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Of Rue, or Herbe Grace

The Description.

GArden Rue is a shrub full of branches, now and then a yard high, or higher: the stalkes whereof are covered with a whitish barke, the branches are more green: the leaves hereof consist of divers parts, and be divided into wings, about which are certaine little ones, of an odde number, something broad, more long than round, smooth and somewhat fat, of a gray colour or greenish blew: the floures in the top of the branches are of a pale yellow consisting of foure little leaves, something hollow: in the middle of which standeth up a little head or button foure square, seldome five square, containing as many little coffers as it hath corners, being compassed about with divers little yellow threds: out of which hang pretty fine tips of one colour; the seed groweth in the little coffers: the root is wooddy, and fastned with many strings: this Rue hath a very strong and ranke smell, and a biting taste. The Place.

Garden Rue joyeth in sunny and open places: it prospereth in rough and bricky ground and among ashes.

The wild are found on mountains in hot countries, as in Cappadocia, Galatia, and in divers provinces of Italy and Spain, and on the hills of Lancashire and Yorke.

Pliny saith that there is such friendship between it and the fig-tree, that it prospers no where so well as under the fig tree. The best for physicks use is that which groweth under the fig tree, as Dioscorides saith: the cause is alledged by Plutarch, lib. I. of his Symposiacks or Feasts, for he saith it becomes more sweet and milde in taste, by reason it taketh as it were some part of the sweetnesse of the fig tree, whereby the over-ranke qualitie of the Rue is allayed; unlesse it be that the figge tree whilest it drawes nourishment to it selfe, draweth also the ranknesse away from the Rue. The Time.

They floure in these cold countries in July and August: in other countries sooner.

The Vertues.

The herb a little boiled or skalded, and kept in pickle as Sampier, and eaten, quickens the sight.

The same applied with hony and the juice of Fennell, is a remedie against dim eies.

The juice of Rue made hot in the rinde of a pomegranat and dropped into the eares, takes away the pain of thereof.

Dioscorides saith, That Rue put up in the nosthrils stayeth bleeding. So saith Pliny also: when notwithstanding it is of power rather to procure bleeding, through its sharpe and biting quality.

The leaves of Rue beaten and drunke with wine are an antidote against poisons, as Pliny saith.

Dioscorides writeth, That a twelve penny weight of the seed drunke in wine is a counterpoison against deadly medicines or the poison of Wolfes-bane, Mushroms or Toad-stooles, the biting of Serpents, the stinging of Scorpions, Bees, hornets, and wasps; and is reported, That if a man bee anointed with the juice of Rue, these will not hurt him; and that the serpent is driven away at the smell thereof when it is burned: insomuch that when the Weesell is to fight with the serpent, shee armeth her selfe by eating Rue, against the might of the Serpent.

The leaves of Rue eaten with the kernels of Walnuts or figs stamped together and made into a masse or paste, is good against all evill aires, the pestilence or plague, resists poison and all venome. Ruta sylvestris or wild Rue is more vehement both in smel and operation, and therefore the more virulent or pernitious; for sometimes it fumeth out a vapor or aire so hurtfull that it scorches the face of him that looketh upon it, raising up blisters, wheals, and other accidents: it venometh their hands that touch it, and will infect the face also if it be touched before they be clean washed: wherefore it is not to be admitted to meat or medicine. THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF PLANTS.

Containing the Description, Place, Time, Names, Nature, and Vertues, of Trees, Shrubs, Bushes, Fruit-bearing Plants, Rosins, Gums, Roses, Heath, Mosses, some Indian Plants, and other rare Plants not remembred in the Proeme to the first Booke. Also Mushroms, Corall, and their severall Kindes, & c. The Proeme.

HAving finished the treatise of Herbs and Plants in general, used for meat, medicine, or sweet smelling use, only some few omitted for want of perfect instruction; and also being hindered by the slacknesse of the Cutters or gravers of the Figures: these wants we intend to supply in this third and last part. The Tables as well general as particular shall be set forth in the end of this present Volume.