Archelogia philosophica nova, or, New principles of philosophy containing philosophy in general, metaphysicks or ontology, dynamilogy or a discourse of power, religio philosophi or natural theology, physicks or natural philosophy / by Gideon Harvey ...

CHAP. V. Of the particular differences of Plants.

• 1. The differences of Roots and their vertues.
• 2. The differences of Flowers.
• 3. The differences of Leaves.
• 4. The three cordial Vegetables.
• 5. The three Cephalick Vegetables.
• 6. The three Hepatick Vegetables.
• 7. The three Splenick Vegetables.
• 8. The three Pulmonick Vegetables.
• 9. The three Stomachick Vegetables.
• 10. The three Lithontriptick Vegetables.
• 11. The three Uterin Vegetables.
• 12. The three Arthritick Vegetables.
• 13. The specificks for the parts destined for the continuation of the species.
• 14. The description of some rare Plants.

1. ROots differ in Figure, some being long and round, others round like a Ball, some straight, bowed, flat, others like to

some fruit or other; so a Parsly root resembles a Pear, the root of Kingspeare an Acorn, the root of Anemone and of Cypress an Olive; besides infinite other varieties of Figure.

2. In number; Grass, Asaraback, white Masterwort, Hemio∣nitis, insist upon many roots; Aloes upon one, the Mandrake, Sword-flagg, most of the kinds of Satyrion upon two, Nightshade upon three or four; Vervain, Mallow, and grass of Parnassus upon five or six; the greater Celandine upon one, divided below into many.

3. In colour, some being red, purple, white, black, yellow; others of various colours. 4. In inconsistency, some choosing a hard root, as the greater Centaury, Chim, &c. Others a soft one, as Alexander; some again are hollow in their root, as Pistolochia; others being unequal or knobby, as Polypody, sweet garden flag, Flowerdeluce.

5. In taste, some are sweet, as Liquorish; others bitter, as Birth∣wort: Others bitter at ones first tasting of it, and afterwards changing into a sweet taste, as the root of Cachou.

6. Some are big, as the roots of a Caper shrub, Mandrake, wild Cowcumber, Briony; others small, as the roots of Grass, Asarabacca, &c.

Stalks do likewise alter: 1. In figure; some being round, others consisting of two angles, as Daffodile; some being Triangular, as Cypress; Quadrangular, as Horehound; Pentagonal, Hexagonal, as Trifole, purple Willow weed; some are nodous, as some In∣dian Canes, Soap-wort, Carnations, &c. others are hollow as Canes, and Elder.

2. In number; so Oreosolinum, and most Trees, usually emit but one. Alica a kind of wheat gourts sprouts out three or four stalks. Rie six or seven from one root. Deadly Nightshade ten or twelve.

3. In colours; some are red, black, white, green, &c. others speckt, some are glabrous, others clad with a wool, as Rose Campion.

II. Flowers differ in their Leaves, some being round, as the flowers of Woodbine; others bent in, as those of a Flowerdeluce; the leaves of the flowers of smooth Bindweed are set round in a circle, resembling a clock; The flowers of Lions mouth are like to a gaping Lions mouth; some resemble a Cone, a Navil, a Ball, as Bowlwort flowers. The flowers of Foxglove are like to a womans

Thimble; Many flowers resemble a Butter-fly, &c. Some grow from the stalk, root, or top; some grow single, and others double, four, five, or six, or a heap together, as Wall-flowers: other differences are commonly known, as their colour, consistency, smoothness, &c.

The differences of Seeds and Fruits are as many as of Roots, Stalks and Flowers, which since you may easily gather thence, I shall save my labour of rehearsing them.

III. Leaves differ, 1. In colour: Bramble leaves and those of some kinds of Blites are of various colours in their leaves: The leaves of Horehound, Campion, and Mullein are gray with a kind of wool atop of them. The leaves of Lamium verum have a long spot in the middle of them: The leaves of Othonna and St. Johns∣wort are bored through with holes like to a five: Some are hard, as some kind of Grass and Ditch Dock; others harsh, as wild Cow∣cumber leaves; others tender, as Celandine; others feel fat, as Bears-breech, Purslane; some are glibe and smooth, as Mandrake and Bears-breech; others curling, as some sorts of Cabbage.

2. In shape; some being round and long, as some sorts of Housleek; Venus Navel, Monywort, Trefoile, &c. are round; Nettles, Coltsfoot, &c. are angulous or dented about their extre∣mities. The leaves of Venus Novel and of wild Teasel are hollow. Grass leaves, Flower-de-luce, and Sword-flag are pointed: Leaves va∣ry much in their incisures, some being deeper, as those of Radish leaves, Licebane, Bucks-horn, Plantain, Red Poppy, Vervain; others more shallow, as those of Nettles. Hercules wound-wort is markt only with five incisures; others have few or none.

3. In number: The Unifoil is contented with one leafe, the Sa∣tyrion with two, the Tulip with three; Herba Paris and Tetraphy∣lon with four: Other Plants are full of leaves, as Thime, Aspara∣gus; others are bare. Besides, some come forth after the flower, as the Peach-leaves. Others come out before the flowers: Some come forth soon, others late; some in one month, others in another, viz. Asarabacca, Asparagus, Chast tree leaves, ground-Ivy, Violet leaves, Willow leaves, in the month of March: Common Avens, Barbery leaves, Colts-foot, Lettuce, Plantaine, Scurvy-grass, Sorrel, petty Sorrel, Saxifrage, yellow Violets, in April. Agrimony, Bears∣breech, Borrage, Bugloss, Betony, Celandine, Fumitory, German∣der, Marigold, Purslane, Rosemary, Self-heal, Wormwood, Southernwood, in May. Camomile, Succory, Endive, Fennil,

Marsh-Mallow, Melilot, Mercury, Piony, Rue, Sage, water-Lilly, water-Germander, in June. Bay leaves, Lavender, Lovage, Mallow, Mugwort, Marjerom, Garden-Cresses, Strawberry leaves, Savin, Thime, Tansie, Vervain, are in their prime in July. Burnet, Baume, Card. Bened. Elder, Eyebright, Mullein, Oake leaves, in August. An∣gelica, Butter-burre, Cypress, Cumfry, Cinquefoile, Ellicampane, El∣lebor, Polypody, Solomons seal, Valerian, in September.

Because we will not be deficient in what may appertain to Na∣tural Philosophy, we shall insert a short description of the choicest Herbs, appropriating three to every principal, and less principal part of the body.

IV. The three Cordials are,

1. Baume is cordial beyond all Vegetables, excelling in faint∣nesses and extream weaknesses, particularly in fainting fits pro∣ceeding from an uterin suffocation, and is a singular herb in most uterin distempers. In Melancholy, Convulsion fits, and an Apoplexy it is admirable.

2. As the foregoing Vegetable is so much commended in cold distempers of the heart, so is a Pome Citron in hot diseases, cherishing the heart beyond expression when beset with fiery smoaks in an ardent Feaver, resisting putrefaction, defending the heart from all malignancy and poyson.

3. Goats Rue is a most famous Cordial, Alexipharmacal resist∣ing and expelling all poysons, Pestilential Malignancies, and of an unparallel vertue in sported Feavers, Small-Pox, Measels, Convuf∣sion fits of Children, and the Worms.

V. The three Cephalicks are,

1. Male Piony all Ages have observed to be stupendious in cu∣ring distempers of the Brain, particularly the Falling-sickness in men women and children, chronical head-aches; melancholy of the brain, frights of Children, palsie, Night-mare: It is of a mode∣rate sharp heat and driness, and somewhat adstrictive.

2. Garden Rue hath been in great esteem among the greatest of Physitians for its admirable effects upon Epileptick, Apoplectick and Paralytick brains; and for curing inveterate head-aches it is in∣comparable; It is very hot and dry, sharp, attenuating and discu∣tient, and flourisheth in June.

3. Sage we may admire for its rare properties upon all moist brains, in curing Catarrhes, Palsies, a lost Memory, dulness of the

Understanding, and quickning all the senses to admiration, being in its prime in July.

VI. The Hepaticks are,

1. Agrimony is the strength, life, and preservation of the Li∣ver, removes its obstructions, engenders the purest bloud, cures all Dropsies, and any kind of bad habit of body; it is moderately hot and dry, subtil, apertive, detergent and subadstringent.

2. Succory Nature particularly created for the Liver, and indu∣ed it with the greatest vertue of preserving and comforting its san∣guification, opening obstructions, and of curing all its distempers. It is moderately cool and dry, detergent, and attenuating.

3. Fumitory never failes of removing all obstructions of the Liver, purifying the bloud from its dross and melancholy, curing the Itch, Scurvy, and yellow Jaundise, and comforting the Liver through a specifick property; it is gently hot and dry, detergent, and attenuating.

VII. The Spleneticks are,

1. Polypody is the great specifick against all splenetick distem∣pers, as obstructions, scurvies, black Jaundise, Hypochondriac Me∣lancholy. It is hot and dry, mundifying and gently purgative.

2. The Bark of the Caper shrub being dry and hot, bitter, at∣tenuating and somewhat adstringent, doth thence exert its most noble faculties against all splenetick distempers, particularly against Hypochondriack melancholy, the Scurvy, and all obstructions of the Spleen.

3. Spleen-wort is dignified with that name from the certainty and excellency of its effects in all the forementioned diseases of the Spleen. It is moderately hot and dry, aperitive and detergent, and is in its prime in September.

VIII. The Pulmonicks are,

1. Coltsfoot is a most singular simple in helping expectoration, thence curing all Coughs, Ptisicks, and all other difficulties of breathing. It is gently hot and dry, and somewhat sharp.

2. Ellicampane is very effectual in all difficulties of Respiration, Coughs, and comforts the Lungs. It is very hot and dry, cutting, sharp, and detergent.

3. Red Poppy is the sole cold Pulmonick, whose vertue is more then admirable in a Pleurisie.

IX The Stomachicks are,

1. Roman Wormwood was never doubted to cure weaknesses of the stomach, and to cleanse it from all its slimy and tartarous dregs. It is very hot and dry, bitter and adstringent.

2. Ze••doary is very hot, dry and adstringent, thence proves a most excellent specifick to strengthen the stomach.

3. Cinamon is commended beyond all Spices for a most excel∣lent comforter of the stomach.

X. The Nephriticks are,

1. Saxifrage: The great benefit which Nephritick Patients have received hence occasioned the imposition of its name sounding an undoubted breaker of the Stone, being the quickest and most for∣cible diuretick of all Vegetables, whence it doth much conduce in all obstructions of the Kidneys, and stoppages of urine. It is very hot, dry, and attenuating; and is an April herb.

2. Winter-Cherry berries are of most subtil parts in a moderate cold and dry temperament, and are purposely selected by Nature for those Nephritick Patients that are of a hot temperament, breaking the stone in the Kidneys most powerfully, and expelling Urine with no less force. They are most effectual in August.

3. Marsh-Mallow is an herb of a third sort of Nephrocatharticks, being moderately moist, hot, emollient, discutient, mitigating all pains of the Kidneyes, and abating the sharpness of Urine: Even this Vegetable is in nothing inferiour to either of the foregoing, effect∣ing the same effects through its dissolving moisture.

XI. The Uterin specificks are,

1. Dictamnus Cretius, or Dittany of Candia is a most excellent Uterin Vegetable, comforting the complexion of the Matrix, resera∣ting its greatest obstructions, expelling all excrementitious humours through facilitating the menstrua, producing withal a swift and easie Labour in Women, and is admirable in forcing a dead Child out of the Matrix: Besides, it is much conducing in all Hysterick suffo∣cations, being very hot and dry, and penetrating.

2. Mugwort is hot and dry, aperitive, and discutient; cleanseth the Matrix, and excels in the same vertue that Dittany doth.

3. Fetherfew is very hot, dry, penetrating, and aperitive, yielding to neither of the precedents in vertues: It is most efficaci∣ous in June.

XII. The Arthriticks are,

1. Sassafras. If there be ever a Neuritick under the Canopy of

the Heavens it is the Bark of the root of this tree, strengthning weak joynts, and relaxt sinews, drying up Catarrhs beyond all belief, and in the Gout it is miraculous, being hot, dry, aromatick, sudorifick, discutient, and aperitive.

2. Ground Pine is a certain and most efficacious Neuritick, and admirable in curing the Gout: It is very dry and hot, aperitive and cutting.

3. Germander although the last of the three is not therefore infe∣riour to the first, but agreeing in the same vertues and qualities with it. Both these latter are in their greatest strength in July.

XIII. Lastly, to please all parties I shall beyond my purpose re∣commend three of the most approved Vegetables to help the lan∣guor of the parts destined for the preservation of the species.

The first is Dog stones, being of a moist and hot temperament, comforting those parts to admiration, and rendring either Sex very lusty.

The second is Green Ginger, which is only fit to be eaten by those that are of a frigid temperature, whom it will soon put into a contrary passion.

The third is Rocket, an herb whose seed is potent enough to change the coldest temperament into a Satyrs lasciviousness. If now your mind tends to the contempt of this beastiality, then cer∣tainly spirit or sugar of Saturn will put you into another kind of devotion, and better sute with your temper.

Here I have proposed to you a select number of Simples, sufficient to cure most internal diseases, that are incident to the body of man, whereby you may be guided out of those dangers accompanying the making choice of them out of that infinite number of Vegetables, whose vertues you must be forced to take upon other mens words, oft disagreeing with the expected effects: Wherefore know that each of these (excepting the latter four,) I have experienced many and many times upon several bodies, not only so, but have had them formerly in my travels recommended to me by the emi∣nentest of Physitians abroad as the greatest and most certain vege∣table specificks.

XIV. For a Corollary take the description of some rare Plants.

The Parisatico, alias Singady, or the mournful tree groweth only at Goa, Malacca, and some few other places; in shape it resembles

a Pium-tree; it doth within half an hour after the Suns going down shew it self white all over with most pleasant and fragrant flowers, Like to those of an Orange tree, whereas at the Suns going down there was not one to be seen upon it. These flowers stick fast all night untill the rising of the Sun, and then they do all fall off, but towards the Evening others are spread forth again, and so this con∣tinues all the year long.

Arvore de Rays, or the root tree, is an East-Indian shrub growing up to a certain height, and spreading it self into branches, from whose top roots do grow down into the earth, whence they spring out again into other shrubs of the former height, which again at their top emit other roots downwards in a manner, that in some space of time this shrub spreading it self near half an English mile round becomes an intire For••est formed (as it were) out of one continuous Tree.

The herb Sentida, or sensitive Plant may be a pattern of chasti∣ty to all; the which if you do only touch or cast a little sand upon it, its leaves do immediately retract and shut themselves up, and do open no sooner again, than your finger or what you have cast upon them is withdrawn.

The she Palm-trees it is observed do not yield any fruit unless planted near to a male Palm tree, to which they seem all to incline having their boughs more extended towards it at that side than at any other, whence the AEthiopians do usually plant them so, that the wind may carry steams from the Male to the Female; but in case the male tree be taken away from between the others, they become barren and give over bringing forth fruit. The fruits of the Indian Palm tree are called Coquos, being filled within with water; the wight within is very tender and soft, and tastes like to an Arti∣choke, but after a longer maturation groweth harder, and eats like a Haselhut. The water, which each of them contains in the measure of a pint or two, is very clear and pleasant to drink. This tree con∣tains materials for a whole Ship: Its wood being light and spongy they cut into planck, which they tie together with cords that are drawn off from the said Coquos; The sails are made out of the leaves, which the Indians call Olas.

It is reported, that there is a tree in Java Major, whose inner∣most marrow is Iron, being very thin, and running through the whole length of the tree: Its fruit is likewise as hard as Iron. In

the Island of Tylos there are Cotten trees, whose gourds being of the bigness of Quinces are found to be full of Cotten when they break through over-ripeness. There is a tree in the Island Cimbubon, whose twigs being fallen down to the ground do move themselves forwards as if they crept, having two small legs of each side; and if they be toucht they creep back.