Of Ginger.
The description.
Ginger is most impatient of the coldnes of these our northerne regions, as my selfe haue found by proofe; for that there haue been brought vnto me at seuerall times sundry plants thereof, fresh, greene, and full of iuice, as well from the West Indies, as from Barbarie and other places, which haue sprouted and budded foorth greene leaues in my garden in the heate of sommer; but as soone as it hath bin but touched with the first sharp blast of winter, it hath presently perished both blade and roote. The true forme or picture hath not before this time been set foorth by any that hath written, but the world hath been deceiued by a counterfet figure, which the reuerent and learned herbarist Mathias L'Obel, did set foorth in his obseruations. The forme whereof notwithstanding I haue heere expressed, with the true and vndoubted picture also, which I receiued from L'Obelius his owne hands at the impression heerof. The cause of whose former error, as also the meanes whereby he got the knowledge of the true Ginger, may appeere by his owne words sent vnto me in Latine, which I haue heere inserted. His words be these. How hard and vncertaine it is, to describe in words the true proportion of plants, hauing no other guide than skilfull, but yet deceitfull formes of them, sent from friends or other meanes; they best do know, who haue deepliest waded in this sea of simples. About thirty yeeres past or more, an honest and expert Apothecarie William Dries, to satisfie my desire, sent me from Antwerpe to London the picture of Ginger, which he held to be truly and liuely drawen; I my selfe gaue him credit easily, bicause I was not ignorant, that there had been oft Ginger rootes brought greene, new, and full of iuice from the Indies to Antwerpe: and further, that the fame had budded and growen in the said Dries garden. But not many yeeres after, I perceiued that picture which was sent me by my friend, not to haue been truly set foorth, but before that time to haue been drawen by the old Germane Botanicus. Therefore not suffering this error any further to spread abrode, (which I discouered not many yeeres past at Flushing in Zealand, in the garden of William of Nassaw Prince of Orange of famous memorie; through the meanes of a woorthie person, if my memorie deceiue me not, called Vander Mill, at what time he opened, and loosed his first yoong buds and shootes about the end of sommer, resembling in leaues, and stalks of a foote high, the yoong and tender shootes of the common reede called Harundo vallatoria:) I thought it conuenient to impart thus much vnto Master Iohn Gerard an expert herbarist, and Master of happie successe in Surgerie, to the end he might let posteritie know thus much, in the painfull and long labored trauels which now he hath in hand, to the great good and benefit of his countrie. The plant it selfe brought me to Middleborough, and set in my garden, perished through the hardnes of the winter. Thus much haue I set downe, truly translated out of his owne words in Latine, though too fauourably by him done to the commendation of my meane skill.
The place.
Ginger groweth in Spaine, Barbarie, in the Canarie Ilands, and the Acores. Our men which sacked Domingo in the Indies, digged it vp there in sundry places wilde.
The time.
Ginger flourisheth in the hot time of sommer, and loseth his leaues in winter.
The names.
Ginger is called in Latine Zinziber.
The temperature.
Ginger heateth and drieth in the third degree.
The vertues.
Ginger, as Dioscorides reporteth, is right good with meate in sauces, or otherwise in conditures: for it is of an heating and digesting qualitie, it gently looseth the bellie, and is profitable for the stomacke, and effectually opposeth it selfe against all darknes of the sight, answering the qualities and effects of Pepper. It is to be considered, that greene canded or condited Ginger is hot and moist in qualitie, prouoking venerie: and being dried, it heateth and drieth in the third degree.
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.