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. 414. Of Annise.

¶ The Description.

1 THe stalke of Annise is round and hollow, diuided into diuers small branches, set with leaues next the ground somewhat broad and round: those that grow higher are more iagged, like those of yong Parsley, but whiter: on the top of the stalkes do stand spo∣kie rundles or tufts of white floures, and afterward seed, which hath a pleasant taste as euerie one doth know.

‡ 2 This other Annise (whose vmbels Clusius had out of England from Master Morgan the Queenes Apothecarie, and Iames Garret; and which were brought from the Philippines by M^r. Tho. Candish in his voyage when he incompassed the world) is thus described by Clusius: The vm∣bels were large, no lesse than those of the Archangelica, made of diuers thicke stiffe foot-stalks, each whereof carried not double seed as the common Annise, but more, in a round head some inch ouer, made of cods set star-fashion, six, 8, or more, of a dusky colour, wrinkled, diuided into two equall parts, and open aboue: most of these huskes were empty, yet some of them contained one smooth shining ash-coloured seed, of the bignesse of that of Orobus; the taste and smell was the same with our common Anise seed, wherefore they which sent it to Clusius called it Anise: yet in the place where it grew it was called Damor; for M^r. Candish had the name so written in the China characters, after their manner of writing. ‡

¶ The Place.

It groweth plentifully in Candy, Syria, Egypt, and other countries of the East. I haue often sowne it in my garden, where it hath brought forth his ripe seed when the yeare hath fallen out to be temperate.

[illustration]

1 Anisum. Anise.

[illustration]

‡ 2 Anisum Indicum 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Starry headed Anise..

¶ The Time.

It is to be sowne in these cold regions in the moneth of May: the seed is ripe in August.

¶ The Names.

It is called in Latine Anisum: in Greeke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in high-Dutch, Anisz: in low-Dutch, Anissaet: in Italian, Aniso: in Spanish, 〈◊〉〈◊〉: in French, Anis: in English, Anise, and Annise seed.

¶ The Temperature.

Galen writeth, That the seed of Anise is hot and dry in the third degree: after others, it is hot in the second degree, and much lesse than dry in the second degree; for it ingendreth milke, which it could not do if it were very dry, as Galen in his chapter of Fennell doth whether hee will or no de∣clare and testifie; in that it doth ingender milke, his opinion is that it is not hot aboue the first de∣gree: which thing also may be in Anise seed, both by this reason, and also because it is sweet. Therefore to conclude, Anise seed is dry in the first degree, and hot in the second.

¶ The Vertues.

The seed wasteth and consumeth winde, and is good against belchings and vpbraidings of the [ A] stomacke, allayeth gripings of the belly, prouoketh vrine gently, maketh aboundance of milke, and stirreth vp bodily lust: it stayeth the laske, and also the white flux in women.

Being chewed it makes the breath sweet, and is good for them that are short winded, and quen∣cheth [ B] thirst, and therefore it is fit for such as haue the dropsie: it helpeth the yeoxing or hicket, both when it is drunken or eaten dry: the smell thereof doth also preuaile very much.

The same being dried by the fire and taken with honey clenseth the brest very much from fleg∣maticke [ C] superfluities: and if it be eaten with bitter almonds it doth helpe the old cough.

It is to be giuen to yong children and infants to eate which are like to haue the falling sicknes, [ D] or to such as haue it by patrimonie or succession.

It taketh away the Squinancie or Quincie (that is, a swelling in the throat) being gargled with [ E] 〈◊〉〈◊〉, vineger, and a little Hyssop gently boiled together.