Of Saracenes Confound.
The description (la descripción).
Saracens Confounde hath many long narrow leaues cut or sleightly snipt about the edges: among which rise vppe faire browne hollowe stalkes, of the height of fower cubites; along which euen from the bottome to the top, is set with long, small, and narrowe leaues, like them of the Peach tree: at the top of the stalkes growe little bleake yellow flowers, which turne into downe, and are caried away with the winde. The roote is verie fibrous or threddie.
The place (el lugar).
Saracens Confounde groweth by a wood, as yee ride from great Dunmowe in Essex, vnto a place called Clare in the saide countrey; from whence I brought some plants into my garden.
The time (la época).
It flowreth in Maie, and the seede is ripe the same moneth. The name. Saracenes Confounde is called in Latine Solidago Saracenica, or Saracens Comfrey, and Consolida Saracenica: in Dutch Heydenisch Wundtkraut; of some Herba fortis: in English Saracens Confound, and Saracenes Woundwoort.
The temperature (el temperamento).
Saracens Confound is drie in the thirde degree, with some manifest heat.
The vertues (las virtudes).
Saracens Confound is not inferior to any of the wounde herbes whatsoeuer, being inwardly ministred, or outwardly applied in ointments or oiles: with it I cured master Cartwright a gentleman of Grayes Inne, who was greeuously wounded into the lungs, and that by Gods permission in short space. The leaues boiled in water and drunken, doth restraine and staie the wasting of the liuer, taketh away the oppilation and stopping of the same, and profiteth against the iaundies and feauers of long continuance. The decoction of the leaues made in water, is excellent against the sorenesse of the throte, if it be therewith gargarised; it increaseth also the vertue and force of lotion or washing waters, appropriate for priuie maimes, sore mouthes, and such like, if it be mixed therewith.
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.