The herball or Generall historie of plantes. Gathered by Iohn Gerarde of London Master in Chirurgerie very much enlarged and amended by Thomas Iohnson citizen and apothecarye of London

¶ Of Grapes.

OF Grapes, those that are eaten raw do trouble the belly, and fill the stomacke full of winde, [ G] especially such as are of a sowre and austere taste; such kindes of grapes doe very much hin∣der the concoction of the stomacke; and while they are dispersed through the liuer and veins they ingender cold and raw iuyce, which cannot easily be changed into good bloud.

Sweet grapes and such as are thorow ripe, are lesse hurtfull; their iuyce is hotter, and is easilier [ H] dispersed. They also sooner passe thorow the belly, especially being moist, and most of all if the liquor with the pulpe be taken without the stones and skin, as Galen saith.

The substance of the stones, although it be drier, and of a binding quality, doth descend thorow [ I]

all the bowels, and is nothing changed: as also the skins, which are nothing at all altered in the body, or very little.

Those grapes which haue a strong taste of wine are in a meane betweene soure and sweet. [ A]

Such grapes as haue little iuyce do nourish more, and those lesse that haue more iuyce: but [ B] these do sooner descend; for the body receiueth more nourishment by the pulpe than by the iuice; by the iuyce the belly is made more 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

Grapes haue the preheminence among the Autumne sruits, and nourish more than they all, but [ C] yet not so much as figs: and they haue in them little ill iuyce, especially when they be thorow ripe.

Grapes may be kept the whole yeare, being ordered after that manner as Ioachimus Camerarius [ D] reporteth. You shall take (saith he) the meale of mustard seed, and strew in the bottome of any earthen pot well leaded; whereupon you shall lay the fairest bunches of the ripest grapes, the which you shall couer with more of the foresaid meale, and lay vpon that another sort of Grapes, so doing vntill the pot be full. Then shall you fill vp the pot to the brim with a kinde of sweete Wine called Must. The pot being very close couered shall be set into some Cellar or other cold place. The Grapes you may take forth at your pleasure, washing them with faire water from the powder.