Of Arsmart, or water Pepper.
The description (la descripción).
1 Arsmart bringeth foorth stalkes a cubite high, round, smooth, iointed or kneed, deuiding themselues into many braunches: whereon grow leaues like those of the Peach tree, or of the fallow tree. The flowers growe in clusters vpon long stems, out of the bosome of the braunches and leaues, and likewise vpon the stalkes themselues, of a white colour tending to a bright purple: after which commeth foorth little seeds somewhat broade, of a reddish yellowe, and sometime blackish, of a sharpe and biting taste, as is all the rest of the plant, and like vnto Pepper, whereof it tooke his name; yet hath it no smell at all. 2 Dead Arsmart is like vnto the precedent in stalkes, clustering flowers, rootes, and seede, and differeth in that, that this plant hath certaine spots or markes vpon the leaues, in fashion of a half moone, of the colour of lead. The roote is small and threddie: the whole plant hath no sharpe or biting taste as the other hath, but as it were a little sower smacke vpon the toong. The roote is likewise full of strings or threds. 3 There is (faith Lobelius) a kinde of Persicaria growing in Germanie and Sauoy, which I haue named Noli me tangere, touch me not: the reason of the name is, faith he, bicause it hath the forme of Mercurie, the seede of Balsamina, and the purple flowers of Larks heele; all which are most wholesome herbes both for meate and medicine: and contrariwise this plant carrying the face of wholesome herbes, is most venemous and deadly. Therefore, faith he, take this note by the way, Noli me tangere, touch me not, that is, haue special regard, that in gathering of these wholesome herbes, this pestilent herbe be auoided. | | | |---|---| | 1 Hydropiper.Arsmart. | 2 Persicaria maculosa.Dead Arsmart. | | | |---| | 3 Persicaria siliquosa.Codded Arsmart. |
The place (el lugar).
They growe very common almost euery where in moist and waterish plashes, and neere to the brims of riuers, ditches, and running brookes.
The time (la época).
They flower from the beginning of Iune to the ende of August.
The names (los nombres).
Arfmart is called in Greeke ὑδροπέπερι: of the Latines Hydropiper, or Piper aquaticum, or Aquatile, or water Pepper: in high Dutch Waffer Pfeffer: in lowe Dutch Water Peper: in French Curage, or Culrage: in Spanish Pimenta aquatica: in English Water Pepper, Culrage, and Arfmart, according to his operation and effect, when it is vsed in those parts. Dead Arfmart is called Persicaria, or Peachwoort, of the likenesse that the leaues haue with those of the Peach tree. It hath beene called Plumbago of the leaden coloured markes which are seene vpon the leaues: but Plinie would haue it called Plumbago, not of the colour, but rather of the effect, by reason that it helpeth the infirmitie of the eies called Plumbum: yet there is an other Plumbago of Plinies description, as shall be shewed shewed in his proper place: in English we may call it Peachwoort, and dead Arsmart, bicause it doth not bite those places as the other doth.
The temperature (el temperamento).
Arsmart is hot and drie: yet not so hot as Pepper, according to Galen. Dead Arsmart, is of temperature colde and somthing drie.
The vertues (las virtudes).
The leaues and seede of Arsmart do waste and consume all colde swellings, dissolue and scatter congealed bloud that commeth of brusings or stripes. The same bruised and bound vpon an impostume in the ioints of the fingers (called among the vulgare sort a fellon or vncome) for the space of an hower, taketh away the paine: but saith the author, it must be first buried vnder a stone before it be applied; which doth somewhat discredite the medicine. The leaues rubbed vpon a tyred iades backe, and a good handfull or two laide vnder the saddle, and the same set on againe, woonderfully refresheth the wearied horse, and causeth him to trauell much the better. It is reported that dead Arsmart is good against inflammations and hot swellings, being applied in the beginning, and for greene woounds if it be stamped and boiled with oile oliue, waxe and turpentine.
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.