind or Colloquintida differeth not from the last great sort for either manner of growing forme of the leaves or flowers but onely in the fruit which is as great almost as the last but is not so sphericall or round like a ball but somewhat long with the roundnesse and being a little flat at the head the shell or outer rinde thereof is greene at the first and afterwards groweth to be whitish with many spots thereon thâ— is also bitter but not so extreame as the first 4. Colocynthis pyriformis Peare-fashioned Coloquintida or bitter Gourd This Peare-fashioned kinde hath many trayling rough branches like the first and such like long and round pointed leaves cut in also on the edges but not so deepely neither so large or great and of a darker greene colour at the joynts with the leaves come forth the flowers being yellow but smaller than the first and likewise small twining claspers as the other which taketh hold on every thing that it may comprehend the fruite is small not bigger than a large Catherine Peare and many smaller yet all fashioned like a Peare the head whereof is somewhat rounder than a Peare the shell or outward rinde whereof is greene
nations calling it Lupulus salictarius The Arabians have not onely remembred it but commended the use of it highly for many diseases as you shall heare by and by Mesues maketh it his third kind of Volubilis with rough leaves among his purging plants the Greekes at this day call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bryon and Bryonia it is likely for the forme of the leaves and running of the branches It is called Lupulus Lupus salictarius reptitius quia salit reptat per arbores vel quia scandit salices of all our moderne writers onely Lobel calleth it Vitis septentrionalium the Vine of the Northerne regions and Tragus as I sayd before thinking it to be Smilax aspera the Italians call it Lupolo the Spaniards Hombrazillos the French Honblon the Germaines Hopffen the Dutch Hoppe and we in English Hoppes The Vertues The first buds of the Hoppes being layd a while in sand maketh them the tenderer and being boyled are used to be eaten after the same manner that the buds of Asparagus are and with as great delight for the taste yet they have little nourishment in them their Physicall operation therefore is to open the obstructions of the Liver and spleene to clense the blood to loosen the belly and to clense the Raines from gravell and to cause them to make water in whom it is stayed the decoction of the toppes of the Hoppes of the tame as well as of the wilde and so also the rootes doe worke the same effects but that they are somewhat hotter than the young buds which have more moysture in them in clensing the blood they helpe to cure the French disease and all manner of scabbes itch and other breakings out in the body as also all tetters ringwormes and spreading sores the morphew likewise and all discolourings of the skin and are used in Agues the decoction of the flowers and tops are used to be drunk to helpe and expell poyson that any one hath drunk half a dram of the seede in powder taken in drink killeth the worms in the body it likewise bringeth down womens courses expelleth Vrine The flowers and heads being put into bathes for women to sit in take away the swellings and hardnesse of the Mother and is good for the strangurie or those that very hardly make their water the juyce of the leaves dropped into the eares clenseth the corrupt sores and stench arising from the corruption in them Mesues saith they purge choler but worke more effectually being steeped in whey of goates milke A Syrupe made of the juyce and sugar cureth those that have the yellow jaundise easeth the headach that cometh of heate and tempereth the heate both of the liver and stomack and is very profitably given in long hot agues that rise of choler and blood Those bakers that will use the decoction of Hoppes to mould up their bread shal make thereby their bread to rise better and be baked the sooner Clusius recitetn the manner of a medecine used in Spaine by women leeches to cure the falling of the haire caused by the french disease in this sort A pound of the roots of Hopps wel washed boyled in 8 pints of faire water to the consumption of the third part or a halfe if they see cause whereof they give half a pint to drink in a morning causing them to sweate well after into the decoction they put sometimes two or three roots of parsly and as many of couch grasse with a few Raysins of the sunne The Ale which our forefathers were accustomed onely to drinke being a kinde of thicker drinke than beere caused a stranger to say of it Nil spissius dum bibitur nil clarius dum mingitur unde constat multas faeces in ventre relinquit that is there is no drinke thicker that is drunke there is no Vrine cleerer that is made from it it must needes be therefore that if leaveth much behinde it in the belly is now almost quite left off to be made the use of Hoppes to be put therein altering the quality thereof to be much more healthfull or rather physicall to preserve the body from the repletion of grosse humors which the Ale engendred The Wilde Hoppes are generally used Physically more than the manured either because the Wilde is thought to be the more opening and effectuall or more easily to come by or that the owners of the manured will not spare or lose so much profit as that which would be taken away might yeeld yet assuredly they are both of one property take which you will or can get CHAP. XIII Bryonia sive Vitis sylvestris Bryonie or Wilde Vine VNder this title of Bryonye I must comprehend diverse and sundry plants some whereof are of our Land and found plentifully therein others are strangers comming from other parts Among which I must remember the Mechoacan of America a plant neerest resembling the white Bryonie as you shall heare when we come to it and some others also that are strangers of those parts 1. Bryonia vulgaris sive Vitis alba The common white Bryonie or wild Vine The white Bryonie or wild Vine that groweth commonly abroad ramping up on the hedges sendeth forth many long rough very tender branches at the beginning growing with many very rough broad leaves thereon cut into five partitions for the most part in forme very like a Vine leafe but smaller rougher and of a whitish or hoarie greene colour spreading very farre upon trees or bushes or whatsoever standeth next it and twining with his small claspers that come forth at the joynts with the leaves at the severall joynts also with the leaves and claspers come forth especially towards the toppes of the branches a long stalke bearing thereon many whitish flowers together in a long tufte consisting of five small leaves a peece layd open like a starre after which come the berries standing more seperate one from another then a cluster of grapes greene at the first and very red when they are through ripe of the bignesse of Nightshade berries of no good sent but of a most loathsome taste provoking vomit the roote groweth to be exceeding greate with many long twines or branches growing from it of a pale whitish colour on the outside and more white within and of a sharpe bitter loathsome taste 2. Bryonia alba vulgaris fructu nigro Common white Bryonie with blacke berries This Bryonie differeth from the former white kinde neither in the running rough branches or in the leaves or in any other thing from it but in these two particulars the berries hereof are blacke and not red when they are through ripe and the roote is of a pale yellow colour on the inside and somewhat brownish on the outside 3. Bryonia Cretica dicoccos Candie white Bryonie with double berries The white Bryonie of Candy shooteth forth many long rough trayling branches in the same manner like the former in all respects with clasping tendrells winding it selfe upon
fasting as the infusion of halfe an ounce in Wine or Ale for a night or the decoction of halfe an ounce or if need be of six drammes with some other herbes or rootes but because they are a little windie a few Aniseed or Fennell seede and a little Ginger is to be added unto them to helpe to correct that evill quality and then they purge melancholy choller and flegme from the head and braine the lungs and the heart the liver and the spleene clensing all those parts of such evill humours as by possessing them are the causes of those diseases incident unto them and comforting the stomacke especially if some cordiall or stomachicall helper be put with it for Mesues saith it hurteth the stomacke but Monardus and Matthiolus denye that it can doe so in regard that Sene hath somewhat a bitter taste partaking of heat and drynesse all which qualities are knowne rather to strengthen the stomack then to trouble or weaken it it strengtheneth the senses both of sight and hearing and procureth mirth by taking away that inward humour which was the inward cause of sadnesse in the minde opening the obstructions of the bowells and causing a fresh and lively habit in the body prolonging youth and keeping backe old age Divers things are added hereunto to quicken the working thereof and to make it the more effectuall as Rubarbe Agaricke Cassia Fistula drawne Syrupe of Roses c. according as the nature of the disease the age strength and necessitie of the patient doe require Serapio saith it wonderfully helpeth such as are distracted of their senses by the extremitie of the fits in agues or in other diseases which wee call raving or talking idle or such as are growne sottish their braines being overdulled or growing into a frensye or madnesse by inflammations of the braine the epilepsie also or the Falling sicknesse and the headach all sorts of Palsies which are the resolutions of the sinewes the lowsie evill also and all sorts of itches scabs and wheales or pushes c. whatsoever Sena likewise is an especiall ingredient among other things put into a bag to make purging Beere or Ale fit to be taken in the spring of the yeare not onely for all those diseases afore mentioned but also to clense the blood from all sharpe humours mixed or running therewith Purging Prunes also and purging Curranes are made herewith by boyling Sene and some other opening herbes and rootes or if yee will without them with some Anniseede Fennell seede Cinamon Ginger and Cloves some of these or all of them a little quantity and according to the proportion of your Prunes or Currans being set to stew with the decoction of your Sene and other things above specified these may be given to the daintiest stomack that is without offence and without danger to open the body and purge such humours above specified as troble the body And because the decoction of Sene is too unpleasant to many weak and tender stomacks even the smell thereof doth cause them to refuse any potion made therewith the infusion thereof for a night in warme embers and strained forth in the morning is much lesse offensive yet no lesse purging In that infusion while it is warme you may dissolve some Manna or put thereto some Syrupe of Roses and so take it Cassia fistula also may be drawne with the decoction of Sene corrected as aforesayd so given of it selfe or made into a bole with Rubarbe poudered or with the pouder of Sene leaves a little Anniseed and Licoris together some also I have knowne that after they have infused Sene Rubarbe Agarick Tamarinds Tartar with a few Anniseeds or Fennellseeds Cinamon and Cloves in white wine whereunto some have put thereto juice of Fumiterry for a whole day and night then distilling the water from them they keepe it to drinke with some Sugar put thereto as a most dainty and pleasant purge After this manner waters may be distilled from other things as Mecoacan Turbith Scamony and all the sorts of purgers infused in wine or the juice of Fumitery or other herbs as may be thought meete whereunto being distilled Sugar Manna or Syrope of Roses or Rubarbe may be added and so drunke for the purposes aforesaid For the manner of distilling these things if they be done in glasse they will be more neate and dainty and the glasse body to bee set iâ— sand or ashes the water distilled will be the stronger in efficacy from the ingredients and the weaker if the glasse body be set in Balneo with water yet may they bee distilled in an ordinary Still so as it be close If this Sent might be made to grow with us here in England in any quantity or in any of our plantations abroad which are more warmely scituate a water might bee distilled from the whole plant while it is greene and fresh according to the manner of other waters distilled from herbs which would bee as dainty a purger as could be taken The lye wherein Sene and Camomill flowers are boyled is mervelous good for weake braines to confort and strengthen them as also for the sight and hearing if the head bee washed therewith the same lye also is very profitable for the sinewes that are stiffe with cold or shrunke with crampes to helpe to warme comfort and extend them it helpeth also to take away the itch in the body and the hands if they bee washed therewith as Durantes saith and is a vaileable to clense and cure foule Vlcers and sores The Itilian Sene worketh the same effects before specified but more weakely in every part CHAP. XXXI Colutaea Bastard Sene. OF the Bastard sorts of Sene there are many differing much one from another as shall be shewed you in this Chapter 1. Colutaea vesicaria vulgaris Ordinary Bastard Sene with bladders This greater Bastard Sene groweth in time to be a tree of a reasonable greatnesse the stem or trunck being of the bignesse of a mans arme or greater covered with a blackish greene ragged barke the wood whereof is harder then of an Elder but with a pith in the middle of the branches which are divided many wayes having divers winged leaves composed of many small round pointed or rather flat pointed leaves set at severall distances and somewhat like unto Licoris or the Hatchet fitch among which come forth yellow flowers like unto Broome flowers and as large after which come thinne swelling cods like unto thinne transparant bladders wherein are conteined blacke seede set upon a middle ribbe within the bladders which being a little crushed betweene the fingers will give a cracke like a bladder full of winde the roote groweth great and wooddy branching forth divers wayes 2. Colutaea scorpioides major The great Scorpion podded Bastard Sene. This bastard Sene groweth nothing so great or tall but shooteth out sundry stalkes from the roote the elder whereof have a whitish barke and the younger a greene with winged leaves set thereon
any other discolouring of the skinne but they that use it had neede to take heede that they use it not too strong nor let it lie on too long but rather wash it off againe with faire water within two or three houres after it hath beene used The dryed rootes called Orris being beaten either alone of themselves into pouder or with other sweete things are used to be layd in presses chests and wardrops to sweeten and perfume garments of linnen and silke especially and all things that you will put it to and thus much of the Flowerdeluce But there are but few that have written of the Gladwin or that have remembred the purging qualitie therein yet many of our country people in many places doe with the decoction of the rootes purge themselves and thereby avoyd much corrupt tough flegme and choller yet some that will not have it worke so strongly doe but infuse the sliced rootes in Ale and some take the leaves which serveth well for the weaker and tender stomacks the juice hereof procureth sneezing being put up or snuffed up into the nose and draweth downe from the head much corruption and the pouder thereof doth the same the pouder also drunke in wine helpeth those that are troubled with Crampes and Convulsions or with the Sciatica or Goute and giveth ease to those that have any griging paines in their body or belly and helpeth those that have the Strangurie that is that cannot make their water but by drops it is with much profit also given to those that have had long Fluxes by the sharpe and evill qualities of humors which it stayeth having first clensed and purged them by the drying and binding propertie therein even as Rubarbe and some other such like things doe the roote procureth womens monethly courses very effectually if it bee drunk after it hath beene boyled in wine and some of them shred and boyled in wine and vinegar in equall parts that shee may sit over the hot fumes being close covered untill it grow neare cold the roote used as a pessarie worketh the same effect but in women with child it causeth Abortion that is the delivery afore the due time the seed beaten to pouder and taken to the quantity of halfe a dram in wine helpeth those that cannot make water very effectually the same taken with vinegar disolveth both the hardnesse the tumors of the spleene the root is very effectuall in all wounds and specially of the head as also to draw forth any splinters thornes broken bones or any other thing sticking in the flesh without causing any paine used with a little Verdigrease and hony and the great centory roote the same also boyled in vinegar and layd upon any hard tumors doth very effectually dlissolve and consume them yea even those swellings of the throate called the Kings Evill the juice of the leaves and rootes is profitably used to heale the itch and all running or spreading scabs or sores and blemishes or scarres in the skinne some doe suppose by the sharpenesse of the taste in the roote especially more then in the seede which is more drying that it hath as well a corrosive as opening quality therein some also doe appropriate it to the effects of the chests and lungs for which the Iris or Flowerdeluce is more proper and effectuall some also to stay the involuntary passage of the sperme following Pliny therein and some also to heale the hemorrhoides and others the diseases of the fundament It is thought also to bee effectuall against the poyson of Serpents and thus much for the stinking Gladwin CHAP. XLVIII Cnicus sive Carthamus Bastard or Spanish Saffron ALthough these sorts of Cnicus might well be placed among the Thistles as other Authors doe and with these that other wilde kind called Attractylis but because these onely have purging qualities I thought it best thus to separate them and intreate of these in this place 1. Cnicus sive Carthamus sativus The manured bastard Saffron The manured bastard Saffron hath sundry large leaves lying next the ground without any pricks or with very few white ones at the corners of the leaves and divisions among which riseth a strong hard round stalke three or foure foote high branching it selfe up to the top bearing shorter leaves sharpe pointed 1. Cnicus sive Carthamus sativus The ordinary Spanish Saffron 2. Cnicus alter Creticus Wilde or bastard Saffron of Candye 3. Cnicus alter perennis Clusil Clusius his everliving bastard Saffron and prickly at the edges and at their ends a great open scaly head out of which thrusteth forth many gold yellow threds of a most orient and shining colour which being gathered in a dry warme time and kept dry will abide in the same delicate colour that it bare when it was fresh for a very long time the seed when it commeth to maturity is white and hard somewhat long and round and a little cornered the roote is long white and wooddy perishing yearly after seede time This hath beene found with a white flower but very bare 2. Cnicus alter Creticus Wild or bastard Saffron of Candy This other bastard Saffron of Candye from a thicke and long blacke root riseth one straight round stalke halfe a cubit high set here and there with long sharpe pointed leaves thicke set with prickles at the dentes of the edges at the toppe whereof standeth a scaly head compassed with prickly leaves of the bignesse of the Attractylis or Distaffe Thistle out of which breake forth divers thicke yellow Saffron like threads thicke thrust together after which the seede groweth therein being white and as great as the greater Centory seede 3. Cnicus alter perennis Clusii Clusius his everliving bastard Saffron This bastard Saffron riseth up with divers hard strong and round stalkes without any branches at all from them to the height of three or foure foote bearing thereon at severall places somewhat large and long leaves dented about the edges of a sad or duskie greene colour at the top of every stalke standeth one great close hard scaly head but not prickly at all not so great as the other Cnicus or bastard Saffron never opening the scales of the head as it doth from the middle whereof commeth divers threds yet nothing so many as in the other of a sad blewish ashcolour and whitish at the bottome of them the seede which lyeth among the downe in those heads is greater although Clusius saith smaller for I set you forth the plant as it groweth with us then of the other thick and short but not white and in lesser quantity then it the rootes runne downe deepe into the ground and being there encreased doe runne and spread themselves taking up a great deale of roome The Place The first is generally sowen in Spaine Italy and other places for the especiall use thereof The second Alpinus saith was brought out of Candye The last groweth wilde in Spaine as well about Sevill as Cordula and in other places as
Alpinus saith The Time They all flower in the Sommer Moneths and give their seede shortly after The Names All these small Madders have their denominations in their titles as they are called by Clusius Bauhinus and others that have mentioned them onely the fift I take to be the Myagrum alterum minus Dalechampii of Lugdunensis and the seaventh is called by Fabius Columna Cruciata nova Romana minima muralis and peradventure is the same that Caesalpinus calleth Cruciata minima in maritimis which Bauhinus hath altered and called Rubia echinata saxatilis The Vertues These small Madders as by their taste and temperature may be gathered are of the same property with the greater kindes but are lesse effectuall in every respect CHAP. LVII Psyllium Fleawort THe ancient writers have delivered us but one fort of Fleawort but there hath beene in later times some others knowne which shall be here set forth together 1. Psyllium vulgare The ordinary Fleawort The ordinary Fleawort riseth up with a stalke two foote high or more full of joynts and branches on every side up to the toppe and at every joynt two small long and narrow whitish greene leaves somewhat hayrie at the toppes of every branch stand diverse small short scalie or chaffie heads out of which come forth small whitish yellow threds such as the Plantaine heads doe give which are the bloomings or flowers the seede enclosed in those heads is small and shining while it is fresh very like unto fleas both for colour and bignesse but turning blacke when it groweth old the roote is not long but white hard and wooddie perishing every yeare and raysing it selfe againe of it owne seede for diverse yeares if it be suffered to shed the whole plant is somewhat whitish and hayrie smelling somewhat resinous or like Rossen 2. Psyllium majus semper virens The greater ever greene Fleawort This Fleawort differeth not from the former in the manner of growing but onely that his stalke and branches being somewhat greater doe a little more bow downe to the ground the leaves are somewhat larger the heads somewhat lesser the seede alike and the roote and leaves abide all the winter and perish not as the former 3. Psyllium Indicum foliis crenatis Indian Fleawort with dented leaves Indian Fleawort hath a wooddy reddish rough stalke next to the ground about a foote high spreading forth into diverse branches the leaves that stand at the joynts thereof are somewhat long narrow pointed at the end and notched or rather somewhat torne on the edges and hayrie also like the former the toppes of the branches are more stored with heads than the former but of the same bignesse and fashion with flowers and seede shining like the other 4. Psyllium minus Small Fleawort The small Fleawort hath small round reddish branches leaning downe to the ground not above a handbreadth high spreading into more branches as having three or foure at a joynt and two leaves standing at every of them one against another as in the former but very short and narrow the small heads that stand at the tops of the stalkes have two small long leaves and sometimes more set under every of them one longer then another and in time bowing downewards and somewhat Psyllium vulgare The ordinary Fleawort hard the bloomings or flowers are white and the seede that flowreth is shining and like the other but smaller the roote is small and white with divers Fibres thereat The Place The first groweth in the fields and untilled places of Spaine and Italy but with us no where but in gardens The second groweth more plentifully in the fields that are neare the sea The third is thought to come out of the Indies as the name importeth but we are not sure thereof The last is naturally of Egypt or Arabia and grew in the most noble Signior Bembo his garden at Padoa The Time All these Fleaworts flower in July or thereabout with us but in their naturall places all the Summer long yet the last is the latest with us The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Psyllium Pulicaris herba Pusicaria because the seede is like unto Fleas and not because it driveth away Fleas being brought greene into the house for that is false there is also another Pulicaria called Conyza which we have shewed before The Arabians call it Bazara Chatama and Bezercothune The Italians Psyllio the Spaniards Zargatona the French Herbe aux Poulx The Germans Psilienraut and wee in English Fleawort and not Fleabane for that is Conyza as is shewed before The first is generally called Psyllium of all writers Gesner in hortis Germaniae calleth it Cynops of Theophrastus The second is called by Matthiolus Psyllium alterum Gesner and Camerarius call it Psyllium perenne Lobel in his Adversaria calleth it Psyllium PlinianuÌ„ forte majus radice perenne the third is Anguillara his first Psyllium and thought by Bauhinus to be the true Psyllium of Dioscorides and by him called Indicum because the seede came to him under that name The last as Bauhinus saith he had from the most noble Bemâ— hiâ— Garden at Padoa under the name of Gottne rabrum as he had another called album which is a kind of Holostiâ— Bauhinus mentioneth Prosper Alpinus to call it Gottne rubrum but I can finde no other then Gottne msegiar Gâ—ssipium arboreum in his Egyptian plants he saith also that it was sent him from Heidelberg by Sprengerus with the name Botrio rubro The Vertues All Authors doe confirme that the seede of Psyllium is cold which Mesues attributeth to the barke or outside saying that the inward pulpe thereof is hot sharpe and drying but divers doe utterly mislike and refuse that opinion the muccilage of the seed made but indeed the seede is seldome buised by any Artist but alwayes steeped whole with barly water and some syrupe of Roses or Violets put thereto and drunke doth purge downewards grosse flegme and burnt choller but the seede being fryed and so taken stayeth the flux or laske of the belly and the corrosions that come by reason of hot chollericke sharpe and malignant humors or by the superpurgation of any violent medicine such as Scamony or the like worketh the muccilage of the seede made with Rose-water and a little Sugar Candy put thereto is very good in all hot agues and burning feavers and other inflammations both to coole the thirst and to lenifie the drinesse and roughnesse of the tongue and throate it helpeth also the hoarsenesse of the voyce and diseases of the brest and lungs caused by heat or sharpe salt humors and the Pleurisie also the muccilage of the seede made in Plantaine water whereunto the yolke of an egge or two and a little Populeon is put is a most safe and sure remedy to ease the sharpenesse prickings and paines of the hemorrhoides or piles if it bee laid on a cloth and bound thereto it helpeth also all inflammations in any
fourth in Hungary and Austria The fifth and sixth in Candy The seaventh and tenth in Spaine The eighth and ninth on the hils in the Kingdome of Naples as Columna reporteth The eleventh and twelfth in Candy The Time They all flower in Sommer and their seede is quickely ripe after The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Echium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alcibiadion and Alcibion or Alcibiacum of the first finder thereof who being bitten by a Viper gathered this herbe and chewing it and swallowing downe the juice and applying the rest of the herbe to the bitten place freed himselfe from danger Apuleius saith it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theriorrhizon Viperee radix and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the forme of the seede which as Dioscorides saith is like the head of a Viper and thereof tooke the name Echium yet some others say from the effects in the rootes to cure the bitings of the Viper in Latine also Echium of most Authours yet of some Buglossum silvestre viperinum Serpentaria and some also tooke it for Anchusa as Thalius and Caesalpinus and under that name saith the seede of the Candy sorts were sent him Cordus on Dioscorides called the first Lycopsis and Lonicerus Buglossum sylvestre Camerarius and Matthiolus mention the second Clusius the third fourth fifth and sixth and the seventh in his Curae posteriores Columna the eighth and ninth and Bauhinus the tenth under their severall titles as they are here expressed the two last by Alpinus in his booke de plantis exoticis It is called of the Italians Echis and Buglossa Salvatica Of the Spaniards Yerva di las bivoras Of the French Borrache sauuage and L'herbe aux viperes Of the Germans wild ocksen song Of the Dutch men wild ossentonghe In English wild Buglosse and Vipers Buglosse The Vertues It is as you have heard by the first finder out of it an especiall remedy against the biting of the Viper and of all other Serpents or venemous creatures as also against poyson and poysonfull herbes it is added further by Dioscorides and others that whosoever shall take of the herbe or roote before they be bitten shall not be hurt by the poyson of any Serpent And I thinke from this and some other the like qualities in herbes to heale the diseases whereof some forme may be seene in them hath come the application of many other whose formes have beene imagined to have beene found in them which they call Signaturae plantarum whereof Crollius in his Basilica chymica hath given demonstration of all the parts of the body from the head to the foote and moreover of many the diseases of the body and of divers other things whereof they that will reade his worke may be better informed that desire the knowledge thereof the rootes or seedes are thought to be most effectuall for the foresaid causes as also to comfort the heart and to expell sadnesse and causelesse Melancholy it tempers the blood and allayes the hot fits of agues the seede drunke in wine procureth aboundance of milke in womens brests the same also being taken easeth the paines in the loines backe and kidneies the distilled water of the herbe when it is in his chiefest strength that is in flower is excellent to be applyed inwardly or outwardly for all the griefes aforesaid There is a syrupe made hereof very effectuall for the comforting of the heart and expelling sadnesse and melancholly which is made in this manner Take of the clarified juice of the common wilde or Vipers Buglosse foure pound of fine Sugar three pound of the infusion of the flowers thereof one pound boyle these gently unto the consistence of a syrupe which keepe by you to use as you shall have cause But because it is somewhat hard to presse forth this juice by reason of the sliminesse thereof it is fit that after you have beaten the herbe well you set it close covered in a cold cellar or other cold and moist place for two daies and nights and then wring or presse forth the juice and clarifie it with the whites of egges beaten and passed gently of it selfe through a thicke Hippocras bagge and because many know not how to make the infusion before spoken of rightly as it should be it is thus Gather of the flowers of the said wild Buglosse a good quantity which you shall put into a pot with some water being made boyling hot aforehand stoppe the pot close untill it be cold and then wring forth the infusion you may renew the infusion by putting in fresh flowers as before once or twice more if you will have it strong of the flowers CHAP. XXX Fraxinella sive Diptamnus albus False white Dittany I Have given you the descriptions of all the sorts of false Bastard Dittany or white Dittany in my former Booke whereunto I referre you I shall onely here exhibite the figure and amplifie the Vertues Fraxinella may more fitly be called false white Dittany then bastard Dittany because there is one already set forth in the first Tribe or Classis by the name of Pseudodictamnus Bastard Dittany least two herbes should be called by one name and then neither should be well understood when they were called for distinct epithites is most requisite therefore to avoid confusion The Vertues The false white Dittany then is heating and drying the rootes which are most in use doe attenuate or make thin grosse humours it openeth obstructions provoketh the menstrnes and urine and clenseth that which is foule and contagious It is very effectually both against poyson and the venome of Serpents and other poysonfull creatures and against the pestilence and other contagious diseases to take a dramme or two of the powder of the roote in wine or broth the same also taken killeth the wormes of the belly breaketh the stone causing it to avoid in the urine it warmeth and cleanseth the matrixe expelleth the dead childe and after-birth if the part be fumigated with it and Penniroyall or taken in Wine it easeth the paines and torments in the inward parts or bowels and healeth inward hurts and wounds it is much commended against the Epilepsie or falling sicknesse and other cold griefes of the head and braines and is hel◠to be of great good use against the French disease to use it with the decoction of Guaiacum Fraxinella vulgaris The most common false white Dittany CHAP. XXXI Galega Goats Rue BEcause this herbe is so effectuall against all infections 1. Galega sive Ruta Capraria Goats Rue I could do no lesse then insert it here and take it from the other leguminous plants where it might be placed which otherwise I would not have done and hereunto I must adjoyne another for the neerenesse both for forme and vertues 1. Galega vulgaris Common Goats Rue The common or most usuall Goats Rue sendeth forth many round hard stalkes foure or five foote high whereon
greater measure for it helpeth those that spit blood or that bleede at the mouth or that make a bloody urine as also for all inward hurts bruises and wounds and helpeth the ulcers of the lungs causing the fleagme that oppresseth them to be easily spit forth the roote being boyled in water or wine the same also drunke stayeth the defluxions of rheume from the head upon the Lungs the fluxes of blood or humours by the belly womens immoderate courses as well the reds as the whites and the gonorrhea or the running of the raines happening by what cause soever A syrupe made thereof is very effectuall for all those inward griefes and hurts and the distilled water for the same purpose also and for outward wounds or sores in the fleshy or sinewy parts of the body wheresoever as also to take away the fits of agues and to alay the sharpenesse of humours a decoction of the leaves hereof is availeable to all the purposes although not so effectuall as of the rootes Camerarius saith that two ounces of the juice drunke doth much good in the Lethargy and dead sleepe the rootes being outwardly applyed helpeth fresh wounds or cuts immediately being bruised and laid thereto by glueing together their lips and is especiall good for ruptures and broken bones yea it is said to be so powerfull to consolidate or knit together whatsoever needeth knitting that if they be boyled with dissevered peeces of flesh in a pot it will joyne them together againe it is good to be applyed to womens breasts that grow sore by the aboundance of milke comming into them as also to represse the overmuch bleeding of the hemorrhoids to coole the inflammation of the parts thereabouts and to give ease of paines the rootes of Comfrey taken fresh beaten small spread upon leather and laid upon any place troubled with the gout doe presently give ease of the paines and applyed in the same manner giveth ease to pained joynts and profiteth very much for running and moist ulcers gangrenes mortifications and the like often experimented and found helpefull CHAP. XXV Bugula sive Consolida media Bugle or the middle Confound THis browne Bugle is so like unto the Prunella or Selfe heale that divers have made them but species to one genus and so have confounded them together and yet they have seemed to distinguish them calling this Consolida media and the other Consolida minor yet there are other herbes that they so call also which shall likewise be entreated of in the Chapters following but I finding them to differ notably one from another have disposed of them severally intreating of the greater in this Chapter and of the lesser in the next 1. Bugula vulgaris flore caeruleo Ordinary blew flowred Bugle This Bugle hath larger leaves then those of the Prunella or Selfe heale but else of the same fashion or rather a little longer in some greene on the upperside and in others more brownish dented about the edges somewhat hairy as the square stalke is also which riseth up to be halfe a yeard high sometime set with such leaves thereon by cuples from the middle almost whereof upwards stand the flowers together with many smaller and browner leaves then the rest on the stalke below set at distances and the stalke bare betweene them among which flowers are also small ones as those of Selfe heale and of a blewish and sometime of an ash-colour fashioned like the flowers of Alehoofe or Ground Ivy after which come small round blackish seede the roote is composed of many strings and spreadeth upon the ground into divers parts round about Of this kinde there is another whose leaves are longer then these Alia longioribus folijs and deeper dented in about the edges 2. Bugula flore albo Bugle with a white flower The white flowred Bugle differeth not in forme or greatnesse from the former saving that the leaves and stalkes thereof are alwaies greene and never browne like the other and that the flowers are very white 3. Bugula flore carneo Bugle with blush coloured flowers This other Bugle differeth little also from the other before declared but that it is a more tender plant soft and smooth in handling not rising full so high as the former and the flowers thereof are of a pale red or blush colour which maketh the greatest difference 4. Bugula Alpina coerulea Blew mountaine Bugle The mountaine Bugle is not unlike the other having longer and thicker leaves especially at the bottomes of them seeming for the smallnesse to be footestalkes dented 1. Bugula vulgaris Ordinary Bugle also about the edges and somewhat hard or hairy thinnely set by couples upon the square hairy stalkes a foote high or more at the toppes whereof the flowers stand in spikes neerer set together then the former and of a blew colour fashioned like unto the rest the roote is long with divers fibres thereat 5. Bugula flore luteo Bugle with yellow flowers This yellow Bugle is smaller then any of the former by much having rounder leaves upon the stalkes and dented about the edges like unto them the flower is yellowish standing in the same manner that the rest doe 6. Bugula odorata Lusitanica Sweete Portingall Bugle This kinde of Bugle riseth up with three or foure round and hairy stalkes about a foote high at the joynts whereof grow leaves by couples which are long hairy and divided or torne on both sides into two or three gashes each bowing backe a little the largest leaves are lowest and smaller still up to the toppes where among the great spikie heads of flowers they are very small the flowers are of a violet purple colour formed hollow with lips as it were hanging downe somewhat like the former Bugles standing in cuppes wherein afterwards grow white seede which by sowing it selfe doth often rise againe for it is but annuall the roote is composed of many blacke fibres all the whole plant hath a very pleasant sent The Place The first and second grow in woods and wet copses and fields generally throughout England in many places but the second is harder to be met withall The third groweth in Austria and some other places of Germany as Clusius saith The fourth upon Mount Baldus The fifth is said to grow with us and the last in Portugall The Time They all flower from May untill Iuly and in the meane time they perfect their seede the roote and leaves next thereunto upon the ground abiding all the Winter untill the next Spring The Names It hath no Greeke name or author that we are certaine of but is called in Latine in these times Consolida media and Solidago media but there are many herbes that are called Consolida and Solidago from their vertues as you shall finde them remembred in their severall Chapters and Buglum or Bugla as Ruellius saith the French were wont to call it and more usually now a daies Bugula but some as I said before confounded
unto Cicers having small whitish red flowers and afterwards many long Cods growing together and hanging downewards like unto the wormes called Ascarides which we call Arsewormes yet somewhat thicke and full of blacke seede de Laet addeth in a Parenthesis Some say the seede is like unto Fenugreck flat at both ends as if it had beene cut of For the manner of making whereof hee saith They cast the leaves into a brasse vessell pouring thereon scalding hot water or rather lukewarme yet some allow of cold water as best stirring them very well that the water may draw out the tincture which they poure out into another vessell that hath an hole therein somewhat high whereout the cleare water may passe the thicke coloured substance remaining behinde which afterwards they straine through a cloth or bag setting the thicke substance in the Sunne and make it into cakes which is then dryed and hardened in pans at the fire Thus farre de Laet. The other description is by Mr. William Finch a London Merchant as it is set downe by Mr. Purchas in his fourth Booke of Pilgrims the 4 Chap. pag. 429. It is a shrub saith he not above a yard high and as bigge as a mans thumbe at the biggest the branches are wooddy like unto Broome having many leaves set together on a short footestalke in forme like Cives misprinted for Cicerâ— or Ciche pease or like those of Sena but shorter and broader the flower saith he is like unto an Hearts case the seede is inclosed in a small round cod about an inch long resembling Fenegreck seede but more blunt at both ends such very seedes for colour also we have often had sent for Indico seede yet never any sprang with us but once and that but one plant and over hastily plucked up before it had any forme to be discerned yet the small threddy roote was of a pale blew colour which I doe keepe by me to shew the seede also while it is fresh being steeped in water gave a blewish colour These descriptions so like in most things and so nearely also resembling Alpinus his Sesban but that it hath a yellow flower perswadeth me that Sesban being undoubtedly a kind of Glaux Leguminosa so may Indico be also but differing in the Dye The manner of making at Mr Finch saith is thus being variously described by others They gather the leaves when they have cut the branches in August and September after the raines the seede being ripe in November and cast them into a long Cesterne powring water thereon and presse them downe with stones that they may be overcovered so abiding for certaine dayes that the substance of the herbe may be drawne out into the water which they let forth into another round Cesterne in the minst whereof is another small Cesterne or Center the meaning whereof I doe not understand and labour it with great staves like batter or white Starch scumming of the cleare water after it is setled then labour it afresh and draw off the cleare water againe being setled doing thus so often untill nothing but a thicke substance remaine which they dry in the Sunne being spread upon cloth and after it is a little hardned they make it into small balls with their hands laying them to dry on the sand for any other thing would drinke up the colour as also if it take raine in the drying it will lose his colour and glosse After it is sowen it endureth three yeares that Indico of the first yeare while the plant is tender is weighty and reddish called Notee that of the second yeare is rich being very light and of a perfect violet colour swimming on the water and is called Câ—eree that of the third yeare when the plant is declining and peradventure but fabulous traditions is a weighty blackish Nil the worst of the three and called Catteld The best is made saith hee about Biany neere 20. miles beyond Fetipore in the Mogols country in the East Indies And Ximenes aforesaid as de Laet hath it saith the Indians of the West call the Plant Xihuiquilitl pitzahuac and the Mexicans call the tincture made thereof Mohuitli and Tlecohuitli but the other Barbarians Tlacchoylinuhuitl and therewith colour their haire blacke I have not heard that good Indico is one of the Merchandises of the West but of the East Indies onely De Laet having given the figure of a branch of Indico I doe here likewise exhibite the same The Place The wilde kinde groweth in sundry untilled places and fields in Germany as it is sayd but the manured is sowen as well in Germany France and Spaine as in Italy also in Vmbria neare unto Nocera as Matthiolus saith where there is a towne called Gnado of the Woade that grew there abundantly and in the Ilands of Terceras belonging to Spaine Some have sowen it in our owne land but they have found it to be the cause of the destruction of their Bees for it hath beene observed that they have dyed as it were of a Flix that have tasted thereof it is sayd that in some places they sow their Woade upon the same ground that afterwards they sowed their Corne which crop of Woade is three times cut in a yeare and that these rootes that are not turned up with the Plough will beare seede among the Corne. The Plant whereof the Nil or Indico is made groweth in divers places of the East Indies but especially in Guzurate and the best in and about Bianie in the Mogols countrey The Time Woade flowreth in Iâ—ne but the seede is late ripe The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Isatis in Latine Glastum also and Guadum of some after the Italian word Guado whereby they call Woade Caesar in his first booke de Bello Gallico maketh mention of Glastum wherewith the ancient Brittaines did colour themselves to seeme the more terrible to their enemies in battaile as it is thought or that they did then as the Savages of the West Indies doe now delight in such a colour to paint their naked skinnes therewith Pliny also speaketh of the Brittaines using of Glastum in his 22. Booke and first Chap. but divers doe diversly imagine from whence the word Glastum should be derived some have imagined that in both those Authors the word Vitrum should be read in stead of Glastum because the Germane word Glâ— from whence they thinke Glastum is derived is signified by Vitrum and some also would turne Viâ— to Nitrum but Nitrum is not for such use for it is yet very rare or scarse seene of any with us the Aâ—liâ— call it Pili Deligi Chate charis Alchat Alden or Adhlen or as Avicen in his 512. Chap. saith Nil yet 〈◊〉 306. Chap. he hath another Nil which is a kind of Convenvulus or blew Bellflower whereof I have sp◠〈◊〉 former Booke which Serapio calleth Hab alnil granum nil but this Nil for Nir in the Arabicâ—e 〈◊〉 as some say
filme or skin that beginneth to grow over them or other defects in them that any outward medicine can helpe in this manner Take what quantitie of Strawberries you please and put them into a brasse vessell with a little salt cast upon them which being covered set into a wine cellar for eight dayes in which time the berries will be dissolved into a greene water which being cleared from the rest keepe in a glasse close stopped to use when you neede a droppe or two put into the eyes serveth for the purpose aforesaid some in misliking both salt and brasse for the eyes make a water both for the eyes and for the deformities in the skinne be it morphew leprey or the like in this manner Into a large destillatory or body of glasse they put so many Strawberries as they thinke meete for their use if a few the lesser glasse body will serve which being well closed let it be set in a bed of hot horse dâ—g for twelve or fourteene dayes and after distilled carefully and the water kept for your use CHAP. XVII Alsine Chickweede THere are so many sorts of Chickweedes some chiefely growing in moist and watery places others upon drie mountaines some in the Fields others in the Woods some worthy of ones paines to plant in a Garden others of no such respect that I must severre them and intreate of some in an other Classis where they are fittest to be spoken of you shall therefore have those evpressed in this Chapter and the 〈◊〉 next that follow that I thinke fiit for this place 1. Alsine repens baccifera Great spreading Chickweede The great Chickweede bringth forth many flexible branches full of joynts rising higher than a man if it stand by bushes or other things where it may take hold otherwise through weakenesse lying on the ground it seemeth not so long at every of the joynts stand two leaves one against the other somewhat like unto the ordinary Chickweede leaves but much larger comming somewhat neare unto those of Pelletory of the wall and of a fresh greene colour at the joynts likewise on both sides of the stalkes come forth other branches joynted and set with leaves in the same manner and at the ends of them large greene round huskes ending in five points with â—e flowers growing out of them consisting of five and sometimes of sixe white leaves apeece cut in at the 〈◊〉 in which huskes after the flowers are past stand small round heads like berries greene at the first and blackish when they are ripe containing within them many flat blackish purple seed the roote is white and long creeping much under ground and shooting forth in divers places every yeare new shootes the old dying downe every yeare this hath no taste but herbye as the ordinary Chickweedes have and therefore is by the judgement 1. Alsine repens baccifera Great spreading Chickweede 2. Alsine maxima The greatest Chickweede of the best Herbarists referred unto them yet Lugdunensis saith it hath a stinking and most unpleasant taste 2. Alsine maxima The greatest Chickweede This Chickweede which is the greatest of all the ordinary sorts riseth up with sundry stalkes a foote high or more and lye not on the ground as the smaller sorts Alsine miâ—r The smaller Chickweede doe bearing two leaver usually at a joynt larger then in any other that follow but somewhat narrower then the former it beareth plenty of white flowers of six leaves a peece standing in long greene huskes which containe likewise the head or seede vessell after the flowers are fallen with small yellowish seede in them the roote is white and threddy like the rest 3. Alsine major Great Chickweede This great Chickweede is in all things like the last both in leafe and flower but smaller the stalkes stand not fully upright but doe a little bend downewards and needeth no other description to cause it to bee knowne Minor There is another sort hereof differing in nothing else but the smalnesse of the whole plant 4. Alsine Baetica Spanish Chickweede The Spanish Chickweede riseth up very often with a single upright reddish stalke not branched at all and sometimes with many about a foote or more high full of joynts at each whereof grow two smooth and darke greene leaves narrower then the last a little broader at the bottome next the stalke and small pointed at the ends the middle ribbe on the backside being somewhat great and raised up the flowers stand at the end of the stalke many set together in heads or huskes like those of Symphytum petraeum of a purplish colour the roote is small white and long 5. Alsine recta triphyllos sive laciniata Vpright Chickweede with jagged leaves This jagged Chickweede groweth upright with a stalke for the most part branched into three or foure smaller sprayes about a foote high set at the severall joynts with small long leaves cut into three and sometimes foure parts even to the middle ribbe almost so that they seeme like severall leaves spread like so many fingers to the hand the flowers come forth at the toppes and uppermost joynts consisting of five small blew and round pointed leaves with some threds in the middle and standing in small greenish huskes wherein after the flowers are withered and gone appeare small flat heads divided as it were into two parts wherein lye small whitish seede the roote is small and long set with many fibres and perisheth every yeare after seedetime and springeth againe of the seede that is shed The Place The first as Clusius saith groweth in divers places of Spaine and Germany also and I have sometimes found it by hedge sides in our own Land the second and third is usually found in moyst and watery places by wood sides also oftentimes and in many other places the fourth Clusius found in Spaine the last groweth in sundry grounds and among rubbish sometimes The Time They flower about Iune and their seede is ripe in Iuly The Names Chickweede is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod lucos quos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominant umbrosa loca amat and Alsine also in Latine Dioscorides and from him Pliny lib. 27. cap 4. saith Alsine quam quidam Myosotin appellant nascuur in lucis unde Alsine dicta The first is called by Clusius Alsine repens and so it is also by Camerarius and Dodonaeus Lobel calleth it Planta Alsines majoris facie baccis Solani Cacubalum Plinij but some would make the Solâ— hortense to be Cacubalum led by the false coppie of Dioscorides which hath divers names to herbes which is generally reported to be none of his worke because the confusion of names taketh away the knowledge of the true one Lobel in Adversarijs calleth it Alsines majoris facie planta baccis Solani and maketh a doubt whether it bee Cacubalum Plinij quasi maleficum Lugdunensis also calleth it Cacubalus Plinij sive Ocimoides repens Lucas Ghinus taketh it to be Cyclaminus
or sixe foote high with divers great joynts and leaves set on them whose foote stalkes doe compasse the maine stalke at the bottome and from thence also towards the toppe come forth branches with the like but lesser leaves at them and at their toppes large round spread umbells of white flowers but Brausus describeth his with yellow flowers which I never saw after which commeth the seede which is somewhat flat thicke short and white two alwayes set together and is usuall in all these umbelliferous plants and a little 1. Angelica sativa Garden Angellica 2. Angelica sylvestris Wilde Angellica 3. Angelica sylvestris montana ditarum specitrum Two sorts of Mountaine Angelica 4. Archangelica The great water Angellica crested on the round seede the roote groweth great and wooddy when it flowreth with many great long branches to it but perisheth after seede and will rise and spring againe better from the seede that doth fall of it selfe then what is sowen by hand at any other time the whole plant both leafe and seede and roote is of an excellent pleasant sent and taste very comfortable being not fierce or sharpe but rather sweete and giveth a most delicate rellish when it is tasted or used the leaves be the weakest and some hold the seede to bee next and the roote to be the strongest especially being not ready to grow up for stalke Of this kinde wee have another sort in our Gardens called sweet Angellica not differing in any thing from the former Dulcis but in that it hath a sweeter rellish then the other 2. Angelica sylvestris Wilde Angellica The wilde Angellica groweth up with large spread leaves on the ground having smaller stalkes and lesser divided leaves by much of a darke greene colour not smelling halfe so strong as the garden kinde yet savouring so much like Angelica that by the smell one may soone see and know it to be a kinde of Angellica though wilde the stalkes are much slender and smaller yet growing three or foure foote high with smaller joynts and lesser leaves thereat at the toppes grow lesser umbells of white flowers which turne into smaller seede and blacker the roote is nothing so great as the former neyther are the strings so great or long and of a blacker colour on the outside not smelling halfe so well Of this kinde likewise there is some varietie one growing likewise wilde with us not much differing in the leaves but being smaller and not so much divided the stalkes being reddish and the seede thicker and longer Sylvestris altera the roote being great and thicke 3. Angelica sylvestris montana Mountaine wilde Angellica Mountaine Angellica groweth like the former wilde kinde but much lower and smaller in every part the roote hereof differeth most in that it is nothing so great but sendeth forth many small brownish strings from the the head round about it yet holding the same strong sent of Angellica that the former doth I give you here the figures of two other sorts of Angellica taken out of Doctor Foxes booke of dryed herbes which he had from Padoa garden and might seeme to be the Laserpitium of Alpinus set forth before but that they had severall denominations to them 4. Archangelica The greater water Angellica This Angellica groweth with a taller and much greater stalke sometimes reddish the leaves likewise being more in number and smaller divided and of as deepe a greene colour as the first sort in the tufts of white flowers it is like the first garden Angellica and so is the seede but greater and blacker the roote is great according to the plant and endureth many yeares without perishing The Place and Time The first sorts are with us sowen in Gardens the second sort is wilde both in many places of Essex Kent and neare Kentish Towne by London also and in other places the third groweth on divers mountaines in Germany Hungary and the rest the last is not onely naturall to grow in watery ditches but in moist grounds also in many places with us and in the Marsh ditches by Rederiffe The Names This herbe hath gained many worthy names from sundry worthy persons for some have called it Sancti Spiritus radix Lacuna and Dodonaeus thinke it some kinde of Laserpitium Cordus and some others take it to be Smyrniâ—â— and Cordus to be Panax Heracleum but all in generall call it Angellica from the Angell-like properties therein All these sorts are so called by most Authors as their titles beare and therefore I neede not explaine them further onely the last is called Archangelica by Clusius and Angelica aquatica by Gesner All Christian nations likewise in their appellations hereof follow the Latine name as neare as their Dialect will permit onely in Sussex they call the wilde kinde Kex and the Weavers winde their Yarne on the dead stalkes The Vertues Angellica is hot and dry some put it in the second and others in the third degree It resisteth poyson by defending the heart the blood and spirits and giveth heate and comfort to them it doth the like against the Plague and infection of the Pestilence if the roote be taken in powder to the weight of halfe a dramme at a time with some good Treakle in Cardos water and layd to sweate thereupon in their bed if Treakle be not at hand take the roote alone in Cardus or Angellica water the stalkes or rootes candid and eaten fasting are good helpes also in time of infection and at other times to warme and comfort a cold or old stomack The root also steeped in Vinegar and a little of that Vinegar taken sometimes fasting and the roote smelled unto are both good preservatives for that purpose a water distilled from the rootes simply or steeped in wine and distilled in glasse is much more effectuall then the water of the leaves and this water being drunke two or three spoonefulls at a time doth ease all paines and torments that come of cold or winde so as the body be not bound the said water taken with some of the roote in powder helpeth the Plurisie being taken in the beginning as also all other diseases of the Lungs and breast as coughes and shortnesse of breath Tissickes and so doth the Syrupe of the stalkes mentioned in my former booke it helpeth likewise the torments of the Chollicke the strangury and stopping of the urine procureth womens courses and expelleth the afterbirth and briefely easeth and discusseth all inward tumors and windinesse it openeth the obstructions of the Liver and Spleene and the decoction thereof being drunke before the fit of an Ague so that they may sweate if it be possible before the fit come will in twice or thrice taking rid it quite away it helpeth also digestion in the stomacke and is a remedy for a Surfet The juice or the water dropped into the eyes cleareth the dimnesse of sight if any filmes doe begin to breed in them and helpeth deafenesse by dropping it into the eares
with them yet most used this This drieth more than Barly it selfe and bindeth the belly being drunke with red wine and allayeth inflammations and drunke with water it quencheth thirst it was often eaten with a little new wine or sodden wine put unto it as every one liked CHAP. XVI Maza MAza is but Polenta parched Barly moystened with some liquor as every one thought meete for some used nothing but Water others put to it both water and oyle together as Hesychius saith and some as Hippocrates sheweth did put sweete wine to it and some put honey also Galen declareth that Maza of it selfe doth hardlier digest in the stomacke and doth trouble the belly with winde if it abide long therein but it doth the sooner passe downe if it be much turned and honey be put to it CHAP. XVII Of Ptisana PTisana the most praysed and prayse-worthy drinke supping or pultage call it how you will was used anciently to be made of divers sorts of graine and not altogether of Barly for they had their Chondro Ptisana made of Zea Pyrina Ptisana made of Wheate and Pliny saith that Italy which was abounding in Rice made Ptisana thereof which others made of Barly and Galen also sheweth it was made of Pulse for he nameth Phacoptisana that is made of Lentills but Ptisana simply without any other addition is alwayes understood of Barley onely husked for the excellency thereof The manner of making it is set downe by divers authors as Pliny Galen Dydimus and others but because Hippocrates who is accounted the Prince of Physitions wrote a whole Treatise in prayse thereof I will here set downe his words of making it fit for meate or medicine Take saith he of the best Barley and moysten it with water let it so rest for 3. or 4. houres then put it into a course bagge and beate it with a mallet or pestell of wood untill it have cast off the huskes which then being washed to take them away drie it in the Sunne and keepe it to use as occasion serveth as Polenta but to make it Ptisana it is to be boyled gently in water untill it breake and that the liquor be thicke like creame which then is lenifying sweete and lubricke or slippery and being moderately liquid quencheth thirst it hath no astriction nor moveth perturbations nor swelleth in the stomacke for all the swelling is tooke away in the boyling it sticketh not in the breast or stomacke but by the lubricitie is easily digested and quencheth thirst by the moistening qualitie these properties saith Galen recorded by Hypocrates are availeable both for the sicke and for the sound Dioscorides further addeth the creame of Ptisana by reason of the boyling yeeldeth more nourishment than Polenta that is made of Barly and is profitable to helpe the sharpenesse and roughnesse of the throate and all exulcerations This was the manner of the ancients Ptisana for their manner of making and using but our Physitions in these times use onely Barly husked and boyled in water and then beaten and strained putting some blanched Allmonds or Pompion seede or other cold seedes beaten and strained with some Sugar and Rosewater and this is their most usuall Tisane or Barly creame Some appoint Barly to be lesse sodden which is called Barly-water and therewith is made either Tisane drinkes by adding Licoris Raisons of the Sunne Maidenhaire or the like for such as are troubled with coughes shortensse of breath c. or else with Almonds or cold seedes make it into an Almond milke with Suger and rose-Rosewater or given to hecticke or macilent and weake bodies the Barly water alone or made into a Julip with Syrope of Violet or Lemonds or the like is a fit drinke for those that have hot or burning feaver on them or are otherwise distempered with heate or used with some pectorall Syrupes for the cough shortnesse of winde hoarsenesse or the like There yet remaineth Zythum and Curmi of the ancients to be spoken of and both as Dioscorides saith made of Barly which because wee suppose in these dayes they did point to our Ale and Beare which are made with Mault the substantiall part of the drinkes I thinke meete first to speake of Mault CHAP. XVIII Byne sive Maltum Mault AETius onely used this word Byne which by all is referred to Mault and as the by manner of making set downe by him is shewed plainely Maltum is a word made Latine from the Germans Manth and our Mault both signifying one thing that is that manner of prepared Barly as is fit therewith afterwards to serve to their use that would make of it either Ale or Beare the manner of making is as I take it in all countries alike without difference and so well knowne to all that it is in a manner needelesse for me to set it downe thereby to enforme any that having spent their time wholly thereon as being their profession can tell better how to enforme me but as in all the rest of this Worke my endeavours are to enforme shew those that not knowing wil not refuse to heare and understand and thus it is Barly is laid in water to soake for two or three dayes and nights which being swollen in that time the water is drained from it and is afterwardes spread equally on the floore of a garner or such like place that is close about halfe a foote thicke and covered with clothes or other things warme untill it beginne to sproute ready as it were to grow which will be performed within two or three dayes if the weather be warme or not very cold or else it will lye longer then doe they turne it before it grow too hot two or three times a day for a weeke or tenne dayes both to coole and to drie it then doe they bring it to the kill and there dry it throughly with fire made of straw or other such like light stuffe to cause it to have the sweeter relish for being dried with bavens or wood the mault will taste bitter of the smoake and is soone perceived in the drinke which will taste bittter This mault before it can be used is to be ground a little and then serveth it for the Brewer to use If Mault being ground be tried and applied in a bagge or double cloth hot to the sides or belly pained with stitches or gripings occasioned by cold or winde it giveth much ease and helpe and being made into a pultis asswageth tumors and swellings CHAP. XIX Of Zythum THeophrastus and Dioscorides onely and no other authors before them that I can finde have made mention of Zythum what it is or whereof it was made and yet they are so short therein that we rather understand this by others relation which thing sheweth it was so common a drinke there in those places of Greece c. that they thought it not worth their labour further to explane it even as Discorides hath done the like with many
spetiosa The faire headed water Grasse This Grasse riseth to be two cubits high the leaves are broad and a foote long but slenderly set on the stalkes somewhat rough on the edges some whereof will be hollow like a trunke that the stalke will goe through it halfe way the toppe pannickle is made of many fine soft scaly tufts very beautifull 4. Gramen aquaticum paniculatum minus Small bearded Water Grasse This Grasse sendeth forth from a thicke hard white fibrous roote a round straked stalke about two foote high compassed with sundry broad rough pale greene leaves neere a foote long the toppe pannickle is a spanne long thinnely or sparsedly placed made of many whitish heads compassed with long auâ—â—es or beardes 5. Gramen Echinatum aquaticum majus The greater prickly headed water Grasse The stalke of this Grasse riseth up two or three spannes above the water in the ditches where it groweth with divers long and narrow leaves beating at the toppes of the stalkes divers small prickely heads with long leaves at them the rootes thrust deepe in the mudde 6. Gramen echinatum aquaticum minus The lesser prickely headed water Grasse This other Grasse is like to the last both in the leaves and prickely heads but smaller and have no leaves standing with them as the former hath 1. Gramen aquaticum majus Great Water Reede 2. Gramen Arundinaceum aquaticum Great Water Reede grasse 7. Gramen aquaticum spicatum Spiked Water Grasse 8. Gramen flaviatile Hoare Grasse 9 Gramen aquaticum alterum An other Water Grasse 11. Gramen bulbosum aquaticum The Water bulbed Grasse 7. Gramen aquaticum spicatum Spiked Water Grasse The Water spiked Grasse hath sundry weake stalkes leaning every way full of joynts which are somewhat knobby or round taking roote againe in divers places having long and narrow leaves upon them which lye floting upon and under the Water that part that groweth up hath some leaves likewise thereon and a long slender browne spiked head at the toppe the roote busheth thicke in the mudde with many strings and fibres thereat 8. Gramen fluviatile Flote Grasse The Flote grasse groweth in the very like manner to the last with leaning stalkes and rooting at the joynts but hath more store of leaves on them the toppes being furnished with sundry spiked heads two or three together at a joynt upwards 9. Gramen aquaticum alterum Another Water or Burre Grasse The leaves of this Grasse are long smooth and tender among which riseth up a stalke about halfe a yard high with a few leaves set thereon and at the toppe a many small rough heads like burres 10. Gramen Fluviatile cornutum Horned Flote grasse This strange Grasse hath a very slender stalke about two foote high joynted at sundry places and two small Rushy leaves for the most part set at each of them growing somewhat broad and compassing it at the bottome with a large skinne from whence also rise one or two stalkes ending in a skinny head which hath at the end of them three or foure very narrow leaves turning downewards and seeming like hornes the roote is small and threddy 11. Gramen bulbosum aquaticum The Water bulbed Grasse This Grasse hath an ovall bulbed roote spotted with yellow markes and white within not having any sent or taste from whence springeth up betweene two eares as it were a small stalke about two inches long with another longer peece thereon at the toppe whereof thrusteth forth divers fibres and from them divers long and broad leaves but what stalke or flower it bore we are yet to learne being thus much onely brought and thereby described The Place and Time The two first doe grow in ponds and lakes in sundry places as well of this Land as of others The third in the watery places about Padoa and in Hassia also The fourth in the waters about Michelfield by Bassill The fifth sixth seventh eighth and ninth in watery ditches and ponds in divers parts of the land The last in the Lakes neere Mompelier and doe all flowrish in the Summer time The Names The first is the Gramen aquaticum harundinaceum paniculatum of Tabermontanus The second the Gramen majus aquaticum of Lobel The third and fourth are called by Bauhinus Gramen palustre c. but I have set them both under the title of aquaticum The fifth and sixth are not mentioned by any before The seventh is so called by Lobel as it is in the title The next hee calleth Gramen anqis innatans The ninth is called by Lobel Gramen aquaticum alterum The last is so called by Bauhinus as it is in the title The Vertues Most of these Grasses will Horses eate of although we know not any use they have for any humane griefe CHAP. XLI Lythoxylon sive lignum Lapideum Stone wood or Wood made Stone LET me yet adde this Wood made Stone in the end Lythoxylon sive lignum lapideum Stone Wood. of these fresh Water plants seeing diverse waters in this Kingdome as well as others have that property that what wood soever greater or lesser wrought or unwrought by letting it abide in the water in the Sommer time or Spring for some time according as the thicknesse will give time to penetrate it the branches of trees and greene herbes yea leather gloves and many other have beene metamorphosed into stone keeping that forme it held before it was put in by the chilling quality of the water CHAP. XLII Gramina maritima Sea Grasses THe Sea Grasses as I said before are fittest to be joyned next unto the former Water Grasses that after these I may shew you the rest of the plants that grow in or neere the Sea or within the aire or breath thereof which are properly called Maritime plants 1. Gramen Caninum geniculatum maritimum spicatum Sea spiked Dogs grasse or Quich grasse This Sea Grasse hath divers joynted stalkes about a foote high with hard leaves thereon a spanne long and like the other quich grasse the spiked heads are shorter by much and harder then the common kinde the roote is full of joynts and creepeth under ground like it 1. Gramen Caninum geniculatum maritimum spicatum Sea spiked Dogs grasse or Quich grasse 3. Gramen Caninum maritimum alterum longius radicatum Sea Dogs grasse with longer rootes 4. Gramen Caninum maritimum spicatum Monspeliense Sea spike grasse of Mompelier 5. Gramen Caninum maritimum asperum Rough Sea Grasse 2. Gramen maritimum vulgato Canario simile Sea Quich grasse This other Sea grasse is a slenderer harder and lancker Grasse then the ordinary quich grasse and of a more blewish greene colour and differeth not in any thing else But there are two other differing sorts hereof observed the one in the rootes which at the severall joynts as it runneth doth shoote up the like stalkes leaves and spiked tufts and will be sometimes twenty foote in length with a number of those tufts of stalkes and leaves at them the other in
heate and outward aire pierced the places effected with the disease and cured it for after the same manner doth the Succus Cyrenaicus that is the best Laser or Laserpitium cure the uvula or palate of the mouth as we call it when it is falne downe or swolne through rheume or as Nigella seede being fryed and bound in a thinne warme linnen cloath doth dry up the thinne and troublesome destillations of rheumes by the hot breath thereof rising through the nostrils as also if divers threds dyed in the purple fish colour be bound about a Viper or Adders necke and it thereby strangled and they afterwards bound about their neckes that have swellings or other diseases in their neckes and throates doe marvailously helpe them these be Galens words but our age hath not onely found Galens experiments true on children the roote of the male rather then the female yea the male not the female and that fresh and not dry if you meane it should doe good is to be hanged about their neckes and that the decoction thereof is to be taken inwardly to make it the more availeable and that also in older persons if the disease be not growne too old and past cure for whom the roote of the male kinde washed cleane stamped somewhat small and laid to infuse in a sufficient proportion of Sacke for twenty foure houres at the least after strained and given first and last a good draught for sundry dayes together before and after a full moone cureth that sickenesse if there be a due and orderly preparation of the body afoâ—ehand with poset drinke made of Betony c. as the learned Physitian can best appoint the roote also is effectuall for women that are not sufficiently cleansed after child-birth and for such also as are troubled with the mother for which likewise the blacke seed being beaten to powder is given in wine the red seedes being taken for fluxes the blacke also taken before bed time and in the morning also is very effectuall for such as are in their sleepe troubled with the disease called Ephialtes or Incubus which Pliny calleth suppessio nocturna we usually call it the night mare which is a suppressing both of voice and breath and oppressing the body as it were with some heavy burthen striving to be eased thereof but seeming not to be able nor to call for helpe Melancholly persons being for the most part subject to this disease it is also good against melancholly dreames Matthiolus doubteth whether our Peony be that which Galen used because many Physitians as he saith in his time failed in the tryall thereof on young children and I am in doubt that Tragus his male Peony spoken of here before was that which they used and then no marvaile if it proved not effectuall as they expected yet saith Matthiolus our Peony seedes is availeable to restore speech to those that have lost it if thirty graines husked be made into powder and given in Wine it is also saith he good against the bitings of Serpents not onely to be drunke but to be laid on the bitten place which thing Tragus saith of his male Peony which as I shewed you before is the Fraxinella The destilled water or Syrupe made of the flowers worketh to the same effects that the roote and seede is applyed before although more weakely The male kinde being so scarse a plant and possessed but by a few and those great lovers of rarity in this kinde and the Female being more frequent the one is usually put instead of the other CHAP. XXIX Pappas sive Battatas Potatoes THere are divers sorts of rootes that are called Potatoes with us serving for foode or delight more then for medicine whereof all that are truely knowne to us what face or forme of leaves and flowers they beare are expressed in my former booke there are many more of the same quality besides others that serve in stead of bread familiar to the Natives both of the East and West Indies whose names onely are extant in those Authours Workes that have written of them without any further declaration either of forme or any property but that the rootes are eaten by them some being of better taste then others longer lasting among whom as I take it the Igname or Inhame is a principall one whereof Scaliger first and Clusius afterwards have given us the best information Clusius saying it is also called by some Camotes Amotes and Aies All he saith of it is this that some Portugall Ships that were taken by the Hollanders had divers of these rootes in them some bigger then others for some as he saith were as bigge as ones arme and of a foote long or more others lesser and some thicke and short having some small tubers thrusting out at the lower parts of them but all of them covered with an uneven and rugged barke with many fibres at them the substance of the roote within being white soft sappy tender and as it were kernelly and of no unpleasant taste that is the raw roote for he saith he tasted it at the first but a little rough and sharpe afterwards but being rosted under the embers it tasteth more tender then any Chesnut and somewhat like a Peare but saith he what stalke or leafe it bore hee could not understand of any onely he saith he received one that was sent him that had a sprout at the head of it which was broken off in the carriage as the figure here expresseth it unto you but Lobel in his Adversaria saith he understood that those rootes of the Inhame that were brought from Aethiopia and Guincy bore Mallow-like leaves and differeth from those of Spaine and the Canary Islands which are our ordinary great Potatoes and such like leaves doth Lugdunensis give to an American plant called Hotich whose roote is somewhat like it and edible Clusius also speaketh of another sort of these Inhames which as he saith some called Yeam Peru but the Portugals Jnhame as the former which although it were like the other yet the barke was more uneven and some as it were some knobbes thereon with small fibres going from them and from the head of the roote went but hard great stringes of a foote long which were prickly for the most part Clusius seemeth to referre the Virginia Potatoes to the Arachidna Theophrasti and Lugdunensis saith some did the Manihot and that this Jnhame was Battatas de Canada The Frenches Battatas or Hierusalem Artichokes Battatas Virginiana Potatoes of Virginia Battatas Occidentalis Indiae Inâ—ume Orientalis Lusitanorum The West Indian and the Negros Potatoes referred to Theophrastus his Araco similis But Bauhinus his Ovingum or Vingum and Oetum by Pliny so variable are mens conceites especially in things obscure or unknowne or when they doe raptim without due consideration sententium proferre But Scaliger Exercitat 181.17 seemeth to know three other sorts besides the ordinary which will abide good without perishing for a whole yeare and
from this last errour would invert the Text and say that the Bay leaves are the hottest the Poplar the coldest and the Chaste tree leaves a meane betweene them both CHAP. XXXV Olea The Ollive tree THe Ollive is distinguished into the tame or manured Ollive and into the wild sort for although the old Writers aâ— Pliny Columella and others set downe ten sorts which they called by severall names which whether it were in these as in the diversities of Vines wee know not our climate not fitting their growing or according to Wines which according to the severall climates and soyles gave sweeter or harsher weaker or stronger Wine one then another and so greater or lesser Ollives and sweeter or stronger oyle one then another for divers doe account them to be differing in specie one from another as our Apples Peares and Cherries doe 1. Olea sativa The manured Olive tree The manured Ollive tree riseth in some place to be very tall and very great like a great Wallnut tree in others not of halfe that height and greatnesse with divers armes and branches not very thickely set together whereon grow somewhat long and narrow leaves like the Willowes but lesser and shorter thicke fat and sharpe pointed with short footestalke under them greenish above and whitish underneath never falling off the tree of a bitter taste and somewhat sharpe withall the blossomes are many set together at the joynts with the leaves small and of a greenish white colour made of foure leaves a peece after which come round and somewhat long berries greene at the first and changing pale afterwards and then purplish and lastly when they are full ripe of a deepe blacke and some white when they are ripe as Clusius saith he observed some are great others are small and some of a meane sise betweene both some are longer and some rounder then others some are fitter to eate and yeeld not much oyle others are not so fit to eate and are smaller yeelding more store of oyle some againe are gathered unripe and pickled up in brine which are the Ollives we use to eate with meate others are suffâ—red to grow ripe and then pickled or dryed and kept all the yeare to be eaten as every one list Of those Ollives whereof oyle is made some oyle will be delicate sweete and neate others more fatâ—y or full and strong some upon the taste will leave no bitternesse or heate in the mouth but will taste as sweete as butter others againe will be more or lesse hot and unpleasant in taste the wood is faire firme and solid full of curld veines and as apt to burne when it is greene as dry and will not rotin a long time 2. Oleaster sive Oâ—ea sylvestris The wild Ollive tree This wilde Ollive tree groweth somewhat like unto the manured but that it hath harder and smaller leaves and thicker set on the branches with sundry sharpe thornes among the leaves the blossomes and fruite come 1. Olea sativa The manured Ollive tree 2. Olea sylvestris The wild Ollive tree forth in the same manner that the other doe and in as great plenty yet much lesser and scarse comming at any time to ripenesse even in the naturall places but where they doe being ripe they are small with crooked pointes and blacke Of the Ollives hereof is sometimes made oyle which is colder and more astringent in property then the other and harsher in taste and greenish in colour but the Ollives are much also respected and gathered to be eaten The Place and Time Both these grow in the warmer Countries onely neither will they beare fruite in any cold climate or rather scarse live out their Winters the manured as I said before is wholly planted wheresoever it groweth where according to the soyle and climate come greater or lesser Ollives and more or lesse store sweeter oyle also or more strong in taste Many doe thinke saith Columella that the Ollive tree will not grow or at the least not beare fruite if it doe grow above three score miles from the Sea For from the Isles in the Mediterrenean Sea as Zante and Cerigo c. is brought the finest and sweetest oyle and from Majorca c. a fuller or fatter oyle from Protine in France a stronger and hotter tasted oyle then either of them or some others the wilde Ollive groweth naturally in Spaine Portugall Italy and many other Countries They flower in Iune and Iuly and have not their fruite ripe untill November or December and as Clusius in Granado not untill February the wilde in Ianuary and after Virgil sheweth in these Verses that the Ollive being planted needeth no further dressing Non ulla est Olivis cultura neque illae Procurvam expectant falcem rastrosque tenaces Cum semel haeserunt arvis anrasque tulerunt The Names The manured Ollive is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Olea sativa in Latine the wilde Ollive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in Latine Oleaster or Oleasylvestris Cotinus and Olea Aethiopica as Dioscorides hath it the fruite is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Oliva in Greeke and Latine and when they are neere ripe Drupae and Drupetes and Colymbades when they are pickled or dryed to be eaten yet the Greekes at this day call them Dermatia The manner to make Oyle as Matthiolus relateth is thus after the Ollives are gathered they are laid a little to wither and afterwards ground in a Mill and then put into a strong presse with some hot water powred on them to yeelde out the oyle which after it hath stood and is settled the pure oyle is drawne off from the foote or bottome and kept for use The manner to pickle Ollives to have them keepe their greene colour is saith Matthiolus to take six pound of quicke Limestones made into pouther which dissolved in so much water as may make it thinne you are to put thereto twelve pounds of fine sifted Oke ashes dissolved in as much water as will be sufficient into which you are to put 25. pounds of fresh gathered greene Ollives and let them lye therein eight or ten houres at the most to take out their bitternesse stirring them a little and afterwards washed in many waters shifted for five dayes together which are lastly to be put into brine or pickle wherein some Fennell stalkes and leaves have beene put into the boyling and then put up into woodden or earthen vessels as you list The foote of the oyle is called Amurca in Latine The gum saith Dioscorides that the Ethiopian or wilde Ollive doth yeelde is yellow somewhat like unto Scammony being in small droppes and is hot or sharpe biting upon the tongue but that saith he which is blackish resembling Gum Ammoniacum or other gum and burneth not upon the tongue is adulterate and false but saith Matthiolus this gum is neither brought us now adayes nor is in use yet some thinke that our Gum Elemi is it
blacke is ripe in Iune and Iuly the other later The Names The first blacke sorts are taken generally by the best later Writers to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Theophrastus that is Vitis ex parte Idae quam vocant Phalacras but Pliny falsly put in Alexandrina instead of Idaea in Latine by them Vitis Idaea Thâ—ophrasti and because all the rest have a resemblance thereunto they are all called Vites Idaea likewise with their severall distinctions as you shall presently heare they are many of them also called Vaccinia by divers thinking the black sort to be the Vaccinia nigra of Virgil by the transposition of a letter Baccinia nigra parva quasi bacca but that errour is exploded by many good Authours that shew Virgil putteth his Vaccinia among flowers and not fruites for as he saith Et sunt Violae nigrae Vaccinia nigra intending the colours were both alike as a kinde of Hyacinth which he might meane is as the Violet flower Vitruvius and Pliny indeede have a Vaccinium which giveth a purple dye to servants or others garments which may very wel be this for such a purple colour will the juyce hereof give if it be rightly ordered It is also called Myrtillus and by some Myrtillus Germanica because the Physitions and Apothecaries in Germany and those parts tooke them to be true Mirtle berries and so used them untill they were shewed their errour and since have forsaken it as we have done also Gesner also in hortis sheweth that some did take the Vitis Idaea to be that Vine that beareth Currans but saith he that noble Vine groweth not on so high or snowy mountaines but rather in the Planes and open hils and ordered by the industry of men The first Tragus calleth Myrtillus exiguus and so doe Matthiolus and Lugdunensis Dodonaeus and Lobel called it Vaccinia nigra Anguilara radix Idaea fructu nigro Camerarius Gesner and Clusius Vitis Idaea vulgaris baccis nigris Caesalpinus Bagola primum genus The second is called by Tragus Myrtilâ—us grandis and is the Vitis Idaea major of Thalius the Vitis Idaea secunda sive altera of Clusius and the Vitis folijs suer otunais â—nâ—lbidis although he hath transposed some of these titles to his second which is my third whereof onely Clusius maketh mention and calleth it his first and Gerard Vaccinia Pannonica and Bauhinus calleth Vitis Idaea folijs oblongis albicantibus The fourth is called Vaccinia rubra and Vitis Idaea rubra by all writers thereof Camerarius and Thalius say that some tooke it to be Rhus minor Plinij and Clusius Vitis Idaea buxeis folijs and Anguilara Radix Idaea fructu rubro as he did the blacke before Radix Idaea fructu nigro and Lugdunensis doth thinke that this is most properly the Radix Idaea of Dioscorides The fifth is mentioned onely by Camerarius in horto who calleth it Vitis Idaea rubra Bavarica The sixth is referred by Clusius to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Galen in his seventh Booke de composit med secundum locos cap. 4. and thereupon he called it Vva ursi Galeni Bauhinus refereth it to the Vitis Idaea making it his sixth and calleth it Idaea radix Dioscoridis also The seventh is called by Clusius Vitis Idaea tertia not thinking his former to be so worthy of that name Lobel saith the French call it Amelanchier and doubteth if it be not that shrub which they call Alâ—sâ—er Bellonius saith that their Melanchier is called in Candy Agriomelea and Codomalo but I thinke he is deceived that having blacke and this red fruite Gesner in his Epistles as Clusius saith if he meant this plant giveth it divers names as Myrtomalis Petromelis Pyrus Cervina and Pyraster Idaea Dalechampius taking it to be Cotonaster Gesneri calleth it Epimelis altera but giveth it red berries which therefore I suppose may be rather one of the two last The two last are mentioned by Alpinus in his Booke of Exoticke plants by the name of Cerasus and Chamaecerasus Idaea Cretica thinking the former most neerely to be the Cerasus Idaea Theophrasti The Italians did use to call the first Mirtillo but now Vite Idaea according to the Latine the French Airelle and Aurelle the Germanes Heidelbeer the Dutch Crake besien and we Whorts or Whortle berryes and Bill berries with us about London The Vertues The Bill berries doe coole in the second degree and doe a little binde and dry withall they are therefore good in hot agues and to coole the heat of the stomacke and liver and doe somewhat binde the belly and stay castings and loathings but if that they be eaten by those that have a weake or a cold stomacke they will much offend and trouble it saith Camerarius and therefore the juyce of the berries being made into a Syrupe or the pulpe of them made into a conserve with Sugar will be more familiar to such and helpe those paines the cold fruite procured and is good for all the purposes aforesaid as also for those that are troubled with an old cough or with an ulcer in the Lungs or other disease thereof with the juyce of the berries Painters to colour paper or cards doe make a kinde of purple blew colour putting thereto some Allome and Galles whereby they can make it lighter or sadder as they please And some poore folkes as Tragus sheweth doe take a potfull of the juyce strained whereunto an ounce of Allome foure spoonefuls of good Wine vinegar and a quarter of an ounce of the waste of the copper forgings being put together and boyled all together into this liquor while it is reasonable but not too hot they put their cloth wooll thred or yarne therein letting it lye for a good while which being taken out and hung up to dry and afterwards washed with cold water will have the like Turkie blew colour and if they would have it sadder they will put thereto in the boyling an ounce of broken Gaules Gerard saith that hee hath made of the juyce of the red berries an excellent crimson colour by putting a little Allome thereto the red Whorts are taken to be more binding the belly womens courses spitting of blood and any other fluxe of blood or humours to be used as well outwardly as inwardly CHAP. XLVII Iovis barba frutex The silver Bush THis beautifull fine bush groweth to the height of a Iovis barba frutex The Silver Bush man with a number of slender branches thicke bushing out on all sides whereon grow long winged leaves made of many small ones like Lentill leaves but narrower each set against other with an odde one at the end of a faire greene colour on the upperside and of a silver white shining colour underneath the young leaves being also of the same colour at the ends of the branch standeth large umbels of yellow flowers made after the fashion of broome flowers set in grayish huskes like the heads of the three leafed grasse after which
shootes of this Cytisus are not above halfe a yard long slender and hoary whose Trefoile leaves on them have the two lowest smaller then the middlemost which is twise as long but of an hoary ash-colour standing on short footestalkes of an astringent drying taste the flowers stand with 2. Cytisus Creticus incanus sive Ebenus Cretica Belli Candy tree Trefoile or Candy Ebony 3. Cytisus incanus Germanicus The Germane hoary tree Trefoile 4 Cytisus Hispanicus arboreus The Spanish tree Cytisus or tree Trefoile 6. Cytisus Hispanicus sextus Clusij The low Spanish hoary Cistus 7. Cytisus Austriacus sive septimus Clusij The Austrian or Hungarian low Cytisus 10. Cytisus octavus Gerardi Gerard his eighth Cytisus the leaves at the joynts all along the branches two or three together sustained by soft hoary white huskes wherein they stand why Gerard should call this kinde semper virens and his Corrector after him so to let it passe I know not for neither Clusius first set it forth not any since him that have written of it have so related it 7. Cytisus Austriacus sive septimus Clusij The Austrian or Hungarian low Cytisus The slender lithy twigges of this Cytisus are pliable and hard to be broken lying on or neare the ground which are bare of leaves unto the branches whereon they stand without order upon long footestalkes shorter and greener then those of the third or Germane sort and more hairy greenish above and gray underneath the flowers grow two or three at a joynt as the last and at the ends of the branches also yellow at the first but before they are quite past turne more gold yellow so deepe that they seeme red withall the cods are small flat and hairy with small browne seede within them 8. Cytisus Pannonicus sive septimi species altera Clusij The hoary low Cistus This is somewhat like the last in the slender pliable twigs leaning downe to the ground and leaves like them the flowers also are like unto them but stand foure or five together at the ends of the branches and not at the joynts as in the last the cods and seede differ not there-from but the leaves are a little hoary and so are the cods also 9. Cytisus albicans Alpinus The whitish mountaine Cytisus There is little difference in this as by the notes thereof appeareth from others in the branches or leaves but that at some places two or three trefoile leaves are set at a joynt and the flowers are paler 10. Cytisus octavus Gerardi Gerard his eighth Cytisus Gerard and his Corrector after him mention this Cytisus as taken from Lobel and Pena when as it agreeth with neither of those that are extant in their Adversaria neither doth Bauhinus quote him for it as he doth all others that he knew for the eighth of Tabermontanus which might seeme to be this Bauhinus noteth to be his hirsutus the chiefest difference therein as Gerard saith is in the leaves which are a little dented on the edges which yet are not seene in the figure The Place and Time The first of these Bartholmeus Maranta found in Naples and Honorius Bellus in Candy as he did the second also all the rest except the sixth and last were found by Clusius in Hungary Austria and the parts thereabout they all flower in the Spring of the yeare but some earlier and some later and give their seede in August and September The Names It is called in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Cytisus in Latine a Cythnio insula as Pliny saith from whence it was carryed to the Cyclades to the Greekes and after to the Latines for the wonderfull fruitfullnesse it procureth both in men and cattle but especially in their heards and flockes the former times as Matthiolus and Tragus shew by their mistakings of the true Cytisus were smally verst in the knowledge of plants in that hot the most part whatsoever herbe offered it selfe next to hand that had but some shew like the true it was presently accepted for true although after upon better examination it proved farre short thereof The first of these is the Cytisus Maranthae of Matthiolus Lobel Lugdunensis and all others and taken by Camerarius and others to be the Cytisus verus of Galen Dioscorides c. the Italian Pena confounded this and the next together as Bellus seemed to doe also in calling it Cytisus Creticus which he said is like unto that of Marantha yea it is the same as he thought having the like crooked cods to be the Ebenus Cretica but he afterwards corrected himselfe in that it differeth much in the heads of flowers and seede from that of Marantha but Bauhinus saith he received from Bellus branches of each of these to shew the difference so that this first is the Lignum Rhodium or Cytisus verus And the second is that which he first called Cytisus Creticus and by the Cretanes Archâ—ntoxylum that is nobile lignum which for distinctions sake he calleth Ebenus Cretica The third is the first Cytisus of Clusius in his history and the Cytisus prior of Lobel and likewise the Cytisus albus sylvestris of Cordus in his History although Bauhinus doth sever them into three sorts as who so will heedefully marke them shall soone see that there is no such difference in them to cause them so to be severed The fourth is the third Cytisus of Clusius which Lobel and Lugdunensis call quartus Hispanicus because it is so in his Spanish Observations but we take them all in this worke according to the numbers expressed in his History of plants as I have shewed you in divers places before The foure last sorts have in their titles the number that you shall finde them in Clusius The Vertues The leaves of all these sorts for it is probable they doe not one differ from another are cooling and doe disperse tumours and hard swellings if they shall be beaten with bread and so applyed the decoction of them being drunke provoketh urine for as Galen saith the leaves have a digesting quality with some temperate humidity in them also as Mallow leaves have Columella sheweth that in former ages there was much profit made by the feeding of sheepe herewith to give store of milke and not onely to fatten them but Bullockes and Goates also and Hens and all other sorts of cattell but was planted also for Bees to feede on as from whence they did gather more honey then from any other plant whatsoever and besides it abideth greene eight moneths of the yeare for their pasture and may be kept dry the rest of the yeare following as the dry fodder if women that be Nurses have not any store of milke in their brests let them steepe some of the leaves and young branches hereof in faire water all night and being strained forth in the morning let them take three parts thereof with a fourth of wine which will breede good store of milke in them and make their
where it was burned for they said that whosoever came neare the fire or flame thereof or whomever the smoake onely touched was made utterly impotent and unabled to any venereous acts CHAP. CXXIII Arbor Farinifera The Bread tree SOme that accompanied Sir Francis Drake in compassing the whole world did relate that in the Iland of Ternate which is neare the Equinoctiall line towards the North pole groweth a strange kinde of tree about ten foot high whose toppe is formed like unto a Cabbidge in the middle whereof is found a fine white meale which the poore Ilanders gather and by putting a little water thereto and letting it ferment they make past or dough whereof they make thinne flat square Cakes and bake them in certain long earthen pans with fire put round about them which they eate while they are hot for when they are growne older and hard they steepe them in warme water and bring them to a kinde of pultage and so eate them but this Cake or bread is in a manner without taste or rellish but when some Pepper or Cinamon with Sugar is put thereto it is a pleasant food to many but Marcia Poâ—us Venetus recordeth a more strange bread tree growing in the kingdome of Fanfur Arbor vâ—sta saâ—iâ—fera whose trunke two men could scarse fadome the barke whereof being thicke and taken away the wood thereof about three inches thicke in compasse is as hard as Iron being so heavy thaâ— it sinketh instantly in water whereof the natives make them short pikes or speares sharpening and burning them at the end so that they will be able to pearce Armour but the whole middle of this tree is soft like unto a meale which putting in water and stirring it to take away all the drosse that swimmeth above they mould up the residence into cakes and divers other sorts of viands fit to be eaten and whereof as hee saith he brought some with him to Venice CHAP. CXXIIII Arbor sive Palma saccifera The Bagge bearing Nut tree CErtaine Dutch Marriners having by a casualtie lost their shippe wherein they with others were sayling to the West Indies in their returne home in their shippe boate lighted on a desart Iland called Coronopez wherein they found whole woods full of these kindes of strange trees and others growing among them whose fruits being round Nuts as bigge as Wallnuts with their greene outer shell and within them other smaller Nuts so round as a ball and with so hard a shell yet not very thicke that they could hardly be broken with an Iron hammer and a white hollow kernell in the middle tasting like Pease at the first but a little bitter afterwards Arbor sive palma saccifera The bagge bearing Nut tree like a Lupine were inclosed in a long sheathe or hollow hose resembling an Hipocras or Syrupe bagge some being twenty two inches long others two foot and a halfe long yet all being very small at the end and growing larger up to the toppe where they were about seven inches wide and composed of a number of brownish threds or haires dispersed all over the case some running at the length and some crossewise by a wonderfull worke of nature CHAP. CXXV Arbor metrosideros The Iron hearted tree SCaliger maketh mention of a certaine small tree is reported to grow in the I le of Iava major whose heart or core is as impenitrable as Iron from the bottome to the toppe and the fruit which it beareth is likewise as hard but the report saith he is of so little credit and so neare a falsitie as I am from beleeving it yet Nicholaus Costinus in his Iournall doth report the same thing CHAP. CXXVI Arbor Gehuph The Splene tree of Sumatra IN the I le of Sumatra anciently called Trapobana Arbor Gehuph The Splene tree of Sumatra or Taprobana as Thevet relateth it groweth a tree not very great called there Gehuph and in the Indies Cobbam whose leaves are many smal ones set on a rib together somewhat like unto the Cassia solutiva or purging Cassia leaves set on short branches covered with a yellowish barke the fruit is somewhat thicke and as round as a ball where under is contained a Nut as big as an hasel Nut with a very bitter kernel within it yet tasting like an Angellica roote they use the fruit to quench thirst but the bitter kernell is the most effectuall in the diseases of the Liver and Spleene wherewith they are much afflicted and therefore draw an oyle out of the kernells of the Nuts which they take for eight dayes together in which time the disease is much abated and quickly after cured those that cannot by reason of the bitternesse take it so willingly as women and children it is appointed unto them to be annointed with the oyle on the belly back bone and sides which worketh the cure alike the said oyle is in much use with them also and of great account for the singular helpe and remedy it giveth to all joynt aches gouts and the like the gum likewise of this tree being dissolved with a little oyle and spread plasterwise is applyed to the grieved places with good effect The inhabitants doe plant this tree neare their Houses in their Orchards and Gardens for to have the benefit thereof nigh at hand CHAP. CXXVII Beretinus fructus The Beretine Ackorne CLusius in his second booke of Exoticks and seventeenth Chapter maketh mention that he obtained some of these fruites from those that accompanied Sir Francis Drake in his Circumnavigation of the world returning in the yeare 1580. by the meanes of some of his friends here as Beretium fructus The Beretine Acorne Master Garth and Master Morgan which were affirmed to be gathered in some Islands whereinto they put both for fruit and victuall standing in neede of both from very great and tall trees bigger then Oakes whose leaves were like unto Bay leaves not dented at all about the edges but thicke and shining the fruit were like the Ackornes of the Ilex or evergreene Oake but without any cup for as hee saith he enquired thereof of some of them whose outer rinde was thinne and of an ash colour and some blackish the inner kernell being somewhat long and white without any manifest taste within but covered with a thinne skinne which they found good to be eaten without any harme following and therefore in their want being taught by the Ilanders they boyled them like Pulse or Pease and so eate them or beate them to pouther and boiled them like Rice or Wheat untill it became a pultage and so eate them for hunger yet afterwards they found the like trees and fruit to grow in the Islands of the Moluccas as they affirmed But with what other propertie they were indued neyther they nor any other hath manifested to any that I know CHAP. CXXVIII Vhebebasou The Indian Hony tree THevet maketh mention of this tree among his other American singularities to be very tall spreading the branches so uniformely
children strong and able the dryed leaves steeped all night in water and boyled afterwards strained and drunke is as effectuall as the juyce CHAP. LV. Pseudocytisus The bastard or base tree Trefoile THere are divers sorts also of this base or bastard kinde to shew you whereof one is the most adulterate of them all which therefore shall be last exprest 1. Pseudocytisus Hispanicus primus The first Spanish base tree Trefoile This first base tree Trefoile groweth up to the height of a small tree whose body and branches are covered with a grayish barke the younger twigges being hoary white the leaves are many and smaller then in any other sort of Cytisus three alwayes set on a stalke of a pale greene colour and abiding in the Winter contrary to any of the rest of a bitterish taste the flowers are yellower and smaller then Broome flowers standing as it were spike fashion at the end of the branches after which come rough hairy long pods wherein is thicke flattish blacke seede smaller then that of Broome the roote is wooddy and spreadeth divers wayes the wood is firme and yellowish 2. Pseudocytisus Hispanicus secundus The second Spanish base tree Trefoile This second Spanish sort riseth not much above a yard high full of shootes from the rootes which are branched forth and wholly white having hoary Trefoile leaves never open but as it were folded together the middle rib being great of an extreame bitter taste the deepe yellow flowers are somewhat sweete and stand at the end of the branches like the former and the pods that follow are long and rough of a blackish purple colour the points being turned downewards with greater and blacker seede in them the roote is like the former 3. Pseudocytisus niger Blacke base tree Trefoile This base tree Trefoile groweth with the limber pliant shootes it bringeth forth not so high but straighter and greater then the last the barke of them being of a darke grayish colour beset with small Trefoile leaves somewhat round and a little bitter in taste and of a darke greenish colour the flowers grow at the toppes of the stalkes many together spike fashion of a yellow colour and pretty sweete sent like unto honey the cods that follow are somewhat long and flat with brownish seede in them 4. Pseudocytisus folijs subrotundis Base tree Trefoile with roundish leaves The stem hereof hath sundry branches growing forth from it and set with small roundish darke greene leaves upon very short footestalkes the flowers are smaller then those of Broome and yellow but more store set together at the ends of the branches then the smallnesse of the plant might seeme to beare of a pretty sweete sent and a pulselike taste the pods and seede are small like the last 5. Pseudocytisus Hispanicus Bauhini Bauhinus his Spanish base tree Trefoile This Spanish base tree Trefoile hath hard round striped stalkes foure or five foote high branched into sundry branches somewhat woolly stored with divers small Trefoile leaves of a pale greene colour the flowers are small and yellow like the others unto which succeede many small pods like unto those of Birds-foote three foure or five joyned together on a stalke with small flat blackish seede in them this is not the same with the first of these base tree Trefoiles here set downe being much different 6. Cytisus facie quibusdam Alissum fruticans A Cytisus-like unlike plant Because others before me have placed this plant as last of the Cytisus so must I for this time which else might 1. Pseudocytisus Hispanicus primus The first Spanish base tree Trefoile Pseudocytisus Hispanicus secundus The second Spanish base tree Trefoile 3. Pseudocytisus niger Blacke base tree Trefoile 4. Pseudocytisus folijs subrotâ—ndis Base tree Trefoile with roundish leaves in some sort have beene set with the other Alyssa the description 6. Cytisus facie quibusdam Alissum fruticans A Cytisus-like unlike plant whereof is thus From a tough wooddy rootes grow up sundry pliant hoary greene stalkes spreading into branches set with divers hoary greene leaves together contrary to all the other Cytisiâ—s yet each leafe by it selfe somewhat like unto them but thicker and hairy also the flowers are many and yellow that stand at the toppes spike fashion composed of foure leaves like to Stocke Gilloflowers after which come seedes in round pods The Place and Time Three of these grow in Spaine the former two found by Clusius and the last by some other the other two in France and Germany and flower and seede in the time of the former The Names The first of these is the first Cytisus of Clusius which Lobel and Lugdunensis call Cytisus Hispanicus primus by Dodonaeus Pseudocytisus prior and Bauhinus Cytisus minoribus folijs ramulis tenellis villâ—sis The second is Clusius his second Cytisus called also Cytisus secundus Hispanicus by Lobel and Lugdunensis and by Dodonaeus Pseudocytisus alter The third is the Pseudocytisus seu niger Cordi the Cytisus niger sive major of Camerarius The fourth Cytisus of Clusius the Cytisus minor of Gesner which Lugdunensis calleth Cytisus Gesneri and by Bauhinus Cytisus glaber nigricans The fourth is the Cytisus alter minor of Lobel which Eystetensis calleth Trifolium arborescens The last Bauhinus onely hath described in his Prodromus by the same title I doe here give it you The Vertues We have nothing recorded of any particular any of these base shrubbes are indued withall and although some may thinke that they are of the same quality with the former I am not of that opinion in regard they are all much more bitter then the former and some intensively bitter which can be no helpe to encrease milke in any creature nor yet to fatten them as the former doe CHAP. LVI Cupressus The Cypresse tree SOme doe make two sorts of Cipresse trees the male and the female the one that spreadeth more then the other which groweth more upright not much differing in any thing else which maketh me thinke the diversity riseth from the soyle or some casualty and that the male which spreadeth is not a distinct species which preserveth the kinde naturally as all other things doe especially seeing as Theophrastus saith the one doth degenerate into the other and that both doe beare nuts and seede alike I shall therefore under one make mention of both sorts if they be so and shew you that the Cypresse groweth to be a great tall upright tree spreading out the branches so even round about that it seemeth to be so formed by Art being small below not farre above the ground then spreading out larger yet keeping a round close compasse and afterwards spiring up to the toppe lesse and lesse very well representing a Piramis or Spire steeple the body and armes are covered with a reddish barke the leaves are ever green but loosing much of the verdure in Winter which it regaineth the next Spring after and somewhat long slender and flattish round