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. XXIII.

Of such Fruits of the Garden as are nourishing.

A Atichokes grew sometimes onely in the Isle of Si∣cil; and since my remembrance they were so dain∣ty in England, that usually they were sold for crownes a peice: now industry and skill hath made them so com∣mon, that the poorest man is possessed of Princes dainties. Julius Capitolinus in the life of Pertinax, and Pliny like∣wise in the 19 book of his natural History, reports Ar∣tichokes to have been of such estimation in Carthage and Corduba, that there were sold as many Artichokes in one year, as came to six thousand Sesterties, which maketh thirty thousand pound Sterling. The first sprouts of Artichoke-leavs being sod in good broth with butter, do not onely nourish, but also mightily stir up lust of the body both in men and women: the young heads of them eaten raw with pepper and salt do the like; but the great heads being once come to perfection, howsoever they are counted windy & hard of digestion, fuming up to the head, and burdensom to the stomach: yet certain it is that they are of great nourishment being well prepared. Some boil them in fat poudred beefe broth till they be tender, and then eat them with vinegar, pepper, sugar, butter, and salt. Others having parboiled them a little, take the pulpy

part in the bottome, and with sweet Marrow, Verjuice, Pepper, Sugar, and Gooseberries, make most excellent and restorative Pies. The Italians broil them on a Grid∣iron, setting their bottoms downward, and pouring on a little sweet oil upon every leaf assoon as they open with the heat, and as that soakes in, they put in a little more: for if much should be poured in at once, they would smel of the smoak, by reason that the oil would drop into the fire. This way the Artichoke is least windy, and (if it be eaten with Sugar, Butter, and the juice of an Orenge) most pleasant like∣wise. They are hot in two degrees, and dry in one; and therefore fittest for cold, aged persons, and complexi∣ons. Remember that raw Artichokes are to be eaten towards the end of meals, but the other at the beginning or in the midst.

Asparagus.

Asparagus was in old time a meat for such Empe∣rours as Julius Caesar; now every boord is served with them. They must be presently gathered when their heads bow downwards, and being sodden in two or three waters (to ridd them of bitterness) they are to be boiled in mutton broth till they be tender, which is done in a trice. The greatest and tenderest stalked are ever best, and few or no kind of herbs nourish more, being spoiled of their bitterness and eaten hot. Galen doubteth of their active quality, but yet experience sheweth them to be temperately moist, and not to exceed in heat the first degree.

Ballocks-grass, or Satyrium (whereof there be five principal kinds) is only nourishing in the full, heavy and sappy root; for the other is of clean contrary disposi∣tion. Some eat them being boiled in Goats milke and Sugar. Others candy them, or keep them in Syrup:

any way they encrease bodily lust strengthen the liver, help the parts of conception, restore them which are consumed, and give plentiful nourishment in hectick Fevors.▪

Mora rubi.

Bramble-berries, or Black-berries, be they of the greater or the less kind, are temperately warm, and suf∣ficiently nourishing to a weak stomach. How the poor live upon them, daily experience sheweth; yet being much eaten they bind the body, and engender such pu∣trified humors as beget both scabs and lice.

Borrago. Buglossa. Sirsium.

Borrage, Bugloss and Langdebeif, are of so great a temperature in all qualities, that they are not only commended for special Cordials being steeped in Wine, or made into Conserves; but also their flowers, herbs, and roots are esteemed restorative, nourishing weak bodies sufficiently, and strengthening the parts of nou∣rishment more then meanly, being sodden in broths, cul∣lises, or gellies.

Personatae radix.

Burr-roots, (I mean of the Clot burr, called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by the Greeks) whilst they are young and tender, in the month of April, are very wholesome and nourishing, being eaten like a young green Artichoke with pepper and salt. The Frenchmen and Italians first found them out: since which time they are more common amongst us, through the means of them which have travelled in∣to strange Countries.

Brassicae.

Coleworts be of divers sorts, but the most nourishing of all is your white-leafed Cabbage (as big as a great loaf) called Brassica Tritiana, and that which the Itali∣ans calleth Cauli flores: so beloved of Pompey, that it

was termed Brassica Pompeiana. Either of them must first gently be sodden in fair water, then again steeped all night in warm milk; afterwards seeth them with fat marrow or in fat brues, and they are very nourishing without offence. Otherwise all Coleworts engender gross and melancholique bloud. Choose ever the whi∣test and tenderest leafed, for they are of the finest and best nourishment. The Aegyptians eat Cabbage first to prevent drunkenness.

Danci hortenses.

Carot roots, are very temperate in heat and driness, of an aromatical and spice-like taste, warming the in∣ward parts, and giving great nourishment to indifferent stomachs, being sodden in fat and fleshy broth, or else buttered. The yellower the root, the more sweet, ten∣der, and aromatical is the Carot: and the best grow in a black, soft and ripe though not in a forced earth.

Anguriae Citruli.

Citruls, (so much beloved of Tiberius the Emperor) are of like temperature with Melons and Pompions (of whom hereafter) nourishing hot stomachs very well be∣ing boiled with good flesh or sweet milk.

C••cumeres. Melopepones.

Cucumbers growing in hot grounds and well ripened with the Sun, are neither moist nor cold in the second degree. They agree well with hot stomachs being eaten with vineger, salt, oil, and pepper: but if you boil them (whilst they are young) with white-wine, vervin, dill, and salt liquor, they are not of a bad nourishment (as Galen took them) but engender good humors, and settle a very cold and weak stomach: as by much practice and long experience I have proved in divers per∣sons.

Schaenoprasa.

Cives, or Rush-leeks be almost as hot as Leeks them∣selves. Some eat them raw in Salads, but then they nourish not. If you boil them twice or thrice in water, they lose their over-hot and drying nature, and give no bad nourishment to cold stomachs.

Glandes terrestres Dodonaei.

Earthnuts grow much on Richmond Heath and Coome Park, as also beside Bath as you travel to Bristol. They are best in May. In Holland and Brabant they are eaten (as the roots of Turneps and Parsneps) boiled in flesh∣broth, which correcteth their binding quality, and maketh them of good and wholesome nourish∣ment.

Bulbocastanea.

Earth-chesnuts are far bigger then Earthnuts, and the flowers of them are white where the others be red. About Bath there is great plenty of them, and they are of like nourishment and use with the Earthnuts.

Intubum sativum latifolium.

Endive (especially that which hath the longest, largest, softest, and whitest leaves) is of good nourish∣ment to hot stomachs, not only cooling but also en∣creasing bloud; if it be sodd in white broth till it be tender: but if you eat it raw in salads (as it is most com∣monly used) then it only cooleth and lyeth heavy in the stomach, because it is not freed from its cru∣dities.

Vacinia palustria.

Fen-berries grow not only in Holland in low and moist places, but also (if I have not forgotten it) in the Isle of Eli. They are of like temper and faculty with our whortles, but somewhat more astringent. Being eaten raw or stewed with sugar, they are wholesome

meat in hot burning fevers, unto which either fluxes of humors or spending of spirits are annexed. Likewise they quench thirst no less then Ribes, and the red or outlandish Gooseberrie.

Mora Rubi Idaei.

Trambois, or Raspis are of complexion like the Black∣berry and Dewberry, but not of so astringent nor dry∣ing quality. Furthermore they are more fragrant to the Nose and more pleasant in taste, and of far better nou∣rishment to hot stomachs for cold stomachs cannot con∣vert them into any good juice.

Allium.

Garlick was so odious or hurtful to Horace that he makes it more venemous then Hemlocks, Adders bloud, Medea's cups, yea then the poison of Nessus the Centaure which killed Hercules. Contrariwise the Thracians eat it every morning to breakfast, and earry it with them in warfare as their chiefest meat. Whereat we need not marvel, considering the coldness of their Country and their phlegmatick constitution. Let us rather wonder at the Spaniard, who eats it more (being a hot Nation) then our labouring men do here in England. Whereby we may see how preparation begetteth in every thing another nature: for the Thra∣cians eat it raw because of their extreme coldness; but the Spaniard sodden first in many waters, or else rosted under the embers in a wet paper, whereby it is made sweet and pleasant, and hath lost more then half of his heat and dryness Thus is Garlick medicine and meat: medicine if it be eaten raw, but meat and nourishment being rosted under the embers, or stickt like lard in fat meat, or boiled in many waters, broths, or milks. By which way also his fuming and diuretical quality is much corrected. Yet beware lest you eat too much

of it, lest it engender little worms in your flesh, as it did in Arnulphus the Emperor, whereof he died. It is very dangerous to young children, fine women, and hot young men; unless the headdy, hot and biting quality thereof be extinguished by the foresaid means.

Cucurbitae.

Gourds eaten raw and unprepared, are a very un∣wholesome food, as Galen saith, exceedingly cooling, charging, and loading the stomach; and engendering crudities and wind. But being boiled, baked, or fryed with butter, it loseth his hurtfulness, and giveth good nourishment to indifferent stomachs. The seed of it being husked and boiled in new milke is counted very restorative in hectick fevers.

Grossulae. Uvae crispae.

Gooseberries being thorough ripe are as nourishing as sweet, and of the like temper, not only encreasing flesh, but also fatting the body. They should be eaten first and not last, because they are so light a fruit. When they are almost ripe they are restorative being made in∣to Codiniack, or baked in Tarts. Soure Gooseberries nourish nothing, serving rather for sawce to please ones taste, then to augment flesh.

Grossulae transmarinae.

Red Gooseberries or bastard▪Corinths, commonly called Ribes of Apothecaries, and taken of Dodonaeus for the Bears-berry of Galen; is almost of the like na∣ture with Gooseberries, but more cold, dry, and astrin∣gent by one degree, because they never wax sweet in our Country. They are very cordial and cooling in Agues, being eaten either in Conserve, or Codiniack; yea nourishing also to hot stomachs.

Lupularii asparagi.

Hop-shootes are of the same nature with Asparagus,

nourishing not a little, being prepared in the like sort (which is before described) though rather cleansing and scouring of their own nature.

Alliaria.

Jack by the hedge, as it is not much used in Medi∣cines, so it was heretofore a very ancient and common meat, being therefore called Sawce alone. Country men do boil it and eat it in stead of Garlick, being no less strengthened and nourished by it then the Persian children were with Town-cresses. I allow it not for indifferent stomachs, unless it have been steept in divers warm waters, and then be eaten (as Garlick may be eaten) moderately: for it is hot and dry more then in the third degree.

Porra.

Leeks are esteemed so wholesome and nourishing in our Country, that few thinke any good Pottage can be made without them. That they engender bloud no author denies, but they say it is gross, hot, and evil bloud. Nevertheless if they be first sodden in milke, and then used in meat, they are unclothed of all bad qualities, and become friendly to the stomach, and nou∣rishing to the liver. The Grecians made such reckon∣ing of Leeks, as our Welsh men do; yea he ever sate uppermost at Apollo's feast that brought thither the greatest headed Leek. Some impute that to his mo∣ther Latona her longing for Leeks whilst she was with child of Apollo. Others say that Apollo did so highly esteem them, because they engender much bloud and seed, whereby mankind is much encreased: which opi∣nion I like best of, hearing and seeing such fruitfulness in Wales, that few or none be found barren, and many fruitful before their time.

Porrum sectivum Palladii.

The unset Leek or Maiden-leek is not so hot as the knopped ones; because his fuming quality is diminish∣ed by often cutting.

Lactuca.

Lettice is not more usually then profitably eaten of us in Summer; yea Galen did never eat of any other Garden herb save this (for ought we read) whereby he delayed the heat of his stomach in youth, eating it for∣most, and slept soundly and quietly in age, eating it last. It is better sodden then raw, especially for weak sto∣machs: and if any will eat it raw, correct it with mingling a little Tarragon and Fennel with it. The young loaft. Lettice is simply best, but you must not wash it, for then it loseth its best and most nourishing vertue that lieth upon the outmost skin: only pluck away the leaves growing near the ground, till you come to the cabbage of the Lettice, and it is enough. Long use of Lettice causeth barrenness, cooleth lust, dulleth the eyesight, weakeneth the body, and quencheth natural heat in the stomach: but moderately and duly taken of hot natures, it encreaseth bloud, seed, and milk, stayeth all fluxes of nature, bringeth on sleep and cooleth the heat of Urine. The middle and thickest part of the leaf being boiled and preserved in Syrup (as Endiff and Succory is done beyond-sea) give a great nourishment to weak persons newly recovered of hot Agues. The Romans did eat Lettice last to provoke sleep: we eat it first to provoke appetite. So that Martials question is fully answered:

Claudere quae coenas Lactuce solebat avorum. Dic mihi, cur nostras incipit illa Dapes? When elder times did feed on Lettice last, Why is it now the first meat that we tast?

Melones & Pepones.

Melons and Pompions are not so cold nor moist as Cucumbers. Growing in a hot ground and thorough∣ly ripened with hot and dry weather, they give much nourishment, especially being baked with good flesh or sweet milke, or baked with sweet apples butter and fennel-seed.

Melopepones.

Musk-melons are neither so moist nor cold as the ordinary sort, engendring far better bloud, and descend∣ing more speedily into the belly. They will hardly prosper in our Country, unless they are set in a very fat, hot, and dry ground, having the benefit of Sun-shine all the year long. Jason Mainus (a most famous Ci∣vilian) so loved a Musk-melon, that he said to one of his friends, Were I in Paradise as Adam was, and this Fruit forbidden me, Verily, I fear me, I should leave Paradise to taste of a Musk-melon. Nevertheless let not the pleasant smell or taste of them draw any man to eat too much of them, for they cast Albertus secundus the Emperor into a deadly flux; Sophia Queen of Poland into a numb'd Palsie, and Paulus secundus the Pope into a mortal Apoplexy. All Melons, Pompions, and Cu∣cumbers, are not presently to be eaten out of the ground (though they be fully ripe) but rather a week after for with delay they prove less moist, and also less cold. As for our great Garden Pompions and Melons they may tarry in a warm Kitchin till towards Christ∣mass before they be eaten, to be more dryed from their watrishness, and freed from crudities.

Napi.

Navews, especially Napus sativus, called in English Navew gentle, nourish something less then Turneps, otherwise they are of like operation. They are best

sodden in pouldred Beef broth, or else with fat Mutton, or pouldred Pork.

Cepae.

Onions are very hot and drye; nevertheless being rosted or boiled in fat broth or milke, they become tem∣perate and nourishing, leaving their hot and sharp nature in the broth or embers. The Priests of Aegypt abhor∣red them of all herbs; first because (contrary to the course of other things) they encrease most when the Moon decreaseth. Secondly, because they nourish too much, and procure lust, which religious men, of all o∣ther persons, ought to refrain. The greater, whiter, longer, sweeter, thinner-skinned, and fuller of juice they be (such are St. Thomas Onions) the more they nou∣rish, and excel in goodness: but if they be very red, dry, round, light, and sowrish, they are not so commen∣dable. Raw Onions be like raw Garlick, and raw Leeks (that is to say, of great malignity, hurting both head, eyes, and stomach, enflaming blood, and engen∣dering both gross and corrupt humors) but sodden in milke, and then eaten Sallad-wise with sweet oil, vine∣gar, and sugar (as we use them in Lent) they are hurt∣ful to no persons nor complexions.

Apium hortense.

Parsley nourisheth most in the root; for if you choose young roots and shift them out of two or three warm waters, they lose their medicinable faculty of opening and cleansing, and become as sweet, yea almost as nourishing as a Carot being sodden in fat broth made with good flesh. The like may I say of Alisander buds which is nothing but the Parsley of Alexandria) being drest or prepared in the like manner: otherwise they may be used (as Nettles are) in Spring-time pottage

to cleanse bloud, but they will give no laudable or ra∣ther no nourishment at all.

Portulaca.

Purslane is usually eaten green in sallades, as Lettice likewise. But being sodden in wine it is of good nou∣rishment in the Summer time unto hot stomachs, which are able to overcome it.

Radices Sisari Indici.

Potado-roots are now so common and known amongst us, that even the husbandman buyes them to please his wife. They nourish mightily, being either sodd, baked, or rosted. The newest and heaviest be of best worth, engendring much flesh, bloud, and seed, but withall en∣creasing wind and lust. Clusius thinks them to be In∣dian Skirrets, and verily in taste and operation they re∣semble them not a little.

Radicula sativa.

Radish roots of the Garden (for they are best) are ei∣ther long and white without, or round like a Turnep, and very black skinned, called the Italian Radish. Most men eat them before meat to procure appetite, and help digestion. But did they know (and yet they feel it) what ranck belchings Radishes make, how hardly they are digested, how they burn bloud, and engender lice, cause leanness, rot the teeth, weaken eye-sight, and cor∣rupt the whole mass of nourishment, I thinke they would be more temperate and sparing of them; yet were so pri∣zed amongst the Grecians, that at Apollo's feast when Turneps were served in tinn dishes, and Beets in silver, yet Radish roots were not served but in golden dishes. Notwithstanding, sith by nature they provoke vomit∣ing, how can they be nourishing? unless it be to such rustical stomachs as are offended with nothing, and to whom resty Bacon is more agreeable then young and

tender pork. Nevertheless sith only the heat and biting of radish, are the chiefest cause why it nourish little or nothing (as Galen saith) no doubt if by steeping in warm milk, or boiling in fat broth those qualities be removed, it would prove the less medicinable & more nourishing.

Rapi Silvestris radix.

Rampions or wild Rapes, of nature not unlike to Turneps, eaten raw with vinegar and salt, do not onely stir up an appetite to meat, but also are meat and nou∣rishment of themselves. In high Germany they are much eaten, and now our Nation knows them indiffe∣rently well; and begin to use them.

Radix Allii ursini.

Ramseys are of like vertue and power with Garlick, and are so to be prepared, or else they give neither much nor any good nourishment.

Rapae.

Rapes or Turneps, sodden in fat broth, or roasted with butter and sugar put into the midst thereof, nou∣rish plentifully, being moderately taken; for if they be undigested through excess, they stir up windiness, and many superfluous humours in the body. The Bohemians have Turneps as red outwardly as blood, which I did eat of in Prague, and found them a most delicate meat; yea they are counted so restorative and dainty, that the Em∣perour himself nurseth them in his Garden. Roasted Turneps are so sweet and delicate, that Mavius Curi∣us refused much gold, offered him by the Samnites, ra∣ther then to leave his Turnep in the Embers.

Radices Eringii marini.

Sea holly roots are of temperate heat and cold, but somewhat of too dry a nature; yet prove they moist enough to give plentiful nourishment, after they have been preserved in syrupe or candied with ginger, encrea∣sing

blood, seed, and lust, and restoring such as by lechery have been much consumed.

Radices Sisari.

Skirret-roots were so sweet & delicate in ancient times, that Tiberius Caesar, caused the Inhabitants of Gelduba (a certain signory upon the Rhine) to pay him tribute at Rome in Skirret-roots; bringing them weekly thither whilst they were in season. They have a long string or pith within them, which being taken away before they are thorough sod, maketh them eat exceeding sweet; usu∣ally they are boild till they be tender, and then eaten cold with vinegar, oil and pepper; but if they be roast∣ed four or five together in a wet paper under embers (as one would roast a Potado) or strain'd into tart-stuff, and so baked with sugar, butter and rosewater, they are far more pleasant and of stronger nourishment, agreeing with all complexions, sexes and ages, being also of a mild heat and a temperate moisture. Did we know all the strength and vertues of them, they would be much nourished in our Gardens, and equally esteemed with any Potado root.

Cepa Ascalonites.

Skallions are a kind of little Onions, brought first from Ascalon a Town of Jewry; very hot and dry, yea hotter and drier by one degree then any Onions. Cold stomachs and barren weaklings may safely eat them raw to procure appetite and lust; but they are not nourish∣ing to indifferent stomachs till they have been perboild in new milk. Some correct them, by mincing them small, and steeping them a good while in warm water, afterwards they eat them with vinegar, oil and salt, after the Italian fashion.

Spinachia.

Spinache being boiled soft and then eaten with but∣ter,

small currens and sugar heat together upon a chafing dish, giveth no bad nor little nourishment to dri∣ed bodies, and is onely hurtful to such as be over-phleg∣matick.

Fragulae.

Strawberries of the garden, be they white, red, or green (but the red are best) being once come to their full ripe∣ness in a warm Summer, and growing in a warm ground, are to a young hot stomach both meat and medicine. Medicin to cool his choler & excessive heat; meat by his temperate and agreeable moisture, fit at that time of the year to be converted into blood; especially being eaten raw with wine and sugar, or else made into tart stuff and so baked: howsoever they be prepared, let every man take heed by Melchior Duke of Brunswick how he eat∣eth too much of them, who is recorded to have burst a sunder at Rostock with surfeiting upon them. Cranz. lib. 9. cap. 9. Hist. Vandal.

Radix spirae albae.

Thistle-roots (I mean of the white thistle when it first springeth) are exceeding restorative and nourishing, be∣ing sodden in white▪stued broth, or else baked in Tarts, or in Pies like Artichoks: few men would think so good meat to lye hidden in so base and abject an herb, had not trial and cookery found out the vertue of it.

Rapae rotunde.

Turneps (in commendation whereof Moschio the Grecian wrote a large volumn) are nothing but round Rapes, whereof heretofore we writ in this Chapter.

Nastureia aquatica.

Water-cresses and Town-cresses nourish raw and cold stomachs very well: but for hot or indifferent stomachs they are of a contrary nature. Xenophon saith, that the Persians children going to School, carry nothing with

them to eat and drink, but Cresses in the one hand and Bread in the other, and an earthen cruse at their girdle to take up water in: whereby we may perceive that they agree well with moist natures, and such as are ac∣customed to drink water: Otherwise no doubt they nourish nothing, but rather over heat and burn the blood.

As for Anise, Blites, Blood-wort, Broom-buds, Ga∣pars, Calamint, Clary, Dill, Fennel, Galangal, Hisope, Marigolds, Mustard-seed, Mints, Nettles, Orache, Patience, Primroses, Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Sam∣phire, Savory, Tamarisk, Tansy, Tarragon, Time, Violets and Wormwood: howsoever they are used sometimes in broths, pottage, farrings, sawces, salads and tansies; yet no nourishment is gotten by them, or at the least so little, that they need not, nor ought not to be count∣ed amongst nourishments.

Notes

• Dod. lib. 4. Pla▪
• Gal. 2. de alim▪ fac.
• Dodon. lib. 2. hist. pl.
• Plin.
• Alex. l. 5. c▪ ••1.
• Plin. l. 19. c. 9.
• Galen.
• Horat. l. 3. ••pod
• Suidas.
• Crinz. l. 3. ca 3. hist. saxon.
• lib. 7. de med. sec. loc.
• Polemon lib. de Samothra••. Athen. l. 9. c. 3.
• 2 de alim. fac.
• Pe••n. sac. lib. 4. Ticin hist.
• C••spinianus.
• Cromerus.
• Platina.
• Plut. l. de Iside & Osiride.
• Dodon. lib. 5. hist. plaut.
• 3 de alim fac.
• Plin. l. 9 c. 15.
• Plin. l. 19. ca. ••.
• Pisanel. de. esc. & potul.
• Plin. l. 9 ca. 15.
• 1 Cyropaed.