Lib. 2. 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
.97? 
: or accidents caufed by Toxicum, together with the remedies, reckoneth vp almoft theverie fame 
that Auiccn doth concerning Napellus : notwithftanding Anicen writes of Nape/lnt and Texkum fe- 
i uerally j but not knowing what Toxicum is,as he hirafelfe confeffeth : fo that it is not tobe maruel- 
lcd, that hailing written of Napellus, he fhould afterward entreat againe of Toxicum. 
The Nature and Venues. 
All thefe plants are hot and dry in the fourth degree, and of a mod venomous qualitie. 
The force and facultie of Wolfes-bane is deadly to man and all kindes of beafts : the fame was A 
tried of late in Antwerpe,and is as yet frefh in memorie, by an euident experiment, but mod la- 
mentable j for when the leaues hereof were by certaine ignorant perfons feruedvp infallads, all 
that did eate thereof were prefently taken with moft cruell fymptomes, and fo died. 
Thefymptomes that follow thofethatdoeateofthefedeadlyherbes. are thefe -their lips and B 
tongues fivell forthwith, their eyes hang out, their thighes are ftiffe, and their wits are taken from 
! them, as Auiccn writeth in his fourth booke. The force of this poy fon is fuch, that if the points of 
. darts or arrowes be touched with the fame, it bringeth deadly hurt to thoie that are wounded 
therewith. 
Againftfo deadly a poy fon Auiccn reckoneth vp certaine remedies, which helpe afterthe poy- C 
' fon is vomi ted vp ; and among thefe he maketh mention of the Moufe (as the copies euery where 
haue it) nourifhed and fed vp with Napellus, which is altogether an enemie to the poyfonfome na- 
ture thereof, and deliuereth him that hath taken it from all perill and danger. 
e^Antonius Gntmcrius of Pauia, a famous phyfition in his age, in his treaty ofpoyfons is ofopini- jj 
on, that it is not a moufe that Auicen fpeakes of but a fly : for he teileth ofa certaine Philofopher 
that did very carefully and diligently make fearch after this Moufe, and neither could find at any 
timeeither Moufe, or the root ofWolfes-bane gnawneor.bitten,ashehadread-,butin fearchinp 
i he found many flies feed ing on the leaues, which the fame Philofopher tooke , and made of them 
an Antidote or counterpoy fon, which he found to be good and effedtuall agairift other poyfons, 
i butefpecially the poyfon ofWolfes-bane. 
This compofltion confifteth of two ounces ofT err a lemma, as many of the berries of the Bay £ 
tree, and the like weight of Mithridate, 24 of the flies that haue taken their repaid vpon Wolfes- 
l bane,of honey and oyle Oliue a fufficient quantitie. 
The fame opinion that Guanerius is of, Petrus Pena and Matthias de Label doe alfo hold ; who af- p 
| firme, that there was neuerfeene at any time any Moufe feeding thereon, but that there be Flies 
i which refort vnto it by fwarmes, and feed not.onely vpon the floures, but on the herbealfo. 
«IT The Danger. 
There hath bcene little heretofore fer downe concerning the vertues of the Aconites, bu t much 
1 might be faidofthe hurts that haue come hereby, as the wofull experience of the lamentable ex- 
ample at Antwerpe, yet frefh in memorie, doth declare, as we haue faid. 
7 The figure that was in the fir if place formerly was of the alcomuim luteum Pont team j and that in the fecond place was ofa Nap tiki. 
Chap. 377. Of blacky Hellebore , 
«f ThcDcfcription. 
jt 'Tp He firftkinde of blacke Hellebor Dodonetus fetteth forth vnder this title V antrum ni- 
1 grum-, and it may properly be called in Englifh, blacke Hellebor,which is a name moil 
!' fitly agreeing vnto the true and viidoubted blacke Hellebor j for the kindes and other forts hereof 
which hereafter follow are falfe and baftard kindes thereof. This plant hath thicke and fat leaues 
of a deepegreene colour, the vpper part whereof Is fomewhat bluntly nicked or toothed, hailing 
fundry diuifions or cuts ; in fome leaues many, in others fewer, like vnto the female Peony, or 
Smyrmv.m Creticum. Itbeareth Rofe faihioned floures vpon (lender ftems, growing immediately 
: out of the ground an handfull high, fomtimes very white, and oftentimes mixed with a little fhew 
: of purple : which being vaded,there fucceed fmall huskes full ofblacke feeds : the roots are many, 
' with long blacke firings comming from one head . 
2 The fecond kindeof blacke Hellebor, called of Pena, Helleborafirum and of Dodonauspvera- 
nrumjectmdum (in Englifh, baftard Hellebor) hath leaues.muh like the former, but narrower and 
■ blacker, each Ieafe being much iagged or toothed about the edges like a faw. The ftalkes grow 
to the height of a foot or more, diuid ing themfelues intoother branches toward the top ; whereon 
) do grow floures not much vnlike to the former in fhew, fane that they are of agreemfh hetby co- 
lour, The roots are fmall and chreddy, but not fo blacke as the former. 
