Home › Of Water-Docke › Of Water-Docke

Of Water-Docke

The Description. 1 THe great water-dock hath very long and great leaves, stiffe and hard, not unlike to the garden Patience, but much longer. The stalke riseth up to a great height, oftentimes to the height of five foot or more. The floure groweth at the top of the stalk in spoky tufts, brown of colour. The seed is contained in chaffie husks three square, of a shining pale colour. The root is very great, thick, brown without and yellowish within. 2 The smal water-Dock hath short narrow leaves set upon a stiffe stalke. The floures grow from the middle of the stalke upward in spoky rundles, set in spaces by certain distances round about the stalk, as are the floures of Horehound: which Docke is of all the kinds most common, and of least use, and takes no pleasure or delight in any one soile or dwelling place, but is found almost every where, as well upon the land as in waterie places, but especially in gardens among good and wholsome pot-herbs, being there better knowne, than welcome or desired: wherefore I intend not to spend farther time about his description. 3 The garden Patience hath very strong stalks furrowed or chamfered, of eight or nine foot high when it groweth in fertile ground, set about with great large leaves like to those of the water-Docke, having alongst the stalkes toward the top floures of a light purple colour declining to brownnesse. The seed is three square, contained in thin chaffie husks like those of the common Docke. The root is very great, browne without and yellow within, in colour and taste like the true Rubarb. 4 Bastard Rubarb hath great broad round leaves in shape like those of the garden Bur-docke. The stalke and seeds are so like unto the precedent that the one cannot be knowne from the other, saving that the seeds of this are somewhat lesse. The root is exceeding great and thicke, very like unto the Rha of Barbary, as well in proportion as colour and taste, and purgeth after the same manner, but must be taken in greater quantity, as witnesseth that famous learned physition now living, Mr Dr Bright, and others who have experimented the same. 5 This fifth kind of Dock [Bloudwort] is best knowne unto all of the stocke or kindred of Dockes: it hath long thin leaves sometimes red in every part thereof, and often striped here & there with lines and strakes of a darke red colour: among which rise up stiffe brittle stalkes of the same colour: on the top whereof come forth such floures and seed as the common wild Docke hath. The root is likewise red, or of a bloudy colour.

The Place.

They grow for the most part in ditches and water-courses, very common thorow England. The two last save one do grow in gardens: my selfe and others in London and elsewhere have them growing for our use in physicke and Surgerie. The last is sown for a pot-herb in most gardens.

The Time.

Most of the Docks doe rise up in the Spring of the yeare, and their seed is ripe in June and August.

The Names.