Historia vegetabilium sacra, or, A Scripture herbal wherein all the trees, shrubs, herbs, plants, flowers, fruits &c. mentioned in the Holy Bible, are in an alphabetical order, rationally discoursed of ... / by W. Westmacott.

Olive-Tree.

• Olive, Gen. 8. 11.
• Exod. 23. 11.
• Deut. 6. 11. and 24. 20. & 28. 49.
• Jos 24. 13.
• Jud. 9. 8, 9. and 15. 5.
• 1 Sam. 8. 14.
• 1 Kings 6. 23, 33.
• 2 Kings 5. 26.
• 1 Chron. 27. 28.
• Neh. 5. 11. and 8. 15. and 9. 25
• Job 15. 33.
• Psal. 52. 8. and 128. 3.
• Jer. 11. 6.
• Hos. 14. 6.
• Am. 4. 49.
• Mic. 6. 15.
• Hab. 3. 17.
• Hag 2. 19.
• Zec. 4. 3, 12. and 14. 4.
• Mat. 21. 1. and 13. 3.
• Luke 19. 29. and 21. 37. and 22. 39.
• ••o. 8. 1.
• Rom. 11. 17, 24.
• Jam. 3. 12.
• Rev. 11. 4.

N. K. D. P. Olea, Oliva '〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. There are 2 sorts, the manur'd Olive, called Olea Sativa, and the Oleaster or wild Olive-Tree: The first grows tall, with many Branches loaded with Willow-like-leaves, of a perennial verdure, the Fruit or Olive follow the Blossoms and are green, then pale and purplish, but when full ripe, black, and do contain a Stone. These differ, some bigger, others less, some oval, long, round.

The Oleaster, or Olea Sylvestris, is much smaller, and arm'd with sundry sharp thorns in its Branches, the Fruit scarce arriving to Maturity. These Olive-Trees thrive only in hot Countries, being propaga∣ted by Stickers, and Layers, thriving best within 40 or 50 miles of the Sea; flowering about Midsum∣mer, but the Fruit come not to maturity till to∣wards Winter.

The finest and sweetest Oyl comes from Candia, Majorca, Zant, and the Isles in the Mediterranean Sea. A stronger tasted Oyl from Provence in France. Wild Olives flourish naturally in Spain, Italy, Por∣tugal, and other hot Regions, never bear Fruits in cold Climates, nor scarce live a Winter.

Virtues and Ʋses.

Olives are reckoned to please the Palat of Venu••, and when gathered, they are laid a while to wither, then by g••ining, and some water being added, to rarefie and extract the Oyl, it is pressed out; some that yield not much Oyl, are the fittest to eat, and are gathered unripe, and are pickled for use, and called Colymbades; The wild Olives are much de∣lighted in, and are gathered to be eaten, and those that yield any Oyl among them, give us a green, colder, and more astringent Oyl than the manu∣red.

This Vegetable is of a median temper, the Bran∣ches, Leaves, and tender Buds, (especially of the wil••••) do cool, dry, and bind; but the Oyl of un∣ripe Olives, called Oleum Omphacinum, doth cool and bind most; and the ripe Oyl doth mollifie, and is anodyne, and the older it is the more it warms, and discusseth. Its properties are distinguished by its sweetness, and odor, if rancid the worse.

Oyl is used in Sallets, to preserve the Stomach from the corrosive acrimony of the Salts in Vegeta∣bles, and to hasten by its slipperiness, the expulsion of cold Herbs out of the Stomach. Olives pickled, do (as all pickles) cause an Appetite, yield little nou∣rishment, apt to offend the Head and Eyes▪ the pure Oyl of them, if really sweet and fine, is far more beneficial to those that can eat it eaten with a Toast

fasting, it openeth the Belly. And the Mountebanks usually fill their Stomachs with Oyl and fresh Butter, before they swallow poison, to defend the Stomach, and dint the edge of the poisonous Salts, and occa∣sion Vomiting. The Faeces or Lees of Oyl called Amurca, is most astringent.

The Timber of this fat Vegetable, is of so cu∣rious, smooth and durable a Grain, that without much Polishing, it is made into rich Cabinets, Pen∣dulum Cases, &c. and Solomon made the Cherubins and the Doors and the Posts of the Temple with it. And the Jews used to make Booths or Huts, with the Boughs of it, at their Feasts, being an Ever∣green, and so pleasant to behold: and hence the Faithful and Godly Men are compar'd to the green Olive-Tree in Psal. 52. 10.

In the Shops. The best eating Oyl, that is fresh old Oyl called Omotribes, and Oyl Omphacine, the several and divers uses these are put to in Pharmacy, and by Trades-Men, and Women, would be ridicu∣lous and needless for me to relate.

Olives pickled, are more kept for the Cook, than Medicinal Uses.