¶ The Description.
1 THe great Fig-wort springeth vp with stalkes foure square, two cubits high, of a darke purple colour, and hollow within: the leaues grow alwayes by couples, as it were from one ioynt, opposite, or standing one right against another, broad, sharpe pointed, snip∣ped round about the edges like the leaues of the greater Nettle, but bigger, blacker, and nothing at all stinging when they be touched: the floures in the tops of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are of a darke purple colour, very like in forme to little helmets: then commeth vp little smal seed in pretty round but∣tons, but sharpe at the end: the root is whitish, beset with little knobs and bunches as it were knots and kernels.
2 There is another Figge-wort called Scrophularia Indica, that hath many and great branches trailing here and there vpon the ground, full of leaues, in fashion like the wilde or common Thi∣stle, but altogether without prickes: among the leaues appeare the floures in fashion like a hood, on the out side of a feint colour, and within intermixt with purple; which being fallen and wi∣thered, there come in place small knops very hard to breake, and sharpe at the point as a bodkin: which containeth a small seed like vnto Time. The whole plant perisheth at the first approch of Winter, and must be sowen againe in Aprill, in good and fertile ground. ‡ This is the Scrophula∣ria Cretica 1. of Clusius. ‡
‡ 3 The stalke of this is also square, and some yard high, set with leaues like those of the hedge Nettle, but somewhat larger and thicker, and a little deeper cut in: out of the besomes of these leaues come little rough foot-stalkes some inch or two long, carrying some foure or fiue hol∣low round floures of a greenish yellow colour, with some threds in them, being open at the top, and cut in with fiue little gashes: the seeds are blacke, and contained in vessels like those of the