Of Spurge
The Description. 1 THe first kinde of Sea Spurge riseth forth of the sands, or baich of the sea, with sundry reddish stems or stalkes growing upon one single root, of a wooddy substance: and the stalkes are beset with small, fat, and narrow leaves like unto the leaves of Flax. The floures are yellowish, and grow out of little dishes or Saucers like the common kinde of Spurge. After the floures come triangle seeds, as in the other Tithymales. 2 The second kinde (called Helioscopius, or Solisequius: and in English, according to his Greeke name, Sunne Spurge, or time Tithymale, of turning or keeping time with the Sunne) hath sundry reddish stalkes of a foot high: the leaves are like unto Purslane, not so great nor thicke, but snipt about the edges: the floures are yellowish, and growing in little platters. The Place.
The first kinde of Spurge groweth by the sea side upon the rowling Sand and Baich, as at Lee in Essex, at Lang-tree point right against Harwich, at Whitstable in Kent, and in many other places.
The second groweth in grounds that lie waste, and in barren earable soile, almost every where.
The Time.
These plants floure from June to the end of July.
The Temperature.
First the milke and sap is in speciall use, then the fruit and leaves, but the root is of least strength. The strongest kinde of Tithymale, and of greatest force is that of the sea.
Some write by report of others, that it enflameth exceedingly, but my selfe speak by experience; for walking along the sea coast at Lee in Essex, with a Gentleman called Mr Rich, dwelling in the same towne, I tooke but one drop of it into my mouth; which neverthelesse did so inflame and swell in my throte that I hardly escaped with my life. And in like case was the Gentleman, which caused us to take our horses, and poste for our lives unto the next farme house to drinke some milke to quench the extremitie of our heat, which then ceased.
The Vertues.
The juyce mixed with hony, causeth haire to fall from that place which is anointed therewith, if it be done in the Sun.
The juyce or milke is good to stop hollow teeth, being put into them warily, so that you touch neither the gums, nor any of the other teeth in the mouth with the said medicine.
It killeth fish, being mixed with any thing that they will eat. These herbes by mine advise would not be received into the body, considering that there be so many other good and wholesome potions to be made with other herbes, that may be taken without perill.