layed in a well 〈◊〉 soyle the leaues downeward into the ground and the root vpward toward the 〈◊〉 of the earth and aboue it there must be made something to couer it in manner of 〈◊〉 vnder vvhich there must straw be cast to keepe it from frost and bad winds 〈◊〉 like is done with Endiue and it is found white when it is pulled vp againe and 〈◊〉 verie delicate in eating Some for the same end vvhen Succorie hath put forth 〈◊〉 leaues tye them all together with a verie small threed and after couer them with 〈◊〉 of earth to the end that it may continually draw by his root nourishment out 〈◊〉 the earth and by this meanes it becommeth white and tender and looseth a great 〈◊〉 of his bitternesse Euerie man knoweth that the decoction of Succorie drunke in manner of an 〈◊〉 is good for them which haue the jaundise or heat of the liuer The juice of 〈◊〉 drunke euerie second day fasting stayeth the spitting of bloud Succorie 〈◊〉 and put vnder the lest dugge doth heale the heart-ache Some say that the 〈◊〉 of vvild Succorie often drunke maketh the visages and countenances of 〈◊〉 more cleare and pleasant CHAP. XIIII Of Artichokes THe Artichoke plant is a diuers thing from Endâ—ue and Succorie for 〈◊〉 for Artichokes to plant them in Autumnâ— which is about the moneth of October they are so fruitfull and forward to thriue as that you need not to take any more but the great leaues with their branches of 〈◊〉 as bring forth the fairest and greatest fruit and in like manner of the thicke 〈◊〉 in the middest seruing for no manner of vse after that the heads of them be 〈◊〉 and to plant them againe Also some haue otherwise vsed to cast downe 〈◊〉 said stalkes and burie them a foot deepe in good manured ground the leaues at 〈◊〉 top bound at the end with a little straw and the stalke layed downe and well 〈◊〉 and they keepe them thus watering them now and then if the time be not 〈◊〉 ynough of it selfe for to make shootes and young sets of in Winter or at other 〈◊〉 and some there be that pricke the heads in a well manured earth and being 〈◊〉 planted doe couer them in Winter with the chaffe or dust of Line or Hempe 〈◊〉 keepe them from the frost and that in the yeare following they may bring forth 〈◊〉 fruit Moreouer the Artichoke is sowen in the increase of the Moone of March 〈◊〉 beds well dunged and fatted but you must not looke to haue any whole and 〈◊〉 fruit of them vntill the next yeare after And if you would haue the seed to 〈◊〉 make little small pits vpon your bed a good foot one from another and halfe 〈◊〉 foot deepe and as much broad and these fill with old dung that is verie small and â—lacke earth that is verie fine mixt together and aboue the same placâ— prick or thrust in the seed of your Artichoke two inches within the earth the small end 〈◊〉 and putting fiue or sixe seeds in one pit together and making many pits neere 〈◊〉 in a round compasse that so they may make a faire knot and plant and 〈◊〉 you may couer it againe easily without much stamping or treading for it And 〈◊〉 soone as the Artichoke hath leaues bigge ynough it must be watered and 〈…〉 continued in such places as are verie drie that so it may bring forth a 〈◊〉 and great fruit Aboue all things care must be had that the small end be not 〈◊〉 contrarie put downeward for then it would bring forth writhen weake small 〈◊〉 hard Artichokes You must also make choice of the fairest and greatest â—eed 〈◊〉 may be found and that the small pits be made a good fathome the one from the 〈◊〉 that so one plant may not hinder another It is true that it is better to 〈…〉 slips and branches than the seed because there commeth fruit the sooner of the 〈◊〉 than of the other and because that in so planting of them you may be occupied 〈◊〉 well imployed euerie moneth and so reape your fruit in diuers seasons of the 〈◊〉 according as the earth is fat or leane hot or cold moist or drie or as the 〈◊〉 hardly agreeing with and vnfit for this plant And in anie case plant of those 〈◊〉 beare the fairest fruit according as there are diuers sorts in respect of their 〈◊〉 length roundnesse diuers colours and tast some also being prickly and 〈◊〉 without pricks For of Artichokes there be diuers kinds as the round and the 〈◊〉 the red and the greene the round which is greene is a good Artichoke so 〈…〉 red although it be long yet the soale is but thinne neither is the leafe verie 〈◊〉 onely it is exceeding pleasant in tast the greene which is long is of 〈◊〉 sorts the worst for it neither beareth good soale nor good leafe but is a loose 〈◊〉 leaued Artichoke euer wallowish and vnpleasant but the round large 〈◊〉 whose tops of leaues are red being hard firme and as it were all of one piece is of 〈◊〉 other the best Artichoke hath the deepest soale the thickest leafe and is the 〈◊〉 to grow in anie soyle whatsoeuer And therefore I would with euerie man as 〈◊〉 as he can to make choice of these before anie other kind If you would that the Artichoke should grow without prickes you must 〈◊〉 against a stone and breake the end of the seed which is sharpe or else put the 〈◊〉 after the manner of a graft in the â—oot of a Lettuce which hath no rinde and 〈…〉 small pieces in such sort as that euerie piece may be grafted with a seed and so 〈◊〉 You shall haue Artichokes of good tast if you let the seed steepe three 〈◊〉 before you plant it in the iuice of Roses or Lillies or oyle of Bay or of 〈◊〉 or some other sweet and fragrant iuice and then afterward drie it â—nd so plant 〈◊〉 it Although that as concerning the former oyles there be some which are of a 〈◊〉 opinion and doe thinke that the oyle doth spoyle the seed You shall 〈◊〉 Artichoke of the smell of the Bay tree if you cleaâ—e or make a hole in a Bay 〈◊〉 and putting therein the seed of an Artichoke doe set it so Artichokes will be 〈◊〉 in tast if before you set the seed you steepe them in milke which must be 〈◊〉 and changed twice or thrice before that it sowre or in honey and then 〈◊〉 drie and set them Two sorts of beasts doe annoy the roots of Artichokes Mice and Moâ—les 〈◊〉 dung of Swine or the ashes of the Fig-tree spread about the roots of the 〈◊〉 doe chase away Mice and the like will fall out if you wrap their roots aboâ—◠〈◊〉 wooll Some to driue away Rats that destroy the roots of Artichokes vnder the 〈◊〉 pricke downe halfe a foot deepe in the earth certaine stickes of Elder tree 〈◊〉 some foure ynches
yoake Furthermore shee shall make much account euermore of the Cow which is of a meane stature of a long bodie a large flanke foure or fiue yeares old of a party blacke colour or spotted with white and blacke her bagge great and side a great 〈◊〉 broad betwixt the browes a blacke eye and geat hornes not turning in one 〈◊〉 another nor yet short or small but bright blacke and of a wide and well-spread shape her eare verie hairie a narrow iaw a thick and grosse muzzle wide 〈◊〉 and sniuelly little and black lips her haire glistering and thick set her legges 〈◊〉 her thighes grosse and thicke and her necke long and grosse her backe large and broad her tayle long euen to the heele her hooâ—es short and euen a broad breast a great and grosse brisket and her dugges great and long As concerning the diseases of Calues and Kine they shall be handled as shall be said hereafter in the Chapter of the Neat-heard The dung of a Cow made hot in the embers being wrapped in certaine 〈◊〉 leaues or in the leaues of Colewort and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme 〈◊〉 appease the paine called Sciatica being fried with vineger doth ripen the Fings euill being fried in a Frying-panne with the flowers of Camomile Melilote and Brambles it diminisheth the swâ—lling of the Cods applyed very hot vpon the plâ—ces troubled with the Dropsie it cureth them throughly and applyed vnto any place stung by Bees Waspes and Horneâ—s it taketh away all the paine CHAP. XIIII The way to make greene Cheese Butter and other sorts of Cheese SHe shall be carefull as well for the feeding of her people as also for the gayning of the penny diligently to set on worke her daughters and maid seruants about the good ordering of the Milke of her Kine in the making of the Butter and Cheese thereof And first as concerning Milke shee must not make any account of that which commeth from the Cow after shee hath new calued to preserue and keepe it for besides that it is naught both to make Butter and Cheese it is also very dangerous for to vse Like as we see that mothers which nurse their children make no account of their fiâ—st milke to giue it 〈◊〉 them the reasons whereof you may learne in our Booke of the diseases of Women After the Milke is milked you shall set it in a place where it may be warme to the end it may be kept the longer and become the thicker in short time in as much as Heat doth safegard and thicken the Milke as Cold doth soure it and make it to turâ—â— by and by and therefore to auoid this danger it is good to boyle it and thereupoâ— to stirre it much before you let it rest if peraduenture you be not disposed to keepe it three dayes or somewhat more She shall know good Milke by his whitenesse pleasant smell sweet tast and reasonable thicknesse in substance in such sort as that being dropped vpon ones nayle it â—unneth not off presently but stayeth there and abideth round a good while She shall not let her Milke be kept long as aboue a day in Summer especially in Autumne and the Spring in which seasons Milke because of the heat and temperature of the time would be spoyled and presently turned but as soone as she can she shal gather her Creame greene Cheese Butter pressed Cheese Whay and other commodities which a good huswife is wont to rayse according to the time although in Winter the Kine yeelding small store of Milke as being then with Calfe she may gather three or foure meales together which will not so soone be spoiled by reason of the coldnesse of the Winter which maketh the Milke to thickâ—â— presently Likewise at this time shee shall gather but small store of Butter but shall turne all her Milke into Cheese It is true that seeing Cheese is not of so great price in Winter neither yet so good and daintie as in Summer Spring time and Autumne by reason of the grasse that therefore it shall be no great danger to gather the Butter cleaner from the Cheese in Winter than at any other time She shall gather her Creame from the vppermost part of her milke presently after â—hat the milke is drawne from the Cow and cooled a little and with this Creame to â—ake Creame-cheeâ—e ordinarily accustomed to be sold in Summer to be vsed at 〈◊〉 of smaller account or in the end of dinner and supper The Italians with â—uch Creame-cheese or Paâ—misan doe mixe fine Sugar well powdred together with Rose water The milke curded and thickned without Runnet will make little Cheeses which the Parisiens doe call Ionches The Normans doe boyle milke with Garlicke and Onions and keepe it in vessels for their vse calling it Sowre milke or Serate The Whay may serue for the feeding of the Hogs and Dogs as also in the time of Dearth for sustenance for the Familie if she boyle it but a little For to make Butter shee shall reserue the newest and fattest milke that shee shall â—haue whereof she shall gather no creame and she shall make account of ten pounds of milke to make two pounds and a halfe of Butter To make this Butter shee shall beat or cherne it a great while in Vessels made for the purpose especially whiles the times of greatest heat endure seeing such heat is the cause that Butter commeth not and is not made so soone as at other times If she will make account to sell it she shall salt it and put it in pots of earth such as wee see brought to Paris from Britaine Normandie and Flâ—nders The Butter of a yellow colour is the best and that of a white colour is the worst but that which is gathered in May is better than either of the other As concerning the making of Cheese shee shall chuse the most grosse and fat milke being pure and newly drawne to make Cheese that shall keepe a long time and of such milke she shall gather neither Butter nor Creame but such as it commeth from the Cow such shall be put in Vessels for to coagulate and turne to curds The way to curdle it is to mingle therewith of the Runnet of a Lambe Kid or Hare or the flowers of wild Thistle or the seed of blessed Thistle or the iuice of the Fig-tree which commeth out of the Tree when one cutteth the greene barke thereof or the leaues and hoarinesse which groweth at the small end of the Artichokes or Ginger or the inner skin of a house-Hennes stomack or the spawne egges of a Pike and with these it is vsuall to make Cheese to be eaten in Lent or the blacke mutable Thistle therefore called Chameleon niger Let her beware of casting in any the least quantitie of vineger for one onely drop of vineger is sufficient to hinder the turning of the milke into curds But aboue all the best and most principallest
damaske or sweet water by such meanes you may giue them such tast and smell as you please if you steepe their seed before you sow it in any such liquor as in Honied-vvater in Rose-vvater or in some other kind of water sweetned with Sugar or Muske notwithstanding watering of them doth take from them a great deale of that smell as also of their sauour and taste To make Cucumbers or Pompions sugred you must steepe the seed in water that is well sweetned with Sugar or Honie and to make them sweet in Sheepes milke or Honied water and so sow them and when they be growne you must sprinkle them ouer with the dust of some drie earth and water them a little To make Pompions to keepe long and not to be spoyled or rotted you must sprinkle them with the juice of Housleeke A woman hauing her termes and walking by the borders of Pompions Gourds and Cucumbers causeth them to drie and die but and if any of the fruit eâ—cape it wil be bitter Cucumbers indure fresh a long time if they be put in the sweet lees of wine or else in brine or if they hang in a vessell wherein there is a little vinegar Pompions will haue the smell of Roses if their seed be mingled with drie Roses and afterward sowne together and then also they are excellent good to quench the thirst in burning agues CHAP. XLI Of Strawberries STrawberries haue no need of great toyle or tilling so that they be planted in some good ground not manured notwithstanding but well shaded howsoeuer because they delight greatly in the shadow of other hearbes so also they are found growing amongst great tall trees without any manner of husbanding or tillage It is true that they grow well in the open Sun so that they be watered once or twice a weeke especially when they begin to looke red they must be remoued euerie three yeares to make them beare faire berries and their earth raised about them once euerie yeare and that about Christ-tide and to weed them by hand when as weeds doe ouergrow them in the ground whither you remoue them you must first put horse-dung well rotted or cowes dung a scuttle full to euerie border that is three foot broad dresse this ground in a drie time and let it lye afterward and in a moist time but not rainie you shall set the Strawberries halfe a foot euerie way thrusting the earth close to the root with a dibble In these you may obserue a certaine kind of wonderfull harmelesnesse and innocencie which although they creepe vpon the earth and be continually troden vpon by Adders Lizards Snakes and other venimous beasts are notwithstanding neuer infected with them neither get they any venimous sauour which sheweth that they haue no â—ffinitie with venâ—me or poyson Amongst other pleasures or commodities that they afford the juice or wine that 〈◊〉 strained from strawberries is good to take away the red pimples itching knobs which grow in the face by the heat of the liuer as also to take away the rednesâ—e of the eyes and to wipe out the spots and knobs of the Leprosie Likewise the decoction of the roots and leaues of Strawberries made with wine is singular good for the 〈◊〉 if it be drunke for some time in the morning as also to prouoke the termes in women and this neuerthelesse doth stay the white termes and bloudie 〈…〉 vsed in forme of a Gargariâ—â—e it comforteth the gums and teeth and 〈…〉 rheumes Of Physicke Hearbes CHAP. XLII Of Mallowes WE haue heretofore dedicated and appointed certaine borders downeâ—â—low the Kitchin garden neere vnto the wall of the orchard for Physick hearbes whereof we desire and wish that the huswife may haue 〈◊〉 knowledge thereby to helpe the necâ—ssities of her people And in 〈◊〉 respect it shall not be â—hought strange if we touch in a word the dressing and 〈◊〉 of some few such as are most vsuall and familiar amongst women leauing 〈…〉 and exact description of thâ—m vnto such as make profession thereof for 〈◊〉 drift of my purpose is to instruct the Farmer and his wife or her that is the 〈◊〉 and Dairie-woman so much as is needfull for the maintenance of their house and fâ—milie But we will begin with Mallowes as those that are most in vse Mallowes notwithstanding that they grow euerie where yet if you be disposed 〈◊〉 sow them you may doe it most commodiously in Autumne rather than at any other time to the end their growth on height may be represâ—ed by the comming of Wiâ—ter for by how much the Mallow is the lesse by so much it is the better They loâ— a fat and moist earth and craue to be remoued after they haue put forth foure or 〈◊〉 leaues though indeed it would be much the better not to remoue them at all 〈◊〉 they will keepe a better rellish but to the end they should not grow vp into high and great stalkes alter that they be come forth of the earth you must put some 〈◊〉 bricke in the midâ—est of their leaues They would be oft wed and when they 〈…〉 if their leaues be tâ—ed together at the end they will bring forth a well 〈◊〉 and thicke set root The root of Mallowes steâ—pt in Wine a whole day and afterward wrapt in a 〈◊〉 and roasted vnder the ashes and dried is a fine medicine to rub the teeth withâ—â— and to cleanse and scowre off from them the filth gathered thicke about them 〈◊〉 juice drunke to the quantitie of halfe a pound oâ— the decoction of the 〈…〉 leaues comming to a certaine thick conâ—â—stence is exceeding good for wâ—men 〈◊〉 are in trauell of child birth It is singular also for many other things and therefore is called of some Omnimorbia Hollihocks craue the like husbanding and tillage that the Mallowes doe 〈◊〉 they are of the same kind and in both of them especially in the Mallowes we 〈◊〉 obserue as a miraculous thing that their leaues and flower doe open at the approâ—d and comming of the Sunne and shut vp themselues to goe to bed when it 〈…〉 doe the Marigolds Both these haue verie great power and vertue to mollifie they serue also to 〈◊〉 the bellie especially the young and tender crops of Mallowes haue vertue to 〈◊〉 swage the paine of the reines and doe cause a man to make water The juice 〈◊〉 with oyle doe healâ— the stinging of Waspes The juice mingled with 〈◊〉 doth helpe women trauailing of child birth Their leaâ—es stamped with the 〈◊〉 of willows doe stay inflammations A cataplasme made of their leanes doth 〈◊〉 way the hardnesâ—e of the mother and other parts especially if it be made of 〈◊〉 with oyle of Roses Gentian grows in high places open to the ayre being notwithstanding 〈◊〉 and somwhat ouershadowed This hearb through his bitternesse draweth downe the termes and the stayed vrine The water thereof especially of the root being distilled
especially the root being applyed vnto anie part is as causticke as Pigeons dung or the Causticke stone or anie othâ—â— the most violent cauterie that may be found for though you put betwixt the 〈◊〉 and the hearbe a Linnen cloth fiue or sixe double yet it will not leaue to 〈◊〉 and pierce deepe euen vnto the flesh This is the hearbe which being steept in Dâ—â—gons bloud the cursed rogues and wicked rouers vp and downe doe rub their 〈◊〉 legges and thighes withall thereby to exulcerate them that so they may moue thâ— people with remorse and so get the larger almes This is the hearbe which siâ—iâ— calleth Crowfoot and which is so much esteemed for the Plague and Plague 〈◊〉 called a Carbuncle Take saith he Crowfoot hauing a root like vnto a small 〈◊〉 Onion this root either alone if it be bigge ynough or two or three of them stâ—â—ped and laid vnto the thombe of the hand that is on that side in the arme whereof the Plague is broken out or vnto the great toe of that foot that is on the same side thâ—â— the groine is that hath the Plague-sore and there leaue it foure and twentie houreâ— and it will make blisters which breaking of themselues doe let runne out the 〈◊〉 of the Plague drawne thither by a veine common vnto both parts but because that this root is verie strong you must put betwixt it and the thombe foure or fiue doâ—bles of new and strong cloth or six or seuen of thinne and worne cloth and so 〈◊〉 it and bind it vp and afterward you shall heale the vlcer of the thombe with the yolkes of egges and fresh butter beat together with a little of the middle Conâ—fâ—â—â— stamped with them or a little washt Aloes and if you cannot haue it new the dries also good for the same purpose but then you need not so manie doubles of cloth betwixt them This operation and worke is quickly done and certainely withoâ—â— bloud-letting or other euacuation Pettie whin groweth in euerie ground whether it be medow plowed land drie scorched moist tilled or not tilled The Husbandman doth greatly abhorre 〈◊〉 hearbe whereof he cannot by anie meanes rid his grounds The root is singular 〈◊〉 well in powder as in a decoction or in the water distilled from it so that before it be distilled the root be steeped in Malmesey twice so much as it weigheth for 〈◊〉 prouoke Vrine Womens termes and to procure the opening of the obstructions of the Spleene and Liuer but aboue all to breake into powder and driâ—â— forth the Stone as also to wast such â—arnosities as may be begotten in the bladder and conduit of the yard The powder must be taken with white Wine Theâ—â— is also made a kind of Wine of this root during the Vintage time with new Wine and white Grapes put into a Vessell adding thereto a certaine quantitie of Winter Cherries The Dittanie of this Countrey groweth in a drie ground being also stonie and open vpon the Sunne The root is much commended against Poisons and Veniâ—â—â— Wormes in children and cold diseases of the Matrix Being taken inwardly by dâ—coction or in powder with Wine the weight of two drammes or applyed or ministred in a fume it moueth the termes in women it bringeth forth the after-birth and dead child it also driueth out the stone from the reines but principally it is good for the Pocks taking it euerie morning a long time the weight of a dramme with 〈◊〉 decoction of Guaiacum It is profitable also against the Plague euerie way that 〈◊〉 can vse it Germander called of the Latines Chamâ—drys that is to say a small Oake because the leaues are like to those of the Oake requireth no other ground or manner of ordering than Dittanie This hearbe is called the Fâ—auers scourge because the decoction thereof being drunke in the morning for a certaine space doth driue away and make an end of the tertian agues the leaues eaten in a sallade in the morning fasting it preserueth from the ayre and pestilent contagion no lesse effectually than water Germander of which we haue spoken before The decoction thereof is singular good against the jaundiâ—e and being vsed a long time for the Falling sicknesse head-ach and other diseases of the braine and for the wormes Rupture-wort groweth in a grauelly or sandie ground which is drie and vnhusbanded there is likewise great store of it found in the wood of Boâ—â—on neere vnto Paris This hearbe made in powder and drunke with wine prouoketh vrine that hath beene long detained and breaketh the stone of the reines and of the bladder if for some long time the partie take the weight of a dramme Fallopius â— great and famous Chirurgion in Italie affirmeth That he had cured an infinite number of persons of the rupture therewith giuing it them in drinke for a verie long time together Mouse-â—are will grow in the same ground that Rupture-wort doth it hath a verie strong astringent qualitie and that is the cause why Shepheards haue no great affection to dâ—aw their sheepe into such fields as haue store of Mouse-eare in them because it bindeth them in their bodies which for the most part worketh in them vnto death likewise Physitians are wont to make their benefit of this hearbe in the bloudie flâ—x and aboundance of termes as also to heale vp both inward and outward wounds the spitting of bloud and falling downe of the fundament Dogges-grasse without setting or sowing groweth more than one would wish both in gardens and also in corne grounds that are fat It serueth in physicke to coole and drie indifferently and withall notwithstanding this to open and take away obstructions and to expell and breake the stone it is true that the seed drieth more but it bindeth somewhat Water-Betonie groweth in moist waterie and marshie places Of the râ—ot thereof gathered in Autumne and made verie cleane and stamped with fresh Butter all being closed vp in an earthen vessell well leaded and stopt and the same vessell set in some moâ—st place and let stay there some fifteene or twentie daies after let the butter be melted vpon a soft fire and in the end strained is made an oyntment that is singular good to annoint the Kings-euill withall and the Hemorrhoides this root is set about with many small knots hauing the resemblance of Hemorrhoids or the swelling of the Kings euill It groweth without any great paine in gardens and being sowne groweth more aboundantly than one would haue it The seed purgeth those that haue the dropsie verie much if they be giuen in Whay it is true that they may be vsed without annoyance done to the stomack if it be parched and dried as also mixt with Annise and Fennell-seed furthermore it is verie good to set in gardens to kill and driue away Moules This hearbe is of two sorts male and female both of them will grow in all manner of earth but
〈◊〉 the start by which the Pomegranaâ—e hangeth or else lay Pomegranates in 〈◊〉 clay tempered with water and after drie them in the Sunne It is good likewise 〈◊〉 lay them in dust or scrapings or sawings of the Poplar tree the Holme tree or the Oake in a new earthen pot and within it to set them in order in manner of 〈◊〉 and then afterward to couer the pot and lute it verie well But whatsoeuer way 〈◊〉 take the principall end must be to keepe Oranges in a cold and drie plaâ—e and 〈◊〉 they be gathered with their stalkes as also with their little branches if possibly it may be done without hurting the tree for this helpeth much to keepe them long They must likewise be gathered in the old of the Moone so that they be then 〈◊〉 verie drie and not being wet from aboue and then after that to keepe them â— day 〈◊〉 two in the Sunne their flowers lying downeward then after that to cloâ—â— them 〈◊〉 in a pot verie well stopt and well pitcht or â—eared that the ayre may not get in 〈◊〉 doe couer them and worke them ouer verie thicke with Potters earth verie well beaten and tempered and when it is drie then they hang them in a cold place and whâ—â— they will eat them they steepe them in water and take away the earth Others doe wrap euerie one of them alone by it selfe in hay or in straw within cases The 〈◊〉 of Pomegranate trees doe driue away venâ—mous beasts and this was the cause why men in auncient time were wont to put the boughs of Pomegranate trees both vâ—deâ— and aboue them in their beds The Plane tree is more commended for the beautie of his leaues and shadow than for his fruit it groweth of shoots and siences drawne and taken from the tree and planted in a verie moist ground and such as is neere vnto some Fountaine or Riuâ—â— and yet besides this it delighteth to be waâ—red oftentimes with neat Wine and sometimes with mens Vrine to helpe it to shoot vp and grow high and to put forth largâ— and ample branches and long leaues for to make the better shade In this Counâ—â—ey we cannot see manie faire ones I remember that I haue seene one at Basil in 〈◊〉 Peters place betwixt the height of fifteene or sixteene cubits vnder the shield and shadow whereof the people betooke themselues for their refreshment during the time of great and scorching heat Some make dishes of Plane tree wood to 〈◊〉 paine and wringings in the bellie being applyed thereunto You must beware of the dust which hangeth vpon the leaues for being taken into the bodie by drawing in of your breath it hurteth the rough arterie and voice and in like manner the â—ight and hearing if it fall into the eyes or eares The Nettle tree is well ynough knowne in Languedoc and Prouâ—nâ—e especially in a borough neere vnto Mompelier called Bontonnet it groweth in a fat ground well manâ—red and toyled open to the South or East Sunne The wood is good to make Flutes Cornets and other Instruments of Musicke it is good also to make handles for Kniues and Swords The fruit is verie much desired at the Tables of great States of his great sweetnesse and most pleasant and delightsome smell which they find in it that doe eat or smell to it Likewise some doe presse a Wine out of this fruit being stamped and beaten which is verie sweet and seemeth like vnto other new pressed sweet Wines but it lesteth not aboue tenne or twelue daies The Masticke tree delighteth in moist places and is planted after the first day of Februarie it beareth fruit thrice a yeare The leaues barke and wood in decoctions haue power to restraine strengthen and comfort And this is the cause why it is vsed to make Tooth-pickes thereof The Turpentine tree delighteth in a low and moist ground and withall in a 〈◊〉 and warme ayre open vpon the Sunne The leaues barke and wood haue the 〈◊〉 vertue that the Masticke tree The Iuiube tree and others as well foraine as growing in our owne 〈…〉 further to be seene and read of in the third Booke CHAP. LV. Of the two particular Gardens scituate or lying at the end of the Kitchin Garden and of the Garden of Pleasure THe Kitchin Garden and the other of Pleasure being of the largenesse aboue declared may haue referued out of them two or three acres for the profit of the Lord of the farme as for Madder Woâ—d Tasel Line and Hempe And we may also adde vnto these Saffron albeit that all these things euen as well as pulse if it be a free and kind ground doe well deserue 〈◊〉 haue euerie one his seueral field by it selfe and to be tilled and husbanded after the â—anner of corne and pulse For Madder therefore it is meet that there should be appointed out foure or fiue â—eres of ground in a place by it selfe which must not lye farre from the water but in 〈◊〉 free and not in a strong mould and yet not too light which hath had his three or foure arders with the plough or as indeed is best digged and siâ—ted notwithstanding that the sifting of it be a longer peece of worke and of greater cost it being vâ—ed to be cast and tilled with thicker raisings of the earth and smaller clouds than is â—ont to be in the casting or digging of a new vineyard For this plant hath his proper and particular seasons to be dressed and planted in as well as the vine but in this they differ verie manifestly that the one is an hearbe and the other a shrubbe and as it were a knot to many trees the one dieth yearely and there is nothing of it 〈◊〉 request but roots for to make good colours of but the other lasteth and contiâ—â—eth at the least twelue yeares in good liking and liuelihood of which the first sixe is for growth and a little for bringing forth of fruit and the later sixe for whole â—â—mple and intire profit the daunger of haile washing away of the grapes when the â—ines be flowre by much raine and frost being excepted vnto which in like maâ—â—er Madder in subject and oftentimes more than the vine because of his tendernesse This prehemencie it hath that the vine being frozen cannot be recouered but Madder may be either set or â—owne againe as also Woad the speciall husbandrie of such as dwell in Prouence and the wealth and commoditie of Dyers of Cloth or Wooll with what colour soeuer it be It may be sowne or planted but indeed being sowne it yeeldeth scarce at any time any great store of increase but if you will sow it then bestow the like quantitie of the seed thereof vpon an acre as you are wont to doe of Hempe and that in the moneth of March vpon the tops of hills well battilled and â—manured thus the seed being cast into the ground and the same well incorporated with harrows of rakes
and labour to be taken with the vine is the gathering of the fruit which may not be attempted by the vine-dresâ—er vntill the grapes be ripe which is manifestly perceiued by their growing blacke as also by hauing their kernels blacke and all bare as being altogether seperated from the flesh or pulpe of the grape if so be that there be any pressing of the graps Or else if after taking away a kernell or two out of a grape you find that the roome whereout they were taken doth not lessen but abideth as large as it was not being filled vp by the other kernells comming in place You must gather them in faire and calme weather not in rainie weather nor when the grapes are full of dew but when it is wasted and gone and the aire is become somewhat hot rather than cold for so the wine will be the better and endure good a longer time yea if it be possible in the waine of the Moone and when it is vnder the earth at the least after that the Moone is eighteene or twentie daies old for so the wines will bee stronger and last better than if the grapes should be gathered in the new of the Moone It is true that before the gathering of them you must haue all the furniture necessarie thereto in readines as baskets and vessels toâ—gather them into great hedge-bills and small oncs verie sharpe caske well hooped and made very cleane by washing cleanefats and euery way well fitted tubbes great and small stands well pitched and fitted for the purpose and presses aired scoured washt and furnished with their necessarie implements The grape-gatherers shall doe their indeauour to put asunder the leaues greene sowre withered and rotteâ— grapes from those that are ripe and whole to the end that the wine may not be iâ—dammaged and made worse than it would bee And for the making of perfect good and daintie wine to chuse ouâ— the finest of the grapes from amongst the common and grosse ones as also the white from the blacke not mingling the two best sorts together of any kind as if there should bee a mingling of the well tasted grape with those which are sweet or of the white which is strong with another which is weake and of a sad colour The gathered grapes must be left in the ground at the least for a day or two and that vncouered prouided that it raine not for so they will become better in as much as both the Sunne the dew and the earth doe refine and purifie them as taking from them whatsoeuer bad and vnprofitable moisture that is in them then after that to leaue them in the fat but not aboue two daies after which time the next morning they must be troden out equally and in such sort as that there may not any of the grapes of the clusters remaine whole It is true that the treaders must not goe into the fat before their feet be well washed and their whole bodies be made very cleane and couered with a shirt to the end that their sweat may not hurt the Wine they must likewise abstaine from eating therin The grapes being troden the wine or liquor must be let boile and worke together for the space of foure and twentie houres more or lesse according as it is purposed that the wine should be for the longer it worketh together the grosser deeper coloured and mightier it will be as the lesse it worketh together the finer more thinne subtile and delicate it will be Likewise if you would haue a strong mightie wine you must in this time of the working couer your Fat with som couer that so the vapor thereof may not breathe out or his force and strength spend The drosse and grosse parts of the grapes that are trodden which shall haue some iuice and liquor yet left and remaining in them shall bee carried to the presse for to bee pressed out and there it shall abide three or foure strokes It is true that this which is thus pressed out will make the other lesâ—e pleasant and therefore it will bee best to put that which floweth and runneth out of its own accord by treading by it selfe and the other which is pressed out by it selfe But howsoeuer you bestow them the caske into vvhich you shall put them must not be quite filled vp but haue some space left emptie for the boiling vp of the new Wine and the casting forth of such scumme and forth as shall rise out of it with ease It is true that you must be filling vp of it euerie day so long as till it appeare that the Wine hath ridde it selfe from all its scumme and fâ—oth And yet as then it may not be bunged vp but rather some stone or wispe of Hay laied vpon the bung-hole and after vvhen it shall manifestly appeare that the vvine is throughly setled and pacified then you may bung the caske The caske must be all this while either in the open aire or else in some barne that is vvell aired for it is not to be layed into any Cellar vnder ground before such time as the new vvine haue vtterly ceased and cast off his rage And withall you must beware not to fill vp the wine alreadie cooled and turned vp with wine vvhich is yet hote and boiling for be it either white or claret it will make it fat After that the vvine is throughly setled and ceaseth to boile and work any more it may be carried downe into some Cellar which must stand vpon the North paued vvith grauell or drie earth and free and farre off from all ill smels horse-stables sinks bathes and marishie places not hauing any thing shut vp and kept in it vvhich is of euill smell as Cheese Garlike Onyons Oiles or Hides for there is nothing more subiect to be infected than wine especially that which is new Your vessels must be so ranked in order as that they touch not one another hauing some distance left betwixt them that so they may the more easily be looked vnto all they yeare The vessels to auoide the venting which commonly hapneth vnto vvine must haue the bunghole very well stopt with grauell and not stirred or touched at anie time vntill the time to drinke the vvine become If vpon some hap the good housholder presently or a little after the time of Vintage be not minded to sell some part of his Wine according as opportunitie may serue for his profite notwithstanding I find that men in times past to the end they might haue a purer neater and more subtile wine after that the vvine hath purged and cast forth his scumme ceasing to boile did vse to put it into new vessels that is to say did change it out of one vessell into another hauing this opinion that vvine separated from its lees doth make a more subtile kinde of mother in Winter and becommeth more delicate and durable and refineth it selfe
from off the Trees as he meaneth to preserue Hee shall take away the leaues from about such Grapes as are slow and backward to the end they may receiue and reape the more heat from the Sunne He shall make his Veriuice He shall digge the Earth to make Wells or to find the heads of Fountaines if he haue need He shall thinke vpon making readie his Wine vessels and other things necessarie for his Vintage In September he shall giue his land that commeth to be tilled againe after it hath beene fallow the last earder He shall sow his Wheat Masâ—ing Rye and such like Corne. Hee shall gather his Vintage beat downe Nuts cut downe late Medow grounds to haue the after-Crop Hee shall gather stubble for the thatching of his house and for fuell to the Ouen all the yeare He shall cut away the branches of Madder and gather the Seed to sow in the beginning of the March following Hee shall gather the leaues of Woâ—d and order them in such sort as that they may be made vp into balls and he shall cause them to be dried in the Sunne or at a fire not verie hot He shall cut downe Rice and Millet In October he shall make his Wines and turne them into Vessels He shall bestow his Orenge Citron and Pomegranate Trees in some couered place to auoid the danger of the eminent Cold. He shall make his Honey and Waxe and driue the old Bees In Nouember he shall couch his Wines in his Cellar He shall gather Acornes to feed Swine Hee shall gather Chesnuts small and great and such Garden-fruits as will keepe He shall take Radish out of the Earth taking off their leaues and putting them vnder the Sand to keepe them from the Frost Hee shall lay bare the rootes of Artichokes and couer them againe verie well that the Frost may not perish them Hee shall make Oyles Hee shall make Hiues for Bees Panniers Dung-pots and Baskets of Osier Hee shall cut Willowes for to make Frames to beare vp Vines and shall bind the Vines and draw the climbing Poles from the Vines In December hee shall oftentimes visite his Fields thereby to let out the water which may stand in them after great Raine Hee shall cause water to runne through the old Medowes and dung them if need be Hee shall make prouision of Dung to manure his fallowes that are broken vp and tilled Hee shall couer with dung the rootes of the Trees and Hearbes which he intendeth to keepe vnto the Spring Hee shall cut off the boughes and heads of Willowes Poplars Saplings and other Trees to the end that their boughes may more speedily put forth and grow so soone as Winter shall be past Hee shall cut downe his Wood as well to build withall as to make his fire with Hee shall make readie his Nets to catch Birds and to beset the Hares when as the Fields shall be yâ—ie or couered with Snow or ouerflowne with Waters in such sort as that a man can doe no worke in them Hee shall also occupie himselfe as long as he pleaseth in making a thousand pretie Instruments and necessarie things of Wood as are Platters Trenchers Spindles Bathing-Tubs Dishes and other things requisite for household store as also Harrowes Rakes and Handles for these Tooles He shall repaire his Teames Yokes Ploughes and all other Instruments necessarie for the fitting and garnishing of Cattell going to Cart or Plough to the end that all may be in good order when they are to goe to labour He shall also make prouision of Spades Shouels Pickaxes Peeles Hatchets Wedges Sawes and other furniture fit for a Countrie house store CHAP. XI The condition and state of a Huswife I Doe not find the state or place of a Huswife or Dairie-woman to be of lesse care and diligence than the office of her Husband vnderstood alwayes that the woman is acquited of Field matters in as much as shee is tyed to matters within the House and base Court the Horses excepted as the husband is tyed to doe what concerneth him euen all the businesses of the Field Likewise according to our custome of France Countrie women looke vnto the things necessarie and requisite about Kine Calues Hogges Pigges Pigeons Geese Duckes Peacockes Hennes Fesants and other sorts of Beasts as well for the feeding of them as for the milking of them making of Butter and Cheese and the keeping of Lard to dresse the labouring men their victuals withall Yea furthermore they haue the charge of the Ouen and Cellar and we leaue the handling of Hempe vnto them likewise as also the care of making Webs of looking to the clipping of Sheepe of keeping their Fleeces of spinning and combing of Wooll to make Cloth to cloath the familie of ordering of the Kitchin Garden and keeping of the Fruits Hearbes Rootes and Seeds and moreouer of watching and attending the Bees It is true that the buying and selling of Cattell belongeth vnto the man as also the disposing and laying out of money together with the hyring and paying of seruants wages But the surplusage to be employed and layed out in pettie matters as in Linnens Clothes for the household and all necessaries of household furniture that of a certainetie belongeth vnto the woman I meane also that she must be such a one as is obedient vnto God and to her husband giuen to store vp to lay vp and keepe things sure vnder locke and key painefull peaceable not louing to stirre from home mild vnto such as are vnder her when there is need and sharpe and seuere when occasion requireth not contentious full of words toyish tatling nor drowsie-headed Let her dispose of her stuffe and implements vnder her hand in such sort as that euerie thing may haue his certaine place and that in good order to the end that when they be to be vsed they may be found and easily come by and deliuered Let her alwayes haue her eye vpon her maids and let her be alwayes first at worke and last from it the first vp and the last in bed Let her not suffer to be lost or purloyâ—ed no not the least trifle that is Let her not grumble at any time for any seruice done to the Lord of the Farme for the value of the least crum of Bread denyed or vnwillingly graunted or giuen vnto him or his may loose the quantitie of a whole Loafe afterward Let her not trouble her braine with the reports speeches of others but let her acquaint her husband with them in good sort and manneâ— Let her gratifie her neighbors willingly neuer attempting to inueagle or draw away any of their men seruants or maids from them neither let her keepe companie with them except when shee may doe them good or helpe them or when she maketh some marriage or assemblies of great companie Let her not suffer her daughters to gad and wander abroad vpon the Sabbath except they be in such companie as is
Sunne If you desire that it should haue great leaues when as 〈◊〉 beginneth to put forth a stalke cut off the same in the halfe then put vpon it a clod 〈◊〉 earth or some small tyle If you couet to haue it faire and vvhite bind together the 〈◊〉 of it two daies before you take it from the first bed and set it in another place 〈◊〉 sprinkle it ouer with sand The cabbaged Lettuce being leaued and curled and not growing higher than a 〈◊〉 for the most part is made by being troden downe After that it is planted 〈◊〉 second time put vnto the root some cowes dung that is verie new afterward tread 〈◊〉 downe againe and vvater it and vvhen it beginneth to gather strength and grow 〈◊〉 the branch vvhich it putteth forth and couer it with a new earthen pot in such 〈◊〉 as that the top thereof by it may be beaten and kept downe and by this meanes 〈◊〉 vvill become tufted cabbaged and vvhite or else if you vvould haue beautifull 〈◊〉 faire lettuces two daies before you take them vp by the roots you must tie togeâ—â—er the tops of them and then couer them with eaâ—th vp to the very â—aid tops so tied 〈◊〉 so they will become white and faire In like manner sand cast vpon them maâ—â—th them to become white If you feare that it will not grow hard ynough by reaâ—â—â— of some fault in the place or in the time or seed take it vp and set it in some 〈◊〉 place To cause Lettuces to haue a sweet smell more than ordinarie sow them with the 〈◊〉 of Citrons or else steepe the seeds in Damaske or other sweet water three 〈◊〉 daies together To mingle Lettuce with other Salad hearbes as Rocket Sorrell and such like and 〈◊〉 in such sort as that they may all grow vp together from one and the same root 〈◊〉 all your sorts of Seeds into a Sheepes trottle made good and hollow for the 〈◊〉 afterward set it verie deepe as namely about the depth of eighteene ynches in 〈◊〉 ground and water it oft and by little and little and haue great care and regard 〈◊〉 it when it putteth forth of the earth Others do crumble breake three or foure â—â—ottles of a Goat or Sheepe and put their seeds in the middest thereof and then 〈◊〉 them with a linnen cloth fast bound in manner of a knot and doe plant them 〈…〉 were in the vppermost part of the earth verie diligently regarding and looking 〈◊〉 them when they come vp Some plucke away the leaues of the Lettuse which 〈◊〉 next vnto the roots and in stead of the leaues so pluckt away they put one 〈◊〉 seed of rocket cresses or sorrell and other such like by which meanes there grow 〈◊〉 and diuers sorts of branches The Lettuce is not without good physicke helpes for it cooleth the 〈…〉 the bellie causeth aboundance of good bloud The juice thereof mixt 〈…〉 Roses asâ—wageth the paine of the head and causeth the sickâ— of agues 〈…〉 rubbed vpon the brows and temples it serueth for a Gargarisme with 〈…〉 of Pomegranats for the Inflammation of the throat being rubbed vpon 〈…〉 it staieth the night pollutions or Gonorrhaea especially if thereunto be added 〈…〉 Camphire the seed thereof beaten with the seed of white Poppie in forme of 〈…〉 or extract doth effect the same and also cureth the scalding and burning of the 〈◊〉 the seed thereof steept in water wherein hath beene quenched steele with 〈…〉 quantitie of Iourie powdred is verie soueraigne against the white flowres of 〈◊〉 The leaues of Lettuce boyled and moystned in broth or salades of them in like 〈◊〉 after supper doth prouoke sleepe the seed thereof powdred and mixt 〈…〉 milke of a woman that hath brought forth a daughter and the white of an 〈…〉 to make frontale for the verie same purpose The decoction of the 〈…〉 boyled in Barley water and drunke causeth great quantitie of milke in 〈◊〉 if afterwards the dugges be well rubbed with the hand such as haue a short 〈◊〉 spit bloud or haue weake lungs as also such as desire to haue children must 〈…〉 Lettuces CHAP. XIII Of Endiue Sowthistle and Succorie ENdiue hauing narrow leaues otherwise called Scariole or 〈…〉 wild Lettuce and of the Latines Intybus or Seris is more 〈…〉 Physicke than any other wayes and is not planted in Garden◠〈◊〉 it is alwaies bitter notwithstanding that it be of the sorts of 〈…〉 rather of Succorie It is true that in often planting and transplanting of it and 〈…〉 mouing it from one place to another and by binding and couering it with 〈…〉 ring the Winter time the nature thereof may be changed and become tender 〈◊〉 white and without any great paines to the Gardiner may be kept all 〈…〉 thing our Gardiners haue practised seeing by experience that wild 〈…〉 commeth faire and flourishing after it hath beene ouerflowen with water and 〈◊〉 with sand or earth Sowthistle called in Latine Sonchus or Ciâ—erbita was of old time in 〈…〉 salades but now there is no such account made thereof saue onely that it is vsed 〈…〉 to teed Conies and Hares in like sort it is not planted in gardens because it 〈◊〉 plentifully amongst the vines notwithstanding the Italians doe vse the 〈…〉 it in Salades in Winter finding them sweet and of a pleasant tast his stalke is 〈◊〉 milke sometimes drawing neere vnto a yellow this milke taken in drinke is 〈◊〉 for them which haue a short breath and are stopt in their lungs 〈…〉 paines of the eares if you drop certaine drops thereof into them especially if 〈◊〉 cause it to boyle with some Oyle in the riâ—d of a Pomegranat it healeth 〈◊〉 the strangurie and paines in making water if it be drunke to the quantitie of 〈…〉 The leaues of Sowthistle chewed doe take away the stinking of the mouth Succorie is of the nature of Endiue hauing large leaues and without 〈◊〉 and good handling doth alwaies continue bitter It loueth a moist place and 〈◊〉 laboured ground When it hath put forth foure leaues you must translate it to â—ell dunged soyle And to the end it may haue faire large and well-spread leaues 〈◊〉 it beginneth once to come to any growth in the middest of his leaues you must 〈◊〉 some prettie little tyle for by this meanes it will spread forth his leaues and 〈◊〉 haue them a great deale thicker standing and tufted By this good husbanding 〈◊〉 his bitternesse and then there is vse to be had of it in sallades in Winter 〈◊〉 it is called white Succorie and to this end it is wont to be planted againe in the 〈◊〉 of August after that in the beginning of September to the end that the leaues 〈◊〉 may be the greater it must be taken vp without the breaking of any thing 〈◊〉 with a smal blade of a straw haue the leaues tied together very easily and gently 〈◊〉 wringing or brusing of them afterward it must be
principally in that which is moist Neither the one nor yet the other doth beare any seed as Writers record notwithstanding it hath beene tried that the male beareth seed and that it cleaueth to the hindermost part of the leaues but yet so little that hardly can a man see it and which cannot be acknowledged or gathered but in the end of Iulie which is the time when it is ripe for to gather it you must cut the leafe neere vnto the root and then hang them vp in your house spreading a linnen cloth vnder them or else some faire cleane white paper I know well that the common sort doe verily thinke and auerre that this seed cannot be gathered but on the night of the wakes of S. Iohn in Sommer and that more is not without great ceremonies and mumbling and muttering of many words betweene the teeth which haue power to driue away Deuills which haue the custodie of the same seed but all this is nothing but fables The decoction thereof is good to prouoke womens termes to cast out the dead child to kill wormes and some doe vse it to heale the frettings or hurts that may be in the fundament fallen downe but especially the female Hearbe Two-pence so called because the leaues resemble small peeces of siluer requireth no great peece of husbandrie about it saue onely that it would haue a moist ground The whole hearbe either in decoction or powder but especially the water thereof distilled in a limbecke is verie singular good for the falling downe of the fundament Fleawort being called of the Latines Psyllium craueth a verie fat well manured and batled ground for else there will no good come of it The seed prepared in forme of a Mucilage and applied in vinegar doth kill the wild fire and teâ—â—er applied vnto the head or brows it taketh away the paine thereof it taketh away also the rednesse of the eyes being applyed thereunto The distilled water is of infinite goodnesse seruing in the paynes of the eyes two or three drops thereof onely being dropt into them This hearbe requireth a verie fat place well manured and tilled likewise we see it grow aboundantly in vineyards and grounds for Wheat and Barlie The leaues are verie singular good for the opening of the liuer and cleansing away of adust humours and this also is the cause why physitians prescribe it with whay in scuruie scabbie and itchie cases and where the leprosie is The juice thereof is good to cleere bleared eyes Ground-swell groweth in euerie ground and without any great care we see if grow likewise neere vnto walls and vpon the townes walls it is greene all the yere and flourisheth as it were in euerie moneth and this is the cause why the Italians call it euerie moneths flower Some thinke that Ground-swell distilled is verie singular good for the Whites in women but beleeue it not before you find it true by proofe for I haue obserued by often vse that this hearbe whether in decoction or otherwise prouoketh the termes that are stayed Birt-wort as well the long as the round must be planted in a fat and fertile soyle such as that where Wheat is sowne and Oliue trees planted Their roots amongst other alâ—â—ost inâ—inite vertues cause womens courses purge the lungs cause spitting cure the cough and prouoke vrine which more is if either of them be taken in drinke especially the round one made in powder with Pepper and Myrrhe it driueth forth the after-birth the dead conception and all other superfluities gathered in the Matrix it doth the like being applied in forme of a Mother suppositorie It purgeth all obstructions of the liuer and easeth all manner of colicke or other griefes which proceed from windie causes it is soueraigne against all manner of poyson or any other infection it cleanseth the bloud and by rubbing the gummes therewith it preserueth the teeth from rotting Centaurie or the gall of the earth aswel the great as the smal desireth a fat ground that is fruitfull and well tilled and yet in such a ground they thriue not well without the great care and industrie of the Gardener Their root in decoction juice or powder moueth womens termes and prouoketh vrine expelleth the dead child purgeth â—legmaticke humors which cause the sciatica openeth the obstructions of the liuer and spleene killeth the wormes profiteth and helpeth palsies convulsions and diseases of the sinews it cleareth the sight and taketh away all mistinesse from them especially the juice dropt into the eyes doth heale their fresh and new wounds and siccatriceth old and maligne vlcers Woodbind craueth no great tilling or husbanding for it groweth euerie where and in what place soeuer it listeth It is true that it desireth greatly to be neere broome hedges and also the borders of fields The fruit of Woodbind drunke with Wine the space of fortie daies taketh away the obstructions of a hard and indurat spleene it purgeth out vrine with such force as that the tenth day the vrine becommeth all bloudie it helpeth women in their child-birth the leaues in decoction or distilled doe heale wounds and filthie vlcers wipe away the spots and scarres of the bodie and of the face Pimpernel hath red and blew flowers and craueth a moist and shadowed ground so likewise we see it grow in the shadows of hedges and bushes Pimpernell with the red flowers stampe and applied vnto the eyes or the juice thereof dropt within them taketh away the inflammations dimnesâ—e and vlcers of the eyes and healâ—th the inflammations of the secret parts Pimpernell with the blew flower boyled with salt and water is a verie good and proper medicine to cure the itch or scurfe and the lice or wormes in the hands if you wash them oâ—t therewith Buckwheat is a verie common hearbe and yet but little knowne by his name it is verie ordinarie in corne and tilled grounds about haruest time The Peasants of Champaigne doe commonly call it Veluote because in my judgement the leaues are hairie which name I mind not to change but rather to keepe for the easier knowing of the hearbe They make vse of it by applying it if at any time in shearing they happen to cut themselues with their sickles For to know it better therefore than onely by the name it putteth forth from the root fiue sixe seuen or eight small branches for the most part layed along vpon the earth of the length of a hand and sometime of a foot bearing leaues somewhat like vnto the little bindweed but indeed they be lesse and more round verie hairie and a little fattie The flower is small and of diuers colours drawing verie neere vnto a pale yellow but in greatnesse it commeth neâ—re vnto the flower of eyeâ— bright but in shape and fashion vnto the nettle slower The water of the leaues and branches distilled whiles it is in force in a Limbeck in Maries-bath is singular
swim aboue the water and so you shall sunder them one after another without breaking of them and thus hauing freed them one of another you shall plant them along thâ— sayd wall some three foot from it and foure foot euerie one from another and if thâ— earth neere vnto the wall be not so good as it ought you shall helpe it by such 〈◊〉 of batteling as hath beene spoken of and shall close vp all your care about thâ— plants so remoued with watering them oâ—t The time to sow them is about 〈◊〉 Aprill or in the beginning or else earlier if the Spring-time begin earlier the Indians and Spaniards sow it in Autumne As concerning his vertues seeing it is hot and drie in the second degree as his biting and sharpe kind of tast doth declare we cannot doubt but that it is good to cleanse and resolue as also good for the effecting of the things which â—t hath beene tried to haue wrought that is to say for the healing of the Noli me tangere all old wounds and inueterate and cancred vlcers hurts ringâ— wormes and exulcerated seabs what maligne qualitie soeuer is in them Kings euill clouds of the eyes conlusions impostumes stingings of liuing creatures rednesâ—e of the face and many other accidents which we will runne ouer hereafter particularly But in respect of the verâ—â—es thereof the best and most to be esteemed part are the leaues and for want of them the seed though it haue no such vertue as the leaues the leaues thereof are vsed either as they are greene at the time of their ripenesse or being kept drie in the time of Winter or in powder when they are dried and made in powder as for the way to keepe them we will speake thereof hereafter And to speake particularly of the effects of Nicotiana The cold and windie paine of the head armes and legges will be holpen if you lay vpon the griefe oftentimes the greene leaues of Petum somewhat dried ouer the fire the tooth-ach is stayed by rubbing the teeth with a linnen cloth that hath beene dipt in the juice of the said shearbe and by putting into the tooth a pill of the leaues of the same hearbe The wounds of the armes legges and other parts of the bodie how old soeuer they be will be throughly siccatrized if you wash them first with white wine or vrine and afterward wipe them verie cleane with a linnen cloth and by and by after put thereupon one or two greene leaues well stamped with the juice or the juice alone and vpon it some fine white Linâ— or white linnen cloth continuing the same daily vnto the end of the cure and if you haue no greene leaues take drie ones and powder them and put of this powder into the wounds after you haue washt them as hath beene said and wiped them with cleane linnen The Indians vse it to comfort the feeble not digesting stomach first rubbing it with oyle oliue and then applying thereupon one or two leaues somewhat dried and made pale ouer the fire it is in vse also among the Indian Canibals against poyson wherewith they vse to annoint their arrows when they go to shoot and this poyson will kill by and by if bloud be but drawne for when they go to warre they carrie in one Harts foot of that poyson and in another of the juice of Petuum to remedie the mischiefe and if they haue no greene they carrie drie with them and so soone as they haue applied it to the wound they account themselues out of all danger of death how great soeuer the wound be This remedie was tried by the Indian Câ—nibals by reason of a battell where they were hurt in a prouince called Sauinam and as their custome was to cure their poysoned wounds with sublimate so they not finding store thereof sufficient were made to applie vnto their wounds the juice drawne out of the leaues of this hearbe which shortly after tooke away the paine and venime thereof and so they became whole the proofe of this thing hath also beene made in Spaine sundrie times and amongst others by the Catholicke King himselfe who to make triall of this hearbe caused the wound of a dogge to be rubbed with sublimate and then presently after to be applied the juice of Petum together with the substance and all This same remedie may serue against the bitings of mad dogges so that it be vsed within a quarter of an houre after The decoction of the leaues boyled in water and made into a syrope with sugar or into a â—uleb or Apozeme and taking euerie morning the quantitie of two or three ounces remedieth the difficultie of breath old â—ough so that the partie before he vse this decoction haue beene vniuersally purged by some purgatiue medicine the â—uice and drosse of the said leaues stamped in a mortar doth open the obstructions of the spleene and softeen the hardnesse of the same applied vnto the region of the â—pleene in the morning for want of the leaues the powder may be applied being 〈◊〉 with some oyntment appropriat vnto such diseases The same remedie serueth â—or the paine of the stomach the paine of the bellie and the colicke as also such other griefes comming of coldnesse and windinesse being applied warme and vsed ofâ—entimes till at length the paines be asswaged It is not of the least seruice for the paynes of the matrix the said leaues applied vnto the nauell in manner aforesayd as also if the fume thereof be put into the nose of a woman grieued with the 〈◊〉 of the Mother This is the reason why the women that are subject vnto the disease of the Mother should haue the same alwaies readie Some hold it for a â—â—â—gular remedie against the gowt to chaw euerie morning fasting the leaues of 〈◊〉 because it voydeth great quantitie of flegme out at the mouth hindering the 〈◊〉 from falling vpon the joynts which is the verie cause of the gowt If you 〈◊〉 the leaues amongst hot embers for some space and alterward taking them forth 〈◊〉 them without shaking off the ashes from them vnto his bellie that hath 〈…〉 drunke much you shall asâ—wâ—ge his swelling fulnesâ—e and keepe him from 〈◊〉 The juice of the leaues of Nicotiana stamped clarified and mixt with 〈◊〉 sugar of the forme of a syrope being taken in the morning killeth and casteth 〈◊〉 wormes but therewithall you must lay vpon the parties nauâ—ll some of the 〈◊〉 bruised stamped in a mortar and wrapped in a linnen cloth and let it be presently after he hath taken a clyster of milke and sugar All aches of the joynes 〈…〉 a cold cause all swellings tumours and impostumes comming likewâ—â—e of cold and windie causes all kiâ—es on childrens heeles as also exceeding great itches are 〈◊〉 led by applying the leaues of Petum The juice of Petum layed vpon a 〈◊〉 carbuncleo how pestilent oâ— venimous
soeuer doth heale and cure the same presently it 〈◊〉 the like in old vlcers though they pierce vnto the bone iâ— you continue the vse of it so long as there shall be any need for it maketh the flesh to grow againe and consumeth the filhinesse of the vlcers which I my selfe haue proued in two 〈◊〉 of the nose caused of the French disease out of which the juice of this hearbe 〈◊〉 great store of vvormes to come Greene vvounds prouided that they be nâ—t 〈◊〉 deepe are healed in a day by putting into them of this juice and applying of thâ— drosse vpon them and if it happen that they should be deepe then it is but the â—â—â—ther washing of them with wine and then to put this juice into them and the 〈◊〉 thereof aboue and vpon them with a linnen cloth dipt into the juice also for 〈◊〉 more briefe and speedâ—â—hr curing of them it were good that they were washed 〈◊〉 and without with the same juice Nicotiana dried hath the like operation in the diseases and accidents aboue spâ—ken of the way to drie them is this You must take the fairest leaues and those also that are indifferent faire and put them vpon a file and afterward drie 〈…〉 the shadow hanging vnder some chamber doore not in the Sunne Wind or 〈◊〉 and so you may keepe them whole to vse them afterward thus dried or else in poâ—der And that I may particularly touch the diseases which the dried leaues are good for If you take of the best Tabacco or Nicotiana I doe not meane such as groâ—eth and is frequent with vs but that which is naturally good as hauing all his right both of Sunne and soyle and is brought from the Indians of which there are 〈◊〉 kinds according to the natures of the countries and the plantation of the herbe 〈◊〉 in leafe some in roll and some in ball and twine it verie hard as you can togethâ—â— then with a knife shred it verie small and spreading it vpon a cleane sheet of 〈◊〉 drie it ouer a gentle fire made of charcoale or other fuell that hath no stinke 〈◊〉 smoake then when it is cold you shall put it into a Tabacco pipe that is 〈◊〉 cleane or new 〈◊〉 the figure whereof is needlesâ—e to relate because the world 〈◊〉 so much inchaunted therewith that not any thing whatsoeuer is halfe so 〈…〉 this is now a daies and hauing slopt it hard into the pipe you shall with a 〈◊〉 candle or other sweet flame set it on fire and then sucking and drawing the 〈◊〉 into your mouth you shall force the fume forth at your nosthrills which fume 〈◊〉 the head be well couered make that you shall auoid at the mouth such 〈◊〉 sâ—â—mie and flegmaticke water as that your bodie thereby will become leane aâ— if 〈◊〉 had fasted long by which one may conjecture that the dropsie not confirmed 〈◊〉 be holpen by taking the same fume the same fume taken at the mouth is 〈◊〉 good for them that haue a short breath old cough or rheumes in which 〈◊〉 maketh them to auoyd infinite quantitie of thicke and slimie flegme The 〈◊〉 of the Mother otherwise called the Suffocation of the Mother is healed by 〈◊〉 this fume into the secret parts For the head-ach comming of a cold or windie cause if you cannot come by the greene leaues then take the drie moistening them first with a little wine and after drying them at liue ashes then afterward sprinkle vpon them sweet water and so applie them vnto your head or any other such place where you feele any paine you may doe as much with the powder of the leaues dried wingling therewithall things appropriat vnto the disease Such as are subject vnto swounings are by and by brought againe by taking at the mouth or nosthralls the fume of the said leaues burnt in respect whereof Indian women keepe this hearbe verie carefully because they be subiect to swounings Which is more the inhabitance of Florida doe feed themselues a certaine space with the fume of this hearbe whatsoeuer a certaine new Cosmographer say to the contrarie who seeketh by his â—yes to triumph ouer vs in this respect which they take at the mouth by the meanes of certaine small hornes the picture whereof you may see by the figure of the hearbe And the truth hereof we gather from them which haue beene in the countries of Florida and by mariners comming daily from the Indies which hanging about their neckes little pipes or hornes made of the leaues of the Date-tree or of reeds or of rushes at the ends of which little hornes there are put and packt many drie leaues of this plant writhen together and broken They put fire to this end of the pipe receiuing and drawing in with their breath at their mouth wide open so much of this fume as possibly they can and affirme thereupon that they find their hunger and chirst satisfied their strength recouered their spirits rejoyced and their braine drencht with a delightsome drunkennesse as also to auoyd out of the mouth an infinite quantitie of flegmaticke water But in that the fume of this hearbe maketh men somewhat drunke some men haue thought it to be verie cold and by that reason a kind of yellow Henbane which it resembleth much in his stalkes leaues cups and seed as we haue said before but we must know that the fume of this hearbe doth not make drunken so quickly and withall that this kind of drunkennesse doth not proceed of excessiue cold such as is found in Henbane but rather in a certaine atomaticall vapour which doth fill the ventricles of the braine All which vertues and properties besides that we haue proued and tried them in many diseases here in the countries of France to the great comfort of the sicke they also which come from the Indies and new world of Florida haue confidently auouched vnto vs to haue proued and tried the same in themselues hauing beene wounded and hurt when they made warre in the countrie against the rebellious and trecherous Indians who likewise affirme that much good is spoken of this hearbe euen of all the priests of these barbarous nations whereof they make vse in their Magicall practises and diuinations imagining that by the vertue thereof the things which they desire to know are reuealed vnto them And that it is so the sauage and bruitish Indians being accustomed to aske of their Priests the successe and euents of things to come is proued by the Priests for then they to fulfill the desires and requests of the Indians take the leaues of this plant and put them in a pipe or hollow end of a cane and being mixt with Wine they sup in and receiue it all at the mouth and by and by after they fâ—ll in a trance and become as men without life so long as vntill the hearbe haue ended his operation and then they rise vp halfe giddie and so
possibly we could come by it to the end it may the better be discerned whether it deserue to be had in such estimation as we haue it in or no. The root is called Mechoacan of the name of the Region or Countrey where it groweth which is a Prouince of New Spaine situate in the West Indies or New World called by the inhabitants Chincicila and by the commandement of the Caâ—holike King Mechoacan Which Prouince aboundeth with Gold Siluer Cattell Corne Fruits exquisite Plants mynes of Mettall and Stones and all sorts of good things where also the people are well coloured full of vigour strong of bodie and of a perfect health and that by reason of the Ayre which is more wholesome there than in anie other place of the Indies The occasion of the name rose thus The Spaniards Lords of this Prouince and being desirous to plant it with Christians did erect and set vp a Couent of Friers Cordeliers liuing Monastically whose Prouinciall Father being extreame sicke was quickly cured by an Indian Physitian who caused him to vse oftentimes the powder of this well-prospeâ—ing and happily-succeeding medicine when as therefore they fell sickâ— they tooke with good successe of this powder And thus this root came in great request throughout the whole Prouince and from thence the prayses thereof were carried and published throughout all Spaine and Portugall and thereupon it hath kept the name of the Prouince of Mechoacan The fame thereof is likewise come into France by the meanes of Merchants desirous of gaine who haue brought it vs hither from thence Some call it Rhamindick because it seemeth that it hath the like propertie of attracting and purging flegmaticke and serous humors which the East Rhubarbe hath to attract and purge cholericke humours This root is not brought vnto vs whole but in pieces and round slices whereinto it is diuided with kniues or with hands so soone as it is drawne out of the earth that so it may the better drie in the shadow although in drying it grow but little lesse and that it may keepe better in these round slices than either whole or in powder But the powder which is brought from the Indies is of lesse operation than that which is made into powder amongst vs it is thicke and of a weightie substance and the rinde thereof of an Ash-like colour the inward substance white and marked with manie circles without anie tast except such as meale is wont to haue for it is neither sharpe nor sweet nor bitter and smell it hath none neither is it anie thing pithie The best is that which is whitest most close in it selfe well set and ioyned together somewhat heauie not full of holes or rotten it becommeth in time of white somewhat grayish or blackish and thus by his colour is discerned whether it be new or old for the new is white but the old grayish or blackish and as it were wrought with diuers colours This is the root of a Plant which is a kind of great Bindweed called in French Lizeron which windeth it selfe about Reedes or Stakes along vp to the top of them helping it selfe in this compassing sort to climbe without anie manner of aid it hath a stalke or trunke mixe of diuers colours as deepe yellow greenish reddish somewhat of the colour of Ashes and Medlay commonly called the Lyons colour the leaues are somewhat moist there being within the flowers as it were clappers with round knots at the vpper end the sharpe-pointed end being toward the 〈◊〉 of the foot round and of a darke greenish colour It beareth a fruit like a Grape as bigge as a Coriander seed and it is ripe in the moneth of September and in the Spring following It putteth forth neere vnto the rootes small siences and 〈◊〉 which fall to creeping vpon the earth if they be not borne vp with some polâ— about which they may wrythe and cast themselues round The seed is like vnto thâ—â— of Bindweed For your better assurance in all this that hath 〈◊〉 said you 〈◊〉 visit and see the Physicke-Gardens of Master Nicholas Râ—se that learned and 〈◊〉 experimented Chiâ—urgion and of Master Peter Cuth a skilfull and painefull Apâ—thecarie both which dwelling at Paris haue enriched our Countrey of 〈◊〉 with an infinite number of rare exquisite and verie singularly qualified 〈◊〉 This root is verie like to the root of wild Vine as well in colour rinde and â—â—â—â—â—kles as in thicknesse in consideration whereof some haue called this Plant 〈◊〉 Vine but and if you tast the one and the other root your shall find them somewhat differing for Mechoacan if you chew it is found without anie tast 〈◊〉 it haue a mealie tast for it is nothing sharpe but hath some small asâ—ringeâ—â— and binding qualitie Brionie greene or drie is biting and leaueth behind it in 〈◊〉 palate and roofe of the mouth a sharpe and displeasing tast it agreeth much better with the blacke Vine or with Turbith at the least in facultie and 〈◊〉 they are both of them gummie And concerning the vertues and faculties thereof they are of two sorts the 〈◊〉 proceedeth of his manifest qualities as for that it is hot about the second degree and drie about the third degree compounded of ayrâ—e subtle and somewhat 〈◊〉 parts and by this last it hath some binding and astringent qualitie from whenee it riseth that in purging it comforteth Furthermore it openeth the obstructions of the inward parts chiefely when it is taken in infusion The other vertues that it 〈◊〉 come of a secret and hidden propertie by reason whereof it purgeth speciall and choice humors that is it purgeth by some similitude and familiaritie of substance flegmatike and serous humors but flegmatike especially then secondly choleriâ—â—â— and last adust and melancholike humours and those not onely from the 〈◊〉 liuer spleene and guts but also from the head parts about the breast and 〈◊〉 in regard whereof it is good against old Agues and long diseases but especially the Iaundise Dropsie Gout Kings euill Wolues flegmatike tumours head-â—â—â— obstruction of the Lungs shortnesse of breath the suffocation of the Mother Câ—licke paine in the Flankes retention of Vrine Costiuenesse Agues of diuers â—â—mours that is to say proceeding of flegmaticke and cholericke causes mixt together quotidian tertian and bastard Agues to be short against all diseases comming of a cold humour Wherefore it is not meet to be vsed in hot burning Agues nor yet in cholericke Agues nor yet in anie other such sicknesses as are ioyned with great heat and inflammation nor yet where adust humours doe offend for although it purge them yet it leaueth behind it some notable heat but it is verie true that in continuance thereof it would doe seruice as namely when the thinnest part is purged and nothing remaineth but the thicke and grosâ—e behind This is the cause why this root is not fit for the beginning of cholericke diseases if it be
from Frosts they must from the eleuenth of Nouember be couered verie well with Straw or with the stalkes of Line tying these things to the roots and to the boughes so well and in euerie place as that there remaine nothing to be seene of the plant If you would haue the figge-tree to bring forth a late fruit which is a thing against his nature you must take from it his first small figges which begin to grow great and the figge-tree will put forth another second fruit which will be kept till Winter Likewise it will be fruitfull and bring forth a full figge and of a good verdure if from the time that it shall put forth his leaues there be put to his root 〈◊〉 earth â—eaten and tempered with the setlings of oyle oliues and mans dung or else when it shall begin to spring to cut off the tops and ends of the braunches Figges will be more forward and early if there be applyed vnto the roots of the trees pigeons dung and pepper brayed and mixt with oyle or else if when their grosâ—e and vnripe apples shall begin to grow red you annoint them with the juice of a great onion mixt with oyle and pepper or if when as their fruit shall be reasonably great you pierce them with a needle and afterward rubbing them with oyle you couer them with oliue-tree leaues for the heat being nothing hindered through the great moisture of the figge doth concoct the fruit and ripen it most easily But if your figge tree grow in a cold soyle or such a soyle as the clime appeareth somewhat vnnaturall therefore you shall then when he putteth forth his first or later knoâ—â— and by reason of his want of Sunne-shine is not able to ripen them you shall then let them remaine on the tree and by no meanes pull them away and the next year following in the height of Sommer they will all be ripe and pleasant which you shall know by their shining softnesse and transparancie then will they also put forth other new hard knots which yow shall againe suffer to remaine till the next yeare and thus allowing them two yeres to ripen in you may haue in England or elsewhere as good and as pleasant figges as are any is Spaine They will be of a diuers colour that is white on the one side and red on the other if you tie together in a linnen cloth the seed of two diuers figge-trees and so planting them afterward to transplant them You shall reclaime a wild figge tree if you water him at the roots with wine and oyle mixt together Figges will not fall downe from their tree if you water the bodie ditched round about with salt-brine and water equally mixt together or if you burie neere vnto the figge-tree the hornes of Rammes or Weathers You shall keepe them continually greene if you put them in a pot full of honie and well stopt in such manner as that one of them doe not touch another nor yet the pot or else in a gourd euerie one by it selfe hanging the gourd in a shadowed place where neither fire nor smoake may come vnto it Or if you put them in an earthen vessell hauing the mouth well stopped putting the same vessell afterward into another vessell full of Wine for as long as the Wine remaineth vncorrupted so long the figges will remaine â—ound and safe You shall preserue drie figges from rotting or corrupting if you spread them vpon a hurdle in an ouen after the bread is drawne and put them afterward into a new earthen vessel vnpitchâ— You shal haue figges that loosen your bodie and make it soluble if you 〈◊〉 at the root of the figge-tree when you plant it some blacke hellebor â—â—ampt with spurge or some other such purgatiue Furthermore the figge-tree hath this vertue that if you haue a wild and 〈◊〉 Bull which you cannot tame by any means if you tie him to a figge-tree by and by he will become gentle forgetting his naturall sauagenesse Furthermore to make the hard and rough â—lesh of any beast tender by and by you must hang it to a branch of a figge-tree as also to make it to be boyled quickly you must stirre it oftentimes in the pot wherein it boyleth with a ladle of the wood of a figge-tree for the figge-tree breatheth forth a certaine kind of vapour which drieth vehemently and digesteth the hardnesse of any â—lesh whatsoeuer whether peacocke birds of the riuer or other such like It is true that there is other meanes to make tender the flesh that is tough as to put it in a heape of corne We may further note I know not what secret vertue in the figge for the horses and asses laden with figges doe easily fall downe vnder their burthen and loose all their strength which notwithstanding are as easily recouered of their strength and refreshed if they haue but giuen them a 〈◊〉 of bread It is also worth the noting how that the juice or milke of the husbanded or â—ame figge-tree as we haue before shewed in the treatise of the making of cheeses serueth for the turning or changing of the milke into curds as wel as the 〈◊〉 figges boyled with Hysope doe heale an old Cough and amend the diseases of the Lungs The fruit doth soften the bellie nourisheth much prouoketh sweat being drie mingled with the flower of Linseed and Fenugreeke it killeth or resolueth impostumes and hard swellings in decoctions it is good for the Cough and difficultie of breath the flowers are good to eat notwithstanding that Swine auoid and shunnâ— them in all they may King Mithridates made an Opiate against all manner of Poyson and danger of the Plague which was compounded of Figges Walnuts and Rue as we haue said before in the Chapter of Rue Figges burnt and made into powder mingled with a verie little Wax doe make a verie soueraigne medicine for Kibes The â—uice of Figges doth heale all Roughnesse ill conditioned Scabbes small Pocks Purples Freckles Ringwormes and other spoâ—s and defilements of the bodie and of the face being annointed thereupon with the flower of parched Barly It cureth also the paine of the teeth a little Cotton wooll being dipped therein and laid vpon the tooth It openeth the Hemorrhoids This Tree is easie to make grow and delighteth in hot and temperate Countries as in Languedoc and Prouence where it may be seene growing as it were in little Forests and it is so long liued and of such durablenesse as that though the labour due to be bestowed about it be left off for a long time yet it ceaseth not to beare fruit more or lesse and comming to it selfe againe being old it becommeth young againe and getting foot liuely of drie it becommeth marrowish and fattie and of barren fruitfull In these Northerne Countries it groweth not without great paine and labour by reason of the coldnesse of the ayre Wherefore if you be minded
spoken of in the second Booke As much may be said of Pomegranat kernels and Bay-berries as you may vnderstand by the second Booke Pistaces doe require greater diligence and delight to be sowne as well the male as the female in a verie fat ground and vvell â—ared the backe turned to the East and this abouâ— the first day of Aprill and at the same time of the yeare you may graâ—â— them vpon themselues notwithstanding that some doe graft them vpon the almond-tree The peach stone would be set presently after that the fruit is eaten there remayning still some small quantitie of the â—lesh of the peach about the stone and for the longer lasting and keeping of it it loueth to be grafted vpon the Almond-tree CHAP. IIII. Of the nurcerie for stockes IF you vvould haue a beautifull and pleasant fruit of your trees it is not ynough that you should onely sow or set your seeds or stones in a good soyle but it standeth you as much vpon to remoue them after one yeare into another place for this translating of them doth so delight them and reuiue their vigour and spirits as that they yeeld more pleasant leaues and a 〈◊〉 â—ed and liking fruit For and if you will bestow this fauour vpon vvild 〈◊〉 you shall find them to become of a gentler nature and farre more excâ—â—ling 〈◊〉 Wherefore when the Trees which shall haue sprung vp of seeds or stones 〈◊〉 or sowne shall haue come by some little nourishment and grow in the seed 〈◊〉 take them vp vpon a new Moone at night with as many roots as possibly may be and if it happen that any of them be spoyled or broken cut it looke vnto it alâ—â— that you doe not pull it vp when the Northerne wind bloweth for this wind is an enemie vnto new set plants and set them againe presently least the roots should spend themselues it must not be in a hot or cold vveather nor in an excessiue vvind nor in raine but at such time when it is calme and verie faire chusing rather a cloudie day than when the Sunne breaketh out hot and the Moone being in her 〈◊〉 but and if you should not haue the leisure to remoue them so soone or and if you would send or carrie them somewhat farre bind them vp in their owne earth mingled vvith dung and make it fast thereto with vvoollen cloth or leaues When as you take them vp marke what part standeth vpon this or that quarter to the end that you may set them downe againe vpon the same quarter and coast of the heauens for and if in remouing them you set them in a contrarie â—oyle and situation in respect of the heauens they will not thriue so vvell and that is the cause why those that buy new plants most diligently inquire in what manner of ground they stood and what aspect of the Sunne they were most open vnto that so they may set them downe againe in such like ground and in the same aspect True it is that this obserâ—â—tion seemeth too ceremoniall vnto me and exceeding hard continually to be kâ—pt seeing vve buy trees at Paris sometimes to plant whose first situation we doe not know neither can vve learne and yet notwithstanding being planted they cease not to thriue and prosper And againe what cause is there of any such ceremonie seeing the Sunne vvhich is the nursing father of all plants doth visit euerie day all the sides of the Tree and that the ground wherein it is planted is no lesse nouâ—â—shing vpon the one side than vpon the other These things weighed about the third of December you must lay flat another plot and make a furrowed quarter where you shall lodge according to the order of a hundred the small wildings which you shall haue taken vp out of the â—eed nurcerie cutting off the end and beards of all their roots and which may be in any place about their slender little stockes and that in a good ground yea much better if it be possible than that is of the seed nurcerie It is true that the furrowes must be made according to the goodnesse of the ground the nature of the tree for in a clayie or hard ground you must make your furrows the depth of three cubites in a watrie and marshie place of three feet 〈◊〉 Some plants as the Ash and Oliue tree grow better in the vpper face and top of the earth than in the depth and lower parts of the same Set in order your young â—â—â—dings in the said furrows halfe a foot one from another and there couer them and leaue the space of a foot betwixt one furrow and another that there you may make paths to goâ— about vveeding with â—ase and passe betwixt euerie two furrows When thus your wildings are set you must cut off their stockes close by the earth and fil vp the paths with dung without euer going about to hide or couer the plaâ—â—â— in the earth and so soone as they grow they must be well wed round about and 〈◊〉 from vveeds and vnderdigged or lightly digged sometimes in Sâ—mmer round about not comming ouer neere the rooâ—s in any â—ase and they must be vvaâ—â—â—d also on euenings when it hath beene a verie hot day and when they haue put forth â—â—â—ces for one or two yeares then going ouer them all leaue not moe than one 〈◊〉 to euerie plant and let it be the â—â—eekest best liking tallest and comâ—liest of all the rest cutting the other off close by the stocke As these â—â—â—nces shall grow on so 〈◊〉 picke off cleane from them the small superfluous wood growing vpon them vpward and euen close also vnto the stocke and this must be done in March or Aprill and then must some small prop or stay be prickt downe at the foot of euerie wilding for to â—â—rect and guide it by tying them both together with wreaths of graâ—â—e but 〈◊〉 moâ—â—e or some soft thing betwixt them that so the hardnesse of the prop may not gal it when it shall be growne thicke And thus you shall order and husband then til the time come when you must remoue them if rather you make not choice to grâ—â—â— them vpon the place as they stand When through forgetfulnesse you shall haue 〈◊〉 your wildings or planes growne vp of feeds for two or three yeares vntaken vp 〈◊〉 must furrow them as hath already bin said but with deeper digged furrows and thâ—â— you shall not breake the roots so much and it will be â—it and conuenient to cut off their branches vpward as occasion shall require There are found kernels of peares or garden apples that haue beene gathered 〈◊〉 trees that vvere sometimes wild ones or growne vpon trees which haue alreadie 〈◊〉 oftentimes grafted vvhich bring forth verie streight trees and also of comely wood as if they had beene grafts from the beginning not hauing any prickes or 〈◊〉 to argue them â—uer to haue beene wild Such young trees if
you will remouâ— them 〈◊〉 they are or plant them out of their nurserie without other manner of grafting them they vvill not faile to bring you good fruit for the taste and eating as also to 〈◊〉 Cyder of but the best fruit doth alwaies come by grafting for the fruit comming vpon grafting doth alwaies retaine a better forme and groweth more and more kind and withall much the greater but that which groweth of a kernell doth chaung◠〈◊〉 oft as the tree is changed which beareth it And besides you must note that 〈◊〉 all trees which haue a strong fruit grow better of kernels than of boughs yeâ— so it 〈◊〉 that a late â—eed doth bring forth but an ill-fauoured plant especially the said â—eed being put besides his familiar and well pleasing ground CHAP. V. Of Plants Siences and Shooâ—â— THe little siences of Cherrie-trees growne thicke with hairie 〈◊〉 and those also which grow vp from the roots of the great Cherrie-trees being remoued doe grow better and sooner than vpon stones but then they must be taken away and planted whiles they are young 〈◊〉 whiles they be but two or three yeares old for when they are growne thicke they thriue not so well againe if you stay till they be growne groâ—â—e in remouing of 〈◊〉 you must then â—op them and strip them cleane of their braunches setting their great end in the earth the depth of a foot and after treading downe the earth and pricking downe withall at the foot of euerie plant a little stake to hold them fast and to let the vvinds and vvhatsoeuer other thing from harming them But especially you must see that you cut not siâ—nces at any other time than in Winter for that moisture and coolenesse during the time of Winter especially is a meanes to conserue and keepe them and thereupon also they grow and bring forth their fruit the better afterward The Mulberrie tree groweth after the same manner of little â—iences although the best way of planting it be by taking a twigge thereof from the great branches which are cut from the old tree of the length of a foot and setting it good and deepe in the ground and that in such sort as that the ground may couer it three or foure fingers and this done you must see that in Sommer it be watered diligently Fâ—â—berts in like manner doe grow of smal shoots which grow forth of the roots of good Filbere-trees that are well rooted these â—iences must not haue their braunches cut off when they are remoued except they be growne great and ful of branches but three yeares after that they are remoued if they doe not prosper and grow faire you must cut them close by the ground and they will put forth a bush of streight siences verie smooth and neat and of these you may chuse whether you will suffer the fairest onely or all together to grow vp and continue The siences of the Oliue-tree which you intend to transplant must be long and faire ones and full of grosse and thicke moisture so as that they may be taken and grasped in the hand and the barke thereby nothing hurt They must be drawne ouer with dung mixt with ashes the head and the foot and after laid in the earth as they vvere vpon the Tree the lower end more downeward and into the earth and the higher end more vpward and looking into the aire for else they will not take at all and this must be a generall obseruation in transplanting of all manner of siences The siences of a vvell stringed root of a good plum-tree not grafted doe yeeld being transplanted a fruit no vvhit inferiour vnto that of the chiefe and principall plum-trees from which you haue â—aken them But and if the old plum-trees be grafted you must also take grafts and graft them in other plum trees or wild cherrie-trees or vpon â—oure Cherrie-Trees and not to vngraâ—t siences to transplant them Garden plummes and hartlike cherries doe not grow naturally being planted of siences but desire rather to be grafted of grafts CHAP. VI. Of pricking downe or fastening in the earth of small or great braunches SPrigs or plants taken from boughs or branches doe grow more speedily and come to better perfection than the â—eed of kernels or the setting of stones especially if it be put a little besides his owne ground and soylie and of this sort are â—ig-trees quince-trees and pomâ—granâ—t-trees When a man is disposed to pricke downe some small sprig of a Mulberrie Figge Quince Cornell Pomegranat and Plum-tree or many sprigs of all these kinds and their diuers sorts he must cut them off betwixt the first of Nouember and the later end of December or a little after and he must see that these his sprigs be faire and well fauoured ones hauing a sound barke full of little eyes and as thicke as a sticke or thicker He must chuse such as be streight and full of moysture consisting of one onely rodd and of young vvood as of some three or foure yeares old and that they haue also as much old vvood as they haue young and they must be sharpened like a stake for the value of the length of halfe a foot but the bare must be left on vpon one side that their end which you meane to put into the ground must be writhen and steept in vvater or else you must cleaue it a little in quarters and make it stand vvide open and gape vvith a beane in the cleft or else some 〈◊〉 little small stone put in the middest thereof and so pricke it downe in the earth a foot dâ—â—pe or else let it in a little-boxe of pease full of water and so put them all into the ground together The braunches must be gathered vpon a tree that is a good handfull thicke and hath borne fruit they must likewise be verie â—ound and they may be watered with a pipe which goeth downe vnto the root Obserue and marke 〈◊〉 the place nature of the soyle and aspect or scituation of the tree from whence you haue gathered the branch to pricke it downe on the same side the like soyle and the same scituation and lay vpon it some Elder-tree if so be that you would not haue it 〈◊〉 shoot vp into a tall tree but to continue alwaies low the braunches being such they will take the better and not breake in the gathering To plant the Figge-tree after the manner of the Genowais which shall beare fruit within three yeares after and it may be thus planted all Sommer time there must be taken a Figge-tree branch that hath borne fruit two or three yeares and that 〈◊〉 hauing leaues and fruit vpon it or not it must be sharpened and cut biace and pâ—icked thicke about that end which shall be set into the ground and afterward planted in a pit halfe a foot deepe in such sort as that the top of it may abide aboue the ground with
the like condition and qualitie Againe the time and season must be considered whether it be forward or backward for the seasons are not in all yeares gouerned and carried by an vnchangeable and vnvariable line and measure for either they are more forward or backward and participate oftentimes one of anothers qualitie And in all the sorts of grafting it is a singular thing and of great preseruation for the graft to keepe the plants with Cowes dung mingled with straw As concerning the particular time of grafting it is better to graft at the euening than in the morning and neerer vnto the roots than vnto the boughs because by how much lower the graft is set by so much the greater strength and force it receiueth from the moisture of the earth The furniture and tooles wherewith a grafter should be furnished when he is disposed to graft are a Basket to lay his grafts in Clay Grauell or Sand or some such Earth as is strong to draw ouer the Plant where it is cut or clouen and for the ioining of the Graft vnto it Mosse Woollen clothes or barkes of Willow for to ioyne and tye vpon the lute or earth before spoken of that so they may keepe both it and the graft fast and Oziers to tie againe vpon the barkes to keepe them firme and fast gummed Wax to dresse and couer the ends and â—oppes of the grafts newly cut that so the raine or cold may not hurt them neither yet the sappe rising from below be consâ—rained to returne againe vnto the shoots a Hand-saw or little Saw to saw off the stocke of the Plant a little Knife or Pen-knife to graft and to cut and sharpen the graâ—ts that so the barke may not pill or be broken which often commeth to passe when the graft is full of sappe you shall cut the graft so long as that it may fill vp the cleft of the Plant and therewithall it must be left thicker on the barke side that so it may fill vp both the cleft and other incisions if anie need to be made which must be alwayes well ground neat burnished and without all rust two Wedges the one broader for thickâ— trees the other narrower for the lesse and tender trees but both of them of Box or of some other hard and smooth Wood or of Steele or of verie hard Iron that so they may craue lesse labor in often making of them sharpe and they must serue to fet wider the cleft of the Plant a little Hand-bill to set the Plant at more libertie by cutting off some of his superfluous boughes hauing a handle or helme of Inorie or Box or Brasill or some other Wood which is verie hard Trouble not your selfe with maruelling at them who graft their trees so soone as they haue planted them or very shortly after for the yong plant which can attract draw but weakely and at hand any substance for it selfe will hardly bestirre it selfe in such strong manner as to feed both the graft and it selfe and therefore the graft cannot but drie vp and againe in very deed the poore plant hath iniurie ynough to be taken vp from out of his place and to be remoued to another without heaping vpon it this new or double charge and therefore it would not be till a yeare after that it hath been transplanted and then the next yeare it will beare fruit for it neuer thriues well of his grafting if it thriue not the first yeare and when as it hath sped thus ilfauouredly 〈◊〉 will be best to cut it off and gratâ— it againe but lower CHAP. X. How to chuse gather and cut Grafts to graft in the cleft â—tocke and rind YOu must chuse your Grafts of shoots that are a yeare old or two as the most especially if you would graft them vpon old trees which are verie new and so thicke as ones little finger full of sappe hauing grosle and â—hicke set eyelets one of them being neere vnto another for else they will not beare fruit so plentifully They must also take some part with the old wood that is to say part of that which was a sience the yeare before and part of the new that is to say of the present yeare so that it must be a piece consisting of two seuerall yeares and you must if it be possible gather them from on high euen from the top or at the least from the middest of the tree and not of the lowest and thickest of the boughes of Fruit-trees and they must be in their sappe and taken from that side of the tree which standeth vpon the South for the East is not so 〈◊〉 and conuenient for vs in this cold Countrey They must also be grafted in the same situation and goodnesse of soyle that they enioyed when they were gathered for 〈◊〉 you graft them in the contrarie to either of these it will fall out with them as with plants so vnaduisedly transplanted or translated out of a hot Countrey into a cold Notwithstanding we daily perceiue that such ceremonies are of small effest seeing that the Sunne which is the Nurse-father visiteth euerie day all the sides of your tree and that the Earth wherein it is planted is not lesse nourishing on the one side 〈◊〉 on the other You must not gather your Grafts to plant at such time as the trees begin to flower especially if the trees whence they be gathered be timely fruit as Cherry-trees Plum-trees Medlar-trees Almond-trees Peach-trees and such like but the time togâ—ther them is about the foure and twentieth of December and not sooner for then the trees are full and well slcred of a mild and sweet humour But and if you should be constrained to gather them sooner whether it be vpon occasion to carrie them from one Countrey to another or such like stay at the least till October at which 〈◊〉 the leaues will be fallen from the trees The men of auncient time obserâ—ed and made great ceremonies as some doe as yet in gathering of Grafts vpon the ending of the Moone and for the grafting of them presently after the change but we find by experience that vpon all manner of daies they may be gathered and grafted in what quarter soeuer the Moone is found in as well for Fruiâ—s of stone which are more difficult to graft as also for those of Seeds or Pippins which 〈◊〉 more easie If you purpose to keepe them after they be gathered especially such as you mind to graft in the barke for such Grafts may be gathered without eyeless about the moneth of October sticke them downe in the ground at the foot of a tree lay 〈◊〉 in a pit of halfe a foot depth couer them well with earth marking the place so 〈◊〉 that you may be sure to find them when the time of grafting commeth Some 〈◊〉 them in earthen pots well stopped and couered which afterward also they burie in the ground But and if you would carrie them farre you
the later end of the Moone and then they will beare their fruits as others doe Notwithstanding this limiting and bounding of the time of the Moone is not of such warrantiâ—e but that the tree may be as profitable at all other times of the Moone as well as either then or else in the encrease and new of the Moone Some plant in Ianuarie the plants that haue the shanke or foot of their shoots â—ut by as as also the plant that is set of stones and in a well tempered place but in a warme place men are wont to plant in the moneths of October Nouember and December Trees that haue a grosse thicke root are planted in October Nouember and December but the shoots or little branches are planted in March when they are in sappe Trees that haue a great pith as Figge-trees naturalized Mulberrie-trees Hazell and such like are planted without anie root from after mid September vnto the beginning of Nouember but other trees which you would plant with roots must be planted about the beginning of December or verie shortly after Grosse trees are transplanted from one place into another in the moneth of Nouember and they must be freed from Snailes and lopt and cropt before they be transplanted for so they take the better and put forth their siences verie powerfully and if in taking of them vp or transporting of them it happen that the barke of their roots be broken you must draw the pilled and vncouered place ouer with good dung or earth before that you put it into the ground againe and stirre vp the earth verie well round about where you intend to let them downe againe to the end that their roots may spread and seat themselues to their good contentment without being pinched or straitâ—ned Some doe remoue from after the beginning of Nouember vntill March when the trees begin to enter into their sappe for the sappe once drawing vp aloft doth forbid all remouing of the tree and therefore in such case the sooner the better that is so say if presently after the leaues be fallen which is in the beginning of Winter you goe about it but in waterie places it is good to stay till Ianuarie and Februarie but nothing must be done this way when it raineth or when the earth is wet for it would so harden vpon the drying as that the roots would be oppressed and choaked The young grafts which you haue grafted in the stocke-Nurcerie or elsewhere must be remoued as soone as the grafts shall haue closed vp the cleft of the plant as some are of opinion but yet this is hazarded ware the graft hauing not as yet taken almost anie disposition or good liking of the sappe of the plant which being thus againe remoued it halfe aâ—tonished and put out of the high way of his well-pleasing nourishment and so beginneth to wither when it commeth to take a cast of his new dishes and prouision but and if you stay till the graft haue put forth a faire branch before you remoue the graft you shall shunne the danger that might otherwise ensue You must plant your trees againe as soone as you haue taken them vp if no other weightie matter let you but if you be put off from doing it either because it is brought you from farre or vpon some other occasion you must so soone as they be taken vp couer their roots with the earth from whence they were taken new leaues and slraw that so the raine may not wash them and make them afterward to 〈◊〉 when they become drie againe and to the end also that the ayre and breath 〈◊〉 of the wind or of the Sunne or yet of the Moone may not drie them and 〈◊〉 the moisture which keepeth their roots in good hearr and fit to grow 〈…〉 things being verie hurtfull but the raine the worâ—e of the two Sowre Cherrie-trees cannot abide to be remoued for being transplanted they will hardly put forth anie siences especially if they haue their chiefe and principall root maimed Before you remoue great trees you must loppe off their boughes verie diligeraly at hath beene said but as for little ones you need not crop them to take off 〈◊〉 of their heads neither yet to take anie of their boughes from them if they haue 〈◊〉 too bushie a head If you desire to know a reason wherefore it is thus If you 〈◊〉 the head and toppes vpon trees when they are growne somewhat great and thicke they will still be lending of their sappe vpward not looking to the feeding of the roots for that the ayre attracteth the nourishment of plants as may easily be proued by example when there groweth anie small tree vnder one that is verie great for there the small tree will not thriue so well as if it were abroad in the ayre and 〈◊〉 vnder the shadow and so that which hath his head cut off will take root sooner than and if it were whole and vntouched But if the tree which you remoue exceed not the thicknesse of a great ynch you shall let it remaine whole because young plants take root more easily than those which are old and the reason is openly knowne If the rootes of the trees which you would remoue be much longer than is needfull you may take off the ends thereof in setting them downâ— againe and that so much as may fit best for the hole wherein you meane to set them for so by this meane they will not be stopped vp of the sides of the hole but will amast and draw moisture out of the earth for the nourishment of the tree a great deale more aboundantly When you remoue anie tree you must lay his rootes round about with 〈◊〉 earth and take heed that the weedie earth which you haue digged or cut away 〈…〉 pit whither you meane to remoue it doe not fall in amongst the roots for it would put them in danger to be ouer-heated or else that they growing vp againe might diminish the nourishment of the tree If it happen that the earth which you 〈◊〉 taken out of the pit be full of wormes which might hurt the rootes then 〈◊〉 therewith some lee and ashes When the rootes haue taken foot trample downe the ground as hard as may be or else beat it with a Pauiers beetle watering it afterward if it be drie or else not CHAP. XX. Of the place and soile for Trees in generall THe principall point in growing of Trees is to prouide them of 〈◊〉 ayre and earth because that these doe cheere and season theâ— and are the proper subiect of their nourishment And as concerning the earth that is recommended into vs as to be had in regard and looked vnto more than anie thing else as that it be such as is verie murlie temperate in cold and heat and of a meane and middle sort of moisture and fatnesse for such ground as exceedeth in anie one of these things is not so fit for anie Fruit-tree This
the chore parings and seedes and then boile them in faire running water to an indifferent good height which done you shall draine them away from the same and put them into another cleane Vessell either with white Wine or claret Wine according vnto the colour of the fruit which you conserue and then boile them to a thicke pappe breaking them with a Slice or Spatule as they boile vntill all be brought into one substance then vnto euerie bare pound of pulpe if the fruit thereof be sweet you shall take a bare pound of refined Sugar beaten to fine powder but if it be sowrâ— fruit as Cherries Gooseberries Barberries Bulleys Sloes and such like then vnto euerie bare pound of pulpe you shall take a pound downe weight of refined Sugar in powder and so stirre the Sugar and the pulpe verie well together vpon the fire then taking it from the same you must immediately hot as it is straine it through a middle strainer cleane washed and so letting it coole then you may pot it vp But if you will make Conserue of Flowers Hearbes Leaues or such like as are Roset Violets Gilloflowers Mints Basill and such like then you shall take the flowers or leaues from their stalkes and with a paire of sheeres cut away the tippes of the vpper ends of them and the white ends at the roots thereof leauing nothing but the heart and middle part thereof which done you shall put them into a stone Mortar or into a rowling Mill or woodden Brake and there crush grind or bruise them till they come to a â—oft substance and be so like vnto a soft pulpe that no part of the leaues or flowers may be discerned then to euerie pound of that pulpe as was before said take a pound of refined sugar beaten and searced into fine powder giuing the sweeter the lesse and the sowre the more and so beat them exceedingly well together till the sugar be generally dispersed and then pot it vp and keepe it for your occasions If you will make an excellent Leach of Dates you shall take your Dates and opening of them take forth their stone and the innermost white rind and beat them in a stone Mortar with Sugar Cinnamon and Ginger till they be well incorporated together then take it forth of the Mortar and worke it like a piece of paste and then rowle them forth and print them and either serue them moist or drie them in a stoouâ— for either kind is excellent CHAP. LI. The manner of making of Oyles that there are three sorts of preparing of Oyles and how you must make Oyle Oliue INtreating in the second Booke of the Oliue-tree wee promised a briefe discourse of the making of Oyles a thing certainely verie profitable for our Countrey House in as much as Oyle is no lesse profitable for mans life nor of lesse fruit and encrease vnto a good husband than Wine then it shall not be from the matter if after wee haue spoken largely of Gardens and Orchards and especially of the ordering of Oliue-trees and other hearbes and trees whereof Oyles are prepared we briefely doe specifie the waies of making of Oyles And to say something of Oyle in generall Oyle may be made three waies The first by expression which is most common and the chiefest amongst the rest The second by impression and the third by distillation or resolution after the manner of distilled waters Wee will onely speake of the two first in this place reseruing the third for the Discourse which wee intend to make concerning Distillations in this Booke although in verie deed wee haue not purposely resolued to speake exactly of the making of Oyles because it is a thing that properly belongeth not to the Husbandman or his Hinde but onely vnto a good Apothecarie To speake then first of Oyle which is most vsefull and seruiceable for the Husbandman because it not onely benefiteth himselfe and his familie but also cureth his cattell of all manner of dangerous and corrupt diseases you shall vnderstand that it is the Oyle of Oats which may be made either by expression impression or distillation yet for your greater ease and readinesse to haue it vpon anie suddaine occasion you shall make it in this manner First you shall take halfe a pecke or a quarter of a pecke of the goodliest best and fullest Oates you can procure of which the whitest are the best and these you shall hull and breake from their huskes as cleane as is possible then take a pottle or three quarts of new milke and setting it vpon the fire as soone as it is readie to seeth you shall put into it halfe a pound of Allome beaten to powder and stirre it about and so let it stand an houre or two in which time it will gather vnto a curd then with your hands you shall presse downe the curd into the bottome of the Vessell and then straine the Whay from it into another cleane Vessell and presse the curd verie much not leauing anie Whay in it that you can wring forth then take that Whay and put your Oates therein and set it ouer a verie quicke fire and boile it vntill you see the Oates breake or be as soft as pappe then take it from the fire and powre it gently into a small Cullender so as the Whay may softly draine from the same without anie force or pressing at all then when it hath almost left dropping take a cleane Frying-panne and put the Oates therein and hold it ouer a gentle fire so long as you shall see the smoake of the Oates ascend vpward but so soone as you perceiue the smoake to stymmer or runne about the edges of the panne you shall forthwith put the Oates into a fine cleane bagge of soft old Linnen or Boulter and so lay it into the Oyle-presse and presse it with all the strength you can and that which runneth from the same is the Oyle thereof which you shall receiue into a Glasse-vessell and keepe it close and well stopped vp In this manner and with this Whay you may also extract Oyle from anie hard substance either of Trees Seedes Leaues Flowers Graines or what else soeuer which hath anie concealed moisture remayning within it This Oyle of Oates is most excellent for the smoothing of the skinne and taking away of itch scabbe or little pustules about the bodies of men or children It also purgeth most gently and sweetly and expelleth out of the bodie all manner of venimous and infectiue humours it is also verie soueraigne against the stone or difficultie of vrine being drunke with white Wine and a corroded Nuâ—meg Also it feedeth much and maketh a man strong and Iustie It is most soueraigne for anie inward disease in Cattell or anie surfet taken by too violent labour but especially it cureth all inward diseases in Horses being giuen either with Beere Ale or Wine but aboue the rest it cureth the Glaunders mourning of the Chyne consumption
which you distill because the â—legme commeth forth sometime first sometimes the last in the distillation as in the distilling of Aqua-vitae is stayeth the last notwithstanding that it be distilled diuers times in the distilling of the most part of other things it commeth forth first as in vinegar honie and such things and the thing is discerned by tasting of the first and last distilled waters And if it happen that the flegme be not seuered in this sort as indeed it is not in some such as with which it is mixt then the next course is to set such vvaters in the Sunne certaine daies in vessells couered with linnen clothes or parchment prickt full of small holes that so the excrementous part by such meanes may be consumed and wasted or if the Sunne faile as in Winter time then you must set your vessell contayning your distilled waters in other vessells full of vvater and cause them to boyle to the consumption of the third part The distillation is to be judged to be in good state and case if betwixt the fall of euerie drop you can account to the number of twelue and hence also is the judging of the force and quantitie of the fire to be learned and fetcht If any man desire that waters should haue some smell taste or other qualitie of something as of honie cinnamome camphire muske or other like sweet smelling thing whether it be to giue such smell to the thing that hath none at all or vnto something that hath a bad and vnpleasant smell as we will speake of by and by in the water distilled of mans dung it vvill be good to annoynt and besmeare the head of the still vvith these things or else to tie vp the same in some little knot of linnen cloth and hang them at the verie poynt of the spout or pipe to the end that the vvater distilling through this matter may retayne that smell or other qualitie intended And vvhereas distilled vvaters by force of the fire are euermore seene to retaine some impressions and printes of the heat it will be good presently after they be distilled to let them stand some time vncouered in the vessells wherein you meane to keepe them hauing yet therewithall regard that neither their small nor any part of their force doe vvaste or spend and therefore to take the fittest course it will be best to set your vessell close and fast stopt in some cold place in moist sand to diminish and take away the great heat of the same Notwithstanding you must marke and know that cold waters vvhich shall be distilled in Maries-bath will haue no great need to be so vncouered but that they rather must be set in the Sunne in a glasse vessell not altogether full or else that they with their vessell be set ouer head and eares in hot sand for the space of fortie daies to the end that their flegme and thickest humour may be consumed If your distilled vvaters become troubled you shall restore them to their clearenesse by putting thereinto some one or two drops of Vinegar for euerie pint of water CHAP. LXV Of the particular manner of distilling of Hearbes Rindes Flowers and Rootes DIstilled vvaters are of diuers sorts and vertues some are physicall or medicinable as the water of roses sage marierom and such like Others are nourishing as restoratiues and many both medicinable and nourishing as nourishing restoratiues vvhereinto are put medicinable things Others are purgatiue as the water or liquor of rhubarbe if it were new and greene Others serue to grace the face and hands and to make beautifull Others for to gratifie the nose by yeelding a sweet smell as those which are drawne out of spices and sweet smelling simples vsed also to vvash the hands face and whole bodie and againe all these waters are either simple or compound but we will first speake of the simple medicinable ones Wormewood must be distilled in Maries-bath to draw out his vvater in such sort as that it may expresse by smell and taste from whence it came and for the better doing of it you must see that you distill it not verie new but somewhat dried and afterward infusing it a little in wine to distill it in Maries-bath or in hatâ— ashes Mugwort Agrimonie Sorrell and such other like plants are thus distilled also but with obseruation had of the generall things specified before Thus the water of Winter cherries is distilled seruing against the stone and grauell as well of the reines aâ— bladder The vttermost pilling of common vvalnuts vvhether it shale willingly or no may be distilled in the moneth of September and the water drawne from them drunke in small quantitie with a third part of Vinegar is a certaine remedie against the plague if before drinking of it you cause the partie to be let bloud it is singular good also to make gargarismes of for the vlcers of the mouth it is good also to foment goutie places withall and good to colour the haire blacke Water distilled of the leaues of the Walnut-tree in the end of the moneth of May is singular for to drie and cicatrize vlcers if they be washed euening and morning with a linnen cloth moistned therein To distill strawberries you must let them putrifie in a glasse vessell putting thereto a little salt or sugar and then afterward to extract and draw out their water which is verie soueraigne against venime as also to take away spots to prouoke the termes and drie vp weeping eyes it will performe all these vertues in admirable manner if there be mingled with it a little Aqua-vitae The inward rinde of the ash-tree being distilled doth yeeld a singular water against the plague if it be drunke in equall quantity with aqua-vite as three 〈◊〉 of either especially if the same drinke in the same quantitie be drunke againe vvithin three houres after it is good also being dropt into the eares for the noyse in them The stones of blacke cherries being broken or the kernells alone distilled make a vvater vvhich doth quite take away the fit of the Falling-sicknesse in young children presently after that there hath beene put into their mouth about an ounce The distilled vvater of new filberds drunke the weight of two drams is a present remedie against the collicke and gripings of the bellie a thing that will not failâ— hauing beene proued and tried The vvater vvhich is distilled of the barke of Danewort or Elder-tree being oftentimes drunke doth euacuate and draw the vvater out of such as haue the dropsie The vvater of betonie You must stampe the leaues of betonie and infuse them a certaine time in Wine and after distill them The vvater of balme and sage is distilled in like manner The vvater of betonie is good for the diseases of the head reines and bladder The water of balme rejoyceth men keepeth away the fits of the Apoplexie and Falling-sicknesse
more worth than the other so that the hindes let not to say That they had rather eat the huskes or stalkes of beanes sowne in due time than the beanes themselues of three moneths old because they yeeld more fruit and haue a greater and better stored graine But at what time soeuer you sowe them you must haue speciall regard to sowe them all about the fifteenth day after the change of the Moone because that in so doing thâ—y will be the beâ—ter loaden and because they will not be so much assailed of little vermine as and if the Moone were new The day before they be sowne you must steepe them in the lees of Oliues or in water of Nitre to the end that they may beare the more fruit be more easie to boyle and not to be subiect to be eaten of Weeuils or Larkes They must likewise reape and pull them vp in the new of the Moone before day and after leaue them in the ayre to drie and thresh them out before the full Moone and afterward carrie them into the Garner for being thus ordered vermine will not breed in them Againe they proue more profitable being planted than sowne in a good ground that is well dressed tilled fatted and manured vvhich said ground if it be sowne the yeare following with Wheat will yeeld a more copious and plentifull haruest in as much as Beanes doe fatten a ground more than anie other kind of Pulse If you would keep them long you must sprinkle them with salt water but if you meane to boile them you must bee sure to keep the salt from them because salt-water doth harden them they must not be left in the cold aire for the cold also doth make them the harder to boile To keepe them from being euen of wormes they must bee annointed or rubd ouer with oile-oliue one after another vntill such time as they be well liquored with this oile The flowers of Beanes notwithstanding that they be of a pleasant and delightsome smell doe hurt a weake braine and such a one as is easily carried away and ouercome And hereupon it commeth to passe that there are a great number of fooles when Beanes are in flower Thus much for the French experience of Beanes which doth indeed more concerne the Garden-Beane than those which are continually in vse amongst Husbandmen Therefore to come to the profit and true knowledge of the husbanding of Beanes you shall vnderstand that they are onely to be sowne in a rich stiffe ground that is verie fertile as namely the black or blew clay for in other earths they â—oy but a little and they will grow with one eaâ—ing onely which would be done at the beginning of Ianuarie vpon such earth as hath borne Barly before or else vpon greene-swarth which hath not been plowed long before it must be plowed deep and haue a great furrow turned vp then you shall let it lye till it haue taken frost and raine then vpon the next faire season being about or soone after S. Valentines day you shall sowe it and harrow it As for the weeding of Beanes it is to no purpose for they are of themselues so swift of growth that they will out-grow all weedes And if they haue anie Pease mixt amongst them which should euer be for it is the surest seed they will smother vp and destroy all sorts of weedes They are because of their vpright growing better to be mowne with sythes than cut to reapt with hookes they aske little withering for so soone as the cod turnes blacke the stalke dryes The vse of them is principally for prouander for Horses or to mixe with Barley Wheat or Rie to make bread for hind-seruants or for hunting or running Horses but then commonly they are vsed simply of themselues or else mixt with Wheat onely for the mixture of Barley or Rie is not good for Horses of that nature except for some cause physicall as to keepe them soluble in their bodies and so forth The Garden-Beane is good for men to eat being boyled and mixt with butter vineger and pepper or for want of butter with oyle-Oliue The cods also are a verie good food being boyled whilest they are greene and tender Lastly the water which is distilled from the flowers of Beanes is good to take away the morphew or spots in men or womens faces Small Peason SMall Pease are no lesse profitable for the fatting of ground that is leane than Lupines It is true that if you looke to haue good store of them and well-codded you must sowe them in fat and warme grounds and in a temperate and moist time as in Februarie or March and sometime in September in the increase of the Moone and yet it is hard for them to endure and hold out the Winters cold for they alwaies desire the full fruition of the Sunne and doe grow a great deale the fairer when they doe enioy it accordingly and when also they are borne vp to that end on stickes rather than let fall flat to the ground to creepe vpon it they must be sowne thinne because their stalkes doe spread themselues further than anie one other kind of pulse They are verie subiect to be eaten within of Wormes and yet those which are so eaten of Wormes are better to sowe than the other which are whole and sound For this cause if you will preuent the Wormes that they may not hurt and hinder your corne sowe Peason first in the place It is true that for the better growth and prospering of them the thicke and grosse seed is most conuenient to be sowne especially if it be laid in water to steepe therein a night because thereby they grow the more easily and lose some part of their saltnesse in being steept by which meanes they recouer their naturall verdure againe They must be gathered in the decrease of the Moone presently vpon their being ripe for else they drie vp and fall out of their swads The earth wherein they are sowne standeth in need but of one earing Cich Peason CIch Peason doe likewise grow in fat and moist places they must be sowne in a rainie time they doe greatly load and burthen the earth and for that cause are neglected of the wiser sort of husbandmen Notwithstanding if you will sowe them you must steepe them in warme water a day before that so they may grow and put forth of the earth the sooner and greater Some to haue them grow the fairer doe steepe them and their cods in nitrous water To keepe them that passengers and other folke may not gather them to eate when they are ripe you must water them fiue mornings together before the Sunne rise with water wherein haue beene steeped the seedes of wild Cucumber and Wormewood and the dew within fiue daies after will haue taken away all the bitternesse thereof Such practises are likewise good for to be vsed about small Peason and Beanes The vse of them is good for such as are
whose mould is driest loosest blackest and quickliest ripe with little earing as namely with two ardors at the most which vvould be in October the first and the last in March which is the best and most conuenient time for sowing Hempe must bee exceedingly well harrowed and clotted and the mould must bee made as small as dust for the seed is verie tender at the first sprouting but being once gotten aboue the earth it ouâ—groweth all other weeds whatsoeuer and out of its owne nature it doth choake and destroy them whence it comes that hempe neuer needeth any weeding it must bee diligently and carefully kept and tended after the first 〈…〉 appeare aboue the earth from birds for the seede is so sweet and so much desired of all small birds that without great and diligent care they will not leaue you any in the earth Now for the best time of gathering your hempe it is acording to the common custome of house-wiues about Saint Margarets day being towards the latter end of Iuly But more particularly you shall vnderstand that it is best pulling your hempe for the pill as soone as it doth begin to turne yellowish and the leaues to hang downeward looking vnto the earth but if for seed then not before the seed looke blacke and bee readie to shed hempe must euer bee pulled vp by the rootes and first sprâ—ad thinne vpon the earth then afterwards bound vp in bundles which they do call bayts then it must bee câ—rryed to the water to ripen of which water the running streame is the best and the standing pond is the worst yet it must bee done with great heed for hempe is very poysonous and it doth not onely infect the waters but it doth also poyson much fish Hempe must lye three dayes and three nights couered in the water then it must bee cleane washt out of the water and afterwards brought home and dried either in the Sunne or vpon the kilne There bee some house-wiues which either for sloath or for want of a conuenient place to water in doe ripen their hempe vpon the ground by suffering it to lye at the least fifteene nights vpon the sâ—me taking the dewes which do fall Morning and Euening and other raine by which it ripeneth prouided that it bee turned euerie day once but this manner of ripening is not good for besides that it is vnkindly and doth oftentimes cause the hempe to bee rotten it also maketh the hempe to be very blacke and foule so that it doth neuer make white cloth After the ripening and drying of your hempe you shall brake it in brakes which are made of wood for the same purpose and this labour would euer as neere as you can bee done in the Sunne-shine after the braking of hempe you shall swingle it then beate it then heckle it and if you intend to haue verie fine cloth of it you shall after the first heckling beate it againe and then heckle it through a finer heckle then spinne it after warpe it and lastly weaue it Thus much for the hempe which is vsed for to make cloth withall but for such as shall bee preserued for cordage or the roper you shall onely after the ripening pill it and then either sell or imploy it Hempe seed is verie good to make hennes lay many egges and that in the depth of Winter and greatest coldnes of the same Many doe burne the thickest rootes of the male hempe and of the same so burnt and made into powder do make gunne-powder The iuice or decoction of the greene herbe being strongly strained and powred in some place where there are earthwormes doth cause them to come forth by and by likewise being dropt into the eares it causeth the worms or other beastes which shall bee gotten in thither to come out presently and this wee haue learned of fishermen which by this wile doe take wormes to serue them for their hookes Hempe seede must neither bee eaten nor drunke because it sendeth vp many fumes vnto the braine which will cause the same to ake and therefore women do greatly transgresse the rules of Physicke which giue this bruised seed in drinke to such as are troubled with the falling sicknes or head-ach This is a thing to be wondred at in hempe that seeing there are two sorts of it the male and the female yet the female beareth not the seed but the male Line LIne must not bee sowne in any ground but where there riseth great profit and this followeth and is caused by reason of the seede which impaireth all sorts of grounds verie much and for that cause it must bee sowne in a verie fat ground and such a one also as it reasonably moist In any case the ground where line-seed is sowne must bee curiously handled and clensed and with manifold earings plowed and turned ouer so oft and so long as that it become like dust and furthermore the good hus-wife must be carefull when the line is growne to free it from being 〈◊〉 with the weed vsing to wind about it and which of some is called 〈◊〉 and that not once but oft to the end that in gathering the seed in beating it with beetles heckling and spinning of it such filth may not remaine among the tow It must be gathered when it is ripe and when the colour of it groweth yellow and after layd vp in some drie place that so it may bee defended from the raine and dew which are vtter enemies vnto it when it is drie it must be thresht as soone as may be to the end that the mice eat it not with wooden mallets to get the seed out of it and presently after that it shal be caried to the water about the change of the Moone that it may lie therein three or foure daies in Iuly or August till it become soft and tender to the end that the pilling or barke thereof may the more easily be seperated from the stalkes for the making of cloth When it is drawne out of the water it must bee laied on a heape all round but two or three fadomes broad loading it aboue with boords and stones and after that spred in the Sunne to the end it may drie the better The finest line which is without seed notwithstanding it bee the least and lower of growth than the rest is the best being soft and fine after the manner as it were of silke whereas that which is long and thicke is also more rough and boysterous in spinning You shall make verie fine and white sowing threed of your sine flax in this sort Let it be watered in running water fiue or six daies in Iuly or August in the change of the Moone so soone as it is drawne out of the water spread it in the Sunne that it may drie neuer casting it into any heapes for that which is laid vpon heapes after the comming of it out of the water that it may take a heat and being pressed downe to
earth because that vnder the crust of the frost it inwardly gathereth its sâ—rength together afresh that afterward it may shew forth iâ—s whole force and power in the Spring Wherefore in cold places it will bee better to plant your vine before the Spring as on the contrarie in hot drie and vnwatered places in Autumne to the end that the raine which shall fall all Winter may supplie the defect of other water and that the roots may the sooner take in the earth and then and at that time principally when nature ministreth most nourishment vnto the rootes My counsell is that in planting vines there be not any holes made but rather little pits of a fadome and a halfe in widenesse and as much in depth and this is to be done in October if you mind to plant your vines in Februarie or else in August if you meane to plant your branches before Winter The principall tooles of a vine-dresser are the mattocke to digge and turne ouer the ground withall the forked picke axe to make pits withall thâ— spade the weede forke to cast vp weedes withal the rake a little saw a great hedging bill a little hedging bill to crop and cut off the wood and to make young branches and an aâ—gar to graâ—t the Vine withall CHAP. VIII Of the plant of the Blacke Vine COncerning the naturall plant of the black Vine it groweth euery where the wilde doth yeeld a sharp and rough wine such as that which groweth of ground newly broken vp but the Vine that is intended to be for Claret wine is planted halfe of blacke and halfe of white Wine and thereupon standeth in neede of another manner of dressing and seat than the common Vine doth in like sort it is harder to order well as requiring a verie great care to be taken about it because the wine which commeth thereof is most pleasant to the eye and of excellent taste albeit that it doe not nourish so much The yong plants of the blacke Vine are the Morillion the Samoyreaâ— the Negrier and the Neraut Besides which for to make Claret Wine it is accustomed to adde the yong white wine plant And for the mingling of them afterward to make a Claret it will in a manner suffice if among three or foure plants or branches of the blacke there be one of the white The best of the blacke plants is the Morillion the wood whereof being cut sendeth forth a redder liquor than any of the other and the best of this sort is the short one being iointed within the bredth of euerie three fingers at the most and growing more or lesse thicke according as the countrie is bearing and nourishing it it beareth a well packt fruit and hath a rounder leafe than any other of that sort The other Morillion hath a long wood iointed with ioints at the end of euerie foure fingers at the least it is thicker and fuller of pith within and in cutting also it is pithie and so more loose the barke except that on the outside is verie redde and the leafe three forked after the manner of a goose foote and like vnto the leafe of the â—igge-tree This second Morillion is otherwise called wilde Pinot it beareth but few cleere grapes and those also small but the wine proueth strong yea better than that of the â—irst Morillion The third Morillion called Beccane hath a blackewood and the fruit is like vnto it in the blossome it maketh a great shew of Wine but when it commeth to ripenes halfe the fruit and sometimes more falleth away The branch is longest iointed of all the rest and groweth more in length and height of wood than any of the other This third kind of Morillion is called Le frane Merillon lampereau it ripeneth before the other Vine plants and yeeldeth good wine and as much as both the other The Samoyreau is likewise found to be of three sorts the best of which branches is short iointed and of a verie hard wood the other draweth verie neere vnto it The third sort is called indented Samoyreau otherwise white Prunelat and that because that his wood is whiter than the other the wine it yeeldeth is of an vnpleasant taste and it beareth but some yeares It hath furthermore this fault that when the fruit should come to be gathered it is for the most part found fallen down and shed vpon the earth The Negrier called redde Prunelat hath a redde bark the wood is long iointed of a thicke and grosse pitch a leafe verie much cut and the grape great cleere verie redde and last ripe Wherefore there needeth to plant but a few of these red plants for the colouring of the other blacke and fastning of them it keepeth and defendeth itselfe from the frost because it hath a high stocke The Neraut called the blacke Bourguignon hath the same nature with the white Bourguignon a hard and a verie blacke vvood a fast and small pith ioints one vpon another an indifferent leafe and altogether round the foot thereof being verie redde the fruit very thicke and close standing one by another as though it were a piled or packed thing it saueth it selfe better from the frost than any other there needeth not so much to be planted of it for it maketh a deep colour in such sort as that they which haue great store of it planted make wine for woollen-diers and â—ell it very deere The small Rochell and Bourdelais of the same nature are scarce to bee found because they are not any great bearers neither yet good for any thing but making of arbours the wood is red as shal be said afterward in inâ—reating of the white vine except because it is â—ound a little redder of a very vermillion colour where it is cut off CHAP. IX Of the plants of the white vine THe best young plant of the white vine is the Frumenteau whose wood draweth towards a yellow colour next vnto it is the Muscadet which beareth a red wood next vnto the Muscadet is the â—ine Pinet of Anjou which hath a wood drawing neere vnto a greene and the fruit yellow as wax There is no young plant that is more apt to beare and indure the frost than the Gouest which beareth a tawnie coloured wood and is very thicke in his stocke hauing a round leafe and yeelding much fruit There is another kind of Gouest which is called sage Gouest so called because of the tast that it maketh in the mouth it is smally in request notwithstanding that it yeeld great store of wine and be no more subiect to the frost than the other Gouest of the same â—ort The fruitfullest of all the white vine plants is that which is called the white Bourguignon or Mourlon or else the Clozier whose ioints are distant some two fingers and a halfe and the fruit hauing a short taile is thicker and closer grown than the Rochelle the leafe is very
largely where we haue spoken of all the sorts and properties of grafting The vine then may bee grafted either vpon it selfe or on other trees The vine grafted vpon a vine is after two maner of waies the onâ— in the stocke the other in the branch To graft a vine in the stocke you must make choice of a grosse firm one and such as is ful of moisture not being too old cutting it close by the ground or which is better a foot within ground The grafts that you meane to graft must be round firme full of little eies and set one neere vnto another and cut in the decreease of the Moone and taken from the stocke and foot of the vine The manner of grafting of them is to insert and set the graft into the bodie of the vine about two fingers deepe And you shall do the like if you would graft the vine vpon the branches of the vine At Auxerrois and especially at Chablies they haue another manner of grafting besides the former and they vse it much it is in this sort They cut off all the greene buds and sprigs from the stocke except onely the shoot or branch which was put forth the yeare before which they leaue of the length of some two â—oot This branch they cleaue the breadth of two or three fingers they hollow and also make fit the cleft within on euery side to the end that the graft of the branch being made cornered may fit the said cleft the better and in this cleft they put the graft consisting both of old and new wood made sharpe at the end which shall go into the cleft with his pith shaped in manner of a wedge ouer which they cause the said clouen branch so to close and come together in such proportion as that the rindes of euery part of the cleft may ioine after which they binde it gently without straiting of it much with a clouen ozier hauing the woodie part taken away in such sort as that there remaine almost nothing but the very pilling that so it may be the softer to tie them and the sooner rotten This done they lay the said graft in the earth about halfe a foot and couer it with soft earth Neither do they forget to pick off the buds or sprigs that may grow on the same stock that yere to the end there may be no attraction or rising of the sap for the putting forth and feeding of any thing else but the yong graft which for the first yere groweth for the most part about two or three foot Then at the end of two yeares they propagate the stocke and the graft which by such meanes will put forth many new shootes The like may be practised in one of the twigs putting vp at the foot of the stocke The vine is grafted after the same manner vpon trees as cherry-trees plum-trees and others such like and thereof Columella inâ—reateth very largely in his Elme groue whereunto I will refer you seeing in this our countrie of France there is account or estimation made of the grafting of vines CHAP. XII Of certaine pettie practises and experiments touching and concerning the vines YOu shall haue your vines to beare aboundantly and withall a very good and durable wine if your vine-dresser weare a garland of iuie at such time as he croppeth and cutteth your vines if we may beleeue Palladius but indeed the surest way is if there be cast into the pit with it when it is planted the acorns of okes brayed and ground-fetches You shall perceiue before the vintage that there will bee a great aboundance of wines if whiles you plucke very lightly with your fingers one grape off from the bunch there follow and issue forth some liqour after it In like maner a plentifull haruest of wheat doth prognosticate a plentifull vintage of wine Raines in the Spring time do foreshew that the wines comming after will be strong and mightie Men of old and auncient times past haue highly esteemed of the treacle vine in respect of the great vertue which his winâ— hath against the bitings of serpents and other venimous beasts and not only the wine but also his leaues stamped and applied in forme of a cataplasme vnto the greeued part as also the ashes of the branches The maner of preparing of it is to cleaue three or foure fingers of the neather end of the branch which you meane to plant and after that you haue taken out the pith you must put in steede of the pith some quantitie of triacle afterward you must couer it and wrap it in paper and set the clouen end into the ground somâ— othâ—râ— not contented with this course doe poure treacle vpon the roots of the Vine A Vine may after the same manner be made laxatiue as if in the clouen branch you put some soluble purge or if the rootes thereof bee watered with some laxatiuâ— things Note notwithstanding that the branch taken from the treacle or laxatiue Vine to be planted will not hold the properties of the said Vine whereof it was gathered because the treacle and laxatiue drugs doe loose their force and power in the Vine in processe of time Your Vine will beare a Wine apt to procure sleepe if after the manner vsed in your treacle wine you put Opium of the juice of Mandrakes in the cleft which you shall haue made in the bodie of the Vine To make grapes to grow without kernels take the pith out of the branch that you meane to plant and yet not from the one end to the other but onely so much as is to stand within the ground afterward wrap it in wet paper or graft it in an Onion for the Onion helpeth the branch verie well to grow and so plant it There are some that doe aduise to water it oft with water wherein hath laine to steepe some Beniouin and that so long as till it hath put forth some buds To haue grapes in the spring you must graft the branch of a blacke Vine vpon a Cherrie tree To cause a Vine to budde betimes you must rubbe the eies of the branch newly cut with water wherein hath beene steeped Sal nitrum and within eight dayes after it will budde To make your clusters to consist partly of white and partly of black grapes you must take two diuers branches differing the one from the other and cleaue them in the midst hauing regard that the cleft run not through any of their eies as also that there be not any part of their pith lost then afterward you must ioine them together and that in such sort as that their eies may be neere one vnto another and that in such sort as that they may touch and of two there may become but one onely afterward the branches must be well tied together with paper and couer them with clammie earth or with the leaues of the heads of Onions and to plant them
Runnet is the small Cheeslep bagge or stomacke of a young Calfe not aboue three weekes or a moneth old well washt salted cleansed and seasoned with Cloues Mace and a little Nutmeg and so kept in a close pot with Bryne and so vsed according as occasion serueth The pot in which the milke is must not be without some quantitie of heat for to keepe it warme and yet notwithstanding it must not come neere vnto the fire as it may not stand farre off And when it is curded and gathered together it must be put presently into slices tormes or fats for it is profitable that the Whay should run out and separate it selfe from the Curd But chiefely and aboue all other things it is required that the maidens which shall meddle with the making of Cheese should be cleanly fâ—t for the purpose their sleeues from about their hands and armes folded vp and aboue all farre from being troubled with their termes In like sort the people of the Countrey of Auergnac which make great reckoning of their Cheese doe chuse the young children that are but of foureteene yeares of age and those proper neat and handsomely trimâ—ed vp not hauing scabbed or scurâ—e hands neither yet of an vntemperate heat for they thinke and persuade themselues that such filthinesse of the hands doth hinder the full curding and ioyning together of the Cheese and so doth make them full of eies If she determine to drie harden and keepe them long she shall the more carefully looke to the strayning forth of the Whay and cleare Milke and after to set 〈◊〉 in rowes vpon 〈◊〉 Lattises or Cheese-heighâ—â— fit for the same and that withall it be in a cellar or in some darke and coole place or else to take them vp into some high place hauing store of aire prouided alwayes that the Sunne haue 〈◊〉 power ouer the Cheese She shall shift them euerie day vntill about the fourth or fifth day at which time they will begin to cast a slowre as though it were the flowre of meale and then shee shall cast a little small salt vpon them The next morning shee shall turne the other side and doe the like therewith after she shall turne them euery day and if need be make them cleane on both sides and about the edges with a rebated knife made of purpose such a one as will not cut After some time when 〈◊〉 knoweth that they are somewhat drie shee shall put them in another place as vpon boords layd as it were vpon ladders she shall cleanse and scrape them oft and keepe her boords cleane also and if by striuing to keepe them long they become hard and bitter she shall couer them ouer in Grauell or in Barly flower or in Cich-pease or else she shall couer them with the leaues of Dragons which likewise doe keepe them from being eaten of Mites and that they doe not become mouldie And in case that wormes doe eat them shee shall take away this vermine and annoint them with oyle of Linseed or the drossie parts of the same which will preserue them singularly 〈◊〉 or else shee shall put them in a great heape of Millet corne or Linseed which will keepe them fresh and coole in the hotest times and hot in the coldest times And seeing the deepest point of skill about Cheese is to bestow them so as that they may best mellow she shall bring them together in the end and put them in presses the clothes taken out and set neere the walls of cellars vnder the ground vpon small boordâ— hauing moistened them before with oyle Oliue or Linseed and vineger mixt together She shall iudge that for good Cheese which is fat and heauie the meat of it close and well compact of colour somewhat yellowish sweet to â—ast pleasant to smell and nothing mouldie neither yet full of mites or wormes and which is made of pure Cowes milke without mixing any sheepes milke therewith for it maketh the Cheesâ— lesse sauorie and more whitish It is true indeed that it may be made to looke yellow some Saffron mixt therewithall as is vsuall amongst the inhabitants of Poictou An old Cheese all mouldie brayed and mixed with the decoction of a salt gammon of Bacon and applyed in forme of a Cataplasme doth soften all the hard swellingâ— of the knees CHAP. XV. Of Hennes AS concerning the ordering of Pullen which is the chiefest thing that a good Huswife is to regard there must care be had that the Henne-house be euerie day made cleane euen so soone as the Pullen be out and the dung pâ—t aside for the fatting of the Medowes The Baskets for them to lay in oftentimes shaken vp and refresht with new straw and neasts and their Pearches and Ladders scraped euerie weeke The roofe or vpper part of the house shut in euerie night at Sunne-set for feare of Fulmers and opened euerie morning at Sunne-rise Their Water-pots to let them drinke at must be kept cleane and filled with cleaâ—â— water euerie day and that twice in Winter and thrice in Summer Let their water be cleare alwayes least otherwise it cause them to haue the Pip which thing happeneth as soone vnto them of the filthinesse of their water as of the want of it Let her 〈◊〉 to be cast out vpon the dunghill oftentimes fresh straw right ouer-against the Barâ—â— where the Pullen vse to scrabble and neere vnto the same place let her cause to be put sand dust or ashes to procure them the pleasure of dusting themselues in the Sunne and pruning of their feathers Let her cause to be remoued farre from them the residence of wine or drosse of the Presse of whatsoeuer fruits and from the place of their haunt for such things keepe them from laying And it further behoueth her to haue this care as to see that throughout all the Henne-house there be neither Lath broken nor any place of the walls hauing any Lome fallen either without or within or any sheeâ— of Lead lifted vp or raised thereby to preuent the danger of Caâ—s Foxes Weasels Polecaâ—s Fulmers and other beasts giuen to rauin abroad in the night as also the Kite Hen-harrow and Owle which sometimes will not let to swap into the very Brood-house to catch and carrie away the Chickens And to the end you may not lose any of them you must cut off the great feathers of one wing from such as vse oftentimes to flye ouer walls that so also by this meanes you may keepe them out of your Gardens for they would take it vp for a custome and it would keepe them from laying And for a surer preuention of the foresaid mischiefes ouer and aboue that which hath beene said for it is not good to clip the wings of Cocks or Capons you must fasten and set rowes of thorne faggots vpon the tops of the walls of the said Gardens and all other places elsewhere The Brood-house shall be
sowre pomegranat will become sweet if you lay about the root of the pomegranat-tree the dung of swine and water it with mans vrine Graft the graft of the Peach-tree vpon the Quince-tree you shall haue Peaches and Quinces together likewise if you graft vpon the Peach-tree the graft of the Quince-tree The graft of an Almond-tree grafted vpon a Peach-tree or that of the Peach-â—ree grafted vpon an Almond-tree causeth the one tree or the other to bring forth â—oth Peaches and Almonds whose rind and kernell also will be good to eat To haue a pippin or kernell to bring forth a faire fruit and timelier than any other graft vpon the same stocke take the branches of the Peare-tree or Apple-tree and 〈◊〉 the lower end make little holes but not cleane through and not within a hand-â—redth one of another they must be one right ouer against another and haue a grain 〈◊〉 two of â—alt put into them and hereupon the branch laied in the earth with a few â—ats cutting oft the end as is vsed to be done with grafts when they are grafted If â—ereupon the branch take and wax greene it wil beare a fairer and timelier fruit than â—ny other of that kind To haue red Apples you must plant Rose-trees or Mulberrie-trees neere vnto the Apple-trees Or else set some stake in the earth neere vnto the Apple-tree and there â—eere at hand set a vessell full of water whereupon the Southerne Sunne beames may â—liâ—estly beat in such sort as that the vapour which shall rise from the water may beat â—gainst the fruit or else vncouer the Apple-tree at the foot in the Spring time and â—ater them sundrie times with vrine coueting them againe aboue ten or twelue daies â—fter and watering them with vrine betwixt times To make apples sweet you must water the roots of the apple-tree with mans vrine â—herein hath beene disâ—olued goats dung and the lees of old wine To haue great cherries you must often breake the cherrie-tree To haue great quantitie of apples you must compasse the stocke of the apple-tree the height of a foot aboue the earth with a plate of lead taken from the pipe of aspâ—â—â— and when the apple-tree beginneth to blossome you must take away this band of lead This banding may be renewed euerie yeare to make the apple-tree fruitfull the like course also may be taken with the peare-tree To make a tree to beare grapes together with the fruit of his owne kind Put the stocke of a vine in the foot and boring the tree cleane through with a wimble you shall at this hole put through the vine stocke in such â—ore as that there may be two joynts remayâ—ing within the stocke and so much oâ— your vine stocke at remayâ—â—th within the stocke of the tree must be pilled and the barke taken away that so the substance of the tree and of the vine stocke may more easily grow together 〈◊〉 this you shall stop the holes of the said bore verie close both of the one side and of the other to preuent all daunger of water getting in and at the end of three yeares cut off the vine stocke behind thus your tree will beare grapes and his owne naturall fruit and both they will grow from the same trunke or bodie Graft the graft of an apple-tree vpon a peach-tree and likewise the graft of a peach-tree vpon a peare-tree and on the contrarie and you shall haue a strange fruâ—â— called peach-apples and peach-peares And thus likewise standeth the case if you graft as hath beene said the graft of a peare-tree CHAP. XIX Of the time of planting and manner of transplanting of grafted trees both great and small SOme say that it is best to plant in the Spring Equinoctiall which is the time about the twelfth of March because that trees at than time 〈◊〉 root and bud more readilie and put forth the sooner especâ—ally 〈◊〉 places The greatest part of this our countrie of France 〈…〉 transplant trees before and after the foure and twentieth of December at which 〈◊〉 we see here in the citie of Paris euerie Wednesday and Saturday great sale of 〈◊〉 sorts of trees and yet in my judgement this is not the best time to plant and â—â—â—â—plant because that trees would not be washed nor wet about their feeâ— in such 〈◊〉 as they are planted but for the time before and after the foure and 〈◊〉 of Nouember which is called the dead Moneth it doth nothing but raine for the 〈◊〉 part as we haue obserued for this ten yeares space and although this 〈◊〉 were cold as some commonly report that for three weekes before this day and thrâ—â— weekes after great cold doe rule and raignes then if the cold be so great how should it be but that the roots of the Trees transplanted as also other plants should 〈◊〉 especially the earth being newly stirred as is most euidently appâ—â—â—â— in 〈◊〉 But the best time to transplant Trees 〈…〉 Autumne because that in 〈◊〉 there is as it were a shadow of Sommer S. Martins Sommer and in this time 〈◊〉 â—â—â—meth as though Trees would make a new Spring as the blossoming of some Trees the same time doth seeme oftentimes to perâ—uade and for that in this 〈◊〉 Trees 〈◊〉 root much better than in Winter in which time there is nothing almost 〈◊〉 And if the case so stand as that it is fit for to plant great thicke Trees the 〈◊〉 must be made sixe moneths before and that because the earth should thereby be corrected and as it were renâ—wed by the ayte and hear as husband 〈…〉 workemen know verie well which turne their grounds before Winter and all the time thereof let them lye thus tilled then by a farre stronger reason you 〈…〉 it is much better to plantâ— trees 〈◊〉 Autumâ—â—e than in Winter But howsoâ—â—â— it be when you plant any thing in 〈◊〉 it must be done some fiue daies before the end of August and in high and drie places men plant at all times and seasons It is good to sow or set the first day of the first quarter of the Moone but the 8 9 10 11 12 13 17 and 18 it is not good If you plant in the decrease of the Moone the tree will yeeld the more profit and fruit will grow the sooner thereupon and by how much your planting falleth to be neerer vnto the end and going out of the Moone by so much the tree will be of a more beautifull growth and becomming more ferâ—ile and fruitfull but and if you plant in the encreasing and new Moone indeed your trees will take better and become more durable and lasting they will spread in root and wood and leaues but they will giue ouer so much the more to beare fruit If constrained by some necessitie you plant in the new of the Moone then it will be best for you to breake off the shoots that they shall thereupon put forth about