The Description.

The tame Cornel tree groweth sometime of the height and bigness of a small tree, with a great number of springs: it is covered with a rugged bark: the wood or timber is very hard and dry, without any great quantity of sap therein: the leaves are like unto the Dogberry leaves, crumpled, rugged, and of an overworn colour: the flowers grow in small bunches before any leaves do appear, of colour yellow, and of no great value (they are so small) in show like the flowers of the Olive tree: which being faded, there come small long berries, which at the first be green, and red when they be ripe; of an austere and harsh taste, with a certain sourness: within this berry is a small stone, exceeding hard, white within like that of the Olive, wherunto it is like both in the fashion and oftentimes in the bigness of the fruit.

The Place.

This groweth in most places of Germany without manuring: it grows not wild in England. But yet there be sundry trees of them growing in the gardens of such as love rare and dainty plants, whereof I have a tree or two in my garden.

The Time.

The tame Cornel tree flowereth sometime in February, & commonly in March, and afterwards the leaves come forth as an untimely birth: the berries or fruit are ripe in Angust.

The Names.

The Latins call it Cornus: in High Dutch, Cornelbaum: in Low Dutch, Cornoele boom: the Italians, Corniolo: in French, Cornillier: in Spanish, Cornizolos: in English, the Cornel tree, and the Cornelia tree; of some, long Cherry tree.

The fruit is named in Latin, Cornum: in High Dutch, Cornel: in Low Dutch, Cornoele: in Italian, Cornole: in English, Cornel berries and Cornelian cherries.

This is Cornus mas theophrasti, or Theophrastus his male Cornel tree; for he setteth down two sorts of the Cornel trees, the male and the female: he maketh the wood of the male to be sound, as in this Cornel tree; which we both for this cause and for others also have made to be the male. The female is that which is commonly called Virga sanguinea, or Dogberry tree, and Cornus sylvestris, or the wild Cornel tree, of which we will treat in the next chapter following.

The Temperature and Virtues.

A. The fruit of the Cornel tree hath a very harsh or choking taste: it cooleth, drieth, and bindeth, yet may it also be eaten, as it is oftentimes.

B. It is a remedy against the lask and bloody flux, it is hurtful to a cold stomach and increaseth the rawness thereof: the leaves and tender crops of the tree are likewise of an harsh and choking taste, and do mightily dry.

C. They heal green wounds that are great and deep, especially in hard bodies, but they are not so good for small wounds and tender bodies, as Galen writeth.