Of Banke Cresses.
The description.
Bancke Cresses hath long leaues, deeply cut or iagged vpon both sides, not vnlike to those of Rocket, or wilde mustarde. The stalkes be small, limber or pliant, yet very tough, and will twiste and writhe as doth the Ozier or water willowe, whereupon do growe small yellowe flowers, which being paste there do succeede little slender cods, full of small seedes, in taste sharpe and biting the toong as those of Cresses. The seconde kinde of bancke Cresses hath leaues like to those of Dandelion, somewhat resembling Spinach. The braunches be long, tough, and pliant like the other. The flowers be yellowe, which bring foorth small biting seede, like the other of his kinde. | 1 Eryfimum Diofcoridis, L'Obelii. | 2 Eryfimum fyluestre. | | :--- | :--- | | Bancke Cresses. | Wilde bancke Cresses. |
The place.
Bancke Cresses is found in stony places among rubbish, by path waies, vpon earth or mudde wals, and in other vntoiled places. The seconde kinde of bancke Cresses, groweth in such places as the former doth: I founde it growing at a place by Chelmesforde in Essex called little Baddowe, and in sundrie other places.
The time.
They flower in Iune and Iuly, and the seede is ripe in August and September.
The names.
Bancke Cresses is called in Greeke ἐρύσιμον , and of some χαμαιπλίον : Chamæplium according to Diofcorides: Theophraftus hath an other Eryfimum, euen that which Diofcorides calleth Myagrum, and is the plant that Doctor William Turner of famous memory, called winter Cresses: it is called of Diofcorides and Theophraftus likewise Irio, and Irion.
The temperature.
The seede of bancke Cresses is like in taste to garden Cresses, and is as Galen saith of a fierie temperature, and doth extreamly attenuate or make thinne.
The vertues.
The seed of bancke Cresses is good against the rheume that falleth into the chest, by rotting the same. It remedieth the cough, the yellow iaundise, and the Sciatica or ache of the huckle bones, if it be taken with honie in manner of a Lohoc and often licked. It is also drunke against deadly poisons, as Diofcorides addeth: and being made vp in a plaister with water and honie and applied, it is a remedie against hidden cankrous apostumes behinde the eares, hard swellings, and inflammations of the pappes and stones.
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.