Nine books of physick and chirurgery written by that great and learned physitian, Dr Sennertus. The first five being his Institutions of the whole body of physick: the other four of fevers and agues: with their differences, signs, and cures.

Meates from plants.

THe most ancient, * 1.1 and most familiar kind of aliment are plants, and those things which grow out of the earth, a∣mongst which in the first place are all sorts of Corne and grain, which the Greeks call by the name of fitou, and in the first place truly Corne is hot and moist, and beyond all the rest affords much nourishment and that firme and most wholesome, out of which although divers kinds of food are made, yet the best amongst them is bread, but that leavened, which agrees to every age, and is conveniently taken with all meats.

A sort of Barly which they commonly call spelt, * 1.2 is the next in nature to Corne, and is the middle as it were betwixt wheate and Barly, and it nourisheth more then Barly, but tis weaker then Wheate, out of this spelt is made a kind of frumenty, or Barly broath, * 1.3 of which Pliny 18. Booke 11. Chap.

Rye, of which bread is made for the most part in Germa∣ny, and other parts, is hotter then Barly, yet not so hot as Wheate, and the bread which is made of it hath more aliment then Barly bread, and that stronger, yet it is something more hard of concoction, then Wheaten bread.

The bread which is made of Barly is colder, and yeelds not so firme nourishment, * 1.4 of Barly also is made ptisan, which being taken after what manner soever, affords good nourish∣ment both to those that are sick, and those that are well, and is no way or clammy, or viscide, but easily passeth through and cleanseth the passages, yet the aliment which it affords is a little thinner,

Rice is hot and dry, * 1.5 or rather temperate, it nourisheth much, especially being boiled with milke it increaseth seed, it doth not easily putrify, stops the Loosenesse, it is hardly concocted, and yeelds nourishment somewhat thicker, and the frequent use of it may easily occasion obstruct∣ions. * 1.6

Millet and the graine like it, called in Latine Panicum i. e. Indian Oates, are almost of the same nature, and are cold, and dry, and stop fluxes of the belly, neither do they afford much nourishment, nor very profitable, yet millet is the better: Oates are hot and afford nourishment of a better

account; Pottages and Broathes are made of them, which may be given to those that are sick or well, which stops Loosenesse of the belly.

The Corne called Saracenicum, * 1.7 of which Pottages are wont to be made, yeelds nourishment profitable for men that are given to dayly labour, and it is hard of concoction, it begets wind, and offends the eyes.

Beanes are cold and dry, and flatulent, * 1.8 hard of concoction and crude, and yeeld excrementicious nourishment, yet not visced, but have some cleansing power, they make the senses dul, and noises seeme troublesome.

Pease are cold, and dry, and flatulent, * 1.9 especially the greene, yet they yeeld better nourishment then Beanes, but not so plentifull.

Parsenips are hot, and dry, * 1.10 and have greater force of clean∣sing then Beanes, and therfore more usefull in Physick then dyer.

Lastly Lentils are the worst food, cold, and dry, thick, * 1.11 of evill and vitious juice, and hard of concoction, they fill the head with thick Vapours, they hurt the eyes, they ingen∣der thick blood, and are cheifly hurtfull to melancholy per∣sons.

After graines, instead of food, Pot-herbes are given, * 1.12 and the leaves of the Herbes, Branches, Roots, and the fruits of them, as also of Trees, which neverthelesse, yeeld not so good and profitable aliment as Corne, but many or them are too Medicinall; yet all of them are better boyled then raw.

Lettice that is sowen is esteemed the best of all Pot-herbs, * 1.13 and affords more nourishment then other Pot-herbs, yet tis cold, and moist, and Medicinall, and moreover, in a hot con∣stitution of Aire, tis conveniently given to young men, and those which abound with choler, and those which have hot stomaches, it provokes sleep, allayes the heat of the reines, yet too much use thereof diminisheth the naturall heate.

Cabbage is accounted by most to be cold, and dry, * 1.14 yet in the juice thereof a certain bitternesse and acrimony is perceived, which hath a force to stir the paunch, tis hard of concoction, affords little nourishment, and that thick and Melencholy; from whence fuliginous Vapours fly into the head, and produce turbulent sleep, and weaken the sight, its malignity is corrected if it be boyled with sat meates, the

staulks are worse then the broad leaves, and are to be eaten only by those which are used to much labour.

Spinnage cools and moistens, * 1.15 affords little nourishment, yet not so evill as Orach, or Blitum, which is a kind of Beet, it generates cold and serous humours in the stomach, unlesse it be corrected with pepper and, oyle, or butter, it is not laudable, and it begets wind.

Beets, * 1.16 Blitum, Orach, and Mallowes can scareely be used with profit, or benefit for aliment only, but are more benefi∣cially taken, when there is need to loosen, refrigerate, and moisten the belly; and Beet indeed is hot, and dry, and takes away obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, and hath a different substance, the juice is detergent, wherefore it loos∣neth the belly, but the substance stops the same.

Blitum, * 1.17 Orach, and Mallowes loosen the belly only by hu∣mectation, they nourish little, they yeeld a watry juice, and have of themselves no pleasing savour unlesse they are dres∣sed, with Butter or Oyle, and other Sawces.

Asparagus, * 1.18 to which the young branches or tender sprigs of Hops are next like unto, neither heat, nor manifestly cool, they are gratefull to the tast, and cause appetite, yet afford little nourishment, and therefore do afford not so good nou∣rishment; they have a detergent faculty, and provoke U∣rine, they cleanse the Reines, and open obstructions of the Liver, and of the other Intralls.

Garden, * 1.19 or Water Cresses, and Mustard-seed may be used instead of Sawces, but not as nourishment, they are hot and dry, and of a biting tast, they attenuate crude meats, as also crude and thick humours.

Onions afford little nourishment, * 1.20 they are acrid and have a heating, cutting, and extenuating faculty, and inflame the blood, and together with the discussed thinner parts they leave behind them a thick juice, they irritate Venus, they are all hurtfull to the head, eyes, teeth, and gumms, they cause turbulent Dreams.

In raw Garlick there is almost no nourishment, * 1.21 in boyled very little, and that bad, but there is manifest heat and dri∣nesse in it, and a power of extenuating thick and viscide hu∣mours, and of cutting them, and taking away cold, and tis the best remedy to convert the pravity of waters, as also a∣gainst the Plague, * 1.22 and venemous aire: Leeks have almost the same power.

* 1.23 The Roots called Raddishes which we use being dipped in

Salt affords little nourishment, but are rather instead of me∣dicinall knacks, they heat beyond the second degree, and have a tart tast, they cut phlegme, attenuate, provoke Urine, and expell sand from the Veines.

Wild Raddishes have the same force, * 1.24 but are more power∣full, which are fit for sawce, but not of aliment.

Turnips, Rape-roots round are slowly concocted, * 1.25 and fill the belly with wind, especially when they are raw, but boyled they are easier digested, and afford aliment enough, and ther∣fore not so hurtfull, but are hot and moist.

Long Turnips are almost of the same nature, * 1.26 but of a bet∣ter tast, and yeeld lesse thick and flatulent juice, and afford strong nourishment, they stimulate Venus.

Parsley is hot and dry, provokes Urine and courses, * 1.27 opens obstructions, purges the Reines, and bowels, yet it afford lit∣tle nourishment.

Garden Parsnips yeild little, hot and dry, * 1.28 and not very good nourishment, they cause lust, provoke Urine, and bring down courses.

Red Beets which are pickled with Vinegar, * 1.29 the seed of Carawayes, and the roots of wild Raddishes are used rather instead of Sawces, then as food, since they nourish very little.

The fruit of Plants are various; * 1.30 Melons are pleasant to the tast, and send forth an Aromatick smell, but they are of a watry moist substance, not without coldnesse, whereby they quench thirst, and causes Urine, they cleanse the Reines, but they are easily corrupted, and being corrupted, become as it were of a venemous nature, and stir up choler, or gene∣rate Feavers, whereby many great men are killed, and ther∣fore they ought to be eaten at the first course, that they may the easier descend through the Paunch, and after the eating of them, some food of good juice is to be taken, and good Wine is to be drank, that the corruption of them may be hin∣dred.

Cucumbers, are also cold, but not so moist, * 1.31 and the juice not so hurtfull, nor are they so easily corrupted in the sto∣mach, they are most conveniently taken, before they are ripe being pickled in Vinegar, or Brine, and Pepper, and they are least offensive to those which have hot stomachs. * 1.32

Artechocks heat and dry, to the second degree, they are hard of concoction, and afford not very good nourishment, they are windy, and stimulate Venus, unlesse this be rather to be attributed to the seasoning, or dressing of them.

Strawberies, * 1.33 are cold, and moist, they are profitable to those that are troubled with choler in the stomach, they coole the liver, they restraine the heate of the blood and cholerick humours, they allay thirst, and therefore are be∣neficiall in hot constitutions of bodyes, they have thin juice, purge the reines, cause urine, but are easily corrupted in the stomach, and therefore ought to be eate, the first.

Now followes the fruits of Trees, * 1.34 and frutices, first of peares there are divers kinds, nor are they all of the same faculty, the austere, and sharpe are astringent, and cooling, and hurtfull to the stomach, and Guts; sweete are more tempe∣rate, yet almost all are of a cold, and moist nature, only some are hot and moist. and moreover, more apt to cor∣ruption, they are not unpleasing to the stomach, in the first place being taken they stop a loosenesse, but being taken af∣ter other meate, they loosen the belly, and shut the mouth of the stomach, they are better boyled, then raw.

There are divers sorts of Apples which discover themselves by their taste, * 1.35 the sower are colder then the sweete, and of a thinner, and lesse flatulent substance; the austere and sharpe are yet colder, and of a thick substance, and descend more slowly through the paunch, and stay it, yet their vio∣lence is corrected by boyling; and sower, austere, and sharpe Apples are to be used rather instead of medicines then aliment, they all afford ill juice, but those are most hurtfull which are watry, and for the most part have no taste; the best are sweete ones, with an aromatick taste and smell, and such as afford an indifferent quantity of aliment, and that not evill, they strengthen the heart, exhilerate the minde, and are very beneficiall to those which are troubled with Melancholy.

Quinces are cold and dry, * 1.36 and have an astringent fa∣culty, they are harder of concoction, afford little nourish∣ment, and that thick, they strengthen the stomach, and stop vomiting, and if they are taken after meate, they hinder Vapours so that they cannot easily ascend to the head, and they loosen the belly, but being taken before meales, they stop a loosenesse; being taken raw they hurt the nerves, and often cause fits of the cholick

Peaches are cold, and moist, and are easily corrupted, * 1.37 and afford little nourishment, and therefore are to be eaten spa∣ringly, and warily, and indeed before meales, not after other meates, neither is water, nor any cold drink, to be drunke after them, but wine; being dryed they are lesse hurtfull, and especially being boyled in Wine, their pravity, if they had any, it is taken away.

Apricoks which are well known to the Persians, * 1.38 in goodness are beyond Peaches, and more pleasing to the stomach, and are not so easily corrupted.

Medlers are cold and dry, * 1.39 and are not eaten till they are rotten, they afford little nourishment and are slowly con∣cocted, they stop the belly and all fluxes, they stay vomit∣ting, and agrece well with a cholerick stomach.

Sowre Sherryes have a chooling faculty, * 1.40 are easily con∣cocted, and descend through the belly, they coole the sto∣mack, and liver, they quench thirst, and raise an appetite, and are not so easily corrupted, nor are they of so hurtfull a juice, but the sweet ones are far inferior to the sharpe ones in goodnesse, by reason of the moisture abounding, and are easly corrupted, and generated urred humours, and Wormes, in putred feavers.

There are divers kinds of Plumbs, all of them cold, * 1.41 and moist, the sweet ones are not so cold by nature, yet they mitigate the acrimony of choler, and therefore agree most with colerick persons, they are easily concocted, and passe through the belly, those that are fresh, alter most powerfully, they mollify the paunch, being taken before meate, but with their moisture they scatter abroad many excrements, and that crude, neither do they generate so good juice, yet some are softerthen others, those which abound most with a crude and moist iuce, they are the worst, the white, and waxen colour, or yellow, are the worst, and afford ill juice, but the best are Damask Prunes, and those which are neerest to these are green, but the dry are more fit for nou∣rishment, and afford better aliment for those which are weaker in stomach, Plumbs are not convenient; for they loosen itstone.

Mulburies moisten, coole, quench thirst, * 1.42 mitigare the heate of choler, they nourish little, they easily passe through the belly, but if they are retained, they easily are corrupted, and become putred, and acquire an ill nature, wherefore they are to be eaten when the stomach is empty only, and not

overspred with peccant humours; that they may on a sud∣den descend and passe through the paunch.

Figs are hot and moist, * 1.43 by nature they nourish more then other fruits, they easily descend and go through the belly, they have a penetrating, and abstergent faculty, yet too much use of them begets wind; dry Figs are hotter, and dryer, yet acquire a power of cleanseing, opening, and attenuating, yet they also loosen the belly, drive humours to the externall parts, being often taken and plentifully, they cause sweates, and generate blood, not very good, but such as is apt to putrify.

Sweete grapes are hotter, * 1.44 and for that reason cause thirst; sharpe, and austere are colder; those that are fit to make Wine, are betwixt these extreames; those that are fresh ga∣thered, afford little nourishment, and are flatulent, and if they are detained long in the stomach they are corrupted and dilate the belly, and stir up cholick fits, they cause the spleen to swell, and fill the stomach and liver with crude humours, and allwayes the fresh gathered serve rather for pleasure, then for health; the austere and sower Grapes, are colder, and strengthen and bind the belly, the sweete ones are hotter and afford more nou∣rishment; those which have a mixed taste, obtaine mixt faculties, but the sweet, which participate something of sharp∣nesse, are commended before the rest, they are pleasing to the stomach, gratefull to the liver, as also they are said, by a certain propriety, to be advantagious to the whole sub∣stance, they are helpfull to the brests, and strengthen all the naturall members; those which are without stones are called Corinthian, they loosen the belly more, but those which have seed strengthen the stomach.

Amongst Nuts, * 1.45 the best are sweet Almonds, they are tem∣perately hot and moist, and yeelds store of nourishment, and of good juice and moderate, they attenuate and cleanse, for which reason they are the best food for immaciated bodies, and they replenish the intrails, and the whole body with convenient nourishment, and such as is not apt to corruption, they purge the brest, open the passages of urin, and cause sleep, but they are not so convenient for a cholerick stomach, nor to be given in cholerick Feavers.

Walnuts are hot and dry, especially dryed, * 1.46 for your green ones are moister, and are not so hot, and therefore are eaten safer, but the dry generate choler, and offend the Orifice of the stomach, and hurt the Gullet and Wind-pipe, and cause a cough, and generate pain in the head, commonly the use of them is commended after Fish, because with their heat and drinesse they prevent the corruption of Fish.

Hasle-nuts afford more nourishment, then Walnuts, * 1.47 but they are colder, yet they are hot and dry, they are hardly di∣gested, and afford a thick juice, more earthly then Wal∣nuts.

Chestnuts are hot and dry, * 1.48 and Galen conceives they have no ill juice, as all the rest of the fruits of Trees, if they are well concocted in the stomach, yet they are harder of digesti∣on, and are distributed more slowly, yet they afford more du∣rable nourishment, they bind the belly, and if they are eaten in too great plenty, they cause wind.

Toadstools and Muskeroms for the most part are cold, * 1.49 they yeild a watry and thick nourishment; Toadstools are pre∣ferred before Musheroms: yet all of these are not to be taken without danger, because they do not only generate ill juice, but oftentimes there is poyson in them.

Lastly, * 1.50 Oyle drawn out of ripe Olives affords nourishment temperate, and for the most part agreeable to our nature, and can correct the pravity of other aliments, and amend the crudity of Herbes, it also mollifies and loosens the belly, is takes away all sharpnesse; it helps Ruptures, and such as are bursten, and mitigates pain.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fruits or Graines.
• * 1.2

  Spelt.
• * 1.3

  Frument. Bye.
• * 1.4

  Barley. Partisan of Barley.
• * 1.5

  Rice.
• * 1.6

  Millet.
• * 1.7

  Saraceni∣cum.
• * 1.8

  Beanes.
• * 1.9

  Pease.
• * 1.10

  Parsnips.
• * 1.11

  Lentills
• * 1.12

  Pot-herbs.
• * 1.13

  Lettice
• * 1.14

  Cabbage
• * 1.15

  Spinage.
• * 1.16

  Beets.
• * 1.17

  Blitum, O∣rach, Mal∣lows.
• * 1.18

  Asparagus. Young Hops.
• * 1.19

  Cresses. Mustard∣seed.
• * 1.20

  Onions.
• * 1.21

  Garlick.
• * 1.22

  Leeks.
• * 1.23

  Raddish.
• * 1.24

  Wild Ra∣dish.
• * 1.25

  Rape.
• * 1.26

  Tu••nips.
• * 1.27

  Parsley.
• * 1.28

  Parsnips.
• * 1.29

  Red Beets.
• * 1.30

  Melons.
• * 1.31

  Cucumbers
• * 1.32

  Artechocks
• * 1.33

  Strawbe∣ries.
• * 1.34

  Peares.
• * 1.35

  Apples.
• * 1.36

  Quinees.
• * 1.37

  Peaches.
• * 1.38

  Apricocks.
• * 1.39

  Medlers.
• * 1.40

  Cherryes.
• * 1.41

  Plumbs.
• * 1.42

  Mulburies.
• * 1.43

  Figs.
• * 1.44

  Grapes.
• * 1.45

  Almonds.
• * 1.46

  Walnuts:
• * 1.47

  Haslenuts.
• * 1.48

  Chestnuts.
• * 1.49

  Musheroms
• * 1.50

  Oyle.