R l B E 17, 
The Theater of ' Plants* C h a p* 6 5, 
Chap. LXV. 
j. Herha Viva. The Herbe oflifeor love. 
Hereare two forts of this kinde of plant that are tobe diftinguiflied in (under,and not to be 2ccourp- 
tcd all one as divers have thought that are knowne to usaflate(andyet I thinke verily there be Come 
othtrsoftheiamenaturc,notfhfficicntly yet made knowne to us, which I gather out of the wri- 
- tings and relations of divers. The one is anherbie plant without anyprickes or thornes thercon.for 
“ any thing that I can learnc thereof, and is this I am now about to (hew you : The other is both a 
Ihrubbf,or as fome fay a tree,and thorny alfo which (hall follow. Garcias ah Orta firftmaketh mention theieof 
to grow in divers places of the Eafl 1 ndies but giveth it no name. Acofla faith it is called by the Chriftians there 
generally Ucrha viva, and of the Indians Herba amorU, of the Arabians and Turkes Stelae and Stelucjtee : The 
leaves are compared by them unto the leaves of PoUipsdy, but Accfia rather comparcth them to the leaves of 
Orobur, foure or five,or divers riling from the roote,each upon its footflalke, being winged with many imaller 
ones then thofeofeWin.fetonbothfldcsof the (tallies, which are about two inches long a peece, of a pleafant 
grecne colour very beautiful!; among which leaves rife up divers (lender bate naked (hikes, each of them bea¬ 
ring one flower at the toppe in forme fomewhat like unto a Pinke, but ofa yellow colour without any .(cm at 
all. The admirable propertie hereofis, that if any (hall touchitwich their hand, and fome fay that if any man 
doe but breath upon it, it will prefently draw it felfe together, and if one would take it into their hand it will 
dole together as if it were dead. But that which is moreadmirable is, that if they fhall withdraw their hand it 
will quickly after as it were revive againeand fpteadit felfe at it wasbefore it was touched, and this it will doe 
many times in a day if it be touched and let alone againe without touching. Other properties it is fayd to have, 
as to reflore Virgins that have beene defloured, if ye will beleeve it, to procure love berweene man and woman, 
and as Acojla faith he was informed by an Indian Phifition of good credit, that he would caufe any woman to be 
at his will and pleafure, fo that he would but declare her name,and ufe it (or rather abufe it ) as he would appoint 
him,but the faff being unlayvfull,he refufed the condition 
2. Frntcxfcnfibihs HerbaCUimoJa diBa. The Mimicke herbecalled the fenfitive thorny (hrubbe. 
This other Mimick,Mocking or Senfltive plant groweth to be a wooddy Shrubbe, yea fome fay to be a tree, 
having divers (prigs riling from the root, and branching forth fundry leaves fet here and there, with thort thornes 
or prickles,leaning as Acofta unto other trees or walls, but Clujiw faith it fpreadeth on the ground taking roote 
at the Joynts, and fundry wings of frefh greene leaves thereon, which upon the touch of any man, or his breath¬ 
ing onely, andnorofany thing elfe would fbrinke and feeme as withered; but neither flower nor fruit hath 
Acojia mentioned, but I am enfo'med f rom Mounficur lobr.dc J.aet out of a Spanilh relation thereofin a booke 
printed atcJTAt.vir0,that it beareth flowers and fruit fomewhat like unro the Chcfnut, many of them hanging 
downe together in a clufler, being greene at the firft and afterwards red, thefe be others relations: but let mce 
fhew you what I have feencof the living plant as it grew in a pot at Cbcl/ey in Sir John TJ avers Garden, where di¬ 
vers feeds being fowne therein about the middle ofcTTiy,i 6 5 8. and i6,p.fomeof them fprang upto be nearer 
halfe a foot high,yet others were inferiour, the tailed (hot two or three ftalkcs from the root, fomewhat hard 
and wooddy, with divers joynts on each fide, and feverall branches thereat, as alfo a fmall (hort thorns at each 
HetbaVtva, The hcrbeofLit’cor Lore. 
1. Fntet fenfibilu Herbs Mimofa diiia. 
The thorny fenfitive Shrub or Plant. 
