Ll B. 2 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
great root,euenas Nature lift to beftow vpon it, as to other plants. But theidledrones that haue 
little or nothing to do but eate and drinke, haue bellowed fome of their time in earning the roots 
of B rionre, forming them to the (hape of men & women : which falfifying praCtife hath confirmed 
the errour among!! the fimple and vnlearned people, who haue taken them vpon their report to 
be the true Mandrakes. 
The female Mandrake islikevnto the male, fairing that the leaueshereofbeofa more fivart or 
darke greene colour ; and the fruit is long like a peare, and the other is round like an apple. 
The Place. 
Mandrake groweth in hot Regions , in 
woods and mountaines,as in mount Garga- 
nus in Apulia, and fuch like places ; we haue 
them onely planted in gardens, and are not 
elfewhere to be found in England. 
TheTime. 
They fpring vp with their leanes in 
March, and floure in the end of April! : the 
fruit is ripe in Auguft. 
The Names. 
Mandrake is called of the Grecians ' 
: of diners, K.fwiV, and C/><r<e<j,of Circe 
the witch, who by art could procure lone: 
for it hath beene thought that the Root 
hereof ferueth to win lone : of fome, tA’rifjxKMt l 
opomorfhos, and Morion : fomeof the 
Latines haue called it T crr.t malnmfind T er - 
reft re malum , and Canina mdus : Shops , and 
alfo other Nations doe receiue the Greeke 
name. Diofcortdes faith, That the male is 
called of diners Morion ■ and deferibeth alio 
another Mandrake by the name of CMorion, 
which, as much as can be gathered by the 
defeription, is like the male, but lelfeinall 
parts : in Englifh we cal it Mandrake, Man- i 
drage,and Mandragon. 
TheTemperaturc. 
Mandrake hath a predominate cold facultie, as Galea faith, that is to’fay cold in the third de- 
gree : but the root is cold in the fourth degree. 
' TheVertucs. 
A Diofcoridcs dath particularly fet downe many faculties hereof; ofwhichnotwithftanding there 
be none proper vnto it , Cluing thofe that depend vpon the drowfie and deeping power thereof: 
which qualitie confifteth more in the root than in any other part. 
B The Apples are milder, and are reported that they may beeaten,beingboyIedvvith pepper and 
other hot fp ices. 
C Galentaixh that the Apples are fomething cold and moift, and that thebarkeof the root is of 
greateft ftrcngth,and doth not onely coole, but alfo dry. 
D The iuyee of the leaucs is very profitably put into the ointment called Populeon , and all cooling 
ointments. 
E The iuyee drawne forth of the roots dried, and taken in fmall quantitie, purgeth the belly ex- 
ceedingly from flegme and melancholike humors. 
F It is good to be put into medicines and qolliries that do mitigate the paine of the eyes ; and put 
vnder a peffarie it draweth forth the dead childe and fecondine. 
G - The greene leaues (lamped with barrovves greafe and barley meale, coole all hot fivellings and 
inflammations ; and they haue vertue to confume apollumes and hot vlcers, being bruifed and ap- 
plied thereon. 
H A (iippofitorie made with the fame iuyee, and put into the fundament caufeth fleepe. 
I The wine wherein the root hath beene boyled or infufed prouoketh fleepe and alfwagcth paine. 
K The lmellofthe Apples moueth to fleepe likewife-, but the iuyee vvorketh more effectually if : 
you take it in fmall quantitie. 
Great 1 
Mandragor.ts mas (ft foemina. 
The male and female Mandrake. 
