CHAPTER VII

Of the Mandrakes of _Leah_.

We shall not omit the Mandrakes of _Leah_, according to the History of _Genesis_. And _Reuben_ went out in the daies of Wheat-harvest, and found Mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother _Leah_; then _Rachel_ said unto _Leah_, give me, I pray thee, of thy sons Mandrakes: and she said unto her, is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband, and wouldest thou take my sons Mandrakes also? and _Rachel_ said, Therefore he shall lie with thee this night for thy sons Mandrakes. From whence hath arisen a common conceit, that _Rachel_ requested these plants as a medicine of fecundation, or whereby she might become fruitfull. Which notwithstanding is very questionable, and of incertain truth.

For first from the comparison of one Text with another, whether the Mandrakes here mentioned, be the same plant which holds that name with us, there is some cause to doubt. The word is used in another place of Scripture, [SN: _Cant._ 7.] when the Church inviting her beloved into the fields, among the delightfull fruits of Grapes and Pomegranates, it is said, The Mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits. Now instead of a smell of Delight, our Mandrakes afford a papaverous and unpleasant odor, whether in the leaf or apple, as is discoverable in their simplicity or mixture. The same is also dubious from the different interpretations: for though the Septuagint and _Josephus_ do render it the Apples of Mandrakes in this Text, yet in the other of the _Canticles_, the _Chaldy_ Paraphrase termeth it Balsame. R. _Solomon_, as _Drusius_ observeth, conceives it to be that plant the _Arabians_ named Jesemin. _Oleaster_, and _Georgius Venetus_, the Lilly, and that the word _Dudaim_ may comprehend any plant that hath a good smell, resembleth a womans breast, and flourisheth in wheat harvest. _Tremelius_ interprets the same for any amiable flowers of a pleasant and delightfull odor: but the _Geneva_ Translators have been more wary then any: for although they retain the word Mandrake in the Text, they in effect retract it in the Margin: wherein is set down the word in the original is _Dudaim_, which is a kind of fruit or Flower unknown.

[Sidenote: _The vegetables in H. Scripture how variously expounded._]

Nor shall we wonder at the dissent of exposition, and difficulty of definition concerning this Text, if we perpend how variously the vegetables of Scripture are expounded, and how hard it is in many places to make out the _species_ determined. Thus are we at variance concerning the plant that covered _Jonas_; which though the Septuagint doth render Colocynthis, the _Spanish_ Calabaca, and ours accordingly a Gourd: yet the vulgar translates it Hedera or Ivy; and as _Grotius_ observeth, _Jerom_ thus translated it, not as the same plant, but best apprehended thereby. The Italian of _Diodati_, and that of _Tremelius_ have named it _Ricinus_, and so hath ours in the Margin, for _palma Christi_ is the same with _Ricinus_. The _Geneva_ Translators have herein been also circumspect, for they have retained the Original word _Kikaion_, and ours hath also affixed the same unto the Margin.

Nor are they indeed alwayes the same plants which are delivered under the same name, and appellations commonly received amongst us. So when it is said of _Solomon_, that he writ of plants from the Cedar of Lebanus, unto the Hysop that groweth upon the wall, that is, from the greatest unto the smallest, it cannot be well conceived our common Hysop; for neither is that the least of vegetables, nor observed to grow upon wals; but rather as _Lemnius_ well conceiveth, some kind of the capillaries, which are very small plants, and only grow upon wals and stony places. Nor are the four species in the holy oyntment, Cinnamon, Myrrhe, Calamus and Cassia, nor the other in the holy perfume, Frankincense, Stacte, Onycha and Galbanum, so agreeably expounded unto those in use with us, as not to leave considerable doubts behind them. Nor must that perhaps be taken for a simple unguent, which _Matthew_ only termeth a precious oyntment; but rather a composition as _Mark_ and _John_ imply by pistick _Nard_ [SN: _V._ Mathioli. Epist.], that is faithfully dispensed, and may be that famous composition described by _Dioscorides_, made of oyl of Ben, Malabathrum, Juncus Odoratus, Costus, Amomum, Myrrhe, Balsam and Nard; which _Galen_ affirmeth to have been in use with the delicate Dames of _Rome_; and that the best thereof was made at _Laodicea_; from whence by Merchants it was conveyed unto other parts. But how to make out that Translation concerning the Tithe of Mint, Anise and Cumin, we are still to seek; for we find not a word in the Text that can properly be rendred Anise; the Greek being +anêthon+, which the Latines call _Anethum_, and is properly Englished Dill. Lastly, What meteor that was, that fed the _Israelites_ so many years, they must rise again to inform us. Nor do they make it out [SN: _V._ Doctissimum Chrysostom. Magnenum de Manna.], who will have it the same with our Manna; nor will any one kind thereof, or hardly all kinds we read of, be able to answer the qualities thereof, delivered in the Scripture; that is, to fall upon the ground, to breed worms, to melt with the Sun, to taste like fresh oyl, to be grounded in Mils, to be like Coriander seed, and of the colour of Bdellium.

Again, It is not deducible from the Text or concurrent sentence of Comments, that _Rachel_ had any such intention, and most do rest in the determination of _Austin_, that she desired them for rarity, pulchritude or suavity. Nor is it probable she would have resigned her bed unto _Leah_, when at the same time she had obtained a medicine to fructifie her self. And therefore _Drusius_ who hath expresly and favourable treated hereof, is so far from conceding this intention, that he plainly concludeth, _Hoc quo modo illis in mentem venerit conjicere nequeo_; how this conceit fell into mens minds, it cannot fall into mine; for the Scripture delivereth it not, nor can it be clearly deduced from the Text.

Thirdly, If _Rachel_ had any such intention, yet had they no such effect, for she conceived not many years after of _Joseph_; whereas in the mean time _Leah_ had three children, _Isachar_, _Zebulon_ and _Dinah_.

Lastly, Although at that time they failed of this effect, yet is it mainly questionable whether they had any such vertue either in the opinions of those times, or in their proper nature. That the opinion was popular in the land of _Canaan_, it is improbable, and had _Leah_ understood thus much, she would not surely have parted with fruits of such a faculty; especially unto _Rachel_, who was no friend unto her. As for its proper nature, the Ancients have generally esteemed in Narcotick or stupefactive, and it is to be found in the list of poysons, set down by _Dioscorides_, _Galen_, _Ætius_, _Ægineta_, and several Antidotes delivered by them against it. It was I confess from good Antiquity, and in the days of _Theophrastus_ accounted a philtre, or plant that conciliates affection; and so delivered by _Dioscorides_. And this intent might seem most probable, had they not been the wives of holy _Jacob_: had _Rachel_ presented them unto him, and not requested them for her self.

Now what _Dioscorides_ affirmeth in favour of this effect, that the grains of the apples of Mandrakes mundifie the matrix, and applied with Sulphur, stop the fluxes of women, he overthrows again by qualities destructive unto conception; affirming also that the juice thereof purgeth upward like Hellebore; and applied in pessaries provokes the menstruous flows, and procures abortion. _Petrus Hispanus_, or Pope _John_ the twentieth speaks more directly in his _Thesaurus pauperum_: wherein among the receits of fecundation, he experimentally commendeth the wine of Mandrakes given with _Triphera magna_. But the soul of the medicine may lie in _Triphera magna_, an excellent composition, and for this effect commended by _Nicolaus_. And whereas _Levinus Lemnius_ that eminent Physitian doth also concede this effect, it is from manifest causes and qualities elemental occasionally producing the same. For he imputeth the same unto the coldness of that simple, and is of opinion that in hot climates, and where the uterine parts exceed in heat, by the coldness hereof they may be reduced into a conceptive constitution, and Crasis accommodable unto generation; whereby indeed we will not deny the due and frequent use may proceed unto some effect, from whence notwithstanding we cannot infer a fertilitating condition or property of fecundation. For in this way all vegetables do make fruitful according unto the complexion of the Matrix; if that excel in heat, plants exceeding in cold do rectifie it; if it be cold, simples that are hot reduce it; if dry moist, if moist dry correct it; in which division all plants are comprehended. But to distinguish thus much is a point of Art, and beyond the Method of _Rachels_ or feminine Physick. Again, Whereas it may be thought that _Mandrakes_ may fecundate, since _Poppy_ hath obtained the Epithite of fruitful, and that fertility was Hieroglyphically described by _Venus_ with an head of _Poppy_ in her hand; the reason hereof was the multitude of seed within it self, and no such multiplying in humane generation. And lastly, whereas they may seem to have this quality, since _Opium_ it self is conceived to extimulate unto venery, and for that intent is sometimes used by _Turks_, _Persians_, and most oriental Nations; although _Winclerus_ doth seem to favour the conceit, yet _Amatus Lusitanus_, and _Rodericus à Castro_ are against it; _Garcias ab horto_ refutes it from experiment; and they speak probably who affirm the intent and effect of eating Opium [SN: _Opium, of what effect in venery._], it not so much to invigorate themselves in coition, as to prolong the Act, and spin out the motions of carnality.