There are Foure or five sorts of Savorye, two most usually to be seene in many gardens, but there are three others that are more rare.
1. Satureia vulgaris, Winter Savorie.
Satureja montana. -Henriette
The common Winter Savory, is a smal & low bushie herbe, very like unto Hysope, but not much above a foote high, with diverse small hard branches, & hard darke greene leaves theron, as thicke set as Hysope, & sometimes but with foure leaves set at a joynt, of a reasonable strong sent, yet not so much as the Sommer kinde: the flowers are of a pale purplish colour, set at severall distances at the toppes of the stalkes, and leaves also under them: the roote hath divers small strings thereat, and abideth with greene leaves all the winter, and is more usually encreased by slipping then sowing.
2. Satureia Hortensis. Sommer Savorie.
Satureja hortensis -Henriette
This also is a small tender herbe growing up with divers brittle branches, slenderly or sparsedly set with two long narrow leaves at each joynt, soft in handling, and of a stronger and quicker sent and taste: the flowres are small and purplish, set at the joynts with two leaves under them up to the toppes of the stalkes: the seede is of a darke colour, bigger then Tyme seede by the halfe: the rootes have fewer strings and perish every yeare, and must be new sowne every yeare.
3. Satureia Spicata S. Iuliani. Rocke Savorie.
Thymbra spicata? -Henriette
Rocke Savorie hath many slender, hard, and woody brownish stalkes about a foot long, whereon doe grow at severall spaces, many very small and narrow leaves, very like to the leaves of the true Tyme, but somewhat longer, of a sharpe quicke taste, and of a strong sweete sent: at the toppes of the branches, come forth many spiked heads of small leaves, & out of them thrust forth purplish flowers, which afterwards give a small, brownish seede, more like Tyme then Savory, the whole plant will be sometimes of a sad purplish colour, dasht over with a white mealines, as for the most part all Sea plants are: this doth seldome endure a winter with us.
4. Thymbra sive Satureia Cretica legitima. The true Savorie of Candie.
Satureja thymbra? -Henriette
The true Savory of Candie brancheth forth from the ground like Tyme, with many purplish square branches, coverd over with a rough or hayrie downe: from the lower joynts of the stalkes come alwaies two branches, and two leaves set at them, and so in like manner all along the branches two at every joynt, one against another on the contrarie side, and are very like unto the leaves of the true Tyme, but somewhat hairye, of a sweete sent and sharpe taste betweene Tyme and Savory; on the toppes of the branches at certaine distances one above another, grow forth heads or tufts of greene leaves, from among which start forth many purplish flowers like unto Tyme, standing in brownish huskes: the seede is of a blackish browne colour, very like unto Tyme; the roote is somewhat long, hard and woody, with some small blackish fibers growing from it, and will as hardly winter with us as the last, although the lower branches that lie on the ground are apt to take roote, which sheweth, that in the naturall place where it feeleth no cold winter, it speadeth and increaseth.
5. Satureia Cretica spinosa. Prickly Savory of Candy.
Pona, in his Italian description of Mount Baldus maketh mention of this Savory, but without any description or further relation; whereby I gather that there is small difference betweene it and the last, saving that as in the Chamadrys spinosa, the branches have small prickes on them at the ends, and therefore I cannot yet give you any further knowledge of it, having not seene it. Bauhinus also hath made mention of another, received from Contarenus for Thymbra, and as he saith is the Satureia Dioscoridis by Matthiolus; but because I doe not thinke it to be a Savory, I forbeare it here.
The Place and Tyme.
All these Savories are with us onely noursed in gardens, but they are as wilde hearbes in divers parts of Europe, especially in Groves very plentifully, and are intituled to their places; flourishing in the end of summer, some not abiding the winter.
The Names.
It is called in Greeke, δυμβεον & δυμβρα forte απο ται θυειν ob fragrantiam, in Latine Satureia, aljis a saturando dicta, alijs, a Satyris nomen traxisse putant, eo quod, coitus marcessentes stimulat: some also call it Thymbra in Latine, and some take Satureia & Thymbra to bee differing plantes. The Arabians call it Sahuter or Sahutar, the Italians Savoreggia Coniella & Peverella, the Spanyardes, Axadrea & Segurella, the French, Savoreè, Sauriette & Sadreè, the Germanes, Kunel, Zwibe Hysope, & Sature, the Dutch, Kenle, and winter Kenle, and we in English, Savorye.
There is much controversie among our moderne writers, what hearbe should certainely be the Thymbra of Dioscorides, which in his time as it should seeme was most familiarly known, & therfore giveth no further description thereof, then that it was like unto Tyme, but lesse and more tender, having heads of greene flowers, and that it grew in rough and stony places. Matthiolus giveth us one, Lobel another, Clusius a third, and each entitle theirs to be Vera & legitima: Matthiolus, because it was sent for it, Pena because he founde it growing on Saint Iulians Rocke in the Florentine dominion, and Clusius, because Honorius Bellus sent him the seede from Candye, who saith, that the Candit Greekes call it to this day usually Thrubi & Thrumbi: but it is certaine, that neither our winter or summer Savory doe answere unto the Thymbra of Dioscorides, for that neither of them is like, or lesse then Tyme, although they are familiarly eaten by divers nations being put into brothes, meates, &c. as Dioscorides saith of his garden Thymbra, which as he saith is much lesse then the wilde sort of Thymbra.
The first is generally called with us Satureia hyberna, Winter Savorye and by Camerarius, perennis; by Lobel Satureia sive Thymbra altera; by Caesalpinus, Satureia Hortensis. By Brunfelsius, Hyssopus Agrestis; but Thymbra syl. by Anguilara, by Gesner in hortis, Thymbra agrestis, & Satureia montana, by Bauhinus:
The second is generally called Satureia sativa & hortensis, or Thymbra sativa, by most writers, but Tabermontanus & Caesalpinus only call it Cunila, and Thymbra agrestis: Gesner in hortis, Thymbra vera, and Bauhinus, Satureia hortensis sive cunila Plinij: but I somewhat doubt whether Pliny meant this Satureia to be Cunila in his 19. booke and 8. chap. or some of the other sorts.
The third sort is called by Lobel and Pena, Thymbra vera S. Iuliani, Lugdunensis and Tabermontanus, Thymbra vera Penae; Bauhinus in his notes upon Lugdunensis saith, that the Saxifraga vera Dioscoridis of Matthiolus; is this Thymbra vera of Lobel and Pena; which it is very probable to be, both figure and description answering well thereunto, as any that will compare them may see.
The fourth is called by Clusius, Thymbra legitima, Prosper Alpinus, Thymbra Cretensis, and Pona, Thymbra Legitima Dioscoridis, and so doe I thinke also, no other that wee know comming neerer thereunto.
The Vertues.
Our Savory of both sorts is hot and dry in the third degree, especially the summer kinde, which is both sharpe and quicke in taste, expelling winde in the stomacke and bowels, and is a present helpe for the rising of the mother procured by winde, provoketh Vrine and womens courses, and is much commended for women with child to take inwardly, and to smell often thereunto:
Some that from Satyris thinke Satureia to be derived, say it helpeth the disease called Satyriasis or Pryapismus, and to helpe dull or decayed coiture:
others taking it to bee derived a saturando, say it is in familiar use with many to procure a good appetite unto meate, and to take away all manner of loathing to the same:
it cutteth tough flegme in the chest and lunges, and helpeth to expectorate it the more easily:
it helpeth to quicken the dull spirites of the Lethargye, the juice being snuffed or cast up into the nostrills:
the juice also is of good use to be dropped into the eyes to cleare the dull sight, if it proceede of raw thinne colde humours distilling from the braine:
the juice also heated with a little oyle of Roses, and dropped into the eares, easeth them of the noyse and singing in them, and deafenes also:
outwardly applyed with white flower in manner of a poultis, giveth ease to the Sciatica or hippe gowte, or paralyticall members, by heating and warming them, and taking away the paine: it taketh away also the stinging of bees, waspes, &c.
