Tribe 17. The Theater of ( PlAnts. Chap,27« 1583 
tion of bitterneffe, although Galen doth, but of fweeceneffe in tafte, none of themJlTbi TiSuariiTor^Iy] 
who is one of the later Greeke Writers: Garcias to excufe the Arabians, of this their dmfion of £ty?«f into d:,l. 
r«and Amarus faith, that it might be that while the CoJlrn was frefh it is white, and hath nobitterneffc in it, but 
growing old, it groweth blacke and gathereth fome bitterneffe to it, by the decaying, but the Apothecaries 
fhops, efpecially in Europe, Ihcw two forts, farre differing the one from the other, both in forme and fub- 
ftance. Of late dayes indeed they have becne more carefull and induilrious to know the right, ar.d to learch foe 
itandufeit, Ac Port ssgals therefore from the Indies broughtin one fort, which as Garcias laith was onely u'ed 
there and no other, but as noteth it in his Scholia thereon, this being a fcrulous fpongy fialke, with the 
toppe onely of the roote to it, differctn from thofe of Eliofcorides and Pliny, the one intimating it to be a roote, 
by faying it was ufed tobe adulterated or falfefyed by obtruding the rootes of He/emium Comaker,ium for it.vAich 
were neither very hot,nor very fweete in lent, and Pliny faying plainely it is a roote: bttr there hath beetle ■. y 
lately brought unto us a fort ofroote called Coftm, and taken by many tobe the Syrian", yet fome thinke it to 
be the Ambient of Diofcorides, being fomewhat yellowifh on the outfide, and white within.fmelling and tafting 
fomewhat fweetc like Orris, which therefore I judge cannot be right, which as Pliny fifth is very hnr in taRe and 
very fweete infent, and GV«r giveth it fuch a degree ofheate, befidesthe bitterneffe, that it will exulcerate 
the skinne: many therefore have fubflituted Zedoarsa in the want thereof, which is the beR fubftitutiot hs: can 
be,agreeing both in forme and degree, molt ofall thereunto; and therefore divers have contended that it was the 
true Coftfit, but in regard Zedoarta hath more bitterneffe and leffe (weeteneffe therein, it cannot bzC.ofiuc, yet 
may be admitted as the fubRitute thereof, but omne fimilc non eft idem: Some againe hold Angelica to be the 
blacke or Indian Coflw, but being a homebred plant fo.it cannot be.and befides hath no fuch bitterneffe and fharpe- 
neffe therein.asGa/rvgiveth to Coitus. The Arabians call it Cofi or Cafi, thofe of Surrat Vplot, and jn Malacca 
where they much ufe it Pucho. The Vertues hereof as THofcotides hath fet them downe of the true Coftue, 
(which as is bcfoi efaid is doubtfull whether we have or no) are thefe, It provoketh urine and womens courles* 
and helpeth the dileafes ofthe mother, as well by bathing as fuming: two ounces thereof being dt nnke, helpeth 
thcbitingofvipers, and is good againR the paines of the breft, convulfions,or thG windy flitches, fwellingsor 
puffings in the ftomackejfidcs or body, being taken with wormewood in wine,and being taken with lwect wine 
it provoketh Vencry, it killeth the broad wormes of the belly: it is ufed with oyle to annoynt the body, before 
the cold fir of agues to warme it, and thereby to expell it, asalfoagainfltheweakeneffeofthe finewes, and the 
hip-goute.and amendeth the difcolouring or blemifhes of the skinne and face 5 ufing it with hony and water,and as 
Calm addeth by reafon of the light bitternefle,and much fharpeneffe and heate,it will exulcerate. 
Chap. XXVI. 
Cubeba, Cubebs, 
Vbcbs are (mall berries fomewhat fweete,no bigger then Pepper comes,but more rugged or crefted 
not foblackenorfolid, being either hollo w or withakernellwithinit,ofa hot glowing tafle, noc 
fierce as Pepper ,and having each a fmall (hort ftalke at them like a taile, and therein very like’roa 
kind of Pepper, was for a while wont to be brought to us,which the Portugal, called Pimenta del 
rabe,Piper caudatum, Pepper with a taile,and was forbidden by the King of Portugal! to be brought 
any more lealf it Ihould fpoyle the file of the other Pepper : this faith Garcias groweth on trees 
leffe then Apple trees, with leaves thereon narrower then 
thofe of Pepper running on trees like Ivy, or rather like 
Pepper,butnotlikeuntoH*/c««, cailed Alyrtus fylvcflrii, 
as Matthiolus Silvaticut thought, as Serapio fet it downe 
butfalfely: the flower is fweete, and the fruite groweth 
cluflringtogcthct,yctnotinbunches asGrapcs, but more 
feparate. Cefalpinus tookethem to be Amomum , many o- 
thersout of Aviccn and other Authours, tooke them tobe 
the Carpefiam of Galen, and fome to be the feed of Zitex ot Agnus Caftuc. The Arabians call them Qytabebe, and 
Quabebechini, but in Java where they grow plentifully enough, and are there of fo great account, that it is laid, 
they boyle them in water before they part with them, fearing they might be fowne and grow in fome other place 
and ufethemmuchtoftirreupVenery, and to warme and ftrengthen the Romacke overcome with flegme or 
winde.and doe purge the breft of thicke tough humours,hclpe the fpleene, diffolve wind and are very profitable 
forthecoldgriefesofthewombe: being longchewcd with MaRicke they draw much flegme and rheumc from 
the head, and flrengthen the braine or memory. 
Cubcba. Cubebs. 
Chap. XXVII. 
Curcama, Turmericke. 
,T Is very likely that Turmericke is Diofcorides his Cyptrus Ir.dicsu, which he faith hath a rooie like 
Ginger,giving a yellow colour like Saffron, being bitter in tafle, and a prefent helpe to take away 
haire .- all which notes agree notably hereunto, the roote being much liker to Ginger then unto any 
kindeofCypcrus, and therefore we may marveile the more why Diofcorides fhould referre it to 
CyperusjUnleffehehadunderRood of thole that had feene it, thititdidgrow like unto aCyperus, 
and is very yellow both within and without, bitter in tafle, and may ferve for the haire,as it is fpecified, although 
peradventure the force is halfe loft by the long carriage, but this is not the Curcuma of Scrapie or Aviccn ,as Mat- 
Tttttt * thiolut 
