A nievve herball, or historie of plantes wherin is contayned the vvhole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers [and] sundry kindes: their straunge figures, fashions, and shapes: their names, natures, operations, and vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly vsed in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongue, by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, physition to the Emperour: and nowe first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte Esquyer.

Of great Pellitorie of Spayne / Imperatoria or Masterwort. Chap. cix.

❀ The Kyndes.

MAsterwort is of two sortes, tame & wilde, not much oulyke one another, aswel in leaues as in floures and rootes, & both kindes are wel knowen in this Countrie.

❀ The Description.

[ 1] IMperatoria or Masterwort hath great broade leaues, almost like Ale∣rander: but of deeper greene, and stronger sauour, euery leafe is diui∣ded into three others, y^e which agayne hath two or three deepe cuttes or gasshes, insomuch as euery leafe is diuided into seuē, or nine parts, and euery part is toothed or natched rounde about like a sawe. Amongst these leaues groweth the tender knottie stalkes, whiche be of a reddishe colour next the grounde, bearing at the top round spokie tuffets with white floures, after the whiche commeth the seede, whiche is large and lyke to Dyll seede. The roote is long of the thicknesse of ones finger, creeping alongst and putteth vp

new leaues in sondrie places, somwhat blacke without and white within, hoate or byting vpon the tongue, & of a strong sauour.

[ 2] The wylde Imperatoria, commonly called Herbe Gerarde, or Aishe Weede, is not much vnlyke y^e abouesaide in leaues, flowers, & rootes, sauing that the leaues are smaller growing vpō longer Stem∣mes, and the roote is tenderer whiter and not so thicke. Also the whole plante with his roote is not althing so strong in in sauor, yet it is not alto gither without a certayne strong smell or sauor.

❀ The Place.

[ 1] Asterantium or Masterwort, is some∣tymes founde in wooddes and desertes vpon littel hylles or small mountaynes. They do also plante it meetely, plentiful∣lye in the gardins of high and base Al∣mayne, and Englande.

[ 2] The seconde Imperatoria, or wylde Masterwort, groweth commōly in most gardens of his owne kinde, and this is surely a weede or vnprofitable plante. And wheras these herbes haue once ta∣ken roote, they wyll there remayne wil∣lingly, and do yearely increase & spreade abroade, getting more grounde dayly. For which cause as I thinke it was first called Imperatoria or Masterwoortz in Douch.

[illustration]

Asterantium, Ostrutium.

❀ The Tyme.

These herbes do flower here in Iune and Iuly.

❀ The Names.

[ 1] The first kinde is called of some Herboristes and Apothicaries, Osteritium, Ostrition, Ostrutium, or Asterantium: of some Imperatoria: In English also Im∣peratoria Masterworte, and Pellitorie of Spayne: In Italion Imperatoriá: In Frenche Ostrutium, or Imperatoíre, and Herbe du Benioin, but falsely: In high Douch Meysterwurtz: In base Almaigne Meesterwortell.

[ 2] The second or wilde Imperatoria, is now called Herba Gerardi, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Septifolium, that is to say, Herbe Gerarde, and Setfoyle: In Englishe some call it Aishweede: In base Almayne Geraert, and Seuenblat.

❀ The Nature.

Asterantium, but chiefely the roote is hoate and dry in the thirde degree.

The wilde is almost of the same nature and qualitie, but not so strong.

❀ The Vertues.

[ 1] [ A] Masterworte is not onely good agaynst al Poyson, but also it is singuler agaynst all corrupt and noughtie ayre, and infection of the Pestilence, if it be dronken with wine and the same roote pounde by it selfe or with his leaues, doth dissolue and cure Pestilential Carboncles and Botches, and suche other apostumations and swellinges, being applyed therto.

[ 2] [ B] The roote thereof dronken in wine, cureth the extreme and rigorous fittes

of olde feuers, and the Dropsie, and it prouoketh swet.

[ C] The same taken in manner aforesayde, comforteth and strengtheneth the stomacke, helpeth digestion, restoreth the appetite, and dissolueth the ventositie and blasting of the flankes and belly.

[ D] It helpeth greatly such as haue taken great squattes, brusis, or falles from aloft, and are sore hurt, and inwardly bursten, for it cureth the hurtes, and dis∣solueth and scattereth the blood that is astonyed, and clotted or congeled with∣in the body.

[ E] The same roote pounde with his leaues, is very good to be layde to the bytinges of madde Dogges, and to all the bytinges and stinginges of Ser∣pentes, and suche lyke venimous beastes.

[ F] The wilde Imperatoria, or herbe Gerarde, pounde and layde vppon suche members or partes of the body, as are troubled and vexed with the gowte, swageth the payne, and taketh away the swelling.

[ G] And as it hath ben proued in sundrie places, it cureth the Hemorrhoides, if the fundement or siege be fomented, or bathed with the decoction thereof.