yeare following will not faile to bring forth the female Petum. And which more 〈◊〉〈◊〉,
if you sow the seed of male Petum in a ground that is not hot, fat, well turned, and
well manured, but rather which is leane and ••andie, in stead of bringing forth male
Petum, it will bring forth the female Petum, and that in such aboundance, as that
you shall hardly rid the ground of it, but that it will grow euerie yeare without being
either sowne or planted. Which must be an argument vnto vs, that there is in Petum
two sexes, a male and a female: like as wee are accustomed to doe in manie 〈◊〉〈◊〉
Hearbes and Plants, hauing betwixt them some resemblance and affinitie, as well 〈◊〉〈◊〉
their vertues, as in their figure, proportion, and colour. It is true, that the femal••
Petum hath a lesse slemme, and lower; the leaues not so great, and shorter, not so ro∣sinie,
nor so manie; the flowers not so much vpon carnation, nor so large spread; the
seed more red; the branches not so long, nor so high, neither yet so manie, as the male
Petum putteth forth. And to vtter my iudgement, and make a particular scripli••••
this small female Nicotiana hath his stemme or stalke of two foot height, or then ••
about, cornered, slimie, and woollie, set by distances with long leaues, large, pointed,
and sharpe, soft, vnctuous, hoarie, not notched, and of a browne colour. It bring••••
forth, as it were, a nosegay at the top of the stalke, and vpon the branches, from be∣twixt
the leaues, two flowers of a pale yellow, which are like vnto the Cowsl••p flow∣ers:
and when they be fallen, there remaine and stay behind cups, and, as it we••••
greene pots, inclosed in small hoarie skinnes, open aboue, and hauing fiue or 〈◊〉〈◊〉
points, but such as pricke not. Within the cup is contained a seed, which is verie li••∣tle,
of a browne tawnie colour: the root is tender and fibrous. Where the seed 〈◊〉〈◊〉
beene once sowne, it soweth it selfe againe, and encreaseth and multiplieth mightily.
This sheweth manifestly, how greatly they are deceiued, which call this hear be Pr••••∣peia,
as though it were a kind of Satyrion, which commeth neere to that which is
called male royall Satyrion: for this hearbe, which we call female Petum, doth no∣thing
resemble Satyrion, neither in root, colour, figure, disposition, nor properties.
For female Petum hath manie small rootes, a ••ointed stalke, manie branches, man 〈◊〉〈◊〉
long and large leaues, being hot and drie, as is the male Petum: but Satyrion 〈◊〉〈◊〉
fewer rootes, but grosler, a stalke without anie ioint, no branches, fewer leaues, flow∣ers
onely at the top of the stalke, without cods and seed, hot and moist in the third
degree, and good for nothing but to stirre vp carnall heat. Monsieur Go••pill and
Dodonaeus haue spoken more wisely, saying, that it is a kind of Henbane, bearing ••
yellow flower.
As concerning the vse and remedies which female Petum affoordeth, they are,
as it were, like vnto the vertues of male Petum: for it serueth in stead of the oth••••
when the other cannot be gotten, and that in such sort as we haue declared; that is
to say, in his leaues, greene or drie, powder, seed, iuice, drosse, and distilled water,
in oyntments and balme, prepared after the manner that wee haue spoken of. But
you must obserue, that the female Petum hath his particular properties; as that the
leaues put in a decoction for Clysters, are singular for bloudie Fluxes; and that the
balme made thereof, according to the manner aforesaid, is a remedie not second 〈◊〉〈◊〉
anie other in the curing of the Cankers of the breasts, and other parts; and that the
iuice thereof applyed, is singular against the falling of the haire, called Tinea, the
head being first shauen; and that the iuice, mingled with mans grease, and applyed,
assuageth the paine and inflammation of the Gout; and that taken inwardly, it
purgeth vehemently: and that therefore it is to bee auoided and shunned, vn∣till
such time as his correctiue be knowne, and the vse thereof in Purgations re∣ceiued.