The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. Gathered by John Gerarde of London Master in Chirvrgeria,
Imprinted at London by Iohn Norton. 1597
Of the Gall tree. Chap. 34.
The kindes.
Of trees that bring foorth Gals, there be diuers sorts, as may appeere by the diuers formes and sorts of Gals set foorth in this present Chapter, which may serue for their seuerall distinctions, whereof some bring foorth Acornes, likewise, and some nothing but Gals: the figures of some sere of the trees shall giue you sufficient knowledge of the rest, for all the Acorne, or Maste trees bring foorth Gals: but those trees whose figures we haue set foorth do beare those Gals fit for medicine, and to thicken skins with.
Dioscorides and Galen make but two sorts of Gals, the one little, yellow, full of holes, and more spungie in the inner part: both of them rounde, hauing the forme of a little ball; and the other smooth and eeuen on the outside: since the later writers haue founde noe, some hauing certaine little knobs sticking foorth, like in forme to the Gall, which doth also cleane and growe without stalke to the lease. There is also founde a certaine excresense of a light greene colour, spungie, and waterie, in the middle whereof nowe and then is founde a little flie or worme: which soft ball in hot countries, doth many times become harde, like the little smooth Gall, as Theophrastus saith.
The description
The Gall tree groweth up to a sufficient height, hauing a verie faire trunke or bodie; whereon are placed long twiggie branches, bringing foorth cerie faire leaues, broade, and nicked in the edges like the teeth of a sawe: among which come foorth Acornes, although the figure expresse not the same, like those of the Oke, and likewise a woodie excrescence, which we name the Gall, hauing certaine small eminences or bunches on the outside, growing for the most part upon the slender branches without stalkes, and sometimes they grow at the endes thereof, which by the heate of the sunne are harder, greater, and more solide in one countrey then another, according to the soile and clymate.
The lesser Gall tree differenth not from the former, sauing that it is altogither lesser: the fruite and Gals likewise lesser, wherein especially consisteth the difference.
The place
The Gals are founde in Italy, Spaine, and Bohemia, and most of the hot regions.
The time.
The Gall saith Pliny appeereth or commeth foorth when the sunne commeth out of the signe Gemini, and that generally in one night.
The names.
The Gall tree is called quarcus Robus, and Galla arbor: the Gal is called in Greeke. --- the apothecaries and Italians, keepe the name Galla for the fruite: in high Dutch Galapffell: in lowe Dutch Galnoten: in Spanish Agalla, Galba, and Bugaiha: in Frenxh Noix de Galle: in English Gaules and Gals.
The temperature and vertues.
The Gall called Omphacitis, as Galen writeth, is dry in the thirde degree, and colde in the second: it is a very harsh medicine, it fastneth and draweth together faint and slacke parts, as the ouergrowings in the flesh, it repelleth and keepeth backe rheumes and such like fluxes, and doth effectually dry up the same, especially when they haue a descent into the gummes, almonds of the throte, and other places of the mouth.
The other Gall doth dry and also binde; but so much lesser, by howe much the harsh or choking qualitie is diminished: being boiled, beaten, and also applied in maner of a plaister it is laide with good successe upon the inflammations of the fundament and falling downe thereof: it is boiled in water if there be need of little astriction; and in wine, especially in austere wine, if more need require.
Gals are very profitable against the dysonterie, and the Coeliacke passion being drunk in wine, or the powder thereof strowed upon meates.
Gals are used in dying and colouring of sundrie things, and in making of inke.
Last of all burnt Gals do receiue a further facultie to stanch blood, and are of thinne parts, and of greater vertue to dry then be those that are not burnt; they must be laide upon hot burning coles untill they come to be thorow hite, and then are they to be quenched in vineger nad wine.
Moreouer gals are good for those that be troubled with the bloudy flixe and common laskes, being taken with wine or water, and also applied or used in meats: last of all these are to be used as oft as neede requireth to dry and binde.
Oke apples are much of the nature of gals, yet are they farre inferiour unto them, and of lesser force.
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