The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. X.

¶ Of ground Elder or Wallwoort. Of Mullen or Taper wort. Of the Aconit called Thelyphonos. Of remedies against the pricke of Scorpions, the venome of Hedge-toads, the biting of mad Dogs: and generally against all poysons. [unspec I]

THe smoke or perfume also of VValwort (a common herb and knowne to euery man) cha∣seth and putteth to flight any serpents. The juice of Polemonia, is a proper defensatiue especially against scorpions, if one haue it tied about him or hanging at his neck: likewise it resisteth the prick of the spiders Phalangia, and any other of these venomous vermins of the smaller sort. Aristolochia hath a singular vertue contrary vnto serpents: so hath Agaricke, if foure oboli thereof be drunke in as many cyaths of some artificiall or compound aromatized wine. Vervaine is a soueraigne herb also against the venomous spider Phalangium, being taken in wine or oxycrat, i. vineger and water: so is Cinquefoile, and the yellow Carrot.

That herb which the Latines call Verbascum, i. Lungwort or Hightaper is named in Greek [unspec K] Phlomos. Two special kinds there be of it: the one is whiter, which you must take for the male; the other black, & that may go for the female. There is a third sort also, but it is found no where but in the wild woods. The leaues of all the former, be broader than those of the Colewort, and hairy withal: they beare a main vpright stem, a cubit in height with the vantage: the seed is black and of no vse in Physicke: a single root they haue, of a finger thicknes. These grow also vpon plains and champian grounds. The wild kinde beareth leaues resembling sauge: the branches be of a wooddy substance, & the same grow high. There be moreouer of this kind two other herbs named Phlomides, both of them hairy; their leaues be round, and they grow but low. A third sort there is be sides, named by some Lychnitis, and by others Thryallis: it sheweth 3 leaues or foure at the most, and those be thick & fat, good to make wyks or matches for lights. It is said, [unspec L] that if figs be kept in the leaues of that which I named the female, they will not rot. To distin∣guish these herbs into seuerall kinds, is a needlesse peece of work, considering they agree all in the same effects: their root together with rue, is to be drunk in water against the poyson of scor∣pions: true it is, that the drinke is very bitter, but the effect that it worketh maketh amends.

There is an herbe called by some Thelyphonon, by others Scorpion, for the resemblance that the root hath to the Scorpion; and yet if Scorpions be but touched therwith, they will die thereupon: no maruell therefore if there be an ordinary drinke made of it against their poison: [and here commeth to my mind that which I haue heard; namely, that if a dead scorpion be rub∣bed with the white Ellebore root, it wil reuiue and quicken again.] The said Thelyphonon hath such a spightful nature against the four-footed beasts [of the female sex] that if the root be laid [unspec M] to their shap or naturall place, it killeth them: and if the leafe, which is like vnto the Cyclamin or Sowbread leafe aboue named, be applied in that maner, they will not liue one day to an end. This herb is parted and diuided into knots or joints, taking pleasure to grow in coole and sha∣dy places. To conclude and knit vp these remedies against scorpions; the juice of Betonie, and

of Plantaine likewise, is a singular remedie for their poison. [unspec A]

Moreouer, Frogs (such especially as keep in bushes and hedges, and be called in Latine Ru∣betae, i. toads) are not without their venom: I my self haue seen these vaunting Montebanks cal∣ling themselues Psylli, as comming from the race of those people Psylli who feared no kind of poison; I haue seen them (I say) in a brauery (because they would seem to surpasse all others of that profession) to eat those toads baked red hot between 2 platters; but what became of them? they caught their bane by it, and died more suddenly than if they had bin stung by the Aspis: but what is the help for this rank poison? surely the herb Phrynion drunk in wine. Some cal it Neuras, others Poterion: pretty flours it beareth: the roots be many in number, full of strings like vnto sinews, and the same of a sweet & pleasant sent. Likewise Alisura is counted another remedy in this case: an herb it is, called by some Damosorium, by others Liron: the leaues might be taken for Planta in, but that they be narrower, more iagged and plaited, bending also toward [unspec B] the ground; for otherwise ribbed they be and full of veins, as like as may be to Plantain. As for the stalk, it is likewise one and no more, plain and slender, of a cub it in heigth; in the head wher∣of it hath knobs; roots growing many and thick together, and those but small, like vnto those of the blacke Ellebore, but they be hot and biting, of a sweet and odoriferous smell, and of a fatty substance withall: it groweth ordinarily in watery and moist places. And yet there is a second kind of it which commeth vp in woods, of a more duskish and blacker colour than the former, bearing bigger leaues: the root of both is of singular operation against the venomous frogs or toads aboue said: also against the sea-hare, if it be taken in wine to the weight of one dram. And since we haue mentioned the sea-hares, take this withall, That Cyclaminos also is soueraigne [unspec C] against their venom. Moreouer, a mad dog letteth in a dangerous poison by the wound that his tooth maketh, against which there is not a better thing than dog-rose of the Eglantine called Cynorrhodon, as I haue before declared. Plantain is a singular herb against the biting of any ve nomous beast whatsoeuer, whether it be taken inwardly in drink, or outwardly applied. Betonie is likewise good therfore if it be drunk in old wine. Veruain, which the Greeks call Peristereos, is an herb bearing one main stalk of a good heigth, furnished well with leaues, spreading forth toward the head into other branches, much sought to by doues and pigeons, whereupon it took the foresaid name Peristereos. They say, whosoeuer carry this herb about them, there dare not a dog bark at them. Thus much as touching the dangers proceeding from venomous beasts.

What remaineth now but in the next place, to treat as well of such sorceries and maleficiall poisons, as men haue deuised and practised to the mischiefe of their own kind, as of their reme∣dies? [unspec D] where in the first place there presenteth it self vnto vs that noble herb Moly, so much com∣mended by the Poet Homer, as a soueraigne preseruatiue not only against all those wicked in∣ventions, but also against the secret and diuelish practises; to wit, charmes and inchantments, wrought by Art magick and witchcraft. Next vnto which, the herbs Mithridation, Scordotis, and Centaury: also the seed of Betony drunk in honied wine or sweet cuit: the pouder also of the dried herb it selfe, to the weight of one dram taken in 4 cyaths of old wine, doth expell out of the body & euacuat by the seege any poison whatsoeuer; but the patient must be forced to vo∣mit vp the first potion, and then to recharge again & take another draught of the foresaid me∣dicine. And verily it is a common speech, That whosoeuer vse to tast euery day a little of Beto∣ny, [unspec E] shall neuer catch harm by any poisoned cup. If a man or woman chance to haue drunk down any poison, the root of Aristolochia is a present remedy, vsed in that order as I haue prescribed before in case of stinging by venomous serpents. The like effect hath the iuice of Cinquefoile. Semblably Agarick, if it be taken to the weight of one denier Roman in three cyaths of honied water or mead, is of the same operation; with this charge, That the party do lay vp his stomack or cast before. There is an herb called Calves-snout, in Greeke Antirrhinon or Anarrhinon, a kind of wild Lichnis like vnto Line or flax, with little or no root at all, carying a floure resem∣bling the Hyacinth or Crowtoes, and the seed much like a calues snout or muzzle: the Magiti∣ans haue a great opinion of this herb, That whosoeuer be rubbed all ouer with it, or annointed throughly with the juice thereof, shall looke more beautifull, louely, and amiable: and whosoe∣uer [unspec F] weareth it in a bracelet about the wrest or arme, shall take no harme by charme, sorcerie, witchcraft, or poison. The like conceit they haue of another herb called Euploea; and they affirme, That if any man or woman be annointed therewith, they shall grow in great credit and reputation with the people. Moreouer, they say, that the herb Artemisia or Mugwort will pre∣all

those who haue it about them, from witch-craft, sorcerie, and poison, from danger by veno∣mous [unspec G] beasts, yea and from the hurtfull and maligne aspect of the very Sun. The same, if it be ta∣ken in wine, helpeth and saueth those that are poisoned with Opium: being either drunke, or worn about the neck, or but tied to any part of the body, it hath a peculiar vertue against the ve∣nom of todes. There is an herb of the bulbous or onion-root kind named Pericarpum: where∣of be two sorts, the one hath a red bark or rind [about the root;] the other a black, and is like vn∣to the Poppy; of greater operation this is than the former; but both of them be very hot: which is the reason, they serue to good purpose for to be giuen vnto them that haue drunk Hemlock: a∣gainst which venomous herb, Frankincense, and Panaces (especially that which they call Chi∣ronium) be counted singular: and this Panaces also last named, is an excellent antidote for them that are poisoned with venomous Mushroms.

Notes

• Sauge de bois.
• Some take these for the Cowslip and Primrose.
• Aconitum Pardalianches, Libard-baine.
• Some take it for Ru•…•…a m•…•…ra∣lis, or Saluia vita, a kind of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or rather Mai∣den-haire.
• Whereof he writeth in the beginning of the sixt chap∣ter of this booke.
• Euploea in∣deed signifieth in Homer, a bon-voiage, or prosp•…•…rous nauigatiō: but what is that to this place? No doubt P•…•…nie should haue read in Theo∣phrastus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is no hearb, but the happinesse of a good name among men, whereof •…•…liny speaketh here, & which Theo∣phrsius attri∣buteth to An∣tirrhinon, as one of the ef∣fects of that hearb. But lay the fault (I pray you) as well here as elsewhere, vpō Plinies A•…•…ag∣nosts or Rea∣ders, who ei∣ther read wrong, or pro∣nounced not their words distinctly and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto him.
• So called, because the fruit claspeth round about the stem or stalke of the hearbe.