Of Sweete Cullions.
The kindes (las clases).
There be sundrie sorts of sweete smelling Testicles or stones, whereof the first is most sweete and pleasant in smell; the others of lesse smell or fauour, differing in flowers & rootes. Some haue white flowers; others yellow; some flesh coloured; some dasht vpon white with a little reddish wash, some haue two stones, some three, and others fower, wherin their difference doth consist. | 1 Testiculus odoratus. | 2 Triorchis. | | :--- | :--- | | Ladie Traces. | Triple Ladie Traces. |
The description (la descripción).
1 The first kind of Sweete stones is a small, base, and lowe plant in respect of all the rest. The leaues be small, narrow and short, growing flat vpon the ground: among the which riseth vp a small, weake, and tender stalke of a finger long; whereupon doe grow small white flowers spike-fashion, of a pleasant sweete smell. The rootes are two small stones in shape like the others. 2 Triple Orchis hath fower bulbes or tuberous rootes, somewhat long, set with many small fibres or short threds, from the which roots rise immediately many flat & plaine leaues, ribbed with nerues along the leaues, like those of Plantaine: among which come foorth naked stalkes, small and tender; whereupon are placed certaine small white flowers, trace fashion, not so sweete as the former in smell and fauour. | 3 Orchis Frisia. | 4 Orchis Leodiensis. | | :--- | :--- | | Friezland Ladie traces. | Liege Ladie traces. | 3 Friezland Ladie traces hath two small round stones or bulbes, of the bignes of the pease that we call Rouncifals; from the which rise vp a fewe leaues, lesser then those of the triple stones, ribbed as the small leafed Plantaine: among the which commeth foorth a small naked stalke, set round about with small yellow flowers, not trace fashion, as the former. 4 Liege Ladie traces hath for his rootes two greater stones and two smaller; from the which commeth vp two and sometimes more leaues, furrowed or made hollow in the mids like vnto a trough, from the which riseth vp a slender naked stalke, set with such flowers as the last described, sauing that they be of an ouerworne yellow colour.
The place (el lugar).
These kinds of Stones or Cullions do grow in drie pastures & heathes, and likewise vpon chalky hils, the which I haue found growing plentifully in sundry places, as in the fielde by Islington neere London, where there is a bouling place vnder a fewe old shrubby okes. They grow likewise vpon the heath at Barne-elmes, neere vnto the head of a conduit that sendeth water to the house belonging to the late sir Frances VValsingham. They grow in the field next vnto a village called Thistleworth, as yee go from Branford to hir Maiesties house of Richmond; as also vpon a common heath, by a village neere London called Stepney, by the relation of a learned merchant of London, named master Iames Cole, exceedingly well experienced in the knowledge of Simples. The yellow kinds growe in barren pastures and borders of fields about Ouenden and Clare in Essex. Likewise neere vnto Muche Dunmowe in Essex, where they were shewed me by a learned gentleman master Iames Twaights, excellently well seene in the knowledge of plants.
The time (la época).
These kinds of Stones do flower from August to the end of September.
The names (los nombres).
The first is called in Latine Testiculus Odoratus: in English sweete smelling Testicles or Stones, not of the swetenes of the rootes, but of the flowers. It is called also Orchis spiralis, or Autumnalis, for that it commeth to flowring in Autumne: of our English women they be called Ladie traces: in euery countrey by a seuerall name, as of some sweete Ballocks, sweete Cods, sweete Cullions and Standergrasse. In Dutch Knabenkraut, and Standelcraut; in French Satirion. The second sort is called Triorchis, and also Tetrorchis: in English triple Ladie laces, or white Orchis. The third is called Orchis Frizia: in English Friezland Orchis. The last of these kinde of Stones or Tefticles, is called of some Orchis Leodiensis, and Orchis Lutea: in Latine likewise Basilica minor Serapias, and Triorchis AEgineta: in English yellowe Ladie traces. These kinds of sweete Cullions are of nature and temperature like the Dogs stones, although not vsed in Phisicke in times past, notwithstanding later writers haue attributed some vertues vnto them as followeth.
The vertues (las virtudes).
The full and sappy rootes of Ladie traces eaten or boiled in milke and drunke, prouoke venery, Anourish and strengthen the bodie, and be good for such as are fallen into a consumption or feuer Hectique.
Texto en la ortografía original de Gerard, en inglés de 1597 (la s larga se imprime como s), transcrito por la Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). Un capítulo puede continuar en páginas aún no transcritas. Gerard escribía dentro de la medicina galénica; nada de esto es un consejo.