The Description.

            1. Garden Cresses or Town Cresses hath small narrow jagged leaves, sharp and burning in taste. The stalks be round, a cubit high, which bring forth many small white flowers, and after little flat husks or seed vessels, like to those of Shepherd's Purse, wherein are contained seeds of a brown reddish colour. The root dieth when the seed is ripe.

            2. There is another kind in taste like the former, but in leaves far different, which I recovered of seeds, sent me from Robinus dwelling in Paris. The stalks rise up to the height of a foot, garnished with many broad leaves deeply cut or indented about the edges: the middle of the leaf is decked and garnished with many little small leaves or rather shreds of leaves, which make the same like a curled fan of feathers. The seed is like the former in shape.

            3. Spanish Cresses riseth forth of the ground like unto Basil, afterwards the leaves grow larger and broader, like those of Marigolds; among the which riseth up a crooked limber stalk, whereupon do grow small tufts or spoky roundels of white flowers. The seed followeth, brown of colour, and bitter in taste. The whole plant is of a loathsome smell and savour.

Fig. 418. Stone Cresses (4)

            4. Stone-Cress groweth flat upon the ground, with leaves jagged and cut about the edges like the oak leaf, resembling well the leaves of Shepherd's Purse. I have not seen the flowers, and therefore they be not expressed in the figure; notwithstanding it is reported unto me, that they be small and white of colour, as are those of the garden Cresses. The seed is contained in small pouches or seed vessels, like those of Treacle Mustard or Thlaspi.

The Place.

            Cresses are sown in gardens, it skills not what soil it be; for that they like any ground, especially if it be well watered. Mr. Bowles found the fourth growing in Shropshire in the fields about Birch in the parish of Ellesmere, in the grounds belonging to Mr. Richard Herbert, and that in great plenty.

The Time.

            It may be sown at any time of the year, unless it be in winter; it groweth up quickly, and bringeth forth betimes both stalk and seed: it dieth every year, and recovereth itself of the fallen or shaken seed.

The Names.

            Cresses is called in Latin, Nasturtium; in English Cresses: the Germans call it Kersse: and in French, Cresson: the Italians, Nasturtio, and Agretto: of some, town Cresses, and Garden Karsse. It is called Nasturtium, as Varro and Pliny think à narribus torquendis, that is to say, of writhing the nostrils, which also by the loathsome smell and sharpness of the seed doth cause sneezing.

            1. The first is called Nasturtium hortense, Garden Cresses.

            2. Nasturtium hortense crispum, Garden Cresses with crisp, or curled leaves.

            3. Nasturtium hispanicum, or latifolium; Spanish Cresses, or Broad-Leaved Cresses.

            4. This is Nasturtium petræum of Tabernamontanus, Stone Cresses.

The Temperature.

            The herb of garden Cresses is sharp and biting the tongue; and therefore it is very hot and dry, but less hot whilst it is young and tender, by reason of the watery moisture mixed therewith, by which the sharpness is somewhat allayed.

            The seed is much more biting than the herb, and is hot and dry almost in the fourth degree.

The Virtues.

            A. Galen saith that the Cresses may be eaten with bread Veluti obsonium [like a relish], and so the ancient Spartans usually did; and the Low Country men many times do, who commonly use to feed of Cresses with bread and butter. It is eaten with other salad herbs, as Tarragon and Rocket: and for this cause it is chiefly sown.

            B. It is good against the disease which the Germans call Scorbuch and Scorbuye: in Latin, Scorbutus: which we in England call the Scurvy, and Scurby, and upon the seas the Skyrby: it is as good and as effectual as the Scurvy-Grass, or water-cresses.

            C. Diosciorides saith, if the seed be stamped and mixed with honey, it cureth the hardness of the milt: with vinegar and barley meal parched it is a remedy against the sciatica, and taketh away hard swellings and inflammations. It scoureth away tetters, mixed with brine: it ripeneth felons: it forcibly cutteth and raiseth up thick and tough humours of the chest, if it be mixed with things proper against the stuffing of the lungs.

            Dioscorides saith it is hurtful to the stomach, and troubleth the belly.

            D. It driveth forth worms, bringeth down the flowers, killeth the child in the mother's womb, and provoketh bodily lust.

            E. Being inwardly taken, it is good for such as have fallen from high places: it dissolveth cluttered blood, and preventeth the same that it do not congeal and thicken in any part of the body: it procureth sweat, as the later physicians have found and tried by experience.