The third book of the works of Mr. Francis Rabelais, Doctor in Physick containing the heroick deeds of Pantagruel the son of Gargantua / now faithfully translated into English by the unimitable pen of Sir Thomas Urwhart.

CHAP. XLIX. How Pantagruel did put himself in a readiness to go to Sea; and of the Herb named Pantagruelion. (Book 49)

WIthin very few days after that Pan∣tagruel had taken his Leave of the good Gargantua, who devoutly prayed for his Sons happy Voyage, he arrived at the Sea-Port, near to Sammalo, accompanied with Panurge, Epistemon, Friar Ihon of the Funnels, Abbot of Theleme, and others of the Royal House, especially with Xenoma∣nes the great Traveller, and Thwarter of dangerous ways, who was come at the bidding and appointment of Panurge, of whose Castlewick of Salmigondin he did

hold some petty Inheritance by the Tenure of a Mesnefee. Pantagruel be∣ing come thither, prepared and made ready for launching a Fleet of Ships, to the number of those which Ajax of Sala∣mine had of old equipped, in Convoy of the Graecian Soldiery against the Trojan State. He likewise picked out for his use so many Mariners, Pilots, Sailors, Inter∣preters, Artificers, Officers and Soldiers, as he thought fitting; and therewithal made Provision of so much Victuals of all sorts, Artillery, Munition of divers kinds, Cloaths, Moneys, and other such Lug∣gage, Stuff, Baggage, Chaffer and Fur∣niture, as he deemed needful for car∣rying on the Design of a so tedious, long and perillous Voyage. Amongst o∣ther things, it was observed, how he cau∣sed some of his Vessels to be fraught and loaded with a great quantity of an Herb of his called Pantagruelion, not only of the green and raw sort of it, but of the con∣fected also, and of that which was nota∣bly well befitted for present use after the fashion of Conserves. The Herb Panta∣gruelion hath a little Root somewhat hard and ruff, roundish, terminating in an ob∣tuse and very blunt Point, and having some of its Veins, Strings or Filaments coloured with some spots of white, never

fixeth it self into the ground above the profoundness almost of a Cubit, or Foot and a half; from the Root thereof pro∣ceedeth the only Stalk, orbicular, cane∣like, green without, whitish within, and hollow like the Stem of Smyrgium, Olus Atrum, Beans and Gentian, full of long Threds, streight, easie to be broken, jog∣ged, snipped, nicked and notched a little after the manner of Pillars and Columns, slightly farrowed, chamfered, guttred and channel'd, and full of Fibres, or Hairs like Strings, in which consisteth the chief Value and Dignity of the Herb, especially in that part thereof which is termed Me∣sa, as he would say the Mean; and in that other which hath got the Denomination of Milasea. Its Height is commonly of five or six Foot; yet sometimes it is of such a tall Growth, as doth surpass the length of a Lance, but that is only when it meeteth with a sweet, easie, warm, wet and well-soaked Soil, (as is the ground of the Territory of Olone, and that of Rasea, near to Preneste in Sabinia) and that it want not for Rain enough about the Season of the Fishers Holydays, and the Estival Solstice. There are many Trees whose Height is by it very far exceeded, and you might call it Dendromalache by the Authority of Theophrastus. The Plant

every year perisheth; the Tree, neither in the Trunk, Root, Bark or Boughs, being durable.

From the Stalk of this Pantagruelian Plant there issue forth several large and great Branches, whose Leaves have thrice as much length as breadth, always green, roughish and rugged like the Alcanet, or Spanish Buglose, hardish, slit round about like unto a Sickle, or as the Saxifragum, Betony, and finally ending as it were in the Points of a Macedonian Spear, or of such a Lancet as Surgeons commonly∣make use of in their Phlebotomizing Til∣tings. The Figure and shape of the Leaves thereof is not much different from that of those of the Ash-tree, or of Egrimony; the Herb it self so being like the Eupato∣rian Plant, that many skilful Herbalists have called it the Domestick Eupator, and the Eupator the wild Pantagruelion. These Leaves are in equal and parallel Distances spread around the Stalk, by the number in every Rank either of Five or Seven, Na∣ture having so highly favoured and che∣rish'd this Plant, that she hath richly a∣dorned it with these two odd, divine and mysterious Numbers. The Smell thereof is somewhat strong, and not very pleasing to nice, tender and delicate Noses: The Seed inclosed therein mounteth up to the

very top of its Stalk, and a little above it.

This is a numerous Herb; for there is no less abundance of it than of any other whatsoever. Some of these Plants are Spherical, some Romboid, and some of an oblong shape, and all of those either black, bright-coloured or tawny, rude to the touch, and mantled with a quickly∣blasted-away Coat, yet such a one as is of a delicious Taste and Savour to all shrill and sweetly singing Birds, such as Linnets, Goldfinches, Larks, Canary Birds, Yellow∣hammers, and others of that Airy chir∣ping Quire; but it would quite extinguish the Natural Heat and Procreative Vertue of the Semence of any Man, who would eat much, and often of it. And although, that, of old, amongst the Greeks there was certain kinds of Fritters and Pancakes, Buns and Tarts made thereof, which commonly for a lickorish Daintines; were presented the Table after Supper, to de∣light the Palat, and make the Wine relish the better. Yet is it of a difficult Con∣coction, and offensive to the Stomach; for it engendreth bad and unwholsom Blood, and with its exorbitant Heat woun∣deth them with grievous, hurtful, smart and noysom Vapours. And as in divers Plants and Trees there are two Sexes,

Male and Female, which is perceptible in Lawrels, Palms, Cypresses, Oaks, Holmes, the Daffadil, Mandrake, Fearn, the Agarick, Mushrum, Birthwort, Tur∣pentine, Penny-royal, Peony, Rose of the Mount, and many other such like. Even so, in this Herb there is a Male which beareth no Flower at all, yet it is very copious of, and abundant in Seed. There is likeways in it a Female, which hath great store and plenty of whitish Flowers, ser∣viceable to little or no purpose; nor doth it carry in it Seed of any worth at all, at least comparable to that of the Male. It hath also a larger Leaf, and much softer than that of the Male; nor doth it al∣together grow to so great a height. This Pantagruelion is to be sown at the first coming of the Swallows, and is to be plucked out of the Ground when the Grashoppers begin to be a little hoarse.