Rams little Dodeon [sic] A briefe epitome of the new herbal, or histoy of plants. Wherein is contayned the disposition and true declaration of the phisike helpes of all sortes of herbes and plants, vnder their names and operations, not onely of those which are here in this our Countrey of England growing but of all others also of other realmes, countreyes and nations vsed in phisike: Collected out of the most exquisite newe herball, or history of plants, first set forth in the Dutch or Almayne tongue, by ... D. Reinbert Dodeon, ... and lately translated into English by Henry Lyte, ... and now collected and abridged by William Ram, Gent. Pandit oliua suos Ramos.

Obseruations for gathering of Herbes, Fruits, Seedes, Flowres, and Rootes.

SHould be gathered when they bee full ripe,* 1.1 and the moysture some deale dried.

Should be gathered when they be some deale opē,* 1.2 before they fall or fade.

Should bee gathered when they be full of moysture,* 1.3 before they do beginne to shrinke.

Should bée gathered when the leaues do fall.* 1.4

Should bee gathered when they bee at the full greatnesse, be∣fore they fall.

The heauier and the sadder that the fruites bée, the better they are.

Those fruits that be great and light, thou shalt not choose.

The fruit that is gathered in raine, are not so good as fruites gathered in faire weather.

That grow in the fields,* 1.5 are better then those which growe in townes and gardens.

Of those herbes which grow in the fieldes, such as grow on hilles are best.

Commonly the hearbes growing in the fieldes, are smaller then herbes of the same kinde, growing in townes and gar∣dens.

¶ Many herbes haue their speciall times of gathering.

¶ If they bee gathered in that time, they haue their ver∣tues, but if they bee gathered in any other time, they are not so good.

¶ Some herbes helpe whensoeuer they bee gathered: and some do not, if they bee gathered out of their time.

• Swine-cresses, are to be gathered at all times.
• Red Docke, are to be gathered at all times.
• Pedeleon, after noone, are to be gathered at all times.
• Wallwort without yron, are to be gathered at all times.
• Groundswell, are to be gathered at all times.
• Garlicke, are to be gathered at all times.
• Dodor vpon lyne, are to be gathered at all times.
• Saffron before sunne, are to be gathered at all times.
• and Galingale, are to be gathered at all times.

Camomyll and Adder-tongue, — in Aprill.

Violets, — in March.

Roses, — in May.

• Towne Cresses, in Iune and Iuly.
• Perretory, in Iune and Iuly.
• Lang de biefe, in Iune and Iuly.
• Dragons, in Iune and Iuly.
• Origanum, in Iune and Iuly.
• Ealamynt, in Iune and Iuly.
• Marygoldes the xvi. day, before in Iune and Iuly.
• sunne, with yron. in Iune and Iuly.

Rose-mary flowres, — in May.

Bittony and Colombines, — in Lammas moone.

• Tentory, when they flowre.
• Wilde garlicke, when they flowre.
• Agnus Castus, when they flowre.
• Water Calamynt, when they flowre.
• Drawke, when they flowre.

Harts-tongue, — in Nouember.

• Astrologia longa, in Haruest.
• Astrologia rotunda, in Haruest.
• and Fenell, in Haruest.

Gourds, — in the end of September.

Cucumers, — when the first is ripe.

Citrull, — when the first is ripe.

Fenell rootes, — in the beginning of the yéere.

Gentian, — in the last end of the yéere.

Flowre de lyce, — in the end of véere.

Wilde Neppe Berries, — when they ware yellow.

Philipendula rootes, — in the end of Haruest.

Auens, — at all times.

Grapes: before they be ripe, presse out the iuyce or moystnes, and drie it in the sunne, make it into powder, and vse it with meates, it is good against casting comming of cholericke hu∣mours.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Seedes,
• * 1.2

  Flowres,
• * 1.3

  Herbes,
• * 1.4

  Rootes, Fruits,
• * 1.5

  Herbes,