I have joyned both these sorts of Tyme in one Chapter, for the neere vicinity they have together, both in name and nature, yet eache by themselves they having many sorts apart.
1. Thymum legitimum capitatum. The true Tyme of the ancients.
Thymus capitatus. -Henriette
The true Tyme is a very tender plant, having hard and hoarye brittle branches, spreading from a small woody stemme about a foote and a halfe high, whereon are set at severall joynts, and by spaces many small whitish or hoary greene leaves, of a quicke sent and taste; at the toppes of the branches stand small whitish greene heads, somewat like unto the heads of Stoechas, made as it were of many leaves or scales; out of which start forth small purplish flowers, not having any other seede (as Theophirastus and some other of the old authors have set it downe,) and therefore appoint the flowers only, to be sowne as if there were no seede in the heads, thinking it to spring of the flowers alone, which was an errour in them by tradition not experience, for we have found it otherwise.
2. Thymum durius vulgare. Our common garden Tyme.
Thymus vulgaris. -Henriette
Our ordinary garden Tyme, is also a small low woody plant, with brittle branches, and small hard greene leaves on them, well knowne to most, having small white purplish flowers, standing with some leaves in roundles round about the toppes of the stalkes; the seede is small and browner then Marjerome seede; the roote is woody and abideth well divers winters, if they be not too violent, and the plants not growne too great or woody, which then will perish therein.
3. Thymum durius Candidius. Hoarye Tyme.
Among the seedes of the last recited Tyme, which I sowed in my garden, came up this hoarye Tyme, which is in forme like it, but that the branches are smaller, and the leaves whiter or more hoary, a little also more thinly or sparsedly set on the branches; the flowers, seedes, and rootes are like the former, and so are both sent and taste, but rather more quicke.
4. Thymum latifolium. Masticke Tyme.
Thymus mastichina. -Henriette
This Tyme groweth not so upright as the former, but rather lyeth and spreadeth upon the ground, small but many more branches, nothing so woody; the leaves also are not so hard but broader; the flowers are of a purplish white colour, standing in roundles as the two first sorts: this better endureth the winters, and longer, yet giveth no seede, but is propagated by slipping: the taste and sent is not altogether so quicke as the ordinary garden kinde.
5. Thymum inodorum. Vnsavory Tyme.
This is a lowe small shrubby plant, very like unto the first kinde, with hard branches and hairy more then it: the leaves are set at distances, many growing together, but without either smell or taste utterly: The flowers are of a pale purplish colour, and grow like the common sorts, at the toppes round about the branches.
6. Serpillum Narbonense. French wilde Tyme.
Thymus pulegioides. -Henriette
This wilde Tyme groweth with many hard or wooddy branches, somewhat upright, leaning a little downewards, somewhat like unto our garden Tyme, set with many leaves together at spaces, which are somewhat longer then the rest, lesse sweet, & more strong and heady in sent, somwhat like unto Southernwood, & lesse hot or sharpe also in taste: the flowers grow in wharles or roundles, by •p• towards the tops of the stalkes, with some leaves at them being of a purplish colour, very like unto garden Tyme: both stalkes and leaves are of a whitish hoarines, and abide all the winter.
7. Serpillum majus. The greater mother of Tyme.
Thymus serpyllum. -Henriette
This greater Mother of Tyme groweth more upright then the common wild kinde doth, with two leaves for the most part at a joynt like the other, but greater and not of so darke a greene colour, but rather resembling Marjerom leaves; the flowres grow at the toppes of the stalkes, of a redish purple colour like unto garden Tyme, but somwhat larger as the whole plant is and of a small, but somewhat hot sent and taste. There is another of this kinde, that beareth white flowers and fresher greene leaves, else in other things like the former.
8. Serpillum latifolium hirsutum. Rough Mother of Tyme.
Thymus serpyllum. -Henriette
This Mother of Tyme groweth in most things like the ordinary sort, speading on the ground in the same manner, but that the branches are more hoary or white, and the leaves somewhat rounder and rougher, or as it were hairie, smelling like unto Bitumen or hard pitch, which hath no good favour pleasing to any: the flowers and other parts thereof are like the common Mother of Tyme.
9. Serpillum Pannonicum Clusij. Hungarian Mother of Tyme.
Thymus pannonicum. -Henriette
This small Mother of Tyme creepeth upon the ground, taking roote as it spreadeth, with many square stalkes set with leaves, two alwaies at a joynt, but more thinly or sparsedly growing on them, then the ordinary wild kinde, and are narrower and longer than they, and very smooth withall: the flowers growe at the toppes of the branches not unlike the common kinde, and hath little or no sent at all. There is an other of this kinde little differing but in the hoarines of the leaves from the other.
10. Serpillum Vulgare minus. The ordinary small wilde, or Mother of Tyme
Thymus serpyllum. -Henriette
This lesser wilde Tyme spreadeth sundry hard brow¦nish long branches rounde about the roote upon the ground, which take roote againe as they lye and spread; the leaves are small, and of a sad green colour, smelling like unto Tyme almost, but nothing so quicke either in smell or taste the flowres grow at the toppes of the branches of a purplish or white colour, for of both sorts some are so found.
11. Serpillum Citratum. Lemmon Tyme.
Thymus serpyllum. -Henriette
The Lemmon Tyme is somewhat like the common wild kinde in the manner of growing, but standeth more upright, bushing thicke with branches, the leaves are small and of a darke greene colour like them, but have the sent of a Pomecitron or Lemmon: the flowers are more white then in the common sorts.
12. Serpillum Moschatum. Muske Tyme.
The Muske Tyme also groweth somewhat upright, but with fewer stalkes and thinner set with somewhat longer leaves, which are not of so sad a greene colour, whose sent is much neere unto the sent of Muske, and therupon tooke the name.
13. Serpillum aureum sive versicolor. Guilded or embrodered Tyme.
In the variable mixture of greene and yellow in the leaves of this Tyme, consisteth the chiefest difference of this sorte, from the common wilde kinde, for the greene leaves thereof are in some striped, in others edged with a gold yellow colour, which hath caused the guilded or embroidered name.
The Place.
The first or true Tyme groweth plentifully about Sevill in Spaine, where they use and know no other Tyme, as also in Syria, &c. and yet as Clusius saith all the rest of Spaine, neither use it nor know it, but use our common garden kinde, which groweth in old Castile verie plentifully & in divers other places in Spaine; the fourth we plant in our gardens ordinarily by slipping, not sowing: the fift in the Kingdome of Valentia in Spaine neere the seaside at Alikanta: the sixt Clusius saith, hee found in old Castile, growing promiscuously with our common garden Tyme; and Lobell and Pena say it was found in Narbone in France: the seventh is planted in the gardens of the curious, and the naturall place not well-knowne to us: the eight Banhimus saith, groweth in many of the dry grounds about Bassill: the ninth, Clusius saith he found in Hungary: the tenth is common with us generally in most countries, and that with white flowers on Bushie heathe, in Digswell pastures by Hatfield: and the eleaventh in many places in Kent, betweene Southfleet and Longfield downes, and betweene Rochester and Sittingborne, even in the high way, where by the sent chiefly it is to bee knowne from the common: the two last are noursed up in gardens onely.
The Tyme.
The first true kinde flowreth late with us, as not vntill August with the soonest: the rest for the most part in Iuly or thereabouts.
The Names
Tyme is called in Greeke, θυμος αποτα δυμα, quodijs qui animi deliquium patiuntur adhibeatur, alij, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 deducunt, quod hoc veteres in sacris, quae igne accenso fiebant primum usi sunt; in Latine, Thymus & Thymum: the Arabians Hasce, the Italians Thymo, the Spaniards Tomilho, the French Thym & Marjolaine d'Angleterre, the Germanes Quendel, & the true kind Romscher Quendel & welsher Quendel, the Dutch Thymus, & we in English Tyme, or garden Tyme, or as they are in their titles. Serpillum or Serpyllum is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉a serpendo dictum, of the Arabians Hemen, of the Italians Serpillo, of the Spaniards Serpilio, of the French Serpollet, of the Germanes Huner Kol, of the Dutch Quendel, or wilde Thymus, & we in English wild Tyme, or Mother of Tyme.
The first true Tyme is usually called by all that have written of it, Thymum legitimum, or Capitatum, or Creticum as Cordus & Camerarius do, but it is not that which the old Gerard setteth downe for it:
the second is called Thymus vulgaris & nostras by many authors, and Thymum durius & nigrum by others, & by Caesalpinus Pepolina:
the fourth is called by Lobel, Thymum latifolium, and Serpyllum hortense by others: but Bauhinus doth not number it among his Tymes, but calles it Serpillum, jus latifolium, and is the same with Matthiolus his Serpillum, although Bauhinus doth distinguish them:
the fift is from Bauhinus;
the sixt is called by Lobel Serpyllum Narbonense, and by Clusius Serpyllum sylvestre Zygis Dioscorides:
the seventh Camerarius calleth Serpyllum majus flore purpureo, and that with the white flower, flore candido, but both the old and new Gerard, have erred in the figure and discription therof: for this majus and the folijs Amaraci are both one;
the eighth is of Bauhinus his relation and denomination:
the ninth of both sorts, Clusius calleth Serpyllum Pannonicum, and Bauhinus, angustifolium glabrum & hirsutum:
the tenth is called by most authors Serpyllum, or Serpyllum vulgare minus by others:
the rest have their names in their titles, as whereby they may fitliest be called.
The Vertues.
The true Tyme, or in the want thereof our garden Tyme, (as nearest thereunto, although not altogether so effectuall) doth helpe somewhat to purge flegme, if as Dioscorides saith, it be taken with hony salt and vinegar:
the decoction thereof is good for those, that are troubled with shortnes or straightnesse of breath:
it killeth the wormes in the belly, procureth the monethly courses of women, expelleth the secondine or afterbirth, after it hath holpen the delivery of the child, & causeth easie expectorations of tough flegme, being taken with hony in an Electuary;
it dissolveth tumours or swellings when they are fresh; the juyce thereof being annoynted or bathed on the place with some vinegar, taketh away loose or hanging warts:
it helpeth those that have the Sciatica, applyed with wine and meale:
it helpeth those that are dull sighted, and is of good vse in meates and brothes, to warme and comfort the stomacke, and to helpe to breake winde as well for the sicke as the sound.
Galen saith the same things almost. It is found by experience saith Aetius, that if 4. dragmes of dried Tyme in powther, be given in Oxymel fasting, to them that have the gowte it helpeth them, for it purgeth choller and other sharpe humours,
and that if one dragme thereof bee given fasting with meade, it dissolveth the hard swellings of the belly:
It is profitable for those that have swellings in their sides, and paines in their loynes and hippes;
it is likewise given fasting to those that have greate paines in their eyes, and are bleare-eyed:
it is with wine applyed to the cods that are swollen.
Wild Tyme, or Mother of Tyme if it be boyled and drunke, moveth vrine, and the monethly courses, helpeth such as have griping paines in the belly, or that have cramps, or are bursten bellied, or are troubled with inflamation of the liver:
being taken inwardly, or applyed outwardly with Rosemary and vinegar to the head, it ceaseth the paines thereof, and is very helpefull to those, that are troubled with either Frensye or Lethargy:
foure dragmes of the juyce drunke with a little vinegar, is very availeable to those that spitt or vomit blood:
taken with hony, licoris and aniseede in wine, it helpeth a dry cough, and is comfortable both to the head, stomacke and reines, and helpeth to expell winde:
the distilled water therof applyed with vinegar of Roses to the forehead, easeth the rage of Frensye, & expelleth Vertigo that is the swimming or turning of the braine, & helpeth to breake the stone in the bladder.
