Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

Of Calamo. cap. 29.

* 1.1A Certaine cane is called Calamus A∣romaticus, thereof it is written Exo. 30. & hath y^t for likenes of common cane∣as Isidore sayth,* 1.2 lib. 18. and groweth in Inde, with knots in many places, with swéete smell, and smelleth wonderfullye swéete. And if it be broke or cut in many parts, it is like to Casta in sauour, with a little sharpe biting sauour, as Isidore saith Bapias meaneth, that it hath a ser∣uent vertue. In Glosa super Exod. 30. it is sayde, that Calamus Aromaticus is a manner of kinde of spicerie y^e grow∣eth beside mount Libani, but where so euer it groweth, it is a manner kinde of spicery, that is hot and dry in the second degree, as Dioscorides, Dlat, and Plinius meane, and is the root of a certaine small trée or wéede, verye lyke to a cane, and hath a great smell, and is hollowe with∣in, as a cane, and in the holownesse a stick is found that shoulde be taken out, for it is of no value, but sometime it is lefte therin for to haue the more weight. And the same Authors meane & speake of dou∣ble manner of kinde of such Canes. The one is of Persia, and is citrine in colour, and the other is of Inde, & is some deale while, and turneth not very soone to pou∣der when it is broke, & hath a wonder∣full vertue of comforting, and so it com∣forteth the stomack, & helpeth digestion, namely, if it be tempered with wormes wood, our helpeth against the Cardiacle passion, and against sowning and failing of the heart, with water of Roses. And Plina, saith, that the smelling Cane is of Inde, & is best when it is somewhat red, full of knots and thick, & when it is bro∣ken in many parts, that he full drie, and is medicinable almost as Basta, or Ca∣nell Looke the vertues of them before. It exciteth menstruall bloud.

(* 1.3Calamus is altogether vnknowne in shops, for that which they vse to sell for Calamus Aromaticus, is no réede, nor no roote of a réede, but in the root of a certein hearb like vnto the yeolow stagge; or ba∣stard Acorus, called (Spanish ranes.) the which roofe is taken for the right Aco∣rus. The Cane réed is hot and day, the A∣romaticall and swéete Cane, is also hot and drie in the second degrée. Dodo∣neus.)

Notes

• * 1.1

  Kalamos Aromati∣kos.
• * 1.2

  Calamus a loratu
• * 1.3

  Additiō.