418 Chap.32. Theatnm Botanicum. Tribe 3 
ribbe of every ieafe, raifed up a little high: at the toppe of the (hikes ftand divers fuch like flowers as the for¬ 
mer, but all on one fide of a pale colour, tending to yellow, which afterward yeeld fmall, long, blackifh pods 
wherein lie fmall flattilh feede, like unto Lentills: the rooteis fomewhat great and blacke, fending forth very 
long firings, whereby it fafteneth it felfe deepe in the ground. 1 
The Tlace. 
The firft groweth commonly wilde by the way fides ofmoift fields and medowes, both in Italy, Savoy and o- 
ther places ; as alfo found of late growing wilde in the Medowes by Linton in Cambridge fbire : the other not but 
upon the toppes of mountaines, where any plaines are found. 
The Time, 
They flower in the end of Iunemihtly, and the feede is ripe in Augufi. 
The Thames, 
This herbe hath not beene knowne to the ancient Authors; and therefore hath no name, but is ufully called'in 
Latine Galega or Rata Cafeteria, for they that firft found it and the vertues, gave that name of Rata thereunto as 
finding it no Idle effefluall than the beft Rue : fome call it Gralega, and fome Herba qalltca as Fracajloritu : and 
of fome Capraria : the Florentines call it Lavanefe ; in other parts of Italy it hath divers other names as Grfner 
faith Caflracane,Lavttnna , Thorina or Tmnna, Marttrenca, Sarracena , Capragina, Herbanefe , and Giarga as lirafa- 
volu r faith. Some with us call it Vetch,but moltcommonly ©oates Rue. The other Lugduncnfis calleth 
Gale pa montam ; and Bauhinut referreth it to the Orobtts Pannonicw of Cluftm, which it cannot be, for he faith it 
perifheth every yeare ; and alfo to the eArachw latifolim of Dodonsm, which it cannot be neither, for Bodoneua 
faith, his Aracbus is Icalled of divers Ervam Venetum, which diftereth little or nothing at all from Clupus his 
firft Orobut Panmnicm, fo that in this, as in very many other things, he is much miftaken. 
The Vertues. 
Goates Rew is mod effeChrall againft the bitings or flings of any venemous creature, yeathofe Italians ando- 
thers (as Pena and Lob el fay ) that ule to gather Vipers ( W hich are certainely .Adders with us, by the j udgemenr 
of the beft) doe account it more cffefluall topreferve them being bitten or (lung, than any Treakle of the belt 
making,or to defend them from any other infection, and therefore eate it continually, as other herbes in fallets or 
otherwife in their meates and brothes.lt is no lefle powerfull and effeCtuall againft poifon 1 hen the plague or pe- 
fti!ence,orany infectious or peftilentious fevers ondifeafes,that breake forth into fpotsor markes,as the meafells 
purples, and the fmall pocks, in all which it is admirable, whateffcdlsit worketh, both topreferve horn the infe¬ 
ction, and to cure them that are infeCted,to take every morning lome of the juice thcreof.as alio to cate the herbe 
it felfe, every morning falling, but it will be the more effeCtuall if the juice be taken with a little good Treakle 
and fome Tormentill rootes in powder, mixed with Car dm benedilUu water,or with fome vinegar and fine Bole- 
armonicke, and Treakle in the faid water, and prefently to fweat two houres thereupon, which it cauleth alfo 
in fome fort it felfe, and may be ufed as well when any is infeCted, as when any fearc themfelvestofce infeCted 
with the plague; a fpoonefull alfo of the juice given in a morning fading, is very effectual! to kill the wormes in 
children, or the herbe it felfe fried with a little oyle of bitter Almons, and laid hot unto the navell, as alfo to 
helpe the falling ficknefle before it grow ftrong, and old upon them ; it is very profitably applied to the belly 
pained with gripings of winde andthecollicke, being fried and laid to warme: in the fame manner alfo laid 
upon plague fores before they be broken, either difperfeth them (yet defending the heart, not ftrikiiw it in- 
wardly) or draweth them forth, and healeth them: it is alfo effectually applied with vinegar to gangrenes 
running ulcers and fores, to flay the malignitie of them in their fretting and fpreading, and to defend the vital! 
fpirits from danger: it is held alfo robe very cordiall topreferve the heart from palpitations, tremblings and 
fwounmngs, and againft melancholike vapours oppreffing it. Some life a Syrupe made of the juice, and fome of 
the diftilled water as a niorefamiliar medecine,to take upon all occalions inwardly, for all the purpofes afore- 
faid ; and fome ufe to make an oyle of the flowers digefted in the Sun, by often repetitions of ini uhon to anoint 
the wrefis of the hands where the pulfc is felt, as alfo the region of the heart, to defend it from the difeafes afore- 
iaid, and danger of infection: it is no Idle effeftuall for Sheepe, Goates, and Cattle, for from the experience of 
Goat-heards therein,came the name of Capraria added unto it: it fatteneth hennes alfo wonderfully, and cau¬ 
leth them to lay egges the more plentifully. The other Mountaine Goates Rew, is held alfo almoft as effcCluall 
againft poyfon and infection of the plague as the other. 
Chap. XXXII. 
Phalangittm. Spiderwort. 
Q Here are divers forts of Spiderworts,fome of antient knowledge, others of later accelfe, of all which 
I have given the deferiptions in my former Book,which although 1 meane not to repeatc here again; 
yec I chinke it not amide both to give you fome of their names St figures,and to fee downe their ver- 
cucs. It is thought it tooke the name gatittyyiw and pare-yylliit,Phalangittm and Thalangites from the 
forme of the feede velfells, others from the forme of the leaves like to that Spiders legges in going, 
but more certainely I thinke from the propertie of curing the dangerous poifon of that great Spidef: For which 
purpoleborh Diofcorides and Galen doe commend the flowers, leaves, and feedes of it, as alfo againft theveru- 
lencie of Scorpions and other Serpents,and to difeuffe the torments that rife from their hurts or otherwife. The 
names ofthofedeferibed are thefe Phalangium AUobrogicumiTihe Savoy Spiderwort: Thalangium maytts Italicum 
album. The greater Italian Spiderwort. Pbalangittmnonramojnm vulgare. Vnbranched Spiderwort. Phalangium 
ramofum. Branched Spiderwort. Thalangium Ephemerum Virginianum IohannU Tradefcanti. The (bone fading 
Spiderwort of Virginia, or Iohn Tradefcants Spiderwort of Virginia, which is of a deepe pnrplilh blew colour, 
Wbereunto may be added oflater knowledge one with a white flower, and another with a reddifh or Carnation. 
Chap. 
