Chap. XI.
Balsamita mas & fæmina, seu Costus hortorum maior & minor.
Costmary and Maudeline.
Costmary or Alecoast is a sweet herbe, bearing many broad and long pale green leaues, snipped about the edges, euery one vpon a long foote-stalke; among which rise vp many round greene stalkes, with such like leaues on them, but lesser vp to the toppe, where it spreadeth it selfe into three or foure branches, euery one bearing an vmbell or tuft of gold yellow flowers, somewhat like vnto Tansie flowers, but lesser, which turne into small heads, containing small flat long seede: the roote is somewhat hard and stringy, and being diuided, is replanted in the Spring of the yeare for increase.
Maudeline hath somewhat long and narrow leaues, snipt about the edges: the stalks are two foot high, bearing many yellow flowers on the tops of the branches, in an vmbell or tuft like vnto Tansie: the whole herbe is sweete, and somewhat bitter, and is replanted by slipping.
The Vse of Costmary and Maudeline.
Costmary is of especiall vse in the Spring of the yeare, among other such like herbes, to make Sage Ale, and thereupon I thinke it tooke the name of Alecoast.
It is also vsed to be put among other sweete herbes, to make sweete washing water, whereof there is great store spent.
The leaues haue an especiall vertue to comfort both the stomack and heart, and to warme and dry a moist braine. The seede is much vsed in the Country, to be giuen to children for the wormes, in the stead of wormseed, and so is the seede of Maudeline also.
Maudeline is much vsed with Costmary and other sweet herbes, to make sweete washing water: the flowers also are tyed vp with small bundels of Lauender toppes, these being put in the middle of them, to lye, vpon the toppes of beds, presses, &c. for the sweete sent and sauour it casteth. It is generally accounted of our Apothecaries to be the true Eupatorium of Auicen, and the true Ageratum of Dioscorides; but Dodonæus seemeth to contradict both.