The Description.
Dwale or sleeping Nightshade hath round blackish stalkes six foot high, whereupon do grow great broad leaves of a dark green colour: among which grow smal hollow floures bel-fashion, of an overworn purple colour; in the place whereof come forth great round berries of the bignesse of the black chery, green at the first, but when they be ripe of the colour of black jet or burnished horne, soft, and ful of purple juice; among which juice lie the seeds, like the berries of Ivy: the root is very great, thick, and long lasting.
The Place.
It growes in untoiled places neere highwaies and the sea marishes, and in such like places.
It groweth very plentifully in Holland in Lincolneshire, and in the Isle of Ely at a place called Walsoken, neere unto Wisbitch.
I found it growing without Highgate, neere unto a pound or pinfold on the left hand.
The Time.
This flourisheth all the Spring and Summer, bearing his seed and floure in July and August.
The Names.
In English, Dwale, or sleeping Nightshade: the Venetians and Italians call it Bella dona: in French, Morelle mortelle.
The Vertues.
This kinde of Nightshade causeth sleep, troubleth the mind, bringeth madnesse if a few of the berries be inwardly taken, but if moe be given they also kill and bring present death. Theophrastus in his sixth booke doth likewise write of Mandrake in this manner; Mandrake in this manner; Mandrake causeth sleepe, and if also much of it be taken it bringeth death.
The greene leaves of deadly Nightshade may with great advice be used in such cases as Pettimorell: but if you will follow my counsell, deale not with the same in any case, and banish it from your gardens and the use of it also, being a plant so furious and deadly: for it bringeth such as have eaten thereof into a dead sleepe wherein many have died, as hath beene often seene and proved by experience both in England and elsewhere. But to give you an example hereof it shall not be amisse: It came to passe that three boies of Wisbich in the Isle of Ely did eate of the pleasant and beautifull fruit hereof, two whereof died in lesse than eight houres after that they had eaten of them. The third child had a quantitie of honey and water mixed together given him to drinke, causing him to vomit often: God blessed this meanes and the child recovered. Banish therefore these pernitious plants out of your gardens, and all places neere to your houses, where children or women with child do resort, which do oftentimes long and lust after things most vile and filthie; and much more after a berry of a bright shining blacke colour, and of such great beautie, as it were able to allure any such to eate thereof.
The leaves hereof laid unto the temples cause sleepe, especially if they be imbibed or moistened in wine vinegre. It easeth the intollerable paines of the head-ache proceeding of heat in furious agues, causing rest being applied as aforesaid.