228 Thefive andtwentieth Booke 
Henbane,ftamped leaves and a — to bee sale in wine, efpecially againft the Ring a 
of the Afpides, 30 | a 
"i.Vervaine, Bur ofl other hearbes sthere i is none more Ketiouyedh among theRomanes than*Hierobox: 
tane.called alfo otherwife in Greeke Periftereon : which we in Latine name Verbenaca, Thisis 
tha@hearbe,which(as Ihave declared heretofore)our Embaffadorsule to carie with them when 
they goe todenounce warre,and to give defiance unto our enemies. With this hearbe the feafti- 
eal vall rable of */«piter is wontto befwept andcleanfed with great folemnitic;our houfes alfo tobe: 
"" tubbed and hallowed,for to drive away ill fpirits. And hereof be twokinds, That which they take’ 
tobee the female, is ftored well with leaves ;the male hath them growing but thin: yee both of 
them put forth many {mall andflenderbraunches, commonly acubitlong,and cornered. The: 
leaves be lefferand narrower than thofe of the Oke, butdeeper they be indented, andthe parti- py 
*FlosGlanens, ton wider : the flowers be of a “gray colour, the roat long and{mall.Jtgrowetheverywhereup- 
on plaines fubje& unto waters. Some writers make no diltinGion atall of maleandfemele, bur 
hold them all to be of one and the fame kind, becaufe they worke the fame effects. In France the 
Druide ufe them both indifferently, in cafting lots,telling fortunes, & forefhewing furure events 
by way of prophefie.Bur the Wile men or Sages called Magi,overpafie themfelves mightily in 
this hearbe,and fhew their foolerie and vanitiewithourallfence and reafon : Theywould beare 
us in handforfooth,that whofoever bee rubbed all over the bodie therewith, fhall obtaine what 
foever their heartdefi reth, bee able to cure and drive away all manner of agues, reconcilethem + © 
thar be fallen out, make freindthip betweene whom they lift, and in one word, give remedie to 
any difeafe whatfoever. They give moreover exprefle order, that itbee gathered about therifing, — 
of the great Dogftarre, but fo, as neither Sunnenor Moonebe at that timeabovetheearth to I 
fee it ; with this ef ipeciall charge befides, that before they take up the hearbe, they beftow upon 
the eround where it groweth, honey withthe combes,in token of fatisfaétion and amends for the 
wrong and violence done in depriving her of fo worthie an hearbe, They reftnot fo, but when - 
thofe ceremonious circumftances be performed,they enjoine them alfo who are to digi it up, for 
to make a circle round about the place with (ome inftrument of yron,and then to draw & plucke 7 
itupwith theleft hand in any wife, and {oto fling it aloft over theirlieads up intothe aire:which = 
done,they appoint precifelythat it bee dried in the fhade, leaves, ftalkes,and roots, every onea- 
part by themfelves, Poconclude,they adde moreover and fay,tharif the hall or dining chamber 
bee fprinckled with the water wherein Vervainelay fteeped, all chat fitat the table fhail bee very 
pleaiant,and make merrie mote jocundly. Well,to leave thefe toies and fooleries, the truths K 
this,{ fLimpe and dcatit,give thejuice or pouder therof in wile,icisa good defenfative againitthe 
. poylo: nof ‘ferpents. 
Anhearbe there is much refembling: Mullen ot Laniwoil and inideed fo like, as oftentimes 
one is taken forthe other; howbeit the k eaves'be not aleogether fo whire,and more little braun- 
ches tt putteth foorth sbeating likewile a pale yes flower. Catt this hearbe or ftrew it in any: 
place, allthe moths thereabout will gather to it,whereupon at Rome they callit Blatcaria.. 
The hearbe Lemonium yeeldeth a white juice much like unto milke, which willharden and 
grow together in mannerofa gum: and it growetbin moilt places. The weight of onedenarips 
a in wine,isa fingular prefervative aga dintt che daungetous fting of ferpents, L 
-As for Cinque: eile or fiveleaved orafle, ‘there istiot one but knoweth it:fo common it isy 
as ae and commendable befides for the*frawbetties whichirbeareth, The Greekes call it Pentape= 
Wvindeed he. tes;Chamzzelon,or Pentaphyllon: the Latines Quinquefolium. The root whenitisnew dig- 
Icavesof = Ed Jooketh red: but as it beginnethi to drie above ground, fo it waxeth blacke,andbecommeth 
se ee aliocornered,. It tooke the coniinon name Lothin Greeke and Latine; of thenumber of leaves 
to the Straw- which it beaveth:This hearbe herein isiof ¢ great affinitie with the vine that they both bud,fpring 
berrieleafe: Jeafejand fhedthe fame together, Itiis ufed alfo abour purging ~ bleiling of the honfe, ‘ae 
But as thee one 
thine fruit mo Al fpirits or enchadnimentsy {1 190 
orberrieatall, 9. “Ais for Sparpaninis,at? hearbe fo called the Gteckes, therooetheref is good tobe given 
fo the other(t0 fq hie wine apaintt venomous sferpents, «! 13! UW HOY B1G09,2 1 
wit, the Strawe 
berrie-wirey _ Of Caxrors;Petronius Diadora hath {et dove foinelioleral kidd seme need I to goe 
purs forth but through theavall foure, fecing they muy bereduced well yaough into*twaine,anddo require no 
ae ather diftinGtrons; Lhe bettaiid mott approoved ¢ Cairotebethofe oft @andie :the next towhich 
andthe wild. in goodnell come ourof Achaia, But generally in what counney foever they grow the better 
a? Se ry 
