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 the Pease Earthnut. Chap. xxxiij.

❀ The Description.

[ 1] THE Earthnut hath three or foure little stalkes or tender branches, somewhat reddishe belowe next the grounde, with clasping tendrelles, whereby it taketh holde vpon hedges, and al other thinges that it may come by. The leaues be small and narrowe. The flowers be of a fayre red colour, and of an indifferent good smell. After the fading of those flowers there come in their steede small coddes, in which is conteined a small seede. The rootes be long and small, wherevnto is hanging here and there certeyne nuttes or kernels like Turneps, of an earthlike colour without, and inwardly white, sweete in taste, almost lyke the Chesnut.

[ 2] The other kinde of Earthnut, called in some places, the litle Earthnut, shalbe described in the fifth part of this history, in the xxiij. Chapter.

❀ The Place.

The Pease Earthnut, groweth abun∣dantly in Hollande and other places, as in Brabant, neare Barrow, by the riuer Zoom, amongst the Corne, and vppon, or vnder the hedges. It groweth in Richmonde heath, and Coome parke, as Turner saith.

[illustration]

Chamaebalanus.

❀ The Tyme.

This herbe flowreth in Iune, and afterwarde the seede is ripe. In some places they drawe or plucke vp the rootes in May, and do eate of them.

❀ The Names.

This herbe is called in high Douche Erdnusz, Erckelen, Erdfeigen, Erda∣mandel, Acker Eychel, and Grund Eychel: in Brabāt Eerdtnoten, and of some Muysen met steerten: of the writers in these dayes in Greeke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Chamaebalanos: but this is not that Chamaebalanus, whiche is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Glandes terrestres, that is to say, Earthnuttes. Some of the learned do count it to be Astragalus described by Dioscorides, and some hold it for Apios. But that it is not Apios, it is manifest ynough by the third Chapter of the thirde parte of this booke, where as we haue playnely set foorth the right Apios.

¶ The Nature.

The pease Earthnut is drie in the seconde degree.

❀ The Vertues.

[ A] The rootes of pease Earthnut, are boyled in many places of Hollande and Brabant, and eaten as the rootes of Turneps and Parsneps, and they nourish aswel: yet for all that they be harder of digestion then Turnep rootes, and do stop the belly, and running of the laske.

[ B] If these herbes be the right Astragalus, his roote wil prouoke vrine, and stop all fluxes of the belly, being boyled in wine and dronke.

[ C] The same receiued in the same manner, stoppeth also the inordinate course of womens flowers, and all vnnaturall fluxe of blood.

[ D] The same roote of Astragalus dried and made into powder, is very good to be strowen vpon olde sores, and vpon freshe newe woundes, to stop the blood of them.