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 Description.

THis herbe commeth vp at the first from seed like Parsley, with two small long narrow leaues, the next that spring are two small round smooth leaues nickt about the edges, and so for two or three couples of leaues of the next growth there are such round leaues growing on a middle rib by couples, and one round one, also at the top; after as more leaues spring vp, so the fa∣shion of them also change, that is to say, euery leafe hath about eight or nine small smooth greene leaues, growing on each side of a middle rib one opposite against another, and one growing by it selfe at the top, and are finely snipt or indented about the edges, in forme resembling those of Sium odoratum Tragi, but not so bigge, long, or at all brownish; amongst which rise vp many small round straked stalkes or branches, about two foot long, now and then aboue twenty from one root, sometimes growing vpright, sometimes creeping not farre from the ground, joynted or kneed,

[illustration]

‡ Selinum Sij folijs. Honewoort.

and diuiding themselues into very many branches, at euery joynt groweth one lease smaller than the former, which together with the lowermost-perish, so that there is seldome one greene leafe to be seen on this herbe when the seed is ripe, the floures are white, and grow most commonly at the tops of the branches, sometimes at most of the joynts euen from the earth, in vneuen or vn∣orderly vmbells, euery floure hauing fiue ex∣ceeding small leaues, flat, and broad at the toppe, and in the middle very small cheiues with purple tops, the whole floure not much exceeding the bignesse of a small pins head, which being past there commeth vp in the place of euery floure two small gray crooked straked seeds, like Parsley seeds, but bigger, in taste hot and aromaticall. The root is small and whitish, with many threds not so big as Parsley roots. It beginneth to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 about the beginning of Iuly, & so continues flouring a long time; part of the seed is ripe in August, and some scarse in the beginning of October, mean while some falleth wherby it renueth it selfe, and groweth with flouri∣shing greene leaues all the winter.

I tooke the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on of this herbe the yeere, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. but obserued it long before, not knowing any name for it: first I refered it to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, calling it, Sium terrestre, and Sium se∣getum & agrorum; afterwards vpon sight of Se∣linum peregrinum primum Clusii, which in some respects resembleth this herbe, I named it Selinum Sij folijs; yet wanting an English name, at length about the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1625. I saw Mistris Vrsula Leigh (then seruant to Mistris Bilson of Maple∣durham in Hampshire, and now (5. Marcij 1632. wife to Master William Mooring Schoole∣master of Petersfield, a Towne neere the said Mapledurham) gather it in the wheate ershes about Mapledurham aforesaid (where in such like grounds it still groweth, especially in clay grounds) who told me it was called Honewort, and that her Mother mistris Charitie Leigh late of Brading in the Isle of Wight deceased, taught her to vse it after the manner heere expressed, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a swelling which shee had in her left cheeke, which for many yeeres would once a yere at the least arise there, and swell with great heat, rednesse, and itching, vntil by the vse of this herbe it was perfectly cured, and rose no more nor swelled, being now (5. Martij 1632) about twenty yeeres since, only the scar remaineth to this day. This swelling her mother called by the name of a Hone, but asking whe∣ther such tumors werein the said Isle vsually called Hones she could not tell, by reason shee was brought from Brading aforesaid young, and not being aboue twelue yeeres old when 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsed this medicine.