Ch AP.t]-6. 
7 heatrum 'Botanic um. 
R1BE 2. 
- -Nec non etiam a [pera Rufci y 
Vimina per fjlv am y & ripis fluvialis arundo. Cedatur; 
and to preferve hanged meate from Mife eating, from whence came the Italian name of Pongllofi.tnd for to make 
Broomes to iweepethehoufe, from whence came the name of Scoparrgia, but the Kings “chamber is by revo¬ 
lution of time turned to the Butchers flail, for that a bundle of the ftalkes tied together, ferveth them to clenfe 
their Halles, and from thence have we our Hnglilh name of Butchers Broome. 
Chap. XLVI. 
Sefamum. The oyly purging Pulfe Sefamum. 
S His plant upon the firft fpringing thereof from the feede, rifeth up with foure fmalllong and fomewhat 
broad leaves,betweene which come forth other, that when they are full growne, are as large and long 
as the great Nightfliade leaves, but fome deepelier dented than others,and even almoft tome; eipecial- 
ly at the lower end of the leafe next theftalke, each ftandingona long footeftalke: the ftalke rifeth 
from among the lower leaves, being ftraight, thicke, fat, ftrongand round, two or three foote high; from 
whence fhoote forth on all fides (if itobtainea ftrong fat ground, andawarme place,) diverfe ftalkes of leaves 
like unto the other, ( or elfe abideth bare or without branches ) 
twoforthemoft part fet at a joint, and at each joynt of the Safatium. The oyly purging pulfe Sefamum. 
ftalke up to the toppe, commeth forth one flower, of a whitifh 
colour, which is fomewhat long like vnto a Bell flower, made 
of one leafe without divifion at the edges, having a few long 
threds at the bottome, not riling fo high, that they may be feene 
without opening the flower: after the flowers arc paft, there 
come up in their ftcede, fmall long hard cods, having three or 
foure or five ribbes or creftes, which doe open t.hemfelves into 
fo many parts, having in each part fmall whitifh yellow flat 
feedes lying therein: the roote is fomewhat great and long, 
with many firings and fibres at it, taknig as faft hold in the 
ground, as a Sowthiftle doth : both leaves, ftalkes, and 
feedes arc very bitter while they are greene, that cattle will 
not touch them, but being dried they become more plealant for 
them to eate : and the feede becommeth more oyly than Lin- 
feede, from whence is prefled forth a whitifh oyle, very fweete 
while it is frefh, and will not in along time decay or grow 
ftronger. 
The P lace. 
It grovveth naturally in the Indies and other Eafterly coun¬ 
tries, but is onely fowen in the fields, of Syria , Egypt , Sicily y 
CandyjGreece^nd other places there abouts,it is tobe had but in 
the gardens of lovers of rare plants in all Italy , neither in the 
tranfalpine countries: the Apothecaries in our land doe feldome 
ufe either feed or oyle,few or none of them ever faw the feede, 
much lefl'e the plant. 
The Time. 
Itfloweth not untill July, andripeneth not the feede until! 
September. 
The Names. 
It is called cUmf/ov and o-I&tuY) in Greeke, and Sefamum and 
Sefama in Latine of all Writers thereof. /llpinw faith it is 
called in Egypt Sempfcm, the oyle thereof Syrii ,and the footand 
grounds of the oyle Thaine. All Authours almoft doe number it 
among the graines and cornes, as a kinde thereof, and not of the pulfe, which doe all for the moft part beare 
cods, yet of diverfe fafhions, but why they fhould doe fo, I cannot conceive any other reafons, than that it was 
put into bread as Poppy feede was, the feede being fomewhat like unto Millet, and that it was fowen in the 
fields,as other graine and pulfe were; for Theophrajlus in diftinguifhing the kinds of graine, lib. 8 .cap i .ma- 
keth^.forts, the firft wheate, barly, &c.the fecond beanes,peafe &c. the 3, Millet, Panicke and Sefamum } where¬ 
of come bearcth fpik< sorearcs, pulfe beare cods, and thofe that are like Millet, Panicke, &c. doe beare a juba 
or maine, for fohe calleth thatreede-like tuft or bufliy feather like toppe which the Millet and Panicke doe 
beare, and fetteth downe Sefamum omong them : now Sefamum hath no fuch bufhy feather toppe as Panicke or. 
Millet, or as the like have, but rather fcverall cods as the pulfe, allthough in differing manner ; but Galen in primo 
■AlmentorTi doth number it among the pulfes,and faith it was in his time eaten of many as pulfes are. 'Bellonius in 
the 29. Chapter of his third booke of Obfervations,fetteth downe the manner of making the oyle of Sefamum y 
which if any be defirous to know, I referre him to the Author. 
The yertues. 
The feede and oyle of Sefamum are all of one qualitie and temperature, being neere the fecond degree of heate 
and moifture, both mollifying and diffolving: but the leaves efpecially u'hile'they are greene, are more cooling* 
fit to reprefle the inflammations and griefes of the eyes, by way of fomenting them, the feede is taken inwardly 
in decoftions or other way es, or ufed in glifters to loofen the belly, when it i? bound or pained by the chollicke, 
, which 
