Smallage (Askham)

This is the entry for smallage, or wild celery, from Askham's Herbal.

Apium

This herbe Apium is an herbe that men do cal Smalage or stamarche, the vertu of this herbe is this. It wil make a man to pysse, and open the stopping of the lyver also the sede of this herbe hardneth a mans wombe, and it draweth evel humours of a mannes bodye unto the heade, & to the stomacke, & the wombe, and therefore it noieth them that have the fallinge evell. and women that be with chyld, for whan it draweth such humoures to the wombe it engendreth, that which causeth pestilence, and therefore it is commaunded of leches that women that be with chyld, & they that kepe sucking chyldren shulde not eat nor drink of this herbe, for drede of the falling evel, for it is hote & drye, & there will be .ii. spices theerof, the joyce is good for cold plaisters tempered with flower, and for scalding, this herbe is hote in the .i. degre.