THE ENGLISH PHYSICIAN ENLARGED. 2G 1 



somewhat like those of the apple-tree, but thicker, 

 broader, and fuller of veins, and whiter on the other side, 

 not dented at all about the edges. The flowers are large 

 and white, sometimes dashed over with a blush. Tiie 

 fruit that followeth is yellow, being near ripe, and 

 covered with a white freze, or cotton ; thick set on the 

 younger, and growing less as they grow to be thorou£;h 

 ripe, bunched out oftentimes in some places, some being 

 like an apple, and some like a pear, of a strong heady 

 scent, and not durable to keep, and is sour, harsh, and 

 of an unpleasant taste to cat fresh ; but being scalded, 

 roasted, baked, or preserved, becometh more pleasant. 

 Place and Time.'] It best likes to grow near ponds 

 and water-sides, and is frequent through this land, and 

 llowereth not until the leaves be come forth. The fruit \% 

 ripe, in September or October. 



Guveniment and Virtues.] Old Saturn owns the tree. 

 Quinces when they are green, help all sorts of fluxes iu 

 men or women, and choleric lasks, casting, and what- 

 ever needeth astridtion, more than any way prepared by 

 lire ; yet the syrup of the juice, or the conserve, are 

 much conducible, much of the binding quality being 

 consumed by the fire ; if a little vinegar be added, it 

 stirreth up the languishing appetite^ and the stomach 

 given to casting ; some spices being added, comforteth 

 and strengtheneth the decaying and fainting spirits, and 

 heipeth the liver ojjpressed, that it cannot perfect the 

 digestion, or corredeth choler and phlegm. If you would 

 have them purging, put honey to them instead of sugar ; 

 and if more laxative, for choler, rhubarb ; for phlegm, 

 turbith ; for watery humours, scammony ; but if more 

 forcibly to bind, use the unripe Quinces, with roses and 

 and acacia, hypocistis, and some torrifiecl rhubarb. To 

 take the crude juice of Quinces, is held a preservative 

 against the force of deadly poison ; for it hath been found 

 most certainly true, that the very smell of a Quince hath 

 taken away all the strength qf the poison of white hellebore; 

 If there be need of any outwardly binding and CQoling of 

 hot fluxes, the oil of Quinces, or other medicines that may- 

 be made thereof, are very available to anoint the belly or 

 other parts therewith ; it likewise strengtheneth the 

 fitotaach aad belly, aud the siocws that are loosened by 



