i6o8 Chap.52, 
'Tkeatrum Botanicum 
1 RIE E 17 
C K A P. LI. 
Tacamahaca, Hie Gum Tacamahaca. 
HisGum, which tlie Weft Indimscall Tacamahaca, the Spaniards ana all other Nations retaining 
the fame name,is laid to be gathered from a great tree like unto a Poplar, that is, very fweete having 
a red Iruite or berry like unto thofe of the Teon], more we cannot as yet leame of it. The Gumme 
is of good and much ule for outward remedies, not being knowne to be given inwardly for any in¬ 
firmity, although I doubt no; but that it might (safely and to good purpofe, if judgement were j'oyned 
with the triall thereof,but as it is now generally ufed, it fervethmucb, yea and mod of all in womens difeafes to 
retaine the Mother in its place, by laying a plailler thereof upon the navell: as alio when it rifetli up and is ready 
to ftrangle them, and for theflrcngthemng thereof, fomeput Muske and Ambertoit, or alittle Civet in the 
middle oftbe plaiiter: This Gumme being (pread on leather and applyed to the fide or ipleene, that is growne 
hardand windy, diifolveth the tumours, difperfcth the winde and bringeth much cafe and hclpe tothedi.qui¬ 
eted part, and is no Idle effcftuall in all tumours,griefes, paincs and torments in the body or j'oynts,proceeding 
of cold raw,and windy humours, applyed plaftcrwifc thereon: to be applyed to the flomacke, with a third part 
olStorax, a little Ambergriefe, andfomewaxc, isafingular lielpe to llrengthen the weakeneffe thereofto 
hclpe digeilion, to provoke the appetite, and to difiolve wind : itis of excellent ufc in the head-ache, and to 
llrengthen the braine and memory, asalfoin all defluxions from the head, into the face, eyes, eares or teeth 
crufing fwellings therein, with paines.rednefle, and much perplexity, to b* applyed to the cemples, or put into 
the eare, tyed in a little fine filke or cloath it helpcth alfo all running humours,and paines thereby in the (houl • 
dersorarmes, or any other part of (he body, the/cynts hkewife, goutes and Sciatica, giving befides the fcat- 
tering of the humours, much eafe oftbe paines, andhy the adriftion whereof it partaketh not a little, dreng- 
theneth the parts wonderfully againfl the virulency of the humours: it maryelioufly helpeth all punflures and 
wounds in thejoyms, and thatfpeeddy, healing them and hindering any fpifme or convulfion that may happen 
therein, fo thac this gumme ferveth as a remedy in mol outward griefes that doe not rile from much heate and 
yet therein is not defeflive, being warily applyed, that is in the declination of the brace rodifeuffe thofe humours 
thatremaine : forbeing hot to theentrancc of the third degreeand dry in the fecond, with much attrition alio, 
it is moll proper for thoie before recited griefes, and others of the like property. The choyfe oftbe bell is, thac 
it be pure and cleans without drolfc, cleareaUo, in fome fort ofa whitifh browne colour, and more whitifh in 
fome parts, of no llrong but a little quicke and fliarpefenc, and quiekely confuming into fmoakc being call on 
quicke coales. 
Chap. LI I. 
Terra Lemma velfigillat*. Terrafigillata or fealed earth. 
Hceufe this is, andhathbecncadruggeofmuchrefpe£tandufcinphyficke, although no herbe, I 
could not over pade it, but (hew you the thing, and the many doubts and falfifications with the u- 
festhereof, that my Brethren in profedion, andallothersalfo that fhall have occafion to ufe ir, 
may both know the right and refulc the counterfet and falfe : for that is the whole fcope of my 
labours in this Worke, via.. to enforme all oftbe genuine and right things, that they may defire, 
and know them, and alfo the belt true ufes whercunto they ferve, Firil for the Place it is cer- 
cainely agreed by all that the Ifle of Lemma feated in the ty€gean Sea,called 
by the Italians and others in theft dayes StaUmene , was in all former ages 
and yet is in thefe times, the place where onely this earth is to be had, which 
hath beenc and Hill is of much eftimation in phyficke, for the excellent Ver¬ 
mes therein above all the carthes in all other places, and therefore the feve- 
rail ages had femall rites whereby to ennoble it the more; Diofcoridcs faith 
of his time that they ufed to mixethe blood ofaGoate with the carth,which 
Gain in his time (which was long after Tiofcoridcs) being dcllrous to 
know, and what proportion of blood was put to the earth, he lailed twice 
to Lemnos for that purpofe, but miffingof the place the firfliimc, atthefe- 
cond he came both to fee the piece from whence it was taken, and the man¬ 
ner of ordering of it, which was differing from JDiofcorides his relation, for 
neither blood nor any thing elfe was mixed there with, and Galen as he (aith 
himftlfe, was laughed at by the people of the better fort, who well under- 
flood the courfe of their Country for many foregoing ages, for atking fuch 
» queflion of the mixing of Goatee blood with it: but the Pried that was 
then ready prepared to fetch home a cart full thereof, upon his arrival! there, 
onelvcaflacertainenumber of Wheats- and Barley cornes to the earth, as a 
pacification therewith, and Ions cciemonious rites, accordingto the Re¬ 
ligion of his Country, caufed it to he carry cd home, where, having put it in¬ 
to water, they wadred the pure earth from the Hones and (and, or any other 
thing in it, which afterwards being dry againe, they make icinrofmall 
cakes, fome bigger or Idler then others, and feale them with the figure 
ofaGoate, the badge of Diana ; and therefore they were called Sphragida 
chat is [tgillnm capra, or Sphragii Lemma figilltm Lemmum, and the La- 
TcrraLmr.iavcI 5fists. 
