Chap. 123. Of Chervil Garden.
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Page 209I. The Names. It is called in Greek, Χλ/^αλ A Aoy, and is thought to be bdaftxor Theophra-fii, lib. 7. cap. 7. tranflated by Gaza, Enthuficum: In Latin, Cerefolium,- and Chjerifolium: In English, Chervil.
II. The Kinds. It is threefold, I. Garden. i.Wildi 3. Tooth-pick Chervil. The Garden Chervil is threefold, 1. The Common Garden, called Cerefolium Sativum. 2. The Great Sweet Chervil, Sweet Cifleyi called Cerefolium magnum, five Myrrhis. 3. The Small Sweet Cheivil, Small Sweet Cifley, called, Myrrhis altera parva. The Wild we shall treat of in Cap. 124. and the Tooth-pick ChervilIn Cap. 125'-fbllowing.
III. The description. Garden Chervil has asmall and long Root, which perishes eveiy Lear, and n rai-fed up every Pear, with Seed sown in the Spring, as also in Autumn for Sallet ing. It rises up with Stalks not a foot high, and in its Leaves Htuch re* fembles Parfley, but after it is grown bigger, the Leaves are very much cut in and jagged, somewhat
resem-
Page 210resembling Hemlock, being a little hairy, and of a whitish green color, but turning reddish in Summer, with fhe Stalks also, bearing at the top of its Branches fpoked Tufts of white Flowers, which being past, turn into long and*reund Seed, pointed at the ends, and blackish when they are ripe, of a sweet taste, but no smell-, but the whole Herb it self, has a pretty kind oj sweet Scent.
IV. The Great Chervil, ( called also Sweet Cif-ley) has a great Root, blackish on the out side, and whitijh within, from which springs forth many fibres-, it perifi)es not^ but abides many years, and is of a
ther, deeply cut in on the edges, and every one also dented about, very like, and resembling the Leaves of Garden Creffes, from which they are not easily to . be diftinguijhed, but by good Observation of those who know bqth: Tlieir taste is not unpleasant (for which reason many put them into Sallets ) and is not much differing from the Tafie of Aniieeds: There also rises up a Stalk reason able large, and a little crefied, about a yard high, fpreading it self out into many Branches, at the tops whereof stand many fpoaky Tufts or Vmbles oj white Flowers, winch being past away, there follows brown, long, cornered, great Seed., two always joined together.
V. The Small Sweet Chervil, ( or Small Sweet Ciiley ) has a Root not like the former, but confiji-ing oj almost nothing but fibres, thick and matted together its Leaves, Stalks, and Umbles of Flowers differ not much from the lafl, favwg that they are every ways less. The Seed a long, smooth, small, and fhaped like to an Oat, and in taste not much unlike to that of Daucus Creticus.
VI. The Places. The two first grow in Gardens, and that almost throughout this whole Kingdom: The last is found in some parts of the Alps, as a-bout Genoua, and other places, but with us only in Gardens of Botanists, and such as are curious of Plants.
VII. The Times. They Flower and Seed in May, and rheir Seed is ripe in July : and therefore are Sown again in the end of Summer.
VIII. The Qualities. It is hot and dry in the first Degree Galen says in the second : Aperitive, Abfterfive, Carminative, Digestive, Diuretick and Ano-dyn. It warms and comforts the Head, Brain, Nerves and Stomach, is PecForal, Nephritick and Hysterick: also Alterative, Alexipharmick and Sper-matogenetick.
IX. The Specification. It is found by great experience to comfort the Stomach, and provoke Urine, even where it is stopt.
X. The Preparations. You may have herefrom, I. The Green Root. 2. The green Herb. 3. The green Seed. 4. The Distilled Water. 5. The Liquid Juice. 6. The Essence. 7. The Balsam, or Ointment. 8. The Roots Candied. 9. The Decoction of the Roots in Wine.
The Virtues.
XI. The green Root. Gerard says, they are excellent to be eaten inaSallet, being first boiled, and then dreftup to the Table, as the Cook can tell belt, either with Butter and Vinegar, or Oil and Vinegar. They are good ( says he) for old People which are Dull, and without Courage: they rejoyce and comfort the Heart, itrengthen and provoke Luft much.
XII. The green Leaves. They are very ξθθά\ wholfom and pleasant, being eaten raw as a Sal let Herb with other Salleting, giving the whole a little relifh of Anifeeds. Uied as a Pot-herb, it is pleasant to the Stomach and is used by the Dutch in a kind of Loblolly or Hotchpotch, which they call Warm us.
XIII. The green Seed. Parkinson says, they are commended, being put into a Sallet of green Herbs, and eaten with Oil and Vinegar, to itrengthen the Aged, and comfort a cold Stomach. Gerard'lays, that the green Seed eaten as a Sallet, with Oil, ν ι-negar, and Pepper, exceed all other Sallets by niany Degrees, both hi pleaiantness of Taste, sweetnelsor Smell, and wholibmness as for Food, being g°0L for a cold and weak Stomach.
Page 211XIV. The Distilled Water. Being drank to four or fix ounces, it is good to diflblve congealed Blood, and provoke Urine.
XV. The Liquid Juice. It diflblves congealed Blood in the Stomach, Guts, Pleura, Lungs, Womb, or other Bowels : it provokes Urine, and the Terms in Women, and to expel Sand, Gravel, and Stones out of the Reins, Ureters and Bladder: and prevails also against the Pleurisie, very much comforting a weak, fick, and cold Stomach. Dole four ounces, Morning and Night, in a Glass of Wine.
XVI. The Essence. It has all the Virtues of the liquid Juice, befides which it facilitates the Birth, and brings away the After-birth, is good against Poison, and the Venomous biting of the Pbalangi urn, as Dioscorides faith, is nutritive, and restores in Consumptions : Being often taken it breeds Seed, and very much provokes Lust, and has restored ibme who have been Impotent.
XVII. The Balsam and Ointment. They soon cure green Wounds, and digest them, if Contused or Lacerated : Applied to filthy, stinking, and fordid Ulcers, they digest, cleanse, dry, conglutinate, and heal admirably : and applied to the Gout, they ease the pain thereof, drawing forth the Morbifick matter thro" the Pores of the Skin.
XVIII. The Candied Roots. They are very good to warm, comfort and itrengthen a cold and weak Stomach, and excite Venus : And Parkinson says, they ate thought to be a good Prefervative in the time of Plague.
XIX. The Decoction of the Roots in Wine. It has the Virtues of the Juice and Essence, but not all out so powerful: It is good against the bitings of Vipers, Mad Dogs, and other Venomous Creatures -, is profitable against the Phthtfick, and such as have an Impotency, or are in a pining Consumption. Dose, Morning and Night, from four to eight ounces.
Botanologia, or The English Herbal, was written by William Salmon, M.D., in 1710.
