Adam in Eden, or, Natures paradise the history of plants, fruits, herbs and flowers with their several names ... the places where they grow, their descriptions and kinds, their times of flourishing and decreasing as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations and particular physical vertues together with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our English simples with directions how to preserve them in their compositions or otherwise : ... there is annexed a Latin and English table of the several names of simples, with another more particular table of the diseases and their cures ... / by William Coles ...

CHAP. CCXIII. Of Asparagus.

The Names.

IT is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Asparagus, and according to the Atticks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Aspharagus, yet, by its Etymology which is either quia ex asperis virguetis ligitur as Varro, or quód in asperá vitgulta nascitur, as Pompeius the Grammarian would have it, it seemeth to have its originall from the Latin, which many other Plants have, being afterwards made Greek by some of the Later writers in that Language. Galen saith, that the first budding of any herb that was used to be eaten after it sprung from the seed, was called Asparagus, as in Cabbage, Lettice, &c. But that being most usually eaten at that time hath got the name peculiarly to it self. It is called also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because it provoketh lust; and Corruda in Latin, from Corruo becau••e it quickly decyayeth after it is ripe; and Sperage, Asparagus, and Sparagus in English.

The Kinds.

There be five sorts of Asparagus, 1. Garden Asparagus; 2. Sea or wild As∣paragus with thicker Leaves, 3. Wild Asparagus with sharp Leaves, 4. Prick∣ly Rock Asparagus, 5. Asparagus with cruel sharp thornes.

The Forme.

Garden Sparagus riseth up at the first, with divers whitish green scaly heads; very brittle or easie to breake while they are young, which afterward rise up in∣to very long and slender green Stalks, some bigger and some lesser, according to the growth of the Roots, and the fertility of the ground wherein it is planted, but commonly of the bignesse of an ordinary riding Wand at the bottome, and as high as a man almost; on which are set dive••s branches of green Leaves, shorter and smaller then Fennel to the top; at the Joynts whereof come forth, small mossy yellowish flowers, which turn into round berries g••een at the first, and of an excellent red colour like unto beads of Corall, when they are ripe; wherein are contained black seeds of an exceeding hardnesse. The roots are dispersed from a spongious head into many long thick and round strings, where∣by it sucketh much nourishment out of the ground and sendeth forth many heads therefrom.

The Places and Time.

The first groweth usually in Gardens but it is supposed to be the same with the second, which groweth in many low Meadows of this Land; both in Essex Lincoln and Gloucestershire and that the alteration is made onely by transplanting. The third groweth in stony and rocky places neer Salamanca in Spaine. The fourth in many stony and ragged places both in Spaine, Portugal, and Candy: the last is very plentifull in the rough and uneven waies about Lisbone. The bare tender shootes of Sperage, Spring up most familiarly in Aprill & then it is that they are most fit for Sallets. They flower in June and July, and bear their berries late in the year.

The Temperature.

The root of Garden Sparagus as also of the wild, do cleanse without any manifest heat or drynesse.

The Signature and Vertues.

The buds, branches, or Roots, of Asparagus, especially of the wild, being boiled in Wine do provoke Urine being stopped, yea even in those which are troubled with an hardnesse or Difficulty to make water, or the Strangury when it cometh by Drops, and to expell gravell and the stone, out of the Kidnyes, which it doth by the Signature, which the hardnesse of the seed holdeth forth; and helpeth all other paines in the Reines and Back, being taken inwardly, or the Back and the Belly bathed therewith. Being boiled in White Wine or Vinegar, it is good for those that have their Arteries, loosned, or are troubled with the Hip-gout, Yellow-Jaundise, Falling-Sicknesse, the Mother, dimnesse of sight, and the Tooth-ach, if it be gargled in the mouth warme. The same also healeth the paines of the breast, Stomack and bowells, and taken every morning fasting for certain days together, it stirreth up bodily lust, both in Man & Woman. The seed is held to be very effectuall also for the purposes aforesaid, especially if a good quantity of the Rootes, and it, be boiled in good store of Water, and put in∣to a large vessell where a man may stand or sit up to the middle at least, for so it hath beene found effectuall against the paines of the Reines, and Bladder, the Mo∣ther and Cholick, and generally against all those grievous torments that happen to the lower parts of the body, neither is it lesse effectuall to supple, stiffe and be∣nummed sinewes, or those that are shrunk by Cramps or Convulsions, and to helpe the Sciatica. The first shootes or heads of Asparagus are a Sallet of as much e∣steeme with all sorts of persons, as any other whatsoever, being boiled tender as they will quickly be, and eaten with butter, Vineger and Pepper, or Oyle and Vineger, as the Cook can tell you better then I.