The Description.

1. Rosemary is a woody shrub, growing oftentimes to the height of three or four cubits, especially when it is set by a wall: it consisteth of slender brittle branches whereon do grow very many long leaves, narrow, somewhat hard, of a quick spicy taste, whitish underneath, and of a full green colour above, or in the upper side, with a pleasant sweet strong smell; among which come forth little flowers of a whitish blue colour: the seed is blackish: the roots are tough and woody.

2. The wild Rosemary Clusius hath referred unto the kinds of Cistus Ledon; we have as a poor kinsman thereof inserted it in the next place, in kindred or neighbourhood at the least. This wild Rosemary is a small woody shrub, growing seldom above a foot high, having hard branches of a reddish colour, dividing themselves into other smaller branches of a whitish color: whereon are placed without order divers long leaves, green above, and hoary underneath, not unlike to those of the dwarf Willow, or the common Rosemary, of a dry and astringent taste, of little smell or none at all: the flowers stand on the tops of the branches, set upon bare or naked footstalks, consisting of five small leaves of a reddish colour, somewhat shining; after which appear little knops full of small seed: the root is tough and woody.

3. This plant grows up like an hedge shrub of a woody substance, to the height of two or three cubits; having many twiggy branches of a green colour: whereupon do grow narrow leaves like unto Linaria or Toad-flax, of a bitter taste; among which come forth small mossy flowers, of a greenish yellow colour like those of the Cornel tree, and of the smell of Rosemary: which hath moved me to place it with the Rosemaries as a kind thereof, not finding any other plant so near unto it in kind and neighbourhood: after the flowers be past, there succeed fruit like those of the Myrtle tree, green at the first, and of a shining red colour when they be ripe, like Coral, or the berries of Asparagus, soft and sweet in taste, leaning a certain acrimony or sharp taste in the end: the stone within is hard as is the nut, wherein is contained a small white kernel, sweet in taste: the root is of a woody substance: it flowereth in the summer; the fruit is ripe in the end of October: the people of Granada, Montpellier, and of the kingdom of Valencia, do use it in their presses and wardrobes, whereupon they call it Guardalobo. This in Clusius his time when he lived about Montpellier was called Osyris; but afterwards they called it Casia, thinking it that mentioned by the poet Virgil; the which it cannot be, for it hath no sweet smell. Pena and Lobel judge it to be the Casia of Theophrastus, wherewith also it doth not well agree.

The Place.

Rosemary groweth in France, Spain, and in other hot countries, in woods, and in untilled places: there is such plenty thereof in Languedoc, that the inhabitants burn scarce any other fuel: they make hedges of it in the gardens of Italy and England, being a great ornament unto the same: it groweth neither in the fields nor gardens of the Eastern cold countries; but is carefully and curiously kept in pots, set into the stoves and cellars, against the injuries of their cold Winters.

Wild Rosemary groweth in Lancashire in divers places, especially in a field called Little Reed, amongst the Whortleberries, near unto a small village called Maudsley; there found by a learned gentleman often remembered in our history (and that worthily) Mr. Thomas Hesketh.

The Time.

Rosemary flowereth twice a year, in the spring, and after in August. The wild Rosemary flowereth in June and July.

The Names.

Rosemary is called in Latin, Rosmarinus coronaria: it is surnamed coronaria, for difference sake between it and the other Libanotides, which are reckoned for kinds of Rosemary, and also because women have been accustomed to make crowns and garlands thereof: in Italian, Rosmarino coronario: in Spanish, Romero: in French and Dutch Romarin.

Wild Rosemary is called Rosmarinus sylvestris: of Cordus, Chamæpeuce.

The Temperature.

Rosemary is hot and dry in the second degree, and also of an astringent or binding quality, as being compounded of divers parts, and taking more of the mixture of the earthy substance.

The Virtues.

A. Rosemary is given against all fluxes of blood; it is also good, especially the flowers thereof, for all infirmities of the head and brain, proceeding of a cold and moist cause; for they dry the brain, quicken the senses and memory, and strengthen the sinewy parts.

B. Serapio witnesseth, that Rosemary is a remedy against the stuffing of the head, that cometh through coldness of the brain, if a garland thereof be put about the head, whereof Abin Mesue giveth testimony.

C. Dioscorides teacheth that it cureth him that hath the yellow jaundice, if it it be boiled in water and drunk before exercise, & that after the taking thereof the patient must bathe himself & drink wine

D. The distilled water of the flowers of Rosemary being drunk at morning and evening first and last, taketh away the stench of the mouth and breath, and maketh it very sweet, if there be added thereto, to steep or infuse for certain days, a few cloves, mace, cinnamon, and a little aniseed.

E. The Arabians and other physicians succeeding, do write, that Rosemary comforteth the brain, the memory, the inward senses, and restoreth speech unto them that are possessed with the dumb palsy, especially the conserve made of the flowers and sugar, or any other way confected with sugar, being taken every day fasting.

F. The Arabians, as Serapio witnesseth, give these properties to Rosemary: it heateth, say they, is of subtle parts, is good for the cold rheum which falleth from the brain; driveth away windiness, provoketh urine, and openeth the stoppings of the liver and milt.

G. Tragus writeth, that Rosemary is spice in the German kitchens, and other cold countries. Further, he saith, that the wine boiled with Rosemary, and taken of women troubled with the mother, or the whites, helpeth them, the rather if they fast three or four hours after.

H. The flowers made up into plates with sugar after the manner of sugar roset and eaten, comfort the heart, and make it merry, quicken the spirits, and make them more lively.

I. The oil of Rosemary chemically drawn, comforteth the cold, weak and feeble brain in most wonderful manor.

K. The people of Thuringia do use the wild Rosemary to provoke the desired sickness.

L. Those of Marchia use to put it into their drink the sooner to make their clients drunk, and also do put it into chests and presses among clothes, to preserve them from moths or other vermin.

[The virtues in the last two places properly belong to the Rosmarinum sylvestre of Matthiolus, which is the Chamæpeuce of Cordus, and is described in the 11th place of the foregoing chapter, by the name of Cistus ledum silesiacum.]