L i a* z, 
Of the Hiftorie of Plants. 
977 
3 The third kinde ofblacke Hellebor, called of Pena , HeUeborafter rnaxirnus, with this additi- 
on,/^ & feminc prxgnans, that is, full both of' floures and feed, hath leaues fosnewhat like the for- 
mer vvilde Hellebor, fa ue that they be greater, more iagged, and deepelycitt. Th^eftalks grow vp 
to the height of two cubits, diuiding themfelues at the top into fundry final! branches, whereup- 
on grow little round and bottle-like hollow greene floures; after which come forth feeds which 
come to perfect: maturitieand ripeneffe. The root confifteth of many ftnall blacke firings, inuol- 
ued or wrapped one within another very intricately. 1 , 
4 The tourth kinde ofblacke Hellebor (called of Pena and Label , according to the defeription 
of Cordns and Ruelltus, Sefamoides magnum, and Confiligo : in Englifh, Ox-heele , or Settter-woort ; 
which names are taken from his vertues in curing Oxen and fuch like cattell,as lhall be (hewed af- 
terward in the names thereof) is fo well knowne vnto the moft fort of people by rhe name of Beare- 
foot,that I (hall not hauecaufe to fpendmuch time about the defeription. f Indeed is was not 
much needful! for our Author to deferibe it, for it was the laft thing (re did ; for both thefe two Iaft » 
are of one plant, both figures and deferiptions ; the former of thefe figures expreffing it in floure, 
and the later in feed : but the former of our Author was wiyh fomevvhat broader leaues, and the la- 
terwith narrower. $ / 
«[j The Place. 
Thefe Hellebors grow vpon rough and craggy mountains : the laft growes wilde in many woods 
and lhadowie places in England : we haue them all in our London gardens. 
% The Time. 
The firft 'floureth about Chriftmaffe, if the Winter be milde and warrne : the others later : 
■ The Names. 
It is agreed among the later writers, that thefe plants are Veratra nigra •• in Englifh, blacke Hel- 
lebor: in Greekc,;»‘«=t<i ■ in Italian, Ellcboro ncro .- in Spmiftr, Verdegambre negro . of diuers,Aft- 
lampodium, becaufe it was firft found by CMeUmpos,xvho was firft thought to purge therewith Prx- 
tus his mad daughters, and to reftore them to health. Dtofcorides writeth,that this man was a (hep- 
heard : others, a Sooth-fayer. In high Dutch it is called that is, Chrifts herbe , or 
Chriftmaffe herbe: in low Dutch, fectft CUlft , and that becaufe it floureth about the 
birth of our Lord Iefus Chrift. 
The third kindewas called of Fuch fins, Pfeudohelleborus, and J cr.it rum nigrum adulttrinum, which 
Is in Englifh, falfe or baftard blacke Hellebor. Moft name it cfnfihgo, becaufe the husbandmen 
of our time do herewith cure their cattell,no otherwife than the old Farriers or horfe-leeches wer® 
wont to do, that is, they cut a flit or hole in the dew-lap, as they terrne it {-which is an emptie skin 
vnder the throat of the bead) wherein they put a piece of the root of Setterwort or Beare-foot/uf- 
fering it there to remaine for certaine dayes together : which manner of curing they do cal 1 Setre- 
ringoftheir cattell,andisamanner of rowellingias the faid Horfe-leeches doe their horfes with 
horfehaire twilled, or fuch like, andas in Surgenewe dovfe with (like, which in (lead of the word 
Seton, a certaine Phyfitian called it by the name Rowell ; a word very vnproperly fpokenof a lear- 
ned man, becaufe there would be fome difference betwixt men and beafts. This manner of fette- 
ring of cattell helpeth thedifeafeofthe lungs, the cough, and wheeling. Moreouer,in the time of 
peftilence or murraine,or any other difeafes affefting cattell , they put the root into the place a- 
forefaid, which draweth vnto it all thevenomous matter, and voideth it forth at the wound. The 
which Abfyrtns and Hierocles the Greeke Horfe-leeches haue at large fet downe. And it is called in 
Englifh, Beare- foot. Setter-wort, and Setter-grade. 
■The fecond is named in the German tongue, HotofjfetaUt, that is, Pcdicularis, or Low fie graffe: 
for it is thought to deftroy and kill lice, and not onely lice but fheepe and other cattell :and may 
be reckoned among theBeare-feet,as kindes thereof. 
The Temperature. 
Blacke Hellebor, as Cato holdeth opinion, is hotter in tafte than the white Hellebor: in like 
manner hot and dry in the third degree. 
The Vertues. 
Black Hellebor purgeth downwards flegme,cboler,and alfo melancholy efpecially, and allnre- A 
lancholy humors, yet not without trouble and difficultie: therfore it is not to be giuen but to robu- 
ftious and ftrong bodies, as Me flies teacheth . A purgation of Hellebor is good formad and furious 
men, for melancho!y,dull, and heauy perfons, for thofe that are troubled with the falling ficknes, 
for lepers, for them that are ficke of a qnartane Ague, and biiefely for all thofe that are troubled 
with blacke choler, and molefted with melancholy. 
The manner of gluing it (meaning the firft blacke Hellebor) faith Aduarius inhis firft booke,is B 
three fcrnples, little more or lefle. 
It is siuen with wine of raifins or oxymefbut for pleafantnes fake fome fvveet and odoriferous C 
° Ntinti feeds 
