Of small Centorie.

* The defcription. The leffer Centorie is a little herbe: it groweth vp with a cornered ftalke, halfe a foot high, with leaues in forme and bigneffe of Saint Iohns woort: the flowers growe at the top in a fpokie bufh or rundell, of a red colour tending to purple, which in the day time, and after the sunne is vp doe open themselues, and towardes euening do shut vp againe: after them come foorth small seede vessels, of the shape of wheate cornes, in which are conteined very little seedes. The roote is slender, hard, and soone fading. 2 The yellowe Centorie hath leaues, stalkes, and seede like the other, and is in ech respect alike, sauing that the flowers heereof are of a perfect yellowe colour, which setteth foorth the difference. | 1 Centaurium paruum. Small Centorie. | 2 Centaurium paruum luteum L'Obelij. Yellowe Centorie. | | :--- | :--- | | | |

The place.

The first is growing in great plentie throughout England, in most pastures and grassie fieldes. The yellow doth grow vpon the chalkie cliffes of Greenehith in Kent, and such like places.

The time.

They are to be gathered in their flowring time, that is, in Iuly and August; of some that gather them superstitiously, they are gathered betweene the two ladie daies.

The names.

Pliny nameth the small Centorie Libadion, and by reason of his great bitternesse Fel terræ. The Italians in Hetruria call it Biondella: in Spanish Centoria: in lowe Dutch Santorye: in English lesser Centorie, or common Centorie: in French Centoire.

The temperature.

The small Centorie is of a bitter qualitie, and of temperature hot and drie in the second degree: and the yellow Centorie is hot and drie in the third degree.

The vertues.

Being boiled in water and drunke, it openeth the stoppings of the liuer, gall, and spleene, it helpeth the yellowe iaundise, and likewise long and lingering agues: it killeth the wormes in the bellie; to be briefe, it clenseth, scoureth, and maketh thinne humors that are thicke, and doth effectually performe whatsoeuer bitter things can. Dioscorides, and Galen after him, report, that the decoction draweth downe by siege choler and thicke humours, and helpeth the sciatica: but though we haue vsed this often and luckely, yet could we not perceiue euidently that it purgeth by the stoole any thing at all, and yet hath performed the effects aforesaide. This Centorie being stamped and laide on whilest it is fresh and greene, doth heale and close vp greene wounds, clenseth old vlcers, and perfectly cureth them. The iuice is good in medicines for the eies, mixed with hony it clenseth away such things as hinder the sight, and being drunke it hath a peculiar vertue against the infirmities of the sinewes, as Dioscorides teacheth. The Italian Phisicions do giue the powder of the leaues of yellowe Centorie once in three daies, in the quantitie of a dram, with annise and carowaie seedes, in wine or other liquor, which preuaileth against the dropsie and greene sicknesse, of which plant Ioannes Postius hath thus written; > Flos mihi suaue rubet, sed inest quoque succus amarus, > Qui iuuat obsessum bile, aperitque iecur. > My flower is sweete in smell, bitter my iuice in taste, > Which purge choler and helps liuer that else would waste.