Ioyfull newes out of the newfound world wherein are declared the rare and singular vertues of diuers and sundrie herbs, trees, oyles, plants, [and] stones, with their applications, aswell to the vse of phisicke, as chirurgery: which being wel applied, bring such present remedy for all diseases, as may seeme altogether incredible: notwithstanding by practize found out, to be true. Also the portrature of the sayde herbes, very aptly described: Englished by Iohn Frampton merchant. Newly corrected as by conference with the olde copies may appeare. Wherevnto are added three other bookes treating of the Bezaar stone, the herbe escuerçonera, the properties of yron and steele, in medicine and the benefite of snowe.

¶ Of the Ginger.

DOn Francis de Mendosa, Sonne vnto the vice Roy Don Anthony de Mendo∣sa, did sow in the new Spayne Cloaues, Peper, Ginger, and other spices, of those which are brought from the Oriental In∣dias, and that which by him was begun, was lost, by reason of his death, onely the Ginger did remayne, for it grew very well in those partes, and so they bring it greene from the new Spayne, and other partes of our Indias, and some they bring drie, after the ma∣ner of that of the East India.

The Ginger is a Plant which carrieth his Leafe like to L••rio, somewhat more narrowe, with the same greenesse: the Roote is as it seemeth, some greater than other, and when it is greene, it burneth not in the mouth, wherefore beeyng made small into peeces, it is put into Sallettes, for because it geueth them both tast and smell. They sow it, of the seede that it bringeth foorth or of the same little Roote, and of the one sorte and of the other it waxeth greate: and after the Roote is growen greate, they take it foorth, and drie it in the shadowe, where no moysture doeth come, for that is it which doeth corrupt him, and for this cause they bring it in drie earth and made in Conserua, although that here it may bee verie well made of that which is drie, burying the Roote at the foote of a place where many 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

led Emperiall, beyng abroade below and narrow aboue, and by the mouth of them there groweth out certayne Buddes, which are his Leaues, which cause him to shewe verie faire, and these Buddes are sowen, and of them growe the Plantes, which carrie the Pinnas, and one Plant carrieth not more than one Pinna, in the highest part therof: it grow∣eth greene, and as it ripeneth, it turneth yeallowe. They take from it the Rynde, which is verie thinne, for to eate, that which it hath within it is white, and softe, and melteth in the mouth, with a very good tast, and sweete sauour: sa∣uing that it hath many small karnels rounde about it, which it is needefull that you cast from you when you eate them, which are of a Purple colour. The smell thereof is like to a kinde of Quince, and where there is a Pinna rype, he smelleth like to a Quince ouer all the House where he is.

They take them to bee good for the stomake, and like∣wise for the hearte, and to restore the appetite lost: it is a generall fruite in all partes of the Indias, and much estee∣med. They are to be eaten at the beginning of meate, & they vse to eate them in the hot after Noones: for they say that they do refresh: they are cold in my iudgement: they brought two sorts of them, the one drie, & the other in Conserua. The dry did serue for no other purpose, but to see the figure and the forme of them: in Conserua, they haue a good tast, although somewhat sharpe: they ought to be made in Conserua when they are greene.

Notes

• Don Francis de Mendosa,
• The descrip∣tiō of Ginger.
• The vertues thereof.