Healths improvement: or, Rules comprizing and discovering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation. Written by that ever famous Thomas Muffett, Doctor in Physick: corrected and enlarged by Christopher Bennet, Doctor in Physick, and fellow of the Colledg of Physitians in London.

Olivae.

Olives (the desired salade of divine Plato) are an usu∣al dish at most mens Tables, though none of them grow in England. Wild Olives are better, then those which are set in City Orchards; which the very Birds do know in Italy, more coveting the wilder sort. We have three sorts of them brought into our Countrey, Spanish-olives, Italian olives, and Olives of Provence. The first sort is the biggest, but yet the worst, being too yellow, too soft, and too full of oil: the Italian Olive is almost as big, but more firm of flesh, and pleasanter through re∣taining his natural greenishness. The Province Olives are less then either, something▪ bitterer also and more leather like skin'd, yet better for the stomach then the Spa∣nish, though nothing neer the Italian or Bononian Olive in flesh, taste, or goodness: There also their pickles is made of water, salt, ind sweet fennel, which giveth them a greater grace, and maketh them less heavy unto weak stomachs.

All Olives (even the best) are but of slow and little nourishment; serving especially to provoke appetite, to cleanse the stomach of phlegm, to strengthen the

guts, and to cure loathing of meat. It were good to take them out of their salt pickle (which enflameth blood) and to lay them a while in vinegar before we eat them, to correct their heat, and make them more agree∣able to the stomach. They are best in the midst of meat with a French salad; for being first eaten, they lye hea∣vy in the stomach, and being last eaten, they offend the head with their brackish and salt vapours, which hinder sleep and encrease thirst.

Notes

• Laert. in Plut. vit.