Chap. LXXXI.
Helleborus niger.
Beares foote.
There are three sorts of blacke Hellebor or Beares foote, one that is the true and right kinde, whose flowers haue the most beautifull aspect, and the time of his flowring most rare, that is, in the deepe of Winter about Christmas, when no other can bee seene vpon the ground: and two other that are wilde or bastard kindes, brought into many Gardens for their Physicall properties; but I will only ioyne one of them with the true kinde in this worke, and leaue the other for another.
1. Helleborus niger verus. The true blacke Hellebor, or Christmas flower.
The true blacke Hellebor (or Beare foote as some would call it, but that name doth more fitly agree with the other two bastard kindes) hath many faire greene leaues rising from the roote, each of them standing on a thicke round fleshly stiffe greene stalke, about an hand breadth high from the ground, diuided into seuen, eight, or nine parts or leaues, and each of them nicked or dented, from the middle of the leafe to the pointward on both sides, abiding all the Winter, at which time the flowers rise vp on such short thicke stalkes as the leaues stand on, euery one by it selfe, without any leafe thereon for the most part, or very seldome hauing one small short leafe not much vnder the flower, and very little higher then the leaues themselues, consisting of fiue broad white leaues, like vnto a great white single Rose (which sometimes change to be either lesse or more purple about the edges, as the weather or time of continuance doth effect) with many pale yellow thrummes in the middle, standing about a greene head, which after groweth to haue diuers cods set together, pointed at the ends like hornes, somewhat like the seede vessels of the Aconitum hyemale, but greater & thicker, wherein is contained long, round, and blackish seede, like the seede of the bastard kindes: the rootes are a number of brownish strings running downe deepe into the ground, and fastened to a thicke head, of the bignesse of a finger at the toppe manie times, and smaller still downewards.
2. Helleboraster minor. The lesser bastard blacke Hellebor, or Beare foote.
The smaller Beare foote is in most things like vnto the former true blacke Hellebor; for it beareth also many leaues vpon short stalkes, diuided into many leaues also, but each of them are long and narrow, of a blacker greene colour, snipt or dented on both edges, which feele somewhat hard or sharpe like prickes, and perish euery yeare, but rise againe the next Spring: the flowers hereof stand on higher stalkes, with some leaues on them also, although but very few, and are of a pale, greene colour, like in forme vnto the flowers of the former, but smaller, hauing also many greenish yellow threads or thrums in the middle, and such like heads or seede vessels, and blackish seed: the rootes are stringie and blackish like the former.
The Place.
The first groweth onely in the Gardens of those that are curious, and delight in all sorts of beautifull flowers in our Countrey, but wilde in many places of Germany, Italy, Greece, &c.
The other groweth wilde in many places of England, as well as the other greater sort, which is not here described; for besides diuers places within eight or ten miles from London, I haue seen it in the Woods of Northamptonshire, and in other places.
The Time.
The first of these plants doth flower in the end of December, and beginning of Ianuary most vsually, and the other a moneth or two after, and sometime more.
The Names.
The first is called Helleborus, or Elleborus niger verus, and is the same that both Theophrastus and Dioscorides haue written of, and which was called Melampodion, of Melampus the Goateheard, that purged and cured the mad or melancholicke daughters of Prætus with the rootes thereof. Dodonæus calleth it Veratrum nigrum primum, and the other secundum: Wee call it in English, The true blacke Hellebor, or the Christmas flower, because (as I said) it is most commonly in flower at or before Christmas. The second is a bastard or wilde kinde thereof, it so nearely resembleth the true, and is called of most of the later Writers, Pseudoelleborus niger minor, or Helleboraster minor, for a distinction betweene it and the greater, which is not here described: and is called in English, The smaller or lesser Beare foote, and most vsed in Physicke, because it is more plentifull, yet it is more churlish and strong in operation then the true or former kinde.
The Vertues.
The rootes of both these kindes are safe medecines, being rightly prepared, to be vsed for all Melancholicke diseases, whatsoeuer others may feare or write, and may be without danger applied, so as care and skill, and not temerary rashnesse doe order and dispose of them.
The powder of the dryed leaues, especially of the bastard kinde, is a sure remedy to kill the wormes in children, moderately taken.