Lib. 2. 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
907 
places, as the yong tender ftalkes of Afparagus and fnch like herbes. The berries are ripe in A li 
guft. 
Rufats, fine Brufcus. 
Knee-hohne, or Butchers broome. 
The Names. 
It is called in Greekc as though 
they fhould fay i^icutaCMynus , or pricking 
Myrtle; and Myrtus jylueflris, or wild Myrtle : 
in Latine, Rnfcum, or Rufats > in fhops , Brufcus: 
of diners. Seep, 1 regia, as teftifieth Marcellas 
Bmpericus an old Writer : in high Dutch, 
<!)£udTt>oji» : in low-Dutch , ^tthcnDe 
palm : in Italian, Rufco, and Pontogopi : in Spa- 
nifh, Gilbarbeyra : in Englilh, Knee-holme, 
Knee-hu liter, Butchers broome, and Peti«ree? 
There be fome (faith Pliny, hb. z 5 . cap a 3 J 
that call it Oxymyrfnc. 
Serapio, cap. 288. fuppofeth that Myrtus A- 
gria, or wilde Myrtle, is the fame that Cubebs 
are : he alledgeth a reafon, becaufe Galen hath 
not deferibed Myrtus Agria, or Knee-holme • 
neither DiofcoridesCubebn. Which as it is a 
reafon of no account, fo is it alfo without 
truth : for Galen doth no where make mention 
of Cttbebd ; and be it that he had, it thould not 
therefore follow that Knee-holme is Cubeb*. 
Galen fpeaketbof Carpefium, which Atticen in 
his 137 chapter maketh to be O^Ae.and that 
Carpefium doth much differ from Kneeholme, 
thofe things do euidently declare which Ga- 
len hath left written hereof in his firft book of 
of Countcrpoyfons. Carpefium (faith hee) is 
an herbe like in kinde to that which is called 
Phu, or Setwall,butof greater force, and more 
arfUnaticull or fpicie. This groweth very plentifully in Sida acity of Pamphilia. Alfo he faith 
further, that fome of the ftickes of Carpefium are like to thofe of Cinnamon : there be two kinds 
thereof, one which is named Lacrtium ■ and another that is called Ponticum. They both take their 
names of the mountaines on which they grow : but Ponticum is the better, which is put into medi- 
cines m which the herbe Phu ought to be put. For Carpefium, as I hauc faid, is like vnto Phu, or 
Setwall, yetis it ftronger, and yeeldethacertainearomaticall qualitie both in tafte and fmell. 
Thus far Galen. By which it plainly appeareth, that Knee-holme is not Carpefium ,that is to fay ,A- 
tuctnna his Cubcbss, as fhall be further declared in the chapter of Cubebn. 
Herein Serapio was likewife deceiucd, who fufpedfed it to be fuch a like tiling ; faying, There be 
certaine fruits or graines called Cubcb/c , not flicks : yet do they neither agree with Knee-holm, nei- 
tlieryet were they knoivnevnto Galen. 
lfaac in the fecond booke ofbis Pra&ife doth number it among the graines : and likewife Hali- 
abbtfs in the fecond booke of his PrafHfealfo,»i;«.i62. The later Grecians, amongwhom is Nico- 
laus Myrepfus, call them Citbebs. 
7 he Temperature. 
The roots of Knee-holme, which be chiefely vfed, are of temperature hot, and meanly dry, with 
a thinndfe of offence. 
The Vert ues. 
The decoftion of the roots of Knee-holme made in wine and drunken, prouoketh vrine, brea- 
keththe ftone,driueth forth grauell and fand, and eafeth thofe that make theirwater with great 
paine. • ■ . 
Diofcorides writeth the fame things of the leaues and berries, which moreouer (faith hee) bring 
doivnethedefiredfickneffe,helpe the head-ache and the yellow jaundice. Ouerand befides, the 
toots do ferue to raife vp gently tough and groffe flegm which fticketh in the lungs and cheft,and 
do concoft the fame. 
A 
B 
Ch 
A F. 
G §§§ * 
