On the Promenade Des Alyscamps for the Gucci Cruise 2019 fashion show: a V-neck dress with contrast collar detail with scalloped trims worn by a beauty look featuring tightly coiled hairstyles from the end of the Roman Empire.
Dwale or sleeping Nightshade hath round blackish stalks six foot high, whereupon do grow great broad leaves of a dark green colour: among which grow small hollow flowers bell-fashion, of outerworn purple colour; in the place whereof come forth great round berries of the bigness of the black cherry, green at the first, but when they be rpe of the colour of black jet or burnished horn, soft, and full of purple juice; among which juice lie the seeds, like the berries of Ivy: the root is very great, thick, and long lasting.
the place
It grows in untoiled places near highways and the sea marshes, and in such like places.
It groweth very plentifully in Holland in Lincolnshire, and in the Isle of Ely at a place called Walfoken, near unto Wisbitch.
I found it growing without Highgate, near unto a pound or pinfold on the left hand.
the time
This flourisheth all the Spring and Summer, bearing his seed and flower in July and August.
the names
It is called of Dioscorides, [illegible]: of Theophrastus, [illegible]: of the Latins, Solanum somniferum, or sleeping Nightshade; and Solanum lethale, or deadly Nightshade; and Solanum manicum, raging Nightshade; of some Apollinaris minor ulticana (?) and Herba Opsago: in English, Dwale, or sleeping Nightshade: the Venetians and Italians call it Bella donna: the Germans, Dollwurtz: the low Dutch Dulle besien: in French, Morellemorselle: it commeth very near until Theophrastus his Mandragoras (which differeth from Dioscorides his Mandragoras)
The nature
It is cold even in the fourth degree.
the virtues
This kind of Nightshade causeth sleep, troubleth the mind, bringeth madness if a few of the berries be inwardly taken, but if more be given the also kill and bring present death. Theophrastus in his sixth book doth likewise write of Mandrake in this manner; Mandrake causeth sleep, and it aslo much of it be taken it bringeth death.
The green leaves of deadly Nightshade may be with great advice be used in such cases as Pettimorell: but if you will follow my cousil, deal not with the same in any case, and banish it from your gardens and the use of it also, being a plant so furious and deadly: for it bringeth such as have eaten thereof into a dead sleep wherein many have died, as hath been often seen and proved by experience both in England and elsewhere. But to give you an example hereof it shall not be amiss: it came to pass that three boys of Wisbich in the Isle of Ely did eat of the pleasant and beautiful fruit hereof, two whereof died in less than eight hours after that they had eaten of them. The third child had a quantity of honey and water mixed together given him to drink, causing him to vomit often: God bless this means and the child recovered. Banish therefore these pernicious plants out of your gardens, and all places near to your houses, where children or women with child to resort, which do oftentimes long and lust after things most vile and filthy; and much more after a berry of a bright shining black colour, and of such great beauty, as it were able to allure any such to eat thereof.
The leaves hereof laid until the temples cause sleep, especially if they be imbibed or moistened in wine vinegar. It easeth the intolerable pains of the head-ache proceeding of heat in furious agues, causing rest being applied as aforesaid.
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Along with Sleepy Nightshade, Gerard lists similar plants, Garden Nightshade, Winter Cherry, Bitter-Sweet or Woody Nightshade, Bindeweed Nightshade, and Enchanter’s Nightshade. Sleepy Nightshade, above, is what we know now as atropa belladonna, and the others I am not quite sure of (other than enchanter’s nightshade, which is a plant of the evening primrose family.)
