The greatest vse that Burnet is commonly put vnto, is to put a few leaues into a cup with Claret wine, which is presently to be drunke, and giueth a pleasant quicke taste thereunto, very delightfull to the palate, and is accounted a helpe to make the heart merrie. It is sometimes also while it is young, put among other Sallet herbes, to giue a finer rellish thereunto. It is also vsed in vulnerary drinkes, and to stay fluxes and bleedings, for which purposes it is much commended. It hath beene also much commended in contagious and pestilentiall agues.
Chap. XIIII.
Hippolapathum sativum, siue Rhabarbarum Monachorum. Monkes Rubarbe or Patience.
Garden Patience is a kinde of Docke in all the parts thereof, but that it is larger and taller then many others, with large and long greene leaues, a great, strong, and high stalke, with reddish or purplish flowers, and three square seede, like as all other Dockes haue: the roote is great and yellow, not hauing any shew of flesh coloured veines therein, no more then the other kinde with great round thin leaues, commonly called Hippolapathum rotundifolium, Bastard Rubarbe, or Monkes Rubarbe, the properties of both which are of very weake effect: but I haue a kinde of round leafed Dock growing in my Garden, which was sent me from beyond Sea by a worthy Gentleman, Mʳ. Dʳ. Matth. Lister, one of the Kings Physitians, with this title, Rhaponticum verum, and first grew with me, before it was euer seen or known elsewhere in England, wᶜʰ by proof I haue found to be so like vnto the true Rubarbe, or the Rha of Pontus, both for forme and colour, that I dare say it is the very true Rubarbe, our climate only making it lesse strong in working, lesse heauy, and lesse bitter in taste: For this hath great and thicke rootes, as diuersly discoloured with flesh coloured veines as the true Rubarbe, as I haue to shew to any that are desirous to see and know it; and also other smaller sprayes or branches of rootes, spreading from the maine great roote, which smaller branches may well be compared to the Rhaponticum which the Merchants haue brought vs, which we haue seene to be longer and slenderer then Rubarbe, but of the very same colour: this beareth so goodly large leaues, that it is a great beauty in a garden to behold them: for I haue measured the stalke of the leafe at the bottome next the roote to bee of the bignesse of any mans thumbe; and from the roote to the leafe it selfe, to bee two foote in length, and sometimes more; and likewise the leafe it selfe, from the lower end where it is ioyned to the stalke, to the end or point thereof, to bee also two foote in length, and sometimes more; and also in the broadest part of the leafe, to be two foote or more ouer in breadth: it beareth whitish flowers, contrary to all other Dockes, and three square brownish seede as other Dockes doe, but bigger, and therefore assuredly it is a Docke, and the true Rubarbe of the Arabians, or at the least the true Rhaponticum of the Ancients. The figure of the whole plant I haue caused to be cut, with a dryed roote as it grew in my garden by it selfe, and haue inserted it here, both because Matthiolus giueth a false figure of the true Rubarbe, and that this hath not been expressed and set forth by any before.
The Vse of Patience, and of the Rubarbe.
The leaues of Patience are often, and of many vsed for a pot-herbe, and seldome to any other purpose: the roote is often vsed in Diet-beere, or ale, or in other drinkes made by decoction, to helpe to purge the liuer, and clense the blood. The other Rubarbe or Rhaponticum, whereof I make mention, and giue you here the figure, I haue tryed, and found by experience to purge gently, without that astriction that is in the true Rubarbe is brought vs from the East Indies, or China, and is also lesse bitter in taste; whereby I coniecture it may bee vsed in hot and feauerish bodies more effectually, because it doth not binde after the purging, as the East India Rubarbe doth: but this must bee giuen in double quantitie to the other, and then no doubt it will doe as well: The leaues haue a fine acide taste: A syrrupe therefore made with the iuice and sugar, cannot but be very effectuall in deiected appetites, and hot fits of agues; as also to helpe to open obstructions of the liuer, as diuers haue often tryed, and found auaileable by experience.
Chap. XV.
Lapathum sanguineum. Blood-wort.
Among the sorts of pot-herbes Bloode-worte hath alwayes beene accounted a principall one, although I doe not see any great reason therein, especially seeing there is a greater efficacie of binding in this Docke, then in any of the other: but as common vse hath receiued it, so I here set it downe. Blood-worte is one of the sorts of Dockes, and hath long leaues like vnto the smaller yellow Dock, but striped with red veines, and ouer-shadowed with red vpon the greene leafe, that it seemeth almost wholly red sometimes: the stalke is reddish, bearing such like leaues, but smaller vp to the toppe, where it is diuided into diuers small branches, whereon grow purplish flowers, and three square darke red seede, like vnto others: the roots are not great, but somewhat long, and very red, abiding many yeares, yet sometimes spoiled with the extremitie of winter.
