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 Basill. Chap. lxxi.

❀ The Kyndes.

THere be two sortes of Basill, the one of the Garden, y^e other is wilde. Wher∣of the garden Basill also is of two sortes, one great, the other small.

❧ The Description.

[ 1] THE Basill Royall or great Basill hath round stalkes full of braunches, with leaues of a faynt or yellowishe greene colour, almost like to the leaues of Mercury. The floures are rounde about the stalkes, some∣times purple, and sometimes as white as snow. Whan they are gone there is founde a small blacke seede. The roote is long with many stringes or threedes.

[ 2] The second kinde is not much vnlike to the abouesayd. The stalkes be roūd with many littell collaterall or side branches. The leaues be snipte or iagged round aboute, a great deale smaller than the leaues of Basill Royall, or great Basill. The floures are very much like to the others.

These two kindes are of a maruelous sweete sauour, in strength passing the smell of Marierom, so as in deede their sent is so strong, that they cause Headache, whan they are to much or to long smelde vpon.

The wilde Basill hath square hearie stēmes, beset with small leaues, much lyke to the leaues of Bushe (or small) Basill, but a great deale smaller & hearie. The floures are purple or of a skie colour very like the floures of garden Ba∣sill. The roote is full of hearie threedes, and creepeth alongst the grounde, and springeth vp yearely a new, the whiche the other two garden Basils doth not, but must be newe sowen yearely.

[illustration]

Ocimum maius. Great Basill gentle.

[illustration]

Ocimum minus. Busshe Basill, or small Basill gentle.

❀ The Place.

Basill gentill is sowen in gardens.

The wilde Basill groweth in sandie groundes alongst by the water side.

❀ The Tyme.

These herbes do floure in Iune and Iuly.

❀ The Names.

[ 1.2] The garden Basill is called of the Auncients in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in La∣tine Ocimum, and of some Basilicum, that is to say, Royall, it is now called Oci∣mum gariophyllatum: in English Basill Royall, Basill gentle, or garden Basill, and the smaller kinde is called bushse Basill: in French Basilicq, or Basilic. in high Douch Basilgen, Basilgram: in base Almaigne the great is called Groue Ba∣silicom, and the small Edel Basilicom.

[ 3] The wilde Basill is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Acinus: in French Basilic saunage: in high Douch wilde Basilgen: in base Almaigne wilde Basilicom.

❀ The Nature.

[ 1.2] Garden Basill is of complexion hoate and moyst.

[ 3] The wilde Basill is hoate and dry in the second degree.

❧ The Vertues.

[ A] The auncient Phisitions are of contrary iudgements about the vertues of Basill. Galen saith that for his superfluous moysture, it is not good to be taken into the body. Dioscorides saith that the same eaten is hurtfull to the sight, and ingendreth windinesse and doth not lightly digest. Plinie writeth that the same

eaten is very good and conuenient for the stomacke, & that if it be dronken with Vineger it dryueth away ventosities or windinesse, stayeth y^e appetite or desire to vomit, prouoketh vrine, besides this he saith, it is good for the hydropsie, and for them that haue the Iaunders.

The later writers say that it doth for∣tefie & strengthen the harte, & the brayne, and that it reioyceth and recreateth the spirites, & is good agaynst Melancholie and sadnesse, & that if it be taken in wine, it cureth an olde cough.

[ B] The same after the minde of Galen is good to be layde too outwardly, for it doth digest and ripe. Wherefore (as Di∣oscorides saith) the same layde too with Barley meale, oyle of Roses, and Vine∣ger, is good for hoate swellings.

[ C] Basill pounde or stamped with wine, appeaseth the payne of the eyes: And the iuyce of the same doth clense & mundifie the same, and putteth away all obscuritie & dimnesse, & drieth vp the Catarrhes or flowing humors that fall into the eyes, being distilled or often dropped in∣to the same.

[illustration]

Acinos.

[ D] The herbe brused with vineger, & holden to the nose of suche as are faynt & fallē into a sound, bringeth them againe to thēselues. And the seede therof giuē to be smelled vpō causeth the sternutation or niesing.

[ E] The wilde Basil (howsoeuer it be takē) stoppeth the laske, & the in∣ordinate course of the Moneths.