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Of Golden Thistle

The Description. 1 THe stalkes of Golden Thistle rise up forthwith from the root, being many, round, and branched. The leaves are long, of a beautifull greene, with deepe gashes on the edges, and set with most sharpe prickles: the floures come from the bosome of the leaves, set in a scaly chaffie knap, very like to Succory floures, but of colour as yellow as gold: in their places come up broad flat and thin seeds, not great, nor wrapped in downe: the root is long, a finger thicke, sweet, soft, and good to be eaten, wherewith swine are much delighted: there issueth forth of this Thistle in what part soever it is cut or broken, a juyce as white as milke. 2 The golden Thistle of Peru, called in the West Indies, Fique del Inferno, a friend of mine brought it unto me from an Island there called Saint Johns Island, among other seeds. What reason the inhabitants there have to call it so, it is unto me unknowne, unlesse it bee because of his fruit, which doth much resemble a fig in shape and bignesse, but so full of sharpe and venomous prickles, that whosoever had one of them in his throat, doubtlesse it would send him packing either to heaven or to hell. The vertues hereof are yet unknowne unto me, wherefore I purpose not to set downe any thing thereof by way of conjecture, but shall, God willing, be ready to declare that which certaine knowledge and experience either of mine owne or others, shall make manifest unto me.

The Place.

The golden Thistle is sowne in gardens of the Low-Countries. Petrus Bellonius writes, That it groweth plentifully in Candy, and also in most places of Italy: Clusius reporteth that he found it in the fields of Spaine, and of the kingdome of Castile, and about Montpelier, with fewer branches, and of a higher growth.

The Indian Thistle groweth in Saint Johns Island in the West Indies, and prospereth very well in my garden.

The Vertues.

Pliny saith that the root hereof was commended by Eratosthenes, in the poore mans supper.