Tribe. i. The'Theater of‘Plants, Chap. 3d. 101 
our common Wormewood is that Wormewood of Dw/brekr, the belt whereof as he faith, is that which grow- 
eth in Pontns, without naming either Jpeiies or genus: fo that it is for certaine that our common or Romane kinde 
is not another from the Pentiums , and by reafon of the place is more vigorous and eftcftuall, but not differing 
in property. Galen acknowledgeth that in this there is bitternefl'e, and an allriftion gratefull to the ftomacke, liecef- 
lary for cholericke vometings, and toclenfeit from obftruftions, by which it giveth ftrength and comfort thereun¬ 
to ; which things we fee by infinite and daily experiments, even of the common people, as well as of Phyfitians, to, 
be effected by our common Wormewood, ufed either inwardly or outwardly : none findeth fault with the fmell 
for it is of an aromaticall feent, and is veryfitandapttorefrcfhthefpiritsofany : Galen in appointing that off bu¬ 
ck, to be ufed,doth it rather to exclude the Santonicum and Seripbium then that which he fimply calleth Ahflnthiumi 
Thus much I thought good to relate out of Pena and Label, referring the reft to the learned, to be further fatisfied" 
if they pleafe to read the whole tractate : but by this is laid you fee, that the vertues of our common Wormewood 
are fo excellent,that we need not feeke for another kinde to performe thofe, that are commended in Wormewood- 
and therefore I the more mervaile at our Apothecaries, that take the Sea W ormewood, in Head of the Romane or 
Ponticke, and u!e it rather than the common, onely becaufc there is lelfe bitternefl’e therein, than in the common 
and therefore more pleating to the tafte, when as the properties are no way anfwerable. Neither can I commend” 
the ufe of that fine leafed W ormewood, which is commonly called Romane Wormewood, to bee ufed in (lead of 
the Ponticke, not having either that bitterneffe or that aftriftion, which are both fo comfortable to the liver and 
lfomacke. Our common Wormewood hath beene obferved to grow in Pontns, and the Countries there abouts, by 
Betlonius in his travels, as he fetteth it downe in his yd. Chapter ofhis firff Booke of obfervations, and elfewhere, 
and brought to Corijldminople for their ufe there. And it is generally held.that the Arabian Phyfitians did firft name’ 
it Romane, which Diofcoriies named Ponticke, and from them, all others lincehave held it info great account 
imagining it to be a lort differing from the common. The Arabians call it Afpntbinm, the Italians AJfen^o, the Spa¬ 
niards Affcntios, the French Alvine and Abfmfe, or Ahfir.the : the Germanes TVernmct, the Dutch caf/fem, ’and wee 
Wormewood. 
'Bite gentries, 
Diofcoriies faith that Wormewood is ofan heating and binding property, that it purgeth choller, that cleaveth to 
the ftomacke or belly: that it provoketh urine, that it helpeth forfeits, and that taken with Sefe/i and Spica 
Ccltica, it eafeththepaines ofthe ftomacke, and the hard fwellingsof the belly s the decoftion or theinfufion 
thereof taken, doth take away the loathing to meate, and helpeth thofe that have the yellow jaundife: (for which 
pnrpofe Camerarim in his bonus mediem, giveth a good receite. Take faith hceofthe flowers of Wormewood 
Rofemary, and blacke thorne, of each alike quantity ; of Saffron halfe that quantity : all which being boyledin 
Renifh-wine, let it be given after the body is prepared by purging, &c. A Imall draught thereof taken for fome 
few dayes together, bringeth downe womens monethly courles: being taken with vinegar, it helpeth thole that 
by Mufhroms, are alinoft ftrangled : being taken in wine it is a remedy againft the poil’on otlxia (which as I laid 
before, is the roote of the blacke Chamaktm, and with ‘Pl'my tranflated vifeum , Mifletoeor Birdlime) ofH.einlocke 
the biting of that fmall beaft or Moufe which we call a Shrew, and of the biting of that Sea filh called Dracomari- 
nns, which is called a Quaviver: it helpeth the Quinlie being annointed with it, and Niter mixed together: and 
taketh away wheales and pufhes ufed with water: it taketh away the black and blue markes in the skinne that 
come after bruifing or beating, if it be mingled with honey and annoynted; as alfo it helpeth the dimneflc ofthe 
eyefight being ufed in the fame manner: it helpeth fore and running eares, as alfo eafeth the paines of them, if the 
hot vapours ofthe decoflion, bee takenin thereat by afunnellorothcrwife; it eafeth the toothach : adecoefion 
made thereof with cute or boyled wine, and annointed, eafeth the paines ofthe eyes; it helpeth the paines of the 
heart and liver, being beaten and mixed with the Centura Qprinum, and applyed to the place affafted as alfo ap- 
plyed to the ftomacke w ith Rofewater.it giveth much comfort to thofe that have lien long ficke : it helpeth thofe 
that are troubled with the fwelling and hardnefle of the fpleene,or thofe that have a hot fharpe water, running be- 
tweene theflelh and the skin, ifitbeufed with figgcs.vineger, and the meale ofDatncll: The wine that is made 
thereof, called Wormewood wine, is available for all theie purpofes, reftoring many to health that have beene 
troubled with thofe difeafes; fo that they have no agues that take thereof Being put into Chefts, or Prefles or 
Wardrobes, it preferveth them from wormes and mothes,&c. and driveth away Gnatsor Wafpes and fuch like 
from any part of the body, if the skin be annoynted with the oyle thereof: the juyee is of like efteft, but is not uled 
fo much in drinkes, for it troubleth the ftomacke,and caufeth headach; being put into the Inke wherewith Bookes 
are written, (or printed) it keepeth them from being eaten with Mice. Galen in his fixth Booke of fimples ma- 
keth mention of Wormewood in this manner. Wormewood hath a binding, a bitter, and fharpe quality, it like- 
wife heateth, cleanfeth, ftrengthneth, and dryeth. It therefore purgeth downewards the cholericke humours of 
the belly, and avoideththem alfo by urine, elpecially thofe that are in the veines : but helpeth no flegme that is 
contained therein, or in the chefts or lungs: for the aftringent quality therein, is ftrongcr than the bitter: but by 
reafon of the fharpneffe it partaketh more of heate than ofcold, fo that the temperature thereof, is hot in the firft 
degree, and dry in the third, yetthe juyee is farre better than the hearbe it felfe: and fpeaking of Sea Worme¬ 
wood called Seripbium , he faith it is like unto Wormewood both in kind and in tafte : which qualities ‘Diofcoriies 
giveth to Santonicum ■ for of Seripbium he faith it is more agreeing to Sothernwood, than to Wormewood: 
whereby it is thought by divers, that the place in'Diofcoriics, or in Galen, is perverted by fome Writers faults for 
they cannot be fo farre differing in judgement one from another iltisottennfed, and by moft, either inwardly <d- 
yen, or outwardly applyed for the wormes, in children or elder perfons: ‘Pliny faith, it healeth old fores or ulcers 
in the head, and cureth the itch alfo : the dccoftion thereof with Cumminfeeds taken warme, eafeth the paines of 
the belly and chcllicke by winde : the feed thercofhelpeth the bloody flixe, and all other flaxes ; itisfaid, that if a 
fewleavesofWormewoodbeeaten.itdefended] one from forfeiting and drunkennelfe. The vine^er wherein 
Wormewood isboyled, is elpeciall good for a (linking breath, that commcth either from the gums or teeth,or from 
corruption in the ftomacke. It is likewife much commended in tertian and other lingring agues, by openin'? ob- 
ftruftions and purging by urine, and by ftrengthning the liver and ftomacke ; The conferve thereof much ufed 
preferveth them from the dropfie that are fallen into it, or are in danger to fall thereinto, fo as there be afit courfe 
held before, by purging the oftenfwe humours, and fuch other helpes as the learned Phylitian may appoint. The 
^ 3 diftiiled 
