Lettice.

AMong al hear bs none hath so good iuice as lettice, for some men doe suppose that it maketh abundance of bloud, albeit not very pure or perfect: it doth set a hot ap∣petite: and eaten in the euening it prouoketh sléepe: albe∣it, it neither doth loose, nor binde the belly of his owne propertie. It increaseth milke in a womans breast, but it abateth carnal appetite, and much vsing thereof hur∣teth Page  34 the eyesight. It is cold and moi•• temperately.

Colewortes and Cabages.

BEfore that auarice caused Marchauntes to fetch out of the East and South partes of the worlde, the traf∣fique of spice, and sundrie drugges to content the vnsa∣ciable nesse of wanton appetites: Colewortes for the vertues supposed to bee in them were of such estimation, that they were iudged to be a sufficient medicine against all diseases, as it may appeare in the booke of wise Ca∣ro wherein hee writeth of husbandrie. But now I will no modre remember, than shall be required, in that which shalle vsed as meat, and not pure Medicine. The iuyce thereof hath vertue to purge: The whole leaues being halfe sodden, and the water powred out, and they being put e••soones into hot water, & sodden vntil they be ten∣der, so eaten they doe bind the belly. Some do suppose if they be eaten raw with vineger before meat, it shall pre∣serue the stomacke from surfetting, and the head from drunkennes •albeit, much vsing of them dulleth the sight, except the eyes be verie moist. Finally, the iuyce that it maketh in the body, is not so commēdable, as that which is ingendred of lettice. It is hotte in the first degree, and drie in the second.

Cycory or Suckory.

IT is like in operation to Lettise, and tempereth cho∣ler wonderfully, and therefore in all cholericke feuers, the decoction of this hearbe, or the water thereof stilled, is right expedient. Semblably the hearbe and roote boy∣led with flesh that is fresh, being eaten, kéepeth the sto∣macke & head in very good temper. I suppose that Sou∣thistle and Denidelion be of like qualities, but not so cō∣uenient to bee vsed of them which are hole, because they are wilde of nature and more bitter, and therefore cau∣seth fastidiousnesse or lothsomenesse of the stomacke. It Page  35 is cold and dry in the second degrée.

Endiue and Scariole.

BEe much like in their operations to Cicory, but they are more conuenient to medicine then to meat. Albe∣it Scariole called white Endiue, hauing the toppes of the leaues turned in, and laide in the earth, at the lat∣ter ende of sommer, and couered, becommeth white and cryspe, like to the great stalkes of Cabage lettice, which are in winter taken vp and eaten. And to them that haue hot stomackes and dry, they be right holesome, but being too much vsed or in very great quantitie, they ingender the humour which maketh the collicke: they bee colde and moyst in the first degrée.

Mallowes.

ARe not cold in operation, but rather somwhat warm, * and haue in them a slipperines. Wherfore being boy∣led and moderatly eatē with oyle and vineger, they make •éetly good concoction in the stomacke, and causeth the superfluous matter therein easily to passe, and clenseth the belly. It is hot and moist in the first degrée.

White beetes.

ARe also abstersiue and looseth the belly, but much ea∣ten annoieth the stomacke, but they are right good a∣gainst obstructions or stopping of the liuer, if they be ea∣ten with vineger or mustard, like wise it helpeth y^e spléen. It is cold in the first degrée, and moist in the second.

Purslaine.

Doth mitigate the great heate in all the in ward parts of the bodie, semblably of the head and eyes, also it repres∣seth the rage of Uenus, but if it bee preserued in salt or brine, it heateth and purgeth the stomacke. It is cold in the third degrée, and moist in the second.

Charuayle.

It is very profitable vnto the stomacke, but it may not Page  36 susteyne very much boyling, eaten w^t vineger, it prouo∣keth appetite, & also vrine. The decoction thereof drunke with wine cleanseth the bladder.

Sorrell.

Being sodden it looseth the belly. In a time of pesti∣lence, if one being fasting, doe chewe some of the leaues, and sucke downe the iuyce, it meruallously preserueth from infections, as a new practiser called Gualnerius doth write. And I my selfe haue proued it in my houshould.

The séedes thereof brayed and drunke with wine and water, is the collicke and fretting of the guttes: it stoppeth 〈◊〉, and helpeth the stomack annoyed with rep〈…〉. It is told in the third degrée and drie in the second.

Parsley.

Is very conuenient to the stomacke, and comforteth appetite, and 〈…〉 the breath swéet, the séedes and root maketh vr〈…〉 well, and breaketh the stone, dis∣solueth windes: the 〈◊〉 boyled in water, and thereof 〈…〉ell being made, it dissolueth fleume, & maketh good digestion. It is hot and dry in the third degrée.

Fenell.

Being eaten the séede or roote maketh abundance of milke, likewise drunke with P••sane or ale. The séede some what restrayneth fluxe, prouoketh to pisse, and mi∣tigateth frettings of the stomacke and guttes, specially * the decoction of the roote, if the matter, causing fretting, bée colde, but if it bée of a hotte cause, the vse thereof is dangerous for inflāmation or exulceration of the raines or bladder. It is hotte in the third degrée, and dry in the first.

A•yseseede.

Maketh swéete breath, prouoketh vrine, and driueth downe things cleaning to the raynes or bladder, stirreth vp courage, and causeth abundance of milke. It is hotte and dry in the third degrée.

Beanes.

They make winde, howsoeuer they bee ordered: the substance which they do make is spungie, and not firme, albeit they be abstersiue, or cleansing the bodie, they ta∣rie long ere they bee digested, and make grosse iuyce in the bodie: but if onyons bee sodden with them, they be lesse noyfull.

Peason.

Are much of the nature of Beanes, but they bée lesse windie, and passeth faster out of the bodie: they bee also abstersiue, or cleansing, specially white peason, and they also cause m••tly good nourishing, the huskes taken a∣way. And the broth wherein they bee sodden, clenseth right well the raines and bladder.