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 Chamomill. Chap. xxix.

❀ The Kyndes.

CAmomill, as Dioscorides and other of the Auncients haue written, is of three sortes. The one hath white floures. The other hath yellow floures. And the third whiche is the greatest of the three, hath floures betwixt redde & purple. Yet at this time there be diuers other sortes found, and first there be two sortes of Chamomill which are very sweete and of strōg sauour, called Romaine Camomill. The one hath white floures, the other yel∣low, and bysides these there be others, whiche do (for the moste parte) growe in deserte places, and therefore we haue named them Camomill of the Forest, or wildernesse.

❀ The Description.

[ 1] THe first kinde of Camomill hath diuers long rounde stalkes, creeping alongst the grounde, and taking roote in diuers places, very seldome growing higher than ones hande. It hath diuers small tender leaues very small cut, or finely iagged.

[ 2] The second kinde is much like vnto the first, sauing his leaues be smaller, his floures be nothing else but certayne yellow buttons, like the middle of the floures of the other Camomill, without any small leaues growing about it, as ye may perceyue by the figure, but otherwise it is like to the first Camomill.

Of the number of these two kindes, there is yet an other, which hath small yellow leaues growing rounde aboute the small yellow knoppes or buttons, and are altogither like to the first, in leaues, sauour, and fasshion, sauing his floures be altogither yellow.

These two kindes of Camomil (that is to say) the white & the yellow, haue a very pleasant sauour, like the smell of a Cytron, whereof they firste tooke

their name in Greeke Chamaemelum.

[illustration]

Chamaemelum leucanthemum. White Romaine Camomill.

[illustration]

Chamaemelum chrysantemum. Yellow Romaine Camomill.

[ 3] The third kinde of Camomill which beareth red purple floures, & groweth higher than the two others, is not yet knowen vnto vs, except it be that floure whiche some call flos Adonis, and other Anemone.

❀ The Place.

None of the sweete Romaine Camomils groweth in this countrie, of their owne kindes, but are planted in the gardens of some diligent Herboristes, and are come hither as strangers.

❀ The Tyme.

These Camomils do floure in Iune, & Iuly, & sometimes also sooner. They last all the winter, and may very well abide the colde.

❀ The Names.

The Camomill is also called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Cha∣maemelum, and as Apuleius writeth Benè olens, at this day Camomilla: in En∣glish Camomill: in French Camomille: in Douch Camille.

[ 1] The first kind of sweete Camomill with the white floure is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Chamaemelum album: in base Almaigne Roomsche Ca∣mille: in English white Camomill: in French Camomille blanche.

[ 2] The second kinde of sweete smelling Camomill with the yellow floure is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Chrysanthemum, and Chamaemelum lu∣teum: in English Yelow Camomill: in French Camomille iaulne: in Douch geele Roomsche Camille.

[ 3] The third kinde is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Eranthemum, and Chamaemelum purpureum. It may be called in English Purple Camomill: in French Camomille à fleur purpurée: in Douch Roode Camille.

❀ The Temperament.

The Camomill, especially the white, is hoate and dry in the first degree, and hath power to dissolue, & make subtill. But the Romaine Camomils are hoa∣ter, and more drying.

❀ The Vertues.

[ A] The Decoction of the floures, herbe, and roote of Camomill, being dronken causeth women to haue their termes, driueth foorth of the belly the dead frute, prouoketh vrine, & breaketh the stoone. It is of the like vertue, if one do bathe in a bath of the same Decoction.

[ B] The floures and herbe of Camomill boyled in wine and dronken, driueth forth windinesse and cureth the cholicke, that is to say, the paine in the bowels and bellie.

[ C] Camomill taken in the same sorte doth purge & beautifie those that haue an euill colour remayning after the Iaunders, and cureth them that haue any greefe or impediment of the liuer.

[ D] Camomill pound with his floures, and taken in the quantitie of a Dragme with wine, is very good against the biting of Serpents, and all other vene∣mous beastes.

[ E] The Decoction of Camomill made in water and applied outwardely vpon the region of the bladder, taketh away the payne of the same, prouoketh vrine, and driueth forth grauell.

[ F] Camomill chewed in the mouth, cureth the vlcers & sores of the same. Of like vertue is the decoction to washe the mouth withall.

[ G] Camomill also closeth vp al woundes, and old vlcers, especially those which happen about the corners of the eyes, whan it is brused and layde vpō, or if one washe such woundes and sores with the decoction thereof.

[ H] Camomill mēgled with oyle & taken in glister, is singuler against all feuers whiche happen by meanes of the obstruction or stopping of the skinne.

[ I] The oyle of Camomill doth asswage and mitigate all payne and ache, it cu∣reth weried & brused partes, it looseth and softeneth all that which is hard and stretched out or swollen: it doth mollifie and make soft all that whiche is hard, and openeth all that is stopped.