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 Sowthistel. Chap. xiij.

❀ The Kindes.

SOnchus is of two sortes, the one more wilde, rough, and prickley, called Sowthistel, or milke Thistell, the other more soft and without prickles, which we may cal Hares Lettuce, or Connies milke Thistel.

[illustration]

Sonchus syluestrior, aspera. Rough milke Thistel.

[illustration]

Sonchus tenerior, non aspera. Tender or sweete milke Thistel.

❀ The Description.

[ 1] SOwthistell hath long brode leaues, very deepely cut in vpon both sides, and armed with sharpe prickles. The stalke is crested, holowe within, spaced by ioyntes or knobbes, couered or set with the like leaues. At the

toppe of the stalke growe double yellow flowers, lyke Dandelyon, but muche smaller: when they be past, there come vp white hoare knoppes or downie heades, which are caried away with the wind. The roote is long and yellow, full of hearie stringes.

[ 2] The tender Milke thistel, is muche lyke to the aforesayd in leaues, stalkes, flowers and seede: but the leaues be somewhat broder, & not so deepely iagged or cut in vppon the borders, and they haue neither thornes nor sharpe prickles, but are al playne without any roughnesse.

❀ The Place.

These herbes doo growe of them selues both in gardens amongst other herbes and also in the feeldes, and are taken but as weedes, and vnprofitable herbes.

❀ The Tyme.

Milke thistel and Sowthistel, do flower in Iune and Iuly, and most com∣monly all the sommer.

❀ The Names.

These herbes be called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ▪ in Latine, Sonchu: of the later wri∣ters Cicerbitae, Lactucellae, Lacterones: of Serapio and in shoppes, Taraxacon.

[ 1] The first kinde is called Sonchus asperior, or syluestrior: in high Douche, Genszdistel, Moszdistel: in Brabant, Gansendistel, & Melckweye: in Frenche, Laicteron, and Laceron▪ in Englishe, Sowthistel, and rough Milke thistel.

[ 2] The seconde kinde is called Sonchus non aspera, or Sonchus tenerior, of A∣puleius ••actuca leporina: in Frenche, Palais de lieure: in high Douche, Hasenkol: in base Almaigne, Hasen Lattouwe, Hasen struyck, Danwdistel, Canijnen∣cruyt: in English, the tender or soft Milke thistel.

❀ The Nature.

These herbes be colde and drie of complexion, especially being greene and newe gathered: for being dry or long gathered, they are somewhat hoate, as Galen sayth.

❀ The Vertues.

[ A] The iuyce of eyther of these herbes dronken, swageth the gnawing paynes of the stomacke, prouoketh vrine, and breaketh the stone, and is of a soueraigne remedie against the strangurie and the Iaunders.

[ B] The same dronken, filleth the breastes of Nurses with good and holesome milke, and causeth the children whom they nourish, to be of a good colour. Of the same vertue is the brothe of the herbe dronken.

[ C] The iuyce of these herbes do coole and refreshe the heate of the fundement, and the priuie partes of the body, being layde thereto with cotton, and of the cares, being dropped in.

[ D] The greene leaues of Milke thistel, are good agaynst all hoate swellinges and impostumations, especially of the stomacke being brused & layd thervpon.

[ E] The roote with his leaues being pounde, and layde to as an emplayster, is good against the by•…•…ges and stinginges of Scorpions.