The Description.

            1. Oak of Jerusalem, or Botrys, hath sundry small stems a foot and a half high, dividing themselves into many small branches, beset with small leaves deeply cut or jagged, very much resembling the leaf of an Oak, which hath caused our English women to call it Oak of Jerusalem; the upper side of the leaf is of deep green, and somewhat rough and hairy, but underneath it is of a dark reddish or purple colour: the seedy flowers grow clustering about the branches, like the young clusters or blowings of the Vine: the root is small and thready: the whole herb is of a pleasant smell and savour, and of a faint yellowish colour, and the whole plant dieth when the seed is ripe.

            2. The fragrant smell that this kind of Ambrosia or Oak of Cappadocia yieldeth, hath moved the poets to suppose that this herb was meat and food for the gods: Dioscorides saith it groweth three handfuls high: in my garden it groweth to the height of two cubits, yielding many weak crooked and streaked branches, dividing themselves into sundry other small branches, having from the midst to the top thereof many mossy yellowish flowers not much unlike common Wormwood, standing one before another in good order; and the whole plant is as it were covered over with bran or a mealy dust: the flowers do change into small prickly cornered buttons, much like unto Tribulus terrestris; wherein is contained black round seed, not unpleasant in taste and smell: the leaves are in shape like the leaves of Mugwort, but thinner and more tender: all the whole plant is hoary, and yieldeth a pleasant savour: the whole plant perished with me at the first approach of winter.

The Place.

            These plants are brought unto us from beyond the seas, especially from Spain and Italy.

The Time.

            They flower in August, and the seed is ripe in September.

The Names.

            Oak of Jerusalem is called in Greek and Latin Botrys: in Italian, Botri: in Spanish, Bien Granada: in High Dutch, Trautenkraut, and Krottenkraut: in French and Low Dutch, Pyment: in English, Oak of Jerusalem; and of some, Oak of Paradise.

            Oak of Cappadocia is called in Greek and Latin, Ambrosia; neither hath it any other known name. Pliny saith that Ambrosia is a wandering name, and is given unto other herbs: for Botrys (Oak of Jerusalem, as we have written) is of divers also called Ambrosia: In English it is called Oak of Cappadocia.

The Temperature.

            These plants are hot and dry in the second degree, and consist of subtle parts.

The Virtues.

            A. These plants be good to be boiled in wine, and ministered unto such as have their breasts stopped, and are short winded, and cannot easily draw their breath; for they cut and waste gross humours and tough phlegm. The leaves are of the same force; being made up with sugar they commonly call it a conserve.

            B. It giveth a pleasant taste to flesh that is sodden with it, and eaten with the broth.

            C. It is dried and laid among garments, not only to make them smell sweet, but also to preserve them from moths and other vermin; which thing it doth also perform.