Of Mandrake
The Description.
THe male Mandrake hath great broad long smooth leaves of a darke greene colour, flat spred upon the ground: among which come up the floures of a pale whitish colour, standing every one upon a single small and weake foot-stalke of a whitish greene colour: in their places grow round Apples of a yellowish colour, smooth, soft, and glittering, of a strong smell: in which are contained flat and smooth seeds in fashion of a little kidney, like those of the Thorne-apple. The root is long, thicke, whitish, divided many times into two or three parts resembling the legs of a man, as it hath been reported; whereas in truth it is no otherwise than in the roots of carrots, parseneps, and such like, forked or divided into two or more parts, which Nature taketh no account of. There hath beene many ridiculous tales brought, up of this plant, whether of old wives, or some runnagate Surgeons or Physicke-mongers I know not, (a title bad enough for them) but sure some one or moe that sought to make themselves famous and skilfull above others, were the first brochers of that errour I speake of. They adde further, That it is never or very seldome to be found growing naturally but under a gallowes, where the matter that hath fallen from the dead body hath given it the shape of a man; and the matter of a woman, the substance of a female plant; with many other such doltish dreames. They fable further and affirme, That he who would take up a plant thereof must tie a dog therunto to pull it up, which will give a great shreeke at the digging up; otherwise if a man should do it, he should surely die in short space after. Besides many fables of loving matters, too full of scurrilitie to set forth in print, which I forbeare to speake of. All which dreames and old wives tales you shall from henceforth cast out of your bookes and memory; knowing this, that they are all and everie part of them false and most untrue: for I my selfe and my servants also have digged up, planted, and replanted very many, and yetnever could either perceive shape of man or woman, but sometimes one streight root, sometimes two, and often six or seven branches comming from the maine great root, even as Nature list to bestow upon it, as to other plants. But the idle drones that have little or nothing to do but eate and drinke, have bestowed some of their time in carving the roots of Brionie, forming them to the shape of men and women: which falsifying practise hath confirmed the errour amongst the simple and unlearned people, who have taken them upon their report to be the true Mandrakes. The female Mandrake is like unto the male, saving that the leaves hereof be of a more swart or darke greene colour: and the fruit is long like a peare, and the other like an apple.
The Place.
Mandrake groweth in hot Regions, in woods and mountaines, as in mount Garganus in Apulia, and such like places; we have them onely planted in gardens, and are not elsewhere to be found in England.
The Time.
They spring up with their leaves in March, and floure in the end of Aprill: the fruit is ripe in August.
The Names.
Mandrake is called Circaea, of Circe the witch, who by art could procure love: for it hath beene thought that the Root hereof serveth to win love. The Vertues.
The wine wherein the root hath been boyled or infused provoketh sleepe and asswageth paine.
The smell of the Apples moveth to sleepe likewise; but the juice worketh more effectually if you take it in small quantitie.
Great and strange effects are supposed to bee in Mandrakes, to cause women to be fruitfull and beare children, if they shall but carry the same neere to their bodies. Some do from hence ground it, for that Rahel desired to have her sisters Mandrakes (as the text is translated) but if we look well into the circumstances which there we shall finde, we may rather deem it otherwise. Yong Ruben brought home amiable and sweet-smelling floures, (for so signifieth the Hebrew word, used Cantic. 7. 13. in the same sence) rather for their beauty and smell, than for their vertue. Now in the floures of Mandrake there is no such delectable or amiable smell as was in these amiable floures which Ruben brought home. Besides, we reade not that Rahel conceived hereupon, for Leah Jacobs wife had foure children before God granted that blessing of fruitfulnesse unto Rahel. And last of all, (which is my chiefest reason) Jacob was angry with Rahel when shee said, Give mee children or els I die; and demanded of her, whether he were in the stead of God or no, who had withheld from her the fruit of her body. And we know the Prophet David saith, Children & the fruit of the womb are the inheritance that commeth of the Lord, Psal. 127.
He that would know more hereof, may reade that chapter of Dr Turners booke concerning this matter, where he hath written largely and learnedly of this Simple.