484 



The Kitchen Garden. 



commonly called Hippolapathum rotundifolium, Baftard Rubarbe, or Monkes Rubarbe, 

 the properties of both which are of very weake effecl: : but I haue a kinde of round 

 leafed Dock growing in my Garden, which was fent me from beyond Sea by a worthy 

 Gentleman, M r . D r . Matth. Lifter, one of the Kings Phyfitians, with this title, Rhaponti- 

 cum verum, and firft grew with me, before it was euer feen or known elfewhere in Eng- 

 land, w ch by proof I haue found to be fo like vnto the true Rubarbe, or the Rha of Pon- 

 tus, both for forme and colour, that I dare fay it is the very true Rubarbe, our climate 

 only making it leffe ftrong in working, leffe heauy, and leffe bitter in tafte : For this hath 

 great and thicke rootes, as diuerfly difcoloured with flefh coloured veines as the true 

 Rubarbe, as I haue to fhew to any that are defirous to fee and know it ; and alfo other 

 fmaller fprayes or branches of rootes, fpreading from the maine great roote, which 

 fmaller branches may well be compared to the Rhaponticum which the Merchants haue 

 brought vs, which we haue feene to be longer and flenderer then Rubarbe, but of the 

 very fame colour : this beareth fo goodly large leaues, that it is a great beauty in a gar- 

 den to behold them : for I haue meafured the ftalke of the leafe at the bottome next 

 the roote to bee of the bignefle of any mans thumbe ; and from the roote to the leafe 

 it felfe, to bee two foote in length, and fometimes more ; and likewife the leafe it felfe, 

 from the lower end where it is ioyned to the ftalke, to the end or point thereof, to bee 

 alfo two foote in length, and fometimes more ; and alfo in the broadeft part of the 

 leafe, to be two foote or more ouer in breadth : it beareth whitifh flowers, contrary to 

 all other Dockes, and three fquare brownifh feede as other Dockes doe, but bigger, 

 and therefore affuredly it is a Docke, and the true Rubarbe of the Arabians, or at the 

 leaft the true Rhaponticum of the Ancients. The figure of the whole plant I haue cau- 

 fed to be cut, with a dryed roote as it grew in my garden by it felfe, and haue inferted 

 it here, both becaufe Matthiolus giueth a falfe figure of the true Rubarbe, and that this 

 hath not been exprefled and fet forth by any before. 



The Vfe of Patience, and of the Rubarbe. 



The leaues of Patience are often, and of many vfed for a pot-herbe, and 

 feldome to any other purpofe: the roote is often vfed in Diet-beere, or ale, 

 or in other drinkes made by decoclion, to helpe to purge the liuer, and 

 clenfe the blood. The other Rubarbe or Rhaponticum, whereof I make men- 

 tion, and giue you here the figure, I haue tryed, and found by experience to 

 purge gently, without that aftriftion that is in the true Rubarbe is 

 brought vs from the Eaft Indies, or China, and is alfo lefle bitter in tafte ; 

 whereby I conieclure it may bee vfed in hot and feauerifh bodies more effe- 

 ctually, becaufe it doth not binde after the purging, as the Eaft India Ru- 

 barbe doth : but this muft bee giuen in double quantitie to the other, and 

 then no doubt it will doe as well : The leaues haue a fine acide tafte : A fyr- 

 rupe therefore made with the iuice and fugar, cannot but be very effecluall 

 in deiecled appetites, and hot fits of agues ; as alfo to helpe to open obftrucli- 

 ons of the liuer, as diuers haue often tryed, and found auaileable by expe- 

 rience. 



CHAP. XV. 

 Lapathum fanguineum. Blood-wort. 



AMong the forts of pot-herbes Bloode-worte hath alwayes beene accounted a 

 principall one, although I doe not fee any great reafon therein, efpecially fee- 

 ing there is a greater efficacie of binding in this Docke, then in any of the o- 

 ther : but as common vfe hath receiued it, fo I here fet it downe. Blood-worte is one 

 of the forts of Dockes, and hath long leaues like vnto the fmaller yellow Docke, but 

 ftriped with red veines, and ouer-fhadowed with red vpon the greene leafe, that it fee- 

 meth almoft wholly red fometimes : the ftalke is reddifh, bearing fuch like leaues, but 



fmaller 



