Fig. 1415. Kinds of Black Hellebore (1-4)

The Description.

            1. The first kind of Black Hellebore Dodonæus setteth forth under this title Veratrum nigram; and it may properly be called in Englislh, Black Hellebore, which is a name most fitly agreeing unto the true and undoubted Black Hellebore, for the kinds and other sorts hereof which hereafter follow are false and bastard kinds thereof. This plant hath thick and fat leaves of a deep green colour, the upper part whereof is somewhat bluntly nicked or toothed, having sundry divisions or cuts; in some leaves many, in others fewer, like unto the female Peony, or Smyrnium creticum. It beareth Rose-fashioned flowers upon slender stems, growing immediately out of the ground an handful high; sometimes very white, and oftentimes mixed with a little show of purple: which being faded, there succeed small husks full of black seeds; the roots are many, with long black strings coming from one head.

            2. The second kind of Black Hellebore, called of Pena, Helleborastrum; and of Dodonæus, Veratrum secundum (in English, Bastard Hellebore) hath leaves much like the former, but narrower and blacker, each leaf being much jagged or toothed about the edges like a saw. The stalks grow to the height of a foot or more, dividing themselves into other branches toward the top; whereon do grow flowers not much unnlike to the former in show, save that they are of a greenish herby colour. The roots are small and thready, but not so black as the former.

            3. The third kind of Black Hellebore, called of Pena, Helleboraster maximus, with this addition, flore et semine pregnans, that is, full both of flowers and seed, hath leaves somewhat like the former wild Hellebore, save that they be greater, more jagged, and deeply cut. The stalks grow up to the height of two cubits, dividing themselves at the top into sundry small branches, whereupon grow little round and bottle-like hollow green flowers; after which come forth seeds which come to perfect maturiry and ripeness. The root consisteth of many small black strings, inuvolved or wrapped one within another very intricately.

            4. The fourth kind of Black Hellebore (called of Pena and Lobel, according to the description of Cordus and Ruellius, Sesamoides magnum, and Consiligo: in English, Ox-Heel, or Setter-Wort; which names are taken from his virtues in curing oxen and such like cattle, as shall be showed afterward in the names thereof) is so well known unto the most sort of people by the name of Bear-Foot, that I shall not have cause to spend much time about the description. (Indeed it was not much needful for our author to describe it, for it was the last thing he did; for both these two last are of one plant, both figures and descriptions; the former of these figures expressing it in flower, and the later in seed: but the former of our author was with somewhat broader leaves, and the later with narrower.)

The Place.

            These Hellebores grow upon rough and craggy mountains: the last grows wild in many woods and shadowy places in England: we have them all in our London gardens.

The Time.

            The first flowereth about Christmas, if the winter be mild and warm: the others later.

The Names.

            It is agreed among the later writers, that these plants are Veratra nigra: in English, Black Hellebore: in Italian, Elleoro nero: in Spanish, Verdegambre negro: of divers, Melampodium, because it was first found by Melampos, who was first thought to purge therewith Prætus his mad daughters and to restore them to health. Diorcorides writeth, that this man was a shepherd: others, a sooth-sayer. In High Dutch it is called Christwurtz, that is, Christ's herb, or Christmas herb: in low Dutch, Heylich kerst cruyt: and that because it flowereth about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            The third kind was called of Fuchsius, Pseudohelleborus, and Veratrum nigrum adulterinum, which is in English, false or bastard Black Hellebore. Most name it Consiligo, because the husbandmen of our time do herewith cure their cattle, no otherwise than the old farriers or horse-leeches went wont to do, that is, they cut a slit or hole in the dew-lap, as they term it (which is an empty skin under the throat of the beast) wherein they put a piece of the root of Setterwort or Bear-Foot, suffering it there to remain for certain days together: which manner of curing they do call settering of their cattle, and is a manner of rowelling, as the said horse-leeches do their horses with horse hair twisted, or such like, and as in surgery we do use with silk, which instead of the word seton, a certain physician called it by the name rowell; a word very unproperly spoken of a learned man, because there would be some difference betwixt men and beasts. This manner of settering of cattle helpeth the disease of the lungs, the cough, and wheezing. Moreover, in the time of pestilence or murrain, or any other diseases affecting cattle, they put the root into the place aforesaid, which draweth unto it all the venomous matter, and voideth it forth at the wound. The which Absyrtus and Hierocles the Greek horse-leeches have at large set down. And it is called in English, Bear-Foot, Setter-Wort, and Setter-Grass.

            The second is named in the German tongue, Lowszkraut, that is, Pedicularis, or lousy grass: for it is thought to destroy and kill lice, and not only lice, but sheep and other cattle: and may be reckoned among the Bear-Foots, as kinds thereof.

The Temperature.

            Black Hellebore, as Galen holdeth opinion, is hotter in taste than the white Hellebore: in like manner hot and dry in the third degree.

The Virtues.

            A. Black Hellebore purgeth downwards phlegm, choler, and also melancholy especially, and all melancholy humours, yet not without trouble and difficulty: therefore it is not to be given but to robustious and strong bodies, as Mesues teacheth. A purgation of Hellebore is good for mad and furious men, for melancholy, dull, and heavy persons, for those that are troubled with the falling sickness, for lepers, for them that are sick of a quartan ague, and briefly, for all those that are troubled with black choler, and molested with melancholy.

            B. The manner of giving it (meaning the first Black Hellebore) saith Actuarius in his first book, is three scruples, little more or less.

            C. It is given with wine of raisins or oxymel, but for pleasantness' sake some sweet; and odoriferous seeds must be put unto it: but if you would have it stronger, add thereunto a grain or two of Scammony. Thus much Actuarius.

            D. The first of these kinds is best, then the second; the rest are of less force.

            E. The roots take away the morphew and black spots in the skin, tetters, ring-worms, leprosies and scabs.

            F. The root sodden in pottage with flesh, openeth the bellies of such as have the dropsy.

            G. The root of bastard Hellebore, called among our English women Bear-Foot, steeped in wine and drunken, looseth the belly even as the true Black Hellebore, and is good against all the diseases whereunto Black Hellebore serveth, and killeth worms in children.

            H. It doth his operation with more force and might, if it be made into powder, and a dram thereof be received in wine.

            I. The same boiled in water with Rue and Agrimony, cureth the jaundice, and purgeth yellow superfluities by siege.

            K. The leaves of Bastard Hellebore dried in an oven, after the bread is drawn out, and the powder thereof taken in a fig or raisin, or strewed upon a piece of bread spread with honey and eaten, killeth worms in children exceedingly.