6j\. 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
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uered by Matt Indus, and others, and fo it is fent backe to its due place agaihe ; though notvvith- 
ftanding it yet in {hops retaincs the title of Calamus. 
1 The figure that by our Author was giuen for this, is fuppofed, and that (aslthinke truly) 
to bebut a counterfeit, of Ma t luolus his inuention • who therein hath beene followed (according 
to the cuftomeof the world) by diners others. Thedefcription is ofafmallReed called Calamus 
oder at us Libani, by Lobett in his Obferuations, and figured in his Irons, f. 54. 
2 This is called i’ki and ‘A«ef> by the Greekes : by fome, according to Atmlcius, ; and 
in Latine it is called Acorns and Acorum ■ and in (hops, as I haue formerly faid, Calamus Aromati- 
cs : for they vfually take G along a major, (defcribed by me, Chap. 2 6.) for Acorns. It may befides 
the former names be fitly called in Englifh, The fweet Garden Flag. 
•> This is indeed to be the ept^a-ny^c of D iofeovides - the kxax/m* a* oF fThcophy aJIms • th*it is, 
the true Calamus Ardmaticus that fhould bevfed in Compofitions. f 
Thcnaturcofthetrue Acorns , or otir fweet garden Flag. 
Diofcorides faith, the roots haue an heating fucultie : Galen and Pliny do affirme, that they haue 
thin and fubti 11 parts, both hot and dry. 
T he vert ties of the fame. 
The decoftion of the root of Calamus drunke prouoketh vrine,hel petit the paine in the fide, li- 
ner, fpleene, andbreft ; convulfions, griping?, and burftings ; it eafeth and helpeth the piffing by 
*^ r It is of great effedt, being put inbroth, or taken in fumes througha clofc ftoole, toprouoke 
womens naturall accidents. 
The iuyee ftrained with a little honey, taketh away the dimnes of the eyes, and helpeth much 
againft poyfon, the hardneffe of the fpleene, and all infirmities of the blond . 
The root boyled in wine, ftamped and applied plaifterwife vnto the cods, doth wonderfully 
abate the fvvelling of the fame, and helpeth all hardneffe and colleftions of humors. 
The quantitie of two fcruples andanhalfe ot the root drunke in foure ounces of Muskadel,hel- 
peth them thatbe bruifed with grieuous beating, or falls. 
The root is with good fucceffe mixed in counterpoyfons. In our age it is put into Eclegma's, 
that is, medicines for the lungs, and efpecially when the lungs and cheft are oppreft with raw and 
cold humors. , . „ , 
t The root of this preferued is very pleafitnt to the tafte, and comfortable to the ftomacke and 
heart ■ fo that the Turks at Conftantinople take it filling in the morning, againft the contagion 
of the corrupt aire. And the Tartars haue it in fuch eftcemc, that they will not drinke Water 
(which is their vfuall drinke) vnleffe they haue firft fteeped fome of this root therein, f 
€f The choice. 
The beft Acorus, as Diofcorides faith, is that which is fubftantiall , and well compact , white 
within, not rotten, full, and well fuelling. , _ 
Pliny writeth, That thofe which grow in Candia arc better than thofe of Pontus, and yet thole 
of Candia worfe than thofe of the Eafterne countries, or thofe of England, although we haue no 
great quantitie thereof. 
The faculties of the trueCalamus out of Diofcorides . 
t It being taken in drinke moueth vrine ; wherefore boyled vv ith the roots of graffe or Stal- 
lage feeds, it helpeth fuch as are hydropick, nephritick, troubled with the ftrangune, or broiled. 
It moues the Courfes, either drunke or otherwife applied. Alfo the fume thereof taken by the 
mouth in a pipe, either alone or with dried Turpentine, helpes coughs. 
It is boyled alfo in baths for women, and decodlions for Glylfers : and it enters into planters 
and perfumes for the fmells fake, t 
Chap. 4.6. Of fome. 
Hus farrehaueldifcourfed vpon Graces, Rufltes, Spartum, Flags, and Floure de- 
luces : my next labour is to fetdowne for your better inftruAion, the hiftorie ot 
Corne,and the kindes thereof, vnder the name ofGraine; which the Latines call 
Gendin femina , or Bread-corne •, the Grecians, and of which wee 
purpofe to difeourfe. There belong to the hiftorie of Graine all fuch things as be 
madeofCorne, as F ar, Condrus, Alien , Tragus, Amylum,Ptifana, Polenta, OAaft, 
Syne or Malt, Zythum, and whatfoeuer are of that fort.There be alfo ioyned vnto them many feeds, 
which Thcothraftus in his eighth booke placeth among the graines • as Millet, Sorgum, Pamcke, 
Indian wheat, and fuch like. Galen in his firft booke of the Faculties of nourifliments, reckonet.i 
