OCR Text |
Show 466 Cuarl, Theatrum Botanicum. I, Cestaurtum wiajus vulgare. Dhe comm given Goaekas Tr 1BE 5. i > yrenil 2, agus majus atte. cca ect ’ The Theater of Plants. | Cuar.1, 467 4. Centanrium majm Lutenm, The great yellow Centory. This yellow Centoryfendeth forth many more, both larger and longer leaves from the roote then thé former, fome ofthe loweft having fewer divifions in them then others; but thofe that grow upontheftalk,as wel as fome of the other below, are very muchdivided into many parts, making every winged leafeto confift ofa dozen of fixteeneleaves, the ribbe in the middle betweene them being whitith, each for the moft part fet againft another, with an odde one at the end, and every of them being narrow and long, without any dents on the edges, and of awhitith greene colour ; the ftalkes are many.ftrong and round, fomewhatfiraked downethe length of them, each divided into fome other branches, which beare fomewhat greater fcaly heads then any of the other and larger fpread thrumbsor threds, ofa fine lively pale yellow colour, which abide in their beauty a longtime without decaying, butfeldomegiveth fede in this Country, becaufe as I thinke the fcaly heads are fo full of moifture, that it hindereth feede to grow ripe therein; forif they bebut little prefled betweene the fingers,there williffue forth onall fides, {mall cleare drops ofwater, as{weete as Sugar almoft, and thatnor onely at noone dayesas Bawhinus faith, butat any time ofthe day, and not for once onely and no more, bur oftentimes; yea every day ifye will, it will yeeld Rillfome, as long as the flowersare fiefh, and not quite withered, but when it doth perfect his feede, itis fomewhat like the laft great Centory, yet leffer, blacker, and more fhining: the roote growethin time, to be greater then either ofthe other, having many heads, that fhoore forth in the Spring, the old leaves dying downe to the ground every yeare,which is wrinkled and blacke on the outfide, and yellowifh within, full ofa flimy moifture inthem, running downe deepe into the ground with fomegreater branches, and but few {mallfibres, The Place. : All thefe forts grow upon mountaines, the firft and third uponthe A/pes and Mount Baldys ; the fecond on the Pyrenean hils; Clufus faith, he found the third upon fome {tony hils, beyond Lisbore in Porrugall, neare the river Tagws, and the laft there likewife and on Mount Baldus as Ponafaith, The Time. Theydoeall hower about the end of Iune, andin Ivly, yet the Portingall kinde doth leaft endure our cold aire, feldome fhewing forth his fower, nor yet abiding unleffe well preferved. The Names. It iscalled in Greeke x2v7avptav 7 uta. Centaurium magnum, and as Pliny faith, tooke the name from Chiron the Centasre, who was healed herewith ofthe hurt hereceivedin his foote, by one of Hercules his arrawes that fell fromhis owne hand thereon, inoverlookingthem, whenhee received Hercn/es as his gueft, and there- fore offome wascalled Chivonium, The firt is called ofall writers Cestanrinm magnum or majus, and vulgare offome, asa difference from the others, It hath beene in the formerages of the world (yet long fince Galen histime, for many yeares, and yet continueth in many parts) called Rhaponticums, andufed inthe ftead there- : ; ie thee oeeee Pe PS RNAag of in all thofe medicines, that the ancients appoint Rbaponticum to be put, whichis anérrour grownefoold by cultome, that many obftinately perfift therein, becaufe they have received it from their elders, but learning and diligence in reading and {canningthe writings ofthe ancient authors, hath not onely difeuffed this opinion, but manyothers alfos for as have fhewed before in the fecond Claffis, in the ChapterofRubarbe, Diofcorides faith that the Rhaponticum is arootelike unto the rooteof the great Centory ; how then canit be the fame, whenit isbut likeie, and although the roote ofthis Centory be yellowifh, which encreafed their error, yet will it not colour the fpittle likeunto Saffton. Brafavolvs inhistime, did thinke that thoferootes called Rhaponticum in the Apothecaries fhops, were not the rootes of this great Centory ; whom AMatthiolw contradið, thewing them tobe thefame. Some alfoas Matthiolus faith, didin histime take the Zyfimachia purpurea, to be Cen. tanrim magnum, The Arabians, Mefues, Avicen, and Serapio,have much confounded the Centories, both the greater and the lefler together, giving both the face and qualities ofthe one unto the other, and P/ixyalfo in his 25. Booke,and6, Chapter runnethinto the fame crror withthem, who although he agreeth with Dio/corides in the defcriptionofit, yet faith it hath a certaine bitterneffe in it,which is not foundin this greater butthe leffer kinde. Thefecond is called by Cornstus amonghis Canada plants, Centaurinmfolys Cynara + Pona faith in the defcriptionof che plants growing upon Mount Baldus, that the thirdkind, was called of divers there about Rhes Baldenfis, andClufius faith, the Portugals where he found it, called it Rapontis, Bawhinw faith, that the laft he received from out of the garden at Padoa, by the name of Rhaponticum Lufitanicum, The Vertnes, The roote of the great Centory faith AZatthiolus being fteepedin wine, or the powderthereof given in wine; is with great good fucceffeand profit, ufed for thofe that are fallen into a dropfie, or have the jaundife, or are troubled with the obftrudtions ofthe liver: two drammesofthe rootes beaten to powder, and taken in wine orin water, helpeththofe that {pit blood, or that bleede muchat the mouth, ifthey have an ague to take it in water, or elf in wine, it islikewife ufed forruptures, cramps, andplenrifies, and for thofe that have an old or long continued cough, and for thofe that are fhort winded, orcan hardly draw their breath ; it is. goodalfo toeafe the griping paines in the belly, and thofe of the mother: being fcraped and put bp as a peflary into the mother, it procureth womenscourfes, and caufeth the dead birth to be avoided ; the juice thereof ufed in the fame manner, workeththe fameeffeet: fome copies of Dio/corides have this, itis called Panacea, becanfe it helpethalll difeafes and (ores, wherethere is inflammation or bruifes caufing it; it helpeth the Strangury or pifling by droppes, if it be injected, asalfo the ftone: the decottion orjuice of the roote, or a dramme in powder thereofdrunke, and the wound wafhed therewith, taketh awayall the paine and danger of the bitings or ftingings of venemouscreatures ; ithelpeth to fharpen the eyefight, ifitbe {teeped in water and dropped intothem. Galen in 7./imp. fheweth that it hath contrary qualitiesin it,and therefore worketh contrary effects, the fharpetafle fhewiug an hot quality, whereby it provoketh womenscourfes, &c, and the altringent a cold proffe earthly quality, glueing or fodering the lippes of wounds,and ftaying the {pitting ofblood ; and by all the qualities joyned rogethcr, helpeth ruptures, crampes, and the difeafes of the Lungs: the fharpeneffe procu- ringevacuation, and thealtri@tion, the ftrengthning ofthe parts: the whole plantas well herbe, as roote, is very availeable in all forts of wounds, or ulcers, todry, foder, clenfe, and heale them, and therefure is a prin- cipallingredient, or fhould beinall vulnerary drinkes and injections. HAP ; |