¶ The Names.
It is called of the Arabians, Persians, and Turkes Turbith: and in Guzarata 〈◊〉〈◊〉: in the prouince Canara, in which is the city Goa, Tiguar: likewise in Europe the learned call it diuersly, according to their seuerall fancies, which hath bred sundry controuer∣sies, as it hath fallen out aswell in Hermoda∣ctyls, as in Turbith; the vse and possession of which we cannot seeme to want: but which plant is the true Turbith, we haue great cause to doubt; Some haue thought 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Tri∣polium marinum, described in the former chapter, to be Turbith: others haue suppo∣sed it to be one of the Tithymales, but which kinde they know not: Guillandinus saith, that the root of Tithymalus myrsinitis is the true Turbith; which caused Lobeltus and Pena to plucke vp by the roots all the kindes of Tithymales, and drie them very curiously; which when they had beheld, and throughly tried, they found it nothing so. The Arabians and halfe Moores that dwell in the East parts haue giuen diuers names vnto this plant: and as their words are diuers, so haue they diuers significatious; but this name Turbith they seeme to interpret to be any milky root which doth strongly purge flegme, as this plant doth. So that as men haue thought good, pleasing them∣selues, they haue made many and diuers constuctions which haue troubled many excellent lear∣ned men to know what root is the true 〈◊〉〈◊〉. But briefly to set downe my opinion, not va∣rying from the iudgment of men which are of great experience; I thinke assuredly that the root of Scammony of Antioch is the true and vndoubted Turbith, one reason especially that moueth me so to thinke is, for that I haue taken vp the roots of Scammony which grew in my garden, and compared them with the roots of Turbith, between which I found little 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no difference at all
‡ Through all Spain (as Clusius in his notes vpon Garcias testifies) they vse the roots of Thap∣sia for Turbith which also haue been brought hither, and I keepe some of them by me, but they purge little or nothing at all being drie, though it may be the green root or juice may haue some purging faculty. ‡