The Description.
Dagger This though it be not frequently found, is no stranger with us; for I have found it in the corne fields about Dartford in Kent and some other places. It hath long slender joynted creeping stalkes, divided into sundry branches, whereon stand pretty greene three cornered leaves two at a joynt, in shape and bignesse like those of the lesser Binde-weed. Out of the bosomes of these leaves at each joynt comes a clasping tendrel, and commonly together with it a foot-stalke some inch or more long, bearing a pretty little pease-fashioned yellow flour, which is succeeded by a short flattish cod containing six or seven little seeds. This floures in June, July, and August, and so ripens the seed.
I finde mention in Stowes Chronicle, in Anno 1555, of a certaine Pulse or Pease, as they term it, wherewith the poore people at that time there being a great dearth, were miraculously helped: he thus mentions it; In the moneth of August (saith he) in Suffolk at a place by the sea side all of hard stone and pibble, called in those parts a shelfe, lying betweene the townes of Orford and Aldborough, where nether grew grasse, nor any earth was ever seene; it chanced in this barren place suddenly to spring up without any tillage or sowing, great abundance of Peason, whereof the poore gathered (as men judged) above an hundred quarters, yet remained some ripe and some blossoming, as many as ever there were before: to the which place rode the Bishop of Norwich and the Lord Willoughby, with others in great number, who found nothing but hard rockie stone the space of three yards under the roots of these Peason: which roots were great and long, and very sweet.
Gesner also, de Aquatilibus, lib. 4. pag. 256 making mention, out of Dr Caius his letters, of the spotted English Whale, taken about that time at Lin in Northfolke, also thus mentions those Pease: [Anno 1555]. These Pease, which by their great encrease did such good to the poore that yeare, without doubt grew there for many yeares before, but were not observed till hunger made them take notice of them, and quickned their invention, which commonly in our people is very dull, especially in finding out food of this nature. Dagger