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Of Solomons Seale

The Description.

THe first kinde of Solomons Seale hath long round stalks, set for the most part with long leaves somewhat furrowed and ribbed, not much unlike Plantain, but narrower, which for the most part stand all upon one side of the stalke, and hath small white floures resembling the floures of Lilly Conval: on the other side when the floures be vaded, there come forth round berries, which at the first are green and of a blacke colour tending to blewnesse, and being ripe, are of the bignesse of Ivy berries, of a very sweet and pleasant taste. The root is white and thicke, full of knobs or joints, in some places resembling the mark of a seale, whereof I thinke it tooke the name Sigillum Solomonis; it is sweet at the first, but afterward of a bitter taste with some sharpnesse.

The Place.

The first sort of Solomons seale growes naturally wilde in Somerset-shire, upon the North side of a place called Mendip, in the parish of Shepton Mallet: also in Kent by a village called Crayford, upon Rough or Row hill: also in Odiam parke in Hampshire; in Bradfords wood, neere to a towne in Wiltshire foure miles from Bath; in a wood neere to a village called Horsley, five miles from Gilford in Surrey, and in divers other places.

The Time.

They spring up in March, and shew their floures in May: the fruit is ripe in September.

The Names.

Solomons seale is called in Latine, Polygonatum, of many, Knees, for so the Greeke word doth import: in shops, Sigillum Salomonis, and Scala caeli: in English likewise, Scala coely, Solomons seale, and Whitewoort, or White-root. The Vertues.

Dioscorides writeth, That the roots are excellent good for to seale or close up greene wounds, being stamped and laid thereon; whereupon it was called Sigillum Salomonis, of the singular vertue that it hath in sealing or healing up wounds, broken bones, and such like. Some have thought it tooke the name Sigillum of the markes upon the roots: but the first reason seemes to be more probable.

The root of Solomons seale stamped while it is fresh and greene, and applied, taketh away in one night, or two at the most, any bruise, blacke or blew spots gotten by fals or womens wilfulnesse, in stumbling upon their hasty husbands fists, or such like.

Galen saith, that neither herbe nor root hereof is to be given inwardly: but note what experience hath found out, and of late daies, especially among the vulgar sort of people in Hampshire, which Galen, Dioscorides, or any other that have written of plants have not so much as dreamed of; which is, That if any of what sex or age soever chance to have any bones broken, in what part of their bodies soever; their refuge is to stampe the roots hereof, and give it unto the patient in ale to drinke: which sodoreth and glues together the bones in very short space, and very strangely, yea although the bones be but slenderly and unhandsomely placed and wrapped up. Moreover, the said people do give it in like manner unto their cattell, if they chance to have any bones broken, with good successe; which they do also stampe and apply outwardly in manner of a pultesse, as well unto themselves as their cattell. The root stamped and applied in manner of a pultesse, and laid upon members that have beene out of joynt, and newly restored to their places, driveth away the paine, and knitteth the joynt very firmely, and taketh away the inflammation, if there chance to be any.

The same stamped, and the juyce given to drinke with ale or white wine, as aforesaid, or the decoction thereof made in wine, helps any inward bruise, disperseth the congealed and clotted bloud in very short space. That which might be written of this herbe as touching the knitting of bones, and that truely, would seeme unto some incredible; but common experience teacheth, that in the world there is not to be found another herbe comparable to it for the purposes aforesaid: and therefore in briefe, if it be for bruises inward, the roots must be stamped, some ale or wine put thereto, strained, and given to drinke.

It must be given in the same manner to knit broken bones, against bruises, blacke or blew marks gotten by stripes, falls, or such like; against inflammation, tumors or swellings that happen unto members whose bones are broken, or members out of joynt, after restauration: the roots are to be stamped small, and applied pultesse or plaisterwise, wherewith many great workes have beene performed beyond credit.

Matthiolus teacheth, That a water is drawne out of the roots, wherewith the women of Italy use to scoure their faces from Sunne-burning, freckles, morphew, or any such deformities of the skinne.