Of Aromaticall Reedes.

| | | |---|---| | 1 Calamus Aromaticus. | 2 Acorus officinis falsò Calamus. | | Aromaticall Reede. | Bastard or false Calamus. |

The description (la descripción).

This sweete smelling Reede is of a darke dun colour, full of ioints and knees easie to be broken into small splinters, hollow and full of a certaine white pith, cobweb wise, somewhat gummie in eating, and hanging in the teeth, and of a sharpe bitter taste. It is of the thicknes of the little finger, as L'Obelius affirmeth of some which he had seene in Venice. Bastard Calamus hath flaggie leaues like vnto the water Flower de-luce or flag, but narrower, three foote long: the longest and eldest of which leaues are within a foote of the top, as it were curled or pleated confusedly. The rest of the leafe is smooth and euen, among which commeth vp a stalke like the common reede, which yeeldeth out of the middle a certaine long aglet or bunch, such as the Aller tree bringeth foorth. I haue not as yet seene it beare his tuft in my garden, and haue read that it is barren, and by proofe haue seene it so: yet for all that I beleeue Clusius, who saith he hath seene it beare his flower in that place where it doth growe naturally, although in England it is altogither barren. The roote is sweete in smell, and bitter in taste, and like vnto the common Flag.

The place (el lugar).

The true Calamus aromaticus groweth in Arabia, and likewise in Siria, especially in the moorish grounds at the foote of Libanus, neere vnto the towne of Tripoli, where there is great resort of English marchants, as of other nations out of most parts of the world. At which place there is a lake called Antilibanum, situated in a valley neer adioining, the which lake in the heat of sommer is drie, in respect of the store of water that it doth abound withall in winter. It groweth likewise in the west and east Indies, in the like soile as aforesaid. Bastard or false Calamus doth growe naturally at the foote of a high hill neere to Prussia, a citie of Bithynia, not far from a great lake. It prospereth exceeding well in my garden, but as yet it beareth neither flowers nor stalke. It groweth also in Candia, as Plinie reporteth: in Galatia likewise, and in many other places. ☙ The time. They lose their leaues in the beginning of winter, and do recouer them againe in the spring of the yeere. ☙ The names. There hath beene from time to time great controuersie, and many disputations among writers about these two names, Calamus and Acorus. The which hath been taken generally to be one, and the selfe same plant; which controuersie may easily be decided, if men that haue trauailed in this qualitie, had but common sence: for that it is most euident, that Acorus is one, and Calamus another, and both reedes, and yet differ as their descriptions do shew. But if my censure might be receiued, the errour hath growen through the ignorance of the apothecaries, who haue taken for Calamus a roote called Acorus: generally I must confesse taken among the ignorant for the true Calamus Aromaticus; the which by tradition hath been obserued to this day; I thinke by reason that Acorus is verie cheape, and easie to be gotten; and the right deere, and hard to come by. So that the sweete or Aromaticall reede is called in Latine Calamus Aromaticus, and Calamus Odoratus: Auicen and other of the ancient Arabians, haue called it Casab and Aldirira, of Serapias Hassabel-derire. The false or bastard Calamus is called of the Latines Acorus, of some Calamus Aromaticus, but vntruly: in Italian Acoro: the Arabians Vage, or Vgi: in Greeke Ἄκορος , and ἄκορον : of diuers as witnesseth Apuleius, Acorinas, & Venerea: it is also called Radix Nautica, Singentiana, Vnguentaria: in English after the Latine name, Calamus aromaticus. ☙ The nature. Dioscorides saith, the rootes hath an heating facultie: Galen and Plinie do affirme, that they haue thin and subtill parts, both hot and drie. ☙ The vertues. The decoction of the roote of Calamus drunke, prouoketh vrine, helpeth the paine in the side, liuer, spleene, and brest: convulsions, gripings, and burstings: it easeth and helpeth the pissing by drops. It is of great effect, being put in broth or taken in fumes through a close stoole, to prouoke womens naturall accidents. The iuice strained with a little hony, taketh away the dimnes of the eies, and helpeth much against poison, the hardnes of the spleene, and all infirmities of the blood. The roote boiled in wine, stamped and applied plaisterwise vnto the cods, doth woonderfullie abate the swelling of the same, and helpeth all hardnes and collections of humors. The quantitie of two scruples and a halfe of the roote drunke in fower ounces of Muscadell, helpeth them that be brused with greeuous beating, or fals. The roote is with good successe mixed with counterpoisons. In our age it is put into Eclegmas, that is, medicines for the lungs, and especially when the lungs and chest are opprest with rawe and colde humors. ☙ The choice. The best Acorus as Dioscorides saith, is that which is substantiall, and well compact, white within, not rotten, full, and well smelling. Plinie writeth, that those which grow in Candia are better then those of Pontus, and yet those of Candia coorse then those of the easterne countries or those of England, although we haue no great quantitie thereof.