Of S. Peters woort, or square S. Johns grasse.
The description (la descripción).
Saint Peters woort groweth to the height of a cubit and a halfe, hauing a straight vpright square stalke, somewhat browne, set by couples at certaine distances with leaues much like those of S. Iohns woort, but greater; from the bosome of which leaues come foorth many smaller leaues, the which are not bored through as those of S. Iohns woort are: yet sometime there be some few seene so bored through. The flowers grow at the top of the branches of a yellow colour: the leaues and flowers when they are brused, do yeeld foorth a bloodie iuice, as doth S. Iohns woort, whereof this is a kinde. The roote is tough and of a wooddie substance.
The place (el lugar).
S. Peters woort, or square S. Iohns grasse, groweth plentifully in the North part of England, especially in Landefdale and Crauen. I haue found it in many places of Kent, especially in a Cops by Master Sidleyes house, neere Southfleet.
The time (la época).
It floureth and flourisheth when Saint Iohns woort doth.
The names (los nombres).
It is called in Greeke ἄσκυρον: the Latines haue no other name but this Greeke name Ascyron. It is called of some Androsæmum: Galen maketh it both a kinde of Tutsan, and S. Iohns woort; and saith it is named Ascyron and Ascyroides: in English S. Peters woort, Square or great S. Iohns grasse: and of some Hardhay. Few Apothecaries do knowe it from S. Iohns woort.
The temperature (el temperamento).
This herbe is of temperature hot and drie.
The vertues (las virtudes).
It is endued with the same vertues that S. Iohns woort is indued withall. The seede, saith Dioscorides, being drunke in fower ounces and a halfe of Meade, doth plentifully purge by siege, cholericke excrements. Galen doth likewise affirme the same.
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.