The Description.

Cassia purgatrix, or Cassia fistula, groweth up to be a fair tree, with a tough bark like leather, of the colour of Box, whereupon some have supposed it to take the name in Latin Coriaceus: the arms and branches of this are small and limber, beset with many goodly leaves, like those of the Walnut tree: among which come forth small flowers of a yellow colour, compact or consisting of six little leaves, like the flowers of Chelidonium minus, or Pilewort: after these be faded, there succeed goodly black round, long cods, whereof some are two foot long, and of a woody substance: in these cods are contained a black pulp, very sweet and soft, of a pleasant taste, and serving to many uses in physic, in which pulp lieth the seed couched in little cells or partitions: this seed is flat and brownish, not unlike the seed of Ceratia siliqua, and in other respects very like unto it also.

The Place.

This tree groweth much in Egypt, especially about Memphis and Alexandria, and most parts of Barbary, and is a stranger in these parts of Europe.

The Time.

The Cassia is tree groweth green winter and summer: it sheddeth his old leaves when new are come, by means whereof it is never void of leaves: it flowereth early in the spring, and the fruit is ripe in autumn.

The Names.

This tree was unknown to the old writers, or so little accounted of, as that they have made no mention of it at all: the Arabians were the first that esteemed of it, by reason they knew the use of the pulp which is found in the Pipes: and after them the later Grecians, as Actuarius and other of his time, by whom it was named Kasia melania that is to say in Latin, Casia nigra. The fruit hereof, saith Actuarius in his first book, is like a long pipe, having within a thick humour or moisture, which is not congealed all alike through the pipe, but is separated and, divided with many partitions, being thin woody skins.The apothecaries call it Casia fistula, and with a double s, Cassia fistula: is called in English after the apothecaries' word, Cassia fistula, and may also be Englished, Pudding Pipe, because the cod or Pipe is like a pudding: but the old Cassia fistula, is that sweet and odorous bark that is rolled together, after the manner of a long and round pipe, now named of the apothecaries Cassia lignea, which is a kind of Cinnamon.

The Temperature.

The pulp of this pipe which is chiefly in request, is moist in the later end of the first degree, and little more than temperately hot.

The Virtues.

A. The pulp of Cassia fistula extracted with violet water, is a most sweet and pleasant medicine, and may be given without danger to all weak people of what age and sex soever they be, yea it may be ministered to women with child, for it gently purgeth choleric humours and slimy phlegm, if be taken in the weight of an ounce.

B. Cassia is good for such as be vexed with hot agues, pleurisies, jaundice, or any other inflammation of the liver, being taken as afore is showed.

C. Cassia is good for the reins and kidneys, driveth forth gravel and the stone, especially if it be mingled with the decotion of Parsley, and Fennel roots, and drunk.

D. It purgeth and purifieth the blood, making it more clean than before, breaking therewith the acrimony and sharpness of the mixture of blood and choler together.

E. It dissolveth all phlegmons and inflammations of the breast, lungs, and the rough artery called Trachea arteria, easing those parts exceeding well.

F. Cassia abateth the vehemency of thirst in agues, or any hot disease whatsoever, especially if it be taken with the juice of Intybum, Cichoreum, or Solanum, depured according to art: it abateth also the intemperate heat of the reins, if it be received with diuretic simples, or with the decoction of Liquorice only, and will not suffer the stone to grow in such persons as do receive and use this medicine.

G. The best Cassia for your use is to be taken out of the mot full, most heavy, & fairset cods, or canes, and those which do shine without, and are full of soft pulp within; that pulp which is newly taken forth is better than that which is kept in boxes, by what art soever.

H. Cassia being outwardly applied, taketh away the roughness of the skin, and being laid upon hot swellings, it bringeth them to suppuration.

I. Many singular compounded medicines are made with this Cassia, which here to recite belongs not to my purpose or history.