T ribi 1 6. The Theater of ‘Plants. 
C H A P.46. 1455 
kmdc ‘Diojcoridcs mJketh mention of both thefe forts.and the white one alio, althoughhe hath deferibed bur 
one. but fomc doe much mervaile that Theophrashu that doth fo often make mention of the Myrtle, yet hath in 
no place defcribed it. The firff fort here fet downe is the firrt Myt u , with Clufin, called by him Myrtut Bxtic'a 
latif.du domejhca, and by Label Myrtw hurcafecunda. The fccond is called by Clufiw, Myrtut Biticalatifoli* 
txo'ica. The third is as I take it the Italic* famerarij, which Mat1lml.1t and others doe deferibe, and may be th- 
C enjugula ofl Cato, which Pliny calleth naflraejbai is Ramona, and Label Lumen maxima, and is molt likely to hi 
tncniyra of Diofcorictes, The fourth is the t-Myrtw Bxticaangujlifolia exotic* of Clufine, which Label calleth 
c > Ay tut exotica Flmiy, and although it have not fix order of leaves, as r Pliny his exotica, yet faith Chilitu the leave" 
prow thicke together, that it feemeth to have more then ir hath. The fifth Clufitu calleih A/jrtu, BatkaMvc- 
Jint, and is the Myrti majoris qmntafiecies of Label,mi Myrtut fylveftris of Matthiolw Tbefixth is the Mi r 
tm domtfitcafrunu alba of Clufim, which Bellamy often remtmbreth in his Obfervations, and is the Myrtut „om 
angufttfaha by Label T he two [aft fave one are very likely to be the Tarentina, and fo Motthialm, and Chum 
take them to be. LobelcMttib them Myrtut mimrvnlgaiu, andfooihers, becaule as I faid they beftabidennr 
Kortherne Countries. The fait is fo called by Comutui as it is in the title. The Excreffence that is often found 
gro wing upon old Myrtle trees, is called Myrtidanum and Myrtadammby Dtofcmde,, and Myrtidanum Yer 
<Ptmy calleth MyrtMnnm, the wine that is made of Myrtle berryes. Thereare likewife, faith Bettoniut 'in his 
Obfervations, cerraine Ccccw.or red berries, like unco the Chermes berries growing upon the Myrtles in many 
places otTurkj, which havein them but one flye or worme, and ufed as the Chermls todye withall. The^'Z 
lam call it Ats Alas ancM/, the Italians Myna and Mortello, the Spaniards Marta, and Raham, the French 
Myrtc and Meurtre, other Nations follow the Latmc as neere as they can,the Apothecaries and Drugailfs drops 
call the berries Myrtillut, and we in EngUJb Myrtle berries. bt> 
The VcrtucSt 
The Myrtle as Galen faith hath contrary qualliries in it.for it hath a palling cold earthy quality in it and a cer 
tame th.nne warme eflence alfo, and therefore it powerfully dryeth and bindethl The dryed leaves are more 
drying and binding then the foe* which being beaten and boyled with water, is good to drinke againlt ca- 
tarres,falling to any parr of the body and doth helpe alfo the fluxes of the belly or ftomacke, mold ulcers and 
fretting or creeping fores, being applyed to the fwcllings and heate of the cbds, the Import nines of the funda- 
ment, and Saint Anthonies fire: the decoftion of the leaves is good for the refolucion of the Arteries and ioynts 
and their weakencile to fit in or over the lame as in a bath, and doth helpe to confolidate broken bones or out of 
oy nt, that will hardly be cured, it helpeth the forenefle of the nayles, and that riling of the skin about them if 
the pouther of the dryed leaves be cad thereon : the ,'uyce ofthe leaves is of the fame tffefts, whether out “the 
fiedr leaves.or taken from the dry, by infufing red Wine on them, and is fafely uled where there is neede of any 
1 "f d<cine ’ °l t0 hcal f thc U c , c . rs of the nl ° uth or P r 'vy parts: the fame alfo helpeth watering eyes or 
thofe that begun* to have a filme or skin1 to grow that will take away thc fight. The feed! is good for the trem" 
.1 ngs and paflions of the heart, andtohelpe thole that fpit blood, or have the bloody flixe, ic dayeth alio wo- 
mens immoderate courfes, and the whites alfo, it helpeththc fling of Scorpions, and the bitings of venemous 
inp hreMh a «d° f ^ d^i eha, ^‘ um > mi the d »nger of Mufliromes.-bcing drunke in Wine, it helpeth a flink- 
ing breath «d amende* that which is not fweete, the fame alfo heated with Wine healeth old ulcers that are 
hard to cure. it helpeth thedifeafes ofthe b adder,and provokerh urine, it alfobindeth the belly, and ftayeth the 
fluxe of humours, the blanes.wheales and other breakings out in the skinne thedecoflionof them, is o 00 d for 
women to fit in or over, that arc troubled with the falling dqwne of the mother, and isgood alio firth! failin' 
downe ofthe fundament, and the piles. The Exceedence called Myrtidanum, is of greater force to dry and b inde 
then either Ieafe, juyee, or feede: the juyee condenfate of Myrtles is commended by MatthMu, for a better fob! 
Myrdc hath the vuyce of Slocs ’ which hath not that aromaticall fcnt,and rttepgthning quality that the 
Chu, XL VI. 
Vituldiafive iMyrtilhu Germanic a velVaccimumfrutex. Whortleberries. 
Here arc divers forts of thefe low fh rubs, which murt all goc under the name of Whorts or Whor- 
l tie berrres^ltnoogh there is much difference beeweene them. 
_.. *• Vaccinia nigravu/garia. Blacke Whortes or Bill berries. 
»nis fmall bulh creepeth along upon the ground, fcarce riling halfe a yard high, with divers 
lmal darke greenc leaves fee on the greene branches.which it fpreadeth abroad on both tides, but 
a lirrle denred f fo?'!? °" C ® nother >< 0 me w hac like unto the fmaller Myrtle leaves,but not fo hard,and 
• d J c - ■ dses - : atthcf °°«°f the leaves come forth (mall hollow pale blulh coloured flowers 
hfon b eT,!!d Se '| d ' fiS, t n r hV • P 0, " ts ’ w,ch u a raddi(h chrl:d in the middle, which parte into fmall round berries of the 
Durohfo cofour! Ur rk f ‘T'T be i7 es>b . ut fuU ofa Purple fwcetilji lharpe or fbwre juyee, which doth give a fad 
foh!mdherfm!irZd f Z PS at ha "? e ^em.cTpecially if they breakc them; comainfng with- 
ShSfaSfc taSJta Wt e ter.° rcS ' OVVe 3 PC Und "g r0Und > (booc ‘ n g in ‘ u " dr y a > -t creepeth: 
T . ; .. 3. VaccwUmgrafruaumajore, The greater Bill berry. 
i L ‘ ’u berry § roweth g reaKr a " d h 'ghcr then the former, whofe lower part of the branches are of an 
and here b “ ^ “fP" P art ;S r£ent: and f°m«imes reddifh the leaves are fomewhat rounder pointed the flow- 
ers and berryes, are like the other in all things, five that they are larger,but of the lame colour being r ine a! Ti l 
more pleafant fweere and lelfe fharpe tart e : the roote creepeth in the fame manner * P ’ 
3. Vaccinia nigra Pannmica. Hungarian Blacke Whorts 
This Hungarian Whort hath tough (lender Halites, lying for the moll part, on the gtotmd, and there taking 
roots 
