V 6 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
Li B. 2 . 
Chap. 6j. Ofjellm Henbane ,or Englijb Tabaco. 
Hyofcyamus luteiis. 
Yellow Henbane. 
ST The Defcription . 
Y Ellow Henbane groweth'to the height of 
two cubits : the ltalke is thicke, fat, and 
greene of colour, full of a fpongeous pith, 
and is diuided into fundry branches let with 
finoothand euen leaues, thick, and ful of juice. 
The lloures grow at the tops of the branches, 
orderly placed, ofa pale yellow colour, fome- 
thing leiler than thofe of the blacke Henbane. 
The cups wherein the floures do Hand are like, 
but leifer, tenderer, and without fliarpe points, L 
whereinisfetthehuskorcod fomwhat round, 
full of very fmall feed likd the feed of Marje- 
rome.The root is fmall and threddy. 
^ The Place. 
Yellow Henbane is fowen in gardens, where [ 
it doth profper exceedingly, infomuch that it [ 
cannot be deftroyed where it hath once fowen 1 
it felfe,and it is difperfed into the molt parts of t 
England. 
T he Time. 
It floureth in the Sommer moneths, and of- [ 
centimes till Autumne be farre fpent,in which 1 
time the feed commeth to perfection. 
T he Names. 
Yellow Henbane is- called H yofeyamus lute ns : 
of fome, Petum, and Petun .■ of others, Nicojiaxa, 
oCNicat a Frenchman that- brought the feeds i 
from the Indies, as alfo the feeds of the true i 
Tabaco, whereof this hath beene taken for a kinde ; infomuch that Lohcl hath called it Vnbins Hy- 
efeyamus, or doubtfull Henbane, as a plant participating of Henbane and Tabaco : and it is vfed of I 
diuers in Head of Tabaco, and called by the fame name, for that it hath becnc brought from Tri- l 
nidada,aplace locallcd in the Indies,as alfo from Virginiaand Norembega, for Tabaco:, which l 
doubtlelfe taken in fmokeworketh the fame kinde of drunkennefle that the right Tabaco doth. 
$ Somevfctocallthis Nicotian,inEnglifh, being a name taken from the Latine. $ 
ThcNature. 
This kinde of Henbane is thought of fome to be cold and moift •, but after Label it rather hea- I 
teth thancoolesat all, becaufe of the biting tafte,asalfo thatrofennineffe or gummines it ispof- 
fefledofjwhich is euidently percciued both in handling and chewing it in the mouth. 
The Tenues. 
A This herbe auaileth againft all apoftumes, tumors, inueterate vlcers, botches, and fuch like,be- 
ing made into an vnguent or lalue as followeth: Take of the greene leaues three pounds and an 
halfe, ftampe them very fmall in a (tone morter ; of Oyle Oliueonc quart ; fet them to boyle in a 
braffe pan or fuch like, vpon a gentle fire, continually ftirring it vntill the herbes feem blacke, and 
will not boyle or bubble any more : then Ihall you haue an excellent greene oyle-which being 
{trained from the feces Or droffe, put the cleare and drained oyle to the fire againc- ; adding there- 
to of wax halfe a pound, of rofen foure ounces, and of good T urpentinc two ounces : melt them all 
together, and keepe it in pots for your vfe, to cure inueterate vicers, apoftumes, burnings, greene 
wounds, and all cuts and hurts in the head ■ wherewith I haue gotten both crownes and credit. 
B It is vfed of fome in (lead of Tabaco, but to fmall purpofe or profit, although it do ftupific and 
dull the fences, and caufe that kinde of giddinefte that Tabaco doth, and likewife fpitting ; which 
any other herbe of hot temperature will do, as Rofemary,Time, winter Sauorie, fiveet Marjcrome, 
and fuch like: any of the which I like better to betaken in fmoke than this kinde of doubtful! 
henbane. 
