*44 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
Lie. 2. 
forae ftand vpright, others lie along vpon the ground, being round, hairy, and vnorderly fet with 
fofthoajry leaues ingirting their ftalkes at their betting on, and fharpe pointed at their vpper ends. 
The tops of the ftalkes carry many whitilh heads full ofa yellowifh downeitheroot is thicke and 
blackifh,with (bme fibres. 
14 This fends vp one ftalke parted into fcuerall branches fet here and there with broad foft 
and hoarie leaues, and at the diuifion of the branches and amongft the leaues grow feuc-n or eight 
little heads thicke thruft together, being ofa grayifh yellow colour, and full ofnuich dovvne : the 
root is vnprofitable, and perifhes as foone as it hath perfefted his feed. Clufius calls this Gnaphali- 
um Plateau 3 . he hailing as it feemes receiued them both from his friend u ques Plateau. $ 
The Place. 
The firft groweth in the darke woods of Hampfted, and in the woods neere vnto Deptford by 
London. The fecond groweth vpon dry Tandy bankes. The third groweth at a place called Mere- 
zey,fix miles from Colchefter, neere vnto the fea fide, if Ialfohad itfent me from my worfhip- 
full friend M'. Thomas Glynn, who gathered itvpon the fea coaft of Wales. ^ 
The reft grow vpon mountaines, hilly grounds, and barren paftures. 
The kinde of Gnaphaltum newly fet forth (to wir Americamm ) groweth naturally neere vnio the 
Mediterranean fea, from whence it hath beene brought and planted in our Englifh gardens, t If 
this be true which our Author here affirmes, it might hauehaue had a fitter (at leaft a neerer) de- 
nomination than from America : yet Bauhtne affirmes that it grovves frequently in Bralill,and it is 
not improbable that both their a ifertions be true. $ 
•O’ The Time. 
They floure for the mod part from Iune to the end of Auguft. 
IT T b' Names. 
Cotton-weed is called in Greeke Gnaphalion ; and it is called Gnafhalion, becaufe men vfe the 
tender leaues of ic in ftead of bombafte or Cotton, as P, lulus AUgintta writeth . Pliny faith it is cal- 
led chamxxylon, as though he fhould fay Dwarfe Cotton ; lor it hath a foft and white cotton like 
vnto bombafte: whereupon alfo it was called ofdiuers Tomentitia,and Cotonaria : of others, Ccntun- 
culus, Centuncularis, and Albimtm-, which word is found among the baftard names :but the later 
word, by reafonofthe white colour, doth reafonably well agree with it. It isalfocalled Bomhax , 
Hunhlis filago, and Herba Impta, becaufe the yonger, or thofe floures that fpring vp later, are higher, 
and ouertopthofe that come firft, as many wicked children do vnto their parents, as before tou- 
ched in the defeription : in Englifh, Cotton-weed, Cud-weed, Chaffe-vveed,and petty Cotton. 
The Nature. 
Thefe herbes be ofan aftringent or binding and drying qualitie. 
TheVertues. 
A Gnaphaltum boyled in ftrong lee cleanfeth the haire from nits and lice : alfo the herbe being laid 
in ward-robes and prefles keepeth apparell from moths, 
g The fame boyled in wine and drunken, killeth wormes and bringeth them forth, and preuaileth 
againft the bitings and ftingings ofvenomous hearts. 
C The fume or fmoke of the herbe dried, and taken with a funnell,being burned therein, and re- 
ceiued in filch manner as we vfe to take the fume ofTabaco,thatis,vvith a crooked pipe made for 
the fame purpofe by the Potter, preuaileth againft the cough of the lungs, the great ache or paine 
of the head, and clenfeth the breftand inward parts. 
t The figure that was formerly in the feuenth place fhould haue beene in the eleuenth $ aud that in ihccleuenthinthcfcuenth. 
Chap. 20 6 . 
Of Cjolden z5\4'otb'rt>ort J or fudweed. 
^ The Defeription. 
1 Olden Moth-wort bringeth forth llender ftalkes fomewhat hard and wooddy,diuided 
If into diuers linall branches -whereupon do grow leaues fomewhat rough, and ofa 
white colour, very much iagged like Southernwood. The. floures ftand on the tops 
of the ftalkes, ioyned together in tufts, ofa yellow colour glittering like gold, in forme refcmbling 
the fcaly floures of Tanfie.or the middle button of the floures of Camomil • which being gathred 
before they be ripe or withered, remaine beautifull long time after, as my felfe did fee in the hands 
of Ml. Wade, one of the Clerks of her Maiefties Counfell, which were fent him among other things 
from 
