The Names.
They are called of some Canna Indica, and Arundo Indica, of others Cannacorus, and of some Flos Cancri, because the colour of the flowers, as well as the forme of the buds, are so like vnto a Sea-Crabs cle, or claw.
The Vertues.
There is not any vse of these in Physicke that I know.
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 your Galeatum against all such vaine, idle and ridiculous toyes of mens inuentions.