A new Herball/Part I/Of Sothernwod

by William Turner (1510-1568)

Of Sothernwod, Othernwode is called in Greke, Abrotonon, in latin Abrotonum, in duche Affruish or stabwurtz, in frenche Anronne. Dioscorides maketh two kindes of Sothernwode, the one kynde is the male ⁊ it groweth in gardynes, and no where els, ⁊ this is our comen Sothernwode. The other kynde is the female, and dyuerse learned men haue supposed the herbe, called in English lauander cotton to be thys kynd, and surelye the description doth much agre, sauynge: that the leues of lauander cotton are not lyke vnto sea wormwode, for it hath much thynner and fyner leues then lauander cotton hath. This kynde of Sothernwode, wherof I intreat now, is called of Dioscorides in the description of sea Wormwode, Abrotonnm paruū. Wherfore I am fully persuaded that a certain kynd of Sothernwod whych groweth in the moūtaynes of Italye, is the ryght Sothernwode female. it hath small leaues and short, but very thyck together, and it hath the very same smell that the other kynde hath. Sothernwode is hote and drye in the thyrd degre. Sothernvuod.
The vertues, he sede of Sothernwode, rawe, brokene, ⁊ made hote in water and so dronken, is good for the short wynded, for the partes that are drawen together, or shronke, and are bursten, for yͤ sciatica, for the stoppinge of the water ⁊ lykewyse of wemens floures. The same dronkē with wyne is a good preseruatiue agaynst poyson. It is good for them that shake and shudder for colde, sodden in oyle, and layd to vpon the body. This herbe both strowene in the bedde, and also wyth the smoke that commeth from it, driueth serpentes awaye. It is good to be dronkē in wyne agaynst the bytynges of serpentes, and especyally of the felde spyder, ⁊ of a scorpyone. It is good for yͤ inflammation of the eye layd to wyth a sodden quynce or wyth breade. The same brokene wyth barlye mele and sodene, driueth awaye swellynges on the fleshe. It kylleth wormes, for it is bytter. Sothernwode burned and put in the oyle of Palma christi or radice. maketh a herbe yͭ groweth slowlye, come oute a pace, if it be anoynted wyth it. Sothernwode draweth oute it that stycketh fast in a mannys body. Some holde that thys herbe layd but vnder a mannys bolster, prouoketh men to the multyplyende of their kynde, and that it is good agaynst chermynge and wychyng of men, whych by chermynge are not able to exercise the worke of generacion.