Tribe, i. The 2 beater of Tidnts* Chap. 48. 
Calamus fd called in (hops, is neither arced, nor the root of a reed, for being feene growing greene. as it is notv 
adayes in many places, and as it is delcribed before, there is no correlpondency of it with a reed, (and truely'to 
lee the face of things growing, hath brought many.things to knowledge, which elfe would have lien in perpetuall 
ignorance and darknelfe : how much therefore the world is indebted to thofe that are diligent fearchers out of the 
genuine plants of the Antients, both by their face or forme, and by their properties andvertucs, let the good and 
honeft acknowledge , let the vile orbafenegleft orcontemne.) Secondly, the Ancients declaring the other notes, 
whereby it may be knowne fay in this manor, that wh ch is the yellower and fuller of joynts is the bc(i,(the thicker 
and lhorter faith ftey.fomewhat pliant) breaking into long Olivers, (not brittle or breaking fhott) the fiftula cane 
or pipe being plena arancorum, or as Pliny faith, inefi fiftula araneum or araneus ejuodfterem vacant , praflantior eft cum 
numerofitor or tmmmfxs, which can be no other wife interpreted, then that the pith in the middle of the cane or 
pipe, which they call the flower, the more the better, is like unto a Spiders cobweb, (that is full of threads) and 
clammy in chewing, of an aftringent talfe, fomevvhat quicke, and biting upon the tongue: now although iome 
ofthele notes or markes may be found in thatbaftard Calamus ol'xhe fliops; yet that is not enough, (for that hath 
deceived moft men, to judge a thing to be right, becaufeofone or two notes agreeing, the reft being not anfwera- 
blc,) but all the notes muft agree, for the falle Calamus breaketh (hart and not into Olivers, it is not clammy in 
chewing, nor hath it any fiitula or pipe full of that cobweb like pith : by which companion a’lmen mayplainely 
fee, that our Calamus is not that of the Ancients, and that we are utterly deftitute of the true Calamus aromaticus 
of ‘Dioficorides, and the reft of the ancient Writers: and yet fo perverie are many in thele dayes, that they will 
(fill perfift in their old errours, becaufe they were bred in them, and will know no other, although they bee told 
them : but what may be the beft fubltitute thereof in medicines, many have thought diverlly. In that booke of fub- 
ftitutes that is falfly attributed to Galen, Sphagnum: that is Muficus arborcus, themoffechat groweth upon trees) is 
appointed, which divers have accepted, and Matthiolus among the reft, but as he faith examining, and conlidering 
the matter more ferioufly; he is not afhamed to retraift chat opinion, andcondemne it quite, as erronious, judge- 
ing no correfpondence,but rather a meere contrariety, to be betweene Calamus Aromatietts , a Ample of that worth, 
rarity, and quality, and the moffc oftrees,which although it be a little fweet in f mell,yet of no other quality equall 
thereunto. Some therefore appoint the feed of Nigella Ramana, both for the (cent and ftiarpe quicke tafte, ando- 
ther properties incident thereunto. Others would have the Galanga majorto be the fubftitute, forthe heating and 
opening qualities, they thinke it hath ; but both the one and the other are hotter in their degrees by much, than the 
Calamus ofthe Ancients is: Matthiolus judgeththey (hall not doe much amide, that take the rootes of Angelica in 
the (lead thereof, becaufe it expelleth both urine and womens courfes, and befides the many other good properties 
therein, it is found by manifeft proofes to be Angular good to expell any poifon of venemous creatures, or orher- 
waies, and a (overaigne remedy againft the plague, and peftilentiall ayres. But themoft andbeftdoe agree, that 
the Scjiiinani or Itmcus odoratus commeth nearelt both in degrees and qualities unto it,or elfe that falfe Calamus of 
the (hops, is the next beft and neareft fubftitute thereunto,although it doe exceede it in heate, the lefle being to be ta¬ 
ken, agreeing in many qualities therewith, and may alio fafely be ufed, untill the true Calamus bee better knowne, 
and brought in u(e. Acorns is called in Grcckc sow?.©- & aKojor, becaufe rdhs xopeur, ideft, papilla five aciei oculorum 
caliginofia me deal ur, it hclpcth to cleare a dimme eyefight. Monardus , Tragus , Matthiolus, Cordtts,Ge[>ter, Came- 
rarius , Lugdunenfis , Lobe] , and Cluftus t doe all call it Acorns or Acorum , and perperam Calamus Aromatietts offtewa* 
rum. Anguillara calleth it Calamus nofter Iridisfpecies. Amatus , Cafialpintts , Brafiavolus and Fncbjius Calamus aro - 
tnaticusvulgo. There hath beene formerly great ignorance of the true Acorus ot Dioficorides , forinthat itwasge- 
nerally taken and uftd for Calamus , it did amufe them the more, not imagining it to be Acorns, untill fomc more tn- 
duflrious and diligent, finding it growing in Turkic, and comparing it with that they had read thereof, perfwaded 
themfelves certaincly to be the true and right Acorns ; and Matthiolus, Arft after them that fo found it, as I thinke 
publifhed it to the world, and Lobcl and Clufius after him, have now fo well perfwaded moft men,except oncly the 
moft unlearned, or the moft wilfull, that few make any doubt or fcruplc thereof; yet fome ftill would make the 
Cjalanga major to be the true Acorns, but it is knowne certainely, that the Galanga major groweth in Syria, and hath 
neither leaves or rootes like unto a Hower-deluce, as Dioficorides defcribeth his Acorus to have, but rather hath 
leaves like unto Reeds, nor doe the reft ofthe faculties of < Ijalanga anfwer thefe of Acorns. 
The Venue;, 
If this Calamus aroma; lorn be the right Calamus of 15 ioficoridcs,then be faith it hath thefe faculties. It provoketh 
urine, andboyled with gralfe rootes and fmallagcfeed,ithclpeth thole that have the dropAe. It helpcch tbedefafts 
of the reines, is profitable againft the Strangury,or making water by drops ;cis alfo for thofe that are burften bellied: 
it provoketh womens termes or courfes, either drunks or applyed to the place: the fumes thereof taken thorow a 
Reed or Tobacco-pipe, either by it (elfe, or with fomedryed Turpentine, cureth them that have a cough; it is put 
into bathes for women to fit in, as alfo into (Blifters to eafe paines. It is ufed in mollifying oyles and plaifters, that 
ferveto ripen hard impoftums, as alfo for the fweet feent thereof. Galen faith that becaufe it is temperate, be¬ 
tweene heate and cold, fomewbac aftringent, and having a very little acrimony, it is profitably ufed among other 
things, that helpe the liver and ftomacke, doth gently procure urine, and is put with other things into fomentations 
for the mother, when it is troubled with inflammations,and gently to procure the courfes; it is as he faith, hot and 
dry in the fecond degree, but is more drying thanheating, and hath therein a little tenuity of parts,as is in all lwcet 
Imelling things. The Acorus or fweet fuelling Flagge as Diofcorides faith, is good to provoke urine, if the decocti¬ 
on thereof be drunke: ithelpeth to eafe the paines of the fides, liver and bread; as alfo to eafe the griping paines of 
the coliicke and crampe, and good for thofe that are burften: Ithelpeth likewiie to wafte thefpleene, and to bring 
helpe to them that have theflrangury, and freeth thofe from danger that are bitten by any venemous Serpent. Iris 
very profitably ufed among other things, in bathes for women tofit it, asthe Iris or flower- dclnce rootes are; the 
jnyce dropped into the eyes, dryethrheumes therein, and cleereth the fight, takingaway all filmes or fuch like 
that may offend them. Therooteisofmuchufe in Antidotes againft all venomeorpoilon, or infeftion: thus faith 
‘Dioficorides : furthermore, it is a fpeciall remedy to helpe a (linking breath, iftherootebe taken fading every mor¬ 
ning for fome time together. The hot fumes ofthe decoblion made in water, and taken in at the mouch thorow a 
funnel!, are excellent goad to helpe them that are troubled with the cough : a dram of the powder of the rootesof 
Ac-ortfiy 
