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.

THat root which of late is knowne in some shops by the Spanish name Contra-yerua, is the same which Clusius hath set forth by the title of Drakena radix: wherefore I will giue you the histo∣rie of Clusius, and thereto adde that which Monrdus writes of the Contra-yerua. For though Bauhine, and the Author of the Historia Lugdunensis seeme to make these different, yet I finde that both Clusius his figure and historie exactly agree with the roots sent vs from Spaine by that title, wherefore I shall make them one, till some shall shew me how they differ: and Clusius seemes to be of this minde also, who desired but the degree of heate which Monardus giues these, and that is but the second degree: now these haue no taste at the first, vntill you haue chewed them a pretty while, and then you shall finde a manifest heate and acrimonie in them, which Clusius did also obserue in his.

In the yeare (saith Clusius) 1581. the generous Knight Sir Francis Drake gaue me at London cer∣tain roots, with three or foure Peruvian Beazor stones, which in the Autumne before (hauing finish∣ed his voyage, wherein passing the Straights of Magellan, he had encompassed the World) he had brought with him, affirming them to be of high esteeme amongst the Peruvians: now for his sake that bestowed these roots vpon me, I haue giuen them the title Drakena radix, or Drakes root, and haue made them to be expressed in a table, as you may here see them.

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1 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Contra-yerua.

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2 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Drakenae affinis. Another sort of Contra-yerua.

These roots were for the most part some halfe inch thick, longish, now and then bunching out into knots and vnequall heads, and their tops looked as if they were composed of thicke scales, al∣most like those of the Dentaria enneaphyllos; blackish without, wrinckled, and hard, because dried: their inner part was white; they had slender fibres here and there growing out of them, and some more thicke and large, hard also and tough, at which hung other knots: I obserued no manifest smel they had, but found them to haue a taste somewhat astringent, & drying the tongue at the first; but being long chewed, they left a quicke and pleasing acrimonie in the mouth.

It seemed to haue great affinitie with the Radix S. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, whereof Nic. Monardus speakes in his booke of the Simple Medicines brought from the West Indies: but seeing N. Eliot (who accompa∣nied

S^r. Fran. Drake in that voyage, said, that the Spaniards in Peru had them in great request; and they could not easily be got of them, and that he had learned by them, that the leaues were present poison, but the root an antidote, and that not only against the same poison, but also against other; and that it strengthned the heart and vitall faculties, if it were beaten to pouder, and taken in the morning in a little wine; and giuen in water, it mitigated the heat of Feuers. By reason of these fa∣culties it should much agree with the Radix Contra-〈◊〉〈◊〉, whereof Monardus writes in the same booke: yet in these I required the aromaticke taste and degree of heate, which he attributes vnto these roots. Thus much Clus.

From Charcis a Prouince of Peru, saith Monard. are brought certaine roots very like the roots of [ A] Iris, but lesse, and hauing the smell of Fig leaues. The Spaniards that liue in the Indies call them Contra-yerua, as if you should say an Antidote against poison; because the pouder of them taken in white Wine is a most present remedy against all poison of what kinde soeuer it be (only sublimate excepted, whose malignitie is onely extinguished by the drinking of milke) it causes them to bee cast vp by vomite, or euacuated by sweat. They also say that Philtres or amorous potions are cast forth by drinking this pouder. It also killeth wormes in the belly. The root chewed hath a certain aromaticke taste ioined with acrimony; wherefore it seemes hot in the second degree. Thus farre Monardus.

2 Clusius Exot. l. 4. c. 11. being the next after Drakena radix, describes this root, whose figure I giue you in the 2. place, & that by the same title as it is here set forth. These roots, saith he, seemed som∣what like the Drakena radix which were found in the great ship which brought backe the Viceroy from the East Indies, and was taken by the English: for they were tuberous, and as much as one may gather by their forme, crept vpon the surface of the earth, hauing vpon them many haires and fibres, and being of a sooty colour, yet somewhat inclining to yellow, dying the spittle in chewing them, and being bitter: they as yet retained foot-stalks of the leaues, but of what fashion they were no man can easily guesse. But it was likely they were of great vse among the Indians, seeing that the Vice-roy brought them together with other precious medicines growing in the East Indies, Iames Garret sent this to Clusius with the little plant dryed, whose figure you see exprest by it.