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A05102 The third volume of the French academie contayning a notable description of the whole world, and of all the principall parts and contents thereof: as namely, of angels both good and euill: of the celestiall spheres, their order and number: of the fixed stars and planets; their light, motion, and influence: of the fower elements, and all things in them, or of them consisting: and first of firie, airie, and watrie meteors or impressions of comets, thunders, lightnings, raines, snow, haile, rainebowes, windes, dewes, frosts, earthquakes, &c. ingendered aboue, in, and vnder the middle or cloudie region of the aire. And likewise of fowles, fishes, beasts, serpents, trees with their fruits and gum; shrubs, herbes, spices, drugs, minerals, precious stones, and other particulars most worthie of all men to be knowen and considered. Written in French by that famous and learned gentleman Peter de la Primaudaye Esquier, Lord of the same place, and of Barree: and Englished by R. Dolman.; Academie françoise. Part 3. English La Primaudaye, Pierre de, b. ca. 1545.; Dolman, R. (Richard) 1601 (1601) STC 15240; ESTC S108305 398,876 456

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The powder therof dried doth consolidate greene wounds if they be washed before with wine wherein rosemarie hath beene sodden and then the powder be strowed on afterwards The flowers thereof confected in sugar are good for all things aforesaide particularly against cold passions of the hart against maladies of the breast and against the plague The decoction of rosemarie made in water and taken in drinke doth heale the iaundise So likewise doth the seede being drunke with pepper and white wine In the plague time it is good to perfume the house with this plant for the fume thereof driueth away ill aires Cammomill also groweth abundantly amongst corne Of Cammomill and in the fieldes bearing yellow flowers enuironed with whitish leaues and is of a strong sauour But to mollifie resolue rarifie and loosen this plant is of singular operation And in this respect no medicine is better for wearie folkes then a bath of cammomill The leaues beaten and put into white wine make a profitable drinke to heale quotidian and quartan agues the decoction thereof drunke healeth paines in the side and so doth the water distilled of the flowers which flowers being gathered without leaues beaten in a morter formed with oile into trochisks afterwardes dissolued againe in oyle if they bee therewith rubbed and chafed which are troubled with feuers from the crowne of the head to the foote and that they presently goe into bed to sweate they shall be holpen bicause of the abundant heate that goeth out of their bodie Cammomill is especially good to dissolue feuers that are without inflammation of any chiefe intraile principally those which proceede from cholericke humors and thicknes of the skin Being taken in drinke or the fume thereof receiued in at the fundament it is a great helpe to voide vrine and grauell Of the Lillie The lillie is likewise very woorthie of consideration It beareth long leaues euer greene smooth and iuicie it hath a stalke of two cubits high round straight euen thicke and strong all clad with leaues from the bottome to the top At the top of the stalke growe three or fower little branches out of which issue small long heads of the colour of the herbe which in time become faire lillies of exquisite whitenesse crossed on the outside and the ends turned outwards round about At the bottome of the flower growe certaine yellow stalks as it were dustie on the vpper side of the fashion of toongs out of the midst of which groweth one long one hauing a round head of the colour of the herbe There is no flower so high and it surpasseth in beautie all other whitenesse Now for the vertue of this plant The leaues thereof are good beeing applied against the biting of serpents beeing boiled they heale burnings and confected in vineger are good for wounds water distilled of the flowers are profitable for women that are deliuered of childe with great difficulty and voideth out the after-burden beeing mixed with saffron and Cinamon The oile drawne out of those flowers is good against all cold diseases of the sinewes as cramps and palsies and to mollifie all stiffenes in the ioynts and all hard-swollen kernelles Lillies long time steeped in oile beeing applied hot do ripen hot impostumes without paine and do breake them especially such as are in the ioints And the bodie of the roots hath the same propertie For beeing boiled and braied with oile of roses they ripen impostumes and beeing braied with hony they heale cut and lame sinewes clense the head of scabs and clarifie the visage and make it smooth The seede of Lillies also taken in drink serueth against the bitings of serpents And the water that is distilled of the flowers in a limbeck doth take wrinkles out of womens faces and doth beautifie them very much Of Baulme Baulme is a very odoriferous plant and smelleth much like a Citron the stalke and leaues thereof are somewhat rough and many stalkes issue out of the roote The property of it is to reioyce the heart to comfort cold and moist stomacks to helpe digestion to euacuate the stoppings of the conduits of the braine to heale feeblenes and faintnes of hart to fortifie it being weake especially if the weakenes bee such that it oftentimes breaketh ones sleepe in the night moreouer this hearb staieth the panting of the hart driueth away cares and sad imaginations which proceede either from the melancholie humor or from fleame combust It hath also a laxatiue vertue not so feeble but that it clenseth and purgeth the spirits and bloud of the hart and arteries from all melancholie vapors which it cannot do to the other parts of the bodie The leaues thereof taken in drinke or outwardly applied are good against stingings of the Tarantula of Scorpions and against the biting of dogs and it is good to bath such wounds with the decoction thereof Beeing mixed with salt they are profitable against the kings euill and mundifie vlcers and beeing applied do asswage the paine of gowts They are vsed in clysters against the flux Also the leaues taken in drinke with niter are very good for them that are stopped by eating toad stooles or mushrums and in loch for them that are troubled with shrinking vp of the bellie and breath with such difficulty that they cannot do it except they stand vpright Grasse Of Dogs-tooth or Dogs-tooth is one of the commonest herbs in the field yea euen in leane grounds The branches thereof ly a long vpon the earth and are full of knots out of which and out of the top it often sendeth new rootes The leaues are very small and pointed it is maruailous in propertie For the decoction thereof taken in drinke healeth wringing in the bellie and hard making of water and breaketh the stone and grauell in the bladder The root braied and applied searcheth wounds And the iuice of the decoction thereof may bee vsed to the same effect which the herb also doth beeing beaten and keepeth wounds from all inflammation if to the decoction thereof bee put a little wine or hony and the third part of so much Pepper Myrrh Franckincense and be made to boile afterwards againe in some copper vessell it is a singular remedy for the tooth-ach and the rheume which falleth into the eies Grasse also that hath seuen spaces betwixt the knots is very good for the headach beeing bound about it It likewise stauncheth bleeding at nose The seede thereof doth greatly prouoke vrine and bindeth the bellie and staieth vomiting It is speciall good against byting of Dragons There is found in some places of Germany a certaine kinde of grasse which is tilled with as great care as other corne or pulse because the people vseth the seede thereof in their meats which seede they call Mama and they seeth it in pottage with fat meate and finde it as good as Rice It is smaller then millet and very white But it must bee beaten in a morter to vnhuske it Of
that the vapors attaine to Reasons of those who say that the comet● are scituate in heauen And therefore the comets beeing seene there higher then the place of the vapors it necessarily followeth that they are not there ingendred neither yet in the highest of the pure aire called Aether considering that there is no matter which may be kindled But if any one alledge that the combustible humor is rauished and attracted thither by the power of the stars though that this place be higher then the common place of vapors wee may answere that forsomuch as wee behold many comets to continue more then two months and some three that this their long continuance may bee an impediment thereto because that the totall masse of the earth would not be sufficient for such an inflammation For fire is not perpetually fedde with one onely matter but requireth a new supply And seeing that these comets haue for the most part a beard or a taile and are seated in an higher place then the aire a man cannot iudge them to bee lesse then the Moone And it seemeth impossible that so much matter should be consumed as might maintaine this huge flame for three moneths Moreouer there is a meanes to know whether the comet be in the region of the aire or else be ingēdred in heauen For if it be quicker in motion from west to east thē the moone is thē of necessity must the place of the comet be vnder the lowest sphere but if it be more slow Comets mooued with three motions then without doubt it is bred in heauen Now it is common to all comets to be mooued with three motions namely with the first from east to west in the space of fower twentie houres like all the stars with the second from west to east almost in like space of time with the planet Venus For a comet which appeered the two and twentieth day of September 1532. and ended the third day of December proceeded as Fracastorius writeth in 71. daies from the fift part of Virgo to the eight part of Scorpio Which maketh manifest that it could not be vnder the Moone for then it should haue beene more swiftly mooued then this planet which retrogradeth thirteenth parts of the Zodiacke in fower and twentie howers according to the ordinarie course of the first motion and the comet had proceeded but 63. degrees in 71. daies But for the third motion peculiar to all comets which is considered according to the latitude it is such and so great that if the foresaid Author be not deceiued one is now mooued with incredible speed towards the North and another in an instant towards the South Which commeth to passe when the comets are neere to any of the Poles for then a little varietie of place conferred to the Zodiacke doth greatly change the latitude Besides it is to be noted that the beard of euerie comet doth directly stretch out that way which is opposite to the Sunne and when it setteth the same taile is straight Eastward As the like may be daily seene in the darke part of the Moone Moreouer the comet doth most vsually accompanie the Sunne and appeereth not but at euen-tide at the shutting vp of the day Which giueth vs to vnderstād What a comet properly●● that a comet is a globe placed in heauen which being inlightned by the Sunne doth plainely appeere and when his rayes passe farther they shew like the fashion of a bread or of a tayle Whereupon it appeereth that this flaming globe may be made in the midst of the spheres if the generation thereof be in them or else we must say and that seemeth true that the heauen is full of many stars not verie massie which the aire being drie and attenuated do present themselues to our sight For Venus hirselfe is sometimes seene in broad day which none can say to be newly engendred Of the prodigies which are attributed to comets Then through this drines of the aire it commonly happeneth that the seas are much turmoiled with tempests and that great blustring windes doe follow thereupon and that Monarches great Princes who are most drie through cold watchings or else through abundance of hot and delicate meates and of strong wine do thereupon die So likewise the drie and attenuated aire causeth the waters to diminish fishes to die and scarcitie of victuals which oftentimes stirreth vp seditions and the chaunge of lawes and finally the subuersion of states All which things I say doe seeme in some sort to proceed through the great tenuitie and drines of the aire thereof the comet then appeering may be a signe token but not the cause But if we wil meditate vpō these things like christians we will say that what naturall causes soeuer Naturalists and Astrologers can render concerning comets signes and woonders which appeere sometimes in heauen that they should be so often vnto vs like so many trumpets heraulds and fore-runners of the Iustice of God to aduertise men that they remaine not buried in their filth and sinnes but returne to the infinite goodnes of God who reacheth out his hand and calleth to vs through such signes to change our life and leaue our execrable vices to the ende that through his mercie we may obtaine pardon for our faults Of diuers kinds of comets But let vs likewise note that although sundry sorts of comets are seene yet the Greekes call them properly stars that haue a sanguine bush of haire and are bristled at the top And those which haue vnder them a long beard made like haires they call Pogonies Plinie reporteth of sundrie other sorts and saith that the shortest time that euer comet was seene to appeare hath beene seuen daies Hist nat lib. 2. and the longest time eightie He maketh mention also of one which seemed terrible about the clime of Egypt and Ethiopia For it was flaming and wreathed round like a serpent hauing a very hideous and dreadfull aspect so that one would haue said that it had rather beene a knot of fire then a starre Afterward this author concludeth his speech with the opinion that many haue as is abouesaid that comets are perpetuall and that they haue a proper and peculiar motion saying also that none can see them except they be very far distant from the sunne in such sort that they may not be couered with his beames And yet the opinion of Aristotle is cleane contrarie thereto and so are a great number of other philosophers who affirme that comets are composed of a certaine fire and of an humor which it lighteth on by chance for which cause they are subiect to resolution But we will proceede no farther in this argument nor yet concerning the situation of them whether they be vnder the spheres or amongst them but will pursue our purpose concerning things vndoubtedly engendred in the highest elements as namely the cloudes The discourse whereof ARAM I referre to you
to celebrate his diuine prouidence Then ACHITOB begin you to entreate of trees Of trees and especially of the Pine the Fir-tree the Cypresse-tree and the Cedar Chap. 68. ACHITOB. Foure differences of plants transported IT is doubtlesse that the difference of trees of one kinde is chiefly caused by the diuersitie of regions And therefore amongst those trees that are transported from one place to another some do beare fruit as the Palmes at Genoa some also beare but vnperfectly as the Pepper-tree at Millaine There are some that cannot grow as the wood of Aloës brought out of India into Italy And some beare perfect fruit bicause they can agree with the aire and with the soile as well of one countrey as of another as the Vines transported out of Spaine into India But aboue all the calmenes of the aire and the answerablenes of the place are of great efficacy in the naturall propertie of trees do often cause them to beare great quantity of fruit and blossomes and are the cause that some are alwaies greene And therefore about the Grand Cairo and in the countrey of Elephants the leaues do neuer fall off the fig-trees and vines and in the Isles and other regions of the west Indies discouered by the Spaniards there is neuer a tree but is alwaies greene And therefore there are diuers trees both of one and of diuers kindes also higher greener and fairer to behold in one place then in another For in hot and moist countries all plants grow greater fuller of iuice and greener Property of the plants according to the quality of the regions where they growe if the proper nature of the plant doe not hinder and in hot and drie places they are smaller and drier and yet of no lesse vertue But in moist and cold regions the plants are weake and full of sappe And they which are hot by nature grow broad and high but the cold are small Now all trees whereof we now particularly entreat do by nature grow greatly for the most part and flourish a verie long time As Iosephus recordeth that Abrahams Oke did yet stand in his daies And there were betwixt the destruction of Hierusalem and the death of Abraham two thousand yeeres And next to the oke the palme the beech the oliue-tree the elme and the pine-tree do flourish longest Now will I proceede to a particular description of some trees the most woorthie to bee considered of Of the pine amongst which the Pine chalengeth the first place whereof there are two kindes one is domesticall and the other sauage The domesticall kinde hath an infinite sort of branches vpon the verie vppermost toppe of the stocke which spread rounde about it being very thicke of leaues which are pointed in the end and long it beareth plentie of great and sounde apples wherein are certaine hard kernels inclosed as blacke as soote in which the fruite is founde being couered with a thinne yellow skinne easie to get off by pilling it with your fingers And this fruite is sweete and pleasant in taste of a fatte and oylie substance For the sauage or wilde one there are many sorts of them Some growe on mountaines others on the sea coast They of the mountaines are of three kindes For there are some that be highest of all the rest which abound in the forrests of Bohemia Silasia Polonia and other places whereof the countrey men make pitch Which are euery whit like to the domesticall sort sauing that their apples bee lesse for they bee not much greater then those of Cypresse but they are a little longer and more sounde and husked like those of the domesticall Pine being full of gumme and of a sweete sent The second kinde of these mountaine Pines are such as haue no stocke or trunke but sprout their branches out of their roote close to the earth running along the ground till they attaine to tenne or fifteene cubits length they beare fruite like vnto the other but of a bigger sise and fuller of gumme and are founde in many places of Italy Finallie there are many other which are of goodly height and yet not so high as those of the first kinde neither haue they the barke of their stocks yellow like the other pines likewise their fruite is somewhat enclining towards red but more brittle then all the rest And the kernels of them are three square and crooked and in taste somewhat like those of the garden pine sauing that they leaue a certaine quicke sharpenes in the mouth which is proper to all wilde trees and they abounde in the territorie of Trent And the gumme that proceeds out of all these sorts of pines is white and sweete The sea pines are of two sorts differing onely in the greatnes and smalnesse of their fruite and do all of them produce white odoriferous gumme which turneth into a thinne liquor Qualities and virtues of the pine kernels whereof men make black pitch Moreouer as concerning the fruite of the pine in generall it is most certaine that therein are many great vertues properties and that it is very profitable for mans bodie For it is of a moderate temperature but that it enclineth more towards heate It ripeneth it mollifieth it resolueth it fatneth and it nourisheth well It correcteth the humours which are corrupted in the intrailes neuerthelesse it is hard in digestion and therefore to such as are cold of nature the kernels are ministred with honie to such as are hot with sugar to correct the strength of those kernels They do helpe being often eaten the paines of the sinewes and are good for those that be troubled with the Sciatica palsie shaking and numbnes of members They clense the lungs and the corruption of them purging out all clammie hummors and rottennes They are profitable against the cough and the corruption of the reines and bladder wherefore they ease them much who pisse but drop by drop and feele their vrine burne They fatten leane folkes and being taken with the iuice of purslaine they doe helpe eruptions of the stomacke Also the picked leaues of a greene pine being stamped and drunke with wine doe appease paines of the heart Other properties of some parts of the pine But the patient must abstaine from all fat meates Of the scales that couer the pine apples being sodde in very sharpe vineger is made a singular perfume against the Dysenteria And the water of those apples verie greene being distilled through a limbecke doth wash out the wrinckles of the face Moreouer of the oldest pines is pitch made which is called Nauall by reason that it is very good to pitch ships which to do men cut downe the pines with an hatchet which are become full of gummie iuice and hewe them in peeces as they doe other trees to make coales of Whereupon let vs note that they which inhabite mountaines say that it is a maladie amongst pines when not onely the hart thereof but the outward
these is the Cinamon which though that whiles Rome flourished as many authors record it was planted in diuers places yet now is there not any of it to bee founde throughout Italie nay in all Europe But Asia aboundeth therewith in many places yea so doth Arabia foelix in diuers parts and much more India especially in one island called Monorique the mountaines whereof beare plentie of Cinamon-trees Of the tree that beareth cinamon This tree is somewhat like to our Laurell tree hauing many branches at the ende whereof it beareth very small blossomes which being dried by the heate of the sunne and fallen on the ground there is formed thereof a little round fruit not much bigger then an hasell nut out of the kernell whereof the Islanders doe extract good oile wherewith the diseased doe rub their sinewes and other in●●●● parts The king of Monorique receiueth great pr●● through these trees for none may be permitted to touch them without his licence And certaine moneths of the yeere he causeth some twigges and syons to be cut the smallest and finest that may bee in the tree and the barke of them to be peeled off which is sold very deere to such strangers as trafficke therein For this is the best of the tree But the Cinamon which is brought hither is nothing else but the second barke that is peeled off which being cut with a little knife rowleth vp togither of it selfe Propertie of cinamon and changeth colour Moreouer the propertie of Cinamon is to dry and heate to the third degree for it consisteth of very subtile partes and is very sharpe in taste and of a certaine quicke astriction by means whereof it taketh away and dissolueth the superfluities of the body fortifieth the members There is a distilled water made of Cinamon which is strong in smell and taste and is of great vertue For take a pound of Cinamon braie it and put it into a vessell with fower pound of Rose-water and halfe a pound of white wine then set your vessel being very close stopped in warme water and then make your distillation in the same water being placed vpon a furnace wherein the fire is temperately maintained in such sort that the saide warme water do alwaies boile And this distilled water is verie soueraigne against all diseases that come through colde for it dissolueth and consumeth fleame and clammie humors and chaseth away all windines It doth especially comfort the stomack the liuer the spleene the braine and the sinewes It is a singular and present remedie against faintnesse of the hart against paines and prickings of the mouth and stomacke it resisteth poisons and bitings of venemous beasts it prouoketh vrine and the flowers in women It is good for those that haue short breath that are sicke of the palsie or haue the falling sicknes And in a word when neede is to heat to open to pierce to resolue and to comfort this water is very profitable therefore Now let vs speake of the tree that beareth Cassia Of the tree bearing cassia For it is in the number of the greatest and most singular trees The woode thereof is massiue close of the colour of boxe neere the barke and blacke in the midst like Ebonie When it is greene it hath a bad smell but this sauour doth weare away being drie It beareth certaine cods which hang vpon the branches verie long round and massiue which being ripe waxe blacke and somewhat reddish And they are full of a soft and blacke sappe like to thicke creame not sticking altogither like marrow in a bone but is contained as it were in little cases being one separated from another by thinne skins set very close togither betwixt euery one of which there is a very hard graine In Egypt and in India are very many of these Cassia trees and in the isle of Taprobana Their cods are not very great but cleare heauie and verie full in such sort that if they be shaken one cannot heare the graines rattle therein and these are the best The sappe or iuice of them is hot and moist in the thirde degree Property of the cassia It is lenitiue and loosening and purifieth the bloud It stancheth heat of choler and doth moderately loosen the belly It is marueilous profitable for those that cannot make water especially if it be vsed with medicines that prouoke vrine It purgeth choler and fleame and mollifieth the breast and the throate and resolueth inflammations therein it clenseth the raines from grauell and sand if it bee drunke with the decoction of licor as and other simples fit to prouoke vrine and if it be often taken it hindreth the stone in the raines Besides all this it is good against hotte agues and being outwardly applied it asswageth inflammations Amongst aromaticall trees the tree that beareth frankincense is woorthie to be considered of Of the franckincense tree The forme thereof is somwhat like to a pine and out of it runs a liquor that afterwardes waxeth hard which we call frankincense whereof there are two sorts One sort is gathered in sommer in the dogge-daies in the greatest burning heate of the yeere at which time the barke is split being then fullest of moisture And this frankincense is whitish transparent and pure The other kinde is gathered in the Spring time by meanes of another incision which is made in this tree in winter and it is somewhat redde approching nothing neere either in goodnes or value or else in waight or vertue to the first Arabia hath many forrests wherein frankincense is found And the inhabitants of the countrey do lance the trees with a knife to cause them distill gumme the better or else the liquor whereof it is made Propertie of franckincense amongst which trees there are some that may yeeld aboue threescore pounds euery yeere Moreouer being taken in drinke it is very good against Dysenterias and fluxes of the bellie It encreaseth the memorie chaseth awaie sadnes reioiceth the hart is profitable for all the passions therof It also staieth the bleeding at nose being incorporated with the white of an egge and aloes and put into the nosthrils in a tent It likewise appeaseth the paines of the megrim being mixed with myrrh and glaire of an egge and applied to the forehead and temples It is also hot in the second degree and drie in the first and hath some astriction which is but little founde in that which is white Of the tree that beares mirrh Let vs speake of myrrhe which groweth abundantly in the same regions where frankincense doth The tree which beareth it is full of prickles in some places being of fiue or sixe cubites high very hard and crooked and thicker then the frankincense tree the barke smooth like a laurell tree and the leaues like those of the oliue tree but rougher hauing certaine sharpe prickles at the end Out of this tree there distilleth a gummie liquor like teares which hardneth
vessell and then put into a presse there issueth a licour which being cold is congealed like to new waxe and smelleth passing sweete and is very excellent for olde griefes of the sinewes and ioints engendred through cold Now speake we of Ginger and other spices Of Ginger which for the most part growe in the same regions of Asia and especially in the Indies and Molucca-isles where Nutmegs abound In them there is great quantitie of Ginger which is a roote not of such a plant as may properly be called a tree but rather an herbe considering that it groweth not very high but beareth leaues like a cane or reede which doe wax greene twise or thrise a yeere This roote is very knottie and not aboue three or fower spans deepe in the ground and sometimes so big that it waigheth a pound They that dig vp these rootes do alwaies leaue a space between two knots in the pit and couer it againe with earth as being the seede of this plant to receiue the fruit thereof the next ensuing yeere that is the rootes which shall be newly sprouted In Calecut the greene Ginger is steeped and conserued in sugar or in a kinde of honie that is taken out of certaine cods or husks and is conuaied into Italie where it is much more esteemed then that of Venice For that which is there is made of dry roots artificially mollified Propertie of Ginger and which want much of their vertue and power Moreouer Ginger is very profitable For it helpeth digestion it looseneth the belly moderately it is good for the stomacke and profitable against all things that may dim or blinde the sight It heateth much not at first tasting like pepper For which cause we may not thinke it to consist of so subtile parts the heat would else presently declare it selfe and it would suddenly become hot in act Wherupon Ginger is knowne to be composed of a grosse and indigested substance not drie and earthie but moist and watrie which is the cause that it doth easily corrupt and rot to wit by reason of the superfluous moisture thereof For such things as are very drie or moistned by a digested naturall and moderate humiditie are not subiect to corruption and rottennesse Thence also it proceedeth that the heate which commeth of Ginger doth endure longer then that of pepper For as drie stubble is soone on fire and soone burnt out euen so is the heate that proceedeth from simples and drie drugs But that which issueth from moist ones as out of greene wood doth inflame slowlier and endure longer Of Pepper and the diuers kinds thereof Pepper doth grow abundantly in the Indies especially in the two isles called the greater lesser Iaua It doth grow vpō little trees the leaues whereof resemble much the leaues of a Citron-tree the fruit whereof is no greater then a ball And according to the diuers places where Pepper groweth it is different in kinde yea in one place there are diuers sorts and chiefly round long Pepper Now in some isles as alongst the riuer Ganabara when the inhabitants plant Pepper they burie the roote thereof neere to some other fruit trees and oftentimes neere to yoong palmes or date trees vpon the top whereof the twigs or syons doe at length growe Which the rods and small branches puld from pepper trees doe likewise being planted with the same trees which they imbrace running to the very top of them where the pepper hangs in clusters like the grapes of a wilde vine but closer and thicker And when it is ripe they gather it and lay it in the sunne to drie vpon lattises made of palme trees till such time as it become blacke and wrinkled which is commonly done in three daies And this pepper is round But the trees that beare long pepper do differ from the rest especially in leaues and fruit For the leaues are sharper at the end and the pepper hangeth vpon the tree like clusters of nuts made and heaped with many little graines There is yet another kinde of pepper called Ethiopian pepper or pepper of the Negros which groweth in cods like beanes or pease and the graines thereof are a little lesse then those of blacke pepper Moreouer all pepper is hot in the fourth degree and therefore it burneth and blistereth the bodie so that the vse thereof cannot but be dangerous though it haue many secret properties against the quiuerings and shakings that accompanie feuers which vsually come to one and against the cough and all maladies of the breast There is also a kinde of watrie pepper which groweth neere to slowe waters that runne but softly The stalke thereof is knottie massiue hauing many pits out of which the branches doe growe The leaues of it are like to mints sauing that they be greater softer and whiter The seede is sharpe and strong and groweth vpon little twigs neere to the leaues in manner of grapes It is so named of the places where it groweth and the likenes of taste which it hath with common pepper But we haue spoken ynough concerning spices Let vs now consider of other most rare and singular trees the woonder whereof declareth the author of nature to be exceeding admirable as we may note ARAM by your discourse Of the Date-tree of the Baratha or tree of India of the Gehuph and of Brasill Chap. 71. ARAM. THose Portugals Spanyards and some Frenchmen that in our time haue nauigated through the Atlanticke sea towards the south and from thence towards the cast vnto Calicut Taprobana and other isles of the Indian sea and regions vnknowne to ancient Cosmographers doe make credible report vnto vs of so many diuers singularities which they haue beheld that we should be too vngratefull towards them if so often as we behold any of them in their writings we should not attribute praise vnto them for their laudable curiositie which hath vrged them to such discoueries considering that they are like so many mirrors to represent vnto vs that great Architect of nature who amongst the very Barbarians hath engrauen images of himselfe in euery work of his omnipotencie Now among such trees as they haue written of and which as mee seemeth are worthie of greatest admiration although they bee not altogither so rare as many others the Date-trees require place which are very common in Arabia Egypt and almost in all parts of Africa and in Iudaea as likewise in many Isles of Greece and regions of Europe where they beare no fruit Of the Date-tree which is not so throughout all Africa for the Palmes or Date-trees beare in many places a sweete pleasant and very delicate fruit to eat and this tree is very high and hath the stock thereof very hard bearing no branches but round about the top with the ends of them hanging downe to the ground-wards It buddeth forth many blossomes hanging at certaine fine small stalkes clustred togither in figure like to clusters of saffron but much lesse
of it one is called great Centurie and the other is lesser Centurie The great hath leaues like a walnut tree long greene like Colewoorts indented about a stalke of two or three cubits high The flower thereof is blew and the roote verie big full of iuice sharp with astriction and sweetnes The lesser sore hath leaues like rue a square stalke somewhat more then a span long the flowers thereof are red inclining to purple and the root is small smooth and bitter in taste For their properties the vertue of great Centurie consisteth in the roote thereof which serueth for ruptures conuulsions difficultie in breathing old coughes pleurisies and spitting of blood It is also giuen to them that are sicke of the dropsie of the iaundise and are pained in their liuer being either steeped in wine or beaten to powder and drunke Of the lesser Galen hath composed an whole booke which he dedicated to his friend Papias concerning the great and admirable vertues therein For it purgeth choler and fleame for which cause the decoction thereof is good against tertian feuers which also and the iuice thereof helpeth stoppings and hardnes of the liuer and spleene Being drunke likewise to the waight of a dram with honie or laid vpon the nauell it auoideth wormes out of the belly The leaues of this herbe wherein and in the flowers thereof lyeth all the vertue being applied fresh to great wounds search them and heales vp old vlcers But now changing our talke let vs leaue phisicke plants and say somwhat concerning those more excellent ones which particularly serue for the nouriture of Man Of Wheate Rie Barley and Oates and of Rice and Millet Chap. 79. ARAM. AMongsts herbs and plants wherewith men are fed and nourished the chiefe degree is by good right assigned to wheat as to that graine whereof the best bread is made which onely with water may very well suffice for the mainteinance of our life hauing many properties also in the vse of phisick Now according to the diuersitie of places wherein it groweth people do name it and one sort differeth from another but wee will heere speake of that which is most common amongst vs. All wheat hath many verie small roots Of Wheat and of the forme and fertilitie thereof but one leafe and many buds which may diuide themselues into sundry branches All the winter time it is an herb but the weather waxing milder there springeth out of the midst thereof a small stalk which after three or foure knots or ioints beareth an eare not by and by seene but is hidden within a case The stalke beeing made the flower bloometh some foure or fiue daies after and about so long endureth That past the graine swelleth and ripeneth in forty daies or sooner as the climate is in heat The fertility of this plant is meruailous as wee behold by daily experience For there are some places in Italie especially in the territory of Sienna about the sea coasts where there hath beene seene to grow out of one only graine foure and twenty eares of corne and that one bushell of seede hath yeelded an hundred The best wheat should bee hard to breake massiue waightie of the colour of gold cleere smooth kept three moneths ripe faire and growing in a fat soile to be the fitter to make better bread of And the meale also must not be too much ground neither yet too fresh nor too long kept before it be vsed for if it be too much ground it maketh bread as if it were of branne that which is too fresh doth yet retaine therein some heat of the mill-stone and that which is kept too long will be spoyled either by dust or by mouldines or will else haue some bad smell Now besides the common vse of wheat the manner how to make it in drinke is verie notable which drinke serueth insteed of wine in those countries where the vine cannot fructifie Beere For there they take wheat and sometimes barley rie or oates euerie one apart or else two or three sorts of these graines or else all mingled togither and steepe them in fountaine water or in water of the cleanest and cleerest riuer that may be chosen or else for better in a decoction or wourt of hops and this is done for so long time till the graine begin to breake then is it dried in the sunne being drie it is beaten or else ground afterwards sodden in water in which it hath first beene steeped for the space of three or fower howers putting thereto a good quantitie of the flowers of hops and skimming the decoction or wourt verie well that done it is powred out and put in vessels for the purpose This drinke is called Beere And they which will haue it verie pleasant to the taste after it is made doe cast into the vessels sugar cinamom and cloues and then stirre it verie much Some doe put cockle into the composition of beere the more to sharpen the taste And sith we are entred into this speech we will here note that wheat doth easily conuert into cockle chiefly when the weather is rainie and cold Of Cockle for it commeth of corne corrupted by too much moisture or that hath beene too much wet by continuall raines in winter It springeth first out of the ground hauing a long leafe fat rough with a slenderer stalk then that of wheat at the top whereof there is a long eare hauing on all sides little sharpe cods or huskes out of which three or fower graines grow together being couered with a verie hard barke The bread that hath much thereof in it doth dizzie and hurt the head so that they which eat thereof do commonly fall into a sound sleep and their head is much troubled It annoyeth the eies and dimmeth the sight Some also do make * As some thinke wafer-cakes Amylum of wheat which serueth for many things They take verie cleane wheat of three moneths olde which they wet fiue times a day and as often by night if it be possible being well soaked and steeped they powre the water away not shaking it to the ende that the thick and that which is like creame may not runne out with the water After that it is verie wel mollified and the water changed it must be sifted that the bran which swimmeth at top thereof may bee done away and then must it be kneaded verie hard together casting fresh water stil vpon it And so it must be laid in panniers or dossers to drie and then vpon new tiles to be parched in the sun with as much speed as may be for if it remaine neuer so little a while moist it waxeth sowre The best is that which is white fresh light and smooth It hath power to mollifie in sharpe and rough things and is good against rheumes that fall into the eies Being taken in drinke it restraineth spitting of blood and asswageth the sorenes of the throat Next after Wheat Rie is in