¶Of Castanea. cap. 88.
CAstanea, the Casteyne trée, is a great trée and an high, and is called Castenea among the Gréekes as Isidore saith: for the fruite thereof is double in the lyke∣nesse of Ginetall closed in an huske, and be taken out of the shale, as it were by manner gelding. Therefore such Trées are called Castanie in Gréeke, and haue that name of Castrando, gelding. If this trée is felde,* 1.1 there springeth as it were a woode in the place all about, as Isidore saith. This trée is full profitable, for the stocke thereof is good to building and fuell, and the rinde and the leaues to me∣dicine. And though the fruite on ye trée, be hid in a vile rinde, rough and harde, yet when it is taken out thereof, it is found swéete, & namely if it be sod or ro∣sted. Isaac in Dietis saith, that this fruit is hot in the middle of the first degrée, & drye in the second, and is swéete because of heate, and sourish because of drinesse. But Casteynes bréede swelling, if men eate too many thereof, and breedeth also head ach because of fumositie, that is clo∣sed therein: but to purge & cleanse this fruite, it must be rosted or sod in water, that the earthy matter may be wasted by the fire, and the fruite made lesse harde, and lesse fast, or els that it maye be tem∣pered with softnesse & moystnesse of the fresh water, and then it nourisheth well, and bréedeth good humour, and tempreth drinesse of the body and the breast, and namely if it be eaten with Sugar Acata secundum alium librum. And of chola∣ricke and fleumaticke men it shal be ea∣ten with hony, and is good by medicine, for it restraineth wambling and spew∣ing, and comforteth the gut that is called Ieiuniū. Also a Casteyne tempered with a lyttle honnie, healeth at best biting of a mad dogge, or mans biting. Also this fruite made in a Plaister, with Barley meale and vineger, healeth effectuallye swellyng of breasts and of teares. Also the rindes and leaues burnt and made to powder, tempered with vinegar, and layed to a young mans head in a Play∣ster wise, maketh haire increase, and kéepeth haire from fallyng. Huc vsque Isa∣ac in dictis.
(* 1.2Amongst all kinde of wilde fruites, the Chesnut is best, and méetest to be ea∣ten: for they nourish reasonable well, yet they be hard of digestion. Well rost, and dipped in butter, they nourish best.)