Lib. 2. 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
H 9 
C h a p.ii. Of Tarragon . 
Draco hcrha. 
Tarragon. 
«[[ The defer ipt ion. 
HTArragon the fallade herbe hath long and 
narrow leaues of a deepe greene colour, 
greater and longer than thole of common Hyf- 
.lope, with flender brittle round ftalkes rwocu- 
bites high : about the branches whereof hang 
little round flowers, neuer perfectly opened, of a 
yellow colour mixed with blacke, like thole of 
common Wormewood. The root is long and 
fibrous, creeping farre abroad vnder the earth, as 
doe the rootes of Couch-grafle,by which fprou- 
ting forth it increafeth, yeelding no feede at all, 
but as it were a certaine chaffie or duftic matter 
that flieth away with the wmde. 
5 ]' The flue. 
Tarragon ischerifhed in gardens, and is en- 
creafed by the young fhootes : Ruclhus and inch 
others haue reported many ftrange tales hereof 
fcarfe worth the noting, faying, that the feed of 
flaxe put into a rad ifh roote or fea Onion, and fo 
fet, doth bring forth this herbe Tarragon. 
^ The time. 
It is greene ail Summer long, and a great part 
of Autumne,and floureth in Inly. 
The names. 
It is called in Latine, Draco , Dracunculus horl 
. twfs-P-n&Tragumvulgare by Clufiut ■ Of the Ita- 
lians, Dragoncellum ; in French, Dragon ■, in Englifh, Tarragon. 
It is thought to be that Tarchon which 1 ^Anicen mentioneth in his 6%6. chaptenbut he writeth 
fo little thereof, as that nothing can certainly be affirmed of it. Simeon Sethi the Greeke alfo ma- 
keth mention of Tarchon. 
Thetemp er ature and vertues. 
Tarragon is hot and drie in the third degree, and not to be eaten alone in fallades but ioyned 
with other herbes,as Lettuce, Purflain, and fuch like, that it may alfo temper the coldnes of them 
like as Rocket doth, neither doe we know what other vfe this herbe hath. 
■ H A P.II. 
Of gar den Crepes.. 
The defer ipt ion, 
1 Creffes or Towne Crefles hath fmall narrow iagged leaues,fharpe and burning 
VJ ln 7“ e - ibe (talks be round,a cubite high,which bring forth many fmall white flowers 
rnnriin TfT hl,skes or <eede veffels,like to thofe of fhe pheards purfe,wherein are 
contained feeds ot a browne reddifh colour. The roote dieth when the feede is ripe. 
uered of f^ in , tafte ! ike the former >it in leaues farre different, which I reeo-' 
j . e ®, ent me from Robmtts dwelling in Pans. The ftalkes rife vp to the heicrht ofa foot 
f f 1 . a ~, d '. Vlt 1 " lan y broad leaues deepely cut or indented about the edges : the noddle of the 
the fame hkeT^ rhTf ^ "re T ny litde fmaI1 leailes 01 rather ftreds of Hailes, which make 
tue lame like a curldefanne offeathers. The feede is like the former in fhape. 
larger and h! m ( °\ , the g r0llnd like vnt0 Ba fiU i afterwards the leaues grow 
° broader,ltke thofe of Mangolds 5 among the which rifeth vp a crooked lymmer ftalke, 
X 3 where- 
