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.