n 3f 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
Lib. 2. 
5 f The Vert ties. 
A Diofcoridcs writetb , that it is of power to purge and to draw forth choler and flegme. ^dcfuarita 
addethjthat it likewife purgeth melancholy : other fuppofe it to be without any purging force at 
alljOr elfc to haue very little : of the fame mindc is alfo tohames Monar dies, who thinketh it puro-eth 
very gently ; which thing is confirmed by Experience, the miftris of things! For invery deed Po- 
lypody of it felfe doth not purge at all, but onely ferueth a little to make the belly foluble, being 
boiled in the broth of an old cocke, with Beetesor Mallowes, or other like things thatmooueto 
the ftoole by their flipperines. Ioannes Mefue reckoneth vp Polypodie among thofe things that 
do efpecially dry and make thin iperaduenture hehadrefpeft to a certaine kinde of Arthritis or 
ache in the joints :in which not one only part of the body, but many together moft commonly are 
touched: for which it is very much commended by the Brabanders and other inhabitants about 
theriuerRbene,and the Maze. In this kinde ofdifeafe the hands, the feet, and the joints of the 
knees and elbowesdo fvvell. There is joined withall a fceblenesin moouing, through the extremity 
of the paine.-fometimes the vpper parts are Idle grieued,and the lower more. The humors do alfo 
ea fitly run from one place to another, and then fettle. Again!! this difeafe the Geldres and Cleue- 
landers do vfe the deco&ion of Polypodie, whereby they hope that the fiuperfluous humours may 
be wafted and dried vp, and that not by and by, but in continuance of time : for they appoint that 
this dcco&ion fhould be taken for certaine daies together. 
B But this kinde of gout is fooner taken away either bybloud letting, or by purgations, or by 
both, and afterwards by fweate ; neither is it hard to be cured if thefie generall remedies be vied in 
time .-for the humors do not remaine fixed in thofe joints, but are rather gathered together than 
fettled about them. 
C Therefore the body muft out of hand be purged, and then that which remaineth is to be wa- 
fted and confirmed away by fuch things as procure fweate. 
D Furthermore, Diofcoridcs faith, that the root of Polypody is very good for members out of 
joint, and for chaps betweene the fingers. 
E The root of Polypodie boiled with a little honie, water, and pepper,and the quantitie of an 
ounce giuen,etnptieth the belly of cholerickeand pituitous humours ; fome boile itin water 
and wine, and giue thereof to the quantitie of three ounces for fome purpofes with good fuc- 
■cefle. 
t /"\Vr Author here fas in many other places) knit knots, fomewhat intricate to loofe, 
V-J for firft he confounds in the names and nature the Polypody of the Oke,or Idler Po- 
lypodie with the Dryopteris,or Oke-Ferne ; but that I haue new put backe to the former chapter, 
his fit place ; then in the fecond place did he giue the Defcription ofthe Dryopteris of the Cid- 
tterf taken from thence,/^. 363. Then were the place, times, names, &c. taken out of the 
chapter ofDryoptcrii Candietaoi Dodon/iies,bemg,Pempt. 3. lib . 5 . cap. But the figure was ofthe 
FiltcuU ftemina petraa 4.of Tabernamontanus. Now I will in this chapter giue you the -Dryopteri* ol 
the Aducrfaria, then that of Docioristes , and thirdly that of Dr ague ; for I take them to be different : 
and this laft to be that figured by our Author, out of Dabernamont antes. $ 
1 'T’His kinde of Feme called Dryopteris, or Filix querna, hath leaues like vnto the female 
1 Feme before fpoken of, but much Idler, finaller, and more finely cut or jagged, and 
is not aboue a foot high, being a very flender and delicate tender herbe. Thelcaues 
arc r ° fincl Y jagged that in fhew they refemble feathers, fet round about a finall rib or finew ; 
the backe fide being fprinckled, not with rulTet or brownemarkes or fpecks,as the other Femes 
are, but as it were painted with white fpots or markes,not Handing out of the leaues in fcales,as 
the fpots m the male Feme, but they are double in each Ieafe clofe vnto the middle rib or finew. 
1 he root is long, brownc,and fomewhat hairy, very like vnto Polypody, but much flcnderer,of a 
marpe and caufticke tafte. b Rondeletius affirmed that he found the vfe of this deadly, being put 
into medicines in Head of Polypody by the ignorance of fome Apothecaries in Dauphenyein 
France. M . Goodycr hath lent me an acurate deicription together with a plant of this Feme which 
I haue thought good here alfo to fet forth , t 
51 7 'he Defcription. 
Dryopteris 
