Adam in Eden, or, Natures paradise the history of plants, fruits, herbs and flowers with their several names ... the places where they grow, their descriptions and kinds, their times of flourishing and decreasing as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations and particular physical vertues together with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our English simples with directions how to preserve them in their compositions or otherwise : ... there is annexed a Latin and English table of the several names of simples, with another more particular table of the diseases and their cures ... / by William Coles ...

CHAP. CCCXLI. Of Pimpernell.

The Names.

IT is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Anagallis, either 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, adducere, five ejicere, quia adactos corpori acule••s extrahit, because it drawes forth th••rns and splinters out of the Body; or ex 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, id{que} ex 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Fluvio ubi ••ritur, because it was first found by the River Gallus: It is called also in Latine Anagallis, besides which it hath had many other names put upon it, put falsely, as Morsus Gallina, and Morgelina, which is that sort of Chickweed called Henbit, Auricula Muris, Macia, Helicacabus, Corch••rus, which is the Je••••es Mallow: Some call it Coralli••n, and the Composition made thereof Diateralli••n; others think that it should be called Collarion, and the Composition Diacollarion, because Pi••pernel is of a glutinous quality.

The Kindes.

There be four sorts of Pi••pernell growing in England; 1. Male Red Pimpernel: 2. Female Pimpernel: 3. Yellow Pimpernel: 4. Pimpernel with a white Flower.

The Forme.

The Male Red Pimpernel hath divers weak square Stalks lying on the ground, with two small ••nd almost round Leaves at every joynt, one against another, some∣what like unto those of Chickweed, but that they are thicker, spotted on the back∣side with brownish spots, without any foot-stalk, for they do as it were encompass the Stalk, wherein it differeth also from Chickweed: the Flowers stand singly, or each by themseves, at the joynts between them and the Stalks, consisting of five small round▪ pointed Leaves, of a fine pale red colour, tending to an Orenge, with▪ so many threds in the middle, in whose places succeed smooth round heads, wherein the Seed, which i•• small, is contained: The Root is small and fibrous, perishing at, or before Winter.

The Places and Time.

The first groweth in Corne-fields, by Way-sides, and in Gardens also, of its own accord, almost every where, and so doth the second, but less frequently, and hath been found not far from Oxford, in Rumney Marsh, at Beaconsfield in Buc∣kingham-shire, and divers other places: the third groweth in St••w Wood, about two miles from Oxford, and also in Charletown Wood, two miles beyond Greenwich: the last groweth in a Wood on the South-side of Chis••ehirst Heath, over against Scadbury Park: They flower from May unto August, some of the Seed ripening and falling in the mean time, and the rest quickly after.

The Temperature.

Pimpernel is of a drying faculty, without biti••g, and somwhat hot, with a certain drawing quality.

The Vertues and Signatures.

It is agreed upon by all hands, that Pimpernell being bruised and applyed to corrupt, festered and fretting Sores, cleanseth and healeth them, and draweth out th••r••s, thistles, and sp••inters, out of the Hands or Feet, or any other part of the Body: Being boyled in Wine and drunk, it is singular good against all venemous bitings, obstruction of the Liver, and pain of the Kidneys: It is a good Remedy against the Plague, and other pestilentia•• Feavers, and contagious Sicknesses, being boyled in Wine and given to drink; but then after the taking thereof warm, they must lye a bed and sweat two houres thereupon, for hereby the venome of the Dis∣ease is expelled, but it must be used twice at the least; the same helpeth the biting of ••ad Dogs, and the stingings and bitings of the Viper▪ Adder, or Scorpion, the Spots on the back-side of the Leaves intimating so much: The Juyce hereof mixed with a lit∣tle Honey, and dropped into the Eyes, cleanseth them from cloudy mists or filmes growing over them, which hinder and take away the sight: It is effectual also to ease the pains of the Hemorrhoides or Piles. The distilled Water is effectual for all the purposes aforesaid, especially for cleansing corrupt and stinking wounds, and is accounted mervailous good to cleanse the Skin from any roughnesse, deformity, or discolouring thereof, and to make it smooth, neat, and clear, which it doth by Signa∣ture, all spotted Plants being available for the doing away Spots in the Skin, as Crollius saith, who writeth also, that it is reported that the Male Pimpernel being held in the hand till it be hot, stoppeth the bleeding of any veine that is cut, the Flower of it being of a bloody colour signifying the same. The Juyce sniffed up in∣to the Nose, purgeth the Head, and so it is said to do the Toothach, if it be put into the contrary Nostrill. The Male Pimpernell is said to drive forth the Fundament, and the Female to repel it, and drive it into its place again. Some Country-people do judge of the Weather by beholding the Flowers of this Herb the day before, if the Leaves of them be contracted and closed up, it betokeneth Raine, but if they be spread abroad, faire Weather. The Germans have a superstitious conceit, that if it be hung over the Threshold, or Porch of the doore of any house, it will defend it from Witchcraft.