There are sundry sorts of Hysops, whereof the most are unknowne to many: whose descriptions, names, and properties shall follow.
1. Hyssopus vulgaris. Common garden Hysope.
Hyssopus officinalis L. -Henriette
The common garden Hysope is so well knowne to all that have a garden, or that have beene in a garden, that I shall but seeme actum agere, to bestow my time in describing it to be a smal bushy plant, that riseth up more than a foot high; with many wooddy branches, but tender; at the tops whereof are set at certaine distances, sundry small long and narrow greene leaves: at the tops of the stalkes stand blewish purple gaping flowers, in spiked heads one rowe above another: after which follow the seed, which is small and blackish: the roote is somewhat wooddy with many threddy strings: the whole plant is of a strong sweete sent.
2. 3. Hyssopus folijs niueis: & folijs aureis. White Hysope, and golden or yellow Hysope.
Hyssopus officinalis L. -Henriette
These two sorts of Hysope are both of the same kinde with the common Hysope, but differre onely in the party colouring of the leaves; the white having diverse leaves parted white and greene in the midst, and some all or most part white, and some wholy greene, or with some stripes in the greene: for all these sorts are seene together upon one Plant. The golden or yellow sort, hath the uppermost leaves usually wholly yellow in the summer time, parted with greene; the lower leaves often abiding without discolouring.
4. Hyssopus folijs cinerijs. Russet Hysope.
Hyssopus officinalis L. -Henriette
This Russet Hysope also differeth from the former in no other chiefe matter, than in the colour of the leaves, which are of a grayish or ash colour, which some call Russet; this is likely to be that sort that Bauhinus saith was sent him from England.
5. Hyssopus surculis densis. Double Hysope.
This Hysope groweth lower, and thicker set with slender and not so wooddy branches, bending somewhat downewards, and much more thicke set with leaves of a darke greene colour: in the flower and other things it differeth not from the first.
6. Hyssopus latifolia, Broade-leafed Hysope.
Hyssopus officinalis L. -Henriette
This also differeth not from the first here specified, but in having larger and broader greene leaves, upon more woody stalkes, keeping forme and substance.
7. Hyssopus folijs crenatis. Iagged or dented Hysope.
This difference of the dented leaves, maketh me to set it downe as another species hereof, as others have done.
8. Hyssopus moschata vel de Cilissa. Musked Hysope.
Gesner in Hortis Germaniae remembreth this Hysope to differre nothing from the ordinary Hysope, but in the sent, which is so gratious and pleasant, that it commeth neerest to the sent of Muske.
9. Hyssopus Arabum floribus rubris vel albis. White or red flowred Hysope.
Hyssopus officinalis L. -Henriette
The red or white flowred Hysope differ but a little from the garden sort, yet are distinguished from it, in that they both doe usually beare red or white flowers, all on one side of the spike, yet continue not constant in that forme, but change into the forme of the ordinary kinde.
10. Hyssopus minor sive Hyspanica. Dwarfe Spanish Hysop.
This Spanish kinde is a smaller and lower sort, whose branches rise not so high as the garden Hisope, but bend a little downewards, the leaves also being smaller and thicker, and of a sadder greene colour, and the heads or spikes are also shorter, but the flowers are purple like the garden sort. Lobel calleth this, Hyssopus parva angustis folijs.
11. Hyssopus Coronata sive Comosa Clusij. Tufted Hysope.
Tufted Hysope is in leaves, flowers, and manner of growing somewhat like the common garden kinde, but a little smaller and lower, the leaves being of a paler greene colour, and the top branches spreading a little broader, have shorter spikes of leaves and flowers growing as it were in tuftes, which hath caused the name, and noted it for a difference.
12. Hysopus folijs crispis. Curld Hysope.
Curld Hysope hath the leaves curled or crampled at the edges, that each leafe seemeth to be composed of many: and herein consisteth the chiefest difference.
13. Hyssopus montana. Mountaine wilde Hysope.
Mountaine or wilde Hysope is very like unto the garden kinde, for the manner of growing: but that the leaves which are not so many at a joynt, are somwhat harder and rougher, and a little hairie, and somwhat narrower also, which (as Matthiolus saith) being brought into gardens, and there cherished; will by time put off that roughnesse, and become more milde and gentle, the taste whereof is much more bitter, and nothing so hot or sweete as the common kinde: the flowers and seedes are like the garden sort, both for forme and colour.
14. Hyssopus angusti folia spicata. Narrow leafed Hysope.
Narrow leafed Hysope is a fine kinde, and hath many slender hard stalkes, whereon are set at distances, as in the common Hysope, many small greene leaves, but longer and narrower than they, and ending in a longer point: the flowers likewise grow at several distances, as it were in roundles, almost from the middle of the stalke up to the topes, of a blewish purple colour like the ordinary kinde, but much smaller and so is the seede also: the branches hereof will take roote and grow being laid into the ground, the roote spreading much in the earth.
15. Hyssopus folijs origani. Round leafed Hysope.
This Hysope hath divers hard woody stalkes, whereon grow sundry small and almost round leaves, one against another, but pointed at the endes, the heads or spikes of flowers are like unto the common sort, of a blewish purple colour; the sent also differeth little from it. Gerard hath set forth an Hysope with the leaves of Nummulariae, Monyworte, which peradventure might bee this kinde,* yet I never saw such an one with him.
The Place.
Pena saith that our common Hysope, groweth on the hills of Romania about Verona, and neere unto Mount Raldus: the dwarfe kinde in Spaine, and the mountaine wilde kind, on the hils in many places of Germany, and as Matthiolus saith on the hill Salvatin in the Country of Goritia: the rest, with these also when they may be gotten, are noursed up in the garden, of the curious.
The Time.
They doe all flower in the summer moneths of Iune and Iuly, and their seede is ripe in the beginning or middle of August.
The Names.
It is called in Greeke υσσωπος, sic dici putant quasi υομενον (pro Χευομενον) ςπιτον ω πα, quia super vultus affunditur, in Latine Hyssopus & Hyssopum, of the Arabians, Cyfe, Iufa and Iaves, of the Italians and Spaniards Hissopo, of the French Hissope, of the Germans Isop, of the Dutch Jspen, and of us Hysope. The names of every one of them, are sufficiently expressed in the titles and descriptions of them.
But there is a great controversie among our later writers, what hearbe should be the true Hysope of Dioscorides; and other the Greeke authours; for that our common Hysope is not it, but is the true Hysope of the Arabians,
as all doe acknowledge except Matthiolus, who doth earnestly contend, that our garden Hysope is the same of Dioscorides, whose arguments are too weake, to perswade any to be of his opinion, for the description of Dioscorides his Hysope hath no face or true resemblance with ours, his bearing tufted heads like Chrysocome or Goldilockes, as he compareth it, and ours in spikes: the leaves also of his are like unto the Origanum Onitis, which are somewhat round like Marjerome, as you may see heere shortly after, and are not narrow and long, as those of our Hysope are:
therefore Lugdunensis setteth forth a round leafed Hysope, which he taketh to be the true Hysope of Dioscorides, but neither are the leaves thereof whitish, as those of Onitis, nor doe the heads much differ from the common Hysope:
Lobel also propoundeth another, that is our pot Marjerome to be the right, in that it hath roundish leaves like Organum, and tufted heads of flowers that are spread abroad like it also, this he saith, is the likeliest hearbe, comming neerest unto the true kinde, unlesse as he saith, it may be referred unto an Origanum:
but Fabius Columna confuteth that of Lobel and Pena, as well for that the tufted heads, are more like unto wilde Marjerome, then unto Chrysocome, or garden Marjerome, as Crapevas, Serapio, Isaack, Mesues and others doe compare them, as also that the leaves of Dioscorides his Hysope, are whitish like unto Origanum Onitis which those of Lobels Marjerome is not: besides this, that it is a kitchen hearbe, fit for meate and sawce, and so is our ordinary Hysope also, and not a Physicke hearbe as Dioscorides maketh his to be: and lastly, that neither Lobel his Marjerome, nor yet our Hysope, are equall in the properties unto that of Dioscorides and others, howsoever it is usually received in the steede thereof: thus saith Fabius Columna, and therefore by many reasons would perswade us to beleeve, that our ordinary Polium montanum is the true Hysope, as well for that the leaves are white, and the heades of flowers like unto Origanum and Chrysocome, as he saith, as also for that his vertues and properties by the bitternesse thereof, are more effectuall in all the disease, whereunto Plinye applies his Hysope, which are not remembred of Dioscorides; and that although Dioscorides maketh no bitternesse in his Hysope, yet Serapio doth as he saith: thus much Columna.
But let me say, seeing he himself saith, that our Polium is answerable in all the parts thereof, unto the Polium of the auncients, I see no good reason, why it should be their Hysope also, and therefore I think, we may as well refuse his Polium, as he doth Lobels Marjerome. Others also would make Gratiola to be the true Hysope, which hath lesse likelihood than any of the former.
Bauhinus in his Pinax would make our ordinary Rosemary, to be the Hysope of the Hebrewes, taking peradventure his ground from the Scripture, in Saint Johns Gospell, the 19. chap. and 29. verse, where the Souldiers bound a sponge wet in vinegar, to the end of an Hysope stalke, to put it to our Saviours mouth when he was on the Crosse, in that our ordinary Hysope hath not so long a stalke, as might reach up so high: but both the Evangelists, Matthew and Marke say it was a reede, and it may bee that the Hysope stalke was bound therevnto, for Saint Iohn as an eye witnesse of what was done, calleth it as before: Now it is not likely that the Iewes had an other Hysope, divers both from the Greekes & Arabians; but rather that their Hysope was the same of the Arabians, being their neere neighbours, and as it should seeme, was so familiar to their Countrey, that it grew on mudde-walles, as the Scripture saith that Salomon spake of it; which I verily thinke Rosemary doth not. But Hysope is often mentioned in the Scripture, to bee used in the Iewes ceremonies, which was not without materiall signification; for as Saint Paul saith, all was done among them in types and figures, and to bee rightly understood and well applied, were worthie of much observation and good use.
Now although the true Hysope of Dioscorides, and the other Greekes, is not yet certainely knowne, yet assuredly this which is knowne, and generally receaved, may safely be used in the stead thereof, untill the true Hysope may be knowne.
The Vertues.
Dioscorides saith, that Hysope boyled with Rue and Hony, and drunke doth helpe those that are troubled with Coughes, shortnesse of breath, wheesing, and rheumaticke distillations upon the lungs;
taken also with Oxymel, it purgeth grosse humours by the stoole,
and with hony killeth the wormes in the belly,
and taken also with fresh or new figges bruised, helpeth to loosen the belly, but more forcibly, if the roote of the Flowerdeluce and Cresses (yet some copies instead of Cardamon have Cardamomum, which I never knew put into any purging medicine in our times, and Macer his verse doth intimate Cresses thus; Cardama si jungas his solves fortius alvum) be added thereunto:
it amendeth and cherisheth the native colour of the body, spoyled by the yellow-jaundise, helpeth the dropsie and the splene, if it be taken with figges and nitar:
being boiled with wine, it is good to wash inflamations,
it taketh away the blew and blacke spottes, and markes that come by strokes, bruises, or falles; being applied with warme water;
it is also an excellent medicine for those, that are troubled with the Quinsie, or swelling in the throate, to wash and gargle it, being boyled with Figges;
it helpeth the tooth-ach, being boyled in vinegar and gargled therewith;
the hot vapours of the decoction, taken by a funnell in at the eares, easeth the inflamations of them, Mesues saith the singing noyse of them;
Pliny addeth, that it is an enemy to the stomacke, and provoketh casting being taken with figges:
being bruised, and salt, hony, and cumminseede put to it, it helpeth those that are stung by serpents.
Galen is very briefe herein and onely saith, it is hot and dry in the third degree, and of thin parts.
Matthiolus saith, that our Hysope is of thinne parts, and that it cutteth & breaketh tough flegme, it rarifieth or maketh thinne that which is thicke or groste, it openeth that which is stopped, and clenseth that which is corrupt, the oyle thereof being annoynted killeth lice, and taketh away the itching of the head, it helpeth those that have the falling sicknesse, which way soever it be applyed, but more especially being made into pilles in this manner.
Take of Hysope, Horehound and Castoreum, of each halfe a dragme, of the roote of Peonye (the male kinde is most proper in this disease) two drammes, of Assafaetida one scruple, let them all bee beaten as they should be, & made into seven pilles (or more if they be too great) with the juyce of Hysope, and one of the greater, or two small ones, taken every night going to bed is appointed;
the best Physitians of our tymes, assuredly doe account it, to be hot and dry in the third degree, and of thinne parts; for being sharpe and a little bitter withall, they apply it effectually, for all cold griefes or diseases of the chest and lungs, helping to expectorate tough flegme, that stuffeth or oppresseth them, being taken either in a lohoc or licking medicine, or in a Syrupe, or any other way, and in a decoction thus;
Take an handfull of Hysope, two ounces of figges, and one ounce of Sugarcandy, boyle them in a quart of Muscadine, untill halfe a pint be consumed, which being strained, & taken morning and evening, availeth much for those that are troubled with an old cough, by causing the cough flegme the more easily to be avoided: it helpeth also to provoke vrine being stopped, or that is made by droppes: it helpeth to breake winde, and to cause womens monethly courses, and easeth the sharpe fitts of agues;
the greene hearbe being bruised and a little sugar put thereto, doth quickly heale any greene wound or cut in the hand, or else where being applied thereto.
