XrJBE z . 
The Theater of Tlantes. 
Chap. 17. 
Chap. X V11, 
Lathyris Jive Cat ayittia minor. Garden Spurge* 
«« Nt0 thefe meater Spurges I mull adjoyne this other kinde of Spurge, which by all authors both before 
nd fince Galen < tune, was accounted to be neereft unto them, and yet differing from them, and there- 
I fore fitted to be expreffed in a Chapter by it felfe : yethereof there arc two or three forts obferved, 
one Greater than another,as {hall be prefently (hewed. . , 
s I . Lathyris major hortenfis. The greater garden Spurge. 
The "rearer of thefe garden Spurges rifeth up, but with one hollow ftraight whitifh Italke, as big as a finger; 
lhaddowed as it were over with browne, on which grow up to the toppe, for thefirft yeare, many thteke fat 
long and fomewhat narrow leaves, of ablewilh greene colour on the upperf.de, and more wh.t.(h under, 
ueath, fomewhat like unto Willow leaves for the forme, yeeld.ng milke as plentiful! as any of the 
. Latbjru major vul&arit fwe Cataputia minor. 
Ordinary garden Spurge. 
reft: the next yeare after,ir divideth it lelfe,into many fmall bran¬ 
ches, with (mailer leaves at every partition, every part thereof 
yeelding milke, as the others doe : the flowers are of a pale yel¬ 
low colour, and {land in cups like the former forts, but are final 
ler than many of them, yeelding fweete, and nothing fo hot and 
burning feede, in three lquare heads, fomewhat like unto thofe 
of Talma Chrifti,kut round and bigger, than any of tie former 
TithymaUs or Spurges,which in the" hot Sunne will cracke and 
leapeoutoft 1 e intakes: the roote is long and wooddy, perilhing 
as loone as it hath given (cede, and fpringeth againe of it owne- 
feede,that is. differed to fall. 
2. Lathnt's minor. The leffer garden Spurge. 
The Icfler kinde of garden Spurge isfo like unto the former, 
that I (hail neede but oncly to tell you, that it is the very fame, 
but leffer in every part thereof; for whofoever hath feene the 
greater fort, will prefently fay when they fee this, it is the fame, 
but a leffbr kinde, and fo much l hopewill fatisfie to declare and 
diifmguilh thefe two lorts. 
5. Lathyris minima. The lead garden Spurge. 
This fmall" 1 rden Spurge hath many (lender branches, lying 
upon the ground, fet full offmallleaves, no bigger than thofe of 
Knotgrafle; among which rifeth up a llalke, about a foote high, 
with Inch like leaves on it as grew below: at the toppe whereof 
Hand many fmall yellow flowers, cluttering thicke together on 
their (inall foote ftalkes, but not fpread abroad like unto the for¬ 
mer forts : this yeeldeth milke as the others doe : the roote is 
fmall, (preading many fmall firings, with fibres at them. 
The Place. 
They all grow in lome places wilde,about the borders of fields, 
but molt ufuaily in gardens, where, when they arc once planted 
they will hardly be rid out againe. 
The Time. 
They flower in Inly, and the feede is ripe in Augufl, 
The Names. 
They are called in dreeke t.Tiueis Lathyris , quia congenemtt 
Tithymalo ejUidcm,fedeflicaciorem & magis virofam jignaret : i-n La- 
tine Cataputia minor , for as is before fayd, the Ricintu or Palma ChriJH feede, is called CatapMiaietajor, and it is 
likly it was lo called cjuiafcmenfertfetipiltilas five catapotia,£i in Englifhgarden Spurge,that they may differ from 
all others. The firft and (econd are generally by all writers called, either Lathyris or Cataputia minor. The lad is 
called by Lugduncnfis Lathyris minor T> alechampii, and Bauhinm thereupon Lathyris minor conglomerate flore, and 
it is likely alfo to be the fame that (’tfidpinm calleth Cataputiapufilla; The Arabians call it Mandtma ai)d Maher.d 
dane,x\\zjt aliens Catapttasza, Laihir.inwi Cataputia minore, the Spaniards Tart ago y the French FJpurge, the GVr- 
mar.es Sprinekraut, Sprinohrner and Tr.eiid’yrner: the Dutch Sprinakcrusdt'Cr Spurgie- and we in Fngtijh) Spurge 
ai d garden spurge. The Venues. 
The feede of this Spurge, is for the mod part onely in ufe with us, whereof 5 or 7 or <7 or to graines, at the 
mod are taken at a time,to purge both by ftoole and vomit, tough flegme, choller, me\apeholy, and water, as 
Dio/corides faith : the ufuall planner is to fwallow the feedes whole, without breaking either huske or kernel! 
and then they worke the-more gently and weakely, but if the huskes bebroken, and the kernels f wallowed 
whole or chewed, or.bruiled and mixed with drinke or broth, they will then worke more- violently; and there¬ 
fore to be taken wiebthe more caution : the milke is more violent, even as the former Tithymalsor Spurges 
are to be taken inwardly,but outwardly applyed and carefully, it helpeth to take away hades on theeye-browes, 
forehead or temples,for it mud not touch any other part of the face or skinne; the fame alfo cautelouily applyed, 
taketh away the proud and dead fleih in wounds, hard callous knobs, comes or warts in the flelh, (if they bee 
fird pared to the quicke and then applyed) running fcabs and fores, and the blemifhes fcarressnd fpotsof the 
skinne: it is put alfo into hollowteech to take away the paine, but you mud beware that it touch no other of the 
teeth or guinmes, or other part ofthe mouth: the milkcmadeup into Trochifces, or little balls, with the meale 
of beanes or peafe, and kept dry, doth ferve all the yeare to ufe, as occafion is offers d, for the purpofes aforefayd, 
the diddled water of the whole plant,is of efpeciall ule, to clenfe the skinne from freckles, morphew, or anyo- 
.ther-difeolpurings, either of it felfe, or mixed with the water of beane flowers, and baftard Diftanie, and being 
gently, 
1 91 
