Of Thorowe waxe.
The description (la descripción).
Thorowe waxe or Thorowe leafe, hath a round, slender, and brittle stalke, diuided into manie small braunches, which passe or go thorow the leaues, as though they had been drawn or thrust thorowe, and (to make it more plaine) euery braunch doth grow thorowe euerie leafe, leafe, making them like hollowe cups or sawcers. The seede groweth in spokie tufts or rundels like Dill, long and blackish. The flowers are of a faint yellowe colour. The roote is single, white, and threddie. 2 Codded thorowe waxe reckoned by Dodonaeus among the Brassickes or Colewoorts, and making it a kinde thereof, and calling it Brassica siluestris perfoliata: though in mine opinion without reason, sith it hath neither shape, affinitie, nor likenesse with any of the Colewoorts, but altogither most unlike, resembling very well the common Thorowe waxe; whereunto I rather referre it. It hath small, tender, and brittle stalks two foote high, bearing leaues, which wrap and inclose themselues round about, although they do not run thorowe as the other do, yet they grow in such maner, that vpon the sudden viewe thereof, they seeme to passe thorowe as the other: vpon the small braunches do growe little white flowers: which being past, there succeede slender and long cods like those of Turneps or Nauewes, whose leaues and cods do somewhat resemble the same, from whence it hath the name Napifolia, that is, Thorowe waxe with leaues like vnto the Nauewe. The roote is long and single, and dieth when it hath brought foorth his seede. There is a wilde kinde heereof growing in Kent, in many places among the corne, like vnto the former in ech respect, but altogither lesser: the which no doubt brought into the garden woulde prooue the very same. 1 Perfoliata vulgaris. Common Thorowe waxe. <column-break/> 2 Perfoliata siliquosa. Codded Thorowe waxe. <column-break/>
The place (el lugar).
They growe in the gardens of Herbarists, and in my garden likewise.
The time (la época).
They flower in Maie and Iune, and their seede is ripe in August.
The names (los nombres).
It hath beene called from the beginning Perfoliata, bicause the stalke doth passe thorowe the leafe, following the signification of the same: we call it in English Thorowe waxe, or Thorowe leafe.
The temperature (el temperamento).
Thorowe waxe is of a drie complexion.
The vertues (las virtudes).
The decoction of Thorowe waxe made of water or wine, healeth wounds. The iuice is excellent for wounds made either into an oile or vnguent. The greene leaues stamped, boiled with waxe, oile, rosin and turpentine, maketh an excellent vnguent or salue to incarnate, or bring vp flesh in deepe wounds.
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.