' -Plinies Naturall Hiftorte. g 
A Nowconcetning the juice or foveraigne liquourbeforefaid, the manner was to draw it after 
two forts ;to wit, by {carification, either out of the root; or forth of the {tem and maifter ftalke, 
And hereof itcame to have two names, Rhizias and Caulias. Butthe later of thefe twain, to wit; 
that which came of the ftem, was counted the worft, fubject to putrifaGtion, and foldcheapet 
than the other. To come nowto the root of Laferpitium, it hath a blacke rind or barke upon it; 
wherewith the merchants ufe to fophifticat many of their drugs. As for the manner of dreffing 
and ordering the juice thereof: it was nofoonerdrawne, but they put it into certaine veflels, to- 
etherwith brans among; thenever and anone they plied it with flirring and {hogging, untill it 
had loft the cruditie and verdure thereof, and by that working came tothe maturizieand perfe- 
Gtion: for if it were not thus well followed;foone would it catch a vinow,begin to putrifie,and fo 
B. continue but a while.Inthis worke of theirs they had an eieunto the colour how it chaunged:for 
whenthey perceived it tobe high,and that they {aw it once drie. and have done {weating & Brea- 
thing aucthe raw humiditie and vapour within,then they knew thereby chat it was wrought fuffi- 
ciently, and cometo thefullripenefle , Ochers chere’bee who fay, thatthe root of Laferpitinm 
bearethmorethan a cubit in bigneffe, and that out of itthere {welleth anexcrefcence, above 
the ground,out of which there was wont by way of incifton to iflue forth:a certaine white juice in 
mannerof milke:upon which gréewthe ftalke orftem whichthey called Magydaris, And they 
aflirme befides, thatitbeareth leafy flat graines for the feed, in colour like gold,which fhed pre- 
fently upon therifing of the Dog-ftar,efpecially if the wind be South, Of which grains or feeds 
fallen tothe ground, young plants of Laferpitium ufeto grow up underneath, which within the 
C compafie ofone yearewill thrive both inrootand ftem to the juft and full perfeQtion. They have 
written moreover,thatthie ufe was to digabout theirroots,and to lay them bare at certaine times 
oftheyeare. Alfo, that they fervednot to purge cattellasis beforefaid,but to curethem if they 
were difeafed: for upon the cating thereof either they mended prefently, or elfe ended and died 
out of hand;butfew they were that mifcaried in this fort/As touching the former opinion of pur- 
ging and {couring, true itis, that it agreeth well tothe other Silphium or Laferpitium of Perfia, 
atorefaid:Another kindthere is of it, named Magydaris,more tender & lefle forcible & {trong in 
operation than the former; and affourdeth no fuch juiceor liquor at all : it groweth about Syria; 
andcommeth notup inall the region about Cyrene. | 
- Moteover,upon the mount Pernaflus theres great plentie found of a certaine hearb,which 
D theinhabitants wouldneeds haveto bee Laferpitium,and fo they call ic: wherewith indeed they 
are wont to abufe and fophifticatthat fingular and divineplant, the true Laferpitium, fo highly 
commiended,and of fo greataccount and eftimation; The principall and betttriallof thetrue _ 
~ and fyncere Lafer,istaken from the colour, fomewharenclining to rednefle without: breake it, 
you fhall have it appeare white within: andanone tranfparent. If you drop water upon it, oro- 
therwife chin {pittle,it will refolve and melt.Much ufe there is of itin many medicines, for to cure 
mens maladies. Ui ais 
Two plants more there bee,well knowneto the common fort and bafe multitude and to fay a 
truth, fewelfe are acquainted with them, notwithftanding they be commodities of much gaine, 
and many a penie is gotten thereby. The firft is Madder,in great requett among diers and curti- 
E ers: and for to feta. colour upon their wool] and leather,right neceflarie, The beit ofall and moft 
commended is our Madder of Italie, principally that which groweth about villages neare unto 
our citic of Rome.And yet,there is nocountey or province lightly butis full of it. lt commeth 
up of the owne accord, and is {owed befides of feed, and {et of flipsin manner of Ervile. How- 
beit,2 prickte ftalkeit hath of the owne: the fame isalfo full of joints and knots, and commons 
ly aboutevery one of them it hath five leaves growing round in acircle. The feed isred, What 
medicinable vertues it hath, andto what purpofeitferveth in Phyficke, Iwill declare in place 
convenient, i ! 
The fecond is that which is called in LatineRadicula,[#. Sope-wort:] an hearb the juice wherof 
Fullers ufe fo much toicoure their wooll withall; and wonderfull itis to fee how white,howpure, 
F howneatand foftit will make it. Becing fet, it will come up and grow in any place:but of it felfe 
without mans hand, it groweth moft in Afia & Syria, among rough, crageie, & ftonie grounds. 
The beftis that which 1s found beyond the river Euphrates, and that beareth a flem like tall Fe- 
nell,howbeit {mall and flender, and whereof the inhabitants of the country there doe make a de- 
lucat difh ; for befides that it hatha commendable taft and much defired,it giveth a pleafant co- 
nial a elas aa ci cs 
