Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶Of Cucurbita. chap. 45.

CVcurbita is a name of Gréeke, and the originall thereof is vncertaine to Latines, as Isi. sayth li. 1••. and Plin. saith the same, that there be many kinds ther∣of. And some Cucurbita is tame, & some wilde. The tame spreadeth in boughes, and braunches, and leaues, as a Uine do∣eth, and bindeth it selfe with certaine fa∣stenings and bindings as a vine doth, & beareth somewhat white flowers, which spring out thereof: namely against night, it bloometh and beareth blossom without vndersetling, but the fruite thereof fay∣leth and rotteth, without that it be reared vp from the ground, & rayled with logs, and rods: as it were a vine. Platea saith: that Cucurbita is colde & moyst of com∣plection, and temperate in qualities, and is most found in hot countries & lands. Of the séede thereof sowen, commeth an hearbe, and thereof commeth white flo∣wers, and fruite at the last, full of séede & of pith, and the rinde therof is first soft, and then hard as a trée, when it is ripe. The fruite thereof when it is newe, ac∣cordeth to meate, and the séede to medi∣cine. The seede thereof hath vertue to depart, and to shed hard matter: for the substaunce thereof is subtill, and helpeth therefore against the stopping of the liuer and reynes and bladder, and is to such, as haue the Feauer ague, both meate & medicine, rosted or fried, for it purgeth the matter by vrine, and lareth and aba∣teth the heate, and comforteth the sicke. The seede thereof is gathered when it is ripe, and washed, & dried in the Sun, that it be not corrupt by superfluitie of

moysture, and is kept thrée yeare in a drie place. Huc vs{que} Plat.

And Plinlus saith, that the iuyce of this hearbe, helpeth against the euill that is called the holy fire, & against y^e swel∣ling of eyen, & abateth ache of the eares, if it be milke hot put therein, and pow∣der of the séede thereof, filleth vp hollowe wounds: and ashes of the rinde helpeth against burning. Li. 20. cap. 4. Plin. saith, there is a wilde Cucurbita, as great as a finger, and groweth in stonie places, & the iuyce thereof helpeth much the sto∣macke & guts, & the palsie of the loynes & reynes. The pith thereof with worme∣wood and salt, doth away tooth ache: iuyce thereof heat with vineger, fasteneth téeth that wag. The substaunce thereof with∣out séede, healeth postumes of the féete: wine heat therewith, doth away réeses of the eyen: leaues thereof sod and stam∣ped, helpeth wounds: seede therof dronk with wine, ouercommeth venime, & shall not be eaten, for it bréedeth swelling. Li. 17. Isid. saith, that wild Cucurbita is the same y^e Coloquintida is, a maner With∣winde, a well bitter hearb, and springeth in braunches toward the ground, as Cu∣curbita doth, and hath great leaues with heauie smell, as Cucurbita hath, as Isid. saith there. Looke before De natura Col∣loquintide. It seemeth, that the first ma∣ner Cucurbita beareth gourds, & that the worst maner cucumer bereth Pinopins.

(* 1.1The Gourd is colde and moyst in the seconde degrée, whereof two kindes are called Pompeons.)

Notes

• * 1.1

  Additiō.