Of Wormwod and the kindes and places where they growe.

ABsinthium is named in Greke [...] / in Duche Wermut or Alkin / or Elk / in Frenche Aluin or Absince / in Italian Assenzo / in Spanishe Asentios / in Englishe Wormwode. There are thre kindes of Wormwode after the iudgements of Dioscorides / Galene / Pli­ny / Aetius / and Paulus Egineta. The fyrste kind is called Absinthium Ponticum / Dios­corides describeth not absinthium Ponti­cum / as an herbe well knowen in hys tyme euen vnto the common people. Which thinge hath bene the cause / that of late yeares it hath bene so litle knowen of the Phisicians both in Italy and in Germanye / and in manye other countrees. Howbeit a diligent and witty man might haue gathered of Dioscorides / where he compareth in diuerse places Absin­thium Ponticum and other herbes together in likenes of leaues and bran­ches / that this common Wormwode whiche hath bene longe taken for [Page 2] Pontike Wormwode / was not the Pontike wormwode that Dioscori­des meant of. For in the description of oure common Sothernwod / he sayeth that it hath small braunches lyke Wormwod / that is to saye / Pon­tike Wormwode: and in the description of Santonik Wormwod he wri­tes that it is not vnlyke vnto Wormwode / meaninge thereby as I sayed before / Pontike wormwode. Then he that knoweth well by the descrip­tion of Dioscorides / ether Sothernwode or Santonike wormwode / maye thereby metely well knowe Pontike wormwode / or at the lest that this common Wormwood is not the righte Pontike wormwode / because the braunches are not lyke. But Galene perceyuinge in hys tyme that the ignorance of the righte Wormwode Pontike began to come in / belyke be­cause that Dioscorides went ouer it vndescribed in the eleuenth boke De methodo medendi / fulfilleth perfectly it that Dioscorides left oute / in these wordes followinge: When as there is in euery Wormwod a duble poure / in Pontike wormwode is no small binding propertye / in all other Worm­wodes a verye vehement bitter qualitie. But as for astriction or bindinge / which a man can perceyue by taste / is ether verye harde to be founde / or ellis none at all. Wherefore Pontike Wormwode oughte to be chosen for the inflammationes of the lyuer. But it hath muche lesse floures and leaues then other Wormwodes / and the smelle of thys is not onelye not vnpleasant / but resembleth a certeyne spicines or pleasant sauor / all other haue a verye foule smell. Galene also in the sixt boke of Simple medici­nes writeth / that Pontike wormwod is not so hote as the other kindes of Wormwode be / and that it is more bindinge then bitter. By thys de­scription of Galene it is playne that the herbe whiche is called in the West parte of Englande / Herbe cypres / about London Wormwod Ro­man / in Freseland / Cypreskruyt / or wilde Rosmarine / of the Apotheca­ries of Anwerpe / and of Mesue Absinthium Romanum / and of the Co­lones Graue cruyt / is the right Absinthium Ponticum / and that the great bitter stinking common Wormwod / is not the Wormwod that Galene taketh / and teacheth to be taken for Wormwode Pontike. For the hole de­scription agreeth wyth the litle Wormwode Roman / and disagreeth wyth the common great leaued Wormwod / as euerye indifferent man that hath sene / tasted / smelled / and compared the herbes with the descri­ption / can beare witnes. But Matthiolus whome the Spanyarde A­matus foloweth / holdeth not withstandinge these wordes of Galene a­boue rehearsed / that oure common great Wormwod / is righte Pontike wormwod / hys wordes are these: Some of later writers leaninge vnto the authorite of Galene libro secundo de methodo medendi / that Pontike wormwode differeth muche in kinde from it that groweth in oure coun­tre / euen as Santonike and Sea wormwod do differ. But I for my parte do beleue / that they differ in no otherwise / but that Pontike by the reason of the clyme and complexion of the region where it groweth / hath lesse floures and leaues then oures hath / and for the same cause I beleue that it excelles oures also both in bindinge and also in sauor or smellinge / whyche thinge Galene in the sixte boke of Simple medicines / where as he intreateth of Sothernwod / doeth sufficientlye declare / when he sayeth / there are two kindes of Sothernwod / the one which they call the male / and the other which they call the female / whiche thinge is de­termined [Page 3] by Dioscorides and Pamphilus / and infinit mo. But Worm­wod is an other thinge / differinge from Sothernwode: and of Worm­wode we must determine that there are thre kindes / of the whiche there is one that hath hys name of his kinde or countreye / as is called Pontike wormwode / the other Santonike / the thirde Seriph or Sea Worm­wode. Wherefore Dioscorides iudged well / where as in the kinde of common Wormwode he gaue the chefe prayse vnto Pontike. The same Matthiolus writeth also these wordes. There are thre kindes of Worm­wode intreated of here of Dioscorides / that is to wet / oure common Wormwode / Sea wormwod whiche they call Seriphium / and San­tonike / whereof France nexte vnto the Alpes hath great plenty. Be­cause Matthiolus is a learned man / and therefore by the opinion of his learninge euen wythoute good reason and autorite maye drawe other after him in to his error: for the defence of the trueth / I will confute hys error both wyth reason and sufficient authorite. Where he sayeth that Dioscorides intreateth of thre kindes of Wormwod / and that he intreateth fyrste of / is oure common Wormwod. In the beginninge he swarueth from the trueth / for the fyrste kinde of Wormwode that Dios­corides intreateth of / is Pontike wormwode. But the common Worm­wode is not Pontike wormwode: the beste Pontike Wormwode / as Dioscorides sayeth / groweth in Ponto in Cappadocia / and in the hill called Taurus / and in the description of Abrotoni / he maketh Abrotonum the female lyke vnto Sea Wormwode / and the male lyke in smallnes of the littel braunches vnto Wormwode. Where as Wormwod doutles sig­nifieth Pontike wormwode / for Wormwod rehearsed alone wythoute a­nye addicion / is euer taken for Pontike Wormwod / because it is more excellent / then all other Wormwodes be. But the common Wormwod groweth not in mountaynes or wilde hilles / but onelye aboute tounes / diches / hyghe wayes / and in tilled and labored grounde / nether is it lyke vnto oure common Sothernwod / whiche is the male in Dioscorides / for it hath stalkes / leaues and braunches / ten tymes greater then Abro­tonum the male hath / as euerye man maye se / that will compare the one wyth the other / Therefore this common greate Wormwode that groweth onelye aboute tounes / diches / and in tilled groundes wyth a leafe and braunches / ten tymes greater then Sothernwod / can not be Absinthium Ponticum of Dioscorides. It is not therefore truely sayeth of Matthiolus / that the fyrste kinde of Wormwod that Dioscorides in­treateth of / is the common Wormwode that groweth commonlye in Italye / whiche is the common Wormwode both of Germanye and of Fraunche / of Englande / and of Scotlande. Because Dioscorides descri­beth not Pontike wormwode / as an herbe in hys tyme well ynough knowen / euen vnto the common sorte. If anye other Autentike author describeth Pontike wormwod at large / we ought to beleue him / and to take that for Pontike wormwode / whyche disagreeth wyth hys descri­ption. But where as Dioscorides lefte Pontike wormwode vndescri­bed / the noble Phisician Galene / who practised Phisick / not onelye in Grecia / but also in Rome / described Absinthium Ponticum verye dili­gentlye / wherefore we must take that onelye for Pontike wormwode / [Page 4] that agreeth not wyth hys description. But this common Wormwode a­greeth not wyth the description of Galene of Pontike wormwode / there­fore thys common Wormwod is not the Pontike wormwode. Galene in the description of Pontike wormwode sayeth that in Pontike worm­wode is no small bindinge qualitie. In all other Wormwoddes the bit­ter qualite is moste exceadinge and greatest. Pontike wormwode hath a leafe and a floure muche lesse then the other haue / the smell also of the same is not onelye not vnpleasant / but also resembling in smell a certeyne spice. But all the other haue a stinkinge or foule smell. These are Gale­nes wordes: But the common great wormwod is bytterer then all other Wormwoddes / it hath a greater leafe and floure / then anye other / and it stinketh also more then anye other Wormwod / therefore of all other it is farthest from Pontike wormwod. I knowe thre sortes of Wormwode besyde the common / the right Sea wormwode / the smale Wormwode that groweth in the olde walles and ruines of Rome / and the thyrde sorte / that groweth in Gardines in Englande / and in the fieldes aboute Wor­mes and Spyer in Germanye. All these thre sortes haue lesse leaues and floures / and a better smell then the common Wormwod hath. Therefore if Matthiolus had regarded as he oughte to haue done the authorite of Galene / he shoulde haue taken anye of these thre / or at the lest two of them rather for Pontike wormwod / then the common wormwode / na­mely when as he hath sene these two sortes of Wormwod / the one in Rome and the other ether in Italy or in Germany / or at the lest described in the later writers of the Germanes / vnder y ^e name of Abrotoni feminee / and espe­ciallye in Fuchsio and in Hieronymo Trago / where he sayeth that the cly­me or nature of y ^e countreye maketh such diuersite and difference betwene the wormwod Pontik and the Wormwod of Italy / which he can no other waye proue / but by onlye gessinge: Then when ther is such diuersite and difference of y ^e clyme and of the nature of y ^e countre betwene Rome and Frese­land / and y ^e farthest parte of Englande / then shoulde ther be some notable diuersite betwene y ^e comon wormwod of England and Freseland / and the comon Wormwod of Italy. But ther is no difference at all betwene them / nether in qualite nor quantite that a man may perceyue / ye and if ther were any suche notable difference / how chaunseth it that y ^e Wormwod growinge in Germany both in the fieldes and also in gardins / and the Wormwode y ^t groweth in Rome besyde the temple of Peace / and in diuerse other places of the olde walles and ruines of the cytie / are nothing at all / or at the lest but a littel differinge from the quantite and qualite of Pontike worm­wode. And yet the common Wormwod if it were wormwod Pontike / or a kinde of it / shoulde differ so farre both in quantite and also in diuerse qualities from the right and naturall Pontike wormwod / Surely euen if he coulde proue y ^t it were a kinde of Pontike wormwod (which thinge he shall neuer be able to do) it must nedes folowe that it were the worst of all y ^e thre kindes y ^t are in Italye. Then lett wyse men iudge how rightly Matthiolus iudgeth in this matter / when he refusing ether / or if I should saye y ^e best / not knowinge these two better sortes / aloweth this euell fauored and stinkinge common Wormwode / namelye when as Galene expres­sedly condemneth thys greate stinkinge and bitter kinde of Wormwod / [Page 5] and aloweth it with the smaler leaues / and better and pleasanter smell. Matthiolus as though he had proued his purpos well with his glose of the diuersite of the clymes and natures of the groundes / sayeth also these wordes. Galene sayeth in the sixt boke of simple medecines: Sothernwod is a fare other thinge from Wormwod / and of wormwod are thre kindes / wherof they call one by the same kinde or countre name / wher it groweth. Whereof the Pontik is the best. The second they call Seriphium / and the thirde Santonicum / wherefore me thinke that Dioscorides iudged well when in the kindes of comon Wormwod / he commended Pontike aboue the rest. This is the sayinge of Matthiolus / If that Dioscorides sayed wel / because Galene sayed the same after him as though Dioscorides makinge thre kindes of Wormwod / and praysing most Pontik wormwod / had not done well / if Galene had not alowed it that Dioscorides had written be­fore. If that the autorite of Galene be so great with Matthiolus / why doth he alowe amongest the kindes of Wormwod / for Pontike wormwod that kinde that Galene of all other most disprayseth & commandeth to excheue / and taketh awaye from the kindes of Pōtike wormwode / in these wordes / All other Wormwods / sauing Pontik wormwod haue a foule smell and a greater leafe and floure then Pontike hath: wherefore they ought to be fled / and Pontike to be receyued. But I wote whye he prayseth Dioscori­des / that is because he semeth to geue him a maior or sure grounde to ma­ke an argument that this comon Wormwode must nedes be Pontike or a kinde of Pontike Wormwod / and he semeth to reason priuely thus: Both Dioscorides and Galene make no more kindes of Wormwod but thre: but this great kinde of comō Wormwode is nether Sea wormwod nor San­tonick wormwod. Therefore it foloweth that it is Pontick wormwod / or a kinde of it. Fyrste vnto this argument I answer / that it is no good argu­ment. Dioscorides maketh onely thre kindes of Wormwod / ergo there are only thre kindes of Wormwood / and no more. For as Dioscorides doth se­uerally describe diuers kindes of herbes / that other haue not touched: so diuerse autentike and noble writters do describe diuers kindes of herbes / whereof he hath made no mencion at all. Theophrastus who wrote longe before Dioscorides / describeth a kinde Bruthalassij / in likenes and qualite and quantite / muche differing from it that Dioscorides describeth / where as Dioscorides maketh no mencion. But of one kinde of Sorbus / and yet describeth it not: Pliny that wrote muche of him / maketh mencion of foure diuerse kindes / and describeth them / where Dioscorides maketh but one kinde of Betoni. Paulus Egineta that came after him a longe tyme / ma­keth two kindes / whereof the one is nothinge at all lyke the other / Where Dioscorides maketh but one kinde of Ashe / Theophrastus maketh two di­uerse and seuerall kindes. Auerrois maketh mencion of a kinde of Worm­wode / which he calleth Absinthiolum / whereof there is no mencion in Di­oscorides / And Auicenna maketh fyue kindes of Wormwode / where as Dioscorides and Galene make but thre kindes / wherefore it foloweth not / because Dioscorides and Galene make but thre kindes of Wormwode / ergo there are but thre kindes of Wormwode. Yea if there were but onely thre kindes of Wormwod / yet it should not folowe streyght / that the com­mon Wormwod should be vnder the kinde of Pontike Wormwod: Naye / it should folowe that it should be a kinde of See wormwod / or Santonik [Page 6] Wormwod rather then Pontike Wormwod or anye kinde of it / because Galene maketh all kindes of Wormwode greater leued and floured / and more stinkinge then Pontike Wormwode. Therefore when as this great comon Wormwod is greater and more stinkinge then anye other Wormwode is / it muste nedes be farrest awaye from the kinde of Pon­tike Wormwode / and so rather a kinde of Sea Wormwod or San­tonike Wormwode / and especiallye of Santonike / because Santo­nia is nerer Italye / Germanye / and England / then Pontus is / in whiche countres by the more likenes of the clymes and nerenes of the countres / it is more likely that there shoulde be more plentye of San­tonike Wormwod then Pontike. Gerhardus de VVijck, twelue yeares ago / when as he was in Colon at that tyme the Emperours Secreta­ry / taught me fyrste the righte Pontike Wormwode. Thys man was well learned in Greke / Latine / and Hebrew / and was so earnest a ser­cher of simpels when he was in Italy / that he went into the mount Ap­pennine wyth manye other / to finde oute simplesse / whereof he onelye wyth two or thre other escaped death / for all the other dyed ether in there yorneye / or shortely after that they came home. Thys same man tolde me that after his laborsum and perillous iorney / he fell into a dropsy / and that by vsinge of Romish or Pontike Wormwod / whiche he founde in Italye / he was delyuered from his dropsye. But it was not the common Wormwode / but Absinthium Romanum that the Apothe­caries of Anwerpe vse / and is called Graue cruyt. This noble clerke afterwarde was sente by Charles the fyft / Embassator to the greate Turke / and in his iorneye he came thorowe Pontus / and broughte home wyth hym trewe Rapontike / whereof manye haue douted manye a daye / The same clerke after he came home from Pontus / seynge a frende of hys writinge agaynst them that helde that Graue cruyt of the coloures / shoulde be Absinthium Ponticum / reproued hym and made him in the seconde settinge furth of his boke / call back hys former opinion / and write that Absinthium Romanum Antuerpien­sium and Coloniensium / was the trewe Pontik and Romish Worm­wod. Then if it be trewe that Plautus sayeth / Pluris est oculatus te­stis vnus, quàm auriti decem: men ought rather to beleue Gerardus in this matter then Matthiolus. A certayne Spanyard / somtyme called Ioannes Rodericus / and afterward I can not tell by what chaunge named Amatus Lusitatus / a verye ape vnto Matthiolus / but muche behinde him in learninge / who semeth to haue taken a great parte of his boke oute of the Italian Commentaries of Matthiolus / writteth thus of Wormwod Pontike. The common Wormwode is all one wyth Pontike and Romishe Wormwode / for they differ in nothinge but in the naturall place of their growinge / whereby it chaunsed that Galene in his bookes De methodo medendi / mighte seme to make them som­tyme diuerse herbes / when as they are but all one herbe / & caet.

If Amatus had ben Pythagoras / and we hys scollares / we woulde haue ben content wyth hys onely sayinge / that the common Wormwod was Pontike Wormwode / withoute anye requiringe of further autho­rite or reasons to proue thys sayinge wythall. But seynge that he is nether Pythagoras / nor we hys scollares / we require both authorite [Page 7] and reason to proue that the common Wormwod is Wormwode Pon­tike / and because we finde nether of both fitt to hys sayinge / we do not receaue this sayinge for Apollones aunswere: Naye / because it is con­trarye both vnto Dioscorides and Galene / we take his iudgement to be vntrewe and in no wise to be followed. He sayeth that the common Wormwode agreeth in all thinges wyth Pontike Wormwode / sauinge onelye in the naturall place of growinge. But thys saynge is quite a­gaynste the saynge of Galene in vndecimo libro methodi medendi: where he sayeth that in all other Wormwodes / sauinge in Pontike / the bitter qualitie excedeth all other qualities / and they haue a foule smell or stin­kinge: Pontike Wormwode hath a lesse leafe and flower / and a better smell then the other haue. Therefore Pontike Wormwod differeth from Sea Wormwod in greatnes and in stinkinge smell: But thys great Wormwode is both greater and more stinkinge / and also lesse bindinge then the Sea Wormwode is / then when as Sea Worm­wode is greater / lesse bindinge / and more stinkinge then Pontike Wormwod / and the common Wormwode excedeth the Sea Worm­wode in all these. It must nedes followe that Pontike Wormwode dif­fereth from the common Wormwod / not onelye in the naturall place of growinge / but also in bignes / smellinge / and bindinge / and the place aboue rehersed / proueth that it is not trewe / that he sayed that Pon­tike Wormwode is tauler or hygher then the other common Worm­wodes be / when as Galen teacheth the open contrarye. It is a mar­ueyl to se howe manye ennemies alwayes the trueth hath in all kindes of learninge / after that it hath bene longe hyde / and beginneth to springe vp agayne / and by a fewe is set furth to be receyued frelye of all men. Some of the Apothecaries of Rome / belyke warned and taught by some learned Phisician there / began to leaue the common Wormwod that groweth about diches and hyghe wayes wyth the brode leafe and the stinkinge smell and bitter taste / and to vse in the stede of that Wormwode that groweth aboue olde walles of Rome. These Apothecaries receyued the trueth and followed it as they were taught.

But two Obseruante freres coulde not abyde the trueth / whiche of late by name wrote agaynst the Apothecaries of Rome / for holdinge with the trueth. The freres will not aboue the small leaued Worm­wod / for Pontike Wormwode / because it groweth wythin the wal­les of the cytye / and alowe the euel fauored stinkinge Wormwode that groweth oute of the cytye / because it groweth in a freer ayre then the other doth. In dede if that the broade leaued Wormwode were Pontike Wormwod / as it is not / and some of it grewe wythin the cyte / and some abrode in the fieldes. It that grewe abroade were the better. But the freres graunt that the small Wormwod that groweth in the cy­te / is of a farre other kinde then the common Wormwode is of. Then what comparison can be made betwene the herbes of two diuerse kin­des / except a man will condemne the one kinde / and set oute and alowe the other kinde. The Wormwode that groweth in Rome / is nether Sea Wormwod nor Santonik wormwod / and the description of Pontik Wormwod agreeth with the forme and fassiō / qualities and vertues of the [Page 8] Wormwode that groweth in Rome / therefore it is Pontike wormwode. Loke vpon Galene who so list in the eleuenth boke De methodo medendi, and there he shall finde that the description of Pontike wormwode agre­eth with the Wormwode of Rome / and that in manye thinges disagreeth with the comon Worwod / which the freres take for Pontike wormwode. Let then wise men iudge whether the right Pontike wormwod growing within the walles of the cyties / ought to be vsed for Wormwod Pontike / or Roman Wormwod / or the euill fauored stinkinge kinde that groweth a littel out of the cite / aboute diches and besyde corne feldes / ought rather to be vsed according vnto the learninge of Galene. The freres bringe di­uerse argumentes / to proue that the Wormwod growing in Rome / is no good Wormwod: one is because by plantinge and chaunginge of groun­des / it will not chaunge his qualite / an other is sett out falsely (as far as I can se) or elles manye men lye of Mesue / who (as they saye) describeth Wormwod Romane to haue broder leues / smooth and playne. What ma­ner of reason is this Wormwod growinge in Rome / will not chaunge ne­ther qualite nor quantite / when he is transplanted into a fatter grounde / ergo it is naught? These freres if they wold haue taken the paynes to haue rede Theophrastus De plantarum causis, lib. 1. cap. 1. diligently / they might haue found there that some herbes are worse for transplantinge / and for bringing into a fatter and moyster grounde. And whether the right Wormwod be any of those herbes or no / these wordes of Theophrastus here after folowing / can beare witnes: Ager agitatus cōfectus (que) & plus pabuli prae­stat, & sapores immutat: ergo ratione optima, cultus quibusdam commodè adhiberi quibusdam minimè possit: ceu illis quae sicca, acria, amara, atque ad summum venenosa sunt, vsum (que) medicaminis praestant. Haec enim sub­latis viribus, hebetantur atque effeminantur, vt alia fructum omninò ferre ne queant, alia humidiorem, deteriorem (que) pariant, quae etiam aquosa reddun­tur, ceu absinthium & fel terrae. As for Mesue in his descriptiō of Worm­wod Romane / whether he maketh Wormwod Romane with broade lea­ues or no / I report me both vnto the comon translacion / whiche hath / me­lius est quod nascitur in terris liberis, remotum ab odore maris, folia habens alba, leuia, & plana: and also vnto the translacion of Siluius / which hath these wordes: Romanū eligimus folijs albis, leuibus & planis odore iucūdo. Here maye a man se that the freres allege Mesue otherwise then the textes haue / and that they deserue no credite in there vntrue allegacion. Ye and though Mesue had sayed that Absinthium Romanum which is the righte Ponticum / had greater leaues. Yet we shoulde rather beleue Galene then Mesue / which sayeth that Absinthium Ponticum of all other hath y ^e smal­lest leefe. Here are the apotecaries to be warned / that they cal not with the freres contrary vnto Dioscorides / Galene / Pliny / Aetius / and Paulus / Absinthium Seriphium / Absinthium Ponticum. They dreame belike that Absinthium Marinum / maye be called also Ponticū / because Pontus is som­tyme taken for the sea. But that is not the vse of learned Phisicians to na­me it so / Wherefore we must call euery herbe by the name that the aunciēt Authors haue geuen it. Where as these freres haue shewed in there stille great vnlearnednes in the Latine tonge / and in the knowledge of olde Authors. So they declare them selues to be also sklenderly sene in Histories / whiche saye that the olde Authores / meaninge of Mesue with other as it [Page 9] doth appere. Where in the tyme of the triumphant Rome / when there was no ruines / wherein Wormwod myght growe / but that al the citie was re­plenished wyth fayre buyldinges / and that therefore they coulde not spea­ke of Wormwod Roman growinge in Rome / because there was no place therefor it in theyr tymes. As for the olde authors in dede / as they were in the tyme of the triumphant Rome / so they neuer speake one worde of Wormwode Romane. But whether Mesue who florished aboute foure hundreth yeares ago and fyftye / might haue sene ruines in Rome or no / I reporte vnto Blondus and other / whiche haue written of the wastinge and inburstinge / whiche Rome hath at diuerse tymes from the yeare of oure Lorde foure hundreth and seuen / vnto the tyme that Mesue florished. In this muste I also warne the Studentes of Phisike / that they beleue not the freres / whiche saye that Dioscorides called Absinthium Ponti­cum / Absinthium rusticum / for that is not in the olde Greke textes of Dios­corides / but hath bene falselye set to / by some tryflinge and foulish cockow. Let them also not beleue them / where as they saye vnlearnedlye / that Santonicum is a common name for all the kindes of Wormwode / and that by the authorite of Dioscorides and Plinye / but falsely alleged. For it was ne­uer sene that Santonicum shoulde be taken ether for Sea wormwode or Pontike wormwode. The small leaued Wormwod / called of all the beste learned Phisicians and Apothecaries / Absinthium Romanum / groweth in Germanye besyde Wormes / a littel from a thorp called Hase loche / and aboute Spyre besyde a place / called the Holye graue. In Englande and in Freseland / and in lowe Ducheland it groweth in gardens onely / so farre as I can yet learne. The other kinde of Pontike wormwod gro­weth as it is sayed before / aboute the olde walles of fallen buyldinges of Rome. A bushe or two of this kinde groweth in Anwerpe in Peter Con­denberges garden / where as are manye other straunge and holsom herbes / hard to be found in anye other place of Germanye besyde. This kind hath greater / longer / whyter / and bitterer leaues then the fore sayd Wormwode of Germanye hath / and also a stronger smell.

Of Sothernwod and of Lanander cotten.

ABrotonum is of two kindes / the female busheth vp af­ter the likenes of a tree and is whyte about the braun­ches / and hath leaues like vnto Sea wormwode wyth smalle iagges or indentinges in them with berries / bus­shing in the top / shining like gold / and full of floures. It that commeth fu [...] in Summer / smelleth well with a certeyne vnpleasantnes and a bitter tast. It is playne that this kind is but of Sicilia.

This description of Dioscorides of Abrotoni femine / agreeth wel in al thinges with Lanander cotten / sauinge that the leaues seme not to be lyke vnto the leaues of Sea wormwod / nether when they are first commed vp / nether afterward when the herbe is full growen / euen as the figure of Matthiolus and his sayinge / that when they come first furth / they are like Wormwod / do sufficiently beare witnes. Wherefore thys semeth much to hinder / y ^t Lanander cotten should be Abrotonum femina. Howbeit I truste I shall take that dout awaye / for when I walked by the Sea syde in East Frese­land / in the springe of the year / I founde in diuerse places of the Sea banke Sea wormwod / as yet vncummed furth / but only beginning to spruyt out / [Page 15]

so like Lanander cotton that a man would haue thought that yet had bene Lanander cotton in dede. Wherfore I thinke y ^t Dioscorides cōpared Abro­tonum feminā w ^t Sea wormwod / which as yet he had sene not perfitly shot out / which afterward then in dede is like vnto Pontike wormwod / whē it is fully cummed furth / as experience beareth witnes.

The second kind of Abrotoni is called the male / it is full of twigges graci libus ramulis vti Absinthium / as Ruellius turneth this Greke out of Diosco­rides / [...] / with small branchlinges or litle branchlinges as wormwod / that is Wormwod Pontike hath. But the Greke soundeth ra­ther w ^t small fruyt or sedes as wormwod hath. Matthiolus redeth w ^t Ruel­lius / gracilibus ramulis / which reding is against his opiniō in Pōtike wormwod. For if Sothernwod y ^e male haue litle thin branches as Pōtike worm­wod hath / and the great cōmon wormwod hath great and big branches / the bigge cōmon wormwod is not like vnto Sothernwode y ^e male / wherefore y ^e cōmon wormwod can not be Absinthiū ponticū / or els our Sothernwod can not be Abrotonum mas in Dioscorides. And if it be said y ^t y ^e nature of I­taly maketh y ^e leues in y ^e cōmon wormwod so great / it must be asked again / why doth not y ^e nature of y ^e groūd of Italy also change y ^e leues / branches and sedes of Abrotoni maris / as it doth Absinthij pontici leaues and braunches? Well howsoeuer Matthiolus erre in Absinthio pōtico / he iudgeth well w ^t al other lerned mē / y ^t y ^e herbe which is called in English Sothernwod / in duch Stabwurtz / in French Auroune / is y ^e right Abrotonum mas in Dioscoride.

Of Acanthium.

DIoscorides describeth Acanthium thus / A­canthiū is like vnto the whit thistel with pricky leaues about the edges / whiche are coue­red with an horry thinge like a spiders web­be / some take that doune and spinne it / and make cloth of it / as they do of cotton. The herbe whiche I take and iudge to be Acan­thium / is a kind of thistell / indented after the fashion of Branke vrsine / but the gappes are not so far a sunder / the leafe broken / hath in it a longe thinge like cotton or fine donne / the head is like the head of tasell / but much lesse. It hath blewe floures / the hole herbe is clammy / and hath a strong sauour / I neuer sawe it growe but in gardines in Englande and in Italye / some saye that the Herbaries name it Carduum Asinium / but as yet I coulde neuer learne anye Englishe name of it / I for a shift therefore am compelled to name it Ote thistell or Cotton thistell / because the sedes of the herbe are like Otes / and the leaues broken resemble cotton. Lucas Gymis my mayster in Bononye the reader / therof Dioscorides shewed and taught me fyrste this that Matthiolus neuer sawe it in Italye.

Of Branke Vrsine.

ACanthus is called of the Barbarus writers / Branca Vrsina, in Englishe Branke Vrsine / in Duche Beernklaw. This herbe growe plen­teouslye in my Lordes gardine at Sion. I neuer sawe it growe wilde as yet. Some ha­ue abused Bearfote / whiche is Consiligo for this herbe / but the description of Dioscorides condemneth them. True Branke Vrsine hath leaues lyke a certeyne kinde of Cole / whose leaues are indented / but the leaues are blac­ker / grene / and muche longer then Cole leues are / and also narrower and more depe cut in / toward the senowe that goeth thorowe the mid leafe. The hole herbe is ve­rye slymy / and full of slippery iuyce. They that will haue anye more of the [Page 18] description of Branke Vrsine / let them rede the description of Dioscorides de Acantho / Whiche I do nowe passe ouer / because I knowe that the herbe is so perfitelye knowen in all countrees.

Of Aconitum.

AConitum is of two sortes in Dioscorides / the first is called Pardaliāches or Teliphonium / or Theriophonium / This kinde hath leaues like Cucummers or Sowes brede / thre or foure together / but lesse and somthinge rougher / the stalke is a hand bread higher / the rote re­sembleth a Scorpions tayle / and shineth like Alabaster. Fuchsius with diuers other learned men haue thought that the herbe which the Duche men call Einbere / is Aconitum Padalianches / but I thinke it is not so / for the herbe hath euer foure leaues lik [...] Plantain / without any roughnes / and neuer hath thre lea­ues / moreouer I haue hearde of credible persones / y ^t children in some places eat y ^e black berry y ^t groweth in the top of this herbe without anye ieopardy which they coul [...] not do. If thys herbe were Pardalianches / whiche maye well be called in English Libardes bayne. The herbe y ^t hath bene taken for Libardes bayne groweth plenteously besyde Morpeth in Northumberlād in a wod called [...]ottingwod / and y ^e same herbe is called of y ^e Barbarus wri­ters Herba paris / and they saye y ^t it is so far from poyson / y ^t it is a good and sufferene remedy against diuers kindes of poyson. I neuer sawe growing y ^e right Aconitū / b [...]t onely paynted in Matthiolo y ^e Italian / whose figure Gesnerus suspecteth to be no natural but a counterfit figure / and y ^e same sayth / y ^t the herbe whi [...]h is called Tora / is y ^e right Aconitum primum Dioscorides. [Page 20] But because I haue not sene thre or foure leaues in this herbe / lyke vnto the leaues of Cucumber or to Pani porcino / and the rote like vnto a Scorpions tale / I can not iudge whether his tora be Aconitum primum Dioscorides or no. In the meane tyme I can beleue well that it hath the properties A­coniti Pardalianchis. The other kind of Aconitum is deuided of Dioscori­des into thre sortes / of which I knowe two kindes / one of them hath lea­ues lyke a Playn tree / and depely endented wyth yelow floures / and with litle short coddes wyth blacke sedes in them / Thys kinde groweth onelye in gardines / as far as I know / and this maye be called Wolfes bayne / or yelowe wolfes bayne / or playne wolfes bayne. The other kind hath leaues lyke a greate kinde or Croufoute wyth a longe stalke / and a blewe flower / Germanes call it Monickes cap or Munch cappen / that is Monkes hode. Thys kinde groweth verye plenteouslye in the very top of the Alpes be­twene Splengen and Clauenna.

The description of Acorus out of Dioscorides.

ACorus hath the leaues of floure Deluce / but narrower / and rotes not vnlike / folden together / which go not right doune but asyde / and are strowed vpon the vppermost parte of the earth. Where they growe / they haue by cer­tayne spaces certayne ioyntes lyke vnto knees / they are [...] / that is as Ruellius turneth it / albicantes / why­tishe / but the word maye signifye as some iudge a / litle [Page 22] white within / or in vnder. They are in tast sharpe or bytinge / but in smell not vnpleasant / the best is thick and whyte.

Of Venus heyre.

ADianthum is called in Duch / Iungfrawen haar / and in the Pothecaries shopppes / Capillus Veneris. Manye erroures haue ben about this herbe. I haue sene some Pothecaries in Anwerpe vse for thys herbe Dryopteris / in Louan o­ther vse Walle rue / otherwise called Saluia vite / for thys herbe. And oure Pothecaries of England vse Trichoma­nes [Page 22] [...] [Page 23] [...] [Page 24] which they call Maydens heyre / For Adianto / whose is sounest to be forgi­uen: for Trichomanes and Adiantum are / as Dioscorides sayth / of like ver­tue. Neuertheles the error remaineth / for Adiantum hath many litle braun­ches / comming furth of a litle stalke / with leaues like Corianders greater leaues / and this herbe resembleth euen so the she brake / as Trichomanes resembleth the male brake / for Trichomanes euen from the rote hath continu­allye leaues vnto the top / as the male brake hath. And Adiantum is bare a good waye aboue the roote as the she ferne is bare euen to the top / and there is it full of leaues. I haue sene this herbe diuerse tymes in Italye / in pittes and welles / but I could neuer find it / nether in Germany nor in Englande. It vseth to grow also in watery rockes / where as the sunne commeth litle / maye be named in Englishe / Venus heyre or Ladies heyre.

Of the right Affodill.

ALbucum is called in Latine also Hastula regia, and in Greke ἀσφόδηλος, and it maye be called in English righte Affodill. Howbeit / I could neuer se this herbe in Eng­land but ones / for the herbe that the people calleth here Affodill or Daffodill is a kind of Narassus. The right Affodill hath a longe stalke a cubit lōge / and some thing longer / and manye white floures in the top / and not one alone as the kindes of Narcissus haue. Theophrastus [Page 25] saith / that there groweth a worme in Affodilles / and that it groweth vnto a kind of flye / and fleeth out when the floure is ripe. The sede is thresquare like bucke wheat or wheat / or beach aples / but it is blacker and harder / The lea­ues are longe as a great leke leaues are / and the rotes are manye together like acornes. I haue sene this herbe oft in Italye and in certaine gardines of Anwerpe / and nowe I haue it in England in my gardine.

Of Foxe tayle.

ALopecurus groweth not in England y ^t euer I haue sene / but I haue sene it growe in Germany / but y ^e fairest y ^t euer I sawe / grewe in Italy. The herbe is like vnto a short kind of corne / & hath in y ^e top of y ^e strawe a great thick & bu­shye eare ful of longe dounes / whiche is very lyke vnto a foxe tayle / wherof it hath the name in Greke. I haue not read any thing worthy the wrytinge of this herbe / nether haue I harde of any man which had any experience in the nature of this herbe.

Of Garleke.

GArleke is called in Greke Skorodon, in Duch Knoblouch / in French Aul or Aur. Ther are thre kindes of Garleke / the first is the common gardin garleke / the second is cal­led in Greke Ophio skorodon, in Latin Allium anguinū, or Allium syluestre, in English crow garleke / or wild gar­leke. This kind hath verye smal leaues / comminge furth lyke grene twigges / and they are commonly croked in at the ende / and when it is ripe / it hath sede in the top euen like vnto the cloues / which growe in the roote / but they are lesse. The third kind is called in Latin Allium vrsinum, & in English Rammes or Ramseyes. The firste kinde grow onlye in gardines in England / and y ^e second groweth in middowes and feldes in euerye countrey / The thirde kinde groweth in woddes about Bath.

Of the Alder tree.

THE Alder tre whiche is also called an Aller tre / is named in Greke Clethra, in Latin Alnus, in Duche ein Erlenbaum. The nature of this tree is to growe by water sydes and in mar­rish ground.

Of Aloe.

ALoe maye be called in English herbe Aloe / to put difference betwen the herbe and the iuyce / which cōpacted together & dried into greate peces / is cōmonly called Aloe. Aloe hath fat & thick leaues like vnto Squilla or sea vnyon / something broad / roūd & bowing backward. [Page 29]

It hath leaues of eche syde growynge a wrye / prickye / with fewe crestes and shorte / the stalke is lyke right Affodils stalke / it hath whyte floures & fruyte like vnto right Affodil. It hath a gre­uous sauour & a wonderful bitter tast / it hath one roote / and sticketh in the ground like a stake. I haue sene in Italy in diuerse gardines herbe Aloe / but it endureth not in Italye in gardines aboue thre yeres as the Italianes told me. I haue sene herbe Aloe also in An­werpe in shoppes / & there it endureth long alyue as Orpyne doth and hous­leke / wherefore some haue called it sem per vinum marinum, y ^t is Sea aigrene.

Of Chikewede.

CHikewede is called in Greke Alsine / and the Latines vse the same name / in Duche Vogelcraut or Mere / in Fren­che Mauron. The Pothecaries call it Morsum gallinae. This herbe is so well knowen in al countres / that I nede not largelier to describe it. They that kepe littel byrdes in cages / when they are sycke / gyue the birdes of this herbe to restore them to their health againe.

Of Henbayne.

HEnbayne is called in Latin Altercum, and A­pollinaris, or Faba suilla, in barbarous Latin Iusquiamus, in Greke Hyosciamos, in Duche Bilsen craut / in French De la henbane. Hen­bayne hath thicke stalkes / broade leaues and longe / diuided / black and rough. The floures come oute of the syde of the stalke in order as the floures of Pomgranates / compassed with the littel cuppes full of sede as poppye hath. There are thre sortes of Henbayne / one wyth black sede with floures / almoste purple with the leaues of Frenche beanes / called Smilax / with vesselles hard and prickye. The other sede is somethinge yelow as win­ter cresses is / the leaues and the coddes are more simple. Both these two kin­des make men madde and fall into a great slepe / and therefore they oughte not to be commonlye vsed. Phisicianes haue receyued the thirde kinde as most gentle full of hore and softe with whyte floures and whyte sedes / and it groweth aboute the sea syde / and aboute gutters and ditches / aboute tou­nes and cyties / which if ye can not finde / take then it with the rede sede / and vse it. I haue sene the whyte Henbayne growyng in Anwerpe in Peter Coudenbergis gardin / with manye other straunge herbes / not to be founde in a­nye other garden in low Germanye as I beleue.

Of Marrishe mallowe.

ALthea is called also Hibiscus & Eniscus / & of y ^e potecaries Malua bis, & Maluauiscus, in English Marrish mallow / or water mallow / in Duche Ibish / in Frenche Guimauues. This herbe groweth naturallye in watery & marrish middoes / and by water sides. Althea or marrish mallow hath rounde leaues lyke vnto sowbreade / with a white doune vpon them / w ^t a floure after the proportion of a rose / but in colour they are pale purple / much drawing nere vnto white / for the quantite of the herbe very smalle / with a stalke of two cubites high / with clammy rootes and whyte within. Althea hath the name in Gre­ke / because it is good for manye diseases. It is called Marrishe mallowe in Englishe / because it groweth commonly in marrish ground and watery mid­does. By this description it is plain that our common holyoke is not Althea.

Of Marierum gentle.

MArierum is called in Greke Samsychos and A­marokos, in Latin Amaracus or Maiorana, in Duch Meyeran or Maioran / in French Maiorain, or Maron, some call this herbe in English Merierum gentle / to put a difference betwen an other herbe / called Merierū / whiche is but a bastard kind / and this is the true kinde. Me­rierum is a thick and bushy herbe / crepinge by the ground with leaues lyke small Calamint rough and rounde / it hath litle toppes in the hyest parte of al the stalke muche like scales / one growing ouer another / as the fyre tre nuttes do appere. It hath a very good sauour.

Of Alisson.

ALisson hath the name in Greke / because it hel­peth the bytinge of a wod dogge. Dioscorides and Plinye do not agre with Aetius and Ac­tuarius in the description of this herbe. For Dioscorides semeth to make Alisson lyke vn­to Gooshare / for Dioscorides commonlye set­teth herbes of lyke forme and fashion toge­ther / & he setteth nexte vnto Gooshore / whiche is called in Greke Aparine Alisson: howebeit this were no necessary argumēt / if that I had no more profes then this alone. But Pliny maketh Alisson lyke madder in these wordes: Alyssos à rubia folijs tantùm & ramis minoribus differt. Alissos differeth onlye from Madder in that it hath lesse leues and lesse braunches. Dioscorides de­scribeth Alisson thus: Alissos is a litle bushye herbe / somethinge sharpe with round leaues / and besyde them hath a fruyte like to litle buckleres / wherein is sede somthinge broad / It groweth in hilly and rough places. The herbe which I take to be Alisson of Plinye and Dioscorides / is a smale herbe of a span height / and of one smale red roote / growe manye smal stalkes / whiche haue many rowelles as it were of spores / set in order: and at euerye rowel or round order of leaues nere the toppe / there springeth furth a litle smal braun­che / which hath floures / fruyte / and sede. The stalke is [...]oursquare / and some­thinge sharpe. The leaues in dede are not euen playne round taken seuerally by them selues / but they taken one with an other altogether are rounde in ordre. If that the roundenes that Dioscorides speaketh of / be not thus to be vnderstande. This herbe can not be Dioscorides Alisson. The floures are ble­wish purple / and appere commonly aboute the ende of Maye. The fruyte groweth euer two and two together / wherein is a litle blacke sede / somethinge flat / in some top a man maye finde foure cople of litle vesselles / whiche con­teyneth thys sede. There are none of these vesselles founde alone.

The herbe is hote and specially the sede. But the heate appereth not straight waye / tyll that it hath bene a good whyle on your tonge / and then it is eui­dently sharpe and byting. Aetius writeth thus of Alisson. The medicine cal­led Hiera / is to be giuen euery day not as a purgation / but as a helpinge me­dicine in the quantite of an Hasel nut / with an vnce and halfe of the broth of Salge / or y ^e herbe Sideritis which is called Heraclea. Some vse this alone / and saye that it profiteth muche / and therfore name it Alisson / because it ta­keth madnes awaye. These wordes writeth he in the helping of the bytinge of a mad dogge. And wher he intreateth of Simples / he writeth of Alisson thus: They saye that Alisson is the herbe called Sideritis / whiche groweth euery where by the hygh wayes / it hath a purple floure / and thick leaues. Ac­tuarius describeth Alisson after this maner: Alisson is an herbe like vnto Ho­re hound / sharper onelye / and with more pricky round hedes / and with blew floures. Horehounde and Sideritis are verye like as euerye man knoweth / which hath sene both. But betwene Horehounde and Madder or Goshare / there is no likenes at al / sauinge that the leaues in all these herbes stande or­derly distinct one from an other by certeine equal spaces. Therfore we maye se that Alisson of Dioscorides and Pliny is not al one with Alisson of Aetius and Actuarius. Howbeit they do al agre in this that Alissos is good for y ^e by­tinge of a mad dogge. Alisson of Dioscorides and Plinye maye be named in Englishe Helebyte or Heledogge / of the propertye that it hath in healinge of the byting of mad dogges. Some herbaries call this same herbe Rubiā mi­norem, but it is not Rubia minor, for that is a great deale longer then Alissos is. I haue sene the herbe which I take for Alisson / ones amongest the corne beside Sion / and ones in a corne fielde in Dorsetshire in maister Baylies marchant of Chardis Lordship / and diuerse tymes in the hilles aboute Welles in Summersetshyre.

Of Amaranthus.

AMaranthus is not the same herbe in Galene / that it is in Plinye / for their descriptions of Amaranthus are diuerse & differing. Amaranthus of Pliny as he writeth him selfe / is rather a purple eare then a floure / & that withoute smell or sauour: and it is to be wondered at / howe that it would be plucked oft / & groweth better when it is thus handled. [Page 37] The leaues of the herbe are lyke vnto the leaues of a Blyte or the longest leaues of Basyle. Properties it hath none that I knowe of / but that it dryeth muche / and therefore helpeth to stoppe a laxe. It is called in English / purple veluet floure / or flour amour. The herbe which is named in Dioscorides Eli­chrison / is also called of Galene Amaranthus / and thus it is described of Di­oscorides. Heliochrison hath a litle whyte braunche / grene / streight & stronge / and narrowe leaues like vnto Sothernwod / certaine spaces goyng betwene the leaues / the top is al yelowe / and is full of rounde knoppes lyke vnto drye berryes / the roote is verye small. It groweth in vneuen places / and in holow places / where as waters vse some tyme to rinne. Some lerned men of thys tyme take the herbe called of the Apothecaries Stichas citrina / and of the Germanes Rheinblome / to be Elichrison. But this herbe hath not leues lyke vnto Sothernwod / but vnto Isope. Wherefore Stichas citrina is not Ely­chrison of Dioscorides. The right Elichryson groweth in Italy / and hath so smal leaues as Sothernwod hath: and it may be called in English Floure a­mour / or yelowe flour amour. Matthiolus sayth that this herbe groweth much in Hetruria / I neuer sawe it growe as yet but onlye drye. The Germa­nes vse their Reinblum for the same purposes that the Italians vse their He­liochryso.

Of the Almond tre.

AN Almond tre is called in Greke Amigdale, in Latin Amigdala, or Amigdalum, in Duch ein Mādelbaum / in Frenche Amander. Almond trees growe muche in hyghe Germanye be­side Spyre in a cytie called Newstat / and great plentye in Italye / and some growe in England / but I haue hearde of no greate stere of the fruyte of them that growe in England. The tre at y ^e first sight is like vnto a Wilowe tree / but the leaues are shorter and bigger aboute the setting on of the stalke then Wilowe leaues be. The fruyte and the kernel of it are so wel knowen / that I nede no farther to describe them.

Of Amy.

AMy is called both of Grecians & Latines Ami. The Po­tecaries call it A­meos in y ^e genitiue case. It may be also called in Englishe Ammi. Dioscori­des writeth no more of the description of Ammi / because he thought it so com­monly knowen in his dayes. But these wordes Ami hath muche smaller sede then Cumin / and resembleth organ in tast. The herbe that is commonly vsed for Ammi in all shoppes now adayes / hath a longe grene stalke full of litle braunches about y ^e top / with long smal indented leues / & a white floure / and a bushy top lyke Dill / w ^t a litle bitter and hote sede. Although this maye be vsed for Ammi / & is one kind of it / yet there groweth in Italy a better kind / which I haue sene. If we could haue plentye of that kind / I would counsel men to vse it / and to leue this / whiche we vse commonly. For I finde not the hete in this sede that Galene requireth / for he writeth that Ami is hote and drye in y ^e extremitie of the third degre. Howbeit this comon Ami is not to be despised. This herbe groweth in many gardines in Germany / and in my lordes gar­din at Sion in England. The other kind whiche is the true kinde / is of late found in Italy w ^t leues much lesse then our any hath. The sede cometh nowe to Frankeford to be sold vnder the name of Amomi / but some cal it verū Ami, namely y ^e grossers of Norinberge.

Of Amomum.

AMomum is a smal bushe / about the quantite of a mannis hāde / like vnto a cluster of grapes folden into him selfe / litle stickes of wood / go­ynge one beside and ouer an other / & partely it resembleth a net / and partelye a round thicke bushe / or rather the heade of a mace / if it were al made of litle stickes / or of peces of siluer / as bigge as strawes in a rounde forme / it hath litle floures as hartes ease hath / and leaues lyke vnto brionye. I sawe about sixe yeres ago at Colon a litle shrubbe / something lesse then my hande / which was in al pointes like vnto the shrub aboue described / a certeine pilgreme whiche had bene at Hierusalem / brought it out of Iewry with him. Thesame is named of the Herbaries Rosa Hierecuntis / that is the rose of Hierico. The sayinge is / that it openeth euery yere aboute Christenmasse / wherefore some call it a Christenmase rose. This same woulde I reken to be y ^e right Amomum / if it had that smell which Dios­corides requireth in Amomo / and a leafe lyke vnto Brion / for in al other pointes the description doth wonderfully agree. If any man chaunce vpon any y ^t hath a good sauoure with al these other properties aboue rehersed / let him take it for the true Amomum. For lack of the true Amomum we maye vse the common Calamus aromaticus / or Carpesio called of some Cucuba. Other iudge that a man may vse for Amomo Asarabacca / or the right Acorus. The sede that is commonlye vsed for Amomo / is not of the strenght that Amo­mum is of.

Of Anagyris.

ANagyris groweth not in Englande that I wote of / but I haue sene it in Italye. It may be called in English Beane trifolye / because the leaues growe thre together / and the sede is muche lyke a Beane. Anagyris is a bushe lyke vnto a tree with leues and twigges / like vnto Agnus castus of Italy. But the leaues are greater and shorter / and growe but thre together / where as Agnus hath euer fyue to­gether / and excedinge stinkinge / wherevpon riseth the Prouerb / Praestat hanc Anagyrim nō attigisse. It hath the floures lyke vnto kole. It hath a fruyt in longe horned coddes / of the lykenes of a kidney / of diuerse coloures / firme and stronge / whiche when the grape is ripe wexeth harde.

Of Tutsan.

TVtsan (as I do iudge) is the herbe / whiche is called of Dioscorides Androsemon / and of oure Potecaries Ag­nus castus. It semeth to haue had the name of Tutsan / because it heleth all. And of Androsemon / because it hath iuice like vnto mannis blood. Androsemon diffe­reth from saint Iohns grasse / and from Asciro / called great saint Iohns grasse / in that it hath manye braun­ches / and it hath rede twigges and leues lyke Rue / but thrise or fourfolde greater / whiche broken / put furth a winishe iuyce / they haue in the toppe two and two leues euer comminge oute one agaynste [Page 41] an other / resemblinge a byrdes winges stretched furth / as when the byrde doeth flye: where aboute there growe smal yelowe floures / and sede in litle knoppes like vnto the sede of black poppye / and it is notable wyth certayne small leues in it. The small leues in the top broused or broken sauour lyke rosyne.

Anemone.

MAtthiolus in his commentaries vpon Diosco­rides hath set out two kindes of Anemonis / wherof nether kind that euer I could se / gro­weth in Germanye and England / nether in Italy that I remember. Anemone hath the name in Greke of winde / because the floure neuer openeth it selfe / but when the winde blo­weth. The Herbaries therefore call the herbe commonlye taken for Anemone / though it be not the true herbe / but som bastard of it Her­bam venti / the Duche mē call it Hacket craut / the Frenche men Coque lourdes: and it maye be called in English Rose persely / because there groweth a floure like a sin­gle rose in y ^e top of this herbe / which is very lyke Persely in the leaues that are aboute the rote / or it maye be called Wind floure. It groweth in greate plenty about Bon in Germany / and about Oxford in Englād / as my frende Falconer tolde me. Dioscorides writeth thus of Anemone: There are two kindes of Anemone / The one is wilde and the other is tame / or of the gar­deine. Whereof are manye other vnder kindes / one that hath a Cremesin floure / and an other a whitishe or of the coloure of milke or purple. The lea­ues are like Coriāder / with smaller cuttinges or indentinges / nere y ^e ground: the stalke is all downye and roughe and smalle / whereon growe floures ly­ke poppy / and the middes of the litle heades are blacke or blewe. The rootes are of the bignes of an Oliue / or bigger / it is almost compassed about wyth smalle ioyntes with knoppes like knees. The wilde Anemone in all pointes is greater then the tame / and hath broder and harder leaues / a longer head / and a Cremesin flower wyth manye small rotes. It is more bytinge then it that hath the black leaues. This description of both the kindes of Anemo­ne proueth playnely that the common herba venti / and that the Anemone that Bockius setteth out / are not the righte kindes of Anemone. As the common herbe maye be a bastarde kinde of Anemone / and namelye of that / which hath [...] / that is / thin or small rootes and many / so it that Bockius setteth oute / semeth to me to be a kinde Papaueris erratici.

Of Dyll.

DYll is named in Greke Anethon / in Latin Anethum / in Duche Dyll / in Frenche Anet. Dyll groweth a cubyt hyght / and some tyme halfe a cubyte hygher / It hath ma­nye small braunches comminge furth of a greate stalke / wyth a verye small leafe and longe / muche lyke Grene­heres / wyth a yelow floure / and a brode sede / wyth a spo­kye top as fenell hath / whome he doth represent woun­ders nere.

Of Anyse.

ANyse is called in Greke [...] in Latin Anisum / in Duche Aniß / in Frenche Anise. The lefe of Anise / when it commeth fyrst furth / is round / and indented about / afterward it is lyke vnto Parsely / hygh vp in the stalke / it hath a floure and a top lyke fenell / it groweth onely in gar­dins in England. Galene sayeth that Anyse is hote and drye in the thyrde degree: but thys that we vse / is not so hote: wherefore I suspect that there is a better kinde / then is commonly brought vnto vs to be solde. Howbeit in the meane season we must vse thys / which appea­reth to me scarsely hote in the beginning of the second degree.

Of Pety whine.

PEtye whine / or ground whine / or litle whine is called in Latin and Greke Ononis and Anonis. It is called of the common herbaries Resta bouis / Remora aratriacu­tella / of the Duch Stall kraut / or Hawhekel / of the Frenche Burgraues. In Cambridge shyre this herbe is called a Whine / but I putt pety to it / to make difference betwene this herbe / and a fur: whiche in manye places [Page 46] of Englande is also called a Whine Petye. Whine hath busshye stalkes of a span length / and longer with manye ioyntes lyke knees wyth manye ho­low places / betwene the leues and stalke like arme holes / wyth litle round heades and litle leaues / thinne as Lentilles be / drawinge nere in lykenes vnto the leues of Rue or of wilde Melliote / some thinge rough / and not wythout a good sauoure. It is layd vp in bryne / before it hath prickes / and is afterwarde good for meate. The braunches are full of sharpe and stronge prickes. The roote is whyte and hote / and suche as is able to ma­ke humours thinne that are thicke.

Of Camomyle.

ANthemis / otherwyse called Chamemelū / conteyneth vn­der it thre kindes / whiche onelye differ in the colour of y ^e floure. The braunches are a span longe / all bushye with manye places lyke arme holes / betwene the stalke and y ^e braunches / The braunches are thinne / small and many / the litle hedes are round with yellow floures in y ^e mid­des / and aboute that rounde head ether whyte floures stand in order or purple or yelow / about the greatnes of the leaues of Rue. The fyrste kinde of Camomille is called in Greke Lecan­themon / in Englishe Camomyle / in Duche Romisch Camillen. The Pothecaries in Germanye call this kinde Chamomillam Romanam. This herbe is scarse in Germanye / but in Englande it is so plentuous / that it groweth not onelye in Gardines / but also eyght myle aboue London / it groweth in the wilde felde / in Richmonde grene / in Brantfurd grene / and in most plenty of all / in Hunsley heth. The second kind is called in Greke Chrysantemon. I ha­ue sene this herbe in hygh Germany in the feldes / but neuer in Englande y ^t I remembre. It maye be called in English / yelow Camomille. The thyrde kinde is called in Greke Heranthemon. Diuerse thinke / that Heranthemon is the herbe / whiche is called of the Herbaries Amarisca rubra / and of oure Countre men / Rede math / or Red madewede. The thing that semeth to let this herbe to be Heranthemon / is this: It hath not a yelowe heade or knop / which is compassed about with purple floures / as the other kindes haue ye­lowe knoppes set about / one with whyte floures / and the other with yelow / but the head or knop of this herbe / is nothinge like the knoppes of the other / nether in greatnes / nether in forme / nor yet in colour: and the sede is as great as Spinache sede is / but without prickes / in manye other poyntes it agreeth with the description. The leues are very smalle / but the floures are cremesin / and they should be purple. Heranthemon hath the name / because it floureth in the Springe. Thys haue I written of this herbe / that learned men should searche more diligentlye for it / which is the true Heranthemon.

Matthiolus writeth that the Apothecaries of Italy onelye knowe that kinde of Chamomill / which hath whitishe leues round about y ^e yelow knop in the head of the stalke / and sayth that he hath oft tymes sene both the other two kindes. But it is like that he knoweth none of them all / for it that he set teth furth with the white floures / semeth by hys playinge of it to be Cotula non fetida / and not the right Camomile. For the right Camomille groweth not in the corne / but in roughe places and besyde hyghe wayes / as Dioscori­des writeth / and experience hath taught them that knowe the righte herbe. It is also like if he be not an vnkinde man / seynge Heranthemon is knowen almost to no man in Europa / that he wolde haue as well set fourth the figu­re of it / as he hath frelye and honestlye done in other straunge herbes which haue bene vnknowen vnto the most parte euen of the learned sorte / or at y ^e leaste / if he coulde not haue come by the herbe grene / that he might haue caused it to be paynted / he woulde ether haue described it / or ellis haue tolde vs the Italian name / or the common name of the Herbaries or of the Apothecaries / that thereby the ignorant might haue cummed to the knowledge of it / inquiring for it by some of the names which he had knowen to be named by. Amatus Lusitanus which taketh vpon him to teache Spanyardes / Itali­ans / Frenche men / and Germanes / the name of Herbes in their tonges / wri­teth [Page 48] that Camomile is commonlye knowen / and that the Camomille wyth the yelowe floures is gessen / but he nether describeth it nor gyueth it anye name / And of the other he maketh no mention at al. Wherefore it is lyke y ^t he knoweth nether of both: Wherefore he had done better to haue sayde / I do knowe nether of both / then thus shortely to passe by them.

Antirrhinum.

THE herbe whyche Dioscorides and Plinye call Antir­rhinum / Theophrastus calleth Antirrhizum / for he de­scribeth his Antirrhizum thus: It is like vnto Goosha­reth / called Aparine with a very litle roote / and almoost none: It hath a fruit lyke vnto a calfes snoute. But as Dioscorides agreeth wyth Plinye in the name of thys herbe / so doth he in the description of y ^e same / differ both from Pliny and Theophrastus also. For Plinye geueth the leues of Line / or flackes vnto Antirrhinum / and Dioscorides describeth hys Antirrhinum with leaues like vnto Pimpernel. His wordes are these: [Page 49] Antirrhinum is an herbe like vnto Pimpernel / both in leues and also in stal­ke: the floures are purple like vnto Leucoion or viole albe / but lesse: wherfo­re it is called wyld Lichnis / it hath a fruyte like vnto a calfys snowt. The herbe / which is described of Pliny / groweth much in England in the corne feldes / and in fallowed landes: at the fyrst syght it appereth like vnto Cocle in the floure / and partly in the colour of the lefe / which is bygger and longer then flaxe leues be / but not vnlyke them in figure. This herbe maye be called in English Calfes snowte. But Antirrhinum that Dioscorides describeth / groweth not in England / that euer I sawe. For it that was sent me out of Italy / for Antirrhinū Dioscoridis / hath not purple floures / but yelow: much lyke vnto the floures of Osyris. The floures before they open / are like purple in dede but not afterwarde / for then are they fayer yelow / the stalke also is rounde / and not foursquared: the buddes out of which the leues come / & the fruite both / do wonderfully nere resemble a Calfys snowte. The leues in de­de are lyke vnto y ^e leues of Pimpernel / but much greater. Therfore as yet I haue sene no herbe wher vnto the description of Dioscorides agreeth / nether yet anye that the description of Theophrast doth agree with. Amatus Lusitanus writeteth that Antirrhinō is called in Duche Orant / but Orant / as it is plaine by the description of Tragus is our wele / whiche the diers vse to dye yelowe with all / but it hath nether the leaues of Pimpernel / nor y ^e leues of flax / nor the leaues of Goashareth. Wherfore Orant is nether the Antirrhi­non of Dioscorides / nor y ^e Antirrhinon of Theophrast / nor it of Pliny / wher­for these two writers in this herbe deserue no credit. Matthiolus setteth out a kinde of Antirrhinon with sede (as he sayth) like vnto a Calfys heade. If he meane by the word semen the sede alone / and not the fruite with the se­de and all together / and Pliny vnderstand the word semen euen so likewise / then I thinke that it shalbe harde for Matthiolus to finde suche one. But if he meane by the word semen the fruyte hole as it appeareth outwardlye: then I thinke that the herbe that Matthiolus setteth out of all other / dra­weth nerest vnto the description of Antirrhinon in Pliny.

Of Gooshareth.

GOoshareth called also Clyuer / because it cleueth vpon mē nes clothes / is named in Greeke Aparine / Philantro­pos / and Omphalo carpos: in Duche / Klebcraut: in Frenche / Grateron. It hath many branches smal / and four­square and sharpe / y ^e leaues stande in a rounde circle aboute the stalke / certayne spaces goyng betwene / the circles are lyke vnto madder / the floure are whyte / the sede is harde / rounde / some thynge holowe / and whyte in the myddes / lyke vnto a nauell / and it cleueth vnto mennes clothes. The shep­herdes vse it in the stede of a strayner to pull oute heres of the mylke. Thys herbe groweth in all countres in great plentye.

Of Apios.

APios is called also Chamebalanos in Greke / in Theophrastus Ischas / and in Latin after the translation of Theodoro Carica: and the same might be called in English an Ernut / or an Erth nut / hath the properties of Apios. The earth nut groweth in manye places of England / and in the moste plentye that I ha­ue sene in Northumberland. Apios putteth furth two or thre braunches / which rise a litle from the ground / smale / rede / and like a rishe: the leaues are like Rue / but some thinge lon­ger / narrower / and yelowishe grene. The sede is litle / the rote is lyke the roote of a white Affodill / and after the likenes of a Peare / but rounder and full of iuyce. The barke without is blacke / y ^e roote within is white. The herbe whiche Matthiolus hath set out for Apios / might haue bene taken for the right Apios of all men / if he had proued that it had had a smale sede / and that the roote had purged vpward and doun­warde as Dioscorides writeth that the rote of Apios doth. But whilse he doth nether of both / a man maye as well dout of his Apios / as he douteth of the Apios that Ruellius setteth out. Amatus Lusitanus sayeth that A­pios is called in Duche Erdtnuss. But the herbe whiche is called in Duche Erdnuss / hath nether a lefe like Rue / but like a Ciche / nether a smalle sede / [Page 52] but a great sede in a cod like vnto a kinde of Fiche / nether doth it purge vp­ward and dounward / for men to eat them in Fraunce as Ruellius cited of Amatus writeth / and they are eaten also in Germany / but they onelye ingendre a lothsumnes / and stere to vomite as Tragus writeth / but they purge not / nether do anye other harme to the shepeherdes that eat them / wherfore it is playne that Amatus with Tragus and Fuchsius erreth / which taketh the herbe / called in Duche Erdnuss / to be Apion in Dioscoride.

Of Bawme.

BAwme is named in Greke Melissophillon or Meliphil­lon / in Latin Apiastrum or Citrage / in Duche Melisson or Hartzkraut / in the Frese tonge Confili / in Frēche Me­lisse / the Potecaries call it Melissam. Bawme is named in Greke Melissophillon / and in Latin Apiastrum / be­cause Bees / which are called in Greke Melisse / and in Latin Apes / do greatly haunt this herbe / and are delited wyth it. Right Bawm hath leaues and stalkes lyke vnto stinkinge Hore hound: but they are greater and thinner / but not so rough. They haue the smelle of a Cytrone of a Lymon.

Of Apiastrum.

[...]

Of Arbutus

leafe with the braunche / as the quicken trees leaues are. Dioscorides descri­beth the Arbut tree after this maner. Comaros called in Latin Arbutus / or Vnedo / is a tree lyke vnto a Quince tree / hauing thinne leaues with a fruyt of the greatnes of a Plumme / without anye keruell. When it is rype / it is e­ther yelowe or rede. Pliny describeth y ^e Arbut tre after this maner: Strawberyes that growe one the grounde / haue an other kinde of bodye then the Arbut berryes haue / which are like in kinde with the other / which groweth on the tree / called in Latin Vnedo / which onely fruyte is lyke vnto the fruyt of the earth. The tree it selfe is thick and bushy. The fruyt is rype in a yeare / and it that groweth in vnder bloometh / and the other that is elder / waxeth ripe in the tree at one tyme. It is a fruyt of small honor / and therevpon hath the name / that it bringeth furth but one alone by it selfe. Yet do the Grecia­nes geue two names vnto it / Comaron / and Memekylon. Wherevpon it doth appeare that there are so manye kindes wyth vs. This is called in an other name in Latin Arbutus. Ouide also ioyned tree Strawberry / and ground Strawberry together in these wordes;

Theophrastus giueth vnto hys Arbuto a leafe betwene Ilicem and Laurū / as the leafe of the tree hath / whose figure I set furth. And Dioscorides se­meth to geue vnto his Arbuto the likenes of a Quince tree / wherefore this tree that I set furth / agreeth better with the description of Theophrast / then [Page 57] with Dioscorides / except Dioscorides in comparing Arbutum to a Quince tree / meane not of the leaues / but of the fashion of the tree and maner of growing of it.

Of Aristolochia.

ARistolochia is a Greke name / and is so called / because it is very good for weomen / that labour of childe: The La­tines vse the same name / y ^e Germanes call Aristolochia in their tonge / Osterlacye. Dioscorides maketh thre kin­des of Aristolochia / the fyrst is called Aristolochia rotun­da / and this is y ^e female. The Potecaries both in Germany and in Englād haue abused in y ^e steade of the true Aristolochia rotunda / capnophragmite / mētioned in Pliny / which is very well called of y ^e Germanes holwurtz / because y ^e rote is holow. [Page 58] But they haue erred far: for this Holwurt is nothing agreyng with the de­scription of Aristolochia rotunda / for Aristolochia rotunda hath leaues lyke Yuy / and a good sauour with some sharpenes / somthinge round and soft. It hath many twigges / cōming furth of one roote / longe braunches and whyte floures / representing litle cappes / wherein is a read thinge that sauoreth e­uell: the roote is roundaboute lyke vnto a rape roote. The leaues of Holwurtes / which is their Aristolochia rotunda / are cut and far in indented / and very lyke vnto our gardine Rue / but y ^e leues of our gardine Rue / are not lyke vnto Yuy leues: therfore this Holwurt of theirs / is not Aristolochia rotun­da of Dioscorides. I haue sene this Aristolochia rotunda diuerse tymes: it hath the same sauour and taste / that the other Aristolochia / whiche is called longa: but this hath a round roote / but here and there appeare out certayne vnequall corners. It maye be called in English round hart wurt / because y ^e leaues represent a painted harte / or round byrthwurte: because it helpeth women to bringe furth their byrth. The seconde kinde of Aristolochia / is called Aristolochia longa / whiche hath a leafe some thinge longer then the former kinde hath: it hath litle braunches of a span long / a purple floure of a stinking sauour / out wherof commeth a fruyte lyke vnto a peare: but black and al full of sedes in figure thre square / the rootes are a finger bigge / and a span long / and somthinge longer. Thys kinde groweth plentuouslye besyde Lake de come in the vineyardes wallis: it groweth also besyde Bon about the vine­yardes by the Rhynsyde / of iche syde of the hygh way / but I could neuer se the fruytes so perfyt in Germany / as I dyd in Italy: this maye be called in English Long hartwurt / or long byrthwurte. The thyrde kinde of Aristo­lochia is called Clematitis / because it hath long smal braunches like a vinde / it hath leaues some thing round / lyke vnto stone crop / and floures like vnto Rue / longer rootes / small wyth a thicke barke which hath a good sauour. I did se suche a kinde as this at Basell / whose leaues are lesse then all the o­ther kindes / but yet they were so great and vnlike vnto a stonecrop / that I dare not playnely determe / that it was the right Clematitis. Matthiolus writeth that Pliny and Leonicemus do erre / because they saye that Aristo­lochia hath the name / because that it is good for weomen with chyld / when as Dioscorides writeth that it hath y ^e name / because it is good for weomen y ^t are in labor. Because Pliny and Leonicemus are dead / and cā not aunswer for thē selfes / I aunswer y ^t their error is not so great as Matthiolus maketh it / if he could be contēt to interprete gently their worde as they meant by it / for it is out of all dout / that they knewe it as well as Matthiolus / y ^t Aristo­lochia was euell for weomen w ^t child / except y ^e tyme of byrth were cummed / for they knew both y ^e Greke tonge as well as Matthiolus doth. Therfore it is out of dout y ^t they meant / when they sayd it is good for weomen w ^t child / y ^t it was good for them at y ^e tyme of theyr byrth. He y ^t sayeth y ^t a spere is neces­sary for a man of war / meaneth not that he should occupye his spere at dinner before the tyme of fighthinge cumme / but he meaneth that it is good to haue it at all tyme y ^t he maye occupye it when nede requireth. I trowe y ^t Mat­thiolus will not saye that Aristolochia is good for weomen that are well deliuered all ready / then seyng it is good for weomen / it must be good for thē y ^t are yet with child. Wherefore the two noble clerkes / are to sore scourged of their sharp Scoolmaster for so litle a faut. Nether do I vtterly excuse them / because they did not trāslate y ^e Greke worde so properlye and truely as they should haue done.

Of Aron / or Cockowpint.

COckowpynt called also in Englishe Rampe or Aron: is named in Greke Aron / in Latin / Arum: in Duche Pfaffenbinde: in Frēche Vid­chien / of the Herbaries / pes vituli, and serpenta ria minor: and of the Arabianes Luphminus. It hath leues lyke dragō / but lōger / and not so full of spottes. The stalke is somethyng pur­ple and lyke vnto a betell / out of whych com­meth furth a fruyte of the colour of saffrone. The roote is whyte as dragones is / the why­che / beynge sodden / is eaten / because it is not so bytynge / as it was before.

Of Mugwurte.

MVgwurt is called both of the Grecians and Latines Artemisia / of the Duche Beyfuss / or Byfoet. The true Artemisia is as litle kno­wen nowe adayes / as is the true Pontyke Wormwode / and lesse as I thinke: for thys great Mugwurt is suche an Artemisia / as oure Wormwode is Absinthium Ponticum / that is bastard / and not the true herbe. Dioscorides writeth / that Artemisia for the moste parte groweth about the Sea syde / and Pli­nye writeth / that it groweth no where ellis / but in the Sea coastes. Thys common Mugwurt of ours / groweth not at anye Sea syde that euer I coulde se yet: for I coulde neuer se it in these coa­stes of England / nor Germanye / nor yet of Italye / but alwayes in hedges / and among the Corne far from the Sea. Artemisia is a busshye herbe / like vnto Wormwode / but it hath greater and fatter leaues and braunches then Wormwood hath. Fyrst thys great Wormwoode that is common with vs / is not the Wormwod that Dioscorides compareth Artemisiam to / but it is Pontike wormwode. But this common Mugwurt is nothinge lyke Pon­tike [Page 62] wormwode / Therefore this common Mugwurt can not be Artemisia Dioscoridis. Galenes Artemisia is hote in the second degre / and sklenderlye drye in the same. But this common Mugwurte is scantlye hote in the fyrste degre. Wherefore this common Mugwurt can nether be Artemisia of Dioscorides / nor of Galene / nor of Pliny. I found in an Ylande beside Venise / the verye right Artemisia / whiche had leaues greater then Pontike worm­wod a great deale / and fully hote in the second degre / and with floures mu­che vnlike vnto wormwode Pontike / but somethynge agreynge in sauour / but not alltogether. Master doctor Wendy / the Kinges Physiciane can testifye of the same / whiche dyd examine the herbe with me. This kinde maye be called in English Sea Mugwurt. Some do take Feuerfewe for one kinde of Artemisia / and Tansye for an other kinde / and in dede I thinke not / but that Feuerfewe can do it that is required of Artemisia. Howebeit / me thinke that the description of Dioscorides doth not agre in all poyntes wyth Feuer fewe. For Feuerfewe if it were one kinde of Artemisia / oughte to be lyke in figure and fashion vnto right Wormwode / and also vnto the righte Artemi­sia / but that it is not. I reporte me vnto them / which haue sene al the thre herbes. Wherefore I dare not pronunce / that Feuerfewe is one of the fyrst kin­des of Artemisia. Dioscorides maketh also mention of another Artemisia / whiche groweth in the middel lande / and not at the Seasyde. That sayth he is a litle herbe with one single or litle stalke / and full of floures / of a reade O­renge colour. Thys herbe describeth Dioscorides to be Sphodra micron / y ^t is verye litle. Nowe when as Tansye is a great hyghe herbe / how can Tansey be this herbe? Me thynke that Feuerfew should be rather thys herbe thē Tansey / if it hadde but one stalke / and yelowe floures / as it hath whyte. I thynke therefore / that it is not best to pronunce in thys herbe / tyll all thyn­ges be better tryed. Matthiolus the Italiane whiche checketh diuerse by name sharpelye (in dede some worthelye) for their erringe in Artemisia / er­reth his owne selfe in Artemisia / in settinge that common Mugwurt for the right Artemisia / which nether agreeth in naturall place / nor in degre of hete nor in likenes w ^t it y ^t Dioscorides describeth / as by places & witnesses before brought out / I haue sufficiently already proued: He sayth y ^t the first kindes of Artemisia are found both in Hetruria / and y ^t they differ in nothinge / ne­ther in fashion / smell / nor tast / nor vertue / sauinge onelye in bignes. Whyche sayinge if it be true / then is the one kinde not it that Dioscorides describeth / for the lesse kinde differeth from the bigger in hauing of a stinkinge floure. Whether he erreth here or no / let other men iudge. He sayeth that the two fyrste kindes growe in Hetruria / as though he knewe them well / but he nether describeth them / nor telleth theyr common names / nor their na­turall places where they growe / as he doth where he intreateth of o­ther herbes. Wherefore and for that / that he knoweth not the righte Pontike Wormwode / and erreth in it sore / it is mooste lyke that he kno­weth nether of the fyrste kindes of Artemisia / and that he erreth as muche in them / as Plinye / Musa / Fuchsius / and the freres (that write v­pon Mesue / whom he cheketh for their errours in the kindes of Artemisia) in these & other kindes do. If Antonius Musa / & Leonardus Fuchsius had written of all herbes as Matthiolus doth of y ^e kindes of Artemisia & diuerse other in his boke / that is if Musa had sayd / when he should haue taught vs an herbe / I know thys herbe well / it groweth in Ferraria / & Fuchsius had [Page 63] sayd / I knowe this herbe / and I haue sene it oft in Germany / and they had not tolde the Italianes names Duche names / and the Herbaries and Apo­ [...]ecaries names / they might haue escaped many a buffet / which of late they [...]ue suffered both of diuerse other / and also of Matthiolus / who by tarying [...]hinde in the rewarde in wrytinge of many herbes as he doth here / seketh [...] saue him selfe in leuinge out of the common names / naturall places and y ^e [...]scription and vertues of y ^e herbes / lest if he erred in anye of them / he should [...]e taken wyth suche errours as he taketh other men wythall. They that [...]re disposed to se the right Artemisiam / lette them go to Venise / and from [...]hence a litle waye into an Yland / called Chertosa / where as is a Chartar­house / and there maye they see it in all pointes agreynge wyth the descrip­tion of Dioscorides. Amatus Lusitanus where as Dioscorides maketh thre kindes of Artemisia / maketh but two / and the one he maketh the gardin Artemisiam / and the other the common Feuerfew. Wherein he goeth quite awaye from the text which he taketh in hande to declare. For the text ma­keth one kinde of Artemisia / that groweth commonlye by the Sea syde wyth bygge leaues and twigges / and another kinde that is lesse with a small whyte floure that stinketh. And then he maketh mention of an other kind that groweth in the midle land with a litle and single stalke. Besyde these thre sortes he intreateth of an other which is called Artemisia Lepto­phyllos / whereof is mention made in all oure common Greke textes / and common translationes of Dioscorides / that nowe are / and also in the olde translation of Dioscorides / is mention made at the lest of thre kindes of Artemisia / although Galene make mention but of two kindes. And where he maketh hys former Artemisia to be a gardin Herbe / when as Dioscorides assigneth vnto it commonlye the Seasyde / and Plinye onelye the Sea syde: He swarueth ones agayne from hys Autor / that he taketh in hande to declare. And to proue against Matthiolus / that Matricaria is Artemisia v­nicaulis / he alledgeth diuerse newe Autores / but withoute name / whome he him selfe in diuerse places of hys booke / condemneth and refuseth their Au­torite when it pleaseth hym / other reason bringeth he none in thys place / but that a stinkinge herbe lyke Camomile / is Parthenium / and not Matricaria. Therefore Matricaria is Artemisia Monochlonos. What a pitye argu­ment this is / euerye man maye se / for he reasoneth so / as if Mathwed were Parthenium: then there were no other herbe to be Artemisia vnicaulis / but Matricaria. Let yonge studentes of Physike looke that they lese not theyr tyme in readinge of suche enarrationes / as thys man writeth / which bringe more darkenes oft tymes then light to the text of Dioscorides. Let thys lit­le reason be a preseruatiue agaynst the errour that he woulde lede yonge scolares into: That herbe can not be Artemisia vnicaulis that hath thre or foure stalkes / or some tyme mo. But Feuerfewe hath thre or foure / and some tyme mo. Therefore it can not be Artemisia Mochlonos. As for me / because I will not seme better learned then I am / I knowe but one true kinde of Artemisia / as for the common Mugwurte. I thynke a man maye vse it in Physike vntill a better kinde maye be founde / whiche thinge I truste shall shortelye come to passe in manye places / if Physicianes will take the pay­nes to go forewarde in sekinge out of Herbes as they haue begon.

Of the Reede.

A Reede is called in Greke Kalamos / in Latin Arundo or Calamus / in Duch Een Roer / or een Reede: in Frenche / Vne Roseau. Ther are diuerse kindes of Redes / some are thicke re­des: whereof Arrowes are made in diuerse countrees: some serue for to make tounges for pypes / some serue to make instrumentes to write with / whiche we comonly called pen­nes. Another kinde of Rede groweth aboute riuers sides / & thys beyng thick and holowe / is called of some Arundo Cypria: of other Donax. Another kinde is called Phragmitis / or Vallatoria: because it groweth about hedges and diches. This is small and somethinge whyte / and well knowen of all men: This laste kinde groweth muche in England / but the other kindes growe not in England y ^t I knowe of: howbeit they are brought in of Marchants out of other countrees.

Of Follfoote / or Asarabacca.

ASarum is called in Greke Asaron / in Englishe Follfote (because it hath a round leafe / lyke a folis fote) and Asa­rabacca / in Duche Haselwurt / because it groweth about Hasel tree rootes / in Frenche Cabaret. Folfote groweth only in gardines in England / but it groweth wilde in certayne places of Germanye. Folefoote is a well sauo­ringe herbe / and vsed to be put in garlandes. It hath leaues lyke vnto Yuy / but lesse / and rounder by a great de­le / wyth purple floures / lyke the floures of Henbane / and they growe but a litle from the root / and haue a good sauour / out of the which commeth sede lyke grapes. It hath manye rootes full of knottes / small / one lyinge ouer an other / not vnlyke vnto grasse rootes / but much smaler / well sauoring / hote / and bytinge vehementlye the tonge.

Of great saint Iohns wurt.

GAlene and Paule conteyne Ascyron vnder Androsemo: but Dioscorides describeth these herbes seuerally / and so maketh them sondry herbes. Ascyron called also Ascaroi­des / is a kinde of Hyperici / called in Englishe saint Iohns grasse / or saint Iohns wurt: but it differeth in greatnes / for it hath greater leaues / stalkes / and mo braunches / then saint Iohns grasse hath. I haue mar­ked also thys difference / that Ascyron hath a four squa­red stalke / and leaues wyth verye fewe holes in them / whiche I haue not sene in Hyperico. The herbe maye be called in Englishe / great saint Iohns grasse. I haue sene it diuers tymes in Sion parke.

Of Swallowe wurt.

ASclepias is rekened of Fuchsius to be the herbe / which is called of the common Herba­ries Hirundinaria / of the Potecaries Vince toxicum / of the Germanes Schwalbēwurtz. It groweth in Germanye in hyghe mountai­nes / and in stony grounde amonges the bus­shes. I haue not sene it in Englande: but it maye be called in Englishe Swallwurte. Some Physicianes Italianes / when I was in Italye / supposed this herbe (whiche some call Asclepias) to be Apocinum. But thys herbe hath no yelow iuyce / nether doth it poyson wyth wine / as Apocinum doth. Wherefore this herbe can not be Apocinum. Asclepias hath long small braunches / out of which come furth long leaues / lyke vnto Yuy leues / many small rootes / whiche sauour well / The floure is of an vnplesant sauour / The sede is lyke hatchet fiche / called otherwyse Se­curidaca. But because the rootes of Swallow wurt are not well smelling / a man maye not be to bold to hold that Swallowurt is the right Asclepias. Wherefore I haue not as yet sene the right Asclepias in all pointes / agreing with the description of Dioscorides.

Of Sperage.

SPerage is called in Latin Asparagus / in Du­che Spargen / in Frenche Esperage / some Potecaries call thys herbe Sparagus. Aspara­gus is of two sortes / the one is called Aspa al­tilis / Asparagus alone / and this is the comon Sperage whiche groweth in diuerse gardins in England / and in some places by the Sea syde / in sandy hylles / as it groweth right plentuously in the Ylandes of East Freselande / and in hyghe Germany / without anye setting or sowyng. The other kind is called in Latin Corruda / or Asparagus syluestris. Thys kinde maye be called in Englishe Pricky Sperage / because it hath prickes gro­wynge on it. Thys kynd dyd I neuer se but only in the mount Appenine. Gardin Sperage is full of braunches / and it hath leaues lyke Fenell / but muche smaller / and a great rounde roote / whych hath a knoppe in it. When Sperage commeth fyrst furth of y ^e ground / it bringeth furth certayn bigge twigges / and in the toppes are certayne buddes lyke vnto rounde knoppes / which afterwarde sprede abroad into twigges / braunches and leaues: The sede of thys kynde of Sperage when it is rype / it is rede. The wilde Spe­rage in the stede of leaues hath nothinge but prickes / in other poyntes not vnlyke the other Sperage.

Of Cererache.

ASplenum as Dioscorides writeth / is called also Asple­nium / Splenium / and Hemionium / and though Hemio­nites be a farr other herb in Dioscorides then Asplenum is / and it is called of Asclepiades / in the nynth booke of Galenes worke of the composition of medecines after y ^e places / Hemionites / Andromachus in the same boke gy­ueth the same names vnto Asplenum. But Galene in y ^e first boke of Simples / and the xij. Chapter / semeth con­trarie [Page 70]

vnto all these foure autentike autours / to make two diuerse herbes of Asplenum and Stolopendrium / whilse he rehearseth these wordes / the greater diseases of the milte and liuer / require stronger herbes / that is to wit / the barkes of Capers / the rootes of Tamarisk / Stolopendrion and Scilla / cal­led Sea onyon / and the herbe whiche representeth thesame thing by his na­me / called Asplenos. What a man should saye in this matter / it is not very redy at hand vnto al men / nether had it ben redy vnto me / if that I had not se­ne two kindes of Asplenum. Whilse I went by the Ryne syde / foure myles beneth Binge: I chaunsed vpon great plenty of Aspleno / and there dyd I se one herbe which had whyter leaues / deper indented / and sharper leaues thē the other had: in so muche (as I remembre) it drew very nere vnto the lyke­nes of a certayne kinde of a litle thistel / whiche is indented lyke Asplenum. This (as I suppose) was the herbe whiche Galene dyd separe from Scolo­pendrion. And yet is not Scolopendrion Hartes tonge / whiche agreeth no­thinge nether in likenes / nether in description with Scolopendrion. Asple­nos groweth muche in Germanye / in olde moiste walles / and in rockes / it groweth also in England about Bristowe: it is named in Duche Stein­farn / in Frenche Ceterache / as the Potecarye call it. I haue harde no En­glish name of this Herbe / but it maye well be called in English Ceterache / or Miltwaste / or Finger ferne: because it is no longer then a mannes finger: or Scaleferne / because it is all full of scales on the innersyde. Asplenon hath leaues [Page 71] lyke in figure vnto Scolopendra y ^e beste / which also called Centipes / is not vnlike a great and rough palmers worme. The leaues are some thinge lyke Polipodium / and are indented so that one indenting is not righte ouer agaynst an other / but against euerye diuision / cutting / or indenting / standeth a round halfe circle. The inner syde of y ^e lefe is somthinge yelowe / & rough / w ^t small thinges lyke bran / or yelow scales / which w ^t a light occasion fal of / y ^e ou­ter syde is grene: it hath nether floure nor sede. If this description can not euidently ynough declare vnto you Asplenon / take a braunche of Polipodium / and take a finger lenght of y ^e middes of it / the nether ende / and the high ende cut awaye / cut of both the sydes the toppes and the leues awaye / and make then the remain round / and then shall ye se the very forme of Asplenon.

Of Astragalus.

AStragalus is named about Colon Erdeeke­len / in Nederland Erdnutte / in Ouerlād Ein Erdtnuss: I haue sene it in England in Come parke / and on Rychemonde heth. But I ne­uer coulde learne the name of it in Englishe. I am cōpelled for lacke of an other name to call it Peese earthnut / because it hath leaues lyke a litle Peese / or a Ciche / and rootes lyke an Earth nut. Allthough all the description of Dioscorides besyde did agre verye well vnto this herbe: yet when as I had found the roote in certayne moyst places / very litle astringēt / I began to dout: but after that I found that in drye places / and that it had a manifest astriction / I douted no more but that thys herbe was the righte Astragalus / allthough Fuchsius do contend / that thys should be Apios. Di­oscorides described Astragalus thus: Astragalus is a litle busshy Herbe / gro­wyng a litle from the grounde wyth braunches and leues lyke vnto a Ciche / the floures are purple and litle. The roote is rounde as a radice / and a great wythall. There groweth certayne thynges vnto the roote / stronge as hor­ne / and black / and one wounden within an other / and astringent in tast. It groweth in places open to the winde in shadow places / and where as snow lyeth longe. Thys description agreeth well with the herbe that I set furth in all other thinges as far as I can se / sauinge in the roote / for the hole roote is not lyke a radice / although it haue certayne round knoppes / like one kinde of radice. And it that Matthiolus setteth furth / hath rounder leaues / & not so longe and indented as the leaues of a Ciche are. Let learned men examine both / and take it for Astragalo / which agreeth with the hole description best.

Of Areche.

AReche or Oreche is called in Latin Atriplex / in Greke Atraphaxis and Chrysolachanon / in Duche Molten or Milten / in Frenche Arroches or Bones dames. Areche is of two kindes / the one is garden Areche / which gro­weth onelye in gardines / the other kinde is called in Englishe Wilde Areche / and it groweth abroade in the Corne feldes. Areche is moyste in the seconde degre / and colde in the fyrste.

Of Otes.

AVena is named in Greke Bromos / in Englishe Otes or Etes / or Hauer / in Duche Hauer or Haber / in Frenche Auoine. There are two kindes of Otes / the one is called in English commonly Otes / and the other is called Egi­lops in Greke / and in Latin Auenasterilis / and in En­glish wilde Otes. Otes are of a colde and a stoppinge nature. Otes are so well knowen / that I nede not to descri­be them. There is an other kinde of Otes / called Pillo­tes / whiche growe in Sussex / it hath no husk abydinge vpon it / after that it is threshed / and is lyke Otemele. This kinde groweth in no other countre that euer I could tell of / sauinge onelye in England / nether haue I rede in anye newe or olde Autor of this kinde. The men of the countre where they growe / saye that they will not growe well in a fat grounde / but in a ba­run grounde / wherein no corne hath growen before.

Of Baccharis / supposed to be Sage of Hierusalem.

BAccharis is a well sauoring herbe / & vsed to be put in garlandes / whose leues are sharp / and haue a meane bignes betwene the Violet leafe / and the leafe of Mollen. The stalke is full of crestes & corners about a cubit height / so­me thinge sharp / not without litle braunches growynge out of it / the floure is purple / and somethinge whyte / and well smelling. The rootes are like black Hellebore roo­tes / and the smell of them / is lyke Cinnamum. I haue sought muche to finde this herbe whiche the Latines call Baccharis. But I could neuer finde anye y ^t did so wel agre wyth the description of Baccharis / [Page 75] as doth the herbe that we call in English Sage of Hierusalem / and the Po­tecaries Pulmonoria. If any man can find any herbe to whome the descrip­tion of Baccharis agreeth better to / then to this herbe / will I gyue places / & in the meane season I will take this for Baccharis / vntil I finde a better. Sage of Hierusalem groweth aboute Collen in woddes in greate plentye. Matthiolus sheweth an other herbe for Baccharis / to whom (if the descrip­tion of Baccharis doth agre better then to it that I set furth) I will gyue place vnto him / when I shall se the herbe that he describeth: In the meane tyme I haue set out it that I can finde to be most lykest vnto Baccharis in Eng­land and in Germanye.

Of stinkinge Horehounde.

STynking Horehound is named in Greke Ballote / in so­me Greke bokes Megaprasion / and other Melanprasiō / of y ^e Latines Marrubium magnum / or Marrubium ni­grum / in Duche Stinking Andorne / in Frenche Marrubium noir. It is called also in English Black horehound. Ballote hath foursquare stalkes / blacke / and somthynge rough / manye growyng furth of one roote / wyth grea­ter leaues then Horehounde / rough / & a space goynge be­twene some thinge rounde / lyke vnto Apiastrum / we cal Baume: wherfore some call it Apiastrum / that is Baume / whyte floures do compasse the stalke about after the maner of whorles.

Of Bockes bearde.

GOates beard is called in Greke Tra­gopogon or Kome / in Latin Barba hirci / in Duch Bocks bard / in Frēch bar­be de bouc. Diosco­rides describeth gotes bearde thus: Tragopogon hath a short stalke / leaues like vnto Saffron / and a long roote which is swete / out of y ^e stalke cōmeth furth a great heade / in whose top is black sede or fruyt / wher­vpon it hath y ^e name geuē: this is y ^e text of Dioscorides / but I do suspecte y ^t Di­oscorides text is corrupted / for I thinke y ^t he wold neuer say y ^t this herbe should be called buckes beard / because it hath a black sede or fruyte: for what hath a white fruite or a black to do w ^t y ^e liknes of a bockes beard? nothing at al. Ther­fore where as Dioscorides texte is cor­rupt / it is best to amend it w ^t y ^e texte of Theophrastus / of whom he borrowed altogether this description. Thē where as Dioscorides sayth / out of the toppe commeth out a blacke sede / whereof Gotes beard hath y ^e name. Let vs rede as Theophrastus doth. Out of y ^e top commeth a hore whyte bearde / wherevpon it is called Gotes bearde: These [Page 77] be the wordes of Theophrastus. The herbe which we call Goates bearde / in barone places hath but a shorte stalke / but in gardines and in ranke med­does / it hath a longe stalke and full of ioyntes lyke knees. Aboute London I haue sene in the felde thys herbe wyth a swete roote and wyth black sede and a yelowe floure / and after the floure is gone wyth a great deale of long whyte doune lyke tuftes of whyte heyre / but about Colon I sawe it which had whyte sede and a bitter roote all full of milke as in other places it doth appere. Matthiolus marueyleth that the herbe nowe taken of vs for Tragopogon / is thought of Hermolaus Barbarus / nether to be the righte Tragopogon of Theophrastus or of Dioscorides. Surelye I thynke that it chaunsed vnto Hermolaus as it chaunsed vnto me: For I sawe diuerse ty­mes an herbe / that in all other poyntes dyd agree well wyth the description of Tragopogon / sauinge that the herbe alwaye had a bitter roote / whyche thinge made me still to iudge / that the herbe was not the righte Tragopo­gon / vntill I found an herbe with the same figure and fashion in all thinges lyke the other with a swete roote. And so I thynke that Hermolaus there­fore denied that thys herbe was the right Tragopogon / because he coulde neuer fynde anye with a swete roote. An other cause might be that he sawe the leaues of oure Tragopogon muche greater then the leaues of Safron. But Dioscorides looked not vnto the smallnes of the Safron leaues / but to the figure and whytishe list or lyne / that goeth quite thorowe the middes of the Saffron leafe: In whiche two thinges the leaues of Tragopogon / and the leaues of Safron are very lyke. I merueyle much when as both Theophrast and Dioscorides write / that Tragopogon hath longe rootes / that contrary vnto the open textes and mindes of these noble writers / that Amatus Lusitanus dare be so bolde / as to gyue round knoppy rootes after the maner of Bulbus / or of Ascalion / but somethinge longe vnto Tragopo­gon / and sayth that the rootes are of the bignes of an Hasel nutt / and that the boyes of Spayne of the lykenes / that they haue wyth a nutt / call them nozella. I haue sene thre sundry sortes of Tragopogon / one sorte with a ble­wishe purple floure / which is called in the West parte of Englande / Starre of Hierusalem / because whilse the Sunne shyneth it openeth / and when it is vnder a clud / the floure shitteth to close agayne. I knowe also two sortes wyth a yelowe floure / the one with a swete roote / and the other with a bit­ter roote / and full of milke. All these thre sortes had longe rootes when I sawe them / and I could neuer se anye suche rounde thinge in the roote / that was lyke vnto a nut or a oynion. Wherefore Amatus in the roote of this herbe is both contrary to the autorite of learned men / and to experience.

Of the Dasey.

A Dasey is called in Latin Bellis / in Duche Kleintzitlosten / or Monathblumle / in French des margarites & pasquetes / of the Herbaries Consolida minor or primula veris. There are two kindes of Dases / one with a reed floure which groweth in the gardines / and another whiche groweth abroade in euerye grene and hygh way. The Northren men call this herbe a Banwurt / because it helpeth bones to knyt agayne. The lefe of the Dasey is some thinge longe / and toward the ende round / & ther are smal nickes in y ^e borders or edges of y ^e leaues. Pliny writeth y ^t y ^e Dasey hath 53. and somtyme 55. litle whyte leues whiche go about y ^e yelow knop: it appereth y ^t y ^e double Daseys were not founde in Plinies tyme / which haue a great dele mo then Pliny maketh mention of.

Of Betes.

BEta is named in Greke Teutlon or Seutlon / in English a Bete / in Duche Mangolt / in Frēche Porree / or Iotte. Betes haue a stalke full of Crestes and corneres of two cubites heyght / a leafe lyke Areche or Lettes / smal yelow floures / and a longe roote whiche hath many small strin­ges like small thredes comming furth of it. There are two kindes of Betes / y ^e whyte Bete / which is also called Si­cula / and black Betes / called in Latin Beta nigra.

Of Betonye.

BEtonye is called in Latin Betonica / in Greke Kestron or Psychotropon / in Duche Betonien / in Frenche Betoi­ne or Betoisne. Betonye hath a small stalke / a cubite longe or longer / foursquared / wyth a leafe softe / longe / in­dented about / and lyke vnto an oke lefe / well smellinge / and greater nere the roote. In the toppes of the stal­kes is sede in a longe head like an eare / as some kinde of Saueray hath. It hath small rootes as Hellebor hath.

Of Paulis Betonye.

PAulis Betonye is much differing from Dioscorides Betonye / as Paulus witnesseth hys selfe. It hath small braunches lyke vnto Peny ryall / but smaller / whiche if ye do tast of / it hath allmoost no qualite that ye can perceyue / Gesner supposeth that Veronica whiche is called in English Fluellin / is Paulis Betony: but the manifest bitternes of it / wil not suffer it so to be. But the herbe [Page 83] whyche I do set furth here in thys figure / hauinge both leaues and stal­kes so / lyke Peneryal / that manye doth oft gather it for Peneryall / and be­ynge withoute all qualite whyche can be perceyued in taste / sauinge one­lye a verye littel bitternes / after my iudgement is the true Paulis Be­tonye. Thys herbe groweth in Sion gardine / and in diuerse woddes not far from Sion wyth a whyte floure mixed wyth blewe / and wyth a sede lyke vnto Bursa pastoris.

Of Birche.

BIrche is called in Latin Betula / or as some write Betulla / in Greke Semyda / in Duche Birckbaum / in French Boulean or Beula. I finde nothinge of the Birche tre in Dioscorides / but thus do I finde written of the Birche in Plinye. The Sorb or Serince tre loued cold places / and yet doth the Birche tre loue colde places better. This Frenche tre is of a wounderfull whytenes / and of no lesse smalnes / great­ly fearfull to many / because the officeres make roddes of it. Thesame is good to make hoopis of / and twigges for baskettes / it is so bowinge. The Frenche men set out of it a certain iuice or suck / otherwyse called Bitumē. I haue not red of anye vertue that it hath in Physick. Howbeit / it serueth for many good vses / and for none better then for betinge of stubborne boyes / that ether lye or will not learne. Flechers make pricke shaftes of Birche / because it is hea­uier then Espe is. Byrders take bowes of this tre / and lime the twigges and go a batfolinge with them. Fisherers in Northumberland pyll of the vtter­moste barke / and put it in the clyft of a sticke / and set it in fyre / and hold it at the water syde / and make fishe come thether / whiche if they se / they stryke with their leysters or sammonsperes: other vse of Byrche tre knowe I none. Matthiolus writeth that some men holde / that if y ^e Birch tre be bored / that ther will come muche water out of it / which as they saye is good to breake [Page 85] the stone both of the kidnes and of y ^e bladder / if a man drinke long of it. The same / as they say / is good for foule ladies that wil be fayre / & for the sores of y ^e mouth / if they be wasshed therewith. The iuyce of y ^e leaues / as they also tell / menged with the cheselop / saueth the chese from wormes breding in it.

Of Blites.

BLitum is named in Greke Bliton or Bleton / in Duche Meyer / in Frēche du blyte or espinars. I haue not heard the Englishe name of this herbe / nether dyd I euer se in England anye gardin Bliton. But I sawe wilde Bli­ton growynge in my Lordes gardine at Shene / but I could learne there no name of it. It maye be called in English a Blite or a Blete. Bliton hath leaues lyke vnto a Bete / but muche lesse / and lyker vnto Amarantho purpureo / called in Englishe Purple velued floure / yet muche greater then Vel­ued floure is. The common Blite hath a grene leafe / but there is an other Blyte / which I haue sene in Italy w ^t y ^e one half of y ^e lefe red / & y ^e other grene. [Page 86] The leaues of Blite are vnsauerye / and are of no qualite / the sede of Blite is as Betis sede is / with a skin about it / and verye plenteous. Blites haue mo rootes then one / not goyng right doune but a wrye. The wilde blites leaues are smaller then purple veluet floures are / and in the top of the herbe / there is wonderfull great plentye of small sede hanginge together as it were in clu­steres lyke grapes.

Of Oke of Hierusalem.

OKE of Hierusalem is named in Greke Botris / and the Latin men vse the same name / the Duche name it Trauben kraut / and some French men cal it Pymen or My­graine. Howbeit other French men saye that Pymen is a bushe. Oke of Hierusalem is an herbe all yelow / and all full of braunches and spred abrode / and hath manye ho­les betwene the stalke and lower end of the braunches / lyke vnto mennis arme holes. The sede groweth thorow al the hole braunches. The leaues are lyke Cichory leaues: and all the hole herbe hath a pleasant sauour / wherefore it is layd amonge clothes.

Of Cole or Colwurtes.

[Page 88]

COle is named in Greke Krambe / in Latin brassica / in Duche Kool / in French Chaues / of the common writers and Apothecaries Caulis / because of all other herbes it hath y ^e greatest stal­ke / whiche is called in Latin Caulis. Besyde y ^e common cole / there is an other kinde whiche is called in Greke Krambe kephalote / in Latin brassica / lacuturris / or triciana / or brassica fessi­lis / in Englishe Cabbage cole / in Duche Cap­pes kraut / in Frenche Capuci. Cole hath a great broade leafe / and thicke / with certayne swellings / not equal with the synewes / which are as manifest in cole / as in anye other herbe. The stalke is verye great / the floure is yelowe / and somtyme whyte / the sede is in litle longe coddes black / and greater then Rape sede.

Of Sea Cole.

BRassica syluestris is named in Greke / krābe agria. It maye be called in English Sea cole / because it groweth natural­ly by the sea syde. I neuer sawe it in all my lyfe / sauinge in Douer clyffes. This is muche lyke the other cole / but it is whyter and rougher / and bitter withal. But the leaues of it that I sawe / were much lesse & narrower / then the gardine cole. Theophrastus describeth a certayne kinde of wild co­le / that hath smouth leaues / whyche appeareth to me to be a certayne kinde of Carloke / that groweth in the corne wyth other leaues / then the common Carloke hath. Thesame is called in Northumberland this daye / Wild kele. There are yet two kindes of wilde Cole / whereof I finde no mencion in anye writer. The one is a wounderfull great Cole / & hath leaues thrise as thicke / as euer I sawe anye other cole haue. It hath whyte floures / and round berryes lyke Yuy / wherein the sede is conteyned. [Page 90] This herbe groweth at Douer harde by the Sea syde / and in manye other places. The other kinde of wilde cole / groweth euer by water sydes / wyth a leafe indented / as rocket is / in taste / smell / fashion of floure / and sede / lyke vnto the gardin cole / harde by the Seasyde. I name the firste of these in La­tine Brassicam Dobricam / in Englishe Douer cole / because I founde it first besyde Douer. The seconde kinde I call Brassicam flumatilem / and in En­glishe Water cole / because it groweth euer by water sydes.

Of Brassica marina.

BRassica marina named in Greke [...] / is thus describeth of Dioscorides: Brassica marina differeth in all thinge from the gardin brassica. It hath longe leaues lyke vnto Aristolochia the round. Euerye leafe commeth furth alone of litle braunches / somthinge readishe / and hath but one litle foot stalke as Yuy hath. It hath white iuice / but not muche / it hath a saltishe taste / and somethinge bitter / with a fat growinge together. The hole herbe is euell for y ^e stomache / sharpe or bitinge / and it louseth the belly excedingly sodden wyth meate: and for the great sharpnes it is sodden with fat meat. Although I haue these xvj. yeares sought for the right Brassica marina / and haue founde one herbe y ^t the common sorte of learned men take for it / And another which I thought alone y ^t it had bene the right Brassica marina / yet when I consy­der and wey both the herbes w ^t the description of Dioscorides / I find nether of both agreynge with the hole description. The herbe which I toke for bras­sica marina / groweth within the floodmarke of the Sea / and commonly at y ^e bankes of crekes that rin throw middowes or grene grounde / and in stonye Ilandes / wherevnto y ^e saltwater commeth to at certayne tymes in the year / as at great springe tydes and tempestes. I haue sene it in East Freseland a­bout Norden / where as it is called Leppelkruyt / of the likenes that it hath with a spoune. I haue sene it in England at Westchester / at Portlande / and at Porbeke / but I could neuer learne anye name of it / but Scurby wede / or Scurby wurt / it maye also well be called Spounwurte. When it commeth fyrst furth / it hath fyue or sixe / somtime mo / and sometyme fewer leaues alto­gether / standing right vp after the maner of Pirola / or of a yonge Bete / the foote stalke is longe and towarde the ground redishe / the leues are fat thick and round / not vnlike to Asarabacca or Folfoote / but that they are lesse and grener. They are somthinge saltish & bitter / and very hote and sharpe in tast / and haue a certayne smake of cole / which is vnpleasant by the reason of the heate & bitternes that is ioyned wyth it. It hath a stalke almost a span long / and the leaues that growe vpon the stalke / are much longer and more shar­per pointed then they that come streight waye first from y ^e roote. The floure [Page 91] is whyte / and the sede is dunnish blacke. The people of the countre vse it a­gainst the scurbuke or crippel euel. I haue proued that it is not only good a­gainst that disease / but also against the dropsey / as the noble clerke Reinerus the Rector of the scole of Gruninge / and Henrike Herbart can bere witnes. Yet for all thys I dare not giue sentence that it is the right Brassica marina of Dioscorides / namely because a great deale of it purgeth but a litle / when as the true Brassica marina of Dioscorides purgeth very sore / and y ^t at no ty­me that I sawe it / any milke or whyt iuice did appere in it. The herbe which is commonlye taken in Italy / Fraunce and Germany / for Brassica marina / is called of the Herbaries Soldana or Soldanella. But it that Matthiolus setteth out / is not the same herbe / namelye in the roote / that oure Soldanel­la is / which groweth in England and Flandres / nether it y ^t is sold at Frank­ford and at Anwerp. For as the rest of the hole herbe is like vnto wythwinde or wedebind / called of some Volubilis / of other Helxine cisampelos / in al thinges / sauinge that the leaues are rounder and not so sharpe / so is the roote al­so lyke vnto the roote of the same herbe. Oure Soldanella a far of loketh like a Mallowe / both in the floures and leaues / but when a man commeth nere vnto it / it loketh so lyke a Withwinde / that a man wold saye / that it were nothing ellis / but a Sea withwinde / The floures are in all pointes lyke y ^e com­mon with windes floures / that is of the fashion of a bell / sauing that they are greater and purplish blewe. And when as all the rest of y ^e herbe crepeth vpon the Sea sande / the floures stand gallantly right vp / and shewe meruelous well vpon the plaine sand or grauell. The sede is lyke the sede of other win­des / blackish and round / as great as a fitche / and somethinge greater. The leaues are as rounde as the leaues of Aristolochia the rounde / and Asarabacca are. The tast is not so sharpe as the tast of the leaues of Spounwurte are. They purge beten into pouder in the quantite of two drammes / but nothing so much as Dioscorides semeth to meane that brassica marina doth. For Dioscorides sayth [...] sodden in meate / it louseth the bellye most vehemently. Plinye writinge of Brassica marina sayth / vehementisime ex omnibus aluum alet / that is of all other it louseth y ^e bellye most vehement­ly. Nether are they so hote as Dioscorides writeth that Brassica marina is / for he sayth: [...]. The hole herbe is sharpe or bytinge / and some for the sharpenes seth it wyth fat fleshe. Then when as Soldanella hath no longe leaues / but all round / & is nether so sharpe nor so vehemente a purger / as Dioscorides maketh hys brassicam marinam to be: nether hath anye qualitie / nether in tast nor smell / wherefore it should be called brassica marina / and seynge the hole herbe is so lyke vnto Helxine cisampelo / and to smilaci syluestri / and compared it to no­ne of them. A man may dout whether Soldanella be Brassica marina Dios­corides or no. But if Soldanella be not brassica marina / yet for al y ^t it maye serue well to purge water in a dropsey / as other kindes of Helxines cisampe­los / and Midlandish with windes do. Aetius sayth that Smilax syluestris whyche crepeth vpon busshes and hedges by water sydes / is verye good a­gainst the dropsey / and Nicolaus Mirepsus belyke folowynge Aetius / saith the same / Dioscorides writeth y ^t Helxine cisampelos purgeth the bellye / and Mesue writinge of fyue kindes of windes or winding herbes / maketh them all purgers. Wherefore it is no meruel that this Soldana beynge a kinde of Winde / purge as other windinge herbes do. Matthiolus to take all lettes y ^t [Page 92] Soldanella might be brassica marina / sayth that where as the common tex­tes haue / Makra phylla / that they are falsed / and in y ^e stede of mikra is ma­kra put in / which surely is lyke to be true / except in some places of Aristolo­chia / there be longer leaues / and in other places be shorter & rounder as are in Leffelwurt / and diuerse kindes of Mallowes / & other herbes / and thē is not Soldanella brassica marina. But it appereth y ^t ether ther is no falsifying of y ^e text at al / or els y ^t it hath ben changed very long ago / for both y ^e old barbarus translation of Dioscorides / which is set furth by the order of letters / & also y ^e translations of Serapio redeth folia longa. But I finde in no Greke text y ^t nowe is / or in anye olde translation phylla lepta / or folia tennia / as Ruellius hath in his translation / which thing I merueil that Matthiolus spyed not otherwayes / a man well eyed / as in diuerse places of his boke it doth appere.

Of Brion thalassion.

[Page 93]

BRion thalassion / is called in Latin / Muscus marinus. But muscus marinus is of two kindes / as Muscus is. One kind of Mosse is broad / like vnto liuer wurt / which is named in Dioscorides a Mosse / in these wordes: Lei­chen brion esti prosechomennon tais endrosais petrais. And that ther is an other kinde of Mosse / which is smal lyke heyres. Dioscorides in the description of this herbe doth testifye. And euen so manye kindes are there of Bri­on thalassion / allthough Dioscorides do describe but one. Brion thalassion that Dioscorides speaketh of / groweth vpon stones / and oysters / and suche other lyke fishe shelles / by the sea syde / smal and like heyres / and without any stalke: but Pliny and Theophrastus write of an other kinde of Brion thalassion / whiche Theophrastus describeth in these wordes. Ther is another her­be called Brion with a lefe grene and large: not vnlyke vnto Lettis / but ful­ler of wrinkles / and drawen in together. Plinye in the xxvij. booke and viij. chapter / hath the same description. Wherfore Pliny allthough he erreth oft / and deserueth to be confuted as Matthiolus with other learned men con­fute him learnedly / yet he is vniustlye checked of Matthiolus. The lerned mē of Italy haue taken a litle thinge like Mosse / that groweth here commonly vpon oysters shelles / which they call Corallinam / for Brion thalassion Dios­coridis [Page 94] / whose opinion I can not vtterly refell. But I knowe a Sea herbe like Mosse in dede / with a taste plaine astringent / which semeth to me more lyke to be Brion thalassion / & y ^e Potecaries call this herbe Vsneam marinā: and it hath woddish matter / when a man byteth on it. But the other called Corallina / is made of manye litle stonye ioyntes / conningly knit together / & if ye byte it with your teth / it will crashe vnder your teth / as litle stones or grauel do. Vsnea marina maye be called in Englishe Sea mosse / Corallina may be named in English Coralline / The Brion thalassion of Theophrastus & Pliny is called in Northumberland Slanke / which in Lent the poore people seth / and that w ^t lykes and oyniones. They put it in a pott and smore it / as they call it / and then it loketh black / and then put they oyniones to it / & eate it. But before it is sodden / it is wonderfully grene.

Of Borage.

DIuerse well learned men / as Leonicenus and Ruellius with other mo / haue supposed y ^t the herbe which is called in Latin Borago / and in Englishe Borage / is Buglossum in Dioscori­des / and this opinion hath long preuailed: but two freres of Rome / wrytinge vpon Mesue / saye / that they haue found in Spayne the true Buglossum / and that this our Borage is not y ^e true Buglossum. Their reason are these / Bora­ge hath not leaues like vnto Mullen (say they) nether lyke Comfrey: but Dioscorides maketh Buglossum lyke them both / therefore Borage is not Buglossum Dioscoridis. I aunswer that Mullen when it commeth first vp / hath leaues lyke vnto the broad leues of Borage / whē they come first furth: but as the leues of Mullen y ^t come out of y ^e stalke / are longer then they that come streight waye oute of the roote: so are also the leues of Borage lon­ger / which growe on the stalke / then they that come from the roote. There­fore the vnlykenes of Mullen and of borage / shal not hinder borage to be bu­glossum. What if mullen haue longer leaues then borage hath? it foloweth not yet but y ^e borages leafe maye be like mullens lefe. Dioscorides / I graunt / writeth that the leaues of Simphiton are somthing longe / drawing nere vnto buglossum. The wordes of Dioscorides are these: Phylla dasea / stena hy­pomece prostaton bouglosson. That is / the leaues of Comfrey are rough / narrowe / and somethynge long / lyke the leaues of buglossum. This doth not make borage and comfrey vnlyke / because comfrey hath longer leaues then borage hath. Nether doth Dioscorides saye / that comfrey is longer then bu­glossum: but comfrey hath somethinge longe leaues / lyke vnto them of Bu­glossum. That buglossum nede not to haue so long leaues as comfrey hath / Dioscorides doth partelye signifye / where he sayth that Cirsion (which I take to be our Langde befe) hath longer leues then buglossum. Dioscorides al­so maketh those leues makra / that is longe / which are not without compari­son of shorter and rounder / so doth he call y ^e leaues / of Brassica marina long / which are not longe / but in comparison of other rounder and shorter leaues: therefore that reason wil not serue. Is it not possible that there maye be two or thre kindes of an herbe / whereof Dioscorides describeth but one? Dioscori­des describeth but one kind of Brion thalassion / and yet Theophrastus ma­keth many kindes. Dioscorides maketh but one kind of Cornus / and Theo­phrastus maketh two. And where as Dioscorides maketh mētion but of one kinde of herbe / other autores haue found out two / somtyme thre / and somty­me foure. Wherefore if it were so / that this description of Dioscorides dyd not throughly out agree in all pointes wyth this herbe / yet it might be a kind of it / seynge that it agreeth both in taste / and muche in lykenes w ^t buglosse / whiche can not be denied / but it is agreinge with the description of buglossi Dioscorides. Howbeit / I wil not graunt as yet / but y ^e Borage agreeth well ynough vnto the description of buglossi. Let learned men iudge both my iudgement / and also the iudgement of the two freres of Rome / whom I cā not so muche dispraise / for their hypocrital kind of lyuing / being in Babylon / as I can alowe them / for their diligent labours taken in sekinge oute of Sim­ples / and restoringe of Mesue vnto hys right and true text and first writing. [Page 96] Dioscorides describeth thus Buglossum. Buglossum is lyke vnto Mullen / and hath a lefe spred vpon the grounde / but blacker / and rough / muche lyke vnto an Oxes tounge. In the description of Comfrey he maketh it lyke vnto Buglosso.

Of Oxey.

BVphthalmus hath no other vsed name / that I knowe / nether in Latin nor Englishe / nether haue I sene it in Eng­lande: but it maye be called in Latin Oculus bouis / and in Englishe Oxey. I haue sene it in Italye / and in hyghe Almanye. There is very litle difference betwene it / and ye­lowe Camomille / sauinge that this hath greater knoppes and longer leaues then yelowe Camomyle hath. Diosco­rides describeth Bupthalmus thus: Buphthalmus or Oxey putteth furth small braunches / and softe / and hath leaues lyke Fe­nel / and a yelowe floure greater then Camomille / lyke vnto an eye / wher­vpon it hath the name. It groweth aboute tounes and in greate playnes. The herbe whiche Matthiolus setteth furth for Buthalmo / hath not lea­ues lyke Fenell / wherefore it is not the right Buthalmus Dioscoridis.

Of Bulbine or yelowe Leke.

PLiny maketh mention of a kind of Bulbus / which he sa­yeth / is called of the Grecianes Bulbine / and hath leues lyke Leekes / and a heade or knoppe. The herbe whiche I take to Bulbine / groweth amonge the corne / and hath floures about the beginninge of Aprill. It hath long smal blades lyke Leekes / but much smaller and sharper / The blades that come from the roote / are verye small & longe / but they that come oute of the top of the stalke / & growe hygher then the stalkes / are broder. The floures growe out of the top of the stalke / and they are yellowe. The vessel that holdeth seede is thresquare / the stalke is small / and not a span longe / The roote is rounde lyke an oynion with a dunne huske / and somethynge redish within / and a littel bitter and clammy. It groweth muche in Germanye aboute Bon and Colon. Plinye writeth that the propertye of thys herbe is to heale woundes / and close the it Bulbus / whereof this is one kinde / hath manye other good properties. But I will not gyue no more vnto the herbe then my autor doth / except I had experience that he had not sene or proued. Some in Duch land cal this herbe Hundts vllich / and it maye be called in Englishe Corne leeke / or wilde leeke. As for the gardiu Bulbus / and the other called Vomitorius / all­though I haue longe and diligently sought for them these twentye yeares / [...] [Page 100] But he telleth not of which Mirt tre he meaneth of. In dede in thicknes of leaues which are very nere one vnto another. Boxe is lyke vnto the gardine myrt / but in bignes of lefe it is more lyke the wilde mirte. Howbeit the leaues of Boxe are both rounder & greater then wild myrte leaues are. Boxe hath rounde litle vesselles / which holde black sede in them. The wood of Boxe is yelowe and pale / and serueth for no vse in medicine / that I haue red of: The floures of this tree make bitter honye / wherfore it is not good to be planted / where as bees are kept. This writeth Pliny in the xvj. boke of his natural story. Matthiolus confuteth so well and learnedly Amatus Lusitanus / for saynge / that Boxe was a kinde of Guaiacum / that I nede not to geue anye warninge of the great errour that Amatus was in / and wold haue brought other into the same.

Of Calaminte.

DIoscorides maketh thre kindes of Calaminte / The fyrst kinde he describeth thus. It groweth comonly in mountaines / and hath leues like vnto Basil / white in vnder / drye braunches / & squared stalkes / and a purple floure. This herbe groweth much in Ger­manye about Bon / and in England about Sion / It hath leaues lesse then greate Basil / muche lyke vnto the common Organe / or wilde Ma­rierum / but they are rough on both sydes / but more rough of the vnder [Page 101]

part / and whyte withall / but grene of y ^e ouer part: yet not withstanding mi­xed w ^t certayne horines / & y ^e stalke is foursquare / &al rough w ^t a whyte hore / where about doth grow in equal order / one from another certaine knoppes lyke whorles / lyke vnto them y ^t are in horehounde: out of the which do grow purple floures / the leafe is hote / and holden vnder ones teth / bringeth furth slauer / and hath also a very good sauour / but somthinge stronge withall: the rootes are smal / muche lyke vnto y ^e rootes of the common organe / this kinde maye be called in Englishe rough Organ bush Calamint. The second kind is thus described of Dioscorides. It is lyke Peny ryal / but greater / and thys haue some called wild Peny ryal / because it is lyke in sauore. The Latines call it Nepitā. This kinde of Calaminte groweth much in England among the corne / and it is called in English commonly / Corne mint / and of the Potecaries Calamentum. Howbeit at those dayes the Latines cal it not Nepitā / but vse the Greke terme of Calamite. The thyrde kinde as Dioscorides wri­teth / is lyke vnto wild minte / with longer leaues / with greater braunches & stalkes then the other kindes haue / but it hath lesse strenght then y ^e rest. This kinde is now a dayes called of the Pothecaries Nepita / in English Nepe / in Duch Katzenkraut / or Catzenmuntz / in French Herbe au chat / y ^e cattes commonly / where as they can finde it in any gardin / wil eat it vp / wherfore som cal it in English Catmint. This herbe groweth far from cities and tounes / in hedges and in stony groundes. Calamint is hote and drye in the third de­gre. Dioscorides writeth y ^t Calamint groweth in playnes / hygh and rockye [Page 102] and in waterye places. Matthiolus and I do agree in the seconde kinde of Calamint / which he sayth / is called euen at thys tyme in his countrey Nipo­tella. But in the first and third kinde / I dissent from him / for he maketh ano­ther herbe to be the first kinde of Calamint / and he maketh my first kinde of Calamint / to be Clinopodium. As for his first kinde of Calamint / if it be so of the same forme and fashion / as he hath set it out in his figure / it answereth nothinge vnto the description of Dioscorides / for he wold that his first kind should haue leaues like vnto Basill / but that herbe whiche Matthiolus set­teth out / for Calaminta prima hath leaues lyke vnto Penyryal / and not vn­to basil / namely to that basil y ^t Dioscorides compareth his first Calamint to. If y ^t the first Calamint of Matthiolus had bene y ^e first Calamint of Diosco­rides / then should it haue had leaues lyke vnto Heliotropio maiori / to y ^e right Mercury / & to purple veluet floure / for these herbes leaues in Dioscorides & other good autors are made lyke vnto y ^e leaues of Ocimum or basil. But y ^e le­ues of his first Calamint are not like vnto y ^e right basil / whiche Dioscorides cōpareth his first Calamint to. Therfore y ^e first Calamint of Matthiolus a­greeth not w ^t y ^e description of Dioscorides / I wil be iudged by learned men y ^t are indifferent. In y ^e third kind of Calamint / I do not like his confutation of Ruellius / who in my iudgement hath more furthered y ^e knowledge of herbes for his tyme / then Matthiolus hath done for hys tyme / & yet I graunt y ^t we are much bound to Matthiolus for his paynes taken in the setting out y ^e knowledge of herbes. Ruellius sayth y ^t y ^e third kind of Calamint / is the herbe cōmonly called Nepe or Cat mint / but Matthiolus confuteth him thus: Di­oscorides maketh the thirde kinde of Calamint lyke vnto Mentastro / & not to Baum or a Nettel / as Catmint is. Thesame Dioscorides answer I vnto Matthiolus / sayth not only y ^t the third Calamint is like vnto Mentastro or wild mint / but he sayth also that it hath longer leaues then wild mint hath / for so hath the Greke text / [...]. Tertia verò menthae syluestri similis est folijs oblongior. The third is lyke vnto wilde mint / longer in the leaues. And thesame Dioscorides sayth that the thirde kinde of mint is greater both in the stalke and blades or braunches / then the forenamed Calamintes be. Then when as the third calamint must haue lon­ger leaues then wild mint: That herbe that hath longer leues then the wild mint / called Mentastrum / is not lyke the thirde Calamint. And the herbe y ^t Ruellius setteth furth for Calaminta tertia / hath longer leaues then it that Matthiolus setteth out: Therfore it that Ruellius setteth out / is lyker to be the thirde kinde of Calamint / then it that Matthiolus sheweth. For it that Matthiolus setteth oute for the thirde Calamint / excepte his thirde figure be falselye graued and painted / hath not onelye shorter leaues and lesse / then euen the Mentastrum / which he setteth out his owne selfe a litle before / but also shorter and lesse leues then the seconde kinde of Calaminte hath / euen after his owne figure that he setteth furth. Therfore Matthiolus erreth much more in y ^e third kind of Calamint then Ruellius doth: put a litle pece of a lea­fe vnto Mentastro / and se whether it will not be as long as some Nettel leaues be or no. If the increase of the leafe then make Mentastrum lyke a Net­tel / then the thyrd Calaminte / which must nedes be longer leaued then Mentastrum is / maye well be like a nettel / as touching the length of the leafe. An other cause is / sayeth Matthiolus / why that the opinion of Ruellius oughte to be refused and whisteled oute / is because he hath sene the right third Ca­lamint [Page 103] in watery places like vnto Mentastro / with something more whitishe leaues / and w ^t a sharper taste / howe sufficiente a cause is this / y ^t the opinion of Ruellius should be refused / al men maye easely perceiue. Because he sawe an herbe in a watery place lyke Mentastro / with a some thinge more whytishe leaues / and of a sharper taste / as though to be lyke Mentastro / and to haue more whitish leaues / and a sharper tast then it hath / and to growe in watery places / were the hole description of the thirde Calaminte. Doutles Matthio­lus was very far ouersene in makinge of this description: for it that Diosco­rides reherseth as a most necessary marke to knowe the third Calamint by / y ^e leaueth he quite out / that is whether the leaues be longer then Mentastrum or no / & whether y ^e braunches and stalke be greater then y ^e other kindes of Calamint or no / & whether y ^e herbe were hoter then other calamintes or no / & it y ^t Dioscorides maketh no part of y ^e description / y ^t is to haue whyter leaues thē Mentastrū / y ^t setteth he in to fill vp y ^e mater w ^tal. And so with a great number of vayne wordes / he proueth nothing / but vnworthely reproueth a better lerned man then him self in setting furth y ^e trueth. Mentastrū / as Auerrois wryteth / is hote in y ^e third degre / if y ^e herbe y ^t Matthiolus sheweth for y ^e third cala­mint / be hoter then y ^e mentastro (as he sayth it is) then it can not be the thirde kinde of Calamint in Dioscorides / for it is of lesse strenght then y ^e other kindes be of / as Dioscorides bereth witnes. Galene in his boke de simplicibus wry­teth / y ^t mint is good for thē y ^t wolde haue childrē / & y ^t Calamint is so hote y ^t it serueth not for y ^t purpose. I thynke y ^t he meant of y ^e second & first kinde of Ca­lamint / which Dioscorides maketh of more strenght thē y ^e third. The cattes both eat vp & trimble vpon y ^e herbe / called nepe / about y ^e time of their catter­wawinge / wherfore some thinke y ^t nature teacheth y ^e cattes to know y ^e herbe which serueth best for y ^e purpose y ^t they go about at y ^t tyme. If y ^t be the cause why they desyre it so greatly / thē is not nepe so hote as y ^e other ij. kindes of calamint be / & so draweth nere vnto y ^e nature of gardine mint / if y ^e learninge of Galene be true / y ^t y ^e herbes y ^t are mesurablye warme / serue more for y ^e purpose aboue named / thē right hote & drye herbes do. Which thing whether it make any thinge to proue y ^t nepe shoulde be y ^e thirde calaminte / I will be iudged by them that are in this matter learned / and in different iudges.

Of Marygoldes.

CAltha is called of the Herbaries Calendula / in Englishe a Marygolde / in Duche Ringblo­men / in Frenche Soulsie: it is not yet surelye knowne / howe that this herbe Caltha was called amonges the Grecians / for it is harde to find any mention of this herbe purposedlye described: Howbeit I finde mention of Caltha in the description of Chrisanthemon / for Dios­corides after Ruellin [...]s translation / sayeth these wordes: Chrysanthemon aut Caltha non nullis Buthalmos herba est fructicosa / that is / Chrisanthemon or Caltha / whiche some call [Page 105] Buthalmus is a busshy herbe / if this text were true / we might be sure to knowe a Greke name for Caltha. For besye y ^t it were a Greke name it selfe / it should be called also Chrysanthemon: but my Greke Dioscorides which Cornarius hath set furth / hath calcas / wher as Ruellins hath caltha / which thinge maketh me doute whether the Grecians hath made any mēcion of caltha or no / for Chrysanthemon or Goldfloure may as well be called chalcas of the brasen colour y ^t it hath (for chalcas in Greke / is brase in English) as it may be called buthalmus / of the lykenes y ^t it hath of the oxeye / Caltha is but sklen­derlye described of the Latin authors / for Virgil doth only call it reed yelow caltha / and Plinye amonge yelowe violettes and other yelowe floures / ma­keth mention of caltha / and sayth y ^t it hath a stronge sauour / of which places we can onelye gesse that oure Marygold should be the Latin mens Caltha.

Of Hempe.

CAnnabis named both of the Grecians and Latines / is called in English hempe / in Duche hanffe / in French chanure. Hemp sayeth Dioscorides / is profitable for many thinges in mans lyfe / and spe­cially to make strong cables and roopes of. It hath leaues like an Ashe tree / with a stronge sauour / longe stalkes and round sede.

Of wilde Gelouer or Gelyfloure.

DIuerse learned men haue iudged the herbe y ^t we call in English Gelouer or a Gelyfloure / to be Vetonica in Dioscorides / but seynge y ^e place out of which they gather their opinion / is pro­ued to be but bastarde / and set to by some other to Dioscorides: they haue no sure grounde of their opinion. And where as some alledge / y ^t Paule maketh two kindes of Betonye / y ^t their opinion might take place: yet it is nothinge to the purpose / for the leues of the one Betony are indented lyke an Oke / and the other is lyke Peny ryal / and their Betonica hath leaues ly­ke a Leeke or broad grasse / so that their Betonica can be nether of Paulis Betonies. And where as Pliny is alleged to haue two kindes of Betonica or Vetonica / it can not be founde so in Pliny / that is right corrected: there­fore they haue no fundation to buylde their opinion vpon. I thinke that oure Gelouer is Cantabrica in Pliny / for he describeth Cantabricam thus: In y ^e selfe Spayne was founde Cantabrica / of the people of Cantabria / in the ty­me of Augustus. It groweth euerye where with a rishy stalke a fote height / wherevpon are longe floures / in long vesselles after y ^e forme of a Lily floure / [Page 107] that is to witte / litle at the setting on / and broder euer toward the ende: and in this is very smal sede. This description of Pliny semeth vnto me to agree very well vnto the herbe called of the Potecaries Tunica / and in Englishe / wilde Gelouer / for it hath a smal stalke lyke vnto an rishe / both in color and quantite / and hath suche a long vessel vpon the top as represented the forme of it / called in Latin Calathus. The gardin Gelouers are made so pleasaunt and swete with the labours and witt of man / and not by nature.

Of Fumitorye.

FVmitorie is called in Greke Capnos / in Latin Fumaria / of the Pothecaries Fumus terre / in Duche Erdrauch / or Duuenkeruel. Fumitorye is a busshy herbe and very tender / and lyke vn­to Coriandre / but it hath whyter leaues / and them in great number / which are as though it were of an ashe coloure and purple floures. In the top of the herbe are litle rounde knoppes after the floures begon. It groweth in the corne in gardins / in vineyardes / in hedges / and in all plowed and digged places. Fumitorye is hote & drye in the second degre / and of a manifest bit­ternes / which is a witnes of the hete of the same.

Of Capers.

CApparis is a Greke worde / whyche the La­tines vse as their owne also: and Capparis is called in Theodorus Gaza in Latin inturis / and it is called in Englishe Capers / in Du­che Cappres / in Frenche Capres. Capers is a prickye bushe / which lyinge vpon the groun­de / stretched furth vnto a rounde circle / and hath prickes as a bramble / crokinge in / after the fashion of a hoke: It hath rounde leaues lyke vnto a Quince tree / and a fruyte lyke an Oliue / whyche when it gapeth and is opened / sheweth a whyte floure / and when it is sha­ken awaye / there is a thinge founde in it / lyke a longe Acorne / which when it openeth / hath cornes lyke vnto the cornes of Pomgranates / litle and red: The rootes are hard great and manye. I haue sene Capers growe in di­uerse gardins of Italy / but not in the feldes that I remembre of.

Of Archichockes.

CArduus called in Greke Scolimus after Galene / Aetius and Paulus / is a sundrye herbe from Cinara. But other autoures make onely thys difference / that Carduus shoulde be wild Archychock / and Cinara shoulde be the gar­dine Archychock. Archychock is very sklen­derly and to shortelye described of Dioscori­des: for he describeth it no largelyer then thus: It hath leaues of Chameleon / or blac­ker then the whyte thistel / and thycker. It hath a longe stalke / and full of leaues / wyth the heade full of prickes / and a black roote and a thycke. Theophrastus sayeth that Archychocke is marked to haue thys propertye by it selfe / that the roote is good to be eaten both rawe and sodden / and that it is also very good when it flourisheth / and that when the roote waxeth harde / it sendeth furth a whyte iuyce lyke milke. Plinye writeth that it is a maruel to see / howe that in the kindes of Archychock some bringe furth floures al the hole summer / some do conceyue / and some bringe furth fruyte. Archychocke when it is verye yonge / it hath verye sharpe prickes: but when it is olde / it hath no prickes at all. Thus farre haue I re­hearsed the wordes of Dioscorides / Theophrastus / and Plinye / which are sufficient to declare that oure Archychocke is the herbe that they call Sco­limus and Cinara. But besyde there description / for the better knowledge of thys herbe / it is to be added / that the leaues of Archychock are very de­pelye indented / euen to the verye synewes / whiche departe the mydleaues. And the fruyte of Archychocke is muche lyke vnto a Pyneappel nut: but [Page 111] the thick leaues of the head / whiche after the maner of scales lye one vpon an other / are a great deale broader and thicker / then they that are in pyne ap­ples. The wilde Archychock hath a great deale narrower leaues / then the other / and muche longer and sharper prickes then the gardine Archychock hath. And the fruyte is al prickye and verye sharpe.

Of Caruwayes.

CAruwayes is called in Greke Caros and ka­ron / the Latin men call it Carum and Care­um / the Potecaries call it Caruwy / the Duche men call it Matkumell or Wishen kumel / and the Freses Hofcumine. It groweth in greate plentye in Freseland in the medowes ther / be­twene Marien hoffe and Werden / hard by the Sea banke. Caruwayes hath manye squared stalkes and hollowe / comming out of one root. And oute of the toppes of the stalkes groweth sedes after the maner of Fennell or Dille / and it hath whyte floures and leaues lyke wilde carrot: The rootes are longe / small / and yellowe / and pleasant in taste. The [Page 112] sede is hote and drye almost in the thyrde degree / but the roote and the herbe are not so hote.

Of Segge or Sheregres.

CArex is the Latin name of an herbe / whiche we call in Englishe Segge or Shergres / whereof I finde no mention / nether amonge the Grecianes / nether amonge the Latines / sauinge that I haue rede of it in Vergil / and in Calphurnius. Calphurnius writeth thus of this herbe: Ipse procul stabo / vel acute carice tectus. I wil stande far awaye couered wyth the sharpe segge. Vergil also in his Georgikes maketh this Shergres to be sharpe / and in his Egloges he maketh it to growe thycke toge­ther in bushes / in these wordes: Tu post care­cta latebas. Thou lurkedest behinde the segge bushes. Thys herbe that I do take to be carex / groweth in fennes and in water sydes / and hath a shorte roote / red withoute / and manye litle stringes at it. The leaues as they come oute first / are thre square / afterwardes they do go abroade / and represente a long smal knyfe / but not without certayne squares. And the edges of thys herbe are so sharpe / that they will cut a mannis hande / and haue a certayne roughnes / whiche maketh them to cut the soner: of the whiche propertye the Northen men call it Sheregres. It hath a longe stalke / and thre square / and in the top of that is a sort of litle knoppes / in stede of sedes / and floures much lyke vnto oure gardine gallingal. I haue not red anye vse of thys in Phy­sicke. The people of the Fenne countreys vse it in for fother / and do heate o­uens with it.

Of Doder.

DOder is called of some of the Grecianes Cassi­tas / of the later Latin men Cassutha. It is calleth of the Potecaries and cōmon Herbaries Cuscuta / and podagra liny: the Duche men call it Filtzkraut / Doder and wrang / in Frēch it is named Goute de Line. Doder groweth oute of herbes and small bushes / as Miscelto groweth oute of trees: and nother of both gro­we oute of the grounde. Doder is lyke a great red harpe strynge / and it windeth aboute her­bes / folding muche aboute them / and hath floures and knoppes / one from another a good space / wherein is sede. This herbe hath nother leaues / nor stalke / nether root in the grounde. The herbes that I haue marked Doder to growe most in / are flaxe / and tares / and nettels. We call in Englande Sauery / that hath Do­der growynge on it / laced sauery: and Tyme that hath thesame / laced tyme. The laces that go about Tyme / is Epithymum of Dioscorides / Galene / and other olde writers. I haue sene it in Germany and in England in plenty. Matthiolus semeth to iudge / that there is no mention made of Cassuta in Pliny / because he maketh his Cassutas to growe in Syria / and because he [Page 114] maketh it to winde about trees / when as oure Cassuta groweth out of Sy­ry / and groweth not about tre [...]s / but onlye vpon herbes and busshes / and because in all the Plinyes that he sawe it is written / not Cassitas but Caditas. They that corrected Plinye / and red for Caditas Cassitas / did not wythoute a cause / for Serapio writinge of Cassuta / sayeth thus / as he is translated in Latin chasuth / id est / cassuta / est res que adheret herbis inuoluens eas sicut fila / sed in summitatibus habet fructum subtilem / ex ipsa crescit in arboribus. That is cassuth / that is to saye / Cassuta is a thinge that cleueth to herbes / foldinge and winding about them like thredes / but in the toppes it hath a smal fruyte / and it groweth vpon trees. Out of this place of Serapio / a man may gather that it ought to be red in Pliny Cassitas and not Caditas / and that Cassuta groweth not onelye about herbes / but also about trees. It foloweth not / Cassitas groweth in Syria / therfore it groweth only in Syria as Matthiolus gathereth. As litle doth his other argumēt folow / our Cassuta in the­se countres groweth only vpon herbes and busshes / therfore it groweth now here vpon trees / therefore it is not Cassitas of Plinye. When as the Arabia­nes confesse in their writinges / that it groweth in there countres also about trees. There is no cause therfore / but that we maye iudge that our Cuscuta is called in Pliny Cassitas / out of whiche worde when as y is pronunced after u gallicum / maye easelye growe cassutha.

Of Chesnut tree.

CAstanea called Castonos in Greke / and of to­me dios balanos / is named in Englishe Ches­nut tree / in Duche Ein Kestenbaum / in Fren­che Castaigney. The fruyte of it is called of some Glans sardiana / that is a Sardian a­corne. Chesnut tree is a great tree / and hath leaues longe and indented lyke a Nettel / The huske of the fruyte is all roughe wythoute / and wythin it hath a broune skinne / and whyte meate wythin. Chesnut trees growe plentuously in Kent abroade in the feldes / and in manye gardins in England.

Of Nettell tree or Lote tree.

CEltis is named in Greke Lotos / it is called in Frenche / as Gesner sayth / Algsiez or Ledomier: but howe that it is calleth in Englishe and in Duche / I can not tell: for I ne­uer sawe it / nether in Germanye / nor in Englande / but I haue sene it in Italy. It hath a lefe lyke a Nettel / therefore it maye be called in Englishe Nettel tree or Lote tree. [Page 116]

Pliny writeth thus of Lotus: Africa in that parte / where as it turneth to­wardes vs / bringeth furth an excellent tree called Lotus or Celtis / whiche also groweth muche in Italy. It is of the bignes of a Pere tree. Howbeit Cornelius Nepos maketh it a shorte tree / the leafe is indented much / ellis it might seme to be the leafe of Ilex. The fruyte of thys is of the bygnes of a Bene / and of the color of Saffrone. Before it is rype it hath manye diuerse coloures as grapes haue. It groweth in Africa thycke as Myrtelles do / and not as Cheryes do in Italy. It is so sweet meate / that it dyd gyue a name vnto the people there where it groweth. They saye that the bellyes of them that eate that / shall fele no syknes: it is better withoute the inward kyrnels / the which in a certaine other kinde semeth as hard as a stone. There is also pressed oute of thys fruyt wyne lyke vnto honyed wyne: the whiche / as it is sayde / can not endure lenger then ten dayes. We haue red / sayth Pliny / that hole hostes of men in Africa haue ben fed with this same fruyte. The wood hath a black colour / and is muche desyred of men for to make pypes / to make knyffe heftes / and suche other lyke thynges / of the rootes of it. Dioscorides describeth an other kind of Lotus / which he sayth is of a wonderful bignes / and bringeth furth a bery bigger then pepper / swete and pleasant in meate / & easy for the stomake. Of these autors we do gather / y ^t there are two kindes of Lotus / of the which I haue sene but the one kinde / and y ^t in Clauenna a litle cytie / as we enter in at the foote of the mountaines / besyde an old castel.

Of Centory.

CEntaurium is of two sortes / the one is called Centaurium magnum / and it is called of the Potecaries Raponticum / and in Englishe Rapontike. It groweth onelye in gardines: I neuer sawe it / sauing onelye in Italye and Ger­manye. The seconde kinde is called in Latin Centaurium minus / in English Centorye / in Duche Tausent gulden / in French Fel terre. Great Centaury / otherwise called Raponti­cum / hath leaues lyke vnto a Walnut tre / somthing longe / of the grene color of cole / inden­ted roūd about / it hath a stalk like vnto a dock ij. or iij. cubits of height in y ^e top / of y ^e which are hedes like vnto poppy / roūd & long. [Page 118] The floure is blewe / the sede is lyke wilde saffrone / wrapped in certayn floc­kes lyke wolle / the roote is thycke / heauy and sounde / of thre fote longe / and full of iuyce / byting with a certeine astriction / and some swetenes / the color of it is red. There growe manye bastard stalkes out of the roote / besyde the principal stalke. Centaurum minus / that is the lesse Centaury / which is oure common Centory in Englande / is an herbe lyke vnto Organe / or wild Ma­rierum / or saint Iohns wurte. It hath a stalke full of corners a spanne longe and more / with a floure lyke vnto rose Campion / that is to witt crymesyne / turninge toward purple. The leaues are lyke rewe / long / and small: y ^e fruyte of it is lyke vnto wheate. The roote is very small / smoth / and of no valewe / but it is bitter.

Of Cudweed or Chafweed.

CEntunculus named in Greke Gnaphalion / is named in Duche Rurkraut / and in Englishe in some places Carta­philago. Howbeit there is an other herbe whiche is y ^e true Cartaphilago / is muche differinge from this same herbe. Centunculus called in Yorke shyre Cudweede / and in Northumberlande Chafweed / because it is thought to be good for chafinge of anye mans fleshe with goynge or ry­dinge. Gnaphalion whiche is described of Dioscorides and Plinye / at the first sight / is lyke vnto the herbe which is called of the Potecaries Stechas citrina / and in Duche Rindblome. But nether the floures are so brighte yel­lowe / nether the leaues are so longe: The leaues of Centunculus haue both withoute a whyte wolle or cotton. Besyde this kinde that Dioscorides de­scribeth / there is also another kinde / which hath a rough thynge lyke woll / both without and within the leaues. Thys hath leaues lyke vnto Rosmary / but longer / and all the stalke thorough is full of broune floures / growynge thicke together in knoppes / hauinge leaues al about them / but speciallye in vnder the floure / the former kinde groweth much in heathes and mores / the second kind groweth in watery places / and specially there where as turffes haue ben digged. And Matthiolus iudgeth well me thinke / this seconde herbe to be impiam in Pliny.

Of the kindes of Onyons.

AN Onyon was ones called of the olde Lati­nes Vnio / because one herbe dyd growe vpon one roote / and nowe it is called cepa or cepe / The Grecians call it Crommion. The Duche men call it zwibbel / or sepel / the Frenche men call it oignon. There are diuers kindes of Onyons / the first kinde is our common Onyon / which hath long hollowe leaues lyke pypes / a rounde hollowe and smoth stalke / in whose top groweth a great knop al full of sedes / the roote is rounde lyke a rape: but that it is not so thicke / and hath a rede skinne about it / this kind is called commonly in Latin Cepa or Cepe. The seconde kinde is called in Greke Crommion ascalonion / in Latine Cepa ascalonia / and in Englishe ascalion. Ascalion differeth from an Onyon / in that it hath a great deale lesse heade / and a longer neck / and thycker.

Theophrastus in the vij. boke of the story of plantes / and the iiij. chapter wryteth thus of the kindes of onyons: Cepe fissiles (which hath their name that one is clouen from another) and Ascalonie / which haue their name of Ascalo­nia / a place in Iewery / differ amonges them selfes both in dresshing in y ^e gar­dine / and also in nature. The gardiners do leaue the clouen onyons in win­ter / as of no effect with their leaues. In the springe tyme they take of the outwarde leaues / and trim the rest / when that this is taken awaye / other do bude agayne / and then are they clouen beneth / wherof they haue their name / and be called clouen onyons. Thus far hath Theophrastus / whose wordes we maye playnelye gather / that the herbe which is called of him cepa fissilis / and in Greke Crommion schiston / is it that we call in English Holleke / and the Duche men call Sere or Suer / and in Freseland Suerley. And thesa­me opinion maye be confirmed by the auctorite of Pliny / in the xix. boke and vj. chapter of his natural history / in this wordes: They leaue the onyon / cal­led Schiston cromion / in winter with his leaues / and in the spring they do take of the leaues / and other ryse vp in vnder agayn with thesame diuisions / where vpon they haue their name: Thus far Plinye. The onyons that we call Hollekes / are of thys nature / y ^t if one be set alone / that their will a great sorte within a shorte space growe of that same roote / withoute any sowyng: and if ye take one of the cluster of / where as there are a dossen together / and set it in haruest in the grounde alone / that one shall bringe you a dosen / if the grounde be fruytfull the nexte yeare. Wherefore seynge this herbe lasteth in [Page 121] the grounde all winter / it were better to call it winter onyon / then holleke. Plinye also putteth a very playne difference betwene the Scallyone and the Holleke in these wordes: This is the proper nature of Scalliones / they are barron in bringinge furth by the roote / therefore the Grecianes haue consel­led to sowe them / and not to set them: These are Plinies wordes whereof we gather that one kinde of Onyons is plenteous / and maketh increase by y ^e roote. But seyng that nether the common onyon nor the scallione bringeth furth by the roote / nether any other kind of onyon / sauing the Holleke / it fol­loweth that it must onlye be Cepafissilis. Matthiolus sayth that Cepa fissi­lis is called in Hetruria Cepolla maligia.

Of the herbe called Cepea.

CEpea as Dioscorides writeth / is lyke vnto porcelline / but it hath blacker leaues / and a small roote. Plinye sayth that Cepea is lyke Porcelline / but it hath a blacker roote & no­thing worth / growynge in sandye sea shores with a bitter taste. Dioscorides maketh Cepea lyke vnto porcellaine / sa­uing in blacknes of leaues. And Plinye makinge Cepeam also lyke vnto Porcelleine / writeth that the difference [Page 123] which is betwene them / is in the blacknes of the roote / wherefore if y ^e bokes be true / Cepea Dioscoridis & Pliny are not all one. I haue sene y ^e herbe y ^t Pliny describeth oft in Freselande / except I be far deceiued / by the sea syde with in the sea bankes / in such places as the sea commeth / to euery springe tyde / it maye be called in English sea porcellaine: the leaues are very lyke porcelline / and are more salt then bitter as oft as I haue proued. I found the same herb of late beside the Ile Porbeck. But when as Dioscorides semeth to make one Cepeam / and Pliny an other / there must be two kindes of Cepea. As for it of Pliny / I haue spoken of it before: but as touching the Cepea of Dioscorides / I haue thoughte that a certaine kinde of small broocklyme was Cepea / but afterwardes I sawe in Freseland in watery places / and oft in poules y ^t were ful in winter and dryed vp in summer an herbe / which loked much liker vnto porcellaine / then brooklyme doth. It had leues like porcelain / but much lesse. I dout which of these two I should take for the right Cepea. Fuchsius which taketh brooklyme but not truely / for Sio / in y ^e ende of the chapter of Sion saith / that the herbe is vsed this day of horseleches to swage swellings and to heale scabbes of farcies of horses. Tragus hath thesame meaning and telleth also / y ^t if it be fryed with butter and vinegre / and ofte layd to / and ta­ken of & renued agayne / that it healeth not only any swelling / but also sainte Antonies fyre / or such inflammationes. I haue proued it my selfe by experience / that brooklyme is very good for a decease that reigneth much in Freselād called the Scourbuch. I sod the herbe in butter milke / the chese and butter taken away / and gaue the pacientes it so / I made them eate it diuerse wayes / whereby they were within a shorte tyme healed. But I neuer proued as yet / what vertue the other herbe that groweth in poules hath. Matthiolus set­teth oute in dede an herbe not vnlike vnto porcelline / but he nether telleth where it groweth / nether what colour it hath / nether what taste nor smell it hath / nether what vertue it hath / nether what the Potecaries name it / ne­ther the comon people. Wherfore no man can learne of him how to find it a­gaine / except a man wil go to the Phisiciane which sente him the herbe. For the figure of an herbe maketh it not alone / but the qualities also that belonge thereto. As with diuerse other learned Phisicianes / Matthiolus refuseth herbes hauing a conuenient figure / yet for lack of the vertues and qualitees y ^t y ^e herbe should haue with the figures / and will not suffer them to be taken for the herbes which other of lighter iudgemēt take thē to be only for the figure and fashions sake. Wherfore I had leuer take Brooklime for Cepea / though it be not so like porceline as other be / because it is tried to heale scabbes as cepea of Dioscorides doth. Amatus Lusitanus who taketh in hand to declare Dioscorides / beyng belyke more cunning in the Duche tonge / then in his ou­ne / or ellis hauinge more helpe of the Duche writers / then of the Spanyards or Italians / giueth to Cepea nether any Spanish / nether Italian name / but a Duch name / and he calleth it in Duche wild purtzel. But wild purtzel as Tragus a duch writer of herbes saith / differeth nothing from y ^e gardin porce­lain / but that it hath lesse leaues and floures / and rinneth and spedeth it selfe vpon the ground / when as the gardin porcelaine hath broader leaues & gro­weth righter vp. This wild purtzel did I finde thissame yeare in the montai­nes of Wissenburgh / a litle frō a vineyard / & I am sure y ^t it was a righte kind of porcelaine. Then whē as Cepea is not in Dioscorides a kind of porcellain / but is only lyke porcellaine / Amatus giueth a wronge Duch name to Cepea. [Page 124] Wherefore let not the Duche men gyue any credit vnto him in this matter: The same maketh Telephium wild porcellaine / & y ^e third kinde of sedi wilde porcellain / and Cepeam wild porcellaine. It is maruel that he that hath bene in so manye landes / and professeth to teache so manye names / in so many tonges can finde for thre diuerse herbes all differing in name one from an other / but one name which is in Latin Portula syluestris / which is named in duch Wild purtzel. And in his enarration of Cepea / which is the 165. he sheweth no more but y ^t this herbe groweth chefely about the sandye sea shores / where as the wild purtzel of the duche men groweth not as Fuchsius and Tragus in their Herballes beare witnes. Wherefore his enarration is contrary vnto his nominatiō / & of very smal effect / as y ^e moste parte of al his enarrations be.

Of Chamecyparissus.

CHamecyparissus is supposed of some men to be the herbe that we call Lauender cotton / whose opinion thought it is not worthye to be condemned with checkes. Yet I found an other herbe in the mountaines aboue Bonne / whiche beynge in all poyntes muche more lyke a Cypres tree then Lauender cotton is: me thynke y ^t it is rather Chamecyparissus / it maye be called in English Heth Cy­pres / because it groweth among Heth / or dwarfe cypres. This herbe that I speake of / is litle more then a span longe / and hath leaues as ye shall se in the picture very lyke to a Cypres tree / and litle knoppes in y ^e toppe lyke vnto a Cypres nut / but some thing longer for their quantite / The leaues are plaine astringent withoute anye heate at al. This herbe groweth in a Heth beyond Bon / in the syde of a mountaine / but I neuer sawe it anye where ellis / sauinge there in all my lyfe. Tragus calleth this herbe sabinam syluestrem / and Matthiolus writinge vpon sabine / sayeth that some in Italy are deceyued in the knowledge of the right sabine / and take this herbe for it. He sayth also that he hath iudged this herbe to be Silago in Pliny / whiche he maketh like vnto sabine. Nowe when as Dioscorides sayth that sabine is lyke cypresse / and diuers take this herbe for a kinde of sabine / and is but of a small height / me thinke I iudge not amisse / that this is Chamecyparissus / namelye / when as it hath astriction besyde y ^e figure / lyke vnto Cypressus. Matthiolus graunteth that Lauander cotton is in Dioscorides Abrotonum femina / and intreating of the cypres tree / sayeth that it is also Chamecyparissus Plinye / whiche I thynke can not be true / seynge that Plinye nether intrea­tinge of Abrotonum / calleth anye kinde of it Chamecyparissum / nether wheras he speaketh of Chamecyparissus / sheweth that it is also called Abrotonū / whiche maner he oft times kepeth / when one herbe hath many names.

Of Germander.

GErmander / whiche is also called in Cambridge shyre Englishe Triacle / is called in Greke Chamedris / in Latin / Trissago / in Duche Germanderlen / in French Geliman­dre: It is called of the Potecaries Chamedrios. Germander groweth in rockes of Germanye / ouer agaynst Bin­ge / besyde Erenfels / and in the mountaines of Wissen­burgh. In Englande I sawe it no where / sauinge one­lye in gardines. It is hote and drye in the thirde degre / it is a litle bushe / of a span hygh and more / and hath litle leaues and bitter / in forme and indentinge of the leafe lyke vnto an Oke leafe. The floure is lit­le / and almost a purple colour. It is best tyme to gather it / when as it is full of floures / redye to bringe furth sede.

[Page 127]

Of Chameleuce.

CHameleuce / called also populago / Farfagium / and Farranum is not all one herbe in Diosco­rides and Aetius / for Aetius semeth to make of Chameleuce and Bechion al one herbe / for he writinge remedies against y ^e cough / geueth the same properties vnto Chameleuce / y ^t Dios­corides geueth vnto Tussilago or Bechion / & where as Galene & Paulus write in two seue­ral places of Bechion & Chameleuce / Aetius maketh no mention at all of Bechion / compri­singe or holding it also vnder the name of Chameleuce / as far as I can se. Pliny also in hys tyme sayth / y ^t ther was some y ^t toke Chameleuce and Tussilago to be al one. And in the names that were added vnto Dioscorides / Tussilago was called Chameleuce: howbeit in Dioscorides they are two contrary and diuerse her­bes: for he writeth contrarye description of thē in two sundry chapters. Cha­meleuce hath leaues bowynge inwarde / and hath certeine branches: but Tussilago hath plaine and streight leaues / and wanteth al kinde of branches / for euery leafe commeth out by it selfe out of the root / and not of y ^e stalke. Diosco­rides sayth y ^t Chameleuce is a grene herbe with leaues bowyng inwarde / & w ^t certeine braunches / w ^t a floure lyke a rose / wherevpon it foloweth / seyng y ^t Tussilago hath whytishe leaues and streight / and no braunches / nether anye floure lyke a rose / y ^t they can not both be of one herbe. This herbe y ^t I thynke most lyke of all other to be Chameleuce / vseth to grow commonly about watersydes and in watery medowes: The proportion of the lesse is muche lyke vnto a water rose / otherwise called nenufar / but y ^e leafe is sharper and many partes lesse / and there growe many leaues on one stalke / and in y ^e top of y ^e stal­ke is a yelow floure lyke vnto the Kingcup / called ranunculus: but y ^e leaues of y ^e floures are thycker / and turne inwarde againe / in the maner of a knop or litle belle / so y ^t they differ nothing to loke to from y ^e floures of the second nenu­far w ^t the yelow floure / but y ^t they are lesse / and turne a litle more inward as I do remember / but I am sure not much. But there is one thinge / y ^t wil not suffer this herbe / y ^t I cal Lucken gollande / to be Galenis Chameleuce: and y ^t is / y ^t this herbe is cold / when as Galene maketh his Chameleuce hote almost in the thyrde degre. When as Matthiolus a man wel sene in Simples / and as some iudge best learned in them / of al other new writers / and borne in a countrey / which is very plētuous and ful of al kindes of good herbes / which may haue comming to it out of Candy / Turky Alexandria / and out of Inde al kindes of herbes that growe not in Italy there: and hath the helpe of very manye learned men in Simples (as hys boke in many places doth witnes) can not tell what herbe is Chameleuce in Dioscorides / it is no meruel that I a poore man without helpe / dwellinge in a bare and barbarous contrey in comparison of Italy / know it not. He compleyneth of the shortnes of the description of this herbe in Dioscorides. The description is shorte / but not so short as manye other be / for he sheweth thre markes / whereby he mighte haue knowen it / if he had sene it / that is the grennes of the leafe / the bowinge of the leaues inward / and the lykenes of the floure vnto a rose. But if this description had bene so shorte as it is not so longe and large as nede were / it that wanted / might haue bene fulfylled by it that is written more largely of Plinye. For [Page 129] Plinye in the 24. boke of his naturall history / and the 15. chapter / describeth Chameleucen thus: Chameleuce with vs is called Farranum or Farfugium it groweth by water sydes with a leafe of a Popler tre / but greater. And in the 26. boke and 6. chapter / he writeth thus of Chameleuce: Bechion stilleth the cough / which is also called Tussilago. There are two kindes of it / the leaues of the wilde are greater then Iuye leaues / fyue or seuen towarde the grounde whytish / aboue pale without stalke / floure and sede / and it hath a small roote. Some reken that the herbe whiche is called with an other na­me Chameleuce / is Bechion. Hetherto Plinye. Now when as besyde the no­tes aboue marked in Dioscorides / Pliny hath put to these markes aboue re­hersed / me thinke that Matthiolus hath no suche cause to compleine so much as he doth of the shorte description of Chameleuce.

Of Chamepeuce.

CHamepeuce as Pliny writeth / hath leaues lyke vnto a larch tree / which is called in Latin Larix. I can finde no mention of this herbe in any Autor / which hath written of herbes / sauinge onelye in [Page 130] Pliny / & he describeth it no largelier then ye rede before. Wherfore it is harde to tell which is the herbe which Pliny meaneth of. Gesnerus rekeneth y ^t the herbe whiche is called in Duche Berentopen / & of other called pata vrsina / shuld be Chamepeuce the herbe y ^t he supposeth to be chamepeuce / groweth in y ^e top of the alpes / & it is of a finger length and a halfe / bowinge somethinge doune / like a fether y ^t standeth in ones cap: and it is set about euery wher frō the roote vnto y ^e top with litle grene leaues / whereby it doth wonderfully represent an eare of corne: This / whose figure ye se former in order grewe in y ^e top of the alpes / wher as I gathered it my selfe: but ther is a much lesse kinde then this is / which groweth in the mountaines of Germany and wales / and it crepeth hard by the ground / al rough and full of smal leues. The vttermost braunches whilse y ^e herbe is not full growen / represent a Crowisfoote / and euery ende alone is lyke a smalle eare of grene corne. But at the fartherest ende of y ^e herbe / when it is growen as muche as it will growe / there commeth out of the one of the braunches a litle stalke / litle more then an inche & a halfe long / which is full of smal ioyntes / and euerye iointe hath litle hores tuftes coming out: Out of the ende of the stalke cometh two rough fruytes / much like vnto the longe blomes y ^t come furth of the Haselnut tree in winter: but they are a great deale smaller and yellower / then the nut blomes are / & somthing rough. It maye be called in English Heth Crowfoot / or Heth firr / or creping pine. Amatus Lusitanus writing vpon Chameleuce / sayeth y ^t Chameleuce is called in Latin Chamepeuce / and in his enarration he sayeth / although thys chapter be red indifferently of Chameleuce & Chamepeuce / y ^t Pliny maketh mention of them as of two diuerse thinges. I wold axe of Amatus / of what one auncient writer / is the chapter of Chameleuce indifferently red of Cha­meleuce and of Chamepeuce both? If there be no auncient autor that doth so / what newe autor is there / that redeth the chapter so: who oughte not to gyue place vnto the autorite of Pliny / whiche maketh two diuerse herbes of Cha­meleuce and Chamepeuce? But Amatus folowing Matthiolus / the autorite of Pliny despised / concludeth in these wordes: Chamepeuce beyng like in leaues to the Larche or Larix tre leaues / is good for the ache of the loynes and ridge bone / which herbe agreeth much in those thinges y ^t are spoken of Dios­corides / so that we may iustly say y ^t Chamepeuce Plinij is the herbe that Di­oscorides intreateth of in this present chapter / y ^t is to say Chameleuce. So far Amatus. If y ^e Chamepeuce agre w ^t those things y ^t Dioscorides gyueth to Chameleuce / then hath Chamepeuce leues bowyng inward certain braunches & a floure lyke a rose. Chamepeuce hath leues like a Larch tre / nowe where is there one thinge that Dioscorides gyueth to Chameleuce that Chamepeuce hath / sauing that it is good for the ache of the loynes / and who sayeth y ^t Cha­mepeuce is good for y ^e loynes? Is it not Pliny? If it be Pliny / why doth not Amatus beleue Pliny in making Chameleuce and Chamepeuce two diuerse herbes / as in saying y ^t Chamepeuce is good for the ache of the loynes. If Pli­nye lese his credit / and be not worthy to be beleued in the one thing / he leseth it also in the other / and so when Pliny is not to be beleued that Chamepeuce is good for the ache of the loynes / in what one thinge doth Chamepeuce of Pliny agre wyth those thinges that Dioscorides giueth vnto Chameleuce / sauinge that they begin both in Chame / and end in euce.

Of ground Pyne.

CHamepitys in Greke / is called in Latin Aiuga or Abiga / and of the Potecaries Iua muscata / and Iua arthritica / in Duch Ie lenger je lieber / as Fuchsius sayeth / but other reproue him in that / and say y ^t the name belongeth vnto an other herbe / & in French Iue muscate: & it may be called in English Ground pyne. Chamepitys is of thre kindes / the first kind hath leues like vnto stone crop / but much thinner [Page 132]

rough and fatt / and thicke about the boughes / and hath the smell of a Pyne tree. The floures be yellowe or whyte / the rootes are lyke Succore rootes. This herbe crepeth vpon the ground / and somethinge croked. The seconde kinde hath braunches of a cubit height or length / bowing in after the fashion of an anker / and smalle / with leues lyke the other / and a whyte floure / and a black sede. The third kinde is called the male / and is but a litle one with smal leaues / white and rough / with a rough and a whyte stalke / with yelow floures / and a sede comming out at the setting on of the leaues. All these thre kindes haue the smell of a Pine tree / I neuer sawe that I remember the two firste kindes / but I haue borowed their figures of them / that saye that they ha­ue sene them. As for the last kinde I haue sene it in very great plenty aboute Wormes / and in manye other places of Germany. It groweth also in good plenty in Kent / and as I thynke / it groweth in diuerse other places of Eng­land. But I meruel that Matthiolus maketh this that I make the laste / the firste kind / when as this kind hath in no place that euer I was in any / white floure. Also it that he setteth furth for the last / as he hath set out the figure of it / is more like vnto the first kinde of Diovorides / for it hath leues more lyke vnto the lesse semperbiuo / which is called thrist / then the thirde kind hath / as any man may also se that Aiuga tertia of Matthiolus hath / which he setteth furth his owne selfe. Let learned men iudge which of our opiniones is more worthy to be alowed.

Of Gume succorye.

CHondrilla is not in Englande that I haue se­ne / it is muche in hygh Germanye / and becau­se it hath leues lyke succory / and stalke lyke ri­shes / it maye be named in English Rishe suc­corye / or Gume succory: because it hath a clammy humor in it. There is mētion made of two kindes of Chondrilla in Dioscorides / of y ^e whi­che the former kind is thus described: Chon­drilla which is called of some men Seris / and of other Succory / it hath a stalke / floures and leaues like Succorye: wherefore some call it wilde succory / but it is hole together smaller / in whose stalkes there commeth furth a gume lyke milke / in a lumpe like a beane. There is an other kinde of Chondrilla / with a longe leafe indented / & as it were gnawen rounde about / spredinge it selfe vpon the ground / y ^e stalke is full of milky iuyce / the roote is small wel lykinge yellowe and ful of iuyce. The seconde is it / that I haue sene in Germanye: The leaues of this herbe are spred vpon the ground / and are indented much lyke vnto Dandelion: the stalkes and braunches are smal / and in the top of euery braunche is a yellow floure / which when it fadeth / is turned into whyte downe.

Of Chrysanthemon.

CHrysanthemon is of two kindes / one of them is spoken of in the intreating of Camomil / and it is called in English yellow camomille. The other kind is it wherof I intreat now of. The herbe which I take to be Chrysanthemon / groweth plentuouslye vpon the walles of Ander­nake in Germany / it hath smal leues after the figure of Tansey: but manye partes lesse and much indented / it is ful of braunches / & euerye braunche hath yellow floures / and wonderful bright. Dioscorides describeth Chrysanthemō thus: Chrysanthemon or Calchas which is called Bupthalmus of some / is a tender herbe and ful of braunches / & bringeth furth smoth stalkes and leues / cut or indented: it hath floures wounderfully shyning yellowe / and resembling the appel of an eye / wherevpon it hath got­ten the name of oxey: it groweth besyde tounes / The herbe maye be called in English Goldenfloure.

Of Cicerbita called Sowthistel.

CIcerbita is named in Greke Sonchos / in English Sowthistel / in Duche Hasenkoel or Gensdistel / in French Lateron: it groweth comon inough in al contres. There are two kindes of Sowthistel / ther is one y ^t is a wild one / & hath more pricks vpon it: & the other is but soft & tender / much desired to be eatē in meat / w ^t a stalke ful of corners & holow w ^tin: somtyme red w ^t leaues indented about y ^e ed­ges of them. The other Sowthistel is yet tenderer / after the maner of a tre / hauing brode leaues / y ^e leues departe y ^e stalke which gro­weth out into braunches. The kindes of Sowthistels are common in euerye countre / wherefore I nede not to tell nether their description largelier then Dioscorides hath done / nor their natural places of growinge.

Of Ciche or Ciche peese.

CIcer is called in Greke Erebinthos / in Duch Kicherns Kicherbs / and zisserne / in Frenche Ciche ou pois ciches. Cicer is much in Italy and in Germany. I haue sene thē in the gardine of the Barbican in London / and I haue it in my garden at Kew. Cicer may be named in English Cich or peese / after y ^e Frēch tonge: Cicer is described no­ther of Dioscorides / nether of Theopra. nether of Pliny / sauing that Pliny sayth / Ciche hath a round cod / but other pulse haue longe and broad [Page 137]

Theophrastus sayth that Ciche hath the longest roote of any pulse / and that Cicer differeth from other pulses by many properties / first in that it is longe in bringing furth the floure / and doth hastely bring furth the fruyte / for with­in xl. dayes after that it is come vp / it maye be made perfit as some saye. It is also very fast and harde as wood: it is very ill for newe fallowed ground / by the reason that it wasteth it vpon / it killeth all herbes / and most & sounest of all other ground thistel / euerye ground is not fit for this pulse / for it requi­reth a black and a grosse ground. Ciche also as Pliny sayeth / cometh well vp with saltnes / and therefore it burneth the ground. Cich ought not to be sowē excepte it be layed in stepe a daye before. There are diuerse kindes of Ciches / one is called Cicer Arietinum / which hath y ^e name of the likenes of a rames head / and this is the most comon Cich / and most vsed nowe a dayes. Ther is another kinde which is called Cicer nigrum / that is black Ciche / and y ^t haue I sene in Germany / but seldom. There is an other kinde that is called Cicer album / that is whyte Ciche / much lesse and rounder then the comon Ciche: This also haue I sene diners tymes in Germanye. There is another kinde y ^t is called Cicer columbinum and venereum / which kinde I do not remembre that I haue sene. These be the fragmentes whiche I haue gathered oute of Theophrastus and Pliny / to supplye partely the roume of a description. But I will describe it as I haue sene it. The comon Ciche hath a very harde stal­ke / and somthinge rough / and at the firste sighte it loketh lyke a pease / but the [Page 138] leaues are a great dele smaller / and lightely indented about / there growe of euerye branche two orders of leues / but they stand not wingwise / that is one right agaynst an other / but one hygher then another / the braunches and the standing and forme of the leaues / are not vnlyke vnto Lichores / the floure is most comenly purple / but somtyme whyte / the code is shorte and rounde / the roote is lyke the colour of the earth / and not very longe.

Of the propertyes of Ciche.

CIche as Galene writeth / is a windye pulse / and nourisheth muche / and good for the bellye / conuenient to prouoke water / and to ingendre milke and sede. It prouoketh also weomens floures / but it that is called rames Ciche / doth more effectually prouoke vrine then the reste: the broth of it brea­keth the stones that be in the kidneys. The other kinde of Ciche hath the same power of drawinge to / of making ry­pe / of cuttinge in sundre / and in scouring away / for they are hote and measurably moyste / and haue some bitternes / by the which strenght they scoure the milte / the lyuer / and the kidneys / and clenge awaye scabbes and lepres / and foule scurfe that is vpon the skin. They also awaye imposte­mes about the eares / swellinges / and hardnes of the stones: with hony also they heale sores almost vncurable. Dioscorides writeth that Ciches amende a mannes color / and they helpe also the byrth to come furth. Simeon Sethy writeth thus of Ciches. Al kindes of Ciches are hote and moyste in the firste degre / and are hard of digestion / and ingendre superfluities. They prouoke y ^e pleasure of the bodye / and norish more then beanes do: but they open and purge and driue doune weomens floures / and they haue some salt & swete quali­tie with the saltnes. They louse the bellye with their swetenes / they prouoke a man to make water / they ingendre wind / increase milke and do scoure. But the blacke Ciche is a good medicine againste venome and poysone / and most of al / prouoketh vrine / and breaketh the stones of the kidneys and blad­der / the whiche thing no other pulse can do so wel / and speciallye the black & litle one / and that thinge doth the broth of them more mightelye / the whiche pulse for all that aboue al other pulses hurte the sores and exulcerations. But the red Ciche is hoter then the whyte / and ingendreth grosse humores. Ci­ches steped in water a night / and then taken / kille wormes in the bellye. But he that hath taken them / let him faste sixe houres after. The broth of Ciches is good for the iaundies / if black Ciche be sodden with radishe and parselye / and the broth be taken with Almonde oyle / it purgeth effectuallye and dry­ueth oute the stones of the kidnes and bladder. But if it be taken with bea­nes / it maketh a good plyte and fatt fleshe. Grene Ciches are verye windye / hard of digestion / and make men haue an euel color.

Of Cichelinge.

CIcercula semeth to be a diminutiue of Cicera / and not of Cicer / for then it shoulde be named Cicerculum. Cicera is founde in Palladius / whiche sayeth that Cicera differeth onelye in this from Cicercula / that the colour is vnplea­santer and blacker. Cicera is called in Greke of Theophrastus Ochros / and he sayth that it is hote and drye / and therefore can preserue it selfe from corruption: Cicercula as Columella writeth / hath sedes lyke a peese / but full of cor­ners. Pliny sayth that Cicercula is of the kind of Ciche / which is not equal / but full of corne­res as a peese. Theophrastus rekeneth Cicerculam among eruilles and peese / whiche haue a stalke falling vpon the ground / other markes or tokens wher­by Cicercula maye be knowen / haue I not rede of: it is called in Greke La­thyros / and it maye be called in English a Cichelinge. Cicercula which I ha­ue sene growyng / hath very longe and narrowe leaues / and a stalke al full of corners and crestes / and greater and shorter coddes / for the quantite of the pulse / then peese haue: The sede is whyte & ful of corners. It groweth muche aboute Muffendorff / about thre English myle aboue Bon.

Of Homloke or Hemloke.

CIcuta is called in Greke Koneiou / in Englishe Homloke or Hemloke / in Duche Schierlinge / in Frenche Cigne or Secu. Cicuta as Diosco­rides writeth / hath a stalke full of ioyntes or knees / as Fenel hath / great and full of bowes in the top: the leaues are lyke vnto Fenel gy­ant / or herb Sapapene / called Ferula / but narrower and stinkinge. There growe oute of the top both braunches / and also a spokye top and sede whyter then anise: but Plinye sayth gros­ser and thicker / the roote is hollowe & nothing worth. Pliny sayth that the stalke of Cicuta is smoth and ful of ioyntes / and somthinge black / higher then two cubites / and that the leaues are smaller then Coriander leaues. Here I thynke it worthy to be noted that the herbe whiche we call Homloke / hath leues not very wel agreynge vnto the description of Dioscorides / for Dioscorides writeth y ^e Ci­cuta hath leaues like vnto Ferula / and Ferula hath leaues like vnto Fenel / sauing that they are much sharper / and somthinge broader: But oure Hom­loke hath leaues lyke vnto persely / & in al poyntes vnlyke vnto Fenel / wher­fore Dioscorides knewe an other kinde of Cicuta then we knowe. Howbeit [Page 141] the description of Cicuta in Pliny agreeth in al pointes with oure Homloke / for Pliny maketh the leaues of Cicuta lyke vnto Coriander / but smaller and thinner / which a great deale bigger then the leaues of Ferula / as ye shal perceyue when ye compare them both together: therfore I think that this Homloke that we haue here / is the true Cicuta of Plinye. Some wolde recken that therefore it shoulde not be the true Cicuta / because it hath not suche pe­rillous properties / as auncient autours giue vnto Cicuta / to whom I aun­swere / that al herbes haue not like vertues in all places / for Aron in some places is eaten / and in other it is so sharpe that it can not be eaten as Galene sayth in his boke de facultatibus alimentorum. Helleborus is not alwayes a lyke good in euerye place as Dioscorides writeth / and Theophrastus wri­ting of Cicuta / sheweth that in some places Cicuta is much stronger then in other som: Cicuta is strongest in susis / and in al colde and shadowy places. Therfore if it haue not al the hole strenght that it hath in Susis / yet it ought not therfore to be iudged for any other herbe then Cicuta. Howebeit this sa­me / if that it were ordered as I knowe howe that it mighte be ordered / it wold do harme more then inough. Plinye also writeth that in some places men vse to eate the yong stalkes of Homlokes in sallates. But I wil counsel no man to do so / for feare of it that maye folowe.

Of the Sea gyrdel.

ALga which is a common name vnto a greate parte of Sea herbes / and is commonly called in English / Sea wrack / and in Greke phycos / is deuided into diuers kindes / and euerye one hath a sondry forme from another. Virgil ma­keth mention of Alga / where he sayeth: Proie­cta vilior alga. Viler thē y ^e cast out Seawrak. Among all other kindes Theophrastus descri­beth one after this maner: There is a certeyne kinde of Seawrake with a broade leafe / of a grene color / to the whiche some gyue the name of a leeke / other call this gyrdel. The roote is rough / and without it is ful of scales / within verye longe and thicke / and not vnlyke vnto the herbe called syue onyon. This kinde maye well be called in English Sea gyrdel / it is called in Latin cingulum / and in Greke Zoster. Thys herbe is plenteously sene in Purbek by the sea syde / after a great tem­pest hath ben in the Sea / which commonly louseth such sea herbes / and dry­ueth them vnto the syde. Dioscorides maketh thre kindes of Fucus or Sea wrake / one broade / and other kinde longe and rede / & the thyrde kind whyte / I saw the Sea gyrdel this year in Iuly with all the properties that Theo­phrastus requireth in his Sea gyrdel: in the forsayd place / the rootes was lyke vnto Garleke / manye chyues makinge one great heade / and the lenes had the forme of a leke / but they were a fadom longe.

Of Cirsion / called Langue de befe.

CIrsium / called in Greke Kirsion as Dioscori­des writeth / is a tender stalke of two cubites longe / and thresquared / the litle leaues that come out beneth / resemble in lykenes a rose / the corneres are full of prickes / and it is soft in the spaces that are betwene. The leaues are lyke vnto the leues of Buglossum / mesurable rough and longer / whyte in vnder / full of prickes in y ^e extremities or edges. The top of the stalke is rounde about and rough / and in that are pur­ple heades which wast awaye into doune at y ^e length / Pliny describeth Cirsion thus: Cirsion [Page 143] is a tender litle stalke of two cubites longe lyke vnto a triangle compassed about with prickye leaues. The prickes are soft / the leues are lyke vnto oxe tonge / but lesse / whyte in vnder / and in the top are purple heades / which con­sume into downe. We haue no herbe in England that I knowe / to whom al this hole description doth agree. They do not agree vnto oure common Bu­glosse / for besyde that the floure is not resolued into downe / the order of pric­kes in the leafe doth not agre. I knowe no herbe in Englande wherevnto these descriptions do agre better / then vnto oure Langue de befe. Howbeit / it wanteth certain tokens / that the description doth require / that is purple floures / for oures hath yellowe floures / and a thresquared stalke / and as so­me recken that the leues that are vndermoste / resemble not a rose. As for the color of the floure / I passe not so muche of / seynge that it is consumed into a down / for I knowe manye herbes whiche by nature should haue blewe floures / and yet haue whyte floures / as Cichory violettes and Borage. As for y ^e thresquared stalke / it maye be so that at some tyme of the growing / it hath a thresquared stalke which Dioscorides hath marked / and not many other / or it maye be thresquared / where as Dioscorides hath sene it / and not here in England / as haue marked in our English Ebulo in Cambridge shyre / that y ^e stalke was rounde and not foursquare / which thinge Dioscorides requireth in his countre Ebulo. Dioscorides doth also require in his Elder purple blac­kish berryes / yet all the Elder berries whiche I sawe in the alpes and in Re­tia / were as rede as scarlat: Dioscorides requireth in his lesse Centory creme sin floures turning into purple / I haue sene an hole felde full of whyte Cen­tory. Then where as all the other properties and tokens do agree / and no other kinde can be founde here so lyke Cirsion as this herbe is: I reken that the colour of the floure / and the squares of the stalke (which is yet squared in dede) ought not to put furth our Langue de befe / out of the kinde of Cirsion / allthough it be not all the best. As touching the litle leaues whyche shoulde represente the forme of a rose / I reken that Dioscorides meaneth that the le­ues spreadinge on the grounde / shoulde haue a certeyne lykenes vnto the fi­gure of a rose / whyche thynge this oure Langue de befe doth not wante. For Dioscorides maketh mention twise of the leaues / and compareth them vnto two herbes nothing like at all that is vnto a rose and to borage: wher­fore to saue Dioscorides from contradiction / we must saye y ^t in y ^e former place he meneth not of euery one lefe seuerally / y ^t it should be lyke vnto a rose leafe / but y ^t al y ^e leues spred abrod y ^t are about y ^e rote on the ground / should resemble a rose in their fassion & maner of growing out together. If anye man vnder­stand not what I mean / let him loke vpō y ^e herbe which Matthiolus setteth out for cinoglossa / & he shal vnderstande me. Here is to be noted for thē y ^t rede Dioscorides in Latin of Ruellius translation / y ^t they trust him not to muche w ^tout y ^e Grek text / for he trāslateth in y ^e description of Cirsion macrotera maiora / whē in other iiij. herbes he trāslateth y ^e same word lōgiora. It is also not to be passed ouer in silence y ^t Pliny hath here / where as Dioscorides hath macrotera / and Ruellius maiora / minora / that is lesse leaues / so that Plinye meaneth y ^t Cirsion hath lesse leaues then buglossum hath. Matthiolus setteth out the figure of an herbe / y ^t my maister Lucas Ginus sent vnto him / whiche he taketh for the right Cirsion / but he nether telleth the Italian name of it / ne­ther the name of Herbaries / nor of the Apothecaries / nether describeth it so / that if a man se it agayne / by his description he mighte knowe it. [Page 144] And because he doth lightely passe ouer it / nether the taste nor smell / nor the vertue of the herbe told / we can nether iudge it to be the true Cirsion / nether perfitlye confute him in sayinge that it is the true Cirsion. But by the figure that he setteth out / he maye be so confuted for holdinge of that herbe to be Cirsion / as he confuteth other that hold that Buglosse is the true Cirsion / for he confuteth him thus. The litle pricky leaues that come furth from belowe / re­semble not the likenes of a rose in the comon Buglosse / therfore it can not be Cirsion. And euen so maye Matthiolus be confuted / the leaues of the herbe that are be lowe nexte the grounde in his figure resemble not a rose / sed lou­ga et continua prodeunt. Matthiolus knoweth these his owne wordes wel / therefore by his owne reason the herbe that he setteth oute / can not be Cir­sion. Loke vpon his figure when ye will / and ye shall finde that it is true that I saye. The herbe which I take for Cirsion / are at leste for a kinde of it / gro­weth commonly in gardines in England / and also abroad in the feld in great plentye betwene Sion and Branfurd. Oure cookes holde that it is a good pot herbe / and so it is in dede / if Buglosse and Borage be good pot herbes / for in taste it is very lyke them / and rather pleasanter in taste then they be. The sede of the herbe is rede drawinge towarde yelowe. Amatus erreth in this herbe as in manye other: rede his confutation of Matthiolus / and ye shal fin­de that he sayeth / but nescienter / amonges other reasons / to proue that Bu­glosse is Cirsiō: Exbuglosse floribus nescio quid euanescit. Out of the floures of Buglosse / I wot not what vanisheth out or away. If he can not tel what vanisheth awaye / then he can not tel what herbe is Cirsion. He shoulde haue said / if he had knowen it as Dioscorides sayth: Soluuntur capitula purpu­rea in lanugmem. But how should he saye so / except he lyed / for he neuer saw nether anye other man / the purple floures of Buglosse vanished awaye in to downe / for no honest man wil saye that euer Buglosse had any down. Wher­fore Amatus writeth of it that he neuer sawe / onely folowynge the iudgemēt of other / hauinge none at all in this herbe that we now intreate of.

Of Cistus.

CIstus is named in Greke Kistos / Kitharos & Kissaros / of the common Herbaries rosago & rosa canina / & in Frenche rose canine as Ges­ner sayth. I haue sene it in Italy in certaine gardines / and ones in Englande in my Lor­des gardine at Sion. But it that I sawe at Sion / hath broader and longer leaues then it which I sawe in Italye. I haue not heard as yet any Englishe name for Cistus / but for lack of other / it maye be called Cist bushe or Cist sage / of the lykenes that it hath with sa­ge. Cistus as Dioscorides wryteth / is a thicke bushe and full of braunches / and groweth in stonye places / ful of leaues / but not hygh / the leaues are rounde and tarte / wyth a certeyne bindinge / and rough. The male hath a floure lyke a pomgranat / the female hath a whyte floure. Pliny also sayth that there are two kindes of Cistus / the male with a floure lyke a rose / and the female with a whyte floure. It that I sawe in I­talye was the male / and it that I sawe in England was the female.

Of Cistus ladanifera.

THer is (as Dioscorides sayth) an other kind of Cistus / called of some Ledon / which is a bushe / and groweth as y ^e other Cistus doth / but it hath longer leues and blacker / which in the spring of y ^e yere haue a certain fatnes. The nature of y ^e leues is astringent / & is of as great strenght as Cistus is / of this is made gum / which is called ladanū: for when as the gotes & gote buckes eat the leaues of Cistus / they gather manifestly the fatnes with their beardes / and carye awaye with their clammenes it that cleueth vpon their heary and rough fete. The whiche the inhabiters of the countre combe [Page 147] of / and streyne it / and make it in lumpes together / and so laye it vp / other pul ropes thorowe the bushes / and with them take of the clammines / and make Ladanum of it. It is moste commendable that sanoreth well / and is somthinge grene / and is soune softe and fat / not full of sande / or euell fauo­red / and full of Rosin as it of Cyprus is. It that commeth out of Arabia and Lybia / is viler then the other be.

Of Perwincle / or Perywincle.

CLematis is so named of Dioscorides without anye addition / of other it is called Clematis Egyptia / because it groweth plentuouslye there. It is called of Plinye in some places Daphnoides / in other Chamcedaphne / in o­ther Vinca peruinca. It is called in Englishe Perwincle / or Periwincle / in Duche In­grien / and in Frenche Dulisseron. Clematis is named in English Perwincle / and it grow­eth in fatt and well bearinge groundes / It hath litle braunches of the bignes of a rishe. The figure and colour of the leaues / are lyke vnto a Laurell or Bay leafe / but they are lesse a great deale. Thus doth Di­oscorides describe Clematis. It hath prety blewe floures / and the herbe cre­peth vpon the grounde very thicke / one braunche wouen about an other.

Of Clematitis.

CLematitis putteth furth a long branche / somthing rede / and tough / the leafe is bitinge in taste / and maketh bliste­res / it crepeth vpon trees as Smilax doth. I neuer sawe this plant / nether in Germany nor in England / wherfore I know nether y ^e English nor y ^e Duch name of thys herb / but it may be called in English Bush perwincle / or byting perwincle. I sawe this in a gardin in Ferraria / & it had leaues not vnlike vnto the leaues of Clematis daphnoides. But they were [Page 149]

longer and sharper at the ende / and very lyke vnto the smal leaues of the by­ting vynde / called in Latin of som Vitis syluestris. Ruellius ioyneth in hys translation of Dioscorides Clematis and Clematitis together / and setteth them in one chapter / when as my Dioscorides in Greke describeth Clema­tis in the beginninge of the fourth boke / and Clematitis in the ende of thesa­me boke. Which thinge Galene maketh mention of in the booke of Simple medicines / where as he checketh Pamphilus the Herbary / for confundinge these two herbes together / whose nature were diuerse. Furthermore seynge that the names are also diuerse / and the herbes are described in diuerse pla­ces / it shoulde not belonge vnto a translator to make of Clematitis Clema­tis / and to take an herbe out of the place / where as Dioscorides hath set it / & bring it by force into an other place where it should not stande / if he foloweth hys Greke exeample / that led him to that whiche he dyd / he is excusable: but if he dyd it of his owne head / he is worthy blame / and not to be folowed. Matthiolus hath now in hys Latin commentaries vpon Dioscorides / mar­ked the same thinge that I noted longe before I sawe his commentaries. But he maketh another herbe then I do to be Clematitida / for he maketh y ^e wind with the douny thinge in the top about the sede / to be Clematitida / If the plant that I set furth / crepe vpon hedges and trees / as the other of Mat­thiolus doth / doutles it is more to be taken for Clematitidis then the other [Page 150] is / but I dare not holde that it doth crepe vpon bushes / like as Smilax doth / for I neuer sawe it / but at one tyme in one place. But as far as I remember it did crepe vpon other bushes / as Smilax doth. Thys am I sure / that when I compared the leaues of my braunches that I brought from Ferraria with the hory vinde / I found no difference betwene them at al / sauing that myne had hoote leaues withoute anye cuttinge / and the other was indented ab­out the edges.

Of Clinopodium / called Horse Tyme.

CLinopodion called of the Latines Clinopo­dium / maye be called in Englishe Horse ty­me / because it is lyke vnto wilde tyme / but a great deale greater. Clinopodion is thus de­scribed of Dioscorides / Clinopodium is a litle bushe full of twigges / hauinge the lenght of two spannes / it groweth in stones: it hath lea­ues lyke vnto wilde Tyme / and floures re­presentinge a Bedfoote / and one standinge from an other / certayne spaces goynge be­twene / as we se in Horehounde. Pliny descri­beth Clinopodium after this maner: Clino­podium is lyke vnto wilde Tyme / full of braunches a spanne longe. It groweth in stonye places / and with the rounde circle of floures / whyche go aboute the litle braunches / it resembleth Bedfete. Dioscorides and Plinye differ somethinge in the length of this herbe / as they differ in the lenghte of Ornithogalon. For Dioscorides maketh thys herbe to be two spannes long / sayinge Thamnion esti dispithamon. And Plinye maketh it to be but one spanne longe. I haue sene this herbe diuerse tymes growynge in Germa­nye: fyrste in the walles of Colon / harde by the Rene / and afterwardes in great plentye aboue Bonne by the Ryne syde amonge stones. But I ne­uer sawe it aboue a spanne longe. Wherefore the lenght maye seme to hinder it to be Dioscorides Clinopodium / but no other parte of the descrip­tion. Yet if it maye not be Clinopodium Dioscoridis / it maye be right well Clinopodium Plinij. Besyde the tokens that Dioscorides and Pliny mar­ke in thys herbe / I marke that it hath fouresquared braunches and some­thinge rough / and the floures are purple wyth a certayne whytishnesse. The greatest leaues haue a litle indentinge aboute the edges / but not verye thick / nor orderlye set together: I found this herbe of late right ouer against Sion. The herbe that Matthiolus setteth furth for Clinopodium / is the firste kinde of Calamint / for it hath leaues lyke vnto Basill / whyte vn­der / squared stalkes / and a purple floure / and commonly groweth in moun­taynes. But it is not Clinopodium / for it hath not leaues lyke vnto Serpil­lo / as hys figure of Serpilli wil proue / if it be looked vpon. Matthiolus sayth also / that his herbe is not onlye lyke vnto Serpillo / but also vnto Ca­laminte montane. Whyche saynge can not be true / for Calaminta montana / which hath leaues lyke vnto Basill / is nothing like vnto Serpillo / as I wil be iudged by his oune figure / which he hath set oute of Serpilli / compared with the leafe of Heliotropij maioris / whiche is lyke as Dioscorides sayeth vnto Basil. Wherefore Matthiolus is deceyued in hys iudgemente / ma­kinge one herbe lyke vnto two herbes / nothinge lyke / but one differinge from an other.

Of Climenum or water Betonye.

CLimenum as Dioscorides writeth / putteth furth a foure­squared stalke like vnto the right Bean stalke / but it hath leaues lyke vnto Plantaine / it hath litle sede cases aboute the stalke turninge one into another / not vnlike vnto the claspers or the fishe / called Polipus. This description of Dioscorides agreeth well in manye thinges vnto y ^e herbe which we cal in English Water betonye / or Broun wurt / [Page 153] The Duche men name it Braunwurtz / and the Herbaries Scrofulariā ma­iorem. But Pliny semeth to make an other kinde of Climenos / in these wor­des: Climenos is an herbe that hath the name of a Kinge / w ^t the leues of Iuy full of braunches / w ^t an empty stalke compassed about with ioyntes / it hath a stronge sauour / and sedes lyke Iuy. It groweth in woddes and mountains. Ther is smal lykenes betwene Plantayne and Iuy / Dioscorides sayth / that his Climenon hath leues lyke vnto Plantayne / and Plinye maketh his Cli­menos with leues lyke Iuy: therefore it appereth that they be not al one her­be. Pliny also confesseth after the description of his Climenos / that the Gre­cianes make their Climenos lyke vnto Plātayn. Dioscorides sayth that his best Climenon groweth in mountaines / where vpon I gather that his Cli­menon groweth not alwayes in mountaines / but in other places also. Yet in this he agreeth with Plinye / that Climenos groweth in mountaines: The common water betony groweth commonly about water sydes. Howbeit I haue sene it also in other places. The herbe which I take to be Climenos Plinij / and a kind of it that Dioscorides describeth / and groweth muche in Ger­many / in woddes / hedges / and hath leaues somthinge lyke long Iuye leues / but longer and indented: and therfore more lyke a nettel. The sauour of this herbe is stronger then the other / and hath reder color in diuerse places then the other. This Climenos of Pliny maye be called in Englishe Wood brounwurt. Some of the common Herbaries call it scrophulariam. The fashion of the leaues of both these herbes that I set furth / is more like vnto it y ^t Pli­nye describeth / then it that Dioscorides writeth of / but the greater agreeth a greate deale better then the other / but not so perfitlye as I do require of it. Wherefore I dare not gyue sentence that ether of them both is the righte Climenum.

Of bastard Saffron.

CNecus or Cnicus is called in Greke Knikos / in English bastard saffrone / in Duche wild saffron / in Frenche Saffron bastarde. It is na­med of the Potecaries and common Herba­ries Carthamus. It groweth muche in hygh Germanye and in certayne gardines in Eng­land. Bastard saffrone hath long leaues / and indented aboute / sharpe and prickinge. The stalke is a fote and a halfe longe / it hath hea­des of the bignes of a great olyue. The floure is lyke Saffrone / the sede is whyte / somthing rede / long and ful of corners.

Of middow Saffrone.

COlchicon / otherwyse called Ephemerum / is named of the Potecaries / but falsely / Hermo­dactylus / in Duche zeitlos / and herbstblum / hundshodeu and wild Saffran bloome / in Frenche au chien / it maye be called in English middow Saffrone or Dogge stones. I haue sene it muche in Germanye both in woodes and in middowes / and I haue sene it growe in the West countre besyde Bathe. Colchicon as it is describeth in Dioscorides / bringeth furth a whytish floure lyke vnto Saffrone in the ende of Autumne / after that tyme it brin­geth furth leaues lyke vnto Bulbus / but a great deale fatter / it hath a stalke a span longe / bearinge reade sede. The roote is blackish rede / which when it is a litle bared / and hath the vtter skin scraped of / is whyte and soft / and full of whyte iuyce and swete in taste / his round roote hath in the middes of it a [Page 156]

ryft / out of the which the floure commeth furth / it groweth moste in Mecena and in Colcus. The floure of this herbe is whyte blewish and not whyte / the huskes that holde the sede / are lyke vnto dogges stones / wherfore the Duche men call this herbe hunds hoden / that is dogges coddes or stones. The war­ning that Matthiolus gyueth vnto Apothecaries / that they shoulde vse no more the rootes of Colchicon for Hermodactilis / is worthy to be hearde and taken hede of / of al honest Apothecaries and Physicians to / that make anye pilles or any other medicines of them. Let them that are syke in the goute / take hede that they take not in the pilles of Hermodactilis / except other Her­modactili go to the making / then the common Hermodactili they are sterke poyson / and will kill a man within one daye. Matthiolus gesseth that an herbe in Italy / called there commonly Palma Christi / shoulde be the righte Hermodactylus: but he will not geue sentence.

Of Beane of Egypt.

COlocasia called in Greke Cyamos Egyptios / and in Latine Faba Egyptia / maye be called in Englishe / a beane of Egypt. I haue sene the right Colocasia in Italye / and a kinde of the same in Germanye / and ones growynge in Englande. It that I sawe in Germany grewe vpon thre English miles from Bon besyde Siberge. Beane of Egypt hath large leaues lyke vnto butter burr / called in Greke Petasos or Petasites / a stalke of a cubit long / and an inch thick / a floure after the lykenes of a rose / twise as bigge as the poppy floure hath. And when as the floure is begon / it hath litle vessels lyke vnto the honye combes or waspes (as Ruellius translateth thylakiskais) or lyke vnto litle places or cas­kettes / wherein anye thinge is layd. In them is a litle beane aboue the co­ueringe / comminge out lyke a littel belle / as ryseth on the water / The roote is stronger then a rede roote is. The beane whilse it is grene / is eaten / and when it is drye / it is black and bigger then the common beane.

Of Coniza.

COniza is of two sortes / y ^e greater and the lesse. I haue sene both y ^e kindes in Italy betwene Cremonia & Ferraria by y ^e Padus banke / y ^e lesse groweth much in Germany by y ^e Ry­ne / it may be called in English Conise: the lesse of them hath the better sauour. But y ^e greater is more bushy & hath broader leaues: both their leues are like vnto an oliue tre rough and far / the greater hath a stalke two cubites long / and the lesse but one foote longe / the floure is brittel / and in colour yellowe or redish / whiche is consumed at length into a down: the rootes are nothing worth.

Of Berefoote.

BErefoote is called in Latine both of Plinye and Columella Consiligo / the Duche men call it Christwurte / the Frenche men call it Pate de Lione. Some abused this herbe for Branke vr­sine / and some haue taken it for black Hellebore / but it is nether of both / for Branke vrsine hath far other maner of leaues then Berefoote hath: But the lykenes of names in signification hath deceyued them that toke Berefoote for Bran­ke vrsine. There hath some ben of the learned sorte / whom I haue folowed in opinion my selfe for a tyme / whiche haue taken Berefoote for black Hellebor. When I was in Ferraria / the best learned that I coulde mete withall / taught me that the kinde of Berefoote / that dyeth euery yeare wyth the yellower and broader leafe / was black Hellebor / and that the smaller was Helleborine. Howbeit by the communication that I had with a certaine wyse Germanye / yet vn­learned in the Latin tongue / and by more diligent examininge of the herbe with the description of Dioscorides / I perceyued that nether of both those kindes of Berefoote was Helleborus niger / but Consiligo. Fuchsius also called both these kindes / false black Hellebor. But one Riffius not content with [Page 161] Fuchsius / holdeth that oure comon Berefote shoulde be the true black Helle­borus / but because diuerse set much by his iudgement / I wil examine his iudgement with Dioscorides. Hellebor the black in Dioscorides hath grene lea­ues lyke vnto the leues of a playn tree / but lesse drawinge nere vnto the lykenes of Cow persnepe called sphodilion: but more diuided and blacker / & som­thing rough and sharpe. The stalke is also rough and sharpe / the floures are whyte & purple. But oure comon Berefote hath leues not lyke vnto a Plain tree or to sphondylium / but lyke vnto hempe or true Agnus castus of Italy / wherefore our comon berefote can not be helleborus niger. The Germane of whom I made mention of before / when he perceiued that I was desirous to knowe herbes & the natures of the same / asked me whether I knew an herb called in their tonge Christwurtz or no. I sayd ye: But know you saith he / al the properties that it hath. I shewed him of certain properties y ^t it had. Well saith he: I knowe more properties y ^t it hath besyde this / & so he tolde me that a pece of the roote of this herbe which they cal Christes wurtz / and we bere­fote / put in after a botken into a beastes eare a round circle made aboute the hole / heleth the beast of any inward disease / whose saynge made me cal to re­membraunce it that I had reade in Pliny and Columella of Consiligo / & so after that / I had rede it y ^t Pliny and Columella had written of Consiligo / & had some conference with lerned men / touchinge this herbe / thought that it should be no more Helleborus niger but consiligo: this also did confirme my opinion / y ^t when I came into Englande / y ^t I dyd heare y ^e diuerse housband men w ^t whom I spake / vsed to put the roote of berefote into beastes eares / & called the putting in of it / sytering of beastes / and in some place called y ^e herbe syterwurte. Matthiolus writinge vpon Helleborum in his commentaries vpon Dioscorides / striueth stoutli against all men y ^t hold y ^t our comon bere­fote / which the Potecaries vse for Helleboro nigro / is not the true Hellebo­rus niger / but that it is consiligo / & he also holdeth / that ij. other herbes wher of the one is called in Duche Leußkraut / and y ^e other which I haue not sene in Duche land / are also right kindes of Hellebori nigri. He answereth to thē that say that y ^e comon hellebor is not the right hellebor of Dioscorides thus: They vse no other reason: but this I thinke / because Columella and Plinye haue written / y ^t consiligo put into a beastes eare / healeth it / and the hirdes of this time haue marked no other thinge y ^t wil do the same / sauing the comon hellebor / wherevpon they gather that it is consiligo. But in my minde they are far deceiued / for Absyrtus and Hierocles hold / that Hellebor y ^e black will do the same. Plyny also teacheth thesame lib. 25. cap. 5. Surely it were verye folishnes to saye / that Sauin were Calamint / or Calamint were Sauin / be­cause they both bring doune a womans floures as nature were so niggishe & sparing y ^t she had made but one remedy for euery kinde of disease. Nether ha­ue I rede in any autour that I haue sene any description of consiligo / nether any marke / wherby it might be knowen. Therefore I can not se howe y ^t the comonly vsed Hellebor / should be cōsiligo. To answere Matthiolus / I thinke that he iudgeth wronge of them that hold that the comon Hellebor is consili­go. For I haue rede no man as yet that was lede into that opinion / by y ^e on­ly relation of hirdes or cowleches / for al the lerned men y ^t I could ether speke w ^t / ether rede which held that the comon hellebor was consiligo first thought that the description of Helleborus the black in Dioscorides did not agre vnto the comon black hellebor / and therefore seynge that it had the propertye and [Page 162] vertue which belonge vnto consiligo / iudged that it was consiligo. For an ex­ample / Solerius thought y ^t this comon black Hellebor for lack of two thin­ges which Dioscorides doth require of Helleboro nigro / was not the righte Helleborus niger in Dioscorides. The one is that it hath not y ^e head of vnion / the other was that it maketh not a mannis head ache / when it is digged vp. Tragus writing vpon this herbe / sayth / y ^t this is one cause why he thinketh y ^t the comon black Hellebor is not the right Helleborus niger in Dioscoride. It is not sayth he / so noysom as the black Hellebor / wherof the olde autours haue written / for I haue sene / sayth he / many take this herbe w ^tout anye ieo­perdye / and the wiues in this countrey vse it comonly w ^tout al peril. As for me whether I was only led by y ^e vertues of the herbe / to thinke y ^t it was consiligo / the reason that I make against Riffius in my former edition / wil beare witnes. Wherfore Matthiolus iudged to lightly of vs / that we were so lightly as he meaneth / brought to beleue / y ^t y ^e comon black Hellebor should be con­siligo. Whether his answer y ^t he maketh of the Bulbishe roote to Solerius satisfice other men or no / I can not tell / but it doth not throwly satisfice me: for I neuer sawe as yet / nether in England / nor in Germanye any roote of y ^e comon black Hellebor / hauing any thinge like an vnion / out of which y ^e smal black berdes springe out. For allthough I haue sene a longe knop oft tymes somthinge bigge in the common black Hellebore / yet I could neuer thinke y ^t it could be iudged like vnto a bulbe / without a great perdon & a large inter­pretation of a bulbe. But y ^t letten passe / I se not yet how y ^t he hath answered sufficiently vnto the autores y ^t say y ^t black Hellebor can not be taken w ^tout ieoperdy / when as the comon hellebore is taken alwayes w ^tout ieoperdy. Theo­phrast writeth y ^t the black hellebor killeth horsse / oxen & swine / in these wor­des: Nigro, equi, boues & sues necantur, itaque cauent id, cùm candido vescan­tur. Auerrois in these wordes folowinge / taketh both y ^e hellebores for poison. Hellebori ambo sunt calidi & sicci in tertio gradu. Secūda eorum virtus est ab­sterciua, & ideo valent contra scabiem, ignem sacrum, & similia, & non est tutū eo vti, quia est ex genere venenorum, sed antiqui vtebantur nigro ad euacuan­dam melancholiam: sed est fortius in laedendo epar & pulmonem, sed noui po­nunt loco eius lapidem lazuti. Mesue although he doth prefer in holsomnes the blacke before the whyte hellebore / yet he sayth these wordes of the blacke. Niger sumendus, omnium consensu praesertim castigatus natura & arte, solis ro bustis & animosis dandus. The comon Hellebor is gyuen allwayes without ieperdy / as not only Phisicianes / but old wiues and dayly experience do testifye. But the right Hellebor was not taken without ieperdy / wherfore it is no argument to be laughed to scorne y ^t the old writers Helleborus niger / & it that is vsed now for Helleboro nigro / are not all one. Dioscorides as I said before maketh his black hellebor leaues / lyke vnto a Plain tre lefe / and most likest of al vnto the leaues sphondylij / called cowe persnepe / but lesse & w ^t mo diui­sions / sharp in vnder and blacker. The leaues of the Plain tre / are lyke vnto the leaues of Aconitum alterum after Dioscorides / & after Plinye the lefe of Sorbus torminalis / called in Englishe / a Seruice tree / is also lyke vnto a Plain tre lefe. Dioscorides maketh also the lefe Ricini / called in English pal­ma Christi / lyke vnto a Plain tre. But where hath Matthiolus sene the co­mon Helleborus lefe lyke vnto the leafe of the second Aconito / or the leafe of the seruice tree / or lyke the leafe of palma Christi? If he hath not sene it lyke vnto anye of these / where hath he sene it lyke vnto the leafe of Sphondylij / [Page 163] or cowpersnepe / but rough in vnder / or somthinge rough blacker / and wyth mo diuisiones or cuttes? If he hath sene no where anye suche / let him cease to saye that the comon Hellebore is the true hellebore. If he saye that the comon hellebores lefe in al places of Italye is lyke vnto a Plain tre lefe / or to y ^e lefe of palma Christi / or to the lefe of Aconiti secundi / or if he saye that it is moste lyke in all places vnto the leaues of sphondylij / sauinge that the leaues are lesse / blacker / and more cutted or diuided. I desyre no other witnesses against him / but his owne figures of these fore written herbes / whereof neuer one is lyke vnto the comon hellebore / for it hath leues lyke vnto hemp / or Agnus / & not to these. As foure fingers and a thumbe / comminge from one palme / ma­ke not fyue handes / but altogether with the rest of the hande / out of y ^t which they cum make but one hande / so although in the Plain tre leues / in the Seruice tre leues / in the Aconite leaues / and in the leaues of palma Christi / cer­teine long thinges like fingers come furth / yet euery one of them is not a lefe alone / though fyue or seuen come from one vnclouen pece / but they make but al one leafe / because they are ioyned altogether vnto an vndeuided pece of leafe / oute of the whiche they come. But in the Agno casto and Hempe / al­though fyue or seuen leaues come oute of one fote stalke: yet for al that / be­cause they are not ioyned together at the botome / and come not oute as it were of one palme / or hole portion of a leafe / euerye longe thinge is taken for a leafe alone. For Dioscorides compareth the leafe of Agnus to an Oliue leafe / and the leafe of Hempe vnto the leafe of an Ashe tree / which he wolde not haue done / if al the fyue or seuen longe thinges had made but one leafe. The leaues of the common Hellebor come eleuen / or there about all furth of one common foote stalke. Wherefore there are so manye leaues / for they are not ioyned together at the botom / nether come oute of one pece of leafe / or thinge lyke a palme of a mannis hande. Also these leaues of common Helle­bor seuerally taken / are nothinge lyke a Playne tre leaues / nor the leaues of sphondylij / nether al the leaues taken together / are lyke vnto the leaues of a Plain tre / nor of sphondylij / for they are deuided one from an other / when as the longe thinges lyke fingers in the Plain tre leafe are not deuided awaye from the portion of the leafe / out of the which they come / if the leaues of the common Hellebore leaues had bene ioyned / as I haue aboue rehersed in the bottom / to one portion of the leafe / lyke as it were the palme of an hande / then I would haue sayd that they had bene lyke to the leaues of the Plaine tree and of Sphondylij. But seynge they are not / I conclude that they are nether lyke vnto the Plain tree leues / nor to the leaues of Sphondilij / and therefore that the common black Hellebor is not the black Hellebore of Dioscorides. Then when as the common Hellebor hath the vertues of Consiligo / and no other herbe is knowen to haue the lyke / sauinge true Helleborus / and Helleborus is not Consiligo / and this common Hellebor is not Helleborus ni­ger / it is no vayne gatheringe / that this herbe commonly called Helleborus niger / is Consiligo.

Of Withwinde or Bindwede.

COnuoluulus is a kinde of helxine cisampelos / is called of the Herbaries volubilis / in English Withwinde or Bindwede / in Duche Windē / in French Lizet / Lizeron / or Campanet. Helxine hath leaues lyke vnto Iuy / but lesse & small twigges / wherwith it claspeth aboute what­soeuer stronge thinge it doth tuche. Pliny de­scribeth conuoluulus thus: There is a floure not vnlyke vnto a lylye in the herbe / whiche is called Conuoluulus: it groweth among shrubbes and busshes / and hath no sauour nether a­nye litle chyues lyke Saffrone as a lyly hath / only representinge a lily in whytenes / and it is as it were an vnperfit worke of nature / learninge to make lilies.

Mesue describeth diuerse kindes of Conuoluulus / one kind sayth he is great and hath milke in it / and it is called funis arborum / with a whyte floure like vnto a belle: The seconde kinde is a litle one / and hath both a lesse floures & leaues then the other / and it crepeth vpon the grounde / and the braunches of other herbes. The thyrde kinde is also ful of milke / and hath leues somthinge whyt horye / vnmeasurably hoote / it cutteth and pulleth of the skinne / and in purgationes bringeth out blood / wherefore as a venemous thinge it is to be auoyded: his fourth kinde is hoppes. The fifte kinde hath a roote lyke Brito­nye or rather greater / as bigge as a great gourde / hys stalke is two cubites longe / the leaues are narrowe and litle / and hath the forme of an arowe with fetheres on it.

Of Coriandre.

COriandrum or Corianum is called in Greke Corion and Corianon / in Englishe Colander or Coriandre / in Duche Koriander / in French Coriandre. Coriander hath leues lyke the first kinde of Crowfoote / and vnto herbe Robart with the smal leaues / groweth in y ^e woddes / & vnto y ^e third kind of Daucus / and to the right Venus heyre / called Adianton. The leues be­neth are some thinge bigge lyke vnto Venus heire / and those aboue are very small lyke vn­to Fumitorye: the leaues are wonderfully stinkinge when they are grene: the stalke is a cu­bit and a halfe of height / full of litle braunches / the floures are whyte / and y ^e sede is round & bare / and whē it is drye / it is of a good sauour & a good taste.

Of the Cornell tree.

COrnus is called in Greke Crania / & in Duche Thierlinbaume / in French Cormiez or Cor­nier: There are two kindes of Cornus / y ^e male and the female. Cornus as Dioscorides sayth is a hard tree / bringing furth long berries / lyke an Oliue / which first are grene / and after when they are rype / are rede / or of the coloure of waxe: and this is the male kinde which is also described of Theophrastus / he writeth of both the kindes of this maner: There is one Cornel tree which is the male / and an other y ^e female: it hath leaues like an almond tre / but that they be fatter and thicker / it hath a barke full of synewes and thin / the bodye of the tree is not verye thicke / but the female putteth furth smal twig­ges / out of the syde as the right agnus castus doth / and it is fuller of braun­ches / they haue both knottes as agnus hath / both two one against another / and one meting with an other. The woode of the male hath no pythe (I call so the softe thing that is in any tree / as in Elder and such lyke) but it is sound and fast like vnto a horne / both in thicknes and strongnes. The female hath a pythe in it / and is softe / and made hollow / the length of the male is at the moste of xij. cubites / of which lenght the longest huntinge staues were of y ^t were in Macedonia: the hole bodye of the tree is nothing excellent: They y ^e dwell in Ida beside Croye / holde that the male is barrone / and that the fe­mal is fruyteful / the fruyte hath a kernell lyke an olyue / & the fruyte is swete in eatinge / and pleasant in sauoure: The floure is lyke an Oliue tree / and it blometh & bringeth furth fruyt after the same maner / so that out of one stalke growe many / they agree also in tyme: but the Macedonians saye that they bringe furth both fruyte / but the females fruyt can not be tasted / and y ^t they haue a stronge roote out of the daunger of corruption as agnus is. It gro­weth in moyst places / and not onlye in drye places / both by sede / and also by sticking in of slippes / which are slipped of the tree. I haue sene the first Cor­nus which is the male / plentuouslye in Germany / and the second whiche is the female / both in Germany and Englande: the male maye be called in En­glishe a Cornel tre. The female is called of some Dog berrye tree. some call it Corne tree / some because bucherers vse to make prickes of it / cal it prick tree: it were best to call it with one common name / wild Cornel tree. The leaues are much broader then the Almond tree leaues are / & they are almost round / sauinge that towarde the ende they are small and sharpe. The male hath as far as I remembre / but one very growinge vpon one stalke alone: but the fe­mal hath many growynge together.

Of herbe Iue.

COronopus or Coronopodium is called in En­glishe herbe Iue or Crowfoote plantayn / in Duche Rapfulz / in Frenche Capriole / ou dent ou chien / Theodore Gaza / calleth it Silago / it groweth muche about Shene in the hygh waye / and aboute the sea syde in the bankes / whiche are made by mans hande. Coronopus is a litle long herbe / creping vpon the ground with clouen or cut leaues / it is sodden with o­ther eatable herbes / the roote is astringente & bindinge: it groweth in vnmanerd groundes in heapes of earth or stones / as are made to defend y ^e sea bankes / or y ^e fresh water bankes / frō ouerflowing & in high waies. [Page 170] My Greke Dioscorides hath en doomasi / it appeareth by the translation of Ruellius / that his Greke example had an choomasi / and that lyketh me bet­ter / for experience teacheth me that herbe Iue nether groweth about houses / but very plentuouslye vpon artificiall bankes and heapes of earth or stones / whiche are called in Greke Cheomata. Theophrastus rehearseth Coronopus among the herbes whiche haue only leaues from the roote / and frō no other parte / and so groweth herbe Iue / and the stalke is lyke Plantayn / and hath suche an head as it hath. The maner of dressinge this herbe / and puttinge it into sallettes / when it is a litle sodden / endureth yet still in Frenche / and in some places of England.

Of the Hasel tree.

COrylus is called in Greke Karya pontike / or Leptokarya / in Latin Nux pontica / parua et auellana / in Englishe an Hasel tree or an Hasel nutt / in Duch Hasel nuss / in French Noisette ou Anelme: There seme to be two maner of Ha­sel nuttes rather then two diuerse kindes / the one is the gardine nutt tree / called the Fylberd tree / and the other is the woodnut tree. The Hasel is so well knowen that we nede not anye description of it.

Of Arssmarte or Culerage.

CRateogonum hath leaues lyke vnto Melam­pyrum / and manye stalkes lyke Corne / com­ming furth of one roote / and manye knobbye ioyntes lyke knees / and a fruyt lyke Millet: it groweth in shaddye places / and amonge bus­shes. Galene also sayth that Crateogonum is lyke vnto Millet / and very sharpe on y ^e tonge. Crateogonum sayth Pliny is lyke whete / and hath many strawes or stalkes comming of one roote / and hath many ioyntes like knees. Conradus Gesnerus thinketh that this herbe is it that we call in Englishe Arsmart or Culerage with the spottes in it lyke half mownes / and the properties and description agree well / sauinge that our Arsmart groweth rather in watery places then amonge bushes. I maruell muche that Matthiolus doth saye / that the common persicaria foloweth in no markes or tokens Crateogonum / when as it is clere as middaye light / that Persicaria hath stalkes like Corne / with manye ioyntes / and a fruyte lyke Millet / and a bytinge tast / as Crateogo­num hath.

Of Sampere.

SAmpere is called in Greke Crithmō or Crithamon / the Latin vse the same termes / the comon Herbaries calle it Cretam marinam / some recken nowe withoute a iuste cause / that it is also Batis in Plinye / and I thinke y ^t thys herbe is called in Columella Olus cordum / it is called in Frenche Bacil or Fenoyl marine / in Italian Fenechio marino / and santi Petri herba / from whence we haue the name Sampere. It groweth plentously besyde Douer in Sussexe and in Dorsertshyre / by y ^e sea syde. Samper is a litle bush herbe / and of euery syde ful of leaues / almost a cubite hygh. It groweth by the sea syde and in stony places. It hath fatt leaues and manye / & something why­tish lyke the leues of Porcellaine / but thicker and longer with a saltish tast. The floures are whyte. The fruyte is as Rosemary fruyte is / well smellinge soft / round / and suche as when it is dryed / will burst and open / and it hath within it a sede lyke vnto wheat / the rootes are a finger thick in nombre about thre or foure / & they haue a goodlye and pleasant sauour.

Of Saffron.

SAffron is named in Greke Krokos / in Latin Crocus / in Duch / Saffran / in Frenche Safron. Theophrastus describeth Saf­fron thus. Saffrone is of the nature of thē / that are as y ^e forsaid kindes of Narcissus are / and commeth furth so. But it hath a narrow lefe / for the leues come furth like heire / it bloometh late / it buddeth late or els to early / howsoeuer ye take the time / for it [Page 174] floureth at the falling doune of the sterres / called Vergilie / that is about the xv. daye of October / and that but for a short tyme / and by and by it putteth awaye the leafe with the floure / but rather souner. The roote is manyfolde and thicke and well liuinge / it loueth to be trodden on / and so it thryueth the better if the roote be broken beneth. Therefore it commeth farest furth beside pathes and fountaines. Pliny writeth thesame of Saffrone.

Of Cucumbers and suche lyke fruytes.

CVcumber is called in Greke Sikios of Theo­phrast in viij. places / that I haue marked / sik­na in thre places after the iudgement of Theo­dore and of Galene / and also siknos / of Aetius onis sikna / and onis siknos. But I red not in any of these Sikys / as it is onely nowe in the common Greke text of Dioscorides: let them y ^t haue anye writtē textes of Dioscorides se whe­ther it be in any of thē also sikyos / as it is in all the other Greke autours aboue named. Sime­on Sethi semeth to call the cucumbers sykys in the neuter gendre / and also anguria. Wher­fore Fuchsius writing that cucumers are called also anguria / and that by the autorite of Aetius / which I haue not yet rede in Greke in Aetius / is vniustly reproued of Matthiolus for so doynge / it is called in Latine / Cucumis or Cucumer / in Duch Cucumeren / in Frenche Cucumbre. Dioscorides maketh mē tion of Pepones in the intreatinge of Cucumberes / wherefore pepones are vnder the kinde of Cucumbers / as it doth appeare in the maner of his in­treatinge of Pepones in the same place. But other autores make differen­ce betwene Cucumbers and Pepones / as there is in dede. For Galene in seuerall chapters wryteth of Cucumberes / Pepones / and Melopepons. [Page 176]

Theodorus Gaza / wher as there are together siknos and sikna / commonlye turneth siknan cucumerem and siknon peponem / although he translateth commonly siknon cucumerem. The cucumbre is not described of Dioscori­des in y ^e chapter of cucumis / but in the chapter de cucumere syluestri / a man may gather which knoweth it / how to knowe the gardin cucumbre / for he writeth of it thus: The wild cucumbre differeth in nothing from it of the gardine / sauinge in the fruyt which it hath not vnlyke vnto longe acornes. It hath leaues and braunches like it of the gardine. The lefe is almost rounde / but about the edges full of nickes. The floure is yelow / the fruyte is longe / and without there are certeyne longe cutters that go from the one ende to y ^e other / and certeine swellinges like rigges / where vpon growe certeine litle lumpes like ploukes or scabbes. The common kinde of Cucumbre / when it is yonge / is grene / but when it is ripe / it is yelowe. Theophrast writeth in the vj. boke and the xiiij. chapter / that the vttermost parte of a Cucumbre is bit­ter / which thinge as yet may be true / so as yet I could neuer finde in those Cucumbers that I haue proued / specially when they are ripe. Theophrast & Plinye make thre kindes of cucumbres / howbeit they do not describe them or tel of any difference in likenes betwene one another. After Dioscorides tyme by handeling of the fruytes after diuerse fashones / there rose vp Melopepones & Melones / and Anguria / whiche are all conteyned vnder Cucumis / as some newe writers iudge and haue there names of their forme / and bignes / and colour.

Of wilde Cucumbers.

CVcumis syluestris / named of some Cucumis anguinus / of the comon Herbaries Cucumis asininus / is named of Dioscorides in Greke Sikys agrios / of Galene / Theophrast / & Ae­tius Sikys agrios / it maye be called in En­glish wilde Cucumber / or of the propertie that the sede hath / lepinge or springinge Cucumber / for if ye tuche the fruyte of it / when it is ripe / it will burst / and the sede will springe all abrode out of the fruyte: it groweth plentuouslye ab­out Bononye abroad a litle oute of the towne / but in England it groweth onely in gardins. Wild Cucumber doth differ f [...]om the gardine Cucumber only in the fruyte which it hath a great deale lese / not vnlike vnto longe acornes / it is lyke the gardine Cucumber both in lea [...]es and in long runninge braunches / it hath a whyte roote / it groweth in sa [...]dye groundes / and in feldes nere vnto houses / all the hole bushe is bitter.

Of the Gourde.

A Gourde is called in Greke Kolokyntha / in Latin Cucurbita / in Duch Kurbß / in Frenche Courge. A gourde hath long runninge braunches / whiche naturally endeuoure vpwarde / but for lack of strenght / except they finde some­thinge to staye and vpholde themselfes by / they crepe by the grounde. It hath a rounde leafe / not vnlyke the leafe of Abur / or Asarabacca. The floure is whyte / the fruyte is firste grene / and after yelowe / after the lykenes of a peare. The barke of the fruyte when it is yonge / is tendre and softe: but whē it is olde / it is harde / and some take the meat out of it / and vse it in the stede of a bottell. Columella and Pliny write that by arte a man maye make diuerse formes and fassions of Gourdes. If ye will haue longe Gourdes / then take and sow the sede that is nexte vnto the necke. If ye will haue gourdes that will stande / and after that they are emptied / fit to put wine or oyle in to serue in the stede of flackettes or bottelles / then take the sede that is about the sydes in the middes / and sowe them. If ye woulde fayne haue very large and greate gourdes / then take sedes that growe there / and turne the ouer parte dounewarde / and let weomen nether touche the yonge gourdes / nor loke v­pon them / for at certaine tymes in the moneth the only touchinge and sighte of weomen / killeth the yonge Gourdes as these aboue named writers beare witnes.

[Page 183]

Of Coloquintida.

COloquintida is called in Greke Colokinthis / in Latin Cucurbita syluestris / the Potecaries cal it Coloquintida / it groweth only in gardins in England and Germanye. Coloquintida putteth furth braunches and leaues lyke a Cucumbre / creping by the ground diuided a round fruyt lyke a balle / excedingly bitter / which ye must gather whē it beginneth fyrste to be turned into a pale yelowishe co­loure.

Of Cummyne.

CVmmyne is called in Greke Kyminon / in Duche Kum­mine / or Comin / in Frenche Cumine. The sede of gardin cummyn is well knowen in Englande / but the herb gro­weth not with vs that euer I could se. Dioscorides descri­beth not the gardin comyn / belyke because it was so well knowen in his countre: but he describeth two kindes of wild cummyn / the first after thys maner: Wilde cumyne hath but a small bushe / and hath a stalke a span long and small / oute of which come out foure or fyue litle leues / lyke as they were in­dented after the maner of Gingidium. It hath in the top fyue or sixe rounde and softe litle heades / wherein is chaffye sede / hoter in taste then the gardin cumyn. It groweth in litle hilles. The seconde kinde of wild cumyn is not vnlyke vnto the gardin cumyn / it putteth furth of euerye floure longe hornes where in is sede like vnto Git or Nigella romana. The former kinde of wild cumyn haue I not sene that I can remembre: but the second kind I suppose I haue sene. Some there be in Italy which thinke / the pale nigella to be the second kind of wild cumyn / other recken the litle black nigella (which is common in the stobble in Germany after the corne be caried awaye) to be the se­conde kinde of wild cummyn. But nether the pale nigella / nether the other wild kinde can be wild cummyn / except the gardin nigella romana be also wilde cummyn / for they are all of one figure in leaues and sedes / and of lyke smell. The second kind of wild cummyn putteth furth of euerye floure longe hornes / wherein are sede lyke vnto nigella. The kindes of nigella haue hor­nes in dede / but no sede in them / for their sede is conteyned in the middes of the head / one nombre diuided from an other by thin partitions: Therefore nether the wilde nigella / nether the pale can be cummum syluestre alterum. I rather holde with Conradus Gesnerus / which thynketh that the herbe / cal­led of the herbaries Consolida regalis / of the Duche Ridders sporen / and in English Larkis hele / is the seconde kinde of wilde cummyn. The leaues of that herbe are lyke nigella / the floures are blewe / and there commeth furth of it a longe whyte thinge lyke a litle horne: when the floure is gone / ther co­meth out a litle vessell lyke a shorte horne / where in is black sede conteyned lyke vnto nigella. It groweth in Germany commonlye amonge the stuble & the corne / but it is not rype vntill the corne be caried awaye / and a good whyle after.

Of the Cypres tree.

THE Cypres is called in Greke Cyparissos / in Duch ein Cypres­senbaum. Dioscorides doth not describe this tree / for he telleth onelye the properties of it: the tree is of a good hyght / but it is not all of one pece / as the Fyre tree is / but it diuideth it selfe into diuers braunches of this syde of the top / and it is not streight as the Fyre tree is / but oft tymes croked / notwithstanding as Pli­ny writeth and experience teacheth vs. The tree from that parte wheras it hath firste leaues vnto the toppe / hath the figure of a steple / that is great beneth / and the hygher vp / the smaller it is.

The leaues are lyke vnto the leaues of Sauin / specially when they are yong: but the sauour discerneth them / and the sharpnes of leafe / and so doth y ^e heate lykewise / for Sauin hath a more pricking / stinking and hoter lefe then cypres hath. The lefe of Cypres neuer falleth / but is euer grene / it hath a fruyte lyke vnto a Pyne tree / but manye partes lesse / and somthing longer in figure. Pliny maketh two kind of Cypres trees / one with sharpe steply top / whiche is called the female / and another with braunches spred abroad at large / which he called the male. The female groweth right plentuouslye in the gardine of Sion / but I do not remembre that euer I sawe the other.

Of the Blewebottel.

BLewbottel / otherwise caled Blewblawe / is named in Greke Kyanos / in Latin Cyanus / or Ceruleus / in Duche Blaw cornblumen / in Frenche au fioin or blaueole / or bleuet / some herbaries call it baptisecula / or blaptisecula / because it hurteth sicles / which were ones called of olde writers seculae. Blewbottel groweth in y ^e corne / it hath a stalke full of corners / a narrow and long leafe. In the top of the stalke is a knoppy heade wherevpon growe blewe floures / about midsummer the chylder vse to make garlandes of the floure. It groweth much amonge Rye / wherefore I thinke that good ry in an euell and vnseasonable yere doth go out of kinde in to this wede. Thys kind and other which groweth only in Germany in gardines like vnto this / sauing in al pointes it is greater and namely in the leaues.

Of Sowesbreade.

SOwesbread called in Greke Ciclaminos / is also in Latin Ciclaminus / rapum terre / vmbilicus terre / et panis porci­nus / of some tuber terre / in Duche Sewbrodt / in French Pain de porceau / I haue not sene it in England / wherfore I knowe no vsual name for it / but least it should be name­les / if ether it shuld be brought in to England / or be found in anye place in England / I name it Sawesbread / or rape violet / because the floure is lyke a violet / and the roote is lyke a rape. Dioscorides describeth Cyclaminum thus: Cyclaminus hath leaues lyke vnto Iuy / purple / and of diuerse colours / wherein are vp & doun somthinge whyte spottes / a stalke foure fingers long and bare / out of which come purple floures lyke roses / and a black roote / somthinge broade lyke vn­to a rape. I haue Cyclaminum both in Italy and also in Germany: but there was great difference betwene them / for the Italian was thryse as big as the Duche was / and muche longer / and lyker vnto Iuy. The Duche Cyclami­nus according to his name / had leaues as round as Asarum hath / but muche lesse / and the floures drawe nerer the lykenes of a violet then a rose. There are many deceyued in England / whiche abuse tryfling other herbes for Cy­clamino / as Erthnut / and suche lyke which nether agree with Cyclamino in vertue / nether in description.

Of Dogges tonge.

ALthough Dioscorides writeth but of one kind of Dogges tonge / yet it is euident by Pliny y ^t there are thre kindes of Dogges tonge. For Dioscorides describeth his Dogges tonge to be withoute anye stalke / which kinde I could neuer se that I remembre in all my lyfe. Mat­thiolus and Pliny describe two kindes / which both haue stalkes and sede / for he geueth stal­kes and sedes vnto them in the xxv. booke and viij. chapter: but the latter kinde that he spea­keth of / semeth vnto me to be oure common Dogges tounge / for he sayeth thus:

Est alia similis ei & quae ferat lappas minutas / that is / There is an other lyke it which beareth also litle burres. The common Cynoglossum hath longe lea­ues lyke vnto a Dogges tonge and a long stalke / in whose top are thre rough thinges that cleue vnto a mannes clothes ioyned altogether to a litle pricke / which is in the middes / the form of all together is lyke vnto a foure leued clauer with a pricke in the middes. The roote is somthinge rede and long withal / and astringent. This is thesame herbe which is called in Dioscorides Lycopsis / whose description is this: Lycopsis hath leaues longer then lettes / rougher and broader / and thicke / fallinge downe agayne vnto the heade of the roote / a longe stalke / streight and roughe / with many to growers / a cu­bit longe / the floure is litle and purple. The roote is rede and astringent / it groweth in playne groundes.

Of Eglentine or swete brere.

EGlentine is named in Greke Kynorhodos / in Latine Rosa camna / in Duch wild rosen / in French rose sauuage / or Eglentier. The Eglentine is muche like the common brere / but the leues are swete and pleasant to smel / as the brere or heptree leues are not. There is commonly a spongious ball found in the Eglentine bush / as Pliny writeth. I reken that this bushe is nothing ellis but a swete kinde of Cynobatos.

Of Adders grasse.

CYnos orchis is called in Latine testiculus ca­nis / in English Adders grasse / or goukis meat or dogges coddes / in Duche Knaben kraut / in Frēch La coil au chien. Testiculus canis hath leues sprede flat vpon y ^e ground / which grow aboute the stalke and the nethermoste parte of this herbe / lyke vnto the leues of a softe olyue tree / but smother / and narrower / and longer. The stalke is a span long / out of which spring purple floures. The rootes are rounde & some­thinge longe / two together smal as an olyue / the one is hygher vp / which is the fuller / and the other which groweth lower / and is softer and fuller of wrinkles. The o­ther testiculus whiche is called serapias / hath leaues lyke a leke / somthinge longe / but broader and thycke / bowynge in the hollowe places betwene the leaues and stalke. The stalk is a span long / the floures are somthinge purple / the rootes are lyke vnto dogges stones / both these kindes with diuerse other not muche differinge from them / growe plentuouslye in the middowes in e­uerye quarter of Englande.

Of English Golangal.

CIpeirus / called also Cyperus / hath leues lyke vnto a leke / but longer and smaller / & a stalke a cubit longe or longer / with cornes in it lyke vnto squinantum / in whose top litle leues with sede springe out. The rotes are somthinge long lyke vnto an olyue or round / one cleuinge vn­to an other / blacke in coloure and swete in sa­uoure / and bitter in taste. Although this com­mon Galangal of oures / be a kinde of Cype­rus / yet it aunswereth not in al poyntes vnto the description / for although the rootes haue in them certain knobbes lyke vnto Oliues / yet are they not such as Dioscorides describeth. The true Cyperus is now com­mon in Rome and other partes of Italy / wherevnto the hole description of Dioscorides agreeth. But we maye vse this Cyperus that we haue wel withoute ieoperdye / in the stede of the other / for it is of thesame kinde and vertue that the other is of.

Of the Cytisus tree.

CItiscus as Dioscorides writeth / is an hole whyte bushe as Rhamnus is / spredinge abroad braunches longer then a cubit: wherevpon growe leaues lyke vnto the Fenegreke / or thre leued Lotus / but lesse / the back of the leafe stic­kinge oute: the leaues broken sauoure lyke rocket / and in taste they resemble a Ciche. I neuer sawe this bushe any where ellis growyng naturally w ^tout setting or sowing / [Page 197] sauing in the mount Apennine besyde Bonony / where as I sawe great plentye of it: but I haue had it growyng ones at Collon / and now I haue it gro­wing here in my gardin at Wisenburg. The bushes were lyke litle trees / & were as hyghe as a man / the braunches and twigges was whytish / and had a whyte hore on them / there growe litle coddes in the braunches lyke vnto tares / but shorter as I remembre.

Of Lauriel or Lowry.

DAphnoides is called of some Herbaries Laureola / in En­glishe Lauriel or Lowry / or Lorell. I neuer sawe the true Daphnoides in Germany / wherfore I know not his true Duche name. Daphnoides is a bushe of a cubit hyght and hath many braunches / whiche are tough / and bowe muche / and in the toppes they are ful of leues. The barke y ^t couereth the bowes / is exceding tough & hard to breake: [Page 198]

The leaues are lyke a baye / of a Laurel tree / but they are tougher which set in fyre their mouthes that taste of them. The floures are whyte: the berrye when it is rype / is black / the rootes are nothing worth. It groweth in mountaynes and hylly places / Hetherto Dioscorides. Some abuse the berryes of this bushe for Mesereon / some for Coccognidium. This bushe groweth com­monlye in Englande in hedges / as beside Cambridge / Barkway / & at Sion I haue sene it growynge.

Of Daucus.

DAucus in Dioscorides is of thre kindes / in Pliny of foure kindes / but Galene / Paulus Egi­neta / and Aetius / make but two kindes. Theophrastus semeth to make thre kindes after the interpretation of Gaza / whiche he disseuereth onely by the color of the roote / he maketh one kinde grene lyke a Baye tree / and other kinde redish yelowe after the colour of Saffron / and the thirde kinde black or rather redishe black / or as it is in Greke [...], that is rede. Simeon Sethi maketh two kindes / the yelowe and the black / and he putteth no other difference be­twene them / sauinge only by coloure of the roote. Theophrastus and Sime­on Sethi seme to me to vnderstande vnder the name of Daucus / the kindes of Carot / for it is euident / that at the leste there are two kindes of Carottes / the yelowe and the black whiche are taken for Daucus of them. Gregorius Gyraldus the interpretor of Simeon Sethy turneth Daukion in pastina­cam into Latin / which is called in Englishe a Carot. Theodorus Gaza the translator of Theophrast turneth Daucon into pastinacam / Galene sayth y ^t some call Daucus / staphilinos / and Paulus foloweth him. Aetius doth not only say that Daucus is called staphilinos / but also writing of Staphilinus sayeth that Staphilinos is called Daucus / and although all these thre make [Page 200]

two diuerse chapters of Daucus and pastinaca / yet they gyue lyke vertues vnto both the herbes / that is the nature to prouoke floures and vrine / wher­fore although Daucus and Staphilinos were to sundry herbes and diuerse in forme / as I denye not / but they be: yet for as much as they agre in vertue / the error of them can not be great / which take the one for the other / special­lye seynge that Aetius writeth that Daucus is called Staphilinos / and Staphilinos Daucus. But it is out of doute that in Theophraste and Si­meon / Daucus is oure Carot / howsoeuer Dioscorides do separate Staphili­nos and Daucus. Daucus creticus as Dioscorides writeth hath leues lyke Fenel / but lesse and smaller / a stalke a span longe / a whyte floure bytinge / hote sede and that whyte / rough / and of a pleasant sauour / when it is in ea­tinge / the roote is a finger thicke / and it groweth a span longe. It groweth in stonye places / and where as the sunne cummeth. There is an other of the same kinde / lyke vnto wild perselye / byting / well smellinge / hauing the smell of spice / and hote in taste. The best is in Candy. The thirde is set furth with leaues lyke Coriandre / with whyte floures / with a head and sede lyke Dill / with a spoky top lyke Carot / with long sede as Cumin hath / and that biting. These thre kindes are thus described of Dioscorides. Matthiolus although he talk of iij. kinds of Daucus / he setteth furth but one figur which he telleth not whether it be of the first or seconde or thirde kinde. But it varieth not from the description of the firste kinde / if it haue the taste and other ver­tues belonginge vnto Daucus.

If Matthiolus had tolde vs the Italian name of his Daucus / it had bene muche easier for vs to come by it / and also to iudge whether it were the trew Daucus or no. As for the firste kinde of Daucus that I remember / I neuer sawe it. For I rekē that Berwurtz is not Daucus criticus / but rather Meon Dioscorides. As for the second kind I know no herbe that agreeth with the description of it better then the herbe doth / which is called in Duche Biber­nel / and of some Duche writers Pimpinella Germanica / and of some Italianes Saxifragia / although they geue that name vnto an other herbe. It may be called in Englishe Pimpinel or rough Saxifrage. But I dare not saye that it is the true Daucus of the seconde kinde: As for the thirde kinde of daucus / I can not surely tell what herbe it is.

Of Dictamnye of Candye.

DIctamnus is named in Greke Dictamnos / of some Potecaries Diptamus / it is called of Pliny Dictamus. I haue sene it growynge in England in Maister Riches gardin naturally / but it groweth no where ellis that I know of / sauing only in Candy: therefore I knowe no English na­me for it. I thinke y ^t it is best to name it Dittany of Can­dy. Dictamnus is an herbe of Candy / bytinge fast / smoth / and lyke Penyryal. But the leues of it are greater / which haue a certaine thick downe vpon them lyke as Gnaphalium (called of some Cudwede) hath. It bringeth furth nether floure nor sede as Dioscorides wri­teth: belyke he sawe it at that tyme / when it had nether floure nor sede. But it is knowen this daye to bring furth floure and sede / both in England & Ger­manye / places much colder then Candy is. And Theophrast older then Dios­corides writeth euidently / that Dictamus hath floure and fruite / and Virgil the nobelest of all Latine Poetes writeth the same in the booke of Eneidos. Manye haue abused Fraxinella for this herbe / and some haue taken Lepidi­um / which the common people called Dittany for this herbe / but their error is manifest.

Of the wilde Tasell.

DIpsacos / called in Latin Labrum Veneris / that is Venus basin / because it holdeth alwa­yes water / it is called in English wild tasil / in Duche Karten distel / in Frenche Chardon or Carder. It is named of the Potecaries & Her­baries virga pastoris: wild tasel is one of the pricky herbes. It hath a hygh stalke / and full of prickes / and leues like lettes / ful of prickes: two euer together which go about euery ioynte / and the leues are somthing long / and haue as it were certaine belles or swellinges lyke vnto the bublinges y ^t rise in the water. When it rayneth sore / in the middes of the back / both within & withoute / they haue an holowe thinge at the cumminge out of the two leaues / whiche come one furth agaynst an other / wherein is gathered water both of the rayne and al­so of the dew: and here vpon it is called dipsacos / that is thyrstye. Oute of the top of the stalke groweth furth in euerye braunche a pricky head / sharpe / and somthinge long / and when it is wythered / it appereth whyte. If ye cleue the head in the middes / ye shal finde a worme in it. This description of Dioscori­des agreeth also vnto our gardin tasel / which the fullers dresse their cloth w ^t all. The wilde tasel groweth commonly about diches and watery places / in [Page 205] the beginning of winter the Goldfinches vse muche to haunte this herbe for the sedes sake / wherof they are very desyrous: the other groweth in gardins. In the wild tasel is found a worme when the heade is full rype / which fishe­rers vse for a baite. Besyde all other tokens and differences whereby these ij. kindes do differ / is one that the prickes of the wild tasell growe not hokedly inward as the prickes of the other do.

Of Dragon.

DIoscorides maketh but one kind of Dracunculus / which he calleth Dragontion / but Pliny maketh thre kindes of the same / in these wordes: lib. 24. ca. 16. Id autem quod Graeci Dracontium vocant, triplici effigie demonstratum mihi est, folijs betae, non sine thyrso, &c. It that Grecians call Dracontion / was shewed vnto me after thre diuerse like­nesses / one with leues like a bete / & not withoute a smoth stalk / and a purple floure / this is like vnto Aron. An other shewed me one with a long roote like as it were marked and ful of ioyntes / and it had but iij. litle stalkes. The third which was shewed me / had a grea­ter leafe then the Cornel tree lefe is / with a roote lyke a rede: and they sayd it had as many ioyntes in the roote / and as many leues / as it was yeares olde. The firste kind that Pliny describeth / might seme to be our comon dragon / if that the leaues of oure dragon were not smaller / then the leaues of a Bete / wherevnto Pliny compareth the first kinde of Dracontion / but Pliny sayth that the firste kinde is lyke vnto Aron / for whiles the dragon is yet yonge / the leaue of it is verye lyke vnto the lefe of Aron. Dioscorides also maketh Dragon lyke vnto Aron in the description of Aron. Galene also writeth that Dragon is lyke Aron / both in lefe and roote / wherfore I doute not but that our common dragon is the true dragon. Howebeit when the stalke is greate and redy / within a shorte whyle to bring furth the floure and fruyte: the lefe that is in the top of the stalke / goeth awaye from the firste lykenes / and hath manye leaues together / but al ioyned together in one lefe / and not cumming furth of diuerse stalkes or braunches. And most commonlye / one of the leues which is the ouermost / and as it were the maister lefe / doth somthing resemble an Iuye leafe. The seconde kinde of Dragon that Plinye describeth / ex­cept my memoyre fayle me / I sawe it ones in the land of Drent / not far from Meppel in a marrish ground. The thyrde kinde is now adayes well knowē / and it groweth in diuerse places of Germanye / where as it is called Klein schlangen kraut. But I haue not sene it in England: and therefore I knowe no common English name of it. Howbeit / it maye be called in Englishe Wa­ter dragon. Dioscorides describeth his Dragon thus: Dragon hath a leafe lyke Iuy great and notable with whyte spottes / and a streyght stalke / two cubites long of diuers coloures / sprinkled with diuerse purple spottes / so that it doth resemble a serpent very nere / it is as thick as a staf. The fruyte gro­weth after the maner of a cluster / in the top of the stalcke first grene and af­terwarde reade / hote in taste and bytinge. The roote is somthinge rounde / and hath a rounde heade lyke vnto Aron / couered with a thin filme or skin. It groweth in darke and shadowy hedges. Matthiolus maketh mention of an other kind of Dragon / whereof is no mention made in anye good tex­tes of Dioscorides. Neuerthelesse I thinke that it is a kind of Dragon / euen perteyning vnto it that Dioscorides writeth of. Mathiolus also his selfe granteth y ^t that chapter is set vnto Dioscorides by some other writer.

Of Dryopteris.

DRyopteris hath the name of an Oke & a Fern / and groweth in Okes. Dioscorides describeth Dryopteris thus: Dryopteris groweth in the mosse of olde Okes lyke vnto a brake / but not so much cut or iagged in the leues. It hath rootes wounde one with an other / rough and a­stringent / and tarte in taste / turning somthing into swetenes. The herbe whiche ye se here in­titled with the name of Dryopteris / draweth nerest vnto the description of Dryopteris of a­nye herbe that I knowe. Howebeit / besyde di­uers other thinges / there be two thinges that make me thinke that it should not be the perfite Dryopteris: one is it y ^t gro­weth in walles with maydens heyre / and in manye bushe rootes / and chefely of them that are in darke laynes / and not in the mosse of olde oke trees. The other is that I can not finde the vertue that Dioscorides speaketh of that / to pull of here and to putrefye. Manye haue vsed this herbe for the true Adian­tum / and namelye the Potecaries of Louan when as I was there. It is proued by experience that this herbe is verye good for the stone / ether with wi­ne / or with almone milke made with maydens heyre.

Of Wallwurte.

WAlwurt is named in English also Danwurte / in Greke Chameacte / in Latin Ebulus / in Duche Attich / in Frēch Hieble. Walwurt is a great deal lower then Elder is / & more like an herb / it hath a foursquared stalk & ful of ioin­tes / y ^e leues are like vnto y ^e leues of an almond tre / but longer / & grow (certain spaces goyng betwene) aboute eue­ry iointe stretched furth standinge oute like two winges / [Page 208]

one agaynst an other / indented and stinkinge. It hath a spoky or a bushy top as Elder hath / lyke floures and fruyte. The roote is longe & as great as a finger. Walwurt groweth much about Cambridge / and in many other places of England / and also in manye places of Germany. Howbeit I coulde neuer se the stalke in any place as yet vnsquared. Notwithstandinge I knowe well that it is the true Ebulus or walwurte.

Of Smallage.

ELioselinon after the translation of Theodore / is called in Latine Paludapium / in Englishe Smallage or Marche / in Duche Eppich. And the Potecaries haue longe called this herbe in Latin apium / but vniustlye / for apium is not Smallage / but Perselye / which thinge I haue sufficiently proued / where as I haue written of perselye. Dioscorides writeth that Elioseli­non is greater then apium is / and that it gro­weth in moyst places / wherof it hath the name. I haue sene it growe oft times by brook sydes & in a certain Iland of East Freseland / called Nordenye / by the seasyde. The sauour of smallage is a great dele stronger & worse sauoringe then perselye is / and diuerse practicioners holde y ^t the herbe both smelled and eaten / is ieperdous for them that are in danger of y ^t fallinge sycknes. For it maketh them fall streyght waye that haue smelled or eaten of it / as they reporte.

Of Heth.

IRica is called in Greke Erice / in English Heth hather / and Ling / in Duche Heyd / in Frenche Bruyer. Irica sayth Dioscorides is a busshy tre lyke vnto Tamarisk / but muche lesse / of whose floures bees make noughty honye. Dioscorides calleth Ericam a tre / which is ra­ther so named for the formes sake then for the hyghte / for it neuer ryseth vp vnto the length and hyghnes of a tre. Pliny in the xv. chapter of the forsaide boke wry­teth that Erica groweth in woddes / which I coulde yet neuer se in any such plentye as in playne groundes and wilde feldes and some hilles. For our heth groweth in playnes and in wild groundes / and in moyste places / and vpon som wodles hilles. The hyest heth that euer I saw / groweth in Northumberland / which is so highe that a man maye hyde him selfe in it.

Of Rocket.

ERVCA is named in Greke Euzomos / in Englishe rocket / in Duche Roket / in Frenche Roquette. After Dioscorides and Plinye there are two kindes of Rocket. The one is a gardyne Rocket / and that is muche greater then the other / but lyke both in taste / smelle and fassion of indentinge or cuttinge of the leaues vnto the common Rocket with the yelowe floures. [Page 212] This greater rocket hath whyte floures with smal black lines like synewes goynge thorowe them. The second kind is called in Latin eruca syluestris / & that is nowe common in our gardines / and is vsed for gardin rocket. Some vse the great rocket for whyte mustard / but they are deceiued / for whyte mustard is in al pointes lyke vnto the other mustarde / sauing that it hath white sede / but not all whyte / but some thinge pale and yellowishe. The leaues of great rocket are not lyke the leues of mustarde / but vnto the leaues of y ^e com­mon rocket. Ye shall knowe the difference that is betwene gardin rocket & wild rocket by the figures / which ye se here lyuely set furth.

Of Eruilia or pese Eruile.

ERuiala or Eruilia / called in Greke okros / is a pulse lyke vnto a pease: and Theophrastus in the vij. boke of the hi­story of plantes writeth / that Eruilles / Cichelinges and peasen haue a stalke falling vpon the gronde. Plinye also in the xiij. boke of his natural story compareth Eruilles & peasen together in likenes of leaues / and sayth that they haue longer leaues then other pulses. But this difference haue I marked betwene this and pease: The cod or shale of an Eruil is smaller and rounder then the cod of a pease is / and the Eruil is rough within / and the sedes haue litle blacke spottes in them / & they are dun and ronder / and lesse then gray pease are. I neuer saw this pulse grow in England / but I haue sene it growyng in Germany / but there only in gardines. The properties of this herbe agreeth with peasen / and as for any qualite y ^t it hath for Physike / truely I haue rede none. But to whatsoeuer vse that pha­selles will serue for / Eruilles wil serue for the same / as Galene witnesseth in y ^e first boke de alimentorum facultatibus / where as he sayth that phaselles and [Page 213] Eruilles are in a meane betwene them which make good iuyce and bad / and them that are of hard and light digestion on them that are windy and wind­les / and them that norishe muche and litle.

Of bitter Fitches.

ERuum is named in Greke Orobos / it maye be called in English bitter fitche / of the lykenes y ^t it hath with a fitche. Dioscorides doth not de­scribe Eruum so perfitly as he doth other her­bes / and therefore it is lesse knowen then ma­nye other herbes be. For he sayth onely these wordes of Eruum: Eruum is a litle thin bushe / knowen of all men / with a narrowe leafe / and sede in coddes: mo tokēs wherby Eruum may be knowen from other pulse / Dioscorides re­herseth not. The Germanes cal pisum whiche we call a pease / ein Erbis / which word semeth to haue commed of Orobus / and though pisum is not Orobus: It doth ap­pere that they gaue the name of Orobus vnto a pease / because the one is so lyke the other. Galene / Paulus Egineta / and Aetius with one consent / hold that the black Orobus is bitter. Galenis wordes are these: Orobus dryeth in the second degre / and that far / and it is hote in the firste degre. As far furth as it is bitter / so much doth it cut / scoureth away / and openeth it that is stop­ped or bounde: Then when as Eruum is bitter / the herbe which groweth in woddes with long narrow leues / with floures lyke vnto a pease / can not be Orobus: nether is the herbe that Fuchsius taketh for Orobus the true Oro­bus. Some peraduenture will saye that Eruum Fuchsti is the true Eruum / because it hath narrow leaues / and that not withstanding that Galene gy­ueth vnto Orobus the yelowish and the pale a bitter qualite: yet he sayeth y ^t the whyte are not so bitter as the other. Wherevnto I say / that although Galene wryte / that the whyte Erua be lesse medicinable then the yelowishe and the pale / that is lesse lyke vnto a medicine / by the reason of anye exceding and vnpleasant qualite as bitternes is: yet doth he not take awaye all bitternes from any kinde of Orobus. Therefore seynge that there is no bitternes at all in the herbe that Fuchsius setteth furth for Eruo / it can not be Eruum. I ta­ke the pulse that Fuchsius taketh for Orobus / to be Cicerculas / which is cal­led of Galene Lathyris. Matthiolus describeth Orobus thus: Eruum which we cal Mocho / putteth furth leaues lyke vnto Cicercula or Cicheling a flour lyke a pease / very redish / coddes in fassion round and longe wherein is sede / in som pale / in other whyte / in other some redishe. He sayeth that it groweth also wild in Italy / and is taken for a fitche: Wherfore I thinke that longe a­go before Matthiolus set oute his Herbal / that I gaue no vnfit name vnto Orobus / when I named it a bitter fitche.

Of Sea hollye.

ALthough Dioscorides maketh mention but of one kinde of Eringium / yet both experien­ce and autoures teache vs / that there are di­uerse kindes of it / for there is one kinde by the sea syde / and an other in plaine groundes for the moste parte not far from great riuers / and an other kinde that groweth in mountaines / and Pliny sayth Eringium groweth in rough places / in stony places / and by the sea side. The sea Eringium is a common herbe in many places of England by the seasyde. It is called of the common people Sea hulner / or Sea hol­ly / because it hath sharpe leaues lyke vnto an holly / and groweth hard by the Seasyde. Eringium as Dioscorides writeth / is of the prickye kinde of her­bes / and hath broad leues / sharp roundabout / and they taste lyke vnto a cer­taine kinde of spice. Many crestes of sea holis braunches / when as it is gro­wen vp / are rede. In the toppes of the braunches come furth knoppy heades / which are compassed about with many sharpe and hard prickes after the fa­shion of a starre. Whose colour is some tyme grene / somtyme whyte / and somtyme blewe / the rote is longe and broad / black without and whyte within / of the bignes of a mannis thumbe / and a plesant sauour. These are the proper tokens or markes of Eringium that Dioscorides writeth of: then when as the herbe which Riffius setteth out for Eringium / agreeth not with this descrip­tion / it can not be the true Eringium of Dioscorides. The leues of Eringium that Dioscorides describeth / are round and broad / and haue a pleasant taste / but the leaues of Eringium which Riffius setteth out / are very narrow / and are without a pleasant sauor. The herbe also whiche Fuchsius setteth oute / hath not suche broad leues in any place of the [...]lke / as Dioscorides requi­reth of his Eringium / for y ^t leaues of Fuchsius Eringium are indented / longe and smal / and nothing broad about the stalke / as the figure set out here / will testifye / not withstandinge that I knowe that it is the true Eringium of Dioscorides / for at the firste cumminge oute of the leaues in the springe be­fore the stalke groweth vp / I haue of late sene euen as broade leaues gro­wynge from the roote of that Eringium / as Dioscorides requireth: The common Eringium which Fuchsius setteth furth / and as in dede the true Erin­gium of Dioscorides / groweth by the Ryne syde / and also in places far from both salt and freshe water. As for the Eringium Riffij / is an ill fauored pric­ky wede / and groweth about tounes and diches / in suche lyke places as commonlye Henbane groweth. Aetius maketh mention of a kinde of Eringium / which he calleth Eringiū montanū / & saith y ^t it hath narrow leues & litle floures / of y ^t colour of gold / which in figure are like vnto an eye. I do not remēber y ^t I haue sene any herb agreing vnto this description. Neuertheles I haue set it furth here / y ^t men if they happen vpon it / may by this description knowe it. As for y ^e Eringium y ^t groweth in the middelland far from the sea / I neuer re­member y ^t euer I sawe it in England / wherfore I knowe no Englishe name for it: but it may be called wel herbe holly / or Ryne thistel / because it groweth so plentuously in al places about y ^e Ryne syde: some take secaul in Arabianes to be Eringium in Dioscorides: but they are deceyued & metely wel confuted of Matthiolus / for holdinge of that opinion. The cause of the errour is this: [Page 216] The translater of Serapio set before the chapter of See cachul. This title de Secachul & Eryngis, And the translater of Auerroes / where as he wri­teth of Asteraticus / wrote thus: Elgatzaria quod Hispani vocant Panicald, & in Arabico Alchartama, & alij Secacul, & in Latino Eringi dicuntur. But if men wold haue considered the textes better then the bare titles / they shoulde haue founde that the textes in the chapters did not agre with the descripti­on and properties of Eringium in Dioscorides / Galene and Pliny. For wherin Serapion hath in his title de secacul et eryngis / within the chapter he de­scribeth his see cachul to haue rootes wouen in together besyde the ground / and a black sede in the quantite of a Ciche / and that it groweth in moyst pla­ces / and shaddoish vnder great trees / and that it is hote and moyst in y ^e firste degre / which markes and properties are quite contrary vnto them that Di­oscorides / Galene and Pliny gyue vnto their Eringio / also in the chapter of Auerroes which hath the title of secacul and eryngium / it is as euidente as maye be vnto him that wil rede the texte both of Galene and Auerroes / that Auerroes there intreateth not of Eringium / but of Asteraticus. The same Auerroes in an other place speaking of Secacul in these wordes: Secacul, id est, eringi calidi sunt & humidi. Declaring in gyuing lyke moysture vnto heat in secacul / that he writeth not there of the Eringij of Galene / whom he knew well to gyue vnto his Eringio a manifeste dryenes / and a temperate hete / or not far from temperat. But Rasis writinge of secacul allone / withoute anye such additions as Serapio and Auerroes haue / saith if secacul be condited / y ^t is seasoned and souced with hony or suggar / maketh lothsumnes / and destro­yeth a mannis stomach or appetite / but it increaseth mannis sede wonderfully / if a man vse it oft. But eryngium condited and preserued with hony or suggar / is not lothsom for the stomach / nether hurteth it as dayly experience can beare witnes. Therfore secacul is not eryngium Dioscoridis in the writings of the Arabianes / notwithstandinge that the interpretours haue confunded the one with the other.

Of Spindel tree.

EVonymus is reckened not without a cause to be the tree which is called of some comon Herbaries Fusago or Fusaria / although I haue sene this tree oft tymes in England / and in moste plentye betwene Ware and Barkwaye / yet for al that I coulde neuer learne an Englishe name for it / the Duche men call it in Netherlande Spilboome / that is Spindel tree / because they vse to make Spindels of it in that countrey / and me thynke it maye be so wel named [Page 218] in English / seyng we haue no other name. Theophrastus describeth Euony­mus after this maner. The tree named Euonymus / groweth both in other places / and also in the Ile of Lesbus in the Orkin mountaine / called Ordi­nus: it is of the bignes of a Pome granate / with a leafe of thesame / but grea­ter then is the leafe of Perywincle / and softe lyke the Pomegranate lefe. It beginneth to bud in September / and blossemeth in the springe: the floure is lyke the herbe called viola alba / of which are many kindes / but the most common viola alba is the herbe that we call commonly hartsease: the sauour is vnpleasant: the fruyt with the huske is lyke to the cod of sesam or oyle sede / within it is hole and sound / not hollow / sauing that is diuided into foursquared rowes. This if it be eaten killeth beastes / and thesame doth the lefe / and specially goates / except they be purged. Pliny writeth thus of Euonymus: The tree which is called Euonymus / is no luckier then ostria: It is not vn­lyke a Pomegranat tree / and it hath a leafe of the bignesse betwene it and a Bay tree. The fashion and the softnesse is lyke the Pomegranate / but y ^e flour is whyter / and by an by declareth the plage to come. It hath coddes lyke vnto sesam / and within a corne foure cornered stick and deadly to beastes. The leafe hath thesame might. Somtyme a hasty laxe is a remedy against y ^e poy­son of this tree. This haue I marked beside al that Theophrastus and Pliny haue written / that the yong twigges or wandes that growe out of the roote besyde the tree / are very faire grene / and so wel fouresquared as if it had bene done with a plane. The vessels that the sedes are in / are red / and y ^e tree hath much hart or pith in it. The wood in color is somthinge yelowishe / not vnly­ke the color of Berbery tree. I know no good propertie that this tree hath / sauing onlye it is good to make spindels and brid of cages.

Of Agrimonie.

EVpatorium is named in Greke Eupatorion / is called in English Agrimonie / in Duch Agri­monien / in Frenche Aigremoine. The Potecaries haue vsed for the true Eupatorium a wild herbe with leues like hemp / which groweth a­bout watersydes and ditches / which differeth much in vertue and fassion from the herbe na­med of Dioscorides Eupatorium / as ye shall know in the description of Eupatorium of Di­oscorides. Mesue maketh also mētion of a kind of Eupatorium / which doth nothing agree w ^t it of Dioscorides / as ye may se in Mesues description of that herbe. This herbe is supposed of some lerned men to be Eupato­rium Auicenne. Dioscorides describeth his Eupatorium after this maner: Eupatorium is a bushy herbe / bringing furth one stalke like wood / blackish / streight small / rough / a cubite long / and sometyme more. It hath leaues lyke fyue leued grasse: yet more lyker hempe / diuided in fyue partes or more / some­thinge black / indented about the edges lyke a sawe. The sede commeth furth of the midle of the stalkes / and so groweth vp ful of downe / and it boweth douneward. Thesame when it is drye cleueth vpon mennis clothes.

Of the Beane.

FABA is called in Greke kyamos / & these manye yeares we haue englished Faba a Bean in English as the Duche haue named it ein Bonen in their spe­che / from whence our spech came. But first a certein Duch man of late named Hieronymus Tragus / after w ^t diuerse reasons and autorities goeth about to proue that faba called kyamos of the Grecianes / is not the pulse that is cal­led in Duche bonen. His reasones are these: The first is that where as Theo­phrast and Plinye write / that the faba or kyamos cometh not out of y ^e ground before xv. dayes / that the comon beane appereth in Germany in y ^e v. or vj. daye An other reason is / that where as Pli­ny writeth / that al other pulses sauing the Faba / hath but one roote / wher as Pliny semeth to gyue mo then one to y ^e faba. The third argumēt is also set out of Pliny / whiche saith that faba are so fruytful / that one stalke hath bene laden with an hundreth fabis: but ther is no such plenty in the Duch bonen: therefore the Duche bonen can not be fa­ba. He fetched an other argument out of Galene the xj. boke of Simple medicines / Galene saith there that oniskos / which are called in Latin millipedes / (and in Englishe are named Horse lice or Hobtrushes lice) are round bestes / when as they draw themselues into a round figure like a boule or balle / som with vs call them kyamous / because they are lyke vnto fabis: after that they haue drawen them selues in to the round figure of a boul or a balle / or suche a round thing. But the common bean is not round like a boule / therefore the comon bean can not be kyamos or faba. And this argument he confirmeth by the autorite of Dioscorides / who in the chapter of Iuniper (as he alled­geth Dioscorides) maketh one kind of Iuniper berries like a faba / but they are round / therefore the faba ought also to be round. These & certeine other such argumentes doth Tragus bringe furth to proue that the Duch bonen / which is al one with our beane / is not the Latines faba / and the Grecianes kyamos. Now when as Dioscorides describeth not fabam / where as he in­treateth of the nature of it / of a purpose it is mete that we fetch out of other places of Dioscorides / and out of other autores / so much as we can that be­longeth vnto the description of Faba. Dioscorides intreating of Climenon / sayth that it hath a foursquared stalke like to the stalke of faba. Theophraste lib. 7. cap. 3. writeth that the stalke of kyamos or faba is hollow within / and that it groweth right vp. Plinye sayth also that of pulses onely the faba with [Page 221] lupines hath but one stalk. Thesame Theophrast saith y ^t it hath a round lefe / as Pliny doth also. Pliny saith that in the floure are certeine letters of mur­ning or weping / which is nothing but a black or brounish spot that is in the floure / Theophrast saith that the skin of the beane is verye thicke.

Dioscorides maketh y ^e sede of Xiris like vnto the sede of faba or kyamos / & Galene in y ^e boke de alimentis maketh round the kyamos of faba / non nititur numerosa radice / y ^t is faba leneth not vpon many rootes / sayth Theophraste contrary vnto Pliny / whiche wold y ^t the faba onlye should amongest pulses haue many rootes. Theophrastes wordes in Greke are these: [...], that is / it is weike and empty / & hath not many rootes. Theophrast compareth the fruit of Lotus vnto fabe. Nowe let vs se in how many poyntes our comon beane doth agre with the aboue named markes / y ^e old autores gyue vnto fabe. Our beane hath one rote as faba hath / single & but one. Our beane hath a streight foursquared and hollow stalke / & as faba hath the leues round / and the floure haue spottes as Pliny writeth / that the faba hath in them: But in the figure and forme of y ^e sede / our beane agreeth not w ^t the beane y ^e Galene in diuerse places writeth of / for where as it is round / oure is long and somthinge flat. If I coulde answere vnto this point / the reasones y ^t Tragus & other bring / were sonne answered to. Howsoeuer the matter be / I thinke that suche a faba as Galene writeth of / can not be found in this coun­trey w ^t the markes y ^t other autores gyue also vnto it. Well if our beane be not the faba of old writers / I wold som body wold shewe vs what pulse is there ether in Italy or Spaine / England or Almany / or Franch / which is the olde writers Faba. Hieronymus Tragus taketh the herbe y ^t is in dede Cicercula / but vnknowen to him to be faba antiquorum. But Cicercula because it is not rounde / & groweth not right vp / but asyde / can not be faba: Cicercula hath also long leues / when as the beane by the autoritie of the same Theophrast are single / therefore it can not be faba antiquorum. Amatus Lusitanus as he na­meth him selfe / and Rembert Holpen with the reason of Tragus / deny y ^t our beane is the faba antiquorum / but they telle not what pulse y ^t is in this parte of Europa. And so they take fabam away from vs / but they set nothing in the stede of it / as Tragus more boldelye then lernedly did. Two of thesame men hold y ^t our comon bean is faselus. But y ^t our comon beane can not be faselus / first I wil proue by y ^e wordes of Rembert / which saith both in his duche and Frenche herbal / y ^t faselus is phasiolus of Dioscorides / but Faseolus can not grow vp w ^tout stakes or poules / & the beane can / therfofe the beane is not fa­selus. Galene also de alimentorum facultatibus in y ^e chapter de dolichis, sayth these wordes: Dicere posset quis, oīa haec eruilias, cicerculas & phaselos vnum esse genus, verùm pluribus nominibus appellari, and a litle after writinge of y ^e same / sayth: Siue haec vt dixi vnū genus, siue vnius generis differentiae sint. But Theophrastus writeth Cicercula & Eruilia grow asyde & not right vp / as the faba doth / then if faselus be ether one kinde or of one kind as Galene writeth with Cicercula & Eruilia / then groweth faselus a syde as y ^e other ij. do / which differ as Galene saith only in name. Ther wher as our beane groweth right vp / it can not be faselus. Galene also saith y ^e phaselus is of a meane qualitie betwen wind & not windy. But our comon beane as Rēbert sayth alleging Dioscorides / is windy. Then when as phaselus is in a mene betwene windy & not windy / & the beane is so windy y ^t it had nede to haue comine put to it / to put y ^t windines awaye / our comon beane can not be faselus. But I meruel [Page 222] Rembertus citeth Dioscorides for the properties of faselus / seynge y ^t he neuer made any mention of it / except Rembert take faselus & phasiolus to be al one / which if he do / I meruel againe why he maketh ij. chapters of faselus & pha­siolus / if they be al one. I meruel also y ^t he gyueth the propertie of y ^e fabae vete rū vnto our comon beane faselo / which no autor giueth vnto phaselus / & yet wil not gyue the name of fabae veterum vnto our beane also / for nether Ga­lene nor anye other autor saith y ^t faselus are good for inflamations & for y ^e di­seases of y ^e stones & pappes / but Galene & Dioscorides both giue these vertue & propertie peculiarly fabae veterū: wherfore Rembertus semeth against hys wil in geuing y ^e peculier vertues fabae veterū vnto our bean / to make fabam fabā veterū / as willingly he taketh the description of it from y ^e same / to lightly geuing credit vnto Tragus / who hath made him erre in diuerse herbes / as y ^e reuocation of certeine errours y ^t he had committed in folowinge of Tragus / can beare witnes. But by reason aboue brought / ye may se plainly y ^t our bean can not be nether phaseolus nor faselus veterū. Now let vs answere to y ^e rea­sons y ^t Tragus & his folowers make. As touching y ^e long comming vp of y ^e faba / I nede to make no other aunswere then Theophrast maketh. For Theo­phrast in y ^e same place immediatly after in these wordes maketh sufficient answere to this reason. Sed an ea quae tempore verno serantur, celerius exeāt co­gitandū est. Non nunquā enim & quibusdā in locis vel intra pauciores dies cōfi ci possunt: vt in Aegypto enim tertio aut quarto die prouenire affirmāt: apud a­lios verò pluribus quàm retulimus opus sit, nec temerè ita eueniat, quū & tellus & caelū discrepat, cum (que) maturius serius (que) aratū sit, quae (que) superuenerint dissimi lia constant. Tellus enim rara & leues & benigno caelo subiecta, celeriter & faci lè reddit lenta vera & ponderosa tardè. Pliny concerning y ^e multitude of rotes is answered al redy by Theophrast / who writeth y ^t y ^e faba hath not many ro­tes. As touching y ^e plenty y ^t y ^e fruyt of faba y ^t Pliny speaketh of / y ^t is to be adscribed vnto y ^e plentuousnes of som groundes / wheras such plenty is. As for the heuines of our beanes / it cometh also of y ^e diuersite of y ^e ground / & not of y ^e di­uersitie of y ^e kind: for diuers thinges of one kinde are many partes heuier then an other / by y ^e reason of the goodnes or plentuousnes of y ^e ground / wherfore Agricola like a wise & lerned man / writeth y ^t y ^e right old weightes can not be restored again by granes & pulses by reason of their diuersitie in diuers coun­trees & regiones. As touching y ^t which he bringeth out of Dioscorides / for the rondnes of y ^e faba / in y ^e chapter of Iuniperus it is not found in any good text of Dioscorides / nether greke nor latin. If any wil allege me y ^e text of Diosco­rides after Serapions alleging / I desire no better argument to proue y ^t faba ought not to be round / then it y ^t may be made by Serapions alleging of Di­oscorides / for he writeth thus: Quaedā reperitur cuius fructus est paruus sicut faba, nisi quia ipse est rotundus. Ye se here y ^t Dioscorides as Serapio allegeth him / maketh y ^e fabā not to be round / for he saith y ^t the fruit of y ^e lesse Iuniper is litle like a faba / sauing y ^t it is round as y ^e faba is not. As for y ^e reson brought of Galene for y ^e roundnes of y ^e faba / I answere y ^t ether Galene conteineth his fabam vnder som kind of pulse / y ^t we take for a kinde of pease / as som thinke y ^e Dioscorides conteineth vnder y ^e beane y ^e pease / because no mention is made thereof in Dioscorides / or ellis his faba can not be found in this part of Europa / or ellis I am far begyled. Pliny maketh peason to haue corners / then by him oure round whyte pease is ether Galenis faba / or ellis cicer albū / which Pliny maketh whyte and round / and lesse then cicer arietinum.

Of the bech tre.

FAgus is named in Greke Phegos / in Duch / ein Buchbaū / in Frenche fau. Fagus is thus described of Plinye: The nut of a Beche tree beynge lyke vnto kyrnels / is enclosed in a three cornerd skyn or huske / the leafe is thyn and excedynge lyght / lyke vnto an aspe or poplere / it wexith yelowe verye hastelye / & ofte tymes it bryngethe furthe in the myd­des in the vpper parte a lytle grene berye / sharpe in the toppe / the nuttes are verye swete. Thrusshis desyre greatlye to eate of the beche nut / and myse eate gladlye of the same. Thus muche dothe Plinye wryte of the description of a beche tree / Vir­gill in his Egloges maketh beche tree to haue a great and a broade toppe / whiche maketh suche a greate shadowe / that bothe men and bestes maye be defended therbye frome the heate of the sonne: whiche thinge we see to be true by daylye experience / and specyallye in greate olde Beches.