The Description.
1 Glastum or garden Woad hath long leaves of a blewish green colour. The stalk growes two cubits high, set about with a great number of such leaves as come up first, but smaller, branching it selfe at the top into many little twigs, whereupon do grow many small yellow floures: which being past, the seed comes forth like little blackish tongues. The root is white and single.
2 There is a wild kind of Woad very like unto the former in stalks, leaves, and fashion, saving that the stalke is tenderer, smaller, and browner, and the leaves and tongues narrower; otherwise there is no difference betwixt them.
The Place.
The tame or garden Woad growes in fertile fields where it is sowne: the wilde kinde groweth where the tame hath bin sowne.
The Time.
They floure from June to September.
The Names.
Caesar, lib. 5. of the French warres, saith, That all the Brittons do colour themselves with Woad, which giveth a blew colour: which thing also Pliny, lib. 22. cap. I. doth testifie: In France they call it Glastum, which is like unto Plantaine, wherewith the Brittish wives and their daughters are colored all over, and go naked in some kinde of sacrifices. It is likewise called of divers Guadum: of the Italians, Guado, a word as it seemeth wrung out of the word Glastum: in English, Woad, and Wade.
The Vertues.
The decoction of Woad drunken is good for wounds in bodies of a strong constitution, as of countrey people, and such as are accustomed to great labour and hard course fare.
It serveth well to dye and colour cloath, profitable to some few, and hurtfull to many.