Saffron crocus

Of Saffron.

John Gerard, The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes, London, 1597. What England's best-known herbal said of saffron crocus, in its own spelling.

The vertues

A Auicen affirmeth that it caufeth headach, and is hurtfull to the braine, which it cannot doe by taking it now and then, but by too much vfing of it: for too much vfing of it cutteth off fleepe, through want whereof the head and fences are out of frame. But the moderate vfe of it is good for the head, and maketh the fences more quicke and liuely, fhaketh off heauie and drowfie fleepe, and maketh a man merrie. B Alfo Saffron ftrengtheneth the hart, concocteth crude or rawe humors of the cheft, openeth the lungs, and remooueth obftructions or ftoppings. C It is alfo fuch a fpeciall remedie for thofe that haue confumption of the lungs, and are, as we tearm it, at deaths doore, & almoft paft breathing, that it bringeth breath againe, & prolongeth life for certaine daies, if ten or twentie graines at the moft be giuen, with new or fweete wine. For we haue found by often experience that being taken in that fort, it prefently, and in a moment remooueth away difficultie of breathing, which moft dangerously and fuddenly happeneth.

The place

Common, or the beft knowne Saffron groweth plentifully in Cambridgefhire, Saffron Walden and other places thereabout, as corne in the fieldes.

The time

Saffron beginneth to flower in September, and prefently after fpring vp the leaues, and remaine greene all the winter long.

The temperature

Saffron is a little aftringent or binding, but his hot qualitie doth fo ouer rule in it, that in the whol essence it is in the number of thofe herbes which are hot in the fecond degree, and drie in the firft: therfore it alfo hath a certaine force to concoct, which is furthered by the fmall aftricti…

The names

Saffron is called in Greeke κρόκος: in Latin Crocus: in Mauritania Zaffaran: in Spanifh Açafron: in Englifh Saffron: in the Arabicke toong Zahafaran. Some that are difposed to dissemble and ieft with their friends and to make them merrie with pretie Poeticall figmentes, haue giuen it the name of a Damfell, whereof Ouid maketh mention, which to recite were impertinent to our hiftorie.

Gerard wrote within Galenic humoral medicine, and his opinions, including about the peoples of the Americas and their crops, are those of 1590s London. His “vertues” are history, not advice. Transcription: Source Library (CC BY-SA 4.0). The whole chapter in the Herball Room.