¶ The Vertues.
The Indians vse them rather to bind than purge; but if they dovse them for a purge, they vse the [ A] decoction of them, and vse them much conserued in sugar, and especially the Chebulae; the yellow and blacke be good that way likewise.
The yellow and Bellericae taken before meat, are good against a laske, or weake stomacke, as Garci∣as [ B] writeth.
The yellow and blacke, or Indicae, and the Chebulae, purge lightly, if two or three drams be taken, [ C] and draw superfluous humors from the head.
The yellow, as some write, purge choler, Chebulae flegme, Indicae melancholie, and strengthen the [ D] inward parts, but rosted in the embers, or otherwise wasted, they drie more than they purge.
There are two sorts especially brought into these parts of the world conserued, the Chebulae, and [ E] of them the best are somewhat long like a small Limon, with a hard rinde and black pith, of the tast of a conserued Wall-nut; and the Bellericae, which are round and lesser, and tenderer in eating.
Lobel writeth, that of them the Emblicae do meanly coole, some do drie in the first degree, they [ F] purge the stomacke of rotten flegme, they comfort the braine, the sinewes, the heart, and liuer, pro∣cure appetite, stay vomite, and coole the heat of choler, helpe the vnderstanding, quench thirst, and the heate of the intrailes: the greatest and heauiest be the best.
They purge best, and with lesser paine, if they be laid in water in the Sun vntill they swell, & sod [ G] on a soft fire, & after they haue sod and be cold, preserued in foure times so much white honey, put to them.
Garcias found the distilled water to be right profitable against the French disease, and such like [ H] insections.
The Bellericae are also of a milde operation, and do comfort, and are cold in the first degree, and [ I] 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the second: the others come neere to the Emblicae in operation. † 1.1