20 
Ch a P.f?. 
Theatrum Botanicum. 
Tribe i. 
The Time. 
They all flower in the heatc of Summer, and fome ofthem later. 
The Names. 
There is fome controverfie among Writers concerning this plant, in three or foure particular matters: flrfl, for 
the etymologie or derivation of the word, fome thinking it to be derived from the Greeke word pxciV, and the 
Latinc ocytts, that is, a edentate crefcendi , from the fpeedy fpringing of the feed (which is ufually within three or 
foure dayes, if it be a hot and dry time without raine, for moyfture turneth it into a gelly, as any one may fee, that 
vvilllookeonit after it hath taken wet) which is written with®. Secondly, as lomethinke, from the Greeke 
word ofa oleo , which fignifieth, to fmell,or give a favour, as commonly taken in the word fence as in the beft • and 
fo would have the word to be GAmum, 0 f the fweet l'mell thereof. Thirdly, whether it fhould be Ocymum , as 
it is to be found in divers ancient W riters,or Ocimuni. Fourthly,what Ocymum is of the ancient Writers, forby 
divers it is taken to be that kinde of graine called Fdpofyrurn>01 Tragopyrum, inEnglifli Buckwheate, or elfea 
kinde of medley of Come or Pulfe fowne together, as many ancient W riters have let it downe,as fhall be (hewed 
in his proper place, whereunto I fhall referre you. And laftly, about the vertues as ilia 11 be fliewed prelently. It 
is called by the latter Greeke Writers, (Z'l'Qhtx.ov. Baft he urn,becznfc the fmell thereof being fo excellent, is fit for 
a Kings houfe. The firft two forts of thefe Baflils are by all Authors fo called, as 1 doe. The fccond is the fame 
Oeymus that Tnjpcr Alpintu faith groweth in the Gardens of Alexandria in Egypt. The third is fo called by Lobel 
and others. The fourth isonely fet forth in the great Booke of the Bifhop of" Syftot his garden : the lift is called 
FHfj>anicum y by Carnet-arias and Tabcrmontanus y and Jndicum , by Chujius and others. The fixtis as is laid in the 
delcription, a degenerate kind of the laft before it. The’Iaft is fo called by Ejtetenjis , as is here exprefled. The Ara¬ 
bians call it Berandaros, andTSadobro^xhc Italians Bafilico the Spaniards Albahaca ; the French Bafihc ■ the Ger- 
manes Bafilgen , and Baft gram • the Dutch Baft‘lieom- y and we in Englifh Baflilf. 
The Vertues. 
Baflill in all Countries for the mod part is of little ufc in Phvfick, but rather ufed as a fweet find ling hearbe to 
fweeten or perfume any thing, or elfe ufed outwardly to comfort and warme cold members. ‘Viofcoridcs faith 
that being eaten in any plentifull manner,it dulleth the fight, makeththe belly foluble, ftirreth up wind, provo- 
keth urine, with-draweth the milke, and is of hard digeftion. Galen alfo faith it is accounted among thole things 
that are hot in the fecond degree, but becaufe it hath an excrementitious moyflure joyned with it, it is not fit to be 
taken inwardly : and in another place, that it is anhearbe for fawce, or meate, hurtfull to the ftomack, breeding 
ill jtiyce, and hard to be digefted. It is held by Cryjippns (as Tliny faith) who inveied bitterly againft the ule 
thereof, to be hurtfull both for the flomack,urine,and eye-fight: and befides, caufethakinde ofmadnefle andle- 
thargie, and other difeafes of the liver,&c. And that thofe of Africa fay, that if any have eaten Baffin, that day 
he is flung by a Scorpion, that he cannot be faved *. which faying is quite contrary to that of Diofcorides , that faith, 
from thofe of Africa, that he fhall have no paine or danger, that is flung by a Scorpion, ifhe have eaten Baffill 
before. Pliny fetteth downe, that in his time it was defended from fuch calumnies as Crifippus caft upon it, and 
was commended to be profitable againft the fting of Scorpions, and fome other venemous Serpents; and found to 
behelpfulland wholfome for thofe are given to fwouning, ufed with vinegcr, and fmelled unto : ufed with 
oyle of Rofes,or Mirtles,and Vineger, is good againft the paines of the head, it is profitably applyed to thofe are 
troubled with the lethargie, the jaundife and dropfie. It is good to be put into the eares of young children with a 
little goofe-greafe, to helpc them of paines thereof: the juyee or the feed bruifed put into the noftrils, procureth 
neefing: it is good alfo for the trembling of the heart, it provoketh V enery, and therefore was given to horfes to 
make them apt to breed* Some of the ancient Writers likewife have fet downe, that the feed is good to kill the 
wormes of the belly, to lelfen the fpleene, and that bruifed and mixed with Oxegall, it taketh away the foule 
markes and fcarres of ulcers, and other fores. And ufed with honey, it taketh away the difcolourings and fpots 
of the face. The Arabian Authors and Mefues chiefly have ufed the feed among other Cordiall Spices, for the 
comforting of the heart in the trembling thereof, and the expelling of Melancholy or fadneffe, that rileth without 
manifeft caufe. And for thefe caufes chiefly the feed is ufed by our later Phyficians for the moft part: the fragrant 
fmell ofthis hearbe fo comfortable to the fences, reviving them as it were,when they are dull or diftempered.may 
evidently declare a Angular efficacy to be therein, and therefore not to be finally regarded. Theophrajhts in his firft 
booke,and eighth Chapter decaujis pla»taru y faith that Baflill growing in a place too much expoied to the heatc of 
the Sunne, changeth into Serpy/lum, or wild Tyme, by the overmuch dryneffe thereof, for theleafe becommerh 
fmaller, and the feent the ftronger thereby : but thefe Metamorphofes or changes of hearbs.one into another, is 
very frequent both with him, Fliny, yea, and Gallen too, as well as divers others of the ancient Writers, which 
fhewethin what errours men of judgement and learning have beene converfant and confident in. I et me yet be¬ 
fore I leave, relate unto you a pleafant pafl'age betweene Francifcns CMlarchio y an Advocate of the ftate of Genoa* 
fent in Embaflage to the Duke of Cfrlillan y and the faid Duke, who refilling to heare his melfage, or to agree unto 
the conditions propofed, brought an handfiull of Baflill and offered itto him, who demanding of him what hee 
meant thereby, anfwered him, that the properties of that hearbe was, that being gently handled, it gave a plea¬ 
fant fmell, but being hardly wrung and bruifed ,would breed Scorpions 1 with which witty anfwer the Duke was 
fopleafed, that he confirmed the conditions, and fent him honourably home. It is alfo obferved, that Scorpions 
doe much reft and abide under thofe pots or veffels wherein Baflill is planted. 
Chap. IX. 
Clinofodium. Field Baflill, Sc Acinos. Wild or Roffch Baflill. 
g Have as you fee j'oyned both thefe together for the affinity, both of their name and nature unto the for¬ 
mer Baflils, and betweene themfelves, for that divers of our latter Writers doe confound them, the one 
calling that Alcinos y that another doth Clinopodium. 
I, Clinopsdittm minus five vulgare. Field. Baflill, or Beds foote flower. 
That flinopodinm that is taken by the beft Writers and other Herbarifts in thefe dayes, to come neereft unto the 
defcription 
