Of the Hiflorie of Plants, 
114.8 
L 
I B. 2. 
Branke Vrfine, and reporteth it to be a citie hcrbe,and to feme for arbors : fome name it Branca Vr- ' 
^(others vfe to cal Covv-parfnep by the name of Branca Vrftna, but with the addition Germanic a: ) 1 
the Italians call it Acantho, 3X\d BrancaOrfina : the Spaniards, T erua Giguante : the Ingrauers of old 
time were wont to carue the leaues of this Branke Vrfine in pillers, and other works, and alfovpon ; 
theeares of pots ; as among others Virgi II teftifieth in the third Eclog of his Bucolicks: 
Et nobis idem Alcimcdon duo pocula fecit , 
Et modi circum efi anfts amplextts Acantha, 
t I take Virgils Acanthus to be that which we now commonly call Pgr acantha, as I lhall here- I 
after fhew when I come to treat thereof. $ 
The other Branke Vrfine is named in Greeke *■-,("< *»5«.and in ’Laiin<c,Sylueftris Acanthus, or wilde , 
Branke Vrfine, and they may be called properly Acantha, or5/i»o,a prickle- by which name it is * 
found called of moft HerbariRs, Acanthus : yet then is alfo another ^Acanthus athornie ill rub: the 
liquour which ifllieth forth ofit,as Herodotus and 7 hetiphraflus atiirmt, is a gumme : for difference : 
wherof peraduentnre this kincle of ^Acanthus is nimed H • b scant ha: T here is likewife found among : 
the baftard names of Acanthus the word Mamolaria,and alfo Cripula, but it is not exprefled to which : 
of them, whether to the wilde or tame it ought to be referred. 
q[ The Temperature. 
Theleaues of the garden Branke Vrfine con fill in a meant- as it werebetweene hot and cold, be- i 
ing lomwhatmoift,wirh a mollifying and gentle diverting faculties are thofeofthe Mallow, and 
therefore they are profitably b'oyied in clyfters,as well as Mallow leaues. The root, as Galen teach- :■ 
eth,is ofa more drying qualitie. 
t^The Venues . 
A Diofcoridcs faith, that the roots arc a remedie for lims thatareburntwitb fire, and tbathauebeen i 
out ofioint,ifthey be laied thereunto: that being drunke they prouoke vrine, and flop the belly : J 
that they helpe thofe that be broken, and be troubled with the crampe, and be in a conlumption of I 
the lungs. 
£ They are good for fuchas haue the ptificke and fpec blond withal; for thofe that haue fain from I 
fomehigh place, that are bruifed and drie beaten, and that haue ouerftrained themfelues,and they i 
are as good as the roots of the greater Comfrey, whereunto they are verie like in fubftance, tough J 
iuice.and qualitie. 
C Of the fame root is madean excellent plaifter againft the ache and numneffe of the hands and | 
feet. 
D It is put into clyfters with good fuccefle againft fundry maladies. 
Chap. 47 6 . Of the potion Tbijlle, 
qy The Vefcription. 
l f- pHecommonThiftIe,whereofthegreateftquantitieofdownisgatheredfordiuers pur- 
■l pofes,as well by the poore to ftop pillowes, cufhions, and beds for want offeathers.as a 
alfobought of the rich V pholfters to mixe with the feathers and downe they do fell, which deceit : 
would be looked vnto : this Thiftlehath great leaues, long and broad, gafhed about the edges, and ) 
fet with (harp and ftiffe prickles all alongft the edges, couered all ouer with a foft cotton or downe: 1 
out from the middeft whereof rifeth vp a long ftalke aboue two cubits high , cornered, and fet with j 
filmes, and alfo full of prickles : the heads are likewife cornered with prickles, and bring foorth j 
floures confifting of many whitilh threds:the feed which fucceedcth them is wrapped vp in clown; j 
it is long, ofa light crimfon colour, and leffer than the feede of baftard fa’tfron : the root groweth j 
deep in the ground, being white, hard, wooddie, and not without firings. 
? The lllyriancorton thiftlehath a long naked root.befet about the top with a fringeofmany j 
fmall thredsor iagstfrom which arifeth a very large and tall ftalke, higher than any man, rather like 
a tree than an annuall hcvbeor plant: this ftalke is garnifhed with fcrolesof thinne leaues, f-oin [ 
thebottome to the top, fet full of moft horrible fharpe prickes, and fois the ftalke and euerie part j 
of the plant, !o that it is iir.polfible for manor beaft totouchthe fame without great hurtordan- • 
gcr: Ins leaues are very great, far broaderand longerthanany other thiftle whatfoeucr, couered j 
withanhoariecotten or downe like the former : the floures doe grow at the top of the ftalkes, 
which 1 
