Of sleeping Nightshade.

Solanum Lethale. Dwale, or deadly Nightshade.

The description (la descripción).

DWale or sleeping Nightshade hath round blackish stalks fixe foote high, whereupon doe growe great broade leaues of a darke greene colour; among which doe growe small hollowe flowers bell fashion of an ouerworne purple colour; in the place whereof come foorth great rounde berries of the bignesse of the blacke cherrie, greene at the first, but when they be ripe of the colour of blacke iette or burnished horne, soft and full of purple iuice; among which iuice lie the seeds like the berries of Iuie: the roote is very great, thicke and long lasting.

The place (el lugar).

It groweth in vntilled places neere vnto high waies and the sea marshes and such like places. It groweth very plentifully in Hollande in Lincolneshire, and in the Ile of Elie at a place called Walsoken, neere vnto Wisbitch. I founde it growing without the gate of Highgate neere vnto a pound or pinfold on the left hād.

The time (la época).

This flourisheth al the sommer and spring, beareth his seede and flower in Iuly and August.

The names (los nombres).

It is called of Dioscorides στρύχνος ὑπνωτικος : of Theophrastus στρύχνος μανικὸς : of the Latines Solanum somniferum somniferum or sleeping Nightshade; and Solanum lethale, or deadly Nightshade; and Solanum manicum, raging Nightshade; of some Apollinaris minor vlticana, & Herba Opfago: in English Dwale or sleeping Nightshade: the Venetians and Italians call it Bella dona: the Germaines Dollwurtz: the lowe Dutch Dulle bessen: in French Morelle mortelle: it commeth very neere vnto Theophrastus his Mandragoras, (which differeth from Dioscorides his Mandragoras) if there be a difference.

The temperature (el temperamento).

It is colde euen in the fourth degree.

The vertues (las virtudes).

This kinde of Nightshade causeth sleepe, troubleth the minde, bringeth madnes if a fewe of the berries be inwardly taken, but if mo be giuen they also kill and bring present death. Theophrastus in his 6. booke doth likewise write of Mandrake in this maner; Mandrake causeth sleepe, and if also much of it be taken it bringeth death. The greene leaues of deadly Nightshade may with great aduise be vsed in such cases at Pettimorrell: but if you will follow my counsell, deale not with the fame in any case, and banish it from your gardens and the vse of it also, being a plant so furious and deadly: for it bringeth such as haue eaten thereof into a dead sleepe wherein many haue died, as hath beene often seene and prooued by experience both in England and else where. But to giue you an example hereof it shall not be amisse: It came to passe that three boies of Wisbich in the Ile of Ely, did eate of the pleasant and beautifull fruite hereof, two whereof died in lesse then 8. howers after they had eaten of them. The thirde childe had a quantitie of honie and water mixed together giuen him to drinke, causing him to vomite often: God blessed this meanes and the childe recouered. Banish therefore these pernicious plants out of your gardens, and all places neere to your houses, where children or women with childe do resort, which do oftentimes long and lust after things most vile and filthie; & much more after a berrie of a bright shining black colour, and of such great beautie, as it were able to allure any such to eate thereof. The leaues hereof laid vnto the temples cause sleep, especially if they be imbibed or moistened in wine vineger. It easeth the intollerable paines of the headach proceeding of heat in furious agues, causing rest being applied as aforesaid.