The herball or Generall historie of plantes. Gathered by Iohn Gerarde of London Master in Chirurgerie very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Iohnson citizen and apothecarye of London

¶ The Vertues.

Dioscorides saith, that the roots do purge waterish humours, and are good for such as haue the [ A] dropsie; if they be boiled in wine, adding vnto the wine a little sea water, and bee drunke in three ounces of faire fresh water: he saith furthermore, that the fruit or berries doth take away the Sun∣burne and other blemishes of the skin.

The berries do not onely clense and remoue such kinde of spots, but do also very quickly waste [ B] and consume away blacke and blew marks that come of bruises and drie beatings, which thing al∣so the roots performe being laid vpon them.

The young and tender sproutings are kept in pickle, and reserued to be eaten with meat as Dios∣corides [ C] teacheth. Matthiolus writeth that they are serued at mens tables also in our age in Tuscanie: others report the like also to be done in Andalosia, one of the kingdomes of Granado.

It is said that swine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 after the roots hereof, which they dig vp and eat with no lesse delight [ D] than they do the roots of Cyclaminus, or Panis porcinus, whereupon it was called Cyclaminus altera; or Sow-bread; if this reason stand for good, then may we in like manner iome hereunto many other roots, and likewise call them Cyclaminus altera, or Sow-bread: for swine do not seeke after the roots of this onely, digge them vp and greedily deuoure them, but the roots of diuers other plants also, of which none are of the kindes of Sow-bread. It would therefore be a point of rashnesse to affirm Tamus or our Ladies-seale to be a kinde of Sowbread, because the roots thereof are pleasant meat to swine.

The root spred vpon a piece of sheepes leather, in manner of a plaister whilest it is yet fresh and [ E] green, taketh away blacke or blew marks, all scars and deformitie of the skin, breaketh hard apo∣stems, draweth forth splinters and broken bones, dissolueth congealed bloud; and being laid on and vsed vpon the hip or huckle bones, shoulders, armes, or any other part where there is great pain and ache, it taketh it away in short space, and worketh very effectually. ‡ 1.1

Notes

• ‡ 1.1

  The figure that was formerly in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of this chapter did no waies agree with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for it was of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or Trauellors ioy (hereafter to be mentioned; which 〈◊〉〈◊〉, (whose figures our Author made vse of) calls 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.