Of Onions
The Kindes.
THere be, saith Theophrastus, divers sorts of Onions, which have their syr-names of the places where they grow: some also lesser, others greater; some be round, and divers long, but none wilde, as Pliny writeth. The Description. 1 THe Onion hath narrow leaves, and hollow within; the stalke is single, round, biggest in the middle, on the top whereof groweth a round head covered with a thin skin or film, which being broken, there appeare little white floures made up in form of a ball, and afterward blacke seed three cornered, wrapped in thin white skins. In stead of the root there is a bulbe or round head compact of many coats, which oftentimes becommeth great in manner of a Turnep, many times long like an egge. To be briefe, it is covered with very fine skins for the most part of a whitish colour.
The Place.
The Onion requireth a fat ground well digged and dunged, as Palladius saith. It is cherished everie where in kitchen gardens, now and then sowne alone, and many times mixed with other herbs, as with Lettuce, Parseneps, and Carrets. Palladius liketh well that it should be sowne with Savorie, because, saith Pliny, it prospereth the better, and is more wholesome. The Time.
It is sowne in March or Aprill, and somtimes in September. The Vertues.
The Onions do bite, attenuate or make thin, and cause drynesse: being boiled they do lose their sharpnesse, especially if the water be twice or thrice changed, and yet for all that they doe not lose their attenuating qualitie. The juice of Onions snuffed up into the nose, purgeth the head, and draweth forth raw flegmaticke humors.
Stamped with Salt, Rue, and Honey, and so applied, they are good against the biting of a mad Dog.
Rosted in the embers and applied, they ripen and breake cold Apostumes, Biles, and such like.
The juice of Onions mixed with the decoction of Penniroyall, and anointed upon the goutie member with a feather, or a cloath wet therein, and applied, easeth the same very much.
The juice anointed upon a pild or bald head in the Sun, bringeth the haire againe very speedily.
The juice taketh away the heat of scalding with water or oile, as also burning with fire & gunpouder, as is set forth by a very skilfull Surgeon Mr William Clowes one of the Queens Surgeon; and before him by Ambrose Parey, in his treatise of wounds made by gun-shot.
Onions sliced and dipped in the juice of Sorrell, and given unto the Sicke of a tertian Ague, to eat, takes away the fit in once or twice so taking them. The Hurts.
The Onion being eaten, yea though it be boiled, causeth headache, hurteth the eyes, and maketh a man dim sighted, dulleth the sences, and provoketh overmuch sleep, especially being eaten raw.