Of Cotton grasse.
The description.
1 This strange Cotton grasse, which L'Obelius hath comprehended vnder the kindes of Rushes, notwithstanding that it may passe with the rushes, yet I finde in mine owne experience, that it doth rather resemble grasse than rushes, and may indifferently be taken for either; for that it doth participate of both. The stalke is small and rushie, garnished with many grassie leaues alongst the same, bearing at the top a bush or tuft of most pleasant downe or cotton, like vnto the most fine and soft white silke. The roote is very tough, small and threddie. 2 This Water Gladiole or grassie Rush, of all others is the fairest and most pleasant to behold, and serueth very well for the decking and trimming vp of houses, bicause of the beautie and brauerie thereof: consisting of sundry small flowers, compact of sixe small leaues, of a white colour mixed with carnation, growing at the top of a bare and naked stalke, fiue or sixe foote long, and sometime more. The leaues are long and flaggie, not much vnlike the common reede. The roote is threddie, and not long. 1 Gramen Tomentarium. Cotton grasse. 2 Gladiolus palustris Cordi. Water Gladiole.
The place.
1 Cotton grasse groweth vpon bogs, and such like moorish places, as it is to be seene vpon a bog at the further end of Hampsted heath in a valley, vpon the right hand neere to a small cottage, as ye go from London to Henden: in which place doth growe likewise many other rare simples, as you shall vnderstand hereafter in this treatise. It groweth likewise in Highgate parke neere London. 2 Water Gladiole groweth in standing pooles, motes, and water ditches. I found it in great plentie, being in companie with a worshipfull gentleman Master Robert VVilbraham, at a village fifteene miles from London called Bushey. It groweth likewise by the famous riuer Thamesis, not far from a peece of ground called the Diuels neckerchiefe neere Redriffe by London, and many other places: The season answereth all others.
The names.
1 Gramen tomentofum is called likewise Iuncus bombicinus: of Cordus, Linum pratense, and Gnaphalium Hieronimi Bochy. In English Cotton grasse. 2 Water Gladiole is called of L'Obelius, Iuncus Cyperoides floridus paludosus, Flowring Cypresse rush. Iuncus, saith he, for that his stalke is like the Rush: Cyperoides, bicause his leaues do resemble Cyperus: Floridus, bicause it hath on the top of euery rushie stalke, a fine vmble or tuft of small flowers, in fashion of the Lillie of Alexandria, the which it is very like, and therefore I had rather call it the Lillie grasse.
The vertues.
Cordus saith, that Iuncus bombicinus sodden in wine, and so taken, helpeth the throwes and gripings of the bellie, that women haue in their childing. There be also sundrie kindes of grasses wholy vnknowen, or at the least not remembred of the old writers, whereof some few are touched in name onely by the late and new writers: now for as much as they haue onely named them, I will refer the better consideration of them to the industrie and diligence of painfull searchers of nature, and prosecute my purposed labour, to unfolde the diuers sorts and manifold kindes of Cyperus, Flags, and Rushes: and bicause that there is added unto many of the grasses before mentioned, this difference Cyperoides, that is to say, grasse like, or resembling Cyperus, I thought it expedient to ioine next unto the historie of grasses, the discourse of Cyperus and his kinds, which are as followeth.
Text in Gerard's own spelling (the long s is printed as s), transcribed by the Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). A chapter may run onto pages not yet transcribed. Gerard wrote within Galenic medicine; nothing here is advice.