Chap. CXXV.
Ligustrum.
Primme or Priuet.
Because the vse of this plant is so much, and so frequent throughout all this Land, although for no other purpose but to make hedges or arbours in Gardens, &c. whereunto it is so apt, that no other can be like vnto it, to bee cut, lead, and drawne into what forme one will, either of beasts, birds, or men armed, or otherwise: I could not forget it, although it be so well knowne vnto all, to be an hedge bush growing from a wooddy white roote, spreading much within the ground, and bearing manie long, tough, and plyant sprigs and branches, whereon are set long, narrow, and pointed sad greene leaues by couples at euery ioynt: at the tops whereof breake forth great tufts of sweete smelling white flowers, which when they are fallen, turne into small blacke berries, hauing a purple iuyce within them, and small seede, flat on the one side, with an hole or dent therein: this is seene in those branches that are not cut, but suffered to beare out their flowers and fruit.
The Place.
This bush groweth as plentifully in the Woods of our owne Countrey, as in any other beyond the Seas.
The Time.
It flowreth sometimes in Iune,and in Iuly; the fruit is ripe in August and September.
The Names.
There is great controuersie among the moderne Writers concerning this plant, some taking it to be κύπρος of Dioscorides, other to be Phillyrea of Dioscorides, which followeth next after Cyprus. Plinie maketh mention of Cyprus in two places; in the one he saith Cyprus hath the leafe of Ziziphus, or the Iuiube tree: in the other he saith, that certain do affirme, that the Cyprus of the East Country, and the Ligustrum of Italy is one and the same plant: whereby you may plainly see, that our Priuet which is Ligustrum, cannot be that Cyprus of Plinie with Iuiube leaues: Besides, both Dioscorides & Plinie say, that Cyprus is a tree; but all know that Ligustrum, Priuet, is but an hedge bush: Againe, Dioscorides saith, that the leaues of Cyprus giue a red colour, but Priuet giueth none. Bellonius and Prosper Alpinus haue both recorded, that the true Cyprus of Dioscorides groweth plentifully in Egypt, Syria, and those Easterne Countries, and noursed vp also in Constantinople, and other parts of Greece, being a merchandise of much worth, in that they transport the leaues, and young branches dryed, which laid in water giue a yellow colour, wherewith the Turkish women colour the nailes of their hands, and some other parts of their bodies likewise, delighting much therein: and that it is not our Ligustrum, or Priuet, because Cyprus beareth round white seede, like Coriander seede, and the leaues abide greene alwaies vpon the tree, which groweth (if it bee not cut or pruined) to the height of the Pomegranet tree. I haue (I confesse) beyond the limits I set for this worke spoken concerning our Priuet, because I haue had the seede of the true Cyprus of Dioscorides sent mee, which was much differing from our Priuet, and although it sprang vp, yet would not abide any time, whereas if it had beene our Priuet, it would haue beene familiar enough to our Countrey.
The Vertues.
It is of small vse in physicke, yet some doe vse the leaues in Lotions, that serue to coole and dry fluxes or sores in diuers parts.