The Kinds

            There is but one kind of Madder only which is manured or set for use, but if all those that are like unto it in leaves and manner of growing were referred thereto, there should be many sorts: as Goose-Grass, Soft Cleaver, Our Lady's Bedstraw, Woodruff, and Crosswort, all which are like to Madder in leaves, and therefore they be thought to be wild kinds thereof.

The Description.

            1. The garden or manured Madder hath long stalks or trailing branches dispersed far abroad upon the ground, square, rough, and full of joints; at every joint set round with green rough leaves, in manner of a star, or as those of Woodruff: the flowers grow at the top of the branches, of a faint yellow colour: after which come the seed, round, green at the first, afterward red, and lastly of a black colour: the root long, fat, full of substance, creepeth far abroad within the upper crust of the earth, and is of a reddish colour when it is green and fresh.

            2. Wild Madder is like in form unto that of the garden, but altogether smaller, and the leaves are not so rough, but smooth and shining: the flowers are white; the root is very small and tender, and oftentimes of a reddish colour.

            3. Sea Madder hath a root two foot long, with many dry threads hanging thereat, of a reddish colour like Alkanet, on the outside of the same form and bigness, but within it of the colour of the scrapings of Juniper, or Cedar wood, sending forth divers slender stalks round and full of joints: from which come forth small thin leaves, stiff and sharp pointed, somewhat hairy, in number commonly four, standing like a Burgundian cross; from the bosom of which come forth certain tufts of smaller leaves thrust together upon a heap: the flowers grow at the top of the stalks, of a pale yellowish colour.

Rubia spicata cretica clusii.

            4. This hath proceeding from the root many knotty four-square rough little stalks, a foot high, divided immediately from the root into many branches, having but one side branch growing forth of one joint: about which joints grow spread abroad four or five, sometimes six narrow, short, sharp pointed leaves, somewhat rough; the top of the stalks and branches are nothing but long small four square spikes or ears, made of three-leaved green husks: out of the top of each husk groweth a very small greenish yellow flower, having four exceeding small leaves scarce to be seen: after which followeth in each husk one small blackish seed, somewhat long, round on the one side, with a dent or hollowness on the other. The root is small, hard, woody, crooked or scragged, with many little branches or threads, red without, and white within, and perisheth when the seeds are ripe. July 19, 1621.

Synanchia Lug. p. 1185.

            5. The root is crooked, blackish without, yellow underneath the skin, white within that and woody; about five or six inches long, with many hairy strings: from the root arise many four-square branches trailing upon the ground, sometimes reddish towards the root: the leaves are small and sharp pointed, like those of Gallium, and grow along the stalk, on certain knees or joints, four or five rogether, sometimes fewer: from those joints the stalk divideth itself towards the top into many parts, whereon grow many flowers, each flower having four leaves, sometimes white, sometimes of a flesh colour, and every leaf of these flesh coloured leaves is artificially streaked in the middle, and near the sides with three lines of a deeper red, of no pleasant smell: after which cometh the seed something round, growing two together like stones. It flowereth all the summer long, and groweth in dry chalky grounds abundantly. August 13, 1619. John Goodyer.

Fig. 1600. Dwarf Madder (6)

            6. Lobel thus describes this Dwarf Madder: there is another (saith he) which I gathered, growing upon Saint Vincent's Rocks not far from Bristol: the leaves are of the bigness of those of Rupturewort, sharp pointed, and growing after the manner of those of Madder, upon little creeping stalks, some inch and half high, whereon grow yellowish small flowers. The root is small, and of the colour of coral.

The Place.

            Madder is planted in gardens, and is very common in most places of England. Master George Bowles found it growing wild on Saint Vincent's Rock; and out of the cliffs of the rocks at Aberdovy in Merionethshire.

            The second groweth in moist meadows, in moorish grounds, and under bushes almost everywhere.

            3. This grows by the sea side in most places.

            The fourth grows only in some few gardens with us, but the fifth may be found wild in many places: I found it in great plenty on the hill beyond Chatham in the way to Canturbury.

The Time.

            They flourish from May unto the end of August: the roots are gathered and dried in autumn, and sold to the use of dyers and medicine.

The Names.

            Madder is called in Greek Erythrodanum: in Latin, Rubia, and Rubeia: in shops, Rubia tinctorum: Paulus Ægineta showeth that it is named Thapson which the dyers use, and the Romans call it Herba rubia: in Italian Rubbia, and Robbia: in Spanish, Ruvia, Roya, and Granza: in French, Garance: in High Dutch, Rotte: in low Dutch, Mee, and Mee Crappen: in English, Madder, and Red Madder.

The Temperature.

            Of the temperature of Madder, it hath been disputed among the learned, and as yet not censured, whether it do bind or open: some say both; divers diversely deem: a great physician (I do not say the great learned) called me to account as touching the faculties hereof; although he had no commission so to do, notwithstanding I was content to be examined upon the point, what the nature of Madder was, because I have written that it performeth contrary effects, as shall be showed: the roots of Madder, which both the physicians and dyers do use, as they have an obscure binding power and force; so be they likewise of nature and temperature cold and dry: they are withal of divers thin parts, by reason whereof their colour doth easily pierce: yet have they at the first a certain little sweetness, with an harsh binding quality presently following it; which not only we ourselves have observed, but Avicenna the prince of physicians, who in his 58th Chapter hath written, that the root of Madder hath a rough and harsh taste: now Mr Doctor, whether it bind or open I have answered, attending your censure: but if I have erred, it is not with the multitude, but with those of the best and best learned.

The Virtues.

            A. The decoction of the roots of Madder is everywhere commended for those that are bursten, bruised, wounded, and that are fallen from high places.

            B. It stancheth bleeding, mitigateth inflammations, and helpeth those parts that be hurt and bruised.

            C. For these causes they be mixed with potions, which the later physicians call wound drinks, in which there is such force and virtue, as Matthiolus also reporteth, that there is likewise great hope of curing of deadly wounds in the chest and entrails.

            D. Our opinion and judgement is confirmed by that most expert man, sometimes physician of Louvain, Iohannes Spiringus, who in his Rapsodes hath noted, that the decoction of Madder given with Triphera, that great composition is singular good to stay the reds, the hæmorrhoids and bloody flux, and the same approved by divers experiments: which confirmeth Madder to be of an astringent and binding quality.

            E. Of the same opinion as it seemeth is also Eros Julia her freed man (commonly called Trotula) who in a composition against untimely birth doth use the same: for if he had thought that Madder were of such a quality as Dioscorides writeth it to be of, he would not in any wise have added it to those medicines which are good against an untimely birth.

            F. For Dioscorides reporteth, that the root of Madder doth plentifully provoke urine, and that gross and thick and oftentimes blood also, and it is so great an opener, that being but only applied, it bringeth down the menses, the birth, and after-birth: but the extreme redness of the urine deceived him, that immediately followeth the taking of Madder, which redness came as he thought, from blood mixed therewith, which notwithstanding cometh no otherwise then from the colour of the Madder.

            G. For the root hereof taken any manner of way doth by & by make the urine extreme red: no otherwise than Rhubarb doth make the same yellow, not changing in the meantime the substance thereof, not making it thicker than it was before, which is to be understood in those which are in perfect health, which thing doth rather show that it doth not open, but bind; no otherwise than Rhubarb doth: for by reason of his binding quality the waterish humours do for a while keep their colour. For colours mixed with binding things do longer remain in the things coloured, and do not so soon fade: this thing they will know that gather colours out of the juices of flowers and herbs, for with them they mix alum, to the end that the colour may be retained and kept the longer, which otherwise would be quickly lost. By these things it manifestly appeareth that Madder doth nothing vehemently either cleanse or open, and that Dioscorides hath rashly attributed unto it this kind of quality, and after him Galen and the rest that followed, standing stiffly to his opinion.

            H. Pliny saith, that the stalks with the leaves of Madder, are used against serpents.

            I. The root of Madder boiled in mead or honeyed water, and drunken, openeth the stopping of the liver, the milt and kidneys, and is good against the jaundice.

            K. The same taken in like maner provoketh urine vehemently, insomuch that the often use thereof causeth one to piss blood, as some have dreamed.

            L. Longius and other excellent physicians have experimented the same to amend the loathsome colour of the King's evil, and it helpeth the ulcers of the mouth, if unto the decoction be added a little alum and honey of Roses.

            M. The fifth being the Synanchica of Dalechampius, dries without biting, and it is excellent against squinancies, either taken inwardly, or applied outwardly, for which cause they have called it Synanchica; Hist. Lugd.