Chap. XCV.Mandragoras.Mandrake.The Mandrake is distinguished into two kindes, the male and the female; the male hath two sorts, the one differing from the other, as shall be shewed; but of the female I know but one: The male is frequent in many gardens, but the female, in that it is more tender and rare, is noursed vp but in a few.Mandragoras mas.The male Mandrake.The male Mandrake thrusteth vp many leaues together out of the ground, which being full growne, are faire, large and greene lying round about the roote, and are larger and longer then the greatest leaues of any Lettice, whereunto it is likened by Dioscorides and others: from the middle, among these leaues, rise vp many flowers, euery one vpon a long slender stalke, standing in a whitish greene huske, consisting of fiue pretty large round pointed leaues, of a greenish white colour, which turne into small round apples, greene at the first, and of a pale red colour when they are ripe, very smooth and shining on the outside, and of a heady or strong stuffing smell, wherein is contained round whitish flat seede: the roote is long and thicke, blackish on the outside, and white within, consisting many times but of one long roote, and sometimes diuided into two branches a little below the head, and sometimes into three or more, as nature listeth to bestow vpon it, as my selfe haue often seene, by the transplanting of many, as also by breaking and cutting off of many parts of the rootes, but neuer found harme by so doing, as many idle tales haue beene set downe in writing, and deliuered also by report, of much danger to happen to such, as should digge them vp or breake them; neyther haue I euer seene any forme of man like or woman-like parts, in the rootes of any: but as I said, it hath oftentimes two maine rootes running down right into the ground, and sometimes three, and sometimes but one, as it likewise often happeneth to Parsneps, Carrots, or the like. But many cunning counterfeit rootes haue bin shaped to such formes, and publickly exposed to the view of all that would see them, and haue been tolerated by the chiefe Magistrates of the Citie, notwithstanding that they haue beene informed that such practices were meere deceit, and vnsufferable; whether this happened through their ouer-credulitie of the thing, or of the persons, or through an opinion that the information of the truth rose vpon enuy, I know not, I leaue that to the searcher of all hearts: But this you may bee bold to rest vpon, and assure your selues, that such formes as haue bin publickly exposed to be seene, were neuer so formed by nature, but only by the art and cunning of knaues and deceiuers, and let this be yourGaleatumagainst all such vaine, idle and ridiculous toyes of mens inuentions.There is likewise another sort of these male Mandrakes, which I first saw at Canterbury; with my very louing and kinde friende Iohn Tradescante, in the garden of the Lord Wotton, whose gardiner he was at that time; the leaues whereof were of a more grayish greene colour, and somewhat folded together, when as the former kind that grew hard by it, was of the same forme that is before described, and ordinary in all others: but whether the apples were differing from the other, I know not, nor did they remember that euer it had borne any.Mandragoras fæmina.The female Mandrake.The female Mandrake doth likewise put vp many leaues together, from the head of the roote, but they are nothing so large, and are of a darker greene colour, narrower also and shining, more crumpled, and of a stronger sent: the flowers are many, rising vp in the middle of the leaues, vpon slender stalkes, as in the male kind, but of a blewish purple colour, which turne into small round fruite or apples, and not long like a peare (as Clusius reporteth that saw them naturally growing in Spaine) greene at the first, and of a pale yellowish colour, when they are full ripe; of a more pleasing, or if you will, of a lesse heady sent then the apples of the male, wherein is contained such like seede, but smaller and blacker: the rootes are like the former, blacke without and white within, and diuided in the same manner as the male is, sometimes with more, and sometimes with fewer parts or branches.The Place.They grow in many places of Italie, as Matthiolus reporteth, but especially on Mount Garganus in Apulia. Clusius saith hee found the female in many wet grounds of Spaine, as also in the borders of those medowes that lye neere vnto riuers and water courses. The male is cherished in many Gardens, for pleasure as well as for vse; but the female as is said, is both very rare, and farre more tender.The Time.The Male flowreth in March, and the fruit is ripe in Iuly. The Female, if it be well preserued, flowreth not vntill August, or September; so that without extraordinary care, we neuer see the fruite thereof in our gardens.The Names.Mandragoras masis calledalbus, as theFæminais calledniger, which titles of blacke and white, are referred vnto the colour of the leaues: the female is called alsoThridacias, from the likenesse of Lettice, whereunto they say in forme it doth carry some similitude. Dioscorides saith, that in his time the male was calledMorion, and both of themAntimelum, andCircæa. Wee call them in English, The male, and the female Mandrake.The Vertues.The leaues haue a cooling and drying qualitie, fit for the oyntmentPopuleon, wherein it is put. But the Apples haue a soporiferous propertie, as Leuinus Lemnius maketh mention in hisHerball to the Bible, of an experiment of his owne. Besides, as Dioscorides first, and then Serapio, Auicen, Paulus Ægineta, and others also do declare, they conduce much to the cooling and cleansing of an hotmatrix. And it is probable, that Rachel knowing that they might be profitable for her hot and dry body, was the more earnest with Leah for her Sonne Rubens Apples, as it is set downeGenesis 30. verse 14. The strong sent of these apples is remembred also,Cant.7. 13.although some would diuert the signification of the Hebrew word,דודאים,vnto Violets, or some other sweet flowers, inthe former place ofGenesis, and the fruit ofMusa, or Adams Apples inthis place of theCanticles. Hamilcar the Carthaginian Captaine is said to haue infected the wine of the Lybians (his enemies against whom he fought) with the apples of Mandrake, whereby they being made exceeding drowsie, he obtained a famous victory ouer them.
Chap. XCV.Mandragoras.Mandrake.The Mandrake is distinguished into two kindes, the male and the female; the male hath two sorts, the one differing from the other, as shall be shewed; but of the female I know but one: The male is frequent in many gardens, but the female, in that it is more tender and rare, is noursed vp but in a few.Mandragoras mas.The male Mandrake.The male Mandrake thrusteth vp many leaues together out of the ground, which being full growne, are faire, large and greene lying round about the roote, and are larger and longer then the greatest leaues of any Lettice, whereunto it is likened by Dioscorides and others: from the middle, among these leaues, rise vp many flowers, euery one vpon a long slender stalke, standing in a whitish greene huske, consisting of fiue pretty large round pointed leaues, of a greenish white colour, which turne into small round apples, greene at the first, and of a pale red colour when they are ripe, very smooth and shining on the outside, and of a heady or strong stuffing smell, wherein is contained round whitish flat seede: the roote is long and thicke, blackish on the outside, and white within, consisting many times but of one long roote, and sometimes diuided into two branches a little below the head, and sometimes into three or more, as nature listeth to bestow vpon it, as my selfe haue often seene, by the transplanting of many, as also by breaking and cutting off of many parts of the rootes, but neuer found harme by so doing, as many idle tales haue beene set downe in writing, and deliuered also by report, of much danger to happen to such, as should digge them vp or breake them; neyther haue I euer seene any forme of man like or woman-like parts, in the rootes of any: but as I said, it hath oftentimes two maine rootes running down right into the ground, and sometimes three, and sometimes but one, as it likewise often happeneth to Parsneps, Carrots, or the like. But many cunning counterfeit rootes haue bin shaped to such formes, and publickly exposed to the view of all that would see them, and haue been tolerated by the chiefe Magistrates of the Citie, notwithstanding that they haue beene informed that such practices were meere deceit, and vnsufferable; whether this happened through their ouer-credulitie of the thing, or of the persons, or through an opinion that the information of the truth rose vpon enuy, I know not, I leaue that to the searcher of all hearts: But this you may bee bold to rest vpon, and assure your selues, that such formes as haue bin publickly exposed to be seene, were neuer so formed by nature, but only by the art and cunning of knaues and deceiuers, and let this be yourGaleatumagainst all such vaine, idle and ridiculous toyes of mens inuentions.There is likewise another sort of these male Mandrakes, which I first saw at Canterbury; with my very louing and kinde friende Iohn Tradescante, in the garden of the Lord Wotton, whose gardiner he was at that time; the leaues whereof were of a more grayish greene colour, and somewhat folded together, when as the former kind that grew hard by it, was of the same forme that is before described, and ordinary in all others: but whether the apples were differing from the other, I know not, nor did they remember that euer it had borne any.Mandragoras fæmina.The female Mandrake.The female Mandrake doth likewise put vp many leaues together, from the head of the roote, but they are nothing so large, and are of a darker greene colour, narrower also and shining, more crumpled, and of a stronger sent: the flowers are many, rising vp in the middle of the leaues, vpon slender stalkes, as in the male kind, but of a blewish purple colour, which turne into small round fruite or apples, and not long like a peare (as Clusius reporteth that saw them naturally growing in Spaine) greene at the first, and of a pale yellowish colour, when they are full ripe; of a more pleasing, or if you will, of a lesse heady sent then the apples of the male, wherein is contained such like seede, but smaller and blacker: the rootes are like the former, blacke without and white within, and diuided in the same manner as the male is, sometimes with more, and sometimes with fewer parts or branches.The Place.They grow in many places of Italie, as Matthiolus reporteth, but especially on Mount Garganus in Apulia. Clusius saith hee found the female in many wet grounds of Spaine, as also in the borders of those medowes that lye neere vnto riuers and water courses. The male is cherished in many Gardens, for pleasure as well as for vse; but the female as is said, is both very rare, and farre more tender.The Time.The Male flowreth in March, and the fruit is ripe in Iuly. The Female, if it be well preserued, flowreth not vntill August, or September; so that without extraordinary care, we neuer see the fruite thereof in our gardens.The Names.Mandragoras masis calledalbus, as theFæminais calledniger, which titles of blacke and white, are referred vnto the colour of the leaues: the female is called alsoThridacias, from the likenesse of Lettice, whereunto they say in forme it doth carry some similitude. Dioscorides saith, that in his time the male was calledMorion, and both of themAntimelum, andCircæa. Wee call them in English, The male, and the female Mandrake.The Vertues.The leaues haue a cooling and drying qualitie, fit for the oyntmentPopuleon, wherein it is put. But the Apples haue a soporiferous propertie, as Leuinus Lemnius maketh mention in hisHerball to the Bible, of an experiment of his owne. Besides, as Dioscorides first, and then Serapio, Auicen, Paulus Ægineta, and others also do declare, they conduce much to the cooling and cleansing of an hotmatrix. And it is probable, that Rachel knowing that they might be profitable for her hot and dry body, was the more earnest with Leah for her Sonne Rubens Apples, as it is set downeGenesis 30. verse 14. The strong sent of these apples is remembred also,Cant.7. 13.although some would diuert the signification of the Hebrew word,דודאים,vnto Violets, or some other sweet flowers, inthe former place ofGenesis, and the fruit ofMusa, or Adams Apples inthis place of theCanticles. Hamilcar the Carthaginian Captaine is said to haue infected the wine of the Lybians (his enemies against whom he fought) with the apples of Mandrake, whereby they being made exceeding drowsie, he obtained a famous victory ouer them.
The Mandrake is distinguished into two kindes, the male and the female; the male hath two sorts, the one differing from the other, as shall be shewed; but of the female I know but one: The male is frequent in many gardens, but the female, in that it is more tender and rare, is noursed vp but in a few.
The male Mandrake thrusteth vp many leaues together out of the ground, which being full growne, are faire, large and greene lying round about the roote, and are larger and longer then the greatest leaues of any Lettice, whereunto it is likened by Dioscorides and others: from the middle, among these leaues, rise vp many flowers, euery one vpon a long slender stalke, standing in a whitish greene huske, consisting of fiue pretty large round pointed leaues, of a greenish white colour, which turne into small round apples, greene at the first, and of a pale red colour when they are ripe, very smooth and shining on the outside, and of a heady or strong stuffing smell, wherein is contained round whitish flat seede: the roote is long and thicke, blackish on the outside, and white within, consisting many times but of one long roote, and sometimes diuided into two branches a little below the head, and sometimes into three or more, as nature listeth to bestow vpon it, as my selfe haue often seene, by the transplanting of many, as also by breaking and cutting off of many parts of the rootes, but neuer found harme by so doing, as many idle tales haue beene set downe in writing, and deliuered also by report, of much danger to happen to such, as should digge them vp or breake them; neyther haue I euer seene any forme of man like or woman-like parts, in the rootes of any: but as I said, it hath oftentimes two maine rootes running down right into the ground, and sometimes three, and sometimes but one, as it likewise often happeneth to Parsneps, Carrots, or the like. But many cunning counterfeit rootes haue bin shaped to such formes, and publickly exposed to the view of all that would see them, and haue been tolerated by the chiefe Magistrates of the Citie, notwithstanding that they haue beene informed that such practices were meere deceit, and vnsufferable; whether this happened through their ouer-credulitie of the thing, or of the persons, or through an opinion that the information of the truth rose vpon enuy, I know not, I leaue that to the searcher of all hearts: But this you may bee bold to rest vpon, and assure your selues, that such formes as haue bin publickly exposed to be seene, were neuer so formed by nature, but only by the art and cunning of knaues and deceiuers, and let this be yourGaleatumagainst all such vaine, idle and ridiculous toyes of mens inuentions.
There is likewise another sort of these male Mandrakes, which I first saw at Canterbury; with my very louing and kinde friende Iohn Tradescante, in the garden of the Lord Wotton, whose gardiner he was at that time; the leaues whereof were of a more grayish greene colour, and somewhat folded together, when as the former kind that grew hard by it, was of the same forme that is before described, and ordinary in all others: but whether the apples were differing from the other, I know not, nor did they remember that euer it had borne any.
The female Mandrake doth likewise put vp many leaues together, from the head of the roote, but they are nothing so large, and are of a darker greene colour, narrower also and shining, more crumpled, and of a stronger sent: the flowers are many, rising vp in the middle of the leaues, vpon slender stalkes, as in the male kind, but of a blewish purple colour, which turne into small round fruite or apples, and not long like a peare (as Clusius reporteth that saw them naturally growing in Spaine) greene at the first, and of a pale yellowish colour, when they are full ripe; of a more pleasing, or if you will, of a lesse heady sent then the apples of the male, wherein is contained such like seede, but smaller and blacker: the rootes are like the former, blacke without and white within, and diuided in the same manner as the male is, sometimes with more, and sometimes with fewer parts or branches.
The Place.They grow in many places of Italie, as Matthiolus reporteth, but especially on Mount Garganus in Apulia. Clusius saith hee found the female in many wet grounds of Spaine, as also in the borders of those medowes that lye neere vnto riuers and water courses. The male is cherished in many Gardens, for pleasure as well as for vse; but the female as is said, is both very rare, and farre more tender.
They grow in many places of Italie, as Matthiolus reporteth, but especially on Mount Garganus in Apulia. Clusius saith hee found the female in many wet grounds of Spaine, as also in the borders of those medowes that lye neere vnto riuers and water courses. The male is cherished in many Gardens, for pleasure as well as for vse; but the female as is said, is both very rare, and farre more tender.
The Time.The Male flowreth in March, and the fruit is ripe in Iuly. The Female, if it be well preserued, flowreth not vntill August, or September; so that without extraordinary care, we neuer see the fruite thereof in our gardens.
The Male flowreth in March, and the fruit is ripe in Iuly. The Female, if it be well preserued, flowreth not vntill August, or September; so that without extraordinary care, we neuer see the fruite thereof in our gardens.
The Names.Mandragoras masis calledalbus, as theFæminais calledniger, which titles of blacke and white, are referred vnto the colour of the leaues: the female is called alsoThridacias, from the likenesse of Lettice, whereunto they say in forme it doth carry some similitude. Dioscorides saith, that in his time the male was calledMorion, and both of themAntimelum, andCircæa. Wee call them in English, The male, and the female Mandrake.
Mandragoras masis calledalbus, as theFæminais calledniger, which titles of blacke and white, are referred vnto the colour of the leaues: the female is called alsoThridacias, from the likenesse of Lettice, whereunto they say in forme it doth carry some similitude. Dioscorides saith, that in his time the male was calledMorion, and both of themAntimelum, andCircæa. Wee call them in English, The male, and the female Mandrake.
The Vertues.The leaues haue a cooling and drying qualitie, fit for the oyntmentPopuleon, wherein it is put. But the Apples haue a soporiferous propertie, as Leuinus Lemnius maketh mention in hisHerball to the Bible, of an experiment of his owne. Besides, as Dioscorides first, and then Serapio, Auicen, Paulus Ægineta, and others also do declare, they conduce much to the cooling and cleansing of an hotmatrix. And it is probable, that Rachel knowing that they might be profitable for her hot and dry body, was the more earnest with Leah for her Sonne Rubens Apples, as it is set downeGenesis 30. verse 14. The strong sent of these apples is remembred also,Cant.7. 13.although some would diuert the signification of the Hebrew word,דודאים,vnto Violets, or some other sweet flowers, inthe former place ofGenesis, and the fruit ofMusa, or Adams Apples inthis place of theCanticles. Hamilcar the Carthaginian Captaine is said to haue infected the wine of the Lybians (his enemies against whom he fought) with the apples of Mandrake, whereby they being made exceeding drowsie, he obtained a famous victory ouer them.
The leaues haue a cooling and drying qualitie, fit for the oyntmentPopuleon, wherein it is put. But the Apples haue a soporiferous propertie, as Leuinus Lemnius maketh mention in hisHerball to the Bible, of an experiment of his owne. Besides, as Dioscorides first, and then Serapio, Auicen, Paulus Ægineta, and others also do declare, they conduce much to the cooling and cleansing of an hotmatrix. And it is probable, that Rachel knowing that they might be profitable for her hot and dry body, was the more earnest with Leah for her Sonne Rubens Apples, as it is set downeGenesis 30. verse 14. The strong sent of these apples is remembred also,Cant.7. 13.although some would diuert the signification of the Hebrew word,דודאים,vnto Violets, or some other sweet flowers, inthe former place ofGenesis, and the fruit ofMusa, or Adams Apples inthis place of theCanticles. Hamilcar the Carthaginian Captaine is said to haue infected the wine of the Lybians (his enemies against whom he fought) with the apples of Mandrake, whereby they being made exceeding drowsie, he obtained a famous victory ouer them.