Of Borage
The Description. 1 BOrage hath broad leaves, rough, lying flat upon the ground, of a blacke or swart green colour: among which riseth up a stalke two cubits high, divided into divers branches, whereupon do grow gallant blew floures, composed of five leaves apiece; out of the middle of which grow forth blacke threds joined in the top, and pointed like a broch or pyramide: the root is threddy. 2 Borage with white floures is like unto the precedent, but differeth in the floures, for those of this plant are white, and other of a perfect blew colour, wherein is the difference.
The Place.
These grow in my garden and in others also.
The Time.
Borage floures and flourishes most part of all Summer, and till Autumne be far spent.
The Names.
Borage is called in shops Borago: Pliny calleth it Euphrosinum, because it makes a man merry and joyfull: which thing also the old verse concerning Borage doth testifie:
Ego Borago gaudia semper ago. I Borage bring alwaies courage. The Vertues.
Those of our time do use the floures in sallads, to exhilerate and make the minde glad. There be also many things made of them, used for the comfort of the heart, to drive away sorrow, & increase the joy of the minde. The leaves and floures of Borrage put into wine make men and women glad and merry, driving away all sadnesse, dulnesse, and melancholy, as Dioscorides and Pliny affirme.
Syrrup made of the floures of Borrage comforteth the heart, purgeth melancholy, and quieteth the phrenticke or lunaticke person. The floures of Borrage made up with sugar, do all the aforesaid with greater force and effect.
Syrrup made of the juice of Borrage with sugar, adding thereto pouder of the bone of a Stags heart, is good against swouning, the cardiacke passion of the heart, against melancholy and the falling sicknesse. The root is not used in medicine: the leaves eaten raw ingender good bloud, especially in those that have bin lately sicke.