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

CHAP. 341. Of Wilde Cucumber.

[illustration]

Cucumis Asininus. Wilde Cucumber.

¶ The Description.

THe wilde Cucumber hath many fat hairie branches, very rough and full of iuice, cree∣ping or trailing vpon the ground, wherupon are set very rough leaues, hairy, sharp pointed, & of an ouerworne grayish greene colour: from the bosome of which come forth long tender foot∣stalkes: on the ends whereof doe grow small floures composed of fiue small leaues of a pale yellow colour: after which commeth forth the fruit, of the bignes of the smallest pullets egge, but somewhat longer, verie rough and hairy on the outside, and of the colour and substance of the stalkes, wherein is contained very much wa∣ter and smalhard blackish seeds also, of the big∣nesse of tares; which being come to maturitie and ripenesse, it casteth or squirteth forth his water with the seeds, either of it owne accord, or being touched with the most tender or delicate hand neuer so gently, and oftentimes striketh so hard against those that touch it (especially if it chance to hit against the face) that the place smarteth long after: whereupon of some it hath been called Noli me tangere, Touch me not. The root is thicke, white and long lasting.

The Place.

It is found in most of the hot countries a∣mong rubbish, grauell, & other vntilled places: it is planted in gardens in the Low-countries, and being once planted, saith Dodonaeus, it easily commeth vp againe many yeares after (which is true:) and yet saith he further, that it doth not spring againe of the root, but of the seeds spirted or cast about: which may likewise be true where he hath obserued it, but in my garden it is otherwise, for as I said before, the root is long lasting, and continueth from yeare to yeare.

¶ The Time.

It springeth vp in May, it floureth and is ripe in Autumne, and is to be gathered at the same time, to make that excellent composition called Elaterium.

¶ The Names.

It is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine, Agrestis, and Erraticus Cucumis: in shoppes, Cucumer asininus: in Italian, Cocomero saluatico: in Spanish, Cogumbrillo amargo: in English, wilde Cucum∣ber, spirting Cucumbers, and touch me not: in French, Concombres sauvages.

¶ The Temperature.

The leaues of wilde Cucumbers, roots and their rindes as they are bitter in taste, so they be like∣wise hot and clensing. The iuice is hot in the second degree, as Galen witnesseth, and of thin parts. It clenseth and wasteth away.

¶ The Vertues.

The iuice called 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth purge forth choler, flegme, and waterie humours, and that with [ A] force, and not onely by siege, but sometimes also by vomit.

The quantity that is to be taken at one time is from fiue grains to ten, according to the strength [ B] of the patient.

The iuice dried or hardened, and the quantitie of halfe a scruple taken, driueth forth by siege [ C] grosse flegme, cholericke humours, and preuaileth mightily against the dropsie, and shortnesse of breath.

The same drawne vp into the nosthrils mixed with a little milk, taketh away the rednesse of the [ D] eies.

The iuice of the root doth also purge flegme, cholericke and waterish humours, and is good for [ E] the dropsie: but not of such force as Elaterium, which is made of the iuice of the fruit: the making whereof I commend to the learned and curious Apothecaries: among which number 〈◊〉〈◊〉^r. William Wright in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Burie my louing friend hath taken more paines in curious composing of it, and hath more exactly performed the same than any other whatsoeuer that I haue had knowledge of.