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.

CHAP. XXII. (Book 22)

Of all Orchard Fruit. (Book 22)

Pruna. Armeniaca chrysomela.

[ A] ABricocks are plums dissembled under a peaches coat, good only and commendable for their tast and fra∣grant * 1.1smell, their flesh quickly corrupting and degene∣rating into choler and wheyish excrements, engendring pestilent agues, stopping the liver and spleen, breeding ill juice, and giving either none or very weak nourish∣ment; yet are they medicinable and wholesome for some persons, for they provoke urine, quench thirst: and sirup made of the infusion of dried Abricocks, qualifies the burning heat and rage of fevers: They are least hurtful to the stomach, and most comfortable to the brain and heart, which be sweet kerneld, big and fragrant, grow∣ing behind a Kitchin-chimny (as they do at Barn∣elms) and so thoroughly ripened by the Sun, that they will easily part from their stone. They are best before meat, and fittest for hot stomachs; but let not women eat many of them and let them also remember to drown them well in Sack or Canary wine. Galen preferreth * 1.2Abricocks before Peaches, because they are not so soon corrupted: whereas common experience sheweth the contrary; for as Abricocks are soonest ripe, so of all other stone fruit they soonest corrupt in a mans sto∣mach.

Amigdalae.

Almonds (into whom fair Phyllis was turned, as Poets imagine) are of two sorts, sweet and bitter. These are

fittest for medicin, but the sweet ones for meat. The sweet almonds are sometimes eaten green of women with child to procure appetite; and in Summer of others, because then they are most pleasant: but they nourish most after the fall when they are fully ripe, being blanch∣ed into cold water; they fatten the body, give plentiful nourishment, encrease flesh and seed, help the brain and eyesight, purge the brest by spitting, clear the voice, clense the kidneys, and provoke sleep; eat them not when they are very old and wrinckled, for then they stay long in the stomach and breed headache: if they be eaten with sugar (as they are in march-paens, or in cul∣lices, mortises, rice▪porredge, or almond milks) they are of greater nourishment and more easie digestion; but then they are to be eaten alone, not in the middle (and much less in the end) of Meals.

Mala.

Apples be so divers of form and substance, that it were infinite to describe them all; some consist more of aire then water, as your Puffs called mala pulmonea; others more of water then wind, as your Costards and Pome-waters, called Hydrotica: Others being first graff∣ed upon a Mulbery stock wax thorough red, as our Queen-apples, called by Ruellius, Rubelliana, and Clau∣diana by Pliny. Roundlings are called mala Sceptiana of Sceptius; and Winter-goldlings, Scandiana Plinij; Pippins mala Petisia; Peare-apples, Melapia; and Pear-mains or Peauxans no doubt be those Applana mala, which Appius graffed upon a Quince, smelling sweetly, and tasting a little tart, continuing in his goodness a year or two. To be short, all Apples may be sorted into three kinds, Sweet, Soure, and Unsavory. Sweet Apples moisten the belly, open the brest, ripen rhumes, ease the cough, quench thirst, help spitting, cure melan∣cholly,

comfort the heart and head (especially if they be fragrant and odoriferous) and also give a laudable nourishment. Soure Appels stay the belly, hinder spitting straiten the brest, gripe and hurt the stomach, encrease phlegm, and weaken memory. Unsavory Apples are un∣fit for our eating, appointed rather to fat Hoggs and Swine, then to come into our stomachs. Old Apples are best (if they be such as can bear age) because by long lying they lose two ill quallities, Watrishness and Windi∣ness, and have also a more perfect and pleasing taste. As Nuts, Figs, and Mulberies be best towards the lowest boughes, so contrariwise Plums, Apples, and Pears be best from the top of the Tree, and hanging on the sun∣ny side. Sweet Apples are to be eaten at the beginning of meat, but soure and tart Apples at the latter end. All Apples are worst raw, and best baked or preserved. None at all are good sodden besides the Codlin; which after∣wards being made into tart stuff, and baked with rose∣water and sugar, is no bad meat: their coldnese and wa∣trishness is soon corrected, either in baking, roasting, or preserving with cinamon, ginger, orenge-pills, aniseed, caraway-seed, sweet fennel-seed, and sweet butter.

* 1.3 Now whereas the old Proverb (ab ovo ad mala) sheweth that Apples were ever the last dish set upon the board, you must understand it of tartish and soure Ap∣ples, or else justly (though newly) find fault with an old custome. Philip of Macedonia and Alexander his son (from whom perhaps a curious and skilful Herald may derive our Lancashire men) were called Philomeli Ap∣ple-lovers, * 1.4because they were never without Apples in their pockets; yea all the Macedonians his Countrymen did so love them, that having neer Babylon surprized a Fruiterers hoy, they strived so for it that many were drowned; which fight was therefore called by Histo∣riographers,

Melomachia, the Apple-fight; but cruel fluxes surprised the Army upon this, and many dyed of intolerable gripings.

Oxyacanthae. Spinae acidae.

[ B] Berberies preserved, are a great refreshing to hot sto∣machs and aguish persons; and being kept in pickle they serve for sallets and the garnishing of meat; but they are of very little nourishment themselves, or rather of none at all, though by a pleasant sharpness they edge an appetite.

Prunus-Sylvestris regius.

Bullices likewise (both white, speckled and black) are of the like nature, being stued, bakt, roasted, or preserv∣ed; fitter to be eaten last to close up the upper mouth of the stomach, then first to stop the neither mouth, unless it be in fluxes.

Sorbi.

[ C] Cervises (like to Medlers) are then truely ripe, when they are rotten; if you would chuse the best, chuse the biggest, most poulpy, and voidest of stones. They are cold in the first degre, and dry in the third, giving lit∣tle nourishment; but staying fluxes, preventing drunk∣enness, strengthening the stomach, and making a sweet breath; their great astringency sheweth that they are to be eaten last, for otherwise they wil bind the body, burden * 1.5the stomach, and engender very gross humours. Pliny maketh four kind of Cervisses, one as round as an Ap∣ple, another bottled like a Peare, the third ovale made like an egg. The Apple-cervise is most sweet, fragrant, and nourishing, the other of a most winy tast; the fourth kind of Cervisse is a very little one, called the Torment-Cerviss allowed for nothing but that it ceaseth the tor∣ments of bloody fluxes.

Cherries were neither brought into Italy nor Eng∣land

till Lucius Lucullus returned from his victory * 1.6against Mithridates; whereof there are chiefly four sorts amongst us.

Iuliana.

Iulians which are very red, soft, and poulpy, never good but under the Tree; for they rot in carriage a little way.

Aproniana.

Apronians, which are red, round, and harder, and can abide the carriage.

Duracina.

Duracines or in French Coeurs, or heart-Cherries, be∣cause they are made like a heart, which are the firmest of all other.

Actiana.

The blackest of all be called Actians, because they were brought from Actium a promontory of Epire. In England we have also seen white Cherries growing, wherein the artificial choler marred the good nature and taste of them; wherefore I will not commend them for wholesomness, but shew their rareness.

Concerning their uses, let us remember thus much; that the Coeurs or French Cherries are most cordiall, the common and pulpy Cherries most nourishing, the black Cherries kernel is the best meat, but his flesh un∣wholesome and loathsome to the stomach.

Furthermore our common Cherries being ripe and eaten from the Tree in a dewy morning, loosen the belly: when contrariwise Coeurs and red soure Cherries bind the same, being of a more dry and astringent fa∣culty.

All Cherries (saving them which are black) slake thirst, cool moderately, and procure appetite. Sweet and ripe Cherries should be eaten formost; others are 〈1 page duplicate〉〈1 page duplicate〉

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to be eaten last, either scalded or baked, or made into tart stuff, or preserved with sugar, or rather dried after the German manner; which they keep all the year long to quench thirst in agues, to cool choller, to stir up appetite, to unfur the tongue and rellish the mouth, to stay puking, vomiting, and all kind of fluxes.

Castaneae nuces.

Chestnuts are so discommended of Galen in his book of Thin Diet, that they should be little esteemed, had * 1.7not latter ages better considered of their nature. Pliny thought (and I allow his reason) that it could not be a vile meat, which nature had hidden with such wonderful and artificial covers or husks. Divus Tiberius having been in Sardinia, or rather (as I take it) at Sardis in Li∣dia, brought from thence some chestnuts, and set them in Italy; whence no doubt they were derived into France and England. It is questioned by some, whether raw Chestnuts may not engender lice. But the French Chest∣nut is bigger, tenderer, and far sweeter then ours; where∣of there are two kinds, the one of a light and reddish colour fittest to be roasted, the other resembling a dark bay, enclining to a blackish brown (called Coctivae of Pliny) because they are best sodden. Of all Chestnuts chuse the biggest, fullest, brownest and roundest, and let them be three months old at the least before you eat them: If you eat too many, they breed head-ache, col∣licks and costiffness, but feed moderately upon them in the midst of meals, and they nourish without offence. They are dry in the second degree, and almost as hot as dry; but seething remits a little of each, as roasting addeth somewhat to either quality. They are best in Winter, agreeing with moist complexions, and such as are not subject to stoppings of the brest and liver.

Mala medica & Citria.

Citrons, were not known in Homers time to be any meat: onely the pills thereof were burnt with Cedar∣wood * 1.8in Temples, when they sacrificed to Apollo: as thinking the fume of it a special preservative against the Plague: Neither is the juice of them since commended, but to resist poison, to qualifie humours putrified with∣in the body, to make a sweet breath, to cure hot burning * 1.9agues, and to cure the longing of women with child; for which yet the seeds are thought most medicinable. Ne∣vertheless I am sure as ripe Citrons in Spaine do nourish Spaniards, so preserved Citrons may no less nourish us, considering that their corrosive quality is altered by sugar, and their coldness made temperate thorough perboiling.

Pruna Damascena.

Damsins, which were first brought from the mount of Damascus in Syria, are a most wholesome Plum of all others, giving moderat nourishment in hot weather, to young chollerick and dry stomachs. The most nou∣rishing be fully ripe, sweet, plump, and thin-skinn'd. Our custome is very bad to eat ripe Plums last, when their sweetness and lightness perswades us to eat them for∣most. Ripe Damsins eaten whilst the dew is upon them, are more medicinable then meat; but being eaten at the beginning of Dinner or Supper, they are more meat then medicin, and give an indifferent sustenance to an indifferent stomach, especially when they are preserved. Damsins not fully ripe, had need to be boiled or preserv∣ed, to correct their cold and crude nature; but as they are fit for hot stomachs and aguish persons, so none at all are good for them that be old, or cold, or watrish and phlegmatick of constitution.

The like may be said of Damase-prunes, brought out of Syria, Spaine and Italy, which are sweet, nourishing

and pleasant being stued or sodden; when contrariwise the French Prune is harsh and soure, fitter to cool men in agues and to edge distasted stomachs, then to be offred any man in the way of meat.

Dactili.

Dates are usually put into stued broaths, minced-pies, and restorative cull••ces, as though they were of very great and wholesome nourishment. Ceatain it is that they fat much and encrease blood, but such blood as ea∣sily * 1.10turneth into hot choller. Alexanders Souldiers were killed with new Dates; which taste so pleasantly, that only danger makes a man surcease to eat them. The best Dates grow by Jericho in Jewry, the next by Alexan∣dria in Egypt; but the Dates of Barbary and Spaine have long writhled bodies without substance: Chuse them which are ripe and not rotten, firm and not worm∣eaten, sweet and not astringent, and at the least a year old after the gathering; for such are best for a cold Liver, fit∣test to move the Belly and to help the cough; whereas new Dates bind excessively, stop the liver, stomach, veins, and lungs, gripe the guts, breed headach, hurt the teeth, and make little ulcers to arise in the mouth: yea ripe Dates lighting upon a bad stomach do easily putrifie, en∣gendering malign agues, & stuffing the body with crude humours, whereupon great stoppings encrease both of spleen and liver. They are hot in the second degree, and moist in the first, never good when they are eaten alone, or without sugar, which hindreth their speedy cor∣ruption.

Praenestinae, Heracleoticae, Ponticae & Avellanae nuces.

* 1.11 Filberds and Haselnuts, coming first out of Pontus, and translated by the Romans into our Countrey, are found by experience to nourish the brain, to heal old coughes being eaten with hony, and to stay rhumes if

be tosted. Also being peeld whilst they are green, and laid a while in water, and eaten afterwards with sugar or salt at the end of meat, they give a laudible nourishment, encreasing seed, tempering blood and making it of a good consistence. Chuse ever the longest, ripest, and thinnest shel`d, fullest of meat, and freest from spot or worm; also eat them whilst they are new, if you pur∣pose to nourish much; for afterwards they wax more oily and less nourishing: they are best towards Winter, and fitter for strong and able stomachs, because they ea∣sily overturn weak stomachs and procure headache.

Ficus Crossi.

Figs are the sweetest fruit of the bitterest tree in the world; for neither leafe, nor bud, nor bark, nor wood, * 1.12nor body, nor root, nor any part of it is sweet besides the fruit: nay the very ashes of a fig-tree, is as sharpe and bitter as any soot; yet figs themselves are so sweet, * 1.13that onely for love of them the French men first invad∣ed Italy, and inhabited a great part of it many years; yea Moschus Antimolus the Sophister having once tasted * 1.14them, he hated all other meats during his life; and Pla∣to * 1.15so affected them, that he was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ••he Fig lover; nay he loved them so much, that he died of lice, engendred of corrupt blood which the Figs made; also Pompejus Columna Cardinal and Viceroy of Naples, died suddenly in the arms of Austen Nyphus that fa∣mous * 1.16Philosopher, with eating too many figs.

Figs are dangerous without wine, but wholesome with it. Wherefore let all men beware of them, as Solo∣mon bids us take heed of too much hony least our sweet meat bring soure sawce, and pleasure be punished with too late repentance. They are seldome eaten of us green from the tree; and of outlandish figs, let Dioscorides com∣mend his (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) yellow figs, Athenaeus his blue

Figgs, and Pratensis his Mariscas, or Fig-dates; yet in my judgement the round, short, and thick barrel'd Figs (having a thin skin, and a firm substance, with few seeds in them) are of all other the best, though not the sweet∣est, * 1.17which I nothing doubt to be Callistruthiae Galeni, and those delicate figs of Livia Pompeia which Pliny writes of.

The seed of Figs nourisheth no more then a stone, their skin hardly digesteth, onely their pulppy substance giveth much, though no very wholesome nor good nou∣rishment. Chuse the softest, roundest, newest, sound∣est, thickest, and ripest; and as you drink wine upon cold and moist fruits, so drink small drink, or suck the soure juice of Orenges, Pomegranards, Le∣mons, or Citrons after Figs: thus being taken they augment fat, clear the countenance, provoke venery, quench thirst, resist venom, purge the kidneys of gravel, and nourish more then any Tree-fruit whatsoever. But if you would ripen a cold, or cleanse your pipes, or clear your voice, it is best to eat them with ripe Almonds, or to drink them with barly water: old age is most offended by them, and such as have stopt livers, or be of a bad and corrupt complexion.

Pistacia, or Psittacia.

* 1.18 Fisticks, or rather Pisticks (alluding to the Syrian word) are Nuts growing in the knob of the Syrian or Egyptian Turpentine▪tree, being so much more whole∣some, good and nourishing, by how much they are more sweet, odorifreous, full, big and green: They nou∣rish plentifully, open the liver, clense the breast, strength∣en the stomach and kidneys, stay fluxes and vomitings, fatten the body, stir up lust, and resist poison. They are wholesome both before and after meat, being eaten with old-pippins, or sugar-roset.

Children and hot complexions must not use them, for they enflame their thin blood, and cause giddiness: but even Galen (who discommends them more then he * 1.19needed) alloweth them in Winter for cold fleagma∣tick and weak stomachs. Isaac saith, that they are hot and dry in the second degree, whereof indeed they want very little.

Uvae.

Grapes differ two wayes especially, in substance and tast. In respect of substance, they are either fleshy, which are fittest for meat, or winy and thinn, which are fittest to drink, being made into wine. In respect of taste, sweet Grapes fatten and nourish most, being of hottest consti∣tution, and speediest concoction; yet they swell the sto∣mach, engender thirst, and loosen the body. Soure and harsh Grapes are cold in operation, hardly digested, of little nourishment, griping and yet binding the belly, and therefore fitter to be tasted of as sawce, then to be eaten as meat.

The Germans hang up clusters of ripe Grapes (suffer∣ing them not to touch one another) upon lines in a cold Gallery, or rather in their Bed-chambers; which being dried nourish much, and yet neither swell the stomach nor cause loosness: in heat of agues one such Grape or two at the most do more refresh the mouth, and restore the taste, then six ownces of conserve of cold Berbe∣ries.

Haselnuts are already written of in our Treatise of Filbirds.

Mala Iunia.

Iunitings are the first kind of Apples which are soonest ripe, coming in and going out with the Month of June; of a little round and light substance, tender pulp, and very fragrant smell; sent at that time to cool

choler, slake thirst, and restore spirits decayed with heat of Summer; it giveth sufficient though no great nor strong nourishment, being fitter for young and hot com∣plections, then them which are weakned with phleagm.

Gorni.

Kornils or Corneols are of a very astringent and binding taste, fit to nourish weak stomachs that can keep nothing, or weak guts that void all things. For sound men they are not good, but eaten in small quanti∣ty after meat; because they firmly seal up the stomach, and accidentally help concoctition. Tart stuff or Mar∣malade may be made of them to that purpose, wherein no doubt the excel quinces, Egleutius berries be of the like substance and nature.

Malum Limonium.

Lemmons approach neer unto Citrons: and Limes are engendred of them both. Their poulp is cold and dry in the third degree; their peel hot and dry in the second, and their seed temperate. If you eat the juice alone, it causeth gripings, leanness and crudities; but if you eat the peel with the pulp (as nature seemeth there∣fore to have united them) the heat of the one correcteth the rawness of the other, and not onely the stomach but also the heart is comforted by them both. They of Na∣ples * 1.20and Genoa slice the best and sourest Lemons and Ci∣trons very thinn, and having cast on salt and rosewater, use them as a general sawce to all flesh and fish; by which preparation an appetite is procured, their wine well tasted, and their kidneys scowred.

But forasmuch as we live in a colder climate, it is best to take the ripest sort of Lemmons, and to steep their slises, peel and all in wine, sugar and cinamon upon the warm coals, and then to eat them alone, or with our meat. Let old and consumed persons beware of them;

for they will spend their spirits with abundance of urine, and also overthrow their natural heat, which is rather to be quickned and restored with wine, then quenched or quelled with so great a cooler.

Mespila.

* 1.21 Medlers were not seen in Italy whilst Cato lived, but now in England there be too many. Concerning the fruit it self, it is never good till it be rotten; wherein the bus-meddlers of our age may also worthily be com∣pared to them: the great ones (called Setania) have most pulp, the little ones less, but more fine and fra∣grant: these also do more comfort and bind the sto∣mach, though the great ones excell them in plenty of nourishment: either sort is to be eaten last, because they are of an heavy and astringent nature, burdensom to the stomach, and engendering gross humours, if the be eaten first.

Mora.

Mulberies being black and fat (which is a signe of their full ripeness) are hot in the first degree, and moist in the second; fittest to be eaten before meat; because they easily pass from out the stomach to the guts, draw∣ing the other meat along with themselves: they please the stomach, procure losness of body and urine, nourish ••ound and clean bodies, though they corrupt in unclean stomachs; also they smoothen the harshness of the * 1.22throate, quench thirst, delay choller, and cause no great, but yet a natural appetite to meat. They should be ga∣thered before Sun-rising, and given onely (as I said) to clean stomachs and before meat; for they will else cor∣rupt and swell us up, and drive us perhaps into some pu∣trified fever. They are fittest in Summer for young men, and such as abound with blood and choler.

Unripe Mulberies (which is discerned by their white∣ness

and redness) may be good to make medicins for ulcered throats and fluxes of the belly, but they deserve not the names of nourishments.

When Mulberies cannot be gotten, Blackberries or * 1.23Dewberries may supply their room, to which Galen ascribeth the like vertues. This one thing let us note, omitted of all Herbarists of our latter age; that albeit a Mulbery Tree be called in Greek and Latin Morus, that is to say, a fool; yet her wisdome excelleth all other Trees in my judgement, because it never budeth till all sharp weather be clean gone, and then spredeth out her leaves more in a day, then all other Trees did in thirty before.

Olivae.

* 1.24 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.

Malum Aurantium.

Orenges are brought hither of three kinds, some ex∣ceeding sweet, others soure, and the third sort unsavory, or of no rellish. The first sort are sweet and temperate∣ly hot, of indifferent nourishment, good for stoppings of the brest, rhumes and melancholy. Very soure Orenges are extreamly cold, making thin and watrish blood, and griping the belly; but right Civil-orenges have a pleasant verdure betwixt sweet and soure; whose juice and flesh preserved, cause a good appetite, bridle choler, quench thirst, yet neither cool nor dry in any excess. As for un∣savory Orenges, they neither nourish nor serve to any good use; but lie heavy in the stomach, stirring up wind and breeding obstructions in the belly: being eaten with sugar and cinamon, civil-orenges give a pretty nourish∣ment to aguish persons, whose stomachs can digest no strong meats; and also their pills preserved do somewhat nourish, especially if they be not spoiled of the white part, which is most nourishing; as the outward rind con∣trariwise is most medicinable; chuse the heaviest, ripest, and best coloured, and those that taste pleasantly betwixt sweet and soure.

Mala Persica.

Peaches shew manifestly how change of earth and climate may alter natures; For Columella and divers be∣fore

Plinies time have recorded, that in Persia (from whence they were brought into Europe) peaches are a deadly poison; but with us the smell of a ripe, tender, and fragrant peach comforteth the heart, and their meat not onely causeth appetite, maketh a sweet breath and cooleth choler, but also easily digesteth and giveth good nourishment. I never saw greater store of good peaches then in Suitzerland; where the poor men fat themselves and their hoggs with them exceedingly when they are in season. All Peaches are to be quartered, and laid in strong wine before they are eaten. Ripe Peaches accor∣ding * 1.25to Galens rule must be eaten in the beginning of meals, because they are a moist and slippery fruit; but hard and unripe Peaches are best at the end of meat (if ever they are good at all) yea though they be candied or preserved; yet Peaches must be sparingly eaten, for many are dangerous, and killed Theognostus that fine Scholer, so much lamented in the Greek Epigrams. Four good morsels, Peaches, Figs, Melons, and Champignois.

Pyra.

Pears be of infinite kindes, because men by graffing divers Pears together have made of them infinite mix∣tures. The Norwich-pear, and St. * 1.26 Thomas-Pear are most durable and very good; the Sand-pear is firm and also nourishing; the Lady-pear is too watrish, though beautiful in colour: The Katherin-pear is simply best and best relished: The Musk-pear is very cordial; The Long-tail hath a good verdure; The Puff-pear is full of wind: The Bell-pear is very sappy: The Tanckard-pear is somewhat bitterish and noisome to the stomach. But leaving their infinite differences of shape, colour, and

time, let us onely write of their differences in taste, which is chiefly to be regarded. All sweet Pears be most nourishing, cleansing the brest of Phleagm, com∣forting the stomach, and least binding. Soure and harsh Pears are exceeding hurtful to the stomach and si∣newy parts; unsavory Pears breed ill juice, and bitter Pears nourish nothing at all. If a well rellished Pear be also endued with a fragrant smell (as the Katherin Pear, Violet, Poppering, Sugar-Pear, Musk-pear and such like) they are to be preferred before all others. * 1.27

Concerning the preparation of Pears, they are worst raw, and their skinn is most unwholesome; without wine they are counted poison, especially be∣ing largely taken as a meat. They are best being eaten last, as contrariwise Apples for the most part are first to be eaten; because they are rather of a loos∣ning then an astringent nature. They are best baked, * 1.28then roasted; but dryed Pears (in Harry Stevens judgement) surpass all for strong nourishment. They are temperate in heat and cold, but dry in the second de∣gree: which causeth them to cease fluxes and vomits, to repel vapours, and strengthen the stomach.

Pruna.

Plums grow here in such variety, that to name them onely were a tedious work. The most pulppy, sweet, pleasant and nourishing be these. Pear-plums, Vi∣olet-plums, Pescod-plums our Ladies-plums, Wheatplums, Mawdlins, and Damsins, whereof we have already spoken.

The least nourishing (though some of them taste not unpleasantly, especially the Christian-plum) are Bullices, Christians, Prunellaes, Skegs and Horseplums.

All Plums baked, stued, or preserved with su∣gar do more plentifully nourish, because much of their sharpness, watrishness, and rawness is thereby corrected.

Alwaies remember to eat the sweetest sort before, and the sourest sorts of Plums after meat, least unorder∣ly eating cause that to be blamed, which was good and wholesome in his due place.

Here I have occasion to speak of the paste of Genoa made of fragrant and fine ripe Plums; which no doubt is not onely cordial, but also restorative to such stomachs, as through extremities of agues have lost their strength.

Mala Punica.

Pomegranads when they are sweet and thorough ripe, loosen phlegm, help the stomach, brest, and cough, en∣crease * 1.29venery, provoke urine, loosen the belly, moisten the spiritual parts, and give indifferent store of good nourishment: they are best in Winter for old men and phlegmatick constitutions.

* 1.30 Soure Pomegranads hurt a cold stomach, straiten the brest, hinder expectoration, stop the liver, offend both teeth and gums, cool excessively, stay all humoral fluxes, yet provoke urine most plentifully; and therefore they are more prescribed in agues then the sweet ones, as also to cholerick young men subject to scowrings. Paulus Aegineta affirmeth, soure Pomegranads to bind onely sound mens bodies, but not such as be sick. Howsoe∣ver it is, sith the ones goodness resisteth the others hurt∣fulness, it is best to mingle both their juices for such as be aguish or weak, and severally to use them for the strong according as occasion serveth.

Mala cotonea & Cydonia.

Quinces are of two sorts; an Apple-quince called malum cotoneum, and a Pear▪quince called of Diosco∣rides Struthium; both of them were first brought from Cydon, a castle in Candy, whereupon they are common∣ly called mala Cydonia; we account most of the latter sort; but the cotton and downy Quince made like an Ap∣ple,

is most commended of the Grecian and Latin wri∣ters. Of either of them chuse the most clear, transparant, thin-skind, ungravelly, downy, best smelling, and most furrowed as it were with long streaks; for the very scent of such is comfortable, and though their raw flesh be as hard as raw beefe unto weak stomachs, yet being roasted, or baked, or made into Marmalade, or cunning∣ly preserved, they give a wholesome and good nourish∣ment, and make the body soluble being eaten last at meat; for if you eat them first, they clyng the stomach, cause exceeding costiffness, and hinder digestion, as Galen * 1.31sufficiently tried in Protas the Orator. They are cold in the first degree, and dry almost in the second: agreeing with all ages, times, and complexions, where just occa∣sion is given to use them.

Uvae passae.

Raisins are of the same temperature with the Grapes which they are made of, being also as divers in taste, sub∣stance and quality, as they be. That Noah was the first planter of Vines, Christians know better out of the Bi∣ble, then any Poet or heathen writer could ever aim at; but who first divised the drying of Raisins in the Sun, or the pressing them into frailes, it is neither set down by Pliny nor any other Author that I have read. Onely this I finde by reason and experience, that the greatest, fattest, sweetest, longest and blewest Raisins of the Sun are ever best; nourishing sufficiently, moderately clen∣sing, very well temperating ill humours, mitigating all paines, and engendring very pure and good blood; yea the African Physitians that lived in Galens time did * 1.32with one voice and consent protest thus much of them, that for opening the brest, stomach and lungs; for cleansing the blood, kidneys, and bladder, for ceasing all pains of the guts and moderate nourishment, no fruit

is to be compared unto Raisins. Matthiolus in his Com∣mentaries * 1.33upon Dioscorides saith that Raisins of the Sun being either voided of their kernels or growing without kernels, loosen the belly, help hoarseness, and both nou∣rish and cleanse the liver: contrariwise being eaten with the stones or kernels, they work rather a contrary ope∣ration. That Grapes nourish much, we may see (saith * 1.34Galen) by Vintage labourers, who come lean to the vineyard, but return as fat as Hogs. Much more do Ra∣sins of the Sun and other Raisins nourish our bodies, and are therefore to be accounted for no bad meats.

Pyra volema Plinij.

Wardens or Palme-pears so called, because one of them will fill the palm of a hand, were first brought into * 1.35credit by Livia Pompeja; they are very hurtful and al∣most indigestible being eaten raw or green; but towards Winter they are very wholesome for a weak stomach, being stued, bakt, or roasted, and to be preferred for nourishment before all fruit; engendring (especial∣ly when they are sweet and red) most wholesome juice; strengthening concoction, repelling vapours from the head, and comforting the weak and decayed spirits: would to God every hedge were as full of them as they are of wild Pears and Crabs, that both poor and rich might have a competent nourishment when fish and flesh can hardly be gotten.

Iuglandes.

Wallnuts or Iupiters acorns (for so the Greeks and La∣tins * 1.36called them) are sufficiently nourishing whilst they are green, but when they once wax so dry that they hardly peel, they are more medicinable then nourishing: either * 1.37of them engender the cough and cause headache; but if you peel new Walnuts and wash them in wine and salt, they are least offensive to the stomach, and yet more

nourishing if you eat them with sugar. Old Walnuts are hot in the third degree, and dry in the second; new Walnuts are most temperate in each respect, agreeing with old men and phlegmatick persons, being eaten at the end of the Fall, and the beginning of winter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Plin. l. 15. c. 1••.
• * 1.2

  3 de alim. fac.
• * 1.3

  Cael. lib. 27. ca••▪ 17. A. L.
• * 1.4

  Athen l. 7. c. 1. Cael lib. 13. cap▪ 15▪ A. L.
• * 1.5

  Lib 15. cap. 21
• * 1.6

  Plin. l. 15. c. 25.
• * 1.7

  lib. 15. c 23.
• * 1.8

  Plin. l. 13. ca. 1.
• * 1.9

  Plin. l. 23. ca. 6.
• * 1.10

  Plin. l. 13. ca. 4.
• * 1.11

  Plin. lib. 15.
• * 1.12

  Plut. 5. Symp.
• * 1.13

  Plin. l. 12. ca. 1▪
• * 1.14

  Alex. l. 3. ca. 11:
• * 1.15

  Athen. l. 7. ca. 1
• * 1.16

  Pau▪ Jov▪ invita Colu••.
• * 1.17

  Lib. 15. cap. 18.
• * 1.18

  Matth. com. in Diosc.
• * 1.19

  2 de diaet. part.
• * 1.20

  Pisanel. de esc. & potul.
• * 1.21

  Plin. l. 15. c. 20.
• * 1.22

  Pis. de esc. & pot. ex Avicen∣na Aetio & Isa. aco Iudaeo.
• * 1.23

  •• de alim. fac.
• * 1.24

  Laert. in Plut. vit.
• * 1.25

  2 de alim. sac.
• * 1.26

  1. Amerinum.	Plinij
  2. Signinum.
  3. Venereum
  4. Crustuminum
  5. Hordearium
  6. Do••obellianum
  7. Superbum.
  8. Cucurbitinum
  9. Ampullaceum
• * 1.27

  Schol. sal. c. 39.
• * 1.28

  lib. de. la. mais. rust.
• * 1.29

  Gal. l. 8. simpl.
• * 1.30

  Gal ex. Diosc. lib. 1 cap. 127.
• * 1.31

  3 de alim. fac▪ cap. 22.
• * 1.32

  2 de alim. fac▪
• * 1.33

  Lib. 5. cap. 4.
• * 1.34

  Lib. 2. de alim. fac. cap 9.
• * 1.35

  Plin. l. 15. c. 15.
• * 1.36

  Mac. 3 sat. c. 18. Plin. lib. 23. c. 8
• * 1.37

  Pis. de ••scul. & potul.