444 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
ThtTempcrature andVertues . 
Touching the faculties of out Ladies Shoo we haue nothing tovvrite.it being not fufficientljfl 
knowne to the old W riters, no nor to the new . 
T He ftalkes of Sope-wort are flipperie, (lender, round, ioynted, a cubit high or higher : the 
leaues are broad, fet with veines very like broad leaned Plantaine, but yet lefl'er , handing 
out of euery ioynt by couples for the moft part, and efpecially thofe that are the neereft the 
roots bowing backwards. The floures in the top of the ftalkes and about the vppermoft ioynts are 
many, well fuelling, fometimes ofabeautifullred colour likea Rofe ; other-while of a lighr pur- 
ple or white, which grow out of long cups confifting of fine leaues, in the middle of which are cer- 
taine little threds. The roots are thicke, long, creeping allope, hauing certame itrings hanging 
out of them like to the roots ofblacke Hellebor : and if they haue once taken good and fure roe 
ting in any ground it is impolfrble to deftroy them . 
f There is kept in fome of our gardens a varietie of this, which differs from it in that the 
floures are double and fomewhat larger : in other refpedts it is altogether like the precedent. $ 
I Saponaria. The Place. 
C/\nA ... /> *. «. U "O H . . fn 
X Although our Authour and fuch as be- 
fore him haue written of Plants were ignorant 
ofthe facultie of this herbe,yet hath the indu- 
ftrie of fome later men found out the vertue 
thereof: and Sept alia s reports that it was one 
Zapata a Spanifh Empericke. Since whofe 
time it hath beene written of by Rudtus , lib. 5. 
de morbis occult . & vencnat. cap. 18. And by Cafar Claudims,de ingre/fu ad infirmos , pag. 411. Cf 
pa%. 417. But principally by Ludouicus Septalius, Jnimaduerf. mtd. lib. 7. num. 214. where treating 
ofdecodions in vfe againft the French Poxes, he mentions the Angular elfeift ofthis herb againft 
that filthy difeafc. His words are thele.Tmuft not in this place omitthevfeofanother Alexi- 
pharmicall decoction, being very effeftuall and vfefull for the poorer fort ; namely that which is 
made of Sope-wort, an herbe common and knowne to all. Moreouer, I haue fometimes vfed it 
with happy fuccefle in the moft contumacious difeafe: but it is of fomewhatan vngratefull tafte. 
Chap. 113. Of Sope-wort. 
The Dcfcriptm. 
fcouring qualitie that the leaues haue : for 
they yeeld out of themfelues acertaine iuyce 
when they are bruifed, which fcoureth almoft 
as well as Sope: although RueUiuc defcribe a 
certaine other Sopewort. Of fome it is called 
Alifma.ox Vamafonium • of others, Saponaria Gen- 
rra»a,whereofdoubtleffeitisakinde :in Eng- 
lifhitis called Sopewort, and of fome Bruile- 
wort. 
It is hot and dry, and not a little fcouring 
vvithall, hauing novfe in phyficke fet dowr e 
by any Author of credit. 
felfe neere to riuers and running brookes in 
funny places. 
It is planted in gardens for the floures fake, 
to the decking vp ofhoufes,for the which pur- 
pole it chiefely ferueth. Itgrovveth wild of it 
5[ The Names. 
It is commonly called Saponaria, of the great 
— . _ . - - M • 1 * . — 1 1 > T, 1 J 1 Oil /a • 1 C' t - 
It floureth in Iune and Iuly. 
qy The Temperature and Virtues. 
qy The Time. 
